Aviation and Social Media

This weekend I read two blogs at SimpliFlying the most influential website in Airline Branding and Social Networking. Both blogs were about large aviation organisations on whom I and millions depend on for their travels; Boeing and AA and how they successfully used/use Social media to communicate and enhance their brand and image. They are proof that this is an industry that revolves around people, people who travel and people who make it possible to travel.

Large organisations at best are slow at embracing change but both have shown a willingness to embrace social media and engage their respective audience.

Boeing is changing the way it communicates. Boeing has enhanced their website to engage more those who already visit and increase their numbers. What is amazing for such a well know brand like Boeing is the realization that it is only a name on a bunch of buildings. The real heroes are the people of Boeing. They are what make the name and the product. It is their real stories and successes that Boeing is communicating to the world. A warmer and more humane image of a gentler giant if we may. (Click here to read the full piece) .

American Airlines had a security incident on flight AA24 at San Francisco bound to New York.

The aircraft was delayed until the issue was resolved. Two passengers tweeted from on board the aircraft and became the source of information to the media. Enter @aairwaves who engaged the two passengers, took charge and responded to all media questions until the issue was resolved. A case study of crisis management online and in real time. (Click here to read the full piece) .

Kudos Boeing and American Airlines for embracing change and of course my friend Shashank for driving us all in the right direction.

Finally, She Flew

Finally, the Dreamliner flew, a little late, but it flew. On December 15th 2009 the B787 Dreamliner had its first flight. The aircraft is almost an all composites aircraft and Boeing had design issues and workload issues, the B747-8 the latest variant of the venerable B747 has still to fly.

Boeing had to delay the first flight 6 times in the last 2 years until they got the right fix. Airlines were unhappy about the delays, but then the Recession hit and it was not all that bad, considering there were discussions about compensations.

The B787 has leading edge technologies (click here for details) incorporated in the design. However, the most important feature is the composite content of the aircraft, which has caused some of the delays. An almost all composite aircraft poses problems in maintainability and repairabilty of the structure. This requires development of new repairs and specialised training.

The coming few months of flight testing will be prove the new technologies and it should be very interesting .

Finally, she flew, Boeing has always been known to design beautiful airplanes and the Dreamliner follows this tradition very sleek lines and performance and handling that matches it.

In Memory

This is dedicated in memory of the courageous crew of SD2241 that steered the aircraft away from residential areas. May the rest in peace and God's mercy be upon them.

I first came in contact with her in 1990 when she was 21 years old. ST-AKW operated for the Sudan Air Force flying relief supplies into Juba (the capital of Southern Sudan and the province of Central Equatoria).

It arrived into Royal Jordanian Engineering and Maintenance Base for Heavy Maintenance (D Check) a few months before the first Gulf War. This B707-300C was worked hard transporting humanitarian supplies and it was in need of serious maintenance work. Work started on the check after the beginning of the war and lasted for months, after which she became a frequent visitor to Amman for routine maintenance work (C Checks) with the other B707-300C of Sudan Airways.

It was only after eight (8) years and during my work with Air Arabia at Sharjah Airport that I had glimpses of her and her sister ST-AFB as they came to the cargo terminal. It felt like meeting old friends.

An aircraft crash is a very tragic and sad event. The loss affects not only the families of those directly involved but also those who are associated in one way or another with the crew and the aircraft.

Our prayers go to the crew and their families and a farewell to ST-AKW (2/69-10/09) you have served well and long.

NB Airline Industry review has compiled A Photographic Farewell of the A/C