Aviation

Helicopter Door Crashes Into Telangana Home, Narrow Escape For Worker

Hyderabad: Pilots flying low over a dense residential area in Telangana had a narrow escape on Monday as a metal door of their aircraft fell off and crashed into a terrace. No one was hurt.Ganesh Yadav, the owner of the house in Secunderabad on which the door fell, said a painter who was on the rooftop escaped the crash as he had gone down for lunch just moments before.

The aircraft plunged and rocked dangerously before its door was ripped off in the Lalaguda area, of Secunderabad.

The plane operated by the Telangana State Aviation Academy was on a training flight and was at 2,500 feet. A pilot and a trainee were in it.

Low-flying planes are a common sight in the Lalapet area because of the multiple training flights daily.

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an inquiry into the crash. The 3 x 4 feet metal door with broken glass was kept inside the prison cell at a police station for several hours before it was taken away for investigation by civil aviation officials.

Last month on September 28, a trainee Indian Air Force aircraft, Kiran, had crashed in the area. The pilots had survived.

Aviation

Air India’s US Service Takes a Hit with 60 Flight Cancellations This Peak Season

Air India, owned by the Tata Group, has announced the cancellation of around 60 US-bound flights scheduled for the busy travel months of November and December.

Traditionally, airfares between India and the US climb significantly during this period, and these cancellations are anticipated to push prices even higher, impacting both non-stop and connecting routes.

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The affected flights air india new routes include those from Delhi to Washington, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York, along with flights from Mumbai to New York. Currently, Air India remains the only Indian airline offering direct services to the US.

The airline attributed the cancellations to delays in returning several aircraft from intensive maintenance, alongside supply chain issues that have temporarily reduced its operational fleet.

An Air India spokesperson confirmed that the airline has had to cancel a “small number” of flights due to delays from its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) provider.

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Additionally, some wide-body aircraft remain grounded due to technical issues, exacerbating the shortage of available aircraft.

The spokesperson added, “Due to the delayed return of some aircraft from heavy maintenance and supply chain constraints resulting in a temporary reduction in operating fleet, Air India regrets that a small number of flights have been cancelled between now and December end.”

Air India has assured affected passengers of a full refund, the option to reschedule for another date, or rebooking on nearby flights operated by the air india group, while expressing its apologies for the inconvenience caused by factors beyond its control.