Pan American World Airways: A Pioneering Airline that Shaped Aviation History

Pan American World Airways, or Pan Am, was a pioneering airline that played a major role in shaping the history of aviation. Founded in 1927, the airline became the largest international air carrier in the world by the 1930s and continued to dominate the industry for several decades. With its iconic blue and white livery and innovative aircraft designs, Pan Am was an industry leader in aviation technology, safety, and passenger comfort.

Origins and Early Years

Pan Am was founded on October 14, 1927, by Juan Trippe, a visionary entrepreneur who saw the potential for commercial aviation to connect people and businesses around the world. With financial backing from wealthy investors, Trippe acquired a small airline based in Florida and renamed it Pan American Airways.

In its early years, Pan Am operated mail and passenger services between Florida and Cuba using seaplanes. However, Trippe had bigger ambitions and soon expanded the airline's routes to South America, the Caribbean, and Europe. By 1930, Pan Am had become the first airline to operate scheduled transatlantic flights, using flying boats that could land on water.

Golden Age of Aviation

The 1930s and 1940s were the golden age of aviation, and Pan Am was at the forefront of the industry's rapid growth and innovation. The airline introduced several groundbreaking aircraft designs, including the Boeing 314 Clipper, a luxurious flying boat that could carry up to 74 passengers across the Atlantic.

Pan Am also established a network of air routes that spanned the globe, connecting major cities and exotic destinations. From New York to Rio de Janeiro, from San Francisco to Hong Kong, Pan Am's blue and white planes became a familiar sight at airports around the world.

During World War II, Pan Am played a crucial role in the war effort, operating military transport flights and training thousands of pilots for the US Armed Forces. After the war, the airline resumed its commercial operations and continued to expand its route network and fleet of aircraft.

A Pan Am Boeing 314 Clipper flying boat taking off. These large flying boats brought luxury and style to air travel as never before.

Innovative Technology and Passenger Comfort

Pan Am was known for its innovative approach to aviation technology, with a focus on safety and passenger comfort. The airline was the first to introduce several key features that are now standard in modern air travel, including cabin pressurisation, air conditioning, and inflight entertainment systems.

Pan Am also pioneered the use of jet engines, which allowed for faster and more efficient air travel. In 1958, the airline introduced the Boeing 707, the first American commercial jet airliner, which cut travel times and revolutionised the industry.

In addition to technological advancements, Pan Am was also renowned for its high standards of passenger comfort and luxury. The airline's planes featured spacious cabins, comfortable seats, and gourmet meals prepared by top chefs. Passengers could also enjoy a range of amenities, including duty-free shopping, lounges, and even a dedicated Pan Am terminal at New York's JFK airport.

Where ever you went in the world you were likely to see the iconic blue and white tails of Pan Am. Nowhere more so than here at JFK, New York, where Pan Am had their own dedicated terminal.

Decline and Legacy

Despite its early success and pioneering spirit, Pan Am faced several challenges in the later years of its operation. The airline struggled to adapt to the changing landscape of the industry, with increased competition from other carriers and rising fuel costs. In 1991, Pan Am filed for bankruptcy and was forced to sell off its assets to other airlines.

However, Pan Am's legacy lives on, and the airline's pioneering spirit and innovative approach to aviation continue to inspire the industry today. From its early days as a small seaplane operator to its role as a global air travel pioneer, Pan Am left an indelible mark on the history of aviation and set the standard for modern air travel.

Juan Trippe of Pan Am was a true visionary and pioneer of aviation.

In addition to its technological and operational innovations, Pan Am also had a profound impact on global culture and society. The airline played a key role in promoting international travel and cultural exchange, making the world feel smaller and more interconnected. From transporting celebrities and politicians to exotic destinations to facilitating the movement of refugees and aid workers in times of crisis, Pan Am was more than just an airline - it was a symbol of global connectivity and progress.

Today, Pan Am is remembered as a trailblazer in the aviation industry and a cultural icon of the 20th century. Its legacy continues to inspire new generations of aviators and entrepreneurs, and its impact on the history of aviation is undeniable. From the seaplanes of the 1920s to the jets of the 1960s and beyond, Pan Am's blue and white planes and pioneering spirit will always hold a special place in the hearts of aviation enthusiasts around the world.

Understanding the Airspeed Indicator: How Pilots Measure Airplane Speed.

Flying an airplane is a complex and demanding task that requires skill, knowledge, and a range of instruments to ensure safety and precision. Among these instruments, the airspeed indicator is one of the most crucial, as it provides pilots with accurate information about the airplane's speed and performance in the air. In this article, we'll explore the basics of the airspeed indicator, its uses, and its role in modern aviation.

What is an Airspeed Indicator?

An airspeed indicator, also known as an ASI, is a flight instrument that displays the airplane's speed relative to the surrounding air. It measures the dynamic pressure of the air that flows around the airplane and converts it into a speed indication, typically in knots or miles per hour (mph). The ASI consists of a sensitive diaphragm that detects the pressure difference between the static pressure (the atmospheric pressure outside the airplane) and the dynamic pressure (the air pressure generated by the airplane's motion). By comparing these pressures, the ASI determines the airplane's airspeed and displays it on a dial or digital screen.

How Does the Airspeed Indicator Work?

The basic principle behind the ASI is Bernoulli's equation, which states that the pressure of a fluid (such as air) decreases as its speed increases. In the case of an airplane, the ASI measures the difference between the static pressure, which is obtained from a port on the airplane's skin, and the dynamic pressure, which is obtained from a pitot tube that faces forward and collects the air flowing around the airplane. The difference between these two pressures is proportional to the airplane's speed and is used to move a mechanical or electronic indicator that shows the speed.

This is a very basic airspeed indicator which is used to measure an aircraft’s speed as related to air surrounding it. As that air could be moving in any direction it does not necessarily relate to the speed the aircraft is moving over the ground.

The ASI is designed to compensate for changes in air density, temperature, and altitude, which can affect the accuracy of the speed reading. For example, at high altitudes, where the air is less dense, the ASI may overestimate the airplane's speed unless it is calibrated to account for the lower pressure. Similarly, in hot weather, the air expands and becomes less dense, which can cause the ASI to indicate a lower speed than the actual one. To address these issues, the ASI may incorporate additional sensors, such as an altimeter and a thermometer, to adjust the speed reading accordingly.

Types of Airspeed Indicators

There are several types of ASIs, each with its own features and limitations. The most common types are:

The basic ASI: This type displays the indicated airspeed, which is the speed relative to the surrounding air, regardless of wind or other factors. The indicated airspeed is used as a reference for most flight operations, such as takeoff, climb, cruise, and descent.

The true airspeed (TAS) indicator: This type shows the airplane's speed relative to the air mass, taking into account the effects of wind and air density. The TAS is calculated based on the indicated airspeed and the altitude, temperature, and pressure data, which are fed into a computer or a slide rule. The TAS is important for navigation and performance calculations, such as fuel consumption, range, and time en route.

The airspeed indicator works by comparing two types of air. First the ram air which is fed by a forward facing pitot head and into a diaphragm much like a barometer. The air forced down the pitot tube increases and decreases depending on the aircraft’s forward motion through the air. Second a static air line measures the air pressure at the altitude the aircraft is flying to ensure like for like is being measured.

The calibrated airspeed (CAS) indicator: This type shows the indicated airspeed that has been corrected for instrument and position errors. The CAS is calculated based on the indicated airspeed and the airspeed calibration data, which are provided by the manufacturer or the operator. The CAS is used for aircraft certification and performance testing, as it represents the true airspeed in a standard atmosphere.

The ground speed indicator: This type displays the airplane's speed relative to the ground, taking into account the effects of wind and the airplane's heading. The ground speed is calculated based on the true airspeed and the wind speed and direction, which are obtained from the airplane's navigation system. Ground speed is useful for navigation and flight planning, such as determining the arrival time and fuel consumption.

The Airspeed Indicator in Action

The airspeed indicator is a critical instrument for pilots, as it provides them with essential information about the airplane's speed and performance. Here are some examples of how the ASI is used in various phases of flight:

Takeoff: During takeoff, the ASI is used to ensure that the airplane reaches the required speed for liftoff, known as the takeoff speed or rotation speed. This speed varies depending on the airplane's weight, runway length, and environmental conditions. The ASI may also show the speed at which the airplane should retract its flaps and gear for better aerodynamic performance.

Climb: During climb, the ASI is used to maintain the proper airspeed and climb rate, which depend on the airplane's weight, engine power, and altitude. The climb speed is typically lower than the cruise speed, as the airplane needs to gain altitude rather than speed. The ASI may also show the maximum climb speed that the airplane can achieve, known as the service ceiling.

Cruise: During cruise, the ASI is used to maintain the desired airspeed and fuel efficiency, which depend on the airplane's weight, altitude, and wind conditions. The cruise speed is typically higher than the climb speed and may vary depending on the airplane's performance goals, such as speed, range, or endurance. The ASI may also show the recommended cruise speed for optimal performance.

Descent: During descent, the ASI is used to maintain the proper airspeed and descent rate, which depend on the airplane's weight, altitude, and environmental conditions. The descent speed is typically higher than the cruise speed and may require the use of speed brakes or flaps to reduce the speed and drag. The ASI may also show the maximum descent speed that the airplane can achieve, known as the dive speed.

Landing: During landing, the ASI is used to ensure that the airplane reaches the proper approach speed, which is the speed at which the airplane should be configured for landing, such as with flaps and gear extended. The approach speed varies depending on the airplane's weight, runway length, and wind conditions. The ASI may also show the stall speed, which is the minimum speed at which the airplane can maintain lift and control.

Here on this American Airlines Boeing 777-300 we can see the forward-facing pitot head. The static air intake is the round disk to the upper right of the pitot head. In times gone by pitot heads have been located on the top of the tail or on one of the wing tips.

Conclusion

The airspeed indicator is a vital instrument for pilots, as it provides them with accurate and timely information about the airplane's speed and performance. By using the ASI, pilots can ensure that they fly the airplane safely, efficiently, and in compliance with the regulations and procedures. Modern airliners have advanced ASIs that incorporate various sensors, computer algorithms, and displays to enhance the pilot's situational awareness and decision-making. However, the ASI is still subject to errors and malfunctions, which require the pilots to cross-check the speed indications with other instruments and use their judgment and training to respond appropriately. Therefore, the airspeed indicator remains a critical component of the aviation system, and pilots must understand its principles, uses, and limitations.

The top 5 fastest airliners of all time.

The world of aviation has come a long way since the Wright Brothers made their historic flight in 1903. Today, there are countless types of aircraft that allow us to travel faster, farther, and more comfortably than ever before. One of the most exciting aspects of aviation is the speed at which these planes can travel. From supersonic jets to sleek and efficient airliners, here are the top 5 fastest airliners of all time.

Concorde

The Concorde was a supersonic jet that could fly at speeds of up to 1,354 mph (2,179 km/h), making it the fastest commercial airliner ever built. It was jointly developed by British and French engineers and entered service in 1976. The Concorde was capable of flying from New York to London in just over three hours, less than half the time it took other commercial airliners to make the same journey. The Concorde was retired from service in 2003, but it remains a symbol of the incredible engineering achievements of the 20th century.

Tupolev Tu-144

The Tupolev Tu-144, or Konkordski as it was dubbed, was a supersonic jet developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s. It was the first commercial airliner to fly at supersonic speeds, flying 2 months before Concorde. It had a maximum cruising speed of 1,510 mph (2,430 km/h). However, the Tupolev Tu-144 was plagued by technical issues and safety concerns, and it was retired from service in 1985 after just 102 flights.

Airbus A380

The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body airliner that was developed by Airbus. It has a maximum cruising speed of 634 mph (1,020 km/h), making it one of the fastest airliners in service. The Airbus A380 is the largest passenger airliner in the world, and it is capable of carrying up to 853 passengers over a range of 8,000 nautical miles. It is known for its spacious interior, advanced technology, and low noise levels.

Boeing 747-8i

The Boeing 747-8i is a wide-body airliner that was developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It has a maximum cruising speed of 614 mph (988 km/h), and it is currently one of the fastest airliners in service. The Boeing 747-8i (passenger version) has had limited success as airlines are opting for the more economical giant twins such as the Boeing 777, Boeing 787 and Airbus A350. The Boeing 747-8i is capable of carrying up to 660 passengers over a range of 8,000 nautical miles.

Convair 990 Coronado

The Convair 990 Coronado was a jet airliner that was designed and built by the Convair division of General Dynamics in the United States. It had a maximum cruising speed of 610 mph (980 km/h), making it one of the fastest airliners of its time. The Convair 990 Coronado was in service from 1961 to 1973, and it was primarily used by Swissair and American Airlines.

In conclusion, the world of aviation has seen many incredible achievements in speed and efficiency over the years. From the Concorde to the Airbus A380, each of these aircraft represents a major milestone in the history of commercial aviation. While some of these planes are no longer in service, they continue to inspire awe and fascination among aviation enthusiasts and the general public alike.

First International Sale of the COMAC ARJ21 Regional Jet.

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) has for the first time inked a deal to sell one of its aircraft to an airline outside of China, the COMAC ARJ21 regional jet to Indonesian carrier TransNusa.

This is a major milestone and reinforces the fact that China is becoming a very relevant force in the airliner manufacturing space. To date, the COMAC ARJ21 regional jet has been sold and operated exclusively on China's domestic networks by airlines such as Chengdu Airlines (launch customer), OTT Airlines (Subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines), China Express Airlines, China Southern Airlines, China Flight General Aviation Company (CFGAC), Genghis Khan Airlines and Jiangxi Air.

Who is the international launch customer of the COMAC ARJ21 Regional Jet?

Indonesia's PT TransNusa Aviation Mandiri, more simply known as TransNusa is a regional domestic airline with routes concentrated in the eastern part of the country. It is based in Kupang on the island of Timor and services destinations in Nusa Tenggara, Timor and South Sulawesi. TransNusa was inaugurated in August 2005 using aircraft chartered from Pelita Air and Trigana Air Service and gained its own operator licence in August 2011.

TranNusa started operations with destinations in South Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara and Timor.

Throughout its life, TranNusa has forged various business partnerships with other operators, acting as a feeder airline for other carriers as well as leasing or block-buying seats on carriers such as Aviastar, Indonesia Air Transport, Sriwijaya Air and Riau Airlines.

Aircraft operated by TransNusa include Fokker 28s, Fokker 50s, ATR 42-300s. These aircraft were leased from Trigana, Pelita Air and Riau Airlines.

TransNusa has operated various aircraft including this ATR-600.

Over the period 2017 - 18, TransNusa bought four new aircraft of their own, three ATR 72-600s and an ATR 42-500. By 2019 the airline boasted a fleet of 1 BAe 146 and 7 ATRs with 3 ATRs about to be delivered. Things were looking good for TransNusa with various safety awards having been achieved. Then Covid hit.

Like most places in the world, Covid changed travel in Indonesia. As a result, TransNusa decided to temporarily cease operations in September 2020 and returned aircraft to their lessors.

A restart for TransNusa.

In November 2021, TransNusa announced it was coming back. This time the airline would reinvent itself as a Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) with a restart set for February 2022. A recent investment in the airline by China Aircraft Leasing Company (CALC) to the tune of 35.68% has been responsible for the change in strategy. No doubt this change is also responsible for the decision to lease 30 ARJ21s.

What is the COMAC ARJ21 Regional Jet?

The Comac ARJ21 Xiangfeng (Chinese for Rising Phoenix), is a twin-jet airliner with engines mounted on each side of the rear fuselage. The ARJ21 (Advanced Regional Jet) began development in March 2002 with the first prototype rolling out on 21 December 2007. CAAC type certification was achieved on 30 December 2014.

The project for various reasons fell behind and certification was eventually 8 years behind target. Testing in cold climate and ice conditions was actually conducted in North America with many of the proving flights conducted around the world.

Chengdu Airlines was the launch customer of the COMAC ARJ21.

The ARJ21 does depend heavily on imported technology and parts, such as engines by General Electric and the wing designed by Antonov of Ukraine. China maintains that the design has been done completely in China by supercomputers, however, there are those who are keen to point out the similarities with the McDonnell-Douglas MD-80 and MD-90. The MD-80 and MD-90 were licenced to be built in China, and tooling for those airframes was left in China.

Chengdu Airlines was the first to receive the ARJ21 and took delivery on 29 November 2015. They commenced commercial services on 28 June 2016 with a flight from Chengdu Shuangliu Airport to Shanghai.

Mass assembly of the ARJ21 will enable 30 units to be produced per year and is located in the same facility as the COMAC C919 production plant in Pudong, Shanghai.

Type	ARJ21-700	ARJ21-900
First Flight	28 November 2008	TBA
Crew	2
Passengers	One class 90 Two class 78	One class 105 Two class 98
Cabin Width(Internal)	3.14 Meters (10 feet 4 inches)
Cabin Ceiling Height	2.03 metres (6 feet 8 inches)
Aircraft Length	33.46 metres(109 feet 9 inches)	36.35 metres (119 feet 3 iinches)
Main Wing Span	27.28 metres (89 feet 6 inches)
Main Wing Area	79.86 square metres(859.6 square feet)
Main Wing Sweep back	25 degrees
MTOW	40,500 Kg (89,300 lb) Standard 43,500 Kg (95,900 lb) Extended Range	43,616 Kg (96,157 lb) Standard 47,182 Kg (104,019 lb) Extended Range
OEW	24,955 kg (55,016 lb)	26,270 Kg (57,920 lb) Standard 26,770 Kg (59,020 lb) Extended Range
Cargo Capacity	120.14 cubic metres (711 cubic feet)	TBA
Takeoff Dist.	1,700 metres (5,600 feet) Standard 1,900 metres (6,200 feet) Extended Range	1,750 metres (5,740 feet) Standard 1,950 metres (6,400 feet) Extended Range
Fuel Capacity	10,386 Kg (22,897 lb)	TBA
Engines x 2	General Electric CF34-10A
Engine Thrust x 2	75.87 kN (17,057 lbf)	82 kN (18,500 lbf)
Speed (Cruise)	Mach 0.78 (828 kph, 447 kn, 514 mph)
Speed (Maximum)	Mach 0.82 (870 kph, 470 kn, 541 mph)
Service Ceiling	11,900 metres (39,000 feet)
Range	1,200 NM (2,200km, 1,400 Miles) Standard 2,000 nm (3,700 km, 2,300 miles) Extended Range	1,200 NM (2,200km, 1,400 Miles) Standard 1,800 nm (3,300 km, 2,100 miles) Extended Range

The TransNusa Deal.

The ARJ21 deal calls for 30 aircraft to be delivered with an option for 30 more in the future. The delivery of February 2022 looks like it might be on time, as an ARJ 21 in TransNusa colours has been seen at Shanghai's Pudong airport.

This is an important step for COMAC as it can now show that their aircraft are relevant in the non-Chinese market as well.

Do you know any more? Please free to comment below, we value our reader's input.

The last Airbus A380 flies the nest.

And just like that the dream is over. On 16 December 2021, a grey Hamburg evening, the last ever Airbus A380 Super Jumbo lifted off, did a circuit of the city and flew east to its new home. What began as the next big thing in aviation, the Airbus A380 fell well short of expectations for European plane-maker, Airbus. The last Airbus A380 brought the total deliveries of this airliner to 250, well short of the 1,000 that Airbus had envisaged in the planning stage.

Singapore was the launch customer for the A380 back in October 2007, with the first route being between Singapore and Sydney. It was an exciting time in air travel with the future looking assured for this new arrival. Little did we know.

So what happened? How did Airbus get it so wrong?

Well, perhaps it wasn’t a matter of getting it so wrong so much as coming in late. When the first A380 was rolled out in front of dignitaries to huge fanfare in 2005, it was already 2 years late. Other technologies had also been progressing and there was a ground swell toward the new more economical twin jets like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner followed by the Airbus A350.

A matter of succession.

Over the last decades, go to any international airport and you would be greeted by the iconic tails of Boeing 747s poking up into the sky.

The 747, Queen of Skies, had been the very symbol of international travel for decades. The design of the 747 hadn’t changed for quite some time and I’m sure that Airbus saw this as an opportunity to fill this niche of the market with a brand new updated very large passenger transport aircraft. What they couldn’t have foreseen is the demise or at least shrinkage of that sector of the market.

Airbus A380 tails of Emirates, QANTAS and Singapore Airlines at London’s Heathrow Airport. It looked very much like the common sight of giant Boeing 747 tails adorning international terminals would be replaced by those of Airbus. Unfortunately, it seems that the A380 will never reach that level of market penetration.

The Airbus A380 is very popular with passengers and many will arrange their travel plans to ensure they get to ride on it. For airline bean counters, not so much. Airlines were finding that the new twin jets were more economical on all but the very busiest routes. They were also more eco-friendly, so opting for these just made more sense.

The big shake-up really came when Covid-19 reared its ugly head. Countries closed borders and travel came to a standstill. Airlines sent their aircraft to desert or other storage facilities with little knowledge of if or when they would ever be used again. For some, it was the end of the road. Airlines like Lufthansa and Air France retired their A380 fleet.

So who got the last A380?

So back to the Hamburg sky. Where in the east was the last A380 going?

There is one airline that has put great faith in the A380. Emirates Airlines of Dubai is by far the largest customer of the A380 and aircraft registration A6-EVS was on its way to Dubai to become the 129th A380 in the Emirates fleet.

Tim Clark of Emirates firmly believes that the popularity of the A380 with passengers will carry it well into the future. Considering that much of the Emirates network is medium to long haul, perhaps the economics of the A380 still stacks up. One thing you can count on is that you will still be able to fly on an A380 for many years to come.

Lufthansa took an each-way bet with their choice of giant passenger transport, buying both the Airbus A380 as well as the Boeing 747-8i. Boeing have also had little success with the 747i which is the passenger version, the cargo version, the 747-8F, however, had better success. This is all due to an each-way bet by Boeing at the creation of the original 747.

What of the huge assembly buildings in Toulouse, France? Now the assembly line has fallen silent, Airbus has plans to use some of the space for the assembly of their narrow-body aircraft. With new orders coming in, such as the one from QANTAS, it is hoped that workers will be redeployed for the most part.

Airbus seals the deal to reinvigorate the QANTAS Fleet.

In an historic agreement between Australian flag carrier QANTAS and European aircraft maker Airbus, a new deal has been forged to reinvigorate the carrier's aging domestic and short-haul fleet. QANTAS has been a big supporter of the Boeing 737 for the last 30 years, flying models such as the 737-300/400/700 and of course the current workhorse, the 737-800. Competition between Boeing and Airbus for this lucrative deal was fierce with Boeing putting forward their 737 MAX as a logical upgrade option for the QANTAS Fleet.

The Qantas Boeing 737-800 has been the trusty workhorse of the domestic and short-haul QANTAS fleet for many years now.

With the average age of the QANTAS fleet of 737-800s being 13 years, it was time to update to more economical and eco-friendly modern airliners. Of course, when you're going shopping it is best to go hard or go home. The QANTAS team took this rationale on board as they dangled a large order in front of both Boeing and Airbus. Not only was the QANTAS fleet of Boeing 737s up for replacement, but they also brought into the deal a requirement to replace aircraft in their subsidiary operators, QANTASLink and Jetstar.

So what have QANTAS and Airbus agreed to for the updated QANTAS Fleet?

The deal that QANTAS and Airbus have agreed to is the largest single aircraft order in Australian aviation history and will be fulfilled over the next decade. So what is the deal exactly?

The Airbus A220-300 is the larger of the two variants of this type, the other being the Airbus A220-100. The A220 was originally designed and built by Bombardier of Canada and is finding great traction in the regional and short-haul market.

The 737-800 workhorse will be replaced by the Airbus A321XLR which is the largest member of the A320 family as well as the longest range. XLR stands for EXtra Long Range. The Airbus will carry 15% more passengers than the 737 it replaces. The other part of the order involves replacing the aging Boeing 717s operated by QANTASLink. QANTASLink is one of three airlines left in the world that still operate the 717. These aircraft will be replaced by the Airbus A220-300, the larger of the two variants of the type.

• Committed to buying 20 Airbus A321XLRs to replace the current Boeing 737-800s.

• Committed to buying 20 Airbus A220-300s to replace the current Boeing 717s.

• Further options for 94 more aircraft.

• The selected engines are Pratt and Whitney.

QANTASLink is one of three carriers that still operate the Boeing 717. This derivative of the original Douglas DC9 has been a popular regional and short-haul aircraft.

This announcement will certainly hurt Boeing which is already reeling from challenges they have faced with the Boeing 737 MAX. QANTAS has been a customer of Boeing now since the 1950s, even at one point being the only airline in the world that had an all Boeing 747 fleet. The change will mean that the Boeing 787 will be the only aircraft in the QANTAS fleet from Boeing. That was the result of a fiercely contested race between Boeing with the 787 and Airbus with the A350 back in 2005.

What Next?

The next step for QANTAS is to obtain board approval to sign off on the deal which is expected in June 2022. Once signed off, deliveries should start in mid-2023 and go over a period of 10 years.

Waking the giant, the return of the Airbus A380.

It is an ill wind that blows no good, or so they say. By all accounts, the winds of history over the past two years have been anything but good. Other than the obvious tragedies and losses, many industries have been decimated, very few more so than the travel and airline industry. With countries and states locked down to various levels around the world, travel has become a far-off memory from another life and time. But a change is being felt and it seems waking the giant is called for. Bring back the Airbus A380.

The Airbus A380-800 also known as the Super Jumbo is an Airbus answer to the Boeing 747. Carrying 555 passengers in a 3-class configuration, was it too late to market?

Covid vaccinations started off slowly in many countries with mixed messaging, misinformation and scarcity of vaccines in some cases holding back the rollout. In Australia for example the rollout was hampered by distrust of one type and scarcity of other types, but that is now in the past.

New freedoms in some states of the country are promising to bring back some sort of normality as a reward for passing specific milestones of the percentage of the population being fully vaccinated. The game-changer is that if travellers go overseas and are fully vaccinated, they do not have to do hotel quarantine on return home. QANTAS CEO, Alan Joyce, said this makes international travel possible again.

The opening up of international travel routes will be a gradual affair. With varying levels of covid containment in different countries, new agreements will have to be made between those countries.

For example, the return of Australians to the popular holiday isle of Bali will be dependent on agreements that can be thrashed out between Australia and Indonesia on what rules and conditions will govern who can come to Bali and what procedures they need to follow. If, for example, the Indonesian government requires arriving travellers to quarantine for any significant time on arrival, it is pretty much a non-starter.

Singapore was the launch customer for the A380 back in October 2007.

So why does it mean a reawakening of the giant, the Airbus A380? Well, we used to be able to fly all over the place, pretty much. Now, however, we will have for the near future a more limited amount of places we can fly to. To that limited amount of places, we have a large portion of the population who is busting a gut to get their butt on a plane seat.

Missed family, friends, events or just to get the hell out and see something different. The point is, we will have many people going to similar destinations, therefore, more seats are required. The Airbus A380 is the biggest there is, so is perfect for the job.

QANTAS for its part has its twelve Airbus A380s parked at Southern California Logistics Airport (VCV) in the Mojave Desert. This location was chosen over the more local Alice Springs where airlines like Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines have chosen to store their aircraft because it is drier.

The earlier-than-expected restart of international travel has sparked a lot of activity and excitement. To reawaken an aircraft from its slumber takes thousands of man-hours and is already underway. We believe we may see the first of two QANTAS A380s back in Australia on Christmas day. Two aircraft will return initially and be used on short routes to enable the retraining of personnel.

The plan is to use these two initial aircraft on the Sydney to Los Angeles route. This route is some 7,500 miles in length with an eastbound travel time of 13 hours and 45 minutes and a westbound of 15 hours. This means that two aircraft are required to maintain the schedule which begins on 27 March 2022 and is currently showing as:

QF11 Sydney to Los Angeles departing 10:15 AM and arriving 6:00 AM
QF12 Los Angeles to Sydney departing 9:55 PM and arriving 6:55 AM (+2 days)

Three more A380s are due to arrive back in Australia in November 2022 and are slated to operate on the Sydney to London via Singapore route. Five more are due back in early 2024, leaving two which may well be scrapped.

Singapore Airlines, the launch airline for the Airbus A380, announced a few days ago that it will bring the A380 back into its fleet on 18 November 2021. The aircraft will operate as SQ317 from Changi to Heathrow. For a month from 04 November to 01 December, the A380 will operate crew training flights between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

From 01 December an A380 will be put on the Singapore to Sydney run to add to the Christmas seat availability.

A380 on approach to Heathrow Airport.

Earlier this month British Airways also announced it was bringing back some of its A380s to be used on the Miami, Dubai and Los Angeles routes. It also has intentions of running short-haul training flights initially to Madrid and Frankfurt, so there may be opportunities for planespotters who would not normally see those aircraft in their home airport.

Qatar Airways will also bring back five of its A380s in November to service routes to London, Heathrow and Paris, Charles de Gaul. CEO Akbar Al-Baker said it was not for the love of the aircraft as he has indicated in the past that buying the A380 was the airline's biggest mistake. There is even a possibility of all ten of their A380 fleet coming back online to fill in the gap left by their A350s grounded by a fuselage skin problem.

Airbus A380-841 Malaysia Airlines.

What of Emirates? By far the largest operator of the type. Well, they have still been flying A380 through the pandemic, but at half-strength. That means around forty-three have been in service while seventy-seven have been stored. Emirates says they will bring more back into service before the end of the year.

So an ill wind it may be, but for the Airbus A380, this ill wind may well mean that it gets a few more years of useful life before disappearing into history.

How do you feel about the A380 coming back? Are you happy about it, do you like travelling on it? Are you lining up for those first seats?

Safe travels everyone.

Biomimicry and the shape of a wing.

Have you ever watched birds as they move through different phases of flight? Wings spread wide as they ride updraughts or tucked further in as they descend quickly toward a likely meal. Twisting and flexing their wings and feathers to maximise their efficiency. What if the shape of a wing on our airliners could be changed in much the same way? Let's face it, watching birds gave us the idea of flight in the first place and we should continue to learn from them.

Perhaps a full emulation of bird flight might be a little disconcerting to a passenger looking out the window. Wings flapping may not be the way to go, but there are still many areas where today's aircraft wings can be improved. Both Boeing and Airbus have been competing in the area of wing technologies for years. Today we have Winglets for Boeing and Sharklets for Airbus where the addition of those mechanisms on the wingtips have gone a long way to reducing drag and therefore saving the industry billions of dollars and reducing emissions. Composite materials, folding wingtips and various other technologies have been seen on the latest airliners bringing even more efficiencies.

Back in 2009, Airbus introduced the Sharklet. This innovation served to reduce wingtip vortices which form when the air from the top of the wing meets the air under the wing and creates a whirlwind effect. This serves to create drag which inhibits the forward movement of the aircraft through the air. By reducing that drag, the aircraft requires less energy to push it forward thereby reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

At a summit in Toulouse on 22 September 2021, Airbus' Chief Technical Officer, Sabine Klauke, proudly shared details of what she referred to as the X-Wing. The X-Wing is another instance of Airbus' technology-based solutions which were working toward decarbonising aviation. The technology of the X-Wing is based on nature and like birds enabled a wing to change shape and span depending on the phase of flight. This means the wing would always be efficient for that phase of flight. To achieve this the new wing sported sensors to detect wind gusts giving it the ability to make changes according to the conditions. These changes include pop-up spoilers or plates that can pop up perpendicular to the airflow, multifunctional trailing edges and a semi-aeroelastic hinge.

Airliner wings are made up of so many different parts to control the various stages of flight. From flaps and slats to offer more lift at slower speeds, airbrakes to slow the aircraft down and ailerons to control the banking of an aircraft. The X-Wing looks to rethink a lot of these parts and use biomimicry to better control the way a wing behaves much like birds.

The project has been running for around 6 years now and Airbus hopes to have the wing flying by the mid-2020s.

The testing of the concept is being carried out by the Airbus subsidiary UpFirst. Using a Cessna Citation VII business jet platform, there will be 3 wings produced to test the concept from different standpoints. These include:

• Understanding system integration.

• Comparing real-life testing with computer modelling.

• Ramping up industrial production.

As well as the flying efficiency of the new wing, Airbus is looking at the production process and how it can be done as cheaply and efficiently as possible. The idea is to make the wing universally adaptable to all the airliners in its stable.

As we move toward net zero carbon by 2050, these new technologies are becoming increasingly important to drive down emissions and improve efficiencies. Using biomimicry to achieve those ends makes a lot of sense.

What are your throughs on the topic? Please feel free to share them below.

Last ever Airbus A380 takes to the sky.

It must have been with gravely heavy hearts that the employees of Airbus Industrie watched on Thursday 25 March 2021 as the last ever Airbus A380 took to the sky. The end of the Super Jumbo era goes with her as she makes the flight from Toulouse, France, to Hamburg, German. Here she will, as all her sisters before her, be painted in the livery of her new owning airline and be fitted out internally.

The last ever Airbus A380 will then make her way to her new home in Dubai and fly under the livery of Emirates, registration A6-EVS. Emirates, the largest operator of the A380 with already 117 aircraft in their fleet took their most recent delivery of three A380s in December and now awaits this final one.

Apparently, Emirates had tried to cancel the rest of their massive A380 orders with Airbus, however, Airbus could not agree as they maintained they had already started construction of the final aircraft on the order book.

Singapore was the launch customer for the A380 back in October 2007.

Last ever Airbus A380 takes to the sky way before we thought it would.

It doesn't seem that long ago that travellers were getting excited about seeing and getting a ride on the brand-new Super Jumbo. In 2007, Airbus and the A380's launch customer, Singapore Airlines, created huge excitement around the world as they prepared to launch the first Super Jumbo into the world.

On the 25th of October that year, the first route was flown from Singapore to Sydney. This writer was very excited. Living in Sydney gave me an opportunity to view this new technological marvel first-hand way before those in the rest of the world. A rarity in this part of the world to be first in such things.

As it flew overhead, I thought to myself, if anything can be called Aluminium Overcast, it is this. The sheer size of the wings overhead was awe-inspiring.

It was also exciting as you travelled the world to see various airports which had adjusted their airbridges and ramp areas, putting up signs progressively saying "We are A380 Ready". As if to throw maize down to attract pigeons out of the sky.

Emirates is the largest operator of the Airbus A380 and the recipient of the last A380 made.

It is always amusing to look back at the marketing concepts that were put out there about this new airliner.

The Airbus A380 was designed to give more of a concept of space to travellers. There were fewer seats per square metre of cabin floor as compared to the Boeing 747. The A380 was certified to carry 853 passengers in a squishy all-economy layout, which it turns out no airline ever implemented. The common layout was a mixed-class arrangement with around 500 passengers.

There was talk, also in the marketing handouts, of the ability to have duty-free shops and various other amenities to make the trip more enjoyable. Singapore Airlines and Emirates did put private cabins for the wealthy aboard, however, for the most part, economies dictated that the A380 gave us just more of what we already had.

So, why is the Air A380 being discontinued? One could be forgiven for blaming it all on Covid 19, and no doubt that is the reason why Emirates tried to back out of the final aircraft in their order book. Let's face it, 2020 was a perfect storm for air travel with countries slamming their borders shut or making quarantine such that it made travel impossible, for most anyway. But the rot for the A380 and also the Boeing 747 had already set in before this. The age of the giant twins, such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 was upon us and airlines no longer wanted big 4-engined airliners that could only fly to certain airports. You can read about this in more detail here.

Airbus A380 tails at London Heathrow. These became as common a sight as the Boeing 747.

It is not just the Airbus A380 that has seen the end of its days. The Boeing 747 Jumbo also is now struggling with being viable. Boeing brought out the latest iteration of the Queen of the Skies, the Boeing 747 8 and its sales in the passenger-carrying market have been very ordinary.

Boeing has, however, benefited from a design decision taken back in the 1960s when they decided to sit the cockpit in a bubble above the main deck. They did this as an each-way bet, in case the passenger version flopped they could fall back on the design as a cargo version with a nose door. In the 747-8 this has paid off.

The 747-8F freighter version has far outsold the 747-8i passenger version. For airbus the cargo version is not really a viable idea as the flight deck sits between the upper and lower decks, negating any possibility of a straight-in-nose loading door like the 747.

So, what will become of the A380s still flying? There are still high-density routes in the world where these aircraft are the perfect solution. Travel will need to get to some semblance of what it was pre-covid. Of that, however, there is no guarantee as every new month brings us a new normal of how the world is.

As for the folks down at Airbus in Toulouse, they will still have A380s to service, however, I'm sure for many there will not be such a happy outcome.

How an instrument landing system(ILS) can autoland aircraft.

At the end of a flight, there is always that feeling of excitement. The flight was pleasant enough, with some nice views along the way, but now you are ready to get off and rejoin planet Earth. You look out of the window and glimpse the layout of the world you are about to become part of, perhaps seeing some expected landmarks.

Now that you are lower it becomes more interesting as there is more to see close up. The usual hubbub of activity and announcements as the crew prepares the cabin for landing is going on around you as you continue to enjoy the view. Gradually, however, more clouds are appearing and your view becomes more and more interrupted until eventually, all you see are variations of white and grey. You wonder to yourself, can the pilots see any better than I can? How are they going to land this thing without any visibility? I assume this aircraft uses an instrument landing system(ILS) to get us down. Maybe even autoland.

We've all no doubt heard about instrument landing systems and the ability to autoland an aircraft. But what does it mean?

Why do we need ISL and autoland?

Some parts of the world have a greater need to be able to autoland an aircraft. For example, the United Kingdom and much of North-West Europe are very prone to thick fog. This is mainly due to the cooler air condensing over the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream. In the U.K. the thickness of these fogs, famously the "London Fogs", was further exacerbated by soot in the air and visibility was literally down to a few feet.

This has improved since the Clean Air Act came into force which forbade the burning of smoke-producing fuel. Driven by these conditions the U.K. Government created a unit to investigate the feasibility of an autoland system in the mid-1940s. The flight delays and cancellations caused by these weather conditions were very disruptive and costly.

The Sud Aviation Caravelle was the first aircraft to be certified to Cat III autoland on 28 December 1968. These categories are determined by the number of backup autopilots an aircraft has. Generally, three are required as backups in case one or more fail.

So what do we know about how an aircraft can be brought to the ground safely using technology? Well, we need several different pieces of technology on the aircraft as well as on the ground. Let's look at the ground first.

At most major airports, some or all of the runways will be equipped with an ILS or Instrument landing System. This system very basically comes with two radio beams. One of those beams is located beyond the far end of the runway and is responsible for sending a signal directly down the centreline of the runway. This beam is used for directing the aircraft horizontally left or right until it is lined up with the runway centre line.

The second of the two beams is located next to the touchdown point of the runway, so the point where the aircraft wheels should first settle on the runway. This beam is directed up at an angle of 3 degrees, as this is the angle at which aircraft approach a runway to land. This beam is the benchmark for letting aircraft know whether they are too high or too low in their approach.

The Hawker-Siddeley HS.121 Trident followed the Caravelle with a (CAT IIIA) and CAT IIIB in 1975.

How does ILS work?

You are perfectly correct if you observed no beams in the sky on your last approach in the fog or any other time for that matter. That is why pilots have an instrument on their panel called a VOR or Very high-frequency Omni-directional Range.

This is a very important instrument and one of its many uses is to show a representation of the ILS radio beams as two needles. The horizontal needle will move up and down to represent the horizontal 3-degree glideslope. The other vertical needle will move left and right to represent the aircraft's position relative to the runway centre line. The pilots can then orient the aircraft correctly for the approach and "fly the needles" for a safe landing.

In addition, some airfields may have marker beacons along the approach path to the runway so as to back up the ILS information as far as the centreline and distance to go is concerned. There is usually an outer, middle and inner marker and these will light up on the instrument panel to confirm the progress toward the runway.

The ILS is a great system for getting aircraft lined up and approaching at the correct angle and heading for landing. If a pilot is flying the aircraft, however, they will expect some visual clues to start presenting themselves while the aircraft is still at a height where last-minute corrections can be made or the landing can be aborted.

Put yourself in the pilot's seat of a Boeing 747 on approach to Heathrow. It's foggy, and Tower Bridge was the last thing you saw before you popped into cloud and then fog. You dutifully fly the needles nicely lined up and as your altitude decreases you slow the aircraft, drop the undercarriage and run out all the flaps. The aircraft's manoeuvrability now takes on the attitude of a breeze block, so you need to be sure you are on the centreline and glideslope as the ability to correct your position is severely diminished.

As you pop out of the cloud, you expect to see the Hatton Reservoir ahead of you but there it is over to the right. You are nicely lined up for the Southern Perimeter Road, landing on which is not approved. So you go round and try again.

So what happened there? Well, two things really. Firstly, as you get closer to the ground, the accuracy of the radio beam signals is diminished due to ground and other factors. The second was the fact that the aircraft flying more slowly near the ground is far less manoeuvrable as the lessened effect of flight controls due to less air passing over them. The controls become sloppy and need more exaggerated movements to achieve the same result. Any last-minute corrections to go over further to the right would be met with disaster as there would be no time to get the aircraft correctly lined up again in a stable descent.

So this was the problem. ILS is a great system, but not good enough to land in near-zero visibility conditions.

This brings us to the aircraft systems that are used in concert with the ILS signal to achieve a safe landing in visibility conditions that in the past would have required the pilot to seek out their alternative landing airport.

An older-style analogue VOR instrument shows the needles neatly crossed in the middle to show the aircraft is in the correct space horizontally and vertically.

Autoland and the radio altimeter.

Autoland is a system that takes control of the aircraft's approach and landing using autopilot. During the autoland process, the autopilot will still use the ILS as described above to fly the needles, however, in addition, it will also reference the radio altimeter. What is that I hear you ask. Well, as you probably know the standard altimeter is little more than a barometer measuring air pressure. The higher up we go the less air pressure becomes at a fairly uniform rate, so we assign different heights with air pressure. This works fairly well when you measure in thousands of feet, however, you need something a little more accurate when you are flying near the ground.

A radio altimeter is very much like a boat or submarine depth sounder, it sends down a radio signal directly beneath the aircraft and then listens for the remnants of the signal to come back and then measures the change of phase between the sent signal and the returned signal. This gives the height above the ground directly below the aircraft. The radio altimeter is only used at the beginning and end of the flight as beyond 2,500 feet it becomes ineffective. Above that height, the instrument will have a flag pop up saying Off so that it doesn't confuse pilots during flight.

On approach using autoland.

So back to our intrepid crew landing a 747 at Heathrow. Tower Bridge disappears behind us again for our second attempt.

This time you've made an early decision that autoland might be the way to go. You select this setting on the autopilot panel and as speed reduces you run out the flaps again and dangle the Dunlops. You now have the best seat in the house while you watch the aircraft line up precisely on the needles, horizontally and vertically. At 2,500 feet the radio altimeter leaps into action and your co-pilot starts reading out the steadily decreasing altitude. You picture Kew Gardens below you and start further reducing speed. By Hounslow, you need to be in a steady flight configuration at around 1,000 feet.

ILS coupled with autoland enables aircraft to continue operating in all types of weather.

This is where the radio altimeter earns its right to be on the instrument panel.

Because of its high accuracy, you will be depending on it to flare the aircraft for a soft landing at the correct moment. The flare is when the aircraft nose is raised just prior to touching down. This serves to arrest its downward movement to something that the landing gear can cope with when slammed down onto the ground.

This is one of the trickiest parts of flight and one that pilots train and train for. Flare too early and you can stall over the runway and come down like a ton of bricks. Flare too late and well, the same effect really. Being able to flare at the correct moment is made much easier if you can see the ground.

We won't be able to see the ground which is why we are using our trusty autoland.

Through 1,000 feet and you constantly scan your instruments to check for anything that looks out of place. Meanwhile, you are subconsciously taking in your co-pilot reading off the altimeter readings.

Still pea-soup out there. Approach speed now we are on short finals. Then you hear your co-pilot calmly call out THIRTY FEET! Right on queue, the aircraft nose raises higher to bleed off the speed for the touchdown.

As the spoilers pop up and brakes come on with reverse thrust the autoland will still use the ILS to maintain the aircraft on the centreline of the runway until such time it is manually disconnected.

Another flight managed to operate on schedule regardless of the visibility conditions.

Boeing 737 MAX Name Change.

What's in a name?

Plenty it seems, and if you're in marketing you'll know full well the power of words and names. Ask anyone in the street, well ok, I know it's hard to find people in the street in some cities at the moment, but ask anyone, what comes to mind when you say 737 MAX. I'm sure warm fuzzy feelings will not be an answer you can expect to hear. Time perhaps for a 737 MAX name change?

Knowing this full well, what would you do if you were Boeing? The MAX name is certainly a poison chalice for them. After two tragic accidents which have led to the grounding of this latest iteration of the very successful 737 model for around 2 years now.

The Boeing 737 Max-7 is the smallest of the four variants offered under the 737 MAX banner.

The 737 MAX has been very closely scrutinised since the type was grounded along with the extensive examination of processes that led to various flaws being allowed to survive the certification process. Both Boeing and the F.A.A. have been found at fault and one can only hope that this will ensure this kind of situation will now be avoided in the future. We also hope that corrections in design and training will ensure that the 737 MAX will end up being the safe aircraft we have come to expect from the likes of Boeing. In short, this needs to be right and also seen to be right.

The question remains, however, will passengers be willing to get on board a 737 MAX, even after the corrections have been made? If you design a bad car, for example, and it breaks down on the side of the road, you can kick the wheel, call someone and things will be fixed, usually. If you design a bad aircraft, it tends to bite and lots of people hear about it and get gunshy. So this is what Boeing has to contend with to regain customer confidence.

So what will the Boeing 737 name change entail? Well, it's not so much as a name change so much as an earlier move to the normal naming convention. If you think about the Boeing 787, which was introduced not that many years ago, it started life as the 7E7 and then the Dreamliner. Since then the aircraft has been referred to as both the 787 and the Dreamliner. The naming convention that Boeing now applies to its aircraft such as the 787, which comes in the 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10, will also be applied to the 737 MAX. This is not a new idea. Boeing has referred to the various MAX models as the Boeing 737 MAX 7, or 737 MAX 8 etc..

WestJet Boeing 737 MAX-8, one of 13 in their fleet which are currently grounded.

The move away from the MAX name has been a subtle process and Boeing has begun to use the name 737 MAX and 737-8(7 through 10) interchangeably. This way they are transitioning away from the MAX name toward the normal naming convention of modern Boeing aircraft. This was evident in a press release recently when Polish charter airline Enter Air placed an order for two 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The release read:

Boeing and Enter Air today announced the Polish airline is expanding its commitment to the 737 family with a new order for two 737-8 airplanes plus options for two more jets.

An all-Boeing operator and Poland’s biggest charter carrier, Enter Air began operations in 2010 with a single 737 airplane. Today, the airline’s fleet includes 22 Next-Generation 737s and two 737 MAX airplanes. When the new purchase agreement is fully exercised, Enter Air’s 737 MAX fleet will rise to 10 aircraft.

“Despite the current crisis, it is important to think about the future. To that end, we have agreed to order additional 737-8 aircraft. Following the rigorous checks that the 737 MAX is undergoing, I am convinced it will be the best aircraft in the world for many years to come,” said Grzegorz Polaniecki, general director and board member, Enter Air.

So we now know that the aircraft to watch for in the future is the Boeing 737-7, 737-8, 737-9 or 737-10. I realise you would have to have arrived from Mars recently not to put 2 and 2 together, however, people have short memories and it won't be long before they will be happily boarding their 737.

To understand the seriousness of the impact to Boeing of a failed 737 MAX, you just need to look at the order book. The MAX orders are second only to Boeing's most popular 737 model, the 737-800. They simply cannot let the 737 MAX fail.

The MAX is certainly the aircraft that customers want.

Safe Travels.

Aerial Firefighting with Fire Fighting Airplanes.

It seems to be the new normal now that each year brings devastating fires that are getting harder and harder to fight. Like anything, bigger problems need bigger solutions. To support the brave men and women who risk their lives to fight these fires, often coming in from other countries to support their brothers and sisters in need, we have seen in recent years new tools come into play.

A few years ago smaller planes, like the twin-engine high wing Canadair CL-215 would skim across lakes or other bodies of water, scooping up that water to then dump it on inaccessible fires. We also had helicopters such as the Sikorsky S-64, an example of which was owned by Erickson Air-Crane called Elvis which was loaned to Australia in the early 2000s. Aerial Firefighting is now moving to the next level with firefighting airplanes.

With bushfires becoming more ferocious and harder to fight from the ground, organisations are turning more and more towards larger firefighting airplanes. Firefighting airplanes are not purpose-built, however, with so many airliners now being retired, there is a ready source of large aircraft that can be converted. Unlike the current trend in air travel where large jets are becoming all but obsolete, for firefighting airplanes, bigger is better. So now we are seeing those older airliners that we used to travel in getting a new lease on life.

The biggest is the Boeing 747, "Queen of the Skies". Yes, the airliner that was the world's largest for most of its life is now finding a second life as the air defence to back up our on the ground firefighters. Like ground troops in a war, when the going gets tough you call in air support, and you want to be sure that they can bomb the hell out of the enemy. Well, this is the biggest, no doubt.

Global Supertanker Boeing 747-400.

The Global Supertanker, Spirit of John Muir, is the world's largest VLAT or Very Large Air Tanker, holding almost twice as much water or fire retardant as its next closest rival. This Boeing 747-400 started its life as an airliner flying for Japan Airlines before retiring to its next role as a freight-carrying aircraft for the now-defunct Evergreen International. The seats already long having been stripped out, the fuselage now accommodates two large identical tank systems giving the aircraft an effective payload of 20,000 gallons of water, retardant or gel. The tanks are pressurised and can deliver in one burst or in 8 segmented releases. The delivery can take the form of a blanket or drizzle out like rain which comes out through four outlets under the fuselage.

Spirit of John Muir can reach anywhere on the U.S. mainland within four hours and with a load time of 30-35 minutes can be deployed very quickly where needed. The aircraft was a great asset in South America during the recent Amazon jungle fires, really living up to the John Muir legacy.

Flying the Global Supertanker takes very special skills. Normally you would see the likes of a 747 taking off from a big city airport, climbing to cruise, and then descending to some other big city airport at the other end of the journey. The skill required to fly the VLATs is more in line with that of an air-force bomber pilot skill set.

Each sortie is critical and the retardant or water must be delivered to a precise location to be effective. This means that delivery runs are often at a very low level, around 200 feet above ground in difficult terrain and smoky conditions. Not for the faint of heart. Having said this, accidents have happened to other firefighting aircraft and in some cases, airmen gave their lives in service of others.

Since 2006, converted McDonnell Douglas DC10s have been used in aerial firefighting.

10 Tanker Air Carrier operates a fleet of 5 converted DC-10 aircraft. These converted airliners can hold around 12,000 gallons of water or retardant and have been deployed all around the world as required.

This BAe 146 aerial firefighting aircraft is ideal for its slow-speed abilities. Here we can see the tail air brake is deployed to allow it maximum time over the target.

So we can see that the toolbox at our firefighter's disposal is taking on whole new proportions as we try to stay ahead of our changing weather patterns. It is heartening to see some of our old favourite airliners getting a new lease on life and returning them to the usefulness they once enjoyed.

It is, however, even more, heartening to see serious force being brought to bear in the fight to save lives and our precious environment. Never underestimate the bravery of those on the ground and in the air that fight for our benefit.

When will the Boeing 737 MAX fly again?

It is well over a year now since Boeing's latest version of their very successful 737 model was grounded in March 2019. This much-anticipated version of the type brought all sorts of technological improvements that brought it into line with the 787 and 777 models. As we know, the 737 MAX's introduction was marred by two tragic accidents causing the loss of 346 lives. First Lion Air flight 610 out of Jakarta on 29 October 2018 and then Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 on 10 March 2019 out of Addis Ababa. Airlines and aviation authorities around the world were quick to ground the aircraft type. However, the F.A.A. (Federal Aviation Authority (US)) cleared the aircraft as airworthy on the 11th of March 2019. This decision was reversed on the 13th of March as the similarities of the accident causes started to come to light.

So why did Boeing and the F.A.A. drop the ball so badly? There have been many reports about a toxic work environment at Boeing going back many years. It seems that blame can be apportioned to both Boeing and the F.A.A. according to a House report which was released after a year-long investigation in March 2020. The investigation found in evidence which included texts on Boeing employees' phones, that Boeing misled the F.A.A. with regard to the MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System) which was found to have been the blame for both accidents. For the F.A.A.'s part, the report found that the FAA "failed in its duty" and that its review of the troubled plane was "grossly insufficient." The report also labelled Boeing as having a "culture of concealment". This is quite damning when your industry is 100% about safety.

A Boeing 737 MAX of Lion Air, similar to that which was lost on 29 October 2018.

So what is so different about the MAX that this latest 737 is suddenly struggling with airworthiness certification?

As passenger jets go, the 737 is at the small end of the scale, designed to fly short to medium-haul with relatively few passengers. Small and compact, it was designed when pure jet engines were in use and not the chunkier bypass engines of today. Those first jet engines were long and thin and sat comfortably under the wing with enough ground clearance to spare. Economic and environmental pressures led to the introduction of cleaner and quieter bypass engines which by their nature are chunkier for want of a better word.

The jet in a bypass engine sits in the middle at the core of the engine and is surrounded by an outer shell surrounding the core which carries air pushed through by the larger fan at the front. So full jet thrust from the core then slightly less thrust from the surrounding fan-pushed air. This stops the crackling and roar which happens as a pure jet exhaust is forced out into still air, the surrounding fan air softens that.

An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX much like the one that crashed on 10 March 2019 finally causing the MAX to eventually be grounded.

So back to our 737. As soon as bypass engines were to be added to this aircraft it became evident that ground clearance would be an issue. There was no real option to increase the landing gear length as there was the problem of where it should go during flight.

You may have noticed when you got on your 737 Next Gen or just observed them at the airport, the engine nacelles when viewed from the front are not quite round. There is a bit of flattening of the circle at the bottom. This is for ground clearance.

Boeing-737-NG(Next Gen) Engines have a pronounced flattening at the bottom to preserve ground clearance.

It is easy to see that the Boeing 737 MAX's Leap 1B engines are larger than those of the 737 NG.

The 737 MAX took things to the next level. CFM International, a leading jet engine maker for airliners had designed the Leap 1 engine series and these were to be the engine of choice for the 737 MAX. The Leap 1B produced economic savings, a big drawcard for airlines, as well as noise reduction which enable aircraft to fly friendly to airports where this is important.

The drawback is the larger circumference of the whole engine unit. To accommodate this, Boeing extended the nose landing gear by 8 inches over previous models as well as beefing up the main landing gear and support structures to take the extra weight of the bigger engines.

The change that is important, however, is the position of the new engines. The nose gear extension on its own was not enough to maintain the required 17-inch ground clearance beneath the engines. To do this Boeing moved the engines further forward of the wing's leading edge and higher. Problem solved, but perhaps with some trade-offs that would come and bite later.

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX -8 registration N8710M shows off the larger CFM engine.

Boeing realised that in certain phases of flight, the MAX could inadvertently be put into a stall situation. Enter the MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System). This system was designed to prevent the pilot from being able to put the aircraft into a stall situation, a safety fallback system. It seems that Boeing believed this system would resolve any design-driven compromises and that pilots who were certified on previous 737 models could transition seamlessly onto the new MAX. Boeing was keen to avoid expensive pilot retraining.

So Boeing had a "culture of concealment" and the F.A.A. "failed in its duty". It sounds like a perfect storm for both and let's face it, we're not out of it yet. Boeing for its part is still being investigated by various government agencies on financial and other matters. For the F.A.A.'s part, its chief, Steve Dickson, will testify before the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday 17 June 2020 at 10 a.m. ET. According to the committee, Dickson will answer questions about "issues associated with the design, development, certification, and operation" of the Boeing 737 Max. The hearing will also look at ways to reform the certification process.

It is events such as those unfortunate accidents that serve to expose wrongdoing and negligence among those who we trust to protect our safety. Cutting corners or simply being asleep at the wheel because this is all business as usual just doesn't cut it in this industry. How long will it take for Boeing to gain back confidence from the travelling public? Luckily people have short memories. I would hope that what comes out of this is a more vigilant F.A.A., to protect our interests and a more respectable Boeing. With such a long distinguished history in aviation, let's not drop the ball now.

So when will the MAX fly again? Well, Boeing was hoping for January 2020, but this did not eventuate. In fact, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg was let go by the board in December 2019 for trying to rush the MAX back into the air. Boeing continued to produce the MAX and only stopped when they ran out of storage space, including their staff car park. Around March they seemed to be preparing to ramp up again but Boeing has alerted its suppliers to stop production once again. It seems the MAX will definitely miss the Northern Hemisphere summer. It seems like a case of watching this space at the moment.

When will airlines start flying again?

When can I go and visit family? When can I have a much-needed holiday that I so surely deserve after this lockdown?

These are questions most people must be asking after the craziness of the last few months. Being locked inside for weeks on end, people are desperate for some semblance of what they remember as "normality" to return. Often the only thing that keeps us going is the vision of that overseas holiday we are working so hard for. Warm sunny days on some exotic beach to recharge us for the next onslaught of domestic bliss.

Unsurprisingly, the airlines are every bit as keen as their customers to get full planes back in the air. That is those airlines that have been able to survive the Covid19 suspension of travel. When we restart airline schedules, I'm sure we will not be seeing all players return to the table, and some that do will somehow be different from the way they started the year.

So many things need to line up before travel can start again, and different parts of the world will treat it differently. For example, here in Australia, we still have travel restrictions between the states. So we can go and holiday now within our own state, but no further. There has been talk of a travel bubble between New Zealand and Australia, two countries that have been very successful in their dealing with Covid19. The travel bubble basically acknowledges that both countries' approach to Covid-19 is similar enough to forge trust between the two to enable free travel back and forth. The hold up for this bubble to start is the fact that Australia's states are still not open to each other, much less another country.

So with many countries now getting on top of Covid19, what can we expect? Well, many airlines are seeing this as a sign that things may be ready to start swinging back into action. Let's face it, how long can you bleed money before you need to get back to business?

Not that it is up to the airlines. Countries need to agree with each other as to the terms of letting flights commence between them and within their own borders. Nobody wants to start a second wave of the pandemic when we have come so far.

A Covid19 airport temperature check. Checking before you board to ensure you don't bring the virus onto the plane to being checked on arrival at the destination to ensure you don't bring the virus into the country will be the new normal. We thought post-9/11 travel was bad! I can see us having health passports in addition to our normal passports in the future.

QANTAS, here in Australia, are anticipating they will reach 40 capacity compared to pre-pandemic activity for domestic travel by the end of July 2020. In the U.S., American Airlines anticipates flying 55% of its domestic schedule compared to the same period in 2019. In May, American only flew 20% of that schedule. Bear in mind that this is the Northern Hemisphere summer, so demand is high. In both cases, the announcements have helped the share price of these airlines as confidence in that market starts to turn around. This trend is fairly common across the board.

So is all this activity a sign that things are going back to normal? To be honest, no. Covid19 is still out there and is by no means a lesser threat than it was a few months ago. We don't have a vaccination yet, so it could rear its ugly head again at any time. The enablement of travel to restart again depends very much on us being able to manage things like social distancing and minimising contact with others as much as possible during the whole process. This includes the airport and inside the aircraft cabin, taking all the usual precautions we employ on the ground.

Some airlines have been controlling which seats are allocated so as to create spaces between passengers. Whether it be not allocating the middle seat in a set of three, or putting a single passenger in each row, other than families which can sit together.

Whilst the aircraft cabin is an enclosed space like any other form of transport like a bus or train, IATA has released a Briefing Paper which is worth looking at if you are indenting to fly. This outlines how aircraft cabin air is different from those trains and buses. In short, aircraft cabins use HEPA(High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters to ensure the air you breathe is free from better than 99% of airborne bacteria and viruses.

The airflow is a 50/50 mix between outside air and recycled internal air which gives on average 15 to 20 cubic feet of air per minute per passenger. The personal air from above can also ensure you are only getting that clean air.

Delta Air Lines focuses on cleaning procedures for their fleet in response to the COVID-19 virus at the Delta TechOps facility in Atlanta, Ga.

It is great to see that our favourite airlines may survive to take us back into the wild blue yonder at some future time. Starting some services as described above will surely help, but we're not out of the woods by a long shot.

Airlines still have many aircraft sitting on the ground, not earning money, in fact costing money. In many cases, no doubt, the income from the start-up of the limited services will come nowhere near covering the costs, but simply slow down the money bleed. As a flow-on effect, those airlines have orders for new aircraft from the likes of Boeing, Airbus, and others, which are coming due for delivery and payment.

This presents a bit of a balancing act in the relationship between the airlines and manufacturers. Many, if not all, airlines are seeking a delay to their aircraft deliveries and payments as obviously cash is tight. Also, schedules don't actually require any new aircraft to be added right now and there is certainly no market for used older aircraft either.

For their part, Boeing and Airbus also need cash flow to keep their businesses going, so it is a fine line between holding airlines to their commitments and giving leniency and time extensions until the market improves. Outspoken CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker, has reportedly told Boeing and Airbus if they don't come to the party and give time extensions, his airline will no longer buy aircraft from them.

So interesting times ahead. How do you feel about travel beginning again, or have you already travelled in a Covid19 world? We'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below. So many are still living in their isolation bubble, so news of what really happens out in the real world is a nice departure from what might be fake news.

Fly safe everyone.

Is this finally the end of the Boeing 747 Jumbo?

Just over 50 years ago on 09 February 1969, Boeing made history as the world's largest jet airliner, the Boeing 747 named City of Everett, climbed off the new purpose-built runway into Seattle's grey sky. Thus began our love affair with what was to be dubbed the Jumbo Jet.

US carrier Pan Am was the launch customer for the Jumbo and scheduled their first service from New York to London for 7:00 pm on 21 January 1970. The service was to be flown by an aircraft named Clipper Young America. On departure from the terminal in New York, however, there were technical difficulties around one of the engines overheating. The aircraft returned to the terminal and a replacement aircraft was flown in. The replacement 747 which was called Clipper Victor, was substituted and renamed Clipper Young America. The first commercial service of the 747 Jumbo departed New York finally at 1:52 am on 22 January.

Pan Am under the stewardship of Juan Trippe was a force to be reckoned with during that time and their need for a larger aircraft than the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 was a driving force in the eventual design outcome of the 747. Boeing was not completely convinced that a passenger aircraft of this size had a market. To this end, they created a design that would work well for freight airlines, which is where they saw the biggest market potential. This is of course why we have the distinctive bubble on top of the fuselage where the flight deck is located. The bubble enabled the 747 to be produced with a nose door for loading cargo with clear access to the fuselage unencumbered by a flight deck blocking the access. This may well have been a stroke of genius as we now see Boeing still producing the 747-8F, the freighter version.

Including the current 747-8, there have been 1,555 Boeing 747s delivered since that historic flight back in 1969. The 747, "Queen of the Skies", changed the world of travel and became the symbol of air travel. Appearing in songs and movies and just generally winning our hearts, the 747 has been a favourite for many years.

KLM Boeing 747-400 departing from Amsterdam. KLM has been retiring their 747s and don't anticipate the type to ever fly again under a KLM tail.

50 years is a long time in technology. Of course, the various models of the 747 have all come out with improvements and technology updates, but other technologies have also improved and eclipsed the need for a very large four-engined airliner.

Whilst Boeing is seeing a tapering off in interest in the passenger Jumbo, they at least still have the cargo version which has around 17 outstanding air-frames still to be delivered. Spare a thought for Airbus and the Airbus A380. You could say they came a little late to the Jumbo, or Super Jumbo party. By the time the first A380s were being delivered, the aviation scene was already changing, with newer technology large twin-engine airliners such as the Boeing 777, Boeing 787, Airbus A330, and Airbus A350 taking on long haul services. ETOPS certifications enabled these giant twins to fly the routes previously reserved for the 4 engined giants. The writing was on the wall.

Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 (D-ABYU) at Frankfurt Airport. Lufthansa was the launch customer for the Boeing 747-8i (International) and currently have not announced plans to retire these newer aircraft.

These changes were already well underway before the current economic market created by Covid-19 took its toll on travel. Airlines that still carried the Boeing 747 in their fleets already had firm plans in place to retire the type in the very near future. This, in many cases, was projected to happen over the first years of the 2020s, however, the effects of Covid-19 on global travel have prompted these airlines to bring forward their 747 retirement plans.

For example, Virgin Atlantic will be retiring its 7 747s very shortly. Consider that its 747 fleet has an average age of 20 years, whereas the rest of its fleet, excluding these 747s, has an average age of 9 years. This represents a significantly higher cost in maintenance for aging older technology aircraft. Lufthansa has also brought forward the retirement of 5 of its 13 Boeing 747-400s. It is worth noting that Lufthansa is one of the few airlines that bought the newer Boeing 747-8i. At the time of writing, this aircraft would still be retained by the airline. British Airways which has a large fleet of 28 747s will be working toward complete retirement of the type by 2024.

British Airways have 28 Boeing 747-400s in its fleet and are working toward retiring them all by 2024.

QANTAS for its part was looking to retire its last 6 747s by the end of 2020. The current travel climate has caused them to re-evaluate that schedule. Of the 6 mentioned, 3 have now already made their way to the aircraft graveyard in the Mojave Desert, California. The remaining 3 were scheduled to operate routes to Johannesburg, Tokyo, and Santiago until the end of 2020. It is now widely believed that the remaining 3 will follow their sisters to Mojave this month, June 2020. Foreward QANTAS schedules show that the aforementioned routes will now be flown by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The "Flying Kangaroo" on a 747 tail, once a very common site will be no more. By the end of the year, the only place you will be able to see a QANTAS 747 will be at HARS(Historical Aircraft Restoration Society) at Shellharbour Airport, just south of Sydney. Well worth a visit.

QANTAS Boeing 747-438. Once such a common site in our skies, soon to be no more.

I know I've had some of my most epic and memorable flights on the 747. Down the back or up the front is always a wonderful experience. Whether it be a brand new 747-200B of Air New Zealand or a really tired old QANTAS 747-400, you always felt like you were on a real airliner, the grand old Queen of the Skies. I know I will miss seeing them and being able to get on one.

Do you have any special memories of 747 flights you have taken? Feel free to share them below.

Is Covid-19 isolation an opportunity to learn to fly?

As many of us in different countries are being asked to stay at home and isolate ourselves, this may be a strange question. Is this a good time to learn to fly? If being a pilot is in your future plan, and isolation is hampering your ability to pursue your training, or you are simply an aviation enthusiast who is frustrated from not being able to plane spot or indeed travel, this might be for you.

I am talking about Flight Simulation. It is not exactly X-Box or PlayStation, but it is a way to learn a new skill or hone an existing one. Imagine you are locked up at home, still being able to go out and see the world out there, the one that you used to move about in. That sounds a bit science fictionist, but in some countries, it is not far from the truth as we try and stem the spread of the dreaded virus by staying home.

Now when we talk about flight simulation, it is tempting to visualise a fully functioning flight deck replica that sits in a box suspended on hydraulic ramrods. Like the ones they have down at your national airline's training centre. If you can run to that kind of thing, I salute you. Not only that, I'd love to get an invitation to hang out at your house when the whole isolation schtick is finished.

With flight simulation, you can source your favourite airliners and airlines and fly their routes. Re-live old trips or explore new destinations. Once you have your choice of flight simulator you can source many free airplanes or more detailed scenery for different locations on the web, many for free.

For the rest of us, flight simulation is available at home on your own PC, and not surprisingly for a fraction of the price that your local airline has forked out. Flight Simulation for the home user has come a long way over the last few years. When I was first introduced to it back in the early 1990s, a pilot friend of mine showed me this new program he had bought. It seemed really cool at the time, although in all honesty, it consisted of a flat world where the land was green and the sea was dark blue and the sky was light blue. You had the choice of flying from Chicago Merrill Meigs airfield on Lake Michigan (I believe that was actually closed in March 2003), Los Angles, New York, or Seattle. The only aircraft was a Cessna Skylane, but it was such a blast to actually fly this plane around.

New versions were added over the intervening years, each with some new enhancement that gave a new wow factor. The addition of sound, the addition of new geographical areas, improved scenery, and dynamic scenery. The list goes on.

Enough reminiscing. What I am driving at is that today, Flight Simulation provides a very real experience. The scenery realism is getting closer to the real thing, using data derived from Google Maps you really get the feeling you are arriving or departing the actual location as you know it in real life. Not only that, but with an internet connection you can get your simulation weather conditions to match the real forecast for that location.

So who is flight simulation for?

You could be forgiven for thinking that flight simulation is only for those who have a good knowledge of flying. This is not necessarily so, in fact not so at all. Let’s look at two of the more popular flight simulator programs for PC on the market. Microsoft Flight Simulator and X-Plane 11. Both of these simulators are designed for the beginner right through to the airline pilot.

There is a training academy built in to enable the novice to gain confidence in the various phases of flight right from the very beginning. For example, my son who is now in his late teens started with my help when he was 6 or 7. Now he gets a lot of pleasure from flying missions in various airliners domestically in Australia and overseas.

This is in the simulator of course. Whilst flight simulation can be a great help in practising various phases of flight for the real world, it is of course there as an additional resource not a replacement for real flight training. It can, of course, help you to get good practice in procedures and maneuvers and end up saving you money in hours flown in the real world.

So you could say it is both entertainment and a relevant tool.

Explore beautiful parts of the world and see how they all fit together from your eagle-eye view.

Do I just fly on my own?

Like most things with flight simulator programs, you have choices. If you just wanted to go and tear up the sky in a Lear Jet, see the scenery up close in a Cessna, or explore further afield in a Boeing 737, you can do this alone or with company. For instance, if you wanted to fly an actual mission in a Boeing 737 from Los Angeles (LAX) to San Francisco (SFO), as real-world airliners do, you can certainly do that. You would begin by creating a flight plan where you can designate such things as the actual route you want to fly, and the height you want to fly at, among a host of other things.

Once you file your flight plan, just as airliner pilots do, you then use air traffic control through the radios to get clearance for each phase and guidance right through your whole flight mission. As you go through the flight you will hear other aircraft talk to air traffic control as well as see them along your travels if it is a busy route. The feeling of realism is very high and the satisfaction of completing a mission is likewise.

But what about real people? I want to share this with my friends. Yes, during this time of isolation, doing things together with your friends is challenging. Thankfully we have the internet at least, and also thankfully flight simulator programs have the option to fly with others. I know I have used this function many times to fly with someone else in my household or with friends on the other side of the world. You can chat as well as see each other's aircraft which can make for an interesting way to hang out. Go and explore the world together.

Flight simulator programs have come down quite a bit in price since the early days. If you have a reasonably up-to-date PC you should be able to run these programs quite easily. In addition, I would recommend getting at least a basic controller.

Whilst you can run the simulator from the keyboard, the controller will give you that extra feeling of realism. That's what we're after, right? We want to feel like we are flying a real aircraft. Like anything, there are many more high-tech add-ons you can buy if you decide to become a real enthusiast. Whatever you choose, happy flying and keep safe.

What happens to planes grounded by COVID-19?

There is no doubt that COVID-19 is shaking up the world we live in today. The human tragedy that has taken place and has yet to take place cannot be overstated.

One of the biggest and most visible effects, is that of our ability to move around freely, specifically, through air travel. To curb the spread of COVID-19, and the importation of that virus, many countries moved quickly to restrict travel. Most particularly international arrivals. In the early stages, airlines reduced their services so as to avoid the well-known infected areas and the risk of bringing back infected passengers to their home country. This has quickly escalated to total travel bans being put in place for most countries, leaving airlines with no business in those markets.

Naturally, no income means that costs have to be reduced very drastically and quickly to avoid bankruptcy. This has involved mass staff layoffs and of course the grounding of many aircraft. At first international routes were most affected as countries closed their borders to new arrivals. Domestic services continued to run, however, at a reduced frequency. According to the OAG (Overseas Airline Guide), a data centre for flight schedules, in the U.S. in the week to 24 March 2020 airline seat capacity dropped by 1.4 million seats or 6%. Some of the larger airlines are saying they are planning to further reduce domestic capacity by 30% and international by 75%.

While some low-cost carriers like Spirit are trying to stay afloat by offering fares as low as US$18 plus fees, the trend is growing to ground airliners that cannot fly their normal routes.

So where do the airlines keep these grounded planes? As you can appreciate, a large modern airliner takes up a lot of space and also needs to have a solid base beneath its wheels. In a way, the problem being common to all operators helps. For example, at Tulsa International Airport they have been able to close seldom-used taxiways and runways to accommodate 50 airliners owned by American Airlines. Normal operations are not affected.

Airliners are stored at Don Muang Airport in Bangkok.

This is obviously not the answer everywhere. There are many thousands of aircraft being grounded and there isn't enough unused space at the world's airports to accommodate them all. Throw into the mix the fact that there are the grounded Boeing 737 Max aircraft in various locations awaiting certification clearance to fly again, and you see there is a parking problem.

Where there is a problem, however, there is often someone benefiting from the solution they provide to that problem. One such business is ComAv, an aircraft maintenance and storage firm based at Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville. Their Director of Corporate Initiative, Lisa Skeels, said they are definitely very busy. They are currently storing 275 planes and can accommodate 200 more. ComAv is inundated with requests from various airlines for storage space although they would not reveal which airlines.

I'm sure we've all heard of the desert boneyard storage facilities for unused airliners, but there is a distinct difference between parking an aircraft in the desert and parking an aircraft and keeping it maintained. Like anything an aircraft left unattended will start to deteriorate and will eventually become unairworthy. Airlines have huge amounts of capital tied up in these aircraft and they need to know that when this global downturn ends, their aircraft can come back into service with a minimum delay. This is not just like parking your car in the long-term car park while you go on a trip. The aircraft, if it is to be stored for a long period of time, needs to be put into an "aircraft coma". This typically means draining and replacing all fluids and sealing the cabin doors and engines.

Whilst parking a large Boeing 777 can cost around US$150 a day to store, the required maintenance can start from US$2,000 per month. Even though the jet is static, the manual calls for regular checks on such systems as avionics, hydraulics, electronics, and other operating systems. The trick is guessing how long this covid19 situation will last. There is a more intense idling maintenance schedule that involves aircraft actually being regularly started up. Basically, the more intense the maintenance schedule, the quicker the aircraft can return to service when things return to normal. The maintenance cost may be high, but the lost earnings may be much higher for an aircraft's delayed return to service.

What we also no doubt might see is perhaps the earlier retirement of older aircraft like the McDonnell Douglas MD-88s, MD-90s, and perhaps even some of the remaining Boeing 747s.

What tomorrow's airline industry will look like is anyone's guess right now.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Modern Airliners.

If there is one thing there is an abundance of at the moment, it is ever-changing information about COVID-19 and how it is affecting our lives. The situation merits all the superlatives being thrown at it at the moment and literally changes by the hour. So what has this got to do with Modern Airliners or any airliners for that matter?

You would have to have arrived from Mars to not know the extreme measures that are being taken by governments to try and reduce the effect of COVID-19. Obviously, the priority is to reduce the number of people that are infected and thereby reduce the death toll from this pandemic. The second concern, and perhaps nearly as important as the first, is the economy. I hate saying that as it sounds like life isn't worth very much. The economy, however, is what makes people's lives what they are today. It provides jobs, it keeps people fed, clothed, and under shelter. Ensuring this continues will prevent the loss of life through on flowing effects of the pandemic.

We have seen border closures in many countries around the world in the last few days. Even if the borders aren't closed, there are travel restrictions and simply the fear of, "if I travel will I be able to get home again?" In living memory for most people today, this is not a concept that they have ever experienced and it may take a few who ignore the warnings to get caught out before others see the seriousness of the issue.

Ok, what has this got to do with Modern Airliners?

I thought you'd never ask. All around the world airlines have felt the impact of the above border closures and travel restrictions. Most have severely trimmed back their services to try and stem back the money bleed. Flying empty aircraft is a very costly business and is to be avoided at all costs. Initially, Australian flag carrier QANTAS grounded 10 out of its 12 Airbus A380s as these aircraft require a high occupancy rate to break even, financially. This grounding has been quickly followed by many other of its aircraft for the same reason, as further route capacity reductions or cancellations take place. This is just one example of what is happening to carriers all over the world. The immediate result has been that many travellers who have been urged to and have chosen to, repatriate themselves are finding that they are part of a very large group that is being affected by the reduction of airline capacity.

QANTAS grounded 10 out of its 12 Airbus A380s.

So what of the airlines themselves? Airlines are a very important part of the world economy. They are the catalyst that enables world economies to work at all. For this reason, it is of paramount importance for a country to ensure its national or other carriers remain in business. I know here in Australia, the government has given an economic stimulus to the airlines to enable them to survive this major upheaval. Oil prices falling off a cliff earlier this month has not been enough to make up for the drop in customers for the airlines. Even though it is estimated this could save airlines in the order of B$28 (US) over 2020. We have to face the fact that we are going to see a mass extinction event of smaller airlines.

Depending on how quickly the COVID-19 pandemic can be contained, IATA estimates that revenue losses for passenger transport would run at B$63 - B$113 (US). Impact by market according to IATA looks something like this.

Region	Percent Change	US Dollar Change
Australia, China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.	-23%	-49.7 Billion
Rest of Asia Pacific.	-09%	-7.6 Billion
Austria, France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, United Kingdom.	-24%	-37.3 Billion
Rest of Europe.	-09%	-6.6 Billion
Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates.	-23%	-4.9 Billion
Rest of the Middle East.	-09%	-2.3 Billion
Canada and US	-10%	-21.1 Billion

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It doesn't make for good reading, does it?

So what will happen to the grounded aircraft? It is hard to know what to plan for. How long will the pandemic last, what will the world look like when it is all over? Will we need the same capacity as before? One thing we can be sure of is that things will eventually bounce back. They may be different in some ways, but the economy will pick up again as people come back from isolation.

We may find, however, that the need for people to work from their homes during the pandemic, will lead to more technology being thrown into the online world to make things possible that currently are not. People's perceptions of travel may change. If you go back to 9/11, people became fearful of flying. Not to mention the added hassles of extra security whenever you did so.

Cruising became a much more attractive alternative for holidaymakers, as there was a much lower likelihood of terrorist attacks, or at least so it was sold. I fear that many people are losing their appetite for being on a cruise ship after what has happened to several ships since COVID-19. So maybe air travel will regain its popularity again.

So, about those aircraft. Airlines like British Airways(BA) and Lufthansa(LH) have the biggest remaining fleets of Boeing 747s. If you discount the age of Lufthansa's Boeing 747-8s which are around 6 years old now, the average age of the BA and LH 747s is around 21 years. Will they consider retiring them early? An older aircraft becomes a lot more expensive to maintain and if there is no income being generated from this aircraft, its financial burden becomes too heavy.

Airlines like British Airways(BA) and Lufthansa(LH) have the biggest remaining fleets of Boeing 747s.

So with all these aircraft grounded, what about new aircraft orders? That is the on-flow effect that will hurt plane makers like Boeing and Airbus. There will be the airlines that disappear and their orders cancelled. Then there are airlines like Cathay Pacific, for example, that have approached Boeing and Airbus about delaying their orders.

Boeing for its part has approached the US government for a B$60 stimulus package. The aviation industry must survive and it is worth noting that Boeing estimates that 70% of its revenue flows onto its 17,000 suppliers. The aviation industry is a huge employer and its demise can not be allowed to happen. Similarly, Airbus and its many suppliers are in the same boat.

Apparently, the story is not all doom and gloom. Dr. Steve Wright of the University of the West of England, Bristol(UWE Bristol) believes that the aviation industry will survive. Jobs will be lost, mainly at the customer-facing level, and of course those smaller airlines. Aviation seems to go through an 11 to 12-year cycle. Events such as 9-11 and the global recession of 2008 knocked the industry about, but it recovered. It will again. Meanwhile, Dr. Wright says, the development of new aircraft still goes on. In 5 years' time, we will still see the fruits of technology research that is going on right now.

Air New Zealand Skynest.

For a small country on the edge of nowhere, New Zealand has certainly and continues to, show that they are outside-the-box thinkers. The folks down at Air New Zealand are certainly from that mould.

The most recent idea that has travellers excited is the Skynest. Maybe that sounds like it is for the birds, but let's just back up a little and look at the drivers for such an idea, before we look at the idea itself.

New Zealand as I said earlier, is on the edge of nowhere. We used to joke that, "it isn't the end of the Earth, but on a clear day you can see it from here". Quaint, but what has that got to do with Skynests and Air New Zealand? Well, being so far from the main population areas of the world, most flights out of New Zealand are Medium to Long Haul services. If you can travel up the pointy end of the plane, the pain is somewhat reduced by varying degrees of lie-flat seats. The few times I have travelled in such style, I found it ok, but not perfect. Perhaps it was the lack of privacy, or simply that a seat that tries to be a bed as well, usually fails to do either perfectly.

They say necessity is the mother of invention. In the case of Air New Zealand, it is plain to see that they needed to find a way to make passengers not arrive at their far-flung destinations, feeling they completed the spin cycle.

The point is though, what about us poor schmucks back in cattle class? Going all the way from Auckland to London with enough room for one butt cheek is not a good way to fly, but it means you have a little more money to spend on the rest of your holiday. So we endure it. At least you can get out for air somewhere around halfway along the route for a walk around as they put more fuel in the tank. This way your legs can be reprogrammed to walk again. But wait a minute.............

Didn't Air New Zealand announce that they were about to start flights, non-stop from Auckland to New York? What is that? Around 18 hours? I don't think the mind can take in sitting in a seat without the freedom of movement for that long. I don't know about you, but I just can't sleep sitting up. I can't read enough books, watch enough movies or do anything else you can think of to make 18 hours pass.

The modern business class seat is designed to be everything to everybody. A seat, a bed, an entertainment theatre. But what about the plebs down the back who can't afford the price but still need to survive an 18-hour flight?

Back to Skynest. Air New Zealand has a high proportion of the longest air routes in the world in its network. So the appetite for finding a solution to the discomfort of economy passengers on Long Haul and Super Long Haul routes is high. Air New Zealand is not a stranger to innovation, having brought us the Economy Skycouch, where a row of 3 seats can be converted to a lie-flat bed that can accommodate two people. Admittedly the length is around 155cm which means you have to keep your feet tucked in, lest they get trimmed off neatly at the ankles by the drinks trolley.

Skynest takes things to the next level. It takes up the same space as two rows of seats, so two sets of 3. This is replaced by an alcove that has 2 sets of 3 tier bunk beds on either side. The 6 people are accommodated in the same space but in lie-flat beds which are semi-private. It looks like a great way to get some shut-eye.

The Skynest pod has six full-length lie-flat beds. Measuring 200cm in length and 58cm at the shoulders, this is a wonderful use of space in the most expensive real estate in the world. The Skynest is envisaged to come with a full-size pillow, sheets, blanket, earplugs, privacy curtain and sleep-designed lighting. Other features may be added.

Air New Zealand has been working on this concept for around 3 years now and has sought feedback which has been very favourable. Overseas consultants and other trial participants were brought in and after signing secrecy agreements, tested 11 different scenarios revolving around a range of seats and other products to come to the final design. Air New Zealand will be looking to patent the Skynest and sell to other carriers who may be interested, just as they have with Sky-couch.

It may be a while before we see Skynests in the air, in fact, Air New Zealand will be making a decision on this next year once the Auckland to New York non-stop service has operated for a year. Where will Skynest fall in the price range? Thinking currently is that it will be higher than the normal economy fare but lower than Premium Economy.

Boeing 777x First Flight.

After two failed attempts, called off due to high winds, the latest addition to the 26-year-old Boeing 777 family has finally taken to the air. At 09:08 am, Saturday 25 January 2020, aircraft registration WH-001 started its takeoff run on runway 34 Left at Paine Field, Everett. With an 8-knot tailwind, broken clouds at 3,000 feet with 6 miles of visibility, the largest twin-engine jet took a mere 30 seconds to become airborne. Applause and cheering from the crowd were drowned out by the world's biggest jet engines, the GE Aviation GE9x.

Maiden flights of new airliners don't happen very often, maybe once or twice a decade. Whilst the first flight of the Boeing 777x is a cause for excitement, Boeing must be feeling the pressure of getting this completely right in light of the 737 MAX situation. But enough of that.

The test flight lasted four hours out over the Pacific Northwest, a major milestone and the beginning of a very rigorous aircraft certification program. Before the aircraft can be delivered to airlines and begin carrying passengers, it has to go through a certification process. This is done with the F.A.A. (Federal Aviation Administration) and then no doubt with other agencies such as E.A.S.A. (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) before it can fly to, or overfly those regions. By current estimates, Boeing expects to be in a position to start delivering the first aircraft to customers in 2021. The first of those is expected to be Emirates. The order book for the 777x stands at 309 airframes with a list price of US $442M per aircraft. Of course, this is not necessarily what airlines will pay as they will have negotiated with Boeing for discounts around things like, the number of aircraft ordered, or being the launch airline. Nevertheless, the sooner Boeing starts delivering, the sooner the income for this project will start.

The wingtip deployment can be clearly seen in this video as the Boenig 777x takes to the sky for the first time on a wet Seattle day.

So after 26 years of 777s (Tripple Sevens), what is so special about the 777x? Well, the original 777 was a step forward in its day, being computer-designed it brought a lot of new ideas to the airliner design table. The 777x is carrying on that tradition by using technologies that have been tried and tested in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. This includes using more composite materials in its construction, to make use of lighter stronger materials as well as materials that are far less susceptible to corrosion. Larger windows and an updated passenger cabin will be great news for passengers on this aircraft that Boeing maintains is the most efficient twin-engined airliner in the world.

The stand-out feature, however, is the folding wingtip. This feature, until now, was typical of fighter aircraft that were assigned to aircraft carriers. To save space when the aircraft was stored below decks, its wings would be folded upwards and thereby reducing the side-to-side space required for its storage. This is a concept that Boeing went with. Creating the largest twin jet in the world, which is required to fly further than the previous version, was going to require a wing that gave more lift than the previous version. Winglets could have solved the problem to some extent, but it has been found that a longer tapered wing gives more optimal lift. The Boeing 787 and the Boeing 747 8 are testament to Boeing's findings in this area.

So why folding wingtips? Well, let's look at the Airbus A380. When it was introduced in the early 2000s, airports were required to make adjustments to gate areas to enable a much wider aircraft to be accommodated. They had to be "A380 Ready" before that airliner could land there. A huge upheaval and expense but it was seen as the new future and therefore was seen as an investment in that future. We now know of course that the days of the A380 are numbered, now that the giant twin airliners are coming of age. Boeing wanted to avoid the restrictiveness of requiring airports to upgrade to be able to handle an oversized wingspan. They wanted the 777x to be able to fly everywhere that the current generation of 777s can fly. So was born the folding wingtip idea. The wingtips allow the 777x to change from a wingspan of 235 feet in the air down to 213 feet on the ground.

As the wingtips are a totally new technology in the passenger airliner space, the F.A.A. has come up with a set of 10 conditions that have to be satisfied before certification can take place. Boeing has stated that the non-deployment of the wingtips on takeoff can lead to catastrophic results. This is logical, as a fully laden aircraft, depends on the lift that those wingtips provide. If you suddenly have smaller wings than required, you are going by road with tragic results. The 10 conditions are designed to put fail-safes in place to prevent the non-deployment of wingtips on takeoff as well as the failure of the wingtips to stay in place during flight. These conditions revolve around a comprehensive warning system to alert the crew to the fact they are attempting takeoff without the wingtips deployed. In addition, if that is ignored, there is the ability for the aircraft to prevent takeoff until wingtips are deployed. With every new technology comes a whole raft of things to consider and conditions to be tested for.

Like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner which started its early days as the 7E7, the 777x will no doubt be dropped in favour of the actual variant names of 777-8 and 777-9. Some basic statics on the two models are as follows:

777x

Boeing 777-8

• Range 16,170km (8,730nm)

• 384 Passengers

Boeing 777-9

• Range 13,490km (7,285nm)

• 426 Passengers

Be sure to visit our Boeing 777x page for more details.

At 251 feet, the Boeing 777-9 will be the longest commercial aircraft in the world.

The road to this first test flight has not been a smooth one. From the time that the 777x was first rolled out of the hangar in March 2019, it was found that the new GE9x engine experienced excessive wear when run. In September when the wing stress testing was done, there was an explosive decompression event when a tear appeared in the fuselage. The manufacturing of the 777x was to be done in a fully automated assembly line by robots. Challenges in this area have forced Boeing to revert back to the traditional human-driven process.

The 777x is in the air at last. We certainly look forward to watching its progress toward certification.