Aviation News Mega-Thread

n33d4sp33d_85 · Post by **n33d4sp33d_85** » Fri Jul 03, 2020 2:38 pm

https://news.yahoo.com/special-privileg ... 00120.html
https://theaviationist.com/2020/07/03/p ... portunity/
https://www.aetc.af.mil/News/Article/22 ... -15-eagle/
https://www.flightglobal.com/business-a ... 36.article
https://www.flightglobal.com/business-a ... 42.article
https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing ... 33.article
https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing ... 11.article
https://www.flightglobal.com/military-u ... 32.article
https://www.flightglobal.com/networks/u ... 41.article
https://www.foxnews.com/tech/air-force- ... he-cockpit
https://www.journal-aviation.com/en/new ... pw1100g-jm
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/3 ... -air-force

n33d4sp33d_85 · Post by **n33d4sp33d_85** » Sat Jul 04, 2020 5:00 pm

Restraining wildfires

In the United States the COVID-19 pandemic is not the only threat that has to be dealt with. In the past ten days wildfires have occurred in both Arizona and Colorado. In both regions aerial firefighting was needed, with an interesting series of photos as result.

In the weekend of 20 and 21 June 2020, a wildfire called “Central Fire”, in the Tonto National Forest just east of New River (AZ) necessitated the deployment of firebombers. One so-called “Very Large Air Tanker” or VLAT, McDonnell-Douglas DC-10 N603AX, "Tanker 914", was used. Firefighting helicopter were also deployed, and their crews decided to take in water at the closest distance to the fire as they filled up their tanks from the ponds of the Rancho Manana Golf Club. Thanks to John Hall we can show you photos of Tanker 914, Sikorsky S-64F Skycrane N178AC “Isabelle” from Erickson Incorporated, and Skycrane N7095B owned by Siller Helicopters.

One weekend later, 27 and 28 June 2020, a wildfire in the same area near Tucson, the “Bighorn Fire” set ablaze 95 thousand acres of bush. It called for even more material: VLAT DC-10 N612AX ("Tanker 910") was called in, as was assistance from Erickson Aero Tanker MD87 N295EA ("Tanker 105") and Neptune Aviation BAe146 N472NA ("Tanker 10"). Photos of these airtankers were made by Ned Harris.

But the state of Colorado had its share in wildfires too: on 29 June 2020, firebombers operated from Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (Jeffco) near Denver. The airtankers attacked the “Chatridge 2 Fire” south of the city. The fire had spread rapidly with strong winds. Lucky coincidence: P-3 N922AU ("Tanker 22") had just arrived in Colorado on 27 June 2020 to begin an exclusive use contract with the state. It was at Northern Colorado Regional Airport at Fort Collins when it was dispatched, then reloaded at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport. A total of six large air tankers and two single engine air tankers was used against the “Chatridge 2 Fire”.

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n33d4sp33d_85 · Post by **n33d4sp33d_85** » Sat Jul 04, 2020 5:02 pm

https://www.key.aero/article/boeing-del ... -64-apache
https://www.key.aero/article/snc-hands- ... 130j-afsoc

n33d4sp33d_85 · Post by **n33d4sp33d_85** » Sun Jul 05, 2020 7:48 pm

USAF's and Boeing's hampering Pegasus programme ensures that Stratotankers stay longer and Extenders will gradually phasing out

At the end of June 2020, the US House Armed Services Committee panel planned to block cuts to the Boeing KC-135R/T Stratotanker fleet for the next three years. This, with a caveat that allows the USAF to pave their way for sending some of its oldest tankers to the 309th Aircraft Maintenance And Regeneration Group, also known as the Davis Monthan storage boneyard, situated near Tucson (AZ). Also, the US House Armed Services Committee panel has the intention to sign a bill to let the USAF retire some of its McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extenders in a phased approach.

In no uncertain terms, the House panel raised skepticism about the USAF’s plan to bring on the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus, which is currently undergoing Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) even though the aircraft has three "Category One" (CAT1) deficiencies that limits its current operations. The USAF wants to finish IOT&E and move to full-rate production in 2021, but the aircraft still will not be fully operationally capable. It was stated that this decision “should be carefully considered by the milestone decision authority”. The Air Force should provide a briefing to the Committee before the Pegasus goes into full-rate production, detailing how they would mitigate the concurrency of development with the CAT1 deficiencies and full-rate production.

While the KC-46A programme lags, the USAF is investigating awarding contracts to private companies to provide aerial refueling for exercises, training, and testing. It is expected that the Air Force will conclude the contracts to private companies study shortly. After the initial report of using privately owned aerial refueling tankers, which is all about feasibility, it will be determined if further research is needed to understand the legal challenges.

In short, the upcoming bill will prohibit the USAF from retiring any KC-135s from Fiscal Year 2021 to 2023. Also, the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act requires the USAF to maintain a minimum of 50 primary mission inventory KC-10As in 2021, 38 in 2022, and 26 in 2021. Originally, the USAF's budget plan to 2023 was to cut 16 of the current 59 KC-10A Extenders and 13 of the current 396 KC-135R/Ts Stratotankers. The KC-10A Extender will be phased out gradually. It is expected that most of them will end up at the boneyard in Arizona as well.

Ever since the end of the 1940s, the USAF has invested in its aerial refueling capacity. Although the USAF's aerial refueling fleet is dedicated as multirole (Tanker/Transport), it is the largest in the world. With some 470 aerial refueling aircraft at its disposal, the USAF has far more aircraft than Russia and China. Russia has some 15 operational Ilyushin Il-78Ms in their inventory and China has only a handful dedicated aerial refueling Xian HU-6s. Both Russia and China rely much on the non strategic buddy-buddy aerial refueling concept.

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An almost sixty years old Stratofortress flew a 28-hour mission

On 2 July 2020, one Boeing B-52H Stratofortress bomber from the 96th Bomb Squadron ("Red Devils"), part of the 2nd Bomb Wing, took off from Barksdale AFB (LA) and participated in a maritime integration exercise with the USS Nimitz (CVN68) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN76) carrier strike groups in the South China Sea before landing at Andersen AFB on the Island of Guam.

The almost sixty years old unmarked B-52H, serial number 60-0052, flew a 28-hour mission to demonstrate the US Indo-Pacific Command’s commitment to the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific region. This mission was part of another bomber task force Dynamic Force Employment (DFE) used by US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) to conduct training with, and in support of Geographic Combatant Commands efforts to help maintain global stability and security.

The DFE was already outlined in the 2018 United States National Defense Strategy. The past months, the USAF has flown multiple B-1B, B-2A and B-52H DFE missions to the European and Indo-Pacific areas of operations. These type of missions support the US National Defense Strategy’s objectives of strategic predictability and operational unpredictability.

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n33d4sp33d_85 · Post by **n33d4sp33d_85** » Sun Jul 05, 2020 7:56 pm

https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/j ... 57.article
https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/s ... 56.article
https://www.key.aero/article/safran-sup ... 90-engines

n33d4sp33d_85 · Post by **n33d4sp33d_85** » Mon Jul 06, 2020 4:36 am

https://www.flightglobal.com/aerospace/ ... 44.article
https://www.flightglobal.com/air-transp ... 64.article
https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/a ... 58.article
https://www.key.aero/article/raf-typhoo ... d-exercise

n33d4sp33d_85 · Post by **n33d4sp33d_85** » Mon Jul 06, 2020 3:07 pm

Qantas has flown its first Airbus A380 to the Californian desert. A few hours ago, VH-OQE arrived non-stop at Victorville (CA) from Melbourne as QF6001.

The airline is planning to put all of its twelve A380s in deep storage in the coming weeks. Earlier they said they would be flown to Mojave (CA), but it now seems to have become Victorville (CA).

Qantas has said to keep the aircraft there until at least 2023 and might not even bring six of them back into service.

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The government of Portugal is increasing its ownership of TAP Air Portugal from 50% to 72.5% by taking-over the 22.5% shares currently being held by David Neeleman. The move is part of a 1.2 billion euros loan to the airline in order to save the company from collapse.

Portugal is taking this measure and regain majority control over TAP as it deems the airline vital to the country's tourism industry. The government, however, did say they will be looking to international partners to run the airline and eventually sell it again.

Due to current low demand for flights, TAP will not extend leases on six aircraft; three Airbus A319s, one A320, one A321 and one Embraer E190 are leaving the fleet when their leases expire later this year. More fleet-reduction might follow.

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It seems Miami Air International is set to return to the skies as the owner of World Atlantic Airlines has bought the defunct company.

The plan is to revive the airline and have it operate a fleet of up to six leased The Boeing Company B737-800s.

So far there is no plan to merge Miami Air International and World Atlantic, which has a fleet of eight MD-83s.

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Royal Air Maroc has announced that the airline is planning to lay-off almost 900 co-workers as well as reducing their current fleet of around 60 planes with a third by selling 20 aircraft.

Slated to be sold will be their complete fleet of four Embraer E190s, as well as twelve The Boeing Company B737s and four B787-8s.

Once sold, RAM's fleet will consist of six ATR72s, 25 B737-800s, two B737-8s, one B787-8 and four B787-9s.

RAM is taking these steps as it's fighting the effects of the Corona-pandemic which has resulted in the airline losing up to 100 million euros every month.

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n33d4sp33d_85 · Post by **n33d4sp33d_85** » Mon Jul 06, 2020 4:45 pm

Amazing news from the UK this morning!
Following our report from April it has now been confirmed that the British charity “Historic Helicopters” were successful in their bid to buy with the intention to restore to flight the ex Belgian Air Force Sea Kings RS02 and RS04. It’s great to see ex military helicopters having a second life in private hands! Historic Helicopters will operate an incredible fleet of 5 Sea kings. We cannot wait to see them in action next year!

https://www.facebook.com/EuropeAirShows ... &__tn__=-R

n33d4sp33d_85 · Post by **n33d4sp33d_85** » Tue Jul 07, 2020 4:51 am

n33d4sp33d_85 · Post by **n33d4sp33d_85** » Tue Jul 07, 2020 3:46 pm

Australia to replace Navy MRH90s

According to a forecast in the Australian Government's 2020 Force Structure Plan dated 1 July 2020; the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) wants to replace the MRH90s currently in use with 808 Squadron at HMAS Albatross near Nowra (NSW).

The RAN is considering a new helicopter type which is more consistent with the expectations for larger naval operations and commonality with the current Seahawks in service with 725 Squadron ("Be Aggressive") and 816 Squadron ("Imitate the action of the tiger"). A timeline chart shows a project for a "Logistics Helicopter" running from 2025 to 2031, and is valued at AUD 1 billion to AUD 1.5 billion.

The new helicopter will replace the small fleet of six MRH90s in use with 808 Squadron ("Strength in Unity"). None of the 47 MRH90s in Army and Navy service are marinised, so sustained operations at sea from the RAN’s Canberra class LHDs and other vessels require an inordinate amount of preventative maintenance and washing after each flight to mitigate corrosion. Looking for greater commonality with the MH-60R Seahawk, this only leaves two options; the MH-60S or the MH-60R. The MH-60S makes more sense, as it has a larger cabin based on the Black Hawk with double doors on both sides, seating for up to 12 passengers, and more internal space for cargo. But ..., the MH-60S is no longer in production.

When a successor for the MRH90s is chosen and delivered, the MRH90s will be transferred to the Australian Army.

For the fleet of 24 MH-60Rs, eight 816sq Seahawks are embarked at sea at any one time, eight are used for training with 725sq, and eight are in maintenance or being prepared for deployment.

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Aeronautica Militare Lightning IIs intercept Russian aircraft

On 3 July 2020, three Russian Federation - Naval Aviation (AVMF-RF) Northern Fleet Tu-142 ASW and Maritime Patrol Aircraft flew a 12-hour mission across the Barents and Norwegian Sea, and over the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. The 7,000 km trip was supported by at least one Russian Federation - Aerospace Forces (RF VKS) Il-78 tanker aircraft, that refueled the Tu-142 along the way, and by an unspecified number of MiG-31 interceptors that provided fighter escort to the aircraft.

The Aeronautica Militare (AMI, Italian Air Force) F-35A Lightning IIs deployed to Keflavik (Iceland) for Operation Northern Lighting II (support for NATO’s Icelandic Air Policing mission), were among the NATO interceptors scramble'd to monitor the Russian activity in northern Europe. The Italian aircraft belong to the Task Group “Falco” of the Task Force Air 32nd Wing. The Lightnings were scrambled to intercept the Russian aircraft on their way to their operating area south of Iceland. The A-SCRAMBLE (Alert-scramble), marked the first time an F-35A of any partner nation was under NATO command for a real-world mission from Iceland. A second pair of Lightning IIs was scramble'd to establish a CAP (Combat Air Patrol) and monitor the activity of the Russian aircraft on their way back.

Check also the different paint scheme on the AMI F-35s, the front aircraft of the formation is furnished with the latest Radar Avoiding Material layer.

On 7 March 2020, a similar activity of Russian Tu-142s was recorded. Back then, the NATO fighters intercepted both Tu-142MK (Bear F) and one Tu-142MR variant (Bear J) that was escorted by at least one MiG-31 Foxhound. The two types of Tu-142s often team up during long-range training missions carried out along the borders of NATO’s airspace.

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As part of its restructuring under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Aeromexico has filed plans outlining it seeks to immediately terminate the leases of nineteen aircraft between now and 15 July.

The planes involved are all nine Embraer E170s of Aeromexico Connect, five The Boeing Company B737-700s and five B737-800s from the mainline-fleet.

Aeromexico currently has a fleet of 68 aircraft and Aeromexico Connect has 56.

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Reuters is reporting that Cathay Pacific is planning to put up to 50 widebody-aircraft into long-term storage in a desert. The aircraft involved can be planes from all airlines in the Cathay Group, including Cathay Dragon 國泰港龍航空. The airline also didn't rule out that several of these 50 planes might be permanently retired.

Currently large part of the Group's 236-strong fleet is parked in the humid climate at Hong Kong International Airport 香港國際機場, so moving some aircraft to a better climate makes sense.

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