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Contact photographer Sharpshooter
What: AirTran Airways Boeing 737-700 en route from San Francisco to Atlanta
Where: Wichita
When: May 31 2010
Who: 126 passengers and crew
Why: While en route, the flight developed oil pressure problems due to an oil leak and diverted to Wichita Kansas where it made a safe landing. A replacement flight was provided for the passengers.
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Contact photographer Akin Diler
What: Gulf Air Airbus A319-100 en route from Athens Greece to Bahrain
Where: Beirut Lebanon Rafik Hariri International Airport
When: Jul 20th 2010
Who: 101 passengers
Why: While en route at an altitude of 36000 feet, the plane developed a crack in the right windshield and diverted to Bahrain. They made a safe landing at 9:43 pm. Passengers are expecting at least a 24 hour delay.
EVERETT, Wash., Feb. 8 /– The Boeing (NYSE: BA) 747-8 Freighter successfully took to the sky for the first time today before more than 5,000 employees, customers, suppliers and community leaders. The flight begins a test program for the world’s most efficient freighter.
With 747 Chief Pilot Mark Feuerstein and Capt. Tom Imrich in the flight deck, the newest member of the 747 family took off at 12:39 p.m. local time from Paine Field in Everett and landed at Paine Field at 4:18 p.m.
“It was a real privilege to be at the controls of this great airplane on its first flight, representing the thousands of folks who made today possible,” said Feuerstein. “The airplane performed as expected and handled just like a 747-400.”
Today’s flight was the first of more than 1,600 flight hours in the test program for the newest member of the Boeing freighter family. The airplane followed a route over Western Washington, where it underwent tests for basic handling qualities and engine performance. The airplane reached a cruising altitude of 17,000 feet (5,181 m) and a speed of up to 230 knots, or about 264 miles (426 km) per hour.
Powered by four General Electric GEnx-2B engines, the 747-8 Freighter will transition its testing program to Moses Lake, Wash., and Palmdale, Calif., where the other two test airplanes will join it in the coming month.
“This truly is a great day for The Boeing Company and the 747 program,” said Mo Yahyavi, 747 program general manager and vice president, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “It’s the culmination of the hard work and dedication of our employees, suppliers and customers. While there is still much to do, I am excited to begin the flight-test program, which will demonstrate the capabilities of this airplane.”
The 747-8 Freighter is the new, high-capacity 747 that will give cargo operators the lowest operating costs and best economics of any freighter. The airplane is 250 feet, 2 inches (76.3 m) long, which is 18 feet, 4 inches (5.6 m) longer than the 747-400 Freighter. The stretch provides customers with 16 percent more revenue cargo volume compared with its predecessor. That translates to an additional four main-deck pallets and three lower-hold pallets.
“The 747-8 Freighter continues the leadership of the 747 Freighter families, which carries more than half of the world’s air freight, making it the standard of the air cargo industry,” Yahyavi said.
Boeing launched the airplane on Nov. 14, 2005, with firm orders for 18 747-8 Freighters: 10 from Cargolux of Luxembourg and eight from Nippon Cargo Airlines of Japan. All told, Boeing has secured 108 orders for the 747-8, of which 76 are orders for the new freighter. Cargolux, Nippon Cargo Airlines, AirBridgeCargo Airlines, Atlas Air, Cathay Pacific, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Emirates SkyCargo, Guggenheim and Korean Air all have ordered the 747-8 Freighter.
Contact:
Tim Bader
747 Communications
+1 206-859-3633
tim.s.bader@boeing.com
Jim Proulx
Boeing Commercial Airplanes Communications
+1 206-850-2102
jim.proulx@boeing.com
I doubt that April is any worse a month for medical emergencies, but just to give you a snapshot at how common it is—at least this past week—
These medical incidents really don’t differ from how many we usually see–maybe its just spring fever, but I’m just sayin’…make sure you’re a-ok before you set foot on board!
A Lancair LNC 4 aircraft crash-landed onto a levee in the Everglades, near Broward-Palm Beach county line, Florida, on August 30.
The four-seater aircraft, which took off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and was heading to Lynchburg, Virginia, crash-landed due to engine failure. Authorities said the aircraft cartwheeled and burst into flames upon landing.
There were 2 people aboard the plane, including the 52-year-old pilot Ken McKenzie and his 50-year-old wife Sonia. Both of them sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Authorities said the pilot had reported low oil pressure shortly after the plane departed from Fort Lauderdale airport.
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Contact Photographer Rui Miguel
What: Bangkok Airways Aerospatiale ATR-72-500,en route from Krabi to Koh Samui Thailand
Where: Koh Samui Thailand
When: Aug 4th 2009
Who: 68 passengers and 4 crew
Why: While landing in heavy rain, the plane skidded off runway 35 at Koh Samui and into an old unused control tower. Public reports vary (between one and 41 deaths, including the captain).
Copa becomes first Latin America carrier to fly with the new cutting-edge interior
SEATTLE, March 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing (NYSE: BA) today delivered a Next-Generation 737 with the new Boeing Sky Interior to Copa Airlines – the first Latin American carrier to take delivery of Boeing’s innovative interior.
“We are proud to bring this state-of-the art technology and unmatched passenger experience to our valued customers,” said Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines. “This new interior represents yet another example of our progressive leadership in the Americas and will enhance the world-class service for which Copa Airlines has become known.”
The Boeing Sky Interior introduces new cove lighting and curving architecture that create a distinctive entry way. Passengers will enjoy a more open cabin and a soft blue sky overhead simulated by light-emitting diode (LED) lighting. The new interior also brings new, modern, sculpted sidewalls and window reveals to draw passengers’ eyes to the view outside the window as well as larger stowage bins allowing passengers the ability to store their luggage closer to their seats.
The 737 Boeing Sky Interior is the latest in a series of enhancements designed to improve the Next-Generation 737 for both airlines and passengers. The next to come will be a package of performance improvements that will reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 2 percent – making the airplane a full 7 percent more efficient than the first Next-Generation 737s delivered. The performance improvements to the airframe and engine are in certification test, and will be phased into production between mid-2011 and early 2012.
