Thailand will start building the 290 billion baht ($8.82 billion) U-Tapao ‘Aviation City’ this year, a government official announced on Friday, January 27.
This ‘Aviation City’ would be one of the country's largest megastructure projects. Asia may soon have an Aviation City as smaller aviation cities like Saudi Arabia's NEOM City in the Middle East gain popularity.
The ancient U-Tapao Airport is expected to get a sizable investment from the Thai government
According to a statement from Tipanan Sirichana, a government spokesperson, the project will boost Thailand's aviation industry and create an additional 15,600 employees in the first five years.
The ancient U-Tapao Airport, which opened during the Vietnam War and is situated in the Pla Subdistrict of the Baanchang District of the Province of Rayong, is expected to get a sizable investment from the Thai government. The post-war structure will be transformed into a brand-new international airport with an area of about 1,040 hectares, according to the updated plan for U-Tapao International Airport.
The investment plan is for converting the U-Tapao airport, which served the Vietnam War era, into a brand-new international airport connected to Don Muang Airport, the country's primary airport, and Suvarnabhumi Airport, a budget terminal.
The upgraded airport will also be connected to a brand-new passenger terminal building that will largely serve low-cost flights with a small number of full-service carriers, providing connections for travellers to flights to Don Muang Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The upgraded U-Tapao Airport will be connected to a brand-new passenger terminal building that will largely serve low-cost flights with a small number of full-service carriers
According to Tipanan, the public-private development in Thailand's industrial east would span 1,040 hectares (2,570 acres) and is designed to draw tourists from all over the world.
According to a government website, the "Eastern Aviation City" project won't only be used for one terminal building; plans call for the creation of a free trade zone for commodities, a flight instruction facility, and an aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility.
The GMR Group, Thai AirAsia, and other project participants selected the international architectural design and consultancy firm One Works to serve as the airport's principal masterplan designer. One Works decided on the following principles when creating the airport master plan:
The passenger terminal's closeness to larger facilities
High levels of accessibility and intermodality, both locally and regionally
A blend of structures that are useful for receptive, tertiary, catering, retail, and recreational activities
Amazing architectural details that depict Thai culture with low environmental impact
High criteria for sustainability; more integration of public and private spaces
With these standards in mind, One Works created the U-Tapao "Eastern Aviation City," the most cutting-edge multi-modal transport hub in Asia, with the goal of maximising passenger comfort and elevating Thai culture.
The U-Tapao "Eastern Aviation City," the most advanced multi-modal transport hub in Asia, will be built by One Works with the intention of enhancing Thai culture and maximising passenger comfort
Natural light will be diffused through overhead skylights, lush interior trees, greenery, and dynamic retail and food & beverage offer that are in the style of Thai street food, which is accessible to everyone. Passengers have extra time to eat, shop, and unwind because of the optimised walking times.
In addition to prioritising the needs of travellers and Thai culture when coming up with design ideas, the master plan also made sure that U-Tapao International Airport's expansion would eventually be able to accommodate the 60–75 million travellers per year needed to meet demand in this quickly expanding market.
Also read: Indigo resumes flights between India and Thailand after 2-year hiatus
By creating 15,600 new jobs for the local economy in the first five years, this highly innovative and forward-thinking airport will help Thailand's aviation sector expand. It will also encourage public and private sector innovation and enchant travellers with a distinctive customer experience that reflects both traditional and modern Thai values.
Source: Reuters
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A rare mid-air collision between 2 IAF Fighter Jets, Sukhoi 30 and Mirage 2000, is thought to have happened on Saturday, January 28 during a training exercise.
Wing Commander Hanumanth Rao Sarathi, who was operating the Mirage 2000, died in the accident, although the other two were able to escape by ejecting themselves.
Sukhoi 30 and Mirage 2000 IAF fighter jets are believed to have collided in mid-air during a training exercise
The fact that the aircraft's wreckage was discovered far apart suggests that the SU 30MKI Pilots were able to maintain some level of control in order to manage an ejection. Officials from the Air Force declined to comment on the specifics, but they did confirm that the two fighter jets were on a routine operational flight mission when they collided near Gwalior.
The level of "complexity" in such advanced training flights and the expertise of the pilots involved, according to experts, including IAF veterans, made it difficult to make an accurate prediction before the thorough investigation is complete, they told The Indian Express.
They claimed that a preliminary study of crash data indicated a chance of a mid-air collision because both aircraft took off from the same air base, crashed at roughly the same time, and had their wreckage discovered nearby.
https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh/status/1619308798757470208
“We do not know at what stage (the malfunction behind the crash) happened. Did they have contact and then the collision happened or was it from the word go? These are things that the inquiry will throw light on.”
–An IAF Veteran, well-versed in combat training
He said that "highly advanced" combat manoeuvres are created and instructed at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment.
“The more complex the combat environment and manoeuvres, the higher the risk. It is not a benign situation.”
“Having said that, such accidents are not usual. A lot of precautions, preparations and training take place before such a complex training mission is undertaken.”
–The IAF Veteran added
Mid-air collisions have historically happened during aerobatics, formation flying, or close combat flying when the aircraft is forced to fly very near to one another, according to aviation historian Anchit Gupta, who spoke to The Indian Express. Despite the greatest efforts, the scope of error is negligible, he asserted, adding that dangers are increased when intense combat manoeuvres and large-scale formation training are being conducted.
In the past, mid-air collisions have occurred when aircraft are forced to fly in close formation, in a close battle, or during aerobatic manoeuvres
In the last seven decades, 62 planes in the Indian military have perished in mid-air crashes, according to data compiled by Gupta. Eleven MiG-21s are among them. “For the amount of flying IAF does, this is an exceptionally good safety record,” he said.
Former IAF fighter pilots said that a fighter aircraft works under different conditions than a passenger aircraft when it comes to mid-air collisions.
Also read: Both trainee pilots safe after an army trainer aircraft crashes near Gaya in Bihar
Also read: Army helicopter crash lands in Udhampur, two army pilots killed
A Kazakh plane and a Saudi Arabian aircraft collided in civilian airspace for the last time above Charkhi Dadri in 1996, killing 349 people.
Above Charkhi Dadri in 1996, a Saudi Arabian and Kazakh aircraft collided in civilian airspace, killing 349 people
A former IAF Mirage 2000 pilot told The Indian Express that while there are clear-cut rules to prevent collisions in civil aviation, the rules are considerably different for combat flights.
“You want the aircraft to get close to the other because you are attempting to shoot one another in a training exercise. You don’t actually fire a missile, but you go through the entire gamut of manoeuvres and learn the skill sets developed to shoot the enemy. If this is a transport aircraft, it is a simple kill, while if it is another fighter aircraft you get into combat in which you fight each other.”
–The Former IAF Mirage 2000 Pilot
In fighter flight, pilots are also closing into one another at speeds greater than 2,000 km/h. This indicates that the reaction time is really slow, he explained.
Pilots are meeting with one another in fighter flight at speeds of more than 2,000 km/h. This shows the reaction time is so less.
Wing Commander Sarathi is thought to have been a member of the elite Air Force Pilot Training Programme Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) in Gwalior.
The Air Force has opened a Court of Enquiry into the incident that will examine all material available, including data obtained from the two aircraft and data held by the flight controllers. The board of enquiry, which will be presided over by a senior officer, will determine the precise reason for the accident.
Source: The Indian Express
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Air India, along with its low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express is likely to post a consolidated operating profit this fiscal year, people in the know said, making a turnaround in just over a year of the Tata Group acquiring the airline from the government.
The improved yield on international routes and better management of cost have boosted the financial performance of Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express as they are set to post the first positive earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation in many years for the year ending March 31.
Excluding Air India Express, which operates low-cost flights to the Middle East and Southeast Asia where the yields are higher, Air India on a standalone basis is projected to post an operating loss of around INR 2,450 crore, almost a third of the INR 7,000 crore loss it reported in FY22, the people said, blaming the continuing loss on the cost of bringing grounded planes back to service. They, however, did not say how much it could earn on a consolidated operating basis. Air India refused to comment.
Since it took over Air India in January last year, the salt-to-steel Tata Group has taken multiple steps to improve its revenue generation and bring down costs. The people said those initiatives have now started showing results.
Air India is likely to post a profit for the first time in several years
In December, Air India recorded standalone passenger revenue of INR 3,100 crore, the highest ever on record for the airline. Yield — or average revenue per mile from a paying passenger — has improved to around INR 6.50 now from INR 4.50 in FY20, the people who spoke with ET said.
“Revenue performance for the airline has improved significantly. While before privatisation Air India was earning INR 70 crore per day, it earns INR 100 per day now even with a lower capacity,” said a person aware of the functioning of the airline.
Under the Tata Group, the airline has implemented several measures, like introducing performance-linked incentives for travel agents and introducing new software for revenue management. These have helped improve pricing as well as the business class load factor, in turn boosting yield.
Yield has increased significantly on both domestic and international routes with demand outstripping supply, as new aircraft induction remains slow in the industry due to supply chain constraints. Air India benefitted also from the closure of Russian airspace for US and European airlines, which made their transit time to India longer and in some cases made many flights unviable.
In December, Air India recorded standalone passenger revenue of INR 3,100 crore, the highest ever on record for the airline.
The airline has poached talent from rivals and appointed advisers to improve practices. Consultancy firm Auctus Advisors is associated with its commercial team, while the Boston Consulting Group is assisting in training and hiring. However, the airline’s unit cost — or cost per available seat mile — remains high as it is incurring expenses on returning grounded aircraft into service and refurbishing the interiors of its planes.
ALSO READ – Air India to refurbish its wide-body aircraft interiors by investing USD 400 million
The airline since its change of ownership has returned to service 10 narrow-body and six wide-body aircraft, while undertaking a USD 400 million project to refurbish interiors of the wide-body fleet, comprising 27 Boeing 787-8 and 13 Boeing 777 aircraft.
ALSO READ - Air India to seal half of the order for 495 jets with Boeing soon
“As new aircraft start coming in along with improvement in product and the older ones are retired, the unit cost will also improve significantly which will take the airline close to net profitability,” said the person aware of the airline’s functioning. Air India is likely to add almost 50 aircraft by the end of FY 24, which will increase its capacity by about 50%.
ALSO READ – Airbus likely to get 235 single-aisle jet orders out of 500 from Air India
Air India is likely to add almost 50 aircraft by the end of FY 24, which will increase its capacity by about 50%.
Last week, Air India's CEO Campbell Wilson said that the company's progress has been "nothing short of stunning" in the past year. He also said that while working on improvements, the airline has not shied away from other ambitious actions such as merging Air India Express with Air Asia, Vistara with Air India, or kicking off the establishment of a new InfoTech Centre, or an aviation academy.
"And that's not to mention our much talked-about short- and-medium term fleet expansion. Taken together, the progress over the last 12 months has been nothing short of stunning, even if so much of what we have been working on has been behind the scenes, building platforms and capabilities so that our future ambitions can take flight," he added.
"There is of course much more that needs to be done, and everyone internally and externally - is hungry for us to do it," Campbell said.
(With Inputs from The Economic Times)
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The SR-71 has been the god of speed in aviation for almost 50 years, capable of exceeding Mach 3.2 (about 2,200 mph), but the Atlanta-based aviation business- "Hermeus", believes it's time for some competition.
However, the company's concept of hypersonic flight—that is, travel at speeds greater than Mach 5—is not just for covert espionage operations. This is due to Hermeus' desire to introduce hypersonic aircraft to an airport near you.
From the vault
Quarterhorse | AutoEvolution
Hermeus received a $60 million contract from the Air Force in 2021 to create three unmanned concept aircraft, including the hypersonic "Quarterhorse." Hermeus accomplished a significant feat by successfully igniting the "Chimera" hybrid turbojet-ramjet engine toward the end of last year.
Theoretically..
The Pratt & Whitney J58 turbojet engine, which powers out at Mach 3, is the air-breathing beast powering the robust SR-71. A ramjet, which can only run at high speeds because it uses this air to pressurize air and fuel in the combustion chamber, engages in Hermeus' hypersonic design and propels the hypothetical Quarterhorse aircraft to Mach 5 and beyond. Any aircraft that wants to dethrone the Blackbird needs an engine that can flawlessly switch from turbojet to ramjet to turbojet again, and Hermeus has already accomplished that difficult feat of aviation engineering.
The Pratt and Whitney F100 | Representative | Wikipedia
We just demonstrated a mode transition, which means we went from turbojet mode to ramjet mode.This is probably the most critical challenge in unlocking hypersonic flight- Hermeus co-founder and CTO Glenn Case said in a recent video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dykzl9Kaf4&t=15s&ab_channel=Hermeus
Hermeus packed up its engine and brought it to the Notre Dame Turbomachinery Lab, a high-Mach test facility, in order to mimic the high-speed pressures of Mach 4 flight in order to test its Chimera engine. Hermeus showed there how the Chimera could change engines by directing supersonic air around the turbojet and into the ramjet. The Quarterhorse hypersonic engine joins other projects to open the era of hypersonic flight, such as the Air Force's Project Mayhem, which aims to produce a hypersonic bomber soon.
SOURCE: popularmechanics
COVER: Hermeus
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British regional airline Flybe has ceased trading for the second time in three years, cancelling all flights to and from the United Kingdom. A statement on Flybe's website said the airline, which operated scheduled services from Belfast, Birmingham and Heathrow across the UK and to Amsterdam and Geneva, had entered administration, a form of protection from creditors.
"Flybe has now ceased trading and all flights from and to the UK operated by Flybe have been cancelled and will not be rescheduled," it said. It advised people due to fly not to travel to airports. It added that it would not be able to help passengers arrange alternative flights.
Flybe's statement did not say how many staff were affected by its latest collapse. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said it would provide advice and information to affected passengers.
https://twitter.com/flybe/status/1619171652646096896
"It is always sad to see an airline enter administration and we know that Flybe's decision to stop trading will be distressing for all its employees and customers," said Paul Smith, CAA consumer director.
The government said its "immediate priority" would be to support anyone trying to get home and Flybe staff who have lost their jobs. "This remains a challenging environment for airlines, both old and new, as they recover from the pandemic, and we understand the impact this will have on Flybe's passengers and staff," it said.
It said most destinations served by Flybe in the UK were accessible through alternative means of transportation.
British regional airline Flybe suspends all its flight operations
Hurt by Britain's COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Flybe first fell into administration in March 2020, impacting 2,400 jobs. In October 2020 it was sold to Thyme Opco Ltd, a firm controlled by Cyrus Capital, and in April 2022 it resumed flights, albeit on a smaller scale with a plan to operate up to 530 flights per week across 23 routes.
Flybe's demise contrasts with a post-pandemic pick-up in demand for air travel. Low-cost airlines Ryanair, Europe's biggest airline, and Britain's easyJet have reported record bookings for summer holidays, in a sign that consumers are still keen on trips despite a looming recession.
Flybe's city connections, such as those from Cornwall Airport Newquay to London Heathrow, were crucial connections for several travellers. Just a few weeks earlier, the regional carrier unveiled its summer itinerary for this year, emphasising the addition of two new locations and the continuation of formerly popular holiday routes. But the confirmed demise of the reaffirmed Flybe would result in another loss for the UK's regional aviation sector.
The airline traces its history back to Jersey European Airways, which was set up in 1979 following the merger of Intra Airways and Express Air Services. The firm was renamed British European in 2000 and Flybe in 2002. In November 2006, Flybe purchased BA Connect, thereby becoming the largest regional airline in Europe. On 5 March 2020, the first airline named Flybe filed for administration and ceased all operations.
The company's head office is on the second floor of Diamond House at Birmingham Airport, within the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull. Flybe operated an initial fleet of 8 Q400s and expected to expand to 32 aircraft. Nordic Aviation Capital expected to lease 12 aircraft to Flybe, and Aergo Capital was to supply a further five.
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The DGCA intends to increase the size of its technical team by at least 1,000 employees in order to ensure aviation safety in the air and on the ground.
Also read: Airbus set to recruit 13,000 new staff, amidst mass layoffs
An appropriately staffed regulatory agency is required to maintain the safety and effectiveness of air travel given the enormous development that India's aviation sector is expected to see. India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is aware of the possible workload it may encounter in the upcoming years and seeks to have a robust team to carry out its responsibilities successfully.
The DGCA plans to hire 1,000 more employees by the year 2030 to keep up with India's aircraft fleet expansion
So, by 2030, the DGCA hopes to increase its workforce by adding 1,000 new employees. The regulator is maintaining a long-term perspective in its hiring procedure as it is aware of the necessity to keep up with India's fleet size's continuous expansion.
Also read: Vikram Dev Dutt appointed as the Director General of DGCA
“The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has set a target to increase its technical staff count by 1,000 employees by 2030, to 1,600-1,700, from its current strength of nearly 650 people.”
–Anonymous
India experienced a significant number of airline-related events in 2021–2022 including an increase in mechanical problems with domestic airlines' aircraft as they increased flight operations following nearly two years of disruptions caused by COVID.
Between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, 478 technical difficulties were documented, according to official data. The airline with the most glitches was Air India (184), which was followed by IndiGo (98), SpiceJet (77), Go FIRST (50), Vistara (40), and AirAsia India (14).
The number of action points in the DGCA's yearly surveillance plan for 2023 will increase to 3,827 from 3,709 in 2022. The strategy would ensure that a greater emphasis is placed on the airworthiness of aircraft, air safety, airport standards, engineering, maintenance, and flying instruction organisations, among others, to raise the bar for India's aviation ecosystem.
478 technical issues were recorded between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022
“There was a rise in occurrences of technical glitches in 2022. The regulator and civil aviation ministry both recognise that while civil aviation norms are in place, enforcement by airlines is sometimes not up to the mark. As a result, effective monitoring is required and hiring more people for the job is part of the solution.”
–Anonymous
In order to recruit technical professionals, the DGCA created 416 jobs in August 2022 as part of its ongoing efforts to tighten regulatory standards.
“Over 4-6 months, over 400 people are expected to be recruited. The process should be completed by year-end. This has to be done as the fleet size of Indian airlines is rising, and effective monitoring of all aspects of air safety must be enforced.”
–Anonymous
The lack of an adequate workforce will progressively be resolved over the following seven years, but the DGCA will continue to monitor airlines.
It recently unveiled new guidelines to reimburse travellers who are involuntarily downgraded from one cabin class to another.
Over the next seven years, the issue of a shortage of qualified workers will gradually be remedied, but the DGCA will keep an eye on airlines
The action follows many recent passenger complaints about airlines forcing them to travel economy class even though they had tickets for a premium cabin. If a domestic flight is downgraded, customers are entitled to a 75% refund of their ticket price, including taxes, from the airline.
For flights above 1,500 kilometres, a customer may claim 30% of the ticket price, including taxes, and for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometres, 50% of the ticket price can be claimed.
In India, 100 aircraft are expected to be added each year as airlines try to increase their revenue. With millions of people taking to the skies each month, the nation is already close to pre-pandemic levels. Since the skies will only become busier in the upcoming years, the DGCA needs more personnel to improve its monitoring skills and uphold a high level of safety throughout the nation.
Source: Live Mint
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