Japan hopes to open Sendai for relief flights The Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau hopes to open Sendai airport to relief flights within a day or two, now that floodwater has largely drained from the field. Work crews have begun the huge job of clearing mud that the March 11 tsunami dumped on the runway, says an official with the bureau’s safety and security division. But until the mud is cleared they will not know whether the preceding earthquake has deformed the runway so badly that it cannot be used, says the official. Link
Boeing looks to 20 March for 747-8I first flight A day after Boeing's first 747-8 Intercontinental successfully completed its first engine run, company sources indicate the aircraft's maiden sortie is honing in on 20 March. Boeing declined to confirm the 20 March target, but company sources say the first engine start came two days ahead of schedule, indicating a quickening pace toward its first flight. Link Discussion
Boeing to miss 787 performance spec, Albaugh says Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh, for the first time, has acknowledged that the 787 will miss its intended performance specifications, though the majority composite jet will still meet the mission requirements of its customers. "I'll be the first to admit that we're not going to meet the spec, but I think we'll be able to meet what our guarantees are," said Albaugh today at the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. Link
Airbus sees overlap on A320 and A320neo production Airbus is likely to continue building its current A320 narrowbody for some time after it begins delivering the new A320neo (new engine option). "It's not as if one stops building the current plane on a Friday and starts building the [A320] neo on a Monday. As a minimum, there is a ramp down and a ramp up from the current aircraft to the neo and it's quite possible, as a function of customer demand, that we'll continue to build the current standard aircraft for a long time to come, in other words after we have been delivering neos," Airbus vice president of marketing Andrew Shankland said today at the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. Link
Bombardier expects at least 300 CSeries orders by EIS Bombardier says it will have secured some 300 orders for the CSeries by the time the new twinjet enters into service in 2013. Speaking today at the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft president Gary Scott said: "Rest assured that we will add significantly to our current numbers this year and we will begin to add to these numbers soon. Link
Avitas expects a Boeing 737 re-engine announcement in Paris Boeing will likely announce a re-engined 737 at the Paris air show, predicts Avitas's senior vice president Adam Pilarski, despite strong flirtations with an all-new aircraft aimed for a 2019-2020 entry into service. Pilarski concludes that the strategic rationale for installing new CFM Leap-X or Pratt & Whitney PW1000G engines under the wings of the 737 outweighs building an all-new aircraft to replace the type. Link
Airlines, Chicago reach USD 1.17 bln O'Hare deal United Continental and American Airlines parent AMR reached a deal with Chicago for a USD$1.17 billion plan to expand the city's O'Hare Airport, officials announced on Monday. American and United, the two biggest carriers at O'Hare, agreed to dismiss a lawsuit they filed against the city in January seeking to block further financing for the programme, a spokesman for United said. Link
Qatar Airways CEO eyes airline acquisition Qatar Airways is in talks to buy another airline, possibly as early as this year, CEO Akbar Al Baker told Aviation Week at the ITB tourism convention in Berlin. He also confirmed his intention to order more Airbus A380s but was critical of Airbus's decision to offer the new engine option for the A320. Link
Aegean Airlines swings to 2010 loss Aegean Airlines, Greece's largest carrier, swung to a 2010 net loss of of EUR€23.3 million (USD$32.5 million), hit by the country's debt crisis and recession. "Weak domestic demand conditions, the subsequent significant reduction in average fare and the rise in the price of fuel were the main contributors to the loss," it said on Monday. Link
Endeavour moves to pad for launch preparation Fresh on the heels of shuttle Discovery’s return from its final spaceflight, shuttle Endeavour reached the launch pad on March 11 for preparations to deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the International Space Station during the STS-134 mission. Link
United may ground 44 aircraft as oil prices rise United Continental may ground its fleet of Boeing 737-500 and 767-200ER aircraft in an attempt to offset rising oil prices, CEO Jeff Smisek said Friday. The company has 34 of the narrow-body planes and 10 of the wide-bodies, with an average age of 15 and 9.8 years, respectively. Regarding high oil prices, Smisek said, "I feel a bit like a pinata at a 10-year-old's birthday party." Grounding fuel-inefficient aircraft would be a step in fighting oil costs for United Continental, which announced March 7 that capacity will remain flat for 2011; earlier plans had called for a 1% to 2% capacity increase. Link
American seeks flight attendants for voluntary leave American Airlines said Friday it will offer up to 300 flight attendants a voluntary leave of absence beginning this summer as high oil prices lead to curtailed growth plans. The company also said it was surprised by the high response rate to flight attendant recalls announced earlier. "The [planned leaves of absence] do not affect the timing or number of recalls that have already been announced," said a spokeswoman. "Training for recalled flight attendants continues, and American looks forward to welcoming these flight attendants back to service in April, June and July." Link
Boeing eyes 3rd-generation 787 with 300-passenger capacity Boeing is studying a 2016 debut for a "double-stretch" version of its 787 Dreamliner, capable of seating about 300 passengers on a 7,900-mile flight. "The feedback from the airlines is very, very positive," said Boeing executive Nicole Piasecki about the 787-10, which would have about the capacity of a small 777 though its range would be about 1,000 miles less. Carriers could "get incredible economics out of the [787]-10 if they don't need the range," Piasecki said. Link
Airlines, oil companies worried about margin rules under Dodd-Frank Airlines and oil companies are seeking exemptions to a rule that would require most derivatives to be traded on regulated exchanges. Royal Dutch Shell says the new margin requirements would tie up billions of dollars compared to an over-the-counter exchange. An international airline trade group says the industry might have collapsed if airlines had been forced to post margin during the 2008 runup in oil prices. Link
Tactical Air agreement ratifies Navy, Marines' F-35 purchases The Tactical Air memorandum of understanding, an updated interservice agreement expected to be signed today, clarifies the details of the Navy and Marine Corps' plans to buy strike fighters. The agreement ratifies the Navy's plan to purchase 680 F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighters and the exact mix of variants and who will fly them, and it also reaffirms the continued rotation of Marine F-35Bs and F-35Cs in and out of deploying carrier air wings. Link
Sarkozy vows to support jet technology transfer for Brazil French President Nicolas Sarkozy is offering a vow of support from his government for Dassault's proposed technology transfer of its new fighter jet as the company seeks to regain favor in its bid to win a major Brazilian contract. Dassault's Rafale appeared close to winning the multibillion-dollar contract when Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was in power, but his successor, Dilma Rousseff, appears to be rethinking the bids and is leaning towards Boeing's F-18 jet. Link
Boeing to produce 777s at pre-recession levels Less than a year after curbing 777 output amid the global economic crisis, Boeing says it will resume its previous production rate of seven jets per month. Last March, the company announced a cutback to five per month as orders lagged. By the first quarter of 2013, Boeing plans to deliver 8.3 jets per month, or 100 per year. Link
AVIATION QUOTE
In soloing—as in other activities—it is far easier to start something than it is to finish it.
— Amelia Earhart, '20 Hours: 40 minutes,' 1928.
ON THIS DATE
March 15th
• In 1938... De Havilland D. H. 88 Comet racer G-ACSS begins a record-breaking flight from England to New Zealand and back for what some regard as the most notable success of the Comet’s achievement: a return flight time of 10 days 21 hours 22 minutes.
• In 1957... A U.S. Navy ZPG-2 nonrigid airship sets a new unrefueled endurance record when it lands, having remained aloft for 264 hours (11 days) 12 minutes, beating the record set by the Graf Zeppelin in 1929.
• In 1985... Pan Am puts the Airbus A300B airliner into service, on its route from Miami, Florida to Mexico City.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
If Airlines Sold Paint
If you are wondering how our airlines can go bankrupt read this: Customer: Hi. How much is your paint? Clerk: Well, sir, that all depends on quite a lot of things. Customer: Can you give me a guess? Is there an average price? Clerk: Our lowest price is $12 a gallon, and we have 60 different prices up to $200 a gallon. Customer: What's the difference in the paint? Clerk: Oh, there isn't any difference; it's all the same paint. Customer: Well, then I'd like some of that $12 paint. Clerk: When do you intend to use the paint? Customer: I want to paint tomorrow. It's my day off. Clerk: Sir, the paint for tomorrow is the $200 paint. Customer: When would I have to paint to get the $12 paint? Clerk: You would have to start very late at night in about 3 weeks. But you will have to agree to start painting before Friday of that week and continue painting until at least Sunday. Customer: You've got to be *&%^#@* kidding! Clerk: I'll check and see if we have any paint available. Customer: You have shelves FULL of paint! I can see it! Clerk: But it doesn't mean that we have paint available. We sell only a certain number of gallons on any given weekend. Oh, and by the way, the price per gallon just went to $16. We don't have any more $12 paint. Customer: The price went up as we were talking? Clerk: Yes, sir. We change the prices and rules hundreds of times a day, and since you haven't actually walked out of the store with your paint yet, we just decided to change. I suggest you purchase your paint as soon as possible. How many gallons do you want? Customer: Well, maybe five gallons. Make that six, so I'll have enough. Clerk: Oh no, sir, you can't do that. If you buy paint and don't use it, there are penalties and possible confiscation of the paint you already have. Customer: WHAT? Clerk: We can sell enough paint to do your kitchen, bathroom, hall and > north bedroom, but if you stop painting before you do the bedroom, you will lose your remaining gallons of paint. Customer: What does it matter whether I use all the paint? I already paid you for it! Clerk: We make plans based upon the idea that all our paint is used, every drop. If you don't, it causes us all sorts of problems. Customer: This is crazy!! I suppose something terrible happens if I don't keep painting until after Saturday night! Clerk: Oh yes! Every gallon you bought automatically becomes the $200 paint. Customer: But what are all these, "Paint on sale from $10 a liter" signs? Clerk: Well that's for our budget paint. It only comes in half-gallons. One $5 half-gallon will do half a room. The second half-gallon to complete the room is $20. None of the cans have labels, some are empty and there are no refunds, even on the empty cans. Customer: To hell with this! I'll buy what I need somewhere else! Clerk: I don't think so, sir. You may be able to buy paint for your bathroom and bedrooms, and your kitchen and dining room from someone else, but you won't be able to paint your connecting hall and stairway from anyone but us. And I should point out, sir, that if you paint in only one direction, it will be $300 a gallon. Customer: I thought your most expensive paint was $200! Clerk: That's if you paint around the room to the point at which you started. A hallway is different. Customer: And if I buy $200 paint for the hall, but only paint in one direction, you'll confiscate the remaining paint. Clerk: No, we'll charge you an extra use fee plus the difference on our next gallon of paint. But I believe you're getting it now, sir. Customer: You're insane! Clerk: Thanks for painting with United.
TRIVIA
Aircraft Designation and Name
Based on the clue, provide the designation and name if applicable.
1. A porno magazine published by a man in a wheelchair. 2. The capital of a sole country continent. 3. A Colt six-shooter. 4. Portuguese wine in a clay bottle. 5. As Elmer Fudd would say: “Kill the wabbitt, kill the wabbitt…” or the song that was playing when Robert Duvall wanted to surf, Martin Sheen thought he was nuts. 6. If you eat railroad spikes and spit out tacks, then if you eat Habaneros you will spit _____? 7. Rock you like a hurricane. 8. Carolina’s play on turf; Florida’s play on ice. 9. A Reservation system used by AA. 10. A teacher of a sort.
Ideology: The mistaken belief that your beliefs are neither beliefs nor mistaken.
halls120/forum/images/avatars/gallery/first/user58/1.pngoffline(Plank Owner) 15 Mar 11, 11:20
