Sky One, based in Sharjah, UAE, offers a broad spectrum of aviation services, including charters, asset trading, training, and maintenance, catering to diverse industry needs.
Sky One, a boutique aviation and leasing company based in Sharjah, UAE has diverse aviation assets and specialises in a wide array of aviation services. From cargo charters to asset trading, from training to maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), airlines and from advisory to capacity optimisation, Sky One’s portfolio is expansive. It offers a range of services including charters, crew training, operations, and maintenance.
In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Guardian, Jaideep Mirchandani, Group Chairman, Sky One talks about the boom in the Indian aviation market and is considering investments in India to expand their footprint here.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q1: Give us a brief about Sky One’s role in the aviation industry, including its range of products and services.
A: Sky One has over the years evolved into a comprehensive solutions provider for the global aviation industry. While initially we were focused on cargo operations, we now offer an extensive range of services including leasing of spare parts, Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO), ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) leasing, aviation advisory, and humanitarian relief logistics. We work closely with our clients and partners across the middle east and beyond to support operational efficiency, capacity optimisation, operations as well as emergency relief efforts. We are also active in bridging the talent gap in the industry by providing aviation training.
Q2: What makes you different from your competitors in the industry?
A: The aviation sector has transformed and the only way to succeed, not just survive, is to be agile and adaptive. While we look at similar companies as partners more than competition, Sky One is not just a service provider but a support to our clients, offering tailored solutions to meet their specific needs. Our diverse portfolio brings versatility as well as experience—from leasing spare parts to managing complex humanitarian missions—demonstrates our versatility. Additionally, our strong regional presence in the Middle East and expertise in crisis management, especially in challenging environments, allows us to deliver services with unmatched reliability.
Q3: Being in this industry, how do you view India’s aviation industry growth?
A: India’s aviation sector is going through a spectacular boom and the rising middle class is sure to sustain this in the future as well. While increased connectivity and speed has always been an aim, the new government initiatives like the UDAN scheme are set to make India one of the largest aviation markets globally. We hope that the surge in demand for passenger travel is supported with infrastructure upgrades, new airport developments, and a robust indigenous MRO set up.
Q4: What are the most challenging areas for the Indian aviation industry?
A: There are two major challenges in the Indian aviation industry, first being that the service providers have to handle the operational costs, rising fuel prices, and infrastructural limitations. This is crucial to ensure that the airlines continue to be operational and new routes are created thereby providing access and convenience.
The second challenge is to ensure that the air traffic management and airport infrastructure rises up to accommodate the rapid growth. This can be achieved as the government starts to remove regulatory bottlenecks and support the training of more skilled labour—especially in MRO and pilot training.
We are seeking policies being made to address these challenges, and surely, they will be managed in a way that the industry can scale effectivel