Aviation

Pilots battle for flying Qantas A380, The Qantas Pilot Association objects to the new recruitment structure for pilots

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Qantas filed a lawsuit against the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA), alleging that the pilot union had prevented outside hiring for the Airbus A380.

Instead of using one of its own existing pilots while waiting for promotions, Qantas is considering hiring an outside pilot to fly the A380. Because of the rulings, the Qantas Pilot Association objected. A380 is a jumbo airplane that has a capacity of more than 450 people and will also come with additional benefits. So, for any pilot, achieving such a position to fly this huge aircraft will be a significant accomplishment.

On April 26, 2023, the airline filed a lawsuit against the union, and on May 26, 2023, Justice Goodman of Australia’s Federal Court set a hearing date.

Instead of only relying on the ranks of its current Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A330 pilots, Qantas wants to recruit pilots from outside the company for 20 highly sought-after second-officer training places on its A380 aircraft.

The airline claims that internal promotions would result in a void that couldn’t be filled quickly enough, decreasing the pool of pilots available to fulfill the booming demand for overseas flights.

Since the Australian carrier has been reintroducing more of the Super Jumbos in recent months, the Sydney Morning Herald reports that the dispute in the Fair Work petition is about who would be promoted to fly the Airbus A380. While AIPA has noted that Qantas intends to hire outsiders, doing so would violate a practise that has existed for “more than half a century” of promoting internal applicants to fill posts on larger aircraft, in this case, the A380.

Aviation

Aeroflot Buys Used Planes for Spare Parts Amid Sanctions

In the face of ongoing Western sanctions that have severely impacted Russia’s aviation industry, Aeroflot, the country’s largest airline, has devised a strategic plan to bolster its fleet’s spare parts inventory.

The airline is set to acquire five Boeing 737-800BCF freighters from Atran Airlines, a move that will allow it to dismantle the aircraft for critical components. The planes, which will be transferred to Aeroflot’s low-cost subsidiary Pobeda, will not be converted into passenger jets but instead will be stripped for valuable parts to support existing operations.

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Aeroflot’s plan to purchase these Boeing 737-800BCF freighters comes as part of a broader strategy to mitigate the effects of Western sanctions, which have crippled the Russian aviation sector. With the sanctions restricting access to essential aircraft parts and spare components, Aeroflot is exploring alternative ways to maintain and repair its fleet.

Instead of converting the freighters from cargo to passenger planes, a process deemed “unreasonably expensive” under current sanctions, the airline intends to focus on extracting high-value components such as engines, landing gear, avionics, and other essential systems.

The deal will be structured in a way that allows Aeroflot to indirectly purchase the freighters through an insurance settlement with the aircraft’s lessor, AerCap.

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The Russian government’s insurance company will reimburse the aircraft’s value, and the planes will then be leased back to local operators. This method circumvents some of the restrictions imposed by international sanctions while ensuring that the airline gains access to the necessary components to support its fleet.

By dismantling the aircraft for spare parts, Aeroflot aims to secure critical resources for the ongoing maintenance of its existing fleet. Components from the Boeing 737-800BCF freighters, such as engines and avionics, are expected to be reused in other aircraft within Aeroflot’s network, ensuring that the airline can keep its operations running smoothly