Page 3 - Aviation

Driving towards net zero: India's strategic push for sustainable trucking

India's net-zero carbon strategy has focused intensely on sectors such as automotive, power, steel, aviation, cement, and agriculture, which collectively contribute significantly to carbon emissions

Engine maker GE Aerospace plans increasing sourcing components from India

Engine maker GE Aerospace plans to increase sourcing of components from India, which is a growing aviation market, a senior company official has said. The company has a manufacturing facility in Pune and the John F Welch Technology Centre in Bengaluru. Currently, it has 13 major suppliers, including Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL). Mahendra Nair, Group Vice President for Commercial Programs at GE Aerospace, said India's contribution to the supply chain will increase. "We have got some very capable companies in India with the right engineering talent, the right production footprint and as long as they can meet the technical standards that we are looking for, it is only upside and it is going to grow. "India is a market that is going to grow and that makes sense for us to continue sourcing more from India," Nair told PTI during a recent interview in the national capital. Vikram Rai, South Asia Chief Executive Officer of GE Aerospace, said the company's sourcing has gone up by 20 ti

Govt plans to increase airport number to 350 to boost connectivity, tourism

Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu on Friday said as India strives towards becoming a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, the ministry is seeking to increase the number of airports in the country to 350 and boost tourism. In his address at an event held to mark the World Tourism Day at Vigyan Bhawan here, he also said his ministry is working on connecting more hinterlands locations which are close to unexplored sites. Naidu emphasised the government's vision of boosting domestic connectivity and providing better facilities and warm hospitality at airports to welcome foreign tourists, as airports are "gateways to a country". "Today, we have 157 airports but in the next 20-25 years, when we are going to see the real Viksit Bharat in 2047, we want to increase the number of airports which is 157 today to the tune of 350," he said at the event hosted by the Tourism Ministry. He also congratulated the tourism ministry after Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announc

Outdated fleet and seats, supply woes hinder Air India's turnaround

Global shortages are hurting plans for most airlines, but the problem is more acute for Air India

Aviation division of Russian Black Sea Fleet conducts sea and air drills

The combat mission tasks were conducted in the dark, at different altitudes and included crews climbing into the stratosphere

Strike by Boeing workers shows no signs of ending after its 1st week

A labour strike at Boeing showed no signs of ending on Friday, as the walkout by 33,000 union machinists entered its eighth day and the company started rolling furloughs of nonunion employees to conserve cash. Federal mediators joined talks between Boeing and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers this week, but union officials reported that little progress was made during the first two sessions. The union said no further talks were scheduled. A Boeing spokesperson said on Friday that the company's goal is to reach an agreement with the union as quickly as possible. She declined to comment further. The walkout started September 13, when members of a regional district of the IAM union voted 96 per cent in favour of a strike after they rejected a proposed contract that would have raised their pay by 25 per cent over four years. Workers say they want raises of 40 per cent and a restoration of traditional pension benefits that were eliminated about a decade .

Indian carriers soar on international routes but foreign rivals lead

On the popular India-Singapore route, Singapore Airlines and its subsidiary Scoot remain dominant despite competition from IndiGo, Air India (A-I), A-I Express, and Vistara

Boeing furloughs thousands as it hunkers down for prolonged strike

A protracted labor battle could cost Boeing several billion dollars, further straining finances and threatening its credit rating

Will begin furloughs soon to save cash during labour strike: Boeing CEO

Boeing's CEO said Wednesday that the company will begin furloughing a large number of employees to conserve cash during the strike by union machinists that began last week. Chief Executive Kelly Ortberg said the layoffs would be temporary and affect executives, managers and other employees. About 33,000 Boeing factory workers in the Pacific Northwest began a strike Friday after rejecting a proposal to raise pay by 25 per cent over four years. They want raises of at least 40 per cent and other improvements in the deal that they voted down. The furloughs are expected to affect tens of thousands of Boeing employees. Ortberg said employees will be furloughed for one week every four weeks, and he and other senior executives will take pay cuts during the duration of the strike.

IndiGo flight to Doha faces tech issue; long wait for passengers onboard

Passengers of an IndiGo flight from the city to Doha waited inside the aircraft for more than four hours as the flight was delayed due to a technical issue on Sunday. Some passengers took to social media to complain about the long flight delay and that they had to wait for long. The flight was to take off on Sunday early morning. Passengers were inside the aircraft for more than four hours before they deplaned. The flight is now expected to take off later in the day from the Mumbai airport, sources in the know said. IndiGo said its flight 6E 1303, operating from Mumbai to Doha, was delayed due to a technical reason. "The aircraft tried to depart for its destination a couple of times but had to finally be called off due to the extended time lag on account of various procedural delays," the airline said in a statement. While apologising for the inconvenience, IndiGo said its airport team immediately provided assistance to the affected customers and provided refreshments and necessa

Here's how the strike by Boeing machinists will impact airline flights

A strike by some 33,000 Boeing machinists has halted production of the American aerospace giant's best-selling airplanes. The workers began picketing at Boeing factories and plants in Washington, Oregon and California on Friday after rejecting a contract offer their union negotiated and endorsed. The work stoppage will not immediately impact commercial flights but could still bring significant losses for the company, which is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, but has its roots in the Seattle area, where it makes most of its planes for airlines. Boeing is already dealing with a battered reputation and financial struggles that have piled up over recent years. Here's what to know about the potential impact of the strike and what might happen next. Will the strike affect airline flights? The strike won't affect travelers unless it lasts a very long time. The strike stops production of the 737 Max, Boeing's best-selling airliner, along with the 777 or triple-seven jet and the 767 c

SpiceJet's domestic market share shrinks to 2.3%, shows DGCA data

Overall, Indian carriers carried a total of 13.1 million domestic passengers, which was 5.7 per cent more year-on-year

SpiceJet rallies 15% in 2 days, hits over 7-month high on heavy volumes

SpiceJet moved the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court order that directed the grounding and return of three engines leased from Team France 01 SAS and Sunbird France 02 SAS.

DGCA orders special audit of flying training organisations to ensure safety

Aviation watchdog DGCA has ordered a special audit of flying training organisations in the country amid recent accidents involving training aircraft. The audit of flying training organisations (FTOs) will be conducted in three phases from September to November 2024. It will cover 33 FTOs. "This audit aims to thoroughly assess the safety standards, operational procedures, and systemic deficiencies within flying training organisations to ensure the highest levels of safety and compliance," DGCA said in a release on Thursday. The regulator said the move follows a series of recent training aircraft incidents that have sparked concerns regarding the compliance of FTOs with respect to the established aviation regulations and safety protocols. The last such special audit was conducted in 2022. "The audit will scrutinise each FTO's adherence to DGCA's regulatory standards, including aircraft maintenance, airworthiness, and training operations," the release said.

DGCA details certification requirements for vertical take-off, landing

This circular has been issued after extensive interaction with all concerned stakeholders

Boeing reaches labour deal with 25% pay hike, new plane commitment

Boeing is wrestling with a quality crisis and faces scrutiny from regulators and customers, after a January incident when a door plug on a near-new MAX blew off an Alaska Air jetliner while in mid-air

Aviation watchdog DGCA releases vertiport guidelines for vertical liftoffs

Aviation watchdog DGCA on Friday issued guidelines for vertiports that can be used for operating aircraft that can take off and land in a vertical manner. The government is looking to push for eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) aircraft as part of advanced air mobility solutions. After extensive stakeholder consultations, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a circular for the development and operation of vertiports to be used for aircraft capable of vertical take-offs and landings. The guidelines provide specifications for the essential infrastructure needed to support vertiport operations, including standards for visual aids to assist in landings, according to a release. It also mentions battery charging requirements as well as procedures to ensure preparedness and safety in case of emergencies. DGCA said the guidelines will enable in granting of site clearance and authorisation post-construction of a vertiport.

Cabinet clears SIA's investment in Air India; Vistara to sunset on Nov 11

Vistara will maintain its aircraft, schedule, operating crew under its brand name until early 2025

DGCA places Spicejet under surveillance after audit reveals deficiencies

A senior DGCA official said that based on reports of cancellation of flights and financial stress being experienced by Spicejet Airlines, a special audit was conducted

Air India fined Rs 99 lakh for operating flight with unqualified pilots

Regulator says incident in July had 'significant safety ramifications'