VIDEO: Boeing 737 catches fire in Russia, passengers jump to safety from aircraft wing



Screenshot of video footage from the UTair Boeing 737 fire

UTair has been placed under the media spotlight this week, after a recent fire onboard the Russian carrier’s Boeing 737 was captured on video.

Reports have suggested that 130 people and six crew members were onboard the aircraft when the incident occurred at Vnukovo International Airport (28 kilometres from central Moscow).

The video (which is available below) was filmed by television crew, who happened to be travelling on the flight from Stavropol. Passengers are seen jumping from one of the aircraft’s wings and shooting down an evacuation slide.

"A Boeing 737 was en route from Stavropol to Moscow. While it was landing at Vnukovo at about 8:00 a.m., all tires of the landing gear's left leg collapsed and burst into flames. The fire was put out quickly, and no one was injured," a source told Russia Beyond The Headlines.

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Although no passenger or crew injuries were reported, the airport was temporarily closed for two hours as the aircraft was removed from the runway, during which time all flights bound for Vnukovo were directed to alternate airports.

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Infographic: A look at the Etihad Airways aircraft fleet

If you’re the type of person that gets excited about random aircraft facts (like me!), then you’ll probably enjoy this cool info-graphic that I came across last week, which showcases the Etihad Airways aircraft fleet.

The UAE national carrier has one of the fastest-growing and modern fleets in the world, with a combination of Airbus and Boeing aircraft.

Check out the info-graphic below for up-to-date statistics on the exact models, as well as ‘fun facts’ such as passenger capacity, wing span, top speeds and total range for each aircraft.

Plus, there are even some interesting comparisons to Formula 1 racing cars, as Etihad Airways is the title sponsor of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Enjoy! And if you're hungry for more, head over to the fleet page on Etihad’s website for additional information.

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China produces first Airbus A320 with sharklets, delivered to China Eastern Airlines

First A320 with sharklets produced in China [Photo: Airbus]

Let’s take a break from the air rage stories I’ve been posting about China and look at some more positive aviation news from the country.

China Eastern Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320 equipped with sharklets, making it the first Chinese airline to use the fuel saving wing tip devices.

Not only that, but the aircraft is also the first sharklets-equipped A320 to be assembled and delivered in Tianjin. Double milestone!

The A320 (pictures on this page), powered by IAE V2500 engines, features a two class cabin, seating 158 passengers with eight in business class and 150 in economy. Wasting no time at all, its first commercial flight will be operated from Shanghai to Dalian tomorrow. Visit my Facebook page for more aircraft photos.

China Eastern Airlines welcomes new A320 [Photo: Airbus]

“As the first and biggest Airbus customer in China, China Eastern and Airbus have long-term good cooperation. China Eastern is honored to be the first customer of A320 with sharklets in China,” said Shu Mingjiang, Vice President Flight Operations, China Eastern.

“In the near future, China Eastern will further expand our sharklet equipped A320 family fleet.”

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Sharklets are made from light-weight composites and are 2.4 metres tall. They are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft and standard on all members of the new A320neo family.

According to Airbus, they offer operators up to four per cent fuel burn reduction on longer range sectors and provide the flexibility of either adding an additional 100 nautical miles range or increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.

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Airbus Tianjin Delivery Centre has delivered 126 aircraft since June 2009 and plans to deliver 46 aircraft in total in 2013.