A few from New Farm Park

Yesterday, my family and I took our usual stroll along the New Farm Park waterfront. Rather than lug around my heavy camera and lens, I opted for my compact Canon PowerShot SX740 HS.

CHINA SOUTHERN AIRBUS A330-323 B-5939 (MSN 1494)
CZ382 OFF TO GUANGZHOU (CAN) 12 YEARS

QANTASLINK EMBRAER E190AR VH-UYW (MSN 19000174)
QLK1824 OFF TO MACKAY (MKY) 18 YEARS

UNITED AIRLINES BOEING 777-224 N69020 (MSN 31687)
UA97 OFF TO SAN FRANCISCO (SFO) 19 YEARS

QANTAS AIRBUS A330-202 VH-EBQ (MSN 1198)
QF61 OFF TO TOKYO (NRT) 15 YEARS

AIR CANADA BOEING 787-9 C-FVLZ (MSN 38358)
AC36 OFF TO VANCOUVER (YVR) 8 YEARS

JETSTAR BOEING 787-8 VH-VKF (MSN 36231)
JQ23 OFF TO OSAKA (KIX) 12 YEARS

QANTASLINK AIRBUS A220-300 VH-X4I (MSN 55402)
QLK1280 ARRIVING FROM ADELAIDE (ADL) 10 MONTHS

Passenger dies aboard Malaysia Airlines flight to Sydney

16th of September 2026 was meant to be an ordinary day of travel for the passengers and crew of Malaysia Airlines flight MH141, flying from Kuala Lumpur (KUL/WMKK) to Sydney (SYD/YSSY). Sadly, for one passenger and his family, the journey ended in tragedy.

The Malaysia Airlines Airbus A330-900, departed Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Wednesday morning for its scheduled flight to Sydney. During the approximately eight-hour journey, a passenger suffered a serious medical emergency.

According to Malaysia Airlines, immediate assistance was provided by members of the cabin crew and medical professionals travelling on the aircraft. Three nurses, a doctor and a cabin crew member attended to the passenger and began CPR in an attempt to save his life.

Despite their efforts, the passenger could not be revived and was pronounced deceased by the doctor on board.

Reports have identified the passenger as an Indian national who was travelling with a family member. Some reports have said he suffered what appeared to be a severe asthma attack.

Flight MH141 continued to Sydney and landed at Sydney Airport at approximately 7:43pm local time.

New South Wales Police and emergency services were alerted to the situation, with officers attending the aircraft after it arrived at the international terminal. Police have confirmed that the death is not being treated as suspicious, and no further police investigation is expected.

Malaysia Airlines has expressed its deepest condolences to the passenger's family and acknowledged the disruption caused to passengers as a result of the incident.

My thoughts and deepest condolences go to his family and loved ones at this very sad time.

Aircraft Information:
Airline: Malaysia Airlines

Code: MH/MAS

Aircraft: Airbus A330-941

Registration: 9M-MNO

Serial Number: 2109

Engines: 2 x RR Trent 7000-72

First Flew: 4th December 2025

Age: 9 Months

Another new airline is coming to Melbourne

Melbourne airport is getting another new airline with Indonesian carrier TransNusa launching services from the 19th of October 2026 and adding more than 70,000 seats a year ahead of the summer holiday season.

The airline will operate four return flights a week using a 174-seat Airbus A320, becoming the sixth carrier flying between Melbourne Airport and Denpasar.

The service will depart Melbourne on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Return flights from Denpasar will operate on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Flights will depart Melbourne at 5:25am, putting passengers on the ground in Bali in time for lunch and an afternoon by the pool.

Coming home, a late-evening departure from Denpasar gives holidaymakers most of their final day on the island before heading to the airport.

According to Melbourne Airport, TransNusa’s arrival will make Melbourne–Bali Australia’s most competitive route, with six airlines vying for passengers.

Plane shakes violently then the ceiling collapses

Passengers aboard a domestic Iranian flight experienced moments of pure terror when their aircraft suffered a mechanical breakdown mid-air, causing violent shaking that brought down parts of the interior cabin ceiling before making a successful emergency landing.

The Sepehran Airlines Boeing 737 was en route from Mashhad (MHD/OIMM) to Kermanshah (KSH/OICC) when trouble began shortly after takeoff. According to preliminary reports, the aircraft suffered a tyre burst on its landing gear during or shortly after departure. The tyre failure reportedly triggered subsequent engine-related issues, sending intense vibrations surging through the entire airframe.

Videos captured by passengers inside the aircraft show the cabin shaking violently, alarming travelers as sections of the ceiling panels detaching and crashing down into the aisle. Overhead luggage bins rattled aggressively as flight crew worked to maintain order during the escalation.

Recognizing the severity of the failure, the flight crew declared an emergency and immediately turned the Boeing 737 back toward Mashhad Airport. Pilots executed a precautionary landing, bringing the battered jet safely back to the tarmac without further incident.

Despite the dramatic structural damage inside the cabin and high level of panic, authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew members on board.

Hassan Jafari, a spokesperson for Sepehran Airlines, stated via Iranian state media that all passengers disembarked safely and were subsequently transferred to an alternate aircraft to complete their journey to Kermanshah. The runway at Mashhad Airport was temporarily closed for a safety assessment and cleanup before operations resumed later in the day.

Aviation authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact sequence of events, focusing on how the initial landing-gear failure led to engine trouble and severe structural resonance within the cabin.

Airline Information:

Airline: Sepehran Airlines

Code: IS/SHI

Aircraft: Boeing 737-36M

Registration: EP-FSU

Serial Number: 28332

Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-3C1

First Flew: 20th July 1996

Age: 30.2 Years

Aviation abbreviations & their meanings - continued

Following on from yesterday's post, here are more abbreviations and their meanings.

Weather

METAR - Meteorological Aerodrome Report
Current observed weather at an airport.

TAF - Terminal Aerodrome Forecast
Forecast weather for an airport.

QNH - Altimeter setting referenced to mean sea level
Allows aircraft altimeters to indicate altitude above mean sea level.

QFE - Atmospheric pressure at the airport elevation
Setting that makes the altimeter read approximately zero at the airport reference point.

ISA - International Standard Atmosphere
Standard atmospheric model used for aircraft performance calculations.

CAVOK - Ceiling and Visibility OK
Indicates good visibility and no significant cloud/weather conditions.

CB - Cumulonimbus
Thunderstorm cloud capable of producing severe turbulence, lightning, hail and strong winds.

TS - Thunderstorm
Thunderstorm reported in aviation weather information.

Pilots & Operations

PIC - Pilot in Command
FO - First Officer
ATPL - Airline Transport Pilot Licence
CPL - Commercial Pilot Licence
PPL - Private Pilot Licence
MEL - Minimum Equipment List
CDL - Configuration Deviation List
NOTAM - Notice to Airmen/Air Missions

ETOPS
Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards

EDTO
Extended Diversion Time Operations

RVSM
Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum

IFR
Instrument Flight Rules

VFR
Visual Flight Rules

IMC
Instrument Meteorological Conditions

VMC
Visual Meteorological Conditions

Maintenance & Aircraft History
Routine/light aircraft maintenance inspection

A Check
Every 400–600 flight hours or roughly 200–400 flight cycles

B Check

Intermediate maintenance inspection (less commonly used on modern aircraft)
About every 6–12 months

C Check
More extensive scheduled maintenance inspection
About every 18–24 months

D Check
Very extensive heavy maintenance inspection every 6 - 12 years

MSN
Manufacturer's Serial Number

L/N
Line Number

TSN
Time Since New

CSN
Cycles Since New

TSO
Time Since Overhaul

AD
Airworthiness Directive

SB
Service Bulletin

MRO
Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul

CAMO
Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation

Surveillance & Tracking

ADS-B - Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast
Aircraft automatically broadcasts its position and other information to receivers.

ADS-C - Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Contract
Aircraft periodically sends position information to ATC via a contracted data link.

SSR - Secondary Surveillance Radar
Radar system that interrogates an aircraft transponder.

PSR - Primary Surveillance Radar
Radar that detects aircraft by reflected radio energy.

Mode A
Transponder identification mode
Provides the aircraft's four-digit transponder code.

Mode C
Altitude reporting
Provides ATC with the aircraft's pressure altitude.

Mode S
Selective addressing
Provides more detailed aircraft identification and data exchange.

Some Useful Pilot/ATC Terms

SID — Standard Instrument Departure
A published instrument departure route from an airport.

STAR — Standard Terminal Arrival Route
A published route bringing aircraft toward an airport before the approach.

ATC — Air Traffic Control
The people and systems responsible for safely managing aircraft movements.

FL — Flight Level
Altitude expressed in hundreds of feet based on standard pressure. For example, FL350 = approximately 35,000 feet.

CTR — Control Zone
Controlled airspace surrounding an airport.

CTA — Control Area
Controlled airspace extending above a specified lower limit.

FIR — Flight Information Region
An area of airspace in which flight information and alerting services are provided.

Aviation abbreviations & their meanings

I listen to the aircraft scanner at home for about 6 hours a day (sometimes more), and when I head to the airport, I bring along a small handheld scanner too. People often ask if I can understand the transmissions and do I know what they mean. That got me thinking—I might compile a list of abbreviations and their meanings. Since the list is quite large, I’ll post it over two days.

Navigation & Approach Abbreviation Meaning

ILS - Instrument Landing System
Provides precision lateral and vertical guidance to an aircraft during an approach and landing.

RNP - Required Navigation Performance
A type of performance-based navigation that allows aircraft to fly highly accurate routes.

RNAV - Area Navigation
Allows aircraft to navigate between defined points without necessarily flying directly over ground-based navigation stations.

VOR - VHF Omnidirectional Range
Ground-based radio navigation system that provides bearing information to aircraft.

DME - Distance Measuring Equipment
Tells the aircraft its distance from a ground station.

NDB - Non-Directional Beacon
A simple radio navigation aid that allows aircraft to determine the direction to a beacon.

GPS - Global Positioning System
Satellite-based navigation system used to determine aircraft position.

GNSS - Global Navigation Satellite System
General term for satellite navigation systems such as GPS, Galileo and GLONASS.

LPV - Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance
GPS-based approach providing lateral and vertical guidance similar to an ILS.

LOC - Localizer
Provides lateral guidance during an ILS approach.

GS - Glideslope
Provides vertical guidance during an ILS approach.

MDA - Minimum Descent Altitude
Lowest altitude permitted on certain non-precision approaches without required visual reference.

DA/DH - Decision Altitude/Decision Height
Point during an approach at which the pilot must decide whether to land or go around.

MORA - Minimum Off-Route Altitude
Provides terrain clearance for aircraft operating away from an established route.

Communications Abbreviation Meaning

SELCAL - Selective Calling
Allows ground stations to alert a specific aircraft by sending a coded signal to the aircraft.

VHF - Very High Frequency
Radio frequency range commonly used for aircraft communications, mainly over land and in short distances.

HF - High Frequency
Used for long-range communications, particularly over oceans and remote areas.

CPDLC - Controller–Pilot Data Link Communications
Allows ATC and pilots to communicate using text-based digital messages.

ACARS - Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System
Digital system used to exchange operational messages between aircraft and ground stations.

ATC - Air Traffic Control
The service responsible for managing aircraft movements at airports and in controlled airspace.

ATIS - Automatic Terminal Information Service (on VHF)
Continuously broadcasts information such as weather, runway in use and airport conditions.

VOLMET - Meteorological Information for Aircraft in Flight (on HF)
Provides weather information to aircraft in flight.

HF - High Frequency
Long-range radio communication, particularly useful over oceans.

SATCOM - Satellite Communications
Uses satellites for aircraft communications.

Aircraft & Flight Operations

APU - Auxiliary Power Unit
Small turbine engine that provides electrical power and air when the main engines aren't running.

GPU - Ground Power Unit
Ground equipment that supplies electrical power to an aircraft.

FADEC - Full Authority Digital Engine Control
Computer system that automatically controls an aircraft engine.

FMS - Flight Management System
Computer system used for navigation, flight planning and performance management.

MCDU - Multipurpose Control and Display Unit
Pilot interface used to operate systems such as the FMS.

EICAS - Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System
Displays engine information and alerts to pilots.

ECAM - Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor
Airbus system displaying aircraft systems information and warnings.

FBW - Fly-by-Wire
Electronic system that replaces conventional mechanical flight controls.

TCAS - Traffic Collision Avoidance System
Warns pilots of nearby aircraft and can issue avoidance instructions.

TAWS - Terrain Awareness and Warning System
Warns pilots about potential terrain conflicts.

GPWS - Ground Proximity Warning System
Warns pilots when the aircraft is dangerously close to terrain.

Airports & Runways

RWY - Runway

Standard aviation abbreviation for runway.

TWY - Taxiway

Aircraft route connecting runways with aprons and terminals.

APRON - Apron

Area where aircraft park, load, unload and receive servicing.

ILS CAT I

Category I ILS

Precision approach with relatively high minimum visibility and decision height.

ILS CAT II

Category II ILS

Allows approaches in lower visibility than CAT I.

ILS CAT III

Category III ILS

Enables approaches and landings in extremely low visibility, depending on the specific CAT III approval.

PAPI - Precision Approach Path Indicator

Lights beside the runway that help pilots maintain the correct approach angle.

VASIS - Visual Approach Slope Indicator System

Visual system providing approach slope guidance.

RESA - Runway End Safety Area

Area beyond the runway designed to reduce the consequences of an aircraft overrunning or undershooting the runway.

ASDA - Accelerate-Stop Distance Available

Runway length available for an aircraft to accelerate and safely stop.

TORA - Take-Off Run Available

Length of runway available for the ground run during take-off.

TODA - Take-Off Distance Available

TORA plus any suitable clearway.

LDA - Landing Distance Available

Runway length available for an aircraft landing.

Passenger strips naked mid-flight on American Airlines

Late Friday evening, an American Airlines flight arriving at Miami International Airport was met by law enforcement after reports that a female passenger had completely undressed and was behaving indecently and made loud groaning noises. 

American Airlines was operating flight AA1779 from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI/KBWI) to Miami (MIA/KMIA), running about 90 minutes late. As the plane headed south, flight attendants notified the cockpit of a developing situation in the cabin when a female passenger in seat 9D began to undress.

The crew of an Airbus A319 sent an ACARS message after the lead flight attendant reported that a passenger in row 9 had completely undressed. According to AirLive, the woman allegedly began engaging in explicit and indecent acts in plain view of nearby passengers.

The incident led to one of the most unusual ACARS messages in recent memory.

The full ACARS message is below:

FA1 REPORTS THAT PAX IN SEAT 9 D HAS TAKEN OFF ALL HER CLOTHES AND WAS SEEN BY OTHER PAX TOUCHING HERSELF IN AN INDECENT MANNER. FOM SAYS THIS MUST BE REPORTED TO IOC/OSM AND HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT MEAT THE AIRCRAFT AT THE GATE.

Flight crew quickly swung into action and followed the expected standard security procedure in the flight operations manual, with the crew immediately contacting the American Airlines Integrated Operations Center (IOC), which then requested law enforcement to meet the flight on arrival in Miami.

American's scheduled service to Miami on Friday continued without diversion, and after the two-hour and 25-minute service, the plane touched down at 11:32 PM. The aircraft taxied to Gate D2, where it was met by officers at the airport's North Terminal. The female passenger was then taken into custody, and the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office is currently investigating the incident.