DGCA to act against pilots quitting without proper notice

New Delhi: With a large number of senior pilots quitting jobs in Indian carriers for greener foreign pastures, aviation regulator DGCA today warned of stringent action, including cancellation of licences, against those leaving without serving proper notice.

Attrition of senior pilots and commanders "may leave a vacuum of trained and qualified pilots with the scheduled domestic airlines which may result in last minute cancellation of flights and harassment to travelling public," a top DGCA official told PTI here.

The move comes in the wake of over 100 pilots, especially those from IndiGo, Jet AirwaysBSE 0.43 % and Air India, quitting and joining international airlines over the past year or so.
01/08/14 Economic Times

Read More

‘Fasten seatbelt’ sign is now on for all airlines

Two days after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced a three-member committee to conduct an 'engineering audit' of low-cost carrier SpiceJet, the aviation regulator said on Thursday that all Indian airlines, including the national carrier Air India, will be audited to ensure they comply with safely requirements.

The DGCA joint director general, Lalit Gupta, told this newspaper: "Financial details of all airlines will be scrutinised. We'll also seek details about spares purchase, cannibalising aircraft (interchanging of parts), payment of salaries and issuance of tax deduction at source (TDS) certificates in the case of Spicejet and other carriers."

The DGCA director general, Prabhat Kumar, confirmed that the aviation regulator found "serious engineering issues with aircraft in the fleet of SpiceJet".
01/08/14 Aditya Anand/Mumbai Mirror

Read More

Boeing asks Air India not to fly Dreamliners near thunderstorms: G M Siddeshwara

New Delhi: US aircraft manufacturer Boeing has asked Air India to avoid flying its Dreamliner planes near thunderstorms as it enhanced the risk of icing on engines and the airline has changed its operating procedures accordingly.
"Boeing has issued an advisory to Air India to avoid flying the B-787 (Dreamliner) aircraft near high-level thunderstorms due to an increased risk of icing on the General Electric GEnx engines used on it," Minister of State for Civil Aviation G M Siddeshwara said reply to a question in Lok Sabha.
He said the problem was caused by a build-up of ice crystals behind the main fan of the engine, causing a brief loss of thrust.
In view of this, Boeing has modified the operating procedures for Air India for the B-787 planes.
30/07/14 PTI/Economic Times

Read More

Govt may review global airline bilateral agreement method

New Delhi: The civil aviation ministry is to study the procedures surrounding bilateral air service agreements, to safeguard India's interests while inking these pacts.

The ministry might also make it more stringent for foreign airlines to pick up strategic stakes in Indian carriers.

Till the study is concluded, the ministry has decided to "go slow" with negotiations for enhancement of bilateral air traffic rights with all countries. Qatar, Malaysia, Egypt and Singapore, among others, have been vying to increase traffic rights to and from India.

A bilateral air service agreement gives countries more access and more seats.
The review is being done after controversies surrounding the enhanced bilateral entitlements to Abu Dhabi and the consequent sale of 24 per cent stake in Jet Airways to West Asian carrier Etihad Airways last year.
30/07/14 Sharmistha Mukherjee/Business Standard

Read More

Airline crew unaware of flyers’ rights, asked to undergo refresher course

Mumbai: A rule that calls for refunding of fare in case of a flight delay of more than two hours, and which had been in force since 2010, was invoked for the first time after SpiceJet on Monday was ordered to refund the full fare to 172 passengers. Surprisingly, not only the passengers but even the crew members were not aware of the rules and were later asked to undergo a refresher course.

The incident came to light after a passenger complained to the aviation authority, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), about a delayed flight between Mumbai and Delhi on June 16. The aviation authority stated that apart from a torturous five-hour wait, the flyers were made to pay for food and drinks while stuck on board the grounded aircraft. Spicejet earned Rs 15,000 from the sale of snacks while the airlines are required to serve refreshments free of cost when a flight is delayed by over two hours. This amount, too, will be refunded.

"Despite the four-point 'Passenger Rights' being prominently displayed on the regulator's website for the benefit of passengers, crew and other stakeholders of the delayed flight SG 419 admitted to being unaware of these rules and have now been ordered by the regulator to undergo a refresher course," DGCA chief Prabhat Kumar said.
30/07/14 Aditya Anand/Mumbai Mirror

Read More

4 Lakh to be Trained in Aviation Skills

Bangalore: Defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bangalore Chambers of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) and Society of Indian Aerospace Technologies and Industries (SIATI) will be jointly forming a non-profit organisation for skill development in the aerospace and aviation sector, according to a release issued by HAL.
The council headed by HAL Chairman R K Tyagi will comprise members from aviation majors, airport operators and other academia. Air India, Jet Airways, SpiceJet, Indigo, GVK Group, Tata, National Aerospace Laboratories and Indian Space Research Organisations have been invited to be part of the initiative,  stated the release.
The broader objective of the organisation is to aggregate skill requirements of the industry including sub-sector requirements, regional requirements, international trends and best practices that can be introduced into the domestic skill development space, stated the release.
30/07/14 New Indian Express

Read More

Can India regain Category I aviation safety rating from FAA?

The Indian Government is working towards regaining the country's top aviation safety rating from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). FAA, the American aviation regulator has cut India's safety rating to Category II from Category I causing embarassment for the country as well as for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). India had enjoyed the Category I rating since 1997 and the downgrade to Category II, the first for the country, places it in same category as Zimbabwe and Indonesia.

Replying to a question asked by independent member of Parliament (MP) Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Rajya Sabha, GM Siddeshwara, minister of state for civil aviation, said, the FAA downgraded India's aviation safety to Category II in January this year and his ministry is working hard to regain the earlier rating.
The FAA conducts audits of safety standards and processes in the aviation sector for different countries that fly airlines into the US. In other words, carriers from countries downgraded to Category II are barred from expanding operations in the US.

“The FAA on 31 January 2014 informed DGCA that India has been assigned Category II from Category I, which India had been holding since 1997. The Category II was assigned primarily due to the finding related to lack of sufficient number of regular Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) resulting in DGCA's inability to have effective safety oversight,” the Minister said, pointing to the reason for the downgrade.
28/07/14 Moneylife

Read More

Mahindra Rebrands Its General Aviation Aircraft as ‘Airvans’

Say goodbye to the Gipps imprimatur on its line of general aviation aircraft. India’s Mahindra Aerospace, which bought Australia-based GippsAero in 2009, is renaming its piston GA8 single the Airvan 8 and its under-development turboprop-single GA10 the Airvan 10. Mahindra also announced yesterday at EAA AirVenture that the Airvan 8 would be available on optional Wipline amphibious aluminum floats by year-end and that it is now taking nonrefundable deposits on the Airvan 10. It said it expects Airvan 10 certification in 2015.

This turboprop single is powered by a 450-shp Rolls-Royce 250 B-17 engine and features a 50-inch-wide sliding cargo door. It has a full-fuel payload of 1,400 pounds, a range of 550 nm with IFR reserves and a cruising speed of 145 ktas.

Mahindra also unveiled a new company logo. “The new logo and naming is closely aligned with Mahindra’s brand identity, encompassing both aircraft and component manufacture for Indian and global markets,” said Arvind Mehra, executive director and global CEO of Mahindra Aerospace. “The new identity combines the Airvan name with the numbers 8 and 10 signifying seat capacity,” he said.
29/07/14 Mark Huber/AINonline

Read More

MIA meeting with aviation minister

Bangalore: Mysore Industries Association (MIA), representing 40,000 industries of Mysore, Mandya and Chamarajanagar Districts, will meet Union Minister for Civil Aviation G M Siddeshwara at 5.30 p.m on August 2 at Hotel Kings Court, Mysore.

According to MIA President P Vishwanath, newly elected MPs Prathap Simha, CS Puttaraj, R Druvanarayan and Sri P Vishwanath will participate, along with MLA Vasu, who will preside over the function.
29/07/14 Business Line

Read More

Bid to set up Northeast Aviation Council

Guwahati:  The College of Aeronautical Engineering has proposed a Northeast Aviation Council to the DoNER Minister Gen (Retd) Dr VK Singh. Representatives of the college demanded a major overhaul in the aviation sector in the North-east arguing that lack of connectivity must not hamper the growth of the region.
The project worth Rs 300 crore is supposed to provide direct benefit to tourism, health, disaster management, trade and commerce and government administration, among others.

Addressing the media here recently, Bikram Singha Lahkar, chief patron of the college said that improved aviation facilities in the region in the form of air medical support service, charter aircraft, one Northeast Regional Airlines service, connecting the capitals of eight States and other facilities proposed in the project would be the major employment generator in the region directly helping 10,000 youth.

Despite spending a huge amount of money as subsidy to Air India and many private airlines, the Northeast aviation industry is in a pitiable condition. Whereas many of the airfields including Pasighat, Rupsi, Teju, Zero and Kamalpur are still not operational, only 11 out of total 22 airports are considered as fully operational.
27/07/14 Assam Tribune

Read More

Can India accommodate more domestic airlines?

New Delhi: The old debate on whether India has an appetite for more domestic airlines has again got a lease of life after GM Siddeshwara, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, told the Lok Sabha that during the last three-four years, six companies applied for scheduled and regional scheduled operator permits.

Of these, four – AirAsia (India), Quickjet Cargo Airlines, Ligare Aviation and LEPL Projects (Air Costa) — have been given air operator permits after they completed the process for starting new airlines.

AirAsia (India) and Air Costa have already started operations.

Technically speaking, getting an air operator’s permit is the second and final step in starting an airline in India. A new start-up airline first has to approach the Ministry of Civil Aviation and seek a no-objection certificate (NOC). At this stage, the Ministry seeks clearances from various Government agencies, including the Home Ministry, which checks the background of individuals that the airline wants to induct on its board. With the Ministry’s NoC, the airline approaches the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for clearances to fly. These clearances are given after the regulator examines all the manuals of the airline and conducts route proving flights, after which the airline can take to the skies. However, just completing all the formalities is a long drawn-up process.
27/07/14 Ashwini Phadnis/Business Line

Read More

Directorate General of Civil Aviation mulling to introduce easier flying licence rules for small operators

New Delhi: India's civil aviation regulator is likely to make it easier for companies to start flight operations, especially those seeking to use small planes. It's also recommended that small operators be allowed to run scheduled services to boost connectivity of destinations that aren't served by airlines.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is preparing a new set of civil aviation rules that would substantially ease the process of getting an air operator's permit or flying licence for so-called non-scheduled operators (NSOPs), said a senior official at the regulator.

Such companies typically run corporate or chartered flight services. The proposed rules could result in the time an NSOP needs to get a flying licence being slashed to six months from around a year now.

Currently, both scheduled and nonscheduled operators have to meet the same guidelines for a flying licence.
28/07/14 Mihir Mishra/Economic Times

Read More

Tourism businessmen protest to demand air services

Jaisalmer: The tourist season has almost started, but there is no hope of air service starting in Jaisalmer. Disappointed over the indifference of centre and state governments, the businessmen in Jaisalmer took out a silent procession under the banner of Golden City Tourism Confederation Development Society and I Love Jaisalmer and submitted memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union civil aviation minister.

The Society's president Prithviraj Singh and spokesperson Rajendra Kumar Awasthi said in the memorandum that Jaisalmer along with being a tourist place is a border district too due to which demand for air service is high not only for tourism but also for military. Despite the civil airport lying ready for two years, air service has not started till now.
Every year, over 100 chartered flights come to Jaisalmer which clearly shows how important the air service is in Jaisalmer. "If step-motherly treatment continues with Jaisalmer, then it will lag behind in all areas and setting up of new industrial plants will remain a distant dream," the memorandum said.
28/07/14 Vimal Bhatia/Times of India

Read More

Kochi’s ‘Flying Fish’ trains naval pilots

Kochi: In a historical first, naval air squadron no. 550, called the ‘Flying Fish’— the fountainhead of naval aviation in India — has taken on the task of training naval pilots.

The first batch of three pilots who underwent their basic conversion course on the Dornier maritime reconnaissance aircraft at the squadron, based under the Southern Naval Command in Kochi, will receive the ‘wings’ at a passing-out ceremony at the command on Wednesday.

“The Indian naval aviation inventory, which boasts 223 aircraft, is bigger than that of some air forces in the world. We are set to make a fresh cycle of inductions, which requires us to augment our crew strength as well,” said Commodore G. Prakash, director of Maritime Warfare Centre (Kochi).

Until now, basic flying training of naval pilots was done by the Air Force at its academy at Dundigul, where 17 seats are earmarked for naval flyers. “But with the IAF also growing rapidly, it is unable to cater to our increased demand for training. Then the Navy decided to send its officers opting for the flying stream to train at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) at Rae Bareli,” Cmde Prakash said.
27/07/14 S. Anandan/The Hindu

Read More

Get pilots who can tackle bad weather and wet runways: DGCA tells airlines

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered domestic carriers to ensure that their pilots are certified to fly during the monsoon as there is a high risk of planes skidding out of control on wet runways. The DGCA has warned airlines, "It will be the responsibility of the operator (airline) to formulate a comprehensive training programme for allweather operations depending upon the flight crew experience, aeroplane capability and aerodrome facilities." When asked, a senior DGCA functionary said, "The orders in this regard have been issued to domestic airlines to ensure that all their pilots are well trained to deal with rough weather".
All airlines and aircraft operators have also been asked to formulate and conduct allweather operations (AWO) training programmes for their crew members.

The DGCA's circular also recommends the AWO training programme on simulators for initial and recurrent training and in-flight training on a particular plane type for all crew members. "Simulation techniques are a valuable training aid for limited visibility operations," says the circular.

Air India and Jet Airways officials claim their pilots have already been trained to operate on wet runways and have undergone the required refresher course. Pilots are given day-long classroom lessons besides training on simulator and route check to make them aware of route on which they would operate.
27/07/14 Sanjay Singh/India Today

Read More

DGCA to seek fresh audit of India's aviation safety oversight mechanism

With new procedures in place and skilled manpower recruited to carry out aviation safety surveillance, DGCA is ready to seek a fresh audit of India's safety oversight mechanism which was downgraded in January by its US counterpart FAA.

In a bid to meet all deficiencies in 33 areas found by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after it carried out two safety audits last year, the DGCA has been on an overdrive to recruit flight inspectors, one of the key findings of the US aviation regulator. Following these deficiencies, FAA had downgraded India from the top Category-I to II on January 31 this year.

While a large number of full-time Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) and other skilled and technical manpower have already been recruited, a spate of interviews are still on to further enhance the strength of such officials to enable DGCA fulfil all the criteria and seek a fresh audit. The sources said DGCA has sought a meeting with FAA next month to submit its final report and make a comprehensive presentation on the progress made in rectifying the defects and allaying the concerns expressed by the US regulator.

The FAA's downgrade of the country's safety mechanism came after it found deficiencies in 33 areas, including severe shortage of skilled manpower even at the top levels in India's aviation regulator and lack of regulations and procedures on safety surveillance and related issues.
27/07/14 Daily News & Analysis

Read More

Abandoned Dakota aircraft at Kolkata airport was flown by Biju Patnaik

Kolkata: A Dakota DC-3 aircraft parked for decades at the Kolkata airport was used by former Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik to rescue former Indonesian vice president Md Hatta and prime minister Sutan Sjahrir on July 22, 1947, a researcher has unearthed. Anil Dhir, who is based in Bhubaneswar and has made efforts to track down all the aircraft of Kalinga Airlines over the last two years, has written to Odisha chief minister and Biju Patnaik's son Navin Patnaik to salvage the aircraft and park it outside the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar.

Kalinga Airlines was a private airline that operated from Kolkata. It was founded by Biju Patnaik and operated nearly a dozen Dakotas. Patnaik was it's chief pilot. Indonesia was under Dutch control till 1941 when the Japanese occupied the country. After the Japanese surrender in World War II, Indonesian freedom fighters declared independence. The Dutch would have none of it though and made an attempt to regain control of the country, launching a full-scale attack on July 21, 1947.
After the Dutch attack, Dr Sukarno, who had declared himself the president of independent Indonesia, ordered Sjahrir and Hatta to leave the country to create international public opinion. The two were unable to do so, however, as the sea and air routes were controlled by the Dutch. This was when Jawaharlal Nehru came to Indonesia's assistance and asked Patnaik to fly to Jakarta and rescue Sjahrir and Hatta.
26/07/14 Jayanta Gupta/Times of India

Read More

A year of airplane disasters: Is 2014 a bad year for flying?

New Delhi: It’s almost halfway through the year, Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A) have reported 991 fatalities in 2014 already. Do you know this is double the number of plane crash casualties in 2013?

So, is 2014 could be the worst year for aviation? It’s surely been a bad year for flying. With four major airline tragedies on record, 2014 is quickly becoming the year of the airplane disaster. There is a lot of anxiety over boarding a plane is flying high for many people.

To being with the Malaysian Airlines MH370 that went missing in March earlier this year, three planes crashed within a week which took the number of airplane crash fatalities to over 900. The crash of an Algerian passenger plane is the third fatal airline incident in a week. The wreckage of an Air Algerie plane missing since early Thursday with 116 people on board has been found in Mali near the Burkina Faso border.
The incident came after the crash of TransAsia Airways flight GE222 in storms in Taiwan which claimed lives of 48 people while other 10 were injured.
Besides them, the loss of Malaysia Airlines MH370, with 239 people onboard, over the Indian Ocean and the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, with 298 people onboard, took the death toll to over 900. However, industry experts are working to comprehend the cluster of tragedies, while some believe there is no evidence of a systemic problem as each crash appears to have had a different cause.
 26/07/14 Dailybhaskar.com

Read More

Royal Jordanian to shut down Delhi, Mumbai flights

Dubai: Royal Jordanian Airlines has decided to stop all its services to Mumbai and Delhi. The decision is taken due to reduced demand on travel to these cities, aggressive growth of regional competition and increased operating costs.

RJ will stop operating to Mumbai on September 10 and to Delhi on October 31, this year. The airline is also shutting down its Lagos route with effect from October 10.

With the closure of the three destinations, the RJ routes will count 51.

RJ Chairman of the Board/President and CEO Nasser Lozi said that the decision is part of a synchronised plan to turn around the airline covering operations and financial structure.
27/07/14 PTI/Economic Times

Read More

Air force chopper crashes in UP's Sitapur, 7 dead

Lucknow:  At least 7 people were feared dead after an advanced air force chopper crashed in a field near Sitapur on Friday evening.

According to reports, the advanced landing chopper-307 was on its way to Allahabad from Bareilly when it crashed in a field in village Ahirwa in Sitapur district, around 70 Kms away from the state capital.

According to reports, the incident happened around 5pm after the chopper lost the link with both the Bakshi-Ka-Talab (BKT) Air Traffic Control (ATC) as well as the one in Lucknow airport. The chopper was tracked from ATC of air force station in Delhi until evening when suddenly the link with the aircraft was lost. District magistrate, Sitapur, JP Singh confirmed that the pilot, co-pilot and five people on board the chopper were killed in the crash. He said that the chopper was completely burned and there was no possibility of anyone surviving the crash.
25/07/14 Pankaj Shah/Times of India

Read More

Chennai Not an Ideal Airline Destination?

Chennai: The city may be hot, but it certainly isn’t a hotspot for airlines to set up shop. Reason? Because lots of airline operators feel that the operational capability of the staff and facilities here is ‘slow and lethargic’, compared to privately-owned terminals. And for once, faulty passenger facilities are at the bottom of the complaint list.
Private airlines have never really liked the idea of setting up a HQ in Chennai, but
AirAsia jumped at it when all that space in the Kamaraj Domestic Terminal came up for grabs. Two years later, that picture has all but dissolved. “The truth is, we’re talking to AAI about a whole lot of things and lot of parts of the airport need to be upgraded. Getting licences and approvals was easy both in Chennai and Bangalore, but when it comes to operational efficiency, it’s a lot easier in BIAL,” said Mittu Chandilya, AirAsia India’s vibrant, young CEO. And despite the threat of AirAsia pulling out and moving HQ, AAI officials have reportedly done little to stop them.
Four out of six new airlines have been issued permits by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, adding to the Jet-Etihad and Tata-SIA airlines that are marching forward. Despite Chennai airport being considered South India’s biggest aviation hub — with upper-air space harmonisation, GBAS, night parking and so on — none of the airlines has voiced interest in setting up operations here, “Just to get a plane from the hangar to the tarmac, Jet and Deccan planes would have to wait for 20- odd minutes, because their planes were parked at the back and ATC didn’t want to find a quicker way. When this is the attitude at a time when all private airports are offering great hangars and facilities, how will anyone come?” queries a Jet Airways pilot.
26/07/14 New Indian Express

Read More

Tevar climax moves from Mumbai to Delhi airport

The climax of producer Sanjay Kapoor's film Tevar starring his nephew Arjun Kapoor, which is currently being shot, had to be shifted from Mumbai airport to Delhi for practical reasons.

According to sources, permission to shoot in Mumbai was difficult to obtain. "So the entire team moved to Delhi airport where Arjun is currently shooting some action sequences," says the source.

As per eyewitnesses Sonakshi Sinha is also participating in the current climax sequences for Tevar on the airport.
25/07/14 Subhash K. Jha/Bollywood Hungama

Read More

MAS selling India MRO unit stake

Hyderabad: Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is exiting its joint-venture with GMR Group, with the later expected to fully buy over the aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) unit near Hyderabad International Airport, the Press Trust of India reported today.
GMR Group may buy out the entire 50% stake in MAS GMR Aerospace Engineering Co Ltd now held by Malaysian Aerospace Engineering Sdn Bhd (MAE), which is fully owned by MAS, the report said.
“The decision to acquire the stake came after the Malaysian partner expressed inability to infuse more funds into the loss making MRO facility, sources said.
“MAE has informed that its parent company Malaysia Airlines has been incurring losses for the past few years. The losses have been further aggravated by the mysterious disappearance of flight MH370, the sources said.”
24/07/14 Therakyat Post

Read More

Indian carriers may not get leeway on flying abroad

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is unlikely to lift restrictions on domestic airlines to launch international services anytime soon.

According to the current norms, Indian airlines are required to have at least five years of operational experience and a fleet of a minimum of 20 aircraft (known as the 5/20 rule) for starting international services.

A senior official in the civil aviation ministry said, “There is a lot of opposition from domestic airlines, as most of them meet the current requirements for flying international. They have said restrictions are now being considered for removal taking into account the interests of newer ventures. We are examining all aspects. Internal consultations are on.”
Abolition of the 5/20 rule was scheduled to be cleared by the Cabinet before the electoral code came into effect on March 5 this year. However, the meeting was cancelled putting on hold the possibly the last policy change considered by former Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh.

The abolition of 5/20 rule is being opposed by Federation of India Airlines (FIA), which had earlier this year shot off a letter to Civil Aviation Secretary Ashok Lavasa, saying: “Considering that all airlines have in the process of fulfilling their obligation incurred substantial losses through domestic operations, it would be unacceptable for the government to now consider revising the policy by the removal of the 5/20 rule in order to benefit the international airlines' joint ventures, which are under consideration and approval.”
23/07/14 Business Standard

Read More

Six more airlines to spice up Indian aviation menu

New Delhi: Several more new airlines are likely to fly in the Indian sky in the coming months with the government giving flying licence to four of the six companies which had sought permits for launching scheduled, private or charter air operations.
While AirAsia India, Ligare Aviation Limited, Quickjet Cargo Airlines and LEPL Projects Limited have been granted the Air Operator’s Permit (AOP) or the flying licence, the two pending cases are those of Tata-SIA Airlines Limited and Air Pegasus Limited, minister of state for civil aviation G. M. Siddeshwara has said.
While AirAsia India has started its operations, Tata-SIA Airlines, a 51:49 joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, has announced plans to launch flights by September-end or October.
Recently, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which is in the process of examining Tata-SIA’s application for grant of AOP to launch a full-service carrier, recently dismissed objections from the Federation of Indian Airlines against it. The approval for an AOP, when granted, would be subject to the orders of the Delhi High Court in a case challenging FDI in new Indian carriers.
23/07/14 Asian Age

Read More

Less flight inspectors led to safety downgrade, says govt

New Delhi: The prime reason for US aviation regulator FAA downgrading India's aviation safety ranking was lack of sufficient number of regular flight inspectors, rendering DGCA's safety oversight ineffective, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
To overcome the downgrade, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has completed actions on six of the seven findings of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Minister of State for Civil Aviation G M Siddeshwara said while replying to questions on the issue.
DGCA also created 75 new posts of flight operations inspectors (FOIs) of various categories, of which 35 have already been filled, he said referring to the remaining finding of the FAA.
The FAA had lowered safety ranking of India to Category II from Category I which the country has been holding since 1997.
22/07/14 PTI/Business Standard

Read More

India’s Avro Replacement Could Be Problematic

The new Indian government has issued the request for proposal (RFP) for 56 transport aircraft worth an estimated $2 billion, to replace the Indian Air Force’s aging Hawker Siddeley 748M twin turboprops, known as Avros. The final date for submission of bids is August 28. The contract is expected to be awarded in late 2015 or early 2016.

The candidates will likely include Alenia with the C-27J, Antonov with the An-32, and Airbus Defence & Space with the C-295. However, a decision on whether Alenia can bid is pending, after the controversial sale of AW101 helicopters by fellow Finmeccanica subsidiary AgustaWestland was halted. There are also concerns about Antonov, from war-torn Ukraine. Should the C-295 end up the sole bidder, the project might be shelved unless the Indian Air Force seeks special approval from the MoD.

This is India’s first private sector-only project, in which government-owned companies cannot be a lead partner. In this case, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) can be a tier-one supplier. The successful bidder is to deliver 16 aircraft in flyaway condition in 24 months and manufacture 40 in an Indian partner’s facility by 60 months, with all to be delivered within 120 months of contract signature.
22/07/14 AINonline

Read More

Emirates becomes 2nd airline to operate jumbo A-380 to India

Mumbai: Gulf carrier Emirates became the second airline to operate jumbo A380 aircraft to India after Singapore Airlines, with the commencement of its first daily flight to Mumbai from Dubai.

Emirates flight EK-500 took off from Dubai International airport at 21:55 hours (local time) yesterday and arrived at city’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport (CSIA) at 02:30 am (local time), a release said here today.

The return flight EK-501 took off from Terminal 2 of the CSIA at 04:30 am (local time) and arrived back at Emirates Terminal 3 in Dubai at 06.00 am (local time), it said.

“Mumbai was one of the first destinations on our route network when we launched in 1985. So it is quite fitting that the city becomes our 29th A380 destination. In addition to this, we will continue to operate the four daily services to the city,” Emirates’ senior vice president for commercial operations (West Asia and Indian Ocean), Ahmed Khoory, said.
22/07/14 PTI/Free Press Journal

Read More

DoNER approached for aviation council in NE

Guwahati: The College of Aeronautical Engineering (CAE), based in Guwahati, has sent a proposal to the Union DoNER ministry for the creation of a Northeast Aviation Council. This, it hopes, will give an impetus to the aviation industry in the region and help it prosper.

Addressing a news conference here on Tuesday, Bikrom Singha Lahkar, chief trustee of CAE, said many airlines in the northeast are taking a handsome amount as subsidy from the North Eastern Council, ministry of home affairs and the state government, among other agencies, but despite this, the aviation industry in the region is in a pitiable state.

"Modern aviation can play a huge role in health, tourism and disaster management. Industries are still underdeveloped in the northeast. Daporijo, Lastahar, Kamalpur, Khuwai, Pasighat, Rupsi, Teju, Turiyal and Zero airfields are not operational. Out of 22 airports located in northeast, only 11 are considered fully operational. We need to change this scenario as soon as possible and this can be done only with due attention from the Centre and assistance from the state governments," said Lahkar.
23/07/14 Times of India

Read More

Dynamic Technologies set for a lift on orders for aircraft parts

The commercial aircraft manufacturing business is a rarefied zone. It has two thrones, occupied by Airbus and Boeing. While these two companies assemble an aircraft, they source parts from outside. Even that sourcing space is a rarefied zone, with hierarchies. A company enters tier-two when it starts supplying to a subsidiary of Airbus or Boeing, which vets those parts before moving them on. It's a place for aspirants.
Tier-one is for those who have made it: companies that supply parts directly to Airbus and Boeing. It's a place where the promise of bigger, continuous paydays is palpable. It's a place where Dynamatic Technologies touched down with Airbus three months ago, with an order of $300 million (Rs 1,800 crore), giving this Rs 1,589 crore Bangalore-based engineering company new wings to realise an old dream of being a player of substance in the aircraft manufacturing business.
In the last six months, Dynamatic has also bagged a 600 crore order from Boeing and a Rs 1,500 crore order from Bell Helicopter. That's a total of 3,900 crore, to be executed over 10 years, to go with the Rs 2,000 crore of orders its aerospace division already has. Not bad for a company that, two decades ago, was a blueprint of passion in a small garage in Bangalore.
22/07/14 Jwalit Vyas/Economic Times

Read More

India Still Negotiating Dassault Jet Purchase, Defense Minister Says

New Delhi: India is still negotiating a long-delayed purchase of fighter jets from France's Dassault Aviation.
India initially agreed to the purchase of 126 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault in 2012 but the purchase has been stuck in negotiations which still continue, Defense Minister Arun Jaitley said in a response to a question in the upper house of Parliament Tuesday.
"The process of negotiation with the vendor, Dassault Aviation, for procurement of medium, multi-role combat aircraft is on," he said without giving any date by which the negotiations might end.
India in recent years has become the world's largest importer of weapons as it tries to modernize its military.
The South Asian nation depends on imports from countries like Russia, the U.S., France and Israel for most of its arms requirements, but placing orders can sometimes take years.
22/07/14 Santanu Choudhury/Wall Street Journal

Read More

6 Indian airlines one step closer to taking flight

In a move that is being touted as a boost for the aviation sector and airline travel in the country, the civil aviation ministry has reportedly given no-objection certificates for three national airlines and three regional airlines in one month.
According to a Mint report, the new minister for civil aviation has given no-objection certificates to Air One Aviation, Zexus Air and Premier Air to become national airlines; and Turbo Megha, Air Carnival and Zav Airways to start regional operations.
All the airlines had applied for the no-objection certificates between 2012-13.
The airlines now have to approach aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for an airline licence if they are still keen on beginning operations.
22/07/14 First Post 

Read More

Why the govt’s plan for 6 new airlines, 50 small airports is just lip service

The government has paid enough lip service in recent weeks on creating airport infrastructure, boosting regional connectivity and enhancing competition among existing airlines. It has been speaking of setting up hundreds of no-frills airports in tier II and tier III towns, offering incentives for regional airline startups and getting jet fuel taxation down. But on the ground, a lot of work in terms of policy formulation and tying up loose ends remains to be done.
Just yesterday, Minister of State for Civil Aviation GM Siddeshwara said in the Lok Sabha that his ministry has so far identified 50 locations with potential for small airports in various states. But how will these airports be set up in the absence of a blueprint for no-frills airports, which has not even been approved by aviation regulator DGCA?
Will state governments be asked to share costs of security, water and electricity? And what about traffic potential at remote locations? A ministry official had earlier indicated that no-frills airports which cost just Rs 70-80 crore will be constructed in areas which fall in the tourism circuit or backward areas where connectivity needs to be boosted.
Similar short-sightedness seems to have driven the ministry to approve six new airlines in the last one month. An article in Mint newspaper today mentions Air One Aviation Pvt. Ltd, Zexus Air and Premier Air which eventually want to become national airlines. And Turbo Megha, Air Carnival and Zav Airways which want to operate as regional airlines.
22/07/14 Sindhu Bhattacharya/First Post

Read More

Over Rs 5,840 loss for Indian airline industry in 2012-13: Govt

New Delhi: The Indian airline industry suffered a total operating loss of over Rs 5,840 crore, including over Rs 3,159 crore of Air India, in 2012-13, Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

However, the losses to Air India as well as the private carriers have shown a declining trend since 2009-10 till 2012-13.

IndiGo was the only airline to have reported profits during this period, barring 2011-12 when it made a loss of about Rs 88 crore, Minister of State for Civil Aviation G M Siddeshwara said in reply to questions.

Air India's operating loss was Rs 3,373 crore in 2009-10, Rs 4,087 crore in 2010-11, Rs 5,537 crore in 2011-12 and Rs 3,159 crore in 2012-13.

The private carriers -- Jet Airways, JetLite, SpiceJet, GoAir, IndiGo and now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines -- reported a total loss of Rs 3,733 crore in 2009-10, Rs 2,902 crore in 2010-11, shot up to Rs 7,272 crore in 2011-12 and again slided to Rs 2,682 crore in 2012-13.
22/07/14 PTI/ZeeNews

Read More

Aviation security chief post vacant since November 2012

In a shocking admission, the government on Monday informed Parliament that “the post of commissioner of security (civil aviation) has fallen vacant since November, 2012, after superannuation of the previous incumbent of the post on October 31, 2012” and that “this vacant post could not be filled up due to reasons attributable to administrative and procedural delays”.
The commissioner of security (civil aviation) referred to as the COSCA heads the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and is the top-most official dealing directly with aviation security in the country.
However, the government said that the joint commissioner of security (civil aviation), BCAS, is holding additional charge of the post of COSCA. “Since then, this ministry has been taking strenuous efforts to fill up the post of COSCA in consultation with the ministry of home affairs and the UPSC,” the government said.
In other written replies to Parliament, the government informed that the sale of five Boeing B-777 aircraft to UAE-based carrier Etihad for about $336 million reflected a “book loss” of `800 crores as the five “aircraft had depreciated in the books over a period of 20 years ...”.
22/07/14 Asian Age

Read More

Ex-Air Sahara chief gets nod for new airline

New Delhi: It is raining airlines now. After Tata Sons' JVs with Singapore Airlines and AirAsia, smaller players are now aiming for the Indian sky too.

Alok Sharma, the face of Air Sahara till it was sold off to Jet Airways in 2007, has been given a no objection certificate (NOC) by the aviation ministry to start a regional airline. He plans to start a full service airline Air One in the first quarter of next year. Along with Air One, two other startups have been granted NOCs to start airlines.

"Our paid-up capital for the airline is well over Rs 100 crore. We are going to have a fleet of either Boeing 737 or Airbus A-320 aircraft. Due to obvious business reasons, it will not be possible for me to divulge all our plans. All I can say at this stage is that it will be a full service airline India will be proud of and that it should begin flying by next March," Sharma, who left Sahara in 2010, told TOI. He claims the new airline has nothing to do with the group.
According to industry insiders, armed with this NOC, Sharma will now aim to get a foreign investor, most likely an airline, to begin operations under a joint branding.
22/07/14 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

Read More

Maharashtra government looking for aviation partner

Mumbai: The state government is looking for an aviation partner to start short-distance air travel within Maharashtra. It wants to connect Aurangabad with Jalgaon, Pune with Kolhapur and Nanded with other parts of Marathwada to facilitate foreign tourists and industrialists. It is also keen on allowing government officials to use the air service to attend official meetings, to ensure passengers for the aviation partner.
Dr P.S. Meena, principal secretary, general administration department (GAD), said, “As a progressive state, Maharashtra has 22 small and four international airports. We want to connect small but developed towns with flight services to boost their economy.”
“Jalgaon, Akola and Nanded airports have night-landing facility. Hence, flights can land even at night. A small plane with a capacity of 50 passengers can land at these airports,” he added.
Referring to the travel itinerary of foreign tourists who typically visit Ajanta in Jalgaon district after taking in the sights of the Ajanta-Ellora caves in Aurangabad, Dr Meena suggested that a small aircraft could drop them at Jalgaon in the morning and later bring them back to Aurangabad in the evening. Similarly, tourists visiting Kolhapur and Solapur for the Mahalaxmi and Tulja Bhavani temples, respectively, could be flown from Nanded in the morning and flown back in the evening. Small aircrafts could connect small towns with international airports located in the metros.
22/07/14 Vivek Bhavsar/Asian Age

Read More

10 pilots found tipsy in pre-flight checks till July 14: Govt

New Delhi: Ten pilots were found tipsy in pre-flight checks and have been grounded in the first six months of this year, Lok Sabha was informed today.

Since 2011, a total of 99 pilots, including the 10, have been grounded for testing positive in the pre-flight medical examination for alcohol consumption, Minister of State for Civil Aviation G M Siddeshwara said in reply to a question.

While 17 of them tested positive in 2011, the number shot up to 41 in 2012, 31 in 2013 and 10 till July 14 this year, he said.
21/07/14 PTI/Business Standard

Read More

DGCA Makes Post-flight Alcohol Test Mandatory

New Delhi: Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has made post-flight alcohol tests mandatory for crew of Indian carriers on international routes when they land in the country.

Pre-flight breath analyser tests are mandatory for pilots and cabin crew for domestic flights as well as international flights.

But, to carry out post-flight alcohol tests, airlines required posting medical staff at each international station they were operating. "This was, however, an expensive proposition for airlines. It was found that many times these tests were not conducted as the medical staff wasn't there," a DGCA official said.

"We have now made post-flight checks on incoming international flights mandatory for all Indian carriers when they land in India. The punishment for crew caught drunk in such tests would be similar to those caught drunk in pre-flight checks," the official added.
21/07/14 Aviation Pros

Read More

GoAir mulls setting up MRO facility at Nagpur

Nagpur: Wadia Group-controlled GoAir today said it is mulling setting up an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at Nagpur, a top airline official said.

"We are looking at the new government's policy for the aviation sector before taking a final call on the MRO issue," GoAir chief executive Georgio De Roni said after announcing the second non-stop flight service to Kolkata from Nagpur, scheduled to take off from July 23.

At present, the airline operates one daily morning flight to Kolkata, which then proceeds to Patna.

GoAir will be acquiring 72 new aircraft over the next seven years and the MRO will serve the purpose of maintenance of its aircraft, he said adding that the plan to set up the facility at Nagpur is due to its geographical location.
21/07/14 PTI/Business Standard

Read More

Why Bangalore may struggle to become an aviation hub

Mumbai: On July 3, AirAsia's CEO Tony Fernandes said he wants to make Bengaluru an international aviation hub like Dubai. The comment, unlikely backed by a firm operational plan, nevertheless shows AirAsia's ambitious plans for India.
India has so far failed to utilise its potential to become a hub due to policy paralysis and high costs. But Fernandes is hopeful that will change.
The Malaysian carriers's local unit has already shifted a large part of its operations and staff to Bengaluru from Chennai and later has ambitions of flying from there to nearby foreign locations.
Bangalore has already given enough incentive to AirAsia to make the move from Chennai. Last month, it got approval from the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority to more than halve airport tariffs for what it calls a "home carrier". The discounts are also applicable to the international operations of the carrier. The move is seen as directly helping AirAsia although the airport hasn't specified it.So does Bangalore have what it takes to be a hub? It's got the basics right:
It is one of the fastest developing in India, being the base of most IT companies operating in the country as well as the choice of many other global giants making their way into it. A recent ASSOCHAM report said one global company moves to Karnataka every week.
21/07/14 Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times

Read More

Midwifing new aircraft

With no discernible hand at the tiller, the defence ministry seems directionless and inept. The caretaker minister, Arun Jaitley, appears to have neither the time nor the experience to chart a bold, new direction. Mr Jaitley's first defence Budget is his predecessor's last Budget, a token hike of two per cent failing to mask the resemblance. Worse, the new government's first big acquisitions are marked by a familiar lack of planning and direction, suggesting that the old, blinkered officialdom calls the shots in South Block rather than a new, visionary leadership.
On Saturday, the Defence Acquisition Council, the apex decision-making body that the minister chairs, cleared acquisitions worth Rs 21,000 crore. This includes an Rs 11,897-crore project for 56 transport aircraft to replace the obsolescent Avro-748 (given the rupee's fall since when the project was sanctioned, the eventual cost would be closer to Rs 14,000 crore). Former defence minister A K Antony told Parliament in 2012 that this aimed to "encourage development of the Indian private sector in aircraft manufacture". His blunt-speaking Indian Air Force (IAF) chief then, N A K Browne, said the aim was to develop a competitor to Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL).
The international vendor that wins the Avro-replacement tender must choose an Indian private company to build 40 aircraft, while delivering the first 16 off-the-shelf, all within eight years. The favoured contenders are European multinational Airbus Defence and Space, Antonov of Ukraine and Alenia Aeromacchi, all of which have aircraft that meet India's specifications. The Tatas, Larsen & Toubro or the Mahindras could be chosen as the "Indian Production Agency".
21/07/14 Ajai Shukla/Business Standard

Read More

Skyfire Threatens to Burn Down the World

New Delhi: The picture was heart-rending; a Russian soldier examining a teddy bear that belonged to a child amongst the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, shot down over Ukraine last Thursday. That child could well have been an Indian.

According to Flightradar24, the 24x7 global flight-tracking service, an Air India passenger (AI-113) was flying just about 25 km from the ill-fated Malaysian aircraft. The numbers tell the tale — the lives of 192 Dutch, 29 Malaysians, 28 Australians, 12 Indonesians, 10 Britons, four Germans, four Belgians, three Vietnamese, three Filipinos and one person each from the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Hong Kong were extinguished along with MH17. This is excluding the flight crew. The flight manifest is a bloody reminder of how civil wars affect the entire world today — not just on the ground, but also in the air.

Data from Aviation Safety Network suggests that at least 66 civilian aircraft were shot down by terrorists in the last two decades, killing over 1,416 people, since the first such incident was recorded on February 21, 1973. On that day, the Israeli Air Force had shot down Libyan Airlines Flight 114, which had strayed into the Jewish state’s air space.

Meanwhile, the world is watching a stand-off between Russia, which backs the anti-Ukranian government rebels who shot down the plane, and the Western alliance of the United States, United Kingdom, Europe and Australia, which is demanding a transparent investigation and absolute access to the crash site.

Putin blames the West for the crash, because it supports the Ukrainian government. “This tragedy would not have happened if military operations had not resumed in south-east Ukraine,” he said.

India, meanwhile, is treading carefully with long-term ally Russia. The government has so far referred to the MH17 incident only through condolence letters from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to his Malaysian and Dutch counterparts.

In his letters, Modi hoped that the circumstances which led to the crash are “established quickly”.

What has puzzled aviation experts is why MH17 chose to fly over the troubled region of eastern Ukraine. Indian officials said they altered the route of the country’s aircraft only after rebels shot down MH17.
20/07/14 Yatish Yadav/New Indian Express

Read More

Airlines urged to stop accepting shark fin shipments

Mumbai:  Shark fin soup may be an Asian delicacy. But the international trade in shark fins is pushing several shark species to the brink, say environmental groups, as they urge airline companies to stop transporting shark fins.

In a letter to Air India and Jet Airways, the Humane Society International (HSI-India) has asked the airline companies to have a policy against the shipment of shark fins and join a “growing league of environmentally conscious airlines”.

The shark is to a marine eco-system what the tiger is to land, explains C Samyukta, a HSI wildlife campaigner. And since it is the top predator, it is important in keeping the balance of the eco-system, she adds.
20/07/14 PT Jyothi Datta/Business Line

Read More

Modi govt clears private sector entry into military transport aircraft project

New Delhi: Signaling the end of defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics' monopoly in the domestic aerospace arena, the Modi government on Saturday gave the formal nod for the Indian private sector to tie up with a foreign collaborator to supply 56 transport aircraft to the IAF.

TOI on Wednesday had reported that the defence acquisitions council (DAC), chaired by defence minister Arun Jaitley, would clear the proposed Rs 13,000 crore project in its meeting on Saturday.

The project had been put on hold by the previous UPA regime after the then heavy industries & public enterprises minister Praful Patel and the strong PSU lobby in October 2013 had vehemently opposed the move to virtually keep state-run units like HAL and BEML out of the mega programme.

But brushing all this aside, Jaitley on Saturday said the project, under which the selected foreign aviation company will partner with an Indian Production Agency (IPA), would help make the Indian private sector "a player" in aircraft-manufacturing and lead to "capacity-building" domestically.
19/07/14 Rajat Pandit/Times of India

Read More

Why Bangalore may struggle to become an aviation hub

Mumbai: On July 3, AirAsia's CEO Tony Fernandes said he wants to make Bengaluru an international aviation hub like Dubai. The comment, unlikely backed by a firm operational plan, nevertheless shows AirAsia's ambitious plans for India.
India has so far failed to utilise its potential to become a hub due to policy paralysis and high costs. But Fernandes is hopeful that will change.
The Malaysian carriers's local unit has already shifted a large part of its operations and staff to Bengaluru from Chennai and later has ambitions of flying from there to nearby foreign locations.
Bangalore has already given enough incentive to AirAsia to make the move from Chennai. Last month, it got approval from the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority to more than halve airport tariffs for what it calls a "home carrier". The discounts are also applicable to the international operaoperations of the carrier. The move is seen as directly helping AirAsia although the airport hasn't specified it.
21/07/14 Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times

Read More

Why Modi's Air India One is a sitting duck for missiles

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Boeing 747-400 aircraft flew over Ukraine just minutes before Malaysian Airlines' MH17 was shot down over the rebel-held part of the country, killing 298 people on board.
The Prime Minister was flying from Frankfurt to New Delhi on a route passing over southern Ukraine on July 17.
Worse, Air India One, a Boeing 747-400 detached from Air India's civilian fleet to fly the Prime Minister, does not even have rudimentary protection against incoming missiles.The irony is that the aircraft, equipped with self-protection systems - the IAF's VVIP Boeings - does not meet the Special Protection Group's (SPG) requirements for four engines.
In 2009, the IAF's Communications Squadron inducted three specially-equipped 46-seater Boeing Business Jets (BBJs) for Rs.936.93 crore.
These aircrafts flown by Air Force pilots from the IAF's communication squadron are equipped with Electronic Countermeasures that can protect the planes from incoming missiles.
A few years ago, the SPG rejected an Air India suggestion to deploy its newly-acquired Boeing 777 for Air India One because it had only two engines.
Defence analysts say the incident illustrates why India needs to acquire four-engined aircraft such as the Boeing 747-800 retrofitted with self-protection suites. Both the Air Force One, a converted Boeing VC-25A used by US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin's Ilyushin IL-96 four-engined jet feature missile protection systems and special escape capsules.
"The fact is that Air India One is a simple commercial airliner without any self-protection systems. All it can do is stay far away from conflict zones," says Air Vice-Marshal (retired) Manmohan Bahadur of the Centre for Air Power Studies.
19/07/14 Sandeep Unnithan/India Today

Read More

Ukraine crash may be 'act of war' for insurers

Mumbai:  The fact that the ill-fated Malaysian flight MH17 was brought down by a missile may trigger the war exclusion clause, which will mean that aircraft insurers pay only towards compensation for victims. General Insurance Corporation (GIC) of India is part of the consortium of worldwide underwriters which have covered the airline. The underwriters may term the crash an 'act of war', sources said.
Bulk of the claim arising out of an aviation accident is not the cost of the aircraft but the compensation paid to the victims. Given that there were 295 passengers on board, the total liability claim could be in the region of $400 million or Rs 2,400 crore. GIC's share is 3-4% of the total claim. But since that the reinsurer has protection for losses over $6 million, which ensures that the maximum balance sheet impact is limited to Rs 36 crore due to the liability claim. Although the cost of a new aircraft is a little over $300 million, insures said that the hull claim for the 17-year Boeing 777 would be in the region of $100 million.
Insurance brokers say that the issue of whether the plane was downed because of an act of war could get contentious since officially none of the countries are war. There is a possibility that the airline might make a claim for terrorist attack since there is a likelihood that the missile was fired by rebels.
19/07/14 Mayur Shetty/Times of India

Read More

Malaysia Airlines tragedy to impact aviation insurance

Mumbai: The shooting down of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 in Ukraine might lead to an increase in insurance premium rates in war-risk category, according to experts. They say insurers are likely to insist on riders or ask for higher premium for war risk from airlines flying to and over troubled areas such as Ukraine.

The aircraft that crashed over eastern Ukraine, MH17, killing all 298 on board, is the second loss for the airline in four months. In March another Malaysia Airlines aircraft, MH370, had mysteriously disappeared in the Indian Ocean.

In the latest incident, Malaysia Airlines’ lead reinsurer is likely to pay the claim arising out of the crash. This would mean an increase in premium going forward, said experts. However, the risewould be marginal as there are several reinsurers who can offer cover at competitive prices. Besides, insurance companies will need to discuss the measures and such riders could be introduced only after a consensus.
19/07/14 M Saraswathy & Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard

Read More

UN Aviation body: It is not our job to warn nations about dangers of missiles

The UN civil aviation body said on Friday it was not responsible for issuing warnings about potential dangers such as military conflicts, saying that duty fell to individual nations.
The role of the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) has come under scrutiny after a Malaysian airliner was shot down by a missile on Thursday over eastern Ukraine, killing 298 people.
Montreal-based ICAO rejected suggestions it should have issued a warning about the potential dangers of flying over the area.
"ICAO does not declare airspace safe or unsafe or undertake any other direct operational responsibilities with respect to civilian air services," said spokesman Anthony Philbin.
"It is always the responsibility of our sovereign member states to advise other states of potential safety hazards."
Asked whether ICAO would ever issue warnings about the dangers of missiles, he replied: "It's not our job."
Malaysia's transport minister said earlier that ICAO had shut down a route over eastern Ukraine after the disaster. ICAO said it did not have the power to open or shut routes.
ICAO did issue a warning to airlines in April about flying over Crimea in the wake of the Russian invasion but it cited potential problems with conflicting air traffic controllers, not the risk of violence. The warning was not an order but rather said "consideration should be given to measures to avoid the airspace".
19/07/14 Daily News & Analysis

Read More

Fare hike likely after flights re-routed

New Delhi: The downing of Flight MH-17 is expected to force airlines across the world to reassess routes over trouble spots and decide whether they would charge more for the longer flights that will burn more fuel.

Air India and Jet Airways claimed they had re-routed their flights to several destinations in Europe almost three months ago to avoid strife-torn eastern Ukraine.

Air India, the national carrier, said it had diverted the route of its flights to London and Paris when the conflict in the area first flared up.

Jet Airways scrambled to soothe fears by posting a note prominently on its website that said its planes did not fly anywhere near Ukraine.
 19/07/14 Karan Choudhury/ABP Live

Read More

Mahindra, GE Aviation ink pact for aerostructure manufacturing

New Delhi: India's Mahindra Aerospace and GE Aviation have signed a pact for co-operation in manufacturing of aerostructures.
A memorandum of understanding has been signed between GE Aviation, Hamble the Aerostructures business of GE Aviation, and Mahindra Aerospace at the Farnborough Airshow 2014.
The agreement will enable GE Aviation, Hamble to define possibilities for placing existing work and to collaborate on new opportunities with Mahindra Aerospace, Mahindra group said in a statement.
Commenting on the partnership, Stefanie Darlington, Sourcing Leader for GE Aviation's Aerostructures business said collaboration with Mahindra Aerospace will create additional manufacturing capacity with a strategically important and cost-effective partner, who has already demonstrated its capabilities in metallic aerostructures for a range of aircraft applications.
"It will further expand our international supply chain and help enable GE Aviation, Hamble to meet its growth, delivery and cost goals," Darlington added.
Mahindra Aerospace Executive Director and CEO Arvind Mehra said the company was looking forward to establishing a highly beneficial cooperation with GE Aviation, combining the capabilities of two established companies, each bringing their own expertise to the collaboration.
18/07/14 PTI/Zee News

Read More

Proposal to get 56 transport planes cleared: Arun Jaitley

New Delhi: A proposal to procure 56 transport aircraft as replacement for AVRO aircraft through 'Buy & Make' route has been accorded approval by the Defence Acquisition Council, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley told the Lok Sabha today.
40 of these aircraft will be manufactured in India by an Indian production agency from the private sector and the agency will be chosen by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), he said in reply to a question.
The Council had taken the decision in a meeting on July 23, 2012.
The bid submission date has been extended up to August 28 this year, he said.
18/07/14 PTI/Economic Times

Read More

Tata to build air refuelling unit

Hyderabad: Hyderabad-based Tata Advanced Systems (TAS) Limited said on Friday that it will manufacture world-leading 5th generation air-to-air refuelling equipment for the UK defence and aerospace major Cobham at its facility in Hyderabad.

“During a rigorous sourcing and selection process, Tata Advanced Systems was able to prove world-class capabilities and the capacity to support delivery against Cobham’s requirements,” TAS said in a statement on Friday.

Cobham manufactures a range of aerial refuelling equipment, including pods integrated onto the Airbus A330 Multi-role Tanker Transport, a platform that India ordered in 2013.

The Tata Group firm would produce air-refuelling pod structures for a range of end users. The production is expected to begin next month and the first batch is expected to be ready by January 2015.
19/07/14 Deccan Chronicle

Read More

Flights from Agra to Goa, Chennai likely soon

Agra:  Air travel from the city of Taj to Goa, Chennai and Hyderabad could soon become a reality with the civil aviation ministry deciding to meet airlines operators to discuss the possibility of starting flights to these destinations. Despite being one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country, Agra lacks proper air connectivity. At present, flights from just a few places like Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi, Gwalior and Khajuraho reach here and that too not regularly. The flights operate just twice a week from Kheria air force station in Agra. A delegation of tour operators from the city met civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Thursday and demanded flights to more cities, after which the minister asked them to prepare a detailed plan of flight packages and submit it to the ministry. He said he would meet airline operators within a month to discuss the possibility of starting such flights.
18/07/14 Aditya Dev/Times of India

Read More

Airfares may go up as cost of operations for airlines rise

New Delhi: The crash of a scheduled Malaysia Airlines flight between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur has the potential to change the scope of commercial aviation.

The area where the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 went down on the Ukraine Russia border is a busy flight path which is frequently used by global airlines while flying between Europe and Asia.

After the loss of the Malaysia Airlines aircraft, Air India and several other global airlines have decided against flying over the region and have changed their flight routes. Besides Air India, Jet Airways too operates flights to Europe from India.

This will not only make the flights between Europe and Asia longer but it will also see the cost of operations going up as every additional minute spent in the air means burning more aviation fuel.

With aviation fuel being at an all time high due to the crisis in Iraq which is one of the largest producers of oil, the deviation from a well laid down flight path is likely to bruise the profitability of the global airline industry.
18/07/14 Ashwini Phadnis/Business Line

Read More

Government plans to introduce alternative travel options like sea planes, helipads along national highways

New Delhi: : Boarding a flight from Bombay Port or a riverside terminus on the Ganga to fly (or sailBSE -0.17 %) into the hinterland, or taking a helicopter in the middle of a highway journey could become genuine alternative travel options, with the Narendra Modi government encouraging sea plane operations, passenger ships on river-ways and helipads along national highways. It is also examining the possibility of using amphibian buses to decongest traffic in sea-side cities like Mumbai.

The Bombay Port Trust has already got the nod to launch sea plane operations along with the Maharasthra Tourism Development Corporation and plans are afoot to offer similar services from all of India's 12 major ports and many of the 200 minor ports.

"We will allow private players to use 4-seater and 9-seater sea planes. If you want to go from Mumbai to Shirdi, it can land at alake 10 km near Shirdi. From there, it can fly you back to Nariman point. Around Delhi, if we find a spot on the Yamuna, it can land and take off from there," said shipping, road transport and rural development minister Nitin Gadkari, stressing the government's emphasis on creating new transport options for people.
18/07/14 V ikas Dhoot/Economioc Times

Read More

Kerala to revive "Air Kerala" project

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government has taken up with the Centre for securing sanction to its dream project "Air Kerala", under which it planned to operate low cost carrier services from the state to Gulf region, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said today.

'Government had already written a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister in this regard and I will take up the matter personally during the meeting with the minister' Chandy informed the assembly while replying to a calling attention notice given by Abdurahiman Randhathani (IUML).

Randhathani wanted the government to take necessary steps to materialise the Air Kerala project to prevent exploitation of Non-Resident Keralites (NRK's) especially working in Gulf countries by airline companies through frequent hike in fares.

Air Kerala, a company registered as a subsidiary of Cochin International Airport Ltd in 2005 could not commence operations mainly due to two conditions of the Centre for starting international services by any airline, Chandy said.

The state had approached the previous UPA government with a request seeking exemption from such conditions that the company should have a fleet of 20 aircraft and a five year experience in carrying out domestic services, but the Centre refused approval.
16/07/14 PTI/Business Standard

Read More

Private sector set to enter Indian aerospace market

New Delhi: The Modi government is all set to kick-start private sector entry into domestic aerospace arena by giving the green signal to the Rs 13,000 crore project to supply 56 transport aircraft to IAF.

The project was put on hold by the previous UPA regime last year after the then heavy industries & public enterprises minister Praful Patel and some others strongly opposed the move to virtually keep state-run units or PSUs like Hindustan Aeronuatics (HAL) out of the mega programme.

The Defence Acquisitions Council, to be chaired by defence minister Arun Jaitley on July 19, will "ratify" the decision taken to extend the date for submission of bids by foreign aviation majors to August 28. "The in principle decision has already been taken after the law ministry's clearance," said a source.
17/07/14 Rajat Pandit/Times of India

Read More

Thales eyes Indian market with cooperation from HAL

Bangalore: French aerospace major Thales plans to expand business in India in cooperation with defence behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).

"Thales has expressed desire to work with us to expand its business in India," a HAL official said Thursday from London, where the state-run enterprise is participating in the ongoing week-long Farnborough international air show.

Thales chief executive Jean-Bernard Lavy, who called on HAL chairman RK Tyagi on the occasion, said he would visit Bangalore later this year (November) to explore the business potential in the Indian defence sector. The $13-billion multinational partners with HAL in upgrading the Mirage 2000 fighters of the Indian Air Force and extends knowhow to its multiple-platforms.

"Lavy favoured structuring our engagement over a long-term than being associated with each project case-by-case," the company said in a statement later.
17/07/14 PTI/Economioc Times

Read More

Tech Mahindra ties up with US varsity to collaborate on aviation R&D

New Delhi: The country’s fifth largest software services firm Tech Mahindra has inked a pact with US-based Wichita State University (WSU) to collaborate in the areas of aerospace engineering, certification, information technology and automotive testing.

Tech Mahindra will collaborate with WSU and its National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), the largest academic aviation R&D institution in the US, on multiple areas of engineering including composites, advanced materials and structural testing, it said in a statement.

“I strongly believe that this synergy can help reach the next level of solution offerings to our marquee customers, addressing their custom needs and industry-specific requirements in the areas of certification and testing,” Tech Mahindra Head of Americas (Aerospace and Defence) Krishna Balasubramaniam said.

The Indian IT firm plans to invest in equipping engineering talent available in the region to enhance their employment opportunities in the Wichita aerospace community.
17/07/14 Business Line

Read More

Manipur BJP delegates meet Union Civil Aviation Minister

Imphal: A delegation of BJP Manipur unit led by its president Th.Chaoba, which is currently camping in New Delhi, called on Ashok Ganapati Raju, Union Minister of Civil Aviation at his Office Chamber at Safdarjung, New Delhi today.

During the 40-minute long meeting, the State delegates highlighted various issues related to Aviation sector in Manipur including the demands for immediate restoration of Imphal-Silchar flights and demands for increasing of flight baggage allowances from 15 kg to 25 kg for all Imphal bound flights, said a press release by L.Bashanta Sharma, State General Secretary (Media) BJP Manipur Pradesh.
17/07/14  Hueiyen News Service/E-Pao

Read More

DGCA doing financial audit of airlines

New Delhi: Worried at the crippling cash crunch faced by Indian airlines, the aviation regulator is doing their financial audit to ensure that only carriers with funds to fly safely stay in the business. The directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) had recently asked all Indian carriers to submit their financial details and answer a list of questions like if they are buying spares or cannibalizing planes and are they paying salaries in time.

The airlines have now submitted their replies and the regulator is examining them. The financial health of one particular low-cost carrier (LCC) is especially a suspect and its name may be thrown up as an airline with "substantial findings". Such airlines have two options — either shrink to operate a smaller fleet with full safety or shut down.
16/07/14 Saurabh Sinha/Times Of India

Read More

HAL to issue RFP for regional aircraft engines

Bangalore: State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) would soon issue a request for proposal (RFP) to procure aero-engines for its civil regional aircraft programme, a top official said Tuesday.
"As 11 bidders had responded to our request for information (RFI) for the 70-90-seater civil aircraft engine, the RFP will be issued soon to procure the engines, as the aircraft will be manufactured in India, with an expected roll-out by 2022," HAL chairman R.K. Tyagi said in a statement from London.
HAL is partnering with the state-run National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) in the civil aircraft programme for expanding regional transportation on feeder routes across the country.
A special purpose vehicle (SPV) is being formed with NAL to build the first 'Made in India' regional civil aircraft by 2020-22 through the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
HAL plans to involve about 100 vendors from the Indian aerospace industry in manufacturing the regional transport aircraft (RTA).
HAL's aero engine research and design centre issued the RFI in December seeking cost and technical details of a fuel-efficient aero engine to power the proposed twin-engine regional aircraft.
15/07/14 Business Standard

Read More

India closes in on $20 billion Rafale deal

New Delhi: Unruffled by the last-ditch bids being made by countries like the US, UK, Germany and Sweden to wade into the "mother of all defence deals", India is quietly continuing its final negotiations for acquiring 126 French Rafale fighters in the almost $20 billion MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) project.

Defence ministry sources on Monday said another meeting of a sub-committee of the ongoing CNC (contract negotiation committee), which includes representatives from MoD, IAF, DRDO and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is slated to take place on July 17-19 in Bangalore with the French companies led by Dassault Aviation.

As reported by TOI last month, the complex negotiations have now finally reached a stage from where they can be wrapped up in the next three months, with over 50% of the final contract as well as the inter-governmental agreement already finalized. "After that, it will be a political call. The approval process will go right up to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) before the contract can be inked," said a source.
16/07/14 Rajat Pandit/Times of India

Read More

Service tax removal on MRO activity sought

Bangalore: The ministry of civil aviation has requested the ministry of finance to remove service tax on aircraft MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) activities in an effort to facilitate the growth of the industry.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, minister of state for civil aviation, G M Siddeswara said the government has not prepared any formally policy on aircraft MRO facilities, but it has identified necessary constraints in consultation with the stakeholders, which affect the growth of the industry.

"We have requested the Ministry of Finance to remove Service Tax on MRO work or provide a Service-tax holiday for ten years and Custom duty on import of consumables and tool-kits used by MROs as applicable to airlines maintaining their own aircraft, along with providing faster custom clearance round-the-clock on all days," he said.
15/07/14 Business Standard

Read More

DGCA rejects plea to declare airspace above Puri temple as ‘no fly zone’

Bhubaneswar: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has rejected the plea for declaration of the air space above Odisha’s 12th century Hindu shrine Shree Jagannath temple premises in Puri as a ‘no fly zone’ on the grounds that it will violate laws and rules governing civil aviation in the country.
In a letter to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), the DGCA said it has no plans to declare the air space above the Shree Jagannath temple premises in Puri as a no fly zone. It said it has no plans to declare any fresh no flying zones in-principle as it would violate laws and rules governing civil aviation and affect the safety and efficiency of civil aviation operations.
16/07/14 Odisha Sun Times

Read More

Skill development council coming up to check aviation manpower crunch

India is set to take the first major step to address the perennial problem of manpower shortage in the aviation and aerospace sectors by setting up the country's first Aerospace Skill Development Council of India. The council, which will bring together companies such as Jet Airways, SpiceJet, Indigo, Tata Aviation, Hindustan Aeronautics and institutions such as National Skill Development Council (NSDC)  and Bangalore Chamber of Commerce, will create a platform that will allow companies to get skilled manpower as per their needs, and at the same time provide them an outlet to use their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.
As per government estimates, over five lakh skilled workers would be needed in the aerospace and aviation sectors over the next 10 years while the current infrastructure of training institutions and high attrition rate of skilled labour due to growth of MRO activities in West Asia and the Far East is clearly found wanting to provide the necessary skill sets required by the sector. It is felt that unless steps are taken early to address the issue, the sectors’ growth would take a hit.
“HAL has taken the lead to set up first such Council in India. All MROs (maintenance, repair and overhaul),  major airlines and other industry players have been invited to join the council which will have 24 representatives of the sector,” HAL chairman R K Tyagi told FE. “We are bullish about this council and have started receiving confirmation from top players in the industry,” Tyagi said.
16/07/14 Huma Siddiqui/Financial Express

Read More

Ramco Systems announces new partnership with Able Aerospace Services

Ramco Systems has announced a new partnership with Able Aerospace Services (a leading aviation component MRO and component parts manufacturer) to become its monolithic ERP system of record, including complete Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO), Supply Chain, Engineering, Finance and Accounting software solutions.

"Ramco's solution will place our enterprise systems under one umbrella, allowing us to reduce costs and streamline processes. A growing number of our current and potential customers have already committed to, or implemented Ramco and this was a driving factor. Enhancing our customers' experience with Able's business units is a major priority for us; The Ramco eco-system will help us do just that", said Mr. Lee Benson, CEO, Able Aerospace Services and Execute to Win.

Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Able provides comprehensive component maintenance ensuring reduced aircraft operating costs. With over 10,000 proprietary FAA-approved repairs applicable to over 4,000 individual components, Able Aerospace Services provides component overhaul and replacement parts solutions to some of the world's largest and most successful fixed and rotor wing operators.
16/07/14 Equity Bulls

Read More

DGCA asks airlines to train crew for all-weather operations

In order to make flying safer, particularly during rough weather, the aviation regulator has asked all the airlines and aircraft operators to formulate and conduct all-weather operations (AWO) training programmes for its crew members.

Once implemented, fliers in the country may feel a bit safer, especially in backdrop of the downgrading of country's aviation sector by the US Federal Aviation Administration in view of poor safety records.

"It is the responsibility of the operator to formulate a comprehensive training programme for all-weather operations depending upon the flight crew experience, aeroplane capability and aerodrome facilities," reads a circular by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

This communication will provide guidance to operators for compliance with the requirement of an AWO training programme, a DGCA official said.

DGCA sources said that the development assumes significance due to the fact that an increasing number of flights are getting disrupted due to poor visibility in hostile weather conditions such as heavy rains and dense fog.
15/07/14 Daily News & Analysis

Read More

Airlines' tug-of-war puts aviation min in a spot

The battle for the skies has landed the Civil Aviation Ministry right in the middle of a tug-of-war. On one hand, newer airlines are pushing for quicker reforms and scrapping of old rules to allow them to expand and go international faster. On the other, older airlines have dug in their heels and are demanding a level playing field.

Pressure from different airline lobbies is pulling the new government in opposite directions over the 5/20 rule for domestic airlines. A powerful lobby of incumbent airlines wants the rule to stay while another comprising new entrants wants it to be scrapped. So what exactly is this rule all about? -The 5/20 rule mandates that every Indian airline must complete five years of domestic operations and must have a fleet of at least 20 aircraft before it is allowed to fly abroad. -If the rule is eased - immediate beneficiaries will be the two Tata airlines - AirAsia India and Tata-Singapore Airlines.
So what are the arguments in favour of this rule being scrapped? Experts say: - the rule makes Indian airlines anti-competitive. - the fleet size requirements incur a large start-up cost for domestic airlines which are already in a precarious financial state. At its end- Aviation consultancy CAPA says such a policy has enabled foreign airlines to capture a larger share of the international market at the expense of home carriers.
14/07/14 CNBC-TV18/moneycontrol.com

Read More

British cos show interest to partner with HAL for Regional Transport Aircraft programme

Bangalore: Industries in Britain would be interested to partner with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in India's Regional Civil Aircraft programme, a senior British trade official has said.

The message was conveyed by Carole Sweeney, Director of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) to a delegation from HAL at a business meeting at the ongoing Farnborough International Air Show in Britain (July 14 to 20), HAL said in a release here.

UK industries would do their best in their known areas of expertise and skills if given an opportunity and they will play a critical role in the success of the programme, she was quoted as having told the HAL executives.

HAL Chairman R K Tyagi said soon Request For Proposal (RFP) would be issued for the engine of the aircraft as 11 bidders have already responded to the recent Request For Information (RFI) issued for the 70-90 seater civil aircraft engine.
15/07/14 PTI/Economic Times

Read More

Indian carriers got traffic right on 17 new intl route: Govt

New Delhi: Government has granted traffic rights to Indian airlines on 17 new international routes since last May, including Kolkata-Guangzhou and Delhi-Tehran sectors.

Expressing hope that these rights would give a major boost to Indian carriers, Minister of State for Civil Aviation G M Siddeshwara said in Lok Sabha that these rights were granted to private Indian airlines after considering the operational requirements of national carrier Air India.

The other sectors for which traffic rights have been granted since May 2013 are Chandigarh-Dubai, Madurai-Dubai, Madurai-Kuala Lumpur, Bagdogra-Kathmandu, Hyderabad-Riyadh, Bangalore-Abu Dhabi, Hyderabad-Abu Dhabi, Ahmedabad-Abu Dhabi, Goa-Abu Dhabi, Lucknow-Abu Dhabi, Pune-Abu Dhabi, Bangalore- Tehran, Chennai-Doha, Hyderabad-Doha and Lucknow-Doha.

The guidelines for allocation of these rights on global sectors are done to provide a level-playing field to all eligible private airlines while retaining the primacy of the national carrier, as also the availability of traffic rights under respective bilateral air services agreements with the respective countries, Siddeshwara said.
14/07/14 PTI/Business Standard

Read More

Airlines: Nod for 17 routes abroad

New Delhi: The Government has granted traffic rights to Indian airlines on 17 new international routes since last May, including Kolkata-Guangzhou and Delhi-Tehran sectors.

Expressing hope that these rights would give a major boost to Indian carriers, Minister of State for Civil Aviation GM Siddeshwara said in the Lok Sabha that these rights were granted to private Indian airlines after considering the operational requirements of national carrier Air India.
14/07/14 Business Line

Read More

Centre to persuade states to lower sales tax on ATF

New Delhi:  The Centre is to make another attempt to convince states on the need to bring down the operating costs for domestic airlines.

With this objective in mind, Ashok Gajapathi Raju, the newly appointed Union Civil Aviation Minister, has called a meeting of civil aviation ministers of the states and union territories here on August 21.

A senior officials of the Ministry told Business Line that at the meeting another attempt will be made to convince the states to bring down the high sales tax that some charge on aviation turbine fuel. At the moment, the sales tax on ATF varies from 4 per cent to over 30 per cent. The Centre will make an attempt to explain the multiplier effect of a vibrant aviation sector to the economies of the states.

"This Government is keen that there is healthy competition in the sector. We do not want another Kingfisher like situation as this could lead to thousands of people being on the road," the official said.
15/07/14 Ashwini Phadnis/Business Line

Read More

Why is a well-packed cabin bag important if you lose your luggage?

Airlines could lose your bag anytime, anywhere. Pack your cabin bag wisely, so you don`t miss your essentials, says Avril-Ann Braganza
You’ve planned the perfect vacation to de-stress, but your holiday could turn out to be anything but that once you find out what the airline gods have in store for you.
You never know when those luggage woes may hit you! Your bags may be touring the world, may be ransacked or may have just ‘missed their flight’, courtesy the airline you flew on. So to minimise the inconvenience, it’s best to be prepared and pack your cabin bag smartly. Don’t just pack your carry-on luggage with things that you might need on the flight, make sure you include everything that you might miss should the airline decide they like your bag so much that they couldn’t part with it or should they decide to send it off on a holiday without you.
Ensure you have a few sets of clothes, including innerwear, bed clothes and clean socks. Don’t forget an extra pair of footwear.
Carry at least three days of medication in your hand luggage and make sure you get a doctor’s prescription should you need it.
15/07/14 Avril-Ann Braganza/Zee News

Read More

Bhupinder Singh Hooda broke rules, paid chopper pilots Rs 63 lakh: CAG

Chandigarh: Clipping the wings of high-flying helicopter pilots of Haryana, a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has blamed the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government for giving undue financial benefits to them and pointed out irregularities in the functioning of the Haryana civil aviation department.

According to a report tabled in the assembly on Monday, the government not only appointed a special executive pilot without approval, but also paid inadmissible allowances amounting to Rs 63 lakh to two other pilots, in violation of rules. The civil aviation department in 2012 had appointed a retired IAF officer as special executive pilot (SEP) without any vacancy. As per civil aviation department service rules, there was only one post of SEP in the state, which was already occupied.

On being pointed out by the auditors, department officials replied that in view of urgency and smooth operations of helicopter, the government created one post of SEP.
15/07/14 Sukhbir Siwach/imes of India

Read More

Delay in Air Arabia flights to India to dent RAK airport’s passenger target

Ras Al Khaimah International Airport will come in at the lower end of its target for passenger numbers this year, the airport’s chief executive says.
Mohammed Qazi said the airport is being hamstrung by delays on the part of Indian authorities processing paperwork that would enable flights to India by Air Arabia, which has succeeded the defunct RAK Airways as the emirate’s flagship carrier.
Before the India delay, RAK airport had expected 250,000 to 400,000 passengers to pass through its gates this year.
Mr Qazi says the delays mean the lesser of those figures is the airport’s new target.
“Of course, the 250,000-400,000 passengers that were expected was based on the route to India. If this doesn’t happen, we will expect 250,000 passengers,” he said.
He added, “It has been five months since we applied [for approvals]. It shouldn’t take this long.”
Air Arabia started operations from RAK airport on May 6 with the launch of flights to seven cities. Calicut in India was part of its operating plan, but it is still waiting necessary approvals from the Indian authorities.
14/07/14 Shereen El Gazzar/The National

Read More

Wipro Infra ties up with global aviation companies for components

Bangalore: Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN), the privately-owned business of Azim Premji, has strengthened its presence in the aerospace segment through partnership with two global aviation majors to manufacture high precision components. WIN expects more opportunities with the likely opening of the sector to foreign investors.
WIN had opened a facility to manufacture aerospace actuators components at Devanahalli on the outskirts of Bangalore in February 2013 and has two global customers. One of them is CESA, a subsidiary of EADS and the pact involves transfer of technology as well as manufacturing aerospace actuators and related precision engineering components. WIN did not name the other aviation customer.
This has set the stage for WIN to use this manufacturing facility. Speaking to FE, WIN CEO Pratik Kumar said, “The opportunity is huge and we are well positioned with a strong platform to take our growth going forward.”
15/07/14 PP Thimmaya/Financial Express

Read More

Removing elitist tag from air travel main agenda, says Aviation Minister

New Delhi: For Ashok Gajapathi Raju, the civil aviation minister in the Narendra Modi government, removing the elitist tag from air travel would be the main agenda. To achieve this objective, the minister would like to bring about a policy in the first 100 days of his tenure to build around 200 low-cost airports, primarily in tier I &II cities.
To lower costs for the airlines he would also talk with various state government to bring down the price of aviation turbine fuel, which currently comprises around 50% of airlines’ cost as most state governments levy higher state level duties. He is all for facilitating more competition in the aviation sector and would bring about transparent guidelines to allow newer players to enter the market.
The minister told FE in the course of an interview that privatising Air India at this stage is not possible as the airline is not in a shape which would see buyers interested in it.
Putting the carrier back on rails will be a priority task for him but he agrees that a view regarding how it has to function in future on a long-term basis needs to be taken rather than leaving the issue open-ended.
14/07/14 Roudra Bhattacharya/Financial Express

Read More

OIS Aerospace Announces Strategic Relationship For India With Logic S.p.A, Italy for Avionics

New Delhi: OIS AeroSpace announces its strategic relationship with Logic S.p.A. of Italy for its industry leading avionics as its OEM in India encompassing the various activities including marketing, manufacturing, supply and maintenance.
Commenting on the new ties, Mr Sanjay Bhandari, Chairman & Managing Director of OIS AeroSpace said "We are pleased to enter into a strategic collaboration with Logic S.p.A. , Italy for their advanced technologies for India as its OEM. We are confident of the market potential with the growth of the aviation industry in India".
"We are optimistic about our relationship with OIS AeroSpace to advance our world leading avionic products across the civilian and military aviation sectors within India. We believe that given OIS Aerospace's team and technology capabilities we have forged a strategic collaboration that would service the growing Indian aerospace market," said Mrs Isabella Groppi, General Manager of Logic S.p.A., Italy.
14/07/14 PR News Wire

Read More

Turk plane gets IAF scrambling

Jodhpur: The Indian Air Force today scrambled fighter jets after two commercial flights, entering through Pakistan half-hour apart, gave the same identification code.

The Jodhpur Air Force Station sent two MiG21 fighters to investigate after a Turkish Airlines plane “squawked” the same code that another flight of the same airline had given out earlier. However, after verification, the plane was allowed to proceed, sources said.

The air force confirmed it had scrambled jets after a suspected air space violation but did not give details.

The unique identification code is assigned by civil aviation authorities — such as the Delhi ATC for India — to foreign aircraft that fly through national air spaces.
13/07/14 Telegraph

Read More

His Promotion Wings Clipped, Aviation Corp Officer Cries Foul

New Delhi: Another ugly spat has erupted in the Army over claims to a top post. This time, Major General P K Bharali has gone to the Principal Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) in Nthe national capital, challenging Army chief General Bikram Singh’s move to appoint a Lieutenant General from the general cadre as the Director General of the Army Aviation Corps, instead of him. The dispute comes at a time when the legal battle over the alleged overlooking of Lt Gen Ravi Dastane as an Army Commander in June 2012 is yet to get over.

Bharali, who is now Additional Director General of the Army Aviation Corps, contended before the AFT that he being an aviation cadre officer should be appointed as Director General upon promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General.

Following this case before the AFT, the appointment to the top job of the Aviation Corps has been put on hold, keeping the post vacant now for an indefinite period till the tribunal decides Bharali’s case.
13/07/14 NC Bipindra/New Indian Express

Read More

Aviation sector ecstatic on Budget

New Delhi: On a day when national carrier Air India joined the Star Alliance, the civil aviation ministry praised the Union Budget — a day after it was presented in Parliament — saying that it aims to boost the aviation sector with the objective of building 200 low-cost airports in the next two decades, even as there has been criticism from some quarters such as consultancy firm KPMG on issues such as lack of reduction of excessive taxation on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) and also the announced budgetary support to Air India to the tune of Rs 6,500 crore in this financial year.
On Friday, there were also reports of resignations by some of the office-bearers of a pilot union of national carrier Air India. Sources said some of the pilots had differences over several issues.
This comes ahead of proposed pay-cuts for some of the Air India pilots as part of a plan by the airline to rationalise salaries of pilots in tune with the market.
Meanwhile, praising the budget, the civil aviation ministry said, “The Government will develop airports in metros and non-metro cities through public-private partnership mode to enhance air connectivity. India plans to build 200 low-cost airports in the next 20 years to connect tier-II and tire-III cities. The Government also plans to construct 15 additional airports under the Greenfield airport policy by identifying the most suitable low cost viable model.”
12/07/14 Asian Age

Read More