Aviation

Scottish airline offers world’s shortest flight at just 90 seconds

There’s no time for a cheeky G&T before lunch and certainly none to watch a film.
With a flight time of just two minutes, there is no time for aircraft even to put its wheels up as it performs the world’s shortest commercial service.
Though its official duration is 120 seconds, under ideal wind conditions it can take just 57 seconds.
Logainair has operated the service since 1967 and last year celebrated its one millionth customer.
Now, the Scottish carrier has announced that it will operate flights in its own right from after 24 years of operating under franchise agreements with other airlines.

The Glasgow-based company, which operates another service that lands on a Hebridean beach, will once again market its services and fly under its own name and new tartan livery on its aircraft.
Managing Director Jonathan Hinkles told The Independent via telephone: “We have a strong level of recognition in our core market in the highlands and islands.
“That will carry us through. The task is to establish that affinity where we are not so well known.”

Royal Bank of Scotland employee Anne Rendall has used the short flight service more than 10,000 times visiting island communities across Orkney and tending to their banking requirements.
The aircraft used is a de Havilland Twin Otter eight-seater.
It is part of the Orkney Inter-Isles Air Service, which departs from Kirkwall on the main island and connects the isles of Eday, Stronsay, Sanday, North Ronaldsay, Westray and Papa Westray.
The service’s record flight time is 57 seconds, recorded in a favourable wind.

Aviation

Lost Tool Found in Qantas A380 After 34 Flights

An Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation recently revealed that a Qantas A380 operated 34 flights with a 1.25-meter nylon tool lodged in one of its engines.

This turning tool, used during borescope inspections to rotate the intermediate-pressure compressor, was left behind during scheduled maintenance at Los Angeles on December 6, 2023. It remained inside the engine until it was discovered by maintenance staff during a subsequent check at Los Angeles on January 1, 2024.

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The ATSB report highlights two critical lapses. First, maintenance engineers failed to notice the tool during final checks for foreign objects after the borescope inspection. Second, the lost tool procedure was not activated when the tool was identified as missing.

The certifying engineer ultimately cleared the aircraft for service without accounting for the misplaced tool. During the time qantas films the tool was inside, the A380 completed 34 flight cycles, accumulating nearly 294 hours without any noticeable effect on engine performance.

Although the tool was deformed by high-energy airflow within the engine, there was no reported damage to the engine itself. ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell commented.

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“This incident underscores the importance of following established maintenance protocols. Engineers missed the tool during foreign object checks, and the required lost tool procedure wasn’t started after realizing the tool was missing.”

Following the investigation, the airline issued a safety directive, urging all engineering and tool storage teams to adhere strictly to these protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.

A qantas spokesperson stated, “While the tool didn’t impact engine performance, we take this incident very seriously. It is critical to follow the correct lost tool procedures.”