Aerospace Diary

Abu Dhabi enjoys the big race spotlight By Neelam Mathews   /  November 24, 2014 Etihad Airways has become the longest title sponsors in Formula One history through its recent extension of title sponsorship of the FORMULA 1 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX .  Sealing the deal..Etihad Airways chief James Hogan and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone The airline has been the title sponsor of the Middle East’s biggest sporting event since the inaugural race in 2009.   The airline has been the title sponsor of the Middle East’s biggest sporting event since the inaugural race in 2009. The partnership extension was finalised between James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ president and chief executive, and Bernie Ecclestone, CEO of the Formula One group of companies. Hogan said the event showcased the airline and Abu Dhabi "to a global audience of more than 500 million people".  “The F1 event is now firmly established as one of the major highlights of the Formula 1 calendar, with Yas ...

Neelam Mathews Feb 23, 2013 timescontent.com India's first budget airline Air Deccan made  its first flight in Aug 2003. It was no cake-walk for founder G.R Gopinath, who showed a similar grit asTony Fernandes- who already  two years into the business, had started shaking up everything that was previously sacrosanct.  Today, AirAsia is making making an entry into India and dare I say, we'll have our hats truly off to Fernandes if he manages to shake our moth-ridden system with fresh concepts.  Take the airports for instance. Many years ago, in an interview during Formula One in Bahrain with me, Tony called airports in India, "vultures." They still remain that and AirAsia is rather sagely keeping away from Mumbai and Delhi for the moment. Tony said during a press concall he hopes to convince them to relook at costs. At AerospaceDiary, we have our bubbly ready to cork if that happens! Tony also hopes that the five-year minima for Indian carriers to fly ...

Neelam Mathews Feb 12, 2013 A Eurocopter AS 350 B3 Ecureuil, VT-JKB, with a gimbaled camera at the front, owned by Himalayan Heli Services, also used for aerial filming at the 2012 Formula 1 Airtel Indian Grand Prix, was grounded for flying "dangerously low" at the Kumbh Mela reports BBC Hindi. Police in Allahabad have also   detained a french photographer doing the filming. The private helicopter was cleared to fly over Allahabad by federal aviation authorities, but it had no permission to fly over Sangam - where the rivers meet - to take pictures.It flew so low that boats started shaking an official told BBC. Security helicopters have been flying high over the sprawling grounds to monitor crowds.

Neelam Mathews Dec 20, 2012 Virgin Chief Richard Branson is a sport and even winner of the bet Tony Fernnades, acknowledges this. Branson, after losing a bet on F1, will wear a red skirt and serve as a stewardess on AirAsia in May. The two had agreed in 2010 that whichever of their teams (then Virgin and Lotus) finished lower in the constructors’ championship in their debut season, the losing owner would serve on the other’s airline. The tickets for the flight will be auctioned off for charity. Wouldn't we all love to be on that historical flight!

Neelam Mathews Oct 28, 2012 "I've always been available (to my staff) says Vijay Mallya who just returned to attend the Formula One Grand Prix after weeks of absence and a 23-day of lockout following striking employees.

EBACE Convention News » May 16, 2012 by  Neelam Mathews May 15, 2012, 2:30 PM A Pilatus PC-12NG with special Formula 1 livery showing the Sauber C31 race car, will fly the Sauber F1 Team direct to the racetracks of Europe in 2012. On its first mission last weekend, it flew the eight-man team, plus team manager Peter Sauber, to the first race in Spain landing in Sabadell, a small aerodrome with a 3,300ft runway, close to the Barcelona circuit. “One of the best features of the PC-12 is its ability to land on, and take off from, very short runways,” said Sauber. “It leaves us free to avoid the big, inefficient airports. We were back at the aircraft within a few minutes of the race finishing and airborne shortly afterwards, thanks to the smooth air traffic control service. We really can save a lot of time, and that obviously means greater efficiency and a better quality of life for ou...

Posted by Neelam Mathews May 1, 2012 Even as DGCA and the rest of the world has gone on silent mode as far as Kingfisher is concerned, rather ironically, May 1- labor day- has ushered in the sixth month of no salaries. I got some pictures from Bellvision.com of Vijay Mallya visiting the Shri Mukambika Temple of Kollur. It is here ten years ago he had installed a golden sheet to the flag post costing INR 50 lakhs, says the website. This time when Mallya was asked what service he would do, he is believed to have assured the authorities he would look into it, given that the gods would shower their blessings- one assumes! Did nobody tell him, charity starts at home-in this case- his own company employees- and IPL and F1 will follow. But to each their own.   

Neelam Mathews March 12, 2012 Many Kingfisher Airlines pilots that gave an ultimatum to the management that they would no longer fly the carrier if they were not paid for their services, stuck to their word. Aerospace Diary learns that 20 percent of KFAs flights were pulled out last night and by the looks of it, passengers can expect more cancellations today. 40 more flights have been cancelled over the curtailed schedule. Kolkata operations have been stopped today. In this background of bankruptcy looming over Vijay Mallya,  UK publications report that a further £20 million has been pumped into his Formula One team ahead of the start of the motor racing season in Australia next week. While Force India has improved, profits still elude the beer tycoon. “Silverstone-based Force India team’s accounts show Watson Limited, Mallya’s personal investment vehicle, loaned it £6.85 million, while his Kingfisher Airlines and beer and spirits businesses provided it with £13 million in sp...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews Oct 18, 2011 With F1 around the corner, Indira Gandhi International Airport cargo infrastructure managed a smooth and timely arrival of the high volume F1 cargo.  The F1 cargo included 40 pallets containing 2 safety cars and 2 medical cars along with equipment and tools. All race-specific cargo is to arrive between October 18 and 20.  “DIAL sees Formula 1 as not just an event but a moment of immense pride in playing a lead role of providing logistical support for such a renowned event. This is in line with our defined vision to make IGI the Cargo Gateway for India,” said DIAL CEO, I. Prabhakara Rao said.   Cargo handled at IGIA has gone up to 0.6 million metric tonnes annually in 2010-11 from 0.3 million metric tonnes in 2006-07. DIAL says it presently handles, on an average, 10-20 freighters per day. The forecast for cargo growth is 15% and DIAL aims to touch 1 mn metric tonne mark by 2014-15.

Posted by- Neelam Mathews July 24, 2011 Forgive me for carrying this blatant advertisement, but two passions close to my heart are merging in Singapore- Formula One and Aviation. Grab the opportunity to experience heart thumping motorsport action at the upcoming 2011 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix , by taking advantage of AirAsia’s low, low fares offered by its latest exciting promotion, ‘Are You AirAsia’s Uber GP Fan?’ The airline’s latest promotion present guests with direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore for the GP with all-in, low fares from as low as R M49 . Indians can ofcourse fly from India to KL by AirAsia. Booking period for this promotion is from 25th July – 7 August, for the travel period between 8 August – 16 November. Bookings can be made through AirAsia’s website at www.airasia.com or via mobile devices at mobile.airasia.com . This promotion also offers great low-fare deals to Singapore from Langkawi, Penang, Kuching, Miri and ...