Free Republic

A passenger plane carrying nearly 300 people struck its tail as it took off from Munich airport in an incident that was described as a 'near disaster'. Footage showed the tumultuous departure of the Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 on Saturday. A cloud of dust was thrown into the air as the tail hit the ground. Inside the cabin, a loud scraping noise was heard as the plane, which was carrying 271 passengers and 16 crew, lifted off the runway. The 250-ton plane skidded across grass, hit light posts and soared towards trees as the crew – made up of three...

Vietnam has suspended 27 Pakistani pilots working at local airlines after 262 of 860 civilian commercial pilots in Pakistan were found to have fake licenses. "All of the pilots are of Pakistani nationality and licensed in the country. These pilots are working at several airlines in Viet Nam," Dinh Viet Thang, Civil Aviation Administration of Viet Nam (CAAV), was quoted as saying by Vietnam News Agency. Minister of Transport of Vietnam Nguyen Van The has asked the CAAV to review the licenses and certificates of foreign pilots who are working at local airlines. The minister ordered ban of fight missions...

Vietnam Airlines Signs Up to Buy Four Boeing 787 Dreamliners to Expand Its Fleet HANOI, Vietnam (AP) -- Vietnam Airlines will buy four Boeing 787 Dreamliners as part of a plan to expand its fleet to meet increasing travel demands, an airline spokesman said Friday. Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has instructed the state-owned airline to complete the contract, which is expected to be signed during his visit to the United States on June 19-25, said spokesman Nguyen Chan. Chicago-based Boeing Co. has said the wide-body jetliners will be delivered to the communist country in 2010. The deal is valued...