aircraft
- Business News
Boeing halts 787 Dreamliner deliveries again due to manufacturing issue
Boeing announced on June 6 that the delivery of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft has once again been delayed due to a manufacturing issue. This is the latest in a series of setbacks that have affected the two-aisle jet. The company stated that it is currently inspecting fittings on the horizontal stabiliser, a part of the tail, for a “nonconforming condition.”…
- World News
China’s aircraft carriers: A threat or propaganda showpiece?
While China’s recent military drills with its Shandong aircraft carrier showcased its modernizing forces, experts believe it could take over a decade for China to pose a credible carrier threat far from its shores. Military attaches and defence analysts question the value of China’s carriers in a potential conflict with the US over Taiwan or their ability to be protected…
- World News
China’s Fujian: A naval game-changer
China is about to seriously shake things up in the world of naval warfare, as the latest state-of-the-art aircraft carrier, the Fujian, reportedly gears up to launch new-type aircraft. As soon as this beauty is commissioned, it’s expected to be the lynchpin of China’s ambitious plans to develop a blue-water navy – making its presence known on the open ocean…
- Thailand News
Small plane crashes in central Thailand, 1 dead, 1 injured
A small plane crashed into a shrimp pond in Samut Sakhon province in central Thailand this morning, killing one man and injuring one woman. At 7.24am, the Samut Sakhon Provincial Incident Notification and Command Centre reported that a two-seater Tecnum P92 aircraft crashed into a pond at a shrimp farm along the Khok Kham – Sandap Road behind the Sinsakhon…
- Transport News
Thailand to spend US$250 million on private VIP jets
The Cabinet approved an 8.8-billion-baht (US$270 million) budget to procure private VIP jets for members of the Thai royal family, ministers and honoured guests. Proposed by the prime minister’s secretariat and approved on Tuesday, the plan includes the procurement of new aircraft and components and the training of personnel. It’s just the latest of many curious budget decisions we can…
- Hot News
Judge rules MH17 plane crash over Ukraine result of deliberate Russian missile
A Dutch court has ruled that the 2014 MH17 plane crash in Ukraine was a result of a Russian-backed missile. The findings conclude that the missile was fired by an armed group under Russian control, ending in the deaths of 298 people. According to the BBC, the court acknowledged that the missile was meant for a military aircraft but hit…
- Hot News
China warns US with display of aircraft killer nuclear missiles
The Chinese government has aired footage of aircraft carrier nuclear missiles, with military analysts taking it as a warning to the US. The dual-capable Dongfeng missiles are thought to pose a great threat to US aircraft carrier strike groups. The missiles, thought to be China’s most powerful nuclear-capable weapons, were unveiled in footage to mark National Day. But, as tensions…
- World News
Tara Air plane crashes in Nepal, 22 feared dead
The Nepali Army has found the wreckage of a Tara Air plane scattered on a mountainside in Nepal after it went missing over the Himalayan mountains yesterday morning. On board the plane were 4 Indian nationals, 2 Germans, 13 Nepali passengers and 3 Nepali crew members. The army hasn’t yet reported whether they have found any survivors. The 43 year…
- Thailand News
Tires of Royal Thai Air Force plane burst during landing in northeast Thailand
A Royal Thai Air Force aircraft is stuck on the runway of Ubon Ratchathani International Airport after both rear tires of the plane burst during landing at 11:30am this morning. The normal brake system failed to work so the pilot used the emergency brakes to prevent the plane skidding off the runway, causing the rear tires to burst, making it…
- Bangkok News
AirAsia plane lands on wrong runway in Bangkok
Today, Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority – or CAAT – reported a “serious incident” which took place earlier this month. On May 4, an AirAsia Airbus A320-200 landed on the wrong runway at Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport. The Thai AirAsia aircraft departed Ranong city at 12:43 and landed on Don Muang’s unassigned 21L runway at 13:36, instead of the 21R runway…
- Thailand News
Remains of missing American WWII pilot found in Lampang, northern Thailand
US and Thai officials discovered the remains of an American soldier who went missing 78 years ago in Lampang province, northern Thailand, on Wednesday. The pilot’s P-38 Lightning single-seater fighter plane went down during World War II. On Wednesday, US and Thai authorities held a repatriation ceremony for the soldier in Rayong before sending his remains to Hawaii for further…
- World News
Tibet Airlines plane bursts into flames during takeoff in southwest China
A Tibet Airlines Airbus A319-100 veered off the runway and burst into flames during takeoff at an airport in Southwest China this morning. All 113 passengers were safely evacuated although 36 passengers suffered minor injuries, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, or CAAC. China’s aviation regulators are investigating the cause of the incident. In a statement posted on…
- Thailand News
Piece of suspected Chinese rocket washes up on Thai beach
What appears to be part of an aircraft, has washed up on a beach in Nakhon Si Thammarat province yesterday. A faded Chinese flag can be seen on the 1.2 x 3 metre sheet of aluminium, suggesting it could be part of one of China’s Long March Rockets used to send satellites into space. The sheet of metal washed up…
- World News
Pilots announce end of US mask mandate mid-flight, passengers divided
Midway through a flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles on Monday night, the pilot announced the end of America’s requirement to wear face masks on public transport, including on planes. The sound of cheering resonated through the plane and around one third of passengers instantly took off their masks, according to a witness. However, some passengers were outraged and scolded…
- Thailand News
Why are Thai Airways leasing 3 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft?
Thai Airways is expanding its fleet by three this month despite going through an ongoing debt restructuring process. The airline is in the process of selling 45 unused jets, yet they are leasing three Boeing 777-300ER aircraft this month. Two 777-300ERs, adorned with Thai Airways paint jobs, landed at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport on April 5 and another is expected to…
- Thailand News
Asia News Today | A Malaysian Boeing 737 ‘dives’ in a terrifying mid-air incident
Another mid-air incident in Asia after a Malaysia Airlines flight from KL to Sabah on Borneo dipped its nose and dropped suddenly, allegedly flying erratically before turning back to Sabah. The incident happened on Sunday but has only come to light after passengers posted their stories on social media. The airline says that Flight MH2664 from KLIA turned back due…
- Thailand News
Thai airlines urged to inspect all Boeing 737-800 aircraft following crash in China
After a Boeing 737-800 crashed in China, killing all 132 passengers on board, Thailand’s aviation officials have urged five Thai airlines to conduct thorough safety inspections of their 26 Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Leading domestic airlines, including Nok Air and Thai Lion, must obtain a Certificate of Airworthiness for all operational 737-800s, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand. China Eastern…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today | Officials move closer to declaring Covid-19 endemic
The requirement for overseas arrivals to take a PCR test 72 hours prior to departure from their home country could soon be scrapped. According to a report, the CCSA will discuss dropping the requirement when it meets tomorrow. Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the Public Health Ministry says international arrivals would still be required to take a PCR test on arrival…
- Thailand News
Aircraft wreckage washes up on Nakhon Si Thammarat beach in Southern Thailand
Aircraft wreckage washed up on a beach in the southern province Nakhon Si Thammarat and provincial officers have called in aircraft specialists to investigate. A local official says locals found similar wreckage six years ago. A 3.16 metre long, 1.80 metre wide metal piece, weighing around 70 to 80 kilograms, was found on Tha Phraya beach. There were two spots…
- Thailand News
Royal Thai Air Force says Thailand needs new fighter jets for national security
New fighter jets are needed to improve Thailand’s national security and replace the current aircraft that are due to be decommissioned, according to the Royal Thai Air Force. The air force started a 10-year plan to decommission fighter jets in 2021, cutting the fleet in half by 2032. Officers say new jets are needed for main air defence operations. The…
- Thailand News
Royal Thai Air Force signs US$143 million contract for US-made aircraft
The Royal Thai Air Force signed a contract on Sunday to buy a new fleet of aircraft. These will come from Textron Aviation Defense, an American aircraft manufacturer that builds planes for the US military. The US$143 million, or about 4.86 billion baht, deal was made on the first day of the Dubai Airshow. The RTAF is set to purchase…
- Thailand News
Cash-strapped Thai Airways plans to buy 20 to 30 aircraft in 2025
UPDATE: The acting president for Thai Airways says the company does not plan to buy more airplanes in 2025 and if flight demand goes up, the company will consider renting first. A source told Nation Thailand that the airline plans to buy more planes when the aviation industry recovers, but acting president Chansin Treenuchagron says that is just a “rumour.” …
- Thailand News
Thai Airways lays off hundreds of pilots under debt rehabilitation plan
Hundreds of pilots will be laid off under Thai Airway’s debt rehabilitation plan. The cash-strapped airline, which is buried in a debt around 300 billion baht, has also decided to ground 3 types of aircrafts: the Airbus A330-300 and A380, and the Boeing 747. After months of tackling bankruptcy amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Thai Airways decided to lay off 395…
- Tourism News
The world aviation industry suffers Annus Horribilis | VIDEO
In the Asia-Pacific, where the affect of Covid-19 has been lower (at this stage), the passenger load was 30-40% down, compared to last year. Overall, international flights for the latter part of 2020 are down 75% year on year. The world’s aviation industry has been profoundly affected by the border closures and restrictions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic…
- Transport News
Boeing’s 737 MAX takes its next step to re-enter commercial service
The US Federal Aviation Administration has approved the next step for the beleaguered Boeing 737 MAX to resume commercial flights after a 20 month grounding. But the factors that partly contributed to the plane’s grounding have not been addressed leaving the plane reliant on software to control its flying characteristics. The plane, a fourth generation makeover of 50 year old…
- Technology News
Will the Flying-V be the shape of passenger travel in the future?
Since the first Boeing 707 (Dash 80) had its test flight in 1955, and earlier the UK’s De Havilland Comet in 1949, not much has changed in the way of passenger jet configuration – long, thin fuselage, wings, jet engines hanging underneath, with a big tail and rudder. Since then it’s been a gradual evolution of the same theme (we’ve…
- Tourism News
South east Asia’s budget airline dilemma
South east Asia’s low-cost carriers are staggering as demand plunges, and countries are ever-wary about re-opening their borders, raising questions whether they will be needing any new planes in the short to medium term. Malaysia’s AirAsia Group and Vietnam’s VietJet are publicly canvassing their cashflow and funding problems. Indonesia’s Lion Air has shelved a planned flotation this year. But prior…
- Covid-19 News
Qantas cuts 6,000 jobs to recover huge revenue losses
Australia’s Qantas Group is cutting at least 6,000 jobs after a massive revenue loss due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The jobs losses will be spread across all parts of the business while continuing to stand down 15,000 employees in an effort to recover. The Qantas Group includes the Qantas ‘full service’ brand and the JetStar discount airline offshoot. 20 % of…
- World News
Pakistani plane crash “due to pilot error”
A preliminary report over last month’s Pakistani plane crash reveals the pilots made errors that caused them to crash the plane, resulting in the loss of 98 lives. The pilots were reportedly distracted as they were chit-chatting about the coronavirus and didn’t even bother to lower the plane’s landing gear. Furthermore, they tried to land the aircraft when they were…
- Thailand News
Chon Buri coffee shop in a converted aircraft ordered to close temporarily – VIDEO
A novel coffee shop set up in a decommissioned Airbus 330 has been ordered to close temporarily after the business simply became too popular after going viral on social media. It’s understood thousands of customers a day were arriving for a latte or cappuccino from “Coffee War” in Sattahip, a district in the south of Chon Buri province. Manager Suttipong…
- Covid-19 News
Stormy skies for Boeing as Coronavirus compounds dire situation
As the world’s Covid-19 cases continue to rise, aircraft manufacture Boeing is watching its stocks slide. From around US$384 a share back in September last year to as low as US$154.84 last week. It’s since bounced back to US$170.20, but a long, long way from its peak. Most of the losses kicked in from mid-February when the extent of the…
- Phuket News
Phuket’s perfect plane-spotting selfie
Mai Khao Beach, any day day of the year. People are assembling, not to swim, but to take photos of planes taking off from the Phuket International Airport. Every 5-10 minutes planes will come and go making Mai Khao Beach one of Asia’s top plane spotting locations. For now, you can still capture your special moment with a plane, taking…
- Hot News
Some airlines ground the Boeing 737 MAX 800 aircraft “as a precaution”
Airlines around the world that fly the new Boeing 737 MAX 800 model are starting to ground their fleets of the new next-gen aircraft. China’s aviation regulator have already ordered local airlines to stop flight with the 800 MAX model after an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft of the same model crashed yesterday morning. The aircraft is relatively new to the skies,…
