Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

Attrition of pilots

To add to this, there is a steady stream of pilots leaving SriLankan in search of greener pastures. Many of our first officers have been attracted away by Middle Eastern airlines that offer them better remuneration and facilities as well as opportunities to fly the latest planes. Our training capacity cannot accommodate more than eight cadets at a time, and it takes almost nine years for them to become captains. So losing our officers creates serious gaps in our staffing, the official said.

However Gunawardene said, It is true that in the past it was harder for us to hold on to pilots due to the volatile situation of the country, but now it is much easier. Pilots look for the overall package when selecting employers, and currently our remuneration packages are competitive enough to enable us to retain our staff. But if competitors offer better salaries, then there is a possibility that we may lose some pilots.

He went on to say that an added incentive is provided for pilots in terms of a reduced income tax bracket courtesy the government of Sri Lanka.

Global shortage

Middle Eastern giant Emirates made a recent announcement that they will need 700 new pilots. The Airbus website reports that the carrier has ordered a whopping 90 of its new Airbus A380 airplanes. Airbus also says that total aircraft deliveries for this year have reached 250. The Boeing website indicates that up to 170 orders for aircraft have been received by the company so far. Air China, Virgin Blue Airlines, United Airlines and Turkish Airlines are other leading buyers looking to expand.

Demand for pilots is triggered primarily by two factors acquisition of new airplanes for expansion and the retirement of existing pilots. A new airplane will roughly require 15-20 pilots to effectively service it.

Leading airlines usually rely on attracting staff from other established airlines to fill shortages. This will mean a battle between carriers for the best pilots. This leads to questions as to whether SriLankan Airlines will face problems when it comes to holding on to their pilots.

United States naval ship USS Pearl Harbor arrived at the port of Trincomalee in Eastern Sri Lanka Tuesday on a goodwill mission, Sri Lanka Navy announced.

Sri Lanka Navy ceremonially welcomed the US Navy ship carrying 24 officers and 328 sailors.

The Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship is 186 meters in length and has a displacement of 11,251 tons. The ship is capable of transporting 500 marines.

Sri Lanka Navy said the US Navy crew of the ship will be participating in a series of special programmes organized by the Navy to enhance the relationship between the two navies.

Viewers are treated to a unique presence at the Eastern Naval Command s scenic harbour in Trincomalee. Two Naval ships, USS Pearl Harbour of the American Navy and INS Nirupak of the Indian Navy, are now at the Port of Trincomalee relishing the gentle breeze and the alluring warmth of the Sri Lanka s largest natural harbour located in the heart of the Indian Ocean.

USS Pearl Harbour, a Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship belonging to the United States Navy, arrived at the Port of Trincomalee on 13th July 2010 on a goodwill visit. Its crew participated in a series of special programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy to enhance the relationship between the two Navies.

It is scheduled to depart today(16/07). INS Nirupak, belonging to the Indian Navy, joined its US counterpart on the evening of July 15. It is too in Sri Lanka on a good will mission.

Bangladesh Naval Ship BNS Anushandhan arrived at the Port of Colombo 15th July on a goodwill visit. Upon her arrival at the port, she was ceremonially welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy.

BNS Anushandhan is a Survey Ship belonging to the Bangladesh Navy. It is 64 meters in length. The ship complement consists of 50 naval personnel including 09 officers and 41 sailors. The ship stays until 18th July and its crew is scheduled to participate in a series of special programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy to enhance the relationship between the two Navies.

The USS Pearl Harbour of the US navy, which arrived in the country on Tuesday left yesterday after participating in a two-day joint sea exercise with the Sri Lankan Navy.

Marines from the US navy and Special Boat Squadron personnel from the Sri Lanka Navy had on Wednesday and Thursday conducted a sea exercise off the Trincomalee coast as well as on land, informed sources said.Earlier the commanding officer of the USS Pearl Harbour Cmdr. Dave Guluzian said the United States was looking to create a strong relationship with the Sri Lankan Navy.

In a statement prior to the sea exercise, he said, We look forward to creating a strong relationship with the Sri Lankan Navy by engaging in a two-way professional military exchange as well as experiencing the country's unique culture. Our visit demonstrates the cooperation between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the United States of America in promoting peace and stability, he added.

'The mission in Sri Lanka is a fantastic opportunity to get quality mil-to-mil training and to share our knowledge and experience in amphibious operations, while strengthening our partnership with their nation,' said Lt. J.G. Robert Rusticus, the ship's boatswain. Meanwhile, Indian Navy ship INS Nirupak also arrived at Trincomalee on a good will visit.

The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) played a key and decisive role in ending the 30-year conflict in the island. Heli Tours, a strategic business unit of SLAF, and involved in the air passenger transport sector, is once again set to make a benchmark, this time in the domestic aviation sector.

Reaping the benefits of peace, Heli Tours has taken a novel initiative to create a private company and spread its wings further to meet the growing demand for domestic air travel. For the first time, Heli Tours is also planning to launch international charter flights beyond the Maldives.

Heli Tours, which was the only operator within Sri Lanka's air space that could operate to any destination within Sri Lanka, with safety and reliability, during the dark era of the conflict re-launched its scheduled air passenger service soon after the ending of the humanitarian operation with flights to Jaffna.

To cater to the growing demand and keeping in mind the convenience of passengers in providing a better customer service, Heli Tours will relocate its office to Colombo 3 tomorrow. The modern premises, located opposite the Abans Complex, will provide the opportunity to create a niche market. 'Passengers would now be able to walk in to our office without any security hassles and purchase air tickets,' said Wing Commander Dayal Wijerathne.

To make Heli Tours even more accessible, the company will also launch a website soon so that passengers could book tickets online.

'We have ambitious plans which we will launch under the guidance of Air Force Commander Roshan Gunatilleke. We are also looking at launching a cargo flight from Colombo to Jaffna soon,' he said.

Heli Tours was the brainchild of Air Marshal Paddy Mendis and was incorporated in 1972 as a strategic business unit of the Sri Lanka Air Force to cater to the growing air travel and tourism segment in Sri Lanka.

During this era, only Air Ceylon was operating international flights and there was no domestic air operator to promote travel and tourism in Sri Lanka. The challenge was taken up by the SLAF as a military institution whose core competency was aviation. The SLAF was renowned globally for its competence and skills in operational safety. During a time when the Government of Sri Lanka required investments in aviation to promote tourism and domestic air travel, the SLAF took up the challenge admirably and took it upon itself to assist the Government on its peace time development process.

'We are now focusing our attention on being a more private oriented airline operation and are considering launching flights to South Asian destinations,' Wijerathne said. Heli Tours already operates charter flights to the Maldives.

He also disclosed plans to purchase new aircraft to expand their operations as and when the demand increases. 'We are looking at servicing new destinations to cater to the increasing demand for air transportation,' he added.

Sigiriya too is one of their destinations with the latest addition being Anuradhapura. 'We will also introduce agents' commissions soon,' the Wing Commander said.

Heli Tours is also expected to create another historic milestone when it eventually becomes the first domestic aviation body to introduce scheduled flights using helicopters.

Recently, by venturing in to offshore aircraft operations in supporting oil exploration in Sri Lankan waters, the airline also became the first local aviation body to support such activity amidst tough competition from foreign aviation companies.

Heli Tours has been a key player in promoting Sri Lanka's tourism for the last 25 years despite its main role of safeguarding the skies of Sri Lanka.

There were periods when Heli Tours was the only operator that could link the Jaffna peninsula as an air travel agent despite threats.

With competitive rates, Heli Tours has reiterated its commitment to continue its people-oriented focus.

It aims at providing the maximum facilities to customers, concurrently assisting the growth of State income.

Heli Tours' ticket counters are established at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Air Force Headquarters, Jaffna, Ratmalana and Trincomalee. Their flights take off from the Ratmalana air base.

Many smaller Asian nations will likely press their rotorcraft into multiple missions as budgets tighten and operating requirements expand, said attendees at the inaugural Military Helicopter Asia Conference here.

In Sri Lanka, where the government more than a year ago declared the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam defeated, the military is considering using its Mi-24 helicopter for maritime strike or to deliver precision-guided munitions.

In service with the Sri Lankan Air Force since 1995, the Mi-24 is used primarily for close air support, but also for heliborne raids and tactical air reconnaissance.

Air Vice Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala, Sri Lanka s director-general for naval and air operations, said training and technological integration have given ground commanders a sound understanding of the aircraft s close air support capabilities.

In the Philippines, the Air Force will seek to improve night-vision gear on utility and attack helicopters, said Col. Richard Siga-An, deputy commander of the 205th Helicopter Wing.

Siga-An said his service is interested in buying a light-lift helicopter, but it appears unlikely since the Air Force intends to buy fighter jets beginning in 2011. The colonel said that, as an archipelagic country of more than 7,000 islands, the Philippines demand for helicopters is high, particularly during counterinsurgency operations in mountainous areas.

Although the new government of President Benigno Aquino III is expected to renew the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Philippine military will likely continue to carry out a high operational tempo.

Siga-An said that although the UH-1 can provide limited close air support, heliborne assaults benefit from the strafing and rocketry operations of the MD-520MG light attack helicopters of its 15th Strike Wing.

Helicopters have also been critical to the country s disaster response, particularly the flooding that followed September s Typhoon Ketsana.

Australia expects to pick a new naval helicopter early next year, said Brig. Charles Crocombe, the Army aviation director at the Australian Defence Material Organisation.

The country is looking to buy at least 24 such aircraft, ensuring that eight helos can be placed on ships underway at any one time.

In February, Australian Defence Minister John Faulkner said the government has decided that the new helicopter will be either the Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin-built MH-60R, sourced through the United States Navy, or the NATO Helicopter Industries NH90 NFH, sourced through Australian Aerospace.

The military has received 17 of a 22-aircraft order of Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopters. Four are being built in France, and the rest in Australia.