Tyrkia kaller inn den russiske ambassadøren - Ny kryssing av tyrkisk grense - CNN Video

Turkey says Russia violated airspace, summons ambassador

By Steve Almasy, CNN

Updated 0015 GMT (0815 HKT) January 31, 2016 | Video Source: CNN

• Turkey alleges a Russian warplane flew into its airspace
• Russia imposed sanctions against Turkey after a disputed shootdown in November
• Russia planes are striking targets in Syria in support of the government there

(CNN)Turkey's Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador in Ankara to protest and condemn what it called a violation of airspace by a Russian warplane.

The Foreign Ministry said the Russian SU-34 fighter was warned by Turkish air radar units, in both English and Russian, before it crossed into Turkish airspace from Syria on Friday.

The statement went on to warn that violations "could lead to serious consequences."

The Russian Defense Ministry denied that it violated Turkish airspace and called Ankara's allegations "unfounded propaganda.'

"There were no violations of Turkish airspace by planes of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic," the ministry said on Facebook.

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The ministry said that the nationality of an aircraft cannot be established on radar.

"This is only possible through direct visual contact from another aircraft, which did not take place," the ministry emphasized.

Turkey's military shot down a Russian plane in November after it ignored several warnings and entered its airspace, according to Turkish officials. One Russian crew member was killed. Moscow disputed that its crew was given warnings before the F-16 fired and said the Russian plane was over Syria.

After the shootdown, Russia imposed a series of economic sanctions on Turkey, banning the import of some goods, imposing restrictions on travel, barring some Turkish companies from doing business in Russia and suspending a $12 billion gas pipeline project between the nations.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called Saturday for "calm and de-escalation."

But he also said Russia should "act responsibly and to fully respect NATO airspace."

An official with the Russian Embassy in Ankara confirmed there was a meeting, Ria Novosti reported, but spokesman Igor Mityakov declined to comment on what was discussed.

Russia began airstrikes in Syria, one of Turkey's neighbors to the south, in September. Moscow has said the missions are in support of the Syrian government's fight against ISIS and other enemies.

Friday's allegations of an airspace violation came about a week after two U.S. officials told CNN it appeared that Russia could be making moves to establish an air base in northeastern Syria near the Turkish border.

The officials said the United States had seen a "limited" number of Russian military personnel, more akin to an exploratory party, looking at an airfield in Qamishli, possibly to determine how they might use the site.

U.S. officials: Russia looking at Syria airfield near Turkey

CNN's Gul Tuysuz, Elena Sandyrev and Jamie Crawford contributed to this report. 

Amerikanske flygere ønsker dobbeltdør til cockpit - ALPA Intl.

ALPA Pilots Continuing the Push for Secondary Barriers

Published on January 15, 2016

L to R: F/O Dan Ward (United), Capt. Robert Hamilton (PSA), F/O Joseph Morowitz (United), Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Ellen Saracini, and F/O Doug Mattson (United).

This week, United Airlines pilots took to Capitol Hill as part of ALPA’s efforts to mandate secondary barriers on passenger aircraft. Secondary barriers are lightweight devices that are easy to deploy and stow, installed between the passenger cabin and the cockpit door, that block access to the flight deck whenever the reinforced door is opened in flight.

After the attacks of 9/11, the U.S. Congress and the Canadian Parliament mandated that airlines replace standard cockpit doors with hardened doors on certain types of airliners. However, practical experience using these doors soon revealed a critical vulnerability—the reinforced door must be periodically opened during flight for pilots’ operational and physiological needs, which means they may be compromised by one or more terrorists who could rush the flight deck. To address this unintended security lapse, a secondary barrier was developed by airlines for use whenever the cockpit door is open during flight. 

Government and industry studies have shown that secondary cockpit barriers are an effective, inexpensive way to protect our aircraft during flight when the cockpit door must be opened. The current alternative—a flight attendant acting as a human shield with or without a serving cart—is not an acceptable layer of security. 

For years, ALPA has been working closely with members of Congress on the merits of secondary cockpit barriers. This week, ALPA pilots spoke with elected officials on the importance of cosponsoring the Saracini Aviation Safety Act (H.R. 911, S. 911), which would require the use of secondary barriers in aircraft. The legislation is named for Capt. Victor Saracini, one of the United pilots killed when terrorists gained access to his cockpit and hijacked United Flight 175 on 9/11. 

It is crucial that we take all needed measures to delay, deter, and prevent efforts by unauthorized individuals to enter the cockpit through an open door. Secondary barriers are a proven, effective, and efficient layer of security for the cockpit, and ALPA once again calls on Congress to require that these inexpensive devices are mandated on passenger aircraft. 

We encourage everyone to take a moment and voice your support for keeping our skies safe and secure. Tell Congress today to support the Saracini Aviation Safety Act and ensure that secondary barriers are mandatory. 

- See more at: http://www.alpa.org/en/news-and-events/Blog/2016/01/15/pilots-push-for%20secondary-barriers#sthash.Tzfv8Q6U.dpuf

Det er varmt i Sør-Kina Havet - CNN

Story highlights

·         The USS Curtis Wilbur sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Triton Island

·         The island is claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam

(CNN)The U.S. Navy sent a ship near a contested island in the South China Sea on Saturday to challenge "excessive maritime claims that restrict the rights and freedoms of the United States and others," a U.S. Defense Department spokesman told CNN.

"This operation challenged attempts by the three claimants, China, Taiwan and Vietnam, to restrict navigation rights and freedoms around the features they claim by policies that require prior permission or notification of transit within territorial seas," Cmdr. Bill Urban said.

"This operation demonstrates, as President Obama and Secretary [Ash] Carter have stated, the United States will fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows. That is true in the South China Sea, as in other places around the globe."

The USS Curtis Wilbur, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Triton Island, part of the Paracel Islands -- an archipelago claimed by the three.

None of them was notified of the move.

"This operation was about challenging excessive maritime claims that restrict the rights and freedoms of the United States and others, not about territorial claims to land features," Urban said. "The United States takes no position on competing sovereignty claims between the parties to naturally formed land features in the South China Sea. The United States does take a strong position on protecting the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea and airspace guaranteed to all countries, and that all maritime claims must comply with international law."

A spokeswoman for China's Foreign Ministry denounced the action.

"The U.S. naval ship violated Chinese law to enter China's territorial waters. China monitored the ship's movement and issued verbal messages in accordance with law," Hua Chunying said. "We urge the U.S. side to respect and abide by relevant laws of China, and do more to improve mutual trust as well as regional peace and stability."

The U.S. conducted a similar operation in October. China said it warned that warship, the USS Lassen, as it came close to reefs claimed by China in contested waters.

Cui Tiankai, the Chinese ambassador to the United States, told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that the operation was "a very serious provocation, politically and militarily."

Much of the South China Sea is subject to a series of territorial disputes between Asian nations.

And near the Spratly Islands, which Beijing calls the Nansha islands, China has built an artificial island with air strips that analysts believe will be able to accommodate bombers.

CNN's Steven Jiang contributed to this report

B737 MAX fløy i går - CNN

Renton, Washington (CNN)"It flew beautifully.

 

We worked through checks but there were no issues."

That was the proclamation delivered today by Captain Ed Wilson upon the successful completion of the maiden flight of Boeing's 737 MAX in Seattle, taking the program a step closer to its Entry Into Service (EIS).

The fourth generation of this family of aircraft comes to compete directly against the Airbus A320neo family aircraft in an ongoing battle to dominate the global narrow-body market segment.

After its introduction last December, the aircraft underwent pre-flight preparations, which included taxi tests successfully achieved yesterday.

With its first flight completed, it will be prepared for the flight-test campaign as it's the first of four MAX aircraft that will be used to test and certify the program with the Federal Aviation Administration.

 

According to Boeing's chief project engineer Michael Teal, the aircraft's test fleet will wrap up the campaign by the end of the year.

After type certification, it'll go to launch customer Southwest Airlines -- the world's largest 737 operator -- in the third quarter of 2017.

This would be the second time Southwest launches a 737 variant, as it did in 1981 with the 737-300 program, which entered service in 1984.

4,000 gather to watch first flight

Skies were cloudy, but the mood was bright after the 737 MAX's successful first flight.

A crew of two commanded by Wilson, chief pilot 737 Program and pilot in command, and Craig Bomben, VP of Flight Test, took the 737 MAX to a short taxi down to Runway 34 at Renton Municipal Airport in Washington state.

Takeoff took place at 9:48 a.m. local time, receiving the applause of around 4,000 Boeing employees, media members and invitees who attended to the event.

The light window was pushed forward due to adverse weather conditions.

The aircraft soared under typical Seattle stormy, threatening skies, which are almost the norm for the Boeing First Flights, like the 787-8 in December 2009.

Bomben noted that "other then deteriorating weather at Renton, we had no butterflies or jitters in our stomachs. We did get out of Renton in the nick of time."

The aircraft (N8701Q MSN 42554/LN 5602), named Spirit of Renton, flew for two hours and 47 minutes over the west of Washington under the call sign BOE1, and landed on Boeing Field's runway 13 at 12:35 p.m.

The aircraft limited its speed to 250 knots and initially climbed to 15,000 feet (4,570 meters), and later climbed higher than 20,000 feet (6,096 meters).

The flight never exceeded 250 knots, but, perhaps owing to the maturity of the basic platform, the landing gear was retracted -- "cleaning up the airframe" -- for flight testing.

"Go Slow" schedule

Boeing says the 737 MAX's new engine marks an improvement in efficiency.

"We were amazed at how quiet the cabin was," said Captain Wilson after the flight. "I took a walk mid-flight through the cabin and was impressed."

Wilson also noted that the aircraft may return to flight test tomorrow after inspections.

The second MAX aircraft built will be incorporated into the test program within a month.

The third and fourth MAX's are in varying stages of completion on Renton's "Go Slow" Surge Final Assembly Line.

Boeing's third 737 line, designated just for the MAX, is completing a single 737 MAX at a rate of around one per month during the ramp up.

This contrasts to one 737 NG about every 11 days.

Reliable family of aircraft

The 737 MAX family aircraft is powered by a new generation of CFM engines.

According to Boeing, the CFM LEAP-1B is set to deliver a 15% improvement in fuel burn efficiency on the 737 MAX, compared to the current family aircraft in production (the 737 Next Generation or 737NG), complying with today's stringent noise restrictions (as evidenced by today's whisper-like takeoff), while maintaining the remarkable reliability and low operational costs of its predecessor, the CFM56 engine family.

Currently, Boeing's order book for the 737 MAX family aircraft stands at 2,827 aircraft, spanning more than 40 customers.

The largest orders come from Indonesia's Lion Air (201 MAX 9 aircraft), Southwest Airlines (200 MAX 8), American Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle (100 MAX 8 each) and Ryanair (100 MAX 200 aircraft, a high-density version of the 8 MAX).

Sixty percent of the orders to date correspond to the MAX 8 variant.

Yesterday, Boeing delivered the 8,888th 737 after nearly 50 years since the 737 first began production.

Chris Sloan is the president and founder of AirwaysNews.com.

Friskt på Ørlandet i kveld - barotrykk 957 Hp

Tid: 23:17 (22:17 UTC)

Varsel

Varsel gyldig fra 29. klokken 21 UTC til 30. klokken 18 UTC

Vind 28 kt fra Sør-sørvest med vindkast opp mot 38 kt

Sikt 10 km eller mer

Få skyer i en høyde av 1200 ft, Tårnskyer (cumulus).
Brutte skyer i en høyde av 2000 ft

lette regnbyger

Blir
fra 29. klokken 22 UTC til 29. klokken 24 UTC

Vind 45 kt fra Vest-sørvest med vindkast opp mot 60 kt

Midlertidig
fra 29. klokken 22 UTC til 30. klokken 02 UTC

Vind 65 kt fra Vest-sørvest med vindkast opp mot 80 kt

Drone - Fixed wing vertical take off - UAS Vision

Swiss VTOL Fixed Wing Drone Unveiled

A Swiss aerial robotics startup is developing a half-plane half-helicopter vertical take-off drone to be available by this summer. Wingtra showed its prototype unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at a CeBit preview in Hannover, Germany.

The fixed wing has propellers on its leading edge but it is a simpler design than the manned rotary or tilt-wing aircraft that swivel their engines through 90 degrees to move from helicopter to fixed wing flight.

The UAV takes off and lands from a vertically upright position, like a helicopter, so it does not require a runway and can take off from a dirt road, corner of a field or from between houses. Once airborne the whole aircraft can tilt forwards 90 degrees to lie flat in a fixed wing configuration for forward flight and to cover larger distances more quickly. It can then slow, pause and hover in the middle of a flight to provide, for example, closer inspections.

The motors can propel the UAV to cover up to 60km and can push it to speeds of up to 100km/h. The craft is very light and can carry a small payload of 1.5kg, which is enough for observation and sensing missions or carrying out small deliveries. The first application for Wingtra is expected to be in forest management.

“Our robot improves wildlife protection, agriculture, mining, parcel delivery and many other fields,” says Wingtra. “In the next few years UAVs will become a standard sensing tool in many industries. In precision agriculture for example drones are used to gather information – which can ultimately reduce fertilizer usage by as much as 40 per cent. UAVs are and will be used extensively to detect diseases early on, increase yields and create nutrition maps and much more.”

Wingtra is a spin-off from the Autonomous Systems Lab at ETH Zurich in Switzerland, where it began life as a student project but has grown to employ 20 staff in just one year.

Wingtra will feature in the reception area of the Swiss pavilion at this year’s CeBit show in Hannover, 14-18 March. Switzerland is this year’s partner country for CeBit. Swiss parliament member Franz Gruter said the number of ICT employees in Switzerland has more than doubled in the last 20 years.

CeBit spokesperson Oliver Frese said the former computer show is now focused on business rather than consumers and has evolved into the world’s leading event on technology for the “digitization of business and society.” He said CeBit’s top theme is again this year the “d!conomy” with the slogan “Join Create Succeed.”

Iranian drone buzzes US carrier - CNN Video

Iran drone buzzes American aircraft carrier

By Associated Press   

January 29, 2016 | 9:08am

Modal Trigger

The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in December. Photo: AP

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran flew a surveillance drone over a U.S. aircraft carrier and took “precise” photographs of it as part of an ongoing naval drill, state television reported Friday. The U.S. Navy said an unarmed Iranian drone flew near a French and American carrier on Jan. 12, but couldn’t confirm it was the same incident.
The reported drone overflight comes after a series of naval incidents between Iran and the U.S. in the greater Persian Gulf, including test rocket fire by the Islamic Republic and its brief capture of American sailors who strayed into its territorial waters.
The report by state television said the drone flight occurred on the third day of the naval exercise, suggesting it happened Friday. Later, its website and the semi-official Fars news agency, which is close to Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard, published footage it said was of the drone’s flight.
The footage showed the drone launch and later hover above what appeared to be an aircraft carrier underway in a body of water. The footage zoomed into a row of fighter jets on the carrier’s deck. There were no identifying marks visible on the carrier.
The Associated Press could not independently verify the footage. Cmdr. Kevin Stephens, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet based in Bahrain, said an unarmed Iranian drone flew near the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and “directly over” the USS Harry S. Truman on Jan. 12 as the vessels were in international waters in the Persian Gulf.
He said the drone “posed no danger to the ship” as the unmanned aircraft was unarmed and the carrier wasn’t conducting flight operations at the time.

Check video here: http://tinyurl.com/h8yp83n

“It was, however, abnormal and unprofessional,” Stephens said. He added that the U.S. Navy was “not in a position to verify the authenticity of the video as there are countless examples of similar footage to be found on the Internet.”
Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, the commander of Iran’s navy, called the drone overflight “a sign of bravery.”
It “allowed our men to go so close to the warship and shoot such a beautiful and accurate footage of the combat units of the foreign forces,” he told state television.
State television and the state-run IRNA news agency said an Iranian light submarine also participated in the surveillance operation. When asked about the submarine report, Stephens said “Iran has several submarines underway for its current exercise,” but declined to discuss specifics.
The Iranian report did not name the U.S. vessel filmed by the drone. The nuclear-powered USS Harry S. Truman, based out of Norfolk, Virginia, is in the Persian Gulf region launching airstrikes and supporting operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.
Stephens said the drone report would not affect its operations.
“I can say that we are confident in the ability of U.S. naval forces operating in the region to respond appropriately as the situation dictates, and will exercise our right to defend our forces against any threat,” he said.
Separately, state television said Iran’s navy successfully fired surface-to-surface Noor cruise missiles during the drill at mock targets. Iran has announced other military exercises in the past to demonstrate the capabilities of its armed forces.
Iran’s navy began the naval drill this week over a 3-million-square-kilometer (1.16-million-square-mile) area including parts of the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean. Iran said Wednesday its navy warned a U.S. warship to leave an area of the naval drill. The U.S. Navy later denied its operations were affected by the Iranian drill.
While Iran recently struck a nuclear deal with world powers including the U.S., its naval forces have continued its maneuvers. Iran has more than 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) of shoreline facing the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.
The U.S. has criticized some of those maneuvers, including what it called a “highly provocative” Iranian rocket test fire in December near its warships and commercial traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran denied launching rockets, though the U.S. later released footage showing the rocket fire.
The Strait of Hormuz, which sees nearly a third of all oil traded by sea pass through it, has been the scene of past confrontations between America and Iran, including a one-day naval battle in 1988.
In January, Iranian forces captured 10 U.S. Navy sailors who entered Iranian territorial waters near Farsi Island, an outpost in the middle of the Persian Gulf that has been used as a base for Revolutionary Guard speedboats since the 1980s. The sailors were released within a day, though Iranian state media aired footage of the sailors’ capture, angering U.S. politicians.

Su-27 på tur igjen - Svartehavet denne gang - CNN

(CNN)A Russian fighter jet came within 15 feet of a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance plane over the Black Sea this week in what the Pentagon is calling an "unsafe" incident, U.S. officials say.

"On January 25, 2016, a U.S. RC-135U flying a routine route in international airspace over the Black Sea was intercepted by a Russian Su-27 in an unsafe and unprofessional manner. We are looking into this particular incident," said a statement from Army Lt. Col. Michelle L. Baldanza, a Defense Department spokesperson.

Another U.S. military official told CNN that the Russian jet flew along the right side the U.S. plane then turned away in a maneuver that had an adverse impact on the "controllability of the U.S. aircraft." The official did not know if the Russian aircraft was armed at the time. The official said the incident occurred more than 40 miles from the Russian coast.

The U.S. official said Russian intercepts happen routinely and the majority are conducted safely.

But Monday's encounter is similar to one between the same two types of U.S. and Russian aircraft in 2014.

In that incident, a Russian Su-27 flew within 100 feet of the nose of the U.S. Air Force RC-135U over the Sea of Okhotsk between Russia and Japan, a Defense Department official said.

At the time, the U.S. official called it "one of the most dangerous close passes in decades" and said the Russian jet "put the lives of the U.S. crew in jeopardy."

The Russian aircraft turned and "showed its belly" to the U.S. crew so they could see it was armed with missiles.

The RC-135U is a four-engine jet used in "locating and identifying foreign military land, naval and airborne radar signals," according to the Air Force.

The jet "collects and minutely examines each system, providing strategic analysis for warfighters. Collected data is also stored for further analysis by the joint warfighting and intelligence communities," the Air Force says.

The RC-135U carries a crew of 21, including 10 electronic warfare officers, an Air Force fact sheet says.

There are only two RC-135U aircraft in the Air Force inventory.

Dårlig vær - Sjekk video med pussig manøvrering av helikopter - NRK

http://tinyurl.com/juaa2lp

Russerne børster støv av gammel design - Il-106 - AIN Defence

The Ilyushin design bureau has resumed work on a very large, four-engine airlifter that was first drafted in the late 1980s. The move comes after support for the Russian air force fleet of An-124 Ruslan heavy airlifters by the Antonov design bureau ended, as a result of the poor relations between Russia and Ukraine.

The Il-106 was originally meant to be a replacement for the aging An-22 turboprop heavy airlifter. Work commenced in 1987, and a draft design was completed in 1992, but funding shortages halted further progress.

But recently, Ilyushin general manager Sergei Velmozhkin told Russian TV that “the Il-106, a new airlifter being developed in Russia, shall be able to land on unpaved runways…this machine is going to be huge, [able to carry] a payload of 80 to 100 tons. Unlike previous designs, it shall be able to land on unprepared runways.” He said that the new aircraft was in the An-124 class.

Ilyushin general designer Nikolai Talikov also confirmed that a big airlifter is being developed. “We can speak about it seriously by 2022-2023” after design work is complete, he said.

The Il-106 was resumed after the Russian defense ministry requested the industry develop what it calls “Perspective Aviation Complex of Military Transport Aviation.” Subsequently, in late 2014/early 2015, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) came up with a number of proposals, including the “Ermak project.” Details remained scarce until sources within Ilyushin began speaking of the Il-106 program resumption.

A scale model of the Il-106 appeared briefly at Ilyushin stands during airshows a quarter century ago. It revealed a classic ramp-airlifter design bearing resemblance to the Il-76 and An-124, but with winglets and a relatively wider and shorter fuselage. With a length of 58 meters (190 feet), and a wingspan of nearly 60 meters 197 feet], the Il-106 would have a maximum takeoff weight of 258 metric tons (569,000 pounds), and an empty weight of 135 metric tons (298,000 pounds). Cruise speed would be 820-850 km/h [442-460kt], and typical range would be 5,000 km (2,700nm). Field performance: takeoff and landing lengths between 1,400 and 1,550 meters (4,600 to 5,100 feet). The six-meter-wide cargo cabin (about 20 feet) would have a length of 34 meters (111.5 ft) and height of 4.6 meters (15 feet).

Power was to have come from four Nikolai Kuznetsov NK-92 ducted-fan engines each developing 18 metric tons of thrust (39,700 pounds)and developed for record-low fuel burn. Coupled with good lift qualities of the wing (area 370 sq m), these design elements were expected to delivermarkedly lower fuel burn on the Il-106 compared with the previous generation of Soviet airlifters.

Since neither the NK-92 nor its derivative NK-93 has been completed, the reborn Il-106 must have another engine. Most likely, it would be an up-rated version of the PD-14 engine from Aviadvigatel design house. The baseline PD-14 was developed for the Irkut MC-21 airliner, and is now on the brink of flight test on an Il-76 flying testbed.

Pilot shortage emerging in the US - Curt Lewis

 

Pilot Shortage Threatens To Slow U.S. Airline Growth

Oliver Wyman on Transportation & Logistics
We explore transformative ideas and data trends on transport and travel

Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
Elizabeth Souder, CONTRIBUTOR
By Brian Prentice, Partner, and Philippe Gouel, Principal

U.S. airlines are in the early stages of a pilot shortage that could boost labor costs and even constrain growth.

Unless airlines find ways to work with partners to cultivate a pilot pipeline, they could face difficult, even volatile, competition for experienced pilots because the current regulatory and industry situation can only yield about two-thirds of the pilots the U.S. will need in the next 20 years. That could mean constrained airline revenue, higher fares, or both. Kids, get your pilots licenses, because this could be the career of the 2020s and 30s.

Pilots sit in the cockpit of a VietJet Air aircraft, operated by VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Co., at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Sunday, June 1, 2014. VietJet, Vietnam's only privately owned airline, may seek to raise $400 million to $500 million in an initial public offering next year as it takes delivery of as many as 100 additional planes. Photographer: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg

The pilot profession is highly regulated to drive a high level of safety, with laws dictating the level of experience and proficiency a pilot must acquire before flying a commercial aircraft, as well as when and how a professional pilot may work. This constrained environment has always made it difficult for the industry to meet the ebbs and flows of demand. New regulations further constrain the availability of new pilots. Now, as demand for air travel grows rapidly (global commercial airline capacity rose more than 6 percent last year, according to Oliver Wyman's Airline Economic Analysis) many aviation insiders see the number of pilots in training and the future demand for commercial pilots diverging.

Leading airline executives are considering a new approach to the problem by forming partnerships with operators, training providers, and even regulators to shape the pipeline of pilots in training. Some major carriers and large regional airlines are well positioned to exploit these opportunities.

The demand for pilots by U.S. airlines is likely to outstrip supply.

Pilot Pipeline

Becoming a commercial airline pilot is a time-intensive process that requires academic instruction, flight experience, numerous certifications and, typically, a progression of different flight-related jobs to gain the right experience. In the past, commercial pilots needed at least 250 flight hours, which takes at least six months and can cost up to $100,000. U.S. pilots have traditionally absorbed these costs themselves, sometimes by combining the training with college degree programs. Prior to August 2013, pilots who had completed this stage of training were eligible to become U.S. commercial airline co-pilots. Outside of the U.S., many international airlines sponsor student pilots and either pay for this training or offer loans with favorable terms associated with future employment at the sponsoring airline.

New regulations introduced in 2013, designed to increase pilot proficiency, mandate that co-pilots working for commercial airlines hold airline transport pilot (ATP) certificates. This typically requires 1,500 flight hours and other experience gained by working at lower-paying pilot jobs. These new regulations make commercial airlines dependent on a set of aviation segments that provide the necessary experience but that are not elastic to growth in demand by the airlines and other career-employment companies. Even a perfectly efficient system could only provide the experience required for two-thirds of the pilots needed in the U.S.

The effect of the new regulations is further compounded by the fact that, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the military, traditionally the largest source of airline pilots, now accounts for only 30 percent of new airline pilots. Further, the supply of military pilots will likely continue to shrink as military branches roll out programs to incentivize pilots to stay longer.

Pilot Demand

As the pilot career pipeline becomes constrained, the commercial airline industry's demand for pilots is rising. Oliver Wyman's 2016-2026 Global Fleet & MRO Market Forecast expects the number of commercial aircraft in service in the U.S. to rise 7.7 percent during the next 20 years to 8,067. The forecast expects the number of commercial aircraft in the global fleet to rise 40 percent to 34,437 aircraft.

Airlines are adding more airplanes just as a wave of pilots nears retirement and regulations on pilot duty times have tightened. The industry's appetite for new ATP-rated pilots is at an all-time high, and Boeing BA +1.69% Co. estimates U.S. airlines will demand about 95,000 pilots in the next 20 years.

Of course, U.S. pilots also fly for international airlines and corporate fractional flight operations, further boosting demand. Europe is expected to need 95,000 pilots, and Asiawill likely need 226,000.

Juicing the Pipeline

Airline operators can follow several philosophies on managing the pilot pipeline. Some airlines may buy their way out and offer higher salaries, incentives, and benefits to pilots. For others this will be too costly and could upend their business. Such carriers must consider strategies to recruit pilots in a more competitive and constrained environment. This could entail developing programs with vocational or collegiate flight schools, developing more formalized feeder programs with regional partners, or financing the next generation of qualified pilots. However, these options are also costly.

In the long term, the industry could work to influence regulations, but this could take years and might not yield a superior paradigm. Carriers will still need to consider what they can offer pilots both in terms of compensation and work rules. Regional carriers, which traditionally offer lower pat rates, may see high attrition as demand from majors grows. Regionals will need to explore alternatives including productivity improvements, enhanced pilot compensation and collaboration with mainline partners in order secure their supply of qualified pilots. Major airlines will need to contemplate strategies to protect their pipelines from poaching by competing carriers. Similarly, even with industry standard rates of pay, low-cost carriers may see attrition from the bottom of their seniority lists as pilots pursue more compelling opportunities with majors or international carriers.

 

The pilot pipeline will adapt to the new marketplace and passivity will not be rewarded. The smart airlines are exploring stronger, scalable relationships within the pipeline, namely with pilot training organizations. These types of relationships could be the key differentiator for airline success.

 

Brian Prentice is a partner in Oliver Wyman's aviation practice, and he is based in Dallas. Philippe Gouel is a principal with the practice, and he is based in Chicago.

San Francisco til Singapore - United med lang rute - Curt Lewis

 

United Airlines to Start Only U.S.-Singapore Non-Stop Flight

A United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

United Airlines will start flying non-stop daily between San Francisco and Singapore this year in the longest direct service by a U.S. carrier as falling fuel costs allow more airlines to offer longer flights.

United will fly Boeing Co.'s 787-9 aircraft for the route which starts June 1, the airline said in a statement Thursday. The flight will take about 16 hours 20 minutes to Singapore, saving about four hours of travel time compared with the airline's current services via Japan's Narita airport.

The U.S. carrier joins Emirates and Qantas Airways Ltd. among airlines offering non-stop flights as new aircraft technology introduced by Airbus Group SE and Boeing, as well as lower fuel costs, make it possible to offer longer direct services. Singapore Airlines Ltd. plans to revive the world's longest flight to New York in 2018 using the A350 ultra-long range plane.

Er det mulig? - Curt Lewis

Israeli passenger confuses airplane emergency exit for bathroom in-flight "I heard a scream and turned my head where I saw one of the passengers on board attempting to open an emergency exit door," according to a passenger on the flight. Interior of a passenger airplane A passenger aboard a flight from Eilat to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport on Friday attempted to open the door of the aircraft while it was in the air, Israel's Channel 2 reported. According to the flight crew, the passenger believed the door was the entrance to the bathroom. "I heard a scream and turned my head where I saw one of the passengers on board attempting to open an emergency exit door," according to a passenger on the flight. "He was in a panic as other passengers began yelling 'what are you doing'?" "That's when the the flight crew pull him aside and began to interrogate him," the passenger added. The plane landed immediately after the event without further incident.

Sinai havariet - Bakkepersonell arrestert - Curt Lewis

Exclusive : EgyptAir mechanic suspected in Russian plane crash - sources

A child's shoe is seen in front of debris from a Russian airliner which crashed at the Hassana area in Arish city, north Egypt, November 1, 2015. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

An EgyptAir mechanic whose cousin joined Islamic State in Syria is suspected of planting a bomb on a Russian passenger plane that was blown out of Egypt's skies in late October, according to sources familiar with the matter.

So far Egypt has publicly said it has found no evidence that the MetroJet flight, which crashed in the Sinai Peninsula after takeoff from Sharm el-Sheikh airport, killing all 224 people on board, was brought down by terrorism.

A senior security official at the airline denied that any of its employees had been arrested or were under suspicion, and an Interior Ministry official also said there had been no arrests.

But the sources, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation, said the mechanic had been detained, along with two airport policemen and a baggage handler suspected of helping him put the bomb on board.

"After learning that one of its members had a relative that worked at the airport, Islamic State delivered a bomb in a handbag to that person," said one of the sources, adding the suspect's cousin joined Islamic State in Syria a year and a half ago.

"He was told to not ask any questions and get the bomb on the plane."

Another source said of the other suspects: "Two policemen are suspected of playing a role by turning a blind eye to the operation at a security checkpoint. But there is a possibility that they were just not doing their jobs properly."

None of the four have been prosecuted so far, the sources told Reuters.

The crash has called into question Egypt's drive to eradicate Islamist militancy and hurt its tourism industry, a cornerstone of the economy. Islamic State's Egypt affiliate is waging an insurgency in parts of the Sinai, although mostly far from the tourist resorts along its Red Sea coast.

Russia and Western countries have long said that they believe the flight was brought down by a bomb smuggled on board. Egypt however has so far publicly said it has not found any evidence of foul play.

Any formal charges or official Egyptian confirmation that a bomb brought down the Airbus A321 could potentially expose Egypt to compensation payments to the families of the victims.

The EgyptAir senior security official said state security police had investigated all workers at Sharm el-Sheikh airport without finding any evidence implicating any of them.

The official said state security traced the family connections of all the employees and they were cleared.

"Any employee who shows sympathy to militants is prevented from going to work in any airport," he told Reuters.

An Interior Ministry source also said no one had been arrested in connection with the crash.

"We are awaiting results of the investigation."

Islamic State's online magazine carried a photo of a Schweppes soft drink can it said was used to make an improvised bomb that brought down the Russian airliner.

The photo showed a can of Schweppes Gold soft drink and what appeared to be a detonator and switch on a blue background, three simple components that if genuine are likely to cause concern for airline safety officials worldwide.

Malaysian MH370 - The search continues - Curt Lewis

Chinese sonar vessel to join search for missing Malaysian jet

Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss speaks during a media conference next to a map displaying the search area for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, December 3, 2015.

China is set to join the underwater search for a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet missing for almost two years by providing a sonar-equipped vessel by the end of February, Australia's deputy prime minister Warren Truss said on Friday.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared with 239 people on board during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014, sparking one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history.

The Chinese vessel Dong Hai Jiu 101 was offered to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in November and will be deployed to join search operations in the southern Indian Ocean, where the plane is believed to have gone down in March 2014.

At the time, China valued its contribution to the search at A$20 million ($14.2 million).

The Australian-led underwater search is one of the most expensive ever conducted. An initial hunt along a rugged 60,000-sq km (23,000 sq miles) patch of sea floor off the coast of Perth cost A$120 million but yielded no sign of the plane.

The presence of Dong Hai Jiu will take to four the number of vessels scouring a search area that has been expanded to 120,000 square km (46,330 square miles) of ocean floor.

The vessel is expected to leave Singapore for Australia on January 31 and commence operations towards the end of February.

The sonar system onboard Dong Hai Jiu 101 will be operated by Phoenix International Holdings and Hydrospheric Solutions. Both companies have previous experience in the search for MH370.

Earlier this week, Australian authorities said they had lost a deep-water sonar detector that was being used in the search.

A piece of the plane washed up on the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean in July 2015 but no further trace has been found.

On Saturday, a piece of suspected plane wreckage was found off the east coast of southern Thailand but aviation experts and Thai officials said it was unlikely to belong to MH370.

Pilot error - Why? Company culture and training might be the culprit - Curt Lewis

Pilots Blamed for TransAsia Airways Crash on Taiwan Island

Taiwan's aviation authorities have concluded that a plane crash that killed 48 people on a domestic flight was due to pilot error and a failure within the airline to follow safety procedures.

The TransAsia Airways plane crashed on July 23, 2014, in stormy weather trailing a typhoon, killing 44 passengers and four crew members. Ten passengers survived.

Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council said in a report Friday that the crew on Flight GE222 did not realize they were too close to the ground while landing on the island of Penghu and repeatedly failed to follow standard operating procedures during the flight.

It said the captain flew the aircraft too low without first making visual contact with the runway, likely because he was overconfident of his flying skills, and the first officer did not correct his mistake.

Other contributing factors included bad weather that reduced visibility and poor communication of weather information to the flight crew, the council said.

The twin propeller ATR-72 crashed in a residential area about a kilometer (half a mile) from the runway and caught fire. Five people on the ground were injured.

Seven months later, TransAsia Airways had another fatal crash, this time in Taipei shortly after takeoff, killing 43. A preliminary investigation indicated that the pilot mistakenly shut off the remaining working engine after the other one went idle.

Friday's report criticized a "prevalent tolerance for non-compliance with procedures within the airline's ATR fleet."

TransAsia said in a statement that it respected the investigation results, and that it would promote a flight safety culture, including by setting up a safety committee and promoting people with good safety records.

The TransAsia crash was Taiwan's first deadly civil aviation accident since 2002, when a China Airlines plane went down shortly after takeoff, killing 225.

Kongsbergs`s Joint Strike MIssile - Is it loosing ground already? - AW&ST

Lockheed Pushes Lrasm As Navy Looks To Rearm

Jan 29, 2016Graham Warwick and Michael Fabey | Aviation Week & Space Technology

 

As the U.S. Navy moves to restore and expand its ability to counter hostile warships, Lockheed Martin is positioning its air-launched Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (Lrasm) to meet pending surface-warfare and land-attack requirements. The strategy includes proposing a surface-launched version of Lrasm to arm Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and modified-LCS frigates as part of the Navy’s “distributed lethality” concept to give more of its warships an offensive edge.

X-48 - The end is not here yet - AW&ST

News just out that the blended wing may fly in future large scale tests (Ed.)

Artist`s illustration of a test vehicle

X-48 Research: All good things must come to an end

The X-48C Hybrid Wing Body research aircraft banks right over NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base during one of the sub-scale aircraft's final test flights on Feb. 28, 2013.

Credits: NASA / Carla Thomas

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All good things must come to an end, as the saying goes.

The Boeing – NASA X-48C Hybrid Wing Body aircraft flies over one of the runways laid out on Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. during a test flight from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center.

Credits: NASA / Carla Thomas

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After flying the remotely-piloted X-48B and X-48C Hybrid / Blended Wing Body research aircraft for nearly six years, the joint NASA-Boeing X-48 project team recently completed a highly successful and productive flight test project at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center.

Earth and sky meet in this close up of the X-48C Hybrid Wing Body aircraft as it flies over Edwards Air Force Base on Feb. 28, 2013. The long boom protruding from between the tails is part of the aircraft's parachute-deployment flight termination system.

Credits: NASA / Carla Thomas

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A deep blue sky backdrops the NASA-Boeing X-48C Hybrid Wing Body aircraft as it flies over Edwards AFB on Feb. 28, 2013, during a test flight from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards Calif.

Credits: NASA / Carla Thomas

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The manta-shaped X-48 Hybrid Wing Body technology demonstrator flew a total of 122 flights, 30 of them as the C-model. The last flight of the X-48C occurred on April 9, having first flown eight months ago on Aug. 7, 2012.

“We have accomplished our goal of establishing a ground to flight database, and proving the low speed controllability of the concept throughout the flight envelope,” said Fay Collier, manager of NASA’s Environmentally Responsible Aviation project. “Both very quiet and efficient, the hybrid wing body has shown promise for meeting all of NASA’s environmental goals for future aircraft designs,” Collier said.

The aircraft, designed by The Boeing Co. and built by Cranfield Aerospace Limited of the United Kingdom, was flown in partnership with NASA. The X-48C model, which was formerly the X-48B Blended Wing Body aircraft, was modified to evaluate the low-speed stability and control of a low-noise version of a notional, future Hybrid Wing Body (HWB) aircraft design. The HWB design stems from concept studies being conducted by NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation project of future potential aircraft designs 20 years from now.

“Our team at NASA Dryden has done what we do best, flight test a unique aircraft and repeatedly collect data that will be used to design future ‘green’ airliners,” said Heather Maliska, NASA Dryden’s X-48C project manager. “It is bittersweet to see the program come to an end, but we are proud of the safe and extremely successful joint Boeing and NASA flight test program that we have conducted.”

Primary changes to the C model from the original B version that flew 92 flights at Dryden between 2007 and 2010 were geared to transforming it to an airframe noise-shielding configuration. External modifications included relocating the wingtip winglets inboard next to the engines, effectively turning them into twin tails. The aft deck of the aircraft was extended about two feet to the rear. Finally, the project team replaced the X-48B's three 50-pound thrust jet engines with two 89-pound thrust engines.

"Our goal was to define the low-speed envelope and explore the low-speed handling qualities of the Blended Wing Body class of tailless aircraft, and we have accomplished that," added Mike Kisska, Boeing's X-48 flight test project manager.

The X-48C retained most dimensions of the B model, with a wingspan just longer than 20 feet, and a weight of about 500 pounds. The aircraft had an estimated top speed of about 140 mph, and a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet.

Because handling qualities of the X-48C differed from those of the X-48B, the project team modified the flight control system software, including flight control limiters to keep the airplane flying within a safe flight envelope. This enabled a stronger and safer prototype flight control system suitable for further development for potential full-scale commercial hybrid or blended wing aircraft in the future.

NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and Boeing funded the X-48 technology demonstration research effort, which supported NASA's goals of reduced fuel burn, emissions and noise.

F-35 oppdatering - Teknisk Ukeblad

Et amerikansk F-35B og et britisk F-35B (bak) i ferd med å etterfylle drivstoff i lufta. Foto: Liz Kaszynski

F-35 gjør et nytt forsøk på å krysse Atlanteren

To år etter en småflau avlysning.

Av  Per Erlien Dalløkken

Publisert 28. januar 2016 kl. 09:28

 

To år etter at flyforbud satte en stopp for F-35s flyshow-debut i Europa, gjøres det et nytt forsøk.
Så mange som fem F-35-kampfly skal etter planen vise seg fram i England i sommer.

• Første JSM-slipp: På dette amerikanske flyet henger Norges mest avanserte våpen

artikkelen fortsetter under annonsen

Motorbrann i 2014

Flyene skal delta både på Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) i Fairford 8-10. juli og Farnborough International Air Show 16-17. juli.
US Marine Corps og US Air Force tar med seg både F-35A, tilsvarende dem Norge så langt har to eksemplarer av, og STOVL-varianten F-35B («short takeoff/vertical landing»).
I tillegg er planen at et av britiske RAFs F-35B skal delta i oppvisningen, heter det på Farnborough-nettstedet.
I april 2014 forberedte Lockheed Martin den første transatlantiske flygningen med tre F-35B-maskiner til England.

Ett britisk F-35B og tre F-35B fra US Marine Corps fyller drivstoff fra en KC-130J Foto: Liz Kaszynski

Flyene skulle etter planen delta på de samme to flyshowene som i år, men en motorbrann i juni samme år satte F-35-flåten på bakken og dermed ble den første flyturen til Europa avlyst.
Det ble heller ingen oppvisning i fjor sommer på Le Bourget, flyshowet i Paris.

• Risikerer å brekke nakken: De letteste flygerne får ikke fly F-35

Italia først

Imidlertid blir dette verken første flygning i Europa eller første transatlantiske flygning med F-35.
Første gang flytypen fløy utenfor USAs grenser var 7. september i fjor. Dette var det første italienskbygde F-35, AL-1.
Cameri-fabrikken vest for Milano i Nord-Italia har nå levert to fly, og ifølge Airheadsfly har italienerne planer om å fly minst ett av dem til USA allerede i februar.
F-35-produksjonen på det italienske Faco-anlegget («Final Assembly and Check Out») startet i juli 2013. Både A- og B-versjonen skal bygges ferdig her, inkludert etter planen også framtidige fly for Nederland.
I tillegg til sluttmontering produserer Finmeccanica komplette vingesett som sendes over til Lockheed Martin-fabrikken i Texas.

• Flytesting med maskinkanonen: Her skyter F-35 med 25-millimeterkanonen i lufta

Snart fire treningsfly

Når det gjelder norske kampfly, vil Luftforsvaret snart ha fire F-35A å trene med på Luke Air Force Base i Arizona.
Det første norske F-35-flyet, AM-1, ble seremonielt utrullet fra fabrikk 22. september og første flygning skjedde 6. oktober – for øvrig med det andre flyet, AM-2.
AM-3 og AM-4 ser enden på sluttmonteringsfabrikken og skal leveres før sommeren.
Første norske F-35-flyger, Morten «Dolby» Hanche, fløy F-35 første gang på Luftforsvarets 71-årsdag 10. november i fjor.
14. desember var han i lufta med et norsk fly for første gang.
Ifølge Kampflyprogrammet er den andre norske flygeren snart ferdigutdannet.

Her er AM-1 og AM-2 i formasjon med to amerikanske F-35 på vei til Luke AFB i Arizona. Foto: US Air Force