Latest news with #B737MAX
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Turning 3, Akasa hopeful of getting planes on time as Boeing ‘returns to historic production strength'
NEW DELHI: Having seen serious delays from Boeing, India's youngest airline Akasa — which turned three on Thursday — is now hopeful the embattled US aerospace major will step up aircraft deliveries going ahead. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Describing the relation with Boeing as ' strong and collaborative,' Akasa founder & CEO Vinay Dube said in a mail to employees Thursday: 'The manufacturer is steadily returning to its historic production strength, and we remain in close and constant dialogue with them. We are confident of receiving our planned aircraft deliveries on time this year, which will support our ambitious expansion plans.' With Trump administration imposing 50% tariffs on India, desi airlines that have ordered Boeing planes including Air India group and Akasa are keeping their fingers crossed that the current state of India-US trade ties does not affect their deliveries. Akasa, which started flying on Aug 7, 2022, has 226 Boeing 737 MAX on order and has so far got 30 of them. Delayed deliveries from Boeing over the last two years have meant that many of its 775 pilots have very little or no flying to do. There has been serious heartburn among pilots over this issue. While Akasa has been assuring to resolve this issue for a while now, not getting planes from Boeing at the promised pace has meant the same remains. Addressing this, Dube said in his Thursday mail: 'At Akasa, we are deeply committed to nurturing long-term, fulfilling careers for our pilots. Over the past 1.5 years, we have seen 31 command upgrades, with 40 more tracking positively this year. We have strengthened our instructor and examiner pool and secured a new B737 MAX simulator in Bengaluru, making us the only airline in India to train across three MAX simulators. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Growth is across departments; we released 48 internal job postings this year, ensuring every Akasian has the opportunity to take charge of their career.' The airline has over 4,700 employees. With its 30 planes operating 150 daily flight, the airline has over 5% domestic market share as per DGCA data, and it currently has a network of 28 destinations, including five international ones. 'Over the last year, we have welcomed 80 lakh more passengers, growing from 1.1 crore in August 2024 to 1.9 crore by August 2025. That's about 73% increase in passenger growth in just 12 months, a remarkable milestone by any industry standard. It speaks of the growing trust our customers place in us, the strength of our network, and the consistency with which our teams deliver the Akasa experience,' Dube's mail says. This Jan, Akasa had appointed co-founder Belson Coutinho as COO. About him, Dube said: 'Having worked closely with operational teams across functions, Belson brings a rare blend of brand thinking, operational insight, and a deep passion for technology, service, and people. His strong alignment with Akasa's values and sharp focus on cost leadership position him well to elevate our operational excellence in the years ahead. ' The airline will start flights from both Navi Mumbai and Greater Noida airports that will open in a few months. 'We are expanding our presence in Delhi as more slots become available, which will be a significant driver of growth for both our domestic and international operations. We are thrilled to begin operations from Navi Mumbai International Airport and Noida International Airport (Jewar) this year. These will be pivotal to expanding access and giving us a strategic edge,' Dube said. International expansion will 'continue to be a core strategic pillar. Over the next year, we are targeting a meaningful increase in international routes, aiming to increase international ASKs from 18% to 40% in the next few years,' he added. The airline recently secured over $125 million in fresh capital from investors, including Premji Invest, Claypond Capital, 360 ONE Asset, and the late Rakesh Jhunjhunwala's family. Dube's mail adds: 'We are doing all of this (expansion) while staying financially prudent and operationally grounded. We are building a business that can weather volatility and thrive through it, not just despite our challenges, but because of how we respond to them. ' Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
India likely to make preliminary Air India plane crash report public
Air India plane crash MUMBAI: As the 30-day limit to submit the report of the preliminary investigation into the June 12 Air India accident in Ahmedabad to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) ends this week, there is anticipation India will release it to the public. The ICAO places no obligation on the investigating country to make the report public and India had not released the preliminary report of the last major accident at Calicut in 2020. But the AI 171 probe is being followed by the global airline industry with keen interest as it was the first major one involving a Boeing 787. "Apart from the roles and responsibilities of Air India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and others, the investigation will crucially be a Boeing 787 systems-level case study. It's the first such global investigation of the 'more electric' B787 aircraft. The preliminary findings, if substantial and critical, could reshape B787 operations," said a senior commander, requesting anonymity. "What we hear is that India will make the preliminary report public this time," he added. Prior to the June 12 accident, the last major fatal accident India investigated was the August 2020 Calicut Air India Express accident involving a Boeing 737 and 21 deaths. Back then, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) did not release its preliminary report to the public. Since an aircraft accident investigation is solely carried out to learn lessons and prevent a repeat — unlike a murder investigation, it does not apportion blame or trace culprits — most countries release their preliminary findings to the public. The last time the global aviation industry tracked an accident investigation closely was in 2018 after the Oct 29 Indonesian Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX crash. Keeping with the 30-day deadline, on Nov 28, Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee sent a preliminary report to ICAO and also publicly released it. In fact, it announced in advance that the preliminary report would be uploaded on its website at 10 am on November 28. 'The preliminary investigation following Lion Air Flight 610 revealed that prior to the crash, a system called Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System or MCAS engaged without the Lion Air pilots' knowledge. Back then, Boeing hadn't disclosed MCAS to any airlines or pilots. The MCAS lowers the nose automatically to prevent a stall, or the loss of lift, if it detects that the angle of the plane's nose is too high relative to the ground. What we learnt from the preliminary report is that a malfunctioning sensor may have led the MCAS to engage repeatedly, countering the pilots' manoeuvres,' said a B737 examiner. 'When Ethiopian Airlines B737 MAX crashed five months later, it was the Lion Air preliminary report that came back into focus. The final report into the Lion Air crash came a year later; by then, the B737 MAX was already grounded globally,' he added. 'If Air India accident preliminary report points to any possible warning or technical fault in the B787, you can imagine the impact it would have on Dreamliner operations globally,' the examiner said. Of all the accident investigations carried out by India in the past decades, this one is arguably the most followed investigation globally. The AAIB can submit the preliminary report to the ministry of civil aviation if it chooses. Under Annex 13 of ICAO, which lays down the guidelines for carrying out an accident investigation, the preliminary report has to be submitted by the state (India, in this case) to ICAO within 30 days of the occurrence.
Web Release
18-06-2025
- Business
- Web Release
Turkish Airlines Expands Simulator Orders with HAVELSAN
In line with its ongoing efforts to further strengthen its pilot training infrastructure, Turkish Airlines has placed an additional order for one Boeing 737 MAX Full Flight Simulator (FFS) from HAVELSAN to be delivered in January 2026. This new order, placed as part of the long-standing cooperation with HAVELSAN, demonstrates the national flag carrier's commitment to expanding its simulator fleet and enhancing its technological capabilities. This additional order stands as a concrete testament to Turkish Airlines' confidence in HAVELSAN and in domestically developed advanced technologies. Commenting on the new order, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Prof Ahmet Bolat, stated: 'This additional order reinforces our strategic collaboration with HAVELSAN, reflecting our ongoing commitment to providing world-class pilot training. By expanding our simulators with advanced and reliable technology, we ensure our pilots continue to deliver the exceptional safety and service standards that Turkish Airlines is renowned for.' HAVELSAN CEO Dr Mehmet Akif Nacar added: 'We are pleased to strengthen our partnership once again with Turkish Airlines through a new agreement for a third B737 MAX Full Flight Simulator. This continued trust from one of the world's leading airlines is a strong affirmation of our capabilities and commitment to excellence.' Under the agreement signed with HAVELSAN in 2018, Turkish Airlines originally planned to procure a total of eleven training devices consisting of three A320neo/ceo, two B737 MAX Full Flight Simulators (FFS) and six Flight Training Devices (FTD). As of today, Turkish Airlines successfully operates two B737 MAX, two A320neo/ceo simulators and one B737NG, which is the first procured simulator, produced by HAVELSAN, all certified to EASA Level D standards. In addition, the delivery of the last A320neo/ceo simulator as part of the previous agreement is scheduled in November 2025. The new order of B737 MAX FFS will be the seventh Full Flight Simulator in airline's fleet. Turkish Airlines remains committed to providing its pilots with top-level training opportunities through an advanced simulation infrastructure fully compliant with international civil aviation standards.
RTÉ News
10-06-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Ryanair investing $500m in 30 new engines
Ryanair has announced it has reached agreement with commercial aircraft engines supplier CFM to buy 30 new spare LEAP-1B engines which have a list price of $500m and which will deliver over the next two years. The airline said these fuel-efficient engines will support Ryanair's fleet of 210x B737 Gamechanger aircraft and also the B737 MAX-10 aircraft which deliver in 2027. It added that the 30 new engines greatly increase Ryanair's pool of spare engines to over 120, which will enhance Ryanair's operational resilience. Ryanair plans to increase its fleet to 800x B737s (all powered by CFM engines) to grow its traffic to 300m guests p.a. by 2034. Group CEO of Ryanair Michael O'Leary said they're pleased to continue to develop their longstanding partnership with CFM (Safran & GE Aerospace). "Today's purchase of 30 new LEAP-1B spare engines is a significant $500m commitment to improve the operational resilience of our Group airlines," said Mr O'Leary "These latest technology CFM engines reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions per seat by up to 20% when installed on our B737 MAX fleet, which will further widen Ryanair's cost leadership over competitor airlines in Europe." CFM's President & CEO, Gael Meheust, said: "This new agreement is another milestone in the long and successful partnership we have built with Ryanair. We look forward to continuing to support Ryanair's significant growth by providing them with industry-leading reliability and utilization standards".
