Bangalore Aviation News, Reviews, Analysis and opinions of Indian Aviation
by Devesh Agarwal Image courtesy Wikipedia CFM International announced that it has completed design freeze, i.e. freezing the design and engine configuration, for the LEAP-1B, the exclusive engine for the Boeing 737 MAX. LEAP is an acronym for “Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion”. The company expects the first full engine to test by mid 2014. CFM International, is a 50/50 joint …
Read More »Japan Airines’ plans for re-induction of the 787 Dreamliner and fleet re-deployment globally
JAL 787 at New Delhi prior to grounding The Japan Airlines (JAL) Group has announced its plans for flights and a phased re-introduction of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner in to service around June 1, 2013. The airline has set up a 787 dedicated micro-site on its website to explain the 787 fixes. A new daily 787 non-stop service between Tokyo …
Read More »Houston Intercontinental airport terminal B sealed after shooting incident
Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental airport (IATA: IAH) is undergoing severe disruptions, as officials have effectively sealed up Terminal B after a fatal shooting earlier today. The Houston Police report on its Facebook page says The armed suspect in the airport incident has died from his injuries. He entered Terminal B and fired at least one shot in the air. A …
Read More »Video: The making of Terminal 2 at Mumbai airport
While Delhi’s IGI airport is India’s biggest, arguably the busiest is Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA). The $2 billion Mumbai Airport Expansion project is one of India’s most ambitious undertakings ever and uses some extremely innovative construction techniques to overcome problems, bottlenecks, and even local sentiments. From Discovery Channel’s Build It Bigger programme, watch the making of CSIA’s Terminal …
Read More »Analysis: India and UAE sign MoU on bilateral air services agreement
The official version of the press release from the Press Information Bureau of the Government of India. India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed an MoU on Air Services, following the two-day bilateral negotiation at Abu Dhabi today. The UAE had urged India to allocate additional 40,000 seats per week, grant Goa, Pune, Amritsar and Lucknow as additional points of …
Read More »University of Applied Sciences Frankfurt launches MBA in Aviation Management course in India
The Fachhochschule Frankfurt am Main (FH FFM) in collaboration with the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), head-quartered in Dehradun has launched a course offering an MBA in aviation management. 28 students have taken up their studies in programme launched in Indian aviation’s metro hubs Delhi and Mumbai. EU to India ambassador – Mr. João Cravinho lighting the inaugural …
Read More »Video: 737 door operation – debunking the mid-flight door opening threat
We hear of drunk passengers threatening to open the door mid-flight, and we have occasionally seen Hollywood or Bollywood showing the door of a plane opening mid-flight. It is just not possible to do such a thing. Below is a video showing the operations of the door of a Boeing 737 aircraft. Observe, that to open the door outwards of …
Read More »The Queen of Spices crowned in Lufthansa Star Chef Contest
Winning recipe to feature in Lufthansa flights and The Leela restaurants Ms. Vandana Sethi was declared the Grand Prize winner of Lufthansa Star Chef Contest in the Grand Finale at The Leela, Mumbai yesterday where 12 aspiring chefs, selected from thousands of contestants across India, vied for top honours in a live cook-out. Vandana won the battle of taste with …
Read More »Jetihad is born. Etihad buys 24% stake in Jet Airways for $379 million. To inject additional $220 million.
Etihad Airways to inject additional $220 million in to Jet Airways by Devesh Agarwal We are reproducing the official release. Our analysis of this transaction will follow next week. Jet Airways and Etihad Airways at a glance Highlights Strategic investment under FDI policy of the Government of India will deliver wide-ranging revenue growth and cost synergy opportunities for both …
Read More »Video: How Boeing responded to the Indian Navy’s P-8I additional flight and weapons’ testing needs
In 2012, the P-8I being built for the Indian Navy was transitioned in to flight testing by Boeing. With a committed delivery date set, the program was suddenly required to do additional flight testing, including weapons separation testing; and all this without adding any additional time to the schedule. Boeing was required to drop simulated weapons from the wing of …
Read More »Ground crew strike cripples Lufthansa
by Devesh Agarwal German carrier Deutsche Lufthansa underwent an almost total shut-down when its ground crew went on strike early Monday over working conditions, causing the cancellation of almost all of the airline’s flights. In a statement on its website, the carrier said “nearly all Lufthansa flights within Germany and Europe will be cancelled” and “massive flight cancellations and delays …
Read More »Boeing to begin modifying 787s for return to service
Boeing image Today’s approval of battery system improvements for the 787 Dreamliner by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) clears the way for Boeing and its customers to install the approved modifications and will lead to a return to service and resumption of new production deliveries. The FAA’s action will permit the return to service of 787s in the United …
Read More »FAA Approves Boeing 787 Battery System Design Changes
The long grounded Boeing 787 fleet across the world are expected to soon return to the skies, as the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today took the next step in returning the Boeing 787 to flight by approving Boeing’s design for modifications to the 787 battery system. The changes are designed to address risks at the battery cell level, the …
Read More »Boeing slows down 747-8 production rate
by Devesh Agarwal US Airframer Boeing announced that it will adjust the production rate for the 747-8 program from two airplanes to 1.75 airplanes per month because of lower market demand for large passenger and freighter airplanes. Boeing expects long-term average growth in the air cargo market to resume in 2014, and forecasts a demand for 790 large airplanes (such …
Read More »Air Cargo Germany suspends operations
by Devesh Agarwal German air freight operator Air Cargo Germany announced a “temporary” but indefinite suspension of all of its operations as of Thursday, April 18. ACG Boeing 747-400 freighter at Mumbai. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal The carrier, with an IATA code of 6U and based out of Frankfurt Hahn airport, has a fleet of four Boeing 747-400 freighters that …
Read More »Malaysia Airlines to upgrade Hong Kong route to Airbus A380
Superjumbo replaces existing Boeing 737 service by Devesh Agarwal National carrier Malaysia Airlines will upgrade its twice daily Boeing 737-800 operated Kuala Lumpur Hong Kong route to an Airbus A380 effective May 1, 2013. Hong Kong will be the third A380 destination for the carrier after London and Paris. The new schedule is: MH72 departs Kuala Lumpur 09:15 arrives Hong …
Read More »INFOGRAPHIC: Airline-wise share of international passenger traffic, to and from India, 2011 to 2012
Based on a report in The Economic Times we have prepared this infographic showing the airlines’ market share of international passenger traffic to and from India during fiscal 2011~2012. The chart throws up some surprises. SriLankan Airlines and Oman Air feature on this list, but Singapore Airlines does not. Hard to accept? and where is AirAsia? Share your thoughts via …
Read More »British Airways commences Colombo route and enhances Hyderabad
British Airways has commenced a new route to Colombo and enhanced its existing Hyderabad service to six a week. The airline yesterday announced the start of a three days a week service from London Gatwick to Colombo, Sri Lanka, via Male, Maldives. To Hyderabad, British Airways appears to be trying to fill the vacancy created by Lufthansa’s withdrawal of service. …
Read More »Airline body IATA re-structures divisions and consolidates its geographies
The global airline body, The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents about 240 airlines, announced an organizational restructuring of its main divisions and regional operations which will take effect from 1 July 2013. A key guiding principle of the restructuring is the concept of ‘Global Development, Regional Delivery’. Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO said “IATA is changing …
Read More »Qatar Airways commences services to Chicago
by Devesh Agarwal Qatar Airways’ commenced its thrice-weekly passenger services between Doha and Chiacgo, The Windy City. Chicago will become the 126th destination for the middle east carrier, and its fourth US gateway after New York JFK, Washington Dulles, and Houston George Bush Intercontinental. The Doha Chicago route is being operated with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a two-class configuration …
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