fredag 31. oktober 2014

Boeing gjør sine hoser grønne i Danmark

Friday, October 31, 2014

Boeing Signs MoUs with Six Danish Defense Companies

By Andrew Drwiega, International Bureau Chief
Boeing has signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with six Danish defense companies to further pursue business opportunities in a range of activities that encompass defense and aerospace-related manufacturing, maintenance, software and simulation integration.
The companies are: Danish Aerotech, Falck Schmidt Defense Systems, IFAD, Multicut, Systematic and Terma. Although these are elements of Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet offering to Denmark, there are other synergies that could be developed.
Terma already provides the Royal Netherlands Air Force Boeing Apache AH-64D attack helicopters with its Modular Aircraft Survivability Equipment (MASE) self-protection system. It is also fielded on CH-47D/F, AS-532, EH-101, HH-60G, Mi17 and Mi24 helicopters. Terma has a smaller system called Light Aircraft Survivability Equipment (LASE) which is suitable as a stand-alone system for smaller helicopters.
“We want partners who see our member companies’ potential to grow, not our potential to receive hand-outs,” said Jan Falck-Schmidt, chairman of the Danish Defense and Security Industries Association (FAD). “Boeing is offering knowledge, technology and supply chain opportunities that can help each of our companies, and the Danish defense industry as a whole, win work now and compete for much broader business in the future.”  
A study released at the end of October by Danish economic consultancy DAMVAD suggested that the Danish defense industry’s collaboration with Boeing could result in the creation of over 10,000 jobs in Denmark together with a boost of  $1 billion (6 billion DKK) to Denmark’s GDP over 20 years.

Helikopter - Oppsiktsvekkende i Polen

Friday, October 31, 2014

Sikorsky Withdraws from Polish Multi-Role Helicopter Competition

By Andrew Drwiega, International Bureau Chief
Sikorsky, together with Polish subsidiary PZL Mielec, is to withdraw from the current competition managed by the Polish Ministry of Defense to supply its armed forces with 70 multi-role helicopters.
According to Sikorsky, part of United Technologies, the contract was written in such a way that “the technical, legal and economic terms set by the Ministry of National Defense preclude us from participating in the procurement procedure.” 
Sikorsky had put forward its S-70i Black Hawk, which is made in Poland, as the contender in the $3 billion (€1.89 billion) contract. Its competitors are Airbus Helicopters with the EC725 and AgustaWestland through PZL Świdnik offering its AW149. 
Reports from the Polish media have claimed that the government sees the letter as a “negotiation technique” and that it does not intend to modify the tender conditions.

Virgin Galactic Space Ship 2 down - Video



One dead in Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo test crash

Spaceship two crash
At least one person is dead and another injured after Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo space tourism craft crashed in a California desert, the California Highway Patrol has said.
The craft was undergoing manned testing when it experienced what the company described as "a serious anomaly".
Television images shot from a helicopter showed what appeared to be wreckage bearing the Virgin logo.
SpaceShipTwo is carried aloft by a jet, then launched into sub-orbit.
In a statement, Virgin Galactic said the "vehicle suffered a serious anomaly resulting in the loss of SpaceShipTwo".
The jet, known as White Knight 2, has landed safely.

The firm has been a front-runner in the nascent space-tourism industry and its chief said earlier in October it expected to see the craft make it to sub-orbital space within a few months.

Flyger kollapset like etter landing og døde to dager senere - New Zealand




Pilot suffered aneurism after landing

An Air New Zealand pilot has died days after suffering a suspected brain aneurysm just after landing a 787 flight in Perth.


The pilot operating an Air New Zealand Boeing 787 flight to Perth last Saturday afternoon suffered a serious illness after landing and passed away on Tuesday.


Captain Ann Barbarich landed the flight about 4.45pm last Saturday but collapsed soon after. She died on Tuesday.


The other three captains took over and the 787 was taxied off the runway to the terminal where it was met by Fire and Rescue staff.


Flight attendants called for doctors.


The 787 is normally flown by two pilots but there were four on this flight because it was a check and training flight.


Capt Barbarich was taken to Royal Perth Hospital and the airline flew her family to Perth from Auckland.


One passenger who spoke to The West Australian said that the cabin and flight deck crew handled "a very difficult situation very professionally."


"There was no panic and we hardly noticed anything had happened."


"The approach to Perth and landing was smooth and there was only a slightly heavier braking on the runway than was noticeable."


Death pilots in flight is rare because of the physical condition they must maintain and regular medical checkups required by aviation authorities.

Cargo crash

Cargo aircraft crashes after takeoff from St Maarten

A Short 360 cargo aircraft operated by SkyWay Enterprises crashed shortly after departing St Maarten-Princess Juliana International airport on 29 October, killing at least one of two pilots, according to a US Federal Aviation Administration accident report.

The aircraft, registration number N380MQ, was operating flight SKZ7101 from Philipsburg on St Maarten to San Juan, according to reports and the FAA.

It crashed into the ocean about 3.2km (2mi) from the airport, the FAA says.

There were two pilots on the aircraft. The body of the first officer was found, while the other pilot remained missing as of Wednesday, according to reports.

An employee who answered the telephone at SkyWay's Kissimmee, Florida, headquarters late in the day on 30 October says he is not authorised to comment about the matter, adding that no other company officials were currently available to speak.

SkyWay's fleet includes six Short aircraft, one McDonnell Douglas DC-9 and one Learjet 24, Flightglobal's Ascend Fleets database shows.

The aircraft that crashed, N380MQ, was built in 1986 and powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprops. It was formerly operated by American Eagle carriers Simmons Airlines and Executive Airlines, according to Ascend.

Ny strategi i emming i USAF?


New Strategy Would Cut F-35s, Boost Bombers and UAVs

The U.S.’s air-centered strategy has top-level backing
Revolutionary Roadmap
The still-classified Northrop Grumman RQ-180 UAV is thinly disguised in the CSBA report, and will be equipped for precision-strike and electronic-attack missions.
Ronnie Olsthoorn Concept for AW&ST
Today’s U.S. power-projection forces, and those currently planned for the future, will not be able to operate effectively or efficiently against anti-access/area-denial (A2AD) weapons and doctrine being developed by China and other adversaries, according to a new report by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) that details a new approach to defense strategy known as Third Offset.
Instead, the Pentagon should immediately refocus its development efforts on a global surveillance and strike (GSS) system based on long-range, very stealthy aircraft—including the Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) and a new family of unmanned combat air systems (UCAS)—and submarines. Tactical fighter, surface combatant and heavy land-force programs should be cut back, the report suggests, to pay the bills and rebalance the force.
The CSBA report carries far more weight than usual because it was drafted under the leadership of deputy defense secretary Robert Work (AW&ST March 31, p. 20) and his senior advisers, according to a source directly involved in its production. It is intended to launch a detailed discussion of a major change in national strategy, inside and outside the Pentagon. Author Robert Martinage, a former senior Pentagon official, “can neither confirm nor deny” the extent of Work’s involvement, he tells Aviation Week.
The CSBA paper details the roles of new and existing systems in the Third Offset strategy. It recommends a larger role for the Long-Range Strike Bomber, suggesting that the program could be “accelerated and expanded.” Along with the B-2 and another proposed new weapon, a boost-glide missile launched from submarines, it is the only system able to deal with hard and deeply buried targets in a medium- to high-threat environment. According to the paper, too, it has a stand-in airborne electronic attack capability and can perform high-volume precision strike missions.
The biggest new program recommended in the report is the future UCAS family. Conceptually, Martinage says, this program’s prototype is already flying in the form of theNorthrop Grumman X-47B UCAS-D (demonstrator), which could lead directly to a Navy operational aircraft: the CSBA report outlines an N-UCAS with an 8-10-hr. unrefueled endurance and a 3,000-4,000-lb. payload. As a CSBA analyst, Work was a vigorous proponent of a “high-end” Navy UCAS, and his influence has played a part in stalling Navy plans for a less capable and less costly solution to the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike requirement.
The CSBA report revives an idea from UCAS-D’s precursor program, the Joint UCAS: Because wingspan sets a cap on the payload and range of a carrier-based blended wing-body aircraft, a land-based version could benefit from being made larger. A U.S. Air Force version, identified as MQ-X, could handle double the payload, the report suggests, and have a 12-hr. unrefueled endurance. In a move that is unlikely to get strong support from the fighter community, the Air Force aircraft could be armed with air-to-air missiles for both offensive and defensive counter-air missions.
Persistence is a key advantage of UAVs, the report notes. A primary mission for the new UCAS in Third Offset is a “mobile and relocatable target killer,” using a combination of unrefueled range and tanker support to fly 48-hr.-plus missions and remain on-station beyond the limits of human endurance. The UAVs would be nodes in an aerial communications network that would hedge against an adversary’s counter-space activities—and thereby render anti-satellite operations less valuable. The report also cites an unpublished Northrop Grumman study showing that an unmanned replacement for the F/A-18E/F could save $56 billion over a 25-year service life, compared to a piloted aircraft.
Funding the new N-UCAS and MQ-X could call for “reduction in manned tactical aviation force structure” across all services and “scaled-back procurement of all F-35variants—including possible cancellation of the F-35C, replaced with advanced Super Hornets and eventually N-UCAS.” In July 2011, during Work’s tenure as deputy Navy secretary, he directed the service to study alternatives to the F-35B/C.
The limits on the effectiveness of fighters—including the “semi-stealthy” F-35, so described to discriminate it from the wide-band, all-aspect stealth technology of the UAVs and LRS-B—include survivability and their dependence on tankers, which are vulnerable and difficult to protect. Martinage concurs with Aviation Week’s assessment of theChengdu J-20 as an offensive counter-air fighter aimed at tankers and other air assets. “With an extended-range air-to-air missile the J-20 can push the tanker 800-900 mi. back. [U.S.] fighters can’t even make it to the beach.”
Another unmanned vehicle recommended in the study is a “future” stealthy, high-altitude long-endurance UAV. However, the report notes that only three of the most important new GSS elements are not currently under development (MQ-X, N-UCAS and a towed payload module for submarines). The so-called future Hale UAV appears, in fact, to be the in-development but secret Northrop Grumman RQ-180 (AW&ST Dec. 9, 2013, p. 20). The report suggests that the RQ-180 has a light strike capability, possibly for targets of opportunity.
An important caveat is that the Third Offset still addresses lower-intensity conflicts. As the threat becomes less intense and far-reaching, current systems such as tactical fighters and permissive-airspace Reaper UAVs should be available. “The most dangerous cost-imposing strategy is the one we impose on ourselves,” says Center for a New American Security analyst Ben FitzGerald. “It’s taking out a HiLux truck with a $500,000 weapon.” But a near-peer threat will be the driving factor. “You can’t lose an advantage versus a near-peer,” FitzGerald adds. “You don’t come back from that position.”
Martinage says that the CSBA report does not recommend specific numbers for new systems “because we did not intend this to be a budget drill.” But as one example, the Northrop Grumman study cited in the report suggests that a Navy UCAS force could replace a two-times-larger force of manned aircraft.
Submarine warfare is seen as another area where the U.S. has a substantial and enduring lead. The Third Offset report advocates improving the firepower and flexibility of submarine forces by accelerating the development of unmanned underwater vehicles, developing a long-range boost-glide weapon for submarine launch, and developing towed payload modules. The latter could be 3,000-4,000-ton unmanned systems with up to 12 large-diameter launch tubes, which could be towed into position and remain on station for months. Again, there is a price to be paid: the scaled-back procurement of large surface combatants of the DDG-51 class.
In the Third Offset strategy, the use of special operations and counterterrorism land forces is favored over large military formations. Ground forces, however, would play a strong role in establishing “local area A2AD networks,” particularly on the territory of threatened allies. Systems such as land-based anti-ship cruise missiles linked to aerostat-borne radars, for example, could both defend coastlines and inhibit an adversary’s naval movements. 
A version of this article appears in the November 3/10 issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology.

Malaysian MH370 - Oppdatering

Family sues Malaysian govt, airline MAS for negligence in first lawsuit over missing MH370

Published on Oct 31, 2014 1:20 PM


A Malaysia Airlines employee writing a message expressing prayers and well-wishes for passengers onboard missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang on March 14, 2014. -- PHOTO: AFP 

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - A Malaysian family on Friday sued the government and beleaguered national carrier for negligence in the mysterious disappearance of flight MH370, in what is believed to be the first lawsuit filed over the disaster.
The suit was filed by lawyers on behalf of the two underage sons of Mr Jee Jing Hang, who was on board the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight. Mr Gary Chong, a lawyer for Mr Jee's relatives, said the suit was filed in a Malaysian court on Friday.
The family is suing Malaysia Airlines for breach of contract, saying the deeply troubled carrier failed in its contractual responsibility to deliver Mr Jee to his destination. The family is also suing Malaysia's government, civil aviation authorities, immigration department and air force for negligence.
"Our clients are after the truth. We have confidence in our judiciary system that this suit will be heard and dealt with fairly," a statement by the family's legal team said. Mr Chong said the family would seek damages but declined to specify a figure.
MH370 inexplicably disappeared on March 8 with 239 people aboard en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in what remains one of history's great aviation mysteries.
Malaysia's government believes the flight diverted to the far southern Indian Ocean, citing sketchy satellite data, but no trace has been found despite an extensive search.
Neither the government nor airline has revealed any results from investigations launched in the aftermath of the tragedy, and consistently stresses that only recovery of the lost Boeing 777 aircraft will provide full answers.
Some next-of-kin bitterly accuse the government and airline of a bungled response and cover-up, charges that are strenuously denied.
Malaysia's air force came under particular fire after top brass acknowledged military radar had tracked the red-eye flight as it doubled back over Malaysian airspace after diverting.
The air force took no action, saying the radar blip was not considered a security threat.
The chances of success for the lawsuit were not immediately clear.
Aviation experts have told AFP that under international law it is an airline's responsibility to prove it was not to blame for an accident.
The lack of evidence could complicate that task for the carrier.
The airline also has been hammered by the loss in July of flight MH17 - apparently shot down over Ukraine with the loss of 298 lives in another still-unexplained disaster - and is in dire financial straits as business has dried up.
A state-linked investment fund has directly taken over the airline as part of a rescue plan.
In countries such as China - home to the majority of MH370 passengers - and Malaysia, courts are considered relatively conservative regarding the awarding of damages.
- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/south-east-asia/story/family-sues-malaysian-govt-airline-mas-negligence-first-lawsuit-over#sthash.MZN3tdeC.dpuf

Russiske militærfly en fare for sivil luftfart



Russian air force planes test Nato defences


RAF Typhoon jet intercepting Tu-95 Bear bomber, 16 Sep 14 

An RAF Typhoon jet intercepting a Tu-95 Bear bomber north of the UK (pic from 16 Sep 14)

Related Stories

Russian warplanes are carrying out more flights in European airspace to test Nato responses and apparently imitate combat conditions, an expert says.
Igor Sutyagin told the BBC that the Russian pilots' lack of communication with air traffic controllers was "unfriendly" and "confrontational".
"They are training in conditions close to combat," said Mr Sutyagin, of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
Nato says there has been an "unusual" increase in such flights this week.
Tensions between Russia and Nato states have soared over the Ukraine crisis.
"The Kremlin is playing from a position of weakness," Mr Sutyagin said. "It's like poker, bluff - trying to intimidate the West and raise fears."
A Nato statement on Wednesday said that in the past 48 hours Nato jets had intercepted eight Russian military aircraft over the North Sea/Atlantic Ocean, as well as four over the Black Sea and more than 10 in the Baltic region.
In all the incidents the Russian planes flew in international airspace. Nato says it tracked them "in order to identify the aircraft and protect Allied airspace".
But in many cases the planes did not file flight plans, nor did they use on-board transponders or maintain radio contact with civilian air traffic control, Nato said.
Such behaviour created a risk for civilian aviation, Nato said.

Nato interception of Russian aircraft - 29 October 2014
Russian military flights - graphic

  • 1) Eight Russian aircraft - four Tu-95 strategic bombers and four Il-78 tanker planes - detected flying over the North Sea at 02:00 GMT on 29 October. Two bombers continued south-west all the way to Portuguese coast before turning round
  • 2) At least seven Russian aircraft detected over Baltic Sea and intercepted by fighter jets assigned to Nato's Baltic Air Policing Mission
  • 3) Four Russian aircraft flying over Black Sea intercepted by Turkish Air Force
Baltic tensions
According to Mr Sutyagin, such flights close to Nato borders are "nothing new" but their current intensity and the lack of communication "should be taken in the context of Russian policy - aiming at confrontation with the West, not co-operation".
The Baltic is also a busy area for international flights, he noted, so the pilots' failure to communicate there could be seen as "irresponsible".
Nato has stepped up its air patrols over the Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - in response to the Ukraine crisis.
The Kremlin regards the states' incorporation into Nato in 2004 as an unfriendly act, as they used to be part of the Soviet Union and about a million ethnic Russians still live there.

MiG-31B aircraft at a show in Siberia, October 2014 
  The Russian aircraft flying over Europe are said to include types of MiG-31

RAF Typhoon jet - file pic 

Four British Typhoon jets are in Lithuania participating in Nato air patrols

Poland has also announced plans to deploy extra forces at its eastern bases, closer to Ukraine.
Western governments accuse Russia of having fomented the pro-Russian revolt in eastern Ukraine and of arming the rebels there.
Nato said it had intercepted Russian aircraft more than 100 times so far this year - three times more than it did last year.
There is speculation that the tensions could push Finland and Sweden into joining Nato.
Russia has used a mix of old and new planes in the latest flights. They include Tu-95 Bear bombers - dating back to the Cold War era - and MiG-31 fighters.
The Bear was a familiar sight over the North Sea during the Cold War.
Russian bombers can be armed with cruise missiles, but they are probably using dummy missiles on these flights, Mr Sutyagin said.
"It is good practice for them - to see what happens, testing reaction times, who scrambles, how fast, from where, and the interception tactics," he said.
Unlike the US military the Russian air force does not yet have Stealth jets invisible to radar, he said, but it does have six undergoing trials.
Arctic reinforcements
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced new military deployments in the Arctic region, where Russia is developing major new oil and gas fields.
A permanent naval base is being set up on the New Siberian Islands.
The region is attracting international interest because the melting of Arctic sea ice is likely to make the Northern Sea Route more navigable, shortening the journey to China and other booming Asian markets.
Russia does not have the equivalent of the specially trained Canadian Rangers for Arctic defence, Mr Sutyagin said.

"The Russian Arctic has a 3,400km [2,108-mile] gap in air defences," he said. "A sabotage team could get ashore there unnoticed by boat," he said, explaining why Russia was beefing up its military presence in the far north.

F-35 - Morten Klever, en av forsinkelseskameratene, blir general

Klever bidro til å forsinke valg av nytt redningshelikopter da han på Solakonferansen i 2007 uttalte at han varslet omkamp etter at regjeringen hadde besluttet å sette valg av helikopter ut på anbud, derav navnet forsinkelseskamerat. Han var ikke alene om å forsinke prosjektet. 

Pressemelding, 31.10.2014

Morten Klever ny programdirektør i Kampflyprogrammet

(Foto: Endre Lunde, Forsvarsdepartementet)
Morten Klever er utnevnt til generalmajor og direktør i Kampflyprogrammet i Forsvarsdepartementet.
Morten Klever ble utnevnt i statsråd fredag 31. oktober. Klever er 54 år gammel og har 35 års erfaring fra Forsvaret, hvor han startet som tekniker og crew chief på kampfly, før han senere ble flyger. Han har lang operativ erfaring, og har rundt 1700 flytimer bak seg i F-5 og F-16. Han har også hatt flere lederstillinger i Luftforsvaret, senest som leder for luftoperativt inspektorat i Luftforsvarsstaben. I tillegg har Klever ved flere anledninger tjenestegjort internasjonalt, blant annet på Balkan og i Kirgisistan i forbindelse med den norske deltakelsen i operasjonene i Afghanistan. Klever har også ledet styringsgruppen for det flernasjonale flygertreningsprogrammet på Sheppard Air Force Base i Texas, USA. Klever kommer nå fra stillingen som brigader og nestleder i Kampflyprogrammet, hvor han har vært siden 2012.
Kampflyprogrammet har ansvaret for å lede den norske anskaffelsen av det nye kampflyet F-35, og for å koordinere innføringen av den nye kapasiteten flyene representerer i Forsvaret. Programmet er satt opp som en seksjon innenfor Forsvarsdepartementets avdeling for økonomi og styring (FD III). Programmet har også en større enhet på Kjeller og i USA som støtter ledergruppa i programmet og som følger opp utviklingen av F-35 og den norske deltakelsen i det flernasjonale programmet.

SAS selger og leier

SAS selger eiendom på Gardermoen

Gir ingen gevinst, men vil gi lavere kostnader, melder selskapet.
SAS har fredag solgt bygningen på den tekniske basen på Oslo Lufthavn Gardermoen for 650 millioner kroner til Oslo Pensjonsforsikring, opplyser selskapet i en børsmelding.
«Transaksjonen gir ingen salgsgevinst eller likviditetseffekt for SAS, men vil senke de årlige kostnadene. SAS har samtidig med salget inngått en15 årig leieavtale med rett til forlengelse», opplyser selskapet til DN.
- Vi er godt fornøyde med dette salget som gir oss en ny langsiktig og solid eier som har forstått byggets sentrale betydning for den flyoperative infrastrukturen på OSL, sier eiendomsdirektør i SAS, Bjørn Frivold.
Bygningen er solgt etter at SAS har benyttet seg av en opsjonsavtale på kjøp av bygningene fra APAB som har stått som tidligere eier.

Hudson Miracle Approach - Sullenberger Arrival


Ryanair - VG

Ryan Air-sjef angrer på dårlig service




<p>ANGRER OPPFØRSEL: Sjef for lavprisselskapet Ryan Air hevder at han angrer på at han tidligere har vært for slem mot kundene.<br/></p>
Foto: YVES HERMAN, REUTERS
Ryanair-sjef Michael O'Leary har aldri vært redd for å si
hva han mener. Nå innrømmer den omstridte sjefen at
han burde oppført seg bedre mot flyselskapets kunder.
Den eksentriske Ryanair-sjefen har vakt oppsikt langt
utenfor luftfartsindustrien de siste årene med sine
raseriutbruddmot egnepassasjerer. Nå ser det imidlertid
ut til at O'Leary endrer strategi ogviser anger.
– Vi burde ha vært flinkere med kundene tidligere enn
det vi harvært,sier O'Leary til Mail Online Travel.
Den Dublin-baserte sjefen forteller at hans mentor og
Ryanair-gründer, Tony Ryan, var inne på noe da han
jobbet for at Ryanair skulle bli det best likte
flyselskapet i Europa.
Selv jobbet O'Learyfor at selskapet skulle være det
billigste.
– Disse to målsettingene går generelt dårlig sammen,
sier O'Leary.
– Han var nok litt for ekstrem på kundebehandlingssiden,
mensj eg var definitivt for ekstrem på å ha lave priser og
å være slem.

Justerte retningslinjene

For tolv måneder siden innførte flyselskapet tiltak for å
gi passasjene en bedre opplevelse av flyreisen. Siden
passasjerene ifølge O'Leary har reagert positivt på
endringene, mener han at dette beviser at hans mentor
hadde rett i at de burde vært snillere med passasjerene
 fra starten av.
– Hadde jeg visste at dette skulle fungere så godt, skulle
vi ha begynt med det for mange år siden, sier han.
I fjor innførte Ryanair seks tiltak for at passasjerene skal
få en bedre opplevelse av flyreisen. Blant annet lettet de
på kravene for bagasje-gebyr, og oppgraderte
hjemmesiden sin. I tillegg kom disse justeringene:
** Kunden får rette opp mindre feil i bestillingen, som
for eksempel stavefeil, innen 24 timer etter at
bestillingen er gjort på nettsidene.
** På flyginger før klokken 08.00 om morgenen og etter
klokken 21.00 skal kommunikasjonsanlegget på flyet
ikke brukes til annet enn sikkerhetsmeldinger. I tillegg
skal lysene dempes.
** Gebyert for å få printe ut boardingkort reduseres fra
70 til 15 euro for kunder som har sjekket inn online.

Kalte passasjer for idiot

For omtrent to år siden skapte Ryan Air-sjefen
sjokkbølger med sine kvasse kommentarer til
tobarnsmoren SuzyMcLeod. Tobarnsmoren reagerte på
at hun ble ilagt et gebyr på cirka 2200 kroner fordi hun
ikke hadde skrevet ut boardingkortene til seg selv,
foreldrene og de to barna på ti og tre år da hun skulle
sjekke inn på flyplassen i Alicante.
– Hun er en idiot som betaler hundrevis av pund og
etterpå klager fordi hun selv har brutt avtalen hun inngikk
da hun booket billetten, uttalte O'Leary den gangen.
Og hang ut flypassasjeren ytterligere:
– Fru McLeod skrev til meg i forrige uke og ba om
kompensasjon og litt goodwill – og jeg svarte henne
høflig  at hun kan takke seg selv og burde gi oss
kompensasjon: «It was your f***-up and if you screw up,
you compensate us and you send us a gesture of
goodwill», er ordene O'Leary skal ha brukt i svaret til
tobarnsmoren. For Ryanair-reisende er det velkjent at
gebyrene kan bli mange og dyre hvis man glemmer å
skrive ut boardingkort, pakker noen kilo for mye i
kofferten eller vil ha prioritet ved ombordstigning.
Selskapet gir nærmestbort flyreiser –men tar igjen på
gebyrsiden.

Bokomtale - Hvorfor man ikke skal begynne i et flyselskap

Jeg har ikke lest boka. Den får en fyldig omtale i det siste Morgenbladet. Det er redselsfull lesning.
Her er omtalen i Morgenbladet.


Fritt fall; på jobb i lufta til lavpris
  • Format: Innbundet
  • Språk: Norsk (bokmål)
  • Utgitt: 2014
  • Opplag: 1 (2014)
  • ISBN10:8253037449
  • ISBN13:9788253037448

Fritt fall; på jobb i lufta til lavpris

  • 262,-
    (Veil. pris 299,-) Du sparer: 37,-

Beskrivelse:
I 1980 kostet en ordinær flybillett mellom Oslo og Bergen 429 kroner. I 2012, etter at nordmenns lønninger er mer enn femdoblet, kan du gjennomføre den samme reisen for 199 kroner. Hvem betaler mellomlegget? . Pål Vegard Hagesæther setter flybransjen under lupen. Han besøker Qatar, der Qatar Airways "verdens beste flyselskap" gir sine ansatte, filippinske og thailandske innvandrere, forbud mot å ha besøk etter klokken 22, forbud mot alkohol, forbud mot å gifte seg eller få barn. Han følger en SAS-purser gjennom en maraton av en arbeidsdag på kryss og tvers i Norge, der lunsjen må inntas munnfull for munnfull gjennom flere timer. Han undersøker hvorfor fagforeninger er bannlyst i Ryanair, og hvordan arbeidsforholdene kommer ut av møtet med norske lover og regler. Flybransjen nærmer seg shippingbransjen, som er revolusjonert av arbeidskraft fra lavkostland langt unna. Hvilke konsekvenser får det for de som jobber i luften? For passasjerene? For sikkerheten? . Prisene på flybilletter er i fritt fall. Faller også bransjen?

torsdag 30. oktober 2014

Flyulykke i USA - To er drept, flere er savnet i bygning

Leif Furuheim og undertegnede gikk på Cessna Citation 550 kurs i Wichita i 1980. Sikkert ikke samme bygning, men dog...

Three of the dead were inside a flight simulator in the building at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport when the plane crashed into it, and the fourth was found on the roof and is believed to be the pilot, Wichita Fire Chief Ronald Blackwell said.

Five others were injured in the crash, and one of those was in serious condition at a hospital, Blackwell said. Officials said only one person was on board the plane and that everyone who was in the building had been accounted for. Identities of the victims were not immediately released.

King Air Crashes into FlightSafety Citation Center
A Beechcraft-owned King Air 200 crashed onto the roof of FlightSafety International’s Cessna Citation Training Center on the north side at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport (KICT) this morning just before 10 a.m. CDT. Authorities reported that the sole-occupant pilot–Mark Goldstein, a contract pilot–reported an engine failure on takeoff and was trying to return to the airport. Goldstein was attempting to ferry the twin turboprop to Mena, Ark., Ryan Aviation president Ron Ryan told Wichita NBC affiliate KSNW. So far, Goldstein and three occupants of the building are confirmed dead. Five other victims from inside the building were transported to a local hospital, one in serious condition (downgraded from an initial assessment of “critical”) and the other four in fair or good condition. As many as 100 employees and visitors could have been in the building at the time, according to authorities, and five remained unaccounted for at press time. The King Air, N52SZ, was registered to Raytheon Aircraft on October 2. FlightAware.com shows the most recent flight as September 16, from Altoona, Pa., to Wichita. The previous registered owner was Sheetz Aviation, a Delaware-registered corporation. Wichita Fire Chief Ron Blackwell described the fire as “horrific.” News video showed flames and smoke billowing from the building. Airport firefighters were the first to arrive on the scene, and up to 60 firefighters ultimately responded, bringing the fire under control within an hour of the crash. After 30 minutes, firefighters were withdrawn from the building, which was determined to be unstable. Air traffic resumed after the fire was brought under control. The NTSB is expected to be on site later today.


Fire chief: 2 killed after plane hits building at Wichita airport

By Eliott C. McLaughlin and Jason Hanna, CNN
October 30, 2014 -- Updated 1632 GMT (0032 HKT)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • NEW: 2 dead, 4 seriously injured and five missing after crash, fire chief says
  • Official: A Hawker Beechcraft King Air crashed into a building near Wichita's airport
  • Part of building's roof collapsed after twin-engine plane crashed on takeoff, KSNW says
(CNN) -- Two people are dead and four people are injured after a small plane crashed into a building near Wichita's Mid-Continent Airport in southern Kansas on Thursday morning, the city's fire chief said.
There are still five people unaccounted for, and authorities are trying to determine how many people were in the building at the time, Chief Ron Blackwell said.
"The injuries are serious injuries," he said. "We're grateful a large number of people appear to have gotten out of the building."
FAA investigators are on the scene, and the National Transportation Safety Board is aware of the incident, CNN affiliate KSNW reported.

Plane crash at Kansas airport
"There is a small aircraft that went into the FlightSafety building," near Mid-Continent Airport, according to Steve Phillips, a FlightSafety International spokesman.
The plane is a Hawker Beechcraft King Air, Phillips said.
It "crashed into the roof of our training center. I have no information on how many on board," he said. "We have the manager of the training center on site, and he's making sure everyone is OK, but I don't have an answer for that."
The building is across the street from the airport, he said.
The FAA said the twin-engine plane lost an engine on takeoff and crashed into a two-story building, KSNW reported. The roof on the building's eastern side has collapsed, the station reported.

Virgin med ab intio flygere - Blir disse double virgin?

Richard Branson wants Virgin pilots with no flying experience

Virgin Atlantic is hoping to attract and train would-be pilots without flying qualifications to move straight on to glamorous long-haul routes

Virgin Atlantic is the latest UK-based airline to open up to cadet pilots

Virgin Atlantic has launched a new programme offering potential pilots the chance to join the airline with no previous flying experience.

Indisponert flyger - UK

'Drunk' Flybe pilot arrested before flight 

A Flybe plane
Flybe confirmed one of its pilots had helped police with their inquiries
A Flybe pilot was removed from a plane and arrested on suspicion of being over the drink-drive limit just before he was due to fly.

The pilot was due to fly from Newquay Airport in Cornwall to London Gatwick on Wednesday morning before he was removed for a breath test.

A police source told the BBC that officers were alerted after a fellow crew member became concerned.

A police spokesman confirmed a 48-year-old man was arrested.

'The pilot was unwell'
The flight was then cancelled and passengers faced delays of almost five hours.

Hawker Hunter down - USA

Jet on Navy Training Mission Crashes, Kills Pilot

Ventura County and Navy firefighters examine the scene where a military jet crashed into a field near Naval Station Ventura County near Port Hueneme, Calif., killing the pilot Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014. The plane crashed and disintegrated at around 5:15 p.m. (AP Photo/FLMedia, Johnny Corona) The Associated Press

A jet on a military training exercise crashed into an agricultural field near a Southern California Navy base Wednesday, killing the pilot, authorities said.

The plane disintegrated when it hit the ground at about 5:15 p.m. as it was preparing to land at Naval Station Ventura County. The crash sent a huge plume of billowing black smoke into the sky 65 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

The pilot, the only person aboard, was pronounced dead at the scene, said Ventura County fire Capt. Mike Lindbery.

Nobody on the ground was hurt.

"Fortunately nobody was in that portion of the field," Lindbery said.

The plane, a civilian fighter jet contracted by the Navy, had just finished playing the role of an enemy aircraft in an offshore training exercise and was preparing to land at the naval station when it went down across the street in a field near the Pacific Coast Highway, base spokeswoman Kimberly Gearhart said.

She said it was unclear whether the pilot reported any problems before the crash.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating.

The British-built, single-seat Hawker Hunter MK.58 was owned by Airborne Tactical Advantage Co. of Newport News, Virginia. The company, known as ATAC, provides aerial training to the military, including the Navy's elite Fighter Weapons School.

"The company has ceased flight operations during preliminary investigations," company spokesman Matt Bannon said.

Bannon declined to release the pilot's name but said he was a retired military pilot who was "extremely proficient and knowledgeable about fighter tactics and operating high-performance aircraft."

"Our heart and prayers are with the family," Bannon said.

The Hawker Hunter is a single-seat, swept-wing fighter and ground attack plane that was originally designed in the 1950s. More than 2,000 were produced. ATAC describes it as "one of the classic fighter designs of all time."

Wednesday's crash was the third near the Ventura County base in recent years.

In May 2012, another Hawker Hunter owned by ATAC crashed into a farm field near the base, killing the 57-year-old pilot. That plane had also been contracted to play the enemy in training exercises.

In May 2011, three members aboard a Boeing 707 tanker loaded with jet fuel escaped with only minor injuries when their aircraft skidded off the runway while taking off from the base and exploded into flames. That plane was carrying civilians and had a Navy contract to provide fuel transport.

Not exactly SOP

Reports Tell of Scramble in Southwest Airlines Cockpit Before La Guardia Crash

By MATTHEW L. WALD

The nose wheel of a Southwest Airlines plane collapsed after hitting the tarmac at La Guardia Airport on July 22, 2013. Credit John Minchillo/Associated Press

The captain of the Southwest Airlines jet that hit a runway at La Guardia Airport in July 2013, causing the nose wheel to collapse and injuring 11 people, may have been making major adjustments to the controls too close to the ground, the National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday.

That model of plane, a Boeing 737, usually lands with the wing flaps set to 30 degrees, but because of winds, the crew had decided to set them to 40. Fairly late in the approach, the captain noticed that the flaps were actually at 30 degrees and moved them on her own, according to documents released on Tuesday.

If the plane's altitude was below 1,000 feet, which it may have been, the proper procedure would have been to abort the landing and go around for another try, investigators said.

Shortly before touchdown, the captain cut power to the engines and took control of the plane from the first officer, who had been scheduled to conduct the landing, according to the documents. The agency has not determined what caused the crash, but the documents give the impression of a last-minute scramble aboard the plane, in a somewhat tricky landing - on a short runway with a tailwind.

In an interview with investigators, the captain said she had been concerned about touching down too far along the runway.

"Get down. Get down. Get down," she told the first officer, who was flying the plane shortly before touchdown. Then, a few seconds before the plane hit the runway, she said, "I got it," and took control of the plane. Just before impact, she made what the cockpit voice recorder transcript describes as a "sound similar to inhalation," and then uttered an unspecified epithet.

Cockpit procedures are highly regulated, but "there was no standardization for what she did," according to one of the reports released by the board on Tuesday. The plane's nose was angled too far down when the captain took control, the report said. She had cut the engine power, and depending on the timing, cutting power can make the nose point down even farther.

SESAR - Vil veien videre føre til flere forsinkelser?

Opinion: The Time To Strike Is Upon Us, But It Will Not Last Long

Mon Dieu, the French are at it again
The travel plans of holidaymakers were thrown into disarray this past summer when French air traffic controllers went on strike, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights across Europe. Airlines scrambled to contain the fallout, offering free ticket changes to affected passengers while pledging to keep any service disruption to a minimum. The strike was connected to long-running protests against plans for a Single European Sky, more commonly known as SESAR.
SESAR addresses longstanding concerns that current airspace structures around national boundaries force aircraft to fly on average 42km longer than strictly necessary, causing more delays and extra fuel burn. The result is an additional €5bn ($6.3bn) in annual airline operating expenses that are ultimately passed on to passengers in higher ticket costs. SESAR reduces these expenses by using new technologies to improve operational efficiency. Such technologies include remote control towers that allow air traffic service to be provided to isolated regions at lower operating costs and interactive planning tools that give airlines more control over what routes are flown. However, the efficiency gains associated with using these systems come at a ‘cost’; namely less human involvement in the management of air traffic. Controllers fear this will lead to job losses within their ranks.
These fears are not without merit. According to economists Frank Levy and Robert Munane, the Boeing 727 launched in 1962 required more than 5000 engineers to check the integrity of aircraft components, such as seats and hydraulic lines, by assembling a full-scale replica of the airplane. However, when the Boeing 777 was launched thirty years later, increasingly sophisticated software enabled engineers to view components on computer screens eliminating the need for physical mock-ups. The result was an airplane that was both larger and more complex, but took 52 months less to develop, and required significantly fewer workers.
Technology may well reduce demand for human labor, but it has reduced opportunities for human error, often cited as the leading cause of commercial aviation accidents. For example, the Traffic Load Prediction Device used by air navigation service provider NATS, helps supervisors balance staffing levels more effectively in response to traffic changes, thereby improving safety. Technology has also established aviation’s place as the world’s premier rapid transportation provider. Advances in long-range engine design enable passengers today to board an airplane and hours later step off that same airplane across continents. 2014 will see 3.3 billion people benefit from these advances, 800 million of who will pass through European airports alone. A worthy goal is ensuring they receive value for fees paid. Doing so means that, in the words of IATA’s Tony Tyler, “France must not buckle under the pressure of those seeking to protect themselves from the efficiency every other industry is challenged to achieve.” This sentiment holds true even if that efficiency is achieved using fewer workers.
In the years ahead, there is little doubt that SESAR opposition efforts will continue. Flights will be cancelled, delays will persist and travel chaos will plague thousands. However, these efforts will merely delay, not halt SESAR in its tracks. Technology’s increasing commonality reflects societal recognition that doing more with less contributes to overall progress and enables us to advance farther. For controllers, this means providing the best possible service while collaboratively working with management to create policies that recognize the new reality. It is a reality that they are powerless to change.