Yearly Archives: 2009

Lufthansa Cargo DHL Express joint venture Aerologic receives it’s first Boeing 777F

AeroLogic took delivery of it’s first 777 Freighter from Boeing registration D-AALA and powered by General Electric GE90-110B1 engines. Special thanks to Matt Cawby for the image. Check out Paineairport.com AeroLogic, formed in 2007 and based in Leipzig, Germany, is a new cargo joint venture between Lufthansa Cargo and DHL Express and will operate an exclusive Boeing 777F fleet. Via …

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Images: Maiden flight of first A320 assembled in China

The first A320 aircraft assembled outside Europe in the Airbus Final Assembly Line China (FALC) successfully completed its first flight today. The aircraft took off from Tianjin International Airport at 10:42 and landed at 14:56. The four hour and fourteen minute test flight was jointly captained by Harry Nelson, Vice President Production Flight Tests and by Experimental Test Pilot Philippe …

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Singapore Airlines will take five A380s and seven A330s this fiscal year

Singapore Airlines (SIA) confirmed to AFP that it will take delivery of five Airbus A380 super jumbos as planned this year taking its A380 fleet to 11. SIA CEO Chew Choon Seng confirmed the carrier will receive MSN019 (9V-SKG), MSN021 (9V-SKH) in May and three more though the fiscal year. Through calendar 2009 Airbus has planned production of 14 A380s, …

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Squall around Bangalore airport causes extensive damage in area

The heat had been building up in Bangalore for quite a few days, and yesterday, nature unleashed all that pent-up energy in a brief but highly intense storm of destruction in the area around the Bengaluru International airport. Eager to make a buck, and thanks to lax laws and poor enforcement, scores of hoardings (billboards) of dubious quality have been …

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The typical takeoff and climb angles of all Boeing planes

In the recent issue of Boeing’s AERO magazine there is an article titled Exceeding tire speed during takeoff in which there is this nice graphic that demonstrates the recommended take-off rotation and climb angles for all Boeing aircraft. I was surprised that despite it’s length, the Boeing 747-400 Jumbo Jet has a rotation angle of 10 degrees. Compare that to …

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Cathay Pacific and Finnair extend their oneworld code share flights to Brisbane

Finnair and its oneworld alliance partner Cathay Pacific Airways are extending their code-share flights partnership between Hong Kong Australia and offering flights to Brisbane. Finnair will operate daily flights from Helsinki to Hong Kong using an Airbus A340 aircraft. Finnair and Cathay Pacific have cooperated earlier on routes between Hong Kong and Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Now Finnair can also …

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Image: Boeing delivers 50th 767 to Japan Airlines

Boeing delivered the 404th Boeing airplane and 50th 767 to Japan Airlines (JAL), the fifth-largest 767 operator in the world. The new plane pictured below on May 7 leaving on its ferry flight from Paine Field in Everett to the New Tokyo International Airport at Narita in Japan, is a 767-300ER, and is registered JA622J. Japan Airlines is one of …

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Indian airlines clamp down on foreign pilot outsourcing

Following instructions from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Indian carriers are sending a message to their foreign pilots: thanks, but it is time to pack your bags and go back home. Since 2002 when the Indian aviation sector opened up, it has grown at a phenomenal 30%+ year on year and foreign pilots were the only solution. More than 800 …

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Airlines in India face higher penalties for violations as India ratifies ICAO Montreal Convention 1999

Airlines flouting rules relating to safety and passenger comfort will now have to pay higher penalties with new laws coming into effect. The penalties will be imposed on an airlines if it violates safety aspects like airworthiness of the aircraft, security and issues relating to passenger comfort. The rules raise the penalty limit from Rs 1,000 to up to Rs …

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Indian domestic passenger traffic rises marginally in April

The month of April has been bringing signs of a slowing down in the economic slow down. Industrial production, railways freight loading (indicative of raw materials for the core sector of steel, cement, mining), employment, stock markets and even inflation rates have moved back in to positive territory. While it a month does not make a trend, there is a …

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Video: Southwest Airline’s Boeing 737 makes fiery landing at Houston

Today is shaping up to be a Boeing videos day. We have videos of the second Boeing 787 Dreamliner roll out, and another of a Japan Airlines Boeing 747 sucking a baggage container. Now a video of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 which had a gear problem causing a fiery landing at Houston airport. Great video from CNN and KTRK …

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Video: Japan Airlines Boeing 747-400 sucks baggage container in to engine

The Aviation Herald reports a Japan Airlines Boeing 747-400, registration JA8922 performing flight JL061 from Los Angeles LAX, USA to Tokyo Narita Japan with 245 passengers and 17 crew, had just pushed back and had its engines running at taxiway C between taxiways C10 and P, when engine number 1 (the outer left) sucked a luggage container into its inlet. …

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Video: Boeing 787 Dreamliner ZA002 N787EX roll out

Thanks again to Liz Matzelle we have a video of Boeing 787 Dreamliner number two (ZA002) being rolled out to the flight line. I am a little surprised the plane is painted in the livery of launch customer All Nippon Airways since this aircraft does not have a customer. ZA002 bearing test registration N787EX can be expected to fly about …

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Spicy aircraft names — A list of SpiceJet’s Boeing 737 fleet

Spicejet Boeing 737-800 VT-SPL "Cardamom"

New Delhi based SpiceJet has a practice of naming it’s Boeing 737 aircraft after the various spices. Below is a list of the ship registrations along with their names. It appears VT-SPE is one of the only aircraft with no name given. Boeing 737-800 VT-SPD Chilli VT-SPE no name VT-SPF Coriander VT-SPH Saffron VT-SPJ Mint VT-SPK Fennel VT-SPL Cardamom VT-SPM …

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Indian passengers allege racial bias at Air France

Over 50 Indian passengers flying Air France had a “harrowing” time at Paris airport after their aircraft developed a technical problem and on reaching Mumbai, complained bitterly that they were victims of “racial” profiling. The passengers were flying from Boston to Mumbai via Paris in an Airbus A330-200 aircraft registration F-GZCL. AF-218 was en-route from Paris Charles de Gaulle, France, …

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India outsources consular services in Toronto

With an aim to make visa services faster, hassle-free and efficient, the Indian Consulate in Toronto has decided to outsource its consular services under a new visa regime which will become functional from May 22. Preeti Saran, Consul General of India, said “The government has decided to outsource consular services in Canada. VF Services (Canada) would be the nodal agency …

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South African Airways to operate additional flights to meet IPL2 travel demands

South African Airways (SAA) will operate six additional flights between India and South Africa between May 18 through 26, using the higher capacity Airbus A340-600 to meet the growing demand for the semi-final and finals of the Indian Premier League season 2 (IPL2) cricket extravaganza. In cricket crazy India, there is a sudden escalation in the demand on the India …

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Air New Zealand offers London visitors a new iPhone application – London Spot-on

Air New Zealand is offering its passengers an iPhone extension of it’s famous Inflight Concierge service. London-Spot-On™, a free iPhone application which can be downloaded from iTunes, helps travelers find the top local spots for a purchase or a pint, provides one-touch access to resources such as travel deals, tube maps, hand-picked recommendations and can’t-miss events, tourist sites, and insider …

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Emirates Airline’s special ‘Companion Offer’ for First and Business class

Emirates has announced a ‘Companion Offer’ for all its First and Business Class passengers travelling on its 163 weekly flights from India to any destination on the Emirates network. Passengers booking an Emirates’ First or Business Class return ticket will receive 50 per cent discount on the airfare in the same class for a companion of their choice. The offer …

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Video: Flight testing of a British Airways Boeing 777

Ever wonder how an airline “kicks the tires” of its new aircraft prior to taking delivery. Videographer Liz Matzelle made this wonderful video of a British Airways Boeing 777 undergoing flight testing. Hope you enjoy and my humble request for you to please express your thanks to Liz as I do. Incidentally Liz is also a great photographer of real …

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