Aerospace

Runway dining in Boeing 777 proving hit in Japan

Runway dining in Boeing 777 proving hit in Japan: The global airline industry is surviving the amid quarantine and travel restriction. Many airlines are coming up with creative ideas about what to do with grounded planes during the pandemic.

Ideas like Singapore Airlines started lunch on a Stationary Airbus A380, Australia trying to get its plane in the air for the halves price for domestic travel,Taiwan’s Eva and Australia’s Qantas both started sightseeing flights which land at the same airport they take-off from and now Japan’s biggest airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) started offering the service to dine at first-class on a parked plane at $540 (£392) a meal.

Japan’s ANA dining experience takes place on a Boeing 777 parked at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. First-class seat costs around 59,800 yen and business-class costs 29,800 yen.

Last week, British Airways started first-class menu available for home delivery. There’s a choice of four different cook-at-home meal kits starting from £80.

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.