The world's largest airplane will soon launch Mach-6 capable hypersonic aircraft into space

Stratolaunch LLC, the brainchild of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who steered the company until his last breath, is an American aerospace company providing high-speed flight services.

The Drive

Stratolaunch- the massive aircraft, resembling two giant Boeing jets flying side-by-side, will be used to launch rockets and space vehicles from high atmospheric locations, into the stars.

Our hypersonic testbeds will serve as a catalyst in sparking a renaissance in hypersonic technologies for our government, the commercial sector, and academia.said Jean Ford, Stratolaunch's CEO, in a statement on the company's website

The original idea for the company was to use flying launchpad aircraft to launch satellites and other space-bound vehicles, as well as facilitate the collection of data on spaceflight.

The Stratolaunch first flew in April 2019, at which point it became the world's largest aircraft to fly in terms of wingspan. The Stratolaunch carrier is powered by six engines and has a wingspan of 385 feet (117 meters), longer than an American football field.

Stratolaunch is advancing our nation’s ability to be a worldwide leader in the hypersonic marketStratolaunch Systems Chief Technology Officer Daniel R. Millman said in a statement.

Stratolaunch describes the carrier aircraft as “a revolutionary launchpad for hypersonic and aerospace vehicles", designed to carry launch vehicles that can travel at hypersonic speeds reaching Mach 6, with a reusable Talon-A vehicle. The Talon-A is being designed to fly at 7,406 km per hour.

Talon A | Stratolaunch

The carrier aircraft first flew in April 2019, at the Mojave Air and Space Port, reaching 15,000 ft (4,600 m) and 165 km (305 km/h) in a 2 h 29 min flight while the second flight was performed on 29 April 2021.

The aircraft won't be seen flying passengers or cargo. Rather, a vehicle will be affixed to the centre wing and launched when airborne. The enhanced size of the Stratolaunch enables larger hypersonic vehicles to be affixed and deploy from the carrier, as well as multiple smaller vehicles.

Live Science

The Stratolaunch can carry three of the 11.3-foot wide Talon-A aircraft under its wing, enabling multiple flights at a time. Once deployed from the airborne carrier, the Stratolaunch can return to base and pick up a new load as the hypersonic aircraft don't require the carrier to return to Earth and will be capable of autonomous landing.

Furthermore, the company also lists a reusable space plane called Black Ice among the vehicles in development.

Black Ice | Representative | The Drive

SOURCE(s)

COVER: Space.com

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Sunday, January 16 it had cleared an estimated 45% of the U.S. commercial airplane fleet to perform low-visibility landings at many airports where 5G C-band will be deployed starting Wednesday.

The FAA has warned that potential interference could affect sensitive airplane instruments such as altimeters and make an impact on low-visibility operations.

U.S. passenger and cargo airlines have been sounding the alarm to senior government officials that the issue is far from resolved and could severely impact flights and the supply chain.

After the deployment of 5G, US FAA has cleared 45% of the commercial plane fleet.

"Even with the approvals granted by the FAA today, U.S. airlines will not be able to operate the vast majority of passenger and cargo flights due to the FAA's 5G-related flight restrictions unless action is taken before the planned Jan. 19 rollout," said Airlines for America, a trade group representing American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, FedEx and other carriers.

The FAA approved two radio altimeter models used in many Boeing and Airbus planes, including some Boeing 737, 747, 757, 767, MD-10/-11 and Airbus A310, A319, A320, A321, A330 and A350 models. The announcement came just days before AT&T and Verizon launch the new 5G service on Wednesday, January 19. The FAA said it expects to issue more approvals in the coming days.

The FAA said the aircraft and altimeter approvals open "runways at as many as 48 of the 88 airports most directly affected by 5G C-band interference." But the agency warned that "even with these new approvals, flights at some airports may still be affected."

Reuters reviewed the 36-page list of the runways covered by the approvals that have not yet been made public - and it does not include many larger U.S. airports.

The FAA told Boeing in a letter Sunday, January 16 that it was granting approvals for specific runways and planes with certain altimeters "because the susceptibility to interference from 5G C-band emissions has been minimized."

AT&T and Verizon, which won nearly all of the C-Band spectrum in a USD 80 billion auction in 2021, on January 3 agreed to buffer zones around 50 airports to reduce interference risks and take other steps to reduce potential interference for six months. They also agreed to delay deployment for two weeks, averting an aviation safety standoff.

The FAA Thursday, January 13 issued nearly 1,500 notices detailing the extent of the potential impact of 5G services. "Passengers should check with their airlines if the weather is forecast at a destination where 5G interference is possible," the FAA said.

On January 7, the FAA disclosed the 50 U.S. airports that will have 5G buffer zones, including in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Detroit, Dallas, Philadelphia, Seattle and Miami. But airlines warn those buffer zones may not be enough to prevent flight disruptions at those airports.

On Thursday, January 13, Airports Council International-North America urged a delay 5G implementation to avoid widespread disruption across the U.S air transportation system.

On Friday, January 14, the FAA said it would require Boeing 787 operators to take additional precautions when landing on some wet or snowy runways.

ALSO READ - AT&T and Verizon turn down requests from the US to delay the rollout of 5G wireless technology

ALSO READ - 5G and Airline Safety – What is the buzz and Where exactly does the case stand today?

(With Inputs from Reuters)

Cover Image - PCMag

India's domestic air travel had its best month since the epidemic began in November 2021, but the Omicron variety has sped up the recovery process. The authorities had decided to allow ordinary international flights to and from India starting in December, but the permission was revoked due to an increase in infections. 

In the first week of January, domestic passenger counts fell by 25%. Rising gas prices are expected to put additional strain on the industry since gas accounts for up to 45% of the cost of operations for Indian airlines.

BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS

Bringing gas below GST (Decision to convey jet gas below GST could be taken by the GST Council)Consider incentives in phrases of tax breaks or reduction in tax for the sector. The airline industry says that they’re taxed as excessive as 21% however there is no such thing as a provision for entering tax credit score, as there’s with different sectorsSuspension of minimum alternate tax (MAT) for aviation and airport sector for at the very least two years, or reduction in MAT from about 18% to 5%Extend concessional charge of GST@5% for earthworks pertaining to airports’ development by the non-public sector tooBaggage allowance needs to be elevated from the prevailing INR 50,000/- to INR 100,000/-for buying from a duty-free store in IndiaThe increased allowance will assist Indian airports to enhance their enterprise revenues and consequential advantages can be an Increase in overseas change earnings, amongst others

"Airports are the most adversely affected in the present Omicron situation. On one hand, revenues (aero+non-aero) have completely dried up, (on the other) airports continue incurring high fixed costs. Any relief measures provided in the budget for airport construction and its business operations would help in reducing the cost of airport infrastructure projects. The lesser cost would be passed on to customers, which would lower the cost of rendering the services and resolve the cash flow issues."Satyan Nayar, Secretary General, Association of Private Airport Operators

The industry has asked the government to consider lowering both import duty and value-added tax (VAT) on air turbine fuel (ATF) and reduce airport, landing, parking, and navigation charges, given the deteriorating financial health of the airline companies. While the Centre can decide on lowering import duties, VAT changes have to be decided by individual states.

Airport operators have sought a reduction of the goods and services taxes (GST) for services at airports and doubled the limit of duty-free liquor to 4 litres to improve their bottom line. There is also an expectation that the government will take measures to remove bottlenecks that were preventing more aircraft lessors from setting up shop in India.

The aviation sector is hopeful that the government increase tax incentives for companies that are willing to set up shop at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in GIFT City (Gujarat) in a bid to attract foreign aircraft lessors.

Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport will be closed for nine hours every day from January 17 onwards till May 31, 2022, due to planned 'recarpeting work' on the runway. At least 52 flights arriving and departing from the airport will be rescheduled during the entire duration.

Ahmedabad Airport tweeted the same on January 15 that the work will happen every day from 9 AM to 6 PM, barring Sundays and public holidays.

https://twitter.com/ahmairport/status/1482224369560866823?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1482224369560866823%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.moneycontrol.com%2Fnews%2Findia%2Fahmedabad-airport-to-remain-shut-for-9-hours-everyday-from-today-heres-why-7947331.html

The work was supposed to begin in November 2021 but got delayed due to the festive season. Airport officials have taken steps to ensure that minimal revision of flight schedules takes place during this time so that passengers do not face inconvenience. Once their tweet officially floated, people started to make their queries and enquire about further information on the same.

The airport authorities, replying to tweets on this thread, said that passengers must check with their respective airlines regarding their flight schedules. Along with this, the authorities apprised that relevant stakeholders were consulted and given notice in advance to revise their schedules so that passenger inconvenience could be minimized.

“The work will include runway overlaying, runway strip grading and slope assessment, runway end safety area (RESA) grading and slope assessment, along with storm water drain construction and reinstallation of signages in the maneuvering area".Spokesperson, Ahemdabad Airport Authority

Earlier on 16 September 2021, the Mint had reported that Adani Group has asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to shorten the time frame for partial shutting of operations at the Ahmedabad airport, which was initially scheduled to take place between November 2021 and May 2022.

The Adani Group had reached out to the DGCA in September to delay the partial shutdown of the airport because of an expected revival in passenger traffic during this year’s festive season.

It had then said that the rehabilitation work will focus on runway overlaying, runway strip grading and slope assessment, runway end safety area (RESA) grading and slope assessment, along with stormwater drain construction and reinstallation of signages on manoeuvring area, the Mint report added.

Meanwhile, Gujarat registered 10,150 fresh coronavirus positive cases on January 18, raising the state tally to 9,26,240, the health department stated. There were eight Covid-19 fatalities, one of the highest tolls in a single day since October 2021. With this, the death toll climbed to 10,159 in Gujarat including two each in Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Bhavnagar and one death each was reported from Vadodara and Tapi districts.

The Airports Authority of India recently declared that in the future, Agartala's Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport (MBB) will provide flights to Bangkok via Guwahati, as well as Chittagong and Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The airport is located 20 kilometres north of Tripura and is the second busiest in India's northwestern area. After the Guwahati airport in Assam and the Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal, Manipur, the MBB airport is the third international airport in the northeast.

 Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport (MBB), Agartala ( Picture Credit: Inside)

"During the Second World War, King Bir Bikram supported and helped the Allied powers, especially Great Britain. He deployed a contingent of the Tripura Army to assist Great Britain. During that time Agartala, Kailashahar and other airports were built to facilitate the Allied powers."Pannalal Roy, Historian & Writer

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the MBB airport on January 4. With 143 passengers on board, its inaugural flight arrived from Kolkata. A new terminal building was inaugurated at the airport. During the ceremony, a  cultural performance was hosted here, with tribal women performing the iconic Hojagiri tribal folk dance. The up-gradation is expected to be completed by mid-2025. After becoming operational, flights from Agartala to Dhaka, Sylhet, Chittagong, Bangkok, and likely to Singapore will be operated.

The airport was built at INR 500 crore, and the new terminal is planned to hold 1500 people during peak hours, with 200 international travellers. The new terminal facility is being hailed as one of the best in the northeast, with all of the modern conveniences.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the MBB airport on January 4

The new terminal of the airport has 20 check-in counters, six parking bays, four aerobridges, conveyor belts, and passenger-friendly modern facilities and amenities like In-Line Baggage System (ILBS), Escalators, Lifts, etc. In addition to the new terminal building, a new parallel taxiway to the runway and two new hangars are being built.

The airport was earlier known as Singerbill Airport and was renamed only in July 2018. The airport sees a massive footfall of Bangladeshi tourists who come to travel the country. The airport is equipped with all modern amenities and is up to international standards.

The commissioning of the new airport terminal was attended by Pratima Bhoumik, the Minister of State. Talking to the media she said that I am delighted to be a part of this historic moment and very fortunate to travel amongst the first passengers.

The Hon'ble minister expressed happiness over the commissioning of NITB for the people of Tripura and said that very soon International flights will start to Dhaka, Bangkok from here. She was among the first passengers to embark from the Airport. A local folk dance HOJAIGIRI by the artists was also performed on the occasion. Minister along with Airport Director greeted the first arriving passengers with packed sweets.

This airport will now cater to about 1500 passengers during peak hours, which is three times the old capacity. This will enable over 5000 passengers’ footfall per day in the coming days. The check-in counters are now increased to 20 were In-Line Baggage Screening (ILBS) system will provide a hassle-free luggage drop facility.

The airport is equipped with four aerobridges for seamless embankment and dismemberment. It also has six parking bays, more than double the previous one. The much-awaited international tag to the airport will soon be a reality once mandatory clearance comes. It will be the third International Airport in North East India after Guwahati and Imphal.

The rapid rise in the Omicron variant COVID-19 cases in India has prompted many citizens who had travel booked during January-March to revisit their plans, and a subset of them have also approached airlines and hotels for cancellations.

A survey conducted by Local Circles, which provides a community-based social network found that though over twice as many citizens were able to get a flight or hotel booking refund due to third-wave-related cancellation as compared to the second wave, the majority still ended up losing money to airlines, hotels, travel websites, and agents. The survey received more than 20,000 responses from citizens residing in 332 districts of India.

Less than one-third of people got a flight cancellation refund

Less than one-third of the people who cancelled their flights owing to the emergence of the Omicron variant-led third COVID wave were able to receive refunds, according to an online survey. For those who were forced to cancel their hotel bookings on account of the same reason, 34% of people could get the refunds.

On an aggregate basis, of those who cancelled flight tickets due to the third COVID wave, only 29% were able to get a full refund from airlines/travel agents, it added. In comparison to the second wave, over twice as many citizens were able to get a flight ticket refund due to third-wave-related cancellations.

Citizens suggest government come up with a Special Policy

The survey found out that of those who cancelled hotel bookings due to the third COVID wave, only 34% were able to get a full refund from hotels/travel agents. On hotel bookings during January-March 2022, 34% said travel agent and/or hotel accepted cancellation and refunded full amount, 13% of respondents received a partial refund and 13% got a very small amount.

When compared to the second wave, over 2.5 times as many citizens were able to get a hotel booking refund due to third-wave-related cancellations. Citizens responding to the survey have been suggesting that the government should come up with a special policy for travel booking refunds till the COVID pandemic is going on, especially for airlines and hotels.

"Due to lack of uniformity in cancellation charges by different airlines and hotel operators, the majority don't approve of the existing travel booking refund policies during the pandemic."Sachin Taparia, Founder, LocalCircles