CATEGORIES

New Freighters For FedEx

When FedEx ordered 50 ATR 72-600Fs, it was looking at more connectivity and with the advantage of carrying both bulk cargo and Unit Load Device (ULD) configurations, the plane will prove to be a winner in countries like India.

Boomtime For Engines

As Boom Supersonic readies to enter service in six years, it is on the lookout for state-of-the art engines that will power the aircraft.

Hail The Champions Of Digital Travel!

Indian travellers have emerged as the most digitally advanced in the world, in terms of using digital tools for travel purposes. That is the finding of a survey by Travelport.

Heathrow: The End Of The Beginning

British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Cabinet has endorsed a proposal to build a third runway at Heathrow. It follows 15 years of deliberations over where to expand the UK’s airport capacity. Many view it not as the beginning of the end but as the end of the beginning. 

Now, Will Everyone Fly?

History has never been kind to regional carriers in India. Many have started only to flounder and vanish in a few months. This time around, with the government’s UDAN initiative and the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), will the going be different for regional carrier operators? Will the MoU between the Ministry of Civil Aviation and states for implementation of the scheme ensure connectivity of the 16 under-served airports and later the 394 un-served ones? Cruising Heights takes a close look. 

Showcase Of A Partnership

The second busiest airport in the Philippines and the country’s first privatised airport under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework, Mactan-Cebu International Airport is undergoing a transformation that is attracting the eyes of the aviation world. Spearheading the changes as a partner is India’s airport infrastructure major GMR

New Terminal Will Look Specifically And Traditionally Filipino

Andrew Acquaah-Harrison, Chief Executive Advisor, GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation, has his work cut out. Heading the expansion of the first airport in the Philippines to be privatised under the PPP model, Acquaah-Harrison vision is clear: the Mactan Cebu International Airport has to be one of the “friendliest and most efficient” airport in the Philippines and Asia. He took time out from his busy schedule during his flying trip to Delhi for the GAD Asia conference to talk to TIRTHANKAR GHOSH. Excerpts from the conversation:

More Flights With AI

AI launched its thrice-a-week nonstop flight between Delhi and Copenhagen, capital of Denmark from September 16, 2017.

Nagpur Redux

Now that the airport has been handed over to MIHAN India Limited (MIL), work will be speeded up to complete the Multimodal International Hub.

Half Worldwide Bizjet Fleet Is 15 Years Or Older

More than 10,700 of the more than 21,900 global business jets were built in 2002 or earlier, according to data analysed by aviation market research firm Amstat. Nearly half of the global business jet fleet is 15 years or older.

Rotary Wing Warriors

With the exception of the Cheetah/ Chetak/Cheetal helicopter fleet, the air force helicopter inventory can be divided into Russian platforms (Mi-8, Mi-17, Mi-17 1V, Mi-17 V5, Mi 25, Mi 35, Mi 26) and the indigenously developed Dhruv ‘Advanced Light Helicopter’ (ALH) across ALH MK-I, ALH MKIII, ALH-MKIV versions. Five new helicopter types are to be inducted before the end of the decade; Kamov Ka-226T ‘Sergei’, HAL Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) and Light Combat Helicoper (LCH), Boeing AH-64E ‘Apache’ and CH-47I ‘Chinook’.

New Star On The Horizon

When Airbus completed its acquisition of Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft programme and became a majority stakeholder with 50.01 percent, it was seen as a step in the right direction by operators. And rightly so because Airbus wants to target the 100-150 seat market with the new addition in its family, reports C SANTHOSH.

Opportunities Galore For India

As the global MRO industry transitions towards new technology, India’s MRO market could find new opportunities – if only the right environment is created.

We Are Looking To Produce The Falcon 2000 Business Jet From The Nagpur Facility

After the successes of the Falcon 7X and 8X, there seems to be no looking back for Dassault Aviation. The new Falcon jet programme holds a lot of promises for the company, says Vadim Feldzer, Head of Global Communications, Dassault Falcon.

A Tribute To A Superstar

When Amitabh Bachchan turned 75 some time ago, Cruising Heights’ Picture Editor Pradeep Chandra decided to celebrate it in his own special way.

MAX8: Will it bring joy to Jet?

Once India’s only carrier with all the bells and whistles, today’s Jet Airways is anything but that. It looks old and tired even as it celebrates its 25th anniversary and nowhere is it more apparent than the domestic skies where it has lost its dominant position. Internationally too, Jet is an also ran. With the new B737 MAX8, the carrier has the opportunity to get back the leadership position it once held.

Choked, Yet Fighting Fit

That’s the story of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. With its single runway, it created a record on June 5, 2018 when it handled 1003 flights! However, the situation seems bit ironic on ground.

Maharaja Mess

It has been only downs for Air India. Caught in a tight-jacketed financial bind, the airline started its downhill journey a long ago and if nothing is done to revive its fortunes by the end of this financial year, India could bid farewell to the iconic national carrier. A report

Engine Troubles Plague Planemakers

With the engines of the major aircraft, call them kings of the skies, suffering from major technical glitches resulting in grounding of aircraft, the outlook is now a lot cloudier than it was at the beginning of the year for aircraft engine manufacturers

AIR CARGO 'Vision 2035' Will Kickstart Domestic Cargo

Once the blueprint on ways to deal with infrastructure constraints in the aviation sector is ready, air cargo will take a quantum leap with domestic connectivity

Rooting For A Cause

A start-up is leveraging nostalgia and memories to connect those who have moved away from their homes through food and air cargo.

A Kick-start For Regional Cargo?

The government’s decision to provide viability gap funding for cargo flights from regional to urban centres would not only boost the economy but help domestic cargo sector.

West Or East? Indigo Knows Best

Ambitious to fly international big time, home-grown IndiGo has the wherewithal, the equipment and the expertise. But as Ameya Joshi points out, the foreign forays will not be as easy as IndiGo’s domestic moves. Its first flight to Istanbul and the codeshare with Turkish Airlines would not only be a test case for the carrier but will be closely watched by the competition.

Hardly a Soft Landing

Airlines’ CEOs around the world have been assuring investors and shareholders of profits in 2017 but that is only half the story. A crisis – hopefully not of insurmountable proportions – is looming and it has been brought about by a whole lot of factors: the Brexit fallout, Trump and the US elections, upheavals in Europe, the turmoil in Turkey and more. Add to that the rising price of jet fuel and a grim picture emerges. Is the world of aviation ready?

Fresh Horizons Beckon Vistara

Two years is not a long time in the life of an airline. Born of proud parents, Tata and Singapore Airlines – two global giants with aligned values – the carrier has been transforming the air travel experience and striving to reignite the love for flying for every traveller. R KRISHNAN takes a close look at how, since its inception in January 2015, Vistara has demonstrated its unique value proposition to customers through its innovative offerings and its future plans.

Donated Organs Face Transport Challenges

While intra-city movement of donated organs has now become an accepted fact, moving them by air is not only an expensive proposition but also time consuming.

Focus On Air Cargo As Growth Driver

As air cargo at Indian airports see huge rise, the government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to ensure that the air cargo and logistics sectors do well.

Mile High Surfing

Indian carriers have lagged behind their global peers when it comes to in-flight connectivity. However, carriers like Vistara have been finding out ways to offer entertainment on board.

Ten Years Of The Leap Engine Programme

The Leap engine that powers the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 Max families, is the result of a carefully crafted strategy worked out by its maker, CFM. Aware that it would sell in large numbers, the Leap production is robust and offers no single manufacturing choke point that could seriously hurt the production rate. A close look at the LEAP's rise to stardom.

Enhancing Aircraft Surveillance

The grey area over the Bay of Bengal has shrunk to 69,000 sq km, cutting by half the blind flying time through ADS-B data sharing between India and Myanmar, after an agreement was signed between the nations' aviation authorities.