Vedant Agarwal

A frequent flyer for both work and pleasure - Vedant has held elite status on many of the major alliances and airlines. Also an avid aviation photographer, his pictures have been published in and on the covers of many international publications.

Aviation trivia: Launch customers of Boeing aircraft

Boeing 787-9 ZB001 N789EX at Farnborough air show 2014. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal.

With the Airbus A350 recently entering service, there have been quite a few launches and with them launch customers in the last few years. To look back over the years I have started compiling a list of the launch customers of various aircraft. So this first article will begin with the launch customers of all Boeing jet aircraft. (By launch …

Read More »

Embraer KC-390 makes first flight

Embraer KC-390 - Maiden Flight. Embraer Image.

Yesterday Brazillan airframer successfully performed the first flight of the KC-390 military transport and aerial refueling jet. The aircraft bears the registration PT-ZNF and is powered by International Aero Engines (IAE) V2500-E5 engines. The aircraft was crewed by test pilots Mozart Louzada and Marcos Salgado de Oliveira Lima and flight test engineers Raphael Lima and Roberto Becker who flew the …

Read More »

Flight review: Etihad business class: Airbus A330-200: Abu Dhabi – Hyderabad

Following up on my flight review of Etihad Airways business class from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi on their A340-600, this review covers my return journey which includes the chauffeur drive service for premium class passengers and a series of very unfortunate delays, though it was not the fault of the airline. Etihad’s chauffeur drive service Dubai to Abu Dhabi airport …

Read More »

Scoot takes delivery of it’s first Dreamliner

Singapore based low cost carrier Scoot has taken delivery of it’s first 787 dreamliner. The aircraft is a Boeing 787-9 which bears the registration 9V-OJA and is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. The airline will take delivery of an additional 19 787 Dreamliners. The airplanes were originally ordered by it’s parent company Singapore Airlines, which included ten 787-9 and …

Read More »

USAF chooses 747-8i platform for next Air Force One

The US Air force has announced that the Boeing 747-8i will serve as the next presidential aircraft, commonly known as Air Force One. The decision, made official through a Determinations and Findings document, authorizes the commercial aircraft purchase by other than full and open competition. The Air Force intends to purchase three numbers of the aircraft platform as well as …

Read More »

Vistara and Singapore Airlines launch Frequent Flyer Programme partnership

It was inevitable. Singapore Airlines and Vistara (Tata-SIA) have announced a partnership between their KrisFlyer and Club Vistara frequent flyer programmes. The partnership enables KrisFlyer members to earn and redeem miles on Vistara flights and Club Vistara members can earn and redeem points on Singapore Airlines and SilkAir flights. The accrual of miles and points for members of both frequent …

Read More »

Vistara to begin operations to Goa and Hyderabad

Vistara VT-TTB welcomed at Mumbai CSI airport with the traditional water cannon salute.

Vistara (Tata-SIA) has announced that it will begin operations on two new routes, the first to Goa from 20th February and then to Hyderabad from 1st March, 2015. The airline began it’s operations in India earlier this month on 9th January. Vistara currently has a fleet of three Airbus A320s and aims to have a fleet size of five by March. Read our …

Read More »

Air Europa orders 14 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners

Air Europa 787-9

Boeing has announced an order for 14 787-9 Dreamliners from Spanish carrier Air Europa. The order valued at $3.6 billion at list prices, is the largest ever Boeing widebody order from a Spanish carrier. The order was booked in December 2014 and was previously attributed to an unidentified customer on the Boeing Orders & Deliveries website. Air Europa now has …

Read More »

Inflight review: Tata-SIA Vistara premium economy: A320: New Delhi – Mumbai

Vistara A320-200 Business Class Cabin

Today morning, I flew the inaugural flight of India’s newest full service airline, Vistara, the brand name for Tata-SIA Airlines, the joint venture between India’s most respected conglomerate the Tatas, and Singapore Airlines. Indira Gandhi international (DEL) to Chhatrapati Shivaji international (BOM). UK890. Depart 12:30 Arrive 14:45. All times local. Airbus A320-200. VT-TTB. Seat 7D. 09-January-2015. Check In – New …

Read More »

Royal Air Maroc recieves it’s first 787 Dreamliner

American air-framer Boeing has delivered Moroccan flag carrier Royal Air Maroc’s first 787 Dreamliner. The airline will be the first carrier in the Mediterranean region to operate the 787. The airplane bearing the registration CN-RGB is powered by two General Electric GEnx-1B engines, was delivered to the airline on Dec. 31, 2014 from Boeing’s Everett Delivery Center. The aircraft then …

Read More »

CAAC type certifies Comac ARJ21-700

Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has issued an ARJ21-700 aircraft type certificate to Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC). The airworthiness certification of CAAC, indicates that the ARJ21 has met the requirements of China Civil Aviation Regulations CCAR-25-R3. The ARJ21 (Advanced Regional Jet) project was part of China’s 10th 5 year plan. The aircraft was originally scheduled to …

Read More »

Boeing completes successful first flight of KC-46 Tanker

United States Air Force Boeing 767-2C. Boeing Image.

US airframer Boeing has successfully completed the first flight of the KC-46 tanker program. The plane, a Boeing 767-2C, took off from Paine Field, Washington, USA at 9:29 a.m. (PST) and landed three hours and 32 minutes later at Boeing Field in Renton. The aircraft will receive its military systems following certification. The KC-X tanker competition was floated by the …

Read More »

AirAsia flight from Surabaya to Singapore goes missing #QZ8501

AirAsia A320 9M-AHS at Penang airport.

An AirAsia Indonesia Airbus A320-200 aircraft registration PK-AXC performing flight QZ8501 from Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore has gone missing. The airline has issued a statement “AirAsia Indonesia regrets to confirm that flight QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore has lost contact with air traffic control at 07:24hrs this morning.” It is unclear whether the time zone is GMT+7 (Indonesia time) …

Read More »

Kuwait Airways orders 10 Boeing 777-300ERs

A CGI of a Kuwait Airways Boeing 777-300ER. Boeing Image.

Kuwait Airways has finalized an order for 10 Boeing 777-300ERs (Extended Range), valued at $3.3 billion at current list prices. These aircraft will join the airlines existing 777 fleet of two 777-200ER. The airline originally announced its intent to order the 777-300ER in November. Rasha Al Roumi, CEO, Kuwait Airways “Kuwait Airways has plans to renew its fleet as well …

Read More »

Boeing delivers Azerbaijan airlines’ first 787

Azerbaijan Airlines today took delivery of the airline’s first 787 Dreamliner. With this delivery, Azerbaijan Airlines becomes the first airline in the Commonwealth of Independent States to operate the 787. The aircraft is registered VP-BBR and is powered by two General Electric GEnx-1B engines. Jahangir Askerov, President, Azerbaijan Airlines “We are delighted to receive this revolutionary airplane, which will help …

Read More »

Airbus delivers first A350 XWB to Qatar Airways

Airbus has delivered the first A350 XWB to launch customer Qatar Airways. The aircraft which bears the registration A7-ALA is the sixth A350 to have been made and is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines which are the exclusive engines for the A350. Akbar Al Baker, CEO, Qatar Airways Group “Receiving the A350 XWB as global launch customer is …

Read More »

Boeing delivers Malaysia Airlines 100th 737

American airframer Boeing celebrated the 100th 737 direct delivery to Malaysia Airlines last Friday. The aircraft bears the registration 9M-MXY. The airline has a long history of operating the 737, having taken delivery of its first 737, a 737-200, in 1972. The carrier has operated the 737-200, 737-300, 737-400, 737-500 and 737-800. Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, group chief executive officer, Malaysia …

Read More »

Will they – Won’t they? Airbus announces December 22nd for delivery of Qatar’s A350

European airframer Airbus has announced 22nd December 2014 as the delivery date of it’s first Airbus A350-900 to Qatar Airways. The airline had been scheduled to take delivery of the new widebody jet on the 13th of December, but had indefinitely postponed the delivery without any official explanation. The airline has a history of late deliveries, many of which are …

Read More »

Etihad takes delivery of it’s first Airbus A380

Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways, has taken delivery of it’s first Airbus A380 aircraft. The airline is the thirteenth airline to operate the A380, and the aircraft is the 150th A380 delivered by Airbus. The aircraft bearing the registration A6-APA is powered by four Engine Alliance GP7270 engines and is the first in the airline’s 10 aircraft order for the …

Read More »
+OK