Vauxhall helicopter crash a 'wake up call'

On the surface, the report into the Vauxhall helicopter crash is pretty stark.

Pilot error is blamed in the official report by the Air Accidents Investigation Bureau for the collision in south London that led to the death of two people including the pilot.

The phrase in the industry is the pilot was "overloaded". The pilot, Pete Barnes, may have been distracted by changing the radio frequency and should not have been in cloud so close to the tower when he hit the crane.

However, what is also very interesting is the policy gaps that exist in the planning of tall towers and helicopters. This will cause concern to many Londoners, especially those living along the Thames, as it is one of the main thoroughfares for helicopters.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has no input into planning decisions on tall buildings apart from in safeguarded areas around airports.

The councils are under no obligation to inform the CAA if they give the go-ahead to a tall tower.

Kate Hoey, MP for Vauxhall, has called the situation "laissez-faire" and says the crash is a "wake-up call" and has called on the processes to be tightened up.

Flying rules mean pilots should stay 500ft (150m) away from tall structures - known as Rule 5.

But because of the number of large towers along the Thames, a situation has now arisen where helicopters cannot pass both ways at the same time. To obey the 500ft rule helicopters have to zig-zag down the river.

The report also says that while buildings were under construction, air traffic controllers may have been giving incorrect guidance to helicopters and they may have been breaking Rule 5. That means air traffic controllers could have been telling helicopters to go within 500ft of tall buildings.

If that has been the case it is very clear the current procedures do not work.

With the growth in the number of high towers along the Thames, the report is calling for a tightening of those procedures.

How to do that now rests with the Department for Transport but helicopters and high rise buildings are under intense scrutiny.

Air France launches new private jet service

Take a seat in a private jet, fly off on time and with no constraints. Air France is offering its La Première customers with connections at Paris-Charles de Gaulle a new way to travel which is faster and easier. An exclusive trip from departure to destination with attention to detail: an exceptional offer.

Starting today, Air France, in partnership with Wijet, is offering a new range of private jet services. This service is exclusively dedicated to connecting passengers at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, before or after their long-haul flight on Air France in the La Première cabin and their travel companions traveling in the Business cabin.

After revealing its new «haute couture» La Première suites, the Company is continuing to upgrade its most exclusive cabin. The trip is totally bespoke, from the customer’s departure to their arrival at desti-nation, including optimized connection time at Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

Sydney airport passenger accidently given bomb by police

A passenger in Australia has accidentally been given a bomb in a suitcase by staff at Sydney airport.

The training device was planted in the case by police in August to train sniffer dogs.

However, after the exercise, it was forgotten about and given to the unnamed passenger after her own case was damaged.

The bomb contained real explosives, but officials say it was deactivated.

Australian Federal Police have apologised to the woman.

According to an official statement, the device, containing 230g of plastic explosive, was originally placed in a case at the domestic terminal on August 14 to be used in a training exercise for sniffer dogs.

Planting real explosives, drugs and other items in real airport luggage is quite common practice - it's seen as an essential training tool for dogs.

Nearly a month later after the exercise, the passenger was handed the abandoned case as a replacement after hers was damaged in flight.

She took the bag, left the airport, and drove home with the bomb still inside.

When the passenger finally discovered it and handed it in to police in Cessnock, more 90 miles from the airport, the station had to be evacuated.

Federal police Sydney airport Commander Wayne Buchhorn told reporters: "Although the travelling public was not in danger at any time, we regularly review our processes in this area, and we will do again in the light of this incident.

"The police takes this error seriously and the canine instructor who inadvertently left this device behind has been identified and will be the subject of a formal professional standards investigation.

Star Wars surprise: Millennium Falcon and X-Wing pictured

Australian Helicopters Signs For Six AW139 Helicopters For EMS Missions by Air Ambulance Victoria

AgustaWestland and Australian Helicopters are pleased to announce the signature of a contract for AW139 intermediate twin-engine helicopters that will be operated for Ambulance Victoria under a 10 year agreement to perform Emergency Medical Service (EMS) missions.

The aircraft, which are expected to enter service in January 2016, will be based at Essendon, Bendigo, Latrobe Valley and Warrnambool airports. The new fleet will replace Ambulance Victoria’s present five helicopters and includes a dedicated back-up aircraft to maintain services when heavy aircraft maintenance is required.

The AW139 is a new generation helicopter that sets new standards of safety, comfort and performance in the intermediate twin-engine helicopter market. Designed with inherent multi-role capability and flexibility of operation, the AW139 has the most spacious cabin and the best power reserve of any helicopter in its class. The internal dimensions of the AW139's roomy unobstructed cabin make it an ideal choice for EMS applications. The flat floor, large cabin doors and unobstructed cabin provide easy and quick access for stretchers and survivors. The new technology Honeywell Primus Epic® fully integrated avionics package, a 4-axis digital AFCS and large flat panel color displays in the cockpit, reduce pilot workload and allow the crew to concentrate on the demanding missions they are often tasked to perform.

The AW139 has become the benchmark intermediate twin-engine helicopter with orders for more than 770 helicopters having been placed by over 200 commercial and government customers in over 60 countries. The AW139 perform a wide range of roles including search and rescue, emergency medical services, offshore transport, VIP/corporate transport, law enforcement, homeland security and utility. Particularly, the AW139 has rapidly become the intermediate twin-engine helicopter of choice for search and rescue and Emergency Medical Service missions having already been selected by customers in Asia, Middle East, Europe, North America, Australasia and Africa.

UK to refund Chinese tourist visas

Chancellor George Osborne has announced plans to refund the cost of up to 25,000 visas for Chinese tourists in an attempt to attract more visits to the UK.

It was one of a series of measures announced at an economic summit in London, attended by Chinese vice premier Ma Kai.

"The more Chinese tourists the merrier," the chancellor said.

He also announced deals worth £2.6bn between Chinese and British firms.

The visa refund plan would apply to Chinese tourists visiting Britain in organised tour groups.

The government will also exempt approved tour groups from needing a transit visa, making it easier for Chinese tourists to use British airports as hubs for international travel.

"I think that will strengthen British aviation, strengthen British airports as hubs for direct routes to China, so that people use British airports as a jumping off point for trips around Europe," Mr Osborne said.

"Of course one of the really exciting things we see all around is more and more Chinese tourists coming to the United Kingdom and they are very, very welcome," he added.

More flights between the two countries have also been agreed and £1.6m will be spent marketing Britain in China.

National tourism agency VisitBritain welcomed the visa plan, describing it as "the perfect catalyst to enable Chinese tourists to not only visit Britain, but travel right across the country".

Other deals agreed include British businesses helping to build Chinese websites and rail infrastructure as well as Chinese investment in areas such as UK shipping, golf courses, and healthcare.

Embraer Executive Jets delivered the 25th Phenom 300 to NetJets

A Purchase Agreement for 50 Phenom 300, plus 75 options, was signed in October 2010. The total value of the deal may exceed USD 1 billion, if all options are exercised.

“We are absolutely delighted with this delivery to NetJets, just over a year after the first Phenom 300 joined their fleet,” said Marco Túlio Pellegrini, President & CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. “The Phenom 300 was the most delivered business aircraft in 2013, and we are thrilled with its success among NetJets’ customers.”

The aircraft delivered today is the 200th Phenom 300 manufactured by the Company. The delivery ceremony took place at the Embraer assembly facility in Melbourne, Florida, where this aircraft was produced. Over 70 Phenom jets have been assembled in Melbourne, and delivered primarily to customers in the North American market. The Phenom 300 is in service in over 25 countries.

“The Signature Series™ Phenom 300 is our best-selling aircraft right now and a core part of our NetJets fleet,” said Chuck Suma, Senior Vice President of Global Asset Management, Global Procurement, and Global Process Improvement, NetJets Inc. “In fact, it is selling so well that we have asked Embraer to accelerate the delivery schedule, which will add four additional jets this year. By the end of 2014, we will have 35 Signature Series™ Phenom 300s in our fleet.”

The Melbourne facility began operations in 2011, with the assembly of the Phenom 100, and the first aircraft was delivered in December of the same year. Production of the Phenom 300 at this facility began in August 2012, and the first delivery took place in December of the same year. The balance of NetJets’ Phenom 300 order, in addition to any options exercised, will also be produced in Melbourne.

Source and image: Embraer Executive Jets