Why is the Cessna the favourite aeroplane for VIP politicians hitting the campaign trail? That's easy enough.
The small plane, favoured by aviation training schools around the country, seats four people: just right for the Black Cats and a politician with Z Category status.
The cost: around Rs 37,000 per hour. Anyone hoping to hire a Cessna should remember that the plane must be hired for a minimum 100 hours so the bill will hover around Rs 37 lakh (Rs 3.7 million).
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Super King B 200 |
As India's general election draw closer anyone who owns an aeroplane -- small operators, companies or even training schools -- are being pursued by politicians who are hoping to become highflyers in the next two months.
One company already on the runway and ready for the election campaign is state-owned Pawan Hans. The company has hired-out three of its five-seater aeroplanes to the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress and to Om Prakash Chautala's Indian National Lok Dal.
Pawan Hans' chairman and managing director, N V Sridhar, reckons that the race to charter planes will hot up even more the moment election dates are announced.
Others hoping for an election eve bonanza include a host of airline operators like, Sahara, Taj Air, Air Deccan and the tiny Ace Airways.
Corporates heading to the tarmac include the Reliance Group, East India Hotels and Raymonds, which may hire out or lend their private planes and helicopters to leaders for poll campaigns.
Similarly, flight training schools are also getting inquiries. One such is Chennai-based Orient Flight School which is likely to be offering its King Air-C90 A for any politician who needs to get around the country quickly.
The private players are, inevitably, hoping for a bonanza in the coming months. They reckon that charter rates, which hover around Rs 36,000 to Rs 125,000 per hour depending on the type of aircraft, could climb to the stratosphere once poll dates are announced by the Election Commission.
"We expect a number of political parties to come forward to charter aircraft for the elections. No one has approached us so far," says Air Deccan chief Captain Gopinath.
According to aviation experts, the BJP and its ruling alliance partners will be the biggest takers for aircraft. The cash-strapped Congress and the other opposition parties will take to the skies much more sparingly.
"Those in the chartering business seem to have also made up their mind on lending their aircraft to the BJP-led alliance, betting that the outcome of the elections would be in favour of the ruling dispensation," says one private player.
How much does it cost to be a highflying politician? Obviously, an awful lot of money. Costs have recently come down after the government waived landing charges for below 80-seater aircraft, but they are still prohibitive.
A Super King B 200 aircraft with facilities for two pilots and seven passengers costs a whopping Rs 52,000 per flying hour with an additional 15 per cent Inland Air travel tax.
A HS 125 700 B which has three crew members and eight passengers costs Rs 1.25 lakh per flying hour. After landing the subsequent fee is Rs 6,000 per hour.
Apart from state-owned Pawan Hans, Delhi-based Span Airways and Ace Airways have King Air and Equirrel helicopters on offer.
The Oberoi group, which runs the East India Hotels is also planning to lend its HS-125 and C-90 King Air planes for the elections.