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NEWS

Republic CEO blames loss on fuel costs, severe weather
Republic Airways Holdings was able to narrow its first-quarter loss, but it continues to face challenges. "While the results of our first quarter are disappointing, it is certainly not from a lack of effort from our employees," said Chairman and CEO Bryan Bedford. He cited severe winter weather and "soaring fuel costs" as contributing to the airline's results.
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American Airlines tests streaming pay-per-view video
American Airlines is testing pay-per-view entertainment in the price range of $3 to $5 for movies and $1 to $3 for TV shows. The passenger does not have to purchase the pricier Gogo Wi-Fi service to view the shows. "If all you're interested in is watching a movie, this is a better choice," says Doug Backelin, American Airlines' manager of in-flight communications and technology.
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Boeing to start delivering 787 jets in third quarter
Randy Tinseth, vice president for marketing at Boeing, said the company will deliver the first 787s in the third quarter of this year. Boeing has received requests for its 787 jets from 56 companies. Tinseth made the comments in Chile, as Latin America is a particularly important market for Boeing.
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Air France CEO says cockpit voice recorder also recovered
The chief executive officers at Airbus and Air France-KLM say they hope the data on the flight recorders recently recovered from the June 2009 flight that plunged into the Atlantic Ocean will help provide a cause for the incident. "We are excited by the news and we hope that the data is still readable," said Airbus CEO Tom Enders. "Only this will contribute to understanding the events that led to the accident." Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, chief executive officer at Air France, announced that not only had the flight data recorder's memory unit from the plane been recovered, but the cockpit voice recorder, too.
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Europe faces challenges in erasing national air borders
Spain's air-traffic controllers were earning an average of about half-a-million dollars each when air travel dropped in 2008. The Spanish government worked to reduce controllers' pay, prompting strikes in December 2010. The situation is one of many challenges Europe will have to deal with as it strives to erase national boundaries for air travel. The EU is pushing toward the "Single European Sky," but so far the effort has yielded few results.
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Amendment aims to put regulatory review executive order into law
The House passed a bill that authorizes Federal Aviation Administration programs. It contains an amendment by Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., that changes the way the agency makes regulations and requires an analysis of how any proposed rules would affect the economy, employment, productivity, competitiveness and more. The Senate's version of the legislation does not have a similar provision. While some have complained that the rule goes too far, Air Transport Association Senior Vice President Sharon Pinkerton said, "I'm not sure that [the amendment is] broader than the president's executive order." The economy and jobs "are exactly the kinds of issues he's been talking about."
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Shift to different runway changes noise patterns at Florida airport
Noise patterns at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport will change over the next two months as the airport uses the diagonal runway instead of its main runway to accommodate a construction project. Airport officials said they have received complaints from neighborhoods that are now experiencing higher levels of noise.
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FAA, airlines continue attack on EU ETS
US FAA and organizations representing airlines pushed back against aviation's inclusion in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme starting next year, arguing that it exceeds the EU's regulatory authority and will take money away from airlines that could instead be used to invest in new technology that could help lower carbon dioxide emissions.
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Virgin Blue rebrands as 'Virgin Australia'; aims to take on Qantas
Virgin Blue and its associate airlines—V Australia and Pacific Blue—will be rebranded "Virgin Australia" after Singapore Airlines, 49% owner of Virgin Atlantic Airways, reached an agreement with Virgin Group Chairman Richard Branson regarding the use of the Virgin name on international services to/from Australia.
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SkyWest posts $11 million first-quarter loss
SkyWest Inc., the Utah-based parent of regionals SkyWest Airlines, Atlantic Southeast Airlines and ExpressJet, reported a first-quarter net loss of $11.1 million, reversed from a $15 million profit in the year-ago period.
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SpaceShipTwo makes 'feathered' descent
Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo has made its first flight in 'feathered' configuration, the planned standard configuration for the vehicle's atmospheric re-entry. SpaceShipTwo landed safely at Mojave airport in California this morning after an 11-minute flight. Upon detaching from the carrier aircraft, WhiteKnightTwo, at approximately 15,600m (51,000ft), SpaceShipTwo rotated its tail section and wings by 65 degrees and descended rapidly to 33,000 before reconfiguring to standard glider position.
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Aer Lingus mulls further cost cuts as Q1 losses widen
Aer Lingus has hinted that a further round of cost-cutting may be necessary in light of external economic pressures. Unveiling a widening of the Irish flag carrier's losses for the first quarter of 2011, chief executive Christoph Mueller said the company had had a challenging start to the year. This included a dispute by cabin crew and "difficult demand conditions, particularly on leisure routes from Ireland".
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Failure to redistribute passengers caused serious A320 tailstrike
Failure to redistribute passengers on an Airbus A320 led the aircraft to strike its tail on take-off from Verona, Italian investigation agency the ANSV has found. The Bulgarian-registered twinjet (LZ-BHC) had been operating a wet-lease service from Hurghada in Egypt to Rome Fiumicino via Verona on 1 September 2009.
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El Al to be recertificated for Israel to regain Category 1 status
El Al will have to be recertificated for Israel to regain its Category 1 status under the US Federal Aviation Administration's International Aviation Safety Assessment program. "We have made it clear to El Al, and the airline is co-operating with us fully in an effort to complete the process as soon as possible," said Giora Romm, director general of Israel's civil aviation authority.
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Embraer eyes possible "fibreglass aircraft"
Embraer is eyeing possible development of an all-composite narrowbody, CEO Frederico Curado has revealed. Speaking to analysts yesterday, Curado said the Brazilian airframer could pursue "a couple of strategies" once Boeing has detailed its single-aisle replacement plans and the competitive landscape is clearer.
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Other News

Virgin Group Chairman Richard Branson, in Australia to launch the re-branded Virgin Australia, dismissed media speculation about his departure from the airline industry. "To quote Mark Twain, the rumors are greatly exaggerated and to my dying day I will always be involved in some way with airlines," Branson said on Wednesday.

Lufthansa CEO Christoph Franz said Tuesday following an LH board meeting that the airline expects to be able to work through a number of challenges this year to remain profitable. "We expect that the positive business for LH will continue in 2011," he commented. Nevertheless, he said LH is not able to give a clear outlook for the full year at this time, citing the uncertain situations in Japan and North Africa.

Royal Jordanian confirmed to shareholders that its first Boeing 787 delivery is now scheduled for the first-quarter 2014. It was originally scheduled to take delivery of its first Dreamliner last September and now hopes to receive three in 2014 and eight in 2016 and 2017.

Jetairfly based a new Boeing 737-800 at Charleroi Airport, lifting its aircraft based at CRL to three narrowbodies supporting 18 destinations. The Belgian airline subsidiary of TUI Travel deploys a fleet of 16 aircraft on 120 routes.

AmSafe Industries won a contract by to supply cargo restraint nets for Sukhoi SuperJet 100s.

Aigle Azur took delivery of a new Airbus A320.

S7 Airlines took delivery of its first new 160-seat Boeing 737-800. The aircraft, leased from Cramington Aviation, will be operated by Globus Airlines, which flies under the S7 brand. S7 placed an order for 10 737-800s in 2006.

Finnair will start five-times-weekly Helsinki-Hong Kong service, increasing to 12 flights per week during the summer schedule from May 30 to Oct. 9. AY’s new daily HEL-Singapore route will open May 30. The carrier operates 74 flights per week to Asia.

Air Berlin launched four-times-weekly Airbus A330 Berlin Tegel–New York JFK service.

Qatar Airways will launch daily Doha-Entebbe service Nov. 2, daily Doha-Baku-Tbilisi service Nov. 30, and four-times-weekly Doha-Medina service July 14.

Air China will launch thrice-weekly Airbus A330 Beijing-Milan service June 15.



AVIATION QUOTE

He is most free from danger, who, even when safe, is on his guard.

— Publilius Syrus



ON THIS DATE

May 5th

• In 1930... The first solo flight from England to Australia by a woman is made by British Amy Johnson in a De Havilland D.H.60G Moth. She flies from Croydon, England to Darwin, Australia in 19 days.

• In 1961... Commander Alan B. Shepard, Jr., U.S. Navy, becomes the second man to explore space when he rides his Mercury Freedom 7 capsule, launched by a Redstone missile, to 115 miles above the Earth. It is three weeks since Yuri Gagarin’s first manned space flight.

• In 1968... The first non-stop Atlantic crossing by an executive jet aircraft is made as a Grumman Gulfstream II lands in London, England after completing a 3,500-mile (5,633 km) flight from Teterboro, New Jersey.



DAILY VIDEO





EDITOR’S CHOICE





HUMOR

Adam’s Rib

Adam was walking around the Garden of Eden feeling very lonely, so God asked Adam, "What is wrong with you?"

Adam said, "Lord, I don't have anyone to talk to."

God said, "Then I will give you a companion, and she will be called a 'woman'. This person will cook for you and wash your clothes, she will always agree with every decision you make. She will bear your children and never ask you to get up in the middle of the night to take care of them. She will not nag you, and will always be the first to admit she was wrong when you've had a disagreement. She will never have a headache, and will freely give 'love' and compassion whenever needed. She will never question your behavior or the company you keep. She will support you and understand that you have important decisions to make throughout your life and don't have time for nonsense..."

Adam asked God, "What will this woman cost?"

God said, "An arm and a leg..."

Adam said, "What can I get for just a rib?"



TRIVIA

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miamiair wrote:• In 1961... Commander Alan B. Shepard, Jr., U.S. Navy, becomes the second man to explore space when he rides his Mercury Freedom 7 capsule, launched by a Redstone missile, to 115 miles above the Earth. It is three weeks since Yuri Gagarin’s first manned space flight.

50 years ago today, what people must have felt watching that on TV, not knowing what spaceflight was all about and the wonderful things it would eventually bring to humanity. This was done with slide rules and the most primitive of computers, and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears.

Alan Shepard, and all those who worked on the project, your accomplishments do not go unappreciated.