Braga Airshow 2013

Finally some time to post about Braga Airshow.

Braga is a city up in the north of Portugal and it's well known by it's religious monuments mainly by the Bom Jesus do Monte and the Sameiro. Both are chapels with the surroundings shaped to bring inner peace to those who travel there to pray take a walk or just enjoy the views.

Bom Jesus do Monte - Unknown  Author

Sameiro - Paulo Matos

Braga also has a kart and a race circuit located in Palmeira only a few kms north and the Aerodrome has it's runway right in the middle of the race course and alongside with the finish line seem fabulous the only problem with it is that the airfield wont have the possibility to grow as it is restricted by the race circuit all around.

Braga Kart and Race Circuit and "inside" Airfield, LPBR - Unknown Author

Past June the 23rd. the Braga Airclub organized a small Airshow and the idea was to have pilots and aircraft sleeping from the 22nd. to the 23rd. and a small aerobatic demonstration that Sunday. I even thought on going by airplane but did not had the chance to plan things as necessary so I took advantage of having home at Braga and went there Sunday to watch some wings up in the sky. This Airshow was quite modest and only with show in the air visitors couldn't access the ramp and stay close to the aircraft but with the restrictions of space and organization problems that would cause I think this is totally understandable and I really hope that this initiative gets repeated for the next years. I also would like to express my sincerely gratitude to the organization for a well organized airshow, with some faults it's true, but with legs to continue from now on I am sure that if able I will try to be present next time.By the way a 2€ ticket was quite cheap so I cannot ask for Luxury when paying that, congratulations guys and keep up the good work. Here I leave You some pictures of the day.

Aero Fénix Museum De Havilland DHC-1 CS-AZX 

Aero Fénix Museum De Havilland DHC-1 CS-AZX 

Aero Fénix Museum De Havilland DHC-1 CS-AZX 

Aero Fénix Museum De Havilland DHC-1 CS-AZX and Piper Colt

Bellanca Citabria 7ECA CS-AJC

 Bellanca Citabria 7ECA CS-AJC

Aerobatica Pitts S2-B 

Aerodreams Comp-Let Shark Aero

Aerodreams Comp-Let Shark Aero

Espionage and political crisis all in one piece.

Last two days Portugal has got a few new pages to add to History books as the Minister of Finances Vitor Gaspar and only a few hours after the appointment of the replacement the Foreign Affairs Minister Paulo Portas also requested his decommission from the office to the Portuguese Prime Minister Passos Coelho. Now this is only to make the picture of the following news.

As You probably know last couple of weeks there is a case that has created an international incident regarding the US UK and the rest of Europe Russia and well... probably the entire world to be honest. All this because of a systems annalist? Really? Hum maybe not. As far as I know Edward Snowden worked as a systems annalist for the NSA in the US and now left the US with several Gigabytes of INTEL regarding the activities of the National Security Agencies of the United States of America. Europeans got angry because have found out that were being spied all the time by the Americans, the Russians received Snowden at Moscow's International Airport but were unable to let him enter the country due to the cancellation of Snowden's passport by the US ans Bolivia and Equator already stated that were open to give political asylum to Snowden but in order to obtain that he would need to get to one of these countries territory. Being almost captive in Moscow Airport he was unable to go to an embassy or consulate to appeal for political asylum and US authorities still want to get him.

Now what the tow paragraphs above have in common? Well Snowden probably will leave Russia in an airplane registered in one of those tow countries Bolivia or Equator entering like that at one of those countries territory as Air Law states that the laws inside of an Airplane are the laws of the state of registration of that airplane.

Yesterday there was a flight of Bolivia's President Evo Morales returning to Bolivia and the flight was supposed to cross Portuguese ans Spanish airspace probably with a technical scale at one of these two countries. Both Governments denied that because there was a suspicion that Edward Snowden was on board and both countries didn't wanted to get evolved on this case.

In Portugal probably this was the last political decision of the Ex-Foreign Affairs Minister Paulo Portas before present his resignation.

Now the Bolivian Government is quite unhappy with the situation and stated that will denounce this happening to the Human Rights Comission of the United Nations and the President Evo Morales had to stop at Viena, Austria for more than 13 hours.

photo: Patrick Domingo AFP

Mooney and Cessna

Today there was a nice surprise on my Facebook, a video that it's becoming viral of a flight of a Mooney and a Cessna crossing the LAX Class B Airspace, and the best way of a small aircraft passing it is below it. This video shows the formation flight of the two aircraft at low altitude. A true enthusiast Must See! :)

A MENTIRA DA CRISE (divulga antes que chegue a censura)

This is completely off topic of this aviation blog and is in Portuguese also but I would not feel comfortable without sharing it. José Gomes Ferreira is an economical annalist and speaker on the private Portuguese TV channel SIC and here he states about the problems faced by the so called Troika Mission joining IMF European Union Financial Stabilizing Fund and the European Central Bank. The Troika mission stated right at the beginning of the economical rescue of Portugal that some measures had to be taken as fast as possible. Some measures such as later retirement age public employees reduction were taken but others weren't. In this interview José Gomes Ferreira  states that it seems that Portugal isn't ruled by the politicians but instead is ruled by lobbies of companies who seem to be more interested in their profit than anything else.

As a Portuguese citizen this is quite clear to Me and of course that I am unhappy with all this and I wonder how much will this cost to all of us.

As a Pilot and aviation enthusiast it's very sad to see airfields shutting down all type of companies related with aviation closing airshows cancelled and etc. etc. etc.

In this country it seems that one day not so far away people will only live to pays the bills and with Hope of Social Security will die moments before the retirement so it can be a very cheap citizen that pays taxes only to raise others profits.

from flightdiary.net

A few minutes ago I was reading the description about Lisboa, Portugal Airport, LPPT (ICAO, LIS (IATA), at flightdiary.net. The description is based on wikipedia but it seems to be accurate. Interesting ist the comments of other readers I think that ANA the company responsible for the management of the facility and now bought by the French Vinci Group should listen to this and improve ASAP after all Lisboa has become one very important tourist destination in Europe and there are plans to increase the number of available piers to Cruise ships creating with the combination of the two a major tourist hub connecting airplane and cruise ship.

So, Vinci please LISTEN!

Blog updates vs normal Life

Well since last weekend that I have the photographs and didn't had the time yet to treat them and make a decent post about the Braga Airshow Festival. Life hasn't been easy around here with days of work at the Portuguese Navy Lynx Base, travels to Braga and a house moving with a broken clutch of the car at the end f yesterdays night. Hope to finally have some time to bring my views of the Braga Airshow Festival and some other stuff, stay tuned!

Paris Air Show 2013 - Wednesday 19 June, Airbus A380 and A400M Flying de...

Chicken Wings Comics - Light saber showdown

It remembers me those days in the middle of Aden Gulf or the Indian Ocean waiting for our Lynx to return after a night patrol. Yeah we played Star Wars but you got to keep awake.

Chicken Wings Comics - Light saber showdown

91st anniversary of the South Atlantic airplane crossing

The date was June the 15th. 1922, the place was Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro Brasil. That day Portuguese Navy Officers Commander Sacadura Cabral and Admiral Gago Coutinho completed their journey across the South of the Atlantic Ocean.

Of course this was 1922 and aircraft were not as reliable as they came to be so this mission was covered by some aircraft changes, minor and not so minor mechanical fixes and all type of problems. Fact is that even Charles Lindbergh that performed the North Atlantic Cross connecting New York to Paris with the Spirit of Saint Louis only achieved that 6 years later in 1927.

The first Atlantic cross completed is mentioned to be in 1919 by Sir John Alcock and Sir Arthur Whitten Brown also in the Northern Hemisphere connecting St. Johns, Newfoundland to Connemara, Ireland.

Admiral Gago Coutinho was a very experienced navigator in the Portuguese Navy some of its Books Papers and know how is still used today to teach the new Navigator Officers of the Portuguese Navy and during the crossing the navigation was entirely made by the stars witch gives more importance to their achievement.

Below it's a paper allusive to this mission signed by both Officers.

One of the Fairey F III-D can be seen in the Portuguese Navy Museum close to the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, Lisboa, and not to far from there and very close to the Tower of Belém there is a statue marking the starting point of this journey with a 1/1 réplica of the aircraft. As I said before aviation was not so reliable at that time specially for great journeys as this one so the firs aircraft ,the Lusitânia, had to be replaced by a second one, the Pátria, after a water landing already near Fernando Noronha Archipelago, although this second aircraft wasn't the final one as it turned out it didn't came to leave Fernando Noronha Archipelago due to an engine pane and a forced ditching Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral had to wait once more for another plane that could fly them to Rio de Janeiro.

The Fairey F III-D "Santa Cruz" photo: Carlos da Cruz

The Monument in Belém the starting point photo: Carlos da Cruz

Replica of the Fairey F III-D "Santa Cruz" in 2007 in Air Force Museum, Alverca photo: Filipe Cardoso

The third aircraft, the Santa Cruz, is the one now exposed at the Portuguese Navy Museum and it has a replica of it at previous Portuguese Air Force Museum in Alverca, plans are to take it to que new installations now in Sintra Airbase. This museum in Sintra has already some documentation and minor pieces exposed regarding this flight that can be seen.

One of the pieces that to me has the biggest historical relevance and that I had the opportunity to see a copy of the Mission Report typewritten by Admiral Gago Coutinho with illustrative photographs and every thing also autographed by Gago Coutinho. Nowadays this rare piece of Aeronautical History is well protected and can be seen at the entry lobby of the Portuguese Navy Helicopter Squadron the followers of the ancient Po Navy Aviation.

A rough resume of the journey between Portugal and Brasil

Since the XVth. century that Portugal looked straight to the ocean as an opportunity and as it is said around here "we gave new worlds to the world" and Commander Sacadura Cabral and Admiral Gago Coutinho were true believers of that. They joined the Sailor's spirit for adventure the interest for the new world of aviation and centuries of navigation knowledge all together.

At the time of the crossing Admiral Gago Coutinho attained the rank of Captain or in Portuguese Capitão-de-Mar-e-Guerra.

Peter Chandler: flying Airbus' pioneering aircraft

Where all the airplanes go?

This probably would be a 10 year old child question but remarkably it isn't. Many people not so involved in aviation use to ask me that and some already have found the answer by them selves. A scrapyard. This would be the redundant answer and it isn't wrong at all, some of them go to scrapyards all over the world, in fact here in Portugal there are intentions to invest in the building of a new facility to that purpose next do the Beja Airbase and now civilian Airport.

Well the term scrapyard is correct but not entirely as for the aircraft go to this facilities to be stored in order to wait for the next owner that's why the remote areas chosen to this are areas normally with low rain rates during the year and low humidity so the aging process of the materials don't go to fast. With this pictures you will see the real number of stored airplanes and no, it is not possible to store them inside as they are so many so maintenance technicians have to conduct a "Long Term Storage Maintenance" where some fluids are replaced with "corrosion inhibitor oil" other are emptied and other filled to the top maximum, external breathers vents and holes get sealed and transparent surfaces as side windows and cockpit windows get covered to protect the interior and that surfaces as well after that they are put in the desert alongside with other aircraft waiting for their fate. Some after a period are recovered and get to the air again but the normal is to get all the components still available and with lifetime available to use out and them all remaining interiors go out also until the only remains are the structure itself, after that there it goes finally for scrap to recycle all the structural aluminium alloy.

Global Aviation Resource by Paul Dunn have a report of probably the most known facility related to aviation recycling refit and storage in the world. It's in Victorville California, here is a link to their website and a report with some aerial pictures of the site so you can get the main picture of the dimensions and numbers involved in this process.

Enjoy!

http://globalaviationresource.com/v2/2013/04/10/bloggar-paul-dunn-flying-over-victorville-jan-2013/

Global Aviation Resource photo

The New Airbus A350 goes up in the Sky for the first time!

First of all I would like to express to all involved in the A350 program my congratulations for this achievement. This morning the Airbus A350 took off from Blagnac Airport in Toulouse, France. To Airbus this new model represents the continue of the wealthy combat for the leading of the skies between Airbus and Boeing. The American manufacturer is still experiencing some issues with the direct competitor the Boeing 787 Dreamliner but that is the price for the investment in new technology such composite materials or new battery fabrication and Airbus already has to deal with the same issues and regardless all the predicted situations new problems will possibly appear and rapidly solved by the engineers.

Here is the team of the A350 first flight and after the flight quoted that after a few minutes in the air it was like a regular flight such was the airplane's behavior and functioning. In their words all the simulator hours and engineering was well worth as the aircraft is perfect already.

Here is a small photographic resume of the flight.

 

TAP - Portugal the Portuguese flagship Airline has a contract with Airbus to buy the A350 and has one of the first airlines to receive the airplane it also had the chance to become part of the program. It will just be a matter of time to see this bird with the Portuguese colors at LPPT.

All images are Airbus Courtesy and credits are mentioned at the bottom of each one.

Chicken Wings Comics - Professionalism

Chicken Wings Comics - Professionalism

Efficiency: Buy or rent? - AOPA

Here's an interesting article about the options of buying or renting an airplane for training. At first sight this can appear a bit strange, buying an aircraft to build time, well sometimes there are interesting deals with more than one buyer like a group aircraft purchase but off course that implies a share also of flight time not just expenses.

Efficiency: Buy or rent? - AOPA

Madrid Cuatro Vientos airplane crashed!

Another accident with fatal consequences. Today during an airshow at Madrid Cuatro Vientos Airport, Spain a performing aircraft lost altitude and hit the ground severely. The Pilot got badly injured but unfortunately died moments after the crash from extensive wounds.

Here is the video recorded by a spectator of the Airshow. May I remind You that this videos are somehow choking and sensible people should avoid seeing them.

Bagram 747 crash

Here's a video of the Bagram Airplane accident. Seven people died in this tragedy.

Aviation Herald info about this subject: http://www.avherald.com/h?article=46183bb4&opt=0

British Airways Airbus A380

On April 5th. rolled out from the Airbus paint shop in Hamburg the first Airbus A380 for British Airways, Airbus states that only the tail fin itself contains over 10,000 individual dots to form the Union Jack graphic.

All pictures are courtesy of Airbus.

Portuguese Navy Lynx 20000 Flight Hours in 20 Years

That's right on past 14th. the Portuguese Navy Lynx flew it's 20000th hour right in the same year of it's 20th anniversary. To some this may no appear a great achievement but looking behind and find a squadron composed by only 5 units usually 1 at full repair a year and all economical problems affecting our country, it really is an achievement to celebrate.

Photo: Carvalho - N.R.P. "D. Francisco de Almeida" 

Photo: Filipe Cardoso 

 Photo: Filipe Cardoso

Photo: Filipe Cardoso 

Photo: Filipe Cardoso

Most important is that until this day the Portuguese Navy Helicopter fleet haven't suffered a single accident resulting the loss of people and/or material, still maintaining a clean accident record and hoping for that to continue for a long time. Certainly this record is a good proof of the professionalism and dedication of all the operatives of that unit that continue to work daily to keep the spirit of the Portuguese Naval Aviation at it's top as it started by Admiral Gago Coutinho and Commander Sacadura Cabral who crossed the South Atlantic from Portugal to Brasil in 1922. For those who have historic interest on this subject one of the airplanes used during that Atlantic Crossing can now be seen in the Portuguese Navy Museum in Lisbon.

Fairey III-D N.º17 - 'Santa Cruz'

Admiral Gago Coutinho (first) and Commander Sacadura Cabral (behind)

Photo: Museu de Marinha, Portugal

Airbus A350 XWB Premium Economy Seating

from www.flightstory.net

Earlier this year Airbus firmed contract with Zodiac Seats to add to the A350 catalog their model Zodiac '5810' Premium Economy Seat, this model offers space optimization low weight ans IFE capability.

Airbus is betting strong on it's A350 XWB and if there is something of extreme importance to an airline is the passenger comfort and Airbus isn't forgetting anything when it comes to comfort but also practicality and above all lightweight.

Photos: Airbus

More Recently EADS-Sogerma, an Airbus Contracted Supplier optimized it's new model, the 'Celeste' seat. This model is a cradle seat witch provides a higher level of comfort and also can be featured with privacy options. Seems more like an actual executive class of smaller airlines than an Economy class seat.

Photos: Airbus

Documentation needed to apply for a pilot vacancy - Criminal record.

This was not the first time that I have needed to get a criminal record of me to submit to a company so the business here was quite easy. You go to the Justice Ministry or you can get your criminal record in a well thought thing called Citizen Store - direct translation from the Portuguese "Loja do Cidadão". On this store there are many formalities that can be taken such as ID renewal passport emission visas etc. Great deal actually, now instead of walking around from building to building and place to place now it's quite easier indeed.

Now the thing that made me write this post was about My criminal record. Well, relax it is completely clean I can assure you. The fun fact here is that when I told that the document was to apply as pilot to an airline the attendant looked at me and told me to wait as he was going to check what to do. 2 minutes later there I was with my criminal record in my hand and amazed. Know why? It seems that to the Portuguese Justice Ministry pilots, flight attendants or airport personnel need this document because they are to be subject to access to sensitive areas, seems pretty logic to me. The second paragraph states that this kind of job involves contact with minors or underage  children. I have no doubt that it is important that no pedophile works in contact with children and thank God if there is someone looking for that but in this case I think that the responsibility of  a flight crew cabin crew or even ground crews are due to the dangers involved in a bigger way such as hijacks or terrorism among others. Just can't understand why does the "contact with minors" comes stated and others don't.

Cessna's New Citation X Rolled Out today

Here are some pictures, courtesy of Cessna Company, of the roll out of the new Cessna Citation X, claimed to be the fastest civil aircraft in the world. Speed competitions apart it really is a good looking aircraft.

Meanwhile...

With about 30 plus pilot jobs announcements of the PPC website I am somewhere between despair and the faith in finding an announce of a pilot job suitable for me.

What in the World have I been doing!

Well, here's you answer.

Dangerous Flights is a TV Series that passes on Discovery Channel here in Portugal that retracts the flights and the growth of a small US company specialized in aircraft sales and deliveries, the so called ferry flights. As far as I know ferry pilots seem to be the kind of pilot that pass through the most challenging conditions during flight in GA aircraft. Really a Must See series.