End of the McDonnell-Douglas MD-11!

 Is this the final demise of the McDonnell-Douglas MD-11?

These aircraft operated by United Parcels Services (UPS) and FedEx have now been stood down, but is this really the end of them or will they be scrapped, after ten years of the last incident called for their retirement in the freight business for postal services or other unknown or not disclosed loads!

The history of this type has been successful, but the earlier version the DC-10-30 had a engine tail flaring problem, which lead to disaster and great loss of life?

The MD-11 was to be more, but safety concerns drove into its current role, but these aircraft are old and no match for say the Boeing 777-300/X or the earlier 747-300/400. It is not clear what other operators may do in Europe and other parts of the world!

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EASTER is still On!

More Air Freighters?

Most of the aircraft now flying across Europe and the Atlantic are air freighters, carrying essential equipment to combat COVID-19 which is a new plague for the 21st Century! Compared to one hundred and one years ago air travel is now far more complicated than those flimsy light bi-planes that could only carry two people and a bag of mail?

The jet engine in commercial airlines from the 1950's revolutionised air travel world-wide and with various military conversions, such as the Boeing 707 made dedicated air freight big business until the arrival of the of the 747 Jumbo in 1967-71!

Today a whole host of older aircraft fly postal and for Amazon supplies, some airlines as mentioned last time are civilian contractors for the U.S. military or Israel/N.A.T.O! Russia has its own dedicated fleets too built up from the now defunct TU-154M that had a chequered history and the newer Ilyushin Il-76 and its many newer developments!

Meanwhile many smaller propeller air craft are deployed daily, both civil and military to carry medications, sick people and other essential supplies. Helicopters are now an essential in rescue, air ambulance and police work, some may be replaced by drones and despite much promises we are not quite yet there with the big stuff?

Easter blessings to one and all!

Air Shows Cancelled 2020!

Freighter Aviation Continues?

Bums on seats one would think makes the airline industry work, but it actually the cargo in the holds of most commercial aircraft that make the income!

There are many older aircraft by tradition in the aviation industry for freight, but now many new types such as the Boeing 777 are filling that role too. 

Most of the Amazon parcels come from the United States through FedEx and business post through UPS and DHL, but their are equally as many lesser known companies moving pharmaceuticals, military hardware and prisoners from A to B/Z by Kalitta, Wamos and various other Boeing 747 Jumbo's?

We will have to see how far things are going to develop with this COVID-19 virus, to see if air freight will be curtailed? 

One thinks not since China is now recovering well and they will have a monopoly over the Pacific region, airlines such as Cathy and EVA-Evergreen will hold their ground with Japanese ANA Cargo and S-Korean Cargo.

I think all air shows across Europe have been called off and many trade fares also since the shaky response to the recent Singapore show, were sales were fine but not much human life was seen?

Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey!

Aviation Breakthrough?

The Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey is one of the most unstable flying machines to master today in aviation and yet it is now leading to many new ideas in relation to both the helicopter and the airliner coming together in one machine which will perhaps in the next one-hundred years change aviation for ever?

To have an aircraft to fly medium distances and then land like a hovering helicopter, would cut out the need for long runways and open the possibility of landing on individual pads per building? This is a short term goal, but it would not for some time replace long haul travel or freighter work and the need for large aircraft and long runways?

Today the United States have developed a newer and more stable version of this long time original, initially like the Osprey this version is for the military? But civil concepts and ideas are flowing of the design pages and so we may see a different sky scape in fifty years from now?