Video – OpenSkies 757 Timelapse Painting

Time-lapse video of OpenSkies (British Airways) Boeing 757-236 (G-BPEK) beeing painted.

OpenSkies is a subsidiary airline of British Airways which is scheduled to begin operations in June 2008 using a single Boeing 757 transferred from the BA fleet. The airline will initially fly between the European cities of Brussels and Paris to New York City. The airline will be a full-service carrier and will offer business class, premium economy and economy cabins. British Airways have also confirmed that they are looking at operating services from other European cities, including Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Madrid and Milan.

Airbus files patent for trijet (picture)

According to flightglobal, Airbus has filed a patent application for a new commercial trijet, published by the US Patent and Trademark Office on 27 March. Patent No. 7,240,877 B2, already filed on July 13 2005, shows a new trijet design featuring a distinctive, noise-shielding tail structure that allows lowering the tail engine for easier maintenance.

Airbus Trijet Patent

ABSTRACT
A multi-engine aircraft having one engine positioned at the tail of the fuselage may include rear tail units in a vertical longitudinal plane-of-symmetry of the fuselage. The tail engine is disposed in front of the rear tail units on the upper part of the tail of the fuselage. The tail engine is mounted, in a detachable manner, on a rigid supporting structure attached to the supporting structure of the fuselage. A lowering shaft, formed in the tail of the fuselage and plumb with the engine, is supported by the rigid supporting structure. The lowering shaft provides a passage for the engine between a high position corresponding to the operational position of the engine and a low position in which the engine is removed from the fuselage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of former tri-jet aircraft such as the Lockheed L1011, and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10, or MD-11.

(…)

In particular, said opening formed in the lower part of the fuselage is obturated by a hatch, articulated on the structure of said fuselage and defining, when it is lowered, an access stairway to the inside of the fuselage. The opening of the hatch or its withdrawal from the fuselage if it is detachable then allows the lowering (or raising) of the tail engine via said shaft.

Cool stuff! 😎

Patent: http://patft.uspto.gov/…

Full article:
http://www.flightglobal.com/…/airbus-files-patent-for-new-trijet-design.html

US Airways charging extra for selected seats

US Airways announced that in order to “curtail rising fuel costs”, they will be charging passengers extra for window and aisle seats in the first several rows of Coach! Labled as the “Choice Seats Program” passengers will be charged from beginning of May. The price for Choice Seats varies by destination and length of flight.
Choice Seats can only be purchased during Web Check-in at usairways.com

… What a rip-off! What’s next? Paying for toilet?

Source: US Airways

Video – ANA Emergency Landing

All Nippon Airways (ANA) flight NH489, a Boeing 767, sent out a stream of sparks from the left landing gear as it made an emergency landing in Fukuoka on the southwestern island of Kyushu (Japan).
The plane, departed for Okinawa, was forced to turn back after a warning message that the landing gear was not properly stored, said an ANA spokesman.

None of the 141 passengers and eight crew members was injured.

Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

Once again, thanks to “prop-er”! 🙂

Safety Report – 04/18/2008


Date & Time: 04/17/2008 15:49
Location: Seattle, WA
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-490 Registration: N703AS
Operator: Alaska Airlines Flight: 529
Phase: Landing
Damage: None
Injuries & Fatalities: 1 crew and 3 pax with minor injuries
Description: Flight AS529 reported a unsafe gear problem and after landing reported smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft was evacuated via the chutes.

Date & Time: 04/17/2008 01:01
Location: New York (JFK), NY
Aircraft Type: Boeing 767 Registration: Unknown
Operator: Unknown
Phase: Taxi
Damage: Unknown
Injuries & Fatalities: None
Description: The aircraft sustained nose gear damage while being pushed back from the gate at JFK

Source: FAA
Correctness of this posting is not guaranteed & completeness not intended. This posting is just for informational purpose.

Safety Report – 04/16/2008

Date & Time: 04/16/2008 01:08
Location: Alamosa, CO
Aircraft Type: Airbus A320 Registration: Unknown
Operator: United Airlines Flight: 1427
Phase: Unknown
Damage: None
Injuries & Fatalities: 1 pax & 1 crew with unknown injuries
Description: UAL1427 encountered serve turbulence, one crewmember and one passenger sustained unknown injuries

Date & Time: 04/15/2008 17:30
Location: Newark, NJ
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737 Registration: Unknown
Operator: Continental Airlines Flight: 339
Phase: Landing
Damage: Minor
Injuries & Fatalities: None
Description: COA339 after landing in Newark struck a bird and reported damage to the cone – taxied to the ramp without incident

Source: FAA
Correctness of this posting is not guaranteed & completeness not intended. This posting is just for informational purpose.

DC-9 crashed in Congo – Killing dozens

A Congolese DC-9, operated by the private Congolese company Hewa Bora Airlines, carrying around 100 people failed to take off from Goma airport (DR Congo) today, crashing at high speed into a busy market neighbourhood at the end of the runway.
According to an eyewitness, the plane suffered a problem in one of its wheels – possibly a flat tyre – and did not gain the strength to lift off

An airline official said 60 people had survived, but local officials said dozens of bodies were pulled from the wreckage, though it was unclear if they were passengers or people on the ground. Both pilots survived the crash.

Dramatic pictures: 🙁
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/dozens-killed-as-congo-plane-crashes-809281.html
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/0,5538,30672,00.html

Video:

News Stories:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/dozens-killed-as-congo-plane-crashes-809281.html
http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/newsmlmmd.a07a133436095f8f9b49f4247c703b8b.391.html

Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines will merge

So, the recent rumors are true, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines have announced its merger, creating the world’s largest carrier. The airline, with headquarters in Atlanta, will be called Delta and will have about 75,000 employees.

Officials with both airlines said there will be no layoffs of front-line employees nor immediate hub closings. The new airline will have domestic hubs in Atlanta, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Memphis and New York City – international hubs in Amsterdam and Tokyo.

Delta CEO Richard Anderson will be chief executive officer of the combined company. Delta Chairman of the Board Daniel Carp will become chairman of the new Board of Directors and Northwest Chairman Roy Bostock will become vice chairman. Ed Bastian will be president and chief financial officer. The Board of Directors will be made up of 13 members, seven of whom will come from Delta’s board, including Anderson, and five of whom will come from Northwest’s board, including Bostock and Doug Steenland, the current Northwest CEO. One director will come from the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).

Visit the newly created website http://www.newglobalairline.com for all information on the merger.

Continue at:
http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/080414/140089.html
http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/delta/stori…

Safety Report – 04/14/2008

Date & Time: 04/11/2008 13:18
Location: Washington, DC
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737 Registration: Unknown
Operator: Continental Airlines Flight: 1104
Phase: Taxi
Damage: Minor
Injuries & Fatalities: None
Description: Continental Airlines flight 1104 and Republic Airlines flight 3225, an Embraer ERJ-170, struck wingtips while taxiing for departure. Both aircraft taxied back to the ramp – damage reported to both wingtips – Washington Reagan Airport

Source: FAA
Correctness of this posting is not guaranteed & completeness not intended. This posting is just for informational purpose.