Southwest Airlines ordered another three Boeing 737 Max simulators from flight training company CAE in the second quarter of 2019, doubling its Max simulator orders ahead of the expected lifting of the Max's global grounding. Simulator company CAE disclosed Southwest's three-unit order on 14 August. The airline has already received, and is now setting up, one 737 Max full-flight simulator, the carrier's vice-president of flight operations Alan Kasher told FlightGlobal last week. Southwest expects that unit will be operational in October. It anticipates having another two Max simulators online early in the first quarter of 2020, followed by the final three in 2021, Kasher said. Other airlines are also acquiring Max simulators following two crashes that prompted the grounding. American Airlines has "one simulator that is in the process of being installed", and United Airlines anticipates receiving its first simulator in the first quarter of 2020, those carriers say. Neither American nor United have said how many additional Max simulators they have on order.

Source: FlightGlobal

Passengers have evacuated a Ural Airlines Airbus A321 which carried out an emergency landing in a field after a severe bird-strike on departure from Moscow. The aircraft had been operating flight U6178 from Moscow's Zhukovsky airport to Simferopol. Upon take-off the aircraft sustained "numerous strikes from birds" to its powerplants, and "made an emergency landing", says the carrier. It came down in a field, apparently a few moments after take-off from runway 12. "The crew and passengers were not injured," adds the airline. Russia's federal Investigative Committee has opened a routine criminal probe into the event, stating that the aircraft made a "hard landing" in a field in the Ramenskoye district. It says an investigative team is organising the necessary actions with the aim of establishing "all the circumstances and causes" of the accident. Images from the scene, showing the A321 in a field of tall crops with evacuation slides deployed from multiple exits, indicate that the aircraft suffered substantial damage to its engines. Zhukovsky's official flight information states that flight U6178 departed for Simferopol at 06:05. Meteorological data from Zhukovsky show that weather conditions were good. Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee has yet to provide further details of the accident.

Source: FlightGlobal

Hong Kong International airport has been forced to close check-in and cancel flights for a second time in two days after pro-democracy protesters returned to occupy part of the terminal buildings. Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s largest airline, says it has been informed that "all check-in has been suspended as a result of the public assembly at Hong Kong International airport, which is ongoing. There is potential for further flight disruptions at short notice. Customers are therefore encouraged to postpone non-essential travel from Hong Kong on Tuesday 13 August and Wednesday 14 August and should not proceed to the airport." The airline and its Cathay Dragon unit have been forced to cancel hundreds of flights to and from Hong Kong, mostly to points in Asia. British Airways states: "Like all airlines, our flights on Tuesday 13 August from Hong Kong to London are affected by the disruption at Hong Kong International Airport. If you are due to fly from Hong Kong today, please do not travel to the airport." The airport's operations had been starting to stabilise after having been forced to close by protesters for several hours on the afternoon and evening of 12 August.

Source: FlightGlobal