Is this normal ? If not,I hope someone gets some pictures.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/CUB ... /MUHA/CYYZ

It came 4 times over the weekend, was cool to see, even if just from my car on the highway passing by. Loads of people got pictures.

It was at YUL yesterday or the day before.

Still nice to see. I remember reading,back when they were not allowed to fly over the USA,they had to fly up and down the St Lawrence to YUL.

There are even nice videos:

https://youtu.be/BInRyFEmRwM

https://youtu.be/E-0oigoXUaE

United_fan wrote:

Still nice to see. I remember reading,back when they were not allowed to fly over the USA,they had to fly up and down the St Lawrence to YUL.

p

I was not aware of any prohibition against Cubana flying over the U.S., regardless of equipment type. US airlines have always been included to overfly Cuba en route to other destinations (i.e., Grand Cayman, Jamaica). Can you supply any more information to substantiate your comment?

I love the look of airliners that are relatively short compared to their width. 767-200, A310, IL-96.

There are no restrictions on Cubana's planes on approved tracks over the US airspace, same as there are no restrictions on US aircraft overflying Cuba on approved tracks.

CU's 2 active IL-96s fly to Madrid. Paris ORY, Buenos Aires EZE and now Canada. They are down to the wire with their ever dwindling fleet.

awesome videos, why were there 2 (entire fleet) on the ground at the same time? That was sweet to watch btw

dcajet wrote:

There are no restrictions on Cubana's planes on approved tracks over the US airspace, same as there are no restrictions on US aircraft overflying Cuba on approved tracks.

CU's 2 active IL-96s fly to Madrid. Paris ORY, Buenos Aires EZE and now Canada. They are down to the wire with their ever dwindling fleet.

Good thing is... seems like they are getting at least 1 more... or recently got one.

The entire fleet is active again, they also acquired an additional il-96 an ex Aeroflot frame. I'm assuming they're starting to let off the wet leased frames due to the incident with the Global express 732. YYZ also sees the Cubana Tu-204 freighter also.

superjeff wrote:

United_fan wrote:

Still nice to see. I remember reading,back when they were not allowed to fly over the USA,they had to fly up and down the St Lawrence to YUL.

p

I was not aware of any prohibition against Cubana flying over the U.S., regardless of equipment type. US airlines have always been included to overfly Cuba en route to other destinations (i.e., Grand Cayman, Jamaica). Can you supply any more information to substantiate your comment?

Maybe this was in the late 80's . Maybe it was temporary . I just remember reading about it.

Melbourne wrote:

The entire fleet is active again, they also acquired an additional il-96 an ex Aeroflot frame. I'm assuming they're starting to let off the wet leased frames due to the incident with the Global express 732. YYZ also sees the Cubana Tu-204 freighter also.

Nope it's not: All An-158 are grounded The official reason cited in the resolution issued by the authority states “multiple and repeating failures have been found in complex systems, built by mechanical, hydraulic and electrical components, as well as computer performance algorithms,” as well as “evidence of design and manufacturing flaws, serious issues in flight control system, cracks in the structure and engine temperature increase above normal parameters":

https://airlinegeeks.com/2018/05/17/cub ... 158-fleet/

As for the Il-96, the one wearing the hybrid livery CU-T1717 is grounded as it maxed out its cycles lifespan. CU-T1251 is flying (wearing the new livery) as for the two remaining CU-T1250 and CU-T1254 (as far as I know) are suppose to fly to Voronez for heavy maintenance.

Finaly, two of the four Tu-204 (the cargo version) are stored for quite some time now.

As much as I love this airline (I had the chance to fly on CU-T1250 some 10 years ago), it's obvious that after sales and maintenance are still an issue when you fly Russian/Ukrainian metals.

superjeff wrote:

United_fan wrote:

Still nice to see. I remember reading,back when they were not allowed to fly over the USA,they had to fly up and down the St Lawrence to YUL.

p

I was not aware of any prohibition against Cubana flying over the U.S., regardless of equipment type. US airlines have always been included to overfly Cuba en route to other destinations (i.e., Grand Cayman, Jamaica). Can you supply any more information to substantiate your comment?

I have flown over Cuba many times via three corridors Giron, Maya and the Nuevas. In all instances I find Cuban ATC to be extremely accommodating especially when requesting change in flight levels for a smoother ride.

Melbourne wrote:

The entire fleet is active again, they also acquired an additional il-96 an ex Aeroflot frame. I'm assuming they're starting to let off the wet leased frames due to the incident with the Global express 732. YYZ also sees the Cubana Tu-204 freighter also.

As it refers to the IL-96 fleet, the above statement is not accurate. There are 4 IL-96s in the Cubana fleet and only two are currently airworthy, CU-T1250 and CU-T1251. Both frames were recently overhauled and received a systems update after a lengthy stay at Voronezh.

The CU-T1254 is stored at HAV, it needs a major overhaul at the VASO facilities in Voronezh, RF and currently has been deemed not airworthy to cross the pond by the Russians engineers. I suspect lack of hard currency will prevent this a/c from ever seeing commercial service again.

The CU-T1717 (the ex-SU frame) has run out of hours/cycles and is stored at HAV, Needs major overhaul; doubt it will ever fly again for the same reason as CU-T1254.

Long gone are the days the Soviets would run to the keep the Cubana planes flying, trading engineering for sugar, etc. These days it is strictly on a "show me the money" basis.

Cubana supplements the 2 IL-96 flying by wet leasing a Plus Ultra (PU) A340 as needed.

dcajet wrote:

Melbourne wrote:

The entire fleet is active again, they also acquired an additional il-96 an ex Aeroflot frame. I'm assuming they're starting to let off the wet leased frames due to the incident with the Global express 732. YYZ also sees the Cubana Tu-204 freighter also.

As it refers to the IL-96 fleet, the above statement is not accurate. There are 4 IL-96s in the Cubana fleet and only two are currently airworthy, CU-T1250 and CU-T1251. Both frames were recently overhauled and received a systems update after a lengthy stay at Voronezh.

The CU-T1254 is stored at HAV, it needs a major overhaul at the VASO facilities in Voronezh, RF and currently has been deemed not airworthy to cross the pond by the Russians engineers. I suspect lack of hard currency will prevent this a/c from ever seeing commercial service again.

The CU-T1717 (the ex-SU frame) has run out of hours/cycles and is stored at HAV, Needs major overhaul; doubt it will ever fly again for the same reason as CU-T1254.

Long gone are the days the Soviets would run to the keep the Cubana planes flying, trading engineering for sugar, etc. These days it is strictly on a "show me the money" basis.

Cubana supplements the 2 IL-96 flying by wet leasing a Plus Ultra (PU) A340 as needed.

Thanks for the update. Have you any inside on the status of the four Tu-204?

SR380 wrote:

dcajet wrote:

Melbourne wrote:

The entire fleet is active again, they also acquired an additional il-96 an ex Aeroflot frame. I'm assuming they're starting to let off the wet leased frames due to the incident with the Global express 732. YYZ also sees the Cubana Tu-204 freighter also.

As it refers to the IL-96 fleet, the above statement is not accurate. There are 4 IL-96s in the Cubana fleet and only two are currently airworthy, CU-T1250 and CU-T1251. Both frames were recently overhauled and received a systems update after a lengthy stay at Voronezh.

The CU-T1254 is stored at HAV, it needs a major overhaul at the VASO facilities in Voronezh, RF and currently has been deemed not airworthy to cross the pond by the Russians engineers. I suspect lack of hard currency will prevent this a/c from ever seeing commercial service again.

The CU-T1717 (the ex-SU frame) has run out of hours/cycles and is stored at HAV, Needs major overhaul; doubt it will ever fly again for the same reason as CU-T1254.

Long gone are the days the Soviets would run to the keep the Cubana planes flying, trading engineering for sugar, etc. These days it is strictly on a "show me the money" basis.

Cubana supplements the 2 IL-96 flying by wet leasing a Plus Ultra (PU) A340 as needed.

Thanks for the update. Have you any inside on the status of the four Tu-204?

I think there are 2 pax and 2 cargo for a total of 4. At least, one of the pax ones is airworthy as it shows up at EZE every so often, subbing for the scheduled IL-96, albeit with a tech stop at MAO. I have this nagging recollection of having seen a pic of one the cargo ones sans engines not that long ago.

SpaceshipDC10 wrote:

There are even nice videos:

https://youtu.be/BInRyFEmRwM

https://youtu.be/E-0oigoXUaE

Thanks! Is that cool or what?

I think it's awesome that such rare aircraft can still be seen every now and then. Yes, I know, I know, the IL-96 is not the most economic plane but as an aviation enthusiast, I feel we should welcome every bit of variety while we still can.

I really love big brutal widebody quads like this. Great catch.

In between trips to YYZ and YUL, CU-T1250 about to land @ EZE now, from HAV. Will return in a few hours to Cayo Coco CCC

superjeff wrote:

United_fan wrote:

Still nice to see. I remember reading,back when they were not allowed to fly over the USA,they had to fly up and down the St Lawrence to YUL.

p

I was not aware of any prohibition against Cubana flying over the U.S., regardless of equipment type. US airlines have always been included to overfly Cuba en route to other destinations (i.e., Grand Cayman, Jamaica). Can you supply any more information to substantiate your comment?

Hi:
For a long time, there was a prohibition for Cuban planes, including AeroCaribe, to overfly US

. Around 1988, a Hav- Yyz flight, may take place ONLY, on an overseas route, from Hav to NYY! 1 hour out of the US coast and at a low flight level to avoid conflict with Ast-West flying planes.(29 000) to NYY, were planes were authorized to overfly rest of flight.. they took around 1 extra flight hour..
In 1993, with arrive of leased DC-10 from AOM, prohibition lost sense and these plane started flight a normal, overland, route.

At that time, N-registered planes overfly Cuba by 3 corridors.

Situation was irrational, bordering illegal, but nor ICAO, or any other institution, take care...

Slds

Apprentice wrote:

superjeff wrote:

United_fan wrote:

Still nice to see. I remember reading,back when they were not allowed to fly over the USA,they had to fly up and down the St Lawrence to YUL.

p

I was not aware of any prohibition against Cubana flying over the U.S., regardless of equipment type. US airlines have always been included to overfly Cuba en route to other destinations (i.e., Grand Cayman, Jamaica). Can you supply any more information to substantiate your comment?

Hi:
For a long time, there was a prohibition for Cuban planes, including AeroCaribe, to overfly US

. Around 1988, a Hav- Yyz flight, may take place ONLY, on an overseas route, from Hav to NYY! 1 hour out of the US coast and at a low flight level to avoid conflict with Ast-West flying planes.(29 000) to NYY, were planes were authorized to overfly rest of flight.. they took around 1 extra flight hour..
In 1993, with arrive of leased DC-10 from AOM, prohibition lost sense and these plane started flight a normal, overland, route.

At that time, N-registered planes overfly Cuba by 3 corridors.

Situation was irrational, bordering illegal, but nor ICAO, or any other institution, take care...

Slds

There were a few instances in the 80s when Canada-bound Cubana planes were found overflying USAF bases over NY state en route to their destination.

SR380 wrote:

Melbourne wrote:

The entire fleet is active again, they also acquired an additional il-96 an ex Aeroflot frame. I'm assuming they're starting to let off the wet leased frames due to the incident with the Global express 732. YYZ also sees the Cubana Tu-204 freighter also.

Nope it's not: All An-158 are grounded The official reason cited in the resolution issued by the authority states “multiple and repeating failures have been found in complex systems, built by mechanical, hydraulic and electrical components, as well as computer performance algorithms,” as well as “evidence of design and manufacturing flaws, serious issues in flight control system, cracks in the structure and engine temperature increase above normal parameters":

.

At this point, I guess you just throw out the whole plane..


Has there ever been an issue with the FAA collecting overflight fees from Cubana?

dcajet wrote:

Apprentice wrote:

superjeff wrote:

p

I was not aware of any prohibition against Cubana flying over the U.S., regardless of equipment type. US airlines have always been included to overfly Cuba en route to other destinations (i.e., Grand Cayman, Jamaica). Can you supply any more information to substantiate your comment?

Hi:
For a long time, there was a prohibition for Cuban planes, including AeroCaribe, to overfly US

. Around 1988, a Hav- Yyz flight, may take place ONLY, on an overseas route, from Hav to NYY! 1 hour out of the US coast and at a low flight level to avoid conflict with Ast-West flying planes.(29 000) to NYY, were planes were authorized to overfly rest of flight.. they took around 1 extra flight hour..
In 1993, with arrive of leased DC-10 from AOM, prohibition lost sense and these plane started flight a normal, overland, route.

At that time, N-registered planes overfly Cuba by 3 corridors.

Situation was irrational, bordering illegal, but nor ICAO, or any other institution, take care...

Slds

There were a few instances in the 80s when Canada-bound Cubana planes were found overflying USAF bases over NY state en route to their destination.

Hi. This is a firsr for mi. Trying to imagine reason why, an 60’s tech pax plane will overfly a Canadian air base.
Any source?
Rgds

TurboJet707 wrote:

Thanks! Is that cool or what?

I think it's awesome that such rare aircraft can still be seen every now and then. Yes, I know, I know, the IL-96 is not the most economic plane but as an aviation enthusiast, I feel we should welcome every bit of variety while we still can.

I really love big brutal widebody quads like this. Great catch.

Exactly!

Apprentice wrote:

dcajet wrote:

Apprentice wrote:

Hi:
For a long time, there was a prohibition for Cuban planes, including AeroCaribe, to overfly US

. Around 1988, a Hav- Yyz flight, may take place ONLY, on an overseas route, from Hav to NYY! 1 hour out of the US coast and at a low flight level to avoid conflict with Ast-West flying planes.(29 000) to NYY, were planes were authorized to overfly rest of flight.. they took around 1 extra flight hour..
In 1993, with arrive of leased DC-10 from AOM, prohibition lost sense and these plane started flight a normal, overland, route.

At that time, N-registered planes overfly Cuba by 3 corridors.

Situation was irrational, bordering illegal, but nor ICAO, or any other institution, take care...

Slds

There were a few instances in the 80s when Canada-bound Cubana planes were found overflying USAF bases over NY state en route to their destination.

Hi. This is a firsr for mi. Trying to imagine reason why, an 60’s tech pax plane will overfly a Canadian air base.
Any source?
Rgds

It was an USAF base, not a Canadian one. And you don't need the latest technology to take aerial photos or do some reconnaissance.


viewtopic.php?t=278303

dcanet, Good Evening, You are right, You dont need the latest technology to take aerial fotos, but it will be like, WWII technology to spy 2018’s american base !!?? And what, I repeat was more shocking: Cuban planes had no right to fly when US’s ones were allowed.
I never understood, why american tourist didn’t go to Cuba to buy photo lens!
Rgds

You can just look st our bases on google earth.

Whatever happened to that black painted Latvian A320 they had been using the last few years?

Apprentice wrote:

superjeff wrote:

United_fan wrote:

Still nice to see. I remember reading,back when they were not allowed to fly over the USA,they had to fly up and down the St Lawrence to YUL.

I was not aware of any prohibition against Cubana flying over the U.S., regardless of equipment type. US airlines have always been included to overfly Cuba en route to other destinations (i.e., Grand Cayman, Jamaica). Can you supply any more information to substantiate your comment?

Hi:
For a long time, there was a prohibition for Cuban planes, including AeroCaribe, to overfly US
. Around 1988, a Hav- Yyz flight, may take place ONLY, on an overseas route, from Hav to NYY! 1 hour out of the US coast and at a low flight level to avoid conflict with Ast-West flying planes.(29 000) to NYY, were planes were authorized to overfly rest of flight.. they took around 1 extra flight hour..
In 1993, with arrive of leased DC-10 from AOM, prohibition lost sense and these plane started flight a normal, overland, route.
At that time, N-registered planes overfly Cuba by 3 corridors.
Situation was irrational, bordering illegal, but nor ICAO, or any other institution, take care...Slds

For more on this than you probably want to know, see the following PDF from the Institute of Air & Space Law of Mcgill University in Canada. Its the best explanation of some of the international issue in aviation I've ever seen:
https://www.mcgill.ca/iasl/files/iasl/S ... empsey.pdf

Gemuser

dcajet wrote:

CU's 2 active IL-96s fly to Madrid. Paris ORY, Buenos Aires EZE and now Canada. They are down to the wire with their ever dwindling fleet.

Which is why I don't understand the Castro defender posters who insist that its "evil US imperialism" why Cubana isnt flying to MIA or JFK.

Apprentice wrote:

dcanet, Good Evening, You are right, You dont need the latest technology to take aerial fotos, but it will be like, WWII technology to spy 2018’s american base !!?? And what, I repeat was more shocking: Cuban planes had no right to fly when US’s ones were allowed.
I never understood, why american tourist didn’t go to Cuba to buy photo lens!
Rgds

Those episodes of CU's planes overflying US bases were long time ago - in the late80s/early 90s IIRC. A lot of things have changed since then, including a much more strict stance on the US part of what commercial airliners are allowed to enter its airspace. They would not happen today. And mind you, Cubana was more asset rich back then than it is now.

guyanam wrote:

dcajet wrote:

CU's 2 active IL-96s fly to Madrid. Paris ORY, Buenos Aires EZE and now Canada. They are down to the wire with their ever dwindling fleet.

Which is why I don't understand the Castro defender posters who insist that its "evil US imperialism" why Cubana isnt flying to MIA or JFK.

Cubana doesn't fly to the US because a. its assets would get impounded right away and b. they simply lack a business case or the resources to do it. While CU's hands are tied by the US embargo should it wish to get its own A or B planes, not flying to the US has nothing to do with US policies, no matter what the regime's apologists may say.

And this is exactly the point. Cuba isn't going to fight for CU flying to the USA, even if they outsource this service so get around the embargo, because they just lack the resources. The USA is one of Cuba's largest sources of imports so the notion that there is no trade between the 2 nations is wrong.

Cuba needs hard currency in a bad way since Venezuela is no longer able to get them "free" oil and they want more US visitors, VFR, leisure and business, into Cuba and they know fully well that these segments aren't going to use CU. Russian planes have a poor image in the USA, and I suspect that CU's image for safety isn't much better. If it takes a monopoly by US carriers then this is what will happen,

Guyanm: Good Morning. Again not agree with a postulate that “ USA is one of largest sources of imports...”. Do You have numbers? Last time I Checked they were: EC, Canada and Venezuela were first..
In my opinion, and I have noyhing to back that, Cubana want to flight to US.: short flight, with a good fee, it’s just a dream
The problem is not in the planes: russian planes are as good as any, when exploited and maintaned as a plane. But they intend to use leased metals, A or B., but the real problem is terrorist atacks in US soil.
Around 78-79, they opened flights for cubans to meet family. Again, no figures, but there were plenty of charter flights between Cuba and USA, but Cubana suffered several attacks, from phone messages that “a Bomb is o/b” to hit a Cubana plane, purpodsely, wirh a Catering truck. All this time, local (Miami) radio station receiving terrorist phone call about placed or will place a bomb inside the plane.
Cubana quit, as any normall company, specially because it had lost a plane a DC-8, Leased to another bomb, near Guyana in 1976. (By the way, people who planed and put bomb on the plane, are, almost anybody free in Miami and are treat not as a terrorist, but as heroes. (I supose because they use Hats instead of “Kufiyyas”)
So at the end Cubana stop direct flights to USA and Cuba also stop receiving American Planes. It is called, reciprocity.
I work with mechanics who work at that time in Cubana, and always been touched by how they live they home for a flight and their thinking...
This was a difficult times for cubana only and, I do not thing that will be easy to restore link.
Rgds