HAL turnover rises
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has posted profit before tax at ?3,294 crore in fiscal 2016-17, registering 0.18 per cent growth compared with last fiscal’s ?3,288 crore. Though PBT was barely above last year’s level, the company posted the highest ever turnover of ?17,406 crore for the fiscal under review, registering 4 per cent annual growth from ?16,736 crore in the previous fiscal. The defence major has said it is “business as usual.with the company doing well on expected lines”. In a statement, HAL Chairman and Managing Director T Suvarna Raju said, “We paid ?800 crore to the government by interim dividend. This is in addition to ?162 crore paid as dividend tax.” He added that HAL’s PBT was at ?3,294 crore. HAL said it received orders worth ?21,000 crore in FY 2016-17, that included 12 Do-228 aircraft for the Indian Navy, 32 advanced light helicopters for the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard, and AL-31 FP engines for Su-30MKI.The production of 12 Su-30MKI aircraft in Phase-IV was one of the company’s main achievements. The Indian Air Force (IAF) had ordered a total of 270 Su-30MKI fighters, out of which 230 are already in service. Evan Rodrigues Authentic Jersey
Cabinet approves India-France MoU in civil aviation
The Cabinet today cleared the pact between the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and France’s DGAC for technical collaboration in the civil aviation space. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) would be between AAI and Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC). An official spokesperson tweeted that the Cabinet has approved ‘India-France MoU in civil aviation’ sector. The pact will be “beneficial for enhancement of skills and expertise of AAI’s officers”, the tweet said. Furthermore, the MoU will be beneficial for imparting training to engineers, technicians and managers, among others. AAI manages a total of 125 airports, including 11 international ones, and also provides Air Traffic Management Services (ATMS) over entire Indian air space and adjoining oceanic areas, as per its website. Austin Czarnik Authentic Jersey
Govt to pump in Rs 1000 crore for upgradation of Guwahati airport
Assam industry minister, Chandra Mohan Patwary said Union civil aviation ministry will pump in Rs 1000 crore for creation of new passenger and cargo terminal at Guwahati airport. Patwary said, “Union civil aviation ministry has inked MOU for regional airlines under which viability gap funding will be done for flights operation in Northeast India.” He added that passenger handling capacity will increase significantly. “We are also creating warehouse facility in the airport.” According to the minister the five day long river festival of Namami Brahmaputra has generated business interest both within and outside the country. He said, “Investors from both India and abroad are keen to invest in Assam. We will make Namami Brahmaputra festival a calendar event following its success.” Bangladesh has accorded necessary clearance for dredging river Brahmaputra from Sadiya in Assam to Chittagong port in Bangladesh. Around Rs 250 crore will spent for dredging on Bangladesh part. Patwary said, “Dredging Corporation of India will do the dredging and silt recovered from the same will be used for highway construction. Detailed project report preparation for dredging of Assam part of Brahmaputra will be prepared soon.” Willie Snead IV Womens Jersey
35 airports don’t have night landing facility in India: Government tells Lok Sabha
As many as 35 functional airports in the country do not have night landing facility, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju said today. Airlines have to apply to the Airports Authority of India to facilitate night landing facility in a particular airport and then process of offering the convenience starts. “There are 47 licenced landing airports in the country while 35 are yet to apply for it,” he said during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha. The Minister said improving the infrastructure, including night landing facility at the airports, was a continuous process and is undertaken by the Airports Authority of India depending upon factors like commercial viability, traffic demand, operational requirements, demand from airlines and technical feasibility. Endorsing BJP member Abhishek Singh’s statement that “airports are not for cattle grazing but for the use by the aircraft”, Raju said the central government was promoting the aviation sector and it has now become fastest growing aviation market in the world. Mitchell Trubisky Authentic Jersey
Delhi’s IGI favourite airport for flying to Europe
Delhi airport has emerged as favourite for passengers travelling to Europe, Asia and North America while Mumbai is preferred by those travelling to Middle East and Africa. An air traffic report prepared by Delhi airport revealed that foreign tourists prefer arriving at Delhi. The annual traffic report also revealed that Delhi is the most connected airport as it served to 129 destinations while second was Mumbai with 90 destinations. As per the Bureau of Immigration figure, 29.60% of the tourists arrived in Delhi, 18.20% in Mumbai and 8. 4% in Chennai. Delhi airport’s growth is largely due to increased in international traffic, which has grown from 14.15M in 2015-16 to 15.20M in 2016-17. The Delhi airport has a major market share of air traffic volume to the Middle East, European, Asian and American regions. It has an annual passenger capacity of over 62 million, including Terminal-3 that can handle 34 million passengers. The airport handles over one lakh passengers every day and aircraft movements have also increased. Almost 1,185 arrivals/departures took place from here every day. “The addition of new routes in domestic and international sectors by major airlines has helped Delhi airport emerge as a leading hub airport. Airlines are attracted to Delhi airport as we have a large catchment area and unlike other Indian airports, we have virtually no constraints as far as accommodating future growth is concerned. Execution of the expansion works as per the proposed Master Plan will further enhance the facilities enabling air traffic to grow at a faster pace,” said I Prabhakara Rao, CEO-DIAL. Ivan Provorov Authentic Jersey
Iconic A380 struggling to get buyers: Airbus plans massive revamp of plane, carves out space to fit 80 more seats
HomeIndustry Iconic A380 struggling to get buyers: Airbus plans massive revamp of plane, carves out space to fit 80 more seats Iconic A380 struggling to get buyers: Airbus plans massive revamp of plane, carves out space to fit 80 more seats Airbus Group SE is making a fresh sales pitch for its A380 superjumbo with half a dozen proposals to accommodate more than 80 additional seats, seeking to enhance the flagship jet’s economic credentials after a struggle to win orders in recent years. Airbus Group SE, A380, Korean Air Lines Co., Kiran Rao, Emirates, Boeing Co., Aircraft Interiors Expo, Advertisement “We are adapting the aircraft to meet evolving market needs,” Kiran Rao, executive vice president of strategy of Airbus’s commercial-plane unit, said in a statement.(Reuters) Airbus Group SE is making a fresh sales pitch for its A380 superjumbo with half a dozen proposals to accommodate more than 80 additional seats, seeking to enhance the flagship jet’s economic credentials after a struggle to win orders in recent years. The changes on offer include removing an upper-deck stowage area to add 10 business-class seats, re-positioning the main staircase to clear the way for 20 more premium and economy berths, and moving to an 11-abreast layout on the main deck to accommodate 23 extra people in coach, Airbus said Tuesday. “We are adapting the aircraft to meet evolving market needs,” Kiran Rao, executive vice president of strategy of Airbus’s commercial-plane unit, said in a statement. The A380 now typically seats about 550 passengers on two decks in a three-class layout, though many airlines opt for fewer seats and add flourishes such as bars and showers at Dubai-based Emirates or in-flight duty-free shops at Korean Air Lines Co. Only Emirates, the biggest superjumbo operator, has pushed capacity beyond 600 people on some routes, even though the plane could carry more than 800 in an all-economy formation. Reduced Output Airbus’s pitch that the A380 is ideal for addressing ever-increasing travel demand and congestion at airports has failed to translate into rising orders. The first burst of deals after the model was introduced more than a decade ago has slowed to a trickle, with no sales in the U.S. and Emirates the lone meaningful prospective buyer, and then only if the plane gets a costly new engine. Toulouse, France-based Airbus has responded by scaling back output of its biggest jet, following rival Boeing Co. which has also struggled to find buyers for the latest version of its 747 jumbo. Other A380 enhancements suggested by Airbus include a redesign of the rear spiral staircase into a straight configuration, allowing for 14 more passengers, and moving the pilot rest area next to the cabin-crew sleep zone to create space for three more premium-economy seats. It also proposes adding 11 passengers by shifting to a nine-abreast layout in that class on the main deck. Airbus revealed the proposed changes at the 2017 Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, where manufacturers and airlines have paraded a variety of cabin enhancements. Art Monk Jersey
Air passenger traffic continues to maintain double-digit growth momentum, records 14% increase in February 2017
During February 2017, the air passenger traffic in the country stood at 21.9 million, exhibiting a y-o-y growth of 14% over February 2016. During 11m FY2017, the passenger traffic has reported a y-o-y growth of 19%, aircraft traffic has grown by 14% and cargo traffic has grown by 9%. Mr. Harsh Jagnani, Vice President and Sector Head for corporate ratings, ICRA Limited elaborates: “The y-o-y air passenger growth has remained healthy at 14% in February 2017, although there has been some moderation as compared to 22% growth witnessed in January 2017. This is primarily on account of moderation in domestic traffic, which constitutes 78% of the passenger traffic in the country and has reported a 16% y-o-y growth in February 2017 as against 26% growth in January 2017. The international passenger traffic growth also witnessed a marginal dip, falling to 7% y-o-y in February 2017 from 8% in January 2017. The y-o-y aircraft traffic growth remained healthy at 10% in February 2017, although in line with passenger traffic, it also reported slight moderation as compared to January 2017”. The growth has remained broad-based with 18 out of the top 20 airports exhibiting y-o-y increase in passenger traffic in February 2017. The air cargo traffic in the country increased to 239,700 MT in February 2017, reporting a y-o-y growth of 9%, lower than the 14% growth in January 2017. Mr. Jagnani explains: ““Air cargo volumes are closely aligned to the macroeconomic conditions and experience significant growth volatility depending upon variations in domestic and international economic environment. Consequently, there have been significant variations in cargo growth rates from month to month, however, the overall trend in y-o-y growth has remained positive over the last year. The growth has remained broad-based, with 15 out of the top 20 airports reporting positive y-o-y growth in February 2017”. International cargo traffic, which constitutes over 62% of overall cargo traffic, reported slightly higher y-o-y growth of 11% as against 7% growth for domestic cargo. On m-o-m basis, both domestic and international cargo witnessed a decline of 2% in February 2017. Detroit Lions Authentic Jersey
Air Carnival to change hands, 100% stake sale likely this week
Promoters of Air Carnival are all set to sell their 100 per cent stake “possibly this week” for about Rs 73 crore in the regional airline, which started flying less than a year ago. Air Carnival is the second regional carrier after grounded Air Pegasus to scout for new owners amid funding issues. Promoted by Coimbatore Marine College (CMC) group, Air Carnival commenced operations in July last year with one ATR- 72 aircraft. Confirming that the airline is on the block, Air Carnival Chairman and MD S Irudaya Nathan said discussions are in “advanced stages”. “We are diluting entire stake in the carrier. The discussions (with the prospective buyer) are about to be finalised within this week,” Nathan told PTI from Coimbatore. He said the airline had planned to acquire two more aircraft by October 2016, but the efforts did not materialise as it could not raise the requisite funds. Subsequently, it was decided to “sell it (the airline) to a new owner and keep it afloat”, Nathan said. Without divulging details about the potential investor, he said, “The new investor has been chosen on first come first serve basis.” According to him, a price of Rs 73 crore has been quoted for the stake sale and that the “deal is likely to be signed by this Friday”. Air Carnival operates 10 daily flights to three cities — Chennai, Trichy and Tuticorn — from Coimbatore. While starting operations, the promoters had announced funds infusion to the tune of USD 12 million and plans to have a fleet of three aircraft by October 2016. Cassius Marsh Jersey
With plans of US expansion, Air India to induct wide-bodied Boeing 787-9
The Air India board has approved a proposal seeking to induct the wide-bodied Boeing 787-9 aircraft in the fleet as it plans to expand operations to the US besides launching services to Canada. Air India will lease seven B787-900 planes, the higher range of B787-8 aircraft, for which the Board has given its go-ahead, Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani said. “The board’s approval for leasing of seven B787-900 planes has come by,” Lohani told PTI. The airline currently has 23 B787-800 planes among others in its fleet, and four more of these aircraft are expected to be delivered to it between July and October this year. Air India has proposed a host of international destinations for launch this year as part of its overseas expansion plans. The national carrier is looking to launch one more destination in the US this year in addition to Washington DC, which will commence operations from July, Lohani said. At present Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston are being explored and air services to one of them could start later this year, he said. Air India is also mulling launching flights to either Vancouver or Toronto in Canada from New Delhi going forward, according to Lohani. Plans are also afoot to increase frequency to Australia and to look at routes in Africa by connecting Mumbai with Mauritius or Nairobi, he added. The Air India CMD also said that flight services to the Danish capital Copenhagen are now likely to start from August instead of May. Air India will also be commencing operations directly to Israel next month. Kelly Olynyk Womens Jersey
AirAsia India seeks exemtion from foreign flying norms
AirAsia India’s Malaysian partner has asked the Indian government to exempt the Indian subsidiary from the 0/20 foreign flying rule. The exemption request was made by Malaysian Business Council to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “If the exemption from 0/20 is guaranteed, we will start international flights in three months. The Malaysian carriers have exhausted bilateral entitlements and cannot add any more flights to India. Indian carriers, however, do not at all fly to Malaysia. Exemption to Air Asia India would help increase connectivity between India and Malaysia,” Datuk Kamaruddin Meranun, executive chairman AirAsia Berhad told reporters. According to the foreign flying norm, which was revised in June last year, any Indian carrier needs to operate a fleet of 20 aircraft in the country to become eligible to fly abroad. The airline can fly international from the 21st aircraft. Clayton Stoner Authentic Jersey