Airlines
‘MH370: The Plane That Disappeared’ streaming on Netflix
On March 8, 2014, Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 departed Kuala Lumpur for Beijing on a regular red-eye flight with 239 passengers and crew. No one in command could explain why the plane vanished from radar screens shortly after takeoff. The three-part speculative docuseries MH370: The Aircraft That Disappeared brings together a global network of family members, experts, and investigative journalists who are all still looking for answers nine years after the catastrophe.
Pakistan Airlines flight attendant lands in Toronto, then disappears(Opens in a new browser tab)
What really happened to MH370?
When Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 disappeared in 2014, it plunged the passengers’ next of kin into a waking nightmare. Episode 1 of MH370: The Plane That Disappeared takes a close look into the first few hours and days following the plane’s disappearance, including what happened when conspiracy theories and false accusations started to spiral out of control.
Malaysia regains US FAA’s Category 1 safety rating(Opens in a new browser tab)
Further complicating the story of the disappearance of MH370 was what happened later. In July of that same year, Malaysian Airlines lost another aircraft when MH17 was shot down by a Russian missile. It was recently confirmed by an international team of investigators that there were “strong indications” that it was approved by Russian heads of state, which Russia has denied. In Episode 2 of MH370: The Plane That Disappeared, experts discuss how the chances of two aircraft from the same airline crashing in such a short time frame are infinitesimal, causing the conspiracy theories to go even further.
Who’s featured in MH370: The Plane That Disappeared?
Jeff Wise, science journalist and author of The Plane That Wasn’t There: Why We Haven’t Found MH370, is featured in the docuseries along with reporter and foreign correspondent Florence de Changy. Many of the victims’ next of kin including families from China, Malaysia, Australia and France are interviewed. Says director Louise Malkinson, “[The families] want people to keep talking about this. The families want a platform to be able to say, ‘Come on, it’s been nine years.’ They were all united on that.”
Is the search for MH370 still ongoing?
Authorities officially ended the search for MH370 in 2017, but many independent investigators and aviation experts are still looking for answers. Says journalist Jeff Wise, as long as the plane is not found, “the entire aviation industry has an asterisk next to it.”
Airlines
S7 Group Begins Fan Blade Production for Western Engine Models
The privately-owned Russian aerospace giant S7 Group has reportedly commenced production of blades for Western-built aero engines at its subsidiary, the Berdsk Electromechanical Plant (BEMZ), located in Novosibirsk.
This development, reported by the Russian aviation publication ATO.ru, marks a significant step for the company amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.BEMZ has started manufacturing composite fan blades compatible with jet turbine engines, including the CFM International CFM56, which powers popular aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 family.
Virgin Atlantic Introduces Sign Language Crew Booking for Inclusive Flights
The technology for restoring blades of gas turbine engines used in Airbus and Boeing aircraft was previously developed by the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics and is now being implemented in the production of new aircraft parts at BEMZ.
Currently, BEMZ focuses on producing parts essential for maintaining the airworthiness of civil aircraft. Over the past year and a half, the plant has manufactured approximately 3,500 structural elements and components for replacement on foreign aircraft, which are utilized by airlines such as S7 Airlines, Pobeda, Aurora, and Aeroflot.
The facility is undergoing expansion, with two stages of an investment program totaling 2 billion roubles already completed. These developments are likely geared toward producing blades for the CFM56 engines, which equip more than half of S7’s operational fleet, including 28 Airbus A320-family aircraft and 19 Boeing 737-800s.
Qatar Airways Launches new Flights From Doha To Toronto
Vasily Yurchenko, CEO of Berdsk Electromechanical Plant, emphasized the shift in focus towards maintaining the airworthiness of the Western-made fleet. The plant has delivered thousands of components to S7 and other Russian carriers since 2022. Notably, according to Russia’s Air Operators Association, 89% of the country’s passengers in 2023 traveled aboard foreign-made aircraft.
Future plans include serious investments to transform the plant into a modern, high-tech aircraft manufacturing facility. In addition to engine blades, BEMZ is also known for producing various spare parts for aircraft, reinforcing its role in the Russian aviation industry as it adapts to new manufacturing needs.
-
Aviation1 month ago
New EU Carry-On Rules Begin September 2024: What to Expect
-
Aviation4 weeks ago
Boeing confirms 797: A New Era for Mid-Size Aircraft
-
Aviation4 weeks ago
Lockheed and Tata Team Up to Build C-130J MRO Facility in India
-
Tech1 month ago
China Developing Jet to Travel Anywhere in Two Hours
-
Aviation2 months ago
Meet WindRunner: The World’s Heaviest and Largest Aircraft Ever Built
-
Aviation2 weeks ago
Microsoft Flight Simulator Raises $3 Million to Bring Back the An-225 Mriya
-
Aviation2 months ago
Comac C919 Moves Closer to Securing EU Certification with EASA
-
Aviation2 months ago
Is HAL Planning to Fit the Rafale’s M-88 Engine into Tejas?