All articles by David Kaminski-Morrow – Page 185
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PIA A320 crew lowered, then raised, undercarriage before gear-up touchdown
Investigators have revealed that the crew of a crashed Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A320 did attempt to lower the landing-gear during their first approach to Karachi, but raised the gear lever again during the descent. The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan confirms that the A320 touched down on Karachi’s runway ...
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Government reviewing funding proposals for restructuring SAA
South Africa’s government is claiming to have received a number of unsolicited proposals to fund a new national airline in the aftermath of South African Airways’ business rescue process. These proposals have been received from private-sector funds, equity investors, and potential airline partners, says the government’s department of public enterprises. ...
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Turkey’s SunExpress to axe German airline operation
German-Turkish leisure carrier SunExpress is shutting its German division as part of a revamp of its operations which includes concentrating on its core business. Although SunExpress has gradually resumed flights since 1 June, restoring both domestic and international services, it says the coronavirus crisis “hit hard” during April and May. ...
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Ural Airlines starts restoring fleet to passenger configuration
Russian carrier Ural Airlines has started reconverting aircraft back to passenger configuration, having temporarily modified them to operate as freighters. Ural Airlines says it converted 12 of its 48 jets to cargo configuration as passenger traffic bled away and freighter capacity demand rose during the coronavirus crisis. The operator has ...
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Comair rescuers seek time to consider funding offer
South African carrier Comair’s rescue practitioners are exploring a potential offer of funding for the airline, and are seeking a further postponement to publication of a business plan. The practitioners have not identified the group behind the non-binding expression of interest. But they state that the offer of cash funding ...
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EU-Japan pact enables mutual certification recognition
Japanese and European representatives have reached a bilateral agreement on civil aviation safety, through which each side will recognise and accept the other’s regulatory approvals. The agreement will enable reciprocal acceptance of certificates and findings of compliance by either side’s approval organisations and competent authorities. Its primary objective is to ...
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Shot-down UIA 737 recorders to be sent to France: Iranian ministry
Iranian authorities appear set to send the flight recorders of the Boeing 737-800 shot down over Tehran to France for download of their data. The issue of reading the data following the event involving the Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752, operating from Tehran to Kiev on 8 January, has been ...
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Russian researchers start drawing up new supersonic jet concept
Russian researchers have embarked on preliminary investigations into development of a civil supersonic aircraft, nearly four decades after the Tupolev Tu-144 programme ended. The work is being undertaken by the Zhukovsky Institute, a federal collective national research organisation which includes several centres – among them the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute, the ...
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Learjet 60 operators told to fit reverser alert 12 years after fatal overrun
Over a decade since a fatal Bombardier Learjet 60 overrun in South Carolina, operators of the type are being ordered to install a voice-command warning system to alert pilots to thrust-reverser malfunctions. The aircraft, operated by Global Exec Aviation, had been departing for Van Nuys from runway 11 at Columbia ...
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South Africa’s Airlink bids to have SAA liquidated
South African carrier Airlink is attempting to disrupt plans to convene a creditors’ meeting to discuss whether to approve the rescue plan for South African Airways, and is seeking to have the airline liquidated. The government’s department of public enterprises says Airlink has filed a court motion “aimed at interdicting” ...
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DHL orders freighter conversion of 767s
Germany’s DHL International is ordering conversion of up to four Boeing 767-300ERs to freighters to gain additional cargo capacity in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. The twinjets are set to be converted at the facilities of Israel Aerospace Industries. Neither DHL nor IAI has detailed the airframes involved in ...
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SAA rescue plan revises down initial heavy losses
South African Airways’ final business rescue plan considerably revises down the losses projected over the first three years for the restructured carrier. While a draft plan circulated at the beginning of June indicated losses close to R20 billion ($1.1 billion) for the period, the final plan estimates pre-tax losses of ...
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Video captures vain attempt to halt runaway Q400 at Aberdeen
Surveillance video footage has emerged appearing to show ground personnel vainly attempting to physically stop a Bombardier Q400 from rolling across an apron in Aberdeen, before the turboprop struck a parked regional jet. The former Flybe aircraft (G-JECK), apparently not under power and with its forward passenger airstair open, was ...
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SAA rescue plan sets out initial fleet and personnel requirements
South African Airways’ resurrection plan would involve an initial restart period of eight months, running to January 2021. Over this period the fleet would be gradually built up to around 26 aircraft, comprising seven long-haul jets – about half of which would be in place at the end of this ...
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El Al wrestles with ministry over proposed financial support
Israeli flag-carrier El Al has put forward amendments to a proposed funding mechanism for the troubled airline, but insists the government has not rejected its basic propositions. El Al had been trying to negotiate a $400 million loan while the finance ministry had countered with an alternative, through which the ...
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TUIfly set for difficult talks as it bids to halve fleet
German leisure operator TUIfly is to embark on union discussions to reduce the airline’s fleet, pointing out that over-capacity meant it was unable to achieve adequate load factors even before the coronavirus crisis. TUIfly is intending to halve its fleet of 39 aircraft, cutting crew, technical and administrative positions. But ...
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Carriers not liable for knock-on delay from unruly passengers: EU court
European airlines can avoid paying delay compensation to passengers as a result of disruption from an unruly passenger during flight, according to a preliminary court ruling. This also applies if there is a direct causal link between the initial disruption and a subsequent delay to the same aircraft operating the ...
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IAG's Level Europe division files for insolvency
IAG’s short-haul division of its budget airline Level is filing for insolvency, the Austrian-based carrier has disclosed. Branded as Level Europe, the division is operated by Anisec Luftfahrt. It says it will enter insolvency on 18 June, with all flights having been grounded since March. The business has ceased trading ...
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SA Express liquidation on hold as several potential investors emerge
Provisional liquidators of South African regional carrier SA Express are attempting to find a buyer for the airline, claiming that they are engaging with six or seven parties which have expressed interest in the company. Their effort follows court approval on 15 June to extend their powers, in order to ...
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Government unsure over SAA plan as opposition demand carrier’s liquidation
South Africa’s government has expressed doubts as to whether the long-awaited business rescue plan for South African Airways will meet its expectations for creating a viable and sustainable national carrier. Publication of the plan has also drawn condemnation from the opposition Democratic Alliance party, which says the strategy relies on ...