Page 17 - Aviation

Alaska Airlines begins flying Boeing Max 9 jetliners again after accident

Alaska Airlines has begun flying Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners again for the first time since they were grounded after a panel blew out of the side of one of the airline's planes. The airline said in a statement that it has completed its final inspection of their group of the aircraft. They said they resumed flying the Max 9 with a flight from Seattle to San Diego on Friday afternoon. On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration approved the inspection and maintenance process to return the planes to flying. Technicians at Alaska began inspections that night, the airline said. The airline said they expect inspections to be completed by the end of next week, allowing the airline to operate a full flight schedule. Inspections are expected to take up to 12 hours per aircraft. Each of our 737-9 MAX will return to service only after the rigorous inspections are completed and each plane is deemed airworthy according to FAA requirements, the airline said in a written statement ...

Here's what airlines, regulators are doing about Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s move comes after the aircraft had been grounded since a mid-air blowout on an Alaska Airlines jet on Jan. 5

Aviation safety regulator DGCA terminates contract of its CFOI: Report

Aviation safety regulator DGCA on Wednesday terminated the contract of its Chief Flight Operations Inspector (CFOI), according to sources. There was no immediate comment from the DGCA on the decision. The official, who was earlier serving as a wide-body pilot with Air India, joined the regulator as CFOI on an ad hoc basis in March 2021. An order issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said the services of the official have been terminated with immediate effect on administrative grounds and in the public interest, sources in the know said.

Boeing installed piece that blew off Alaska Airlines MAX 9 jet: Report

Boeing declined to comment on details that are under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board

Sweden keen to cooperate with India on sustainability solutions in aviation

Keen for stronger ties with India, Sweden is looking for cooperation with the country on sustainability solutions in the aviation sector as well as on electrification efforts in the auto space. Besides, Sweden is hoping for the resumption of direct flight services with India, Johan Davidson, Sweden's State Secretary for Infrastructure and Housing, said. In an interview to PTI, he said India is an important partner as it is also the world's fastest growing aviation market. While noting that he is impressed by the country's extensive investments being made in airports and aviation for expansion, he said, "there is a lot of interest in Indian growth and new business opportunities for Swedish companies". Sweden is a leading player in sustainable aviation. More than 80 Swedish companies are active in the sector, with expertise across the value chain and experience in implementing their solutions globally. Davidson, who was on a brief visit to India last week, also said the country is "

PM Modi urges int'l investors to link their growth with India's rapid rise

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated Boeing's new global engineering and technology centre campus near here. Built at a cost of Rs 1,600 crore, the 43-acre state-of-the-art Boeing India Engineering and Technology Centre (BIETC) campus is the plane-maker's largest such investment outside the US. The campus at Hightech Defence and Aerospace Park in Devanahalli on the city outskirts will become a cornerstone for partnerships with the vibrant startups, private and government ecosystem in India, and will help develop next-generation products and services for the global aerospace and defence industry, according to official sources.

IndiGo evaluating options to file appeal against BCAS' Rs 1.20 cr penalty

IndiGo will evaluate options to file an appeal against regulator BCAS imposing a penalty of Rs 1.20 crore for certain violations with respect to the incident at the Mumbai airport. Many passengers rushed out of an IndiGo aircraft at the Mumbai airport, sat on the tarmac, and some were also seen having food there as soon as their diverted Goa-Delhi flight landed after a long delay on January 14. The flight was diverted due to fog issues at the Delhi airport. For certain lapses in connection with the incident, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has imposed a fine of Rs 1.20 crore on the airline. "The company is in the process of investigating and will evaluate its option to file an appeal in this regard," a regulatory filing by InterGlobe Aviation, the parent of IndiGo, said on Thursday. As per the filing, the alleged violations include not reporting the incident to the regulator, and failure to ensure security screening of passengers and their cabin baggage before ...

India needs 2,840 new aircraft, 41,000 pilots in 20 years: Airbus forecast

Addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the aviation conclave and exhibition, Wings India 2024, Maillard said Airbus will double its sourcing from India to USD 1.5 billion

Food on airport tarmac: Incident unacceptable and shameful, says Scindia

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said incidents like passengers having food on tarmac at Mumbai airport were unacceptable and that penalties were imposed. The safety and security of citizens is primary for the government, he said. "Within hours of being informed or getting to know of that incident happening, beyond midnight, a meeting was held with all officials within the ministry. The showcause notice was issued immediately," he told reporters here during the Wings India 2024 that began here today. The fact that passengers were inconvenienced and that they had to eat on the tarmac, apart from security being compromised across all points was unacceptable, he said. The minister pointed out that within three to four hours, notices were issued and within 24 hours, the necessary penalties were levied. "This or any incident like this is unacceptable for us. Therefore, penalties were issued," he said. He added that two separate Civil Aviation Requirements

Boeing to step up inspections of aircraft during production after blowout

Boeing will also bring in an outside party to review its quality controls and suggest improvements, he said, adding another layer of scrutiny to its manufacturing process

US govt investigating Boeing's design of part that blew off jetliner

Federal officials are investigating whether Boeing failed to make sure a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week was properly designed and safe to use. The Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday that the investigation is focusing on plugs used to fill spots for extra exits when those doors are not required on Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners. The plug that blew off an Alaska Airlines Max 9 was found near Portland, Oregon, and will be be examined in a government laboratory. This incident should have never happened and it cannot happen again, the FAA said in a statement. Boeing's manufacturing practices need to comply with the high safety standards they're legally accountable to meet. The FAA notified Boeing of the investigation in a letter dated Wednesday. The agency asked the aircraft maker to present any evidence or statements in its defense within 10 business days. The FAA has grounded Max 9 jets, including all 65 operated by Alaska and 79 used by United Airli

SpiceXpress, Star Air partner to manage belly space in Star Air's fleet

SpiceJet's cargo arm SpiceXpress on Thursday said it has partnered with Bengaluru-based Star Air to manage the belly space capacity for carrying cargo in Star Air's fleet. The Kolhapur-headquartered Sanjay Ghodawat Group-owned Star Air has a fleet of nine Embraer planes, operating across 20 domestic destinations. This collaboration underlines SpiceXpress's commitment to expanding its reach and strengthening the domestic air cargo infrastructure, SpiceJet said in a statement. Under the collaboration, Star Air will significantly enhance SpiceXpress's domestic network, incorporating nine new destinations, it said, adding, the three-year agreement, extendable by mutual consent, establishes a foundation for seamless cooperation between the two companies. These destinations are Belagavi, Bhuj, Kalaburagi, Kishangarh, Kolhapur, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Nagpur, and Shivamogga. With this, SpiceXpress' domestic network will increase from 39 to 48 destinations helping the company strengthen its ..

Officials gauging possibility of 4 bolts missing before Alaska Air take-off

Federal investigators say a door panel slid up before flying off an Alaska Airlines jetliner last week, and they are looking at whether four bolts that were supposed to help hold the panel in place might have been missing when the plane took off. The comments on Monday from the National Transportation Safety Board came shortly after Alaska and United Airlines reported separately that they found loose parts in the panels or door plugs of some other Boeing 737 Max 9 jets. Since we began preliminary inspections on Saturday, we have found instances that appear to relate to installation issues in the door plug for example, bolts that needed additional tightening, Chicago-based United said. Alaska said that as it began examining its Max 9s, Initial reports from our technicians indicate some loose hardware was visible on some aircraft. The findings of investigators and the airlines are ratcheting up pressure on Boeing to address concerns that have grown since the terrifying fuselage ..

iPhone lands in functioning condition after 16,000 ft fall from Alaska Air

A new-generation Apple Inc. iPhone landed intact, unlocked and with hours of battery life remaining on a Portland, Oregon roadside, according to a post on X by a user calling himself Seanathan Bates

SpiceJet's resurgence could disrupt Indian aviation market: CAPA India

Earlier this month, cash-strapped SpiceJet announced it is going to raise a total of Rs 2,241.5 crore through issuance of equity and warrants

337 flights delayed at Delhi airport amid dense fog on Thursday morning

Multiple flights were also diverted from the Delhi airport to other nearby airports

LIVE news: BJP national secretary Anupam Hazra removed from his post

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Govt working with French authorities after flight carrying Indians detained

India on Saturday said it was working with the French government for an early resolution of the situation after a Nicaragua-bound flight carrying 303 people, mostly Indians, was detained by French authorities during a technical halt at an airport near Paris over suspected "human trafficking". The plane that took off from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates carrying 303 Indian passengers, including many minors, was grounded at the Chalons-Vatry airport in Marne on Thursday. "French authorities informed us of a plane w/ 303 people, mostly Indian origin, from Dubai to Nicaragua detained on a technical halt at a French airport," the Indian mission said in a post on 'X'. "The embassy team has reached & obtained consular access. We are investigating the situation, also ensuring the well-being of passengers," the mission said on Friday. On Saturday, the Indian embassy said it was continuing to work with the French government for the welfare of the Indians currently at the Varty airport and

Indian carriers could incur up to $1.2 bn per year for 200 grounded planes

The standard monthly cost an active aircraft incurs is about $1 million and if it's grounded, the cost comes down to $0.5 million, according to CAPA's 'conservative' estimates

Go First resolution professional, lessors in talks to maintain aircraft

Advocate Diwakar Maheshwari, appearing for the RP, told the court that they are in talks with the lessors, one of which is SMBC Aviation Capital, to maintain the aircraft