A commuter airplane carrying 38 passengers, including a high school swim team, went off the runway while landing Thursday at a small Alaska community on the Bering Sea. The extent of injuries was not known, but a school official said the swim team was fine and eating pizza shortly after the incident about 5 p.m. Thursday at the airport in Unalaska in the Aleutian Islands. Unalaska is home to Dutch Harbor, one of the nation’s busiest fishing ports. A SAAB-Scania 2000 operated by Peninsula Airways, or PenAir, went off the end of the runway under unknown circumstances, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said in an email to The Associated Press. He said local authorities reported three crew members on board in addition to the passengers. PenAir is operated by Ravn Alaska, and the flight was marketed by Alaska Airlines. A post on the Alaska Airlines website said, “We’re still gathering information about the welfare of those onboard and the incident itself.” At least four people were injured, KUCB reported. Interim Police Chief John Lucking said there were no casualties, according to KUCB. City Manager Erin Reinders said all passengers and airline crew on the flight manifest were accounted for, according to a report by first responders, KUCB reported. The airline did not have immediate comment. Messages left with the National Transportation Safety Board were not immediately returned Thursday. However, he told Anchorage television station KTUU that he could not immediately say whether anyone died in the crash, citing the need for better investigation of the crash site hundreds of miles from Anchorage. “We’ve got a major investigation going here, and there’s all sorts of rumors going around,” he said. “We’re trying to get an investigator down, and the rest of the team will be coming from Washington, D.C.”

Source: Anchorage Daily News

Investigators are probing a serious incident involving hydraulic problems on an Airbus A330-200 which returned to Hong Kong after departing to Bali. The Hong Kong Airlines aircraft (B-LHA) had been conducting the service on 29 September. French investigation authority BEA, citing its counterpart in Hong Kong, says the crew received automated alerts regarding low pressure in both the green and blue hydraulic circuits. The A330 has three independent hydraulic systems – green, blue and yellow – which typically operate at a pressure of 3,000psi. In addition to the flight-control surfaces, the green and blue circuits link to such systems as nose-wheel steering, braking and certain spoilers. BEA says the crew declared an emergency and opted to return to Hong Kong, landing on runway 25L and becoming disabled for around 1h 45min after a tyre burst. It was subsequently towed to a parking stand. None of the occupants were injured.

Source: FlightGlobal

Etihad Airways' parent is aiming to tie up with fellow United Arab Emirates carrier Air Arabia to establish its own budget operator. The two airlines are set to create a joint-venture company which will operate as a low-cost carrier, says Etihad Aviation Group. Branded 'Air Arabia Abu Dhabi' the airline would be based in the UAE capital. Etihad Aviation Group says it will "complement" the operations of Etihad Airways, and serve a "growing" low-cost market. Sharjah-based Air Arabia already has separate budget operations in Egypt and Morocco, branded under its name. Rival operator Emirates has formed a close co-operation with budget airline Flydubai, although Flydubai has emerged as a hybrid operator catering to business-class as well as economy customers. "Abu Dhabi is a thriving cultural hub with a clear economic vision built on sustainability and diversification," says Etihad Aviation Group chief Tony Douglas. "By partnering with Air Arabia and launching Abu Dhabi's first low-cost carrier, we are serving this long-term vision." He says the joint venture "supports" the company's transformation programme. "We look forward to the launch of the new airline in due course," adds Douglas. Air Arabia Group chief Adel Ali says the new airline will be "capitalising on the expertise" of both operators. No details have yet been disclosed regarding fleet size, aircraft type or route network, nor has a launch date for operations been given. Air Arabia uses a fleet of Airbus A320-family jets for its budget network.

Source: FlightGlobal