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Mumbai Suburban Railway

The Mumbai Suburban Railway (मुंबई उपनगरीय रेल्वे) (colloquially called local trains or simply locals) consists of exclusive inner suburban railway lines augmented by commuter rail on main lines serving outlying suburbs to serve the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Spread over 390 km, the suburban railway operates 2,342 train services and carries more than 7.5 million commuters daily.

The daily commuters constitute around 40% of the daily commuters of Indian Railways. By annual ridership (2.64 billion), the Mumbai Suburban Railway is one of the busiest commuter rail systems in the world. Trains run from 04:00 until 01:00, and some trains also run up to 02:30 or 03:00. It is the first suburban rail network in India.

History
The Mumbai Suburban Railway is an offshoot of the first passenger railway to be built by the British East India Company, and is also the oldest railway system in Asia. The first train was run by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (now Central Railway) between Bori Bunder (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) and Thane, a distance of 34 km, on 16 April 1853 at 15:35. The 14-coach train took 57 minutes to complete the 32 km journey, with a halt at Sion to refill the train's water tanks.

The next major train was run between Virar and Churchgate by the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway (now Western Railway), in April 1867. Colaba was also added as a station on this route, but later shut down. On 3 February 1925, the first EMU Service was started from Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) to Coorla Harbour (now Kurla) on the Central line which was run on 1.5 kV DC traction and also started on the Western line from Churchgate to Borivali on 5 January 1928. By 2016, the entire network had been converted to 25 kV 50 Hz AC traction.

Rolling stock
The suburban services are run by electric multiple units (EMUs) in 191 rakes (train sets) of 12-car and 15-car composition. To alleviate the problems of overcrowding, the nine-car trains have been phased out and replaced with 12-car ones. 15-coach trains were introduced on 21 November 2009. However, these are few in number. Equipment makers include DMU(Direct Multiple Unit), Jessop, Siemens, Bombardier, and Medha. The trains are manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. All routes are electrified at power supply from overhead lines. The Indian Railways plans to build a 700 MW gas-based plant in Thakurli to generate electricity to run the Mumbai trains.

Manufacturing
The current fleet of both the Western and Central railways features a very few old rakes built by BHEL and ICF (Perambur, Chennai) which are capable of a maximum speed of 85 km/h, MRVC Siemens Rakes which are capable of and 100 km/h, ICF built Bombardier and Medha rakes capable of running at speeds of 120 km/h under light traffic conditions. The actual average speed of the rakes on the slow lines is about 35 km/h, while rakes on fast lines average about 40-50 km/h on a typical run. The old BHEL non-AC rakes are on the verge of being scrapped.

On 12 November 2007, the first of 129 new 12-coach rakes with upgraded facilities was inducted into the fleet of the Western Railways under the MUTP project. These rakes are popularly called Siemens rakes and have 1xxx and 2xxx numbering system. The coaches are built of stainless steel, and have non-cushioned seats, emergency fluorescent lights, bigger windows with polycarbonate panes, better suspension systems, roof-mounted forced ventilation to reduce carbon dioxide levels in packed trains, and GPS based passenger information systems in all coaches. The new rakes are much cooler and airy than the old EMUs. The motors of the new rakes also make less noise than the older ones. Since 2010, the front of the EMUs is painted yellow so that the maintenance workers on the tracks can see the train easily. These rakes have been procured under the project at a total cost of ₹ 19 billion (US$431.0 million). Siemens 5 rakes that had to be delivered as part of the first phase were sent to the city in early January 2014.

New EMUs with Bombardier Electrical procured under the World Bank-funded Mumbai Urban Transport Project-2 built at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai started arriving into Mumbai by April 2014. They have 5xxx numbering system. The first of these trains, to be run on Western Railway, was flagged off by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Kurla on Central Railway on Sunday, 27 October 2013. However, a delay of two years was anticipated due to the demands of automatic sliding doors on the trains. Under the Make in India initiative, the first Indian made rake was made by Medha. They have 6xxx series numbering. 9 car trains have a capacity of 2,628 (876 seated and 1,752 standing). 12 car trains have a capacity of 3,504 (1,168 seated and 2,336 standing). In fall 2013, brand new 12 car rakes were introduced on the railway. On 6 November 2019, the 5533-5536 rake of Mumbai Suburban Railway, called Uttam rake which also manufactured by the ICF was introduced and ran on Western Line.

Air-conditioned rakes
Discussion on AC coaches first began in 2002 and was planned to be introduced in 2013. However, major delays in finalizing the rakes' design and procurement of material deferred the project.

The first air-conditioned rake for use on the suburban system was built by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai–BHEL EMU at a cost of over inr 500000000, and arrived in Mumbai on 5 April 2016. The rake has a seating capacity of 1,028 passengers, and standing room for up to 6,000 passengers. The 12 coach rake is configured as two sets of 6 interconnected bogies, meaning passengers can walk between coaches but only up to a maximum of 6 coaches. The train is also equipped with a new electrical system and software, automatic doors with emergency opening features, and GPS-based destination display on LED indicators. The old system of pulling a chain to halt the train was replaced by four intercoms per coach that enable commuters to communicate with the driver.

Both CR and WR competed to acquire the rake, with WR even announcing a time table for operating the air-conditioned rake. Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu announced that the rake would be transferred to CR on 16 March 2016. However, at a height of 4.335 meters the rake exceeds the maximum clearance height of 4.270 meters for EMU coaches on the Central Line. In particular, the rake cannot clear some of the low-height British-era bridges between CSMT and Kurla. Then Central Railway general manager Sunil Kumar Sood insisted that CR was conduct trials and operate the rake on the Harbour Line. After acquiring the rake, CR conducted tests, safety, and mobility checks, and trial runs under the supervision of the RDSO. However, following Sood's retirement, CR abandoned plans to operate the rake in December 2016. CR informed the Railway Board that it could not operate the rake due to the clearance issue, and the Railway Board directed them to transfer the rake to WR. The rake was transferred to WR on 12 May 2017. WR General Manager Anil Kumar Gupta stated that rake would begin commercial operations on the Western Line after WR conducted its own tests and trial runs and receiving regulatory approvals. Although there are some clearance issues on the Western Line as well, Gupta stated that these could be rectified.

The First AC EMU was Flagged off on 25 December 2017 in WR. The first AC local train in Mumbai began operation in December 2017 and crossed the 10 lakh passenger mark within the first five months. The summer months of March and April saw over 3 lakh passengers take the AC local each month. The train, operated by Western Railway (WR), currently plies between Churchgate and Virar. It has a seating capacity of 1,028 seats and can carry 5,964 passengers. The monthly pass on the AC local train will cost (from Churchgate) between inr 570 (till Mumbai Central) to inr 820 (till Bandra) to inr 1235 (till Andheri) to inr 1635 (till Borivali) to inr 1740 (till Bhayander) to inr 1970 (till Vasai Road) to inr 2035 (till Virar). New halts were introduced after commuters demand at Marine Lines, Charni Road, Grant Road, Dahisar, Mira Road, Naigaon, Nallasopara. Data shows that among all stations between Churchgate and Virar. Borivali was the highest earner for the AC train. The monthly earning of AC train is approximately inr 7100000 per month after adding seven new halts. Two more AC local rakes were introduced and now, the services run all days of the week.

The fourth air-conditioned rake on Mumbai Suburban Rail Network & first for Central Railway has been commissioned on Trans-harbour line from Thane to Panvel / Vashi from 30 January 2020. The fifth air-conditioned rake on Mumbai Suburban Rail Network & first for Central Railway Main Line was commissioned between Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Kalyan on 17 December 2020. After a gap of 3 years, the first 12-coach fully-vestibuled AC Local Train made by Medha was commissioned on Western Railway on 19 December 2022. This has 8xxx series numbering. Under the MUTP-III and MUTP-IIIA project, Western Railway has decided to procure more AC local trains and convert the entire fleet into AC akin to Kolkata Metro. In 2023, a new Medha rake with 71xx series numbering was introduced in Western Railway. All BHEL Made AC Local Trains in both the networks have 70xx series numbering.

Network

The Mumbai Suburban Railway system is operated by Indian Railways two zonal divisions Western Railways (WR) and Central Railways (CR). The fast commuter rail corridors on Central Railway as well as Western Railway are shared with long-distance and freight trains, while inner suburban services operate on exclusive parallel tracks. WR operates the Western Line and CR operates the Central Line, Harbour Line, Trans-Harbour Line, Vasai–Roha Line and Neral–Matheran & Panvel–Karjat line.

Central Line
The Central Line in Mumbai consists of three major corridors, which bifurcate as they run into suburban satellite towns. Two corridors (one local and the other through) of the Central Railway run from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) to Kalyan Junction (53 km), where it bifurcates into two lines – one to Kasara (67 km) in the north-east and the other to Khopoli (61 km) in the south-east. These two corridors constitute the 'Main' Central Line. There is also a 36 km corridor between Kurla and Kalyan Junction stations for exclusive use by outstation and cargo trains.

The Central Line has two interchange stations with the Western Line, at Parel and Dadar and the Harbour line at Sandhurst Road and Kurla. Rolling stock consists of a fleet of AC and alternating current new Bombardier and Siemens EMUs. The major car sheds on this line are at Kurla and Kalwa. There are both fast and slow locals. Slow locals halt at every station, while fast locals' halts vary between Byculla, Dadar, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Vikhroli, Bhandup, Mulund, Thane, Diva Junction, Dombivli and Kalyan Junction. All trains traveling beyond Kalyan run as slow trains and stop at every station.

Western Line
The Western Line follows the Western Railway northwards from Churchgate parallel to the west coast. Local services by electric multiple units (EMUs) ply between Churchgate and Dahanu Road (124 km) on exclusive parallel tracks up to Virar (60 km) while MEMUs service the section beyond Virar to Dahanu Road (64 km). On 16 April 2013 EMU has extended up to Dahanu Road. MEMUs also operate between Dahanu Road and Panvel via a branch line from Diva Junction–Vasai Road. There are EMU carsheds at Mumbai Central, Kandivali and Virar. The largest EMU car shed in Asia is located at Virar. A repair shop for EMUs is situated at Mahalaxmi.

Western Railway's EMU fleet consists of EMUs completely powered by alternating current (25 kV) power. Rolling stock consists of a fleet of AC and alternating current new Bombardier EMUs. EMUs are 12 car or 15 car formations and are differentiated as slow and fast locals. Slow trains halt at all stations, while fast ones halt at Mumbai Central, Dadar, Bandra, Andheri, Borivali, Bhayandar, Vasai Road and Virar stations which are preferable over longer distances.

Harbour Line
The Harbour Line is part of the Central Railway, and runs from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) to Goregaon and Panvel. All Harbour Line services operate as slow services. The line operates from two separate platforms at CSMT and the tracks cross over the mainline at Sandhurst Road to head towards stations along Mumbai's Eastern dock area. A branch line from Wadala Road joins the Western Line at Mahim Junction and continues towards Goregaon. Further construction is ongoing to extend the Western Line branch to Borivali.

The Harbour Line has an interchange station with the mainline at Kurla, where it turns east towards Navi Mumbai. The Harbour Line further bifurcates at Vashi into two lines – one rejoins the main lines at Thane, while the other continues to Panvel. The shed for these trains is in Sanpada. A partial section of the Harbour Line is elevated from Sandhurst Road to Cotton Green.

Trans-Harbour Line
The Trans-Harbour Line which is another part of Central Railway connects Navi Mumbai and Thane. It operates from two separate platforms at Thane to Nerul, where it joins the Harbour line till Panvel and a small branch line from Turbhe goes to Vashi as it runs parallel with the Harbour line. All services on the trans-harbour line are all-stop services. Freight trains share the tracks through a bypass from Airoli to Kopar Khairane, after which it goes to a siding in Turbhe for the APMC market godowns.

Vasai Road–Roha Line
The Vasai Road–Roha line is an Intersection chord rail bypass line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway which connects the Western line, Central line and Harbor line of the Western Railway zone and Central Railway zone. It runs from Vasai Road to Roha which also connects Panvel and the Konkan Railway. Currently this line is used for bypassing freight trains, Express and MEMU Passenger trains. And also construction of a separate Suburban Corridor on this route for more connectivity by the MRVC is going.

Port (Nerul–Uran) line
The Nerul–Uran line, also known as the Port line, is another part of the Central Railway connects Navi Mumbai to Uran, which is also in Navi Mumbai, but at its southwestern part. It also operates from the two separate platforms of Nerul and one separate platform of CBD Belapur to Uran, also making connectivity to JNPT in Navi Mumbai directly.

Services
Mumbai Suburban Railway services have trains with four main designations:
 * Slow trains: (denoted by an S) stop at every station. These are intended for daily commuters.
 * Fast trains: (denoted by an F) run express (skipping stops and going mainly to railway junctions) until a certain station, and from that station onward run like a slow train. These are intended for daily commuters as well as express connectivity to the rest of Indian Railways outbound trains.
 * Air Conditioned trains: (denoted by an AC) which are air-conditioned and can be either fast or slow.

Travel classes
The suburban fleet consists of 12 and 15-coach rakes. There are two main classes of travel; the First and Second classes. The first class fare is approximately 8 times more expensive than second class and therefore tends to be less crowded during the non rush hours, though at times it is equally or more crowded than the general compartments during rush hour, due to most office employees having a first class transport pass provided by their employer. First class and Senior Citizen compartments also have cushioned seating, while the rest are typically plastic. There are following classes of travel:

 * Class I (first class compartment): Commonly known as first class. The coach is designated by red and yellow slant stripes. The location of the same is designated by colouring the platform walls with similar stripes. The price is generally hiked up by eight times to prevent the compartment overcrowding. The seats in this class are leather made.
 * Class II (general compartment): Also called second class. The seats in this class are plastic-made.
 * Class I-L (Ladies first class): similar to normal First Class, reserved solely for females, however male children up to the age of 13 can travel in this compartment. Men are not allowed to travel, and may face a penalty. Some of the coaches of ladies compartments are open to general public between 23:15 and 06:30. These are indicated by a note near the doors of the compartments. The coach is designated by red and yellow slant stripes. The location of the same is designated by colouring the platform walls with similar stripes. This compartment is often adjacent to the ladies general compartment.
 * Class II-L (Ladies second class): This compartment is reserved solely for females, however male children up to the age of 13 can travel in this compartment. Men are not allowed to travel and can face a penalty. Some of the coaches of ladies compartments are open to the general public between 23:15 and 06:30. These are indicated by a note near the doors of the compartments. The coach is designated by green and yellow slant stripes. The location of the same is designated by colouring the platform walls with similar stripes.
 * Divyangjan (Handicapped, Pregnant Ladies and Cancer patients compartment): for people with disabilities or cancer. On a platform, one can locate these by signs or by following a beeping sound indicator for the visually impaired, or also by following a yellow tactile path with a walking stick. These coaches are open to all the genders. One needs a valid certificate of disability to board the compartment. Failure to do so may result in a penalty.
 * Senior citizens: is reserved for passengers above the age of 60. These coaches are open to all the genders. One needs a valid age proof to board the compartment. Failure to do so may result in a penalty.
 * Luggage: heavy goods and luggage can be transported using this compartment. These compartments are spacious and only have seats along the walls and are made to haul goods.

There are also women-only cars (termed ladies special), and since 1992, Ladies Special trains with the entire train seats reserved for women passengers. A semi ladies special is a train with a few (e.g., three) coaches reserved for women. These designations can be combined with fast, slow, etc. with terms such as Slow Ladies Special.

Air-conditioned
The Mumbai Suburban Railways are known for their open doors and windows. This is because there is no ventilation system on the trains, and the train relies on natural air ventilation. This was introduced as a cost-saving measure, as an air-conditioning system would be rendered useless during rush hour. Leaving the doors open also allows for a fast boarding process, as the trains stop for only 10 seconds, to combat overcrowding. In 2016, the Indian Railways manufactured the first local train for a journey (particularly for hot and humid summer season). This rake is manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. It has several new facilities, such as connected vestibules, cushioned seats, and sliding doors. It runs from Virar to Churchgate and Kalyan to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. AC trains are fast and slow locals and started their run from 25 December 2017 on WR and 2021 on Central Line.

Ticketing

The Mumbai Suburban Railway uses a proof-of-payment fare collection system. Tickets can be purchased at every train station. Travelling without a valid ticket is an offence and if caught can result in a penalty. The penalty is steeper for passengers travelling in first class without a valid ticket.

Tickets can be bought for a single journey (one way) or a return journey. A return ticket is valid till the next day on weekdays and till Monday if purchased on a Friday. The ticket counters usually have long queues.

Tourist tickets are valid for one, three, or five days that can be purchased up to three days in advance.

Platform tickets are required to be purchased by those members of the public not boarding trains, but who wish to access the platforms at all stations, perhaps for the purpose of receiving or seeing off a passenger and also to use footbridges. These cost inr 10. A person can be penalised for non-possession of this ticket.

To save time, a Coupon Booklet can be purchased and the coupons can be punched for the designated fare at Coupon Validating Machines (CVMs) at every station. The ticket fares matrix is pasted above the CVM. As of October 2012, there are approximately 575 CVMs on Mumbai Suburban Railway stations. The Central Railway network has 350 and the Western Line has 225.
 * CVMs and ATVMs

In early 2015, the authorities decided to discontinue CVMs w.e.f 1 April 2015. This decision was taken due to extensive duplication of the coupons, and the lack of transparency. The coupons were also lacking a way to trace them.

There are also reloadable Smart Cards, and riders can use it to print tickets for themselves from an Automatic Ticket Vending Machine (ATVMs). A seasonal ticket is available for regular commuters. Riders can choose the validity of these tickets from 1-month, three months to a year. Season Tickets are the most cost-effective and time-efficient option for regular commuters.

In 2022, the ATVM added new payment methods. Initially, it has only the Railway Smart Card payment option. But with the new payment methods, ticketing has become much faster. It has two features, first one is BHIM UPI QR CODE (Pay by Paytm) and the second one is BHIM UPI QR CODE (Pay by Freecharge). The process is very simple, we just have to select the destination station, where we want to go and then by selecting the QR CODE option, and the displayed QR CODE needs to be scanned through the passengers with the help of any of the payment application (like Gpay, Paytm, BharatPe, Phonepe, etc). and can further proceed by making the payment and getting the ticket in your hands. Smart cards can also be recharged similarly by placing the card on the slot and accessing the QR CODE for payment. And passengers are requested to make use of Digital QR CODE based payment facility in ATVMs installed at stations for hassle free cashless payments, saving time by avoiding queues at UTS counters. It may be noted that a discount of 0.5% can be availed on renewal of suburban season tickets using UPI QR CODE.

The ticket counters usually have long queues. In order to bring a solution to this problem, the UTSOnMobile app was launched by railways minister Suresh Prabhu at Dadar railway station in December 2014. This app was launched initially for Android and Windows Phone, with the iOS version developed later.
 * Mobile app
 * Mobile app

After signing up, the user has the option to load the prepaid RWallet built in the app, using credit/debit cards, net banking, IMPS or private mobile-based apps. After the RWallet is loaded, the app can be used to book tickets on the entire network. Alternatively, the user may book tickets directly using credit/debit cards, net banking, IMPS, UPI, or various digital wallets such as PayTM, MobiKwik etc. for payments within the app without having to load the prepaid RWallet.

Initially, the ticket booked on the app had to be printed from the ATVMs. This step was found tedious by the commuters and was criticized. Later, in July 2015, an update for the app was launched, which made e-tickets acceptable. The update also brought technical changes, like, the tickets could be booked only within a radius of 30m to 5 km of the origin station, and not from the platform. This move was well received by commuters, which resulted in over 50,000 downloads on the launch day.

Security
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) are responsible for the Security of the Mumbai Suburban Railway.

The RPF is a security force under the authority of the Indian Ministry of Railways established by the Railway Protection Force Act, 1957 has the power to search, arrest, investigate and prosecute, though the ultimate power rests in the hands of the GRP.

The GRP is the main police force established by the Railways Act, 1989. The GRP's responsibility is to observe law and order on all railway property. The force is under joint-control of the Indian Ministry of Railways and the Maharashtra Police. Its duties correspond to those of the District Police in the areas under their jurisdiction, such as patrolling, but only on railway property. It also aids and provides assistance to the Railway Protection Force

Doors
The Mumbai Suburban Railway is known for its open doors and windows. This is because there is no ventilation system on the trains and the train relies on natural air ventilation. This was introduced as a cost-saving measure, as an air-conditioning system would be rendered useless during rush hour. Leaving the doors open also allows for a fast boarding process and turnaround time, as the trains stop for only 10 seconds, and are at most 5 minutes apart, to combat overcrowding. Passengers often end up hanging off the edge of the footboard, off door ledges, and during rush hour can lose balance and fall to their death. Teenagers and adults also attempt to perform stunts of the doorway and door ladders, thus risking their lives. Windows also have a wired grill on them, to prevent theft and chain snatching. However, passengers frequently spit paan, mava and gutka while hanging off doors, which ends up entering through the open window grilles. There are also numerous records of people tripping and falling down every day while getting on and off the train, when the train is in motion, thus resulting in injury.

Overcrowding
Due to its extensive reach across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and its intensive use by the local urban population, the Mumbai Suburban Railway suffers from the most severe overcrowding in the world. Over 4,500 passengers are packed into a 12-car or 15-car rake during peak hours, as against the rated carrying capacity of around 2,000. This has resulted in what is known as Super-Dense Crush Load of 14 to 16 standing passengers per square metre of floor space.

Fatalities
On average, about 2,000 people are killed on the Mumbai Suburban Rail network; between 2002 and 2012, more than 36,152 people died and 36,688 people were injured. A record 17 people died every weekday on the city's suburban railway network in 2008. Overcrowding is frequently blamed for the incidents. Another cause of death is passengers crossing the tracks on foot to avoid footbridges. Some passengers die when they sit on train roofs to avoid the crowds and are electrocuted by overhead electric cables, or fall while hanging from doors and window bars. Deaths declined in 2018. To reduce the risk of such fatalities, longer platforms, and more frequent trains are being implemented.

Central Railways in association with a behaviour architecture firm deployed psychology-based interventions at the Wadala station, reducing fatalities by about 75%.

In 2010, Western Railway has pledged that its trains will stop running if "even a single person" is seen travelling on the roof.

In mid-2011, a viral video depicted a youth performing stunts while dangling from the compartment of a Harbour Line train. Following this, a boy was killed while imitating the actions performed in the video.

The Western and Central Railways have been using the Auxiliary Warning System (AWS), a type of Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS), since 1996, not dissimilar to the Automatic warning system of England.

The Central Railway and Western Railway introduced a Blue Light (Virtual Gate) concept, The Blue beam light unit which will be mounted on the top of each Gate, which Guide the Commuter for Safe Boarding, avoid overcrowding and Safe clearance in the Platforms. It also helps to create a Cultural Transformation in the Behavior of the Commuter.

Terrorism
The Mumbai Suburban Railway has suffered eight explosive attacks and around 368 people are believed to have died as a result.
 * 12 March 1993 – Bomb blast at Reay Road
 * 13 March 2003 – A bombing in a train in Mulund killed 20 people
 * 11 July 2006 – A series of seven bombs in Western Railway trains killed 209 people
 * 26 November 2008 – Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus was attacked during the 2008 Mumbai Attacks killing at least 60 people

Tourism
Tourist usage of the Mumbai Suburban Railways has seen popularity as a way to explore the day-to-day life of the city, and as such, the Central Railway has issued circulars advising tourists not to travel in the trains from 07:00 to 11:00 and 17:00 to 22:00 during weekdays because of overcrowding.

Expansion
To enable the Mumbai Suburban Railway to meet the demands of the ever-growing passenger traffic, the federal Government of India's Ministry of Railways and the state Government of Maharashtra have jointly envisioned the constitution of a separate corporate entity to operate the system.

The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC), a public sector unit of the Government of India under the Ministry of Railways, was incorporated under the (Indian) Companies Act, 1956 on 12 July 1999, with an equity capital of inr 250000000 to implement the rail component of an integrated rail-cum-road urban transport project, called Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP). The cost of the rail component of the project is to be shared equally by the Ministry of Railways and the Government of Maharashtra.

MRVC under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project-II is completed the Harbour Line up to Goregaon. Further extension of this line has been accepted under MUTP-III till Borivali.

CR has constructed a 22.5 km line linking Nerul / CBD Belapur with Uran. The line would have 10 stations. This project is divided into two phases.
 * In Phase-I, Bamandongari and Kharkopar are fully operational and Targhar station is still under construction. But the construction of Sagar Sangam railway station is temporarily postponed due to completing the railway line within the time limit of October 2018 till the later phase.
 * In Phase-II, the Construction of all stations lying between Kharkopar and Uran is completed & flagged of by PM Narendra Modi on 12 January 2024.

CR has proposed a service from Kalyan to Nasik Road, giving a boost to commuters to and from Nasik, since there are currently only three Intercity trains to Manmad (Godavari Express, Panchvati Express and Manmad Rajya Rani Express) operating from Mumbai. This distance is 132 km regular, meeting the Indian Railways criteria for EMU services CR has announced that it will carry out trial runs, however it has difficulty due to the Kasara Ghat tunnels.

Film
The Mumbai Suburban Railway has regularly been used for film shoots. Some movies that have used the Mumbai Suburban Railway for filming are:

 * Ghulam (1998 film)
 * Slumdog Millionaire
 * Agneepath
 * Wanted
 * Gangs of Wasseypur
 * Life In a Metro
 * Ghanchakkar
 * O Kadhal Kanmani
 * Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Again
 * Rajjo
 * RaOne
 * Thalaivaa
 * Dombivali Fast
 * Balkadu
 *  Mumbai Meri Jaan
 * The Train
 * Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani
 *  Saathiya
 * Zhombivali
 * Baaton Baaton Mein
 * Badlapur
 * Ek Chaalis ki Last Local
 * Taxi No. 9211

title: Mumbai Suburban Railway


text:
Baie-D'Urfé

Baie-D'Urfé (previously spelled Baie d'Urfé or Baie d'Urfee) is an on-island suburb of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is part of the West Island area of the Island of Montreal.

As part of the 2002–2006 municipal reorganization of Montreal, Baie-D'Urfé was merged into the city of Montreal on January 1, 2002, joining with neighbouring Beaconsfield to create the borough of Beaconsfield–Baie-D'Urfé. After a change of provincial government in 2003 and a provincial referendum in 2004, Beaconsfield and Baie-D'Urfé both voted to demerge and were reconstituted as independent municipalities on January 1, 2006. However, they remain part of the urban agglomeration of Montreal.

Toponymy
Baie-D'Urfé is named after François-Saturnin Lascaris d'Urfé, a French Sulpician priest known as l'Abbé d'Urfé. He was the community's first pastor, who was sent by the Gentlemen of Saint-Sulpice to serve as a missionary for the parish of Saint-Louis-du-Bout-de-l'Île (which was later renamed in his honour), a small community of settlers, soldiers, traders, and Indians.

The town's name went through several typographical changes: prior to 2002, the town's name was written as Baie-d'Urfé (no capital "d"); prior to 1969, place names in Quebec were not hyphenated; and prior to 1960, its original name was officially spelled Baie d'Urfée.

Overview
Baie-D'Urfé is largely a "bedroom community" that extends from Autoroute 40 to Lac Saint-Louis. It is composed of both a residential and industrial sector. The residential sector is characterized by a wide range of house types and sizes, all based on spacious lots. The residential section of the municipality has retained a rural charm, accentuated by its lack of sidewalks and limited commercial activity. It is a favourite spot for boaters, who use either the local yacht or boat clubs. The community is within the part of the Island of Montreal locally referred to as the West Island. North of Autoroute 20 and the CN and CP railway lines lies a modest-sized industrial park. The industrial park, covering approximately a third of the town's land area, is somewhat isolated from the rest of the town, features its own off-hours security patrol, and is home to a number of large industrial firms' operations.

The town's active community members participate in many of the town's associated or private clubs, including the Baie-D'Urfé Curling Club. It competes with a few other suburbs for top spot in the rankings of highest average household incomes in Canada. The median income for a household in Baie-D'Urfé was $128,611, and the median income for a family was $194,335. Males had an average income of $112,882, compared to $62,245 for females.

Demographics
According to the Office québécois de la langue française, Baie-D'Urfé has been officially recognized as a bilingual municipality since 2005-11-02.

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Baie-D'Urfé had a population of $3,764$ living in $1,325$ of its $1,375$ total private dwellings, a change of NaN% from its 2016 population of $3,823$. With a land area of 6.03 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

Local government
The current mayor of Baie-D'Urfé is Heidi Ektvedt.

There are six Town Councillors:
 * 1) Nadia Bissada
 * 2) Tony Brown
 * 3) Brigitte Chartrand
 * 4) Stephen Gruber
 * 5) Wanda Lowensteyn
 * 6) Tom Thompson

Baie-D'Urfé is the first town in Canada to have a youth council; this consists of young people aged 10 years and up, and is entitled the Junior Council. It was established in 2008. The town celebrated its centennial in 2011, and the Junior Council re-enacted two of the town's earliest council meetings (which had been held originally on July 18 and September 16, 1911, respectively).

List for former mayors
List of former mayors:

 * Vivian de Vere Dowker (1911–1917)
 * Fred. J. Shaw (1917–1925)
 * John Watterson (1925–1931)
 * Erastus W. Wilson (1931–1933)
 * Walter Maughan (1933–1935, 1937–1941, 1943–1945)
 * C. J. Smith (1935–1937)
 * Alexander Howard Pirie (1941–1943)
 * W. Frederic MacBride (1945–1947)
 * Frederic W. Case (1947–1951)
 * Jean Gélinas (1951–1955)
 * William Harvey Cruickshank (1955–1957)
 * Thomas Roche Lee (1957–1961)
 * Lars J. Firing (1961–1965)
 * A. Clark Graham (1965–1977)
 * David H. Kennedy (1977–1983)
 * Anne Myles (1983–2002)
 * Maria Tutino (2006–2020)
 * Heidi Ektvedt (2020–present)

Education
The Centre de services scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys operates Francophone public schools, but were previously operated by the Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys until June 15, 2020. The change was a result of a law passed by the Quebec government that changed the school board system from denominational to linguistic. École primaire Joseph-Henrico is located in the city.

The Lester B. Pearson School Board operates English-language public schools. Dorset Elementary School is in the city. A portion is zoned to Christmas Park Elementary School and St. Edmund Elementary School in Beaconsfield.

The Alexander von Humboldt Schule Montréal, a private German international school, is in the town.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Baie-D'Urfé


text:
Vietnam Airlines

Vietnam Airlines (Hãng hàng không Quốc gia Việt Nam) is the flag carrier of Vietnam. The airline was founded in 1956 and later established as a state-owned enterprise in April 1989. Vietnam Airlines is headquartered in Long Biên district, Hanoi, with hubs at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi and Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. The airline flies 117 routes across 19 countries, excluding codeshared services.

From its inception until the early 1990s, Vietnam Airlines was a minor carrier within the aviation industry as it was hampered by a variety of factors including the socio-economic and political situation of the country. With the government's normalization of relations with the United States, the airline was able to expand, improve its products and services, and modernize its ageing fleet. In 1996, the Vietnamese government brought together 20 service companies to form Vietnam Airlines Corporation, with the airline itself as the centrepiece. In 2010, the corporation was restructured into a limited liability company and renamed Vietnam Airlines Company Limited. A seven-seat management board, members of which are appointed by the Vietnamese Prime Minister, oversees the company.

As passenger transport constitutes its core activity, Vietnam Airlines plays a crucial role in the economic development of the country. It owns 100% of Vietnam Air Service Company – a regional airline in southern Vietnam and almost 99% of the low-cost carrier Pacific Airlines. In addition, the corporation earns revenue from airline catering and the maintenance and overhauling of aircraft through a number of its subsidiaries, including Vietnam Airlines Engineering Company and Vietnam Airlines Caterers. The company has also diversified its investments in the aircraft-leasing and airport ground-servicing industries, and is looking to manufacture aircraft components. It controls and operates a cargo division, Vietnam Airlines Cargo.

Vietnam Airlines became a member of SkyTeam in June 2010, making it the first Southeast Asian carrier to have joined that alliance. the State's stake in Vietnam Airlines is 86.34%, All Nippon Airways holds 5.62%, being a strategic shareholder of the national flag carrier.

Beginnings
Vietnam Airlines has its origins in January 1956, when it was established by the North Vietnamese government under the name Vietnam Civil Aviation (Hàng không Việt Nam) following the nationalization of Gia Lam Airport. It was instituted after the government signed the Decree No. 666/TTg. The airline was created as part of the air force for civilian purposes with support from both the Soviet Union and China; initially, its fleet consisted of two Lisunov Li-2s that were later replaced by two Ilyushin Il-14 and three Aero Ae-45s. This was due to an embargo that prohibited the airline from leasing and/or buying American technology or components.

The airline's development and expansion was seriously hampered by the Vietnam War (1954–1975). Following the war, its first international destination was Beijing, followed by Vientiane in 1976. During that year, the airline was known as General Department of Civil Aviation in Vietnam, and began full operations; it carried around 21,000 passengers, one-third of whom were on international flights, and 3000 t of cargo. In 1978, another important destination of Vietnam Airlines was added, with flights offered to Bangkok. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the expansion of the network to Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Singapore. In 1990, the company initiated discussions regarding the incorporation of Western-built aircraft into the fleet. Later that year, however, the carrier had to cancel the acquisition of two Airbus A310s due to their use of US-manufactured engines. By July 1991, the airline struck a wet-lease agreement with Dutch lessor TransAvia. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-300, that arrived in Vietnam Airlines' livery. However, the aircraft was returned after the U.S. State Department pressured the Dutch lessor to remove the aircraft from Vietnam. Subsequently, Vietnam Airlines organized a similar but more complicated deal with TEA Basle, who spent the rest of 1991 negotiating a deal with US authorities. Eventually, a solution stating that "[the Boeing 737] must be positioned outside Vietnam, with no logo or lettering of Vietnam Airlines. On these conditions, it could operate on behalf of Vietnam Airlines" was reached. In December 1991, Cathay Pacific and Vietnam Airlines agreed on a 50–50 joint venture to operate between Hong Kong and Vietnam, as the airline's Tupolev Tu-134 fleet did not meet Kai Tak Airport's noise restrictions.

In October 1992, the Boeing 737 was supplemented with an Airbus A310. However, a dispute with Bulgarian Jes Air over who should pay for the repairs after the aircraft sustained an engine failure led to its replacement with another A310 from GATX, also operated by Jes Air. A similar dispute with United Technologies encouraged the airline to switch from Airbus to Boeing. Hence, a Boeing 767-200ER, leased from Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services (AWAS), arrived in January 1993, and a Royal Brunei Airlines Boeing 767-300ER, arrived the following year. In October 1993, the first Airbus A320-200 was incorporated over a two-year wet-lease contract with Air France. Vietnam Airlines by now had started discussions with Air France about a partnership, and the French carrier agreed to lease its Airbuses to Vietnam Airlines, and also to provide customer support and pilot/crew training. By that time the route network had further expanded internationally, seeing the incorporation of destinations such as Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Sydney, and Melbourne. In 1993, the airline carried 1.06 million passengers, 418,000 of whom were on international flights.

New enterprise: 1993–2006
The airline became the flag carrier of Vietnam in 1993, after having completed a restructuring programme that was started four years earlier. In that year, the airline split from the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) and became a state enterprise. The move was similar to the reorganization of the Chinese CAAC Airlines into several regional airlines in 1987. Despite the fact that the airline gained some independence from the CAAV, it was still known as Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam within the 1993–1996 period.

In February 1994, US President Bill Clinton lifted the trade embargo to allow Vietnam Airlines the ability to acquire Western-built aircraft. Consequently, Vietnam Airlines announced in April of the same year that it would be phasing out its inefficient Soviet planes. By April 1995, the fleet consisted of Airbus A320s (all of them leased from Air France),  Antonov An-24s,  ATR72s,  Boeing 707-300s,  Ilyushin Il-18s,  Tupolev Tu-134s and  Yakovlev Yak-40s; at this time the route network comprised  domestic destinations (including Ban Me Thuot, Da Nang, Dien Bien Phu, Hue, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and Pleiku) and  international destinations (including Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore). On May 27, 1995, the airline, along with a number of other aviation-related businesses, were incorporated to establish Vietnam Airlines Corporation. Two Fokker 70s were purchased in mid-1995 for US$50 million; they were aimed at partly replacing the Tu-134 fleet on domestic routes as well as at serving as VIP transport. In December 1995, discussions with GECAS for the lease of additional, second-hand Boeing 767-300ERs were under way; these ex-Continental Airlines aircraft would act as a replacement for wet-leased Boeing 767 aircraft ( -300ERs and  -200ER leased from AWAS and Royal Brunei) in the fleet.

In September 1996, Vietnam Airlines started offering business class services and in 1999, the airline launched its frequent-flyer program, Golden Lotus Plus; During 1996, Vietnam Airlines looked for aircraft which would substitute the A320s wet-leased from Air France when the deal was over. Apart from acquiring further A320s, the airline considered Boeing 737s and McDonnell Douglas MD-90s. In February 1996, GECAS delivered the of  Boeing 767-300ER to the carrier, on dry-lease for  years. In 10 the same year, Boeing 767-300ERs and a Boeing 767-200, on lease from AWAS and Royal Brunei Airlines, respectively, were returned to the lessors, but in early 1997 another Boeing 767-300ER was phased in on a one-year lease from AWAS. With its freedom to operate Western-built aircraft, Vietnam Airlines considered the acquisition of long-haul aircraft to better service Vietnamese living overseas. The Airbus A340, Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 were topics of discussion. Meanwhile, two Fokker 70s were acquired in May and July to replace the twelve Tupolev Tu-134s. On 3 September 1997, the crash of a Tupolev Tu-134B, on approach to Phnom Penh Pochentong Airport in bad weather, resulted in more than fatalities.

A new livery was introduced in early 1998, initially unveiled on a Boeing 767. In December 2001, Vietnam Airlines signed a historic agreement with Boeing for the acquisition of its first ever US-built aircraft, signalling the start of trade under the Bilateral Trade Agreement between the two countries. The deal involved four Boeing 777-200ERs. The transaction was valued at US$680 million; the first aircraft was initially scheduled for delivery in 2003. These four aircraft, along with six others of the same type that are leased from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), are the flagships of the airline, and serve on medium and long-haul routes, respectively. During that year, the airline carried 3.4 million passengers, 1.9 million of whom were on domestic flights; flights to Beijing resumed and services to Kunming were launched. During 2002, Vietnam Airlines considered a lease offer from Airbus for two Airbus A340-300s. On 4 September 2003, a landmark ceremony celebrated the airline's receipt of its first Boeing 777-200ER purchased outright from Boeing. On 28 October, the airline decided to move its operations in Moscow from Sheremetyevo International Airport to Domodedovo International Airport.

In June 2005, Vietnam Airlines ordered four Boeing 787-8s. Twelve additional 787-8s were ordered in late 2007, some of them to be directly acquired from the company, and the rest to be purchased by the carrier's subsidiary Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Company (VALC). These new aircraft were to allow Vietnam Airlines to expand its network and replace some leased aircraft. Regarding the delays from Boeing, CEO Pham Ngoc Minh remarked in September 2009, "We are not happy about the constant delays. It affects our business plan. We expected to get our planes in 2009, then 2010, and now nobody can confirm to us which is the exact delivery date. I can be patient but it gives us a lot of headaches." In 2010 the airline switched its Boeing 787 order from the –8 to the –9 model, stating that 787-8s did not meet all the requirements Boeing initially promised; it is expected the airline will receive its first aircraft of the type in 2015.

On 20 June 2005, the airline launched direct services to Frankfurt after having discontinued services to Berlin. It came after the 2004–2005 period when travel between the two countries soared 70%. The following year, Vietnam Airlines was admitted into IATA. As part of the move, Vietnam Airlines had to meet the association's IOSA safety standards.

Expansion: 2007–current
According to a number of newspaper reports in 2007, the Vietnamese government planned to partly privatize Vietnam Airlines. In the plan, the government considered selling 20–30% of the airline's stake to outsiders, with the government holding the balance. This was a small part of a bigger proposal by the government to privatize its state-owned companies, due to be completed by 2010. Vietnam authorized the plan the following year; however, the plan was not carried out as the airline missed its deadline scheduled by the government, which was arranged for 2010, due to the Global Financial Crisis.

On 1 October 2007, the airline and VALC signed a memorandum of understanding for the purchase of ten Airbus A350 XWBs, and 20 additional Airbus A321s. The Airbus A350s will supplement the Boeing 787s already ordered by the airline. This single order will result in Vietnam Airlines becoming one of the largest Airbus operators in Asia. The two companies also ordered five extra ATR 72-500s in December 2007.

Vietnam was chosen as the host of Miss World's 60th contest in 2008. As the country's national airline, Vietnam Airlines was selected as the sponsoring airline for the beauty pageant. Therefore, it was tasked the job of managing all the transport matters for the contest, to be carried out during September and October, just before the beginning of the competition. However, it was later decided to carry out the event in Sanya, China, following speculations of Vietnam withdrawing. In August 2008, Vietnam Airlines added Nagoya, the airline point served in Japan besides Fukuoka, Osaka and Tokyo, to the route network.

In 2009, Vietnam Airlines and the Government of Cambodia established a joint-venture, having 49% and 51% stockholding, respectively, with the goal of boosting tourism in Cambodia. The joint-venture was a new Cambodian national airline named Cambodia Angkor Air, which started flying in July the same year, using ATR-72 aircraft; an Airbus A321 joined the fleet in September. Also in 2009, the carrier signed a deal for another 16 Airbus A321s plus two Airbus A350s, during the Paris Air Show. In addition, Vietnam Airlines launched a new bilingual website in 10 to simplify bookings and adopted a new passenger service system designed by IT provider Sabre Airline Solutions. On 26 August 2010, the airline teamed up with Boeing during the unveiling of its interior modernization programme to increase passenger comfort. From late September to early October, Vietnam Airlines discounted up to 85% of its 90,000 fares to celebrate Thang Long-Hanoi's 1000th anniversary. In November 2010, the airline awarded Honeywell a US$100 million contract to retrofit the Airbus A321s' aircraft flight systems, which is calculated to save Vietnam Airlines US$10000 per aircraft per year.

In January 2011, plans were announced by the airline to re-initiate an initial public offering (IPO) by the end of 2012; an earlier attempt was stalled by the 2007–2010 financial crisis. Scheduled for mid-2014 after several delays, the IPO and subsequent share-offerings will supply the funds to expand Vietnam Airlines' fleet and network. With the company valued at US$1.5 billion, the government plans to initially keep 75% of the shares. The IPO plan was submitted to the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport in June 2014. Scheduled to commence on 14 November 2014, the IPO has already received two submissions from foreign companies, yet their names have not been disclosed. The corporation will be restructured by 2015 to bring it in line with other state-owned enterprises and to shift its focus away from non-core businesses. Following restructuring, the airline group will consist of Vietnam Airlines itself, as well as three carriers; in total, the corporation will comprise 26 independently audited companies. In February 2012, Vietnam Airlines boosted its stake in the low-cost carrier Jetstar Pacific Airlines to 70%, with Qantas holding the balance. The Vietnamese flag carrier was the major shareholder in Vietnam's second largest airline, but its stake had been transferred to the Ministry of Finance, and subsequently to the Vietnamese State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC). The carrier's takeover of SCIC's stake in Jetstar Pacific will capitalise the low-cost carrier with US$27 million, an amount that will be directed towards fleet renewal. In late April 2012, the aircraft lessor ALC announced the placement of an order for eight Boeing 787-9s, which will be leased to Vietnam Airlines; deliveries are expected to start in 2017. In late May 2012, the carrier signed an agreement with Vietnam's Eximbank for a loan worth US$100 million, which the carrier will use to finance the acquisition of four Airbus A321s; a further US$100 million was loaned in April 2013 to finance the purchase of eight Boeing 787s. In a deal valued at US$1.7 billion, Vietnam Airlines signed a contract with General Electric in October 2013 for 40 engines to power the Boeing 787 aircraft the airline had on order. In July 2014, a new route to Tokyo-Haneda from Hanoi was introduced.

Vietnam Airlines received its first Airbus A350-900 in late June 2015, becoming the second operator of the type worldwide after Qatar Airways. In August 2015, the airline first Boeing 787-9 entered the fleet. In November 2018, the carrier received its first Airbus A321neo. Vietnam Airlines' participation in Cambodia Angkor Airlines ended in April 2020 when all the shares were sold to an undisclosed buyer, while acquiring all Qantas's stake in Jetstar Pacific, eventually rebranding the carrier as Pacific Airlines in the same year. In November 2021, Vietnam Airlines started its first direct non-stop service to the United States, from Ho Chi Minh City to San Francisco.

Corporate affairs and identity
Vietnam Airlines Company Limited was a limited liability company wholly owned by the government of Vietnam, having been restructured from Vietnam Airlines Corporation in June 2010 and then formally became Vietnam Airlines Joint Stock Company in 2015, which is considered as a "exceptional milestone" by the airline. Its role is to provide economic gains to the country, as its tasks, in addition to scheduled passenger and cargo transport, include "responsibility towards labor, contribution to the state budget, and providing chartered flights", according to former CEO Dao Manh Nhung. The airline is headed and overseen by a seven-seat management team, members of which are selected by the Prime Minister of Vietnam. As of September 2022, Dang Ngoc Hoa is the chairman of the company, whereas Le Hong Ha is the President and CEO. As of December 2019, the workforce of the Group numbered 21,255 employees with Vietnam Airlines itself employing 6,409 people. The airline is headquartered in the Long Bien District of Hanoi; previously it was headquartered at Gia Lam Airport in Gia Lam, Hanoi.

When Vietnam Airlines wholly owned Pacific Airlines after Jetstar's withdrawal of stakes in this low-cost carrier, the Corporation has started to use the term Vietnam Airlines Group to refer a group consisting of three airlines owned by Vietnam Airlines including Vietnam Airlines (itself), Pacific Airlines and Vietnam Air Services Company.

Training
In 2009, the airline, Airbus and ESMA Aviation Academy created Bay Viet Flight Training Company to train pilots in the country, with the expectation that up to 100 trainees would graduate annually. In October 2010, the company planned to train 60 pilots in Vietnam during 2011–2012. In 2010, Vietnam Airlines needed 636 pilots, 60% of whom were Vietnamese. It planned to raise that figure it to 75% by 2015, meaning there will be at least 100 new recruits each year from 2010 until 2015. Vietnam Airlines also contracts CAE Global Academy Phoenix in Arizona, United States, to train its cadets.

Financial performance
Vietnam Airlines has enjoyed an average of 37% increase in passengers flown per year until 1997, when the Asian Financial Crisis and other contributing causes led to a loss in profits for the airline. Nevertheless, the airline remained profitable throughout the crisis. In 1996, the airline carried 2.5 million passengers, up 18% from 1995. The airline carried more than 4 million passengers in 2002, which is an 18% increase over the previous year. Its cargo traffic also climbed 20% during the same period, resulting in a 2002 profit of US$35.77 million.

Despite the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, the airline posted a US$26.2 million profit for 2003. In 2006, it carried 6.8 million passengers (3.7 million international) and earned revenue of nearly US$1.37 billion (first 11 months). Vietnam Airlines carried more than 9 million passengers, of which 4 million were international travellers in 2007, the year which saw the airline earning a gross profit of US$23 million from a revenue of US$1.23 billion. It also transported 115,100 tonnes of cargo. In 2009, the airline's revenue was US$1.3 billion, compared to US$1.56 billion it earned the previous year. During this period, Vietnam Airlines carried 9.3 million passengers. According to Anna.aero, Vietnam Airlines' passenger capacity for 2010 rose 30% over the same period of the previous year. This also coincided with the increase in capacity at Vietnamese airports, at 21%. In 2012, the company's total revenue totalled US$2.4 billion, with profits totalling US$3.3 million. The following year, the carrier posted a US$25 million gross profit.

Vietnam Airlines held about 40% of the market share of international passengers flying to and from Vietnam in February 2012. At the time, Vietnam Airlines controlled 77% share of the domestic aviation market, with 14% covered by Jetstar Pacific. As of December 2012, Vietnam Airlines controlled just below 70% of the domestic market share.

In July 2021, it was announced that Vietnam Airlines employees can buy 70 million shares as strategic shareholder ANA Holdings transferred 70 million shares to 15,100 employees of the Vietnam Airlines Group.

Subsidiaries and affiliates
Vietnam Airlines Group has at least 20 subsidiaries and affiliates. By the end of its restructuring in 2015, the company will have offloaded its stakes in more than 10 enterprises.

Aircraft maintenance and production
Vietnam Airlines is increasingly becoming involved in the maintenance, overhauling, and production of aircraft. Maintenance works are carried out by Vietnam Airlines Engineering Company (VAECO), that was established on 1 January 2009. VAECO was organized mainly upon the amalgamation of the A75 and A76 aircraft maintenance bases. VAECO carries out maintenance and technical services for Vietnam Airlines as well as for other airlines. The establishment of this company opens a new era to the aircraft maintenance field in Vietnam. As of 2013, VAECO was capable of performing a wide range of maintenance on many different aircraft types; this includes C-checks for the Boeing 777, Airbus A330, Airbus A320 and Airbus A321; and D-checks, the most thorough of all maintenance procedures, which are carried out on the ATR 72 and Fokker 70.

In addition to its self maintenance facilities, Vietnam Airlines also has maintenance contracts with other airlines and maintenance organisations.

There are currently no production facilities in Vietnam for aircraft and spare parts. However, Boeing has managed to obtain 35% of the distribution market in Vietnam, and GE Aviation, in turn, supplies jet engines for the Boeing aircraft. For the future, conversely, Vietnam Airlines is planning to build a maintenance factory in conjunction with Rolls-Royce and other companies. It has also signed a memorandum of understanding with EADS, a pan-European aerospace and defence corporation, that would let the corporation assemble and manufacture plane components in the future.

Destinations
Vietnam Airlines has a network within Asia, North America, Europe and Oceania. With about 300 daily flights, the airline flies to 21 destinations domestically, and to 43 internationally. In addition, it has codeshare agreements with a number of airlines for other routes, some of which span to North America.

Tết flights
Vietnam Airlines have traditionally increased flights among Vietnamese cities to cater for the heavy demands brought by the annual Tết celebration. This busy period, which could fall anywhere from late January to mid-February, is Vietnam's most important celebration; hundreds of extra flights are scheduled by domestic airlines during this period to allow Vietnamese to return to their families, often in rural areas, to celebrate the occasion. In 2010, the airline increased its seat capacity from 45% to 120% on certain domestic routes. In 2011, it increased additional flights on ten routes, adding more than 100,000 seats. About 63,000 of these seats were between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. This represented a remarkable 41% increase against normal days. In 2013, the carrier added an extra 174,000 seats during the celebratory period, of which 82,000 seats were on the trunk route between its primary hubs.

Alliances
Vietnam Airlines joined SkyTeam airline alliance on 10 June 2010.

Codeshare agreements
Vietnam Airlines codeshares with the following airlines:

 * Aeroflot
 * Air Europa
 * Air France
 * All Nippon Airways
 * Bangkok Airways
 * Cambodia Angkor Air
 * Cathay Pacific
 * China Airlines
 * China Eastern Airlines
 * China Southern Airlines
 * Czech Airlines
 * Delta Air Lines
 * El Al
 * Etihad Airways
 * Finnair
 * Garuda Indonesia
 * ITA Airways
 * Kenya Airways
 * KLM
 * Korean Air
 * Lao Airlines
 * Middle East Airlines
 * Pacific Airlines
 * Philippine Airlines
 * Qantas
 * Saudia
 * SNCF (Railway)
 * TAROM
 * Turkish Airlines
 * XiamenAir
 * VASCO (Subsidiary)
 * Virgin Atlantic

Current
, Vietnam Airlines operates the following aircraft:

Previously operated
Since its conception in 1956, the airline has operated a wide range of aircraft, including Soviet, American, and European aircraft. Having retired all Soviet-made planes, the airline currently uses Boeing and Airbus aircraft. Vietnam Airlines had operated the following aircraft throughout its history:

 * Aero Ae-45
 * Airbus A300-600
 * Airbus A300B4
 * Airbus A310-200
 * Airbus A310-300
 * Airbus A320-200
 * Airbus A321-100
 * Airbus A330-200
 * Airbus A330-300
 * Antonov An-2
 * Antonov An-24
 * Antonov An-30
 * ATR 72-200
 * ATR 72-500
 * Boeing 707-320
 * Boeing 707-320B
 * Boeing 707-320C
 * Boeing 727-100
 * Boeing 727-200
 * Boeing 737-300
 * Boeing 767-200ER
 * Boeing 767-300ER
 * Boeing 777-200ER
 * Douglas DC-3
 * Douglas DC-4
 * Douglas DC-6
 * Fokker 70
 * Ilyushin Il-14G
 * Ilyushin Il-18
 * Lisunov Li-2
 * Mil Mi-4
 * Tupolev Tu-134A
 * Tupolev Tu-134B
 * Yakovlev Yak-40

Entertainment
On flights operated using Airbus A350 and Boeing 787, Vietnam Airlines offers In-flight entertainment via personal televisions. On flights operated using Airbus A321neo, Vietnam Airlines offers In-flight entertainment via personal devices. Entertainment options consist of films, games, TV programmes, audiobooks and music. Vietnam Airlines offers two in-flight magazines, Heritage and Heritage Fashion, in addition to other reading material.

Cabins
Business class is the highest of three cabin classes offered by the airline. As is the case with business class cabins in most airlines, the amenities offered in this class are substantially different from economy class, and more services and products are available. On Airbus A321s, recliner seats are offered, laid out in a 2-2 configuration. The seat offers 45 inch of pitch, 10 degree of recline as well as foot and leg rest. On Boeing 787s and Airbus A350s, lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration are offered. A 15.4 inch entertainment screen is available on the two aircraft. Seats are arranged in a reverse herringbone configuration on Boeing 787 and staggered seating is available on Airbus A350. Refreshments are offered on flights over 90 minutes, with hot meals available on flights that are longer than two hours.
 * Business

Vietnam Airlines' premium economy class has a wider seat width and legroom compared to Economy with 38-42 in of seat pitch and 7-8 inches of recline. This class is offered only on flights operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliner or Airbus A350. On every flight featuring Premium Economy, hot meals are served with an extensive menu of Vietnamese delicacies and popular world cuisine. Personal care bags with essential amenities are also provided. Premiere brand cosmetics and aqua water are available in the restroom during longer flights. Refreshments are served on flights over 90 minutes, with hot meals available on flights that are longer than two hours.

 * Economy

Economy class is available on all flights operated by Vietnam Airlines. Seats in this cabin feature seats 32 in in width. Seat pitch on this cabin class is 31 - 32 in, while seat recline ranges from 6 to 13°(5-6 inches). Refreshments are offered on flights over 90 minutes, with hot meals available on flights that are longer than two hours.

Lotusmiles
Lotusmiles (stylized as LotuSmiles) is the airlines' frequent flyer program. The program consisted of 5 tiers (Silver, Titanium, Gold, Platinum and Million Miler) with benefits varied between tiers. Membership in this program is free, and members can earn miles in different ways (flying in carriers within Vietnam Airlines Group, SkyTeam carriers and carriers partnered with Vietnam Airlines based on distance and seating class, daily shopping with co-branded credit cards, using partners' services such as Booking.com or direct payments). Accumulated miles can be redeemable to buy tickets and items at Lotusmall or exchange for vouchers for Vingroup services.

Accidents and incidents
According to Aviation Safety Network, Vietnam Airlines has experienced six accidents/incidents since 1951, three of them leading to fatalities. All of the latter involved Soviet-built aircraft and occurred on final approach. The deadliest one took place on 19 September 1988, when a Tupolev Tu-134A crashed on approach to Don Mueang International Airport, killing 76 of 90 aboard. The second-deadliest accident occurred on 3 September 1997, when a Tupolev Tu-134B-3 crashed after hitting trees on approach to Phnom Penh International Airport; the death toll rose to 65. The third-deadliest accident occurred on 14 November 1992, when a Yakovlev Yak-40 crashed on approach to Nha Trang Airport, killing 30 of 31 aboard. The airline also experienced a hijacking in 1992, without any recorded fatality.

title: Vietnam Airlines


text:
Operation Mountain Viper

In Operation Mountain Viper, the United States Army and the Afghan National Army (nearly 1000 in number) worked together from August 30 to early September, 2003, to uncover hundreds of suspected Taliban rebels dug into the mountains of Daychopan district, Zabul province, Afghanistan.

The Operation killed an estimated 124 militants. Five Afghan Army personnel were killed and seven were injured. One U.S. soldier died in an accidental fall and five were killed in an ambush on August 31, 2003.

The Operation worked in conjunction with Operation Warrior Sweep.

Pre-Operational Phase
After an exhaustive reconnaissance effort, it was determined that Anti-Coalition Militant (ACM) forces were organizing resistance efforts and conducting operations in the mountainous Deh Chopan district in the Zabul province of Afghanistan. This remote area is located roughly 150 miles northeast of Kandahar. United States Special Operations Forces (SOF) had been organizing and training elements of the Afghan Militia Forces (AMF) in the area. An AMF reconnaissance patrol along with its 5th Special Forces Group advisors came into contact with ACMs for the first time on 25 August 2003. Supported by coalition close air support the result of this initial contact was reported as 14 to 19 ACM killed in action, with no coalition losses. With the verification of strong ACM activity in the area, planning began for the initiation of a broader range of combat operations.

Five days following initial contact, the extensive combat operation known as Operation Mountain Viper began. A battalion task force consisting of two rifle companies of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment (2/22), 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), and attachments of civil affairs (CA), psychological operations (PSYOP), engineers, military police (MP), explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), and interpreters conducted an air assault into the region on 30 August. These elements were to clear about a dozen targets in a 10 kilometer by 6 kilometer area east of their landing zones. Reconnaissance Teams from 2/22 gathered intelligence and conducted surveillance in the high elevations guiding the infantry companies throughout the valley and providing sniper support. United States and French SOF along with AMF forces operated on the periphery providing a cordon to the objective area and directing attack aircraft. These SOF engaged ACM’s who attempted to move toward coalition landing zones. In one such engagement, which lasted in excess of two hours, another eight ACM were reported KIA. On 31 August as the entire task force mobilized, coalition platoons engaged ACM elements as they maneuvered through their objectives. Enemy losses in these skirmishes were not determined. In other skirmishes fought throughout the first two days of combat operations, roughly 30 more ACM were eliminated. By 7 September 2003, after two weeks of combat operations over 120 Anti Coalition Militants had been killed. Coalition forces suffered less than 15 casualties and only one American fatality. The U.S. serviceman (a member of the 5th SFG) was killed in an accidental fall.

Problems Encountered
Aerial Resupply had become a primary issue. With so many elements operating in such a narrow area, resupply aircraft often dropped resupply packages at the wrong LZ, despite marking procedures. Communications, due in large part to the mountainous terrain, were often difficult to maintain. Likewise, due to the amount of radio traffic on the battalion network, logistical, and administrative information were difficult to transmit. Due to the terrain, Movement was very time consuming, physically exhausting, and dangerous. Wheeled vehicle movement proved difficult and near impossible. It was determined, due to mission requirements, that standardization of the Individual Soldier Load would not suffice in actual combat operations and soldier specific modifications should be made. Fire Support Requests became difficult to process, lengthy, and difficult to clear, and generally difficult to receive. While company 60mm mortars were almost always in position to support their companies, the battalion 81mm Mortar Platoon was at times out of range to offer support. Rules of Engagement prior to the operation were difficult to understand for officers and senior NCOs and near impossible at the soldier level. At several times during the course of the operation the rules of engagement changed, and became even more confusing. The rules of engagement caused enough confusion that had a legitimate target been encountered, it may have meant the difference between a successful engagement and failure. The criteria for detaining suspicious or uncooperative civilians was also not very well defined. On at least one occasion, civilian detainees that were very suspicious had to be released because of improper processing. Confusing rules of engagement did not hinder, but complicated mission execution.

title: Operation Mountain Viper


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Boogiepop

The Boogiepop series (ブギーポップシリーズ) of Japanese light novels is written by Kouhei Kadono and illustrated by Kouji Ogata. It includes titles from different media, each connected by repeating characters and related plots. Presented in vignettes, each chapter presents the reader with only snapshots of what is happening, leaving them to find clues to understand the greater plot.

Boogiepop is best characterized as young adult fiction; by March 2000, two million copies of Kadono's Boogiepop light novels works were in print.

Kadono has published fourteen light novels and has serialized short stories in Dengegi HP, many of which have been published as a four-volume series about Pete Beat, a member of the Towa Organization. Two manga serials have been drawn for this series, which were serialized in Dengeki Daioh and Dengeki Animation.

In 2000, the anime series Boogiepop Phantom aired on Japanese television; a drama CD, featuring Kaori Shimizu, was released to promote this series. Later that year, the movie Boogiepop and Others was released. The anime and live action film were inspired by the original light novels and have also been released in English by The Right Stuf International, while Seven Seas Entertainment released four of the light novels and the manga.

Synopsis
To face the "enemies of the world", the shinigami Boogiepop automatically rises to the surface. In Boogiepop's world, the Towa Organization, a shadowy group seeking to control humanity, managed to capture an alien organism who had taken the form of a highly evolved human. By studying him, the Towa Organization was able to create synthetic humans, people who have been artificially enhanced with special abilities. The mission of the Towa Organization and its agents is to find and kill MPLS, people who are more evolved than others and possess special abilities. However, Boogiepop will not let the Towa Organization get its way and he is not alone in his efforts.

The Boogiepop series is very much about the characters: their relationships, their pasts, their memories. This is especially true for how their pasts molded them into the people they are today. It can also be seen through scenes being presented from the perspective of different characters, and how the individual casts a different "feel" by how they relate to events. Another important theme is change. How the world changes and our different perceptions of this change, especially how one's perception of things changes as they grow up. Boogiepop Phantom is also highly metaphorical, with a character or an image representing much more than face value. It is also "a show about the inter-related nature of people's lives and the concept that they know of as time."

Characters
Each Boogiepop title has its own cast of characters, and many of these characters will make appearances in more than one title, but there are only four central characters that are consistently at the center of the plot.

 * Boogiepop (ブギーポップ)

The shinigami whispered of among the female students of Shinyo Academy, few people know that Boogiepop actually exists. Normally dormant, Boogiepop rises to the surface when enemies of the world appear. Boogiepop's appearance and voice are ambiguous: they seem both masculine and feminine at the same time. However, hidden beneath his signature black cloak and black, pipe-shaped hat, little is ever seen of him. Straight-faced and to the point, Boogiepop acts as mechanical as he claims to be. Boogiepop speaks in an archaic manner, and seems fond of whistling the prelude to Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. In the 2019 anime adaptation Boogiepop speaks with a particular drawl that gives their speech an ironic, condescending air.

 * Touka Miyashita (宮下藤花)

An ordinary, happy school girl at Shinyo Academy, Miyashita is in love with her boyfriend, Keiji Takeda, and close friends with Suema. Not particularly good at school, she does not stand out in any way. Unknown to most, she was hospitalized as a child, and this saw her life change, though even Miyashita herself does not seem to know the truth of what happened, and was simply told that she had been possessed by a kitsune. Unknowingly, when the world is in trouble, she carries a Spalding sports bag containing the effects of Boogiepop, her alternate personality. She has no recollection of her time as Boogiepop, and alters her memories to explain the blanks.

 * Nagi Kirima (霧間凪)

Known as the Fire Witch to many, Kirima has made few friends due to the way she distances herself from others: she knows that she is too dangerous for 'normal' people to associate with. She has a messianic complex, and seeks to save the world from whatever may threaten it. As such, whenever there are unusual happenings within the city, Kirima can be found investigating what has happened. In the past, she had spent a period of time in hospital. A combination of the events from that period of her life, as well as the death of her father, the famous writer Kirima Seiichi, brought her to follow this path in life. Extremely gifted both physically and intellectually, she has the basic tools she needs to carry out her self-appointed mission.

 * Kazuko Suema (末間和子)

As a result of a childhood trauma, Suema has developed an unusual fascination with criminal and abnormal psychology, as well as the desire to not let anything occur around her without her knowing. As a result of this, she desperately seeks the truth about the unexplained events happening in her city, and meddles with forces best left untouched. Good friends with Miyashita Touka, Suema appreciates how she so open and unconditionally accepting of her, and looks out for her friend. She seeks to be closer with Kirima Nagi, who seems to know the answers to the questions that have haunted her all these years. Despite her involvement in several incidents, she has yet to see Boogiepop in action.

Media
The series currently consists of 23 light novels, 3 four volume light novel spin-off series, a live-action movie, two anime television series, four manga serials, audio CDs, and other books. An oddity of the Boogiepop titles is that they are almost always made of more than one title, and often there is a mix of English and Japanese titles.

Anime
Marking the 20th Anniversary of Kouhei Kadono's original novel debut, an anime television series adaptation was announced at the Dengeki Bunko 25th Anniversary & New Work Unveiling Stage. The series was directed by Shingo Natsume and written by Tomohiro Suzuki, with animation by Madhouse. Hidehiko Sawada provided the character designs, while Kensuke Ushio composed the series' music. The series aired from January 4 to March 29, 2019, and was broadcast on AT-X and other channels. The series ran for 18 episodes. Myth & Roid performed the series' opening theme song "shadowgraph," while Riko Azuna performed the series' ending song "Whiteout." Crunchyroll streams the series. Following Sony's acquisition of Crunchyroll, the dub was moved to Crunchyroll. Named Boogiepop and Others, the series adapts not only the titular novel, but also Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator, Boogiepop at Dawn, and Boogiepop Overdrive: The King of Distortion.

Internalization
The Right Stuf International licensed Boogiepop Phantom for English release in 2001. They dubbed the series and have distributed it in the US in both VHS and DVD formats. The series is distributed in the UK by ADV Films and across Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment. Boogiepop Phantom has also been localised and released in Argentina, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.

In 2004, The Right Stuf International acquired the film Boogiepop and Others. It has been released on DVD in Japanese with English subtitles, and is distributed in both the US and Europe, along with a director's commentary and behind the scenes interviews with the cast.

In 2005, Seven Seas Entertainment announced they had acquired the rights to publish the Boogiepop novels and manga in English. Before 2018, they released the first three novels and the sixth, as well as the Boogiepop Doesn't Laugh and the Boogiepop Dual manga. In 2019, Seven Seas Entertainment re-released the novels in an omnibus format, including the fourth and fifth novels in the series, Boogiepop in the Mirror and Boogiepop Overdrive, for the first time in English.

Novels
Boogiepop and Others won the Fourth Dengeki Novel Prize in 1997 and was released in the Dengeki Book Collection in 1998 where it gained popularity. It is credited with popularizing light novels, as well as redefining young adult fiction in Japan. It was later adapted into a live action film by Ryu Kaneda, a two-volume manga by Kouji Ogata and served as the inspiration for a soundtrack composed by Yuki Kajiura. Boogiepop and Others also sets the scene for the anime Boogiepop Phantom, which has its backstory loosely based on the climax of the light novel. Having already gained a strong readership among high school and university age men, the release of Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator Part 1 was met with overwhelming support. By the time the Boogiepop and Others film was released, the Boogiepop series was a bestseller, with over two million copies in print.

The Boogiepop and Others novel received favorable reviews, though these have mostly focused on the translation, which has been cited as "a standard against which future Japanese novel translations are judged". It has also received praise for ripping "the rules of narrative wide open", especially for how it allows the characters to grow on the reader. Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator Part 1 continues receiving positive feedback for its easy-to-read style and excellent translation, as well as its use of atmosphere and characters. The main flaw, however, is the briefness of the title, which has clearly been used to set up the sequel.

Anime
The 2019 anime adaptation of Boogiepop received mostly positive reviews from Western journalists. Rose Bridges of Anime News Network reviewed the first four episodes, giving them an A− and writing, "If Boogiepop and Others can keep this up, it might be a truly stellar adaptation. I just hope it doesn't blaze so fast through these novels for us to keep up." Natasha H. of IGN wrote that while Boogiepop and Others doesn't have the "surreal and Lynchian horror" of Boogiepop Phantom, Boogiepop and Others "still holds its ground as a spooky and unnerving look into the emptiness of the human soul in contrast to society. Instead of going for a bleak first-person perspective, Boogiepop and Others presents alienation in from a third-person point of view. The result is an ongoing, chaotic, and jumbled narrative that leaves more questions than answers, until the very answer arrives, where things slowly are explained."

Brittany Vincent of Syfy wrote that "if you're in the mood to kick off a lengthy journey through a sometimes obtuse but wholly satisfying narrative that explores the supernatural, split personalities, and plenty of allegory, give Boogiepop and Others a chance. Don't expect it all to make perfect sense right away, but let it wash over you. You'll be glad that you did." Thrillist included the series on their list of the "Best Anime of 2019," writing that the series "could be best described as a slow-burn supernatural mystery thriller dotted with adrenaline-spiking sequences of horror, action, and suspense set against a backdrop of stunning metropolitan vistas."

title: Boogiepop


text:
Worshipful Company of Feltmakers

The Worshipful Company of Feltmakers is one of the livery companies of the City of London. The Feltmakers, or makers of felt hats, were incorporated by letters patent granted by James I in 1604. They received an extended royal charter in 1667. The company gradually lost its role as a trade association for felt hat makers, due to both advancements in technology and the increased popularity of silk hats. Like a majority of Livery companies, the Feltmakers' Company is now primarily a charitable institution, but has a number of milliners amongst its members. The Feltmakers' Company ranks sixty-third in the order of precedence for livery companies. Its motto is Decus Et Tutamen, a Latin phrase taken from Virgil meaning An Ornament and a Safeguard. (The phrase also appears around the milled edge of certain pound coins.)

The company's Master is Simon Wilkinson, who was installed as Master on 6 October 2023. Masters normally serve for one year. The company's Upper Warden is Jeremy Bedford.

title: Worshipful Company of Feltmakers


text:
Illustrator

An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicated concepts or objects that are difficult to describe textually, which is the reason illustrations are often found in children's books.

Illustration is the art of making images that work with something and add to it without needing direct attention and without distracting from what they illustrate. The other thing is the focus of the attention, and the illustration's role is to add personality and character without competing with that other thing.

Illustrations have been used in advertisements, architectural rendering, greeting cards, posters, books, graphic novels, storyboards, business, technical communications, magazines, shirts, video games, tutorials, and newspapers. A cartoon illustration can add humour to certain  stories or essays.

Techniques
Use reference images to create scenes and characters. This can be as simple as looking at an image to inspire your artwork or creating character sketches and detailed scenes from different angles to create the basis of a picture book world. Some traditional illustration techniques include watercolor, pen and ink, airbrush art, oil painting, pastels, wood engraving, and linoleum cuts.

John Held, Jr. was an illustrator who worked in a variety of styles and media, including linoleum cuts, pen and ink drawings, magazine cover paintings, cartoons, comic strips, and set design, while also creating fine art with his animal sculptures and watercolor, many established illustrators attended an art school or college of some sort and were trained in different painting and drawing techniques.

Traditional illustration seems to have made a resurgence in the age of social media thanks to social networks like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube. Currently traditional and digital illustration are both flourishing.

Universities and art schools offer specific courses in illustration (for example in the UK, a BA (Hons) Degree) so this has become a new avenue into the profession. Many illustrators are freelance, commissioned by publishers (of newspapers, books, or magazines) or advertising agencies. Most scientific illustrations and technical illustrations are also known as information graphics. Among the information graphics, specialists are medical illustrators who illustrate human anatomy, often requiring many years of artistic and medical training.

A particularly popular medium with illustrators of the 1950s and 1960s was casein, as was egg tempera. The immediacy and durability of these media suited illustration's demands well. The artwork in both types of paint withstood the rigors of travel to clients and printers without damage.

Computer illustration, or digital illustration, is the use of digital tools to produce images under the direct manipulation of the artist, usually through a pointing device, such as a tablet or a mouse.

Computers dramatically changed the industry and today, many cartoonists and illustrators create digital illustrations using computers, graphics tablets, and scanners. Software such as Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, Corel Painter, and Affinity Designer are now widely used by those professionals.

title: Illustrator


text:
Elvin Jones

Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such albums as My Favorite Things, A Love Supreme, Ascension and Live at Birdland. After 1966, Jones led his own trio, and later larger groups under the name The Elvin Jones Jazz Machine. His brothers Hank and Thad were also celebrated jazz musicians with whom he occasionally recorded. Elvin was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1995. In his The History of Jazz, jazz historian and critic Ted Gioia calls Jones "one of the most influential drummers in the history of jazz". He was also ranked at Number 23 on Rolling Stone magazine's "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time".

Early life and education
Elvin Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan, to parents Henry and Olivia Jones, who had moved to Michigan from Vicksburg, Mississippi. His elder brothers were pianist Hank Jones and trumpeter Thad Jones, both highly regarded musicians. By age two, he said, drums held a special fascination for him. He would watch the circus parades go past his home as a child, and was particularly excited by the marching band drummers. Following this early passion, Elvin joined his high school's black marching band, where he developed his foundation in rudiments.

1946–1949: Military service
Jones served in the United States Army from 1946 to 1949. With his mustering-out pay (and an additional $35 borrowed from his sister), Jones purchased his first drumset.

1949–1960: Professional musician beginnings
Jones began his professional career in 1949 with a short-lived gig in a club on Detroit's Grand River Street. Eventually he went on to play with artists including Billy Mitchell and Wardell Gray. In 1955, after a failed audition for the Benny Goodman band, he found work in New York City, joining Miles Davis and Charles Mingus for their Blue Moods album on Mingus's co-owned Debut label. During the late 1950s, Jones was a member of the Sonny Rollins trio that recorded most of the album A Night at the Village Vanguard, an album cited as a high point for both Rollins and for 1950s jazz in general.

1960–1966: Association with John Coltrane
In 1960, he began playing with John Coltrane. By 1962, he had become an integral member of the classic John Coltrane Quartet along with bassist Jimmy Garrison and pianist McCoy Tyner. Jones and Coltrane would often play extended duet passages. This band is widely considered to have redefined "swing" (the rhythmic feel of jazz), in much the same way that Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, and others had done during earlier stages of jazz's development. Jones said of that period playing with Coltrane: "Every night when we hit the bandstand—no matter if we'd come five hundred or a thousand miles—the weariness just dropped from us. It was one of the most beautiful things a man can experience. If there is anything like perfect harmony in human relationships, that band was as close as you can come."

Jones stayed with Coltrane until early 1966. By then, Jones was not entirely comfortable with Coltrane's new direction, especially as his polyrhythmic style clashed with the "multidirectional" approach of the group's second drummer, Rashied Ali. "I couldn't hear what was going on... I felt I just couldn't contribute."

Post-Coltrane career
Jones remained active after leaving the Coltrane group, and led several bands in the late 1960s and 1970s that are considered influential groups. Notable among them was a trio formed with saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Joe Farrell and (ex-Coltrane) bassist Jimmy Garrison, with whom he recorded the Blue Note albums Puttin' It Together and The Ultimate. Jones recorded extensively for Blue Note under his own name in the late 1960s and early 1970s with groups that featured prominent as well as up and coming musicians. The two-volume Live at the Lighthouse showcases a 21- and 26-year-old Steve Grossman and Dave Liebman, respectively. Jones also played on many albums of the "modal jazz era", such as The Real McCoy with McCoy Tyner and Speak No Evil with Wayne Shorter.

Beginning in the early 1980s, Jones performed and recorded with his own group, the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, whose lineup changed through the years. Both Sonny Fortune and Ravi Coltrane, John Coltrane's son, played saxophone with the Jazz Machine in the early 1990s, appearing together with Jones on In Europe on Enja Records in 1991. His final recording as a band leader, The Truth: Heard Live at the Blue Note, recorded in 1999 and issued in 2004, featured an enlarged version of his Jazz Machine—Antoine Roney (sax), Robin Eubanks (trombonist), Darren Barrett (trumpet), Carlos McKinney (piano), Gene Perla (bass), and guest saxophonist Michael Brecker. In 1990 and 1992, the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine partnered with Wynton Marsalis, performing at The Bottom Line in New York. Among his last recordings was accompanying his brother, pianist Hank Jones, and bassist Richard Davis on an album titled Autumn Leaves under the name The Great Jazz Trio.

Other musicians who made significant contributions to Jones's music during this period were baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, tenor saxophonists George Coleman and Frank Foster, trumpeter Lee Morgan, bassist Gene Perla, keyboardist Jan Hammer and jazz–world music group Oregon.

In 1969, Jones played drums for beat poet Allen Ginsberg's 1970 LP Songs of Innocence and Experience, a musical adaptation of William Blake's poetry collection of the same name.

He appeared as the villain Job Cain in the 1971 musical Western film Zachariah, in which he performed a drum solo after winning a saloon gunfight.

Jones, who taught regularly, often took part in clinics, played in schools, and gave free concerts in prisons. His lessons emphasized music history as well as drumming technique. In 2001, Jones was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music.

Death
Elvin Jones died of heart failure in Englewood, New Jersey, on May 18, 2004. He was survived by his first wife Shirley, children: Elvin Nathan Jones and Rose-Marie Jones, and his second wife Keiko Okuya Jones.

Influence
Jones's sense of timing, polyrhythms, dynamics, timbre, and legato phrasing helped bring the drumset to the foreground. In a 1970 profile published in Life Magazine, Albert Goldman dubbed Jones "the world's greatest rhythm drummer", and his free-flowing style was a major influence on many leading drummers, including Christian Vander (Magma), Mitch Mitchell (whom Jimi Hendrix called "my Elvin Jones" ), Ginger Baker, Bill Bruford, John Densmore (The Doors) and Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney).

Filmography

 * 1979 A Different Drummer (Rhapsody)
 * 1996 Elvin Jones: Jazz Machine (VIEW)
 * 1971 Zachariah, directed by George Englund

title: Elvin Jones