Flight operations to stop at Hubli airport for two months

Indianaviationnews.net

Published in indianaviationnews.net on 28 July, 2014

Bangalore/Hubli/Belgaum: The twin cities of Hubli-Dharwad will have no air connectivity for at least two months from August 1, as the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will take up an expansion project. However, small aircraft such as four to six-seaters and helicopters can land at the airport.

Spicejet has been operating two flights per day on the Hubli-Bangalore, Hubli-Delhi-Jabalpur-Mumbai routes. The airline will provide service from Belgaum city during the period. Spicejet is the only service provider from Hubli.

The AAI will increase the length of the runway from 4,500 ft to 7,500 ft and width from 90 ft to 135 ft, at a cost of Rs 60 crore. It is feared that the project would get delayed as the Hubli-Dharwad City Corporation and other local utility providers are not co-operating.

Though the Public Works Department (PWD) has handed over three km of the road (major district road) that has been acquired for expansion, the urban local body and the traffic police have not taken steps to stop vehicular movement on the stretch.

Tatas aim to build aircraft for Ruag Aviation

Published in The Hindu, Hyderabad, 23 Jun 2014

The Tata Group on Monday said it aims to bring out a fully built aircraft for Ruag Aviation — makers of Dornier 228 new generation aircraft, parts of which are to be made in India by TASL.

Tata Advanced Systems Ltd held ground breaking ceremony in Hyderabad for manufacturing Dornier 228 fuselage and wings.

The Tata-Ruag partnership is a glowing example of cooperation between India and Europe, TASL Chairman S. Ramadorai said.

“It is our belief that this project is a significant step forward in India’s growth as a high technology, precision, manufacturing destination. Ruag has entrusted the Tatas to deliver its showcase product, the Dornier 228, at world-class standards of precision and quality,” he said.

“Our vision is to work with Ruag in having a full aircraft, equipped with systems flying out from a Tata final assembly. This will be of significant importance to the Indian Armed forces in their desire to produce products locally,” he said at the function.

Within five years, TASL has become a significant player in the Global Aerospace market by delivering successfully over 70 Sikorsky S-92 cabins, and delivered Empennage and Center Wing Box for the C-130 J aircraft through its separate JV with Lockheed Martin, Mr. Ramadorai said.

It has also made Hyderabad a premier manufacturing destination for Global OEMs, he added.

The Ruag project is the fourth Aero structures unit to be set up by TASL since 2009 in Hyderabad and the products of all the units are 100 per cent exported.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, chief guest of the function, said the government will soon announce new industrial policy and consultations with stakeholders are underway.

“The goal is to make the Made in Telangana label as a globally recognised brand for its quality and innovativeness,” Mr. Rao said.

The city — hosts many research and development bodies such as DRDO, DRDL, Midhani and BDL — is ideal for setting up aerospace industries, he said.

Bangalore airport grants indirect sops to AirAsia India

Published in Live Mint, 19 Jun 2014

New Delhi: Bangalore airport has decided to offer sops to new airlines in a move being seen as a way of benefiting budget airline AirAsia India Pvt. Ltd, which launched operations this month with a flight to Goa from Bangalore. 

Bangalore International Airport Ltd, which runs the airport, has crafted a new definition for what will be called a home carrier for the airport and got it cleared by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (Aera) on 10 June. 

The airport has defined home carriers as those that declare Bangalore as their home base and station half their fleet in the city. The airlines will have to be headquartered in Bangalore, have the highest number of base aircraft (planes parked in the night) at the airport and have at least 1 million additional passengers annually. 

Given that AirAsia has stationed its first aircraft, an Airbus A320, at Bangalore airport and may do so with the next aircraft too and possibly shift its operations to the city from Chennai, it may meet the requirements specified by the airport operator. 

A home carrier will get a 50% discount on landing and housing charges and fees will be waived for night parking. Bangalore airport declined to comment for this story. 

The move may face resistance from the rivals of AirAsia, a joint venture between AirAsia Bhd, Tata Sons Ltd and Telestra Tradeplace Pvt. Ltd. No other airline cleared by the aviation ministry fits the tag of home carrier. “There will be opposition,” said a senior private airline official. “Everyone will not keep quiet. They will talk of pulling out or neglecting Bangalore airport.” 

Major airlines including Air India, with a 120 aircraft fleet, Jet Airways with 112 aircraft, IndiGo with 78 and SpiceJet with 52 aircraft cannot station half their aircraft at Bangalore to qualify for the status. Also, the airport wouldn’t be able to handle such a large number of aircraft. Air India, Jet Airways, IndiGo and SpiceJet declined to comment. Aera also didn’t comment. 

A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed Aera was justified in clearing the Bangalore airport operator’s move. The move had been approved because it was the first time any airport operator had come up with such a proposal anyway. Every sop given to any airline has to be cleared in the tariff card, which has to be Aera-approved. Secondly, it is not as if it’s being done exclusively for AirAsia India; other airlines that meet the criteria can also take advantage of the incentives, this official said. “If they don’t like it they can go to airport tribunal or knock at the doors of the CCI,” the government official said, referring to the Competition Commission of India. This official said it was logical that airport operators will offer sops to new airlines and not to old ones if it wants to attract more passengers. “Those Indian airlines which are themselves opposing new competition should be the last ones to complain about these sops,” the government official said. Aera has also added to the burden of passengers using Bangalore airport, which has been allowed to charge Rs.342, up from Rs.260, in user development fee from domestic travellers and Rs.1,368, up from Rs.1,070, from international travellers starting on 1 July, Mint reported on 14 June. 

An analyst said providing incentives and rebates to attract airlines was a practice followed by all airports. Bangalore airport’s “offer to ensure AirAsia shifts base is cleverly done but on expected lines,” said Kapil Kaul, South Asia CEO of the consulting firm Capa. “I expect other airlines to seek more rebates from Bangalore airport.”

Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju takes charge as Civil Aviation Minister

Economic Times Link
PTI May 29, 2014, 12.02PM IST

NEW DELHI: Senior TDP leader Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju took charge as the new Civil Aviation Minister, assuring that he would strive to create a level- playing field for all players in the crucial infrastructure sector.

"We will strive to create a level-playing field for all the players and make the aviation sector more people- oriented," he told reporters soon after the taking over charge at the ministry headquarters in Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan here.

Rajasthan to operate State planes for air taxi service

The Hindu

Five-seater King Air C90 A and seven-seater King Air B 200 to be deployed for the purpose

The Rajasthan government is all set to introduce an air taxi service linking major tourist destinations and commercial hubs in the State.

“The proposal has been given approval by the Chief Minister and we are almost ready to operate our two State planes for the air taxi services,” Kishan Singh Verma, Director, Civil Aviation, Rajasthan government told PTI.

The government will deploy five-seater King Air C90 A and seven-seater King Air B 200 for the taxi service. The planes are used for the movement of the Governor, Chief Minister and other VIPs visiting the State.

For the five-seater plane, the fair would be Rs.50,000 per hour while Rs.70,000 per hour would be charged for flying in the seven-seater aircraft. Besides, charges for night hold, extension of ATC watch hour, (ground) handling will also be applicable.

Minimum of two hours are required for the booking.

The service will help tourist cut short their travel time by flying to various destinations including Jaisalmer, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Ranthambore, Chittorgarh, Bikaner and Udaipur.

“The idea is to boost tourism prospects as well as making a unique facility available in the State.

The service would also generate revenue for the government. We are hopeful that it will receive a good response,” he said. - PTI

DGCA grounds 3 flights for safety-norm violations

NEW DELHI, March 28, 2014, DHNS:

Deccan Herald

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday refused to allow a private chartered flight to take off from Delhi and two others in Mumbai for violating safety norms.

In Delhi, a Hawker 800 XP of SRC Aviation, which was to fly to Colombo, was not allowed to take off for several hours as DGCA officials found several safety violations, like absence of life jackets or minimum equipment list, during a search.

In Mumbai, officials held up two flights—one of L&T and the other of Poonawalla Aviation company—on the same grounds, said sources.

The tough action comes at a time when more and more private choppers and small aircraft are being used by political leaders across the country for poll campaigning. A week ago, the DGCA grounded a Reliance Industries-owned 14-seater Falcon 900EX and suspended its pilot for violating safety norms. While the aircraft was released after the deficiencies were rectified, sources said the Reliance pilot has now been dismissed.

The regulator, which had also issued show-cause notices to SpiceJet on safety violations after its flight crew danced on board a flight to celebrate Holi, has also received a letter from the no-frills carrier saying it would not repeat such activities without the DGCA's permission.

The DGCA has also decided to enhance the period of pilots' licence renewal from two to five years, subject to the airlines and the cockpit crew meeting all requirements. The decision was taken at a meeting between the aviation regulator's top-brass and senior officials from all Indian carriers.

The decision to enhance the period was being taken only under the condition that the onus of carrying out all other checks and tests would lie on the airlines and their pilots. Such a move would also lessen the burden on the DGCA, which is facing a staff crunch, said officials. 

Could missing jet be in AUSTRALIA? Search for Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 extends to more than 15 countries

Mail Online Link

• Chief of Australia's Defence Force re-deploys two search planes 
• Australia among more than 15 countries where plane could be found
• Search will move to the north and west of Cocos Islands

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

PUBLISHED: 04:45 GMT, 17 March 2014 | UPDATED: 12:05 GMT, 17 March 2014

Australia has extended its search for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 to include parts of the Indian Ocean.

Malaysia's Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein says Australia is among more than 15 countries considered to be possible locations for MH370, which has been missing since March 8, The Age reports.

Other countries in the search include Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, China, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and France.

+3

It could be anywhere: Malaysian authorities have called on Australia to broaden its search in the Indian Ocean

+3

Chief of the Australian Defence Force, General David Hurley, has re-deployed two planes in the search for MH370

'Malaysian officials are requesting assistance from these countries,' Mr Hishammuddin said.

'Officials are also asking countries to provide further assistance in the search for the aircraft including satellite data and analysis, ground search capabilities, radar data and maritime and air assets.'

The Boeing 777 was last picked up on satellite at 8.11am on March 8. Authorities are considering hijacking and piracy as possible reasons behind the plane's disappearance.

Chief of the Australian Defence Force, General David Hurley, confirmed Australia had been asked to help broaden the search area off the country's north-west coast.

'One RAAF AP-3C Orion commenced searching the Indian Ocean to the north and west of the Cocos Islands,' he said last night.

'This aircraft is expected to recover to the Cocos Islands overnight and launch from that location on Monday to maximise mission time in the expanded search area.'

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott confirmed on Monday afternoon that Australia would lead the extensive Indian Ocean search, after speaking with Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak.

'I agreed that we would do so,' Mr Abbott told Parliament.

'I offered the Malaysian Prime Minister additional maritime surveillance resources which he gratefully accepted.

'I wish to assure the House and the Australian people that Australia will do its duty in this matter.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2582373/Australia-searches-Indian-Ocean-missing-Malaysian-Airlines-flight-MH370.html#ixzz32tMl6cJV
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