Asian Skies

VIDEO: China's "Top Gun" features the J-10 fighter

2009-11-16T05:02:04Z

China's version of Top Gun is here! Called J-10 on A Mission, it is a movie based on the Chengdu J-10 fighter jet and apparently about to be released in Chinese cinemas.

Just like in Top Gun, the movie is about the pilots and lead actor Wang Ban is the Chinese version of Tom Cruise.

The movie features scenes of the J-10 showing off its capabilities such as short distance take offs, mid-air dogfights with other aircraft, aerial refuelling, tracking missiles, and destroying ground targets. It also has the J-10, Su-27 and F-16 in action - although it is not clear if they are the ones in the dogfights.

If anyone has seen the movie, please let me know. This should be interesting.

VIDEO: China's J-10s join aerobatics team

2009-11-16T03:52:21Z

First, a warning - this is a long 34-minute video. Having said that, it is a pretty cool long video of the Chinese J-10s and J-7s in an aerial display in Beijing as part of an event marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army Air Force.

This marks the entry of the J-10s into the PLAAF's aerobatic team, and the retirement of the J-7s from the team. Below is a slightly shorter video.

Sharklets for Air New Zealand A320s

2009-11-15T14:01:51Z

First, an apology. It has been pretty crazy these last few weeks with back to back to back work trips (I am writing this from Dubai) - and so the blog has not been updated as often as I would have liked. But here goes.

Air New Zealand will be the first airline to operate the Airbus A320s with the airframer's new "Sharklet" large wingtip devices. These will "enhance the eco-efficiency and payload-range performance of the A320 family", says Airbus. It will have at least 3.5% reduced fuel burn over longer sectors, corresponding to an annual CO2 reduction of around 700 tonnes per aircraft.

The A320 will be the first model fitted with Sharklets, which will be delivered around the end of 2012, to be followed by the other A320 Family models from 2013. Air New Zealand is the launch customer for the Sharklets, which are specified for its future A320 fleet.

It will be interesting to see how Boeing reacts to this move. Fuel reduction is a major aim these days, and Airbus will have a pretty good advantage with this innovation. New engines (maybe the P&W GTF) could be the answer going forward, but this just makes the competition in the narrowbody market a whole lot more interesting.

Can pigs fly? In Zimbabwe, it seems they try to

2009-11-05T09:09:38Z

When you sell to airlines in under-developed countries, you sometimes come across some pretty unusual situations. Air Zimbabwe, the overseas launch customer for the Xian Aircraft MA60, has damaged one of its Chinese-built aircraft after it hit a warthog.

That's right. A warthog. And pigs can't fly.

The aircraft, UM-239, hit the animal at night (4 November) as it was trying to take off from Harare airport.

None of the 34 passengers on board were injured but the aircraft reportedly sustained substantial damage and is still grounded. The reports fail to mention the damage to the aircraft.

Last time I checked my atlas, Zimbabwe was a country and Harare was the capital. It is shocking that stray animals are able to wander onto the runway of a capital city airport. It also highlights the problems Chinese aircraft-makers face in selling to operators in such poor and under-developed markets.

More pain lies ahead for Japan Airlines

2009-10-29T10:25:52Z

What will Japan's Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp find when it studies whether it should invest in Japan Airlines that we don't already know?

The reality is that JAL will become bankrupt without government help. And despite all the caveats from the different parties, it is almost certain that the Japanese government - through the ETIC - will help the carrier.

What is certain is that the airline must drastically revamp its operations if it is to emerge from this crisis as a viable entity. Slashing its fleet and network will help, as will coming up with an agreement to reduce the cost of its pension payments.

But what JAL really needs is a government allows it to be run as a proper airline without state-intervention in its operations - something that has contributed to this crisis - and a management that realises that they need to run the airline like a business and make the necessary changes.

Japan's transport minister remains optimistic about the airline's future, but the JAL that emerges from this crisis must be very different to the one that went into it. Otherwise, it would all have been a waste.

Shareholders, unsurprisingly, have been dumping JAL stock, and the airline's market capitalisation is worth less than half of rival All Nippon Airways. That simple fact would hurt the proud JAL management, but there is likely to be a lot more pain ahead of them in the coming years.

Sleep time in Air New Zealand's economy class

2009-10-29T06:50:05Z

So it appears that Air New Zealand is looking to have seat-beds in the economy class of its new Boeing 777-300ERs. Does that make sense, though?

The main aim for any airline is to fill the seats in its aircraft. So seat-beds could work in this climate, when loads are down, but it makes little sense in other times. And especially in the long-haul flights, when yields are likely to be higher. If more people are taking up the offer of using a seat-bed, that should be worrying for ANZ.

Here is a question - how will this work? I mean, most of us have seen people (I have never done this personally) just stretch out and put their legs on the seat next to them if it is empty. Will the carrier bar its passengers from doing that in these new aircraft?

The men who killed Qantas? Hmmmmm...

2009-10-28T03:04:26Z

Here is something to read - or maybe not - when you are next on Qantas. Matthew Benns, an Australian investigative journalist, has written a book allegedly exposing everything that the airline did not want exposed.

According to the promotional material: "This book is the account of the Qantas story that every airline passenger needs to read: the full and frank history of Australia's national airline. It takes you into the boardroom, where golden parachutes are signed off, and onto the hangar floor, where engineers battle accounting cuts to keep planes flying safely. It takes you back to the foundation of the airline to disprove the line that Qantas never crashes.

"This is the warts and all history the Qantas PR department does not want you to read ... but you can bet they'll be reading it too!"

For the record, Qantas spokesman Simon Rushton has been quoted by several newspapers denying many of Benns' allegations. And as for the title, well, I did not know Qantas had died!

And the baby's name is Air Asia!

2009-10-28T02:56:55Z

So the woman who gave birth on board an AirAsia flight has named her son - wait for it - Air Asia!

Liew Siaw Hsia is calling her kid Asia Liew Ya Hang. It appears that Ya Hang means Air Asia in Mandarin (does that make him doubly Asian?). That is the "best name I can give my son, who was the first baby born in the airline's plane," says Liew.

Both mother and son will receive free flights on AirAsia for life. Will that help him run away from his name, I wonder. Somehow, I doubt that being named after an airline is gonna help him in the school playground....

Give birth on board and get free flights on AirAsia!

2009-10-26T11:01:48Z

Wanna get free flights on AirAsia? Just give birth on board!

Liew Siaw Hsia, who was 27 weeks pregnant, was on a flight from Penang to Kuching when she began to feel some discomfort. The aircraft was diverted to Kuala Lumpur and a doctor who was on board as well helped her to give birth to a baby boy, together with the assistance of the flight attendants, just before the landing.

Both the mother and child will get free flights on AirAsia for life, says the Malaysian low-cost carrier. "AirAsia is also very happy to have a first baby delivered onboard its aircraft, and that both mother and baby are healthy and safe," it adds.

Now, isn't there a regulation that says that women who are too pregnant can't board flights? According to news reports, Liew was 11 weeks short of the full term. So she was not too far along - or was she? I have no idea.

We hardly hear of women giving birth on board flights nowadays. In any case, it must have been one heck of a ride for everyone involved.

Bailing out Air India is just the first step

2009-10-15T10:07:03Z

So is this a case of throwing good money after bad? India's government says that it will provide Air India with 50 billion rupees ($1.1 billion) as part of an equity infusion due to the state-owned carrier's financial woes.

In today's Financial Times, one analyst said that this is too little and too late given how fast Air India is burning cash. "I don't think any amount of money would last very long at Air India," he added.

Getting the equity infusion is fine, but it would mean nothing if India's bureaucrats decide to be slack when it comes to restructuring Air India. Nothing short of an overhaul of the airline's operations will result in it returning to profitability that can be sustained.

The government bail out may have been the easiest part of the hard work ahead for Air India.

PICTURE: China tests BKZ-500 HALE UAV?

2009-10-14T08:55:10Z

Here is a picture, reportedly of the Chinese BKZ-500 high-altitude long-endurance UAV, that is making the rounds on the internet that i found on this blog.

My colleague Steve Trimble has some ideas about this at his blog, but all of this is certainly part of a concerted Chinese attempt to increase its investment and capability in the unmanned segment.

We have seen various models of UAVs at the Chinese shows. Some look too much like western UAVs, others don't look like they can get off the ground, but there have been a few models that looks like they could be serious contenders.

I doubt we will officially see any unveiled any time soon (look how long it took China to even officially acknowledge the existence of the J-10 fighter), but everyone will be taking an even closer look at what is under wraps in the country in the coming years.

PICTURES: Pakistan receives first Block 52 F-16s

2009-10-14T08:38:01Z

Pakistan received its first Block 52 F-16D yesterday (pictured above and below) as part of ambitious plans to refurbish its air force's fighter fleet.

The PAF, however, is doing this with a combination of both western fighters, and help from its traditional supplier China through the JF-17 and potentially the J-10B.

Tactically, that will be facinating in the future - using both Chinese and US fighters in tandem is gonna be interesting and I am sure there will be be many people watching the service closely in the coming years.

Politically, is this a case of keeping your friends close and enemies closer? If so, who is who in this instance? Your guess is as good as mine.

The bigger question, however, is where this leaves Lockheed Martin in India's $12 billion 126-fighter medium multi-role combat aircraft competition. New Delhi has never been happy about the sale of the F-16 to Pakistan, and this will not help Lockheed's cause in that lucrative competition. Watch this space.

AirAsia TVC gives the airline some emotional pull

2009-10-14T08:25:35Z

AirAsia has launched a TV commercial that was created by Leo Burnett Malaysia and directed by the late Yasmin Ahmad.

Sadly, Yasmin Ahmad passed away in July of this year. She was executive creative director of Leo Burnett and also one of Malaysia's most well-known and loved script-writers and feature film directors. I was lucky enough to meet her in 2001 when I worked for Asian advertsing trade magazine MEDIA.

Family and relationships have always been a very important theme in Yasmin's films and these themes are also evident in the commercial she created for AirAsia.

Personally, I have never understood why airlines never really make an effort to target families. Afterall, a significant number of people in society have children and family is a pretty important part of many people's lives. I like this AirAsia TVC not just because Yasmin directed it but because it targets families.

While other airlines are out there trying to target male business travelers looking for a fling, AirAsia has positioned itself on some pretty solid brand values.

Its a smart move as far as I am concerned because one only has to look at the brands out there that have become market leaders by targeting families. Adults, for example, don't eat at McDonald's because of the food. The same way, people don't fly airlines because of the food.

The emotional pull that a brand like McDonald's has over the consumer is that people know their children will like it and will be looked after.

The AirAsia TVC tells the story of a little boy who goes on his first flight. The ad shows that he is accompanied by his grandmother. How many airlines do you see out there targeting the elderly?

But once again, it signals to the consumer that AirAsia is a caring organization. This strategic direction, coupled with Yasmin's story-telling abilities and understanding of human relationships, gives the ad some emotional pull.

Another important aspect of this ad, is that it is a departure from AirAsia's price-driven ads of the past. This is a brand campaign that aims to shift consumers' mindset away from price. This is important because AirAsia faces stiff competition from the likes of Jetstar and Tiger. If you have two low-cost airlines offering airfares to the same destination and at the same price, which are you going to choose?

The one that you like. In terms of likeability, this TVC puts AirAsia way up there.

ANA asks passengers to ignore 'the call of nature' in the interests of the environment

2009-10-14T08:05:30Z

Airlines are trying hard to improve their environmental credentials but All Nippon Airways' latest effort might make a few people laugh or maybe not.

ANA - supposedly in the interests of the environment and limiting carbon dioxide emissions- is asking passengers to go to the toilet before boarding.

The initiative is part of its "e-flight" programme to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide expelled on its flights.

Other initiatives under the programme include using recycled paper cups and plastic bottles instead of glass.

I think it is questionable how effective such initiatives are. To really make a difference, there has to be further development on aircraft engine technology and airlines need to get regulators to approve more efficient flight paths. Saving on toilet paper isn't going to do the trick.

AirAsia tries to move low-cost model upmarket

2009-10-13T07:35:38Z

Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia is trying to position itself as a "high quality, sleek and cool brand" in Southeast Asia with these ads.

The 'Have You Flown AirAsia?' campaign aims to "shift consumers' mindset of low-cost carriers by showcasing the airline's innovation, high quality service and unique experience", says AirAsia.

I don't get it. The whole point here is to project AirAsia as a low-cost but high-value carrier - but many people will agree they already are. Perceptions about low-cost carriers remain, but they will not go away. At the end of the day, a good product is all that matters and AirAsia has succeeded in doing that (barring some complaints about its customer service).

My humble opinon - by trying to create an up-market perception of the low-cost model, AirAsia seems to be doing itself a disservice.