Ethiopian Airlines’ doomed 737 MAX jet hit excessive speed and was forced downwards by a wrongly-triggered automation system as pilots wrestled to regain control, a preliminary report into the crash that has shaken the aviation world showed Thursday. Three times the captain, Yared Getachew, cried “pull up”, before the Boeing Co plane plunged into a field six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 passengers and crew, said the report by Ethiopian investigators. The March 10 disaster, and parallels with another 737 MAX crash in Indonesia last October in which 189 people died, has led to the worldwide grounding of Boeing’s flagship model. It has also brought uncomfortable scrutiny over new software, pilot training and regulatory rigor. The report leaves unanswered questions, aviation experts said, over whether crew followed guidance not to restore power to a troublesome anti-stall system following sensor damage, possibly caused by a bird strike. The plane was also left at unusually high thrust throughout the flight, data suggested. While the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority’s Accident Prevention and Investigation Bureau had a remit to investigate rather than blame, it implicitly pointed the finger at Boeing by defending the pilots, recommending the US company fix its control systems, and saying regulators must be certain before allowing the MAX back in the air. “The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft,” Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges said. “Since repetitive uncommanded aircraft nose down conditions are noticed ... it is recommended that the aircraft control system shall be reviewed by the manufacturer.” Boeing says a new software fix for its MCAS anti-stall system will enable pilots to always override if necessary. A final report by Ethiopian authorities aided by air-safety experts from the United States and Europe is due to be published within a year.<br/>
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After three false starts and a labour protest over harsh working conditions, Turkey will fully open a new airport in Istanbul this week that will give its fast-growing flagship airline a platform to challenge Gulf rivals for regional dominance. Authorities plan to shift flights from the city's Ataturk Airport, on the edge of the Sea of Marmara, to the new airport 30 km (20 miles) north on the Black Sea shores, in a mammoth 45-hour transfer operation starting on Friday. The $8b airport is one of several infrastructure mega-projects championed by President Tayyip Erdogan and will initially be able to handle 90m passengers a year, a number which Turkey hopes to more than double by 2027. That would make it the biggest in the world, measured against current airport operations globally. "Istanbul Airport will rise to second place in terms of passenger numbers it serves in around five years," Transport Minister Cahit Turhan told reporters in the gleaming departure hall. "When all phases are complete, Istanbul Airport will sit in the leader's chair." The airport is supposed to be fully operational on Sunday after authorities transport 10,000 pieces of equipment, from massive aircraft-towing vehicles to sensitive security sensors, across the city in a complex two-day operation, after which Ataturk Airport will close for passenger flights. The move should support Turkey's ambition to make Istanbul a global aviation hub and will offer Turkish Airlines a chance to grow beyond the restrictions of Ataturk airport's limited size. After 15 years of rapid growth, the airline flies to more countries than any competitor, helped by its Istanbul base which is close to European, African and Middle Eastern destinations. With more slots available, the airline plans to increase its total fleet from 338 aircraft to 476 over the next four years, and analysts say it will challenge the three big regional competitors: Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad.<br/>
Cathay Pacific Cargo and Lufthansa Cargo have begun eastbound joint shipments from Europe to Hong Kong, following the full expansion of their joint business agreement. The carriers signed a JBA in May 2016, and the following October Lufthansa Cargo moved its local freight handling into the Cathay Pacific Cargo terminal in Hong Kong. In January 2017 Cathay Pacific Cargo did the same in Frankfurt. Under the JBA, Hong Kong is directly connected to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Paris, Rome and Zurich. In addition to the capacity of their dedicated freighter fleet, the carriers will manage the belly space of Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Group passenger aircraft.<br/>