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Indian actor honored with livery on Boeing 737

Indian actor honored with livery on Boeing 737

Indian actor honored with livery on Boeing 737 : Acknowledging Indian actor, producer Sonu Sood’s humanitarian efforts in helping lakhs of migrant workers who were stranded during the pandemic, SpiceJet has dedicated an aircraft Boeing 737, livery bearing his face in his honor. He is the first Indian actor to make it to the livery of a domestic airline. The livery includes a picture of Sood with the text “A salute to the saviour Sonu Sood”. “The phenomenally-talented Sonu Sood has been a messiah to lakhs of Indians during the pandemic, helping them reunite with their loved ones, feed their families and more,” SpiceJet said in a statement.

The airline said that while there is no apt way to thank him for his immense efforts, this was a small gesture from SpiceJet to acknowledge him and his amazing contributions. “Introducing our one-of-its-kind Sonu Sood livery draped on Mustard, one of our lovely Boeing 737 aircraft,” SpiceJet said while adding, “Thank you for everything, Sonu! You are an inspiration to us and many others, and we are proud to be your partners in your deeds of extraordinary compassion.”

Indian actor honored with livery on Boeing 737

The actor moved by the plight of 350 workers in Mumbai who requested him to provide food for 10 days because they wanted go home by walking for hundreds of miles. He approached the authorities and took permissions and arranged transport for this group. Realizing that there are millions who are stuck across the country,  He started connecting with others to help stranded migrant workers, working in big cities get home to their villages and towns after the government ordered a nationwide lockdown due to the pandemic.

Toll free No assistance 

He formed a toll-free number and within an hour he and his team received one lakh calls. In a few days they helped over 7.26 lakh people to reach their home. He mortgaged his own property in Mumbai to raise Rs.10 crore to help. He also started receiving calls from students stuck in abroad. Over Fourteen and half thousand students were evacuated from countries like Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Russia and Philippines.

After going back to home, the migrant workers and others contacted him and requested for jobs. He recalled that 50 lakh applicants for jobs were received in two and half days. He, alongside with other good people, provided employment to two lakh people. Sood wrote about his life and experiences in his memoir I Am No Messiah, which was published in late 2020.

Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

  • Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
  • Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.

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