(Sources: Washington Post, FAA, & WSJ)

The Federal Aviation Administration plans to order immediate inspections of older-model Boeing 737 jetliners that are the workhorse of domestic air travel, a precaution after a hole opened in the hull of a Southwest Airlines plane flying at 34,400.

The FAA on Monday announced (See FAA press release below) a speedy, but limited, response: It said it intends to issue an emergency safety directive calling for stepped-up structural inspections affecting about 170 of aircraft giantBoeing Co.’s workhorse 737s world-wide.

Image Courtesy: WSJ.com

FAA Presser

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The FAA will issue an emergency directive tomorrow that will require operators of specific early Boeing 737 models to conduct initial and repetitive electromagnetic inspections for fatigue damage. This action will initially apply to a total of approximately 175 aircraft worldwide, 80 of which are U.S.-registered aircraft. Most of the aircraft in the U.S. are operated by Southwest Airlines.

“Safety is our number one priority,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Last Friday’s incident was very serious and could result in additional action depending on the outcome of the investigation.”

“The FAA has comprehensive programs in place to protect commercial aircraft from structural damage as they age,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “This action is designed to detect cracking in a specific part of the aircraft that cannot be spotted with visual inspection.”

The FAA airworthiness directive will require initial inspections using electromagnetic, or eddy-current, technology in specific areas of the aircraft fuselage on certain Boeing 737 aircraft in the -300, -400 and -500 series that have accumulated more than 30,000 flight cycles. It will then require repetitive inspections at regular intervals.

Last November, the FAA published a rule designed specifically to address widespread fatigue damage in aging aircraft. The rule requires aircraft manufacturers to establish a number of flight cycles or hours a plane can operate and be free from fatigue damage. The rule requires aircraft manufacturers to incorporate the limits into their maintenance programs.

Click here to read more.

(Source: Marlerhaley via  Killer Infographics & Autoblog Green)

Image Courtesy: Marler Haley, UK

On a related note, it might be worth noting that there is a already a lot of controversy surrounding the official numbers posted by the automakers versus the results from real life driving conditions in Europe.  Here is a peek at the ongoing debate:

Jos Dings, director of Brussels-based Transport & Environment, told Automotive News (sub. req.) that official CO2 emissions results posted by automakers are “less and less a reflection of what we are seeing on the road.” Dings says that the amount of CO2 emitted under controlled test conditions can be up to 50 percent lower than in real-world driving, telling AN that, “We don’t want cuts on paper. We want them in reality.”

Image Courtesy: via Autoblog — CO2 emissions chart

Click here to read more about this ongoing issue.

(Source: Jalopnik)

The story goes like thiss:  Back in the 70s Libya’s new-embattled ruler – Gaddafi – pays millions of dollars for some 8 US built planes. He never got full possession of the machines due to various geo-political games that got played over the decades, leading up to the machines rotting away in an airfield in Georgia. Now the dictator wants his money back and the US is saying a big, Thanks but No Thanks. Read up the full story here.

Eight U.S.-built C-130 Hercules military transports bought by Libya are sitting in a field on the grounds of Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia. Moammar Gaddafi bought the planes but, when politics shifted, the U.S. military grounded them. Now the crazy dictator wants a $70 million refund.

The planes are the ultimate ran-when-parked proposition, appearing to have not been used in the last 30+ years. Though they technically belong to the Libyan government, who purchased them in the early 1970s, the current military action in the country and the “no fly zone” make it unlikely they’ll be leaving any time soon.

The Research and Innovative Technology Administration is looking for an executive to serve as the Director of the Center of Innovation (COI) Air Traffic Systems and Operations of the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center).  Located in Kendall Square area in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Volpe Center plays a unique role in looking across the transportation enterprise by applying its multi-disciplinary capabilities to anticipate future transportation issues and challenges across all modes of transportation.

Reporting to the Deputy Associate Administrator for Research, Innovation and Technology, the COI Director will lead and oversee the Air Traffic Systems and Operations COI comprised of four technical divisions – Navigation and Surveillance; Operations Risk Assessment and Terminal Systems; Traffic Flow Management; and Communications and Operations.  This COI has a combined technical/scientific federal staff of 85 employees; a 150 project portfolio; and average annual obligations of $80 million, representing one-third of the Center’s portfolio. Through close collaboration with other Volpe Center COI Directors, the COI Director will assist in the development of FAA and other strategic initiatives and new program opportunities, and, as needed, serve as liaison to FAA leaders in working with managers across the Volpe Center.

To succeed in this rewarding and challenging leadership position, the COI Director must have expertise leading applied research and technology projects – ideally as an engineer/scientist- in one or more areas of air traffic operations and systems, including aviation communication, navigation, surveillance (CNS), and air traffic control safety and security.  This individual must also possess exceptional management, planning and communication skills, and be able and willing to contribute as part of a collaborative management team.  While not required, an advanced scientific or technical degree is highly desirable. Travel is required (30-50%).

The vacancy announcement can be found on COI Director, Air Traffic Systems and Operations (attached find a copy of the vacancy announcement).

(Source: Time.com)

(Source: Wall Street Journal)

The first clear pictures of what appears to be a Chinese stealth fighter prototype have been published online, highlighting China’s military buildup just days before U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates heads to Beijing to try to repair defense ties.

The photographs, published on several unofficial Chinese and foreign defense-related websites, appear to show a J-20 prototype making a high-speed taxi test—usually one of the last steps before an aircraft makes its first flight—according to experts on aviation and China’s military.

China was probably several years behind Russia, whose first stealth fighter, the Sukhoi T-50, made its first flight in January 2010, but that Beijing was catching up faster than expected.

The Chinese prototype looks like it has “the potential to be a competitor with the F-22 and to be decisively superior to the F-35,” said Mr. Fisher. The J-20 has two engines, like the F-22, and is about the same size, while the F-35 is smaller and has only one engine.

China’s stealth-fighter program has implications also for Japan, which is considering buying F-35s, and for India, which last month firmed up a deal with Russia to jointly develop and manufacture a stealth fighter.

Editor’s Note: This development is not only a challenge to the American dominance and technological superiority in the world of military aviation but also a test (and a considerable threat) to many of so-called China’s regional adversaries, especially the ones noted above – Russia, Japan and India.  Anyone aware of the regional geopolitics in South Asia can likely expect China to pass along the technology (at the least, sell these stealth fighters) to its regional-ally Pakistan in the decades ahead, to counter India’s edge with the joint-production of a stealth fighter using Russian technology.  This will not only up the “heat” at a regional level, but will further push the two nations, as well as the entire region, towards another wave of arms buildup. Though there is no mention of the high-altitude capability of this stealth fighter, it would be interesting to watch how China would deploy these fighters along its disputed border regions with India to guard against any threats from the Tibetan side.  Also, the capability of this new war machine to operate from a sea-borne platform (aircraft carrier, which China is building) would definitely test the power balance between the US and the Chinese in the South China Sea. Above all, I believe this development will encourage other nations to accelerate their own efforts to build a stealth fighter.

Related articles

• China prototyping J-20 stealth fighter? (panasianbiz.com)
• Photographs reveal secret J-20 Chinese stealth fighter (culturalhealth.blogspot.com)
• China media report mystery stealth fighter photos (sfgate.com)
• Chinese J-20 Stealth Fighter Pictures Leak (VIDEO) (blippitt.com)
• China media report mystery stealth fighter photos (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Photos of China’s Stealth Fighter Emerge (newser.com)
• Photos of Stealth Chinese Fighter Jet Emerge (patspapers.com)
• China Leaks Pictures Of New Stealth Bomber On Internet [Picture] (realestateradiousa.com)
• U.S. officials cast doubt on China stealth jet reports (nationalpost.com)
• East Chases West: China’s Stealth Fighter, Japan’s Own GPS (fastcompany.com)
• “China Now Has A Stealth Fighter, Aircraft Carrier And “Aircraft Carrier Killer” Missiles” and related posts (businessinsider.com)
• China has a prototype stealth fighter (nextbigfuture.com)
• Chinese Fighter Photos Up Ahead of Gates Visit (foxnews.com)
• A Stealth Challenge? (online.wsj.com)

(Source: Popular Mechanics)

Image Courtesy: Popular Mechanics

As well as being the largest jet in commercial service, the Airbus A380 represents a bid by Europe’s EADS to take from America’s Boeing the title of world’s most advanced commercial aircraft manufacturer. Critical to that endeavor is the aircraft’s ability to not crash, come apart in midair, or generally imperil the lives of the public. Unhappily for Airbus, Qantas A380 was taking off from Singapore on November 4, 2010, when its number two engine exploded with a loud bang. Flying shrapnel punched a hole in the wing and injured two people on the ground, but the plane was able to land safely. Was the engine’s failure a one-in-a-million coincidence, or a result of a fundamental engineering flaw? The fate of billions of dollars worth of aircraft orders may ride on the answer.

Popular Mechanics looked into the investigation preliminary report into the accident and offers an easy to understand explanations in plain English for us not-so informed average citizens. In short, the report notes that the accident happened due to a fatigued metal element inside the engine, which resulted in oil seepage there by leading to a fire and eventually exploding the internal parts of the engine.  Great explanations along with the reference to the preliminary report makes for an interesting read (at least that’s what my techy brain says). Click here to read the full analysis.

Related articles

• “Qantas Airbus A380 uncontained engine failure: ATSB preliminary report” and related posts (aircrewbuzz.com)
• Qantas to resume Airbus A380 flights (ft.com)
• Airbus A380: facts and figures (telegraph.co.uk)
• Engine problem grounds Airbus A380 at LAX (abclocal.go.com)
• “Airbus A380 operations back in flight” and related posts (instantriverside.com)
• Qantas Grounds Airbus A380 Fleet After Emergency Landing (dailyfinance.com)
• Engine Blow-Out Grounds Qantas Airbus A380 Fleet (npr.org)
• “Should Qantas Airways ask Rolls Royce for compensation as it restarts Airbus A380 flights?” and related posts (ceoworld.biz)
• About the Air Bus A380 (brighthub.com)
• Factbox: Airbus A380, the world’s biggest passenger jet (reuters.com)
• Airbus A380 engine woe wipes £1bn off Rolls-Royce (telegraph.co.uk)

(Source TSA via You Tube via  Gizmodo)

Dear Mr. Pistole , here are some responses (a mere sampling) from concerned citizens’  about this situation at airport security check points:

Image Courtesy: Land of the free? by David Vincent Wolf

Image Courtesy: Slate.com

Related articles

• TSA Agents Respond To Pat-Down Anger (PHOTOS, POLL) (huffingtonpost.com)
• The History of Airport Security, Visualized [Tsa] (gizmodo.com)
• “Going commando” on the TSA (arstechnica.com)
• Video: TSA chief Pistole says no immediate changes to airport screening – Christian Science Monitor (news.google.com)
• With Saturday Night Live spoof, TSA is losing the internet war on pat-down searches (venturebeat.com)
• TSA Says Pilots Will Be Exempt From Invasive Pat-Downs, Scanners – ABC News (news.google.com)
• My liberty is worth more than my security… (shannonturlington.com)
• TSA Chief Asks Holiday Travelers for Patience – ABC News (news.google.com)
• Is TSA Setting A New Legal Precedent On What Defines A Sexual Assault? (womenincrimeink.blogspot.com)
• TSA workers face verbal abuse from travelers (msnbc.msn.com)

(Source: Infographia via El Chimpance)

(Source: CBS news)

Why don’t fun and exciting things like this happen on my flights?  Anyways, WordPress founder Matt Mullenwag tweeted, while flying a red eye on Virgin America from San Francisco to New York Thursday morning, that a quick wedding was conducted on his flight while the plane was over Canada.  It just so happened that another passenger, Ryan McManus also broke the news via twitter while floating above ground.

The reporter who wrote about this story got an update from a Virgin America PR representative via email offering the following details:

The crew has been on rest (it was a red eye flight), but I did briefly get a hold of the pilot for the flight – and there was no “diversion” – this was part of the normal flight path. He actually was unaware of the reported celebration in the cabin (so reports that a pilot performed it are definitely not correct). That flight’s normal flight path (VX 28 SFO-JFK) does cross the Canadian border for a few minutes. I have not had reports from anyone else onboard however, so other than that I cannot confirm anything.

Note: Transportgooru.com wishes the newly weds all the very best and extends a warm virtual hug.

Related articles

• Gay couple reportedly marries aboard jetliner (msnbc.msn.com)
• Truth of story about gay wedding on Virgin flight over Canada is up in the air (theglobeandmail.com)
• Gay couple reportedly marries on commercial flight (msnbc.msn.com)
• Natalie Bahadur: Flying Virgin America for the First Time (huffingtonpost.com)
• Gay Couples Take to the Skies, Skype to Wed (cbsnews.com)