Aviation

Top Gun fighter jet worth £56m recovered from floor of the Mediterranean

High winds caused a £56 million Top Gun fighter plane to be blown off an aircraft carrier, but it has now been recovered.

Due to high winds caused a £56 million Top Gun fighter plane to be blown off an aircraft carrier, but it has now been recovered. Tom Cruise’s F/A-18E Super Hornet, which was flown in the most recent Maverick film, vanished overboard the USS Harry S. Truman “due to unforeseen bad weather.”

The jet was not piloted when it ran into the gusts, but one sailor from the aircraft carrier was injured. Fortunately, he is in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.

Task Force (CTF) 68 and the Supervisor of Salvage and Diving from the Naval Sea Systems Command worked together to find the aircraft at a depth of roughly 9,500 feet.

A CURV-21 remotely operated vehicle was used to rescue the aeroplane by attaching specialised rigging and lift lines to it while using the multipurpose construction vessel Everest.

The aeroplane was raised to the surface and hoisted onto Everest using a lifting hook that was fastened to the gear. After the recovery operation on August 3, the jet was brought to a nearby military installation, where it is currently being transported to the US.

“The quick response of the united team, including SUPSALV and Phoenix International personnel, allowed us to execute safe recovery operations within 27 days of the incident,” stated Lt. Cmdr. Miguel Lewis, salvage officer for the US Sixth Fleet.

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Aviation

COMAC Secures $1.5B Regional Jets Order Deal with Hainan Airlines

In a move to strengthen its fleet and boost regional service, Hainan Airlines Holding Co. announced plans to acquire 40 ARJ21-700 jets from China’s state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC). As reported by Bloomberg.
The total deal, valued at up to $1.52 billion, highlights Hainan Airlines’ commitment to expanding its domestic reach with locally manufactured aircraft. The low-cost carrier Urumqi Air, part of Hainan’s group, will operate these jets under the deal, which outlines the delivery of aircraft in batches starting in 2025 and concluding by 2032.
Air China to Launch COMAC’s C929 in a Bid to Rival Boeing and Airbus
The ARJ21-700, China’s first independently developed regional jet, is designed for short- to medium-haul routes, making it a strategic fit for Urumqi Air’s service network. This regional jet features a seating configuration of 78 to 97 passengers, comac c919 price along with a range of 2,225 to 3,700 kilometers—ideal for connecting smaller cities across China.
With this acquisition, Urumqi Air aims to further bolster regional connectivity, meeting the growing demand for efficient, economical travel options.In line with COMAC’s established naming conventions seen with the C919 narrowbody and the upcoming C929 widebody aircraft, the ARJ21-700’s designation emphasizes COMAC’s expanding product lineup.
Notably, in mid-October 2024, this updated jet model name was spotted on aircraft at Shanghai Pudong Airport, stirring anticipation about COMAC’s future plans.