Pilots can take action to prevent illusions and their potentially disastrous consequences if they:

1.        Understand the causes of these illusions and remain constantly alert for them.
2.        Always obtain preflight weather briefings.
3.        Do not continue flight into adverse weather conditions or into dusk or darkness unless proficient in the use of flight instruments.
4.        Ensure that when outside visual references are used, they are reliable, fixed points on the Earth's surface.
5.        Avoid sudden head movement, particularly during takeoffs, turns, and approaches to landing.
6.        Remember that illness, medication, alcohol, fatigue, sleep loss, and mild hypoxia is likely to increase susceptibility to spatial disorientation.
7.        Most importantly, become proficient in the use of flight instruments and rely upon them.

The sensations, which lead to illusions during instrument flight conditions, are normal perceptions experienced by pilots. These undesirable sensations cannot be completely prevented, but through training and awareness, pilots can ignore or suppress them by developing absolute reliance on the flight instruments. As pilots gain proficiency in instrument flying, they become less susceptible to these illusions and their effects.

Today Montenegro Airlines received its first new plane in many years. The Embraer 195 started its delivery journey from Cabral International Airport in Cape Verde on route to Rome’s Ciampino Airport yesterday arriving at 22.15CET. It departed from Ciampino at 12.00CET.

Live report

13.00 - The MGX E195 is set to arrive within the next few minutes.

13.10 - The delivery flight from Rome is numbered MGX 7503. Upon arrival in a few minutes a special ceremony will begin where politicians as well as MGX workers should be attending.

13.16 - The aircraft has arrived to Podgorica.

The new aircraft will begin regular service on June 15 operating from Podgorica to London Gatwick. Congratulations to the airline and there are high hopes there will be various deliveries for various airlines around ex-Yu this year. Croatia Airlines started a few weeks ago.

The Bosnian national air carrier B&H Airlines is looking to purchase at least one new aircraft. As the CEO of the airline Nudžeim Rečica said, the purchase of one aircraft is necessary for the airline this year. He said once the aircraft arrives the other ones in the fleet may be used for shorter distance destinations such as Zagreb (currently operated by Croatia Airlines in codeshare with B&H) and Belgrade (currently operated by Jat Airways in codeshare with B&H) while a strategic partner would be found for designations Stockholm, Gothenburg and Copenhagen. “There is a possibility for us to open up services to Brussels and Amsterdam as well which would connect our passengers coming in from the US and Canada)” says Rečica.

Jat and BH airlines have signed a codeshare agreement on route Belgrade-Sarajevo in late 2006 which is operated by Jat however is sold as both a Jat and BH flight. “We have a really strong partnership with Jat Airways” says Rečica. He says that the BH team has analysed the profitability of this route and have concluded that there is room for another airline. The airline is 90% sure it will start services to Belgrade in September or October this year. Due to a special partnership BH could sell tickets to Jat’s destinations. It would transport passengers to Belgrade which will upon arrival be handled by Jat onto further destinations.

Serbia’s vice premier Božidar Đelić who is in St. Petersburg, Russia announced. after talks with Aeroflot CEO. great interest from the Russian carrier to purchase the 81 year old Serbian airline. Đelić stated it was important that such a large airline as Aeroflot is still interested in Jat “after the worsening situation in the global aviation market”. The two went through the steps which have been taken to resolve Jat’s ownership of its (soon to be independent) technical company “Jat Tehnika” and platforms at Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport. Igor Levtin, Russia’s minister for transportation also attended the serious talks. The Russian airline has devised a seven year business plan for Jat which includes the development of Belgrade into a regional aviation hub and the purchase of smaller longer range aircraft rather than bigger short range aircraft. The privatisation of Serbia’s national airline will be the most important investment this year in Serbia. Iceland’s national airline Icelandair is also interested in JU however recent talks suggest that Jat may be sold to Aeroflot as early as September this year.

The precise share of the sale is yet unknown although it has been suggested that 49% will be owned by the Serbian Government, 50% by Aeroflot and 1% by an airline registered in the EU (this would be done so Jat could remain Serbia’s national airline).

Montenegro Airlines starts new chapter in its history

Embraer delivered the first Embraer 195 jet, today, to the Montenegro Republic flag carrier, Montenegro Airlines in São José dos Campos (Brasil). The plane now starts its 24 hour journey to Podgorica where it will be greeted by a special ceremony organised by the airline. Under the current schedule the plane should touch down in Podogirca at 13.15CET arriving from Rome Ciampino Airport with the plane registration being 40-AOA. The company will begin revenue service with its first E195 under a lease agreement with GE Commercial Aviation Services(GECAS), and will be the first E-Jets operator in the Balkans. The aircraft is configured with adual-class interior, seating up to 116 passengers. The Embraer 195 will be used by Montenegro Airlines to support the airline’s network in Europe, complementing its existing jet fleet, and will enable the carrier to open more destinations, primarily in Russia, but in the United Kingdom and Scandinavia, as well.

The current MGX fleet consists of 4 Fokker 100's one of which is leased to the Albanian Belle Air. Stay tuned for live reports tomorrow from 13.00CET.

Serbia’s Jat Airways is today, June 6, beginning Belgrade – Oslo flights. The route will be seasonal and will last until September 26. Jat’s planes will operate two weekly flights to the Norwegian capital (Mondays and Fridays). Jat’s planes will depart in the morning (8.30 on Monday and 7.40 on Friday) from Belgrade and commence its return flight from Oslo in the early afternoon (11.20 Mondays and 12.10 Fridays). The flights are being operated by a B737-300. This is Jat’s third Scandinavian destination (after Stockholm and Gothenburg in Sweden). JU used to operate flights to Oslo until two year ago. It will try to have more successes this time although they have more competition with low-cost Norwegian Air Shuttle operating three weekly flights to Belgrade from Oslo.

Jat Airways

May 2008 has been a successful month for Serbia’s national airline Jat Airways. It has reported its best result since 1991 with 116.956 passengers transported – an increase of 19% compared to last year. Even more impressive is the cabin occupancy index (the amount of people in the cabins across the fleet) which last month stood at 68 index points – the best cabin occupancy result since 1990 when it was 66 index points. From January this year to May 437.862 passengers travelled with Jat, a 9% increase since last year. The big improvement in passenger numbers has been greatly contributed by the world’s biggest music contest named the Eurovision Song Contest (the 53rd edition) which took place in Jat’s hub city Belgrade in May. Since 43 countries competed there were many tourists and participant delegations using Jat. Secondly the overall standard in Serbia is improving which can be traced to the large increase of Serbs using charter flights this summer for their holidays to Greece, Turkey and Egypt as compared to using busses, as was the case in the past. Jat Airways can expect a record July in 2009 in relation to passenger numbers as the Summer Universiade Games take place in Belgrade with 44 countries participating (sporting event).

Adria Airways

Adria this year is doing very well compared to a not so great 2007. It is currently reporting better 5 month passenger numbers than Jat Airways, although Adria can largely thank its success this year due to Slovenia’s presidency of the European Union (which started in January 2008 and ends in June). In May the airline transported 116.413 (some 400 passengers less than Jat) which is an increase of 27% compared to last year. It will be interesting to monitor the airlines result in the second half of this year. Last year Croatia Airlines came first from the ex-Yugoslav region in terms of the number of passengers transported with Jat second and Adria third. Will Adria overtake the second position? Stay tuned.

Montenegro Airlines

Montenegro Airlines transported in the first five months of 2008 154.000 passengers. Although Jat carried nearly as much in only one month it is important to remember the size of MGX and the size of its market. The airline’s management board announced that the January-May 2008 period has improved 21% compared to last year.