Boeing launches Global Support Centre and new Logistics Centre in India

Boeing on Monday, February 13 announced the launch of its Global Support Centre (GSC) in India and will also set up a new logistics centre in the country as the aircraft maker seeks to expand its presence in India. This centre will be based in Gurugram.

The company has launched its first GSC in India that will provide customised operational efficiency and safety improvement projects for its airline customers, civil aviation regulatory bodies and other industry stakeholders. Besides, it will set up a new logistics centre which will cater to customers. Investment details were not disclosed.

The GSC will conduct technical workshops and projects to support aircraft reliability, enhance airplane performance, and encourage the adoption of Airplane Health Management (AHM) systems.

Boeing launches Global Support Centre and new Logistics Centre in India

For operational improvements, Boeing said the centre will work with operators and regulators on structures and airworthiness; the Maintenance Error Decision Aid (MEDA), a human-factors tool; Air Traffic Management (ATM); aerospace optimisation; and low visibility operation through Head-Up Display (HUD) and Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS).

Among other activities, the centre will conduct flight operations symposiums, and engineering seminars, and continue the development of new technology studies impacting airports and operators alike.

ALSO READ - India becomes Boeing’s largest site outside the US in manufacturing and labour

"India is well-positioned to localise maintenance services capabilities and provide cost-effective solutions given its large technical labour force, including uniquely qualified and highly trained technicians and industry capabilities," Boeing said.

ALSO READ - Government encourages Airbus and Boeing to set up final assembly lines in India

More than 150 Boeing airplanes, including the next-generation 737, 737 MAX, 757, 777, and 787 Dreamliner, are operated by leading Indian commercial airlines.

"A key element of efficient customer support is rapid response and distribution of replacement parts. India is well-positioned to localize maintenance services capabilities and provide cost-effective solutions given its large technical labor force, including uniquely qualified and highly trained technicians and industry capabilities. With over eight decades of presence in India, Boeing has built a strong network support for its customers in the region through various initiatives and partnerships while contributing to the growth and development of Indian aerospace and defence sector."

Ashwani Bhargava, Senior Director, India Supply Chain, Boeing India

Through its India Repair Development and Sustainment (BIRDS) hub programme, Boeing is already supporting local customers by creating an ecosystem of comprehensive support packages and indigenous Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities with its partners.

This initiative is a testament to Boeing's commitment to 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'. Currently, India operates a fleet of Boeing aircraft, including 11 C-17s, 22 AH-64 Apaches (with an additional 6 on order), 15 CH-47 Chinooks, 12 P-8Is, 3 VVIP aircraft, and 2 head-of-state aircraft.

“With India continuing to see an unprecedented surge in civil aviation traffic, Boeing is committed to innovating and bringing value to modernize the Indian aviation ecosystem. We are proud to launch the Global Support Center - India, which will provide a platform to enable knowledge transfer for enhancing safety and increasing operational efficiency for our airline partners in the country."

Salil Gupte, President, Boeing India

In the initial phase of the operations, the India logistics centre would focus on supporting airline customers. In the second phase, it would cater to the larger network of Boeing's customers in the region, the statement added.

Boeing has strengthened its supply chain with more than 300 local companies in India and a joint venture to manufacture fuselages for Apache helicopters and vertical fin structures for the 737 family of airplanes. The company's annual sourcing from the country is around USD 1 billion.

Air India on February 13 announced that it resumed non-stop flights between Mumbai and New York. The resumption of flights on the BOM-JFK route will start tomorrow, February 14. The flight will operate daily with the newly inducted Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, taking the India-US frequency of 47 non-stop flights per week.

"The resumption is in line with the airline’s concerted endeavour to develop Mumbai as a significant hub, second only to Delhi, providing maximum international connectivity between India and the rest of the world," the airline said in a statement.

Air India resumes non-stop flights between Mumbai and New York after 4 years

Presently, Air India operates non-stop flights from Mumbai to San Francisco and Newark, from Delhi to New York, Newark, Washington DC, San Francisco and Chicago, and from Bengaluru to San Francisco.

ALSO READ - Air India to broaden its network in the US

Air India has launched flights on this route twice since 2007 but has failed to keep them operational due to the low passenger load factor. According to US Department of Transportation data, Air India served nonstop on this route between August 2007-October 2010, and then again from December 2018-March 2019.

https://twitter.com/CSMIA_Official/status/1625117519894970368

The 1 daily flight will use more premium-heavy, 238-seat 777-200LRs rather than lower-premium, 342-seat 777-300ERs.

Booking data shows that 147,000 roundtrip point-to-point passengers flew Mumbai-JFK in 2019. They paid an average of USD 540 each way (excluding taxes and any fuel surcharge). That fare was among the highest of all significant India-North America markets and 10% higher than Mumbai-Newark.

"A key element of Air India’s Vihaan. AI transformation is considerably improving connectivity between India's major cities and major global destinations. Adding this new service from Mumbai to New York JFK, following December’s launch of non-stop flights from Mumbai to San Francisco, affirms our commitment to develop a major international hub in India’s commercial capital. With the opening of this route, Air India will offer 47 non-stop flights available each week between India and the United States, with a further 14 serving Canada every week."

Campbell Wilson, CEO and MD, Air India

ALSO READ - Air India unveils Vihaan – a comprehensive 5 year transformation plan

The new flights are part of Air India's comprehension transformation plan Vihaan.AI to establish itself, once again, as a world-class global airline with an Indian heart.

Over the next 5 years, Air India aims to strive to increase its market share to at least 30% in the domestic market while significantly growing the international routes from the present market share.

The Patna high court has directed the Centre, Bihar government, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to consider afresh, within three months, the development of a greenfield airport in the state as an alternative to Patna and Bihta airports.

A division bench of chief justice Sanjay Karol and justice Partha Sarthy, however, refrained from passing any direction on the construction of an airport at a particular location, saying it fell within the domain of public policy, even as it disposed of the petition that had sought a greenfield airport in Saran.

With particular reference to Saran, the court asked the authorities to decide on objective grounds, against the backdrop of surveys and the preparation of a feasibility report. In the long run, the advantages of developing a greenfield airport in Saran were more as compared to Bihta, as per an AAI feasibility report.

Patna HC directs Centre government, and AAI to consider a greenfield airport in Bihar

“After a lapse of 17 years from the time when the need for a greenfield airport was first felt in 2006, suitable land has been found in Saran, as indicated by the feasibility report. Union Government cannot take the stand that the land is not being provided by the state, effectively ‘holding hostage’ in a ‘tug of war between the Centre and the state’, the 12 crore citizens of Bihar. The legislature has equipped AAI with sweeping powers in civil aviation and has cast a duty to ensure safe air travel and to connect all parts of the country,” the bench observed.

It also observed that the state’s contentions about the Bihta civil enclave having the capacity to be developed as an international airport or the pliability of wide-bodied aircraft at Bihta were not supportive of it being an airport conceptualised as a greenfield airport.

The court, however, refrained from making any observation about the risky nature (short runway) and location (within the city limits) of the Patna airport, as also the various reports classifying it as critical. The court had set aside the arguments of the government of Bihar, which opposed the writ petition primarily on three grounds.

The court, while setting aside the state’s contention that the petitioner had no locus standi and was using it as an opportunity for personal gain, said: “...the development of an airport within the state is a matter of common benefit and will, irrespective of the location upon which greenfield airport is built, greatly bolster connectivity of the state of Bihar with other states as well as countries while also providing the considerable opportunity of employment to the people of the state.”

On the state’s argument concerning developing a greenfield airport being a policy decision, and the court’s limitation in adjudicating such matters, it said, “...this Court intends, not expressing any view, whatsoever, towards the petitioner’s specific prayer of a greenfield airport being developed at Saran, and, instead considering the multitude of issues surrounding the Jai Prakash Narayan International Airport, Patna, would only urge the governments and various authorities to take further their discussion on the greenfield airport to its logical end, which would be in favour of the people of the state.”

This is the first time that the Patna high court had directed the Centre and the state governments on the development of a greenfield airport in Bihar. The HC had completed the hearing in the case on December 20 and reserved its judgement, which it delivered on Saturday.

Abhijeet Kumar Pandey, a resident of Patna, had filed the petition, requesting the court to direct the state and Central governments to develop a greenfield airport in Saran. Saran MP Rajeev Pratap Rudi and Sanket, both advocates, assisted senior advocate Jitendra Singh on behalf of the petitioner.

Bihar has 31 airstrips, of which only five are functional. Gaya and Patna airports are two operational AAI airports. Darbhanga is an operational AAI civil enclave under the Indian Air Force. Bihta and Purnia, which are functional defence aerodromes, are proposed to have civil enclaves to be developed by the AAI. The state does not have a greenfield airport.

To date, in-principle approval has been accorded for 21 greenfield airports across the country under the Greenfield Airport Policy. Previous to the introduction of the policy, there were only three greenfield airports in the country, whereas today there are 11 operational greenfield airports.

ALSO READ - Centre has approved the construction of 21 new greenfield airports

Delhi Police have traced two Kenyan IP addresses in connection with a case of cheating lodged by an IndiGo Airlines employee alleging that a person posing as the CEO of the company asked employees to buy free gift cards on Amazon, officers said.

The police stated that IndiGo officials received calls and messages on WhatsApp from someone who posed as their CEO and asked them to purchase Google gift cards from Amazon.

DCP (IFSO) Prashant Gautam said, “After analysing the call detail records of the mobile number from which the calls were made, and from further technical surveillance, we have traced the accused’s location to Kenya and will now write to their government and to WhatsApp and Google to provide further information regarding the accused.”

‘Boss scam’ casts its web wide; Scammers impersonate IndiGo CEO

In the FIR, lodged by Delhi Police’s Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit on February 8, the complainant, an employee of the company, stated: “It is to report that our office bearers of IndiGo are receiving mischievous and misleading calls from a mobile number…the person using this mobile is impersonating as Chief Executive Officer of IndiGo, Mr Pieter Elbers”.

A case under IPC section 419 (punishment for cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) was lodged soon.

What is a "Boss Scam"?

The crime, called a “boss scam,” has become rampant in the corporate world, with many company employees receiving an unexpected text or email from their bosses asking them to purchase gift cards. Many of the targets are senior executives engaged in the procurement processes or are associated with payments or accounts and they fall prey to the scammers.

A police officer explained, “Typically, the message to employees says that gift cards will be used for some purpose within the company, such as for employee incentives or client appreciation. The scammer, pretending to be a top executive or the targets’ manager, may claim to be out of town, in a conference call or a meeting and that is why they need the employees to purchase for them urgently.”

While the specifics of the scams vary, the fraudsters generally follow a common pattern of connecting with a victim via phone and email or on chat platforms and social media and creating a sense of emergency or urgency. They avoid voice calls and communicate only through messages.

“Once the victim seems vulnerable or greets the conman as the boss, the crooks instruct the victim to purchase gift cards online. The scammers then demand or instruct the victim to email the claim code of the gift card by phone, text message or email, after which they disappear.” Cyber cops and experts warn against these crimes and advise full verification of the communicator’s identity before making any payments.

As an officer said, “One should not provide any gift card details (such as the claim code) to someone claiming an emergency. Once a claim code is provided to a scammer, the funds will likely be spent before the victim can contact law enforcement agencies or the e-commerce site.” The cops caution that legitimate transactions don’t generally require a person to pay specifically with gift cards. “If the communicator insists, be sure it’s a scam,” the officer said.

“At times, the crooks also tell victims that they have been granted a loan, won a lottery and have to share a gift card to claim it.” In case one receives such instruction, cyber experts recommend immediately contacting the boss or other seniors using a phone number or email that one knows is theirs. “Always be suspicious of anyone who contacts you and demands money. The crooks even spoof numbers, so checking double is imperative to avoid being duped,” said the officer.

(With Inputs from The Indian Express and The Times of India)

The Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab will use the Aero India platform to pitch its most advanced fighter aircraft in the Gripen series,  the Gripen E to the Indian government.

"Saab will demonstrate the cutting edge technologies that make Gripen E the world’s most modern multi-role fighter aircraft. A full scale replica of Gripen E and a Gripen E cockpit simulator will bring alive the gamechanging capabilities of the aircraft", said the company in a statement.

Mats Palmberg, the CMD of Saab told CNBC-TV18  that, Saab has sold the Gripen E to the Swedish and Brazilian Air Force and is offering it to India now.

"It has high degree of adaptability and will fit very well with the current fleet of aircraft that India has",  he added.

Saab and Adani Group mutually agreed not to renew their MoU on making fighter jets in India in 2019. Palmberg told CNBC TV18 that Saab remains open about a tie up with an Indian partner and full technology transfer. "Future collaboration with an Indian partner on making fighter jets in India will depend on the kind of acquisition model the Indian government comes up. We remain in touch with all three forces", he said.

Saab is developing a twin engine version of the Gripen E with a longer air frame and has pitched the two seater fighter in response to the Indian governments request for information.

Palmberg confirmed that that Saab was scouting for a location to make the cutting edge Carl Gustaf M4 rifles and is likely to begin production in India by 2024. He added that Saab has been importing machine parts, sub assemblies and harnesses from India.

The company also recently announced that it will start the production of Carl Gustaf weapon system in India in 2024, and will soon finalise the location for its manufacturing facility.

Aero India 2023, the biennial air show and aviation exhibition, is set to take place from February 13-17. It will be held at the Bengaluru’s Yelahanka Air Force Station, which has hosted it since 1996. The show will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This year, over 730 exhibitors from India and across the world will participate in the event.

The five-day event will combine a major trade exhibition of the aerospace and defence industries and an aerial display by the Indian Air Force.

Besides global leaders and big investors in the aerospace industry, there will also be participation by think tanks from across the world.

A total of 737 exhibitors have registered so far to participate in the event. Of the 737 exhibitors, 643 are Indian exhibitors, while 94 are from 30 foreign countries, as per the Aero India website.

The Aero India event aims to provide a unique opportunity for the exchange of information, ideas, and developments in the aviation industry. It would further the cause of Make in India and give a fillip to the domestic aviation industry.

In 2021, the event participation was affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the event, delegates from over 55 countries and more than 540 exhibitors had participated.

Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) reported a 23.8% rise in consolidated net profit to INR 1,155.19 crore in Q3 FY23 as compared to INR 933.40 crore posted in Q3 FY22. Shares of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd were trading 2.22% lower at INR 2,379.70 apiece on BSE during late deals on Thursday, February 9.

Revenue from operations was at INR 5,665.54 crore in Q3 FY23, down 3.9% from INR 5,893.82 crore recorded in the same period a year ago. Consolidated profit before tax declined 2.7% to INR 1,212.94 crore in the quarter ended 31 December 2022 as against INR 1,247.19 crore reported in Q3 FY22.

EBITDA or Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization dropped 31% to INR 985.5 crore in Q3FY23 as against INR 1,428.5 cr YoY, with a margin of 17.4%. Total expenses of the aerospace company rose 2% to INR 4,951 crore for the quarter under review. This was INR 4,840 crore in the corresponding quarter of last year.

HAL Q3 net profit jumps 24% YoY to INR 1155 cr; 84K crore aircraft orders pending

HAL is engaged in carrying out the design, development, manufacture, repair and overhaul of aircraft, helicopters, engines and related systems like avionics, instruments and accessories primarily serving the Indian defence programmes. As of 31 December 2022, the Government of India held a 75.15% stake in the company.

Shares of Hindustan Aeronautics were up 0.49% to INR 2,426.55 on the BSE.

84K crore orders pending, 55K crore coming up

In the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent assertion that the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has a huge number of orders for aircraft and choppers, the chairman of the PSU said that the state-owned entity has pending orders worth INR 84,000, while orders worth INR 55,000 were in the pipeline.

"Our order book position is comfortable, it stands at around INR 84,000 crore. We have been generating revenues of INR 25,000 crores which has shown a growth of 8%. We have sufficient contracts to be executed. Almost INR 84,000 crore of orders are pending. Another INR 55000 crore orders are in the pipeline, likely to materialize in the next six months to one year. So, all in all, we will have a healthy order book. Our capacity is 30 helicopters per annum. We will try to ramp it up to 60 helicopters. If demand is at its peak, then we can take it to 90 helicopters."

CB Ananthakrishnan, CMD, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)

ALSO READ - HAL getting enquiries from various countries for helicopter orders

He further said sanction for the LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Mark II, has come and that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and HAL will together be able to roll out the first LCA Mark II sometime in the year 2024-25.

While talking about HAL's Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project, the HAL chief stated, "We are also a design partner in building prototypes in this project. In another five to six years, the product should be available. The execution timeframe is starting from February 2024. We are confident that we will be able to deliver the first aircraft in February 2024."

ALSO READ - PM Narendra Modi inaugurates the HAL helicopter factory in Karnataka

Prime Minister Modi had while inaugurating a HAL helicopter factory in Karnataka's Tumakuru recently lashed out at the Opposition for spreading "misinformation" about Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in the past. PM Modi also recalled earlier Parliamentary sessions that were disrupted by the Opposition over the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Rafale deal.

"Tumakuru has got a big helicopter factory today. Karnataka is a land of young talent and innovation. The world is seeing the manufacturing power of Karnataka from drone manufacturing to Tejas fighter planes. The double-engine government has made Karnataka the first choice of investors. The inauguration of the helicopter factory is an example of how the double-engine government works," PM Modi said.

The prime minister also said that the HAL facility will generate business worth over INR 4 lakh crore in the coming years and will supply a variety of helicopters to the armed forces.