NewsAccidents/Incidents
Breaking: Viva Aerobus A320 Evacuated After Possible Gear Failure
A Viva Aerobus Airbus A320 lost its front landing gear today while departing from Puerto Vallarta, en route to Monterrey, in Mexico. The 127 people onboard exited the aircraft safely, and currently, Puerto Vallarta’s airport is closed due to the incident. What happened?
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United Flight Diverts As Unruly Passenger Reportedly Injures Others
On Wednesday, United Airlines Flight UA728 took off from Newark at 08:20 on its way to Miami. At 10:06, it touched down in Charleston, having diverted to off-load a sedated and restrained passenger who had struck and injured no less than three of his fellow passengers. The man is now held in South Carolina on charges of drug possession, with federal charges pending.
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American Airlines Boeing 737 Crew Robbed At Gunpoint
An American Airlines Boeing 737 crew were robbed at gunpoint in Costa Rica this week. The crew had been traveling from their hotel accommodation to San Jose, ahead of a flight back to Miami, when they were accosted by two men. The flight eventually proceeded with a seven-hour delay.
LinkCommercial
Questioning quality, FAA to sign off Boeing 787s themselves
In order to address the production quality issues related to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has stripped the manufacturer from issuing the final airworthiness certificates on four aircraft for the time being.
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New player in wide-body market? Meet SE200: new green jet
The US-based startup company SE Aeronautics launched a new generation wide-body aircraft concept. The design of a new monocoque molded plane design is expected to lower fuel consumption by 70% and cut carbon emissions by 80%. Meanwhile, the new SE200 commercial wide-body aircraft is expected to be capable of carrying up to 264 passengers on board with a non-stop range of 10,560 miles.
LinkAirlines
Air China orders 18 Airbus A320neo aircraft
The Beijing, China-based airline ordered additional Airbus A320neo aircraft from GECAS’ subsidiary AFS Investments, as first reported by Reuters. Air China already operates 42 Airbus A320neo family aircraft, including the A321neo, Airbus Orders & Deliveries data, as of February 28, 2021, shows. No outstanding orders are attributed to the airline.
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British Airways Owner IAG Issues Bonds Worth $1.2 Billion
The International Airlines Group (IAG) has become the latest in a string of aviation companies to issue bonds with the hope of raising funds. The company announced earlier today the issue of a series of bonds worth €1 billion ($1.2 billion) to see it through the rest of the pandemic.
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All-Airbus Carrier Volotea Reveals Where Its A320s Will Fly
Volotea’s first A320s will enter service in April, with the carrier to use them on 62 routes this summer. The move to A320s makes huge sense economically, with lower costs and more revenue opportunities. Its A320s will initially be used to, from, and within Italy – which is no coincidence. That is where it sees most competition.
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Iberia Celebrates 40 Years Of Airbus Operations
Today marks four decades since the Spanish flag carrier Iberia began to operate Airbus aircraft. Exactly 40 years ago, the airline’s first Airbus A300 arrived in Madrid. As they say, the rest is history, with the airline having operated aircraft from the Airbus family ever since, currently running an all-Airbus fleet.
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Reports Suggest JetBlue Is Recalling Crew Ahead Of A Busy Summer
JetBlue is reportedly calling cabin crew back to work as the airline gears up for a busy summer. In a company memo sent out on Tuesday, flight attendants on leave have been asked to come back early, with the airline stating it expects a “busy summer period.”
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WOW: 1 in 3 Converted Cargo 737s Are Now Flying For Amazon
It’s no secret that Amazon has been scaling up rapidly over the last year. As one of the largest multinational technology corporations in the world with an undisputed stronghold in eCommerce, it has had to take on the right equipment as it continues to grow. As a result, Amazon Air now holds a third of the world’s converted Boeing 737 Next Generation cargo aircraft.
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17 LATAM Aircraft To Be Auctioned Including 2 A350s
SkyWorks Leasing is auctioning 17 former LATAM Airlines Group airplanes after the South American carrier rejected its leases last year due to its Chapter 11 bankruptcy process in the US. The auction will take place on April 14, said the lessor.
LinkAirports
Chicago O’Hare Airport to install smart windows with AI
The new innovative technology will soon be installed at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the United States. The airport follows its $8.5 billion modernization plan under which the new smart windows will be installed in its Terminal 5.
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New data shows the severe impact of COVID-19 on UK airport passenger numbers
On the anniversary of the UK Chancellor’s never-delivered promise for an aviation-specific support package, data released by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has shown that passenger numbers travelling through UK airports throughout summer 2020 plunged to their lowest level since 1975, laying bare the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport paves the way for a sustainable future
In order to become more environmentally conscious, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport has implemented a range of sustainable measures to reduce energy consumption and decrease its reliance on non-renewable energy sources.
LinkMilitary
Russia denies selling Su-34 fighter jets to Algeria
Russian officials denied reports that a batch of Sukhoi Su-34 fighter jets are about to be delivered to Algeria.
According to Russian news agency Interfax, reports were denied by the press secretary of Federal Service of Military-Technical Cooperation Valery Reshetnikov.
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French Rafale F3R fighter reaches full operational capability
The French Air and Space Army and the French Navy signed the operational entry into service of the Rafale at the F3R standard, the French Ministry of Armed Forces announced on March 17, 2021.
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Aviation Quote
Out of 10,000 feet of fall, always remember that the last half inch hurts the most.
- Captain Charles W. Purcell, 1932.
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Trivia
General Trivia
1. What is an aerial train?
2. The most common configuration for a twin-engine business jet is for an engine to be mounted on each side of the rear fuselage. What was the first twin-engine turbine airplane to be so configured?
3. What is it called when a) ice becomes water vapor without becoming water in the process, and b) water vapor becomes ice without becoming water in the process?
4. True or false; Supersonic airplanes generate three sonic booms.
5. The world's first radio-equipped air traffic control tower began operation in 1930 and served
A. Cleveland, Ohio.
B. Indianapolis, Indiana.
C. Newark, New Jersey.
D. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
