NewsAccidents/Incidents
Iran rejects UIA compensation for Ukraine’s PS752 downing
Iran is reportedly refusing to compensate Ukraine International Airlines for the jet that was downed in Tehran by the Revolutionary Guards on January 8, 2020. According to local media, the country’s official has suggested that the duty should fall on the European companies that had insured the aircraft.
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Two years after Seattle plane heist: lessons learned and missed
August 10, 2018, saw an unscheduled and tragic airshow above Seattle: a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400, followed by two US Air Force F-15s, performed a number or daring maneuvers before crashing in a scarcely-populated area. The aircraft was stolen by an aircraft technician, raising an important question: how did it happen, and more crucially, how to prevent that from happening again?
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Shenzhen A330 loses cabin pressure, drops 18,000 feet
A Shenzhen A330 lost cabin pressure mid-flight and had to drop over 5,000 meters (18,000 feet) in mere minutes before landing back at its place of departure.
A Shenzhen Airlines Airbus A330-300 (registered B-302E) was en route for 25 minutes after leaving from Shenzhen (SHE) to Xian (XIY) on August 9, 2020, when the crew initiated an emergency descent due to the sudden loss of cabin pressure.
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One minute late SAS plane forces 158 passengers into quarantine
The 158 passengers on flight SK4700 between Nice, France, and Oslo, Norway, will have to isolate for ten days after losing a race against time. One minute before their arrival, Norwegian authorities marked France as a “red zone”.
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18 dead in Air India Express Boeing 737 missed landing
An Air India Express Boeing 737-800 suffered a runway excursion on landing at Kozhikode-Calicut Airport, India, and broke in two. Both pilots and seventeen passengers died in the accident.
The aircraft, registered VT-AXH, was operating flight IX-1344 from Dubai Airport (DXB), United Arab Emirates, to Kozhikode-Calicut Airport (CCJ), India. It was carrying 184 passengers, two pilots and five working crew members. The flight was repatriating Indian nationals who had been stranded by the coronavirus pandemic.
LinkCommercial
Top 10 largest passenger aircraft that never flew
As airlines retire their legendary Boeing 747s, and the production of Airbus A380 – the largest passenger airplane ever built – is almost over, we are nearing the end of an era of the giants. But there was a different time when the hub-and-spoke model reigned supreme, and manufacturers competed with their projects to build airliners of truly gargantuan proportions.
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Boeing versus Airbus: a graphic tale of two disasters
Every facet of the airline industry buckles under the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic. As airlines are strapped for cash, they are not only laying off workers in their thousands, but also canceling their aircraft orders. So, how are the two biggest aircraft manufacturers handling the crisis? Let’s compare.
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Meet China's Massive Turboprop Seaplane: The AVIC AG600 Kunlong
On July 26th at 10:18, the AG600 flew its first over-water flight in Qingdao, in eastern China. The flight lasted just over a half-hour. Manufactured by the Chinese state-owned company Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the AG600 is described as a large, amphibious, four-propeller aircraft. Let’s find out more about this aircraft and why it was created in the first place.
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Which Aircraft Will Embraer's New Turboprop Compete Against?
Embraer is moving forward with a new turboprop project. The aircraft manufacturer is looking to the future with a larger turboprop that will be environmentally friendly for short-haul operations. While Embraer states that there has not been much innovation in the turboprop market, the manufacturer will still have to face a good amount of competition. Here’s what Embraer is up against.
LinkAirlines
Southwest Flight Attendant Flies Adopted Puppy 2000 Miles
At the end of July, a Southwest flight attendant named Marcel Stratten flew 2,000 miles across the US, changing flights three times. While this might not sound like news, it was Marcel’s day off. She made the journey from El Paso, Texas, to deliver a puppy, found by the side of the road a couple of weeks earlier, to his forever home in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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1 In 6 Removed From Wizz Air Greece Flight Over COVID Form Errors
Since Greece reopened its borders to UK tourists in July, it has proven a popular holiday destination for anyone looking to enjoy a summer holiday. Greece requires an entry form to be filled out before arriving in the country rather than a quarantine period, adding to its recent popularity. However, many have fallen foul of the form, resulting in 28 passengers being removed from just one Wizz Air flight to Athens on July 8th.
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Ethiopian Airlines To Offer Ghana-US Repatriation Flight
Ethiopian Airlines has informed the United States Embassy in Accra, Ghana, that it is laying on a special commercial flight from Ghana to Ethiopia. The flight, scheduled for Thursday, August 13, will depart from Kotoka International Airport (ACC) for Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD). Once in Addis Ababa, United States citizens and legal permanent residents (LPRs) will be able to connect to flights to the United States.
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33% Of British Airways' Long Haul Fleet Will Have The Club Suite By 2021
A year ago, British Airways offered just one aircraft with the new Club Suite. However, with new aircraft deliveries alongside the retirement of the 747 fleets, how many of the airline’s long-haul aircraft will be fitted with the Club Suite as the airline rolls out of the COVID-19 crisis?
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Qantas Plans Boeing 787 Antarctica Sightseeing Flights
While Australians may be unable to travel internationally due to COVID-19, Qantas and travel firm Antarctica Flights have got together to offer possibly the world’s most unique scenic flight. Previously, Qantas used one of its iconic Boeing 747s for the 12 to 13-hour trip to Antarctica. Now that they are all retired, the journey will be made using a state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
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Hong Kong Could Get Another Airline With Startup Greater Bay Airlines
Although it seems like one of the worst times to start an aviation business, Greater Bay Airlines is moving ahead to become Hong Kong’s fifth passenger airline. The carrier has submitted an application to Hong Kong’s civil aviation authority for an air operator’s certificate (AOC).
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Over 6,000 Singapore Airlines Group Staff Have Taken Unpaid Leaves
More than 20% of SIA Group’s staff are now on unpaid leave. This amounts to over 6,000 of its ground staff, cabin crew, and pilots receiving mainly medical benefits, to help the airline combat the effects of COVID-19.
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Garuda Indonesia Records $712M Loss In The First Half Of 2020
Citing plunging flight numbers and passenger demand, Garuda Indonesia has announced a US$712.73 million loss in the first half of 2020. It is a sharp turnaround from the same time last year when the Indonesian airline posted a profit of $24 million.
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Bamboo Airways Goes Small By Leasing Two Embraer 195s
Last month, Bamboo Airways announced that it would be taking on two Embraer 195s for a short period of time. The aircraft will be used for domestic flights, but how will they fit into the Bamboo Airways strategy?
LinkAirports
COVID Places The Brakes On New York JFK Refurbishment
The planned makeover of New York’s JFK Airport has been – partially – put on hold. The $15 billion refurbishment scheme was supposed to begin this year and be completed in 2025. However, corona had other plans. Due to the outbreak of the pandemic and the subsequent crash in passenger demand, the renovation could now be delayed by several years.
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Alice Springs To Welcome 14 Cebu Pacific Aircraft For Storage
Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific has now sent a total of 14 aircraft to Australia’s Alice Springs for storage. These include widebody A330s, A320 family aircraft, and even regional ATR planes. It is considering sending more in the coming weeks, as it looks top delay or cancel deliveries for further new aircraft.
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You Can Get Free COVID-19 Tests At German Airports
Travelers entering German airports from both risk areas and non-risk areas can now receive a free COVID-19 test. This move is part of an initiative to help curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.
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Goa Airport Requires Incoming Passengers To Hold A Negative COVID Test
According to the Airports Authority of India’s (AAI) statement on the 5th of August, all passengers arriving at Goa airport must carry a COVID negative certificate. Any passenger without a genuine certificate will have to undergo institutional or home quarantine for 14 days. The decision to do so has come a day after the state recorded its highest number of cases in a single 24-hour period.
LinkMilitary
Final Captive Test for U.S. Air Force’s Hypersonic Weapon
Lockheed Martin’s AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW, “Arrow”) successfully completed its final captive-carry test on August 8. The carrier aircraft was Boeing B-52H 60-0050—named ‘Dragon’s Inferno'—from the 419th Flight Test Squadron, which operated from the U.S. Air Force Test Center at Edwards AFB in California.
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France Takes Delivery of First ISR King Air 350
France’s military procurement agency, the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA), has taken delivery of the first Beechcraft King Air 350 aircraft modified for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) duties. The handover occurred on July 31 and was announced a few days later.
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Game changer of military aircraft: B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber
The B-2 Spirit strategic bomber is an exceptional stealthy flying wing that left a mark in the history of military aerospace.
Interestingly, the cost of a single B-2 went from $737 million in 1989 to over $2.1 billion in 1997, making the stealth bomber one of the most expensive military aircraft ever created in aviation history.
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Aviation Quote
You cannot get one nickel for commercial flying.
- Inglis M. Uppercu, founder of the first American airline to last more than a couple of months, Aeromarine West Indies Airways, 1923.
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Trivia
Airman Exam – ATP
8391
What is the principal advantage of a sweepback design wing over a straightwing design?
A) Sweepback will accelerate the onset of compressibility effect.
B) Sweepback will increase changes in the magnitude of force coefficients due to compressibility.
C) The critical Mach number will increase significantly.
8327
Which of the following is considered an auxiliary flight control?
A) Ruddervator.
B) Leading-edge flaps.
C) Upper rudder.
8396
For a given angle of bank, the load factor imposed on both the aircraft and pilot in a coordinated constant-altitude turn
A) varies with the rate of turn.
B) is constant.
C) is directly related to the airplane's gross weight.
8358
What is the safest and most efficient takeoff and initial climb procedure in a light, twin-engine airplane? Accelerate to
A) best engine-out, rate-of-climb airspeed while on the ground, then lift off and climb at that speed.
B)an airspeed slightly above VMC, then lift off and climb at the best rate-of-climb airspeed.
C) VMC, then lift off at that speed and climb at maximum angle-of-climb airspeed.
9332
How soon after the conviction for driving while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs shall it be reported to the FAA, Civil Aviation Security Division?
A) No later than 60 days after the motor vehicle action.
B) No later than 30 working days after the motor vehicle action.
C) Required to be reported upon renewal of medical certificate.
8151
An air carrier airplane's airborne radar must be in satisfactory operating condition prior to dispatch, if the flight will be
A) carrying passengers, but not if it is "all cargo."
B) conducted IFR, and ATC is able to radar vector the flight around areas of weather.
C) conducted under VFR conditions at night with scattered thunderstorms reported en route.
9117
Scanning procedures for effective collision avoidance should constitute
A) looking outside for 15 seconds, then inside for 5 seconds, then repeat.
B) 1 minute inside scanning, then 1 minute outside scanning , then repeat.
C) looking outside every 30 seconds except in radar contact when outside scanning is unnecessary.
9339
A pilot, acting as second in command, successfully completes the instrument competency check specified in FAR Part 61. How long does this pilot remain current if no further IFR flights are made?
A) 90 days.
B) 6 months.
C) 12 months.
9051
What is the hijack code?
A) 7200.
B) 7500.
C) 7777.
9354
A person may not act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft if alcoholic beverages have been consumed by that person within the preceding
A) 24 hours.
B) 8 hours.
C) 12 hours.
8342
Why do some airplanes equipped with inboard/outboard ailerons use the outboards for slow flight only?
A) Aerodynamic loads on the outboard ailerons tend to twist the wingtips at high speeds.
B) Increased surface area provides greater controllability with flap extension.
C) Locking out the outboard ailerons in high-speed flight provides variable flight control feel.
9050
Under what condition does ATC issue safety alerts?
A) If the aircraft altitude is noted to be in close proximity to the surface or an obstacle.
B) When weather conditions are extreme and wind shear or large hail is in the vicinity.
C) When collision with another aircraft is imminent.
8336
Which is a purpose of ground spoilers?
A) Increase the rate of descent without gaining airspeed.
B) Aid in rolling an airplane into a turn.
C) Reduce the wings' lift upon landing.
8331
Which is a purpose of leading-edge flaps?
A) Direct airflow over the top of the wing at high angles of attack.
B) Increase the camber of the wing.
C) Reduce lift without increasing airspeed.
9108
The illusion of being in a noseup attitude which may occur during a rapid acceleration takeoff is known as
A) inversion illusion.
B) somatogravic illusion.
C) autokinesis.
8325
When are outboard ailerons normally used?
A) Low-speed flight only.
B) High-speed flight only.
C) Low-speed and high-speed flight.
8152
While on an IFR flight in controlled airspace, the failure of which unit will precipitate an immediate report to ATC?
A) Airborne radar.
B) One engine, on a multiengine aircraft.
C) DME.
9120
Hazardous vortex turbulence that might be encountered behind large aircraft is created only when that aircraft is
A) operating at high airspeeds.
B) developing lift.
C) using high power settings.
9099
When setting the altimeter, pilots should disregard
A) effects of nonstandard atmospheric temperatures and pressures.
B) corrections for instrument error.
C) corrections for static pressure systems.
8201
What is the minimum number of flight attendants required on an airplane having a passenger seating capacity of 188 with only 117 passengers aboard?
A) Five.
B) Four.
C) Three.
8150
If an air carrier airplane's airborne radar is inoperative and thunderstorms are forecast along the proposed route of flight, an airplane may be dispatched only
A) when able to climb and descend VFR and maintain VFR/OT en route.
B) in day VFR conditions.
C) in VFR conditions.
8359
What procedure is recommended for an engine-out approach and landing?
A) The altitude and airspeed should be considerably higher than normal throughout the approach.
B) The flightpath and procedures should be almost identical to a normal approach and landing.
C) A normal approach, except do not extend the landing gear or flaps until over the runway threshold.
9333
An applicant who is scheduled for a practical test for an airline transport pilot certificate, in an approved flight simulator, is
A) required to have a first-class medical certificate.
B) not required to have a medical certificate.
C) required to have at least a current third-class medical certificate.
9340
An applicant who is scheduled for a practical test for an airline transport pilot certificate, in an aircraft, needs
A) a second-class medical certificate.
B) a first-class medical certificate.
C) at least a current third-class medical certificate.
