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.
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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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Day of awakening: October 30, 1935
The most sophisticated aircraft in aviation history at the time, a strategic military bomber Boeing B-17 ''FLYING FORTRESS'' rolled off the runway, pitched up in a perfect lift and within seconds entered into a deadly stall from which it couldn't recover, crashing onto a nearby field. While the co-pilot and the other flight engineers were rescued, the pilot couldn't make it out alive.
How could this majestic marvel of engineering and technology, which had been in development for a long time, possibly fail? Investigations would later on reveal it was simply because the pilots had forgotten to release the flight control gust locks before taking off. The fact that something so trivial could be forgotten only pointed to the realisation that aircrafts systems had become much more complex and it was beyond human capacity to remember each and every intricate details for a safe flight. Following the crash of the B-17, Boeing strictly mandated the use of Cockpit checklists in its entire fleet and checklists have been an integral part of flight decks ever since.
Jim Landon – Boeing B-17
So, what are checklists and why exactly are they essential?
Let's get started
When it comes to aviation,'' safety'' is of paramount importance. A slight breach of focus and an incident can turn into a fatal accident. If you thought everything could be read from instruments on-board, then you couldn't be more wrong. There are certain things a pilot needs to have at the back of their head at all times, also known as ''memory-items''- refer to those corrective actions that need to be executed in ''time-critical" events such as engine flame-out, sudden loss of pressure and such. Checklists are manuals that guide the crew through mandated procedures in the event of a ''time-critical'' event. This would essentially lead to effective crew resource management and efficient decisions. Cockpits in the past were notorious for being stacked with piles of charts, logbooks and technical documents. Modern aircrafts have evolved to de-clutter the cockpit and provide a more electronic way of accessing things.
Checklist on MFD
“A Cockpit checklist is a list used by the crew to make sure the aircraft is in the proper configuration for a given phase of flight. These phases of flight include take-off, climb, cruise, descent, approach, and landing. ”
Several pilots of major carriers when interviewed stated on conditions of anonymity that they have their own checklist procedure which they perform from memory just prior to take-off to assure themselves that the plane is configured correctly. These memory techniques have some inherent hazards such as dependency on the availability of time, vulnerable to distractions such as air traffic control (ATC) communications, outside scan and most importantly they are memory based and not on a step-by-step challenge-and-response procedure.
Paper Checklist
A ground-breaking study
Asaf Degani, a researcher who published 1990 study Human Factors of Flight-Deck Checklists: The Normal Checklist listed the following objectives for the need of a checklist:
Aid the pilot in recalling the process of configuring the plane.
Provide a standard foundation for verifying aircraft configuration that will defeat any reduction in the flight crew’s psychological and physical condition.
Provide convenient sequences for motor movements and eye fixations along the cockpit panels.
Provide a sequential framework to meet internal and external cockpit operational requirements.
Allow mutual supervision (cross checking) among crew members.
Enhance a team (crew) concept for configuring the plane by keeping all crew members ‘in the loop’.
Dictate the duties of each crew member in order to facilitate optimum crew coordination as well as logical distribution of cockpit workload.
Serve as a quality control tool by flight management and government regulators over the pilots in the process of configuring the plane for the flight.
When a checklist is run through completely, the pilot monitoring makes sure everyone in the cockpit is aware and this is called a ''loop''.
AOPA : Cockpit Flow
Classification of check-lists
Depending on predefined situations, checklists are classified as:
NORMAL CHECKLIST :-
Take-off, Descent and Landing are critical aspects of flight. Normal checklist begins with pre-flight checklist- This includes checks before starting the engines. In this stage, generally all mandatory pre-flight checks are ticked. The ''pilot-monitoring'' refers to the checklist and cross verifies with the ''pilot flying'' for all the steps mentioned in the checklist. In case a pilot has missed something, he/she can then perform the appropriate action. Similar steps are followed before initiating a descent and approach into the destination airport.
NON-NORMAL CHECKLIST :-
Also dubbed as '' read and do'' checklist-They usually relate to abnormal/emergency procedures where a cockpit flow pattern from memory( as is the case in normal checklist) is not desirable. This checklist gives the pilot the power to make his own decision based on his/her awareness of the situation and must be mutually assessed and agreed upon by both crew members before further action. Modern cockpits are so advanced that errors are auto-detected by the sensors themselves and the corresponding correct checklists are displayed to the pilots.
Checklist Applications for portable devices
DIFFERENTIATION BY TYPE OF DEVICE USED :-
Various types of checklist devices have evolved over the years. Among them are the scroll, mechanical, and vocal checklist. More modern ones involve computer-based text displayed on a CRT and electronic checklist devices that sense sub-system’s state. Quite understandably, it has been observed that veteran flight crew members still prefer paper checklist over any other form. On the other hand, modern day pilots make good use of everything that technology has got to offer.
Boeing B777 – Electronic Checklist
Summing up
There is temptation, on the part of experienced pilots, to memorize a checklist and avoid the burden of reading it from the card. A responsible aviator will always verify his actions in the cockpit as well as during pre-flight inspection and post-flight duties by going through the checklist provided the manufacturer.
Regardless, checklists are only a last minute help to guide in a critical situation. They cannot alone fly a plane and hence the importance of human performance cannot be stated enough. Flying has never been safer and we owe it all to the clever minds that designed the humble, yet so critical, checklists that we have today.
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Air travel is touted to be one of the safest modes of travel out there. With the onslaught of the devastating Novel Coronavirus pandemic, it has left us in tenterhooks whether to go ahead with our travel plans or not, especially the long haul ones since they are considered high risk for virus transmissions. A popular myth amongst fliers is that one sick person on-board can transmit the Coronavirus to the rest, which is far from true. With precautions and advisories in place and assuming people adhere to them, air travel can be one of the, if not the most, safest mode of travel.
airbus
To understand the degree of transmission risk, let's look at how air circulates within the cabin.
Air circulation inside an Airliner
Aircrafts fly at altitudes that are unsustainable for human life. Compared to the ideal conditions we have at ground, conditions up there can wreak havoc on human biological cycles. Hence it becomes imperative that aircraft air systems be designed to maintain the cabin pressure levels suitable for humans while at the same time keep the air fresh and at an ambient temperature. Here's how it works.
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The air outside the cabin is breathed into the engines which then flows into the compressor. After being compressed to a density safe enough for humans to breathe, this compressed air enters into what is called a ''mixing manifold''. The compressed air is hot and hence it needs to be cooled. This compressed air is then mixed with the re-circulating air from the cabin in the mixing chamber and passes through special filters known as ''HEPA'' filters (more on that later). This filtered air then passes throughout the cabin via connecting ducts where the ceiling meets the sideboard. Half of the air is dumped overboard ensuring a continuous flow of air within the cabin.
High efficacy particulate air filters (HEPA)
HEPA filters are high quality aircraft air filtration systems of medical grade, touted to remove an astonishing 99.99% of airborne microbes and dust particles in air.
“HEPA filters are effective at trapping microscopic particles as small as bacteria and viruses” - IATA said in a paper, Cabin air quality – Risk of communicable diseases transmission, published in 2018
iata
According to experts though, air filtration systems and HEPA filters alone cannot completely negate the risk of transmission. These filters are designed to only filter particles that reach it. Thereby the risk of transmission from unfiltered particles still lingers and that’s exactly why Coronavirus appropriate activities like physical distancing and donning a mask still needs to be followed.
Conclusions from certain case studies
Airbus tried simulating a highly accurate flow of air in an A320 cabin using CFD to detect the transmission of cough particles with people seated next to each other Vs people staying 6 feet apart. The result concluded the risk of transmission as lower in the former than the latter
Research by the US Transcom propagated that suspended air particles were rapidly diluted by the high exchange rates of air in a typical aircraft cabin. Tests in B777 and B767 proved that particulate matter was removed 15 times faster than in a home ventilation system and 5-6 times faster than a typical hospital ventilation setting.
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have found that following Novel Coronavirus appropriate behaviour coupled with the aircraft's ventilation systems resulted in a very negligible risk of transmission
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Modelling the remaining risk
Manufacturers have developed a risk-management model which calculates the risk of Novel Coronavirus transmission and translocation by modelling the various steps and parameters in the curb-to-curb air travel journey. The objective of the model is to support government and regulatory bodies in making data-substantiated decisions when reopening air travel. This is timely and relevant as the first travel corridors are being discussed between low risk or “green” countries.
The evaluation quantifies the level of risk for each step and takes into account the various health and safety measures, such as wearing face protection and different testing and quarantine scenarios. In practice, the model displays several protection and screening strategies that can be activated on a chosen route and simulates the impact on lowering the overall risk through applying those measures.
emirates
Disembarking the light way
In response to pre-emptive passenger offboarding, experts are introducing a solution to ensure an orderly and safe way to disembark, avoiding crowding of the aisles and keeping everyone onboard comfortable. The solution is a novel lighting design based on simple traffic guiding principles: the scenario uses different cabin illumination combinations to indicate the rows which are designated to disembark next. The lighting scenarios complement the verbal cues given by the cabin crew to facilitate an orderly and rush-free departure from the plane.
airbus
Initiatives from major carriers
Qatar Airways became one of the first global carriers to implement the use of UV(ultraviolet) cabin systems by Honeywell. Clinical trials have proved the efficiency of UV light in successfully inactivating a number of airborne microbes when applied in the right doses. Also, The Doha based airline along with Emirates have been seen running massive PR campaigns boasting of fully vaccinated crews.
cathay pacific b747
“We understand there will be some (aircrew) who cannot take a vaccine and we will look into accommodating them on a short-term basis where we can. However, we will review the future employment of those who are unable to become vaccinated and assess whether they can continue to be employed as aircrew with Cathay Pacific.” - a spokesperson for Cathay Pacific said last week.
“We are pleased to operate flights with fully vaccinated crew – a significant step in protecting our employees’ and customers’ health safety. We have been squarely focused on working very hard to ensure the safety of our staff and passengers since the pandemic broke out and this is another testament to our continued commitment.” - Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam
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The way forward
Despite all assurances, It will still take time before people overcome their fear completely. For this very same reason, awareness should be created regarding public safety on-board. With some positive signs of recovery, especially in countries with high rates of vaccination, a sustained global recovery will only be realized with an escalation of vaccination campaigns, the continued development of digital health passes, and coordinated and cohesive policy support from governments.
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