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Turkish Airlines has confirmed it will purchase ten Airbus A321s and three A330-200F freighter aircraft as it seeks to expand its international operations.

In total the airline – which was last year recognised by the World Travel Awards as offering Europe’s Leading Airline Business Class – has 40 aircraft on order with the manufacturer following deals in 2009 and 2010.

“To achieve our ambitious expansion plans in a sustainable and profitable manner, we require a reliable and efficient fleet,” said Temel Kotil, chief executive of Turkish Airlines.

“Our positive experience with our in service A320 fleet and the outstanding flexibility and efficiency demonstrated by our A330-200F since it entered service last year made these repeat orders the logical choice for our growth.”

The new aircraft will join Turkish Airlines’ existing fleet of 75 Airbus aircraft, including four A310 freighters, 50 A320 Family aircraft, 11 A330s, one A330-200F and nine A340s.

“Airbus offers the most modern and eco-efficient aircraft available on the market, and our unique operational commonality allows our customers to achieve maximum productivity from their fleets,” said John Leahy Airbus chief operating officer, customers.

“We are delighted that Turkish Airlines, the fastest growing airline in Europe, has again chosen Airbus as a partner for their growth.”

Airbus has sold over 10,000 aircraft and delivered over 6,500 since its first airliner entered service in 1974.

Airbus aircraft are in service with more than 430 customers and operators around the world.

Britain should experience spectacular Northern Lights displays from Thursday due to a large solar storm which could disrupt communication networks, the British Geological Survey (BGS) said. “Since February 13 three energetic solar flares have erupted on the sun and spewed clouds of charged plasma called coronal mass ejections (CMEs) out towards the earth,” a BGS geomagnetic storm warning said. “Already one CME arrived on the 14th sparking Valentine’s Day displays of the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) further south than usual.
“Two CMEs are expected to arrive in the next 24-48 hours and further…displays are possible some time over the next two nights if skies are clear.”
The strongest storm in four years is expected to interfere with satellites and electrical networks, with astronomers in southern China already reporting disturbances to radio communications.
The BGS Wednesday published geomagnetic records dating back to the Victorian era which it hopes will help in planning for future storms.
“Life increasingly depends on technologies that didn’t exist when the magnetic recordings began,” Alan Thomson, BGS head of geomagnetism said. “Studying the records will tell us what we have to plan and prepare for to make sure systems can resist solar storms,” he added.

A Fairchild Metroliner operated by Flightline BCN on behalf of Manx2 which crashed at Cork airport this morning has been identified as bearing the registration number EC-ITP.

The aircraft was built in 1992 and powered by a pair of Garrett TPE331 turboprop engines.

The Irish Aviation Authority confirms that the aircraft had first carried out an instrument landing system approach to runway 17 at Cork, but the crew made the decision to go around.

The aircraft then attempted an approach to runway 35 but abandoned that also, and held off for “about 20min” before making its fatal ILS approach to runway 17.

Latest reports suggest that six of the 10 passengers and two crew members on board the aircraft lost their lives.

Manchester Airport Holographic Security Trials

Manchester Airport in the UK has unveiled the world’s first holographic, customer service-based security technology.

While making its airport debut, the same technology is well-known within other industries, such as entertainment.

As of 31 January 2011, Manchester Airport now has a pair of holographic customer services staff that brief passengers on security procedures, as they prepare to pass through airport security.

The new additions to Manchester Airport’s security network give passengers information on current airport liquid restrictions and ensure that their boarding cards are ready to be deployed.

Holographic Security Trials
Airport liquid restrictions have been enforced from 2006 onwards, as a result of a plot to blow up transatlantic airliners. The recent Moscow Airport explosion incident has, once again, brought the issue of airport security back into the public eye, and these holographic security trials are a new concept that’s now being tested.

Both holograms are modelled on real-life staff working at the site – namely Julie Capper and John Walsh – and both are now active in Manchester Airport’s Terminal 1. The holograms are a product of entertainment organisation Musion and, said James Rock – the founder of the company – they have a variety of applications.

“We’ve developed this technology for many uses but it’s perfectly suited for an airport environment where the support of recorded messages can help with passenger information”, Rock was quoted as having said in a Manchester Airport press release issued at the end of January.

“It’s something we’ve worked on for a number of years at Musion and we’d like to see its widespread use for practical purposes, like the virtual assistants”, Rock added.

Manchester Airport Security Holograms
The Manchester Airport security holograms represent the latest innovation to be introduced at the UK’s fourth-busiest airport (based on 2010 passenger statistics).

In November 2010, biometric airport passenger eye scan trials were carried out while, at the end of 2009, Manchester Airport was the first in the country to host full-body image scanners.

As with these two technologies, these holograms are being trialled in the first instance.

“We are always looking for new ways to improve the experience of our airport for customers”, Manchester Airport’s Customer Services Director, Julie Armstrong, added in the same press release.

“But four years after the restrictions were introduced, passengers understandably forget about liquids. We don’t want anyone to have to throw their drink or make up away so we’ve tried lots of different ways to reinforce the liquid rules, from posters to people dressed up as giant deodorant cans! Maybe holograms are the answer?

“You certainly can’t miss them and with the real John and Julie already being popular with our customers, I’m hopeful that their virtual selves will be a big hit too.”

Hologram image copyright Ian Howarth photography and supplied by Manchester Airport

New Airport Scan Software Offers More Modesty

New airport security technology is aiming to overcome some of the concerns provoked by the controversial full body scanners now deployed at many hubs around the world, including 78 US airports.

In response to the American public reaction to these scanners – which provide an in-depth image of body shapes and, in particular, genitalia – the TSA has now introduced a different scanning technology that uses a template to represent the private parts of the passengers that pass through it.

This, essentially, gives the middle sections of all passengers the same profile, but the airport scanner reportedly performs as effectively as the older software, and highlights the presence of any suspicious-looking concealed objects by outlining them with red warning boxes.