NewsGlobal News
Aircraft Groundings Are Making Weather Forecasts Less Accurate
Today is April Fools Day, but this is no April Fool. The number of aircraft groundings across the globe is making weather forecasts less accurate. This is because when the aircraft are grounded, they are not up in the skies providing vital insight to meteorologists.
LinkCommercial
Airbus A320 Cargo Seat Bags: A New Way To Transport Cargo
Parts supplier Colibri Aero and design firm J&C Aero have developed a new way to transport cargo on narrowbody passenger planes. The cargo seat bag is designed to maximize available cargo space on a passenger configured A320 family aircraft, whilst also keeping the goods safe and secure. Thanks to rapid certification by EASA, airlines will be able to start making use of the kit immediately.
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Airbus to pause majority of production in Spain until 9 April in COVID-19 environment
Toulouse – The Spanish Government announced new measures on 29 March in the fight against COVID-19. These measures are taking effect between Monday 30 March and Thursday 9 April inclusive and restrict all non-essential activities across the country.
LinkAirlines
Oman Air Fires Hundreds Of Cabin Crew
Oman Air has terminated the contracts of hundreds of cabin crew, reportedly whilst many of them were overseas. This comes just days after the airline announced it was suspending all passenger flights until further notice.
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United States Airlines Facing Pressure To Give Cash Refunds
A group of nine US Senators have written to airlines expressing their opinion that cash refunds should be offered for passengers. As many airlines struggle with refunds and offer vouchers instead, will this have an effect on US airlines?
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Condor Could Be Nationalized By The German Government
Condor could soon find itself nationalized by the German government as a takeover deal with LOT owner PGL seems set to collapse. The planned deal would have allowed Condor to repay its €380 million state bridge-loan.
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Where Is Lufthansa Storing Its Grounded A320 Family Aircraft?
German flag carrier Lufthansa has almost 200 Airbus A320 family aircraft in its fleet. However, many of these are not flying due to the current situation. Where do you store such a giant fleet? Simple Flying did the work to find out so that you don’t have to!
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Virgin Atlantic Confirms Retirement Of Airbus A340s
Virgin Atlantic has finally retired the last of its Airbus A340 aircraft. The final three quadjets flew to storage on March 24th, marking the end of almost two decades of history. The last to touch down was Lady Luck, an A340-600, which joins its two sisters in storage in the south of England.
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Singapore Airlines Eyes Just 3 European Destinations In April
Singapore Airlines has published its April timetable and the pickings are slim. The airline will operate flights to just three European cities; London, Frankfurt and Zurich. Frequencies will be threadbare with around a baker’s dozen flights each way on each route across the month.
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A History Of KLM's Boeing 747 Operations
Over the weekend, KLM performed its final commercial flight with a Boeing 747 aircraft. After 49 years of flying the skies, the company ended passenger operations with the jumbo following a flight from Mexico City. This service marked the end of an era that saw the legendary aircraft transport KLM passengers on key international routes for nearly 50 years.
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Avion Express re-enters airfreight market with cargo-only flight offering
ACMI operator Avion Express is re-entering the airfreight market in response to increased demand for freighter aircraft operations as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Avion Express, originally established as a cargo and passenger airline in 2005, works with clients in Europe, Africa, the Asia-Pacific and Latin America, and has a fleet comprised of 22 Airbus A320s.
LinkAirports
FAA to award COVID-19 CARES Act financial support to U.S. airports
Airports across the U.S. will be awarded approximately $10 million in COVID-19 financial support under the Trump Administration’s CARES Act Airport Program.
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BUD Cargo City secures one of its first tenants
International transport and information logistics provider, cargo-partner, has become one of the first tenants of the recently completed BUD Cargo City at Budapest Airport.
The company moved into its newly built office and warehouse at the Hungarian gateway on March 30.
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Aviation Quote
Fighting in the air is not sport. It is scientific murder.
- Captain Edward V. 'Eddie' Rickenbacker, USAS, 'Fighting the Flying Circus.'
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Editor's Choice
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
