Tunnel Boring!

 Machines that make tunnel under the Ground?

Ninety years ago these same machines were created for up to sixteen men to work within the rolling drum digging out the soil, rock, sand by hand and many were killed, either falling forward or back!

But today these boring machines are much bigger and longer, being automated, still crewed by with more safety at hand and they can with lasers work more accurately to also lay the framework of these tunnels with reinforced sections?

Eventually it is expected with A.I. that all types of machines with be robotic and serviced when out of operations, while all controls will come from a control room than the need for human intervention!

Currently the largest borers are building a underwater canal across China and other transport links, with motorways through mountain tunnels and bridges cutting time on land distant travel on winding roads and rail?

Aged aircraft, after UPS Kentucky!

 Ten years after date to Withdraw? 

The sad loss of the MD-11 in Louisville was a disaster waiting to happen, was it fatigue or bad maintenance that one engine fell off this UPS air freighter on take-off for Europe!

When these aircraft come to the end of their commercial life, they become cargo planes and will probably fly until this incident and lost of goods?

What is to become of this aged fleet, the breakers yard for spare parts or just scrap, or other ground uses, bars, homes!

But the laws may need to be changed to end these classics for other withdrawn aircraft and a limited flying time them before dismantling?

Signal Complexities!

 There is more to Train Driving?

Understanding your road (Track) is only the beginning of a more complex observation and trust in the signal control centers is the start of being a driver, wither passenger, underground or freight!

The driver must be watching and have good eyesight to obstacles on the road, from engineering workers, to the public and criminal activity, while speeds must be kept to, there are changes at times that have to be heeded?

On the Tube, Metro, Underground there may be slightly different rules, but crossing tracks is out of the control of the drivers and today much of it is in the hands of automation and now A.I. and in the near future more driver less trains will be in service all over the place!

Automation came in because of human error, due to being slack, lazy, but more likely tiredness and the actions leading to serious accidents from the introduction of railways and the underground?

Cruising is where the money Is!

 Growing fleets of cruise Ships?

Owners of existing fleets are now modernizing their fleets, by not upgrading existing one, but building more newer ones and the success of them is they are getting almost fully booked for the year for each cruise!

Some companies have allowed rich people to buy a suite on board and have it for life as they slowly tour the world, this was so with the Aurora that got stuck in Belfast with engine problems, but recently was able to get to Brest in NW France, before heading for the Bahamas?

Despite the demand for new fad ships, many of the older ones are still popular, bringing back the days of cruising from the various Agatha Christie novels of luxury travel and a more refined catering, servants care and less people on a much larger modern ship!

Boeing sales Down!

 Poor build and management?

People are no longer wanting to travel on the Boeing 737-MAX, after various accidents and incidents and no one wants to buy, since Embraer and Airbus are taking the market with better more reliable aircraft that meets the needs of most airlines.

Meanwhile Boeing is holding its ground with the 787-8/9/10 Dreamliner, and 777X for their long-haul capabilities matching the Airbus A.330-900 and the A.350-900/1000 respectively.

But despite the popularity of the airbus 320/321N/NX, Embraer is taking the market with its E190/195 jets?

The military market for Boeing is doing well with the MR Posidon and Embraer with their EMB-390 transport, but Airbus holds the ground in air tankers based on the A330.

Brazilian air Crash!

Gyro failure on approach for landing?

There are many theories to yesterdays  ATR-72 crash in southern-Brazil with the plane falling from the sky?

Loss of engine power or running out of fuel, the aircraft would still be able to glide down, but this aircraft just started to spin and drop from the sky killing sixty two people on a domestic flight!

The other explanation is sabotage by a hijacker killing the pilots and allowing the plane to crash in that way on the suburbs of the city, but no one was really about?

The ATR-42/72 has a long and safe record and is used by many airlines around the world, with its STOL ability and short landings it can cope with differing conditions and environments and is popular in the 60 to 90 minute air slots, island operations and there are some military versions too.

What ever happened to the Boeing 797?

 Boeing 737-MAX and no replacement for the 757?

Boeing has shelfed the 797/757 replacement to further develop its popular 737-MAX and extend others such as the 777X, 787-8,9,10 Dream liners and keep the 767-400 going?

Since they believe this is the future as they face stiff competition from Airbus and Embraer, since both are cheaper and more reliable, if not a better safety record than Boeing and are way ahead in the neo-fuel and NX next generation technology.

Boeing has several concepts, such as a Supersonic business jet, but we have been here before with that one and it came to nothing, where Europe is considering the wing concept and are progressing with it?

On the military front Boeing is doing well in it's C-17 Globemaster-III transport, but Embraer is catching up with their C390. Weapon systems always do well and the MR variant's of the 737 air frame are now entering British and NATO air forces after another long technical wait!

In the Biz jet market and short haul Embraer is taking the lead with their popular range of craft and military sales are good with smaller nations military and civil.