Aerospace Diary

by  Neelam Mathews  - June 29, 2016, 3:00 AM New Indian carrier Vistara stands to be a beneficiary of the long-delayed reforms of the country's air transport policy. [Photo: Neelam Mathews] India released a national civil aviation policy on June 17 after two decades of fits and starts, as the country works to properly develop its fledgling infrastructure and prepare for a forecast 20 percent annual traffic growth until 2020. Within three days of the announcement, India radically liberalized its restrictive foreign direct investment regime by opening ten sectors, including defense and aviation. Ministry of Civil Aviation secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey called June “a fun month,” while admitting challenges of implementation lay ahead and that “nuts and bolts” of the policy still required fine-tuning. “We are concerned that if we fall behind our growth curve, we will face civil aviation slumps,” he said. “We have told OEMs to bring in ...

Neelam Mathews Singapore signs up for space-based ADS-B data  Feb 24 2016  Aireon is to supply space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B)  data for the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore  (CAAS) under a deal signed on on 18  February during the  Singapore  Airshow. The CAAS signed a 12-year contract to purchase the service,  beginning in 2018.  This is the first data services agreement for the Aireon service in the  Asia-Pacific region. In order to improve air traffic controller situational awareness, Aireon will provide data  for the entire  Singapore  Flight Information Region (FIR) by supplementing  existing surveillance sensors used by the CAAS. Over the next two years, CAAS will establish the necessary infrastructure to  integrate the Aireon service with legacy systems. The Aireon surveillance  system will use ADS-B receivers carried as hosted payl...

Neelam Mathews June 29, 2014 And this is exactly what is happening between the aviation industry and the DGCA that views all operators as violators. We at AerospaceDiary, have received umpteen calls, all boiling down to the same thing- the DGCA does not have any faith in the industry despite the total powers moving from E Part, 7 to 8 years ago to Part 145 that moves control to airlines to take decisions and to enable the regulator to move on its own business. In essence, the quality manager and engineer hired for precisely the same purpose by the airline have ended up as mere appendages. DGCA interference has led airlines ending up with higher costs and AOGs. Given that DGCA has incorporated EASAs Part 145 with so much conviction- including the spelling mistakes- it should now follow it to the last word. "Give a chance to airlines to grow. If you find a defaulter-and there are bound to be some- keep them under scrutiny," said the official. However, he adds, "w...

Neelam Mathews Oct 3, 2012 The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) has spoken out against an EASA proposal to change flight and duty time regulations for commercial pilots. Balpa says EASA is weakening Britain's safety rules in the name of EU-wide harmonization of rules. The plans are expected to be introduced by the end of 2015 subject to the approval of EU member states. EASA said the proposals were based on 50 scientific studies and consultation within the industry, including pilots. According to Balpa, the new rules could see pilots, being on duty 15% more over two weeks, flying longer than scientists say is safe, and spending  30%longer on standby before being called for duty ( as a result, they say they could be awake for over 24 hours). In an open letter to new Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, US businessman Maurer, whose daughter was killed three years ago, was quoted saying: "All of these proposals risk the safety of the flying public and...