Aviation & Airports

[Sohan G]

In the Youtube video Amal has posted above, if I am not much mistaken we get a glimpse of a bit of the Southern highway under construction from the 1.15 to 1.23 mark. This should be the bit of the E01 between Galle and Matara as it passes by Koggala. As this video was uploaded recently, presumably it was recorded recently as well. By the looks of it, the section that is visible appears unpaved, but the video is not clear enough to comment absolutely positively on that.

[Praetorian]

Originally Posted by Sohan G

In the Youtube video Amal has posted above, if I am not much mistaken we get a glimpse of a bit of the Southern highway under construction from the 1.15 to 1.23 mark. This should be the bit of the E01 between Galle and Matara as it passes by Koggala. As this video was uploaded recently, presumably it was recorded recently as well. By the looks of it, the section that is visible appears unpaved, but the video is not clear enough to comment absolutely positively on that.

Wow great find.

I don;t think paving is the issue. It's preparing the ground/soil for paving (plus land aquisition, shaping), setting up proper draining systems, and bridge construction that takes the most time.

Paving can be done "very quickly".

They have already paved the section of road from the newly built toll plaza at Kottawa southwards to the currently used toll booth, connecting the two. When i went to this area towards the end of June 2012, that section looked akin to what you see in this video from the seaplane.

[Praetorian]

Hambantota Airport videos. Looks very good, i like the design, its unique.

However i highly doubt it will be finished by November this year.

[banuthev]

Mihin Lanka to take delivery of 3rd Aircraft..

read more at : http://www.airsrilanka.org/forum/sho...ull=1#post3457

[erathal]

Saffron Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, a joint venture between John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH), MMBL Leisure Holdings (Pvt) Limited and Phoenix Ventures Limited, signed an agreement with the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka to establish a domestic air taxi service in Sri Lanka with an initial investment of USD 6.8 million out of a total planned investment of USD 8.4 million.

The start-up fleet will consist of two Cessna 208 Caravan Amphibian aircraft (seating 9 passengers each) and one wheeled Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft (seating 12 passengers) that would provide the flexibility for the airline to operate from any of the domestic and international airportsas well as from waterdromes in Sri Lanka.

The domestic air taxi service, flying under the brand name 'Cinnamon Air' will fill a critical void in the current tourism offering in Sri Lanka by providing a unique service of scheduled daily flights linking the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) with key holiday locations on the South West coast, the East Coast (in the summer season), Kandy, the Cultural Triangle and Hambantota/Yala. Flights to and from the BIA will largely connect with arrival and departure flight timings of the National Carrier and all major international airlines serving Colombo.

The air taxi service will augment the overall visitor experience in Sri Lanka by significantly reducing the time spent by tourists on road transfers between the airport and hotels and on excursions, whilst providing passengers with a unique, panoramic view of the outstanding countryside and scenery.

The service will alsobe an important value addition to and benefit the several investments in upscale boutique hotel properties in the recent past, thus contributing significantly towards attracting high end tourism traffic to Sri Lanka. Whilst scheduled services will be retailed through all Tour Operators and Travel Agents and directly to customers via the internet, Cinnamon Air will also offer short scenic flights and charter flights to any part of the island for groups, cruise passengers and corporate travelers.

Commercial operations of Cinnamon Air are expected to commence in the last quarter of FY 2012. JKH is the largest listed company in the Colombo Stock Exchange with business interests primarily in Transportation, Leisure, Property, Consumer Foods and Retail, Financial Services and Information Technology, among others.

MMBL Leisure Holdings (Pvt) Limited is a fully owned subsidiary of Mercantile Merchant Bank Limited set up to explore investment opportunities of the tourism sector. Phoenix Ventures Limited is an investment holding company that is also the parent company of Brandix Lanka Limited and Phoenix Industries Limited.

Source

[banuthev]

According to Air Sri Lanka Forum, British Airways resumes Colombo flights.

[erathal]

State run Sri Lankan airlines is to take delivery of a new Dutch built A330 flight simulator early next year increasing the airline's capacity to offer flight simulator services to regional carriers, the airline said.
The new flight simulator will help train more pilots in the operation of wide-bodied Airbus A330 aircraft and provide advanced flight training services to airlines in India, Maldives, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
"There is a huge dearth of pilots in the region and we see a lot of potential for flight training in the subcontinent," Captain Druvi Perera, chief operations officer, Sri Lankan airlines said.

"We are discussing with two airlines and a training organization to offer our flight training courses," he said.

The A330 simulator is estimated to cost 13 million dollars and is likely to be bought on a ten year lease from Netherlands based SIM Industries, now part of US based Lockheed Martin, an aerospace, defence and security technology company.

The airline said the simulator certified for 'Level D' standard is identical to that of an actual aircraft and can artificially re-create aircraft flight, different weather conditions including air density, turbulence, cloud and precipitation.

The device can also simulate critical failures and adverse conditions.

The A330 simulator will be jointly marketed in the region by SriLankan airlines and Lockheed Martin for the training of pilots in the operation of Airbus A330 aircraft, Sri Lankan airlines said.

Sri Lankan airlines will be offering entire training courses including ground and simulator training with A320 and A330 type ratings.

The market rate for hourly training on a full flight simulator is between 375 to 450 dollars, the airline said.

A pilot usually gets around twenty two sessions or 90 hours on the simulator.


The A320 flight simulator installed at the airline's flight training school last year has helped to double the intake of cadet pilots, cut training costs and time Perera said.
Currently Sri Lankan airlines, budget carrier Mihin Lanka and third parties use the A320 simulator to train their pilots.

The device has a database of over thirty airports.

"We have the capacity to train about thirty cadet pilots a year and cut costs by around fifty percent by having a simulator here," the carrier's chief operations officer Captain Druvi Perera said.

"The time saved is around two to three months," he said.

Sri Lankan airlines said pilots mostly trained in Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, Hongkong, Bahrain and India before the A320 simulator was installed.

With the delivery of the A330 simulator, the transition of a pilot from one aircraft to another aircraft will be easier, Sri Lankan airlines said.

Source

[PIA777]

Originally Posted by banuthev

According to Air Sri Lanka Forum, British Airways resumes Colombo flights.

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120805/bus...2013-7625.html

[erathal]

SriLankan Airlines would add a second hangar to strengthen their engineering arm by the end of this year.

Cabin Maintenance Manager, SriLankan Airlines Engineering Department, D. P. Tilakaratne said that this would be situated near the ‘line maintenance’ office which would enable the free movement of aircraft without disturbing overall flight movements at the airport.

He said that one of the main reasons to go in for a second hangar is the high demand SriLankan Engineering is getting from third party airlines. “Our clean unblemished track record is of very high esteem and many airlines in the region including India and Pakistan send their aircraft for servicing, obtaining checks, painting and for other maintenance work.We have already carried out over 70 third party airline ‘checks which include 56 orders from Indio in India,” he said.

He added that the current hangar could house three aircraft while the new hangar could accommodate two more. “This hangar would generate additional income to the airline,” he said,

Source

[Amal]

BA launches Gatwick-Sri Lanka route

(UKPA) – 47 minutes ago

British Airways is launching a new service to Sri Lanka.

The airline will start three-times-a-week flights from Gatwick to Colombo on March 31 next year.

BA will operate Boeing 777 planes on the route, with flights operating via Male in the Maldives.

BA's Gatwick managing director, Silla Maizey, said: "This is such an exciting new route for us. The UK has the second largest number of tourists visiting Sri Lanka island after India."

Return flights start from £595.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukp...1345041088584A

[banuthev]

Question of the day ? http://www.airsrilanka.org/forum/sho...ull=1#post3623

[banuthev]

Ratmalana opens for international flights - http://www.airsrilanka.org/forum/sho...ull=1#post3663

[saraprobe]

[saraprobe]

In a blatant disregard for aviation rules and ignoring passenger safety, the pilot of a Sri Lankan Airlines flight (No. UL 172) bound for Colombo from Bengaluru International Airport, allegedly allowed two women to accompany him in the cockpit for the entire length of the journey.
Passengers on the flight, which took off from BIA around 9.15 pm on Friday, claimed that the two women travelled in the cockpit all through. The passengers, who were worried about their safety, protested.
According to Gowtham Udayashankar, a Bengaluru resident, who travelled by business class on the flight, the two women got into the cockpit immediately after the flight took off from BIA.
“The women were in seat nos. 6C and 9E. They spent whole travel time inside the cockpit. Even though passengers repeatedly requested them to come out, they did not,” he said.

According to Udayashankar, the women, who were carrying bottles of beer in their hand, claimed that the pilot was their cousin.
“The flight landed around 11.25 pm and passengers are still at the airport protesting. We will lodge a complaint with the airline authorities on Saturday,” he told Deccan Chronicle from Colombo.

AsianAge

[erathal]

SriLankan Airlines’ enters the new age of ‘iPad electronic flying’ by switching from using bulky mandatory paper manuals, to a sleek 662 gram iPad, as SriLankan becomes Asia’s first airline to use the iPad Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) starting August, 29 2012.

Pilots no longer need to lug 84 kilograms of paper manuals from aircraft to aircraft and from airport to airport and flip through pages, when the process is now streamlined to easy electronic searching. UL 205 bound for Muscat is the first flight to be operated utilising iPad Class 1 EFBs which are Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) that store all the information that are generally available in several paper manuals, physically carried by pilots for reference. The iPad EFB is an information management device displaying data intended primarily for flight-deck or cabin use. ‘SriLankan has taken the lead in Asia to revolutionise the flight deck, realising the vision of paperless flying and becoming Asia’s first airline to fly with iPad EFBs,’ said SriLankan’s Chairman, Nishantha Wickremasinghe.

“SriLankan will be the first customer airline to commence ‘digital flying’ using the Fokker iPAD CLASS 2 installation, on the Airbus A340, A330 and A320. Effectively, the process will make flying that much easier, more efficient, accurate and greatly help the airline’s bottom line, as millions of rupees will be saved,” said SriLankan’s Chief Executive Officer, Kapila Chandrasena. iPad EFB usage will also result in reduced weight on board and paper clutter in the cockpit; reduce fuel usage due to more accurate takeoff & landing, weight & balance calculations; improved safety with on-board performance calculations; ability to increase payload with ‘real time’ performance calculations; improved route decisions; and in the whole process, save aircraft engine lifetime. Paul-Franck BIJOU, Quovadis CEO, saId: ‘We are glad to be part of this initiative and to support SriLankan Airlines in moving to paperless operations. By choosing to implement both PBN and iPAD operations in 2012, SriLankan Airlines clearly shows its culture of continuous innovation.’

‘Implementing an EFB also requires the definition of new roles and processes to ensure a safe transition from paper to electronic data. Already selected by SriLankan Airlines to train its flight crews and dispatchers on Performance Based Navigation, Quovadis will support SriLankan Airlines in implementing the best practices, managing its documentation in electronic format and developing its operational approval package’ ensures Quovadis. By end October 2012, the entire technical flight crew of approximately 300 pilots will be using the iPad EFBs in the all Airbus fleet of A340s, A330s and A320 aircraft. ‘Fokker Services is very proud to have such a well-known and professional airline as SriLankan as the launch customer for our EFB solution in the Asia Pacific, and also for the complete Airbus narrow-body and wide-body family of aircraft,’ said Raj Ramanujam, VP Marketing & Sales, Asia Pacific at Fokker Services. ‘We strongly believe that this is the wave of the future and that our solution provides a cost-effective and flexible way of implementing the advantages of an EFB in any fleet. We look forward to working together with SriLankan on this exciting project.’

The ‘green’ benefits of using iPad EFBs are also immense as there will be a drastic reduction in the use of thousands of sheets of paper and printing. iPad EFB usage will save approximately 264,000 gallons of jet fuel per annum and in turn reduce tons of emissions.

SriLankan has become Asia’s first to get regulatory authorization from Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) for the use of the EFB and has opted for the EFB solution for iPad from Fokker Services in the Airbus A320’s, A330’s and A340’s and progressively introduce Airbus FlySmart Software to calculate aircraft performance and to refer all manuals. SriLankan will also use the JeppesonFliteDeck Pro to refer charts. “We extend our warm congratulations to our valued customer SriLankan Airlines for obtaining authorization to use their iPad EFB solution in operations,” said Thomas Wede, Jeppesen Senior Vice President and General Manager, Aviation. “JeppesenFliteDeck Pro on iPad will provide increased situational awareness and reduced workload for SriLankan pilots, and will improve overall operational efficiency at the airline.

We are impressed with their EFB leadership in the dynamic Asian market.” The aircraft maintenance Log-book which is arguably the most important document of the aircraft, is transferred into the versatile iPad, touch-screen device - a breakthrough for futuristic airlines, and this too will be incorporated soon into SriLankan’s foray into iPad assisted navigation. The Log-book brings flight operations and maintenance work together, which can be electronically transmitted in ‘real time’ while the aircraft is still air borne. Maintenance can then correlate the entry and have the necessary support ready in double-quick time.

The versatility of the iPad will also allow to introduce many more features directly related to passengers in the future. “Although a medium sized airline, we are pioneering a next generation pilots’ dream, achieving a milestone in the airline’s history. The iPad EFB usage will enhance operational efficiencies and greatly contribute to providing an efficient, seamless service to passengers’ said SriLankan’s Head of Flight Operations, Captain Navin De Silva.

The use of the iPad EFB drastically reduces job-related, error-prone paperwork. With the advancement of technology and newly certified products, visionary and futuristic airlines are realising the value of a paperless ‘cockpit’. Installation of an iPad EFB gives SriLankan a first step into the future of Crew Information Services. The vendor will eventually offer content, applications and services that connect all the data generated by an entire flight operation -- in the air, on the ground and in the hangar -- and make it meaningful to all users: pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, operations departments, airport users and other potential customers.

Source

[Amal]

Construction of Batticaloa domestic airport begins in Sri Lanka's East



Mon, Sep 3, 2012, 07:23 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Sept 03, Batticaloa: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today launched the project to construct a domestic airport in Batticaloa, the main Eastern Province town.

The President laid the foundation stone Monday for the construction of the passenger terminal building and runway of the Batticaloa airport.

The cost for the construction of 1700- meter long tarmac, access and flight landing areas has been estimated at Rs.800 million.

Sri Lanka Air Force is entrusted with the construction of passenger terminal with an estimated cost of Rs.20 million.

Domestic airport projects are launched to develop and facilitate the tourism industry and urgent movements.

Under the domestic airport projects, the Sir Lankan government plans to set up eight domestic airports in the country in Koggala, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Sigiriya, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Ampara, and Palaviya.

Ministers A. H. M. Fowzie, Priyankara Jayaratne, C. B. Ratnayake and Deputy Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan also participated in the event.

(Photos by Chandana Perera)

http://www.colombopage.com/archive_1...46680411CH.php

[Amal]

Doubts crop up over upcoming Madurai Colombo flight

September 6, 2012

R. SAIRAM

The recent tension over the presence of Sri Lankans in Tamil Nadu has caused trade bodies in southern districts worry over the prospects of international connectivity for Madurai as the first full-fledged international flight was scheduled from Colombo on September 20. While not going into the political aspects of the controversy, the trade bodies here, which had been campaigning for years to get international flights as a means to boost economic activity in the region, have expressed concern that if the first overseas flight were to get delayed or scrapped, it would have long-term negative consequence for Madurai Airport getting international connectivity.

B.S.G. Musthafa, president of Travel Club, told The Hindu that following the Sri Lankan Government’s negative advisory, there has been an immediate 40 per cent drop in passenger traffic from Tamil Nadu to Colombo.

This would have a dramatic impact on the many sectors heavily dependent on tourism in Tamil Nadu such as textile, jewellery, surface transport, airline and handicrafts.

“Everyday, there are seven flights between Chennai and Colombo and three flights between Tiruchi and Colombo with 2,800 passengers travelling between Colombo and Tamil Nadu. Most of the visitors come here for purchase or on pilgrimage.”

He expressed hope that the recent incidents would not affect Budget carrier SpiceJet’s plans to start services between Madurai and Colombo from September 20.

S. Rethinavelu, senior president of Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, urged the State Government to provide an assurance to Sri Lankan visitors that they would be given security and also that the trade activities would be safe.

FULL STORY http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle3863209.ece

[Amal]

Bahrain welcomes Mihin Lanka flight

Manama: 52 minutes ago

The Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) recently welcomed the inaugural flight of Sri Lanka-based low-cost airline, Mihin Lanka, to the kingdom.

The new milestone of Mihin Lanka, an airline 100 per cent owned by the government of Sri Lanka, is a reflection of its progressively growing operations, a statement from BAC said. The ceremony was attended by top officials of BAC, Mihin Lanka, airport and government officials.

Mihin Lanka’s commercial flight service, using its Airbus fleet between Sri Lanka and Bahrain, is expected to bolster tourism and commercial ties between the two countries.

Mohamed Khalil, the vice president of commercial and marketing, Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), said: “The inaugural flight of Mihin Lanka to Bahrain has further strengthened the kingdom’s position as an emerging hub for airlines in the Mena region.”

FULL STORY: http://www.tradearabia.com/news/TTN_222776.html

[Amal]

Originally Posted by Amal

Bahrain welcomes Mihin Lanka flight

Manama: 52 minutes ago

The Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) recently welcomed the inaugural flight of Sri Lanka-based low-cost airline, Mihin Lanka, to the kingdom.

The new milestone of Mihin Lanka, an airline 100 per cent owned by the government of Sri Lanka, is a reflection of its progressively growing operations, a statement from BAC said. The ceremony was attended by top officials of BAC, Mihin Lanka, airport and government officials.

Mihin Lanka’s commercial flight service, using its Airbus fleet between Sri Lanka and Bahrain, is expected to bolster tourism and commercial ties between the two countries.

Mohamed Khalil, the vice president of commercial and marketing, Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), said: “The inaugural flight of Mihin Lanka to Bahrain has further strengthened the kingdom’s position as an emerging hub for airlines in the Mena region.”

FULL STORY: http://www.tradearabia.com/news/TTN_222776.html

Mihin Lanka launches regular Colombo to Bahrain service

Posted 6 September 2012 ·

Sri Lanka's low-cost carrier Mihin Lanka has launched five-weekly services connecting Colombo and Bahrain.



Mihin Lanka’s commercial flight service, using its Airbus fleet between Sri Lanka and Bahrain, is expected to bolster tourism and commercial ties between the two countries.

In his welcome remarks at the landing of the Mihin Lanka’s inaugural flight at Bahrain International Airport, Mr. Mohamed Khalil VP Commercial and Marketing Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) lauded the airline’s steady growth by adding “The inaugural flight of Mihin Lanka to Bahrain has further strengthened the Kingdom’s position as an emerging hub for airlines in the MENA region,” he said.

“Bahrain international Airport will remain committed in providing its excellent services to all airlines and passengers at the airport as we endeavor in promoting airline success and leading partnership initiatives going forward, and we welcome the latest addition of Mihin Lanka,” Mr. Mohamed Khalil, added.



Mihin Lanka will initially operate five flights a week to Bahrain scheduled for Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

Prior to adding Bahrain to its network, Mihin Lanka - a budget carrier which has been operating since April 2007 - flew to seven destinations namely Trichy, Gaya and Varanasi in the Indian sub-continent, Dubai and Sharjah in the Middle East and Dhaka and Jakarta in the Far East.

“Together with our code share partner SriLankan Airlines, Mihin will provide convenient connections to destinations in India, Far East and other destinations,” Capt Pujitha Jayakody - Director Flight operations and Training for Mihin Lanka said.

Mihin Lanka currently operates an all Airbus fleet & has plans to expand its fleet further with the introduction of its third aircraft expected in November as well as adding flights to Madurai, Delhi and Katmandu during the winter schedule.

“We are pleased to partner with Bahrain International Travel (BIT) as our General Sales Agent in Bahrain with effect from 1st August 2012,” Capt Pujitha added.

http://www.arabianaerospace.aero/mih...aign=news_feed

[banuthev]

Colombo CMB proposed terminal update - http://www.airsrilanka.org/forum/sho...ull=1#post3755