Aviation

Chilean Air Force finds debris believed to be from missing plane

The Chilean Air Force reports that on Wednesday, December 11, while the search for the wrecked aircraft was being carried out, sponge remains were found floating in the sea 30 kilometers south of the position of the last contact of the C-130.

The finding was made by the Chilean flag vessel Antartic Endevour and would indicate that they could be part of the remains of the sponges of the internal fuel tanks of the C-130, wing ponds, which are being recovered to be transferred to the continent in order to make the corresponding expert reports and determine reliably if they correspond to the C-130 Hercules airplane of the Institution.

AIRCRAFT SEARCH WORK C-130 IS MADE IN QUADRANTS

Air and naval media combine to explore the area in which it is working.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Air Brigade, General of the Air Brigade (A) Eduardo Mosqueira Cruz, reported on Wednesday, December 11 that the search for the missing C-130 Hercules aircraft is being carried out on an area of 700 kilometers per 250 kilometers above the Drake Sea.
From Chabunco Air Base, IVth Air Brigade, General Mosqueira explained that the methodology allows combining air and naval means to explore the area.

The search involves 15 air means of the Chilean Air Force, 5 of the Navy, 6 international air means, in addition to 3 international satellites in addition to the FASat-Charlie Satellite of Chile.

As for naval media, ships of the Chilean Navy, the Argentine Navy and the Brazilian Navy are also working on this operation, as well as civil vessels.

Aviation

Airbus Plans Cockpit Toilet to Make Single-Pilot Operations a Reality

In a bold move aimed at cutting costs, Airbus is exploring the possibility of installing a potty-style toilet right behind the Captain’s seat on its A350 long-haul aircraft. According to the reports from paddleyourownkanoo.com

This proposal is part of the ongoing effort to implement Extended Minimum Crew Operations (eMCO), a concept that could revolutionize the aviation industry by reducing the number of pilots required on ultra-long-haul flights.

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Currently, on long flights, two pilots stay in the cockpit while the others rest in a separate compartment. However, under eMCO, one pilot could be alone in the cockpit for up to three hours while the other sleeps. The goal is to reduce crew costs and improve airline efficiency, as fewer pilots would be needed for these flights.

But this proposal has raised concerns from pilot unions, who worry about safety and the challenges of single-pilot operations. To address the issue of bathroom breaks, Airbus suggests installing a radio-equipped toilet in the cockpit, allowing the pilot to use it without leaving their seat.

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If the pilot needs to use the toilet, the second pilot would have to be woken up, terminating the eMCO process temporarily.

If successful, Airbus plans to begin testing this system on its A350 aircraft as soon as 2027, with single-pilot operations possibly being introduced on freighter Airbus A320s within the next five years.