Merged the two aerospace blogs

Hi friends,

Noticed that the division of my writings into the two blogs on aerospace did not suffice the purpose and realise they were overlapping and there was a duplication in content. So have now only Into the Aviation World and all my trivia and travel stories along with serious reports, news, interviews and editorial comments of ADU will also be visible here.

Also a click on this url - http://www.aviation-defence-universe.com/- will lead you to the Aviation & Defence Universe.

So happy reading.

From

Sangeeta Saxena

Boeing elaborates expansion plans for India

• 11 more Apache orders by Army expected
• Increase from 4 to 12 operating centres
• No effect on Indian operations after changes in D&S in top management

By Sangeeta Saxena
New Delhi. 12 July 2017. “11 more Apaches are expected for the Indian Army which is keen. Apache is not on the line yet and should show up there by the end of 2017,” informed Gene Cunningham Boeing’s vice-president, global sales, defence, space and security.

While speaking to the Indian media at the recently concluded Paris Air Show he added, “ Chinook is on the line, infact the first airplane has been on the line at Philidelphia since last month. Delivery should be by 2019 sometime which will make India the 20th country to have them. We are progressing at the desired speed.”

Appreciating the Strategic Partnership model announced by the Indian Government he stated that it makes good business sense. “ Both the Strategic Partner and the Indian Partner are advancing and both are getting something from the table which is is good. I have read it and I think it is a step towards the positive direction, ” said Cunningham.
He also was enthusiastic about Boeing’s growing footprint in the Make in India drive. “ We plan to develop the already grown supply chain in India We will integrate Indian defence companies into our global supply chain under the ‘Make in India’ programme. In the next 10 years, Boeing India will grow from Delhi and its other four operating centres around India to about 12 or even 15 centres with Indian partners. Capabilities in India, for India and by India is Boeing’s aim here,” he stated.

Indian Air Force will get a very good lift capability which be the largest outside US. Nothing will change for India when from July Boeing will make its Defense, Space & Security (BDS) unit more globally competitive by eliminating a layer of executive oversight. Boeing Military Aircraft and Network & Space Systems segments will evolve into smaller entities he explained. "We will remain the same and everyone involved in Boeing’s Indian defence operations will still have no change in contact persons and functioning will be smooth like now. When the organisation becomes big the need of agility also increases to meet customers' needs and improving productivity. Smaller segments will help improve this. Indian operations will see no change. Our Defense, Space & Security President and CEO Leanne Caret feels, Boeing is fundamentally addressing how it competes, wins, and grows in Boeing's second century," Gene stressed.

He also was happy about the positive stride of the first training services contract awarded by India to Boeing which resulted into the training facility at Gurgaon of the National Capital region. This includes advanced simulation, courseware and computer-based training. Once fully operational, the new center will be capable of conducting local and multi-site simulations for added realism and more robust training.

“The center, in partnership with Mahindra Defense, is another example of the steps we are taking to contribute to the building of a holistic aerospace ecosystem in support of Make in India. It is running well and is proof of our commitment to provide reliable support and services for our customers throughout the lifecycle of a product,” said Cunningham.

Honeywell rocks as Wi-Fi flies in the sky

By Sangeeta Saxena

Aboard the Honeywell Connected Aircraft.

In the Delhi Skies. 04 July 2017. You need not switch off your phone at take off. Your Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages are getting live updates. The pictures are of ‘the moment’.  Live feeds keep the audience connected ‘now’.

On my very basic Intex phone I am uploading four paragraphs of this sojourn. Flying both for short and long hauls is going to be a changed experience all together. Honeywell just decided to make life for us professionals easy.

The Connected Aircraft uses satellite-based systems to receive internet in-flight, and relays the internet connectivity via routers installed in the aircraft. After the social media I just decided to test the functioning of the mails and no surprises for guessing, they behave just as on ground. The ‘your message has been sent’ is instantaneous.

My last and final test is of uploading this story on the ADU page which has immediately opened. Wish I had carried my lap top. So lets take a break here. The story will continue after hitting the runway.

Will Super Hornet be India’s Choice for Make in India and for Indian Navy's Carrier Needs?

Courtesy : US Navy

By Sangeeta Saxena

New Delhi. 03 July 2017. With Modi's Make in India and Trump's America First every US-India project currently in place or for the future needs to be looked into through a new light. And this really is food for thought.

When Dan Gillian, vice president, F/A-18 & EA-18 Programs made a presentation on next generation carrier requirements of the Indian Navy at a seminar organized by FICCI on ‘Building India’s  Future Navy: Technology Imperatives’  recently, it sent many a minds analysing overtime. When he stated that the importance of carrier aviation cannot be understated – in particular to a country like India with a large coastline covering more than half its borders and a make in India program with a platform like the Super Hornet a great way for Indian industry to position itself for its Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, or AMCA, a thought came to the mind-why should India make the Super Hornet? And will Trump’s America want to make Super Hornets in India?

He is right when he says that the SuperHornet brings advanced technologies and manufacturing processes that will uniquely support the path to the AMCA, including the manufacture of a stealthy, survivable aircraft but there were three major problems with Super Hornets purchase by India in the squashed MMRCA tender which still hold true when it wants to make in India. Firstly there is not an  extensive Transfer Of Technology, secondly the US major is not offering to build the advanced Super Hornets in the first go, although it promises to make them later and thirdly MiG35 with its manoeuvrability n dogfighting skills and F35 with its short take off and  vertical launch capabilities make them more appropriate for  carrier operations, despite Super Hornets having reduced frontal RCS which provides an edge to it in Air combat and also having an external weapons bay which make them a cheap and partially stealthy solution. The Super Hornet is a naval, carrier-capable fighter-bomber but it does compete with the potentially more capable F-35C.

Dan said, “ we have been building F/A-18 assemblies and wire harnesses in India because it makes good business sense to do so. Boeing has had a presence in India for more than 7 decades and has played a significant role in developing India’s aerospace and defense sector through integrating Indian companies in our global supply chain. The much talked about Make in India is a continuation of what Boeing has been doing for years. Boeing’s Super Hornet Make in India model addresses the infrastructure, personnel training, and operational tools and techniques required to produce an next gen fighter aircraft right here in India. Super Hornet Make in India transitions airframe and subsystem manufacture to Indian industry in a deliberate way, representing extraordinary opportunity for technology insertion and growth within India’s aerospace industry. Boeing’s commitment to India extends further. Last year, Boeing and Mahindra Defense Systems announced the opening of a center that currently provides C-17 training services to the Indian Air Force. Also last year, Boeing and TATA celebrated the ground-breaking of a new facility in Hyderabad for our joint venture named TATA Boeing Aerospace Limited. There, we co-produce Boeing’s Apache helicopter fuselages and other aero structures, as well as pursue integrated systems in aerospace.”

Courtesy: US Navy

The Indian government wants to give a fillip to Make in India and end the country's dependency on foreign arms makers, but the technology still remains foreign. Also keeping in mind that the F18A Super Hornet which has never had a major export success like F16 and with no great orders the production line running beyond 2018 is the million dollar question. Both F/A-18E/F and the electronic warfare variant E/A-18G have failed to hit the market as Boeing would have liked it to. So will the facility in India have the numbers to make it profitable?

Dan informed that on May 23rd, the President of the United States sent his 2018 fiscal year budget to Congress, and included in that budget was a requirement for 80 Super Hornets over the next 5 years to address its strike fighter shortfall. Also in that budget request was funding for Block 3 capabilities to ensure the air wing has the capabilities needed to win in the 2020s and beyond.

This is American President Donald Trump’s America First theory in play. So in this case will he not want to generate employment in America for Americans and not in India for Indians? So it is quite a possibility he might want to sell the Super Hornet off the shelf to India as a FMS as in Apache and Chinook sales to India- keep the technology intact and  also   fulfill his employment for Americans election promise. So it is just a wait and watch situation meanwhile India has time to weigh the best options for its futuristic Navy.

Sikorsky choppers missed at Paris

s-61-19 Air Force HH-3E pilots, Major Herbert Zehnder (left) and Major Donald Maurras (right) with Igor Sikorsky at PAS 1967 . Courtesy Sikorsky Archives

By Sangeeta Saxena

Le Bourget. 22 June 2017. For someone who has been regularly covering helicopters every alternate year at Le Bourget, some thing was amiss this time -  the presence of  a Sikorsky chopper at the display area and ofcourse over the French skies.

Reflecting on the now Sikorsky LM then Sikorsky helicopters fifty years ago in  June 1967, Igor Sikorsky attended the Paris Air Show which also commemorated  the 40th anniversary of Charles Lindbergh’s epic flight from New York to Paris. Two U.S. Air Force HH-3s, variants of the Sikorsky S-61, landed on the airfield after a nonstop flight from New York to Paris, 4,271 miles, in 30 hours and 46 minutes. A Lockheed C-130 tanker aircraft also flew to refuel them several times during the journey.

Since then some representation in either flying or static display of a Sikorsky helicopter has always been there at the show. Last show in 2015 the news of the sale of the company was leaked and then formally confirmed . Since then Sikorsky has become a Lockheed Martin company. But one did expect to see a M28 at a predominantly civil aviation display area.

When Sikorsky Aircraft acquired Poland’s largest aircraft manufacturer,PZL Mielec, in 2007, and with it the M28 aircraft family including versions with and without an integrated “glass” cockpit, little would the American manufacturer have thought that there would be a tailor made role for it in the burgeoning Indian aviation arena.

Delays do not dampen the spirits and since September 2016, when the Director General of Civil Aviation has  approved the PZL M28 aircraft for commercial operations the company is  sure it is the right product to address the requirement of the market of regional connectivity.

M28 - A multi utility helicopter

For a manufacturer which has been synonymous with helicopters, it may be a surprise for many that the company has a portfolio of fixed-wing aircraft. In addition to the M28 turboprop it also has  the Reconnaissance Fixed-Wing Aircraft (RFWA).

The Mielec factory has delivered more than 100 M28 aircraft so far. Sikorsky modernized M28 production and completions with computer design tools and today supports the hard-working fleet with a global logistics network. Civil-certified M28s routinely carry passengers and cargo for commercial and government operators.

This aircraft will address the present requirement spelt out by the Government of India to connect the Teir II cities, especially the North Eastern part of the country as well as the Western and South- Western part of the country.

Sikorsky is confident  from a commercial standpoint the aircraft gives opportunity to connect the lesser known cities which operate a grassy or paved runaways giving the passengers, a time and cost effective option for transport from one city to another.

There are close to 400 operational airstrips that aren’t paved or used for full commercial application. This is where the M28 will be useful in a passenger configuration. But the aircraft can be configured in other application as well which make it very versatile. It can be just right aircraft for Medevac, SAR operations, Para dropping  filming disaster and many more roles.

The 485 cu ft. (148m3) cabin has a full-width aft door to para drop cargo. The cabin can be outfitted with a removable roller floor, optional cargo hoist, and heavy cargo restraints to speed loading and unloading.

The aircraft’s capability to land safely and easily on grass and gravel airstrips is inherent to the design. Also ideal is its easy conversion from passenger seating to carrying cargo, and of course as a VIP transport vehicle.

With its high-lift wing, ample power, thrust-reversing propellers, and fixed tricycle landing gear including low-pressure tires and anti-skid brakes, the M28 takes-off and lands on rough strips less than 1,000 (345 m) ft long.

The M28B/PT cockpit is built around a Honeywell Bendix/King Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS) with integrated weather radar, Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System and Traffic Collision Advisory System. The standard aircraft has a modern VFR/IFR avionics suite including VOR, GPS, and ADF navigation aids. Sikorsky Mielec is integrating more capable electro-optical payloads and other new mission systems.

Igor Sikorsky on his invention: Courtesy Sikorsky Archives

The potential of the M28 in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance roles is very much the need of the hour keeping in mind Indian military and civil requirements today. Healthy power margins make One Engine Inoperative emergencies safer even in extremely hot or icing conditions with an OEI rate of climb of 450 fpm (138 m/min) on a Standard day. The 16,500 lb (7,500 kg) M28 hauls 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) over 225 nm (450 km).  It can cruise at speeds to 192 kt (356 km/hr) and stalls at just 53 kt with engines idling and flaps extended. Service altitude is up to 25,000 ft with crew oxygen. The M28 has been certificated by EASA and the US FAA for flight into known icing conditions.

With a robust airframe, responsive low-speed handling, and extreme Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) performance, the Sikorsky M28 has proven its value in forward-deployed airlift operations. “Religious tourism in India for pilgrimages in mountaineous terrains might be just waiting for M28 to happen,” quipped Walia.

With the Ministry of Civil Aviation's scheme for regional connectivity announced last year M28 seems a good solution for the Indian skies.

All roads lead to Le Bourget

By Sangeeta Saxena
Paris. 18 June 2017. You’ll never go so far, just six kilometres from Paris and for the next one week all roads from Paris will lead to the queen of all shows- the International Paris Air Show where one and all of the aviation world descend at the airport. It is not just French wine, Eiffel Tower and Seine River which are cynosure of all eyes in Paris. Come the Parisian summer and the sky is the centre of attraction with metal birds of all shapes and sizes regaling the city with their displays.

With expected 2,300 international exhibitors, 150,000 trade visitors, 30 national pavilions and almost 300 official delegations, the Paris Air Show is still the biggest show of its kind and a must-attend event for all professionals working in the aeronautics and space sector. All major manufacturers , complete spare parts and ancillary industry, 100 start-ups that will shape tomorrow’s skies will and 296 official military and civilian delegations promise to make the show the brand it is.

The International Paris Air Show is organised by the SIAE, a subsidiary of GIFAS, the French Aerospace Industries Association. The 52nd show will take place at the Le Bourget Parc des Expositions from 19 to 25 June 2017, and once again will bring together all the players in this global industry around the latest technological innovations. The first four days of the Show will be reserved for trade visitors, followed by three days open to the general public.
Industry at it’s maximum participation envisages Boeing, Finmeccanica, SAFRAN, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, SAAB, Honeywell, Airbus, Rosoboronexport, Sukhoi, MBDA, Bombardier, Embraer, RUAG, KAI, Pilatus, Dassault, Hawker Beechcraft, CFM, Rolls Royce, Israeli Companies, SirkoskyLM, Cobham, Goodrich and Eurocopter to name a few along with government agencies taking up sprawling spaces at the show.

At the heart of the Paris Air Show, Concorde Hall will host the first edition of Paris Air Lab, which is 3000 square meters dedicated to research and innovation. Featuring collaborative work from industrial groups, companies, and start-ups from aeronautics and aerospace, and conference debates on the future of the field, international start-up pitches, immersive experiences and more, the Paris Air Lab has something for everyone. Participants can explore 22 booths dedicated to innovation, aeronautics, aerospace and digital technology, or follow suggested thematic paths throughout the event.

The Paris Air Lab has two conference rooms for keynote speakers and pitch sessions, five virtual reality booths, a “future vehicles” booth, and “Earth seen from above” photo exhibition. The Paris Air Lab also offers several co-working and relaxation spaces so participants can take time to enjoy the experience. From artificial intelligence to jet propulsion, nearly 100 startups will be featured throughout the week, as well as more than a dozen industrial associations, space agencies, and research centres, who will work together to present their latest collaborative innovations.

GIFAS (French Aerospace Industries Association) is offering an area dedicated to careers, employment and training in the aerospace industry, air transport and national defence. The Careers Plane-Job and Training Forum provide an occasion to discover this cutting-edge industry hands-on, and talk to the men and women who work in the aerospace sector each day.

With the theme "Journey to the heart of excellence", the 2017 edition is providing in a 3,000 m² marquee an instructive and immersive circuit laid out. There are two complementary areas in the show. The Careers Plane: an area for demonstration and dialogue coordinated by professionals in the sector and The Jobs and Training Forum: a space for meeting recruitment managers from companies and training schools.

With its central island offering immersive videos on the aerospace trades, the Careers plane is a place for visitors to meet men and women who work in the aerospace sector every day. A unique opportunity to meet those who design, produce, sell and maintain aircraft, and to see and touch the final product, from engines and helicopter propeller blades to aeroplane seats and altimeters.

The Careers Plane is divided into three thematic areas: Design, Industrialisation and Production and Support, Marketing and Maintenance, with nearly 800 professionals taking turns throughout the week to introduce visitors to the aerospace job chain. All in all, some 40 different trades will be presented, illustrating the sector's diversity, in two different ways:

Through demonstrations, where participants can see professionals in almost real-life situations, and sometimes try the tools themselves. Through short talks in small groups of ten or so, where speakers talk about their careers, their everyday professional life and projects on which they have worked.
Visitors will be able to meet flight test engineer, industrial project manager, laminater-fitter and foundry operator in turn. You can find the list of all the trades and companies represented at the Careers Plane in the computer graphics in the right column. If they want to go further, visitors can find information at the Jobs and Training Forum about training courses or job vacancies in the trades that interest them.

The leading trade show for jobs and training in the aerospace sector, the Jobs and Training Forum is a meeting point for companies, education institutions, associations and the general public: an opportunity to discover the sector's highly-sought after profiles and skills requirements, and the trades of the future. Both a recruitment forum and a career counselling show, the Jobs and Training Forum is there to help young people to choose their careers, students to look for a training course or apprenticeship, young graduates to find their first job, and experienced professionals to broaden their horizons. Good opportunity to bring your CV!

Just at the entry/exit to the show is the Air and Space museum is one of the top aviation museums in the world with more than 40,000 items it has started to collect since the early 20th century, the museum is protected by the “Musée de France” status. Visitors can discover about a hundred aircrafts among the 400 composing its collections, from the very first planes to the Breguet 19 “Point d’interrogation”, the Spitfire and the Concorde. The museum also owns an exceptional art collection, models, engraving, toys, and ethnographic items.The place the Air and Space museum has been built on is very important and full of memory. Le Bourget is a place that has seen many aviation heroes, including Charles Lindbergh.

Jet Set Go with Kanika Tekriwal into the world of private charters

By Sangeeta Saxena

New Delhi. 14 February 2017. Real leaders don't follow, they lead. It is hard , it is  a lot of work but you get to do what you want and you get to do it your way. One has to start somewhere. Ideas and opportunities don’t just come out of thin air. Ideas are thought, planned, strategised and put into action. Opportunities are grabbed. And Jet Set Go is an example of  creating a path which no one has tread earlier.

Jet Set Go zooms ahead making private jets a necessity not a luxury for people who feel time is money. And driving India’s first online market place for private jets and helicopters is Kanika Tekriwal. I was definitely not prepared to meet a girl in her twenties full of passion for aviation, with a slogan ‘Private Aviation like never before’ , a dream to be the face of luxury travel and  with an ability to  turn every no into a yes.

An interactive technology driven platform enabling users to search and charter aircraft and helicopters across India ,  JetSetGo has got on board almost 80% of India’s private jet fleet, Kanika ,  CEO, JetSetGo Aviation Services Private Limited informs. The flight search lets users enter minimum flight details i.e. location, date of departure, arrival and number of passengers. The application then carries out a live search for suitable aircraft basis user criteria and a list of aircraft is displayed. The user can then make a selection of different aircraft and request for quotations.

Jet Set Go has had a smooth landing in turbulent times and now promises to take off to heights none else would have soared in the world of private jets. Kanika’s is a story which would be just right for a Bollywood script. Lets hear it form her.

“I was always fascinated by the aviation sector and am a small town girl who would keep looking at an aircraft in the sky till it flew into oblivion.  I started working in the sector at 17. But it was only after my MBA that I thought of  setting up JetSetGo. While I was working had always heard that hiring a private jet in India is like hiring a spaceship. The sector was just waiting to get an option that enabled hassle-free and informed hiring of private aircraft for leisure, work or medical reasons, and the idea of booking online just cropped up. I returned to India from UK and from Bhopal moved to Delhi, with everyone sceptic about this move, had a medical setback and had to drop the plans for a year. And after a year and on recovering realised no one had picked up my idea and it was just waiting for me to put it into action,” told Kanika.

Not a word about what the medical contingency was, the strong girl not wanting to tell me and gain sympathy, never realised I had done my homework and knew of the fight she had with cancer at 22.

In just four years Jet set Go  has a monthly earning of 2million USD,  has more than   featured in the Forbes magazine list of ‘30under30’ achievers of Asia for making a mark in changing the face of e-commerce and shopping. In a traditionally male bastion Kanika is calling the shots  and has almost 80 per cent of India’s private jet fleet on board , makes it easy for users to search and charter aircrafts and helicopters across India, even in areas not served by commercial airlines.

“ JetSetGo is doing on an average  one flight a day with average cost ranging between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 15 lakh. It generates 50 per cent of revenue from corporate bookings, followed by leisure (20 per cent); the remaining is split between medical emergency and tours. We service almost 10 queries a day, have been witnessing a growth of almost 100 per cent, without giving discounts or creating artificial scarcity, ” she said.

JetSetGo raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Yuvraj Singh’s startup fund YouWeCan Ventures in July 2015. In December 2015, they raised $1.9 million in pre- Series A funding. The aviation start up has also raised an undisclosed amount from Puneet Dalmia, managing director of Dalmia Bharat Ltd, who invested in his personal capacity.

With offices in Delhi , Mumbai,  Bengaluru , Dubai  and  New York  Jet Set Go  has already got a global reach. It aims to be in 16 countries and have 150 employees in the near future.

Jet set Go is a story  of motivation and arriving with élan. What started with just 5,000 Rupees is now a case study for management colleges.  “Brilliant businesses were not built on money, but on great people and great ideas. Mine also has a whole lot of goodwill. If my business is not my first love, then the chances of it succeeding are slim,” ended Kanika on a positive note.

Air India Engineering Services (AIESL) has a huge manpower void to fill

By Sangeeta Saxena

New Delhi. 23 January 2016. In an attempt to fill a gaping gap and gain self sufficiency when it comes to maintenance, Air India’s technical arm has resorted to utilizing its veterans. “I have a shortage of 150-200 engineers and I have employed my retired staff to fill up the gap. I have taken about 150 people on contract for three years,” informed H R Jagannath, CEO of Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) in an exclusive interview to Aviation & Defence Universe(ADU).

“I cannot produce a private certified engineer in the market. It takes minimum 3 to 5 years for new comers to pass all papers and get DGCA approvals.17 modules to clear ,3 years experience in workshops and then type training. The wait is too long and when recruitment is not consistent it can be very detrimental. Qualified manpower is not easy to come by,” he added.15-odd retirements are taking place every month out of total 300 AMEs all over the country and the company is currently banking on re-employing these experts to fill the void.

The Air India Engineering Services Limited had last year released an employment notification, inviting candidates to apply for the position of Air Craft Technician. The age of the candidates applying for this post must not exceed 28 years. So in the near future some problems should get sorted out but to fill the vacuum completely will need a very long time. It takes two-four years for an aircraft technician to secure a type rating and maintenance engineers license and Air India has also begun offering on-job training to technicians from other companies, enabling them to apply to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for license. They are also seeking support of DGCA and Boeing for the training programme.

Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) is an offshoot of Air India which provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for aircraft. Hived off as a subsidiary in 2013 it became operational as a separate profit centre for Ground Handling and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul. It has MRO facilities in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Kolkata. Jagannath has a vision to turn it into a self-sustained and profitable firm in next five years.

It is approved for CAR147 by DGCA. The CAR 147 provides the common technical standards and guidelines to conduct recognized type training courses, to conduct examinations and to issue training certificates. CAR 147 approval has to be sought by the operators. It specifies conditions for issue, renewal, suspension and revocation of certificates attached to the approval and privileges thereof.

“Approval from aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for C-checks (2,250 days inspection) on B777 series aircraft fitted with GE 90-100/115 engines have been granted in May 2015. Subsequent to it, D-check (3,000 days inspection) approval was granted in February 2016. Likewise, an internal audit has been carried out for Airbus family approval and approval is awaited for the application to DGCA for certification of A319/A320/A321 series aircraft fitted with CFM56-5b/V2500 A1 series engines up to 4A check,” explained Jagannath.
Setting up of Nagpur MRO has been the talk of both media and the industry for very long. The construction work for its Nagpur MRO commenced in March 2011 and in December 2014, the facility was handed over to AIESL, which began its operations on August 27, 2015. In addition to Air India fleet of Boeings it also has contracts to do MRO for many Indian and foreign airlines.

“ We have line maintenance certificates for lot of carriers like Silk Air, Scoot, Singapore Airlines and Kuwait Airways. In the Indian we have Jet Airways, Go Air, Vistara and Spicejet. Talks are on with Indigo,” he informed.

On being asked about their foray into the military MRO for India, he said, “At the moment hands our hands are full with Air India and Alliance Air component MRO, Base, Align and Engine Maintenances. Military aviation has a OEM dominated direct control. We are now thinking of entering the military aviation space. There is a strong fleet with the three forces and para military forces and a very important MRO market.”

On the next five year plan he stated that their blueprint is well in place. Aim is to expand the customer base by recruiting more people for marketing. “We want to become a self-sustained and profitable company in the next five years. We aim to earn around 40% of our revenue from the third-party servicing in near future, which is around Rs 130 crore of revenue in FY17,” he positively said.

Elaborating on the strategy for marketing he said, “ we are looking into the concept of 'per hour of flight' which is very much the strategy in many countries. The primary aim of an airline is to serve passengers from point A to B and then further to point C. Maintenance and other work is not their core work and may seem to be a headache for them, as it requires setting up of an entire set up including engineers and other staff. The airlines as such will be more than happy to outsource this job (MRO) to us. As the name suggests, we will be charging the airline for per hour of flying plus other types of arrangements, depending on the work required. So, it is a win-win situation for both the parties.”

After the announcement of UDAN scheme for regional connectivity by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, MRO industry should also benefit. “I can sense a great business for MRO industry in general in the near future. The regional airlines shall save a lot of money which comes to about 20-25% if they service their planes in India instead of flying them abroad,” he added. ”

When asked about buying of spares Jagannath denied any plan for this as traditionally airlines get the tax benefits for importing of spare parts and this activity is done by them. We can only be facilitators.

He was very optimistic about the setting up of Engine MRO at Nagpur by GE. He said that the complete service should get started by the year 2018. DGCA has given approvals for C checks for GE 90-100/115 engines fitted in Boeing aircraft. Subsequent to it, D-check (3,000 days inspection) approval was also granted. They also hope to service aircraft fitted with CFM56-5b/V2500 A1 series engines up to 4A check.

Jagannath ended on high expectancy by quipping that the government too should support the MRO sector by offering five year tax holiday. He is surely keeping his fingers crossed.

Sikorsky confident of M28 being just the choice for India

By Sangeeta Saxena

New Delhi. 07 December 2016. When Sikorsky Aircraft acquired Poland’s largest aircraft manufacturer,PZL Mielec, in 2007, and with it the M28 aircraft family including versions with and without an integrated “glass” cockpit, little would the American manufacturer have thought that there would be a tailor made role for it in the burgeoning Indian aviation arena.

“Delays do not dampen our spirits and now  that In September 2016, the Director General of Civil Aviation has  approved the PZL M28 aircraft for commercial operations we are sure it is the right product to address the requirement of the market of regional connectivity,” said Arvind Walia, Sikorsky Lockheed Martin Regional Executive for India and South Asia.

For a manufacturer which has been synonymous with helicopters, it may be a surprise for many that the company has a portfolio of fixed-wing aircraft. In addition to the M28 turboprop it also has  the Reconnaissance Fixed-Wing Aircraft (RFWA).

The Mielec factory has delivered more than 100 M28 aircraft so far. Sikorsky modernized M28 production and completions with computer design tools and today supports the hard-working fleet with a global logistics network. Civil-certified M28s routinely carry passengers and cargo for commercial and government operators.

“This aircraft will address the present requirement spelt out by the Government of India to connect the Teir II cities, especially the North Eastern part of the country as well as the Western and South- Western part of the country,” says Walia.

Sikorsky is confident  from a commercial standpoint the aircraft gives opportunity to connect the lesser known cities which operate a grassy or paved runaways giving the passengers, a time and cost effective option for transport from one city to another.

“There are close to 400 operational airstrips that aren’t paved or used for full commercial application. This is where the M28 will be useful in a passenger configuration. But the aircraft can be configured in other application as well which make it very versatile. It can be just right aircraft for Medevac, SAR operations, Para dropping  filming disaster and many more roles, ” he added.

The 485 cu ft. (148m3) cabin has a full-width aft door to para drop cargo. The cabin can be outfitted with a removable roller floor, optional cargo hoist, and heavy cargo restraints to speed loading and unloading.

“The twin turboprop aircraft offers a host of excellent characteristics best suited to connect regional cities, particularly in the north-east. The aircraft’s capability to land safely and easily on grass and gravel airstrips is inherent to the design. Also ideal is its easy conversion from passenger seating to carrying cargo, and of course as a VIP transport vehicle,” says Walia.

With its high-lift wing, ample power, thrust-reversing propellers, and fixed tricycle landing gear including low-pressure tires and anti-skid brakes, the M28 takes-off and lands on rough strips less than 1,000 (345 m) ft long.

The M28B/PT cockpit is built around a Honeywell Bendix/King Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS) with integrated weather radar, Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System and Traffic Collision Advisory System. The standard aircraft has a modern VFR/IFR avionics suite including VOR, GPS, and ADF navigation aids. Sikorsky Mielec is integrating more capable electro-optical payloads and other new mission systems.

“I think the potential of the M28 in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance roles is very much the need of the hour keeping in mind Indian military and civil requirements today. It will be a great asset for the Indian multi terrain operations both in peace and other times,” added Walia.

Healthy power margins make One Engine Inoperative emergencies safer even in extremely hot or icing conditions with an OEI rate of climb of 450 fpm (138 m/min) on a Standard day. The 16,500 lb (7,500 kg) M28 hauls 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) over 225 nm (450 km).  It can cruise at speeds to 192 kt (356 km/hr) and stalls at just 53 kt with engines idling and flaps extended. Service altitude is up to 25,000 ft with crew oxygen. The M28 has been certificated by EASA and the US FAA for flight into known icing conditions.

With a robust airframe, responsive low-speed handling, and extreme Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) performance, the Sikorsky M28 has proven its value in forward-deployed airlift operations. “Religious tourism in India for pilgrimages in mountaineous terrains might be just waiting for M28 to happen,” quipped Walia.

Pawan Hans Flying High on Stable Plans

By Sangeeta Saxena

New Delhi. IPO preparation on in full swing with The State Bank of India (SBI) is carrying out a risk assessment survey for the company and with helicopter services for VIP movement, Pawan Hans plans to embark on to regional connectivity for the common man.  “Pawan Hans is in the process of transforming to meet the challenges in the market. Our aim is to develop remote connectivity by getting air connectivity to 670 district head quarters. At the moment only 50 have air connectivity.” said Dr. B.P. Sharma, CMD, Pawan Hans Ltd. (PHL), in an exclusive interview to Aviation & Defence Universe(ADU).

There is lot of scope for fleet expansion. In the Business Plan 2020, under which PHL will lease or acquire 63 choppers, small fixed wing aircraft and sea planes in the next 5 years. “There is a lot of potential for expanding operations and we intend to be fully equipped to tap it. We see a business to the tune of Rs.50,000 crore in the years to come in the helicopter sector,” he said.

The copter service firm has finalised a business plan, which it expects will increase its revenue to Rs 1,600 crore by 2027, from Rs 500 crore in 2015-16.

“In the world scenario we are less than 1% in the helicopter industry. There is a huge potential. 400 plus airstrips have been taken over by Airports Authority of India, Indian Air force and state governments.  Heliports here with state initiative and PHL consultancy will help develop remote and regional connectivity, which is government’s aim,” he felt.

Pawan Hans has constructed the country's first heliport at Rohini in North Delhi. “We are working to develop four 'heli-hubs' along the lines of 'airport-hubs'. These heli-hubs will be a one-point solution for the helicopter business and will act as a helipad heliport for public passenger services, MRO facility for helicopter maintenance and also as a skill development centre for training of pilots, AMEs and technicians,” said Sharma.

The helicopter major plans to venture into MRO business. To start with the MRO facility is being planned to be established at Rohini at Delhi and Juhu at Mumbai through PPP model/ develop, manage and operate revenue based model. Pawan Hans signed an  MoU with Hindusthan Aeronautics Limited for an MRO for its ALH-Dhruv helicopters. New safety department structure has been put in place for close monitoring and implementation of Safety Management System, Flight Data Monitoring System, Pilot training etc., to ensure accident/incident free flying.

Pawan Hans is a Mini Ratna-I category PSU and is India’s largest helicopter operator as also one of the Asia’s biggest operators. It has achieved flying of more than 7 lakhs hours and 25 lakhs landings on its fleet since its formation. Pawan Hans has its own fleet of 43 helicopters, comprising of 17 Dauphin N, 15 Dauphin N3, 3 MI-172, 3 Bell 206 L4, 3 Bell 407 and 2 AS 350 B3 helicopters. It also operates and maintains 6 Dhruv helicopters belonging to BSF and HAL.

The National Civil Aviation Policy has a lot of provisions to develop the chopper industry in India. Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS). Airport charges for helicopter operations are to be suitably rationalized. Further under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), operations through helicopters would be permitted among the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, North-Eastern Region of India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep islands.

Regional Connectivity Brain Stormed At Aero Expo 2016

By Sangeeta Saxena

New Delhi. 20 November 2016. It was a top heavy event with industry participation at its lowest ebb in an aero show. But the maiden attempt to get all stake holders to talk about government’s attempt to give a fillip to regional connectivity, is to be lauded. Aero Expo 2016 started with discussions, carried on with debates and ended with consensus that connectivity of far flung areas and small towns will be a win-win situation for the users, operators and the government.

Ashok Gajpathi Raju, Minister of Civil Aviation while inaugurating the  event stated that the government of the day is exploring all possibilities for capacity expansion of leading airports in the country as well doing its best to make sure that the regional air connectivity is accomplished as per its UDAAN initiative, to connect unconnected and serve unserved.

Since the aim to achieve better regulation of air transport services to un-served and underserved areas, the policy on promotion of Regional and Remote Area Connectivity was finalized in consultation with stake holders as part of National Civil Aviation Policy. The objective of the Regional Connectivity Policy is to encourage airlines to operate in remote and regional areas by offering various concessions/incentives and at the same time, making it obligatory to fly to remote and intra remote areas.

Jayant Sinha Minister of State for Civil Aviation  asked civil aviation industry to grow in such a manner so that its passenger traffic, currently estimated at about 150 million for domestic and overseas sector multiplies manifold and catches on pace with the air traffic of China which presently is calculated at 500 million per annum.

As per the vision of India's first integrated civil aviation policy that was approved at a cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has to push domestic travel to 300 million passengers by 2022 from 80 million now and scheduled operations have to expand from 77 airports now to 127 by 2019.  And both these can be achieved only if regional connectivity is increased on a war effort.

Rajiv Nayan Choubey, Secretary, Civil Aviation on the side lines of the event told the media by December 2016 dozen of schedule commercial operations could begin to connect small towns in the country under its regional connectivity drive, though he didn’t name the airlines.

The airlines were conspicuous by their absence at the show exhibition area. The Non-Scheduled Operators were represented though by a very few. Many of these charter operators feel government should give them an opportunity to be a part of this whole drive of regional connectivity, by letting them operate like commercial airlines.

PHDCCI called for a reduction in lending cost for leasing-out aircraft and suggested this be brought at par with rates that prevail in Japan and China.The expo concluded that leasing norms for commercial aircraft in India have improved but need to be evolved for business aviation.

Another important conclusion was that the country needed more institutions to fulfill manpower requirements of domestic civil aviation industry. Skills development was not only the need of the hour for the sector but also important for matching international standards.

PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry along with Ministry of Civil organised the first ever aero show sans air display and fly pasts in the capital. Arrow Aircraft , Club One Air the Luxury Charter Jets, FSTC, Bhadra, TDI and some more represented the sector .  The OEMs were represented by Airbus,  Sikorsky,and the most sought after government’s own Pawan Hans.

F-16 production could take off from US and land in India

By Sangeeta Saxena

New Delhi. 05 August 2016. F-1 6 production could take off from US and land in India but the catch is if they get a substantial order from Indian Air Force, which is grappling with an aged fleet.  Lockheed Martin’s F 16 team  which is on a visit to India currently told the media in the national capital that the US major is ready to shift its  F16 facility to India on New Delhi’s nod for procurement.

"The offer we have given to the Indian government is unmatched and from our side unprecedented. We will shift the only existing production facility of F 16 to India and want to make F16-Block 70 for India, from India and export it to the world," proclaimed Randall L Howard, F16 Business Development head at Lockheed Martin.

And this gives fire to the rumour mills puffing that the multi-billion dollar deal was finalised during   last month’s hush-hush  visit of Lockheed Martin’s Chairman, President and CEO Marillyn Hewson  to India.

Lockheed’s national executive (India) Abhay Paranjape, however, agreed that  the establishing the production line in India was conditional on assured orders from Indian Air Force but was optimistic as they  have not been told to go away.

With 27 customers, 4588 ordered, 4573 delivered and 15 in the backlog  the Fort Worth facility in Texas will be able to finish its commitment by 2017 end and could be shifted to India without any effect on jobs of the staff as the facility will be used to ramp up production of F35 which is the cynosure of all eyes currently and the aircraft of choice for many nations.

Howard was enthusiastic about F 16s 138 versions, more than 1000 upgrades delivered and 55 Follow-On buys from 16 countries. He optimistically stated that the  Block 70 fighters would be the finest combat planes in the region and  building the planes in India would drive down the production cost and increase its demand worldwide.

The version on offer will have improved capabilities like an AESA Radar, new weapons, advanced cockpit, state-of-the-art datalink, and improved avionics, thus making it more interoperable, lethal and survivability.

And if this happens it wouldn’t be the first time the F-16 production will be done abroad by Lockheed Martin. During the 1970s a joint U.S./European program produced F-16s for four NATO countries from three assembly lines in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Fort Worth. Assembly lines in Turkey and Korea also produced F-16s under license for their own air forces. But none of these facilities exist now except for Fort Worth. Belgium made 222 and closed in 1991, Netherlands 300 and continued till 1992, South Korea  produced 128 and closed in 2004 whereas Turkey manufactured  308 and closed in 2012. So this leaves Lockheed’s facility at Fort Worth which has produced 3616 to date and continues to wrap up the existing backlog.

Howards continuous mention to F 16 being better than competitor’s products was asked wouldn’t establishing facilities for making important parts without a commitment of procurement in India make their chances better he reiterated, “ which competitor has offered to shift the complete assembly line to India. We have and are confident that the product we have is most suitable for meeting IAF’s needs.”

As always it becomes difficult for any official to comment on India’s could be objection to sustaining the existing fleet of F16 in Pakistan and supplying to them. Howard though said that these were discussion to happen between the governments of US and India, but the status quo at the moment is that US has refused subsidy to Pakistan to buy eight  F16s recently and has asked them to buy by making the complete payment.

Lockheed already has a joint venture with the Hyderabad-based TASL for making and exporting of the C-130 J empennage. However the officials did not confirm that their partner of choice would be  TASL for the F-16 production. Paranjpe  stated that  they were in talks  with a lot of industry in India.

The F-16s positive point is that being a “fourth generation aircraft,”  it promises complete IAF’s  need along with home made Tejas, because the fifth generation aircraft  is already committed to be bought from the Russians  for IAF thus leaving not much chance for the much advanced Lockheed aircraft  F22 Raptor and F 35 and India at the moment is trying to fulfil the gaps in its inventory.

HForce to weaponise Airbus helicopters

• H125M, H145M and H225M to benefit

By Sangeeta Saxena

Donauwörth, Germany . 27 June 2016. It is a new marketing  strategy which promises to work. Airbus Helicopters has launched a weaponising programme  which will give the militaries of the world  the ability to  combat , scout, launch both  ground  and air-to-air attacks and all this without buying a  purpose-made helicopter.  This is HForcea helicopter armament system, which recently completed a first round of firing tests  which is a  a generic weapon system in development for the company’s commercial helicopter range.

Christian Fanchini, Senior Operational Marketing Manager for HForce told journalists at the Trade Media Briefing  at the Airbus Helicopers facility in Germany  recently,  that HForce comprises an FN Herstal HMP400 12.7 mm machinegun, Nexter 20 mm cannon, Forges de Zeebrugge 70 mm rockets, Thales Scorpion helmet-mounted sight and Wescam turret. It is funded solely by Airbus Helicopters as a company initiative to militarize best selling civil helicopters.

Fanchini said, “ it has the added value is having multiple weapons systems and several sensors on one platform instead of one platform and one weapons system. It has  Ballistic + Guided, Air-to-Ground + Air-to-Air + Air-to-Surface combat systems.

He explained that HForce is built on incremental and modular options. Option 1 is the armed scout, with the pilot would using a helmet-mounted sighting display to aim ballistic weapons—the 12.7-mm or 20-mm machine gun and unguided rockets. Option 2 is the ballistic light attack helicopter, which would be equipped with an electro-optic sensor (initially the L-3 Wescam MX-15 or -20). Using the E/O sensor, Option 3 is the guided light attack, which builds on Option 2 by adding guided weapons. Option 0 is HForce ready (fixed parts & harness for easy retrofit)The customer buys the helicopter when it can afford the aircraft. “Because we can come back to plug and play any kinds of weapons on it, you have potentially a light attack helicopter. You don’t need to buy the weapons to have the ability, because you just have to come back to us to plug and play, ” he said.

“The HForce program was  launched on April 2014 and the entry into service of central unit test bench was on May 2015, followed by the 1st flight on  December 2015 and the 1st firing campaign happened recently  in Belgium.  The qualification of the system on aircraft is to be ready by the end of 2017,” Fanchini informed.

The initiative's initial focus is on the medium, twin-engine H225M, testing of which has been underway, he said, and the light single H125M and light twin H145M will be added to the program. HForce is a generic weapon system that can be fitted onto any military versions of Airbus Helicopters’ commercial helicopter range

HForce enables a drastic reduction of workload thanks to experience gained from crew resource management on Tiger helicopters. With the HForce system in place, crew manage the helicopter’s weapons while the pilot flies, exactly like in an attack helicopter.

“Making the most of Airbus Helicopters’ experience in firing or operating any kind of weapon safely from any military version of our commercial range, a series of options is available for both pilot and gunner firing, with EOS and HMSD,” he said.

This journalist was visiting the Airbus helicopters facility at Donauwörth, Germany on an invitation to attend the TMB 2016

HAL & Safran together form a MRO for Safran engines in India

• Goa is the destination

By Sangeeta Saxena

Farnborough. 11 July 2016. Amidst internationally raining announcements on the first day of the Farnborough Airshow, India was not to be left behind. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL) signed a MOU with French engine maker Safran, to form a joint venture company for maintenance , repair and overhaul of the 500 plus strong fleet of Safran engines used by the Indian defence and para-military force.

This MRO is slated to be located in Goa. Another feather in Defence Minister’s overflowing cap, of trying to make his home state an aviation and defence hub.

The setting up of the facility will be done in two phases. The first will be the maintenance  phase and the second the repair and overhaul phase, informed DK Venkatesh, Diector(Engineering R&D), who signed the contract for HAL.

The engines which will be looked after are HAL-Turbomeca’s jointly manufactured Shakti which is Ardiden 1H1 and Turbomeca’s TM 333 2B2. The former are on HAL Dhruv and HAL Light Combat Helicopter. The latter are on HAL’s  Dhruv early deliveries,  Cheetah and Chetak.

The HAL/Turbomeca Shakti (called the Ardiden 1H by Turbomeca) is a turboshaft helicopter engine jointly developed by India and France. The development of the Shakti/Ardiden 1H project was initiated in 1999 by the two companies to power the HAL Dhruv helicopter. However, several factors including the US embargo following India's 1998 nuclear tests forced the project to run behind schedule. Hence, early models of the Dhruv used the less powerful Turbomeca TM 333-2B2 engine as a contingency. The first test flight of the Dhruv with the new Shakti engine took place on 16 August 2007. By late 2007, HAL started fitting the Shakti engines for Dhruvs produced from then.

The Turbomeca TM 333 is a turboshaft engine designed for 5- to 6-ton-class helicopters. The TM 333 found its first commercial application on the HAL Dhruv. For multi-engine applications presently, HAL Dhruv employs two TM 333 2B2 engines each developing 825 kW at takeoff, with growth potential to 900 kW for subsequent versions. The TM 333 2B2 is the initial production engine used on the Dhruv. Approximately 250 engines are installed on Dhruv and further production has been stopped as it is replaced by Shakti engine which is joint development by HAL & Turbomeca.

Another version, the TM333 2M2, is being developed with reduced power to be fitted on the Cheetal, the upgraded version of the HAL Cheetah (Lama), and the Chetan, the upgraded version of the HAL Chetak (Alouette III). This is a single engine application.

Bruno Even, CEO Safran Helicopter Engines informed that it will be a fifty-fifty percent JV. At the end of Phase I there will be fifty employees and by the end of Phase II of setting up, there should be somewhere between two to three hundred , he informed.

The facility will be up and about in three and four years. The JV has identified an existing infrastructure which will be modified to suit their requirements. The official ceremony at Goa is expected to be held somewhere in the fall of 2016.