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NEWS

BA pilots propose £26 million in permanent annual concessions
The British Airline Pilots Assn. announced a tentative "pay and productivity package" it said would deliver permanent annual savings to British Airways of £26 million ($42.5 million) beginning Oct. 1.
http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=16975

Clark: Emirates continues to follow independent path
While consolidation and alliance membership present a viable option for many airlines trying to negotiate the industry downturn, Emirates continues to prefer its independence, President Tim Clark emphasized.
http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=16976

Airbus and Boeing concur on likelihood of 2010 recovery
Airbus and Boeing may have endured their worst Paris air show for a generation sales-wise, but both were unanimous in their belief that the end of the gloom is in sight.
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... overy.html

Qatar Airways issues stern warning to Boeing to quickly resolve 787 delay issues

Qatar Airways has begun the final countdown to the termination of its Boeing 787 order after losing patience over negotiations about delivery delays.
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... delay.html

Europe Mints new approach to landings
Europe took a key step towards optimising airliner operations for maximum efficiency this week when an Airbus A321 in airline service undertook what is claimed to be the most accurate curved approach procedure in the world.
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... dings.html

Other News

Continental Airlines 777 landed safely at Newark yesterday morning after Capt. Craig Lennel, 60, died during the flight from Brussels. CO said the pilot "apparently [died] of natural causes," according to CNN, and the first officer and a reserve officer took the controls. The Associated Press reported that the 247 passengers onboard were not told of the pilot's death, although several passengers, including a doctor, approached the cockpit after the crew asked for the help of any medical professionals onboard. That doctor, a Belgian cardiologist, told reporters that he used a defibrillator that was on the aircraft but was unable to revive the pilot, according to The New York Times.

The US government passed the Fair Treatment for Experienced Pilots Act in December 2007, allowing pilots to continue to fly until they are 65, although it requires them to renew their medical certificate every six months. They may serve as pilot in command on international flights only if the other pilot is younger than 60.

Aviation Capital Group and Egyptian Civil Aviation Finance Holding formally established Civil Aviation Finance and Operating Leases (CIAF-Leasing) at this week's Paris Air Show. The new lessor will concentrate primarily on new and younger narrowbody aircraft to be operated by customers in North Africa and the Middle East, CIAF Holding Chairman and CEO Medhat Hassanein confirmed to ATWOnline. He said he is targeting a portfolio of about 50 narrowbodies within five years, with some of the aircraft placed with EgyptAir. Operations are expected to begin in the 2009 fourth quarter. He pointed out that Cairo is "already well established as an aviation center for airline, airport, maintenance and related operations" and that "aircraft leasing is the next step in this progression." The Middle East and North Africa region currently represents about 4% of ACG's portfolio.

The American lessor will hold 10% in the new joint venture and will serve as manager of CIAF-Leasing under a five-year agreement with renewal options. Its services will include general management and control of day-to-day business operations. Capitalization was undisclosed but is "substantial," the parties told a press conference at Le Bourget. The Egyptian shareholders include CIAF and the Civil Aviation Support and Development Fund, an entity founded to support and develop Egyptian civil aviation activities. CIAF is an Egyptian corporation founded last November to serve as the financial arm of the country's civil aviation sector.

Brussels Airlines Co-CEO Bernard Gustin said he expects the European Commission to approve Lufthansa's acquisition of the airline "in the next coming days," according to Reuters. He also said, "I do not believe that we will be profitable [in 2009] but that still remains our target." SN lost €12.2 million ($16.9 million) last year.

Thai Airways appointed Piyasvasti Amranand, who served as Thailand's energy minister in 2006-08, as its new president. He will fill the vacancy left by Apinan Sumanaseni's resignation last year. In addition, Chairman Ampon Kittiampon told reporters that Thai will borrow THB23 billion ($670.5 million) from four domestic banks but still needs an additional THB14 billion from foreign lenders for aircraft financing, according to press reports.

Flybe will wet-lease four Q400s to the re-launched Olympic Airlines from August 2009 until September 2010. Aircraft will be operated by Flybe staff and fly under its AOC. Chairman and CEO Jim French said, "Over the past 18 months or so, Flybe has been offered literally dozens of opportunities to start up or support startups globally, all of which, until this one, we have declined. Flybe's senior management team is 100% convinced that this partnership with Olympic Air is a tremendous opportunity and dovetails perfectly with our brand." He also said the regional is "likely" to report a profit for the fiscal year ended March 31.

Boeing said final assembly has begun on the first 787 scheduled for delivery to launch customer ANA in the 2010 first quarter.

Comair, a regional subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, will close its maintenance base at Orlando International on Sept. 7 and eliminate 81 jobs, according to a "Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification" filed with the state of Florida and cited by the Orlando Business Journal. Comair said "unprecedented financial challenges due to difficult economic times" prompted the decision. Some employees will be eligible for employment elsewhere within the airline.

WestJet and the WestJet Pilots Assn. announced the ratification of a four-year labor agreement effective July 1 with 89% of those voting approving the deal. WJPA Chairman Dave DeVeaux said the contract provides for "fair and market-driven pay scales" and maintains the pilots' position as stakeholders in the LCC.

Porter Airlines will begin serving Boston from Toronto City Centre on Sept. 14 with up to three daily nonstop roundtrips. Boston is the third US destination for the Canadian carrier, which currently offers service to Chicago Midway and Newark.

Honeywell Aerospace was selected by Gulf Air to provide 15 131-9A APUs for Gulf's A320s scheduled for delivery from this year through 2012. The contract is valued at more than $8 million and covers maintenance through 2022.



AVIATION QUOTE

Quite likely the twentieth century is destined to see the natural forces which will enable us to fly from continent to continent with a speed far exceeding that of a bird.
— Simon Newcomb



AEROSPACE TERM

General Perturbations

In orbital determinations, a method of calculating perturbative effects by expanding and integrating in series.



DAILY VIDEO





HUMOR

From The Mind of an Army Private

1. I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize.

2. Borrow money from pessimists -- they don't expect it back.

3. Half the people you know are below average.

4. 99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

5. 42.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

6. A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.

7. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

8. If you want the rainbow, you've got to put up with the rain.

9. All those who believe in psychokinesis, raise my hand.

10. The early bird may get the worm, but the second rat gets the cheese.

11. I almost had a psychic girlfriend, but she left me before we met.

12. OK, so what's the speed of dark?

13. How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink?

14. If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.

15. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

16. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

17. Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.

18. Hard work pays off in the future, laziness pays off now.

19. I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

20. If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?

21. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

22. What happens if you get scared half to death twice?

23. My mechanic told me, "I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder."

24. Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?

25. If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.

26. A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.

27. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

28. The hardness of the butter is proportional to the softness of the bread.

29. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.

30. The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.

31. The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up.

32. The colder the x-ray table, the more of your body is required to be on it.

33. Everyone has a photographic memory, some just don't have film.



TRIVIA

Google Airports

Need a Hint? viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1450

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1. BAQ Barranquilla
2. OSHkosh Wittman Regional (available in better resolution these days )
3. PRG Prague Ruzyne
4. BSL Euroairport Basle/Mulhouse
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6. DAB Daytona Beach
7. MLB Melbourne Int'l
8. MGE Dobbins AFB, Atlanta (Lockheed facility)
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10. RSW Southwest Florida Int'l, Fort Myers

1. BAQ Barranquilla
2. OSH Oshkosh
3. PRG Prague
4. BSL Basle-Mulhouse
5. TVL South Lake Tahoe
6. DAB Daytona Beach
7. MLB Melbourne (FL)
8. MGE Dobbins AFB
9. BTS Bratislava
10. RSW Fort Myers

UPDATED


Airlines no longer in "panic mode," says Airbus exec
Despite orders that came in far below last year's levels, John Leahy, the chief salesman at Airbus, says the sentiment at the Paris Air Show shows the airline industry has turned a corner. In late 2008, he says, "It looked like a situation of free fall. Nobody then was thinking about anything but survival, and in many cases that meant survival for the next two weeks, not survival for the next 20 years." But the orders logged in Paris prove that airlines have begun planning for recovery, he says. "The fact that some airlines are starting to do some forward planning, I think, is indicative of the fact that people aren't in a panic mode anymore."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/19/busin ... .html?_r=2

Gates moves missile defenses to Hawaii
Amid reports that North Korea plans to test-fire a missile in the direction of Hawaii, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he was deploying sea-based radars and missile interceptors to the islands. While stopping short of a direct threat to shoot down the North Korean missile, Gates noted that the technology was available. "The ground-based interceptors are clearly in a position to take action," he said. "So without telegraphing what we will do, I would just say, I think we are in a good position, should it become necessary to protect American territory.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... 4099.story

Northrop attracts challengers for dominance in drone market
After producing more than 100,000 unmanned aircraft over six decades, Northrop Grumman Corp. is the clear leader in the field. But rivals including Boeing Co. and Raytheon Co. are mounting a concerted effort to challenge Northrop for a bigger piece of the rapidly growing pie. The growing competition is prompting Northrop to expand its offerings of smaller, cheaper models such as the Fire Scout.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... XWHSr8n9Dc

Gates blasts vote on F-22 as top general breaks ranks
Defense Secretary Robert Gates is blasting a congressional move to fund 12 additional F-22 fighter jets despite an administration budget that calls for canceling the program. Gates called Wednesday's 31-30 vote in the House Armed Services Committee a "big problem." But a top general has broken ranks on the issue, calling on Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., to support continued production. "In my opinion, a fleet of 187 F-22s puts execution of our current national military strategy at high risk in the near- to mid-term," Air Force Gen. John Corley, head of the Air Combat Command, said in a letter to the senator.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... wD98TAUQO3

Boeing racing the clock with 787 time line
With the first test flight of the 787 Dreamliner just days away, Boeing Co. is looking to shave about three months off the schedule for remaining test flights as it scrambles to meet revised delivery goals for its much-delayed technological marvel. But even Scott Carson, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, admits the schedule is ambitious and wonders whether the FAA will be able to keep up with the company's requests for certification.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1245363 ... smartbrief

United takes lead in testing satellite-based weather forecasting
United Airlines is testing satellite-based weather forecasting technology that could help pilots avoid severe storms like the one that may have contributed to the crash of Air France Flight 447. But with weather-related accidents extremely rare, it's hard to make the case for private investment in such expensive systems, according to experts. That's why governments are getting involved: The FAA and its regulatory counterparts around the world have been working for years to develop such technology that will eventually become part of the $22 billion NextGen program.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... s6Gdc8Ww8s

Fuel concerns weigh heavy at Paris Air Show
Fuel economy was a hot topic at the Paris Air Show, with aircraft manufacturers seeking to wow buyers with the latest green technology. "Fuel consumption has always been one of the main criteria," for airliners, notes the deputy chief for environmental issues at Airbus. That has led to increasing use of lightweight composites in newer models as well as research into biofuels.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... H9-2V_iofw

NASA launches lunar mission as precursor to manned exploration
NASA turned its attention back to the moon on Thursday, launching two spacecraft designed to find a suitable landing site for future manned missions. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will map the moon's surface for a year, while the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite will crash into a crater, searching for signs of water. "This is the first step in the next journey of space exploration," said program manager Todd May. "We're looking forward to getting started."
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.d ... 9906190321

Plane makers seek to reassure suppliers on delivery schedules
Suppliers to Airbus and Boeing Co. are skeptical that the big aircraft makers can sustain production levels in the face of a global travel downturn. Despite airline losses of $10.4 billion last year, the manufacturers plan to deliver 960 aircraft in 2009 and have yet to announce any significant cuts for 2010. But with lead times of up to two years, suppliers are wary of sudden, costly cutbacks. "There is raging skepticism because there is no historical precedent for the ability to do what they're suggesting to do," says Clay Jones, CEO of Rockwell Collins Inc.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... Ndi5rbbtQo

DHS testing drone along Canadian border
The Department of Homeland Security is testing Predator B unmanned aircraft to help patrol the border between Upstate New York and Canada. Tests are being conducted at 19,000 feet in the restricted airspace above Fort Drum, helping to reduce the risk of collisions, according to officials. Though Customs and Border Protection currently uses five drone aircraft, none are permanently based in the Northeast.
http://www.newswatch50.com/news/local/s ... VxFOg.cspx

ANSWERS:
1. BAQ, Ernesto Corissoz, Barranquilla, Colombia
2. OSH, Whitman regional, Oshkosh, WI
3. PRG, Prague-Ruznye, Prague, Czech Republic
4. BSL, Basel Europort, Basle-Mulhouse, France/Switzerland
5. TVL, Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe, NV
6. DAB. Daytona Beach Regional, Daytona Beach, FL
7. MLB, Melbourne International, Melbourne, FL
8. MGE, Dobbins ARB, Marietta, GA
9. BTS, Bratislava-Ivanca, Bratislava, Slovakia
10. RSW, Southwest Florida International, Fort Myers, FL