Boeing 787 First Delivery – New Date

Boeing today announced that it now expects delivery of the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner in the middle of the first quarter 2011.

The delivery date revision follows an assessment of the availability of an engine needed for the final phases of flight test this fall.

While Boeing works closely with Rolls-Royce to expedite engine availability, flight testing across the test fleet continues as planned.

Boeing said last month that the cumulative impact of a series of issues, including supplier workmanship issues related to the horizontal stabilizer and instrumentation delays, could push first delivery of the 787 a few weeks into 2011. The delay in engine availability has extended that estimate to mid-first quarter 2011.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner In Flight

Source & photo: Boeing

Qantas Temporarily Removes Q400 From Service

Qantas today announced that five Bombardier Q400 ( Dash 8 ) aircraft operated by its regional airline QantasLink had been temporarily removed from service following an inspection by the airline of a main landing gear component.

Qantas Chief Executive Officer, Mr Alan Joyce, said the inspections, and subsequent action, were initiated by Qantas following incidents experienced by another Q400 operator overseas and after discussions with the manufacturer.

Does this remind you of anything? … The never-ending story of the Q400 gear problems …

AIRES Boeing 737 Crashed in Colombia

An AIRES Colombia Boeing 737-73V (HK-4682) crashed on landing today at San Andres Island-Gustavo Rojas Pinilla Airport (ADZ), Colombia. One passenger died, more than 100 were injured.
Flight 8250 was bound from Bogotá to San Andres Island. According to early reports the airplane may have been hit be a lightning bolt during landing on runway 06. The engines separated from the plane, it crashed on the runway and broke into three sections.
Boeing is sending a team to provide technical support to the Colombia DJAC to assist in the agency’s investigation of the accident, at the invitation of the Colombian authorities.

Video by CNN

Video by elespectador

Civil Penalty Against Hillsboro Aviation

Internationally well-known flight school Hillsboro Aviation is charged with a $580,000 civil penalty by FAA for allegedly performing improper repairs, deliberately falsifying maintenance records and operating a helicopter in a reckless manner.

The FAA alleges that Hillsboro mechanics used incorrect parts and an unqualified individual to make repairs to a Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter. The FAA also alleges the company made no record in the aircraft maintenance logs of work performed, and deliberately falsified maintenance documents claiming an airworthiness directive had been completed when the work had not been done.

In all, the company operated the helicopter on at least 103 flights when it was not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations between June 29 and Sept. 9, 2008. At least four of these operations were conducted under Part 135 (Commuter and On-Demand Operations) of the Federal Aviation Regulations.

Hillsboro AviationThe FAA also alleges that Hillsboro mechanics failed to perform the required inspections after specified flight intervals on another Jet Ranger helicopter when the aircraft returned to service after maintenance. Hillsboro operated the aircraft on at least 430 flights, including at least 349 revenue flights under Part 135 between Jan. 13 and Sept. 7, 2008.

The third violation involved the operation of another Jet Ranger on a passenger-carrying flight, July 8, 2008. The pilot flew under the Interstate 5 and 205 highway bridges over the Columbia River in Portland, Ore. The FAA alleged the flight endangered the lives and property of others, because it was conducted within 500 feet of a structure, and at a low altitude where a safe emergency landing might not have been possible.

Source: FAA