Tag Archives: laser

745 Air Turbulence

Increased air turbulence from climate change, national aeronautics science and technology priorities, a sleeping Delta pilot is raided, international passengers skip immigration, prison time for shining a laser at an airplane, responsibility for aborting a takeoff, and flying with children.

Clear air turbulence illustration showing slow and fast jetstream flows.
Clear-air Turbulence

Aviation News

Airline passengers could be in for a rougher ride, thanks to climate change

Paul Williams, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading in England, says that there is evidence that wind shear above 15,000 feet is becoming more frequent. This can produce unpredictable “clear-air turbulence” where there are no clouds or bad weather. Williams believes that the jet stream is being impacted by rising temperature levels. The NTSB has said that air turbulence causes the most common types of accidents aboard aircraft. From 2009 to 2022, the NTSB recorded 163 “serious injuries” resulting from air turbulence. Flight crews incurred 80% of the injuries.

See: Clear-air turbulence trends over the North Atlantic in high-resolution climate models. [PDF]

White House Publishes National Aeronautics Science & Technology Priorities

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has released a National Aeronautics Science & Technology Priorities [PDF] document. It offers three strategic priorities: Achieving Sustainable Aviation, Transforming the National Airspace System, and Promoting Connectivity and Speed. Across all priorities, the U.S. Government’s efforts will be guided by seven principles: (1) Safety, (2) Environment, (3) Economic Competitiveness, (4) Innovation, (5) Security, (6) Workforce, and (7) Equity.

Feds barged into the wrong hotel room during a drill, then detained the guest inside

U.S. Army Special Operations Command and the FBI conducted “essential military training” at a Boston hotel. The plan was to enter a hotel room and interrogate a role player. Unfortunately, the team was “mistakenly sent” to the wrong room “based on inaccurate information.” There they woke a sleeping Delta Air Lines pilot, hand-cuffed him, placed him in the shower, and interrogated the “suspect” for 45 minutes.

Airline Forgets To Send Arriving Passengers To Customs, Now They Have To Return To JFK Airport

Passengers deplaning a Norse Atlantic flight at JFK’s Terminal 7 were directed through a doorway leading to the terminal, not through the doorway to customs. After the error was discovered, passengers received an email from the airline saying they must return to New York JFK airport the next day at a specific time to be cleared by immigration.

Minnesota man gets 2 years in prison for laser strike on jet

After pleading guilty to aiming a laser at a Delta Air Lines jet in 2021, a federal judge sentenced the man to two years in prison. James Link, 43, of Rochester, Minnesota, lit up the cockpit with a blue laser three times. ATC then contacted a Minnesota State Patrol aircraft, which flew to the area. Link then flashed the State Patrol aircraft. The pilots spotted Link and worked with local police to apprehend him.

Australia News Desk

Accents??  What accents??  It may well be a matter of perspective of course, but following on from last week’s discussion of Aussie accents vs American accents, we take a quick look at some of the challenges that can sometimes pose, from an aviation standpoint.

In the news, Virgin Australia has resumed flights this week to the Pacific paradise of Vanuatu, following a three-year, covid driven break.  As you’ll hear, the crew received a warm welcome upon arrival in Port Vila.

Virgin Australia Returns To Vanuatu After Three Years

Virgin are also expecting the delivery of their first 737 MAX aircraft;  something also delayed, and obviously not only by the covid years.  The airline had originally placed their orders prior to the type’s well-publicised issues, and hence put those plans on hold pending a solution.  At any rate, we expect to see the first MAX in VA colours here in June.

Virgin Australia counts down to first Boeing 737 MAX

And being Easter, we see the yearly reportage of massive queues and delays at many of Australia’s larger airports, as people flock to get away on the last holiday break before the Australian winter sets in.

Massive queues grow at airports as holiday-makers head off for the Easter long weekend

Mentioned

Revision Military

Asleep at the wheel; On-demand flying in the old days from Jetwhine.com.

The Airlines Confidential podcast is hosted by Ben Baldanza, the former CEO Spirit Airlines, and Scott McCartney, the former WSJ columnist “The Middle Seat.” Episode 181, published on April 5, 2023, touches on lap babies at 7:07 into the program.

Airline Family Seating Dashboard from the DOT.

Family Seating Legislative Proposal

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, Rob Mark, David Vanderhoof, and Max Trescott. Contributions by Grant McHerron,  Steve Visscher, and Brian Coleman.

461 Aircraft Laser Strikes

The founder and CEO of Metamaterial Technologies explains the effects on pilots of aircraft laser strikes, and the new technology that protects pilots. In the news, we look at a future where airlines pay you to fly, biometric facial-recognition technology at the airport, how climate change may impact aviation, a very close call at SFO, and odors in the cabin.

Metamaterial Technologies Inc. demonstrates the metaAIR™ film that provides protection from laser strikes. (Photo courtesy Metamaterial Technologies Inc.

Metamaterial Technologies Inc. demonstrates the metaAIR™ film that provides pilots with protection from laser strikes. (Photo courtesy Metamaterial Technologies Inc.)

Guest

George Palikaras is an entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Metamaterial Technologies Inc. MTI is a smart materials and photonics company working on some difficult problems that involve light, including the threat to pilots of laser strikes.

We explore the danger to pilots of laser strikes, such as temporary flash blindness, glare and disruption, and distraction. George explains the metaAIR™ metamaterial thin film that can be applied to cockpit windows and provide protection from laser strikes. metaAIR has been tested with Airbus and has the additional benefit of providing UV protection in daylight.

The sales strategy for metaAIR is being worked out with Satair Group. (Satair provides an integrated portfolio of material management services.) MTI is also developing very thin solar cells that could have aviation applications.

George was a post-doctoral researcher at Queen Mary University in London working on wearable and implantable sensors projects. He founded Medical Wireless Sensing Ltd. (MediWise), a research and development medtech company based in London. In 2014, George received the Frost & Sullivan Global Aerospace Product Leadership Award for Lamda Guard metaAIR.

Video: metaAIR™ – Laser Eye Protection

Press release: Metamaterial Technologies Inc. Partners with Airbus to Co-develop and Commercialize metaAIR™, a Laser Protection Solution

Aviation News

Airline CEO predicts a future where ‘we will pay you to fly’

When asked about how low airline fares can go, WOW Air founder and CEO Skúli Mogensen told Business Insider, “I can see a day when we pay you to fly.” Ticket prices continue to tumble while airlines generate significant revenue from fees for services and partnerships with hotels, car rental agencies, restaurants, and other travel industry players. Where do the trends end?

Chicago O’Hare Joins in Deployment of Biometric Exit Technology

Biometric facial-recognition technology was piloted last year at Atlanta International Airport, and it’s been deployed at Washington Dulles and George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Now US Customs and Border Protection is bringing facial recognition biometric exit technology to Chicago O’Hare International Airport for select flights.

Press release: CBP Deploys Biometric Exit Technology to Chicago O’Hare International Airport

Climate Change’s Revenge on the Aviation Industry

Researchers from Columbia University and Virginia’s Logistics Management Institute modeled how aircraft departures will be affected by hotter days driven by climate change. They say airlines will have to reduce weight, meaning people, cargo, or fuel.

See Why Phoenix’s Airplanes Can’t Take Off in Extreme Heat.

The Bombardier CRJ airliners have a maximum operating temperature of 118 degrees, while planes from Airbus and Boeing can take off at up to about 126 degrees.

’11 seconds to impact’: Expert calculates how close SFO near-miss was to disaster

Officials: Air Canada plane flew for a quarter-mile over taxiway before anyone noticed

NTSB: Air Canada close-call at SFO was even worse than first reported

An Air Canada Airbus A320 almost landed on an active taxiway, executing a go-around in the last few seconds.

‘Passed gas’ forces passengers off plane at Raleigh airport

The International Business Times reported that a sick man “broke wind so violently it caused nausea and headaches among his fellow passengers.” An airport employee reported that, “The resulting smell was so noxious that fellow passengers became ill and were rushed off the flight.”

Update: Did ‘passing gas’ cause illness on Raleigh flight? Airline says no

The initial press reports were not quite accurate.

Mentioned

Podcast 048: Designing IFEC from the ground up to shape #PaxEx

Long-time aviation industry veteran Jon Norris is the senior director, corporate sales & marketing for Panasonic Avionics. He describes the Panasonic NEXT in-flight entertainment and connectivity system.

David has a new camera and spent time at the Air Victory Museum and the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum trying it out. Here are some examples:

Dorkfest September 23, 2017 at LAX. Watch airplanes. Talk airplanes. Eat food. No tickets, no reservations, no scheduled activities. Find this event and others at http://AvGeekFests.com.

A-4K Kiwi Red Plugged In Barrel Roll Formation ‘Swan’

RNZAF A-4 Skyhawk Team Tricks

Foreign ownership: a new ident for Canadian airlines

Credit

Intro music courtesy Brother Love from his Album Of The Year CD. Outtro by Bruno Misonne from The Sound of Flaps.

 

AirplaneGeeks 271 – Ned Russell on Airlines

Mooney M20L PFM

Guest Edward (Ned) Russell is an airline reporter at Flightglobal. We talk about the American Airlines / US Airways merger and the DOJ antitrust suit. Also, the CSeries in China, airline capacity increases on the West Coast, and airline strategy based around considerations like anciliatory fees, airfare pricing, new more efficient aircraft, and route planning. We also get an update on the Delta refinery.

Ned has been a reporter for seven years, covering aviation throughout but only full-time since 2012 with Flightglobal. Prior to joining Flightglobal, Ned wrote for Project Finance Magazine in New York and FinanceAsia in Hong Kong. He began his writing career with a profile of the then brand new Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok for Airliners Magazine. Follow Ned on Twitter as @e_russell.

The Week’s Aviation News:

David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week:

The Mooney M20, report provided by listener Tilman Hierath from the above the ground blog. Post photo above is of a M20L PFM that Tilman took at his home base of Strausberg (EDAY), just outside of Berlin, Germany. It is one of the very rare Mooneys with a Porsche engine.

In this week’s Australia Desk:

It’s that time of year again and we’re not just meaning Spring’s inevitable hayfever allergy attacks: Yes, it’s the Qantas AGM once again!

  • Joyce forecasts red for Qantas this year as yields are expected to drop 3% across the board (no sign of increases in travellers post election).

  • Speaking of kangaroos, flying and red: a roo hopped into one of Melbourne airport’s concourse shopping areas, forcing Steve to ask if he’d just skipped through security.

  • At least Qantas has been able to get another shiny new 737-800 for their fleet, making it their 68th so far.

  • Scoot is going to start flights between Singapore and Perth with introductory fares of $88 plus taxes, fees and ancillary charges which no doubt will include baggage, check-in (with or without sabre), seating, food, drink, air, etc. etc. etc.

Find more from Grant and Steve at the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast, and follow the show on Twitter at @pcdu. Steve’s at @stevevisscher and Grant at @falcon124.

PSA-GeorgeHamlin_400

In this week’s Across the Pond segment:

This week we talk to Matt Falcus about his new book Airlines of the USA, which charts the history of the majority of the airlines that have plied their trade in the USA from the start of aviation flying through to present day. The book lists the mergers and losses of some of the greats and also manages to tell the story of the smaller airlines as well. See Matt’s Airport Spotting blog.

Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast.

Mentioned:

Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.