Aerospace Diary

Neelam Mathews May 6, 2013 A Jet Airways A330 that was chartered for the Big Fat Gupta wedding in Johannesburg, would have returned by now and the controversy died down- even as the carrier firms up plans for its six A330-200s, AerospaceDairy learns. Abu Dhabi beckons Initially, Jet was to lease the 6 A330s to Etihad for which 60 cabin crew were selected for training in Abu Dhabi for nine months, but within a week of getting the notice, the decision was cancelled, we hear. The six A330s we believe, will take off from Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore to Abu Dhabi to three points in Europe of which Brussels and Milan are included. The third point could be Paris or Amsterdam. We could not confirm. ( Etihad Airways and Air France have announced a number of new codeshare destinations in Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe for summer 2013). We had earlier broken the story on Jet looking at ordering a large number of aircraft-perhaps at the Paris Air Show- of which the 737 MAX is sure...

AIN AIR TRANSPORT PERSPECTIVE » JUNE 4, 2012 by  NEELAM MATHEWS Air India holds an order for 27 Boeing 787s, but it could struggle to pay for them now. (Photo: Boeing) June 4, 2012, 12:43 PM Individuals can argue over who has lost more face as a result of Air India’s last-minute cancellation of its first Boeing 787 delivery: the U.S. airframer or the cash-strapped flag carrier and its masters in the Indian government. But few would debate the awkwardness of a decision by Indian officials to scrap a delivery ceremony planned for between May 28 and 31 at barely four days’ notice, even as a party of 40 invited media and guests prepared to board a flight to Seattle to join elaborate festivities to mark acceptance of the first of 27 Dreamliners ordered by Air India. Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh canceled the delivery, insisting that Boeing would first have to agree to a revised compensation package for the program’s well-documented delays. Some see the move as a poli...

Aviation International News » May 2012 by  Neelam Mathews May 5, 2012, 5:53 AM   Judging by the dominance of business jets at India Aviation 2012, held at Hyderabad in southern India from March 14 to 18, predictions of double-digit general aviation growth in the country have inspired manufacturers and service providers to boost their presence in the market. India’s ailing airliner sector was conspicuous by its absence from the third biennial show, barring a static display of the Boeing 787 in Air India’s colors and a mock-up of the Russian Irkut MC-21 airliner. Instead, a spurt of announcements relating to India’s business aviation sector lifted spirits. AgustaWestland and Tata Sons inaugurated the final assembly line for the AW119 helicopter at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airpo...

Neelam Mathews Dec 5, 2011 While, there is no confirmation on the date Air India’s first 787 will be delivered, on the start of a six-month tour,   a Boeing 787 landed at the Beijing Capital International Airport, making its debut in mainland China. The plane will be in China Dec. 4 through 11, with stops in Beijing, Guangzhou and Haikou, where Chinese customers, partners, government officials and media will experience the revolutionary technology.  The airplane, ZA003, was originally used for flight testing but has been refurbished to showcase its capabilities and features.  “I’m extremely impressed with what I saw including the spacious cabin, largest-ever windows, larger overhead bins, and the dynamic LED lighting,” said Fan Cheng, senior vice president of Air China. “I believe the Dreamliner will enable Air China to offer a superior passenger experience and I look forward to its important role in Air China’s plans for international e...

Posted By- Neelam Mathews Sept 23, 2011 Lufthansa Technik will provide component support for Japan Airlines 787s with 35 of the aircraft on order. LHT has concluded a Total Component Support   (TCS) contract with JAL for ten years. Boston will be the first destination to which JAL will fly to with the Boeing 787. The service will be launched from Tokyo Narita airport on April  22, 2012. Lufthansa Technik will take on the role of providing material support, including repairs and logistics services, for JAL's fleet of Boeing 787's from the moment its first aircraft is delivered. Lufthansa Technik will supply its customers with materials from Tokyo as well as from its existing material locations in Frankfurt and Hamburg. "We shall be offering a comprehensive service worldwide for the Boeing 787 as well, as this aircraft is set to become one of the most important long-haul types over the next years. ….." , said Burkhard Andrich, Senior Vice President Aircraft ...