Aerospace Diary

Aerospace Daily FUNDING & POLICY NEW DELHI — As part of the growing U.S.-India partnership on transnational crime and criminal investigations, U.S. FBI experts concluded a five-day law enforcement exchange with the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, with a focus on interview and interrogation techniques. The FBI has found that persuading witnesses to provide reliable information and getting defendants to voluntarily admit their participation in a crime requires a variety of skills, and the techniques and methodology discussed in the exchange involved a rapport-based approach. Skills developed include active listening, cognitive interview techniques, detection of deception, elements of a lawful interrogation and identification of false confessions. Forty-one senior officers from state agencies across India participated in the exchange. - Neelam Mathews

DRDO Scientist Touts Technology And Folk Medicine First Person Neelam Mathews A modern military draws on many disciplines to assure that personnel maintain peak levels of physical and mental readiness. One key area is the development and implementation of life science technologies that enhance operational efficiency. William Selvamurthy, chief controller of life sciences and human resources at India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), works tirelessly to promote innovations in high-tech areas ranging from medical treatments and crop genetics to nano technology. Folk remedies are also important fields of study too, as evidenced by his embrace of yoga for some therapies. The goal for each area is the same: enhancement of troop morale, motivation and well-being. DRDO’s nine life sciences laboratories have developed 55 products that improve troop survival in extreme conditions. The organization also partners with India’s private sector to accelerate developments, ...

News Briefs Printed headline: India Wants Six Submarines The Indian navy plans to procure six diesel-electric submarines with air-independent propulsion in a deal worth $11 billion—the country’s largest defense program yet. Two boats will be built at the contractor’s shipyard and four at Indian shipyards. A request for information (RFI) has been released for submarines displacing 7,000-8,000 tons, which would make them the largest non-nuclear boats ever and almost twice the size of conventional subs in service anywhere. India’s Scorpene-class submarines, six of which are under construction, displace 1,700 tons. Companies expected to respond to the RFI for the program—called 75(l)—include Rosoboronexport of Russia, DCNS of France, HDW of Germany and Navantia of Spain. Preference will be given to companies that have designed and built submarines that are in service or undergoing sea trials. The boats will have stealth features and land-attack capabilities, be designed for technology ...

Airline Alliances Aviation Daily Oct 04 , 2010 , p. 07 Neelam Mathews It has been a long road for Star Alliance and its future member Air India, whose entry into Star has been delayed by information technology issues. The carrier will now join the world’s largest alliance next summer (instead of March), Star Alliance CEO Jaan Albrecht told The DAILY in Addis Ababa following an announcement that Ethiopian Airlines would join the alliance within 12-18 months. An Air India spokesman, while unable to confirm a date for completion of the $190-million SITA migration for the Passenger Services System, said, We are targeting the first quarter of 2011. All systems are in place, but the problem is integrating the two codes of Indian Airlines (domestic) and Air India (international), as they are on two parallel tracks.” The two airlines are now part of the holding company National Aviation Company of India Ltd. (NACIL). While the contract was to be completed within 300 days, an official t...

 

 

Asia Pacific-based airlines carried a total of 16.8 million international passengers in August, reflecting a 12.4% increase compared to the same month last year, says the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA). Capacity management saw seat capacity grow by 5.3%, which led to a 2.3 % improvement in the average passenger load factor to 81.2%. International air cargo traffic as measured in freight ton km (FTK) registered 25% growth compared to the same month last year. Even with a 20.7% expansion in offered freight capacity, the average international cargo load factor increased by 2.4% to 68.9%. “Strong demand for air travel and air cargo shipments in August provide further confirmation of the robustness of the ongoing economic recovery across the Asia Pacific region. Overall, for the first eight months of the year we have seen 14.9% growth in the number of international passengers carried, and an even more dramatic 32.1% rebound in the volume of international air cargo,” said...