AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

*Financial analyst's on Wall Street have upgraded Bombardier on news it is working on a larger, 150-seat version of its C-Series airliner that could directly compete with the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. The new airliner would force Boeing and Airbus to re-engine their mainline single-aisle aircraft. Canadian media report that a 150-seat version of the C-Series jet powered by Pratt & Whitney's PW1000G geared turbofan engines could grab significant market share from the Boeing-Airbus duopoly. Bombardier called the reports "speculative." The current C-Series design will likely be finalized sometime this year, and deliveries are expected to begin in 2013. Bombardier has firm orders for 50 of the aircraft so far.

 

*A passenger has been charged with making a bomb threat which grounded an EMIRATES airliner at London's Heathrow Airport on Friday night. The 58 year old man, from Dover, Kent, was also charged with being drunk on an aircraft, the Metropolitan Police said. He is due in court later today. In addition, a 48 year old man, who is also from Dover, was also charged with being drunk on an aircraft. A 3rd passenger, a 36 year old man, was released without charge. As posted yesterday, armed police boarded the Dubai-bound Emirates flight after remarks were made to cabin crew. The incident happened as the plane, which had 331 passengers and crew onboard, was taxiing for takeoff. The other passengers were eventually taken off the aircraft and driven to a hotel for the night. Their flight was rescheduled and arrived in Dubai yesterday.

*Aviation officials in Nuremberg, Germany, had clarified information in regards to the AIR BERLIN Boeing 737 incident on Friday, January 8. As posted yesterday, Air Berlin Flight 6777 was on Domestic Service from Nuremberg to Dusseldorf, with 133 passengers and crew onboard, when the aircraft went off the runway and into soft ground. No one onboard was injured and the aircraft was not damaged. According to new information released, Flight 6777 was not on taxi when the incident took place, but actually beginning its takeoff roll at low speed. For unknown reasons, the aircraft departed the runway at about the 250m point. Officials also report that only the left hand main gear remained on the runway, with the majority of the aircraft on soft ground. Speculation is that that the aircraft may have hit a patch of ice just as it began its takeoff roll. An investigation into the incident has been launched.

*A THAI AIRWAYS Boeing 737 had to make an emergency landing at Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, on Friday, January 8. Flight 30, on Domestic Service from Bangkok, with 115 passengers and crew onboard, declared an emergency midway thru their flight, with the crew reporting that the cockpit windshield had cracked. The crew then descended to a lower altitude and continued on to Ubon Ratchathani, where they landed without incident. The 737 was removed from service for repairs.