Aerospace Diary

Posted by -Neelam Mathews Nov 30, 2013 A video clip that "showcases strong data, insights about the India growth story from both pilot and fleet expansion which will be insightful," says an Interglobe statement to us. Marc Parent of CAE and Rahul Bhatia from InterGlobe Enterprises provide an insight on how the InterGlobe-CAE partnership will help achieve growth.  Click LINK below- https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8k1rKnsrAwQNkhFaXMybU5nV1U/edit

Posted by- Neelam Mathews Nov 22, 2013 Starting Aug 29, training commenced at the CAE Simulation Training P.L. centre in Delhi, India's National Capital Region. The training centre is a joint venture between CAE and Interglobe. The centre currently houses two full-flight simulators providing training for airlines in India and the neighbouring region.  With its six simulator bays, the centre will be able to train over 5,000 professionals per year, at full capacity. "CAE is happy to continue meeting the growing needs of India's civil aviation community by bringing the National Capital Region a world-class training facility. We have developed excellent relationships with the leading carriers in India and have been expanding our presence in the region to offer an extensive range of aviation training solutions," said Nick Leontidis, CAE Group President, Civil Simulation Products, Training and Services. "Pilots and aviation professionals from the region now hav...

Nov 20, 2013 Finmeccanica informs that a delegation of its subsidiary AgustaWestland in New Delhi today had a meeting with the representatives of the Indian Ministry of Defense regarding the contract for the supply of 12 VVIP AW 101 helicopters to India. On this occasion, AgustaWestland confirmed that the written response to the exceptions raised by the MOD will be delivered by the due date of 25th November.  AgustaWestland - re-emphasizing the correctness of its actions on each stage of the helicopter tender - has designated Justice B. N. Srikrishna, former Supreme Court Judge and former Chief Justice High Court Kerala, as representative of the arbitration procedure, required by the same company. 

Neelam Mathews   Nov 20, 2013 Even as AgustaWestland is nominating former Supreme Court Judge Justice B.N SriKrishna in accordance with the rules of Arbitration under the Indian Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996, India might invoke the 5% Integrity Pact Bond, AerospaceDiary learns.The surety of 5% is of the commercial bid value. While India has paid 45% of the value of 12 AW101s, in effect, it is 40% if the bond is taken into consideration. Referring to press reports related to the possible cancellation of the contract for the supply of 12 VVIP AW101 helicopters to India,  Finmeccanica  confirmed its subsidiary company, AgustaWestland, has received no such communication from India’s MOD.   AgustaWestland's representatives confirmed the meeting with India’s MOD remained scheduled for Wednesday 20th November. There has been no news from MoD on this at time of going to print. The DPP 2011-under which this deal is not covered- also includes a 5...

AIN AIR TRANSPORT PERSPECTIVE  »  NOVEMBER 18, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS AAPA director general Andrew Herdman. November 18, 2013, 9:40 AM Lack of infrastructure and regulatory cohesion challenge the growth of the Asia-Pacific region’s airlines, said Andrew Herdman, president and director general of the 15-airline Association of Asia Pacific Airlines ( AAPA ). Herdman and other industry officials warned of rising air traffic congestion at  AAPA ’s 57th Assembly of Presidents, held November 14 and 15 in Hong Kong. The Association of South East Asian countries (Asean) will begin implementing an Open Skies liberalization policy in 2015. Already, with seven of the world’s top 10 busiest routes located in Asia, the region sorely misses a single regulatory body like the  U.S.  Federal Aviation Administration to control its congested airspace. Every nation has its own set of regulations related to airspace management...

AIN AIR TRANSPORT PERSPECTIVE  »  NOVEMBER 18, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Lion Air faces increasing competition from new low-fare startups in the Asia-Pacific region. (Photo: Boeing) November 18, 2013, 9:45 AM Economic growth, aviation deregulation, a growing middle class and aggressive tourism marketing continue to drive business in the regional markets of Asia-Pacific, where well entrenched budget carriers such as Malaysia’s AirAsia and Indonesia’s Lion Air face increasing competition from new low-cost startups. In neighboring India, three of every four airline seats now belong to budget carriers. According to Sydney-based consultancy Center for Asia Pacific Aviation ( CAPA ), Southeast Asia’s international market has seen a 20-percent capacity increase in the last 18 months, from 4.7 million weekly seats in April last year to 5.6 million weekly seats last month. The fastest growing markets, Thailand and Malaysia, added 23...

Neelam Mathews Nov 19, 2013 As the dates draw nearer for the FAA to follow up on its International Aviation Safety Assessment Program   (IASA) on India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on 33 areas of compliance pointed out in its September audit, we are hearing the present DGCA Arun Mishra will be leaving his position on Dec 31, this year as Mamata Banerjee has not approved his extension and wants him back in her state. AerospaceDiary could not confirm this. If this were to happen, moving forward, this will be a big blow to the many initiatives introduced and in planning stage at the DGCA.  Apparently, FAA is not buying what the Indians hoped would have helped them cross the murky waters of compliance following Mishra’s stint and experience at ICAO.  If FAA gives DGCA a Cat 2 rating, air carriers from India cannot initiate new service and are restricted to current levels of any existing service to the US while corrective actions are underway. FAA...

AIN DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE  »  NOVEMBER 15, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Russo-Indian cooperation to develop the Brahmos cruise missile will be extended. But integration onto India’s Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters has been delayed. (Photo: Chris Pocock) November 15, 2013, 12:56 PM The contract between India and Russia to cooperate on the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile expires in February next year but is likely “to be renewed indefinitely by the end of [this] year,” an Indian Ministry of Defense (MoD) official, who did not wish to be identified, told  AIN . “We’re partners. It’s not for us to divulge,” Shivathnu Pillai,  CEO  and managing director of BrahMos Aerospace, told  AIN . Earlier this year, the Indian Navy tested a highly maneuverable, warship-based version of the Brahmos. The surface-to-surface version has a top speed of Mach 2.8, and 290 km range with  GPS /Glonass mid-course guidance. It is being prep...

DUBAI AIR SHOW  »  2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Paras Dhamecha, executive director at Empire Aviation with a Challenger 300 managed by AEG in Bangalore. November 15, 2013, 10:30 AM Dubai-based aircraft sales and aircraft management specialist and operator of the region’s largest fleet of business jets,Empire Aviation Group, which has been a subsidiary of  Air Works India Engineering  since 2012, is looking to expand support to the booming Southeast Asia market. A strategic tie-up is to be announced in the first quarter of 2014, Paras Dhamecha, executive director at Empire Aviation, told  AIN . Empire started its services in Bangalore early this year and is now taking “the  Air Works marriage  forward,” said Dhamecha. As markets in Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand boom, he added, “we will create an international brand east of India–not China. Southeast Asia and Hong Kong are active [markets]…Our f...

Neelam Mathews Nov 11, 2013 Add caption Even as the contract for the MMRT remains suspended because a Joint Secretary has yet to take the place of Arun Kumar Bal, who sadly passed away in Oct, there is some action-if you can it that- on the Agusta Westland front.  The company has been given 15 more days to answer the Final Show Cause Notice even as the 21 day deadline crosses its mark. All one can say is that it looks like a long ride to hell for the IAF. If AW did not reply to the MoD, is it an affront or just a case of memory loss? Isn't this the second show cause notice? If it holds any weight, why not start the proceedings? Alternatively, do we have a case without proof? Lets face it. There's little the govt can do. Gone are the days of the Iron Curtain. The reality is dawning fast. Play the rules of global governance, or get ready to have slush thrown in your backyard. 

Posted by Nelam mathews Nov 3, 2013

AIN DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE  »  NOVEMBER 1, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Cabins for the Sikorsky S-92 are manufactured in India. The company is seeking to replace AgustaWestland as India’s new VIP helicopter supplier. (Photo: Neelam Mathews) November 1, 2013, 10:30 AM Sikorsky Aircraft is lobbying to replace AgustaWestland ( AW ) as the supplier of  VIP  helicopters to the Indian Air Force. The company is already building fuselages for the S-92 in India. Meanwhile, the Indian Minister of Defense confirmed that the ministry had sent a legal notice to AgustaWestland regarding the contract for 12  AW 101s , now in jeopardy after the company allegedly violated the terms of a pre-integrity pact. The company has 21 days to respond. “Sikorsky will be more than willing to provide the helicopters, the more so as we are building the cabins in Hyderabad,” said Arvind Walia, regional executive, India and South Asia, for Sikorsk...