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.

Bird Strike and Bird on Strike

A Brazilian Facebook friend and also flight instructor posted this comic about the game Bird Strike. As You all know in Brasil the main language is the Portuguese with a more melodically accent, and the teaching of Aeronautical English has become an important issue to this country as the pilot shortage is at its highest level ever due to the upcoming events such as the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. In Brasil there are many restrictions about flying personnel such as foreigners permissions witch as far as I know not permitted. Brasil stands as a country who relies basically on their naturals to became pilots as going to the Air Force Academy then passing to the Civil Aviation or to take an ATPL in a flight school  problem seems to be that there aren't enough flight schools or/and students to satisfy the upcoming needs. So pilots have to be trained ASAP in Brasil and have to learn Aeronautical English also.

And talking about Aeronautical English, have You ever listen to a German a French or a Spanish pilot in the frequency? No ones perfect that's for sure and I'm not the best communicator in the world but that German accent witch is very funny in BBC's Allo Allo series can be very tricky on the radio.

Video for the weekend

Locked outside the cockpit

The situation passed last September during a Transavia commercial flight connecting Hurghada (Egypt) to Amsterdam (Netherlands). During flight the Captain felt the call of Mother Nature and went out of the cockpit to relief the pressure and right after leaving the toilet when tried to return to the cockpit the door was locked and none was responding from the inside. The First Officer fell asleep.

Here is the website of the aviation herald with the details of this unusual episode but really reminding the thematic of the previous post. http://avherald.com/h?article=45cd431c&opt=0

Dead Tired

Have ever thought during a routine flight for how long are the pilots flying? Most certainly not but the probability of that flight is their first of the day is huge. Recently this subject has been in discussion in Europe Aviation Authorities and the new rules and changes to the  present ones didn't had the agree of pilots or pilot associations and pilot unions. Thing is simple, some of the work times such as flight delays flight plan changes on ground and several other reasons now aren't suppose to count as duty time but if you count that time and then put that same pilot in the air probably the pilot as a duty time well beyond the reasonable for a safe conduct of the flight.

European pilot associations requested scientific studies about this matter to be able to present a proposal of duty time restrictions that try to meet both, airline interests and a safe way to fly.

Due to the fact that these studies weren't take into account to the new rules there as been promoted a petition on the Internet to ask for a new analysis of this and to the scientific studies be taken into account as a way to promote safety in cockpit.

Here is the web link to the petition and I ask You to BEFORE sign to read it carefully so that You can understand the Why of this.

The A350 XWB Final Assembly Line: efficiency in motion

Here's a small footage of the Final Assembly Line of the Airbus A350. As I said on previous posts not the most charming aircraft there is but if that's the cost to have efficiency I think that we can handle it like that.

About the Boeing 787 Dreamliner battery issues

TAP passes from 4th to 7th safest Airline even without an accident

According with the updated list from JACDEC investigation center the Portuguese flag Airline TAP passed from the 4th to the 7th position in the safest Airlines in the world and without a single accident or major incident. The reason for this descent was that Emirates, now in 4th position, Etihad Airways, now in 5th and EVA Air in 6th have a younger fleet than TAP. A reason that in my opinion is acceptable as for the number of cycles, flight hours and years of aircraft have an important wight in flight safety.

Credits: Filipe Cardoso

In the upper positions comes Finnair in first with the last accident in 1963, a DC-3 crashed resulting in the loss 22 passengers and all crew Air New Zeland in second and Cathay Pacific in third.

The TAP last accident remounts to 1977 in Funchal Madeira and was due to a runway overrun with a Boeing 727 resulting in the death of 131 people. The Madeira airport at the time had a considerably small runway dangerous cross winds during approach phase and a cliff ate the end of the runway directly to sea. More than 30 years later the airport has been modernized and the runway saw its length grow to almost the double but runway 05 approach is still considered one of the most dangerous approaches in commercial operation worldwide. 

Credits: Jorge Miguel Abreu, Madeira Spotters - Jetphotos.net

One thing leaves me quite happy and that is to know some of the pilots flight attendants engineers and maintenance technicians that work hard to maintain TAP at this high standards and zero accidents since more than 30 years, here's My recognition to all of them as great professionals that they are.

Trainee Pilot Safely Lands Piper Warrior with Missing Wheel at Mangalore...

Here's a story of a young student pilot that lost a wheel of his Piper Warrior main undercarriage and that come to a safe landing with no injuries and as it seems not so considerable damage to the aircraft. This was yesterday in Melbourne, Australia where this student pilot is getting his ATPL in an arrangement between this Autralian flight school and the Chinese airline China Southern Airlines and has about 120 flight hours of instruction.

So True!!!

Rejected take off to TAP Portugal privatization

The Portuguese Government by the Treasure Secretary of the State Luís Albuquerque announced yesterday that the single proposal to alienate the Portuguese Airline TAP Portugal from the group Synergy of the millionaire Germán Efromovich was refused.

Credits: Filipe Cardoso

The Portuguese Government pointed to the rejection of this proposal the lack of financial warranties as prescribed in the specifications referred as primordial do the sale of the Airline. This proposal rounded 1.5 thousand million euros from witch 316 million euros to recapitalize the Airline and the rest to cover TAP's deficit and the Portuguese Government would gain about 35 million euros.

The Portuguese Government stated that this proposal was positive and aligned with the Government intentions and strategy to the company. Also said that the interest in selling the Portuguese Flag Airline is to take action in a near future but will now need a revaluation of the market conditions and sale strategy to take place.

The Synergy Group was the only buy proposal that was still in table at this final phase of the whole process and it seems that the most probable action will be the opening of a entirely new privatization process with, who knows, new specifications and requirements to the interested groups.

Germán Efromovich after the Portuguese Government announcement said being surprised with this decision and admits to make a new proposal if the timing of the business is adequate to the Synergy Group as it's his intention to buy an European Airline in order to expand air business to Europe.

EC-KEX the Spanish plane

With the EC-KEX it is time to end the list of Cessnas 152 that I've flown until now, actually this one was the very last 152 registered in my logbook.

 Credits: Daniela Ferreira

 Credits: Daniela Ferreira

The KEX was built by Reims aviation company, in France, licensed by Cessna.

 Credits: Daniela Ferreira

 Credits: Daniela Ferreira

Until now I have flown the KEX for only one time in a round trip that took from Cascais, LPCS overflying land to Vila Nova de Milfontes and return to Cascais, LPCS by shore line showing the amazing beaches almost desert that our beautiful Portugal has.

 Credits: Daniela Ferreira

Not much to say about the KEX as it is a very capable aircraft in good shape to it's age.

 Credits: Daniela Ferreira

As far as I could obtain information the EC-KEX has the construction number 15281796 and I found the previous registration N67380 but not confirmed.

CS-AZB The Blue Angel

The Cessna CS-AZB is from Aeropiloto fleet and I flew it for the first time after completing my ATPL integrated course in a hour building flight to keep up to date. If you pay attention this aircraft figures in this blog as the wallpaper photograph.

Credits: Filipe Cardoso - Me and my friend Tiago Silva

Credits: Filipe Cardoso - My friend Tiago with the controls 

Credits: Filipe Cardoso - Walkaround

The reason for calling it Blue Angel is simple it is because this aircraft at this time is completely painted in Sky Blue with white rims and registration.

Credits: Filipe Cardoso

Credits: Filipe Cardoso

In this little fellow I've went to Portimão, LPPM nad Évora, LPEV and also was the aircraft on witch I took my father and girlfriend to fly for the first time with me at the controls.

Credits: Filipe Cardoso

The Cessna 152 CS-AZB has the construction number 15281900 and a previous American registration N67538 and the English G-HOSE nad G-SACA.

Credits: Daniela Ferreira - Preparing for the next flight

Credits: Daniela Ferreira

Credits: Daniela Ferreira - Daniela one of my first passengers

Credits: Filipe Cardoso - My Dad and my very first passenger