civil aerospace Civilian aviation/aerospace thread

[colin traveller]

It's time we brought back Supersonic Airtravel ... the whingers can do one lol We need to . It's a matter of importance ...

 

[Junglejim]

KUALA LUMPUR -- Southeast Asia's biggest low-cost carrier AirAsia Group is set to reduce its workforce by up to 30% as founder Tony Fernandes considers selling a 10% stake in the airline to raise cash.

Desperately trying to stave off a cash flow crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic which has decimated the region's travel and tourism industry, AirAsia will also slash remaining staff salaries by up to 75% in an attempt the save the airline, the Nikkei Asian Review has learned.

AirAsia to slash workforce by 30%, considers 10% stake sale

South Korea's SK Corp among a trio of multinationals expressing interest

asia.nikkei.com

This must be how it feels like being in an atlantic convoy just seeing others ships get torpedoed and wondering if you will be next.

 

[BravoZulu]

A solitary Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX climbing vertically above sunlit clouds. 2nd June 2012. Image by Gary Eason / Flight Artworks

 

[Junglejim]

The initial report of the Pakistan Airline Crash, is hair raising ...

From the Actual report:
- 15NM they were still at 10000ft at @ 245kt
- They went Open Descend and AP disengaged on the FCU, applied speed brakes
- 10.5 NM still at 7221 ft and landing gear was lowered
- At 1740 ft and 5 NM still at 243 Kts, they have intercepted the ILS, raised the landing gear and retracted the speedbrakes. Flaps 1 was selected
- 500ft , Flaps 3 and Landing gears are still up, 220Kts and a descent rate of 2000ft/m
- Landed with the gear retracted (using the engines as the landing gear), went reversers and then... took off as they did a Go Around.

The hell did Airbus make those A320's from Soviet Tank parts?

AAIB - Final Investigation Reports

 

[TheKiwi]

The hell did Airbus make those A320's from Soviet Tank parts?

That would explain the rattling, shaking, groaning and random other noises I hear every time I've flown on one of Air NZ's A320...

 

[muck]

What's particularly "hair raising" in my humble opinion is the comms between the pilot and the air traffic controller. Apparently, the pilot flying the machine was the carrier's most senior pilot and he certainly seemed to have had the arrogance to show for it.

Pakistani investigators seem to be suggesting the crew was distracted by pandemic-related fears, apparently a vividly discussed subject inside the cockpit during the aircraft's descent.

But the fact is, the pilot essentially told the controller to piss off a couple of times when informed he was coming in too quickly and at too steep an angle; and when instructed to go around and begin the approach anew, the pilot simply informed him with a tone of annoyance he'd continue the approach regardless.

 

[Junglejim]

What's particularly "hair raising" in my humble opinion is the comms between the pilot and the air traffic controller. Apparently, the pilot flying the machine was the carrier's most senior pilot and he certainly seemed to have had the arrogance to show for it.

Pakistani investigators seem to be suggesting the crew was distracted by pandemic-related fears, apparently a vividly discussed subject inside the cockpit during the aircraft's descent.

But the fact is, the pilot essentially told the controller to piss off a couple of times when informed he was coming in too quickly and at too steep an angle; and when instructed to go around and begin the approach anew, the pilot simply informed him with a tone of annoyance he'd continue the approach regardless.

Oh those types of Pilots can be found in almost all Airlines. However, those guys would know what they were doing. From 10NM to 5NM they seem to have been descending at almost 3000ft/m specially around the 3000ft and below mark and maintaining 245Kt at that distances, is not the way to go about high speed approaches.

I would also like to see the corporate polices of the airline as that would have a big factor on what happened and the attitude of the Pilots. Mine for example enforces a go around mindset, in that the company will not even question you if you abandoned the approach and "go around." They will investigate though if you have an unstabilized approach at 1500 and 500 ft an continued.

This is also why I hate Pilots who re in a hurry all the time.

 

[colin traveller]

Today was the Final flight of the A380 Air France ..

Being retired after 11yrs ....


Their is planes of various types older than that still flying ....

 

[muck]

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It's the Ford Pinto all over again.

 

[muck]

A ferry flight by Helvetic Airways has just proven why small twinjets have become the industry's gold standard (at least for the time being). Setting a new record, the brand new E-190 E2 flew non-stop from Brazil to Switzerland. The 7,300 km (3,950 nm) journey, which lasted more than nine hours, suggests that the 737 and A318 will soon lose their position as the smallest commercial passenger aircraft making scheduled trips across the Atlantic Ocean. (Source, English)

 

[Picanha]

The A318 is just an exception as BA only flies one TA. 737 are more numerous.

But was is really increasing is the A321LR and soon XLR flying regular TA. Replacing the 757 on those routes.

I don`t think smaller twinjets like the E and C series will have much market share on those routes.

But you are right now with Corona and drastically lower passenger numbers on TA flights smaller a/c are better suited.

The A321XLR has 8700km range compared to the 5300km for the E2 (with single class no headwinds etc.)

You can fly the XLR from central Europe to the US eastcoast or to India. Airbus already sold over 240 of them.

The E and C series lack space for more fuel and the resulting structural reinforcements.

Oh those types of Pilots can be found in almost all Airlines. However, those guys would know what they were doing. From 10NM to 5NM they seem to have been descending at almost 3000ft/m specially around the 3000ft and below mark and maintaining 245Kt at that distances, is not the way to go about high speed approaches.

I would also like to see the corporate polices of the airline as that would have a big factor on what happened and the attitude of the Pilots. Mine for example enforces a go around mindset, in that the company will not even question you if you abandoned the approach and "go around." They will investigate though if you have an unstabilized approach at 1500 and 500 ft an continued.

This is also why I hate Pilots who re in a hurry all the time.

What a disaster. What was the reasoning in raising the gear again? A simple go around would have avoided this catastrophe.

They where simply to high and to go close. They just pressed it down by hook or by crook.

 

[Junglejim]

I have no idea, logic left that plane soon as they thought they can make the descent from 10000 within 10NM and still have a stabilized approach.

 

[muck]

Speaking of PIA, have you seen this absolute gem?

The European Union's Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has suspended Pakistan International Airlines' (PIA) authorisation to serve European member states over safety concerns, the agency says, days after a Pakistani inquiry found almost a third of active Pakistani pilots may have obtained their licences fraudulently. […] PIA grounded 150 of its 434 pilots on Friday following an announcement by the country's aviation minister that 262 of the country's 860 active pilots' licence holders may have obtained their credentials by committing examination fraud. (Source, English)

Spicy!

 

[colin traveller]

The Result of the Chinese Virus ..

British Airways to retire its entire 747 fleet immediately | Flightradar24 Blog

Due to COVID-19’s impact on aviation, British Airways will retire its entire 747 fleet now instead of a phased retirement as planned.

www.flightradar24.com

 

[colin traveller]

Icelandair has fired all of its flight attendants after failing to reach an agreement with the Cabin Crew Association of Iceland (FFI) over a new collective bargaining agreement and will instead replace them with pilots, not all of whom are currently required for flying duties due to the Corona crisis. The airline and cabin crew union leaders reached a stalemate over stalled negotiations earlier this month.


In a statement, the Reykjavík-based airline said “it has now become evident that a mutually agreed conclusion will not be reached” between Icelandair and cabin crew representatives. Icelandair had wanted cabin crew to agree to major concessions in pay and conditions written as part of the new agreement which would have lasted through to 2025.


A spokesperson for the airline said a new collective bargaining agreement was essential to “ensure the long-term competitiveness of the company while safeguarding the competitive compensation and working conditions of the Company’s cabin crew members.”


“Icelandair has been exploring other options regarding safety and service onboard its aircraft. As a result, the Company will instruct its pilots to assume responsibility for safety on board,” a statement from Icelandair continued.


While the airline didn’t detail exactly how these arrangements would work, it’s likely that extra pilots will be called to work flights in addition to the rostered Captain, First Officer and any other flight crew required on the flight deck.


The extra pilots will assume the normal positions of flight attendants in the passenger cabin and will be given expedited training in safety and emergency procedures. Similar tactics have been used by other airlines in the past, most notably British Airways, which used pilot volunteers to break a cabin crew strike in 2010.


Pilots are not normally given training on most cabin crew emergency duties as part of their everyday employment.


Icelandair doesn’t expect to provide much service training to pilots because onboard services remain heavily curtailed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.


The move to replace fully trained cabin crew with pilots will only be a temporary measure and Icelandair intends to seek an alternative union partner. Icelandair suggested cabin crew would have no chance of being allowed back even if they agree to a new contract saying it would “permanently terminate the employment of its current cabin crew members.”


It’s not clear whether aviation regulators may raise objections about losing all of the experience that cabin crew at the airline have acquired.


Pilots will take over all safety duties from July 20.

 

[Gaz]

Similar tactics have been used by other airlines in the past, most notably British Airways, which used pilot volunteers to break a cabin crew strike in 2010.

.....

Pilots will take over all safety duties from July 20.

I flew longhaul with BA during that cabin strike in 2010 - from a passenger point of view, it was great. They pulled office staff, gave them basic safety training in evacuating an aircraft and put them on flights - it was wonderful because we gave up hot meals (they weren't qualified in using the galley ovens) and in return had super-enthusiastic cabin crew who were normally office staff (Mine was a project manager) who had a free holiday to Miami, loved every minute of it, and handed out booze like it was going out of fashion.

On the second point though, am not convinced they can train a fleet of pilots in cabin crew duties in two days.

 

[Junglejim]

I flew longhaul with BA during that cabin strike in 2010 - from a passenger point of view, it was great. They pulled office staff, gave them basic safety training in evacuating an aircraft and put them on flights - it was wonderful because we gave up hot meals (they weren't qualified in using the galley ovens) and in return had super-enthusiastic cabin crew who were normally office staff (Mine was a project manager) who had a free holiday to Miami, loved every minute of it, and handed out booze like it was going out of fashion.

On the second point though, am not convinced they can train a fleet of pilots in cabin crew duties in two days.

Though we would suck dicks for flight time, we also have patience of a pitbull in a cage. So experiences with stubborn passengers may vary.

But it seems that "entitled" cabin crews due to their unions isnt just a problem here. Last town hall meeting we have with the company heads and our sister airline, the "flag carrier." All the pilots were united in saying "we are willing to take pay cuts to keep the pilots jobs," while the cabin crew was "When will we get our full benefits back and can start bidding on which flights to take"

 

[muck]

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[colin traveller]

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[digrar]

But it seems that "entitled" cabin crews due to their unions isnt just a problem here. Last town hall meeting we have with the company heads and our sister airline, the "flag carrier." All the pilots were united in saying "we are willing to take pay cuts to keep the pilots jobs," while the cabin crew was "When will we get our full benefits back and can start bidding on which flights to take"

Is that a surprise? Using Qantas for an example, Pilots are on 150-450K, Cabin Crew on 60-80K. One mob are mostly well set up, the other living pay to pay.