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High Flying Chickens !!! On The Top of The World !!!!

July 3, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

Chickens may not be capable of flying long distance but these baby chicks got their wings when they were given their first lesson in the sky – on a flight from Brazil to Ecuador.

Chicks away! Baby chickens ‘stowaway’ on cargo flight from Brazil and get a different type of flying lesson from the cockpi
Three pilots were shocked to discover the tiny birds who had wandered onto the Martinair cargo flight from Campinas to Quito.
The chicks looked like they were enjoying the view across South America as they got familiar with the controls in the cockpit.
After being shown around by the pilots, the birds enjoyed the rest of the 2,600 mile flight with their wings up in first class.

High-flyer: This baby chick got its wings on a flight from Brazil to Ecuador

What a view: A baby chicken looks out of the window on board a 2,600 mile cargo flight

Learning the ropes: The chicks got to grips with the controls in the cockpit

On top of the world: Chickens are known for not being the best of flyers so these two hopped on a flight

Aviators: The baby chicks were taught how to fly without having to use their wings

Flying high: After getting to grips with the plane, the chicks put their wings up and enjoyed the rest of the flight in first class

source:::::mailonline .com

natarajan

” Most Dangerous Airport In the World”

July 2, 2013July 2, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

Those with a fear of flying may want to look away now.

Lukla Airport boasts the dubious honour of being known as the world’s most dangerous airport and one look at its unique airstrip will explain why.

With a fall of 9,200 ft awaiting passengers at the end of the runaway, flying to or from this Asian destination is not for the faint of heart.

A plane pictured coming into land at Nepal's Lukla Airport - the most dangerous landing strip in the world

Braced for impact: A plane pictured coming into land at Nepal’s Lukla Airport – the most dangerous landing strip in the world

Pressure: Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla, Khumbu, eastern Nepal, doesn’t have a control tower, radar or navigation devices – meaning pilots have to rely on what they can see from their cockpit to land and takeoff

Tenzing-Hillary Airport, also known as Lukla Airport, is a single landing strip in the town of Lukla, in Khumbu, eastern Nepal, and has been named by the History Channel and many seasoned travellers as being the most dangerous airport in the world.

These photographs, captured by photographer Wojciech Zwierzynski, 34, capture the petrifying landing.

‘It was a very scary experience flying in the airship, mainly because two days before my flight, the plane from the same company had crashed and 14 people died,’ said Wojciech.

‘This airport in Lukla does not have any radar or navigation devices; so the pilot can only depend on what they can see from the plane’s cockpit.

Don’t look down: The tiny runway ends at a cliff edge with a 9,200ft drop to the ground below

Daunting: This image shows the view from the cockpit of a plane coming in to land at Lukla Airport

‘Because the airport is on the mountain ridge, when you start descending you have to land. There is no option to stop descending and have a second try.’

With a sloped runway just 20 meters wide and 460 meters long, less than a tenth of the length of the standard 5,500 metres at international airports, this is one of the steepest approach pathways in the world.

Since the 1970’s, Lukla airport has had an astonishing amount of accidents, with the number now reaching into the double figures.

The most severe accident to date being the 8th October 2008 flight, where the aircraft crashed on final approach and caught fire, killing eighteen passengers and crew.

Challenging: The 460 metre long runway - less than a tenth of the length of those at international airports - is also situated on a steep incline

Challenging: The 460 metre long runway – less than a tenth of the length of those at international airports – is also situated on a steep incline

Brave travellers: A group of passengers on a plane coming into land at the most dangerous airport in the world

And for those looking to scale Mount Everest, Lukla Airport is the nerve rattling start of many expeditions.

Wojciech says: ‘There are two ways to reach the Everest Region – fly 45min from Lukla Airport or hike for approximately five days. Needless to say most of people chose the first option.

‘Tourists are the “golden vain” for local community. They spend money in lodges, hotels and restaurants.

‘Without the airstrip the number of tourists visiting the area will be significantly lower.’

A plane begins to lift off the ground just a few metres before the end of the runway and the 9,200ft drop

Easy option: Many travellers use Lukla Airport to reach the Everest Region as the alternative involves a five day hike

Fast link: It takes just 45 minutes to reach the Everest Region flying from Lukla Airport

source:::::mailonline.com

natarajan

” Cost Cutting ….A Novel Idea ” !!! Will it Work !!!!

June 29, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

A private Indian airline has decided to recruit only female flight attendants in future as its aircraft will burn less fuel carrying them than their heavier male counterparts.

Airbus A320 GoAir

India’s GoAir plans to save fuel by hiring only female flight attendants.

The low cost carrier Go Air maintains that deploying air hostesses, who on average weigh 33-44 lbs less than male stewards, will help it save around Rs30 million ($499,000) per year in fuel costs.

Airline official’s estimate that every extra kilogram (2.2lbs) a commercial aircraft carries costs it an additional Rs3 per flight hour.

Alternatively, an overall reduction in weight results in savings.

“We are looking at all possible ways of cost-cutting to remain profitable” Go Air Chief Executive Officer Giorgio De Roni told the Times of India.

A sharp decline in the value of the Indian rupee-that has dropped 27 per cent against the US dollar since July 2012-had so far cost the airline an additional Rs300 million (£3.33 million), he added.

Operating 15 aircraft, Go Air employs 330 cabin crew members of which 132 are males.

Although none of the cabin stewards will be sacked, all forthcoming recruitment for the 80 additional aircraft Go Air plans on inducting by 2020 will be stewardesses.

Mr Roni told the Times that his airline was constantly engaged in reducing the weight its aircraft carried.

The size of in-flight magazines, for instance, had been reduced and aircraft water tanks were no longer filled to capacity as less than half their volume was normally utilised by passengers.

SOURCE:::businessinsider.com

natarajan ….. Shortly we may expect Few more cost cutting measures such as Fixing of weight of Pax too for allowing them to travel in the low cost airlines !!!!

natarajan

Wrong Approach ….But Perfect Landing … Miraculous !!!

June 27, 2013Natarajan1 Comment

A pilot narrowly averted tragedy thanks to his quick thinking actions that saw him save the plane from crashing into an apartment block.

The plane, a Beechcraft Super King Air 200, was trying to land at Chicago Executive Airport in Illinois when the aircraft lost control just half a mile from the airport.

The pilot was able to angle the plane away from the Foxboro Apartment complex and even managed to land upright.

Disaster averted: The pilot reported a problem to the tower just before the Beechcraft Super King Air 200 crashed a half-mile short of the airport, according to airport officials

Escape: The pilot was able to walk away from the crash with just a few bruises and scratches. Nobody on the ground was injured

Miraculous: The Mayor of the town of Prospect Heights, Illinois, called the plane crash a 'Godsend' expressing his surprise that nobody was hurt

Miraculous: The Mayor of the town of Prospect Heights, Illinois, called the plane crash a ‘Godsend’ expressing his surprise that nobody was hurt

Incredibly, the pilot, the plane’s only occupant, was able to walk away, although he was transported to Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview with minor injuries.

‘Normally those planes come over the lake, and come down, but we saw it wasn’t going to come down where it was supposed to,’ said 11-year-old Jakaila Johnson. ‘We ran inside the house and screamed, ‘A plane crashed!’ . . . We thought it might blow up.’
An unusual sight: Locals began to gather to see the plane that looked as though it had been parked next to a group of cars

An unusual sight: Locals began to gather to see the plane that looked as though it had been parked next to a group of cars!!!

Airport Manager Dennis Rouleau said the pilot reported a problem to the tower just before the crash.

‘To develop a problem and then put it down on the road instead — it could have been a lot worse,’ Rouleau said. ‘It could have been in some buildings, but he was able to put it down on the street to avoid injuries to himself and people on the ground.’

‘There was a fair amount of damage, but for what he did, the airplane was pretty intact for landing short of the runway,” he said. “He did a spectacular job of avoiding homes and cars.’

The mayor of the small town of Prospect Heights where the plane came down called the incident ‘a Godsend.’ ‘I think we’re very fortunate to have an airplane accident that was a walkaway situation,’ said Nick Helmer. ‘It’s very fortunate that nobody was hurt — either on the ground or those in the air.
source:::::mailonline .com US

Jet Plane Engine Explodes Just Before Take Off !!!

June 26, 2013June 26, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

This is the dramatic moment one of the engines of an aeroplane carrying more than 300 passengers explodes as it prepares to take off.

The Airbus A330 was taxiing along the runway at Manchester Airport yesterday when its right engine suddenly developed a fault and exploded.

The aircraft had fortunately not yet left the ground and the pilot was able to quickly bring it under control.

The Thomas Cook Airlines flight TCX314 had been carrying 325 passengers to the Dominican Republic at the time of the incident.

A dramatic video posted online shows how the engine suddenly explodes as the plane makes it way down the runway.

A flame can be seen coming from the engine before it begins to billow smoke.

The plane then veers slightly from one side to the other as the pilot swiftly gets the aircraft under control.

Emergency services including three fire engines then attend to the stationary vehicle.

A Thomas Cook Airlines spokesman confirmed an investigation was underway into the incident.
The aircraft veers slightly from one side to the other as the pilot swiftly brings the plane under control

The aircraft veers slightly from one side to the other as the pilot swiftly brings the plane under control.

Once the plane is stationary emergency services including three fire engines attend to the aircraft

Once the plane is stationary emergency services including three fire engines attend to the aircraft..

source:::::mailonline.com UK

natarajan

Top 10 Airlines Offering Best Economy Class Seats !!!!

June 26, 2013June 26, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

HAVE you ever lingered in the first or business class sections of a plane, longing to stretch out on a lie-flat bed, before begrudgingly continuing down the aisle of the plane to your tiny cattle class seat?

Well, while we’d all love to fly in luxury, these airlines offer the next best thing – a top-notch economy class offering that makes flying less of a pain and more enjoyable.

Here are the 10 best airlines for economy class seats, according to the Skytrax World Airline Awards, the world’s largest survey of air passengers with over 18 million respondents.

A range of factors make a good economy class seat including cleanliness, design, seat comfort, width, legroom and the amount of recline available. The entertainment offering, level of service and food are also important.

Do you agree with the following list?

10. Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines is one of the world?s best airlines for economy class. Picture: Andy ? Mitchell ? UK/Flickr

Malaysia Airlines is one of the world’s best airlines for economy class.

9. Thai Airways

8. ANA All Nippon Airways

7. Oman Air

6. Japan Airlines

5.Qatar Airways

4.Singapore Airlines

3. Korean Air

2.Asiana Airlines

1. Garuda Indonesia…..

proof that airlines can rebuild their reputation, Garuda took out the top spot after a dark period in its history. The airline was banned in the EU along with three other Indonesian carriers following the crash of a 737 plane, with the ban lifted in 2009.

But passengers love its clean, new cabin with comfortable seats and decent legroom, plus an attentive crew.

Japan Airlines flight 772. Picture: Supplied

Interestingly, the airline named the world’s best in the same Skytrax awards, Emirates, didn’t make the list.

source:::::news.com.au

natarajan

Good Gesture From CEO Delta Airlines !!!!

June 25, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

AN AIRLINE boss has given his seat to a tired, stressed mum who needed to get home to her daughter.

Delta Airlines CEO Richard Anderson was booked on a flight from Washington D.C. to Atlanta on a day where the airline faced numerous delays and cancellations.

Jessie Frank was also trying to get to Atlanta, and had been waiting all day to get on a flight. Ms Frank was desperate to get home to pick up her diabetic daughter from summer camp.

At 9.30pm, she was eighth on the list of standby passengers waiting to fly to Atlanta before the D.C. curfew hit at 10pm.

Seven names went by. The system showed zero seats left.

Ms Frank was about to give up when the flight attendant from Delta airlines rushed her down the jetway and shook her head.

But then something wonderful happened.

The flight attendant paused, talked to someone and then waved her down to the plane.

“A vaguely familiar face met me at the doorway, not in uniform so probably an off-duty pilot I had seen before. He quickly grabbed my roll-aboard, helped clear a space in the overhead, and showed me to my seat.”

As the flight descended into Atlanta the flight attendant announced that the plane had a special guest on board flying in the jump seat – the spare seat behind the pilots in the cockpit. He was riding in that seat because he had given up his place to allow one more person on the flight.

That man was Richard Anderson, CEO of Delta Airlines.

Overwhelmed with emotion Ms Frank took to Facebook to pen an open letter to Mr Anderson.

In it she writes: “You, Richard Anderson, the CEO of Delta, did all that for me, just an average, middle-aged, woman with, as far as anyone at Delta knew, no special reason to get home. But more importantly, it was all of your employees that day that did so much helping me to get home – and now I know why. Because Delta is led by you, Richard Anderson, a dedicated and inspiring leader who so clearly demonstrates, at his very core, that he leads by example, and does not set himself above all those who allow this airline to exist.

“Thank you, Richard Anderson. As a result of your leadership and the actions of yourself and your employees, I had my special day with my special child. You and your employees gave us both one more day of happiness, and for that, we are both very grateful. I have always been a loyal Delta customer, but Thursday solidified that loyalty for life! To all Delta employees who helped me on Thursday: thank you again.”

Delta Airlines have confirmed the incident occurred but have so far declined to comment.

Ms Frank’s letter has since been shared 1697 times. Proof that good customer service may be the best PR of all.

Delta Airlines CEO Richard Anderson. Picture: Delta Airlines

source:::::news.com.au

natarajan

View From Cockpit @35000 ft…..Jaw Dropping Images !!!

June 15, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

Most people are lucky to see the sky through their office window, let alone be in it.
But Karim Nafani beholds more than just a few trees and clouds from his desk at work… he gets to see the whole world in shimmering panorama.
And now the Dubai-based commercial airline captain and photographer has taken pictures of his cockpit and posted them online.
He says he began the project in a bid to document his daily routine through a series of otherworldly images that look more like oil paintings than photographs and reveal exactly what it is like for pilots at 35,000 feet.

Stunning view: Most people are lucky to see the sky through their office window, let alone be in it

Stunning view: Dubai-based Karim Nafani sees more than just a few trees and an open space from his desk at work… he gets to see the whole world in shimmering panorama

Panorama: This photograph is of a 1st officer enjoying the sunrise at 37,000 feet above sea level en route to Chittagong Bangladesh

The only trouble is, when it gets a bit stuffy, he can’t open the window as any normal office worker would.

He said: ‘I take you far away from skyscrapers and high rise building roof tops this time to somewhere much higher: welcome to my daily office!’

He gives the images their ethereal look through a technique called ‘exposure bracketing’ which involves setting up a DSLR camera to take at least three shots, each at a different exposure, before combining them to create the final print.

The result looks more like an oil painting on canvas than a real-time digital photograph.

Apart from the beautiful views that confront Karim each day he takes to the skies, his pictures also remind viewers of the incredible array of levers, panels and buttons that cover almost every inch of an aircraft’s cockpit.

And, of course, he knows his way around them just as well as he does around those on his digital SLR camera.

But Karim’s portfolio doesn’t end inside his cockpit.

As a pilot he says he developed a keen interest in how the world looks from above.

So he went about climbing to the top of buildings and skyscrapers to picture cities from above.

Hometown: Karim took this picture as he flew over his hometown Dubai

'Close up': This is an aerial view of the artificial Palm Islands in Dubai

On top of the world: Karim often uses a fish eye lens to bend the horizon

Moody: Karim's braketted exposure technique gives many of his cityscapes a dark edge, almost as if taken from a post-apocalyptic comic book

Rings and roundabouts: One of Karim's favourite times to photograph Dubai is at night when the city lights up in a kaleidoscope of colour

Marina-nother world: As a pilot he says he developed a keen interest in how the world looks from above.

Dusk or dawn? So he went about climbing to the top of buildings and skyscrapers to picture cities from above

Menacing: Karim paints a picture of a world without limits

Iconic: Dubai has a skyline that is not only one of the world's most iconic but also the tallest

source::::: Matt Blake in mailonline india .com

Natarajan

Once An Airport ….Now A Luxury Cruise Terminal !!!

June 15, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

Hong Kong Kai Tak Cruise Terminal

The Mariner of the Seas docks at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor

HONG Kong has opened a $1.1 billion cruise terminal at the site of its former airport in a bid to become Asia’s hub for luxury liners.

The new terminal, built on the runway of the old Kai Tak airport, will be able to accommodate the largest cruise ships in the world – liners of up to 220,000 gross tonnes.

“Kai Tak was the site of our legendary airport and is now turning a historic page by connecting Hong Kong with the rest of the world through the seven seas,” Commissioner of Tourism Philip Yung said.

“With the addition of this new facility, Hong Kong is in full gear to receive mega cruise ships,” Yung said.

Royal Caribbean’s 311 metres long Mariner of the Seas was the first mega luxury cruise liner to dock at the two-berth terminal, which boasts a 360-degree panoramic view of the city.

A troupe of lion dancers welcomed more than 3,000 passengers as they disembarked the ship.

“Our favourite port was Venice. You beat Venice,” George Lamson, a 74-year-old artist from the US, told reporters, adding he was amazed by the views as the ship entered the city’s famed Victoria Harbour.

“We feel very privileged to have this honour,” 65-year-old retiree from the UK Valerie Blakeway said of being the first visitors at the terminal.

The former Kai Tak International Airport was considered one of the most challenging places to land an aircraft due to its central location in the city and tall mountains surrounding it.

Kai Tak Airport

Hong Kong’s new cruise terminal, at the site of its former Kai Tak Airport

The airport closed in 1998 after being in service for over 70 years and was replaced by the current Chek Lap Kok International Airport.

The cruise terminal will open to the public in the third quarter of the year with its second berth opening in 2014.

Sightseers watch a Cathay Pacific 747-400, land at the former Kai Tak airport in 1998. Picture: AFP

A plane comes in for landing at the former Kai Tak International Airport.

Hong Kong's Kai Tak International Airport

source::::news.com.au

Natarajan

A Gorgeous Photo….Taken by Delta Airlines Captain !!!

June 14, 2013NatarajanLeave a comment

one world trade center tower cloudes

Last month, the spire was installed on top of Manhattan’s One World Trade Center, bringing the new tower to its full height of 1,776 feet.

That was just tall enough to peek above the clouds for this photo, taken by Delta Airlines Captain Jerry Walsh. The Port Authority of NY & NJ posted the shot to Facebook yesterday.

Beautiful:

source:::::businessinsider.com

Natarajan