Aviation

Airbus & Boeing predict these many aircraft and pilots for India in next 20 years

In a recent announcement, Rémi Maillard, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia, highlighted India’s escalating need for aviation infrastructure. The forecast suggests that India will require a staggering 2,840 new aircraft and an impressive 41,000 pilots, along with an additional 47,000 technical staff, all within the next two decades.

Maillard envisions India becoming a global aviation powerhouse, projecting an estimated investment of $12 billion for the construction of new airports and the refurbishment of existing ones. The ambitious plan aims to increase the current count of 150 airports to approximately 200 within five years.

India’s aviation sector is poised to lead the world in growth, with an anticipated annual economic expansion of 6.2% over the next 20 years. This growth will position India as the fastest-growing economy globally, concurrently solidifying its status as the fastest-growing aviation market. To support this exponential growth, India plans to invest $12 billion in the development of new airports, to reach 200 airports within the next five years.

Darren Hulst, Boeing’s Vice President of Commercial Marketing, echoed the sentiment of surging demand. Hulst emphasized that India is expected to witness an unprecedented expansion in its aviation sector, necessitating more than 2,500 new aircraft deliveries by 2042. The forecast is driven by robust traffic growth experienced in recent times, prompting South Asian carriers to quadruple the size of their fleets over the next two decades.

This includes a substantial number of single-aisle aircraft and nearly 400 wide-body aircraft for long-haul flights. Hulst highlighted India as a significant player in Asia, being the only economy capable of returning to pre-pandemic air travel levels both domestically and internationally.

Aviation

Lost Tool Found in Qantas A380 After 34 Flights

An Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation recently revealed that a Qantas A380 operated 34 flights with a 1.25-meter nylon tool lodged in one of its engines.

This turning tool, used during borescope inspections to rotate the intermediate-pressure compressor, was left behind during scheduled maintenance at Los Angeles on December 6, 2023. It remained inside the engine until it was discovered by maintenance staff during a subsequent check at Los Angeles on January 1, 2024.

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The ATSB report highlights two critical lapses. First, maintenance engineers failed to notice the tool during final checks for foreign objects after the borescope inspection. Second, the lost tool procedure was not activated when the tool was identified as missing.

The certifying engineer ultimately cleared the aircraft for service without accounting for the misplaced tool. During the time qantas films the tool was inside, the A380 completed 34 flight cycles, accumulating nearly 294 hours without any noticeable effect on engine performance.

Although the tool was deformed by high-energy airflow within the engine, there was no reported damage to the engine itself. ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell commented.

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“This incident underscores the importance of following established maintenance protocols. Engineers missed the tool during foreign object checks, and the required lost tool procedure wasn’t started after realizing the tool was missing.”

Following the investigation, the airline issued a safety directive, urging all engineering and tool storage teams to adhere strictly to these protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.

A qantas spokesperson stated, “While the tool didn’t impact engine performance, we take this incident very seriously. It is critical to follow the correct lost tool procedures.”