Latest News
-
What were the names of the two pilots that flew the Air India jet which crashed?
In a preliminary report, investigators investigating a fatal Air India crash stated that the aircraft's fuel switches had been briefly flipped into the off position. This caused confusion in the cockpit which focused attention on the Boeing 787 pilots. Here is a short profile of both pilots, based on media reports and the preliminary investigation report: CAPTAIN SUMEET SABHARWAL The 56-year old pilot had a valid airline transport pilot's license until May 14, 2026. He was cleared to fly in the role of pilot-in command on a number of aircraft, including the Boeing 787, 777 and Airbus A310. He has a total of 15,638 flying hours. Of these, 8,596 were spent on a Boeing 7. According to a report in the Times of India, Sabharwal called his family at the airport and assured them that he would call again once he landed in London. He was described as a gentleman by a pilot who briefly spoke with him. FIRST OFFICER CLIVE KUNDER The 32-year old had a commercial license that was issued in 2020, and it was valid until 26 September 2025. He was cleared to fly the Cessna 172, Piper PA-34 Seneca and Airbus A320 as well as Boeing 787 as a co-pilot. His total flying time was 3,403 hrs. One-hundred and twenty eight hours were spent as a copilot on a 787. Indian media, citing his family, reported that Kunder has been a passionate flyer since his school days. In 2012, he began working as a pilot. He joined Air India as a pilot in 2017. Reporting by Abhijith and Adityakalra, editing by Jamie Freed
-
Air India's Boeing Dreamliner crash: Inside the cockpit
The preliminary report on the Air India crash, which killed 260 people in the last month, showed that the fuel cutoff switches for the engines were almost simultaneously switched from run to shutoff. This deprived the engines of fuel. The sequence of events on June 12 is detailed in the preliminary report by Indian investigators, released on Saturday. Air India Dreamliner VTANB landed at Ahmedabad as AI423 at 05:47 GMT. 07:48 GMT - An aircraft was seen departing Bay 34 of the airport. The aircraft asked for taxi clearance which was granted to it by the air traffic control. A minute later, the aircraft taxied backwards and lined up in preparation for takeoff. 08:02 GMT - The aircraft has been transferred from tower to ground control. Take-off clearance has been issued at 08:07 GMT. The aircraft began rolling at 08:07 GMT. Aircraft lifted off at 08:08 GMT. The report stated that "the aircraft air/ground sensor switched to air mode in accordance with liftoff." Aircraft reached maximum airspeed of 180 knots at 08:08 GMT. "Immediately after, the Engine 1 fuel cutoff switch and Engine 2 fuel shutoff switch transitioned one by one from RUN to CUTOFF with a gap of 1 sec." The Engine N1 and N2 started to degrade from their takeoff values when the fuel supply was cut off. In the cockpit recording, one pilot is heard asking another why he cut off. The other pilot replied that he didn't do it The airport's CCTV footage shows Ram Air Turbines (RAT) being deployed immediately after take-off. The aircraft began to lose height before crossing the perimeter wall of the airport. The RAT hydraulic pump started supplying power at 08:08 GMT. Both engines "passed the minimum idle speed". The fuel cutoff switch for Engine 1 has been changed from CUTOFF (stop) to RUN (run). The fuel cutoff switch for Engine 2 also changes from CUTOFF (stop) to RUN at 08:08 PM GMT. When fuel control switches from CUTOFF are changed to RUN during flight, the full authority dual engine controls (FADECs) of each engine automatically manage a relighting and thrust recovery sequence. Engine 1's core speed deceleration halted, reversed, and began to recover. Engine 2 could relight, but it was unable to stop core speed deceleration. Fuel was repeatedly added to the engine to increase core acceleration and recovery. The pilot who sent "MAYDAY Mayday Mayday" at 08:09 GMT. 08:09 GMT - Data recording has stopped. (Reporting by Aditya Kalra; Editing by Jamie Freed) 08:14.44 GMT - Crash Fire tender leaves the airport premises to rescue and fight fires. (Reporting and editing by Jamie Freed; Aditya Klra)
-
What is the fuel switch at the heart of the Air India crash investigation?
Investigators' preliminary report on the Air India crash, which killed 260 people, revealed that the Boeing 787 aircraft's fuel control switches had been briefly turned off seconds after takeoff. This deprived the engines of fuel. Here are some facts about switches, their function in the aircraft, and their movement on an Air India flight. What are fuel switches? These switches regulate the fuel flow to a plane's engine. Pilots use them to shut down or start engines manually on the ground, or to shut down or restart an engine if it fails during flight. Experts in aviation say that a pilot could not accidentally move fuel switches feeding the engines. If moved, however, it would immediately cut off the engine's power. According to John Cox, an aviation safety expert from the United States, there are separate power systems and wirings for the fuel shutoff switches and fuel valves that they control. Where are the fuel switches located? The fuel control switches are located under the thrust levers on a 787. In Air India's example, they were equipped with two GE engine. The switches have a spring loaded mechanism that keeps them in place. The pilot must first lift the switch and then change it from cutoff to run. There are two different modes: 'CUTOFF" and "RUN". What happened on the fatal AIR INDIA flight? According to the flight recording, after takeoff switches for both engines were switched from "RUN" to "CUTOFF", one after the other, with a gap of one sec. The engines started to lose power as a result. On the cockpit voice recording, one pilot is heard asking the other pilot why he has cut off the fuel. The report stated that "the other pilot replied that he had not done so." The flight's first officer and captain did not make any specific remarks. The preliminary report states that the switches were flipped back into 'RUN" seconds later. The report said that both fuel control switches had been found in the "RUN" position on the crash site. The report stated that when fuel control switches from 'CUTOFF to RUN' are changed while an aircraft is flying, the control system of each engine automatically manages the relighting and thrust recovery sequences for ignition and fuel injection. John Nance, an aviation safety expert from the United States, said that "no sane person would turn off those switches in flight," particularly as the plane was just beginning to climb. (Reporting from Abhijith Gaapavaram, New Delhi; Dan Catchpole, Seattle; editing by Jamie Freed).
-
Air India's Boeing Dreamliner crash: Inside the cockpit
The preliminary report on the Air India crash, which killed 260 people in the last month, showed that the fuel cutoff switches for the plane's engine were almost simultaneously switched from run to shutoff. This deprived the engines of fuel. The sequence of events on June 12 is detailed in the preliminary report by Indian investigators, released on Saturday. Air India Dreamliner VTANB landed at Ahmedabad as AI423 at 05:47 GMT. 07:48 GMT - An aircraft was seen departing Bay 34 of the airport. 07:55 GMT - Air traffic control granted the taxi clearance to the aircraft. A minute later, the aircraft took Taxiway R4 from the bay and proceeded on the Runway 23. 08:02 GMT - The aircraft has been transferred from tower to ground control. Take-off clearance has been issued at 08:07 GMT. The aircraft began rolling at 08:07 GMT. Aircraft lifted off at 08:08 GMT. The report stated that "the aircraft air/ground sensor switched to air mode in accordance with liftoff." Aircraft reached maximum airspeed of 180 knots at 08:08 GMT. "Immediately thereafter, Engine 1 and Engine 2 Fuel Cutoff Switches transitioned one by one from RUN to the CUTOFF position with a time interval of 1 sec." The Engine N1 and N2 started to degrade from their takeoff values when the fuel supply was cut off. In the cockpit recording, a pilot is heard asking another why he cut off. The other pilot replied that he didn't do it The airport's CCTV footage shows Ram Air Turbines (RAT) being deployed immediately after take-off. The aircraft began to lose height before crossing the perimeter wall of the airport. The RAT hydraulic pump started supplying power at 08:08 GMT. Both engines "passed the minimum idle speed". The fuel cutoff switch for Engine 1 has been changed from CUTOFF (stop) to RUN (run). The fuel cutoff switch for Engine 2 also changes from CUTOFF (stop) to RUN at 08:08 PM GMT. When fuel control switches from CUTOFF are changed to RUN during flight, the full authority dual engine controls (FADECs) of each engine automatically manage a relighting and thrust recovery sequence. Engine 1's core speed deceleration stopped and reversed. It then started to recover. Engine 2 could relight, but it was unable to stop core speed deceleration. Fuel was repeatedly added to the engine to increase core acceleration and recovery. The pilot who sent "MAYDAY Mayday Mayday" at 08:09 GMT. 08:09 GMT - Data recording has stopped. (Reporting by Aditya Kalra; Editing by Jamie Freed) 08:14.44 GMT - Crash Fire tender leaves the airport premises to rescue and fight fires. (Reporting and editing by Jamie Freed; Aditya Klra)
-
Firefly, a space and defense company, filed its US IPO in 2024. Revenue growth is projected to be at least 20%.
Firefly Aerospace, a space and defense technology firm backed by AE Industrial Partners, disclosed on Friday a 10% increase in revenue for 2024 in its filing to go public in the United States. Firefly reported a revenue of $60,8 million in 2024 compared to $55.2 millions the previous year. Investors are returning to the U.S. IPO Market after months of sluggishness earlier this year, triggered by policy changes and tariff uncertainty under Donald Trump. "There's a window of opportunities' in space-related IPOs", said IPOX CEO Josef Schuster. He added that there is a strong appetite from investors for space-related offerings. This is due to the enthusiasm for the growth prospects in the space sector. When Voyager Technologies, a space firm, and Karman Holdings debuted their listings in the first quarter of this year, they received warm welcomes. Firefly, based in Texas, designs and manufactures small- and medium-lift launch vehicles as well as lunar landers and orbital transfer vehicle. First Moon landing In March, the Blue Ghost spacecraft will join a few private companies in the global race to the moon. Firefly Secured a Value of $2 Billion In a funding round in November 2024. It plans to list on Nasdaq with the symbol "FLY". Goldman Sachs is the lead underwriter for this offering. JPMorgan, Jefferies, and Wells Fargo will also be involved. (Reporting and editing by Pooja Deai in Bengaluru, with Prakhar Srivastava from Bengaluru)
-
The key events of the Air India crash investigation
The preliminary report on the Air India crash, which killed 260 people, revealed that the fuel cutoff switches for the engines were switched from run to off almost simultaneously seconds after takeoff. This deprived the engines of fuel. The timeline below shows the key events of the investigation so far: JUNE 12 Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner headed for London crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, killing all 242 passengers on board except one. JUNE 13 India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau launches an investigation in the deadliest aircraft crash of the past decade. The team includes a representative from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, a flight traffic controller, and an aviation medicine specialist. Boeing 787 jets are equipped with two GE recorders. One is installed in the front of the jet and the other at the back. Both aircraft have a cockpit data recorder as well as a voice recorder. A black box is recovered on the roof of a nearby building. JUNE 16 The second blackbox unit was recovered from the debris on the crash site. JUNE 24 Indian Air Force aircraft transported the two black boxes separately from Ahmedabad, India to a lab at AAIB in Delhi. The team, led by the AAIB Director General and technical members of AAIB as well as the NTSB, began the data extraction in the evening. JUNE 25 The data from the memory module of the black box unit at the front end of the aircraft was successfully downloaded. In a report from 2014, the NTSB stated that the forward recorder has an independent power supply which provides backup power for the device for approximately 10 minutes in the event of a plane's loss of power. JULY 12 The preliminary report indicated that no action was recommended to Boeing or GE, indicating that a fault with the aircraft or engine is unlikely. The report said that one pilot could be heard asking the other pilot on the cockpit recording why he had cut off the gas. The report stated that "the other pilot replied that he had not done so." The crash report did not specify which flight captain made the remarks and which first officer. Nor did it identify which pilot sent out "Mayday Mayday Mayday" before the crash. The final report should be ready within one year after the accident. Reporting by Abhijith Gaapavaram, New Delhi. Editing by Jamie Freed
-
India discovers engine switch movement during fatal Air India crash; Boeing and GE do not take immediate action
The preliminary report on the Air India crash, which killed 260 people, revealed that three seconds after takeoff, the aircraft's fuel cutoff switches switched from run to off almost simultaneously, depriving the engine of fuel. According to the report published on Saturday by Indian aviation investigators, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner immediately started to lose thrust and sank down. On the cockpit voice recording, one pilot is heard asking the other pilot why he stopped the fuel. The report stated that "the other pilot replied that he had not done so." The crash report did not specify which flight captain made the remarks and which first officer. Nor did it identify which pilot sent out "Mayday Mayday Mayday" before the crash. The preliminary report does not mention how the switch on the flight to London from Ahmedabad, India, could have been flipped. John Cox, an aviation safety expert from the United States, said that a pilot could not accidentally move fuel switches feeding the engines. He said that a pilot would not be able to accidentally move the fuel switches that feed engines. The engines are cut off almost instantly by pressing the switch. Most often, it is used to shut down the engines once an aircraft has reached its gate at the airport or in emergency situations such as a fire. The report did not mention any emergency that would have required an engine cutoff. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau stated that "at this stage of the investigation, there are currently no recommended actions for Boeing 787-8 engine operators or manufacturers and/or GE GEnx-1B engines" Air India, Boeing, and GE Aviation didn't immediately respond to requests for comments. The investigation is being led by the agency under the Indian civil aviation ministry. Reporting by Hritam Mukerjee in Bengaluru and Gursimran Khur in New Delhi. Additional reporting by Allison Lampert and David Shepardson, in Washington, and Rajesh Kumar Singh, in Chicago. Writing and editing by Jamie Freed.
-
US port operators try to reduce the expected high tariffs on Chinese-built cranes
The U.S. Seaport Operators are requesting extra time for the implementation of pending tariffs against towering ship to shore cranes. They expect that President Donald Trump’s administration will follow through with a promise to ban this vital cargo handling equipment. In early this year, the United States Trade Representative proposed tariffs up to 100 percent on these cranes. This was after China sucked up market share to gain commercial and military dominance in the oceans. China, through its state-owned Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries(ZMPC), has now dominated the global market. It has also supplied 80% of ship-to shore cranes to the United States. ZPMC operates more than 200 cranes across two dozen U.S. port locations, including Houston Los Angeles, and New York. Each crane costs between $10 million and $20 million. The Trump administration has made it a priority to stop this trend. In meetings, officials said they would put an end to these purchases. Carl Bentzel is the president of the National Association of Waterfront Employers, which represents terminal operators, and other groups. Bentzel responded, "I have been operating on the assumption that this is the minimum." When asked if he anticipated the tariff rate would be around 100%, Bentzel replied, "I have been operating under that position. This is basically a ban on using Chinese-made cargo equipment." USTR and White House didn't immediately comment. Trump isn't the first U.S. president to pressure ports to purchase cranes at higher prices from manufacturers who have ties with U.S. Allies. These include Konecranes in Finland, Mitsui E&S in Japan, and Liebherr, based out of Switzerland. Joe Biden placed 25% tariffs in 2024 on cranes that connect ship to shore from China after the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency all publicly announced that China had sought to preposition vulnerabilities in American critical infrastructure including port equipment. Officials from the United States also warned that software, modems and other technologies in this equipment could be used to spy on military operations or as kill switches for port operations. Ports and terminal operators continue to buy Chinese cranes despite their lower cost. The inaction of the port operators is based on the desire to save money in the short term. However, they are underestimating the cost in the long run. William Henagan was the director for critical infrastructure in the National Security Council during Biden's tenure. In May, U.S. port operator and ZMPC representatives wrote to USTR to say that security concerns related to cranes were out-of-proportion to the risks. In May, USTR received letters from U.S. port operators and representatives of ZMPC stating that security concerns related to the cranes were out of proportion with the risk. NAWE, an industry organization that represents terminal operators, has been working hard to reduce the impact of new tariffs. They are asking for exemptions on previously ordered cranes, and for a transitional period before the new duties take effect. Bentzel stated, "We have chosen to work together."
Electric truck sales soar in China, a new blow for diesel.
The rapid growth of electric-powered heavy trucks in China is largely due to subsidies and the rapid rollouts of chargers. This has further reduced diesel use and lowered oil demand for the world's largest crude importer.
In recent years, the growth of LNG-powered trucks and electric cars has fueled a boom in sales of electric trucks in China. These factors, along with a slowing economy, have led to a decline in oil consumption.
According to Sublime China Information, the consulting firm, sales in the largest market for energy trucks in the world rose 175% on an annual basis to 76.100 units in the first six months of the year. This represents about a quarter or new truck sales. Over 90% of the increase was attributed to electric models. These are still mainly used for short hauls in ports, mines and steel mills.
Analysts have been surprised by the rapid pace of change. They have revised their diesel demand forecasts and shifted forward their predictions on a peak Chinese oil demand.
SCI analyst Xu Lei has cut his firm's China Diesel Demand expectations by 1% to 2% due to the boom in electric trucks sales.
Ye Lin, vice-president at Rystad, said that the surge in electric heavy vehicles was a shock and is now a factor accelerating China’s oil consumption, which will peak this year. He had originally expected it to peak in 2026.
Rystad estimates that the transport sector will burn about two thirds of China's diesel by 2030. This means that overall diesel consumption in China will be reduced by about one quarter from 2024 levels.
According to SCI, diesel consumption is expected to drop by 11.3 millions tons or 6.3% this year, which is the same as last year.
"BEIJING TO YOUNNAN"
Li Shuai drove a diesel truck for more than six-years before switching to an electric vehicle six months ago. He drives a cement truck in Hebei Province near Beijing.
Li, 38, stated that "charging infrastructure has significantly improved in the last half year making things more convenient." It is possible to drive a truck full of goods from Beijing to Yunnan, a distance of more than 2,000 kilometers.
Charge times of up to 90 minutes, and the limited availability of chargers in certain areas, are still issues.
Teld, a provider of EV charging infrastructure that has installed more than 2,400 truck-charging stations in China, opened a 800 km corridor linking Shanxi to Shandong provinces on March 1, a major route through China's coal producing region.
In a dusty parking lot, there are car and truck charging stations side-by-side. Yongji Liu, the owner of the charging station, had initially only intended to service EVs. However, "the electric trucks market is growing at such a rapid pace that we have also installed chargers" for trucks.
Cheaper than Alternatives
Analysts and truckmakers say that the boom in electric trucks is due partly to the cheap electricity and the government subsidies of up to 95,000 Yuan ($13,264), which were introduced last July, for new vehicles.
Diesel trucks may be cheaper initially, but higher fuel prices make them more costly after one million kilometers.
According to GL Consulting, once fuel costs are included, diesel trucks will cost approximately 2.25 million yuan (314,000 dollars) at the one million kilometer mark. This is roughly 10% higher than LNG trucks, and 15% higher than electric trucks.
According to SCI analyst Wang Neng, rising fuel prices have also reduced the advantage LNG trucks enjoy in terms of price. Limited refueling stations have also hindered growth.
SCI predicts that LNG truck sales will be around 92,000 units during the first half of the year, down 15% compared to a year ago, but the rapid adoption of electric vehicles is more than compensating for the drop in diesel consumption.
Sany, China's second best-selling electric truck manufacturer, says that the growth potential of electric trucks is greater than passenger EVs due to lower operating costs.
Zhaoting Yue is SANY's Vice President of International Marketing. She said, "We expect electric trucks to represent 70% to 80% new sales in as little as 2 to 3 years due to lower operating costs and a more comprehensive charging infrastructure." ($1 = 7.1625 Chinese Yuan)
(source: Reuters)