Trivia 2021 (miscellaneous news)

[Homo Aeroportus]

What the Herk?

Three USAF Herky Birds coming from Ramstein are currently meandering North of EBCV.

They then overflew Chievres and continue in the area at 1600ft.

HKY80 = 08-8601
HKY83 = 16-5883
HKY84 (tagged 80 on the screenshot) = 07-8609

H.A.

[Passenger]

European Commission :
"European Green Deal - 14/07/2021: European Commission proposes transformation of EU economy and society to meet climate ambitions"
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pressco ... ip_21_3541

IATA :
"Tax is not the Answer to Aviation Sustainability"
https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/pr/2021-07-14-01/

Europeans for Fair Competition :
"E4FC welcomes the ambition of the “Fit for 55” package but calls for a competitive and sustainable aviation industry on a global level"
https://www.aviation24.be/organisations ... bal-level/

[sn26567]

Singapore Airlines gains fifth-freedom rights within Europe and will carry travellers between Berlin and Athens effective on 10 August 2021. The flights originating from Singapore will operate with a Boeing 787-8.

[Passenger]

European Commission :
"...European Green Deal - 14/07/2021: European Commission proposes transformation of EU economy and society to meet climate ambitions..."
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pressco ... ip_21_3541

IATA :
"...Tax is not the Answer to Aviation Sustainability..."
https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/pr/2021-07-14-01/

Europeans for Fair Competition :
"...E4FC welcomes the ambition of the “Fit for 55” package but calls for a competitive and sustainable aviation industry on a global level..."
https://www.aviation24.be/organisations ... bal-level/

Airports Council International - ACI Europe:
"...Europe's ‘Fit for 55’ transformative challenge requires close alignment with the aviation sector’s net zero roadmap..."
https://www.aci-europe.org/media-room/3 ... admap.html

[sdbelgium]

Singapore Airlines gains fifth-freedom rights within Europe and will carry travellers between Berlin and Athens effective on 10 August 2021. The flights originating from Singapore will operate with a Boeing 787-8.

They will be operated by their LCC Scoot as SIN-ATH-BER-ATH-SIN.

[Passenger]

Lionel Messi: Barcelona-Paris Le Bourget:
https://www.flightradar24.com/VJT783/28bae46a

[sn26567]

Aer Lingus (UK), the British subsidiary of the Irish carrier, has secured its Operating License from the UK CAA, allowing the company to undertake transatlantic scheduled passenger services between the UK and the US.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/tra ... -1.4644595

I wonder why those UK-US flights cannot be operated by sister company British Airways?

[sn26567]

In the RDC, you can experience all kinds of mishaps, but this is the first time I see this one:

[Passenger]

In the RDC, you can experience all kinds of mishaps, but this is the first time I see this one:

.

Some background on these Congolese wewa drivers:
https://scooprdc.net/2021/08/15/irrespo ... -la-piste/

[rwandan-flyer]

More competition for Brussels Airlines in Gambia.

Air France expands operations in Africa with new route to Banjul

From 1 November 2021, Air France will add Banjul to its network – the airline will link Banjul to its global hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle with four weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays during the 2021-2022 winter season.

https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/headl ... -to-banjul

[globetrotter]

Air India resumed service to Moscow in March with 787 operating to Sheremetyevo airport as it did till 1990s, flight is from Delhi currently just once weekly. Service was terminated a few years back due to it being unprofitable, AI was using Domodedovo airport back then and had also deployed A320neo/A321 on the route.

[sn26567]

After its investment in RwandAir and in Kigali airport, Qatar Airways is in talks to acquire a stake in Air Cote d’Ivoire, and rejuvenate the fleet of the African airline.

[rwandan-flyer]

SV serves Nairobi also from Jeddah

Saudia Begin Flights to Nairobi and Entebbe

If you’re Looking to get-away, Saudia, the flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia intends to begin a nonstop service to two new cities in East Africa from its operational base in Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport later this year.

Flights to Entebbe International Airport, Uganda are available for sale beginning 3rd November and will operate 2X-weekly using the A330-300 airliner.

The airline also plans to operate the Riyadh to Nairobi route once a week beginning 7th October 2021 and will deploy its A330-300 Regional jetliner specially optimised for its most in-demand route.

Reservations are not currently available. https://airspace-africa.com/2021/09/20/ ... d-entebbe/

Competition to UAE with EK, FlyDubai and soon Uganda Airliens for point to point trafic

Air Arabia launches new flights to Entebbe in Uganda


https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/a ... -in-uganda

[sn26567]

Danish Air Transport retires its sole MD83. MSN 49936 — the last one in Europe. The end of an era!

[MD-11forever]

Danish Air Transport retires its sole MD83. MSN 49936 — the last one in Europe. The end of an era!

In Western Europe, this is correct. But the Bulgarian airline European Air Charter still operates 8 MD-82s for the moment.

[rwandan-flyer]

FedEx is seeking to open a base at Nairobi

Kenya Airways receives nod to fly past New York in US

[...]

Kenya signed the deal with the US on February 5, 2020 proposing to revise an earlier agreement inked in Washington DC on June 8, 2008.

The pact will also allow national airlines such as Kenya Airways to access US routes and the American carriers to access the Kenyan market.

Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia told MPs that no airline from the US is flying into Kenya.

He said ratification of the agreement will allow the Federal Express Corporation (FedEx) of the US which had expressed interest in starting cargo operations and establish a base in Kenya.

FedEx is seeking to establish an operation base at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

“It is in the interest of the country to ratify the agreement to allow the airlines to expand their route network and engage in commercial arrangements as well as create job opportunities,” Mr Macharia said in a memo.

Transport ministry said ratification of the agreement will enhance trade and commerce, tourism, market access and connectivity, investment interests and mutual cooperation between the two States.

The National Assembly’s Transport committee, in a report to the House said commencement of FedEx cargo operations and a base in Kenya would have a multiplier effect on the Kenyan economy as it will open up immense opportunities for Kenyans.

The team said the agreement will open expanded operations and markets for Kenya and US air operators, facilitate the movement of goods, passengers and mail, offering more flexibility in meeting demands and customer needs.

https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/n ... us-3568050

[Passenger]

It's always nice to see an old aviation photo in a recent news article.
The photo in this news story from today is at least 32 years old:
https://www.hln.be/buitenland/gezochte- ... ~a34ddd23/

History SE-DEH:
https://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/Re ... DEH/858385

[rwandan-flyer]

More competition for Brussels Airlines in Gambia.

Air France expands operations in Africa with new route to Banjul

From 1 November 2021, Air France will add Banjul to its network – the airline will link Banjul to its global hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle with four weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays during the 2021-2022 winter season.

https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/headl ... -to-banjul

Loads seems to be very high (or demand to BKO is high) . AF planned to use the A330-200. They use the B777-200ER and tomorrow the B777-300ER

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/af536

[Homo Aeroportus]

Galileo, Satellite launches.

This night, Friday 03DEC 00h27 UTC, two satellites will be launched from Kourou by a Soyuz-ST supplemented with a Fregat upper stage necessary to reach the orbit altitude of 23000km.
These satellites, Galileo FOC-23 and -24, are the first of “Batch 3” of the EUSPA (European Union Space Programme Agency). They will join 18 other “FOC” and 3 “IOV” Galileo satellites already in orbit and operational.
FOC : Full Operational Capability.
IOV : In Orbit Validation

Batch-3 consists of 12 satellites in total with 2 launches of again 2 satellites each planned for 2022. The balance will follow during the subsequent years.
The Galileo system will be considered as complete when 30 satellites are in orbit, with 24 in service and 6 hot spares.

https://www.esa.int/Applications/Naviga ... for_launch

https://www.euspa.europa.eu/galileo-launch-11


H.A.

[globetrotter]

Indian carriers Indigo and Spicejet had been operating quarantine charters to Belgrade, for those wanting to go to USA without vaccination, things have changed since, as US has made vaccination mandatory for all incoming air travellers since November.

Flights made tech stops at Istanbul by Indigo, while Spicejet used Tbilisi and Kutaisi in Georgia.