Aerospace Diary

ROTORHUB 29th September 2014 - 21:21 by  Neelam Mathews  in New Delhi  Despite India’s Defence Acquisition Council having cleared the opening commercial bids for the delayed Indian Navy 16 Multi-Role Helicopters (MRH) tender on August 28, uncertainty hangs over the programme. The two final contenders are the  NHIndustries NH90 NFH  and  Sikorsky S-70B  but indications are that domestic production will be built into the programme. Reports from the US, where India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently visiting, suggest that the Sikorsky buy could be favoured in official circles, given the fallout with AgustaWestland that led to cancellation of the  AW101 VVIP  helicopter procurement. Questions also linger about the urgency of the need for the MRH given the state of the navy’s aging and depleted Sea King fleet.Adm RK Dhowan, India’s chief of Naval Staff, told Shephard: ‘The case is in its ....Read more on Shephard.com......

Neelam Mathews Sept 2014 Please read Pages 46, 47 and 48 in - http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?eid=e574bf9b-1d2c-4e3f-a0eb-a688bd99e811

Publication: Jane's Airport Review Author: Neelam Mathews Section: SAFETY & SECURITY Last posted: 2014-09-26 Bangalore-based Axis Aerospace & Technologies has emerged as the lowest bidder for the approximate USD41 million requirement by the Indian armed forces for 45 bird detection and monitoring radars. A Request for Proposals (RFP) was released in 2011, specifying 39 radars for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and six for the Indian Navy. While commercial bidding opened two months ago, the order has not been awarded yet. "The radars are urgent, as safety is at risk," an Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) official said to  IHS Jane's. Bidders included Delhi-based OIS-AT, Data Patterns in partnership with DeTect, ...............More on JAR (subscription)

Neelam Mathews Sept 24, 2014 Vistara's first aircraft VT-TTB is on its way from Toulouse to Delhi. " We will be welcoming the baby at Delhi tomorrow afternoon," PT Yeoh has written to his colleagues today. He talks of the "roller coaster ride" and how no one can stop us." The letter says "Mr Tata had reminded them of " abberations" and setbacks, "We live in an imperfect world...(this is what separates the men from the boys." "Lets soldier on," he adds. So the race is on- let the games begin we say! As PT Yeoh's message implies-

AIN DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE  »  SEPTEMBER 19, 2014 by    NEELAM MATHEWS An upgrade to the Indian air force Mirage 2000 fleet is progressing, but a quarter of the unmodified aircraft are grounded for lack of spares. (Photo: Indian Air Force) September 19, 2014, 8:53 AM Although a $2.2 billion upgrade of India’s Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters is progressing, around a quarter of the fleet of 49 is grounded because a contract for spares has remained unsigned for years,  AIN  has learned  from sources involved in the program . “ Bureaucratic holdups have caused delays. As a result, parts are being cannibalized and there are some aircraft [inactive] since 2010. Life of some parts, especially avionics is expiring,” said an engineer   not willing to be identified.  Repairs of the Mirages are carried out at the base repair depot in Gwalior in the central state of Madhya Pradesh. The depot also does material planning ...

Effort To Clean Up Ganges Gains Momentum 09/16/2014 By Neelam Matthews Text size:  A   A Photo Courtesy of Ganga Action Parivar The Ganges River, India's holiest river, is also it's dirtiest. Officials vow to clean it up within three years. Related Links: Indian Water Resources Ministry webpage ----- Advertising ----- The 100-day-old government’s newly established minister for water resources, Uma Bharti, on Sept. 15 committed to cleaning up India’s largest and holiest river, the 2,500-kilometer-plus Ganges, within three years. The Ganga Action Plan was released by Bharti’s predecessors two decades ago but barely accomplished any of its goals. The pledge comes at an opportune time. The population of people and industrial units in India near the Ganges is ballooning, creating pressure on sewage, wastewater and effluents that are discharged into surface water and causing water-quality problems. Each day, 2.9 billion liters of wastewater from s...

Record Info hide Publication: Jane's Airport Review Author: Neelam Mathews Section: AIRPORTS Last posted: 2014-09-16 Images: 1 image The recently elected government in India has set out its achievements in aviation during its first 100 days in office - although it has still not announced its policy. The new government pledged to unveil a national aviation plan, claiming that the absence of coherent direction over the past decade was responsible for a lack of investment in the airport infrastructure and technology. Asked by  IHS Jane's  for a deadline on the release of the new policy, the Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati said: "As soon as it is ready to be released, it will be." 1568659 India's Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati (pictured seated) claims progress on multiple fronts - but has yet to announce the promised new aviation policy. (Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation) Since the BJP ...

Record Info hide Publication: Jane's Airport Review Author: Neelam Mathews Section: AIRPORTS Last posted: 2014-09-17 Officials from Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) have approached potential business partners in India for its airport city scheme. In a recent roadshow, investors in New Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai were informed about the planned DWC Business Park, which would combine residential, industrial, commercial, and logistics facilities in a Free Economic Zone. India is Dubai's main trading partner - trade between the two countries totalled ...more on IHS Janes....

IHS Jane's Airport Review Neelam Mathews   - IHS Jane's Airport Review 14 September 2014 Five new no-frills airports planned for India would be able to handle the Bombardier Q400 and ATR72 (pictured is an ATR-72-600). Source: IHS Jane's/Patrick Allen As part of its efforts to grow regional and remote connectivity in Tier II and Tier III cities, the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation has finalised plans to build five budget airports. The locations are Tezu, Arunachal Pradesh; Kishangarh, Rajasthan; For more read Janes Airports Review- Subscription) .

AINONLINE by    NEELAM MATHEWS A plan by India's transport ministry to allow charter companies to fly scheduled service to low-traffic routes has raised the ire of the airline industry. September 15, 2014, 12:32 PM 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 unde...

Neelam Mathews Sept 12, 2014 Our beloved Jasjit Singh must be smiling benevolently at many sessions of the recently held CAPS-CII conference, as straight talk was the order of the day. Must confess it took many a yawn away! Thanks to a lively session led by Retd Air Marshal Vinod Patney, who was not leaving any speaker off. Perhaps the one to receive maximum counter queries was Capt Todd Squire, Chief Office of Defense Cooperation,US Embassy, apparently not given too much leeway by his government to indulge in 'small talk'. “Co-development and production must be ‘co’.    If there is a desire on both sides to co-produce, problems will sort themselves out…or Indians will ask “Do I really need the equipment,    or shall I go elsewhere?...... We have known US to often say: We have our laws, you change yours,”…… said a candid Patney, Director General, CAPS.  Even as the US takes forward talks on NG weapon production, there are many holdups including Ind...

AIN DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE  »  SEPTEMBER 12, 2014 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Indian companies may manufacture parts for the ShinMaywa US-2 amphibian under a recent agreement between India and Japan. (Photo: Chris Pocock) September 11, 2014, 11:33 AM With a clear mandate from the 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 imm...

ROTORHUB 08th September 2014 - 15:20 by  Neelam Mathews  in New Delhi  With more than 1200 villages affected by the worst floods in 50 years in India’s northern region of Jammu and Kashmir, the military is carrying out relief and rescue operations, with the Indian Air Force (IAF)  Mi-17-1V workhorse  at the forefront. Pakistan, across the border, is also facing a familiar situation. At the time of writing on 8 September, 1737 people and 315.5 tonnes of relief material had been airlifted by the IAF using 45 fixed and rotary wing aircraft flying 186 sorties.   The state government of  Jammu and Kashmir  – which has access to a small fleet of King Air 350 turboprops,  Bell 407s , and....Read more on Shephard Media (subscription)

LAND WARFARE Indian export drive 08th September 2014 - 9:52 by  Neelam Mathews  in Delhi  India-based MKU has been awarded a contract worth $25 million for 40,000 bullet proof vests by Ecuador’s Ministry of Interior for its 43,000-strong police force. The body armour was selected following extensive tests and field trials in Ecuador and deliveries are to be completed by May 2015. The contract is representative of an Indian government drive to secure exports ... Read more on Shepharmedia (subscription)

LAND WARFARE 05th September 2014 - 9:41 by  Neelam Mathews  in Delhi After deciding to spend $135 million on 40  Catapult artillery  systems and $1.1 billion on 118 Arjun MkII MBTs, the Indian Army still has further to go. A much-awaited decision on anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) for which the Israeli Spike missile and Raytheon’s Javelin are contenders, was deferred. Even as the Indian Army prepares to raise over 90,000 new Mountain Strike Corps along the 4,000 km border with China by 2019, the fate of the ultra-light howitzers also continues to hang in the air.......Read more on Shephard Media (subscription free for two weeks)

Jane's Airport Review Neelam Mathews Sept 5, 2014 India needs to adopt a transparent economic regulatory framework in place of its existing "outmoded" rules to attract investors for infrastructure, according to Airports Council International (ACI) World Director General Angela Gittens. Failure to reform "could stifle development of India's airports in the long run", Gittens warned during a visit to Mumbai and New Delhi in late August. The need to regulate "every aspect is now outmoded and regulators [elsewhere in the world] tend to focus more on service quality rather than strict price," she added. Read more (subscription) on Ihs.janes.com 1354012 India must reform airline and airport regulations in order to succeed, said ACI Director General Angela Gittens. (ACI World)