Aerospace

How was a Boeing 727 stolen? (And Never Found)

We’ve all heard of people stealing bikes and cars, but have you ever heard of someone taking an aeroplane, particularly a medium-range aircraft? The incident occurred in Angola in 2003.

It’s difficult to understand how they stole it, and the case has yet to yield a single hint about the missing Boeing 737 aeroplane. Let’s take a closer look at it.

The plane was taken from the airport. Two men are thought to have boarded the plane on May 25, 2003, shortly before dusk (about 17:00 local time). Ben C. Padilla, an American pilot and flight engineer, was one of them. The other, John M. Mutantu, was a Congolese mechanic hired on the job.

Both men lacked the necessary certification to fly a Boeing 727, necessitating the inclusion of a third crew member. Padilla is suspected of being at the controls, according to US investigators. Only one person was on board the plane at the time, according to an airport employee, although two males had boarded the plane before the incident, according to other airport officials.

The plane started taxiing without informing the control tower. It made erratic manoeuvres and landed on a runway without permission. The tower officers attempted to call them but received no answer.

The plane took off without lights and flew southwest over the Atlantic Ocean before disappearing. The aircraft was packed with 53,000 litres (14,000 US gal) of gasoline before the incident, giving it a range of around 2,400 kilometres (1,500 km; 1,300 nmi). Since then, neither the plane nor the two men have been seen, and no debris from the plane has been discovered on land or at sea.

The plane in question was a Boeing 727-223, which was built in 1975 and served American Airlines for 25 years. Aerospace Sales & Leasing, a Miami-based corporation, was said to be its previous owner. The plane had been stalled for 14 months at Luanda’s Quatro de Fevereiro Airport, accumulating more than $4 million in unpaid airport fees.

Later, the aviation authorities ordered an investigation, but this aircraft was nowhere to be discovered.

A Boeing 727, registration N844AA, was stolen on May 25, 2003, at Luanda’s Quatro de Fevereiro Airport, prompting a worldwide hunt by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Since then, no sign of the plane has been discovered.

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.