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Why Do Commercial Airplanes Fly At High Altitudes?

It would be safe to say that most passengers have never thought about why airplanes fly at a specific height of 35000 feet.

We all assume that since its an airplane it will fly 10600 meters above in the sky, but have you ever wonder why exactly that height?

Well, we did some digging and found out there are some pretty interesting reasons why most airplanes around the world fly so high.

Why Do Airplanes Fly So High?

1.The Higher The Better

One of the central reasons behind an aircraft’s altitude is that, as the air gets thinner with every foot climbed, airplanes can travel more easily and therefore move faster and burn less fuel, saving money.

The “sweet spot” of flying is regarded as between 35,000 and 42,000 feet.

If the airplane flies above this limit the oxygen becomes too sparse to fuel the engines. If it ’s too low, the airplane will experience greater air resistance.

2.Weather Conditions

Flying thousands of feet above the ground also means airplanes avoid much of the bad weather people on the ground are subjected to.

You know the feeling when you see nothing but blue skies from your window seat, only to descend into your destination airport to a dull drizzle.

3.Avoid Heavy Traffic

We aren’t talking about our usual road traffic!

Of course, it does avoid the hectic city traffic, but what we mean is the airborne traffic such as light aircraft or helicopters, which fly lower, as well as insects and birds.

Light aircraft do not have pressurised cabins, therefore stick below 10,000 feet.

4.In The Event Of An Emergency

Should something bad happen to an aircraft at 35,000 feet, like losing power in its engines, the pilot has much longer to deal with the situation, than if the aircraft was just at 10,000 feet.

This may sound silly, but remember that planes can still land safely even if both engines fail

How Low can Airplanes Fly?

The lowest an airplane can fly is a 1000 feet, but this is not applicable to airliners.

Known as the Lowest Safe Altitude (LSALT), this value has been applied by aviation bodies around the world, including Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration.

Airlines can fly at this low but there are safety standards and rules that don’t allow this. In fact, its illegal for any aircraft to fly lower than a 1000 feet.

Aircraft must not fly less than 1000 feet above the “highest fixed object” beneath them and pilots must make sure that they are high enough to clear the congested area below in the event of engine failure.

Obviously, this doesn’t apply to take-off and landing for an aircraft as it’s done in a controlled flight path.

Is There A Maximum Height?

There is no maximum altitude for flying, however, engines will struggle as the oxygen levels fall, and communication with the ground will become a greater challenge.

The record altitude for a jet plane is 123,520 feet, set by Alexandr Fedotov in 1997 flying a military Soviet MiG-25M.

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New Info-Sharing Platform To Make Kolkata Airport More Efficient!

Flight delays and mid-air holding of flights because of congestion of airplanes on the ground have reduced at Kolkata Airport, thanks to a new common information-sharing platform.

This platform enables the airport operator, airlines and other agencies to process information accurately and take immediate, more precise decisions saving time for flyers, fuel for airlines and reducing carbon emissions.

The Airport-Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) system also enables flyers to get accurate information on arrival times of their flights.

A-CDM is currently active at 25 airports across Europe and Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru in India.

Here are a few benefits of the new A-CDM system:

  • Overall improvement in the efficiency of airport operations.
  • Orderly flow of air traffic.
  • Optimization of airport and airspace capacity
  • Reduction in carbon emission and pollution, due to the saving of fuel
  • Predictability of delays and swift distribution of information to all partners.

Here’s an example of how the system will work:

  • If an incoming flight is delayed by eight minutes, A-CDM will accurately predict the aircraft’s coordinates.
  • Also, if there is a 20-minute airplane congestion predicted over Delhi, then the flight taking off for Delhi will be delayed by 20 minuets so that it does not have to hover on reaching there.
  • Accordingly, this information will be shared with all stakeholders including passengers.

With this system airport operators will be able to know exactly where a delay is happening, whether it is in the baggage breakup area, in customs or immigration and will help in fixing the delay point and make the airport more efficient.

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Government Approves Privatisation Of 6 Indian Airports! !

Aviation in India is about to get a big boost!

Union Cabinet this week approved the privatisation of airports in Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru.

The airports will be operated under a Public-Private Partnership(PPP). This will include operation, management as well as the development of these airports and would be done through Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC).

The Cabinet has said that the move is expected to enhance the revenue to the Airports Authority of India and increased economic development in these areas in terms of creation of jobs and related infrastructure.

Here’s why the PPP model will benefit us in the future:

  • In airport infrastructure projects, PPP brings efficiency in service delivery as well as professionalism
  • With PPP model, many airports have been provided with world-class infrastructure. Moreover, the PPP has also contributed to the delivery of efficient and timely services to air passengers.
  • Other than creating world-class airports, the PPP model has also helped the Airports Authority of India in enhancing its revenues as well as focusing on airports development and boosting air navigation infrastructure across the nation.

At present, the Indian airports that are being managed under PPP include Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Cochin airports.

Interestingly, the above-mentioned airports have been ranked among the top 5 in their respective categories by the Airports Council International in terms of Airport Service Quality.

According to the Cabinet, the airport sector is the top contender among infrastructure sectors in terms of international interest. Therefore, by adoption of PPP model, the airport sector may provide an immediate opportunity to attract foreign direct investment.

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Everything You Need To Know About Buying Travel Insurance!

International travel in India has increased exponentially over the past few years and so has the need for a travel insurance cover.

According to World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) report, 25 million Indian tourists travel abroad every year for vacationing. It is estimated that India will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020.

More travellers want to experience offbeat places and are willing to go on adventurous trips but despite this, while planning a trip, Indians don’t consider travel insurance as one of their priorities for their journey.

This is because most people fail to understand what travel insurance actually covers.

To help you make informed choices as travellers , let’s first understand the basic types of covers under travel insurance in India.

Basic Travel Insurance Policy

A basic travel insurance will primarily cover your emergency medical care and loss of belongings while travelling. However, you can add other covers such as:

  • Burglary at home at the time of travel
  • Reimbursement if your flight gets delayed for more than 12 hours
  • Coverage of bounced/cancelled bookings of hotels and airlines

Travel insurance also covers personal liability. For instance, if someone sues you for damage to property during the period of your insurance and is caused by an occurrence to which this coverage applies, the company will pay up to the amount stated in the policy.

The medical benefits of a travel insurance policy include accidental death or injury during the trip, expenses incurred on account of injury, sickness etc.

There Are 2 Basic Types Of Travel Insurance

1.Domestic Travel Insurance

The domestic travel insurance promises to have your back at every step when you’re travelling within the country.

This cover mainly looks into all your critical travel mishaps mentioned above.

The cover also reimburses the cost of round-economy airfare and hotel of an immediate family member in case of sudden hospitalization on the trip.

A domestic travel insurance will cover accidental medical emergencies or assistance required in India. It additionally reimburses for transportation, treatment and medical supplies in case of hospitalization or will compensate for death/injury while boarding or already on a flight.

2.Overseas Travel Insurance

An overseas travel insurance is a must-have while you’re travelling abroad, not only because it shelters your primary covers as mentioned above but offers protection for a number of contingencies during an international trip.

  • The insurance policy extensively covers, loss of passport, documents, baggage loss and baggage delay.
  • It covers you in case your checked-in luggage is lost while in the custody of your airline due to theft or non-delivery at its destination
  • It also covers accidental death & dismemberment, emergency medical evacuation which includes transportation, medical treatment, medical services and supplies necessary during an emergency evacuation
  • Additionally, an overseas policy will also cover fraudulent charges on your credit/debit card. This cover rescues you not only when you lose money but when you lose money where help is not easily found.

A travel insurance policy also covers students who travel abroad for education. A student travel insurance policy is a must for students as it largely protects the individual from study interruption, health cover, sponsor protection and compassion visits.

The student travel plan further covers mental and nervous disorders, rehabilitation for drug and alcohol addiction.

Tips To Choose The Best Travel Insurance Plan For You

Before you choose a travel insurance plan, ask yourself these questions:

1.WHERE AM I GOING?

Your destination determines the size of the cover or the amount of insurance money (Sum Insured).

Since medical cover is the main feature of travel insurance, decide the sum insured on the basis of how expensive medical services are in the country or city you are travelling to.

For instance, Medical treatment is significantly costlier in countries like the US and Canada than in South East Asia. This will cause the premium paid on the insurance by you to go higher.

2.WHAT WILL BE THE DURATION?

Longer the trip, higher the premium!

If you are a frequent flyer, opt for annual multi-trip policies to save money. These plans are valid for a year and usually cover any number of trips abroad, each trip having a maximum duration of 30-45 days.

Annual multi-trip plans turn out to be cheaper than the single-trip policies for each trip. This is because the insurance company doesn’t have to bear additional administrative expenses.

3.WHAT WILL I DO?

Is it a sleep, eat and sightseeing holiday or do you plan to be more adventurous?

If your itinerary includes sporting activities such as trekking in difficult terrains, skiing, water sports, etc, you must fill the gaps in your travel cover.

Though a regular travel insurance plan will not cover risks involved in these activities, you can get special coverage on request at an extra cost.

Similarly, if you are above 65, you can opt for plans for senior citizens that have features such as coverage for pre-existing illness in special situations, higher sum insured, accidental death and dismemberment cover.

4.Which Policy Should I Buy?

Always compare the plans. Don’t buy only on the basis of the sum insured and the premium you have to pay.

Conduct a comparative analysis of companies and their offerings like online services, claims process, toll-free number, payment options, network of hospitals etc

Also remember, since so many different covers are clubbed in one policy-medical, accident, passport and baggage loss, personal liability, trip cancellation, etc-the claim procedures differ according to the situation.

So, the next time you book your ticket, Download the AirWhizz app and apply for a travel insurance with us. We at AirWhizz have partnered with prestigious travel insurance companies such as HDFC Ergo to help you plan for any unforeseen changes that might occur.

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Strike By Air India Employees Causes Flight Delays At Mumbai Airport!

A flash strike by employees of Air India’s ground handling arm, Air India Air Transport Services Ltd (AIATSL) on Wednesday and Thursday led to massive flight delays at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

The employees of AIATSL stopped work at Mumbai airport on Wednesday night, demanding payment of Diwali bonus and reinstatement of three of their colleagues whose contracts were not renewed by the company.

Due to this sudden situation, many Air India flights were delayed. Around 37 flights, including international ones, were delayed by 2.5 hours to 3 hours till 3:00 p.m, Thursday. However, no flights were cancelled.

Here are a few details of the incident :

  • The arrival of eight flights and the departure of 16 flights were delayed.
  • Among those were the 1.45 am Mumbai-Bangkok flight which was delayed by over six hours and departed at 8:18 am
  • The Mumbai-Newark flight left at 4:08 am which was late by 2.5 hours.
  • Several passengers took to Twitter to complain about the flight delays and long wait at the airport.
  • The lack of ground handling staff during the night when a majority of international flight depart led to flight delays.

The Strike was called off this morning after discussions with the management. Most of the issues have been sorted out and employees are back to work. Flight operations are back to normal now. But, the employees whose contracts were not renewed have not been taken back.

AIATSL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the national carrier, provides ground handling services to Air India across airports in the country. It has about 5,000 employees, including those on contract.

Ground crew, generally carry out functions like loading/unloading bags and cargo, checking-in passengers, cleaning aircraft and much more. They also take up similar duties for foreign airlines on a contract basis.

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India Has The Largest Percentage Of Airline Women Pilots In The World!

According to the latest data released by the International Society Of Women Airline Pilots (ISA+21), India not only has the largest percentage of Women pilots in the world, but the percentage of Indian women pilots is more than double the global average.

Statistics show that the global average of the percentage of women pilots is around 5.4%. In India, the percentage of women pilots is 12.4%. India has a total of 8797 pilots out of which 1092 are women and 385 of these are women commanders or captains.

Globally, the total number of airline pilots is over 1.5 lakh of which 8061 are women out of which 2190 are flight captains.

Here are a few stats about female pilots with airlines in India:

  • IndiGo has the second highest percentage of women pilots at nearly 13.9%. Of the 2,689 pilots that IndiGo employs, 351 are women.
  • Of the 1,867 pilots in Jet Airways, 231 are women (12.4%)
  • SpiceJet has 853 pilots of which 113 are women (13.2%)
  • Air India, country’s pioneer in employing women pilots, has 1,710 pilots of which 217 are women pilots (12.7%).

In fact, IndiGo and Jet Airways are the only two carriers in the world, other than US-based carriers like United Airlines American Airlines, Delta Airlines and Southwest Airlines, where the number of female captains is currently in three digits.

At 299 female captains, United Airlines employs the largest number of women commanders in the world followed by American Airlines at 152 and Southwest at 121. IndiGo has 118 women commanders and Jet Airways 100.

In case you didn’t know, the percentage of female pilots in India has been way above the global average for quite some time now. In a report released by ISA+21 in 2006, the global percentage of women pilots was 5.9%. Back then, the percentage of women airline pilots in India was 11%, which still was double the global average.

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Pune Airport To Get Automatic Passport & Visa Scanning Gates!

Standing in serpentine queues and scrutiny by immigration officers could soon be a thing of the past at the Pune airport in Lohegaon.

The authorities at the facility are in the process of revamping the whole immigration setup. Under the new system, passengers will soon be able to scan their passports and visas at electronic immigration gates.

According to an airport official, A system is being designed under which, if a passenger has a valid passport and a visa, the gates will open and he/she can pass through.

At the moment, there are five immigration gates each in the arrival and departure areas, apart from three gates for those holding e-visas. The new system is expected to completely replace the existing system.

Of course, this does not mean there will be no immigration officers present. They will be there to monitor passengers movement. They can always question a passenger if the gates don’t open upon scanning or if they have doubts.

Airport officials are also working on developing another system to include a biometric scanner. This will enable passengers to authenticate themselves using their fingerprints.

The system is expected to roll out next year and is a part of the DigiYatra Programme.

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IndiGo Pilot Avoids Major Air Mishap At Chennai Airport!

It was a close shave for 40 passengers on board an IndiGo flight from  Rajahmundry to Chennai after a major air mishap was averted at Chennai Airport on Monday.

The plane’s second engine reportedly failed at the time of the landing, causing the pilot to declare Mayday.

IndiGo released a statement about the incident, saying that the pilot was forced to send the distress call after the aircraft suffered a technical glitch while landing. A full emergency had to be declared at Chennai airport following the incident.

The flight, 6E-7123, eventually landed at the airport after hovering for a while in the air. No passenger was injured during this incident.

Here are all the details of the incident:

  • The flight 6E 7124 with 51 persons, including four crew members, developed engine problem during its Rajamundry-Chennai flight
  • The pilot noticed shortly before its scheduled arrival time 5.45 pm that one of the two engines on the aircraft had failed
  • The pilot immediately alerted the ATC (air traffic control) tower at the Chennai airport, who told him to keep circling over the airport for about 30 minutes
  • ATC gave them clearance after taking all the precautionary and preparatory work for an emergency landing.
  • Great luck and skillful handling by the pilot saw the propeller aircraft land safely, without any injuries to any passengers of crew members.

The plane landed at about 6.15 pm and the visibly relieved passengers disembarked without panic.

Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has now ordered a probe into the engine failure and more importantly, on why the Chennai airport authorities, as well as the airlines, did not report the matter to the Authority as soon as it occurred.

Last Friday, another IndiGo aircraft had been involved in a possible air mishap after an IndiGo Airbus A320 Neo, flying from Lucknow to Kolkata, was forced to return to Lucknow following an issue with the aircraft’s engine. The flight 6E-866 returned to Lucknow, where it was grounded and the passengers were made to fly in an alternative plane

 

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