Airbus with new logo

In case you haven’t notice yet, after 41 years Airbus recently changed its logo!
If you ask me, it looks quite immature, way too Web2.0-ish. Nothing to represent an established 40 year old company. The old one was far more confiding. I don’t like it at all.

Airbus New Logo

Airbus unveiled this new branding a few days ago. The new logo retains the original ball-shaped symbol that denotes its expertise as world-leading aircraft manufacturer, while incorporating the modernised typeface adopted by the company’s EADS corporate parent.

This marks the first updating of Airbus’ logo since the company’s creation in 1969, and provides a fresh look as it prepares for the future, according to Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders.

“We have retained many of our logo’s original features – such as the iconic ball and the deep blue that characterise Airbus and which have helped build the brand into a global household name, with over 90 per cent awareness among the travelling public and a reputation as a leader in innovation and leading-edge technology,” Enders said. “But we also have modernised our identity to reflect tomorrow’s design era and marketing needs.”

The ball-shaped logo is composed of two sets of three curved lines that join at an imaginary horizon line, which represents the unification of Airbus’ founding companies to create what has become one of the world’s top providers of commercial jetliners and military airlifters.

Airbus’ new brand identity will be introduced in a phased approach, beginning with brand collateral that includes its Website and advertising.

Source: Airbus

Cathay Pacific orders 30 Airbus A350 XWB

Cathay Pacific, one of the world’s most prestigious airlines, has firmed up a commitment for 30 ­Airbus A350 XWB aircraft. The purchase agreement was finalised in Hong Kong on 16 September by Tony Tyler, Chief Executive, Cathay Pacific Airways and John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer Customers, Airbus. The aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.

Cathay Pacific will operate the A350 XWB across its route network, principally on non-stop services to Europe. Featuring an all-new design, the aircraft will represent a step change in operational efficiency, burning significantly less fuel than existing aircraft of a similar size and offering a corresponding reduction in carbon emissions. For passengers, the extra wide cabin will offer the highest standards in in-flight comfort, with a spacious interior design, new, wider windows and the latest state-of-the-art amenities.

Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-900 XWB

Mr Tyler said: “I am delighted that we have now finalised this milestone deal for Cathay Pacific. The purchase of these new generation aircraft is an important step in our plan to grow our fleet to ensure that we stay at the forefront of the industry. The A350 fits perfectly into our operation. Its passenger capacity, flight range and operating economics are just right to become the backbone of our mid-sized long haul wide-bodied fleet.”

The A350 XWB (Xtra Wide-Body) Family is an all-new mid-size long range product line comprising three basic passenger versions (A350-800, A350-900, A350-1000) seating between 270 and 350 passengers in typical three-class layouts. Scheduled for entry-into-service in 2013, the A350 Family has already received a total of 558 firm orders from 34 customers worldwide. One unit costs between $208 million and $270 million.

Source: Airbus
Image: Airbus

Image – Boeing 747-8 Cockpit

The latest issue of Boeing AERO magazine features an interesting article about the improvements of the 747-8 compared to the 747-400.
Besides new engines (GEnx-2B) that share commonality with the ones used on the 787, new wing design and improved aerodynamics, the flight deck has been redesigned as well.

The new flight deck includes a new flight management computer, integrated approach navigation, global-positioning-landing-system autoland, navigation performance scales, and vertical situation display. Liquid-crystal-display screen technology replaces cathode-ray-tube screens throughout the flight deck.

Boeing 747-8 Cockpit

Electronic flight bag (EFB)
The Boeing Class 3 EFB (optional on the 747-8) brings digital information management to the flight deck; substantially reduces the need for paper; and improves communication among flight crews, dispatchers, and air traffic management.

Vertical situation display (VSD)
The VSD gives pilots a clear view of the airplane’s current and projected flight path. An early warning alerts the crew if the airplane’s trajectory is in conflict with the terrain or deviating from the desired approach path. Graphical presentation of the vertical situation facilitates early detection of path errors, including missed glide slope intercepts.

Flight management computer (FMC)
The new FMC can store all data currently available from the worldwide navigation database and is designed to accommodate the anticipated increase in data in the next 20 years.

Electronic checklist
Comprehensive electronic checklists enhance safety, save time, and reduce the amount of paper that pilots and flight crews must carry on board. Electronic checklists are easy to update, revise, and distribute. Airlines can customize the checklists to conform to their own procedures.

Airport moving map (AMM)
The AMM combines high-fidelity airport taxi charts and an electronic map of airport taxiways, runways, and gates, providing precise navigational signals that show flight crews the airplane’s position on the ground.

Read more at latest AERO issue

Source & Image: Boeing

(Videos) – Tupolev Tu-154M Emergency Landing in Russia

On Tuesday a Tupolev Tu-154M (RA-85684) accomplished an emergency landing in Russia. The plane, operated by Alrosa Mirny Air Enterprise, was bound from Polyarnyj (PYJ/UERP) to Moskva-Domodedovo (DME/UUDD) when suddely all of its electrical systems, radio and navigation systems, flaps and fuel pumps have been lost. According to aviation-safety.net the crew was left with only 3,300kg of usable fuel.
The crew decided to do an emergency landing at an abandoned air strip, too short for a Tu-154. The aircraft overshot the air strip and came to rest 160m past the end of the runway. More info: http://aviation-safety.net

Photos: http://teh-nomad.livejournal.com/576075.html

Videos:

Jet Off in 20 minutes? – The practicalities of chartering a private jet

It was once only A-list celebrities and government officials that organised Private Jet Hire for travel to meetings or an all important film festival. However this type of aviation has become increasingly popular and with such benefits as a 20 minute check in, a considerable baggage allowance and flight time to suit it’s easy to see why.

Private Jet

As soon as prospective passengers learn that hiring a private jet can be a cost effective way to travel, the next question is usually “Is it safe?” Quite often air charter brokers or agents spend time explaining that small jets are just as safe as large airline carriers and that all aircraft undergo exactly the same stringent tests regardless of their size. Working aboard a Business Jet Charter flight is regarded as a career rung above the major airlines; therefore the crew are usually very experienced and have many hours on their licenses.

Another safety measure that passengers often opt for is to book their journey through an air charter broker. Brokers keep ahead of the latest airline news and operator blacklists. Essentially they are the eyes and ears of their customers ensuring that all maintenance documents are checked prior to each and every flight.

Once the safety fears are put to rest, many business travellers can get very excited about the potential for, well, doing business. High flyers often despair of time lost in the air which they could be having confidential conversations with associates. Even when opting for business class on an airline, the check in and baggage pick up waiting time can have even the calmest CEO stamping on the floor. Most airports have a separate terminal for passengers travelling on private jets (called Fixed Base Operators or FBO’s in the USA) where customers check in and adhere to the safety procedures. Passengers only need to check in twenty minutes before departure and arrival formalities may only take between five and ten minutes. When time really is money, this is a massive saving on the usual airline procedures.

Choosing an aircraft can be a daunting task due to the amount of operators in the market today. There are various types of Aircraft Charter jets available for both short and long haul journeys and passengers can now travel as far as Singapore (13 hours) on a private jet. Accepting a fuel stop on a long haul journey can keep the price down but it is best to gain advice from an aircraft broker on the practicalities of this.

It is important to look at the position of the aircraft and how far they are situated from the start or finish points of the flight. This is a critical cost factor as the operator may charge a premium for the time taken to return the aircraft to its origin. Other factors to consider are: baggage allowance especially for skis and golf clubs; restroom facilities; catering requirements and the sleeping capacity available for long haul flights.

Often air travel can be stressful and time consuming which is why many people are now choosing to hire private jets. Even if money is not a concern, hiring rather than buying is still the most acceptable means of executive air travel as there are no large upfront costs and fast depreciation rate.

However passengers should consult an air or Cargo Charter broker. This will mean translation of industry jargon and will ensure that they get the flight at a good price. Brokers will have a discount system of between 5% to 20% and access to the latest deals and the occasional “empty leg” flights where the customer only pays for a one way ticket. Most importantly they will have experience of different operators and will ask the right questions about all the service and operational standards of every flight that they recommend. So with the ease of a broker on side twinned with the other benefits it is easy to see why this way of travel is no longer solely for the super-rich and famous.

UPS 747F Down in Dubai

On Friday evening a UPS Boeing 747-44AF (N571UP) crashed shortly after takeoff from Dubai Airport (DXB), UAE. Both crew members have been killed in this accident.
Flight UPS6 was bound from Dubai to Köln/Bonn-Konrad Adenauer Airport (CGN / Cologne) Germany. Eye witnesses have reported they saw that the plane was on fire before it crashed.

Video by Reuters

The aircraft was just three years old, entering UPS service off the Boeing production line in September 2007. The airframe had flown 9977 hours, completing 1764 takeoffs and landings. It was up to date on all maintenance, having just completed a major inspection in June 2010.

Photos at: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/emergencies/cargo-plane-crashes-in-dubai-1.677268

Source:
UPS