Posts about Aircrafts
Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act (H.R.3935) is on track to make it through the House - Transportation and Infrastructure committee. This bill reauthorizes the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through FY2028.
Under the very aptly named Subtitle A - Expanding Pilot Privileges And Protections, the following responsibilities are added:
FAA is to support process where private aircraft owner can request identifiable data (e.g. registration number) is blocked from any public dissemination or display (Sec. 204 (a)(a))
FAA is to support procedure where the personally identifiable information of an individual shall be withheld from public disclosure on the Civil Aviation Registry website (Sec. 204 (a)(b))
FAA is to accept applications for new ICAO Aircraft Identification Codes (Sec. 204 (a)(c))
FAA is has 1 year to come up with plans to decouple a Mode S code with the number assigned to an aircraft, and to enter into an agreement on studying encrypting ADS–B signals. (Sec. 204 (a)(d), (b)(1))
Update Aug 11 2023, Legislation change is picked up by Axios
Okay, it's been non stop action at YOW these past few days. From the RAF A330 yesterday to a Boeing 737 BBJ (VIP outfitted version of the 737) carrying some officials from Poland this afternoon (nothing I could find about the visit, so not sure who is on board) and a drop in from the Bombardier Global Express jet owned by Mineralogy PTY in Australia, owned by Clive Palmer, a billionaire mining tycoon. We also had a rare and rumbly visit from an Air Canada 777-300ER flying the Vancouver to Ottawa route (after flying the Sydney to Vancouver leg). It's Air Canada's largest aircraft and isn't usually used on that route (usually served by a 737 or occasionally a 787). We also had an RCAF Hercules drop by today that I think was being used in the search for the two missing firefighters in Quebec.
First up, Polish Air Force 0111, one of three 737s purchased by the Polish government. One is a standard transport, but two of them are the BBJ variety, where the interior is kitted out for VIP use. Of course the Polish government needed a new VIP aircraft after the Smolensk disaster in 2010 when a Tu-154 transporting the Polish president and a pile of senior officials flew into terrain (or did it? there are lots of conspiracy theories in that Wikipedia article if you want to go down a rabbit hole) on a trip to Russia. Here's a photo of the 737: https://cdn.plnspttrs.net/49664/0111-polish-government-boeing-737-8tvwl-bbj2_PlanespottersNet_1412442_6f4c36e96d_o.jpg
In addition to the VIP fitting, the aircraft has an extensive comms suite added as well as a self defence system. Looks to be the Israeli MUSIC DIRCM system but I can't say for sure. A DIRCM system has sensors mounted on the corners of the aircraft to detect anti-aircraft missiles (you can see the bulges on the front and rear of the aircraft just below the midline with black "eyes" staring out) and precisely cue up a laser system that jams them, sending them off into the distance. https://youtu.be/p7CVkASDOPI
Here's the flight: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/id/PLF104-1683101975-sw-306p
A Global Express private jet (called that because of it's 11000km range) arrived after a four keg trip across the Pacific from Brisbane. Owned by Mineralogy PTY, a massive Australian mining company owned by Clive Palmer an Australian tycoon who sounds like a mini Trump. He once sued a YouTuber for calling him a dense Humpty Dumpty and superimposing his face on a baby being held aloft by Donald J himself. He started a [political party](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Australia_Party_(2013) ) in Australia that used the slogan "Make Australia Great", so, yeah, he was here.
Here's his jet: https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/6/63418_1667834510.jpg and the flight that brought him our way: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/id/VHVQN-1682988716-dlad-1740
Air Canada flew a 777-200ER on the Vancouver to Ottawa route this afternoon. It looks like it will be using that aircraft regularly, which means that air traffic is picking up for the summer. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/id/ACA342-1682958053-airline-387
The 777 is Air Canada's largest aircraft, carrying up to 396 passengers depending on the mix of business to economy class seats in the cabin config. https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/fly/onboard/fleet.html#/
Here's a look at the business class section onboard. https://onemileatatime.com/insights/air-canada-777-business-class/
