Yearly Archives: 2018

Photos: DHL Boeing 767 at Bangalore Airport

The Boeing 767 was developed in the 1970’s along with the 757 and first flew in 1981. The aircraft would prove to be a very successful model for the American airframer with over 1100 having been produced and orders still pending for the freighter and military versions of the aircraft. Unfortunately the 767 is not a commonly seen aircraft in …

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Dakota DC-3 accepted into Indian Air Force vintage squadron

The Indian air force has accepted a 70 year old Dakota DC-3 into their vintage fleet. The aircraft which now bears the tail number VP 905 and called ‘Parashurama’ was gifted to the IAF by member of parliament and industrialist Rajeev Chandrasekhar. The gift deed was signed at a ceremony at New Delhi by Mr Chandrasekhar, his father Air Commodore …

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Impact of the new Pratt & Whitney GTF engine issues on IndiGo and Go Air

First Airbus A320neo with Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1127G-JM Geared Turbo-Fan (GTF) engine. Photo courtesy Airbus.

The recent emergency airworthiness directive (EAD) covering the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM geared turbo-fan (GTF) engine caught the industry by surprise. Aircraft maker Airbus followed the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued EAD, announcing a suspension of deliveries of A320neo and A321neo powered by the GTF engine. The airframer has also suspended taking delivery of new engines, and engine fitment …

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EASA issues emergency AD for Pratt GTF powered A320neo & A321neo

Indigo Airbus A320neo VT-ITC. Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1127 Geared Turbo Fan engine. Copyrighted image. Re-use prohibited.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued an emergency airworthiness directive (EAD) which affects the Airbus A320neo and A321neo powered by the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G geared turbofan (GTF) engines. EAD 2018-0041-E identifies an increased risk of in-flight shut down (IFSD) on all PW1127, PW1130 and PW1133 engines with engine serial number (ESN) P770450 or later. The problem is …

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Russian An-148 crashes after takeoff from Moscow

Copyright of Papas Dos. Used under Creative Commons license.

An An-148 of Saratov Airlines, has crashed five minutes after departing from Moscow. The aircraft was performing a scheduled flight 6W 703 from Moscow Domodedovo Airport to the city of Orsk. From ADSB data the flight appeared to climb to an altitude of 6200 feet before descending to 3250 feet where signal was lost. The aircraft registered RA-61704 was a …

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Boeing unveils first 737 MAX 7. Delivery to Southwest Airlines next year.

MAX-7 Paint Hangar Rollout for Employee Rollout Ceremony. Boeing image.

US airframer Boeing, unveiled the smallest variant of the Boeing 737 MAX family, the 737 MAX 7. In the NG series this is called the 737-700. The MAX 7 is the shortened version of the popular 737 MAX 8 (the MAX 9 is the stretched version). It can carry up to 172 passengers and has the maximum range of the …

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Analysis: What drove the Emirates to buy more Airbus A380?

Emirates Airbus A380 A6-EOV approaches Singapore Changi Airport. Copyrighted picture. Do not re-use.

In the weeks leading upto the Emirates A380 order there was much speculation on the future of the A380 program and if this glorious aircraft would continue to be produced. As the largest operator of the fleet type Emirates was central to the debate. Things came to a pass when at the Dubai Airshow Emirates ordered 40 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners …

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Analysis: Indigo third quarter FY2018 results. A leader in every way.

IndiGo ATR72-600 VT-IYA. Photo by Vedant Agarwal. Copyright. Do not re-use.

India’s largest domestic carrier, IndiGo, reported its third quarter results of the fiscal year 2017-2018 (Q3FY18) last week. The third quarter is the strongest of the fiscal year, and it was a yet another strong result coming on the back of a previously strong quarter. IndiGo Q3FY18 results snapshot with percentage comparisons to Q3FY17 • Revenues ₹6,449 crores (₹64.49 billion) …

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Opportunity and Parity- Pilot’s licenses in India

Indigo Airbus A320neo VT-ITC. Cockpit. Copyrighted image. Re-use prohibited.

by Poonam Verma and Apoorva Saxena Foreign pilots have enjoyed the privilege to fly steel birds in India for a long time. This, to a great extent, hampered opportunities available to Indian trained pilots. This treatment of foreign pilots in India is not being reciprocated to Indian pilots by foreign jurisdictions. This article throws some light on the opportunities and …

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Emirates offers a new non-stop Dubai Newark flight. Goes daily to Florida

Emirates Boeing 777-300ER A6-ENN.

Dubai-based Emirates airline will start a new non-stop daily service between Dubai and Newark (EWR) effective June 1. 2018. The new flight will complement the existing daily flight which operates via Athens, Greece. Emirates will use a three class cabin Boeing 777-300ER, offering eight suites in first class, 42 flat-bed seats in business, and 306 bone-crunching narrow seats in economy …

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Jet Airways to commence second Bangalore Singapore flight in March

Jet Airways' Boeing 737-800 VT-JBD

India’s leading private international airline, Jet Airways, will commence a second flight on the Bangalore Singapore route effective March 25, the start of the Summer 2018 schedule. The new flight will be an overnight red-eye flight with a morning return and will complement the existing day flight on the same route. Jet will use a two class Boeing 737-800 narrow …

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Boeing’s largest Dreamliner, 787-10, cleared for commercial service

The Boeing 787-10 rolled out at Boeing South Carolina. Boeing Image.

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded an amended type certificate (ATC) for Boeing’s largest variant of its next-gen Dreamliner family, the 787-10, clearing it for entering commercial service. The test program used three aircraft and accumulated over 900 flight hours. The 787-10 is a stretch of the 787-9 and trades payload capacity for range. It can fly …

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Airbus A380 rescue. Emirates orders 36 additional superjumbos for $16B

Emirates_A380-800 A6-EDF arrives at London.

The struggling Airbus A380 superjumbo program was just handed a lifeline by its largest operator, Dubai-based Emirates Airline. The Gulf behemoth has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to acquire up to 36 additional A380 aircraft. The firm commitment is for 20 A380s with options for an 16. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2020. From the first A380 delivery …

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Aeroflot sends US citizens to India because they are “Indian”

Any frequent flyer has missed or had a connection cancelled while in the air. When it happens during an international transit, the experience can be even more frustrating. However I have found the attitude of the ground crew is the most important factor in keeping up a good passenger experience in these situations. A BA reader forwarded me a story …

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Jet Airways launches Biryani Fridays

Jet Airways Biryani Festival.

India’s largest full cost carrier Jet Airways has begin serving biryani as a standard menu option for lunch and dinner on it’s Friday flights. The airline will be serving from a selection of Yakhni Pulao Biryani Aloo Badi Ki Biryani Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani Kabuli Biryani Kolkata Style Chicken Biryani Lucknawi Dum Biryani Shahi Veg Biryani Veg Mopla Biryani The …

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AirAsia India to restart operations from Chennai

First flight of AirAsia India. Plane after pushback.

Low cost carrier AirAsia India is relaunching flights to Chennai as it’s 17th destination. Chennai was one of the original destinations of the airline when it had first begun it’s India operations. The airline is also inducting it’s 15th Airbus A320. The airline will operate three daily flights between Bangalore and Chennai and 2 daily flights between Chennai and Bhubaneshwar …

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Airbus rolls out first of its next-gen super transporters – the BelugaXL

First Airbus Beluga XL rolls out of the final assembly line at Toulouse France. Airbus image.

European airframer Airbus has rolled out the first of its next-generation super transporters, the BelugaXL at its main assembly line in Toulouse, France. Named after the white whale it represents, the BelugaXL will succeed the current fleet of the A300-600ST (super transporter) Beluga, which is based on the A300 airframe. The BelugaXL programme began in 2014 and Airbus will build …

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To attract buyers Government allows 49% foreign investment in Air India

The Air India ramp at Mumbai CSMI Airport. Photo by and copyright Devesh Agarwal.

In a bid to attract more bids, the Union Cabinet of the Government of India, has allowed up to 49% Foreign Direct Investment in the national carrier Air India which is up for disinvestment. In a release the Government said “It has now been decided to do away with this restriction and allow foreign airlines to invest up to 49% …

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Boeing reports record deliveries and backlog in 2017

The MAX 8 is sporting the 100 years of Boeing Decal.

American airframer Boeing has set a new record for number of aircraft delivered in a year by surpassing it’s 2015 record of 762 deliveries by one. The company also grew it’s order backlog to a record 5,864 aircraft. The order backlog which equates to around seven years of production was spurred by a 35% increase in 737 orders from 550 …

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Airbus rolls out first A321neo ACF (Airbus Cabin Flex). Seats up to 240

European airframer Airbus has rolled out the first A321neo ACF (Airbus Cabin Flex) aircraft which can seat up to 240 passengers. The airframe powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines will now begin testing, first on the ground and then in-flight. The first delivery of the A321neo ACF is scheduled for mid-2018. The ACF concept was introduced in July 2014. It uses …

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