tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80172627527865654192024-03-13T03:03:26.318-07:00Aircraft NutHerman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.comBlogger149125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-29810300442517941202018-09-07T18:50:00.000-07:002018-09-07T18:50:03.750-07:00Amelia Earhart's sad demise<h2>
Dozens heard Amelia Earhart's final, chilling pleas for help, researchers say</h2>
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Distilled from 2 posts in the Washington Post and the Web</div>
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Amelia Earhart waded into the Pacific Ocean and climbed into her downed and disabled Lockheed Electra. The famous aviator started the engine, turned on the two-way radio and sent out a plea for help, one more desperate than previous messages.<br />
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The high tide was getting higher, she had realised. Soon it would suck the plane into deeper water, cutting Earhart off from civilisation - and any chance of rescue.<br />
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Aviator Amelia Earhart's cries for help were heard by people who just happened to be listening to their radios at the right time.<br />
Across the world, a 15-year-old girl listening to the radio in St Petersburg, Florida transcribed some of the desperate phrases she heard: "waters high," "water's knee deep - let me out" and "help us quick."<br />
A housewife in Toronto heard a shorter message, but it was no less dire: "We have taken in water . . . we can't hold on much longer."<br />
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On July 2, 1937, just after Earhart's plane disappeared, the US Navy put out an "all ships, all stations" bulletin.<br />
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That harrowing scene, the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) believes, was probably one of the final moments of Earhart's life. The group put forth the theory in a paper that analyses radio distress calls heard in the days after Earhart disappeared.<br />
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In the summer of 1937, she had sought to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. Instead, TIGHAR's theory holds, she ended up marooned on a desert island, radioing for help.<br />
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Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, could only call for help when the tide was so low it wouldn't flood the engine, TIGHAR theorised. That limited their pleas for help to a few hours each night.<br />
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It wasn't enough, TIGHAR director Ric Gillespie told The Washington Post, and the pair died as castaways.<br />
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But those radio messages form a historical record - evidence that Gillespie says runs counter to the US Navy's official conclusion that Earhart and Noonan died shortly after crashing into the Pacific Ocean.<br />
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"These active versus silent periods and the fact that the message changes on July 5 and starts being worried about water and then is consistently worried about water after that - there's a story there," Gillespie said.<br />
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"We're feeding it to the public in bite-sized chunks. I'm hoping that people will smack their foreheads like I did."<br />
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Some of Earhart's final messages were heard by members of the military and others looking for Earhart, Gillespie said.<br />
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Others caught the attention of people who just happened to be listening to their radios when they stumbled across random pleas for help.<br />
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Almost all of those messages were discounted by the US Navy, which concluded that Earhart's plane went down somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, then sank to the seabed.<br />
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Gillespie has been trying to debunk that finding for three decades. He believes that Earhart spent her final days on then-uninhabited Gardner Island.<br />
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She may have been injured, Noonan was probably worse, but the crash wasn't the end of them.<br />
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On July 2, 1937, just after Earhart's plane disappeared, the US Navy put out an "all ships, all stations" bulletin, TIGHAR wrote.Authorities asked anyone with a radio and a trained ear to listen in to the frequencies she had been using on her trip, 3105 and 6210 kilohertz.<br />
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It was not an easy task. The Electra's radio was designed to communicate only within a few hundred kilometres. The Pacific Ocean is much bigger. The searchers listening to Earhart's frequencies heard a carrier wave, which indicated that someone was speaking, but most heard nothing more than that.<br />
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Others heard what they interpreted to be a crude attempt at Morse code.But thanks to the scientific principle of harmonics, TIGHAR says, others heard much more.<br />
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In addition to the primary frequencies, "the transmitter also put out 'harmonics (multiples)' of those wavelengths," the paper says. "High harmonic frequencies 'skip' off the ionosphere and can carry great distances, but clear reception is unpredictable."<br />
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That means Earhart's cries for help were heard by people who just happened to be listening to their radios at the right time.<br />
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According to TIGHAR's paper:<br />
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"Scattered across North America and unknown to each other, each listener was astonished to suddenly hear Amelia Earhart pleading for help. They alerted family members, local authorities or local newspapers. Some were investigated by government authorities and found to be believable. Others were dismissed at the time and only recognised many years later.<br />
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Although few in number, the harmonic receptions provide an important glimpse into the desperate scene that played out on the reef at Gardner Island."<br />
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The tide probably forced Earhart and Noonan to hold to a schedule. Seek shelter, shade and food during the sweltering day, then venture out to the craft at low tide, to try the radio again.<br />
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Back in the United States, people heard things, tidbits that pointed at trouble.<br />
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On July 3, for example, Nina Paxton, an Ashland, Kentucky, woman, said she heard Earhart say "KHAQQ calling," and say she was "on or near little island at a point near" . . . "then she said something about a storm and that the wind was blowing....Will (or We'll ) have to get out of here," she says at one point. "We can't stay here long."<br />
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What happened to Earhart after that has vexed the world for nearly 81 years, and TIGHAR is not the only group to try to explain the mystery. Gillespie is just one member of competing researchers who have dedicated their time and resources to one of aviation's greatest mysteries.<br />
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Mike Campbell, a retired journalist who wrote Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last, insists along with others that Earhart and Noonan were captured in the Marshall Islands by the Japanese, who thought they were American spies, and died in Japanese custody after being tortured.<br />
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Elgen Long, a Navy combat veteran and an expert on Earhart's disappearance, wrote a book saying her plane crashed into the Pacific and sank.<br />
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Gillespie said he believes that evidence supporting his Gardner Island theory is adding up.<br />
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He believes that the messages sent out over those six days were by Earhart and, occasionally, Noonan. He believes that bones found on Gardner island in 1940 belonged to Earhart, but were misidentified and discarded.<br />
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He believes that Amelia Earhart died marooned on an island after her plane was sucked into the Pacific Ocean. But he realises that the public needs more than his tide tables and extrapolations from data that predates World War II.<br />
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"We're up against a public that wants a smoking gun," he told The Post.<br />
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"We know the public wants, demands, something simple. And we're also very much aware that we live in a time of rampant science denial. Nobody does nuance anymore."<br />
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<h3>
Bones discovered on a Pacific island in Kiribati 'belong to Amelia Earhart'</h3>
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Amelia Earhart's story is revolutionary: She was the first woman to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean, and might have been the first to fly around the world had her plane not vanished over the Pacific Ocean in 1937. After decades of mystery surrounding her disappearance, her story might come to a close.<br />
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A scientific study claims that bones found in 1940 on the Pacific Island of Nikumaroro belong to Earhart, despite a forensic analysis of the remains conducted in 1941 that linked the bones to a male.<br />
The bones, revisited in the study Amelia Earhart and the Nikumaroro Bones by University of Tennessee professor Richard Jantz, were discarded. For decades they have remained an enigma, as some have speculated that Earhart died a castaway on the island after her plane crashed.<br />
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Nikumaroro, or Gardner Island, is part of the Phoenix Islands, Kiribati in the western Pacific Ocean.<br />
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The bones were uncovered by a British expedition exploring the island for settlement after they came upon a human skull, according to the study. The expedition's officer ordered a more thorough search of the area, which resulted in the discovery of several other bones and part of what appeared to be a woman's shoe. Other items found included a box made to hold a Brandis Navy Surveying Sextant that had been manufactured around 1918 and a bottle of Benedictine, an herbal liqueur.<br />
"There was suspicion at the time that the bones could be the remains of Amelia Earhart," Jantaz wrote in the study.<br />
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When the 13 bones were shipped to Fiji and studied by Dr D W Hoodless of the Central Medical School the following year, Jantz argues that it is likely that forensic osteology - the study of bones - was still in its early stages, which therefore affected his assessment of which sex the remains belonged to. Jantz, in attempting to compare the lost bones with Earhart's bones, co-developed a computer program that estimated sex and ancestry using skeletal measurements. The program, Fordisc, is commonly used by forensic anthropologists across the globe.<br />
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Jantz compared the lengths of the bones to Earhart's measurements, using her height, weight, body build, limb lengths and proportions, based on photographs and information found on her pilot's and driver's licenses. His findings revealed that Earhart's bones were "more similar to the Nikumaroro bones than 99 of individuals in a large reference sample."<br />
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"In the case of the Nikumaroro bones, the only documented person to whom they may belong is Amelia Earhart," Jantz wrote in the study.<br />
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Earhart's disappearance has long captivated the public, and theories involving her landing on Nikumaroro have emerged in recent years. Retired journalist Mike Campbell, who authored Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last, has maintained with others that Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, were captured in the Marshall Islands by the Japanese, who thought they were American spies. He believes they were tortured and died in custody.<br />
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But Ric Gillespie, director of the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) spoke to The Washington Post's Cleve R. Wootson Jr. in 2016 about how he too believes the bones found on Nikumaroro belong to Earhart.<br />
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In 1998, the group took Hoodless' measurements of the Nikumaroro bones and analysed them through a robust anthropological database. They determined the bones belonged to a taller-than-average woman of European descent - perhaps Earhart, who at 5 feet 7 (170cm) to 5 feet 8 (172.7cm), was several inches taller than the average woman.<br />
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In 2016, the group brought the measurements to Jeff Glickman, a forensic examiner, who located a photo of Earhart from Lockheed Aircraft that showed her with her arms exposed. It appeared, based on educated guesses, that Earhart's upper arm bone corresponded with one of the Nikumaroro bones.<br />
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Glickman, who is now a member of TIGHAR, told The Washington Post at the time that he understands some might be skeptical about his findings, as they were based 76-year-old medical notes. But the research made clear, he said, that Earhart died on Nikumaroro.Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-59563191724590525722018-08-05T16:23:00.000-07:002018-08-05T16:24:18.096-07:00Junker JU 52 Crashes in Swiss Alps<h2>
A Junker Ju 52, affectionately known as "Tante Ju" (Aunty Ju) by German troops in WW2, has crashed in Switzerland</h2>
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The Wreckage of HB-HOT near Flims</div>
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HB-HOT in happier days</div>
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The 79 year old 3-engined World War II transport workhorse plane crashed in the Swiss Alps in early Augist 2018 while on a sightseeing tour, killing all 20 people on board.<br />
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The German-built Junkers Ju-52 (HB-HOT) was carrying 17 passengers, all Swiss except for an Austrian couple and their son, the Swiss authorities said. Three crew members were also killed in the crash on Saturday.<br />
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The plane was on an Alpine sightseeing tour from Locarno, in the Italian-speaking region of southern Switzerland, to Dübendorf, an airport near Zurich, when it crashed into the mountainside near the ski resort of Flims, in eastern Switzerland.<br />
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An investigation was underway, but explosion on board and in-flight collision as the cause of the crash has already been ruled out.<br />
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The Junkers plane struck the Piz Segnas Mountain at an altitude of about 8,000 feet. It plunged down “almost vertically, at high speed,” Daniel Knecht, a spokesman for the Swiss transport safety investigation board, said at a news conference on Sunday 5 August.<br />
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The plane was operated by Ju-Air, a Swiss vntage aircraft company that offers tours in the former Swiss military aircraft. The Ju-52, also known as “Aunty Ju,” was developed by Junkers, a German plane manufacturer in the 1930s, initially with a single engine but then as a three-engine aircraft.The company operates several Vintage Ju 52s. It was a popular airliner and postal aircraft before the war, and used widely.<br />
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The aircraft were used by the Luftwaffe during World World II as both transport and bomber. It first came into military use during the Spanish Civil War, notably as part of the German-led bombing of the Basque town of Guernica in 1937, which was later immortalized by Pablo Picasso in his famous painting, Guernica Night.<br />
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During World War II, the Germans used the plane mostly as a transport, serving on all fronts, including Russia and North Africa. The Swiss Air Force decommissioned its last three Ju-52 planes in 1982, which were then taken over by a group of Swiss vintage aircraft enthusiasts.<br />
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Kurt Waldmeier, a former pilot and the president of Ju-Air, called it “the most tragic day in the history” of his company, but said it was too early to draw conclusions about what had caused the crash. “Nobody has more interest than Ju-Air in clarifying the events, so that such an accident can never occur again,” he said.<br />
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Waldmeier told a news conference that the plane, built in 1939, had flown more than 10,000 hours and had been regularly checked because of its age. The last inspection was in late July, and the aircraft had no history of technical problems, he said. The plane was navigated by using sight and maps rather than modern instruments. All three members of the crew had more than 30 years of professional experience.<br />
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The 62-year-old captain, who was not immediately named, had spent three decades as a commercial pilot for the national carrier, Swissair, and its successor, Swiss. He had been flying the Ju-52 regularly since 2004.<br />
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Rescue teams and investigators, with the support of helicopters, were sifting through the debris on Sunday. In recent days, Switzerland has been hit by a heat wave that has pushed daytime temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).<br />
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While flight specialists told Swiss news outlets that intense heat could make it more difficult to fly such an aircraft, they said it was too early to suggest that high temperature played any part in the crash.<br />
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(Copyright notice: Original article from The Times, photograph from the net. Happy to attribute (or remove) where not clearly marked to identify comyright material. No infringement intended, simply a aircraft fan blog)Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-38851334487688016842017-06-01T23:00:00.000-07:002017-06-01T23:00:54.042-07:00World's largest aircraft unveiled<h2>
Stratolaunch: Largest aircraft in the world unveiled</h2>
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Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has been quietly building the world's largest aircraft, Stratolaunch, in the California desert. Once completed it will be the world's largest airplane. With a wingspan more than that of Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose. It was wheeled out of its hangar for the first time on Wednesday.<br />
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Stratolaunch has some impressive stats:<br />
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Wingspan 117 ms<br />
Height 15m.<br />
Unfueled weight :226 800 kg<br />
Fuel load : 113 400 kg<br />
Total weight: 589 670kg.<br />
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Other extraordinary facts: It has 28 wheels and six Boeing747 jet engines.<br />
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97 km of wiring.<br />
It's so big that the county had to issue special construction permits just for the construction scaffolding.<br />
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It's so big that to truly get a sense of it, you have to see it from a distance - like a mountain.<br />
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Why so big? Not to carry passengers, but rather low earth orbit payload carying rockets. The bigger the plane, the larger the rockets, or the greater the number.<br />
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Allen's Stratolaunch company has partnered with Orbital ATK to "air launch" the company's Pegasus XL, a rocket capable of delivering small satellites, weighing as much as 450kg, to orbit. The rockets would be tethered to the belly of the giant plane, which would fly them aloft, and once at an altitude of 10,668m or so, the rockets would drop and "air launch" to space.<br />
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"With airport-style operations and quick turn-around capabilities," the company said it believes "air launch" is a cheaper and more efficient way to get satellites into space than rockets that launch vertically and can be extraordinarily expensive.<br />
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For Allen, it's all about LEO, or low-Earth orbit. He, and others, such as Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit, are betting that they can reduce the cost of launching small satellites to space. And that, in turn, will lead to new ways to beam the internet all across the globe, provide better Earth sensing capabilities, better communication, and open up all sorts of avenues.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZNdiU8IGHpaEVYnb_0n_cMmpLoddbxOXy4cnX0DOUoNe6IhQ0xL81H0HjqZRjlQNaacGPHNoup_p2hqlX9cgIP4_dvGndhYXsRBYjyqJTuEoddIITffx_hsWgWgb01VyvGHe9beG6g/s1600/Stratolaunch-Will-Be-Launching-Satellites-Into-Space.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="960" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZNdiU8IGHpaEVYnb_0n_cMmpLoddbxOXy4cnX0DOUoNe6IhQ0xL81H0HjqZRjlQNaacGPHNoup_p2hqlX9cgIP4_dvGndhYXsRBYjyqJTuEoddIITffx_hsWgWgb01VyvGHe9beG6g/s640/Stratolaunch-Will-Be-Launching-Satellites-Into-Space.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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"When such access to space is routine, innovation will accelerate in ways beyond what we can currently imagine," Allen said in a statement a year ago. "That's the thing about new platforms: when they become easily available, convenient and affordable, they attract and enable other visionaries and entrepreneurs to realize more new concepts."<br />
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More than a decade ago, Allen had hoped to spark a revolution in space travel when he funded SpaceShipOne, which became the first commercial vehicle to cross the threshold of space. The project ultimately won the Ansari X Prize, and a $10 million award. He then licensed the technology to Branson and moved on to other pursuits. But with Stratolaunch, he is back in the space business.<br />
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"Thirty years ago, the PC revolution put computing power into the hands of millions and unlocked incalculable human potential," he wrote.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyt3mu49QTX6Z-04QRuiulQlnf8-3xuCi6TOUOKhoYLVweUyY4VAOQl99kAsWxydq0Kqps5WU2cGE_DPhyphenhyphenxT9i4zbFuEBzlx7S7XDLRQ8-3L-Y5PTgmUGo4cwm6b4b3atuNoZdTvbLIA/s1600/gallery-1496253795-strato-leaves-hangar1-website.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyt3mu49QTX6Z-04QRuiulQlnf8-3xuCi6TOUOKhoYLVweUyY4VAOQl99kAsWxydq0Kqps5WU2cGE_DPhyphenhyphenxT9i4zbFuEBzlx7S7XDLRQ8-3L-Y5PTgmUGo4cwm6b4b3atuNoZdTvbLIA/s640/gallery-1496253795-strato-leaves-hangar1-website.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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"Twenty years ago, the advent of the Web and the subsequent proliferation of smartphones combined to enable billions of people to surmount the traditional limitations of geography and commerce. Today, expanding access to LEO holds similar revolutionary potential."<br />
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Jean Floyd, Stratolauch's chief executive, said the company would be "actively exploring a broad spectrum of launch vehicles that will enable us to provide more flexibility to customers."<br />
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He added: "Over the coming weeks and months, we'll be actively conducting ground and flightline testing at the Mojave Air and Space Port. This is a first-of-its-kind aircraft, so we're going to be diligent throughout testing and continue to prioritize the safety of our pilots, crew and staff. Stratolaunch is on track to perform its first launch demonstration as early as 2019."<br />
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Original Article Washington Post<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnVBWqMkRPfJuBSuKW_KlLRIjGH24zOCg11LbjcNCs3tJfKV-mQMnnzKuIUt5jW_kcAA2CHhSv19Y0g9qr4jXcKobTzlLPRY9cZny_giWLadwol3FJL7KfonkBPWkGMx3xT0apvJGTSA/s1600/718619main_TGALC_Ops_concept.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="1200" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnVBWqMkRPfJuBSuKW_KlLRIjGH24zOCg11LbjcNCs3tJfKV-mQMnnzKuIUt5jW_kcAA2CHhSv19Y0g9qr4jXcKobTzlLPRY9cZny_giWLadwol3FJL7KfonkBPWkGMx3xT0apvJGTSA/s640/718619main_TGALC_Ops_concept.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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NASA concept for a similar concept, using a tow-plane </div>
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<br />Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-15455004868607572992017-04-24T15:49:00.000-07:002017-04-24T15:57:44.635-07:00ANZAC day 2017 Remembering the fallen<h2>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In remembrance. For 1915, 1916, 1917, and 2017</span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">and for all the sacrifices before and after</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">for those who went and served, those who came back, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">and those who did not</span></h4>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Lest we forget.</span></h4>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">They went with songs to the battle, they were young.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">They fell with their faces to the foe.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">At the going down of the sun and in the morning,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">We will remember them.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;">Laurence Binyon ( For the Fallen)</span></span>Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-8193173684882629742017-04-11T23:07:00.000-07:002017-04-17T16:38:14.853-07:00Start of the drip-feed: Arrival at Ohakea and line-up of NZ choppers<h2>
Pictures from an exhibition: </h2>
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Ohakea Air Show: New Zealand Choppers</h2>
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So I've been wondering how to share the literally hundreds of photos I took at the Air Tattoo. Decided to go with themes, and how the day unwound. So the first thing I saw was a line-up of NZ Choppers. So let's start here:<br />
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Line-up of active helicopter types in the RNZAF: </div>
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Seasprite SH2-G(I), A109 LUH and NH 90s lined up at Ohakea Air Base</div>
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AugustaWestland A109 Light Utility Helicopter</div>
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The Helicopter Transition Unit is responsible for the operational testing and introduction of the new A109 training and light utility and NH90 medium utility helicopters which are replacing the Bell Iroquoiss.<br />
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The RNZAF has five new state-of-the-art AgustaWestland A109 Light Utility Helicopters (A109LUH). They are a lightweight, twin-engine aircraft with a modern glass cockpit and a retractable wheeled undercarriage.<br />
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The A109LUH is part of the Defence Force helicopter training system that includes computer based training, a virtual interactive procedural trainer, a simulator and helicopter. This provides the Defence Force with a cost effective means of training aircrew prior to operational conversion onto the NH90 or SH-2G helicopters. In addition to its training role, the A109LUH will be used in various operational roles.<br />
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Manufacturer: AgustaWestland, Italy<br />
Power plant: Two Turbomeca Arrius 2K2 turboshaft engines capable of producing 609 Shaft horse power (SHP) each. The transmission system is rated for a maximum of 900 Shp (normally 450 Shp x 2)<br />
Length: 12.939m<br />
Fuselage Length: 11.429m<br />
Rotor diameter: 10.830m<br />
Height: 3.421m<br />
Empty weight: 2200kg<br />
Undercarriage: Retractable tricycle (wheeled)<br />
Maximum take-off weight: 3175kg (3200kg with external load)<br />
Useful load on cargo hook: 400kg<br />
Rescue hoist: Can lift 270kg or two people<br />
Max cruise speed: 285kph<br />
Normal ferry range: 650km<br />
Normal endurance: 3 hours 30 minutes<br />
Crew: Two pilots, one helicopter crewman<br />
Seating: The A109LUH has two pilot seats and a maximum of six seats in the rear cabin<br />
Equipment: Glass cockpit (fully Night Vision Goggle compatible) with moving map, advanced flight management system, four-axis autopilot, fitted with radios for interoperability with the Defence Force, other military partners and civil agencies, Nightsun searchlight, emergency floats<br />
Armament: Single pintle mounted 7.62mm MAG 58 Machine Gun<br />
Protection: Full cockpit and rear cabin ballistic protection<br />
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(Information from RNZAF Official website)<br />
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A109 LUH In-flight display</div>
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A109 LUH Static display</div>
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Grand ol' dame: Bell Iroquis on static display</div>
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Bell UH-1H Iroquois<br />
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The RNZAF has retired its fleet of 16 Iroquois helicopters as of 1 July 2015<br />
The first delivery was five UH-1D in 1966 followed in 1970 by nine UH-1H and one more UH-1H in 1976. All of the UH-1D aircraft were upgraded to 1H specification during the 1970s.<br />
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Two ex-US Army UH-1H attrition air frames were purchased in 1996, one of which is still in service. Three aircraft have been lost in accidents.<br />
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Capacity is nine passengers or five troops with full packs or seven troops in light order. Equipment included a rescue winch, nightsun searchlight and night vision goggle capability. Armament was the M60 7.62mm, replaced by the MAG58 7.62mm.<br />
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The NH-90s took over all official duties on 1 July 2015. 10 Bell UH-1H air frames were advertised for sale to domestic and international purchasers and the remaining three air frames will be donated to museums around New Zealand.<br />
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On the 2 March 2016, after a successful tender acquisition, the Iroquois helicopter fleet was shipped to Dakota Air Parts International, warehouse in Phoenix, Arizona. Six of the ten helicopters remain in a airworthy condition.<br />
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3 Sq RNZAF NH 90's</div>
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<b style="text-align: center;">NH Industries NH90</b></div>
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The NH Industries NH90 was chosen as the primary replacement helicopter for the Bell UH-1H. </div>
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The NH-90 are used to support the NZ Army, NZ Police, New Zealand Department of Conservation, assist with search and rescue, VIP duties, and heavy lifting. </div>
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Nine NH-90 were acquired for NZ $70 million a helicopter in 2007 and deliveries began in 2012 with the first two helicopters arriving at RNZAF Base Ohakea. The NH-90 took over all official duties from the Bell UH-1H on 1 July 2015.</div>
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Tail assembly NZ3304 NH90 of 3 Squadron RNZAF</div>
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Winching gear</div>
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The NH90 is an advanced medium utility helicopter, capable of undertaking a wide variety of roles. It incorporates new and sustainable technologies and represents a substantial improvement on the Iroquois that will provide the NZDF with a contemporary, highly capable and deployable helicopter. The NH90 will be used for frontline military and civil operations.<br />
The RNZAF has eight NH90 helicopters in its fleet.<br />
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The NH90 can carry up to 12 fully equipped soldiers or up to 18 lightly equipped troops (allowing for door gunners). It can carry up to 9 stretchers plus medical staff or palletised cargo; it can also lift the Army’s Light Operational Vehicle.<br />
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It has the capability to support ground operations, disaster relief, search and rescue, counter-drug operations and counter terrorism. Police, Customs, Maritime NZ, Civil Defence, Foreign Affairs and Trade, NZAID and the Department of Conservation all will be able to make effective use of the NH90.<br />
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Aircraft: NH90<br />
Manufacturer: NATO Helicopter Industries (NHI)<br />
Power plant: 2 x Rolls-Royce Turbomecca RTM 322-01/9; 2,227 SHP each)<br />
Length: 19.56m (rotors turning)<br />
Width: 4.62m (fuselage and stabilator)<br />
Height: 5.23m (rotors turning)<br />
Max weight: 10,600kg, can be extend to 11, 000kg in certain operational situations<br />
Max underslung load: 4,000kg<br />
Max speed: 300kph (164kts)<br />
Fuel: 2035 kgs (internal), two 500kg external fuel tanks<br />
Range: 780km (420nm) with internal fuel<br />
Endurance: 4.45 hours on internal fuel<br />
Crew: Two pilots and one or two Helicopter Loadmasters (HLM)<br />
Capacity: Eighteen troops in light order (allowing for door gunners)<br />
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Tail assembly folded for transport on naval vessels or road</div>
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Kaman SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite</div>
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The Kaman SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite is an advanced maritime weapon system and proven day/night/all-weather multi-mission helicopter. Originally designed to meet the exacting requirements of the U.S. Navy, the SH-2G Super Seasprite has the highest power-to-weight ratio of any maritime helicopter, assuring a safe return-to-ship capability even in single-engine flight conditions. </div>
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It is the largest, most powerful small ship helicopter in use today and is recognized for its mission effectiveness, support, and unmatched performance. The SH-2G is currently operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Egyptian Air Force and the Polish Navy. </div>
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Its robust design, outstanding stability, and excellent reliability have been proven through more than 1.5 million flight hours. The SH-2G is a multi-mission maritime weapon system designed to fulfill anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), over the horizon targeting, surveillance, troop transport, vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and utility missions. </div>
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The Kaman SH-2F Seasprite, was operated in the first decade of the 2000s whilst the SH-2G(NZ) Seasprite helicopters were being built to replace these aircraft. In April 2013, the government approved the purchase of an upgraded and expanded Seasprite helicopter fleet for the NZDF - the SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite helicopter.</div>
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No. 6 Squadron is one of the force elements under the command of the Air Component Commander HQ JFNZ (ACC) and remains under full command of the Chief of the Air Force.</div>
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Operational command (OPCOM) when ships' flights are required to embark, is assigned by ACC to the Maritime Component Commander (MCC), who will in turn assign operational control (OPCON) to the ship's CO. The squadron is located at RNZAF Base Auckland.</div>
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Squadron History</div>
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The squadron operates Kaman SH-2G(I) Seasprite helicopters.</div>
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To meet NZDF Naval Helicopter Force requirements, the Squadron provides:</div>
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<li>operational tasks and training for the RNZN.</li>
<li>surface warfare missions and surveillance operations.</li>
<li>underwater warfare.</li>
<li>helicopter delivery services/logistics.</li>
<li>day and night search and rescue.</li>
<li>medical evacuation.</li>
<li>helicopter operational conversion (Seasprite) training for pilots, observers and helicopter crewmen.</li>
<li>assistance to other government agencies.</li>
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An increase in the fleet from five to eight allows the helicopters to be embarked on the two ANZAC Class Frigates, HMNZS Te Mana and Te Kaha, as well as the offshore patrol vessels HMNZS Otago and Wellington, and the multi-role ship HMNZS Canterbury with aircrew from the RNZN and maintainers from the RNZAF. </div>
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The Squadron is currently annually allocated approximately 1000 flying hours to achieve the stated tasks.</div>
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In July 1998, Naval Support Flight moved from their historic home at Hobsonville to the Whenuapai, Auckland air base and on 31 October 2005, was reformed as No. 6 Squadron, RNZAF.</div>
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Naval aviation have been involved in a number of operations:</div>
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Multi-nation Interdiction Force (1980's, 1996, 1999)</div>
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Bougainville and Papua New Guinea (1990's)</div>
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East Timor (1999-2000)</div>
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Solomon Islands (2000, 2001)</div>
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Operation Enduring Freedom (2002, 2003, 2004)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg714cn67uSrJWoV-GlqdsKRtDzlov14HbWluwgDekjfZMObR6VC8STTp_PeMYgslwBXTVubsHFtws6a9yhfQo6-y4tkZHs1K8Z_3j76iFmLTPXeaBBALH-_FiKY3qShj9SkpqsU-BLvQ/s1600/DSC00726+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg714cn67uSrJWoV-GlqdsKRtDzlov14HbWluwgDekjfZMObR6VC8STTp_PeMYgslwBXTVubsHFtws6a9yhfQo6-y4tkZHs1K8Z_3j76iFmLTPXeaBBALH-_FiKY3qShj9SkpqsU-BLvQ/s640/DSC00726+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I always find air show sea rescue simulations a little awkward to watch, and this was no exception. Whilst it does display the aircraft's capabilties, it seems just somehow wrong to see someone sitting on a trailerboat being"rescued" on dry land , and then seeing the boat and trailer then being towed away by a ute.<br />
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Oldest of NZ's workhorses, the Bell Sioux </div>
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Bell 47G-3B-2 Sioux</div>
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The first helicopters to be flown by the RNZAF, six B47G-3B-1 (NZ3701 -NZ3706) were delivered in 1965. Seven B47G-3B-2 (NZ3707 – NZ3713) were purchased in 1968 and delivered during 1970. All Bell 47G-3B-2 have been retired and replaced by the Agusta A109LUH since 2011.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dH_9R6wWVWxIR4WUMzY-IeRYCPTVnD3QyYokLL9Ac0TJGaV-oAOgG2xvlcTGdppHcUoM3YhNeE-y4GE1zrNgTZLqW9AEYtrcWY4oTfdpIrs2XR8EyBK6S1Cn5i7YdHWFIuhCP53pBQ/s1600/DSC00096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dH_9R6wWVWxIR4WUMzY-IeRYCPTVnD3QyYokLL9Ac0TJGaV-oAOgG2xvlcTGdppHcUoM3YhNeE-y4GE1zrNgTZLqW9AEYtrcWY4oTfdpIrs2XR8EyBK6S1Cn5i7YdHWFIuhCP53pBQ/s640/DSC00096.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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There was also a display of precision flying from some of the many rescue helicopters that do such fantastic life-saving work all over the country. In this case it is ZK-IPT, a Palmerston North based </div>
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Kawasaki BK-117 B-2. Two or three were present at the event.</div>
<br />Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-45922133664718771212017-03-30T23:48:00.000-07:002017-03-31T00:18:45.897-07:00RNZAF 80th Anniversary Air Tattoo<h2 style="text-align: center;">
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) celebrated its </h2>
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80th anniversary with an</h2>
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Air Tattoo at RNZAF Base Ohakea </h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjae5paQkTd8F61q4QPgfezv7lXEWUXXJAdFVmWKENSsBPW3Mjr8uk4xiacY4C8mPvGozKjJQZ194xW5CJdBVQgyYm4Nx_c51HSlUK_iYYGEUtAeACRiQnnfv_QnYTCfjVVDspA42pYHw/s1600/2017rnzafairshowlogo_website.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjae5paQkTd8F61q4QPgfezv7lXEWUXXJAdFVmWKENSsBPW3Mjr8uk4xiacY4C8mPvGozKjJQZ194xW5CJdBVQgyYm4Nx_c51HSlUK_iYYGEUtAeACRiQnnfv_QnYTCfjVVDspA42pYHw/s320/2017rnzafairshowlogo_website.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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25-26 February 2017.</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRoU_RBpH_EHZxN3t2t5M6Qi2BC9dOGyC8u2ZxaJTIp1x_CXnyjMtNQ5FNcMQ452Tm0Cis2OuyhjNC913lM3QD-hSGNj1zqIXy20Sq8B-mdQ4XN9c64vLKlNV9AsTe12k3tkbnxss0g/s1600/DSC00003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRoU_RBpH_EHZxN3t2t5M6Qi2BC9dOGyC8u2ZxaJTIp1x_CXnyjMtNQ5FNcMQ452Tm0Cis2OuyhjNC913lM3QD-hSGNj1zqIXy20Sq8B-mdQ4XN9c64vLKlNV9AsTe12k3tkbnxss0g/s400/DSC00003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The two day event focused on military aircraft and featured an international Air Force contingent.Aircraft from a number of nations were present. What a feast for aviation enthusiasts.<br />
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The event also showcased the Black Falcons aerobatic team flying the T-6C Texan trainers, and many static displays that provided an opportunity to see, and understand, the work of the New Zealand Air Force.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxCdUcSlywCYpxSDZ846YDy_s6rb2wFcQuLBYEyo5wNV8cKo94_sdQ3dHbNK73q9_6LJbTm9s5H_HomcAjv3A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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RAAF F18 taxi at Ohakea</div>
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I attended with the Jensen Family. Wayne and Sarah came down from Auckland, Sarah's dad came up from Wellington, and George, a retired pilot himself lives in Kapiti. I went completely snap-happy, and wandered around in a contented daze, giving my shutter finger a workout like it has not had in some time. Thank goodness for digital photography. In the old days I would have needed a trailer for all the film!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bkN0Ha2KeUiRHl_2nafqtmw5YrMJ_N3ilNSF_AMWJU01NLZwyGu3MCsUtUr-gDI-4bzKY5rGJau1go5Mudj0DTHr-jtoYkdDd_XEOecWN-PS2QI_JzcoEF88DsnFz-QJgQD4zEumXQ/s1600/DSC00030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bkN0Ha2KeUiRHl_2nafqtmw5YrMJ_N3ilNSF_AMWJU01NLZwyGu3MCsUtUr-gDI-4bzKY5rGJau1go5Mudj0DTHr-jtoYkdDd_XEOecWN-PS2QI_JzcoEF88DsnFz-QJgQD4zEumXQ/s640/DSC00030.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I too so many photos that it may be best to share them in batches. When the camera's second battery eventually died, I had to switch to my cellphone, which also eventually surrendered under the onslaught. Thought 'd share a couple of photos and some video first !<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvxRF9nQecZlYn9L6Ra4WuhHC7ZhLL2ilwBbSArTruGmTXafTtfJKYAlw_sQfCZ12GUvRoFEdliUNhy_Cj8fjP1XJZoyVxSRGr-Wsdj6SfOX0vaKdt9WqmTUSuzjT_OUEXV52bB9lVQ/s1600/DSC00056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvxRF9nQecZlYn9L6Ra4WuhHC7ZhLL2ilwBbSArTruGmTXafTtfJKYAlw_sQfCZ12GUvRoFEdliUNhy_Cj8fjP1XJZoyVxSRGr-Wsdj6SfOX0vaKdt9WqmTUSuzjT_OUEXV52bB9lVQ/s400/DSC00056.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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F18s coming to rest</div>
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Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-45002274347233646272016-11-17T23:01:00.000-08:002016-11-17T23:01:40.067-08:00More Chopper porn ! Multinational choppers in action in NZ<h2>
Chopper porn: Multinational relief force choppers at work:</h2>
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What can I say. Some photographers have all the breaks. The stream of images from the NZDF about the relief efforts in Kaikoura just keep coming.</div>
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The official photographers have captured amazing images of the workhorses and the forces operating in and around them, and also of the relief efforts.</div>
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The magnificent Southern Alp backdrop makes for astounding photographs !</div>
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Well done to all the men and women who are bringing relief to those trapped and traumatised people!</div>
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Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-62329967392280488632016-11-17T14:28:00.003-08:002016-11-17T14:28:55.859-08:00Multi-national Chopper and Naval force assisting in Kaikoura Earthquake evacuationChoppers from 4 Nations assist with evacuation at Kaikoura<br />
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More snaps of the multinational military co-operation in evacuating affected people from Kaikoura after the 7.4 earthquake left the popular sea side resort holiday isolated and several thousand trapped.<br />
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Australia, Canada, the US and NZ military forces have been deployed to assist with the evacuation of visitors and injured, and resupply the residents. Water supplies were running low in particular, and inclement weather made access from both air and land almost impossible.<br />
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Photos from the NZ Defence Force (not mine, shared on their facebook page) show commanders of the vessels arriving, supplies being dropped. A feast for the eyes of naval helicopter observers and aircraft nuts.<br />
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I find it interesting to see that protesters were protesting at a military convention in Auckland while their own military and also foreign military were required to save the lives and help in the evacuation of quake affected New Zealanders.<br />
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We all rely on the military when things turn to custard. Yup, there is justification on spending money on military hardware. Its not about making war, but also keeping the peace and deterring those who may see us as a push-over. And doing the hard yakka and saving when the chips are down.<br />
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Without hawks there will be peace for the doves to coo in.<br />
Who will you turn to when the going gets tough?<br />
Seems memories are very short in peace-time.<br />
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<br />Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-20364534448662595132016-11-15T19:35:00.001-08:002016-11-15T19:36:37.329-08:00Earthquakes and RNZAF Choppers put to good use<h2>
Earthquakes in NZ: Air force choppers see use, and international Naval aid steam in</h2>
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An earthquake measuring 7.5 on the richter scale rocked NZ's North and South islands, causing slips in the hills surrounding Kaikoura, thrusting the sea-bed up, and isolating the township. </div>
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Visitors and locals alike were trapped in the town. Locals resorted to serving the abundant crayfish of the area to hungry people. </div>
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NZ deployed their NH90 military helicopters, and the USS Sampson (DG102, a guided missle destroyer) has sailed down from Auckland to assist with it's two on-board choppers:</div>
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The USS Sampson was scheduled to arrive in Auckland to celebrate the Navy's 75th birthday but will now respond to the disaster in Kaikoura. The historic visit from American warship is the first in 33 years since the ANZUS security alliance break-up due to NZ's stance on nuclear powered and armed vessels.<br />
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NZ Prime Minister John Key arriving in Kaikoura</div>
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Australia is also sending a ship to Kaikoura, HMAS Darwin which has a Seahawk helicopter to support the evacuation effort.<br />
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The HMNZS Wellington is off Kaikoura to survey the sea bed, The HMNZS Canterbury is also on its way to Kaikoura and docked at at 9am. The HMNZS Te Kaha and the a frigate the HMNZS Endeavour will assist with quake recovery as well.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c2022; font-family: "helvetica" , "roboto" , "segoe ui" , "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">NZ's largest ship, the HMNZS Canterbury is in Kaikoura assisting</span></div>
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HMAS Darwin in Sydney</div>
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Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-64428754756297955022016-06-23T03:23:00.000-07:002016-06-23T03:23:38.338-07:00SAAF in East Africa WW2SAAF in East Africa (WW2)<br />
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Great Link forwarded to me by Wing Commander John Scrimshaw RNZAF 75 Sqd (ret); one NZ's last fighter squadron commanders (A 4 Skyhawk):<br />
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Air War in East Africa (Tinus le Roux)<br />
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Thanks for the link, John</div>
<br />Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-17850303307412624972016-05-03T15:06:00.000-07:002016-05-03T15:06:14.924-07:00RAF scrambles Typhoons in suspected hijack scareTyphoons scrambled as Cityjet airliner suddenly heads towards London<br />
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A routine flight from Paris to Newcastle got a little bit more interesting when RAF Typhoon jets were scrambled after Cityjet AF1558 altered course towards London, and then went quiet.<br />
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Sonic booms from the fighter planes were heard across northern England, reports AirLive.<br />
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Avro RJ 85 as involved in the incident</div>
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Communication was re-established after seven minutes and the Cityjet plane was escorted to Newcastle airport.<br />
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"Quick reaction alert Typhoon aircraft were launched today from RAF Coningsby to identify an unresponsive civilian aircraft. Communications were re-established and the aircraft has been safely landed."<br />
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It is not known why the Cityjet plane changed course.<br />
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This follows a similar situation on April 30 when a British Airways 777 from Dubai to London Heathrow also went quiet over Hungary. Fighter jets from the central European country were scrambled but communication was re-established soon after.Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-27751280791783896802015-11-04T17:35:00.000-08:002015-11-04T17:35:29.049-08:00Proof of carbon emissions: Flatulent cows and sheep cause planes to make emergency landingsAnimal farts set off emergency alarms on planes<br />
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A Singapore Airlines plane was forced to make a bizarre emergency landing after noxious gas from a flock of sheep caused the smoke alarms to go off.<br />
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According to The Aviation Herald, the Boeing 747-400 cargo plane, carrying around 2186 sheep, was on its way from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur when the crew received a smoke indication coming from the cargo bay, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Bali.<br />
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The Aviation Herald reported that upon landing, emergency personnel inspecting the aircraft failed to "find any trace of fire, heat or smoke."<br />
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Instead, it has been claimed that the "smoke indication was identified to be the result of exhaust gasses and manure produced by the sheep."<br />
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Singapore Airlines have since released a statement claiming the flatulence may or may not have caused the emergency landing.<br />
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Similarly a Korean Airways cargo flight made an emergency mayday landing at Heathrow airport when the fire alarm on board was triggered over the Irish sea.<br />
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Gas masks in place, the crew proceeded to investigate. Instead of a blaze, they found that the 390 sweaty cows in cargo had inadvertently set off the alarm.<br />
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Cows produce a high level of methane gas - the second most significant heat-trapping emission. This raised humidity levels inside the aircraft, triggering the alarm.<br />
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According to the Daily Mail, "the Korean Airways landing at Heathrow is one of 88 mayday calls reported to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) last year. A mayday landing is the highest level of emergency and is rarely used except in the most urgent cases."<br />
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Gas protection for sheep dogs coming soon? </div>
Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-68919011649663863592015-11-02T13:14:00.000-08:002015-11-02T13:14:50.405-08:00China eyes the airline market<h2>
China unveils jetliner in bid to compete with Boeing and Airbus</h2>
Report from Paul Traynor, Associated Press:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AEgD8rGEJev99RkTp1SgQJBsWGq-L-WML3n6WdGsJlCpE47uyeTNhKKPFsGwqwr7dQRonSejebGNZS1uhT_oX-kGdzVvKLOINDEP8GtWL7F3vnLFqgyTrFwz8-fb3Lvkq5lNdHJ7bw/s1600/1446493622520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AEgD8rGEJev99RkTp1SgQJBsWGq-L-WML3n6WdGsJlCpE47uyeTNhKKPFsGwqwr7dQRonSejebGNZS1uhT_oX-kGdzVvKLOINDEP8GtWL7F3vnLFqgyTrFwz8-fb3Lvkq5lNdHJ7bw/s640/1446493622520.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Comac C919</div>
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A state-owned manufacturer has unveiled the first plane produced by a Chinese initiative to compete in the market for large passenger jetliners.<br />
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China is one of the biggest aviation markets but relies on Boeing and Airbus aircraft. The multibillion-dollar effort to create the homegrown C919 jetliner is aimed at clawing back some of the commercial benefits that flow to foreign suppliers.<br />
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The Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) showed off the first of the twin-engine planes in a ceremony attended by some 4,000 government officials and other guests at a hangar near Shanghai's Pudong International Airport.<br />
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"It's a major push for the country, as they want to be known as a major player" in airplane manufacturing, said Mavis Toh, Asia air transport editor for Flightglobal magazine.<br />
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The C919 is one of several initiatives launched by the ruling Communist Party to transform China from the world's low-cost factory into a creator of profitable technology in aviation, clean energy and other fields.<br />
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The C919, which can seat up to 168 passengers, is meant to compete in the market for single-aisle jets dominated by Airbus Industrie's A320 and Boeing Co.'s 737.<br />
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Its manufacturer, known as COMAC, says it has received orders from 21 customers for a total of 517 aircraft, mostly from Chinese carriers but also from GE Capital Aviation Services.<br />
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A separate state-owned company also has developed a smaller regional jet, the ARJ-21, to compete in the market dominated by Brazil's Embraer and Canada's Bombardier. The first two ARJ-21s were delivered last year to a Chinese airline:<br />
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Most of the C919's critical systems including engines and avionics are being supplied by Western companies or foreign-Chinese joint ventures:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2WyO8SdSMjNN8XLnfxaRZdqs10pcpTUrhyphenhyphen-co1ftQOHec1NFIoV3WDFNmW7CuBmSPfZNf5EXRfmywMmRBDzhR4_xBPjqx0aSDHuiNz3qO2jaF-5qHDHVmqVxk23kflQ8YzFAvqX-zw/s1600/C919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2WyO8SdSMjNN8XLnfxaRZdqs10pcpTUrhyphenhyphen-co1ftQOHec1NFIoV3WDFNmW7CuBmSPfZNf5EXRfmywMmRBDzhR4_xBPjqx0aSDHuiNz3qO2jaF-5qHDHVmqVxk23kflQ8YzFAvqX-zw/s400/C919.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Boeing forecasts China's total demand for civilian jetliners over the next two decades at 5,580 planes worth a total of US$780 billion.<br />
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China's major airlines are state-owned, which gives the Communist Party a captive pool of potential customers that can be ordered to buy the C919.<br />
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"China offers a terrific market, superb engineering talent and reasonably low costs. Developing a national aircraft industry makes a lot of sense," said Richard Aboulafia, vice president for analysis of Teal Group Corp., an industry consultant, in a report in July.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXCijYvLecmqPiSJvgPtrpmikqqzcDOmuLy3wnLhanqVYKK6ncdeVs7CcPBpe2GYdpUG7yN8nm1YQxNPzm1hRqnk3Z_Wio5tyhKUabDq37Wy9NZZ-wlAL8b8AI4PHd_FrqncpR7VYkA/s1600/U99P200T1D348255F10DT20101115224451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXCijYvLecmqPiSJvgPtrpmikqqzcDOmuLy3wnLhanqVYKK6ncdeVs7CcPBpe2GYdpUG7yN8nm1YQxNPzm1hRqnk3Z_Wio5tyhKUabDq37Wy9NZZ-wlAL8b8AI4PHd_FrqncpR7VYkA/s400/U99P200T1D348255F10DT20101115224451.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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However, the C919 is hampered by official requirements that its manufacturer favour components produced in China, unlike competitors who source parts globally, according to Aboulafia.<br />
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"This means Western suppliers need to give away technology to play on this jet," said Aboulafia. "It also means that this aircraft is designed by people whose hands have been tied."<br />
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Development of the C919 began in 2008. Plans called for a first flight in 2014 and for it to enter service in 2016, but those targets were pushed back due to production delays. The C919 now is due to fly next year and enter service in about 2019.<br />
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One of the biggest components, the core processing and display system, is being supplied by a joint venture between GE Aviation Systems and AVIC, a state-owned Chinese military contractor.Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-86847019990543578162015-08-05T18:17:00.000-07:002015-08-05T18:17:02.495-07:00Interceptor and spy planes: Rattling of the Sabre<h2>
Rattling the Sabre</h2>
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<span class="goog-text-highlight">Fighter Aircraft intercepting and intimidating surveillance aircraft is nothing new.</span><br />
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<span class=""></span>Came across these videos on You-tube, showing how fighters intimidate surveillance aircraft:<br />
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Russian Su-27 Flanker vs Portuguese P3 Orion:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RN8OoefnUPM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RN8OoefnUPM?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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and a Russian Tupolev Tu 95 Bear is intercepted by NATO Typhoons and Mirages:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TnZMy1WWjZs/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TnZMy1WWjZs?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<br />Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-19171833586531637492015-08-04T04:01:00.000-07:002015-08-04T04:01:06.260-07:00Russian Mi-28 Helicopter Crashes during Airshow DisplayMi 28 Helicopter Crashes during Airshow<br />
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A Russian military helicopter has crashed at an air show before thousands of spectators, killing one crew member and injuring another.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsAEzFNEBIkKdOuVY36SZV402SnPxtFySt7YmHK0qxF6U9IP7tVOu4ODh7YBNAX0asBZx8TSbbWwrC6ELlFWA4UaFTJM6cFB4sMaLBpkGc43vCGh9-Vb0Icif3wXAnotlFYr5Hg3VPg/s1600/23156625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsAEzFNEBIkKdOuVY36SZV402SnPxtFySt7YmHK0qxF6U9IP7tVOu4ODh7YBNAX0asBZx8TSbbWwrC6ELlFWA4UaFTJM6cFB4sMaLBpkGc43vCGh9-Vb0Icif3wXAnotlFYr5Hg3VPg/s320/23156625.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Video footage clearly show the tail rotor failing and the gunship starting to spin uncontrollably before hitting the ground in an uncontrolled crash-landing:<br />
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The commander of the Mi-28 helicopter was killed. The he aircraft crashed during an aerobatic display at the August 2 air show in the Russian region of Ryazan, 200 kilometers southeast of Moscow.<br />
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"The commander has died, the second pilot is alive. According to the second pilot, equipment failure caused the accident," the head of the Russian Air Forces, Colonel General Viktor Bondarev, was quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency as saying.<br />
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The air show, Aviadarts, featured Russian Air Force plane and helicopter crews competing to fulfill timed assignments.<br />
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No spectators were injured, and the event was suspended for the day following the accident.<br />
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Russia's air force has used the Soviet-designed Mi-28 since the mid-2000s, and the aircraft is also exported to numerous countries, including Iraq.<br />
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Bondarev has grounded the country's Mi-28 fleet pending an investigation. The surviving crewmember who ejected, reports that hydraulic failure was to blame. This is the 4th crash of an Mi-28 due to hydraulic or gearbox failure.<br />
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There have been at least six incidents over the past few weeks involving Russian military planes and helicopters<br />
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<img alt="Risky business ... A Russian Mi-28 attack helicopter similar to this one was taking part " height="300" src="http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2015/08/03/1227467/315395-20b58f52-394b-11e5-ac4d-1a42e7315cf6.jpg" width="400" /></div>
Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-87788745458844255842015-06-09T01:17:00.001-07:002015-06-09T01:17:40.848-07:00NZ $4 Million Griffon Engined Spitfire XIV to Roar in Blenheim<h2>
A battle-hardened World War II Spitfire fighter has been delivered to its permanent home at Omaka airfield, near Blenheim, New Zealand.</h2>
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Repost and embellishment: The 70-year-old aviation marvel is one of only six Spitfire Griffon Mark 14 in existence, and the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere.<br />
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The plane was delivered by a direct flight from Auckland to the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre hanger on Sunday.<br />
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Spokesman Graham Orphan (above) said the plane would eventually be included in the planned WWII display at the heritage centre. The plane was on loan from owners, the Chariots of Fire fighter collection, he said.<br />
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"We are thrilled to get it, and it is a privilege not only to have it based in Marlborough, but also in New Zealand.<br />
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"In terms of historic aircraft this is the Rolls Royce of Rolls Royce powered fighters."<br />
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NH 799 Pre-Crash in the 1990s</div>
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The Spitfire Griffon was involved in a crash at Wanaka in 1996 which almost claimed the life of aviation entrepreneur Tim Wallis.<br />
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Hours of painstaking restoration over 19 years had brought the Spitfire back to its original condition, right down to the pilot's leather seat in the cockpit. It is valued at $4 million.<br />
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Wallis was reunited with the plane when it appeared at this year's Omaka airshow alongside two other Spitfire in the Twilight Extreme segment of the show.<br />
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Photos <a href="http://taurangaspotter.blogspot.co.nz/2015/04/omarka-2015-star-of-show.html">Harry Mole</a></div>
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Powered by a 2250 horsepower V12, the Supermarine Spitfire Griffon saw action with the Royal Air Force in India and Burma in the later stages of WWII, Orphan said. The engine's roar was known as "the sound of victory".</div>
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"It is the final salute to piston-powered engines before jet fighter came."<br />
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Orphan was convinced people would flock to the heritage centre to see it.<br />
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"Spitfires have a magnetic appeal that transcends all age groups."<br />
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The first stage of the display when completed later this year will include the Spitfire Griffon, alongside the Focke Wulf FW190, Russian Yak 3 and Avro Anson bomber from the heritage collection.<br />
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The Spitfire will fly in special events at Omaka during the summer - The Marlborough Express<br />
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Spitfire FR Mk.XIVe NH799 (ZK-XIV) is owned by 'The Chariots of Fire Fighter Collection' and based at Omaka airfield, New Zealand. Post restoration first flight 2 April 2015, with John Lamont at the controls. Purchased by the Chariots of Fire Fighter Collection, who are based at Omaka, in 2010. Restored to airworthy condition by Avspecs Limited at Ardmore Airport, Auckland. The restoration was completed in time for the Classic Fighters Airshow held over the Easter weekend (3–5 April 2015) with NH799 is resplendent in a South East Asia Command (SEAC) colour scheme, and wears the individual letter T with the serial NH799 both in white.<br />
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NH799 was previously owned by the Alpine Fighter Collection at Wanaka until it crashed on take-off on 2 January 1996 which seriously injured pilot/owner Sir Tim Wallis. Was initially restored to flight by Historic Flying Ltd at Audley End, UK, and flew on 21 January 1994 (as G-BUZU and codes AP-V).<br />
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<b>The Mk XIV</b> was the most important of the Griffon powered Spitfires, and the only one to see significant wartime service. It used the two-speed two-stage supercharged Griffon 61 or 65, giving 2,050 hp and a significantly improved performance at higher altitudes when compared to the earlier Griffon powered Mk XII. The Mk XIV was based on the Mk VIII fuselage, already strengthened to cope with the Merlin 61 engine. Early models used the “c” type universal wing (four 20mm cannon or two 20mm cannon and four .303 inch machine guns), while later production used the “e” wing (two .50 inchy machine guns instead of the .303s).<br />
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The Griffon engine improved the performance of the Spitfire at all heights. Tests in early 1944 found it to be faster than the Mk IX at every altitude, with the best rate of climb yet seen. The only area not to see any improvement was manoeuvrability, which did not rely on the engine but on the airframe. It had a similar advantage over the Fw 190A, which had a similar performance to the Mk IX. The only problem posed by the Griffon was that it span in the opposite direction to the Merlin. Merlin powered Spitfires had tended to veer left on takeoff. The Mk XIV veered to the right instead.<br />
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The superior performance of the Mk XIV made it the ideal aircraft to deal with the menace of the V-1. No.91 Squadron, based at West Malling, ended up with the best record against the flying bomb, shooting down 184 with its Mk XIVs.<br />
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From September 1944 the Mk XIV was used with the 2nd Tactical Air Force. It equipped all twenty Spitfire squadrons on the continent between D-Day and VE-Day. Its role in Europe was normally armed reconnaissance, searching for any enemy targets behind the German lines. It could carry up to 1000 lbs of bombs, or in a FR role 500 lbs of bombs and a camera.<br />
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More survivors:<br />
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...and a close relative, (if only by paint scheme) not so lucky:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRnw95CXGtjCZzVjGXpCJt98L-192Dm8X6xuCGYnJTbgyDPm3iuJxkmOd45Mec0YSfCik4UsvvvFN2HK0r8d0sIqMz23DKqSD_PJ_fssLbLyA5HncIdlzF8jkY9PHcx7eVDEzkjyKEQ/s1600/SpitfireXIVe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRnw95CXGtjCZzVjGXpCJt98L-192Dm8X6xuCGYnJTbgyDPm3iuJxkmOd45Mec0YSfCik4UsvvvFN2HK0r8d0sIqMz23DKqSD_PJ_fssLbLyA5HncIdlzF8jkY9PHcx7eVDEzkjyKEQ/s400/SpitfireXIVe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(Ps- no right to the photos claimed. Happy to credit, link or remove. Simply a fan page)Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-65252759113587045352015-05-28T23:34:00.002-07:002015-05-29T02:55:39.704-07:00Me 262B-1 Twin Seater Night Fighter Survivor- Johannesburg, South AfricaRed 8: The only Surviving Me 262B-1 Night fighter (Nachtjaeger)<br />
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Surviving samples of the world's first operational jet fighter are rare<br />
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1500+ Messerschmitt Me 262s were produced, but only eight aircraft survive today.<br />
(Ten if you count the two post-war Avia S-92s.)<br />
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The world's only surviving 2-seat Me 262 night fighter is preserved in the South African National Museum of Military History in Johannesburg.<br />
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The production two-seater variant of the 262, the Me 262B-1, was initially built for conversion training purposes. Pilot accustomed to piston-engined aircraft found that the Me 262 was a completely different beast.<br />
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The 262 had a tricycle undercarriage, twin engines, completely new type of propulsion and a very temperamental throttle control. This necessitated a conversion trainer with a instructor in the rear cockpit. Two-seater machines were not to be built new but converted from fighter models. About 120 machines of this variant were finished during 1944 and 1945.<br />
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Initially, the idea of a night-fighter 262 was developed independently by Messerschmitt as the Me 262B-2. It was to have a longer fuselage accommodating the two crew, internal fuel tanks with the capacity comparable to that of a single-seat variant, and a Berlin radar antenna hidden inside the modified nose cone. By the end of 1944 the war situation had deteriorated so rapidly that it was realized that an interim solution had to be found before the B-2 could reach production status.<br />
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Thus some of the existing trainer machines were converted once again to interim model night fighters becoming Me 262B-1a/U1. The conversion mounted a FuG 218 radar; with an operator occupying the rear cockpit. Before the collapse of German defences, only a handful of this type reached operational use with a single unit, 10./NJG11 at Magdeburg, Germany.<br />
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The survivor started its career as Werknummer 110305. It was flown operationally at 10./NJG11 by Kurt Welter. Whilst at this location it carried a red number 8 outlined in white, and camouflage of grey mottle over all-black undersurfaces. This aircraft has been widely documented in books and numerous colour profiles.<br />
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So how did it end up in South Africa?<br />
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Together with other aircraft of the unit, Red 8 was surrendered to the Allies at Schleswig. The two-seater aircraft were considered a prized booty by the British, who collected three flyable machines for evaluation purposes. The other two were Red 12, werknummer 111980, (later destroyed in a gale in 1947) and Red 10, werknummer 110635 (scrapped already later the same year).<br />
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On 18 May 1945 Red 8 was ferried to Gilze-Rijen and then to RAF Farnborough in the UK for evaluation. It was subsequently used for radar and tactical trials starting from July the same year. It carried the RAF serial VH519.<br />
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After completed trials, Red 8 was shipped to South Africa on 23 February 1947, arriving at Cape Town on 17 March. Amazingly, it survived in storage until the late-1960s when it was taken over by the museum.<br />
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This important aircraft was restored for display in 1971 and has been a star exhibit of the Johannesburg museum since 1972. I was lucky enough to first see it in 1977. At that time it was open to be clambered on. I can proudly say that I have stood on the wing of the last surviving Me 262B-2 as a child.<br />
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FE-610, an American war Prize, scrapped in 1950</div>
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Note the RAF roundels on this unidentifiable captive aircraft</div>
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Un-cropped and un-enlaged photo</div>
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Possibly the same aircraft, identifiable by its nose werke number: 306;</div>
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clearly one of the three captured by the British</div>
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A war trophy on display</div>
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Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-43794558690743014002014-12-23T15:07:00.000-08:002014-12-23T15:07:17.873-08:00Happy Birthday F-14 Tomcat!<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Happy Birthday F14 Tomcat </h2>
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Cue"Highway to the Danger Zone..."</div>
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Have an earworm, guys!</div>
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The F-14 is an iconic aircraft for all us Top Gun movie lovers out there, and most aircraft nuts of the 80s, even if you didn't like Top Gun...<br />
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The Grumman F-14 Tomcat flew for the first time 44 years ago today. <br />
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The F-14 emerged from the failed F-111B, which left the Navy without a successor for the F-4 Phantom in the air defense role. Variable geometry swing-wings combined high-speed performance and supersonic maneuverability with docile low-speed handling. The Tomcat was well ahead of its time – the Central Air Data Computer used to control wing sweep was the first microprocessor design in history and it’s design was not made public until more than 20 years after the F-14 first entered service. <br />
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The Hughes AN/AWG-9 radar was capable of detecting and tracking 24 targets flying at different airspeeds, altitudes and directions while engaging six targets simultaneously at a range of 100 miles with the AIM-54 Phoenix missile. A Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) was designed for use on the Tomcat in the carrier-based photo-reconnaissance role as the RA-5 Vigilante and RF-8 Crusader aircraft were retired. TARPS allowed the F-14 to deliver real-time photos to theater commanders, providing surveillance and Bomb Damage Assessment imagery. The Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) system allowed the Tomcat to transition to the “Bombcat,” enabling it to fly at low altitude, at night and in all weather conditions to attack ground targets with a variety of precision-guided munitions. The Tomcat did it all – long-range carrier-based fleet interceptor, tactical reconnaissance platform and fighter-bomber aircraft.<br />
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Some tailfin art for the afficionado's out there:<br />
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Sadly many are now in mothballs, and awaiting disposal.</div>
!Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-26148910831366991702014-12-01T14:20:00.003-08:002014-12-01T14:20:56.740-08:00Black Hawk Down - for the last time: 160th's last Black Hawk MH-60K retires<h2>
Black Hawk Down: MH-60K retires from active duty</h2>
The sole operator of the MH-60K has retired the last of these secret rotor aircraft. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) was the only unit that operated the MH-60K:<br />
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<img height="225" src="http://www.eldojogamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Ace-Combat-Assault-Horizon-09-09-11-MH-60-Blackhawk-006.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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From Warbirds: PRESS RELEASE – FORT PIERCE, Fla, US<br />
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As the crowd gathered around the US National Navy Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) Museum Nov. 19, 2014, it became clear this wasn’t a standard military retirement.<br />
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There was no podium, no colors and no sound system. A small crowd gathered with their eyes fixed on the horizon.Then, a familiar sound became increasingly audible to the special operators in attendance. That sound was the rotors of two MH-60 Black Hawks, a MH-60K and a MH-60L, as they appeared over the shoreline, flying as a team one final time.<br />
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The MH-60K, tail number 388, made it’s long anticipated final flight from Fort Campbell, Ky. to the National SEAL Museum, where it will be demilitarized and put on display.“The relationship between the Army, the Navy and what we do has been in the shadow for a long time,” said Rick Kaiser, a retired Navy Seal Master Chief Petty Officer and Executive Director of the museum. “A lot of people will ask the same question – ‘Why do you have this Black Hawk in here?’ People always assume it’s Navy aircraft that fly the SEALs around. We will then be able to tell them the story about the relationship between the SEALs and the Army Special Operations Aviators.”<br />
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The process, which began almost a year prior, required careful coordination between several command elements, branches and offices across the Army; the unit who owned the aircraft – 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) (SOAR) (A), 160th SOAR (A) Operations Section, The United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command (Airborne) (USASOAC) (A) Aviation Readiness Branch, the USASAOC (A) Technology Applications and Program Office, the SEAL Museum, and the Army Tank and Automotive Command (TACOM) donations branch. All offices worked together to ensure all the necessary requirements were met in order to legally transfer the aircraft to the museum.<br />
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Sgt. 1st Class Joseph W. Evans, USASOAC (A) Aviation Readiness Branch Senior Maintenance Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, has been working the project since he arrived to the unit in March.“This is the first time I have had the opportunity to work an aircraft donation for the team,” said Evans. “Previously, I worked with the U.S. Army Center of Military History to divest aircraft [tail number] 288 to the U.S. Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, Ala. There is a big difference between a divesture and an outright donation to a group not funded by the Federal Government.”<br />
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For the aircraft 388’s final flight, it only seemed fitting that Chief Warrant Officer 5 Ben D. Savage, 160th SOAR’s (A) Command Chief Warrant Officer, was in the cockpit. Savage has been training on the airframe since it arrived in the unit 20 years ago.“We started getting the MH-60K in 1994,” he said. “I was part of the train-the-trainer in Block Zero. Block Zero was to train all the instructor pilots in each of the following blocks. In April of ’94 I got qualified on the aircraft and started teaching block one in the fall.”<br />
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Savage, who had close to 4000 flight hours on the MH-60K airframe, said tail number 388 had a storied history during its lifetime.“This aircraft has been on multiple Joint Readiness Exercises leading up to 2001,” he explained. “It has also been in a “Class A” accident where it rolled over and was unable to fly for an extended period of time. In 2002, it made its first trip to Afghanistan and has flown multiple missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa since that time. During one of 388’s missions, the aircraft’s copilot had his microphone boom shot off his helmet and its pilot-in-command was shot in the face. They still managed to fly the aircraft out of the area after it had taken fire, so the aircraft has a significant history of battle damage as well.”<br />
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<img alt="Pilots from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) stand with the unit’s last MH-60K Black Hawk, tail number 388, prior to handing the aircraft over to the National Navy Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) Museum Wednesday. The aircraft will be put on display to help museum visitors further understand the unique relationship between Army Special Operations Aviators and the Navy SEALs. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Thaddius S. Dawkins II, United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command (Airborne) Public Affairs)" height="266" src="http://www.warbirdsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/last-MH-60K-Black-Hawk-tail-number-388.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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Task Force 160 of Fort Campbell, Kentucky — the Army's elite helo outfit — flies this heavily modified Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter. The pair used to carry Navy SEAL Team 6 to Osama bin Laden's Pakistan hideout in May 2011 had special stealthy modifications added to the choppers to make them quieter and less susceptible to radar detection. </div>
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It also boasts terrain-following radar, a special defensive avionics suite to help it elude enemy detection, and blades mounted on the fuselage to slice through power lines that might bring down a standard chopper. A cover for the tail rotor — it's otherwise a flashing light for radar — as well as special fuselage trim and custom-crafted stabilators (the "rear wing" just underneath the tail rotor) suggested this was no stock MH-60K. That became crystal clear when photographs of one that had to be abandoned at bin Laden's compound began circling the globe. These Black Hawks can carry several different kinds of machine guns mounted at their side doors along with two crew chiefs to man those guns, a pair of pilots, and about a dozen troops.</div>
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The aircraft also participated in the mission that helped rescue American, Jessica Buchanan and her coworker, Poul Hagen Thisted. Both Buchanan and Hagen Thisted were captured by Somalian pirates and held hostage for three months in 2012. During the operation, SEAL team members parachuted into the objective and engaged the pirates, killing all of them. After the firefight, multiple aircraft evacuated the SEALs and the two hostages, including aircraft 388.“I’m going to put this on my list of things to do once this display gets set up,” Savage said. “We are leaving our checklists, which have our names in them, in the aircraft. So it’s an honor to know it’s going to be in the SEAL Museum. It’s quite fitting because of the number of SEALs we’ve carried around in this airframe.”<br />
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<img height="176" src="http://img.wp.scn.ru/camms/ar/850/pics/3_5.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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As for Evans, he said everyone’s hard work to get the aircraft donated to the museum pales in comparison to what the pilots, crew members and MH-60K have all given to the Special Operations community.“To me, the reward is knowing the 160th’s last MH-60K will be preserved and on display for many years to come,” he said. “This ensures the memory of those that have gone before us and what they accomplished on so many missions with the use of the MH-60K and more specifically, aircraft 388.”<br />
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Story Sgt. 1st Class Thaddius Dawkins<br />
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The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. The UH-60A entered service with the U.S. Army in 1979, to replace the Bell UH-1 Iroquois as the Army's tactical transport helicopter. This was followed by the fielding of electronic warfare and special operations variants of the Black Hawk. Improved UH-60L and UH-60M utility variants have also been developed.<br />
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Modified versions have also been developed for the U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. In addition to U.S. Army use, the UH-60 family has been exported to several nations. Black Hawks have served in combat during conflicts in Grenada, Panama, Iraq, Somalia, the Balkans, Afghanistan, and other areas in the Middle East.<br />
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Upgrades and variations<br />
After entering service, the helicopter was modified for new missions and roles, including mine laying and medical evacuation. An EH-60 variant was developed to conduct electronic warfare and special operations aviation developed the MH-60 variant to support its missions.<br />
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Due to weight increases from the addition of mission equipment and other changes, the Army ordered the improved UH-60L in 1987. The new model incorporated all of the modifications made to the UH-60A fleet as standard design features. The UH-60L also featured more power and lifting capability with upgraded T700-GE-701C engines and a stronger gearbox, both developed for the SH-60B Seahawk. Its external lift capacity increased by 1,000 lb (450 kg) up to 9,000 lb (4,100 kg). The UH-60L also incorporated the automatic flight control system (AFCS) from the SH-60 for better flight control due to handling issues with the more powerful engines. Production of the L-model began in 1989.<br />
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Development of the next improved variant, the UH-60M, was approved in 2001, to extend the service life of the UH-60 design into the 2020s. The UH-60M incorporates upgraded T700-GE-701D engines, improved rotor blades, and state of the art electronic instrumentation, flight controls and aircraft navigation control. After the U.S. DoD approved low-rate initial production of the new variant, manufacturing began in 2006, with the first of 22 new UH-60Ms delivered in July 2006.After an initial operational evaluation, the Army approved full-rate production and a five-year contract for 1,227 helicopters in December 2007. By March 2009, 100 UH-60M helicopters had been delivered to the Army. In November 2014, US military ordered 102 aircraft of various H-60 types, worth $1.3 billion.<br />
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Following an operation in May 2011, it emerged that the 160th SOAR used a secret version of the UH-60 modified with low-observable technology which enabled it to evade Pakistani radar. Analysis of the tail section, the only remaining part of the aircraft which crashed during the operation, revealed extra blades on the tail rotor and other noise reduction measures, making the craft much quieter than conventional UH-60s. The aircraft appeared to include features like special high-tech materials, harsh angles, and flat surfaces found only in stealth jets. Low observable versions of the Black Hawk have been studied as far back as the mid-1970s.<br />
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In September 2012, Sikorsky was awarded a Combat Tempered Platform Demonstration (CTPD) contract to further improve the Black Hawk's durability and survivability. The company is to develop new technologies such as a zero-vibration system, adaptive flight control laws, advanced fire management, a more durable main rotor, full-spectrum crashworthiness, and damage tolerant airframe; then they are to transition them to the helicopter. Improvements to the Black Hawk are to continue until the Future Vertical Lift program is ready to replace it<br />
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The UH-60 entered service with the U.S. Army's 101st Combat Aviation Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division in June 1979. The U.S. military first used the UH-60 in combat during the invasion of Grenada in 1983, and again in the invasion of Panama in 1989. During the Gulf War in 1991, the UH-60 participated in the largest air assault mission in U.S. Army history with over 300 helicopters involved. Two UH-60s (89-26214 and 78-23015) were shot down, both on 27 February 1991, while performing Combat Search and Rescue of other downed aircrews, an F-16C pilot and the crew of a MEDEVAC UH-1H that were shot down earlier that day.<br />
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In 1993, Black Hawks featured prominently in the assault on Mogadishu in Somalia. Black Hawks also saw action in the Balkans and Haiti in the 1990s. U.S. Army UH-60s and other helicopters conducted many air assault and other support missions during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The UH-60 has continued to serve in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.<br />
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Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine (OAM) uses the UH-60 in its operations specifically along the southwest border. The Black Hawk has been used by OAM to interdict illegal entry into the U.S. Additionally, OAM regularly uses the UH-60 in search and rescue operations.<br />
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Highly modified H-60s were employed during the U.S. Special Forces operation that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden on 1 May 2011. One such MH-60 helicopter crash-landed during the operation, and was destroyed by the team before it departed in the other MH-60 and a backup MH-47 Chinook with bin Laden's remains. Two MH-47s were used for the mission to refuel the two MH-60s and as backups. News media reported that the Pakistani government granted the Chinese military access to the wreckage of the crashed 'stealth' UH-60 variant in Abbotabad; Pakistan and China denied the reports, and the U.S. Government has not confirmed Chinese access.Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-76622200510086864462014-11-25T19:11:00.000-08:002014-11-25T19:11:06.019-08:00Happy Birthday DH 98 Mosquito !Seventy-four years ago today, the de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito took flight for the first time. <br />
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One of the most useful Allied aircraft of World War II, the Mosquito performed as a bomber, fighter, anti-shipping and photo-reconnaissance platform. The key to the success of the “Wooden Wonder” was its light wood construction and the power of its twin Merlin engines, which gave it the speed to out-fly almost every other aircraft type of the war. Nicknamed the “Mossie” by its crews, the Mosquito could fly virtually unchallenged and deliver devastatingly precise attacks with bombing radar.<br />
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Production of all Mosquitoes totaled 7,781 and the DH.98 served with over a dozen nations. A Mosquito became the first twin-engine aircraft to land on a ship on March 25, 1944, aboard the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Indefatigable.<br />
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Here is a photo of the DH.98 Mosquito from the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia taking-off during the 2013 Flying PROMS airshow. <br />
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This Mosquito was built in Canada in 1945 but never saw combat during the war. The Military Aviation Museum acquired the aircraft in 2004 and it was shipped to New Zealand to undergo an eight-year restoration. The restored aircraft made its <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEyDlgJYIF8">first flight </a> (clicky) here in New Zealand in September 2012 and arrived back at the Military Aviation Museum in March 2013. It is painted as EG-Y to replicate the No. 487 (NZ) Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a tribute to those responsible for the restoration.<br />
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Wiki: The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft with a two-man crew that served during and after the Second World War. It was one of few operational front-line aircraft of the era constructed almost entirely of wood and was nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder".<br />
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The Mosquito was also known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews. Originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber, the Mosquito was adapted to roles including low to medium-altitude daytime tactical bomber, high-altitude night bomber, pathfinder, day or night fighter, fighter-bomber, intruder, maritime strike aircraft, and fast photo-reconnaissance aircraft. It was also used by the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) as a fast transport to carry small high-value cargoes to, and from, neutral countries, through enemy-controlled airspace.<br />
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When the Mosquito began production in 1941, it was one of the fastest operational aircraft in the world. Entering widespread service in 1942, the Mosquito was a high-speed, high-altitude photo-reconnaissance aircraft, continuing in this role throughout the war. From mid-1942 to mid-1943 Mosquito bombers flew high-speed, medium or low-altitude missions against factories, railways and other pinpoint targets in Germany and German-occupied Europe. From late 1943, Mosquito bombers were formed into the Light Night Strike Force and used as pathfinders for RAF Bomber Command's heavy-bomber raids. They were also used as "nuisance" bombers, often dropping Blockbuster bombs - 4,000 lb (1,812 kg) "cookies" - in high-altitude, high-speed raids that German night fighters were almost powerless to intercept.<br />
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As a night fighter, from mid-1942, the Mosquito intercepted Luftwaffe raids on the United Kingdom, notably defeating Operation Steinbock in 1944. Starting in July 1942, Mosquito night-fighter units raided Luftwaffe airfields. As part of 100 Group, it was a night fighter and intruder supporting RAF Bomber Command's heavy bombers and reduced bomber losses during 1944 and 1945.<br />
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As a fighter-bomber in the Second Tactical Air Force, the Mosquito took part in "special raids", such as the attack on Amiens Prison in early 1944, and in precision attacks against Gestapo or German intelligence and security forces. Second Tactical Air Force Mosquitos supported the British Army during the 1944 Normandy Campaign. From 1943 Mosquitos with RAF Coastal Command strike squadrons attacked Kriegsmarine U-boats (particularly in the 1943 Bay of Biscay, where significant numbers were sunk or damaged) and intercepting transport ship concentrations.<br />
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The Mosquito flew with the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other air forces in the European, Mediterranean and Italian theatres. The Mosquito was also operated by the RAF in the South East Asian theatre, and by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) based in the Halmaheras and Borneo during the Pacific War.Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-42830722214328344252014-08-05T20:19:00.001-07:002014-08-05T20:19:19.935-07:00Airbus A350 touches down in Auckland<h2 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
First A350 XWB Touches down in New Zealand</h2>
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In a NZ First: Airbus’ rival to the new generation Boeing Dreamliner has landed in Auckland and Sydney on its global tour.</div>
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The A350 - 900 XWB (extra wide-bodied) test aircraft touched down at Auckland International airport earlier today after flying from Sydney, via Johannesburg, South Africa.</div>
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The aircraft is operated by Airbus flight crews and while in Auckland is to be demonstrated such as meeting normal airline turnarounds using airport handling and ground demonstration services.</div>
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The tests form part of the final trials required for aircraft Type Certification, which is expected by the end of September.</div>
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The A350 family as envisaged </div>
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Comparison of competitors</div>
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The aircraft, named A350-900 (MSN 5), is one of five A350 test aircraft one of two with 265 seats (42 business and 223 economy).</div>
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The world tour began on July 24 and involves a series of tests on four different trips. It will visit 14 airports around the world and will end on August 13.</div>
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Airbus says the aircraft offers a 25% reduction in fuel use and comes in three versions from 276 to 369 seats.</div>
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It has a carbon fibre fuselage and wings, the same as its Boeing rival, which has been bought by Air New Zealand. </div>
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The visit could be seen as a reminder that Airbus has a strong competitor here.</div>
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The NZ national carrier has switched to Airbus A320s to replace its aging single-aisled Boeing 737 fleet.</div>
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At the end of June 2014, the A350 XWB had 742 orders from 38 customers worldwide.</div>
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From Airbus' website:</div>
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" T<span style="color: #444444; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.899999618530273px;">he A350-900 is the cornerstone member of Airbus’ all-new A350 XWB Family, which is tailored to meet airlines’ future market requirements in medium-to-long haul operations.</span></div>
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As the first A350 XWB Family version that will enter airline service, the A350-900 has the same optimised cabin cross-section as the other A350 XWB versions (A350-800 and A350-1000) – which ensures maximum comfort for both passengers and crew while guaranteeing operators optimum revenue potential and operating efficiency.</div>
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This jetliner accommodates 315 passengers in a two-class configuration, while offering unbeatable economics in high-density seating and true long-haul capability with a range of up to 7,750 nautical miles.</div>
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Airbus’ right-sized interior cross-section for the A350 XWB Family is five inches larger than the nearest competitor, allowing operators to comfortably accommodate economy class passengers at eight-, nine- or 10-abreast arrangements.</div>
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The A350 XWB’s wide fuselage cross-section was designed for an optimal travel experience in all classes of service, with passengers enjoying more headroom, wider panoramic windows and larger overhead storage space. With a cross-section of 220 inches from armrest to armrest, the jetliner’s cabin provides the widest seats in its category, being five inches larger than its nearest competitor. In addition to providing the space for unmatched premium first class and business solutions, the A350 XWB allows for high-comfort economy seating in a nine-abreast arrangement, with a generous 18-inch seat width. </div>
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Over 70 per cent of the A350’s weight-efficient airframe is made from advanced materials that combine composites (53 per cent), titanium and advanced aluminium alloys. The innovative carbon fibre reinforced plastic fuselage results in lower fuel burn as well as easier maintenance. With this new fuselage – along with the latest systems and engines, as well as an advanced wing optimised for Mach 0.85 cruise speed – the A350-900 is a generation beyond its current competitor, benefiting from a 25 per cent lower fuel burn, 25 per cent lower operating costs, and 25 percent lower CO2 emissions. The A350-900 also offers more range and additional seats for greater revenue potential.</div>
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The A350-900, along with the other A350 XWB variants, inherit commonality features from Airbus’ fly-by-wire aircraft family, while benefiting from the latest in display technology and integrated modular avionics. </div>
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They retain the same handling qualities as the A320, A330/A340 and A380 families, and are flown utilising similar operating procedures. For Airbus-rated pilots, this means less training time when transitioning from one aircraft to another, as shorter-duration Difference Training classes replace the Full Type Rating course.</div>
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Additionally, pilots can fly multiple aircraft types within an Airbus fleet by using the proven Mixed Fleet Flying concept – enabling significant benefits for airline profitability, pilot productivity and scheduling flexibility."</div>
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Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-88072373559536354862014-07-30T14:58:00.003-07:002014-07-30T15:01:24.681-07:00Soviet Douglas A-20 Havoc (re) discovered in Siberia - The history<h2>
U.S. World War II Havoc A-20 Bomber Found in Siberia: </h2>
<b>The Moscow Times Jul. 23 2014</b><br />
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An American military aircraft lost 71 years ago over western Siberia was discovered in the Taiga, Russian environmentalists said.The wreck of a Soviet Douglas A-20 Havoc recently re-emerged in the Taiga of western Siberia in Russia. Apparently the lend-lease medium bomber, one of roughly 3400 of the type given to the Soviet Union, went down on its ferry flight from Alaska to the Eastern Front in 1943 flying from Alaska over the ALSIB (Alaska-Siberia) air ferry route. The Taiga is a vast forest which is largely uninhabited, and buried under snow and ice for much of the year.<br />
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No photographs have surfaced publicly as of yet, the aircraft (technically designated a DB-7) apparently went down on the slopes of Zelyonaya mountain in the Kemerovo region. Sadly, it appears that the un-named Soviet ferry crew perished in the wartime crash. The aircraft’s serial number is not known currently, but the fuselage bears the markings “F216″, so finding its true identity should not pose too great a problem for researchers.<br />
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The Soviet Union received more than $11 billion worth of supplies and military equipment from its U.S. ally over the course of the war. The wreckage of the lost DB-7 was initially discovered by a hunter in 1966, but after leaving the aircraft, he was unable to retrace his steps in order to find it again.<br />
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The search continued for 48 more years until the bomber was finally discovered in the Kuznetsky Alatau wildlife reserve, according to the reserve's official site.<br />
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It remained unclear what caused the crash. No hostilities took place in Siberia, but the heavily loaded bomber could have failed to fly over the mountain in cloudy weather, the report said.<br />
Aircraft incoming from Alaska were manned by Soviet crews. The DB-7 had a crew of four, whose names remain unknown.<br />
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What will happen with the wreck is not public knowledge, but hopefully a recovery team will locate and identify the crew’s remains for burial. Given the remoteness of the location, the wreck seems likely to stay where it is for the meantime though.<br />
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Inhospitable Taiga forest terrain</div>
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The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) was an American attack, light bomber, intruder and night fighter aircraft of World War II. It served with several Allied air forces, principally the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), the Soviet Air Forces (VVS), Soviet Naval Aviation (AVMF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) of the United Kingdom. Soviet units received more than one in three (2,908 aircraft) of the DB-7s ultimately built. It was also used by the air forces of Australia, South Africa, France, and the Netherlands during the war, and by Brazil afterwards.<br />
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In British Commonwealth air forces, bomber/attack variants of the DB-7 were usually known by the service name Boston, while night fighter and intruder variants were usually known as Havoc. An exception to this was the Royal Australian Air Force, which referred to all variants of the DB-7 by the name Boston. The USAAF referred to night fighter variants as P-70.<br />
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<b>Operational history</b><br />
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<b>France</b><br />
The French order called for substantial modifications, resulting in the DB-7 (for Douglas Bomber 7) variant. It had a narrower, deeper fuselage, 1,000 hp (746 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-SC3-G radials, French-built guns, and metric instruments. Midway through the delivery phase, engines were switched to 1,100 hp (820 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S3C4-G. The French designation was DB-7 B-3 (the B-3 signifying "three-seat bomber").<br />
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The DB-7s were shipped in sections to Casablanca for assembly and service in France and French North Africa. When the Germans attacked France and the Low Countries on 10 May 1940, the 64 available DB-7s were deployed against the advancing Germans. Before the armistice they were evacuated to North Africa to avoid capture by German forces.<br />
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French DB7s being assembled</div>
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Here, they fell under control of the Vichy government, but saw practically no action against the Allies except briefly during the Allied invasion of North Africa. After French forces in North Africa had sided with the Allies, DB-7s were used as trainers and were replaced in front line units by Martin B-26 Marauders. In early 1945, a few DB-7s were moved back to France where they saw action against the remaining isolated German pockets on the western coast.<br />
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<b>British Commonwealth</b><br />
The remainder of the order which was to have been delivered to France was instead taken up by the UK. In the course of the war, 24 squadrons operated the Boston. It first entered service with RAF Bomber Command in 1941, equipping No. 88 Squadron.<br />
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Their first operational use was not until February 1942 against enemy shipping. On 4 July 1942 United States Army Air Force (USAAF) bomber crews, flying RAF Boston aircraft, took part in operations in Europe for the first time attacking enemy airfields in the Netherlands. They replaced the Bristol Blenheims of No. 2 Group RAF for daylight operations against occupied Europe until replaced in turn by de Havilland Mosquitos.<br />
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Some Havocs were converted to Turbinlite aircraft which replaced the nose position with a powerful searchlight. The Turbinlite aircraft would be brought onto an enemy fighter by ground radar control.<br />
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The onboard radar operator would then direct the pilot until he could illuminate the enemy. At that point a Hawker Hurricane fighter accompanying the Turbinlite aircraft would make the attack. Unfortunately this also made the aircraft a target. The Turbinlite squadrons were disbanded in early 1943.<br />
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<b>Soviet Union</b><br />
Through Lend-Lease, Soviet forces received more than two-thirds of version A-20B planes manufactured and a significant portion of versions G and H. The A-20 was the most numerous foreign aircraft in the Soviet bomber inventory. The Soviet Air Force had more A-20s than the USAAF.<br />
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They were delivered via the ALSIB (Alaska-Siberia) air ferry route. The aircraft had its baptism of fire at the end of June 1942. The Soviets were dissatisfied with the four Browning machine guns and replaced them with faster-firing ShKAS. During the summer 1942, the Bostons flew low-level raids against German convoys heavily protected by flak. Attacks were made from altitudes right down to 33 ft (10 metres) and the air regiments suffered heavy losses.<br />
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By mid-1943 Soviet pilots were well familiar with the A-20B and A-20C. The general opinion was that the aircraft was overpowered and therefore fast and agile. It could make steep turns with an angle of up to 65°, while the tricycle landing gear facilitated take-off and landings. The type could be flown even by scarcely trained crews. The engines were reliable but rather sensitive to low temperature, so the Soviet engineers developed special covers for keeping propeller hubs from freezing up.<br />
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Some of these aircraft were armed with fixed-forward cannons and found some success in the ground attack role. By the end of the war, 3,414 A-20s had been delivered to the USSR, 2,771 of which were used by the Soviet Air Force.<br />
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American-built Douglas A-20C Havocs being loaded onto a cargo ship for transport to the Soviet Union. They were welded to the deck to prevent loss in heavy seas.<br />
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The scow with two planes on it, the Lillian E. Petrie, was damaged in an accident Long Island in November 1943. While the Arctic Convoys were more dangerous and captured the public's attention, much more supplies were sent through Iran and across the Pacific. Ships carrying Lend-Lease supplies would transit from New York, New York to Capetown, South Africa and terminate in Bandar Shahpur, Iran or Basra, Iraq.<br />
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In 1941-1942 most supplies went through the North Sea, because the Soviets did not want a large Anglo-American presence on their border. It took time to develop the "Persian Corridor" to receive substantial supplies, because only one dock in each terminus could handle large ships and the Tehran-Soviet railways lacked capacity. The railway from Bandar Shahpur to Tehran and then the Soviet Union was light rail through mountains. As late as 1944 supplies ordered (and delivered) in 1942 were still waiting for transit to the Soviet Union. The British took over the railroad, but the delivery of rolling stock and engines from the United States was delayed. The Americans took over the administration of the Persian Corridor in 1944, when their industrial output was reaching its zenith. By July, the peak month of deliveries, 282,097 long tons (286623.8 metric tons) came through the Persian Corridor.<br />
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2,771 A-20s were delivered to the Soviet Union through Lend-Lease. The A-20C was an attempt to standardize British and American versions. Developed for foreign markets, it was designated the A-20C by the United States Army Air Force and the Boston IIIA by the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force. Douglas built 808 at their Santa Monica plant and Boeing Aircraft built 140 A-20Cs under license.<br />
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Much of the Lend-Lease order for the United Kingdom was sent to the Soviet Union. When the United States entered the war, they took over many A-20Cs to start training; the Americans rarely, if ever, used the C model in combat. However, because the variant could carry a torpedo, it was effective as a surface raider with the Soviet Air Force.<br />
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<img alt="user posted image" src="http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/english/articles/sterlikov/A-20G_Orlenko_1.jpg" height="288" width="400" /></div>
Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-37764905264006706742014-07-29T21:46:00.002-07:002014-07-29T21:46:37.532-07:00Last of Enola Gay's crew dies<h2 style="text-align: center;">
The last member of Enola Gay, the B-29 that dropped the first atom bomb's crew has died.</h2>
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Van Kirk (3rd from the left); the last surviving member of Enola Gay's crew has died</div>
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The last surviving member of the US crew that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, hastening the end of World War II and moving the world into the atomic age, has died. (Associated press)</div>
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Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk died on Monday (local time) of natural causes at the retirement home where he lived in Georgia, his son Tom Van Kirk said. He was 93.</div>
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Van Kirk flew nearly 60 bombing missions, but it was a single mission in the Pacific that secured him a place in history. He was 24 years old when he served as navigator on the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the first atomic bomb deployed in wartime over the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.</div>
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He was teamed with pilot Paul Tibbets and bombardier Tom Ferebee for Special Mission No. 13.</div>
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Signed Enola Gay postcard Tibbet (L) and Van Kirk (R)</div>
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The mission went perfectly, Van Kirk told The Associated Press in a 2005 interview. He guided the bomber through the night sky, just 15 seconds behind schedule, he said. As the 4080-kilogram bomb nicknamed "Little Boy" fell toward the sleeping city, he and his crewmates hoped to escape with their lives.</div>
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They didn't know whether the bomb would actually work and, if it did, whether its shockwaves would rip their plane to shreds. They counted - one thousand one, one thousand two - reaching the 43 seconds they'd been told it would take for detonation and heard nothing.</div>
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"I think everybody in the plane concluded it was a dud. It seemed a lot longer than 43 seconds," Van Kirk recalled.</div>
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Then came a bright flash. Then a shockwave. Then another shockwave.</div>
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The blast and its aftereffects killed 140,000 in Hiroshima.</div>
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Three days after Hiroshima, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. The blast and its aftermath claimed 80,000 lives. Six days after the Nagasaki bombing, Japan surrendered.</div>
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Whether the United States should have used the atomic bomb has been debated ever since. Van Kirk told the AP he thought it was necessary because it shortened the war and eliminated the need for an Allied land invasion that could have cost more lives on both sides.</div>
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"I honestly believe the use of the atomic bomb saved lives in the long run. There were a lot of lives saved. Most of the lives saved were Japanese," Van Kirk said.</div>
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But it also made him wary of war.</div>
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"The whole World War II experience shows that wars don't settle anything. And atomic weapons don't settle anything," he said. "I personally think there shouldn't be any atomic bombs in the world - I'd like to see them all abolished. "But if anyone has one," he added, "I want to have one more than my enemy."</div>
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Van Kirk stayed on with the military for a year after the war ended. Then he went to school, earned degrees in chemical engineering and signed on with DuPont, where he stayed until he retired in 1985.</div>
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Like many World War II veterans, Van Kirk didn't talk much about his service until much later in his life when he spoke to school groups, his son said.</div>
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"Dutch" Van Kirk</div>
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"I didn't even find out that he was on that mission until I was 10 years old and read some old news clippings in my grandmother's attic," Tom van Kirk told the AP in a phone interview Tuesday.</div>
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"I know he was recognised as a war hero, but we just knew him as a great father," Tom van Kirk said.</div>
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Signed photograph of Enola Gay (11 signatures) also the only known photo with "Boxcar" the plane that dropped the Nagasaki bomb, in the background.</div>
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The Enola Gay was a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, named for Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets, who selected the aircraft while it was still on the assembly line. On 6 August 1945, during the final stages of World War II, it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb. The bomb, code-named "Little Boy", was targeted at the city of Hiroshima, Japan, and caused unprecedented destruction. Enola Gay participated in the second atomic attack as the weather reconnaissance aircraft for the primary target of Kokura. Clouds and drifting smoke resulted in Nagasaki being bombed instead.<br />
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<img src="http://estaticos01.elmundo.es/elmundo/imagenes/2007/11/01/1193932497_0.jpg" /></div>
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Paul Tibbets</div>
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After the war, the Enola Gay returned to the United States, where it was operated from Roswell Army Air Field, New Mexico. It was flown to Kwajalein for the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests in the Pacific, but was not chosen to make the test drop at Bikini Atoll. Later that year it was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution, and spent many years parked at air bases exposed to the weather and souvenir hunters, before being disassembled and transported to the Smithsonian's storage facility at Suitland, Maryland, in 1961.<br />
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In the 1980s, veterans groups began agitating for the Smithsonian to put the aircraft on display. The cockpit and nose section of the aircraft were exhibited at the National Air and Space Museum (NASM), below, in downtown Washington, D.C., for the bombing's 50th anniversary in 1995, amid a storm of controversy. Since 2003, the entire restored B-29 has been on display at NASM's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.<br />
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<img height="264" src="http://www.mphpa.org/classic/ENOLA/Images/enola_gay_1.jpg" width="400" /></div>
Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-65273329870736138862014-07-17T15:43:00.003-07:002014-07-21T14:08:18.800-07:00Malaysia Airlines Tragedy Again: MH17 Boeig 777-200 shot down<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Malaysian Airlines Jet shot down</b></h2>
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<b>An Air Malaysia Boeing 777-200 has been shot down by Cossacks of the Donyetsk separatist movement:</b></div>
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United States Vice President Joe Biden confirmed the plane was hit by missile, killing 295 people from several countries, including 27 from Australia.<br />
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New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said at least one New Zealand passport holder was aboard flight MH17. "Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade are following up on indications that at least one New Zealand passport holder, and other passengers with New Zealand connections, may have been on board," McCully said. "The Ministry is working hard to confirm these details and make contact with the next of kin."<br />
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Malaysia Airlines confirmed in a press release it had received notification from Ukrainian air traffic control that it had lost contact with flight MH17 at GMT 2.15pm (NZT 2.15am) at 30km from Tamak waypoint, approximately 50km from the Russia-Ukraine border.<br />
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Flight MH17 operated on a Boeing 777 departed Amsterdam Thursday at 12.15pm (NZT 10.15pm) and was estimated to arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Friday at 6.10am Malaysia time (NZT 10.10am).</div>
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Malaysian 777-200 at Naruto, Tokyo</div>
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It has emerged that a surface-to-air missile was detected by US intelligence agencies, but the Wall Street Journal reported officals were divided over whether it came from Russia or eastern Ukraine. Biden confirmed the missile attack while he was at a conference in Detroit and Malaysian officials have reported the plane made no distress call. The UN Security Council would today hold an emergency meeting to discuss Ukraine.<br />
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<img src="http://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/news/world/2014/07/17/malaysian_airline_crash_pilots_wouldnt_stand_chance_against_missile_expert_says/malaysia_wreckage.jpg.size.xxlarge.letterbox.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></div>
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The news of confirmation came a short time after Ukraine's state security chief accused Russian military officers of being involved in shooting down Malaysia Airlines MH17, which happened about 3am (NZT).</div>
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The disaster comes only four months after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished on March 8 when flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard.<br />
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Ukraine media have now reported the content of a phone call between members of militant groups, intercepted by Ukraine's security agency. (Transcript below)</div>
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The phone call was made 20 minutes after the plane crash, the Kyiv Post reported, by Igor Bezler, military commander of the separatist Donetsk People's Republic. He was said to be reporting to a Russian army colonel in their intelligence department. In a transcript of the conversation Bezler said: "We have just shot down a plane." Russian-backed Cossack militants have allegedly claimed responsibility for shooting down Malaysia Airlines MH17.</div>
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Ukraine media have reported the content of a phone call between members of militant groups, intercepted by Ukraine's security agency. The call was made 20 minutes after the plane crash by Igor Bezler, military commander of the separatist Donetsk People's Republic, the Kyiv Post reported. He was said to be reporting to a Russian army colonel in their intelligence department.</div>
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In a transcript of the conversation Bezler said: "We have just shot down a plane". In another conversation between two militants identified as "Major" and "Greek", they were heard discussing what they found at the crash site, discovering it was a civilian aircraft:</div>
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Igor Bezler: We have just shot down a plane. Group Minera. It fell down beyond Yenakievo.</div>
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Vasili Geranin: Pilots. Where are the pilots?</div>
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IB: Gone to search for and photograph the plane. Its smoking.</div>
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VG: How many minutes ago?</div>
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IB: About 30 minutes ago.</div>
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SBU (Ukraine Intelligence) comment: After examining the site of the plane the terrorists come to the conclusion that they have shot down a civilian plane. The next part of the conversation took place about 40 minutes later.</div>
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Major: These are Chernukhin folks show down the plane. From the Chernukhin check point. Those cossacks who are based in Chernukhino.</div>
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Greek: Yes, Major.</div>
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Major: The plane fell apart in the air. In the area of Petropavlovskaya mine. The first "200" (code word for dead person). We have found the first "200". A Civilian.</div>
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Greek: Well, what do you have there?</div>
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Major: In short, it was 100 percent a passenger (civilian) aircraft.</div>
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Greek: Are many people there?</div>
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Major: Holy sh**t! The debris fell right into the yards (of homes).</div>
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Greek: What kind of aircraft?</div>
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Major: I haven't ascertained this. I haven't been to the main site. I am only surveying the scene where the first bodies fell. There are the remains of internal brackets, seats and bodies.</div>
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Greek: Is there anything left of the weapon?</div>
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Major: Absolutely nothing. Civilian items, medicinal stuff, towels, toilet paper.</div>
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Greek: Are there documents?</div>
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Major: Yes, of one Indonesian student. From a university in Thompson. </div>
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- via Sydney Morning Herald/Kyiv Post<br />
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1:52: About that plane shot down near Snezhnovo Torez. It turned out to be a passenger plane. Fell near Grabovo, there's lots of bodies, women and children. Right now the cossacks are inspecting it.<br />
2:03: On TV they are saying AN-26, Ukrainian transport, but are saying it's labeled Malaysian Airlines.<br />
2:12: What was it doing in Ukrainian territory?<br />
2:16: Maybe it was transporting spies. Who knows. It's war.<br />
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Anton Gerashenko, an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister, said the plane was flying at an altitude of 10,000 metres (33,000 feet) over the eastern Ukraine when it crashed. He also said it was hit by a missile fired from a Buk launcher, which could fire missiles up to an altitude of 22,000 metres (72,000 feet).<br />
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An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said Air New Zealand did not operate over Eastern Europe.<br />
Dutch authorities said that, along with the 27 Australians, there were also 143 Dutch on board.<br />
Other passengers included 20 Malaysians, 11 Indonesians, six from the UK, four each from France and Germany and one from Canada. Some of the passengers were on their way to New Zealand, Dutch media reported.<br />
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MH17 was also a very popular route with oil and gas workers coming to South East Asia from the UK.<br />
Ukrainian armed forces were not involved in the plane being brought down, the Ukrainian presidential press service said. Interfax quoted it as saying that President Petro Poroshenko had described the incident an act of "terrorism".<br />
"We stress that the armed forces of Ukraine did not carry out any action to destroy targets in the air."<br />
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Pro-Russian separatists have said they were willing to have up to three days of ceasefire in eastern Ukraine to allow for recovery work at the site of the downed airliner, RIA news agency reported. However, the head of Ukrainian Emergency Situations said search efforts at scene were being hampered by "armed terrorists".<br />
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BODIES SCATTERED<br />
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An emergency services rescue worker confirmed 100 bodies had so far been found at the scene, near the village of Grabovo, and that debris from the wreckage was spread across an area up to about 15km in diameter.<br />
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''I was working in the field on my tractor when I heard the sound of a plane and then a bang and shots. Then I saw the plane hit the ground and break in two. There was thick black smoke,'' said a witness, who gave his name only as Vladimir.<br />
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A separatist rebel from nearby Krasnyi Luch who gave his name only as Sergei said: ''From my balcony I saw a plane begin to descend from a great height and then heard two explosions.''<br />
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Ukraine's Espreso TV reported that pro-Russian militants had recently received anti-aircraft weapons capable of shooting down planes at high altitudes.<br />
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The 'Buk' anti-aircraft missile system, manufactured in Russia, can hit aircraft up to an altitude of 25km. A launcher similar to the Buk missile system was seen by Associated Press journalists near the eastern Ukrainian town of Snizhne, which is held by pro-Russia rebels yesterday.<br />
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BUK, also known as SAM-17 Grizzly, or SAM-11 Gadfly is a mobile anti-aircraft system mounted usually on a tracked vehicle or truck that can simultaneously track and strike up to six targets flying from different directions and at different altitudes..<br />
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BUK/SA-11 (Gadfly) Missle system</div>
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On June 29, the Itar-Tass news agency reported that Donetsk People's Republic separatists had taken control of a missile defence unit equipped with <a href="http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-9K37-Buk.html">Buk missile systems</a>. (Clicky to Aus Airpower info)<br />
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However a spokesman for the Donetsk rebels denied any involvement. "The plane was shot down by the Ukrainian side," the spokesman told Interfax. "We simply do not have such air defence systems."<br />
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He said the plane was well beyond the range of any of their weapons, which can only go as high as 3000m. He also expressed his condolences to the bereaved families.<br />
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However the capture of such weapons was reported on a Russian News site: <i>Donetsk militia captured military defense part A-1402. Point defense is a division of Missile Forces and equipped with self-propelled anti-aircraft missile systems "Buk". This is the second division of the Air Force, which passed under the control of militias in recent days. One part surrendered voluntarily, for the second conducted many hours of fighting, RIA "Novosti".</i><br />
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<i>The Wall Street Journal reported an earlier missle strike (above) on a Ukrainian Transport:</i><br />
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<i>MOSCOW—Pro-Russian separatists shot down a Ukrainian military transport plane early Saturday, killing all 49 people on board, in the deadliest episode of months of unrest in eastern Ukraine.</i><br />
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<i>The Il-76 plane was downed near the government-controlled airport in Luhansk, a region largely in the grasp of the separatists, after coming under fire from heavy machine guns and shoulder-launched missiles, said Ukraine's Defense Ministry.</i><br />
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<i>The Ukrainian prosecutor general's office said the 40 military personnel and the nine crew members on board were all killed.</i><br />
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<i>The incident, the second such shooting down of a plane this month, demonstrates how far the nascent government in Kiev is from its target of restoring security in the regions bordering Russia. Luhansk has been the center of significant unrest in recent months, and a month ago separatists declared independence in the region, as well as in Donetsk.</i><br />
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<i>It came less than a day after the U.S. said it had confirmed the rebels had acquired tank and missile launchers from Russia and as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization released images it said supported allegations that Russian tanks had entered Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently denied charges that the country has provided weapons and troops to the rebels in Donetsk and Luhansk.</i><br />
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<i>In the wake of the attack, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called on the European Union to immediately introduce sectoral sanctions against Russia.</i><br />
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More info: According to an online flight tracking site, the plane's last known position was near Donetsk at an altitude of just over 10 km. A Dutch man, Cor Pan, is feared missing by his Facebook friends, after posting a joke as he boarded a plane in Amsterdam saying "if the plane disappears, this is what it looks like". Cor also posted a photo of what is believed to be the Malaysia Airlines plane later reportedly shot down over Ukraine.<br />
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Friends initially laughed along with the reference to missing Malaysia flight MH370, wishing him and his partner happy holidays. However their comments later turned to shock and disbelief. One wrote "rest in peace dear Cor and (his partner) Neeltje, and we wish strength to your family - what a nightmare this is."<br />
Fairfax could not independently verify whether the post was genuine. According to his Facebook page, Cor Pan was self-employed and lived in Volendam in the Netherlands.<br />
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Internet sleuths claim to have some photos of the offending SA-11:<br />
<a href="http://sync.democraticunderground.com/10025253748">Photos of Donetsk Missile Unit (Unproven)</a>; including a picture of a BUK Missle system leaving the area.<br />
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The prime suspect goes by the name Strelkov - or "shooter". Real name Igor Girkin, the former Russian intelligence officer has shot his own troops for insubordination. He may have just shot down a passenger plane with 298 people on board, or ordered it.<br />
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"We did warn you - do not fly in our sky," he reportedly posted to a Russian social media page just hours ago. This chilling message was most probably aimed at the Ukraine government, Girkin's target in a vicious separatist war.<br />
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But that post has now been deleted as it has become clear the jet was from Malaysia Airlines, not a military transport aircraft of the type Girkin has brought down in recent weeks.<br />
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The so-called "defence minister" of the Donetsk People's Republic first announced: "We just downed an An-26 near (the town of) Torez, and here is a video confirming that a 'bird fell'," said the post.<br />
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The video shows locals referring to the same coal mine in the region mentioned by Strelkov.<br />
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Russia's state media avoided any mention of the controversial posts and instead reported militia leaders' later claims that the Ukrainian air force had shot down the Boeing 777 instead.<br />
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Confirmation of separatist fighters killing the 298 people on board the plane from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur would further complicate Russian President Vladimir Putin's efforts to paint their uprising as a fight for self-determination.<br />
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The comments attributed to Girkin did not identify what missile was used to down the craft. But a message on the official Twitter account of the Donetsk People's Republic had announced hours earlier that insurgents had seized a series of Russian-made Buk systems capable of soaring to that height.<br />
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"dnrpress: self-propelled Buk surface-to-air missile systems have been seized by the DNR from (Ukrainian) surface-to-air missile regiment A1402," said the post. (link above) That tweet was later deleted as well.<br />
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No amateur can bring down a passenger jet streaking across the sky. A trained operator is needed to work the sophisticated surface-to-air missiles needed. Don't be lulled into believing any trooper with a rocket propelled grenade launcher on his shoulder could carry out this attack. The professionalism required alone makes Girkin and his Russian-backed separatists as the most likely suspects.<br />
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They have captured missile batteries mounted on trucks, and are suspected to have been supplied Russian-made "needle" portable launchers that can be carried by a man.<br />
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But it was far from clear whether Moscow condoned this atrocity.<br />
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The conflict in Ukraine has boiled for months since Russian commandos in Februrary seized control of the Crimean peninsula.<br />
<br />Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8017262752786565419.post-60864504624862532202014-07-16T19:34:00.002-07:002014-07-16T19:34:22.544-07:0020 Injured in SAA Turbulence incident: Global warming causing worse turbulence<h2 style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Turbulence incident: Global warming causing worse turbulence ? </b></span></span></h2>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Severe turbulence struck a South African Airways plane that was heading to Hong Kong, injuring 20 people before the aircraft landed safely on Wednesday, the airline said.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Medics were waiting at the Hong Kong airport to assist passengers on SA286, which had departed Johannesburg on Tuesday, the airline said in a statement.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Television footage showed rescue workers wheeling one injured passenger on a stretcher.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Three crewmembers and 17 passengers were injured, airline spokesman Tlali Tlali said.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">The Hong Kong fire department said two people were critically injured. The victims were taken to three hospitals.</span></div>
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SAA Airbus 340-300</div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">The airline said 165 passengers were on the Airbus 340-300 when the turbulence hit the aircraft as it flew over Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital</span></span></div>
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Last year in a similar incident about two dozen people on two flights were injured when their aircraft hit turbulence before landing at Hong Kong's airport.</div>
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Thai Airways said 20 people were hurt when an Airbus A38-800 carrying 500 passengers, two pilots and 24 cabin crew from Bangkok encountered "unforeseen turbulence" as it was descending to Hong Kong's airport.</div>
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The airline said passengers and cabin crew suffered injuries but the plane landed safely. 39 were reported injured but the airline later revised the number to 20. Kung says the injured were sent to three hospitals in the southern Chinese city.</div>
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Hong Kong Airlines reported three passengers and three flight attendants were hurt when their flight from Phuket hit "sudden turbulence" as it neared the city's airport. The airline said the plane landed safely and the six have left hospital. The plane was carrying 110 passengers and seven crew.</div>
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<b>Clear air turbulence:</b></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">The most insidious kind of turbulence, clear-air turbulence, is invisible, comes without warning and occurs any time during a flight. One of the main culprits of clear-air turbulence is the boundary between the jet stream—that aerial river that forms where arctic air masses meet warmer air from the south—and the slower-moving air adjacent to it. This invisible boundary shifts unpredictably, and woe to any unstrapped passenger in a jet that crosses it. "If you're flying in clear air, you have no indication at all. If an aircraft has passed through the area ahead of your airplane, your pilot might get an advance warning of turbulence ahead. "But if you're an early morning flight and you're going through an area first, you're going to be 'Probe One.'" </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Even the worst turbulence is no cause for alarm—by itself. I don't think an airplane has ever broken up in flight because of turbulence. All planes are built to withstand much more than even a severe turbulent event."</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Which makes passenger safety when an airplane hits turbulence—especially without warning—primarily the responsibility of the passengers themselves. That means buckling your seat belt, just as the pilots and stewardesses recommend, anytime you're seated. Air travelers should not get complacent. The best thing to do is to not loiter around in the aisles of the airplane," he says. "Do what you need to do, then get back to your seat and put on your seatbelt. You're still hurdling through the air at 500 miles an hour; things can happen. in 2005 an Air Korea jet fell 100 m in clear air turbulence, causing significant injury. Passengers and objects effectively become airborne, and go into free-fall until they hit something.</span></div>
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<img height="237" src="http://english.chosun.com/media/photo/news/200507/200507140014_01.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<b>There has also been an unprecedented increase in turbulence involving aircraft in Australia.</b></div>
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The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said turbulence doubled over the three-month period between October to December 2013, compared to the previous three months, significantly above the five year historical average.</div>
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Turbulence is the leading cause of in-flight injuries and an increase directly affects the safety of cabin passengers.</div>
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But the ATSB could not speculate as to why it was happening, according to Dr Stuart Godley head of the ATSB's Aviation Research Team.</div>
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"During the last five years there has been an increase in reporting, particularly from cabin crew, about an increase in turbulence, but we don't know why this is occurring," he said.</div>
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"Because they are weather-related, these events are cyclical.</div>
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"We're used to seeing more of them in summer, but this increase is unprecedented."</div>
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Turbulence is caused by the irregular movement of air and often cannot be seen.</div>
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When air masses with different speeds, direction or temperatures meet each other, turbulence is likely to occur.</div>
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While turbulence is normal and occurs frequently, it can be dangerous - especially for passengers not wearing seat belts or carrying unsecured items.</div>
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That was the case for one passenger in November 2013 who sustained a serious head injury from a laptop computer that fell from an overhead locker during a turbulent flight to Sydney.</div>
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Another passenger was injured after being struck by an iPad. Passengers not wearing seat belts are more likely to be seriously injured when turbulence hits.</div>
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"Serious head injuries can be sustained when a person hits the overhead panel where luggage is stored because they did not wear a seat belt," he said.</div>
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"Cabin crew have had legs broken from walking around the cabin when turbulence hit," he said.</div>
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Clear air turbulence (CAT) can pose a great amount of danger as it cannot be detected and hit any time, which is exactly what happened when cabin crew were commencing a meal service during a flight from Cairns to Tokyo in 1996.</div>
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Passengers, crew and meal trolleys hit the ceiling of the aircraft and landed heavily, seriously injuring passengers who were not belted up. Bone fractures, lacerations, neck and back strains, dislocated shoulders and shattered teeth were reported. Four were admitted to hospital.</div>
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While nothing that extreme has been reported during the recent bout of increased turbulence, Godley warns passengers to keep their seat belts on in the off-chance it should happen. Some areas of Australia are more prone to turbulence and Sydney has been a common spot for it to occur over the last summer, Godley said. "122 incidences of turbulence were recorded, 35 of which occurred on flights in to and out of Sydney, which seems to be a hot-spot for turbulence," he said. "Brisbane and the Gold Coast is another area which experiences a high amount."</div>
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<img height="232" src="http://jeleeb.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B6%D9%89-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%BA%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A9.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<b>Global warming to blame?</b></div>
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New research has found global warming is likely to double the chances of plane turbulence in the coming decades.</div>
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According to a study from the University of Reading and the University of East Anglia, atmospheric changes could lead to the amount of turbulent air patterns that affect planes doubling, and for the intensity to get stronger by the middle of this century.</div>
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Dr Paul Williams, who headed the research, said global warming would have a significant impact on the aviation industry. "Air turbulence does more than just interrupt the service of in-flight drinks. It injures hundreds of passengers and aircrew every year - sometimes fatally.</div>
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"It also causes delays and damages planes. The total cost to society is about US$150 million (NZ$177 million) each year." Researchers used supercomputer simulations to analyse jet streams over the North Atlantic Ocean.</div>
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Dr Manoj Joshi, from East Anglia, said they focused on looking at turbulence in its peak periods. "Our research focused on clear-air turbulence in winter. This is especially problematic to airliners, because clear-air turbulence is invisible to pilots and satellites, and winter is when it peaks."</div>
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It found the chances of encountering significant turbulence would increase by between 40 per cent and 170 per cent, but most likely double, and the intensity by anywhere between 10 and 40 per cent.</div>
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Williams said any increase in turbulence would make flying more uncomfortable and increase the risk to passengers and crew. Airlines would also be forced to re-rout some flights to avoid stronger patches of turbulence, which would lead to greater fuel consumption and emissions of atmospheric pollutants, make delays at airports more common, and ultimately push up ticket prices.</div>
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The research showed the atmosphere was becoming more vulnerable and unstable, and Williams said the aviation industry was partly to blame for that.</div>
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What is turbulence ? <a href="http://aircraftnut.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/turbulence-ahead-turbulence-101.html">Turbulence explained in a previous blog (click link)</a></div>
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Herman van Kradenburghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02436600778513944817noreply@blogger.com0