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.

Madness @ Mumbai

If airline operators were asked for their wish list every year, topping the chart would be ‘Slots in Mumbai’. Costlier, perhaps many times more than the real estate in India’s maximum city, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) – along with the other metro airports – is crying out for desperately-needed infrastructure that will enhance capacity.

The Rise And Fall Of Bombardier

Not long ago, Canadian aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier, was ruling the skies. It had the inimitable C Series that was itching to give Boeing and Airbus a run. But all that is now over…

Jet Creates A Cargo Record

The financial troubles notwithstanding, the Naresh Goyal-led carrier managed to haul a whopping 45 tonnes of cargo on its Mumbai-London route.

EU Wants More Indian Cargo

The European Union would like to strengthen trade ties with India in preparation for a hard Brexit.

Loo(k) For A View

This is only for those who love to look at the rolling clouds at 30,000 ft from aircraft.

MROs: In Dire Need Of Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul

The potential of the MRO business to flourish in India continues to remain on paper. While on the one hand, we do not miss any opportunity to tom-tom the rapid growth of the aviation sector and how the country will be in the top three in the next five years in the world, the MRO industry – one could refer to it as the backbone of the aviation sector — has been totally forgotten by the government. The size of industry in 2015 was ₹5 billion. Today, is the size remains at the same ₹5 billion and as C Santhosh found out, most of the MROs would have to down shutters by March 2019 if the situation does not improve.

Tough Landings For Seaplanes

Even before Prime Minister Narendra Modi capped his Gujarat campaign with an eye-catching takeoff from the Sabarmati river to a touchdown in the Dharoi dam, seaplane services were being discussed by the government. But are the conditions conducive enough for air journeys via water?

Exports Slowdown: GST Effect Or international Phenomena?

While some international airports have shown a dip in cargo volumes in the first year of the Goods and Services Tax, others have seen a rise. Tirthankar Ghosh talked to freight forwarders and airport cargo heads to find out what a year of GST has thrown up for the air cargo trade.

North-East Focus On Asean Connectivity

India is keen to increase trade with its immediate ASEAN neighbours and air links will provide the answer.

IATA Boss Delivers A Warning

It is clear that the demand for air travel is growing very fast – IATA expects it to double in the next 20 years – but it will come after a lot of struggle by airlines. The recent IATA AGM in Seoul, resounded with a warning about the trade war waged by the USA. A close look at the takeaways.