Explained: What is National Air Sport Policy 2022?

NASP is launched to ensure establishment of good quality infrastructure, equipment, instructors and services in air sports sector.

New Delhi, Jun 8: Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia on Tuesday launched A National Air Sport Policy 2022 (NASP) which lays out the vision of making India as one of the top sports nations by 2030, by providing a safe, affordable, accessible, enjoyable and sustainable air sports ecosystem.

Air sports, as the name suggests, encompasses various sports activities involving the medium of air. These include sports like air-racing, aerobatics, aero modelling, hang gliding, paragliding, para motoring and skydiving etc.

India has the potential to be among the leading nations in the world of air sports. It has a large geographical expanse, diverse topography, and fair-weather conditions. It has a large population, especially the youth. It has a growing culture for adventure sports and aviation. The NASP 2022, is a step in this direction, said the Minister of Civil Aviation in a statement.

The key objectives of NASP 2022 include the following:

a) Promote an air sports culture in the country.

b) Adopt international best practices in safety including but not limited to, air sports infrastructure, equipment, operations, maintenance and training.

c) Develop India as a preferred global hub for air sports.

d) Develop a simple, stakeholder-friendly and effective governance structure.

e) Enhance participation and success of Indian sportspersons in global air sports events.

f) Promote design, development and manufacturing of air sports equipment in India in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.

The policy will cover the following air sports in India: -

• Aerobatics
• Aero modeling and model rocketry
• Amateur-built and experimental aircraft
• Ballooning
• Drones
• Gliding and powered gliding
• Hang gliding and powered hang gliding
• Parachuting (including skydiving, BASE jumping and wing suits etc.)
• Paragliding and para motoring (including powered parachute trikes etc.)
• Powered aircraft (including ultra light, micro light and light sports aircraft etc.)
• Rotorcraft (including autogyro)

Under the new policy, there will be a four-tier governance structure for air sports in India namely

• Air Sports Federation of India (ASFI) as the apex governing body
• National associations for individual air sports or a set of air sports, as appropriate
• Regional (e.g. West/ South/ North East etc.) or State and Union Territory level units of the national air sports associations, as appropriate; and
• District-level air sports associations, as appropriate.

Safety

a) Air sports by their very nature involve a higher level of risk than flying a regular aircraft. They also provide a ground for new aviation technologies and safety procedures.

b) Each air sports association shall lay down the safety standards for equipment, infrastructure, personnel and training etc. as per global best practices for its air sport. It shall specify the disciplinary actions to be taken in case of deviations and willful non-compliance.

c) No person or entity involved in air sports shall violate the right of way of a manned aircraft.

d) No later than forty-eight hours after an accident involving air sports activity takes place, the person or entity involved shall report the accident to the concerned air sports association in writing, along with a copy to the ASFI. Failure to do so may lead to penal action.

e) Inability to enforce safety standards by an air sports association may lead to penal action by the ASFI against such association including financial penalties, suspension or dismissal.

Registration
a) All persons and entities providing air sports services shall be required to register as members of the respective air sports associations.

b) Key equipment used for air sports shall be registered with the respective air sports association, till such equipment is decommissioned, damaged beyond repair or lost. The air sports associations be responsible for ensuring safe and hazard-free disposal of decommissioned equipment by its members.

c) A person may transfer an air sports equipment to another person by way of sale, lease, gift or any other mode, after providing requisite details of the transferor, transferee and the registration number to the concerned air sports association.