Aviation

Russian plane crash kills all 71 people on board : Accident footage.

According to Daily mail , Nadezhda Krasova, five, the youngest victim in the crash, died along with her mother Oksana Krasova, 32, after the Antonov An-148 airliner broke up in mid-air, according to eyewitness reports. The Saratov Airlines regional jet disappeared from radar screens a few minutes after departing from the capital’s Domodedovo Airport.

The wreckage of a AN-148 plane is seen in Stepanovskoye village, about 25 miles from the Domodedovo airport, Russia

Witnesses described seeing the plane 'breaking in the sky' before it came crashing down after taking off from Moscow

The An-148 was developed by Ukraine’s Antonov company in the early 2000s and manufactured in both Ukraine and Russia.

Russian state news agency Tass said the plane that crashed had been flying since 2010, with a two-year break because of a shortage of parts. The plane was ordered by Rossiya Airlines, a subsidiary of Aeroflot, but was put into storage between 2015 and 2017 because of the parts shortage.

Tass reported that it re-entered service for Saratov Airlines in February 2017. Initial Russian reports blamed weather or human error, but it was unclear how these squared with claims that the plane broke up in the sky.

Russian media reported that the emergency services were unable to reach the crash site by road and that rescue workers walked to the scene on foot. Emergency services said in a statement that more than 150 rescue workers were deployed to the site.

Aviation website FlightRadar reported the aircraft was last measured falling at a rate of 22,000ft per minute.

Fragments from the Antonov An-148 airliner were found in the Ramenskoye area, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the airport. Footage on state television showed them strewn across a snowy field with no buildings nearby.

Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said Sunday afternoon that ‘judging by everything, no one has survived this crash.’ Russia’s Investigative Committee said all possible causes were being explored.

The plane crashed, with 65 passengers and six crew aboard, just a few minutes after setting off Orsk, a city in the Urals, around 1,000 miles southeast of Moscow. Like many of the victims, Nadezhda and her mother were from Orsk, in Orenburg region, which will mark a day of mourning on Monday.

Also among the dead were Evgeny Livanov, 12, and Ilya Poletayev, 17, according to local reports. Stewardesses Anastasia Slavinskaya, 29, and Viktoria Koval, 21, and second pilot Sergey Gambaryan, 34, also died.

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.