Inter-state air service in UP by Oct-end

Varanasi: Inter-state air service is likely to start in the state by the end of October this year. The service will benefit tourists visiting the Buddhist Circuit. Cities like Jhansi, Agra, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Bareilly, Meerut, Allahabad, Lucknow will be inter-connected and connected with other tourist spots.

"The inter-state air service is expected to start by the end of October," UP tourism minister Om Prakash Singh said while talking to reporters here on Monday. He said that the state government had adopted inter-state service policy for tourism promotion so that tourists can easily go to places in different parts of the state.

According to the inter-sate air service policy, UP State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd has been made nodal department for initiating all the works related to air services in the state. With the objective of encouraging air services, the state government will start air services on the different routes in the first phase.
30/09/14 Times of India

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Will regional connectivity be mandatory for new airlines?

Vistara, Tata-SIA joint venture, was originally scheduled to start its operations during the festive season. It may not be able to do so, as it still has to secure several technical approvals. If the experience is any criterion, it generally takes about eight months to obtain an Air Operating Permit (AOP). Pending approvals include flight operation manuals and other related procedures. Now, why these procedures should take as many as eight months (or about 240 days) to accomplish is a tough question to answer, and it is best left to the Civil Aviation Ministry to clarify as to whether this time frame can be brought down, at least for future applicants.

In fact, Vistara had proposed to start its operations with two aircrafts and complete its fleet of 20 by the end of 2015.

In the meantime, the Civil Aviation Ministry finds that only 75 of the 125 airports are being actually used. It plans to make “regional connectivity" obligatory for new airlines, so that these do not become, "non-performing-assets!” This was stated by the Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, while speaking to journalists, on the sidelines of the 65th AGM of the Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI), Hyderabad Chapter recently.

Perhaps, the minister hopes that by making this mandatory, these under (or practically unused) utilised airports bring about some activity!
30/09/14 AK Ramadas/moneylife.com 

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India's Air Pegasus takes delivery of first aircraft, an ATR72

Air Pegasus  has taken delivery of its first aircraft, an ATR72-500, cn 699, with two more in the process of being acquired. The turboprop, formerly with Kingfisher Airlines , is configured with 66 seats in an all-economy layout.

The start-up claimed it had encountered difficulties in sourcing the aircraft after lessors demanded what it termed "excessive" security deposits.
29/09/14 ch-aviation

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PM Modi's US visit: Boeing keen on greater engagement with India

Defence major Boeing today proposed greater business engagement with India, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised the US companies to provide friendlier business environment in the country.

In a one-on-one meeting with Modi, Boeing CEO James McNerney said that the company wants to accelerate its engagement with India.

The meeting followed a power-packed breakfast meet Modi had with CEOs of other 11 large American corporations including PepsiCo, Citigroup, Google, Cargill and Carlyle Group.

With nearly USD 87-billion annual turnover globally, Boeing is a major player in Indian defence and aerospace sectors. Its engagement with India is nearly 70 years-long and Boeing jets are one of the mainstays of the country's domestic and intercontinental commercial fleets.

In June 2011, India signed an agreement with the US government to acquire 10 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlifters.
29/09/14 PTI/Economic Times

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Aviation Skill Council stresses on training, infra creation

Bangalore: The first board meeting of Aerospace and Aviation Sector Skill Council (ASSC) has called for focusing on training and education infrastructure in aerospace sector.

The meet was held under the aegis of National Skill Development Council (NSDC) at HAL Corporate Office under the chairmanship of RK Tyagi.

The ASSC comprises HAL, Bangalore Chambers of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) and Society of Indian Aerospace Technologies & Industries (SIATI).

The meeting deliberated on several issues on skill development requirements of aerospace industry and on how to go about modules that would be relevant to stakeholders.

“The first year of its operation is very important and our challenge is to make it useful to the industry, which is looking to bridge the huge gap in skills,” said Tyagi.

CG Krishnadas Nair (SIATI), Chandramouli AN (BCIC), Pratyush Kumar (NSDC) and Ashok Tondon (HAL) were the four directors present at the meeting.
28/09/14 Business Line

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Pilot suspended for ‘mishandling’ plane with Shivpal on board

Lucknow: The UP government has suspended a pilot after aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), New Delhi, found him guilty of “mishandling” a chartered plane while landing it on the runway of Delhi Airport in September 2012.
The six-seater plane (Premium 1-A), with Cabinet minister Shivpal Singh Yadav with two other passengers, a cockpit crew of two and one cabin crew on board, had skidded off the runway but nobody was hurt in the incident.
DGCA had conducted the inquiry into the matter and submitted the report to UP government last month. Sources said the UP government recently suspended Wing Commander Rajesh Kumar Nagar on the basis of the DGCA report and ordered a departmental inquiry against the pilot.
Principal Secretary to Secondary Education Department Manoj Kumar Singh is conducting the departmental probe into the matter. Secretary, Civil Aviation department, SK Raghuvanshi confirmed Nagar’s suspension. Sources said Nagar’s flying licence was suspended after the incident. The aircraft had taken off from Lucknow with Shivpal who had to reach Ghaziabad to meet the families of victims of riots that had occurred in Masuri area then.
28/09/14 Lalmani Verma/Indian Express

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'Why should pilots frisk the VIPs?'

Learning a lesson from the Lok Sabha elections, when pilots were on duty beyond their stipulated seven hours, and given the duty to check the baggage of politicians and VIPs that flew with them during rallies, the Rotary Wing Society of India (RWSI) has written a feedback letter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Along with improvement of the infrastructure of helipads and launching bases, RWSI has also asked the DGCA to look into the Air Safety Circular. The letter mentioned that the pilots were unhappy during the Lok Sabha Elections, as they were asked to check the baggage of any politician flying with them. “This job is usually done by the security agencies. It gives us a lot of stress, and the extra duty diverts us from our primary job. Even if we find something objectionable, it is very awkward to pull up a VIP. We refuse to do that during the Assembly elections,” a pilot said, on condition of anonymity.
28/09/14 Neha LM Tripathi/Mid Day

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Raju: For flights abroad, fly more to small towns

New Delhi: Newer airlines which have been urging the government for scrapping the antiquated provision which bars them from flying overseas till they have completed five years of operations and have 20 aircraft (5/20) would soon see their wish being granted.
However, this would come at a price — they may be asked to fulfil some regional connectivity criteria before they can spread their wings. This means that if airlines like AirAsia or Tata SIA’s Vistara fly a certain quota of flights, which the Centre earmarks to smaller towns and cities, they can fly abroad.
Speaking at the Express Group’s Idea Exchange programme, civil aviation minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju said that the 5/20 rule is antiquated and without rationale, and needed to be scrapped.
However, it needs to be replaced with something and regional connectivity is the government’s priority. Interestingly, Raju’s ministry has recently come out with draft guidelines mandating airlines to deploy on regional/remote routes the same capacity which they deploy on the 30 trunk routes. This has been opposed by all the carriers as it would increase their cost at a time when most of them are posting losses. Vistara has specifically said that newer airlines should be exempt from this rule. Raju also said that the scrapping of the 5/20 rule would enable the country to utilise higher number of seats under the bilaterals.
27/09/14 Indian Express

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AirAsia India kept out of Federation of Indian Airlines

According to a report by Saurabh Sinha in The Times of India, AirAsia India has been kept out of the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), a joint forum of Indian carriers, despite applying for membership twice. The FIA is a joint forum of Air India, Jet Airways, IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir.

"We have not even been invited to join FIA. No one has even replied to our letters," Tony Fernandes, CEO, AirAsia Group, said. Mittu Chandilya, CEO, AirAsia India Pvt. Ltd. (AAIPL), said, "I myself wrote twice on this issue. I don't know why we haven't even got a reply. We are an Indian company, owned 51 per cent by Tata Sons. Our management team is Indian."

Being denied entry into the club of Indian airlines, thereby treating AAIPL as a foreign airline, is just one of the issues that Fernandes is bitter about.
26/09/14 Travel Biz Monitor

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Tata-AirAsia kept out of airlines body

New Delhi:  The Tata Sons-AirAsia JV has been kept out of the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), a joint forum of desi carriers, despite applying for membership twice. The FIA is a joint forum of Indian carriers Air India, Jet Airways, IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir.

"We have not even been invited to join FIA. No one has even replied to our letters," AirAsia global chief Tony Fernandes told TOI on Thursday. AirAsia India Pvt Ltd (AAIPL) CEO Mittu Chandilya said: "I myself wrote twice on this issue. I don't know why we haven't even got a reply. We are an Indian company, owned 51% by Tata Sons. Our management team is Indian."
26/09/14 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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No more a flight risk

Worried as to how your aged and wheelchair-bound parents will manage check-in and security at Chennai airport and then collect their bags when they reach Delhi after their flight? All you have to do is call up the airline they are flying 48 hours before the journey and ask it to make arrangements for special assistance to be provided to them.

Concerned that you are not being refunded the entire amount due to you because you decided to cancel your ticket?

Don’t worry. This useful information and much more is only a click of a button away on your Internet-connected mobile phone, tablet, laptop or personal computer. All you have to do is log on to the newly started Know Your Rights site (http://www.dgca.nic.in/kyrdgca/KYR_portal.html) a new initiative of the airline watchdog, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

The site tells you exactly how much of a refund you will get if you have booked a ticket and now want to cancel it. The components of an air ticket that an airline has to refund in case you cancel your ticket include passenger services fee, airport development fee/user development fee and service tax. And in case you are a passenger with a disability and you are off-loaded even if you have a confirmed ticket, a remote possibility but a possibility nonetheless, then you and your escorts, if you have any, are given the highest priority for transportation.
26/09/14 Ashwini Phadnis/Business Line

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Air Force Takes off With Plans to Make Aero India Bigger

Bangalore:  The Indian Air Force (IAF) has begun the preliminary rounds of preparations for the 10th edition of the biennial air show to be held at the Air Force Station (AFS) Yelahanka, in Bangalore, from February 18 to 22, 2015.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ pitch the Aero India-2015 will be seen through ‘a new window of opportunity’ by the aerospace and defence industry now. The IAF officials said they are preparing the ground to accommodate more participants during the air show.

Speaking to Express on the sidelines of a media visit to AFS Yelahanka on Wednesday, ahead of the 82nd IAF Day celebrations on October 8, Air Commodore S C Gulati, Air Officer Commanding of the station said initial talks with various state government agencies have already begun.

“These are early days of preparations and we have the SOPs (standard operating procedures) in place. We hope that the coming show will be bigger in all aspects and AFS Yelahanka is warming up for the task,” said Gulati, a seasoned IAF pilot with close to 8,000 hours of flying. Survey of hospitals and helipads in Bangalore are underway as part of the disaster management plan.
26/09/14 New Indian Express

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Raju lauds Shivraj's initiative to further air services in MP

Bhopal: Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajpathi Raju today said the aviation sector has immense potential to grow in Madhya Pradesh and lauded the initiative taken by the "proactive" Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to explore possibilities of launching more air services from the state.

"It is for the first time that a state government has invited the Civil Aviation Minister and top level officials of public as well as private carriers for interaction on possibilities of launching air services from the state," Raju who described Chouhan as a "proactive" Chief Minister, told reporters.

Top players in the aviation sector including from Air India, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Go Air, Air Asia, Emirates Airlines, Indigo, Jet, Spicejet and Pawan Hans among others were specially invited by Chouhan to the state capital to discuss over more air services from the state, specially Bhopal.
26/09/14 Business Standard

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After cattle class snub, Sukhbir Badal flies private jet

Chandigarh:  After a deluge of sarcastic comments on social media over his 'cattle class' trip to Chennai and Hyderabad, Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal on Tuesday decided to dump the austerity policy and opted for a private chartered flight for an official tour to Mumbai.

Sukhbir's media adviser and minister of state rank officer Jangveer Singh had on September 20 posted on Facebook pictures of his boss travelling in 'economy class' during the official trip to Chennai and Hyderabad. The snaps immediately drew a lot of snubs, some calling it a sham and a deliberate public relations exercise. A few compared the deputy CM's trip to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's night stay at a village in Behrampur in 2013.
26/09/14 Rohan Dua/Times of India

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Delayed flights brings out latent writer in corporate honcho

New Delhi: Delayed flights or trains can be extremely annoying but corporate honcho R M Rajgopal the time spent waiting was utilised productively to hone his writing, a passion that resulted in a book after a decade.

"I started writing on airports precisely to control irritation while waiting for the flights. I found it so negative that I started writing sitting there. Those were days when you were lucky to be on time," says Rajgopal who heads the HR of a corporate firm.

Rajagopal' s book "The Empty Pedestal and other stories" weaves together a handful of short stories that talk about fall of an idealistic labour leader, the aspirations thrust on an uncomprehending kindergarten student and others that transform everyday happenings into a commentary on the present times.

"I used to work on the stories on some weekends. Since I used to travel a lot and had many evenings free, I found writing almost therapeutic. And there were the perennially late flights of the Indian airlines monopoly," says Rajgopal.
26/09/14 PTI/Business Standard

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Airlines slash prices at start of festive season

New Delhi: To lure passengers in the festive season, domestic airlines Thursday launched new sales offers.

Budget passenger carrier SpiceJet started the holiday season by offering customers 50 percent discount on available fares for the upcoming months.

The airline said customers can save up to 50 percent on tickets booked Thursday till Saturday for travel period between Oct 28 and Dec 15, 2014 and Jan 15 to March 31, 2015.

Full-service carrier Jet Airways too started the festive season by offering special fares for economy class starting from Rs.1,999.
25/09/14 IANS/Daijiworld.com

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The First Indian Pilot: Sardar Hardit Singh Malik

The first Indian, or indeed Asian, to procure aeroplanes was the then-young Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh, who was following aviation developments with keen interest. The Maharaja sent his chief engineer to Europe for an on-the-spot study and then ordered three aeroplanes, including a Bleriot monoplane and Farman biplanes. These aeroplanes arrived in the Punjab in December 1910.

However, the very first Indian to fly, join the Royal Flying Corps, get his wings, go into aerial combat on the Western Front, shoot down German fighters and himself be seriously wounded in the air, was an outstanding personality: Sardar Hardit Singh Malik.

Born on 23 November, 1892 in a distinguished Sikh family of Rawalpindi in the Punjab (pre-partition India), Hardit Singh was educated at an English Public School (Eastborne College), from where he went to Balliol College at Oxford. Graduating with honours, his scholastic achievements were matched by his sports prowess, getting his blues in cricket and golf.

When the Great War broke out in 1914, he was at his second year at Oxford and practically all his British colleagues volunteered to join the fighting services.
25/09/14 Sikh 24.com

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International Aviation Conclave from December 11

Mangalore: The International Aviation conclave, originally planned for October 9, will now be held from December 11 in New Delhi. The event was postponed on request of the India Trade Promotion Organization due to clashing of dates with another event organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The International Aviation Conclave Organizing Council met on Wednesday September 24 to discuss the situation with key potential stakeholders and accepted the proposal of the India Trade Promotion Organization to postpone the event. The new dates finalized and confirmed for this event with the India Trade Promotion Organization are December 11 to 13.

The IAC- 2014 Series, an annual event, comprising of a three day Conference, Exhibition and Awards Night is supported by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, US-India Importers Council, ADS-UK, and Other National and International Organizations. The theme for the inaugural year is 'Empowering Aviation - Encouraging Stability towards Sustainability'.
25/09/14 Stanley Pinto/Times of India

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International Aviation Conclave from December 11

Mangalore: The International Aviation conclave, originally planned for October 9, will now be held from December 11 in New Delhi. The event was postponed on request of the India Trade Promotion Organization due to clashing of dates with another event organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The International Aviation Conclave Organizing Council met on Wednesday September 24 to discuss the situation with key potential stakeholders and accepted the proposal of the India Trade Promotion Organization to postpone the event. The new dates finalized and confirmed for this event with the India Trade Promotion Organization are December 11 to 13.

The IAC- 2014 Series, an annual event, comprising of a three day Conference, Exhibition and Awards Night is supported by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, US-India Importers Council, ADS-UK, and Other National and International Organizations. The theme for the inaugural year is 'Empowering Aviation - Encouraging Stability towards Sustainability'.
25/09/14 Stanley Pinto/Times of India

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What’s up in the air

It’s a bird, it’s a plane... Nope. It’s the Red Bull flugtag. Come Sunday and almost everyone in Bangalore is going to be looking up - not at the sky but at the range of crafts that will attempt to defy gravity and soar over Sankey Tank in a bid to emerge as India’s first Flugtag champions.

Organised by Red Bull, Flugtag, for those who don’t know yet, is German for ‘flying day’ and started in Vienna, Austria, in 1992. With over 100 such events in their kitty, Red Bull decided to come to India and choose none other than the adventure capital of Bangalore to host the event for the very first time in the nation of inventions.

The ‘airshow’ will have homemade, human-powered crafts designed by four-member teams launching off a 22-foot high flight deck, in the hope of soaring into the distance, with only clear blue water to catch their inevitable fall. With themes like the Stone Age inspired pterodactyl, a flying Ganesha, Superman's underpants and other ingenious models ready to soar accompanied by an array of eccentric costumes, this is one adventure thrill you don’t want to miss.

To add to the madness, India's premier comedy collective - Tanmay Bhat, Rohan Joshi, Gursimran Khamba and Ashish Shakya of All India Bakchod will be the hosts while Nikhil Chinapa, Rannvijay Singha, Monica Dogra, Ashwini Ponnappa and Varun Aaron will judge the event.
25/09/14 Allan Moses Rodricks/The Hindu

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Private airports operators too oppose regional connectivity policy

Mumbai: Association of Private Airport Operators (APAO) has opposed the civil aviation ministry's draft regional connectivity policy arguing that destinations included in the proposal lack traffic potential and incentives offered to airlines to launch services are not enough to cover their cost.

The ministry has invited views from industry stake holders on a proposed policy to boost regional connectivity. However both airlines and private airports are opposed to the current proposal. APAO includes GVK and GMR group run airports (Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad) and Kochi.

In its letter to the ministry APAO has said only ten of the 87 destinations listed in the proposal have a traffic of 70 or more passengers each day to/from Delhi while the rest "do not have the ability to support or augment scheduled carriers existing air service network."
23/09/14 Business Standard

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Pilots to be empowered to deal with tipsy air travellers

New Delhi: Tipsy air travellers, beware! Laws are being tightened to empower crew members to restrain anyone from creating ruckus inside an aircraft or even at the airport before boarding a flight.
A new rule has been drafted by aviation regulator DGCA formally empowering the pilot-in-command of all flights to take suitable action to prevent such commotion which could endanger safety of the flight or passengers or crew members.
It empowers airline staff to "monitor" drunk passengers in lounges or at the airport check-points. The rule makes it mandatory for all airlines, including foreign carriers operating in Indian territory, as well as non-scheduled and charter operators, to evolve Standard Operating Procedures to deal with such situations.
The draft comes a month after a drunk Indian passenger had to be tied up on board an Air India flight from Melbourne to Delhi when he created a mid-air rumpus after having one too many. He was arrested by police after the plane landed here on charges of causing hurt and wrongful restraint.
Such incidents have been on the rise globally, with the airlines' body International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimating that the number of unruly behaviour reported by airlines had reached some 8,000 cases in 2013.
The proposed rule or Civil Aviation Requirement says that disruptive behaviour of a passenger could not only aggravate discomfort to passengers or disturb crew members from doing their job, but also endanger safety and security of a flight.
22/09/14 PTI/IBN Live

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Airlines asked to train crew to deal with unruly flyers

Mumbai: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) wants airlines crew to be adequately trained to prevent any disruptive behaviour by passengers on ground as well as onboard. In its draft regulations, the DGCA has said the training should enable crew to detect, defuse and handle critical situations.

The regulator also wants airlines to develop standard operating procedures for dealing with disruptive passengers and include a statutory warning in the ‘conditions of carriage’ printed on tickets, specifying the acts that would be considered unlawful.

“Airlines shall establish a mechanism to detect and report unruly passenger behaviour at check-in, in the lounges, and at the boarding gate in order to prevent such passengers from boarding. In case of occurrence of an act of unruly behaviour while the aircraft is on the ground, such cases shall be reported immediately in writing and First Information Report lodged with the security agency at the aerodrome for assistance,” the DGCA's draft regulations said.
23/09/14 Business Standard

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Airlines resist pressure to fly to small-town India

New Delhi: Varanasi’s flying public, hoping to catch a direct Jet Airways flight to Mumbai, perhaps via a code-share with Invision Air, or Freedom Airways, will have to wait just that much longer.
While the aviation ministry had come up with a proposal last month to mandate a sharp hike in the proportion of capacity mandatorily available in small towns — the policy was to be implemented using small air taxi operators like Invision Air (see graphic) — the scheduled operators like Jet, SpiceJet and the yet-to-start Vistara have said they find the proposal onerous. The airlines are to meet aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju on this on Tuesday.
The carriers have pointed out that the proposed rules, which mandate that airlines fly as much on regional and remote routes as they do on the 30 trunk routes by end-2016, will result in a significant increase in costs while not throwing up adequate revenues.
23/09/14 Financial Express

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AAI Markets Indian Airports at World Route Forum

Airports Authority of India (AAI) participated in the 20th World Route Development Forum held at Chicago from 20th to 23rd September this year. AAI has identified 29 airports for marketing amongst the airlines present at the Forum. The airports identified were Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Lucknow, Leh, Srinagar, Varanasi (Banaras), Bhubaneswar, Gaya, Kolkata, Port Blair, Ranchi, Raipur, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Aurangabad, Bhopal, Indore, Goa, Pune, Surat, Chennai, Coimbatore, Calicut, Madurai, Mangalore, Trivandrum, Trichy and Visakhapatnam. AAI also conducted one-to-one meetings with the participating airlines and had a dedicated exhibition stand also. The airport-specific brochures brought out by AAI on the occasion included salient features of the airports, catchment areas they belong to, aerodrome reference code, tourist attractions and aviation and tourism potential.

AAI has been participating in the various World Route events for the last six years. It maintains 125 airports comprising of 21 international airports (3 civil enclaves and 3 joint venture), 78 domestic airports, 7 customs airports (4 civil enclaves) and 19 other civil enclaves. In addition, AAI also provides Air Navigation Services (ANS) at all civil airports in the country. Currently, Indian airports are handling about 122 million domestic and 47 million international passengers and are poised to handle 217 million domestic and 76 million international passengers by 2020.
23/09/14 Business Standard

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Choppers might be allowed in commuter airline fleets

New Delhi: The Business Aircraft Operators' Association (BAOA) has sought helicopters be included in the policy for promoting air connectivity to unserved and underserved destinations.

The association of air charters and non-scheduled aircraft operators, in its recommendations on the draft policy on regional and remote connectivity, has pointed out, "The discussion paper has not taken into consideration operations for providing remote-area connectivity. Helicopters are required to be engaged due to terrain restrictions  in vast areas of Jammu & Kashmir, the northeast, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. It is suggested that helicopters may also be included to provide air connectivity to underserved and unserved towns in these areas."

Among other suggestions, the association has said ground handling charges be rationalised for aircraft suited for regional connectivity. Ground handling charges range from Rs 4,000 at Pantnagar airport to Rs 26,041 at Indore airport.
23/09/14 Sharmistha Mukherjee/Business Standard

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Tweak in aviation rules in the air

New Delhi: The top bosses of India’s airlines will meet civil aviation minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju tomorrow to discuss junking restrictive rules for flying abroad and high taxes levied on fuel.
According to civil aviation ministry officials, top officials from Jet Airways, SpiceJet, IndiGo, Air India, AirAsia India, GoAir and soon-to-be-launched Vistara (Tata-SIA joint venture) will all be present at the meeting.
“The minister has called this meeting to discuss issues such as high taxation on jet fuel with top airline officials,” said a senior civil aviation ministry official.
Sources said the airlines want to discuss steps necessary to slash aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices by cutting taxes. The Indian aviation sector has suffered record losses on the back of predatory pricing, high fuel costs and airport taxes.
Airlines are likely to demand a cut in taxes on jet fuel. Jet fuel constitutes about 40-45 per cent of the total cost of an airline. The airlines may also request aircraft engines to be exempt from customs duty, the officials said. The exemption was withdrawn in 2012.
Airlines are also planning to speak to the minister about doing away with the 5/20 rule.
Raju had earlier agreed that the 5/20 rule for airlines was antiquated and should be done away with, but had not set any timeline for it.
22/09/14 The Telegraph

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Pratt And Whitney’s Geared TurboFan Engine To Lead The Next Revolution In Aircraft Engines

The engines on the pretty aluminum wings of the metal clad birds, that you see flying over your head are one of the biggest differentiating features between various airplanes. The challenge for the engine manufacturers, for years, has been the same, to come up with the most economical, safe as well as noise- proof flight experience. We have gone through the age of turboprop engines to turbofan engines and the development has been remarkable.
With environmental factors more important than ever, the focus today has been on clean and quieter flying enhancing the comfort level, yet producing enough thrust to carry the payloads that would be economically fruitful. Pratt and Whitney along with Rolls Royce and GE has been one of the resident names when it comes to making aircraft engines. No doubt, they have been hard at work trying to come up with the above-stated solutions.
Pratt and Whitney had successfully tested the PurePower 1000G engine in July 2008. The Geared Turbofan engine since then has gone through rigorous testing and experimentation. The series is set to be introduced in full-scale operations by 2015. The Geared Turbofan engine boasts of 40% fewer airfoils than the existing families of engines, which accounts for a 10% reduction by weight as well as comparatively easier maintenance. In fact, the Geared Turbofans promise to deliver a double-digit reduction in maintenance costs, which is a big win as well as a promise of 16% fuel burn reduction, 50% reduction in NOx emission and 75% noise reduction. All of this accounts for a potential savings of about $1.5 million per aircraft per year.
Pratt and Whitney have stated that they already have more than 5,000 orders for the engine worldwide with the likes of IndiGo and GoAir placing orders for 150 and 72 Airbus A320 Neos respectively. India is set to be one of the first countries to receive the Geared Turbofan engines and in fact, will be the country with the largest order size outside the US. With stiff competition from the upcoming LEAP engines from GE, one thing is for sure, you and I are set for quieter, cleaner and perhaps a little more affordable flying, that is what we always wanted, right?
23/09/14 Arpit Verma/Gizmodo India

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Privatisation alone would not yield results, says Civil Aviation Minister

Coimbatore: Maintaining that he was not against privatisation, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati on Monday said that it alone would not yield results and stressed upon the need for working as a team.
"We need to encourage more Indian players, be it in the private sector or government to improve and strengthen flight connectivity. There is ample scope for improvement both in air cargo and passenger traffic," he said interacting with members of the local chapter of Indian Chamber of commerce and Industry.
Responding to their plea for better flight connectivity and speedy completion of airport expansion project, he said that there is need for a mix of both private and public participation in such infrastructure projects.
22/09/14 IBN Live

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Govt wants more Indian airlines to take up international routes, civil aviation minister says

Coimbatore: The government wants Indian airlines to take up more international routes and is ready to sign new bilateral agreements towards this, said Union civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati on Monday.

"The government would definitely not mind the increasing number of international passengers and raising freight. But this should contribute to our economy's GDP and not to another country's GDP," the minister said while reacting to a request from the industry to directly connect Coimbatore with Dubai.

The minister was in the city on an invitation from Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), which submitted a memorandum to him on improving the Coimbatore airport's infrastructure and connectivity.
"It would be a great help if Coimbatore was connected directly with Dubai because then we are directly connected to any destination in Europe," said ICCI president D Nandakumar.
22/09/14 Times of India

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SpiceJet, Air India and other airline CEOs may raise cost issues, 5/20 rule with Raju on Tuesday

New Delhi: The CEOs of all domestic airlines are expected to raise the high cost of operations in India impacting their bottomlines in their first meeting with the Civil Aviation Minister, P Ashok Gajapathi Raju, tomorrow. Leaders from SpiceJet, IndiGo, GoAir, Air India, Jet Airways, Vistara and AirAsia India are expected to attend this meeting.

The meeting comes even as aviation regulator DGCA is drawing up a comprehensive report on the financial health of airlines and sources in the regulator have pointed to at least two airlines which are in deep financial difficulties. It is not clear when this report will be submitted to the Ministry by DGCA.

Topmost on CEOs' agenda tomorrow could be the high taxtaion on ATF. India is among the countries which tax aviation turbine fuel (ATF) among the highest in the world. ATF accounts for almost half of an airline's opertating costs but Raju may not be able to help here much since taxation of ATF is a state subject. States levy anywhere between 4-35% sales tax on ATF, making it very expensive - some have relented but most continue with the high taxation regime. CEOs are expected to urge the minister to persuade states to lower taxes, something Raju has promised to do earlier as well.

Then, often in the past, airlines have also expressed opposition to high airport charges, specially at the two showpiece airports of Delhi and Mumbai which are operated by consortia.lead by private developers. This issue should also figure in tomorrow's meeting since these costs adversely impact airlines' already bleeding balance sheets.
22/09/14 Sindhu Bhattacharya/FirstBiz

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Fancy a seaplane ride to Shirdi?

The recently launched seaplane will give pilgrims to Shirdi, Shani Singlapur and Meherabad a much quicker ride

It’s not even a month since Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt. Ltd. (MEHAIR) and Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) launched their seaplane services in Maharashtra between Mumbai and Pawana (Lonavala), but they’re already ready with services to their next destination. Starting 19th September, the seaplane will take off from Mumbai’s Juhu Airport for a 45-minute flight to Mula Dam, where it will land opposite Chumeri Guesthouse. People will disembark on a securely anchored floating dock approximately 30 m from the shoreline. From the dock they will be whisked away to the shore by a motorboat.

Located between the religious destinations of Meherabad, Shirdi and Shani Shinglapur, there will be one flight a day and two flights on Thursdays at 8 30 am and 2 00 pm respectively, with quick turnarounds. “We decided to have two flights on Thursdays, because that’s when most devotees travel to Shirdi for darshan. We plan to observe operations for a couple of months and will then decide whether to increase the frequency or change the timings. Depending on the response, we will also plan return flights for the same day with a later departure schedule,” says Siddharth Verma, Co-Founder and Director of MEHAIR.
22/09/14 Avril-Ann Braganza/Zee News

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Indian Airlines Likely To Pay Up To 25% More To Renew Fleet Cover

Mumbai: India’s airlines will likely have to pay 20-25% more in premiums for renewing the combined US$30 billion of insurance cover on their fleet—the consequence partly of two disasters that struck Malaysian Airline System Bhd this year, airline and insurance executive say.

A Libyan militant group’s attack on Tripoli International Airport this month and extremist attacks on Karachi Airport in June have also put pressure on premiums that had already hardened after Flight MH370 with 239 people on board disappeared without a trace in March and MH17 was shot down over Ukraine in July, killing all 298 people on board.

“The reinsurance market is global in nature and any impact on premium rates will spill over to the Indian aviation sector as well,” said Kapil Mehta, managing director at SecureNow Insurance Broker Pvt Ltd. “After the crash of Malaysian Airlines, reinsurers are offering cover of terrorism and geopolitical risks at escalated premium rates
22/09/14 Malaysian Digest

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Airlines oppose governement policy on connectivity to remote areas

New Delhi: Airlines and private charter operators have opposed the government's draft policy on air connectivity to regional and remote areas, saying it will have severe impact on their financial strength.

Almost all major airlines, including the proposed Tata-SIA carrier Vistara, and business jet operators have submitted their opinions to the Civil Aviation Ministry over the past few days opposing various provisions of the draft policy, and called for further deliberations.

To discuss the policy and other issues like high taxation on jet fuel with top airline officials, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju has convened a meeting here next week, official sources said.

The revised draft policy on air connectivity to regional and remote areas was made public last month by the Ministry, which proposed a major shift in the route dispersal guidelines and promised several incentives and exemption from various charges to airlines which fly to such unconnected places.
21/09/14 PTI/Economic Times

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Sky is the limit for this bunch of aircraft enthusiasts

Mangalore: They have a unique hobby. They gather at Maryhill every Sunday with their colourful radio controlled airplanes and helicopters to fly them in the sky. They are the members of the RC Hobby Club.There are around 10 to 15 youth who enthusiastically gather at Maryhill helipad every Sunday at 8 am to fly their radio controlled aircraft. Instructors in the group train their pupils to fly these aircraft and also to operate radio-controlled motor cars.

Vishal Rao, a civil engineer and one of the members in the group, said, “I joined this group five years ago. This hobby circle was started by Rajaram Shenoy, J P Rao, and Rajesh Mangalore.”

He also said that flying RC planes improves hand-eye co-ordination and increases concentration. “It is also a great stress buster. In the process of tuning models to fly perfectly, one can practically learn about science and physics. The aircraft are classified into electric and engine planes. Electric planes use motors whereas as engine planes use small internal combustion called glow engine which work on special nitro fuel. Working with engine planes gives one practical experience in operating such engines. One learns how to tune the engine by adjusting the carburetor needle,” added Rao.
21/09/14 Deekshith D V/daijiworld.com

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Ramlila committee's drone plan hits security hurdle

New Delhi: Even as a Ramlila committee in north Delhi has announced its plan to have 10 drones flying over the venue to keep an eye on the crowd, the idea has not gone down well with the men in khaki. According to the Delhi Police, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are not allowed to fly anywhere in the capital.

Civilian drones are small UAVs usually fitted with cameras that are used for surveillance, traffic monitoring, film shooting etc. Most drones are less than two metre long and one metre in width and weigh less than two kg. These remote-controlled drones fly at a speed of around 40 kmph, sources said.

While the US has put their commercial usage on hold till a proper law is framed, India's aviation regulator (DGCA) allows a limited bandwidth of radio frequency to fly small UAVs, sources added.
The Ramlila committee claims it will be working in tandem with the cops while operating the drones. "We haven't taken any permission as of now but we have spoken to the police commissioner and the Union home minster. I don't think the police will have a problem since it will add to their security apparatus," said Arjun Kumar, president of Lav Kush Ramlila committee that organizes the 10-day event at the Red Fort lawn.
20/09/14 Raj Shekhar Jha/Times of India

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AP cuts VAT on aviation turbine fuel

Hyderabad: n a bid to give fillip to the aviation sector, the Andhra Pradesh Government has reduced the value added tax on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) to just one per cent from the existing 16 per cent.

According to an order issued recently, the Government said: “In the said Schedule, in the Table, against item No.(4) “Aviation Turbine Fuel”, in column No.(4), the rate of tax for the figure and percentage (16 per cent), the figure and percentage (1 per cent), shall be substituted.”
20/09/14 PTI/Business Line

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Goa expects to cross 1,000 chartered flight arrival this year

Panaji: Goa tourism department is anticipating a 30 per cent rise in arrival of chartered flights during the upcoming tourist season, crossing 1,000 mark.

"Due to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, there are talks of some tour operators going bankrupt. But it is not going to seriously affect tourist inflow in Goa," State Tourism Director Amey Abhyankar, told PTI today.

He said they are expecting 1,200 chartered flight arrivals this year against last year's 900.

The first chartered flight of the current season is expected arrive in the first week of October.

Abhyankar said that the arrivals in Goa are largely from Russia, Germany, UK and other European countries.
20/09/14 Economic Times

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High air fares to make festive flying cost a bomb

Lucknow: Planning to fly out of Lucknow during the festive season? Get ready to pay through your nose as private airlines jack-up air fares considering the rush for bookings by the month-end. The air fares, in fact, jump twofold from October 1, a day before Gandhi Jayanti and Dusshera on consecutive days.

Take the case of air travel to New Delhi by Indigo flight 6E-449. While on September 29, the fare for this flight happens to be Rs 1699, it jumps to Rs 2774 on September 30— which is the average fare for air travel to the national capital from Lucknow. But on October 1, the fare for the same flight shoots up to Rs 4821.
20/09/14 Times of India

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Three aircraft purchased from US Air Force to train city pilots

Mumbai: The Bombay Flying Club (BFC) has purchased three planes from the United States Air Force to train budding pilots.

The BFC president Mihir Bhagvati said, "Five-year-old aircrafts (Cessna 172 R) owned by the USAF were being sold and we decided to buy three of them. Each will cost us Rs 80 lakhs."

Three years ago, the Mumbai University and BFC started a Bachelor of Science in Aviation course, expecting an increase in demand for pilots again. These aircrafts will now be used to train pilots in Mumbai as well as Dhule the second flying facility of the BFC. The planes were earlier used by USAF for solo flight training.

The BFC has taken permission from the DGCA to import the aircrafts which are expected to reach Mumbai in the second week of October. After being assembled at Juhu, they will be ready for flight by the end of October. "These planes will provide the pilots experience with both regular analogue and glass cockpit," said Bhagvati.
20/09/14 Yogesh Naik/Mumbai Mirror

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DGCA cancels over 150 'irrelevant' regulations, weeds out 4,700 files

New Delhi: In a major overhaul of safety and technical rules, aviation regulator DGCA has cancelled over 150 "irrelevant" regulations, circulars and forms to simplify procedures and weeded out over 4,700 old files.
"The process was undertaken over the past few weeks to remove and delete irrelevant circulars and simplify application and other forms of various kinds," a DGCA official told PTI here.
In several forms, "redundant information was being sought which had no relevance with the particular approvals," the official said, adding that the move has not only reduced paperwork and significantly abridged several forms, but also simplified them.
"A total of 9,330 files were reviewed over the past few weeks and 4,755 of them weeded out," he said.
Regarding changes being made in the aviation rules, he said provisions of the 1937 Aircraft Act were reviewed and some of them were being put up for revision.
As many as 31 Aircraft Rules were reviewed. While 14 of them were in the process of being revised and amended, the
remaining 17 were awaiting such revision. 39 Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) or rules were reviewed, 22 of them were cancelled and 17 were being revised.
19/09/14 First Post

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Dasara air show may make a comeback

Mysore: The Dasara Festival Committee is optimistic of bringing back Dasara Air Show, one of the biggest attractions of the festivities here since its launch about ten years ago, this year with the State Government directly pursuing its request to the Ministry of Defence for holding the show in Mysore.

Disclosing this to The Hindu, Deputy Commissioner C Shikha, who is the Dasara Special Officer, said, “We have been communicated that the performance of Sarang helicopter display team is unlikely for certain reasons but Akash Ganga, the sky-diving team of the Indian Air Force, may perform.”

A clear picture on the show is expected in a day or two, the deputy commissioner said, adding that “we are confident of bringing back the show this Dasara.”

The Dasara air show was not part of the festivities since last few years. The Dasara tourists and the locals, especially the schoolchildren, were missing the action. The show was always a huge hit among tourists and aviation enthusiasts.
19/09/14 Shankar Bennur/The Hindu

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Regional flights plan runs into rough weather

Indian domestic airlines have voiced opposition to a Ministry of Civil Aviation draft policy on regional and remote connectivity, that permits non-scheduled (charter) companies to fly regular service to 87 remote destinations under code-share arrangements with scheduled carriers.

"Under India's route dispersal guidelines, domestic airlines must to fly 10% of their capacity to identified underserved areas. The government has declared a list of incentive destinations after holding meetings with DGCA and AAI officials," civil aviation secretary V Somasundaran said.

The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), a body representing major Indian carriers has, however, suggested that a regional connectivity fund, similar to the one followed internationally, be established. "Under this scheme, every passenger on existing routes would be charged a fee, and that fee will be used to subsidise airline operations for flights to the 87 destinations (see box) mentioned under the guidelines," an FIA member said.
Airline officials are lobbying against making it mandatory to increase capacity, which is equal to that deployed on trunk routes by October 2015. "Each scheduled carrier will have to rework plans. At least 6% of capacity would have to be deployed on trunk routes while shorter duration flights would service remote areas," an analyst with Vistara said.
18/09/14 Aditya Anand/Mumbai Mirror

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Emirates Airline will not invest in Indian domestic passenger carriers

Emirates Airline has said that it will not invest in any of the Indian domestic passenger carriers and that it will grow its operational organically in India, report The Hindu.
Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, vice president, India and Nepal for Emirates said: “We at Emirates believe in growing our business organically. Adding that there are no plans to invest in any of the Indian passenger carriers by the Dubai-based airline.
Analyst Saj Ahmad commented: “The beating heart of Emirates' international expansion for the last 20 years or more has been based on organic expansion. As big a market as India claims to be, it is still highly immature, underdeveloped and nearly every Indian airline loses money and its little wonder that Emirates isn't at all interested in buying or investing here.”
18/09/14 Arabian Aerospace

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Dassault chief to be here to discuss delay in MMRCA deal

New Delhi: The Chief of French firm Dassault Aviation, which has been selected for supplying 126 multirole combat aircraft to the IAF, will be here later this week to meet top Defence Ministry officials to discuss delays in finalisation of the multi-billion dollar contract.

The firm was selected two years back by India for supplying 126 Rafale medium-multirole combat aircraft to the Air Force.

The firm's CEO Eric Trippier is scheduled to meet top Defence Ministry officials to discuss issues related to finalisation of the much-delayed contract, sources said here.

India and the French firm have been discussing the deal for over two years.

The negotiations have lately slowed down over some issues, including the imposition of liquidity damages or penalties for any delays in the supply of the aircraft to be manufactured in the country.
17/09/14 PTI/Business Standard

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Indian Airlines Oppose Regional Connectivity Plan

Indian domestic airlines have voiced opposition to a Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) draft policy on regional and remote connectivity that permits nonscheduled (charter) companies to fly regular service to remote destinations under code-share arrangements with scheduled carriers. Under India’s Route Dispersal Guidelines, domestic airlines must to fly 10 percent of their capacity to identified underserved areas.

In a meeting called by MOCA to debate the draft policy, airlines plan to suggest establishing a regional connectivity fund in line with international practice. The plan would involve charging every passenger a fee, used for subsidizing airline operations for flights to 87 destinations mentioned under the guidelines clause.

The Business Aviation Operators Association (BAOA) has recommended that regulators change the current definition of nonscheduled operators to scheduled commuter airlines for those who propose to operate with an approved timetable. “We have recommended state governments to provide facilities, including security; that is a big cost to operators in codeshare…The major challenge is to release the policy,” said BAOA secretary R.K Bali.
15/09/14 Neelam Mathews/AINonline

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Aviation minister to meet airline CEOs to re-look at two major regulations in the sector

Mumbai: The Narendra Modi government is all set to change or at least, question two major regulations in the aviation sector.

First, the rule that no second airport can come up within 150 kms of an existing airport. If media reports are to be believed, this number could be reduced to 100 kms. The only exception to this is the Navi Mumbai Airport that was sanctioned by the UPA government.

Second, the government might take a relook at the rule that an airline has fly for five years domestically and have a 20-aircraft fleet to get the permission to fly on international routes.

Mint reported that the Aviation minister Ashok Gajapati Raju has called for a meeting of CEOs of various airlines to discuss their opinion on the issues.
16/09/14 ANI/Daily News & Analysis

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KFA Default Delays Startups' Aircraft Purchase Plan

Bangalore: Startup carriers are having tough time getting aircraft from leasing companies in view of the default in payment by grounded Kingfisher Airlines of Vijay Mallaya.

Air Pegasus, a Bangalore-based airline, has been trying to get 3 ATR 72/500 aircraft to begin operations in South India for over eight months now.

“The delay is not because of us or DGCA, it is because of KfA,” Shyson Thomas, Managing Director and CEO of Air Pegasus, told Express. The airline had planned to start services by March next year.

“Nobody is willing to lease aircraft after Kingfisher Airlines’ problems,” Thomas said. Lessor companies are now demanding many more sureties before a deal is completed.

“They have asked for a security deposit of 10 months and the personal guarantee of all directors in the company,” he said. The company had to pay $1.1 million as deposit which works up to 10 months deposit, though the earlier requirement was only 2-3 months security deposit, he said. Kingfisher Airlines, its promoter Vijay Mallya and three directors have been named ‘wilful defaulters’ by United Bank of India for non-payment of loans.
16/09/14 Sharan Poovanna/New Indian Express

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Global carriers announce massive discounts in India; Tigerair offers Rs 10 base fare to Singapore

New Delhi: Initiating a fare war on global routes, Qatar Airways and Singaporean budget carrier Tigerair today announced massive limited-period discounts hoping to corner a chunk of the Indian travel market share.

While Tigerair announced a special one-way base fare of Rs 10 only to Singapore for Indian passengers to commemorate completion of decade-long operations, Qatar Airways launched a global promotional offer of up to 25 per cent savings on its tickets to over 140 destinations across the world.
Tigerair's Rs 10 one-way fare offer to Singapore would be applicable only on round trip tickets from India, under which the fare could be as low as Rs 7,499 including taxes, the airline said in a statement here.

The Qatar Airways' promotional fare tickets under its three-day 'The World is Yours' global sale would have to be bought between today and Wednesday for travel from September 25 till June 15 next year", the airline said in a statement.

The discount of up to 25 per cent is being offered for return travel in all classes for travel from India via its Doha hub, a Qatar Airways statement said, adding that there were limited seats on offer subject to availability.
15/09/14 PTI/Economic Times

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SpiceJet tops flight occupancy figures for the third straight month in August

Mumbai: Low fare carrier SpiceJet topped flight occupancy figures in the industry for the third straight month in August, although it ceded second position to Jet Airways after ousting it in July.

The carrier managed on average to fill 82.5% of its flights during the month, according to figures from DGCA. In comparison, market leader IndiGo just managed to fill 74.8% of its flights.

SpiceJet has been filling its planes by dint of its repeated offers of rockbottom fares across its network. The airline's rationale as explained recently by its COO Sanjiv Kapoor is that "it's a crime to fly empty seats"

SpiceJet in July posted industry-best load factor figure 79.4% during July. In June too, it had the industry's highest seat occupancy levels at 81.4%.
16/09/14 Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times

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Revealed: The best time to buy airline tickets!

A new travel study has claimed that weekends are the best time to purchase airline tickets.
 Steven Puller, an associate professor of economics at Texas A and M who specializes in industrial organization, "there's been this industry folk wisdom that says Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best days to purchase airline tickets, but we couldn't find any systematic analysis to back that up,” claims the report.
Thus quite contrary to the common belief, he claimed that the best time to buy airline tickets is during the weekends.
The reason being, airlines are more likely to discount fares on Saturday and Sunday.
15/09/14 Dailybhaskar.com

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GMR to set up aerospace training centre; to follow Moroccan model

Hyderabad: The GMR group is planning to set up an aerospace training centre in Hyderabad on the lines of the one established by Morocco.

With the help of French multi-national firm Safran, the group has sent a team to the African country to study the model adopted by it. It has sought the help of Telangana Government in this regard.

P S Nair, Chief Executive Officer (Corporate – Airport Sector), who is a member of the team, has said that the company would like to play a leading role in setting up the training institute. He said that it would approach the Government to seek its assistance in establishing the institute.

Talking to media on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of the Aeronautical Society of India here on Tuesday, he said that all the players in the ecosystem must take part in the initiative.
16/09/14 KV Kurmanath/Business Line

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No more drunk diving for parachutists: DGCA

Mumbai: Concerned about the risks associated with skydiving and the lack of a regulatory mechanism to prevent fatalities resulting from improper safety measures and reckless behaviour, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has formulated guidelines for adventure sports enthusiasts signing up to take the plunge. The governing body has made it mandatory for skydivers and parachutists to be affiliated with organisations approved by the DGCA and follow a prescribed safety protocol.

"Parachuting and skydiving activities have predominantly been carried out under the supervision of the Army and the Air Force, using civil aircraft as permitted by Indian Aircraft Rules, 1937," DGCA chief Prabhat Kumar said. "But in the past few years the number of civilians skydiving is increasing and unlike foreign destinations India has no guidelines in force."

These norms will cover adventure sports companies as well. The DGCA has stressed that these operators adhere to rules concerning the training and licensing of personnel and equipment engaged in such operations. "We have given the companies till October 12 to provide us feedback on the guidelines," a senior DGCA official said. The rules will become effective soon after industry reactions are collated.
16/09/14 Aditya Anand/Mumbai Mirror 

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Ananth Kumar takes chartered jet, Amit Shah awaits delayed flight

Bhopal: Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah asked Union ministers and party leaders to travel by regular airlines so they can stay connected with the common man. But ministers who visit Madhya Pradesh do not seem to have comprehended that message correctly.

On Sunday, Union minister for chemicals and fertilisers Ananth Kumar was here to attend various functions ranging from a cardiologists' seminar, a felicitation at the state BJP office to a religious programme at the CM House - the official residence of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. At the end of his one-day visit, Ananth Kumar took a chartered flight from Bhopal to Bangalore. Sources at the Raja Bhoj International Airport said Ananth Kumar flew out in a Simm Samm Airways small jet at 9:30 pm. Sources also said that two other Union ministers who also made short trips to the state recently took the chartered flight return trip.

In sharp contrast, however, was BJP national president Amit Shah who visited the state for a day. Shah landed in Indore airport by a regular morning flight on Saturday morning and headed to Mandleshwar, a distance of 80 kms by road, to meet bereaved family members of RSS functionary Bhiayyaji Joshi who lost his brother Gajanand on September 1. From there he travelled to the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain travelling for 132 km by road. In the evening, he was scheduled to return by the Mumbai-Bhopal-Delhi Indian Airlines flight.
15/09/14 Suchandana Gupta/Times of India

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Travel agents dupe businessman of Rs 17,500, give him fake tickets

Chandigarh: A travel agent and his woman employee have been booked for charging Rs 17,500 from a city based businessman for air tickets between Chandigarh and Chennai and giving him fake tickets. The accused, Pankaj Kumar and Neha have been running their travel agency in Sector 47 for a long time.

The businessman, Shakti Singh of Sector 32, was scheduled to attend an important business conference in Chennai between February 9 and February 13. He met Pankaj through a common friend days before the business conference. Shakti was informed that his tickets have been confirmed and two tickets, including the return ticket had been delivered to him. But at the last moment, when he was going to board a Jet Airways flight on February 9, he was told his tickets had been cancelled.
15/09/14 Times of India

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Hope for safety rating lift

New Delhi: Officials of America’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are expected to review the steps taken by India to improve flight safety.

The FAA had downgraded the country’s aviation safety rating to Category 2 in January after the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) failed to resolve the concerns flagged off by the US agency.

“We would like India to be Category 1 as soon as possible. We invited them (the FAA) to visit the DGCA for a review in September or October, when our team went to the US and made a presentation to them last month,” civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said while highlighting the ministry’s achievements in the past 100 days.

He said the FAA team would be visiting India and “I am sure India will return to Category 1”.

The FAA had done two safety audits and had found deficiencies on over 30 counts.

One such area is the lack of a technical manpower such as flight inspectors, a large number of whom have now been recruited.

On the regulator serving show-cause notices to 131 pilots of Jet Airways for not clearing the necessary tests, the minister said the DGCA would not compromise on safety.

“There can be no compromise on safety. The DGCA is expected to act according to the law and they are doing it,” he said.
15/09/14 Telegraph

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DGCA given 30 days to prove disabled not harassed

New Delhi: The court of the chief commissioner for persons with disabilities (CCPD) has asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to reply within 30 days, with proof, that people with disabilities are not being harassed or humiliated at airports and that security personnel have been sensitized towards them. The court wrote to DGCA after a person with locomotor disability claimed he was harassed and humiliated at Hyderabad Airport.

TOI had reported that on February 23, Dr Satendra Singh, who was travelling from Hyderabad to Delhi, was asked by security at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport to remove his leg brace during frisking. Singh, who teaches at the University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi University, has post-polio residual paralysis and uses a knee-foot-ankle-orthosis (KFAO) also called a caliper or brace, for support.
15/09/14 Manash Pratim Gohain/Times of India

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Global vendors give a miss to defence min’s $3.5-bn aircraft project; deadline extended

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) plan to replace the ageing Russian transport aircraft, Avro, has hit another airpocket with no global vendor showing interest in bidding for the $3.5-bn project. This has forced the defence ministry to extend the deadline for seeking price bids to October, the fourth extension in the last 18 months.
This will be the first time India will see a private consortium come up in a military aviation. Until now, the military aviation business has been dominated by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL). Senior officials told FE that “a request for proposal (RfP) was issued under ‘buy and make’ Indian to foreign vendors in May, 2012. The RfP makes it mandatory for them to select an Indian partner from the private sector.”
The IAF has to acquire 56 transport aircraft to replace its ageing Avro fleet. In a tender issued on May 9, 2012, the defence ministry had bypassed PSUs like HAL and said new aircraft will be produced by Indian private sector firms.
The tender was issued to eight foreign vendors, including Swedish Saab, Russian Ilyushin, European Airbus Military-Casa C-295, Italian Alenia C-27J Spartan and Brazilian Embraer, and they will have to find an Indian partner to produce 40 aircraft within India.
15/09/14 Huma Siddiqui/Financial Express

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Air travellers take to mobile apps to get best out of flash sales

Mumbai: Air travellers are increasingly shifting to mobile applications from the desktop to book tickets, a trend that underlines the growing demand for smartphones and mobile Internet and, interestingly, is driven by the growing number of flash sales offered by airlines.

"Right now, there are 8,500 to 10,000 tickets sold via mobile applications every day. Two years back, the number was zero," said Samyukth Sridharan, president and chief operating officer of Cleartrip. "This shows the increasing number of customers who have access to the Internet via mobiles. It also in a way shows we are getting tech-savvy and that there is a growing faith on the powers of the Internet. Compare this to a few years earlier when our biggest worry was doing credit card transactions. Cleartrip gets 30 per cent of its total searches on its mobile while the rest comes from desktop. Last year, the ratio was 12: 88.

Similarly, actual transactions on mobile have risen to 35 per cent from 20 per cent last year. Cleartrip gets 3 million searches every month, or 100,000 a day. As of last week, roughly 2.2 million consumers had downloaded its mobile application. For others, the story is similar. Makemytrip, India's biggest online portal, said in its latest annual report that its mobile customers soared more than 14 times in two years to 327,892 till March 2014. It had a total of 3.2 million users of its mobile application as of end June.
5/09/14 Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times

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Siddeshwara bats for uniform tax on aviation turbine fuel

The Union government has proposed to bring in uniform taxation for Aviation Turbine Fuel across all states. A fortnight ago, the government had sent a letter to state governments seeking co-operation for the same, said Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation G M Siddeswara.

Speaking to reporters here on Saturday on the sidelines of the 23rd anniversary and award function of the Society of Indian Aerospace Technologies And Industries (SIATI), the minister said the taxes at present vary in every state and this was proving to be exorbitant for the companies and posing hindrance to the growth of the aviation sector in the country. Though a uniform 4 per cent tax across all states was projected to be ideal, as of now, the Union government had not officially decided upon the amount, Siddeswara said.

This is but one among the several plans lined up for propelling aviation in the country. The government has listed 50 tier-II and tier-III cities for establishing no-frills airports, the minister said. As far as Karnataka was concerned, the government is keen on establishing airports in Shimoga, Gulbarga, Bellary, Bijapur and Hassan. In some places, it was yet to get land for the projects.
14/09/14 Deccan Herald

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Airlines mull seeking relief from govt for flood rescue work

New Delhi: Indian carriers participating in the evacuation of stranded people in flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir may formally urge the government to exempt them from paying aeronautical charges and also seek lower fuel costs for these operations, airline sources said today.

"It is our national duty and we are putting our best foot forward. We are also abiding by the DGCA directive to cap airfares from Srinagar and Leh. The government should take steps to provide some relief for carrying out these operations," said an airline official who did not wish to be named.

He said the airlines may write to the Civil Aviation Ministry soon in this regard.

When contacted, Aeronautical Society of India's senior council member, Debashish Saha, said that Indian carriers have been participating fully in the evacuation and relief operations in J&K.

"They have been flying out stranded passengers for free from J&K by operating additional flights. They have also capped the airfares, including taxes, to Rs 2,800 and Rs 3,000 from Srinagar and Leh, respectively, as directed by DGCA," he said.
14/09/14 PTI/Business Standard

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DGCA looks to regulate skydiving activities

New Delhi: Concerned about the increasing popularity of skydiving despite its “inherent risks”, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is planning to make it mandatory for individuals or entities carrying out parachuting activities to be affiliated with organisations it has approved and follow a prescribed safety protocol.

Parachuting and skydiving activities have predominantly been carried out under the aegis of the Army and the Air Force by using civil aircraft as permitted by Indian Aircraft Rules, 1937.

In order to ensure safety in parachuting operations, it has been decided to formulate regulations on the training and licensing of personnel and equipment engaged in such operations, a senior DGCA official said.

The Aero Club of India and other competent organisations, after developing acceptable basic safety requirements in line with the industry standards, are likely to be authorised by the DGCA to license personnel and equipment for skydiving.
The aviation regulator has given time till October 12 for stakeholders to respond and comment on its draft.
13/09/14 Shemin Joy/Deccan Herald

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Praful threatens to drag former CAG Rai to court

New Delhi: Former civil aviation minister Praful Patel on Saturday threatened to file a criminal defamation case against former CAG Vinod Rai for claiming that he had 'nudged' Air India to go for large-scale purchase of aircraft, forcing the national carrier to fly into virtual bankruptcy.

"I am saddened that he (Rai) has made an unsubstantiated allegation ... I am going to file a criminal defamation case against rai next week," Patel told Times Now, denying having sent any official to 'nudge' the then CAG as claimed by the former auditor.

"On what basis did he even think of using the word nudge? All charges are based on conjecture and not on facts ... He (Rai) may be doing this for publicity," said the NCP leader, claiming that 15 of the 68 planes were ordered after the EGoM cleared it.

Justifying the Air India board's decision to buy the planes, the former minister said it was based on a 15-year plan for the national carrier. He said the decision was based on elaborate discussions and despite him leaving the ministry, his successor went ahead with the purchases.
14/09/14 Times of India

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Inside a cramped rescue chopper, with no time to halt

Srinagar: Helicopters have not stopped hovering over the Valley for the past five days. Operating from a lawn converted into a temporary helipad in Badami Bagh cantonment, the choppers relentlessly engage in airlifting stranded civilians, dropping relief material and ensuring evacuation from inaccessible points.
We board one of these rescue helicopters to figure out what it takes to reach those in need.
Two advanced light helicopters (ALHs) land at the Alpha Mess helipad with ready-to-eat meals, water cans, medicines and emergency ration. They don’t stop the engine because there is not much time to halt. Two Cheetah helicopters hover above, waiting for the ALHs to take off. It is about noon and the ALH has already operated for three hours. It’s now time to leave for Manasbari to refuel.
Inside the chopper, it smells like a general store — it has been carrying kerosene, sunflower oil, food, water and other ration. A winch is attached beneath to lift stranded people or lower heavy supplies. At Manasbari, the crew fill the helicopter with aviation turbine fuel. An Army personnel says, “We fill about 800 kg of ATF, which lasts about three hours. Each of these choppers has been doing almost 50 sorties per day, dropping about 15,000 kg of ration.” The ALHs are operated by two pilots and seven crew members. In the Valley, each of these helicopters — 15 Mi-17s, four ALHs and 11 Cheetahs — have been flying for 14-15 hours a day.
14/09/14 Pranav Kulkarni/Indian Express

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MHA opens window for foreign business jets

New Delhi: The ministry of home affairs (MHA) has started issuing temporary landing permits (TLPs) to air crew of foreign-registered business jets.

“The ministry of civil aviation and the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) had written to them (to restart doing so), as it was severely affecting the movement of foreign-registered business jets into the country,” said Rajesh Bali, secretary, Business Aircraft Operators’ Association (BAOA).

In May, the MHA had stopped issuing TLPs to air crew of non-scheduled operators (NSOPs) flying into the country, citing security concerns. NSOPs could only fly in with crew visas, which took up to five weeks to process, depending on the country of application. According to industry sources, nearly 60 per cent of the 24,000 general aviation aircraft movements registered every month had been affected due to the sudden change in regulatory norms. Most of these flights were coming from America, Canada and countries in Europe.
14/09/14 Sharmishta Mukherjee/Business Standard

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Seaplanes, helicopters likely to propel Goa tourism this Christmas

Panaji: Goa tourism is expected to get a fillip this Christmas with the likely introduction of seaplanes and heli-tourism, and a little later by the launch of the amphibious bus, tourism minister Dilip Parulekar told TOI.

Parulekar said that the tourism department has given its NOCs to these three ventures and that these companies are now awaiting central government clearances.

For example, the seaplane venture has been issued licences by the tourism department and the captain of ports. The company has to now get clearance from the Union civil aviation ministry, Parulekar said.
The seaplane project will be operated by Meher private limited from Delhi. The promoters have identified several places to fly the seaplane; from Vasco to Dona Paula, to Coco beach (Nerul), Miramar and the Siolim river.

The 8-seater seaplane will pick up passengers at Dabolim airport and fly them to Coco beach in just seven minutes at a cost of between 1,800 and 2,000. The seaplane will land in the water close to a floating jetty onto which, the passengers will alight. Smaller boats will ferry the passengers to shore from where they can drive away.
13/09/14 Joaquim Fernandes/Times of India

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180 students of 2 medical colleges airlifted from Manasbal

Manasbal: About 180 students of two medical colleges of Srinagar greeted with relief the sight of Mi-17 choppers landing at the Indian Air Force (IAF) base on Saturday, but as they were ferried to safety they did not forget the unknown hands that rescued them when floodwater entered their hostel early this week.

"We are thankful to the local people who evacuated us to safety from the hostel building at Government Medical College, Srinagar as the flood water kept rising," Kusum, a first-year MBBS student, told PTI on board an IAF helicopter.

Kusum, 31 other students, a doctor couple and their two infant kids were the first lot of persons to be evacuated from Manasbal Airbase to Srinagar Airport for their onward journey to their native places.

"Just the sight of landing of the helicopter was a massive relief from the anxiety we were going through over the past five days," Jagrit Kaul of Channi Himmat in Jammu said.
13/09/14 Deccan Chronicle

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India Looks To Expand Aerospace Manufacturing Sector

With a clear mandate from India’s 100-day-old government to make aerospace manufacturing a focus area for domestic and export markets, there is renewed interest by manufacturers to be in the forefront. This was clear at a recent conference the Center for Air Power Studies and the Confederation of Indian Industry held in New Delhi.

India is taking stock of aerospace manufacturing opportunities that are expected to arise in offsets from the $72 billion worth of contracts signed or about to be signed for work running through 2021. State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics’ (HAL) current commitments will keep it busy for the next decade, and private-sector involvement in the manufacturing arena is imminent. This follows HAL’s announcement of its decision to “develop as a system integrator and designer [and leave] manufacturing to the Indian industry,” said chairman R.K Tyagi.

India can easily aim for $12 billion in exports in the next decade, said Sujeet Samaadar, CEO of ShinMaywa Industries India, who has “plans to get some aerostructures business to India.” Under a memorandum of cooperation in defense signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Japan, the ShinMaywa US-2 amphibian will be Japan’s first international military sale in nearly 50 years, one that will enable Indian companies to manufacture parts. “India has innovative solutions to machining. Our Japanese partners were amazed with our work in surface treatment and sheet metal. But in the high end like landing gear and propulsion systems, there are limitations,” Samaadar said.
11/09/14 Neelam Mathews/AINonline

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Copter makes emergency landing in Mahisagar district

Vadodara: A helicopter made an emergency landing near Lalpur Chowkdi near Kothamba in Mahisagar district on Thursday morning.
Police said the helicopter which had took off from Vadodara made the emergency landing owing to bad weather.
The sudden landing of the chopper at around 10 am created a buzz in the region with rumours that the helicopter owned by Trans Bharat Aviation Private Limited, was supposed to carry a senior BJP leader hailing from Rajasthan to Udaipur.
"The helicopter owned by a private aviation company was on its way to Udaipur but it had to make an emergency landing due to bad weather," said Mahisagar district superintendent of police Usha Rada.
12/09/14 Times of India

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US Navy choppers make a surprise visit to Trivandrum

Thiruvananthapuram: Two US Navy helicopters were at the Trivandrum International Airport for less than an hour on Wednesday.

The MH-60S Seahawks departed soon after dropping off a 21-year-old midshipman, Jacob Kevin Halbach, who had to rush back home to meet his ailing mother, an airport source said.

Though two helicopters landed here, only Halbach disembarked. He was on board the USS Makin Island, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship serving in the Persian Gulf, Eastern Indian Ocean and Western Pacific Ocean.
The ship had set sail from San Diego on July 25, and called on Hong Kong on August 20.
According to the ship's social media page, Makin Island (LHD 8), the flagship of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), has been on deployment with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit "to promote peace and freedom of the seas by providing security and stability in the US 7th Fleet area of operations."
12/09/14 Sangeetha Nair/Times of India

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Airlines offer low fares even as festive season kicks in

Mumbai: Indian carriers are selling tickets cheap even with the start of the festive season, the only time they can increase fares, an indication that airline companies may find it tough to make up for the throwaway fares they have been offering all year round.

"It is true that airlines are taking longer this year to hike fares, though that will happen in a few weeks," said Rajji Rai, chairman of Swift Group, a travel company. "To that extent, demand is definitely lower," he added.
The average 60-day fare in sectors such as Delhi-Mumbai, Mumbai-Bangalore and Mumbai-Goa is about Rs 3,200, about 20% lower than last year, according to Samyukth Sridharan, chief operating officer at travel portal Cleartrip.

On popular international sectors such as Delhi-Dubai and Mumbai-Hong Kong, the two-month advance fare is Rs 10,500, about 10% lower than the same period last year, said Sridharan.

The primary reason for this is oversupply, said experts. "The gap between demand and supply has increased more than ever. There are some airlines such as Jet which are curtailing loss-making flights but most others are still adding capacity," said a senior airline executive who didn't want to be identified.

This will worsen as AirAsia India, which started flying earlier this year, expands its network and other airlines such as the Tata Sons-Singapore Airlines venture Vistara begin operations, the executive said.

There are other reasons, too. Airline executives say the price war that should have stopped by September is still on.
11/09/14 Anirban Chowdhury/Times of India

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Boeing Delivers Fifth Maritime Patrol Aircraft to India

Washington: Boeing has delivered the fifth maritime patrol aircraft to India, on schedule as part of a contract for eight aircraft to support the Indian Navy's maritime patrol requirements.

The aircraft arrived at Naval Air Station Rajali, after a flight from Seattle's Boeing Field, and joined the four previously delivered P-8Is, according to a media release from Boeing.

"The P-8I programme is progressing on schedule, and the aircraft are providing the capabilities to meet our maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare requirements," said Vice Admiral RK Pattanaik, India Deputy Chief of Naval Staff.

He added that the partnership between Boeing and India has been very professional to date.

"This is another important milestone for the programme, and we look forward to continuing our great relationship with India," said Dennis Swanson, BDS vice president in India.

"We'll deliver one more P-8I before the end of the year, followed by two in 2015."

Boeing is building India's aircraft through a contract awarded in 2009. Based on the company's Next-Generation 737 commercial airplane, the P-8I is the Indian Navy variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing builds for the US Navy.
11/09/14 IANS/New Indian Express

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IOC airlifts aviation fuel to Srinagar to aid flood relief

New Delhi: As the Army stepped up rescue operations in the flood ravaged Kashmir Valley, Indian Oil Corp (IOC) has airlifted aviation fuel (ATF) to Srinagar to aid air sorties to the marooned valley.

The Indian Army has swarmed jets, choppers and boats to rescue more than 82,000 people so far after a week of rain caused riverbanks to burst.

"While the Army has been on the forefront, we have been operating in the background. We have ensured that their operations are not affected because of lack of fuel. Our fuel bunker at Srinagar airport, from where rescue air sorties are taking place, has been being stocked with enough aviation fuel," IOC chairman B Ashok told a news agency here.
Besides rescue operations by the Army, the airport is also operating civilian flights normally as IOC continues to provide them with jet fuel.
11/09/14 ZeeNews

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EC to monitor aircraft parking expenses of poll candidates

Chandigarh:  Haryana chief electoral officer has made it clear that accounting of parking charges for aircraft or helicopter during electioneering would be maintained in the ensuing assembly elections in the state and the amount for calculation of expenditure of the candidate would be based on actual amount paid or payable at airports for the purpose.

Chief electoral officer (CEO) Srikant Walgad said that parking charges at commercial airports would be obtained from the Airport Authority of India or private airport operator. For parking at other places, actual charges paid by the operator or candidate would be taken into account, he added.

In aviation sector, parking charges of aircraft (day or night) were levied on aircraft or helicopter operators as per rates determined by AAI or by private airport operator at respective airports.
11/09/14 Times of India

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Private carriers boost J&K relief operations

New Delhi: With the aerial link to Jammu & Kashmir now a virtual lifeline for the flood-hit valley, the aviation industry has come out in full support of the affected people. Air India is carrying relief material to Srinagar for free and has kept two wide-bodied Airbus A-330s on standby in Delhi to fly them to Srinagar whenever people reach the airport for being evacuated.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked airlines not to charge any cancellation or rescheduling fee. Aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, who is monitoring the relief work by his industry, said six helicopters — two of state-run Pawan Hans and rest of private players — have been positioned in Srinagar.

"We will leave no stone unturned in brining relief to J&K. While Air India and other government agencies like Pawan Hans are at the forefront, this time private players are also coming out in support," said Raju.
10/09/14 Times of India

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Government may relax eligibility rule 5/20 for domestic airlines to fly on international routes

New Delhi: Hinting at abolishing or relaxing the eligibility rule for airlines to fly on international routes, civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati on Tuesday said he doesn't "see any reason" for these norms to be there.

At present, a domestic airline needs to be in operation for minimum five years and have a fleet of at least 20 aircraft to be eligible to fly on international routes.
"He (Ghosh) said that the vennorms should not be abolished because IndiGo had to fly domestic for five years to be allowed to fly international. If the rules are relaxed now, it would seem that they are being relaxed for the two new carriers — AirAsia India and Vistara," the person added.
10/09/14 Mihir Mishra/Economic Times

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FAA team likely to visit India soon to review measures by DGCA

New Delhi: Nine months after downgrading DGCA in the aviation safety rankings, a Federal Aviation Administration team is likely to visit India soon to review the corrective measures taken by the Indian aviation regulator to meet the deficiencies listed by its US counterpart.

"We would like India to be Category-I as soon as possible. We invited them (FAA) to visit DGCA for a review in September or October, when our team went to the US and made a presentation to them last month," Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju told reporters here.
FAA had conducted two safety audits last year in India and downgraded India's aviation safety ranking to Category-II from the top category as it found deficiencies in over 30 counts. These included lack of technical manpower like flight inspectors, a large number of whom have now been recruited.

To a question on DGCA serving showcause notices to 131 pilots of Jet Airways for not clearing necessary checks, he said "there can be no compromise on safety... DGCA is expected to act according to the law and they are doing it... It will definitely act as per the law."

Asked about aviation bodies Air India, AAI and AERA "remaining headless", Raju said "we don't intend to keep any organisation headless. We are taking care that the work does not suffer. But there is a procedure through which such vacancies are filled up and that is being followed."
09/09/14 PTI/Economic Times

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DGCA tells airlines to fly out people first, charge later

New Delhi: Stepping up efforts to help fly out those stranded in flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir, the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday instructed all airlines to collect airfare from stranded passengers, who do not have enough funds with them, only when they reach Delhi.

It also asked all airlines to cap the fares on Srinagar-Delhi and Leh-Delhi sectors to Rs 2,800 and Rs 3,000 and add additional flights to clear the rush of outbound tourists from Srinagar.

Officials said the decision to collect airfare only in Delhi for cash-strapped passengers has come as a boon as they were not able to access ATMs or any other modes for payment. The decisions were taken by DGCA Prabhat Kumar after consultations with airlines. All airlines have agreed to the decision taken against the backdrop of the floods.

In a letter to various airlines, the DGCA said the airlines should ensure that they do not charge the prevalent airfare and instead charge only fixed airfare.  “Airlines must airlift those passengers from Srinagar also, who do not have any money at this stage. Such passengers may be charged airfare upon arrival at Delhi,” Gupta said.
10/09/14 Deccan Herald

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Mystery plane spotted by Etihad on flight to Jakarta

Abu Dhabi: A mystery plane was spotted by the crew of an Etihad flight on September 7, resulting in its traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) alarm going off loudly in the cockpit.
The alarm on EY474 enroute from Abu Dhabi to Jakarta went buzzing at 6.45am (IST) indicating that another aircraft had come dangerously close to the Etihad flight. TCAS goes off when aircrafts breach the vertical safety distance of 1,000 feet between each other, Indian media reported.
Other commercial airlines flying over the Arabian Sea about 450 to 480 kms from Mumbai’s coastline which is under aerial surveillance by global superpowers, also reportedly had their alarms going off.
When contacted, an Etihad spokesperson told XPRESS that at no point did an alarm in the cockpit go off, and “at no stage was the safety of the passengers or crew compromised.”
10/09/14 Anjana Sankar/Gulf News

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Civil Aviation Ministry disposes of 9,100 old files

New Delhi: Civil Aviation Ministry has disposed of over 9,100 old files and removed more than 15 truck loads of junk from its headquarters as part of a special drive. At the instance of the Prime Minister's Office, "a special drive was undertaken to weed out the old files and records.

12,977 files have been reviewed, 3,839 files have been recorded and 9,146 files have been weeded out," Civil Aviation Ministry Joint Secretary G Asok Kumar told reporters here. No details were, however, available on the nature of files destroyed by the Ministry. Modi government's cleanliness drive also saw 11,000 files of the Union Home ministry being disposed of in July, a move which led to a row in Parliament with Opposition alleging that those destroyed included historic files.

Making a power-point presentation on the steps taken by the ministry in the first 100 days, Kumar said, "More than 15 trucks of malba (junk material) has been removed as part of the cleaning drive." "To spruce up and improve the buildings and workplaces of the offices at the behest of Prime Minister, workplace managers at the level of Directors/Deputy Secretaries have been appointed to carry out inspection in the Ministry on a rotational basis every week," the officer said. While DGCA had cancelled 156 regulations and circulars, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has also identified 160 circulars for repeal, Kumar said.
09/09/14 PTI/Daily News & Analysis

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Empire Aviation Group adds state-of-the-art Gulfstream G650 business jet to its managed fleet

Empire Aviation Group (EAG), the Dubai-based private aviation specialist, has added the world’s most advanced business jet – the Gulfstream G650 – to its managed fleet. The G650 is a fast, long range business jet and will be based at Dubai International, from where EAG will manage and operate the aircraft on behalf of the owner, for whom the company managed the entire aircraft acquisition process. EAG has a second G650 on order and due for delivery by mid-2016.
The Gulfstream G650is a large cabin, Rolls-Royce powered business jet with a long-range cruisespeed of Mach 0.85 and a range of 7,000 nautical miles/12,964 kilometers (nonstop) with eight passengers and four crew – performance enabled by an innovative wing design. The G650 can be configured for up to 18 passengers and offers the comforts of a wide cabin with large panoramic windows and low cabin pressure, and a bundle of inflight technology including broadband internet to keep passengers connected, informed and entertained, whilst putting them in control of the environment through a cabin management system. Advanced cockpit technology helps pilots improve aircraft performance.
Empire Aviation Group launched its India operations in Bangalore, in 2012 (the first overseas branch) and already has aircraft under management there. EAG’s managed fleet of business jets – now spanning the Middle East, Africa and India – continues to grow, with more than 20 business jets from all the major manufacturers under management at any one time.
10/09/14 AMEinfo

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At Aviation Ministry's Press Conference, Tough Questions on J&K Floods

New Delhi:  It was meant to be a chance to showcase achievements, but the union aviation ministry's 100-day press conference was overtaken by tough questions on a range of issues including the response to the Jammu and Kashmir floods.

The ministry had sent out invites on SMS and emails a day before, hoping to ensure an impressive media presence.

Reporters jostled for front seats at the aviation ministry headquarters at the Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan. It was all looking good till the press conference began.

From there, it was all downhill for Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju, who found himself confronting some thorny and uncomfortable questions. Many in the media even questioned the timing of such a press conference, when the country is dealing with disaster in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Raju started by talking about how flag carrier Air India had two planes ready to fly people in and out of Srinagar.
09/09/14 NDTV

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Dear ‘drunk’ Indians on foreign airlines: No you cannot pee on your seat or fly a plane

Recently, an Indian passenger on an Air India flight from Melbourne to New Delhi created such a ruckus in the plane after getting drunk that he had to be tied to his seat.  The passenger allegedly got into a tiff with a few crew members and fellow passengers and then tried to hit them. He allegedly also tore the clothes of two attendants.

Before you dismiss this as a one off incident, think again! Crew members and airline staff have a different story to tell. A Times of India report says that Indian airlines have been long demanding for plastic handcuffs on board and enforce per-passenger drink limit. However, without strict rules in place, the crew members are only forced to do some jugaad.

What's worse, foreign airlines consider Indian flyers worst of all to get drunk on air. The ToI report lists some of the bizarre instances:

"A middle-aged sardaarji was so sloshed, he peed right there on the aisle! The flight was stinking and everyone was talking about how pathetic desi flyers are", a flyer told Times of India when asked about the behaviour of Indian passengers on foreign airlines.

That's not all. According to another passenger, two mid-aged men were so drunk that they decided to fly the aircraft!
10/09/14 Reuters/First Post

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Pawan Hans, private chopper firms join rescue efforts in J&K

New Delhi: State-run Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited and private chopper firms have joined the multi-agency rescue and relief efforts in flood-ravaged Jammu and Kashmir, as Air India kept two aircraft on stand-by to carry passengers and relief materials whenever required.
"Air India has kept two aircraft ready to join the humanitarian efforts in Jammu and Kashmir, while Pawan Hans and private companies like Global Vectra and Himalayan Heli are working alongside the defence forces," Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju told reporters in New Delhi.
Air India CMD Rohit Nandan said two special planes have been kept ready to provide assistance in the relief efforts.
"Two planes are ready. We are ready to carry passengers or relief materials provided by the government or any NGO free of charge," Nandan said.
However, he said, "Our activity will begin only when people or materials are brought to the airport", including flood-hit Srinagar.
09/09/14 PTI/First Post.com

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