American launches latest salvo in battle against Orbitz American Airlines filed a lawsuit against Orbitz Worldwide and Travelport to stop what it called anti-competitive behavior. The airline said the companies are retaliating against it for encouraging greater use of American's distribution technology. "Travelport, Orbitz and other industry participants have undertaken attacks against American that have been swift and punitive," according to the lawsuit. But Orbitz spokesman Brian Hoyt said American is "trying to force a distribution deal with us that is ultimately a negative for consumers." Link
Air Canada considering new low-cost subsidiary A new low-cost operation is being mulled by Air Canada. Leaked details of the plan reveal the new subsidiary would hire pilots under a separate contract from its regular crew. New crews would be paid hourly with defined contribution plans. Initially, six Airbus A319s and four Boeing 767s would make up the new operation's fleet. Link
Damaged Southwest jet headed to N.C. for final repairs A Southwest Airlines jet that had a hole open up in its roof during a flight earlier this month is headed to Greensboro, N.C., for repairs. The hole in the Boeing 737-300 was patched in Arizona before the plane flew to Greensboro via Dallas, flying below 10,000 feet so it wouldn't need pressurization. The plane is expected to be repaired and put back into service. Link
Airlines prepare for another potential volcanic eruption More than 70 airlines are taking part in a simulation to prepare for another ash cloud should there be another volcanic eruption. The eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano last year shut down European airspace, stranding more than 100,000 flights and 8 million passengers. It is hoped that the simulation will validate the improved contingency plans developed after the Eyjafjallajokull eruption. Link
Boeing Dreamliner another step closer to certification One of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner test aircraft is a step closer to certification after marking 1,000 hours of flight. Dreamliners powered by Rolls-Royce Trent engines have completed about 90% of testing. Dreamliners powered by GE engines are not as close to completion. The planes are expected to be put in service by All Nippon Airways later this year. Link
European carriers say it's unfair to overtax passengers for emissions Including aviation in the EU's emissions trading scheme is not "the deal of the century," according to Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus of the Association of European Airlines. Instead, with ETS guaranteeing emissions reduction, Schulte-Strathaus argues there is no environmental justification for an aviation tax. "How many times over should our passengers be expected to pay for each tonne of carbon?" he asks in a letter to the editor of the Financial Times. Link
FAA adds staff after more controllers found sleeping on the job The FAA is increasing staff at 27 air traffic control towers across the country after two more controllers fell asleep on the job. A controller at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Nevada slept as a medical flight was trying to land with an ill patient. Another controller -- already facing disciplinary action for a January napping incident -- fell asleep at Seattle's King County International Airport. Both controllers have been suspended. "We absolutely cannot and will not tolerate sleeping on the job," FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said. Link
Liquid ban will remain in place in U.K. The U.K. government decided to continue to ban liquid in carry-on luggage after airlines warned that relaxing the ban would create confusion. Airlines also warned that some airports might not have the equipment to screen liquid. Industry groups said liquid-screening technology is not advanced enough to be effective. Link
FAA investigating all aspects of aircraft rupture FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said people have "leaped to the conclusion" that fatigue caused a fuselage rupture in a Southwest Airlines jet this month over Arizona. Babbitt said the FAA is considering other possibilities, including manufacturing techniques, since the Boeing 737-300 didn't have an excessive number of cycles on it. Jim Sokol, Southwest's vice president for maintenance operations, said the airline is taking "proactive measures" but refused to comment on the FAA's investigation. Link
Proposed government baggage regulation prompts airline concern Airlines are opposing a move by the federal Department of Transportation to implement refunds if passengers' bags are delayed. Currently passengers can get a refund if bags are lost or damaged, but not for delays. The Air Transport Association told the DOT the decision to refund fees should be left up to airlines. Making them automatic would only increase prices for all passengers. Link
Fuel leak on Thomas Cook 757 leads to RB211 service bulletin revision Approximately 1,300 kg. (2,866 lbs.) of fuel leaked from the left RB211 engine of a Thomas Cook Boeing 757 during a June 10, 2010 flight from Milas-Bodrum Airport in Turkey to London Gatwick, according to a UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch report released Thursday. Rolls-Royce is planning to revise a 2009 service bulletin on RB211 engines as a result of the incident and subsequent investigation, AAIB stated. Link
Kenya settles with Boeing on 787 delivery delay Kenya Airways on Thursday said it reached a settlement with Boeing on a new delivery schedule for nine Boeing 787-8s, and finalized a purchase agreement signed in 2006 after previously threatening to cancel the order over the delays to the program. Link
Air Pacific cancels orders for 8 787s Boeing confirmed that Fiji's Air Pacific has canceled its order for eight 787 aircraft “and is no longer a Boeing 787 customer.” Orders for five Dreamliners were initially placed in 2006 and three more were placed in 2008. Link
Sukhoi still making push for F-X2 bid in Brazil Sukhoi is still pushing for a chance to compete for Brazil's F-X2 fighter contract despite being dropped from the air force's short-list two years ago. "We still apply all possible efforts open to us to get back" in the competition, says Mikhail Bregman, first deputy general of Sukhoi for sales and marketing, speaking through an interpreter. Link
BAE to close historic Filton airfield BAE Systems is to close the historic Filton airfield at the end of next year, after a review concluded that it had no long-term economic prospects. The airfield will shut on 31 December 2012, says BAE. The airfield will shut on 31 December 2012, says BAE. Filton has long been associated with the UK aerospace industry and its airport is used for shuttle flights, operated by OLT, to transport Airbus personnel to Toulouse and other plants used by the airframer. Link
Pacific Blue pilot faces fine, imprisonment for aircraft endangerment New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority has laid two charges against a Pacific Blue pilot in command of a Boeing 737-800 flight who failed to comply with his carrier's visual flight rules. The CAA says one of the charges against the pilot is unnecessary endangerment under section 44 of the Civil Aviation Act. If convicted, the offence carries a fine of up to NZ$10,000 ($7,930) or up to 12 months in jail, according to the CAA. It declines to specify the nature of the second charge. Link
Japan's Star Flyer orders two A320s Japanese carrier Star Flyer has signed a firm order for two Airbus A320 aircraft. The aircraft, to be powered by CFM56-5B4/P engines, will be delivered from 2014 onwards, says an Airbus Japan spokesman. Link
V Australia grounds 777 after engine problem aborts take-off The Virgin Blue group's long-haul subsidiary V Australia has grounded one of its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in Los Angeles after it experienced unspecified engine problems and aborted its takeoff mid-roll. The incident occurred shortly before 23:00hr on 13 April on flight VA2 departing Los Angeles International's runway 25R for Sydney. The aircraft shortly thereafter exited the runway. Link
NASA further delays Webb telescope launch NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden has declared the James Webb Space Telescope [JWST] will not launch until at least 2018. Bolden made those remarks on 11 April before a Congressional panel in Washington, DC. The revised launch date is the latest in a series of blows to the troubled telescope program, which is at least $1.5 billion over budget and four years behind the initially projected launch date. Link
Other News
Russian state media reported Thursday that the government has adopted a program to raise flight safety standards in the country. Russian aviation has been criticized in the past by IATA for having a safety record "well below international standards.” According to RIA Novosti, "The program envisions a gradual reform of the country's flight safety management system through the creation of an advanced integrated data control and exchange network and the development of hardware and software to assist air traffic officials in decision-making processes." It added that Russia is planning the "technical overhaul of about 300 air traffic control facilities" and will establish new entities to analyze aircraft crashes.
Japan's Skymark Airlines said it plans to operate a low fare "Narita Shuttle" service starting in November. It reportedly will operate daily frequencies from Tokyo Narita to Japanese domestic destinations. According to press reports, Skymark President Shinichi Nishikubo told a Tokyo news conference this week that "there is a big potential demand" for low fares NRT domestic service. He said the operation could include as many as 25 daily flights to nine destinations by 2014. Initial flights will be to Naha, Sapporo and Asahikawa, according to Kyodo News.
Bmibaby, the low-fare unit of bmi, will cease operations at Manchester and Cardiff airports at the end of the summer schedule but expand at Belfast City, East Midlands and Birmingham airports. The LCC will switch two aircraft to BHD and launch a six-times-weekly, year-round service to Amsterdam Oct. 31 and a twice-weekly seasonal winter service to Geneva Dec. 17. It will also launch five new routes for summer 2012 to Malaga, Alicante, Palma, Faro and Ibiza, lifting its network from/to the airport to 12 destinations.
Airbus said that the first nose landing gear, produced by Liebherr Aerospace, was installed on the A350 XWB at its Filton test facility in the UK. The main landing gear, supplied by Messier-Dowty, “will be installed and preliminary testing of all three landing gear legs will start,” said Airbus, noting that “full integration testing will begin with the entry into service of the facility toward the end of 2011.” According to Airbus, these tests will “demonstrate reliability and maturity in addition to providing evidence for certification, especially with regards to the extension-retraction, braking and steering systems.”
Boeing announced it is in “advanced discussions with multiple customers” regarding its GoldCare lifecycle support offering for 737NGs. Boeing recently revealed to ATW that it is offering GoldCare for the 737NG in addition to the 787 operators and is considering extending it to older models
Cathay Pacific has increased its shareholding in Air China from 18.43% to 18.77% after acquiring 5.48 million shares for HK$40 million ($5.17 million).
SAS Scandinavian Airlines, along with Star Alliance partners Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian Airlines, said it has again won the Swedish government's procurement of air travel, in a contract carried out by Swedish Armed Forces Logistics FMLOG. The agreement is worth a total of SEK700 million ($111.6 million).
Air Berlin announced that founder and CEO of former British LCC Go Fly Barbara Cassani and former easyJet CCO Saad Hammad are joining the board of Air Berlin as new non-executive directors, effective May 1. It also named Wolfgang Grimus as head of network management and development.
Qatar Airways Cargo will launch weekly Boeing 777F Doha-Hanoi-Hong Kong-Doha service April 15.
Emirates will begin to utilize an Airbus A380 on thrice-weekly Dubai-Shanghai Pudong services from April 27.
Vueling will operate thrice-weekly London Heathrow-Vigo service April 16 until October.
Ryanair will launch twice-weekly Brussels South Charleroi-Pula service June 20.
AVIATION QUOTE
I've learned that it is what I do not know that I fear, and I strive, outwardly from pride, inwardly from the knowledge that the unknown is what will finally kill me, to know all there is to be known about my airplane. I will never die.
— Richard Bach, Stranger to the Ground, 1963.
ON THIS DATE
April 15th
• In 1909... A crowd at the Centocelle Field, Rome, Italy, sees Wilbur Wright make a 10-minute flight in which he reaches an altitude of 98 feet.
• In 1925... The U.S. Navy begins a program of daily flights to an altitude of 10,000 ft. from the Anacostia Naval Air Station in Washington, DC. The main purpose of these flights is to obtain weather data and to test upper-air sounding equipment that collects information that could be used to forecast weather.
• In 1947... BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) opens its first regular service to Canada; it is a weekly flight by a Constellation from London to Montreal.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
Out In The Field
While on a training deployment the Captain and the 1st Sgt were in the field. As they hit the rack for the night, the following exchange took place. 1st Sgt: "Sir, look up into the sky and tell me what you see?"
Capt: "I see millions of stars."
1st Sgt: "And what does that tell you, sir?"
Capt: "From an astronomy perspective, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Theologically, it tells me that God is great and that we are small and insignificant. Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning. Meteorologically, it tells me that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you?"
1st Sgt: "Well sir, it tells me that somebody stole our tent!!"
TRIVIA
Google Airports Need a hint? PM me.
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And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
On this day in aerospace history: April 15, 1952, the B-52 made its first flight from Boeing Field to Larson Air Base in Moses Lake, WA. The "Buff", as she is known by aerospace fans the world over, is still in use today.
