Chaba Air

[Thaihawk]

During the last summer,this (at least in public) Thai start-up acquired 2 A340-313X(D-AIGA MSN 020 and D-AIGK MSN 056) from Lufthansa.

These were registered as HS-CHA and HS-CHB respectivly,but remained parked at DMK inactive until this last week.

On Saturday,22nd December,the former D-AIGA departed DMK at 02.52Z,probably to Manas/Bishkek(UAFM).

On Tuesday 25th December the second A340 departed DMK at 02.21Z calling BAM6323 to destination UAFM.the airplane was not carrying any registration.This flight was refused enrty to Myanmar airspace and returned to DMK at 03.03Z.

The following day this airplane did depart,presumably to it's intended destination,and it has been confirmed that by the evening this airplane has arrived at IKA airport in Iran.(The new Tehran airport).

It appears Chaba Air is a front to enable Iran to acquire airplanes,assumably evading sanctions.

The flying of an airplane across an international boundary has got to be totally illegal?.

Any further comments on what's going on with these airplanes?.

[chai ja]

Well, a friend on a Thai Smile initial course said in the room next door were the Chaba Air guys , half way through their course, they vanished. This was mid September. I hear the crews being supplied by TG. Possibly one or two Expats too.

With the amount of dodgy start ups in the last 18 months, nothing would surprise me with regards to legality.

[Flying Mechanic]

Not the first time the Iranians have done a sneaky to get Airbuses! Sure it won't be the last!

[kwaiyai]

drop a that hint to the FAA

[ZFT]

From Chaba Air website

Chaba Air has employed the most qualified and experience cockpit crew they have gone through extensive recurrent with Thai International Airways on Airbus 340-300
http://chabaair.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/logo16x16.pngChaba Air engineering team has been selected from the most qualified Ex Thai International maintenance staff and has been recurrent by Lufthansa Technik on Airbus 340-300
http://chabaair.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/logo16x16.pngChaba Air cabin crew finished their training on Oct. 20 2012 at Thai Flying Training Academy (Thai International) to give our customer high standard of safety and service

This may not be the last time you will hear 'interesting' reports about Thai Flying Training Academy but nothing to do with this topic

[kwaiyai]

Is that the same doing some MPL course that sounds very Questionable?
The way this MPL gets abused will lead to the M word being looked on
as not meaning Multi but M something else!
Regrds,

[1stspotter]

One of the ex Lufthansa Airbus A340 aircraft sold to Chaba Air is now painted in full Mahan Air colours and was seen at Tehran airport. The Iraniers did this trick earlier with Boeing 747 aircraft.