Aviation

Two Helicopters Collide Mid-Air In Australia

Four persons were killed in a mid-air collision between two helicopters today on Australia’s Gold Coast, according to officials, and images from the scene showed one of the helicopters’ rotors laying on a sand bank.

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The two helicopters that collided at the Sea World amusement park in Main Resort, a northern Gold Coast beach, seemed to be taking off and landing, respectively, according to acting Queensland state police inspector Gary Worrell.

#BREAKING Two helicopters collide in Southport, Australia.

3 believed to be dead, with 2 others injured as two helicopters collide near SeaWorld on the Gold Coast. Serious accident, see following tweets for updates.#Southport – #Australia @rawsalerts @IntelPointAlert pic.twitter.com/5Kjd2h33kc

— CaliforniaNewsWatch (@CANews_Watch) January 2, 2023

While one aircraft successfully touched down on a sandbar, the other left behind debris that authorities described as being impossible to access. All of the victims in the wrecked helicopter’s fatalities and three most gravely injured individuals were passengers.

Members of the public and police attempted to rescue the passengers from the upside-down aircraft, Worrell added. They also started administering first aid. Jet ski riders, family boaters, and regular citizens rushed to help these people.

#BREAKING: Emergency services are responding after a helicopter crash on the Gold Coast Broadwater at Southport.

Three people are believed dead, with two more seriously injured.

More details to come. #9News pic.twitter.com/Mmtw1ENscL

— 9News Gold Coast (@9NewsGoldCoast) January 2, 2023

Theme park employees, according to him, acted quickly to seal off the areas nearest to the collision. He said, “There was a huge, huge bang.” “Simply put, it was enormous. I’m not sure if that was the propellers or something else hitting against each other.

The event, according to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, was an unspeakable tragedy. She expressed her sincere condolences to all the families and individuals impacted by the tragic incident.

An inquiry into the crash’s cause is ongoing, according to Australian Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Angus Mitchell.

Source:

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.