Thursday, April 30, 2015

NEWS Pegasus grew faster than rest of Turkish aviation market in Q1 of 2015

According to the Public Disclosure Platform’s (KAP) traffic data for January-March 2015, Pegasus Airlines continues to grow in double-digits.

ALERT Bird Strike Forces Plane to Make Emergency Landing at LaGuardia

An airplane made an emergency landing at LaGuardia Airport just after takeoff Thursday afternoon after a reported bird strike, officials say.

The American Eagle Envoy 3530 flight landed on runway 4 after a bird strike on the left flap of the jet, the Port Authority said.


NEWS Airbus 'to sue over US spying'

Leaks from a secret report by Germany's national intelligence agency, the BND, suggest it collected information on European firms at Washington's behest. 
In a statement reported by AFP, Airbus said it did not want to speculate on the media reports. 
But it said it was alarmed by "concrete suspicion of industrial espionage".

ALERT Air France flight #AF1620 hit by a car at Paris CDG airport

The Airbus A320 registered F-GKXY was hit by a car at Paris CDG airport this morning.

The flight #AF1620 from Paris CDG to Tel Aviv was due to take off at 10:50 but passengers had to switch plane.

The flight finally took off at 13:20 (2h30 late) and expected to land at 18:45.

NEWS Bangkok Airways joins oneworld Global Explorer fare

Bangkok Airways is the latest airline to start participating in Global Explorer, the round-the-world fare offered by oneworld member airlines and selected partners outside the global alliance. It is the first time that Bangkok Airways’ flights have been made available through a round-the-world fare. Global Explorer, one of the most popular round-the-world fares available globally, offers simple, flexible, and great value travel around-the-world.

NEWS Lufthansa calls for arbitration in flight crew pay dispute

Lufthansa is offering a further concession to the Vereinigung Cockpit flight crew union in the ongoing round of collective bargaining talks. The union has repeatedly demanded general arbitration. In order to avoid new strikes at the expense of the passengers, Lufthansa offers VC general arbitration of all open collective wage agreements.

BREAKING EasyJet #U28626 from Palma de Mallorca to London is declaring an emergency and diverting

NEWS Qatar Airways to go daily on Edinburgh-Doha flights

Qatar Airways will begin to operate a daily direct scheduled service from Edinburgh Airport to Doha’s Hamad International Airport from tomorrow. The airline will also be celebrating a year since the successful launch of the original five services per week, with the additional frequencies reinforcing Qatar Airways’ commitment to Scotland. The daily QR028 outbound service and QR027 inbound service, operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, will give passengers even greater access to more than 140 worldwide destinations served by Qatar Airways through its state-of-the-art hub, Hamad International Airport.

NEWS Bangkok joins oneworld Global Explorer fare

Bangkok Airways is the latest airline to start participating in Global Explorer, the round-the-world fare offered by oneworld member airlines and selected partners outside the global alliance. It is the first time that Bangkok Airways’ flights have been made available through a round-the-world fare. Global Explorer, one of the most popular round-the-world fares available globally, offers simple, flexible, and great value travel around-the-world.

VIDEO Impressive landings in the thick fog of Gatwick (ILS CAT III)

Thick Fog - ILS CAT III - Aircraft Landings. - Gatwick Airport -

Posted by Airliner Models on dimanche 26 avril 2015

NEWS Malaysia Airlines has put its entire fleet of six Airbus A380s up for sale, along with four Boeing 777-200ER jets

Malaysia Airlines has put its entire fleet of six Airbus A380s up for sale, along with four Boeing 777-200ER jets, as the airline ramps up its efforts to wipe out millions of dollars in ongoing losses.

Malaysia Airlines is said to be open to outright sale or lease, reports respected aviation industry site Leeham News.

Also on the block are six MAS freight aircraft – two Boeing 747-400s and four Airbus A330-200s – which Leeham News' Scott Hamilton says 'wipes out MASCargo'.

Malaysia Airlines took delivery of its first A380 just less than three years ago, in May 2012, and flies the superjumbos to London, Paris and Hong Kong.

The airline was nationalised in late 2014 by Malaysia's government-owned investment arm Khazanah Nasional, after years of mounting debt.

The airline has racked up debts approaching $1.5 billion since 2011 and last year analysts predicted Malaysia Airlines would not break even until at least 2016.

Under KN' watch, MAS was to receive a A$2 billion injection from 2014 to 2016 to fund a dramatic restructure – including a 30% cut to its workforce – in a drive to return the airline to profitability by 2017.

NEWS LATAM opens new luxury lounge in Santiago, Chile

LAN Airlines and TAM Airlines, members of LATAM Airlines Group, have opened the largest VIP lounge in South America at Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport Santiago, Chile. LATAM Airline’s new VIP lounge is spread over two floors and caters for LATAM’s passengers with excellent facilities to satisfy even the most discerning traveller’s demands.

NEWS Lufthansa calls for arbitration in flight crew pay dispute

Lufthansa is offering a further concession to the Vereinigung Cockpit flight crew union in the ongoing round of collective bargaining talks. The union has repeatedly demanded general arbitration. In order to avoid new strikes at the expense of the passengers, Lufthansa offers VC general arbitration of all open collective wage agreements.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

NEWS Flybe Düesseldorf route takes off from Cardiff

Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline, today marks the start of a busy summer season flying from Cardiff Airport as it launches its new direct route to Düsseldorf.

NEWS Seawings launches Seaplane Safaris to Sir Bani Yas Island

Seawings, the only luxury seaplane tour operator in the Middle East has announced the launch of ‘Seaplane Safaris’ to Sir Bani Yas Island as part of an ongoing expansion of their Seawings Lifestyle division. 

BREAKING Plane carrying former President Bill Clinton had to make emergency landing in Tanzania

A plane carrying former President Bill Clinton had to make an emergency landing in Tanzania Wednesday after one of the four engines on his plane stopped working, CBS News has learned.

Everyone on board the plane is safe.

Clinton was traveling in the East African nation to visit projects that have been funded by his family's foundation. The plane made an emergency landing at the Dodoma fueling station, where the engine had to be fixed.

The plane was a Canadian turboprop Dash 7, traveling from Iranga, a city in the center of Tanzania, to Lake Manyara, which is in the north.

Clinton is touring projects intended to boost agriculture, health, education and wildlife conservation. He and his daughter Chelsea are also scheduled to visit Kenya, Liberia and Morocco.

CBS

German government warned of dangers before MH17 shootdown

The German government had intelligence indicating the danger of surface-to-air missiles in the Ukraine region where Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down last year, according to German media reports.

Flight MH17, a Boeing 777, crashed July 17, 2014 during a scheduled flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people onboard were killed. Damage found on aircraft wreckage of indicated there were impacts from a large number of high-energy objects from outside the aircraft, according to a Dutch Safety Board accident report.

The Dutch report also said that three other airliners were in the area when MH17 crashed; one of them, a Boeing 777, was following MH17 on the same track and altitude.

LIVE Vancouver International Airport is hosting a training exercise simulating an aircraft accident at YVR

Vancouver International Airport is hosting a training exercise simulating an aircraft accident at YVR to practice emergency response plans with business partners, airlines and emergency responders. Regular operations will proceed as normal.

The exercise will have an airside and terminal component that may be visible to the public. Volunteers will be playing the part of injured passengers at the simulate crash zone, and family and friends of victims in public areas of the Domestic and International Terminal Building. To make the simulation more effective, theatrical make-up will be used on injured passengers.

Everyone participating in the exercise will be clearly identified with a vest, nametag or white baseball cap and signs will be posted throughout the airport. We will also post a message on our website as well as on our social media channels. However, customers and passengers may still come to you with questions. Please feel free to share this information with them.

Regular testing of the Emergency Management Plan and training response personnel are integral to the Airport Authority’s emergency preparedness program.

NEWS Edinburgh Airport is to trial a new flight path that could see a plane taking off every minute

Scott Taylor
The route, which will be tested for six months from June 25, will see southbound planes take off over Broxburn and Uphall, before turning east over the Forth, then south over East Lothian.

And it will cut the minimum interval between take-offs from two minutes to one minute, doubling the potential number of flights by large planes from the hub and increasing the total number of flights in and out of the Capital by 20 per cent to around 120,000 every year.


Not every flight will use the new route, which will increase the total number of take-offs and landings possible per hour from 42 to 50 by 2017, if the trial is rolled out permanently.

More details on Edinburgh News

NEWS Inadequate training and non-use of transponder led to runway incursion at Calgary Airport

Calgary International Airport diagram and taxi routes (Source: NAV CANADA, Canada Air Pilot, with TSB annotations)

Calgary International Airport diagram and taxi routes (Source: NAV CANADA, Canada Air Pilot, with TSB annotations)

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its report into a runway incursion incident at the Calgary International Airport, when a Beech 1900 was taxied across an active runway where a Boeing 737 was departing.

On 29 March 2014, during the hours of darkness, an Air Georgian Beechcraft 1900D turboprop aircraft was being taxied to a holding bay adjacent to runway 29 at Calgary International Airport, Canada, by company aircraft maintenance staff to perform engine performance checks. An air traffic controller issued instructions for taxiing north from the company facility to the holding bay. The maintenance staff mistakenly taxied the aircraft to an area southwest of the maintenance facility. A runway incursion occurred when the aircraft entered the south end of an active runway (runway 17R). A departing Boeing 737 was already airborne when the Beech 1900D entered the runway.

The investigation found that the training received by the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) was inadequate for the operation of an aircraft at a large airport at night. This resulted in the AME not correctly following the taxi instruction, resulting in the runway incursion. The investigation also found that the ground controller did not assign a transponder code as per air traffic control procedures. A transponder code allows aircraft to be positively identified on the ground radar display, giving the controller on duty situational awareness of where the aircraft is taxiing. Additionally, the investigation revealed that the airport does not require positive control over vehicles operating on a taxiway, except during reduced/low visibility operations. This, combined with the unidentified target seen on the ground radar display as a result of the lack of a transponder code, led to the controller making an incorrect assumption that this aircraft was a vehicle operating south of the company facility.

Following the occurrence, the Calgary Airport Authority required AMEs to be trained for and to hold airside vehicle operator permits allowing them to tow and taxi aircraft around the airport. All vehicles operating on a taxiway now require transponders so that air traffic control can identify them. Air Georgian revised its procedures for taxiing and towing aircraft around airports and improved training for its maintenance staff.

More information:


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NEWS iPad glitch affects more than a couple dozen American Airlines flights

The airline confirmed the issue late Tuesday night. The problem? An error with the digital map used by pilots in the cockpit.

"Some flights are experiencing an issue with a software application on pilot iPads," American Airlines said in a statement. "In some cases, the flight has had to return to the gate to access a WiFi connection to fix the issue."

Airline spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said "more than a couple dozen flights" were affected.

"We apologize for the inconvenience to our customers," American Airlines said. "We are working to have them on the way to their destination as soon as possible."

It's still unclear which iPad app was faulty -- or whether the fault lies with American Airlines or Apple.

In 2013, American Airlines became the first airline to have its pilots rely entirely on iPads for flight plans and navigation. Plans get updated all the time, so the company cut down on lots of excess paper.

The airline has estimated the paperless program saves the company at least 400,000 gallons of fuel every year. In all, 8,000 iPads replaced 24 million pages of documents.

But, as is always the story with neat technology, software isn't always reliable.

EMERGENCY US Air Force tanker makes emergency landing at Mildenhall

A U.S. Air Force registered 61-0321 refueling plane landed safely in England after declaring an in-flight emergency Wednesday morning.
The crew of a KC-135 Stratotanker declared an emergency about 12:20 a.m. and landed at RAF Mildenhall at 1:20 a.m., the base said in a statement.

The KC-135 fleet has been in service for over 50 years. The Air Force is due to start replacing its fleet of 179 Stratotankers with the new Boeing KC-46 Pegasus in 2017.

NEWS All Nippon Airways to bring Dreamliner 787-9 to Munich route from May

All Nippon Airways will introduce the Boeing 787-9 on international routes, beginning with the Haneda-Munich route on May 5th. Introduction of the extended Dreamliner will streamline operational costs and drive continued growth for ANA, and will also provide with it a suite of upgrades to the in-flight entertainment system, in line with the airline’s commitment to providing the highest levels of comfort and convenience to its customers.

NEWS Singapore Airlines launches new Apple Watch compatible mobile app

Singapore Airlines has launched an all-new mobile app for both Apple and Android smartphones, as well as for the Apple Watch. Introducing a redesigned user interface with new features, the app aims to provide a functional and seamless user experience. Features include a contextual homepage that displays the most relevant information about upcoming trips.

NEWS All Nippon Airways to being Dreamliner 787-9 to Munich route from May

All Nippon Airways will introduce the Boeing 787-9 on international routes, beginning with the Haneda-Munich route on May 5th. Introduction of the extended Dreamliner will streamline operational costs and drive continued growth for ANA, and will also provide with it a suite of upgrades to the in-flight entertainment system, in line with the airline’s commitment to providing the highest levels of comfort and convenience to its customers.

BREAKING: @Ryanair loses Millions in Chinese banking Scam - @flightcrisis

Irish no frills airline Ryanair has had millions of euro siphoned from one of its bank accounts.
The Irish Independent reports that thieves managed to initiate a single fraudulent transaction using a Chinese bank when stealing the money from the airline.
There have been efforts to track down the scammers and trace the funds.
"The airline has been working with its banks and the relevant authorities and understands that the funds (less than €4.5m) have now been frozen" said a spokesman for Ryanair.
"The airline expects these funds to be repaid shortly, and has taken steps to ensure that this type of transfer cannot recur," it added.
"As this matter is subject to legal proceedings, no further comment will be made."
Ryanair, which is Europe’s biggest low-cost carrier and Ireland's second biggest company is certain to have moved aggressively to pursue the culprits and to seal any gaps in its system.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

NEWS United Airlines supports humanitarian relief efforts in Nepal

United Airlines today announced that it will work with its disaster relief partners the American Red Cross, Americares, Airlink and Operation USA to provide aid to those affected by the earthquake in Nepal

NEWS TAP Portugal and Travelport sign multi-year global content agreement

Travelport, a leading Travel Commerce Platform providing distribution, technology, payment and other solutions for the $7 trillion global travel and tourism industry, and TAP Portugal announce the signing of a new multi-year global full content agreement.

BREAKING Passengers evacuate United Express flight flight 4882at Philadelphia airport after engine fire

Passengers evacuated a plane after it made an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport Tuesday afternoon. A fire broke out in one of the No. 2 engine of the turbo-prop United Express plane, said airport officials.

The flight originated in Raleigh-Durham International Airport and was headed to Newark Liberty Airport when it experienced some sort of issue, said a PHL airport spokesman.
SkyForce10 captured passengers getting off the de Havilland Dash 8-400 (DHC 8-400) shortly after 4 p.m. and standing on the grass next to the apron. AnnMarie Kreitzer, a passenger on another plane, captured the smoky plane on the tarmac in Philadelphia.

NEWS Kenya Airways to retire their Boeing 777s

Kenya Airways is planning to phase out its B777s this summer as its new 787s will complete the take over of all its long-haul international routes.

Airline route says the airline is planning its last 777 service on 18th May from Dubai to Nairobi.

The airline reportedly is planning to phase out its new Boeing 777-300ERs which only joined the fleet in October 2013. The last flight is scheduled from 26th September on Heathrow to Nairobi.





VIDEO Saudi-led airstrikes damage #Yemen international airport runway, ruin planes and disrupt evacuation

NEWS Engine failure on overweight DC-3 led to collision with terrain in Yellowknife, Canada

The accident aircraft (TSB)

The accident aircraft (TSB)

According to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) a cylinder failure on the right engine, and the fact that the aircraft exceeded its maximum certified take-off weight, led to the wheels-up landing just after take-off of a Buffalo Airways DC-3C aircraft in August 2013. There were no injuries to the 21 passengers or the 3 crew members.

On 19 August 2013, the Buffalo Airways aircraft was operating as a scheduled passenger flight from Yellowknife to Hay River, Northwest Territories. After lift-off from runway 16 at 17:08 hours local time, there was a fire in the right engine. The crew performed an emergency engine shut-down and made a low altitude right turn towards runway 10. The aircraft struck a stand of trees southwest of the threshold of runway 10 and touched down south of the runway with the landing gear retracted.

The TSB investigation found that Buffalo Airways did not have an effective safety management system (SMS) in place to identify and mitigate risk in its operations. Along with the findings as to cause, the investigation also uncovered a number of findings as to risk, both for the air operation, and with regard to Transport Canada oversight. As for Transport Canada, the current approach to regulatory oversight, which focuses on an operator’s SMS processes almost to the exclusion of verifying compliance with the regulations, is at risk of failing to address unsafe practices and conditions. If Transport Canada does not adopt a balanced approach that combines inspections for compliance with audits of safety management processes, unsafe operating practices may not be identified increasing the risk of accidents.

Buffalo Airways has begun to enforce the practice of weighing individual passengers and baggage in order to calculate a weight and balance prior to departure. The company has also contracted the development of Net Take-off Flight Path charts for its flights, and has revised its Company Operations Manual. The company has also made organizational changes such as: a comprehensive re-training of the Operations Manager; hiring of an operations consultant to assist with regulatory compliance; adjusting the Operations Manager’s responsibilities to identify and more effectively address non-compliance with regulations; and developing policies and procedures by the Accountable Executive and the Operations Manager to ensure regulatory compliance.

More information:


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ALERT Body found near Terminal 3 at Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport

Phoenix police were investigating the death of a man whose body was found at Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport on Tuesday morning.

The body was found on Sky Harbor Boulevard near Terminal 3 about 6:15 a.m.

Traffic entering the airport from the west was backed up, and motorists were urged to enter from the east using 44th Street, State Route 143 or Loop 202, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

BREAKING US Air Force KC10 is in an emergency near Abu Dhabi

NEWS FAA investigating if plane dumped toilet paper on neighborhood


A Pennsylvania family says toilet paper and pieces of plastic that fell across their neighborhood early Monday were dumped by an aircraft, and the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.

The debris rained down at 6:30 a.m., hitting several properties in West Pittston, Pa. Torn wads of tissue and shredded pieces of plastic bags covered roofs, lawns and trees.

VIDEO Turkish Airlines Boeing 777 landing in storm

Landing at Storm, TK 777

Posted by Airliner Models on lundi 27 avril 2015

NEWS British Airways to go daily on Singapore A380 flight

British Airways has announced that the A380 will make a daily appearance on the Heathrow to Singapore route, from winter this year. The airline already operates a double-daily flight from London to Singapore and the A380 flies three times a week on the route.

EMERGENCY KLM #KL1277 from Amsterdam to Edinburgh returned to AMS due to engine problem

NEWS Norwegian adds low-cost flights to Puerto Rico from London Gatwick to schedule

Norwegian has continued to expand its long-haul network with new direct routes from London Gatwick to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico pencilled in to begin in November. Further, as of May 2015, Pula in Croatia will be a new destination from London Gatwick.

NEWS Record first quarter profit for American Airlines

American Airlines Group has reported a first quarter net profit of record $1.2 billion excluding net special charges, a record for the airline. This $1.73 per diluted share and is a tripling of the company’s first quarter 2014 net profit excluding net special credits of $402 million, or $0.54 per diluted share. The company’s first quarter 2015 pre-tax margin excluding net special charges was a record 12.7 per cent, up 8.6 percentage points from the same period last year.

Monday, April 27, 2015

NEWS Los Angeles Airport Security Boosted Amid Possible ISIS Threat


Security is being stepped up in Los Angeles, its area airports and other parts of Southern California amid new ISIS-related threats calling for attacks on uniformed personnel, several U.S. officials told NBC News on Friday.

ISIS, which controls swathes of Syria and Iraq, has long called on its sympathizers to attack Western interests around the world.

Los Angeles had already started using two-man patrols as a precaution. Upgraded measures were extended to Los Angeles International Airport this week, officials said.

Investigators said there was no specific plot but concerns increased as a result of intelligence from overseas as well as ongoing monitoring of suspected radicals inside the United States. FBI Director Jim Comey has said investigations into suspected ISIS sympathizers are underway in all 50 states.

Fears revolve around threats to uniformed personnel or locations that lone actors may want to target, the sources said, speaking on a condition of anonymity.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesman would not comment on what specific intelligence has caused increased concerns along the West Coast. But, he added, officials had boosted security in recent months.

"Over the last few months, we have made a number of security adjustments, including enhanced screening at select overseas airports and increasing random searches of passengers and carry-on luggage on flights inbound to the U.S., reflecting an evolving threat picture," the spokesman said.

BY JONATHAN DIENST, ANDREW BLANKSTEIN AND RICHARD ESPOSITO

NEWS Report: DHC-8-400 damaged by lightning strike whiile on approach to Fukue, Japan

Damage to the nose (JTSB)

Damage to the nose (JTSB)

An ANA Wings DHC-8-400 was damaged as a result of a powerful shockwave generated by the discharge of lightning near the aircraft, as it was approaching the Japanese airport of Fukue, according to a Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) investigation.

On November 29, 2013, a Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8 was involved in a lightning strike accident near Fukue, Japan. The aircraft operated flight NH4915 from Fukuoka Airport.
During the weather briefing prior to departure, the captain and the first officer noted that there was a wintry pressure pattern, a trough accompanied by cold air would pass through western Japan during the morning, there was no specific information indicating the possibility of lightning on the flight planned route of the aircraft.

The aircraft departed Fukuoka Airport, Japan at 09:03 hours local time. The captain was Pilot Flying. While the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 12,000 ft, heading for Fukue Airport, the captain and the first officer visually observed white clouds with a top height of 11,000 ft, on its course. When the aircraft began to descend at around 09:24 in order to approach the airport, the observed clouds were not so thick as could be suspected to cause turbulence or lightning but were displayed on the weather radar display of the aircraft in a green color, indicating an area with weak rainfall. At around 09:30, while descending through the clouds at 5, 300 ft, the captain and the first officer observed a strong flash of light coming from the left fore side of the cockpit and heard a loud “bang” immediately after that.
Afterwards, the captain and the first officer carried out checks to determine if there were any abnormalities. Although a wind noise was heard from the nose direction, no other abnormalities were identified.
On the final approach to the airport, the aircraft exited the clouds, and landed at the airport at 09:37.
After landing, the captain, the first officer and the mechanic carried out inspections on the aircraft, and consequently, the following were revealed:
– Five dents occurred on the aft side outer skin of the upper left access panel on the nose,
– Six rivet heads on the upper left access panel on the nose were burned, and
– The aft latch of the upper right access panel on the nose, as well as the fore and aft latches of the upper left access panel on the nose were opened.
The Company inspected the details of the damage of the aircraft, and confirmed that deformations had also occurred on the internal structure supporting the rear side outer skin of the upper left access panel on the nose.

PROBABLE CAUSES: “In the accident, it is somewhat likely that the aircraft sustained damage on the aft side outer skin of the upper left access panel on the nose and on the portions of the internal structure supporting the outer skin because it was subjected to a powerful shockwave generated by the discharge of lightning while making a landing approach.”

More information:

 


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EMERGENCY Emirates A380 flight #EK211 Dubai-Houston made an emergency landing at DME (Russia)

ALERT Chaos Reigns at Nepal's Only International Airport in Kathmandu

Monday, may 1
Nepal Airlines took delivery of a new Airbus A320 that will fly to the earthquake-ravaged nation with 5 tons of relief supplies. The Thursday morning delivery completes Nepal Airlines' order for two new Airbus A320 aircraft. The carrier received its first of the aircraft in February.
Kathmandu airport is a total mess
The Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal typically handles 40 flights per day, but in the aftermath of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake, that number has nearly doubled.

Military and emergency relief crews are trying to get in, while travelers who have been stranded since the disaster are struggling to get out.


Tuesday, april 29 9:28 pm (local)

Monday, april 28 9:28 pm (local)
New big quake

Monday, april 28 8:45 pm (local)

Monday, april 28 7:16 pm (local)

Monday, april 28 6:47 pm (local)
Magnitude 5.1 earthquake hits on the border of India and Nepal

Monday, april 28 5:35pm (local)
Monday, april 28 4:58pm (local)

Chaos prevailed at Nepal's only international airport in Kathmandu today with hundreds of people waiting to be evacuated from the earthquake-ravaged country as India and other nations scurried to bring back their panic-stricken citizens.

While 2,500 people have been evacuated so far, scores of people, largely Indians were lined up at the Tribhuvan International Airport to board commercial and special defence aircraft to return home.

Given the huge rush, priority is being given to women, children and senior citizens and those injured.

"There is chaos inside the airport as well, people are fainting because of the anxiety and excessive stress," said Ekta Adhikari, a doctor at the Kathmandu Medical College.

"Until now, 2,500 Indians have been evacuated. Yesterday 15 flights ferried Indians trapped in the country, the exercise will continue till most of these people are evacuated," Prabhat Singh, a senior official of the Indian High Commission, told PTI.



Monday, april 28 3:12pm (local)

EMERGENCY Rynair flight from London Stansted did an emergency landing at Malaga

The flight from Stansted reported to have had a problem with the brakes.

Emergency protocol being put into action for the plane which was due to arrive in Málaga at 11.20am.

Two emergency fire engines went to the end of the runway and finally the plane arrived safely.

NEWS Record first quarter profit for American Airlines

American Airlines Group has reported a first quarter net profit of record $1.2 billion excluding net special charges, a record for the airline. This $1.73 per diluted share and is a tripling of the company’s first quarter 2014 net profit excluding net special credits of $402 million, or $0.54 per diluted share. The company’s first quarter 2015 pre-tax margin excluding net special charges was a record 12.7 per cent, up 8.6 percentage points from the same period last year.

EMERGENCY United Airlines flight #UA112 makes emergency landing in Des Moines due to unusual odor

A United Airlines plane carrying close to 200 people made an emergency landing on Sunday at Des Moines International Airport.

United Flight 112 was en route from Chicago to Denver before being diverted to Des Moines once pilots reportedly smelled an unusual odor.

An Alert 2 was issued for flight, which landed safely at approximately 3:55 p.m., according to United's online flight tracking system. The plane was to be investigated and inspected by airport fire crews.

According to United's online records, Flight 112 was to depart from Chicago O'Hare at 2:48 p.m. and arrive at approximately 4:23 p.m. local time in Denver.

Passengers were told to seek alternative transportation Sunday night, as the plane remained grounded.

EMERGENCY Southwest flight with pressurization issue diverted to Denver


A Southwest Airlines flight traveling from Las Vegas to Milwaukee was diverted to Denver last night after reporting a pressurization problem. Flight 100, which departed Las Vegas at 9pm Eastern, diverted to Denver after about 90 minutes. A spokesperson for the airport there tells that fire department crew members evaluated the passengers, but just one person was transported and that was for a slip-and-fall injury. Denver's KMGH-TV reports that a Southwest statement referred to "a pressurization issue," but did not elaborate.

 The statement says that 175 passengers and six crew members were aboard the Boeing 737-800, which will be taken out of service and inspected. Passengers continued on to Milwaukee on another aircraft. Earlier this week, three passengers aboard a SkyWest plane lost consciousness, but the airline says initial reports blaming a pressurization problem—the FAA says the crew itself reported the issue, notes USA Today—were incorrect. The official cause remains unclear.

NEWS British Airways prepares to roll out seven new routes

May looks set to be the busiest month yet this year for British Airways, as it launches another six new short-haul routes and one new long-haul route from London. The star attraction is the new daily service from Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur, which will appear on the departure board for the first time on May 27th, operated by a Boeing 777 aircraft.

NEWS Avis signs Privilege Club deal with Qatar Airways

Avis Car Rental has announced a new multi-year partnership with Privilege Club, the frequent flyer programme of Qatar Airways. The deal means Privilege Club members can earn from 500 Qmiles up to 800 Qmiles, for every rental booked. Privilege Club members can then redeem their Qmiles against a selection of benefits, including complimentary flights, upgrades and excess baggage on Qatar Airways flights, together with purchases made at Qatar Duty Free located at Hamad International Airport in Doha or Oryx Galleria boutique in Doha, Qatar.

NEWS Record first quarter profit for American Airlines

American Airlines Group has reported a first quarter net profit of record $1.2 billion excluding net special charges, a record for the airline. This $1.73 per diluted share and is a tripling of the company’s first quarter 2014 net profit excluding net special credits of $402 million, or $0.54 per diluted share. The company’s first quarter 2015 pre-tax margin excluding net special charges was a record 12.7 per cent, up 8.6 percentage points from the same period last year.

NEWS Oman Air launches codeshare with KLM

Oman Air is has launched a new codeshare agreement with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The agreement came into effect on Wednesday April 15th 2015 and enables Oman Air’s customers to book onto flights operated by KLM between Muscat and Amsterdam.

VIDEO 10 years ago, right at this time, the Airbus A380 was taking off for it's maiden flight



The first Airbus A380 performed its maiden flight on April 27, 2005, just over three months after rolling out of the manufacturer’s plant at Toulouse Blagnac International Airport on January 18, 2005. The “Superjumbo”, registered F-WWOW and powered by Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines, took-off at 10:29 local time (8:29 GMT) and landed thee hours and 54 minutes later at 14:23 local time (12:23 GMT). The pilots-in-command were Claude Lelaie, Senior Vice President Flight Division, and Jacques Rosay, Chief Test Pilot and Vice President.

NEWS Sabre inks deal with Flybe

Sabre Corporation has started selling ancillaries for Flybe using industry technology standards developed by ATPCo and IATA.

NEWS Ryanair unveils Scotland winter schedule

Ryanair will operate 32 routes to/from Scotland during the upcoming winter season.

NEWS OneJet adds Pittsburgh to travel network

OneJet is expanding its network of nonstop air travel service with the addition of two routes beginning in May: Nonstop service from Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) to Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is scheduled to begin May 4th and nonstop service from Indianapolis International Airport (IND) to Pittsburgh is set to begin May 11th.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

NEWS Air Canada Flight #AC877 Diverted Due To ‘Air Rage’ Attack By 87-Year-Old

An Air Canada flight had to be diverted when an elderly woman had to be restrained after attacking, biting, and scratching cabin crew in what appears to be a case of apparent air rage.
Police in Toronto, Canada, said that the flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to Toronto was forced to make an emergency landing in Ireland recently after an 87-year-old woman in first class lost her temper and assaulted the flight attendant.

NEWS Kathmandu Airport Reopens After Fresh Tremor Felt in Nepal

Hours after a fresh earthquake struck today, flights have stated taking off from the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.

An Air China flight CA408 from Kathmandu to Lhasa took off at 3.50 pm. The flight was waiting for clearance since morning.

Similarly, a Silk Air flight MI411 from Kathmandu to Singapore also took off minutes after the airport re-opened.

Dragon Airlines' HDA104 became the first flight to land at the airport.

ALERT Belair A320 (operating for Air Berlin) rejected takeoff due to brakes problem at Palma on Saturday

A Belair A320 which was operating on behalf of Air Berlin, HB-IOP and was performing flight AB2815 from Palma to Basel with 122 people on board was accelerating for takeoff from Mallorca's runway when the crew received several brake indication and rejected takeoff at low speed.

Emergency services responded and checked the breaks before the aircraft returned to the terminal.

Following maintenance on the breaks the occurrence aircraft was able to depart and reached Basel with a delay of just one hour.


ALERT Southwest Boeing 737-800 suffered a loss of cabin pressure near Denver on Friday

Southwest Airlines B737-800, N8647A was performing flight WN100 (on Friday) from Las Vegas to Milwaukee with 175 passengers and 6 crew. It was cruising at 37,00ft and was just southwest from Denver. The crew initiated an emergency decent to 16,000ft because of a loss of cabin pressure however passenger oxygen masks were not released. The flight diverted to Denver for a safe landing.

Prior to landing, emergency services at Denver had been told about a number of passengers complaining about discomfort however none required medical attention. Passengers disembarked, but one passenger slipped and fell, making them being taken to hospital.

Replacement 737-800 N8325D reached Milwaukee with a delay of 2 hours.

Southwest Airlines later confirmed a pressurisation problem was the cause of the diversion, as well as saying that one passenger has slipped during disembarking who then fell and was taken to hospital with an injury.

N8647A returned to service the following morning (Saturday).

The aircraft involved in the incident

Saturday, April 25, 2015

ALERT Earthquake in Nepal. All flights diverted to India

Turkish Airlines flight #TK1878 from Milan landed at Ataturk Airport,Istanbul with right engine in fire

Turkish Airlines flight TK1878 from Milan to Istanbul.

The A320 registered TC-JPE did a first attempt to land at 0723UTC at Ataturk Airport, did a go around and then landed at second attempt at 0741UTC.

The first attempt to land may have caused the serious damage on the right gear and wing. The right engine caught fire.

Turkish from a parked plane cockpit
Confirmation on this photo that right gear collapsed during landing





It still not clear, but from this photo, it looks the right wing is damaged and the right gear collapsed.



Listen to Turkish Airlines Emergency Istanbul *PILOT AUDIO*


From reports we have, #TK1878 touched down, right gear collapsed, took off again then landed.




Uçuş kodunu bulamadım, 5 dk. Önce çektiğim videodur.
Posted by Mehmet Fatih Camcı on samedi 25 avril 2015

Passengers evacuating flight #TK1878 right after landing at Ataturk Airport, Istanbul

Right landing gear may have collapsed. We don't know if it is due to right engine exploded.

TK1878 flight path before landing