NewsIncidents
In Photos: Copa Airlines Boeing 737 Sinks Into Taxiway Edge In Costa Rica
Copa Airlines undoubtedly has that sinking feeling today after one of its 737s got stuck in the mud. The Boeing 737-700 was being pushed back at San Jose International Airport in Costa Rica when a slight deviation from the intended course saw the aircraft’s landing gear sunk up to its wheel nuts in the soggy ground. It’s the second such incident today after British Airways had a 787 in Canada in a very similar situation.
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British Airways Boeing 787 Pushed Off Of The Taxiway In Edmonton
A British Airways Boeing 787 today ended up in a sticky situation after it came to rest in the mud. The aircraft was being pushed back in Edmonton, Canada, ahead of a flight back to London Heathrow when the incident occurred.
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FedEx MD-11 Involved In Runway Overrun In Mumbai
Today, a FedEx MD-11 cargo plane has overshot the runway in bad weather at Mumbai International Airport. As a cyclonic storm hit the area, the airport experienced high winds and heavy rain. The aircraft came to a stop nine meters beyond the end of the runway.
LinkGlobal News
China Relaxes Flight Restrictions Following US Pressure
China has today relaxed flight restrictions to allow US airlines to operate in the country once again, following a bitter dispute. China will allow one flight from selected US airlines per week from June 8th. However, it is unclear if the US will continue to ban Chinese flights into its country.
LinkCommercial
Dassault Converts Falcon 900B for Medical Cargo Duty
Dassault Falcon Service (DFS) completed a passenger-to-cargo conversion of a Falcon 900B in record time recently at Paris-Le Bourget, the Dassault Aviation subsidiary announced this week. Conversion of the company-owned trijet took eight days from receiving the order to getting approval from the Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) under a fast-track exemption.
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Delay of MAX Deliveries “Right For Us And Right For Boeing”: SMBC
SMBC Aviation Capital’s successful negotiation to delay the delivery of 68 Boeing MAXs until 2025-2027 is the right outcome for both the lessor and the US airframe maker, said chief executive Peter Barrett.
LinkAirlines
Amazon Air adds 12 new aircraft to its cargo fleet, expands its ground operations
Amazon announced today it has added 12 new cargo aircraft to Amazon Air, bringing its total fleet to more than 80 aircraft, in part because of increased demand for shipments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Aerolineas Argentinas’ Profit Fell Almost 100% – What’s Next For The Carrier
Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, Aerolíneas Argentinas had a 97% decrease in its incomes, said Pablo Ceriani, its CEO. Additionally, he said that the deficit of the airline had grown a lot during the last few months, and it will continue growing while the demand doesn’t recover.
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The JetBlue Team Is Pulling Together To Avoid Furloughs
Over 60% of JetBlue crew have taken voluntary leave from the airline to prevent furloughs in October. According to the conditions of the CARES Act loans, airlines cannot furlough staff until October 1st at the earliest. If enough staff take voluntary leave or early retirement, JetBlue is hoping it will not have to furlough any staff at all.
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Airline Lost Your Luggage? Here’s What You Should & Shouldn’t Do
Nobody wants to deal with lost luggage. It’s inconvenient and time-consuming, but sometimes it just can’t be avoided. When you find yourself stuck without your luggage, there are a few things you can do to speed up a resolution. The more you know, the smoother the recovery of your belongings will be.
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Virgin Atlantic To Restart 5 Routes In July
Virgin Atlantic has today outlined its plans to resume flights in July. The airline hasn’t operated flights since they were suspended in late April. The news comes as demand is slowly returning, and restrictions are being loosened.
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Emirates Adds 16 Destinations As Transit Flights Resume
Emirates is adding 16 more destinations to its network as it simultaneously resumes connecting flights through its Dubai hub. The news follows a similar announcement from rival airline Ethiad this morning.
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Frontier Airlines Eyes Network Expansion Despite Industry Crisis
While the ongoing pandemic has decimated most airlines’ networks, and they are just beginning to flesh out the bare-bones schedule of the past few months, ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines is gearing up for expansion. It even hopes to challenge American Airlines at two of its hubs.
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Wizz Interested In Lufthansa Slots, Could It Return To Frankfurt?
Wizz Air is interested in Frankfurt slots that the German flag carrier, Lufthansa, is being forced to give up in return for state aid. The news comes as Wizz waved auf wiedersehen to its Frankfurt operations earlier this year.
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American Airlines Announces Huge Systemwide Capacity Increases
American Airlines has announced a major systemwide capacity increase. Come July, the airline will be operating over 40% of its capacity compared to the same time in 2019. This includes 55% of American’s domestic schedule and almost 20% of the international schedule – showing signs of a market in rebound.
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Wizz Air Is Leading The Way With Automatic Refunds
European low-cost airline Wizz Air has flown through the trickiest quarter in aviation history. Despite having the majority of its fleet grounded, the airline finished the quarter with record profits and a huge pile of cash. It also likely had some delighted customers, as an automated refund processing system allowed it to ‘wizz’ through customer requests and keep its passengers happy.
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Japan’s New LCC Zipair Completes Maiden Flight
Japan’s newest low-cost carrier has finally taken to the skies – just not how anyone first imagined it. The airline had its maiden flight yesterday, scooting between Tokyo and Bangkok. But instead of carrying passengers, the flight carried machine parts and chemical products. The cargo-only flight was potentially more hazardous but certainly quieter than a planeload of passengers.
LinkAirports
COVID-19: UAE announces opening of airports
Abu Dhabi: UAE announced on Wednesday that airports around the country would be allowed to operate limited flights.
However, these flights would include only transit, repatriation of expats or return of residents or citizens.
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Miami Airport updates operations as part of COVID-19 response
The Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) – in coordination with its federal partners, airlines, concessionaires and Miami-Dade County government – has announced that it is continuing to closely monitor the latest developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to maintain safe, healthy and efficient operations for passengers and employees at Miami International Airport (MIA) and Miami-Dade County’s general aviation airports.
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Frankfurt Airport plans more destinations from June
Flight services at Frankfurt Airport are being stepped up significantly from the first week in June. They will focus on connections between cities in Europe, but flights to popular vacation destinations will also increase. For instance, various airlines plan to resume multiple weekly connections to Majorca (6).
LinkMilitary
Why the Pentagon Limited the F-35’s Supersonic Flight
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is the most expensive U.S. defense program in history, and the aircraft itself has had more than its share of controversy. One recent revelation: The Department of Defense places strict limits on the amount of time a pilot can spend at supersonic speeds, in order to avoid damaging the aircraft.
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New Memorials to Honor the F-14 Tomcat and Those Who Died Flying It
New memorials celebrating the F-14 Tomcat fighter jet and the aircrew members who died flying it are going up this year in two locations in the U.S.
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Aviation Quote
There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm.
- Sign over squadron ops desk at Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, 1970.
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Editor's Choice
Trivia
General Trivia
1. What airplane produced by a well-known aircraft manufacturer was rejected by the U.S. Army in 1973 because it could be brought down by bow and arrow?
2. What is the largest, post-World War II, piston-powered, twin-engine airplane designed from scratch and produced exclusively as a general aviation airplane?
3. Why should every dedicated pilot fly at least once to KFFA?
4. Several types of liaison airplanes served the U.S. military during World War II. Best known of these were the first five, the L-1, L-2, L-3, L-4, and L-5. Can you identify these utilitarian “L-birds?”
5. Almost everyone has heard of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, but what is the Lightning II?
6. U.S. military flight-crew positions often have nicknames. What are the official positions of a boomer, a GAFO (pronounced GAY-fo), a raven, a GIB (pronounced gib), and a whizzo?
7. The Pratt & Whitney J58 (JT11D) engines that powered the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird use JP-7 fuel so inert that it could not be ignited with spark or ignition plugs. How was this exotic fuel ignited during engine start?
8. On November 13, 1942, and after having survived in a life raft in the western Pacific for 23 days, Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker, Col. Hans Adamson, and Pvt. John Bartek were found by the pilot of a Vought-Sikorsky Kingfisher, a U.S. Navy seaplane. What was so unusual about the subsequent rescue?
