Aerospace Diary

OEMs Hit Roadblocks in Indian Transport Tender AIN DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE  »  JUNE 15, 2012 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Alenia’s C-27J and Airbus Military’s C-295 (inset) may compete for an Indian Air Force order, but only if they can find willing local partners in private industry. (Photos: Alenia and Airbus Military) June 15, 2012, 1:25 PM A requirement for a military transport to replace 56  HS .748 twin turboprops operated by the Indian Air Force ( IAF ) is raising procedural problems for potential bidders. India released a Request for Information last December inviting OEMs to bid only if they could find private Indian partners. But candidate Indian companies are reluctant to commit to the project. The  Airbus Military C-295  and the Alenia C-27J are the most likely contenders. The few Indian manufacturers capable of involvement say they need a commitment for at least 200 aircraft from the Ministry of Defense...

If this is true, what's happening to us? Posted by Neelam Mathews Arvind Kejriwal on Kingfisher Yesterday I was offloaded from Kingfisher flight to Dharmsala. The entire incident is quite bizarre. Was it just the result of callousness of an airline or was it the handiwork of different forces that are out to sabotage the fight against corruption? I was on my way to deliver Anna's message in Kangra. I was asked not to board the flight despite undergoing all security checks and having a stamped boarding pass. Today there is a Public Gathering in Kangra organized by India Against Corruption volunteers. As you must be aware we are on a national yatra to spread Anna.s message related to 25th July across the country. I am on my way to the venue but now by road. Let me take you through the entire incident as it unfolded yesterday. The flight from Delhi to Dharmsala was scheduled at 2:55 PM yesterday and was delayed by more than 1 hour. I had checked in online and reported...

Neelam Mathews June 21, 2012 Orlando The Letter of Agreement for 22 Boeing Apache helicopters valued at $1.4 billion is expected to be signed by the end of this year, Aerospace Diary learns. India recently decided to reduce the field of competitors to award the attack helicopters to a single contractor- Boeing. The Russian Mi-28N Night Hunter and a version of the UH-1N Huey were dropped from the competition leaving the Boeing AH-64D Block III as only contender. The Government of India has requested  possibly for 50 T700-GE-701D engines, 12 AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radars, 12 AN/APR-48A Radar Frequency Interferometers, 812 AGM-114L-3 HELLFIRE LONGBOW missiles, 542 AGM-114R-3 HELLFIRE II missiles, 245 STINGER Block I-92H missiles, and 23 Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensors, rockets, training and dummy missiles, 30mm ammunition, transponders, simulators, global positioning system/inertial navigation systems, communication equipment, sp...

Neelam Mathews July 21, 2012 Washington D.C Over three years since the Indian Navy showed an interest in the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system, India might be rethinking the acquisition. A Request For Information is expected to be released for the system. This will be an FMS case, AerospaceDiary learns. Aegis is the primary sea-based component of the U.S. missile defense system. Aegis BMD seamlessly integrates the SPY-1 radar, MK 41 Vertical Launching System, and SM-3 missile through an advanced command and control system. Japan, Korea, Spain, Norway and Australia have already bought the system. Kuwait and UAE have shown interest, according to Lockheed Martin's Jeff Bantle here. He adds demand is increasing as the threat environment intensifies. Twenty-six Aegis BMD-equipped warships - 22 in the U.S. Navy and four in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force - have the certified capability to engage ballistic missiles and perform long-range surveillance and tra...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews June 21, 2012 India’s first “MAKE Program has been approved by the Ministry of Defense as part of its impetus to indigenisation by finalizing two development partners for Tactical Communication Systems (TCS). Alongside, Bharat Electronics in the public sector, MoD has selected a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Company formed by three private sector defence majors. Led by L&T, the SPV includes Tata Power SED and HCL Infosystems Limited. Among the few programs currently classified in the "Make" category, TCS is the first one to have reached this stage of finalisation of development partners and also the first-ever program where three major private sector companies have come together to form a consortium, under the leadership of one company, setting aside individual interests to synergize their capabilities, with a common goal of developing an Indian solution for this strategically important program. FICCI says it believes that this approach dem...

Neelam Mathews Washington D.C June 19, 2012 As the requirement to get the additional six C130Js from Lockheed Martin gets imminent, the Indian government  seems to have got embroiled in a mesh that involves crossing its Ts and dotting its Is. Since the lead time for delivery is around three years, the need to make a decision seems all the more urgent. . The heart of the matter may be the contract itself which India holds rigidly close to its heart. Meanwhile though the US has strict laws, it does leave space for flexibility.  Delays like this have already resulted in losing the technology edge that India swears it needs. Aerospace Diary learns an offset program for RFID that was to be executed in India could not be initiated fast enough by BEL and a private company as bureaucratic processes got in the way. With no moves on it for two years, the projected was abandoned since technology had moved on. The cost of entry for the new technology , being too ...

Neelam Mathews June 18, 2012 India ’s largest third-party MRO provider for business aviation, Air Works India Engineering has become the first MRO in the country to provide aircraft management services (AMS) through its recent acquisition of Dubai based- Empire Aviation Group. Taking   ownership of the complexity of day-to-day flight operations, Air Works will provide a turnkey Aircraft Management program for management of aircraft, with the added option of turning the asset into revenue by chartering the private jets when not in use. The company will negotiate for joint insurance rates, encourage owners to have similar model of aircraft and get pilots on call.   “An owner only wants the pride of owing his aircraft, to be able to fly at short notice and doesn’t want to be involved with the nitty gritties of daily operations,” says Vivek Gour, Managing Director of Air Works to Aerospace Diary. While India has 118 business jets and 80 turbo props, Gour says...

Neelam Mathews June 18,16, 2018 AirAsia is to announce its new CEO for AirAsia  Malaysia  on Monday June 18. The Group CEO and founder, Tony Fernandes will move to  Jakarta , its new regional office, to oversee the group's activities to prepare Air Asia as an Asean carrier in time for 2015 when Asean opens its skies. Aerospace Diary learns likely candidates for the CEO Malaysia's job could be Aireen Omar who heads corporate finance and treasury of the company, Azran, present CEO of AirAsia X, an airline struggling following tough international market conditions or Bo Lingam,  Chief of Operations and Planning. Jakarta  is to Asean what  Brussels  is to EU- its head office. Fernandes says in a statement: “There needs to be a major shift in our perspective, strategy and operations if we are to sustain our trajectory. In short we need to pivot to a wider, regional lens from the first decade’s focus, which has largely been domes...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews June 14, 2012 CAPA India and Vittal Innovation City (VIC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to co-promote a high-technology aviation manufacturing, research and knowledge park to be known as CAPA-VIC Aerospace City. The 750 acre aerospace park will form one of the industry clusters at VIC, which in total comprises 2650 acres located just 50 minutes from Bangalore International Airport. The site has been acquired by Global Emerging Markets, a USD3.4 billion alternative investment group, with offices in London, New York and Paris. VIC, promoted by EMPI Innovation Parks, is India’s first green technology & IPR safety zone focusing on aerospace, defence and electronics, and integrating industry, design, research and education, together with a high quality environment for working, living and learning. A strong focus on corporate social responsibility will include skills development opportunities for the local community. The ...

Neelam Mathews June 13, 2012 With a Request for Proposal awaited for  India ’s first private medium airlifter project for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to replace 56  Hawker Siddeley HS 748s,  the government is facing the reality that is private enterprise – running into losses just won’t do. India’s handful of manufacturers that have been in discussions for this project, say they need a commitment from the Ministry of Defense for at least 200 aircraft before they commit to getting involved. “We need a business case before we invest money in the project,” says one of the Indian manufacturers on condition of anonymity. The  Hawker Siddeley HS 748s were originally designed by the British firm Avro in the late 1950s. A Request for Information was released in December last year inviting foreign OEMs to bid for a medium transport aircraft  only if they could find private Indian partners who would build the aircraft in I...

                                                 

Posted by Neeelam Mathews June 11,2012 The Government has put the CMD of BEML VRS Natarajan under suspension following a recommendation by the CBI that he should be kept away from the post to ensure fair investigation.    The charge of CMD has been given to P Dwarkanath, the senior most functional Director in BEML.   The CBI is currently investigating into various charges against Natarajan.

Posted by- Neelam Mathews The Ministry of Civil Aviation has formed an Inter-Ministerial Air Cargo Logistic Board headed by Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.  The Board will lay down the policy guidelines for setting up of air cargo facilities at airports and will also set performance standards relating to the quality of service in the air cargo logistic supply chain.              Civil Aviation Minister,   Ajit  Singh has set up the Board to resolve inter-ministerial issues that affect air cargo operations in the country, says a statement.  The Board will review, on a continuous basis, the general and  sectoral  policy regime governing air cargo logistic operations.              The Ministry of Civil Aviation had earlier constituted a working group on air cargo and service industry to recommend...

Posted by-Neelam Mathews June 10, 2012 Singapore 's newest airline, Scoot, has selected the Bluebox Ai portable inflight entertainment systems for deployment across its medium and long-haul fleet. This provides Scoot customers with access to the latest  Hollywood  early window content as well as a range of other movie, TV, audio, reading and gaming content all delivered via secure iPad devices. Bluebox Ai provides over 20 hours of battery life with a unique system that ensures that the iPads can remain on the aircraft between periodic content updates greatly simplifying logistics. "At Scoot, we offer fantastic value airfares and keeping things simple are always front of mind," said Campbell Wilson, Scoot's CEO. "The Bluebox Ai IFE solution enables us to deliver further value to our customers in a package that is straightforward to manage. It will satisfy our current need and is able to support our future plans for our inflight entertainment offer...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews June 8, 2012 Japan’s newest low-cost carrier AirAsia Japan has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320 aircraft in Toulouse, France. The Narita-based carrier will start commercial services on August 1 from Narita International Airport to Sapporo and Fukuoka, and from August 3rd to Okinawa with an initial fleet of two aircraft. AirAsia Japan will start international operations to Seoul (Incheon) and Pusan in Korea in October, with a fleet growing to four aircraft by the end of 2012. AirAsia Japan’s A320s are configured in an all economy layout with 180 seats. Each aircraft is powered by CFM56 engines. “We are extremely happy to take delivery of our brand new Airbus A320. Our aim is to provide opportunities for everyone to fly with low fares. With the A320’s cabin comfort and operational reliability, we want to offer better access, in particular for the Japanese travelling public, and make them feel easy to fly,” said AirAsia Japan President Kazuyuki ...

  http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=FeiZRR4zhPs&feature=youtube_ gdata_player Cheers! Neelam

Posted by- Neelam Mathews June 7, 2012 Bangalore, June 7, 2012: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) plans to  invest around Rs. 600 Crores to establish a unit for manufacture of  ‘New Fighter Aircraft’ and `Engine Production’ at Chellaghatta,  adjacent to HAL Airport in Bangalore. The Karnataka Government has  agreed to support the growth and expansion of HAL in Karnataka. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed between HAL and the Government  of Karnataka here today at the Global Investors’ Meet. “The new unit requires access to runway. It is a time bound program  to establish the infrastructure, production facilities and supply of  the Aircraft”, says R.K. Tyagi, Chairman,  HAL.  The Company has  around 40 acres of land at Chellaghatta. A new Division for Aircraft  assembly and testing and another new Division for Engine assembly and testing are proposed for the new fighter Aircraft program. The production facility...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews June 5, 2012 Uwe Mukrasch (50), who has been a member of the Lufthansa Technik Executive Board with responsibility for Human Resources and Information since January 2007, has asked the Lufthansa Technik Supervisory Board to release him from his contract early so he can pursue other career interests. Stephan Gemkow, Chairman of the Lufthansa Technik Supervisory Board, said: "With the departure of Uwe Mukrasch we are losing an excellent manager who has made a valuable contribution to Lufthansa Technik during his 20 years with the company. The Supervisory Board and the entire company would like to express their gratitude to him for that. As a member of the Executive Board and as Labour Director he has, in particular, successfully developed the Human Resources division while fostering a constructive dialogue with the Works Council and the trade unions, and has thus further increased the success of the...

Neelam Mathews June 5, 2012 Kingfisher Airlines pilots are planning to demand their salaries that backdate to four months. "If we do not get our pay by this Friday, we will ground the airline,” warns a pilot. Even as we pen this, the unions are in a closed door meeting, Aerospace Diary learns. It remains to be seen what crumbs are handed to them by the management and how far they will be satisfied. In mid may when the pilots threatened to go on strike, it ended up with a drink at the house of the founder Vijay Mallya who is said to have charmed them out of their intent. How many times can one cry wolf, is to seen. Safety experts have shown concern that demotivated pilots and a depressed maintenance crew could lead to slipups that could be fatal.

Press Release Posted by Neelam Mathews June 5, 2012 Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) has reached an agreement to sell its P&WC (A'Asia) Pty Ltd's Brisbane, Australia, MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) facility to Vector Aerospace Corporation. The sale applies to the assets and facility associated with its PT6A engine repair and overhaul facility located in the area. As part of the transaction, Vector's newly purchased facility will be appointed a Designated Overhaul Facility (DOF) for PT6A engines. P&WC is a United Technologies Corp. company UTX -0.79%  . P&WC will work closely with Vector to ensure a seamless transition for customers, suppliers and employees. The closing is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. "P&WC has been exploring ways to optimize its network while continuing to provide our customers with outstanding service," said Raffaele Virgili, Vice-President, Customer Service, P...

AIN AIR TRANSPORT PERSPECTIVE » JUNE 4, 2012 by  NEELAM MATHEWS Air India holds an order for 27 Boeing 787s, but it could struggle to pay for them now. (Photo: Boeing) June 4, 2012, 12:43 PM Individuals can argue over who has lost more face as a result of Air India’s last-minute cancellation of its first Boeing 787 delivery: the U.S. airframer or the cash-strapped flag carrier and its masters in the Indian government. But few would debate the awkwardness of a decision by Indian officials to scrap a delivery ceremony planned for between May 28 and 31 at barely four days’ notice, even as a party of 40 invited media and guests prepared to board a flight to Seattle to join elaborate festivities to mark acceptance of the first of 27 Dreamliners ordered by Air India. Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh canceled the delivery, insisting that Boeing would first have to agree to a revised compensation package for the program’s well-documented delays. Some see the move as a poli...

AIN DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE »  JUNE 1, 2012 by  NEELAM MATHEWS The Indo-Russian Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA) will be a high-wing, twin-turboprop design. (Photo: HAL) June 1, 2012, 2:20 PM India’s Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) has signed a contract with Russia’s United Aircraft Corp Transport Aircraft (UAC-TA) to co-develop the 15- to 20-metric-ton-payload multirole transport aircraft (MTA). The pair formed a joint venture, Multirole Transport Aircraft Ltd, in 2010, following an inter-governmental agreement three years earlier. The MTA is likely to be derived from the Il-214 twin-turbofan design by the Ilyushin Design Bureau. It will have a maximum takeoff weight of 65 metric tons; payload capacity of 15 to 20 metric tons; cruise speed of 430 knots; a range of up to 1,460 nm and a service ceiling of 39,400 feet (12,000 m). “The investment for the program is $771 million,” junior defense minister M.M. Pallam Raju told the Indian parliament recently. India require...

Posted by- Sitanshu Kar from Singapore Saturday, June 02, 2012 Defense Minister AK Antony  said contentious issues relating to maritime domain should only be ‘resolved through the process of dialogue, consensus building and within the framework of accepted principles of international law’. Addressing the 11th Asia Security Summit, also known as Shangri La Dialogue, in Singapore,  Antony said the international community must ‘remain sensitive to the problems of smaller nations and ensure that their rights, as equal members of the global community, are not overlooked or compromised’. He said the spirit of cooperation among international community shown in anti-piracy measures can be extended to ‘de-conflict contentious maritime issues’. “Large parts of the common seas cannot be declared exclusive to any one country or group. We must find the balance between the rights of nations and the freedoms of the world community in the maritime domain. Like individual freedoms, the ...