Aviation

HAL signs contract with Mauritius for export of advanced light helicopters

In-line with Government’s vision to boost defence exports to friendly foreign countries, HAL signed a contract with Govt. of Mauritius (GoM) for export of one Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH Mk III) for Mauritius Police Force. The Govt. of Mauritius already operates HAL built ALH and Do-228 aircraft. With this contract, HAL and GoM have further strengthened the long standing business relations spanning over three decades.

The contract was signed by Mr. BK Tripathy, General Manager, Helicopter Division-HAL and Mr. OK Dabidin, Secretary of Home Affairs, Prime Minister’s Office, Govt. of the Republic of Mauritius recently at HAL’s Transport Aircraft Division, Kanpur in the presence of Mr. Apurba Roy, General Manager, TAD-Kanpur, Mr. K Jhugroo, Deputy Commissioner of Mauritius Police, Mrs. P Sohun, Dy Permanent Secretary, Govt. of Mauritius, Mr. T Abdoolahkhan, Chief Inspector of Mauritius Police and Mr. Arup Kumar Mallick, Addl. General Manager (Mktg)-HAL.

The ALH Mk III is a multi-role, multi-mission versatile helicopter in 5.5 tonne category. It has proven its mettle in various utility role including numerous lifesaving missions during natural calamities in India and abroad. More than 335 ALHs have been produced till date logging around 3,40,000 cumulative flying hours. HAL also ensures technical assistance and product support to the customer to ensure healthy serviceability of the helicopter.

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JM Exclusive tour onboard the EMBRAER E195-E2 Demonstrator.

Aviation

Boeing Resumes 737 MAX Manufacturing After Seven-Week Strike

In a crucial move for its recovery, Boeing has restarted production of its best-selling 737 MAX jetliner, about a month after a significant seven-week strike involving 33,000 factory workers came to an end.

This marks a key milestone for the planemaker, which has been facing considerable challenges in recent years, including heavy debt and a series of setbacks.

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According to the report from Reuters, Boeing resumed the production of the 737 MAX jetliner last week, a pivotal step as the company aims to meet the growing global demand for air travel. With over 4,200 orders from airlines, Boeing’s ability to get the 737 MAX production line back in motion is vital for its financial recovery.

Although Boeing had previously planned to restart production earlier, the company faced numerous obstacles that delayed this process. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) head Mike Whitaker told Reuters on Thursday that while Boeing had not yet resumed production, they had plans to restart by the end of the month.

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The road to this point has been rocky for Boeing. Setbacks such as the tragic fatal crashes of the 737 MAX, the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing supply chain issues, production safety concerns, and increased regulatory scrutiny have all contributed to delays in the company’s efforts to ramp up production.

The seven-week strike, which involved thousands of Boeing’s factory workers, added yet another hurdle. Despite these challenges, production of the 737 MAX officially resumed on Friday, according to one of the anonymous sources.

Boeing, however, declined to comment on the matter. The planemaker is now focused on reaching its goal of producing 56 737 MAX airplanes per month, a target that has been delayed due to the many issues that have beset the company over the past few years.