As per the reports of the Aviation Industry, within the last three years, the civil aviation industry in India has emerged to be one of the fastest-growing industries in the country. Thus, reportedly India has grown to be the third-largest domestic aviation market in the world. It is also expected to overtake the UK to become the third-largest air passenger market across the globe by 2024.
The air transport sector has a major contribution to India’s economy. So, the need to put in extensive effort is needed to create an infrastructure that will enable further growth. The Aviation sector with its roots laid in the 1930s, the history of Indian aviation is closely tied with that of Air India and state control. So, let’s find out how India became the aviation hub it is today.
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Here is everything that you need to know about the history of civil aviation in India:
1. Civil aviation in India goes back to as early as February 18, 1911
The first functional civil aviation flight in India was a brief demonstration flight of about 15 minutes from the United Provinces Industrial and Agricultural Exhibition in Allahabad, across the Yamuna River to Naini. It covered a distance of approximately 9.7 to 10 kilometers.
2. The Humber aircraft was used for carrying mail and had a wooden frame
The first aircraft used was the Humber aircraft, and it took 6,500 mail to the post office in Allahabad. The aircraft was powered by 50 horsepower engines and had a wooden structure, canvas coverings, and used steel wires for controls. The distance was easily covered in around 13 to 15 minutes.
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3. A French pilot, Henri Pequet, was the first person to fly the Humber aircraft in India back in 1911.
4. J.R.D. Tata is known as the father of Indian civil aviation
A flying club was opened in Bombay by JRD Tata when he was 24. He came to be the first Indian to pass with ‘No. 1’ on his flying license. Three years later he piloted the first flight in the history of Indian aviation. Indian civil aviation kicked off with the introduction of Tata Air Services.
5. The first airline to be introduced in India was Tata Air Services
In 1932, Tata Air Services added a boost to kick off as the first airline in India. Needless to add, Tata Air Services was founded by J.R.D Tata. On October 15, 1932, it took off from Karachi’s Drigh Road Aerodrome and flew to Mumbai’s Juhu Airstrip making a mark in the history of aviation in India.
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Tata Airways is known to have played a huge role in World War II by carrying troops and supplies for the British during the war.
6. Tata Airlines was renamed to Air India, in 1947, post-independence Tata, and the government took a 49% stake in it
7. Boom in aviation sector
By 1994, India saw a massive repeal of all laws pertaining to the formation of airlines which led to the introduction of scheduled private airlines. A handful number of new airlines cropped up, the most prominent being Jet Airways and ModiLuft. Yet Air India and Indian Airlines continued to be operated as government-run airlines.
8. Juhu Aerodrome was the first airport in India
J.R.D Tata flew an airmail service from Karachi to Bombay. The de Havilland Puss Moth aircraft landed at Juhu Aerodrome thereby kicking off the airline operations from there as Tata Airmail Services, later Air India. In 1936, the expansion of the aerodrome with two runways and a promising third one made Juhu a bustling hub for Tata Airmail. However, due to some critical flaws, officials realized that could not become a key airport.
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9. J.R.D. Tata founded the Juhu Aerodrome in 1928 as the first civil aviation airport in India. It was the primary airport of India during World War II for carrying troops and amenities.
10. The first international airport in India was the Cochin International Airport in Kerala which was developed under Public-Private Partnership Model.
11. Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi has been declared the best airport by the Airports Council International’s Airport Service Quality Awards in the category of 25-40 million passengers.
12. Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport is the highest airport in India
Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport located in Leh, is situated at a height of over 10,000 feet above sea level, making it one of the highest airports in the world. The airport is named after the respected 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, a Buddhist monk.
13. The smallest airport in India is the airport of Trichy, Tamil Nadu. The runway is also the shortest one in terms of length here.
14. Uttar Pradesh is soon to be the state with the most number of airports in India
The state of Uttar Pradesh is all set to have five i.e. the maximum number of international airports in the country. The Jewar International Airport, also known as the Noida International Airport is an upcoming project in the NCR region.
15. There are 137 airports in India at present
The AAI, known as the Airports Authority of India manages a total of 137 Airports under its wing, which includes 103 Domestic Airports, 34 International Airports, and 10 Customs Airports.
16. Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport and Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport jointly won the best airport in India tag as of 2024.
17. The 7th of December is observed as the International Civil Aviation Day
In the year 1996, the UN proclaimed the 7th of December as the day to celebrate International Civil Aviation Day. It was done to spread awareness of the importance of aviation in international air travel and to the economic development of the world as a whole.
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18. Under the ‘5/20 rule,’ all airlines operating in India must have five years of domestic flying experience and at least 20 aircraft in their fleet to fly abroad.
19. Three Indian aircraft have been hijacked, 1971 Indian Airlines hijacking (1971), Indian Airlines Flight 427 (1993), and Indian Airlines Flight 814 (1999).
Hope this article was able to provide you with a thorough insight into the history of Civil Aviation in India.
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