Azmir I.

My guess is as good as yours my friend but as for MEL/AVV Im not too sure.Last week as I was leaving the Flt ops after flight from OOL bumped into D7 CEO (En Azran) and asked him if D7 is either going to Avalon or Tullamarine and he answered they were still negotiating,so just wait and see.For us operating crew,the flight to Perth will be a daily one and in future the flight to HGH will be a layover for flight crew but cabin crew will continue to KUL.

At that particular time AK was still owned by the conglomerate DRB Hicom.TuneAir bought AirAsia Bhd in Dec 2001 and that incident happened earlier in 2001.I joined the company in Mar 2002 and we operated out from the APAC building.But as far as legality goes I guess the present management has to take the responsibility and liability I guess.

Ignorance is bliss,but were talking marketing here.1st owned A330-343E is expected in OCT 08,2nd aircraft in NOV 08,3 in 09 and 10 aircraft in 2010.

In normal military practice with a personnel strength of 140 men hardly can be called a battalion ,more likely a company strength.In the Malaysian Army the average strength for a "standard infantry battalion" is about 700 -800 men,which is roughly the NATO standard.For an Armored Regiment or Artillery Regiment the personnel strength are different due to its tasking and mission. 1:Army/Rifle section/squad = 9 2:Army/Rifle platoon = 30-40 (3 x squads) 3:Army/Infantry company = 100-200 (3 x platoons + HQ platoon) 4:Army/Infantry Battalion = 700-800 (3 x Rifle companies + HQ company) 5:Army/Infantry Brigade = 3000 - 4000 (3 x Infantry Battalions + supporting Arms) The military designations as used by the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM): NATO US Rifle Section Section Squad Platoon:Infantry Platoon Platoon Cavalry Troop Platoon Coy:Infantry Company Company :Cavalry Squadron Troop Batt:Infantry Battalion Battalion :Cavalry Regiment Squadron 6:Army/Infantry Division = 9000 - 15000 (3 or more Infantry Brigades+ Armor Regt +Arty Regt + Supporting Arms)

Shouldnt it be "the war has begun" rather than "war is begin" Turbo props does better with flights with 1 hour or less when compared with jet turbine planes.The speed difference is not noticeable but the fuel consumption is big,but when you fly more than 1 hour than the speed diffence will be noticeable.When you have 2 different aircraft types in operation,its gonna create scheduling and rostering headaches plus its not economical unless you can CCQ (cross crew qualification) the pilots on both B734 and ATR 72,which I think is not possible,then you have 2 different pilot pools,no flexibility and the Ts $ Cs for the pilots will be different,adding to more manpower and cost which will negate the cost factor.

But that will only be enforced once the airframes are built,if it hasnt then,the delivery slots will be offered to other airlines and the incumbent slots will be further down the line to a later date.

That picture is of the AMARC (Aircraft Maintainance and Regeneration Center) storage at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona.It shows the storage of early models B-52s (D/F/G) models ,not only because they have used up their flying airframe hours but also to comply with various SALT (Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty) with the former USSR.Also the US armed forces sometimes stores surplus aircraft for onwards sale to friendly or allied countries to US example F-16s (early A models) to Italy,Thailand,Jordan.F-4 Phantoms to Greece and Turkey and Egypt,A-7 to Greece and Portugal,C-130Es to SriLanka,Iraq,Jordan. There is a book on the AMARC itself and also on Davis-Monthan AFB (the Arizona ANG is based there with a Fighter Wing flying A-10s.)

Today at SIN saw 9V-SKC at Changi Terminal 3 with its underbelly opened and a full bunch of engineers working on something on the aircraft.

Today saw 9V-SKA parked at remote stand opposite budget terminal in Singapore when I flew to Singapore today.Unfortunately for me had to do 6 sectotrs instead of 4 due to shortage of Capts today.(KUL-SIN-KUL-LGK-KUL-KBR-KUL)

Soon they will demolished the current covered walkway for stands 50 and 60,so as to enable A330 parking,new hardstand concrete will be laid infront of the POS Malaysia building for additional A320 parking.

Dont be suprised when they announce the aircraft replacement programme,; Narrow body :A320 family for B734 Wide body : B777-300ER to replace B744 source from MAS flight operations management.

We in AXM also thought that the fleet replacement for the B733 was gonna be the NGs just like Ryanair which AirAsia is modelled after but were soon suprised by the CEOs decision to go for A320s.I think it all boils down to dollars and sense.Dont worry about training,it will be included in the deal (Tech crew as well as Maint crew).Besides MH uses A330,the A320 also uses the same systems,generally.

Unofficial rumor within D7,next Australian destination is reckon to be MEL (Tullamarine and not Avalon),after delivery of 3rd A333,then its PER.Amritsar will be towards the end of this year with a probability of going to Beijing instead of Tienjin. The London flights will be done by A340s ,thats for sure its only a question of when.

haha,thats a goodone.Unfortunately,cant answer that for the moment,the said incident happened when I was doing my Base cx recently.From what Ive heard from flt ops,indeed flt ops dept is having a slight problem with tech crew manning,a lot of the A320 capts are busting their annual (1000) hours limits,and at the same time even the A330 crews are having a tight crew scheduling but this will soon be partly remedied with the online training of new crews soon,and also new crews will be coming online in the next few weeks or so on the A320 fleet,new crews coming from MAS,TH and RMAF.

Yes we just do fly airplanes from point A to point B.Other than that we are just dumb people who are cooped up at the front end of a metal tube which goes around the wide blue yonder. By the way that info came from the mouth of Dato TF himself.was informed during company briefing among AK pilots with TF.if you dont want to believe and wait for a press statement by the company well you can wait for that,no prob.anyway we pilots dont get involved with the marketing and etc.we are just jet drivers,thats all.

Excuse me sir,if any of the aircrafts component were to fail inflight,and its subject to an ongoing investigation,lets leave it to the experts and stop from making wild accusations.Probably you have something against AXM Group,but lets be professional about it.Not all company is perfect,they have the ups and downs but so do MAS.Like what Capt Nik "Handsome" says,if youve got any children who is Form 3,better get started for him to be a pilot soon.Theyll be plenty of pilot jobs waiting for him when he turns 18.As for me,life in AXM/XAX is great,after serving 13 years in RMAF,atleast the pay is way better than when I was serving then,alas we do not bite the hand that feeds us.

probably they will extend the production line now that the ACC (Air Combat Cmnd) F15A/B/C/D are no more airworthy,plus the USAF CAS/Chief of Air Staff (Gen Max Moseley) and the Air Force Secretary are asking Congress for aircraft to replace the grounded F15s

Thats what happens when you get low average pilots from the flying schools.Also we can see here there is a complete failure in the training system,especially training dept,no proper instructional tech used and carriedout,,wrong tech used to teach student pilots in handling an aircraft,poor judgement by both PF and PNF.But at the end of the day,the Capt has to take the responsibility when the FO screws up her or his approach and landings.So far Ive flown with a few junior FOs and I find that some of their flying skills as well as tech not proper and needs guidance.

Sorry for being O/T Capt,but isnt MAS techcrew having a new pay revision soon?Heard rumors that its gonna be some 30-40% increase.At AK ,beginning Apr 08 all Capts regardless of which fleet will get a productivity at $195@block hr and FOs with TT> 2500 at $75@block hr.

Due to manpower shortages plus the unpopularity among aircrews (tech/FAs) to being based in KCH,TF has decided to close the ops in KCH.But flights will still be carriedout as per normal intra-state of Sarawak but it will terminate at the respective bases instead of at KCH.ie KUL-KCH-SBW-KCH-KUL.,JHB-KCH-BKI-KCH-JHB.,BKI-KCH-MFM-BKI.

Afraid not for long.KCH base is slated for closure in the very near future.All intra Sarawak flights will be done either from KUL,JHB and BKI bases.By May 08 all baese in Malaysia will be fully A320 ops.AK is accelerating the return to lessors of all the B733s.After the completion of AirAsia Malaysian ops,next will be ThaiAirAsia and lastly will be IndonAirAsia,probably next year QZ will be equipped with A320s.VinaAirAsia will be equipped with A320s but the PhilAirAsia will be with B733s.

AirAsiaX (XAX/D7) will soon exercised the rights to purchase the 10 remaining A333 options soon,so far BoD approval is already given only awaiting for official press release,according to company briefing given by TF last week.Company will decide soon (maybe in April or May 08) weather to order B787-9 or A350-900XWB.Personally I'd prefer the A350XWB,not just because I'm an A320/A330 driver,but once youve used to a sidestick airplane with a removal desk infront off you ,its just kinda difficult to fly again an airplane with a conventional control collum,not forgetting to relearn again from Airbus phylosophy to Boeings.

Not only in Australia but Lion Air has plans for expansion into the Malaysian and Thai markets (Lion Air Malaysia / Thai).Plans for these expansion will be in 2009.

Most likely its gonna be the "Malaysian Coast Guard / Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia". The RMAF was thought to be inclined towards a marinised CN-235,and theres a possibility of joint ownership with the RMN.

You forgot to mention two (2) other earlier episodes .Mig ambush by the 8 Tac Ftr Wg (the famous Wolf Pack) and duel of the Bismark.During the Vitnam conflict the air battle was fought from Washington instead of by the commanders near to the battlezone,politicians micro managing the war ie (targets that can be bombed,type of ordnance can be used,direction of attack,time of day of attack - thats bloody rediculous - blame it on LBJ and McNamara)Operation BOLO was the codenamed used to trap the Migs of NVAF to enticed them into thinking that they are intercepting bomb laden F105 Thuds and this mission was led by the legendary Brig Gen Robin Olds who by the waysadly just passed away late in 2007.As for the "sinking of the Bismark",Royal Navy's arrogance and poor gunnery tactics plus underestimating the might of the German Battleships,HMS Hood was a battlecruiser whose armour is hardly any better against a battleship, cruisers are meant to recon and screen the main battle fleet while the battleship is to engage the enemy.The RN uses the aircraft of the FAA (Fleet Air Arm) differently as opposed to the USN.The USN later in the war perfected the Aircraft carrier tactics during the war against Japan in the Pacific via the "Fast Carrier Task Force".