AirAsia India's 2 aircraft return to Delhi within 6 hours due to technical snags mid-air

AirAsia India's two A320 aircraft, which were heading from Delhi to Srinagar, returned to the national capital as they faced technical snags mid-air within approximately six hours on Saturday, June 11.

The Delhi-Srinagar flight I5-712, which was being operated on A320 aircraft with registration number VT-APJ, took off from the Delhi airport at around 11:55 AM. After the plane was mid-air for about half an hour, the pilot announced that the aircraft (VT-APJ) is facing a technical snag.

A320 VT-APJ aircraft safely returned to Delhi airport at around 1:45 PM with all the passengers.

AirAsia India's 2 aircraft return to Delhi within 6 hours due to technical snags mid-air

Another A320 aircraft with registration number VT-RED was arranged by the airline to conduct the I5-712 flight so that the stranded passengers could be taken to Srinagar.

Sometime after the second plane took off, the pilot announced that this aircraft (VT-RED) too has developed a technical snag and it will have to return to the Delhi airport. VT-RED aircraft safely returned to Delhi airport at around 5:30 PM with the passengers.

"AirAsia India confirms that flight from Delhi to Srinagar had to return to Delhi on account of a technical snag. The aircraft is being operated after rectification of the snag to recover continuity of operations to and from Srinagar.We regret the inconvenience and disruption to the travel plans of our guests and reaffirm our commitment to safety in all our operations."Spokesperson, AirAsia India

After two failed attempts at ferrying passengers to their destination, AirAsia India decided to offer them a full refund on their tickets. In addition, passengers were also provided with the option to book another AirAsia India flight within the next 30 days.

Airbus, which manufactures A320 aircraft, did not respond to PTI's request for a statement on this matter.

AirAsia India decided to offer the passengers a full refund on their tickets.

ALSO READ - DGCA orders probe after Air Arabia crew declares mayday; emergency landing in Ahmedabad

In the past few months, there has been a spurt in aircraft engine snags. The DGCA is investigating these snags faced by Indian carriers closely with the original equipment manufacturers. And now a foreign airline’s engine snag also joins its probe list.

ALSO READ – A320neo aircraft of Air India makes an emergency landing in Mumbai after mid-air engine shut down

Fixar - leading European software and aircraft design developer, has developed the FIXAR-025 - an autonomous full-electric drone, designed for large-scale missions for commercial and industrial applications.

Founded in 2018 by aerospace engineer Vasily Lukashov, the company holds a unique patented commercial drone design that is simpler and more reliable than other configurations. The company has a presence in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa and provides world-class service through a network of distribution partners. 

@FIXAR_drones | Twitter

FIXAR 025

FIXAR

The FIXAR 025 is an autonomous full-electric drone designed to handle large-scale and long-range missions for commercial and industrial applications, such as mapping and inspections, aerial imaging, remote sensing, surveillance and monitoring.

It is fully electric and runs on lithium polymer batteries in comparison with similar-size solutions that run on fuel.

The low-maintenance and easy-to-use drone supports the integration of heavier and more sophisticated professional payload modules and is an excellent tool for safe and stress-free BVLOS missions assured by its advanced payload safety system, data backup BlackBox, UTM API and absence of any additional launch or landing equipment

Tech and specs

Aircraft typeHybrid (VTOL & fixed-wing)Max. take-off weight (MTOW)25 kg (55 lbs)Max. payload weight10 kg (22 lbs)Autonomous flightYesCruise speed85 km/h (52.8 mph)Maximum flight time3.5 hoursMaximum flight distance300 km (186 mi)Energy sourceRechargeable lithium polymer batteriesMax altitude5000 m (16 404 ft)FIXAR

XGROUND CONTROL SOFTWARE

Representative | FIXAR

The drone features a closed-source software that allows to build and edit a flight mission and monitor missions in real-time using 3D visualization for one or multiple drones simultaneously. The customization option is available for experienced operators who prefer to manually adjust mission parameters, such as turn angles, etc

FIXAR Autopilot

Representative | FIXAR

The autopilot software version 2.0 is impervious to confidential data breaches and is compatible with AI and LTE.

Customizable for heavy payloads

Featuring a high payload capacity of up to 10 kg (22 lbs), the drone can be equipped with a variety of heavier sensors and deliver results in fewer flights based on increased flight range and time. The FIXAR 025 drone is equipped with a payload safety system, which ensures the protection of the payload at every stage of the mission from take-off to landing.

The FIXAR Blackbox

AutoEvolution

The FIXAR BlackBox is an extended feature that allows the system to record complete and detailed information on onboard flight activities and parameters.

It consists of a lightweight separate module that records all flight data into technical logs and LogExport software to process these logs for user purposes. This feature allows the geotagging to be available to operators at any time, even if the drone is powered off.

The drone user or any other party is not able to interfere with or modify the logged data, and data extraction from the device is performed wirelessly for an effortless process.

The system comes with an API compatible with any unmanned air traffic management ecosystem regardless of the country of operations. This allows to easily comply to the air traffic authority rules, fulfill safety requirements and start missions at any location in no timesays Vasily Lukashov, Founder & CEO at FIXAR

Twitter

Serial production of the FIXAR 025 is slated to begin by the end of 2022 while pre-orders can be placed now.

https://mobile.twitter.com/FIXAR_Drones/status/1535140037523816450

With this model, we intend to answer a lasting market call for the increased flight range, payload capacity, and integration vastness. FIXAR 025 has a full-body lift design, the entire body of the UAV serves as a wing area, eliminating dead weight and increasing flight efficiency and lengthLukashov

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-UWasSK0Lk&t=10s

FIXAR Global

SOURCE(s)

COVER: AutoEvolution

The CEO of Wizz Air has drawn the ire of pilot unions after suggesting that too many crew members were refusing to fly because of fatigue.

According to The Guardian, Wizz Air CEO Jozsef Varadi told staff in an internal briefing that too many employees were taking time off due to fatigue at a time when the aviation industry is facing a staff crunch that has led to disrupted flight schedules.

“We are all fatigued but sometimes it is required to take the extra mile. I understand that fatigue is a potential outcome of the issues, but once we are starting stabilising the rosters, we also need to take down the fatigue rate.I mean, we cannot run this business when every fifth person of a base reports sickness because the person is fatigued."Jozsef Varadi, CEO, Wizz Air

Pilot fatigue is taken seriously in the aviation industry as it can lead to accidents and affect flight safety. Given that pilots often work long and unpredictable hours, the International Air Transport Association has a 148-page report on handling crew fatigue, as do other regulators like FAA.

Varadi, however, pointed to the “reputational damage” that comes with cancelling flights. "The damage is huge when we are cancelling a flight. It's reputational damage of the brand and it is the other financial damage, the transactional damage because we have to pay compensation for that,” he told staff members in the briefing that has drawn backlash.

CEO of Wizz Air faces backlash after he told pilots to work through their fatigue

The European Cockpit Association shared the remarks, which were made over a private call, in a video on Twitter. “Wizz Air CEO encourages pilots to fly fatigued! It’s like handing the car keys to a drunk driver,” the Association wrote as it asked the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to “step in”.

Rules state that air crew should not fly, and should not be required to fly if they are in a state of fatigue which could endanger passengers or the aircraft.

A spokesperson for Wizz Air said the CEO’s remarks were taken out of context and were meant for the whole crew, not pilots specifically.

"This clip has been edited from a briefing to all staff (not pilots only, but also cabin crew and all office employees) on key business updates and current challenges facing aviation. Supply chain issues are affecting all airlines, in particular staff availability and welfare.Our crew unavailability has been very low, at 4%. In this context, going the extra mile to minimize disruption was discussed. What this does not mean is compromising safety."Spokesperson, Wizz Air

The explanation has done little to placate pilot unions and other experts. Martin Chalk, general secretary of the British Airline Pilots' Association, told BBC he was “very surprised by the apparent views of Mr Varadi on fatigue” as "fatigue has been shown, in many studies, to have effects on a person's thinking and decision making similar to alcohol".

Aedrian Bekker, a clinical and aviation psychologist, also told CNN that the fact that Varadi was not referring to pilots specifically did not make his remarks any better.

"If a check-in agent is fatigued, could it start a chain of events that would be hard to prevent? All it takes is one person to make a mistake and not think of the implications -- for someone not to put a screw back on, or do up a bolt properly."We can all relate to [those kinds of lapses] but in any safety-critical industry, to tell people to suck it up and work harder? Common sense dictates that that's not clever -- especially not for a CEO who's paid big bucks to motivate and energize."Aedrian Bekker, Clinical and Aviation Psychologist

Established in May 2004, Wizz Air is an ultra-low-cost carrier headquartered at Budapest Airport. Wizz Air predominantly uses secondary airports and is continuously looking at opportunities to expand its network of destinations and provide low-cost air transport to and from Central and Eastern Europe.

Founded by Váradi in 2003 after his time as CEO at the now-defunct Hungarian state-owned airline Malev, Wizz Air aimed to be an even more affordable version of Ryanair: an “ultra-low-cost” carrier.

Wizz Air is an ultra-low-cost carrier headquartered at Budapest Airport.

Váradi himself doesn’t operate on a shoestring budget: He’s set to receive a USD 124 million bonus should he double the company’s market cap in five years. 

Reportedly one of the biggest bonuses ever offered to the CEO of a U.K.-listed company, a full third of Wizz Air shareholders followed the recommendation of proxy advisers Glass Lewis and ISS in voting against what was deemed an excessive bonus.

Pilot Fatigue and Flight Safety

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) defines fatigue as "A physiological state of reduced mental or physical performance capability resulting from sleep loss or extended wakefulness, circadian phase, or workload."

Rules state that air crew should not fly, and should not be required to fly if they are in a state of fatigue which could endanger passengers or the aircraft.

The phenomenon places a great risk on the crew and passengers of an airplane because it significantly increases the chance of pilot error. Fatigue is particularly prevalent among pilots because of "unpredictable work hours, long duty periods, circadian disruption, and insufficient sleep".

ALSO READ - What is Circadian Rhythm and how does it impact pilots?

These factors can occur together to produce a combination of sleep deprivation, circadian rhythm effects, and 'time-on task' fatigue. Regulators attempt to mitigate fatigue by limiting the number of hours pilots are allowed to fly over varying periods.

It has been estimated that 4-7% of civil aviation incidents and accidents can be attributed to fatigued pilots. "In the last 16 years, fatigue has been associated with 250 fatalities in air carrier accidents." Robert Sumwalt, NTSB vice chairman, said at an FAA symposium in July 2016.

The magnitude of these effects is correlated to the circadian rhythm and length of time awake.

Symptoms associated with fatigue include slower reaction times, difficulty concentrating on tasks resulting in procedural mistakes, lapses in attention, inability to anticipate events, higher toleration for risk, forgetfulness, and reduced decision-making ability.

The magnitude of these effects is correlated to the circadian rhythm and length of time awake. Performance is affected the most when there is a combination of extended wakefulness and circadian influences.

Afghanistan's flag carrier, Ariana Afghan Airlines, announced that it will soon resume flights to India, China and Kuwait.

"Flights will soon start to India, where there are a lot of goods and a number of our passengers are there for treatment. Our flights to India, China and Kuwait will soon start," TOLO News quoted airline chief Rahmatullah Agha as saying.

The airline currently flies twice a week to Doha and it remains unclear how much a ticket for the three new routes will cost.

Ariana Afghan Airlines will soon resume flight operations to India

As India is one of the largest markets for Afghan agricultural and horticultural products, the Afghanistan Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock (ACAL) says that with the start of flights between Kabul and Delhi, the country's exports will increase.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, is also optimistic about the growth of the economy and the development of the country's transit. "Afghanistan is now becoming a transit and economic centre, hundreds of vehicles pass through Afghanistan daily in transit," he said.

"India's market is a good opportunity for our agriculture sector, now here in Afghanistan it is the season of grapes, pomegranates, apricots, saffron, medicinal plants, we hope that our exports will increase to other countries through air corridors."Mirwais Hajizada, Member, Afghanistan Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock (ACAL)

ALSO READ - Taliban requests the resumption of commercial flights from Afghanistan to India

After the Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021, the flag carrier resumed domestic flights the following month.

ALSO READ - Taliban prohibits women from flying without a male relative

The airline currently flies twice a week to Doha and it remains unclear how much a ticket for the three new routes will cost.

Meanwhile, NBC News reported that the United States, in cooperation with the Qatari government, is indirectly paying Ariana Afghan Airlines to evacuate Afghan refugees from Kabul.

But the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (MoTCA) said that any passenger with a legal document can travel abroad, reported Tolo News.

“Flights happen based on timetables, anyone who has travel documents like a visa, passport and ticket can travel, if they are foreigners or Afghans, they can travel,” said Imamuddin Ahmadi, spokesman for the Ministry of Transport. 

After the Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021, the flag carrier resumed domestic flights the following month.

Ariana Afghan Airlines is the national carrier of Afghanistan. Founded in 1955, the airline was soon thereafter established as a joint venture between the Afghan Government and Pan American World Airways.

Today, it is wholly owned by the Afghan Government and has suffered heavily in recent years, with the majority of its aircraft destroyed as a result of the conflict in the region.

It operates services to several domestic destinations as well as international destinations in Europe, the CIS, the Middle East, China and India.

Collisions between wildlife and aircraft are a common occurrence-one that causes billions of dollars in aircraft damage every year whilst also placing countless human lives at risk.

So what are the international airports at Edmonton and Grand Forks is North Dakota doing about it?

It looks like a bird. Flies like a plane. Or let's just say it's a bird that's a plane - the "Robird"- a robotic bird that closely resembles a Peregrine falcon in this case, looks so strikingly real to its real-life counterpart, but it's not.

Dronelife

Robirds are basically robotic birds that closely resemble natural birds, both in appearance and in-flight behaviour-they fly by beating their wings, can soar, and have speed and wing frequencies similar to a real bird.

The Peregrine "Robird" here, soars near the runway at Edmonton and Grand Forks to deter birds from interfering with air traffic.

Featuring wings that flap, it flies as swiftly as a falcon and can clock speeds up to 27 miles per hour.

Bird strikes are dictated by the seasonal changes in migratory patterns and the risk of bird strikes increases as more airplanes take to the skies.

This novel drone-a ornithopter, that mimics the look and actions of the predatory bird, is produced by Aerium Analytics, a multi-disciplined drone solutions company based in Calgary, Alberta.

Since its inception in 2016, and what began as using drones for forestry, energy, mining and logistics, the company is now focussing on harnessing the power of aerial data for environmental good.

It’s all about the data. Drones can collect vast sums of high quality geospatial data in a fraction of the time it would take to do it manuallySays Aerium CEO Jordan Cicoria

Jordan Cicoria | Unmanned Systems Canada

After having expanded its fleet of drones, the company has now developed artificial intelligence-powered detection and analysis software and a simplified visualization portal. The collected data is taken and rapidly translated into useful visual information for decision-makers in highly regulated industries such as airports and mining.

Aerium’s use cases at airports include real-time detection of foreign object debris (FOD), runway markings inspections and perimeter security.

According to Cicoria, conventional methods of bird deterrents, such as pyrotechnics, air cannons and loudspeakers had minimal effect and had negative environmental impacts as well.

Facts and figures show that RoBird’s impacts have been significant.

Up to an 80% reduction in bird strikes over a year has been reported by Aerium's partner airports.

RoBird works because the Peregrine falcon is one of the most feared aerial predators in the world. It is known on six of the seven continents. Nearly every flocking bird species has been predated on by PeregrinesCicoria said

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWaCfbQyDHU

Apparently, Aerium's pilots fly them manually around the world in places ranging from high visibility airports in the U.S. and Canada to blueberry farms in the Netherlands and dredging operations in Kazakhstan.

The company eventually plans to have full autonomous flocks-in-a-box, with onboard detect-and-avoid and integrated wildlife detection sensors.

RoBird is a perfect example of the evolution of drone technology which looks at what nature does incredibly well and finds ways to replicate. The integration of drones in our daily lives will occur when they make work and life safer and benefit the world. RoBird does just thatCicoria

He likes to think of it as a perfect bird-strike mitigation and wildlife management tool and refers to it as a “sheepdog in the sky.”

SOURCE(s)

COVER: TechCrunch

Russia’s Scientific and Production Corporation “Radio technical Systems” (NPO “RTS”) signed a large-scale contract with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the supply of radio equipment.

The Russian company will manufacture 34 sets of instrument landing system ILS 734 for the modernization of 24 airports in the country.

The domestic manufacturer received the right to conclude a contract based on the results of a global tender, in which, in addition to NPO “RTS”, the world's largest suppliers of radio equipment took part, according to an official statement.

AAI to get navigation radio equipment for 24 airports from a Russian firm

The increased interest of leading manufacturers in the competition is due to the scale of the project: this lot for the purchase of landing systems has become the largest in the world over the past few years.

According to the contract, the first part of landing systems ILS 734 is scheduled to be shipped before November of this year. Payments for the transaction will be carried out in national currencies.

“The contract between NPO “RTS” and AAI has become a breakthrough for Russian business in the highly competitive market of ground-based radio equipment in India. There is no doubt that the successful execution of the contract will open up new opportunities for the implementation of joint projects to modernize Indian airport infrastructure."Denis Alipov, Ambassador of Russia to India

The system allows for the landing of equipped aircraft with a runway visual range of a minimum of 50 meters and a decision height of a minimum of 15 meters. The landing system is subject to increased requirements for the reliability and stability of the output parameters of the equipment.

Scientific and Production Corporation “Radio technical Systems” (NPO “RTS”) was established in May 2003 by a group of developers of landing, navigation and air traffic control systems equipment.

“NPO “RTS” has established itself as a reliable partner, having implemented dozens of projects for the supply of ground-based radio equipment both in Russia and abroad.Customers highly appreciate capabilities of our products, including the instrumental landing system ILS 734, which meets the strictest international requirements and standards, high efficiency in the fulfilment of contractual obligations, high-quality warranty and after-sales service.”Aleksandr Dolmatov, CEO, NPO “RTS”

Today, the enterprise fulfils orders of the Federal Air Transport Agency, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Aviation Base of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation and Roscosmos enterprises. NPO “RTS” cooperates with many airports in Russia and CIS countries.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) manages 137 airports, including 24 international airports. AAI also provides air traffic control services throughout the airspace of India and adjacent ocean areas.