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.

Source:

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.

United Airlines Brings Holiday Cheer with Free North Pole Flights

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.

Top 10 World’s Busiest Airports of 2024

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