Investigators have recovered the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Digital Flight Data Acquisition Unit (DFDAU) from the wreckage of the Air India Express aircraft that crashed while attempting to land at India’s Mangalore airport early in the morning on 22 May. The Boeing 737-800 was en route from Dubai when it overshot the runway and crashed in a ravine at the end of Runway 24 at Mangalore Airport in southern India before bursting into flames. There are eight survivors from the … [Read more...] about INDIA & MIDDLE EAST: Air India Express ‘black boxes’ recovered

Mandala has announced plans to commence international flights starting with Singapore, Macau and Hong Kong from two Indonesian cities: Jakarta and Balikpapan. The international routes, a first for Mandala, will commence from 25 June 2010. President director of Mandala Diono Nurjadin stated that the regional service was a response to the increasing demand from both business and leisure travellers. “Indonesia, Singapore, Macau and Hong Kong have been the centre of business and … [Read more...] about INDONESIA: Indonesia’s Mandala goes international

Global semiconductor sales, which have declined in the last two years, are set to rebound strongly with growth of 30.6 per cent this year, the iSuppli market research group says in a new forecast. The projected growth follows a 15.4 per cent decline in semiconductor sales in 2009, to US$229.9 billion, a drop that helped drag down cargo volumes in the air freight industry, where the transport of high-priced, low-weight chips is an anchor commodity. The expansion will add some US$70 billion in … [Read more...] about SOUTH KOREA: Chip sales forecast to grow 30 per cent

Korean Air will increase its flights between Incheon and Honolulu from seven to 10 flights a week, starting 12 June 2010. The flights will utilise A330- 600 aircraft. … [Read more...] about SOUTH KOREA: Korean Air increases Honolulu service

Japan’s transport ministry has announced that international scheduled flights may begin operating from Haneda Airport (formally Tokyo International Airport) from 31 October 2010. It also announced that the airport’s fourth runway and new international passenger terminal will be opened for use from 21 October 2010. “The launch of more international routes from Haneda Airport and its latest international passenger terminal is strategically important to JAL, and … [Read more...] about JAPAN: JAL gives Haneda announcement thumbs up

A B747 freighter was diverted to Adelaide, Australia last month after smoke was reported in the cockpit. The aircraft, operated by Southern Air, had been flying from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur when the pilot diverted to Adelaide Airport. Airservices Australia had firefighters on standby after the pilot raised the alarm but they were not needed and Qantas engineers in Adelaide subsequently checked the aircraft. … [Read more...] about AUSTRALIA & NZ: Smoke forces B747F diversion to Adelaide