Aerospace Diary

Neelam Mathews April 30, 2013 The AgustaWestland issue is bound to stall acquisitions planned in the near future and one hopes it reaches its conclusion- either way. One might have spoken on cue even as the Italian public prosecutor has called today for a quick trial of former chief of Finmeccanica, Giuseppe Orsi, following the completion of the investigation into allegations of bribery to win India's VVIP helicopter deal. A final decision, papers report, is to be made by a judge in a few days on whether there's enough evidence to try those in accused of wrong doing. AgustaWestland was super quick in releasing a statement following the move to trial in Italy today. " Noting the developments in Italy today, AgustaWestland are unable to comment directly on the ongoing investigation, but wish to stress that none of the allegations have yet been tested in court. In the meantime AgustaWestland International Ltd (as the formal “Seller”) has formally sought bilater...

AIN AIR TRANSPORT PERSPECTIVE  »  APRIL 29, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Jet Airways A330s will become a common sight in Abu Dhabi under an expanded alliance with Etihad. (Photo: Airbus) April 29, 2013, 11:21 AM Even as AirAsia India prepares to apply for a No Objection Certificate to start domestic operations, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has invested $379 million in India’s Jet Airways. The outlay gives Etihad a 24-percent share in India’s second largest carrier. Signs of the alliance became clear in February, when Etihad purchased three pairs of Jet’s Heathrow slots through a sale and leaseback agreement for $70 million. It plans to further inject $150 million through a majority equity investment in Jet Airways’ frequent flier program within the next six months. Etihad Airways’ investment in Jet Airways follows the minority equity stakes the airline took in Airberlin, Air Seychelles, Virgin Australia and Aer Lingus over ...

Neelam Mathews April 27, 2013 As the MoD plays hide and seek with its suppliers on the amendments to the DPP 2011 released only to the press-with no sign of a deadline for validity nor any details - it is becoming increasingly clear this exercise was another weak attempt to prove the squeaky clean image of our defense minister who is also earning the title of "Mr No-Do." We at AerospaceDiary, have just learnt that a letter sent this month by the Department of Defense Production to DIPP to clarify the list of Dual items that will not require license to manufacture have been pulled out of the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Goods Technologies signed by around 33 countries, to which India is not signatory to. The Wassenaar clauses on Technology and Software (as reported earlier by AerospaceDiary) will, however, not be applicable to India's dual products list. "This means that  software will not come under industrial license....

Neelam Mathews April 26, 2013                        It’s a page from Arabian Nights. As Jet Airways rubbed the lamp, out came the genie with Etihad! And now if Aladdin – our very own Jet- plays its cards right, which we have no doubt it will, its going to be great going. Here at AerospaceDiary, we’re hearing Jet plans to announce an order for 200 Boeing 737 Max, t he new-engine variant, powered by CFM’s LEAP-1B engines said to reduce fuel burn , and 777s. We couldn’t confirm the figure for the wide-bodies. Also, we're hearing, but could not confirm, that the first of its ten ordered 787s (following some cancellations) may now be delivered end of December instead of 2014. Whether this order is scheduled for announcement at the Paris Air Show in June, we can only hazard a guess. And once Etihad gets its A380, we are likely to see it land in Jet colors- next...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews April 24, 2013 The Boeing Company has awarded Infotech Enterprises as its  Supplier of the Year in the international category. Infotech was one of 16 companies and lone university honored  for performance in products and services, while meeting the customers’ requirements and anticipating their needs for the future.” Boeing has over 11,000 suppliers working with the company. “In today’s challenging business environment, an agile supply chain that continuously delivers excellent performance is critical,” said Jack House, vice president of Supplier Management for Boeing Defense, Space & Security and leader of Boeing’s companywide Supplier Management program. “The suppliers receiving Supplier of the Year awards have demonstrated outstanding commitment to providing our customers with the best-value, highest-quality p0 active suppliers from nearly 52 countries around  the world.  This selection was based on stringent perform...

AIN AIR TRANSPORT PERSPECTIVE  »  APRIL 22, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS The state of Kerala in India plans to use houseboats as terminals for a new seaplane operation due to start in mid-May. April 22, 2013, 12:50 PM The state of Kerala in Southwest India has invested $2.2 million in a seaplane operation to promote major destinations located near its 24 lakes and water bodies known for backwater tourism and houseboats. Kerala Tourism Infrastructure ( KTIL ), the nodal agency for the project, awaits a Directorate General of Civil Aviation no-objection certificate ( NOC ), and plans a launch in mid-May. Of six operators that have shown interest, Kerala Seaplanes and Pinnacle Air, offering a mix of Twin Otters, Cessna Caravans and Cessna 206s, stand ready to start operations once they complete trial flights. As an incentive, the state has waived parking and landing charges for a year for those registered before January 3...

  Neelam Mathews  April 22, 2013 Complications don’t go away in India- more so for late entrants like AirAsia India, likely to be faced by a flood of pain points. Tony Fernandes has time and again declared Chennai as its hub, but at AerospaceDiary, we won’t be surprised if this decision may need to be re-looked. Little wonder, the carrier has not approached the authorities for an NOC as yet. As they say, never forget to look over your shoulder- there might be a competitor lurking there. In Chennai, where SpiceJet is safely enconsed with night parking for its six 737s and 4 Q400s using seven gates for their early morning flights and Indigo with five aircraft parked, possibly using the other two, and just 24 takeoffs and landings an hour, one wonders how the Asian giant will tap its early morning flight requirement with limited runway slots. Horror stories are aplenty about the new large terminal referred to by an operator, as a “white elephant”, not helpful to a ...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews April 20, 2013 PRESS RELEASE With the twin objective of infusing greater efficiency in the procurement process and strengthening the defence manufacturing base in the country, the Defense Acquisition Council, the apex decision making body of the MoD, took a series of decisions today,  including amendments to Defense Procurement Procedure (DPP). The Defense Minister AK Antony, who chaired the Council meeting, said the only way forward for the country is rapid indigenization of defence products, with both the public and the private sectors playing  pivotal roles in this endeavour. Antony said the government will make all efforts to create genuine level playing field for Indian manufacturing industries vis-à-vis Global Players. Following are the highlights of the amendments to the DPP-2011: 1.    Prioritisation of Various Categories for Capital Acquisitions under Defense Procurement Procedure Preference for indigenous pro...

AIN DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE  »  APRIL 19, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS India’s contract with Pilatus for 75 PC-7 Mk II basic trainers is the first to include post-delivery maintenance. (Photo: Vladimir Karnozov) April 19, 2013, 12:55 PM The Indian Air Force ( IAF ) recorded its lowest accident rate in 36 years in the year ending March 31. The introduction of upgraded Western aircraft; quality audits of maintenance practices; increased use of simulators; and voluntary reporting of unsafe acts have contributed to the improved record, a senior official said at a recent media briefing. Of the five aircraft that crashed in the last 12 months, three of the losses were attributed to equipment malfunctions: a bomb fuse misfired on an Su-30; a fan blade failed in the recently overhauled engine of a MiG-27; and a MiG-21 suffered a pump failure. Human error caused the crash of a Jaguar fighter and a Chetak (Alouette  III ) helic...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews April 19, 2013   The Indo-UK Joint Military training aimed at enhancing counter terrorism skills got underway on 4 April 4 in the hills of Belgaum.  The Joint Training code-named Exercise Ajeya Warrior will simulate a scenario where both nations are working together on a joint operation in counter insurgency and counter terrorism environment.   This is one of the major ongoing bilateral defense cooperation endeavours between the two countries and is the fifth in the series which initially started as a biennial feature in 2007 to be held in India and UK alternatively, says a press release.

ABACE CONVENTION NEWS » 2013 by  NEELAM MATHEWS April 15, 2013, 8:45 PM India’s yet-to-take off helicopter emergency medical services program (HEMS) received a boost earlier this year with a firm contract for seven Eurocopter EC135s by Bangalore-based Aviators Ltd. signed in the presence of visiting French president François Hollande. Deliveries are to start by the end of 2013 and operations are to be launched by the first quarter of 2014, Arun Sharma, managing director of Aviators, told AIN. The company, which is holding “discussions with financial institutions and potential partners,” will make an announcement soon, he added. Unlike current operators that convert their helicopters to EMS on an as-needed basis, Sharma said, “Aviators’ HEMS [aircraft] will not be used for executive charter operations. It will be manned by qualified paramedics, part of the crew.” Equipped with a Fenestron shrouded tail-rotor and bearingless main rotor, the EC135’s large unobstructed cabin,...

Neelam Mathews April 19, 2013 We're told Augusta Westland AW 101s VVIP helios contract is ‘on hold’. Interestingly, the contract does not have this clause and there is no laid out document that describes the two deadly words! Incidentally, also on hold are ten containers from AW lying in the customs for weeks containing spares, tools, consumables. What is the guarantee that water leakage is not happening already or that the heat may affect solvents etc that might be in the containers? Can there be some sanity to the idiom ‘on hold’ here? Who will pay for this ultimately, one wonders? Not difficult to fathom! A definition on the net describes ‘On Hold’ –“ to stop all activity or communication with someone” and also “to postpone something; to stop the progress of something,” and I can bet a wager there are hundreds more. So while India might consider it to mean ALL its dealings stop in the interim, AW might not. Word has it they are sticking to the schedule for delivery...

AIN AIR TRANSPORT PERSPECTIVE  »  APRIL 15, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Thanks to Chinese funding, Sri Lanka now has a second international gateway, Mattala Rajapaska International Airport, and Sri Lankan Airlines is among the first carriers to commit to operating there. (Photo: Sri Lankan Airlines) April 15, 2013, 2:15 PM Sri Lanka’s second international airport–the $200 million China Exim Bank-funded Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport ( MRIA )–opened last month and has already attracted national carrier SriLankan Airlines and its subsidiary, SriLankan Cargo; Sharjah-based budget carrier Air Arabia; and flyDubai. Emirates Airlines, Korean Airways and Sichuan Airlines all plan to start services soon, while British Airways and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways have also “committed” to establish a presence at  MRIA , located in the district of Hambantota, some 100 miles southeast of the capital, Colombo. Looking to attract ...