Pawan Hans Helicopter Ltd. (PHHL), the national helicopter company of India was incorporated in 1985. Presently the shareholding of the Government of India is 51% and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation is 49%. PHHL was incorporated with the primary objective of providing helicopter support services to the oil sector for its off-shore exploration operations, services in remote and hilly areas and char
ter services for promotion of tourism. The experience and expertise of PHHL has been developing the company’s dedication to excellence in serving the customers and at the same time, enabling PHHL to maintain its position of the undisputed leader. Jal Hans is a commercial seaplane service based in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. It is a pilot project that was launched on December 30, 2010 by the then Indian Civil Aviation Minister, Praful Patel, at Juhu Aerodrome in Mumbai. The airline is jointly owned by Pawan Hans, India's largest helicopter services provider,and the Andaman and Nicobar Administration and is run on an equal profit and loss basis between them. Jal Hans is India's first commercial seaplane service. The service currently has one six-year old Cessna 208 A, an amphibious aircraft that cost around Rs. 8 crore that has the capability of landing on most calm waters.It aims to promote tourism and connectivity by connecting far flung islands and backwaters with the mainland in a country that has a 7400-kilometre long shoreline. Initially Jal Hans started flying from Port Blair to Havelock Island, where Waterdrome infrastructure is being installed and then Diglipur, again at a waterdrome. The first flight from Port Blair to Havelock Island took place on January 24, 2011, and was inaugurated by the Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bhopinder Singh. Waterdrome facilities include speed boats to ferry passengers from the sea shore to the pontoons with a capacity of 10 passengers, sanitation, an inflatable boat and an inflatable jetty.
