NAS Daily 28 SEP 20

airtrainer 28 Sep 20, 00:54

News

Accidents/Incidents

Antonov AN-26 military plane crashes in Ukraine, at least 22 dead
An Antonov AN-26 aircraft crashed in the Kharkov region of Ukraine in the late hours of September 25, 2020. At least 22 people died, the latest report showed.
Ukrainian Defence Ministry reported that there were 28 people on board the aircraft: 21 cadets and 7 crew members. All of them were military pilots and cadets of the Ivan Kozhedub Kharkiv University of Air Force.
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What Caused Air France's Uncontained A380 Engine Failure ?
On September 30th, 2017, Air France Flight 66 was heading from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Los Angeles International Airport. However,the Airbus A380 suffered an uncontained engine failure. Therefore, it made an emergency landing at Goose Bay Airport, Canada. A report shared today by the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) has now concluded that this failure was caused by a lack of scientific understanding about the alloy used for the plane’s engine parts.
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Azul A320neo Abandons Landing Over Runway Too Short Indication
On September 13th, an Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras Airbus A320neo was on its way from the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul to Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont. However, it had to abandon landing due to an indication that the runway was too short.
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Wow: United Delays Flight By Almost 3 Hours By Passenger Request
United Airlines has a history of performing well in Tel Aviv and recognizes the importance of serving this destination. This week, it was revealed that the carrier changed the flight time of one of its departures to the city by nearly three hours. This move was made at the request of a customer.
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Commercial

Boeing Delivered The First 787 Ever Nine Years Ago Today
September is a big month in history for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. On September 26th, 2011, the highly-anticipated first 787 Dreamliner delivery occurred with much fanfare to Japan’s ANA. After a series of delays as Boeing worked to get its clean-sheet widebody in the skies, the event marked the start of more efficient long-haul flying and intense competition with Airbus.
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FAA Administrator Set To Fly The Boeing 737 MAX Next Week
On September 30th, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson is expected to pilot a Boeing 737 MAX. The FAA Administrator previously stated he would personally fly the aircraft before the type is recertified, and is now getting ready to act on that statement. All in all, this shows that the MAX is making progress towards recertification, though it has not yet been recertified.
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Airlines

WestJet Expands COVID-19 Cover To Include The United States
Canadian carrier WestJet announced on September 25th that its customers traveling to, through, or from the United States are now eligible for COVID-19 travel insurance coverage. Previously, the airline’s complimentary coverage was limited to travel to or from Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe while explicitly excluding the United States. Another new change is that this insurance coverage is being doubled, from C$100,000 to C$200,000.
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Wizz Air Abu Dhabi Further Postpones Launch To Mid-November
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s launch has been delayed, once again, to mid-November. The news comes a week before the airline’s initial proposed start date, which has been pushed back once already.
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Why Low Cost Carriers Avoid Jet Bridges
You might have noticed when you fly onboard a low-cost-carrier like Ryanair, easyJet, Frontier, or others that you might not park at an airport gate – rather, the plane stops far from the terminal, and you need to use stairs to reach a bus to begin a long trek. Why is this? Let’s explore.
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Air India Joins The Flight To Nowhere Movement
Air India may soon be joining the growing list of airlines operating flights to nowhere. Taiwanese carrier Starlux has already conducted several flights while Australia’s Qantas just launched its own scenic flight program. Singapore Airlines is likely to follow suit as well. October may see many more aircraft in the air – they just won’t be flying too far from home.
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Delta To Retire All Its Boeing 717s And 767-300ERs
Delta Air Lines has set out plans to retire all of its Boeing 717s and 767-300ERs. The two types will exit the airlines’ fleet by December 2025. Alongside these aircraft, from its regional brand, Delta will be retiring all of its 50-seater Bombardier CRJ200s.
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American Airlines Closes On Nearly $5.5bn Government Loan
American Airlines has announced that, on September 25th, the airline closed on a government loan with the US Department of Treasury. The loan currently is worth nearly $5.5 billion. However, there is a possibility for the company to increase that loan up to $7.5 billion, depending on how things work out at the Treasury department.
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Qantas Embarks On Last International A380 Flight Until 2023
Qantas is embarking on its final international Airbus A380 flight until at least 2023. The airline is sending its fleet of the superjumbo to long-term storage in response to the current massive drop in demand being experienced by airlines.
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Kuwait's First A330-800 Completes Its Second Test Flight
Plane spotters around Toulouse were treated to a glimpse of the rare Airbus A330-800 on Wednesday. The particular aircraft flying was conducting its second test flight and will soon go to Kuwait Airways. The shortest variant of the A330neo family, eight of the -800s will go to the Middle Eastern carrier.
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Airports

5 Ways Your Airport Experience Could Change Amid COVID-19
The new normal has everyone speculating about how travel will emerge long term. Which of the current safety measures will stay, and which will prove to be a step too far? Without a doubt, passing through an airport will never be the same again. We take a look at some of the ways your airport experience will change in the future.
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High quality health measures recognised at Montréal-Trudeau
Montréal-Trudeau has followed up its Airport Health Accreditation award by becoming the first Canadian airport, as well as the first facility in Québec, to earn GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation from The Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC).
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UK airport group introduces biodegradable security bag
Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton have become the first airports in the UK to trial a new Oxo-Biodegradable 100ml security bag.
All three are operated by AGS Airports Ltd, which believes that the new, free, bags will now remove more than two million single-use plastic bags each year across the group.
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Military

The Air Force's Secret New Fighter Jet May Not Even Be a Fighter at All
The world continues to search for clues surrounding the mysterious new fighter jet that the U.S. Air Force secretly designed, built, and flew in just one year. We're still debating whether or not the Air Force already showed us what the new fighter looks like, and now, one defense blog raises an even more intriguing question: What if the Air Force's new fighter jet isn't actually a fighter jet at all ?
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World’s most powerful private air forces
The majority of air forces are maintained and commanded by sovereign states, being part of their military structures and having the aim of protecting the country’s interests. However, there is another kind of air forces: the private ones, belonging to commercial companies and offering their services for profit.
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Brazil’s first Gripen E takes to the skies [Video]
The first Brazilian Gripen E, designated by Brazilian Air Force (FAB) as F-39 Gripen, concluded its first flight in Brazil on September 24, 2020.
The aircraft flew from the airport in Navegantes to Embraer´s facility in Gavião Peixoto, accompanied by the first Swedish Gripen E. The official reception of the aircraft by the FAB will take place on October 23, 2020, Aviator’s Day in Brazil.
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Aviation Quote

Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.

- Prime Minister Winston Churchill, House of Commons, 20 August 1940. The Royal Air Force has been known as 'the few' ever since. M. Hastings (2009) Winston's War states that Churchill came up with the phrase a few days earlier on 16 August, after visiting Fighter Command's 11 Group operation room. His chief of staff 'Pug' Ismay made some remark in the car riding back to Chequers, and Churchill said, "Don't speak to me. I have never been so moved." After a few minutes he spoke the classic line.

This quote is often changed by writers and speakers, giving us material such as 'Never . . . was so much owed by so few to so many,' seen after the Falklands War. Other folks have wondered if Churchill was referring to the RAF's bar tab.