Yearly Archives: 2014

Through the lens: Onboard the Uber-Luxurious Gulfstream G650

Gulfstream G650 N650GD.

Earlier this year, I was invited by Gulfstream onboard their latest and most luxurious business jet the G650. Gulfstream is known as the Rolls-Royce of the sky and with the G650 it certainly doesn’t disappoint. The Gulfstream G650 (designated as the Gulftream G VI in it’s type certificate) is the companies largest aircraft till date, it is designed to transport …

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IndiGo to receive its 100th A320 aircraft on 100 month anniversary

IndiGo Airbus A320-232(SL) VT-IFK with Sharklets.

India’s largest domestic carrier IndiGo, is getting ready to receive the 100th Airbus A320-200 aircraft as it enters its 100th month of operation. IndiGo began operations on August 4, 2006, and it will receive its 100th A320 tomorrow, November 4 or the day after tomorrow. The aircraft is (manufacturer’s serial number) MSN 6336 and will be registered VT-IAY when it …

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Lufthansa receives approval to operate A380 to New Delhi

German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa AG whose plan to operate the Airbus A380 super-jumbo on the New Delhi Frankfurt route was delayed due to non-approval of their winter schedule by various authorities under India’s ministry of civil aviation (read related story), has finally obtained approval of the schedule. A spokesperson for the airline informed Bangalore Aviation that the airline now …

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Bureaucratic snafus stop Lufthansa A380 Frankfurt New Delhi flights – Update 1

Original story published Oct. 30, 20:00 IST (14:30 UTC) German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa AG seems to be having a torrid time becoming the first European airline to commence Airbus A380 super-jumbo services to India. Its A380 service on the Frankfurt New Delhi route which was to commence last Sunday is seemingly stuck in some bureaucratic wrangle, and the ‘appropriate …

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Monarch Airlines orders 30 Boeing 737 MAX 8s

Monarch Airlines Airbus A321 G-OZBP.

British carrier Monarch Airlines has finalized an order with US airframer Boeing for 30 737 MAX 8s worth $3.2 billion at current list prices. Earlier this year at the Farnborough International Airshow, Monarch selected Boeing as its preferred bidder for fleet replacement. The order includes options for 15 additional 737 MAX 8s and marks the beginning of the British carrier’s …

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Air France deploys Boeing 777 on Paris Bangalore route, offers First Class

Air France Boeing 777-200ER F-GSPE at Mumbai CSI airport.

Flag carrier Air France has upgraded its Paris Bangalore route to a Boeing 777-200ER for the winter schedule which commenced October 26, and will run through March. The airline used to previously operate the route with an A330-200. At 247 seats, the 777 will give Air France an increase of over 20% in seat capacity over the 208 seats of …

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Air India and Air Astana enter into code-share agreement

A tail parade of each of Air India's Boeing aircraft as in 2011. The 747-400, 777-300ER, 777-200LR and 737-800.

National carrier Air India has entered in to a code-share agreement with the flag carrier of Kazakhstan Air Astana JSC. Air India’s Chairman and Managing Director Rohit Nandan and Air Astana’s Vice President – Sales Worldwide, Richard Ledger, signed the agreement. The agreement commences with Air India placing its airline code (AI) on daily flights between New Delhi and Almaty …

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Emirates takes delivery of it’s 100th Boeing 777-300ER

Emirates' 100th Boeing 777-300ER A6-ENV.

Dubai based carrier Emirates has taken delivery of it’s 100th Boeing 777-300ER. The aircraft will bear the registration A6-ENV. With this delivery, Emirates will have 142 777s in operation and is the only airline in the world to operate all the 777 variants (which includes the 777-200, 777-200ER, 777-200LR, 777-300, 777-300ER and the 777F). The airlines 142 777’s makes up …

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Airbus and Tatas team up to bid for IAF HS-748 Avro replacement tender

Airbus C295 military medium lift transport. Airbus image.

Airbus Defence and Space (ADS) and Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) have teamed up and submitted a joint bid for the Airbus C295 medium transporter in response to the Indian Air Force´s plan to replace 56 HS748 Avro aircraft in the force’s air transport fleet. In 2012, India had taken, what was considered an audacious decision to replace the ageing HS-748 …

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Welcome to Twitter, Air India @airindiain

Air India's official Twitter page

A warm welcome on Twitter to national carrier Air India. Despite the multiple accounts sounding like the airline, its official Twitter account is @airindiain. The carrier joins its private competitors like Jet Airways (@jetairways) SpiceJet (@flyspicejet), IndiGo (@IndiGo6E), and GoAir (@goairlinesindia) on Twitter. Though the account was officially opened in 2011, it seems to have become active only earlier this …

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Air New Zealand’s new Hobbit themed safety video takes you to Middle Earth

787-9 normal black and white livery

Air New Zealand has always been known for its unusual and edgy on-board air safety videos. In 2009, the airline’s staff ‘bared it all’ and briefed us wearing nothing but body paint in this video. Early this year, the airline marked the 50th anniversary of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and used this air safety video “Safety in Paradise” featuring …

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Photos: Embraer rolls out it’s KC-390 airlifter

Embraer rolls out the first KC-390. Embraer Image.

Yesterday Brazilian airframer Embraer rolled out the first prototype of it’s new KC-390 military transport from it’s production hangar at Gavião Peixoto, Brazil. The KC-390 is a joint project between the Brazilian Air Force and Embraer to develop and produce a tactical military transport and aerial refueling airplane. The design of the aircraft is intended to establish new standards in …

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Singapore Airlines introduces Taittinger Prelude Champagne in business class

Taittinger Prélude Grands Crus Cuvée NV tasting notes

Singapore Airlines is now serving the Prelude “Grands Crus” from the world renowned Champagne house, Taittinger, one of the few remaining family-owned Champagne houses. Prelude “Grands Crus” is comprises only cuvée (first pressing) and is a blend of 50% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs (Avize, Le Mesnil sur Oger) and 50% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims area …

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Always keep your seat belt fastened when seated

Updates – Join us to educate travelling public Since we wrote the original story almost six years ago, many more incidents have occurred and injuries caused. Just two stories we have documented for your reading. First 23 people hurt on an Emirates airline flight to Kochi due to turbulence. Just yesterday, 22 people hurt aboard a Singapore Airlines A380 en-route …

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Seat-belt warning. Mumbai bound A380 suffers injuries during turbulence

Bangalore Aviation has always promoted the wearing of seat-belts when seated on-board an aircraft. An incident on-board a Mumbai bound flight highlights our safety campaign. On Saturday October 18, 2014, at around 21:30 IST (16:00Z) approximately 30 minutes before arrival, a Singapore Airlines A380-800 9V-SKJ performing flight SQ424 from Singapore to Mumbai with 408 passengers and 25 crew on-board, suffered …

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Vistara signs agreement with SITA for Air to Ground operations and datalink service

Vistara logo

Vistara (Tata-Sia) Airlines has signed an agreement with SITA, the air transport IT specialist. The agreement is for SITA’s air-to-ground airline operations and datalink service, flight briefing services which will help the airline to  plan routes that reduce operational costs, and a comprehensive network solution connecting it’s ground operations for critical passenger services. Maneesh Jaikrishna, Vice-President, India and Sub-Continent, SITA “Vistara …

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IndiGo agrees to buy 250 A320neo in largest Airbus order

First Airbus A320neo F-WNEO MSN6101 takes off on its first flight at Toulouse Blagnac airport.

India’s largest domestic airline IndiGo, has entered in to a firm agreement with European airframer Airbus S.A.S. to procure 250 A320neo (new engine option) narrow body jetliners. This memorandum of understanding will be the largest single order in the history of Airbus by number of aircraft. Earlier to this, IndiGo has placed a 100 aircraft order for A320 classic and …

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Exclusive photos: Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner VT-ANI being retro-fitted for reliabilty

Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner VT-ANI sits forlorn with its radome removed.

Update: Oct. 14, 2014. 21:00 IST An Air India spokesperson sent us an e-mail and said “Aircraft VT-ANI is currently undergoing reliability improvement retrofit (modification) and will resume operations in November.” This is nice to hear. Can someone with subject matter expertise please explain what is the retro-fit being done? Why is this specific to only this aircraft? Why does …

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