Korean Air flight KE-2711 made an emergency landing at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan, on June 2nd.
The Boeing 777-200 plane flying from Seoul, South Korea, was descending toward Tokyo when the crew declared an emergency due to a cargo smoke indication.
The plane landed uneventfully. All one hundred and eighty-nine people aboard remained safe.
Southwest Airlines flight WN-362 made an emergency landing in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 10th.
The Boeing 737-700 plane was flying from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when the crew requested emergency assistance due to an engine problem.
The plane landed safely. All passengers and crew members remained unharmed.
PSA Airlines flight AA-5390 had to return for an emergency landing in Dayton, Ohio, on March 23rd.
The Canadair CRJ-200 plane took off for Charlotte, North Carolina, but had to turn back after the crew received a smoke detector indication.
The plane landed uneventfully. There were 52 people aboard at the time; all of them remained safe.
Cargojet flight W8-1894 made an emergency landing in Cologne, Germany, on December 12th.
The Boeing 767-300 plane took off for Hamilton, Canada, but had to turn back due to an engine problem.
The plane landed uneventfully. Everyone aboard remained safe.
EVERETT, Wash., — Boeing announced it began assembly of the first 747-8 Intercontinental at the factory in Everett, Wash. Late this week, mechanics took the first step in major assembly for the new airplane by loading its wing panels and spars in the assembly tools. The spar is the internal support structure that runs through the full length of the wing.
“This milestone symbolizes the dedication, focus and hard work that our team, suppliers and customers have invested in designing this wonderful airplane,” said Mo Yahyavi, vice president and general manager of the 747 program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The 747-8 Intercontinental will provide our customers with increased levels of passenger comfort, greatly improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions and noise.”
Deutsche Lufthansa AG was the first airline to order the new, fuel-efficient passenger airplane, contracting for 20 747-8 Intercontinentals, with purchase rights for an additional 20. “We are very pleased to see that the production on the 747-8 Intercontinental has begun,” said Nico Buchholz, senior vice president, Corporate Fleet of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. “We are looking forward to welcoming the aircraft in our fleet as it is a component of Lufthansa’s strategy to modernize its fleet and increase environmental stewardship. The 747-8 shows our clear commitment to customer orientation.”
The new 747-8 Intercontinental is stretched 18.3 feet (5.6 m) from the 747-400 to provide 467 seats — 51 more than its predecessor — in a three-class configuration. GEnx-2B engines and a new wing design provide airlines a quieter, more fuel-efficient airplane. The 747-8 is 16 percent more fuel efficient and creates a 30 percent smaller noise footprint than its predecessor. The 747-8 also provides nearly equivalent trip costs and 13 percent lower seat-mile costs than the 747-400, plus 26 percent greater cargo volume.
The 747-8 interior incorporates features from the 787 Dreamliner, including a new curved, upswept architecture that gives passengers a greater sense of space and comfort while adding more room for personal belongings. The architecture is accentuated by lighting technology that provides smooth transitions for a more restful flight.
The 747-8, which includes the 747-8 Intercontinental and the 747-8 Freighter, was launched in November 2005. Boeing has 108 orders for the 747-8 — 32 for the 747-8 Intercontinental and 76 for the 747-8 Freighter. The first 747-8 Intercontinental is scheduled to deliver in late 2011.
On November 14, the officials from South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said they will ban Asiana Airlines flights to San Francisco for 45 days, as a punishment for 2013 crash.
The Asiana Flight 214 crashed during final approach to San Francisco International Airport in July last year and claimed 3 lives while around 200 others were injured. After a year-long investigation, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board officials concluded that the pilots were responsible for the crash as they made errors during landing.
Asiana Airlines, which sells around 170,000 tickets annually for Incheon-San Francisco flights, said in a statement that they will appeal the ministry’s decision. “The decision will cause serious passenger inconvenience given the high traffic on the route. In that case, the authorities are normally recommended by regulations to fine an airline instead of suspending flight,” the statement said.
It is not yet clear when the flights would be suspended.
Brazilian presidential candidate Eduardo Campos, 49, has been confirmed dead after his campaign plane, a Cessna 560XL, plunged into a residential neighbourhood in the port city of Santos, Brazil, on August 13.
According to the authorities, the 12-seater plane could not land in Guaruja due to bad weather after which, the air traffic control lost contact with it. It then crashed near a gym in a residential area of Santos, sending smoke clouds in the air.
City Hall press officer Patricia Fagueiro confirmed that all 7 people aboard the plane, including Eduardo Campos, 2 pilots, a press advisor and campaign photographer, died in the crash.
It is not yet clear if anyone on the ground was injured in the crash.
President Dilma Rousseff said in a statement, “The whole of Brazil is in mourning.”
