What's
new
Stuff
we've added recently
Features
A
good read
In the cockpit
Meet
some flyers
Employment
Get
a job
New products
Gadgets
and toys
Archives &
downloads
Try our library
Coming
events
Get out there!
Links
Clubs
& contacts
The trade
Where
to buy stuff
Health
& safety
Editorial
About us
Airfield codes
Airservices
Weather
Streetmap
For
learners
Key clubs
Aircraft Owners & Pilots
Helicopter Association
Recreational Aviation
Sport Aircraft
Women Pilots Assn
Gatton Airpark
Our
other mags
Main
index
|
Aviation news & comment -- 2009
June 23 update
Editorial
We're in the midst of updating the website and apologise for the break in service. However we reckon you'll like what we're coming up with. There will be more video, more opinion, fresh features, an up-to-date news digest and a new classified ads section. We will stir the pot when it's needed and reward anyone who deserves it.
And, you might have noticed that the industry is suffering at the moment. So, for want of greater resouces, we're opening up a new section called Guido's List. You can advertise anything -- yes, anything aviation-related here for free...for a little while. Eventually we will charge, but we're thinking small amounts rather than a telephone number. It could be a school, a helicopter, a plane, a share in either, your block in an airpark, a propellor, a job, a service, a dealership...it's your call. Email me here and we'll get the ball rolling. Whle I'd love a cogent ad with a pic, I'll also help you set up what suits your needs. It may not look like it at the moment, but this is part of a long-term plan whose time as come. So jump on board and get in touch. Oh, and we'll see some of you in Temora...
All the best, Guy
Single prop heads up
A US company named Virtual HUD has developed a way of projecting key flying data on to the back of a propellor of a single-engine aircraft, reducing the likely-hood of ending up buried in the instruments when you should be flying. Really clever stuff…have a look here.
Beech circuit breaker
Areo news network: In the US - The American Bonanza Society has helped avert a potential mass-grounding of 1970 and newer Beechcraft Bonanzas and Barons by securing from the FAA an extension to a fast-approaching deadline for replacing certain switch-type circuit breakers.
More
Helicopter season in Tintaldra
Just a bit of fun...click here for the vid (Quicktime movie)
Airbus in the media
The good...
Click for the Airbus vid of the Paris air show. (Quicktime movie)
The bad...
MWCnews: There is now a question whether all Airbus aircraft equipped with composite stabilizers and rudders should be grounded until the cause of the crash of Flight 447 can be identified and it can be determined if the aircraft can be inspected, safely repaired, and returned to service.
Used in law, science and philosophy, a rule known as Occam’s Razor requires that the simplest of competing theories be preferred to the more complex, and/or that explanations of unknown phenomena be sought first in terms of known quantities.
More
The ugly...
CSM: As they work to unravel the mystery of Air France Flight 447, aviation analysts and pilots are now urging investigators to focus attention on the plane's tail fin, known as the vertical stabilizer, in addition to the design of the Airbus's computerized flight controls.
More
List of A330 incidents
From the Australian/AAP
See this link
Qantas June 22 incident
Wall Street Journal
Daily Mail
Still, things aren’t that bad…
Airbus: Airbus announced commitments during the 2009 Paris Air Show for 127 aircraft, valued at some US$12.9 billion. These commitments include firm orders for 58 aircraft worth almost US$6.4 billion, plus 'Memoranda of Understanding' (MoU) agreements for a further 69 aircraft totalling US$6.5 billion.
Firm Orders: 58 aircraft worth US$6.4 billion
The firm-order highlights of the show were three large orders from carriers in the Middle East and Asia. Qatar Airways placed an order for 24 single-aisle aircraft valued at US$1.9 billion, comprising the purchase of 20 A320s and four A321 aircraft. Meanwhile, Vietnam Airlines signed a US$1.4 billion firm order for 16 A321s. In addition, Air Asia X expressed confidence in Airbus' newest aircraft product with a firm order for 10 A350-900s valued at US$2.4 billion.
Other firm airliner orders made during the show include: Cebu Pacific, which ordered five A320s; Aigle Azur for one A319; and Zest Air of the Philippines which became a new Airbus customer with an order for one A320. It is also worth mentioning an order for one Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) A320 Prestige from a private customer.
Airbus web
The downright cheerful...
Airbus: A team of students from the University of Queensland (Australia) won the inaugural Airbus "Fly Your Ideas" challenge at the Paris-Le Bourget Air Show. The "COz" team won for its project into the use of the castor plant to develop the first ever single plant-based high performance composite materials for aircraft cabin components. The goal is to reduce dependency on non renewable sources and improve end of life disposal thus contributing to a reduction of aviation carbon footprint. They conducted a comprehensive feasibility analysis entailing fibre production and testing, demonstrating very encouraging mechanical and environmental properties.
The multinational "COz" team comprises team leader, Michael Heitzmann (27), of Swiss origin and Alex Ng (25), originally from Hong Kong, both PhD students in Mechanical Engineering, and third team member, Benjamin Lindenberger (26), from Germany, an Aerospace Engineering student who is undertaking his University of Stuttgart diploma thesis at the University of Queensland.
"We wanted to demonstrate that composite materials made entirely with Castor plant fibre can reduce the aircraft carbon footprint and enhance environmental protection. We are extremely proud to have convinced the jury with our project and we hope it will have a future in aviation." said Michael Heitzmann, Coz team leader.
The students were congratulated at the ceremony, at Le Bourget, by Tom Enders, President and Chief Executive Officer of Airbus, who awarded the €30,000 prize to the winning team. The second place team from National University of Singapore, "Solaire Voyager", received a prize of €15,000 for its proposal to use solar cell technology integrating photovoltaic cells aboard aircraft to generate electricity.
More than 2350 students from 82 countries around the world entered the competition, which started nine months ago. The students' objective was to come up with innovative and eco efficient ideas to shape the future of aviation, and deliver a further reduction in the industry's impact on the environment. The competition was also designed to attract more young people to this crucial industry.
 Return
to top
See
our archives for earlier news |
Job
Watch
Updating June 24...
Free
Newsletter
AllFlying is sending out a weekly email newsletter with all the latest gossip. It is free. Email us here with the message "subscribe AF".
Got
news, an event or product?
Let us know about it & we'll give it a
run on this site. It's a free service. Email us via this link.
We are happy to host club & airpark pages FOC: See this example from Gatton Airpark. Email us at this link & we'll get yours up & running.
|
