GoAir, India. 23-09-06

Go Air's A320's in one of their colours.

19th Oct 2006- Blessing ceremony for WAD. Group Photo with the MD of Go Air, Jeh Wadia. We were like one small family and the airline looked set to be different. I am extreme left with Meng my Engineering counterpart 3rd from Lt.

Mr Jeh Wadia is the handsome gentleman in the centre (brown shirt). Sadly many of the staff below have left Go.

VT-WAD (4th aircraft) had just arrived and Gautam Salaskar, our GM Cabin Crew was there to ensure that the cabin was as per Go's requirements. Gautam reproted to me as Exec Vice President.

Each aircraft that Go had was of a different colour.

One of the happier moments in GoAir as Exec Vice President Flt Ops.

During Lunch on a Saturday Vasuki, the MD's P.A, organised a cake and a small gathering in our cafeteria. On my right is Vasuki and on my left Sashi the only Secretary servcing Flight Operations. The staff were very closely knit and treated us foreigners well although, Vasuki loves to smear you with that gouey creamy stuff which she performs to all on their birthdays. Unfortunately she is no more with GoAir.

Vikram Imanandar - ex Naval Dornier pilot. Big guy, very strong, but I think my son Andy can flaten him.

Selected him for A320 course after much objection from Capt VK Sharma.
Called me from Toulose mid way through the Flt Simulator Training phase saying that he wanted to give up and come back. I spent quite a bit of time giving him encouragement and true enough after 2 extra sessions he made it. Now GoAir has a potential Captain. Praise God.

Wonder if Go appreciates this??? Indians to appreciate??

But do we worry - nay, we are a different generation, a holy people, we serve our Lord and give glory to Him that we can serve him such.

Diwali in Delhi 2006

Magic Airlines India

My time with Magic Airlines, India was from Nov 2004 to Mar 2006.
Based in New Delhi.
Magic was then a new start up LCC airline that was due to launch in Oct 2005. It had 4 Malaysians in the startup team namely:

Ng Fook Meng - VP Engineering & Project Head.
M Subramanium - VP Finance
S Murugesu - VP Commercial
Myself - VP Flight Operation.

It was about the same time as Spice & before Kingfisher were also seeking "NOC" (no objection certificate). Run by Nira Radia, a very bright, energetic and capable lady, who was also owner & Chairman of Vaishnavi, one of India's largest Corporate Communications firms. The Tata Group, if I am not mistaken, is their biggest client.
Unknown forces however, prevented the airline from being granted the "NOC", and we dismantled in March 2006. A sad day as the airline would have gone places and made a name for itself.

Some of the Magic's family are present below, in a Diwali gathering held at Nira's (Boss) farmhouse in Delhi. She joined us a bit later.

Below from left:

Muru, Meriam, Meng, Chari (Engineering) & Chandrasekara (Advisor ex- Indian Airlines)

Karuna Maam! Nira's (Bosses) sister with Chandrasekara & Muru.

When two Engineer's get together guess what the subject of their conversation would be??


From left: Subramanium, Chetan, Muru, Rejev Mohan (Director Corporate Affairs) and Meriam.


This time with me in the group.
From left; Rejev's wife, Subra, Muru, Chetan, Roland & Meriam