AVIATIOSouth Asia’s Premiere Aviation Magazine | ISSUEN XI | ISSN-2362-048xVOICE | USD 3 | LKR 400 The aquamarine blue waves of the Indian Ocean gently unfolding on the golden shore. A fresh coconut sipped in the shade of wind-whispering palms. A (not to long) bask in the early morning or late afternoon sun. A cool-o in the vast expanse of sun-glittering sea. Some of the delights of a Sri Lankan beach. Where beaches are concerned you will be spoilt for choice in Sri Lanka. Beaches totaling 1,340Km fringe the island, from the long-established tourist destinations of the southern coast, to the vast beaches of the deep south, and the less-visited expanses of the north and east. No matter what time of the year, you can find a beach that is in season and just waiting to welcome you to its warm sands. TROPICAL AND BRIGHT Turkish Airlines Inc, 67A, Gregory’s Road, Colombo 07 www.srilanka.travel Contact Number: +94 11 5900500 Sri Lanka Balloon +94 772210666 | +94 774727700 [email protected] [email protected] AVIATIOSouth Asia’s Premiere Aviation Magazine | ISSUEN XI | ISSN-2362-048xVOICE | USD 3 | LKR 400 Travel safely with us The largest and most experienced global airline during the COVID-19 crisis Updated as of July 2020 CORPORATE with SriLankan Aviation College COURSE OVERVIEW • Personal Grooming & Wardrobe Etiquette- Impress • Dining Etiquette - Finesse • Effective Communication & Public Speaking - Express • Business Writing Essentials - Validate • Acing an Interview - Convince • Presentation Skills - Spruce-up • Customer Service - Image • Professionalism & Human factors at workplace - Sustain • Team Dynamics & Leadership Skills - Synergize 0710212567 srilankanaviationcollege.com [email protected] AVIATIOSouth Asia’s Premiere Aviation Magazine | ISSUEN XI | ISSN-2362-048xVOICE | USD 3 | LKR 400 Enrol with SriLankan Aviation College for EASA PART 66 EXAMS Category B1.1 & B2 Mechanical & Avionics (+94) 71 021 2567 [email protected] srilankanaviationcollege.com AVIATIOSouth Asia’s Premiere Aviation Magazine | ISSUEN XI | ISSN-2362-048xVOICE | USD 3 | LKR 400 FLY LANKAN Level 3, East Tower, World Trade Centre, Echelon Square, Bank of Ceylon Mawatha, Colombo 01 +94 11 2 85 11 79 | +94 71 645 1 665 | [email protected] | www.flylankan.lk 200,000Celebrating Facebook followers Our Services Social Media Managing Product shoots, Intro Videos Photography Advertisements on both digital (Sponsored) and printed media Marketing Consultancy Destination Promotions Event Management No 1 Aviation related media platform in South Asia Aviation Voice XI From the beginning of 2020, airline and aviation industry in Sri Lanka and the world faced ups and downs in many ways. The first remarkable event for 2020 aviation industry happened on 25th January, as the most awaited first test flight of Boeing 777X took place successfully, with novel composite wings and foldable wingtips, calling EDITORIAL BOARD itself the largest and the most efficient twin-engine commercial jet built so far. Followed by that were several air crashes that took place around the Managing Editor world, remarkably the Ukrainian International Airlines flight 752 Pakistan Chathushkie Kapuge air 8303 crash crash and Air India 1344 crash. Apart from world aviation industry, Sri Lanka too took several steps Deputy Editors forward in the field, including the plans to expand Bandaranaike Chethiya Methmal International Airport and efforts to re-establish Mattala as a profitable Teshani Warusavithane airport. Senal De Silva With all the ups and downs in aviation industry, an unexpected turbulence Photography in aviation field occurred due to the recent COVID outbreak. With the Kasun Prabath travel bans airlines faced substantial financial losses, not to mention the Supun Jayawardena disruptions occurring in the trade, commerce and other supply chains of Charith Rodrigo the world that depend of air transport. Most of the commercial flights were cancelled from respective countries during the peak time of virus spread Design & Print and some airlines closed down as a result. Many airlines struggled hard to NEO Graphics cope with a slump in demand caused by the outbreak. This resulted in many adverse ways. Other than having to bear an extra Publisher cost for safer hygienic facilities for passengers, the airlines had to deal Aviation Voice with cancellation of flights from passengers and cancellation of routine No.69/14A, flights as the per local civil aviation instructions. People avoid travelling Senanayake Mawatha, abroad resulting in lesser and lesser tourists to use air transport. Without 2nd Lane, passengers’ even the airlines that are operating are facing a crisis in Nawala, Sri Lanka operation. Share market value for aviation industry has already dropped by 25% by March itself causing some airlines to take even extreme measures going for staff redundancies, pay cuts and sometimes even filing for T/P: +94 777187678 +94 114941611 bankruptcy. Norwegian Air, dropped their staff by half to compensate with Email: [email protected] the loss, Emirates too announced staff salary reduction based on the grade [email protected] and various percentages were deducted from each grade. Multiple airlines Web: www.aviationvoice.lk including Avianca and Thai Airways filed bankruptcy under chapter 11. FB: www.fb.com/AviationVoice YouTube: YouTube.com/AviationVoice SriLankan Airlines too faced many difficulties during a tough time like this. instagram: instagram.com/aviation_voice Flights were limited to repatriation flights to bring back SriLankan students twitter: twitter.com/Aviation_Voice and employees from other countries. The airport too was closed and awaits medical authorities’ instructions to open for commercial operations as usual. Due to poor demand in passenger transport a SriLankan airlines A330 aircraft was converted a cargo aircraft. An A320-200 passenger aircraft was thus converted to a wide body cargo carrier with a capacity of 70 cubic meters of cargo. The most recent local news is appointing a new minister for the Ministry of Civil Aviation under the newly elected Government. Now the Civil Aviation Authority falls under Tourism Ministry and the minister appointed for that is Hon. Prasanna Ranatunge. There is a State Minister appointed too for aviation; Hon. D.V. Chanaka. With the roller-coaster ride aviation industry had since the beginning of 2020 we are longing to see a positive phase for the industry in the coming years. Chathushkie Kapuge Contents 12 18 22 30 36 62 12 Mattala International Airport 35 Awaiting... Terminal two 17 Captain Themiya Abeywickrama 36 Air Traffic Controllers 18 Women in Aviation 49 Drone Technology Used to Sprinkle Seeds from the 22 Fly Lankan Asia Air in Hambantota 26 How COVID-19 Will Reshape the Airline Industry 51 Aviation industry remains paralysed as 4 in 5 air 28 YouTube Highlights travellers staying home 30 THE DEADLY FLYAWAY KIT 62 SpaceX Launching a New Era in Commercial Aerospace 33 Creating aviation history in Sri Lanka - Spark air Appointments Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga Hon. D.V Chanka appointed S. Hettiarachchi appointed as appointed as the Minister of as the State Minister for new Secretary to Ministry of Tourism Aviation Services and Tourism Prasanna Ranatunga representing the Development of Export Zones Mr. S. Hettiarachchi was appointed as Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna was MP, D. V. Chanaka appointed as the the new Secretary to the Ministry of appointed as the Cabinet Minister of State Minister of Aviation Services and Tourism and Aviation Services. Tourism on the 12th of August 2020. Development of Export Zones. He was appointed on 12th of August 2020. Upul Dharmadasa appointed Major General (Rtd.) G.A. Leading business leader as the New Chairman for Chandrasiri assumed duties Ashok Pathirage appointed CAASL as the New Chairman for Chairman of SriLankan Upul Dharmadasa was appointed as AASL Airlines the seventh Chairman of the Civil Major General (Rtd.) G.A. Chandrasiri Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka assumed duties as the Chairman of Mr. Ashok Pathirage was appointed (CASL). Dharmadasa is CEO of Upul Airport and Aviation Services (Sri as the Chairman of SriLankan Airlines Travel Service and is an ex-employee of Lanka) Ltd. As a former senior officer Group by its principle shareholder Air Ceylon. He moved to Los Angeles in the Army, Chandrasiri has served the Government of Sri Lanka. Mr. after the closure of Air Ceylon and set in a number of prestigious roles. Pathirage is a leading businessman up a small travel office in 1980. Upul He has functioned as the officiating and the founder of Softlogic Holdings Travel Service is an award-winning Director General, General Staff at Joint PLC, of which he is the Chairman tour operator in North America, which Operation Headquarters until he was and Managing Director. He is also the has been in business in the USA for appointed as the Commander in 2005. Chairman and Managing Director of almost 35 years. a number of reputed companies in Sri VOICE AVIATION Lanka. 11 www.aviationvoice.lk | insta.com/aviation_voice | fb.com/AviationVoice Mattala INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT The Second International Airport of Sri Lanka ri Lanka felt the necessity of by the Sri Lankan Civil Aviation facility to even operate the world’s a second international airport Authority in 2013 March, enabling current largest commercial airliner, Ssince sometime, catering operations of international flights the Airbus A380. Thus, in April that need in 2013 as per an agenda from that airport. 2018 World's Largest Aircraft, the Antonov An-225 Mriya cargo carrier of then government, the Mattala After the opening ceremony in aircraft landed at Mattala for a short International Airport commenced March 2013, the first flight to land time, to refuel. constructions in the district of in the new airport was an A340 Hambantota, situated 241 km operated by the country’s national Apart from this Mattala Airport towards south of Colombo. carrier, Sri Lankan Airlines with has the capacity for one million Initially the project had an estimated delegates for the opening ceremony.