Aviation

Boeing Celebrates 60th Anniversary of Chinook First Flight

U.S. Army Grounds Entire Fleet of Chinook Helicopters

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 21, 2021 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Chinook operators around the world today celebrated 60 years of Chinook flight as the company builds a new generation of the renowned rotorcraft. The H-47 Chinook’s prototype, known as the YCH-1B, first flew on Sept. 21, 1961. The aircraft took off in Philadelphia, the region where Boeing has built and incrementally improved every version of the Chinook rotorcraft.

In the decades since inaugural flight, Chinooks have served as the backbone of combat, logistics and humanitarian missions for the U.S. Army, Special Operations Forces and 19 international operators. Thanks to continuous manufacturing and technological advances, the aircraft is poised to serve the United States and its allies for at least another 40 years.

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“The mighty Chinook continues to be the most advanced, affordable and battle-tested heavy-lift helicopter in the world. “said Andy Builta, Boeing vice president and H-47 program manager. “This aircraft is positioned to fly for at least 100 years, and that’s a testament to the enduring partnership of Boeing, its industry partners and Chinook users across the globe.”

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The U.S. Army took delivery of its first Chinook in 1962, and three years later the aircraft flew into combat in Vietnam. Boeing later introduced the CH-47F, a modernization program that converted 472 earlier models into an essentially new fleet, more than doubling the lift capacity of the original CH-47A. Boeing also builds the MH-47, a modified series of Chinooks operated by the U.S. Army Special Operations Forces.

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Chinook is Boeing’s longest running production program and one the longest running in aviation history. In 2017, Boeing received a contract to develop the next-generation of Chinooks for the U.S. Army and Special Operations Forces. The Block II program, currently in engineering, manufacturing and development, incorporates upgrades to increase lift capability, improve commonality between U.S. Army and allied fleets, and reduce maintenance costs.

Boeing press release

Aviation

DOT Penalizes Lufthansa $4 Million for Stopping Jewish Passengers From Boarding

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has imposed a $4 million penalty on Lufthansa for discriminating against Jewish passengers traveling from New York City to Budapest via Frankfurt in May 2022. The incident marked the largest civil rights fine ever levied by the DOT against an airline.

The case stems from an incident where Lufthansa denied 128 Jewish passengers — most of whom were wearing traditional Orthodox Jewish attire — from boarding their connecting flight in Germany.

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The airline’s actions were based on the alleged misconduct of a few individuals during the first leg of the journey from John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA). However, many of those passengers did not know each other or travel as a group. DOT investigators found that Lufthansa treated them as a single entity, barring them from their connecting flight to Budapest (BUD) for the actions of a few.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the department’s commitment to protecting passengers’ rights. “No one should face discrimination when they travel, and today’s action sends a clear message to the airline industry that we are prepared to investigate and take action whenever passengers’ civil rights are violated,” he said. Buttigieg added that DOT’s increased enforcement efforts aim to ensure airlines treat all passengers with fairness and dignity.

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The investigation began after DOT received over 40 complaints from Jewish passengers affected by the incident. Despite some passengers failing to follow crew instructions on the first flight, lufthansa business lounge newark did not specifically identify any noncompliant individuals.

Instead, the airline placed a blanket hold on the tickets of over 100 passengers, preventing them from continuing their journey. lufthansa airways acknowledged that this approach could lead to excluding compliant passengers but deemed it impractical to address each case individually.