A Word from Editor

The aircraft industry is currently engaged in the search for solutions that would help reduce emissions. Measures such as use of bio-fuel in place of fossil fuel is one obvious solution and electric propulsion is another. But the greater concern is that the reserves of fossil fuels the world over are depleting rapidly and are likely to run out sooner than later. Both these issues have driven the global aerospace industry to embarked on the search for alternative methods of aircraft propulsion. An in depth analysis by A.K. Sachdev on the new developments in aircraft propulsion has been included in this issue of the magazine. In another article in this issue of the magazine, A.K. Sachdev delves on the role that engine make Pratt & Whitney has played over the last several generations in the domain of aircraft engines and the significant contribution by the company.

Cost of operations spiralling out of control impinges seriously on the financial well being of the airlines and generally is the underlying cause of their failure. With rising cost of inputs especially the extremely labile pricing of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) and a highly competitive environment that compels airlines to keep their air fares at affordable levels, airlines find it an extremely difficult task to balance their books. Satyendra Pandey, who has a wealth of experience in the management of the airline industry, has carried out a comprehensive analysis of the problems related to the management of cost of operations of airlines. His report on the subject figures in this issue of the magazine.

SpiceJet, one of the leading private carriers in India in the low cost segment, has since its launch in the country, been operating a fleet of airliners from the US aerospace giant Boeing. However, with problem that has surfaced in the recent past with the Boeing 737 Max 8 airliners leading to the grounding of this fleet, the Indian low cost carrier SpiceJet is seriously considering induction of a sizeable number of airliners from the Airbus family to service their expansion plans in the future. A report on this subject by Ayushee Chaudhary of SP Guide Publications has been included in this issue of SP’s AirBuz.

A major problem pertaining to the Indian civil aviation sector that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has been grappling with for quite some time now with no light visible at the end of the tunnel, is to privatise the loss making national carrier Air India. The way a state-owned airline should be managed has been clearly demonstrated by the manner in which a tiny state such as Singapore has nurtured its national asset Singapore Airlines which has always been ranked as one of the leading airlines in the world. Unfortunately, performance over the last seven decades has established without doubt that the government in India is incapable of turning the tide. An in depth analysis by Anil Chopra on the problem of divestment of India has been included in this issue of SP’s AirBuz.

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

Jai Hind!