Aerospace Diary

20-year traffic growth 7.7% almost twice the world average 4.3% India domestic traffic growth one of the world’s highest rates 8.2% Every Airbus commercial aircraft is partly ‘Made in India’ India will require 1,880 new passenger and cargo aircraft between now and 2038, in response to strong demand, according to Airbus’ latest India Market Forecast. Of these, up to 20 percent could be wide-bodies. Some 1,440 aircraft are for growth and 440 are needed to replace aircraft that will be retired. Taking into account the 440 retirements, India’s existing domiciled fleet of 510 aircraft will quadruple to 1,950 by 2038. India is set to become one of the world’s largest economies, with some of the world’s fastest growing cities in terms of GDP including Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru. In the next 20 years air transportation is expected to be a key enabler and a beneficiary of this economic growth. Rising wealth and urbanisation, and the Indian Government’s ambitious reg...

The Covid-19 pandemic and disease-containment measures by governments, most drastically the US ban on flights from most of Europe, will shake up the aviation finance sector as airlines struggle to conserve cash amid a collapse in international traffic. Scope Ratings says the rising risk of airlines defaulting on their debt payments – see  Airlines: coronavirus outbreak accelerates industry consolidation; conserving cash key to survival  (5 March) - will lead to a steep decline in aircraft values across the board. “Investors need to brace themselves for a direct hit on aircraft values  which will increase the credit risk of aircraft-financing transactions,” says Helene Spro, aviation finance  analyst at Scope. “Investors exposed to some highly leveraged transactions are likely to see a loss,”  says Spro. One caveat concerns the degree to which governments, particularly in Europe,  will be will...

by  Neelam Mathews  -  August 3, 2016, 8:35 AM An artist's impression of an Indian Air Force A330MRTT refueling two Mirage 2000 fighters. (Airbus D&S) India has withdrawn the tender for a new air refueling tanker, more than three years after choosing the Airbus   A330   MRTT   in preference to the Ilyushin Il-78 following a second round of bidding. This latest example of indecision on major defense projects, following the saga of the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft ( MMRCA ) program, is creating concern in the international defense industry that India is chronically indecisive. However,   AIN   has learned from a senior Indian Ministry of Defence official that the   A330MRTT procurement may still be concluded, on an intergovernmental basis between Spain and India. Though there has been no official confirmation, Indian media reported that the high price of the   MRTT   is the reason behind the natio...

by  Neelam Mathews   Jan 26, 2016 Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India’s intention to acquire Rafale fighters from Dassault and military helicopters from Airbus, in talks with President François Hollande. France’s nine-year wait for a contract from India for the Rafale is not quite over, but an inter-government agreement covering acquisition of 36 fighters was signed during President François Hollande’s visit to New Delhi on January 26. Invited by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be the chief guest at India's Republic Day military parade in New Delhi, Hollande also joined the Indian leader in witnessing the confirmation of a previously announced partnership between Mahindra Defence and Airbus Helicopters. The Rafale signing “has effectively transformed the nature of the transaction from a commercial bid to a government to government sale,” Rahul Gangal, partner with consultancy group Roland and Berger, told  AIN . While Dassault Aviation...

Neelam Mathews The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.”   Gloria Steinem Among those leading the shift to gender balance in air and space is the Institute for Women of Aviation Worldwide (iWOAW), whose flagship outreach program, Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, “is strictly designed to grab the attention of girls of all ages not familiar with the industry and introduce them to the opportunities available to them, hands-on, while building their knowledge of past and present women’s contributions,” explains Mireille Goyer, founder and president. The program has become truly global in nature. Over the last several years Vancouver-based iWOAW has inspired around 6,000 volunteers in 36 countries to organize outreach activities during the Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week, which is held around 8 March of each year – the...

ROTORHUB 26th November 2015 - 16:40 by  Neelam Mathews  in Delhi  Aiming at more strategic tie-ups between OEMs and Indian manufacturers under its Make in India mantra, India’s Ministry of Defence is in the process of identifying a helicopter manufacturer to feed its voracious appetite for helicopters. The MoD has a need for some 1000 light utility helicopters (LUH) required by the military and parapublic forces within the next 15-20 years. Airbus Helicopters, AgustaWestland and Sikorsky are likely contenders for a possible tie-up.  An MoD official revealed to Shephard that Sikorsky was in discussion with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) for a potential joint venture, although for this to work HAL would ‘need to buckle up’. Sikorsky is understood to be in discussion for the manufacture of components for the  S-97 Raider , as it explores possible civil applications for the coaxial compound, such as transporting personnel between offshore oil pl...

by  Neelam Mathews                                                                   October 23, 2015, 10:34 AM                 IndiGo operates a uniform fleet of 97 Airbus A320s. (credit-neelam mathews)   Helped by low fuel prices and an improving economic outlook, InterGlobe Enterprises, the current majority owner of Indian budget airline IndiGo, plans to raise up to $465 million in an initial public offering from October 27 to 29. InterGlobe expects the   IPO   to rank as the biggest airline public issue in India since the country’s first budget airline, Air Deccan, made its debut in the market in 2006. Domestic budget carriers in India now hold a 65 percent market share. The company plans to use the funds for retirement of certain outstanding ...

Neelam Mathews Oct 18, 2015 While Boeing Co Chairman, President and CEO James   McNerney announced to an awe-struck audience in Delhi on Oct 16 that the company would be willing to make its twin-engine F-18 fighters in India, when India releases another MMRCA tender in two years, one wonders what is actually happening to thinking in higher echelons of power? I am not even going into issues related to CISMOA, which a few say will be solved ultimately. While it goes to the credit of the OEMs that they are more than willing to include Indian companies in their global supply base, one wonders why homework has not been done to calculate costs that will be incurred should the country add to its already over two dozen different aircraft models? The Indian Air Force, as far as I can remember, has been crying hoarse over this issue. So while, one has no affiliations to the Rafale for instance, why not just set up co-production for another 90 more? We have to start some time. As...

 Neelam Mathews   Aug 25, 2015 The FlyEye mini-UAV will be offered to the Indian army by Kadet Defence Systems in partnership with WB Electronics of Poland. (Photo: WB Electronics) An Indian Army requirement for approximately 600 sets of mini- UAV s is attracting interest from various manufacturers, who must partner with Indian companies to comply with the government’s “Make in India” industrial strategy. The Directorate General of Infantry has issued a request for information ( RFI ) that will be followed by a request for proposals by late 2016. Indian companies will make the bids. The   OEM s include two Israeli companies: Aeronautics, maker of the Orbiter mini- UAV , and Elbit Systems, maker of the Skylark. Aeronautics' partner is not yet known, while Elbit might team with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd ( HAL ). AeroVironment will   co-develop the Cheel —a version of the Puma—with Dynamatic Technologies. Boeing is with Tata Advanced Systems ...