October 31th

More articles from the category

October 31th

Severe tail strike on China Southern Airlines: Safety questions about manual landing

On October 21, 2024, a China Southern Airlines aircraft, a Boeing 787-9, experienced a significant tail strike while approaching Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. This incident raises questions about the safety and accuracy of manual landing maneuvers. According to passenger reports, the aircraft first touched down hard, took off again briefly, and then hit the runway again. Fortunately, passengers and crew were uninjured, but the aircraft, with registration number B-1243, suffered significant damage to the lower fuselage and cargo hold structure. Course of the incident: A daring landing experiment ends dramatically As local reports and information from the aviation data portal Flightradar24 show, the co-pilot of flight CZ3534 decided to conduct a manual landing exercise "without guidance" and navigation aids. The experienced flight instructor, who was also in the cockpit, approved this attempt in view of the stable weather conditions. During the approach, after the autopilot had been deactivated, the aircraft initially remained stable. However, at a critical distance from the runway, the rate of descent increased unexpectedly and, despite the flight instructor's last-minute intervention, it was no longer possible to prevent a severe impact. This sequence ultimately led to the dangerous tail impact. Damage and its consequences After landing, the aircraft's internal warning system reported a tail strike and, after inspections, ground technicians confirmed damage to the lower fuselage skin, including scratches and a crack. The internal structure of the cargo hold was also fractured and deformed by the impact. This damage, which particularly affects the stability of the aircraft, is so extensive that the aircraft concerned will remain out of service until further notice. Since the incident took place at China Southern Airlines' home airport,

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Wizz Air opens new nonstop connection between Rome and Sarajevo

After a break of almost five years, the airline Wizz Air has today opened a new direct connection between Rome and Sarajevo. The route will be operated three times a week with an Airbus A321neo, which offers 239 seats. The new service is supported by subsidies from the Sarajevo Tourism Authority and is intended to promote exchange between Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Until March 2020, the Bosnian airline FlyBosnia operated this connection before operations were suspended due to the pandemic. Sarajevo International Airport expressed its delight at the new connection, stressing that the route makes it easier for Sarajevo citizens to visit the Italian capital and offers tourists from Rome the opportunity to experience Sarajevo and its culture. The opening of the flight is part of a strategic cooperation between the airport, the Ministry of Economy and the Sarajevo Canton Tourism Association, which aims to promote tourism and the regional economy in a sustainable manner. Olivia Harangozo of Wizz Air stressed that the new connection is part of the airline's biggest winter season. Wizz Air is relying on modern, more efficient aircraft and wants to use the new routes to increase customer satisfaction and also maintain high sustainability standards.

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Corruption scandal at Garuda Indonesia: prison sentence for former CEO doubled

A recent ruling by the Supreme Court in Jakarta doubled the prison sentence of former Garuda Indonesia CEO Emirsyah Satar to ten years and increased the associated fine. This decision is the culmination of a complex corruption case that goes back several years and has significantly damaged Indonesia's national reputation in the international aviation industry. Satar is accused of having been involved in corrupt dealings during his time in office that caused the company serious financial losses and shook confidence in the integrity of the state-owned company. Extensive corruption allegations and investigation findings The case, which has been making headlines for years, revolves around Satar's tenure as CEO of Garuda Indonesia from 2005 to 2014. Investigations revealed that Satar and his adviser Soetikno Soedarjo were involved in dubious procurement processes that involved bribes and the procurement of unsuitable aircraft such as the Bombardier CRJ1000 and ATR72-600. The latter, operated by Garuda subsidiary Citilink, led to significant operational and financial losses as the aircraft did not meet the company's needs or capacity planning. As the investigations revealed, Satar had unilaterally changed the procurement plan to increase the seating capacity from 70 to 90 seats without consulting the board. This decision led to a bad investment that caused Garuda losses of around USD 609 million. Critics see this as a deliberate act that primarily served to enrich the airline rather than the interests of the airline. Doubling the prison sentence and penalties: A strong signal from the judiciary The court decided to increase the original prison sentence from five years to ten years.

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Austrian Airlines does not want a Boeing 737-Max-8

Austrian Airlines presented current developments in its aircraft fleet and economic results at a press conference. CEO Annette Mann had initially suggested the Boeing 737 Max 8 as a possible successor for the short- and medium-haul fleet, but COO Francesco Sciortino has now announced that the airline will forego the 737 because this model does not offer container loading options. A final decision on the fleet could possibly be made before the fleet meeting in May 2025. During the presentation of the quarterly figures for the period from July to September, it was announced that the result had halved compared to the previous year. Mann attributed the poor results to various factors, including high location costs in Austria. According to Mann, the departure of an A320 in Vienna costs 3.715 euros, while the cost in Prague is only 540 euros. The Austrian Airlines management board also rejected allegations that the training documents for pilots' weather training had been manipulated. In this context, a possible lawsuit for defamation was hinted at. In terms of environmental policy, a new tax has been announced that will apply to all flights within the EU from January 1, 2025 and will amount to between one and 36 euros, depending on the length of the route and booking class. This tax is intended to support the transition to climate-neutral flying. From 2025, all kerosene deliveries in the EU must be mixed with two percent sustainable aviation fuel.

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Delta Air Lines: Airbus A321 returns to Fort Lauderdale due to smoke in the cockpit

In the early hours of October 30, 2024, a safety incident occurred on board a Delta Air Lines Airbus A321 scheduled to fly from Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Florida to LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York. Shortly after takeoff, the crew noticed smoke in the cockpit and aborted the climb. The Airbus only reached an altitude of about 7.625 feet before initiating a turnaround and returning to the departure airport. Despite the exceptional situation, the aircraft was able to land safely and returned safely to the gate about 15 minutes after takeoff. The passengers were taken to their final destination on another Airbus A321, albeit about two and a half hours late. Fast and safe landing: A coordinated maneuver The crew's quick and precise response and the immediate landing in Fort Lauderdale show how well trained pilots and flight crew are for emergencies. Such smoke incidents in the cockpit, which must be taken seriously in aviation, can be due to a variety of causes: short circuits, overheating of electronics or other technical malfunctions. The incident highlights the importance of the safety protocols that the crew must follow in such cases. Delta Air Lines issued a statement after the incident, explaining that an "odor in the cabin" made it necessary to turn around and apologized to passengers for the inconvenience. Smoke in the cockpit: a more common problem than expected? Although such an event can be extremely disturbing for passengers, smoke warnings in the cockpit are a regular challenge in aviation.

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Plus Ultra launches direct flights between Buenos Aires and Madrid

From October 2025, Spanish airline Plus Ultra will offer new direct flights between Buenos Aires and Madrid, positioning itself in the Argentine market. The airline's president, Julio Martínez, confirmed the opening of this route, which is part of the airline's expansion strategy. This marks Plus Ultra's first step into the Argentine market, where it will compete against established operators such as Aerolíneas Argentinas, Iberia and Air Europa. Although the exact frequency of the flights has not yet been announced, Martínez announced that the fleet expansion with additional Airbus A330 aircraft will lead to improved service in the coming years. The decision for Plus Ultra's entry into the market falls within the framework of the new Open Skies policy promoted by the Argentine government under Decree of Necessity and Urgency (DNU) 70. This regulation allows international airlines greater operational freedom in Argentina and has already led to the expansion of other airlines, including low-cost carriers such as JetSmart. Federico Sturzenegger, Minister of Deregulation and State Transformation, welcomed the new developments, highlighting the benefits for connectivity and competition in the Argentine aviation sector.

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Air Astana: A320 maintenance according to EASA standards in Kazakhstan

The airline Air Astana has its own maintenance center at the Kazakh capital Astana airport, which currently specializes in the Airbus A320 series of aircraft. According to the airline, it is currently the most modern MRO center in the Asian country. The work is carried out according to EASA standards and the airline has all the approvals required to work in accordance with the guidelines of the EU authority. There is a specific reason for this, because the airline's own fleet and that of its subsidiary Fly Arystan are registered in the Irish register, so it is mandatory to work in accordance with EASA standards. Otherwise there would be a risk that the Irish IAA would deregister the aircraft. But that has never been an issue for Air Astana, because before the company's own MRO centers were put into operation, it had this type of aircraft serviced by reputable providers outside Kazakhstan. Incidentally, this is still the case for the long-haul fleet (Boeing 767). In terms of bureaucracy, maintaining a maintenance center in Kazakhstan according to EASA standards means double the work, because all reports have to be written and submitted in English for the European authorities and in the official language of Russian for the Kazakh Civil Aviation Authority. Air Astana is happy to accept this, because in the long term it also wants to offer maintenance services for third-party customers at its Almaty and Astana sites. It is already available for urgent work, for example if an aircraft for which it is authorized to maintain has an AOG and the help of Air Astana technology is requested. Scheduled work is currently carried out on

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Lufthansa Cargo expands transpacific cargo flight service

Lufthansa Cargo launched its first direct cargo flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles on October 27, 2024, expanding its transpacific operations. Flight LH8019, operated by subsidiary AeroLogic, marks the start of a new service as part of the winter flight schedule. Previously, the aircraft took off from Frankfurt to Vietnam on October 26, 2024. Ashwin Bhat, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo, emphasized that this connection responds to the increasing demand of the growing Vietnamese economy. The new route enables a faster and more efficient connection to the North American market. Lufthansa Cargo now offers a total of 89 weekly cargo connections with the Boeing 777F, including 50 frequencies to 17 destinations in Asia. This expansion is also driven by the growing eCommerce industry. In addition, the airline uses its A321 freighter fleet and offers piggyback capacities on an extensive network of partner airlines.

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