GAGANwill
catapult India into an elite league in air navigation:
this is only the fourth such system in the world, after that of the US, European
Union and Japan (see graphic). "It's an eye in the sky," says
Amber Dubey partner, aviation, KPMG.
"With ground-based systems (the current system),
there's a need to have systems at every few kilometre. Here, one satellite
tracks everything, and far more accurately."
GAGAN is a superior version of the current GPS system: it can detect activity at a finer level. So, while aircraft in India currently keep a distance of 80-100 miles, GAGAN will reduce this to 30 miles. This will allow thrice as many planes to fly, and reduce congestion on busy routes, as well as make Indian skies safer. Raman expects a six-fold increase in time. He also estimates airlines to reduce their flying time on the Delhi-Mumbai route by 10 minutes.
A senior SpiceJet technical official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirms that airlines don't take a straight line between two destinations. "We take pre-determined routes set by the air traffic control centre. For example, between Delhi and Bangalore, we have to take a detour over Bhopal and do a series of deviations that add up to a much longer route," he says. "After GAGAN, we will have what is called 'freedom flights', leading to reduced fuel burn by 18-20%."
GAGAN will also make Indian skies safer. For example, while landing, the current system gives an aircraft the coordinates of a landing strip in a range of 20 metres. By comparison, GAGAN will give it in a range of 20 feet, thus reducing the possibility of human error. The signals on GAGAN will be beamed by three satellites of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), located at a height of about 36,000 km. Two of these satellites have been launched. A third one is expected to be launched in 2013.
GAGAN is a superior version of the current GPS system: it can detect activity at a finer level. So, while aircraft in India currently keep a distance of 80-100 miles, GAGAN will reduce this to 30 miles. This will allow thrice as many planes to fly, and reduce congestion on busy routes, as well as make Indian skies safer. Raman expects a six-fold increase in time. He also estimates airlines to reduce their flying time on the Delhi-Mumbai route by 10 minutes.
A senior SpiceJet technical official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirms that airlines don't take a straight line between two destinations. "We take pre-determined routes set by the air traffic control centre. For example, between Delhi and Bangalore, we have to take a detour over Bhopal and do a series of deviations that add up to a much longer route," he says. "After GAGAN, we will have what is called 'freedom flights', leading to reduced fuel burn by 18-20%."
GAGAN will also make Indian skies safer. For example, while landing, the current system gives an aircraft the coordinates of a landing strip in a range of 20 metres. By comparison, GAGAN will give it in a range of 20 feet, thus reducing the possibility of human error. The signals on GAGAN will be beamed by three satellites of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), located at a height of about 36,000 km. Two of these satellites have been launched. A third one is expected to be launched in 2013.
Fifteen
ground stations in India, being set up by US-based defence technology company
Raytheon, will back the three satellites. "The certification by the
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA, the aviation regulator) is
scheduled soon after completion of the operational testing performed by AAI in
2013," says William L Blair, president, Raytheon India.
The fourth partner in the project is Mitre Corporation, another American engineering and technology company that is doing the certification of the AAI equipment, something it had done for the corresponding American system.
More Air Traffic
Besides boosting the financial numbers of airlines, GAGAN will also help Airports Authority of India (AAI). In 2010-11, the latest period for which its financials are available, AAI earned 65% of its Rs 5,139 crore revenues from air-navigation services.
Basically, AAI charges every plane flying over Indian air space, even those that don't land on it. Raman says AAI expects to treble its revenues from air-navigation services by 2015, riding on GAGAN. "About 8-12% of the operating cost of an airline goes to air-navigation charges," says Dubey of KPMG.
As can be seen by its circle of influence in the world map in the graphic, GAGAN can position itself as an alternative to the Japanese MSAS system for airlines flying between Australia/Asia and Europe. That's the pitch AAI plans to make.
"We would attract foreign airlines flying from the Gulf to Europe to use our more efficient airspace after the GAGAN rollout. This will boost our revenues considerably," says Raman. "We may even plough back the greater revenues and lower charges to draw more aircraft traffic."
According to Raman, AAI has drafted a memorandum of understanding with all Asia-Pacific countries so that their airlines can use Indian air space. Also, in order to provide a continuous corridor on GAGAN, AAI is talking to its counterparts in Pakistan and Afghanistan, through the ministry of external affairs, to install ground stations in those countries.
GAGAN can also be used for wide range of applications in surveying and mapping, disaster management, transport and mining. For example, it can alert a regulator to mining activity outside a lease area. Those other uses will follow in time. First off, it will be Indian airlines who will tap GAGAn --- profitably.
The fourth partner in the project is Mitre Corporation, another American engineering and technology company that is doing the certification of the AAI equipment, something it had done for the corresponding American system.
More Air Traffic
Besides boosting the financial numbers of airlines, GAGAN will also help Airports Authority of India (AAI). In 2010-11, the latest period for which its financials are available, AAI earned 65% of its Rs 5,139 crore revenues from air-navigation services.
Basically, AAI charges every plane flying over Indian air space, even those that don't land on it. Raman says AAI expects to treble its revenues from air-navigation services by 2015, riding on GAGAN. "About 8-12% of the operating cost of an airline goes to air-navigation charges," says Dubey of KPMG.
As can be seen by its circle of influence in the world map in the graphic, GAGAN can position itself as an alternative to the Japanese MSAS system for airlines flying between Australia/Asia and Europe. That's the pitch AAI plans to make.
"We would attract foreign airlines flying from the Gulf to Europe to use our more efficient airspace after the GAGAN rollout. This will boost our revenues considerably," says Raman. "We may even plough back the greater revenues and lower charges to draw more aircraft traffic."
According to Raman, AAI has drafted a memorandum of understanding with all Asia-Pacific countries so that their airlines can use Indian air space. Also, in order to provide a continuous corridor on GAGAN, AAI is talking to its counterparts in Pakistan and Afghanistan, through the ministry of external affairs, to install ground stations in those countries.
GAGAN can also be used for wide range of applications in surveying and mapping, disaster management, transport and mining. For example, it can alert a regulator to mining activity outside a lease area. Those other uses will follow in time. First off, it will be Indian airlines who will tap GAGAn --- profitably.
Indian
Carriers
When Flights of Fancy Touch Down As GAGAN Takes Off,Fuel Cost Plummets
Two new technologies landing in Indian airspace bring,along with bragging rights,supreme utilitarian value.For Indian carriers,its the promise to slash 20% of their fuel bill,their biggest cost head.For air passengers,its the appeal to surf the Internet even in the skies
ANINDYA UPADHYAY NEW DELHI
There are many reasons for Indian airlines,a perpetually struggling lot,to be hopeful: more foreign funding,more overseas routes and cheaper oil.Yet,more than all this,what could embellish the bottom line of Indian carriers next year is a new navigation system in Indian skies that,its makers say,will knock off 20% of the fuel bill of airlines and increase air traffic.The effect can be potent as fuel costs swallow about 50% of an airlines revenues.At 20% savings,a crude calculation on 2011-12 numbers shows that Jet Airways would have turned a Rs 1,236 crore loss into a Rs 90 crore profit,and SpiceJet would have shaved off Rs 439 crore of its Rs 605 crore loss.And if Kingfisher hadnt since gone into a freefall,even it would have knocked off Rs 589 crore of its Rs 651 crore loss for the year.Heres how.Today,when an aircraft takes off in Indian skies,it doesnt trace a straight vertical line to a cruising height.It,instead,rises in fits and starts,with bursts of acceleration.Likewise,between two destinations,it doesnt trace the straight line -- the shortest distance.It,instead,zigs and zags.Both manoeuvres mean airlines end up burning more fuel than ideal because current Indian air-navigation systems dont allow for the greater accuracy and surety available in some other parts of the world.This is set to change in July,2013,when the Airports Authority of India (AAI) launches GPS-aided GEO augmented navigation system (GAGAN).Airlines can save 20% on their fuel costs, reckons S Sundara Raman,executive director (communication,navigation & surveillance),AAI.
STRAIGHTER ROUTES
GAGAN will catapult India into an elite league in air navigation: this is only the fourth such system in the world,after that of the US,European Union and Japan (see graphic).Its an eye in the sky, says Amber Dubey partner,aviation,KPMG.With ground-based systems (the current system),theres a need to have systems at every few kilometre.Here,one satellite tracks everything,and far more accurately. GAGAN is a superior version of the current GPS system: it can detect activity at a finer level.So,while aircraft in India currently keep a distance of 80-100 miles,GAGAN will reduce this to 30 miles.This will allow thrice as many planes to fly,and reduce congestion on busy routes,as well as make Indian skies safer.Raman expects a six-fold increase in time.He also estimates airlines to reduce their flying time on the Delhi-Mumbai route by 10 minutes.A senior SpiceJet technical official,speaking on the condition of anonymity,confirms that airlines dont take a straight line between two destinations.We take pre-determined routes set by the air traffic control centre.For example,between Delhi and Bangalore,we have to take a detour over Bhopal and do a series of deviations that add up to a much longer route, he says.After GAGAN,we will have what is called freedom flights,leading to reduced fuel burn by 18-20 %. GAGAN will also make Indian skies safer.For example,while landing,the current system gives an aircraft the coordinates of a landing strip in a range of 20 metres.By comparison,GAGAN will give it in a range of 20 feet,thus reducing the possibility of human error.The signals on GAGAN will be beamed by three satellites of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),located at a height of about 36,000 km.Two of these satellites have been launched.A third one is expected to be launched in 2013.Fifteen ground stations in India,being set up by US-based defence technology company Raytheon,will back the three satellites.The certification by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA,the aviation regulator ) is scheduled soon after completion of the operational testing performed by AAI in 2013, says William L Blair,president,Raytheon India.The fourth partner in the project is Mitre Corporation,another American engineering and technology company that is doing the certification of the AAI equipment,something it had done for the corresponding American system.
MORE AIR TRAFFIC
Besides boosting the financial numbers of airlines,GAGAN will also help Airports Authority of India (AAI).In 2010-11,the latest period for which its financials are available,AAI earned 65% of its Rs 5,139 crore revenues from air-navigation services.Basically,AAI charges every plane flying over Indian air space,even those that dont land on it.Raman says AAI expects to treble its revenues from air-navigation services by 2015,riding on GAGAN.About 8-12 % of the operating cost of an airline goes to air-navigation charges, says Dubey of KPMG.As can be seen by its circle of influence in the world map in the graphic,GAGAN can position itself as an alternative to the Japanese MSAS system for airlines flying between Australia/Asia and Europe.Thats the pitch AAI plans to make.We would attract foreign airlines flying from the Gulf to Europe to use our more efficient airspace after the GAGAN rollout.This will boost our revenues considerably, says Raman.We may even plough back the greater revenues and lower charges to draw more aircraft traffic. According to Raman,AAI has drafted a memorandum of understanding with all Asia-Pacific countries so that their airlines can use Indian air space.Also,in order to provide a continuous corridor on GAGAN,AAI is talking to its counterparts in Pakistan and Afghanistan,through the ministry of external affairs,to install ground stations in those countries.GAGAN can also be used for wide range of applications in surveying and mapping,disaster management,transport and mining.For example,it can alert a regulator to mining activity outside a lease area.Those other uses will follow in time.First off,it will be Indian airlines who will tap GAGAn --profitably.
Flight Path to Profits
What is GAGAN
GPS-aided GEO augmented navigation system.Its a new air-navigation system for India,coming in July 2013.It is GPSbased and detects activity at a finer level.It is only the fourth such system in the world after those from the US,EU & Japan
How does it help Indian carriers
They can reduce fuel costs by 20% by attaining cruising height faster and by charting straight routes,instead of zig-zag ones
How does it help AAI
It can make a pitch to foreign airlines flying between Europe/Middle-east and Asia to use Indian air space.if they do,they will boost Airports Authority of Indias revenues
What are its other applications
Surveying and mapping,precision farming,transport,mining
When Flights of Fancy Touch Down As GAGAN Takes Off,Fuel Cost Plummets
Two new technologies landing in Indian airspace bring,along with bragging rights,supreme utilitarian value.For Indian carriers,its the promise to slash 20% of their fuel bill,their biggest cost head.For air passengers,its the appeal to surf the Internet even in the skies
ANINDYA UPADHYAY NEW DELHI
There are many reasons for Indian airlines,a perpetually struggling lot,to be hopeful: more foreign funding,more overseas routes and cheaper oil.Yet,more than all this,what could embellish the bottom line of Indian carriers next year is a new navigation system in Indian skies that,its makers say,will knock off 20% of the fuel bill of airlines and increase air traffic.The effect can be potent as fuel costs swallow about 50% of an airlines revenues.At 20% savings,a crude calculation on 2011-12 numbers shows that Jet Airways would have turned a Rs 1,236 crore loss into a Rs 90 crore profit,and SpiceJet would have shaved off Rs 439 crore of its Rs 605 crore loss.And if Kingfisher hadnt since gone into a freefall,even it would have knocked off Rs 589 crore of its Rs 651 crore loss for the year.Heres how.Today,when an aircraft takes off in Indian skies,it doesnt trace a straight vertical line to a cruising height.It,instead,rises in fits and starts,with bursts of acceleration.Likewise,between two destinations,it doesnt trace the straight line -- the shortest distance.It,instead,zigs and zags.Both manoeuvres mean airlines end up burning more fuel than ideal because current Indian air-navigation systems dont allow for the greater accuracy and surety available in some other parts of the world.This is set to change in July,2013,when the Airports Authority of India (AAI) launches GPS-aided GEO augmented navigation system (GAGAN).Airlines can save 20% on their fuel costs, reckons S Sundara Raman,executive director (communication,navigation & surveillance),AAI.
STRAIGHTER ROUTES
GAGAN will catapult India into an elite league in air navigation: this is only the fourth such system in the world,after that of the US,European Union and Japan (see graphic).Its an eye in the sky, says Amber Dubey partner,aviation,KPMG.With ground-based systems (the current system),theres a need to have systems at every few kilometre.Here,one satellite tracks everything,and far more accurately. GAGAN is a superior version of the current GPS system: it can detect activity at a finer level.So,while aircraft in India currently keep a distance of 80-100 miles,GAGAN will reduce this to 30 miles.This will allow thrice as many planes to fly,and reduce congestion on busy routes,as well as make Indian skies safer.Raman expects a six-fold increase in time.He also estimates airlines to reduce their flying time on the Delhi-Mumbai route by 10 minutes.A senior SpiceJet technical official,speaking on the condition of anonymity,confirms that airlines dont take a straight line between two destinations.We take pre-determined routes set by the air traffic control centre.For example,between Delhi and Bangalore,we have to take a detour over Bhopal and do a series of deviations that add up to a much longer route, he says.After GAGAN,we will have what is called freedom flights,leading to reduced fuel burn by 18-20 %. GAGAN will also make Indian skies safer.For example,while landing,the current system gives an aircraft the coordinates of a landing strip in a range of 20 metres.By comparison,GAGAN will give it in a range of 20 feet,thus reducing the possibility of human error.The signals on GAGAN will be beamed by three satellites of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),located at a height of about 36,000 km.Two of these satellites have been launched.A third one is expected to be launched in 2013.Fifteen ground stations in India,being set up by US-based defence technology company Raytheon,will back the three satellites.The certification by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA,the aviation regulator ) is scheduled soon after completion of the operational testing performed by AAI in 2013, says William L Blair,president,Raytheon India.The fourth partner in the project is Mitre Corporation,another American engineering and technology company that is doing the certification of the AAI equipment,something it had done for the corresponding American system.
MORE AIR TRAFFIC
Besides boosting the financial numbers of airlines,GAGAN will also help Airports Authority of India (AAI).In 2010-11,the latest period for which its financials are available,AAI earned 65% of its Rs 5,139 crore revenues from air-navigation services.Basically,AAI charges every plane flying over Indian air space,even those that dont land on it.Raman says AAI expects to treble its revenues from air-navigation services by 2015,riding on GAGAN.About 8-12 % of the operating cost of an airline goes to air-navigation charges, says Dubey of KPMG.As can be seen by its circle of influence in the world map in the graphic,GAGAN can position itself as an alternative to the Japanese MSAS system for airlines flying between Australia/Asia and Europe.Thats the pitch AAI plans to make.We would attract foreign airlines flying from the Gulf to Europe to use our more efficient airspace after the GAGAN rollout.This will boost our revenues considerably, says Raman.We may even plough back the greater revenues and lower charges to draw more aircraft traffic. According to Raman,AAI has drafted a memorandum of understanding with all Asia-Pacific countries so that their airlines can use Indian air space.Also,in order to provide a continuous corridor on GAGAN,AAI is talking to its counterparts in Pakistan and Afghanistan,through the ministry of external affairs,to install ground stations in those countries.GAGAN can also be used for wide range of applications in surveying and mapping,disaster management,transport and mining.For example,it can alert a regulator to mining activity outside a lease area.Those other uses will follow in time.First off,it will be Indian airlines who will tap GAGAn --profitably.
Flight Path to Profits
What is GAGAN
GPS-aided GEO augmented navigation system.Its a new air-navigation system for India,coming in July 2013.It is GPSbased and detects activity at a finer level.It is only the fourth such system in the world after those from the US,EU & Japan
How does it help Indian carriers
They can reduce fuel costs by 20% by attaining cruising height faster and by charting straight routes,instead of zig-zag ones
How does it help AAI
It can make a pitch to foreign airlines flying between Europe/Middle-east and Asia to use Indian air space.if they do,they will boost Airports Authority of Indias revenues
What are its other applications
Surveying and mapping,precision farming,transport,mining
Air
Travellers
Now Surf the Net While Airborne
NEENU ABRAHAM BANGALORE
Its one more thing to do on a flight,and it doesnt come too soon in a connected world.Four Lufthansa routes between India and Germany have started providing wi-fi broadband as a paid in-flight service -- one of the first airlines to do so on Indian skies.Passengers in all three classes on these flights can now browse the Internet on their laptops and tablets without interfering with radio signals from the cockpit.Lufthansa plans to extend this to mobile phones also by year end,enabling text messaging and data transfer..More airlines flying to India will join Lufthansa in offering in-flight Internet access once they overcome two hurdles: some of the planes are still fine-tuning their wi-fi-gear (notably,Boeing 787s) and those that are need clearance from Indian regulators (for example,Emirates).We hope to offer this (service) later this year, says Scott Lefeber,the spokesperson for Boeing (787) Communications.
THE TECHNOLOGY
In India,Lufthansa will,to start with,offer this service on four flights: Delhi-Munich,Mumbai-Frankfurt,Mumbai-Munich and Chennai-Frankfurt.Its a paid service : 10.95 euros (about Rs 740) for one hour,or 19.95 euros (Rs 1,350) for 24 hours,which passengers can extend to Lufthansa lounges and Lufthansa long-haul flights.This is how it happens.Any laptop /tablet/smartphone can be connected on to Lufthansas onboard wi-fi broadband network,called FlyNet,which provides a link to Deutsche Telekoms HotSpot.A satellite link connects the aircraft to the HotSpot,enabling Internet connectivity.Officials of OnAir,the company that enables wi-fi connectivity in 16 airlines and one of whose shareholders is Airbus,say in-flight wi-fi tech is almost similar to that provided in an Internet caf.A wi-fi hotspot is provided in the aircraft,which enables passengers to use any wi-fi-enabled device to access the Internet, says Aurelie Branchereau,director (communications ) of OnAir.For an aircraft to be wi-fi-compatible,a small hardware needs to be installed.A wi-fi access point is installed in the aircraft cabin connected to an antenna which communicates to the ground network via satellite.Interference with cockpit communications has been a major reason why wi-fi was not provided in planes earlier,a problem OnAir has been able to overcome.Small cellphone masts are kept sufficiently close to the passengers device so that only lowpower signals that do not travel far are needed, says Aurelie.
THE CHALLENGES
Many aircraft from the latest Airbus fleet are equipped with this facility,but the lack of regulatory clearances from respective countries is preventing them from providing this service in all flights.OnAir wi-fi is available on the entire fleet of A380 aircraft on all Emirates routes,except that to mainland China, Patrick Brannelly,VP (communication),Emirates.However,the service will not operate until regulatory approval is obtained from from countries like India,China and the US. Likewise,for mobile phones.Although this service,provided through OnAir and Aeromobile,is available in around 91 Emirates aircraft,it is unavailable in India.Neither provider now has the authorisation to provide these services over India, says Brannelly.But in the case of the Boeing,wi-fi is not available on any of the latest 787 aircraft because it is still testing out several systems.Boeings 787 has a post-delivery retrofit to provide in-flight use of mobile phones and wi-fi connectivity for passengers,explains Lefeber.Integrating different platforms in the in-flight infotainment gear can be a challenge,with different technologies evolving very fast.When several features like videoon-demand,iPod connectivity or wi-fi need to be integrated,software platforms that facilitate this need to be extremely smart, says Sandeep Kishore,VP and global head (sales),ERS,HCL Technologies.HCL does about 38% of the software integration in the latest Dreamliners.A good part of our task involves testing and validating the equipment provided so that it does not interfere with radar signals, says Kishore.
Now Surf the Net While Airborne
NEENU ABRAHAM BANGALORE
Its one more thing to do on a flight,and it doesnt come too soon in a connected world.Four Lufthansa routes between India and Germany have started providing wi-fi broadband as a paid in-flight service -- one of the first airlines to do so on Indian skies.Passengers in all three classes on these flights can now browse the Internet on their laptops and tablets without interfering with radio signals from the cockpit.Lufthansa plans to extend this to mobile phones also by year end,enabling text messaging and data transfer..More airlines flying to India will join Lufthansa in offering in-flight Internet access once they overcome two hurdles: some of the planes are still fine-tuning their wi-fi-gear (notably,Boeing 787s) and those that are need clearance from Indian regulators (for example,Emirates).We hope to offer this (service) later this year, says Scott Lefeber,the spokesperson for Boeing (787) Communications.
THE TECHNOLOGY
In India,Lufthansa will,to start with,offer this service on four flights: Delhi-Munich,Mumbai-Frankfurt,Mumbai-Munich and Chennai-Frankfurt.Its a paid service : 10.95 euros (about Rs 740) for one hour,or 19.95 euros (Rs 1,350) for 24 hours,which passengers can extend to Lufthansa lounges and Lufthansa long-haul flights.This is how it happens.Any laptop /tablet/smartphone can be connected on to Lufthansas onboard wi-fi broadband network,called FlyNet,which provides a link to Deutsche Telekoms HotSpot.A satellite link connects the aircraft to the HotSpot,enabling Internet connectivity.Officials of OnAir,the company that enables wi-fi connectivity in 16 airlines and one of whose shareholders is Airbus,say in-flight wi-fi tech is almost similar to that provided in an Internet caf.A wi-fi hotspot is provided in the aircraft,which enables passengers to use any wi-fi-enabled device to access the Internet, says Aurelie Branchereau,director (communications ) of OnAir.For an aircraft to be wi-fi-compatible,a small hardware needs to be installed.A wi-fi access point is installed in the aircraft cabin connected to an antenna which communicates to the ground network via satellite.Interference with cockpit communications has been a major reason why wi-fi was not provided in planes earlier,a problem OnAir has been able to overcome.Small cellphone masts are kept sufficiently close to the passengers device so that only lowpower signals that do not travel far are needed, says Aurelie.
THE CHALLENGES
Many aircraft from the latest Airbus fleet are equipped with this facility,but the lack of regulatory clearances from respective countries is preventing them from providing this service in all flights.OnAir wi-fi is available on the entire fleet of A380 aircraft on all Emirates routes,except that to mainland China, Patrick Brannelly,VP (communication),Emirates.However,the service will not operate until regulatory approval is obtained from from countries like India,China and the US. Likewise,for mobile phones.Although this service,provided through OnAir and Aeromobile,is available in around 91 Emirates aircraft,it is unavailable in India.Neither provider now has the authorisation to provide these services over India, says Brannelly.But in the case of the Boeing,wi-fi is not available on any of the latest 787 aircraft because it is still testing out several systems.Boeings 787 has a post-delivery retrofit to provide in-flight use of mobile phones and wi-fi connectivity for passengers,explains Lefeber.Integrating different platforms in the in-flight infotainment gear can be a challenge,with different technologies evolving very fast.When several features like videoon-demand,iPod connectivity or wi-fi need to be integrated,software platforms that facilitate this need to be extremely smart, says Sandeep Kishore,VP and global head (sales),ERS,HCL Technologies.HCL does about 38% of the software integration in the latest Dreamliners.A good part of our task involves testing and validating the equipment provided so that it does not interfere with radar signals, says Kishore.
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