Tag: airbus

LONG DURATION MISSION: FIGHTER AIRCRAFT

Anil Goyal

The flight endurance record though no longer recognized used to be the longest amount of time an aircraft of a particular category spent in flight without landing. It can be a solo event, or multiple people can take turns piloting the aircraft, as long as all pilots remained in the aircraft. The limit initially was the amount of fuel that could be stored for the flight, but aerial refuelling extended that parameter. Flying modern fighter aircraft requires a high degree of physical and mental fitness to withstand the stresses that are placed on the…

Clear Air Turbulence

Anil Goyal

The pollution debate, the winter SMOG and the spike in COVID-19 cases keep us engrossed in our daily lives. Living on Earth, the air we breathe and the birds and clouds we see, limit our world to a few hundred or maybe a few thousand feet above the surface. We rarely imagine about the events that take place above the world so high in the upper atmosphere. Not until one embarks on air travel and the aeroplane shakes a little because of “turbulence”. Mostly, this turbulence is associated with the…

Light Transport Aircraft: Saras

Anil Goyal

Named Saras, after the Indian crane known for its grace and beauty in flight, the Light Transport Aircraft (LTA) has the design objective of being able to carry between eight and 14 passengers and extendable to an 18-passenger variant, in multiple modes of operation.  The flight-testing expertise and resources in India have matured adequately to undertake prototype flight-testing. The Light Transport Aircraft (LTA) program, SARAS a turboprop aircraft being developed indigenously by National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) of Government of India, is the first civil aircraft program aimed at certification standard,…

My First Air Travel Experience

Anil Goyal

 “I believe that if one always looked at the skies, one would end up with wings.” Gustave Flaubert In autumn 1992, I was 20 going on 21; the “going on” part is important to emphasize for various reasons. I was sixth termer, an ordinary cadet of the prestigious National Defense Academy (NDA), Pune about to graduate in a few weeks. During the 3 years of training at National Defense Academy, we had been turned into “Jack of all trade but master of none”. It was only in the last term…

Flight Instructors

Anil Goyal

A pilot’s journey begins with a dream, shaped by a flight instructor. A flight instructor who believes in you, who fills winds in your sail, who lights the fire, and shapes your dream with feedback (truth) employing a medium of communication which touches the heart, mind and spirit. Teaching imparts knowledge and instructing imparts skills. Therefore a teacher is one who teaches you about a subject and helps you reach understanding and an instructor is one who instructs you on how to accomplish a task. In reality, quality learning experiences…

A Day in the Life of a Commercial Pilot

Anil Goyal

For most people around the world, air travel these days is like taking a walk in the park. When people board the aircraft in today’s connected world, the mobile phones, the laptops and the stress of what is to follow at the end of the flight leaves little room for appreciating the beauty of flight itself as they are being transported over thousands of kilometres in a matter of hours. Ever since the Wright Brothers defied gravity in their ‘Wright Flyer’ at Kitty Hawk, advancements in aviation technology have made…

Women Voices in Military Aviation

Anil Goyal

“There’s something so special about a woman who dominates in a man’s world. It takes a certain grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness, and the nerve to never take no for an answer.  Rihanna  It’s not very often one hears about India trailblazing on issues of gender equality. On the contrary, the country regularly makes headlines for all the wrong reasons when it comes to women: high rape statistics, dowry deaths, and pervasive discrimination. The data collated by the International Society of Women Airline Pilots showed that India had the highest proportion of female…

Flight Deck / Cockpit Windshields

Anil Goyal

When you’re in flight-deck, the only thing separating pilots from the minus 56 degrees centigrade and unbreathable, thin air outside is an airplane cockpit windshield. On one side, there’s a warm, pressurized cabin where you can work and on the other, a world that would kill you in minutes if you were exposed to it. Between the two, just incredibly sturdy windshield. There are two primary purposes for the windshields. Number one, protect the crew from the outside harsh environment and number two allow the crew to see outside. Besides…

Attitude Defines Success!

Anil Goyal

 “Learning to fly an airplane taught me a way of thinking, an approach to problem-solving that was applicable and effective. Pilots are very methodical and meticulous, and artists tend not to be.” Chris Carter What makes a  pilot good at what he/she does? Obviously it is not just training.  Becoming a pilot is about more than training and building flying skills. Beyond the technical abilities required to earn their wings, pilots must also develop a balance of leadership skills, discipline, critical thinking skills, and a proper attitude. And while no…

Beyond Fear and Death

Anil Goyal

You do what you can for as long as you can, and when you finally can’t, you do the next best thing. You back up but you don’t give up. Chuck Yeager In aircraft, an ejection seat is a system designed to rescue the pilot or other crew of an aircraft in an emergency. In most designs, the seat is propelled out of the aircraft by an explosive charge or rocket motor, carrying the pilot with it. Once clear of the aircraft, the ejection seat deploys a parachute. Prior to WWII, the only means of…