Aerospace

Russia prohibits its pilots from working for foreign airlines.

Russia Is Blocking Its Pilots From Flying For Foreign Airlines.

As per source When a foreign airline offers a pilot a job and calls to confirm credentials, Russia frequently declines to verify a Russian pilot’s credentials. Russian authorities are employing a simple but highly effective tactic to prevent underemployed or unemployed Russian pilots from working for foreign airlines. The Federal Air Transportation Agency (Rosaviatsia) refuses to confirm details about a pilot’s licensing and work history, citing privacy concerns. As a result, Russian pilots attempting to fly for foreign airlines frequently find themselves out of luck and out of work.

A no-verification hiring policy for foreign airlines

The Russian newspaper Kommersant says that because of this tactic, hundreds of laid-off or forcibly retired pilots have been unable to find employment abroad. Rosaviatsia willingly validated a pilot’s credentials up until around six years ago, as is the custom around the world. According to the head of the Russian flight crew union, Rosaviatsia received about 600 requests for verification from international airlines between February and June, but the agency only provided confirmation about 100 of such occasions. The majority of applications have come from airlines with bases in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Turkey.

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It is not a new practice. According to the newspaper, it was created in 2016. However, the issue has received more attention as a result of sanctions that ban Russian airlines from flying to several nations and a global pilot shortage. There are many skilled pilots without jobs in Russia due to recent layoffs and the mandated retirement age of 65. The majority of pilots are fairly nomadic, travelling to where the work is. A big percentage of foreign pilots working for an airline is not unusual.

Russia wants to stop the exodus of talented pilots

A Kremlin directive to maintain the number of passengers travelling within Russia at roughly 100 million per year is the reason Rosaviatsia is currently reluctant to verify a pilot’s credentials. Longer term, Russia’s 2030 Aviation Strategy, another Kremlin pet project, aims to turn Russia’s aviation industry off its reliance on other nations, effectively transforming Russia into a domestic aviation powerhouse.

Source : Simply Flying

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.