>Csgir at 06:28, 24 June 2021

2021-06-24T06:28:52Z

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{{Short description|Apex body of flying clubs}}
{{Infobox sport governing body
|name = Aero Club of India
|abbrev = ACI
|logo = Aero Club of India logo.gif
|logosize =
|sport = [[Air sports]]
|category =
|image =
|caption =
|jurisdiction = National
|membership = 22 flying clubs<ref name="About ACI"/>
|founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1927|09|19}}
|aff = [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale]]<ref>{{cite web |title=AERO CLUB OF INDIA {{!}} World Air Sports Federation |url=https://www.fai.org/member/aero-club-india |website=www.fai.org |accessdate=26 July 2018 |language=en}}</ref>
|affdate = 1950<ref name="About ACI"/>
|region =
|regionyear =
|headquarters = [[Safdarjung Airport]], [[Aurobindo Marg]], [[New Delhi]]
|president = [[Rajiv Pratap Rudy]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Aero Club President |url=http://aeroclubofindia.in/aeroclub-president.php |website=Aero Club of India |accessdate=26 July 2018}}</ref>
|vicepresident = Milind Mahajan<ref>{{cite web |title=Aero Club Council |url=http://aeroclubofindia.in/aeroclub-council.php |website=Aero Club of India |accessdate=26 July 2018}}</ref>
|secretary =
|coach =
|womenscoach =
|key staff =
|operating income =
|sponsor =
|url = http://aeroclubofindia.in
|countryflag = IND
|more =
}}
The '''Aero Club of India (ACI)''' is the apex body of all [[flying club]]s and institutions involved in [[flight training]], and also the national [[sports federation]] for [[air sports]] in [[India]]. Legally, it is registered as a non-profit, non-commercial organization.<ref name="About ACI">{{cite web |title=About Aero Club of India |url=http://aeroclubofindia.in/aboutus.php |website=Aero Club of India |accessdate=26 July 2018}}</ref>

The ACI was founded in 1927 as the Royal Aero Club of India and Burma Ltd. Prior to India's independence in 1947, the organization had vast regulatory powers including the authority to issue flying licences to pilots and to approve certified flight instructors, and to issue licences for arms and wireless facilities to foreign aviators. However, most of these powers were transferred to government agencies after independence. The ACI lost nearly all of its regulatory powers after the formation of the [[Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India)|Directorate General of Civil Aviation]] (DGCA).<ref name="NIE"/>

==History==
The ACI was founded by businessman and hotelier [[Victor Sassoon]] as the Royal Aero Club of India and Burma Ltd. (RACIB) on 19 September 1927. The club's primary objectives were to create awareness of air sports in the country, and to provide training to people seeking employment in commercial aviation. The club was patronized by the British Indian government since its inception with the [[Governor-General of India|Viceroy of India]] and Burma serving as its Patron-in-Chief, the Commander-in-chief of India serving as its President, and the Director General of Posts and Telegraphs serving as the Vice President. RACIB's constitution was very similar to that of the [[Royal Aero Club]] of [[Great Britain]]. RACIB received affiliation from the Royal Aero Club and the Societe Aviation Internationale.<ref name="About ACI"/><ref name="NIE"/>

RACIB sought to establish flying clubs across the country in order to achieve its founding objectives. The first such club, the [[Delhi Flying Club]], was formed in May 1928. RACIB subsequently established flying clubs in [[Karachi]] (in present-day Pakistan), [[Allahabad]], [[Calcutta]] and [[Bombay]]. RACIB received financial assistance from the government to acquire two Pussmoth aircraft for each flying club. The government also assisted in the flying club's financial operations.<ref name="About ACI"/> The first flying licence was issued by RACIB to [[J. R. D. Tata|J.R.D. Tata]] in 1929. Tata would go on to make India's first commercial flight on 15 October 1932. Tata donated the plane used to make the flight to the Aero Club of India in 1985. Today, it is displayed, suspended from the ceiling, at the ACI's headquarters at Safdarjung Airport.<ref name="NIE">{{cite web |title=Wings of JRD’s flying licence issuer clipped |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2017/aug/19/wings-of-jrds-flying-licence-issuer-clipped-1645486--1.html |website=The New Indian Express |accessdate=26 July 2018}}</ref>

RACIB essentially operated as a branch of the Royal Aero Club of Great Britain until India's independence. In the years preceding independence, RACIB had suspended all of its operations due to [[World War II]]. Post-independence in 1947, RACIB was re-constituted as the Aero Club of India Ltd. (ACI). India's first Prime Minister [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] served as the organization's first President, and [[Constituent Assembly of India|Constituent Assembly]] member [[H. N. Kunzru|H.N. Kunzru]] served as its Vice President. The ACI became a full member of [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale]] in 1950. The organization assumed its current name in 1963 by dropping the word "Ltd." from its official name.<ref name="About ACI"/>

[[Rajiv Gandhi]] became ACI President in 1984 and held the position until becoming Prime Minister of India in October 1984. The [[Rajiv Gandhi ministry|Rajiv Gandhi administration]] later allotted 30 acres of land near the Safdarjung Airport to the ACI for a period of 30 years at a concessional rate of {{INRConvert|1|year=1985}} per annum.<ref name="NIE"/> The ACI moved into its new headquarters at Safdarjung Airport in September 1985.<ref name="About ACI"/> After the licence expired in September 2013, the ACI attempted to renew the licence for another 30 years and sent a cheque worth {{INRConvert|30|year=2013}} as a licence fee to the [[Airports Authority of India]] (AAI), the current owner of the land. However, the renewal was denied by AAI who instead issued an eviction notice to the ACI.<ref name="NIE"/> The ACI challenged the eviction in the [[Delhi High Court]]. The petition was dismissed by the Court which observed that the facility was being used "more as a marriage/party venue than a flying club", and that "no injustice had been meted out" by evicting the plaintiff.<ref>{{cite web |title=High Court dismisses Delhi Flying Club plea against eviction |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/high-court-dismisses-delhi-flying-club-plea-against-eviction-2914747/ |website=The Indian Express |accessdate=26 July 2018 |date=15 July 2016}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Flying clubs]]
[[Category:Sports governing bodies in India]]
[[Category:1927 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Delhi]]
[[Category:Air sports]]
[[Category:Aviation organizations]]
[[Category:Aeronautics organizations]]
[[Category:Aerobatic organizations]]
[[Category:Sports organizations established in 1927]]

Aero Club of India - Revision history

>Csgir at 06:28, 24 June 2021