A Texas A&M University professor and his team in Qatar have a mathematical theory about why search crews have found no trace of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 more than a year after it went missing.

Dr. Goong Chen, whose research on this theory was published in the American Mathematical Society’s journal, argues that the plane could have nosedived into the Indian Ocean at a 90-degree angle and remained somewhat intact as it sank to the bottom.

At 1:30 a.m. on March 8, the plane carrying 239 people dropped off air-traffic-control screens, less than an hour into a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Flight MH370 is the fact that, despite experts tracking the plane’s satellite pings to the southern Indian Ocean, searchers have never found a debris field or oil slicks from the supposed crash.

Texas A&M noted that in the case of Air France Flight 447, crews recovered thousands of pieces of floating debris from the Atlantic Ocean just days after the plane crashed in 2009.

Chen explains that if the plane were to enter the ocean at another angle, it would have created a large “bending moment” from the external force of hitting the water, causing the fuselage to break up.

In this type of situation, there would likely be a field of floating debris on the surface of the water.

But a vertical entry would be much smoother, with a smaller “bending moment.” The plane’s wings would have likely broken off immediately, but since they’re heavy, they probably would have sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

So if the plane nosedived into the ocean, it could have sank somewhat intact and landed belly-up on the ocean floor, according to the research paper.

The ocean’s current would have guided the plane to its resting place at the bottom. Lightweight debris like seat cushions and passenger belongings probably wouldn’t be able to float to the ocean’s surface if the plane’s body sank intact.

The plane stalling from a steep climb, aircraft mechanisms malfunctioning, and the plane running out of fuel could have caused MH370 to plunge into the ocean at a sharp angle, according to the research paper.

Chen and his team created simulations of what the descent might have looked like:

Texas A&M University at Qatar / Notices of the American Mathematical Society

The plane entering the water at this angle wouldn’t have created the same large waves as an entry at a lesser angle. Big waves would have likely caused more break-up of the plane at the surface.

The animation below shows the supposed distribution of pressure. The paper notes that aviation experts say that how a plane enters the water determines how it breaks up.

Texas A&M University at Qatar / Notices of the American Mathematical Society

In other scenarios Chen and his team looked at, the plane’s angle of entry would have created bigger waves and more pressure, which likely would have caused the plane to break up more near the water’s surface.

Texas A&M University at Qatar / Notices of the American Mathematical Society

Illustration showing a diving water entry.

Texas A&M University at Qatar / Notices of the American Mathematical Society

Illustration showing a rolling water entry.

Chen and his team concluded that based on the various scenarios they mathematically examined, a nosedive is the mostly likely explanation of what happened to the plane. If the plane had entered the ocean at a different angle, the paper notes, search crews would have likely found debris by now.

Texas A&M University at Qatar/Notices of the American Mathematical Society

“This particular assertion is speculative but forensic,” the paper concludes. The team noted that they based this theory on computed data, aviation precedents, and atmospheric and ocean surface conditions.

The disappearance of MH 370 is one of the most bizarre and tragic aviation mysteries of all time. Investigators have not offered any conclusive explanation as to what happened to the plane after it disappeared from radar.

Australian officials announced last month that teams are expanding the MH370 search area in the Indian Ocean. They said that if the plane isn’t found there, they’re not sure where else to look.

Source….Pamela Engel in http://www.businessinsider.in

Natarajan

In the lead-up to the Paris Air Show, which begins on June 15, Boeing has set the bar high after releasing a video of its newest version of the Dreamliner aircraft — the 787-9 — performing some impressive aerial moves.

But it’s the takeoff which has everyone talking as the passenger jet makes an almost vertical ascent seconds after leaving the ground.

The steep climb looks impressive, though it has its doubters.

Boeing 767 pilot Patrick Smith told CNN: “It looks like the takeoff is at a near vertical 90 degree angle — trust me it’s not.”

He said a 787 with passengers making a 20 degree pitch-up on takeoff would be pretty strong.

“Presumably the plane was very light because it wasn’t carrying any passengers, probably had a very light fuel load, no freight, so it would have been able to perform a steeper than normal ascent — but not to the extent the video seems to show,” Smith said.

That’s steep … the Boeing Dreamliner 787-9 takeoff Source: Supplied

video clip..

Source….www.news.com.au and http://www.youtube.com

Natarajan

Qatar was voted the best airline for 2015, bumping last year’s winner Cathay Pacific to third place.

It’s not the first time Qatar has claimed the top spot. It won in 2011 and 2012 and has twice been voted runner up. It also took home best airline in the Middle East and best business class seat.

The presitigous Skytrax awards are judged by 18.9 million passengers in 110 countries around the world who vote on factors such as comfort, friendliness of cabin crew and in-flight food.

Qatar CEO Akbar Al Baker told CNN it was a reflection of their staff.

“It’s a very clear accolade on behalf of the staff — they are the real recipients, I’m just their leader”, he said.

AirAsia won the best low-cost airline category for 2015 despite the tragic and fatal crash of flight QZ8501 last year.Source: Getty Images

The top ten airlines included Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Turkish and Emirates. Qantas came in at number 10 on the list.

In the low-cost airline category AirAsia was voted the world’s best for the seventh year in a row, despite the tragic accident in the Java Sea last year that killed all 162 people on-board flight QZ8501.

Reported in CNN, co-founder and group CEO Tony Fernandes said the award “meant a lot, after all we’ve been through. I wouldn’t normally say the airline industry is sweet, but today it felt sweet.

“We’ve won it seven times, but this one means the most, because of what happened in the early part of this year.”

Other awards included Garuda Indonesia for best cabin crew, Air France for most improved airline, EVA Air for cleanest aircraft cabins and Cathay Pacific for best transpacific airline.

The list of the world’s top 100 airlines for 2015 can be viewed here.

The best airlines for 2015

1. Qatar Airways

2. Singapore Airlines

3. Cathay Pacific Airways

4. Turkish Airlines

5. Emirates

6. Etihad Airways

7. ANA All Nippon Airways

8. Garuda Indonesia

9. EVA Air

10. Qantas Airways

source….www.news.com.au

Natarajan

Administrators at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) had long been looking to address the levels of aircraft noise that affected those living near the airport.

So, taking inspiration from the ground, de Kort created a landscape that has had a significant effect on dampening the roar of planes for those living near one of the world’s busiest airports.

But long before de Kort broke ground, researchers from the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) had already been studying the noise level at AMS. They noticed that in the fall, after the fields surrounding the airport had been ploughed, noise levels decreased significantly.

It turns out that the furrows created by ploughing helped to absorb, deflect and mute aircraft noise.

Working off these findings, de Kort collaborated with architectural firm H+N+S Lanscapearchitects and scientists from the TNO to create Buitenschot Land Art Park.

Located to the southwest of AMS, just off the edge of the runway, this huge green space is laid out in an interlocking system of ditches and trenches.

While its primary purpose is to dampen the ground noise created by passing aircraft, the park also features bike paths, sports fields and even sculpture to create a space that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

To create this mazelike park, de Kort also drew heavily on the past and was particularly inspired by the work of Ernst Chladni, a 17th century German physicist. The scientist’s Chladni patterns served as the inspiration for the furrows and ridges now seen at AMS.

Completed in October 2013, this collaborative project has since been viewed as a renowned success. The creation of Buitenschot had an immediate effect, cutting the decibel level of aircraft noise down by half, the Smithsonian reported. And it has continued being a success since then.

De Kort, however, has one regret. Speaking to Hansman, he explained that, “The ground sound spreads behind the plane that’s taking off, so in fact you fly away in the other directions. You won’t be able to actually see the area from the air.”

For more travel updates go to FlyerTalk.com.

Source…www.news.com.au

Natarajan

Source….www.you tube.com

Natarajan

A group of international investors has won a bankruptcy auction for an abandoned airport in central Spain with a €10,000 (£7,000) offer – 100,000 times less than it cost to build.

The investors were the only bidders for Ciudad Real airport, south of Madrid, completed during Spain’s boom years.

But it is not clear if the sale will go ahead as another buyer could still step forward outside of the auction process.

The winning bid was made by a Chinese-led consortium of investors.

The group, Tzaneen International, says it wants to make the airport an entry point into Europe for Chinese companies.

Minimum price

Ciudad Real airport, located 235km (146 miles) south of Madrid, was meant to be an alternative to Madrid’s Barajas airport.

It cost more than €1bn to built. It opened in 2008 but went bankrupt and closed in 2012.

There is still a possibility that another buyer could meet the minimum price of €28m set by the receiver for the sale to go through before the end of September.

The central Spanish airport has a capacity for 2.5 million passengers per year.

It is one of a number of “ghost airports” constructed during Spain’s building boom that did not attract enough passengers.

A similar fate has befallen Castellon airport in the east. It opened in 2011 but has not received a single flight.

Source….www.bbc.com

Natarajan

A full 40% of Americans don’t like to fly.

It makes sense if you think about it: hurtling across time zones in a metal tube at the height of Everest isn’t something our ancestors evolved to face. We get by on white knuckles, a Xanax, or a pre-flight pit stop at the terminal bar.

But about 3% of us are grounded, refusing to fly at all, even if it means being left out of family vacations, spending multiple days on interstate freeways, or never seeing Paris in the springtime.

Fear of flying can grow from many different roots—particularly harrowing turbulence, knowing someone who was in a plane crash, learning to be afraid as a child from a fearful parent, or media images of crashes, hijackings, or terrorist attacks.

So what to do to keep fear at bay?  Here are 5 tips to deliver you safely and sanely from jetway to jetway:

Learn About the Physics of Flight

Learning accurate information is the quickest way to calm your fears.  There are a number of extensively detailed and very reassuring websites available explaining how airplanes work, so I won’t reinvent the wheel—an online search will land you on an explanation that works for you.  But here’s a quick primer on some common fears:

• Falling out of the sky, The plane cannot fall out of the sky any more than you could fall out of a swimming pool of water.  Air has mass, just like water.  It is also continuous and secure, just like water.  Indeed, you’ve never walked down the street into an “air pocket” where you suddenly couldn’t breathe.  Such it is at higher altitudes as well.  Therefore, picture the airplane “swimming” through supportive, continuous air, much as you would swim through water.
• • Engines failing,  First of all, planes are well-maintained and checked regularly—much more often than you would ever think of checking your car engine.  Second, there are multiple engines, and even if one goes out, pilots can often re-start it, just as you might restart a car engine.  Third, in a worst-case scenario, even a commercial jetliner can glide—inelegantly, but glide nonetheless—to an emergency landing.
  • Turbulence,  Turbulence isn’t a problem for planes any more than bumps in the road are a problem for cars.  Think of the last time you drifted onto the rumble strip on the highway—those bumps are no more than tiny striations in the concrete, but they cause a major vibration that says “wake up!”  Likewise, little ups and downs in the air can have a deceptively big effect.  Turbulence is so routine that the plane can often handle it on autopilot, much like cruise control is sufficient for normal bumps in a road.  It feels scary, but the biggest danger with routine turbulence is getting coffee on your laptop.
  • Some crazy guy trying to open the door during flight.  Even if the doors weren’t locked (which they are), opening the door during flight is physically impossible due to the difference in air pressure inside versus outside the plane.  So let the crazy guy go to town on that door.  At least he’s not telling you about his conspiracy theories while you’re trying to sleep.

  Tip #2: Keep the Movie Rolling

You may have a preconceived flight tragedy movie in your mind that plays over and over when you have to get on a plane.  I’d be willing to bet it ends at the most terrifying moment.

For example, let’s say you’re frightened of the plane crashing into the ocean.  You picture it happening and freeze frame at the most horrifying image. Instead, keep the movie going until you’re safe.  Picture the flight attendants deploying those yellow slides, then sliding into a raft.  Then picture a helicopter or rescue boat arriving, heading to land or a military carrier, and getting checked out at a hospital, if necessary.  And then?  And then you’d go home.

Keep your imaginary movie rolling until you picture yourself safe.  You’ll feel better knowing that even in the unlikely event your fear comes true, it doesn’t end with the scariest moment.

Tip #3: Don’t Confuse Possibility with Probability

Images of US Air 1549 floating in the Hudson River, the Asiana crash at SFO, and of course, September 11, are rightfully seared into our collective memory.  However, the detailed media coverage of these tragedies makes us perceive that crashes, hijackings, or terrorist attacks are common and likely to happen.

This is called overestimation of threat, a common misstep of the mind.  We misjudge the potential for catastrophic consequences based on highly visible, but extremely rare, outliers.  We confuse possibility with probability—a crash is possible, but it’s definitely not probable.  Crashes make the news precisely because they are rare.

Specifically, in 2012, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association for the airline industry, recorded just 1 accident per 5 million flights on western-built jets.  Even if you’re on that one-in-5-million flight, of all passengers involved in U.S. plane crashes from 1983-2000, a full 96% survived.

Tip #4: Tune into What’s Going on Around You

Take a page from the mindfulness book to root yourself in the safe, present moment.  Keep yourself from spiraling into imaginary worst-case scenarios by looking around you and describing what you see.  Look at each person who files past you down the aisle, describing them without judgment.  Describe the interior of the plane.  Look internally as well—scan sensations but don’t interpret them.

“My heart is beating quickly” is fine but stop short of “and that means I’m going to have a heart attack.” Absorb yourself in what is, and you’ll have less room for hypothetical what ifs.

Tip #5: Use Good Old-Fashioned Distraction

Virgin America today announces its new summer menu and partnership with Dean & DeLuca.

To get your mind off a racing heart or catastrophic imaginary thoughts, tune outward, not inward.  Soothing music works for some, but for others it reminds you that you’re trying not to be nervous.  So rather than trying to soothe yourself, which can feel too “therapeutic,” engage yourself with a riveting movie, captivating book, or addictive app.

Plan ahead and bring something you’ve really been wanting to read or watch so you’re not limited to in-flight entertainment or whatever’s in the airport bookshop.  And although the research says distraction doesn’t help you get used to flying; I say do whatever gets you through to baggage claim.  Remember, zero judgment.

Test out these 5 tips, and after a while, you might even like to fly.  As for liking airline food or baggage fees, well, we’ll leave that to the crazy guy trying to jimmy the door.

Read the original article on Quick and Dirty Tips. Copyright 2015. Follow Quick and Dirty Tips on Twitter.

Source… ELLEN HENDRIKSEN, QUICK AND DIRTY TIPS  in  www.businessinsider.com

Natarajan

Read more: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/mental-health/how-to-overcome-your-fear-of-flying-part-1?page=1#ixzz3h4GE2VOy

The shadow of a Royal New Zealand Air Force P3 Orion is seen on low-level clouds while the aircraft searches for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in March 2014.Photo: AP

Plane debris that could possibly be linked to missing Flight MH370 has been discovered washed up on the beach of a remote island in the Indian Ocean, officials revealed Wednesday.

The component found is believed to be the flaperon from a Boeing 777, the same type of plane that disappeared over the southern Indian Ocean in March 2014 with 239 people onboard.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is the only Boeing 777 currently unaccounted for, and experts have taken the part away for further analysis in an attempt to determine its origin.

This is the first major development in the flight’s puzzling disappearance over a year ago in an event that has become one of the biggest unsolved aviation mysteries in history.

However, this is not the first time a plane has disappeared or crashed under mysterious circumstances. Here are some of the other unexplained aviation disasters that have taken place in the last century:

1. Aer Lingus Flight 712

On March 24, 1968, Aer Lingus Flight 712 from Cork in Ireland to London’s Heathrow Airport crashed into the sea, killing all 61 onboard.

But when investigators looked into the crash, they could find no explanation for what brought the plane down. In the years following the crash, several witnesses came forward to claim that the plane had been shot down by an experimental British missile — a claim that was strongly denied by the British government.

2. B47 Stratojet Bomber

In March 1956, a Boeing B47 Stratojet long-range bomber carrying three US Air Force personnel vanished over the Mediterranean Sea while en route from MacDill Air Force Base in Florida to Ben Guerir Air Force Base in Morocco. The plane disappeared without a trace. Frighteningly, the bomber was carrying two nuclear warheads, which were never recovered.

3. Helios Airways Flight 522

On Aug. 14, 2005, Greek air traffic controllers lost contact with Helios Airways Flight 522 as it headed toward Athens airport to begin its descent after a short trip from Cyprus. Strangely, the plane stayed within its set holding pattern around the airport for over an hour. When fighter jets were scrambled to intercept the flight, they saw the pilot slumped over the controls. The plane descended rapidly around 30 minutes later, crashing into a hillside outside the city and killing all 121 souls onboard. An investigation into the crash determined that there may have been a gradual cabin pressure loss that had likely incapacitated the crew.

4. Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed Electra

One of the most famous aviation mysteries in history occurred in 1937 when the Lockheed Electra plane piloted by pioneer aviator Amelia Earhart vanished over the Pacific Ocean during her attempt to circumnavigate the globe. No wreckage was ever found, and the plane’s disappearance has been the focus of intense conspiracy theories ever since. There have been stories of her being shot down by the Japanese or being a spy. Some have speculated that she faked her own death, and a very small contingent is convinced she was abducted by aliens.

5. Flight 19

Flight 19 was the name given to a US Air Force training exercise that took place on Dec. 5, 1945, involving an Avenger Torpedo Bomber. The plane disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle with 14 airmen on board. The Air Force then sent a Mariner flying boat with 13 men onboard to attempt to find the missing aircraft. That plane also went missing. Neither of the planes, nor the 27 crew members in total, was ever seen again, and investigators could never determine the cause of either flight’s disappearance.

6. Egypt Air Flight 990

Flight 990 was a scheduled flight from Los Angeles to Cairo with a stopover in New York. But on Oct. 31, 1999, the Boeing 747 mysteriously crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about 100 miles south of Nantucket, killing all 217 people onboard, including 14 crew members. While investigators never discovered the specific cause of the crash, the FBI believed that the evidence suggested the crash was deliberate rather than accidental. Egyptian and American authorities never agreed on the cause of the crash, with the Egyptians concluding it was due to mechanical malfunction and the Americans stating it was the responsibility of the relief first officer.

7. Pan Am Flight 7

Pan Am Flight 7 was once considered one of the most exclusive and luxurious “around-the-world trips” available. But in 1957, during a leg from Los Angeles to Hawaii, the Boeing Stratocruiser vanished into thin air. Rescue crews hunted for five days before finding the plane floating in the ocean, hundreds of miles off course, with very little actual damage to the aircraft. Autopsies on the passengers found that they had been poisoned by carbon monoxide emissions, but no reason for the poisoning was ever found. Many speculated that it was possibly an act of insurance fraud.

8. Air France Flight 447

On the morning of June 1, 2009, Air France Flight 447, traveling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, went missing with 216 passengers and 12 crew members onboard. The Airbus A330 had flown through a thunderstorm, but no distress signal was sent. For several days there was no trace of the plane, and it took over two years to recover the black boxes from the ocean floor. Analysis of the boxes found that a combination of equipment malfunction and human error resulted in the crash.

Source…. Sohpie Forbes, Yahoo Travel in http://www.nypost.com and www,news.com.au

Natarajan

Singapore’s Changi airport has a swimming pool to float away the time. Picture: Alamy Source: Alamy

From golf courses to wave pools and a game of croquet, these airports are truly destinations in themselves. These are six of the world’s best airport terminals.

Incheon International Airport, South Korea

Earlier this year, this airport was hailed the world’s cleanest by Skytrax, a UK-based consultancy that reviews airports.

When you’re not taking advantage of the free showers in the hotel-style bathrooms, you can also enjoy a museum, golf course, casino and ice-skating rink. No one would notice if they scraped the “airport” off the sign and changed it to “resort.”

Changi International Airport, Singapore

It almost seems silly to fly out of this airport — because how many destinations can hold a candle to its awesome attractions?

The hands-down coolest thing? A Hobbit Hole inside the Naturally New Zealand exhibit — holla! It’s a hobbit village as depicted in “The Lord of the Rings,” built by some of the same film crew. (OK, the installation ended in April, but something equally cool is bound to replace it.)

Not to be outdone, the Social Tree claims some bragging rights. It’s surrounded by eight interactive booths made from 32-inch televisions with touch screens. You can take photos to send to yourself, to store in the system, or to display on its massive wall.

Fancy a dip before your flight? No problem — pre- and post-flight swims are available at Changi’s rooftop pool. For some serenity, check out the koi ponds and 500,000 plants throughout five indoor gardens, which require maintenance from 11 fulltime horticulturists.

Munich International Airport

Sometimes you need to take the edge off before a flight — and this airport has you covered in the hippest way possible: It has its own microbrewery. There’s also an in-house art gallery.

And if you get sick of waiting for your flight, there’s always the Audi car showroom above Terminal 1, in case your destination is within driving distance.

But Munich’s sweetest amenity has to be the newly opened wave pool, where surfers can enjoy stationary shredding.

London Heathrow Airport

Often considered the crossroads of the world, there’s very little Heathrow doesn’t have — including a Harrods outpost.

When retail therapy doesn’t cut it, there’s always the Molton Brown Travel Spa in British Airways Terminals 1 and 4, where you can grab a quickie hydrotherapy shower. The therapeutic technique increases your circulation, thanks to all that (water) jet action.

And don’t forget to enjoy croquet on a mini court.

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

If you’re still on a high from all that Amsterdam has to offer, and forgot to pick up souvenirs for your loved ones, don’t despair: This airport has Dutch diamond purveyor Gassan, offering cut and polished bling with all the proper certifications. Freaked out by the price on your receipt? Then check out the meditation centre.

Queen Alia International Airport, Zizya, Jordan

Sure, it’s been known to heat up in Jordan in summertime, but the airport — whose terminals are shaped like desert palm leaves — has taken care of that. In an eco-friendly move, it uses actual rainwater for the indoor garden, cooling everything down in the process.

Source…..www.news.com.au

Natarajan

When one thinks of airplane disasters, one relates them to tragedy, loss and devastation.

However, German photographer Dietmar Eckell finds ‘miracles in aviation history’ at the abandoned sites of wrecks that have resulted in no casualties.

‘Happy End’ is a photo-project of 15 airplanes that had forced landings but all on board survived and were rescued from the remote locations. The planes remain abandoned in nowhere for the last 10-70 years.

He writes, “It’s part of  my long term project ‘restwert’ (German for residual value) to document abandoned objects with fascinating backgrounds like cold war relicts, Olympic sites, flooded churches, railroad tracks, never finished nuclear reactors, overgrown adventure parks etc.”

Douglas Skytrain C-47, Yukon, Canada

In February 1950, a Douglas Skytrain C-47 plane accidentally crashed into the ridge and 10 passengers on board miraculously survived in the cold weather. Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

The pilot made it down to a nearby highway to get help rescuing the other nine survivors.Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

The photographer spent two hours at the crash site taking various shots of the wreckage. Speaking of his experience, Eckell says, “I still cannot imagine how they survived in February 1950 with temperatures in the -40s up there.” Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

Carvair, Alaska

In June 1997, Carvair took off from Venetie, United States of America. The aircraft was climbing when the engine on the left wing began to run rough. Soon, a fire broke out, causing the engine to fall off the wing. The captain was forced to carry out an emergency landing on a sand and gravel bar in the ChandalarRiver. Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

Fairchild C-82, Alaska

A twin-engine Fairchild C-82, carrying cargo, experienced troubled and had to crash-land in January 1965 in the Tundra forest, cutting down many trees. The three crewmembers survived by building a huge fire from the surrounding pines, which proved their salvation when a spotter plane saw its glow 3 days later. Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

Cessna T-50, Alaska

This Cessna T-50, also known as the “Bamboo Bomber,” crash-landed in Alaska after it ran out of fuel in the 1960s. Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

Cessna 310, Australia

A Cessna 310 in repose in Western Australia after it crashed in 1993. Eckell captured this image after a 1,500 kilometre drive. Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

B-24 Liberator, Papua New Guinea

This massive B-24 bomber crash-landed in Papua New Guinea swamp in October 1943 after running low on fuel after a bombing mission. The crew successfully parachuted to the ground, and the two pilots were unhurt in the crash landing.

Douglas C-53, Australia

The Douglas Skytrooper was forced to land in February 1942 after the pilot missed the airport and ran out of fuel. This cluttered transport wreck is the last shoot — to date — of the Happy End project. Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

Grumman hu-16 Albatross, Mexico

This Grumman Albatross crashed on a beach about 70 km south of Puerto Escondido, Mexico. The locals told Eckell that the plane was used by drug traffickers. Eckell discovered the wreck in 2010, six years after the crash. The imminent storm gave him precisely the backdrop he wanted. Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

Avro Shackleton, Western Sahara

Two engines of this plane suddenly failed, sending it down to the desert sand in 1994. Surviving this crash in such an inhospitable environment was an astonishing feat for the 19 passengers and crew. He remembers his attempt to reach the plane as dangerous. “After a 30-hour car ride from Morocco to Mauritania and a 26-hour ride on an ore train, I got to a mining town and there had to convince the local Polisario leader to take me over the border to the Western Sahara. I had the plane’s GPS location and we drove cross country to avoid getting caught by the Mauritanian military. Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

Curtiss C-46 Commando, Manitoba, Canada

This Curtiss Commando made a heroic emergency landing in the hills of Manitoba, Canada. All 3 people aboard survived. The Commando was often used as transport aircraft in World War II; command crews nicknamed the C-46 the ‘flying coffin’. Eckell explains that although this wreck is relatively easy to hike to, it involves an extra threat: It’s in polar bear country. Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

Douglas C-47 R4D-8, Iceland

In November 1973, this US Navy transport plane crashed after encountering severe weather conditions and icing near Vik, Iceland. All 7 passengers and crew members made it to safety.Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

Vought F4U Corsair, Hawaii

A Vought F4U Corsair ended up in Hawaii waters a few years after World War II.  cal diving school operators helped Eckell to find the small fighter plane and told him the pilot escaped.Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

Bristol 170, Canada

This Bristol Type 170 broke through the frozen lake on landing, fracturing the wing, and has been there ever since 1956. Eckell tracked it down with the GPS coordinates and persuaded a local Cessna pilot to fly him out to it. Photograph: Dietmar Eckell

Check out Dietmar Eckell’s Facebook page

Source….www.rediff.com

Natarajan

Months after take off, Durgapur airport in West Bengal struggles to stay afloat

Close to three months after a star-studded take-off with Tollywood celebrities, India’s first greenfield airport project, the Kaji Nazrul Islam airport in Durgapur is in trouble. Two non-scheduled flight operators — Pinnacle Air and Spirit Airways– have suspended operations and Air India’s lone flight on the Kolkata-Durgapur route is faced with a low demand. Now, it’s left to Bengal Aerotrolplis (BAPL) to go all out to keep the airport afloat.

Pinnacle Air, which was running flights from Kolkata to Cooch Behar four times-a-week, touching down at Durgapur and Bagdogra, along with Air India marked the beginning of commercial operation at Andal airport on May 18 this year. But poor demand has prompted it to suspend operations within months.

Spirit Airways, a non-scheduled flight operator, started three days-a-week services on the Kolkata-Andal-Patna route in mid-June. But it took them only a few weeks to decide that the service was not viable. When asked, regional manager (operations) of Spirit Airlines Gouranga Bhattacharya, did not want to comment on this.

Air India’s six days a week Durgapur-Kolkata flight is also struggling to get passengers with the effect that the airport-surrounding looks nearly-deserted. Apart from a couple of CISF personnel and a handful of Air India staff roaming around, the site is anything but airport-like.

An Air India personnel on duty says, the average occupancy is about 15 to 16 daily. It is continuing the service as BAPL is subsidising the loss in accordance with a deal with Air India for viability gap funding.

“Apart from the flight hours in the evening you will hardly find anyone here. It is difficult for those working there as well, as there is only barren land all around. Hope things will change soon with the city coming up,” said the staff.

BAPL managing direcor Partha Ghosh, promises to stand up to the hope. “Yes, occupancy is about 30 to 35 per cent now. These are very initial days. We are working on campaigns and promotions to make the airport popular and get more flights.”

While initially the fare was fixed at Rs 2,500, Air India is offering promotional offer of Rs 999 (excluding taxes) for one way journey on Durgapur-Kolkata route. The AI flight takes off from Kolkata at 5 pm and lands at Andal airport at 5.45 pm daily. The return flight takes off from Andal at 6.05 pm and reaches Kolkata at 6.50 pm.

Many argue that there are cheaper and convenient ways to travel to Kolkata from Durgapur. Including taxes one will have to pay about Rs 1,300 for a one-way journey now. “A passenger needs to report to the airline counter two hours prior to departure. Then there is a 45-minute flying time. Also, after landing, one has to spend some time collecting baggage and then more than half an hour to drive from Andal to Durgapur. Compare it with a journey by road on a Volvo bus or an express train which takes hardly three hours,” argued Anil Punjabi, chairman, east, Travel Agents Federation of India.

“BAPL needs to work with corporate houses, travel agents there to get the traffic. It has cultivate to its catchment area with more aggression. They will also have to focus on basic passenger amenities like non-avilability of transportation to and from the airport. Subsidising the flier or “seat underwriting” may not sustain for more than a year,” he added.

According to him, BAPL may consider other routes like direct flights to Delhi or even an international flight to Dhaka, which may attract passengers. Here is an interesting perspective why a Durgapur-Delhi flight could attract more passengers. “Of the 10 to 15 passengers travelling daily from Durgapur, most are employees of SAIL, who take connecting flights to Delhi from Kolkata airport,” said an Air India staff. It’s a convenient for many SAIL employees to take the flight because of the through check-in facility.

Partha Ghosh said BAPL is in talks with Air India for the Durgapur- Delhi route, which will be the next offering, without giving any specific dateline. But, there is catch. A 48 seater ATR flight can’t fly the distance of Durgapur to Delhi, it has to be A-319 flight which would have capacity of over 120 seats and to get that many passengers would be really difficult given the current scenario.

“As we talk we are carrying out promotonal events tying up with local clubs, institutions, local chambers of commerce. We are also engaging with all corporates in the the region

All through, BAPl has banked on the Asansol-Durgapur-Dhanbad industrial belt. The Asansol Durgapur Planning Area has a population of about three million. BAPL’s catchment area accounts for facilities across the iron & steel, aluminum, locomotives, cables, specialised optical lenses, coal mining and power generation sectors, along with related ancillary units. Major units in the catchment area employ a large number of staff, of which 15 per cent is management cadre, says a BAPL internal assessment report. “There are 17 engineering colleges, two deemed universities, 18 polytechnics and management institutes within the project’s immediate and extended catchment area,” the report adds.

It is time for them to cultivate what BAPL has believed all these years. More so, as the future of the proposed airport city with an information technology park, hospitals and a residential complex, spread over 1800 acres also hinges on success of the airport to a great extent.

Photograph by Ananta Karmakar, courtesy, Kazi Nazrul Islam International Airport/Facebook

Probal Basak in Kolkata

Source:    and http://www.rediff.com

In our Special Independence Day series, Rediff.com looks at India through the lives of her people.

Today: Captain Indu Nair, who joined a private airline after her tenure as a pilot in the Indian Air Force ended five years ago. From the second batch of women pilots in the IAF, she flew during the Kargil conflict.

As a commercial airline pilot, one of her best experiences, she says, is taking off with an all woman crew!

It is no longer unusual for passengers to have a lady pilot fly them to their destinations. I have been a pilot for 20 years and it has been a lovely journey. My dream, however, is to fly the Boeing 747!

India has many women pilots now. There are days when both the pilots in the cockpit and the cabin crew — are all women. It is a superb feeling to have an all women crew.

I served the Indian Air Force as a pilot for 15 years and became a commercial pilot when my career ended since I was on a short service commission.

There was a time in school I wanted to be an air hostess, but my sister superior counseled me against it. I then started looking at the civil services but was always fascinated by the uniform and that’s how I joined the IAF.

I was among the earliest batch of women officers. A male bastion till then, I think it took longer for the male officers to adapt to us that us to them.

At the time of the Kargil conflict, two of us women officers were called by our senior officer and told that while the male officers would fly for the Kargil operation, the two of us would be assigned ground duties.

We came out of his office and went back in again to tell him that we are trained pilots like the men and we can do the same. We were told that it would be hard, we would have to sleep in the airplane, use common toilets as the men and be in difficult terrain. We told him we were ready and we were giving flying duties during the Kargil conflict.

We flew in ammunition and supplies; on the way back we carried the bodies of our martyred soldiers.

Ferrying the bodies of young men who had died defending our country was one of the toughest things I have done.

It was tragic. It left me numb.

Indu Nair was from the second batch of lady pilots to join the Indian Air Force. Photograph: Kind courtesy, Indu Nair.

When I was in the Indian Air Force, I flew the AN-32 — a rugged but forgiving Russian aircraft. You needed physical strength to operate the AN-32.

I now fly the ATR, a delicate machine.

Before a take-off, I take a walk about of the airplane and do the external checks. I often pat my aircraft and in my mind tell her to take us to our destination safely.

Safety is of paramount importance. As captain of the aircraft, I am responsible for the safety of the passengers and the aircraft.

I have seen sunrise and sunset, up in the sky, from the windows of my cockpit. I was telling my copilot just the other day how privileged we are to see nature in all its glory.

We have also seen how fickle nature can be, and how bad weather disrupts flying schedules. In all these years of flying, I have realised that a pilot has to respect the weather and follow the flying manual to a T.

I remember once on a flight, passengers got into an argument with the cabin crew when the flight was diverted because of poor visibility. They kept saying that if they can see the air strip from the window, why couldn’t the pilot!

When we landed at the airport we were diverted to, the first officer and me as the captain, had to explain to the irate passengers that if the air traffic control tells us that we cannot land, we just cannot!

My usual schedule is 6 days of flying, followed by two days of rest.

I have to report at the dispatch room at the airport before the flight. We get written regulations; a medical and breath analyser test is done.

In the cockpit, I am in charge as the captain. The first officer and me discuss the flight, make the necessary announcements and steer the aircraft to the destination.

After a flight, we complete the necessary paperwork, go back to the dispatch room and then leave for home.

What I sometimes miss is having a regular 9 to 5 schedule, but such is the nature of my profession that this is not possible.

IMAGE: Her last sortie as a wing commander in the IAF. Photograph: Kind courtesy Indu Nair.

My children are used to seeing mummy as a pilot and my older child is showing some interest in following in my footsteps. Once I am home, I cook, spend time with the family and get early to bed. On my days off, I catch up on household affairs — I like going and buying vegetables.

My husband laughs that I am better in the cockpit than in the driving seat of a car — but driving on city roads is no longer a pleasant experience.

The thing that I don’t enjoy too much about being away as a pilot is eating hotel food over days. How much airline and hotel food can you eat, after all!

So often, passengers on my regular routes have told me that once they hear I am in the cockpit, they know it would be smooth landing.

Women pilots are not an unusual sight and people, especially, girls look at us with pride.

More and more women every year are taking the commerical pilot’s license. And over the year, women have proved to be efficient pilots. It is there for everyone to see.

Out of 5,100 pilots in India, 600 are women, according to the ministry of civil aviation.

A pilot with Jet Airways for the last five years, Captain Indu Nair will join another domestic airline next week. She lives in Mumbai with her husband, a former Indian Air Force officer, and two daughters.

She spoke to Archana Masih/Rediff.com

Source….www.rediff.com

natarajan

Remains of the Day.

The world’s 10 longest non-stop flights criss-cross the world, cutting down travel time and making journeys easier and comfortable.

While the longest non-stop flight in the world will take over 17 hours, the longest domestic flight in India — from Kochi to New Delhi — takes three hours.

The top 10 non-stop flights cover a distance of 82,702 miles, connecting big cities across the world.

Take a look at the world’s 10 longest non-stop flights…

Emirates

Rank: 1

Route: Dubai to Panama City

Distance: 8,588 miles

Duration: 17 hours and 35 minutes

One of the world’s biggest airlines, Emirates plans to launch services to Panama City from February 2016, making it the longest non-stop flight in the world.

The service to Panama City will start with a daily flight operated by a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.

Currently, it operates four longest non-stop commercial flights.

According to a report in The Daily Telegraph, these airlines operate the longest non stop flights… 

Qantas

Rank: 2

Route: Dallas to Sydney

Distance: 8,578 miles

Duration: 16 hours and 55 minutes

Qantas is Australia’s national airline and has the record of being the safest airline as well.

Founded in 1920, the third oldest airline in the world flies to 20 domestic destinations and 21 international destinations in 14 countries. Qantas also owns the low-cost airline, Jetstar.

Saudia

Rank: 3

Route: Jeddah to Los Angeles

Distance: 8,332 miles

Duration: 16 hours and 55 minutes

Founded in 1945, Saudi Arabia’s flagship airline flies to over 120 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.

The airline is the third largest in the Middle East in terms of revenue, after Emirates and Qatar Airways

Delta Airlines

Rank: 4

Route: Johannesburg to Atlanta

Distance: 8,439 miles

Duration: 16 hours and 40 minutes

The oldest airline operating in the United States, started off as Huff Daland Dusters in 1924.

The airline and its subsidiaries operate over 5,400 flights daily across 334 destinations in 64 countries.

Emirates

Rank: 5

Route: Dubai to Los Angeles

Distance: 8,339 miles

Duration: 16 hours and 35 minutes

The largest airline in the Middle East, Emirates operates services to 147 destinations in 81 countries in Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Far East and Australasia.

Since its launch in 1985, Emirates Airline has received more than 500 international awards

Etihad

Rank: 6

Route: Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles

Distance: 8,390 miles

Duration: 16 hours and 25 minutes

Founded in 2003, Etihad is the second-largest airline in United Arab Emirates.

The airline operates more than 1,000 flights per week to over 120 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States.

Emirates

Rank: 7

Route: Dubai to Houston

Distance: 8,168 miles

Duration: 16 hours and 20 minutes

Emirates is the seventh largest airline in the world in terms of revenue and the fourth-largest airline in the world in terms of international passengers carried.

The airline has a record for being profitable for the last 27 consecutive years.

American Airlines

Rank: 8

Route: Dallas to Hong Kong

Distance: 8,123 miles

Duration: 16 hours and 20 minutes

American Airlines, which started operations in 1934, is the world’s largest airline in terms of passengers flown, fleet size and revenue.

The airline established itself by merging 82 small airlines through acquisitions in 1930.

Etihad 

Rank: 9

Route: Abu Dhabi to San Francisco

Distance: 8,158 miles

Duration: 16 hours and 15 minutes

Etihad Airways was ranked 9th among the world’s top 10 airlines by Skytrax in 2014.

Cathay Pacific

Rank: 10

Route: New York to Hong Kong

Distance: 8,072 miles

Duration: 16 hours

Cathay Pacific. founded in 1946, flies to 200 destinations in 52 countries across the world.

The airline has been ranked as ‘World’s Best Airline’ four times.

It subsidiary, Dragonair, operates to 44 destinations in the Asia-Pacific region from its base in Hong Kong.

Source….www.rediff.com

Natarajan

Five decades ago, 87 plane crashes took away the lives of 1,597 people.

This was when airlines carried only 141 million passengers, which is 5 per cent of today’s number, says Safety and product rating website AirlineRatings.com.

In 2014, though the number of fatal accidents fell to 21 (one for every 1.3 million flights), Malaysia Airlines’ two planes – MH370 and MH17 – met a fatal end that claimed 537 lives.

December 2014 saw the tragic end of 162 people from Surabaya who were flying to Indonesia when the AirAsia flight crashed due to bad weather.

Safety and product rating website AirlineRatings.com has listed world’s ten safest airlines.

Of 449 airlines which were included in the study, 149 achieved the website’s seven-star safety ranking and almost 50 had just three stars or less.
Take a look at the world’s 10 safest airlines…

Qantas

Topping the list is Qantas, which has a fatality free record in the jet era, says the report.

Qantas is Australia’s national airline with an impeccable record. AirlineRatings.com editors noted that over its 94-year history, “Qantas has amassed an extraordinary record of firsts in safety and operations and is now accepted as the world’s most experienced airline.”

Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand ranks second in safety.

Based in Auckland, New Zealand’s national airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 25 domestic and 26 international destinations in 15 countries.

British Airways

Ranked third in safety, British Airways is the UK’s largest airline on fleet size, international flights and destinations.

Cathay Pacific Airways

Cathay Pacific, based in Hong Kong also ranks high on safety.

The airline operates flights across 168 destinations in 42 countries.

Emirates

Emirates is the largest airline in the Middle East with over 3,500 flights per week.

It operates in 142 cities across 78 countries.

Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways operates more than 1,000 flights per week to 96 destinations.

Etihad Airways is the fourth largest airline in the Middle East and the second largest airline in the UAE.

EVA Air

Taiwan-based EVA Airways Corporation operates flights across 40 international destinations in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America.

Finnair

Finnair is the fifth oldest airline in the world.

It has also been ranked one of the safest airlines in the world with no accidents since 1963.

Lufthansa 

Lufthansa operates services to 197 international destinations in 78 countries.

It has one of the largest passenger airline fleet in the world.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines ranks amongst the top 10 in terms of international passengers.

It was the first airline to fly the Airbus A380.

Source….www.rediff.com

Natarajan

Located in northwestern India, Jaisalmer Airport was completed more than two years ago at a cost of $17 million. At a time when the spanking new facility should be welcoming hundreds of thousands of passengers per year, it sits abandoned. In fact, the airport has yet to operate a single day.

According to Reuters, Jaisalmer is one of more than 200 no-frills airports planned by India’s previous government. They were meant to encourage travel and commerce in far-flung parts of the Indian sub-continent.

However, in many cases, local political greed won out over reason and airports were placed in locations where there simply isn’t enough demand for air travel to warrant a full-scale airport.

In fact, Jaisalmer is one of eight airports the Indian Government has constructed over the past decade at a cost of more than $50 million to have never entered service, Reuters reports.

Why aren’t airports such Jaisalmer in business? According to Reuters, one reason is because airlines can’t open routes to these small under-developed areas. The domestic Indian market is incredibly competitive and for a route to have any chance of profitability, it has to either fly to or from one of the country’s mega cities.

This means that in order for an airline to open a route to Jaisalmer, it has to originate in a major hub such as Delhi or Mumbai. However, airports in these cities are incredibly congested and the precious space there is at these facilities are prioritized for more profitable destinations. As a result, the less populated locales remain perpetually underserved.

Here’s closer look at India’s brand new ghost airport.
It’s a desert town known for its tourism and natural beauty. However, it’s also sparsely populated.

According to the Economic Times, the airport was supposed to open for business in August 2013.

ECONOMIC TIMES

But it never did.

Today, the abandoned Jaisalmer Airport sits as a reminder of the massive waste caused by poorly planned development.

Here’s what the airport looks like today

The arrival and departure lanes are empty. They should be filled with buses, cars, and Taxis.

This door leads to the check-in area.

No tourists here.

This baggage carousel sits idle.

As are these baggage carts.

No one has ever used these dusty seats.

These dusty bathroom sinks are also brand new.

Outside, the desert environment is taking its toll on the airport.

The roads are in poor condition.

The solar panels lay dormant.

The airport’s only visitor on this day is a stray dog.

Bones from a dead animal sit on a road leading to the airport.

Someone mounted satellite dishes to the outer wall of the airport.

However, Jaisalmer Airport is not beyond saving. In fact, from afar, it looks like quite a nice facility.

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Source….

• BENJAMIN ZHANG in http://www.businessinsider.com

http://www.ndtv.com  www. stuff.co.nz

Natarajan

This is onetime opportunity… Your Name could fly aboard NASA’s Mars Mission….

natarajan

Natarajan

Source….KEN KREMER….www.universe today .com and http://www.businessinsider.com

Natarajan

I love small airports. I believe they are wonderful creations of God, made solely for the purpose of teaching big airports a thing or two about how airports are meant to be.

Small airports are refreshingly cosy. They don’t hurry you. If you are late, which in my case is almost always, there is someone willing to help you through with some good, old fashioned hollering. (“Hey, Bill, this gentleman has forgotten his luggage, can you run him home in your car while I hold the gates open?”)

At small airports, owing to the plethora of electronic equipment and assorted connectors in my hand baggage, I always get extra attention (“Ooh, what do we have here–let’s have a look-see, shall we?”), which never fails to make me feel special. Invariably, this allows me to catch up with the security officer about the weather, and thereafter guide him by way of a series of manipulative answers to ask me what I teach at Bournemouth University. When he does, I lie through my teeth and say, “Nanotechnology.” I always go for nanotechnology because nobody is impressed with journalism or journalists these days, and, between you and me, there isn’t much future for either.

The other reason I love small airports is because they come with small planes. Small planes are utterly charming, if you ask me. They have an individuality that big planes lack. You get to walk up to them and board, which makes the whole experience up close and very personal. You get to notice that the panting blonde who is waving you on to the plane is the same blonde who checked in your luggage when you arrived and the same blonde who scanned your boarding pass a minute ago. You get to see the dirt marks on the nose of the plane and the places where the paint is beginning to peel. If you plan the boarding carefully, you might even get to run your hands on the fuselage a bit. This is something you never get to do with big planes. Who amongst us can claim to have scratched the underbelly of an Airbus or a Boeing? No one, I bet.

When you walk into the cabin of small planes, you get to duck your head a bit and feel tall and powerful. This is good for the morale, particularly for short people, who never get to feel tall and powerful otherwise. If Napoleon had flown Flybe even once, I am certain the world would have been spared much bloodshed. In small planes, you can also peer over the pilot’s shoulder and say, “Aha, gotcha, you doodler!” After that, if you are the worrying kind, you could check with the flight attendant if the plane did indeed stop at your destination (“Excuse me, miss, but could you tell the pilot I want to get down in Edinburgh?”). I always do this because it is good to confirm things, and also because it reminds me of a more innocent time when everybody went everywhere by bus and you routinely passed on similar instructions to the driver.

Once you’re inside, small planes allow you to connect to the world in a manner big planes cannot. The flight attendants are less robotic, almost awkward, at times on the edge of a fumble. You see everyday traffic through your window as you taxi. When you take off, you receive a free back massage, thanks to the frantic reverberations of a small engine struggling against the big pull. The best part is that you get to see the world passing beneath you in a Google Earth kind of way. And if you have seated yourself in the fore of the plane slightly ahead of the wings (in my opinion, the seventh or eighth row is best for this), you can press your nose to the window and watch the propellers whirring close to your face. Call me macabre, but there is something distinctly primal and thrilling about that sight. Big planes and big airports? No, it is not the same.

Chindu Sreedharan teaches journalism at Bournemouth University, England. He is the author of Epic Retold.

Source…..Dr Chindu Sreedharan …..www.huffingtonpost.com

Natarajan

One of the world’s three biggest polluters just took a big step toward reducing its greenhouse emissions and embracing renewable energy sources.

India’s fourth-largest airport, the Cochin International Airport in the southern city of Kochi, announced on Tuesday that it is now “absolutely energy neutral,” The Economic Times reports. The airport is co-funded and operated by the Indian government through a public-private partnership.

The airport’s energy neutrality is possible thanks to a 12-megawatt solar system consisting of more than 46,000 panels installed on a 50-acre site. The system can generate up to 60,000 units of electricity daily.

According to Al Jazeera America, the project took six months to build and cost $10 million, which the airport anticipates it will recover within five years. The panels are expected to last 25 years.

The Cochin airport’s solar panels as seen from above in Kochi, India in the southern state of Kerala.

The panels were designed and installed by Bosch Ltd., which has a five-year partnership with the airport, according to Catch News.

The airport began testing solar energy in March 2013, when it installed a small solar plant on the arrival terminal’s rooftop, according to The Economic Times.

The project has been seen as a model for the rest of India, and the government is urging other airports to follow suit.

India’s goal is to ramp up solar capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2022. Its current capacity is four gigawatts.

India has a broader goal to derive 15 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2022, with 3 percent coming exclusively from solar. Earlier this summer, the government rolled out new incentives to encourage developers to turn to renewable energy.

Source…..Joseph ErbentrautChicago Editor, The Huffington Post,….www.huffingtonpost.com

Natarajan