Aerospace Diary

Neelam Mathews Oct 25, 2016 AIN (US)  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for an appraisal of India’s regulatory structure, particularly as it relates to taxation, public-private partnerships in airport privatization and the country’s prospects for joining the carbon offset and reduction scheme. As aviation traffic increases “India will need to deal with the problem of infrastructure in advance or risk safety,” said IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac on his 50th day in his new position. De Juniac noted that India is one of the first countries he visited since assuming IATA’s top post. “It is not by chance, as India is one of the key markets,” he said. A recent IATA forecast projected India will surpass the UK as the world’s third largest market by 2026. Calling the new civil aviation policy “ambitious with many positive elements,” De Juniac expressed concern that India’s new so-called regiona...

by  Neelam Mathews  - October 18, 2016, 9:00 AM  Twenty-month-old Indian startup airline Vistara plans to adjust its strategy to fly internationally following the establishment of a new civil aviation policy in the subcontinent that allows carriers with 20 aircraft to fly abroad immediately. The previous mandate called for a minimum of five years of domestic flying with 20 aircraft. Against a background of a booming economy and India’s fast growing aviation industry, Vistara expects to launch its international operations by 2018. Talks have begun “with two airlines for partnerships [to foreign destinations],” confirmed Phee Teik Yeoh, CEO of the Tata Sons-Singapore Airlines joint venture. While it has applied for a code-share agreement with parent Singapore Airlines, Vistara has signed 12 interline agreements including those with British Airways, Finnair, Air France-KLM, ANA and JAL. Fleet addition has proved steady. “By June 2...

By Brian Holland With the 2016 Olympics being a prime target for acts of terrorism, police forces and security personnel had to be adequately prepared for any adverse act that may have arisen. Ever since the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, security on a global scale has increased their efforts in order to protect citizens. With the Olympic games being the epicenter of attention during its three weeks in the media, security had to be at the forefront of surveillance and safety. Brazil Prepares to Host the Olympics “We plan to send at least 80,000 security personnel into the streets of Rio during the games, which is double the number deployed in London in 2012”, states the Secretary of Security for the state of Rio de Janeiro, José Mariano Beltrame [ source ]. Indeed they did. This was the largest-ever deployment of security staff for a mega event in the country's history. Although Brazil is deemed as a low-threat country, the threat of an attack is alwa...

by  Neelam Mathews  - October 5, 2016, 7:34 AM The Indian Air Force (IAF) has confirmed that it will re-engine its fleet of Anglo-French Jaguar strike aircraft. The plan was discussed by IAF Chief of Air Staff Arup Raha during his annual press conference this week. Raha was enthusiastic about the recently confirmed acquisition of Dassault Rafales, but cautious on progress with the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) project with Russia. “Technology is improving so rapidly that weapon systems and platforms soon become redundant,” said Raha. This phenomenon is being addressed through the IAF’s Long Term Perspective Plan, a 15-year scheme that is divided into three five-year spans. Raha said that while most previous procurement “had been process-driven; it is now changing to outcome-driven.” Honeywell is to supply 270 F125IN turbofan engines to replace the twin Rolls-Royce Adour Mk 821s on apporoximately 120 Jaguars. The...

Neelam Mathews Janes Airports Review Oct 3, 2016 GMR Group-managed Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) is holding a financial review of four bids for Phase 3A (2016-20) development at the Indian hub. 1684727 Delhi International Airport will grow with a fourth runway and fourth terminal. (Neelam Mathews) The technical evaluation has already been conducted. The two top bidders will soon be identified for.......Read More Janes Airports Review (Subs) 

Neelam Mathews  Sept 27, 2016  Congestion at Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is driving the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the nodal agency for development of the greenfield airport at Navi Mumbai, to speed up the delayed USD2.49 billion public-private partnership (PPP) project. "All major approvals are in place except a minor one," said Bhushan Ashok Gagrani, CIDCO vice-chairman and managing director.....Read more Janes Airports (Subs) Mactan Cebu stays on target for 2018 opening The USD389 million, 797 ha Terminal 2 (T2) at Mactan Cebu International Airport is on course to begin operations in June 2018, senior officials confirmed to  IHS Jane's   during the GAD Asia conference in New Delhi on 14-16 September 2016. T2 is the first public-private partnership (PPP) airport terminal to be built in the  Philippines . 1684703 Mia Sebastian, director of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center of t...

Authors:  Bharat Anand Partner & Kabir Bogra  Associate Partner Khaitan &  Co  With the conclusion of the contract for supply of 36 Rafale Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) to the Indian Air Force (IAF) for approximately $8.8 billion, the focus of the discussion has now shifted to what the deal means for India and the development of the Indian defence sector. In terms of the immediate prospects for the defence industry, the deal offers limited scope for the defence industry. The “fly away” nature of the aircraft imply implies that no part of the manufacture of the aircraft would be undertaken in India. However, the defence industry can hope to play some part in the two MRO centres and the 50% offset that France has committed for the deal. While the offsets alone would constitute business worth at least 3 billion Euro (approx. INR 22,000 crore), it is a far cry from the aspirations of the industry to participate in the manufa...