In a major boost to the seaplane operations under regional air connectivity scheme under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) gambit, the minister of civil aviation has simplified its regulatory policies for ease of doing business and attracting new players in the sector. Seaplanes are amphibian aircraft that can take off and land on the sea.

As per the relaxed norms by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the following are changes in the policy structure for Seaplane operations in India.

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  • There will be no need for a waterdrome license and compliance requirements have also been reduced. Waterdromes are for landing and take-off of seaplanes.
  • Fresh Commercial Pilot License (CPL) holders can now directly obtain seaplane ratings that will allow them to fly seaplanes.

These changes are made to allow non-scheduled entities to operate such services and putting in place a simplified certificate process. India had seaplane operations in Andaman & Nicobar as well as in Gujarat but they couldn't sustain for long, due to certain red-tapes and stringent rules. “These revised regulations have been carefully planned and prepared after extensive consultations,” the minister added. 

The minister also revealed that the government also plans to extend the regional air connectivity scheme by another ten years and also provide viability gap funding for seaplane operations. Apart from this, the government is also planning to encourage investments in designing and manufacturing of seaplanes and helicopters in India. 

“Some states like Andra Pradesh and Maharashtra have expressed interest to participate in seaplane operations,” Naidu said. He further added that demo flights of seaplanes will start from Vijaywada from October 2024. 

These changes in seaplane rules were the need of the hour. With these changes in place, minister also hopes these revied policies in seaplane operations will give a boost to travel and tourism sector. “Besides tourism, seaplanes can also be valuable for research, environmental monitoring, coastal resource management, and coastal and island defence, among other areas,” Naidu said.

Meanwhile, the government plans to set up water aerodromes at 18 places spread across Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Goa, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.

Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam informed that the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) for seaplanes has been streamlined. He further urged the state governments to find water bodies for seaplane operations.

The regulatory framework for seaplane operations was initially established in 2018 and was long- due for a major structural and policy change. 

Prior to this, in June 2024, DGCA had revamped its regulatory provisions to streamline infrastructure procedures, pilot training requirements, regulatory compliances in sea plane operations for seaplane services to reach remote, inaccessible areas.