Army chief General Bipin Rawat Thursday took to the skies in the home-grown Light Combat Aircraft Tejas at the Aero India show here and described the fighter jet as a "wonderful aircraft" that would add to the air power.

Sitting behind the pilot in a two-seater trainer variant of the Tejas, General Rawat took a sortie, a day after the HAL-made fighter jet received the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) at the air show, signalling that it was combat ready.

"Flight in the LCA was a wonderful experience," General Rawat said, after the sortie in the skies above the Yelahanka Air Force Station, north of Bengaluru.

"It was an experience of a lifetime," he said after a 30-minute jet ride.

He said the avionics in Tejas was good and "it is a wonderful aircraft."

He also said the LCA targeting systems were good.

"If it gets added to the inventory, it will add to air power," said the Army chief.

"We did normal manoeuvres. We did not do a loop," he said.

The FOC Certificate and Release to Service Document (RSD) were handed over to the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa on the opening day of Aero India 2019 on Wednesday.

FOC involves addition of key capabilities to the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) aircraft which are Beyond Visual Range Missile capabilities.

Air-to-Air Refuelling, Air-to-Ground FOC earmarked weapons and general flight envelope expansion.

Initial Operational Clearance for the aircraft was given in 2013 and IOC standard Aircraft were inducted into IAF No.45 Squadron in July 2016.

The IAF squadron has since flown over 1,500 sorties successfully on the aircraft.

Army chief General Bipin Rawat Thursday took to the skies in the home-grown Light Combat Aircraft Tejas at the Aero India show here and described the fighter jet as a "wonderful aircraft" that would add to the air power.

Army chief General Bipin Rawat Thursday took to the skies in the home-grown Light Combat Aircraft Tejas at the Aero India show here and described the fighter jet as a "wonderful aircraft" that would add to the air power. Sitting behind the pilot in a two-seater trainer variant of the Tejas, General Rawat took a sortie, a day after the HAL-made fighter jet received the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) at the air show, signalling that it was combat ready. "Flight in the LCA was a wonderful experience," General Rawat said, after the sortie in the skies above the Yelahanka Air Force Station, north of Bengaluru. "It was an experience of a lifetime," he said after a 30-minute jet ride. He said the avionics in Tejas was good and "it is a wonderful aircraft." He also said the LCA targeting systems were good. "If it gets added to the inventory, it will add to air power," said the Army chief. "We did normal manoeuvres. We did not do a loop," he said. The FOC Certificate and Release to Service Document (RSD) were handed over to the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa on the opening day of Aero India 2019 on Wednesday. FOC involves addition of key capabilities to the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) aircraft which are Beyond Visual Range Missile capabilities. Air-to-Air Refuelling, Air-to-Ground FOC earmarked weapons and general flight envelope expansion. Initial Operational Clearance for the aircraft was given in 2013 and IOC standard Aircraft were inducted into IAF No.45 Squadron in July 2016. The IAF squadron has since flown over 1,500 sorties successfully on the aircraft.

Army chief flies in home-grown Tejas, calls it 'wonderful' aircraft

The government is scheduled to table the CAG report on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rafale-deal-modi-government-followed-upas-policy-on-inter-governmental-agreements-196598">Rafale jet fighter deal</a>, which has generated a massive political controversy, in Parliament Tuesday, sources said.

The government's decision to buy <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-should-answer-if-rafale-deal-meant-to-strengthen-iaf-or-industrialist-shiv-sena-196220">36 Rafale fighter jets</a> from French company Dassault has become a controversial political issue, with the main opposition party Congress levelling allegations of corruption and impropriety, and the ruling dispensation defending the move.

The CAG report will be tabled on Tuesday, a day before the end of the present Lok Sabha session. This is the last session of the 16th Lok Sabha as the general elections are due in April-May.

Former minister and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Sunday alleged conflict of interest and asked the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Rajiv Mehrishi to recuse himself from auditing the deal as he was the finance secretary when the deal was negotiated.

Union Minister Arun Jaitley, however, rebutted the claims of Sibal saying that the Congress was casting aspersions on the institution of CAG based on "falsehood".

"Another attack on the institution of CAG by the 'Institution wreckers' based on falsehood. After ten years in Government former UPA ministers still don't know that Finance Secretary is only a designation given to the senior-most secretary in the finance ministry," Jaitley said a series of tweets Sunday.

Sibal said Mehrishi was the finance secretary from October 24, 2014, to August 30, 2015, and in between Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Paris on April 10, 2015 and announced the signing of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/it-is-based-on-fudged-arithmetic-jaitley-dismisses-report-of-rafale-price-escalation-191327">Rafale deal</a>.

"...Finance Ministry plays an important role in these negotiations...Now it is clear that the Rafale deal happened under Rajiv Mehrishi. Now he is CAG. We met him twice on September 19 and October 4, 2018. We told him about the scam. We told him that the deal should be probed because it is corrupt. But how can he initiate a probe against himself," Sibal had said.

The Rafale issue was even raised before the Supreme Court, which did not find any substance in the allegations.

However, the issue has continued to rock Parliament with Congress President Rahul Gandhi directly accusing the Prime Minister of benefiting industrialist Anil Ambani.

The government is scheduled to table the CAG report on Rafale jet fighter deal, which has generated a massive political controversy, in Parliament Tuesday, sources said.

The government is scheduled to table the CAG report on Rafale jet fighter deal, which has generated a massive political controversy, in Parliament Tuesday, sources said. The government's decision to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault has become a controversial political issue, with the main opposition party Congress levelling allegations of corruption and impropriety, and the ruling dispensation defending the move. The CAG report will be tabled on Tuesday, a day before the end of the present Lok Sabha session. This is the last session of the 16th Lok Sabha as the general elections are due in April-May. Former minister and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Sunday alleged conflict of interest and asked the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Rajiv Mehrishi to recuse himself from auditing the deal as he was the finance secretary when the deal was negotiated. Union Minister Arun Jaitley, however, rebutted the claims of Sibal saying that the Congress was casting aspersions on the institution of CAG based on "falsehood". "Another attack on the institution of CAG by the 'Institution wreckers' based on falsehood. After ten years in Government former UPA ministers still don't know that Finance Secretary is only a designation given to the senior-most secretary in the finance ministry," Jaitley said a series of tweets Sunday. Sibal said Mehrishi was the finance secretary from October 24, 2014, to August 30, 2015, and in between Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Paris on April 10, 2015 and announced the signing of the Rafale deal. "...Finance Ministry plays an important role in these negotiations...Now it is clear that the Rafale deal happened under Rajiv Mehrishi. Now he is CAG. We met him twice on September 19 and October 4, 2018. We told him about the scam. We told him that the deal should be probed because it is corrupt. But how can he initiate a probe against himself," Sibal had said. The Rafale issue was even raised before the Supreme Court, which did not find any substance in the allegations. However, the issue has continued to rock Parliament with Congress President Rahul Gandhi directly accusing the Prime Minister of benefiting industrialist Anil Ambani.

Government to table CAG report on Rafale deal in Parliament Tuesday

The US has agreed to sell two state-of-the-art missile defence systems to Air India One for an estimated cost of US $190 million, a move that will enhance the security of planes flying the prime minister and the president.

According to the Pentagon, the sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The Trump administrations approved the purchase of the two systems known as Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCAM) and Self-Protection Suites (SPS) for an estimated cost of US $190 million, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a notification to the Congress on Wednesday.

The US decision came after the Indian Government recently made a request for LAIRCAM SPS, given the high-level threat to the prime minister and the president.&nbsp;

The defence systems, which would bring security of Air India One at par with that of Air Force One, would be installed in two Boeing 777 Head-of- State aircraft, the Pentagon said.

The Indian Government plans to buy two Bowing 777 from the national carrier Air India for this specific purpose and unlike in the past would not be used for commercial purposes.&nbsp;

The purpose of the LAIRCM programme is to protect large aircraft from man-portable missiles. Once installed, the LAIRCAM system increases crew-warning time, decreases false alarm rates and automatically counters advanced intermediate range missile systems, according to the Federation of American Scientists.

The missile warning subsystem will use multiple sensors to provide full spatial coverage.&nbsp;

The counter-measures subsystem will use lasers mounted in pointer-tracker turret assemblies. It also automatically counters advanced intermediate range missile systems with no action required by the crew.&nbsp;

The pilot will simply be informed that a threat missile was detected and jammed.&nbsp;

Observing that it will improve India's capability to deter regional threats, the Congressional notification said SPS will facilitate a more robust capability into areas of increased missile threats.&nbsp;

"India will have no problem absorbing and using this system, it said.&nbsp;

According to the notification, India had requested to buy two SPS consisting of AN/AAQ 24(V)N Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM), ALQ-211(V)8 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) and AN/ALE-47 Counter-Measures Dispensing System (CMDS) to protect two (2) Boeing-777 Head-of-State aircraft.&nbsp;

"This potential sale would include twelve Guardian Laser Transmitter Assemblies AN/AAQ-24 (V)N (6 installed and 6 spares), eight (8) LAIRCM System Processor Replacements (LSPR) AN/AAQ-24 (V)N (2 installed and 6 spares); twenty-three (23) Missile Warning Sensors (MWS) for AN/AAQ-24 (V)N (12 installed and 11 spares), five (5) AN/ALE-47 Counter-Measures Dispensing System (CMDS) (2 installed and 3 spares)," the notification said.

Also included in this sale are Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites (AIDEWS), LAIRCM CIURs, SCAs, HCCs, and UDM cards, initial spares, consumables, repair and return support and support equipment.&nbsp;

The department also assured that the sale will not "alter the basic military balance in the region".

The US is the second-largest arms supplier to India. It has already recognised India as a "major defence partner", a status that which commits the US to facilitate technology sharing with India.

In 2018, the US granted India Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 (STA-1) status. India is the only South Asian country to get STA1 status and third Asian country after Japan and South Korea. The status eases defence procurement from US.

Last year both New Delhi and Washington signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement).

The US has agreed to sell two state-of-the-art missile defence systems to Air India One for an estimated cost of US $190 million, a move that will enhance the security of planes flying the prime minister and the president.

The US has agreed to sell two state-of-the-art missile defence systems to Air India One for an estimated cost of US $190 million, a move that will enhance the security of planes flying the prime minister and the president. According to the Pentagon, the sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship. The Trump administrations approved the purchase of the two systems known as Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCAM) and Self-Protection Suites (SPS) for an estimated cost of US $190 million, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a notification to the Congress on Wednesday. The US decision came after the Indian Government recently made a request for LAIRCAM SPS, given the high-level threat to the prime minister and the president. The defence systems, which would bring security of Air India One at par with that of Air Force One, would be installed in two Boeing 777 Head-of- State aircraft, the Pentagon said. The Indian Government plans to buy two Bowing 777 from the national carrier Air India for this specific purpose and unlike in the past would not be used for commercial purposes. The purpose of the LAIRCM programme is to protect large aircraft from man-portable missiles. Once installed, the LAIRCAM system increases crew-warning time, decreases false alarm rates and automatically counters advanced intermediate range missile systems, according to the Federation of American Scientists. The missile warning subsystem will use multiple sensors to provide full spatial coverage. The counter-measures subsystem will use lasers mounted in pointer-tracker turret assemblies. It also automatically counters advanced intermediate range missile systems with no action required by the crew. The pilot will simply be informed that a threat missile was detected and jammed. Observing that it will improve India's capability to deter regional threats, the Congressional notification said SPS will facilitate a more robust capability into areas of increased missile threats. "India will have no problem absorbing and using this system, it said. According to the notification, India had requested to buy two SPS consisting of AN/AAQ 24(V)N Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM), ALQ-211(V)8 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) and AN/ALE-47 Counter-Measures Dispensing System (CMDS) to protect two (2) Boeing-777 Head-of-State aircraft. "This potential sale would include twelve Guardian Laser Transmitter Assemblies AN/AAQ-24 (V)N (6 installed and 6 spares), eight (8) LAIRCM System Processor Replacements (LSPR) AN/AAQ-24 (V)N (2 installed and 6 spares); twenty-three (23) Missile Warning Sensors (MWS) for AN/AAQ-24 (V)N (12 installed and 11 spares), five (5) AN/ALE-47 Counter-Measures Dispensing System (CMDS) (2 installed and 3 spares)," the notification said. Also included in this sale are Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites (AIDEWS), LAIRCM CIURs, SCAs, HCCs, and UDM cards, initial spares, consumables, repair and return support and support equipment. The department also assured that the sale will not "alter the basic military balance in the region". The US is the second-largest arms supplier to India. It has already recognised India as a "major defence partner", a status that which commits the US to facilitate technology sharing with India. In 2018, the US granted India Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 (STA-1) status. India is the only South Asian country to get STA1 status and third Asian country after Japan and South Korea. The status eases defence procurement from US. Last year both New Delhi and Washington signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement).

US approves sale of two missile defence systems for Air India One 

In pictures: India gets its first Chinook helicopter from US's Boeing

With little hops and jumps, 'flying cars' are becoming a reality

Boeing Co said on Wednesday its flying car prototype hovered briefly in the air during an inaugural test <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/jeff-bezoss-blue-origin-rocket-makes-10th-flight-test-192329&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwimwZz2w4XgAhWHv48KHWV7BP4QFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0haqT6p7pKShw7BEIpV9sU">flight</a>, a small but significant step as the world's largest planemaker bids to revolutionise urban transportation and parcel delivery services.

Boeing is competing with arch-rival Airbus SE and numerous other firms to introduce small self-flying vehicles capable of vertical takeoff and landing.

The investments, fuelled by leaps in autonomous <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/china-already-leads-the-world-in-some-military-technology-pentagon-report-190597&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiqhOiIxIXgAhWbfCsKHXFfBv4QFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ekAPZiSXuWJencWbAvlVH">technology</a> as much as frustration with road congestion, could change the face of the aerospace industry within the next decade.

Boeing's 30-foot-long (9 meters) aircraft - part helicopter, part drone, and part fixed-wing plane - lifted a few feet off the ground and made a soft landing after less than a minute of being airborne on Tuesday at an airport in Manassas, Virginia, Boeing said.

Future flights will test forward, wing-borne flight.

"This is what revolution looks like, and it's because of autonomy," John Langford, president, and chief executive officer of Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, said in a news release announcing the test flight.
<img alt="Boeing's Autonomous Passenger Air Vehicle (PAV) prototype is shown during an inaugural test flight." data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9a628d6b-9a06-4435-beaa-4726ba65cef4" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2863%29.jpg" />
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Major hurdles to Boeing's vision of "low-stress" mobility - as it is called in the company's marketing materials - include sorting out numerous critical safety and regulatory issues to meld traditional roadway traffic with fleets of flying cars.

Boeing is working with startup SparkCognition Inc and the US Federal Aviation Administration to develop a traffic management system for three-dimensional highways, as well as the regulatory framework that will allow waves of autonomous vehicles to zip safely around buildings, the company has said.

Boeing bought Manassas-based Aurora Flight Sciences last year to speed development of a fleet of autonomous air vehicles. With Aurora, Boeing is also working on Uber Technologies Inc's&nbsp;UberAIR service for flights that are planned to be available for order via smartphones around 2023.

Boeing is looking to achieve a range of 50 miles with two flying car variants capable of carrying two and four passengers each. Tests are planned for later this year on a package-hauling version that can lift up to 500 pounds (226.8 kg).

Competitors range from Airbus, which says it has already conducted numerous flying vehicle test flights, to Volocopter, which has tested drone taxis that resemble a small helicopter powered by 18 rotors, and AeroMobil, with a stretch-limousine concept that can turn into a fixed-wing aircraft.

Vertical Aerospace, which completed a flight test last year, aims to offer short inter-city flights in the coming years with a piloted aircraft capable of carrying multiple passengers.

“The future of mobility – moving goods, moving cargo – moving people - that future is happening now and it’s going to accelerate over the next five years and ramp up even more beyond that," Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing's president, chairman, and CEO, told a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. 
&nbsp;

Boeing Co said on Wednesday its flying car prototype hovered briefly in the air during an inaugural test flight, a small but significant step as the world's largest planemaker bids to revolutionise urban transportation and parcel delivery services.

Boeing Co said on Wednesday its flying car prototype hovered briefly in the air during an inaugural test flight, a small but significant step as the world's largest planemaker bids to revolutionise urban transportation and parcel delivery services. Boeing is competing with arch-rival Airbus SE and numerous other firms to introduce small self-flying vehicles capable of vertical takeoff and landing. The investments, fuelled by leaps in autonomous technology as much as frustration with road congestion, could change the face of the aerospace industry within the next decade. Boeing's 30-foot-long (9 meters) aircraft - part helicopter, part drone, and part fixed-wing plane - lifted a few feet off the ground and made a soft landing after less than a minute of being airborne on Tuesday at an airport in Manassas, Virginia, Boeing said. Future flights will test forward, wing-borne flight. "This is what revolution looks like, and it's because of autonomy," John Langford, president, and chief executive officer of Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, said in a news release announcing the test flight. (Image source: Reuters) Major hurdles to Boeing's vision of "low-stress" mobility - as it is called in the company's marketing materials - include sorting out numerous critical safety and regulatory issues to meld traditional roadway traffic with fleets of flying cars. Boeing is working with startup SparkCognition Inc and the US Federal Aviation Administration to develop a traffic management system for three-dimensional highways, as well as the regulatory framework that will allow waves of autonomous vehicles to zip safely around buildings, the company has said. Boeing bought Manassas-based Aurora Flight Sciences last year to speed development of a fleet of autonomous air vehicles. With Aurora, Boeing is also working on Uber Technologies Inc's UberAIR service for flights that are planned to be available for order via smartphones around 2023. Boeing is looking to achieve a range of 50 miles with two flying car variants capable of carrying two and four passengers each. Tests are planned for later this year on a package-hauling version that can lift up to 500 pounds (226.8 kg). Competitors range from Airbus, which says it has already conducted numerous flying vehicle test flights, to Volocopter, which has tested drone taxis that resemble a small helicopter powered by 18 rotors, and AeroMobil, with a stretch-limousine concept that can turn into a fixed-wing aircraft. Vertical Aerospace, which completed a flight test last year, aims to offer short inter-city flights in the coming years with a piloted aircraft capable of carrying multiple passengers. “The future of mobility – moving goods, moving cargo – moving people - that future is happening now and it’s going to accelerate over the next five years and ramp up even more beyond that," Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing's president, chairman, and CEO, told a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday.

Boeing's flying car takes off, makes short flight

While Air India's passenger count rose by only 4 per cent in the December 2018 quarter, its revenue from passengers increased by 20 per cent on the back of better aircraft utilisation, said a senior official of the company.

"Due to better and efficient utilisation of aircraft fleet, the passenger revenue increased from Rs 4,615 crore in third quarter of 2017-18 to Rs 5,538 crore in the third quarter of 2018-19," the official said.

The official added that the number of passengers has increased to 55.27 lakh during the quarter from 53.28 lakh in the year-ago period. "This shows that passengers have increased by around 4 per cent...But our ASKM (available seat kilometres) has increased at a much faster rate," the official said.

ASKM indicates the passenger-carrying capacity of an aircraft. It is arrived at by multiplying the number of seats occupied by the distance travelled by aircraft in kilometres during a particular period.

The loss-making Air India is estimated to have a debt burden of over Rs 48,000 crore and the government's efforts for strategic disinvestment of the carrier failed in May last year.

The official said passengers in December increased by 4 per cent but the revenue from them increased by 23 per cent during the month.

"In the third quarter, total 15 new flights were started by the company," the official added.

Speaking about the Air India's woes, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu Friday said future revenues of the company cannot service its "massive" debt and this legacy issue has to be segregated from the current challenges of the national carrier.

"If you feel that future revenues can actually service the debt, it is not possible for the simple reason that the debt is so massive," Prabhu said Friday during a live stream held on 'Flying for All: Global Aviation Summit 2019'.

Air India earns 65 per cent of its revenues from international routes, while the remaining comes from the domestic network.

"Also, the cost of interest on the debt, when you try to service it from your revenues, Air India can never be in profit. Therefore, we have to address the debt issue. We are proactively working with the Ministry of Finance to make it happen," Prabhu added.

Air India has been making losses since the merger with Indian Airlines in 2007. The airline has a fleet size of around 122 aircraft currently.

"We have prepared a plan... We are trying to professionalise the entire management of Air India, right from the CEO (chief executive officer) downwards so that there will be a proper management structure so that Air India can reach to newer heights," he said.

"But anybody, who comes in, will ask this question 'how do I deal with the legacy'. The same question I had to address when I took over as a minister. The same question, Air India's new managing director or the new CEO or new board of directors would have to address - how do I deal with the past?" he added.

While Air India's passenger count rose by only 4 per cent in the December 2018 quarter, its revenue from passengers increased by 20 per cent on the back of better aircraft utilisation, said a senior official of the company.

While Air India's passenger count rose by only 4 per cent in the December 2018 quarter, its revenue from passengers increased by 20 per cent on the back of better aircraft utilisation, said a senior official of the company. "Due to better and efficient utilisation of aircraft fleet, the passenger revenue increased from Rs 4,615 crore in third quarter of 2017-18 to Rs 5,538 crore in the third quarter of 2018-19," the official said. The official added that the number of passengers has increased to 55.27 lakh during the quarter from 53.28 lakh in the year-ago period. "This shows that passengers have increased by around 4 per cent...But our ASKM (available seat kilometres) has increased at a much faster rate," the official said. ASKM indicates the passenger-carrying capacity of an aircraft. It is arrived at by multiplying the number of seats occupied by the distance travelled by aircraft in kilometres during a particular period. The loss-making Air India is estimated to have a debt burden of over Rs 48,000 crore and the government's efforts for strategic disinvestment of the carrier failed in May last year. The official said passengers in December increased by 4 per cent but the revenue from them increased by 23 per cent during the month. "In the third quarter, total 15 new flights were started by the company," the official added. Speaking about the Air India's woes, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu Friday said future revenues of the company cannot service its "massive" debt and this legacy issue has to be segregated from the current challenges of the national carrier. "If you feel that future revenues can actually service the debt, it is not possible for the simple reason that the debt is so massive," Prabhu said Friday during a live stream held on 'Flying for All: Global Aviation Summit 2019'. Air India earns 65 per cent of its revenues from international routes, while the remaining comes from the domestic network. "Also, the cost of interest on the debt, when you try to service it from your revenues, Air India can never be in profit. Therefore, we have to address the debt issue. We are proactively working with the Ministry of Finance to make it happen," Prabhu added. Air India has been making losses since the merger with Indian Airlines in 2007. The airline has a fleet size of around 122 aircraft currently. "We have prepared a plan... We are trying to professionalise the entire management of Air India, right from the CEO (chief executive officer) downwards so that there will be a proper management structure so that Air India can reach to newer heights," he said. "But anybody, who comes in, will ask this question 'how do I deal with the legacy'. The same question I had to address when I took over as a minister. The same question, Air India's new managing director or the new CEO or new board of directors would have to address - how do I deal with the past?" he added.

Air India's passenger revenue grows by 20% in Q3 of 2018-19

More than 100 passengers were stranded at Kolkata airport early Thursday after a water tanker hit a Qatar Airways aircraft, which was preparing to take off for Doha.

Around 2.30am, when passengers were boarding the plane, a water tanker hit the belly of the Doha-bound flight, near the landing gear, an official of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said.

The plane was immediately grounded for inspection and the passengers were safely deboarded, he said.

No one was hurt in the accident, the official noted.

"All 103 passengers of the flight have been provided accommodation at a nearby hotel. They will be taking the 3am flight to Doha tomorrow (Friday)," he said.

Initial inspection suggests that the water tanker had technical issues, the brake wasn't functioning properly, the AAI official added.

Meanwhile, a source in the DGCA said an inquiry has been initiated into the incident.

"We will take corrective measures based on the inquiry report," he said.

More than 100 passengers were stranded at Kolkata airport early Thursday after a water tanker hit a Qatar Airways aircraft, which was preparing to take off for Doha.

More than 100 passengers were stranded at Kolkata airport early Thursday after a water tanker hit a Qatar Airways aircraft, which was preparing to take off for Doha. Around 2.30am, when passengers were boarding the plane, a water tanker hit the belly of the Doha-bound flight, near the landing gear, an official of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said. The plane was immediately grounded for inspection and the passengers were safely deboarded, he said. No one was hurt in the accident, the official noted. "All 103 passengers of the flight have been provided accommodation at a nearby hotel. They will be taking the 3am flight to Doha tomorrow (Friday)," he said. Initial inspection suggests that the water tanker had technical issues, the brake wasn't functioning properly, the AAI official added. Meanwhile, a source in the DGCA said an inquiry has been initiated into the incident. "We will take corrective measures based on the inquiry report," he said.

Water tanker hits Qatar Airways flight in Kolkata airport, none hurt

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday attacked the Modi government over the Rafale deal alleging that it renegotiated the contract to benefit crony capitalists and reduced India's prestige globally.

In a Facebook post, Gandhi said due to the renegotiated deal India could not get transfer of technology as negotiated during the UPA rule and it was shameful that Indian pilots have to put their lives at risk flying the ancient Jaguar aircraft as the new technology did not come into the country.

He cited a media report to allege that instead of getting 126 Rafale aircraft together with transfer of technology that would have transformed the Indian Air Force, the NDA government renegotiated the deal to get only 36 aircraft made in France.

"Since 2014, instead of taking to closure deals that had been negotiated by the UPA Government, the present government has focussed on renegotiating those deals to benefit crony capitalists.

"For instance, the UPA's Rafale deal for 126 aircraft would have transformed the Indian Airforce allowing us to scrap and replace ancient aircraft like the Jaguar. It involved the transfer of technology to HAL which would have helped make us become more self reliant in the future. Instead, the deal was re-worked for Anil Ambani's benefit and reduced to just 36 aircraft - all made in France. These aircraft will take years to arrive in India," he claimed in his post.

Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group has denied the Congress' allegations in connection with deal.

Gandhi and his Congress party have been attacking the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal, alleging corruption and favouritism.&nbsp;

The Government has dismissed Rahul Gandhi's allegations, while the BJP has accused him of spreading lies on the issue.

The Congress chief alleged that India's pilots are forced to put their lives at risk each day, flying ancient Jaguars, that are kept in the air "using parts scrounged from junk yards in France and other parts of the world".

"Not only is this shameful, it reduces India's prestige globally and puts the lives of our pilots at risk," he said.

He cited a media report claiming that "India is the only air force in the world still flying the Jaguar aircraft, and will now ?cannibalise' retired aircraft for spare parts".&nbsp;

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday attacked the Modi government over the Rafale deal alleging that it renegotiated the contract to benefit crony capitalists and reduced India's prestige globally.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday attacked the Modi government over the Rafale deal alleging that it renegotiated the contract to benefit crony capitalists and reduced India's prestige globally. In a Facebook post, Gandhi said due to the renegotiated deal India could not get transfer of technology as negotiated during the UPA rule and it was shameful that Indian pilots have to put their lives at risk flying the ancient Jaguar aircraft as the new technology did not come into the country. He cited a media report to allege that instead of getting 126 Rafale aircraft together with transfer of technology that would have transformed the Indian Air Force, the NDA government renegotiated the deal to get only 36 aircraft made in France. "Since 2014, instead of taking to closure deals that had been negotiated by the UPA Government, the present government has focussed on renegotiating those deals to benefit crony capitalists. "For instance, the UPA's Rafale deal for 126 aircraft would have transformed the Indian Airforce allowing us to scrap and replace ancient aircraft like the Jaguar. It involved the transfer of technology to HAL which would have helped make us become more self reliant in the future. Instead, the deal was re-worked for Anil Ambani's benefit and reduced to just 36 aircraft - all made in France. These aircraft will take years to arrive in India," he claimed in his post. Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group has denied the Congress' allegations in connection with deal. Gandhi and his Congress party have been attacking the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal, alleging corruption and favouritism. The Government has dismissed Rahul Gandhi's allegations, while the BJP has accused him of spreading lies on the issue. The Congress chief alleged that India's pilots are forced to put their lives at risk each day, flying ancient Jaguars, that are kept in the air "using parts scrounged from junk yards in France and other parts of the world". "Not only is this shameful, it reduces India's prestige globally and puts the lives of our pilots at risk," he said. He cited a media report claiming that "India is the only air force in the world still flying the Jaguar aircraft, and will now ?cannibalise' retired aircraft for spare parts".

Rahul persists with Rafale attack on government, alleges deal re-negotiated to benefit crony capitalists

Congress President Rahul Gandhi told the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Saturday that the right to build the Rafale contract solely lies with them.

In an interaction with the serving and former HAL employees in Karnataka's Bengaluru, Gandhi said, "This Rafale contract is your right, you are the only company in this country that has the experience to build that aircraft".

Attacking Anil Ambani for the Rafale deal he said, "A very senior person in the government has said that HAL doesn't have the capacity to build Rafale. Well, what about the person who got the contract? What capacity does he have? I see can 78 years of your (HAL) work here".

He further said that the HAL employees expected an apology as they were insulted and hurt.

"(HAL employees) said that they are the most experienced and best company in India to manufacture defence equipment. They are insulted and hurt as their hard work and patriotism has been insulted and questioned by the Government of India. So the first thing is they (HAL employee) expect an apology from the defence minister for insulting HAL. We understand that she won't apologise. She comments on the lack of experience of HAL but she doesn't have anything to say on the lack of experience of Anil Ambani, " Gandhi said.

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"We will fight this on every street in India, we will stand with HAL and fight this, we will stand with AirForce and fight this," he noted.

Gandhi further said that "HAL is not just a company when India got independence, India built some strategic assets to enter specific areas, HAL is a strategic asset to take India into aerospace. The work you have done for this country is tremendous and the country owes a debt to you".

Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, M Veerappa Moily, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, former chief minister Siddaramaiah and Congress spokesman Jaipal Reddy were present during the interaction.

Gandhi's interaction is part of his onslaught against the PM Modi government over the Rafale deal in which he has alleged that HAL was overlooked in the offsets contracts with French aerospace company Dassault Aviation, preferring Anil Ambani's company.

Congress, which has been accusing the government of benefiting Reliance Defence Ltd of Anil Ambani from the deal, has also been demanding answers on why the state-run aerospace major HAL was not involved in the deal as finalised during the UPA regime.

The party had been accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of snatching jobs of people of Karnataka by taking away the contract from HAL.

Gandhi had been saying that had HAL been selected in place of Reliance Defence, it could have generated employment to scores of unemployed youth in the state.

However, the BJP and Reliance Defence have dismissed all the allegations as false.

Modi had announced the procurement of 36 Rafale fighters after holding talks with then French President Francois Hollande on April 10, 2015, in Paris.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Congress President Rahul Gandhi told the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Saturday that the right to build the Rafale contract solely lies with them. In an interaction with the serving and former HAL employees in Karnataka's Bengaluru, Gandhi said, "This Rafale contract is your right, you are the only company in this country that has the experience to build that aircraft".

Congress President Rahul Gandhi told the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Saturday that the right to build the Rafale contract solely lies with them. In an interaction with the serving and former HAL employees in Karnataka's Bengaluru, Gandhi said, "This Rafale contract is your right, you are the only company in this country that has the experience to build that aircraft". Attacking Anil Ambani for the Rafale deal he said, "A very senior person in the government has said that HAL doesn't have the capacity to build Rafale. Well, what about the person who got the contract? What capacity does he have? I see can 78 years of your (HAL) work here". He further said that the HAL employees expected an apology as they were insulted and hurt. "(HAL employees) said that they are the most experienced and best company in India to manufacture defence equipment. They are insulted and hurt as their hard work and patriotism has been insulted and questioned by the Government of India. So the first thing is they (HAL employee) expect an apology from the defence minister for insulting HAL. We understand that she won't apologise. She comments on the lack of experience of HAL but she doesn't have anything to say on the lack of experience of Anil Ambani, " Gandhi said. × "We will fight this on every street in India, we will stand with HAL and fight this, we will stand with AirForce and fight this," he noted. Gandhi further said that "HAL is not just a company when India got independence, India built some strategic assets to enter specific areas, HAL is a strategic asset to take India into aerospace. The work you have done for this country is tremendous and the country owes a debt to you". Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, M Veerappa Moily, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, former chief minister Siddaramaiah and Congress spokesman Jaipal Reddy were present during the interaction. Gandhi's interaction is part of his onslaught against the PM Modi government over the Rafale deal in which he has alleged that HAL was overlooked in the offsets contracts with French aerospace company Dassault Aviation, preferring Anil Ambani's company. Congress, which has been accusing the government of benefiting Reliance Defence Ltd of Anil Ambani from the deal, has also been demanding answers on why the state-run aerospace major HAL was not involved in the deal as finalised during the UPA regime. The party had been accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of snatching jobs of people of Karnataka by taking away the contract from HAL. Gandhi had been saying that had HAL been selected in place of Reliance Defence, it could have generated employment to scores of unemployed youth in the state. However, the BJP and Reliance Defence have dismissed all the allegations as false. Modi had announced the procurement of 36 Rafale fighters after holding talks with then French President Francois Hollande on April 10, 2015, in Paris. (With inputs from agencies)

Rafale contract is your right: Rahul Gandhi to HAL employees

The air-superiority fighter jet MiG-29 has gained in strength and ferocity after the latest upgrade, giving the Air Force that has been battling a shortage of warplanes a much-needed boost, officials have said.

The Russian origin aircraft is now capable of mid-air refuelling, compatible with the latest missiles and can launch multi-dimensional attacks, said Flight Lieutenant Karan Kohli, who is deployed at Adampur Air Force Station.

Even in the previous legacy version, the aircraft played an important role as the Air Force stamped its supremacy over the Pakistani Air Force during the Kargil War in 1999.

Last week, the upgraded MiG-29 showcased its combat capabilities at Admapur Air Force Station. The country will celebrate the Air Force Day on Monday.

"With the upgrade, as compared to previous legacy version of the MiG-29 bought under emergency clause in early 1980s, the fighter jets are capable of giving a befitting response," said an official, asking not to be named, on how the warplane would perform in the event of a two-front war.

Flight Lieutenant Kohli said the upgraded MiG-29 also has multi-functional display or MFD, which shows critical flight details on a glass screen in front of the pilot.

On September 12, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said the force was reeling under a severe shortage of fighter aircraft. The IAF chief had said it currently has 31 squadrons of fighter jets against the sanctioned strength of 42.

"Even when we do have 42 squadrons, we will be below the combined numbers of two of our regional adversaries," he had said.

The strategically important Adampur Air Force Station, 100 km from Pakistan and 250 km from the border with China, is now home to the upgraded MiG-29s.

The Air Force has three squadrons of MiG-29s, two of them at Adampur Air Force Station. One squadron comprises 16-18 aircraft.

Flight Lieutenant Kohli said the MiG-29 is a flexible aircraft and can take off almost vertically in full power. The upgraded MiG-29 can take off within five minutes of spotting a hostile jet trying to enter the Indian airspace and destroy it, he said.

"With air-to-air refuelling feature, the upgraded MiG-29 can cover larger distance as compared to the previous legacy aircraft and destroy the enemy," said another IAF officer, who did not wish to be named.

"With the upgraded version, the range of the aircraft has improved a lot. Moreover, in the legacy aircraft, we were restricted to the certain dimension, but we can now do air-to-air, air-to-ground and anti-shipping operation," said a pilot who flies the MiG aircraft.

The air-superiority fighter jet MiG-29 has gained in strength and ferocity after the latest upgrade, giving the Air Force that has been battling a shortage of warplanes a much-needed boost, officials have said.

The air-superiority fighter jet MiG-29 has gained in strength and ferocity after the latest upgrade, giving the Air Force that has been battling a shortage of warplanes a much-needed boost, officials have said. The Russian origin aircraft is now capable of mid-air refuelling, compatible with the latest missiles and can launch multi-dimensional attacks, said Flight Lieutenant Karan Kohli, who is deployed at Adampur Air Force Station. Even in the previous legacy version, the aircraft played an important role as the Air Force stamped its supremacy over the Pakistani Air Force during the Kargil War in 1999. Last week, the upgraded MiG-29 showcased its combat capabilities at Admapur Air Force Station. The country will celebrate the Air Force Day on Monday. "With the upgrade, as compared to previous legacy version of the MiG-29 bought under emergency clause in early 1980s, the fighter jets are capable of giving a befitting response," said an official, asking not to be named, on how the warplane would perform in the event of a two-front war. Flight Lieutenant Kohli said the upgraded MiG-29 also has multi-functional display or MFD, which shows critical flight details on a glass screen in front of the pilot. On September 12, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said the force was reeling under a severe shortage of fighter aircraft. The IAF chief had said it currently has 31 squadrons of fighter jets against the sanctioned strength of 42. "Even when we do have 42 squadrons, we will be below the combined numbers of two of our regional adversaries," he had said. The strategically important Adampur Air Force Station, 100 km from Pakistan and 250 km from the border with China, is now home to the upgraded MiG-29s. The Air Force has three squadrons of MiG-29s, two of them at Adampur Air Force Station. One squadron comprises 16-18 aircraft. Flight Lieutenant Kohli said the MiG-29 is a flexible aircraft and can take off almost vertically in full power. The upgraded MiG-29 can take off within five minutes of spotting a hostile jet trying to enter the Indian airspace and destroy it, he said. "With air-to-air refuelling feature, the upgraded MiG-29 can cover larger distance as compared to the previous legacy aircraft and destroy the enemy," said another IAF officer, who did not wish to be named. "With the upgraded version, the range of the aircraft has improved a lot. Moreover, in the legacy aircraft, we were restricted to the certain dimension, but we can now do air-to-air, air-to-ground and anti-shipping operation," said a pilot who flies the MiG aircraft.

After upgrade, decades-old MiG-29s ready to strike in modern warfare

An alert by Varanasi airport Air Traffic Controller or ATC prevented two aircraft from coming on a collision course at the runway on Tuesday, following which one of the airlines grounded two of its pilots.

Two SpiceJet pilots operating a Varanasi to Hyderabad flight this morning were grounded, confirmed a spokesperson of the airline.

The incident occurred when an IndiGo aircraft with 178 passengers onboard was about to take off for Mumbai. The ATC had asked the SpiceJet flight to remain at the holding point till the IndiGo plane took off, airport sources said.

However, according to the SpiceJet spokesperson, the aircraft while taxing to the runway "inadvertently" crossed the runway holding point.

Noticing the incursion, the ATC immediately alerted the IndiGo plane, which aborted take off, the sources said.

The matter has been referred to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), IndiGo said.

"IndiGo aircraft VT-IHS operating 3175 (Varanasi -Mumbai) in spite of having ATC clearance had to abort the takeoff at a low speed because the aircraft of another carrier came on the runway. IndiGo cockpit crew followed standard operating procedures in compliance with the ATC instructions. IndiGo has voluntarily reported the matter to the DGCA," the airline said in a statement.

SpiceJet, in a statement, said, "On 12th June 2018, SpiceJet Boeing 737 800 aircraft &nbsp;VT-SGH was scheduled to operate SG-705 , sector Varanasi-Hyderabad. At Varanasi while taxing to the runway the aircraft inadvertently crossed the runway holding point."

"The ATC asked the pilot to hold position and later cleared it for take off," SpiceJet said.&nbsp;

Two SpiceJet pilots operating a Varanasi to Hyderabad flight this morning were grounded, confirmed a spokesperson of the airline.

An alert by Varanasi airport Air Traffic Controller or ATC prevented two aircraft from coming on a collision course at the runway on Tuesday, following which one of the airlines grounded two of its pilots. Two SpiceJet pilots operating a Varanasi to Hyderabad flight this morning were grounded, confirmed a spokesperson of the airline. The incident occurred when an IndiGo aircraft with 178 passengers onboard was about to take off for Mumbai. The ATC had asked the SpiceJet flight to remain at the holding point till the IndiGo plane took off, airport sources said. However, according to the SpiceJet spokesperson, the aircraft while taxing to the runway "inadvertently" crossed the runway holding point. Noticing the incursion, the ATC immediately alerted the IndiGo plane, which aborted take off, the sources said. The matter has been referred to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), IndiGo said. "IndiGo aircraft VT-IHS operating 3175 (Varanasi -Mumbai) in spite of having ATC clearance had to abort the takeoff at a low speed because the aircraft of another carrier came on the runway. IndiGo cockpit crew followed standard operating procedures in compliance with the ATC instructions. IndiGo has voluntarily reported the matter to the DGCA," the airline said in a statement. SpiceJet, in a statement, said, "On 12th June 2018, SpiceJet Boeing 737 800 aircraft VT-SGH was scheduled to operate SG-705 , sector Varanasi-Hyderabad. At Varanasi while taxing to the runway the aircraft inadvertently crossed the runway holding point." "The ATC asked the pilot to hold position and later cleared it for take off," SpiceJet said.

SpiceJet flight "inadvertently" crosses runway , almost collides with aircraft in Varanasi

There was a moment of absolute scare for the Mauritius air traffic control and external minister Sushma Swaraj's aircraft crew after her VVIP aircraft "Meghdoot" flying from Trivandrum to Mauritius, on her way to South Africa, went incommunicado for about 14 minutes on Saturday, reports said. However, authorities insist that it would not comprise a 'mid air scare'.

The plane, Embraer ERJ135 named “Meghdoot”, had taken off from Trivandrum at 4 pm and lost contact at around 4.44 pm.

After the Mauritius authorities could not establish connection with flight IFC-31, it declared ‘INCERFA’ alarm at 4.44 pm which is used at a time when it is not known whether the aircraft and its occupants are safe or not. Mauritius also contacted the Chennai air traffic control, which was the last flight information region to be in touch with ‘Meghdoot’.

After a panic of 12-14 minutes, the pilots of the plane contacted Mauritius ATC at 4.58 pm.

As per reports, an official informed that communication over oceanic area is often problematic due to erratic VHF signals.&nbsp;

The 14-minute long uncertainty phase (INCERFA) is first of the three emergency phases under International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Chicago Convention.&nbsp;

The second is “alert phase” (ALERFA) in which apprehension exists as to the safety of an aircraft and its occupants. The third is “distress phase” (DETRESFA) wherein there is a reasonable certainty that an aircraft and its occupants are threatened by grave and imminent danger and require immediate assistance.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj left on a five-day visit to South Africa on Saturday where she will meet top leadership of the country and attend meetings of BRICS and IBSA — the two major groups where India has been playing a major role.&nbsp;

She will also attend events marking the 125th anniversary of the historic incident where a young Mahatma Gandhi was thrown out of a train compartment in Pietermaritzburg railway station, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Sushma's Embraer ERJ135 took off from Trivandrum at 4 pm Saturday and lost contact with air traffic control at about 4:44 pm. Officials were able to get back in touch with her plane after some 12 to 14 minutes

There was a moment of absolute scare for the Mauritius air traffic control and external minister Sushma Swaraj's aircraft crew after her VVIP aircraft "Meghdoot" flying from Trivandrum to Mauritius, on her way to South Africa, went incommunicado for about 14 minutes on Saturday, reports said. However, authorities insist that it would not comprise a 'mid air scare'. The plane, Embraer ERJ135 named “Meghdoot”, had taken off from Trivandrum at 4 pm and lost contact at around 4.44 pm. After the Mauritius authorities could not establish connection with flight IFC-31, it declared ‘INCERFA’ alarm at 4.44 pm which is used at a time when it is not known whether the aircraft and its occupants are safe or not. Mauritius also contacted the Chennai air traffic control, which was the last flight information region to be in touch with ‘Meghdoot’. After a panic of 12-14 minutes, the pilots of the plane contacted Mauritius ATC at 4.58 pm. As per reports, an official informed that communication over oceanic area is often problematic due to erratic VHF signals. The 14-minute long uncertainty phase (INCERFA) is first of the three emergency phases under International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Chicago Convention. The second is “alert phase” (ALERFA) in which apprehension exists as to the safety of an aircraft and its occupants. The third is “distress phase” (DETRESFA) wherein there is a reasonable certainty that an aircraft and its occupants are threatened by grave and imminent danger and require immediate assistance. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj left on a five-day visit to South Africa on Saturday where she will meet top leadership of the country and attend meetings of BRICS and IBSA — the two major groups where India has been playing a major role. She will also attend events marking the 125th anniversary of the historic incident where a young Mahatma Gandhi was thrown out of a train compartment in Pietermaritzburg railway station, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

En route to Mauritius, Sushma Swaraj's plane went incommunicado for 14 minutes

Taiwan's air force scrambled aircraft on Friday as Chinese bombers flew around the self-ruled island, just a few hours after&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;vowed not to be cowed having lost another diplomatic ally amid growing Chinese pressure.

Taiwan&nbsp;is China's most sensitive territorial issue and a potential dangerous military flashpoint. China claims the island as its sacred territory and has vowed not to allow any attempts at what it views as&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;separatism.

Tension between democratic&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;and its big neighbour has increased in recent months, with China suspicious the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen wants to push for the island's formal independence.

Tsai, who took offer in 2016, says she wants to maintain the status quo, but will protect&nbsp;Taiwan's security and not be bullied by Beijing.

In the latest flight by Chinese aircraft around&nbsp;Taiwan, two H-6 bombers passed through the Bashi Channel which separates&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;from the Philippines in the early hours of Friday and then rounded&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;via Japan's Miyako Strait, to&nbsp;Taiwan's northeast, the island's defence ministry said.

Taiwan&nbsp;aircraft accompanied and monitored the Chinese bombers throughout, the ministry said, describing the Chinese aircraft as being on a long-range training mission.

The people of&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;should not be alarmed as the air force was well able to monitor the Chinese aircraft as they approach and during their missions and can ensure&nbsp;Taiwan's security, the ministry added.

There was no immediate word from China. It has said these missions, which have become increasingly frequent, are to send a warning to&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;not to engage in separatist activity.

On Thursday,&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;lost its second diplomatic ally in less than a month when Burkina Faso said it had cut ties with the island. Tsai said&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;would not engage in "dollar diplomacy" and would not cower to China's pressure.

Speaking in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang would not say directly when China would establish ties with Burkina Faso, saying instead there was nothing surprising about countries wanting to develop normal relations with China.

Taiwan&nbsp;has only one diplomatic ally left in Africa – the tiny kingdom of Swaziland - and formal relations with just 18 countries worldwide, many of them poor countries in Central America and the Pacific like Belize and Nauru.

Taiwan&nbsp;Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told university students in Taipei that&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;needed allies to give it a voice on the international stage, as the island was excluded from most forums like the United Nations due to China's objections.

Wu also defended&nbsp;Taiwan's aid projects in its allies, saying when&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;was poor others helped it, and now it was time for&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;to help others.

"Taiwan&nbsp;absolutely cannot abandon this responsibility," Wu said, according to media.

"This isn't dollar diplomacy. This is diplomacy."

Taiwan is China's most sensitive territorial issue and a potential dangerous military flashpoint. China claims the island as its sacred territory and has vowed not to allow any attempts at what it views as Taiwan separatism

Taiwan's air force scrambled aircraft on Friday as Chinese bombers flew around the self-ruled island, just a few hours after Taiwan vowed not to be cowed having lost another diplomatic ally amid growing Chinese pressure. Taiwan is China's most sensitive territorial issue and a potential dangerous military flashpoint. China claims the island as its sacred territory and has vowed not to allow any attempts at what it views as Taiwan separatism. Tension between democratic Taiwan and its big neighbour has increased in recent months, with China suspicious the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen wants to push for the island's formal independence. Tsai, who took offer in 2016, says she wants to maintain the status quo, but will protect Taiwan's security and not be bullied by Beijing. In the latest flight by Chinese aircraft around Taiwan, two H-6 bombers passed through the Bashi Channel which separates Taiwan from the Philippines in the early hours of Friday and then rounded Taiwan via Japan's Miyako Strait, to Taiwan's northeast, the island's defence ministry said. Taiwan aircraft accompanied and monitored the Chinese bombers throughout, the ministry said, describing the Chinese aircraft as being on a long-range training mission. The people of Taiwan should not be alarmed as the air force was well able to monitor the Chinese aircraft as they approach and during their missions and can ensure Taiwan's security, the ministry added. There was no immediate word from China. It has said these missions, which have become increasingly frequent, are to send a warning to Taiwan not to engage in separatist activity. On Thursday, Taiwan lost its second diplomatic ally in less than a month when Burkina Faso said it had cut ties with the island. Tsai said Taiwan would not engage in "dollar diplomacy" and would not cower to China's pressure. Speaking in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang would not say directly when China would establish ties with Burkina Faso, saying instead there was nothing surprising about countries wanting to develop normal relations with China. Taiwan has only one diplomatic ally left in Africa – the tiny kingdom of Swaziland - and formal relations with just 18 countries worldwide, many of them poor countries in Central America and the Pacific like Belize and Nauru. Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told university students in Taipei that Taiwan needed allies to give it a voice on the international stage, as the island was excluded from most forums like the United Nations due to China's objections. Wu also defended Taiwan's aid projects in its allies, saying when Taiwan was poor others helped it, and now it was time for Taiwan to help others. "Taiwan absolutely cannot abandon this responsibility," Wu said, according to media. "This isn't dollar diplomacy. This is diplomacy."

Taiwan sends aircraft to shadow Chinese bombers around island

More than 100 people were killed in a fiery crash of a Boeing 737 passenger plane in Cuba on Friday, with just three seriously injured survivors in hospital after being pulled from the wreckage, officials and state media said.

The aircraft, on a domestic flight to Holguin in eastern Cuba, crashed shortly after taking off from Havana at 11 a.m. (1500 GMT). There were either 104 or 105 passengers, including five children, plus nine crew members, various state media said.

Five of the passengers plus the crew were foreign, media reports said. The Mexican government said Mexicans citizens were among the dead, without providing further details.

"We should expect that the news will not be good, as there are a high number of people who appear to have been killed," President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in broadcast comments.

The fire from the crash had been put out and authorities were identifying bodies, the president said. The cause of the crash was not immediately known and Diaz-Canel said authorities were investigating.

"We heard an explosion and then saw a big cloud of smoke go up," said Gilberto Menendez, who runs a restaurant near the crash site in the agricultural area of Boyeros.

The Boeing 737-201 aircraft was built in 1979 and leased by Cuban airline Cubana from a small Mexican firm called Damojh, according to the Mexican government. That would make it significantly older than most planes in service.

Damojh in Mexico said it did not immediately have any more information. Cubana declined to comment.

Cubana has been the subject of complaints over service and delays in recent months.

Blackened wreckage of Flight CU972 was strewn over the crash site area 20 km (12 miles) south of Havana, a Reuters witness said. Its destination Holguin is the capital of a province that is popular with tourists for its pristine beaches.

Carlos Alberto Martinez, the director of Havana`s Calixto Garcia hospital, told Reuters that four victims of the accident had been brought there. One had died and three others, all women, were in a serious condition, he said.

"She is alive but very burnt and swollen," said a distressed relative of one of the survivors at the hospital.

The reason for the plane going down was unclear. "During take-off (the plane) apparently suffered a problem and dived to the ground," the Mexican transport department said on its website.

Most aircraft accidents take months of investigation to explain and are typically caused by a cocktail of different factors, according to aviation experts.

Cubana complaints

Boeing Co said in a statement its technical team stood "ready to assist as permitted under US law and at the direction of the US National Transportation Safety Board and Cuban authorities". The United States has a decades-old trade embargo on the island.

Boeing 737 aircraft use engines made by CFM International, the supplier of the world`s most-used engines, built by a joint venture of GE and France`s Safran.

On Thursday, Cuba`s First Vice President Salvador Valdés Mesa had met with Cubana bosses to discuss public complaints about its service, according to state-run media. Problems included the cancellation of numerous domestic flights this year, and long delays which the company said were caused by technical problems with its aircraft.

Earlier this month, the company was ordered to suspend flights by its six Russian built AN-158 aircraft, of which most had reportedly already been grounded.

The last fatal crash in Cuba was in 2017, the Aviation Safety Network said. It was a military flight that killed all eight on board. In 2010, a commercial Aero Caribbean plane crashed in central Cuba. All 68 people on board were killed.

The latest available information on Cuba from UN safety aviation agency ICAO, dating back to 2008, ranks it above the global average, though that preceded the latest three crashes.

The aircraft, on a domestic flight to Holguin in eastern Cuba, crashed shortly after taking off from Havana at 11 a.m. (1500 GMT). There were either 104 or 105 passengers, including five children, plus nine crew members, various state media said

More than 100 people were killed in a fiery crash of a Boeing 737 passenger plane in Cuba on Friday, with just three seriously injured survivors in hospital after being pulled from the wreckage, officials and state media said. The aircraft, on a domestic flight to Holguin in eastern Cuba, crashed shortly after taking off from Havana at 11 a.m. (1500 GMT). There were either 104 or 105 passengers, including five children, plus nine crew members, various state media said. Five of the passengers plus the crew were foreign, media reports said. The Mexican government said Mexicans citizens were among the dead, without providing further details. "We should expect that the news will not be good, as there are a high number of people who appear to have been killed," President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in broadcast comments. The fire from the crash had been put out and authorities were identifying bodies, the president said. The cause of the crash was not immediately known and Diaz-Canel said authorities were investigating. "We heard an explosion and then saw a big cloud of smoke go up," said Gilberto Menendez, who runs a restaurant near the crash site in the agricultural area of Boyeros. The Boeing 737-201 aircraft was built in 1979 and leased by Cuban airline Cubana from a small Mexican firm called Damojh, according to the Mexican government. That would make it significantly older than most planes in service. Damojh in Mexico said it did not immediately have any more information. Cubana declined to comment. Cubana has been the subject of complaints over service and delays in recent months. Blackened wreckage of Flight CU972 was strewn over the crash site area 20 km (12 miles) south of Havana, a Reuters witness said. Its destination Holguin is the capital of a province that is popular with tourists for its pristine beaches. Carlos Alberto Martinez, the director of Havana`s Calixto Garcia hospital, told Reuters that four victims of the accident had been brought there. One had died and three others, all women, were in a serious condition, he said. "She is alive but very burnt and swollen," said a distressed relative of one of the survivors at the hospital. The reason for the plane going down was unclear. "During take-off (the plane) apparently suffered a problem and dived to the ground," the Mexican transport department said on its website. Most aircraft accidents take months of investigation to explain and are typically caused by a cocktail of different factors, according to aviation experts. Cubana complaints Boeing Co said in a statement its technical team stood "ready to assist as permitted under US law and at the direction of the US National Transportation Safety Board and Cuban authorities". The United States has a decades-old trade embargo on the island. Boeing 737 aircraft use engines made by CFM International, the supplier of the world`s most-used engines, built by a joint venture of GE and France`s Safran. On Thursday, Cuba`s First Vice President Salvador Valdés Mesa had met with Cubana bosses to discuss public complaints about its service, according to state-run media. Problems included the cancellation of numerous domestic flights this year, and long delays which the company said were caused by technical problems with its aircraft. Earlier this month, the company was ordered to suspend flights by its six Russian built AN-158 aircraft, of which most had reportedly already been grounded. The last fatal crash in Cuba was in 2017, the Aviation Safety Network said. It was a military flight that killed all eight on board. In 2010, a commercial Aero Caribbean plane crashed in central Cuba. All 68 people on board were killed. The latest available information on Cuba from UN safety aviation agency ICAO, dating back to 2008, ranks it above the global average, though that preceded the latest three crashes.

Passenger plane crashes in Cuba, killing more than 100 people

China on Wednesday announced plans to hit the United States with new tariffs of 25 percent on soybeans, airplanes, cars and other imports worth $50 billion, hours after Washington unveiled its own target list.

China's commerce ministry listed 106 products that will be targeted and said a date for the implementation of the tariffs would be announced separately.

China's latest tariff hike announcement comes after US escalated the trade war between two superpowers by&nbsp;proposing 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese imports.&nbsp;

The Trump administration on Tuesday escalated its aggressive actions on trade by proposing 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese imports to protest Beijing’s alleged theft of American technology.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative issued a list targeting 1,300 Chinese products, including industrial robots and telecommunications equipment. The suggested tariffs wouldn’t take effect right way: A public comment period will last until May 11, and a hearing on the tariffs is set for May 15. Companies and consumers will have the opportunity to lobby to have some products taken off the list or have others added.

(With AFP inputs)

&nbsp;

China announced Wednesday plans to hit the United States with new tariffs of 25 percent on soybeans, airplanes, cars and other imports worth $50 billion, hours after Washington unveiled its own target list.

China on Wednesday announced plans to hit the United States with new tariffs of 25 percent on soybeans, airplanes, cars and other imports worth $50 billion, hours after Washington unveiled its own target list. China's commerce ministry listed 106 products that will be targeted and said a date for the implementation of the tariffs would be announced separately. China's latest tariff hike announcement comes after US escalated the trade war between two superpowers by proposing 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese imports. The Trump administration on Tuesday escalated its aggressive actions on trade by proposing 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese imports to protest Beijing’s alleged theft of American technology. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative issued a list targeting 1,300 Chinese products, including industrial robots and telecommunications equipment. The suggested tariffs wouldn’t take effect right way: A public comment period will last until May 11, and a hearing on the tariffs is set for May 15. Companies and consumers will have the opportunity to lobby to have some products taken off the list or have others added. (With AFP inputs)

China retaliates with tariff hike on $50 billion of US goods including soybeans, aircraft, autos

Beijing flexed its military muscle this week as its sole operational aircraft carrier apparently took part in a huge naval drill with dozens of other vessels in the South China Sea, satellite images showed.

The pictures, taken by Planet Labs Inc., appear to show the Liaoning carrier at the centre of a formation of more than 40 other ships lined up in pairs south of China's Hainan province island on Monday.

China's defence ministry refused to confirm whether the Liaoning took part in drills this week but military experts say the aircraft carrier is identifiable.

Six submarines and two J-15 fighter jets appear to lead the "naval parade", James Char, a military expert at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, told.

"Such a formation serves more of as a visual spectacle with the Liaoning the status symbol of the PLA (People's Liberation Army)," Char said.

"This formation is unlikely to be used in actual combat situations," he said, adding that he would "not be surprised" if it was purposely aimed at being picked up by satellite images.

The show of force emerged days after Taiwan said that the Liaoning and other vessels had passed through the Taiwan Strait on March 20 - the same day that Chinese President Xi Jinping warned against any attempts to divide China.

Beijing has also been asserting its vast claims to the South China Sea, transforming reefs into islands capable of hosting military equipment.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan have their own claims to the sea, while US warships regularly conduct "freedom of navigation" operations near islands controlled by Beijing.

"We can expect the (Chinese naval) presence in the South China Sea becoming more regular, especially with the increase in freedom of navigation patrols by the United States as well as other countries," Char said.

Jeffrey Lewis, of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said that while it was a "large naval drill", past photos have shown the carrier "travelling in such a formation."

"It was probably transiting to a location," he said.

In another picture taken by Planet Labs on Tuesday, the Liaoning is seen south of Hainan island's Yulin Naval Base, but no longer information with other ships.

Defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang confirmed on Thursday that the Navy has conducted a "routine" drill in the South China Sea to improve the military's "capability to win wars".

"It is not targeted at any specific country or target," Ren told reporters, without saying how many and which ships were involved.

Separately, the air force had announced on Sunday that aircraft, including H-6K bombers and Su-35 fighter jets, had recently participated in a joint combat patrol mission in the South China Sea, according to the official Xinhua news agency, without giving more details.

China's government announced earlier this month an 8.1 per cent increase in military spending to 1.11 trillion yuan ($175 billion). 
The Liaoning is a Soviet-era vessel that was bought from Ukraine, refitted and commissioned in 2012.

Last year, China unveiled its first domestically-built aircraft carrier, which will carry J-15 fighters that will take off from a raised "ski jump" platform. It has yet to be put into operation.

China's defence ministry refused to confirm whether the Liaoning took part in drills this week but military experts say the aircraft carrier is identifiable

Beijing flexed its military muscle this week as its sole operational aircraft carrier apparently took part in a huge naval drill with dozens of other vessels in the South China Sea, satellite images showed. The pictures, taken by Planet Labs Inc., appear to show the Liaoning carrier at the centre of a formation of more than 40 other ships lined up in pairs south of China's Hainan province island on Monday. China's defence ministry refused to confirm whether the Liaoning took part in drills this week but military experts say the aircraft carrier is identifiable. Six submarines and two J-15 fighter jets appear to lead the "naval parade", James Char, a military expert at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, told. "Such a formation serves more of as a visual spectacle with the Liaoning the status symbol of the PLA (People's Liberation Army)," Char said. "This formation is unlikely to be used in actual combat situations," he said, adding that he would "not be surprised" if it was purposely aimed at being picked up by satellite images. The show of force emerged days after Taiwan said that the Liaoning and other vessels had passed through the Taiwan Strait on March 20 - the same day that Chinese President Xi Jinping warned against any attempts to divide China. Beijing has also been asserting its vast claims to the South China Sea, transforming reefs into islands capable of hosting military equipment. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan have their own claims to the sea, while US warships regularly conduct "freedom of navigation" operations near islands controlled by Beijing. "We can expect the (Chinese naval) presence in the South China Sea becoming more regular, especially with the increase in freedom of navigation patrols by the United States as well as other countries," Char said. Jeffrey Lewis, of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said that while it was a "large naval drill", past photos have shown the carrier "travelling in such a formation." "It was probably transiting to a location," he said. In another picture taken by Planet Labs on Tuesday, the Liaoning is seen south of Hainan island's Yulin Naval Base, but no longer information with other ships. Defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang confirmed on Thursday that the Navy has conducted a "routine" drill in the South China Sea to improve the military's "capability to win wars". "It is not targeted at any specific country or target," Ren told reporters, without saying how many and which ships were involved. Separately, the air force had announced on Sunday that aircraft, including H-6K bombers and Su-35 fighter jets, had recently participated in a joint combat patrol mission in the South China Sea, according to the official Xinhua news agency, without giving more details. China's government announced earlier this month an 8.1 per cent increase in military spending to 1.11 trillion yuan ($175 billion). The Liaoning is a Soviet-era vessel that was bought from Ukraine, refitted and commissioned in 2012. Last year, China unveiled its first domestically-built aircraft carrier, which will carry J-15 fighters that will take off from a raised "ski jump" platform. It has yet to be put into operation.

China's aircraft carrier spotted in huge naval drill

Third Indigo aircraft has been grounded in the last 24 hours after a fuel leak was reported from the engine at Jammu airport on Sunday.&nbsp;

Earlier yesterday, two Indigo aircraft were grounded yesterday after pilots reported about glitches. The aircraft belonged to Airbus` A320 Neo series, which have been in the news for its glitches-prone engines. In the first incident, the aircraft that operated on the Bangalore-Delhi route was grounded for maintenance check at Delhi airport as the pilot reported about the malfunctioning engine.

During the maintenance check, metal chips were observed on an engine bearing a chip detector which is known to be a matter of concern with the Neo engines, according to a statement released by the airline yesterday.&nbsp;

Later in the day, another Indigo Neo aircraft in Srinagar was grounded due to hydraulic leak from one of its two engines.&nbsp;

Later, the aircraft was declared fit to fly after rectification of the problem.&nbsp;

On March 13, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) grounded 11 Airbus 320 Neo aircraft owned by Indigo Airlines and Go Air following multiple instances of engine-related problems.&nbsp;

Metal chips were observed on an engine bearing a chip detector which is known to be a matter of concern with the Neo engines

Third Indigo aircraft has been grounded in the last 24 hours after a fuel leak was reported from the engine at Jammu airport on Sunday. Earlier yesterday, two Indigo aircraft were grounded yesterday after pilots reported about glitches. The aircraft belonged to Airbus` A320 Neo series, which have been in the news for its glitches-prone engines. In the first incident, the aircraft that operated on the Bangalore-Delhi route was grounded for maintenance check at Delhi airport as the pilot reported about the malfunctioning engine. During the maintenance check, metal chips were observed on an engine bearing a chip detector which is known to be a matter of concern with the Neo engines, according to a statement released by the airline yesterday. Later in the day, another Indigo Neo aircraft in Srinagar was grounded due to hydraulic leak from one of its two engines. Later, the aircraft was declared fit to fly after rectification of the problem. On March 13, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) grounded 11 Airbus 320 Neo aircraft owned by Indigo Airlines and Go Air following multiple instances of engine-related problems.

Third Indigo aircraft grounded in last 24 hours

Domestic budget carrier IndiGo&#39;s A320neo aircraft was grounded earlier today in Srinagar, Jammu &amp; Kashmir. According to reports, the aircraft was reported of a hydraulic leak from its engine.&nbsp;

The incident occurred within a week of the national aviation watchdog cracking its whip on airlines over stringent safety and security measures.&nbsp;

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An IndiGo A320neo aircraft grounded in Jammu &amp; Kashmir&#39;s Srinagar due to hydraulic leak from its engine.
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/975356530978643968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The private airline was earlier slapped with a notice by the national aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation. DGCA&nbsp; grounded eight of IndiGo&#39;s A320Neo planes with faulty Pratt &amp; Whitney engines. According to reports, GoAir&#39;s three such aircraft were also grounded.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/nepal-plane-crash-aftermath-after-dgca-cracks-whip-indigo-cancels-47-flights-across-india-35604">DGCA&#39;s order, that was issued earlier this week</a>, cited safety measures for the airlines. The directive grounded A320 Neos Airbus fitted with PW1100 engines beyond ESN 450 with immediate effect.

Three other IndiGo A320Neo planes have been on the ground since February following similar engine problems. 
&nbsp;

Three other IndiGo A320Neo planes have been on the ground since February following similar engine problems

Domestic budget carrier IndiGo's A320neo aircraft was grounded earlier today in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. According to reports, the aircraft was reported of a hydraulic leak from its engine. The incident occurred within a week of the national aviation watchdog cracking its whip on airlines over stringent safety and security measures. An IndiGo A320neo aircraft grounded in Jammu & Kashmir's Srinagar due to hydraulic leak from its engine. — ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2018 × The private airline was earlier slapped with a notice by the national aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation. DGCA grounded eight of IndiGo's A320Neo planes with faulty Pratt & Whitney engines. According to reports, GoAir's three such aircraft were also grounded. DGCA's order, that was issued earlier this week, cited safety measures for the airlines. The directive grounded A320 Neos Airbus fitted with PW1100 engines beyond ESN 450 with immediate effect. Three other IndiGo A320Neo planes have been on the ground since February following similar engine problems.

Jammu and Kashmir: IndiGo A320neo aircraft grounded due to leak in engine

A US aircraft carrier arrived in Vietnam today for the first time since the end of the war, as the former foes bolster military ties in the face of Beijing&#39;s build-up in the disputed South China Sea.

The USS Carl Vinson will make a four-day port call to the central city of Danang for a highly symbolic trip that will include a visit to a centre for victims of Agent Orange, the toxic defoliant sprayed over large swathes of land by the US during the Vietnam war.

But ongoing tensions in the South China Sea loom over the trip as Beijing continues to build artificial islands capable of hosting military installations -- much to the chagrin of Vietnam and other claimants to the sea.

Though the US is not a claimant to the resource-rich waterway, it has long lobbied for freedom of navigation in the sea to counter China&#39;s growing influence. 
Analysts say the port call, which follows a visit to the Philippines last month, is a chance for the United States to flex its military muscle in Asia.

&quot;It&#39;s a US push... To demonstrate a massive naval presence in the South China Sea area to China, that the US is staying engaged,&quot; Vietnam expert Carl Thayer told AFP ahead of the trip.

Vietnam remains the most vocal claimant in the region after the Philippines backed off under China-friendly President Rodrigo Duterte. Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the sea.

Duterte has refused to implement a landmark 2016 international tribunal ruling in Manila&#39;s favour over its competing claims with Beijing.

&quot;The Philippines has just rolled over, China is continually militarising and if the US doesn&#39;t maintain a presence in the region, Vietnam&#39;s got nowhere to hide,&quot; Thayer said.

The visit is also being touted as a key landmark between the former bitter enemies, whose relations have seen an extraordinary turnaround since the end of the war in 1975.

Though US ships have regularly docked in Vietnam in the past, this is the first time an aircraft carrier will make a port call to the country.

Vietnam&#39;s foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said the visit will &quot;contribute to maintaining peace, stability, security, cooperation and development in the region&quot;.

The nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson is home to 5,300 sailors, pilots and crew and 72 aircraft and will be in Danang -- once a key US airbase -- until its departure on Friday.

The visit includes friendly basketball and soccer matches between US sailors and locals, along with an orphanage visit and navy band concerts.

The nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson is home to 5,300 sailors, pilots and crew and 72 aircraft and will be in Danang

A US aircraft carrier arrived in Vietnam today for the first time since the end of the war, as the former foes bolster military ties in the face of Beijing's build-up in the disputed South China Sea. The USS Carl Vinson will make a four-day port call to the central city of Danang for a highly symbolic trip that will include a visit to a centre for victims of Agent Orange, the toxic defoliant sprayed over large swathes of land by the US during the Vietnam war. But ongoing tensions in the South China Sea loom over the trip as Beijing continues to build artificial islands capable of hosting military installations -- much to the chagrin of Vietnam and other claimants to the sea. Though the US is not a claimant to the resource-rich waterway, it has long lobbied for freedom of navigation in the sea to counter China's growing influence. Analysts say the port call, which follows a visit to the Philippines last month, is a chance for the United States to flex its military muscle in Asia. "It's a US push... To demonstrate a massive naval presence in the South China Sea area to China, that the US is staying engaged," Vietnam expert Carl Thayer told AFP ahead of the trip. Vietnam remains the most vocal claimant in the region after the Philippines backed off under China-friendly President Rodrigo Duterte. Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the sea. Duterte has refused to implement a landmark 2016 international tribunal ruling in Manila's favour over its competing claims with Beijing. "The Philippines has just rolled over, China is continually militarising and if the US doesn't maintain a presence in the region, Vietnam's got nowhere to hide," Thayer said. The visit is also being touted as a key landmark between the former bitter enemies, whose relations have seen an extraordinary turnaround since the end of the war in 1975. Though US ships have regularly docked in Vietnam in the past, this is the first time an aircraft carrier will make a port call to the country. Vietnam's foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said the visit will "contribute to maintaining peace, stability, security, cooperation and development in the region". The nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson is home to 5,300 sailors, pilots and crew and 72 aircraft and will be in Danang -- once a key US airbase -- until its departure on Friday. The visit includes friendly basketball and soccer matches between US sailors and locals, along with an orphanage visit and navy band concerts.

US Navy sends Carl Vinson aircraft carrier to Vietnam in historic visit

Russia is working on developing a long-range unmanned strike system, built by&nbsp;Zvezda, media reports have informed on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Alexander Nemov, deputy chief of the research department at the 30th Central Scientific Research Institute outside Moscow said that the large unnamed aircraft would come out next year which will infiltrate far into an enemy&#39;s territory.&nbsp;

The system will consist of both guided and unguided munitions, media reports stated. Nemov further said that the work is currently underway and the system will be &quot;capable of carrying out unmanned low-altitude supersonic flights and striking both stationary and mobile targets at operational-strategic depth.&quot;

According to Zvezda, the aircraft will not only be capable of performing low-attitude flights but will also fly faster than the speed of sound, thereby providing a massive boost for the Russian military with fundamentally new strategic capabilities, not currently enjoyed by any other military in the world.

The 30th Central Scientific Research Institute&#39;s other projects include plans to create a new strike chopper, combining the capabilities of the Kamov Ka-52 and the Mil Mi-28. The new aircraft will have an extra set of wings and will be capable of flying over 400 km per hour

The institute is also working on unmanned helicopter systems, which will interact with conventional rotary-winged&nbsp;

Alexander Nemov, deputy chief of the research department at the 30th Central Scientific Research Institute outside Moscow said that the large unnamed aircraft would come out next year which will infiltrate far into an enemy's territory

Russia is working on developing a long-range unmanned strike system, built by Zvezda, media reports have informed on Tuesday. Alexander Nemov, deputy chief of the research department at the 30th Central Scientific Research Institute outside Moscow said that the large unnamed aircraft would come out next year which will infiltrate far into an enemy's territory. The system will consist of both guided and unguided munitions, media reports stated. Nemov further said that the work is currently underway and the system will be "capable of carrying out unmanned low-altitude supersonic flights and striking both stationary and mobile targets at operational-strategic depth." According to Zvezda, the aircraft will not only be capable of performing low-attitude flights but will also fly faster than the speed of sound, thereby providing a massive boost for the Russian military with fundamentally new strategic capabilities, not currently enjoyed by any other military in the world. The 30th Central Scientific Research Institute's other projects include plans to create a new strike chopper, combining the capabilities of the Kamov Ka-52 and the Mil Mi-28. The new aircraft will have an extra set of wings and will be capable of flying over 400 km per hour The institute is also working on unmanned helicopter systems, which will interact with conventional rotary-winged

Russia working towards developing long-range unmanned strike system

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today took off in the IAF&#39;s frontline combat jet Sukhoi 30 MKI from the Jodhpur air base.&nbsp;

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The country&#39;s first woman defence minister sat in the rear seat behind the pilot and was wearing the pilot&#39;s G-suit.&nbsp;

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Smt <a href="https://twitter.com/nsitharaman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nsitharaman</a> takes off on the Su-30 MKI <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RakshaMantrifliesSukhoi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RakshaMantrifliesSukhoi</a> <a href="https://t.co/xC51hjeCSa">pic.twitter.com/xC51hjeCSa</a>
&mdash; Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenceMinIndia/status/953539108202262528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The sortie is likely to last for 30 minutes, defence sources said.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Jodhpur: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gives a thumbs-up as she takes off for a sortie in the Sukhoi-30 MKI. <a href="https://t.co/aWGr9LtYw3">pic.twitter.com/aWGr9LtYw3</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/953547798569304065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

&quot;She is reviewing the operational preparedness and combat capabilities,&quot; the sources said.&nbsp;

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Jodhpur: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the cockpit of the Sukhoi-30 MKI, before taking off for a sortie. <a href="https://t.co/M3k72B56Jv">pic.twitter.com/M3k72B56Jv</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/953541245497876480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Sukhoi 30 MKI is a twin-engine fighter aircraft with a two-seat cockpit. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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Smt <a href="https://twitter.com/nsitharaman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nsitharaman</a> in the cockpit of the Sukhoi-30 MKI, familiarising herself with the fighter aircraft, before taking off for a sortie <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RakshaMantrifliesSukhoi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RakshaMantrifliesSukhoi</a> <a href="https://t.co/uKtIbzOv7J">pic.twitter.com/uKtIbzOv7J</a>
&mdash; Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenceMinIndia/status/953536439223857152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Sukoi-30 MKI is a nuclear-capable aircraft which can penetrate deep into enemy territory.

Dressed in the pilot's G-suit, the country's first woman Defence Minister sat in the rear seat behind the pilot

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today took off in the IAF's frontline combat jet Sukhoi 30 MKI from the Jodhpur air base. × The country's first woman defence minister sat in the rear seat behind the pilot and was wearing the pilot's G-suit. Smt @nsitharaman takes off on the Su-30 MKI #RakshaMantrifliesSukhoi pic.twitter.com/xC51hjeCSa — Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) January 17, 2018 × The sortie is likely to last for 30 minutes, defence sources said. #WATCH Jodhpur: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gives a thumbs-up as she takes off for a sortie in the Sukhoi-30 MKI. pic.twitter.com/aWGr9LtYw3 — ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2018 × "She is reviewing the operational preparedness and combat capabilities," the sources said. Jodhpur: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the cockpit of the Sukhoi-30 MKI, before taking off for a sortie. pic.twitter.com/M3k72B56Jv — ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2018 × The Sukhoi 30 MKI is a twin-engine fighter aircraft with a two-seat cockpit. Smt @nsitharaman in the cockpit of the Sukhoi-30 MKI, familiarising herself with the fighter aircraft, before taking off for a sortie #RakshaMantrifliesSukhoi pic.twitter.com/uKtIbzOv7J — Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) January 17, 2018 × Sukoi-30 MKI is a nuclear-capable aircraft which can penetrate deep into enemy territory.

Watch: Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman flies Sukhoi 30MKI fighter jet

Four people have died after a helicopter and an aircraft collided near Aylesbury on Saturday, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said in a report by Independent UK.&nbsp;

The Cessna light aircraft crashed mid-air over Buckinghamshire, and disembarked on the land with a loud bang and heaps of smoke, the media report said.&nbsp;

The incident took place just after 1200 GMT at Upper Winchendon, near the village of Waddesdon, about 45 miles (72 km) to the northwest of London.

&quot;Officers are in the process of working to locate and support their next of kin. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been informed and their staff has been on the scene,&quot; Superintendent Rebecca Mears, from Thames Valley Police, said in a statement.&nbsp;

More than seven fire brigades were rushed to the site as well a fire brigade drone was released over the damaged areas to locate any survivors.&nbsp;

According to media reports, the aircraft - Cessna 152 had suffered considerable destruction to its landing gear, propeller, and engine covering in a crash while taking off at Bodmin airfield, in Cornwall, in July 1993.

A report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch states that the pilot admitted the accident was caused by his &quot;misjudgment and lack of experience&quot;.

The incident took place just after 1200 GMT at Upper Winchendon, near the village of Waddesdon, about 45 miles (72 km) to the northwest of London.

Four people have died after a helicopter and an aircraft collided near Aylesbury on Saturday, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said in a report by Independent UK. The Cessna light aircraft crashed mid-air over Buckinghamshire, and disembarked on the land with a loud bang and heaps of smoke, the media report said. The incident took place just after 1200 GMT at Upper Winchendon, near the village of Waddesdon, about 45 miles (72 km) to the northwest of London. "Officers are in the process of working to locate and support their next of kin. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been informed and their staff has been on the scene," Superintendent Rebecca Mears, from Thames Valley Police, said in a statement. More than seven fire brigades were rushed to the site as well a fire brigade drone was released over the damaged areas to locate any survivors. According to media reports, the aircraft - Cessna 152 had suffered considerable destruction to its landing gear, propeller, and engine covering in a crash while taking off at Bodmin airfield, in Cornwall, in July 1993. A report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch states that the pilot admitted the accident was caused by his "misjudgment and lack of experience".

Four die as UK light aircraft and helicopter collide mid-air

China is all set to create the world&#39;s fastest wind tunnel to simulate hypersonic flight which can potentially cover 12 kilometres in one second, a report in South China Morning Post said.&nbsp;

Hypersonic aircraft are vehicles that travel at speeds of Mach 5, five times the speed of sound, or above.

The revolutionary invention, at this speed, could potentially reach the western side of the world in less than 14 minutes, report&nbsp;claims.&nbsp;

According to the report, Zhao Wei - a deputy director of the State Key Laboratory of High Temperature Gas Dynamics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, who is working on the project has declared that they aim to have the space functioning and ready to use by 2020, in order to deliver China&#39;s demand of weapon development programme.&nbsp;

Zhao says that it could &#39;help uplift the development of hypersonic technology, more so in military sectors by replicating the surrounding of extreme hypersonic flights in order to understand if any glitches occur in the moment.&#39;

Dafang Wu, a professor at the school of aeronautic science and engineering at Beihang University in Beijing said that this creation will possibly be &#39;one of the most powerful and advances ground test facilities for hypersonic vehicles around the world&#39;, although, he is no involved in this project.&nbsp;

The construction of the new tunnel would be carried out by the same team that created JF12, a hypervelocity denotation-driven shock tunnel in Beijing&nbsp;efficient enough to replicate flight conditions at speeds from Mach 5 to Mach 9 at a height of 20 to 50 kilometres.

This tunnel will also serve as a test for scramjet, a newer jet engine created specifically for hypersonic flights.

It will consist of test chamber with enough space for larger models with a wingspan of about three meters. Moreover, in order to accumulate high-speed airflow, the researchers will discharge a number of tubes containing a combination of oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen gases for a trail if explosions which could generate one gigawatt of power in a microsecond, said&nbsp;Zhao.&nbsp;

He further informed that the temperature of the aircraft will go up to 8,000 Kelvins, or 7,727 degrees Celsius using the shock waves which will be transmitted into the test chamber using a metallic tunnel. This entails that the surface will be about 50% hotter than the sun.&nbsp;

Due to the generation of the massive amount of heat, it is required to be covered by a special material with the effective cooling system within the airframe to balance the heat or else it could lead to engine slow down and eventually break apart during long-haul flights.&nbsp;

In March, China successfully carried out seven test flights of its hypersonic glider WU-14 or DF-ZF at speeds between Mach 5 and Mach 10.&nbsp;

&ldquo;With practical hypersonic airplanes, a two-hour flight to anywhere in the world will be possible as well as a cut down in the cost of travel by 99% with reusable spacecraft technology. These flights will, therefore,&nbsp;be foreseen as a source of national security, civilian transportation and space access&quot;&nbsp; Jiang Zonglin, lead developer of the JF12, told media reporters.&nbsp;

At present, the most powerful wind tunnel is America&rsquo;s LENX-X located in Buffalo, New York state, operating at a speed of 10 kilometers in one second which is almost 30 times the speed of sound.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Researchers want new facility to be up and running by 2020 as race to develop hypersonic technology intensifies.

China is all set to create the world's fastest wind tunnel to simulate hypersonic flight which can potentially cover 12 kilometres in one second, a report in South China Morning Post said. Hypersonic aircraft are vehicles that travel at speeds of Mach 5, five times the speed of sound, or above. The revolutionary invention, at this speed, could potentially reach the western side of the world in less than 14 minutes, report claims. According to the report, Zhao Wei - a deputy director of the State Key Laboratory of High Temperature Gas Dynamics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, who is working on the project has declared that they aim to have the space functioning and ready to use by 2020, in order to deliver China's demand of weapon development programme. Zhao says that it could 'help uplift the development of hypersonic technology, more so in military sectors by replicating the surrounding of extreme hypersonic flights in order to understand if any glitches occur in the moment.' Dafang Wu, a professor at the school of aeronautic science and engineering at Beihang University in Beijing said that this creation will possibly be 'one of the most powerful and advances ground test facilities for hypersonic vehicles around the world', although, he is no involved in this project. The construction of the new tunnel would be carried out by the same team that created JF12, a hypervelocity denotation-driven shock tunnel in Beijing efficient enough to replicate flight conditions at speeds from Mach 5 to Mach 9 at a height of 20 to 50 kilometres. This tunnel will also serve as a test for scramjet, a newer jet engine created specifically for hypersonic flights. It will consist of test chamber with enough space for larger models with a wingspan of about three meters. Moreover, in order to accumulate high-speed airflow, the researchers will discharge a number of tubes containing a combination of oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen gases for a trail if explosions which could generate one gigawatt of power in a microsecond, said Zhao. He further informed that the temperature of the aircraft will go up to 8,000 Kelvins, or 7,727 degrees Celsius using the shock waves which will be transmitted into the test chamber using a metallic tunnel. This entails that the surface will be about 50% hotter than the sun. Due to the generation of the massive amount of heat, it is required to be covered by a special material with the effective cooling system within the airframe to balance the heat or else it could lead to engine slow down and eventually break apart during long-haul flights. In March, China successfully carried out seven test flights of its hypersonic glider WU-14 or DF-ZF at speeds between Mach 5 and Mach 10. “With practical hypersonic airplanes, a two-hour flight to anywhere in the world will be possible as well as a cut down in the cost of travel by 99% with reusable spacecraft technology. These flights will, therefore, be foreseen as a source of national security, civilian transportation and space access" Jiang Zonglin, lead developer of the JF12, told media reporters. At present, the most powerful wind tunnel is America’s LENX-X located in Buffalo, New York state, operating at a speed of 10 kilometers in one second which is almost 30 times the speed of sound.

China working on wind tunnel that could send aircraft to US in 14 minutes: Report

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia&#39;s air defence forces intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Yemen over the capital Riyadh on Saturday, state news agencies reported.

The missile was brought down near King Khaled Airport on the northern outskirts of the city and did not cause any casualties, said state-owned Al Ekhbariya TV.

Rocket fragments fell near the airport grounds, but air traffic carried on normally, the civil aviation authority said on its official Twitter account.

Residents of northern Riyadh reported hearing a single deafening explosion that rattled windows around 20:20 local time, followed by rumbling and sounds of low-flying aircraft.

&quot;We heard an enormous loud boom and went outside, then heard a low rumbling noise like thunder and six to 12 smaller explosions,&quot; one resident told Reuters.

The missile was fired into&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;territory from Yemen at 20:00 local time, the spokesman of aSaudi-led military coalition said in a statement carried by state news agency SPA.

Houthi-run Saba News in Yemen reported that the missile was a Burkan H2 and that the airport had been the target.

The&nbsp;Saudi-led coalition has launched thousands of air strikes against the Iran-allied Houthi movement that controls much of neighbouring Yemen.

On Wednesday, witnesses said one such strike killed 26 people at a hotel and adjoining market in northern Yemen, although the coalition said on Saturday it had hit a legitimate target.

The Houthi and allied forces loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh have fired dozens of missiles into&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;territory over the course of a 2-1/2 year war, including a ballistic missile shot down near Mecca in July.

The conflict has led to one of the world&#39;s worst humanitarian crises and killed at least 10,000 people.

Residents of northern Riyadh reported hearing a single deafening explosion that rattled windows around 20:20 local time, followed by rumbling and sounds of low-flying aircraft.

Saudi Arabia's air defence forces intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Yemen over the capital Riyadh on Saturday, state news agencies reported. The missile was brought down near King Khaled Airport on the northern outskirts of the city and did not cause any casualties, said state-owned Al Ekhbariya TV. Rocket fragments fell near the airport grounds, but air traffic carried on normally, the civil aviation authority said on its official Twitter account. Residents of northern Riyadh reported hearing a single deafening explosion that rattled windows around 20:20 local time, followed by rumbling and sounds of low-flying aircraft. "We heard an enormous loud boom and went outside, then heard a low rumbling noise like thunder and six to 12 smaller explosions," one resident told Reuters. The missile was fired into Saudi territory from Yemen at 20:00 local time, the spokesman of aSaudi-led military coalition said in a statement carried by state news agency SPA. Houthi-run Saba News in Yemen reported that the missile was a Burkan H2 and that the airport had been the target. The Saudi-led coalition has launched thousands of air strikes against the Iran-allied Houthi movement that controls much of neighbouring Yemen. On Wednesday, witnesses said one such strike killed 26 people at a hotel and adjoining market in northern Yemen, although the coalition said on Saturday it had hit a legitimate target. The Houthi and allied forces loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh have fired dozens of missiles into Saudi territory over the course of a 2-1/2 year war, including a ballistic missile shot down near Mecca in July. The conflict has led to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises and killed at least 10,000 people.

Saudi Arabia says it intercepts missile close to capital

Solar Impulse 2 yesterday neared the end of its epic journey to become the first sun-powered airplane to circle the globe without a drop of fuel to promote renewable energy. 
 
When the experimental aircraft touches down in Abu Dhabi it will cap a remarkable 42,000-kilometre journey across four continents, two oceans and three seas. 
 
Solar Impulse 2 was expected to enter UAE airspace at around 1.30 am local time on Tuesday (2130 GMT Monday), and land in Abu Dhabi at around 4 am (0000 GMT). 
 
With Swiss explorer and project director Bertrand Piccard in the cockpit, it is due to arrive at Al-Bateen Executive Airport in the UAE capital where it began its historic series of flights on March 9, 2015. 
 
&quot;My deepest admiration and respect for your courage,&quot; UN Secretary General Ban-Ki moon told Piccard in a live-streamed conversation. &quot;This is a historic day not only for you but for humanity.&quot; 
 
By 1900 GMT yesterday, Solar Impulse 2 had travelled more than 2,500 kilometres in nearly 44 hours on its final leg, flying over the Gulf after crossing the vast Saudi desert and Qatar&#39;s northern tip. 
 
The aircraft was some 100 kilometres from touchdown at Abu Dhabi. 
 
Monaco mission control said it was in a holding pattern at 11,000 feet awaiting ideal landing conditions. 
 
Dubbed the &quot;paper plane&quot;, Solar Impulse 2 has been circumnavigating the globe in stages, with 58-year-old Piccard and his compatriot Andre Borschberg taking turns at the controls of the single-seat aircraft. 
 
It took off from Cairo on the final leg early on Sunday, having previously crossed Asia, North America, Europe and North Africa. 
 
&#39;Achieve the impossible&#39; 
 
Borschberg, 63, smashed the record for the longest uninterrupted journey in aviation history with the 8,924-kilometre flight between Nagoya, Japan and Hawaii that lasted nearly 118 hours. 
 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The last <a href="https://twitter.com/solarimpulse">@solarimpulse</a> flight today w/ <a href="https://twitter.com/bertrandpiccard">@bertrandpiccard</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Si2?src=hash">#Si2</a>. The adventure began 13 years ago... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/futureisclean?src=hash">#futureisclean</a> <a href="https://t.co/DNE1Snwpii">pic.twitter.com/DNE1Snwpii</a>
&mdash; Andr? Borschberg (@andreborschberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/andreborschberg/status/757006478746259457">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
 
No heavier than a car but with the wingspan of a Boeing 747, the four-engine battery-powered aircraft relies on around 17,000 solar cells embedded in its wings. 
 
Its broad wings and light weight make it particularly sensitive to turbulence. 
 
The plane has clocked an average speed of 80 kilometres an hour. 
 
The pilots use oxygen tanks to breathe at high altitude and wear suits specially designed to cope with the extreme conditions. 
 
They have had to withstand temperatures inside the tiny cockpit ranging from minus 20 degrees C (minus 4 degrees F) to plus 35 degrees C (plus 95 degrees F). 
 
The plane, equipped with a parachute and life raft in case of accident, flew at an altitude exceeding 30,000 feet (9,144 metres) over Saudi Arabia on Sunday. 
 
Piccard has said he launched the project in 2003 to show that renewable energy &quot;can achieve the impossible&quot;. 
 
His dream looks set to come true, but it has taken much longer than planned. 
 
The attempt was initially expected to last five months, including 25 days of actual flying. 
 
- &#39;For a better world&#39; - 
 
But the aircraft was grounded in July last year when its solar-powered batteries suffered problems halfway through the trip. 
 
The project has also been beset by bad weather and illness which forced Piccard to delay the final leg. 
 
While in the air, the pilot is constantly in contact with mission control in Monaco, where a team of weathermen, mathematicians and engineers monitors the route and prepares flight strategies. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a project for energy, for a better world,&quot; Piccard told journalists in Cairo before taking off on the final leg. 
 
A psychiatrist who made the first non-stop balloon flight around the world in 1999, Piccard had warned that the last leg would be difficult because of the high temperatures. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s been two hours now I&#39;m flying into high up and down drafts. And I can&#39;t even drink. It&#39;s really exhausting...&quot; he tweeted on Sunday. 
 
Speaking to the BBC from the cockpit, Piccard described the final stage as a &quot;fantastic moment&quot; and likened the plane to a &quot;flying laboratory&quot;. 
 
&quot;We are testing all these new, clean and modern technologies in order to fly with an endless endurance,&quot; he said. 
 
While the pilots do not expect commercial solar-powered planes any time soon, they hope the project will help spur wider progress in clean energy. 
 
&quot;We have new insulation material, new LED lamps, we have new extremely light carbon fibre structures... All this can be used now on the ground,&quot; dividing &quot;by two the energy consumption and therefore the CO2 emissions of the world&quot;, Piccard said. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a complete revolution in the protection of the environment.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Solar Impulse 2 will cap a remarkable 42,000-kilometre journey without a drop of fuel when it touches down in Abu Dhabi

Solar Impulse 2 yesterday neared the end of its epic journey to become the first sun-powered airplane to circle the globe without a drop of fuel to promote renewable energy. When the experimental aircraft touches down in Abu Dhabi it will cap a remarkable 42,000-kilometre journey across four continents, two oceans and three seas. Solar Impulse 2 was expected to enter UAE airspace at around 1.30 am local time on Tuesday (2130 GMT Monday), and land in Abu Dhabi at around 4 am (0000 GMT). With Swiss explorer and project director Bertrand Piccard in the cockpit, it is due to arrive at Al-Bateen Executive Airport in the UAE capital where it began its historic series of flights on March 9, 2015. "My deepest admiration and respect for your courage," UN Secretary General Ban-Ki moon told Piccard in a live-streamed conversation. "This is a historic day not only for you but for humanity." By 1900 GMT yesterday, Solar Impulse 2 had travelled more than 2,500 kilometres in nearly 44 hours on its final leg, flying over the Gulf after crossing the vast Saudi desert and Qatar's northern tip. The aircraft was some 100 kilometres from touchdown at Abu Dhabi. Monaco mission control said it was in a holding pattern at 11,000 feet awaiting ideal landing conditions. Dubbed the "paper plane", Solar Impulse 2 has been circumnavigating the globe in stages, with 58-year-old Piccard and his compatriot Andre Borschberg taking turns at the controls of the single-seat aircraft. It took off from Cairo on the final leg early on Sunday, having previously crossed Asia, North America, Europe and North Africa. 'Achieve the impossible' Borschberg, 63, smashed the record for the longest uninterrupted journey in aviation history with the 8,924-kilometre flight between Nagoya, Japan and Hawaii that lasted nearly 118 hours. The last @solarimpulse flight today w/ @bertrandpiccard in #Si2. The adventure began 13 years ago... #futureisclean pic.twitter.com/DNE1Snwpii — Andr? Borschberg (@andreborschberg) July 24, 2016 No heavier than a car but with the wingspan of a Boeing 747, the four-engine battery-powered aircraft relies on around 17,000 solar cells embedded in its wings. Its broad wings and light weight make it particularly sensitive to turbulence. The plane has clocked an average speed of 80 kilometres an hour. The pilots use oxygen tanks to breathe at high altitude and wear suits specially designed to cope with the extreme conditions. They have had to withstand temperatures inside the tiny cockpit ranging from minus 20 degrees C (minus 4 degrees F) to plus 35 degrees C (plus 95 degrees F). The plane, equipped with a parachute and life raft in case of accident, flew at an altitude exceeding 30,000 feet (9,144 metres) over Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Piccard has said he launched the project in 2003 to show that renewable energy "can achieve the impossible". His dream looks set to come true, but it has taken much longer than planned. The attempt was initially expected to last five months, including 25 days of actual flying. - 'For a better world' - But the aircraft was grounded in July last year when its solar-powered batteries suffered problems halfway through the trip. The project has also been beset by bad weather and illness which forced Piccard to delay the final leg. While in the air, the pilot is constantly in contact with mission control in Monaco, where a team of weathermen, mathematicians and engineers monitors the route and prepares flight strategies. "It's a project for energy, for a better world," Piccard told journalists in Cairo before taking off on the final leg. A psychiatrist who made the first non-stop balloon flight around the world in 1999, Piccard had warned that the last leg would be difficult because of the high temperatures. "It's been two hours now I'm flying into high up and down drafts. And I can't even drink. It's really exhausting..." he tweeted on Sunday. Speaking to the BBC from the cockpit, Piccard described the final stage as a "fantastic moment" and likened the plane to a "flying laboratory". "We are testing all these new, clean and modern technologies in order to fly with an endless endurance," he said. While the pilots do not expect commercial solar-powered planes any time soon, they hope the project will help spur wider progress in clean energy. "We have new insulation material, new LED lamps, we have new extremely light carbon fibre structures... All this can be used now on the ground," dividing "by two the energy consumption and therefore the CO2 emissions of the world", Piccard said. "It's a complete revolution in the protection of the environment." (AFP)

Solar plane nears end of historic round-the-world trip

Facebook said on Thursday it had completed a successful test flight of a solar-powered drone that it hopes will help it extend internet connectivity to every corner of the planet. 
 
Aquila, Facebook&#39;s lightweight, high-altitude aircraft, flew at a few thousand feet for 96 minutes in Yuma, Arizona, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post on his Facebook page. The company ultimately hopes to have a fleet of Aquilas that can fly for at least three months at a time at 60,000 feet (18,290 metres) and communicate with each other to deliver internet access. 
 
Google parent Alphabet Inc has also poured money into delivering internet access to underserved areas through Project Loon, which aims to use a network of high-altitude balloons to made the internet available to remote parts of the world. 
 
Yael Maguire, Facebook&#39;s engineering director and head of its Connectivity Lab, said in an interview that the company initially hoped Aquila would fly for 30 minutes. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re thrilled about what happened with our first flight,&quot; Maguire said. &quot;There are still a lot of technical challenges that need to be addressed for us to achieve the whole mission.&quot; He said he hoped the system might be brought into service &quot;in the near future&quot;. 
 
Zuckerberg laid out the company&#39;s biggest challenges in flying a fleet of Aquilas, including making the plane lighter so it can fly for longer periods, getting it to fly at 60,000 feet and creating communications networks that allow it to rapidly transfer data and accurately beam down lasers to provide internet connections. 
 
Maguire said Aquila will go through several more test flights and hopes it will soon break the world record for the longest solar-powered unmanned aircraft flight, which currently stands at two weeks. 
 
Facebook, which has more than 1.6 billion users, has invested billions of dollars in getting more people online, both through an initiative called internet.org - which offers a pared-down version of the internet to poor areas - and by building drones. 
 
(Reuters)

Aquila, the lightweight and high-altitude aircraft, aims to provide internet connectivity around the globe

Facebook said on Thursday it had completed a successful test flight of a solar-powered drone that it hopes will help it extend internet connectivity to every corner of the planet. Aquila, Facebook's lightweight, high-altitude aircraft, flew at a few thousand feet for 96 minutes in Yuma, Arizona, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post on his Facebook page. The company ultimately hopes to have a fleet of Aquilas that can fly for at least three months at a time at 60,000 feet (18,290 metres) and communicate with each other to deliver internet access. Google parent Alphabet Inc has also poured money into delivering internet access to underserved areas through Project Loon, which aims to use a network of high-altitude balloons to made the internet available to remote parts of the world. Yael Maguire, Facebook's engineering director and head of its Connectivity Lab, said in an interview that the company initially hoped Aquila would fly for 30 minutes. "We're thrilled about what happened with our first flight," Maguire said. "There are still a lot of technical challenges that need to be addressed for us to achieve the whole mission." He said he hoped the system might be brought into service "in the near future". Zuckerberg laid out the company's biggest challenges in flying a fleet of Aquilas, including making the plane lighter so it can fly for longer periods, getting it to fly at 60,000 feet and creating communications networks that allow it to rapidly transfer data and accurately beam down lasers to provide internet connections. Maguire said Aquila will go through several more test flights and hopes it will soon break the world record for the longest solar-powered unmanned aircraft flight, which currently stands at two weeks. Facebook, which has more than 1.6 billion users, has invested billions of dollars in getting more people online, both through an initiative called internet.org - which offers a pared-down version of the internet to poor areas - and by building drones. (Reuters)

Facebook's solar-powered drone successfully completes test flight

Hopes of finding flight MH370&#39;s final resting place are &quot;fading&quot;, and the massive three-nation search for the doomed jet will be suspended if nothing is found in the suspected crash zone, Malaysia, Australia and China said today. 
 
With the designated search area due to be fully scanned within weeks, transport ministers from the three countries made their announcement after holding talks on the future of the unprecedented deep-sea hunt for the Malaysia Airlines passenger plane. 
 
&quot;With less than 10,000 square kilometres of the high priority search area remaining to be searched, ministers acknowledged that despite the best efforts of all involved the likelihood of finding the aircraft is fading,&quot; said a joint statement after the meeting in Malaysia&#39;s administrative capital Putrajaya. 
 
Unless &quot;credible new evidence&quot; turns up by the time the current operations are completed, &quot;the search would not end, but be suspended&quot; until solid new information pointing to a crash site emerges, they said. 
 
&quot;The suspension does not mean the termination of the search. Ministers reiterated that the aspiration to locate MH370 has not been abandoned,&quot; said the statement by meeting host Liow Tiong Lai, Australia&#39;s Darren Chester and China&#39;s Yang Chuantang. 
 
The use of the term &quot;suspended&quot; was an apparent nod to anguished families who have stepped up demands recently for authorities not to fully abandon efforts to locate the aircraft. 
 
The Boeing 777 vanished March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, mostly Chinese nationals, in what remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history. 
 
The Australian-led operation is scouring the seafloor within a 120,000-square-kilometre belt of remote Indian Ocean where authorities believe the passenger jet went down. 
 
(AFP)

Until new information pointing to a crash site emerges, the hunt will be suspended but not terminated

Hopes of finding flight MH370's final resting place are "fading", and the massive three-nation search for the doomed jet will be suspended if nothing is found in the suspected crash zone, Malaysia, Australia and China said today. With the designated search area due to be fully scanned within weeks, transport ministers from the three countries made their announcement after holding talks on the future of the unprecedented deep-sea hunt for the Malaysia Airlines passenger plane. "With less than 10,000 square kilometres of the high priority search area remaining to be searched, ministers acknowledged that despite the best efforts of all involved the likelihood of finding the aircraft is fading," said a joint statement after the meeting in Malaysia's administrative capital Putrajaya. Unless "credible new evidence" turns up by the time the current operations are completed, "the search would not end, but be suspended" until solid new information pointing to a crash site emerges, they said. "The suspension does not mean the termination of the search. Ministers reiterated that the aspiration to locate MH370 has not been abandoned," said the statement by meeting host Liow Tiong Lai, Australia's Darren Chester and China's Yang Chuantang. The use of the term "suspended" was an apparent nod to anguished families who have stepped up demands recently for authorities not to fully abandon efforts to locate the aircraft. The Boeing 777 vanished March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, mostly Chinese nationals, in what remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history. The Australian-led operation is scouring the seafloor within a 120,000-square-kilometre belt of remote Indian Ocean where authorities believe the passenger jet went down. (AFP)

MH370 hopes 'fading', search to be suspended

Egyptian investigators said on Saturday the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of crashed EgyptAir flight MS804 was now in a condition to extract recordings. 
 
The investigative committee said in a statement that, after repairs, the CVR was in a condition to retrieve information that could help explain why the Airbus A320 jet plunged into the sea on May 19, killing all 66 people on board. 
 
The committee said its members were planning to return to Cairo to continue reading and analysing the flight data recorder and CVR at the central department for aircraft accidents at Egypt&#39;s Ministry of Civil Aviation. 
 
(Reuters)

The information may help explain why the Airbus A320 jet plunged into the sea

Egyptian investigators said on Saturday the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of crashed EgyptAir flight MS804 was now in a condition to extract recordings. The investigative committee said in a statement that, after repairs, the CVR was in a condition to retrieve information that could help explain why the Airbus A320 jet plunged into the sea on May 19, killing all 66 people on board. The committee said its members were planning to return to Cairo to continue reading and analysing the flight data recorder and CVR at the central department for aircraft accidents at Egypt's Ministry of Civil Aviation. (Reuters)

Egypt investigators to fix voice recorder from crashed jet that killed 66

A solar-powered airplane left the United States today, taking off from New York City to fly across Atlantic for its historic bid to circle the globe. 
 
The spindly, single-seat experimental aircraft, dubbed as Solar Impulse 2, left New York&#39;s John F. Kennedy International Airport at about 2:30 am local time (0630 GMT) &nbsp;today. 
 
The flight is expected to take approximately 90 to 110 hours before landing in Seville Airport, Spain, said&nbsp;the project team. 
 
The Swiss team flying the aircraft in a campaign to build support for clean energy technologies hopes eventually to complete its circumnavigation in Abu Dhabi, where the journey began in March 2015. 
 
The solar craft&#39;s cruising speed, akin to that of a car, required pilots to take up meditation and hypnosis in training to stay alert for long periods. 
 
Andre Borschberg alternates with fellow pilot Bertrand Piccard at the controls for each segment of what they hope will be the first round-the-world solar-powered flight. 
 
On April 24, Piccard landed in San Francisco, completing a trans-Pacific crossing after a nearly three-day trip that began in Hawaii. The flight took more than three times the 18 hours for Amelia Earhart to fly solo from Hawaii to California in the 1930s. 
 
The propeller-driven Solar Impulse flies without a drop of fuel and its four engines are powered solely by energy collected from more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings. 
 
Surplus power is stored in four batteries during the day, to keep the plane aloft on extreme long-distance flights. 
 
The carbon-fiber plane, with a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 and the weight of a family car, is unlikely to set speed or altitude records. It can climb to 28,000 feet (8,500 m), and cruise at 34 to 62 mph (55 to 100 kph). 
 
In a precursor of their globe-circling quest, the two men completed a multi-flight crossing of the United States with an earlier version of the solar plane in 2013. 
(Reuters)

The solar craft's cruising speed, akin to that of a car, required pilots to take up meditation and hypnosis in training to stay alert

A solar-powered airplane left the United States today, taking off from New York City to fly across Atlantic for its historic bid to circle the globe. The spindly, single-seat experimental aircraft, dubbed as Solar Impulse 2, left New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport at about 2:30 am local time (0630 GMT) today. The flight is expected to take approximately 90 to 110 hours before landing in Seville Airport, Spain, said the project team. The Swiss team flying the aircraft in a campaign to build support for clean energy technologies hopes eventually to complete its circumnavigation in Abu Dhabi, where the journey began in March 2015. The solar craft's cruising speed, akin to that of a car, required pilots to take up meditation and hypnosis in training to stay alert for long periods. Andre Borschberg alternates with fellow pilot Bertrand Piccard at the controls for each segment of what they hope will be the first round-the-world solar-powered flight. On April 24, Piccard landed in San Francisco, completing a trans-Pacific crossing after a nearly three-day trip that began in Hawaii. The flight took more than three times the 18 hours for Amelia Earhart to fly solo from Hawaii to California in the 1930s. The propeller-driven Solar Impulse flies without a drop of fuel and its four engines are powered solely by energy collected from more than 17,000 solar cells built into its wings. Surplus power is stored in four batteries during the day, to keep the plane aloft on extreme long-distance flights. The carbon-fiber plane, with a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 and the weight of a family car, is unlikely to set speed or altitude records. It can climb to 28,000 feet (8,500 m), and cruise at 34 to 62 mph (55 to 100 kph). In a precursor of their globe-circling quest, the two men completed a multi-flight crossing of the United States with an earlier version of the solar plane in 2013. (Reuters)

Solar-powered plane takes on Atlantic as part of round-the-world bid

Iran and US aerospace giant Boeing have reached a deal for the purchase of 100 aircraft to renew the country&#39;s ageing fleet, the head of Tehran&#39;s civil aviation authority announced today. 
 
&quot;We have 250 planes in the country, 230 need to be replaced,&quot; said Ali Abedzadeh, the head of the civil aviation body, adding that the deal still needed approval from the US government. 
 
(AFP)

Iran and US aerospace giant Boeing have reached a deal for the purchase of 100 aircraft to renew the country's ageing fleet, the head of Tehran's civil aviation authority announced today. "We have 250 planes in the country, 230 need to be replaced," said Ali Abedzadeh, the head of the civil aviation body, adding that the deal still needed approval from the US government. (AFP)

Iran, Boeing reach deal on purchase of 100 planes: Tehran

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