Unstable weather caused Airbus UAV to break up mid-air
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has confirmed that an Airbus high-altitude surveillance and communications drone that broke up in-flight in September 2019 did so due to unstable weather conditions. The Zephyr solar-electric unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) weighs around 65 kilograms, and requires a crew of at least four people to launch. It can linger at
Ryanair to open fourth base in France at BVA
Despite the financial hit of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Ryanair has announced it will open its fourth base in France at the Paris-Beauvais Airport from 3 December 2020. The Irish budget carrier already boasts braces in Toulouse, Marseille Provence and Bordeaux, however will now base two aircraft out of BVA, situated 85 kilometres outside the
Monday MAX update: EU to give green light, FAA chief will personally conduct test flight
Over the last few days, the future of the 737 MAX has begun to look a little more certain, with regulators in the US and EU due to recertify the plane as soon as November, and an FAA administrator to conduct a personal safety test. EU regulator gives tentative green light The European Union Aviation
26 killed in Ukrainian Antonov An-26 crash
A military Antonov An-26 carrying air force cadets crashed in Ukraine’s north-east on Friday evening, killing 26 of the 27 people on board. The aircraft reportedly crashed near a highway, around two kilometres from the Chuguev military airbase, while attempting to land during a training exercise. The plane burst into flames shortly after the crash.
Travel-wary passengers opt for plastic shields between cabin seats
Airline passengers are supportive of implementing physical plastic barriers between seats in the cabin to encourage confidence in flying throughout the pandemic, according to a recent panel at the MRO Asia-Pacific virtual conference. Surveys suggested that flight-wary passengers would feel more comfortable with the use of plastic barriers between cabin seats, as they do not
FAA issues warning over Dreamliner autopilot fault
The US Federal Aviation Administration has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) for owners and operators of the Boeing 787, warning of a possible failure in the aircraft’s autopilot system when utilised on landing. The SAIB, which is a non-regulatory notice used by the FAA to provide operators with vital information and guidance on
