Editor’s Note

One of the major highlights at the recently held Dubai Airshow was the international debut of Boeing 777X. A Boeing 777-9 made a 15-hour non-stop flight from Seattle to Dubai for the show. The new Boeing 777X will be the world’s largest and most efficient twin-engine jet, unmatched in every aspect of performance. With new breakthroughs in aerodynamics and engines, the 777X will deliver 10 percent lower fuel use and emissions and 10 per cent lower operating costs than the competition. The 777X family holds a total of 351 orders and commitments from eight leading customers around the globe and the first delivery of the airplane is expected in late 2023. We have a report on Boeing 777X in this issue of the magazine.

After years of effort, the Government of India has finally been able to sell the loss making national carrier Air India to the Tata Group. Set up in the year 1932 as the first airline in India in the private sector by the Tata Group, the airline was taken over by the Government of India in 1953. The excellent operating culture that had been built up over the years by the Tata Group, soon faded away and was replaced by an inefficient and bureaucratic culture that is associated with establishments in the public sector. Air India suffered heavy financial losses, rising to the tune of 20 crore per day. This issue of SP’s AirBuz carries a detailed report by the undersigned on the sale of the national carrier to the Tata Group which is being regarded as a homecoming for the airline.

Another development of significance for not only the Indian airline industry but for the airlines across the globe has been the return of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 to the skies. The airliner was grounded by airlines across the globe following two major disasters, the first in October 2018 in Indonesia and the second in March 2019 in Africa. There was heavy loss of life in both these accidents which apparently was the result of inadequate understanding of the newly introduced Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). Finally, after the necessary corrective steps, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 has been cleared by the regulatory agencies across the world to return to flight. A report on this by the undersigned figures in this issue of the magazine.

A new airline that is set to emerge on the Indian civil aviation scene is the Akasa Airline that has recently been granted No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Branded as an Ultra Low Cost Carrier, the new airline is being launched by stock market investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and is scheduled to commence operations in the summer of 2022. A report on his venture by Ayushee Chaudhary of SP Guide Publications has been included in this issue of the magazine.

All this and more in this issue of SP’s AirBuz. Welcome aboard and we wish you many happy landings!

Jai Hind!