Tag Archives: Airbus

Heritage Aviation orders 2 Airbus helicopters to operate under UDAN scheme

India-based aircraft charter company Heritage Aviation has placed an order for H125 and H130 Airbus Helicopters to operate under the Government of India’s regional connectivity scheme – ‘Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN).

”UDAN scheme is a sure shot game changer and is proving to be a turning point for helicopters in India. I am grateful to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for streamlining several norms for helicopters in the UDAN scheme and making it much more attractive for operators. The time and energy which the Honourable Minister of Civil Aviation is devoting to push the growth of the helicopter industry is phenomenal and unprecedented and this has given us the courage and confidence to invest more in helicopters,” said Rohit Mathur, CEO, Heritage Aviation.

“We are honoured that Heritage Aviation has put their trust in Airbus Helicopters for their growing network of charter services in India. The Government of India’s UDAN scheme has made huge strides in enhancing regional air connectivity and empowering the Indian tourism sector. We are proud that Airbus Helicopters is contributing to this growth by making remote locations and regions accessible to people. Both the H125 and H130 are great choices that will help further promote this sector in the country,” said Sunny Guglani, Head of Airbus Helicopters, Airbus India and South Asia.

The H125 is a single-engine helicopter known for its performance, versatility and low maintenance, while also excelling in high-and-hot and extreme environments. It is a member of Airbus’ Ecureuil family, which has accumulated 38 million flight hours worldwide. With built-in manoeuvrability, excellent visibility and low vibration levels in the cabin, the H125 has earned its reputation as a true multi-mission workhorse, including aerial work, firefighting, law enforcement, rescue, air ambulance and passenger transport.

The H130 is a single-engine helicopter known for its widespread use with sightseeing services, charter operators and emergency medical services. The H130 has a spacious cabin for a pilot and up to seven passengers for a comfortable ride. Its state-of-the-art technologies, materials, systems and avionics make it a quiet and powerful helicopter.
Heritage Aviation is one of the leading helicopter operators of India. It has been awarded several new helicopter routes under the latest UDAN tender.

Airbus Takes Flight with ‘Skill India’: Investing in the Future of Indian Aviation

The European aviation giant has teamed up with Air India, now under the Tata Group, to establish a world-class pilot training center in Gurugram, Haryana.

Over the next decade, this 3,300 sq.mt. center will train 5,000 new pilots, equipping them with the skills to navigate the skies in both, A320 and A350 Airbus models.

The first pilots will take flight at the Tata Airbus Training Centre in early 2025, starting with four A320 Full Flight Simulators. All courses will be approved by both the DGCA and EASA.

The aviation giant has teamed up with GMR Aero Technic to launch specialized Aircraft Maintenance Engineering training courses at GMR’s facility in Hyderabad. This collaboration promises to equip technicians with the skills and knowledge needed to maintain Airbus aircraft to the highest international standards.

Airbus is taking decisive action to fuel this expansion. As Rémi Maillard, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia, aptly puts it: “India will need 41,000 pilots and 47,000 technicians in the next 20 years. The pilot training centre with Air India and the maintenance training partnership with GMR are a testament to Airbus’ commitment to developing human capital.”

By partnering with academic institutions like GSV, IIT Kanpur, and IISc, the company fosters innovation and talent growth in the Indian aerospace sector.

Air India aims to set up South Asia’s largest aviation academy in Gurugram

Air India announced its 600,000 sq ft academy in Gurugram, a landmark moment at Wings India 2024.

Its training programme, including a pilot school and AME (Aircraft Maintenance Engineering) institute, aims to equip 50,000+ professionals and fuel India’s aviation.

Air India partners with industry giants to build two state-of-the-art pilot training centers equipped with over 20 Full Flight Simulators, ensuring training for Airbus and Boeing fleets.

“This training academy isn’t just bricks and mortar,” proclaimed Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO. “It’s a brick in the foundation of a self-reliant Indian aviation industry, poised to fuel our nation’s skyrocketing growth.”

From world-class equipment to the latest technology, the immersive training environment prioritizes safety and paves the way for career ascent in Asia’s aviation hub.

The academy offers training for all aviation roles, from pilots mastering SEP to cabin crew refining service and security personnel ensuring seamless airport operations. Leadership pathways and a safety-first culture powered by industry giants.

Air India starts rolling out new global brand identity

Air India has started rolling out its recently unveiled global brand identity across guest touchpoints, beginning with a full switch to the new look across digital and online channels and rebranding at Delhi and Mumbai airports.

The new identity, unveiled in August 2023, is centered around the ‘Vista’, Air India’s logo icon and a symbol of limitless possibilities and progressiveness. The new look features Air India’s new brand colours, including Air India red, aubergine, rose gold, and accents of gold, as well as the extensive usage of customised iconography and a bespoke font, Air India Sans – all crafted to reflect a bold, modern, and world-class airline with an Indian heart. This spirit is now reflected in:

● A redesigned website, airindia.com, and a new mobile app: Air India guests will now be able to enjoy a more seamless and intuitive online experience with streamlined booking flows, faster performance, new features, and a refreshed design that showcases the airline’s new brand identity. The new website and mobile app were designed and architected by Air India’s teams in Kochi and Silicon Valley.

● New social media avatar: Air India’s social media platforms have been revamped to reflect the new brand identity, offering engaging content and an interactive platform for guests to connect with the airline and fellow travellers.

● Gradual rollout at airports: Starting with Delhi and Mumbai airports, guests will begin to see the new branding come alive at various touchpoints, including check-in counters, boarding gates, lounges, and newly designed boarding cards. The rollout will progressively extend to other airports across Air India’s growing global network in the coming weeks.

“The network-wide switch to our new global brand identity is a landmark moment for Air India,” said Campbell Wilson, CEO & Managing Director, Air India. “It’s not just about bringing our new logo and colours to customer touchpoints; it’s a promise to our guests of a transforming travel experience that is modern, seamless, and infused with the warmth and hospitality that defines a new India and a new Air India. We are confident that the modern, world-class look of Air India will appeal to our guests globally and serve as a strong reminder of all the remarkable changes that have come or are to come to their Air India experience.”

The new Air India livery will feature on the A350 fleet and subsequently on other incoming brand-new aircraft. The in-flight rollout of the new global brand identity is linked to the airline’s soon-to-be-inducted Airbus A350 fleet as well as subsequent refurbishment of cabin products over the next few months.

“This is a transformation of great scale, and therefore, it may take us a while to achieve consistency in our product, service, and the overall ‘new Air India experience’. We will continue to seek the support of our guests as we modernise Air India and make it a world-class airline that India deserves,” Campbell Wilson added.

Earlier this year, Air India placed record-setting orders for 470 aircraft with Airbus and Boeing for USD 70 billion (at published list prices), from which the much-anticipated Airbus A350 aircraft will start arriving this month. A USD 400 million project for the refurbishment of 43 of Air India’s legacy widebody aircraft begins mid-2024, which will lead to the installation of brand-new seats in every cabin, new inflight entertainment systems, and inflight Wi-Fi internet connectivity.
Air India last week revealed new uniforms for its cabin and cockpit crews, designed by the famed Indian couturier, Manish Malhotra. The new uniforms will be introduced in a phased manner over the next few months, starting with the entry of service of Air India’s first Airbus A350. The airline will also soon reveal new uniforms for ground staff, engineers, and security personnel, designed by Manish Malhotra.

 

IndiGo to double its fleet size by 2030

India’s largest carrier by market share, IndiGo is looking to double its fleet by 2030. Having ordered for around 970 planes, the airline is set to receive one aircraft per week (50 aircraft) over the next year, IndiGo’s chief executive officer Pieter Elbers said.

The airline, which added six new destinations in the last quarter, plans to start flights to Bali (Indonesia) and Medina (Saudi Arabia) in the upcoming quarter (Q3FY24) as part of its international expansion plans. “Q2 was when internationalisation came to fruition. We will continue our internationalisation,” Elbers said, adding that the airline is currently operating around 500 routes, including over 100 international.

Of its massive orderbook the airline is awaiting the delivery of the Airbus A321XLRs (extra long range) aircraft that will begin joining its fleet late in 2024 to fly non-stop flights (in the duration of up to 7-8 hours) from India to Athens and Seoul, Elbers revealed.

In fact, going forward, the focus of the airline is not just to connect international destinations out of metros, but also other parts of the country (read tier-II cities). “It (A321XLRs) will not only stretch our reach further into Asia and Europe but also within India itself,” Elbers said.

IndiGo, which recently signed a codeshare partnership with UK flag carrier British Airways, is now looking to expand its codeshare with the Australian flag carrier Qantas. It has been scouting for more global partners to spread its wings to destinations across the globe, already having in place codeshare partnerships with Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, KLM, American Airlines and Air France.

In the quarter ended September, Indigo posted a net profit of INR 189 crore, marking a 28% growth year-on-year. It expects to close the next quarter at 25% YoY growth moderated by the growth it saw in last year’s third quarter. This was a profitable Q2 after five years, which traditionally is considered a weaker quarter in the airline business.

IndiGo is also “well on track” to achieve the target of carrying 100 million passengers this financial year, Elbers said.  (Source Deccan Herald)

Air India to start non-stop flight between Kolkata and Bangkok from Oct 23

Air India is set to introduce non-stop flight service between Kolkata and Bangkok from October 23, 2023. In its official statement, the airline said, “AI322 will depart Kolkata at 2200 hrs to reach Bangkok at 0205 hrs the next morning. The return flight AI321 will take off from Bangkok at 0305 hrs to land in Kolkata at 0410 hrs (All Local Time). The flight, operated with a narrow body Airbus family aircraft, will have a two-class configuration of Economy and Business Class and operate six days a week from Monday to Saturday.”

Air India currently operates a total of 14 flights to Bangkok per week with daily non-stop flights from Delhi and Mumbai connecting the destination. Earlier in March, the Tata Group-owned airline said that it would add frequency on the major eastbound routes of Asia like Hong Kong, Bangkok (Thailand), and Seoul on its 2023 summer schedule.

The airline said that it would add a total of eight new weekly flights – six to Bangkok (three each from Delhi and Mumbai), and additional weekly flights from Delhi to Seoul (Incheon) and Hong Kong, starting from March 26.