Page 7 - Aviation News

DGCA puts stricter breath analyser test norms in place for pilots

Aviation safety regulator DGCA has put in place stricter breath analyser test requirements for pilots, wherein those found repeatedly violating the norms could even face cancellation of their pilot license, according to a source. Under the revised norms, which came into effect from February 9, FATA (Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorisation) of an expatriate pilot operating in India will be cancelled and not considered again if that cockpit crew tests positive for alcohol consumption during pre-flight breath analyser examination. Among other provisions, the license of a pilot who tests positive in a Breath Analyser (BA) test before operating a flight on three occasions will be cancelled, the source said. In September last year, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had proposed changes to the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) on the procedure for medical examination for crew members for alcohol consumption before and after operating a flight. "For confirmatory BA readings u

Study underway to address height curbs for buildings near airports: Naidu

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Friday said a study is being conducted with the assistance of global aviation body ICAO to look into solutions that can address issues related to height restrictions for buildings around airports. India is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets and currently, there are 165 airports. Another 50 airports are projected to come up in the next five years While real estate development is gaining momentum, height restrictions are in place for buildings around airports to ensure safe flight operations. Against this backdrop, the minister mentioned the study while addressing the gathering at the National Urban and Real Estate Development Conclave 2026 organised by real estate industry body Naredco in the national capital. While the civil aviation sector is growing continuously, Naidu said the challenge is the height restrictions for buildings around the airports, especially in metros like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai.

DGCA fines Air India ₹1 cr for flying plane without airworthiness permit

India's aviation regulator fines Air India $110,350 after an Airbus A320 operated eight flights without a valid airworthiness permit, citing safety compliance lapses

Flight fares rise 50% as fans head to Colombo for India-Pakistan match

Airfares to Colombo surge up to 50 per cent ahead of India-Pakistan clash on February 15, with hotel tariffs also moving up amid strong cricket-driven travel demand

AERA should have own appellate tribunal, says IATA's Sheldon Hee

IATA has called for a dedicated appellate tribunal for AERA, warning that aviation tariff disputes decided by non-sector bodies risk hurting airlines' fragile finances and raising passenger costs

Air India's transformation is like 'Day 5 morning of Test match': CEO

Air India's transformation is now like being on the morning of the fifth day of a cricket Test match as the heavy lifting has been done, the airline's chief Campbell Wilson has said. The loss-making Air India, which was privatised in January 2022, has been facing various headwinds and when asked about profitability, the CEO and MD said "some unexpected events" have impacted the airline's performance. Air India is in the process of revamping its fleet, which currently stands around 190 planes. In January, the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 aircraft after privatisation. To a PTI query on the transformation journey, Wilson, who is from New Zealand, said, "Clearly, I think we are may be (in) the morning of the fifth day (of cricket Test match)". A Test match is played over five days. "There is a lot of aircraft that need to go through the refit process. But that's now a mechanical process. We just need the seats to be manufactured, delivered, installed. "All of the .

AI probes crew actions in fuel-switch incident on London-B'luru flight

The crew decided to fly to India, where the pilot reported a possible "defect" on landing, forcing the grounding of the plane for checks

India's private skies under scrutiny as charter flights get busier

Ajit Pawar's death has brought into focus the safety of charter flight services

Apogee Aerospace signs ₹3,500 cr deal with Australia's AAI for 15 seaplanes

Apogee Aerospace has placed an order for 15 amphibian aircraft with Australia's Amphibian Aerospace Industries (AAI) for a total value of Rs 3,500 crore as part of a strategic collaboration. Besides, the Indian company will invest Rs 500 crore to establish tail-section manufacturing, maintenance and overhaul facilities, training and simulation infrastructure, and advanced systems integration capabilities in India. This will be for the amphibian planes of AAI, which also plans to set up a manufacturing facility for these planes in India. The announcements made on Thursday in the national capital also come at a time when the government is making efforts to boost air connectivity as well as encourage self-reliance in the fast-growing aviation and aerospace ecosystem. Amphibian aircraft can operate on both water and land. They are also known as seaplanes. The two companies are also looking to tap the opportunities in the country's blue economy. On Thursday, AAI and Apogee Aerospace .

IndiGo cuts int'l flights due to airspace restrictions, airport congestion

IndiGo has reduced long-haul international flights operated by Boeing 787-9 aircraft as longer routings, airspace restrictions and congestion disrupt schedules

IndiGo's December cancellations hit nearly 1 million passengers: DGCA

More than 10.4 lakh passengers were affected by flight cancellations in December, with over 93 per cent of the total passengers getting impacted by IndiGo cancellations. Latest data shared by aviation regulator DGCA also showed that scheduled domestic airlines shelled out over Rs 24.27 crore towards compensation and facilities for flight cancellations that affected more than 10.46 lakh passengers in December. Out of them, flight cancellations by IndiGo impacted 9.82 lakh passengers in December and the airline spent Rs 22.74 crore towards facilitation. The overall cancellation rate of scheduled domestic airlines was 6.92 per cent in December, and that of IndiGo was 9.65 per cent. IndiGo, the country's largest airline, faced massive flight disruptions in early December and during that month, its market share fell to 59.6 per cent from 63.6 per cent in November. During December, a total of 29,212 passenger-related complaints had been received by the scheduled domestic airlines and th

HCLTech to streamline aviation maintenance operations for Hong Kong's HAESL

Hong Kong Aero Engine Services Ltd (HAESL) has chosen Indian IT firm HCLTech to modernise its maintenance, repair and overhaul operations. The partnership aims to streamline HAESL's Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) processes to boost efficiency and scalability, provide real-time data visibility for quicker decision-making, improve resource utilisation and ensure compliance with global standards. HCLTech will deploy its asset management solution, iMRO/4, as HAESL's Maintenance Execution System (MES) in Hong Kong, HCLTech said in a statement. "By integrating iMRO/4 with SAP S/4HANA, we will enhance end -to- end traceability and provide a single view of the workflow from induction to release. This reduces barriers and improves execution efficiency. "Partnering with HCLTech marks a significant step in our transformation, creating a scalable digital foundation that supports operational excellence and long -term growth ," said Ravinder Bedi, General Manager of Finance & ...

Air India's B787 plane grounded after engine fuel control switch fault

Fuel control switches were a key factor in last year's Air India 787 crash

Air India pilot reports possible defect in Dreamliner fuel control switch

An Air India pilot on Monday flagged a possible defect with the fuel control switch of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, and the matter has been reported to aviation watchdog DGCA. The aircraft operated the flight AI132 from London to Bengaluru, and it landed at Bengaluru on Monday morning, according to sources. In a statement, the airline said it is aware that one of its pilots has reported a possible defect on the fuel control switch of a Boeing 787-8 aircraft. "After receiving this initial information, we have grounded the said aircraft and are involving the OEM to get the pilot's concerns checked on a priority basis. The matter has been communicated to the aviation regulator, DGCA. Air India had checked the fuel control switches on all Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet after a directive from the DGCA, and had found no issues," the statement said. The incident assumes significance against the backdrop of concerns in certain quarters about the functioning of the fuel control switch in th

Airbus sees liftoff for turboprops in India's short-haul skies: Westermeier

Airbus sees strong growth for regional aircraft in India, countering Boeing's scepticism and backing turboprops like ATR to support UDAN-led connectivity

Baramati plane crash investigation progressing expeditiously: MoCA

MoCA said the AAIB-DGCA probe into the Baramati Learjet 45 crash is progressing expeditiously, with the black box recovered and a time-bound inquiry underway

Cost per seat does not work for most regional jets: Boeing's Ashwin Naidu

Boeing says regional jets won't scale in India as cost-per-seat economics and airport congestion favour single-aisle aircraft, with fewer than 10 regional jets likely even by 2044

Aviation minister inaugurates Wing India 2026 with manufacturing in focus

The event aims to highlight India's growing strength in civil aviation manufacturing and rising demand in the sector

Boeing posts strongest delivery quarter since 2018 as sales jump nearly 60%

Boeing's sales surged nearly 60 per cent in the fourth quarter as the aerospace company digs itself out of a string of crises that tarnished its reputation. It was the strongest quarter of aeroplane deliveries since 2018. Revenue soared to USD 23.95 billion from USD 15.24 billion for the three months ended Dec. 31. That topped the USD 22.6 billion that analysts polled by FactSet were looking for. Boeing had 160 commercial deliveries in the quarter, more than double the 57 deliveries in the prior-year period. 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. "We made significant progress on our recovery in 2025 and have set the foundation to keep our momentum going in the year ahead," Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a statement on Tuesday. Arlington, Virginia-based Boeing moved to a profit of USD 8.13 billion, or USD 10.23 per share, in the period. That compares with

Aviation reforms in focus as India air show attracts global players

Analysts and industry executives will be looking for signals from government ​officials at the show on how India plans to ease airspace congestion in major cities