Page 2 - Aircraft

DGCA may allow import of aircraft up to 20 years old for commercial use

Aviation watchdog DGCA is set to amend norms to allow airlines to import aircraft that are up to 20 years old at a time when global supply chain woes have been impacting plane deliveries. Currently, pressurised aircraft that are up to 18 years old are permitted to be imported into the country, subject to certain conditions. The DGCA has proposed amendments to the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) pertaining to 'Age of Aircraft to be imported for Scheduled/ Non-Scheduled including Charter, General Aviation and other Operations'. A senior official told PTI that the draft CAR proposes changes for pressurised aircraft permitted to be imported subject to certain conditions up to 20 years instead of 18 previously, un-pressurised aircraft up to 25 years instead of 20 previously. According to the draft CAR, pressurised aircraft intended to be imported and used in passenger services (scheduled/ non-scheduled) and general aviation operation, shall not have completed 20 years of age or 65 per

India receives Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft from Spain

India on Saturday received the last of its 16 Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft from Spain, marking an important milestone in strengthening its defence capabilities, the Indian Embassy in Spain said. The C-295, a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology, is set to replace the ageing Avro aircraft of the IAF. Indian Ambassador to Spain Dinesh K Patnaik, along with senior Indian Air Force officials, received the last of the 16 Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft at the Airbus Defence and Space assembly line in Seville, the Indian mission posted on social media. "The delivery, two months ahead of schedule, marks an important milestone in strengthening India's defence capabilities," it added. The aircraft, with a flight endurance of up to 11 hours, is a versatile and efficient tactical transport aircraft. India signed a contract with Airbus Defence & Space, Spain, for acquisition of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft for IAF in Sep 2021. Under the

Why hunt for the black box? There's a simpler fix for faster crash probes

Aircraft are equipped with sensors and recorders, which capture everything mechanical and electrical, and record cockpit conversations

Why are China’s ageing F-7 fighters under fire? Bangladesh jet crash

A Bangladesh Air Force jet crash has reignited questions about the safety of Chinese-made F-7 fighter aircraft. Is it time to retire these ageing jets? Watch!

Won't be correct to reach a conclusion...: Civil Aviation MoS AI 171 crash

The minister's remarks come in the wake of a Wall Street Journal report on the Air India AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad

AAIB to release initial report on Ahmedabad plane crash: Parl panel

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will make public this week its preliminary report on the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad in which at least 260 people were killed on June 12, top Bureau officials told a Parliamentary panel on Wednesday. Sources also said that no report has been finalised so far and investigations are underway in one of the worst air disasters in India. The AAIB officials told the panel that the black box and voice recorder of the aircraft were intact and data was being investigated, the sources said. They said that the help of foreign players, including aircraft manufacturer Boeing, was sought to carry out detailed and thorough investigations. The AAIB had initiated an investigation a day after the crash and had constituted a multi-disciplinary team headed by its Director General GVG Yugandhar in line with globally prescribed norms. The sources said this is the first time such an important investigation is being held in India. The AAIB chief a

UK F-35B awaits repairs after tech issue in Kerala: British High Commission

The aircraft is expected to return to active service after the necessary repairs and safety checks are completed

Wipro Infra to acquire majority stake in French aerospace major Lauak Group

Engineering and manufacturing solutions provider Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN) on Wednesday said it will acquire a majority stake in French aircraft parts manufacturer Lauak Group. Lauak Group is a 50-year-old family-owned company supplying aircraft parts to major global aerospace companies. The company, however, did not divulge the quantum of stake and size of the deal. "Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN), a leading global engineering and manufacturing solutions provider and the Charritton Family, founders and current shareholders of Lauak Group, announced today at the Paris Air Show that they have entered into exclusive negotiations for a majority stake acquisition in the company. "The proposed transaction was submitted to the relevant employee representative bodies for consultation, and all necessary approvals have now been received," a company statement said. The transaction is expected to close in the coming months, it said. Lauak Group and Wipro names would be

China clears world's largest amphibious aircraft AG600 for production

The amphibious aircraft can carry 12 tonnes of water and fly 4,500 km, and is part of China's trio of large home-built planes aimed at reducing dependence on foreign aviation tech

Six missing after Cessna 414 crashes into Pacific off San Diego coast in US

A Cessna 414 carrying six people crashed into the Pacific Ocean off San Diego on Sunday. The US Coast Guard has launched a search operation, while federal agencies probe the cause of the crash

RInfra takes flight with ₹5,000 crore bet on aircraft upgrade business

Reliance Infrastructure is looking to turbocharge its defence vertical with a focus on aircraft upgrade programmes, eyeing an opportunity of Rs 5,000 crore over the next 7-10 years, sources said. This strategic foray positions Reliance Infrastructure as India's first private sector company to independently execute a comprehensive aircraft upgrade programme without being the original manufacturer -- a domain traditionally dominated by public sector units and OEMs. According to a company source, the company has already marked a significant milestone by successfully upgrading 55 Dornier-228 aircraft under a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), in collaboration with US-based avionics firm Genesys. Initially awarded a contract for 37 aircraft, Reliance secured a repeat order for an additional 18 units following the successful execution of an earlier contract. The total value of the Dornier upgrade contract was Rs 350 crore, sources said. The upgraded Dornier fleet is operatio

IATA urges aircraft makers to support airlines facing GPS spoofing risks

As GPS spoofing incidents rise globally, IATA urges aircraft makers to offer guidance and calls for global coordination to protect navigation systems and flight safety

Taiwan detects 35 sorties of Chinese aircraft, 8 vessels in its territory

According to the MND, 25 of the PLA aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ)

Indian Air Force likely to advise Centre to go for stealth aircraft

Need for such a purchase is based on India's threat assessment in its neighbourhood

Delta jet crashes, flips upside down at Toronto's Pearson Airport

A Delta Air Lines jet flipped on its roof while landing Monday at Toronto's Pearson Airport, but all 80 people on board survived and those hurt had relatively minor injuries

Budget 2025: Defence gets Rs 6.81 trn; aircraft, engines, ships in focus

The MoD has designated 2025 as the 'Year of Reforms', announcing in December that the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 is 'expected to undergo a complete revamp' this year

Boeing's aircraft deliveries, orders in 2024 reflect company's rough year

Boeing delivered less than half the number of commercial aircraft to customers than its European rival in 2024 as the American aerospace giant's output suffered under intensified government scrutiny and a factory workers' strike, according to data released Tuesday. Boeing said it supplied 348 jetliners during the year. That was more than a third fewer than the 528 the company finished for airlines and leasing outfits in 2023 and less than half the number of jetliners that Airbus delivered last year. Deliveries are an important source of cash for plane manufacturers since buyers typically pay a large portion of the purchase price when their orders are fulfilled. More than three-quarters of the planes that Boeing furnished were 737 Max jets, a stark reminder of how integral its best-selling airline model has been to the company's fortunes and challenges. Boeing has lost money since 2019 following the crashes of two then-new Max jets that killed 346 people. The company expected to ram

New aviation law 'Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam' to take effect from Jan 1

The new law that seeks to facilitate designing and manufacturing of aircraft in India as well as facilitate the ease of doing business in the aviation space will come into force from January 1, 2025. The new Act -- Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 -- that replaces the 90-year old Aircraft Act, was cleared by the Parliament earlier this month. According to a notification issued on Tuesday, the "central government hereby appoints the 1st day of January, 2025 as the date on which the provisions of the said Act, shall come into force". Among others, the Act provides for regulation and control of the design, manufacture, maintenance, possession, use, operation, sale, export and import of aircraft and connected matters. The legislation will also remove redundancies and replace the Aircraft Act, 1934, which has been amended 21 times. India is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets.

BluJ Aero, Blade India sign deal for sustainable regional aviation

Blade India will purchase 60 vertical takeoff and landing aircraft as part of agreement

Air India orders 34 trainer craft for cadet pilots at planned flying school

The order includes 31 single-engine aircraft from Piper Aircraft in the United States and 3 twin-engine aircraft from Diamond Aircraft in Austria