Category Archives: Transport

First Woman Guard appointed in Indian Railways for Freight Train Services . July 2013 .

D. Mohini Kumari, a woman has been appointed for the first time in history of the South Central Railways (SCR) as a ‘Guard’ for the Goods/Freight trains.

Mohini Kumari, a graduate,  was initially appointed in 2006 as a clerk, on compassionate grounds after the death of her husband. She subsequently qualified for the post of Guard after a departmental examination and subsequently underwent training in Secuderabad.  Mohini Kumari, the 43-year old graduate took charge of her new position as ‘Guard’ on Friday, July 26th, 2013.

First Assistant Chief of Naval Staff ( Air Materiel ). July 2013 .

Rear Admiral Srinivas Kanugo assumed responsibility as the First Flag Officer of the newly created post of ‘ Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air Materiel)  [ACNS/AM] at the Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy) on Wednesday, July 17th, 2013.

This new post has been created with a single point responsibility for all matters related to aviation technical management of the rapidly growing air arm of the Indian Navy. He will have 3 sub-directorates looking at air logistics, plans/procurement and perspectives and systems engineering, as well as responsibilty for air technical manpower management.

Interestingly Rear Admiral Kanugo will report to the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Pradeep Chatterjee and not the Chief of Materiel, Vice Admiral N N Kumar. This is due to the inherently operational side imperative of air maintenance, which can present an operational tempo different to the other, more traditional arms of the Navy.

The air arm of the Indian Navy operates over 200 aircraft with over 20 different types including fighters, fixed wing maritime reconnaissance aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles etc.

New infrastructure needs of the Indian Navy which recently marked its Diamond Jubilee are being added with new air stations like INS Parundu in Ramnathapuram, INS Baaz in Campbell Bay and several other multiple enclaves across the country. The Air arm of the Indian Navy is growing at a fast pace and the Indian Navy is not restricted to just being a Green Water Navy. ( Green Water means the fleet comprises only battle ships while the Blue Water Navy includes the possession of aircraft as well ).

Rear Admiral Srinivas Kanugo grew up in Hyderabad and did his schooling in many places in the State including a local government school and in Nagarjunasagar. He pursued his Engineering in JNTU College of Engineering, Anantapur. He joined the Indian Navy via his selection to ‘Indian Navy’s University Entry Scheme’ wherein his final years fees was paid by the Navy. Commissioned in 1981 he opted for the aviation stream of the Indian Navy, while the other two streams being submarine and ships. He pursued his Masters from the Institute of Armament Technology, Pune

During his 32 years of commissioned services in the Indian Navy – Rear Admiral Srinivas Kanugo has been Director of the Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology at Kochi. The Chief Controller of Naval Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service. He held the post of Commodore Superintendent Naval Aircraft Yard – Kochi. He was also the Chief Staff Officer(Technical)at the Headquarter Naval Aviation, and the Principal Director at the Directorate of Naval Air Materiel at the Head Quarter, Ministry of Defence(Navy).

He was awarded Vishist Sewa Medal (VSM) in 2013 for his outstanding service and contribution to the Indian Navy.

First Commercial order for Polaris India’s ATV’s from Gujarat Police . July 2013 .

Polaris India Pvt.Ltd has bagged its first commercial order in India from Gujarat Police for its model Ranger RZR S 800 All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV).

The RZR S 800 is specifically designed to take on off-road terrain. It has a high revving 760cc fuel injected petrol twin-cylinder engine that puts out 54 bhp. The ATV can catapult the Ranger RZR S from 0-100 Km/h in about 5.4 seconds which is sports/race car category.

The scope of the contract includes on and offsite training, maintenance and after sales support. The vehicle will help Gujarat Police in areas like routine patrols in inaccessible terrains, coastal patrol, rapid pursuit operations, maintaining vigil around sensitive and hi-security zones to name a few.

Speaking on the development Mr. Pankaj Dubey, MD, Polaris India said ” ATV’s are used by Police forces across the globe. This is for the first time that our ATV’s will be used by the police in India. Polaris has demonstrated All- Terrain Vehicles (ATV) to the Defence, Police and Para Military forces, as these can be used in beach patrolling, dense forest, marshy land, rocky and rough terrain “. Polaris India is a fully owned subsidiary of Polaris Industries Inc., a world leader in off-road and  All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV).

India’s First Private Shipyard to receive Warship Production Licence. October 2010 .

Pipavav Defence & Offshore Engineering Company Ltd. became the first Indian private shipyard in the country to receive a Warship production licence and contract to build warships and other naval assets for the Indian Navy from the Indian Government.It is promoted by the SKIL Group. Ocotber 2010.

Pipavav has India’s largest shipyard at the Gulf of Cambay, Pipavav, Rajula in Gujarat on the West Coast. It has India’s largest Dry Dock (662m x 65m) and the Worlds 2nd largest and is capable of accomodating ships of upto 400,000 DWT. Pipavav has India’s largest shipyard cranes. It is in the process of adding another Dry Dock adjacent to the existing facility on the South Western coast of Gujarat.

It is also the first Private company to form a joint-venture with the State owned naval defence major Mazagon Dock Limited. This joint-venture will bid for orders with other private companies from Indian Navy and the Coast Guard.

Pipavav has won many awards

http://www.pipavavshipyard.com

Diamler India exports first-batch of Fuso Trucks from Chennai. June 2013 .

Diamler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV)exported the first shipment of 64 Fuso trucks manufactured at its Oragadam plant. The trucks exported are in the 9-, 12- and 25 tonne range.

Marc Llistosella, Managing Director & CEO, DICV said ‘This is a realisation of our promise to export from Chennai”

The Fuso trucks are headed towards Sri Lanka as a part of Diamler India’s (DICV)commitment to export to various countries in Asia and Africa. Sri Lanka will be followed by Bangaldesh, Zambia, Kenya and Brunei later this year.

The Fuso brand of trucks, owned by Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), is a member of the Diamler Trucks Division of Diamler AG, which owns 89.29% per cent stake in the Corporation.

Diamler India (DICV) is a 100% wholly owned subsidiary of German automotive giant Diamler AG. The Oragadam (Chennai) plant alongwith the Kawasaki plant in Japan will be Diamler’s two global competence centres. Although the new lineup will be branded Mitsubishi Fuso in export markets, in India they will be branded as Bharat Benz – Diamler’s India brand.

Oragadam is an industrial hub to the west, in the outskirts of Chennai where DICV in its plant spread over 400 acres ,produces the Bharat Benz range of trucks for the domestic market.

India’s first giant Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlifter enroute to its new home. June 2013 .

The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) first giant Boeing C-17 Globemaster III (tail no. CB-8001)has taken off, after its transfer ceremony held in Long Beach, California on Tuesday, June 11th, 2013. The IAF is flying its first heavy-lift strategic transport plane, on its more than 8,000 mile journey to its new home at the Hindon Air Force Station (outside Delhi), where the squadron will be based.

Nearly a year ago, Indian Consul General Shri. N Parthasarathi stood on the floor of the Boeing Co. C-17 Globemaster III production plant, drilling ceremonial rivets into the first of the 10 military planes bound for India.

” The C-17 will equip the IAF with amongst the world’s most advanced humanitarian and strategic capabilities ” said Air Vice Marshall SRK Nair, Assitant Chief of Air Staff Operation Transport and Helicopter. The IAF’s capability to swiftly transport combat troops and war-fighting equipment to distant battle fronts will be hugely bolstered with the induction of the C-17’s aircraft that will augment their air lift capacity.

The giant Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, a high-wing, four engine, T-tailed military transport aircraft can take off from short runaway of as little as 7,600 feet in length and land on runaways as short as 3,000 feet. It can fly 2,400 miles without aerial refuelling – flying longer with refuelling and carry as much as 80 tons of cargo. Th C-17’s are as much valued for their cargo capacity, the ability to fly long distances, their versatility and ability to land on remote airfields in rough terrain.

The first C-17 arrives in India almost exactly after 2 years of the deal being signed in June 2011. The $4.116 billion deal for 10 aircraft will make India the largest operator of the aircraft outside of the U.S.  India became Boeings’s largest foreign customer when it endorsed the $ 4 billion deal to purchase the C-17’s. Boeing is on track to deliver 4 more this years and 5 more to the IAF in 2014.

Once the deliveries are done, it will make the IAF the operator of the 2nd largest fleet of C-17’s after the US Air Forces’ current 218 strong inventory. The UK currently holds the status with the Royal Air Force operating 8 of the type.

Boeing will support the IAF C-17 fleet through the Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program (GISP) Performance-Based Logistics Contract.

India’s airline – Air India’s first long-haul airservice to London from Bombay . June 1948 .

Air India then run by the Chairman, J.R.D.Tata (known as Father of Indian Civil Aviation) created aviation history in its inaugral flight the ‘Malabar Princess'(registered VT-CQP), a 40-seater Lockheed Constellation L-749A aircraft to London Heathrow from Bombay (Mumbai)via Cairo and Geneva on Tuesday, June 08th, 1948 with Captain K.R.Guzdar in command. The National carrier of India was launched as an International Airline.

Months of meticulous planning had finally paid off. Carefully selected staff members wre alloted to the new operation. New staff were recruited and Air India offices were opened in Cairo, Geneva and London. The Cairo office was set up by F.Nariman, G.Bertoli took charge of the Geneva operations and London was headed by M.A.S.Dalal, where Air India had a very small set up at London Airport.

This was the airlines first long-haul flight, a milestone in the history of Indian Civil Aviation, soon followed by a service in 1950 to Nairobi via Aden. This beautiful silver state-of-the-art Lockheed Constellation aircraft bearing the  tricolour was the finest that money could buy.

‘Malabar Princess’ arrived in London in the early hours of June 10th taking a little more than 24 hours. For the second leg of the journey from Cairo, Captain D.K.Jatar was in command.

After World War II, a regular commercial service was restored in India, and Tata Airlines became a public limited company on July 29th, 1946 under the name Air India. In 1948 after, after the independence of India, 49% of the airline was acquired by the Government of India, with an option to purchase an additional 2%. In return the airline was granted status to operate international service from India as the designated flag carrier under the name Air India International.

In 1948 only a few airlines existed and not many countries had their own international operations. India had achieved a notable milestone, ahead of others that night.

India commissions its first Pilatus trainer aircraft . June 2013 .

The Indian Air Force(IAF) formally inducted the first 12 of its 75 Swiss manufactured Pilatus PC-7 Mk11 basic training aircraft into operational service at a ceremony at the premier academy Dundigal AirForce Academy near Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh) on June 07th, 2013.

Minister of State for Defense Jitendra Singh unveiled the tandem-seat turboprop aircraft that is capable of aerobatics as well as tactical night flying. This marked the first formal flight of the Basic Trainer Aircraft. All the 75 aircraft are expected to be delivered by August 2015.

Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshall N.A.K.Browne said the Pilatus will be the ‘ideal platform’ to expose initial trainees to basic flying, modern avionics and navigation aids. This aircraft will be used to train all pilots of the IAF, in addition to pilots of the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard.

Apart from an integrated ground-based training system and a comprehensive support package, the contract requires the company to implement the required transfer of technology to Hindustan Aeronautics, enabling establishment of in-country depot-level maintenance facilities to support the aircraft, throughout its 30-year service life.

India’s first fully fledged fighter aircraft base in South India . May 2013.

The first ever fighter base in the Southern Peninsula was inaugrated in Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu), by Defence Minister A.K. Anthony on Monday, May 27th, 2013.

The Indian Air Force (IAF)under the control of the Southern Air Command is stationing its most lethal Sukhoi Su-30MK1 super manoueverable combat aircraft. The full Sukhoi squadron (16 to 18 jets) will be deployed at the base by 2017. So far India has inducted over 170 of the 272 Sukhoi 30 MKI’s contracted from Russia.

The Indian Air Force(IAF) will keep deploying its regular fighter and transport detachments here since the runaway and other facilites are in place now.

This will strengthen India’s capabilities to protect its vast interests in yet another strategically important Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and Peninsular region.

The airbase has been modernised in the recent past and the infrastructure development includes ‘construction of a new runaway, parallel taxi track and other operational maintenance and adminstrative infrastructure’ to support air operations.

Past: The airbase was first contructed in 1940 by the Royal Air Force (RAF). During the period 1942-45 the RAF operated Hudson, Wellington 1C, Hurricane and Thunderbolt aircraft from this airfield.

The old runaway had served as a civil airport two decades ago. Thanjavur(Tanjore) was connected with Chennai(Madras)by Vayadoot in the early 1990’s.