Paramount Airways receives favourable verdict against GECAS

The drama involving Chennai based Paramount Airways and GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) over a dispute on refunds and payments, began last Friday.

Paramount officials explained that the dispute with GECAS was over maintenance reserves and deposit refund. An airline release claimed

“Paramount had made a $15 million deposit to GECAS - $5 mn as deposit and $10 mn as maintenance reserves. The dispute had arisen as Paramount asked for a reimbursement of the maintenance reserves created on various checks carried out. The lack of response from GECAS led to the dispute."

On Friday, at the request of GECAS, India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), de-registered three of the five aircraft in the Paramount fleet leading to major disruptions from Saturday.

Four-year-old Paramount, is a niche airline with a market share of about 2%, largely flying within southern India. The aircraft de-registered were all Embraer ERJ-175SR (ERJ-170-200SR) VT-PAD, VT-PAE and VT-PAF and were part of a lease agreement entered in to in July 2005.


The actions were taken despite the fact that the airline had won a case over the issue at the London High Court, which has stated

“The defendant is permitted to remain in possession of the aircraft and use them for all purposes permitted under the lease agreements”

Today, Paramount Airways, got a favourable court order from the Delhi High Court which has set aside the de-registration of the Paramount aircraft by the DGCA, allowing the resumption of flights using the three de-registered aircraft.

All Paramount flights are expected to fly on schedule from tomorrow.

This is the second time since last year the DGCA has de-registered aircraft at the behest GECAS which last year, confiscated three aircraft from Kingfisher Airlines claiming payment defaults.

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Qatar Airways commences Doha Melbourne flights; quickest from London

Qatar Airways launched its first flight to the Australian continent with its non-stop Doha Melbourne service using its latest Boeing 777-200LR delivered just a few days ago.

Two flight crews are needed for the long 14 hour flight. Click on image for high res version.

The 42 2–2–2 configured Business Class seats convert into 180 degree horizontal flat beds with a 78-inch pitch. In Economy Class, the 217 passenger seating is nine abreast in a 3–3–3 configuration and a seat pitch of up to 34 inches.

The flight is initially three-times-a-week on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

QR030 departs Doha at 00:45hrs and arrives Melbourne at 22:25
QR031 departs Melbourne at 23:55 and arrives Doha at 06:25 the following day

The Doha-based airline will take delivery of another Boeing 777-200LR late this month and immediately use the aircraft on the Melbourne route, stepping up frequency to daily from January 1, 2010.

The launch of flights to Melbourne ahead of the busy holiday season ends a year of further growth for the airline, which also launched services to Houston and both Amritsar and Goa in India during 2009.

Qatar Airways has an aggressive expansion plan with orders for over 220 aircraft worth more than US$ 40 billion over the next few years. A brand new airport under construction in the airline’s home city of Doha, Qatar, indicates the emirates commitment to expand and strengthen its national carrier.

At 21 hours and 40 minutes, Qatar Airways offers the quickest scheduled flight times between Melbourne and London.

Qatar Airways plans to launch daily non-stop flights between Doha and Sydney in 2010, also using the same Boeing 777-200 Long Range aircraft as on the Melbourne route.

Last month at the World Travel Awards in London, Qatar Airways once again won the World’s Best Business Class title. Earlier this year, Qatar Airways won several awards at the annual Skytrax passenger survey awards, including Best Economy Class in the world, Best Cabin Crew in the Middle East for the seventh year running and Best Airline in the Middle East for the fourth consecutive year. In addition, Qatar Airways’ overall Skytrax global ranking for 2009 rose to fourth in the world.

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Emirates expands European services, announces flights to Amsterdam

As Dubai based Emirates continues to get deliveries of new aircraft from both Airbus and Boeing, it is undertaking significant route expansion, especially to Europe.

The airline has announced the launch of flights to Amsterdam from May 1, 2010. EK 145 departs Dubai each day at 08:25 arriving Amsterdam at 13:30. EK 146 departs Amsterdam at 15:30 arriving in Dubai at 23:59.

The daily, non-stop service from Dubai which will be the airline's 23rd service to Europe, will be operated with a combination of Boeing 777-200LR and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, boasting a three-class configuration and the newest version of ice, the highly regarded in-flight entertainment system.

Amsterdam is the fourth new destination to be announced by the Dubai based carrier this year. Durban and Luanda were both launched in October and Tokyo was recently announced with a start date of 28th March 2010. The new service comes on the back of exclusive lounge openings in Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Manchester and extra frequencies to Rome, building up to a double daily in February 2010.

During December, Emirates will take delivery of two more Airbus A380 superjumbos, which will be deployed to Seoul from December 14th, and to Paris two weeks later.

Amsterdam is a major centre for the flower industry and Emirates has served The Netherlands as a freighter destination for fifteen years, currently operating six a week Boeing 747-400 freighter flights between Dubai and Amsterdam. For sure the airline will bolster its Skycargo capacity using the belly hold capacity of the passenger flights.

Last month, the carrier announced half year net profits of Dhs 752 million (US$205 million), representing a 165 percent increase compared to Dhs 284 million (US$77 million) for the period ending 30th September 2008. During the latest results period, the airline carried over 13 million passengers and in excess of 700,000 tonnes of cargo.

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Singapore Airlines - First and Business Class meals

Singapore Airlines may be suffering its worst losses since being listed; it may have cut the salary of its CEO by 20%; staff are feeling the heat; pilots are put on long leave; but the pampering of its premium passengers is untouched. After all premium passengers still account for almost $4.65 billion in revenues for the carrier which translates to 40%.

The carrier won Skytrax's best first class award this year along with best airline and best international first class by OAG.

SQ spends over $8 million annually on second growth Bordeaux wines and Dom Perignon and Krug Grand Cuvee champagne which it offers its first class and Suites passengers. Business class passengers sip Piper-Heidseick Brut Réserve champagne.

The carrier won Skytrax's best first class award this year along with best international first class by OAG.

Apart from the elaborate menu which features Petrossian Inc. white sturgeon caviar, Singapore Airlines has a meal offering called Book The Cook.

Suites, first and business class passengers can order their main course in advance. Insider tip -- in case you find something more appealing in the regular in-flight menu, the ever accommodating crew will happily oblige your change.

For children in the two to eleven year age group, travelling in Suites, First and Business Class, Singapore Airlines offers a similar advance selection option called Yummy! which offers kiddie goodies like burgers, spaghetti and meatballs, fried rice, fish fingers, macaroni and cheese, omelettes, lasagne, etc. The full menu of options is here.

During my very frequent travels with Singapore Airlines, I found that many passengers who were not frequent flyers with the airline, non-regular did not know of this Book The Cook offering. So I decided to write this article with the intent of helping them enjoy the full premium experience with the airline.

Incidentally, Singapore Airlines also has one of the largest variety of special meals (medical, child/infant, religious, etc.) I have seen in all my four million miles of travels. It is one of the few airlines which offers a no-carb meal, ideal for the Atkins diet followers.

Book The Cook entrées vary from various origin stations. Just as a sample to whet your appetite:

Business (Raffles) Class ex-Singapore

• 6 oz. U.S. rib-eye steak with creamy green peppercorn sauce, roasted vegetables, and garlic-mashed potatoes (just remind the crew to cook it medium rare, otherwise you might get a very rubbery piece of meat)
• Oven-roasted corn fed chicken breast, tarragon jus, and creamy polenta
• Pan-seared Chilean bass with bouillabaisse sauce, capsicum confit, and kalamata olive potato
• Pappardelle with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes
• Roast lamb chops with mint jus, mesclun salad, and thyme-flavoured gratin potatoes
• Roasted vegetables with avocado mesclun salad on roasted potatoes, in a truffle oil vinaigrette
• Seared salmon escalope on a warm potato and snake bean salad
• Slipper lobster Thermidor, buttered asparagus, and slow-roasted vine-ripened tomato, and saffron rice
• Wild mushroom and chorizo risotto in natural jus with arugula
• Braised soya-flavoured duck with yam rice
• Chicken curry Peranakan style with bread rolls
• Nasi biryani
• Nasi lemak
• Singapore Chicken Rice
• Japanese Gyu-Don
• Thai fish soufflé and spicy minced chicken served with pineapple rice and curried vegetables
• Thai green curry fish balls stuffed with prawns, served with pork in a sweet and spicy sauce

Suites and first class ex-London

• Fillet of brill in girolles sauce with almond-broccoli and buttered tagliatelle
• Fried fillet of monkfish with baked beetroot and horseradish butter, potato and celeriac mash
• Lobster Thermidor with buttered asparagus, slow-roasted vine-ripened tomato, and saffron rice
• Roast breast of guinea fowl stuffed with stilton cheese in port wine sauce and potato-turnip mash
• Roast corn fed chicken breast marinated in rosemary-garlic and lemon with braised savoy cabbage
• Roast fillet of lamb on lentils with vegetable stew and creamy gratin potatoes
• Cantonese roast duck with vegetables and steamed rice
• Chicken Teriyaki with Japanese vegetables and steamed rice
• Selection of sushi with pickled ginger and condiments
• Singapore Chicken Rice

First class ex-JFK

• Grilled shrimps and scallops in tarragon mustard sauce with leeks, carrots, and linguini
• Lobster Thermidor with buttered asparagus, slow-roasted vine-ripened tomato, and saffron rice
• Pan-fried chicken in green peppercorn sauce, squash, and creamy mashed potatoes
• Pecan crusted veal with red onion marmalade and candied sweet potatoes
• Roast Long Island duck with natural jus, roasted vegetables, and red-skin potatoes
• Roasted sea bass with wilted spinach and glazed crab-mashed potatoes
• Roast rack of lamb with natural jus, roasted vegetables, and creamy garlic mash
• Baked Chilean bass in Oriental XO sauce with mixed vegetables and fried rice
• Braised short-ribs of beef in Chinese wine and 5-spice with mixed vegetables and egg noodles
• Stir-fried chicken in Chinese wine with seasonal vegetables and chicken flavoured rice

The full menu of Book The Cook is here.

Hope you enjoy. My particular favourites reflecting my years in Texas and Singapore -- the rib eye steak and the Singapore chicken rice. Remember to mix the chilli, garlic and soy sauce together before dipping the chicken in it, just like native Singaporeans do it.

Bon voyage and bon appetit.

Images courtesy Singapore Airlines

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A string of aviation incidents in India in the last 24 hours -- one extremely reckless

Over the 24 hours a string of aviation incidents have come to light across India. One is a minor mistake with major reaction, and one which can be only described as outright reckless.

1. Jet Airways. VT-JGC.

On 20th October, a Jet Airways Boeing 737-900 registration VT-JGC performing flight 9W 332 from New Delhi Indira Gandhi International to Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International.

On final approach at 3,700MSL the check pilot sitting in the jump seat, allegedly pulled some circuit breakers to simulate failures. Aircraft lost Autopilot, Flight Director, and Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System. The aircraft descent rates exceeded 1250 feet per minute. The flight commander took manual control of aircraft and landed the plane safely. Passengers disembarked normally. Jet Airways is investigating the incident internally. The Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is also investigating.

What caused the check pilot, normally a senior instructor pilot to pull the circuit breakers defies logic. The rules are very clear. No revenue flight shall have its systems intentionally degraded. Failures are normally simulated. Boeing flight manual clearly prohibits tampering with circuit breakers during a revenue flight, and in normal aviation practice, on check flights, the check pilot does not interfere with any of the flight controls or systems, just observes. If true, the pilot deserves to have to book thrown at him.

2. Kingfisher Airlines VT-VJP

On 01 December, Kingfisher Airlines Airbus A330-223 registration VT-VJP performing flight IT072 from Hong Kong International to Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International with 151 passengers and 13 crew. The crew was facing intermittent radio problems. Approx 100 nm from Mumbai the pilot intended to squawk 7600 on the transpnder to indicate radio failure, instead wrongly squawked 7500 on the transponder which indicates unauthorised cockpit intrusion i.e. a hijacking, thus setting off a full security alert at Mumbai airport.

The pilots contacted Mumbai ATC and clarified the mistake. After due diligence by the security agencies, the flight was permitted to land after a delay of 85 minutes. Passengers disembarked normally. The pilots have been de-rostered pending full investigation by the airline and India's Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).

If there is a silver lining to the incident, at least the pilot achieved an un-intended test of the security process at Mumbai.

3. Jet Airways VT-JCG

On 01 December, Jet Airways ATR 72-500 registration VT-JCG performing flight 9W 2572 from Bangalore Bengaluru International to Pune Lohegaon 57 passengers and 4 crew. Ten minutes after departure (20:30 IST 15:00Z pushback) the crew received an autopilot failure warning. The crew returned to Bangalore and landed normally at 21:05 IST (15:35Z). The passengers disembarked normally and were transferred to another aircraft VT-JCJ and departed for Pune at 22:15 (16:45Z).The faulty aircraft was repaired and ferried to Mumbai to continue operations.

4. Spicejet VT-SGB

Today, 02 December, a Spicejet Boeing 737-900ER registration VT-SGB performing flight SG 114 from Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International to New Delhi Indira Gandhi International with 189 passengers and 7 crew. About one hour in to the flight the flight crew determined the aircraft was unable to maintain the differential pressure, and decided to return to Mumbai. The flight landed normally and passengers disembarked normally via stairs. Alternate arrangements are being made for the passengers to reach their destinations.

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Boeing completes 787 Dreamliner post modification static test

Boeing has completed the static test needed to validate the side-of-body modification made to the 787 Dreamliner.

During the test, dubbed 2C, on the 787 Dreamliner static test airframe, the wing and trailing edges of the airframe were subjected to its limit load -- the highest loads expected to be seen in service. The load is about 2.5 times the force of gravity for the wing.

A full analysis of the test results is currently underway and is expected to be concluded in approximately 10 days.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires a successful test result to clear the Dreamliner for its planned first flight, mostly likely around 22nd December 2009.

Bangalore Aviation readers will recall on June 23, Boeing announced it was necessary to reinforce an area of structure at the side-of-body section of the 787 after de-lamination failure during the same static tests.

The modifications entail installing new fittings at 34 stringer locations within the joint where the wing is attached to the fuselage. The modifications were completed on the first two flight-test airplanes and the full-scale static test airplane earlier this month.

Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program said

"Today's test was an important milestone for the program. We will confirm the test results after the completion of our detailed analysis,"

A successful result is crucial for Boeing to ensure the recovery of the Dreamliner program. The delays have led to hordes of irate customers including 787-9 launch customer Air New Zealand. Last week, on BBC's Hardtalk, Qatar Airways CEO, Akbar al Baker expressed his frustration with Boeing. He is threatened cancelling any further orders with the aircraft giant if more delays occur. Many long standing Boeing customers have purchased competitor Airbus's A330 further eroding Boeing credibility.

In India though, thanks to unbridled over-expansion of fleet capacity, the two Indian carriers who have placed orders for the 787 Dreamliner, Air India and Jet Airways, are the few airlines in the world not regretting the delay, instead profiting from penalties they would have forced Boeing to pay.

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