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DOT secretary Chao asks for IG review of 737 MAX certification process
US Department of Transportation (DOT) secretary Elaine Chao on March 19 requested the Department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) initiate a probe to review the process FAA used to certify the Boeing 737 MAX as safe prior to the two fatal crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia. “Safety is the top priority of the Department, and all of us are saddened by the fatalities resulting from the recent accidents involving two Boeing 737-MAX 8 aircraft...
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Qatar Airways CEO: Confidence in MAX and Boeing unshaken
Despite the crashes of two Boeing 737 MAX 8s in five months, Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker says his confidence in the aircraft and the manufacturer remains unchanged. “We have a leasing company in which we have an order for 20 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, three of which have been delivered and have been placed with Air Italy,” Al Baker told ATW at his office in Doha. “Aircraft are the safest way of traveling and we know accidents could have so many different ...
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PICTURE: Airbus shows off second BelugaXL
Airbus has shown off the second high-capacity BelugaXL transport after the aircraft emerged from painting at Toulouse.
The aircraft – MSN1853 – carries the similar ‘beluga whale’ paint scheme of the initial airframe, MSN1824, which began its flight-test campaign in July last year.
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Boeing makes personnel changes in wake of 737 crashes
Boeing has implemented changes among its top engineering team as it works to deal with the fallout of two recent crashes and subsequent grounding of the 737 Max 8.
John Hamilton has been named chief engineer, whereas previously he was both a vice-president and chief engineer. In his changed role, he will focus on the crash investigations into Lion Air flight JT610, which crashed on 29 October 2018, and Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302, which crashed on 10 March.
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ANALYSIS: 737 Max crashes fuel longstanding safety concerns
The recent Boeing 737 Max crashes have fuelled several long-simmering aviation safety concerns, including those related to pilot training, cockpit technology, regulatory oversight and corporate influence.
Though such concerns are not new, they have become salient in the wake of the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, which killed a combined 346 people and prompted the global 737 Max grounding.
LinkAirlines
US carriers shuffle aircraft to cover gaps by grounded MAXs
US operators with Boeing 737 MAXs are shuffling aircraft assignments and canceling flights to address gaps created by grounded MAXs, and may have enough flexibility to keep the ramifications of a short-term grounding minimal.
Southwest Airlines is the carrier facing the largest challenge, as it has the most MAXs (34) of any US operator, and the highest percentage of fleet exposure, at 4.5% of its 750-aircraft fleet.
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Lion Air CVR report of MAX crash details crew response
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the Lion Air JT610 crash—a Boeing 737 MAX 8—reportedly reveals more detail about how the crew attempted to solve the aircraft’s repeated descents.
According to unnamed sources cited by Reuters, the CVR indicates pilots were searching through checklists to identify the problem.
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Iran Air Fokker F100 makes belly landing at Tehran
An Iran Air Fokker F100 had to make a wheels-up landing in the Iranian capital, Tehran, after a reported hydraulic failure led to the main undercarriage legs failing to deploy.
None of the 24 passengers on board were injured in the event, according to local reports. There was no news regarding the aircraft’s crew.
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Air Belgium to assist British Airways on long-haul sectors
British Airways (BA) has brought in assistance on another route as it seeks to cope with the continuing disruption caused by problems with its Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines.
The UK carrier plans to use an Air Belgium Airbus A340-300 on its daily London Heathrow to Toronto Pearson service over the peak summer period, from June 9 to Aug. 17.
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ANA receives first A380; plans to double capacity to Hawaii
All Nippon Airways (ANA) received its first of three Airbus A380s March 20, which the carrier plans to use to double capacity between Japan and Hawaii.
Hawaii is the number one resort destination for Japanese travelers, and ANA operates Boeing 787s on the Tokyo Narita-Honolulu route with a 90% load factor, ANA marketing manager-Europe, Middle East and Africa Nanako Murakami said.
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Analyst: Sale of Malaysia Airlines would face resistance
Any effort to sell Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) would meet stiff resistance, one analyst contended, after Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said that is one option the government is considering for the flag carrier.
Mahathir said March 11 that the sale, refinancing or closure of MAB were possibilities as the airline continues its turnaround efforts. There are “local and foreign firms expressing interest” in the carrier, he said March 20.
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Etihad, Gulf Air widen cooperation agreement
Etihad Airways and Gulf Air are to step up their recently signed wide-ranging cooperative agreement by instituting a codeshare from the start of the industry’s summer timetable season.
The latest move comes after Abu Dhabi-based Etihad and Bahrain flag carrier Gulf Air signed an MOU to cooperate in several areas at the Bahrain International Air Show in November 2018.
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New owner Intro Aviation to make Corsair fleet changes
The new majority shareholder of French long-haul focused airline Corsair, Intro Aviation, plans to revamp the carrier’s fleet, switching to an all-Airbus formation and increasing the fleet to 13 aircraft by 2023 to reduce costs and drive growth.
The move comes after German tourism group TUI agreed to sell 53% of Corsair to Intro Aviation, leaving Corsair employees with 20% and TUI initially retaining at 27% stake, in a deal announced March 18.
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PICTURES: JetBlue unveils second phase of A320 cabin restyling
JetBlue Airways has placed into service the first Airbus A320 reconfigured with a new cabin interior, under the second and final phase of an ongoing cabin restyling programme that will also add more seats to the aircraft.
The aircraft, registered N729JB and nicknamed "If You Can Read This, You're Blue Close" by the airline, re-entered revenue service today with new seats and a new in-flight entertainment system on board.
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Virgin Atlantic to make South American debut by serving Sao Paulo
Virgin Atlantic is to enter the South American market with a new route from London to Sao Paulo next year.
The UK carrier says it will offer a daily service between Heathrow and Guarulhos with a Boeing 787 in a five-class configuration.
LinkAirports
Munich Airport reports record traffic figures and a healthy profit
Munich Airport today reported that it handled an all-time high of 46.3 million passengers (+3.8%) and made a net profit of €150 million in 2018.
Operating company FMG's EBITDA also surged to a record €535 million while cash flow from operations was up €80 million to €465 million.
With equity of over €2.2 billion, the equity ratio, at 41.3%, exceeded 40% for the first time.
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Nova Scotia seafood exports boost Halifax's rising Cargo volumes
Nova Scotia seafood represented a significant portion of the record 36,938 metric tonnes of cargo (+8.5%) handled at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in 2018.
“Similar to passenger travel, we continue to see the cargo side of our operations expand, resulting in multiple daily dedicated cargo flights filled with Nova Scotia exports now flying out of Halifax Stanfield,” enthuses the airport's chief commercial officer, Bert van der Stege.
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Nice Côte d’Azur reveals platform to increase seamless travel
Nice Côte d’Azur has developed a self-connecting solution, Nice Connect, for passengers within the terminal to help ease the passenger journey and create a more seamless experience.
From summer 2019, it will be even easier and faster to fly from Toulouse or Bergerac to Dubai, Lyon to New York (JFK or Newark) Tunis to Copenhagen or Bordeaux to Doha.
LinkMilitary
Pentagon orders second stealth target drone to be built
The Department of Defense ordered a second stealth aerial target demonstrator from Sierra Technical Services on 13 February.
The so-called 5th Generation Aerial Target (5GAT) is a high-performance, fighter-size unmanned air vehicle that is intended to represent stealthy aircraft threats from advanced adversaries such as China or Russia.
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Aviation Quote
If you are bored flying, your standards are too low.
- Lauran Paine Jr., article in Sport Aviation, June 2014.
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Trivia
General Trivia
1. What large aircraft was considered so slow that its pilots used to say the navigator needed a calendar more than a chronograph?
2. Normal, Utility and Aerobatic category aircraft are stressed for 3.8, 4.4 and 6 Gs, respectively. What is the maximum allowable load factor for transport category jetliners?
3. Many airplanes are equipped with electrical inverters. What is the purpose of an inverter?
4. A pilot on a cross-country flight looks down and sees the tallest waterfall. Where is he?
5. Many multi-engine airplanes are equipped with ice protection plates. Where are they installed and what is their specific purpose?
6. What did aircraft designers Larry Bell, Donald Douglas and James McDonnell have in common?
7. What was the only American-built airplane to see action in WW1?
8. True or false; The simple square knot is one of the best to use when tying down an airplane with rope.
9. True or False; The circumnavigating Rutan Voyager, and the Spirit of St. Louis and at least one thing in common. Neither of them had brakes.
10. True or False, Two space shuttles are orbiting the Earth at the same speed and altitude. One however is a thousand miles behind the other. For the laggard to catch up with the leader, he should add thrust in the direction of travel.
11. Flutter can destroy an airplane and is a function of:
Calibrated Air Speed
Equivalent Airspeed
Indicated Airspeed
True Air Speed
12. Which of the following does NOT belong:
Emu
Gooney
Kiwi
Ostrich
Penguin
13. With respect to pilot qualifications, which of the following does not belong?
Controllable-pitch propeller
Flaps
Engine with more than 200 hp
Retractable landing gear
