02 February 2007


Date: 02. Feb. 2007
During a press conference held today, CAE announced it will establish its first Indian aviation training centre in Bangalore, India. It will be located close to the Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli. The centre will open by the end of calendar 2007 and will train up to 1,000 pilots annually when fully operational. The initial plan involves an investment of approximately US $20 million and would likely include the participation of a partner. CAE is evaluating partnership possibilities. CAE's India training centre will serve India-based airlines and the surrounding region. The centre will be part of the CAE-Airbus cooperation and will initially offer pilot, cabin crew and maintenance training as well as flight operations support on the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737. The training centre will also serve the needs of the CAE Global Academy, a new training alliance intended to address the global shortage of pilots. Currently, Indian
carriers have approximately 200 aircraft in operation and have ordered an estimated additional 400 aircraft to be delivered over the next five years, which will generate the need for more than 1,000 new pilots per year. "We have been serving the Indian market for the last 35 years, with carriers such as Air India, Indian Airlines and more recently Jet Airways, Air Deccan, SpiceJet, Indigo, Air Sahara and Kingfisher Airlines", said Jeff Roberts, CAE's Group President, Innovation and Civil Training and Services. "Listening to our customers, we realized the strategic importance of opening a training centre in India. The Indian aviation industry is growing rapidly and faces significant pilot shortages. Establishing this training centre further strengthens our relationship with our Indian customers; it also demonstrates our continued commitment to providing training solutions worldwide, close to our customers' base of operations. As both a training service and equipment provider, CAE can offer the complete
spectrum of aviation training services and products to address the needs of this market, including pilot provisioning services and the sale of full-flight simulators and training devices." CAE is a world leader in providing simulation and modelling technologies, and integrated training services to the civil aviation industry and defence forces around the globe. We design, manufacture and supply simulation equipment and offer training and services. This includes integrated modelling, simulation and training solutions for commercial airlines, business aircraft operators, aircraft manufacturers and military organizations and a global network of training centres for pilots, and in some instances, cabin crew and maintenance workers. With annual revenues of over C$1 billion, CAE operates in 19 countries around the world. CAE has sold nearly 700 simulators and training devices to airlines, aircraft manufacturers, training centres and defence forces for air and ground purposes in more than 40 countries. We have over 110 full-flight simulators in more than 20 aviation training centres, serving approximately 3,500 airlines, aircraft operators and manufacturers across the globe. CAE licenses its simulation software to various market segments and has a professional services division assisting customers with a wide range of simulation-based needs.
Source: http://www.cnw.ca


Date: 02. Fab. 2007
With India's surging two-way trade now estimated at $250 billion, Air India has identified air cargo business as a major revenue-stream for the future and will foray into it in a big way with a fleet of 15 aircrafts.
Air India's Chairman V Thulasidas told PTI here that India's flag-carrier is already in the process of converting two of its Airbus 310 aircrafts into cargo carriers.
With the company acquiring 68 new Boeing aircrafts, it will convert two 747-300s into cargo carriers. It has six more A-310s, which it proposes to convert in a phased manner.
Thulasidas said that after the proposed merger of Air India and Indian, five Boeing 737-200 aircrafts, now with Alliance Air, a subsidiary of Indian, will also be converted into cargo carriers.
Once these plans fructify, the merged airline will have a reasonably large cargo fleet to cater to varying distances and destinations.
"We have identified air cargo business as a major revenue stream for us going forward," he said.
Air India is currently in the process of implementing its $9 billion fleet expansion programme, for which it has tied-up a $7-billion Line of Credit with ABN Amro.
The 68-aircraft acquisition has already begun with four 737-800s already acquired for its budget airline, Air India Express.
Thulasidas said, the carrier is expected to get one new aircraft every month from now till 2011.
He said that apart from 18 737-800s for Air India Express, the airline will acquire 23 777s for long-range operations besides 27 state-of-the-art 787s.
The first of the 777s will be acquired in April 2007. Of the 23, eight will be 777-200 LR (long range) and 15 will be 777-300 ER (extended range), he said, adding that the 787 aircraft delivery will begin in 2008, after its launch by Boeing.
Thulasidas said the six Boeing 747-400s that Air India has will continue to be in operation for the next seven-eight years, adding that the two old 747-200s will be phased out with the acquisition of the new aircraft.
He said, it was a conscious decision not to go for bigger 747 or Airbus 380 aircrafts, as the company wanted to have more aircrafts in its fleet to cover more destinations.
The airline will, however, review after 2011 whether to go in for new 747s or A 380s but as of now "there are no plans to acquire them", Thulasidas said.
Source: http://www.hindu.com


Date: 02. Feb. 2007
Jet Airways, India’s premier airline, is pleased to announce the introduction of Kosher Meals for its international passengers. Special Kosher meals prepared and served according to Jewish Dietary Regulations will be available on board Jet Airways flights to London and Singapore.
To start with, Kosher Meals (KSML) would be served on the Mumbai-London-Mumbai and Mumbai-Singapore-Mumbai sectors. Passengers will need to inform the airline about their meal preference at least 48 hours prior to the date of travel.
Commenting on the introduction of Kosher Meals on board its international flights, Mr. Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, Chief Executive Officer, Jet Airways stated “The addition of the Kosher meals to our in-flight menus is a reiteration of our commitment to the requirements of international passengers. These Kosher Meals have been created especially for Jet Airways by expert Chefs from our in-flight Caterers in consultation with our own Food & Beverage Managers”
Passengers are requested to state their preference for a Kosher Meal (KSML) option while booking their tickets either online or through their travel agents.
In conformity with IATA regulations, the other special dietary options available on Jet Airways’ international flights include Asian Vegetarian; Diabetic; Low-Cholesterol; Low Salt and Jain meals.
About Jet Airways:
Jet Airways currently operates a fleet of 60 aircraft with 47 classic and next generation Boeing 737-400/700/800/900 aircraft, 3 Airbus A340-300E aircraft, 2 Airbus A330-200 aircraft and 8 modern ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft. With an average fleet age of 5.3 years, the airline has one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the world. Jet Airways operates over 330 daily flights to 50 destinations that span the length and breadth of India and beyond, including London Heathrow in U.K., Singapore, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Colombo in Sri Lanka, Bangkok in Thailand and Kathmandu in Nepal. The airline plans to extend its international operations to North America, Europe, Africa and Asia in the coming years with the induction of wide-body aircraft into its fleet in 2007. Since inception in May 1993 until end-December 2006, Jet Airways has flown close to 69 million passengers.
Source: http://travelvideo.tv