Aviation

Two top airlines fly faulty planes with faulty engines

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According to Times Now At least 23 aircraft of Indigo Airlines had 69 engine failures over a span of 18 months between March 2016 and September 2017. A mega investigation by Times Now has revealed that the airline suffered about four engine failures every month over this period, thus risking lives of passengers on various routes.

Documents accessed by Times Now reveal that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) flagged the issue of frequent engine removals of Indigo A320 Neo aircraft. The airline, however, failed to take any concrete action on the matter.

According to the reports in possession of the channel, also show how 13 Go Air planes and 32 Indigo planes have been flying with faulty engines. Alarm bells started ringing in the DGCA, when, in an internal communication, it was revealed that a total of eight aircraft have been waiting for engine replacements- two requiring both engines replaced.

Responding to the investigation, Jayant Sinha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation said that the government is not “going to compromise on safety”. He added that the safety standards followed by the DGCA are “world class” and that any violations “will be looked into”. He said that the government is carrying its own investigations into the matter.

Aviation

Aeroflot Buys Used Planes for Spare Parts Amid Sanctions

In the face of ongoing Western sanctions that have severely impacted Russia’s aviation industry, Aeroflot, the country’s largest airline, has devised a strategic plan to bolster its fleet’s spare parts inventory.

The airline is set to acquire five Boeing 737-800BCF freighters from Atran Airlines, a move that will allow it to dismantle the aircraft for critical components. The planes, which will be transferred to Aeroflot’s low-cost subsidiary Pobeda, will not be converted into passenger jets but instead will be stripped for valuable parts to support existing operations.

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Aeroflot’s plan to purchase these Boeing 737-800BCF freighters comes as part of a broader strategy to mitigate the effects of Western sanctions, which have crippled the Russian aviation sector. With the sanctions restricting access to essential aircraft parts and spare components, Aeroflot is exploring alternative ways to maintain and repair its fleet.

Instead of converting the freighters from cargo to passenger planes, a process deemed “unreasonably expensive” under current sanctions, the airline intends to focus on extracting high-value components such as engines, landing gear, avionics, and other essential systems.

The deal will be structured in a way that allows Aeroflot to indirectly purchase the freighters through an insurance settlement with the aircraft’s lessor, AerCap.

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The Russian government’s insurance company will reimburse the aircraft’s value, and the planes will then be leased back to local operators. This method circumvents some of the restrictions imposed by international sanctions while ensuring that the airline gains access to the necessary components to support its fleet.

By dismantling the aircraft for spare parts, Aeroflot aims to secure critical resources for the ongoing maintenance of its existing fleet. Components from the Boeing 737-800BCF freighters, such as engines and avionics, are expected to be reused in other aircraft within Aeroflot’s network, ensuring that the airline can keep its operations running smoothly