SP's Aviation 04 of 2009

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ISSUE 4 • 2009 AviationWWW.SPSAVIATION.NET AN SP GUIDE PUBLICATION MMRCA Deal: Progress & Perspectives SP’s Corporate EXCLUSIVE Aviation: Concerns of Pilots

Operating Smaller Aircraft May Ease Burden of High ‘The FOCUS is on ATF Costs TIMELY

DELENG/2008/24199 EXECUTION

RNI NUMBER: Ashok Nayak, HAL Chairman PAGE 16 PAGE 8 ’ EMB_SPAVIATION_WIND.pdf 4/1/09 11:48:21 AM

CMY

K SP’s AN SP GUIDE PUBLICATION

TABLE of CONTENTS News Flies. We Gather Intelligence. Every Month. From India. AviationISSUE 4 • 2009

Ashok Nayak, Chairman, Hindustan 16 Aeronautics Limited

OEM PERSPECTIVES CORPORATE AVIATION MMRCA Deal SP’s Exclusive 28 Operations 10 Bernhard Gerwert Expect the Unexpected CEO, Military Air Systems, SERIES EADS Defence & Security ‘FOCUS ON TIMELY 34 Commercial Aviation 11 Eddy de la Motte EXECUTION OF ORDERS’ Marketing Director, In his ﬁrst interview as HALL OF FAME Gripen International India Chairman of Hindustan 33 Alberto Santos-Dumont 12 Ambassador Douglas Aeronautics Limited, A. Hartwick Chief Executive, Ashok Nayak traces the REGULAR DEPARTMENTS Lockheed Martin India organisation’s strengths, 4 A Word from Editor Operations potentials and progress. • 5 NewsWithViews ON RECORD - Chopper Deal Gets the Axe 21 Civil �� - Su-30 Disaster ��

�� Embraer Perspective �� 7 InFocus �� MMRCA Deal: Report Card �� CIVIL �� 8 Forum �� 23 Operational Cost �� Time is of the Essence Wildly Fluctuating � �� 36 NewsDigest �� LastWord MILITARY SP's Avn 04 of 09 Cover.indd 1 5/11/09 3:50:54 PM 40 Save Air India, Go Private 13 AJT Cover Photo: M-346: Get Combat Ready Ashok Nayak took over as the Chairman of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited from April 1. NEXT ISSUE: 26 Reminiscences Farewell to MiG-23 BN Photo Credit: HAL Meet the new IAF Chief

1 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net TABLE of CONTENTS

PLUS... PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DESIGN & LAYOUT Jayant Baranwal Associate Art Director: Ratan Sonal Graphic Designers: Rajkumar Sharma, ASSISTANT EDITOR Vimlesh Kumar Yadav

Arundhati Das SALES & MARKETING Director Sales & Marketing: Neetu Dhulia SENIOR VISITING EDITOR Head Vertical Sales: Rajeev Chugh Air Marshal (Retd) V.K. Bhatia Sales Manager: Rajiv Ranjan

SENIOR TECHNICAL GROUP EDITORS © SP Guide Publications, 2009 Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION Lt General (Retd) Naresh Chand Inland: Rs 850 • Foreign: US$ 250 SPECIAL CHIEF CORRESPONDENT Email: [email protected] Sangeeta Saxena 7 LETTER TO EDITOR SUB-EDITOR [email protected] MMRCA: Report Card Bipasha Roy [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS FOR ADVERTISING DETAILS, CONTACT: INDIA [email protected] Air Marshal (Retd) P.K. Mehra [email protected] Air Marshal (Retd) N. Menon [email protected] Group Captain (Retd) A.K. Sachdev [email protected] Group Captain (Retd) Joseph Noronha SP GUIDE PUBLICATIONS PVT LTD A-133 Arjun Nagar, EUROPE 26 (Opposite Defence Colony) Alan Peaford, Phil Nasskau, Farewell to New Delhi 110 003, India. MiG-23 BN Rob Coppinger Tel: +91 (11) 24644693, USA & CANADA 24644763, 24620130 Sushant Deb, LeRoy Cook, Lon Nordeen, Fax: +91 (11) 24647093 Anil R. Pustam (West Indies) Email: [email protected]

CHAIRMAN & MANAGING DIRECTOR POSTAL ADDRESS Jayant Baranwal Post Box No 2525 New Delhi 110 005, India. ADMIN & COORDINATION Bharti Sharma REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE 28 BENGALURU, INDIA Owned, published and printed by Jayant Flying 534, Jal Vayu Vihar Baranwal, printed at Rave India and Corporate Kammanhalli Main Road published at A-133, Arjun Nagar Bangalore 560043, India. (Opposite Defence Colony), Tel: +91 (80) 23682534 New Delhi 110 003, India. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be MOSCOW, RUSSIA reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or LAGUK Co., Ltd., (Yuri Laskin) transmitted in any form or by any means, Krasnokholmskaya, Nab., photocopying, recording, electronic, or 11/15, app. 132, Moscow 115172, Russia. otherwise without prior written permission Tel: +7 (495) 911 2762 www.spguidepublications.com of the Publishers. Fax: +7 (495) 912 1260

2 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net ��

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Back CVR Lockheed M AD.indd 1 2/6/09 8:19:08 PM A Word from Editor An exclusive interview and an exhaustive procurement procedure hold a mirror to India’s defence scenario even as corporate aviation pilots outline the perks and pitfalls of the job

n exclusive is often confused with the exception- thoughts are Ambassador Douglas A. Hartwick, Chief Execu- al. If exclusives are sporadic and hard to come tive, Lockheed Martin India Operations; Bernhard Gerwert, by, encountering the exceptional is breathtak- CEO Military Air Systems, EADS Defence & Security; and ingly refreshing. Both these attributes, however, Eddy de la Motte, Marketing Director, Gripen International have been captured between the covers of this India. Amid all the excitement was the somewhat piquant edition. More so, in the Cover Story. Display- news—a “rumour”, as it may well turn out to be—of Das- ing exemplary candour and forthrightness in his first ever sault having been ousted from the race. Ainterview after taking over at the helm of Hindustan Aero- Seeking clarification straight from the horse’s mouth as nautics Limited, Ashok Nayak painstakingly underlines the it were, SP’s approached the company’s India representa- public sector organisation’s strengths, weaknesses, potentials tive who categorically denied receiving any official intima- and progress to SP’s Senior Technical Group Editor Air Mar- tion of any such development. “On the contrary, we are go- shal (Retd) B.K. Pandey. “We need to be impatient and patient ing ahead with our preparations for the flight evaluations at the same time,” Nayak said. “Impatient means, we need and the company is in constant touch with Air HQ,” Dassault to drive ourselves towards implementation, and patience Aviation’s Deputy Delegate in India P.V. Rao confirmed. Even means, we have to give it a minimum time to take root.” as the race hots up, the IAF on March 6 bid farewell to the Work culture, meanwhile, is in the spotlight as the eyes MiG-23 BN, 29 years after its induction. of the world’s defence industry are glued to India’s long- On the other end of the spectrum, an exhaustive analysis winded Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft project. Dogged of the issues pertaining to corporate aviation crew reflects by delays and labyrinthine procedures, current reports the allure and pitfalls of this attractive career option—osten- suggest the flight trials will be completed by October but sibly “one of the best jobs in flying”. Read on and do let us probabilities of the exercise extending into the next year are know if you agree. high. Perspectives from some of the contenders who were forthcoming with their response to SP’s queries throw light on the comparative advantages and benefits. Penning their

OWNER’S PRIDE: SP’S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JAYANT BARANWAL PRESENTS A COPY OF SP’S MILITARY YEARBOOK 2008-2009 TO DEFENCE MINISTER Jayant Baranwal A.K. ANTONY IN NEW DELHI PHOTOGRAPHS: SHARAD SAXENA / SP GUIDE PUBNS Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

4 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net ILLUSTRATION: MAMTA NewsWithViews rather than face scrutiny later on. Recently, this was done done was Recently,this on. another, later or scrutiny face reason than rather one citing doubt, any of case in stage decade, continuetobe felt. the of end the by government majority Gandhi-led Rajiv the with Bofors in the 1980s that ultimately led to the demise of trail of a confusion. Reverberations wake of the multi-crore its contract in leaving media, the in controversy insinuations often and speculation, of flurry a attract India in deals arms cancellation, or clusion Qualitative Requirements. stipulated the to up measure not did Russia, from two and Europe from two companies, four remaining the by fered of products the MOD, the revealed by As machines. new of sale direct for bid to un able was therefore, He licopter, Bell airframes. existing of conversion involving Sales Military Foreign government government-to- through available only was Cobra AH-1Z out-of-production the as suit followed also Helicopter Bell race. the of out opted Boeing RFP, the to response to submit deadline of extension for request its to accede to fusal re government’s Indian the of Defence (MOD). Miffed with Ministry the by track fast on the hence, put was process procurement and urgency of degree a was there 2010, by machines new the deploy to Rosoboronexport. by marketed Moscow Mil from NE Mi-28 the and Ka-50 Kamov’s 665), (EC HAD ger Ti Eurocopter’s Longbow, Apache Co AH-64D Boeing’s Super bra, AH-1Z Bell’s AgustaWestland, from Mangusta L VIEWS said the attack helicopter tender, floated last year, was worth nearly $550 million (Rs 2,720 crore). The source added EADS, which owns the world’s world’s the owns which EADS, added source The crore). again. 2,720 bid source to (Rs ready ministry was million A date. $550 Eurocopter, the nearly specifying worth helicopter-maker was without year, largest added, last Kar shortly,” floated tender, floated be helicopter will RFP attack the fresh the “A meet said. to said Kar unable requirements,” Sitanshu been had qualitative deal spokesman the meet not could Ministry companies Defence four multi-million-dollar the after the Indian week for last vying cancelled was firms (RFP) proposal for international request “The four as requirements. military’s helicopters attack 22 for tender a scrapped has India CHOPPER DEALGETS THE AXE The The present trend is to call off the tender in an advanced con it be norm, the is As plans IAF’s the of view In six foreign machines were in the race—AW129 race—AW129 the in were Initially, machines (IAF). Force foreign Air six Indian the fleet of ageing Mi-35 the of replace to helicopters attack for 22 floated was Proposal for Request an year, ast ------contract signed with Israel Aerospace Industries barely barely Industries Aerospace Israel with signed 10,000-crore contract Rs the is storm political major a loose let to by the Central Vigilance Commission. Yet another deal likely endorsed duly was allegation the after the selection of in process irregularity was forward put justification The 407. Bell over had scored Fennec whose Eurocopter with cluded con be to about was it as just Helicopter Utility Light 197 for contract crore) 2,720 (Rs million $550 of the case in the race to begin with. begin to race the in positively is for looking is IAF the machine the that way a in modified response for frame time the with afresh, issued is RFP the that logical only is it fleet, Mi-35 the for replacement suitable a identify to urgency the IAF. Given the by envisaged role the of incapable is that fleet a ac quire to million $550 to close squander to sense little make SP — Air Marshal(Retd) B.K. Pandey Issue 4•2009 days before the promulgation promulgation the before days the tender seems to have have to would it as move wise a been seems tender the frame. time of non-ex tension as trivial as reason a for evaluation for available AH-64D not Longbow Apache have Boeing’s with forward could moved ten process the dering way no was there issue, this at on baulked compromising IAF the criterion. case In this with comply could contenders the of none Hellfire, the Longbow AGM-114L with equipped Apache, AH-64D Boeing’s than claim other reports Unofficial high er. or km 7 of distance a from missiles fire-and-forget air-to-surface launching of ity capabil the the have for to aircraft was IAF the by out spelt requirement critical the the by storm. gathering engulfed is deal the before time of matter a only is recently,it very domain lic pub into come Having tions. elec general for dates the of In retrospect, cancelling cancelling retrospect, In helicopters, attack the For

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5 ------ILLUSTRATION: MAMTA NewsWithViews ing member of the Rhinos. ofthe jet piloted by WingCommander S.V. Munje, asenior fly DASIfor the squadron inspection, was occupying the rear seat CommanderP.S. highlyexperiencedNara,a pilotattached to assessmenttheof sorties. That mightexplain whyto Wingas ateof AirStaff Inspection (DASI) and this could have been one Jaisalmer. The squadron was under inspectionPokharannear rangeby atsortiethe Director fromPune for livea armament strikeformation which took off four-aircrafta ofpartwas and squadron 30 No. to belonged Red Flag in 2008. US prestigious the including ous international air exercises, vari in force the represented has MKI Su-30jetfighters, the frontline IAF’s the of top the be to Considered raising. der un reportedly are squadrons reilly, Uttar Pradesh. Two more Pune and No. 24 Hawks at Ba in Lohegaon at based Rhinos 30 No. andLightnings 20 No. squadrons: three in MKIs 30 portedlyoperating 60-plus Su- representat is IAF craft,the totalair230orderofa of Out measure.temporarya as fleet Su-30prudentlygroundedthe a Court of ordered Inquiry (COI) even as immediately it has IAF norm,the the proof.is As or substance any without but prob the crash,fatal the as of causes able media the in to structural failures, appeared sons, ranging from engine fires reaperplexingof plethora2002. A in MKI Su-30advanced tion of the earlier version Su-30K in 1997 and, later, the mostinduc the sinceaircraftIAF’s fighterthe by recordedcrash one pilot even as another escaped narrowly. This was the first A VIEWS 6

ejected out of the cockpit, after directing the aircraft on to a vacant agricultural land. agricultural vacant a to place on took aircraft crash the The today. directing after Rajasthan in cockpit, the of Jaisalmer out of aircraft.” ejected the of southeast out km 70 ejected crashed pilots day the same mission the Both on hours. IAF a training the 1030 from involving around routine a India statement on A in engine. IAF the in the accident fire of a first to it the aircraft in MKI another, attributed Su-30 “An sources injuring said, some and but pilot known, one yet not is killing crash flight, the for routine a reason on MKI. The 30 Su-30 April on crashed aircraft fighter top-of-the-line A FAILED FLY-BY-WIRE SCRIPTSSU-30DISASTER

Troubleappears havetoreared itsheadduring theclimb aircraft ill-fated 30’s April SP’S ciet uig h ery or o pi 3, killing 30, April of hours early the during accident of the Indian Air Force (IAF) was destroyed in a CAT-Ied years met with an ignominious end when a Su-30 flawless flight safety record spanning 12 uninterrupt AVIATION

Issue 4•2009 ------

Within a few minutes of taking off, the pilots reported trouble in the aircraft and both both and aircraft the in trouble reported pilots the off, taking of minutes few a Within - - - - - to havetoperished theblaze,in although Munjehas confirmed cident? The aircraft’s Black Box (Flightdead. DataWhatterriblywentso CAT-I wrongcauseRecorder)toa fatalacappears Nara, even though he had ejected successfully, CommanderWing ejection, but the survived Munjemander was later found ejection—with no time to spare for evendently, an R/T the call.danger was Winggrave enoughCom to warrantformation’sthephaseofout an immediatereturnbase.homeflightEvito ers, much less its invaluable and irreplaceable air warriors.measures. The IAF can ill afford losing necessitatingone of thorough its investigationfrontline andfight permanent remedial by the fact that Nara’s body bore multiple chest injuries. time of the seat ejecting from the aircraft—a theory borne out the rear-seat occupant with one of its large twin tail fins at the If confirmed by the COI, this would be a rarest of rare cases — Air Marshal (Retd) V.K. Bhatia utpe alr o is fly-by- its of failure multiple vertedspin,probablymost hit in flat a entered have might which aircraft, The ejection. through escape except crew otherrecourse no available tothe with manoeuvres trolled uncon ofseries athrough togo it causing failure, FBW 3 have suddenly suffered a level- aircraftappearstoMunje, the to According airfield. nearest immediateandiversion theto demand would failure level-2 crew. A the warning system, suitably the from connected faulty, it automatically gets dis channelsFBWtheof becomes pilots.onecontrolledthe If by the aircraft cannot be manually necessaryas arewithout the FBW, systems backup layered redundancy. Multi-quadruple has case, this in which, tem sys FBW a controlledwith is fighters, this unstable platform vrability.Like most modern jet fers it unprecedented manoeu longitudinalcon triplanethat unstable an is configuration wire (FBW) system. u3 MIs aerodynamic MKI’s Su-30 www.spsaviation.net SP ------InFocus MMRCA DEAL in RI i 20, India’s 2003, acquire ambitious programme in to (RFI) tion programmes. Conceived in 2001, born as request for informaW alone ran into 7,000 pages. This also puts into perspective into puts also pages.This 7,000 into ran alone proposal IDS’ Boeing that fact the from gauged be bid can ders the for task the was complex How India. to provided August 11, 2008 the industry offset proposals had also been per cent of the total project costs) took extra time. Finally, by (50 clause offset modified now the to compliance for posals all six vendors were able to submit their proposals. But pro responses.suitable provide to tions deadline,altered the By delibera greater and studies them,detailed to required ing accord which, RFP the of nature voluminous and complex the cited who vendors the of some from requests following for month,to 28,a 2008, April submit by extended was proposals mal to months six approximate of deadline initial firms). Spanish The and Italian German,British, of sortium 18 Super Hornet; and Eurofighter Typhoon (made by a con Boeing’sF/A- and Falcon Fighting Martin’sF-16 Lockheed US,the from (Dassault); Rafale French the JAS-39(Gripen); ent parts of the globe—Russia’s MiG-35 (RAC MiG); Sweden’s differ from companies bidding six the to released was RFP spective bidders. re the to release for proved preparedIAF,theby apwas comprehensively RFP, page caused furtherdelays. Finally, which 211-a Costs, Cycle Life total introduction of the including (RFP), proposal for incorporatedrequesttheinto quently, criteria were several globalscales.Consetogrow industries opportunity to an getshould defence Indian value realised. Lastly, is money best for that so parent, be competitive, fair and trans should process selection the Second, met. fully be should (IAF) Force Indian Air the of theprocurement scheme. First, theoperational requirements Defence Minister A.K. Antony gave its go-ahead. onJune 29, 2007, the Defence AcquisitionCouncil, headed by 126fighter aircraft had crawled through the next stage when nAgs 2, 07 the 2007, 28, August On Toredux, Antonyhad outlined three guiding principles for off the radar of the country’stheradartheofoff defenceacquisition goes never it ensures project (MMRCA)Aircraft Combat Multi-Role Medium India’s of size very ORTHOVER $10 BILLION Report - - - - immediately, but most ALL SET TO START THE (Rs 50,000 crore), the the completion of the commence only after probably these will The IAF appears general elections FLIGHT TRIALS ------remembered that technical evaluation is just the third step third the just is evaluation technical that remembered be to needs it time, same the done.At job outstanding the for commended be to needs and frame time stipulated the complete this Herculean and highly complicated task within case, this to oil midnight of lot (in a burned have must IAF).IAF the The HQ Service concerned the by from headed officers the is which Committee Evaluation Technical the by out carried are evaluations These Requirements. tative Quali Services the vis-à-vis evaluated minutely be to was of technical evaluations where each and every technical bid phase next the in done be to required work of amount the aircraft to the IAF before 2015. contracttheofbeing signed beforedelivery and2012 the of Aviation Doubts’articlein thepredictedDelays& in‘Dogged by least. This would more or less be in conformity with whatwhole process wascould take more than year—tilla end 2010 at comparativesourceforgle analysisdifferent ofaircraft. The sin ensure to engineersand pilots of teamspecialised one onlyfieldfurtherdecidestretchedtoget willIAF shouldthe consuming.timeaircraftbe flight-will Flight-testingthetestingall of task the that obvious is it high, and hot and, dry all-encompassing testing scenarios of hot and humid, hot and accountthenumber bidders,of thenumber locationsof and where the operating surfaces trials high-altitude are ofabove conduct10,000 theft. for Taking earmarked beeninto has Ladakhmountainous the in Lehalmer, as,Rajasthan, even tiontests in Bangalore, and hot-weather desert trials in Jais three different locations in India: technical and humid condi /07 su wih lo oea te unlikelihood the foresaw also which issue 6/2007

Issue 4•2009

—Air Marshal(Retd) V.K. Bhatia Card ioos etn poes at process testing rigorous a through go to planned are the generalelections. of aircraftThe completion the after ably these will commence only prob most butimmediately, trialsflight the start to set all tract isfinallysigned. con the before negotiations and evaluation commercial and oversight, technical tion, tially followed by staff evalua sequen types, all for ducted field trials will have to be con extensive phase, next the In Policy. Procurement Defence India’s of process curement pro the of phases laborious out of a total of eight long and SP As of now, the IAF appears

SP’S AVIATION

SP’s

7 ------PHOTOGRAPHS: SP GUIDE PUBNS Forum roles—described as Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft Aircraft Combat designed are aircraft combat modern all fact, In (MMRCA). Multi-role Medium as in roles—described tonnes attack 20 ground and defence to air both of capable 15 and weight around aircraft, combat Generation Fourth lightweight a geting tar was time that at IAF replacement, the As capa gap. the bility bridge thus aircraft and series MiG nuating superan its of some replace to aircraft) 126 (total aircraft of combat six duct squadrons in to a case initiated had HQ Air horizon, the on nowhere (LCA) Indian Aircraft Combat the Light with and ation situ grim very this ticipating an 2001, in as back far As REWIND &RECALL tain itscombatcapability. losing battle in trying to main is fighting a force grim and somewhat the inductions, the outstripping far outages the with But void. the fill to craft air MKI Su-30 of squadrons additional raise and try ately desper to IAF the has prompted aircraft MiG-23 of fleet entire the and series Mig-21 earlier the of retirement the by caused squadrons fighter around 30squadrons. at hovering be to fighter feared ure jet fig a to 39.5 of from squadrons number depleted the has squadron 221 No. of numberplating porary quent winding down and tem A 8 MMRCA DEAL

h sed dcie n jet in decline steady The SP’S AVIATION March 6. Subse 6. March squadron took to the skies for one last time on 221 No. to belonging MiG-23BN a when end combat (IAF) Force’s squadron strength, the yawning MiG-23 era came to an Air Indian the the in gap aggravating and ccentuating

is of the

Issue 4•2009 ------Time

Indo-Russian project of a Fifth Generation long-winded process squadrons—plus the for the development the IAF’s jet ﬁghter by 2015—makes it imperative for the Steady decline in becoming reality possibility of the Fighter Aircraft to gather speed Essence h IF ol ms poal hv otd o sx squad six Mirage for the of derivative a 2000-5, opted Mirage Dassault of have rons probably most would IAF the less or more with roles effectiveness. both equal perform to equipped and snail-paced decision making process in India, was being being thinking. forward and was pragmatic quite India, in process making decision snail-paced being Dassault aircraft. ‘Omni-role’ the as termed Dassault what Rafale, generation next the with fer In the then prevailing environment and given the choice, However, the option for war.procure and peace during well, so IAF the served had which 2000 ae b te oenet and therefore, wasnotexercised. government the by lated stipu procedure procurement the under available easily not was vendor single a from ment al rpae ter nta of initial their replaced Das sault discontinued being 2000-5 was Mirage of production the Typhoon.As GmbH fighter 25 Euro the and Hornet Super 18 to 20 tonnes, such as the Boeing F/A- around category, weight medium heavier the in aircraft include to redefined was MMRCA proposed the of envelope capability the Reach’, ‘Strategic and of Dominance’ ‘Air role perceived newly its of demands the by dictated ment require IAF’s the of revision a er the same year, in the wake of at 2005. Lat India played Aero dis was OVT MiG-29 the only these, Of F-16. the for Martin Lockheed and 2000-5 Mirage for France of Dassault Gripen, JAS-39 the for SAAB MiG-29, RAC MiG for the new of version majors— aerospace four to out sent was (RFI) request information for a 2004, in sometime the which, Following by government. principle in accepted be to MMRCA the for proposal

It took three years for the the for years three took It www.spsaviation.net au fait au

with the the with ------Forum and the single-engine SAAB Gripen. In conformity with the the with conformity In SAAB Gripen. single-engine the and France of Dassault from Rafale twin-engine the were tees absen the Among felt. presence its make to time first the for up showed Typhoon Eurofighter the 2009, India Aero dubbing of Recently, the Nation’. India’s in as the of Gripen ‘Wings extent the the to went SAAB aircraft. MiG-35 the OVT MiG-29 to might the Russian and their adding Gripens JAS-39 SAAB and Vipers Super F-16IN Martin’s Lockheed Hornets, Super F/A-18 Boeing with hopefuls, MMRCA with displays. air the during performed products. tive concerned in for were engaged respec their majors rooting the aerospace all evaluation”, “technical of task arduous of part better the complete to year this of the beginning the and year last the for busy kept was IAF the While lines. dead time extended the within government Indian the to submitted and all participants by the completed was task ing daunt this extensions, some of grant to the With to. responded had be clauses, offset 50 cent to per pertaining those also as Costs, Cycle Life complex highly the to pertaining provisions cial Spe quotations. price including bids, commercial and separate technical of way by RFP the to pre to bidders responses their submit and pare six the all time for against race stiff a was It project? lad MMRCA the stands der procurement of defence rung the which on Meanwhile, RACE AGAINST TIME touch HQ.” constant with Air in the is and company evaluations flight the for going preparations our with ahead are we contrary, the On competition. MMRCA the from ouster rumoured the of fication noti formal any received not has “Dassault clarified: Rao Aviation to company.Talking the by denied categorically been have stage evaluation technical the following race the from project been expelled having of tion. rumours Dassault Meanwhile, MMRCA dispensa the new the under that momentum hoped added gather only would is government It national Centre. new the a at of grap formation be the would with country pling entire the but month next chief new a have will IAF the that only not is May. It of end by the office down lays he even and proposal MMRCA of tion the is initia the since Major office F.H.in (CAS) Staff Air the of Marshal Chief fourth Air stage. (RFP) proposal for request the to get to RFI the of issue than the since more years and three IAF the by case the years of long initiation the six since government Indian the took It sumptions. MMRCA DEAL Aero Aero India 2007 air show had the Yelahanka sky teeming In 2005, OVT it MiG-29 was the only had Russian which as their on out not were French the out, turned it As , Dassault Aviation’s Deputy Delegate in India P.V. India in Delegate Deputy Aviation’s Dassault , - - - - “Dassault hasnotreceived“Dassault the rumoured ousterfrom the rumoured DEPUTY DELEGATE-INDIA, the MMRCA competition. ﬂight evaluations andthe any formal notiﬁcation of company isinconstant On thecontrary, we are going aheadwithour preparations for the touch with Air HQ.” DASSAULT AVIATION SP’s ------tions. It is learnt that in the first phase, the IAF is expected is expected IAF the phase, first in the that It is learnt tions. evalua for time flight to preferential asked their give being also are vendors The formalities. pre-trial the complete to vendors the meeting started already have authorities IAF the that suggest com reports Latest highly stage. and evaluation flight plex crucial most the of one of threshold the at stands now programme procurement The stage. uation eval technical the past get to years eight IAF, nearly it taken has the by proposal MMRCA the of initiation the Since SETTING THEPACE FORTRIALS required. when and as evaluation flight for able air avail made the be would aircraft in the that show. stressed They participate to available was in none committed Afghanistan, operationally were aircraft their clarified all as French that the while evaluation flight for resources conserving on focused SAAB down, slow economic global to historical irrelevance. irrelevance. historical to consigned get just might proposal MMRCA the 2015, by ity real becoming Aircraft Fighter Generation Fifth a of ment develop the for project Indo-Russian the of event the in as expeditiously finalised is deal MMRCA the that important is it be, may case the whatever However, MMRCA. the aircraft as twin-engine or single a needs IAF the issue whether fundamental of the over confusion also is There nego tiate. to have would proposal the maze financial the and imponderables politico-bureaucratic the of view in alistic unre somewhat appear therefore, 2014, by latest service dimension. geo-political by the influenced be invariably of would level which the at government the making decision of in complexities are which least, cent the not but Last, per high. 50 inordinately is some of at opinion the pegged requirement offset the Assurances by the CAS that the MMRCA would be in in be would MMRCA the that CAS the by Assurances — P.V. RAO,

will be conducted in India on twin- on India in conducted be will simulators. aircraft vendors’ on trained pilots and familiarised be to each three of teams two send to major issue of concern regarding regarding concern of issue this is major there Then, hurry. a in complet ed also be cannot are and complex negotiations price and Costs Cycle Life variables. bids, of commercial evaluation many as such steps too Other are as speculative there entirely be would column) InFocus the in been predicted has (as evaluation flight the Matrix. Performance exhaustive an against evaluated be to likely are is norm, the aircraft all As trials. as evaluation well electronic maintenance as systems and and weapons radar weapons, showcase will single-seater, a fly respective ing including the countries, in vendors’ conducted be to phase final The aircraft. seater Issue 4•2009 — Air Marshal(Retd) V.K. Bhatia SP In the second phase, flight trials trials phase, flight In second the Determining a time frame for for frame time a Determining

SP’S AVIATION

9 ------OEM PERSPECTIVE MMRCA DEAL rum Fo A Strategic Partnership with India

By Bernhard Gerwert, CEO Military Air Systems, EADS Defence & Security

URING AERO INDIA 2009, OPERATIONAL REASONS EADS had proposed to es- Eurofighter Typhoon is a multi/swing- tablish a long-term strategic role fighter which employs the latest partnership with Indian aero- technologies to deliver outstanding op- Dspace and defence companies. We have erational performance with the flexibil- a strong interest to create a long-lasting ity and development potential to fulfill strategic partnership with Indian aero- the needs of operational commanders space and defence companies and we for the next decades. Eurofighter is are committed to bring our capabilities, acknowledged for its air-to-air supe- skills and technologies into this win- riority. Combined with outstanding win-partnership. India is our partner of air-to-ground capabilities, it delivers choice and, therefore, we invited India the required mission effectiveness to to join the Eurofighter Typhoon pro- meet the operational requirements of gramme as a partner. It is my personal air forces worldwide. conviction that we must listen to our In- Therefore, we are absolutely con- dian customers and industrial partners vinced that Eurofighter Typhoon is the and learn from them in order to coop- major candidate in this competition. erate together successfully. Why should With more than 700 orders and over India select the Eurofighter Typhoon Political, 170 deliveries, Eurofighter Typhoon is as its forthcoming Medium Multi-Role fully operational and it is regarded as Combat Aircraft (MMRCA)? There are industrial and an excellent weapon system which will several political, industrial and opera- operational satisfy the current and future require- tional reasons why we are convinced ments of the IAF. that Eurofighter Typhoon is the most reasons The leading-edge combat aircraft suited combat aircraft for the Indian recommend has a tremendous built-in growth po- Air Force (IAF). tential and therefore the Eurofighter the Euroﬁghter partner companies are able to offer POLITICAL REASONS Typhoon as India new opportunities for future co- A procurement decision in favour operation in design, development and of the Eurofighter Typhoon will the best candidate manufacturing. We are ready to pro- strengthen India’s political, industrial in the MMRCA vide our operational, support, engi- and military relations with Germany, neering and development capabilities the UK, Italy and Spain as Europe’s competition to the Indian aerospace and defence leading industrial nations. The four sector which is growing fast and we nations and the four Eurofighter want to grow together with this dy- partner companies will stimulate namic development. economic growth and industrial development in India as At present, EADS which has the lead of the Eurofighter reliable partners. Typhoon campaign in India, is preparing its participation in the flight trials of the MMRCA competition. The flight trials are INDUSTRIAL REASONS expected in 2009 after a shortlisting of the bidders and we The Eurofighter partner companies have provided the most have launched intensive preparations to meet this important attractive industrial partnership to India paving the way for milestone. India to become a self-reliant global aerospace and defence Eurofighter Typhoon is currently regarded as the most mod-

OFIGHTER player. Especially EADS which is leading this campaign is ern combat aircraft available on the world market. Therefore, UR

E deploying a group-wide industrial partnership comprising we are absolutely confident that there will be more customers development, manufacturing, training and through-life-sup- and orders in the forthcoming years because several nations port. Airbus, for instance, has already initiated projects such already expressed their strong interest, such as Switzerland, as an Airbus Engineering Centre, Pilot Training Centre, co- Greece, Turkey, Japan, Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia. There-

PHOTOGRAPHS: operation with HAL for A320 passenger doors, and so on. fore, I say: Welcome India! Join our Eurofighter family!

10 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net OEM PERSPECTIVE MMRCA DEAL rum Fo Gripen IN Offers Futuristic Warfare Tech

By Eddy de la Motte, Marketing Director, Gripen International India

IN is a medium weight multi-role fighter aircraft with its 16.5 tonnes maximum take-off weight and will, on scheduled delivery, be ahead of the entire generation of aircraft in contention for the MMRCA. Gripen IN—a version of the Gripen NG Next Generation fighter—is the most advanced multi-role fighter in the world today with a highly developed secure and multi-frequency data link providing total situational awareness for the pilot in all roles. The fully integrated avionic mission system, including an Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar, Infra Red Search and Track sensor, advanced active and passive electronic-warfare system, provides superior sensor fusion and decision support capabilities. The above, together with a missile approach warner, laser warner, towed decoys and built-in jamming capability, provides excellent offensive and defensive characteristics. The outstanding agility of the Gripen IN is achieved Gripen will enable through a combination of advanced aerodynamic layout India realise its utilising a combined close-coupled canard- delta configuration and a digital fly-by-wire system. The new more ambitionof being an powerful General Electric F414G engine gives Gripen su- independent global per-cruise capability. Gripen’s high operational availability, rapid turn- player around and minimal support requirements lead to sustained high sortie rates and more time in the air. Gripen is also designed to be able to operate from hostile forward operating bases for long periods of time. A wide range of state-of-the-art weapons can be sourced from manufacturers worldwide, affording the IAF freedom of choice by E FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT GRIPEN IN is the avoiding sole source supply constraints. best choice for India. The Next Generation air- Also, in combination with the Industrial Cooperation craft being offered by Saab for the Medium Multi- programme we have offered, Gripen’s programme for the Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) programme is IAF, Indian defence and industrial establishment will, by Wthe world’s most technologically advanced multi-role fighter 2020, make India completely independent of the need to aircraft with futuristic warfare technologies developed spe- purchase combat aircraft from other countries and make cifically for India. Gripen meets or exceeds every operational it an exporter of aircraft like Sweden. Gripen is the only requirement raised by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in all roles: option that will fundamentally shift India’s defence tech- air-to-air fighter Beyond Visual Range/Within Visual Range, nology prowess to one that is able to realise its ambition

PHOTOGRAPHS: GRIPEN air-to-surface land and sea, and reconnaissance. The Gripen of being an independent global player.

Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 11 OEM PERSPECTIVE MMRCA DEAL

the F-16IN Super Viper is a unique new fighter sharing a rum heritage with the world’s only Fifth Generation fighters—the

Fo F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and the F-22 Raptor. Boost to Evolutionary integration of Fifth Generation technologies makes the F-16IN the most advanced Fourth Generation fighter in the world today. Indigenous Efforts We submitted our response to the IAF’s request for proposal (RFP) last year in April and have already completed two By Ambassador Douglas A. Hartwick, rounds of technical queries. We are now waiting for word on Chief Executive, the field trials. It is important to note that the entire Lockheed Lockheed Martin India Operations

Lockheed Martin brings Martin MMRCA team has been extremely ¬impressed with its experience the way the evaluations are being conducted and the degree of detail the IAF is requiring from the competitors. Lockheed of exporting the F-16 feels that such details are good as it offers us an opportunity to a large number of to show that the F-16IN Super Viper is the right choice for the IAF. We have tailored this aircraft exclusively for the IAF to countries and setting up meet or exceed all of the MMRCA requirements. This is why we are so excited about the prospect of field trials and the production lines opportunity to show on the flight line and in the air what the in partnership F-16IN Super Viper can do. One of the best examples of the Super Viper’s capabilities with local industry is the only Active Electronically Steered Array (AESA) radar, delivered internationally today. This revolutionary all-weather, precision targeting sensor has been exported by the US government and is defending a sovereign nation today; no other OCKHEED MARTIN IS EXCITED AT THE OPPOR- MMRCA competitor can make that claim. Along with a supe- TUNITY offered to the company to participate in In- rior product, Lockheed Martin also brings in its experience of dia’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) exporting the F-16 to a large number of countries and setting competition. This is a great opportunity for our com- up production lines in partnership with local industry. Lpany to prove what type of technology, products, innovation Bottom line is that we are excited to be a part of the MMRCA

SP GUIDE PUBNS and more importantly partnership we truly bring to this com- competition and looking forward to being invited to field trials. petition to India. It is also a great opportunity to showcase to Rhetoric is good for a while, but eventually you have to strap the Indian Air Force (IAF) what a great aircraft the F-16IN on the aircraft and show everyone the true capabilities. We Super Viper is. Lockheed Martin is the only company in the are confident that the F-16IN Super Viper is the right aircraft

PHOTOGRAPHS: world which produces Fifth Generation aircraft. As a result, for the IAF and its future force structure requirements.

12 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net MILITARY AJT

SHOWCASING BRILLIANCE: M-346: Get M-346 ON THE GROUND AND IN FLIGHT Combat Ready The Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master is the newest generation Advanced/Lead-In Fighter Trainer speciﬁcally DESIGNED TO BRIDGE THE TECHNOLOGICAL GAP with the new generation ﬁghters

By Our Special Correspondent

he only new generation advanced/lead-in fighter embedded in this aircraft, the M-346’s comprehensive superi- trainer currently available in Europe, the M-346 or platform blends full authority Fly-by-Wire flight control sys- Master is tailored to train pilots to fly new genera- tem with advanced aerodynamics and high thrust-to-weight tion combat aircraft and is well suited for every ratio. The systems provide the aircraft with high performance phase of advanced and pre-operational training, in terms of energy manoeuvrability, acceleration, capability to to reduce the flight hours on the more expensive fly at angles of attack—comparable to the ones of the latest aircraft. The aircraft embodies the latest “design-to-cost” and generation fighters (over 35°). The M-346 avionics and com- T“design-to-maintain” concepts, with avionics modelled upon prehensive embedded simulation systems takes advantages those of new generation military aircraft such as Eurofighter, from the unique expertise gained by Alenia Aermacchi, a Fin- Gripen, Rafale, F-16, F-22 and the future JSF. meccanica company, with the MB-339CD and allows the pilot

PHOTOGRAPHS: ALENIA AERMACCHI ARCHIVES PHOTOGRAPHS: ALENIA AERMACCHI Born of a number of state-of-the-art design characteristics to be trained in modern weapons system and mission man-

Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 13 MILITARY AJT M-346 TECHNICAL DATA

Dimensions Span 31.89 ft Length 37.70 ft Height 16.33 ft Wing area 253.20 sq ft Weight Empty 4,610 kg Takeoff (clean) 6,700 kg Takeoff (maximum) 9,500 kg Power Plant Type 2 x F-124GA-200 Thrust, MAX, SLS, ISA 2 x 2,850 kg Internal fuel (usable) 2,000 kg Performance (clean, ISA) Max level speed 590 KTAS Limit speed 572 KEAS / 1.2 MN Rate of climb (SL) 21,000 ft/min Stall speed (landing, 90 KCAS 20% fuel) Service ceiling 45,000 ft Range clean / 3 ext. 1,120 / tanks (10% reserve) 1,540 nm Max sustained Load 8.0 g Factor (SL) Max sustained Load 5.8 g Factor (15,000 ft) Max sustained Turn Rate 14 deg/sec (15,000 ft) LEADING FROM THE Takeoff ground run (SL) 1,050 ft FRONT: THE FIRST AND SECOND PROTOTYPES OF Landing ground roll, 1,540 ft THE M-346 IN FLIGHT 20% internal fuel (SL) Limit Load Factor + 8 / -3 g

agement tasks in a high performance environment. the trainees to become familiar with the typical atti- Consequently, at the lower end of the training spectrum, the tudes of modern combat aircraft in Within Visual Range M-346’s flying characteristics and performance ensure an easy combat scenarios; transition for student pilot coming from the basic trainer. At • Long training persistence at working the training the upper end of the training spectrum, the M-346 is capable area due to its fuel efficient dry engines contrasting to download training modules from the OCU Phase flown on with a supersonic trainer which needs a fuel-thirsty af- much more expensive fighters. Hence, considering all the eco- terburning engine; nomical issues, the M-346 is able to provide the customer with • Long range, endurance and in-flight refuelling for great savings in the total cost to produce a combat ready pilot. maximum flexibility; To reach the mentioned training qualities the primary ob- • State-of-the-art cockpit digital environment fully rep- jectives set in the M-346 design have been: resentative of modern combat aircraft, coupled with an • High level of manoeuvre and energy performance extensive in-flight simulation capability; comparable to those of current generation fighters, up to • Easy to maintain aircraft systems and optimised the transonic area, but without an afterburning engine; logistic support in order to ensure minimum Cost Of • Excellent handling characteristics, thanks to an out- Ownership; standing aerodynamic design and its quadruplex flight • High degree of system redundancy, mission reliability control system (FCS) providing carefree handling; and safety (twin engine, twin hydraulic and electrical • High Angle of Attack capability mandatory to allow systems, quadruplex FCS, and so on). PHOTOGRAPH: KATSUHITO TOKUNAGA PHOTOGRAPH: KATSUHITO

14 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net MILITARY AJT

All the above characteristics contribute to outstanding quadruplex Fly-by-Wire control system, allow the M-346 to mission capabilities for a realistic training and a more cost-ef- remain fully controllable at angles of attack over 35°. With fective transition to modern operational jet aircraft. this technological achievement, Alenia Aermacchi confirms it can autonomously design and manufacture advanced aircraft THE M-346 MASTER PROGRAMMES with Fly-by-Wire controls. This, combined with the twin-en- In January 2008, the second M-346 prototype carried out gine configuration and thrust/weight ration close to 1, trans- the flight tests in collaboration with the Experimental Test lates into safety levels unattainable by its competitors. The Unit of the Italian Air Force, providing also qualification M-346 also integrates digital avionics with the ability to simu- for in-flight refuelling using a Tornado equipped with a late sensors and threats in flight. These characteristics and buddy pod. its performance make the M-346 the world’s leading tactical First supersonic flight (Mach 1.17) was performed at the pre-operational training aircraft. end of 2008, to be followed by further flight envelope expan- The Italian Air Force should soon sign the contract cover- sion up to the design speed of Mach 1.2. The industrial base line ing its first batch of the M-346 to fulfill its advanced/lead-in

The M-346 programme started very well. We have several reasons to be proud of this aircraft, foremost being the selection of 48 Alenia Aermacchi M-346 by the United Arab Emirates Government: a huge success for the Italian high-tech industry. IT IS AN ENDORSEMENT OF CONSIDERABLE STRATEGIC VALUE FOR FINMECCANICA, as it conﬁrms the supremacy of this advanced next-generation trainer aircraft at international level and paves the way for further successes in the global markets, where others important campaigns are already under way. — Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, Chairman and CEO, Finmeccanica

M-346 (LRIP00) was rolled out at the beginning of April 2008 fighter training needs. In February 2009 the M-346 was se- and made its official first flight in July the same year. With the lected by the United Arab Emirates for their new training air first pre-series aircraft, the M-346 entered the industrialisation fleet. Furthermore, it has been shortlisted (two competitors) in phase. Intensive development work on the two prototypes has Singapore within the local Fighter Wings Course. led to the optimisation and industrialisation of the design. The Market analysis conducted by Alenia Aermacchi revealed design effort for the baseline industrial configuration aircraft that today there are in service some 2,900 advanced trainers, has concentrated on structural optimisation, with additional about 30 per cent of which are already obsolete. The com- benefits in terms of improved maintenance. The goal has been pany forecasts that within the next 25 years the world, ex- achieved by rationalising the distribution of wing spars and cluding Russia and China, will require about 2,000 advanced fuselage frames, together with a more widespread use of com- training aircraft in the M-346 class. Alenia Aermacchi could posite and titanium parts. Together with the integration of the win over 30 per cent of this market. SP new main landing gear and the standardisation of general mission systems, this has brought about a considerable reduction Editor’s Note: India recently issued a request for information in the empty weight, in the order of about 700 kg. for new advanced jet trainers. Information has been sought on the Alenia Aermacchi M-346, BAE’s Hawk 128, Aero Vo- INNOVATIVE DESIGN DRIVES DEMAND dochody L-159, Korea Aerospace Industries/Lockheed Martin Vortex lift aerodynamics, together with the full authority T-50, RSK MiG-AT and Yakovlev Yak-130.

Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 15 SP’s EXCLUSIVE HAL CHAIRMAN

‘ FOCUSon TIMELY EXECUTION of orders’

ASHOK NAYAK took over as the Chairman of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) from April 1. In his ﬁrst interview after assuming office, Nayak in a candid chat with SP’s Senior Technical Group Editor Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey traces the public sector organisation’s strengths, weaknesses,

PHOTOGRAPHS: BKP potentials and progress.

16 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net SP’s EXCLUSIVE HAL CHAIRMAN

SP’s Aviation (SP’s): As the 15th Chairman of HAL, what licopters, their engines, accessories (hydraulic, pneumatic, specific areas do you plan to focus on during your ten- fuel aggregates and instruments) and avionics systems (RA- ure? DARs, navigation system, communication systems, and so Ashok Nayak (Nayak): With a sales turnover of over $2 bil- on). These are our core strengths. lion (Rs 10,000 crore), HAL has witnessed a growth of 22 per There are multiple projects now which we did not have cent in the last five years. Considering that barring the top 10 earlier. There is a need to have a very strong Programme companies, most of the others have a turnover in the range Review and Programme Management concept taking root of $2 billion to $3 billion (Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 crore), the in the company. We have embarked upon many new design growth of HAL is indeed a commendable achievement. With projects simultaneously, which will again require a very a comfortable order book position, the focus will be on con- strong Programme Management and Programme Review. solidation and customer service. Global processes such as Enterprise Resource Planning For the Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), we need to focus and Lean Management need to take deeper root than ever on the limited series production (LSP) and on attracting or- before. These procedures normally have a fairly long period ders for series production; for Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), for implementation. We need to be impatient and patient at focus on LSP, initial batch of series production and devel- the same time. I hope it’s understood in the right sense. Im- opment of LCA Mk. II; production of Hawk, with a possible patient means, we need to drive ourselves towards imple- follow on order; compressed delivery schedule and delivery mentation, and patience means, we have to give it a mini- of phase-3 and phase-4 of Su-30 MKI and completion of pro- mum time to take root. duction; timely execution of the orders and exploiting the Basically, we need to jointly work on strategies, hone export potential of Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH); and work practices and introduce modern techniques and tech- the actual realisation of the first flight nologies. In short, we should evolve a of Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) are work culture which will successfully some of the focus areas. see us through and propel us to excel- “HAL has the lence in our endeavours in the years SP’s: In your perception, what are to come. the major strengths and weakness- capability and es of the organisation? What steps technological SP’s: What would be your strategy to do you propose to take to improve ensure HAL contributes effectively in HAL’s ranking among global aero- infrastructure the nation’s pursuit of self-reliance space industries? in defence related technology and Nayak: World over, the aircraft in- to develop an hardware in the regime of military dustry has the unique microeconomic Advance Jet aviation? In what time frame do you characteristic of being oligopolistic think the dream of self-reliance can in nature with high entry and exit Trainer aircraft be realised? barriers due to extremely high capi- based on the Nayak: HAL will reinforce its leader- talisation and large cash flows. The ship position in Indian military aviation industry, which has high technology experience with the development of Fifth Genera- content not just in the products them- tion fighters. With this, HAL is poised selves but in production processes as gained on for a leap in development, application well, is global in nature. LCA and IJT.” and management of new technologies In India, HAL has been the lead- such as: ing light of the aerospace sector. Par- • Stealth ticipation of the private sector has • Super cruise been by way of supplies to HAL. The • Ultra manoeuvrability company has been at the forefront of • Multi-axis (360 degree) Thrust Vec- product and technology development, toring manufacturing and assembly, system development and inte- • Integrated Flight Control, Propulsion & Weapon sys- gration, and repair and overhaul. Over the years, HAL has tem acquired the necessary skills, experience and intellectual • Advanced Composite Materials capital for these activities. As a complex high-tech systems • Active Phased Array Radar engineering industry, HAL is a user and driver of advanced • Advanced Real Time Data Link (A-to-A and A-to-G) product and process technologies. Around 2,000 Design En- • Advanced EW suite gineers are working in its 10 R&D centres on new aircraft • Internal (Conformal) carriage of weapons design, aircraft upgrades, small engine design and develop- • Advanced Avionics, Antennas & Sensors ment of various accessories and avionics systems. Extensive • Electro Optics & Sensors Technologies infrastructure has been built for design, and human skills • Open System Architecture Avionics suites. have been nurtured to address the fine points of design and HAL intends to double the R&D expenditure to 10 to 12 technology. per cent of its turnover and develop indigenous technologies Over the six decades of its existence, carefully planned in collaboration with Defence Research and Development investments have been made to build sophisticated manu- Organisation (DRDO) and national laboratories and create facturing capabilities for military and transport aircraft, he- securely networked design and development organisations

Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 17 SP’s EXCLUSIVE HAL CHAIRMAN through EDI and VR-based virtual prototypes and large- dedicated facilities for HAL. scale visualisations. As regards the main design and development efforts, To match the quantum leap in technologies that new pro- HAL has started involving private design houses in its programmes demand, we should accord greater importance to grammes. One instance is the LCH project. Plexion, a Ma- the process of consolidation of technological knowledge, its hindra & Mahindra subsidiary, is participating in detail transformation and dissemination among the design engi- design of this helicopter. Aiming to synchronise the design neers, technologists and process specialists by mentoring, strengths of HAL and global delivery capabilities of private and assuming personal responsibility for training and de- industries in the field of IT-enabled engineering services, velopment. Establishing an organic relationship with lead- HAL has formed JVs with companies such as Infotech and ing educational institutions such as IITs/NITs/IISc and also Tata Technologies for design & engineering services for aero DRDO/CSIR laboratories for development of these technolo- engines and aero structures respectively for domestic and gies is another step in this direction. international customers. A technology road-map needs to be drawn up for each of the R&D centres to identify critical technologies required SP’s: In your assessment, does the private sector have the to develop advanced systems and equipment. In parallel, technical capability, financial strength and will to invest in the focus should be towards development of flight-critical the infrastructure required for aerospace industry where systems (such as servo actuators, airborne equipment using the technology is advanced, funds required are huge, micro electro mechanical systems, automatic flight control economy of scale is unfavourable, gestation period is long, systems and optronic devices) to absorb the current technol- returns are slow in coming, quality control is stringent ogies and to manage the same in a production environment. and the procedures involved are infinitely complex to the For the development of these modern systems, partnerships point of being a deterrent? with MNCs either through co-development or the joint ven- Nayak: Investment in the aircraft industry essentially de- ture (JV) route are to be sought. I see this happening in the pends on predictability and stability of programme require- coming decade. ments to protect adequate long-term investment funding and financial flexibility of the industry. Aerospace technolo- SP’s: HAL’s vision statement reflects the intent to trans- gies also call for form the organisation into a commercial venture. How constant upgrade do you propose to achieve this objective given its deep- of its facilities. rooted PSU culture, antiquated labour laws, narrow Equipment is usu- customer base in a fiercely competitive global market, “HAL is ally very expen- poor economy of scale, lack of autonomy in determin- aggressively sive because of the ing direction and rigid bureaucratic control? stringent techni- Nayak: I strongly believe that identifying teams, sharing promoting cal conditions that the dreams and vision and helping the team to articulate are to be consis- the vision is the essence of the transformational process. Dhruv in tently maintained. Efficiency of this process is a function of management and identiﬁed target Profit margins in not that of the ownership. As such, transformational suc- new products are cess does not depend whether the organisation is a PSU or countries, comparatively low a private entity. including in due to high cost of development and SP’s: Offset of 30 to 50 per cent in future aircraft deals Latin competition with will translate into enormous workload for HAL. How America.” global players. All far have you been successful in drawing the private the above factors sector into a partnership arrangement to cope with the could be a dis- huge increase in work orders? incentive for the Nayak: In HAL, the scope of outsourcing has been consid- private firms with erably increased since 2001. Development of the country’s a wide portfolio private industry is being given new thrust by HAL to cre- of products giving ate a broad and capable aviation sector. HAL has been higher returns. encouraging the private sector to build defence capabilities Under such an environment, sustenance of private sector and, accordingly, providing all technical assistance to meet in the Indian aircraft industry with extremely high capitali- stringent quality requirements. More than 1,300 private sation, large cash flows, highly complex technologies with industries are currently participating in HAL’s programme. long gestation time for returns and relatively lower profit Today, HAL gets most of its tooling produced by the private margins is a matter of concern. sector. As a strategy to optimise investments and manpower, HAL is depending more and more on its vendor base for ma- SP’s: With the private sector striving to command in- chining, sheet metal work and sub-assemblies. Results are creasing share of business in the aerospace industry, do beginning to show and a large number of SMEs are coming you visualise any problems in competing with them in up to the aeronautical standards at component level. It has respect of induction and retention of high quality techni- been HAL’s experience that the response from small and me- cal manpower? dium private companies is more encouraging in setting up Nayak: The issue is not about being a private or public sector.

18 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net SP’s EXCLUSIVE HAL CHAIRMAN

Technical manpower—espe- enhanced scope of require- cially the designers, technolo- ments/supplies. Acquisition by gists and the technicians on the the armed forces is normally for shop floor with hands on expe- products with advanced tech- rience in aerospace sector—are nological features (sensors and not easily available either to the radars, and aircraft/helicopter private sector or to us even if platforms integrated with such it is expensive. This vital talent systems) that are currently not management issue needs to be available indigenously. addressed at the national level HAL is proposing co-devel- through a focused development opment/co-production route process with the help of aca- with international aircraft/heli- demic institutions. copter manufacturers to reduce the lead time for new product SP’s: How would you respond delivery to IAF. This approach to the suggestion of progres- also augurs well for improving sive privatisation of HAL in the indigenous capability within the evolving economic sce- CAREER GRAPH a short timeframe. nario in the country? Nayak: HAL is fully owned by • Hailing from Honnavara in Karnataka, SP’s: HAL has been quite suc- the Government of India and Nayak is a Mechanical Engineer from Ban- cessful in the past in the re- is professionally managed by galore University gime of trainer aircraft and a board with full time func- • Joined HAL as a Management Trainee in the ALH. However, the track tional directors, independent 1973 record in respect of the devel- directors, who are experts in • At the Engine Division in Bangalore opment of combat aircraft has their fields, and two govern- (1986-1998), he headed Production En- not been creditable. Would you ment nominees. The company, gineering and led the assembly, overhaul attribute this deficiency to lack over the years, has generated and repair of engines like Artouste, Garrett, of capability, flawed decision sufficient internal resources to Dart, Orpheus, Gnome, Adour and the Avon making at the policy level or to fund its modernisation, expan- series any other reason? sion and diversification plans. • As the General Manager of Aerospace Nayak: Design and development Being a Navratna Company, it Division in 2004, Nayak gave a major efforts on a fighter aircraft wit- also has sufficient autonomy thrust to the manufacturing of GSLV Mk. III nessed a setback during 1960s to manage its operations, in- structural assemblies and tankages to 1980s after the completion of vestments and enter into JVs. • In 2006, he took over as the General the indigenous Marut (HF-24) Hence, it is felt that operations Manager of Aircraft Division at Bangalore aircraft. In the 1980s, develop- at HAL are as good as in any Complex and gave a fillip to concurrent en- ment of the LCA was undertak- of the private industries and gineering and upgrade of Jaguar aircraft, en by Aeronautical Development besides establishing a sound manufactur- the issue of privatisation of Agency (ADA) with support from ing base for the production of the Pilotless HAL is solely at the discretion Target Aircraft. Also gave impetus to the HAL. The LCA—conceived as of the government. Hawk and IJT projects. a modern fighter with all the features of 4.5 Generation air- • In July 2007, was elevated as the SP’s: Projects undertaken by Managing Director of HAL’s Bangalore craft—needed quantum jump HAL for the Indian Air Force Complex when multiple projects like the on the indigenous technology (IAF) have in the past been Hawk, IJT and LCA entered various levels front compared to the HF-24 plagued with delays and of implementation on a fast-track technology. The fighter technol- substantial cost over-runs, ogy development in India has leaving the air force with not undergone smooth transi- no option but to seek al- tion through “Incremental Block ternative solutions through Development” approach usu- acquisition from foreign ally adopted by other leading sources. What steps would you recommend to remedy aircraft manufacturers. On this front, a little introspection the situation? reveals that aircraft development is a continuous effort and Nayak: Military aircraft industry the world over has unique technological advancements cannot be achieved in pulses. challenges which have direct implications on the schedules. Technology absorption, export regulations and associated SP’s: The IAF is understood to have projected a require- country specific documentations, supply chain challenges ment of additional Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft that and product obsolescence are some of the factors that the could be different from the Hawk 132. Does HAL have industry encounters during development and manufac- the capability or plans to develop such an aircraft, given ture of aircraft and systems. HAL has operated within the the fact that it has accumulated considerable experience budgets, and cases of upward revision are usually towards with the HF 24 and Tejas projects?

Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 19 SP’s EXCLUSIVE HAL CHAIRMAN

Nayak: HAL has the capability and technological infrastruc- expect the aircraft to be available in sufficient numbers to ture to develop an Advance Jet Trainer aircraft based on the take over the training role from the Kiran fleet? experience gained on LCA and IJT. Design and development Nayak: The IJTs will enter service during 2010-11, when the of upgrade programmes on Jaguar, MiG-27M and the Sea first batch of limited series production aircraft are delivered. Harrier has given us considerable expertise in integration of By 2015-16, the Stage-II training needs of the IAF will be modern systems on aircraft platforms. met by IJTs.

SP’s: What is the state of the projects to design and devel- SP’s: What are the long term plans for induction of the op the LCH and the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH)? Does Tejas LCA into the IAF? Has any decision been taken with HAL have any firm orders or commitments for these two regard to an alternative and more powerful engine? What helicopters? are the options? Nayak: For the LCH, configuration freeze for the design has Nayak: The first batch of series production aircraft is ex- been achieved and build up of the first prototype is progress- pected to be inducted into the IAF in 2012. Powering the ing. Mock-up evaluation has been completed by the IAF, who LCA by a more powerful engine is under the consideration will be the launch customer. The helicopter is expected to of the IAF and ADA. ADA is in the process of identifying an alternative engine and studying the aircraft configuration to inte- “There is a grate the new engine. SP’s: How far has the need to have HAL been success- a very strong ful in penetrating the global market? Programme Nayak: HAL’s mission Review and is to become a globally competitive aerospace Programme industry. Towards this, HAL is focusing efforts Management to widen its scope of concept business activities. HAL has established it- taking self as a quality suppli- er by securing orders WHERE THERE IS A WILL: NAYAK root in the HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN from leading aerospace LENDING IMPETUS TO THE HAWK company.” companies from the US (SEEN HERE) AND IJT PROJECTS (Boeing, Honeywell), Canada (Pratt & Whit- ney), France (Airbus, Eurocopter, Snecma, Turbomeca), Germa- make its maiden flight by end of the financial year 2009-10. ny (Ruag), UK (Rolls Royce) and Israel (IAI, Elbit), among Sanction for indigenous development of the LUH was received others. With established proven track record for supply of in February 2009. A dedicated team is in place working on components to Airbus and Boeing, follow on orders have the configuration. First flight is envisaged by August 2012. been received from them which reinforces the confidence in HAL’s capabilities. SP’s: The IAF will need to replace its ageing fleet of HPT At present, HAL’s major thrust is on marketing of Dhruv 32 aircraft in a few years time. Does HAL have any plans ALH. HAL is aggressively promoting Dhruv in identified tar- to provide the air force with a new basic trainer aircraft get countries, including in Latin America. HAL has recently as replacement? won a contract for the supply of seven Dhruvs to Ecuador Nayak: HAL is currently in the process of evolving its strat- through a global competitive bidding process. Five helicop- egy for development of the trainer. We are examining both ters have been delivered in March 2009, well ahead of the options of ab initio development and adopting an already agreed scheduled delivery. A product support base at Ecua- developed airframe of a trainer aircraft (utilise aerodynamic dor is being set up to facilitate establishment of dedicated re- and structural design) and integrate systems to align with pair and maintenance facilities which would be utilised to ex- SQR. We will firm up the options once the customer finalises tend the services to the entire Latin American region. HAL is the technical requirements. also supplying a Dhruv to Mauritius government against the contract concluded recently. HAL has also formed strategic SP’s: The IJT project had an impressive start having un- alliance and JVs with leading global aerospace companies to dertaken the first flight in record time after receiving the tap the vast business opportunities for cooperation in design, go-ahead. What is the time frame in which the IAF should development and production in the aviation sector. SP

20 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net CIVIL EMBRAER PERSPECTIVE Record On Why bigger isn’t always better Outlining the UNTAPPED OPPORTUNITIES in a new market segment—India

nalysts were nearly 58 per cent quick to attri- compared to April bute last year’s last year. Airline ac- unprecedented countants have about spike in oil as much control over prices and the the price of fuel as miscalculations of ill-timed they do with land- Afuel hedging contracts as ing fees, taxation, air reasons for the dismal finan- navigation charges cial performance of many and insurance rates. of the world’s airlines. The Since fuel expense subsequent slump in market represents such a big demand from the global eco- portion of DOC, it nomic downturn certainly demands that every didn’t help the situation. available aircraft seat To counter the down- generates sufficient ward slide, carriers took SURPASSING revenue to help off- immediate steps to stop the EXPECTATIONS: set that expenditure. PASSENGERS INSIDE A haemorrhage by cutting capacity, fur- PARAMOUNT AIRWAYS Flying empty seats and heavily discounting fares to fill excess loughing staff, increasing fleet utilisa- AIRCRAFT capacity doesn’t maximise operating margin. One company tion and even parking airplanes. Not that saw an opportunity to offer airlines an alternative to the only did airlines look for ways to mi- empty seat syndrome was Brazil’s Embraer, manufacturer of nimise the cost half of the profit equation, they looked for a new family of four 70 to 120-seat jets. “We conceived them new ways to maximise revenue by extracting more money specifically to reduce the performance, aerodynamic and eco- from already beleaguered consumers for premium seat as- nomic inefficiencies associated with flying airplanes that are signments, checked baggage and on-board catering. Fare either too big or too small for many of the world’s markets,” increases were cleverly renamed “fuel surcharges.” according to Luiz Chiessi, Embraer’s Vice President of Market Just how much blood can airlines extract from a stone? Intelligence. “Our E-Jets product line lets airlines derive cost Analysing what components of the profit formula air carri- benefits using airplanes designed to minimise those inefficien- ers can and can not control shows how critical a role aircraft cies while delivering a high quality passenger experience that’s type plays in today’s environment, especially in India. normally associated with large aircraft.”

MAINTAINING CONTROL A CHANGE IN BUSINESS STRATEGY Today, few carriers have the financial strength to play and win Flying empty seats has a real cost. Notwithstanding the op- the fuel hedging game. At one point last year, fuel accounted portunity cost of lost capacity, it’s a waste of fuel to carry non for some 40 per cent of an aircraft’s direct operating trip cost revenue-generating aircraft structure. Moreover, offering (DOC) but the dramatic price decline has brought this figure heavily discounted airfares polarises the ticket prices paid by down considerably. Depending on the world region, fuel now business and leisure travellers and puts downward pressure represents about 25 to 30 per cent of DOC. According to IATA’s on yields. The explosive growth in nonstop capacity in the last

PHOTOGRAPHS: EMBRAER Jet Fuel Price Monitor, the global average cost has dropped two years between New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Ban-

Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 21 CIVIL EMBRAER PERSPECTIVE galore saw intense competi- higher fare paying busi- tion by almost every major ness travellers to depart airline with market fares in the morning and return reflecting a classic case of at night. “It’s all about get- over capacity. “Our internal ting the mix of capacity, analysis showed that while frequency and schedule everyone was eager for a right. In lower-demand piece of the domestic pie secondary markets, a 70 in India, no one was mak- to 120-seat airplane lets ing margins to sustain their you do that with greater operations,” says Alexandre efficiency and often with Glock, Managing Direc- a higher margin,” says tor for Embraer Asia Pa- Glock. “You simply can’t cific in Singapore. “From a “OUR E-JETS PRODUCT fly between every city in pure business perspective, LINE LETS AIRLINES the country with a 150- what’s more important: seat jet, offer the frequency losing money with high DERIVE COST BENEFITS that consumers want and market share, or making a USING AIRPLANES expect to make a profit.” profit? What good is mar- “OUR INTERNAL ANALYSIS DESIGNED TO MINIMISE ket share if you can’t cover SHOWED THAT WHILE THOSE INEFFICIENCIES A MARKET-ORIENTED your costs?” EVERYONE WAS EAGER WHILE DELIVERING APPROACH The 70 to 120-seat air- A HIGH QUALITY In India’s intensely com- craft segment offers an FOR A PIECE OF THE petitive domestic net- PASSENGER EXPERIENCE opportunity to earn poten- DOMESTIC PIE IN INDIA, work, lower-demand tially higher margins with NO ONE WAS MAKING THAT’S NORMALLY secondary markets are a business strategy that MARGINS TO SUSTAIN ASSOCIATED WITH LARGE not as well-developed as better matches capacity to THEIR OPERATIONS. AIRCRAFT.” the high-volume metro market demand. Instead of FROM A PURE BUSINESS —LUIZ CHIESSI, routes flown by large fighting for market share PERSPECTIVE, WHAT’S VICE PRESIDENT, aircraft. After serving the on metro markets, prima- MARKET INTELLIGENCE, peak morning departure ry to secondary city pairs MORE IMPORTANT: demand, airlines need to represent a new frontier. LOSING MONEY WITH EMBRAER deploy their big jets on “There is tremendous, un- HIGH MARKET SHARE, OR a round-trip somewhere tapped potential in this MAKING A PROFIT? WHAT before returning to pick country that I’m convinced GOOD IS MARKET SHARE up the peak evening re- can be profitably served by IF YOU CAN’T COVER turn demand. Historically, this often resulted in a single, E-Jet type capacity aircraft,” mid-day flight to a smaller city with a departure time that claims Glock about the do- YOUR COSTS?” wasn’t conducive to business travel. Fare discounting mestic Indian market. “And —ALEXANDRE GLOCK, was needed to stimulate price-sensitive travellers to fill with the recent regulatory MANAGING DIRECTOR, the excess capacity. changes governing mar- EMBRAER ASIA PACIFIC “All that is changing,” says Glock. “What you were see- ket access and taxation for ing was pure operational scheduling. The airline was telling smaller aircraft, I think it’s passengers when it wanted them to fly. Secondary markets only a matter of time be- were treated as an after thought.” A glance at the Chennai- fore airlines understand the Coimbatore route, one of the first to be flown by Embraer magnitude of the opportunity.” E-Jets, shows the dramatic shift from the limited frequen- Embraer knows a lot about opportunity. It has been suc- cies of just a few years ago. Today, Paramount Airways offers cessful in marketing its vision of the 70 to 120-seat segment morning, mid-day and evening flights in each direction giving to more than 50 carriers including Japan Airlines, Australia’s consumers more freedom to go when they want to go. Glock Virgin Blue, Lufthansa, Air Canada, Air France and British adds, “Paramount introduced a market-oriented schedule Airways. In India, Star Aviation will soon join Chennai-based with a new-generation jet, not a turboprop, which is the right Paramount Airways as airlines in India that recognise the size for that city pair. For travel on these kinds of secondary power of the new business strategy by flying to secondary routes, the consumer is back in control of his time.” markets. “Paramount faced a huge challenge as a start-up If the Paramount business strategy is repeated throughout company inaugurating service in a fiercely competitive en- the country, then 70 to 120-seat aircraft could be the key to vironment with an unknown airplane from a manufacturer helping domestic Indian aviation grow profitably. Glock be- that wasn’t a household name,” says Glock. “The airline took lieves right-sized capacity jets can help steer the industry back a completely different approach by operating to underserved to health. “We’ve seen success all over the world with this strat- city pairs with capacity that was right-sized for those mar- egy. Get the right size airplane, fly a customer-oriented sched- kets. Its business model is ideal for India.” ule, price tickets accordingly, and the passengers will come. The key to success is offering a flight schedule that allows That’s good for consumers. And it’s good for airlines, too.” SP

22 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net CIVIL OPERATIONAL COST

WILDLY Fluctuating Airlines in India would do well to recognise the unforeseen and somewhat bizarre volatility in the international price of Aviation Turbine Fuel witnessed during the last two years as a wake up call and view the problem in the long term perspective

re-1990s, airlines in India were government- down as they were unable to survive in the hostile and high owned and the airline industry was not a profit- cost operating environment. Their business models were ill- able business even though the conceived, the demand for air travel in a international price of crude sluggish economy was low, there was insuf- was in the region of $15 (Rs By Air Marshal (Retd) ficient financial resilience with some of the 750) a barrel. But it did not B.K. Pandey, Bangalore new start ups, and the whole system was matter as the two airlines in the public sec- afflicted with excessive government control Ptor, Air India and Indian Airlines, were run with inherent lack of efficiency. Fuel cost as departments of the central government serving a purpose constituted only a small percentage of operating cost and was that was socialistic in nature and more a matter of national really not the barrier to profitability. prestige than a profitable commercial venture. Deregulation of the civil aviation sector that began in the A WAVE FOLLOWED BY A WHIMPER early 1990s saw the entry of a number of airlines in the private The second wave of emergence of private airlines on the Indi- sector, such as Jet Airways, Air Sahara, ModiLuft, Damania, an aviation scene began in the wake of a resurgent economy in NEPC and so on—all full service carriers. With the exception of the period 2003-04 with business models tailored to different

PHOTOGRAPHS: SP GUIDE PUBNS; ILLUSTRATION: RATAN SONAL RATAN PHOTOGRAPHS: SP GUIDE PUBNS; ILLUSTRATION: Jet Airways and Air Sahara, all the other airlines soon closed segments of the customer base. The quality of service offered

Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 23 CIVIL OPERATIONAL COST extended from no-frills low cost carriers at one end of the spec- the world over either declared bankruptcy, were taken over by trum to luxurious but affordable full business class travel at the larger players or just closed down. A difficult year, 2008 was other. Being a capital intensive industry, it was only reasonable in fact a veritable nightmare for the global airline industry. The to expect that the new airlines established in the period 2003- Director General of the International Air Transport Associa- 04 would break even by 2006-07. Tragically, this was not to tion, Giovanni Bisignani, aptly described the economic chal- be. From around $24 (Rs 1,200) per barrel in 2003, the inter- lenges for the airline industry around the world in 2008 as “the national price of crude rose perfect storm”. to a peak of $147 (Rs 7,350) Four months into the year a barrel in 2008 with corre- 2009 and not even feeble signs sponding impact on Aviation of change for the better are yet Turbine Fuel (ATF). visible and the airline indus- Cost of ATF as a percent- try continues to be in the dol- age of operating cost of air- drums. International oil prices lines rose from 15 per cent have, however, come down in 2003 to 65 per cent when substantially and are now fuel prices peaked in 2008. stabilised at 2005 levels. The The average figure for the benefit has been partially neu- year 2008 was around 47 tralised by rise in the value of per cent. While the state- the US dollar. While the airlines owned Air India, not sur- are breathing easy on this ac- prisingly, continued to bleed count, they are also conscious and yet survive possibly of the fact that this is likely to with government support, be only a short term phenom- the private carriers were in ena and, hence, the reprieve dire straits confronted with for airline finance is incipient perhaps the toughest chal- and transient. On account of lenge, that of skyrocketing the economic slowdown, de- oil prices. As it is, the price mand for air travel continues of ATF in India is consider- to be depressed and reflects a ably higher than elsewhere rate of growth not high enough in the world and as such to ignite optimism. Cumulative India-based airlines would losses incurred by all airlines in find it difficult to be com- India at the end of the financial petitive internationally. year 2008-09 is estimated to be Having to contend with in the region of $2 billion (Rs not only the spiraling price 10,000 crore), of which, Air In- of ATF, but also high tax dia would have a major share, rates, unreasonable airport estimated to be to the tune of and landing charges which 40 per cent. are also amongst the high- A large proportion of the est in the world, exorbitant losses would of course be at- cost of human resource, ris- tributable to the unprecedent- ing cost of security, depre- ed rise in the price of ATF in ciation of the Indian rupee the period spanning 2007 and vis-à-vis the US dollar, triggering higher burden of lease rent- 2008. Recovering from the abyss will be a daunting challenge als and depressed air fares on account of intense competition for the airlines especially in the context of a financially uncer- among airlines, the situation had become untenable. It was tain and unfriendly climate, absence of support from the gov- only natural that the process of consolidation followed. Air Sa- ernment and the global economy in recession with no clear hara, Deccan and Indian merged with stronger partners and sign of significant revival upturn in the near future. one closed down, reducing the number of airlines in India from 11 to seven. ADOPT PRE-EMPTIVE MEASURES Airlines in India would do well to recognise the unforeseen ‘THE PERFECT STORM’ and somewhat bizarre volatility in the international price wit- Then, towards the end of 2008, came the global meltdown nessed during the last two years as a wake up call and view the that had a devastating impact on the growth in demand for problem in the long term perspective. Reserves of fossil fuels air travel. Under the combined assault of high oil prices and in the world are finite. It is unlikely that the rate of production a pronounced drop in passenger traffic due to the economic of oil can keep up with the burgeoning demand of emerging downturn, revenues of airlines suffered further erosion. Hopes economies, such as India, China and Brazil. Besides, rapidly of sustaining growth or breaking even were soon replaced by dwindling reserves and the pressure of rising demand will ne- the overpowering concern for survival. The problem, how- cessitate extending exploration to hitherto inaccessible areas. ever, was not confined to India alone as close to 30 airlines Airlines may also come under intense pressure to consider use

24 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net CIVIL OPERATIONAL COST of alternative fuels. These developments will entail higher lev- better specific fuel consumption and airframes that are made els of investment, thereby pushing up cost of travel. lighter with extensive use of composites and are designed for Oil production levels may also be manipulated by cartels to better efficiency. Airlines need to evaluate the size of aircraft maintain a degree of supply deficit to boost prices and maxi- best suited for their region and sector of operation. It is a lot mise profits. The international price of crude at the prevailing easier to achieve higher load factor on 100-seat aircraft than level, therefore, appears unsustainable and continuous rise in on a 175-seat aircraft operating on regional routes. Renewal oil prices in the future is inevitable. As the well-being of an air- of fleet however is an expensive option and ought to be un- line is inexorably linked to the price of ATF, the industry must dertaken at the appropriate periodicity after due cost-benefit not be lulled into complacency inspired by the current level analysis. This would involve huge capital that in the prevailing of oil prices. The distressing experience of the last two years climate may be somewhat difficult to find. must instead serve as a lesson to spur the industry to prepare Apart from what airlines can do internally, there are a host to meet the challenges as and when the price of oil begins to of other areas in which agencies external to the airlines would move north. The solution that would appear obvious to most is have a major role to play in effecting reforms and restructur- to raise air fares but that can be self-defeating as such a step ing the industry that could turn the fortunes of airlines around. could lead to drop in load factor, aggravating problems that the As these agencies are all part of the central government, a big airlines wish to solve. Instead, the airlines must strive to en- challenge before the airlines is to join forces to organise a pow- hance productivity through better efficiency and innovation. erful demarche to extricate the government from the legacy of Rising cost of fuel would impact business models of low the colonial past, that of excessive control. It is clear that de- cost carriers and full service carriers differently. The former spite the enormous clout, the stakeholders have so far failed to are able to provide lower fares to the travelling public through synergise their efforts and present a united front to the govern- fundamentally lower cost base, wider ment to rationalise the cost structure customer segment, high utilisation rate in the industry as a whole. of aircraft fleet, minimal role for middle- men and better efficiency. On account of Flying procedures CHANGE IN MINDSET limitations of the business models of full Issues on which mindsets among the service carriers, these airlines have low- and techniques of bureaucracy need to be changed are er flexibility in respect of fare structure further deregulation of the airline in- and hence would find it more tedious to engine operation dustry, foreign investment in airlines, sustain load factor at a profitable level privatisation of government carriers under the prevailing circumstances. need to be reﬁned for a level playing field, no interfer- to minimise fuel ence in the commercial aspects of MULTI-PRONGED STRATEGIES the management of airlines, speedy It is abundantly clear, therefore, that consumption development of airport infrastruc- the airline industry needs to carry out a ture especially provisioning of Low comprehensive review of their business in every way Cost Airports or Low Cost Terminals models and implement measures nec- possible at existing airports, provisioning of essary to enhance yield and minimise heliports, sound and consistent pol- expenditure. In view of the sustained icy framework to prevent erosion of annual growth in passenger traffic at investor confidence and pragmatic an average rate of 20 per cent, airlines regulatory provisions. In respect of indulged in reckless expansion. One air- rationalisation of taxes which are line at launch placed orders for 100 Airbus A320 class of air- nearly killing the airlines, the subject lies under the jurisdic- craft. There was corresponding expansion in other areas such tion of both the central and state governments would be con- as recruitment of human resource and expansion of operating sequently much more difficult to resolve. An area in which re- routes, many of these non-profitable. forms can cut wasteful fuel burn substantially is the regime of To remedy the situation, airlines need to undertake a multi- air traffic management. If the airlines can exercise their col- pronged exercise to rationalise operating routes, cut excess ca- lective influence to have airways realigned along the shortest pacity, redeploy or retrench staff, improve operational efficien- track and work out procedures to allow civil aircraft to transit cy, enter into collaborative arrangement with other airlines through airspace under the control of the military, this alone to reduce competition to enhance mutual benefit as done by will enable airliners cut down substantial flying time and the the traditional rivals Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines and savings to the industry would be significant. recast long term expansion plans. Also, a range of measures Similarly, if the congestion at major airports is reduced need to be adopted to minimise fuel burn. These include reduc- through upgrade of infrastructure and employment of better tion in weight through measures such as containers, trolleys technology, aircraft would not have to go through agonising and even passenger seat frames made of light material, reduc- wait in a queue for take off and landing. Cumulative saving ing periodicals and water carried on board, limiting baggage of fuel for airlines as a result of these measures would be co- weight, and so on. lossal. Once again, it is an issue related to investment by the Flying procedures and techniques of engine operation need government that would ultimately result in more efficient use to be refined with the aim of minimising fuel consumption in of aircraft. But the airline managements need to pursue these every way possible. Above all, airlines must invest in new gen- with vigour. The government is unlikely to come forward with eration fuel efficient aircraft fitted with engines that provide any offer on the platter. SP

Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 25 MILITARY REMINISCENCES Farewell to MiG-23 BN

I was fortunate to have been the COMMODORE COMMANDANT OF VALIANTS till I retired in December 2007

By Air Marshal (Retd) B.N. Gokhale, Pune

gaal, ugaal!”—I heard the instruction in Rus- like an arrow. It then came in for a final run-in, escorted by sian as I had just unstuck for my first solo on two MiG-29 aircraft, subtly hinting at continuum. Switching-off the MiG-23 BN ‘swing-wing’ aircraft at Lugova- in front of us, the pilot handed over the aircraft Form-700 to ya airbase in the erstwhile Soviet Union. Janu- Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal F.H. Major, who ary 19, 1982. I, along with a few other officers presided over the ceremony. After 28 years and having flown and technicians, were under training on the over 1,54,000 hours, an era had come to an end. The CAS aircraft, which was then the latest addition to inventory of the spoke in glowing terms: “Aeroplanes, like air warriors, can’t UIndian Air Force (IAF). This variable geometry aircraft would go on forever. While there is thunder and pride in their prime, accelerate rapidly during take-off at 16-degrees of wing sweep they fade away with quiet dignity when the time comes.” position and if one was not conscious to climb away, speed lim- The Mikoyan Gurevich-23 Bomber Navigation (MiG-23 BN) its of the yet to be retracted undercarriage could be exceeded. aircraft, optimised for ground attack role, was known as Vijay Hence, the direction to “ugaal” (angle), reminding the pilot to in the IAF and by the NATO codename of Flogger-F. This Third keep a steeper angle of climb after take-off. Generation single-seat aircraft had Type-3 variable sweep March 2009, 29 years after its induction in the IAF, this wing with three pre-set positions at 16, 45 or 72 degrees. Co- powerful fighter aircraft piloted by Wing Commander Yogesh incidently, General Dynamics F-111, which first flew in 1964, Joshi, Flight Commander of 221 Squadron, took to the sky for also had the variable sweep positions of 16 and 72.5 degrees. the last time. Around 11 am on March 6, my wife and I sat in The Anglo-German Tornado which is still in service, however, a sombre mood at Halwara airbase to witness the Phasing-out has variable sweep positions of 25 and 67 degrees. Ceremony. Visibility was good, and what appeared to be just a Most of the earlier designed Soviet combat aircraft re- speck in the distance, was soon a dart-shaped aircraft. For the quired long runways for take-off and landings, which cou-

PHOTOGRAPHS: PRO INDIAN AIR FORCE PHOTOGRAPHS: PRO last time MiG-23 BN was roaring past us at 72-degrees sweep, pled with shorter ranges, limited their tactical use. The IAF

26 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net MILITARY REMINISCENCES had been operating MiG-21 and Su-7 (S-22) aircraft and was the icy heights. The incessant bombing during day and night equally constrained by these limitations. A major design con- helped to wrest control from the intruders. sideration, therefore, was to either fit Jet Boosters like those MiG-23 BN had a fairly good flight safety record in the on Su-7, or develop a variable-geometry wing. The boosters initial years. It was the first fighter aircraft to incorporate a not only added to the complexity of fitment but could help voice activated emergency warning system Natasha, a dis- in overcoming only one limitation, that of reducing the take- tinctive female voice, which helped in drawing attention of the off distance. The MiG design bureau, therefore, preferred the pilot so that recovery actions were promptly initiated. Land- latter option, as it not only provided shorter runs for take- ing the aircraft without bouncing and touching its low tail, off and landings; but also gave added advantages of higher was quite an art. As the CAS mentioned in his speech during payloads, including 3x800 litre fuel drop tanks, resulting in the ceremony, “It (landing) separated men from the boys and longer reach. At the mid-sweep positions the aircraft had has been the stuff of many bar-room yarns.” A number of ac- excellent agility and also a cidents occurred when cau- considerably higher speed tion was thrown to the wind. of 1,350 kmph at low levels, At the phasing out ceremony to match any contemporary a minute’s silence was ob- fighter aircraft of that era. served in memory of 10 air While a total of 624 MiG- warriors who had lost their 23 BN aircraft were pro- lives while flying the BN. duced in the Soviet Union, 95 The maintenance person- were contracted by the IAF nel of the IAF need to be spe- in 1979-80. Four squadrons cially complimented for keep- were formed, two at Jodhpur ing this aircraft at high states specialising in desert opera- of serviceability, despite less tions and two at Halwara op- than adequate product sup- timised to operate over the port. The MiG-23 BN had been plains of Punjab. There were initially assigned the Total many other versions of MiG- Technical Life (TTL) of 1,500 23 aircraft, including the MF, hours and Calendar Life (CL) which was optimised for the of 15 years, with an interim Air Defence role. The IAF had overhaul at 800 hours. After inducted two squadrons of ONE FOR THE ALBUM: another 800 hours and the CHIEF OF THE AIR these along with the BN ver- STAFF AIR CHIEF Medium Repair, the TTL/CL sion, but these were phased out in 2007. A more advanced MARSHAL F.H. MAJOR was further extended to 2,250 hours/25 version called the MiG-27 was later not only produced under (2ND FROM LEFT) AT years and, later, to 30 years after the Capi- license by HAL, but has since been upgraded with glass cockpit THE CEREMONY tal Repair carried out at 1,800 hours/25 and better avionics. years. SM 273 was the last aircraft to be Capable of carrying an array of 3 tonnes weapon load and flown after having flown 2,145:33 hours. With increased snag with an extended radius of action of over 350 km at low levels, rate attributed to the deteriorating looms and consequent re- the MiG-23 BN gave tremendous boost to the IAF in ground at- liability, it was becoming extremely difficult to keep the BN tack capability. The stoop nose allowed pilots to fly the aircraft serviceable. Phasing out, though painful was inevitable. The at ultra low levels and with its excellent camouflage; it was ceremony was witnessed among others by the Vice Chief of Air difficult to detect the aircraft at these heights. The navigation Staff and CAS (Designate) Air Marshal Pradeep Naik. Present accuracy was good and with newer concepts like the toss and Commanding Officer Wing Commander A.D. Singh, AOC-in-C offset bombing as well as night attacks using auto sighting, BN Western Air Command Air Marshal P.K. Barbora and SASO changed the strike philosophy of the IAF. As always, the IAF Air Marshal P.S. Bhangu, who is also the Commodore Com- exploited this aircraft to its maximum potential, using it not mandant of the Valiants, SMSO Air Vice Marshal Ranganath only for operations in the plains but also for valley flying, using and many other serving officers were also present. Among the its agility at the innovative mid-sweep position of 30-degrees. retired officers were Air Commodore N. Chatrath, who was the The IAF also modified this aircraft to carry western stores like first Commanding Officer of 221 Squadron at its formation in BAP-100 runway penetration and BL-755 cluster bombs as 1963, and Group Captain H.V. Khatu, who commanded the well as the Red Baron IRLS reconnaissance pods. squadron after being re-equipped with the BN at Halwara. In April 1984, the aircraft got its first taste of operations. I had the fortuitous distinction of having served in the Operating from Halwara, No. 221 Squadron was tasked to squadron at different tenures in every rank, from Pilot Officer take part in Operation Meghdoot, for securing the Siachen on the Vampires, Flying Officer to the Squadron Leader on Su- Glacier in Northern Ladakh. Flying over snow covered Hima- 7 and later commanding the squadron equipped with BN. I layan ranges and close to the reddish coloured Gobi desert was also fortunate to have been the Commodore Commandant of Tibet, was quite a stunning site. The squadron operated of Valiants till I retired in December 2007. Having spent almost from Leh and in 1985 a MiG-23 BN of the Valiants was the eight years in Halwara, it is like a second home. No wonder first aircraft to cross Banihal Pass by night. During the 1999 then that both my and my wife’s eyes were moist, while wit- Kargil conflict, the MiG-23 BN earned the distinction of being nessing the last fly by of the MiG-23 BN. the single aircraft type to deliver maximum weapon load over Good Bye MiG-23 BN! You have done the IAF proud. SP

Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 27 CORPORATE AVIATION OPERATIONS

EXPECT Unexpectedthe

By LeRoy Cook, Corporate flying is quite different from COME, FLY WITH US: CAPTAIN Missouri, USA J.D. LEWIS (LEFT) WITH LEROY COOK scheduled airline opera- IN A CARAVAN COCKPIT tions, in that business airplanes are not restrict- ed to routes and airports LIGHT CREWS RESPONSIBLE FOR that are used every day. The very utility of company aircraft requires that they be THE SAFE OPERATION OF CORPO- available to operate wherever the business of the corpora- RATE AIRCRAFT SHOULDER HEAVY tion requires them to go, often with a frequently-revised RESPONSIBILITY. Very often, the schedule to meet sudden demands. This means that the company airplane or helicopter will flight crew may have to forego input from a dispatch office, plan its own itinerary, including handling and catering, and be used to transport chief corporate seek clearances and fuel sources all by itself. officers, without whom the organisation would be To be a successful corporate pilot, an individual must Fseverely crippled or even collapse. Concern for life enjoy the adventure of beginning a day without knowing ex- and limb aside, there is the overriding need to avoid actly where it will end. At the same time, safety dictates that risk to the corporate structure. Those pilots charged the organisation’s flight department management and corporate board lend support to the go/no-go decisions made with the safe carriage of the company’s key figures in the cockpit. Considering there is no ground assistance in must be well supported. place at some of the airports used and no dispatch author-

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ity oversight, determining the viability of a flight request is often left to the discretion of the pilot. If a trip is declined, the pilot’s decision should not be second-guessed. Turning down too many flights jeopardises the worth of the company PILOT TALK plane; yet, pressing on regardless of the hazards is foolish. Amit Sinha CEO, GMR Aviation Private SAFETY FIRST Operation of a business aircraft, therefore, requires a proper Limited balance of utility and safety, perhaps supported by a well- executed policy manual to which a crew and scheduling office can refer. For instance, a pilot hired from a commuter ‘India lacks airline background for a small information technology company with time appreciates the company rulebook now guiding his flying. While earlier he was governed by fed- training facilities’ eral regulation and his airline’s approved practices, he now has a well-written and ne of the major concerns of non-schedule pilots is the ab- company-specific man- sence of ground handling services in the majority of air- ual to assist his deci- ports. In the big or international airports the charges for Safety dictates sions. Circling to land ground handling services to corporate or chartered flights at night from an instru- Oare very high. Also the government is not encouraging small handlers that an ment approach is pro- to set up their services at the small airports. organisation’s hibited, for instance, Another problem which is a concern for Indian corporate pilots is ﬂight and runway length flight clearances. Majority of airports insist that the flight plan should requirements are in- be submitted by the pilot personally. These cannot be sent on the department creased beyond the mail or fax. Due to staff shortage, the Directorate General Civil Avia- management operating handbook’s tion takes a lot of time to grant clearance, unnecessarily delaying the and corporate numbers under certain flights. The rules are still British and obsolete, absolutely not valid in conditions. Before de- today’s world. But government does not bother to review them. board lend parting from a moun- Some relaxations should be given to pilots for flying more than EXPECT support to tain airport, he is also one type of aircraft of the same variant. Unfortunately, Indian au- the go/no-go required to wait for thorities do not permit the pilot to fly a new version of the plane until several hours for tem- 100 hours of flying is done on it. the decisions peratures to subside, India has no facilities to train non-schedule flight pilots. So the made in the something that would companies have to send them to the US or European countries for cockpit not have happened in the training. Each pilot has to undergo recurrent training for emergen- his airline experience. cies and the frequency of such training could be twice a year. It falls Nearly all corporate heavily on the budget of the company. If such training facilities are Unexpected flight crews will share set up in India by the government it would be a cheaper procedure. memories of shoddy Shortage of pilots is a major issue and, therefore, the work hours operations in their past, of the pilots tend to be more and erratic. There are more than thou- when they worked for sand pilots sitting idle in these tough times of recession and the companies that demanded airplanes be loaded beyond their non-scheduled airlines always have a crunch. maximum takeoff weight, landed on contaminated runways Loyalty towards airlines is relative and individualistic. In today’s and flown through long days with little regard for crew rest era of job-hopping we do face shifting loyalties more than ever and requirements. On the other hand, experienced pilots seek more money is probably the only reason for this. positions at wise companies that take good care of flight crews responsible for their chief executives’ welfare. Man- agement of an automotive parts company on a visit to its plant in a distant town, for instance, would book a hotel lowing for varied flying opportunities during the day. Life room for its pilots when they were required to wait for the revolves around the mobile phone or pager, which prompts return flight late in the day. Doing so assures that a rested preparation for departure. crew would be in the cockpit instead of one worn down from In typical cases, flight crews will be on call for a week or languishing in a spartan airport waiting room. more, followed by an off-duty period with no flight requirements. Family life is, therefore, structured around being WHEN DO WE LEAVE? home for several days, and then being away for an extended The schedule of a corporate flying job can be a combina- period. With many flight departments, and with most frac- tion of fast-paced and lethargic—typically encompassing tional-ownership jet services, the pilots’ schedule is set for an early morning departure to conduct a day’s business at a month in advance, giving reasonable opportunity to plan the destination, then spanning the interminable wait for the off-duty activities. passengers to return for a late-day flight home. However, Qualifying for a corporate pilot career begins like most there may be requirements for the aircraft elsewhere, al- other professional aviation paths, undergoing the basic Continued on page 31 Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 29 CORPORATE AVIATION OPERATIONS ‘It’s a THRILL to ﬂy PRISTINE CORPORATE JETS’

usiness jet flying, like the econo- those with multiple type ratings, a great per- ATTITUDE FAILURE my, is both dynamic and cyclical. sonality and a large black book of contacts. “Attitude determines altitude”—so goes the For unshakeable stability, get a Currency means money (the pun is in- maxim. The most common reason for pilot government job. However, the tentional), and it’s important to maintain replacement is a grumpy attitude or character Bless stable aircraft are more fun to fly. It’s flying skills to remain employable. Initial flaw. If unacquainted with the simple rules of a thrill to fly pristine corporate jets, carry- training at FlightSafety International Inc. or smiling and being polite, invest in some self- ing the rich and famous to exotic locales. other centres can cost thousands of dollars, help books and learn how to be positive and Variety is the spice of life, and corporate this is where serious job seekers are sepa- up-beat in the face of adversity. No one, es- jet flying—despite its invariable ups and rated from the amateurs when it comes to pecially not the boss and passengers in the downs—is the cockpit of choice for many contract flying. Affording such training isn’t cabin, wants a dour Mr Scrooge flying their pilots worldwide. While the view from every easy, but it’s necessary. Although there are golden barge. Even the best corporate flying cockpit window is great, anything else will discounts available for filling last-minute job has its bad day once in a while. That’s the eventually grow tedious and boring, flying cancellations if one is willing to monitor way life goes. But if one can manage to make the same routes again and again. lemonade out of lemons, consider the person Issues that corporate pilots face in well-equipped for a long business jet career. today’s turbulent economy are no different Losing medical certification translates from the ones they’ve always faced. Hav- By Captain J.D. Lewis, to being grounded from jet, so it’s impera- ing climbed into a cockpit that reaches the tive to maintain a healthy lifestyle. “Don’t upper flight levels, the individual obviously USA drink, don’t smoke, and get good sleep,” is possesses the requisite ability, ratings and how Aviation Medical Examiner Dr Larry Lay skills. But key essentials to secure that bluntly put it at a recent safety conference seat requires of the individual the ability to in Wichita, Kansas. The benefits of exercis- network, a congenial attitude and personal- ing, eating healthy meals and getting eight ity, and good health. hours of sleep each night will keep medical the centres’ websites or make contacts, certification intact for many more years, and NETWORKING many pilots either don’t budget sufficiently it also extends to improving one’s attitude: The corporate pilot’s first tool for a long, for training or don’t network well enough to the healthier pilot is a happier pilot. successful career is networking—a quality get the requisite number of contract flights In the final analysis, the best way to not which in all likelihood landed him or her in to fund their personal training. simply survive but actually flourish and pros- the current job and will, undoubtedly, help in While the freedom and variety of con- per in the very dynamic and cyclical environ- reaching the next cockpit. “It’s not what you tract flying may be alluring, many aviators ment of corporate flying comes down to one know, but who you know,” a wise old busi- prefer to work for one company at a time, let- thing: passion. Unflagging passion for the job ness jet captain tells his young protege. ting their employer pay the steep initial and effectively negates the need for constant re- As with pre-flight planning, pre-layoff plan- recurrent training bills. There’s also a feel- minders to exercise, brush up on rusty instru- ning is critical for business jet pilots. Every ing of security in having the company benefit ment skills or keep a positive attitude—“good business card counts—or, at least, the data package help with one’s medical plan, life enough” is not in the vocabulary, but words should be handy in the BlackBerry or PDA. insurance and retirement. like “excellence” and “professionalism” are After all, one never knows when the need to A flexible wife and family is also an im- uppermost. With passion (which only comes start knocking on doors arises. portant requirement for business jet pilots, from truly loving one’s occupation) as the In fact, networking is the lifeblood of one as chasing a piloting career will, of necessity, foundation of the three pillars comprising specialised segment of corporate pilots: con- require relocations to new jobs. But, if your good networking, a disciplined healthy life- tract pilots. A quick peek at websites like www. family is not linked to one specific patch of style and a positive attitude, it’s less daunting flycontract.com, www.findapilot.com or www. geography, you’ll have a world of opportuni- to weather any storm and the turbulent rides willflyforfood.com reveals that contract flying ties to pursue when your flight department that are sometimes encountered, beside that can be a very successful career, especially for downsizes or closes. golden sunset seen from a golden cockpit.

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part of the skill set needed for corporate flying is the talent to put people at ease with a reassuring manner. At the same time, familiarity is to be avoided unless reciprocated and tight-lipped discretion is to be maintained when company PILOT TALK business is overheard. It is not unusual to be offered a contract for a specific Captain Sandeep Saraf, length of time, as a condition of employment. Because a Director, Aviation India company may have to send a pilot to a training centre for type-specific schooling on the aircraft to be flown, perhaps to become type-rated for the equipment or meet insurance standards, a suitable length of service must be rendered to ‘Flight plan must offset this expense. In exchange, the pilot gains valuable ratings and time-in-type to make him or her more employable in the future, or to secure the present position. Leaving ear- be computerised’ lier than the term of the contract would involve repayment of expenses incurred by the company. SP’s: How satisfying is a job as a corporate pilot? With limited experience, a position as co-pilot (first of- Captain Sandeep Saraf (Saraf): Depends on your attitude. I feel it is ficer) is a starting opportunity—perhaps with lower-than- one of the best jobs in flying. desired pay—but providing a valuable opening to build a ca- SP’s: What are the problems faced by corporate pilots in India? reer. Most flight departments prefer to obtain their captains Saraf: No working hours, hence one has to be prepared to move at from inside, encouraging promising co-pilots to upgrade to very short notice. In India, the flight plan is still manually made, it the port side of the cockpit as known quantities that are should become computerised. Fixed Base Operations, with all facili- familiar with the company’s needs. ties at one end, should be thought of by the government while making the airports. Infrastructure at non-international airports should GO WHERE THE JOBS ARE improve and this will help the pilots a lot. As fortunes ebb and flow in the business world, it may be SP’s: Is fitness an issue of importance for corporate pilots? necessary to move several times to advance, or even survive, Saraf: Yes, absolutely. Directorate General Civil Aviation rules apply as a corporate pilot. Living in various cities or countries is to corporate pilots, too. the only way to find suitable jobs, usually located by per- SP’s: Is there a tendency to move towards bigger companies from sonal contacts made within the industry. Keeping a spotless small ones? record and securing good references are invaluable assets Saraf: No. For corporate pilots the brand of the aircraft matters, not when competing for a better job in business aviation. the company. Even though many companies offer a package of ameni- SP’s: How important is loyalty in corporate flying? ties to enhance a salary, there is no job security in corporate Saraf: Only 10 per cent. aviation. Flight departments are often seen as a luxury to be SP’s: Are pay packages an issue for corporate pilots in India? eliminated when the company’s fortunes decline, or when Saraf: No, they are as good as the salaries of scheduled airlines and a takeover merger is conducted. Good positions are to be the benefits are greater. Mostly it depends on the employer. cherished, and hiring offers are kept on hand for the pros- SP’s: Name five top employers and grade them. pect of the day when the axe falls. Saraf: Tata/Taj—one; Religare/Ranbaxy—two; DLF—three; Essar— four; Reliance—five. STRIVING FOR THE IDEAL When seeking examples of an ideal corporate flight depart- SP’s: In corporate flying, is safety a concern of the pilot alone? ment, words of wisdom from wise veteran pilots can give Saraf: No. It is the concern of both the owner and the pilot, and is of much insight. Gary Dade is a King Air captain with a small supreme importance. company, who has been flying turbine-powered business aircraft for 40 years. First, he stresses the importance of a Continued from page 29 well-trained pilot. “This is an on-going process, far beyond schooling for licensure, then acquiring the all-important just the basic acquisition of certificates,” he says. “It covers experience needed for serious consideration. This may the differences training required when upgrading equip- require a stint of low-pay flying, menial time-building in ment and annual recurrent training in realistic flight simu- equipment far less desirable than envisioned at the out- lators. Without proper training, the pilot cannot make safe, set. Meanwhile, valuable contacts are made in an industry proper flight decisions.” that relies more on personal recommendations than help- Second, Dade emphasises respect for the pilot-in-com- wanted advertisements. mand’s authority over the conduct of the flight. Fancy avionics and aircraft aside, there are always operating limitations PROFESSIONALISM to be honoured, and the corporate hierarchy must be willing Considering corporate aviation requires the ability to render to allow the captain’s decision to be final. “If the weather trustworthy service to important people, flight crews must isn’t suitable, if the load is too great, if an airport is too risky, dress, act and impress in a professional manner. Business the pilot’s authority must be strong enough to keep the flight passengers are just as anxious as anyone else about entrust- from happening. And the pilot must have sufficient fortitude ing their life to someone they’ve never met before, therefore, to apply the authority when needed,” Dade explains.

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PILOT TALK PILOT TALK Wg Cdr (Retd) O.R. Prasad, Satya Bhushan Sharma, Director Operations, EIH Ltd, Director, Trans Asian Oberoi Group-Aviation Aviation Division ‘Red tape hurdle ‘FBOs should for landing permit’ be integral to airports’ would like to comment on the conditions of corporate pilots SP’s: Enumerate five problems faced by corporate pilots. who come to India with their jets from abroad. It is an ordeal Wg Cdr (Retd) O.R. Prasad (Prasad): In our company, EIH Ltd( Avia- for them. There is so much of red tape-ism and flexing of tion Division), pilots do not face any kind of problems. I am not aware muscles that the country is eventually a loser. It takes seven about the pilots of other companies. Iworking days for a corporate pilot coming to India to get the landing SP’s: How important are issues pertaining to fitness and frequent permit. For instance, if Bill Gates comes to India in his corporate jet, job changes? and wants to visit Taj Mahal, then he requires 30 days notice to land Prasad: Pilots in EIH Ltd are quite happy and not prone to job hopping. at Agra. I think such regulations are absolutely illogical.. There are no separate immigration counters for corporate flights. SP’s: Should Fixed Base Operations be inherent while planning airport construction in India? If you can have separate counters for diplomats, you can have for Prasad: Yes. FBOs should be planned integral to construction of corporate professionals travelling by corporate flights, too. Why are airports. there no provisions for Fixed Base Operations sections in all international and national airports? The government while planning should SP’s: Do your chartered flights face the same problems as corpo- think of these facilities. rate flights? Prasad: There is not much difference between chartered flying and Corporate flying. At least in EIH pilots do not face any major prob- Third, good equipment makes a safe operation, and it lems. makes it easier to keep quality flight crews with the compa- SP’s: What are the improvements required in working conditions of ny. No one likes to fly in an aircraft with half its components corporate pilots in India? in less than perfect shape. Maintenance should be aggres- Prasad: At present, since I don’t see many problems facing pilots for sive in keeping everything working, so that pilots and pas- corporate flying, there is no requirement for improvement in working sengers can rely on the equipment when it is needed. conditions of pilots. Finally, flight scheduling should involve the flight crews SP’s: What are the HR incentives and routine policies of Oberoi at an early phase of the process. Keeping the pilots in- aviation for corporate pilots? formed of the plans for the aircraft avoids the unwelcome Prasad: Such information is confidential. surprises no one likes. Corporate pilots understand they must be ready to go at any time, but having early information allows for proper preparations to be made and puts ply of qualified applicants. less strain on the operation. To obtain a top-paying job, a pilot must be well-qualified, Dade does not place a great amount of faith in a com- with a blemish-free record. Corporate positions can produce pany-designed operations manual, which he thinks leads compensation comparable to airline scales, particularly if to corporate liability if inadvertently violated. He prefers the applicant is better qualified than the rest of the job seek- to insist on strict adherence to the applicable government ers. There are hiring standards to be met, more so for insur- regulations, working out the details with management on ance underwriters than for just government agencies. The an ad hoc basis. most important experience criterion is hours-flown in similar equipment types. Single-engine experience is less desir- HOW MUCH DOES IT PAY? able than multi-engine hours, and turbine-powered time Once a corporate pilot acquires experience and training, carries more weight than piston-engine history. adequate compensation is a necessary retention tool. Oth- There is no more satisfying career in aviation than a well- erwise, another company will entice him or her away with supported corporate flying job. The challenges are never-end- a better offer. It is true that a co-pilot position in a small ing, but that is part of the appeal. There is always the promise aircraft will often pay no more than a subsistence wage, but that tomorrow will bring an even more interesting trip. SP those days won’t last forever. Corporate pilots exchange salary numbers among themselves and there are industry av- Editor’s Note: SP’s Aviation Chief Special Correspondent erages reported in professional pilot publications, so a low Sangeeta Saxena spoke to various pilots in India to get a wage scale cannot be maintained unless there’s an oversup- comprehensive view of the scenario back home.

32 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net Hall of Fame LBERTO SANTOS-DU- Although Santos-Dumont continued aircraft. Made of bamboo and Japanese MONT WAS ONE of a hand- to work on dirigibles, his interest soon silk it weighed just 56 kg. He later re- ful of aviators who were turned to heavier-than-air machines and linquished all patent rights to it in the equally at home in balloons by 1905 his first aeroplane was ready. interests of aviation’s advancement—a and aeroplanes. Having de- On October 23, 1906, a large crowd wit- supremely generous gesture. Asigned, built and flown the world’s first nessed him fly his 14-bis a distance of A few months later, Santos-Dumont practical dirigibles, he convincing- began to experience double vision ly proved that routine, controlled and vertigo. This made it impossible flight was possible, thus “conquer- for him to drive, leave alone fly. He ing the air”. As if that were not was diagnosed with multiple scle- enough, he also made one of the rosis and soon returned to Brazil. first public demonstrations of a Depression over his illness and over heavier-than-air powered aircraft, the use of aircraft in warfare report- becoming a worldwide celebrity. edly led him to take his own life on Born in Palmira, Brazil on July July 23, 1932. Santos-Dumont was 20, 1873, Santos-Dumont once a small man, a little over five feet wrote that the dream of flying tall and weighing only 90 pounds. came to him while contemplat- But he more than made up for his ing the magnificent skies of Brazil diminutive stature by his personal during the long, sunny afternoons drive and charisma. He was a con- at the family coffee plantation. In firmed bachelor. However, till the 1891, Alberto’s family moved to end of his life, he kept a picture of Europe and he continued his stud- ALBERTO Aída de Acosta on his desk, along- ies in Paris. Paris was the centre of SANTOS-DUMONT side a vase of fresh flowers. She world aeronautical activity at the was a Cuban-American and the first time. Santos-Dumont soon began (1873 – 1932) woman to pilot a dirigible. She was a long association with balloons— also the only person he ever permit- first as a passenger, then as a pilot ted to fly one of his designs. and finally as a designer. In 1898, On October 19, 1901, Santos- It is now generally accepted he flew his first balloon creation, Dumont won the Deutsch that the Wright Brothers were the Brésil. However, he did not the first to achieve sustained, fancy drifting wherever the wind de la Meurthe prize for being heavier-than-air, powered flight. might take him, so he switched to However, it was not always so. steerable (or ‘dirigible’) balloons, the first person to fly from In 1906, the world acclaimed later called airships. St. Cloud to the Eiffel Tower Santos-Dumont for this feat and Santos-Dumont set his heart it was only much later that the on the Deutsch de la Meurthe and back in under 30 minutes Wrights took his place. Perhaps prize offered to the first person to this owed something to American fly from St. Cloud to the Eiffel Tow- on his cigar-shaped dirigible, influence, apart from pure histor- er and back in under 30 minutes. Number 6. First to own a ical evidence. While the Wright’s The winner needed to maintain an early aircraft used some sort of average ground speed of at least personal flying machine, he assistance to get airborne—a stiff 22 km/hour to cover the distance reportedly kept his dirigible headwind, launch rails or a cata- in the specified time. On October pult—the 14-bis took off under 19, 1901, after several trials and tethered to a gas lamppost in its own power in calm weather. attempts, he achieved the feat Santos-Dumont made his flights using his cigar-shaped dirigible, front of his Paris apartment. in public, often witnessed by the Number 6, marking the peak of scientific elite of the time. his lighter-than-air exploits. First In contrast, the Wright Broth- to own a personal flying machine ers were very protective about what in which he could roam at will, he re- 60 m at a height of 2 to 3 m. This well- they considered their trade secrets, and portedly kept his dirigible tethered to a documented event was the first flight of made their first powered flights at a re- gas lamppost in front of his Paris apart- a powered, heavier-than-air machine in mote location, with just a few ordinary ment and would fly to go shopping, or Europe. On November 12, 1906, he set members of the public present. Santos- visit friends, besides navigating every the first record recognised by the Aero- Dumont’s lifelong conviction was that night to his favourite restaurant for din- Club De France—which later became he had been done out of the recognition ner. Over a span of seven years, he built the Fédération Aéronautique Interna- rightfully due to him. Most Brazilians still and flew 11 dirigibles, some engine tionale—by flying 220 m in less than revere him as the “father of aviation”. SP powered and some pedal powered, that 22 seconds. In September 1909, he re- —Group Captain (Retd) displayed unmatched agility, speed, en- vealed his airy little Demoiselle (Drag- Joseph Noronha, durance and ease of control. onfly), the world’s first practical, light Goa

Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 33 COMMERCIALAVIATION ERIES S

C rissCrossing THE GLOBE Growth in passenger numbers in the 1930s was phenomenal. Consider KLM. From 18,000 in 1930, it ﬂew over 160,000 passengers in 1939.

t would hardly be But on May 15, 1930, Ellen Church, a reg- By Group Captain (Retd) an exaggeration to istered nurse, persuaded Boeing Air Trans- state that the en- Joseph Noronha, Goa port that nurses were best suited to tend tire edifice of early to ailing passengers. Boeing, therefore, in- commercial aviation troduced the first female flight attendants, rested on air mail— or air stewardesses, who made passengers millions and millions of letters, packets and parcels, which were comfortable, offering them water, a sandwich and sometimes Igenerally subsidised by governments. Passengers were merely chewing gum to help relieve ear discomfort. a means to shore up the meagre income of the air mail companies. A vast majority of passenger airlines, launched by the ORCHESTRATING MERGERS score, sank without a trace due to the losses they incurred. Britain and Germany took the lead in opening sustained sched- No wonder then that till the end of the 1920s air travel was uled air services within Europe. The great pioneering airlines a slow, uncomfortable, messy affair. Passengers were tossed of the inter-war years emerged from a multitude of struggling around, by the weather as well as the airlines, like mail sacks. companies launched in the 1920s. Merger and consolidation The two most comfortable aircraft of the period, the Ford Tri- was the name of the game. For instance, in 1924, Britain’s motor 5AT and the Boeing Model 80, had fairly primitive fa- four main fledgling airlines, merged to form the Imperial Air- cilities. The Tri-motor could touch about 6,000 ft, but its climb ways Limited, which began to cater to more distant horizons was excruciatingly slow. It would surge upward, level off, bump than the boundaries of Europe such as the furthest reaches around and sink repeatedly before reaching cruising altitude. of the British Empire. Following a government review, Impe- With no air circulation system, its ambience was made even rial Airways and British Airways were nationalised in 1939 to more unpleasant by the smell of hot oil and metal, leather seats form the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). and disinfectants used to clean up after airsick passengers. And Growth in passenger numbers during the 1930s was there were plenty of those! The Boeing was slightly more ap- phenomenal. Consider KLM, the Roy- pealing, equipped with forced-air ventilation, and could reach al Dutch Airline, for instance. From a little higher, around 14,000 ft. However, no plane could climb 18,000 passengers in 1930, the airlines BUMPY BEGINNINGS: high enough to escape turbulence and passengers were at risk flew more than 160,000 passengers in TILL THE END OF of suffering from either spilled coffee or airsickness. 1939. October 1, 1931, was a remark- THE 1920S, AIR able day in KLM’s history as the airline TRAVEL WAS A SLOW, WOOING TRAVELLERS UNCOMFORTABLE, MESSY AFFAIR In 1936, the Douglas DC-3 Dakota, which made a lasting impression during World War II, was introduced. Its speed and range revolutionised air transport and more than 16,000 DC-3s were built; a few hundred are still operational. With a soundproof cabin and ventilation ducts, it had upholstered seats mounted on rubber and padded armrests apart from further reduced noise and vibration. It could also fly at an altitude of around 20,000 ft, considerably reducing troublesome turbulence. Naturally, passenger numbers surged. Some early airlines employed male crew members, usually teenagers or short men, to load up the luggage, reassure nervous passengers and assist people around.

34 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net SERIES COMMERCIAL AVIATION began a regular passenger service between Amsterdam and and Marseilles, France, and on July 8 between New York and Jakarta in Indonesia using the Fokker F.12 aircraft, fitted with Southampton, UK. Using flying boats, a fleet of 25 in all, Pan four luxury seats. The trip, which lasted 10 days and included American also became the first airline to cross the Pacific and 81 hours of flying time, was the longest regularly scheduled the first to establish extensive routes in South America. The flight offered by any airline in the world. By June 1938, KLM golden age of passenger flying boats came to an end in 1946. offered an eight-day service from Amsterdam to Sydney in ad- Civil aviation in the USSR was different. It was less a travel dition to regular flights from Europe to Egypt, India, the Carib- service than a means for the authorities to develop the remote bean, and South America. French commercial aviation of the areas of the vast country. Most passengers were not paying in- 1920s and 1930s also depended heavily on colonial routes to dividuals but rather government or military officials. In 1932, the extremities of the empire. French airlines gradually began the Civil Air Fleet of the Soviet Union was renamed Aeroflot. It to expand across the Mediterranean to Algeria, the French Sa- had about 200 aircraft and its most important role was that of hara, French Equatorial Guinea, and Madagascar. However, a freight and mail carrier. In 1939, in fact, Aeroflot surpassed without government support, none of these companies could the US in terms of volume of air freight, which constituted 85 have survived. Air France per cent of all Aeroflot services. By the end of the 1930s, it was created out of several spread to almost all of the Soviet Union. smaller airlines in 1933. Unlike many other Eu- BACK HOME, IN INDIA ropean airlines of the time, Indian commercial aviation can also be traced back to the Germany’s Lufthansa, 1930s. On October 15, 1932, Tata Sons Limited commenced a which was established in weekly air mail service with a de Havilland Puss Moth aircraft 1926, was hugely profit- between Karachi and Madras via Ahmedabad and Bombay, able. Lufthansa’s growth covering over 1,300 miles. J.R.D. Tata himself piloted its inau- was helped by a powerful gural flight. Over the next few years, Tata Airlines continued to government, eager to ex- rely for its revenue on the mail contract with the Government pand and spread German of India for carriage of surcharged mail, including a consider- influence across the globe. able quantity of overseas mail brought by Imperial Airways “First Europe, and It had 300 superbly trained to Karachi. Later, Tata Airlines launched its longest domestic then the globe, will pilots as well as some of flight from Bombay to Trivandrum. be linked by flight, the best civil aircraft in the At the time of Independence, around nine air transport and nations so knit world, manufactured by companies were operating within and across the borders of Junkers and Dornier. The India. In early 1948, a joint sector company was established by together that they Junkers Ju-52 became the the Government of India and Air India (erstwhile Tata Airlines) will grow to be next- core of Lufthansa services with a fleet of three Lockheed Constellation aircraft. Christened door neighbours. across Europe and else- Air India International Limited, its first flight was on June 8, What railways have where. Lufthansa pushed 1948, on the Bombay–London route. At the time of its national- done for nations, the boundaries of Euro- isation in 1953, it was operating four weekly services between airways will do for pean aviation deep into Bombay and London and two weekly services between Bom- the world.” China and South America. bay and Nairobi. BALLOONING IN SIZE FLYING CATCHES ON —Claude Grahame- & SERVICE Other newly formed air transport companies were the Cathay White, an English Early 1930s, Pan Ameri- Pacific (1946), Orient Airways, later Pakistan International Air- pioneer of aviation can Airways became the lines (1946), Malayan Airlines, later Singapore and Malaysian world’s dominant trans- Airlines (1947), Garuda Indonesia (1949) and Japan Airlines oceanic airline. Its Martin (1951). In October 1945, the American Export Airlines became M-130 ‘China Clipper’ line the first to offer regularly scheduled landplane commercial gained a reputation as a dependable and elegant service. Dur- flights across the North Atlantic. A journey by sea across the ing the trip from San Francisco to Hawaii, lasting for 18 to Atlantic usually took five days, while air travel cut that down 20 hours, passengers could enjoy cocktails in the lounge and to just half a day. By 1950, the transatlantic route had become formal evening meals. Igor Sikorsky, the Russian-American the world’s number one route in terms of traffic and produced genius, also produced two seaplanes for Pan American, the S- high revenue and fierce competition among some 10 major 40 and the S-42—the first four-engine seaplanes. The former international airlines. The Atlantic had finally been conquered could carry 50 passengers and had a range of around 1,000 for the ordinary passenger. miles. The S-42 had a range nearly three times the S-40, and In spite of its bumpy beginnings, passenger volume grew was the world’s first large luxury airliner. Later, Pan American tremendously and carriers multiplied with the passage of time. began operating the legendary Boeing B-314 flying boat. While the 1930s was a time of consolidation for the commer- Probably the largest commercial plane to fly until the advent cial aviation industry, services during World War II were inter- of the Boeing jumbo jet 30 years later, the double-decker B-314 mittent at best. A pent up demand for air travel was noticeable had a range of 3,500 miles and could carry as many as 74 pas- in the post-war period. All that was needed was another stimu- sengers. Pan American inaugurated the world’s first transat- lus, which was soon provided by the dawn of the jet age. SP lantic passenger service on June 28, 1939, between New York (To be continued.)

Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 35 NEWSDigest MILITARY MMRCA procurement at 126 ly seven new HALE UAVs RoundUp fighters. After that, the MCA and additional C-130J Super Quick Asia-Pacific production will kick in. Hercules aircraft. AGUSTAWESTLAND IAF builds new India to get Phalcon Significant rise in arms airbase in Ladakh AWACS in May transfer to Middle East, • AgustaWestland has announced The Indian Air Force (IAF) India will get its first ‘eye in claims SIPRI report that the Future Lynx aircraft is now to is building another airbase the sky’, the Phalcon Air- New data released recently be known formally as the AW159 Lynx in Ladakh, Jammu and borne Warning and Control by SIPRI reveal a signifi- Wildcat. The Lynx Wildcat programme Kashmir, the Press Trust of Systems (AWACS), aircraft cant rise in arms transfers will deliver a fleet of 62 new light India reported. IAF officials between May 18 and 20. The to the Middle East. There helicopters for the Army and Royal Navy told the news service that aircraft will provide the IAF were also increases in arms from 2014 and 2015, respectively. work on the Neoma airbase, means to track incoming deliveries to East Asia, the south of its main base at missiles and look deep into Caucasus and Pakistan. AIRBUS Leh, along the river Indus is neighbouring countries with- The US remains the world’s going on and would be made out violating their air space. largest exporter, followed by • The maiden flight of the first Brazilian operational this year. The The delivery of the air- Russia and Germany. SIPRI P-3 aircraft took place recently at airfield is being built for de- craft bought at a whopping Researcher Pieter Wezeman Airbus Military’s facilities in Getafe fence purposes but officials price of $1.1 billion is almost comments on the 38 per (Madrid). A total of nine P3 aircraft said they would also use a year and a half behind cent rise in transfers to the are to be modernised. The aircraft is them for tourism purposes schedule. As per the tripartite Middle East: “During the past fitted with the Fully Integrated Tactical to cater to future tourist deal between India, Russia five years, we have seen the System mission system developed by inflow in the mountainous and Israel, the aircraft should re-emergence of the Middle Airbus Military in Spain. territory. have been delivered by the East as a major recipient end of March last year. of conventional weapons BOEING India set to build medium India and Israel are systems. While we are a long combat aircraft reported to be in advanced way from the levels reached • The Boeing Company has passed a With India’s home-built Light negotiations for the pur- in the early to mid-1980s, major milestone in the design of the Combat Aircraft (LCA), the chase of three more Phal- this is still a worrying trend 747-8 Intercontinental, completing 25 Tejas, flying successfully con AWACS, which the IAF in a region beset by multiple per cent of the design releases for the through its testing process, proposes to integrate with sources of potential conflict new passenger airplane. This means the IAF has now signed up other air and ground assets. and limited intergovernmen- a quarter of the information needed for an indigenous Medium All the six AWACS would be tal trust and transparency.” to build parts and tools for assembly Combat Aircraft (MCA). The linked with the country’s has been completed and released for IAF and a team of aircraft first military satellite pro- US Under Secretary for fabrication or procurement. Since much designers will formally set up posed to be launched by mid defence urges boosting US of the design is the same as the 747-8 a joint committee to frame next year. military support to Pakistan Freighter, which Boeing is building first, the specifications for India’s The Under Secretary of the engineering focus is on work that is own MCA, which will be Australia delivers Defense for Policy Michele unique to the 747-8 Intercontinental, built largely in Bangalore. Defence White Paper Flournoy told Congress that comprising mostly fuselage and interior Interestingly, the decision The Australian government with a deteriorating situation design. to develop an indigenous has delivered the most in Pakistan, now is the time MCA comes alongside the comprehensive Defence to strengthen the US-Pakistan • Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon, the US overseas procurement of 126 White Paper ever and will military partnership to help Navy’s future maritime patrol and re- Medium Multi-Role Combat invest around Australian Islamabad in its counterin- connaissance aircraft, took to the skies Aircraft (MMRCA) for an $30 billion (about $22.3 bil- surgency efforts. Flournoy for the first time on April 25. The first estimated Rs 50,000 crore. lion) over the next decade to described a rapidly deterio- test aircraft, designated T1, successfully Senior IAF planners point modernise its defence forc- rating situation in Pakistan completed a series of flight checks in out that the MMRCA pro- es. Minister for Defence Joel that she said demands a Seattle during a three hours and 31 curement is unavoidable for Fitzgibbon said that, “as a rapid response. Insurgents minutes flight. replacing the MiG-29s and result of the decisions taken along its western border Mirage-2000s that will be- by the government in this are steadily expanding and BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON come obsolete while the MCA White Paper, the Australian increasingly positioned is still being developed. Defence Forces (ADF) of the to threaten the Pakistani • Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., has been By 2020, when the IAF’s future will be a more potent heartland. “With instability awarded a firm fixed price contract for current fleet would have been force, particularly in the key increasing, many Pakistani the production of 24 Bell 407 helicop- largely phased out, MoD plan- areas of undersea and anti- civilians and political lead- ters for Iraq, with an option to purchase ners forecast a requirement submarine warfare, surface ers fear violent retaliation if up to 26 additional 407 helicopters. for at least 250 medium fight- naval warfare, air superior- they openly oppose extremist This contract will have a 27-month ers. This has raised hopes ity, strategic strike, Special groups,” she told the commit- period of performance for the base amongst the MMRCA con- Forces, intelligence, surveil- tee. “Meanwhile, opportuni- requirement and up to a 13-month tenders—the US’ F/A-18 IN lance and reconnaissance ties are growing for al-Qaida additional period of performance if the and F-16 IN, Russia’s Mig-35, and cyber defence”. The and its associates. From safe option is exercised. the Eurofighter Typhoon; and new acquisitions include havens within Pakistan, they the Swedish Gripen IN—that around 100 Fifth Genera- can plan and stage attacks DEFENSE SECURITY the winner could end up tion F-35 JSF, five KC-30A against our troops in Afghani- COOPERATION AGENCY supplying twice as many multi-role tanker transports, stan, and potentially against fighters as the current tender. six new Wedgetail AEW&C the US itself. The Pakistan • Defense Security Cooperation But a successful Indian MCA aircraft, eight new maritime government’s recent military Agency has notified the US Congress programme would cap the patrol aircraft, approximate- offensive underscores its rec-

36 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net NEWSDigest ARJAN SINGH’S BIOGRAPHY RELEASED team member. DARPA’s ISIS RoundUp programme is developing Quick a sensor of unprecedented proportions that is fully in- of a possible Foreign Military Sale to tegrated into a stratospheric the Government of Australia of seven airship. ISIS will revolutio- Chinook Helicopters and other related nise theater-wide surveil- equipment, services and support. lance, tracking and fire-con- Australia is one of US most important trol, and enable engagement allies in the Western Pacific. of hundreds of time-critical air and ground targets si- EUROCOPTER multaneously in both urban and rural environments. In • The French Defense Ministry an operational system, these has ordered five additional EC725 radars would be approxi- helicopters from Eurocopter as part of mately 6,000 sq m in size the government’s economic recovery (the size of 15-storey build- plan. This new acquisition is part of the ing), and would be embed- plan to revitalise the economy, which ded into the structure of the the French government introduced in airship, which would cruise December 2008. The five helicopters in the stratosphere (at alti- are scheduled for delivery between late tudes of more than six miles 2010 and early 2012. above the Earth) and stay on station for years. An op- FINNISH DEFENCE FORCES erational ISIS would be able to detect and track extreme- • The Finnish Defence Forces (FAF) has ly small cruise missiles and intimated that it has chosen the Pilatus UAVs that are up to 600 km PC-12 as the replacement of its aging ‘Whenever my squadron fought, they fought like tigers’ away, dismounted soldiers fleet of six Piper Chieftain liaison craft. The Icon, a biography of Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan that are up to 300 km away, The military added that it had signed a Singh, was released on his 90th birthday on April 15, even as a and small vehicles under deal with the Swiss aeroplane maker to demand was made to confer the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest foliage up to 300 km away, buy six of the single-engine turboprop civilian award, on him. The former IAF chief had played a stellar capabilities not possible type. The FAF chose the PC-12 over the role in India’s 1965 war against Pakistan. from existing or planned air Hawker Beechcraft Kingair B-200 after Walking down memory lane, Arjan Singh told the gather- or space assets. a year of assessment and test flights, ing, “I called my squadron ‘the number one squadron’ because and expects to take delivery at the end whenever they fought, they fought like tigers.” US Air Force officials test of next year. Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major re- synthetic fuels leased Arjan Singh’s biography. The US Air Force Petroleum GULF AIR Agency staff have recently conducted field testing for • Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air has its 50/50 blend of JP-8 chosen CFM56-5B engines to power 15 ognition of the threat these tional check flight from Ed- and synthetic jet fuel at the new Airbus A320 family aircraft sched- extremists pose and the need wards Air Force Base with 364th Training Squadron uled for delivery between late 2009 to support Pakistan’s efforts. the beam control/fire control fuels training complex. and 2012.The engines are the product The Pakistan government is system and the high-energy The air force is currently of CFM International, a joint company undertaking concrete actions laser onboard, confirming in the certification process between Snecma (SAFRAN Group) and to demonstrate their commit- the aircraft is airworthy, for the new blend in step General Electric Company. ment to counterinsurgency ready for more airborne with Department of Defense and counterterrorism. We tests and on track for its officials’ plan to reduce LOCKHEED MARTIN must show our Pakistan part- missile-intercept demonstra- its dependency on foreign ners that if they take decisive tion this year. crude oil by 50 per cent and • Lockheed Martin has recently action against extremists, we ABL would deter poten- switch to alternative fuels delivered the 50th C-5 Galaxy will give them the support tial adversaries and provide by 2016. The majority of its strategic airlifter upgraded with they need.” speed-of-light capability to aircraft, including the B-52 Avionics Modernisation Programme destroy all classes of ballistic Stratofortress, F-22 Raptor, (AMP) improvements. AMP is the first Americas missiles in their boost phase F-15 Eagle, B-1B Lancer part of the two-phase C-5 modernisa- of flight. and all mobile refuelling tion programme. The aircraft is now Boeing Airborne Laser platforms, have already equipped with a state-of-the-art glass team begins weapon Integrated Sensor Is been certified. The tests cockpit with modern avionics and flight system flight tests Structure programme now being conducted are for instruments. This effort, along with the The Boeing Company, indus- begins demonstration phase certification of the hydrant upcoming second phase of the C-5 try teammates and the US The Defense Advanced refuelling systems and their modernisation programme, will ensure Missile Defense Agency have Research Projects Agency infrastructure, one of the the US Air Force has a C-5 fleet that will begun ABL flight tests with (DARPA) has selected Lock- last pieces in the certifica- be highly effective for the next 40 years. the entire weapon system heed Martin Aeronautics Co., tion process. Everything integrated aboard the ABL to develop the Integrated about the synthetic fuels • After a three-week ocean voyage, aircraft. ABL, a heavily Sensor Is Structure (ISIS) resembles the current fuel a static-test version of the Lockheed modified Boeing 747-400F phase 3 demonstration sys- being used, from the flash Martin F-35 Lightning II has arrived in aircraft, completed its func- tem. Raytheon Co. is a key point to the aromatics to the

Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 37 NEWSDigest APPOINTMENTS burn process. The fuel meets entered into an agreement RoundUp all the specifications of JP-8. with private air carrier King- Quick ARVIND JADHAV NAMED fisher Airlines to maintain NEW NACIL CHAIRMAN Europe the latter’s turbo-prop fleet UK. The F-35A conventional takeoff and On May 1, the Indian gov- of ATR-72 aircraft. Under landing variant aircraft, called AG-1, will ernment appointed Arvind Denmark postpones this agreement, Air Works undergo testing in the Structural and Jadhav, a 1978 batch Indian fighter selection would perform C-checks on Dynamic Test facility at BAE Systems’ Administrative Service officer, Denmark’s Defence Minister Kingfisher ATRs at its Main- site in Brough. The F-35 airframe will be the Chairman of the state-run Søren Gade has announced tenance, Repair and Over- connected to a highly complex test rig National Aviation Company that a decision on which haul (MRO) facility at Hosur in which 165 hydraulic actuators will of India Limited. He will take fighter jets the military will in Karnataka. According to a replicate the loads the aircraft would charge from E.K. Bharat purchase to replace the cur- company spokesperson, with see in flight. The data from the test will Bhushan, who was heading rent F-16s is being postponed. this partnership, Air Works be captured by 4,000 sensors bonded the aviation company for Denmark currently has 48 becomes the first Indian to the airframe. an interim period after the F-16 fighter planes, but it has MRO to do third party airline government, unhappy with sunk vast sums into the US maintenance. • The US Air Force is modifying a firm the performance of Air India, Joint Strike Fighter project The first Kingfisher fixed price contract with Lockheed removed Raghu Menon from over the past few years. This aircraft is already undergo- Martin Corp. for four C-130J aircraft for the post. Jadhav has been ap- investment has been criticised ing scheduled maintenance, the Iraq government. pointed for a period of three by many MPs as laying the after having arrived at Hosur years, the Ministry of Civil foundation for justifying the a week ago. Kingfisher has a NORTHROP GRUMMAN Aviation said in a statement. purchase of the US planes. In fleet of 27 ATR 72-500s and addition to Lockheed Martin, six ATR 42-500s. • Northrop Grumman has celebrated NETTIE R. JOHNSON the other fighter jets being the delivery of their 44th modified F-5 NAMED CORPORATE VICE considered by the Danish Americas Tiger for the US Navy. In a ceremony PRESIDENT OF LOCKHEED military are the Saab-manu- at the company’s East Coast Aircraft MARTIN WORLDWIDE factured Gripen and the joint- Boeing marks 6,000th 737 Manufacturing and Flight Test Centre, MEDIA RELATIONS EU project Eurofighter. with delivery to ILFC & officials from NAVAIR PMA 207 ac- Lockheed Martin has named Norwegian Air Shuttle cepted the delivery of the final aircraft Nettie R. Johnson Corporate Italian Eurofighter under the current Navy F-5 Acquisition/ Vice President of worldwide Typhoons record over Re-capitalisation Programme, which media relations, effective April 10,000 flight hours provided for the modification of 44 27. In this role, Johnson will Alenia Aeronautica records Swiss Air Force aircraft into 41 F-5N’s serve as chief spokesperson another important result (single-seat aircraft) and three F-5F’s for the corporation and direct reached by the Eurofighter (two-seat trainers). all media relations activities. programme in Italy: the air force’s pilots have surpassed • Northrop Grumman Corporation has MEADS INTERNATIONAL 10,000 flight hours on the delivered to the US Air Force the first NAMES STEVEN BARNOSKE Eurofighter Typhoon, the new- operational B-2 Spirit stealth bomber NEXT PRESIDENT generation defence aircraft in to be equipped with newly modernised The MEADS International service with two squadrons in radar. Northrop Grumman is the Air Board of Directors has an- Italy. The aircraft had started Force’s prime contractor for the B-2, nounced Steven Barnoske being employed three years the flagship of the nation’s long range will be the new President of ago in missions of air police strike arsenal and one of the world’s MEADS International, the in- and quick-reaction alert for most survivable aircraft. In July this ternational joint venture that is the airspace control, having year, Northrop Grumman and the Air developing the next generation inaugurated such operations Force will celebrate the 20th anniver- of ground-mobile air and mis- during the 2006 Winter Olym- sary of the first flight of the B-2. sile defence systems for the US, pic Games. Since that date four Germany and Italy. Barnoske other air forces have joined • The A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport succeeds Jim Cravens, who ItAF and the Typhoon fleet in (MRTT), on which the Northrop Grum- retires from Lockheed Martin service in Italy, Germany, UK, man KC-45 is based, has marked a after five years as President of Spain and Austria have by now new development milestone by flying MEADS International. surpassed the total of 50,000 On April 16, Boeing cele- as a receiver aircraft with a C-135 flight hours. Also, by the end of brated a special programme tanker operated by the French Air Force. HONEYWELL NAMES the year the first Typhoons for milestone with the delivery During two airborne sorties, the C-135 KATHERINE L ADAMS the Saudi Arabian Air Force, of the 6,000th 737. It was made 20 contacts with the Royal Aus- SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Eurofighter’s first non-Europe- delivered to International tralian Air Force (RAAF) A330 MRTT, the AND GENERAL COUNSEL an customer, will be delivered. Lease Finance Corp (ILFC) first of five aircraft to be delivered to Honeywell has appointed which will lease the 737 to the RAAF. The RAAF is one of five coun- Katherine L. Adams its Senior Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA. tries that have selected A330-based Vice President and General INDUSTRY The airplane’s tail features refueling aircraft to meet their nation’s Counsel. Adams will report a special decal denoting tanker/transport requirements. to Honeywell Chairman and Asia-Pacific this milestone. Boeing an- Chief Executive Officer Dave nounced it remains focused PRATT & WHITNEY Cote. Adams succeeds Peter Air Works in pact with on continuous enhancement Kreindler who will retire after Kingfisher to service of the Next Generation 737 • Pratt & Whitney’s F119 engine, serving as Honeywell’s Senior turbo-prop fleet family to ensure the airplane which powers the Lockheed Martin Vice President and General Air Works, one of the larg- provides market-leading F-22 Raptor, has surpassed 100,000 Counsel for over 17 years. est Indian MRO firms, has operational, economic and

38 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net NEWSDigest SHOW CALENDAR environmental performance SPACE RoundUp to airlines and lessors Quick 12 May – 14May around the world. Asia-Pacific EUROPEAN BUSINESS operational flight hours of service for AVIATION CONVENTION Embraer delivers India plans to monitor the US Air Force. The accomplishment & EXHIBITION Phenom 100 jet to fishing vessels from space marks a significant milestone for the Palexpo Convention Center, first fleet customer India is planning to introduce only operational Fifth Generation fighter Geneva Embraer delivered Execu- an ultra-low-cost, satellite- engine in service today. www.ebace.aero tive AirShare’s first Phenom based ‘identification system’ to 100 jet in early April. The monitor fishing vessels across RAYTHEON 18 May – 21 May fractional aircraft ownership the country’s coastal areas. REGIONAL AIRLINE company based in Kansas Navy sources said the Indian • Raytheon Company has launched its ASSOCIATION ANNUAL City, Missouri, US, is the first Space Research Organisation first GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb CONVENTION fleet customer to receive a was developing the system, II as a control test vehicle (CTV) flight. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Phenom jet, out of a total known as the B-Class Auto- A US Air Force F-15E fighter aircraft www.raa.org firm order for 44 Phenom matic Identification Systems, released the GBU-53/B in flight. After 100s and six Phenom 300s. for nearly 300,000 fishing safely separating from the aircraft, the 18 May – 19 May In May 2007, Executive vessels. The satellite-based weapon deployed its wings, performed UNMANNED AIR AirShare placed their initial system would help keep the a series of preprogrammed manoeu- SYSTEMS 09: LATEST order for seven Phenom vessels in the loop of security vres and flew to a pre-designated PROGRAMMES & 100s, with options for agencies guarding the coastal position. REQUIREMENTS seven more. The order was areas, and prevent the entry Hilton Euston, expanded in September of of ‘hostile’ boats, as happened SUKHOI London, the same year to include two during the November 2008 United Kingdom Phenom 300s and options Mumbai attacks, a source said. • Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Flight Test Center URL: www.andforum.com for two more jets. In October welcomed Sukhoi Superjet 100 S/N 2008, the order was further Americas 95001, returning from Arkhangelsk 19 May – 19 May expanded, and currently is after successful completion of natural SINGLE EUROPEAN SKY comprised of 50 firm orders International Space Station icing tests. The aircraft performed The IET, Savoy Place, for both Phenom 100 and to operate till 2020 five flights, required to ‘catch the ice’. London, Phenom 300 aircraft. Execu- Arkhangelsk has been chosen to host United Kingdom tive AirShare is the only es- natural icing tests. URL: www.theiet.org/single-sky tablished fractional aircraft ownership company to offer • On April 26, at Dzyemgi airfield in 3 June – 4 June customers both the Phenom Komsomolsk-on-Amur, an accident FLIGHT SIMULATION: 100 and Phenom 300. Ex- occurred with the third flying prototype TOWARDS THE EDGE ecutive AirShare’s members of the Su-35 fighter while taxiing OF THE ENVELOPE have access to their aircraft and rapid running due to the aircraft No.4 Hamilton Place, for a given number of days coming out of the runway. The test-pilot London, United Kingdom per year, rather than a strict The International Space Sta- Evgeny Frolov bailed out safely and was URL: www.aerosociety.com number of annual flight- tion is poised to receive a new not injured. hours, as is the case with lease of life, with international 9 June – 10 June similar programmes. partners agreeing to keep the US PRECISION STRIKE $100 billion space laboratory ARMAMENTS TECHNOLOGY going until at least 2020. The • US officials could be finalising a FIRE-POWER FORUM CIVIL AVIATION space lab was originally set deal with the Kyrgyzstan government to Hanover Marriott, for decommissioning in 2015, extend US access to Manas Air Base, Whippany, Asia-Pacific but has been given an exten- Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell New Jersey, USA sion after industry officials told the media on April 28. Morrell URL: www.precisionstrike.org Of the 68 on order, Boeing assured policy-makers that it reported progress in negotiations delivers 25th new airplane was structurally fit to last out he called “reason for hope” about 15 June – 21 June to Air India the extension period. The only reversing Kyrgyzstan’s previous decision PARIS AIR SHOW likely hitch in the plan will be regarding the base. Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Le Bourget Airport, Paris for policy makers to decide Ministry notified the US Embassy in www.paris-air-show.com where the additional fund- Bishkek in February that it had six ing will come from. Exten- months to leave Manas, a major logisti- 24 June sion of the programme could cal and refuelling centre that supports NBAA BUSINESS AVIATION cost upwards of $10 billion, troops in Afghanistan. REGIONAL FORUM which could affect other space Signature Flight Support, programmes—unless Con- VISION SYSTEMS St. Paul Downtown Airport, gress approves a larger budget INTERNATIONAL St. Paul, Minnesota, USA for NASA. Meanwhile, NASA www.nbaa.org recently announced it would • The Boeing Company has awarded Boeing has delivered the soon resume plans to disman- Vision Systems International, LLC (VSI) 30 June – 1 July 15th 737-800 to Air India tle its shuttle fleet, ignoring a contract for the delivery of more than AVIATION OUTLOOK Express, marking a mile- calls to extend its life beyond 550 additional Joint Helmet Mounted INDIA 2009 stone 25th new airplane 2010. Once the fleet retires, Cueing Systems. VSI also received Hyatt Regency, delivery to the carrier since NASA will pay ferry charges to direct contracts from the US Navy and Mumbai, India its record order for 68 Boe- the Russian space agency for US Air Force. URL: www.terrapinn.com ing jets in January 2006. use of its Soyuz craft. •

Issue 4 • 2009 SP’S AVIATION 39 LASTWord SAVE AIR INDIA, GO PRIVATE

HEADACHE, UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, ly weighted in favour WOULD HARDLY WARRANT lopping off the head. of SATS. But where The sorry state of affairs in Air India (AI), however, Menon fell short of apparently necessitates such drastic measures. Re- the government’s ex- Aportedly peeved by AI’s steady decline, the government on pectations was in re- April 24 removed Raghu Menon from the post of Chairman spect of integration of Removing the head of the state-owned National Aviation Company of India Ltd AI and Indian which (NACIL), replacing him with Arvind Jadhav, a 1978 batch In- has so far been a non- is only a token dian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. Media reports indi- starter. Integration is gesture. There is NO cate that although Menon was due to retire in 2011, he had a prerequisite for AI for some time been contemplating stepping down from his to be a part of Star Al- ALTERNATIVE post prematurely on account of a variety of reasons, fore- liance. The other issue most being the sordid mess the airline is in. against Menon was TO PROGRESSIVE As is often the case when bureaucrats are removed for his purported inability PRIVATISATION if the inability to produce results for whatever reason, the impact to formulate and sub- and ensuing embarrassment are masked by transferring the mit a comprehensive airline is to survive. affected individual to some other lucrative post. In this case, and complete busi- Menon is a candidate for the top post in the proposed Air- ness plan for AI report Economic Regulatory Authority. quired by the govern- An IAS officer of 1974 batch, Menon seconded to the ment to consider ways Nagaland Cadre, was appointed Chairman, NACIL in April to infuse funds critically required by the airline. 2008. He took over the reins at a time when AI was battling That said, there is no sidestepping the areas in which on several fronts for survival. Despite the then cumulative not only Menon but, under the existing dispensation, any loss, believed to be over a staggering Rs 2,000 crore ($400 other incumbent would perhaps be helpless and ineffective. million), NACIL had embarked on a major programme for Afflictions associated with public sector companies, such as restructuring. The airline had obtained government approv- overstaffing, indifferent work culture, mediocrity, low pro- al to induct 111 new Boeing and Airbus aircraft in a phased ductivity, lack of operational efficiency and unionism con- manner to replace the ageing airplanes in its fleet. NACIL tinue to pose debilitating challenges. Over the last one year, was also vigorously lobbying for a hefty bailout package AI’s problems have been compounded by the unprecedent- from the government to remain viable. The airline had also ed spike in the price of Aviation Turbine Fuel in the wake of embarked on expansion of international operations while rising international price of crude which touched $147 (Rs struggling with the process of integration of the two state- 7,350) per barrel. This was followed by the global economic owned formerly independent entities, AI and Indian. Inte- turmoil resulting in dwindling demand for air travel. On ac- grating the two airlines that were operating at opposite ends count of these adversities, AI’s market share took a beating of the sophistication spectrum was proving to be a daunting and cumulative losses are believed to have increased sub- challenge. But perhaps the most potent threat to its well-be- stantially during Menon’s watch. ing was the increasing competition from both the domestic AI is once again in the throes of a leadership crisis. But the and international carriers. Besides, only a week into his ten- events over the last one year reinforce the belief that unless ure, Menon was confronted with the rather embarrassing the airline is rid of bureaucratic control and, more importantly, episode of a Member of Parliament being unceremoniously bureaucratic and political interference, there is little chance of evicted by the Captain of an international AI flight for board- the airline surviving on its own steam. AI’s performance in the ing late at Calicut and holding up the aircraft. last five years leaves no one in doubt about the capability of Although the reasons for his removal have not been ex- the government’s bureaucratic apparatus to manage the op- plicitly stated, it is understood that Menon courted serious erational and financial dynamics of an airline in an intensely differences with the bureaucracy in the Ministry of Civil competitive environment. As such there appears to be no al- Aviation. He was opposed to the proposed joint venture with ternative to progressive privatisation if AI is to survive. Unless, Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) for ground han- of course, Arvind Jadhav can conjure up a miracle. SP

ILLUSTRATION: MAMTA ILLUSTRATION: dling. Menon was of the view that the joint venture was undu- — Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey

40 SP’S AVIATION Issue 4 • 2009 www.spsaviation.net

The G150 is Gulfstream’s first, true mid-size aircraft that far surpasses the competition in nearly every category. With its large, spacious interior, extraordinary performance, safety, product support and technologically advanced avionics that exceed world standards, the G150 has been meticulously designed to transform you and the way you do business.

To learn more, contact Jason Akovenko, Regional Vice President, Asia/Pacific, at +65 6256 8301, e-mail: [email protected]. www.gulfstreamG150.com

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