Air India Express cabin crew call off strike after contract renewal

The Air India Express Employees’ Union has called off the indefinite strike after the new management of Air India Express (AIE) agreed to renew the contract of the cabin crew for five years, which had been reduced to one year by the previous management.

In February, a meeting was held with the new management and the Assistant Labour Commissioner (Central), where the former agreed to the union’s demands. 

“The management agreed to renew the contract period of the cabin crew for five years as per the company policy, subject to qualifying standards and norms of the company.The management also agreed to offer the job of ground staff to Basil K Paulose, a member of the crew,  as recommended by the disability commission. He has been offered a new contract. The union welcomes the management decision and has withdrawn the proposed indefinite strike."KK Vijayakumar, President, Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) (BMS)

AIE cabin crew had alleged that the management had reduced the contract period of the staff to one year without any explanation.

“The cabin crew were part of the Vande Bharat mission in 2020 and Operation Ganga. We are glad that the Tata management renewed our contracts to five years, which the previous management failed to,“ said a cabin crew member.

Air India Express cabin crew call off strike after contract renewal

ALSO READ - Air India Express Cabin Crew threaten to go on strike indefinitely

The Air India Express cabin crew have decided to launch an indefinite strike from January 15 if the management does not address their concerns. Over 500 cabin crew under the Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) are likely to strike work.

They allege that the management has shown discrimination while issuing contracts. Tata Group has acquired Air India Express, a fully owned subsidiary of Air India, based in Kochi. 

Carrying names of the flight crew in an accident investigation report and secondly, making changes to a final report, post-publication, without putting it on record that the report has been altered amounts to a violation of norms laid down for such investigations.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) allegedly committed both these violations in a final report it released recently and then re-released with changes.

The matter pertains to the May 6, 2021, non-fatal, landing accident involving a Beechcraft King Air 250 aircraft (VT-MPQ) in Gwalior. The final report of the accident was accepted by the director-general, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and was uploaded on its website on February 11.

The matter pertains to the May 6, 2021, non-fatal, landing accident involving a Beechcraft King Air 250 aircraft (VT-MPQ) in Gwalior.

Earlier, 10 months after an uninsured aircraft owned by the Madhya Pradesh government crash-landed at the Gwalior airbase, the state government has handed out an INR 85-crore bill for damages to Captain Majid Akhtar, the pilot who was flying the aircraft on May 6.

ALSO READ - Covid warrior pilot handed a bill of INR 85 crore for crash landing

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had suspended Akhtar’s flying licence for a year. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is probing the crash-landing.

“It carried names of the flight crew which is a violation of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules 2017, Para 17(3) states that the final report shall not disclose the names of the persons involved in the accident or incident. Para 22 states that ‘any person who contravenes, or fails to comply with, any of these rules, shall be punishable by the provisions of the sub-section (2) of section 10 of the Act.In a previous case, the AAIB had published an incident report with a map of India showing Jammu region as Azad Kashmir. Once the anomaly was highlighted, the report was replaced with a new one but without a revision number as in the case mentioned above."Capt Amit Singh, Air Safety Expert and Founder, Safety Matters Foundation

Capt Singh, founder of Safety Matters Foundation, an NGO that promotes a safety culture in aviation said that he pointed out the violation in a tweet he posted on a social media platform on February 22.

Two days later, on February 24, the final report that was accepted and published was replaced by another report. The new report redacted, deleted the names of the crew. But it did not put on record that a revision or amendment has been made to the original document, noted Capt Singh in a letter sent recently to MoCA about the issue.

Now, there are now two versions of the same final report, one which carries the names of the crew and another one without the names. “Such changes in Aircraft Accident Reports amount to fraudulent alteration involving the material alteration to a central government-issued document by a person other than the person who signed the instrument,” he said.

This isn’t the first time that the AAIB has bungled an investigation report. “Aircraft Accident Investigation is a vital element in the 'Safety Management System' for determination of the root cause or causes of accidents which can help prevent such occurrences,” he said.

Boeing Co said on Monday, March 7 it had suspended buying titanium from Russia, while its European rival Airbus continues to use supplies from the nation that hosts the world's largest supplier of the commodity, VSMPO-AVISMA.

The U.S. planemaker said it had a "substantial" inventory of the metal, prized in aerospace for its strength relative to its weight and its compatibility with the latest generation of carbon fibre, long-distance passenger jets.

"We have suspended purchasing titanium from Russia. Our inventory and diversity of titanium sources provide sufficient supply for airplane production," Boeing said in an emailed statement.

Boeing halts purchase of Russian titanium, while Airbus continues to use the supplies

The head of state-controlled VSMPO-AVISMA hit out at Boeing's decision to suspend the contract, which had been renewed four months ago at the Dubai Airshow where Boeing pledged to keep the Russian company as its largest titanium supplier.

The two companies had also agreed to increase the use of forgings manufacturing joint-venture - Ural Boeing Manufacturing - in Russia's Titanium Valley in the Urals.

"We sincerely regret that the contracts with our long-term partner are suspended," VSMPO-AVISMA Chief Executive Dmitry Osipov said in an emailed statement on Monday, March 7.

"We are now reorienting our sales policy to other markets," he said, adding that the company had prepared for such an outcome for several months.

The head of state-controlled VSMPO-AVISMA hit out at Boeing's decision to suspend the contract

Western governments imposed sanctions on Russia after it invaded Ukraine in what it calls a “special military operation,” but they have not targeted VSMPO-AVISMA, 25% of which is owned by state defence conglomerate Rostec. It relies on aerospace for three-quarters of its sales.

The potential for disruption to Russian commodity supplies has thrown a spotlight on titanium, which is also used in the marine, auto and nuclear industries.

Besides Boeing, aerospace firms including Safran and Dassault Aviation are looking for alternative supplies of titanium, which is used in airplane parts from engines to fasteners.

In France, Airbus said it continued to source titanium from Russia and other countries

In France, Airbus SE said it continued to source titanium from Russia and other countries. In an emailed statement, it said it was also obtaining titanium indirectly via its first-tier suppliers, all in compliance with sanctions.

The European planemaker has said it relies on Russia for half of its overall titanium needs, while VSMPO-AVISMA provides a third of Boeing's requirements.

Industry sources say Airbus receives its Russian titanium primarily from VSMPO-AVISMA with some titanium parts for landing gear supplied by Nizhny Novgorod-based Hydromash.

Besides Boeing, aerospace firms including Safran and Dassault Aviation are looking for alternative supplies of titanium

It has been said that its general ability to boost jet output depends on the availability of raw materials, including titanium. Its NH90 and Tiger military helicopter programmes have relied on Russian titanium, according to Airbus' 2019 annual report.

Airbus did not immediately respond to a query about the specific status of its VSMPO-AVISMA contract.

Aerospace companies worldwide have been increasing stocks of titanium and moving to diversify sources since the Crimea crisis in 2014.

Boeing Co has preliminary plans to boost production of its cash cow 737-family narrowbody to around 47 per month by the end of next year, as the U.S. planemaker looks to extend its recovery from successive crises, two people familiar with the matter said.

After slashing production due mainly to the pandemic, Boeing and European rival Airbus SE are seeing more demand for their medium-haul passenger jets, with both planemakers adding eye-catching deals to their order books in recent weeks.

Boeing intends to double its 737 MAX production by the end of 2023

Boeing's production plans shift and are influenced by many factors, the people cautioned. Doubts are already swirling in the industry over whether the supply chain will be able to meet aggressive production ramp-up plans, particularly in Europe.

Suppliers are grappling with labour and materials shortages and weakened balance sheets following the overlapping pandemic and 737 MAX safety grounding crises.

Boeing said in late January it was working to clear an inventory of 335 737 MAX airplanes amassed following two fatal crashes of the jet that grounded the plane for 20 months. It has been estimated most of those jets would be delivered by the end of 2023.

Over 4,800 737 MAX aircraft have been ordered as the Boeing 737 MAX is becoming more proven & trustworthy

With the 737 MAX in such high demand, Boeing's Renton, Washington, USA factory will be humming along for years to come. Over 4,800 737 MAX aircraft have been ordered as the Boeing 737 MAX is becoming more proven & trustworthy as a jetliner for the next few decades and logical evolution to the 737 design.

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The 737 MAX is designed around new larger CFM International LEAP engines that are more efficient and provide a longer range plus a lower cost per passenger. Boeing declined to comment on its production plans and referred to its last public statements.

In late January, Chief Financial Officer Brian West said the 737 programs were producing at a rate of 27 jets per month and we're on track to reach 31 per month "fairly soon".

Two of the people said the 31-jet monthly stride would come during the second half of the year, though a third person said it could happen sooner.

Beyond that, Boeing aims to increase to around 38 narrowbody jets monthly during the first half of 2023, and reach about 47 jets per month in the second half of 2023, two people said.

Boeing was laying the groundwork to nearly double production by the end of 2023, the third person said but noted the plans could change due to supply chain constraints or other factors.

A rate of 47 aircraft per month is five shy of its build rate in 2019 when the 737 MAX was grounded.

Airbus, meanwhile, has set a production target of 65 a month by summer 2023 for its A320-family narrowbody. It has been at odds with engine makers led by France's Safran over its ambitions to push production afterwards as high as 75 a month.

(With Inputs from Reuters)

A Coast Guard Dornier 228 aircraft travelling from Chennai to Kanpur suffered an engine snag on Thursday, March 3 as it rammed into a structure in the airport after landing. The aircraft was travelling to Chakeri in Kanpur, where the HAL facility is located. No casualties were reported in the incident.

The crew, including IAF personnel, who were scheduled to visit the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited facility in Kanpur, managed to get out of the aircraft in time. 

Speaking to The Indian Express, Coast Guard Director General Virender Pathania said, “The aircraft had suffered a snag in one of the engines. The pilots did a marvellous job in landing the aircraft. The matter is under investigation now.’’

https://twitter.com/fl360aero/status/1500248342068174858

The left engine of the aircraft had stopped functioning post landing. As the pilots landed the plane on the runway, it steered to the right and rammed into a structure.

Dornier 228 aircraft is used by the Coast Guard for patrol and in search and rescue missions. Dornier 228 is a twin-engine turboprop, highly versatile multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft manufactured by HAL for the Indian Coast Guard.

Inspector General of Coast Guard Bishan Sharma, who is in charge of the aviation wing, refused to comment on the incident but said that the matter was being investigated.

The left engine of the aircraft had stopped functioning post landing.

Dornier 228 is a twin-engine turboprop, highly versatile multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft manufactured by HAL for the Indian Coast Guard.

The aircraft is lightweight with a wide range of operating speeds and fuel-efficient uniqueness. This high winged aircraft is operated by ICG in two variants in the 228 – 100 and 228 – 200 series.

The Dornier 228 has quick role changing capability for any of the following roles - Maritime Patrol & Surveillance, Marine Pollution Contingency, Search & Rescue and Medical Evacuation.

Alliance Air will be operating Hindustan-228 in Arunachal Pradesh routes and has plans to procure more for other sectors in the Northern Eastern states.

HAL has the capabilities of short takeoff and landing, the ability to land and take-off from semi-prepared runways due to which it has been marketed to regional airlines that operate under UDAN.

State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) had signed a pact with Alliance Air to supply two of its Do-228 aircraft for deployment in Arunachal Pradesh. The deal is meant to boost Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) in the region.

Alliance Air to operate HAL's Do-228 aircraft under UDAN-RCS

The HAL Do-228 is a versatile aircraft well-suited for operations in the North East and has the capabilities of short take-off and landing, ability to land and take-off from semi-prepared runways, the company said in a statement.

HAL's Transport Aircraft Division, Kanpur has been in the business of transport and trainer aircraft for defence customers and looks after manufacturing of Hindustan-228 aircraft.

The Hindustan-228 is a 19-seat multirole utility aircraft built for various applications such as VIP transport, passenger transport, air ambulance, flight inspection roles, cloud seeding, and recreational activities like para jumping, aerial surveillance, photography and cargo applications.

The HAL Do-228 is a versatile aircraft well-suited for operations in the North East

This development opens a new vista in civil aviation for HAL, it said, adding the company is keen to increase its footprint in regional civil aviation by engaging more numbers of HAL Do-228 by air operators of the country.

Apurba Roy, General Manager, Transport Aircraft Division, Kanpur, HAL and Arun Kumar Bansal, Head of Engineering, Alliance Air Aviation Limited signed the deal papers in Bengaluru. On the occasion, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said it was a big day for the state given the geographical challenges in the vast state, the connectivity will now be easier.

Alliance Air (formerly known as Air India Regional) was founded in 1996 as a subsidiary of Indian Airlines which was later merged with Air India in 2007 and mainly operates domestic routes as part of the government's Regional Connectivity Scheme.

The government also intended to sell Alliance Air and use the proceeds to pay down AIAHL's debt.

In 2022 following the disinvestment of Air India Limited to Tata Group Alliance Air became an independent brand remaining with the Government of India through AI Assets Holding Limited (AIAHL)

Alliance Air's parent company, Air India Limited, was sold to Tata Sons on October 8 2021. Alliance Air was not a part of the deal and was instead transferred to Air India Asset Holdings Pvt Ltd (AIAHL), a state-owned special purpose vehicle that holds Air India's remaining assets and liabilities. 

The government also intended to sell Alliance Air and use the proceeds to pay down AIAHL's debt. Alliance Air was valued at around INR 2,000 crore.