Model Airplanes

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(CNN) — The number of people killed in plane crashes jumped in 2018 compared with the previous year, with more than 500 deaths recorded, new figures show.

Nonetheless, 2018 was still one of the safest years for commercial aviation on record, according to reports from Dutch aviation consultancy To70 and the Netherlands-based Aviation Safety Network (ASN).

The ASN recorded a total of 15 fatal airliner accidents in 2018, leading to 556 deaths, compared with 10 accidents and 44 lives lost in 2017, the safest year in aviation history.

Of those accidents, 12 involved passenger flights and three were cargo flights, the ASN report said. Three of the 15 planes were operated by airlines on the European Union “blacklist,” it said.

Despite the jump in the number of deaths last year, ASN Chief Executive Harro Ranter said the level of aviation safety had increased significantly overall.

“If the accident rate had remained the same as 10 years ago, there would have been 39 fatal accidents last year,” he said. The rate of the year 2000 would have seen 64 fatal accidents. “This shows the enormous progress in terms of safety in the past two decades,” Ranter added.

The figures for 2018 represent a rate of one fatal accident for every 3 million flights, said To70.

The consultancy highlighted the Lion Air crash off Indonesia in October — in which 189 people lost their lives — as the deadliest single incident for the year. The aircraft involved was a

Article source: https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2019/01/02/plane-crashes-rise/

Southwest Airlines’ stock price soared the day after the recent death of its 87-year-old founder Herb Kelleher in what seems to be a fitting tribute to a corporate leader who started the company without any aviation experience and provided low-fare competition to rivals that tried and failed to squash his bold vision and determination.

The stock price of Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) rose 4.92 percent, or $2.24 a share, on Jan. 4, the day after Kelleher died. Even though airline stocks generally climbed in unison that day, I can imagine the unbridled laughter of the fun-loving, people-focused Kelleher, as well as visualize a beaming smile on his face upon learning of the stock price’s take-off the day after his death.

I have special insights about Kelleher’s management style and Southwest’s corporate culture that I gleaned when I covered the industry as a beat earlier in my career and attended the company’s annual media day twice. I met and spoke with Kelleher, who graciously made himself and his fellow company leaders available to explain their mission of offering low fares and great service in an industry that sometimes provided neither.

Kelleher, who started an airline that has turned profits consistently for 46 straight years while also helping his passengers save money on their air fares, had dressed up as Elvis Presley, a woman, the Easter bunny, a leprechaun and a flight attendant over the years to promote Southwest Airlines. He also enjoyed cigarettes, Wild Turkey bourbon whiskey and performing in rap songs

Article source: https://www.stockinvestor.com/39025/southwest-airlines-stock-price/

Preceded by many airlines because of its high operating cost, Boeing 747 still has loyal customers: presidents, monarchs and other rulers who see in the gigantic aion the space and ideal status to travel the world. Data obtained by Airway shows that the four-engine only loses for popular commercial jets such as the A320 family and the Boeing 737.

The most celebrated “Queen of the Skies”, of course, is Air Force One, the United States presidential plane. Built on the 747-200 model, the aircraft used by Donald Trump is a kind of “flying White House”, capable of accommodating the Republican family, but also several advisors and serve as a platform for communication and strategic decisions in extreme situations. In fact, Trump will replace the two planes for new 747-8 after complaining of the price requested by Boeing.

The 747, however, is most popular in the Middle East where it is used by sheiks, kings and other members of royalty. The aircraft is part of the fleet of countries like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Brunei, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. But it also carries government staff from China, Japan, South Korea, India, Turkey and Morocco. But India and Japan should soon replace it with the 777, another huge plane but still little used in that role for now.

Another four-engine that has virtually disappeared

Article source: https://www.airway1.com/boeing-747-maintains-prestige-as-an-aircraft-of-heads-of-state-and-monarchs/