Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

looks like we are going back to 'fly people around' days

heard a R-44 was in the island, wonder who's?

Sri Lankan Airlines introduced an Air taxi service around the island, which is great fun and can certainly cushion the airport to hotel journey after a long-haul flight.

The small 8 seater Cessna Caravan planes use waterways, lakes and domestic airstrips to land and take-off. Flights currently run to many tourist destinations like Kandy, Bentota, Galle, Tangalle or the lengthy trips to Trincomalee or Anuradhapurha. Alternatively, the planes can be chartered privately as long there is a suitable landing area.

Flights are chartered in accordance with demand with some scheduled flights each day. Flights operate only during day light hours and during acceptable weather conditions. In the event of a cancelled flight, the crew will help you to source alternative transport.

The costs are reasonable, especially when you are a group of 4 or more people. Either book ahead or encourage your fellow holiday makers to join you in a return journey to the airport.

You will experience an exciting and birds eye journey over Sri Lanka and for those connecting to the airport, you will gain preferential treatment at Bandaranaike check-in desk.

Sri Lankan Air Taxi has commenced flights to the Victoria Reservoir in Kandy, one of the most popular destinations in its extensive route network throughout Sri Lanka.

The Reservoir provides easy access to the Victoria Golf and Country Resort, a popular holiday and golfing destination among both Sri Lankans and expatriates.

There are also Air Taxi flights to a second destination in Kandy, the Mahaweli River, which is more popular with passengers on their way to and from the country s ancient hill capital.

Both sites offer passengers the thrills of a water landing on Air Taxi s amphibious Turbo Otter aircraft.

The 35-minute flights to Kandy eliminate the hassle of ling and tiresome road trips, which from Colombo to Kandy often take more than three hours.

Sri Lankan Air Taxi plays an important part in supporting the tourism industry of Sri Lanka with flights to all major resort areas.

It has made any part of the island accessible within an hour and now flies to 16 destinations Kandy (2 sites), Bentota, Nuwara Eliya, Hingurakgoda, Galle (Koggala), Weerawila, Ampara (2 sites), Katunayake, Ratmalana, Trincomalee, Katukurunda, Sigiriya, Dickwella and Anuradhapura.

On the way, travellers can experience a spectacular view of the island. Flying only a few thousand feet above the ground, far lower than regular jet airliners, they get a bird s eye view of Sri Lanka s exotic fauna and flora and the beauty of the Indian Ocean.

Deccan Aviation Lanka is a five year old helicopter and charter aircraft operator based in Sri Lanka. Only company authorized to operate private helicopters, In addition to operating aircraft. Deccan fleet can fly you and your guest on any mission to any destination within Sri Lanka and beyond.

Today Deccan is the airline of choice for business or leisure travel in Sri Lanka.

In addition to charter flights between any airports in Sri Lanka Deccan also operate scheduled flights between the Colombo airport and the Northern capital of Jaffna.

Beechcraft 1900C with its 17 leather seats and pressurized cabin provides an experience unmatched by any other airline in Sri Lanka.

Fly up to 03 passengers in a VIP configured Robinson R44 helicopter for the above rates.
Rates are inclusive of all local taxes and are net.
No refund will be made once a booking confirmed.
10 minute / 15 minute / 30 minute joy rides can be organized on request

Fly up to 04 passengers in a VIP configured Bell Jet Ranger 206 Helicopter for the above rates.
Rates are inclusive of all local taxes and are net.
No refund will be made once a booking confirmed.
10 minute / 15 minute / 30 minute joy rides can be organized on request.

Names, passport numbers & nationality of passengers are required 72hrs prior to flying (please email)

Payment to be made in full advance for the confirmation of flight

Flying time is engine ON to SHUT DOWN

Maximum capacity of 04 passengers & 70Kgs of luggage per flight

Service hours are from 0700 hrs to 1730 hrs daily (subjected to weather conditions)

On ground waiting US$ 130.00 per hour

Overnight parking charges US$ 380.00 per night

Upon confirmation of a booking no refund will be made

All passengers are insured

The carrier reserves the right to delay, extend, reschedule or cancel a flight for operational reasons - bad weather, VIP movements or other similar situations beyond the immediate control of the carrier. Carrier shall not, in any circumstances whatsoever be liable or responsible in respect to any inaccuracy, misdescription, detention, delay, loss, damage, sickness, additional expenses or injury, and of whatever kind occurring to any passenger, property, or baggage at any time.

Helitours the largest & premier domestic air service in Sri Lanka, operated by the SLAF, completed its 200th flight on the 24th March 2010 since resumption of operations last year.

Helitours resumed its operations on the 21st of July last year after the successful conclusion of the 'humanitarian operations'. Since then, Helitours has transported 2669 passengers, clocking nearly 520 flying hours in the process.

Immediately after the cessation of hostilities with the A9 road yet to be opened, those who needed to visit the North had to wait on a long waiting lists to book seats on one of the few private airliners in operation or were forced to take the sea route.

The SLAF through Helitours opened a new gateway for people who wanted to fly to and fro from the peninsula with ease without long delays or relying on unscrupulous tour operators.

Through Helitours the SLAF offers scheduled flights to Palaly and China Bay. The Flying time from Colombo to Palaly is around 1 hour on either an Y-12 or an An-32 aircraft whilst the Chinabay flight also takes a similar amount of time.

Other than scheduled flights, Helitours offers a range of other services utilizing its fleet of helicopters. 'Heli-lifts' to any part of the country or to any off-shore platforms are performed. Shore to ship operations are also carried out. Special arrangements can be made to transport patients.

The services of Helitours have been used by several notable personalities including Her Excellency Nirapama Rao (Indian Foreign Minister), High Commissioners and Ambassadors and dignitaries from the United Nations (UN).

Clientele of Helitours also include the World Bank, USAID, ICRC, NDB, Merchant Bank, HSBC, Central Bank and Bank of Ceylon. They were also chosen to act as a platform by the Discovery Channel.

The Helitours fleet comprises of Y-12 and AN-32B fixed wing passenger aircrafts as well as Bell-206, Bell-212, Bell-412 and Mi-17 Helicopters.

All Helitours passengers are provided insurance for the complete duration of the flight. The tours are flown by experienced pilots of the Sri Lanka Air Force backed by one of the best aircraft maintenance wings in the world.

All proceeds of this venture are directed towards the development efforts of the country through the Treasury of Sri Lanka.

Tickets are available at the Sri Lanka Air Force Head Quarters, Bandaranayake International Airport Arrival Lounge, Sri Lanka Air Force Base Chinabay, Sri Lanka Air Force Base Rathmalana, Sri Lanka Air Force, Palaly.

Helitours also undertakes customized tours which can be tailor made according to your requirements.

To contact Helitours, contact any one of the telephone numbers below or send your inquires to helitours AT slaf gov lk

Helitours Hotline Numbers: 011 3 144 244 (General Information)

011 3 144 944 (Ticketing Information) 011 3 110 472

Email: helitours AT slaf gov lk

SriLankan Airlines Captain (Mrs.) Anusha Siriratne (34) and Junior First officer Madini Chandradasa (22) were the first all-female cockpit crew, operating a flight from Colombo to Trichy and back on November 1, 2009. Each leg on an Airbus A-320 aircraft took one hour.

They repeated the feat on New Year s Day 2010 by flying to Karachi and returning, also in a twin-engined A-320, with each flight taking three hours and 40 minutes.

Meanwhile Snr.First Officers Chamika Rupasinghe (32) and Roshani Jinasena (26) are now flying the long-haul A-330 and A-340 aircraft to Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East.

The airline currently has these four women among its 189 pilots. Chandradasa and Rupasinghe are old girls of Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo Jinasena (Ladies College, Colombo and British School) and Siriratne, a mother (Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya).

http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/03/28/beauties-in-the-skies/

The United States has turned down a request by the Defence Ministry to provide advanced training for Sri Lankan military officers, citing human rights concerns.

The Sunday Times learns that three lists containing names of senior officers were submitted to the US State Department for training at US military academies. U.S. Embassy spokesperson Jeff Anderson said facilities for such training programmes required certain assurances including the safeguarding of human rights.

It is because of concerns in this area that some military cooperation with Sri Lanka has been suspended, he said. However, Mr. Anderson added that the U.S. and Sri Lanka had a long tradition of partnership, which included cooperation between the two militaries. That continues even today, he said.

He pointed out that last month the U.S. military worked alongside the Sri Lanka Navy and the Air Force in providing humanitarian assistance to people in the Trincomalee district.

Our military is also assisting in the de-mining efforts in the north, he said. Meanwhile military spokesperson Prasad Samarasinghe declined to comment on the issue saying that he was not aware of such a development.

Swedish IT company IFS, which has software development facilities in Sri Lanka, recently announced that it had signed with USA-based aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) company Sabreliner Corp. to support its government prime contractor role with the US government, according to an IFS statement.

Further, the statement said, 'Sabreliner supplies other aviation organisations and the U.S. military with aircraft MRO services. Sabreliner also manufactures airframe assemblies, parts, components and tooling for use in new fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft production. Some of Sabreliner s customers include Airbus, BAE Systems, Boeing, Bombardier Aerospace, L-3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Sikorsky Aircraft'.

IFS's statement also indicates that 'Sabreliner plans to implement IFS Applications components for Financials, Distribution, Manufacturing, Engineering, Maintenance, Sales and Support, and Human Resources' and quoted Cindy Jaudon, President and Chief Executive of the 500 employee strong Sabreliner, as saying that IFS s solution covers everything from quotation handling, maintenance planning, and tracking of open service bulletins (SBs) and airworthiness directives (ADs) to maintenance execution, warranty management, supply chain logistics, cost tracking, and invoicing'.