Airport

Joke of the Day…”You are not the Flight instructor ….? ” !!!

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A photographer from a well know national magazine was assigned to cover the fires at Yellowstone National Park. The magazine wanted to show the heroic work of the fire fighters as they battled the blaze.

When the photographer arrived, he realized that the smoke was so thick that it would seriously impede or make it impossible for him to photograph anything from ground level.

He requested permission to rent a plane and take photos from the air. His request was approved and arrangements were made. He was told to report to a nearby airport where a plane would be waiting for him.

He arrived at the airport and saw a plane warming up near the gate. He jumped in with his bag and shouted, “Let’s go!” The pilot swung the little plane into the wind, and within minutes they were in the air.

The photographer said, “Fly over the park and make two or three low passes so I can take some pictures.”

“Why?” asked the pilot. “Because I am a photographer,” he responded, “and photographers take photographs.”

The pilot was silent for a moment; finally he stammered, “You mean you’re not the flight instructor?”

Source….www.ba-bamail.com

natarajan

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Norwegian has launched the world’s longest low-cost flight — and it’ll get you to Singapore for less than £150….London to Singapore !

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Norwegian has launched the world’s longest low-cost flight — and it’ll only cost you £149.90.

The route runs from London Gatwick to Singapore Changi Airport, and departs for the first time on Thursday.

The route takes 12 hours and 45 minutes and will cover 6,764 miles (10,885 km) — making it the longest non-stop flight operated by a low-cost carrier.

The route — announced in April — is scheduled to run four times per week.

Thursday’s flight is due to depart at 10.30 a.m. and land in Singapore at 6.15 a.m Friday morning local time.

The flights use brand new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, and start at £149.90 for a one-way ticket.

All seats on the Dreamliner have personal 11-inch seat-back screens and USB ports.

A higher price of £699.90 one way will get passengers “Premium” status. That means “spacious cradle seating” with more than a metre of legroom, and free lounge access at Gatwick.

The Singapore route is part of the airline’s continued global expansion.

In February, it announced that it will launch flights from the US Northeast to Europe for as little as $65 (£50). Then, in July, it announced direct flights from London to Chicago and Austin from £179.

In February 2018, Norwegian will also start flying to Buenos Aires.

Bjørn Kjos, CEO of Norwegian, said in a press release: “I’m delighted to build upon our popular USA flights and give leisure and business customers more affordable access to Singapore and the Asia-Pacific like never before.

“The 787 Dreamliner has the range to allow us to expand our long-haul services to other parts of the world while keeping fares affordable for all.

“This is just the start of Norwegian’s UK expansion into new markets as we will continue connecting destinations where fares have been too high for too long.”

Source….www.businessinsider.com

Natarajan

 

This 30-Year-Old Indian Pilot Is the World’s Youngest Woman to Captain a Boeing 777!

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Currently based in Mumbai, the young aviator had always dreamed of becoming a pilot and did so at the age of 19

“Since my childhood, I wanted to be a pilot. Other children used to make fun of me for this. Kids, at that time, were pushed to pursue engineering or become a doctor but not a pilot,” Anny told to HT.

Coming from an army background, one would think Anny must have had it easy. While she had rock-solid support from her parents, dissent often cropped up in form of family friends and relatives.

“Luckily, my parents never forced their choice on me. They were supportive and progressive in their thinking. My mother always used to encourage me. However, my relatives and my family friends were against my decision to become a pilot. Also, at that time, being a pilot was not considered as a profession for woman,” she said.

After her father took voluntary retirement, the family moved to Vijayawada, where Anny did her schooling. Hailing from a modest background, their family had their share of financial shortcomings. “Since I grew up in Vijayawada, I could write and read English but speaking English was a major challenge that I had to overcome,” Anny said.

Post her school education, the 17-year-old Anny made it to Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), one of the premier flying schools in the country.

The cultural change from a small town to a big city was overwhelming for me. I had difficulty adjusting and speaking English. People used to mock me for my poor English and that hurt me a lot. At times, I had even thought of going back. However, backed with my parents’ support, I worked hard enough to win a scholarship,” she added.

Completing her training by the time she was 19, Anny bagged a job with Air India and since then, there has been no looking back. Post her training, she kickstarted her flying carrier with Boeing 737.

“When I turned 21, I was sent to London for further training. It was then when I started to fly Boeing 777. Since then, my life has changed. It’s been a great experience so far. I’ve got the opportunity to travel to various countries. My journey so far has taught me a lot,” Anny added.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

Source….LekshmiPriya .S  in http://www.betterindia.com

Natarajan

” Why Fear When HE is there …” ?

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A man had been on a long flight. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the airplane flashed on: “Fasten your seat belts.” Then, after a while, a calm voice said, “We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened.”
 
As he looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive. Later, the voice of the announcer said, “We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us.”
 
And then the storm broke. The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightening lit up the darkening skies and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash. The man confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him.
 
As he looked around the plane, he could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm. And then, he suddenly saw a girl to whom the storm meant nothing. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat and was reading a book. Everything within her small world was calm and orderly.
 
Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world. When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm, when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity, when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid.
 
The man could hardly believe his eyes. It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark, he lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time. Having commented about the storm and behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid. The sweet child replied:
 
“Sir, my Dad is the pilot and he is taking me home.”
 
Dear friends, this is a story, I received through internet. The implicit faith of this little child, set me thinking…. If each one of can have an implicit faith in our Supreme Father, we will have no reason to be afraid of any thing in life…
What do you think? 
Source…Author  unknown… input from a friend of mine
Natarajan

Daniel The Emotional Support Duck Takes His First Plane Ride, Soars In Popularity…!!!

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Daniel The Emotional Support Duck

Daniel The Emotional Support Duck Takes His First Plane Ride, Soars In Popularity

Daniel, an emotional-support duck, on board a recent American Airlines flight.

Mark Essig was settling into his puddle-jumper flight from Charlotte to Asheville, N.C., on Monday when he noticed an unusual passenger boarding the plane.

It was a duck. Making his way down the aisle.

Wearing red shoes. And a Captain America diaper.

The duck’s human introduced him to their fellow, now-amused passengers: This was Daniel Turducken Stinkerbutt, or Daniel for short. He is a 4 1/2-year-old Indian Runner duck and is her emotional support animal, she explained.

“I heard a few maybe semi-critical mutterings, like, ‘Now I’ve seen everything,’ ” Essig told The Washington Post. “But most everybody was delighted to have a duck on a plane. As they should be.”

Like many other passengers, Essig snapped a few photos while Daniel and his human were boarding. After takeoff, Essig tried to concentrate on light reading during the flight, but he kept inadvertently glancing toward the duck, just a row ahead and to the right of him.

When he saw the duck staring out the window, he couldn’t resist taking one more picture.

daniel-duck-wp_650x400_81477014972

After the flight, Essig posted his photos on Twitter.

“My seatmate, [from] CLT [to] AVL, is this handsome duck named Daniel,” Essig tweeted first. “His gentle quacking eases the sadness of leaving #SFA16,” the Southern Foodways Alliance conference in Mississippi.

Daniel the emotional-support duck looking out the window during his flight.

“I was expecting that this might amuse a couple of my friends,” he said. What he didn’t anticipate was that the photos would go viral.

It turned out that a duck wearing shoes and a diaper on a plane was too much for the Internet to handle.

Essig posted two more photos and a video: one of Daniel in his full red-shoed, diapered glory, and another of the duck wagging his tail while his owner explains that it means that Daniel is happy. Both tweets were shared thousands of times.

The most popular one, however, was a picture of Daniel as the duck seemed to stare forlornly out the airplane window: “Daniel, the duck on my flight, likes to look at the clouds,” Essig stated simply. That photo had more than 5,000 retweets and more than 11,000 likes.

“A duck head is a very recognizable shape, and the shape of an airline window is a very recognizable shape, too,” Essig said. “So you’ve got two very recognizable shapes that don’t normally go together . . . it caught people’s eye.”

The encounter amused Essig but also piqued his curiosity about ducks as support animals — he happens to be the author of “Lesser Beasts,” a book about humans’ complicated relationship with pigs. After the flight, he looked up Daniel’s breed and discovered that Indian Runner ducks do not fly.

“My guess was that he was gazing out the window, looking at the clouds, and the sight triggered a deep ancestral memory of what it was like to fly himself,” Essig said, laughing. “I’m almost certain that’s [what] he was thinking.”

Within two days of Essig’s tweets, Daniel had become an Internet sensation, getting featured on BuzzFeed, ABC News and Cosmopolitan, among many other sites.

The attention surprised Daniel’s owner, Carla Fitzgerald of Wisconsin, “because to me, having an emotional support duck is normal – it’s my new normal.”

Fitzgerald adopted Daniel in 2012, when he was two days old, she told The Post in a phone interview Wednesday. Less than a year later, Fitzgerald, a former horse-and-carriage driver in Milwaukee, was involved in a serious accident.

“Someone who was paying more attention to the phone than the road hit me from behind, with enough force to bust up the carriage,” she said. Her horse was badly injured, and the crash sent Fitzgerald hurtling toward a metal-grated drawbridge. For months, she was immobile.

“It took them four months to teach me how to walk again,” Fitzgerald said. Along with the physical pain, she suffered post-traumatic stress disorder, something she describes as “hell.”

After the accident, Daniel knew things were different – and responded without ever having been trained.

“He would notice something wrong, whether it be my pain or my PTSD,” Fitzgerald said. “He would come and lay on me and [give me] lots of hugging and lots of kisses. And if he notices that I’m going to have a panic attack, he would give me a cue to lay down by trying to climb me.”

At home, Fitzgerald says Daniel communicates with her in other ways: If he needs a new diaper, he walks to his changing table. If he wants food, he walks to the refrigerator or to his feed bowl. Outside of bedtime, he always wears shoes and a diaper, she said, because he is so used to carpet and linoleum.

He apparently enjoys movies, but only “super G-rated” ones. (Daniel responded well to “The Peanuts Movie” but got upset during a chase scene in “The Good Dinosaur,” Fitzgerald said.)

“He doesn’t identify with other ducks because he’s imprinted on humans,” Fitzgerald said. “As far as he’s concerned, he thinks he’s people with feathers.”

Her living room is full of toddler toys that Daniel enjoys, particularly anything that has a button to push or makes a sound, such as keyboards and music boxes.

“And God forbid one of the batteries runs out,” Fitzgerald said. “He stomps his feet, he raises his hackles, he huffs and he gives you stink-eye. And if you don’t change those batteries right now, he gets snippy. He can also tell you when he needs a new diaper.”

Since the accident, Daniel has accompanied Fitzgerald everywhere, mostly car rides. Monday had been Daniel’s first time flying on a plane (or flying, period). She provided a note to the airline from her doctor, who has said it is in Fitzgerald’s best interest to have Daniel around for support, but otherwise had a smooth trip.
The crew on their first leg, before their connecting flight to Asheville, even insisted on posing for pictures with Daniel and presenting him with a “Certificate of First Flight.”
daniel-duck-wp_650x400_51477015109
The Transportation Department is debating new rules regarding accommodations for disabled people on airplanes, including reviewing rules for emotional-support animals, USA Today reported. The department began allowing emotional-support animals on planes, but the practice of bringing them on board has offended some passengers.”Here’s the thing. Who are we to say what is and what isn’t an emotional support animal or what can and cannot be a pet?” Fitzgerald said. “Or what they can do for people who have PTSD like I do? Having it is hell.”

For the time being, Fitzgerald does not have any other immediate travel plans but said that Daniel will no doubt accompany her on her next trip. She said she thinks that people responded positively to Daniel because he’s unique – but also because he keeps to himself.

“He is obedient and he wears a diaper harness, ” she said. ” I make sure before he goes in public that he has a shower, so there’s no smell to him. When he’s in public, he behaves. He’s not flapping and running around and chasing people.”

However, Fitzgerald might be a little more prepared next time since, as her friends put it, “Daniel broke the Internet” after his first plane ride.

“I didn’t know that a little Indian Runner duck who weighs six pounds could cause such an uproar,” she said.

Source…..www.ndtv.com
Natarajan

The 10 best airports in Asia….Singapore’s Changi Airport is again Number One !!!

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Leading consumer aviation website Skytrax has published its latest annual World Airport Awards, and for the third consecutive year, Singapore’s Changi International Airport took the crown as the world’s best airport. However, Changi isn’t the only world class facility of its kind in Asia — which is why Skytrax has released its list of the 10 best airports in Asia.

The Skytrax annual rankings are based on the impressions of over 13 million flyers from 106 countries. More than 550 airports were included in the survey, which covers 39 service and performance parameters, including facility comfort, location of bathrooms, and the language skills of the airport staff.

10. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL)

Flickr/eGuide Travel

Yearly passengers: 47.5 million

Previous rank:10

Why it’s awesome: Kuala Lumpur International is one of southeast Asia’s busiest airports and serves as home base to both AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines.

The airport is located just 35 miles south of the Malaysian capital and is easily accessible by road and rail. KL International is home to one of the most unique features in all of aviation, an in-airport jungle, complete with waterfall. Called the KLIA Jungle Boardwalk, the nature area is located in the airport’s Satellite Terminal.

Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figure is for 2013, provided by Airports Council International.

9. Taiwan Taoyuan international Airport (TPE)

Flickr/Lian Chang

Yearly passengers: 34 million

Previous rank: 9

Why it’s awesome: Located just outside of the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, Taoyuan International is the largest airport in Taiwan. The airport is the home base for both China Airlines and EVA Air.

Skytrax reviewers praised the airport for its polite service, clean environment, and speedy immigration lines. Taoyuan was also once home to Taiwan’s aviation museum, but the museum was shut down earlier this year to make way for further airport expansion.

Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figure is for 2014, provided byTaoyuan International Airport.

8. Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)

Flickr/Terrazzo

Yearly passengers: 83.7 million

Previous rank: 6

Why it’s awesome: As the second-busiest airport in the world, Beijing’s Capital Airport has played a major role in the Chinese capital’s explosive growth.

With this growth, the airport has built new facilities and upgraded its infrastructure. Capital’s Terminal 3 was rated as the 10th-best terminal in the world.

Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figure is for 2013, provided by Airports Council International.

7. Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT)

Flickr/Antonio Tajuelo

Yearly passengers: 35.6 million

Previous rank: 8

Why it’s awesome: Narita is the first of the two Tokyo airports to appear on the list. Located 35 miles outside of Japanese capital, Narita handles the majority of the international traffic going in and out of the city. The airport serves as a major hub for ANA, Japan Airlines, Delta, and United.

Skytrax reviewers lauded the airport for its efficient and friendly staff, clean facilities, and abundant dining options.

Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figure is for 2014, provided byNarita International Airport.

6. Kansai International Airport (KIX)

Flickr/Luke Ma

Yearly passengers: 20 million

Previous rank: 7

Why it’s awesome: Located on an artificial island in the Osaka Bay, Kansai International is a major hub for ANA and Japan Airlines.

Reviewers on Skytrax praised Kansai for its modern architecture, spotless facilities, and helpful staff. The airport also boasts a Sky View observation deck that affords passengers spectacular views of incoming and outgoing flights.

Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figure is for 2014, provided byNew Kansai International Airport.

5. Central Japan International Airport (NGO

Yearly passengers: 9.8 million

Previous rank: 5

Why it’s awesome: Built on an artificial island in the middle of Ise Bay near the city of Nagoya, Central Japan International — also known as Centrair — serves as a hub for Japan Airlines and ANA.

Centrair holds the distinction as the best regional airport in the world.

It has a 1,000-foot-long sky deck where passengers can watch ships sail into Nagoya Port. There’s also a traditional Japanese bathhouse where you can have a relaxing soak while watching the sunset over the bay.

Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figure is for 2014, provided by Skytrax.

4. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)

Swire Chin

Yearly passengers: 63.1 million

Previous rank: 3

Why it’s awesome: Built on an artificial island off the coast of Hong Kong, HKG has become one of the most popular facilities in the world since it opened in 1998.

One of the busiest airports in Asia, Hong Kong International serves as the home to Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airlines, and Dragonair.

Be sure to play a round at the SkyCity Nine Eagles golf course near Terminal 2.

Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figure is for 2014, provided by Airports Council International.

3. Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND)

Flickr/Jun Seita

Yearly passengers: 72.8 million

Previous rank: 4

Why it’s awesome: Haneda is one of two major international airports that serve the Tokyo area. Located a few miles away from the heart of the Japanese capital, Haneda has proved to be a popular port of entry for business travelers and tourists.

The world’s fourth-busiest airport, Haneda is know for its service efficiency, cleanliness, and shopping.

Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figure is for 2014, provided by Airports Council International.

2. Incheon International Airport (ICN)

Flickr/Richard, enjoy my life

Yearly passengers: 41.7 million

Previous rank: 2

Why it’s awesome: Once again, Incheon is the world’s second best airport. Located on an island just outside of the South Korean capital, Incheon is home base to Korean Air and is the 24th-busiest airport in the world. It opened in 2001.

Incheon’s highly regarded facilities feature an array of shopping and dining options, in addition to a bevy of cultural performances. The airport even has a Korean culture museum.

Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figure is for 2013, provided by Airports Council International

1. Singapore Changi International Airport (SIN)

Photo courtesy of Singapore Changi Airport

Yearly passengers: 54 million

Previous rank: 1

Why it’s awesome: For the fourth year in a row, Changi takes the crown as the world’s best airport. Changi serves as home to Singapore Airlines, Silkair, and Tigerair and is the 16th busiest airport in the world.

The Singaporean airport has received praise from flyers for its beautiful architecture, efficient operation, luxurious amenities, and broad offering of dining and shopping options.

Flyers passing through are treated to movie theaters, a multimedia entertainment deck, spas, and a wild corkscrew slide.

Source: Skytrax World Airport Awards. Yearly passenger figure is for 2014, provided by Airports Council International.

Source….www.businessinsider.com

natarjan

This is how much time it should take to escape a crashed airliner….

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A Emirates Boeing 777-300 crashed landed and burst into flames at Dubai International Airport on Wednesday.

Fortunately, the airline has confirmed that all 300 passengers and crew on board the flight made it to safety before the aircraft became engulfed in flames.

Which leads us to the question, how long does it take to evacuate a crashed airliner?

Believe it or not, federal regulations dictate that all modern airliners capable of carrying more than 44 passengers must be able to be fully evacuated in less than 90 seconds.

In addition, in order to be certified to fly, new airliners or even new derivatives of existing airliners must pass an evacuation test. The tests involve simulated emergency situations in which all passengers and crew must exit the aircraft in pitch-black darkness using only half of the available emergency escapes.

In 2006, the Airbus A380 superjumbo managed to pass the test by evacuating 853 passengers, 18 crew, and two pilots in just 78 seconds, Flight Global reported.  The Boeing 777-200 passed the evacuation test in 1994 in 84 seconds, Quartz reported. The aircraft involved in the Emirates crash is an elongated 777-300. According to the AP, the aircraft was not subject to its own evacuation test. Instead, it was certified by extrapolating the test results of the 777-200 with the addition of two emergency exits.

These tests are generally conducted using the aircraft type’s maximum passenger capacity which means that aircraft in service are equipped with far fewer seats. For instance, the A380 was evacuation tested with 853 passengers. In operation these days, most of the superjumbos fly with around 500 seats.

However, it should also be noted that these test are also conducted in a laboratory conditions that are calm and organised. The hectic nature of an actual emergency evacuation may slow down the time it takes to empty an aircraft.

As a result, experts recommend that passengers select seats within three rows of an emergency exit. In addition, passengers should be aware of the location of the nearest emergency exit at all times.

Here’s a video of the Airbus A380 evacuation test:

Source….www.businessinsider.com.au

Natarajan