by Devesh Agarwal Wikimedia user PlaneSpotter94. Wishing all readers a very Good Friday holiday. For your weekend relaxation, a cockpit video from the folks at Piloteye.tv showing a Condor Airbus A320 landing at La Palma airport. (ICAO: GCLA). I think it is a very well produced video, showing multiple angles and actions, documenting well the work inside the A320 cockpit …

Boeing and Navaratna public sector unit Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) are expanding their partnership through a follow-on contract involving the manufacture of sub-assemblies for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jet. This contract, for Super Hornet subassemblies, expands work Boeing awarded to BEL in 2011. BEL delivers components for the Super Hornet and P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft; and is a …

The fleet of Airbus A320s equipped with the new wingtips called “Sharklets” is growing by the day. During the last fortnight, four new airlines have taken delivery of Sharklet fitted A320s. Spain’s largest low cost carrier Vueling, the largest low cost airline in Spain, took delivery of its first A320 Sharklet aircraft, becoming the first Spanish carrier to do so. …

by Devesh Agarwal European airframer Airbus has installed the two massive Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines on the frame of the first A350XWB to fly, MSN1, Toulouse in France. The Trent XWB engine had received its Engine Type Certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) last month confirming its fulfilment of the agency’s airworthiness requirements. Along with the engines, …

Last Friday, the two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fisherman off the coast of Kerala, were finally returned to India. They have been at the centre of the diplomatic showdown between the two countries, when Italy refused to let them return, dishonouring an personal undertaking given by Italy’s ambassador to India, to the Supreme Court of India. The …

by Devesh Agarwal 25 years ago today, Airbus entered the hither-to US dominated market of narrow body airliners when it delivered its first A320 to Air France. The A320 shook up the market segment with the highest demand. As of today Boeing and Airbus estimate the single aisle narrow body segment to purchase about 20,000 airframes in the next 20 …

Airbus has delivered the initial A330-200F for Qatar Airways, further expanding the list of international carriers enhancing their aircraft fleets with this new-generation freighter. Qatar Airways’ A330-200F is the first of three to be provided on lease from BOC Aviation, and will be used on the operator’s international freight network, replacing A300-600Fs that have been in service since 2002. The …

This video clip highlights key events leading up to the “century mark” A380 delivery — including footage from the first flight, its certification campaign, customer deliveries and more. Read more about the 100th delivery here.

Airbus matching milestones with Boeing, delivered its 100th A380 super-jumbo to national carrier Malaysia Airlines, the airline’s sixth aircraft registration 9M-MNF. Now in its sixth year of commercial service, the A380 is flying with nine world class airlines. To date, the worldwide fleet has carried some 36 million passengers in 100,000 flights. The delivery to an Asian carrier is subtle …

Boeing has delivered a 737-900ER, the 7,500th 737 to come off the production line to Malaysia-based Malindo Air. The aircraft in a two class configuration, 18 business class and 164 economy class seats, features the Boeing Sky Interior featuring sculpted side-walls, improved window reveals, LED lighting and larger pivoting overhead baggage storage. The Boeing 737 is the best-selling commercial jetliner …

by Devesh Agarwal Rohit Nandan has completed 18 months as the Chairman and Managing Director of national carrier Air India. Under his tenure, the national carrier appears to have embarked on a path which it hopes will result in a turn-around. The renewed efforts at the airline coupled with the implosion of Kingfisher Airlines, have certainly produced some positive results, …

by Ashwin Jadhav The aircraft acquisition process for airlines in India The Indian government has scrapped its aircraft acquisition committee (AAC), meaning domestic airlines will find it easier to import aircraft. After allowing 49% FDI (foreign direct investment) by foreign airlines, in the Indian airline sector, the government last week moved a step closer to liberalizing the civil aviation space …

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of its first delivery, the European Airbus A320 narrow body, is ratcheting up the pressure on competitor the American Boeing 737 booking two high profile orders during this month. The first order cames from national Turkish Airlines (THY), which signed a contract, the biggest ever by a Turkish carrier, for up to 117 …

Air India Express will shift all its operations to the new Hamad International Airport (HIA) previously called New Doha International Airport (NDIA) in Qatar, on April 1, 2013. Nine other airlines are also being made to shift to the new airport. Air Arabia, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, flydubai, Iran Air, Nepal Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, RAK Airways, Syrian Air, and Yemen …

Five years ago to the date, Bangalore Aviation started its journey. 1,929 articles later, we have grown to become one of the best aviation blogs in the world. All thanks to you – our valued readers and supporters, within and outside the aviation industry. On this anniversary I would like to share with you some of the highlights of our …

by Devesh Agarwal Sources within Mumbai based Jet Airways indicate the airline has entered into an agreement with Turkish Airlines to dry-lease three of its Boeing 777-300ER (77W) aircraft for one year. The Indian carrier has a total of ten 77Ws in its fleet. Since 2008, the carrier has found it difficult to effectively utilise these highly popular aircraft. It …

by Devesh Agarwal Cathay Pacific Group FY2012 overall results Hong Kong based, Cathay Pacific Group reported an attributable profit of HK$916 million (approximately $118.08 million) for 2012 – an 83.3% fall compared to the profit of HK$5,501 million reported for 2011, even though turnover for the year increased by 1.0% to HK$99,376 million (approximately $12.81 billion). Earnings per share fell …

by Devesh Agarwal This fortnight’s edition of news on special liveries from Karsten Heiligtag. *cs = colour scheme A320-214     4083     A9C-AD     Gulf Airat DXB 08/02/13 in special cs now with “2013 Formular 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix” titles, ex “2012 Formular 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix”http://www.airliners.net/photo/Gulf-Air/Airbus-A320-214/2230244/L/&sid=f2c9586395112746123c9cd54e781f18 A340-642     933     A6-EHJ     Etihad Airways (special “F1 Formula 1” cs)seen at MEL …

by Devesh Agarwal Jet lag is the curse of the international traveller. Much of human physiology and body patterns are adapted to an internal 24 hour clock called the Circadian Clock or Circadian Rhythm. Virtually all aspects of our life, especially sleep, alertness, cognition, body temperature, behaviour, digestion, strength, even our thinking and memory is tied in to this clock. …

Photo: Adrian Pingstone. Courtesy Wikimedia. Rights reserved. The Irish Independent is reporting that low cost carrier RyanAir has placed an $18bn (€14bn) order with Boeing to buy up to 200 aircraft. It is unclear whether the order includes any 737 MAX. Apparently the order will be confirmed by US President Barack Obama and Taoiseach (Prime Minister of Ireland) Enda Kenny …