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NEWS

Recessed Congress could still end FAA partial shutdown
Though the US Congress has gone on recess for the rest of the month without resolving the FAA partial shutdown, there is a legislative avenue to bring agency operations back to full strength before September.
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Ireland upholds €3 air travel tax
The Irish government decided to retain the €3 ($4.30) air travel tax after it failed to reach agreement with airlines to reinstate canceled routes and restore dropped capacity. The tax on passengers leaving Irish airports was reduced from €10 to €3 for long-haul flights in last December's budget and the government, as part of a so-called jobs initiative to stimulate its economy and tourism, had suggested it would suspend the tax altogether if airlines made assurances to boost traffic to Irish airports.
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Stall warning controversy haunts AF447 inquiry
Air France has formally submitted concerns over the stall warning system in the ill-fated Airbus A330-200 lost over the South Atlantic, after further clarity over the crash of flight AF447 prompted fierce defense of the aircraft's pilots. The carrier said it had put its concerns to the European Aviation Safety Agency on 1 August, having condemned the "misleading stopping and starting" of the stall warning which, it said, was "contradicting the actual state of the aircraft.”
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Thai Airways' regional subsidiary to operate A320s
Thai Airways International's new regional carrier will operate up to 11 Airbus A320s on its domestic and short-haul services. The airline, which has been tentatively named Thai Wings, aims to start operations by the end of the second quarter of 2012 with four aircraft. That will be gradually ramped up to 11 aircraft, said an airlines spokeswoman.
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Boeing expects 747-8F certification shortly, minus some features
Boeing expects to receive approval by the US Federal Aviation Administration within a "few weeks" on airworthiness certification data for the 747-8F, but it will come without several features originally promised. Key features introduced by the Honeywell flight management computer (FMC), including 0.1nm required navigation performance (RNP) and "quiet climb" ascent profiles, have been deferred, said Mark Feuerstein, Boeing 747 chief test pilot.
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F-35 fleet grounded after electrical subsystem failure
The Lockheed Martin F-35 fleet is grounded while the joint program office (JPO) investigates the cause of a failure in the aircraft's electrical system during ground tests. The failure occurred on an F-35A conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) test aircraft, numbered AF-4, but the precautionary grounding applies to all 20 F-35s that had reached flying status, according to a JPO statement.
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Southwest and AirTran work to integrate operations
Executives at Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways toiled last summer on the various details related to merging their operations. A major merger is difficult to put together, but integrating the companies can be even tougher. "What you're doing is integrating every aspect of the business from how you board people to how the flight attendants serve them drinks," said Darryl Jenkins, an aviation consultant. "Do you give them a can? Do you pour it into a glass? There are hundreds of thousands of tiny details like this that have to be examined and integrated, so it's no small task."
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Republic Airways posts Q2 loss, says it is committed to Frontier
Republic Airways Holdings reported a loss of $14.9 million for the second quarter, but the Indianapolis-based company predicted a return to profit for the third quarter. Bryan Bedford, chairman and CEO of Republic Airways Holdings, said the carrier is committed to resolving issues at its Frontier unit. "I believe we are going to fix it," he said. Republic has secured agreements with Frontier employees to give them equity in exchange for cost-cutting concessions.
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Analyst expects Embraer to work on new narrow-body jet
Ronald Epstein, an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said Brazil's Embraer is likely to develop a new narrow-body jet, focusing on the lower end of the market. "The company can utilize its Rolodex of customers and existing service network to grow into a new market," Epstein wrote in a note to clients.
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Travelers react to first day of TSA questions
Some travelers passing through Boston's Logan International Airport said they didn't mind questioning by Transportation Security Administration agents as they passed through security checkpoints. The questioning is part of the TSA's new risk-based approach to passenger screening. However, at least one traveler said repeated questions could become tiresome. "It's going to get old if I have to answer the same questions every week," said Andrew Timko, a student. "That seems like it's really going to slow things down."
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New rules governing pilot fatigue are postponed
The Federal Aviation Administration was supposed to issue new rules on Aug. 1 aimed at tackling pilot fatigue, but appeals by cargo and charter airlines are delaying the rules. A representative for the Air Transport Association said, "We are hoping they will have heeded our concerns and come back with a final rule that is based on science that will ultimately improve safety, which is ongoing work for our industry. We are constantly working on improving safety."
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Column: AA's new mileage-award pricing option has a catch
Columnist Scott McCartney explains how American Airlines has launched a new mileage-award pricing option for frequent fliers who have reached the elite level. The new option of "Dynamic Air Awards" comes with a catch, however, as the tickets bought using the miles aren't changeable.
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Delta offers more benefits to SkyMiles card holders
Delta Air Lines and American Express have announced that Gold and Platinum SkyMiles credit-card holders will soon start receiving priority boarding. All credit card members will also save 20% on some in-flight amenities, such as video games, movies, television shows, food and beverages.
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Other News

Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority has completed its investigation of Tiger Airways Australia and issued a list of conditions to be met before allowing the low cost airline to resume operations. TT, a subsidiary of Singapore-based Tiger Airways Holdings, said it is meeting the demands and insiders suggested it may be able to start operations by Aug. 6. CASA said in a statement that "a set of proposed conditions to be imposed on [TT's] air operator's certificate have been served on the airline. A number of conditions must be met before CASA can be satisfied it is safe to allow Tiger to resume operations ... Once Tiger Airways has submitted, and CASA has verified, all of the documentation required, CASA will be in a position to decide whether to lift Tiger's suspension."

German court blocks ATC strike: A Frankfurt court on Wednesday blocked German air traffic controllers from staging a six-hr. strike planned for Thursday over pay and conditions. The strike would have affected thousands of flights during a busy summer holiday week.

Thomas Cook Group CEO Manny Fontenla-Novoa resigned Wednesday "with immediate effect," the company announced in a statement. Fontenla-Novoa's departure comes just weeks after the group issued a third profit warning for the current fiscal year and amid concerns about the tour operator's rising debt levels. Deputy CEO Sam Weihagen was appointed interim CEO.

Czech Airlines Pilots Assn. canceled a strike planned for Monday, Agence France Press reported. "CZALPA has reached an agreement with the management of CSA, the action has been canceled," it said in a press release. Czech Ministry of Finance Miroslav Kalousek earlier criticized the protest, saying it could lead OK into bankruptcy. In 2010, OK reduced its workforce from 4,600 to 3,700.

Air Lines Pilots Assn. said that Trans States Airlines pilots overwhelmingly voted to ratify a tentative contract agreed to with management last month. ALPA said the contract includes a signing bonus, wage increases, better work rules and stronger job security provisions.

CAE won three new contracts for full-flight simulators—an Airbus A320 FFS for Aeroflot and an A320 and a Boeing 737 for the Zhuhai Flight Training Centre.

Sabena Flight Academy inked an agreement with Cathay Pacific Airways to implement its Lateral Maneuvering Motion training tool across the entire fleet of CX and Dragonair full-flight simulators.

Superjet International said a new full flight simulator for the Sukhoi Superjet100 has been put in place in Zhukovsky. After an initial test period and regulators' approval, SSJ training for Russian pilots is expected to begin by October.



AVIATION QUOTE

Learning the secret of flight from a bird was a good deal like learning the secret of magic from a magician. After you know what to look for you see things that you did not notice when you did not know exactly what to look for.

— Orville Wright



ON THIS DATE

August 4th

--- In 1807... Andre-Jacques Garnerin in Paris, France makes the first night ascent in a balloon.

--- In 1901... Octave Chanute arrives at the Wright brothers’ camp at Kill Devil Hill and photographs their flight tests with the 1901 glider.

--- In 1908... Count von Zeppelin takes the LZ4 on a 24-hour flight from Lake Constance, down the Rhine to Basel, then to Strasbourg and Mainz and back to Stuttgart, a total non-stop distance of 435 miles.

---In 1908... Wilbur Wright makes the first flight using stick controls near Le Mans, France. The flight lasts 1 minute and 45 seconds.

---In 1929…The first Challenge International de Tourisme 1929 (International Tourist Plane Contest), a sort of aviation rally race around Europe, kicks off in Paris. Sponsored by air racing governing body Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), German Fritz Morik flies his BFW M.23 to victory on August 16th.(N)

---In 1954…English Electric P.1, prototype of the English Electric Lightning.

---In 1955…First flight of a U-2 (article 341), the pilot was Tony LeVier. The term “article” was a
Skunk Works designation which was similar to the term “serial number.” (Q)

---In 1959... The first medical evacuation by helicopter from a Mobil Army Surgery Hospital (MASH) team takes place when an S-51 flies out a casualty from a fire flight along the Pusan Perimeter.

---In 1971…First flight of the Agusta A109.

---In 2007…NASA’s Phoenix spacecraft launches from Cape Canaveral, enroute to a landing on Mars which would take place on May 25th, 2008.

---In 2007…A a suitcase containing US$800,000 in undeclared cash is discovered while being x-rayed at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery in Buenos Aires, sparking an international rift between Argentina and Venezuela known as “Maletinazo,” or “the suitcase incident.”

---In 2009…Bangkok Airways ATR72 crashes into an unused control tower at Ko Samui Airport (USM) in Thailand while landing in heavy crosswinds and rain, killing the captain. 10 of the 70 passengers on board are injured.



DAILY VIDEO





EDITOR’S CHOICE





HUMOR

Dumping Fuel

In the days of the Northrop F-89 Scorpions, the Air Force pilot at an interceptor squadron was driving to work one day when he got caught in a speed trap on a road that ran very near to the end of the runway. He argued his case with the local cops, but to no avail.
Steaming mad and more than a little frustrated, he stormed into Operations demanding that an F-89 be readied for him immediately. Firing up the engines, he taxied to the active runway and took off.

Shortly after getting airborne, he declared an emergency and reversed course back to the field. Of course, being the good pilot that he was and ever-mindful not to exceed the max landing weight of his Scorpion, and having a fuel dumping system installed, he dumped his excess fuel...just as he reached the road near the end of the runway.

The fuel-drenched cops packed up their radar and weren't seen anywhere near that area again for a very long time.



TRIVIA

First Flights

First Flights

1. DC-3
a. 17 DEC 1934
b. 17MAY 1935
c. 17 DEC 1935
d. 17MAY 1936

2. DC-7
a. 18 DEC 1949
b. 18MAY1950
c. 18 MAY 1952
d. 18 MAY 1953

3. de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
a. 20 MAY 1959
b. 20 MAY 1962
c. 20 MAY 1965
d. 20 MAY 1967

4. BAC 111 One-Eleven
a. 20AUG 1962
b. 20 AUG 1963
c. 20 AUG 1964
d. 20 AUG 1965

5. Beechcraft 90 King Air
a. 20 JAN 1964
b. 20MAR 1964
c. 20 JUN 1964
d. 20 AUG 1964

6. Boeing 707
a. 16 JUL 1954
b. 20 DEC 1954
c. 20 DEC 1956
d. 20 DEC 1957

7. Lockheed L-188
a. 06 DEC 1956
b. 06 DEC 1957
c. 06 DEC 1958
d. 06 DEC 1959

8. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-10
a. 25 FEB 1965
b. 25 MAY 1965
c. 25 JUL 1965
d. 25 JUL 1966

9. Vickers Viscount
a. 16 JUL 1948
b. 16 JUL 1949
c. 16 JUL 1950
d. 16 JUL 1951

10. Airbus Industries A300 B1
a. 28 FEB 1972
b. 29 FEB 1972
c. 28 JUL 1972
d. 28 OCT 1972

Awesome photo today!
I mean, even more awesome than usual.

Zak wrote:Awesome photo today!
I mean, even more awesome than usual.

Agreed, outstanding picture!