Airbus Blade laminar wing section (Airbus)
Airline news

Airbus readies A340 Blade for first laminar flow tests

Airbus is preparing the A340 Blade aircraft for its first flights to test a breakthrough new wing with a laminar profile to help reduce fuel usage and increase efficiency. The Blade (Breakthrough Laminar Aircraft Demonstrator in Europe) is no stranger to testing as it is the 25-year-old A340-300 prototype MSN0001, registered as F-WWAI. [read more]

Ryanair B737-800 after takeoff (src Wikipedia)
Airline news

Ryanair joins Airlines UK

You might have thought that Ryanair would be Marxian (Groucho) in its approach to club membership (“I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member”) however, it has announced that it has joined Airlines UK (AUK), the industry body representing UK-registered carriers. Ryanair, which will carry [read more]

Wales world cup bid
News

Ryanair smashes into Worlds Top 10

Irish low-cost airline Ryanair has smashed into Worlds Top 10 rankings placing 7th based on passengers carried. The latest rankings see the Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) go from 10th place to 7th in just 2 years with over 148,000 million passengers being carried int he last year on their fleet of 401 [read more]

British Airtours 28M (Crown Copyright 1985)
Aviation safety news

Manchester Airport Disaster – 22nd August 1985

Today marks the 32nd anniversary of the Manchester Air Disaster. 55 people died when a 737 burst into flames while taking off from Manchester Airport. We look at the legacy of Flight KT28M 32-years-on. For most holidaymakers, the 22nd August 1985 started like many other. Looking forward to their holidays [read more]

Boeing C17 A7-MAC at Cardiff Airport (Image: Ian Grinter)
Cardiff Airport News

Cardiff Airport hosts special Qatar visitors

Friday afternoon saw two special visitors arrive at Cardiff Airport from The Qatar Emiri Air Force. Arriving in from Paris Le Bourget and London Gatwick respectively, were two Boeing C17 Globemaster III’s. A7-MAN arrived first touching down at around 15:20hrs (local time) after flying from Le Bourget. This was shortly followed by [read more]