Russian Airlines Lose Safety Rating, Maiden Flight of Boeing 777-300ER Converted Freighter, and more
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World's First Boeing 777-300ER Converted Freighter Takes to the Skies
The world's first Boeing 777-300ER converted freighter has completed its maiden flight after being converted by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
The largest two-engine cargo airliner in the world, the B777-300ERSF is currently in the final stages of certification and has a 25% increased capacity compared to other twin-engine cargo aircraft.
The conversion includes a large loading door allowing for 819 cubic meters of loading volume and a maximum payload of around 100 tons, with a range of around 8,600 kilometers. Over 60 of the aircraft are expected to be delivered in the next five years, with AerCap alone ordering 20. Read more
Lufthansa Passengers Hit by IT Outage Ahead of Mega Strike in Germany
Lufthansa's passengers have been hit by an IT outage of the airline's check-in systems at Frankfurt Airport ahead of a mega strike that will see as many as 2.5 million transport workers across Germany walk out on Monday.
The airline had to cancel several flights as delays started to build up. The IT problems mean passengers can only check-in for their flights via the airline's official mobile phone app.
Lufthansa warned passengers that alternative travel arrangements would be in short supply because of the high demand for Sunday flights. Read more
Indigo Plans to Double Fleet Size, Driving India's Air Travel Growth
Indian airline Indigo plans to double its fleet size between 2023-2030, despite current aircraft grounding reducing fleet utilization to only 80-85% of normal levels.
The move would see a 2.4x jump in capacity, driving earnings in the medium-term, particularly in India where air travel penetration remains low at 25% of China and 4% of the US.
The government is set to increase the number of airports from 140 to 220 by 2025. While international expansion is expected to be a key driver, Indigo will remain committed to low-cost carrier strengths, including affordable fares and high on-time performance. Read more
Debate Continues Over Raising Retirement Age for US Airline Pilots
US senators are proposing that pilots be allowed to work until the age of 67, up from the current retirement age of 65.
A total of seven senators, from both the Democratic and Republican parties, support the legislation, which would come with stricter medical checks for pilots. The move is backed by some regional carriers, which have a shortage of experienced pilots.
However, the Air Line Pilots Association opposes the plans. The requirement for new pilots to have at least 1,500 hours of flying time is also under review, amid concerns it is contributing to a shortage of pilots. Read more
Russian Airlines Lose Safety Rating Due to Cannibalization of Grounded Planes
Russian airlines are no longer safety rated as they are reportedly cannibalizing parts from grounded planes due to a shortage of spare parts. The insurance on their flying assets is now void.
Last month, the Russian government legalized the cannibalization of aircraft for parts, causing safety concerns among aviation experts. The situation has led to some minor carriers having their permits pulled by regulator Rosaviatsiya, with three linked to sanctions.
Russia's use of Western-made planes without access to spare parts and proper maintenance has also been flagged as "very unsafe" by the EU's top aviation safety official. Read more
Intel and Airspeeder Join Forces to Create the First Crewed Flying Racing Car, the MK4
Intel has partnered with Airspeeder to develop the world's first crewed flying racing car, the MK4, which is designed and built in Australia.
The MK4 is one of the first hydrogen-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and is capable of reaching a maximum top speed of 360 km/h, with a range expectation of 300 km and handling similar to an F1 car.
Intel will provide Airspeeder teams with Core and Zeon processors, as the official intelligence partner, and will collaborate on "all technology aspects of the MK4 speeder whilst under development". The crewed races featuring the MK4 are set to begin in 2024. Read more
Air traffic Controllers Suspended After Planes Narrowly Avoid Mid-air Crash in Nepal
Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority has suspended two air traffic control employees for "carelessness" after an Air India plane, and a Nepal Airlines aircraft came close to colliding mid-air while waiting to land at Kathmandu airport on Friday.
The authority has written to the Indian civil aviation regulatory body asking it to investigate possible faults by Air India's pilot. Warning systems alerted the pilots, averting a disaster. Read more
Lilium Partners with Collins Aerospace to Develop Inceptor System for eVTOL Jet
Lilium has partnered with Collins Aerospace to design, develop, and build the inceptors for its all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) jet, the Lilium Jet. The inceptors are the sidestick system used by the pilot to control the aircraft.
Collins Aerospace will provide safe and intuitive handling qualities, easy access to functionalities, and an aesthetic, ergonomic design, while integrating all conventional mechanical and electrical flight controls into two sidesticks.
The system will bring a new piloting philosophy for single pilot operations in the eVTOL realm and save significant space and weight compared to conventional sidesticks. Collins Aerospace will also certify the Lilium Jet's inceptors to commercial aviation standards. Read more
Intelsat's FlexExec Wins Aerospace/Aviation Mobile Innovation Award
Intelsat has won the Aerospace/Aviation Mobile Innovation Award from the Mobile Satellite Users Association for its FlexExec product.
The technology provides government aviation and business jet passengers with high-speed, global connectivity through the combination of Intelsat's multi-layered, high-throughput FlexExec network and Satcom Direct's SD Plane Simple Ku-Band antenna.
The system, which guarantees sufficient throughput for video conferencing, streaming, and sending and receiving large files, was introduced into commercial service in 2023. Read more
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