Merry Christmas to all!

Airbus A330 MRTT

Snow storms paralyze Europe once more

While here in Portugal the main problem is the continuous rain that doesn't stop since who knows when the guys from the north have a bigger issue, and that is the Snow, most European airports have delays or canceled flights due to heavy snow storms and temperatures that can make a polar bear feel at home.

Another sailing week

Yes it's true, past week was once again a sailing week but this time not in one military vessel only but in three different ships.

Fenix Flight team went on board N.R.P. Vasco da Gama for another training mission this to prepare the ship's next mission the OST - Operational Sea Training promoted by the Royal Navy in Portsmouth, UK. This mission took place in Portuguese waters between Lisbon and Sines and had the participation of 3 Portuguese frigates, N.R.P. Vasco da Gama, N.R.P. Corte Real and N.R.P. D. Francisco de Almeida and also with the Portuguese Tanker N.R.P. Bérrio from Spain came the frigate Santa Maria and the aircraft carrier Principe das Astúrias.

During the mission Fenix helicopter had to participate in some training exercises in other ships such as N.R.P. Corte Real and N.R.P, D. Francisco de Almeida so it was needed someone from the "flight" to be aboard those units so there I was sometimes in Vasco da Gama and others on another ship.

The last mission day was a very long long and busy day the called "war day" where people and machinery specially people are pushed to the limit and sometimes beyond.

It was my last mission with Fenix Flight until February because they will depart to the UK on January the 4th. and return on February the 19th. but I will have to stay to finish my ATPL until the end of January let's hope for better weather and a malfunction free aircraft.

A small pause during on board flight operations

A huge RC model or a very small Boeing 767?

Future Lynx first flight

Being a helicopter maintenance technician and specially because I work with the actual Westland Lynx Mk95 I couldn't resist to share with all of you this video witch means the beginning of a new era .
Here's a video of the very first flight of the new Agusta Westland Wildcat Lynx AW159.

TAAG Boeing 777 Emergency landing

What if...

What if you're at home and your car is parked outside when suddenly something falls from the sky?

Well this is just what happened yesterday in Almada a suburb of Lisbon when a Boeing 777 from TAAG lost some components immediately after departing from Lisbon Airport runway 21.

photos: www.abola.pt

How to ground an entire fleet of helicopters

1- Get one Helicopter

2- Perform a very efficient post flight inspection

3- Send the "Helo" to maintenance due to a problem in one insert on the floor

4- Remove the floor panel

5- Find out that the fuel tank beneath the floor has a big corrosion problem

... and here it is the main 5 steps that you need to do in order to create a small crisis situation in your hangar.

And now... The News!

FAA has presented a proposal of an increase by 25% on weekly rest time for commercial pilots. With this reduction in work time and a resting period of 9 hours before a flight this measures would create the need of more pilots and a review of the present work contracts. The ATA - Air Transport Association stated that this proposal will be analysed and that would support this new standards if they were really designed to increase flight safety.

According with the last "Current Market Outlook" of Boeing Aviation Industry will have the necessity of 466.650 new pilots in the next 20 years to answer the increase of new aircraft and replacement units. The biggest growth is predicted to Asia with more than 180.600 pilots needed followed by North America with more than 97.350 and Europe with 94.800, to Latin America is expected 37.000 new pilot vacancies and 32.700 to the Middle East Africa comes last with a prediction of 13.200 new pilots.

NetJets Europe the Portuguese based business aviation company subsidiary of NetJets has received from the Portuguese Aviation Authorities, INAC the EROPS - Extended Range Operations certificate to the Gulfstream G550 with a new limit of 180 minutes of an airport along the route. Older limit was of 120 minutes.

United 777 new paint

2000 souls without electrical power due to aircraft mishap

According with Portuguese radio broadcaster TSF more than 2000 people were affected when during an approach to Bragança Airfield coming from Vila Real the Dornier D0 228 property of AeroVip hit a power supply line during final approach. Bragança Field is a small regional airport and at the time of this incident the weather was very grey overcast skies and had been snowing earlier.

Fortunately there where no major problems regarding passengers or crew and the aircraft has little or no damage at all.

More of this news (Portuguese): http://tsf.sapo.pt/PaginaInicial/Vida/Interior.aspx?content_id=1725848

New Aircraft in my flightschool

Yes it's true, there is a new plane in town. The Tecnam P2006T is the new aircraft recently acquired by Leávia and has arrived on November 11th. This new aircraft will replace the already old Piper Pa-23 Aztec with 42 years. As I am at the end of my formation probably I won't fly it but it seems an interesting plane made by a light sport aircraft manufacturer and with two Rotax engines, first time that I see one of those in a general aircraft in this case two of them. The version bought by Leávia comes with Garmin G1000 system witch is very complete and brings us closer to the bigger aircraft glass cockpits. Here is a presentation video made by Tecnam.

Airbus A400M Wingover First Display ILA Berlin 2010

Boeing 737 Performance Improvements

Last week an improved Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 successfully completed its first test flight. Aerodynamic and engine changes included in the package will reduce fuel consumption by 2 percent. Boeing is phasing the changes into production mid-2011 through early 2012.
One percent of the savings comes from reducing resistance as air flows around the airplane. The upper and lower anti-collision lights change from round to a more aerodynamic teardrop shape. Wheel-well fairings are re-contoured to smooth the air flow near the main landing gear. A redesign of the environmental control system, exhaust vent and streamlined wing slat and spoiler trailing edges round out the aerodynamic changes.

Video

Source: Boeing/Flightstory.net

Boeing Modifications on 787

After investigation of the onboard electrical fire on ZA002, earlier this month, Boeing now is in need to make changes to its 787 design. Boeing is developing design changes to power distribution panels on the 787 and updates to the systems software that manages and protects power distribution on the airplane.

Engineers have determined that the fault began as either a short circuit or an electrical arc in the P100 power distribution panel, most likely caused by the presence of foreign debris. The design changes will improve the protection within the panel. Software changes also will be implemented to further improve fault protection.

The P100 panel is one of five major power distribution panels on the 787. It receives power from the left engine and distributes it to an array of systems.

A revised 787 program schedule is expected in a few weeks.

Source: Boeing