Page 10 - Civil Aviation Sector

Resignations have no impact on expansion, more pilots joining: Akasa CEO

Promoted by family of the late investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, Akasa is planning to add more aircraft to its fleet and take it to 28 by March 2024 and add 10-12 planes every year for the next few years

DGCA is issuing pilot licenses within indicative timeline, MoCA clarifies

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Wednesday said the DGCA is meeting the indicative timelines for the issuance of pilot licences despite an increase in the number of applications. "It is clarified that the application processing time may vary depending upon the complexity and completeness of the application submitted. The indicative timelines published for Issue & Conversion of Commercial Pilot License (CPL) by DGCA is 20 & 30 working days respectively," it said in a statement. According to the ministry, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been meeting the indicative timelines despite an increase in number of applications. "Average timelines achieved for applications during 2023 for CPL Issue & Conversion is 22 and 31 working days". The total number of CPLs issued in 2022 was the highest in the last decade and this number has already been surpassed in September 2023, it added. Further, the statement said the number of CPLs issued is likely to be the ...

Akasa's future: CEO Dube seeks to douse fire lit by lawyers' closure claims

Akasa's lawyers had said in the Delhi HC on Tuesday that the airline was in a "state of crises" and might "shut down" due to the abrupt resignation of 43 pilots to join rival airlines

Akasa flying less after some pilots quit abruptly: CEO Vinay Dube

The company has initiated legal action against the pilots that have quit without serving their mandatory contractual notice period, Dube said

Aviation ministry permits Akasa Air to launch international flights

The young airline, which is facing pilot exits, is yet to announce its first international destination

Growth fundamentals of aviation sector strong, no slowdown: Boeing India

Asserting that the Indian aviation sector's growth fundamentals are strong, aircraft maker Boeing has said that significant skilling of people to meet demand, rationalisation of fuel taxes and continued infrastructure investments will keep the growth going. Boeing, which has hundreds of aircraft on order from Indian carriers, has also announced various investments, including USD 100 million for training pilots in the country. Besides, it has maintenance training partnerships with partners for having enough skilled mechanics in India. "We see no slowdown (in India) and we continue to see very high load factors, extremely high rates of profitability amongst the airlines and we see extremely strong demand for aeroplanes as we have seen in some of the largest orders ever placed in the world. "Overall, we see that demand grows. We are also seeing significant advancements in infrastructure as new terminals come up... new greenfield airports come up...That is going to be a boon to Indian .

G20 Summit: IndiGo notifies passengers about flight cancellations

IndiGo on Wednesday said passengers have been notified about flight cancellations at the Delhi airport in connection with G20 Summit. "Due to the G20 Summit 2023 taking place in New Delhi, IndiGo is offering one-time waivers for passengers travelling to and from Delhi between September 8 to 11, 2023," the airline said in a statement. It did not provide details about the number of flights that are likely to be affected. G20 Summit will be held in the national capital on September 9 and 10. "Customers are being offered the option of rescheduling or cancelling their flights with refunds. Passengers have been notified about flight cancellations and to schedule changes in advance," the statement said. Scores of flights are likely to be affected at the Delhi airport and airlines are offering waiver of charges for customers planning to reschedule their travel dates. On Tuesday, officials in the know said airlines are making adjustments to their flight operations and select flights are b

India to have 425 million air passengers by 2035: Jyotiraditya Scindia

India is expected to have 42.5 crore air passengers by 2035 from the current level of 14.5 crore and that is the growth potential that international players can look at, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Friday. The minister also said that the regional air connectivity has democratised civil aviation and has spawned four regional carriers. He highlighted the growth potential of the country's civil aviation sector and urged international players to "look at India". He was speaking at the International Aerospace Conference in Gwalior organised by industry body CII. According to him, the country is expected to have 42.5 crore air passengers by 2035 from the current 14.5 crore passengers. In July, domestic air traffic surged 25 per cent to 1.21 crore passengers compared to the year-ago period, as per official data. It is "imperative" to grow civil aviation as a service as well as a product, Scindia said and stressed that it is time for aerospace players to supplant

Vumlunmag Vualnam to be new Civil Aviation Secretary as part of reshuffling

A total of 15 IAS officers have been appointed as secretaries and additional secretaries in various departments and organizations of the Government of India

JKC deposits another Rs 100 cr in Jet Airways under its revival plan

Jalan Kalrock Consortium, the winning bidder for the revival of grounded carrier Jet Airways, on Thursday said it deposited Rs 100 crore in Jet Airways, taking the total investment in the airline to Rs 250 crore. "JKC confirms to have deposited Rs 100 crores in Jet Airways in less than 48 hours of the NCLAT allowing implementation of the revival plans," it said in a statement. Jet Airways has not flown since April 17, 2019. "With this infusion, JKC has now invested Rs 250 crore in Jet Airways and now is only required to fund the remaining Rs 100 crores in Jet Airways by September 30, 2023, to take control of the airline, the consortium said in the statement. The insolvency resolution proceedings against the carrier began in June 2019 and the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved the resolution plan submitted by the consortium in June 2021. However, the plan is yet to be implemented.

DGCA is unlikely to hold radio communication skill test for pilots in 2024

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) might not hold radio communication skill tests, also known as Radio Telephony exam, for pilots in 2024, according to sources. On May 1, 2023, the Ministry of Communication, which presently conducts the test, officially handed over the responsibility of conducting the test to DGCA from 2024 onwards after aviation experts and pilots' bodies alleged lack of expertise and malpractices. However, the regulator has initiated a process to scrap the post of officers responsible to hold the exam. Radio communication skill tests, officially called Radio Telephony Restricted License or RTR(A) test, is conducted for pilots by the Wireless Planning & Coordination (WPC) wing of the Ministry of Communication to assess if they are fully trained to communicate with Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) for all kinds of situations. Radio telephone is a communication system operated between air crew members and pilots to connect with ATCs and ..

SpiceJet up 20% in 3 months despite analysts' skepticism; should you buy?

SpiceJet news: So far this calendar year, shares of SpiceJet have fallen 20 per cent, while they have tumbled 33.16 per cent over the last one year

India, New Zealand schedule new routes and increase capacity for air travel

The two countries have signed an MoU to increase cooperation in civil aviation during Minister Damien O'Connor visit to India

DGCA temporarily suspends Boeing simulator training facility of Air India

Aviation safety regulator DGCA has temporarily suspended the Boeing simulator training facility of Air India for certain alleged lapses, a source has said. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is verifying some of the documents pertaining to the matter and will take a call on the restoration of the training facility once it completes the process, the source said. When contacted, a senior Air India official said DGCA carries out routine checks (on airlines) but did not divulge details. DGCA has temporarily suspended Air India's Boeing simulator training facility for certain lapses. The regulator is verifying some documents related to the matter, the source said. The regulatory action against the Tata Group-owned Air India came days after a two-member DGCA inspection team allegedly found lapses in the airline's internal safety audit reporting, prompting it to launch a probe in the matter. A decision on the restoration of the training at the facility will be taken once th

IndiGo flight lands safely in Mumbai after mid-air engine glitch; grounded

According to the Indian aviation regulator DGCA one engine stalled mid-air

North Goa airport announces direct Indigo flight services to Abu Dhabi

The Manohar International Airport in North Goa on Monday announced a direct Indigo flight service to Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) thrice a week, starting September 2. A senior official of the airport operator GMR Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL) said that the inaugural Indigo flight to Abu Dhabi from Manohar International Airport is scheduled for Saturday, September 02, 2023 at 00:25 am. The flight will reach Abu Dhabi International Airport at 02:15 am. "The return Indigo flight from AUH will take off at 03:15 AM and touch down at GOX (Manohar International Airport) at 08:10 AM. This remarkable service is set to operate three times a week, on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday," he added. GGIAL CEO R V Sheshan said the connection to Abu Dhabi has been introduced as it is a "prominent destination in our ever-expanding international network".

Baby with heart ailment attended mid-air by doctors; plane diverted

A New Delhi-bound Vistara flight was diverted to Nagpur due to a medical emergency involving a 14-month-old baby with a heart problem who was attended by a group of doctors travelling in the aircraft and later admitted to a hospital, an airport official said on Monday. Due to the medical emergency, the Bengaluru-New Delhi plane was rerouted and it landed at the Nagpur airport on late Sunday night, he said. Aejaz Shami, Deputy General Manager (Communications) of Nagpur-based KIMS-Kingsway Hospitals, where the baby was admitted, said the toddler fell unconscious after suffering a cardiac arrest during the flight. "In a remarkable display of preparedness and professionalism, co-passengers from medical background on board promptly initiated life-saving measures by providing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to the baby passenger," said Shami told PTI. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a lifesaving technique used if someone is not breathing normally or their heart has stopped (cardiac

AIX Connect, Air India Express announce harmonised grades ahead of merger

Air India Express and AIX Connect on Friday announced new harmonised grades, compensation and benefits for the two companies ahead of their merger. The new structure streamlines grades and career pathways, enabling greater transparency and career progression opportunities for all employees, and is aligned with the recently rolled out structure and grades at Air India, a statement said. The new compensation for the two carriers marks a significant step forward, ensuring that the remuneration and benefits offered by the airlines are market-competitive, it said. The two airlines, the statement said, are focused on attracting and retaining the best talent across functions. Tata group has announced the merger of low-cost airline AIX Connect with Air India Express.

DGCA forms panel to ensure gender equality in civil aviation sector

Civil aviation regulator DGCA has set up a four-member committee to provide suggestions for achieving gender equality in the aviation sector in India. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an order on August 10, 2023 stating that the objective of this committee is to suggest steps that DGCA should take to bring gender equality in the aviation sector. The four senior officers appointed as members of the committee are Survita Saxena, Director (Operations); R P Kashyap, Director (Training); Pavan Malviya, Deputy Director (Administration); and Kavita Singh, Deputy Director (Aircraft Engineering Directorate). They are supposed to formulate norms and submit them to DGCA which the regulator will further circulate among aviation stakeholders to adopt and bring in practice for gender equality. "The committee will submit its report/recommendation within six months from the date of its constitution," the order said. The initiative is in line with the commitment of Internati

DGCA issues 993 commercial pilot licences this year Jul 24: Govt data

A total of 993 commercial pilot licences have been issued this year till July 24, the government said on Thursday. Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh informed the Lok Sabha that currently, there are 36 Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) operating at 57 bases. According to data provided as part of a written reply, 993 Commercial Pilot Licences (CPLs) and 407 Airline Transport Pilot Licences (ATPL) have been issued this year till July 24. In 2022, a total of 1,165 CPLs and 720 ATPLs were issued. An individual is eligible to apply for CPL after completing at least 200 hours of flying and fulfilling other conditions. Besides, the individual has to clear theory papers and once successful, the CPL is given for a period of five years subject to complying with various requirements. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issues three types of licenses -- CPL, Air Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) and Private Pilot Licence (PPL). While CPL allows a pilot to start flyi