Volaris (Mexico City) on March 4 inaugurated new international service connecting the city of Tijuana in the Baja with Oakland with flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The schedule:
Departing Tijuana at 18:20 hrs., arriving San Francisco, (Oakland) at 19:55 hrs.
Departing San Francisco (Oakland) at 21:10 hrs., arriving Tijuana at 22:40 hrs.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-233 N521VL (msn 5621) named “Roberto” prepares to land at Los Angeles International Airport.
Air Europa (stylized as AirEuropa) (Palma de Mallorca and Madrid) continues its expansion throughout the Caribbean by connecting its daily flight between Spain and the Dominican Republic with its neighbor, Puerto Rico. The Globalia Group Airline and Seaborne Airlines (San Juan), a Puerto Rican airline, have reached a codeshare agreement to cover the route Santo Domingo โ San Juan, Puerto Rico, which will allow for daily flights to and from the islands and, as a result, the connection of both capitals with the Adolfo Suarez Airport in Madrid (Barajas).
This will permit Air Europa passengers to fly to Puerto Rico every day, by making a short stop in Las Americas Airport in Santo Domingo. This route will be added to the two direct flights that Air Europa has been operating between Spain and Puerto Rico since June 2014.
Seaborne is a company with over 20 years of experience in the Caribbean and an excellent security and operational performance history. For the Santo Domingo โ San Juan route, it has an available fleet of 8 SAAB 340Bs, Swedish-made aircraft that can carry 34 passengers.
The codeshare agreement between Air Europa and Seaborne will take effect March 29.
Copyright Photo: Javier Rodriguez/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-343 EC-LXR (msn 1097) arrives at Palma de Mallorca.
Boeing (Chicago, Seattle and Charleston)ย and Cargolux Airlines (Luxembourg) are celebrating the 30th direct delivery of a 747 Freighter to the Luxembourg-based cargo carrier. To mark the occasion, Cargolux’s latest 747-8 Freighter carries a special decal of the “Father of the Boeing 747,” Joe Sutter, the Boeing engineer who led the team that designed the airplane.
Photos Above: Boeing. The pictured Boeing 747-8R7F LX-VCL (msn 35823) with the special Joe Sutter emblem on the nose was officially handed over to the carrier on March 5.
Video Below: Interview with Joe Sutter.
This latest delivery was the 12th 747-8 Freighter to join Cargolux’s fleet, with the Luxembourg carrier becoming the world’s first operator of the airplane type in October 2011. Prior to the introduction of the 747-8 Freighter, Cargolux took delivery of the first of two 747-200 Freighters in 1979 and in 1993 also became the world’s first operator of the 747-400 Freighter, taking a total of 16 747-400 Freighters.
In January 2015, Cargolux began operations to Manaus Airport in Brazil with a 747-8 Freighter carrying a full load of machinery spare parts and telecommunications equipment. In the process, Manaus Airport became the 100th commercial airport that Cargolux serves with the 747-8 Freighter, underlining the airplane’s incredible versatility in the world cargo market.
Cargolux currently has two unfilled orders for 747-8 Freighters, with the all-Boeing carrier operating a fleet composed entirely of 747-400 Freighters and 747-8 Freighters.
Ryanair (Dublin) has announced it will open a new base at Berlin (Schonefeld), its 73rd base, from October with five based Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Ryanair will launch 16 new routes (22 in total) as part of its Berlin Winter 2015 schedule, which will grow Ryanairโs Berlin traffic to 2.6 million customers a year.
16 new routes include: Alicante, Athens, Barcelona, Bari, Bologna, Bratislava, Brussels, Glasgow, Madrid, Malaga, Palermo, Palma de Mallorca, Riga, Rome (Ciampino), Venice and Valencia.
Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8AS EI-EVH (msn 40290) prepares to land at Tenerife Sur.
Allegiant Air (Las Vegas) yesterday (March 5) launched its first flights out of Omaha with new, nonstop jet service to the Tampa Bay area via St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport.
The new service operates twice weekly between Eppley Airfield (OMA) and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE).
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com.ย McDonnell Douglas DC-9-83 (MD-83) N420NV (msn 49424) approaches the runway at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.
Peter Foley of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is confident in solving the biggest aviation mystery of our era. Mr. Foley is in charge of finding the remains of Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-2H6 ER 9M-MRO (msn 28420) (above) and the 239 souls on board. The search continues in the southern Indian Ocean. The wide body jetliner went missing somewhere in the Indian Ocean on March 8, 2014 while operating flight MH 370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. So far no trace of the missing flight has been located.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott of Australia this week told Parliament that the search for MH 370 “will go on at this intensity forever”. Clearly the clock is ticking in solving this mystery.
This article by the Sydney Morning Herald interviews Mr. Foley and summaries the current search for MH 370. He believes they are searching in the right area.
Yesterday (March 5) the ATSB issued this updated Operational Update on the search for MH 370:
At the request of the Malaysian Government, Australia has accepted responsibility for the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is leading the underwater search for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean.
This operational report has been developed to provide regular updates on the progress of the search effort for MH 370. Our work will continue to be thorough and methodical, so sometimes weekly progress may seem slow. Please be assured that work is continuing and is aimed at finding MH 370 as quickly as possible.
Key developments this week:
GO Phoenix is currently in the search area conducting underwater search operations.
Fugro Discovery recommenced search operations on February 25.
Fugro Equator recommenced search operations on February 27.
Fugro Supporter departed Fremantle on February 21 and after calibrating her AUV sensors on the test range departed for the search area on February 23. The vessel arrived in the search area on February 28.
More than 26,000 square kilometres (over 40 percent) of the priority zone have now been searched.
Map Above: ATSB. The Seventh Arc.ย The latest information and analysis confirms that MH 370 will be found in close proximity to the arc set out in the map and labelled as the 7th arc. At the time MH 370 reached this arc, the aircraft is considered to have exhausted its fuel and to have been descending. As a result, the aircraft is unlikely to be more than 20 NM (38 km) to the west or 30 NM (55 km) to the east of the arc.
Based on all the independent analysis of satellite communications and aircraft performance, the total extent of the 7th arc reaches from latitude 20 degrees S to 39 degrees S.
Map Below: ATSB. In addition to locating the aircraft, the underwater search aims to map the MH 370 debris field in order to identify and prioritise the recovery of specific aircraft components, including flight recorders, which will assist with the Malaysian investigation. The ATSB has utilised the data from the bathymetric survey work to prepare the initial plan for the underwater search, to be followed and referred to by all parties involved. The plan includes search timings, methods, procedures, safety precautions and the initial search areas for the various vessels.
There are three classifications for sonar contacts which are identified during the course of the underwater search. Classification 3 is assigned to sonar contacts that are of some interest as they stand out from their surroundings but have low probability of being significant to the search. Classification 2 sonar contacts are of comparatively more interest but are still unlikely to be significant to the search. Classification 1 sonar contacts are of high interest and warrant immediate further investigation.
The underwater search so far has identified over a hundred seabed features that have been classified as category 3. There have been more than 10 features that have been classified as category 2. These objects may be manmade, but expert analysis of the imagery advises that none of them resemble an aircraft debris field. Rather, they have been isolated objects, some of which have the dimensions of shipping containers. To date, no seabed features have been classified as category 1.
Source Above: ATSB and Phoenix International.
Ship movements:
GO Phoenix will depart the search area around March 6 to travel to Fremantle for a scheduled resupply visit. The vessel is expected to arrive in port around March 11.
Fugro Equator will depart the search area around March 24 to travel to Fremantle for a scheduled resupply visit. The vessel is expected to arrive in port around April 1.
Fugro Discovery will depart the search area around March 24 to travel to Fremantle for a scheduled resupply visit. The vessel is expected to arrive in port around April 1.
Fugro Supporter will depart the search area around April 2 to travel to Fremantle for a scheduled resupply visit. The vessel is expected to arrive in port around April 8.
Crew life on board search vessels
The crew of the vessels engaged in the search for MH 370 are deeply committed to their task. Crew work night and day, for weeks at a time and often in difficult conditions, to launch the search equipment and to monitor and analyse the data collected. In the following interview, Mr Paul Kennedy of Fugro talks about the challenges that the ship and its crew face.
Aboard Fugro Discovery, Paul Kennedy of Fugro describes the ship, her crew, the specialist equipment used, and the trials to test the functionality of the equipment. He also talks about the challenges and conditions that the ship and its crew face.
Mr Kennedy is the project director for the search for MH 370 on behalf of Fugro.
Source: ATSB, video by ABIS Chris Beerens, RAN.
Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. 9M-MRO lands at Kuala Lumpur before it went missing.
Boeing (Chicago, Seattle and Charleston) has announced the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has added Boeing South Carolina-built 787-9 Dreamliners to the company’s production certificate, PC 700. This allows Boeing to produce and deliver 787-9s from its South Carolina facility. 787-8 production was added to Boeing’s PC 700 certificate in July 2012.
The certificate is issued once an airplane manufacturer has demonstrated to the FAA that its facilities and quality management system meet the agency’s stringent safety and reliability requirements.
The addition of Boeing South Carolina’s 787-9 production to the Boeing production certificate follows a successful FAA Manufacturing Inspection District Office audit that validated the site’s compliance with the Boeing Quality Management System.
Copyright Photo: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. Brand new Boeing 787-9 G-VOOH (msn 37968) “Miss Chief” was delivered to Virgin Atlantic on February 4, 2015.
Hawaiian Airlines (Honolulu) has announced the completion of a comprehensive retrofit on the first of its 18 Boeing 717 aircraft, featuring an island-inspired interior cabin redesign and new lightweight Main Cabin seating from Acro Aircraft Seating Limited (below).
Above Photo: Hawaiian Airlines.
Previously, five different cabin configurations were operating among Hawaiian’s neighbor island fleet. When all reconfigurations are complete later this year, the identical galley, lavatory, and 128-seat configuration onboard each aircraft will provide a consistent onboard experience for travelers while decreasing the airline’s operational complexity.
Intended to evoke high-performance automotive design, the new Main Cabin seats complement the fast and reliable service of Hawaiian’s 20 to 60 minute flights. The seatbacks offer a ‘tablet table’ machined from solid aluminum, sized and designed for complimentary beverage service and the use of a tablet device.
The refreshed interior color palette connects travelers with the elements of the islands through earth tones, a deep aqua seat, and accents of fuchsia and sky blue. Contrast stitching in the upholstery brings out natural forms of the islands. Other design elements include new seat covers and leather arm caps in First Class; new carpeting, galley flooring and curtains; and new forward windows on certain aircraft.
The airline’s entire narrow-body fleet, which operates more than 160 short haul flights daily between the islands of the state, will be retrofitted to feature these new cabin enhancements by the end of 2015.
Top Copyright Photo: Ivan K. Nishimura/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 717-22A N475HA (msn 55121) taxies at the Honolulu hub.
Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) is expanding its service to the Hawaiian Islands, with new nonstop flights between San Diego and Kona, on the Big Island, starting today.
Kona is the fourth Hawaiian island that Alaska serves from San Diego. Alaska also flies to Honolulu, Kahului (Maui), and Lihue (Kauai). At the peak, Alaska will offer 27 flights a week to Hawaii from San Diego.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-890 N560AS (msn 35179) in the special “Spirit of the Islands” scheme taxies to the runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) flight DL 1086 from Atlanta to New York’s La Guardia Airport skidded off the runway this morning while attempting to land at LGA in winter weather conditions. The McDonnell Douglas MD-88 (N909DL, msn 49540) with 127 passengers and five crew members was attempting to land on runway 13 at approximately 11:05 am. The aircraft veered off the runway to the left and came to a stop up on a berm with the nose penetrating the security fence (approximate position marked X below). The right wing appears to have sustained some damage although this is unconfirmed. There was a minor leak of fuel.
Map Above: FAA.
According the NYNJPA, two aircraft had just landed on the same runway before DL 1086 and reported “good braking action”.
Below Photos: New York Fire Department: The nose and underside of N909DL also sustained damage.
All passengers and crew members safely exited the aircraft from the over-the-wing exits. Two passengers have been transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.
LaGuardia Airport was closed but has now reopened runway 4-22.
Delta issued this statement after the accident:
Delta employees, including volunteers of the Delta Care Team in and en route to New York, are assisting passengers of Delta flight 1086. Aircraft maintenance technicians, investigators and other Delta specialists also will arrive in New York shortly to assist with the investigation.
Delta Air Lines Flight 1086, a MD-88 en route from Atlanta to New York-LGA, exited Runway 13 during landing. The incident occurred at approximately 11 a.m. local time Thursday. There were 127 passengers and five crew members on board. Passengers deplaned and moved to the terminal on buses. Minor injuries have been reported.
The MD-88 involved in today’s incident was delivered new to Delta in 1987. The aircraft last had a major maintenance overhaul in December 2010. These overhauls are performed every seven or eight years, depending on aircraft type. Its most recent maintenance service check was March 3, 2015.
Delta has had approximately 230 cancellations today at New York-LGA as a result of winter weather and the closure of one runway. The airline is proactively assisting customers with their travel.
On March 6 Delta issued this update:
The aircraft (MD-88 N909DL) of Delta Air Lines Flight 1086 on March 5 has been moved to a hangar where investigators continue their work. Delta is fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board who is leading the investigation.
Delta is restricted from commenting on the investigation in order to ensure that this important work goes unimpeded.
Delta teams have worked through the night to begin returning belongings to customers. Road conditions are gradually improving in New York City which will speed up this effort. In the meantime, Delta has refunded each customer the full price of their airfare and remains in touch to assist customers with any other immediate needs.
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