*ALOHA AIR CARGO received the 1st of 2 new Saab 340A Turbo-prop aircraft yeserday in Honolulu. The aircraft's payload is 1/3 of Aloha's Boeing 737's, and uses 1/5 of the fuel, allowing the company to schedule more daily flights. According to Aloha Air Cargo, the new plane's efficiency will help the cargo carrier serve more customers throughout the day. The 2nd 340A Turbo-prop aircraft is expected to arrive later this summer.
*Transport Canada said yesterday that the federal government expects to make it mandatory for float-plane occupants across the country to wear life vests during flights. Typically, vests are folded in pockets under plane seats, where there is little or no chance that panicked passengers will grab them before they leave a plane that is filling fast with water. The move comes in response to the March 17, 2011, recommendations of the federal transportation safety board's report on the November 29, 2009, crash of a SEAIR SEAPLANES de Havilland Beaver float plane, pictured above, off Saturna Island that killed 6 passengers. The Pilot and 1 other passenger escaped with serious injuries, but also might have perished had not two bumpers come off the sinking aircraft and served as lifebuoys until help arrived.
*A long-dormant volcano has erupted in Eritrea sending clouds of ash over parts of east Africa, disrupting air traffic through out the region. The eruption of the Dubbi volcano sent a plume of ash up to 15km into the air, the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre said, disrupting air traffic in Eritrea and neighbouring Ethiopia, and threatening further disruptions in the region. Most domestic operations are affected in both countries, with ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES reporting some cancelations. German carrier LUFTHANSA also canceled 2 flights into the region today.
*Flights in South America, Australia and New Zealand are still being disrupted by ash from a volcano in Chile, affecting thousands of passengers. And hopes of a resumption of air travel from Argentina's capital were dashed after more ash fell on Buenos Aires. Some services are operating normally in Australia but Airline policies differ. QANTAS and JETSTAR cancelled all services in and out of Adelaide, Tasmania and New Zealand on Tuesday, but VIRGIN AMERICA resumed service. AIR NEW ZEALAND is also operating normally, but at lower altitudes. Most international flights are making it in to both Australia and New Zealand, but also operating at lower altitudes. The Chilean olcano, about 500 miles south of the capital, Santiago, continues to spew ash and smoke.
*Spain's CIAIAC has issued a brief update today on the April 20, 2011, incident involving a VUELING Airbus A320 at Sevilla, Spain. On that date, Flight 2220 was on service from Barcelona to Sevilla, when the crew abandoned their 1st approach for landing in Sevilla, due to fault indications regarding the nose wheel steering. They crew then performed a low approach over the tower which showed the nose gear was in its down and locked position, however, the nose wheel appeared rotated by about 20 degrees, pictured above. The Airbus entered a holding to troubleshoot the issue and subsequently landed on runway 27 with the nose wheels rotated by 90 degrees, about 25 minutes after the 1st approach. The aircraft came to a safe stop on the runway. Post flight inspection revealed grinding damage to the nose wheels. In today's update, the CIAIAC said that the crew received ECAM messages NW STEER FAULT and L/G SHOCK ABSORBER FAULT. The wheels were rotated by 90 degrees to the right upon landing, and the No.2 nose wheel fractured during the landing roll. The investigation continues.
*AUGSBURG AIRWAYS Flight 2380, a Dash 8-400 on service for LUFTHANSA, had to make an emergency diversion to Zurich, Switzerland, today, June 14. While enroute from Munich, Germany, to Geneva, Switzerland, the crew reported they had to shut down the left hand engine due to abnormal engine indications. The Dash was then diverted to Zurich, where it safely landed and was then removed from service for inspection. Passengers and crew onboard Flight 2380 were transported to Geneva by bus.
*AMERICAN AIRLINES Flight 880, an MD82, had to make an emergency return to Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas, yesterday, June 13. As the MD82 lifted off for departure, it impacted at least 20 birds. The crew reported the bird strikes and requested immediate return. They leveled off at 6000 feet and then landed safely back at DFW, about 12 minutes after their initial depature. The aircraft was removed from service and a replacement MD82 was dispatched to continue the flight to Norfolk, Virginia. According to the FAA, an estimated 20 birds impacted the aircraft, which suffered damage to its nose cone and right hand wing.
*CONTINENTAL AIRLINES Flight 133, a Boeing 757, had to make an emergency medical diverison to Shannon, Ireland, yesterday, June 13. While enroute at 38000 feet from Paris, France, to Washington Dulles, and near Shannon, a female passenger suffered symptoms of a heart attack. The 757 was diverted to Shannon, where it safely landed about 20 minutes and was met at the gate by Emergency Services. The woman was transported to hospital and no further information was released. The 757, seen above on taxi for departure from Shannon yesterday after the incident, arrived at Dulles about 2.5 hours behind schedule.
*SPANAIR Flight 5043, an A320, had to make an emergency landing in Madrid, Spain, yesterday, June 13. A passenger had boarded the aircraft in Las Palmas, CI, Spain, to go to Madrid for treatment of an undisclosed serious illness. There were no problems noted during the flight, until the Airbus was on approach, when the woman suddenly fell unresponsive. The crew declared an emergency and proceeded to land at Madrid, where Emergency Services met the aircraft at the gate. The woman was declared dead on arrival. No further details were released.
*CARPATAIR Flight 2368, a Fokker 70, had to make an emergency return to Timisoara, Romania, yesterday, June 13. While climbing out of Timisoara, the crew reported problems with cabin pressure. They leveled off at 28000 feet, before deciding to return to Timisoara, where they safely landed, about 50 minutes after their initial departure. The Fokker 70 was removed from service for inspection and repairs and a replacement Fokker 100 completed the flight Iasi, Romania.
*SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES Flight 1583, an MD90, had to make an emergency return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, yesterday, June 13, after the crew could not retract the nose gear. The MD90 landed safely back in Riyadh, and was removed from service for inspection and repairs. A replacement aircraft was dispatched to continue the flight to Yanbu, Saudi Arabia.
*ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST AIRLINES Flight 5136, a CRJ 900 on service for DELTA AIRLINES, removed a passenger onboard the aircraft prior to its departure from Detroit, Michigan, on Sunday, June 12. According to media reports, the CRJ was parked at the gate in Detroit, with passengers onboard, and was delayed in departure for Newark, New Jersey, for undisclosed reasons. A male passenger, who is a children's book author, admitted to media that he was annoyed by the delay and said the word "fuck" to himself "once or twice". Sitting behind the author was an off-duty Flight Attendant for the carrier, who reported it to the on-duty F/A. Minutes later, police boarded the aircraft and escorted the author off the plane. He was placed on a flight a few hours later and arrived in Newark without incident. ASA said in a statement that it was investigating the incident onboard Flight 5136, and declined to offer further details. "We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused," the Airline statement said.
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