Saturday, November 23, 2013
Friday, November 22, 2013
Dreamlifter lands on wrong airport
What if you see a huge Boeing 747 Dreamlifter approaching your local airfield? That's right yesterday a few people around Col. James Jabara Airport saw a 747 landing on their runway. Apparently the aircraft was heading to the McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita next to a company that makes large sections of the 787 model for Boeing Company.
Wichita Eagle, Jaime Green
How big was the error?
Although the plane belongs to Boeing Company it is operated by Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings and the company refused to give answers about the subject and referred inquires to Boeing that said: "We are working with Atlas Air to determine the circumstances".
Wichita Eagle, Jaime Green
After a closer inspection to the aircraft and runway Boeing engineers along with a new crew calculated that the required runway length was assured and a take off was possible. After that the aircraft departed from Col. Jabara Airport to its final destination.
Introduction - Landing
This post it's just an introduction for the next one and a good thing always to remember that "Landings are Mandatory!"
Monday, November 18, 2013
Passenger falls out of airplane at 2,000 feet into the ocean
Two days ago this was noticed by the Independent journal. An US Pilot said that a passenger supposedly fell of an airplane while flying at 2,000 feet above the ocean near Miami. A LIVEATC recording registered an unknown pilot saying "mayday, mayday, mayday. I have a door ajar and a passenger that fell down. I'm six miles from Tamiami."
The pilot was questioned by the controller to confirm the loss of one passenger and the pilot confirmed saying: "That's correct sir. He opened the back door and he just fell out of the plane."
US Coast Guard and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue have been searching the area with no results to confirm that the pilot's call was legitimate. The number of passengers on board and the departing airfield were not yet confirmed at the time of the broadcast of the Independent and the veracity of the story is yet to be confirmed.
independent.co.uk
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Still the Dubai Airshow
As I have mentioned earlier on this Blog Dubai Airshow is known for some record breaking sales and this year's edition is no different from others.
For a start this was the first day and the Abu Dhabi-based Etihad announced a deal for 56 new Boeing 777s equipped with new generation GE engines with a value up to US$25.2 billion and the agreement to become the launch costumer for the 777-8X program expected to enter in service at the end of this decade. Adding to this considerable order Etihad also ordered 30 Boeing 7878-10 Dreamliners.
On the other side the local-based Airline Emirates broke the order value record by placing orders in a total of US$99 billion between Airbus and Boeing orders of new aircraft for its fleet. The major deal was with Boeing and a deal for 150 Boeing 777X- also purchase rights for 50 other units. Emirates also made a deal with Airbus for 50 A380 maintaining the title of largest Airbus A380 operator in the world.
For a start this was the first day and the Abu Dhabi-based Etihad announced a deal for 56 new Boeing 777s equipped with new generation GE engines with a value up to US$25.2 billion and the agreement to become the launch costumer for the 777-8X program expected to enter in service at the end of this decade. Adding to this considerable order Etihad also ordered 30 Boeing 7878-10 Dreamliners.
Photo: Boeing Company
On the other side the local-based Airline Emirates broke the order value record by placing orders in a total of US$99 billion between Airbus and Boeing orders of new aircraft for its fleet. The major deal was with Boeing and a deal for 150 Boeing 777X- also purchase rights for 50 other units. Emirates also made a deal with Airbus for 50 A380 maintaining the title of largest Airbus A380 operator in the world.
Photo: Devesh Agarwal
FlyDubai the local low-cost airline also placed some orders for 111 Boeing 737s and 738s in a total value of US$11.4 billion and Qatar Airways was other major buyer during this first day of Airshow with a letter of intention of US$19 billion for 54 Boeing 777s
FlyDubai
Bangaloreaviation.com
This first day was record breaking day mostly because of the middle east carriers let's wait for the next days and see what happens.
Dubai Airshow 2013
And its on going the 2013 edition of the Dubai International Airshow from today until November the 21st. Dubai Airshow is always a most waited Airshow for aviation industry as it is one of the largest and amazing airshow there is. Normally the largest amount of sale contracts are held in Dubai during the event and no I am not talking about an order of two or ten aircraft, I'm talking of hundreds of aircrat in a single order and this year will be no exception.
You can follow all the event in http://www.dubaiairshow.aero/
You can follow all the event in http://www.dubaiairshow.aero/
The new Boeing 737 MAX
Boeing is presenting throughout the world the new Boeing 737 MAX a new version of the top sales commercial airplane and claim 14% less fuel consumption and 8% lower operating costs. Let's wait and see this upgrades up in the sky.
Introducing the New Boeing 777X
On a day full of aviation business news maters to present the new Boeing 777X as it is now playing a major role on Boeing's strategy to beat the new Airbus A350.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
The Dakota Talks
Last Saturday a new aviation event took place in the Portuguese Air Force Museum the "Museu do Ar" situated in the Portuguese Air Force Base No.1 located in Sintra. The event called "Dakota Talks" was advertised here on this Blog in a previous post was promoted by TAP Portugal airline along with the Portuguese Air Force and the Vintage Aero Club. Both TAP and the PoAF are well known to all of you and the Vintage Aero Club is an organization created recently with the purpose of organizing volunteers to work in the preservation of aeronautics historical items such as aircraft for museum preservation.
The first project of this group is the restore of a Douglas Dc-3, C-47 in this case now with the registration CS-TDA and this is not a real registration, the last active registration of this aircraft was in fact CS-DGA and was registered for the Portuguese Civil Aviation Authority as a transporter and radio aids and runway calibration aircraft.
The CS-TDA came years later after the aircraft had been bought by TAP and painted with a "vintage" paint recreating the first Dc-3 in service with TAP. More recent news are that this aircraft will be restored as TAP's Dc-3 CS-TDE. Why CS-TDE instead of the TDA? The TDE wasn't the first Dc-3 operated by TAP but was the first to fly the called Imperial Route connecting Lisboa to Lourenço Marques, actual Maputo in Mozambique at that time a Portuguese colony.
The Vintage Aero Club with the background and essential support of TAP Maintenance and Engineering and the Portuguese Air Force is working to assure a perfect restoration to recreate the TDE of the maiden flight of the Imperial Route in 1946.
What are the Dakota Talks? The Talks project is a form of the VA Club present the updates of the restoration to those interested in following the group's work and most of all a space of conversation and sharing of stories all related with the Dc-3. The first session was subordinated to the theme of the restoration of the present CS-TDA and presentation of the project. A board of speakers was invited to the event as TAP CEO Dr Fernando Pinto and from the Portuguese Air Force the Lieutenant General Mimoso de Carvalho and Colonel Coutinho Bernardo director of the Museum. The board was completed with Mário Rodrigues head of the Interiors and Composites workshop of TAP M&E and José Lacerda head of Painting workshop of TAP M&E. TAP CEO Fernando Pinto marked this restoration as the beginning of a partnership between TAP and the Portuguese Air Force in the responsibility in preserving the Aviation History so that with the memories of yesterday we can live the future. TAP CEO also remembered the importance of the Douglas Dc-3 in aviation and the innovations applied in this model that came to be as standards to aviation until today something comparable now to the actual days of commercial aviation with the application of composite materials in a large scale. Lieutenant General Mimoso de Carvalho thanked for the event that brought and pretends to bring more and more visitors to the museum and also thanked the volunteers for their work in preserving such a distinctive aircraft to a condition that will be possible not just to admire its smooth exterior lines but also its interiors as they where in 1946. General Mimoso de Carvalho remarked the positives of the partnership between the two entities and stated that it is a must to the Museum to have a hangar dedicated to the Portuguese Airline. Plans for the expansion of the Museum are in the General's mind and in the pretensions of the PoAF but the budget restrictions create the need of a more careful planning and management of the financial resources. The PoAF has many aircraft that are stored waiting for restoration a space at the museum but since its transfer to Sintra, a much bigger space than the old installations in Alverca, the museum haven't stop growing and growing and now space or the lack of it is a limitation again. An example of this is the C-54, a military version of the Douglas Dc-4 that is stored in Alverca exposed to the elements. This aircraft is of major interest for both PoAF and TAP as it flew under both brands. Its restoration is urgent but first a covered space is needed to keep it and restore it. Mário Rodrigues and José Lacerda from TAP M&E were invited to talk more about their participation in this project and all the work done by their workshops for the support of the volunteers work. As a book was passing through the assistance Mário Rodrigues talked about the restoration of the seats and the transformation of a configuration of 2 seats on each side to TAP's configuration of 1 seat in one side and 2 in the other. Mário also explained the work done to the manufacture of totally new floor panels for the rear of the aircraft as the old ones were in a very poor condition to accept visitors inside in safety. Mário at first said that the restoration was a mad idea but now even he is a strong supporter and an enthusiast of the project. José Lacerda presented all volunteers with a nice surprise that was one of the Emergency Exit windows almost fully restored and in mint condition. Nice one José! He is being constantly challenged by Carlos Tomaz to bring the exterior the real 1946 paint that was... No paint at all apart from one blue stripe on each side of the fuselage with TAP brand under cockpit windows and the Portuguese Flag covering the entire rudder. José suggested the paint and polish of the aircraft with a paint recreating that metallic effect instead of leaving the aircraft in bare metal because of aging that probably would have left its marks. Fact is that José left that Emergency Exit window in bare metal on the outside and the results are as good as new leaving all presents surrendered to that shiny effect wondering how would it be if it was all in that condition.
Carlos Tomaz an A320 Captain for TAP is the responsible for the creation of the Vintage Aero Club and he is the one acts as a connection between all entities also was the presenter of the first Dakota Talks. Carlos started this first session presenting the guests and explaining a bit more about the Talks.
This was the first of the Dakota Talks and second edition is already under preparation ad planned to take place in the 7th. December.
The first project of this group is the restore of a Douglas Dc-3, C-47 in this case now with the registration CS-TDA and this is not a real registration, the last active registration of this aircraft was in fact CS-DGA and was registered for the Portuguese Civil Aviation Authority as a transporter and radio aids and runway calibration aircraft.
The now called CS-TDA prior to the beginning of the restoration process Photo credits: Filipe Cardoso
The CS-TDA came years later after the aircraft had been bought by TAP and painted with a "vintage" paint recreating the first Dc-3 in service with TAP. More recent news are that this aircraft will be restored as TAP's Dc-3 CS-TDE. Why CS-TDE instead of the TDA? The TDE wasn't the first Dc-3 operated by TAP but was the first to fly the called Imperial Route connecting Lisboa to Lourenço Marques, actual Maputo in Mozambique at that time a Portuguese colony.
The real CS-TDA - unknown author
The CS-DGA exposed and painted as CS-TDA and being restored to become CS-TDE: Photo credits - Don Gilham
The front section of CS-DGA exposed and painted as CS-TDA and being restored to become CS-TDE: Photo credits - Luis Tavares
The Vintage Aero Club with the background and essential support of TAP Maintenance and Engineering and the Portuguese Air Force is working to assure a perfect restoration to recreate the TDE of the maiden flight of the Imperial Route in 1946.
Passengers embarking on CS-TDE, unknown author
What are the Dakota Talks? The Talks project is a form of the VA Club present the updates of the restoration to those interested in following the group's work and most of all a space of conversation and sharing of stories all related with the Dc-3. The first session was subordinated to the theme of the restoration of the present CS-TDA and presentation of the project. A board of speakers was invited to the event as TAP CEO Dr Fernando Pinto and from the Portuguese Air Force the Lieutenant General Mimoso de Carvalho and Colonel Coutinho Bernardo director of the Museum. The board was completed with Mário Rodrigues head of the Interiors and Composites workshop of TAP M&E and José Lacerda head of Painting workshop of TAP M&E. TAP CEO Fernando Pinto marked this restoration as the beginning of a partnership between TAP and the Portuguese Air Force in the responsibility in preserving the Aviation History so that with the memories of yesterday we can live the future. TAP CEO also remembered the importance of the Douglas Dc-3 in aviation and the innovations applied in this model that came to be as standards to aviation until today something comparable now to the actual days of commercial aviation with the application of composite materials in a large scale. Lieutenant General Mimoso de Carvalho thanked for the event that brought and pretends to bring more and more visitors to the museum and also thanked the volunteers for their work in preserving such a distinctive aircraft to a condition that will be possible not just to admire its smooth exterior lines but also its interiors as they where in 1946. General Mimoso de Carvalho remarked the positives of the partnership between the two entities and stated that it is a must to the Museum to have a hangar dedicated to the Portuguese Airline. Plans for the expansion of the Museum are in the General's mind and in the pretensions of the PoAF but the budget restrictions create the need of a more careful planning and management of the financial resources. The PoAF has many aircraft that are stored waiting for restoration a space at the museum but since its transfer to Sintra, a much bigger space than the old installations in Alverca, the museum haven't stop growing and growing and now space or the lack of it is a limitation again. An example of this is the C-54, a military version of the Douglas Dc-4 that is stored in Alverca exposed to the elements. This aircraft is of major interest for both PoAF and TAP as it flew under both brands. Its restoration is urgent but first a covered space is needed to keep it and restore it. Mário Rodrigues and José Lacerda from TAP M&E were invited to talk more about their participation in this project and all the work done by their workshops for the support of the volunteers work. As a book was passing through the assistance Mário Rodrigues talked about the restoration of the seats and the transformation of a configuration of 2 seats on each side to TAP's configuration of 1 seat in one side and 2 in the other. Mário also explained the work done to the manufacture of totally new floor panels for the rear of the aircraft as the old ones were in a very poor condition to accept visitors inside in safety. Mário at first said that the restoration was a mad idea but now even he is a strong supporter and an enthusiast of the project. José Lacerda presented all volunteers with a nice surprise that was one of the Emergency Exit windows almost fully restored and in mint condition. Nice one José! He is being constantly challenged by Carlos Tomaz to bring the exterior the real 1946 paint that was... No paint at all apart from one blue stripe on each side of the fuselage with TAP brand under cockpit windows and the Portuguese Flag covering the entire rudder. José suggested the paint and polish of the aircraft with a paint recreating that metallic effect instead of leaving the aircraft in bare metal because of aging that probably would have left its marks. Fact is that José left that Emergency Exit window in bare metal on the outside and the results are as good as new leaving all presents surrendered to that shiny effect wondering how would it be if it was all in that condition.
From left to right: Carlos Tomaz TAP A320 Captain and Vintage Aero CLub, Mário Rodrigues TAP M&E Interiors and Composites, Dr. Fernando Pinto TAP CEO, Lt. General Mimoso de Carvalho PoAF, Col. Coutinho Bernardo PoAF Museum Director and José Lacerda Painting workshop TAP M&E Photo: Celia M. Rocha
Carlos Tomaz an A320 Captain for TAP is the responsible for the creation of the Vintage Aero Club and he is the one acts as a connection between all entities also was the presenter of the first Dakota Talks. Carlos started this first session presenting the guests and explaining a bit more about the Talks.
Carlos Tomaz presenting the Dakota and explaining some issues regarding the rear part of the aircraft as the baggage compartment and the completely new toilet built from a closet. Photo: Celia M. Rocha
This was the first of the Dakota Talks and second edition is already under preparation ad planned to take place in the 7th. December.
A small glimpse of some of the work done during the restoration process so far: Photo Celia M. Rocha
Questions from the audience: Photo Celia M. Rocha
More questions from the audience: Photo Celia M. Rocha
The volunteers of the Vintage Aero Club present at the event.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Have plans for next Saturday? No? So if you live near please stop by at Museu do Ar in Sintra at 3 PM for the first session of the Dakota Talks, an interesting meeting where the Vintage Aeroclub will bring to all the presents a glimpse of its work and the history of the Douglas Dc-3 in Portugal and TAP will be relived so those magnificent memories of those golden days of aviation won't be forgotten.
For the first Talk the Vintage Aeroclub invited TAP CEO Dr. Fernando Pinto and Mário Rodrigues and also José Lacerda both from TAP Maintenance and Engineering a company who has been a well good support to the volunteers of the restoration as for the technical support to some parts of the restoration.
For the first Talk the Vintage Aeroclub invited TAP CEO Dr. Fernando Pinto and Mário Rodrigues and also José Lacerda both from TAP Maintenance and Engineering a company who has been a well good support to the volunteers of the restoration as for the technical support to some parts of the restoration.
If you like to know more about Vintage Aeroclub and our volunteer job on the Dc-3 please read our blog here.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Red Bull's Air Race 2014 season practice
Things are getting warm for the new season of Red Bull Air Race, here is a training flight of Peter Besenyei
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Vintage Aero Club
For those who follow this blog since around 2013 probably already have heard me talking about Vintage Aero Club. For those who didn...
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As you already know I am involved in a restoration project of a Douglas C-47 in the Portuguese Air Museum and the days of restoration start... -
No this is not a suggestion post of what you should give to someone in Christmas. When I write here about Christmas presents I mean "A... -
The Portuguese Aviation Enthusiast Association shared this on Facebook, how could I resist to share it here?