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The "Legend" of D.B. Cooper: America's Greatest Unsolved Aviation Mystery

On the evening of November 24, 1971, a man who would become one of the most infamous figures in American history walked into Portland International Airport. Dressed in a smart suit, with a black tie and white shirt, he introduced himself as "Dan Cooper" and purchased a one-way ticket on Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305, bound for Seattle, Washington. This routine 30-minute flight would soon become one of aviation's greatest mysteries. Cooper was assigned seat 18C on the Boeing 727-100 aircraft. He appeared to be an ordinary, middle-aged businessman, about 45 years old and around 5 feet 10 inches tall. Nothing about him stood out—until the plane was in the air. Shortly after takeoff at 2:50 PM, Cooper handed a note to flight attendant Florence Schaffner. Thinking it was just another businessman passing his phone number, she tucked it into her pocket without a second thought. But Cooper leaned in and whispered something that would change everything: "Miss, you'
Recent posts

The Evolution of Low-Cost Aviation and the Need for Budget Terminals in Sri Lanka

 In recent years, airports have increasingly charged significant fees for aviation operations. These fees are often determined based on the type of aircraft and its Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW). When these charges are high, airlines may be reluctant to operate at these airports, leading to fewer options and potentially higher travel costs. Besides these fees, airports also impose various other charges that can further burden airline operations. Concurrently, the global aviation industry has witnessed the rise of low-cost carriers (LCCs) such as Air Arabia, AirAsia, and Tiger Airways. These airlines have redefined air travel by offering the cheapest possible fares while minimizing operational costs. A key factor in their success is the development of low-cost terminals—budget-friendly facilities that are tailored to meet the specific needs of LCCs. Countries that have embraced this trend have developed low-cost terminals to support the unique requirements of budget airlines. A prim

Navigating Airline Baggage: Tips for a Smooth Travel Experience

  As frequent air travelers, we've all encountered the nuances of airline baggage policies. Whether it's the dreaded excess weight charges or the struggle to fit everything into our carry-on, managing our luggage can make or break the travel experience. In this post, we'll dive into the ins and outs of airline baggage to help you prepare for your next trip. Checked Baggage: The Cargo Hold The majority of passengers, especially those traveling to the Middle East for work, often bid emotional farewells to their loved ones as they check their bags and head to the gate. The allowance for checked baggage varies by airline, but generally, you're permitted to check one or more bags, with a typical weight limit of around 20-30 kg per bag. It's important to be mindful of the rules and regulations set by the International Aviation Organization when packing your checked luggage. Certain items may be prohibited or restricted, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the

Airspace: An Often-Overlooked Economic Resource

When we think of a country's economic resources, we typically imagine traditional assets like agricultural crops, mineral deposits, and natural resources. However, one often overlooked economic resource is a country's airspace. As per the Chicago Convention on Air Transport signed in 1944, every country has sovereignty over its own airspace. This means that if an aircraft from one country wishes to cross the airspace of another, it must first obtain permission from the country that owns that airspace. In the case of Sri Lanka, the country can generate significant revenue from airlines using its airspace. The Sri Lanka Civil Aviation Authority grants permission for aircraft to traverse the country's airspace, and in return, the airlines must pay fees based on the maximum take-off weight of the plane. The fees are as follows: MTOW: 5,000 Kg to 90,000 kg - $100 MTOW: 90,000 Kg to 175,000 Kg - $150 MTOW: 175,000 Kg to 260,000 Kg - $200 MTOW:

Essential Tips for First-Time and Frequent Flyers

  In today's world, air travel has become more accessible than ever before. Whether you're a first-time flyer or a seasoned frequent traveler, it's important to have a solid understanding of the air travel process. In this blog post, we'll share some essential tips to help you navigate the world of air travel with ease. Destination Considerations The first step in planning your air travel is to know your destination. Even if you're not familiar with the city or country you're visiting, the airline or travel agency can assist you in understanding the location and requirements. For example, if you want to travel to Vancouver, the ticket issuing agency can provide you with information about the city and help you plan your trip accordingly. Travel Dates and Preferences Once you've determined your destination, it's important to consider the travel dates and your preferences. Inform the ticket issuing agency about the date you plan to depart, the date

Navigating the Complexities of Airline Operations: A Comprehensive Guide

Navigating the Complexities of Airline Operations: A Comprehensive Guide As an outsider, the process of an airline operating to a country may seem like a simple task. However, there is a rather complicated web of agreements and regulations behind this seemingly straightforward event. In this blog post, we will delve into the intricate world of Bilateral Air Services Agreements and Bilateral Air Services Negotiations, shedding light on the critical aspects that govern international air travel. Bilateral Air Services Agreement: The Foundation of Air Travel A Bilateral Air Services Agreement is a contract made between two countries, outlining the specific guidelines and procedures for air service operations between them. This agreement covers essential details such as the number of flights that can be operated per week, the types of aircraft allowed, the designated airports, and the routes that can be flown before and after those airports. Additionally, the agreement may include inf

සොලමන් මෙහෙයුම - Operation Solomon

හිට්ලර් විසින් දෙවන ලෝක යුද්ධය ආරම්භ කරන ලද්දේ යුදෙව් ජාතිකයින් ලෝකයෙන් අතුගා දැමීම අරමුණු කර ගනිමිනි. යුදෙව් ජාතිකයින් අති විශාල සංඛ්‍යාවක් දෙවන ලෝක යුධ සමයේ දී නාසි හමුදා අතින් ක්‍රෑර ලෙස ඝාතනය විය. මේ යුදෙව්වන් වෙනුවෙන් පසු කාලීන ව වෙනම රටක් සකස් කළ අතර එය ඊශ්‍රායලය නමින් නම් විය. ඔවුන් ලොව පුරා විසිරී සිටි යුදෙව් ජාතිකයින් ඊශ්‍රායලයට ගෙන්වා ගත් අතර ඊශ්‍රායලය ලොව බලවත් ම සහ යුධ උපක්‍රමික ලෙස ඉතාමත් සාර්ථක රටක් බවට පත් විය. එන්ටෙබේ ගුවන් තොටුපලේ සිදු කරන ලද මුදා ගැනීමේ මෙහෙයුම වැනි සුවිශේෂී හමුදා මෙහෙයුම් ඔවුන්ගේ ඉතිහාසයේ වැදගත් ලෙස ලියැවී ඇත. ඇල්බර්ට් අයින්ස්ටයින්, සිග්මන් ෆ්‍රොයිඩ් වැනි ලෝ ප්‍රකට විද්වතුන් ද යුදෙව්වන් ය.  ලොව පුරා විසිරී සිටි යුදෙව්වන් ඊශ්‍රායලය වෙත ගෙන්වා ගැනීම වරින් වර ක්‍රියාත්මක වූ අතර මෙම මෙහෙයුම් බොහෝ විට රහස් මෙහෙයුම් ලෙස සිදු විය. ඉතියෝපියාවේ ජීවත් වූ යුදෙව්වන් ගෙන්වා ගැනීමට ද ඔවුන් වරින් වර රහස් මෙහෙයුම් ක්‍රියාත්මක කළ අතර 80 දශකයේ සිදු කල “මෝසෙස් මෙහෙයුම“ මාධ්‍යයට පවා වසන් වූවක් විය. මෙම මෙහෙයුම කරන අතරතුර මාධ්‍යයට තොරතුරු ලැබීම නිසා ඔවුන් එය නව