Vertical take-off and landing business jet takes-off to the sky

The Starling Jet now has now taken off to the sky taking vertical flight to greater heights.

The disruptive vertical take-off and landing business jet is a product of SAMAD Aerospace, which is a UK-based technology start-up with the dream to revolutionise the way humans and goods fly around the world. 

To achieve that, a group of experts in their respective fields - be it Aerodynamics, Aircraft Design and Propulsion systems -  worked together and developed a range of products that will redefine air travelling experience. 

The company said: “Imagine a transportation which is safer than a car, completely flexible, as eco-friendly as an electric vehicle, less time consuming than any plane or train and as luxurious as a private jet. This is the unique combination of features that will be offered by e-Starling and Starling-Jet in a door-to-door human air transportation, while UAV Starling will transport goods at an unprecedented pace; thus, completely changing perspectives about air travels. The Starling fleet are designed to give back their user’s most valuable asset - time - hence allowing them to achieve more than they would have ever dreamt of.”

P&WC's new PurePower PW812D engine application to power new Falcon 6X

Pratt & Whitney Canada have announced that a new variant of its ground-breaking PurePower PW800 turbofan engine has been selected to power the new Dassault Falcon 6X business jet, unveiled by Dassault Aviation earlier today.

The PW812D engine, thrust 13,000-14,000 lbs, is set to offer exceptional performance, unparalleled reliability and sustainability. Ready to enter service on other aircraft, the PurePower PW800 engine is optimized for high-flying, fast, long-range business jets and shares the same proven, rigorously-tested core technology used in Pratt & Whitney's award-winning PurePower family of geared turbofan commercial engines. The advanced common core technology, employed in 16 different PurePower engine applications, has amassed more than 585,000 in-service hours.

“With the new Falcon 6X, our PurePower PW800 engine once again demonstrates its leadership in the long range business jet category,” said Irene Makris, Vice-President, Marketing, Pratt & Whitney Canada. “The PW812D offers the highest level of technology available, paired with the reliability provided by an award-winning platform." 

Embraer E190-E2 granted certification by ANAC, FAA and EASA

Embraer has announced some final flight tests results confirming the E2 as the most efficient single-aisle aircraft on the market. In fuel consumption, the E190-E2 proved to be 1.3% better than originally expected, a 17.3% improvement compared to the current- generation E190.

The E190-E2 also becomes the most environmentally friendly aircraft in its class, with the lowest levels of external noise and emissions. Flight test results also confirmed the E190-E2 to be better than its original specification in takeoff performance. The aircraft’s range from airports with hot-and-high conditions, such as Denver and Mexico City, increases by 600 nm compared to current-generation aircraft. Its range from airports with short runways, such as London City, also increases by more than 1,000 nm allowing the aircraft to reach destinations like Moscow and cities in the north of Africa.

The E190-E2 will also have the longest maintenance intervals among single-aisle aircraft with 10,000 flight hours for basic checks and no calendar limit for typical utilisation. This means an additional 15 days of aircraft utilisation over ten years compared to current generation E-Jets. Another key gain is with pilot transition training time. Pilots of current-generation E-Jets will need only 2.5 days of training and no full flight simulator to be qualified to fly an E2.

Kenya Airways plans new economy plus class

Kenya Airways is planning to target high-level premium customers, as part of restructuring efforts aimed at returning the airline to operational profitability, new reports.

Chief executive officer of the airline, Sebastian Mikosz, said the airline is planning to roll out a new economy plus class by the end of the year.

Mikosz said the new class is targeted at business travellers, including American tourists and business executives on its new Nairobi-New York service.

SITAONAIR and DTN launches weather alerting to AIRCOM FlightTracker

Airline dispatchers using AIRCOM FlightTracker will now be equipped to help aircraft avoid inclement weather –including aircraft-specific turbulence, icing, and thunderstorm forecasts – supporting the smoothest and safest possible flight experience for those onboard, and maximizing fuel efficiency. 

Already adopted by airlines operating more than 250,000 flights every month, the FlightTracker is a ground-based software system delivering vital global real-time aircraft position alerting to airline operations teams. 

Paul Rainford, Senior Product Manager, FlightTracker, at SITAONAIR, said: "The responsibility of tracking aircraft is reliant on intensive manpower from an airline's operations and dispatch teams. But armed with FlightTracker's aircraft tracking alerting, and new, weather-based Flight Route Alerting capabilities, operations and dispatchers can focus their attentions on those flights that call for more detailed consideration. This in turn provides improved support to the pilots in the air, contributing to a better passenger experience."

Jon Reifschneider, senior vice president of weather at DTN, added: "We are excited to partner with SITAONAIR to provide additional layers of safety to all flights. The system allows you to take charge of your flight plan, planning routes up to 36 hours in advance, giving operators the confidence to schedule flights that keep passengers and crew safe, avoid turbulence, and use less fuel. DTN's insights also shed light on weather events that exceed the parameters for any planned routes, enabling flight planners to select the route that offers the best cost and the least chance of weather-related disruptions."

Kenya: JKIA Named Best Improved Airport in Africa

Nairobi — The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport has been awarded the best-improved airport in Africa by the Airports Council International (ACI).

The world Airports body has singled out JKIA's improved customer service based on the responses from passengers captured by the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey.

Kenya Airports Authority's Managing Director, Jonny Andersen says JKIA is currently undergoing major reorganisation and modernisation works set to stamp its position as a regional hub.

"Today's recognition shows that the measures we have put in place to improve services are beginning to bear fruit. The benefits of all agencies working as a team are clear to see. We still have a lot to do but I believe that we are on the right track." Mr. Andersen added.

JKIA recognition comes four weeks after the airport rolled out a service charter signed by all Government agencies committing to provide consistent and high-quality service.

Casablanca Airport was named the best airport in Africa with over 2 million passengers per year, followed by Mauritius and Durban.

In the Asia-pacific region, Mumbai scooped first place serving over 40 million passengers a year. In North America, this top spot goes to Toronto Pearson and in Europe to Rome Fiumicino.

Five dead as Helicopter crashes in New York river

A helicopter carrying six people crashed in New York City’s East River on Sunday, killing all passengers, while the pilot escaped, police said.

Two of the five passengers died at the scene and three were taken to two area hospitals where they later died, a spokesman for the New York City Police spokesman confirmed early Monday.

The pilot freed himself and was treated and released in good condition from a hospital, police said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the Eurocopter AS350 went down near the northern end of Roosevelt Island at about 7 p.m. and was investigating. The National Transportation Safety Board said its investigative team would arrive on Monday.

“It’s a great tragedy,” said New York Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro at a press conference late Sunday. “It took a while for the divers to get these people out.”

Nigro said when the divers reached the helicopter it was inverted and in 50 feet of water with below 40-degree Fahrenheit water temperatures and four-mile-an hour currents.

the passengers were tightly harnessed and the harnesses had to be cut and removed to free the passengers in the helicopter, he added.

A Reuters photographer witnessed three people recovered by rescue divers being wheeled on stretchers onto a midtown pier shortly before 9 p.m.

New York City Police Commissioner James O’Neill said the aircraft was registered to Liberty Helicopters, a sightseeing and charter service in New York, and was on a private charter “photo shoot.”

The U.S. Coast Guard launched three boats to aid in the response, joining New York City emergency responders.
“It kind of hit sideways and just flipped over,” Brianna Jesme, 22, an Upper East Side resident who witnessed the crash, told Reuters TV.

Video of the incident filmed by an onlooker and posted on Twitter showed a red helicopter descending toward the water at dusk, then landing with a large splash before tipping onto its right side, its tail lights still flashing.

Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the footage.

The NYC Ferry said late Sunday on Twitter that service on the Astoria and East River routes was currently suspended until further notice because of the helicopter crash.