Fairey Tale

The history of aviation is littered with aircraft concepts and prototypes that promised to bring point-to-point passenger services to the traveling public. The idea of replacing massive and remote airports with a rooftop or downtown landing pad was, to say the least, inviting. The 1950s were a time of enthusiastic aerospace development and innovation, and one odd-looking aircraft of the era was the Fairey Aviation Company’s Rotodyne. It was designed to meet a short-haul vertical-lift requirement of British European Airways (BEA), an ancestor of today’s British Airways.

2023-04-17T10:07:17-08:00June 21st, 2017|
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The “Bandit” Sneaks into YVR – Cathay Pacific Begins A350 Service to Vancouver

Almost 35 years ago, Cathay Pacific Airways (CX) began its international expansion to North America, flying a Boeing 747-200 from Hong Kong (HKG) to Vancouver, BC (YVR). It was the first airline to fly nonstop between the two key Pacific Rim cities, and on Tuesday morning, Cathay Pacific introduced a new aircraft type on the route. The airline’s Airbus A350-900XWB, B-LRI, touched down in the pouring rain just after sunrise, almost an hour ahead of its 8AM scheduled arrival time. I was with the media group, set up on the south ramp for the A350’s expected arrival on YVR’s Rwy 08R. But just a few minutes before landing, the plane’s approach was changed to the north side runway, 08L.

2023-02-20T20:01:49-08:00March 31st, 2017|
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Wired Up

Passengers are unlikely to be unaware of the complexity of the aircraft systems that are hidden from view. After all, their onboard interactions are limited to aircraft seats, flight attendants and in-flight entertainment systems. Like a human nervous system, an aircraft’s wiring carries signals and information critical to the safe operation of the airplane. Carlisle IT, W.L. Gore and AeroFlite are a few of the companies that design and manufacture “the nerves.” Connecting everything from the fly-by-wire flight control systems to the coffeemaker in the galley, miles of wires, thousands of connectors, and tens of thousands of support brackets have to be cut, bundled, tested and installed.

2023-02-20T20:01:50-08:00March 20th, 2017|
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Air Canada Unveils New Livery and Uniforms

In simultaneous events in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, earlier today Air Canada revealed its new livery and branding, in an event described as “the future of Canada’s flag carrier.” Air Canada also introduced new uniforms, menu items, and wine choices at the events. The new livery was designed in conjunction with branding agency Winkreative and features a white upper fuselage, black tail and underbody, black engine nacelles, and a striking black “mask” surrounding the cockpit windows. Air Canada’s iconic red maple leaf rondelle returns to the livery after a 24-year absence: on the tail, on the inner part of the nacelles, and on the belly (visible when a plane flies overhead).

2023-02-20T20:01:51-08:00February 9th, 2017|
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No Roads? No Problem!

Suzanne was in desperate need of a follow-up MRI. Last time, she’d had to endure multiple flights and an all-day trip from her Nunavut village to Montreal for her scan. But today, she and her neighbours watched in awe as a massive, brilliant white hybrid airship slowly approached her village’s frozen harbour. The airship touched down gently on its air-cushion landing gear, stopping right by the shore. This afternoon, the medical professionals in the airship’s fully-equipped imaging clinic would welcome Suzanne for her MRI appointment, steps from her home. And no, this isn’t science fiction.

2023-02-20T20:01:52-08:00November 9th, 2016|
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Remotely Powered

As the helicopter industry continues to adapt to the challenges faced in the oil-and-gas sector, two long-established operators have added unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) services to their portfolios. And rather than starting from the ground up, the Bristow Group and Era Helicopters have partnered with experienced unmanned aircraft system (UAS) companies.

2023-02-20T20:01:53-08:00November 7th, 2016|
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Jeppesen Plots Uncharted Territory with Commemorative Maps

The recent release of Sully sheds light on the major accomplishment of the crew of US Airways Flight 1549 on January 15, 2009. But Clint Eastwood wasn’t the first to honor the “Miracle on the Hudson.” Navigation solutions company Jeppesen captured the event on a commemorative chart – its most popular to date.

2023-02-20T20:01:54-08:00September 23rd, 2016|
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Connecting in China

The Chinese airline market continues to see double-digit growth in domestic and international passenger traffic, with thousands of aircraft needed to meet the demand over the next twenty years. According to Boeing, the Chinese domestic airline market is expected to become the world’s largest. With this onslaught of new travelers comes the need for Chinese airlines to provide inflight connectivity on par with the rest of the world. Although the regulatory process has so far moved at a deliberate rate, recent announcements suggest that more passengers on Chinese airlines will soon be online.

2023-02-20T20:02:16-08:00June 27th, 2016|
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It’s Show Time!

People love to watch airplanes. That’s why airshows are one of the world’s most popular spectator events. Aviation enthusiasts will risk sunburn and dehydration to stand at an airport, sunglassed eyes scanning the skies, to watch pilots demonstrate their planes’ performance. Fast-moving and incredibly noisy military jets will make them reach down to cover their kids’ ears, and they’ll haul kilos of photo gear around to “get the shot.”

2023-02-20T20:02:17-08:00May 20th, 2016|
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Light Ideas From Boeing

Cabin ceiling projections of stars, clouds and colors; huge curved flat-panel in-flight entertainment (IFE) displays; advanced lighting systems; massive translucent cabin monuments displaying current flight status and moving maps. These are just some of the concepts being worked on by engineers in Boeing’s Commercial Airplanes Product Development group. “Airlines are telling us that they want to have interiors that have a wow factor, and set their cabin apart from [those of] their competitors,” says Mark Ellis, senior manager, Payloads Product Development.

2023-02-20T20:02:17-08:00March 30th, 2016|
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