Alleged US. drone crashes in southern Somalia

A SUSPECTED U.S. reconnaisance drone reportedly crashed Tuesday in southern Somalia, where African forces are fighting Islamist al Shabaab insurgents, the rebels and the provincial governor said.

Lower Shabelle region governor, Abdikadir Mohamed Nur, said that al Shabaab militants had shot at the aircraft over the town of Bulamareer for several hours before it crashed.

“Finally, they hit it and the drone crashed,” Nur told Reuters.

The insurgents confirmed that a drone had crashed but did not say if they had downed it.

Arik crew-member charged to UK court over alleged drug possession

ARIK Air crew-member, Temitayo Daramola, appeared at Uxbridge Magistrate Court charged with possessing cocaine with a street value of £600,000, during the airline’s Lagos to London flight on the evening of Monday, May 20.

Daramola was arrested by UK Border officials on airport shuttle bus used to transport aircrew members after the plane had landed at Heathrow Airport.

“The first hearing was on May 22 at Uxbridge Magistrate Court and she was in court today via video link,” one male staff disclosed. Before her case is transferred to a Crown Court where she will face a jury trial, Daramola, 37, will make one final appearance before magistrates at the same court on June 4.

!!!DRUGS UPDATE!!! British police release one of the two Arik Air staff arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking

BRITISH Border Force officials have released one of the two Arik Air staff arrested at Heathrow Airport on suspicion of drug trafficking earlier this week.

On Wednesday, two Arik officials were arrested after 6kg of cocaine said to have a street value of about £600,000 was found in a bag taking the staff from the airport to their hotel. Following interrogation, however, one of the duo, Delita Abibimgbi who was only found with 60 packets of cigarettes, has been released without charge.

Ms Abibimgbi, 32, is currently helping Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with its investigations into the incident. However, her colleague Temitayo Olubunmi Daramola, 37, remains in detention and is likely to face prosecution for possession of a Class A drug.

Passenger tried to open exit door in flight

A passenger on a commercial flight from Alaska to Oregon was arrested Monday after witnesses say he tried to open an emergency exit during the plane's descent and other passengers had to help restrain him using shoelaces and seat-belt extensions.

Passengers and crew aboard the Alaska Airlines flight from Anchorage to Portland told investigators that 23-year-old Alexander Michael Herrera made "unusual statements" before trying to open the plane's door Monday morning, FBI spokeswoman Beth Anne Steele said.

Video: Arsenal trio's attempt to land an Emirates A380

(From left) Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson, Captain Warren Coles and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in an A380 flight simulator at Emirates Aviation College in Dubai.

Three Arsenal players have swapped their usual airline passenger seats and courageously stepped into the cockpit of an Emirates’ A380 for the landing of their lives.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs and Carl Jenkinson tested their aerial skills of a different kind by attempting to land an Emirates’ A380 at Dubai International.

The best airports on the planet

NOT ONE American airport cracked the top ten in a ranking of the planet's best airports, released last week by Skytrax, a company specialising in airline and airport research. In fact American airports didn't even feature in the top 25—Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International was the first to appear, squeaking in at number 30. Denver and San Francisco came 36th and 40th, and at number 48, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, of which Gulliver is not particularly fond, was the only other American operation in the survey's top 50.

Skytrax's rankings, which are in their 14th year, are based on a survey that asks airline passengers to rank airports across 39 different categories, from shopping to security. Over 12m passengers filled out the survey this year, according to the company. And despite Skytrax's website's suffering from a bad case of Seemingly Random Capitalisations, the awards are worth taking seriously. Some travellers might find the tenth place of London Heathrow surprising, but much of that is driven by the opening of Terminal 5 and the airport's impressive shopping options. (Every London airport except Luton made the top 50.)

Bail denied for 2 men after flight diverted over UK

Bail was denied Monday for two men charged with endangering an aircraft in Friday's diversion of a Pakistan International Airlines flight to a London-area airport, a spokeswoman for police in Essex said.

Tayyab Subhani, 30, and Mohammed Safdar, 41, were sent back to police custody after their appearance at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on Monday morning. Their next court appearance is scheduled for August 5, said Helen Cook, press officer of the Essex police in the United Kingdom.

A UK fighter jet was scrambled to escort Pakistan International Airlines Flight PK709 as it was diverted from northwestern England's Manchester Airport to Stansted Airport near London on Friday.

Diamond heist on Jet Airways flight to Brussels

The Mumbai airport seems to have turned into a hotbed for thefts and the latest one involves diamonds worth Rs 3.89 crores. Two weeks ago, a consignment of 24 packets of diamonds was sealed and sent as valuable cargo on a Jet Airways flight bound for Brussels. In Belgium , when the client collected the consignment, it had only 23 packets.

The diamonds were sent on the May 13 Jet Airways flight 9W 228 which had a scheduled departure time of 1.55 am. "That day the flight departed late. It looks like an organized crime," said Udai Chinai, the consignment sender and owner of B V Chinai and Co, one of the largest clearing and forwarding agents in India for diamond exports. "It's the first time in the past 50 years that our diamonds have been stolen from a flight," he added.

SpiceJet seeks to ride out domestic slump through international expansion

Budget carrier SpiceJet's battle to match spiralling costs of operations by raising airfares in the domestic market has made the airline seek growth opportunities through international expansion, where it expects higher returns than the local market.

The focus of the airline over the next few months is to grow its international operations to 20% (from the 11% it witnessed this quarter) by adding more overseas destinations to its network, which would use most of the eight new B-737 aircraft to be delivered to the airline this fiscal.

"Airfares in the domestic market are high enough and won't go higher than this. They are not meeting cost of operations and I would love to charge more. But it is the government which makes consumers pay more as it sees aviation as luxury and not essential infrastructure and doesn't improve the cost environment," SpiceJetBSE -4.89 % CEO Neil Mills told ET.

2 men arrested after flight from Pakistan diverted in UK airspace

Police arrested two men Friday on suspicion of endangering an aircraft after a flight from Pakistan to the United Kingdom was diverted to Stansted Airport, outside of London.

A UK fighter jet was scrambled to escort Pakistan International Airlines Flight PK709 from Lahore as it was diverted from northwestern England's Manchester Airport to Stansted.

Essex Police, who cover the area near Stansted airport, said officers had arrested the men and removed them from the plane, which had 297 passengers aboard.

Police said the incident is being treated as a criminal offense, and did not mention a terrorism angle.

Grounded Rivers Aircraft: Reps Clear Amaechi And Indict NCAA, NAMA…Say Aircraft Belongs to Rivers State

I have followed this case for quite sometime, and i wasn't expecting anything less from the response of the House of Representatives (Nigeria). It all comes down to politics. And so shall this story be swept under the carpet. 

One argument that the house forgot to point out, is why would an Aircraft belonging to a state government within a sovereign state be registered with another state? In this case, the United states of America.

Are they justifying that this Aircraft, which is not private property, can be registered in any country the benefactor chooses? This is a slap on the face to the entire polity. These so called Representatives should stop this constant madness of playing politics in every setting. You guys should call a spade a spade for once.

Read below excerpts from SaharaReporters Online on the 11 paged report issued by the Joint committees of the house on Aviation and Justice. Enjoy your read!

Why penguins stopped flying!!!

Penguins are excellent swimmers. But even with wings, the aquatic flightless birds do not take to the skies despite having wing-like flippers.

In fact, a new study says that penguins became so good at swimming that they eventually evolved to specialize at that skill at the cost of airborne flight.

"Like many people, I've always been interested in penguins, and seeing them do these phenomenal marches across the ice, I've often thought: 'Why don't they just fly?' Professor John Speakman, from the University of Aberdeen and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the BBC." And it's really great to be involved in the group of people that have solved it."

The new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, says that at least five species of penguin have adapted into flightless birds.
In particular, biomechanical models of energy costs during flying and diving suggest that a wing designed for optimal diving performance should lead to enormous energy costs when flying in air,” explains the study. “Costs of flying and diving have been measured in free-living animals that use their wings to fly or to propel their dives, but not both.”

Malawi sells presidential jet for $15 million

Malawi's luxury presidential jet, bought by late leader Bingu wa Mutharika, has been sold for $15 million to raise cash for the impoverished African country, a government official said on Wednesday.

Mutharika, who left the economy on the brink of collapse after he picked a fight with donors whose support accounted for almost 40 percent of the budget, bought the jet for $22 million in 2009. He said the plane matched his status and was cheaper than flying commercially.

Online class upgrades on SriLankan Airlines

SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka, introduces Upgra‘d e-auction, which gives passengers the opportunity to bid for business class upgrades, online.

Upgra‘d is an extremely user-friendly online procedure, where an economy class ticket holder booked on a SriLankan flight operating to any SriLankan online destination can place a bid for an upgrade by filling in and submitting an e-form available in the website. It opens up an array of business class comforts ranging from cosy flatbed seats to the AVOD inflight entertainment system that has the latest audio/video on demand and games. Complementing this facility are the wide screens with superior high resolution picture quality for infinite viewing pleasure.

Source: www.gulfnews.com

Emirates to increase frequency to Colombo from June 30

Emirates Airlines said on Wednesday it will increase capacity on its services to Colombo starting June 30, 2013, with the addition of three more flights per week. The move will increase the number of flights between the two cities to four each day on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays, taking the total number of weekly Emirates flights serving Colombo to 31, the carrier said in a statement. Emirates commenced services to Colombo in April 1986.

Etihad Airways welcomes Airberlin pilots

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has plans to recruit more than 50 pilots from its partner airline,airberlin.

The move comes as airberlin, Germany’s second largest carrier, continues to work through its Turbine business turnaround program, and asEtihad Airways prepares for significant international expansion.

The recruitment transfers began in April when the first batch of six Boeing 737-rated First Officers arrived in Abu Dhabi to start type conversion training on to the Boeing 777 at Etihad Airways’ Flight Training Centre.

Turkish Airlines passengers book flights to Dakar, end up in Dhaka...LMAO!!!

Picture this. A married couple book an exotic getaway from Los Angeles to Dakar, where they planned to meet an old friend and visit a new country.

It's a nice enough story, although perhaps not eventful-enough to cover on this blog, right?

Well, here’s the twist. The married couple – Sandy Valdivieso and Triet Vo – didn’t land in Dakar. Not at first, anyway. Instead, they landed in Dhaka, which might sound a bit like Dakar, but its located in Bangladesh… around 7,000 miles from their intended destination in Senegal.

Jack Wiegand - The journey so far!!!!

Jack Wiegand, the youngest man with the desire to fly round the world by his 20th birthday in June 2013.

He calls this adventure SOLO20.13. Which signifies the age he intends to attain this feat, which is 20, and the age he started flying which is 13.

Hopefully, Jack's name would be imprinted in the Guinness book of world records in a few weeks.

Spirit Airlines: We Board an A320 in 20 Minutes

As American has moved to change its boarding process in order to save time, Spirit is staying right where it is.

Spirit says it can board an A320 in about 20 minutes. And it says its average “turn time,” or the amount of time the aircraft spends at the gate, is about 35 minutes.

That is somewhat less than the times consumed by legacy hub carriers, who have much more complex tasks to accomplish when they board planes. In general, carriers such as American and US Airways allocate 30 minutes to board a narrowbody aircraft. American says its average turn time for a narrowbody aircraft is 40 to 45 minutes.

Update: Arik Air Admits Two Crew Members Arrested in U.K. for Drug Trafficking

The management of Arik Air has admitted that two of its crew members were arrested for allegedly possessing banned drugs suspected to be cocaine after one of its flight to the U.K.

The airline company promised to cooperate with British authorities investigating the the two cabin crew members.

The spokesman for the company, Adebanji Ola, said in a statement on Tuesday that Arik Air was co-operating fully with the U.K. authorities and all other concerned agencies in their investigations.

Arik Air Cabin Crew found in possession of $1m worth of cocaine at Heathrow Airport

Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said on Tuesday that one of the two Arik Air female cabin crew members arrested in London Tuesday concealed six kilogrammes of cocaine worth about N180 million.

Arik Air staff Temitayo Olubunmi Daramola was found in possession of 6kg of cocaine while Delita Abibimgbi was found with 60 packets of cigarettes, NDLEA said in a statement.

The agency said the Arik Air flight reportedly took off from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, Monday with ten cabin members.

Strong April from Skopje and Sarajevo

Both Skopje and Sarajevo recorded strong passenger growth in April, with numbers in both cities surging over 10%. Skopje Alexander the Great Airport handled 74.381 passengers, up 12.3% compared to the same month last year. Macedonia’s second international airport, Ohrid, also improved its figures by welcoming 2.272 passengers through its doors. In the first four month of the year, Skopje Airport handled 262.601 passengers. The airport could soon get a new customer as Bulgaria Air has announced plans to launch services from Sofia to the Macedonian capital. The airline had similar plans several years ago but in the end never launched flights.

Civil and Commercial Aviation Harmonized Accident Rate Drops by 33 Per Cent

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) published their annual safety reports simultaneously for the first time ever today, reflecting impressively positive outcomes and a harmonized accident rate down 33 per cent for 2012 versus 2011.

The 2012 ICAO/IATA harmonized rate came in at 2.4 accidents per million flights for all commercial aircraft types above 5,700 kg. The figure is derived from safety-related events involving substantial aircraft damage or serious injury and is down from 3.6 accidents per million flights from when it was first developed and published in 2011.

“This new consolidated global accident figure reflects solid improvement and has been made possible largely as the result of the Global Safety Information Exchange (GSIE), a collaborative network established in 2010 between ICAO, IATA, the United States Department of Transportation and the European Commission,” commented ICAO Council President, Roberto Kobeh González. “The GSIE’s primary purpose is to enable the multilateral exchange of safety information, delivering more comprehensive analysis capabilities and better coordination of related risk reduction initiatives.”

The GSIE effort and joint publishing date with IATA support ICAO’s ongoing objective to optimize cooperation and coordination with key global aviation community safety partners. In the last year, the UN aviation agency has formalized cooperative safety agreements with the Airports Council International (ACI), the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) and the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF).

Source: www.atqnews.com

Aviation Authority Grounds British Airways London Bound Aircraft, as Emirates flight makes emergency landing after passenger death

Over 100 passengers billed to travel to the United Kingdom with British Airways (BA) could not leave the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (NAIA) on Monday morning as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) grounded the aircraft which was to airlift the passengers.

BusinessDay learnt that one of the engines of the plane developed technical fault just before take-off from the air- port, consequently, all the aver 100 passengers aboard the flight were asked to disembark from the plane until a solution was found to the problem.

The regulatory agency, NCAA; it was learnt, later grounded it.

In another development, an Emirates airline flight to Ghana was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia when a passenger died shortly after take-off from Dubai on Tuesday.

The EK787 flight was heading to Accra, Ghana but had to land in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia following the emergency.

"The passenger received immediate medical attention however unfortunately was pronounced dead by an airport physician on the ground," said a spokesperson for Emirates in a statement.

"Emirates would like to express its condolences to the family of the deceased."

Other news agencies in Saudi Arabia have however reported that the deceased is a Ghanaian but Citi Business News could not confirm that.

Source: www.atqnews.com

SACKED AIR NIGERIA WORKERS MAY NOT GET THEIR PENSION

There are indications that the over 700 workers of the now-rested Air Nigeria who were sacked last year may not secure the 25 per cent of their pension deposits. This is because they were not issued with disengagement letters and the company which relieved them of their jobs did not communicate to the Pension Commission (PENCOM) that they have been sacked, THISDAY has learnt.

AVIATION SUPPLIERS AND STAKEHOLDERS CONFERENCE TO TAKE PLACE IN NAIROBI 16-18 JUNE 2013

Aviation suppliers and users will meet in Nairobi at a conference organised by the African Airlines Association (AFRAA). Dubbed “Aviation Suppliers & Stakeholders Convention” the event is scheduled to take place from 16-18 June 2013, at the Panari Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. It will bring together 250 delegates from airlines, airports, civil aviation organisations and air traffic navigation service providers, on the one hand and aircraft/engine manufacturers, component suppliers, IT, catering, fuel, training and other service providers to the aviation industry on the other.

According to the Secretary General of AFRAA, Dr. Elijah Chingosho, the conference “Provides a platform for users and suppliers of aviation products, solutions and services to showcase new developments and innovations, discuss industry trends, network and forge beneficial partnerships. In addition, the event will provide an outstanding products exhibition and business opportunity for industry partners and suppliers of equipment, components, solutions and services, according to the Nairobi-based air transport organisation.

This conference is coming at a time aviation in Africa is experiencing unprecedented growth in both passenger and cargo, spurred by huge economic growth and investments in many African countries. The continent’s airlines are positioning themselves to take advantage of these growth opportunities, with some modernising their fleet and investing in capacity and infrastructure development. There is also a keen interest by investors (both local and international) in setting up new airlines in some countries. These developments according to AFRAA, informed the convening of the Suppliers and Stakeholders Convention to bring operators and support service providers together for win-win business interactions.

Convened under the theme “Business Together”, the conference is structured to allow for networking, exhibitions, one-to-one discussions and masterclasses facilitated by industry experts. Already registration for the conference is on-going via the dedicated convention website: http://asasc.afraa.org.

The event is endorsed by the Executive Committee of AFRAA and supported by IATA, AFCAC, ICAO and partners of AFRAA. The event also offers opportunities for title sponsorships and exhibitions by interested aviation and tourism related businesses.

Source: www.atqnews.com

SAA APPOINTS MONWABISI KALAWE AS CEO

M r. Monwabisi Kalawe has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of SAA.

Mr. Kalawe began his career at State Owned Company, Eskom, before joining Nestle South Africa for a few years and then returning to Eskom for three years. Mr. Kalawe also worked at Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) for six years before leading Total Facili-ties Management Company (TFMC) as Chief Operating Officer and Denel as Chief Executive Officer. But since the announcement there has been misgivings by stakeholders. Below is an opinion by a South Africa columnist in Bussinessday.(BDlive)

NEWSLETTER - JETEX AND HONEYWELL PARTNERSHIP!!!

       JETEX AND HONEYWELL GLOBAL TRIP SUPPORT PARTNERSHIP

Geneva May 20. 2013 Jetex and Honeywell (NYSE:HON) have signed a partnership agreement at this year’s Ebace business aviation show in Geneva, which will boost their respective flight planning, aircraft datalink, flight following and international trip support offerings to make it easier for business jet operators to plan and manage flights around the world.

Emirates Vacancy - Airport Services Manager (Hub)

Airport Services Manager (Hub)

Emirates - Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

Job Description

To manage EK Airport Services operations on a shift basis across Passenger and Baggage Services in order to achieve high levels of service delivery to customers whilst ensuring a safe, secure, efficient and cost effective operation. Make sure all partner business units, including service providers, are working together in achieving quality end results for the customer and the operations.
Carefully manage the service during operational disruptions with the goal of maintaining customer confidence. Based on individual area of responsibility, play an active role in new airport development and upgrade of facilities and in various other department projects.

VIDEO: Boeing 737 catches fire in Russia, passengers jump to safety from aircraft wing

UTair has been placed under the media spotlight this week, after a recent fire onboard the Russian carrier’s Boeing 737 was captured on video.

Reports have suggested that 130 people and six crew members were onboard the aircraft when the incident occurred at Vnukovo International Airport (28 kilometres from central Moscow).

Turkish Airlines adds 5 new destinations to growing flight network in May 2013

Turkish Airlines

With the world's 4th largest flight network of 223 destinations in 99 countries, Turkish Airlines continues to grow with five new destinations being added this May.
Turkish Airlines, ranked the best airline in Europe* adds operations to Isparta (Turkey), Santiago De Compostela (Spain), Valetta (Malta) and Salzburg (Austria) following the addition of Friedrichshafen to its growing network on May 2. 

Rwandair to Start Kigali – Juba Operation from July 2013

Rwandair from 01JUL13 will begin operation to South Sudan, with 3 weekly Kigali – Juba service, on board CRJ200 aircraft.

WB431 KGL0945 – 1215JUB CRJ 135
WB432 JUB1300 – 1330KGL CRJ 135

Abu Dhabi Airport installs world’s first GoSleep sleeping pods for travelers

With the jet-set lifestyle of most executives and other intercontinental travelers, the foremost luxury then is the much needed sleep. Since one’s schedules and engagements can not be changed, short power naps can be helpful to emerge rejuvenated and refreshed for busy times ahead. For this reason, the idea of sleeping pods came into being, and they seemed to turn rather tech-loaded for the demands of these discerning travelers. The Podtime sleeping pod and the Alberto Frias sleeping pod are the manifestations of these special demands. One place where one can now think of taking power-naps in such luxurious settings at a public space, is the Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) where there are have been 10 such GoSleep sleeping pods already installed in Terminal 1 and 3, and 35 are to arrive by next year. Being one of the busiest airports in the Middle East, AUH needed such facilities for their premises where some travelers are flying across diverse geographical zones. Not just this, but by next year, one would see upgraded facilities of wi-fi internet, and charging slots for most personal devices in these GoSleep sleeping pods. Currently they are on hire for $12.12 (£8) to the hour.

What you didn't know about Boeing 737 fleet

The Boeing 737 is the best-selling commercial aircraft in aviation history with almost 10,000 aircraft ordered.

The table and chart shows deliveries by series and year. Data is correct up to January 2013. 415 737s were delivered in 2012.

In 2012 Boeing took net orders for 1184 737s; that stands as the most of any model by any major commercial manufacturer in history. By 2012, the total number of 737NGs ordered was over 10,000, most of which were for the -800 series.

By 2012, the 737 had an order backlog of over 2300 aircraft, about one-third of the entire order backlog for all large commercial jets built by Boeing and Airbus. Little wonder that they are considering opening another production line to increase production to 60 aircraft per month.

Are you looking for a First Class career in aviation?

 When it comes to aircraft safety, a flight dispatcher plays a vital role. In fact, a pilot and a flight dispatcher works hand in hand, one from the air and one from the ground, on a number of shared responsibilities. These responsibilities include coordinating flight plans, calculating the necessary amount of fuel for a trip, taking weather and wind into account, and ensuring the safe passage of an aircraft and its passengers in compliance with CAA regulations. If you understand how to become a flight dispatcher, only a few steps stand between you and certification for a job that is vital to the safe and efficient operation of an aircraft.

Fresno's Jack Wiegand, 20, aims to set world record flight

 Jack Wiegand is not your typical 20-year-old. It's safe to say the Bullard High grad has loftier goals than most people his age.

"Starting May 1st I'm going to attempt to be the youngest person to solo an airplane around the world," Wiegand said.

Nigeria Military set for AIR STRIKES against Boko Haram

Nigeria’s military said Thursday that it was ready to launch air strikes against Boko Haram Islamists as several thousand troops moved to the remote northeast to retake territory seized by the insurgents.

“The entire Nigerian military is involved in this operation, including the air force,” defence spokesman Brigadier General Chris Olukolade told AFP.

“Definitely, air strikes will be used when necessary,” he said.

NE China plane crash injures three

A plane crashed after an aborted take-off Thursday morning in Northeast China's city - Shenyang, Liaoning province, injuring three people on board.

                                                Scene from the crash site

U.S. Bizaviation Traffic Down Slightly in April

Business aircraft activity in the U.S. fell for the third consecutive month, with flying hours down slightly–by 0.4 percent–year-over-year last month, according to TraqPak data released on Friday by aviation services company Argus.





As has been the trend for much of this year, Part 135 was the only operational category to experience a gain in flying activity, increasing 10.5 percent from a year ago and marking its seventh consecutive monthly increase. Part 91 activity was down 3.2 percent year-over-year, while fractional flying dropped by 10.6 percent, the Argus data shows.

Nepal Plane Crash: Four Critical In Runway Smash

Boeing Board Gives Green Light on 777X Talks

Boeing’s board of directors authorized starting the customer discussions last Monday, during a meeting at the company’s Chicago headquarters that coincided with its annual shareholders meeting. The board’s approval to proceed followed Airbus’s announcement on April 22 that British Airways plans to buy 18 Airbus A350-1000s. Widely considered the main competition for a new 777X, the A350-1000 will enter service in 2017 if all goes according to plan.

Pilot Career Is Losing Its Appeal, Shows Survey

A new survey by the University of North Dakota Aviation Department suggests that young people are being turned off by the prospect of a career as an airline pilot. Just under one third of the 205 student respondents (32 percent) said they are now reconsidering their plans to become an airline pilot. A further 8 percent said that they have already abandoned this career path.

When asked what the industry would have to do to convince them to consider an airline career, 35 percent cited salary increases, 20 percent called for a more family-friendly lifestyle and 13 percent highlighted improved work schedules. The university’s Professor Kent Lovelace told the RAA Convention today that the industry needs to offer students more defined career paths if it wants to attract them. He also said that more will need to be done to reduce training costs and provide help with financial aid. At the same time, he feels carriers could do more to project a more positive image of the profession.

Source: www.ainonline.com

Russian CAA Makes Further Steps for Easier Access to Russian Air Space

Russia and neighboring countries, has informed its clients about the changes in official procedures, facilitating access to Russian air space. New positive changes to Russian permit procedures for non-regular flights are to be introduced on June 01, 2013.

For example, official notice for flights with aircraft up to 18 seats is decreased from three to one full office day. Larger aircraft have to stay with three office days as before. Since June 01 the permit is dealt with by Russian CAA and Russian ATC authorities directly and any flight support requesting Russian permit should be officially certified for this function.
That means a more friendly access to Russian market for all foreign operators and results in better operational environment for all customers performing flights to Russia.

Southern Africa: An established market with great potential

 

 
The United Nations definition of southern Africa comprises Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. This is our first review of charter in the region since EBAN expanded its geographical coverage to include the continent of Africa.

Botswana is an African success story since gaining independence in the 1960s. Although one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, including the Kalahari Desert, it is also one of the fastest growing in terms of GDP per person, and is fully democratic. The capital is Gabarone, and this is served by the Sir Seretse Khama airport, one of two bases of the Kalahari Air Services company. KAS flies an all-Beechcraft business fleet including the 1900C for 19 passengers and the Super King Air 200, recently upgraded to a Blackhawk conversion, configured for eleven passengers. The latter is also equipped for air medical services, with LifePort stretcher system.

Rizon extends its charter reach with G5000

Rizon Jet has expanded its managed fleet to include a Global 5000, based at its headquarters in Doha and due to be available to the vip charter market in June.

“This new management contract affirms the market's confidence in Rizon Jet's ability to provide comprehensive management solutions tailored to the unique needs of individual aircraft owners,” says ceo Captain Hassan Al-Mousawi. “Together with our three Challenger 605 and one Hawker 900XP already available for commercial charter, this additional aircraft offers a highly comfortable and luxurious flying experience with long range.

Job vacancy - Charter Executive / Broker

Aircraft Charter Brokers
Based in Reigate

Permanent – Full Time

Enthusiastic experienced commercial and executive jet brokers to join a well established team in a leading global aviation services company with enviable growth in all aspects of aircraft charter, leasing, flight management and consulting.


Must have extensive aircraft knowledge, able to maintain high levels of broking activity working under pressure to find the best solutions, strong negotiating skills, industry contract management, well developed business development skills, able to prioritize work, have excellent IT skills and demonstrate a flexible approach within a team environment.


CV and cover letter to HR@flyacc.com or to request further information.

Contact email: Hr@flyacc.com

Closing date: June 15, 2013

Boeing resumes deliveries of 787 Dreamliners after 4 months

New York: After nearly four months of suspension owing to safety concerns regarding the battery system, Boeing Co on Wednesday resumed deliveries of its high-tech 787 Dreamliner jet.

Boeing said it delivered a new Dreamliner to All Nippon Airways, its second delivery of the year. The first was delivered before January 16, when regulators grounded the worldwide Dreamliner fleet after two lithium-ion batteries overheated and smoked on two separate jets that month.

The delivery of the first jet with a redesigned battery system marks a turning point in Boeing's 787 crisis, allowing the jet maker to book revenue for completed sales of the jet, which costs $207 million at list prices.

Boeing shares rose 1.4 percent to close at $96.11 on the New York Stock Exchange, their highest levels since November 2007.

Resuming deliveries will lower Boeing's profit margin in the near-term, though. The 787s being delivered now are among the relatively early jets that are more costly to make and that were sold at steep discounts to attract customers.

Source: zeenews.india.com

Flying Car Crashes in Canada (Pictures)

Just yesterday I posted a story on flying cars, and how this future technology is gradually becoming a reality. If you missed out on the story, please click here!





A flying car crashed near an elementary school in Vernon, British Columbia on Friday, according to a report from CBCNews. The car, which is kept aloft by a parasail and driven forward by a rear propeller, hit a fence and then a tree. Both the pilot and passenger were injured.




The experimental car is named Maverick, and CBC calls it “the fifth-ever flying car” in Canada. The Transportation Safety Board confirmed the crash, calling the vehicle an “I-Tech Maverick SP Powered Parachute.” The company is actually named I-TEC (Indigenous Peoples’ Technology and Education Center) and purports to “provide tools and technologies to God-followers in frontiers areas to meet their needs”

The pilot and passenger had to be pulled out of the tree and taken to a hospital where they were treated and released.

The car costs about $94,000, can travel up to 40 miles per hour in the air, and requires a 100-meter runway to both take off and land.



Check out this cool ride cruising....

Is Russia's S-300 better than USA's Patriot?

Which anti-aircraft missile system is better: Russia's S-300 or the U.S. Patriot?" A concise answer was needed, and I said that the S-300 was better. Was I right?

If you look at the performance characteristics of the systems, then the answer was correct. In conflicts such as Iran - Iraq, India - Pakistan, where forces were relevantly equal, the answer was correct as well. However, when it comes to a possible attack of the U.S. or Israel against the "third world" countries, such as Iran, Syria and others, Russia's S-300 will certainly fail. Why?

PHOTO SPECIAL: Airbus completes paintwork on first A350 XWB

Airbus has done a great job at keeping everyone updated with the latest A350

XWB developments.

A week back, lighting strike tests were performed on the forthcoming aircraft (click here for the story / photos) and now another milestone has been completed, with paintwork completed on the first A350 XWB (“MSN001”)!

To celebrate, I’ve included a photo of the aircraft with its special Airbus livery, fresh from the paint shop in Toulouse. And there’s a whole photo album on my Facebook page – click here to view it - plus check out the links to more photo galleries below.

The aircraft painting was achieved in less than seven days and shows that MSN001 is progressing well on its route to first flight.

Next, MSN001 will start the final tests before its maiden flight this summer. And speculation is growing about whether it will appear at this year’s Paris International Airshow or not… watch this space as we try to find out!

Sourrce : theaviationwriter.com

NEW!!! Minimum Notification Periods for Non Scheduled Aircraft Operating to/Through India Reduced

Notifications periods for non scheduled flights to/through India reduced by
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on the 9th May 2013. Do refer to the new DGCA procedures with special attention to annex F & G for aircraft landing in India

Kuwait Airways to sign $3-billion-plus Airbus deal

State-run Kuwait Airways will spend 850-million dinars ($3.1-billion) on 25 new Airbus jets and aims to lease a further 13 to upgrade its aging fleet, a Kuwaiti newspaper reported on Sunday.

Daily Al-Watan cited sources close to the decision makers as saying the airline would start receiving the new aircraft from Airbus SAS, owned by aerospace and defence group EADS NV, from 2019.

Kuwait Airways plans to buy 10 wide-bodied A350-900 jets and 15 of the slimmer A320neo, the newspaper said, adding that the deal would include support services.

The airline also aims to lease 13 of the A330 and A320 models for six years, the paper said, without giving details of the leasing cost.

“The sources made clear that the deal, which will be signed with Airbus very soon, is one contract that will include both the leased and purchased planes,” the newspaper said.

Kuwait Airways and Airbus were not immediately available for comment.

Rival Boeing Co. also made a bid, but the Airbus offer was deemed more attractive, Al-Watan said.



KUWAIT — Reuters

Flying Cars for the Future...here today!!!

Flying cars aren’t just a presumable invention of the future, but the reality for some time now. We have already presented you flying cars that are already being produced, like Terrafugia's Transition or PAL-V One. But here’s something new: Terrafugia has begun feasibility studies of a four-seat flying car, that can both takeoff and land vertically.





If Terrafugia’s TF-X vertical takeoff flying car one day would become a real product, this would be an important milestone in a timeline of personal aviation history. Adaption of vertical takeoff and landing technology would mean that this type of flying cars wouldn’t need runways, making these vehicles more practical. Just imagine how one morning you wake up, take a cup of coffee, go outside and fly to your work avoiding all traffic jams!





What’s your opinion about the TF-X? Will this concept become a reality one day? What do you think about the flying car concept itself? Does it have a perspective of becoming an important part of transportation industry? Share your opinions and insights in the comments section below!




Source: Aviatime.com

Pan African Women in Aviation are proud to invite you to their inaugural conference

You are cordially invited to the inaugural conference of Pan African Women in Aviation.

Early birds tickets available. Looking forward to seeing you in Gaborone!



For more details, click on this link!

NIgerian First Business Aviation Conference....A huge success?

The first ever Nigerian business Aviation conference held in Lagos on 7th of May 2013. It  attended by over one hundred delegates and was said to exceed the expectations of Evergreen Apple Nigeria, who helped organise the conference.

The event was held at the Wheatbaker Hotel in Lagos. It was moderated by Corporate Jet Investor’s editor Alasdair Whyte and opened by Segun Demuren  CEO Evergreen Apple Nigeria Ltd. (pictured above).
The finance session was led by Segun Agbaje, MD of GT Bank, who noted that Nigeria had experienced “high octane growth” in the last few years making it the largest market for business jet purchase in Africa. “We are more used to financing rice and fish so aviation is a good way for us to expand business,” he said.

The delegates also heard from the major OEMs in a panel featuring sales directors from sponsors Gulfstream, Embraer and Dassault, alongside representatives of Bombardier and Cessna in the region. All remain optimistic about the future growth of sales in the region and gave at least an eight out of ten when asked where on the scale of sales growth they positioned Nigeria.
Concerns were also aired about service centres and maintenance in the region. Colin Steven of Embraer underlined the need for support to train and identify local engineering specialists to support the expanding sector. The panel also suggested that there was a strong market for smaller aircraft in the region with over 50 small airfields available that can be used by the turbo prop and light jet community.

The need for aircraft management expertise was highlighted in such a young market. “Don’t learn the hard way,” said Achuzie Ezenagu, MD of Toucan Aviation a local operator that serves the oil sector.
The panel suggested that very few of the aircraft based in Nigeria are using aircraft management companies which can leave owners exposed to not extracting maximum value from their asset. Management begins three or four months before the aircraft is purchased suggested Ezenagu and advised potential owners to recognise that experience in regulations, crewing, paperwork and safety amongst others will support the aircraft operations in a young business aviation sector.

The issue of landing permits was covered by the Trip Planners panel which noted that currently permits can take between 48 – 72 hours to be granted. Nwankwo Ifeanyi representing the Nigerian Airspace Management Authority said that a transformation agenda was in process and recognised that automation of this important issue would better serve the industry. Plans are in place to implement automation sooner rather than later he continued.

Demuren finished the conference, saying: “Undoubtedly Nigeria is a significant player in the business aviation sector for Africa and will play an important part in the development of the sector in the region. This conference has demonstrated that whilst we have a lot of opportunity we are still very much in our infancy and must aim to build the infrastructure to support business aviation and the associated framework necessary to create a solid base.”

Demuren confirmed that the event had been more successful than he could have hoped for, and will be the first in a series of annual meetings. “Plans are already in motion for the 2014 NBAC event which we anticipate will be bigger and even better,” he said in conclusion. The event finished with a farewell networking dinner sponsored by Gulfstream.

Source and Photo: Corporate Jet Investor
 

‘Unruly’ woman thrown off plane for singing Whitney Houston song

An "unruly" passenger was escorted off an American Airlines flight because she repeatedly sang Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You, irritating fellow passengers.

Press reports say the flight from Los Angeles to New York made an emergency landing at Kansas City International Airport after cabin crew and fellow passengers were less than impressed with her "disruptive" vocals.

Quoted on ninemsn.com, airport spokesman Joe McBride said: "The woman was being disruptive and was removed from the plane for interfering with the flight crew.

"There was a federal air marshal on the aircraft, who subdued the woman and put her in cuffs and removed her from the plane." However, even after being placed in handcuffs the persistent fan continued her warbling, as this YouTube video shows.

Perth Now reports that the the woman claimed she became disruptive because she was diabetic, and was released without charge.

ADVISORY - SAFETY OF CIVIL AIRCRAFT OPERATING OVER DAMASCUS FIR

An advisory has been issued by ICAO regarding Civil Operations over the Syrian Arab Republic.
Taking into consideration the armed conflict currently being experienced within the country.

Information received by ICAO from certain States, based on reports originating from their operators, indicates that incidents have recently taken place involving civil aircraft transiting the Damascus FIR. Such incidents include situations whereby civil aircraft unexpectedly found themselves in close proximity to munitions and missile firings. In addition, unsubstantiated reports in the public media would suggest that munitions firings were also directed at an aircraft during its final approach to an aerodrome in the Syrian Arab Republic.


For a full text on the advisory, kindly click on this link!


For your future flights, to be on the safe side, I guess you might have to consider alternate routes... :-)

 

Emirates Cabin Crew Recruitment Open day - May 2013

The schedule below enlists open days in different regions which you can register for online.
Country Date Time Venue

United Kingdom, LiverpoolRef No: CC/MH/24223 18-May-2013 09:00AM
Liverpool Marriott Hotel City Centre One Queen Square
Liverpool, L1 1RH, United Kingdom 

2013 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2013) - What you need to know!

EBACE is an annual event jointly hosted each year by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the leading association for business aviation in Europe, and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), the leading voice for the business aviation industry in the United States.




May 21-23 2013 - Geneva, Switzerland


This is the premier annual meeting place for the European business aviation community. The exhibition takes shape as a three-day event in Geneva. Although EBACE is the only major European event focused solely on business aviation, Attendees come from as far as Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North America.







This three-day event features exhibits, an incredible Static Display of Aircraft, educational sessions and maintenance & operations sessions (M&Os) – all located at the magnificent Palexpo and Geneva International Airport which covers more than 100,000 square meters distributed in seven halls. Palexpo features speedy and competent services, provides covered parking for 3,000 cars, is strategically located within 10 minutes of the center of Geneva and is immediately adjacent to the site of the EBACE Static Display Geneva International Airport, a railway station and a motorway.















EBACE is the largest educational event in the aviation industry in Europe. Make it date and be there. This year, expect over 500 exhibiting companies from around the world. More than 60 aircrafts including nearly every major business aircraft design in current production, will be on display in a special 18,000-square-meter Static Display area.


General Information noteworthy




Accommodations for Attendees With Disabilities


EBACE Management will provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities who make their situation known to EBACE personnel. Reasonable accommodations are those that do not create an undue hardship on EBACE, change the nature of scheduled events or activities, or pose a safety or health threat to other Attendees. Individuals with disabilities who wish to use personal-powered vehicles at EBACE are urged to contact EBAA's Ana Baptista at abaptista@ebaa.org in advance for approval. It is the policy of EBACE that these vehicles be specifically used for handicapped individuals and exhibit the stability required to operate around exhibits and airplanes. For safety reasons, only officially-approved vehicles are permitted to operate within the Exhibit Halls at Palexpo or on the Static Display at Geneva International Airport. Only trained service animals with proper supervision are permitted at EBACE.
Children


EBACE is a business event. Kindly advise your sales people and customers that children under 16 are never permitted on the Palexpo Exhibit Floor or at the Static Display of Aircraft – under any circumstances. Children ages 16 to 17 will be permitted into the Palexpo Exhibit Halls and Static Display of Aircraft during official exhibit hours only provided that they register, pay appropriate fees and are accompanied by an adult at all times. Children between the ages of 16 to 17 will not be permitted in the Palexpo Exhibit Halls or on the Static Display of Aircraft at Geneva International Airport during installation and teardown. EBACE will not be held responsible by or for any cause whatsoever.
Dress


EBACE is a business event. Dress for EBACE is business attire. This applies to all Attendees and Exhibitors, as well as to personnel working on behalf of Exhibitors in their Stands.
First Aid


Two first aid stations will be available – one in Hall 6 and one in Hall 7 – during move-in and move-out and on show days.


Contact: +41 (0) 22 761 13 18; internal call: 1318.
Parking


Parking will be available in the garages below Hall 5 and Hall 7 at a charge. Exhibitors may order parking permits in advance through Palexpo. Information and an order form will be included in the Exhibitor Service Kit.
Pets


For liability reasons and to maintain the professional appearance of EBACE, please be advised that no pets, with the exception of service animals, will be permitted in the Palexpo Exhibit Halls or on the Static Display of Aircraft at any time.
Photo Use Permission


Any person who attends EBACE grants permission to EBACE Management, its employees and agents to record his or her visual/audio images, including, but not limited to, photographs, digital images, voices, sound or video recordings, audio clips, or accompanying written descriptions, and, without notifying such person, to use his or her name and such images for any purpose of EBACE, including advertisements for EBACE and its programs.


More Information


Additional rules apply for EBACE Exhibitors. Exhibitors should review the following:

General Exhibitor Rules & Regulations

Indoor Exhibitor Rules & Regulations

Static Display Rules & Regulations




EBACE Program Schedule



For complete program schedule, click here!

Virgin Group founder dumps CEO status for fishnet stockings and figure - hugging red pencil skirt.

Sir Richard Branson after loosing a bet to Tony Fernandes on whose formula one team would come out tops, Had to fulfill his side of the bet. lmao!!!

See him looking all so hot with a thick beard....lol! Watch him on duty here!

Isn't this guy multitalented?