Yearly Archives: 2015

Airbus delays A320neo delivery to 2016. IndiGo, GoAir fleet plans disrupted.

First Airbus A320neo with Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1127G-JM Geared Turbo-Fan (GTF) engine. Photo courtesy Airbus.

Airbus along with engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney and launch customer Deutsche Lufthansa has decided to delay the first delivery of the A320neo into 2016. While a date is not specified, sometime in January is the widely accepted time frame. The company said the delay was due to “some more documentation items that need to be address by Pratt& Whitney …

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IndiGo fleet crosses 100 jet milestone, as it faces A320neo delivery delays

IndiGo Airbus A320-232(SL) VT-IFK with Sharklets.

India’s largest domestic airline IndiGo crossed the historic milestone of a 100 aircraft fleet size and joined Air India and Jet Airways in the ‘century club’. The low fare carrier which operates an all Airbus A320 fleet, inducted VT-IDR, its 116th A320 received, to reach the 100 aircraft fleet size. The difference in numbers is explained by IndiGo’s fleet strategy …

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Vistara celebrates a million passengers

Vistara CEO Phee Teik Yeoh felicitates Biplove Choudhary as the one millionth passenger.

The Tata-SIA Airline, Vistara has crossed the milestone one million passenger mark, in less than 50 weeks of operations, little over two weeks shy of its first anniversary of January 9th. The passenger Mr. Biplove Choudhary, received a warm welcome by Vistara crew at IGI Airport, New Delhi Delhi International airport and was escorted from the terminal entrance to the …

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France confirms Airbus A330 MRTT order

The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) has confirmed an order for a further eight A330 MRTT Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft out of the original contract for 12 A330 MRTTs signed by the French Ministry of Defence in November 2014. This brings France’s total firm order of the MRTT to nine, including the initial aircraft. The remaining three are scheduled to …

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Jet Airways to codeshare with Delta, KLM, shift Brussels hub to Amsterdam

Jet Airways Airbus A330-300. Image courtesy Jet.

In a major restructuring of its European and North American operations India’s largest private airline, Jet Airways has announced a code-share agreement with Delta Air Lines of the United States and with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, the flag carrier of The Netherlands and part of the Air France-KLM airline group. To operationalise these code-share agreements, Jet Airways will shift its …

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A320neo launch customer Lufthansa, not Qatar. IndiGo now third.

First Airbus A320neo with Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1127G-JM Geared Turbo-Fan (GTF) engine. Photo courtesy Airbus.

Air Transport World is reporting that Airbus will deliver the first A320neo (new engine option) to German flag carrier Lufthansa and not Qatar Airways as originally planned. India’s IndiGo which was expected to be the second operator to receive deliveries will now be moved to third slot. The last minute change has been necessitated due to the ongoing problems which …

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Boeing unveils the first 737 MAX

The new 737 MAX 8 rolls out of the paint hangar in Renton.

Yesterday evening, Boeing rolled it’s first 737 MAX out of the paint hanger in Renton. The aircraft which is the first of the fourth generation of Boeing’s and the world’s best selling commercial aircraft was introduced to the world in front of thousands of Boeing employees. The aircraft called the Spirit of Renton is wearing the new Boeing MAX livery …

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Chennai airport flooding: Expert warned authorities 7 years earlier

Chennai airport flooded. IAF helicopter view from west.

Air safety expert and member of the government appointed safety committee, Captain Ranganathan had warned the authorities about the flooding of Chennai airport over seven years ago. In an article titled “Viable project or white elephant?” published in the Hindu Business Line print edition dated August 13, 2008, the airline captain with over 35 years of flying experience lambasted the …

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Chennai airport shut due to rain flooding. IndiGo suspends flights to the city.

IndiGo_A320 classic VT-INT. Photo: Devesh Agarwal.

It appears that Chennai airport has suspended operations due to flooding thanks to almost one month of incessant and unseasonal rains. India’s largest domestic airline, IndiGo, released a statement This is to notify IndiGo passengers and the local partners in Chennai – that due to severe weather conditions, Chennai airport is shut for operations. Keeping in mind the safety of …

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Qatar Airways commences Nagpur Doha flights

Qatar Airways A320 Sharklet A7-AHX First Flight to arrive at Hamad Intl Airport at QR7450. NDIA.

National carrier Qatar Airways, today commences daily non-stop flights between Nagpur and Doha. QR 588 departs Doha at 19:55 arrives Nagpur at 02:15 the next morning QR 589 departs Nagpur at 03:45 arrives Doha at 05:55 the same day The flight is estimated to be a little over four hours in duration. The schedule like most of the airline’s flights …

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A suggestion for Mr. Lohani, CMD of Air India. Experience your airline!!

Listen to your passengers Mr. Lohani

Soon after he took over as Chairman and Managing Director of national carrier Air India, Ashwani Lohani, declared he would engage the over 20,000 work force at the airline. Good idea. I have just one additional suggestion for Mr. Lohani. Learn from the TV series Undercover boss; personally experience your airline by travelling on it, anonymously. To best understand what …

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EASA and FAA certify Airbus A320neo. IndiGo will get its first soon.

Powered by Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G-JM Geared Turbo Fan

The Airbus A320neo (new engine option), the newest version of the popular single aisle narrow body jet has received joint Type Certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) powered by Pratt & Whitney Pure Power PW1100G-JM geared turbo-fan (GTF) engines. The EASA A320neo type Certificate was signed by EASA’s Certification Director …

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Hooray!!!! Air India extends San Francisco flight to Bangalore

Air India Boeing 777-237LR VT-ALF Jharkand at New Delhi IGI airport. Photo copyright Vedant Agarwal, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

Hooray for national carrier Air India. The airline has finally connected the Silicon Valley of the San Francisco bay area with the Silicon Plateau of Bangalore via a direct flight via New Delhi. The national carrier has synchronised one of its flights between Bengaluru and New Delhi, with the non-stop New Delhi San Francisco flight. It has also changed the …

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DGCA report finds Air India operated 787 with only 4 of 47 screws installed

Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner line number 35 test registered N1015 (later became VT-ANH) at the India Aviation show, Hyderabad March 2012. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal.

On October 12, 2013, a little over two years ago, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner registration VT-ANK performing flight AI803 from New Delhi to Bangalore with 147 passengers and seven crew, had its right hand side (RHS) heat exchanger access panel 196KR detach from the aircraft as it was landing at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru around 09:40 (0410Z) 04:10 …

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Star Wars’ X-wing and TIE fighters featured at Singapore Changi airport

Star Wars characters with rebel X-wing Fighter. Photo courtesy Changi Airport

Till January 5th, Singapore Changi airport will feature the iconic X-wingTM fighter and TIE fighterTM in full life size. Ahead of the release of the latest edition of famous Star Wars films, The Force Awakens, the X-wing fighter will be featured at the airport’s Terminal 3 departure hall, while five life-sized Imperial StormtroopersTM guard the Galactic Empire’s TIE fighter in …

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Mitsubishi Regional Jet successfully completes maiden flight

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has successfully conducted the first flight of it’s regional jet (MRJ). Once in service the MRJ will primarily compete with Embraer and Bombardier in the global regional jet market. The flight which was delayed for two weeks due to a defective rudder pedal, took off from Nagoya Airport and returned to the airport …

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Jet Airways confirms order for 75 737 MAX 8’s

Jet Airways Boeing 737 MAX 8.

American airframer Boeing has announced an order for 75 737 MAX 8 airplanes from full service carrier Jet Airways at the Dubai Airshow today. The order which was previously attributed to an unidentified customer includes conversions of 25 Next-Generation 737s to 737 MAX 8s, as well as options and purchase rights for an additional 50 aircraft. The order is the …

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A330neo to use A350’s cockpit mask

Ahead of the Dubai airshow, Airbus has announced that it will use the A350’s distinctive cockpit windscreen design on the A330neo. Eric Zanin, Head of A330 programme, Airbus “The A330neo complement the A350 XWB in the new Airbus Long-Range family, so it was only natural that the A330neo should have the same cockpit shades design than its larger sibling” The …

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Air New Zealand purchases 15 additional ATR 72-600

Air New Zealand ATR-72-600. Airline Image.

Air New Zealand has signed a contract with ATR for the purchase of 15 additional ATR 72-600s. The deal which is valued at USD 375 million, will augment both the airline’s existing fleet of seven ATR 72-600s and seven existing orders to bring it’s fleet upto 29 ATR 72-600s by 2020. It will be the third largest ATR fleet in …

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Etihad to begin A380 service to India

Middle eastern carrier, Etihad Airways will begin to operate it’s Airbus A380 to Mumbai from May 2016. The new route is designed to connect to the carrier’s A380 New York service and will allow connecting passengers a through journey on the super-jumbo. Mumbai is the fifth destination that Etihad has announced for their A380 service, but should be the fourth …

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