Boeing 747-8 intercontinental's first flight !!

Boeing's 747 reaching her next milestone , yes the Boeing 747-8 intercontinental !!! Her first flight will begin tomorrow ie, 20 th of March , 2011 at 10.00 AM PST (17:00 GMT)


Also the live web cam is available for the viewers which starts at 9:45 AM PST (16:45 GMT)


For more details VISIT www.boeing.com

Boeing 747

Sendai Airport hit by Tsunami

Massive Tsunami Hits Japan, Airport Flooded, Country Devastated

A massive, massive Tsunami of magnitude 8.8 – 8.9 on the Richter’s scale, hit Japan’s northeastern coast this morning (14:46 Japanese time), causing devastation to where it went.

The country’s meteorological agency sent out early warnings a Tsunami of magnitude 7.9, but later updated it to 8.9.

Even the Parliament was adjourned as the Tsunami shook the country. An estimated 300+ are believed to have been killed (another 400+ missing), and an airport completely flooded (the Sendai second-class airport).

Officials say that huge waves of muddy waters as high as 10 meters slammed the city of Sendai, its farms and the Cosmo oil refinery (in Ichihara city, where fires erupted) in its way. So goes the name, the "2011 Sendai Earthquake And Tsunami."

It’s apparently the worst earthquake to hit Japan in a century, and the seventh largest in the world among those recorded

Airbus beats Boeing in 2010 plane orders

A late rush of orders helped European aircraft-maker Airbus to record higher sales than US rival Boeing in 2010.

Airbus said it had received 644 new orders last year, worth $84bn at their full list price - with 200 of them placed in December.

Airbus benefited from a late rush of 200 new orders placed in December

That was enough to push Boeing into second place with 625 plane orders.

The news came as Virgin America confirmed 60 new A320 orders, half of which will be in the new eco-friendly "Neo" format.

GPS overlay is ready for the planes to use

The European system that augments GPS signals to make them more accurate is now suitable for use in aviation, the European Commission says.

Egnos, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, can tell planes and helicopters where they are to within a couple of metres.

The system was certified for "safety of life" applications on Wednesday.

This means its performance is of a high enough standard that pilots can reliably use it as a navigation tool.

Big airliners landing at major international airports typically rely on ground technologies to guide them to a runway, but Egnos is likely to help with some final approach phases and in improving the positioning of aircraft en route.

The system should be more important at some small airports where the ground infrastructure is much more limited.

Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Commission, made the Egnos announcement in London.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

Having more reliable information... will deliver huge savings in fuel and greenhouse gas emissions”

Terry MooreNottingham University

He told BBC News that Egnos and the soon to launch Galileo system - a European version of GPS - were key initiatives for the EU and its interests in space.

"I believe in Egnos and Galileo, not because they are my dream, but because they are part of our industrial policy," he said.

"Space may be up there," he added, pointing to the sky, "but Egnos and Galileo will deliver services to the citizen here on the ground."

Egnos is a joint project of the European Commission, the European Space Agency (Esa), and Eurocontrol, the European organisation for the safety of air navigation.

It started initial operations in 2005 and has gradually ramped up its service.

Soon, no baggage scan before check-in :

Chennai: International passengers may no longer need to stand in long queues to scan their baggage before checking in. The airport is planning to introduce in-line baggage screening system that will automatically scan bags that are checked in at airline counters. Trials for the system would start by mid-March, airport director E P Hareendranathan said.

In-line baggage scanning system is part of a four-layer foolproof security system that will be introduced after trials.

Under the system, bags that are checked in will be automatically screened by two X-ray machines on conveyor belts and will be segregated if suspicious items are found. The isolated bags will be put through a standby scanner and will be moved along the conveyor to a designated area where explosive detector test will be conducted and passengers will also be summoned to explain the content.

"The X-raying of bags can be monitored from six stations. Passengers will have to scan their bags themselves during the trial period. The bags that are scanned by the passengers will be routed through the in-line baggage system. We will monitor the functioning of the system and also the way personnel monitor the bags," Hareendranathan said.

When the system is introduced, Airports Authority of India (AAI) is planning to remove baggage scanners from international departure terminal.

IndiGo to hire 1500 people

New Delhi: Low-cost carrier IndiGo on Wednesday said it plans to hire up to 1,500 people this year to support its major expansion drive.“IndiGo will hire 1,200-1,500 people in the calendar year 2011, of which 400-500 would be cabin crew staff, 200-300 pilots, besides some engineers and ground staff,” IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh told PTI.
At present, IndiGo has about 3,400 employees and by the end of this year the number is expected to go up to 4,500-5,000.
In January this year, the no-frill carrier made news by announcing acquisition of 180 A-320s, worth an estimated $ 15.6 billion, from European plane manufacturer Airbus — the single largest aircraft deal in global aviation history.
This is the second time IndiGo has placed such a massive aircraft order. The company had first entered into an agreement with Airbus in 2005, to buy 100 A-320s worth $ 6 billion.
On being asked about the order delivery, Mr. Ghosh said, “One hundred aircrafts from the earlier order (2005) would be delivered by 2015. The delivery process of the 180 new planes would start thereafter and is expected to be completed by 2024.”
The airline has already sought government’s permission to launch global operations from the middle of this year, when it will also be completing five years of domestic service.

Emirates Increases the Air Fare

We received the information that Emirates Airlines will hike their sprecial fares  for flights originating in Germany. The price increase will be roughly 5.5 precent and take effect on first of March. All tickets  issued before March first will be available for the old price, all tickets issued after march 1st will be charged with the new fares. This does apply for all reservations, whether they are alredy existing or new.

It is important to know that Emirates is one of the very few airlines, which do not hide fare components like fuel surcharges under the label “Tax.” So under ste same conditions other airlines would – and probabely will – increase the fuel surcharge.

Indigo Airlines

History : Indigo airlines started its operation on  4 August 2006. The airline is owned by the InterGlobe Enterprises. It took delivery of its first Airbus A320-200 aircraft on 28 July 2006 and received six aircraft during 2006. Nine more aircraft were delivered in 2007 taking the total to 15.
website: http://www.goindigo.in

International operations :

IndiGo has sought the civil aviation ministry’s approval to fly on international routes after it completes the mandatory five years of domestic operations in August 2011. The carrier, wants to fly to countries in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Association of South East Asian Nations  (ASEAN) and South west Asia.

Government nod

The airline has obtained a green signal from the Central Government to commence international operations after it completes five years of domestic service in the country on August 2011. The airline would fly to Singapore, Bangkok, Dubai and Muscat from several Indian cities.

Fleet Size: 

Currently the airline operates 39 Airbus A320-200's and Has an order of 91 for the same type.The airline makes an order of 150 Airbus A320 NEO on January 11, 2011. This is the largest order of its kind in commercial aviation history.The aircraft will be delivered between 2016 and 2025.

RECENT INCIDENTS :

Chennai/New Delhi: The licence of a woman pilot of no-frills airline IndiGo has been cancelled after she made a rough landing in Goa last month, endangering several lives and investigators later found she had allegedly faked papers to get her permit to fly.

"Yes, it (commercial pilot's licence) has been cancelled. We will file a police complaint soon against the pilot, Parminder Kaur Gulati," DGCA Director General Bharat Bhushan told PTI.

"DGCA will carry detailed probe to ensure that such things do not recur. We will take necessary steps accordingly", he said.

DGCA sources said the pilot while flying the private Indigo airliner made a rough landing at Goa airport on January 11 using the nose wheel instead of the rear landing gear.

Investigations have revealed that she used the wrong technique several times, the sources said.According to DGCA, to obtain airline transport pilot license, one needs to fly 1,500 flying hours and also required to complete an examination.

The sources said the pilot while landing needs to use the aircraft's rear wheels to touchdown as the nose wheel is not equipped to take the plane's heavy weight.

DGCA would also probe whether any touts helped the pilot obtain the license, sources said and added that the DGCA was also contemplating filing police report against the pilot on two counts - of endangering safety of passengers and fraud and forgery, but no decision has yet been taken.

The sources said the incident came to light when the Airbus A-320 returned to Delhi from Goa and a routine inspection found that its nosewheel was damaged.

The investigators then analysed the data of the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) of the aircraft, which the sources claimed, showed that the lady captain had used the wrong landing technique that caused the nosewheel damage.

Following the probe, it was also found that the papers of Captain Gulati were not in order and enquiries into them showed that the documents, required for getting a flying license, were forged, the sources claimed.

When contacted, IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh told PTI that the January incident was reported to DGCA and the airline had itself instituted an Investigation Board, whose findings were "accepted by DGCA".

He said the pilot was not only sent to DGCA for corrective training but de-rostered last month itself.

"It was only last Thursday we were informed that there are some discrepancies in the license issued to her by the DGCA 2-3 years ago. As an airline, we can only rely on DGCA license and records. So we will follow DGCA instructions on this issue as well," Ghosh said.

Qantas

The Qantas story is inextricably linked with the development of civil aviation in Australia. It begins with fragile biplanes carrying one or two passengers in open cockpits and progresses to the new Airbus A380s flying some 450 people half way around the world in a day.

But, it is a story of human endeavor, not just machines. A few determined individuals overcame formidable obstacles to establish the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd (QANTAS). Supported by committed staff and loyal customers, the airline persevered through war and peace to serve the nation and build an enterprise. The Qantas story is about the people who have created its exciting and productive history - its staff, its customers and the excellence of its business partners and key suppliers...

Today, Qantas is widely regarded as the world's leading long distance airline and one of the strongest brands in Australia. Qantas continues to provide outstanding service to its customers and is at the forefront of the international civil aviation industry.

The future holds many challenges for Qantas - maintaining safe operations and world class product standards while building a viable and competitive position long term for the airline.

A330-200:

Brand new A330-200 aircraft have joined the Australian domestic fleet with individual on-demand inflight entertainment screens in every newly designed seat.It's a new era of flying for the Qantas domestic experience - with over 350 entertainment choices on your personal inflight entertainment system, you can sit back and enjoy the journey onboard your domestic flight

Qantas has taken delivery of nine of its 20 A380-800 aircraft. This represents the second-largest A380 order of any airline in the world.

The Qantas A380 operates selected flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Los Angeles, Singapore and London.

Currently there are 20 B747-400's in Qantas Fleet. Another four aircraft stored.Phasing out from 2013. Replacement aircraft : Airbus A380-800 and Boeing 787

There are currently 38 Boeing 737-800's and still 33 of this type.

RECENT INCIDENTS :

Assessment of the Qantas Airbus A380 involved in an in-flight engine failure has revealed the extent of peripheral damage to the jet from ejected fragments.Two of the three sections of disk

 debris cut through two wiring routes and this damage subsequently prevented the shutdown of the adjacent outboard-engine after the aircraft landed at Singapore.

Lufthansa

The company was founded on January 6, 1926 in Berlin.Deutsche Lufthansa is the flag carrier of Germany and the largest in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried. The name of the company is derived from Luft , and Hansa. The airline is the world's fifth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried, operating services to 18 domestic destinations and 183 international destinations in 78 countries across Africa,Americas, Asia and Europe. Together with its partners Lufthansa services around 410 destinations, With over 722 aircraft it has the third-largest passenger airline fleet in the world when combined with its subsidiaries.

Lufthansa's registered office and corporate headquarters is in Deutz, Cologne, with its main operations base (Lufthansa Aviation Center (LAC) and primary traffic hub at Frankfurt Airport inFrankfurt am Main with a second hub at Munich Airport. The majority of Lufthansa's pilots, ground staff, and flight attendants are based in Frankfurt.

Lufthansa is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's largest airline alliance formed in 1997. The Lufthansa Group operates more than 500 aircraft and employs worldwide 105,261 people of 146 nationalities (31 December 2007). In 2010, 77 million passengers flew with Lufthansa (not including Germanwings, BMI, AUA, Brussels Airlines).

                 Lufthansa Ju 52 which was used in 1940's.

This Convair 340 was Lufthansa's first postwar aircraft, delivered in August 1954

In 1958, Lufthansa placed an order for four Boeing 707s, used to start jet services from Frankfurt to New York in March 1960. Boeing 720s were later bought to back up the 707 fleet.

Lufthansa was the first customer to purchase and also bought the largest number of Boeing 737 aircraft, and was one of only four buyers of the new 737-100's

On December 6, 2006, Lufthansa placed an order for 20 Boeing 747-8 airliners, becoming the launch customer of the type. The airline is also the second European airline to operate the Airbus A380 (after Air France). Their first A380 was delivered on May 19, 2010

Emirates Airlines

On 25th October 1985, Emirates flew its first routes out of Dubai with just two aircraft which was a leased Boeing 737-300 and Airbus 300 B4. Then as now, Their goal was quality, not quantity, and in the years since taking those first small steps onto the regional travel scene, Emirates has evolved into a globally influential travel and tourism conglomerate known the world over for their commitment to the highest standards of quality in every aspect of their business.


Just over twenty years ago, Emirates was born as the official international airline of the United Arab Emirates.


With a fleet of 137 aircraft, They currently fly to over 100 destinations in 60 countries around the world, and their network is expanding constantly. Nearly 700 Emirates flights depart Dubai each week on their way to destinations on six continents. In fact, Emirates' flights account for nearly 40 per cent of all flight movements in and out of Dubai International Airport, and Their aim is to increase this market-share to 70 per cent by 2010 without compromising their reputation for quality.


In 2005, Emirates announced the largest-ever order for the Boeing 777 family of aircraft - 42 in all – in a deal worth Dhs 35.7 billion (US$9.7 billion).


At the Dubai Airshow in November 2007, Emirates announced a historic civil aviation aircraft order when it signed contracts for a 120 Airbus A350s, 11 A380s, and 12 Boeing 777-300ERs, worth an estimated US$34.9 billion in list prices. The agreement with Airbus comprises firm orders for 50 A350-900s and 20 A350-1000s, plus 50 options for the A350-900s. The first A350 will be delivered to Emirates in 2014
.

Emirates also firmed up orders on the eight A380s for which it had signed letters of intent earlier this year, and placed firm orders for an additional three of the double-decker aircraft, bringing its total firm order for the A380s to 58.

With the new order for 12 777-300ERs, valued at US$3.2 billion, Emirates now has 48 Boeing 777s pending delivery and is set to become the world’s largest 777 operator in the next few years.

EMIRATES, CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS THROUGH SPORTS:

Emirates has an impressive list of sports sponsorships to its name across the globe and
believes that sports sponsorship is an excellent way of connecting with its customers.