Airlines, Airplanes and Airports - Compiled Threads [Archive] - Page 51

Dreamtofly

March 4th, 2009, 10:14 AM

Alternate Boracay airport to begin construction in April (http://http://www.gmanews.tv/story/151226/Alternate-Boracay-airport-to-begin-construction-in-April)
JUN ARIOLO N. AGUIRRE, GMANews.TV
03/03/2009 | 08:57 PM

BORACAY ISLAND, Philippines - An airport that will serve as an alternate route for Boracay-bound tourists will start construction in April, a local government executive told reporters on Tuesday.

Estimated to reach P5 billion, the airport at Carabao Island will not only serve tourists bound for Boracay, it will also attract visitors to the island itself, San Jose Mayor Filipino Tandog said.

The airport will be built and managed by the Boracay International Airport and Development Corp., a privately-held company. The company’s incorporation has already been approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Carabao Island, which is under the jurisdiction of San Jose, Romblon also boasts of its white sand. The area expects a spill over of tourists from Boracay, which is only 30 kilometers away.

A consortium of Korean and Japanese investors has already expressed interest to finance other components of the project in accordance with the provincial tourism masterplan, Tandog said.

“The project has already been endorsed by the Regional Development Council of the MiMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) region," Tandog said.

He made this announcement during a meeting he attended with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who held a cabinet meeting at the tourist island this week. - GMANews.TV

This is good news for me. We do have resort in this island.....

:banana::banana::banana::banana:

arianespace

March 4th, 2009, 11:08 AM

Dreamtofly

March 4th, 2009, 11:19 AM

^^
Ahh, the fabled carabao with wings! They can't even construct a single airstrip, much more a grass runway for that matter. They had been announcing such plan countless of times already. I will make a post on that perhaps later on.

That is the problem you get when you messed up with the Philippine Constitution and political gimmickry!

The present government is very fond of those. They can't even put Caticlan airport in shape. So what is new? Nothing. :ohno:

This project is not funded by the government it a private investor who want this airport to be build. They want this airport to be build for the reason that they want to develop the island itself not for the reason of boracay.

absinthe_888

March 4th, 2009, 11:27 AM

This project is not funded by the government it a private investor who want this airport to be build. They want this airport to be build for the reason that they want to develop the island itself not for the reason of boracay.

is this the one which is being proposed to be built by the Koreans?

arianespace

March 4th, 2009, 11:46 AM

^^
Exactly. Koreans don't have the right to build airports. Much more operate it. Their legal consultants think otherwise. They paid and they lost. Simple as that!
Now they are making a new company to do away just that. And they will lose again. Ill advised by greedy advisers who know nothing except to enrich themselves at their expense. Despicable attitude.

As I said to them then, I will say it again now. I think its better for them to stick on leisure estate than gamble on building airports. I don't know when they will ever gonna learned or maybe these are new duped ones. Good Luck to them.

I'm pro-tourism but let us not fool our investors by making empty promises. Please.

benchjade

March 4th, 2009, 12:12 PM

^^ :yes: Yup! You just found that out, Hasson?

yup, thanks to this post.

2008 Top 100 Airlines of the World

PR and 5J joins the top 100 world airlines with most number of flights

Top 100 Airlines by Number of Flights for 2008
Ranking Airline Code Airline Name Frequency
1 DL DELTA AIR LINES 25,448
2 AA AMERICAN AIRLINES 24,450
3 UA UNITED AIRLINES 22,807
4 US US AIRWAYS 22,766
5 WN SOUTHWEST AIRLINES 22,213
6 CO CONTINENTAL AIRLINES 17,749
7 NW NORTHWEST AIRLINES 16,671
8 LH LUFTHANSA GERMAN AIRLINES 12,785
9 AF AIR FRANCE 10,828
10 AC AIR CANADA 10,119
11 CZ CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES 9,034
12 MU CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES 7,786
13 FR RYANAIR 7,420
14 NH ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS 6,832
15 JJ TAM LINHAS AEREAS 6,513
16 IB IBERIA 6,372
17 CA AIR CHINA 6,141
18 BA BRITISH AIRWAYS 5,895
19 AS ALASKA AIRLINES 5,646
20 SK SAS SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINES 5,511
21 U2 EASYJET 5,318
22 G3 VARIG 5,243
23 JL JAPAN AIRLINES INTERNATIONAL 5,192
24 QF QANTAS AIRWAYS 4,907
25 FL AIRTRAN AIRWAYS 4,805
26 B6 JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION 4,317
27 NZ AIR NEW ZEALAND 4,181
28 KL KLM-ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES 3,884
29 TK TURKISH AIRLINES 3,479
30 AB AIR BERLIN 3,418
31 AM AEROMEXICO 3,361
32 BE FLYBE 2,984
33 DJ VIRGIN BLUE 2,962
34 IT KINGFISHER AIRLINES 2,930
35 AZ NEW ALITALIA 2,743
36 SA SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS 2,673
37 MH MALAYSIA AIRLINES 2,647
38 OS AUSTRIAN AIRLINES AG 2,637
39 MX MEXICANA DE AVIACION 2,633
40 LX SWISS 2,608
41 SV SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES 2,586
42 9W JET AIRWAYS INDIA 2,572
43 WS WESTJET 2,560
44 KE KOREAN AIR 2,542
45 ZH SHENZHEN AIRLINES 2,528
46 HU HAINAN AIRLINES 2,429
47 AV AVIANCA 2,286
48 F9 FRONTIER AIRLINES INC. 2,235
49 IC INDIAN AIRLINES 2,197
50 EK EMIRATES 2,135
51 WF WIDEROE'S FLYVESELSKAP 2,030
52 LA LAN AIRLINES 2,012
53 AK AIRASIA 1,970
54 ZK GREAT LAKES AIRLINES 1,947
55 TP TAP AIR PORTUGAL 1,866
56 2F FRONTIER FLYING SERVICE 1,817
57 MF XIAMEN AIRLINES COMPANY 1,814
58 OZ ASIANA AIRLINES 1,813
59 AY FINNAIR 1,799
60 GA GARUDA INDONESIA 1,783
61 9K CAPE AIR 1,750
62 TG THAI AIRWAYS INTERNATIONAL 1,736
63 FM SHANGHAI AIRLINES 1,694
64 CM COPA AIRLINES 1,650
65 BD BMI BRITISH MIDLAND 1,573
66 AP AIR ONE 1,561
67 PR PHILIPPINE AIRLINES 1,561
68 DY NORWEGIAN AIR SHUTTLE 1,547
69 SU AEROFLOT RUSSIAN AIRLINES 1,541
70 3U SICHUAN AIRLINES 1,516
71 OA OLYMPIC AIRLINES 1,515
72 MS EGYPTAIR 1,497
73 5J CEBU PACIFIC AIR 1,478
74 CX CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS 1,471
75 LO LOT - POLISH AIRLINES 1,464
76 HA HAWAIIAN AIRLINES 1,428
77 OK CZECH AIRLINES 1,427
78 SQ SINGAPORE AIRLINES 1,408
79 SN BRUSSELS AIRLINES 1,397
80 QR QATAR AIRWAYS 1,380
81 JK SPANAIR 1,349
82 YX MIDWEST AIRLINES 1,332
83 SC SHANDONG AIRLINES 1,330
84 VN VIETNAM AIRLINES 1,325
85 EI AER LINGUS 1,322
86 JT LION AIR 1,313
87 JQ JETSTAR AIRWAYS 1,299
88 ZL REGIONAL EXPRESS 1,218
89 NT BINTER CANARIAS 1,112
90 AR AEROLINEAS ARGENTINAS 1,103
91 NK SPIRIT AIRLINES 1,077
92 GS GRAND CHINA EXPRESS 1,074
93 A3 AEGEAN AIRLINES 1,023
94 4C AIRES 1,020
95 4U GERMANWINGS 996
96 AT ROYAL AIR MAROC 975
97 PK PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES 974
98 UX AIR EUROPA 974
99 X3 TUIFLY 961
100 JV BEARSKIN AIRLINES 950

Sky Harbor

March 4th, 2009, 12:14 PM

Ph Man

March 4th, 2009, 12:22 PM

Was there ever an "Old Alitalia?" :lol:

I'm amazed that PR and 5J ranked higher than these two aviation industry giants. :shocked:

:naughty: ( :rofl: )

maybe because we have more domestic destination compared to CX and SQ.

On first read, i thought the same but then i realized both airlines do not have domestic flights.

I was also surprised to see that. My first guess was...perhaps because most of CX and SQ's planes are widebodies. Remember, the list counts the number of flights regardless of how many people are there in that flight. Maybe the number of passengers will be a better gauge.

MatudNilaBaby

March 4th, 2009, 12:24 PM

Was there ever an "Old Alitalia?" :lol:

I'm amazed that PR and 5J ranked higher than these two aviation industry giants. :shocked:

:naughty: ( :rofl: )

alitalia just went under years ago. hence a new alitalia after government rescue.

Dreamtofly

March 4th, 2009, 12:53 PM

is this the one which is being proposed to be built by the Koreans?

From Taiwan and Korea

ianers_ianized

March 4th, 2009, 01:53 PM

Alternate Boracay airport to begin construction in April
JUN ARIOLO N. AGUIRRE, GMANews.TV
03/03/2009 | 08:57 PM

BORACAY ISLAND, Philippines - An airport that will serve as an alternate route for Boracay-bound tourists will start construction in April, a local government executive told reporters on Tuesday.

Estimated to reach P5 billion, the airport at Carabao Island will not only serve tourists bound for Boracay, it will also attract visitors to the island itself, San Jose Mayor Filipino Tandog said.

The airport will be built and managed by the Boracay International Airport and Development Corp., a privately-held company. The company’s incorporation has already been approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Carabao Island, which is under the jurisdiction of San Jose, Romblon also boasts of its white sand. The area expects a spill over of tourists from Boracay, which is only 30 kilometers away.

A consortium of Korean and Japanese investors has already expressed interest to finance other components of the project in accordance with the provincial tourism masterplan, Tandog said.

“The project has already been endorsed by the Regional Development Council of the MiMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) region," Tandog said.

He made this announcement during a meeting he attended with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who held a cabinet meeting at the tourist island this week. - GMANews.TV

i think the island deserves it and the province too... it boast beautiful sceneries... and tourism market potentialfor the country.

shytype

March 4th, 2009, 02:11 PM

Top 100 Airports for 2008

Top 100 Airports of the World by Seat Capacity on International Departing Flights
Ranking Departure Departure Airport Name Total Number

Airport Code
of Seats
1 LHR LONDON HEATHROW APT 792,747
2 CDG PARIS CHARLES DE GAULLE APT 665,150
3 HKG HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL APT 599,239
4 FRA FRANKFURT INTERNATIONAL APT 562,685
5 DXB DUBAI 517,270
6 SIN SINGAPORE CHANGI APT 477,547
7 AMS AMSTERDAM 475,657
8 BKK BANGKOK SUVARNABHUMI INTERNATIONAL APT 424,902
9 NRT TOKYO NARITA APT 389,046
10 ICN SEOUL INCHEON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 386,654
11 MAD MADRID BARAJAS APT 357,083
12 MUC MUNICH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 297,224
13 TPE TAIPEI TAIWAN TAOYUAN INTERNATIONAL APT 293,658
14 JFK NEW YORK J F KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL APT 275,823
15 KUL KUALA LUMPUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 266,607
16 ZRH ZURICH AIRPORT 264,303
17 DUB DUBLIN 247,254
18 FCO ROME FIUMICINO APT 245,703
19 LGW LONDON GATWICK APT 238,162
20 VIE VIENNA 225,919
21 BRU BRUSSELS AIRPORT 224,109
22 MIA MIAMI INTERNATIONAL APT 223,768
23 IST ISTANBUL ATATURK AIRPORT 223,474
24 PVG SHANGHAI PUDONG INTERNATIONAL APT 217,021
25 CPH COPENHAGEN APT 214,340
26 STN LONDON STANSTED APT 201,665
27 YYZ TORONTO LESTER B PEARSON INTL APT 200,602
28 MXP MILAN MALPENSA APT 186,981
29 DOH DOHA 183,643
30 BCN BARCELONA APT 182,907
31 LAX LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL APT 177,048
32 PEK BEIJING CAPITAL APT 168,985
33 ORY PARIS ORLY APT 166,690
34 GVA GENEVA 166,423
35 DUS DUSSELDORF INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 147,545
36 SYD SYDNEY KINGSFORD SMITH APT 142,215
37 ARN STOCKHOLM ARLANDA APT 140,810
38 EWR NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL APT 139,008
39 PRG PRAGUE 137,325
40 ORD CHICAGO O'HARE INTERNATIONAL APT 137,017
41 LIS LISBON 136,230
42 CAI CAIRO 134,813
43 AUH ABU DHABI INTERNATIONAL APT 133,932
44 BAH BAHRAIN 133,584
45 KIX OSAKA KANSAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 133,314
46 HEL HELSINKI 127,505
47 ATL ATLANTA HARTSFIELD-JACKSON INTL APT 124,469
48 MNL MANILA NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL APT 122,674
49 MAN MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL APT 120,891
50 BOM MUMBAI 117,721
51 SVO MOSCOW SHEREMETYEVO INTERNATIONAL APT 117,486
52 GRU SAO PAULO GUARULHOS INTL APT 116,836
53 ATH ATHENS INTL ELEFTHERIOS VENIZELOS APT 115,329
54 DEL DELHI 113,568
55 OSL OSLO AIRPORT 112,924
56 KWI KUWAIT 112,765
57 MEX MEXICO CITY JUAREZ INTERNATIONAL APT 109,313
58 CUN CANCUN 108,823
59 JNB JOHANNESBURG O.R. TAMBO INTERNATIONAL 107,585
60 EZE BUENOS AIRES MINISTRO PISTARINI 105,977
61 SJU SAN JUAN LUIS MUNOZ MARIN INTL APT 105,333
62 IAH HOUSTON GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL AP 103,839
63 TLV TEL AVIV BEN GURION INTERNATIONAL APT 98,860
64 BUD BUDAPEST 98,389
65 DME MOSCOW DOMODEDOVO APT 96,229
66 SFO SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL APT 94,440
67 CGK JAKARTA SOEKARNO-HATTA APT 93,271
68 AKL AUCKLAND INTERNATIONAL APT 89,999
69 TXL BERLIN TEGEL APT 88,991
70 YVR VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL APT 86,582
71 SGN HO CHI MINH CITY 84,400
72 LTN LONDON LUTON APT 84,209
73 IAD WASHINGTON DULLES INTERNATIONAL APT 83,996
74 JED JEDDAH 82,452
75 WAW WARSAW 82,007
76 RUH RIYADH 79,510
77 PTY PANAMA CITY TOCUMEN INTERNATIONAL 78,859
78 BHX BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 77,917
79 HAM HAMBURG AIRPORT 77,566
80 YUL MONTREAL PIERRE ELLIOTT TRUDEAU INT APT 73,434
81 AGP MALAGA 73,190
82 LIM LIMA 70,898
83 PMI PALMA MALLORCA 68,898
84 CMN CASABLANCA MOHAMED V APT 68,537
85 NGO NAGOYA CHUBU CENTRAIR INTERNATIONAL APT 64,926
86 STR STUTTGART AIRPORT 64,434
87 MEL MELBOURNE AIRPORT 64,411
88 SCL SANTIAGO ARTURO MERINO BENITEZ 64,352
89 DFW DALLAS/FORT WORTH INTL APT 64,275
90 BOG BOGOTA 63,983
91 MCT MUSCAT 62,080
92 MFM MACAU 61,893
93 SHJ SHARJAH 60,948
94 CAN GUANGZHOU 60,707
95 NCE NICE 59,724
96 BGY MILAN ORIO AL SERIO APT 59,281
97 CMB COLOMBO BANDARANAIKE APT 59,250
98 OTP BUCHAREST OTOPENI APT 59,206
99 DPS DENPASAR BALI 58,174
100 LYS LYON SAINT EXUPERY APT 57,640

kratos1211

March 4th, 2009, 02:16 PM

Number 48 ang MNL, naduling ako sa kakahanap:lol:

"ZukiChirO"

March 4th, 2009, 03:03 PM

Yao airline offers all-you-can-drink Zest-O juice

DAVAO CITY — Zest Airways, Inc. intends to slug it out with the big boys in the airline industry by offering competitive rates and all the Zest-O juice you can drink in flight.

Zest Air will launch its maiden flight between Davao and Manila on March 1. Mark E. Hilario, Zest Air assistant vice-president for sales and marketing, told reporters the carrier was undeterred by the slowing economy and the price wars between bigger rivals Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific.

"The challenge really is how we can create a travel need through good package and competitive rates. Our focus is to give them good service and [that includes] all-you-can-drink Zest-O products," he said. Zest Air is owned by juice magnate Alfredo M. Yao, who acquired Asian Spirit, Inc. in March last year.

Neil Jason P. Ampo, passenger sales executive, said all the fleets of Asian Spirit had been mothballed since Zest Air decided it was best to start fresh. According to its Web site, the company has a fleet of two Airbus 320s and five MA60 aircraft. "It’s very hard to create awareness in the market so we want to tie up with travel agencies and hotels for a good package for local and foreign passengers," he said.

Last week, Zest Air executives met with local travel agents and operators in this city to discuss package rates for the Manila-Davao routes, to be served by a 162-seater Airbus 320 and the smaller 56-seater Xian MA60 turbo prop airplane.

A promotional all-in rate of P1,698 will offered initially for the Manila-Davao route. But Mr. Ampo said the price would go up to P1,788 after the promotional period.

The airline will also offer flights to Caticlan, Busuanga, Calbayog, Catarman, Legaspi, Marinduque, Naga, Puerto Princesa, San Jose and Virac from Manila aside from its regular routes to Tagbilaran, Tacloban, Iloilo, Cebu, Kalibo and Davao.

Mr. Hilario said Zest Air would launch in May its Incheon, South Korea service — its first international flight, although it will be a chartered flight to accommodate Korean tourists and students coming here.

Zest Air is also looking at Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China. "For now, we’re still testing the waters and we are not closing our doors to the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area)," he added.

^^^^

ngprofflorida

March 4th, 2009, 04:01 PM

swahi

March 4th, 2009, 04:31 PM

heightdeprived

March 4th, 2009, 04:53 PM

dexter06

March 4th, 2009, 06:08 PM

dexter06

March 4th, 2009, 06:23 PM

^^ Well, Singapore is a city-state, all flights originating from and terminating in SIN will always be international. As for HKG, that depends on your point of view; if you see the city as a separate entity from China then all it's flights out and into Chek Lap Kok are international. Or, if you view it as part of China, then they do have domestic flights. ;)

Yup, overlooked that important detail. Seems like all CX flights are international but then yes, they do fly domestic now.

arianespace

March 4th, 2009, 07:34 PM

What does "By Seat Capacity on International Departing Flights" mean? Singapore is #6 while New York's JFK is #14. I was expecting JFK in the top 10, with 9 terminals vs Changi's 3.

It simply means number of flights for international destination. It does not include domestic flights, top of which belongs to Atlanta. It does not also include number of passengers as other world airports are still collating their data.Top spot also belongs to Atlanta.

In other words, there are more foreigners transiting at London Heathrow than anywhere else as more people connect from it for different international destinations around the globe. Its domestic passengers is less than 1%.:)

chevy_boy

March 4th, 2009, 08:12 PM

Cebu Pacific and Zest Airways to fly the Middle East

March 5, 2009

Manila- Low cost carriers Cebu Pacific and Zest airways formally sought regulatory approval from the Civil Aeronautics Board to fly to the Middle Eastern cities of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Kuwait.

In filing with the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Cebu Pacific said it wants to serve the rising number of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) and tourists in Dubai and Abu Dhabi via leased Boeing 777 aircraft. Zest Airways, formerly Asian Spirit, is also seeking a permit to fly three times weekly from Manila to Kuwait using a lease Boeing 767-300. It also wants to fly three times weekly from Manila to Dubai.

The airlines plans to start flights to Dubai and Kuwait by July. Cebu Pacific and Zest Air want to be the official Philippine carriers to United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait respectively. The request will be endorsed to both respective countries for their approval.

The budget carriers are aiming the new allocation of entitlements under the recently concluded Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BSAA) as defined under the confidential memorandum of agreement between the countries of the UAE, Kingdom of Kuwait and the Philippines.

http://www.philippineairspace.blogspot.com/

dexter06

March 4th, 2009, 10:00 PM

It simply means number of flights for international destination. It does not include domestic flights, top of which belongs to Atlanta. It does not also include number of passengers as other world airports are still collating their data.Top spot also belongs to Atlanta.

In other words, there are more foreigners transiting at London Heathrow than anywhere else as more people connect from it for different international destinations around the globe. Its domestic passengers is less than 1%.:)

Thanks a lot arianespace. Good to see 5 Asian airports in the Top 10.

Skyblade

March 5th, 2009, 03:37 AM

Just thought I'd share some pics on this little Continental Airlines customer appreciation event in Houston that I attended last month. :D

LAX-ATL-IAH on Delta with a lot of Crown Room Club hopping (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=60461&id=506753907&l=bd94f)
Headquarters Tour (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=60620&id=506753907&l=a3b34)
Evening party at one of their new hangars in IAH (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=60731&id=506753907&l=5973a)
IAH-CVG-LAX on DL (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=61342&id=506753907&l=0da58)

diz

March 5th, 2009, 04:29 AM

What does "By Seat Capacity on International Departing Flights" mean? Singapore is #6 while New York's JFK is #14. I was expecting JFK in the top 10, with 9 terminals vs Changi's 3.

Seat Capacity means how many airplane seats there are that depart the airport.

Singapore is higher probably because of its Singapore Airlines' A380. It has the most seats of any plane. :lol:

ngprofflorida

March 5th, 2009, 06:10 AM

"ZukiChirO"

March 5th, 2009, 08:11 AM

Wow Zest Air is getting ready to compete with the 2 big airlines company in PH....

Ph Man

March 6th, 2009, 04:59 PM

and not just local flight but international.

i'd love to see the first 5J widebodies and Zest's 767. on second thought, whom would that 767 come from? Asiana? or from a north american airline? 767 is not very common anymore.

Noize_320

March 6th, 2009, 05:26 PM

^^ i hope they'll also use those widebodies on local flights

mambo

March 6th, 2009, 10:58 PM

hopefully the dream will come into reality.

why is cebu pacific not flying to saudi arabia there are more filipino ofws in the kingdom than all other gulf countries :ohno:combined

mucho

March 7th, 2009, 04:10 PM

why is cebu pacific not flying to saudi arabia there are more filipino ofws in the kingdom than all other gulf countries :ohno:combined

that's what I thought too, there are at least half a million, if i am not mistaken, OFW's in the entire kingdom of saudi arabia.

Sky Harbor

March 7th, 2009, 06:25 PM

Philippine Air Force enthusiasts would like the news I'm bringing:

---

PAF diamond flies again after 30 years (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090305-192547/PAF-diamond-flies-again-after-30-years)

Defense chief leads formation

By Katherine Evangelista
INQUIRER.net

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga -- On Thursday, the skies over the former Clark Airbase in Pampanga saw a spectacle not seen for three decades as 16 planes formed a diamond formation as they flew past.

The flyby, led by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who is a licensed pilot, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff General Alexander Yano, and Air Force chief Lieutenant General Oscar Rabena, marked the maiden flight of 15 T-41 Bravo Trainer Planes donated to the Philippines Air Forces by South Korea.

The 15 planes, which Teodoro had just accepted from South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Choi Joong-Kyung in a turnover ceremony, were joined by an SF-260 Marchetti to complete the 16-plane formation.

"It has been a long while na hindi natin nakita sa ere ang diamond formation na kasing laki nito [that we have not seen a diamond formation as large as this in the air]," Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Alan Ballesteros said.

So long ago, in fact, that Ballesteros said the last 16-plane diamond formation before Thursday’s was that of Saber jets of the defunct 5th Fighter Wing that took off from Basa Airbase in Pampanga in the mid-1970s, when the Philippine Air Force was at the peak of its strength.

Ballesteros, who was then a training cadet in the Philippine Air Force Flying School (PAFFS) at Basa, explained that the large diamond formation symbolizes “cohesion, unity and pride.”

Thus, while the Thursday flyby was not as spectacular as the one he remembered from his cadet days, Ballesteros said he was nevertheless happy to see the diamond in the air.

"Something is happening, may naidadagdag na eroplano sa atin [our planes have increased]," he said, especially at a time when the Air Force is having difficulty training its personnel.

Teodoro, in a separate interview, acknowledged it would take a long time for the Air Force to regain its peak strength, much less acquire modern fighter aircraft.

Asked how soon he thought this would happen, he replied: "Show me the money and I'll show you as soon as possible."

Brand new, top-of-the-line attack aircraft can cost up to $83 million or P3.7 billion each, he said.

At the moment, Teodoro said what the country needs are aircraft for internal security and logistical aircraft such as helicopters and transport planes.

Besides, he added, "Wala namang bansa na gusto pang gumyera sa ibang bansa unless siguro forced-to-good na [There is no country that wants to wage war against other countries, anyway, unless forced to do so]."

But Teodoro said the planes donated by South Korea will help ease the Air Force’s three-year backlog in training its personnel, caused by a lack of trainer aircraft.

Before South Korea donated the planes, which it had decommissioned in 2007, the Air Force only had eight T-41 Bravo aircraft and could train only 58 flight students a year, Philippine Air Force spokesman Major Gerardo Zamudio said.

The donated plans will be deployed in PAFFS, now based at Fernando Air Base in Lipa, Batangas, Teodoro said.

This year, he added, the Air Force will also be acquiring 16 new SF-260 Marchetti aircraft.

mambo

March 7th, 2009, 06:29 PM

that's what I thought too, there are at least half a million, if i am not mistaken, OFW's in the entire kingdom of saudi arabia.

well if you are from al khobar you can just cross the causeway in 30 minutes to take your flight from manama to manila

heightdeprived

March 8th, 2009, 01:15 AM

^^ i hope they'll also use those widebodies on local flights

It's probable that they will, if the demand calls for it...

mwg12a

March 8th, 2009, 08:43 AM

NIce to hear that there are Phil Airforce finally got their new aircrafts... It's not much but atleast it helps in protecting the Philippine sky with intruders or airspace violators.

absinthe_888

March 8th, 2009, 08:44 AM

that's what I thought too, there are at least half a million, if i am not mistaken, OFW's in the entire kingdom of saudi arabia.

I think its like 1.5 million OFWs in Saudi alone...not sure though

arianespace

March 8th, 2009, 10:21 AM

^^
Philippine Air Force enthusiasts would like the news I'm bringing:

---

PAF diamond flies again after 30 years (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090305-192547/PAF-diamond-flies-again-after-30-years)

I was wondering how long will they fly too. Don't you realized these are bunch of 40 years old scrap. I hope they don't come falling off the air one by one. If i am the student, I rather stick to our T-41 which are comparatively newer than those donated birds. Oh well, beggars are not choosy!:ohno:
http://www.ov-10bronco.net/Pix/Philippines/bronco_op-ed_cartoon_philstardotcom_2006-10-25_01.gif

heightdeprived

March 8th, 2009, 06:51 PM

^^

I was wondering how long will they fly too. Don't you realized these are bunch of 40 years old scrap. I hope they don't come falling off the air one by one. If i am the student, I rather stick to our T-41 which are comparatively newer than those donated birds. Oh well, beggars are not choosy!:ohno:
http://www.ov-10bronco.net/Pix/Philippines/bronco_op-ed_cartoon_philstardotcom_2006-10-25_01.gif

Probably they'll fly as long as the trojans did.
IMO, if these T-41B's are to be deployed in the air force in the same time as an F-14 Tomcat or F/A18, these T-41B's will fly longer than the modern fighters as the modern fighters will wear down and grounded then eventually be relegated in the parts bin.

Aging aircraft is not necessarily similar to an aging car as an aircraft gracefully ages and even after 40 years, can remain as good as brand new as they're not maintained in the same fashion sa cars wherein it's not fixed if it's not broken. Aircraft has to strictly follow it's maintenance schedule and have its parts replaced as soon as its time expires, even if it's still usable and intact.

PAF's problem usually boils down to maintenance, a reason why the service of the F-8P Crusader, the most modern fighter PAF had to date was short-lived.

With the T-41B being a low-cost aircraft probably they'll be able to fly it longer ;)

The case of PAF is similar to having a Toyota Starlet and a Ferrari Enzo, they'd rather be running an old Toyota Starlet longer as it's easier to maintain, and use the Ferrari until it gets damaged as it can no longer be repaired due to high maintenance cost...

arianespace

March 9th, 2009, 01:48 PM

Is the Philippines ready for Category Upgrade? (http://philippineairspace.blogspot.com/2009/03/aviation-upgrade-unlikely-until-2010.html)

Read to see if we are close. Perhaps PAL should start thinking west.

pthfndr19

March 9th, 2009, 10:08 PM

Upgrading of Guiuan Airport nears completion, PA Nierras says
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
March 9, 2009

TACLOBAN CITY – The Guiuan Airport Development Project which is a SONA commitment of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, will soon be completed, Presidential Assistant for Eastern Visayas Hon. Cynthia Nierras informed.

The airport is seen as the key to the coming of more tourists to the island paradise which is being promoted by no less than President Arroyo as a major destination in the Visayas.

PA Nierras said that she recently inspected the project, particularly the ongoing construction of the perimeter fence, asphalt overlay of runway, and the installation of Single Phase electrical Line with a contract amount of P105.998 Million, and she was told that the work will be completed in April of 2009.

During the February meeting of the Regional Development Council of Eastern Visayas, the Project Monitoring team reporter said that the construction of the perimeter fence, asphalt overlay of runway, and the installation of the Single-Phase Electrical Line is ongoing with a contract prize of P105.998 Million.

The construction of the Apron and Taxiway was completed in September of 2007. Additional concreting of Apron and Taxiway was completed in January of 2008 while the Passenger Terminal Building was completed in August of 2008.

The Guiuan Airport Development Project has an estimated project cost of P155 Million and so far, P10 Million and P15 Million was allocated in 2006 and 2007 for the construction and concreting of Apron and Taxiway and rehabilitation of the Passenger Terminal Building. An amount of P130 Million has been programmed for 2008 for the construction of the perimeter fence, site acquisition and construction of access road, completion of apron and taxiway and asphalt overlay of runway.

The Guiuan Airport Development Project is a priority project of President Arroyo in line with her super region concept of development where Region 8 is part of the Central Philippines Super Region envisioned to be the tourism center of the country.

In Region 8, the Calicoan Islands in Guiuan is being developed as an important tourist destination. A sanctuary of privacy and indulgence highlighted by tropical landscape and surrounded by the relaxing sound of the ocean – this is how Calicoan, will win the hearts of local and international tourists.

Calicoan Island boasts of miles of white sand beaches. With powerful swells rolling in from the Pacific over the 10,000 meters Philippine Deep, Calicoan is a surfer's paradise.

marlowe_cano

March 10th, 2009, 09:10 AM

Air Philippines to fly Surigao
February 18, 2009

Air Philippines to fly Surigao this summer!

Manila- Low Cost Carrier Air Philippines intends to fly Manila-Surigao 4 times weekly starting March this year. The airline founded in 1995, will substitute PAL Express Q400 service and operates on code share agreement with Philippine Airlines.

A Boeing 727-200 jet aircraft, which seat 118 passengers in a monoclass layout, will be deployed on the route. The schedule will eventually be increase to daily flight this summer.

Air Philippines President & CEO Capt. Edilberto R. Medina said that it just concluded a probing flight to Surigao City on 16 February and they intend to launch flight there as soon as possible.

Surigao will becomes Air Philippines’ 9th domestic destination in the airline’s expanding route network based at hubs in Manila and Cebu. The airline has recently suspended its commercial operations to three major Mindanao cities in July last year and reduced much of its frequency for its main Visayas-Mindanao service due to massive losses and intense competition with Cebu Pacific. It canceled its services from Manila to the cities of Davao (daily), Zamboanga (daily) and Cagayan de Oro (twice daily). It also decreased flights between Cebu City and Davao City. It also reduced the frequency of its Manila-Puerto Princesa City service leaving only one daily flights for the route. It just restarted Manila-Davao late last year.

Airline industry sources said the airline’s decision to cut its route network was part of cost-cutting amid the skyrocketing price of aviation fuel. The airline has been hit particularly hard by high petroleum prices in 2008 because its jet fleet consists mostly of 20-year-old Boeing 737-200s, whose engines are substantially less fuel-efficient than their modern counterparts.

The airline retained only its profitable routes and currently flies to Puerto Princesa, Iloilo, Davao, Naga, and Ozamiz. It has 7 active Boeing 737-200 advance and 1 Boeing 737-300 aircraft on its fleet. Presently, it operates only 4 aircraft and grounded 4 others. Air Philippines has announced a plan to completely ground its 737s by 2010 but deferred its implementation due to massive losses in 2008. The airline is expected to receive two A320 this year.

Air Philippines carried 913,570 passengers in 2008. It will resume twice daily flights from Cebu to Davao and Iloilo starting March 16, 2009.

chevy_boy

March 10th, 2009, 10:54 AM

E6wZakbSM5s

GenSan International Airport with 2 Cebu Pacific Planes and One PAL A330-300

swahi

March 10th, 2009, 01:30 PM

starting yesterday, NOvember 9, PAL is now charging 100 pesos per kilo for excess baggage on domestic, following the rate that ceb pac has been charging since last year.

venntro

March 11th, 2009, 03:11 AM

Clark mulls Pacific Avia Group proposal for new terminal (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=447353&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
By Ding Cervantes Updated March 11, 2009 12:00 AM

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines – After a failed bidding for the construction of a modern passenger terminal at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) here, the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) has announced it is now evaluating Pacific Avia Group, Inc. (PAGI) as possible joint venture (JV) partner in the project that could cost anywhere from P3 billion to P7 billion.

In a statement, CIAC vice president for administration and finance Romeo Dyoco, who chairs the joint venture-selection Committee (JV-SC), said whoever will be CIAC’s partner will “design, finance, construct and operate” the proposed terminal 2 which will increase the passenger capacity of the old but upgraded terminal 1 that was constructed by the Americans when Clark was still a US air force base.

He said PAGI has been accepted by JV-SC “for detailed evaluation and eligibility check” which is expected to be finished by March 13. After passing this requirement, PAGI “will be subjected to a competitive challenge of stage 3” process, it said.

CIAC cited the need to construct a bigger passenger terminal “due to the significant increases in the volume of flights and international passengers during the past three years” and its “mandate” to transform the DMIA into a premiere international gateway of the country.

In May last year, CIAC announced the bidding for the terminal project, soliciting three companies which submitted bid documents. Admiral Energy of the US passed the bidding but later failed to submit proof of its track record in the operation of an international passenger terminal.

CIAC said it consulted with and got the go signal from the Office of Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) to pursue the project through the so-called competitive challenge process under its old JV guidelines.

It noted that last November, it received four unsolicited proposals under such process, inclusing those from PAGI, Philco Aero Consortium, R–II Holdings,Inc. and SNC – Lavalin International, Inc.

PAGI, the only local group among the four, is composed of A.M. Oreta Construction Co., DHL Philippines, DRI Holdings, EGIS AVIA S.A., Pentagon Development Corp., the Bank of Commerce and Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose.

CIAC initially approved the proposal of R – II Holdings, but it was later found to have failed to cope with “minimum non negotiable issues required for the project”.

Last Jan. 8, PAGI submitted a complete proposal for the terminal project and this was received favorably by CIAC, even as a new party, the Eugenio Group, also submitted its proposal.

Last Feb. 27, the JV-SC received another proposal from Al Mal Proposal from the Al Karafi Group.

“For very critical reasons on the substance of their proposals and the contextual conditions and requirements of their proposals both the Eugenio Consortium and the Al Mal were rejected,” CIAC said.

“The CIAC joint venture selection committee (JVSC) evaluated both proposals head to head and item to item, and arrived at the conclusion that the PAGI, proposal met its minimum requirements and is vastly superior to the Eugenio CIAC noted that while the present terminal was upgraded last year, its capacity is limited to only 1.5 million passengers per year.

CIAC said, however, that other facilities have been installed to modernize DMIA. These include radars, runway lights and signages, a second runway, modern aviation security and emergency systems, and terminal carousel and x-ray machines.

Airport officials also said they are eyeing a new terminal that could increase DMIA’s passenger capacity from three to seven million passengers annually.

ngprofflorida

March 11th, 2009, 06:28 AM

March 2009
PAL flies daily to Vancouver; boosts US, domestic services
MANILA – Philippine Airlines will ramp up services to major international and domestic destinations during the upcoming peak summer travel period, highlighted by the upgrading of its Vancouver service to a daily frequency and the addition of flights to local tourist hotspots Boracay and Busuanga.

From March 23, PAL will operate a direct flight to Vancouver every Monday and Wednesday, filling the only two days of the week when the service does not operate.

Unlike the other five days, however, the new service will not continue on to Las Vegas and will operate simply on a turnaround basis.

It injects much-needed capacity into PAL’s Vancouver route, the only direct link between Canada and the Philippines, and has long been sought by the sizeable Filipino migrant community in Canada as well as by the business and leisure segments of the market.

PR 116 departs Manila every Monday and Wednesday at 1:05 p.m., arriving in Vancouver at 10:20 a.m. the same day. The return service, PR 117, departs Vancouver at 1:00 p.m. and arrives in Manila at 5:50 p.m. the next day.

Widebody Airbus A340-300 aircraft, which seats 264 passengers in a bi-class layout, will continued to be deployed on the route.

The existing five-times-a-week service from Manila to Vancouver, onward to Las Vegas and vice-versa, operated every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, will be maintained.

Meanwhile, PAL will add one weekly flight each to its popular trans-Pacific services to the U.S. West Coast gateways of Los Angeles and San Francisco for the duration of the summer.

An extra Airbus A340-300 flight will operate to Los Angeles every Friday from April 10 to June 19 while another A340-300 flight will serve San Francisco every Sunday from April 12 to June 21.

The additional flights increase total frequency to Los Angeles to ten times weekly and to San Francisco to eight times weekly for the summer.

In the domestic sector, the flag carrier’s low-fares, turbo-propeller unit PAL Express will mount more flights across its network of secondary domestic routes, particularly to island destinations that are huge tourist draws during the summer months.

From March 20, PAL Express will add one daily flight between Manila and Caticlan, gateway to the resort island of Boracay, boosting total frequency on the busy route to 11 flights daily.

On the same day, PAL Express will operate a second daily frequency between Manila and Busuanga, the largest of the Calamian group of islands in northern Palawan that host the country’s most exclusive beach resorts.

The new frequency is an afternoon service that complements the current morning flight. PR 033 departs Manila at 1:00 p.m. and arrives in Busuanga at 2:05 p.m. Return flight PR 034 departs Busuanga at 2:30 p.m. and arrives in Manila at 3:35 p.m.

PAL Express will also add two weekly flights between Cebu and Cagayan de Oro to increase total frequency to five times weekly.

Likewise, PAL will augment its regular jet services between Manila and Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Kalibo, Legazpi, Puerto Princesa and Tacloban with additional flights of varying frequency throughout the summer season.

.

ngprofflorida

March 11th, 2009, 06:38 AM

Cebu Pacific News Archive
CebuPac offers P188 domestic;
P1,488 international seat sale

Cebu Pacific (CEB) is offering a seat sale from all its hubs – Cebu, Clark, Davao and Manila – starting March 10 to 13, 2009, to keep travel affordable in these challenging times.

The promotional seat sale is valid for travel from April 1 to July 31, 2009. Domestic fares are all-inclusive; Regional passengers need to pay travel taxes, except OFWs and foreigners staying in the Philippines for less than a year who are exempt. Promo fares are non-refundable.

Candice Iyog, CEB VP for marketing and distribution, said, “The current seat sale supports the focus on tourism to tide the country over the financial crisis. Cebu Pacific has always been keen in making travel more affordable for Filipinos.”

CEB is offering a P1,488 one-way ‘Go Lite’ fare for its Manila-Kota Kinabalu and Manila-Kaohsiung services. This is also extended to services from Clark to:

Bangkok;
Hong Kong;
Macau; and
Singapore.
The budget airline is also offering a one-way P1,388 ‘Go Lite’ all-in fare for its Manila to Cotabato and Butuan services.

From Cebu, the airline is offering a one-way P188 all-in ‘Go Lite’ fare to Bacolod, Butuan, Dumaguete and Surigao, and a one-way P488 all-in ‘Go Lite’ fare to:

Cotabato;
Dipolog;
GenSan;
Legaspi;
Ozamiz;
Puerto Princesa;
Siargao;
Tacloban; and
Zamboanga.
From Davao, the airline is selling a one-way P488 all-in ‘Go Lite’ fare to Iloilo and Zamboanga.

‘Go Lite’ fares are for passengers traveling with no check-in baggage. Passengers with check-in bags just have to add P200 to the fare.

Passengers can book online at www.cebupacificair.com or call reservations at 70-20-888, or visit their nearest travel agents.

Now on its 14th year, CEB continues to have the youngest aircraft fleet in the Philippines, comprised of 11 Airbus A320, 10 Airbus A319, and seven ATR 72-500.

venntro

March 11th, 2009, 09:24 AM

Cathay Pacific reports $1.1-B net loss in 2008 (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/03/11/09/cathay-pacific-reports-11-b-net-loss-2008)
Agence France-Presse | 03/11/2009 1:41 PM

HONG KONG- Airline Cathay Pacific on Wednesday reported a net loss of 8.6 billion Hong Kong dollars ($1.1 billion) for 2008, on the back of falling cargo demand and volatile fuel prices.

The Hong Kong carrier said in a statement to the city's stock exchange that high oil prices in the first half of the year had hit its bottom line.

It added that the tumbling oil price in the second half of 2008 had also led to heavy losses from hedging contracts taken out to protect it against the high cost of fuel.

"Having made a painful adjustment to high fuel prices, the aviation industry now has to adjust to a severe economic downturn," said chairman Christopher Pratt in the statement.

"Cathay Pacific expects an extremely challenging year in 2009."

lim803

March 11th, 2009, 09:55 AM

What happened to sangley and batangas airport proposed project?

weewit

March 12th, 2009, 06:33 AM

hi everyone, i want to share with you my experience with Cebu Pacific. last december, i booked my staff for Cebu - Tacloban and VV, for the months of Feb and March. for the month of Feb, my staffs arrived airport 2:15 for their 3:20 flight. as usual, flight was delayed and they flew at about 6:30pm.no compensation was given. not even food. last March, for the same flight time, my staff arrived at the airport 3:00pm. i know they were late, they should suppose to be there 45 mins before the departure time. but the problem is, the plane left 40 mins earlier than the ticket time. they left 2:45pm. :bleep::bleep: confused, my staff demand compensation. at least rebook for free, since what happened is not our fault, but instead we were told to pay 1000+ for rebooking. :rant::rant: HAY Naku! well, at least 50pesos promo lang ang na book ko for that trip. but given their inconsistency, and poor customer service, i dont think they are reliable. Also, please dont say that you get what you pay for, you dont pay for customer service, nor reputation. when your plane fly early or fly late, its not only the promo ticket holders who are affected, even those who buy expensive ticket are likewise affected. Haaaay!

arianespace

March 12th, 2009, 11:20 AM

^^
I would rather say your employee was bumped off the plane in favor of high paying ones because they always overbooked their plane by 15%. When the one hour window is off they start accommodating chance passengers so those arriving late would be justified that their plane left already. Don't worry, Ryan air and Easy jet does the same thing. So its industry standard for them.

Also no airline will leave 30 minutes earlier than their published departure because of civil and safety regulations. 10 minutes earlier perhaps but no more than 20 minutes. If they were leaving Manila they could not even be permitted to enter the runway for take off.

sloanesquare

March 12th, 2009, 12:29 PM

The Boeing Dreamliner: a sneak preview
Published: 06/03/2009 - Filed under: News »

During a visit to Boeing’s Seattle headquarters at Everett, Business Traveller was given a preview of the new B787 Dreamliner.

Now that Airbus’s A380 superjumbo is with us and flying with Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Qantas, with other carriers set to follow suit this year, the most eagerly awaited aircraft is the Boeing 787, nicknamed the Dreamliner. As with the A380, the production process has been subject to several delays, most recently because of a strike at Boeing’s Seattle headquarters, but it now looks as though the opening customer for the aircraft – Japan’s ANA – will receive it in the first half of next year. During a recent visit to Seattle for the delivery flight to Doha of Qatar Airways’ first B777-200LR aircraft, Boeing revealed the thinking behind the 787 and the benefits it hopes the aircraft will offer business travellers.

The idea for the Dreamliner came in around 2000 with Boeing beginning the development on a concept aircraft called the “Sonic Cruiser”. The idea was that this would be a new, super-fast plane, capable of travelling at almost the speed of sound (around Mach 0.95, or 720 mph – today’s long-haul aircraft typically travel at 600 mph). At these speeds, journey times would be significantly shortened. What Boeing discovered, however, was that post September 2001, and in the face of rising fuel costs, airlines were more interested in efficiency.

.

“So how do you create a welcome? Viewing the new cabin of the B787, which exists in one of Boeing’s facilities outside Seattle, it is by initially increasing the overhead space as you step onto the aircraft. Typically, you enter via a long, claustrophobic airbridge tunnel, before squeezing down a narrow aisle and into a seat by a small window. The B787 interior opens up the space overhead, firstly by creating a dome, and secondly by the clever use of LED lighting, which in the example we were shown, is blue and white to mimic the sky. It does seem to create a welcoming feeling and also forms part of a very different interior from the ones we are familiar with in existing aircraft.

Craver says: “It’s the same effect created in medieval cathedrals. When people go in, they often enter through a small vestibule area that creates a tight space which then opens up to giant roofs and soaring spaces.”

The Dreamliner is being built in a new way, not least because it is being constructed from composites (carbon-fibre reinforced plastics) rather than aluminium, which means it is stronger, lighter, and quicker to build (in theory). As well as affecting the fuselage, the new method of “baking” sections of the plane meant that Boeing could also alter the interior of the aircraft to take advantage of the new strength. The first was to make the windows 65 per cent bigger than those on the B777, which are the largest windows in the sky at the moment. This allows people to see much more, which begins the process of reconnecting them to the physical act of flying, as well as allowing those seated in the centre of the wide-bodied aircraft to see the horizon. The new windows also allow for more intuitive control of light, with a dimmer switch rather than lowering or raising the blinds, which often create problems when some passengers open them and disturb others on “night” flights when there is daylight outside. Craver says: “It means that that even on a night flight, you can create a night-time effect and yet still see outside.

“The psychologist’s research reminded us of the importance of those childhood dreams of flying. Yet the interior of aircraft has a domestic, cave-like colour palette, which nullifies the effect of being in the air. On the B787, there are up to 11 lighting scenes the airline can choose from, as well as being able to define the transition time. Boeing calls this the “Sky Interior” to distinguish it from mood lighting, which tends to saturate colour,” Craver says.

Another aspect of the new aircraft, which will be welcomed by frequent travellers, is a reduction in cabin altitude. On all commercial aircraft, a balance is struck between offering a breathable atmosphere (something most travellers would say is quite important), and not over pressurising the plane (lowering the altitude), which is expensive and causes stress to the fuselage.

For many decades, the average altitude on board has been kept at 8000 feet, but after research at the University of Oklahoma, Boeing found that most of the low-level effects of altitude sickness such as headaches, nausea and fatigue dissipate below 6000 feet and so the aircraft is now pressured to 6000 feet, something the composite structure also allows. When combined with a slightly higher humidity the composite aircraft allows, Boeing thinks that travellers will see the benefits.

Finally, there are the obvious improvements such as large overhead lockers with easy-to-use latches, which open whether pushed or pulled. In business class, these have been removed from the centre of the aircraft to create more room.

The new technology has also ensured that the Dreamliner is 15-20 per cent more fuel efficient than the B767, which should be good for the environment and has certainly attracted airlines – 879 orders have been made so far by 59 customers worldwide. Not bad considering the list price for the Dreamliner is anywhere between $161 million to $171.5 million.

The new B747-800 Jumbo and the long range B777 aircraft

As far as most business travellers are concerned, the B787 Dreamliner is still a few years away. Instead, they will probably be flying long-haul in either the Boeing’s B747 “Jumbo” or one of the B777 family. The B747 is currently being extended so that an extra 45 passengers can be accommodated in a typical three-class configuration, with the B747-800 coming into service some time in 2011, though so far the only orders have been for a freighter version.

The Boeing 777 family of aircraft, meanwhile, has enjoyed continual success, and now consists of six different versions, five of which are passenger models. The aircraft’s popularity is proved simply by looking at British Airways’ fleet, which has 43 B777 aircraft with more on order, and Air France’s, which has more than 50. The B777 has room on board for between 301 and 368 passengers in a three-class configuration, and a range capability extending to over 9,000 nautical miles, enough for a route such as Doha to Houston non-stop.

The most popular choices are the B777-300ER (extended range) and the B777-200LR (longer range). The B777-300ER was introduced in April 2004, and with a range of 7,930 nautical miles and carrying 365 passengers, it was immediately popular with the airlines. The B777-200LR aircraft was launched in February 2006, carries 301 passengers and has a range of up to 9,395 nautical miles. It is currently the world’s longest-range commercial jetliner capable of connecting virtually any two city pairs around the world.

Approximately 35 per cent of the designs for the 777-300ER and 777-200LR planes were changed from the earlier 777 models – the wings were extended by 6.5 feet each by adding raked wing tips to improve aerodynamics and fuel efficiency. The wing tips also helped reduce take-off field length, increase climb performance and reduce fuel burn.

The two aircraft also have seat-mile costs that are 18-20 per cent lower than the A340-500 and A340-600 models. For carriers such as Qatar Airways, which received its second B777-200LR aircraft in February ready for its new Doha-Houston route, the choice is crucial, as shown by the fact that a strike at the Boeing factory delayed not only the delivery of the aircraft, but the introduction of the route.

Report by Tom Otley

weewit

March 12th, 2009, 05:31 PM

heightdeprived

March 12th, 2009, 06:15 PM

swahi

March 12th, 2009, 06:42 PM

weewit, ceb pac has reported only over 60% on time flights from November up to February. February is at 69%. That means over 3 flights for every 10 flights are delayed. They dont even say how long it is delayed. For them, a flight delayed by 30 minutes count as one delayed flight as a 4 hour delayed flight.

While waiting for my flights be it in Cebu, Iloilo or Bacolod or airports where airlines share the same airport terminal, i noticed that ceb pac's flights are delayed compared with other airlines. And no special accomodation given for any delay. At least, PAL will give out meal coupons for flights that are delayed 3 or 4 hours or more, I think.

benchjade

March 12th, 2009, 06:47 PM

Davao has world's most modern airport

"EVEN if you have a crippled aircraft with one engine flying, trying to land in the middle of a strong typhoon, you can still land safely at your Davao international airport," said William D. Krelle, 76, an Australian engineer.

Krelle, one of the foreign engineering consultants who helped built the Davao International Airport in 1995, said this airport here in the south is "undoubtedly the safest airport in the world" and was surprised to learn that very few people know this fact.

Post your comments on the explosion at the Glorietta 2 mall in Makati City.

"Without any doubt, I can say now that the Davao International Airport is the most modern airport in the world -- it's far better than Hong Kong airport,"
Krelle stressed.

Krelle now runs a seafood export company in Davao with Filipino partners and commutes regularly between Davao and Darwin, Northern Territory and Melbourne, Australia using a long flight route that takes him to Singapore and Manila for two days before reaching Davao.

What made the Davao airport "the world's most modern airport," according to Krelle, are the new modern landing facilities and state-of-the-art computerized equipment installed by a Norwegian airport systems engineer that are used today by some of the world's biggest airports.

Krelle explained that the unusual mound that curves upward in the middle of the Davao runway is a deliberate engineering design that helps propel an aircraft into the air during take-off and also helps an aircraft land smoothly.

The length of the Davao airport's runway at 3,300 meters is also at par with that of the country's international airports as Mactan at 3,300 meters, Clark airbase at 3,200 meters, and Manila (Ninoy) international airport at 3,700 meters, almost the same as the General Santos international airport runway. (Aurelio A. Pena, PhilPress Feature)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav...n.airport.html

Ph Man

March 12th, 2009, 08:29 PM

pthfndr19

March 12th, 2009, 08:49 PM

PAL Express' Q400 at Catarman Airport :)

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c124/alfinsky/PALExpressCRM.jpg

swahi

March 13th, 2009, 03:34 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbVw7entkxg

Or if you missed your flight, maybe you can take the cue of this lady. Cathay Pacific gave her complimentary business class tickets.... but not because of the tantrum she dished out... cathay pacific gave her the tickets as a way to apologize for one of their ground crew who took the video and posted all over the internet.

xzibit31

March 13th, 2009, 03:45 AM

what is the difference of the 777-200 LR to the 777-300 ER?

NightDog

March 13th, 2009, 04:18 AM

Timely write-up, just as when some customers question the 787 performance figures on paper...

that's right @Height.

below are very interesting:

The Boeing Dreamliner: a sneak preview
Published: 06/03/2009 - Filed under: News »

The idea for the Dreamliner came in around 2000 with Boeing beginning the development on a concept aircraft called the “Sonic Cruiser”. The idea was that this would be a new, super-fast plane, capable of travelling at almost the speed of sound (around Mach 0.95, or 720 mph – today’s long-haul aircraft typically travel at 600 mph). At these speeds, journey times would be significantly shortened. What Boeing discovered, however, was that post September 2001, and in the face of rising fuel costs, airlines were more interested in efficiency.

The Dreamliner is being built in a new way, not least because it is being constructed from composites (carbon-fibre reinforced plastics) rather than aluminium, which means it is stronger, lighter, and quicker to build (in theory). As well as affecting the fuselage, the new method of “baking” sections of the plane meant that Boeing could also alter the interior of the aircraft to take advantage of the new strength.

the first statement is that they will increase the capability of the dreamliner to 0.95 Mach, almost supersonic. it was proven before during the time of Concorde that using duralumin or alloys of aluminum will heat up the fuselage during cruising.
the second statement says that they will use composites of carbon-fibre re-inforced plastics for the fuselage, but they did not say that they will use this because aluminum generates heat when cruising in that speed. they just mention that it it is stronger, lighter & quicker to build.

Another aspect of the new aircraft, which will be welcomed by frequent travellers, is a reduction in cabin altitude. On all commercial aircraft, a balance is struck between offering a breathable atmosphere (something most travellers would say is quite important), and not over pressurising the plane (lowering the altitude), which is expensive and causes stress to the fuselage.

For many decades, the average altitude on board has been kept at 8000 feet, but after research at the University of Oklahoma, Boeing found that most of the low-level effects of altitude sickness such as headaches, nausea and fatigue dissipate below 6000 feet and so the aircraft is now pressured to 6000 feet, something the composite structure also allows. When combined with a slightly higher humidity the composite aircraft allows, Boeing thinks that travellers will see the benefits.

now, this technology is very interesting.

how do they will keep the cabin pressurization to up to 6000 feet only.
by using the traditional cabin pressurization valves, this idea will not be achieved.

in the last statement, they mentioned that by combining slightly higher humidity, the composite-made aircraft will allow the cabin altitude this low. that means they will introduce additional system to the pressurization of the aircraft.

we'll see. this is interesting.

tonight

March 13th, 2009, 04:37 AM

Zest Air to go international (http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view/20090313-193888/Zest-Air-to-go-international)

MANILA, Philippines —Zest Airways, the former Asian Spirit, plans to expand its operations to include international destinations, company director Arturo Alejandrino said.

The airline is considering flights to the Middle East, particularly the United Arab Emirates, Alejandrino told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

It is also interested in flying to Australia, as Philippine aviation authorities are entering into talks with Australian counterparts to allow more flights between the two countries, he said.

Zest Air has active applications for flights to Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Korea, Macau, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Beijing and Southern Japan, Alejandrino said.

“We are targeting to start flying to these destinations in the first half of the year,” he said.

Zest Airways intends to invest in new aircraft for these flights, he added.

Zest Air flies from Manila to Virac in Catanduanes, Busuanga in Palawan, San Jose in Occidntal Mindoro, Marinduque, Cebu City, Calbayog City, Catarman in Northern Samar, and Caticlan in Aklan.

On March 16, it will add the cities of Puerto Princesa, Naga, Legaspi, Iloilo, Kalibo, Tacloban, Bacolod and Tagbiliran as destinations.

absinthe_888

March 13th, 2009, 04:49 AM

Australia donates aviation security training equipment (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=448021&publicationSubCategoryId=67)
Updated March 13, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Australian government recently provided the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) with training equipment for the Aviation Security Training Center, strengthening the country’s capacity to secure its aviation system.

“The assistance seeks to enhance transport security measures across the country and reduce the vulnerability of the transport system to security threats,” Australian Ambassador Rod Smith said.

The training equipment is part of Australia’s continuing support for security capacity building that will enable the OTS to standardize training and application of aviation security measures across the country.

The program also funded the training of aviation security officials on International Civil Aviation Organization courses at accredited facilities in Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Auckland, New Zealand.

Australian Office of Transport Security executive director Paul Retter and OTS OIC-director Col. Lucas Cauton formally signed the deed of donation marking the official turnover of the equipment.

mwg12a

March 13th, 2009, 04:51 AM

I don't know I think I am getting excited seing these competitions amongst all Philippine carriers. It would be nice if they all succeed.

Montecito_kid

March 13th, 2009, 05:03 AM

what is the difference of the 777-200 LR to the 777-300 ER?
777-200LR (Long Range) aka 77L
777-300ER (Extended Range) aka 77W
- The 77L is the one among the 777 family that can fly the furthest. - 9,420 nm
- The 77W has a range of 7,880 nautical miles (nm)
- Length wise, the 77L is 209 feet while the 77W is 242 feet.
- Same wing span
- The 77W uses the GE90-115B engine only while the 77L uses either the GE90-115B or GE90-110B engine.

dashalvin

March 13th, 2009, 05:53 AM

I don't know I think I am getting excited seing these competitions amongst all Philippine carriers. It would be nice if they all succeed.

Yup, hope all of them succeed so that we'll have more quality airlines like other countries have. I'm also hoping that Air Philippines and SEAIR will soon have their refleeting changing the face of airline industry in the country having the newest airplanes in d world.:cheers:

xzibit31

March 13th, 2009, 07:20 AM

777-200LR (Long Range) aka 77L
777-300ER (Extended Range) aka 77W
- The 77L is the one among the 777 family that can fly the furthest. - 9,420 nm
- The 77W has a range of 7,880 nautical miles (nm)
- Length wise, the 77L is 209 feet while the 77W is 242 feet.
- Same wing span
- The 77W uses the GE90-115B engine only while the 77L uses either the GE90-115B or GE90-110B engine.

ok thanks dude.

so pal is going to get the 77W and 5J is in talks into getting the 77L....this is getting interesting...:)

boom_box

March 13th, 2009, 07:26 AM

^^ yeah.. I just don't know how it would fit in the T3 if 5J will get the 77L and PR 77W on T2... cant wait those birds land in NAIA.. :cheers:

Noize_320

March 13th, 2009, 07:52 AM

777-200LR (Long Range) aka 77L
777-300ER (Extended Range) aka 77W
- The 77L is the one among the 777 family that can fly the furthest. - 9,420 nm
- The 77W has a range of 7,880 nautical miles (nm)
- Length wise, the 77L is 209 feet while the 77W is 242 feet.
- Same wing span
- The 77W uses the GE90-115B engine only while the 77L uses either the GE90-115B or GE90-110B engine.

longer than the 747 - 231 ft. (except for the 748 - 250 ft. ) wow...so will 5J open transpac routes despite its service?

PAL Express' Q400 at Catarman Airport :)

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c124/alfinsky/PALExpressCRM.jpg

ooh, may nakasulat na "Davao" hehehe...nice shot

thescene

March 13th, 2009, 11:55 AM

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/403504_emirates13.html%3Fsource=rss

Emirates studies Airbus A380 options
BLOOMBERG NEWS

Emirates, the Dubai-owned airline that's the biggest customer for the Airbus A380, is studying options for the aircraft's delivery schedule that may include pushing back the dates for accepting planes.

"Like all airlines, Emirates continues to assess all options for its fleet and route operations," the airline said in an e-mail. "We had a routine meeting with Airbus to discuss aircraft delivery positions down the line."

Emirates' statement comes a week after Air France-KLM Group said it will delay taking delivery of the sixth and seventh A380s it has on order. Deutsche Lufthansa AG said Thursday it won't get until 2010 the two A380s it had expected to receive in 2009, although that delay reflected Airbus production difficulties.

Emirates declined to elaborate on the statement. The airline ordered 58 A380s and has received four so far. It also has 70 of Airbus A350s on order, though those planes aren't scheduled to begin delivery until after 2013.

Airbus delivered 12 A380s last year, after handing over the first in October 2007. It plans to deliver about 18 of the superjumbos this year, down from 21 it had planned earlier.

Airbus spokeswoman Anne Galabert declined to comment on talks with Emirates, saying the Toulouse, France-based aircraft maker doesn't comment on discussions with customers.

Emirates operates A380 aircraft on its New York and London routes, and plans to begin operating the superjumbo to Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea, from November

weewit

March 13th, 2009, 05:19 PM

speaking of customer service...i just got my refund (reversal) on my multiple-charged ticket last january for PAL. a pleasant surprise. but i waited 2 months to get that. :ohno: still, i think PAL has better customer service than its competitors.

heheheh.. buti ka pa tukayo, i heard ung iba mag 1 year anniversary na, wala pa sila inirefund ng Cebu pacific hehehe

habagatcentral1

March 14th, 2009, 02:26 AM

ooh, may nakasulat na "Davao" hehehe...nice shot
I'm fascinated about what PAL Express is doing. Naming their planes like naming the ships. Cool! :okay:

kiretoce

March 14th, 2009, 03:03 AM

^^ The practice of naming planes is not new, VS and QF (among others) have been doing that for years.

terrapinoy

March 14th, 2009, 04:30 AM

^^ 5J should bring back the practice of naming its planes.

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/6/4/6/0695646.jpg

Noize_320

March 14th, 2009, 04:46 AM

^^ 5J should bring back the practice of naming its planes.

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/6/4/6/0695646.jpg

yeah, i remember when 5J got its first A320, they said they'll paint some of their new planes with city liveries...but didn't materialize.

RP-C1540 - Davao, RP-C1509 - Cebu...i forgot the other three liverie's regs..

habagatcentral1

March 14th, 2009, 05:35 AM

^^ They say that adding up colours would add up more to the weight of the plane...is that true?

heightdeprived

March 14th, 2009, 05:51 AM

^^ The practice of naming planes is not new, VS and QF (among others) have been doing that for years.

PR used to do the same back then, hopefully they'll bring it back, If my memory serves me right they used to name one of their planes as "Sampaguita" I just can't remember if it's a jet (DC-8) or something else...

heightdeprived

March 14th, 2009, 05:57 AM

^^ They say that adding up colours would add up more to the weight of the plane...is that true?

yes indeed...

Noize_320

March 14th, 2009, 06:15 AM

^^ really? how? sounds like this is a job for the Mythbusters...hehehe

PR used to do the same back then, hopefully they'll bring it back, If my memory serves me right they used to name one of their planes as "Sampaguita" I just can't remember if it's a jet (DC-8) or something else...

i lol'd when they called the A300 the "Love Bus" :rofl:

kiretoce

March 14th, 2009, 06:18 AM

^^ Just imagine how many gallons of paint it'll take to paint an entire aircraft with multiple coats of primer and the final paint job itself. That alone will add to weight to the aircraft.

Noize_320

March 14th, 2009, 06:26 AM

^^ whoa, does it also affect the performance of the aircraft? (like range?)

bitoy

March 14th, 2009, 06:29 AM

^^ fuel savings on planes with less body paint.

terrapinoy

March 14th, 2009, 06:30 AM

^^ Saw a Boeing article on pros and cons of polished vs painted planes. Here's a quick summary:

"While the lighter weight of a polished airplane saves fuel costs, this savings is more than offset by the higher cost of washing, polishing, and painting a polished fuselage throughout its service life. The net operating cost of polished airplanes, calculated as a percentage of the total operating cost, is between 0.06 percent and 0.30 percent more than the total operating cost of fully painted airplanes."

Boeing Link (http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_05/textonly/fo01txt.html#table1)

This article was probably sponsored by a paint supplier. :lol:

bitoy

March 14th, 2009, 06:36 AM

^^ :lol: During the oil crisis, wala ng hugasan yung mga polished planes, dahil sa mahal ng solvents. Kaya yung mga military planes are painted with grey primers nalang to slowdown the oxidation.

kratos1211

March 14th, 2009, 06:37 AM

^^Paint has weight, and any added weight to to an aircraft decreases the amount of useful load on the aircraft. This means that the aircraft can hold more weight, and more weight on an aircraft also means more profit for the airline. Aluminum does not rust, but is subject to corrosion, so maintence costs are about the same due to inspections on the aircraft. Bare metal also has to be cleaned and polished like paint so maintence costs are about the same. Also a lighter plane when load is empty saves a small amount of fuel, but the main reason is to increase the amount of revenue that the aircraft can make by increasing the amount of weight that they can take.

boom_box

March 14th, 2009, 06:42 AM

^^ that's also the reason why American Airlines airplanes are all bare metal with chrome effect... load factors for cost savings... or even perhaps to accommodate more overweight Americans.. hehe :lol:

kiretoce

March 14th, 2009, 07:23 AM

The next best color that adds the least amount of added weight is white, more specifically Eurowhite, which PR uses to paint their planes.

pthfndr19

March 14th, 2009, 09:38 AM

Twin Airports in Samar island.
Calbayog Airport, Samar and Catarman Airport, Northern Samar

3 airlines are serving here(PAL Express, Zest Air and Cebu Pacific)

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c124/alfinsky/IMG_0001.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c124/alfinsky/CatarmanAirport.jpg

"ZukiChirO"

March 14th, 2009, 09:51 AM

PAL adds local, foreign flights to attract more passengers this summer
03/09/2009 | 03:20 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Airlines (PAL) will serve more local and foreign routes to attract more passengers this summer.

Besides offering a daily service to Vancouver, the flag carrier controlled by liquor and tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan will also add more flights to and from tourist spots such as Boracay in the Visayas and Busuanga in Luzon.

Starting March 23, PAL will fly daily to Vancouver, including Monday and Wednesday, the carrier said in a statement. Previously, Mondays and Wednesdays were the only days in which PAL didn’t mount a flight to the Canadian city. These flights will utilize the entitlements the Philippines received during last year’s air talks with Canada.

Unlike flights mounted on five other days, the service will not proceed to Las Vegas but will immediately head back to Manila.

By increasing passenger capacity in the only direct flight between Canada and the Philippines, the route will accommodate more Filipino visitors to the North American country and at the same time, allow more Vancouver-based Filipinos to come home.

Flight PR 116 will depart Manila every Monday and Wednesday at 1:05 PM and arrive in Vancouver at 10:20 AM of the same day. The return flight – PR 117 – will leave Vancouver at 1:00 PM and arrive in Manila at 5:50 PM the next day.

Airbus A340-300 aircraft, which seats 264 passengers, will be used to serve the route.

The current five times a week service to Vancouver onward to Las Vegas and vice-versa every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will be kept.

Similarly, a weekly service will be added to PAL’s trans-Pacific flight to
to Los Angeles and San Francisco for the summer.

From April 10 to June 19, an extra Airbus A340-300 will fly to Los Angeles every Friday, bringing total flights to ten times a week.

The airline will also mount flights to San Francisco every Sunday from April 12 to June 21, bringing frequency to eight times weekly.

zoroethgenre_003

March 14th, 2009, 09:51 AM

^^ 5J should bring back the practice of naming its planes.

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/6/4/6/0695646.jpg

the color is very festive..

PAL Express likewise is naming their planes..

shytype

March 14th, 2009, 05:27 PM

Afriqiyah Airways arrives earlier than expected

Introduces first flight to Dhaka and Libya!

Flies its second A330 to Manila on July 17
March 13, 2009

Tripoli- Libyan Airline, Afriqiyah Airways, can no longer afford to wait its aircraft delivery as it fast tracked its launch date for Manila service by introducing flight as early as July 17 this year.

The twice weekly flight was supposed to start in September with the arrival of the third A330 as it hopes to fly 4 flights per week direct, but the need for skilled migrant workers from the Philippines for Libya's reconstruction necessitated its expediency said Capt. Sabri Shadi, Afriqiyah Airways President and Chairman.
Manila will be the second long distance route after Johannesburg that will be served by its first A330. It will now have a stop over in Dhaka after it was initially announced to have a stop over in Dubai with the hope of transporting Filipino OFW home. The airline has 5th freedom rights to fly Filipinos out of Dubai. It will eventually fly direct when the third arrive in September.

Filipino workers have been listed as “priority recruits” for a $765-million (about P40 billion) construction project in Tripoli following a bilateral agreement signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Libyan leader Muammar Gadafi in 2006.

There are more than 8,000 legally documented migrant workers in Libya according to DFA working in the construction, medical, and tourism sectors. Official estimates for undocumented ones could easily reach 40,000 as of 2009.

A new Bilateral Air Services Agreement has been negotiated recently between CAB and its Civil Aviation counterpart in Libya paving the way for its flight service.

The first new route to be inaugurated will be Tripoli to Johannesburg where there will be two flights per week and then it will go to Manila afterwards. The next cities to see the new A330 will be thrice-weekly service to both Brazzaville and Kinshasa starting Sept. 7 and three weekly flights to both Beijing and Guangzhou will begin in Oct. 3.

Afriqiyah will take delivery of its first A330-200 in May for routes to Europe particularly London and Paris in June 3 and for Manila and Johannesburg on the second aircraft. Its GE's CF6-80E1 powered engine Airbus A330 aircraft will arrive in the last week of May 2009.

The airline currently operates an all Airbus fleet of A319/320’s and A340. Afriqiyah Airways is 100 percent controlled by the Libyan government.

thescene

March 14th, 2009, 06:02 PM

Why Dhaka? When was the last time an African carrier had regular service to Manila?

Sky Harbor

March 14th, 2009, 06:22 PM

^^ EgyptAir to Cairo, and that was back in 2001, I think.

boom_box

March 14th, 2009, 06:30 PM

KLM Operations... Schiphol to NAIA... :)

t60bn_iwz9A
_JCCJiQlY-8

jogavilz

March 14th, 2009, 07:21 PM

the video says that there are four cockpit crew members....so ibig sabihin there are 2 captains and 2 first officers??? ganoon pala yun pag long-haul flight?

boom_box

March 14th, 2009, 07:29 PM

^^ yup...
relief crew ang tawag nyan... pang kontra kasi yan laban sa stress ng mga crews by assigning them at certain portion of the flight..
kung baga substitute...

raffy_east

March 14th, 2009, 08:21 PM

Why Dhaka? When was the last time an African carrier had regular service to Manila?

^^^^ fyi - Dhaka is not in Africa, its actually the capital city of Bangladesh so its a South Asian City not African.

thescene

March 15th, 2009, 05:02 AM

^^^^ fyi - Dhaka is not in Africa, its actually the capital city of Bangladesh so its a South Asian City not African.

I know Dhaka is not an African city. The two questions are not really related.

thescene

March 15th, 2009, 05:04 AM

^^ EgyptAir to Cairo, and that was back in 2001, I think.

Thank you. I'm quite interested to see how the Afriqiyah flights will do in the future.

raffy_east

March 15th, 2009, 11:57 AM

I know Dhaka is not an African city. The two questions are not really related.

^^my mistake, I guess I misread your comment, too much overtime i guess,

tonyboy

March 15th, 2009, 03:35 PM

http://images3.jetphotos.net/img/1/3/5/7/44238_1150161753.jpg
^^
Remarks: Two birds in one shot! PAL B-747 (N751PR) about to touch down on runway 6 while another PAL A-320 is taxiing towards runway 6. Spotted today with PFSG member Raymund Perez.

Photo ID 5747149
Photo by Rommel Dorado

This photo was added to JetPhotos.Net on June 12, 2006, meaning that it has been part of the database for a period of 1,007 days. Since then, the photo has received 3,719 unique views, for an average of 4 views per day.

source: jetphotos.net (http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5747149)

allan_dude

March 15th, 2009, 08:49 PM

GMA to open San Fernando airport in La Union
Updated March 16, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo leads today’s inauguration of the newly upgraded San Fernando Airport in La Union that is seen to boost tourism and investment opportunities in the North.

The President is expected to plane in La Union this afternoon, accompanied by Cabinet members for the opening rites.

On hand to welcome the Chief Executive are Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) president and CEO Narciso Abaya, La Union Gov. Manuel Ortega, Rep. Victor Ortega, San Fernando Mayor Pablo Ortega, and the BCDA and Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC) board of directors.

The San Fernando Airport is part of the Poro Point Special Freeport Zone (PPSFZ) being managed by the PPMC, a subsidiary of the BCDA. The BCDA bankrolled the P565-million airport upgrade project.

Abaya said the resumption of operations of the San Fernando airport will further strengthen Poro Point’s appeal in attracting more investments and tourists, thereby generating more job opportunities for the people of La Union. “Increased investments and tourist spending augur well for the economy of La Union,” Abaya said.

PPMC president Felix Racadio said the Phase I airport upgrade project included removal and leveling of a hill, runway widening, overlay of taxiway, fencing, construction of a new control tower, renovation of fire station, provision of aeronautical ground lighting system, installation of an automated weather observation system, and air traffic control console equipment.

“The upgrade meets the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and enables the airport to accommodate larger planes like the Boeing 737 and Airbus 320,” Racadio said.

PPMC executive vice president and chief operating officer Anthony C. Manguiat said the resumption of airport operations was expected to further increase passenger and cargo traffic which, in turn, would boost the economy of La Union and neighboring provinces.

“The San Fernando airport will complement the already existing international seaport, thus making Poro Point an ideal site for commerce and tourism,” Manguiat said.

PPMC vice president for airport operations Catherine Bada said that at present, all flights to San Fernando are chartered planes. She revealed that negotiations are going on with commercial airlines for regular domestic flights between Manila and San Fernando, A Manila-San Fernando averaging about 50 minutes.

She added that 15 flying schools are currently using the airport for cross-country training flights.

Thunderbird Resorts director for marketing Cheryl Arnold said the airport upgrading augurs well for the growth of the tourism industry in the North, notably Baguio, Pangasinan and Ilocos. Thunderbird contributed P55 million of the P565 million allocated by the BCDA for the upgrade of the San Fernando Airport,

President Arroyo also presided at the inauguration in May last year of Thunderbird Resorts, featuring a luxury hotel and a world-class nine-hole golf course meant to put La Union at the world map of major tourist and recreation destinations. Prior to the completion of the hotel and the golf course, Thunderbird completed and operated a 75-seat fine dining restaurant and entertainment complex. Thunderbird leased 65.5 hectares in the freeport which was developed into a leisure resort, sports, entertainment and tourism complex.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=448807&publicationSubCategoryId=66

michael_ray

March 16th, 2009, 02:33 PM

Taken March 14, 2009

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/843/moto0433.jpg (http://img17.imageshack.us/my.php?image=moto0433.jpg)

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/6261/dscf2340e.jpg (http://img17.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf2340e.jpg)

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/3930/dscf2343x.jpg (http://img17.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf2343x.jpg)

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4411/dscf2353r.jpg (http://img17.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf2353r.jpg)

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/8355/dscf2354o.jpg (http://img17.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf2354o.jpg)

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/3046/dscf2371.jpg (http://img17.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf2371.jpg)
JAL, approaching the runway.

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/1273/dscf2361.jpg (http://img17.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf2361.jpg)

michael_ray

March 16th, 2009, 02:39 PM

An int'resting article - PDI March 14, 2009

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/2442/dscf2388r.jpg (http://img13.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf2388r.jpg)

lightning099

March 17th, 2009, 02:50 AM

Aviation official's son nearly causes disaster at Legazpi airport
philstar.com

LEGAZPI CITY , Philippines – Mayor Noel Rosal has requested the immediate transfer and suspension of Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) head Frisco Sto. Domingo for negligence after a Cebu Pacific plane almost collided with a Toyota Lite-Ace van driven by the aviation official’s son last Saturday afternoon.

The plane was carrying 80 passengers including Tourism Secretary Ace Durano and his family.

Rosal said he and his party as well as Tourism regional director Nini Ravanilla were waiting for Durano’s arrival from Cebu onboard the 3:30 p.m. Cebu Pacific flight SJ172 when they saw the plane suddenly abort landing as a gray Toyota Lite Ace van crossed the runway from out of nowhere.

“I was surprised when the plane piloted by French national Christopher Nowioki suddenly aborted landing and took off, upon touching at the west side of the tarmac,” Rosal told The STAR in an interview yesterday.

Rosal said he became worried when he saw the Lite-Ace van moving fast on the runway.

The van was driven by Sto. Domingo’s son Luis, who was teaching his girlfriend how to drive that afternoon.

After deplaning, Nowioki went to the aviation security police office to file a complaint.

“That van could have turned us into a fireball had I not successfully aborted landing,” Nowioki told Rosal.

“All the passengers could have already been dead,” he said.

“It could have been a disaster if not for the presence of mind of a veteran pilot,” Rosal added.

Reports also said many of the passengers wept after the near-death incident.

Secretary Durano, who was accompanied by his wife and two children, was Rosal’s special guest in inspecting tourism projects in Legazpi, like the Lignon Hill Park, the Embarkadero and other projects.

According to reports, the younger Sto. Domingo was teaching his girlfriend how to drive inside the airport. He has been using the airport as access road in going to his residence and must have thought all the flights were completed in the morning and so he could use the runway in the afternoon.

Rosal said that there are now six daily flights using the city airport.

He wondered why Sto. Domingo tolerates his son’s use of the runway when he has ordered that no vehicle should pass the tarmac or even the parking area.

“Why did he allow his son to cross the tarmac which has threatened the lives of all the airplane passengers who come here?” Rosal said.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has also asked Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza to relieve Sto. Domingo.

He advised Sto. Domingo to file his immediate retirement.

“The increasing number of flights at the city airport as well as the new Bicol International Airport to be constructed at Barangay Alobo in Daraga town shows that such violation of basic safety rules is a disgrace to our rising reputation as a tourism destination, a disservice to the riding public and temporary setback to our tourism effort,” Salceda said.

He said the new CAAP personnel could still improve their system and upgrade equipment to ensure the safety of the riding public.

Rosal has also requested Mendoza to conduct an investigation of the incident.

He likewise asked Mendoza to issue a preventive suspension order on Sto. Domingo so that he would be inhibited from influencing the investigation.

Meanwhile, the CAAP yesterday ordered a thorough probe into the incident.

CAAP director general Ruben Ciron said he has already instructed a panel of five investigators, led by Capt. Jose Saplan, chief of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board, along with representatives from the Security, Administrative, Legal Divisions and the Flight Standards and Inspectorate Service (FSIS), to determine the culpability of erring parties involved in the incident.

Prior to the landing of Cebu Pacific, the Legaspi control tower noted heavy rains, inducing poor visibility at the runway and its periphery.

In a statement, Sto. Domingo declared shortly after the incident that he did not hear the siren or see the incoming Cebu Pacific plane, apparently due to poor visibility.

But Ciron said this excuse “does not absolve Sto. Domingo of his liability.”

bitoy

March 17th, 2009, 03:16 AM

In a statement, Sto. Domingo declared shortly after the incident that he did not hear the siren or see the incoming Cebu Pacific plane, apparently due to poor visibility.

:lol: What a dumb statement, it is just plain and simple... "They are not allowed in the tarmac or passed the parking area".

lovely_aiko

March 17th, 2009, 05:02 AM

The Philippines and Australia recently concluded air talks increases flight seat allotments from 2,500 to 6,000 seats per week from Manila and Clark to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

Fifth freedom rights was also granted for both Philippine and Australian airlines.

To read the whole Business World Online article dated Tuesday. March 17, 2009:

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW031709/content.php?id=043

bOrN2BwILd

March 17th, 2009, 05:19 AM

^^ 5J should bring back the practice of naming its planes.

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/6/4/6/0695646.jpg

^^ang ganda...reminds me of ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS (NH)...
pokemon nga lang ung sa kanila...ang cutteee:lol:
this is also a good way of promoting one's place..

ngprofflorida

March 17th, 2009, 06:19 AM

dhalecx

March 17th, 2009, 06:40 AM

I wonder if this incident will reach the FAA audit. Welcome to category 3 if there's one.

mwg12a

March 17th, 2009, 06:42 AM

^^ That's already a total embarrassment for the Philippine government, CAA and FAA authorities. It did not only violated the Phil aviation law but the international aviation law on safety as well. The elder Sto. Domingo's dismissal is nothing compared to the loss of life of his own son and the lives of the many passengers in that flight which probably has atleast one foreign passenger as well not just the french pilot.

I wonder if this incident will reach the FAA audit. Welcome to category 3 if there's one.
That's what I was saying also...

jvl

March 17th, 2009, 07:38 AM

Negligent, or Dumb, or Immature, or Self-centered, or all?

So many Filipinos (Officials & Ordinary Citizens) in the same league as that airport official.

How can you trust that RP rise several notches in the next 100 years when most RP Leaders (Public or Private) lacks mindset to get RP to the next level?

Lessons learned? Mindanao airport theft - lights lost. Filipinos tend to forget easily and does not regard importance of safety.

One step forward, two steps back! There goes the accreditation!

lightning099

March 17th, 2009, 07:45 AM

Indonesian aviation industry: How are you today?
thejakartapost.com

On Feb. 6, 2009, the Ministry of Transportation held the second National Civil Aviation Safety Summit in Jakarta.

After the opening ceremony, the Minister of Transportation Jusman Syafei Djamal stated that there was no longer any reason for the European Union to continue to ban Indonesian airlines flying to Europe. With the implementation of Law 1/2009 on aviation, it showed that Indonesia had complied with the rules imposed by the EU.

He went on to announce the news that the EU would come to Indonesia to check on how well Indonesia had responded to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) findings a few years ago. The team would begin their visit on Feb. 23, 2009.

On that very day, Monday, Feb. 23, a Lion Air MD 90 aircraft, Flight no. JT 972, departing from Medan in North Sumatra to Batam on the Riau Islands, made an emergency landing in Batam. Luckily, due to the skill of the pilot, the plane landed without any casualties. The airplane only suffered minor damage.

On Monday, March 9 another Lion Air MD 90 aircraft, Flight no. JT 793, departing from Makassar, South Sulawesi, skidded off the runway when landing at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. This time the airplane was damaged severely; because of the broken landing gear and damaged left wing, the aircraft is a “total loss”. The company only said the air crew were fine and that the incident was due to bad weather.

These two occurrences illustrate the reality of Indonesian flight safety. Unfortunately, the accident in Batam coincided with the arrival of the EU team, who were checking whether Indonesian flag carrier Garuda Indonesia was ready to fly to Europe again, or not.

Without giving any comment, these two accidents are an honest indication of our poor flight safety. Whatever the cause might be, they show how carelessly managed our aviation industry is.

Once again, and maybe wrongly, but along with many other small errors, the flippant impression is stronger than ever. Just imagine, two accidents happening within 14 days, either of which could have lead to a fatal accident. And to be more dramatic, those accidents involved not only the same type of airplane, but also the same airline. The “flippant” impression is hard to avoid. The investigation into the cause of the first accident is not yet finished, and already there is another accident.

As we should already know, poor flight safety is one of the reasons why our flight safety ranking, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), was demoted to the “unsafe” level, based also on findings by the ICAO a few years earlier.

In the last FAA publication issued on Sept. 25, 2008, Indonesia was placed as a “Category 2” nation, which means Indonesia “does not meet ICAO safety standards” or “unsafe”. Along with Indonesia, there are other countries like Bangladesh, Congo, Zambia and the Philippines.

Indonesia is ranked below countries like Malaysia, Suriname, Pakistan, Tonga and Uzbekistan.
It would be easy to conclude the root of this problem is disobedience to the flight rules, regulations and instructions. Discipline is still very low and the safety awareness of all the national aviation stakeholders needs urgent attention.

Improved supervision and firm action against the wrongdoers is not enough to put an end to such accidents. We have to admit there is a lot of work to be done. Forget about the EU ban, it is better for us to prioritize our main job – to restore our national aviation industry to a more respectable position.

In 1990, South Korea and its Korean Air experienced a similar case as that of Indonesia – even worse, in fact. At that time, President Kim Dae-jung said: “The issue of Korean Air is not a matter of an individual company but a matter of the whole country. Our country’s credibility is at stake!”

After that, South Korea worked hard. They took fundamental steps to fix their national airline. Less than five years later, South Korea has returned and become one of the few countries that have a “high level” of safety standards in their aviation industry.

To restore our national aviation to Category 1 or to meet ICAO safety standards, we know that if there is a strong will, nothing is impossible.

venntro

March 17th, 2009, 10:19 AM

Increased seats seal RP-Australia air deal (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/03/17/09/%7Fincreased-seats-close-rp-australia-air-deal)
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 03/17/2009 12:26 PM

Air talks between the Philippines and Australia ended successfully last week with increased seat assignments in the mainland of the smallest geographic continent.

This is the fifth air deal the country has sealed this year, following talks with Kuwait and Bahrain last month, and Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in January.

Under the agreement, seat allocations to and from Australia were increased to 6,000 a week from 2,500 since 1996. According to Civil Aeronautics Board Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla, the new deal allows the government to distribute the 6,000 seats among airports in Manila and Clark, Pampanga.

"The 6,000 is the total allocation for Manila and Clark combined. We can set how many airline passenger seats each airport will get. But the cargo tonnage was set. It's 300 tons for Manila and 1,300 tons for Clark," Arcilla said.

With the additional seats, Arcilla said more airlines will be given an opportunity to fly to Australia. In the previous arrangement, only the Philippine Airlines was the designated carrier for the said route.

"Cebu Pacific and Zest Air are interested (in getting entitlements)," he said, adding that foreign carrier Jetstar has also expressed interest in mounting Philippine flights to Australia.

Australia is one of the top sources of tourists in the Philippines. Successful air talks are helpful in boosting the economy as it paves the way for more tourists and investments in the country.

Noize_320

March 17th, 2009, 11:08 AM

The van was driven by Sto. Domingo’s son Luis, who was teaching his girlfriend how to drive that afternoon.[/B]

oh, how to drive or how to almost make another aviation disaster that would almost downgrade us from aviation safety??? obviously bawal ang ganyan (practice driving) on a WORKING RUNWAY...:bash:

^^ang ganda...reminds me of ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS (NH)...
pokemon nga lang ung sa kanila...ang cutteee:lol:
this is also a good way of promoting one's place..

http://img1.cdn.crunchyroll.com/i/spire3/05152008/0/a/9/e/0a9e1eff388780_full.jpg

thescene

March 17th, 2009, 12:12 PM

Of all the places to teach your GF how to drive they had to choose a airport runway.

jvl

March 17th, 2009, 12:20 PM

http://img1.cdn.crunchyroll.com/i/spire3/05152008/0/a/9/e/0a9e1eff388780_full.jpg

Who knows, most trains are now coated in ads. One day you might be flying in a plane "covered" in feminine pads.

absinthe_888

March 17th, 2009, 12:28 PM

EDITORIAL - Driving lessons (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=449206)

Eighty passengers on a domestic flight narrowly escaped disaster in Bicol over the weekend. Only the deft handling by the pilot of the Cebu Pacific flight kept the plane from colliding with a Lite Ace van on the tarmac of the Legazpi City airport Saturday afternoon. French pilot Christopher Nowioki managed to make the plane climb back up moments after it touched down.

What was the van doing on the tarmac? An airport VIP, the son of the head of the local office of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, was teaching his girlfriend how to drive, according to reports from Legazpi. For Luis Sto. Domingo Jr., nothing less than an airport tarmac would do for the precious driving lessons. The younger Sto. Domingo also reportedly used the tarmac as access road to his home.

There was no immediate comment yesterday from the privileged driving tutor’s father, Frisco Sto. Domingo, probably because Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal was fuming over the incident. Rosal was at the airport to welcome Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, who was on the Cebu Pacific flight, and was surprised when the plane took off as soon as it touched down.

Apart from vans where private driving lessons are given, it would not be surprising to see cattle, dogs and goats on Philippine airport tarmacs. In several airports, children can enter the airport grounds from shanties straddling the perimeter walls. As the case in Legazpi showed, tarmacs can also be used as access roads to private residences.

Mayor Rosal is seeking immediate sanctions on the elder Sto. Domingo. The driving tutor must also be held liable for entering a restricted area and endangering the safety of a commercial flight. Unless sanctions are imposed, this dangerous incident will be dismissed as Pinoy comedy and may be repeated. And the next time, disaster may not be averted.

Now, look at this comment from mekaba: (also located at the link)
The story is overblown...no truth ...the fact is, the van was driving way off the tarmac, 'twas on a side public road perpendicular to the tarmac but outside the airport parameters, (common among local airports in the countryside) and was mistakenly thought of by the unfamiliar French pilot as directly on his plane's path. (read the Mayon Times for the explanation of the Sto. Domingo family). this paper failed to print the side of the driver. let's not draw conclusion without reading the other party's story. (lol)

jvl

March 17th, 2009, 12:38 PM

Which is which? The Mayor was quoted. So that means the Mayor did not know there was a "legal" road somewhere near the airport under his jurisdiction?

“I was surprised when the plane piloted by French national Christopher Nowioki suddenly aborted landing and took off, upon touching at the west side of the tarmac,” Rosal told The STAR in an interview yesterday.

Rosal said he became worried when he saw the Lite-Ace van moving fast on the runway.

Pilot claimed he aborted landing due to a van on runway. The Mayor corroborated as quoted seeing it himself firsthand.

I find them (pilot & Mayor) credible enough. Some other people are there as witness. The offenders can claim whatever to avert impending hell on themselves.

But anyway an investigation could already be underway.

sairoangel

March 17th, 2009, 12:39 PM

dapat sibakin yung tatay nung driver ng van..

Noize_320

March 17th, 2009, 12:50 PM

Who knows, most trains are now coated in ads. One day you might be flying in a plane "covered" in feminine pads.

pangit ng idea...:lol:

besides, nobody wants to fly on a whisper....with wings

dashalvin

March 17th, 2009, 03:04 PM

Very irresponsible. It's a disgrace in our aviation industry.

heightdeprived

March 17th, 2009, 07:45 PM

“I was surprised when the plane piloted by French national Christopher Nowioki suddenly aborted landing and took off, upon touching at the west side of the tarmac,” Rosal told The STAR in an interview yesterday

Is cebu pacific employed foreign pilot? this is rediculous and abuse of power, what mr. Domingo think he owns the airport>..... kailangan terminated kaagad sa trabaho.
Probably they do. There are also foreigners interested in flying for bupak, I just do not know if the airline does the crew recruitment, or letting another entity do the crew recruitment for them...

thescene

March 18th, 2009, 02:40 AM

“I was surprised when the plane piloted by French national Christopher Nowioki suddenly aborted landing and took off, upon touching at the west side of the tarmac,” Rosal told The STAR in an interview yesterday

Is cebu pacific employed foreign pilot? this is rediculous and abuse of power, what mr. Domingo think he owns the airport>..... kailangan terminated kaagad sa trabaho.

I think they have some foreigners flying their turboprops. As for Mr. Domingo he has been relieved of his duties at Legaszpi and is now on " floating status".

achernar

March 18th, 2009, 03:26 AM

hmmm... sana dagdagan na ang flights to Europe sa NAIA.... as of now kasi KLM lang ang available at Amsterdam lang...

sana i-resume ng AIR FRANCE at LUFTHANSA ang routes nila to MANILA

absinthe_888

March 18th, 2009, 04:25 AM

Legazpi airport executive gets ax (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=449579&publicationSubCategoryId=63)
By Rainier Allan Ronda
Updated March 18, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The manager of Legazpi City airport in Albay was relieved yesterday after a van driven by his son almost collided with a plane on the runway last Saturday.

Frisco Sto. Domingo was replaced last Monday by Edgardo Ramos on orders of Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza, according to Undersecretary Thompson Lantion, Mendoza’s de facto spokesman.

“(Sto. Domingo) was ordered to report here at the CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines) headquarters,” Lantion said

Sto. Domingo will be on “floating status” at the CAAP, he added.

At Malacañang, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said yesterday Frisco Sto. Domingo has been suspended pending an investigation into the incident at Legaspi City airport involving his son.

In Legaspi City, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has advised Sto. Domingo to file his immediate retirement.

“The increasing number of flights at the city airport, as well as the new Bicol International Airport to be constructed at Barangay Alobo in Daraga town, shows that such violation of basic safety rules is a disgrace to our rising reputation as a tourism destination, a disservice to the riding public and temporary setback to our tourism effort,” he said.

Salceda and Legaspi City Mayor Noel Rosal immediately asked for the suspension and relief of Sto. Domingo after his son’s van almost collided with a Cebu Pacific flight from Cebu last Saturday afternoon.

Senior Superintendent Emmanuel Tallento, Police Aviation Security Group commander in Legaspi, will also be investigated, Rosal added.

Sto. Domingo went on official leave of absence following the incident involving his son and namesake, Frisco Sto. Domingo Jr.

Last Saturday, Cebu Pacific flight CEB172 aborted its landing at 2:10 p.m. when Sto. Domingo Jr.’s car, a Delica Lite Ace van, crossed the runway while the plane was about to land.

The plane circled the runway and safely landed some 10 minutes later.

The elder Sto. Domingo was also the manager of the Daet, Naga, Bulan, and Virac airports.

Director General Ruben Ciron of the CAAP sent a team of investigators to Legaspi last Monday to conduct an investigation.

The group consists of Col. Jose R. Saplan, chairman of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board; Gil Macapagal of the Enforcement and Legal Service, and Luciano Macose, assistant chief of administration and also an airways communications specialist.

Reports reaching Ciron said that CEB 172 originated from Mactan International Airport in Cebu.

Prior to a plane’s landing, the control tower activates the airport siren with a series of blasts to warn everyone in the vicinity of an approaching airplane.

The siren is a warning to civilians not to cross the runway or enter the aircraft movement area, encompassing the tarmac and the parking lots, except employees of the CAAP and those connected with airline companies.

Legaspi control tower noted heavy rains and poor visibility at the time of the incident, Ciron said.

Shortly after the incident, Sto. Domingo Jr. said he did not hear the siren or see the incoming plane due to poor visibility.

However, Ciron said that the excuse does not absolve Sto. Domingo of his liability.

Ciron also ordered a review of all existing security measures in key airports, along with appropriate remedies to prevent similar incidents.

The plane was carrying 80 passengers including Tourism Secretary Ace Durano and his family.

Rosal said he and his party as well as Tourism regional director Nini Ravanilla were waiting for Durano’s arrival from Cebu when they saw the plane suddenly abort landing as a gray van crossed the runway from out of nowhere.

Lantion said that they will await the results of the CAAP probe ordered by Ciron before issuing the punishment for Sto. Domingo.

Sto. Domingo, it was learned, was not the airport manager on duty during the incident since he was in Iloilo City on official CAAP business.

thescene

March 18th, 2009, 05:36 AM

hmmm... sana dagdagan na ang flights to Europe sa NAIA.... as of now kasi KLM lang ang available at Amsterdam lang...

sana i-resume ng AIR FRANCE at LUFTHANSA ang routes nila to MANILA

Yeah I hops so too. I wonder if Finnair will be going ahead with their planned flights from Helsinki. I also saw a Austrian Airlines ticketing office the other day. Hopefully they are considering direct flights.

johnmizer

March 18th, 2009, 05:49 AM

tanong lang ha, bakit mapapahamak yung mga pasahero ng cebupac kung mababanga nila ang lite adce, kapag nabannga ng truck ang motor, di ba hinde dehado yung driver ng truck,

mwg12a

March 18th, 2009, 06:12 AM

^^^ Use your imagination my friend. If birds can get an airplane down or cows in the middle of a runway can bring an aircraft down, what more if a moving vehicle in the middle of a runway? The speed of an aircraft taking off and landing is far more faster and stronger than a truck, aircrafts may appear as slow but they really are not.

I'm also wondering, How come the airport perimeter is not fenced? Why do people has to rely on sirens only?

bitoy

March 18th, 2009, 06:24 AM

tanong lang ha, bakit mapapahamak yung mga pasahero ng cebupac kung mababanga nila ang lite adce, kapag nabannga ng truck ang motor, di ba hinde dehado yung driver ng truck,

Takeoff and landing are the most difficult parts of the flight, then comes natural forces like the forces of weather..etc...birds...etc.
A small rock or objects on the runway can jeopardized the flight of an airplane. Hindi parang tangke ang eroplano, the materials and structure of modern jetliners are very delicate but in terms of strength and airworthiness they are considered as very safe.

winztotoy

March 18th, 2009, 07:38 AM

Kawawa naman yung bata, baka na-trauma na yun (DSWD, help!!!)... the kid is innocent and is just playing on his own playground. His yaya should be blamed. :lol:

mwg12a

March 18th, 2009, 07:42 AM

^^ yeah, now his dada won't be able to afford a yaya for him because the dada will have no mulah ...LMAO dad has no more job!! LOL

Noize_320

March 18th, 2009, 07:46 AM

^^ so kids, what have we learned here today? :lol:

winztotoy

March 18th, 2009, 07:50 AM

Key learning goes to the father. Now he knew that safety concern is more powerful than being an airport manager.

kiretoce

March 18th, 2009, 08:45 AM

hmmm... sana dagdagan na ang flights to Europe sa NAIA.... as of now kasi KLM lang ang available at Amsterdam lang...

sana i-resume ng AIR FRANCE at LUFTHANSA ang routes nila to MANILA

AF is part of a larger company called Air France-KLM (both carriers merged) that's why it dropped its MNL service and left KL as the representative carrier of the company flying out of its hub in AMS, having both carriers is redundant and costly. In the case of LH, they have codeshares with their Asian Star Alliance partners TG and SQ which provides seamless connections between MNL and Europe via their homebase hubs at BKK and SIN.

heightdeprived

March 18th, 2009, 09:13 AM

tanong lang ha, bakit mapapahamak yung mga pasahero ng cebupac kung mababanga nila ang lite adce, kapag nabannga ng truck ang motor, di ba hinde dehado yung driver ng truck,

We can never imagine what damage a Lite Ace can cause to an A320, B737 or an ATR for that matter, for instance the roof of the liteace hitting the wings or the van impacting the engine nacelles which might break off and cause a fire afterwards.

hikouki

March 18th, 2009, 09:28 AM

tanong lang ha, bakit mapapahamak yung mga pasahero ng cebupac kung mababanga nila ang lite adce, kapag nabannga ng truck ang motor, di ba hinde dehado yung driver ng truck,

A small piece of metal on the runway downed the Concorde.

What more can a speeding van do to a landing A320?:ohno:

jvl

March 18th, 2009, 10:24 AM

hmmm... sana dagdagan na ang flights to Europe sa NAIA.... as of now kasi KLM lang ang available at Amsterdam lang...

sana i-resume ng AIR FRANCE at LUFTHANSA ang routes nila to MANILA

AF is part of a larger company called Air France-KLM (both carriers merged) that's why it dropped its MNL service and left KL as the representative carrier of the company flying out of its hub in AMS, having both carriers is redundant and costly. In of LH, they have codeshares with their Asian Star Alliance partners TG and SQ which provides seamless connections between MNL and Europe via their homebase hubs at BKK and SIN.

I have tried before some Middle Eastern Airlines such as Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar air. MNL to several European cities, they have stops in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha respectively.

kiretoce

March 18th, 2009, 10:51 AM

^^ Aside from KL's to AMS from MNL, other options to Europe are via the Asian transit megahubs of BKK, HKG, and SIN (due to their popularity on the "Kangaroo Route" between Europe and Australia). And as you've also mentioned, via the Middle East.

Mithril Cloud

March 18th, 2009, 05:35 PM

A small piece of metal on the runway downed the Concorde.

What more can a speeding van do to a landing A320?:ohno:

Not to mention a small piece of foam caused the downfall of the Space Shuttle Columbia.

Either way, a foreign object colliding with a flying vehicle can be an instant disaster regardless whether it's stationary or moving, small or large.

Noize_320

March 18th, 2009, 06:12 PM

A small piece of metal on the runway downed the Concorde.

What more can a speeding van do to a landing A320?:ohno:

Construction Equipments downed a 747 (The Singapore Airlines flight 006 incident) :ohno:

shyaman

March 19th, 2009, 12:56 AM

Competitors at the Iloilo Airport
February 12, 2009

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/shyaman_king/HOLIDAY%202009%20-%20FEB%2012/DSC_0052a.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/shyaman_king/HOLIDAY%202009%20-%20FEB%2012/DSC_0047a.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/shyaman_king/HOLIDAY%202009%20-%20FEB%2012/DSC_0046a.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/shyaman_king/HOLIDAY%202009%20-%20FEB%2012/DSC_0048a.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/shyaman_king/HOLIDAY%202009%20-%20FEB%2012/DSC_0049a.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/shyaman_king/HOLIDAY%202009%20-%20FEB%2012/DSC_0050a.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/shyaman_king/HOLIDAY%202009%20-%20FEB%2012/DSC_0054a.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/shyaman_king/HOLIDAY%202009%20-%20FEB%2012/DSC_0055a.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/shyaman_king/HOLIDAY%202009%20-%20FEB%2012/DSC_0053a.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/shyaman_king/HOLIDAY%202009%20-%20FEB%2012/DSC_0056a.jpg

lovely_aiko

March 19th, 2009, 01:20 AM

http://widebodyaircraft.nl/a380emra.jpg

Citing the economy downturn and low deman of the NY JFK - Dubai route, Emirates Airlines today announced the discontinuation of A380 aircraft flights between those two cities.

The two A380 aircraft currently being utilized will instead be redeployed to the Dubai - Toronto and Dubai-Bangkok routes.

To read the whole REUTERS article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idCALI53512620090318?rpc=44

lovely_aiko

March 19th, 2009, 01:31 AM

Legaspi runway incident is all over the news world wide.

Just got back from a 5 day lay over Sydney trip ad they mentioned the news on Australian television. I also checked the news wires and the Legaspi airport incident is being mentioned prominently specially iun airline/aviation related news sites and blogs.

This is so embarrassing. What happened in Legaspi is another disgustiing entry for the 'Only In The Philippines!' history book.

mwg12a

March 19th, 2009, 04:07 AM

^^ I don't think i've really hear this news in the US. (Atleast here in the US) I only saw this news here in SSC, so, don't worry too much.

johnmizer

March 19th, 2009, 04:10 AM

johnmizer

March 19th, 2009, 04:12 AM

buti hinde nag samapa ng case yung pilot ng van =D malay nyo manalo pa sila... at least now i know bakit binaban ang chuva ng NAIA...

hikouki

March 19th, 2009, 04:41 AM

kala ko, sasabog yung liteace, tapos madudurog ytung katawan ng driver yung apoy eh mag lilick sa body ng airplane, iv heard of birds downing planes kasi dahil sa engine sila pumasok,

so far walang pang cows and vans =D

Meron giraffe. Nabali yung neck. But wala na yung photo sa net. Eto na lang, deer and a disemboweled zebra...scroll down this page:
http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=31930&sid=ccf8678df577c842bba217b975e8f380
:ohno:

lovely_aiko

March 19th, 2009, 06:25 AM

^^ I don't think i've really hear this news in the US. (Atleast here in the US) I only saw this news here in SSC, so, don't worry too much.

Even if it did not create a stir in the US media, Im sure what happened in Legaspi was closely monitored and recorded in the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) logbooks where it will matter most.

If the Philippines' would want to be upgraded back to the desired FAA Category rating then we all need to worry about what recently happened in Legaspi as it is proves FAA's safety concerns in Philippine aviation in general.

I also have a vested interest in being worried about the repercussions of the Legaspi airport incident working for the nation's flag carrier. We all know that the FAA downgrade has stopped PAL's plans to expand its US route system. Any other unfoortunate , irresponsible incidents affectin Philippine aviation in the future will further delay PAL's plans to expand in the US market - undoubtedly the most profitable for the Philippine airline. PAL needs to expand in the US , built up its finances which is not doing good right now in the economic recession. The more dollar reserves PAL gets, the more secure we are with our jobs. Viscious cycle really for all, whether you work with PAL or not.

bustero

March 19th, 2009, 06:34 AM

:ohno: not a good thing for Philippine aviation, for a while I was hoping the other reports were true that the boy was really driving on a side road and it looked like it was on the landing strip pero mukang di talaga

ryanr

March 19th, 2009, 07:04 AM

lim803

March 19th, 2009, 07:41 AM

Hope this would serve as a lesson to all our gov't officials. We will see here how corrupt and abuse our officials to their power. It not just happens here but in any other parts as well...
Sunugin pati mga to not only the mayors in metro manila.. hahaha peace!

kiretoce

March 19th, 2009, 07:47 AM

Post away folks! :colgate:

Link to Thread 17 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=160060&page=608) in the Archives. :okay:

sairoangel

March 19th, 2009, 01:42 PM

18 na...

shytype

March 19th, 2009, 01:50 PM

Qatar Flies Double Daily

Introduces new Boeing 777ER to Manila starting March 29

March 19, 2009

Doha - National carrier Qatar Airways upgrades its service to Manila earlier than expected as it start to fly its new Boeing 777-300ER to Manila on a double daily service starting March 29 amidst wordwide recession on air travel.

“Qatar Airways’ robust expansion is continuing undeterred by the current economic climate,” said Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker, addressing a packed press conference on the opening day of ITB Berlin.

The Philippines remained the only Asia Pacific country that registered positive growth in 2008 despite a 24% slump in aviation travel in the region based on IATA figures.

Qatar Airways is the second airline to announced earlier than planned operations to Manila. Earlier, Afriqiyah Airways of Libya was the first airline to announced 2 months earlier flight than what was originally scheduled citing tremendous backlog of OFW traffic to the middle east. But Qatar Airways will be the first airline to expand in Asia Pacific this year amidst slump in the aviation industry and the first airline to expand its operation out of Manila. Dubai based Emirates Airlines and Abu Dhabi airline, Ethihad, of the UAE is also expected to announce double daily service within this year.

The airline is gradually stepping up capacity from March 29 to eight cities – Geneva, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Lagos, Muscat, Mashad (Iran), Tunis and Algiers. The frequency increases will see the Philippines capital of Manila being served with two daily flights, up from the current 11 services a week; Nigeria’s commercial capital of Lagos going from five services a week to daily; and capacity to the Omani capital of Muscat rising from 15 to 21 flights a week, said Al Baker.

The triple seven ER plane has a seating capacity of 335, with 42 in business and 293 in economy class. The aircraft is the 10th triple seven plane which is scheduled for delivery on the last week of March from Boeing factory in Seattle.
0 comments Links to this post

ianers_ianized

March 19th, 2009, 06:29 PM

^^^ I think QR's B773er is already svcing MNL. I think saw it last Tue at NAIA.

sairoangel

March 19th, 2009, 07:30 PM

ask ko lang ilang kg ang allowed na baggage sa 5J.

medviation

March 20th, 2009, 08:55 AM

habagatcentral1

March 20th, 2009, 09:01 AM

^^ I heard there is a controversy regarding the engines of the Boeing 777, how true is that?

medviation

March 20th, 2009, 09:20 AM

I think so yes about the Rolls-Royce engines on the B777-200, about the British Airways B777 that crashed. PAL will use General Electric. It's the only option for the ER model.

Noize_320

March 20th, 2009, 09:23 AM

Hello new thread!

PAL Boeing 777-300ER :banana:

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/6653/pal1.jpg
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/4661/pal3.jpg
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/7220/pal2.jpg

:bowtie:

:okay: can't wait to see it in person...hehehe

firebar10

March 20th, 2009, 10:42 AM

Rodel

March 20th, 2009, 06:06 PM

mwg12a

March 20th, 2009, 09:36 PM

Don't you guys think that PAL should adopt some kind of festive special livery for their planes outside of the usual all white fuselage and sunriser tail. I mean just like for tourism pitch abroad. Maybe a livery showcasing the country's natural beauty. Just a thought.

um IMO ? NO!!! LMAO. Just improve the service even more, I mean it's not really aweful but PAL can make it alot better. The passengers would most likely take noticed what's on board so brochures and ads on their PTVs would be enough to show case tourism in the Philippines.

kiretoce

March 20th, 2009, 09:42 PM

^^ I agree. People will remember the excellent service they've received during the flight more than the plane they rode on.

"ZukiChirO"

March 21st, 2009, 02:08 PM

UK panel orders BAA to sell three airports
03/19/2009 | 03:49 PM

LONDON - Britain's anti-monopoly agency on Thursday ordered BAA Ltd. to sell Gatwick and Stansted airports near London and one of its major Scottish airports.

The ruling by the Competition Commission affirmed its preliminary announcement that it wanted BAA to shed two London airports and either the Glasgow or Edinburgh terminals in Scotland.

BAA has already put Gatwick, Britain's second-busiest airport, up for sale but had resisted selling Stansted, a base for low-cost regional airlines.

BAA said it believed the commission's order was impractical in current economic conditions, but gave no further indication about how it intended to respond.

The commission said BAA must complete the sales within two years: Gatwick first, then Stansted, then either Edinburgh or Glasgow.

:cheers:

ianers_ianized

March 22nd, 2009, 06:01 PM

ask ko lang ilang kg ang allowed na baggage sa 5J.

Alam ko 15kg sa domestic nila.

Don't you guys think that PAL should adopt some kind of festive special livery for their planes outside of the usual all white fuselage and sunriser tail. I mean just like for tourism pitch abroad. Maybe a livery showcasing the country's natural beauty. Just a thought.

in times of this crisis it is not economically ok as it burns more fuel in sporting colorful designs. Maybe just add few colors or stipes but a whole livery like that of QF is not practical nowadays... we have to be environmental-friendly too!

mhek

March 22nd, 2009, 06:53 PM

bitoy

March 22nd, 2009, 07:29 PM

^^ Compare to a 747, the 777-300ER burns less fuel and cheaper to maintain, and it has 2 GE90-115B engines (currently the world's most powerful jet engine).

boom_box

March 22nd, 2009, 08:01 PM

^^ mas madaming pasahero masasakay...
mas tipid ang konsumo sa gasolina ng 777-300ER kesa sa iba..
dalawang jet engines.. mas konti ang maintenance.. kesa sa apat na jet engines..

hindi pa ako nakasakay ng eroplano.. :nuts:
pero madaming nagsasabing hindi masyadong maingay ang 777-300...

mhek

March 22nd, 2009, 09:56 PM

ahh, salamat sa mga sagot. :)

habagatcentral1

March 23rd, 2009, 03:30 AM

^^ Am I seeing the gradual extinction of B747s in the PAL fleet?

Noize_320

March 23rd, 2009, 06:34 AM

Breaking News : A FedEx MD-11 has met an accident at Narita Airport in Tokyo this morning...:ohno:

romantic_guy08

March 23rd, 2009, 06:46 AM

Two JAL flights to, from Manila canceled after crash

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 03/23/2009 10:25 AM

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Two Japan Airlines flights going to and from Tokyo, Japan were canceled Monday morning after a FedEx cargo plane crashed at Tokyo's Narita airport.

A JAL announcement said JAL flight 746 bound for Narita at 9:10 a.m. and JAL flight 741 arriving from Narita at 1:30 p.m. were both canceled due to the Fedex plane crash.

An Agence France-Presse report said the FedEx cargo plane en route from China crashed in high winds and exploded in a ball of flames at Tokyo's Narita airport, killing both pilots.

The pair, believed to be US citizens, were reportedly the only two people aboard the wide-body McDonnell Douglas MD-11, which was flying in from Guangzhou in southern China.

The accident was believed to be the worst ever at Japan's largest airport, one of the busiest air hubs in the world, and the meteorological agency said it had warned airlines of a risk of wind shear.

Television footage showed FedEx Flight 80 touching down about 6:50 am (2150 GMT Sunday). The rear wheels hit the tarmac and then the aircraft's nose hit the runway before the plane bounced onto its left wing.

It then immediately exploded into flames and skidded at high speed while billowing black smoke, before flipping onto its left side and coming to a halt off the side of the runway.

Fire engines and scores of fire-fighters in silver suits rushed to the gutted aircraft, with orange flames still shooting out of its fuselage, to douse the fire with foam.

Public broadcaster NHK said the pilot was 54 years old and the co-pilot was 49, and that both were US nationals.

"We confirm the deaths of the two pilots," Katsuji Komiyama, an official at Narita Red Cross hospital told AFP.

Winds as strong as 72 kilometers (45 miles) per hour were registered around the airport at the time of the crash, the meteorological agency said.

It said it had notified airlines Sunday of the risk of wind shear, a dangerous condition for planes coming in to land, when wind speed and direction suddenly change.

The crash closed down Runway A, the longer of the airport's two main runways.

Airport officials said the crash would cause flight cancellations and delays at Narita, Japan's main international airport, and that scores of flights had been diverted to other airports, including Haneda airport closer to Tokyo.

The transport ministry sent an investigation team to determine the cause of the crash.

The crash was believed to be the worst accident at Narita airport, where no aircraft has crash-landed since its opening in 1978, an airport official said, although he added that records were still being checked.

Late last month 47 passengers and crew were injured when a Northwest Airlines Boeing 747 hit turbulence while circling near Narita. With AFP

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/03/23/09/two-jal-flights-manila-canceled-after-crash

ericlucky290

March 23rd, 2009, 07:23 AM

55FqVgED81Y&annotation_id=annotation_479770&feature=iv

WZHla1nQzfA

pi_malejana

March 23rd, 2009, 07:35 AM

speaking of planes, a small airplane crashed in Butte, Montana... killing several children supposedly on a ski trip...:ohno:

absinthe_888

March 23rd, 2009, 07:53 AM

FAA: Kids among 14 to 17 dead in MT plane crash (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090323/ap_on_re_us/plane_crash_montana)

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090323/capt.7e75d457ef744996820d61a1ccfa0385.aptopix_plane_crash_montana_mtma203.jpg?x=400&y=171&q=85&sig=UPyCIw4wcWWGhlrrzExE7Q--
NTSB investigators, local police and members of the sheriff department investigate the scene of fatal plane crash outside the Butte Airport in Butte, Mont., on Sunday, March 22, 2009. A small plane, possibly carrying children on a ski trip, crashed Sunday as it approached the Butte airport, killing 14 to 17 people aboard, according to a federal official. The single engine turboprop nose-dived into a cemetery 500 feet (150 meters) from its destination.
(AP Photo/Mike Albans)

BUTTE, Mont. – A small plane — possibly carrying children on a ski trip — crashed Sunday as it approached the Butte airport, killing 14 to 17 people aboard, a federal official said. The single engine turboprop nose-dived into a cemetery 500 feet from its destination.

The aircraft crashed and burned while attempting to land, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Mike Fergus. The plane crashed in Holy Cross Cemetery.

An investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board offered few details at a press conference in Butte Sunday night. No cause of the crash was given.

"We are just beginning our investigation," said Kristi Dunks. "We don't have a lot of information at this time.

"Certain family members were contacted," she said. "At this point, I don't have an exact number."

Dunks would not say if there had been a distress call from the pilot. It was partly cloudy, the visibility was 10 miles and winds were blowing from the northwest around 10 mph at the time of the crash, according to hourly temperature information from the National Weather Service.

The aircraft had departed from Oroville, Calif., and the pilot had filed a flight plan showing a destination of Bozeman, about 85 miles southeast of Butte. But the pilot canceled his flight plan at some point and headed for Butte, Fergus said.

Preliminary reports indicate the dead include numerous children, he said.

"We think that it was probably a ski trip for the kids," Fergus said.

Butte Silver-Bow Sheriff John Walsh said there were a few people at the cemetery at the time of the crash, but no one on the ground was injured. He would not describe witness reports.

Steve Guidoni of Butte said he was driving by the cemetery and saw the plane nosedive into the ground. He stopped and ran over to see if he could help.

"It smelled like diesel fuel to me," said Guidoni, 61. "There was nothing left of it. It just went straight into the ground. I went over there to try to help. I thought maybe I would pull someone out of the fire."

Guidoni said he saw luggage and seat cushions lying around, but no bodies. He said the biggest piece of the plane was the size of a kitchen table.

"You wouldn't even know a plane was there," he said.

Nick Dipasquale, 19, was working at a gas station across the street.

"I heard a loud bang," he said. "It sounded like someone ran into the building."

He said he ran outside to see flames as tall as the trees.

Dipasquale said people who were fueling their cars said they saw the plane flying low, begin a turn, start to wobble and then slam into the ground.

Fergus said the Pilatus PC-12 aircraft was manufactured in 2001. Such planes are certified to carry 12 people.

The plane was registered to Eagle Cap Leasing Inc. in Enterprise, Ore., Fergus said. He didn't know who was operating the plane.

I. Felkamp is listed in Oregon corporate records as Eagle Cap's president. Attempts to reach him by phone were unsuccessful.

The flight originated at Brown Field Municipal airport in San Diego on Saturday evening and flew to Redlands, Calif., about 100 miles north, said Rachel Laing, a spokeswoman for the city of San Diego.

The plane left Sunday morning for Vacaville, Calif., according to Flight Aware. From there it flew to Oroville, Calif., and then to Butte. The NTSB could not confirm that information.

"We are still gathering the information of the aircraft, it's purpose, what they were doing and where they were going," Dunks said.

In California, Tom Hagler said he saw a group of about a dozen children and four adults Sunday morning at the Oroville Municipal Airport, about 70 miles north of Sacramento.

Hagler, owner of Table Mountain Aviation, described the children as ranging from about 6- to 10 year olds. He let the children into his building to use the restroom.

"There were a lot of kids in the group," he said. "A lot of really cute kids."

Hagler said he showed the pilot where he could fuel his plane, and the pilot said he expected his flight to take two-and-a-half hours. The pilot didn't file a flight plan at the Oroville airport.

National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Keith Holloway said its investigators were expected to arrive in Butte late Sunday or early Monday.

The crash is the fourth major plane accident in the U.S. in slightly more than three months.

On Dec. 20, Continental Airlines plane veered off a runway and slid into a snowy field at Denver International Airport, injuring 37 people. No one was killed. In January, a US Airways jetliner landed in New York's Hudson River after a flock of geese disabled both its engines. All 155 people onboard survived. Last month, commuter plane fell on a house in a suburb of Buffalo, N.Y., killing all 49 passengers and a man in the home.

Before the Buffalo crash there hadn't been an accident involving a commercial airliner in the U.S. in which there were fatalities in more than two years.

crappypants

March 23rd, 2009, 09:49 AM

oh wow, I just found out the pilot of the fed ex plane that crashed is my sister's friend's husband, horrible. It's always bad turbulence when landing at narita, I experienced that already and that NW flight that had 50 persons injured during landing ,my cousin was on board that flight. what a small world. It's very depressing ,life is so fleeting.

mwg12a

March 23rd, 2009, 09:57 AM

crappypants

March 23rd, 2009, 10:05 AM

yeah so when coming from the PHils to Narita and your plane is about to land don't stop your prayers yet.

crappypants

March 23rd, 2009, 10:07 AM

I wonder if premium for life insurance is higher for pilots and flight attendants.

habagatcentral1

March 23rd, 2009, 10:24 AM

What is it with Narita's weather forecast that creates turbulence?

diz

March 23rd, 2009, 10:46 AM

Makes you not want to take NWA/Delta when you are going to Manila because they always have a layover in Narita or Nagoya. I don't think I remember that when landing to Nagoya but it never fail, there is always this high turbulance upon approach to Narita. That very last flight I had to and from the Philippines 4 years ago was the worst turbulance ever i've experienced in a NWA flights, usually from Manila flying into Narita is where the turbulance is.

Oh wow, my grandparents are taking this flight next month. Oh Lord. I'm scared.

Actually, this was my first flight and my parents have used this route many times. Thankfully, we all made it safely.

jvl

March 23rd, 2009, 12:00 PM

^Weather could be due to changing of season. Japan has been a crossroad for Siberian and Pacific winds. Or maybe it was pilot error, who knows.

kiretoce

March 23rd, 2009, 01:08 PM

Makes you not want to take NWA/Delta when you are going to Manila because they always have a layover in Narita or Nagoya. I don't think I remember that when landing to Nagoya but it never fail, there is always this high turbulance upon approach to Narita. That very last flight I had to and from the Philippines 4 years ago was the worst turbulance ever i've experienced in a NWA flights, usually from Manila flying into Narita is where the turbulance is.

NW/DL will always pass through Japan before going onwards to other parts of Asia because they maintain their Asian hub at NRT.

Noize_320

March 23rd, 2009, 04:15 PM

wla bang turbulent encounters here in RP airspace? parang wla, so our skies are friendly...

Zodiac18

March 23rd, 2009, 04:21 PM

Is PAL B747 being faced off?

^^Most probably! In the car industry, fuel efficient vehicles are selling. This would mean airplanes too. It's common sense, IMHO. :)

Sky Harbor

March 23rd, 2009, 05:35 PM

At least this will probably never happen in the Philippines:

----

(UPDATE) 4 charged in deadly biker airport brawl (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=451228&publicationSubCategoryId=200)
Updated March 23, 2009 11:18 AM

SYDNEY (AP) – Police defended security levels at Australia's largest airport Monday after a man was beaten to death during a brawl by suspected rival biker gangs in one of Sydney's busiest terminals.

Four men were charged with affray — fighting in a public place — for the violence that occurred as terrified passengers watched on Sunday. They could face two years in prison.

State authorities held an urgent meeting Monday to consider introducing tougher laws against biker gangs, amid fears of an escalating gang war that has included drive-by shootings and a blast outside a fortified Hell's Angel's clubhouse. Sunday's death was the first casualty from the suspected gang-related clashes.

The fight erupted in one of Sydney airport's two domestic terminals when a group of suspected gang members was ambushed by another group from a rival gang as they disembarked from a flight.

Witnesses to the fighting said it was brutal.

"They came running through picking up the big metal barrier poles and swinging them like swords at each other," Naomi Constantine told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. "I saw one of the men lying on the ground and another man came up with a pole and just started smashing it into his head."

Police said 15 men were involved in the violence, which rampaged from the ground floor up one level to the departures hall before most of the men fled.

The four suspects were arrested away from the airport. An investigation was still under way to determine the cause of death of the man killed.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty admitted the violence took them by surprise but said police officers responded quickly to emergency phone calls for help.

"The police can't be everywhere all the time and this is an event that could have happened anywhere in Australia," Keelty told reporters.

Police have not identified the gangs suspected in the violence.

New South Wales state Premier Nathan Rees called a meeting with his police minister and other top officials Monday to consider whether to crack down on biker gangs with laws banning clubhouses and meetings of more than two or three gang members. Officials likened the measures to counterterrorism laws.

"These people have got to understand that's not the sort of behavior we tolerate in Australia and we'll be doing whatever we can to give police whatever powers they need to be able to stamp this out," state Police Minister Tony Kelly said.

pi_malejana

March 23rd, 2009, 06:28 PM

^Weather could be due to changing of season. Japan has been a crossroad for Siberian and Pacific winds. Or maybe it was pilot error, who knows.

can turbulence or wind shear be caused by topography??:dunno:

kiretoce

March 24th, 2009, 04:07 AM

^^ Yes. Especially in mountain ranges. When winds blow over a mountain, vertical shear is observed on the lee side. If the flow is strong enough, turbulent eddies known as "rotors" associated with lee waves may form, which are dangerous to ascending and descending aircraft.

arianespace

March 24th, 2009, 04:39 AM

See for yourself how windshear look like. Take a closer look at the A330.
It rotated but went back to ground again before it managed to pull up

5yggrIRgOUw&NR=1

This is how MD-11 turned out to be only that the BAE landed safely.

bcS89Ktbxeo

Pilots invisible enemy. No guarantees of safety. Finally, the wind takes its toll.
God bless their soul.

RHHXcZLjOnI

johnmizer

March 24th, 2009, 05:05 AM

im scared of airplanes now...

kiretoce

March 24th, 2009, 05:07 AM

im scared of airplanes now.

Don't be. It's still, by far, the safest way to travel. :okay:

Air disasters always make the news because they are indeed spectacular disasters compared to a highway vehicular pile-up or a train derailment. ;)

arianespace

March 24th, 2009, 05:24 AM

I agree. Air travel is still the safest form of transportation, Statistically speaking.
Its also the most expensive. :)

johnmizer

March 24th, 2009, 05:36 AM

any win shear caused accidents on land transpo( or you could also include sea), i.e. lrt2,

pi_malejana

March 24th, 2009, 06:11 AM

^^ strong winds can overturn high profile vehicles like SUVS, trucks, etc...:)

jvl

March 24th, 2009, 07:16 AM

can turbulence or wind shear be caused by topography??:dunno:

^^ Yes. Especially in mountain ranges. When winds blow over a mountain, vertical shear is observed on the lee side. If the flow is strong enough, turbulent eddies known as "rotors" associated with lee waves may form, which are dangerous to ascending and descending aircraft.

Right! In the US there is an area called "tornado alley". So I can say, topography can be a factor in weather patterns.

There are areas on earth where weather can be harsh to mankind's activities.

Airlines are the safest means of transport, and the most sensationalized in terms of accidents. This is because of the money and lives involved ---> costly.

mwg12a

March 24th, 2009, 07:19 AM

NW/DL will always pass through Japan before going onwards to other parts of Asia because they maintain their Asian hub at NRT.

Yes Sir, I know these Sir. I was thinking, I shouldn't take NWA/DL anymore, instead, Asianna, Korean Air , Eva air or even PAL just to avoid Japan he he

Just that for some reason, I always experienced NRT -MNL and vice versa having these turbulance each time, while NRT to and from US Mainland, it's always smooth for me.

pi_malejana

March 24th, 2009, 07:36 AM

Right! In the US there is an area called "tornado alley". So I can say, topography can be a factor in weather patterns.

There are areas on earth where weather can be harsh to mankind's activities.

Airlines are the safest means of transport, and the most sensationalized in terms of accidents. This is because of the money and lives involved ---> costly.

^^ Yes. Especially in mountain ranges. When winds blow over a mountain, vertical shear is observed on the lee side. If the flow is strong enough, turbulent eddies known as "rotors" associated with lee waves may form, which are dangerous to ascending and descending aircraft.

with that said, what does the Narita approach look like?? i know Japan is mountainous but not familiar with NRT...:D

:cheers:

kiretoce

March 24th, 2009, 07:52 AM

^^ Narita is located in Chiba Prefecture on the Boso Peninsula; it's mostly composed of flat farming land with some hilly portions.

jvl

March 24th, 2009, 07:56 AM

with that said, what does the Narita approach look like?? i know Japan is mountainous but not familiar with NRT...:D

:cheers:

Until the investigation is concluded we cannot say that NRT incident really was due to weather alone.

Japan is basically a mountainous country. You can try Google earth to see where NRT is. As mentioned, down draft or wind shear or any weather abnormality can happen anywhere, not only near mountainous areas. Anywhere conditions are ripe for it to occur. And because some areas are topographically ripe for conditions to occur, these weather patterns happen in a certain area during a certain span of time, most of the time.

pi_malejana

March 24th, 2009, 08:04 AM

^^ reports said that the winds during the landing were in 30kts, wow... but yeah, there could be other contributing causes...:yes:

mwg12a

March 24th, 2009, 08:14 AM

^^ Narita is located in Chiba Prefecture on the Boso Peninsula; it's mostly composed of flat farming land with some hilly portions.

So far, I only see flat land when approaching Narita and partly ocean. I would love to experience Japan, not the city life but their casual rural life.... sigh.. one day maybe???

jvl

March 24th, 2009, 08:18 AM

^irashaimase!

firebar10

March 24th, 2009, 09:57 AM

^^ we don't know for sure but the name of the game in the airline industry is operating economics, if there are planes there that can do the job of the B747 at less cost, then by all means they would make the change. As things stands right now the B747 has the edge only on the number of passengers it can carry for its route but in the seat/mile cost calculation the B777 offers a better return albeit a little less passenger.

Noize_320

March 24th, 2009, 10:51 AM

im scared of airplanes now...

its still safe man, don't worry...all forms of transportation can cause accidents...

i'd rather be scared of boats...

jvl

March 24th, 2009, 11:08 AM

Right. The sea could get more turbulent. British and Spanish explorers could have chosen air travel handsdown than those large wooden ships. :lol:

kalbongdad

March 24th, 2009, 11:30 AM

Right. The sea could get more turbulent. British and Spanish explorers could have chosen air travel handsdown than those large wooden ships. :lol:

hai dozo....

"ZukiChirO"

March 24th, 2009, 01:03 PM

April - May 09, 2009 issue
THE WARMTH OF SUMMER

Summer is here again, and we welcome the season with open arms. For as the temperature outside begins to rise, so does the peak season for travel.

This is the time of year when students get their much needed break from school. Most plan for the annual barkada outing and fly to their favorite beach destinations. Others look forward to going back to their home towns to visit relatives. Most mothers grad this chance to take her brood on a holiday for that essential family bonding. And even if you hear the fathers complain about those unavoidable expenses that travel entails, believe me, they too look forward to taking a break from their daily routine for some rest and recreation with loved ones.

Last December, our Airbus 320 began flying to and from Cebu daily. In March, our Airbus-serviced routes will include Bacolod, Davao, Kalibo, Iloilo, Tacloban and Tagbilaran.

Also on the list of new regular routes starting this March are: Legaspi, Naga and Puerto Princesa.

Zest Airways Inc. is barely six months old and we are glad to be able to fly you to 18 local destinations. As a very young airline, we are constantly faced with obstacles and challenges... birth pains. But we are unfazed.

Our commitment to serve does not stop with opening more domestic routes. We are constantly on our toes in finding ways to serve you better. Right now, our efforts are geared towards breaking Philippine boarders and hopefully by the middle of this year, we will be flying you to select Southeast Asian neighbors.

So enjoy the warmth of the season, whether it be with friends, family or colleagues. Our new airline has lifted off, slowly but surely... and we are happy to have you with us as we rise to greater heights.

Welcome aboard!

Dreamtofly

March 24th, 2009, 02:00 PM

I just want to recall the accident happen in Tokyo; it is horrible scene for those passengers waiting for their boarding. I saw one NW airplane dock at the tarmac

shytype

March 24th, 2009, 03:38 PM

CIAC announced link to Middle East
But are Middle Eastern Airlines biting?

March 24, 2009

Angeles City — Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) recently announced commencement of flight from the middle east, and that the airport authority are currently in negotiations with Middle Eastern carriers to link the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) to their respective hub in the Middle East.

The question is, are the famous airlines of the gulf State banking on the call?

Victor Jose Luciano, CIAC President, said on Friday that they “may be getting a major Middle East carrier to fly out of the DMIA” soon but refused to disclosed the airline pending negotiations.

Clark airport has a terminal that can handle up to 2 million passengers. Currently, the Airport accommodated approximately about over a million passengers in 2008, serviced by the following airlines Cebu Pacific, Seair, Tiger Airways, Air Asia, Asiana Airlines, and other chartered airlines.
Its $142-million terminal 2 expansion project remains suspect as its present terminal merely accommodated roughly above 50% of its Terminal 1 capacity or 1 million less of its current projection for 2008 thus making its construction economically non viable at the present.

Already, the capacity of the Terminal 2 has been reduced to a minimum requirement of 3 million passengers per year instead of the previous 7 million passengers capacity for the new terminal project of the airport but nobody is biting the offer until now.

Even Incheon Airport operator Incheon International Airport Corporation(IIAC), which was recently voted as the best airport operator in the world for 4 consecutive terms, begged off to operate the airport for being too ambitious.

The terminal is supposed to be operated under a 70-30 joint venture program but it suffered a snagged when its expected passenger numbers were not met in 2008 despite more than 5 million airline seat offered to the airport.

CIAC meanwhile announced that it is now evaluating Pacific Avia Group, Inc. (PAGI) as possible joint venture (JV) partner in the project that could cost anywhere from P3 billion to P7 billion. CIAC vice president for administration and finance Romeo Dyoco, who chairs the joint venture-selection Committee (JV-SC), said whoever will be CIAC’s partner will “design, finance, construct and operate” the proposed terminal 2 which will increase the passenger capacity of its terminal to 5 million.

Construction however doesn't make sense as its old terminal is far from reaching its full capacity which judging from current statistics, other than that provided by the corporation, is expected to be breached 7 years later or sometime in 2015, and that is for terminal 1 capacity only.
There is no question that DMIA has one of the best logistics and service hub in Asia Pacific and the soon to be primier airport in the Philippines, but its present passenger traffic is substantially dismal in all respect. Making another terminal at this point is just an illusion of grandeur when it can best be served by expanding Cebu International Airport instead.
Asiana flies daily to Incheon, South Korea, with connecting flights to the US; Tiger Airways flies twice daily to Singapore; Air Asia daily to Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu; Cebu Pacific daily to Singapore, six times a week to Macau, five times a week to Hong Kong, twice a week to Bangkok, and daily to Cebu; and Seair daily to Caticlan for people who want to go to the world-famous island resort of Boracay.

Luciano said that more airlines are expected to mount flights to more countries, particularly to the Middle East, as CIAC has secured entitlements to Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar just this year. But the Philippine Airlines code share partner in Qatar and UAE manifested recently its intention of adding flights not to Clark but Manila.

ianers_ianized

March 26th, 2009, 05:27 AM

April - May 09, 2009 issue
THE WARMTH OF SUMMER

Summer is here again, and we welcome the season with open arms. For as the temperature outside begins to rise, so does the peak season for travel.

Last December, our Airbus 320 began flying to and from Cebu daily. In March, our Airbus-serviced routes will include Bacolod, Davao, Kalibo, Iloilo, Tacloban and Tagbilaran.

Also on the list of new regular routes starting this March are: Legaspi, Naga and Puerto Princesa.

Zest Airways Inc. is barely six months old and we are glad to be able to fly you to 18 local destinations. As a very young airline, we are constantly faced with obstacles and challenges... birth pains. But we are unfazed.

Our commitment to serve does not stop with opening more domestic routes. We are constantly on our toes in finding ways to serve you better. Right now, our efforts are geared towards breaking Philippine boarders and hopefully by the middle of this year, we will be flying you to select Southeast Asian neighbors.

Welcome aboard!

I'm glad for 6K expansion... they really have to give 5J and PR a real competition those two were just manipulating the fares. It is better to have many options. I hope DG joins in the competition too.

Chrisvenz

March 26th, 2009, 02:12 PM

Boy in hand carry bag delays flight
by Nonong Santiago

A four year old boy was found inside a bag by the crew of a Cebu Pacific flight bound from Manila to Zamboanga City, yesterday at the Manila International Airport causing the flight to be delayed for several hours.

The boy, identified as Alhabshi Jalang was allegedly placed inside a hand carry bag by his father identified as Monhamir Jalang with the consent of the boy’s mother who was also with them. The three are residents of Sta. Barbara, this city

Initial reports reaching Zamboanga Today revealed that the parents along with the boy tired to board an earlier Cebu Pacific flight bound for Zamboanga. However, the ticket of the boy as presented by his parents at the ticket counter was found to be already expired as its departure date indicates February 26, 2009.

The three returned in the afternoon to the airport and this time, they were able to board Cebu Pacific flight 5J855 scheduled to leave Manila for Zamboanga City at 2:40 in the afternoon.

It was still unclear as of press time as to how the three managed to pass airport security and boarded the aircraft. While inside the plane, a flight attendant approached the parents of the boy and instructed them to put their hand carry bag in the compartment above their seats. The parents refused, thus prompting the attendant to request them to open their bag. Upon inspection, the flight attendants found the 4 year old boy inside the bag.

The flight attendants immediately reported the incident to the authorities and the parents, including the boy were placed under the custody of the Manila airport police for further investigation.

The other passengers of the plane started questioning how the bag passed airport security and safety concerns on board the aircraft have been raised. Cebu Pacific denied any lapse in security and assured the rest of the passengers that all the baggage on board the aircraft has been fully checked.

Authorities are still conducting further investigation on the case.

:lol::lol::lol:

pthfndr19

March 26th, 2009, 03:35 PM

^^WTF. :lol:

Noize_320

March 26th, 2009, 05:57 PM

^^ which reminds me...malapit na pala ang april fools~ :lol: :rollin:

habagatcentral1

March 26th, 2009, 06:09 PM

Ano ba yan! Kala ko biro-biro lang...yun pala, pwede pala ito...nakuw...di pala ako pwede kasi.......180lbs ako....P:nuts: :lol:

lovely_aiko

March 26th, 2009, 07:25 PM

vikramv1

March 26th, 2009, 08:45 PM

Philipines and Australia to have increased flights

http://airliner1.blogspot.com/2009/03/philippines-australia-sign-deal-to.html

lovely_aiko

March 27th, 2009, 03:30 AM

Another rather disturbing and sad incident involving a Cebu Pacific aircraft.

Apparently a fetus was found by airline personnel while cleaning the aircraft lavatory in preparation for its next scheduled flight last Monday.

To read the news article:

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/03/26/09/fetus-found-inside-cebu-pacific-plane-lavatory

Cebu Pacific has been in a lot in the news as of late.

diz

March 27th, 2009, 08:06 AM

The mother's dumb. She's obviously going to prison. Such an easy and inhuman way to get caught. Especially in a highly religious country.

chris_nigel

March 28th, 2009, 06:38 AM

federalist

March 28th, 2009, 09:54 AM

baka nagtitipid ng pamasahe..:lol::lol::lol::lol:

obviously.

malvinjordan

March 28th, 2009, 10:00 AM

baka nagtitipid ng pamasahe..:lol::lol::lol::lol:

d b obvious?...ala namang gnwa nya un pra mdyaryo lng..

"ZukiChirO"

March 28th, 2009, 10:03 AM

did anyone post this before?

Legazpi airport exec put in freezer over son's runway joyride
03/18/2009 | 06:41 PM

MANILA, Philippines — The area manager of the Legazpi City airport was sacked from his post for his son's joyride at the airport runway last weekend, a radio report said Wednesday.

Radio dzRH reported that Frisco Sto. Domingo Sr. was ordered to report to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) head office in Manila.

To replace Sto. Domingo is Naga Airport manager Edgardo Ramos, who will now be concurrent manager of the Legazpi City Airport.

Sto. Domingo's son Frisco Jr. nearly caused an aviation disaster last Saturday when he drove his vehicle in the middle of the runway.

The incident forced a landing Cebu Pacific flight carrying Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano to pull up at the last moment.

At least 72 other civil aviation officers in Legazpi City were also ordered investigated for possible negligence, the report said. - GMANews.TV

:ohno::ohno::ohno:
The Philippines is not yet ready to take the Category 1 again~

mwg12a

March 28th, 2009, 10:19 AM

yeah, that was posted here before but the first article indicated that Sto Domingo's son was not just doing a joyride, he was teaching his gf how to drive and crossed the runway while it was raining and such.

"ZukiChirO"

March 28th, 2009, 10:37 AM

shytype

March 28th, 2009, 01:16 PM

Air Asia not bent on flying Cebu, Davao
Expands to Medan and Phuket instead

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia's leading budget airline, Air Asia is not inclined to expand its services to other Cities in the Philippines other than its flights in Clark airport, instead it will focus its planned expansion in Thailand and Indonesia this year where it has a subsidiary.

The airline seeks to establish hubs at Phuket in Thailand, Penang in Malaysia and Medan and Bandung in Indonesia to aid its expansion. It however intends to connect Bangkok via Thai Air Asia, and Jakarta via Indonesia Air Asia to the low cost airport situated north of Manila.

The low-cost carrier's spokesman in its Kuala Lumpur headquarters said that the airline group is taking delivery of 14 Airbus A320s during the remainder of this year. Most will be flying for its Indonesian and Thai affiliate carriers.

AirAsia currently has bases in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Jakarta as well as a hub in Denpasar Bali in Indonesia which it opens last year and hubs in Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia.

THE Brunei Indonesia Malaysia Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-Eaga) Business Council (BEBC) is already communicating with Air Asia for the opening of Davao-Kota Kinabalu route, Antonio Santos, BEBC chair, told reporters in the Philippines.

But the airline said that it may not be ripe to fly the route considering that it has thin traffic. It even has doubts if it can support Cebu flights judging from the traffic figures of Malaysia Airlines. They however admit seeking rights to fly the route in the future but cannot say for certain when they intend to commence service hinting that its not possible within the next two years.

AirAsia was founded in 2001 and is the biggest low-cost carrier in Asia, with about 400 daily flights from hubs in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia to more than 60 destinations in Austral Asia and Indian subcontinent.

The airline flew to London Stansted airport on March 11, 2009 as the next low-cost long-haul flights to the UK this time from Kuala Lumpur. The first plane carried a full load of 286 passengers to London’s Stansted airport. Air Asia says it’s considering upping the frequency of the flights from five a week to daily.

Last year, Oasis Airlines, which flew from London to Hong Kong, went bust in April, while Zoom, which flew to the US and Canada, filed for bankruptcy in August. The airline lasted just 18 months before collapsing last year as high fuel costs and intense competition on the Hong Kong-London route dragged it down.