Antonov 124 pulls a huge crowd at Brisbane Airport

Today Brisbane was treated with a special visitor in the form of an Antonov AN-124. The Antonov arrived here in Brisbane on Wednesday night around 11.15pm (local) 13.15 UTC and sat on the ground until today. It was originally down for an 8pm departure last night and then revised that to 10am today. 

It finally got away at 12.19 from runway 01 Right and after circling the airport headed to Colombo.

The Antonov An-124 is a large, strategic airlift, four-engined aircraft that was designed in the 1980s by the Antonov design bureau in the Ukrainian SSR of the Soviet Union (USSR).
The An-124 remains the largest military transport aircraft in service.

Key Specifications:
Wingspan: 

73.3 meters wide (240.5 ft)

Length: 

69.1 meters long (226.7 ft)

Height: 

20.78 meters high (68.2 ft)

Maximum Take-Off Weight

405,000 kg (900,000 lb)

Maximum Payload: 

120,000 kg (264,600 lb)

Engines: 

4 x ZMKB Progress D-18T turbofans

Maximum Range: 

4,650 km (2,889 miles)

Cruise Speed: 

800 km/h (497 mph)

Wheels:
24 wheels
The landing gear of the An-124 is outfitted with an oleo strut suspension system for its 24 wheels. This suspension has been calibrated to allow for landing on rough terrain and the aircraft is able to kneel, which allows for easier loading and unloading via the front cargo door.

ANTONOV AN-124 RUSLAN UR-82007 (MSN 19530501005)

The An-124 is the world's second heaviest gross weight production cargo airplane and heaviest operating cargo aircraft, behind the destroyed one-off Antonov An-225 Mriya.

I went to Perth Western Australia to see this giant back in May 2016.

ANTONOV AN-225 MRIYA UR-82060 (MSN 19530503763)

How a bathroom break turned into a $3.4 million problem for Boeing

Thousands of Boeing 737 planes may need modification after a flight was diverted when a passenger got stuck in a bathroom.

The Federal Aviation Administration published a notice on Friday proposing an airworthiness directive for 2,612 Boeing aircraft registered in the US. The FAA said it received a report that a passenger was trapped in a bathroom during a flight because the door had a broken latch and they couldn't open the door.

Flight attendants also couldn't open the bifold door, so the pilots had to make an "unscheduled landing," 'the FAA said. If a passenger is trapped in a bathroom, the FAA said they could be at risk of serious injury in an "otherwise survivable emergency event" such as severe turbulence or a medical emergency

The agency identified door latches with four different part numbers that it said should be replaced.

The FAA estimated that could cost airlines and other operators up to $3.4 million including labor and new latches worth up to $481 each. Some or all of the costs could be covered under warranty. Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The FAA's notice applies to certain 737-700, 737-800, 737-900, 737-900ER, 737 Max 8, and 737 Max 9 aircraft.

Boeing's website says that 3,461 of those planes have been delivered to US customers. The FAA's directive suggests that up to three-quarters of those planes have potentially problematic latches

The FAA has given stakeholders until May 27 to respond to the proposed directive.

While the agency didn't provide details about the flight that prompted the notice it wouldn't be the first time that bathroom issues have caused a diversion.

Southwest Airlines Flight 1380

 

Southwest Airlines Flight 1380, a Boeing 737-700, suffered a contained engine failure in its left engine after departing from New York–LaGuardia Airport (LGA/KLGA) heading to Dallas Love Field (DAL/KDAL) on the 17th of April 2018. The engine cowl broke apart, and the resulting fragments damaged the fuselage, shattered a cabin window, and caused an explosive decompression of the aircraft. Additional debris damaged the wing. The crew initiated an emergency descent and diverted to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL/KPHL). Sadly, one passenger was fatally injured after being partially ejected from the aircraft, and eight others sustained minor to serious injuries. 

The aircraft incurred significant damage.

At 11:03 AM (Eastern Daylight Time), the aircraft was at an altitude of 32,000 feet (9,800 meters) and ascending when the left engine exploded. Consequently, a significant portion of the engine inlet and cowling fragments detached. These fragments impacted the wing and fuselage, shattering a window at row 14 in the cabin, leading to an uncontrolled decompression of the aircraft.

This incident closely resembled an accident that occurred 20 months prior involving Southwest Airlines Flight 3472, which was operating the same type of aircraft and engines. Following the earlier incident, CFM, the engine manufacturer, issued a service directive for ultrasonic inspections of turbine fan blades with specific serial numbers, service cycles, or service time. However, Southwest did not inspect the engine that failed in this incident as it did not fall within the directive's specified parameters.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Southwest Airlines

Code: WN/SWA

Aircraft: Boeing 737-7H4

Registration: N772SW

Serial Number: 27880

Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-7B24

First Flew: 26th June 2000

Age: 23.10 Years

You may have noticed Jetstar is changing its colour scheme ... but do you know why

If you travel a lot or are a plane spotter like me, you may have noticed a subtle change to some of the Jetstar aircraft. The Australian budget airline is changing its colour, and will now be grey, not silver, as the paint is 30kg to 40kg lighter, making the aircraft cheaper to operate.

"We have moved from silver to grey paint which makes the aircraft lighter so in turn reducing fuel burn," a company spokesperson said.

All new aircraft arriving from now on will be in the new lighter grey colour scheme.
According to Jetstar, this change will reduce paint weight by up to 30 per cent, as well as be longer lasting. This is set to result in a fuel saving of up to 108 tonnes each year across the whole A321LR fleet and a saving of nearly 350 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

The airline's aircraft previously used what was called a silver mica paint, with silver specks in it.
It's been reported that Jetstar used test panels to compare the grey under different natural lights to ensure it was as close a colour match as possible.

In addition to weight savings, the new colour will make repairs less noticeable. While spraying the aircraft in production allows for a uniform paint job, repairs and wear and tear over the years mean subsequent paint jobs can look a bit patchy. It's hoped that using this new grey shade will allow the same colour to be replicated easily.

This isn't the only update Jetstar's A321LR aircraft has undergone. The aircraft will have wider seats than the existing Jetstar A320/21 fleet, as well as extra-large overhead bins with 40 per cent more space to stow bags. It will be a better passenger experience with up to 50 per cent quieter engines, and there will also be flip - down smartphone and tablet cradles and in - seat USB power to keep personal devices charged.

Qantas to launch new route from Brisbane and cancels one out of Sydney

Qantas is going to fly from Brisbane to Palau for the very first time as part of changes to its international network announced last Friday.

It plans to operate weekly flights to the Pacific Island “in the coming months” with flights expected to go on sale in the “next few weeks”. The airline explained the service will operate as part of a contract awarded to Qantas by the Federal Government to help maintain strong trade and tourism links between the countries.

Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the western Pacific Ocean. The Republic of Palau consists of approximately 340 islands and is the western part of the Caroline Islands, while the eastern and central parts make up the Federated States of Micronesia.

Services will also increase from one to up to two per week, with the Embraer E190 aircraft operating on the route for the first time.

From the 14th of June Qantas will axe its Sydney-Seoul route as its budget airline Jetstar increases flights to the South Korean capital. There will still be a 4 per cent increase in seats on the route with these changes, which will make Jetstar the largest carrier between Australia and South Korea.

Qantas said customers who are already booked on flights with schedule changes will be contacted in the coming days.

“One of the benefits of our dual brand strategy is the flexibility we have with our combined Qantas and Jetstar fleets,” Qantas Group international chief executive Cam Wallace said.

“Qantas launched flights to Seoul after the pandemic, and now that demand has normalised, it’s grown substantially as a leisure market, opening up a great opportunity for Jetstar to increase its frequencies and allow Qantas to redeploy its aircraft to other routes where we are seeing strong demand.”

Asiana Airlines flight 162

 

ASIANA AIRBUS A330-323 HL-7795 (MSN 1211)

On the 14th of April 2015, Asiana Airlines flight 162, a regular short-haul international passenger service from Incheon International Airport (ICN/RKSI) near Seoul, South Korea, to Hiroshima Airport (HIJ/RJOA) in Japan, experienced a severe incident. The Airbus A320-232 aircraft undershot the runway, collided with the localizer array, skidded tail-first onto the runway, and rotated 120 degrees before halting on the grass opposite the terminal. The left wing and engine were significantly damaged. 

Out of 82 individuals on board, 27 sustained injuries ranging from mild to severe, with one being critical. Although both pilots were experienced with Hiroshima Airport, this was their first flight together.

The Osaka Regional Civil Aviation Bureau of the transport ministry reported that the crew attempted a landing in the dark and bad weather without an instrument landing system, which is usually only available when approaching from the west. However, due to wind conditions, they were instructed to approach from the east. Officials indicated that the pilot tried to land using visual aids like runway centerline lights, which are typically utilized in clear conditions.

The aircraft was declared a total loss, marking it the 32nd hull loss of an Airbus A320.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Asiana Airlines

Code: OZ/AAR

Aircraft: Airbus A320-232

Registration: HL7762

Serial Number: 3244

Engines: 2 x IAE V2527-A5

First Flew: 30/08/2007

Age at crash: 7.6 Years

Airlines make billions from these add on's

For most of aviation history, your ticket included everything- and we mean everything. You showed up at the airport, checked in for your flight, and were assigned a seat, FOR FREE.
No extra charges like suitcases, no complicated choices.

But that all changed when airlines started struggling with thin margins. Fuel prices soared, competition grew, and profits shrank. Airlines needed new ways to make money, and fast. Instead of raising ticket prices (which turns customers away), they found a better solution: Charge small fees for things people care about but weren't used to paying for.

One of the easiest targets? Seat selection.

It costs the airline nothing to let you choose. But passengers deeply care about where they sit. People hate the middle seat. People want to sit with their kids. People love extra legroom or getting off the plane first. And airlines knew it.

By charging for seat choice, airlines turned passenger preference into profit. lt's not about paying for something new. It's about paying to avoid discomfort. Today, most airlines let you pick a seat, for a fee. Window? Aisle? Closer to the front? It will cost you.

It might cost you anywhere from $10 to $100+, depending on the route and the airline. If you don't pay, you'll be assigned a seat randomly and that means no control, and you could possibly get a middle seat, or sitting away from your travel companion.

People end up paying, not because they want luxury, but because they want control, comfort, and certainty. This small fee adds up fast, multiply it by millions of passengers and suddenly, it's not pocket change, it's a major revenue stream.

In 2023, airlines made $127.9 billion from "extras" like seat selection, bags, food, and Wi-Fi.

Seat selection is one of the most profitable for the airline because there's no cost involved to them. Some budget airlines make over 40% of their total revenue from these extras. That means for some airlines, the base ticket is just bait to get you in, the real money is in the add-ons.

Even traditional full-service quality airlines have joined in.
Why?
Because passengers got used to it, when something becomes normal, resistance fades.

The real genius? It doesn't feel like a big upsell. It feels like a small, optional upgrade, but millions of people choose it every single day. Passengers feel like they're buying a better experience.

Airlines know they're selling the illusion of choice and turning it into pure profit.

The end result?
You pay more without noticing and airlines stay profitable without increasing base fares.