News
CEO admits airport wouldn’t be here without taxpayer bailout
The CEO of Cardiff Airport (CWL/EGFF) Spencer Birns has said that the Welsh Government writing off £46m of taxpayer money saved the airport. It also provided a further £46m in recovery funding. The airport was bought by the welsh government in 2013 for £56m, but despite a large investment, it [read more]
News
All passengers arriving into the UK must self-quarantine
British prime minister Boris Johnson has announced that all international passengers arriving into England must self-quarantine, including those who have been fully vaccinated until they obtain a negative PCR test result. Wales has said that it will introduce travel restrictions in the same way as the UK Government announced & [read more]
Civil Aviation
Luton Airport awarded Level 3 Carbon Accreditation
London Luton Airport (LTN/EGGW) has been awarded Level 3 of the Airport Carbon Accreditation Scheme in response to its efforts to cut the carbon footprint of the North London airport. The airport is aiming for net carbon neutrality by 2026 but has already switched to 100% renewable energy to power [read more]
News
First aircraft for Flybe V2.0 arrives at Birmingham
The first Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft for the new incarnation of Flybe has today arrived at Birmingham Airport (BHX/EGBB) ahead of plans to begin commercial flights. Birmingham Airport was announced as the new headquarters and base of the airline, which bought the rights to the Flybe name, last week. The [read more]
News
Return of the Red List: African countries back on no travel list
The UK has placed a ban on all commercial and private flights from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe from Midday today, Friday 26th November, as fears grow over a new variant of Coronavirus. The move means that passengers arriving back from these countries to the UK must [read more]
Civil Aviation
Ryanair: Buy One Get One Free Black Friday deal
Ryanair has today launched a massive ‘Buy One Get One Free’ deal for Black Friday with 1 million seats available in the offer. The offer comes on Day 4 of Ryanair’s cyber week and sees passengers being able to treat a loved one to a trip to one of 1,000 [read more]
Air Safety
How to improve commercial aviation safety
It goes without saying that keeping aviation and passengers safe is the top priority of the industry. All decisions and authorizations, from new aircraft designs and airport procedures to individual flight plan approvals, are made with this in mind. Aviation safety and security is integral to everything that happens in [read more]
News
The last dambuster turns 100
The last surviving British dambuster Sqn Ldr George ‘Johnny’ Johnson MBE DFM turns 100 today, 25th November. Johnny Johnson joined the Royal Air Force in 1940 and qualified as a gunner as part of 97 Squadron at Woodhall Spa. He later joined 617 Squadron and flew on Operation Chastise, the [read more]
Civil Aviation
Eastern Airways confirms Gatwick – Newquay air link
Regional airline Eastern Airways (T3/EZE) has officially confirmed that it will be launching a direct service between London Gatwick and Cornwall Newquay Airport under a Public Service Obligation (PSO). The new service will launch on the 15th December and will initially operate daily before increasing to twice-daily from mid-January. Under [read more]
Air Travel
News
Manchester to New York flights get underway with Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus UK (EG/EUK), the wholly-owned British subsidiary of Aer Lingus, has today launched its service from Manchester Airport (MAN/EGCC) to New York JFK (JFK/KJFK). The flight was operated by an Airbus A330 and departed Manchester Airport at 1257 today and is due to arrive in New York at 16:15 [read more]
News
CEO admits airport wouldn’t be here without taxpayer bailout
The CEO of Cardiff Airport (CWL/EGFF) Spencer Birns has said that the Welsh Government writing off £46m of taxpayer money saved the airport. It also provided a further £46m in recovery funding. The airport was bought by the welsh government in 2013 for £56m, but despite a large investment, it [read more]
News
All passengers arriving into the UK must self-quarantine
British prime minister Boris Johnson has announced that all international passengers arriving into England must self-quarantine, including those who have been fully vaccinated until they obtain a negative PCR test result. Wales has said that it will introduce travel restrictions in the same way as the UK Government announced & [read more]
Engineering & MRO
Civil Aviation
Flybe appoints Ground handling agent at Birmingham Airport
Flybe has reached another milestone in its bid to bring the airline back to the skies by appointing Assured Aviation Services as its ground handling agent at Birmingham Airport. The deal will see 100 local jobs being created for the Warwickshire based company who handle all Flybe’s ground requirements from [read more]
Engineering, Leasing & Finance
Airbus woe as more airlines report A350 paint issue
Concern has been raised over early skin degradation on Airbus A350 models after a problem first reported by Qatar Airways has resulted in them grounding 20 of their 53 A350 aircraft. The issue has been visualised by external paint cracking, particularly around areas where external probes join the fuselage. Other [read more]
Engineering, Leasing & Finance
Dubai Airshow: More orders roll in for Airbus
Following on from the first day massive order for 255 aircraft, Airbus has maintained momentum with more orders on days two and three. Monday saw a Letter of Intent (LoI) signed by Air Lease Corportation (ALC) for 111 aircraft from across Airbus’ current product catalogue. The list is made up [read more]
Military Aviation
Air Safety
British F35 lost at sea after pilot ejects
A British F35B has crashed into the Mediterranean sea after its pilot was forced to eject from the aircraft. The pilot was safely rescued from the sea. No other aircraft or hostile action is believed to have caused the crash of the aircraft after taking off from the British aircraft [read more]
Military
Bye Bye Bones – US B1 Bombers return home from RAF Fairford
The four US Air Force (USAF) Rockwell B1-B ‘Lancer’ Bombers that had been deployed to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire have returned to their home base in Dyess Air Force Base in Texas. The bombers have spent just over a month at RAF Fairford carrying out training missions and a show [read more]
Airshow News
Where to see the Red Arrows today in Cardiff and Isle of Wight
If you are in Cardiff or the Isle of Wight today then you have the chance to see the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (RAFAT), The Red Arrows as they streak across the sky with their iconic red white and blue smoke. In Cardiff, the Red Arrows will do a [read more]
General Aviation
General Aviation
FlightAware agrees sale to Collins Aerospace
The leading flight tracking website, FlightAware is to be sold to Collins Aerospace for an undisclosed amount after the Raytheon Technologies-owned company signed a definitive agreement to purchase the privately-owned business. FlightAware has been a market leader since it was created in 2005 and its flight tracking technology is used by [read more]
Air Safety
Two killed in Goodwood crash
Two men have been killed when the light aircraft they were in came down near Goodwood yesterday evening. The accident occurred just after 4:30pm yesterday and despite the best efforts of the emergency services the two men, 65 and 58, were pronounced dead at the scene. Local Fire & Ambulance [read more]
Air Safety
Impact of stress on flight safety downplayed by pilots according to new study
A new study suggests that General Aviation (GA) pilots downplay the impact of stress on flight safety compared to factors such as inclement weather. The research, conducted by the University of Aberdeen, presented 101 pilots with a series of 12 take-off scenarios across four categories – compromised performance (pilot stressed, [read more]
Air Sports
Air Sports
WCAR Air Race to operate on Carbon Net-Zero fuel
The World Championship Air Race (WCAR) which launches in 2022 has announced the aircraft will operate on a new carbon net-zero aviation fuel. WCAR has partner with Prometheus Fuels to use its Titan Fuel Forge™ technology to create ‘fuel from air’. It does this by reclaiming atmospheric carbon through a [read more]
Air Sports
Wales Airshow cancelled for 2021
Organisers of the Wales Airshow have announced that the 2021 event has been cancelled. The airshow was due to take place in July along Swansea seafront but like many events, has fallen victim to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Airshow organisers Swansea Council say that the event will now return 2nd [read more]
Air Sports
Red Arrows return to UK & where to see them in 2021
The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (RAFAT) The Red Arrows returned to their UK home at RAF Scampton earlier this week after gaining their Public Display Authority (PDA) for 2021. The team has been undergoing pre-season training in Greece to perfect their routines and before this years display routines were [read more]
Air Safety
Air Safety
How to improve commercial aviation safety
It goes without saying that keeping aviation and passengers safe is the top priority of the industry. All decisions and authorizations, from new aircraft designs and airport procedures to individual flight plan approvals, are made with this in mind. Aviation safety and security is integral to everything that happens in [read more]
Air Safety
British F35 lost at sea after pilot ejects
A British F35B has crashed into the Mediterranean sea after its pilot was forced to eject from the aircraft. The pilot was safely rescued from the sea. No other aircraft or hostile action is believed to have caused the crash of the aircraft after taking off from the British aircraft [read more]
Air Safety
Sala Crash: Flight organiser jailed
The organiser of the flight that killed Emiliano Sala has been jailed for 18 months at Cardiff Crown Court. David Henderson 67, of Hotham, East Riding of Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to trying to arrange an unauthorised flight and was also found guilty of recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft [read more]
Space
News
Webb Space Telescope arrives in Guiana ahead of launch
One of the most anticipated new pieces of Space hardware has arrived in French Guiana ahead of its scheduled launch on 18th December. The Webb Space Telescope (WST) is an orbiting infrared telescope that, Jean-Marc Nasr, Head of Airbus Space Systems, “will change the way we see the universe”. About [read more]
News
Virgin Galactic flights grounded after ‘mishap’
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ground Virgin Galactic flights pending an investigation into a mishap during its recent publicity flight which had, among others, Sir Richard Branson onboard. In a brief statement, the FAA said it was investigating a mishap that occurred over Spaceport America, New Mexico on [read more]
Engineering, Leasing & Finance
Royal Navy extends Airbus contract for Satellite marine surveillance
The Royal Navy (RN) has awarded Airbus a 12month extension on a contract to carry out satellite based maritime surveillance for the Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC). The system uses a combination of optical and radar imaging as well as Automatic Identification System (AIS) data to provide reports about vessels [read more]
Wales
Cardiff Airport News
Aer Lingus return to Cardiff Airport with two routes
Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Stobart Air, is returning to Cardiff Airport (CWL/EGFF) for the first time since 2016 reviving two routes to Northern Ireland and Eire. The new route to Belfast City will commence on 28th June and will operate four times per week on Monday, Friday, Saturday, and [read more]
Cardiff Airport News
Welsh First Minister accused of double standards over Spain flights
Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford has been accused of double standards after allowing flights between Cardiff Airport and Spain to operate despite Wales still being in full lockdown under his authority. Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies led the calls saying it cannot be right that peoplee can “fly from [read more]
Cardiff Airport News
Your Pictures: The last flight of a British Airways Boeing 747
British Airways Boeing 747-400 G-BYGC left Cardiff Airport today for the short flight to St Athan marking the end of the Boeing 747 in service with British Airways. The aircraft will now be preserved at St Athan by eCube Solutions and is due to be opened to the public in [read more]
Scotland
Military
F-35 jets take part in HMS Queen Elizabeth’s maiden deployment
F-35 fighter jets from RAF Marham have been deployed as part of the Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21) which will see them take part in Exercise Strike Warrior in Scotland before deploying on operational duties around the world. They will be based on the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier HMS [read more]
Civil Aviation
Engine fault forces Loganair’s North Sea flight to turn around
An Aberdeen to Shetland flight was forced to return to Aberdeen International Airport following a potential engine fault Thursday morning. The 06.50 am Loganair flight LM901 (18 February), was travelling to Shetland’s Sumburgh Airport when the crew received an alert of a fault with the right-hand engine. Following the alert, [read more]
Air Safety
Man dies in Scottish gyrocopter crash
Police Scotland has confirmed that the pilot of a gyrocopter has died after his aircraft went down near Avoch at 12:55pm. The pilot was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services. He was the sole occupant of the gyrocopter. A spokesperson from the Air Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has [read more]
Northern Ireland
News
Manchester to Belfast City route takes off
The new Manchester (MAN/EGCC) to Belfast City Airport (BHD/EGAC) t route has got underway today when the first of four daily return services took off The Aer Lingus Regional service is operated by Stobart Air using an ATR72-600. Julian Carr, Aviation Director at Manchester Airport, said: “It’s great to see [read more]
Civil Aviation
Loganair increases Belfast City routes
Loganair (LM/LOG) is re-establishing the Belfast City to Glasgow Airport route. The service, which starts on 4th September, will operate twice-daily Monday to Friday and a single flight on a Saturday using an Embraer EMB145 Regional Jet. The routes from Belfast City to Aberdeen and Inverness are due to restart [read more]
Air Safety
Aer Lingus under fire over packed flights
Irish carrier Aer Lingus (EI/EIN) has come under fire after images appeared on social media showing a packed flight from London to Belfast. The images posted on twitter by BBC NI journalist Kelly Bonner show a packed flight with most of the seats taken in breach of social distancing guidelines. [read more]
Channel Islands
Channel Islands
Aurigny Airlines joins the Jerusalema Challenge
Aurigny Airlines is the latest airline to join the Jersulema dance challenge which is sweeping across airlines around the world. You may have seen the video with some of the worlds biggest airlines that we featured recently but now Aurigny has raised the bar for the UK with this brilliant [read more]
Channel Islands
Aurigny to stay grounded until September
Guernsey-based airline Aurigny (GR/AUR) has confirmed its flights will remain grounded until the end of August. The airline says that the disruption to flights is as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and that its grounding until the end of summer is in line with the Coronavirus Exit Strategy produced [read more]
Airshow News
BEA Airbus A319 to fly at Jersey airshow
British Airways has announced that its baby retro jet, the BEA Airbus A319, will fly at the Jersey Airshow this September. The specially painted Airbus A319 G-EUPJ has been painted in the British European Airways (BEA) livery as part of the airlines 100 year anniversary, BA100. BEA was was one [read more]
