The Covid-19 pandemic has emptied the skies of busy traffic, posing an additional challenge to cash-strapped airlines to find enough tarmac space and maintain grounded jets in top shape for an eventual return to service.
About 64 per cent of the world's 26,000 passenger planes are currently grounded, according to data provider Cirium, as the coronavirus devastates air travel demand and unleashes the worst peacetime crisis in the aviation industry's history.
Parking and storing aircraft is an expensive and complex process but with 16,640 idle planes globally this is unfolding at an unprecedented scale for a prolonged period as the deadly virus spreads.
"The business case for storing versus parking planes is a key one that every airline is going through now," Robbie Bourke, vice president of engineering and maintenance at Oliver Wyman, said. "The unknown variable is how long will this go on for."
The number of aircraft currently in service is at the lowest level since March 1994, according to Cirium, with the problem of orchestrating a large-scale grounding adding to the woes of operators. Global airlines are facing a liquidity crisis, risk of bankruptcy and estimated passenger revenue losses of $314 billion (Dh1.1 trillion) in 2020, as they slash capacity or completely suspend passenger flights.
With nearly two-thirds of the world's jets grounded, the question is where to put them. Airlines are scrambling to find space at the runways or gates of airports, military facilities, and even aircraft "boneyards"-- a storage area for planes retired from service such as in the Mojave desert in California. Selecting an airport depends on factors such as the weight restrictions of their runways and the actual space available as demand rises.
Keeping an airplane's airworthiness during the grounding requires a lot of work, maintenance checks and engineering approvals--depending on how long the aircraft will be grounded, Mr Bourke said.
This entails cleaning cabins before sealing them for security, draining fuel tanks and oil lines and protecting exposed chrome surfaces from corrosion, according to the International Air Transport Association (Iata). Protection is necessary against harsh weather conditions such as humidity and dust that can corrode plane parts. Unwelcome guests such as birds, insects or rodents that can damage interiors or wiring.
Longer periods of grounding require weekly maintenance, including checking operating systems such as avionics and hydraulics and keeping the cabin sanitized and dry, Iata said.
Never in the history of aviation have airlines had to ground so many aircraft, so quickly. They need help to reduce the huge and sudden maintenance workload, and to ensure a quick return to service when required.
The exact procedure depends on whether an airline will park or store its planes. Parking means the aircraft is taken out of service for up to six months and given regular light maintenance to preserve a ‘ready to go’ state, allowing a rapid return to service, Airbus said on its website.
On the other hand, planes are stored when the planned period out of service is up to two years. In this case, "airworthiness can be maintained but more preferable is a reduced maintenance schedule combined with preservation activities, such as sealing and greasing," Airbus said.
Airlines must also consider parking costs.
"Aircraft parking charges account for less than 2 per cent of airport revenues in a normal year, but it could be the make-or-break for some airlines under the current circumstances," Iata said in its online magazine.
Charges vary by airport location and aircraft type. For example in India, parking a widebody jet can cost $1,000 per day, according to Mark Martin, head of Martin Consulting.
Etihad Airways, which parked 80 per cent of its passenger planes at Abu Dhabi International Airport’s Southside Terminal, said it is using the downtime to accelerate maintenance activities on its jets.
"I've never seen anything like this before in my aviation career," Gary Byrne, Etihad's head of technical operations said in a video released by the airline.
Work includes covering the engines and Auxilliary Power Units (APUs) to protect against environmental factors, blocking sensors, and disconnecting batteries to preserve the aircraft.
"We have engineers working around the clock maintaining the aircraft, they're very intricate complex piece of machinery," Mr Byrne said. "It's not like parking a car, we have to keep them maintained."
A staff of 200 workers per shift clean the aircraft cabin, ranging from replacing seat covers to shampooing the carpets.
Extensive and varied engineering activities are required by both Airbus and Boeing when aircraft are parked for extended periods to protect planes and their systems, Etihad said.
Static port and pitot probes and other inlets are covered to protect from airborne debris or wind, windows and flight decks are covered, wheels and brakes are covered and the wheels are rotated at regular intervals. Items such as batteries are removed and checked regularly. Power is connected at regular intervals to test aircraft systems. Exteriors are checked regularly.
Meanwhile, Flydubai's Boeing 737 has been undergoing a scheduled maintenance programme since the UAE announced the temporary suspension of passenger flights starting March 25.
The carrier's Boeing 737-800 aircraft are kept in Operational Ready status, in which the aircraft will be flown at least once either for repatriation flights, cargo flights or maintenance flights, it said in a statement. Maintenance flights will operate between Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International (DWC).
"Our team of highly qualified and experienced engineers are working around the clock to perform the scheduled aircraft maintenance tasks to ensure all our aircraft are maintained to the highest levels of airworthiness in preparation for return to service (RTS)," Mick Hills, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Maintenance at flydubai, said. "We follow closely the guidance issued by the manufacturer and the authorities to look after our fleet whether in Active Storage as for the MAX aircraft or in Operationally Ready status as for the temporarily grounded Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft.”
Plane manufacturers provide maintenance manuals to their airline customers on exactly what needs to be done and when.
Boeing said it worked closely with operators to discuss the options for parking and storing their airplanes.
"In our meetings, we discussed Boeing’s recommendations depending on how long the airline plans to park/store the airplanes and what resources they have to maintain them," Omar Arekat, Boeing vice president of commercial sales and marketing in the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, said.
"We have also convened calls with airlines to discuss the regulations around using passenger airplanes to fly cargo," Mr Arekat said. "We have provided Boeing’s recommendations for utilizing commercial airplanes in this manner in lieu of flying passengers due to reduced demand.”
Airbus said the current situation calls for "exceptional measures" and reaction to provide support to operations during this difficult time while maintaining top safety levels.
"Never in the history of aviation have airlines had to ground so many aircraft, so quickly," said Gilles de Cevins, Airbus' head of maintenance programmes and services, said. "They need help to reduce the huge and sudden maintenance workload, and to ensure a quick return to service when required".
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
THE%C2%A0SPECS
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THREE
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
The BIO
Favourite piece of music: Verdi’s Requiem. It’s awe-inspiring.
Biggest inspiration: My father, as I grew up in a house where music was constantly played on a wind-up gramophone. I had amazing music teachers in primary and secondary school who inspired me to take my music further. They encouraged me to take up music as a profession and I follow in their footsteps, encouraging others to do the same.
Favourite book: Ian McEwan’s Atonement – the ending alone knocked me for six.
Favourite holiday destination: Italy - music and opera is so much part of the life there. I love it.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Liverpool v Manchester City, Sunday, 8.30pm UAE
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20electric%20motors%20with%20102kW%20battery%20pack%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E570hp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20890Nm%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Up%20to%20428km%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C700%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Two-step truce
The UN-brokered ceasefire deal for Hodeidah will be implemented in two stages, with the first to be completed before the New Year begins, according to the Arab Coalition supporting the Yemeni government.
By midnight on December 31, the Houthi rebels will have to withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Al Saqef, coalition officials told The National.
The second stage will be the complete withdrawal of all pro-government forces and rebels from Hodeidah city, to be completed by midnight on January 7.
The process is to be overseen by a Redeployment Co-ordination Committee (RCC) comprising UN monitors and representatives of the government and the rebels.
The agreement also calls the deployment of UN-supervised neutral forces in the city and the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure distribution of aid across the country.
Sour%20Grapes
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Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3ECompany%20name%3A%20EduPloyment%3Cbr%3EDate%20started%3A%20March%202020%3Cbr%3ECo-Founders%3A%20Mazen%20Omair%20and%20Rana%20Batterjee%3Cbr%3EBase%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Recruitment%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%2030%20employees%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20Pre-Seed%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Angel%20investors%20(investment%20amount%20undisclosed)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EXare%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJanuary%2018%2C%202021%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPadmini%20Gupta%2C%20Milind%20Singh%2C%20Mandeep%20Singh%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20Raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2410%20million%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E28%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eundisclosed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMS%26amp%3BAD%20Ventures%2C%20Middle%20East%20Venture%20Partners%2C%20Astra%20Amco%2C%20the%20Dubai%20International%20Financial%20Centre%2C%20Fintech%20Fund%2C%20500%20Startups%2C%20Khwarizmi%20Ventures%2C%20and%20Phoenician%20Funds%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
