Aerospace

IndiGo to buy 50 ATR planes; eyes regional aviation market

Airline major IndiGo is all set to introduce 50 turboprop planes to its fleet in a bid to increase more regional operations. InterGlobe Aviation, which runs IndiGo, informed the Bombay Stock Exchange on Tuesday that the company has signed a deal with French aircraft manufacturer Avions de Transport Regional GIE for buying 50 ATR 72-600 aircraft.

Introduction of the aircraft will help IndiGo increase its regional presence by starting more services connecting smaller towns in the country. Indigo aims to start turboprop operations in the third quarter of this financial year. In a period of two years, the company will induct 20 such aircraft to its fleet.

Currently, Indigo has a marketshare of close to 40 percent in the Indian domestic aviation sector and operates 133 Airbus A320 planes connecting 46 destinations.

“IndiGo is likely to be a 177 aircraft airline by March. We are looking to build a nation-wide regional network and connect cities that have not benefitted the aviation sector growth in India,” IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh said in the statement.

Indigo has reported a profit of Rs 1,659 crore for 2016-17 from Rs 1,986 crore in the previous year. Total revenue rose to Rs 19,369.57 crore for year ended 31 March compared to Rs 16,655.03 crore the year before. It also announced a divided of Rs 34 per share. Shares of InterGlobe rose almost 2% to close the day at Rs 1141.1 on Tuesday on BSE.

Courtesy : Corporate Ethos

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.