DGCA will now monitor Turn-around times

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is keeping a close watch on the turnaround time at airports for all flights of domestic airlines to prevent technical glitches, two people aware of the development said.

The DGCA has also devised a method to calculate the flight time on a route, and the turnaround time required at airports for routine inspections between the arrival and departure of a flight to ensure more efficiency in flight operations and to prevent technical glitches.

The turnaround process of an aircraft at an airport is important for the overall efficiency of airlines besides having an impact on revenue generation.

The turnaround process of an aircraft at an airport is important for the overall efficiency of airlines.

The turnaround process is a joint effort of the ground team as well as the flight crew. Besides loading and unloading, aircraft checks involve inspection of the exteriors and interiors. A faster turnaround time ensures that a plane is airbound for more time and, thereby, the window for revenue generation is higher. The turnaround time varies between 30 minutes and 90 minutes depending on onboard services and the distance travelled.

"The aim is to ensure airlines are not cutting corners and the checks are done as per protocol in a time-bound but disciplined manner."An official said.

The regulator had also conducted a special audit of airlines in July-August following a spurt in incidents related to technical glitches. DGCA had said that the primary reason for increased engineering-related incidents was due to insufficient certifying staff who failed to detect faults or defects in aircraft and report them properly.

The regulator had then directed the airlines to appoint required type-rated certifying staff at all stations to ensure that any defect in an aircraft is properly rectified before it is certified for operations.

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The regulator had also restricted low-cost airline SpiceJet from operating at 100% of its capacity, considering that it did not have adequate staff in its technical and engineering teams. The airline is still operating only up to 50% of its capacity.

ALSO READ – DGCA orders SpiceJet to operate only 50% of approved flights

The DGCA will also hire 416 additional experts to its team for enhanced surveillance of the Indian aviation ecosystem.

ALSO READ - DGCA to recruit 400 employees to strengthen surveillance capability

(With inputs from Mint)

Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets on Monday, October 3 escorted an Iranian Mahan Air plane that was passing through the country's airspace on its way to Guangzhou in China after receiving a bomb threat. Tehran later asked Indian authorities to disregard the bomb scare.

The IAF's Su-30MKI fighter jets shadowed the plane till it left the Indian airspace. IAF promptly swung into action to scramble a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter each from the Jodhpur and Halwara (Punjab) airbases, which “followed the aircraft at a safe distance”.

IAF fighter jets escort Mahan Air A340 after receiving a bomb threat

The pilots of the Mahan Air plane had chosen to continue flying towards Guangzhou despite Indian authorities granting permission for the plane to land in Jaipur or Chandigarh following inputs from Lahore's air traffic control (ATC) about a possible bomb on the flight. The plane was moving towards Delhi airspace when its pilots were informed about the threat.

According to ANI, during the wait, the pilots of the aircraft requested priority to land at Delhi airport. Indian air traffic control denied the request and provided vectors to Jaipur airport, which the A340 crew did not accept. They then decided to continue to the flight’s destination, the Chinese city of Guangzhou.

The pilots of the Mahan Air plane had chosen to continue flying towards Guangzhou despite Indian authorities granting permission for the plane to land in Jaipur or Chandigarh

However, the Delhi Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) refused to land in Delhi for security reasons. The airplane made three separate holding circles while it was waiting for a solution, but the ATS would not budge.

An AAI official said the aircraft was loaded with fuel and waited in the Jaipur airspace to burn some of it ahead of a possible emergency landing when the Lahore ATC contacted to convey that there was no bomb on the aircraft. “It was after this clarity that the pilots decided to go ahead instead of landing in India,” the official said.

As an aircraft is required to lose weight before it lands, the Iranian plane flew in circles just in case it needed to make an emergency landing.

"On October 3, 2022, intimation was received of a bomb scare on an airline bearing Iranian registration, when it was transiting through Indian airspace. IAF fighter aircraft were scrambled, which followed the aircraft at a safe distance. The aircraft was offered the option to land in Jaipur or Chandigarh. However, the pilots declared their unwillingness to divert to either of the two airports. After a while, intimation was received from Tehran to disregard the bomb scare, following which the aircraft continued on its journey. All actions were taken by IAF as per the laid down procedure, jointly with Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). The aircraft was under close radar surveillance by the Air Force throughout the Indian airspace."Indian Air Force (IAF)

According to Flightradar24, the Mahan Air flight W581 was in the Delhi-Jaipur airspace briefly before making its way out of India. In a statement on Twitter, Mahan Air said the Airbus A340 aircraft, which has a capacity of between 320 and 475 passengers, landed safely and on time in Guangzhou, and that the bomb threat was a hoax.

Mahan Air flight W581 was in the Delhi-Jaipur airspace briefly before making its way out of India

At our operations control center, we determined that the threat was false and the flight continued its journey safely. The reports of a bomb on board the aircraft were solely aimed at disrupting security and tranquillity, the airline said. It should be recalled that Iran is currently at the center of the world’s attention due to allegations of human rights violations following the death of activist Mahsa Amini two weeks ago.

There have been numerous bomb threats made against commercial aircraft over the last few weeks. A UPS Boeing 747-8F was forced to make a detour to Iceland's Keflavik a few days ago after receiving a threat. A fighter jet escorted a Singapore Airlines A350 into SIN just 24 hours earlier after a passenger on board reported having a bomb in their luggage.

Full-service carrier Vistara has inaugurated daily non-stop flights between Mumbai and Abu Dhabi as part of the airline's business expansion, its Chief Executive Officer Vinod Kannan has said. The inaugural Vistara flight from Mumbai took off at 19:10 Hours (IST) and arrived in Abu Dhabi at 2040 Hours on Saturday, October 1.

ALSO READ - Vistara announces direct flights between Mumbai and Abu Dhabi

"The airline has been steadily strengthening our presence in the UAE and the rest of the Gulf region. We are excited to add Abu Dhabi to our growing international network. UAE's flourishing business, trade, and tourism make Abu Dhabi a perfect fit for our network. We are confident that travellers will appreciate the choice of flying India and South Asia's best airline on this route."Vinod Kannan, CEO, Vistara

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The three-hour flight made Vistara the first airline to offer premium economy class seating along this route in addition to its economy and award-winning business class. The route will be operated once daily, with an aircraft departing from and returning to BOM daily.

https://twitter.com/airvistara/status/1576557613243777027

The airline, which is a 51:49 joint venture between Tata Sons Private Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited, has a fleet of 53 aircraft and has flown more than 35 million customers since starting operations. Schedule of flights to/from Abu Dhabi, effective from October 1, will be Mumbai-Abu Dhabi (flight UK 0255) Daily 1910 Hrs 2040 Hrs and Abu Dhabi-Mumbai (flight UK 0256) Daily 2140 Hrs 0235 Hrs (+1).

Registration VT-TQH, an Airbus A320neo, conducted the initial flight. The airline will likely continue using its Airbus A320 family members, as the route is short, and it has far more of this aircraft type than the Boeing 737. The airline currently has five B737s, two B787-9 Dreamliners, 41 A320s, and five A321neos.

ALSO READ – Vistara leases B787 Dreamliner to increase international flights operations

Vistara inaugurates daily non-stop flights between Mumbai and Abu Dhabi

Since its first flight in 2015, Vistara's fleet of 53 aircraft has successfully transported over 35 million passengers. In keeping with the airline's high standards, all of its aircraft have multiple cabin classes. It has grown to be a highly recognised airline that aims to provide South Asia's most prestigious services.

To support its expansion plans, the young airline is looking to add more aircraft in the upcoming years. Regardless of the aircraft selected for the route, this most recent route addition will provide one of the most comfortable flight experiences between the two locations.

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The French Riviera and Italy will now have access to premium and corporate eVTOL flights thanks to Lilium and GlobeAir cooperation, which includes the purchase of 12 Lilium Jets.

The aircraft will provide first- and last-mile service to GlobeAir's current offerings. With the arrangement, consumers will be able to save a significant amount of time, further demonstrating the seamless travel experience that GlobeAir is known for.

Lilium Phoenix 2 | Representative | Source

Italy and southern France also provide many options for point-to-point visits when travel time can be greatly reduced and vertical landing is necessary, with a strong need for a sustainable, efficient, and flexible method of transportation.

We are thrilled to be partnering with one of the leading European providers in on-demand air mobility,  GlobeAir. The French Riviera and Italy are key markets, and we are confident that our shared commitment to innovation and partnership will result in a premium customer experienceSebastien Borel, SVP Commercial at Lilium, said

Sebastien Borel | Lilium

GlobeAir is a top-rated private jet operator in Europe, providing on-demand charter services to over 900 airports. For the benefit of its discerning end consumers, GlobeAir is famous for its creative use of data analytics to optimize operations, pricing, and empty legs.

GlobeAir is Europe's industry leader in the entry-level private jet segment, offering a premium experience, with more than 50% of the market share. With 21 private planes, the company operates around-the-clock throughout all of Europe, connecting major European cities like London, Geneva, Zurich, Paris, Nice, and Milan with remote airfields like St. Moritz or Lugano, all of which are located in Switzerland.

We are proud to be partnering with Lilium as they are changing how we think about aviation and revolutionizing how people travel. Technological breakthroughs, a forward-thinking mindset and a drive to deliver quality time that fits customer expectations have propelled Lilium to the forefront of next-generation air travelBernhard Fragner, CEO GlobeAir, added

Bernhard Fragner | Source

The Phoenix 2 Jet's entire transition from hover to wing-borne flight on both the wings and canards was also disclosed last week by Lilium. According to the manufacturer, this is the first electric jet aircraft in history to accomplish it, and the computation of the flight physics models has been confirmed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywJWka1evH8

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COVER: Source

Russia failed to win enough votes for re-election to the United Nation's aviation agency's governing council on Saturday, in a boost for Western powers that wanted to hold Moscow accountable following its invasion of Ukraine.

Russia fell short of the votes needed to stay on the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) 36-nation governing council, during the agency's assembly which runs through Oct. 7 in Montreal.

Russia has lost its seat on the governing council of a UN agency that supports the cooperation and coordination of civil air travel among 193 countries.

https://twitter.com/icao/status/1576195500528717827?s=20&t=4MWKDmxC-QE4d7_V1w_teQ

Russia had been a member of ICAO’s premier tier of the council, or nations of “chief importance in air transport.” Russia along with the G7, China, Brazil and Australia, held spots as "states of chief importance in air transport" on ICAO's 36-member council.

"We'd like to express regret regarding the outcome of the voting. We view this as a purely political step and has nothing to do with Russia's position in the field of civil aviation."The Russian representative said.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a major focus of the United Nations General Assembly last month, drawing condemnation from Western governments.

Russia closed its airspace to airlines from 36 countries, including all 27 members of the European Union, in response to Ukraine-related sanctions targeting its aviation sector following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Western countries say Moscow has illegally confiscated hundreds of foreign jets, a charge the Kremlin (Moscow) denies.

Russia fell short of votes needed to stay on the ICAO.

In its response to losing the seat, the Russian Federal Agency for Air Transport (Rosaviatsiya) said Saturday that Russia still remains a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and hence will continue its contribution to the air travel provisions.

"Russia remains a member of ICAO and continues its work within the organisation. At the elections to the ICAO Council, Russia received the support of 80 member states of the organisation (the required minimum being 86). This prevented Russia from being elected to the Council in the first group of ICAO states."Rosaviatsiya said in a statement.

Canada and Europe said before the vote they would oppose Russia's re-election to the council.

The 193-nation ICAO assembly, held every three years, is the first since the COVID-19 pandemic and Ukraine war.

In a relief to the Airport Authority of India (AAI), the Supreme Court set aside the Delhi High Court’s decision that quashed its tender for selecting ground handling services (GHS) agencies at Group D-1 airports. SC seeks reply on AAI plea against HC ground handling order

It said that the AAI can decide its terms and fix the eligibility criteria for these cluster airports comprising 49 regional and budget airports catering to domestic, regional and non-scheduled flights involving smaller aircraft and the courts cannot interfere with the tender conditions.

A Bench led by Justice MR Shah while giving nod to the AAI’s tender said that “the HC has committed a serious error in first of all entertaining the writ petition at the instance of Centre for Aviation Policy, Safety & Research (CAPSR), an NGO and also holding the relevant eligibility criteria/conditions mentioned in the tender documents as illegal.”

The judgement said that the advocacy group in the field of civil aviation could not have challenged the tender as it was not a aggrieved party and none of the GHAs had moved the court.

According to the judgment, the government and their undertakings must have a free hand in setting terms of the tender and only if it is arbitrary, discriminatory, mala fide or actuated by bias, the courts would interfere. The terms and conditions of the tender are not open to judicial scrutiny, it held.

It said that the advocacy group in the field of civil aviation could not have challenged the tender as it was not an aggrieved party and none of the GHAs had moved the court.

While quashing the tender floated by AAI, the HC asked the PSU to come up with a fresh tender on the grounds that the proposal “subverts” the Atmanirbhar Bharat policy and stifles all attempts of smaller entrepreneurs to dream bigger. It termed the tender conditions mandating previous work experience in providing GHS and an annual turnover of INR 18 crore “as discriminatory and arbitrary”.

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It said that the AAI can decide its terms and fix the eligibility criteria for these cluster airports comprising 49 regional and budget airports catering to domestic, regional and non-scheduled flights involving smaller aircraft and the courts cannot interfere with the tender conditions.

Questioning the scope and judicial review of administrative decisions, the AAI had argued that it had carried out region-wise sub-categorisation of the 49 airports falling under Group D1 as the “clustering of airports reduced cost in airport operation and increased cohesive management.

To implement the ministry of civil aviation (Ground Handling Services) Regulations in consonance with Regional Connectivity Scheme-UDAN, the authority had floated the tender as there was a need to augment the GH services at such small airports as the air traffic movements at such airports were steadily on the rise, thus, the need for experience in schedule operations became important not only for smooth operations but also for safety and security of everyone involved in said operations.

(With inputs from The Financial Express)