Government yet to clear bills of airlines involved in Operation Ganga rescue flights

Nearly three months after the conclusion of Operation Ganga for the evacuation of Indians from Ukraine, the government is yet to clear the bills sent by the country’s six major airlines, which deployed 76 flights for it between February and March.

Officials aware of the pending payments said that the process for clearing the disbursal is still underway. Given the large amounts under consideration, an official said that the matter would be resolved in a matter of time, indicating that only a few months had elapsed since the completion of Operation Ganga.

The Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment on the matter. The Ministry of Civil Aviation, which brought the various airlines onboard despite their initial reluctance to participate in the exercise, received the bills and vetted them before sending them to the MEA for clearance.

Six Indian carriers flew a total of 76 flights to Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland as Ukraine’s airspace was shut.

The bills submitted were “technically examined” to ensure there was no overcharging. Various parameters such as fuel cost, lay over, crew deployment, wide and narrow-body aeroplane, and seat configuration were analysed, a senior official of the Ministry of Civil Aviation said.

“While most bills were within 10% range of each other, there were one or two airlines where there were slight variations and this was then taken up with them,” the official said.

Though Indians had started returning in large numbers weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, flights chartered by the Indian government and operated by domestic airlines started after the war broke out.

Over 22,000 Indians returned from Ukraine between February 1 and March 11

The operation continued till March 11. Six Indian carriers flew a total of 76 flights to Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland as Ukraine’s airspace was shut. These included IndiGo (35), Air India (14), Air India Express (9), SpiceJet (9), GoFirst (6), and Air Asia (3).

Although Vistara offered to participate, its services were not utilised for the operation. The Indian Air Force, too, operated 14 flights. Over 22,000 Indians returned from Ukraine between February 1 and March 11, according to the government.

The cost of chartering flights was not taken up with airlines before roping them in for the evacuation. The official said that this was because the process was carried out under “an emergency” and “for the nation”.

The Indian Air Force, too, operated 14 flights

Later, the airlines were “sensitised” on how they should proceed with billing. Some airlines said that they have received payments from State governments, which had chartered their aeroplanes to fly students from cities like Mumbai and Delhi after their return from Ukraine.

This was the first air evacuation undertaken by the Indian government after the privatisation of Air India, which was routinely pressed into such activities whether overseas or domestically.

Air India was formally handed over to Tata Sons on January 27. But there is no discussion yet on whether there is a need to develop a systematic procedure for hiring airlines for future evacuations, officials in the Ministry of Civil Aviation and sources in the airlines say.

IndiGo, which has deep pockets, says that its operations are “not bound by revenue from ticket sales”

A senior GoFirst executive felt that the “standardisation” of such procedures may be detrimental to some airlines and could lead to “allegations” as aircraft type and the number of seats available differs from one airline to another. He felt that factors such as the “cost of pilots”, which can increase over some time, could make such an exercise challenge.

Though IndiGo, which has deep pockets, says that its operations are “not bound by revenue from ticket sales”, this is not true for airlines like SpiceJet with weak financials, whose flights were stopped by Delhi’s Air Traffic Controller for several hours last month over non-payment of dues to the Airports Authority of India.

ALSO READ - Multiple SpiceJet flights halted by Delhi ATC for non-payment of daily airport user fees to AAI

(With Inputs from The Hindu)

Air India's new owner - Tata Group is planning to renew Air India’s grounded planes and fix them for commercial operations. Air India has several narrowbody and some widebody aircraft gathering dust due to lack of engine overhaul or non-availability of components and spares. But they could soon be back in the air as these issues are reportedly being worked upon.

Air India wants to take advantage of renewed passenger demand by adding more capacity in the coming months. The airline’s graph in the domestic sector has been gradually dipping over the years as private players took hold of the market by increasing fleet and capacity.

Air India to renew grounded planes for commercial operations

The Tatas are keen on re-establishing Air India’s presence, and many of the carrier’s grounded planes could see better days ahead. According to the Business Standard, the airline is working on a plan to bring the grounded planes back into service in a progressive manner.

As per ch-aviation, Air India has more than 25 inactive A320 family of airplanes and several inactive Boeing 777s and 787s as well.

Sources say that around 8 to 10 A320 aircraft are being restored at the Air India Engineering Services Limited hangars. There are also plans to fix some of the grounded Boeing 787s for service in the next 90-100 days.

Air India has more than 25 inactive A320 family of airplanes and several inactive Boeing 777s and 787s as well.

Much of Air India’s previous issues came down to inefficient management, which led to a lack of funds to repair many of its aircraft. Some of the carrier’s A320 aircraft haven’t flown in years because it ran out of sufficient funds to fix things such as engine overhauls and other maintenance issues.

Costs to fix these problems ran into tens of millions, which the cash-strapped carrier couldn’t arrange. As a result, it gradually lost market share to other airlines and saw its overall position in India slip over the years.

But with the Tatas backing the airline, funds are not an issue anymore. An airline executive told the Business Standard that the current challenge is not money but the timely deliveries of components and spares, which need to be ordered months in advance.

Much of Air India’s previous issues came down to inefficient management, which led to a lack of funds to repair many of its aircraft.

While fixing a majority of its grounded fleet will take a few months, Air India is trying to fix however many aircraft it can immediately to cater to the returning passengers.

The question surrounding Air India’s future fleet development has gained steam ever since the Tatas won the bid for its takeover last year. The conglomerate is reportedly in talks with Boeing and Airbus for long-haul jets, but whether the orders will go to Europe or the US remains to be seen.

ALSO READ - Tata negotiating aircraft order for Air India with Airbus and Boeing

Air India is looking to buy 30 widebody jets worth almost USD 10 billion.

Both Airbus A350 and Boeing 787-9 are in contention, but according to some experts and inside sources, a concrete decision will be made when there is more clarity on the Air India-Vistara merger.

ALSO READ - Vistara may merge with Air India, a decision expected by end of 2023

In March, Bloomberg had reported that Air India is looking to buy 30 widebody jets worth almost USD 10 billion.

The case for the Dreamliner looks strong, considering Air India already operates a huge fleet of the 787s, and Vistara, too, relies on them for long-haul operations. But its current production delay could push Air India towards Airbus, which has doubled down on efforts to sell its A350 jets in India in recent days.

Chief Executive Officer Dave Calhoun said that Boeing won’t launch a new jetliner any time soon to address Airbus SE’s widening sales lead in the narrow-body market.

Prominent customers like Air Lease Corp. founder Steven Udvar-Hazy have been calling on Boeing to get moving on the mid-sized aircraft family Calhoun tabled two years ago. But there are no leaps in engine technology in sight to propel jetliner sales, and Calhoun said he isn’t willing to bet an expensive new development program on the current generation of turbofans.

The Boeing chief is counting on new digital tools to revolutionize how aircraft are designed, built and tracked over decades in the commercial market, concepts the company has touted for at least five years. 

Boeing won't launch a brand new jetliner in another 2 years

However, Boeing has been testing the technology on defence programs like the T-7 trainer and it isn’t yet “mature,” Calhoun said at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference on Friday, June 3.

ALSO READ - Boeing rolls out the “T-7A Red Hawk”- its first trainer jet in over five decades

It will take “at least a couple of years before I’m confident that those tools are tested and mature enough to implement on the next airplane,” Calhoun said, citing an internal review. “When that happens, then we design the next airplane. We don’t do it the other way around.”

Calhoun reiterated that Boeing doesn’t plan to raise equity in the near term, and wouldn’t do so before 787 Dreamliner deliveries have resumed and the planemaker has tackled production issues with the 737 Max. 

Calhoun reiterated that Boeing doesn’t plan to raise equity in the near term, and wouldn’t do so before 787 Dreamliner deliveries have resumed

Boeing’s most comparable jet to the A321XLR is its in-development 737 MAX 10, the elongated variant of its current MAX series.

While offering just 14 seats less than the A321XLR, the MAX 10 falls significantly short in range, covering around 3,300 NM compared to Airbus’ 4,700 NM and 757-200s 3,915 NM, potentially restricting it from many trans-oceanic routes.

Chief Executive Dave Calhoun said on Friday the U.S. planemaker has no current plans to tap equity markets and signalled a wait of at least two years before launching a new aircraft program.

Boeing’s most comparable jet to the A321XLR is its in-development 737 MAX 10, the elongated variant of its current MAX series.

"There is no plan for an equity raise," Calhoun told a conference organized by brokerage Bernstein. "I'm confident on the liquidity front. Cash flow is getting better every quarter. We're at that stage now where we can start to quietly pay down debt."

Boeing on 787 and 737MAX Certification

Calhoun also said Boeing had received a "clear" response letter from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding its 787 Dreamliner certification package submission, but there was always work to do post-application.

Clearing a swollen inventory of twin-aisled Dreamliners and its best-selling 737 MAX is vital to Boeing's ability to emerge from the overlapping pandemic and jet-safety crises, a task complicated by supply-chain bottlenecks and war in Ukraine.

Boeing had received a "clear" response letter from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding its 787 Dreamliner certification package submission

Deliveries of the 787 have been halted for a year as Boeing worked through inspections and repairs in an industrial headache expected to cost about USD 5.5 billion. Boeing has more than 100 advanced composite jets parked in inventory, worth about USD 12.5 billion. 

Calhoun also said the company is working to achieve production stability on its cash cow 737 MAX before it would entertain raising production rates. 737 MAX production and deliveries were hit by shortages of a particular wiring connector, Boeing said last month. 

The planemaker is also facing an increasingly high-stakes battle to win certification for the largest variant of the 737 MAX before a new safety standard on cockpit alerts takes effect. 

Boeing is working to achieve production stability on its cash cow 737 MAX before it would entertain raising production rates

Missing the deadline for the 737 MAX 10 could require Boeing to revamp the jet's crew alerting system and mean separate pilot training - raising costs to airlines and putting orders at risk.

ALSO READ - Boeing fears missing a key deadline – thereby risking newer, tighter safety requirements

Boeing has held talks with some lawmakers about asking for more time but has not formally sought an extension to address the flight deck issue.

Missing the deadline for the 737 MAX 10 could require Boeing to revamp the jet's crew alerting system and mean separate pilot training - raising costs to airlines and putting orders at risk.

"Let's not get to politics, (let's) work our way through the merits of the airplane with our regulator," Calhoun said. "We are totally committed to these airplanes and we intend to deliver them to our customers."

On winning clearance to resume 737 MAX deliveries in China, a vital market cut off by trade tensions between Washington and Beijing, Calhoun said he remained "confident and constructive" but stopped short of predicting a time frame.

If reports are anything to go by, "Alice"- touted to be the world's first all-electric passenger aircraft, is preparing to take off soon.

Developed by an Israeli company- Eviation, "Alice" is an all-electric passenger aircraft designed to accommodate nine passengers and two crew members.

Representative | IEEE Spectrum

The all-electric airplane demonstrator went through engine testing in January and has now reportedly completed a low-speed taxi testing program last month at Arlington Municipal Airport (KAWO), in Washington, north of Seattle.

According to a FlightGlobal report from the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE 2022) in Geneva, interim CEO Gregory Davis has been quoted as saying high-speed taxi testing won’t be attempted until Alice has received an experimental permit to fly.

Apparently, Eviation had to slow down its timeline based on the ground test results and safety board reviews.

When we completed the ground-test program, we found some things that we needed to tweak and that’s what we are working on as we prepare the aircraft for first flightDavis told FlightGlobal

Alice | Tech and specs

Alice was first unveiled at the 2019 Paris Air Show. Powered by Magnix Electric Propulsion, it is designed to seat nine passengers and two pilots. "magniX" is a Zero-emissions, all-electric technology recognized by the FAA and selected by NASA to demonstrate electric propulsion technologies for Electric Powertrain Flight Demonstration program.

The prototype at the June 2019 Paris Air Show featured a single pusher propeller and twin wingtip motors, a V-Tail and a taildragger landing gear | Wikipedia

Alice is the first FAR23 category aircraft with a fly-by-wire, fully electronic flight control system, complemented by touch screen flight displays.

The configuration unveiled in July 2021 features twin aft-mounted motors, a T-tail and a tricycle landing gear | Wikipedia

Specifications

Max Cruise Speed250 knotsMax Range440 NMClimb Rate2,000 ft/minMTOW16,500 lbsPayload (Commuter)2,500 lbsPOWER PLANTmagni650Max Power2 x 640 kWEviation

Eviation has developed three versions of the prototype: a "commuter" variant, an executive version, and one specialized for cargo.

Commuter

Clean Technicia

With a passenger capacity of 9, the commuter features SkyView panoramic windows, with individually controlled electro-chromatic shades that flood the cabin with natural light. Additionally, it also comes with elegantly-designed seats that come with a 32-inch pitch for generous personal space.

Eviation

Executive

With a passenger capacity of 6, the executive features a state-of-the-art galley, wardrobe, and the largest luggage compartment in class – with ample room for golf clubs, skis or even bikes.

Eviation

Cargo

Temperature controlled for optimal haulage, the cargo version has a volume capacity of 450 cu ft and features forward and aft access doors as well as a secure webbing system.

Eviation

 In 2019, regional carrier Cape Air signed a provisional agreement to be the launch customer for Alice. In August 2021, Deutsche Post announced that it had ordered 12 aircraft for use by DHL to transport cargo, with delivery planned from 2024.  Cape Air confirmed an order for 75 planes in April this year. CapeAir's proposed fleet of Alices is expected to enter service in 2023 on routes connecting Boston, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and Hyannis.

Eviation is actively working with the FAA to achieve certification for production by 2024.

It really integrates aviation into the fabric of transportation, of our commuter life. It does so while being sustainable, and through being economically viable. Once we start seeing planes like this, the entire way we look at where we live, how we commute, how we go on vacation, will change. It will be a high-speed train without the railsaid Bar-Yohay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_Z8XsSs6Ag

About Eviation

Eviation is co-founded by Omer Bar-Yohay and Aviv Tzidon, in Tel Aviv, Israel. Omer and Tzidon both had illustrious careers in the Israeli military before designing advanced powertrain and clean energy generation and storage solutions respectively. In 2020, Eviation moved its HQ to Arlington, WA, USA.

SOURCE(s)

COVER: CNN

The Delhi HC on Friday, June 3 called for strict action against those found violating masking and hand hygiene norms at airports and in aircraft, observing that the COVID-19 pandemic has not abated and keeps springing up to its ugly head.

The high court said all such persons, who are found to be violating these norms, should be booked and fined and should be placed on the no-fly list and added that it is essential to introduce sufficient deterrence to enforce compliance with norms.

It said it is noticed that very often the norms are not implemented on the ground with the seriousness with which they are framed and therefore, it is essential for the authorities, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ensure that the implementation on the ground is effected properly.

Delhi HC advises DGCA to strictly enforce COVID-19 regulations at airports and in aircraft

For this purpose, we are of the view that the DGCA should give separate binding directions to all airlines to authorise the staff at airports and in aircraft, including air hostesses, captains, pilots and others to take strict action against passengers and others who violate the masking and hand hygiene norms, a bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Sachin Datta said.

The court noted the submission of DGCA’s advocate Anjana Gosain, who herself is inflicted with COVID-19 and appeared through video conferencing, that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued another order on May 10, calling for strict enforcement of COVID-19 protocol.

She said the authorities are seriously implementing norms regarding masking at airports and in aircraft by all concerned.

The issuance of said order, in our view, is the right step since the pandemic has not abated and keeps springing up to its ugly head, the bench said, adding that guidelines are always in place and it is the practical compliance which becomes a problem and we falter.

It said let necessary steps be taken and further action taken report to be placed before the court and listed the matter for further hearing on July 18.

The court’s order came in a PIL, registered on the experience of a sitting judge of the high court while travelling by a domestic flight during the pandemic.

Justice C Hari Shankar had on March 8, 2021, taken suo motu cognisance of the situation after witnessing passengers not wearing masks properly during transportation from the airport to the flight and their stubborn reluctance to wear masks properly.

The court, which had issued various guidelines to the DGCA and airlines for immediate compliance, had said it was constrained to pass the order because of an alarming situation which was witnessed by the judge himself during an Air India flight from Kolkata to New Delhi on March 5, 2021.

During the hearing, the court observed that people may not wear N-95 masks on flights but they must at least wear a surgical mask as the idea is to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.

Doctors also wear the surgical masks the whole day, the bench said, adding that only at the time of meals the passengers can take off the mask and the moment they finish their meals, they have to wear it again. People violating should be physically removed from the area if they have to be.., it said.

The DGCA had earlier informed the court that they were taking action against passengers who were not properly wearing masks after repeated warnings and they will be de-boarded before departure and may be treated as unruly passengers.

The DGCA had also said in its circular that passengers shall wear masks and maintain social distancing norms at all times during air travel. The mask shall not be moved below the nose except under exceptional circumstances, it had said.

CISF or other police personnel deployed at the entrance of the airport shall ensure that no one is allowed to enter the airport without wearing a mask, it had said.

In case, any passenger is not following COVID-19 protocol, they should be handed over to security agencies after proper warning. If required, they may be dealt with as per law, it had said.

The high court had earlier taken strong note of an alarming situation of passengers not properly wearing masks on flights and issued guidelines to all domestic airlines and DGCA for strict compliance, including penal action for offenders and periodical checks of the aircraft.

Passengers in a flight are in a closed air-conditioned environment, and, even if one of the passengers suffers from COVID-19, the effect on other passengers could be cataclysmic.

It is a matter of common knowledge that being within arm’s length distance of a COVID-19 carrier, even if he is asymptomatic and is merely speaking, is more than sufficient to transmit the virus, it had said.

If despite being reminded, he or she refuses to follow the protocol, action should be taken against the passenger by the guidelines issued by the DGCA or Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, including placing him or her on a 'no-fly' regimen, either permanently or for a stipulated, sufficiently long, period, it had said.

The Adani Group portfolio boasts of a wide domain including air and seaports, highways, thermal powerplants etc - all of which are key drivers of the economy of the nation.

The Defence & Aerospace arm is involved in helping India achieve self-reliance in defence & security and has established capabilities in small arms, unmanned aerial systems, radars, defence electronics & avionics, tactical communication systems, and electro-optical systems with a proven record to support the Indian Armed Forces and other para-military forces in India.

According to reports, the defence conglomerate is now collaborating with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel’s Elbit Systems to begin deploying counter-UAS equipment in some of the country’s major airports.

Representative | Chanakya Forum

First deployment is happening at the civil airports, which are owned by Adani’s and the intention is to take it to the largest set of airports within the country – and then you talk about any critical establishment, nuclear establishment, seaports, power plants, each and every establishment which require counter drone technologyAshish Rajvanshi, CEO of Adani Defence & Aerospace was quoted in the report

Ashish Rajvanshi-President & Head, Adani Defence and Aerospace | Adanidefence

Rajvanshi stressed how important it was for the organisation to make infrastructure asset safety a top priority by referencing the drone attacks on oil refineries in Saudi Arabia and on the Indian Air Force base in Jammu, in the past few years.

Manufacturing is already happening and again the roadmap is for 70-80% indigenization to happen within the country. We are still waiting for some rules to come out in the next couple of weeks and the deployment will immediately startSaid Rajvanshi

Back in April, the Ministry of Defence had identified counter-drone systems as a part of a list of 101 equipment which is to be indigenously made and procured.

Adani Elbit Advanced Systems India Limited is a joint venture between Adani Defence & Aerospace and Elbit Systems, Israel. The organisation has set up the first private UAV manufacturing complex at Adani Aerospace Park in Hyderabad to indigenize unmanned aerial platforms which also happens to be the only Hermes 900 production facility outside Israel.

Representative | The News Minute

Hermes 900 is a state of the art, combat-proven multi-role unmanned platform with an endurance of 36 hours, payload capacity of 420 kg, and altitude of over 32,000 feet (10km+) with applications spanning across civil, defence and homeland security.

The manufacture of Hermes 900 includes the use of carbon fibre composites, avionics as well as manufacturing and integration of payloads in collaboration with Bharat Electronics.

Adani Group

So today, we are already exporting to the global markets and the expectation is that, depending on how the Indian Government and the Indian Air Force moves, we will be having a big order in the coming monthsRajvanshi

SOURCE(s)

COVER: The Economic Times