Southwest works with AirTran, unions to integrate pilots Southwest Airlines, which is in the process of acquiring AirTran Airways, is working with the Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association and the Air Line Pilots Association on a deal that will allow the carriers to proceed with integration talks. "This [agreement] also creates a timeline for SWAPA and ALPA to reach an [integrated seniority list] agreement. If an agreement is not reached during this time frame, the matter will be sent to arbitration and a new implementation process will have to be negotiated," said Southwest in a statement. Link
Research firm expects Boeing to delay 737NG replacement Boeing likely will postpone the introduction of a new aircraft to replace its 737NG, according to Buckingham Research. James Bell, president and CFO of Boeing Corporate, downplayed expectations that the company will roll out a new aircraft to challenge the A320neo, which has been revamped by Airbus. Buckingham and others had speculated that Boeing would unveil a new program at the upcoming Paris Air Show. Link
American Airlines ramps up recycling efforts American Airlines is working to improve its recycling with everything from magazines, carpet, blankets and windows seen as targets for its program. Flight attendant Lisa Lonvick is coordinating the carrier's on-board recycling efforts. "It's a unique opportunity to look at an airplane in a new way," Lonvick said. For example, American Airlines' plastic windows are melted down and turned into toys. Link
FAA/Boeing: Too soon to say if 737 rip directly caused by metal fatigue The FAA has issued nearly 100 directives tied to widespread metal fatigue since 1988, and in the wake of the 737 Southwest Airlines incident, the FAA is reviewing those policies. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt and Boeing officials cautioned that it was too early to conclude that the latest incident directly stemmed from metal fatigue. The damaged Southwest roof, which caused an emergency landing, has baffled safety experts because the 15-year-old jet had logged only about 40,000 takeoffs and landings. Link
Air Lease Corp. prepares to launch IPO in New York Air Lease Corp., an aircraft leasing venture started last year by Steven Udvar-Hazy, is preparing to launch a multimillion-dollar initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. The company plans to use the proceeds from the IPO to add to its fleet of passenger jets. ALC could raise more than $800 million through the IPO. Link
FAA tackles fatigue among air traffic controllers The Federal Aviation Administration is mandating air traffic controllers receive another hour off between shifts. However, FAA officials have rejected the idea of allowing controllers to take naps while on the job, despite evidence from sleep experts that it would help. "On my watch, controllers will not be paid to take naps. We're not going to allow that," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. Link
Jet fuel prices have spiked 49% from a year ago, ATA says Airlines have continually raised fares since the start of the year, and industry experts say that airfares this summer will soar 15% over last year's prices. Airline representatives explain that fare increases were needed to adjust to the spike in jet-fuel prices, which increased 49% this month compared with April 2010. "At the end of the day, airlines are trying to keep pace with the rising cost of doing business," said a spokesman for the Air Transport Association. Link
More than $1.5 billion in shares requested in AviancaTaca IPO AviancaTaca, the parent of Avianca and TACA, said preliminary results of its IPO reveal that the requests for shares exceeded $1.5 billion, more than five times the initial offering of 100 million shares priced at a total $250 million. The validation process of the requests starts Monday with the share allocation to be made between April 29 and May 5, the holding company said in a statement. Link
Norwegian: Wi-Fi popular with passengers Norwegian Air Shuttle said its free inflight Wi-Fi is a “hit” with its passengers and that on some routes—such as Oslo Gardermoen-Geneva—between 40% and 50% of all passengers logged on. Other popular Wi-Fi routes include OSL-London Gatwick, OSL-Dubai, OSL-Alicante, Stockholm Arlanda-LGW and ARL-Las Palmas. The LCC noted its wireless system set a record on the April 14 OSL-ALC flight when 87 passengers were logged on at 30,000 ft. Link
Buckingham: Boeing to weigh multiple factors in making 737 replacement decision Boeing's decision on whether to launch an all-new aircraft to replace the 737NG will be driven by technology and risk assessment, according to a Buckingham Research client note. Link
US Army pledges to launch new class of high-speed rotorocraft US Army aviation branch leaders have pledged for the first time to break from upgrading the service's conventional helicopter fleet and field an all-new rotorcraft with a minimum top speed of 200kts by 2030. Link
RAF's first A330 'Voyager' lands in the UK The UK's first Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) has arrived at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire at the start of its program of in-country testing, as the Ministry of Defence has announced that the type will be named the Voyager in Royal Air Force service. Link
Harrier retirement was unavoidable, says RAF chief Debate has escalated over the UK government's controversial decision to retire its last BAE Systems Harrier GR9 ground-attack aircraft late last year, with the Royal Air Force's current involvement in action over Libya having focused attention on the issue. Link
JAL adjusts services in disaster aftermath Japan Air Lines (JAL) is continuing to adjust its schedules in the aftermath of last month's earthquake and tsunami in the northeast of the country, reducing capacity on several international sectors while re-introducing additional domestic flights to the affected region. Link
Other News
Embraer delivered 20 commercial aircraft while taking firm orders for 44 E-Jets during the first quarter. Deliveries were slightly behind the 21 commercial aircraft delivered during last year's March quarter. The Brazilian manufacturer's firm backlog stood at 270 aircraft valued at $16 billion on March 31, up 2.6% compared to $15.6 billion as of Dec. 31, 2010.
ARC reported that ticket sales through participating travel agencies climbed 9.8% in March compared to March 2010 to $8.34 billion despite a 1.2% decline in the number of transactions. Credit card sales rose 8.9% to $7.44 billion on a 2.8% dip in transactions while cash sales jumped 17.7% to $909 million on a 10.5 hike in transactions.
Gulf Air announced the launch of two new destinations from its hub in Bahrain, bringing to eight the number of new destinations in 2011. A four-times-weekly service to Copenhagen will commence July 1 and four-times-weekly flights to Nairobi will launch July 5. The BAH-CPH route will use a Boeing 737, operated by Privatair, in a two-class configuration with 16 seats in business class and 78 in economy; the BAH-NBO service will use an Airbus A320, featuring 16 business class seats and 120 in economy.
Sabena Technics confirmed that Barfield Bogota, the Colombian subsidiary of Barfield Miami, is expected to open mid-year 2011. The new subsidiary follows the signing of a 10-year Airbus A320 component services contract with AviancaTaca for subsidiary carriers Avianca, TACA, Aerogal and Ocean Air. The “fast shop” will initially focus on avionics testing and repair with plans to expand its capabilities to service a larger array of components. The shop will also provide services to other operators in South America.
United Continental Holdings announced that for every customer who uses a mobile boarding document on Earth Day, April 22, the company will donate $1 to support the "Protect an Acre" program in partnership with Conservation International. “For customers who use the Continental Mobile App for Android or iPhone, the company will double the contribution to $2,” it said.
GE Aviation announced the launch of the CF6 TRUEngine program, awarding TRUEngine designation to Nippon Cargo's fleet of 43 CF6-80C2s powering its Boeing 747s. The TRUEngine status, which was launched for CFM56s in 2008, requires engine configuration, overhaul practices, spare parts and repairs to be consistent with GE or CFM requirements.
Oman Air said it took delivery of the second of five 71-seat Embraer E-175s
KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH was mandated by BOC Aviation as arranger and sole lender for a seven-year commercial debt financing of three new Aeroflot-operated Airbus A320-200s. The transaction closed in March and aircraft deliveries are scheduled for April and May this year.
ILFC reached a five-year lease agreement with Aerolíneas Argentinas for 10 Boeing 737-700NG aircraft. Deliveries are expected to begin this month and be completed by October 2012.
Vueling Airlines will launch five-times-weekly A320 Amsterdam-Zurich service Sept. 14.
Dragonair will decrease daily Hong Kong-Fukuoka service to five-times-weekly May 1-May 31 and will resume twice-weekly HKG-Okinawa service July 3.
Avianova will launch four-times-weekly Moscow-Simferopol service June 15.
Turkish Airlines will launch thrice-weekly Istanbul Atatürk-Basra service May 23.
AVIATION QUOTE
There are no accidents and no fatal flaws in the machines; there are only pilots with the wrong stuff.
— Tom Wolfe, The Right Stuff,1979.
ON THIS DATE
April 19th
• In 1907... Louis Blériot flies and crashes his powered monoplane Nº V at Bagatelle, France.
• In 1924... The Argentinean Marquis de I. Pescara’s helicopter establishes in France a flying record of 2,550 feet (c. 777 meters) in 4 minutes, 11 seconds. This helicopter provides for auto-rotation (free blade rotation) in case of engine failure. This invention is a life-saving device, as it allows for a measure of control and lift.
• In 1945... The International Air Transport Association (IATA), an inter-airline body to fix rates and ensure cooperation on safety procedures, is formed; it succeeds the International Air Traffic Association, set up in 1919.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
Big Planes and Baby Planes
A mother and her son were flying TWA from Kansas to Chicago. The son (who had been looking out the window) turned to his mother and said, "If big dogs have baby dogs and big cats have baby cats, why don't big planes have baby planes?"
The mother (who couldn't think of an answer) told her son to ask the stewardess. So the boy asked the stewardess, "If big dogs have baby dogs and big cats have baby cats, why don't big planes have baby planes?"
The stewardess asked, "Did your mother tell you to ask me?" He said that she had.
So she said, "Tell your mother that TWA always pulls out on time."
TRIVIA
Aviation In the Movies
Provided are the actors, you provide the title of the movie.
1. Richard Dreyfus, Holly Hunter, Brad Johnson & John Goodman 2. Brad Johnson, Danny Glover, Willem Dafoe, Tome Sizemore & Rosanna Arquette 3. Danny Glover, Gene Hackman & Jerry Reed 4. Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe & Gary Merrill 5. Tom Skerritt, Michael Ironside, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards & Tom Cruise 6. Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier, Cristopher Plummer & Robert Shaw 7. Lloyd Bridges, Leslie Nielson, Robert Hays & Robert Stack 8. Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Jacqueline Bisset & George Kennedy 9. James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Hardy Kruger & Ernest Borgnine 10. Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, James Farentino & Katherine Ross
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
1. Richard Dreyfus, Holly Hunter, Brad Johnson & John Goodman - Always 2. Brad Johnson, Danny Glover, Willem Dafoe, Tome Sizemore & Rosanna Arquette - Flight of the intruder 3. Danny Glover, Gene Hackman & Jerry Reed - 4. Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe & Gary Merrill - Twelve O'Clock High 5. Tom Skerritt, Michael Ironside, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards & Tom Cruise - Top Gun 6. Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier, Cristopher Plummer & Robert Shaw - Battle of Britain 7. Lloyd Bridges, Leslie Nielsen, Robert Hays & Robert Stack- Surely you can't be serious - Airplane! 8. Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Jacqueline Bisset & George Kennedy - Airport 9. James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Hardy Kruger & Ernest Borgnine - The flight of the Phoenix 10. Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, James Farentino & Katherine Ross -
Hire Engineers to drive the vision and execute a plan. Hire MBAs to shuffle the papers and work in sales. Hire Accountants to manage your staff working a viable livable wage, and never have either an Accountant or an MBA run your company. - Steve Jobs
1. Always 2. Blackhawk Down 3. Independence Day 4. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 5. Top Gun 6. Airport 7. Airplane 8. Executive Decision 9. 1941 10. Passenger 57
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
- Airplane!