Sunday, November 8, 2015

Lufthansa first flight cover signed by crew.

Recently acquired a unique Lufthansa first flight cover flown from New Delhi to Cairo.  LH 649 operated by Boeing jet 720B.  The cover has been signed by the entire crew.  The Captain's signature appears in green just below the cachet.


Friday, November 6, 2015

Concorde World Flight 1987.


Air France organized a world flight of Concorde aircraft from 30th September, 1987 to 16th October 1987. The last leg of the flight was New Delhi-Bahrain-Paris.

Here are covers flown from Kathmandu to New Delhi and New Delhi to Paris. Also showing the certificate that the covers were flown and the schedule.



Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Indian Air Transport Nationalization



There were 9 Air Transport operators in India in 1953 most of who were facing problems. From time to time many policies were framed to help the Airways Companies but they were not sufficient for them to survive. Then the Ministry of Communication, Government of India appointed the air Transport Inquiry Committee to scrutinise all the problems affecting the Indian Air Transport Industry and to recommend measures to stablize its economic position and ensure future development. A tentative decision to nationalize air industry was taken.

The Air Corporation Bill was legislated into an Act by which two nationalized Air Corporations were formed on on 15th June 1953. These were Indian Airlines Corporation (for operation of internal air services in the country and adjacent countries like Burma, Ceylon and Pakistan) and the Air India International for operation of long distance International Services.

Nine companies were nationalized from 1st August, 1953:

1. Air India Ltd.
2. Air Services of India Ltd.
3. Airways India
4. Bharat Airways
5. Deccan Airways
6. Himalayan Aviation Ltd.
7. Indian National Airways
8. Kalinga Airlines
9.Air India International Ltd.

A Special Cover with a Commemorative Cancellation was issued on the occasion from all Philatelic Bureaux. The cancellation is found in black and violet inks.