NewsCommercial
Could Future Economy Class Cabins Have Glass Hygiene Screens?
An Italian aviation design firm has unveiled a new product that could change the face of economy class travel. With airlines looking to safeguard passengers when demand returns, many are considering how social distancing could be maintained on a plane. Aviointeriors has developed a concept solution; a hygienic screen to cocoon passengers and keep them separate from their neighbors. Let’s take a look at Glassafe, a potential post-COVID-19 economy cabin modification.
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Why Existing Airbus A380s Won't Be Converted To Freighters
The Airbus A380 has all the prerequisites for cargo conversions on paper. However, the aircraft is too heavy and too costly to operate compared to other cargo aircraft conversions. This points to a single destiny for the type; ending up in an aircraft graveyard.
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EASA extends Airbus A330-800 diversion time past 180 mins
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has approved the A330-800 for Extended-range Twin-engine Operations (ETOPS) “beyond 180 minutes” diversion time, Airbus announced on April 21, 2020.
The approval for the -800 includes ETOPS 180 minutes capability in the aircraft’s basic specification and the option for “ETOPS 285 minutes”.
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EASA Instructs A350 Operators To Install Cockpit Coffee Protection
Airbus has developed a cover for key controls in the A350 cockpit, to protect them from liquid spillage. This important update comes after two incidents of engine shutdown in the past year, and EASA has instructed all A350 operators to install the new covers within 28 days.
LinkAirlines
IATA Sees Recession Resulting in Slow Airline Recovery
The International Air Transport Association sees a “relatively modest” industry recovery in the third quarter of the year, given indications of tepid consumer confidence even as the Covid-19 crisis subsides in Australia, for example.
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Etihad’s investments: trend or series of unfortunate events?
As airlines in the Middle East were established in the late-20th/early-21st century, they became the poster children of their respective countries. Such airlines as Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways were, and still are, a tool to market their respective home states to a very wide audience.
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Air Mauritius declares insolvency, enters administration
After halting all its domestic and international flights due to the coronavirus crisis, Air Mauritius is expecting not to meet its financial obligations in the foreseeable future. On April 22, the Mauritian flag carrier announced entering into voluntary administration.
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Coronavirus: Austrian Airlines to retire Airbus A319 fleet
Austrian Airlines will sell 20 of its 80 aircraft by 2022, reducing its fleet by 25%, to alleviate the weight of the air transport crisis linked to the coronavirus pandemic.
The carrier had already announced earlier in April 2020, that 18 Dash-8 Q400s would be retired.
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Japan Airlines’ Zipair Eyes 787 Hawaii Flights As First US Destination
Despite having to push back its launch plans, Japan’s newest lost-cost carrier is pushing ahead with its plans to fly to the US. Originally, Zipair was due to launch its first flights in May. It has had to cancel the launch due to the coronavirus outbreak but is still looking to include flights to the US in its winter schedule and has officially applied for a flight route between Tokyo’s Narita airport and Honolulu in Hawaii.
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Emirates To Ban Most Cabin Baggage To Curb Coronavirus Spread
UAE flag-carrier Emirates announced Tuesday that it is stepping up precautionary measures to stop further spread of COVID-19. As a result, the airline is now banning cabin baggage on its flights.
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Harsh Times: Delta Air Lines Reports $534 Million Q1 Loss
Delta has posted a loss of over half a billion dollars for the first quarter of 2020. A large portion of the US carrier’s loss will come from the effects of the unprecedented pandemic driven crisis.
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Norwegian Air Is Fighting For Survival Like Never Before
Norwegian Air Shuttle is in the fight for its life, with the CEO writing an open letter on LinkedIn yesterday addressed to all airline supporters and employees. Can Norwegian survive the approaching storm and will it be rescued by the Norwegian government?
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Air New Zealand To Delay Boeing 787-10 Introduction
Air New Zealand is considering delaying the delivery of its Boeing 787-10s in light of recent events. The 787-10 is meant to replace the fleet of aging 777-200ERs and allow Air New Zealand to fly new routes. However, the current situation has forced Air New Zealand to make a number of changes to its plans.
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South Africa Eyes New National Carrier From SAA Remains
We’ve all joked about how it’s impossible to kill off South African Airways, the Alitalia of the southern hemisphere. But it seems not even SAA can weather the 2020 aviation crisis. The airline had suspended all international and domestic flying in late March, and the South African Government has discontinued financial support, crippling the carrier.
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Qantas Says It Does Not Want An Australian Monopoly
In the last two months, Australia’s two big airlines have taken divergent paths. Qantas has channeled Charles Darwin and adopted the survival of the fittest mode – easy enough to do when you are among the fittest. Virgin Australia, in contrast, took the “we are all in this together” approach.
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Could Delta Trade In Older Boeing 717s For 100 New 737 MAX Aircraft?
A report published today indicates that Delta may be working with Boeing on a deal to swap Boeing 717s for 737 MAX aircraft. First reported in The Air Current by Jon Ostrower, the deal would have Delta swap out its leased 717s and take on an order for 100 of the beleaguered Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. If this deal goes through, the ramifications are enormous.
LinkAirports
Amsterdam Schiphol Puts Brakes On New Terminal
Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport announced Monday that it is delaying its expansion plans. Its new terminal, intended to be operational in 2023, will have to wait as the award date, originally set for June this year, is being pushed back – indefinitely.
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Sydney Airport Passenger Traffic Plummets
About 45 million people a year pass through Sydney Airport; that’s nearly four million people a month moving through the airport’s three terminals. But in the first half of April, those numbers were down by over 96%. Consequently, the airport’s owners, the publicly listed Sydney Airport Holdings, have moved to raise USD$538 million in short term debt. That cash will see it through the downturn in travel demand.
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Grounded Flights Are Affecting Airports Just As Much As Airlines
More than 16,000 passenger jets are grounded worldwide as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and airports are facing much larger issues than merely finding parking space for them. Last week, there were only 711 departures from the UK’s ten largest airports. At Heathrow alone, there would usually be 1,400 take-offs and landings- per day.
LinkMilitary
Busy final days for Belgian NATO air policing mission [Video]
The Belgian participation in the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission is coming to an end. But their last days act as a reminder of how crucial their role is. In the span of a week, no less than five interceptions of Russian aircraft were carried out by the Belgian Air Force.
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Aviation Quote
"Thousands of volumes have been written about aviation, but we do not automatically have thousands of true and special friends in their authors. That rare writer who comes alive on a page does it by giving of himself, by writing of meanings, and not just of fact or of things that have happened to him. The writers of flight who have done this are usually found together in a special section on private bookshelves."
- Richard Bach, 'The Pleasure of Their Company,' in Flying magazine, April 1968.
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Trivia
Space Shuttle
1.
What United States president signed an order that officially began the space shuttle project?
A. John F. Kennedy
B. Richard M. Nixon
C. Jimmy Carter
2. What year was the first space shuttle mission launched?
A. 1977
B. 1979
C. 1981
3. What shuttle was used to repair the Hubble Space Telescope in 1993?
A. Challenger
B. Discovery
C. Endeavour
4. How many successful U.S. shuttle missions had taken place before Challenger disintegrated into a ball of fire in 1986?
A. 9
B. 24
C. 99
5. What was the first shuttle to be launched following the Challenger disaster?
A. Atlantis
B. Discovery
C. Endeavour
6. What was the first shuttle to dock with Russia's Mir space station?
A. Atlantis
B. Columbia
C. Enterprise
7. Which Space Shuttle was the only abort to orbit?
A. Challenger
B. Discovery
C. Columbia
