Creating a Revenue Generating Department

AIBM

October - December 2017

The fire services department of Airports Authority of India (AAI) is taking systematic steps to make itself into a revenue generating department.

A mongst the multiple ways of revenue generation, one is to start looking at a department as an investment and not as an expense. This change in attitude leads to many possibilities and leads to a change in vision and consequently changes the culture within the department. For the first time, in 2010, Subhash Kumar, General Manager (Fire Service), AAI shared his vision for revenue generation through training, consultancy and manpower, with the AAI management and it was readily supported.

Training centres

Once a company decides to dedicate its training department to produce courses that increase revenue or reduce expenses, it has made the first step towards creating an income-producing training department.

AAI has two fire training establishments for training and skill development of Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) personnel. These training centres were catering to the training needs of the AAI staff only.

As a first step towards achieving this goal, the fire department created a team of course developers and trainers capable of producing consistent results with effective course design and providing the training at both of AAI’s centres – Fire Training Centre (FTC), New Delhi and Fire Service Training Centre, Kolkata.

It began with the first batch of Basic Training Course for private candidates at FTC, Delhi in the year 2010. Campus selection for these candidates was a huge success, almost all candidates got selected by new greenfield airports and thereafter there was no looking back.

Presently, both training centres have been accredited with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) TRAINAIR Plus Membership, ensuring quality training programmes in Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) as per ICAO standards. Both training centres are also equipped with Course Development Unit (CDU) capable of design development and delivery of quality training programmes. Standardised Training Package (STP) developed by FTC, Delhi is available at ICAO library. Training institutes across the globe can also adopt it. The FTC in New Delhi is also ISO Certified for Integrated Management System (IMS).

The department is not only training its own personnel but also candidates from almost all greenfield airports, JVCs, along with candidates from Asia-Pacific region, including countries like Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Uganda, etc.

Both fire training centres are generating significant amount of revenue for AAI.

Quality training programmes have been developed to keep the personnel updated

To further improve training standards, new modern training aides like Aircraft Training Simulator, Breathing Apparatus Gallery, Incident Command Management System and ARFF Vehicle Driving Simulator will be installed shortly. For further development of advanced courses in fire engineering, very soon a new Fire College will be set up in Allahabad at par with international institutes.

Apart from training at training centres, fire departments at field airports are also generating revenue by providing one day training courses in fire fighting to airlines, cargo and oil company staff.

Consultancy

Fire department is also exploring possibility of generating revenue through offering Fire Protection Design Consulting Services exclusively in the field of fire protection, be it design or execution. Recently, we have completed consultancy for endorsement of fire fighting system drawing for Pawan Hans Rohini Heliport in Delhi.

Manpower supply

AAI’s ARFF services have tremendous experience and expertise in aviation fire fighting. It was established post-independence by the Civil Aviation Department. Presently fire department has a presence at 68 airports and protection is provided as per guidelines given by ICAO and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). AAI’s expertise and manpower is in high demand at JV airports, RCS airports and greenfield airports. Presently, personnel from the department are working at Rohini Heliport and Kannur International Airport Ltd and generating revenue for AAI.