2017 Commercial Aviation Trends

The good news may be in the past, and now is the time for airlines to digitize and reassess their competitive positions.

What a difference a couple of years can make. In 2013, Warren Buffett called the commercial aviation industry a “death trap for investors.” In 2016, the legendary value investor spent more than US$1.3 billion buying the stock of four major U.S. commercial carriers: American Airlines, Delta, United Continental, and Southwest Airlines — and he has recently upped his stake to more than $8 billion.

DGCA may double 6-month notice period for pilots

NEW DELHI: A bitter fight has broken out among Indian carriers over the issue of 'old' airlines trying to retain their prized pilots and 'new' airlines aiming to poach them for their expanding fleets. Things have come to such a pass that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is reviewing its over a decade-old rule of having six months' notice period for pilots. The old and established airlines have sought doubling of pilots' notice period to a year.

The DGCA has now sought individual views of all airlines. Highly placed sources say established airlines like Air India and IndiGo are in favour of one-year notice period, while 'new' airlines from the Tata Group like Vistara are against raising the notice period. Even some old airlines which are now going to expand their fleet are against the proposal for a year's notice period.

"There is differed opinion among airlines on this issue. Unfortunately nobody looks at this issue on the basis of legality. A final call will be taken after due dilligence by current DG B S Bhullar. His predecessors were not in favour of extending the notice period," said a highly placed source.

Qatar Airways to launch Business Class-only service to London Heathrow

By Jonny Clark, TheDesignAir

24 February 2014 | Qatar Airways has announced the launch of a new daily all-premium Business Class service from its hub in Doha to London Heathrow. Mirroring the Business-only product currently run by British Airways from London City Airport to New York JFK, the new service will be the first of its kind in the Middle East and will commence on 15 May 2014.

Qatar Airways will fit an A319 aircraft with an all Business Class, single aisle, 2–2 seating configuration offering 40 seats – slightly larger than the 32 seats on BA’s A318 that operates the LCY – JFK route.

Full-flat bed, big-screen IFE, connectivity

Vistara appoints new Chief Information Officer

Vistara, India’s fastest-growing full service airline, announced the appointment of Mr. Ravinder Pal Singh as its Chief Information Officer.

Ravinder Pal Singh (Ravi), in his new role, will lead Vistara’s IT and Innovation functions. He will consolidate, identify, acquire, evaluate and incubate the right technology to support the airline’s IT and digital platforms. He will also be responsible to induce innovation as core to Vistara’s culture thereby creating communities and co-creation projects to realize ideas as true business differentiators.

Ravi has been instrumental in establishing various IT organizations and creating their future technology avatars. He brings in profound global experience, with expertise in IT-based strategic planning and execution in almost 5 continents. His background includes leadership positions in top global technology and management consulting firms, where he focused on driving their Fortune500 customers and government institutions towards transformation. For his contribution in the field of information and technology, Ravi has received many accolades such as CIO 100 Winner 2015, Digital Transformational Leader 2015, 2015 Cloud Computing Innovation Award, India and CeBIT Digital Transformational Leadership Award 2015. He was also recognized as one of the most dynamic CIOs who leveraged the word transformation in all forms.

Prior to joining Vistara, Ravi served as the Global Chief Information and Technology Officer at one of India’s leading providers of aviation maintenance repair and overhaul, Air Works. Previously, he has been associated with corporates such as Microsoft, Accenture and Wipro, and is a holder of several technology patents.

“I am excited to be a part of Vistara, a company that is the amalgamation of two iconic brands, TATA and Singapore airlines and is at the forefront in the product & service innovation space. I am looking forward to transforming its IT platforms and making it a technology disruptor in this sector. This will help in accelerating the business growth and reveal the hidden potential in the organisation,” said Ravinder Pal Singh.

Welcoming Ravi on board, Phee Teik Yeoh, CEO, Vistara said:

“I am happy to welcome Ravi to the Vistara family. Ravi is a seasoned technology expert and we are keen to leverage his extensive technology leadership experience to enhance the level of operational excellence at Vistara and delivering greater value to our customers.”

Emirates to Operate One-Off A380 Flight to Chicago

For the first time in the airport’s history, on July 19 2016 Emirates will fly one of its flagship A380 aircraft into Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

Emirates has been invited by O’Hare International Airport, the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) and the City of Chicago to test the gate, operations and significant infrastructure improvements that have been implemented to accommodate A380 service.

Emirates is the world’s largest operator of A380 aircraft, the world’s largest commercial jet, with 81 of this aircraft type flying customers in comfort across the globe – including to 4 cities in the USA.

“Chicago has welcomed us from the day Emirates commenced daily flights from Dubai in 2014, and we are honored to work alongside the City, airport, and department of aviation, to bring the A380 for a test flight to this exciting and progressive city,” said Rob Gurney, Emirates’ Senior Vice President of The Americas.

“Over the last two years, Emirates flights have carried over 160,000 passengers from Chicago to Dubai and beyond for both business and leisure travel and have carried more than 60,000 tons of cargo, supporting tourism, business and exporters. Many of our customers from Chicago and surrounding areas have already experienced the Emirates A380 seamless and convenient connections from our hub in Dubai to more than 40 destinations across our network, including the Middle East, South Asia, and the Far East.”

“The arrival of Emirates’ A380 plane to O’Hare International Airport is exciting for the city of Chicago,” said CDA Commissioner Ginger S. Evans.

“The improvement we’ve made at O’Hare to accommodate the A380 is one of many projects underway that will make Chicago more competitive and attractive for passengers and businesses. I want to thank Emirates for its commitment to Chicago.”

Emirates’ existing Boeing 777 service to Chicago provides USD $383 million in annual economic benefit, contributes over USD $153 million in annual spending by visitors, and helps to support over 3000 U.S jobs, according to Campbell-Hill Aviation Group.

Delta plane with 130 passengers lands at the wrong airport

The National Transport Safety Board is investigating the landing of a Delta A320 at Ellsworth AFB instead of its intended destination of Rapid City, 7 miles away.

Delta Air Lines confirmed that the flight crew of Delta Flight 2845 on the evening of July 7 conducted a safe landing at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota mistakenly rather than the flight’s intended destination of Rapid City.

The Airbus A320 aircraft, registered N333NW, had 130 passengers on board and was in-bound from Minneapolis/St. Paul. The flight re-departed for Rapid City Thursday night after coordinating with officials.



“Delta has contacted the customers of this flight and offered a gesture of apology for the inconvenience”, the airline said in a statement.

The crew has been taken off-duty while an investigation commences by the National Transportation Safety Board.

“Delta will fully cooperate with that investigation and has already begun an internal review of its own”, the airline added.

Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base located approximately 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota. The host unit at Ellsworth is the 28th Bomb Wing (28 BW) assigned to the Global Strike Command’s Eighth Air Force.

Ellsworth Air Force Base has one runway available:
Runway 13/31 (concrete): 13,497 feet/4.114 meters

Rapid City Airport has two runways available:
Runway 14/32 (concrete): 8,701 feet/2.652 meters
Runway 05/23 (asphalt): 3,601 feet/1.098 meters

Boeing Said Near $4 Billion Deal With Russian Firm to Save 747

Boeing Co. is nearing a $4 billion deal with Russia’s largest air-freight company that would help extend the life of the iconic, hump-nosed 747 jumbo jet amid waning demand for four-engine aircraft, people close to the transaction said.

The U.S. planemaker is in advanced talks with AirBridgeCargo Airlines and its Moscow-based parent, Volga-Dnepr Group, to convert a year-old commitment into more than 10 firm orders for 747-8 freighters, two of the people said. The agreement could be announced as soon as the Farnborough Airshow next month in England, according to four people briefed on the deal, who asked not to be identified because the talks are confidential.

The deal would provide a crucial lifeline for the “Queen of the Skies” as Boeing tries to preserve production until the air-cargo market revives or shipping companies start to replace aging wide-body fleets. The 747 freighter, prized for a hinged nose that allows large cargo to be loaded at the front, is Boeing’s second-most expensive commercial jet, with a list price of $379.1 million. Buyers typically negotiate discounts.
Converting commitments to firm orders starts the process of allocating manufacturing resources and production slots to build the planes.

After 70 years, US brings home remains of downed World War II airmen from India

NEW DELHI: Excavated remains of soldiers, including fragments of bones, and artifacts of a US Air Force B-24 bomber and a C-109 aircraft that had crashed in present-day Arunachal Pradesh during the World War II were today sent off to the US.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, who was here on a three-day visit, oversaw the repatriation ceremony at the airport here.

One set of remains was recovered in Arunachal Pradesh between September 12 and November 17, 2015. Another set of remains was handed over to Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) by a third party from the same region.

The remains recovered late last year are possibly associated with a B-24 bomber aircraft crash on January 25, 1944, where a crew of eight personnel assigned to the 14th Air Force, 308th Bomb Group were lost during a routine mission from Kunming, China to Chabua, India.

A Road To Aviation

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First day of Ground School

The first day.

The excitement the nervousness everything was back. It all felt new. Life felt new.

Managed to reach on time after rushing my way through the crazy traffic of Mumbai.

Just 12 students were enrolled for the 2007 batch.

Wow, I instantly felt lucky and blessed.

Initial introduction among students and staff took place followed by a tour of the campus and the Flight Simulator.

Yes they had their very own in house flight simulator.
Was super exited to try it 😆
They happened to distribute the books the very same day as per syllabus.
I really can't describe the joy I had in mere words.

First Ground School for Pilot Training

Yes I did pass my Boards and after a lot of research around Mumbai I shortlisted Patuk Gala College of Aeronautics for the ground school.

After a telephonic call the receptionist asked me to come down for an interview and asked me to brush up my physics and maths skills. All that came to my mind was "are you serious? "😯

Have to give an interview to get admissions in a college? 

This was the first time I heard it and thought it was ridiculous.  Never the less I had to study and go prepared for the interview.

Got there in time to meed the college dean a retired Airforce Captain.

Well it was really scary and exiting at the same time to appear for the interview. 
There were few questioner in physics and maths integration and projectile motions was able to get through most of it and then was the interview with all the professors and the dean in a single room.
God was it hot in there or was I the only one in the air conditioned room sweating?

Each had a different and a confusing questions to ask and me to answer. Questions from my life from what I achieved, from what I learnt.
Wow was awesome to answer them as it was something new and I was super exited and tensed 😛

Two days later the receptionist called and informed that they will be more than happy to enrole me in their institute.

Time for celebration

Initial Years

School day's went by pretty fast without realising the dream and ambition of being a Pilot until, it was Secondary School Certification or Board examinations when it was time to choose a field of education to specialise in.
Wow I remember how mom woke me up those days at 4 am⏰ to start revisions, thanks to her I was able to pass out with first grade, there by securing a place in the field of Science from St. Andrew's College Bandra West, the next two years was all about studying📚 as hard as possible to get all the concept of physics and maths in place so that it was too much trouble understanding terms in Aviation.
As exams neared tensions roze

How it all began?

Well to be honest; I guess I was in the 4th grade when I first encountered a Boeing 747, it wasn't my first time standing and looking at an aircraft,  I would always look in the sky and find many, especially one's in the morning while heading to school, the contrails were always mistaken for a rocket passing by.
But this, this was different. I was standing really close to the aircraft just to realise it's sheer size and beauty and left in aaw 😲😰. I remember telling Dad even I want one of these, he just smiled and said "You will have to work towards it".
My Dad served in the Indian Navy but was never interested in airplanes unlike my Grandfather who served as a Pilot for the Royal Airforce.
Yes I know what you guys might be thinking: Dad in the Indian Navy, Grandfather in the Royal Airforce?  😕
Well I belong to an Anglo Indian family.  Dad was born and raised in India while my Grandfather belonged to England and was posted in India during the British Era.

My walk towards one destination - AVIATION

This is the first time at writing and blogging,  I guess it might feel a little boring initially but hold on there's a lot more to come.