Indian Navy's MiG-29K fighter jet crashes in Goa

A MiG-29K fighter jet of the Navy crashed during a routine sortie off the Goa coast today after developing a technical malfunction. The pilot ejected safely and was rescued in a swift search and rescue operation, the Navy said in a statement.

A board of inquiry (BoI) has been ordered to investigate the cause of the crash. It was the fourth accident involving the MiG-29K since 2019.

The MiG-29K is fitted with the Russian-built K-36D-3.5 ejection seat, widely considered the most sophisticated in the world. In the event of the ejection handles being pulled, the pilot in the rear seat is ejected first, followed by the pilot in the front.

The aircraft crashed while it was returning to the base.

In November 2020, a fighter pilot died after a MiG-29K crash. While one of the pilots was rescued soon after the incident, Commander Nishant Singh's body was recovered 11 days after the crash.

Another MiG 29K crashed the same year in February after being hit by birds. Both pilots had steered the jet away from habitation before ejecting, an action which drew praise from Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik.

In November 2019, a MiG-29K trainer aircraft crashed outside a village in Goa. Both the pilots had ejected safely.

With inputs from ndtv.

Now that air travel is coming back to boom, airlines would look to go all out particularly in this festive season. On that note, Indian airlines are not ready to sit back and wait for the delivery of new aircraft. Instead, they are wet leasing planes to shore up capacity.

A slowdown within the supply of recent aircraft is forcing Indian airlines to wet lease planes to extend capability for the upcoming winter schedule.

A wet lease is a leasing arrangement whereby one airline (the lessor) provides an aircraft, complete crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI) to another airline or other type of business acting as a broker of air travel (the lessee), which pays by hours operated.

IndiGo, which operates narrow-body planes, has signed a deal to moist lease as much as three Boeing 777 plane to push capability on international routes.

Airlines often turn to wet leasing when they want to ensure smooth operations during peak times, to deal with unexpected delays or maintenance, or as a means of testing new routes. Wet lease aircraft also serve as a means of reducing service disruption in the event of unforeseen situations such as a lack of available crew or technical faults.

Also read - IndiGo to debut with widebody aircraft for international expansion

Among Indian carriers - IndiGo, which operates narrow-body planes like the A320, has signed a deal to wet lease up to three Boeing 777 aircraft to push capacity on international routes. IndiGo particularly had to make this move as it was forced to ground around 30 aircraft as supply of spare engines by US-based Pratt & Whitney has fallen behind schedule by at least two months.

Rival SpiceJet on the other hand has finalised a deal to wet lease up to seven Boeing 737 Max aircraft from Turkish airline Corendon.

SpiceJet alternatively has finalised a deal to moist lease as much as seven Boeing 737 Max plane from Turkish airline Corendon.

By making use of wet leasing, airlines are able to increase capacity and generate revenues and cash while demand for travel is high.

Wet leased aircraft allow airlines to experiment with opening up new routes which they believe to be commercially viable without the long term commitment of adding to the fleet.

No-frills airline IndiGo on Tuesday, October 11 said it would connect Mumbai with Istanbul in Turkey from early next year. The new route will be in addition to IndiGo’s existing Delhi-Istanbul flights and explore the airline’s codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines.

The non-stop air services on the new route, which will commence on January 1, will be operated daily. Bookings for these flights began on Tuesday, the airline said in a statement.

"In line with our vision to strengthen international connectivity from India, we have launched a new connection between Mumbai- Istanbul. This will enhance international capacity and offer more options to the consumers." Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales, IndiGo

It said that these new routes and additional frequencies would enhance international connectivity between India and Turkey and beyond through IndiGo's codeshare with Turkish Airlines.

FLIGHT NO.ORIGINDESTINATIONFREQUENCYDEPARTUREARRIVAL6E 0017MumbaiIstanbulDaily03:1010:006E 0018IstanbulMumbaiDaily20:1505:00FLIGHT SCHEDULE

IndiGo is planning a significant ramp-up of international operations in the coming months. India’s largest airline by domestic market share currently operates about 1,600 daily flights of which 150 are international.

ALSO READ - IndiGo working on a ramp-up in international operations & broadening its horizon

The budget carrier is looking at launching flights within 6-7 hours flying time from the four metros starting mid-2024 when the Airbus A321 XLRs (extra long range) start joining its fleet.

ALSO READ - IndiGo to debut with widebody aircraft for international expansion

IndiGo’s latest flight announcement to Turkey – which straddles the Middle East and Europe – comes close on the heels of the launch of another international flight out of Mumbai – direct service to Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE. These flights are part of IndiGo’s larger expansion plan in the Middle East region.

In September, the airline also announced a new Hyderabad-Riyadh connection from October 30th and more frequencies on Hyderabad-Doha and Dubai-Mangalore routes from October 30th and October 31th, respectively.

Between October 30 and March 25, IndiGo will have flights from 15 Indian airports to 11 airports across the Middle East. Besides the UAE, Saudi Arabia also features extensively on the airline’s network, with almost one in every five of its Gulf flights.

Earlier, IndiGo introduced its first dedicated cargo aircraft on 29 September. The domestic leader in the passenger segment averaged 0.6 tonnes of cargo on its passenger flights in 2022, with a passenger share of 56%.

It also became the leader in domestic air cargo due to the total volume generated by that. Now, the airline has an A321 with a 27-ton carrying capacity that has been converted from a passenger layout to a cargo layout.

German carrier Lufthansa had banned active Apple AirTags from being carried with the luggage. The airline called the tracking device ‘dangerous’, and has urged its passengers not to carry an activated AirTag on the flight.

Apple AirTags had been banned from carrying luggage by Lufthansa, citing danger to air travel. The AirTag is one of the most used devices for air travellers to track their luggage in real-time.

Lufthansa explained in a tweet that due to the AirTags’ Bluetooth transmission function, the trackers must be deactivated during flight if they are placed in checked luggage.

https://twitter.com/lufthansa/status/1579080657635930112?s=20&t=apAVQEBlWYVTCoiGrptjEA

It helps them track their luggage in case it gets misplaced or if it's mishandled by the airline during their journey. Lufthansa, however, banned AirTag citing ICAO guidelines.

Lufthansa mentioned airline guidelines as a reason to ban the AirTags. "According to ICAO guidelines, baggage trackers are subject to the dangerous goods regulations. Furthermore, due to their transmission function, the trackers must be deactivated during the flight if they are in checked baggage and cannot be used as a result," it noted.

The report, however, reveals that the claim by Lufthansa banning AirTag due to ICAO (International Civilian Aviation Organization) guidelines is wrong. The regulation that Lufthansa is talking about mentions devices with lithium-ion batteries, including larger devices like 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro as checked-in or hand baggage. Apple's AirTag runs on a battery that is comparatively too small to be considered an issue under the guidelines.

The AirTag uses CR2032 cells that are not lithium-ion batteries and hence do not come under the regulations. If the CR2032 cells were considered harmful for flights, then many smartwatches which run on them should also have been disallowed on flights.

Apple AirTag was launched in April 2021. A small, lightweight device with a stainless-steel body helps to track other devices once paired with an iPhone.

While no possible reasons have explained Lufthansa's ban on Apple AirTag, many reports suggest that this move could be a way to stop people from tracking their lost luggage that often embarrasses the Airline for mismanagement.

However, the German Aviation Authorities confirmed today, that these tracking devices with very low battery and transmission power in checked luggage do not pose a safety risk. With that, these devices are allowed on Lufthansa flights.

As for flyers in the United States, the Transportation Security Administration confirmed that Bluetooth tracking devices, such as AirTags, are allowed on both carry-ons and checked luggage.

At Skydive Dubai, XPENG AEROHT, the largest flying car company in Asia and a subsidiary of XPENG, completed the XPENG X2's first flight.

After passing the unique operational risk assessment and receiving a special flying authorization from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, this is XPENG X2's first public exhibition (DCAA). Over 150 people, including representatives from the Chinese Consulate in Dubai, the Dubai International Chamber of Commerce, the DCAA, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, the Dubai World Trade Center, and international media, were present to witness the first flight. After Vice Chairman and President of XPENG, Brian Gu, gave a keynote address on the X2 and the Future of Mobility on the first day of GITEX at the Dubai World Trade Center.

The public flight was held at Skydive Dubai, which is close to The Palm and offers fantastic airspace conditions and expansive cityscape vistas, making it an absolutely stunning background for the historic flight.

XPENG X2's public display in Dubai represents a significant milestone for XPENG AEROHT and the international achievement of flying cars. Dubai is a world-renowned 'City of Innovation', which is the reason we decided to hold the X2 first public flight event here. Today's flight is a major step in XPENG's exploration of future mobilityBrian Gu, Vice Chairman and President of XPENG

The Dubai International Chamber of Commerce generously supported the XPENG X2's inaugural public flight. Since the project's inception, The Dubai Chamber has been actively involved in every step of the process, offering strategic consulting to XPENG AEROHT.

The first global public flight of the X2 flying car will change the game of future mobility. The flying car is the epitome of ambition, innovation and future-oriented vision that has always inspired Dubai and its leadership. Today, we witnessed a historic moment that will define the next 50 yearsActing President and CEO Hassan Al Hashemi 

The XPENG X2 Electric Flying Car

The fifth-generation flying vehicle, the XPENG X2, was independently created and is produced by XPENG AEROHT. To achieve the best in-flight performance, the X2 adopts an enclosed cockpit for the first time, with a sci-fi aesthetic, a minimalist teardrop-shaped design, and high-efficient aerodynamics. The XPENG X2 is entirely made of carbon fiber to decrease weight.

A two-seat flying car is called the XPENG X2. It advances the cause of urban green transportation because it does not emit any carbon dioxide while in flight. Future low-altitude city planes can use it, and it's ideal for short-distance city trips like sightseeing and medical transports.

There are two driving modes available on the XPENG X2: manual and automated. Passengers can have a safe and intelligent flying experience during the autonomous flight with simple takeoff, return, and landing procedures at the touch of a button.

This next-generation electric flying automobile, which can travel on land and in the air and has both manual and automatic flight driving modes, marks a genuine transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional mobility. It can activate the folding deformation system to achieve vertical takeoff and landing for a low-altitude human flight in addition to meeting daily travel demands.

GITEX GLOBAL 2022

Kicked off on October 10th at the Dubai World Trade Centre, it is one of the world's largest tech shows featuring 5,000 companies and 100,000 attendees from 170 countries, converging the most advanced companies and best minds to dive deep into diverse technology topics including future mobility.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El-gNIhPWOM&t=3s

The stability of the XPENG X2 as well as the standardization of the entire flight operating process were both praised by the DCAA reviewers during the test. The operational risk assessment of China's manned autonomous flying vehicle, the XPENG X2, has now been completed for the first time outside of China. Thus, XPENG Aerospace is the first company in the particular weight class to pass the evaluation in Dubai.

SOURCE: XPENG

IMAGE(s): XPENG

COVER: CarNewsChina.com

India’s largest airline, IndiGo, has finalised a deal to wet lease up to three Boeing B777 aircraft to deploy increased capacity on international routes. Widebody aircraft like the B777 has a bigger fuel tank than narrow-body aircraft like the A320, which allows them to fly farther. As of now, Air India and Vistara are the only two Indian carriers that use wide bodies for operating passenger flights.

A slowdown within the supply of recent aircraft is forcing Indian airlines to wet lease planes to extend capability for the upcoming winter schedule.

ALSO READ - Airlines need new jets but facing an aircraft shortage

The airline, with 280 narrow-body aircraft which only have economy class arrangements, already has about 60% of the domestic market and is looking to expand internationally.

IndiGo, has finalised a deal to wet lease up to three Boeing 777 aircraft to deploy increased capacity on international routes.

The carrier that had to this point restricted itself to functioning single-class narrow-body planes will for the first time offer business class along with the economy on these widebody planes.

The airline can be in talks for wet leasing narrow-body Airbus A321 plane, however, a remaining determination has but to be made.

Rival SpiceJet has finalised a deal to moist lease as many as seven Boeing 737 MAX aircraft from Turkish airline Corendon. SpiceJet has been unable to develop capacity because it couldn’t get any new planes from Boeing after India cleared the 737 Max to function.

A wet lease, an association underneath which the lessor offers a plane together with crew and upkeep, is costlier than a dry lease and should result in a spike in operational value. However, the airlines worry that if they don’t deploy sufficient capacity, they might lose market share, apart from profitable slots at airports.

SpiceJet has finalised a deal to moist lease as many as seven Boeing 737 MAX aircraft from Turkish airline Corendon.

The regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, permits wet leases for as much as a most of six months in emergency conditions, like the grounding of a plane.

Individuals within the know stated IndiGo can be leasing the plane from Turkish Airways — Turkey’s nationwide flag provider with which it has a codeshare partnership. It can primarily deploy the plane on the Delhi-Istanbul and Mumbai-Istanbul routes, but additionally, use them for constitution operations.

IndiGo has been compelled to the floor around 30 aircraft as provide of spare engines by US-based Pratt & Whitney has fallen delayed by at least two months. The airline, which was returning planes older than six years, has now been compelled to carry them for an extended interval because of the shortfall.

“The Airbus A321 Neo which might have been used to reinforce capability on worldwide routes is dealing with unprecedented delays limiting the airline’s capacity to extend worldwide flights. The 777 planes which can be in a twin-class configuration with around 350 seats will substitute this,” stated an individual conscious of the plan.

Airbus A321 Neo which might have been used to reinforce capability on worldwide routes is dealing with unprecedented delays limiting the airline’s capacity to extend worldwide flights.

An IndiGo spokesperson confirmed that the airline has determined to take aircraft on wet lease to cowl the shortfall brought on by providing chain disruptions in worldwide operations.

“Worldwide air journey goes via a robust interval of restoration, and demand continues to rise within the upcoming festive and winter season. We now have obtained in-principle approval from the regulators for moist leasing plane and induction of those stays topic to additional requisite regulatory approvals,” she stated.

ALSO READ – Cash-strapped SpiceJet plans to take delivery of 7 Boeing 737 Max

A SpiceJet spokesperson didn’t touch upon the matter, however, the government stated the airline can be brought within the plane for a brief interval of as much as three months until the supply of its 737 Max begins. SpiceJet plans to add seven new Boeing 737 Max beginning subsequent 12 months.

(With Inputs from The Economic Times