India to get Civil Aviation Research Centre

The Civil Aviation Research centre (CARO), a facility with advanced simulators being established in Hyderabad, will become fully operational by the end of this year and will have , a civil aviation ministry official said.

CARO, which is being established on a 20-acre plot within the Begumpet airport at a cost of INR 402.13 crore, will offer solutions in key areas in the civilian aviation sector in India. “The construction of the CARO building is under progress and in the final phase of construction,” the ministry officer said, seeking anonymity.

A research facility is functioning in a limited way at Begumpet airport with employees of the Airports Authority of India, another official said. “The new CARO will also be manned by AAI officers,” he said, declining to be named.

https://twitter.com/HyderabadMojo/status/1514607779394502656?s=20

“It also aims to provide a research platform for private and public stakeholders to cater to the needs of global aviation research through collaboration with government and private organisation, co-develop with international organisations, facilitate industry institution tie-ups, foster a vibrant research and development environment to attract top talent and provide resources for start-ups and innovations to carry out research.”

The official said.

CARO aims to promote in-house and collaborative research to cater AAI’s needs through establishment of a world-class research infrastructure with advanced simulators and laboratory facilities, the ministry official said.

CARO will develop indigenous technologies, promote and disseminate R&D activities, encourage creativity and innovation through human resource measures, and provide decision support using data analytical tools and cost- benefit analysis, he added.

Its foundation stone was laid by Suresh Prabhu, the then civil aviation minister, in July 2018, and was originally scheduled to be operational by May 2022.

With inputs from hindustantimes.

Also read - Civil Aviation Research Centre to be set up at Hyderabad’s Begumpet Airport

General Electric (GE), a multinational conglomerate, has been working closely with Air India, the country's flag carrier, to deliver its first GE-made aircraft in 2023. This significant development marks a milestone for both companies and is expected to strengthen the aviation sector in India.

Air India, part of Tata group, had signed an order for 40 GE engines, plus a multi-year engine services agreement.

Also read - Multiple Aircraft Types, Benefits Air India

"The first of the Air India aircraft with GE engines are expected to be service ready in 2023 itself."

Vikram Rai – Country Head, South Asia and Indonesia of GE Aerospace said on Thursday.

First GE-made Air India aircraft to be service ready in 2023 itself.

Terming Air India's engine order as a "big opportunity" for the jet engines and systems suppliers company, he said it reflects continued confidence in GE Aerospace technology --which has been powering Air India's carriers for more than 40 years.

Also read - From A350s to B777Xs, Air India finalizes the Historic 470 Aircraft deal with Airbus & Boeing

Earlier this month, Air India, in a historic deal, announced it will buy 250 aircraft from Airbus and has also selected Boeing for the purchase of up to 290 planes as part of its growth strategy.

Air India was looking for a mix of aircraft to boost their domestic and international network through recent orders. Soon after the divestment of the airline, the airline indicated it was going for a historic order

Also read - Air India to hire 900 pilots & 4200 cabin crew in 2023 after new aircraft order

For the first time, India’s indigenously-made light combat aircraft Tejas will be participating in an international multilateral air exercise — Exercise Desert Flag VIll — in the UAE, reflecting India’s increasing efforts at showcasing the jet on the world stage.

An Indian Air Force contingent comprising 110 Air Warriors arrived at the Al Dahfra airbase of the United Arab Emirates to participate in the exercise, in which five LCA Tejas and two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft would take part, the IAF said. The exercise is scheduled from 27 February to 17 March.

“This is the first occasion when the LCA Tejas shall participate in an international flying exercise outside India,” the IAF said in a statement. As per the IAF, Exercise Desert Flag is a multilateral air exercise which will see participation from the air forces of the UAE, France, Kuwait, Australia, the UK, Bahrain, Morocco, Spain, the Republic of Korea, and the US.

https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC/status/1629407551703126017

“The exercise aims to participate in diverse fighter engagements and learn from the best practices of various air forces,” the IAF said.

ALSO READ - HAL’s LCA Tejas deal with Argentina has been put to hold

India has been in talks with several countries to export LCA Tejas, including Argentina and Egypt. India was also hopeful of selling the platform to Malaysia, but the country has signed a deal with Korean Aerospace Industries for the supply of 18 FA-50 light combat aircraft.

ALSO READ - India offers to set up production facilities for LCA Tejas and helicopters in Egypt

Tejas was to debut in an air exercise abroad last year. It was scheduled to take part in the multinational air exercise Cobra Warrior 22 at Waddington in the UK from March 6 to 27, 2022. However, the exercise was cancelled due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The LCA has taken part in several air shows abroad, but never participated in a combat exercise in a foreign country.

ALSO READ - IAF to participate in multilateral air exercise in the UK with Tejas jets

LCA Tejas set to debut at international multilateral air exercises in UAE

The aircraft had earlier participated in air shows in Singapore, Malaysia, Bahrain and Dubai. The LCA Mk 2, which got cabinet approval last year, has evinced interest from nearly 16 countries and efforts are on to identify private agencies to speed up the production of the jet.

Manufactured by state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the Tejas aircraft is a potent platform for air combat and offensive air support missions while reconnaissance and anti-ship operations are its secondary roles.

Aircraft manufacturing company HAL terms LCA Tejas as a 4.5 generation, all-weather and multi-role fighter aircraft. “The aircraft is designed to be a multi-role aircraft capable of taking up offensive air support, close combat and ground attack roles at ease. It is also designed to undertake Ground Maritime Operations.”

As per the HAL, there are different variants of aircraft under production and development which includes Single seater fighter for the Air Force, Single seater fighter for the Navy, Twin Seater trainer aircraft for the Air Force and Twin Seater trainer version for the Navy.

The IAF has inducted several of the 40 earlier variants of LCA, ordered 83 improved Mk-1A variants in 2021, and is now looking at ordering the newest variant of the aircraft, LCA Mk-2.

ALSO READ - LCA Mark 1A expected to be out by February 2024

In 2021, the defence ministry awarded an INR 48,000-crore contract to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for 83 LCA Mk-1A jets for the IAF. The first Mk-1A aircraft will be delivered in February 2024, with the rest slated to join the combat fleet by 2029. Last year, the government gave its nod to developing the LCA Mk-2, a platform that will form an important element of future air combat.

An advanced version of the aircraft (LCA Mk-2) is to be rolled out by February 2024, said a HAL official. Last September, the Cabinet Committee on Security sanctioned INR 9,000 crore to develop the 4.5 generation LCA Mk-2, which would be technologically much superior to LCA Mk-1.

UAE’s national carrier Emirates is exploring a codeshare agreement with Tata Group-run Air India as it prepares to expand globally with a record aircraft order, a senior Emirates executive said.

“Talks (with Air India) are at an early stage. They are a bit busy with the merger as well as other stuff. So, just initial-level talks are on, and let’s see how it evolves," Mohammad Sarhan, vice president of India and Nepal Emirates, said in an interview.

Emirates looks to join hands with a strong and premium airline like Air India to operate in the subcontinent, he said. Air India has signed deals for 840 aircraft (470 firm orders, and 370 options) that includes wide-body planes.

ALSO READ - From A350s to B777Xs, Air India finalizes the Historic 470 Aircraft deal with Airbus & Boeing

“You know, earlier, the United and Emirates were rivals and now they are best of friends. We just signed a codeshare. Air Canada used to be a challenge for us. Now we are best friends. I think sooner or later we will be very close to some Indian carriers. Our aim for the future is to have a strong partner in India.

The best way forward (for Emirates) is (partnership) with a premium carrier. We do have interline with almost all Indian carriers, but it is not as good as codeshare, that will have one ticket, one fare, same baggage allowance, same service, and it is more consistent. We maximize the routes, we sell on that airline, that airline sells on us, we feed into them and they feed into us."

Mohammad Sarhan, Vice President of India and Nepal, Emirates

For outbound and inbound international traffic in India, Emirates is the largest foreign carrier and third largest overall after IndiGo and Air India, with nearly 10% share, according to October-December data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

It is not Emirates’ first attempt at a codeshare in India. The airline had signed a codeshare agreement with SpiceJet in November 2019 but it did not take off for various reasons such as covid and a mismatch between a full-service airline and a low-cost carrier. “Both sides didn’t activate the codeshare. We are a full-service carrier so we will only like to partner with a full-service premium airline, that makes sense and matches us," Sarhan said.

Emirates considering a codeshare agreement with Air India

Emirates has been trying to increase flight operations from India since 2014 but has so far only been able to operate 65,000 seats for Dubai under the bilateral agreement between the two countries. Currently, the Indian government wants Indian carriers to expand to Europe and the Americas and to restrict foreign carriers by not allowing them to expand foreign flying rights.

With the growing aspirations of Indian airlines to increase overseas flights, Sarhan is hopeful that the demand for increasing bilaterals in the India-UAE sector will no longer be one-sided.

“The demand is big. The pie is big for everyone. We are probably missing out on some traffic but the Indian carriers are also missing out on this big demand from Dubai...I think the request is going to come from Indian carriers very soon," Sarhan said.

Emirates currently flies to nine major cities in India but sees potential in launching direct flights to Tier-2 and 3 destinations in India as well such as Surat, Lucknow, and Amritsar. The airline currently shares its bilateral flying rights with its sister airline flyDubai.

With a load factor of around 90% since resuming operations in India, the airline continues to see India as one of its top five markets, alongside the UAE, the US, Australia and the UK.

“We don’t see any slowdown in the Indian market. It is strong, it is growing. We are enjoying that and we are riding the same wave. We are also very surprised with the demand, it is very strong the fares are going up and up, we keep increasing the fares and the demand is still going up and we don’t see any slowdown," he said.

ALSO READ - Air India to Emirates and Pan Am: Who placed the biggest historic Aircraft orders?

Feature Image - Billy Wilt 

(With Inputs from Mint)

Air India Express (AIE), the Kochi-headquartered low-cost international arm of Air India, is likely to get 190 Boeing 737 MAX (737-8 and 737-10s) aircraft as part of a deal entered into by Air India with Airbus and Boeing to procure 470 aircraft over the next decade. The AIE had recently grabbed headlines for making frequent emergency landings (precautionary landings) in the State.

The airline has been using Boeing 737 MAX for its operations, while Air India has been using wide-body aircraft for its long-haul operations. The Air India Express has started hiring pilots and cabin crew members for its bases in south India to expand its operations.

ALSO READ - Air India to integrate AirAsia India with Air India Express by the end of 2023

The airline has entered into a merger agreement with AirAsia India, thereby expanding its fleet size from 24 to 53. The merger of Vistara with Air India is proposed by March 2024, subject to regulatory approvals.

Air India Express likely to get 190 Boeing 737 MAX as part of the mega aircraft deal

“The route dynamics of the airline will change significantly with the induction of the new aircraft. But, it’s too early to speculate on the routes as discussions are still underway. However, as per the preliminary understanding, Boeing 737 MAX will be given to the AIE. The airline, which connects 14 major international destinations, mainly in West Asia and Singapore, with 34 destinations in India, is expected to launch large-scale domestic operations with the induction of the new aircraft,” said a senior officer.

Though there is no lifespan prescribed by the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for a passenger aircraft flying in India, the average age of the aircraft owned by the AIE is 15 years. Since the majority of the recent emergency landings made by the AIE aircraft were due to technical issues, the induction of new aircraft would help the airline immensely, according to industry sources.

The airline has shifted a good number of officials from Kochi to its corporate office in Delhi. Its main operations would soon be from Delhi, said sources.

ALSO READ – From A350s to B777Xs, Air India finalizes the Historic 470 Aircraft deal with Airbus & Boeing

Air India recently announced its mega aircraft order with Airbus and Boeing on February 14, which involves 470 airframes and options for a further 370, which could potentially take the carrier to 840 planes – the order includes 210 Airbus A320neo family jets, 40 A350s, 190 Boeing 737 MAXs, 20 Boeing 787s, and 10 777Xs. It has already announced plans to lease 36 aircraft (11 Boeing 777s and 25 Airbus A320s) of which two B777-200 LR have already joined the fleet.

ALSO READ - Aloke Singh to be the chief of Air India’s low-cost airline business from January 1

(With Inputs from The Hindu)

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) plans to ramp up its technical staff to 1,100 by hiring another 400 people in the next one to two years as well as increase the number of offices to 19 as the watchdog strengthens the safety oversight capabilities, according to its chief Arun Kumar.

Kumar, who will be superannuating on February 28 after being at the helm for nearly four years, described his tenure as a "roller coaster ride" during which various steps were taken to improve aviation safety and the regulator also dealt with multiple headwinds, including engine issues and safety concerns over SpiceJet.

India’s aviation safety oversight ranking jumping to the 55th position from 112th place earlier under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) coordinated validation mission, rollout of eGCA for processes at the regulator, the introduction of regulations for transgenders who want to be pilots as well as compulsory breath analyser tests for air traffic controllers are among the key developments during the tenure.

"The country’s aviation safety oversight capability has improved substantially and DGCA in its annual surveillance programme conducts more than 4,000 spot checks/audits/night surveillance," Kumar told PTI in an interview.

Currently, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has around 1,300 employees, including about 700 technical staff. "The number of technical staff is expected to increase by 400 in the next one to two years… also, the number of offices of the DGCA in different parts of the country will increase to 19 from the current 14 in the near term," he said.

When asked about his tenure, Kumar, an IAS officer of the 1989 Haryana cadre, said it has been a 'roller coaster ride'. "It was fulfilling as we took various steps to improve aviation safety. eGCA was a game changer and made life easier for all stakeholders," he asserted. "Among the biggest achievements are India’s position going up in the ICAO safety rankings and the full rollout of the eGCA. With the high ICAO ranking, the world knows that India is a better country when it comes to aviation safety," Kumar said.

During the pandemic, the DGCA chief said that India did what other countries were doing and flight services were suspended for a considerable time. "What is significant is that our resumption was glitch free while others (countries) had air crash and accidents. DGCA is an expert agency and we have always taken pride in our professionalism. Aviation safety is a serious business and DGCA inspectors have always risen to the occasion," Kumar said. India is the world’s third largest as well as the fastest growing civil aviation market in the world.

"On an average, there are 4.5 lakh domestic air passengers and 1 lakh international air passengers in the country," Kumar said. In recent times, the regulator has also taken strict action in relation of unruly passenger behaviour onboard flights.

Last month, in a span of less than a week, the DGCA had penalised Tata Group-owned Air India twice related to incidents of unruly passenger behaviour. On January 24, the regulator imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on the airline for not reporting two incidents of unruly passenger behaviour onboard a Paris-New Delhi flight on December 6, 2022.

On January 20, the watchdog slapped a penalty of Rs 30 lakh on Air India as well as suspended the licence of the pilot-in-command of the New York-Delhi flight in which a person allegedly urinated on a female co-passenger on November 26, 2022. In connection with the incident, a fine of Rs 3 lakh was also imposed on Air India’s Director of in-flight services for failing to discharge her duties.