Date: 06/29/2009 15:20
Location: Tampa, FL
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-400 Registration: Unknown
Operator: US Airways Flight: AWE1241
Phase: Landing
Level of Damage: Unknown
Injuries & Fatalities: None
Description: On landing the nose wheel tire blew and nose gear collapsed, no injuries reported
Video
Source: FAA
Correctness of this posting is not guaranteed & completeness not intended. This posting is just for informational purpose.
Yesterday June 23, Airbus delivered the first A320 assembled at its Final Assembly Line China (FALC) in Tianjin. At a grand ceremony, the aircraft was handed over by Airbus President and CEO, Tom Enders, to the Chairman of Dragon Aviation Leasing, Li Hai. The aircraft (Airbus A320-232 – Reg: B-501L – MSN 3591) will be leased to and operated by Sichuan Airlines.
Tianjin Party Secretary Zhang Gaoli, Mayor of Tianjin, Huang Xingguo, as well as German State Secretary (Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology) Hartmut Schauerte and the President of Sichuan Airlines, Lan Xinguo were present at the ceremony attended by more than 1000 guests.
The Export-Import Bank of China, a strategic long term partner to Dragon Aviation Leasing, has been supporting the financing for the purchase of the aircraft. The A320 to be operated by Sichuan Airlines will be in a two-class configuration, with eight first class seats and 156 economy seats. The aircraft will be deployed on domestic trunk routes between the airline’s base of Chengdu to such major cities like Beijing and Shanghai. It will enter into service on 24th June on the route from Chengdu to Beijing. The aircraft will join the existing fleet composed of 40 Airbus single-aisle aircraft.
Sichuan Airlines was established in 1986 and it started commercial flight operation in 1988. The Sichuan Airlines Co Ltd so far operates 40 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. It is the largest airline in China with all-Airbus fleet (above 100 seats).
Source: Airbus
Photo: Airbus
Boeing today announced that the first flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been delayed again for an indefinite time.
The 787 Dreamliner was originally scheduled to take its first flight early 2008. Actually, until the announcement today, its maiden flight was planned for the end of June 09. The date was now delayed for the sixth time.
Reason for the new delay is “the need of reinforcement in an area within the side-of-body section of the aircraft”.
The need was identified during the recent scheduled tests on the full-scale static test airplane. Preliminary analysis indicated that flight test could proceed this month as planned. However, after further testing and consideration of possible modified flight test plans, the decision was made late last week that first flight should instead be postponed until productive flight testing could occur.
First flight and first delivery will be rescheduled following the final determination of the required modification and testing plan. It will be several weeks before the new schedule is available. The 787 team will continue with other aspects of testing on Airplane #1, including final gauntlet testing and low-speed taxiing. Work will also continue on the other five flight test aircraft and the subsequent aircraft in the production system.
Scott Carson, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes said a team of experts has already identified several potential solutions.
“Consideration was given to a temporary solution that would allow us to fly as scheduled, but we ultimately concluded that the right thing was to develop, design, test and incorporate a permanent modification to the localized area requiring reinforcement. Structural modifications like these are not uncommon in the development of new airplanes, and this is not an issue related to our choice of materials or the assembly and installation work of our team,” Carson said.
… Well, we’ll see if the never ending story of delays will find an end in near future …
Source: Boeing
Photo: Boeing
Date: 06/23/2009
Location: Seattle, WA
Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-232 Registration: N425UA
Operator: United Airlines Flight: 468
Phase: Unknown
Level of Damage: Unknown
Injuries & Fatalities: None
Description: United Airlines flight 468 was struck by lightning while inflight – post flight inspection revealed damage to the left elevator.
Source: FAA
Correctness of this posting is not guaranteed & completeness not intended. This posting is just for informational purpose.
I just found this great Blue Angels in-flight cockpit video on YouTube! The videographer is having the ride of a lifetime! He’s sitting in this F/A-18 Hornet during Blue Angels practice at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Probably one of the best cockpit videos ever!
This video is courtesy of YouTube user jimboking
As time goes by and Paris Air Show 2009 Le Bourget only lasts for 2 days anymore, you can use the slideshow below to browse through the best photos of Paris Air Show 2009 on Flickr. [Paris Air Show 2009 (Le Bourget) Photo Pool]
Today the Brazil Navy has released more new photos of the recovery of Air France flight 447 (AF447) – Airbus A330-200 F-GZCP / MSN: 660. That photos mostly show many smaller parts of wreckage like parts of the cabin side wall (without windows), overhead compartments and parts that could belong to a horizontal stabilizer or wing as well as some galley wreckage.
Photos: Brazil Navy
Related:
New Photos Of AF447 Wreckage
Photos – AF447 Wreckage
Photos – AF447 Tail Recovered from Atlantic Ocean
Today on Paris Air Show, Airbus announced that Turkish Airlines signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for seven Airbus A330. The order includes two of the increased take-off weight version of the A330-200, which offers an extended flying range of up to 7,200 nautical miles, and five A330-300s.
With deliveries scheduled from August 2010, Turkish Airlines will use the aircraft on their regional and long-haul routes.
Airbus also announced today that Chennai based Paramount Airways, one of India’s leading domestic premium airlines, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to buy ten A321 aircraft with an option for an additional ten.
With the new aircraft, Paramount Airways will launch international services from South India. The A321s will feature Airbus’ newest cabin design.
Images: Airbus
Today the Brazil Navy has released new photos of wreckage belonging to Air France flight 447 (AF447) – Airbus A330-200 F-GZCP / MSN: 660 – that mysteriously crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on June 1. One picture is showing an IFE screen, others show the recovery of parts of the galley.
Photos: Brazil Navy
Related:
Photos – AF447 Wreckage
Photos – AF447 Tail Recovered from Atlantic Ocean
ZestAir orders A320
Zest Airways Inc (ZestAir) of the Philippines has placed a firm order with Airbus for its first brand new A320. The aircraft will join an existing fleet of two A320s that the airline purchased in the open market in 2008.
Philippines-based ZestAir currently serves a network of 18 destinations across the Philippines. With the delivery of its newly ordered aircraft the airline will extend its network to international destinations in Asia.
Aigle Azur orders its first brand new Airbus A319
The French private airline Aigle Azur has placed a firm order with Airbus for one new A319 aircraft. This is the first time the airline has purchased an aircraft directly from Airbus.
The new A319 will be configured in a comfortable two-class layout and will be powered by CFM-56 engines from CFM International.
Aigle Azur currently operates a fleet of ten A320 Family aircraft, comprising three A319s, three A320s and four A321s. Aigle Azur flies from several cities in France to various destinations including Algeria, Mali, Morocco, Portugal and Tunisia.
Founded in 1946, Aigle Azur is the oldest private French airline. The company became an Airbus operator in 2003 and has operated an all-Airbus fleet since 2005.
Wizz Air commits to buy 50 Airbus A320s
Wizz Air, the largest Central and Eastern European low cost – low fare airline, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to buy 50 more A320s. This will take their total orders up to 132 aircraft. All Wizz Air aircraft will be configured in a comfortable single-class layout, seating up to 180 passengers. No choice of engine has been made yet.
The new A320 order will allow Wizz Air to reinforce and expand its extensive network established at 11 operating bases, in Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Czech Republic. It will also allow the airline to add new destinations to its 130 existing routes. This new large A320 order will enable Wizz Air to reinforce its strong position in the region. The rapidly expanding Central and Eastern Europe’s low-cost low fare airline already operates a young and eco-efficient Airbus fleet of 24 A320s.
Photos: Airbus
