Securing the Homeland

Northern Strike 24-2 replicates aerial threats

Story by Tech. Sgt. Tristan Viglianco 

Cruise missiles and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are an emerging challenge our nation’s Air Force will face in the future. Northern Strike (NS) 24-2 is replicating this threat with several unique platforms designed to train various skills such as: detection, identification, destruction, and command and control (C2) in a live-fly environment.

Over the course of exercise, August 3-17, Air National Guard (ANG) F-16 Fighting Falcons, from the 113th Wing, District of Columbia ANG, Joint Base Andrews, Md, and the 180th Fighter Wing (FW), Ohio ANG, Toledo Air National Guard Base (ANGB), Ohio will train against these threats. Pilots will fly sorties out of either their home station, the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) or Oscoda–Wurtsmith Airport in Northern Michigan.

“One of the Air National Guard top priorities is defending the homeland. Additionally, our Airmen expect to face similar challenges in overseas deployments,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Nicholas Smith, Michigan National Guard (MING), deputy J7. “Northern Strike presents unique training opportunities to warfighters, allowing them to train for scenarios they’ll unlikely encounter in their normal day to day readiness training.”

According to Smith, the exercise is spending approximately $1 million to replicate various aerial threats, with ANG F-16s from the 122nd FW, Indiana ANG, Fort Wayne ANGB, Ind., and small microjets.

“In the past, NS has used various electronic warfare capabilities to simulate various surface threats to aircraft,” said Smith. “For the first time, NS is using a combination of ANG aircraft that replicate cruise missile flight characteristics alongside microjets with small radar cross sections to simulate a wide variety of emerging threats, such as adversaries small UAS platforms.”

Cathay unveils ‘Song of Cathay’, its new sonic branding that captures the love for travel and aviation

The new song deepens Cathay’s emotional connection with customers and extends its purpose to move people forward in life

Cathay has released its new sonic branding, Song of Cathay — an uplifting, inspirational and journey-like musical composition designed to forge deeper ties with customers and create an auditory expression of its purpose to move people forward in life.

Adding a new dimension to Cathay’s already established brand identity, Song of Cathay draws inspiration from its heritage as a leading airline and travel brand. The musical composition, instrumentation and arrangements come together to captivate customers by evoking fond memories of travel, capturing the spirit of adventure, and exuding the warm sense of hospitality that embodies every journey flown with Cathay Pacific.

Customers can experience the new soundtrack designed by sonic branding agency Sixième Son through a wide range of touchpoints. Song of Cathay will be progressively rolled out and played in Cathay Pacific’s lounges and aircraft, in the Cathay Shop at Cityplaza, and on Cathay’s mobile apps, global contact centre hotlines and Spotify playlists, creating a holistic brand experience whenever customers engage with Cathay. ​

To celebrate the launch, Cathay collaborated with the Asian Youth Orchestra to bring Song of Cathay to life. The orchestra recorded the new sonic identity at its Rehearsal Camp in Tianjin last month and debuted it during its concert “Celebrating 34 Years of Excellence” at Hong Kong City Hall on 3 August as part of its Asian Concert Tour. Cathay has long been a supporter of youth development, arts and culture in Hong Kong, and has been a sponsor of the Asian Youth Orchestra since its inception in 1990.

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Cathay Group Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said: “It has always been our mission to connect and move people forward in life through the Cathay experience. Song of Cathay is an audio representation of not just who we are as a brand, but also the journey we have been on and are moving towards. Our longstanding support for Hong Kong’s development of youth, arts and culture is also vividly captured in the tune, which seeks to inspire communities, ignite creativity and add to the vibrant fabric of our city.”

Cathay General Manager of Brand, Insights and Marketing Communications Edward Bell said: “Music is a unifying language that brings people together by transcending cultures and boundaries. We have put a great deal of thought and effort into bringing our sonic branding vision to life, and we hope this distinct tune will strike a resonant chord with our customers from all around the world, forming a new and crucial component of the Cathay identity while building upon our ‘Move Beyond’ spirit.”
Sixieme Son Global Managing Director Laurent Cochini said: “With this sonic identity, Cathay conjures an extraordinarily imaginary world and the promise of a beautiful journey. Song of Cathay is a poetic burst that embraces the brand's strong roots and international vocation, conveying its leadership, expertise, passion, and commitment. Conceived as a timeless waltz, the piece is a musical odyssey that tells the brand’s ambition to move people emotionally and forward.”
The Air101 team definitely approve of Song for Cathay,  it evokes emotions and images of Cathay, of Hong Kong, of flight, of reputation, of service and puts into sound what a rich heritage the Cathay brand enjoys.  The music is both uplifting and emotive, but beyond that, it is identifiable as 'Cathay' or as belonging to the Cathay Group, which is ideal.  Plus, even after only a couple of plays, some of our team found themselves humming it quite some time later in the day.     


 to Song of Cathay as well as the creation process, please visit Cathay’s website: https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_HK/about-us/cathay-stories.html

Aeroflot's most popular routes for the first half of the year..

The Russian airline Aeroflot has released figures for its growth despite sanctions and airspace closures.  The carrier carried 4.2 million passengers on its own international flights, which is 34.1% more than in the first half of 2023.

The most popular international destinations in terms of the number of transported passengers in the first half of 2024 were*:

Moscow — Istanbul — Moscow (320.1K passengers)

Moscow — Phuket — Moscow (245.2K passengers)

Moscow — Dubai — Moscow (236.9K passengers)

Moscow — Antalya — Moscow (229.4K passengers)

Moscow — Yerevan — Moscow (227.3K passengers)

The most popular domestic destinations in terms of the number of transported passengers in the first half of 2024 were*:

Moscow — Sochi — Moscow (863,278 passengers)

Moscow — Saint Petersburg - Moscow (786,225 passengers **)

Moscow — Kaliningrad — Moscow (502,839 passengers)

Moscow — Yekaterinburg — Moscow (463,207 passengers)

Moscow — Mineralnye Vody — Moscow (418,609 passengers)

Moscow — Vladivostok — Moscow (418,154 passengers)

Moscow — Kazan — Moscow (371,723 passengers)

Moscow — Ufa — Moscow (329,427 passengers)

Moscow — Samara — Moscow (320,085 passengers)

Moscow — Chelyabinsk — Moscow (299,710 passengers)

*Only own Aeroflot flights are counted excluding affiliated airlines.

**Taking into account Rossiya Airlines, the total passenger traffic in the first half of the year amounted to a record 1,499,426 people.

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New routes....

The Russian carrier is resuming direct scheduled flights to Thailand from Yekaterinburg. 

Archer unveils plans for an air taxi network in Los Angeles....

Archer plans to launch the network in Los Angeles to replace one-to-two-hour drives with 10-20 minute electric flights

Archer’s planned network includes take-off and landing locations at Los Angeles International Airport, University of Southern California, Orange County, Santa Monica, Hollywood Burbank, Long Beach and Van Nuys

Archer Aviation has released plans to launch a Los Angeles air mobility network as early as 2026 that will change how Southern California residents and visitors commute, travel and spend their free time.

The goal is for passengers to be able to go to a nearby vertiport, or vertical take-off and landing location, and then fly 10-20 minutes in Archer’s Midnight aircraft to their destination of choice within the network—saving hours versus sitting in traffic.

Archer’s planned network includes vertiports at key locations such as Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Orange County, Santa Monica, Hollywood Burbank, Long Beach and Van Nuys. Archer’s goal is to begin its LA network operations by as early as 2026.

As part of its network planning, Archer is coordinating with the Los Angeles Rams to collaborate on potential exclusive vertiports at Woodland Hills and at Hollywood Park, the near 300-acre district centered around the 3.1 million square-foot SoFi Stadium.

The University of Southern California is also engaged to be part of Archer’s planned LA network. Over the next two years, Archer and USC will develop plans for converting USC’s existing heliports for Midnight and other vertical take off and landing aircraft. USC’s ultimate goal is to offer visitors an easy, quick and sustainable way to get to and from its campus, sports facilities and hospitals in the future.

“This is a big moment for Archer. Establishing our LA network ahead of the global events that are coming to the region over the next four years is a milestone that will put Midnight on display for the whole world to see,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO of Archer. “LA is known for its horrendous traffic—our goal is to offer a safer, faster and sustainable alternative travel option.”

Midnight, Archer’s piloted, four-passenger electric aircraft, will play a crucial role in this network. Midnight is designed to offer passengers a sustainable, low-noise, and safe alternative to ground transportation:

Travels at speeds up to 150 mph, turning hour-long ground commutes into minutes in the air

Designed for back-to-back flights of 20-50 miles with minimal charge time in between

100x quieter than a helicopter at cruising altitudes

Redundant systems across the aircraft allowing Archer to target similar levels of safety as commercial airliners

Designed to carry a pilot, up to four passengers and carry-on luggage

Governor Gavin Newsom commented, “California is showing the world what’s possible when you embrace innovation, entrepreneurship and clean energy to help solve your biggest challenges. Homegrown companies like Archer Aviation are pioneering the next generation of zero-emission transportation that will help California cut pollution, clean our air and reduce traffic.”

“We are excited about the opportunity to bring Archer’s game-changing technology to Hollywood Park,” said Los Angeles Rams President Kevin Demoff. “This underscores our commitment to enhancing the guest experience as we continue to build this transformative global destination for sports and entertainment.”

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TRU Simulation delivers Cessna Citation Longitude full-flight simulator to FlightSafety International

This week, TRU Simulation confirmed the Federal Aviation Administration Level D certification and delivery of a Cessna Citation Longitude Full Flight Simulator (FFS) for FlightSafety International’s Columbus, Ohio Learning Center. The new simulator will support FlightSafety in providing quality training services for Textron Aviation’s flagship super-midsize Cessna Citation jet.

TRU Simulation + Training Inc., an affiliate of Textron Aviation Inc., is a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company that designs, manufactures and delivers high-fidelity training devices and full-motion flight simulators for civil and defense customers.

“At TRU, the team is committed to delivering cutting-edge training tools that enable pilots to achieve their goals,” said Jerry Messaris, vice president and general manager, TRU Simulation. “Supplying high-fidelity simulators to FlightSafety aids in expanding access to excellent aviation training for pilots across the globe, and our state-of-the-art technology ensures safe and realistic training experiences.”

FlightSafety International and TRU Simulation formed a joint venture in 2019 to better support customers’ global training needs. This will be the second Cessna Citation Longitude Full Flight Simulator delivered to the Columbus, Ohio Training Center and the third built as part of the joint venture of TRU Simulation and FlightSafety International.

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TRU Simulation + Training Inc., an affiliate of Textron Aviation Inc., is a leading provider of high-fidelity training devices and full-motion simulators for the aviation industry. With a strong commitment to excellence and innovation, TRU Simulation has been at the forefront of flight simulation technology for over a decade.

International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations issues statement on Brazil crash.

The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA), which represents more than 100,000 pilots in nearly 100 countries. The mission of IFALPA is to promote the highest level of aviation safety worldwide and to be the global advocate of the piloting profession, providing representation, services, and support to both our members and the aviation industry, has issued the following statement in the wake of the crash of an ATR72 yesterday. 

"The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Association is closely monitoring the developments related to the accident of Voepass Linhas Aéreas Flight 2Z-2283, an ATR-72 aircraft that came down in the town of Vinhedo, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo.

Our thoughts are with the friends and families of the reported 58 passengers and four crew members that were onboard the aircraft.

IFALPA stresses the need to avoid speculation as to what happened in the course of this tragic event. The investigation into the circumstances of the accident should strictly follow the provisions laid out in ICAO Annex 13.

The Federation has reached out to its Brazilian Member Association, Sindicato Nacional dos Aeronautas (SNA) and will keep its resources at the disposal of the Brazilian Accident Investigation Agency CENIPA in order to help gather facts and any other information which may be pertinent."

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Plans to upgrade airspace unveiled by UK regulator

Plans to modernise the UK’s airspace by 2040 has taken a significant step forward, with the UK Civil Aviation Authority outlining how the motorway of the skies could change over the next seven years.

The aviation and aerospace regulator has published its ‘Airspace Modernisation Strategy, Part 3: Deployment Plan’, a significant milestone in the once-in-a-generation work to modernise the UK’s airspace.

Publication of the plan signifies a crucial step forward with the UK Civil Aviation Authority setting out the key activities and milestones the industry and regulator will need to deliver together, alongside the regulatory frameworks it will set.

This includes projects looking at how new airspace users, such as drones and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, can fly safely in the same airspace as other aircraft.

It also includes work looking at the services needed to support all airspace users, and the technology that needs to be developed for aircraft to detect and avoid each other.

Rob Bishton, Chief Executive of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said:   "Overhauling our airspace is a long-term and complex endeavour, requiring concerted efforts and collaboration from the aerospace industry. It is key to enabling new and innovative technologies to thrive in UK aerospace.

Our delivery plan sets out the main priorities for the coming years, providing a framework for co-ordinated action and accountability.

It not only outlines our strategic priorities, but also is a blueprint for industry to engage and contribute towards the vision of a modernised airspace for the UK."

ATSG Delivers Boeing 767-300 Freighter to Euroavia Airlines

Air Transport Services Group,  announced this week that its subsidiary, Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM), has leased a Boeing 767-300 converted freighter to New York-based SLG Worldwide, who will sublease the aircraft to Euroavia Airlines, a cargo airline headquartered in Larnaca, Cyprus.

“SLG Worldwide is an experienced provider of logistics and aviation services around the world,” said Mike Berger, chief executive officer of ATSG. “Our leasing arrangement with SLG Worldwide in support of a new cargo airline exemplifies the attractiveness of our Lease+Plus package. We can support a new carrier with access to multiple services, including maintenance, ensuring timely delivery of additional capacity to the Eurasia markets.”

"We are thrilled to partner with ATSG to expand capacity with this Boeing 767-300 freighter," stated Martin Zhu, chairman of Euroavia Airlines. "This addition will significantly enhance our ability to serve the growing demand in the Eurasia & Middle East region, providing reliable and efficient cargo services."

ATSG Reports Second Quarter 2024 Results

Air Transport Services Group, the leading provider of medium wide-body freighter aircraft leasing, contracted air transportation, and related services, today reported consolidated financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024. Those results, as compared with the same period in 2023, were as follows:

Revenues of $488 million, versus $529 million

GAAP Earnings per Share (diluted) from Continuing Operations of $0.11, versus $0.49

GAAP Pretax Earnings from Continuing Operations of $10.7 million, versus $49.7 million

Adjusted Pretax* Earnings of $17.3 million, versus $57.9 million

Adjusted EPS* of $0.19, versus $0.57

Adjusted EBITDA* of $130.4 million, versus $157.1 million

Free Cash Flow was $91.8 million, versus negative $1.3 million

Salt Lake City International Airport and Sky Harbour announce hangar campus development

Salt Lake City International Airport and Sky Harbour Group Corporation (NYSE American: SKYH, SKYH WS) announced today the execution of a lease agreement for the development of a Sky Harbour Home Base hangar campus on 8.4 acres at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), serving Salt Lake City and the greater Rocky Mountain region.

The Sky Harbour campus will offer “the best Home Base in business aviation” and compliment Sky Harbour’s current development at Centennial Airport (APA) in Denver to house the Rocky Mountain area’s top corporate and privately-owned business jets in state-of-the art hangars, with line-services dedicated exclusively to based tenants, offering “the shortest time to wheels-up in business aviation.” The campus is expected to create or sustain hundreds of local jobs and generate significant economic benefits for the State of Utah, Salt Lake City, and Salt Lake City International Airport.

“Sky Harbour will not only greatly enhance the campus of the SLC International Airport but will benefit the city, state and region as well,” said Bill Wyatt, executive director, Salt Lake City Department of Airports. “We look forward to working with Sky Harbour to augment SLC’s business aviation industry.”

VoePass ATR 72-500 crashes in Brazil

A Voepass ATR 72-500 has crashed in Vinhedo, São Paulo, Brazil, today with up to 62 people onboard.  The aircraft, registration PS-VPB was 14 years old and was operating PTB2283/2Z2283 from Cascavel to Guarulhos when the incident took place. 

The cause is not yet known and an investigation has already been started. Various videos shared online seem to show the aircraft spinning with virtually no forward speed before plummeting to the ground and erupting in a mass of smoke and flame. 

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pic.twitter.com/fn26zjI00e

— Nahoum (@siganahoum) August 9, 2024

 BREAKING A Voepass ATR-72 has crashed in Sao Paulo, Brazil (airlive.net)

Loss of control Accident ATR 72-500 (72-212A) PS-VPB, Friday 9 August 2024 (flightsafety.org)

Aviation Capital Group announces the delivery of one Airbus A321neo to Condor

Aviation Capital Group, a premier global full-service aircraft asset manager, announced the delivery of one A321neo to Condor Flugdienst. The Airbus jet is powered by the ultra-efficient Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, this is the second of four aircraft scheduled to deliver to the airline.

ACG specializes in commercial aircraft leasing and aviation finance. In addition to aircraft leasing services, we provide aircraft asset management solutions tailored to meet our customers’ fleet management needs.

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Everyone can do their bit for the climate

CO2 emissions and climate protection are increasingly in focus when flying: Anyone flying on vacation or to visit family and friends can now choose how they want to contribute to a cleaner and better future with Condor. Condor is offering various packages on all flights with which customers can support the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and selected climate protection projects. Initially, they support three specific projects that Condor has selected together with the non-profit climate protection organization myclimate. The amount of the voluntary climate contribution can be determined during the booking process or afterwards up until departure.
From now on, Condor guests will also receive information on how much CO2 is produced on average for the seat they have booked. There is a total of eight climate packages to choose from. The first climate package of 50 kg CO2 can also be booked by existing customers for EUR 19.99. Those who would like to take into account the journey to the airport as well as the flight can also purchase climate contributions for larger amounts of CO2 than those incurred for their own Condor flight via Condor.
Peter Gerber, CEO at Condor: “A sense of responsibility and sustainability are an essential part of our corporate culture. We are aware that the ecological impact of our actions must be considered to ensure long-term business success - both at our company location in Germany and in the numerous destinations we fly to.”

The three selected projects will be implemented in Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. Specifically, this involves a support program for the expansion of agroforests in German-speaking countries, low-emission stoves in rural regions of Kenya and a solar power plant in the Dominican Republic.
In addition to the introduction of the climate contribution, Condor supports the aviation industry's goal of being CO2-neutral by 2050 through CO2 reduction and compensation. Fleet renewal is also making a significant contribution to this. Since March 2024, only factory-new A330neo aircraft have been used on Condor's long-haul routes. Since then, the modernization course on short and medium-haul routes has continued with 43 A32Xneo orders. Once the modernization is complete, Condor will have the youngest fleet in Europe. As part of the InnoFuels project, the airline is also committed to making the use of regenerative fuels more tangible, thus laying another important foundation stone for the use of low-emission fuels. Condor is also actively involved in the “100 Flights Trail” of the Climate Neutral Aviation Working Group, which tests whether non-CO2 effects such as contrails can be avoided by flying around climate-sensitive areas.com

Indonesia AirAsia launching direct flights from Bali and Jakarta to Hong Kong

Indonesia AirAsia, is expanding its wings in Asia by launching direct flights from Bali and Jakarta to Hong Kong. The new routes aim to enhance connectivity between Southeast Asia and Asia.

As the only low-cost carrier providing direct flights from Hong Kong to the popular destinations of Bali(DPS) and Jakarta(CGK), AirAsia is thrilled to offer our passengers convenient and affordable travel options, eliminating the need for transit on these new routes.

CEO Indonesia AirAsia, Veranita Yosephine, “Indonesia AirAsia is committed to providing the best service and expanding its flight network to meet the increasing needs and demands of passengers, whether for vacation trips with beloved family and friends or for business trips. With the introduction of these new routes, Indonesia AirAsia hopes to support the growth of tourism and the economy between both sides.”

Based on data from the the Statistics Bureau of Indonesia (BPS), from January to June 2024, foreign tourists from Hong Kong have reached 13,673 visits. This number is nearly 98.5% of the total visits in 2023, which amounted to 13,885. Meanwhile, according to data from the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), tourists from Indonesia visiting Hong Kong in 2023 increased by 3,276.87%, or 252,432 tourists, compared to 2022, which had 7,480 tourists.

easyJet launches cabin crew ‘Returnship’ initiative aimed at the over 50s....

easyJet is launching a new recruitment drive for cabin crew with more over 50s, careers changers and those looking to ‘unretire’  among those being encouraged to apply.

The airline has launched a new initiative dubbed ‘Returnships’, after new research showed that three quarters of over 50’s (74%) agreed that this was the perfect time for a new career and 67% have considered returning to work.

As part of the campaign, the airline will offer free online cabin crew career info sessions and a hands-on cabin crew training taster session at its London Gatwick cabin crew training centre, to give those considering a new career the opportunity to find out more about the job from the airline’s crew training and recruitment experts.

Since launching its first campaign in 2022 to show that anyone with the right skills regardless of their age can become cabin crew, the airline has seen the number of new hires over the age of 50 more than double, while the number of over 60s joining as cabin crew has increased four times over.

With the latest ONS data* showing that the employment rate for those over 50 is increasing again, easyJet wants to encourage more of this experienced and skilled demographic to apply for the hundreds of cabin crew roles available for 2025 in many of easyJet’s bases across the UK, to bring their valuable experience to the profession.

New research by the airline of 2000 Brits over 50 revealed that 67% of over 50s have considered returning to work and nearly half (46%) have considered a new career.

The significant majority agreed that the main reason for doing so would be to take on a new challenge (82%), while 77% agreed this would be to have many experiences as possible and two thirds agreed the change would be to pursue a dream job (66%).

RAF to police NATO's skies in Iceland following successful mission in Romania

RAF F-35B jets from RAF Marham have deployed to Iceland to take part in a NATO air policing mission. This is the first time that British F-35s will have conducted a NATO air policing mission.

This follows the recent completion of a similar four-month mission by Typhoon aircraft in Romania. The F-35Bs from 617 Squadron will defend NATO airspace in the Arctic Region.

NATO air policing is a permanent peacetime mission, that preserves the security of Allied skies. It is a collective task and involves the continuous presence of fighter aircraft and crews, which are ready to react quickly to possible airspace violations.

This latest mission comes as the Prime Minister underlined the UK’s cast iron commitment to NATO at its Summit in Washington last month, as he emphasised his determination to safeguard the future of the Alliance and face down global threats to Britain and its western allies.  

Following a successful mission in Romania, where six Typhoon fighter jets and over two hundred personnel were stationed at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, defending NATO’s eastern border, the RAF now moves to Iceland.

This time, the cutting edge F-35 jets from 617 Squadron will be patrolling Icelandic airspace, having travelled from RAF Marham. This is the first time British jets have taken part in such activity in Iceland since 2019, when four Typhoon jets flew 59 training sorties and more than 180 practice intercepts.