One the eve of 12th November 1996, Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 763 and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 collided mid-air over Charkhi Dadri, a village in Haryana killing a total of 349 souls on board. The accident remains third deadliest aviation disaster till date in terms of total body count. The final investigation report listed various reasons that led to the collision ranging from language barriers and outdated radar equipment to restricted airspace policy.
The aviation industry is such a sensitive industry that safety is at the core of all its operations and activities. Every object that takes to the skies from the ground is subjected to countless regulations and stipulations making sure there is no room for even the slightest error that could endanger safety. Gravity could be a friend or foe depending on how things are handled 30,000 ft up in the air.
That said, mid-air collisions should be a thing of the past right? Fortunately, they are. Thanks to the ever evolving technology, we now have well defined intricate set of stipulations that govern the movement of these aircrafts while in air, thereby ensuring the safety of all concerned. Nevertheless, safety is never to be taken for granted and hence…
History has shown
Historical stats show that in a staggering 105 mid-air collisions that occurred between 1964 and 1968 , majority of them had convergence angles associated with one aircraft taking over the other . 35% were from 0-10 degrees- straight from behind while the rest 5% were from a head-on-angle. What is even more bewildering is the fact that most of these occurrences took place within 25 miles of an airport and below 8000 ft, primarily on final approach and in traffic pattern.
As is apparent, an increased traffic and higher closing speeds is what can be touted as the primary factors contributing to mid-air collisions.
According to FAA, "It takes a minimum of 10 sec for a pilot to spot incoming traffic, identify it, realize it's a collision- threat, react and have the aircraft respond"
To get a perspective let's say, a jet and a twin have a closing speed of about 750 mph. The two planes converging at 750 mph would be less than 10 seconds apart when the pilots even first spot each other! - recipe for disaster. Hence, ICAO, which is the regulatory body for all civil aviation operations worldwide, came up with a well defined set of rules and regulations which would ultimately regulate all aircraft movements and oversee aviation safety globally.
Vertical separation
Perhaps the most important separation when it comes to aircraft spacing, is the vertical separation. The ICAO States that all aircrafts below 29,000 ft be separated by 1000ft while those above 29,000 ft should be separated by 2000 feet-applicable to all IFR flights.
Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM)
RVSM was introduced to decrease the flight separation above 29,000 ft to 1000ft from 2000 ft. This was done in order to fly more optimum flight paths without compromising safety leading to fuel savings and also advocated a more efficient use of the available airspace. In 1988, the ICAO completed a study wherein it investigated the safe transition of separation from 2000ft to 1000ft between FL290 and FL410 and found it to be technically feasible. Only RVSM approved aircrafts may fly through this airspace and non-RVSM aircrafts "may" travel through RVSM route provided authorisation is obtained from the concerned ATC and guidance is given at all times.
In the event that the two aircrafts are separated LESS than the vertical separation minimum, horizontal separation must be applied:
Procedural separation
Based on reports given by the pilots, this separation doesn't require the active intervention of the ATC as the position of the aircrafts is verbally communicated between pilots . In some cases though, the ATC radar intervenes to provide the separation minima.
Lateral separation
This separation minima is based on the position of the aircraft derived from dead-reckoning or from beacons. Aircrafts installed with beacons need to be at a certain distance from each other and their tracks to/from the beacon must diverge by a specified minimum angle. To be precise 5 NM horizontal separation up to 60 NM from radar head, 5 NM within 60 NM of ADS-B ground station when only ADS-B is used in non-radar environment. 10 NM horizontal separation beyond 60 NM from radar head, 10 NM beyond 60 NM of ADS-B ground station when only ADS-B is used in a non-radar environment. Under certain circumstances, a special authorisation is given for 3 NM separation from the radar head.
Longitudinal separation
Aircrafts following tracks 45 degrees of each other and not laterally separated, are said to be flying the same route. Such scenarios call for longitudinal separation and it can be based upon time/distance measures by the DME(distance measuring equipment). What is to be noted though is that no two aircrafts flying the same route should come within 15 minutes of flying time of each other.
Speed Control Procedures
Also, there are certain speed control procedures that need to be followed subject to aircraft performance limitations; a surveillance controller may assign a specific speed to the aircraft in order to maintain/achieve required spacing. Speed control is also necessary to achieve the desired separation minimum or spacing between the successive arrivals. This in turn would improve the utilization of airspace and enhance the runway capacity to handle more aircraft.
All the speed restrictions shall be complied with as promptly as feasible and flown as accurately as possible within the limits of operational constraints. Aircraft unable to comply with the specified speeds must inform Air Traffic Controller (ATC) and report the minimum speed it is able to follow. In such cases controllers shall apply the alternative method to achieve the desired spacing between aircraft concerned.
Separation due to wake turbulence
Wake turbulence is one another factor to be considered when applying separation rules to aircrafts. An aircraft may fly into wake turbulence from a preceding aircraft which can cause it to enter a sudden unintentional roll leading to loss of control. Hence a minimum separation between departing and/or arriving aircrafts have to be maintained based on their MTOW ( classified as Jumbo, Heavy, Light, Medium) -as per ICAO wake turbulence category.
*MTOW- Maximum Take-off Weight, NM- Nautical miles
PRECEDING AIRCRAFTFOLLOWING AIRCRAFTMINIMUM SEPARATION(NM)SUPERHEAVY6.0SUPERMEDIUM7.0SUPERLIGHT8.0HEAVYHEAVY4.0HEAVYMEDIUM5.0HEAVYLIGHT6.0MEDIUMLIGHT5.0
Please refer to the Enroute section of the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) document for further detailed reading about the Indian regulations in the event of collision hazard, Termination of surveillance service, ATS surveillance system failure and Communication failure procedure. The latest AIP is available on the Airport Authority of India’s (AAI) official website for public use.
With aviation making a remarkable comeback from the devastating pandemic, people have slowly started taking to the air. That means an increase in passenger loads translating to increased traffic in air. Though it will still take time to return to pre-pandemic levels the one thing that will always remain constant, is SAFETY.
Note: The data in this article is as per DGCA (India) rules. Please contact/refer to the relevant regulator’s website for laws pertaining to any other country or region.
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With the ghosts of the second wave of the pandemic still looming and concerns over the covid-19’s Delta variant, Canada extended the expected date for opening of borders for Indian travellers for the fourth time in a row since April 22. The North American nation was expected to lift its ban on Indian flights on July 21 as per its previous announcement.
To help manage the continued risk of imported #COVID19 cases and variants of concern into Canada, we have extended the #NOTAM restricting all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from #India until August 21, 2021 at 23:59 EDT https://t.co/g9CRcZi1dO— Transport Canada (@Transport_gc) July 20, 2021
Tick-off the rules before checking into the Maple country
A press release issued by the Government of Canada on their website stated that the ban has been extended “based on public health advice”. About the drastic surge in the Covid-19 cases in India and new variants emerging, Canada also reworked the rules and regulations to be maintained to curb the transmissibility.
ANI
Passengers travelling to Canada from India via an indirect route is required to produce a negative Covid-19 test before continuing their journey for Canada. For travellers who have contracted the virus before is required to show proof of positive Covid-19 report at the connecting airport. The test should be conducted between 14 and 90 days before the departure. A person might even be asked to be quarantined for 14 days in the connecting country if required.
However, travelling by a third country will have its own set of complications which travellers should be aware of and make necessary provisions :
Certain countries do not allow entry or transit from passengers arriving from India or from passengers who have previously tested positive to COVID-19.COVID-19 testing for passengers in transit might not be available in all international airports or third countries.If you test positive during transit, you may be quarantined or sent back to your point of departure.
The announcement came while Canada is relaxing travel measures for other countries. Wholly vaccinated American citizen and permanent residents are permitted to travel to Canada for non-essential purposes given the passenger have been quarantined for 14 days prior departure. In addition, fully vaccinated travellers do not need to take a post-arrival test.
Skeptic Canada
“On September 7, 2021, provided that the domestic epidemiologic situation remains favourable, the Government intends to open Canada’s borders to any fully vaccinated travellers who have completed the full course of vaccination with a Government of Canada-accepted vaccine at least 14 days before entering Canada and who meet specific entry requirements,” said the Public Health Agency of Canada.
canada
In near future, Canada is seeking to welcome over 1.3 million immigrants from around the world as stated by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada policy. Vaccines by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson Johnson have been approved by the Canadian government.
latest updates on Canadian travel requirements for Indians
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Accident details
A day after the fatal crash in the Jalgaon district of Maharashtra, another Single-engine trainer aircraft accident has been reported from Madhya Pradesh's Sagar area. Fortunately, the sole occupant, a female trainee cadet pilot is safe and has not sustained any injury. The aircraft was a Cessna C172 (Registration: VT-CAG) and belonged to Chimes Aviation academy.
Actual crash images
As per the preliminary reports, the aircraft veered off the runway in the take-off process. "Just got the news of a crash of a Cessna aircraft (solo flight) that belonged to the Chimes Aviation Academy in Sagar, MP. Fortunately, the trainee is safe. We are rushing an investigation team to the site." - said the Union minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya Scinda.
Just got the news of a crash of a Cessna aircraft (solo flight) that belonged to the Chimes Aviation Academy in Sagar, MP. Fortunately, the trainee is safe. We are rushing an investigation team to the site.— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) July 17, 2021
This is not the first time when an aircraft belonging to Chimes Aviation Academy has been involved in some sort of accident/incident. In January 2020, a flight instructor and a trainee pilot lost their lives when their aircraft crashed in an agricultural field while performing an emergency landing. Two months later, the Madhya Pradesh government banned the institute from using the airstrip after the academy was found allegedly flouting various norms. The ban, however, was lifted later after receiving satisfactory safety audit report.
Take-off in layman terms
From the application of take-off power, through rotation and to an altitude of 35 feet above runway elevation or until gear-up selection, whichever comes first. This phase includes rejected take-off.
Take-off is a highly complex flight phase, which places significant demands on the crew in terms of navigation, aircraft configuration changes, communication with Air Traffic Control, congested airspace, and degraded weather conditions. This combination of high workload and the increased potential for unanticipated events can create a complex interplay of contributing factors, which may lead to an accident.
More than 16% of the total aircraft accidents over the last 20 years occurred during take-off phase of the flight. - Airbus
Chimes Aviation Academy
About Chimes Aviation Academy
Chimes Aviation Academy is a private Flying training academy based at Dhana Airport, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. The academy has a large fleet of modern glass cockpit training aircraft and simulators. Chimes has been recently been selected by Indigo for its Cadet Program. As per the data available on their official website, the DGCA approved Flight training organisation operates a fleet of 16 Cessna C172 (Single-engine trainer aircraft) and 2 Diamond DA-42 (Multi-engine trainer aircraft).
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One Pilot died in the training aircraft crash in Maharashtra near Wardi village in the Jalgaon district at around 4pm India time today. The deceased pilot was employed as a flight instructor with the flight school. Fortunately a female student pilot who was also involved in the accident survived the crash and has been rushed to a nearby hospital. The single-engine plane was a new Tecnam P2008JC and belonged to a local Flight Training Organisation (Academy of Aviation, Shirpur).
Actual crash image
"Shocked to hear about the tragic crash of a training aircraft that belonged to the NMIMS Academy of Aviation, Maharashtra. An investigation team is being rushed to the site. Unfortunately, we lost the flight instructor & the trainee is severely injured. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family & prayers for the trainee’s quick recovery." - Newly appointed Union minister for civil aviation Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia tweeted.
2/2 Unfortunately, we lost the flight instructor & the trainee is severely injured. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family & prayers for the trainee’s quick recovery.— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) July 16, 2021
This is an evolving story (Aircraft crash in Maharashtra) at the time of publishing of this article. Please keep checking this page as details will be updated as and when they are made available by the relevant authorities.
AOA
About Academy of Aviation
Academy of Aviation is a part of the prestigious Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal (SVKM) group, established in the year 1934, and operates a range of educational institutions in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, and Navi Mumbai. Academy of Aviation at located in Shirpur, a quiet serene town located on Mumbai- Agra Highway (NH3). The School operates a fleet of 4 aircrafts (2 Cessna C172s, 1 Tecnam P2008JC and one Tecnam P2006T) to impart world class training to its cadets.
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The airline industry is one of the major sectors contributing to any country’s income. Last year when the pandemic hit initially, the global airline business tumbled down in no time. Qatar banned the entry of Indians on April 24, 2021 due to the Delta variant which made the second wave in India more severe. On Thursday, Qatar announced its plan to welcome Indians again under the new set of Covid rules starting from July 12. Read further for new Qatar travel guidelines for Indians.
Doha
The Indian Embassy in Qatar tweeted that the Air Bubble Agreement between Qatar and India has been extended through July 2021 now. Air Bubble Agreement refers to the temporary arrangements made between two countries in a plan to resume commercial passenger services when regular international flights are suspended during the pandemic.
The Air Bubble Arrangement between India and Qatar extended for July 2021. The flights have resumed under this arrangement. Thank Civil aviation authorities and airlines on both sides for their continued cooperation in providing the requisite air connectivity.— India in Qatar (@IndEmbDoha) July 1, 2021
Requirements for travel to Qatar:
Qatar categorizes all the countries in green, yellow and red colour codes based on the severity of the variants and number of cases. India is listed under the red colour code implying the most severe situation. The list of new rules set by the Ministry of Public Health, Qatar are mentioned below:-
Resident Permit holders exempt from Quarantine if fully vaccinated with approved vaccines, including Covishield. Accompanying unvaccinated children age 0-17 yrs to undergo 10 days home quarantine.Resident Permit holders and accompanying children to undergo compulsory 10 days hotel Quarantine if non- vaccinated; partially vaccinated; vaccinated but not completed 14 days after second dose.Family visit, Business and tourist travellers allowed entry and exempt from quarantine if fully vaccinated with an MOPH recognized vaccine. Accompanying unvaccinated children and those in age group 0-11 years not allowed entry for family visit, tourism and business purposes.Unvaccinated adults and accompanying children not allowed entry for family visit, business, tourism purposes.All travellers to carry negative RTPCR test taken maximum 72 hrs of arrival.Every passenger to mandatorily register on http://ehteraz.gov.qa at least 12 hrs before travel.RT-PCR test on arrival, at passengers cost. If tested positive, passenger to undergo isolation.
The above information is intended for the use of travel aspirants for reference purposes only. Visit Official site of Ministry of Public health of Qatar for latest updates.
qatar airways
Qatar in the run to boost its tourism sector
When the aviation sector started to tumble with the very first hit of the pandemic, the tourism industry too faced a huge backlash. A report by the United Nations news forum states the possibility of a $40 trillion loss of global economic activity due to pandemic with the tourism sector being most affected.
In June 2020, Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) hotels received certificates for Qatar Clean Programme. The appreciation came at a time when hygiene and cleanliness are of utmost importance. QNTC is responsible for ensuring safe and hygienic hotels.
The flights operating from India to Qatar are mostly operated by Qatar Airway, Indigo and SpiceJet. Most of these flights fly overhead Pakistan’s airspace. Some of the popular Indian cities with direct flights to Doha are Mumbai (about 2 flights per day), Kochi (about 3 flights per day), Delhi (about 5 flights per day).
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The Indian flag carrier has been in the news for a long time now ever since the first news of its disinvestment came out. The Indian Government has been planning to privatize Air India and the process of privatization has been delayed time and time again.
According to one of the last statement by the outgoing civil aviation minister, Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri, the airline is indebted with Rs 60,000 crores and is likely to be sold off to private players soon. Mr.Puri had expected the deal to go on floors latest by June of this year, but thanks to the ongoing pandemic crisis, the proceedings have been delayed further.
In what could be termed as a severe setback to the already crippling airline, Cairns Energy-an UK based firm, sued Air India to enforce a 1.2 billion dollar arbitration award it won in a tax dispute against India asserting that India breached an investment treaty with Britain and that Delhi was liable to pay. According to the lawsuit filed by Cairns in the US district court for Southern District of New York, the lawsuit put forward the argument that the Indian flag carrier was legally indistinct from the state itself and that both worked as a single entity.
"The nominal distinction between India and Air India is illusory and serves only to aid India in improperly shielding its assets from creditors like (Cairn) "- The filing said.
However, Senior Indian government officials mentioned, on conditions of anonymity, that New Delhi already has a team in place to defend against such accusations by Cairn, should such a notice be issued.
If Cairns were to win the suite, it could potentially derail the disinvestment process of the Indian carrier yet again this year. Cairns had reportedly started identifying Indian assets abroad that it could use to pressurise India to enforce the arbitration case against and that includes bank accounts, aircrafts and ships as well. That said, it is unclear as to whether Cairn would be legally able to seize Air India aircrafts that land in the US as well.
According to very recent reports, Cairns has gained the rights to seize Indian-state assets based in France worth more than 20 million Euros. The company has always maintained they wanted an "amicable" solution in this tax row. However, Government of India has dismissed this as a rumour and denied receiving any such order/notice from French courts.
"We have to protect the rights of our shareholders and they, who have waited patiently for seven and half years, would expect us to do so"- Said David Nisbeth, director for group corporate affairs at Cairns. According to him, India had participated in the 5 year long international arbitration process and expects the Indian government to honour both the ruling and the treaty signed at the time.
Seizing aircrafts and foreign assets of a foreign government definitely sounds like a harsh tactic and India has time until mid-July to challenge the lawsuit filed by Cairn.
As far as the disinvestment process is concerned, Tata Sons and a consortium of SpiceJet chairman Ajay Singh, Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority and Ankur Bhatia, promoter of Delhi-based Bird group, have emerged as the two bidders for Air India. What is understood is that as per current proceedings, the government may absorb 5 billion dollars worth of debt while the rest would be taken up by the Tata Group so that the burden is equally shared. The winning bidder will also gain access to lucrative airport slots both in India and abroad and the wide fleet of aircrafts.
Ultimately, the choice is between disinvestment and shutting down the airline, said Puri. Email sent to Air India asking for further clarification on the above matter remains unanswered at the time of publishing of this article.
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