Radar Vector - Civil Aviation News

Elbit wins $76 mln anti-missile deal

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:28:00 +0000

Israel's Transportation Ministry has awarded Elbit Systems a $76 million contract to supply the commercial multi-spectral infrared countermeasure (C-MUSIC) for installation on a variety of Israeli commercial aircraft.

C-MUSIC is based on the MUSIC system, a direct infra-red countermeasure technology for military aircraft and helicopters.

China to build world's largest amphibious aircraft

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:05:00 +0000

AVIC General Aircraft Company Ltd. said Wednesday that it has won government approval to build the Dragon 600, intended to be the world's largest amphibious aircraft.

Scots BA pilot abused after exposing 'canteen culture of racism'

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 01:44:00 +0000

A British Airways captain was abused by fellow pilots after exposing a 'canteen culture of racism’ at the airline, a tribunal has heard.

Captain Douglas Maughan alleges he was victimised, after appearing in a newspaper article discussing the "casual racism" within the airline.

United asks Boeing, Airbus to bid for 150 planes

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:23:00 +0000

United Airlines has asked Boeing Co and Airbus to submit bids for 150 airliners, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website.

The new planes are expected to replace United's 111 twin-aisle fleet and some of its 757 jets.

Bomb found in toilet on Iran plane

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:37:00 +0000

According to several Iranian news agencies, a bomb was found on a domestic flight from Ahvaz, southern Iran, to Tehran on Saturday evening.

The homemade bomb was discovered in the toilet of the plane.

Photos: China trains first batch of female copter pilots

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Fri, 22 May 2009 01:49:00 +0000

China is training its first batch of female helicopter pilots at the Civil Aviation Flight University of China in southwest China's Sichuan province.

Obama to order review of Ares program

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:59:00 +0000

The Orlando Sentinel has learned that the Obama administration has ordered a review of the Ares space program.

The decision follows months of critical reports questioning whether the new Ares I rocket and Orion capsule could meet a goal of sending astronauts into orbit by 2015.

Tianjin A320 final assembly line to deliver 11 planes this year

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Mon, 04 May 2009 07:12:00 +0000

The Airbus A320 final assembly line in Tianjin, China will deliver a total of 11 planes this year.

Six will be A320s and the remaining five will be A319s. The Chinese are confident that the line will deliver 24 aircraft next year.

Honda Aircraft Company Updates HondaJet Program

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Mon, 04 May 2009 06:23:00 +0000

The first conforming production HondaJet has a new target for its first flight. That will occur in Jan. 2010 and customer delivery will be delayed till fourth quarter of 2011.

Emirates Airbus tried to take off with wrong weight data

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:38:00 +0000

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said an Emirates airbus airliner came perilously close to crashing at Melbourne Airport in March because a member of the flight crew punched the wrong numbers into an aircraft computer.

The flight computer was fed with data that was 100 tonnes lighter than its actual weight of 362 tonnes.

Emirates: No final decision yet on damaged aircraft

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 01:07:00 +0000

Emirates said on Sunday it has not taken a final decision on repairing the A340-500 aircraft involved in a tail strike in Melbourne last month.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has described damage to the aircraft as "substantial."

NASA review finds jumbo jets can fight some fires

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:40:00 +0000

A NASA study has found that large airliners converted into fire fighters are partly suitable for the job.

The report said the planes lack maneuverability and can only do their task in flat or rolling terrain.

Emirates pilots in last month's tail strike accident resigns

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:39:00 +0000

Both pilots at the controls of an Emirates A340-500 that made an emergency landing after its tail struck the runway during take-off from Melbourne last month have "submitted their resignations."

Emirates declined to say whether the two pilots were asked to quit.

Cosmonauts banned from using astronauts' space station toilet

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:42:00 +0000

Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka complained that he is not allowed to use NASA's toilet in ISS due to commercial squabbles back on Earth.

Delta Appears To Walk Away From Initial 787s

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:21:00 +0000

Delta Airlines has dropped 18 Boeing 787-8 from its firm order plans. The order was inherited when Delta acquired Northwest Airlines in 2008.

A Delta spokesman said dropping the order from its firm order plans doesn't constitute a cancellation of order.

Russia further delays Superjet delivery to Aeroflot

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:17:00 +0000

Delivery of the first Sukhoi Superjet 100 airliner to Aeroflot will be delayed one month till December.

Aeroflot said it had been promised deliveries would take place in November.

Gulf Air leases 4 777s from Jet Airways

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:53:00 +0000

Gulf Air will be leasing four new Boeing 777s from Jet Airways to serve a number of routes.

Boeing shakes up 747-8 program leadership

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:41:00 +0000

According to Flight International, Boeing has decided to shakeup the 747-8 program as well.

Mohammad "Mo" Yahyavi will replace Ross Bogue as head of the program.

Air France GP7200-Powered A380 Takes First Flight

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:21:00 +0000

The first Air France A380, powered with Engine Alliance GP7200 engines, successfully completed a 4-hour inaugural test route flight from Airbus, Toulouse on Feb. 12, 2009.

The aircraft flew to Airbus Hamburg on Feb. 16, where it will be painted in Air France livery, and its interior will be customized for the airline. The A380 is scheduled for delivery to Air France in October.

Plane plunged into darkness in air above Capital

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:13:00 +0000

There was panic aboard an Embraer 190 on Jan. 17, 2007 when the flight crew switched to emergency power after alerted to smoke coming from a galley sink.

This plunged the plane into darkness and the cabin crew were worried as they failed to contact the flight crew over the plane's intercom system.

US Airways to update coach seats on A330s

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:05:00 +0000

After complains of tight seat pitch on its A330-300s, US Airways has decided to change the coach class seats with new ones that provides more comfort but the seat pitch remains unchanged.

Pilot of doomed flight described as 'by the book'

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:02:00 +0000

Former colleagues of Capt. Marvin Renslow, who was at the controls of the Continental Connection Flight 3407 crash, said they don't believed that his actions had lead to the crash.

Airbus to cut production, more possible

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 05:14:00 +0000

From October, Airbus will cut production rates for its A320 airliner and halt the planned ramp-up of A330/A340 production.

Production of the A320 family would be reduced to 34 from 36 a month, while the production rates of the A330/340 would remain at 8.5 a month and not increase as was previously planned.

Pilot Action May Have Led to Buffalo Crash

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 05:10:00 +0000

NTSB investigators found that pilot actions could have lead to last week's Continental Connection crash in Buffalo.

The aircraft had approached stall speed and instead of lowering the nose to gain airspeed, the pilot pulled up the nose and added power.

Emirates' 2009 plans include A380 service to Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Alert 5) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 05:05:00 +0000

Emirates plans to fly its new A380 airliner to Singapore and Seoul later this year.