Devesh Agarwal

A electronics and automotive product management, marketing and branding expert, he was awarded a silver medal at the Lockheed Martin innovation competition 2010. He is ranked 6th on Mashable's list of aviation pros on Twitter and in addition to Bangalore Aviation, he has contributed to leading publications like Aviation Week, Conde Nast Traveller India, The Economic Times, and The Mint (a Wall Street Journal content partner). He remains a frequent flier and shares the good, the bad, and the ugly about the Indian aviation industry without fear or favour.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner destined for Air India suffers serious engine mishap. NTSB to investigate

The second Boeing 787 Dreamliner to be built at the airframer’s Charleston, South Carolina facility suffered a serious engine mishap during pre-flight testing on the afternoon of Saturday. This aircraft is due to be delivered to national carrier Air India as VT-ANJ. A Boeing spokesperson told Bangalore Aviation “A 787 experienced an engine issue July 28 while undergoing preflight runway …

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Nippon Cargo Airlines takes delivery of first Boeing 747-8 freighter

Tokyo Narita based Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA), became the first Japanese operator of the 747-8 Freighter. The airline currently operates eight 747-400 Freighters with two 747-400 Freighters on lease with other airlines. The environmentally focused Nippon Cargo Airlines will also operate the delivery flight of this aircraft using biofuel. The new airplane will become the first 747-8 to use a …

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Can Air India beat Qatar Airways with the first 787 service to London Heathrow? An all 787 Kangaroo service?

National carrier Air India can expect to take delivery of up to three or four Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners as early as next week, as a Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by home minister P. Chidambaram, approved a compensation demand for an almost four year delay in delivery, made by the carrier on the airframer. After the GoM meeting, India’s civil …

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India’s civil aviation ministry refutes favouritism allegations by IndiGo promoters

A few days ago, Mr. Rahul Bhatia, co-promoter of Indian low cost carrier IndiGo, stated in public, grievances, that many in the Indian airline industry believe in private. That the government is not behaving in a fair manner and keeping alive national carrier Air India on life support with massive bailouts of public money, preferential treatment in route allocation, etc. …

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Opinion: DGCA fiasco highlights need to resolve conflicts of interests in civil aviation ministry

The abrupt removal of India’s chief civil aviation regulator, the Director General of Civil Aviation, Mr. E.K. Bharat Bhushan, earlier this month, once again brings forth the cross-workings within the ministry of civil aviation, caused by contradictory roles, many of which are driven by political agendas, and the urgent need to re-structure this mammoth ministry to correct the malaise. Indian …

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Photo: US Navy Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet NJ135 of VFA-122 turning, burning, condensing at Farnborough

Shot at the limit of 400mm, Boeing Super Hornet NJ135 belonging to the US Navy Strike Fighter Squadron 122 (VFA-122), The Flying Eagles, pulls high G’s away from the admiring crowd, including me. Condensation, afterburners burning bright orange, and their massive heat obscuring part of the aircraft, this photo has it all. Incidentally, NJ135 also performed at Aero India last …

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Ethiopian Airlines orders additional Boeing 777-200LR

Boeing announced that Ethiopian Airlines has ordered an additional Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, in addition to the airline’s fleet of five 777-200LRs. Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines said “The 777-200LR has been a fantastic airplane for Ethiopian Airlines,” “The performance and range of the airplane allowed us to open direct routes from Washington D.C to Addis Ababa, Addis Ababa to …

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Video: Making of the Jet Airways’ Disney themed 737-800 VT-JBC

Last week, Jet Airways unveiled a re-liveried Boeing 737-800 with a Disney theme. The aircraft is wrapped with images of Disney’s favourite cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto. Here is a time lapse video showing the plane VT-JBC being transformed from its regular Jet Airways livery to the new Disney livery.

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Photo: AirAsia unveils Airbus A320 in special Queen Park Rangers livery, names it Alan McDonald

Malaysian low cost carrier AirAsia, paid tribute to the Queens Park Rangers (QPR) Football Club, by unveiling an A320 9M-AFV painted in a special QPR livery. The airline also paid homage to the club’s legendary former captain and assistant manager, the late Alan McDonald naming this aircraft after him. The Airbus A320 is painted in the football club’s colours with …

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Photos: Boeing commences flight test programme of Indian Navy’s P-8I maritime aircraft ahead of December handover

US airframer Boeing commenced the flight test programme on the Indian Navy’s first P-8I aircraft on July 7. Tail number IN320 took off from Boeing Field in Seattle at 0915 local and landing three hours and 49 minutes later after demonstrating flying qualities and handling characteristics. The second P-8I aircraft, tail number IN321 performed its initial flight on July 12. …

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Farnborough air show 2012 images: Eurofighter Typhoon condensates and Qatar Airways Boeing 787 glows

Couple of more interesting images from the 2012 edition of the Farnborough International air show. The Eurofighter Typhoon makes a full afterburner turn pulling extreme G’s and causing condensation around the aircraft. The second last fighter of Block 10 production and a tail number EH, BS094 is build no.1355 serial no. ZK333 of the 6th squadron. First flight on 12/Jan/2012, …

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Picture: Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 Royal Air Force at Farnborough air show

It has been a grey, cloudy, rainy start to the Farnborough air show 2012. In the midst of the gloomy weather are these twin bright orange discs of flame. A picture of a Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 with its afterburners burning a bright orange for your enjoyment. Soon after lift off, even before the wheel covers fold back in to position, the Typhoon …

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BEA’s final report on the crash of Air France AF-447

Image courtesy BEA France’s Bureau of Investigations and Analysis’ (BEA) submitted its final report on the crash of Air France flight AF-447 flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, killing all 228 passengers and crew on-board. The final report essentially re-states what has already been released till date. The crash commenced with ice crystals blocking the pitot tubes, sending false …

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Opinion: Travel agents to charge service fee. A smart move, but they will have to earn it.

As domestic full service carriers like Air India and Jet Airways are cutting back on their commissions, travel agents in India have decided to charge a service charge of Rs 225 from July 16 on tickets of full service carriers, issued by them. In this age of skyrocketing expenses, airlines are desperately trying to curtail costs. Ticket distribution and sales …

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Air India pilot’s strike: Same old story. Taxpayers left holding the bag

Air India and members of the striking Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) appear to have reached an “agreement”. For more than 58 days, the pilots have defied the courts and struck work. After causing hundred of crores (billions) worth of additional losses to the national carrier, that is already on life support with taxpayer money, the pilots decided to call off …

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Qantas release new video advertisement, changes slogan

Australian national carrier Qantas has released a new video advertisement and with it a very subtle change in its slogan. We are used to seeing “Spirit of Australia” emblazoned on the side of every Qantas aircraft. Qantas A330-300 at Mumbai. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal. All rights reserved. In an effort to reach out to its passenger base, the new slogan …

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Boeing makes Qatar Airways’ first 787 first flight ahead of Farnborough air show

Boeing has achieved some peace of mind, by making the first flight of Qatar Airways’ first 787 Dreamliner, just ahead of the upcoming Farnborough air show. The airline’s capricious CEO, Mr. Akbar Al Baker, is known for his non-diplomatic criticism, often seen as tantrums, of airframe manufacturers, especially at air shows. Boeing’s competitor Airbus, was at the receiving end of …

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Photos: Thai Airway’s first A380 revealed

Following fellow ASEAN national carriers, Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways International will become the ninth operator of the Airbus A380 superjumbo when it receives the first of its six ordered A380 aircraft later this year. Enjoy the three photos from Airbus, of the Thai A380 leaving the paint shop in Hamburg resplendent in its beautiful “smooth as silk” …

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Photos: Malaysia Airlines reveals special livery for its first Airbus A380

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Airbus revealed a special celebration livery on the national carrier’s first A380 ahead of the aircraft’s entry-into-service next week on the Kuala Lumpur-London Heathrow route. The livery was designed by MAS specifically for it its new A380 flagship and was applied post-delivery by Airbus in Toulouse. MAS has ordered six A380s with a seating for 494 …

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