Aerospace Diary

Airlines Aviation Daily Aug 02 , 2010 , p. 14 Neelam Mathews Singapore Airlines says it will progressively introduce an electronic version of its three inflight magazines as part of a trial conducted with Singapore-based SmarttPapers Aviation. SIA will be one of the first carriers in the world to offer this feature on its aircraft equipped with the Panasonic eX2 inflight entertainment system (IFE), starting with two Boeing 777-300ERs. Next in the trial will be two Airbus A380s, followed by other aircraft fitted with the eX2 system. The move will be not only environmentally friendly but also have economic benefits. In mid-2008, at the height of the recession, CEO Chew Choon Seng told The DAILY in Cairo that efforts were underway to reduce the size of the inflight magazine to reduce weight. Each 25-pound weight reduction saves $440,000 a year. Airlines have been looking at ways to cut soaring fuel bills. Delta and Air France, for example, are considering lighter seats, and oth...

Airframers/Suppliers Aviation Daily Aug 02 , 2010 , p. 15 Neelam Mathews Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. has delivered its fifth S-76C helicopter in India. The aircraft, configured with a VIP cabin, was purchased by a regional company. "We delivered our first helicopter last year and within a span of just one and a half years, we have completed deliveries of five machines. We hope to continue the upswing in the country," says A.J.S. Walia, managing director for India and South Asia. Sikorsky's focus on the Indian market has been evident. It has an association with Tata Advanced Systems to produce S-92 cabins, for which manufacturing has already started at the Hyderabad facility. The first cabin is expected to roll out November. Deccan Charters has been appointed as the authorized commercial service center.

News AWIN First Jul 29 , 2010 Neelam Mathews While the role of U.S. companies in India cannot be underestimated, their presence in the airport infrastructure arena is lacking, but huge opportunities exist for U.S. companies, says Atul Sharma, regional VP-Indian American Chamber of Commerce, at a seminar held in Delhi. The U.S.-India Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP), launched in 2007, has already set up numerous programs will boost government-to-government cooperation. At the recent Farnborough air show, a U.S-India airport infrastructure group was formed to encourage U.S. investments and interest. As India’s aviation industry bounces back, 40-50 airport terminals are being built and about 30 runways are being upgraded to meet expected demand, says V. P. Agrawal, chairman of the Airports Authority of India. Stressing the importance of remote areas to the country’s economy, Agrawal said, “We have to reach remote areas. All 20-30 airports being upgraded currently are now six ...

News Neelam mathews The Pakistan Air Lines Pilots Association (PALPA), President Captain Sohail Baloch has said the Airblue Airbus 321 flight that crashed and killed 152 on board near Islamabad could be attributed to pilot fatigue. The aircraft lost communication with the control tower following bad weather. The impact height is said to be around 3000 ft. and crash site is 35 to 40 degree off runway 30. Airblue flight 202 took off from Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on early Wednesday morning and was expected to land at Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad. Airblue has 3 A321s- one down now - and 2 A319s. “The pilot may be suffering from accumulated fatigue because they are not given adequate leave,” Baloch told a private news channel. Baloch said the route was not a no-fly zone, as was being speculated. The plane exceeded the safety distance due to bad weather. He said “this decision was taken by the pilot who could not determine the appropriate landi...

Asia-Pacific Aviation Daily Jul 29 , 2010 , p. 10 Neelam Mathews Opening day of the new integrated Terminal 3 in Delhi was marred by service disruptions as radars stopped functioning, delaying flights by about one hour. “The ATC Computer System Auto Track III, which is under validation trials at Indira Gandhi International Airport, developed a technical snag at 5:30 p.m. However, the other computer system Auto Track II, which was maintained as hot stand-by, was being used for ATC operations. There was no disruption or delay on flight operations on account of this,” said a statement from the Airports Authority of India. More than 55 flights were delayed according to an air traffic control official. This is the third time this year that the air traffic management system at the airport has collapsed. The system crashed twice in January when Waltham, Mass.-based Raytheon’s Autotrac-III system was being tested for installation.

PROGRAMS NEW DELHI — India may strike a deal with Sweden to purchase 155mm towed howitzers for its army, AVIATION WEEK has learned. Controversy and delays have swirled around India’s effort to buy the guns. Trials were delayed a year as vendor ST Kinetics came under an ethics cloud. The company has been vying with BAE Land Systems to build the guns (Aerospace DAILY, June 29, 2009). “It is time to bite the bullet,” an Indian official says. “The army needs the guns and we cannot wait for another three to four years for the decision to be made.” Still, New Delhi is mindful not to repeat the Bofors gun scandal of the 1980s, during which then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was accused of receiving  kickbacks from Bofors for a contract to supply India with howitzers. Meanwhile, the Indian defense ministry is planning to issue another request for proposal (RFP) for the gun requirement, following the release of an RFI last week. This would be the fourth RFP release since 2002. An India...

Asia-Pacific Aviation Daily Jul 28 , 2010 , p. 08 Neelam Mathews Fortified with new management and media baron owner, Indian budget carrier SpiceJet announced an order for 30 Boeing 737-800s, to be delivered between 2014 and 2019. The carrier, which is set to fly international routes in September, chose the Boeing 737NG because it is "the most technologically advanced single-aisle airplane, which offers the best technical reliability and lowest operating unit cost, [and] is vital to our low-cost structure," Director Bhulo Kansagra says. SpiceJet has a fleet of 21 Boeing 737-800s and 737-900s and expects seven more deliveries this fiscal year, which began April 1. Announcing its first-quarter results, SpiceJet reported a 35% increase in operating revenue. It also put to rest speculation that it will not buy regional aircraft; however, on new branding and the possibility of switching its hub from Delhi to Chennai, the carrier says, no changes will be made as of now. ...