News
Delta To Shut Down Comair Subsidiary
Delta Air Lines (DL) said Friday it will shut down regional subsidiary Comair after Sept. 29.
Cincinnati-based Comair, which is DL’s only wholly owned regional subsidiary following the sales of Mesaba and Compass Airlines in 2010, had already undergone a major downsizing (ATW Daily News, Sept. 2, 2010). According to Comair’s website, the airline still serves about 60 Canadian and US cities with around 290 daily flights operated under the Delta Connection brand. Formed in 1977, the airline carried 5.6 million passengers in 2011.
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Bomb Joke Tweeter Wins Landmark Ruling
A British man who joked on Twitter that he would blow up an airport after it closed because of snow has had his conviction for sending a "menacing" message overturned in a landmark ruling for users of social media websites.
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EasyJet Board Gets Support In Chairman Battle
US shareholder advisory firm Glass Lewis has recommended that investors reject an attempt by the founder of easyJet to oust the chairman from the board of the budget airline.
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Indian navy confirms MiG-29KUB landing aboard Vikramaditya
A RSK MiG-29KUB fighter operated by Russian pilots has landed aboard the INS Vikramaditya, becoming the first fixed-wing aircraft to land on the ship since its refurbishment. In a call with Flightglobal, the Indian navy confirmed that the landing had taken place, and the aircraft had taken off again using the ship's 'ski-jump.'
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Images emerge of possible Chinese carrier-borne AEW&C testbed
Images have emerged on various Chinese defence websites of what appears to be a testbed for a possible carrier-borne airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. The aircraft, apparently designated JZY-01, is based on the Xian Y-7 transport, the Chinese version of the Antonov An-26. A rough translation of the Chinese characters on the fuselage reads "demonstrator aircraft".
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Portugal looks to cancel NH90 helicopter order
Portugal is attempting to cancel its contract with NH Industries for NH90 transport helicopters. The negotiations between the two parties was disclosed in the half-year accounts for Eurocopter, which owns 62.5% of NH Industries, along with AgustaWestland and Fokker. Cash-strapped Portugal has 10 NH90s on order for its army in the tactical transport helicopter variant. Eurocopter said in June it was attempting to save the deal, but conceded at the time: "It's hard to say when they will take them".
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The difficulties of aircraft delivery timetable planning
The two rival machines that went head to head in the skies above Farnborough highlighted the headache that airlines face when planning their new fleets: that delivery schedules tend to come with a health warning attached. The Qatar Airways Boeing 787, which made its debut at the show, was originally due to touch down in Doha more than two years ago. Remarkably, that delay almost fades into insignificance compared with that of the Malaysia Airlines Airbus A380, which was also on show. For when MAS originally ordered its fleet of the double-deckers, its first aircraft was due to arrive more than five years ago.
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Belly-up incidents drive FAA approach change
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will tighten requirements for aircraft making visual approaches to parallel runways starting in September based on a Eurocontrol-developed risk tool. Controllers after 28 September must ensure that aircraft being vectored onto final approaches to parallel runways with 4,300ft (1,311m) or more separation have an intersection angle to the extended runway centreline of no more than 30º, allowing for relatively small turns to line up with the final approach course. Previously the angle requirement only applied to more closely spaced runways having a lateral separation between 2,500ft and 4,300ft.
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A380 wing-fix charges pass €180m in first half
Airbus has recorded total first-half charges of €181 million ($222 million) relating to fixing the cracking problem to wing-rib feet on in-service A380s. The airframer disclosed the figure in parent company EADS's financial results for the first six months of 2012.
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Airbus overcoming A350 wing-drill automation snags
Airbus admits the slow pace of automated wing-drilling on the A350-900 forced the latest schedule slip to service entry, but the airframer believes it is overcoming the problem and aims to minimise the impact on the maiden flight. A350 program chief Didier Evrard said that, in addition to the airframer's having to resort to manual drilling at its Broughton plant, the locking of jigs while the automation issue was addressed has had a knock-on effect on subsequent wing sets.
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Etihad predicts Irish expansion
Etihad Airways (EY) anticipates an imminent expansion of its relationship with Irish flag-carrier Aer Lingus (EI), EY president and CEO James Hogan said in London Friday. He said the Abu Dhabi-Dublin route had been "very successful" for the UAE carrier and "you'll see more developments in coming weeks."
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Other News
The European Commission (EC) has approved United Technologies Corp.’s (UTC) proposed acquisition of Goodrich, but only if it sells some units, European Union antitrust regulators said Thursday. The regulatory clearances require that UTC sell Goodrich's Electric Power Systems business and Goodrich's Connecticut-based Pumps and Engine Controls business, according to an EC statement. UTC will also sell Goodrich's interest in Aero Engine Controls (AEC), a joint venture with Rolls-Royce (RR). It should also offer RR an option to take over a technology research project to reduce fuel consumption in engines, which Goodrich was developing on its behalf, the commission ruled.
OLT Express Poland announced Friday afternoon it has stopped all domestic operations, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. More than 6,500 passengers have been affected; up to 130,000 passengers will not be able to travel on the carrier’s domestic flights in the summer high season for the coming weeks. The airline owner, Polish investment company Amber Gold, established OLT Express last year and also owns its sister company, OLT Express Germany. Amber Gold this week said it will sell parts of the company, leaving its future uncertain.
Tiger Airways Holding narrowed its loss after tax to S$14 million, ($11.2 million) for the second quarter, against a S$21 million loss recorded during the same period last year, the company said. Total revenue for the quarter was $181 million, up 1.4% on the $179 million recorded in the previous year. The increase was largely due to higher yield (up 7.8%), offset by a 4.5% decline in capacity and lower passenger load factor of 83.3%, down 2.2 percentage points.
China Southern Airlines (CZ) will operate an Airbus A380 on its Guangzhou-Los Angeles route from Oct.12 to accelerate its international expansion pace. Industry analysts said Chinese travel to the US has increased after the US government loosened its visa issuance policy for Chinese citizens.
ANA Group will increase 7X-weekly Tokyo Narita-New York JFK service to 14X-weekly Oct. 28.
US Airways was awarded US DOT permanent authority to operate daily Jackson, Miss.-Washington Reagan service. It has been flying the route since March 4 under temporary authority.
S7 Airlines will launch 2X-weekly Novosibirsk-Hong Kong Boeing 737-800 service Oct. 29.
SilkAir will adjust Singapore service to Wuhan (3X-weekly to 4), Chiang Mai (3X-weekly to 4), Hyderabad (8X-weekly to 9), Changsha (4X-weekly to 3) and Pekanbaru (5X-weekly to 4) Oct. 28-March 30.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will launch 3X-weekly Amsterdam-Harare, Zimbabwe Airbus A330-200 service Oct. 29.
Lufthansa will cease 5X-weekly Munich-Singapore-Jakarta service Oct 14.
Aviation Quote
I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast for I intend to go in harm's way.
— Captain John Paul Jones, in a letter to le Ray de Chaumont, 16 November 1778.
On This Date
---In 1909... The Rinji Gunyo Kikyu Kenkyu Kai (Provisional Committee for Military Balloon Research) is formed in Japan.
---In 1914…Norwegian pilot Tryggve Gran makes the first crossing of the North Sea by airplane, flying his Bleriot from Cruden Bay, Scotland to Revtangen, Norway. Unfortunately for Mr. Gran, Europe was focused on the conflagration which would become World War I, which had begun brewing a month earlier with the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, and Gran’s feat received little attention.
---In 1921... Swiss pilot, Francois Durafour, achieves a daring first by landing his airplane on the slopes of Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest mountain in the Alps.
---In 1924... Two Japanese airmen, Yukichi Goto and his flight engineer Minezo Yonezawo, return to Osaka after completing the first flight around Japan. The flight covers 2,727 miles and takes over 33 hours.
---In 1935... Lieutenant Frank Akers of the U.S. Navy becomes the first person to make a “blind” landing at sea. His biplane has a hooded cockpit allowing him to see only his controls and instruments. He lands on the USS Langley.
---In 1958…First flight of the de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou CF-KTK-X.
---In 1971…All Nippon Airways Flight 58, a 727-200 (JA8329) collides with a Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-86F fighter jet (92-7932) 26,000 feet above Shizukuishi, Japan, killing all 162 on board the airliner. The fighter pilot ejected and survived. At the time it was the deadliest air disaster in history.
---In TWA Flight 843, a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar (N11002) departing New York’s JFK Airport (JFK) for San Francisco (SFO), aborts takeoff shortly after liftoff, skids off the end of Runway 13R and burns. Despite the fire and only three available exits, all 280 passengers and 12 crew manage to escape with their lives. The NTSB would conclude pilot error was to blame for the accident, but witnesses say the plane was on fire before it lifted off.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
Teaching The Child
As a crowded airliner is about to take off, the peace is shattered by a 5-year-old boy who picks that moment to throw a wild temper tantrum. No matter what his frustrated, embarrassed mother does to try to calm him down, the boy continues to scream furiously and kick the seats around him.
Suddenly, from the rear of the plane, an elderly man in the uniform of an Air Force General is seen slowly walking forward up the aisle. Stopping the flustered mother with an upraised hand, the white-haired, courtly, soft-spoken General leans down and, motioning toward his chest, whispers something into the boy's ear.
Instantly, the boy calms down, gently takes his mother's hand, and quietly fastens his seat belt. All the other passengers burst into spontaneous applause.
As the General slowly makes his way back to his seat, one of the cabin attendants touches his sleeve. "Excuse me, General," she asks quietly, "but could I ask you what magic words you used on that little boy?"
The old man smiles serenely and gently confides, "I showed him my pilot's wings, service stars, and battle ribbons, and explained that they entitle me to throw one passenger out the plane door on any flight I choose."
Trivia
General Trivia
1. Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin were first to walk on the moon. Altogether, how many men have walked on the moon, and who were the third and fourth astronauts to do so?
2. The tires of some turbofan-powered airplanes have chines. What are these and what purpose do they serve?
3. What is the greatest speed ever achieved by a man-made object?
4. Who was apparently the only pilot to intentionally solo a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress?
5. True or false; The Boeing JB-17G Flying Fortress was a single-engine, propeller-driven version of the famed bomber.
6. True or false; When filing flight plans, pilots should include cadavers when indicating the number of persons on board the aircraft (or mention them in the Remarks section).
5. True or false; The Boeing JB-17G Flying Fortress was a single-engine, propeller-driven version of the famed bomber.
