General Aviation Thread

[Ananda]

Commentary: China’s COMAC will not rock Airbus-Boeing boat for now, but it’s a matter of time

The COMAC C919 stole the limelight at the Singapore Airshow and went on a demonstration tour of Southeast Asia, but it will still be a hard sell outside of China for now, says Endau Analytics’ Shukor Yusof.

www.channelnewsasia.com

COMAC seems knew well their logistics support limitations. Thus when they are aiming export, they are aiming near home first. In this case South East Asia. China Inc are also aiming the business model by becoming investors in small start up airlines. They are doing in Indonesia and seems also going to that in Brunai. Those Airlines that will become entry point in the market.

Thus they are not aiming mature big market (they already have that in their domestic), but more to fast growing market. That'll be Global South market, and they begin it with the closest ones. They are not going to East Asia which's mature ones. If they can get enough foot hold in SEA market, I suspect then they go to South and Central Asia. Thus they are know have to build their own supply chains first.

The logistics chains is the ones that determine, in any market and any products, the potential of any new comer going to succeed or break. They have to begin closer to home. That's also what Embrear done with entering North America first, before entering other market. It will take times, but this is the game of gaining momentum.

Still I do agree they move for this time on C939 bit questionable. Building new clean design from scratch is very big endeavor and big investment. Even Boeing and Airbus this last past two decades only giving one each clean design of 787 and A350. Playing with three clean design (C919, C929, and C939), on relatively close time frame, is questionable in my opinion.

For me, I'm more interested on how China going to build their own Aero Industry Ecosystem chains. When they're able to do that, it's ussualy their strength. That's what happens in EV market. Something that even Elon acknowledge that. The talk on Hybrid EV or Hydrogen Aero propulsion in future, can also means some potential for new Player to come out. Like in EV market, Chinese cars manufacturers knows they are having bigger challenges entering combustion engines market. However they see chances when EV market gaining momentum.

So if Hybrid Propulsion do come out faster in Aero Industry, could China capitalize that with their now leading possition in EV industry capabilities? I believe they can.

Note:
Edit toward various typo and grammar error.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 from London Heathrow to Singapore Changi (LHR-SIN) ended up in Bangkok due to extreme turbulence. The 777-300ER started its flight on monday evening.
Somewhere above Thailand the aircraft experienced extreme heavy turbulence and descended around 2000 meters in just minutes, resulting in passengers launched from their seats and hitting the overhead luggage bins and ceilings, to the point they damaged the interior in the aircraft.
This sadly caused that one person passed away and dozens injured, with 31 persons taken to the hospital.

Passagier overleden en tientallen gewonden na hevige turbulentie op Singapore Airlines-vlucht

Eén passagier is overleden en enkele tientallen zijn gewond geraakt als gevolg van hevige turbulentie op een Singapore Airlines-vlucht van Londen naar Singapore. Het toestel, een Boeing 777-300ER, is uitgeweken naar Bangkok.

www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl

BBC just placed their news article, so here an article in English.

Singapore Airlines: One dead, several hurt in severe turbulence

Singapore Airlines says several others were hurt and the flight was diverted to Bangkok.

www.bbc.com

 

[John Fedup]

Experienced a CAT event and fortunately had my seat belt secured. As a frequent flyer, I have always kept the belt secured. I also avoid the lavatory as most of my flights are under 5 hours….really miss the free beers in the lounges though, a real challenge for me.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Singapore Airlines can expect claims from at least $170.000, but more, in the millions, seems to be possible.
Until now 48 passengers are still in a bad condition in three hospitals in Bangkok, many of them got severe brain- and spine/back bone injuries.

Singapore Airlines kan claims van "acht cijfers" tegemoetzien na turbulentievlucht

Singapore Airlines moet volgens schadedeskundigen vrezen voor forse schadeclaims van passagiers die deze week gewond raakten toen een toestel van de luchtvaartmaatschappij door hevige turbulentie werd getroffen. Vrijdag lagen nog 48 mensen in drie ziekenhuizen in Bangkok.

www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl

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After flying more than three decades and 158 science campaigns, NASA’s DC-8 Airborne Science Laboratory made its final flight on 15 May, from Edwards AFB (CA) to Idaho State University in Pocatello (ID), where it will be used to train future aircraft technicians.

Originally delivered as a DC-8-62 variant to former Italian flag-carrier Alitalia in 1969 as I-DIWK (46082), the aircraft later served with Braniff International (as N801BN), who withdrew it from service in May 1982. It received CFM56-2s with the Quiet Nacelle Corporation and converted to DC-8-72 standard in 1986, when it was delivered to NASA.

NASA plans to replace the DC-8 with a more capable and fuel-efficient Boeing 777-200ER.

NASA DC-8 retired

NASA DC-8 retired After flying more than three decades and 158 science campaigns, NASA’s DC-8 Airborne Science Laboratory made its final flight on 15 May, from Edwards AFB (CA) to ...

www.scramble.nl

The 777-200ER is already bought by NASA, it is not a new aircraft, but a 20 years old former Japanese Airlines one. It is now undergoing modifications which are planned to be finished on 30 September 2025.

Modified Boeing 777 To Replace Aging NASA DC-8 Research Aircraft | Aviation Week Network

NASA begins modification of a used 777 as and eventual replacement for its DC-8-72 Earth-science research platform.

aviationweek.com

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[John Fedup]

My first flight in a jet was on a Air Canada DC-8 back in the days where you got a meal on a real plate with metal utensils.

 

[swerve]

Mine was in a Caravelle, operated by a Danish low cost airline called Sterling Airways. It also had a few DC-8s. Went bust 17 years later, in 1993.

The airline had a very poor safety record, but I didn't know that at the time.

 

[Rob c]

That is modern Mine was when I was about six or seven from Blenheim to Wellington with my aunty and sister in a single engine wooden thing, which I think was called a Proctor and made more noise than speed. We landed on the old Rongitia grass airfield. after that it was DC3's for several years