NewsAccidents/Incidents
Belarusian attack helicopters stop balloons from crossing border
The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus announced that a breach of Belarusian airspace was attempted by eight air balloons with “anti-state symbols”. The attempt was stopped by Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters of the country's Air Force.
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Canada unsatisfied with Iran’s report on downed UIA PS-752 flight
New black box information regarding the Ukrainian International Airlines (UIA) flight PS-752 downed by Iranian missiles on January 8, 2020, revealed that members of the cabin crew were still alive after the initial hit. Canada claimed that the report merely confirms what they already knew and demanded Iran to answer more important questions.
LinkCommercial
Boeing Eyes Handheld UV Wands As Cabin Disinfection Solution
Boeing is reportedly testing out a handheld wand in the fight against coronavirus. The aircraft manufacturer said on Friday that its UV emitting device could be a valuable addition to the cabin sanitization process. As well as sanitizing the passenger cabin, Boeing is hoping it can be used to disinfect surfaces and controls on the flight deck.
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Why Boeing 777X Windows Are Placed Higher In The Fuselage
The Boeing 777X promises to bring with it a plethora of passenger experience improvements. One part of this will be delivered through the use of larger, higher windows. The windows will not only be capable of letting in more light and giving everyone a view but will also be electronically dimmable faster and to a greater darkness than ever before.
LinkAirlines
All Nippon Airways tests hygiene-enhancing innovation
As the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the aviation industry, implementation of various innovations in the aircraft has accelerated as well. Even before the pandemic, global conversations about hygiene had already been launched about one specific part of the aircraft that nobody wanted to touch. Japanese airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) has announced the beginning of testing a new innovation that should increase the level of hygiene inflight.
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Emirates conundrum: Boeing 777X or 787 ?
As Emirates reportedly decided to switch up its Boeing orders to put more emphasis on the smaller Boeing 787, rather than the larger yet-to-certified 777X, could it also mark a future where less emphasis is marked on its Dubai hub ?
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ExpressJet to halt operations, closure sooner than expected
ExpressJet will stop its operations in September 2020 ‒ an abrupt end for a former United Airlines regional operator that previously announced gradual wind-down over the coming months.
The information was revealed in an internal memo, obtained by PaXex.aero. It was addressed to the company’s workers, detailing a plan to halt operations and terminate or furlough most of the employees on September 30, 2020.
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Lufthansa tightens mask exemptions, requires negative Covid test
Lufthansa Group is tightening the exemptions from mask requirements onboard their flights to include a medical certificate and a negative Covid-19 test.
Previously, exceptions to wearing masks were only applied to people suffering from a serious medical condition, pre-approved by a certified physician. Now, Lufthansa is tightening the rules further. In order to remain without a face covering during a flight, a passenger will have to present a negative COVID-19 test, made no later/earlier than 48 hours before the start of a trip.
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ANA and JAL to reduce domestic flights again due to COVID-19
According to the report of HNK on 24th, Japanese tourism and business trip sections showed a downward trend again amid the continuous spread of the COVID-19. All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) decided to take measures to cut the number of domestic flights by about 40% in September.
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Delta Looks To Add 50 Transatlantic Routes Next Summer
Although Delta Air Lines expects demand for domestic flights to recover faster than international operations, the airline is still planning on adding 50 transatlantic routes for summer 2021. In an announcement today, the airline confirmed its plans while cautioning that some routes were subject to government approval, and exact details may change. Some flights will resume operations this winter.
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New South African National Airline Could Launch In January
A new South African airline could start operations as soon as January of next year, according to the South African financial website BusinessTech. While quoting the South African Sunday Times, BusinessTech says that the South African government is working with private investors and has already received more than ten offers.
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High Court To Vote On Virgin Atlantic Rescue Deal Tomorrow
Virgin Atlantic is in last-minute talks with its creditors in a bid to avoid collapse. The airline previously warned it would run out of money by the end of September if it didn’t receive a £1.2 billion ($1.6 bn) bailout package before then. The creditors will vote tomorrow on the package in the High Court.
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Virgin Atlantic Now Offers Free COVID-19 Insurance For All Passengers
Virgin Atlantic today revealed that it would give every passenger complimentary COVID-19 cover. The insurance policy will cover up to £500,000 ($655,777) in emergency medical costs and related expenses. It follows a similar move from Emirates earlier this year.
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FlyBosnia Set To Retire Its Only Aircraft
FlyBosnia has responded to the current crisis in the aviation industry with some fairly drastic measures. The flag carrier of Bosnia and Herzegovina is reported to have fired 20 employees, and it is in the process of retiring its sole aircraft. The Airbus A319, carrying the registration E7-FBA, has been parked at Sarajevo International Airport for more than two months now.
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Iberia Has Retired Its Last Airbus A340
Iberia said goodbye to its last A340 last week, ending nearly 24 years of history with the type. The A340 has played a vital role in the Iberia fleet by connecting new long-haul destinations from Madrid. The retirement makes the A340 a rarer aircraft, with the pandemic forcing airlines to retire the four-engine model.
LinkAirports
DEIS released for proposed LaGuardia Airport Access Improvement Project
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed LaGuardia Airport (LGA) Access Improvement Project (AirTrain) and has opened a 45-day public comment period for the DEIS, which ends on 5 October 2020.
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Passenger numbers begin to bounce back at Moscow Sheremetyevo
Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport reports that it handled 11.2 million passengers in the first seven months of 2020, including nearly 1.5 million in July.
It reveals that the bulk of passenger traffic travelled on Aeroflot, Nordwind Airlines, Rossiya, Ikar, Royal Flight and Air France flights as the airport accommodated 112,998 aircraft movements in the first seven months of 2020.
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Biometric technology ensures contactless journeys possible at Beijing Capital
New biometric technology can ensure a completely contactless experience for passengers passing through Beijing Capital International Airport.
The human-free journey is possible as the airport has completely automated the entire passenger journey using SITA technology – from check-in and bag drop through to immigration, security, and finally boarding.
LinkMilitary
Japan hopes UAE will become first Kawasaki C-2 export customer
The Japanese government will subject the Kawaski C-2 transport plane to unpaved runway landing tests in an attempt to convince the United Arab Emirates of acquiring the aircraft.
The C-2 was designed as a successor to the Kawasaki C-1 transporter. It entered service in 2016, and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force already operates 11 aircraft, with plans to acquire up to 20 by 2024.
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Turkish AKINCI combat drone reaches altitude milestone [Video]
The first prototype of Bayraktar AKINCI, an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) indigenously developed by Turkey, hit a new milestone by reaching an altitude of 30,000 feet (9.15 kilometers) during a test flight.
The High Altitude System Identification Test took place at Bayraktar facilities in Tekirdag-Çorlu Military Base (TEQ), Turkey, on August 22, 2020. The AKINCI PT-1 remained at ceiling altitude for 3 hours and 22 minutes. It was the fifth successful flight of the prototype since its maiden flight in December 2019.
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Aviation Quote
The secret of this business is you've got to have a defensive strategy, as well as an offensive strategy.
- Fred Smith, FedEx founder and CEO, The Wall Street Journal, 14 July 2010.
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Trivia
General Trivia
1. There have been several British airplanes named after insects, such as the de Havilland Mosquito. How many American production airplanes have been named after insects?
2. Most pilots are familiar with the PBY, a twin-engine Consolidated Catalina flying boat used initially as a patrol bomber during World War II. What was a PBJ?
3. As any pilot who has studied a sectional chart knows, an RCO is a remote communications outlet used to communicate with distant facilities. What is a GCO?
4. What well-known civilian landplane may land with landing gear retracted during routine operations?
5. True or False, early Lear Jets have a "knife blade" down the center of the windshield. Its purpose is to dissect birds in flight.
6. True or False, After resigning from and selling his interest in TWA, Howard Hughes purchased another airline and named it after himself.
