Latest news with #787
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Air India cuts foreign wide-body flights by 15% after crash
NEW DELHI: Air India is reducing its international service using widebody planes by 15% as the nation's flag carrier grapples with the fallout from a fatal Boeing Co. 787 crash last week and an Israel-Iran clash in the Middle East. The cuts will be rolled out through June 20 and will continue until at least mid-July, the carrier said in a press release on Wednesday. The airline also said it would undertake one-time safety inspections across its Boeing 777 fleet as "a matter of added precaution.' In its statement, Air India cited geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, night curfew in the airspaces of countries in Europe and East Asia and the ongoing enhanced safety inspections of its Boeing-built 787 fleet after Thursday's crash. Safety checks ordered by the country's Directorate General of Civil Aviation have been completed on 26 of the 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets operated by Air India, clearing those planes to fly, the airline said. Inspections of the remaining planes will be completed in the coming days, it added. "The curtailments are a painful measure to take, but are necessary following a devastating event which we are still working through and an unusual combination of external events,' Air India said. Investigators are still trying to determine why Air India flight AI171 struggled to gain altitude after takeoff from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad before plunging into a densely populated neighbourhood seconds later, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew, as well as dozens more on the ground. The incident ranks as the worst disaster in civil aviation in more than a decade. Search crews sifting through the crash site have pulled the second flight data recorder from the rubble, Bloomberg has reported. The first device was found the day after the crash. Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran told a local TV channel that AI-171 had a clean flight record before the crash. "There are speculations about human error, speculations about airlines, speculations about engines, maintenance, all kinds,' he said. "This particular aircraft, this specific tail, AI-171 has a clean history.' "Both engine histories are clean. Both pilots were exceptional,' he added. The plane's right engine had been installed in March 2025, he said. The left engine was last serviced in 2023 and due for its next maintenance check in December 2025, he added. Chandrasekaran said a preliminary report is expected from crash investigators in 30 days. He also acknowledged that the lack of information about the factors that may have led to the crash has stoked frustration and rumours. "We've got to do a better job at communication,' he said, adding that the carrier installed a strategic communications team in the last three days. - Bloomberg
Indian Express
a day ago
- General
- Indian Express
Gaurav Taneja, aka Flying Beast, opens up on chance of pilot error in detailed analysis of Air India Flight 171 crash: ‘May have killed the wrong engine'
YouTuber Gaurav Taneja, who is popularly known as Flying Beast online, offered his detailed theory about what might have caused the Air India Flight 171 plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12. Taneja has posted regularly about the tragedy; hours after it occurred, he suggested that it might be a rare case of 'dual engine failure'. Later, when other commentators indicated that pilot error might have been one of the reasons behind the crash, he defended the deceased pilots and said that they are the easiest people to blame because they aren't there to defend themselves. But, in his new video, which runs nearly an hour long, Taneja seemed to suggest that pilot error may partially be the reason why Air India 171 crashed into a medical college moments after takeoff. Taneja is a graduate of IIT Kharagpur, and served as a commercial pilot for a decade. He explained that based on the data that he has accessed and the experts he has spoken to, he has certain theories based on his expertise and experience. He said that he doesn't wish to attract any legal trouble by implicating any person or organisation. He debunked several theories surrounding fuel contamination and bird strikes. He said that modern aircraft are fully equipped to fly on one functional engine, and that a dual engine failure is virutally unheard of in modern aviation. Also read – Amid 13 Air India 787 cancellations, Gaurav Taneja lauds pilots for putting their foot down and 'refusing to accept' unsafe aircraft Taneja said that Air India Flight 171 took off later than expected, which could be because one engine had failed while it was on the runway. Video footage of the takeoff, he said, shows a large dust cloud form just as the plane lifts off, which suggests that it was near the end of the runway. He simulated the takeoff with the exact specifications available, and discovered that the pilots had basically half a minute to figure out what to do while things started going wrong. He said that they appeared to be 'startled by the extra load and the engine failure'. 'The first shocking information we got our hands on was the fact that the aircraft consumed more runway than normal. This convinced me that I was going in the wrong direction… The aircraft was close to the maximum takeoff weight, which is 2.20-2.25 tonnes. Because the pilots decided to proceed with the takeoff, we have to assume that whatever engine failure happened was after the point of no return. They could've aborted the takeoff only up till a point on the runway… If both engines had failed, the aircraft wouldn't have taken off at all. But even with one engine down, it took more runway than expected.' He said that this may be due to overloading of cargo, but made it clear that he has no proof of these claims. Taneja explained that weight plays a key role, because the heavier an aircraft is, the more fuel it burns. This is why airlines charge money from passengers for extra baggage. He continued with his theory, 'Imagine if there was overloading, and one engine failed on the runway. The pilots must've been startled. They would've seen the perimeter wall of the airport and wondered why the aircraft hadn't taken off… They were already tense about the engine failure and the delayed lift-off. They were distracted. They were supposed to pull up the landing gear at around 100 feet. Now, listen carefully. They climed for 100-150 feet with a damaged engine, and forgot to pull the landing gear up. In the Boeing 787, pilots are required to follow 'memory items' in the event of an engine failure. When they hit 400 feet, the pilot 'flying' pulled the thrust idle switch for the faulty engine, and the pilot 'monitoring' pulled the fuel control switch off for the wrong engine… One engine was damaged on the ground, the other engine they killed themselves.' Taneja had previously defended the pilots against criticism. 'At 400 feet, they were without power, and the aircraft started losing altitude. Pulling the fuel control switch off and the engine fire switch are irreversible actions on a Boeing aircraft. Engines will not come back.' To conclude, he said, 'Late takeoff because one engine failed, pilots were startled, they didn't pull the gear up… Once they have cut the wrong engine, they are without power. You can't do anything after that. You're going down, and you have 10-12 seconds before impact. The footage shows they tried to pull the nose up, but the plane crashed into a building, and the worst disaster in the history of aviation happened.' Taneja said that there could be many reasons behind pilot error, such as fatigue and training. Defending the pilots in a previous video, Taneja had said, 'Pilots outside India are claiming that the crash happened because the Indian pilots retracted flap instead of the gear because the videos before the crash show that the gear is down. Pilots gear up when the flight is 100 feet above the surface. They said wings are supposed to create lift, which is supposed to keep the aircraft in the air and when you retract the flaps there is a loss of lift and that loss of lift caused the flight to go down but I have a serious problem with this theory.'
Scroll.in
2 days ago
- Business
- Scroll.in
Air India cuts international flights on widebody fleet by 15% to ‘ensure operational stability'
Air India on Wednesday said that it will reduce its international services that use widebody aircraft by 15% for the 'next few weeks' to ensure operational stability. The changes will also improve operational efficiency and minimise inconvenience to passengers, the airline said. The decision came amid disruptions to services following the crash of Air India's Boeing 787 aircraft in Ahmedabad on June 12. Safety checks Investigating authorities are continuing their efforts to find out the reasons for the accident, Air India said in a statement on Wednesday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation had mandated enhanced safety inspection of Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. Out of Air India's 33 Dreamliner aircraft, 26 were cleared for service after inspection, the airlines said. The checks on the remaining aircraft will be conducted 'in the coming days', it added. 'The fact that 26 aircraft have been cleared gives reassurance in the safety measures and procedures that we follow,' said Air India. The airline said that as a precautionary measure, it was also conducting checks on its fleet of Boeing 777 planes, another widebody aircraft. On Tuesday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that checks conducted on Air India's 787 fleet had not revealed major safety concerns. Schedule changes Air India said that 83 of its flights had been cancelled in the last six days due to a range of factors. The factors that led to the disruptions included airspace closures in West Asia, night curfew in the airspaces of several European and East Asian countries, the safety inspections and the 'necessary cautious approach being taken by the engineering staff' and the pilots. The decision to temporarily reduce its international services operated on widebody aircraft was because of the 'compounding circumstances that Air India is facing'. 'The cuts [in services] will be implemented between now and June 20 and will continue thereafter until at least mid-July,' the airline said. 'This effectively adds to our reserve aircraft availability to take care of any unplanned disruptions.' Air India said that passengers affected by the changes will be informed in advance and that it will try to accommodate them on alternate flights. Passengers will also be offered the option to either reschedule their travel without additional cost or avail a full refund. Two hundred and forty-two persons were aboard the 787-8 aircraft – enroute to London's Gatwick airport from Ahmedabad – that crashed just 33 seconds after taking off on June 12. Only one passenger survived with ' impact injuries '. The aircraft's crash into the hostel building of the BJ Medical College also killed at least 33 persons on the ground. The crash is being viewed as the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade and the first fatal incident involving a 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Boeing keeps low profile at Paris Air Show as Airbus hits $27 billion orders
An Airbus A350-1000 passenger aircraft performs during an exhibition flight demonstration as the Paris Air Show on June 18. PHOTO: AFP PARIS – Every other year, thousands of visitors flock to a Paris suburb for the Paris Air Show, one of the aerospace industry's biggest events. The atmosphere is typically celebratory, but the recent deadly crash of an Air India flight cast a shadow over the show this week. The contrasting moods were apparent in the rivalry between two of the show's most prominent aircraft manufacturers: Airbus and Boeing. Airbus said it had withheld some announcements, but still secured US$21 billion (S$27 billion) of orders for new commercial jets, while rival Boeing opted not to announce new sales following last week's Air India 787 crash. The cause of the crash, in which at least 270 people died in the plane and on the ground, has yet to be determined. But it happened at a delicate moment for Boeing, which had appeared to be moving past a series of setbacks in recent years. The company reported nearly 350 orders in May, some of which were part of a trade deal between the United States and Britain. That made May Boeing's best month for sales in a year and a half. Boeing also reached a crucial production target in May for its most popular plane, the 737 Max. Boeing's chief executive, Kelly Ortberg, and the head of its commercial plane unit, Stephanie Pope, were scheduled to attend the air show, but cancelled their plans after the Air India crash. The sober atmosphere for Boeing was a contrast to Airbus, which boasted major orders for its most popular jets, including 40 A220 single-aisle jets for LOT Polish Airlines and a deal with VietJet for up to 150 single-aisle jets. Airbus also scored big wins in Saudi Arabia, which wants to become an international air travel hub: Riyadh Air ordered 25 A350 wide-body aircraft, while AviLease, a Saudi jet leasing company, ordered 40 commercial and cargo jets. Still, Airbus said it had chosen to hold back some announcements. 'The cold shower we all had was the Air India accident, so we've actually scaled back,' said Christian Scherer, the CEO of Airbus' commercial aircraft business. He added that although aerospace was extremely competitive, Airbus never used safety to its advantage: 'You don't go there.' Boeing has been in catch-up mode the past few years as its rival has pulled ahead in orders. Even if it does see any slowdown in business because of the crash, it will probably be temporary if the investigation clears the plane itself, said Richard Aboulafia, a managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory, a consulting firm. 'If there's any pullback from orders in the aftermath of this tragedy, it's purely for optics,' he said. Airlines remain confident in Boeing's planes and have only one major alternative in Airbus. It could take months to determine the cause of the crash. The plane's flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, both of which have been recovered, should yield a wealth of information, experts said. It was the first fatal crash involving a Dreamliner, a popular choice for long-distance routes because of its range, fuel efficiency and other factors. More than 1,100 are in service today, according to Cirium, an aviation data firm. India's aviation authority, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, said on June 17 that a review of Air India's remaining Dreamliner planes 'did not reveal any major safety concerns.' NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Business Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Airbus hits US$21 billion orders at Paris Air Show as Boeing focuses on India crash
[PARIS] Airbus secured more aircraft orders on Wednesday, raising its total to US$21 billion at this week's subdued Paris Air Show, while rival Boeing opted not to announce new sales following last week's Air India 787 crash. Airbus firmed up an order for 10 long-haul jets from Taiwan's Starlux Airlines in a boost for the European planemaker after one of its biggest customers, AirAsia, dashed expectations of another grand finale matching its earlier expansion. Airbus won a total of 148 firm orders worth US$14.2 billion including six previous ones disclosed publicly for the time, plus 102 provisional orders worth US$6.7 billion, according to estimated delivery prices from UK-based Cirium Ascend. Delegates had been bracing for a more muted show than usual after Boeing struck huge deals during US President Donald Trump's recent trip to the Middle East. The US jetmaker then scaled back its presence at the show to focus on the probe into last week's deadly crash of an Air India Boeing 787. But Europe's Airbus has been steadily racking up business, and underscored confidence about growing demand by holding out the prospect of higher dividends. It prefaced each show announcement with sympathies for India victims, however. 'It is an air show with a regrettable tragedy that has affected all of us,' Airbus planemaking CEO Christian Scherer told Reuters. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Despite the sombre tone, talk was rife before and during the event at Le Bourget outside Paris that Airbus might seal a major deal with AirAsia to add a final flourish to the gathering. Airline entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, the CEO of AirAsia owner Capital A Group, told Reuters that it was in talks to buy 50 to 70 A321XLR jetliners, and 100 A220s or competing E2 regional jets from Brazil's Embraer. But he played down the chances of a deal in Paris, saying the first priority was to complete the group's restructuring. 'We're still doing a lot of work with Airbus and other (manufacturers) .... I think we'll look to do something imminently, in the next 1-3 months,' he said in an interview. Two industry sources said Airbus had made an 'aggressive' offer to boost A220 orders and win a launch customer for a new 160-seat version but that talks stalled over financing. Another said it would be natural to resume discussions around July when the company expects to exit its financial troubles. 'Different show' Embraer said on Wednesday it had secured an order for 60 of its E175 regional jets from SkyWest Airlines, which also agreed purchase rights for a further 50 of the aircraft. Airbus announced an order for two A350 freighters from logistics company MNG Airlines, and EgyptAir was unveiled as the previously-undisclosed buyer of six A350-900 long-haul jets. Planemakers have been struggling to keep up with demand for new, more fuel-efficient aircraft since the end of pandemic-era travel restrictions, with supply chain problems - particularly with engines - delaying some deliveries. Airbus said on Wednesday, however, that since early 2025 it had experienced 40 per cent fewer disruptions caused by delayed components at its production facilities. 'It has been a very different air show from those we have seen in the past, which have tended to be wall-to-wall aircraft orders,' Agency Partners analyst Sash Tusa said. 'Civil orders have been affected by .... Boeing being very careful about how they announce or don't announce things,' he said. In another shift, he said, Airbus focused on securing public backing for planes that could benefit from more orders like the A220, rather than its heavily sold-out A320neo family. On the defence side of the show, US drone maker Anduril and Germany's Rheinmetall said they would partner to build aerial drones for European markets, in a sign of Europe leveraging US technology to boost military capabilities. REUTERS
