NAS Daily 05 AUG 20

airtrainer 04 Aug 20, 23:53

News

Accidents/Incidents

LOT Embraer E195 suffers two bird strikes in two take-offs
A LOT Polish Airlines Embraer E195 had an eventful morning on August 4, 2020, as the aircraft took off, suffered a bird strike, returned back to its original destination, subsequently took off again and suffered another bird strike, eventually diverting to another airport.
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United Nations Antonov An-74 crash in Mali injures eleven people
A transport plane of the United Nations, coming from Bamako with 11 people on board, made a difficult landing at Gao airport, in Mali. All occupants were injured, including one seriously.
The UTAir Cargo Antonov An-74TK-100 freighter, registered RA-74044, was operating for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). It carried out flight UNO52P from Bamako Airport (BKO) to Gao Airport (GAQ) with seven crew members and four United Nations personnel on board.
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Commercial

Third Boeing 777X prototype completes maiden flight
Boeing carried out the first flight of the third 777X prototype to leave the final assembly line of Everett, United States. The manufacturer recently announced the first delivery of the aircraft would be postponed by a year to 2022.
The aircraft, registered N779XY, took off for a maiden flight with a duration of 3 hours and 34 minutes. After taking off from Everett Paine Field (PAE), the Boeing 777X flew around the state of Washington, before landing at Seattle Boeing Field (BFI).
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Woes for Boeing continue, as ALAFCO cuts 737 MAX order
After filing a $336 million lawsuit against Boeing, ALAFCO had reached a mutual agreement with the U.S. based aircraft producer to end the legal dispute.
ALAFCO, an aircraft-leasing company based in Kuwait, said that the lawsuit against Boeing filed on April 22, 2020, was dropped after the two companies agreed to reduce the 737 MAX order by half.
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What’s left for Boeing 737 MAX before it goes back to the skies?
Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) preliminary review of Boeing 737 MAX reported promising resolutions for safety issues related to the aircraft’s design airplane-related safety issues.
After crashing twice in Indonesia, October 29, 2018, and Ethiopia, March 10, 2019, all operations of Boeing aircraft 737 MAX were put on hold until aviation authorities around the world would deem it clear for takeoff again.
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Russian turboprop Il-114-300 set for maiden flight in September
New Russian regional turboprop Ilyushin Il-114-300 will take to the skies for the first time in September 2020, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) CEO Yuri Slyusar announced.
The announcement came in an interview with Russian president Vladimir Putin on August 3, 2020. The new airliner will be powered by Klimov TV7-117ST engines and have passenger capacity of up to 68 seats.
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FAA Proposes Design Changes for Service Return of Max
The Boeing 737 Max family inched closer to return to service following the U.S. FAA’s release on Monday of a proposed airworthiness directive calling for four key design changes surrounding the maneuvering characteristics augmentation system (MCAS) and the angle of attack (AoA) sensors.
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Airbus Begins Construction Of First A321XLR Rear Fuel Tank
Airbus has today shared that production of the first Rear Centre Tank (RCT) for the upcoming A321XLR has now started. This feature is a permanently installed high-capacity fuel tank, which makes maximum volumetric use of the jet’s lower fuselage.
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Airbus Does Not See The A220-500 As A Priority
Airbus does not currently see a stretch to the A220 as a priority right now. While the aircraft manufacturer sees potential for it, Jeff Knittel, Chairman and CEO of Airbus Americas, states that Airbus has other priorities, including focusing on cash preservation and the ongoing viability of the company.
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Airlines

SpiceJet continues long-haul odyssey with London-Heathrow slots
After SpiceJet announced its intentions to become a designated airline to establish routes between India and the United Kingdom and the United States, the India-based low-cost carrier announced that it has acquired slots to operate at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to continue its long-haul odyssey.
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Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s first Airbus A321 spotted in Hamburg
The first A321neo aircraft for Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, Wizz Air’s newest subsidiary based in the Middle East, was spotted in Hamburg on August 3, 2020, awaiting flight testing before its final destination.
The first out of their planned two A321neos (Registered HA-LVJ) was seen in Hamburg, Germany. The German city hosts an Airbus A320 family Final Assembly Line (FAL).
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Breaking: Virgin Atlantic Files For Bankruptcy Protection In The US
Breaking news today as Virgin Atlantic has filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection in the United States. The airline has made this step as it undergoes its private recapitalization plan in the UK.
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US Airlines Approach White House For Six Months More Funding
With the payroll funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act about to expire come October 1st, the American commercial aviation industry is quietly pushing for more money. While there is now substantial support from the House Democrats, unions are hoping that the prospect of mass layoffs ahead to the November election might sway the executive branch their way.
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EasyJet Increases Network In Response To Improving Demand
European low-cost carrier easyJet expects to operate around 1,000 flights per day this month. The airline has added further flights to its network in response to building demand that has recovered faster than expected.
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Cathay Pacific To Fly Aircraft For Storage In The Australian Desert
Cathay Pacific Airways announced last week that it would be transferring one-third of its passenger fleet for storage in the Australian desert. The Hong Kong-based carrier is looking to economize amid the COVID-19 crisis.
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Airports

San Diego Pushes On With Terminal Refurbishment
Fast-growing San Diego International Airport is pushing ahead with plans to replace its 53-year-old Terminal 1. A new state of the art 1.2 million square foot building with 30 gates will replace the existing 1960s era terminal. Construction is due to begin next year.
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Terminal upgrade project at Cairns Airport is completed
After 18 months of construction and three years in the planning, Cairns Airport has completed its T2 Domestic Terminal upgrade project.
The end result is a new-look terminal that instantly connects travellers to Tropical North Queensland and delivers a world-class airport experience.
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A third of Edinburgh Airport’s workforce to be made redundant
Due to COVID-19 and the continuing impacts, Edinburgh Airport is undergoing a restructuring process that will see approximately a third of its workforce leave the business.
The airport directly employs 750 people. The redundancy process will cover all areas, including frontline staff, management and support functions. The restructuring includes compulsory and voluntary redundancies across the business.
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Military

Sukhoi to begin delivery of S-70 attack drone in 2024
The first Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik (“Hunter”) attack drone should be delivered to the Russian military in 2024 after the Ministry of Defense demanded to speed up the experimental work on the upcoming unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV).
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Aviation Quote

I was a pilot flying an airplane and it just so happened that where I was flying made what I was doing spying.

- Francis Gary Power, U-2 reconnaissance pilot held by the Soviets for spying, in an interview after he was returned to the US.