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...
Marignane, Airbus Helicopters is proud to announce the certification of the H225 by Russian Certification Authorities as it is the first time in history that a foreign heavy class helicopter has been certified in Russia. “Successful certification of H225 by the Interstate Aviation Committee gives Russian customers an opportunity to start operations of the efficient and reliable rotor...
Danish firm TP Aerospace has signed additional MRO contracts following on from its deals with Danish Air Transport and Western Global Airlines. Its Asian division has penned a deal with Indian carrier Air Pegasus to provide its Land For Less (LFL) wheel and brake programme in support of the Bangalore-based carrier’s ATR-72 fleet. The programme includes access to TP Aerospace Asia’s...
A new FAA Safety Alert for Operators ( SAFO 15011) encourages operators using two-pilot crews to ensure that one crewmember is designated as the pilot flying (PF) and one crewmember is designated the pilot monitor (PM). The SAFO was issued after the FAA determined that operators’ manuals “do not always clearly define the roles and associated tasks of...
Twelve years after the Honda Motor Co. announced the first flight of its experimental compact business jet, the HondaJet, the since formed Honda Aircraft is on the cusp of certification and entry-into-service of the first of what is anticipated will be a family of HondaJet aircraft. Honda announced the first flight of the experimental HondaJet on Dec. 13, 2003. The prototype aircraft flew...
