National Airlines and Brother's Brother Foundation partner in delivering humanitarian aid for Ukraine

U.S.-based Brother's Brother Foundation (BBF) partners with National Airlines to ship humanitarian aid to different regions in Ukraine via Poland. The 17 tons of aid, which includes sleeping bags, quilts, clothing, generators, and other additional items were distributed among military hospitals and rehabilitation centres for injured soldiers in Kyiv, Lviv, and Vinnytsia areas.

"We are deeply grateful for the leading initiative by Brother's Brother Foundation in organizing the much-needed support in the region. National has been actively partnering with several organizations and governments to deliver timely humanitarian aid and relief to the crisis hit regions over the last three decades," remarked Christopher Alf, Chairman, National Air Cargo Holdings Inc.

 In a well-orchestrated mission, teams from both organizations coordinated airlift of the aid and relief items from the U.S. to Poland on National Airlines B747-400F aircraft. Later, the National Air Cargo global teams took the needed initiative for the final mile coordinating customs requirements and shipment transportation to different crisis hit Ukrainian cities via specially designated trucks.

Another Boeing 747-400ERF joins National Airlines Fleet

Photo National Airlines 

U.S.-based National Airlines announced the arrival of a Boeing 747-400 ERF, Extended Range Freighter, to its fleet. This addition is a fuel-efficient freighter under registration N663CA (MSN 35237). Featuring a nose door and a large side door, the aircraft is a logical choice globally for sophisticated cargo movements across long distances. The induction is part of National Airlines’ current global fleet and network expansion approach to meet the massive demand to move huge shipments worldwide.

The aircraft has a maximum gross payload of an incredible 128 metric tons (about 282,000 pounds). The nose door loading capability, a unique feature of this type of aircraft, gives National the capability to move customers’ shipments of any length, which is not possible with the B777 freighter. This aircraft is also particularly suitable for pharmaceuticals, seafood, perishables, and other cold chain shipments.

“The introduction of the B747-400 ERF aircraft is part of our greater vision to modernize our fleet and enhance our service offerings for our customers. Our prime focus is not just rapid fleet expansion, but also to offer newer and innovative air freight solutions to the post-COVID global market to meet growing specialized cargo demands”, remarked Christopher Alf, Chairman of National Air Cargo Holdings, Inc.

With this addition, National Airlines offers additional freighter capacity to carry lengthy, odd-sized, bulk and delicate cargo across its global network of over 200 airports within a stipulated time frame. National will continue to add more freighter aircraft to its fleet in the coming months.

Israel to ban Boeing 747s, other 4-engine planes amid environmental concerns

 

Photo El Al 

Israel will ban Boeing 747 and similar aircraft with four engines as of March 31, 2023, to reduce noise and air pollution, its airport's authority said on Sunday.

As part of a broader plan under development to improve the surrounding environment, the authority said that it had already told airlines they would not be able to land large aeroplanes at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv as of the 2023 summer season.

The directive is mainly for cargo aircraft since most, it not all, carriers have stopped using 747 and other four-engine planes on routes to Israel.

Flag carrier El Al (ELAL.TA) has already retired its fleet of 747s and uses twin-engine Boeing 777 and 787 planes on long-haul routes. Competitors also use those Boeing planes or comparable Airbus (AIR.PA) ones to Ben Gurion, although the 747s are still used by some for cargo.

Operation of aircraft with four engines will be allowed in exceptional cases and only with a special permit.

Reporting by Steven Scheer from Reuters. 

Cargolux woos Boeing with possible order for 777F aircraft

The future of Cargolux fleet?

The boss of European cargo airline Cargolux was actively wooing planemaker Boeing with a possible order for 777-8 Cargo jets, by issuing a statement saying      "With the 777-8 Freighter being the preferred solution to replace our 747-400s, Cargolux is looking forward to continuing its ongoing relationship with Boeing," 

Boeing had hoped another order could be chalked up at the Farnborough International Airshow, however, the discount on offer was not enough to tempt Cargolux from signing on the dotted line. 

It would have been a major shift had Cargolux been in a position to switch allegiance away from the US planemaker as it has been a long-term operator of jets from the manufacturer and is currently the largest operator of Boeing widebody freighters in Europe.  The firm has a total fleet of 30 747-400 and 747-8 Freighters. 

Cargolux’s high-quality scheduled and charter air freight services across the globe use an all-747 freighter fleet and a solid network of trucking contractors to move valuable and time-sensitive commodities on its network, covering more than 90 destinations. The Boeing 747 was designed as a freighter from the get-go. Flexibility in loading and operational efficiency are its key components. With a large side-cargo door and a unique nose door, Cargolux’s freighters can be loaded quickly and easily and accommodate heavy, outsized loads as well as temperature-sensitive freight that requires special care and sensitive treatment.

Delta and American Express launch first-ever credit card design made from an actual 747

Delta and American Express launch first-ever credit card design made from aeroplane metal

From June 16 through Aug. 3, 2022, new Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business Card Members can apply for a limited-edition, first-of-its-kind Reserve card design, allowing Card Members to experience a piece of the magic, history and innovation of the “Queen of the Skies."

Calling all flyers: For the first time ever, you can carry a piece of an aircraft in your wallet. Delta and American Express are launching a limited-edition Boeing 747 card design made with 25% aeroplane metal from Delta Ship #6307, a retired Delta Boeing 747 from the airline's fleet.  

"The idea of making a metal credit card out of actual aeroplane metal began years ago, and the creativity and innovation that was required to achieve this is incredibly meaningful," said Dwight James, S.V.P. of Customer Engagement & Loyalty at Delta and CEO of Delta Vacations. "We've partnered with Amex to transform a piece of Delta's history into a collector's item you can use in your everyday. The 747's legacy lives on for a new generation of Delta flyers through this first-of-its-kind credit card that our members will be proud to keep in their wallets."  

From June 16 through Aug. 3, 2022, customers can apply for the Boeing 747 Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business Card – while supplies last. Along with best-in-class travel benefits, it comes with access to exclusive content via an augmented reality experience that comes with the welcome kit. Created especially for the limited-edition card design, the AR experience features the history of the Delta Ship #6307 and the Boeing 747, flight stories and the card transformation. 

"This is the most unique card design Delta and Amex have created to date," said Jon Gantman, SVP and General Manager of Cobrand Product Management at American Express. "To transform fuselage into metal that can withstand the wear and tear of everyday use while still functioning as a contactless credit card was a huge feat. This special-edition Boeing 747 card design is one more way Delta and American Express continue to partner together to bring Card Members unique products and experiences."

Delta 747s offered the “world’s first flying penthouse apartment” located above the First Class cabin and adjacent to the First Class lounge. Seats for six passengers sold as a unit and were staffed by a flight attendant

It was the first Delta plane with overhead bins for carry-on bags instead of open racks.

A little about the aircraft history.....

The Boeing 747 Reserve Card started out as Delta ship #6307, a now-retired Boeing 747-451. The Boeing 747, known as "The Queen of the Skies" and "The Jumbo Jet" for its majestic presence and distinctive "hump," set the stage for many advancements in air travel and was a beloved part of Delta's fleet.

The double-decker 747 revolutionized the industry; it was a major engineering advancement compared to prior long-range planes with its speed, long-haul flight capability and sheer size. The aircraft marked the beginning of an era of more accessible international travel and came with luxuries like spiral staircases to the upper deck and stand-alone piano bars. 

Following Delta's 747's retirement in 2017, Delta introduced the Airbus A350 into its fleet, which is one of the most advanced and fuel-efficient long-haul planes to date. The A350 is the first aircraft to feature the Delta One Suite, the world's first "all-suite" business class, and an improved cabin experience throughout.

Transforming into a card.....

To begin the transformation from "wings to wallet," Delta teams reached out to the team at the boneyard in Arizona, where the 747 was moved after retirement. The big question: would it be possible to disassemble the main body of the aircraft, the fuselage, and mold it into metal that could be cut into a credit card?

After a year of research and development to ensure the aeroplane metal could work as a functioning credit card that stands up to daily wear and tear, a team of metal workers began disassembling the aircraft. They then prepped the aluminium exterior so the material could be cleaned, processed and rolled into thin sheets to preserve its authenticity. The Boeing 747 Card is made with 25% aeroplane metal and has layers of polymer print to protect the aluminium as well as an antenna that enables contactless payments. 

In parallel, Delta and Amex were hard at work on a sleek design that pays homage to the aircraft's history and the 747's distinctive shape. At every step, teams took care to ensure that the Card would honour the history of the retired aircraft while giving it a new purpose through this project.

Delta Ship #6307 holds special meaning for many Delta customers and employees; this aircraft has provided transport to US service men and women, evacuated travellers from Florida during Hurricane Irma, united families and friends and transported travellers to bucket-list destinations all over the globe.

The 747 was more than an iconic aircraft. It was the setting for weddings, including flight attendant Holly R. and pilot Gene P.'s, who tied the knot onboard Delta's final 747 ferry flight in 2018.

The Queen of the Skies leaves a legacy that lives on through stories like these and, now, through the limited-edition credit card design in your wallet. If you want to learn more about this iconic aircraft, visit the dedicated Boeing 747 exhibit at the Delta Flight Museum.

For more https://www.delta.com/amex

Want me in your inbox? Follow here for email updates Air101 here.

Four most memorable aircraft according to component experts

There have been countless lists comparing and contrasting the greatest aircraft of all time, but what about those that are often overlooked? We asked the experts at leading aircraft component supply and repair solutions company Artemis Aerospace to tell us which aircraft they are most fond of and why....

BAC 1-11

Jim Scott – Co-founder and owner

 

Photo Ken Fielding/https://www.flickr.com/photos/kenfielding

An early jet liner produced by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), the BAC 1-11 was originally conceived by Hunting Aircraft as a 30-seat jet, before its merger with BAC in 1960. Following a British United Airways order in 1961, it eventually became an 80-seater design to compete with the early Boeing 737 variants that would be used by multiple carriers worldwide. After its first commercial flight in 1965, the aircraft was redesigned in 1967 to introduce a stretched 500 series. Jim remembers them fondly:

 

“It was the first civil aircraft I remember flying back in the early 70s and a stalwart of British Caledonian’s fleet out of Gatwick that serviced European holiday destinations. In my case, it was the magic machine that took us to Spain!

 

“The BAC 1-11 was something of a pocket rocket, with its pair of aft-mounted Rolls-Royce Spey engines. This added to the magic for me as a passenger, as there was always an incredible roar during take-off. It was also rather special for its over-wing facing seats and the ability to deploy a set of airstairs from below its tail. Naturally, these features were long before anyone thought of maximising passenger numbers and minimising weight for the sake of economics!”

 

BAe 146 Whisperjet

Deborah Scott - Co-founder and owner

 

Manufactured in the UK by British Aerospace (later BAE Systems), the BAe 146 was in production from 1983 until 2001 and can still be seen in service today. Designed as a short-haul and regional airliner, improved versions of the aircraft were launched in 1992 (Avro RJ) and 1997 (Avro RJX). However, only two prototypes and one production aircraft of the Avro RJX were ever produced before production ceased in 2001. One of the most successful British civil jet airliners produced, the Avro RJ/BAe 146 is a small, beautifully proportioned jet that Deborah considers was ahead of its time. She says:

 

Photo RAF

“It was extremely quiet and agile, so it was ideal for built-up areas – it could come in at very steep angles and land effortlessly on short city-centre runways, such as London City Airport. For business travellers taking short journeys in the 1990s, the Whisperjet was luxurious compared to alternatives, such as the twin-engine turbo prop F27, which couldn’t fly above bad weather. Passengers on these aircraft would experience a lot of turbulence while flying over the Channel.

 

“The Whisperjet’s innovative design meant there were fewer components, thus keeping maintenance to a minimum. The QC (Quick Change) version had modular seats which can very easily be reconfigured for freight transportation. This meant it could fly passengers during the day and freight during the night – beauty and brains. What a fabulous aircraft!”

 

Airbus A380

Dan Frith – Flight Simulator Support Sales Director and Beth Wright – Sales Manager

 

One of the most recent additions to the skies, the magnificent A380 with its large wide-body, huge wingspan and four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 turbofans, is immediately identifiable when it flies overhead.

 

First delivered to Singapore Airlines in October 2007, it is the world’s largest passenger aircraft and can hold up to 853 passengers – hence its nickname, Superjumbo. At its peak, as many as 30 aircraft a year were being produced. In 2021, Airbus announced its production would end. However, this full-length double-decker aircraft has remained a firm favourite among aircraft enthusiasts.

 

With two votes from the team, the majesty of this aircraft certainly hasn’t been lost on the passengers of today.

 

Dan was at Farnborough Air Show in 2006 to see its public debut and has loved the experience of flying A380 ever since. He said:

 

“The first time I got to fly on the A380 was during a trip to Singapore. I was in the economy cabin, which is extremely spacious and comfortable. It’s also the quietest aircraft I have ever travelled on, which seems bizarre considering it’s also the biggest!”

 

Beth, who is former British Airways cabin crew, has travelled on them for work and leisure. She has fond memories of both:

 

“I have always loved flying on the A380. For such a large aircraft, it’s incredibly comfortable and absorbs a lot of turbulence – so much so that I could hardly feel the sudden incline of a go-around during an approach into LAX. Passengers were always thrilled to have a tour of it – they were particularly fascinated by the staircases at the forward and rear sections. Such is the size of the aircraft, that during take-off, I often remember feeling we would surely run out of runway by the time we took off!”

If you'd like your very own Airbus A380,  you might give the European manufacturer a call and ask them, or better yet just take a look at these super aircraft models.... 

Air Models have various airlines and sizes available,  that look so superb.

The one on the left is 1/160 scale with a wingspan of  50.5cm and a length of 45.5cm.

Includes a stand and detachable landing gear. 

 

Boeing 747SP

Andre Viljoen – Global Logistics Manager

 

A shortened version of the Boeing 747, the 747SP was designed to compete with McDonnell Douglas’s DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar.

 

Part of Pan Am’s iconic fleet until the airline ceased operating in 1991, the 747SP was borne out of a request by the company to create a 747 variant that could carry a full payload, non-stop on its longest route at that time between New York and Tehran. The company took delivery of the first aircraft, Clipper Freedom, in 1976.

 

Originally, the aircraft was designated the name 747SB for ‘short body’, but later became SP for ‘special performance’ – a nod to the aircraft’s greater range and higher cruising speed.

 

Andre, a former South African Airways pilot, explains why it is his favourite civil aircraft of all time:

 

“I first flew on a 747SP in 1979 (JNB-LHR) when it was a relatively new addition to the SAA fleet. It was ideal for the requirements at that time, which demanded a high-performance, long-range aircraft. Cruising at Mach 0.86, it could get to its ceiling of 45,000 feet faster and stay there longer than any of its counterparts. This made it more fuel-efficient and helped increase its range by 1200NM.

 

“It was an absolute joy to fly and had the benefit of a flight engineer – something technology has now consigned to history.

 

“In the end, Boeing only ever produced 45 airframes, but its wing design and engineering heralded the production of later aircraft, such as the SUD 300 and 747-400.

 

“In 1996, my journey came full circle when I was part of a crew that flew an SAA SP from JNB to the old Kai Tak airport in Hong Kong. After a long dark night over the Indian Ocean, flying the checkerboard approach onto runway 13 really did help focus the mind and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!”

British Airways 747 Model. 

Want me in your inbox? Follow here for email updates Air101 here.

New FedEx ACMI deal for Atlas Air

Atlas Air Worldwide confirmed this week that it has entered into a long-term agreement with FedEx to provide two 747-400 freighter aircraft on a full-time aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) basis. This new agreement is in addition to the company’s existing multi-year peak season contract that provides FedEx with a minimum of five aircraft during the fourth quarter.

Both 747-400 freighters have entered service and are flying on behalf of FedEx to support their growing express and e-commerce network.

“We are pleased to grow our long-term relationship with FedEx. This agreement reflects the continued strong demand for airfreight capacity, particularly in the express and e-commerce markets,” said John W. Dietrich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Atlas Air Worldwide. “Atlas is a leader in supporting express networks, with a focus on operating the most modern, fuel-efficient aircraft to deliver high levels of on-time performance for our customers.”

More top stories you might be interested in.....

Follow this site here.

Fire fighting 747 Supertanker firm ceases trading.

The Boeing 747 Supertanker fire fighting aircraft Tanker has been grounded because the investor group that owns it is shutting down. 

An email sent to officials on Wednesday from Dan Reese the President of Global Supertanker confirmed the news.  "This week the investors that own the Global SuperTanker just informed me that they have made the difficult decision to cease operations of the company, effective this week".

Bill Gabbert over at Fire Aviation reports that Reese indicated that whilst staff had been furloughed for the moment and discussions with prospective buyers are ongoing. At his stage, there is no knowing if the aircraft will remain as a fire fighting air tanker or be reverted to a freight aircraft. 

More top stories you might be interested in.....

China Airlines says farewell to the “Queen of the Skies” - bye bye 747....

The Taiwan-based carrier China Airlines is retiring its fleet of Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft from regular passenger service. It marked the end of an era with a special farewell “Queen of the Skies” flight and party.

China Airlines, aircraft no. B-18215, was the last Boeing 747 to be delivered to the carrier in 2005 was assigned to fly the special flight CI-2747 over the weekend. The carrier opened check-in for the one-off celebration flight at 7:47 a.m. followed by an exclusive ground-side tour and then a tour of each cabin class aboard the 747 passenger aircraft as well as a super-sized capsule vending machine for 747 peripherals. A one-of-a-kind 747 photo booth was also set up on the day.   

 

British Airway's sends its final 'BOAC' liveried 747 to its final resting place.

Another sad day for aircraft enthusiasts in the UK as one of the last Boeing 747 aircraft belonging to British Airways completed its final flight forever. 

The four-engined jumbo jet, registration G-BYGC resplendent in the classic BOAC retro ‘Gold Speedbird’ livery which was recreated to celebrate the airline's 100th birthday in 2019, completed the flight to its final resting place in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales.  

The aircraft flew around part of the Welsh coast after taking off from the BA engineering base at Cardiff Airport before landing at the commercial airfield at Bro Tathan, the Welsh Government’s 1,200 acres business park in the Vale of Glamorgan. Here the beautiful big old 'Queen of the skies' was welcomed by an audience of invited guests including British Airways cabin crew, all of whom have fond memories of serving on the 747 fleet.

Two British Airways 747s in iconic liveries saved for posterity.

 British Airways' Queens of the Skies will continue to inspire aviation enthusiasts across the UK for years to come, after permanent homes have been found for its remaining retro-liveried Boeing 747 aircraft – the last to leave the British Airways fleet.

The aircraft, registrations G-BNLY and G-BYGC, are this month due to depart from British Airways’ engineering base in Cardiff, where they will be waved off by the British Airways engineers who for many years have proudly maintained the 747 fleet. The pair were among several aircraft painted in heritage liveries to mark the airline’s centenary last year.

Adorned in the iconic Landor livery, used between 1984 and 1997, G-BNLY has been given a new lease of life as a permanent exhibit at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey. It will join its sister 747, G-CIVW, which was retired in late October and features the current Chatham Dockyard livery.

Cotswold Airport will be the permanent home to an iconic British Airways 747 aircraft

Cotswold Airport will be the permanent home to an iconic British Airways 747 aircraft for locals and visitors to enjoy......

The Boeing 747, registration G-CIVB, will be permanently retired at Cotswold Airport, near Kemble in Gloucestershire. The aircraft is painted in the unique Negus livery which adorned British Airways planes in the 1970s and 1980s. The aircraft was one of four painted in heritage liveries to mark the airline’s centenary last year. It was also one of the final two British Airways 747s to leave Heathrow last month.

The airport will maintain the aircraft and plans to convert an area of its interior to be used as a unique business, conferencing and private hire venue, as well as a cinema for locals and an educational facility for school trips. It is planned that the aircraft will be open to the public from Spring 2021.

Suzannah Harvey, CEO of Cotswold Airport, said: “It is great news for locals and visitors who will be able to see and experience one of the most iconic passenger aircraft of its time. We’re absolutely delighted to make this happen following its final flight from London Heathrow to Cotswold Airport on 8 October.”

Sean Doyle, CEO of British Airways, said: “It was with great sadness that we retired our two final 747s based at Heathrow earlier this month, so we’re glad Cotswold Airport is able to give one of these aircraft a new home and a new lease of life. The 747, and the Negus livery, are iconic in British Airways’ past, and we hope locals and visitors will enjoy seeing this slice of history for years to come.”

Since entering the British Airways fleet on 15 February, 1994, G-CIVB operated 13,398 flights and flew for 118,445 hours over nearly 60 million miles. Its last passenger flight was from Miami to Heathrow on 6 April, 2020.

A large percentage of all money raised from events on the aircraft will be used to support Cotswold Airport’s scholarship programme and charities. Every year the scholarship helps 10 students who have an interest in aviation related sectors or careers to undertake instructional flight time or experience various aviation career environments. This programme gives the students a fabulous insight, and many have gone on to careers in the Navy and RAF.

Cotswold Airport has supported the Air Ambulance, Help for Heroes and the RAF Benevolent Fund over the years. Usually they do a great Vintage Fly-in Weekend and a Best of British or Revival Festival, which has been attended by 10,000s over the weekends.

An airport steeped in history, Cotswold Airport (Kemble) is now home to a thriving general aviation community and a host of successful businesses. Kemble Air Services Ltd, the owners of Cotswold Airport, are totally committed to making it one of the finest airports in the country without spoiling the natural charm that abounds on this 532-acre site.

RAF Kemble was the former base of the RAF Red Arrows aerobatic team until they departed in ’83. Now known as Cotswold Airport after rebranding in ’09 and achieving airport status from the Secretary of State, it is a thriving aviation and business centre with many businesses developing ground-breaking engineering R&D.

After the departure of the United States Air Force in 1993 Kemble faced a bleak future, and looked destined to go the way of so many ex-military airfields – back to agriculture or an industrial estate. However, over the years local businesses have occupied all pre-existing hangar infrastructure as well as many new, purpose built hangars. Aviation is booming at this historic airport. This was largely due to the successful acquisition of the airfield from the Ministry of Defence by Ronan Harvey and a consortium of local businesses in March 2001.

The Buccaneer and Phantom preservation groups will be a new welcome addition in 2020, and a further significant educational and visitor attraction.

2020 should see the fruition of the new RNP (GNSS) approach being implemented, a further significant infrastructure development and service offering from Europe’s largest privately owned airport.

Ronan’s company Kemble Air Services Ltd (now managed by his daughter, Suzannah Harvey) operate the airfield and manage the whole site.

Recommended for you...

British Airways Boeing 747 gets new lease of life as a film star!

Coming in for its last ever landing....G-CIVW                    Photo Dunsfold Aerodrome 

Whilst British Airways may have thrown its Boeing 747s on the scrap heap because of the downturn in business following the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. At least one of these majestic aircraft will get the new lease of life ........ as a film star!

The aircraft, registration G-CIVW, took off from Cardiff Airport this afternoon where it had been in storage and headed to its new home, Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey.  The four-engined jet did a slow and low flypast before coming into land and now it will be preserved as a film and tv set.

Photo SurreyLive/Grahame Larter

Jim McAllister, Chief Executive, Dunsfold Aerodrome, said: “The 747 is a unique and important piece of aviation history and we are excited to be taking delivery of this retired aircraft at Dunsfold Aerodrome. Whilst G-CIVW will no longer fly, the aircraft will be preserved and given a new lease of life in the world of TV and film, training and special events.”

Photo Dunsfold Aerodrome 

.

Jumbo farewells from British Airways

British Airways’ remaining two Boeing 747 aircraft based at Heathrow taxied for take-off for the last time today.

To commemorate the occasion the airline’s two aircraft took to the skies one after the other from runway 27R. Once in the air, G-CIVY circled back over the southerly runway in an emotional farewell to its home before heading to St Athan where the aircraft will be retired.

G-CIVB, painted in the airline's historic Negus livery and G-CIVY, in its current Chatham Dockyard livery, are going to be retiring in the UK at Kemble and St Athan, respectively. Between the two aircraft they have flown an impressive 104 million miles in their 47 years of service and carried millions of British Airways customers.

Cargo airline Atlas Air trains Air Force One's pilots......

Air Force One  arriving at London Stansted                                                                                  Photo MAG

Atlas Air operates the world’s largest fleet of Boeing 747 Freighters going to 90 countries, it is a leading provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services.  It confirmed this week that the United States Air Force has exercised its option to continue its pilot and flight engineer training contract for Air Force One with Atlas Air, Inc.  

Atlas Air has been training Air Force One pilots and engineers since October 2007 and under this new extension, crews for the Air Force’s VC-25, which is a highly modified version of the Boeing 747-200, will receive ground and flight-simulator training at Atlas Air’s world-class training centre in Miami, Florida.

“Air Force One," the designated call sign of the aircraft when the President is on board, consists of two specially configured Boeing 747-200B aircraft.

“We are honoured to provide this vital training to the pilots and crews of Air Force One and the Presidential Airlift Group. Their exacting demands for safety, professionalism, efficiency and security make this contract extremely meaningful, and is a testament to the training provided by our highly experienced instructors,” said John Dietrich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide. “This contract extension is the result of our team’s unwavering commitment to safe and efficient operations.”

 

Recommended for you...

BA 747 retirement list

British Airways announced that all 31 of its remaining 747s had sadly flown their last commercial services as a result of the devastating impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the airline and the aviation sector.

Full details of each retired aircraft are below and will be updated. 

Cargolux masks a Boeing 747 freighter and performs a medical relief flight to Lebanon.

Cargolux Airlines International, recently opened the doors of a specially painted Boeing 747 cargo jet featuring a mask on its nose, promoting safer travels in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.   

The airline is Europe’s biggest all-cargo airline with a fleet of Boeing 747-8 and 747-400 freighters,  operating scheduled and charter flights to more than 90 global destinations, said the new paint job on its iconic nose-door of aircraft LX-VCF reflects the airline’s commitment to the fight against COVID-19.  The aircraft also features the strapline Not without my mask in bright bold letters along the side under the Cargolux name. 

Over last weekend, Cargolux provided Free of Charge transport for medical relief material destined to medical personnel in Beirut, Lebanon, following the explosion that devasted the city earlier this month. The shipment, organized in cooperation with Fedex, was flown from Memphis to Luxembourg on Sunday 23rd August and boarded a Cargolux freighter bound for the Middle East on Monday 24th August. The flight carried a total of 62 tons of emergency supplies to the Lebanese capital.

As Richard Forson, President & CEO, highlights: “It was important for Cargolux to support this relief shipment and assist the people of Beirut in the aftermath of this terrible explosion. As a recognized leader in the transport of medical and pharmaceutical goods, we are proud to leverage this expertise to help those affected by this tragedy”.

The company is committed to playing its part in providing solutions for swift and seamless medical and relief transport. 

Recommended for you...

First 747 retirement from British Airways

British Airways retires the first of 31 Boeing 747 jumbos

Photo British Airways

It seems like only a few days ago that the UK's British Airways advised that it was dropping the Boeing 747 from its fleet earlier than planned, blaming the current coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic from reduced demand.

On Tuesday 18th August the airline retired the first of its 31 these giant passenger aircraft. The Boeing 747-400, registration G-CIVD, departed from London Heathrow in the morning, under flight number BA9170E after more than 25 magnificent years of flying.

The aircraft received an emotional farewell from the NATS Air Traffic Control Tower at Heathrow Airport.

British Airways’ fleet of 747s are being retired at an accelerated rate as a result of the mass downgrade of the once former great airline by the firm's management, blamed on the devastating impact the Covid-19 pandemic. To protect shareholders' interests the management is dramatically cutting the workforce, forcing staff to reapply for positions on lower pay and much worse conditions as it seeks to cut costs, 

The last farewell........Qantas 747-400 bows out with final flight from Sydney to Los Angeles and then on to Mojave

Today marked the end of an era for the Australian airline Qantas as the carrier operated its last commercial 747 flight. 

The final 747-400 in the fleet (registration VH-OEJ) left the airlines home base of Sydney at around 1400 local time.  Operating as flight number QF7474, bringing to an end five decades of history-making moments for the national carrier and aviation in Australia.

Qantas took delivery of its first 747 (a -200 series) in August 1971, the same year that William McMahon became Prime Minister, the first McDonalds opened in Australia and Eagle Rock by Daddy Cool topped the music charts. Its arrival – and its economics – made international travel possible for millions of people for the first time.

The fleet of 747 aircraft not only carried generations of Australians on their first overseas adventures, they also offered a safe voyage for hundreds of thousands of migrant families who flew to their new life in Australia on board a ‘roo tailed jumbo jet.