Aerospace

Argentina seized a Boeing 747 in the midst of the confusion.

According to the Iranian news agency ISNA, a Boeing 747 belonging to the Iranian airline Mahan Air was detained in Argentina on Sunday.

According to ISNA, the Argentine government confiscated a Mahan Air Boeing 747 and leased it at the Buenos Aires airport to a Venezuelan state-owned airline. The report has not yet been verified by a third party.

A Boeing 747-300M with the registration YV3531 left Querétaro, Mexico, late on June 5 to transport parts to the automotive industry. Its final destination is Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza Airport. Its crew: We’ll get back to you on this as soon as we can.

Due to the fog, the plane bypassed Ezeiza and landed at 12 p.m. on June 6 in Córdoba. A few hours later, the plane took off from Cordoba to complete its voyage, arriving at Ezeiza around 3 p.m. Aside from the diversion, nothing notable has happened so far. But everything was going to change in an instant.

El Gobierno inmovilizó en Ezeiza un avión venezolano sancionado por Estados Unidos y le retuvo el pasaporte a cinco tripulantes iraníes. https://t.co/1XEkNEt8qo
— Aníbal Fernández (@FernandezAnibal) June 11, 2022

According to several sources, a number of government officials approached the 747 when it arrived in Buenos Aires. There was something weird going on with the jet, according to rumours that spread like wildfire, undeterred by poor weather.

The emphasis was concentrated on three items after clearing the cargo – there was nothing strange there, therefore the parts were released for the client to take – the aeroplane, the crew, and the aircraft.

The detention of this Boeing B747-3B3M, whose previous registration EP-MND under Iranian Mahan Airlines had been blacklisted by the US Department of Treasury 11 years ago, appears to have sparked confusion.

Within a year, the aircraft’s ownership changed, and the current registration ‘YV3531’ now belongs to ‘Emtrasur Cargo,’ a Venezuelan affiliate of Conviasa, founded in November 2021.

According to reports in the Argentine press, the plane was leased by Venezuela’s state-owned Konviasa Airlines. According to some sources, the imprisoned crew was related to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Mahan Airlines, on the other hand, disputed the accusations, claiming that the plane’s ownership had been transferred to a Venezuelan business for a year and that it had not been leased.

#B747 #Iran #Argentina #Boeing

Aerospace

Boeing’s Aurora Flight Sciences Expands Columbus Plant by 50,000 Sqft

Credit:Aurora Flight Sciences

Aurora Flight Sciences, a subsidiary of Boeing, has launched a significant expansion of its manufacturing facility near the Golden Triangle Regional Airport in Columbus, Mississippi.

This ambitious project will add 50,000 square feet of new space, renovate 40,000 square feet of the existing facility, and introduce advanced automation equipment, robotics, and non-destructive inspection technologies. mcas boeing enhancements will support the growing demand for Aurora’s aerospace systems business.

Since its establishment, Aurora Mississippi has specialized in the production of advanced composite components and assemblies for both military and commercial aircraft. The company first opened in 2005 at Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory in Starkville before relocating to its current site in Columbus two years later.

Initially occupying 21,000 square feet, the facility has since grown to encompass over 120,000 square feet, featuring cutting-edge manufacturing technologies such as automated fiber placement. Aurora’s latest expansion is a strategic investment aimed at increasing production capacity for composite components like boeing titanium used in executive jets and the MQ-25TM Stingray composite skins, a key project for its parent company, Boeing.

Additionally, the facility will produce components for NASA’s X-66 sustainable flight demonstrator aircraft, further diversifying its portfolio. Currently employing around 100 full-time staff in Mississippi, Aurora plans to hire more than 60 additional team members by the end of 2025.

Aurora’s expansion project underscores its commitment to Mississippi’s growing aerospace and advanced manufacturing sector. The company maintains strong partnerships with Mississippi State University (MSU) and East Mississippi Community College (EMCC), contributing to research, higher education, and workforce development in advanced manufacturing.

Additionally, Aurora actively supports local K-12 STEM education through summer camps and collaborates with high school vocational education programs. The expansion and renovation project will be carried out in phases over the next two years, with completion expected by 2026. This development marks a significant milestone in Aurora’s ongoing growth and its role in advancing aerospace manufacturing in Mississippi.