Cruising Heights Magazine - April 2024

In this issue

This edition of is full of in-depth stories on our variety of issues concerning defence, national security and regional Geopolitics. The two cover stories on India's submarine fleet outline why India needs to urgently beef up the strength of subs if it has to be a true blue water navy in the region and a larger force in the Indo-Pacific. We also examine the government's ambitious target to have India among the top five exporting nations for defence equipment and the sort of road map that is required to achieve this goal. We also look at ISRO's Netra program which hopes to provide a proactive initiative to safeguard India’s interests in space by mitigating the risks posed by space debris and other hazards. We also have a piece on the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Bhutan and how that will impact the relationship between the two countries. All this plus all are regular features in the April of

A GIANT OF AN AIRCRAFT

Engineers have recently unveiled blueprints for what could become the crowning achievement of airborne engineering: the WindRunner.

3 mins

VISTARA PILOTS' PROTEST AMIDST AIR INDIA MERGER HIGHLIGHTS INDUSTRY-WIDE CHALLENGES

Pilots are one of the most important human resources for any airline. Even more so in these times when the average growth in Indian Aviation is a close to 15 per cent. Unfortunately, though, pilots in India are an unhappy lot highlighted by the mass leave taken by Vistara pilots. NIDHI SHARMA dissects the issue.

7 mins

BA AT 50: REFLECTING ON THE CONCORDE AGE AND BEYOND

As British Airways celebrates its 50th anniversary, industry watchers and experts are saying that this prompts reflection on the evolution of flying with the airline and raises questions about whether the Concorde era truly represented aviation's golden age.

7 mins

Star Air expands with fourth E175

Star Air (S5) welcomed its fourth Embraer E175 aircraft in March.

1 min

JettWings leads the way in UDAN 5.3

JettWings Airways has emerged as a frontrunner in the aviation industry, solidifying its position as a leading private operator under the UDAN RCS 5.3 scheme.

1 min

FLY91 set to soar

Regional carrier FLY91 launched its commercial operations in mid-March, aiming to establish a strong presence in the aviation sector. India’s youngest airline plans to break even within two years, the Goa-based airline anticipates employing approximately 350 staff members by the end of its inaugural year.

1 min

"Embraer achieves ETOPS-120 certification for E2 Series

Embraer recently achieved a significant milestone with the acquisition of 120-minute ETOPS (Extended-Twin Engine Operations Performance Standards) approval for its E190-E2 and E195-E2 aircraft.

1 min

Qatar explores major widebody order with Boeing, Airbus

Qatar Airways is reportedly in preliminary discussions with both Boeing and Airbus regarding a potential order of up to 150 widebody jets to modernise and expand its fleet as it needs to tackle the issue of an ageing fleet for long-distance.

1 min

"PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES: A TROUBLED LEGACY IN NEED OF REVIVAL"

Pakistan International Airlines PIA), once renowned for its slogan Great People to Fly With,’ has a storied history of contributions to the aviation industry. despite its illustrious past, PIA has faced challenges in recent decades, witnessing a decline from its former glory. This downward trajectory has prompted concerns about the airline's sustainability and competitiveness in the modern aviation landscape. The Pakistan government is now preparing to privatise the

10 mins

TIME FOR CREDIBLE ROTARY-WING CAPABILITIES

With tactical-level challenges looming in India’s neighbourhood, it is time for the Indian armed forces to rapidly brush up on rotorcraft capabilities. A Special Report

10+ mins

India's space economy set to soar

India's burgeoning space economy could see a substantial increase in its global share by 2040. At present, India's space sector contributes a modest $8 billion to the overall cake.

2 mins

Pushpak RLV-TD successfully lands autonomously

ISRO achieved another significant milestone in reusable launch vehicle (RLV) technology with the successful landing of Pushpak (RLV-TD), the winged vehicle, autonomously on the runway.

1 min

Agnibaan SOrTeD rocket launch postponed again

Chennai-based space start-up Agnikul Cosmos called off the maiden launch of its 3D-printed, semi-cryogenic Agnibaan rocket about 129 seconds before lift-off citing communication in the onboard hardware.

2 mins

PLETHORA OF AIR TRAVEL ACTIVITY IN THE INDIAN SKIES

The Northern Summer schedule for 2024 took off on March 31, 2024, ushering in a rush of air travel activity. With DGCA's seal of approval on 24,275 weekly departures, the skies buzzed with an average of 3,467 flights daily. However, on the inaugural day, airlines only managed to execute 3,035 scheduled domestic flights, representing a modest 87.5 per cent of the approved schedule. Delving into the nuances of this aviation landscape, an exclusive analysis by aviation analytics company Cirium unveils fascinating insights into the longest and shortest flights crisscrossing the Indian skies.

2 mins

Read all stories from Cruising Heights

Cruising Heights Magazine Description:

CRUISING HEIGHTS is India's best known monthly aviation magazine with equal interests in air cargo, travel and tourism. In its four years of existence, Cruising Heights has received accolades from the Minister of Civil Aviation, Aviation CEOs, Airport Developers, Travel Agents Associations and others for its path-breaking stories.One of the first true aviation magazines of the country, Cruising Heights was started with the idea of supporting professionals in the airline business to make informed choices on a variety of subjects from ground handling to cargo to airport development-all of which are transforming the Indian aviation scene in mind-boggling ways. Later, due to the interest it generated and in response to demands from the travel and tourism industry stakeholders we have targeted the general reader-the educated Indian who is keen to be an informed Indian-to know what's happening in the business.