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Business Standard
13 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
A-I crash: Govt seeks law banning non-conforming structures near airports
The proposal seeks to empower India's aviation regulator to examine complaints of unlawful construction and order owners to trim trees or reduce the height of a non-conforming building within 60 days Bloomberg India plans to clamp down on structures near airports that don't comply with height regulation, as the governments seeks to tighten aviation safety in the wake of an airliner crash last week that ranks as the country's worst in several decades. The government is drafting a law that would allow the demolition of buildings near airfields that don't meet vertical limits, which isn't the case now. The bill will be open for public feedback for three weeks, after which the responses will be analyzed and then drafted into a law. The proposal seeks to empower India's aviation regulator to examine complaints of unlawful construction and order owners to trim trees or reduce the height of a non-conforming building within 60 days. Failure to respond could lead to an actual demolition of the building, according to the draft. India is reeling from a deadly crash involving a Boeing Co. 787 airliner that smashed into densely populated part of Ahmedabad on June 12. The accident killed all but one of the 242 occupants on the plane and at least 30 on the ground after the London-bound airliner came down in an urban district just off the runway. The cause of the crash isn't known — and a collision with a building or other structure on the ground hasn't been identified as a possible reason. Experts have paid particular attention to the apparent lack of lift for the plane that led the jet to sink back to the ground just seconds after takeoff. Some analysts cautioned that while many airports around the country have buildings nearby that violate height norms, following through with an actual demolition will be hard. 'While it's easy to make rules, it will be next to impossible to implement them,' given the scale of non-conforming structures, said Mark Martin, founder and CEO at Martin Consulting, an aviation advisory firm. Late last year, an airliner operated by Jeju Air Co. slammed into a barrier at end of a runway at Muan International Airport in South Korea. That accident, which killed 179 people on board the Boeing 737, also led to a review of structures in vicinity of runways.
India Today
4 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Air India plane crash: Will it have a negative impact on the aviation industry?
The deadly crash of an Air India Dreamliner near Ahmedabad has sparked urgent conversations around aviation safety in India and globally, with Boeing being at the centre of it. The accident resulted in the deaths of 274 people, including 241 on board and several individuals on the ground, among them five doctors staying at the BJ Medical College hostel. Only one person on the flight aircraft involved was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, registered VT-ANB, which was en route to London Gatwick and went down just minutes after departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Immediately after the crash, aviation authorities ordered detailed inspections of Boeing 787 Dreamliners operated by Indian carriers, including Air India and crash brought Boeing's safety record back under the scanner. Experts added that this could trigger deeper global regulatory scrutiny of Boeing's production and maintenance HIT, BUT PASSENGER CONFIDENCE STABLEThere is no proof that Air India's operational handling or aircraft upkeep contributed to the crash, but the airline's image is bound to an interview with Bloomberg TV on Friday, Mark Martin, founder of Martin Consulting, said Air India has been more focused on its rebranding efforts than fixing fundamental problems like faulty seats and maintenance standards. These, he added, 'should have been the priority.'advertisementDespite the magnitude of the tragedy, air passenger numbers haven't dropped. Air travel continued largely unaffected at major airports, including Kolkata. 'People still have faith in flights as the safest mode of transport,' Anil Punjabi, Chairman (East), Travel Agents Federation of India, told The Times of India. "It's utterly relieving that people continue to instil their faith in air transport, which has always been the safest mode of passage. We have seen during major incidents like these, there is a knee-jerk reaction where people end up avoiding a particular mode of transport," Anjani Dhanuka, chairman (East) Travel Agents Association of India, told TOI. Reuters reported that the Paris Airshow opened on a sombre note following the crash. Boeing reportedly pulled back on promotional events involving the Dreamliner. A senior executive present at the show told the news agency, 'It's hard to celebrate new deals when the global mood is one of grief and concern.'TATA GROUP COMPENSATIONTata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran expressed deep sorrow and pledged full support to victims' families. 'This is a heartbreaking moment for all of us. We are working with authorities and have already started relief measures for the affected,' he said in a statement issued shortly after the India has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of each deceased cabin crew member, and Rs 25 lakh for each passenger's next of kin. Additional support is also being extended to the families of victims who died on the terms of official response, the Indian government has set up a high-level investigative committee led by senior officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). The committee is tasked with submitting an initial report within 30 days and a full report within three government has also called for a nationwide safety audit of all Boeing Dreamliners operating in India.(Disclaimer: The views, opinions, recommendations, and suggestions expressed by experts/brokerages in this article are their own and do not reflect the views of the India Today Group. It is advisable to consult a qualified broker or financial advisor before making any actual investment or trading choices.)Tune InTrending Reel
The Print
6 days ago
- General
- The Print
Many questions for Air India, Boeing in Ahmedabad plane crash. A survivor, black box and safety
Since the news broke out, media channels and social media flooded with images of families outside the mortuary, rescue workers trying to find bodies amid the debris, and police teams on the site trying to pick up whatever that can help ascertain what exactly happened in those last seconds since takeoff. A Mayday call was placed at 1:40 pm, but as fate would have it, the situation wouldn't give enough time to the responders. Out of the 242 people aboard the Air India Flight 171, a London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, 241 died in the devastating crash. Only one, by what can only be called a miracle, survived to bear witness to this unimaginable tragedy. Among the victims are also young undergraduate MBBS students and the family of a resident doctor and hostel staffers who lost their lives while having lunch and working in the mess, as the aircraft tore through the hostel mess. They became collateral in a tragedy that should never have happened. It surged forward, gathering speed with the hope of flight, rising to just 650 feet before disaster struck. In 32 seconds, what was meant to be a routine journey, turned into a descent of horror. As it made the fateful descend, the metal doors hurled open, flames roared, and in just moments, it all turned into ashes. What followed was a harrowing, blood-stained Thursday, likely to haunt travellers across the globe. Both Boeing and Air India have a number of questions to answer while speculations continue to swirl. As for Air India, which is in the midst of rebuilding its brand to regain its top spot in Indian aviation, this crash is a major setback. The crash is likely to send aviation planners back to the drawing board and strengthen systems. And that is why the Ahmedabad crash is ThePrint's Newsmaker of the Week. Speculations A clear understanding of what the pilots faced in those final moments will only emerge after a comprehensive global investigation involving multiple stakeholders, and analysis of the black box, including the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR). Experts have floated multiple theories behind the crash, including a rarest of rare double–engine failure, complete electrical failure, bird hits, faulty takeoff configuration, flap lockout due to failed hydraulics or human error, and the soaring temperatures of Ahmedabad. Speculations and conspiracy theories around sabotage abound. However, Home Minister Amit Shah has termed the crash as an accident. Aviation expert Mark Martin pointed out that the safety of an airport extends beyond its perimeter. He said that if the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport were located away from densely populated areas, pilots might have had room to attempt an emergency landing, increasing the chances of survival. Martin stressed that the government must now enforce accountability and ensure no safety protocols are bypassed. Before its ill-fated London leg, the Air India flight had completed a Delhi–Ahmedabad run. According to former pilot and instructor SK Pillai, standard protocols mandate thorough system checks between flights, all of which are documented. Pilots also perform routine pre-flight inspections before accepting the aircraft. A thorough analysis of all this, along with that of the black box recordings and aircraft remnants, will tell us, if not the whole, some key parts of the story. Also read: How victims of Mangaluru, Kozhikode Air India crash are seeing Ahmedabad crash Boeing controversies The crash has once again brought Boeing under scrutiny, reviving long-standing concerns about quality control, structural integrity, and manufacturing standards. While this is the 787 Dreamliner's first fatal crash, considered an advanced passenger aircraft, often termed as the 'best-selling passenger plane', it isn't the variant's first brush with safety. In the past, since its launch in 2009, over 100 incidents have been recorded. Moreover, concerns have been raised about the safety issues with the 787 series even as Boeing continues to face multiple US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigations. On 11 March 2024, 50 passengers were injured after a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, operated by LATAM Airlines, suffered an abrupt mid-air drop while heading from Sydney to Auckland. Boeing has also faced intense international criticism following the deadly crashes of its 737 MAX aircraft in 2018 and 2019, which claimed about 350 lives. The company came under renewed pressure in January 2024 after a door plug blew off mid-air on a 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines. These events involving Boeing are examined in Rory Kennedy's 2022 Netflix documentary Downfall: The Case Against Boeing, which delved into the crashes, dissecting potential causes. Subsequent investigations revealed several critical issues, including faults in the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCA), insufficient pilot training, and significant lapses in regulatory oversight. Over time, whistleblowers have raised concerns over the aircraft manufacturer not maintaining standards and failing oxygen systems including at the Boeing North Charleston factory in South Carolina, the site of the 787 series production. In the last decade, the Boeing company, across its various civilian aircraft, has seen multiple incidents that have impacted hundreds of families across the globe. Each aviation accident leaves grieving families seeking answers, while also raising critical questions for aircraft manufacturers, airline operators, and other key stakeholders in the aviation industry. Understanding what exactly transpired on the tragic Thursday may help correct errors or assign some accountability, though investigations into airline crashes don't always yield definitive answers. The world is still searching for MH370. As for the families of the crash victims, for now, each moment waiting to get the bodies of their loved ones is further deepening their agony. The devastating impact of the crash left many bodies badly charred, making DNA identification painstakingly slow. Views are personal. (Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Deadly Air India crash puts ambitious turnaround plans at risk
Air India Ltd.'s ambitious plans to transform itself from a stale, financially troubled carrier into a profitable world-class airline face their biggest test yet after the deadliest aviation accident in more than a decade. India's flag carrier had long languished under government ownership, gaining a reputation among travelers for shabby in-flight services. But its 2022 takeover by Tata Group , which paid 180 billion rupees ($2.1 billion) to buy back the airline it founded in 1932, kickstarted a five-year reinvention aimed at returning Air India to its former glory and take on the world's biggest and best carriers in international routes. After more than a decade of losses, the new owners had big aspirations, setting a target for Air India and its budget carrier Air India Express to break even operationally by the end of the financial year ending March 31, 2026, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Bevi una tazza al giorno – dal terzo giorno i pantaloni non ti stanno più! Salute Intuizione Undo Its substantial progress toward that goal — losses narrowed 61% to 44.4 billion rupees in the 2023-2024 financial year — is now threatened by the tragedy of flight AI171. The passenger jet bound for London crashed shortly after taking off from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board and causing extensive damage to a residential area. The incident marks the first-ever complete loss of a 787 and, as investigations get underway, questions are growing over how the jet exploded into a fireball including around the plane's thrust. Live Events You Might Also Like: Black box & one survivor: Hunt begins to unearth mystery behind Air India plane's deadly descent While there's no evidence to suggest that the airline's operational management or fleet maintenance had anything to do with the crash, reputational damage to Air India is inevitable. Air India has been focused on its rebrand, rather than addressing core issues like broken seats and maintenance practices, Mark Martin, founder of Martin Consulting, said in an interview on Bloomberg TV on Friday. Those issues 'should have been the priority,' he said. In the wake of the crash, travelers have taken to social media to recount their negative experiences flying with Air India including broken air conditioning, messy seats and unappetizing catering in a sign the airline is still grappling with reputational problems. A spokesperson for Air India didn't immediately respond to a Bloomberg News email seeking comment. You Might Also Like: 'Like a loud blast': What eyewitnesses saw as Air India flight AI171 crashed into BJ Medical College dining hall The execution of its turnaround plan, which includes refitting its 27 Boeing Co. 787-8 Dreamliners by as early as 2027, may also be delayed by the loss of one of these jets. Still, Air India has made some progress in winning back customers. The Tata Group airlines — Air India, Vistara and AIX Connect — had a 27.2% share of the domestic market in April, up from 24.7% in September 2022, when the turnaround plan was announced. But it lags behind its largest domestic rival, IndiGo, which had 64.1% of the domestic market and has big expansion plans of its own. InterGlobe Aviation Ltd ., its operator, has placed orders for the Airbus A350s that will start to come by 2027. Warned of Headwinds You Might Also Like: Dreamliner disaster in India deepens Boeing's longstanding safety woes While its unclear how much of a financial hit will come from the plane crash, Air India has already warned of headwinds to its return to profitability earlier this month. The continuing ban for Indian airlines using Pakistani airspace is adding flying hours for non-stop flights and will hit the company's bottomline, Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson said in June. The search for material evidence from the AI171 accident is gathering pace. On Friday morning, one of the two so-called black boxes, which contain critical evidence of a plane's final minutes, was located, according to the Hindustan Times. Officials have also warned the death toll could rise as they continue to comb through the wreckage as well as the severely damaged BJ Medical Hostel. Tata Group said it will pay 10 million rupees in compensation to families of the victims and contribute in the rebuilding of the hostel. 'I know there are many questions and at this stage, I will not be able to answer all of them,' Air India's Wilson said in a video posted on X in the aftermath of the crash. 'Investigations will take time. But anything we can do now, we are doing.'
The Print
13-06-2025
- The Print
From retrieving black box to setting up ‘court of inquiry', how probe into Air India crash will unfold
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has already launched a formal investigation in line with international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The AI aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, had crashed into the doctors' hostel of a medical college in Ahmedabad's Meghaninagar within 30 seconds of take-off. On Friday early hours, Air India confirmed that only one person of the 242 aboard the plane survived the crash. New Delhi: Aviation experts will carry out investigations, including the search and analysis of black box, to ascertain the reasons that led to the Air India flight AI171 crash. Mark Martin, founder and CEO of aviation safety firm Martin consultancy, told ThePrint that a team from the Indian aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and that from every regulator where the aircraft is operated like the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board), the EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency are expected to visit the crash site soon to begin the investigation. Here's what an investigation looks like after an air crash happens: Retrieving black box & its examination When an aviation accident occurs, a meticulous process is set in motion, starting with retrieving and analysing flight data captured on various recorders, including the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), also known as black boxes. Water recoveries of FDR and CVR present additional challenges. If a recorder is found submerged, it is kept in water to prevent corrosion. Specialist Sean Payne, who has been working behind the scenes to retrieve and analyze flight data captured on various recorders, told global flight tracking service Flightradar24 that 'keeping the recorder in deionized water minimizes damage until it reaches the lab.' Once flight recorders arrive at the lab, experts check their condition to see if the data can be recovered. If the recorder is intact, data can usually be downloaded easily. But damaged ones need more work. The most important part is the crash-survivable memory unit (CSMU), which holds the key flight data. If needed, specialists move the data chips into a special 'golden chassis'—a device designed to protect the data and allow for a safe download. 'We have in the laboratory every western-made flight recorder, ordered from the manufacturers with one simple modification: a modification that turns off any further writing of data,' Payne explained. Flight data recorders contain hundreds of parameters that must be analyzed to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the crash. Meanwhile, the CVR holds crucial audio recordings from the cockpit, including pilot conversations and ambient sounds. One of the most delicate aspects of the investigation is reviewing the cockpit voice recorder. The primary goal is to verify whether the accident was recorded and to determine what insights can be gained. Importantly, CVR audio is legally protected. Flight data recorders store hundreds of details about the plane's systems, which help investigators piece together what happened before the crash. At the same time, the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) captures important sounds and conversations from the cockpit. Listening to the CVR is one of the most sensitive parts of the investigation. The main aim is to check if the crash was recorded and to see what useful information it reveals. Investigation In case of major accidents, like the one in Ahmedabad, a team is deployed to examine, videograph and photograph the wreckage, which is also sent to labs for testing. The test results can provide information related to the landing impact, speed, velocity and angle. But, when the aircraft is reduced to ashes or is extensively burnt, the examination of wreckage does not yield much information. Even the passenger seats, propellers and wings can help the investigators, Martin told ThePrint. Court of Inquiry The next step, according to Martin, is setting up a 'Court of Inquiry' comprising a three-member bench. The bench hears the case, including the eye-witness statements, testimonies of survivors, engineers, CEO of the airline, air traffic control and all others connected to the crash. Report on findings Once all data has been analysed, the findings are compiled in a final report that is made public. The report has to include a factual summary of the accident, technical findings, an analysis of flight data, cockpit audio, official statements, the probable cause of the accident and also list of safety recommendations to prevent similar incidents. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Junaid came home to surprise his family on Eid. Now his father waits for DNA test to identify his body
