Aerospace Diary

Neelam Mathews  March 20, 2014 Gulfstream is confident the Indian business aviation market will rebound and to show it means business, it flew the G650, the ultra high-speed, ultra long-range business jet that took off from the Westchester County Airport in White Plains, US on March 10 with two passengers and four crew members on board to Mumbai.  Thirteen hours and 49 minutes later, the aircraft landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, giving it an average cruise speed of Mach 0.85 for the 7,115-nautical-mile/13,177-kilometer flight. The G650’s ability to link these two key business destinations reinforces its utility as a vital tool for corporations to advance their economic interests around the world,” said Jason Akovenko, regional vice president, Sales, Asia-Pacific, Gulfstream. "The speed and range of the G650 are just two of the many reasons why this aircraft is in such high demand.” Pending approval by the U.S. National Aeronautic Assoc...

AVIATION INTERNATIONAL NEWS  »  MARCH 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS  and  CHARLES ALCOCK March 3, 2013, 2:15 AM Though largely overshadowed by a heavy military presence, the business aviation sector made its voice heard at last month’s  Aero India show  in Bangalore (February 6 to 10). Serious obstacles continue to stand in the way of those trying to fulfill bizav’s undoubted potential in this vast emerging market  (see box) , but this has not deterred the major manufacturers from increasing their presence in India. During the show  Embraer  signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mumbai-based  Indamer to provide maintenance support for the Legacy 500 . The midsize jet, which is expected to enter service next year, is currently in the flight-test stage following last year’s  maiden flight of the first prototype . Certification now is expected by the middle of next year, ac...

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...

IN FOCUS: Indian business aviation snagged by constraints  Print By:   Neelam Mathews  New Delhi 12:05 5 Mar 2012  Source: With no clear policy framework, the growth of India's business and general aviation - growing at double digits every year - is being increasingly stifled by limited infrastructure, regulatory hurdles and high taxation. India has the second-largest business jet fleet of 154 in the Asia-Pacific region, after China's 215. Even as the spectre of infrastructural restraint haunts the industry, new aircraft sales of about $12 billion are expected to be struck by 2020. ©Embraer The Phenom 100 was the first light jet to gain traction in India India's potential cannot be ignored, with an economy expected to maintain strong and sustained growth. Its GDP in 2011 was $1.84 trillion. At 7.5% annual GDP growth, this ...

Neelam Mathews Jan 4, 2011 Business is moving progressively for Arrow Aircraft Sales and Charters, a business-aviation service provider, appointed as an authorized independent sales representative for aircraft transactions in India by Gulfstream Aerospace earlier this year. Gulfstream’s fleet in India, while small, is growing rapidly. The company that had five aircraft in service in India in 2001, now has 23 today, confirms Rohit Kapur, MD and partner at Arrow. He says with wait periods long, 60% of Gulfstreams in India are pre-owned and 40% are new.  Kapur led Punj Lloyd Aviation in 2007 until its merger with Air Works India. Until recently, he was the CEO of Indocopters, the sole distributer and maintenance center for Europcopter in India.  Kapur says market opportunities for an upper segment jet in India are vast. Market potential is growing. India’s growing roster of billionaires reportedly 47, rank the country fourth in the world, according to Forbes ’ 2010 billi...

Neelam Mathews July 19, 2011 Gulfstream Aerospace has renamed the super midsized Gulfstream G250 aircraft; Gulfstream G280. The renaming will not affect any other in-production Gulfstream aircraft.  The change is primarily because of the number "8" that is considered lucky and auspicious for the Chinese. In Mandarin, the numbers sound a lot 'bringing bad luck.' Even Boeing had added an '8' to the 787 when it was being named.  As demand for Gulfstream business jets grows around the world, the move was prompted by the company’s sensitivity to the varied cultures of its international customer base, said Larry Flynn, senior vice president, Marketing and Sales, Gulfstream. The aircraft features an all-new, advanced transonic wing design that has been optimized for high-speed cruise and improved takeoff performance. At maximum takeoff weight, the G280 can depart from a 5,000-foot runway. In terms of passenger comfort, the G280 features the largest cabin i...

Asian Airlines and Airports March 21,  2011 Neelam Mathews Even as India’s business and general aviation continues to grow by over 12% with signs of accelerated growth in future, there is a call by the Business Aviation Association of India to review the complex regulatory framework according to global norms. An in-depth study by think-tank Australian Center of Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) points out India has a total fleet of 681 as against 912 projected at different forums. The mix includes 236 single pistons, 250 helicopters, 91 turboprops and 104 business jets. Emerging multinational companies have a large, pent-up need for rapid and flexible transportation across and between continents. As economic growth continues to be the catalyst for aviation growth, a significant increase in individuals with high net worth who recognize time as a premium. More mid-size corporations are looking for alternatives to provide flexibility of travel schedules, Karan Singh, Vice Presiden...