Boeing loses out as Kenya Airways goes to Brazil for Embraer jets

Kenya Airways will this morning sign a purchase agreement that will see the national carrier buy up to 26 jets from Brazilian firm Embraer in a deal that aligns the airline’s expansion plan and threatens the dominance of US aircraft maker Boeing.

The national carrier has been aggressively moving into new markets, especially in Africa, a move that has put a strain on its fleet, which stood at 31 in March.

An Embraer spokesperson yesterday said the deal will include the supply of 10 jets and the rights for KQ to purchase an additional 16 whose delivery is expected from the second half of next year.

“The deal also includes purchase rights for 16 aircraft, which could be either the Embraer 190 or other models of the E-Jet family,” Ghislain Bouman, the firm’s press officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa said in an interview with the Business Daily.

KQ’s decision to buy Brazilian jets, which are mainly used in domestic and short regional routes, is set to shift the balance of power in the sale of planes in Kenya that has remained in the hands of Boeing.

It is also a blow to European Airbus whom Kenya Airways has been mulling to offer contracts following delays by Boeing to deliver planes agreed on in 2006.

Of the 31 planes KQ is operating, 25 are Boeing and six from Embraer, up from three held two years ago.

The Brazilian firm has in the past year launched a charm offensive in Africa as it seeks to cut the dominance of Boeing and Airbus.

This is in line with the push by Brazil to boost trade with continent as emerging countries gradually shift their economic dependence away from rich nations.

Trade between Brazil and Africa has increased more than five-fold to $26 billion since 2003 and its embassies in the region have doubled to 34 in its quest to grow business for their companies.

Embraer has been angling for a piece of the African Market following recent expansion announcements by airlines. In his recent visit to Kenya, Mr Mathieu Duquesnoy, Embraer’s Vice President - Commercial Aviation, Middle East & Africa – who will also be presiding over today’s signing said his firm was willing to arrange credit lines through the Brazilian government’s export credit agency for smaller airlines wishing to buy its planes.

Industry data shows that Africa is expected to generate demand of upto 800 aircrafts before 2030.

For KQ, the new planes will help rev up its earnings through increased passenger traffic on its current and planned new routes as well as bring on board fuel efficient jets - a key profit driver since fuel accounts form a significant portion of the airline’s operating costs.

“As we continue to focus on the expansion of our network with longer routes from our hub in Nairobi, the acquisition of new Embraer 190s is key to our growth strategy,” said Kenya Airways’ managing director Titus Naikuni in June when the national carrier expressed its intent to buy more Brazilian jets.

“The E190 jet fits well with our expansion strategy, giving us an opportunity to expand our network and increase our frequencies.”

The firm is keen on planes that consume less fuel and have lower maintance costs as it races to put a lid on costs at a moment when its faced with ballooning costs compounded by employee wages.

Its share price has also fallen by over 36 per cent in the past year to the current price of Sh31.25.

Battle for travellers

The Embraer deal will add fresh impetus to the ongoing battle for African travellers pitting Kenya Airways, Ethiopia Airlines and South African Airlines.

It also signals Kenya Airways’ shifting preference towards the cheaper Brazilian aircraft, while cooling off debate over the rivalry between Boeing and Airbus, which Kenya Airways was planning to turn to following delay in the delivery of nine Boeing planes, commonly referred to as Dreamliners.

KQ has announced plans to start flying into Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Beirut in Lebanon in addition to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso launched recently.

Other routes on its radar include Abuja in Nigeria, Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro, Port Louis in Mauritius and Asmara in Eritrea in a push to connect more African cities from Nairobi in a market that generates 49 per cent of its Sh85.8 billion revenues. Its net profit grew to Sh3.5 billion in the year to March compared to Sh2 billion in a smilar period last year.

The firm plans to raise Sh20 billion this year, according to Kestrel Capital, to fund the acquisitions.

Source:  http://www.businessdailyafrica.com

Bimini seaplanes will soar again. The 30-minute charter from South beach is sold out for Labor Day weekend.

August 29, 2011

Biminites will see the return of seaplane service from South Florida, as a new charter operator reports the upcoming U.S. Labor Day weekend is already fully booked up.

The 30-minute charter will be operated by South Beach Seaplanes and offer service out of Watson Island, Miami Beach, directly to the Bimini Seaplane Station in North Bimini, just minutes away from the Bimini Bay Resort & Marina. It is one of the features the seaplane's founder, Christian Eiroa, said would make the route attractive to many South Floridians.

"South Beach Seaplanes will offer a very high level of personalized service and comfort, while giving busy South Floridians and vacationers the option of flying when their schedules permit on one of the safest aircrafts available for seaplane travel," Eiroa said. 

In an interview with Guardian Business, Eiroa estimated South Miami travellers to Bimini via airplane had to contend with an hour drive plus a two-hour airport wait just to get to Bimini. Once there, he said most of those travellers were headed to the Bimini Bay resort, adding a taxi and boat ferry ride to their travel time. According to Eiroa, South Beach Seaplanes will eliminate much of that time and hassle, which is part of its high-end service pitch.

"When we host people in Miami, we want to give them high-end service," Eiroa said. "I fly a lot and by the time passengers make it to the airplane, we are so frustrated. So we are trying to eliminate that traumatic experience as soon as they step onto the airplane."Bimini Bay's general manager, Bill Lee, welcomed the additional airlift and service levels the charter is promising.

"We are excited seaplanes have returned to Bimini Bay Resort & Marina," said Lee.

"The personalized service guests will receive on South Beach Seaplanes will only enhance their trip to Bimini, with that high-class service continuing once they arrive at the resort."The charter will operate a nine-seater Cessna Caravan N578DD amphibious craft for an introductory price of $999 each way. That translates to less than $230 round trip at full capacity. The service will also provide another option for Biminites wishing to travel to Miami. Passengers will be able to take the "empty-leg" - the unchartered portion of the Miami-Bimini route, for $150.

Due to restrictions in the charter license, those seats cannot be scheduled and sold like a typical airline. Eiroa said the company is actively working on setting up a calendar on its website, however, so it is easy to access what the availability for those legs is.Many will remember the storied Bimini-Miami seaplane service operated by Chalk's International Airways. Started in February 1919, it was reputed to have been a rum-runner during prohibition times. By the 1990s it serviced Paradise Island - making marine take-offs and landings in Nassau Harbour a common site.

Chalks was a contender for the title of oldest continuing operating airline in the world when, just a few minutes after takeoff on December 19, 2005, Flight 101 crashed into Government Cut channel off Miami Beach. Twenty souls, including two crew members, 11 Bahamian passengers and seven American passengers, never made it to Bimini as a result of that tragedy.Chalks was flying a Grumman G-73T Turbine Mallard on that ill-fated flight, which investigators concluded crashed as a result of fatigue failure in the right wing. The South Beach Seaplanes charter will be flying the Cessna Caravan N578DD, which Eiroa says is now one of the most common seaplanes in use, and among the safest forms of air travel available.

It is one of the latest models of the Caravan, with Eiroa saying it is in common use by companies like DHL and Fedex.

Travellers may feel safer flying the new charter because of a trick Eiroa said he learned from his wife - fly low. The seaplane will only fly at about 1,000 feet altitude, he said.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian>

Royal Air Force jets escort Nigerian aircraft to Cambridge airport

A plane from the Nigerian Air Force has had to be escorted into Cambridge Airport by two RAF fighter jets.

The Hercules was flying into Cambridge for maintenance work but had a radio failure over France and was shadowed by fighters for hundreds of miles.

Its arrival at the airport at 19:30 BST on Saturday was accompanied by a high level of security.

Marshall Aerospace at Cambridge are specialists in servicing transport planes from all over the world.

The escorting RAF Typhoon jets took over from French Mirage jets as the Hercules entered British airspace.

They then circled Cambridge airport for some time before returning to Lincolnshire, while police and special branch waited on the ground.

The Nigerian crew were interviewed by immigration officials before being cleared for entry.

The MoD said: "Quick reaction alert aircraft are launched to intercept aircraft which cannot be identified by another means, i.e the aircraft is not talking to Air Traffic Control, has not filed a flight plan and is not transmitting a recognisable radar code."

The Nigerian aircraft is expected to be at Cambridge airport for four months.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Sikorsky S-92A: St. John's chopper makes emergency landing

A Cougar helicopter flight that left Monday morning destined for offshore rig east of Newfoundland turned around and made an emergency landing in St. John's without incident.

Emergency vehicles were called to the Cougar airbase at the St. John's International Airport before the Sikorsky S-92A chopper landed after noon.

The flight was originally scheduled to land on the Henry Goodrich offshore drilling rig, which is currently working for Statoil.

A Cougar helicopter crashed into the ocean east of St. John's on March 12, 2009, killing 17 of the 18 people onboard.

That helicopter was also returning to St. John's on an aborted flight to offshore oil production facilities.

Source:  http://www.cbc.ca

Poland exhumes victim of 2010 plane crash that killed president and 95 others. Tupolev 154M. Smolensk Air Base, Russia.

The remains of an MP who died in the April 2010 Smolensk plane disaster have been exhumed at the request of his daughter.

Zbigniew Wassermann; photo - PAP archives

Krakow-born Zbigniew Wassermann was an MP for the national-conservative Law and Justice party (PiS).

According to the prosecutor's office, the undertaking has not been made due to any doubts that Mr Wassermann was incorrectly identified.

Rather, the examination is being conducted due to “doubts [raised by his daughter Malgorzata] concerning the assertions contained in the documentation of the forensic examination received from Russia.”

Prosecutors added that “out of consideration for the victim's closest family” precise details of the examination would not be discussed.

However, the work is expected to be completed in a matter of days.

The case of Zbigniew Wassermann is not unique. Indeed, the family of Przemyslaw Gosiewski, another Law and Justice MP who perished in Smolensk, has filed for a similar undertaking to be carried out.

After inconsistencies were discovered between old Polish hospital records and the results of a Russian autopsy, the Polish miliary's prosecutor's office decided to exhume the body of the late Law and Justice MP Zbigniew Wassermann in Kraków on Monday morning.

Mr Wassermann died in the April 10, 2010 airplane crash in Smolensk, Russia, that killed a total of 97 people, including President Lech Kaczyński.

The request to exhume Mr Wassermann's body was made by his daughter, Małgorzata Wassermann.

When interviewed by TVN24 reporters she said that, “there is no doubt that the document from the Russian autopsy is a fraud.”

She said that her father had undergone a serious operation 21 years ago which resulted in the removal of some of his organs. According to the Russian autopsy, however, her father still had those organs, she said.

Investigators then looked at Mr Wassermann's medical records before deicding to exhume his body.

Ms Wassermann could not reveal what the Russians had written as the cause of her father's death, explaining that the information was sensitive as it formed part of the investigation.

From Warsaw Business Journal by Ella Pałka

Source:  http://www.wbj.pl

New Aberdeen business park 'to create up to 2,000 jobs'. (Scotland)

Artist's impression of ABZ development The plan is for a 54-acre business development at Dyce in Aberdeen

Up to 2,000 jobs could be created at a new business park next to Aberdeen Airport, it has been claimed.

Plans for the £100m 54-acre construction at Dyce - called ABZ - have been unveiled, led by Ribnort.

The aim is to have the business park's units ready for occupation from summer next year.

George Stevenson, founding director of Ribnort, said: "Attracting new and retaining existing business in the north east is vital to the economy."

He added: "The site, which comprises the land between Dyce Drive, Aberdeen Airport and Wellheads Drive, is in an absolutely ideal position in terms of its location adjacent to the A96 and the future Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

"Securing a four-star hotel at ABZ will further boost the region's reputation as a tourism destination."

Airport managing director Derek Provan said: "I am delighted that after a number of years in the planning, Ribnort and Aberdeen Airport have been able to deliver a robust development plan for this site."

The land is earmarked for business park development in Aberdeen City Council's local development plan, and detailed planning permission is being dealt with.

Enterprise, planning and infrastructure convener Kate Dean said: "The city council is committed to providing much-needed high-quality development land to allow our industries to grow in order to help our local economy and to keep Aberdeen at the forefront of the Scottish and UK economies.

"This major scheme is an excellent example of the city council, the developer and Transport Scotland working together to secure major development in a strategic location close to Aberdeen Airport and the line of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route."

Read More:  http://news.stv.tv

An 'aerial ballet': dedicated pilot had a gift for getting the shot. ABC helicopter pilot Gary Ticehurst, 1950-2011

ABC helicopter pilot Gary Ticehurst, pictured covering the Sydney to Hobart yacht race for the 25th time. Picture: James Elsby 

Source: The Australian 

Pilot Gary Ticehurst

Gary Ticehurst potentially helped save the lives of 20 plus sailors by hovering over their stricken vessels throughout the day in horrendous conditions, answering their Mayday calls and passing crucial information on to search and rescue officials.

Ticehurst had covered more than 29 Sydney to Hobarts from the air, making him one of the most experienced pilots in world sailing. Every year he brought stunning pictures to the ABC’s TV audience and enabled radio reporters to close in on the action.

Cinematographer Andy Taylor ACS describes how valuable his flying skills were to a shoot,

“With little more than a nod and a wink to the cameraman, he would manoeuvre into position, then literally ‘fly the shot’ like some kind of magical camera platform. Beautiful creative shots that usually developed into breathtaking and picturesque reveals, sometimes tracking around the subject at very low levels. He would occasionally cue the cameraman to slowly zoom as he slowed the chopper to a hover, but generally all we needed to do was hold the camera as steady as possible, watch the horizon and hit the record button.”

Fellow chopper pilot Dick Smith knew Ticehurst well and said the crash had shocked the tightly knit helicopter community.

“He was a lovely bloke; we’re going to miss him greatly.

A memorial service for Gary Ticehurst will be held at Rushcutters Bay Park, Sydney, at 11.30am today.

Gary Ticehurst, aviator for the military, police and the media, did many things in his life but nothing was as demanding as the 1998 Sydney-Hobart yacht race. The fleet was stricken by a deadly storm and he was obliged to perform far above the call of duty. Taking a mayday call from the yacht Winston Churchill, he deployed for hours, hovering above the flailing vessels and directing rescue craft.

Controlling his machine, with his own media crew on board, he survived merciless buffeting by howling winds in what might be regarded as the performance of his life. He was credited with saving more than 20 lives. Even in normal conditions, he was capable of reading ''the wind, the light and the sea'' and performing an ''aerial ballet'', an ABC cameraman said.

Gary Edwin Ticehurst was born in Newcastle on October 10, 1950, son of a customs officer, Ted Ticehurst, and Wanda (nee Fenton). The family moved to Narwee in Sydney's south and Ticehurst went to Narwee Boys High. He received a scholarship at the University of NSW and studied mechanical engineering.

Ticehurst was keen on Australian football and made surfboards that he sold to keep himself in pocket money. He did not finish his degree, joining the army instead. He attended the Officer Training Unit, Scheyville, in 1972 and became a second lieutenant. He then went to Point Cook in Victoria to do a course in military aviation.

Ticehurst was posted to the 161 Reconnaissance Squadron based at Holsworthy but flew assignments throughout Australia. He also served as an exchange officer in Britain and with the British Army in Germany.

Ticehurst married a secretary, Anne Baxter, in 1979 and a year later left the army. He did a course at the NSW Police Academy and became a helicopter pilot in the newly formed Police Air Wing.

He stayed with the police for 18 months, then formed his own company, G & A Helicopters, which secured a contract with the ABC. Ticehurst had two children, Michelle, born in 1982, and Matthew, born in 1986.

As a television helicopter pilot, Ticehurst knew what was needed and often thought of the shots before the cameramen. He formed another company, Film Helicopters Australia, and worked on films such as Australia - allowing brilliant footage of the Kimberley landscape - the Matrix series, Superman Returns, Fool's Gold and many others. Director Bruce Hunt said: ''Gary's enthusiasm and talent made the shots sing.''

Ticehurst and Baxter divorced in 2005 and he later married a management consultant, Teresa Hall. He kept up his work, flying a twin-engine Squirrel for years. During his flying career, he chalked up more than 16,000 chopper hours. The Squirrel served Ticehurst well until the final tragic moments on August 18, when it crashed at Lake Eyre, killing him, ABC journalist Paul Lockyer and cameraman John Bean.

Ticehurst is survived by his father, his widow, his former wife and children, son-in-law Damien Smith, and sisters Glenys Holmes and Denise Mackey and their families. He was looking forward to the birth of his first two grandchildren.

Malcolm Brown

A memorial service for Gary Ticehurst will be held at Rushcutters Bay Park, Sydney, at 11.30am today.

Source:  http://www.smh.com.au

Securing Planes At South Jersey Regional Airport (KVAY) Mount Holly, New Jersey.

In the wake of Hurricane Irene hitting the county this weekend, the South Jersey Regional Airport in Lumberton has opened their hangars to house privately owned planes to ride out the storm. In the photo, Ryan Forbeck from Shamong, who works the flight line, wheel chocks one of the planes.

http://www.phillyburbs.com

Kochi international airport partially opened. Runway excursion. Gulf Air Airbus A320-200, A9C-AG, Performing Flight GF-270. India.

The Hindu The Gulf Air aircraft, stuck in slush, after it shot off the runway at the Cochin International Airport on Monday.

Photo: H. Vibhu.

The runway at Cochin International Airport, which was closed from the early hours following an accident involving a Gulf Air flight, was partially opened for flight service by afternoon.

Airport officials told Business Line that three flights had landed at the airport, that of Oman Airways, Sri Lankan Airlines and IX 411 Air India Express. The officials said that only 10 domestic flights and an international flight were cancelled and the remaining flights were rescheduled.

Meanwhile, the two-member team from the DGCA led by Assistant Director, Mr Durai Raj, has reached CIAL and started their investigations. The ferry flight of Air India carrying the rescue operation equipment to lift the nose wheel system and tow the damaged flight is expected to reach any time.

The airport company has also engaged two of its cranes of 50 and 60 tonnes capacity to lift the aircraft that had skidded off the runway into the muddy area damaging its nose wheel. CIAL has also engaged a bigger size crane of 100-tonne capacity from Cochin Shipyard Ltd to support the clearing of the damaged aircraft from the runway.

The Gulf Air flight A320 had shot off the runway at the city's international airport as it touched down the tarmac early this morning. The accident occurred at 3.50 a.m. Airport officials attributed the accident to turbulent weather and the consequent low visibility standards.

Operations at Cochin International Airport will be back to normal by 11.30 p.m. tonight.

The runway needed at least 3,100 metres to operate for bigger aircraft like 737s.

The Gulf Air flight from Bahrain, which was involved in the accident, is lying 31 metres right to the central line. The exact position of the flight right now is 2,300 metres south of 09 westerly approach, he said.

Except for one passenger, airport officials could complete the check-out formalities within 55 minutes after the incident, Mr Kurien said.

One person, who suffered fracture, has been hospitalised while six others were discharged after giving first aid. 

Source:   http://www.thehindubusinessline.com

VIDEO: Gulf Air passenger plane skids. Runway excursion. Airbus A320-200, A9C-AG, Performing Flight GF-270. Kochi, India.

The emergency exits of a Gulf Air passenger plane are seen deployed after it skidded off the runway at the Kochi International airport in the southern Indian state of Kerala August 29, 2011. According to the commander of the Gulf Air flight, heavy rains were the main cause for the aircraft to skid off the runway while landing. At least one person suffered injuries. 

REUTERS

Watch Video - NDTV

Portuguese airline TAP to be privatized despite rise in losses

Lisbon, Portugal, 29 Aug – The Portuguese government has kept airline TAP – Air Portugal on its list of privatisations to be carried out despite the company posting increased losses in the first half of the year, according to the Portuguese press.

In the first six months of 2011, the company posted a loss of 137 million euros, as compared to a loss of 79 million euros in the same period of 2010.

The 73.4 percent rise in losses was mainly due to a rise in fuel prices, an expense that rose 43 percent between January and June, reaching a total of 325 million euros.

The agreement between the Portuguese government and the group know as the “troika” made up of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Commission (EC) and the European Central Bank (ECB), decided that the airline should be privatised along with airport manager ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, rail cargo company CP Carga, water company Águas de Portugal, postal company Correios (CTT), television station Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP) and the insurance arm of state financial group Caixa Geral de Depósitos.

The International Airlines Group (which resulted from the merger of British Airways and Spain’s Iberia) has already requested details of the operation.

TAP’s 10 routes to Brazil, with a total of 75 flights per week, are the main attraction for airlines such as Qatar Airways and Angola’s Taag.

A partnership with TAM-LAN, which was the result of a merger between Brazil’s TAM and Chile’s LAN, is also seen by specialists as more beneficial in terms of developing TAP’s Brazilian and African routes, which have potential growth of 7 percent by 2014. 

Source:   http://www.macauhub.com

Victims names have been released in deadly helicopter crash. Eurocopter AS 350B2 Ecureuil, N352LN. Midwest National Air Center (KGPH), Mosby, Missouri.

Randy Bever, 47, Chris Frakes, 36, James Freudenberg, 34, and Terry Tacoronte, 58

 

MOSBY, Mo. -- Names have been released of the victims on board the deadly helicopter crash that killed four people near Kansas City.

Randy Bever,47, Chris Frakes, 36, James Freudenberg, 34, were killed on the medical chopper when it crashed Friday night near Mosby. Terry Tacoronte, 58, a patient on board, was also killed.

The crew was on their way to a local airport to refuel before they went down and now the NTSB is looking into the possibility that they ran out of gas.

Jim Silliman of the NTSB said, "Well, there's a lot of possibilities. We're certainly looking at that because he had notified the airport that he was coming in for fuel, so that certainly is a main area of concern that we're looking at as a possibility. There's other possibilities as well."

Officials say the chopper took off from a hospital in Saint Joseph. They say the skies were clear when the helicopter went down.

Source: http://www.ky3.com

Gulf Air flight GF 270 overshoots runway at Kochi airport, 7 injured.

At least seven passengers were injured when a Gulf Air flight from Bahrain with 137 passengers on board, deviated from the runway just before landing at the Kochi International airport early Monday. The runway has been closed for bigger aircraft following the incident, airport director ACK Nair said.

One passenger who was injured has been admitted to a nearby hospital and the others were discharged after first aid. It would take another 10 hours for the airport to be fully operational. However, smaller ATR aircrafts can land, he said.

The Gulf Air flight GF 270 with six crew which deviated from the runway at 4.10am on Monday morning. Some passengers in panic, jumped down from the aircraft through the emergency door even before the ladder was brought to the flight, airport sources said.

Saithmohed (47) from Palakkad who suffered some fractures has been hospitalized.

According to sources, the mishap could have occurred due to heavy wind and rain at the time of landing of the aircraft.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com

Belite aircraft crash. Owasso, Oklahoma. (With Video)

It's a quick and nimble aircraft, a Belite aircraft, seen here in a promotional video, but Sunday evening, the whir of the engine was replaced with a much different sound.

"Heard a loud boom or bang or whatever," said neighbor Frank Robertson.

He lives just a few hundred yards away from where the aircraft owner lives.

"The airplane hangar two houses over," he said.

And that would be the sum total of the distance for this very short flight.

"He took off next door, went up, banked, turned and hit the building," said Robertson.

The propeller? Smashed to bits, the landing gear, bent. A red parachute, un-deployed. The pilot, alert and awake.

"He was conscious, looking around, as far as we can tell he may have bruised some ribs and maybe a slight concussion," he said.

A landing you probably won't find on a promotional video, but any one that a pilot can walk away from has got to be a good one.

Source: http://www.ktul.com

Mother of schoolgirl Jacinda Twigg killed in Angel flight crash succumbs to injuries. Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee C, VH-POJ. Wallup, near Horsham, Victoria, Australia.

Julie-Ann Twigg

Jacinda Twigg got on with life despite her pain only to die in a plane crash. 

 

The plane crashed into a paddock in Wallup in bad weather. 

Picture: Jon Hargest

 

 

The mother of a girl who was killed in a light plane crash in western Victoria two weeks ago has died in hospital in Melbourne this morning, just hours before her daughter was due to be buried in their hometown.

Julie-Ann Twigg was critically injured in the Angel Flight crash that killed her 15-year-old daughter Jacinda and the plane’s pilot, Don Kernot two weeks ago.

As the small town of Nhill, in western Victoria, prepared to farewell Jacinda at a funeral this afternoon, the Twigg family confirmed that Mrs Twigg had died in the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Mrs Twigg, 43, suffered critical head and chest injuries in the August 15 crash and was flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Last week her condition improved from critical to serious, however at the time her husband Len Twigg said she was still to undergo a number of surgeries.

He said his wife had woken from the coma and asked about Jacinda, but he did not want to tell his wife that their daughter was dead until after she had undergone further surgery.

He suspected his wife knew that Jacinda had died, he said.

"I think she does. She did ask me," Mr Twigg said.

"I don’t want to tell her yet because when she has the operation she will be obviously put back under quite heavily and then when she comes back again we’ll probably have to tell her again. I just want to try and wait and tell her one time so we can grieve together and she won’t have to go through more pain than she has to."

Jacinda and Mr Kernot were killed instantly when the light plane that had transported Jacinda to a medical appointment in Melbourne crashed in a paddock at Wallup, about 40 kms north of Horsham, on August 15.

A farmer called triple-0 about 6.30pm after seeing a low-flying plane and then hearing a loud crash, and the wreckage was found two hours later.

Jacinda was taking her 20th trip with the Angel Flight charity to receive treatment for juvenile arthritis when the plane crashed in a paddock at Wallup, near Horsham, on August 15.

Mourners were gathering to farewell Jacinda at a funeral to be held this afternoon from 2pm.

A memorial service was held last week at her secondary school.

On a Facebook page dedicated to Mrs Twigg, family and friends have begun paying tribute to the 43-year-old.

‘‘Well Julie has found her peace and passed away this morning, glad that she will be with beautiful Jacinda, so sad for Len on an already sad day xxx,’’ wrote Shirley Twigg.

‘‘Thank you for all the prayers and love and light, I know we all helped make Julie’s journey a little better and gave the family some peace during a sad sad time, I’m glad we kept the faith and hope, and I’m so thankful that Len had some time with the love of his life.’’

Dean Miller, the chief executive of the local shire council said it was an absolute tragedy.

‘‘All the signs indicated that she was pulling through and becoming more alert, for this to happen on the day of the funeral is an absolute tragedy,’’ he said.

Ms Twigg’s husband Len worked at the Hindmarsh Shire Council.

With Paul Millar

Source: http://www.theage.com.au

Hand-built aircraft focus of National Transportation Safety Board study.

DETROIT – The hand-built biplane pilot Bob Richards brought to an air show in a neighboring county Sunday is the type of aircraft that has come under scrutiny by federal safety officials studying the accident rate among amateur-built planes.

Richards, 41, of Joliet, Ill., once glided another hand-built plane down after the engine quit because the person who built it wired the battery wrong.

Yet he doesn't worry about his safety in a hand-built plane. "There are a lot of accidents that don't have anything to do with how it was built," said Richards, noting pilot error, weather and the difficulty of flying high-performance planes.

Nevertheless, a higher rate of accidents in amateur-built aircraft has prompted a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) study.

In 2009, an average of 12 factory-built planes flown for recreational or personal use crashed for every 100,000 hours flown, causing two fatalities, according to Vern Ellingstad, chief technical adviser for investigations and research in the NTSB's Office of Research and Engineering. For amateur-built planes, the number jumps to an average of 25 crashes and seven fatalities, Ellingstad said.

To explain the disparity, the NTSB is working with the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the nation's largest organization of recreational fliers of handmade and commercially built aircraft, asking fliers to complete an online survey.

The 68-question survey, available at www.eaa.org through Wednesday, asks participants about everything from their pilot's license and how they learned to fly their home-built plane to why they built it and if the plane has been modified. The EAA and NTSB hope to report findings in the spring.

About 33,000 amateur-built aircraft are registered with the Federal Aviation Administration, out of 224,000 planes flown for recreational or personal use in the U.S., according to figures on the EAA website.

Ellingstad said the aim of the survey is to compare all hand-built planes and pilots to those involved in accidents. "Trying to pin these things down systematically might explain the higher risk of accidents. Whether there are regulatory things that the FAA should do, it's quite early to be speculating about that now," he said.

Amateur woodworker Tom Vukonich, 65, has been working for 14 years on a replica of the biplane Charles Lindbergh flew as a mail carrier before he made the first solo non-stop flight across the Atlantic. Enamored with the plane's history, he decided to take on the project after seeing an Arizona man's replica featured in a magazine.

The aircraft hangs in an outbuilding in the yard of his retirement home. He expects to fly it in 2013, after hundreds of hours of work — and an FAA safety inspection.

Vukonich said he's glad a group with the EAA's enthusiasm for amateur-built craft is part of the study and will have input on the results. "I'm interested in the truth," he said.

Source:  http://www.usatoday.com

Cathay Pacific gives away 1,800 air tickets as 'Connecting Your World' contest draws to a close

28 August 2011 -- Cathay Pacific Airways announced today that 900 people from the 18 districts of Hong Kong have won 1,800 round-trip air tickets in the airline's "Connecting Your World" Contest, held as part of the celebrations to mark 100 years of aviation in the city.

"Connecting Your World" invited local residents to share their thoughts on how air transport connects Hong Kong with the world, from the creation of jobs and business and learning opportunities, to building bridges between people and places, and enriching the culture and lifestyles of local people.

The contest drew to a close today with a prize-presentation ceremony held at Windsor House in Causeway Bay. Cathay Pacific Chief Executive John Slosar hosted the event with Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council, The Honourable Leung Chun-Ying, and Director General of Civil Aviation Norman Lo as officiating guests.

Over the past 65 years, Cathay Pacific has played an integral role in the growth of the local aviation industry, and as the city's home carrier the airline is committed to securing Hong Kong's position as an international aviation hub and prime tourist and business destination. The airline has worked tirelessly to promote aviation to the Hong Kong public and through "Connecting Your World" invited people to share their thoughts on how air transport relates to their daily lives.

More than 6,000 submissions were received over a two-month period, ranging from literary works and photos to graphic illustrations and video clips. All the submissions were carefully screened and the champion and top 50 entries from each of the 18 districts were selected by a judging panel consisting of a creative professional and representatives from the district council office and Cathay Pacific.

The champion in each district will receive two Economy Class round-trip tickets to any destination served by Cathay Pacific and Dragonair, while the other 49 winners in each district will receive a pair of Economy Class round-trip tickets to any regional destination served by the two airlines. The contest results can be found on the contest website, www.cathaypacific.com/connectingyourworld, where the 18 winning entries can also be viewed.

Speaking at the ceremony, Cathay Pacific Chief Executive John Slosar remarked on the success of the Hong Kong International Airport which has won numerous "World's Best Airport" awards, and that Hong Kong is now acknowledged as one of the leading international hubs for both passenger traffic and freight.

He said: "This is a remarkable achievement and we at Cathay Pacific are extremely proud to have been a part of Hong Kong's success story. We are delighted to have this opportunity to share our success with the community by giving away 1,800 air tickets to residents."

Mr. Leung Chun-Ying said that air travel, more than anything else, has made the world bigger and smaller at the same time. "The world has become bigger because we can now easily visit, work or live in faraway countries, while only decades ago we only read about them. Now that we are all connected, the world has become smaller at the same time. Without leaving Hong Kong, we can now mingle with visitors and enjoy products and produce from countries that we were unfamiliar with," he said.

Director General of Civil Aviation Mr Norman Lo spoke about the strong connectivity of the Hong Kong International Airport in the celebration event. He remarked that the airport, as the gateway to the Mainland and the rest of the world, enjoys the additional competitive advantage that 50% of the world's population is within five hours' flying time.

As the public consultation period for the Hong Kong International Airport Master Plan 2030 draws to an end, Mr Lo also encouraged the public to join hands to continue strengthening Hong Kong's position as an international and regional aviation hub.

The Connecting Your World Contest was organised with the support of the Home Affairs Department as part of its "Get into Discovery" campaign. Throughout 2011, Cathay Pacific has run a number of initiatives to tie in with the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department's celebrations to mark the centenary of powered flight in Hong Kong, including placing a specially designed commemorative logo on a Boeing 747-400 aircraft, taking part in an aircraft pull event that set a new Guinness World Record, and an Aviation Knowledge Contest which attracted more than 780 local secondary students to compete for much-coveted prizes including a trip to the Boeing factory in Seattle.

For more information, please visit http://www.cathaypacific.com

(press release)

http://www.asahi.com

Gulf Air receives official global safety audit certification

Gulf Air passes safety audit requirements to get IATA certification

Manama: Gulf Air on Sunday said it has officially received its IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

In May this year, the Bahraini national carrier renewed its place on the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) Registry until 2013 after successfully completing the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) safety audit requirements.

"The IOSA certification reassures our customers that they are flying with an airline that conforms to strict international safety standards. Passenger safety is top priority for Gulf Air and the IOSA certificate is a testament to our commitment that we fly our aircraft to the highest level of operational safety," Gulf Air's Chief Operations Officer, Capt. Nasser Al Salmi, said in a statement.

Source:  http://gulfnews.com

Gulf Air Airbus A320 skids off runway at Kochi airport, 7 injured. (India)

Kochi: A Gulf Air flight from Bahrain overshot the runway at Kochi airport on Monday. 137 passengers were on board, seven have been injured and the others are safe.

Airbus 320 Gulf Air was coming from Bahrain to Kochi. It overshot the runway while it was landing at the airport around 3:55 am on Monday.

The Kochi airport has been closed for 10 hours following the incident.

Source: http://ibnlive.in.com

Small Plane Crashes In Owasso, Oklahoma.

The pilot of an ultralight aircraft was injured in a crash which happened in Owasso Sunday evening. A Rogers County Sheriff's deputy said the pilot suffered a possible concussion and a possible broken rib when his single-seat craft crashed into a garage in the Timber Gate addition about 6 Sunday evening.

The plane had just taken off and began to bank when, for an unknown reason, the pilot tried to land it in a neighbor's yard where he crashed into a garage. Investigators will try to determine a cause.

No estimates of the amount of damage to the garage or to the airplane were available. The homeowner said this is the second time an aircraft has crashed on his property.

Source:  http://bartlesvilleradio.com

At least 2 hurt when plane ends up on Napa highway. Near Napa County Airport (KAPC), California.

Authorities say at least two people were hurt when a small plane ended up on a highway near Napa County Airport.

California Highway Patrol spokesman Trent Cross says the plane hit a car as it made a crash landing on Highway 29 at 12:37 p.m. Sunday.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Mike Fergus had said earlier that the single-engine Beech aircraft lost power, made a "gear-up" landing at the airport and skidded onto highway, hitting the back of a car.

Two people were in the car and two people were on board the plane. The FAA says the two people in the car suffered minor injuries, but the CHP says four people were hurt. The CHP did not know the extent of their injuries.

The plane suffered what was described as "substantial damage."

The incident is being investigated by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Source:  http://www.pe.com

Impersonator held in commercial pilot license exam. (India)

AMRITSAR: Police on Sunday arrested a Mumbai resident on impersonation charges. They said Ganesh Sahu had appeared in the commercial pilot license (general navigation) examination in place of Rahul Patel. Director Amritsar Civil Aviation Club Capt (retd) Rashpal Singh said examination supervisor VC Rathak got suspicious when he found that date of birth of the candidate did not match with the one mentioned on the examination form. A mobile phone was also seized from the accused, said police.

6 Bangladeshis arrested near border: Six Bangladeshi youths were arrested by BSF personnel on Saturday for allegedly trying to cross over to Pakistan from the Harowal forward post at the Dera Baba Nanak border. Officials also seized Rs 16,555 of Indian currency and some Bangladeshi currency and a mobile handset with a Bangladeshi sim from them. The accused told the BSF personnel during interrogation that they had paid Rs 30,000 per person to a travel agent and were hiding in difference places since Friday night.

Longowal anniversary: On the occasion of the death anniversary of Sant Harcharan Singh Longowal in Sangrur on Sunday, a number of political and religious leaders criticized Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and called him an "anti-Sikh." Those who were present on the occasion included Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak committee chief Paramjit Singh Sarna, SAD (Longowal) president Surjit Kaur Barnala and former minister Baldev Singh Mann.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Delta Connection flight lands safely after reporting an in-flight emergency. Monroe Regional Airport (KMLU), Louisiana.

The Monroe Regional Airport went on alert status this afternoon after receiving a call that an inbound Delta connector plane had a shattered window.

The incident was reported shortly after 4:30 p.m.

The plane landed safely about 4:55 p.m. There were no injuries.

Source: http://www.thenewsstar.com

Third chief in two months for Tiger Airways

Tiger Airways has appointed veteran Singapore Airlines executive Chin Yau Seng to replace its Australian chief Tony Davis, in the latest drama to hit the discount airline.

Mr Chin steps in as acting chief executive and will officially take over on November 1 when Mr Davis will leave the company, Tiger said today.

Mr Davis only got the top job in July when Crawford Rix stepped down as chief executive after the Civil Aviation Safety Authority suspended Tiger from flying in Australia following reports of unsafe landing approaches by its pilots.

Mr Chin is the former CEO of Singapore Airlines subsidiary Silk Air. Mr Chin is a 15 years veteran of Singapore Airlines, which owns one third of Tiger.

The tumultuous two months of uncertainty for the discount airline dealt a blow to the discount carrier whose public imaged had already suffered from public anger over its customer service.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au

Plane crash victim to be farewelled at funeral. Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee C, VH-POJ. Wallup near Horsham, Australia

A 15-year-old girl who died in a plane crash near Horsham this month will be farewelled at a funeral today.

Jacinda Twigg, from Nhill was killed when a charity flight crashed at Wallup near Horsham on August 16.

She was being flown home from having medical treatment in Melbourne.

The pilot of the Angel Flight plane, Donald Kernot, 69, also died in the crash.

Ms Twigg's mother was seriously injured in the crash.

The funeral will be held at Nhill.

The Jacinda Twigg Trust Fund was set up to help the teenager's family.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au

Honour for Gulf Air

MANAMA: Gulf Air has received its IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In May this year, Gulf Air renewed its place on the IATA IOSA Registry until 2013 after successfully completing IATA's safety audit requirements.

"The IOSA certification reassures our customers that they are flying with an airline that conforms to strict international safety standards," said Gulf Air chief operations officer captain Nasser Al Salmi.

"Passenger safety is top priority for Gulf Air and the IOSA certificate is a testament to our commitment that we fly our aircraft to the highest level of operational safety."

One of the prime objectives of Gulf Air is to connect Bahrain to the Middle East countries and the rest of the world.

As such the airline currently operates the largest network in the Middle East with non-stop flights while providing onward connections to other international destinations. The airline's current network stretches from Europe to Asia, connecting 51 cities in 33 countries, with a fleet of 35 aircraft.

Source:  http://www.gulf-daily-news.com

Agency boss decries aging workforce -Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority

The director general, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Harold Demuren, on Thursday decried the aging workforce in the transport sector.

Mr Demuren said this at a transport sector and human resources forum organised by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management in Nigeria in Lagos.

The forum had as its theme: "Manpower Development as a Catalyst for Effective and Efficient Management of Transport System in Nigeria."

The director general noted that the decay in the transport sector, including the aviation sector, were similar, saying that the government should put in place an efficient manpower development system.

"Nigeria has an ageing workforce and we must replace them with the young ones to avoid accident. We need quality people to man the transport sector.

"Aviation has been a key driver to the national development. We create about 3.6 million employment in the sector annually," he said.

Mr Demuren predicted that international aviation needs would be doubled in the next 20 years, stressing that if nothing was done urgently, the demand for aviation professionals would be strained.

He added that the major problem in the nation was the migration of the Nigerian youth to other countries.

The chairman of the occasion, Grant Akata, said the decay in the transport sub-sector had led to a drastic decline in employment skills.

Mr Akata said the transport sector had the potential to mop up youths and offer them gainful employment locally.

"Manpower development for the sector can only be professionally driven if the sector is in itself fully revamped," he said.

Crash compensation. Airblue Airbus A321-231, Flight 202, July 28, 2010. Near Islamabad, Pakistan.

Written by Meekal A Ahmed

In the articles I have written over the past few months on the Airblue accident, I suggested that the one reason why we in Pakistan do not publish air accident reports is because of the very high compensation that may need to be paid out for the damages incurred. I would like to clarify. Based on my interactions with the ‘Air Crash Victims Families Group’, a self-financed and pro bono international umbrella organisation of survivors, individual victims and bereaved of family associations of major air transport tragedies, compensation in their experience is limited to provable “damages” according to the laws of the jurisdiction of the state, or the domicile of the victim described in Article 33 of the 1999 Montreal Convention or otherwise. The extent of those damages is either negotiated between the victims and/or their representatives and the insurers of the carrier and/or any other third party that may be fully or partially liable for the damages.

Recoveries usually include any quantifiable damages like the loss of income or support of the victim’s dependents, cost of children’s care and guidance, in some states loss of companionship, conscious pain and suffering of the decedent in the knowledge of his impending death or others. Non-pecuniary damages or punitive damages are recoverable only in some states. Where permissible, legal representation of the victim’s families may be available on a contingency fee basis – that is the legal representative receives a negotiated percentage of the damages awarded less any deductibles. In some cases – and according to state laws, the carrier/insurer/third parties pay the legal fees and expenses of the claimant.

The damages resolution is independent of the investigation into the probable causes of the tragedy, or from the subsequent judicial criminal proceedings. In fact, most of the time damages incurred are settled or adjudicated long before the accident investigation is completed and judicial proceedings are addressed. A fixed sum of Rs5 million that Airblue is purported to be offering to the families once a ‘succession certificate’ has been presented is a little odd since it does not take into account the specific circumstances of the diseased. It is up to the affected families to ask that differential damages be assessed for each individual on board that fateful flight based on their specific circumstances. Or they should seek the advice of the Air Crash Victims Families Group mentioned above whom I have found to be helpful, forthcoming and educative.

Meekal A Ahmed

Virginia, USA

Source:  http://www.thenews.com.pk

Police: Pilot 'Extremely Lucky to be Alive' After Plane Crash. Stanton Airport (I50), Kentucky.

A Kentucky man had a near-death experience on a personal flying machine Sunday. The aircraft is called an 'ultralight plane' and they can hold one or two people at one time.

Officials say the man flying the plane, Stephen Lowther of McKee, Kentucky, is very lucky to be alive, after a gust of wind forced the plane to crash.

The plane was attempting to take off from the Stanton Airport around 11:30 Sunday morning, when police say a gust of wind spun the plane off to the left. When rescuers showed up to the scene, they expected the worst. But the man was not only conscious, he had only suffered a broken leg. Considering how far he'd been blown off course and how small the plane is, rescuers say they were surprised he survived at all.

"He was calm and coherent and he's the one who called 911 from his cell phone," says Sgt. James Watson with the Stanton Police Department. Police also say Lowther was wearing a helmet.

Lowther was taken to UK Hospital to be treated.

Watch Video and Photos: http://www.lex18.com

Four die as two small planes collide in Austria

Read More and Photo Gallery
Vienna - Four people were killed Sunday when two small aircraft collided during landing on an airfield in the Austrian Alps, police said.

The wings of the motorized airplanes carrying one man and one women each touched as they were nearing the airstrip in Zell am See in Salzburg province.

The planes crashed in a meadow. All four were trapped in the wrecks.

'Three died on the spot,' police spokesman Michael Korber said. The fourth was transported to a hospital but died there in the evening.

One man and one woman in one of the airplanes were Austrians, the other two were from Germany. 

Source:  http://www.monstersandcritics.com

VIDEO: TAKE OFF off from Belize City Municipal Airport (TZA). Mayan Air Cessna Caravan.

by philipaftuck on Aug 28, 2011

Great takeoff on Thursday August 25, 2011 from Belize City Municipal (TZA) to San Pedro Island (SPR).

http://youtu.be/G-cwI8zERR4

VIDEO: LANDING at San Pedro Island (SPR). Mayan Air Cessna Caravan

by philipaftuck on Aug 28, 2011

Landing on Thursday August 25, 2011 from Belize City Municipal Airport (TZA) to San Pedro Island (SPR).

http://youtu.be/AB0WfhunTWg

Beech aircraft loss of power, gear-up landing, off runway, collided with car. 2 injured. Napa County Airport (KAPC), California.

NAPA, Calif. -- Authorities say two people suffered minor injuries when a small plane skidded off a runway at Napa County Airport and collided with a car on a nearby highway.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Mike Fergus says preliminary information indicates that the single-engine Beech aircraft lost power and made a "gear-up" landing Sunday afternoon.

Fergus says when the plane skidded off the runway it hit the back of a car on Highway 29.

Two people in the car suffered minor injuries. Two people on board the plane were not hurt, though Fergus says the plane suffered "substantial damage."

The incident is being investigated by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Source: http://www.sacbee.com

Quebec businessman, granddaughter among the dead in helicopter crash.

Yvon Beaudoin, a prosperous Quebec businessman who loved flying his own helicopter, remarked on how it was a perfect evening to take to the skies – little wind, high visibility, the stars winking above – before the bad weather blew in.

Minutes later Saturday night, with Mr. Beaudoin at the controls, the aircraft went down suddenly just after takeoff at the tiny airport outside St-Ferdinand, about 115 kilometres south of Quebec City.

All four aboard – Mr. Beaudoin, 65, his wife Marie-Paule, his son Eric, 43 and Eric’s 8-year-old daughter, Mélizandre – perished in the crash, around 9:15 p.m.

“I saw them off at the airport,” said Marc Vaillancourt, a business partner of Mr. Beaudoin who drove them the to air facility after they had enjoyed a dinner party at Mr. Vaillancourt’s cottage on Lac William in the St-Ferdinand area.

“He said how beautiful the evening was,” recalled Mr. Vaillancourt, 45, who described Mr. Beaudoin, the founder of a successful plumbing firm in St-Nicolas, near Quebec City on the south shore of the St-Lawrence River, as someone who was passionate about flying but who was also cautious and safety-conscious.

He even declined the offer of a glass of wine several hours before his planned departure time, said Mr. Vaillancourt, who owns a construction firm.

“The weather was ideal. The only thing I can think of that went wrong is mechanical failure,” he said in an interview.

Chris Krepski, a spokesman for the federal Transportation Safety Board, said two investigators are on site and in the early stages of trying to determine the cause of the accident involving a Robinson R44 helicopter.

“We’re gathering witness statements, we’re identifying pieces for further analysis,” he said.

Among the elements being looked at are the weather at the time of the crash, aircraft maintenance records and air-traffic control communications, he said.

The four-passenger helicopter was destroyed but there was no post-crash fire, he added.

Sergeant Claude Denis of the provincial police confirmed the identities of the dead and said an investigation into the crash continues.

Mr. Beaudoin has two other sons, Marco and Carl. All three sons were involved in the family business, founded by Mr. Beaudoin in 1976.

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com

Child among four family members killed in Quebec helicopter crash.

ST-FERDINAND, QUE.—Four family members, including an 8-year-old girl, were killed late Saturday in a helicopter crash in a wooded area south of Quebec City.

Officials say the helicopter went down at 9:15 p.m. near St-Ferdinand, some 115 kilometres from the provincial capital.

Quebec provincial police received a call just before 11 p.m. and arrived at the crash site shortly after midnight.

“Unfortunately there were four people inside the helicopter ... and they were all found dead,” said Richard Gagne, a police spokesman.

The owner of the helicopter was Yvon Beaudoin, 65, from St-Nicolas, near Quebec City.

He died along with his wife, 67-year-old Marie-Paule Frechette, his son Eric Beaudoin, 43, and his granddaughter, 8-year-old Melizandre Beaudoin.

Two investigators from the federal Transportation Safety Board arrived at the scene Sunday morning.

Chris Krepski, a spokesman for the safety board, said they were still trying to determine the cause of the accident.

“It's very early going in an investigation,” he said.

“We're on the site now to begin documenting the wreckage.”

Investigators will also examine the aircraft maintenance records, the weather at the time of the crash, and whether there was any communication between the pilot and air traffic control, Krepski said.

He said the helicopter, a Robinson R44 that seats four people, was not required to have a black box.

The aircraft was destroyed but there was no post-crash fire, he said.

Source: http://www.thestar.com