Civil Aviation Sector

2 pilots among 3 killed as helicopter crashes, bursts into flames in Pune

Two pilots and an engineer were killed after a helicopter crashed and caught fire in Maharashtra's Pune district on Wednesday morning, police said. The helicopter belonging to the Delhi-based Heritage Aviation, a private firm, took off from the Oxford County Golf Course helipad here and was heading to Juhu in Mumbai when it crashed at 7.40 am, they said. The incident took place near a hilly terrain in Bavdhan area, which is close to the gold course, according to police "Three persons have died in the helicopter crash. Our teams along with fire department vehicles have reached the spot," Pimpri Chinchwad Commissioner of Police Vinaykumar Choubey said. Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishal Gaikwad said the helicopter, belonging to Heritage Aviation, took off from the helipad of Oxford County Golf Course and crashed near Bavdhan in the hilly terrain, killing two pilots and an engineer onboard the chopper. An official from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also said the

AI Express-AIX Connect merger key in transformation journey: Wilson

The merger of AIX Connect with Air India Express is an important milestone in the transformation journey of Air India Group and the merged entity will cater to the growing air travel demand, Campbell Wilson said on Tuesday. Wilson is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Air India as well as the Chairman of Air India Express. Aviation regulator DGCA has approved the merger of AIX Connect with Air India Express, which will now focus on future growth and transformation agenda, according to a release. The merged entity will operate under the 'Air India Express' name and a unified airline code 'IX'. With the merger completed, Air India Express will focus on a future growth and transformation agenda. "About a year ago, we started the integration of AIX Connect and Air India Express, bringing the two organisations together behind a common brand. "Alongside, we worked on the complex integration exercise culminating today in the operational and legal merger of the two ...

Air India passenger finds 'cockroach' in food; airline expresses concern

An Air India passenger has complained of finding a cockroach in an omelette served onboard the flight from the national capital to New York, with the airline saying the matter has been taken up with the catering service provider for further investigation. "We are aware of a social media post by a passenger regarding a foreign object in the onboard meal offered to them on AI 101 operating from DEL to JFK on 17 September 2024," an Air India spokesperson said in a statement and also expressed concern over the incident. In a post on X, the passenger said a cockroach was found in the omelette served on the flight from Delhi to New York. "My 2 year old finished more than half of it with me when we found this. Suffered from food poisoning as a result," she said. The passenger also shared a short video and pictures of the food items served during the flight. She tagged Air India, aviation regulator DGCA and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu in the post. In the statement, the ...

Adani Group, Bombardier explore partnership to boost Indian aviation sector

Discussions between Adani Defence & Aerospace and Canadian jet manufacturer Bombardier primarily focused on aircraft services, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO)

Civil aviation growth, regional connectivity made air travel inclusive: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday highlighted the growth of the Indian civil aviation sector and said air travel has become inclusive with the regional air connectivity scheme. Emphasising that the civil aviation sector has a major role in growth and creates many jobs, Modi said efforts should be made to ensure that the skies remain open for all and that people's dream of flying is fulfilled. The Prime Minister was addressing the Second Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation in the national capital, where he suggested the idea of having an international Buddhist circuit. Under the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN, which has helped lower middle-class people to fly, 14 million people have travelled by air, Modi said. According to him, a growing middle class and their demand are driving forces for the civil aviation sector, and UDAN has made air travel inclusive. The government is preparing the country for advanced air mobility, and air taxis will be a reali

Efforts on to make India global aviation hub, build aircraft: KR Naidu

Highlighting the aviation sector's growth potential, Union minister K Rammohan Naidu on Wednesday said efforts are on to make India a global aviation hub as well as to start manufacturing aircraft in the country. With Asia-Pacific region poised to lead global aviation growth, Naidu said strategic investments in infrastructure and collaboration amongst the regional stakeholders is critical to achieving sustainable growth across the sector. Speaking at the second Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation in the national capital, Naidu emphasised on three elements -- infrastructure, integration and innovation -- for the sector's growth. "My ministry is working with the vision of establishing a seamless aviation landscape in the country, integrating helicopters and seaplane operations alongside wide-body aircraft under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN," he noted. India is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets and the fleet size of domestic carriers

Civil aviation ministry trying to address SpiceJet's issues: Rammohan Naidu

The civil aviation ministry is looking at the issues being faced by SpiceJet and address them as the efforts are aimed at having a balance that will allow operations of more airlines amid the high demand in the Indian market, Union minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Monday. The airline is grappling with multiple issues, including financial and legal woes. On August 29, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) decided to place crisis-hit SpiceJet under enhanced surveillance that will entail increased spot checks and night surveillance to ensure the safety of the airline's operations. "We are looking at SpiceJet... with the demand we have, we need more airlines to operate. So we are trying to have a balance and address the problems and (ensure the) airline runs properly," the minister said. He was responding to a question about concerns regarding the budget carrier. To a query about air ticket prices, the minister said airfares are market-driven and it is being monitored by th

Aviation minister pitches for sustainable practices, regional connectivity

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Monday pitched for sustainable practices in the aviation industry, including the use of sustainable aviation fuel. As part of boosting regional air connectivity, the civil aviation ministry has also identified around 106 airports and airstrips that can be developed for regional flight operations. Naidu said sustainable aviation practices should be promoted that will help in reducing overall carbon emissions and mentioned that some airports are already carbon neutral. Speaking at the conference organised by industry body Ficci, Naidu also said efforts are on to ensure that 1 per cent of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) is blended with jet fuel for international commercial flights by 2027 and then increase the SAF quantum to 2 per cent by 2028. The global framework for using SAF has been set out by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) under which international flights should use jet fuel blended with at least 1 per cent SAF by ..

Cash crisis: SpiceJet puts 150 cabin crew on furlough for 3 months

The airline, which has been making losses for the last six years, has been finding it difficult to pay employee salaries, sources mentioned

AI, Vistara get DGCA nod to integrate aircraft line maintenance operations

Aviation regulator DGCA has approved integrating the aircraft line maintenance operations of Air India and Vistara as the two airlines move close to their merger. In a release on Friday, Air India said the integration will help in optimising resources to enhance operational performance and reduce aircraft turnaround times to bolster on-time performance. "With a unified maintenance team and resources, Air India will be better positioned to service a mixed fleet of wide body and narrow body aircraft, enhancing schedule integrity and reliability of operations," it added. The two airlines, part of the Tata Group, have secured the CAR (Civil Aviation Requirement) 145 approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to integrate their aircraft line maintenance operations. Vistara is a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines. So far, Air India has in-house line maintenance at 12 stations in the country. "Enhanced synergy of the combined resources will also ensur

Aircraft MRO industry to reach $4 bn in seven years: Aviation min tells LS

The government has taken several steps to facilitate setting up of aircraft MRO services in India and the value of the total business may go up from USD 2 billion to USD 4 billion in seven years, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. He also said that, in a major boost to the domestic Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry and the aviation sector, the government brought a uniform rate of 5 per cent GST on aircraft parts components, testing equipment, tools and toolkits. "The MRO industry in the country is expected to go up to USD 4 billion in seven years from the present USD 2 billion," he said during Question Hour. Naidu said if anyone wanted to set up an MRO industry with an airstrip or airport anywhere in India, the Centre was ready to provide all assistance. He said the country's aviation industry had seen massive transformation and growth during the past 10 years under the Narendra Modi government, with domestic airlines

AAI spents Rs 796 cr for repairs, maintenance works of 101 airports last FY

Airports Authority of India (AAI) shelled out nearly 20 per cent higher amount of Rs 796 crore towards repairs and maintenance works of 101 airports in the last financial year, according to official data. Since the fiscal 2021-22, AAI's expenditure towards these activities at the airports has been on the rise. The amount rose to Rs 795.72 crore in the last financial year ended March 2024, from Rs 663.42 crore in 2022-23. In 2021-22, the expenditure towards repairs and maintenance works was Rs 535.02 crore, as per the data shared by the civil aviation ministry with the Rajya Sabha. The expenditure figures have been provided for 121 AAI airports, and out of them, no money in this regard was spent for 20 airports, according to the data. Concerns regarding maintenance of airport buildings came to the fore following the collapse of the forecourt canopy at Terminal 1D of the Delhi airport amid rains on June 28. Also, the kerb area canopy made of tensile fabric got torn at Jabalpur Airp

FIP grouping flags pilot fatigue; urges for revised norms implementation

Raising concerns about pilot fatigue, pilots' grouping FIP has urged the civil aviation ministry to take steps for implementation of revised norms on flight duty and rest period at the earliest. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), which has more than 6,000 members, had earlier also written to the civil aviation ministry on the revised CAR (Civil Aviation Requirement) for pilots after DGCA postponed their implementation. The revised CAR related to flight duty time limitation seeks to provide more rest time for pilots amid rising concerns over pilot fatigue. In March, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) decided to postpone its implementation. In a letter to Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, FIP President CS Randhawa has requested him to direct DGCA to implement the revised CAR at the earliest. "...the action of the DGCA not only endangers pilot safety but also undermines the safety of passengers, which the implementation of the revised CAR could prevent," the

Travel tales: Airlines line up flights as Saudi woos Indian tourists

India has added 443,000 seats in CY2024, according to OAG, an aviation research agency

Airlines sensitised to exercise moderation in pricing of air tickets: Govt

Airlines have been advised to self-regulate as well as sensitised to exercise moderation in pricing of air tickets, the civil aviation ministry told the Rajya Sabha on Monday. There have been persisting concerns over high airfares, especially during peak and festival seasons. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the ministry holds consultation with airlines and the representatives are advised to self-regulate and keep passengers' interest in mind while fixing the airfares. "Airlines have also been sensitised to exercise moderation in pricing and to keep passengers' interest in mind. The airlines have committed to ensure that airfares do not surge during events such as natural disasters, calamities, etc," he said in a written reply. Under current regulations, airfares are neither established nor regulated by the government after the repeal of the Air Corporation Act in March 1994. "Globally, most countries have deregulated their aviation sector, i.e., removing

Video shows moment when plane crashed at Kathmandu airport killing 18

Kathmandu plane crash: The 17 technicians and two crew members onboard the plane were headed to Pokhara city when the aircraft crashed during take off at Kathmandu airport

SpiceJet airline's board approves raising Rs 3,000 crore through QIP

Five years back, SpiceJet was operating about 4,000 flights per week. Currently, the airline is operating just about 1,154 flights per week, according to Cirium

Civil aviation ministry gets Rs 2,357 cr budgetary allocation for 2024-25

The budgetary allocation for the civil aviation ministry has been reduced to Rs 2,357.14 crore for the current fiscal ending next March, with regional air connectivity scheme set to get Rs 502 crore during the same period. In the revised budgetary allocation for 2023-24, the amount for the ministry was at Rs 2,922.12 crore. As per documents of the Union Budget 2024-25 that was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on Tuesday, the ministry will get an allocation of Rs 2,357.14 crore. The money set aside for the regional air connectivity scheme has been cut to Rs 502 crore from Rs 850 crore in the revised budgetary allocation for 2023-24. The amount is for revival of 22 airports as well as commencement of 124 RCS routes and Viability Gap Funding for North East Connectivity. To improve connectivity in the northeast region, a new scheme has also been formulated for providing air connectivity and aviation infrastructure, as per a document. However, the Product

Heavy rainfall and technology outage aftermath delay 1,129 flights

IndiGo on Monday morning said that Mumbai is going to see increased rainfall, particularly until Monday night, with more anticipated in the coming days

16,000 remote pilot certificates issued for operating drones in India: Govt

As many as 16,000 Remote Pilot Certificates (RPCs) have been issued for operating drones in the country, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told the Rajya Sabha on Monday. The certificates have been issued by the DGCA-approved Remote Pilot Training Organisations (RPTOs). In a written reply, Mohol also said that 48 drone companies are producing DGCA type-certified Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) models in the country and 70 models have been type certified by the regulator. "The drone industry is witnessing growth in India. Till date, 16,000 Remote Pilot Certificates (RPC) have been issued by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)-approved RPTOs," he said. There are 116-DGCA-approved RPTOs.