Aviation Updates from a Global Perspective!!!: August 2013

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Med-View Airline granted regional, international traffic rights; eyes Dubai by year end.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has reportedly granted Kano-based Med-View Airline (VL) regional and international traffic rights with flights to Dubai to launch before year end, the airline's managing director, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, has announced.

Speaking during the delivery ceremony at Lagos MMA for the airline's fourth aircraft, a B737-500 (MSN 28055 | 5N-BQM), Mr Bankole said Med-View had been allocated six regional and international routes as part of Abuja's plans to ensure "reciprocity in the country's various bilateral air services agreements."

Pakistan's Shaheen International up for sale.

Shaheen Air International is reportedly up for sale. The move likely comes as a consequence of the death last year of its chairman, Mr Khalid Sehbai, which has subsequently left the company rudderless.

Shaheen Air International Boeing B737-200 / © Konstantin von Wedelstaedt

Bangui's Mpoko International Airport has been partially reopened with some flights cleared to land after the tarmac was inundated with Central African citizens fleeing marauding Seleka rebels who had gone on the rampage in the neighbouring Boeing quarter.

Mozambique's national carrier, LAM - Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (TM), has announced an 8% rise in its revenues for the first half of its 2013 Financial Year buoyed by the highest July passenger traffic the airline has seen since its inception in 1980, airline managing director, Marlene Manave, has announced.

LAM Mozambique's 737 in Maputo (H Krapf)

Speaking in Maputo during a recent presentation of the airline's 5-Year Plan (2014-2018), Ms Manave said revenue for H1 had now reached MZN2.2billion (USD74million) thanks to strong passenger traffic figures which totalled 300'000. However, despite the increase, she labelled the recorded figures as "satisfactory" adding that they had fallen below previously set targets for the year.

Flydubai and Emirates will be forced to reduce their services between May 1 and July 20 next year owing to necessary upgrade works to the northern and second runways at Dubai Int'l.

According to the Dubai Airport, Airlines will be required to reduce their operations at Dubai International as a result of the anticipated 28% drop in capacity expected over the 80-day repair period.

National carrier, Air Tanzania (TC), has joined the growing list of Tanzanian airlines that have been forced to trim their workforces down with reports that 128 out its original 300-strong staff have now been let go.

Air Tanzania Q300 in Mtwara (Air Tanzania)

According to Tanzania's Minister for Transport, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, Government intends to streamline the number even further such that the staff compliment reflects the airline's current operational status:

PIC!!! Check out new Royal Brunei Airlines B787 Livery straight out of paint factory.

A customer’s first 787 will also feature another first—a brand new livery. The first 787 for Royal Brunei Airlines recently came out of the paint hangar in Everett with a bright yellow tail featuring the national crest of Brunei.

Here’s the first 787 for Royal Brunei Airlines. All photos by Colleen Pfeilschiefter.

Journalist Andrew Potter based near the British air base at Akrotiri, Cyprus, reported (via Twitter) that two U-2 spyplanes arrived there in the afternoon of Aug. 29.

One U-2 had left RAF Fairford early in the morning and was plotted until it entered the French airspace: although its final destination is unknown, is safe to assume it went to Akrotiri.

Potter mentioned that the first U-2 to arrive made two attempts to land where as the second had no issues.

ANA on Friday 30AUG13 announced Promotional flights for its Boeing 747-400 aircraft, as the Star Alliance member plans to retire the Jumbo Jet in late-March 2014.

Pikachu Jumbo
ANA Boeing 747-400 Pikachu Jumbo (JA8957) to operate FINAL service on 30SEP13, Tokyo

Haneda – Okinawa route
NH127 HND0855 – 1125OKA 744
NH126 OKA1220 – 1445HND 744

“Homecoming Flight”
ANA Plans to operate a series of “Homecoming Flight” on routes previously served by Boeing 747-400. Note planned operation remains subject to change.
27OCT13 Tokyo Haneda – Hakodate NH853/854
10NOV13 Tokyo Haneda – Komatsu NH969/970
17NOV13 Tokyo Haneda – Hiroshima NH673/676
22NOV13 Okinawa – Nagoya NH302/307
01DEC13 Tokyo Haneda – Kagoshima NH621/624
08DEC13 Tokyo Haneda – Nagasaki NH661/664

January 1 Flight
ANA’s Annual Special January 1 flight in 2014 is scheduled to be operated by Boeing 747-400

FINAL Flight (Not included in ANA Press Release)
As per 30AUG13 GDS Inventory display, ANA continues to display Tokyo Haneda – OkinawaNH137/136 service on 29MAR14 as tentative FINAL Boeing 747 service.

Source: AirlineRoute

Turkish airbase has just raised its alert status for a possible attack from Syria

Diyarbakir airbase, one of the most important airbases in Turkey, located in the southeastern part of the country, is on alert status today for a possible Syrian attack.

Tolga Ozbek, aviation editor of Hurriyet Newspaper, informed us that on Aug. 30, the alert status was increased to “orange”, a level used when threat of attack is “high”.

It is not clear whether the Turkish authorities were informed of an imminent U.S. strike on Syria or the heightened alert status is caused by intelligence data suggesting Damascus is preparing to attack Ankara.

“Today is a holiday in Turkey but F-16s still on exercise,” Ozbek told us. “Also two squadrons from Merzifon Air Force Base (151-152nd both operating with Block 50 F-16s) and 171 Squadron from Malatya (operating F-4E 2020 Terminators) came to Diyarbakır.”

Some images taken recently at the base can be found here.

Diyarbakir is a large airbase hosting 181 and 182th Filo (Squadrons) and their F-16s since 1994. Base’s aircraft have been used in combat to attack PKK positions, to force a suspect Syrian airliner crossing the Turkish airspace to land, and were scrambled to intercept Syrian aircraft near the border.

Diyarbakir is also main comand center of Turkish Air Force’s 2nd Air Force Commands which controls the easth side of Turkey.

Source: The Aviationist

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

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LYCAA selects Comsoft for aeronautical infrastructure & communications upgrade.

The Libyan Civil Aviation Authority has awarded a contract to upgrade all of Libya's existing Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network (AFTN) and Automatic Identification System (AIS) infrastructure to Germany's Comsoft.

The initiative is being undertaken as part of the Libyan government's ongoing infrastructural refurbishment plan and will ultimately result in safer skies over the country.

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has banned nonscheduled air operator permit (AOP) holders–including indigenous business jet operators–from flying to international destinations unless certification documents adhere to the international air operator certification manual.

This follows an ICAO safety audit of India last December that found “significant safety concerns,” with deficiencies in AOP holders and maintenance. Last month, an Indian-registered business jet was refused landing by Singapore as it did not haveAOP documentation.

The first production unit of Cessna’s newest business jet, the Citation M2, took its maiden flight Aug. 23 out of the company’s Independence, Kan., facility.

The M2 was announced in September of 2011 with a design driven by customer and pilot feedback. It is the latest in a succession of new Cessna aircraft to make its initial production flight. Type certification is expected this fall, according to company officials.

Epic pictures of the B787 - 900 as it rolls out of factory!!!

The blue skies dotted with clouds over Everett this weekend made for the perfect backdrop as the first 787-9 rolled out of the factory.

A picture perfect setting for the rollout of the 787-9. Colleen Pfeilschiefter photo.

American A320 delivered in July

While the Air Line Pilots Association has taken an unequivocal stance against the U.S. Justice Department’s attempt to block the merger of bankrupt American Airlines parent AMR and USAirways, at least one segment of the union–namely the unit representing the pilots of American’s wholly owned regional subsidiary–sees things a bit differently.

In fact, American Eagle’s pilots might consider the department’s opposition to the merger something of a reprieve after US Airways management insisted on creating a so-called B Scale pay formula at Eagle in return for rights to the next batch of large regional jets the “new” American orders.

With recent inauguration of 4x weekly flights from Addis Ababa to the south-eastern Nigerian city of Enugu, Ethiopian Airlines has now stated it plans to resume flights to Kano, suspended over ten years ago.

Ethiopian 737 in Enugu (Alkasim Abdulkadir)

Speaking at Bole International Airport prior to the maiden Enugu flight on Saturday, Ethiopian CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said the airline would resume operations to Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) as Kano is one of Nigeria’s most populous states.

Struggling Alitalia in talks with Etihad, Aeroflot?

Alitalia Boeing B777-200ER / © Tsung TsenTsan

Alitalia is reported to be in talks with Etihad Airways on a commercial deal that may even lead to the Abu Dhabi-based carrier taking a stake in the loss-making Italian national carrier.

Citing unnamed sources, local paper, il Sole 24 Ore, said there have been "several meetings" in Abu Dhabi in recent weeks between rank executives at both airlines, including recently appointed Alitalia CEO, Gabriele del Torchio.

The Government of Burkina Faso, in its most recent Council of Ministers meeting held in late July, has resolved to hold talks with the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) & Industrial Promotion Services (IPS), the majority shareholder in Air Burkina (2J), regarding its future.

According to the Burkinabe Ministry of Infrastructure & Transport, the move is being made in light of a recent report presented to government outlining the current state of Air Burkina SA, which claims it "faces a difficult financial and economic situation."

Dutch Antilles Express has reportedly been put out of business after the operator at Curacao airport, Curaçao Airport Partners (CAP), banned the airline from operating there with effect from August 24. Local paper, Antilliaans Dagblad, claims the CAP made the move as a result of outstanding debts.

The development is the latest in a series of events that has hit the airline's operations hard. Recently, flights to Bonaire were suspended while DAE's turboprop fleet - two ATR72-200s and an ATR 42-300 - was grounded for undisclosed reasons.

Source: CH-Aviation

Nigeria One due to be presented in early October; operations now due by year end.

Nigeria One, the planned new Nigerian national carrier, will officially be unveiled to the Nigerian public on the country's 53rd Independence Day on October 1. The carrier's core will reportedly be formed from various local airlines who are indebted to the Nigerian government via its Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) with Aero (AJ) and the now defunct Air Nigeria (VK) listed among them.

Former Nigeria Airways 747 (AldoBidini)

According to ThisDay, Abuja intends to avail "about NGN200billion (USD1.24billion) through a transparent private sector Initial Public Offering (IPO)". Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, said her government would retain a 25% stake, with the rest in the hands of private investors, who thus far, are said to include an "international business tycoon" and an unnamed Middle Eastern carrier.

Shell Aviation recently supplied the engine oils for a memorial flight that recreated an important aviation event that Shell did the same for 100 years ago.

A historic Catalina seaplane landed on Sunday having replicated the 1913 Circuit of Britain, which was the first major competition for seaplanes. The common aviation engine oil in 1913 was a simple castor oil. This time, the Catalina used AeroShell100.

A Dreamliner flight from Tokyo made a U-turn after its weather radar malfunctioned on Monday, its Japanese operator said.

While the error is not uncommon among other plane models it is the latest glitch for the once-grounded high-tech plane after a run of more serious setbacks.

Flight 641, a Boeing 787 operated by All Nippon Airways (ANA), left Tokyo's Haneda airport at 9:00 am (0000 GMT) for the southern Japanese city of Kumamoto, carrying 234 passengers and nine crew members.

Poll shows most Americans support UAS for search and rescue, border patrol

A poll conducted by Monmouth University shows that a majority of Americans support the use of unmanned aircraft systems for search and rescue and border patrol. The poll found that 83% of Americans support UAS use for search and rescue and 62% support the use of the technology for patrolling our nation’s border.

The poll also found, however, that the public is not overwhelmingly confident that federal or local law officials will use drones appropriately and they back provisions to require court orders before employing drones for police operations.

Employees affiliated with the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) at South African Airways' (SA) MRO unit, SAA Technical, have gone on strike over a requested 12% wage increase. According to a statement by the union, the strike will go on until their demands are met.

The union says the strike is as a result of stalled wage negotiations with SAA Technical claiming that management had unilaterally implemented a 6.5% wage increase without consulting them.

Crash site. Photo by CBS7

According to the private pilot, during the initial climb to cruise flight the airplane began to lose power and the low engine oil light illuminated.

He diverted to a nearby airport. The first approach to the runway terminated with a go-around due to high airspeed. The pilot reported that the airspeed for the second approach to the runway was “correct,” however the plane touched down near the midpoint of the 3,000-foot runway. He was unable to stop the airplane in the remaining distance and it went off the runway and into trees.

A Ukrainian Antonov An-26 (MCN 57314101 | EK-26818) operated by South Airlines overran the runway on touchdown at Guri'el airstrip in Somalia's central Galgadud region on Sunday, August 25, injuring one crew member. The flight, inbound from Mogadishu Aden Adde International Airport, was reportedly carrying the region's newly appointed governor, Husein Ali Wahliye, on a trip to visit Dhusamareb, Guri'el and Abudwaq.

EK-26818

According to reports exclusive to The African Aviation Tribune, the An-26 arrived inbound at 13h04Z (16h04L) with 5 crew and 45 passengers aboard. However, the aircraft missed the touchdown zone, landing instead midway down the runway.

As a result, the aircraft overran the strip (unpaved) before impacting a large rock. The resulting collision forced the nose wheel up through the cockpit floor injuring one crew member.

The remaining passengers and crew safely disembarked from the stricken turboprop, now disabled at the airfield.

Source: African Aviation Tribune

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Gomair, Ghadames Air Transport, Air Niamey, AV Cargo and the Cameroon Air Force.

The following is a fleet update bulletin for aircraft that are in use, have been in use or will be in use for these listed airlines: Gomair, Ghadames Air Transport (0G), Air Niamey (A7), AV Cargo (Z3) and the Cameroon Air Force.

Ghadames first own A320 5A-WAT (Ghadames)

Congolese operator Gomair, has taken delivery of its first freighter, a B737-300QC (MSN 23788 | 9G-?) formerly with Europe Airpost.

Gulf Air Airbus A320-200

Gulf Air has denied ever bidding for or being awarded any domestic traffic rights to operate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In a statement, the airline said its involvement in Saudi Arabia is in a purely "consultative capacity" to the Al Qahtani Group, a consortium of privately-owned Saudi companies.

Its back to the drawing board for Kinshasa so far as finding a strategic partner for its renewed national carrier is concerned. Accordingly, the country's Minister of Transport, Mr Justin Kalumba, Congo has reissued a tender for interested parties & carriers which closes on August 31.

AirAsia X Airbus A330-300

AirAsia X along with Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Dragonair, Korean Air, PIA - Pakistan International Airlines, Thai Airways International and Turkish Airlines will be the most severely affected airlines of a ban on the use of wide-body aircraft at Kathmandu issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) on Monday, August 18 and set to come into effect in September.

Struggling LCC fastjet (FN), is set to become the second major Tanzanian carrier to embark on a redundancy drive following reports that it is in consultations with its employees regarding pending staff cuts aimed at trimming its head-count by 12%.

fastjet A319

Photos + Video: Vehicle successfully tows 170-tonne cargo aircraft at Sharjah airport, sets world record!

Samir Cherfan (left) receives the Guinness certificate at Sharjah International Airport on Thursday.

Nissan Patrol today drove the UAE into the Guinness Book of World Records yet again when it successfully towed 170-tonne cargo aircraft in Sharjah.

Today at Sharjah International Airport, Nissan Patrol broke the world record by successfully towing a 170-tonne cargo aircraft for over 55 metres in the presence of officials from Guinness Book of World Record, Nissan Middle East, Arabian Automobiles, Sharjah International Airport and Sharjah Civil Aviation authorities.

The Nigerian government's Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON)'s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Mustafa Chike-Obi has confirmed the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer (Mr Hugh Fraser) and a new Chief Financial Officer to Aero (AJ), also known as AeroContractors. Mr Fraser is understood to have been in the position since May.

AMCON last year acquired a 60% controlling stake in Aero, Nigeria's oldest carrier, after the airline was forced to source "over NGN20billion (USD124million)" in funding from the institution's Aviation Intervention Fund as a means of shoring up its financial footing. Prior to the development, Aero was 100 per cent owned by the Ibru family, which acquired a full stake in the airline in 2010 after then Canadian partner, CHC helicopters, pulled out.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Seconds before the botched landing of a Southwest Airlines jet last month at New York’s La Guardia Airport, the captain was concerned about touching down too far along the runway and may have throttled back the engines prematurely, according to people familiar with the investigation.

The preliminary indications of what led the aircraft to land on its nosegear, causing it to collapse and substantially damaging the Boeing 737, still have to be validated by investigators, these officials said.

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta will speak at the opening general session of the National Business Aviation Association Convention & Exhibition (NBAA2013), which will take place Oct. 22-24 in Las Vegas.

“We are pleased to welcome Administrator Huerta to our 2013 Convention, and we look forward to hearing his thoughts and perspectives on the issues of greatest concern to the industry,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen.

Huerta was scheduled to speak at NBAA’s 2012 Convention, but had to amend his plans when Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall in the days just before NBAA’s event, caused major disruptions to the nation’s aviation system.

Even as UAE passengers vent their frustrations at Air India Express for slashing baggage allowance, Gulf carrier Qatar Airways has earned brownie points with travellers as it announces an increase in baggage allowance.

Doha-based Qatar Airways has confirmed it is increasing its baggage allowance across routes worldwide, effective September 1.

The increased allowance will apply across all classes of travel, with economy rising 7kg from 23kg to 30kg.

Lion Air signs “the largest aircraft order in history” in March 2012 for 230 737-900ER/737 MAX worth $22billion.Then, in March 2013 with another President watching, Lion Air breaks own record with an order for 234 A320/21neo/ceo worth $24 billion.

The latest edition of Boeing’s annually updated Current Market Outlook (2013-2032) predicts that demand (as measured by RPKs – Revenue Passenger Kilometres) in the Asia-Pacific region will grow by an average of 6.3% per annum during the next 20 years, and that by 2032 the region’s airlines will account for over one-third of the world’s fleet of commercial aircraft, up from around 24% at present.

Afriqiyah (8U) has launched twice-weekly flights between between Misrata, Libya's third largest city 187 km east of Tripoli, and Cairo. Flights operate on-board an Airbus A320. Despite the troubles in Egypt, the Libyan Herald says flights to Egypt are "largely fully booked".

Afriqiyah(8U): Misrata - Cairo
-Eff 20AUG

8U438 MRA 1100 - 1300 CAI 320 14
8U439 CAI 1130 - 1400 MRA 320 14

Watch flyovers and demonstrations, explore static displays, and enjoy a carnival and go cart track at the 2013 Memphis Airshow presented by FedEx Express, Sept. 27–29 at the Millington Regional Jetport.

In addition to the day shows on Sept. 28 and 29, this year’s Memphis Airshow will premier its first night performance on Friday, Sept. 27.

The line up of more than 15 aerial performers includes one of only three military jet performances in the U.S. this year – the Canadian Snowbirds Demonstration Team, a nine-plane military jet formation team.

Air Tran Divert Aircraft

An AirTran flight was reported to have diverted to Memphis, after a passenger tried to open an emergency exit on the plane. The cabin crews noticed just in time to stopped him.

Flight 265 originated from Baltimore to Austin, Texas on Monday evening, it had to make the emergency landing in Memphis Tn.. All 119 passengers were temporarily removed from the plane to allow officials interview them about what happened inflight and check the aircraft before it was allowed to departed to its initial destination - Austin.

The unruly passenger was arrested by FBI agents in Memphis.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Tripoli International Airport to close for 3 months from October over runway repairs?

Libya's Ministry of Transport has reportedly announced the temporary closure of Tripoli International Airport with effect from October until December owing to critical runway repair and upgrade work. This has yet to be confirmed by either the Libyan Airports Authority or any Libyan carriers.

Shining Star: Check out the new JetStar B787 livery!

Randy's Journal is the first to share this livery of Jet Star's brand new B787 almost ready for delivery.

According to Randy, "I always love showing off the first 787 destined for yet another customer. So check out the first Dreamliner for an Australian airline— sporting Jetstar’s bright orange and metallic silver livery".

The first 787 for Jetstar rolls out of the Everett paint hangar. All photos by Colleen Pfeilschiefter.

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Friday, August 23, 2013

Tuesday, August 20, 2013