IAF successfully test-fired a BrahMos missile from a Sukhoi fighter jet

In demonstrating its operational preparedness, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday, April 19 successfully test-fired a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a Sukhoi fighter jet on the Eastern seaboard.

The "live firing" of the missile was carried out in close coordination with the Indian Navy, the IAF said. The missile hit the target with accuracy and precision, officials said.

https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC/status/1516404584784138241

"Today on the Eastern seaboard, #IAF undertook live firing of #BrahMos missile from a Su30 MkI aircraft. The missile achieved a direct hit on the target, a decommissioned #IndianNavy ship. The mission was undertaken in close coordination with @indiannavy," the IAF said in a tweet.

In 2016, the government had decided to integrate the air-launched variant of the Brahmos into over 40 Sukhoi fighter jets. The project was conceived to enhance the IAF's capability to strike from large stand-off ranges on any target on sea or land.

On March 5, the Indian Navy successfully test-fired an advanced version of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile from a stealth destroyer in the Indian Ocean. The missile was test-fired from the stealth destroyer INS Chennai.

https://twitter.com/indiannavy/status/1516450775941414912

BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.

BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound. The range of the advanced version of the missile is learnt to have been extended to around 350 km from the original 290 km.

The BrahMos (also designated as PJ-10) is a medium-range stealthy ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft or land. It is the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world.

BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.

It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), who together have formed BrahMos Aerospace. It is based on the Russian P-800 Oniks supersonic anti-ship cruise missile. The name BrahMos is a portmanteau formed from the names of two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia.

The company was established on 12 February 1998 with an authorised share capital of USD 250 million. India holds a 50.5% share of the joint venture and its initial financial contribution was USD 126.25 million, while Russia holds a 49.5% share with an initial contribution of USD 123.75 million.

The Tamil Nadu government has planned to develop a new airport in the industrial belt of Hosur (in Krishnagiri district and located about 40 km from Bengaluru), and a study on air traffic and other aspects has been ordered, state Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu said on Tuesday, April 19.

The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (TIDCO) has been directed to undertake a study on the air traffic and its growth in surrounding regions, market demand and potential sites for developing an airport in Hosur, which is one of the industrial hubs in the state, he said. TIDCO is in the process of selecting a consultant for undertaking the study.

"Considering the industrial growth, regional economic growth, tourism, per capita income growth rate in the northwest region of Tamil Nadu and interest of the travelling public, the government intends to develop a new airport in this region," a policy note on industries department tabled in the Assembly, said.

Tamil Nadu plans to develop an airport in Hosur's industrial belt

On the proposed new airport at Neyveli, the note said infrastructure facilities for flight operations (at Neyveli airport) are ready and that licence from the Director General of Civil Aviation is awaited. "Flight operations will commence thereafter," the note added.

TIDCO will establish an Aero Hub as part of the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor within the Aerospace Park in Sriperumbudur.

This project will be implemented in two phases. Phase-1 will be implemented by TIDEL Chennai with a built-up space of 3.5 lakh sq. ft. for INR 230 crore and will be completed by February 2023.

On Chief Minister M K Stalin's ambitious target of making Tamil Nadu a USD 1 trillion economy by the 2030-31 fiscal, the note said this can be achieved only if the manufacturing sector takes the centre stage for economic development.

TIDCO will establish an Aero Hub as part of the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor within the Aerospace Park in Sriperumbudur.

"Tamil Nadu is recognised for its well-developed manufacturing eco-system and the state is on track to ensure this sector grows from USD 48.1 billion in 2020-21 fiscal (18% of GSDP) to USD 250 billion in 2030-31 fiscal (25% of GSDP)," the note said.

Steps are on to attract approximately INR 23 lakh crore of investment in the manufacturing sector and for the creation of employment opportunities for 46 lakh people, which are necessary to achieve its growth target, it further stated.

Also, a sharp focus on the logistics sector is essential to strengthen the competitive advantage of the state and to propel it to a high growth path for realising the USD 1 trillion economy target.

This will accommodate both domestic and overseas financial institutions.

Hence, the state Logistics Policy will focus on the key elements like regulatory framework; interconnected infrastructure; digital transformation; training and skill development in the state.

The objective of the Logistics Policy is to facilitate and develop an integrated logistics ecosystem in Tamil Nadu, to enhance competitiveness, operational efficiency and sustainability through innovation, skilled manpower, quality and disruptive technologies; thereby strengthening Tamil Nadu's position as the most preferred destination for trade and commerce.

A Fintech City will be developed by TIDCO on around 122.69 acres of land in Nandambakkam here, to make Chennai a global financial centre. This will accommodate both domestic and overseas financial institutions.

The feasibility report for the project has been completed and the state government has granted entry upon permission to TIDCO for 61.09 acres of land in Nandambakkam and transferred the land to TIDCO for establishing the Fintech City project.

It has also been proposed to establish a Fintech Tower of international standards, with a built-up area of 5 lakh sq. ft as part of Fintech City for Fintech companies to establish their operations.

Further, to develop a startup ecosystem in the state, it is proposed to create a Startup Hub, an iconic structure in the Fintech city to provide space to startups. A detailed master plan for this project is being prepared.

TIDEL will set up Mini IT Parks (TIDEL Neo) of 50,000 to 1,00,000 sq.ft. in Tier-2 & Tier-3 urban centres of Tamil Nadu.

TIDCO is in the process of selecting a Project Management Consultant for this project. TIDEL will set up Mini IT Parks (TIDEL Neo) of 50,000 to 1,00,000 sq.ft. in Tier-2 & Tier-3 urban centres of Tamil Nadu. The government will provide land for the development of these TIDEL Neo Parks.

TIDCO will represent the government of Tamil Nadu in the SPV. In the first phase, it is proposed to set up TIDEL Neo Parks in Villupuram, Thoothukudi, Vellore, Tirupur and Salem districts and other districts in subsequent phases.

In Villupuram, Thoothukudi, Tiruppur and Salem, suitable land parcels have been identified and Project Management Consultants have been appointed.

Akasa Air, which is planning to start its commercial flight operations in July, on Tuesday, May 17 announced its airline code - "QP".

ALSO READ - Flight operations of Akasa Air pushed to July

Every airline in the world has a designator code. For example, IndiGo's code is "6E", Go First's is "G8" and Air India's is "AI".

Akasa Air announced "QP" as its airline code

IATA airline designators, sometimes called IATA reservation codes, are two-character codes assigned by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to the world's airlines.

The standard is described in IATA's Standard Schedules Information Manual and the codes themselves are described in IATA's Airline Coding Directory.

The IATA codes were originally based on the ICAO designators which were issued in 1947 as two-letter airline identification codes (see the section below).

Akasa Air is backed by ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and aviation veterans Vinay Dube and Aditya Ghosh

IATA expanded the two-character system with codes consisting of a letter and a digit (or vice versa) e.g. EasyJet's U2 after ICAO had introduced its current three-letter-system in 1982. Until then only combinations of letters were used.

Akasa Air said on Twitter, "Quite Proud to announce our airline code - QP!"

ALOS READ – Jhunjhunwala’s Akasa has received NOC, find out what will happen next

The airline, which is backed by ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and aviation veterans Vinay Dube and Aditya Ghosh, received the no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Civil Aviation in August 2021 to launch commercial flight operations.

https://twitter.com/AkasaAir/status/1526490271953076224

ALSO READ – Rakesh Jhunjhunwala’s Akasa Air signs deal for 72 Boeing 737 Max planes

With the Directorate General of Civil Aviation giving the green light to Boeing 737 Max aircraft in late August 2021, Akasa Air signed a deal with Boeing on November 26, 2021, to purchase 72 Max planes.

India's aviation sector has been growing quickly, with more and more people opting for air travel. The traffic on airlines has almost reached pre-pandemic levels due to a drop in COVID-19 cases.

Aviation consultancy firm CAPA said in November 2021 that the disruption in the Indian aviation sector due to Akasa Air will possibly be felt from 2024-25 onwards "once it has the scale and achieves a competitive cost base".

The Biden administration will no longer enforce a US mask mandate on public transportation, after a federal judge in Florida on Monday, April 18 ruled that the 14-month-old directive was unlawful, overturning a key White House effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Soon after the announcement, all major carriers including American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, as well as national train line Amtrak relaxed the restrictions effective immediately.

Last week, U.S. health officials had extended the mandate to May 3 requiring travellers to wear masks on airplanes, trains, and in taxis, ride-share vehicles or transit hubs, saying they needed time to assess the impact of a recent rise in COVID-19 cases caused by the airborne coronavirus.

The majority of major US airlines drop mask mandate after court ruling

Industry groups and Republican lawmakers baulked and wanted the administration to end the 14-month-old mask mandate permanently.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, an appointee of President Donald Trump, came in a lawsuit filed last year in Tampa, Florida, by a group called the Health Freedom Defense Fund. It follows a string of rulings against Biden administration directives to fight the infectious disease that has killed nearly one million Americans, including vaccine or test mandates for employers.

Judge Mizelle said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had exceeded its authority with the mandate, had not sought public comment and did not adequately explain its decisions.

A U.S. administration official said while the agencies were assessing potential next steps, the court's decision meant CDC's public transportation masking order was no longer in effect. The administration could still opt to appeal the order or seek an emergency delay in the order's enforcement.

"Therefore, TSA will not enforce its Security Directives and Emergency Amendment requiring mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs at this time," the official said in a statement. "CDC recommends that people continue to wear masks in indoor public transportation settings."

The Transportation Security Administration said it will rescind the new Security Directives that were scheduled to take effect on Tuesday, April 19.

The ruling comes as COVID-19 infections rise again in the United States, with 36,251 new infections reported on average each day, and 460 daily deaths, based on a seven-day average - the highest number of reported total COVID-19 deaths in the world.

United Airlines, American, Delta, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue and Alaska Airlines said masks are now optional on their planes.

The White House called the ruling "disappointing." The CDC first issued a public health order requiring masks in interstate transportation in February 2021. The TSA issued a security directive to enforce the CDC order.

United Airlines, American, Delta, Southwest Airlines (LUV.N), JetBlue (JBLU.O) and Alaska Airlines (ALK.N) said masks are now optional on their planes.

"We are relieved to see the U.S. mask mandate lift to facilitate global travel as COVID-19 has transitioned to an ordinary seasonal virus," Delta said. The World Health Organization warned against comparing the virus to an endemic illness like the flu earlier this year, noting it is evolving too quickly.

The move could impact travel demand, which has roared back after a blip caused by the Omicron coronavirus variant. U.S. passenger traffic has been averaging about 89% of the pre-pandemic levels since mid-February, according to TSA data.

With the COVID-19 case count rising again, lifting the mandate could make some passengers wary while prompting others to fly again.

Only 36% of Americans think it's time for people to stop using masks and quarantines so that life can get back to normal after COVID-19, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted between January 31 and February 7.

Only 36% of Americans think it's time for people to stop using masks and quarantines so that life can get back to normal after COVID-19

However, while a mere 16% of Democrats hold this view, a whopping 60% of Republicans do, according to the poll. Delta Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian last week acknowledged the risk but said the airline still expected its flights to be full.

"It's a question of individual accountability, personal accountability, making your own decisions rather than the government making decisions for people as to how to stay well," Bastian told Reuters in an interview.

On Monday, April 18 Delta asked its employees to show "understanding and patience" as the unexpected nature of the announcement could result in "inconsistent" enforcement.

Thousands of passengers have been put on "no-fly" lists for refusing to comply with masking requirements.

Since January 2021, there have been a record 7,060 unruly passenger incidents reported, 70% involving masking rules, according to the FAA. Thousands of passengers have been put on "no-fly" lists for refusing to comply with masking requirements.

Alaska said some passengers will remain banned, even after the mask policy is rescinded.

Masks continue to be mandatory for airports and flights in India

As people in India seem to be ditching the mask these days, a statement comes from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regarding mask mandates at airports. Arun Kumar, Director General of Civil Aviation said that it is still recommended to wear a mask during air travel in India.

People may not be wearing masks in the cities of Delhi and Mumbai, but it is still important to carry masks when at airports and taking flights in the country.

Masks continue to be mandatory for airports and flights in India

In March 2021, the DGCA had said that passengers who refuse to wear masks on flights, will be deboarded, and considered unruly. This rule continues to apply, so if you are travelling, it is best to wear masks, use sanitiser, and continue to practise social distancing. COVID appropriate behaviour is still the order of the day.

Maharashtra has however lifted the mask mandate in the state, so people are not required to wear it in the public. There has been a gradual decrease in active cases and deaths from COVID 19.

So, you do not have to wear masks at weddings, gyms, hotels, and buses in the state. Delhi too has decided not to penalise people who are not wearing masks in the public. However, that is not the case for airports in Delhi and Mumbai, or anywhere else in the country.

A Go First plane, which was scheduled to go to Delhi, has been halted in Srinagar and is being searched following a telephone call warning about a bomb inside the aircraft, officials said.

The plane is being searched thoroughly. Nothing has been found yet, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said.

The Go First flight, which was scheduled to return to Delhi, was stopped at the Srinagar airport after a manager of another private airline got the call about a bomb on the plane, the officials said.

Go First aircraft halted in Srinagar after hoax bomb call

They said the call has been traced to Delhi and the number is switched off since then. Police are investigating the matter, Kumar said adding that airport operations are going on smoothly.

In June 2021, a SpiceJet flight SG 8721 scheduled to operate from Delhi to Patna was delayed when a passenger, after boarding the aircraft, inquired about the safety of the aircraft including the possibility of a bomb, the aircraft.  

The said passenger repeatedly told the crew that he had an intuition that there was a bomb on board the aircraft. The crew informed the Captain and the aircraft was moved to a remote bay. All passengers were de-boarded and baggage screened again.

The said passenger and the one accompanying him were handed over to CISF and Delhi Police for further investigation and the flight departed.

Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from New York JFK to Miami. The flight was routine until the plane began its approach to Miami International Airport. Shortly before midnight on December 29, 1972, the Lockheed L-1011-1 Tristar crashed into the Florida Everglades, causing 101 fatalities-only 75 survived.

Eastern Airline Lockheed L-1011 Tristar | Representative | Wikipedia

According to the final investigation report released by the NTSB, "the failure of the flight crew to monitor the flight instruments during the final four minutes of flight, and to detect an unexpected descent soon enough to prevent impact with the ground" was determined to be the probable cause of the crash.

Reportedly, during the turn of events, the flight crew failed to recognize the deactivation of the autopilot. Following a missed approach, because of a suspected nose gear malfunction, the aircraft climbed to 2,000ft MSL and proceeded on a westerly heading.

After the aircraft had descended 250 feet from the selected altitude of 2,000 feet, a C-chord sounded from the rear speaker. This altitude alert, designed to warn the pilots of an inadvertent deviation from the selected altitude, went unnoticed by the crew.

Mysteriesunsolved.com

Flying over the darkened terrain of the Everglades, coupled with night-time flying conditions, made it impossible for the crew to realize the Tristar was actually descending.

Following this and many other accidents in the 1970s, many airlines started crew resource management training (CRM) for their pilots.

Cognitive Lockup

Cognitive skills are defined as brain-based skills needed in the acquisition of knowledge, manipulation of information and reasoning.

Representative | 2SER

The relation between planning and acting is key for cognitive science, as well as an important aspect of human-computer interaction. Cognitive psychology establishes the fact that sequences of actions are organised hierarchically by a mental planning process.

How does this play a role in aviation?

Human errors are an inevitable part of the action, something which we all are susceptible to. They become more significant when it occurs in high-performance environments like aviation, where the stakes are even higher. Thereby, it becomes crucial to understand why human errors in aviation are made andhow they can be mitigated.

Human Errors and Human Differences in Aviation | Representative | dentalimplantsurgery.com

Definition

"Cognitive Lockup", as defined by Moray and Rotenberg(1989), refers to the tendency of operators to deal with disturbances sequentially (regardless of the severity). In other words, you could be holding on to a specific task when other, more severe issues, could be attended to first. The crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, is a prime example of this.

What do the statistics say?

According to figures, 48% of fatal accidents and onboard fatalities, between 1959 and 2016 (Boeing, 2017), occurred during the final approach and landing.

Approximately 65% of all accidents take place during critical phase(s) of flight- take-off/landing | Representative | 123RF

IATA publication data from 2011-2015 shows that approximately 65% of all recorded accidents occurred in the approach and landing phase of the flight, and unstabilised approaches were identified as a factor in 14% of these approach and landing accidents.

Representative | ISASI.org

Representative | ISASI.org

Probable causes of cognitive lockup

According to Goleman (1995), when the brain receives information, stimulus travels totwo places in the brain from the thalamus: the amygdala and the neocortex. The neocortex represents the thinking part of the brain, while the amygdala processes physiological responses and fight orflight information.

Representative | District 105

If the emotional brain does not like what it is seeing, it will declare an emotional emergency, an amygdala hijack. Most individuals can only be effective when both the emotional and thinking brain work together.Goleman, 1998

Representative | Supari.In

When people switch between tasks, the mental reconfiguration to another task takes time- also called the "switching cost". Cognitive lockup is reduced when it is obvious that the benefits of a switch exceed the switching cost. This goes to show that the decision to switch or not to switch may be influenced by a misperception of the expected benefits.

Furthermore, if an individual feels that the ongoing task is almost complete, they are more likely to stick to the ongoing task even if the new task is comparatively more significant.

Typically, there are two types of pressure on pilots:

Time pressureTask pressure

Time pressure, being a function of the number of tasks to be performed in a given period, becomes high when there is a perception that time might be scarce.

People experience time pressure when 70% or more of the available time is required for the taskBeevis 1999

The primary task of pilots is getting the passengers from point A to point B. Understandably, they are focused more on completing the task within the stipulated time frame and additional manoeuvres like a go-around or a diversion, although critical from a safety standpoint, may sometimes be overlooked by the crew- Task pressure being a case in point.

Representative | The Independent

People have the tendency to stick to their current task when 90% or more of their total stages of a task have been completedBoehne and Pease, 2000; Garland and Colon, 1993

Thereby, it can be safely said that there is an interaction effect between task completion and time pressure on cognitive lockup.

How does this translate to aviation?

The effects of cognitive lockup are more profound when a pilot approaches the destination. The pilot by now has effectively invested a lot of time in almost completing the task of reaching the destination. In such instances, the pilot might continue with landing, despite, let's say-encountering an unstable approach on landing. Performing a go-around could be perceived in a negative light and hence the pilot might stick to the first task- landing on time at the destination.

An aircraft on final approach | Representative | Wikipedia

Cognitive lockout is the primary reason for the reluctance to go around.

Possible solution(s)

Appropriate training can have a profound effect on reducing cognitive lockup by increasing the practice of "task switching", as compared to other tasks.

Representative | TU Delta- TU Delft

Additionally, the following could be implemented:

Decision support tools:  Tools that assist pilots in recognising the relative priorities of tasks, thereby reducing the likelihood of cognitive lockupSimulator training: Pilots could be trained in scenarios where new, more urgent, tasks arise when dealing with an existing task and could reinforce awareness of the need to continuously assess and prioritise tasks.

SOURCE(s)

COVER: Pinterest