Plane sailingThe sun-powered Solar Impulse is pictured flying over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco as it carries out a trip across the US. (
Fire drillPyrotechnics explode during a disaster drill at Los Angeles’ LAX airport. More than 100 people were involved in a test of the airport’s emergency responses.
source::::bbc.com
Natarajan
Indonesian rescue workers help remove a section of a Lion Air Boeing 737 four days after it crashed into the sea near Bali
For all the headline-grabbing stories about security breaches, intoxicated pilots and faulty equipment, sometimes a commercial plane’s worst enemy is Mother Nature.
That appears to be the case for a new Boeing 737, operated by Indonesian budget carrier Lion Air, that crashed into the shallow waters off the coast of Bali on 13 April, just short of the runway at Ngurah Rai Airport. At the helm was an experienced pilot who managed to save all 108 passengers and crew, but told Reuters it felt like his aircraft was “dragged” down by wind as he fought to regain control. The crash – and the pilot’s alarming comments – are renewing fears about the chilling phenomenon known as windshear.
A windshear or “microburst” is a sudden change in wind speed and direction that can cause planes to rapidly lose altitude. They are often caused by storms creating strong downdrafts of wind.
Airplanes rely on wind speed and direction to control takeoff and landing, typically doing so in the direction of the wind. But sudden shifts in wind speed and direction can cause planes to lose control, especially during takeoff and landing, when they are low to the ground and have reduced engine power and little room to manoeuvre.
How likely is it that Lion Air’s crash was caused by a windshear? Officials from a bevy of agencies – including Indonesian state officials, the US National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), theMeteorological and Geophysics Agency and Boeing – are investigating the incident and expect to release their findings within a month. But initial tests show that the pilot was experienced, was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and the plane, a brand new Boeing 737, had no technical issues, all of which rules out pilot or plane error.
What’s more, weather reports indicate a strong storm and driving rains were developing as the plane attempted to land, which lends support to the idea of windshear as the culprit.
But the surprising – and unnerving – point is that aviation officials consider windshear to be a problem that was solved long ago. Between 1964 and 1985 windshear was responsible for some 26 civil aircraft crashes in the US, leaving about 500 fatalities and about 200 injuries, according to NASA. The most famous incident involved a Delta Airlines Lockheed Tristar, which crashed in 1985, killing 134 passengers and crew near the Dallas-Fort Worth airport.
Since then, windshear-related incidents have dropped considerably, thanks to FAA- and NASA-developed technology that warns pilots of oncoming storms. The Predictive Windshear System, available below 700m, warns pilots some 10 to 40 seconds ahead of windshear to go around the bursts.
But for now, a lot of unknowns remain, including whether the Lion Air crash was caused by windshear, whether the windshear warning system was functioning on the aircraft and perhaps the biggest question for the airline industry – whether windshear may again become a serious concern.
A Lion Air plane is seen in the water after it missed the runway in Denpasar, Bali.
Navy officers and firemen work in the rescue of a private aircraft of aerial company Ocean Air which fell on Guanabara Bay upon landing at Santos Dumond airport on August 12, 2010 in Rio de Janeiro,
Emergency services attend to the scene of a Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800 plane which crashed on landing at Schiphol airport on February 25, 2009 in Haarlem The Netherlands.
A Saha Airlines Boeing 707 is seen where it finished its skid after careering off the runway at Tehran Mehrabad Airport April 22, 2005 in Tehran, Iran.
A handout photo provided by Russian news agency Agentstvo-Novostei TV2 and taken on July 11, 2011 shows the wreck of Antonov-24 passenger plane, floating on the Ob River in Siberia shortly after the plane’s emergency landing. The plane belonging to the Angara airline was forced to make an emergency landing on the Ob River in Siberia on July 11,2011.
NEW YORK – JANUARY 15: Rescue boats float next to a US Airways plane floating in the water after crashing into the Hudson River in the afternoon on January 15, 2008 in New York City. The Airbus 320 flight 1549 crashed shortly after take-off from LaGuardia Airport heading to Charlotte, North Carolina.
A Falcon Grand Air cargo jet sits amid the tombstones of Mt. Olivet Cemetery after skidding off the runway at Detroit City Airport during an emergency landing August 28, 2001 in Detroit, Michigan.
Police and fire department personnel, including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited officials, gather near a Schweizer helicopter that made an emergency landing on the rooftop of a residential building in Bangalore on April 12, 2012. A trainee helicopter pilot made an emergency landing on the rooftop of an apartment building in a busy residential district in southern India on Thursday after developing engine trouble.
A Peruvian Navy helicopter which was transporting humanitarian aid for the victims of the 7.9-magnitude earthquake that rocked Peru on Wednesday, is seen on the roof of an uninhabited deposit in Ica, more than 400 km south of Lima, 17 August 2007, after it’s pilot made an emergency landing. The pilot looked for the safest place possible to attempt a landing, after the chopper apparently lost height.
A helicopter lands on the Tiradentes Avenue, after being forced to do so due to the heavy rain, on December 14, 2010 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
A China Airlines aircraft Boeing 737 lies in ruins at Naha Airport August 20, 2007 in Okinawa, Japan. The aircraft’s left engine exploded after landing following it’s flight from Taiwan. Despite the resultant fire destroying the plane all 165 people on board escaped safely.
Picture taken 29 October 2007 shows the wreckage of a helicopter that crashed into a tanker as it was attempting an emergency landing at Rudskogen near Rakkestad, southeastern Norway, 29 October. A private helicopter with three people on board crashed into an oil lorry in southeastern Norway 29 October, narrowly avoiding disaster as it rammed the cabin and not the full tank, police said. No one was injured in the accident, which occurred as the pilot was trying to carry out an emergency landing.
A photo taken by a local resident, shows the wreckage of a helicopter next to the wall of the compound where according to officials, Osama bin Laden wss shot and killed in a firefight with U.S. forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan on Monday, May 2, 2011.
source:::::yahooindianewsnet
Natarajan
The distinctive Worldport terminal at New York’s JFK Airport is earmarked for demolition. It was orignally known as the Pan Am terminal, and with its flying saucer shape, has appeared in a number of films, including Live and Let Die. Its impending demise has upset many, who see it as an important relic of the air travel’s glamorous heydey, and a campaign group is fighting to have it saved.
TWA Flight Centre, JFK
Highlights: recently refurbished, stylish exterior (designed by Robert Stern) made to resemble a bird landing, impressive interior with “passenger tubes”, aviation museum.
Changi Airport, Singapore
Highlights: butterfly garden, orchids, five metre “Green Wall”, handles 46.5 million passengers a year, has won over 390 awards.
Dubai International Airport, UAE
Highlights: £3 billion Terminal 3, very cool elevators.
Madrid-Barajas Airport, Spain
Highlights: trendy Terminal 4, designed by Antonio Lamela and Richard Rogers, has won awards and is one of the world’s largest.
Samui Airport, Thailand
Highlights: relaxing departure lounge feels more like a hip bar than an airport
Marrakesh Menara Airport, Morocco
Highlights: stylish exterior covered in arabesques blends modernity with tradition
Los Angeles International Airport, US
Highlights: distinctive “Theme Building” resembles a flying saucer on four legs – a restaurant is suspended beneath
Denver International Airport, US
Highlights: Teflon-coated fibreglass roof resembles the Rocky Mountain views, artwork often displayed inside, solar powered
King Abdulaziz International Airport, Saudi Arabia
Highlights: Hajj terminal built specifically for pilgrims visiting Mecca covers 100 acres and is known for its tent-shaped roof
O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, US
Highlights: one of the world’s busiest airports, regularly voted America’s best
Wellington International Airport, New Zealand
Highlights: sleek, relaxing terminal interiors – useful as the airport is noted for crosswinds and turbulent landings.
London Heathrow Airport, UK
Highlights: Terminal 5 building (designed by Richard Rogers), Gordon Ramsay restaurant, colossal number of shops
Hong Kong International Airport, China
Highlights: built on an island, handles 53.3 million passengers annually, contains a golf course and 3D cinema
Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia
Highlights: eye-catching architecture, water fountain, free wifi
Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, Thailand
Highlights: only opened in 2006, artwork often on display, sophisticated design
Bilbao Airport, Spain
Highlights: The signature flourishes from its world famous designer Santiago Calatrava (also instrumental in the regeneration of Valencia). Look out for its curves, generous light, and a viewing gallery that allows your loved ones to see you as you collect your baggage.
Munich Airport, Germany
Highlights
The airport’s much praised glass-and-steel Terminal Two, which includes a massage room, prayer room with fir floors, and Plexiglass walls, a Bavarian deli, and even a brewery (between terminals one and two).
Incheon International Airport, Seoul, South Korea
Highlights: Built on reclaimed land, this arc-shaped construction – intended to suggest the ancient Korean temples – is the country’s largest building. Architects have noted its feeling of warmth and welcome, and there has been widespread praise of the airport’s design and clean lines. The airport has been voted best in the world several times.
Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, Canada
Highlights: Its main terminal was designed by world renowned architect César Pelli in association with Stantec Architecture Ltd. It was the first airport terminal to be certified for its environmental friendliness, and notable for its ultra-modern look and energy efficiency.
source:::: The Telegraph UK…
Natarajan
Indonesian workers prepare to remove the wreckage of a Lion Air jet after it crashed into the sea.
AN Indonesian salvage team is using a crane to haul seats and baggage out of a plane that crashed in Bali, as investigators probe what caused the jet to go down.
The Lion Air plane missed the runway as it came in to land on Saturday, slamming into the sea and splitting in two. Dozens of the 108 people on board were injured, but there were no fatalities.
Terrified passengers swam to shore or were plucked to safety by police in rubber dinghies. Witnesses and experts have suggested the crash could have been caused by a freak storm, although no official reason has yet been given.
The salvage team hauled the seats and baggage out of the Boeing 737-800, and were aiming to begin cutting the fuselage of the plane into pieces later in the evening, Bali army commander Colonel Anton Nugroho said.
Indonesian boys carry pieces of a Lion Air jet a day after the aircraft crashed into the ocean, at Jimbaran beach, in Bali, Indonesia on Sunday, April 14, 2013. All 108 passengers and crew survived after the new Lion Air jet crashed into the ocean and snapped into two while attempting to land Saturday on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, injuring up to 45 people. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)
However, local navy commander Lieutenant Colonel Edi Eka Susanto said the operation had to be carried out very carefully, as the plane “is not yet stable, and we fear there are still oxygen bottles inside that could explode”.
After the plane was cut up, the team planned to lift the parts by crane onto a truck, and from there they would be taken to a nearby beach, said Nugroho.
If that was not possible, then the parts would be pushed through the water using balloons to an area of coast where it was easier to lift them, he said.
This handout photo released by the Indonesian Search And Rescue Agency (SAR) on April 14, 2013 shows the aircraft cabin of a Lion Air Boeing 737 lying submerged in the water after skidding off the runaway during landing at Bali’s international airport near Denpasar.
The 70-strong team, made up of military, rescue agency, airport and Lion Air personnel, hoped to be finished by tomorrow.
The cockpit voice recorder was found wedged between a wing and the body of the aircraft on Monday, and was being flown to Jakarta on Tuesday, Masruri, from the national transportation safety committee, which is probing the crash, told AFP.
Indonesian workers prepare to remove the wreckage of a Lion Air jet in Bali, Indonesia on Tuesday, April 16, 2013. The new Lion Air jet that slammed into the sea as it tried to land on the Indonesian resort island of Bali over the weekend remains stuck in shallow water and must be cut into pieces for removal, vividly underlining the challenges facing the budget airline as it races to expand in Asia. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)
“The black box will be cleaned and checked for damage and hopefully we will be able to extract the data in it,” said Masruri, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, adding he would not comment further on an ongoing investigation.
Five passengers were still in hospital on Tuesday following the crash, said Lion Air airport service director Daniel Putut, although he said he did not have details of their conditions.
Indonesia rescuers remove the seats of a partially submerged Lion Air Boeing 737 three days after it crashed while trying to land at Bali’s international airport near Denpasar on April 16, 2013. The pilot and co-pilot of a Lion Air plane that crashed at Bali’s airport have passed initial drug tests, an official said on April 15, as investigators probe the causes of the accident that left dozens injured but no fatalities.
Government officials and the airline said at the time of the crash the weather had been fine, but the transport ministry has since said the jet flew through thick cloud and witnesses have spoken of torrential rain before the crash.
Indonesia, which relies heavily on air transport to connect its sprawling archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, has one of Asia’s worst aviation safety records.
source:::news.com.au
Natarajan
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/so-what-happens-to-a-wrecked-jet/story-e6frfq80-1226622321516#ixzz2QhDGQT9g
Artist’s impression: Melbourne Airport’s new terminal extension.
A NEW domestic terminal at Melbourne Airport will ease congestion and help drive economic growth, the federal government says.
The terminal, capable of handling up to 10 million passengers a year, is part of the $400 million first stage development of the airport’s long-term southern precinct project.
The project, due to open in mid-2015, will include 17 new aircraft parking bays, extra car parking, ground transport facilities and road upgrades.
Approving the development on Tuesday, federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said expanding airports is necessary to connect Australia to the world and drive economic growth.
He said increasing capacity will help the airport deal with an expected doubling of its annual number of passengers to 64 million by 2033.
“What that means is jobs and economic growth and positioning Australia in the Asian century,” he told reporters in Melbourne.
Melbourne Airport chief executive Chris Woodruff said the development will create jobs and provide a boost to the Victorian economy.
He said the expansion was driven by strong domestic passenger demand and will provide for further growth.
The works will focus on the area south of terminal 3 and around terminal 4.
source::: news .com.au
Natarajan
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/new-melbourne-airport-terminal-approved/story-e6frfq80-1226622194511#ixzz2QhAfHtaT
Singapore’s Changi Airport is a major hub for international transport, with more than 135,000 passengers passing through every day.
But it’s no boring airport terminal. Changi was just named the Best Airport in The World by Skytrax, a company that tracks and rates airline and airport performance.
Realizing that travel can be stressful, the team behind Changi designed the airport to be an open, airy space with lots of greenery (Singapore is the garden city, after all), gardens, outdoor access, and comfortable seating areas.
There are also incredible amenities, like a butterfly garden, rooftop pool, movie theaters, hotels, spas, and showers, and even a four-story slide.
There’s also a lush vertical garden here called the “Green Wall.” It has over 20 varieties of plants, vines, and flowers growing on it.
It’s easy to get between terminals on the Skytrain.
One of the best things about Changi airport is its Balinese-themed outdoor rooftop pool, located in Terminal 1. Passengers can pay to use this pool for about $14. (It’s free for guests who are staying in the Ambassador Transit Hotel.)
You can watch planes take off and land directly from the pool garden.
The pool also has its own Tiki bar.
And its own fitness center (along with locker rooms, where you can shower after).
Each terminal has an Ambassador Transit Hotel, where passengers can rent hotel rooms for a minimum of six hours — perfect if you’re exhausted and have a long layover. Room rates start at $76 for a 6-hour block and are charged hourly after that.
Rooms here look like normal hotel rooms, with two twin or one double bed, bathrooms, TVs, and desks. Some rooms have windows that look out onto the tarmac.
The airport has a nature trail, which encourages passengers to go outdoors and breathe in fresh air while at the airport. There are five gardens in the airport, including a rooftop sunflower garden.
There’s even an enclosed butterfly garden — the first such garden in an airport — which is home to butterflies, flowers, lush greenery, and a 6-meter (20-ft.) waterfall.
When you’re tired of eating, drinking and shopping, you can watch a movie. There are two movie theaters in the airport, which show a rotating roster of current movies, like the Bourne Legacy.
Kids will love the awesome four-story, 40-ft. slide.
As will adults. If you spend $10 at any airport venue, you’re eligible to ride the slide.
The whole airport is designed to help people relax and to make the flying experience less stressful. You’ll find seating areas scattered throughout the airport with cushy chairs for napping, reading, or TV watching. The chairs were really comfortable.
source:::::businessinsider.comnet
Natarajan
An F-16 Fighting Falcon refuels from a KC-10 Extender
Two Soviet MiG-29 aircraft en route to an air show are intercepted by F-15 Eagle aircraft.
North American P-51D Mustang
US Navy F-14D Tomcat Refueling
Admiring the Noctilucent clouds from Boeing 767 Flightdeck, which sit at an altitude of around 50 mi up (mesosphere).
Noctilucent clouds are not fully understood as a meteorological phenomenon. Clouds generally are not able to reach such high altitudes with such thin air pressures.
Cockpit of Airbus A320-211
C-17 Globemaster III, having just released a series of flares over the Atlantic Ocean.
The Space Shuttle Atlantis atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) returns to the Kennedy Space Center after a 10 month refurbishment.
Departing Boeing 757-23A (R/W 26L) four minutes after sunrise.
Shot of a EK/Atlas Air 747, being “chased” by EK B777-200..Photo actually taken from the cockpit of another EK B777!
A F-16C refuels from a KC-135 Stratotanker, as another F-16 stands by during Operation Desert Storm.
SOURCE:::web valuer.org
Natarajan
Singapore Changi Airport has been voted the World’s Best Airport at the 2013 World Airport Awards held at Passenger Terminal EXPO in Geneva. This is the fourth time Changi airport has achieved the top prize – last claiming victory back in 2010.
The awards are voted for by airport customers from around the world and this year the survey garnered 12.1 million responses.
For Changi, it was a triple success, as well as securing the top prize, it also picked up the awards for Best Airport in Asia and Best Airport for Leisure Amenities.
Last year’s winner, Incheon International Airport achieved a second place finish in the global rankings, and achieved major success in taking the awards for Best Airport Staff Service – Asia and Best International Transfer Airport.
For the first time in 6 years, there was a change to the top-3 global airlines with Amsterdam Schiphol Airport accomplishing an excellent third place finish in the survey.
Hong Kong International Airport achieved fourth position in this year’s global rankings being usurped from the top-3 for the first time in 12 years – the airport did however achieve top-5 finished in 6 of the awards categories indicating that it continues to be highly regarded amongst passengers.
Beijing Capital International Airport retained its top-5 position in the global rankings and with it took the award for Best Airport in China.
Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) has been named as the World’s Best Domestic Airport at the 2013 SkytraxWorld Airport Awards held at the Passenger Terminal EXPO in Geneva.
QATAR AIRWAYS Premium Terminal at Doha International Airport has for the third successive year been named as the World’s Best Premium Service Airport at the 2013 Skytrax World Airport Awards held at the Passenger Terminal EXPO in Geneva.
FRANKFURT AIRPORT has been named as the World’s Most Improved Airport at the 2013 Skytrax World Airport Awards held at the Passenger Terminal EXPO in Geneva.
London Stansted Airport has been named as the World’s Best Low Cost Airport at the 2013 Skytrax World Airport Awards held at the Passenger Terminal EXPO in Geneva. This completes a hat-trick of awards for the fourth busiest airport in the UK who also took the top prize in 2011 and 2012.
Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has been declared the ‘Best Airport in India’.
Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport has been declared the second ‘Best Airport in India
Bengaluru International Airport (Bangalore) ranks at No.3
Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport has been rated the fourth best airport in India .
Chennai International Airport is ranked as the fifth best airport in India.
source::::yahoo finance
Natarajan
The Swanky New terminal is all set to open this year !!!!
The swanky Terminal 2 at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai is all set to open this year.
With a vision of making the airport one of the best in the world, the Terminal 2, or T2 has been built with a state-of-the-art four-level terminal with an area of over 4,39,000 sq. mts.
The new terminal will have new taxiways and apron areas for aircraft parking designed to cater to 40 million passengers annually.
Photographs, courtesy: MIAL
The Mumbai International Airport Pvt. Ltd. (MIAL), a joint venture between the GVK led consortium (74%) and Airports Authority of India (26%), got the mandate to modernise and upgrade Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) in February 2006.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) has been ranked as one of the top performing airports in the annual ACI Airport Service Quality Awards for 2012.
It has been rated the third best airport worldwide for airports in the 25-40 million passengers per annum (mppa) category by the Airports Council International (ACI).
Terminal 2 has a retail space spread across 21,000 sq. mts and 5,000 sq. mts of landscape area.
With 41 travelators, people can easily move about in the airport. The departure gate lounge has a seating capacity of 10,000.
A 6 lane elevated express way leading to the Terminal is another big highlight…
Making it easy for travellers, the T2 will have 188 check-in counters, 60 departure immigration counters and 76 arrival immigration counters.
Terminal 2 will also have 25 fixed link bridges and 52 passenger boarding bridges. The magnificent artworks adorning the walls will be an added attraction.
T2 will have 47 escalators and 73 elevators to make travel a pleasant experience.
The Terminal 2 will have 104 security check positions and 10 baggage carousels.
The new terminal will have a multi-level car park for 5,000 cars.
source::::input from a friend of mine …
Natarajan
Take off with Natarajan 