NewsAccidents/Incidents
Step ladder left on runway at Birmingham Airport while three passenger planes landed
Three aircraft, a two Boeing 737-800s, and a Boeing 757-200 subsequently landed on Birmingham runway 33 while there was a ladder just to the runway centreline’s right.
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Private Mirage F1 “aggressor” crashes on landing at Tyndall AFB
A Mirage F1B operated by Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) crashed at the end of the runway of Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, in the United States. The two pilots sustained injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital. Their condition did not appear critical.
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Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-400F Body Damaged In Brussels
After flying from Dallas-Fort Worth to Brussels on February 26th, a Singapore Airlines 747-400F was found to have damage to its body during a post-flight inspection. Images posted to Twitter show that the metal skin of the jumbo jet had been punctured, forming multiple holes. The largest of these holes looks to be at least 20 inches in diameter.
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FAA Proposes $28k Fine For Delta Passenger Who Struck Flight Attendant
A misbehaving Delta passenger who turned violent may end up getting a heavy fine. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $27,500 civil penalty against the passenger for allegedly interfering with and assaulting a flight attendant. The high fine comes as the FAA continues to crack down on misbehaving passengers.
LinkCommercial
Boeing to pay $6.6 million in penalties to FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has fined Boeing $6.6 million to settle down a couple of matters.
The penalties include $5.4 million for failing to meet the 2015 settlement agreement in which the US manufacturer pledged to change its internal processes to improve and prioritize regulatory compliance.
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Boeing potentially faces billions of extra costs to fix 787 Dreamliner issues
Various production issues have bugged the Boeing 787 Dreamliner throughout the past year, resulting in the company suspending deliveries of new aircraft to customers. Now, as the manufacturer begins to amend issues found on the wide-body, the costs of doing so could potentially amount well into the billions.
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Final Boeing 787 Dreamliner Comes Off Everett Line
The final Everett-built Boeing 787 Dreamliner has come out of the factory. Bound for ANA, this specific 787 is the last one that will be built, for at least the foreseeable future, in the Seattle-area.
LinkAirlines
United Airlines to pay $49 Million settlement in post fraud case
United Airlines has agreed to pay $49 million to settle post fraud claims. The airline was under a criminal investigation about defrauding the country’s postal service for three years.
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Norwegian warns of potential bankruptcy in Q2 2021
Norwegian, which has been reconstructing its business in order to continue flying, announced its newest financial results. While there are positive signs for the company’s future, the low-cost carrier still warned of a potential collapse in the near future, as uncertainty lingers.
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Rex Inaugurates Its First Boeing 737 Flights
A little piece of aviation history was made on Monday morning. Rex’s first Boeing 737-800 pushed back at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport with a load of fare-paying passengers. Many people will be shaking their heads over Rex pulling this off. But the regional airline has defied the naysayers and is moving into the big league.
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AirAsia X Records $43m Loss For December Quarter
AirAsia X has recorded a US$43 million loss for the December 2020 quarter. It brings losses at the airline for calendar 2020 to nearly $330 million. The results, announced on Friday, February 26, mean the airline has experienced seven straight losses in a row. With the airline’s fleet grounded, further losses in the short term are expected.
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Surinam Airways Seeks Return Of Its Leased Boeing 777
Surinam Airways has a leased Boeing 777-200ER that it wants to return to Boeing early. The aircraft, relatively new to the airline’s fleet, is proving expensive as it undergoes heavy maintenance, leading it to be a costly and unnecessary aircraft for now. The airline is currently leasing a plane to fly its flagship widebody services.
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Delta Air Lines Will Bring All Pilots Back To Active Flying Status
Delta Air Lines shared this week that it is returning all pilots to active flying status. The Atlanta-based carrier is gearing up for recovery and plans for all affected pilots to have an active status by October of this year.
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SmartLynx Malta To Fly Airbus A321-200 Freighters For DHL Express
SmartLynx Malta and Germany’s DHL Express have partnered together to break new ground in cargo transportation. The SmartLynx subsidiary, SmartLynx Malta, will be operating two Airbus A321-200 freighters to support the Express Division of Deutsche Post DHL Group.
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First Post-Ungrounding 737 MAX Delivery In Europe Goes To TUI
British leisure carrier TUI has become the first European airline to take delivery of a Boeing 737 MAX since the type’s recertification. The aircraft flew directly from Boeing Field to Gatwick, which is one of the airline’s three London operating bases.
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Lufthansa May Be Considering Vaccine Tourism Flights To Moscow
Germany is a world-leader in the pharmaceutical industry. Despite this, it is presently experiencing a shortage of coronavirus vaccines, delaying its rollout among the German population. However, Lufthansa is said to be considering an exclusive and novel solution to this problem – vaccine tourism flights to Moscow.
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Air Belgium Reveals Its Airbus A330 Freighter Paint Scheme
In mid-February, we reported that global shipping giant CMA CGM was expanding its operations with the acquisition of four A330-200F (freighters). Coming from Qatar Airways’ Cargo and operating under Air Belgium’s AOC, the four jets will comprise the CMA CGM’s new air cargo division- aptly named “CMA CGM Air Cargo.” Yesterday we caught a glimpse of the operator’s new livery. Spoiler alert: It’s not very exciting or creative.
LinkAirports
LAX To Temporarily Close A Runway For An Overhaul
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) temporarily closed one of its four runways and two taxiways to allow them to undergo a $17.3 million renovation beginning February 26, 2021. In a statement seen by Simple Flying, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) said it is temporarily closing runway 7R/25L and two taxiways on the south side of the airport.
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Gatwick Airport’s CEO remains optimistic for recovery
Following an unprecedented year of impacted revenue streams and collapses in passenger demand, Stewart Wingate, CEO of Gatwick Airport, has said that he is optimistic for the airport’s recovery.
LinkMilitary
Putin's hypersonic army: what is the state of cutting-edge Russian missiles?
For several years now, “hypersonic” is the buzzword that refuses to go away. And for a good reason: embodying both the latest scientific advances and the reheating of international tensions, it promises to be no less disruptive than ballistic missiles or strategic bombers were back in the day.
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Turkey rolls out mockup of unmanned electric attack helicopter
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) revealed a mockup of the TUSAŞ T-629 unmanned electric attack helicopter with a characteristic rave color pallet.
The model was rolled out during the delivery ceremony of TAI T129 helicopters to the Turkish police.
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Aviation Quote
Pilots believe in clean living. They never drink whiskey from a dirty glass.
- Anonymous
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Trivia
General Trivia
1. What was the longest-duration passenger flight ever made by an airline using an airplane powered by reciprocating engines?
1. 23 hours 19 minutes
2. 20 hours 19 minutes
3. 17 hours 19 minutes
4. 14 hours 19 minutes
2. Which of the following was the only operational Century-series fighter not deployed over Vietnam?
5. Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
6. Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
7. Convair F-106 Delta Dart
8. McDonnell F-110 Spectre
3. Multiengine pilots know that it can take substantial rudder-pedal force to arrest the yaw created by a failed engine when operating at minimum-controllable airspeed (VMC). The maximum force allowed by aircraft certification regulation Part 23.149 is
9. 75 pounds.
10. 100 pounds.
11. 150 pounds.
12. 200 pounds.
4. True or false; For instrument-rated pilots: A pilot is cleared to “cruise at 9,000 feet,” for example. This means that the pilot is cleared to execute the instrument approach at his destination airport.
5. True or false; The Beech King Air was the first civilian turboprop airplane produced in the United States.
6. True or false; American pilots know that when two airplanes are on converging courses, the airplane on the others right has right-of-way. In England (and a few other countries), however, the airplane on the others left has right-of-way.
