ST Aerospace, with an established global track record on aircraft maintenance and modifications, now extends its maintenance support from military forces, commercial airlines to the world’s first commercial spaceline. Its US affiliate company VT San Antonio Aerospace will be providing a series of D-level heavy maintenance checks on the Virgin Galactic’s Boeing 747-400 aircraft –...
Boeing President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg today issued the following statement following congressional approval of legislation reauthorizing the U.S. Export-Import Bank for five years. “By reopening the Export-Import Bank, Congress has taken strong action enabling American exporters and the skilled workers they employ to compete successfully in tough global markets. We commend...
While the near-term future of the current-generation Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 programs is tinted with concern over how much to cut production rates, the widebody program that those two aircraft were supposed to all but finish off is expanding. Bolstered by a huge order from FedEx and its selection as the new U.S. Air Force tanker platform, the Boeing 767 is in rare air: a 34-year-old widebody...
It is taking longer and longer to fly from A to B. Or so airline schedules would have you believe. Despite advances in technology and efficiency in the aviation industry, the time allowed on the schedule for planes to reach their destination is growing, according to a new study, and some say airlines are doing it deliberately to ensure they are always on-time, a practise known as "sch...
While demand for air travel shows little sign of slowing at the end of a bumper year where lower fares have resulted in more passengers flying, domestic markets such as Brazil and Australia are feeling the effects of a sluggish local economy, new figures show. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says total revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) rose 7.5 per cent in October. And wi...
So you're thinking of taking an exotic vacation, having a little adventure and coming back with lots of stories for your envious friends and colleagues. Believe it or not, North Korea might just be the place for you. But watch what you bring. And what you do. And what you say. While North Korea is making a strong push to increase the number of tourists who visit the country each year --...
Indonesia will inspect all 75 Airbus A320 jets flown by domestic airlines, following a report this week that cited component failure as one factor in the crash of an AirAsia jet last year that killed 162 people. Indonesia's Directorate General for Civil Aviation said Thursday that it would check for any rudder system issues on A320s flown by domestic airlines, including the budget carriers...
A Virgin America flight bound from Seattle to Los Angeles was delayed Thursday after the loader used to move baggage onto the plane caught fire. Port of Seattle spokesman Peter McGraw said airport fire crews quickly extinguished the blaze on the ground-baggage loader. There were no injuries and no damage to the baggage or the plane. Virgin Airline Flight 784 was delayed more than 30 minutes....
Air India Ltd., the state-run carrier that has survived on a 300 billion-rupee (US$4.5 billion) taxpayer-funded bailout, is struggling to pay for spare parts forcing it to ground two Boeing Co. Dreamliners. The aircraft were not operational for about 10 months each as worldwide demand for parts outpaced supply from Boeing, and Air India failed to procure components on credit due to a "...
Richard Branson is finding a new use for an old Virgin Atlantic jumbo jetliner: to fling rockets to orbit. Virgin Galactic, the commercial space company founded by the billionaire, plans to send small rockets inflight from the Boeing 747-400 nicknamed "Cosmic Girl" that it purchased from Branson's airline. Branson is among the entrepreneurs vying to shake up the US$6 billion co...
Transport Canada (TC) says it has suspended the Air Operators Certificate (AOC) of Buffalo Aurways (J4, Yellowknife) with effect from November 30 citing the airline's poor safety record. "Transport Canada takes its aviation safety oversight role very seriously and expects every air operator to fully comply with aviation safety regulations," the regulatory body said. "Whe...
The General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) has ordered all domestic and international airlines operating in the country to make it mandatory for passengers to declare jewelry, precious metals and cash over SR60,000 in their possession, with invoices or other documentation as proof of value. GACA said the Kingdom has regulations in place for passengers to fill in forms to declare these item...