News
London Heathrow Braced For Olympics Exodus
London's Heathrow Airport is braced for one its busiest ever days on Monday with around 15,000 Olympic athletes and officials expected to leave the capital following the end of the Games.
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How the London Olympics were filmed from above
The end of the London 2012 Olympic Games also marks the conclusion of two years' work by helicopter operators and film service providers in preparing for, and then delivering, aerial footage of the opening and closing ceremonies and many of the outdoor events. A large part of the task involved marrying the exacting aerial filming requirements of the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) organisation with the equally strict flight safety demands of the UK's Civil Aviation Authority and navigation service provider NATS.
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LATAM To Spend USD$7.87 Bln On Fleet
Chile's newly merged regional carrier LATAM Airlines said on Monday it would spend USD$7.87 billion on its fleet by 2014.
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United, Union To Expedite Negotiations
United Airlines has reached an agreement with the union representing employees from fleet service, passenger service and certain other work groups to expedite contract negotiations.
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EasyJet Investors Back Chairman, Rebuff Stelios
EasyJet investors on Monday rebuffed an attempt by the budget airline's founder and largest shareholder Stelios Haji-Ioannou to oust chairman Michael Rake.
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Aviation Partners, Boeing split opinions on 737 wing-tips
Aviation Partners has started showing airlines a split-tip winglet with blended, "scimitar"-edged feathers as a retrofit option that the joint venture estimates can reduce fuel consumption by 2.5 to 3% on next-generation 737s. The move precedes a launch decision by the board of directors of the Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) joint venture, but that approval should come "shortly", says Joe Clark, founder of Aviation Partners, the Seattle-based firm that designed the standard blended winglet ordered on more than 4,600 737NGs.
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AirAsia X to lease six A330s from ILFC
AirAsia's long-haul operation, AirAsia X, is planning to lease six Airbus A330-300s from US firm International Lease Finance. The carrier, which already has nine A330s, has signed a letter of intent to acquire the twinjets, which would be delivered over 2013-14. ILFC says the A330s will be fitted with Rolls-Royce Trent 700 powerplants and have a maximum take-off weight of 233t, and are the "same model" which the airline is taking directly from the airframer.
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Settlement reached in Haney F-22 crash lawsuit
The court case of the widow of US Air Force Captain Jeff Haney versus the contractors who built the F-22 Raptor and its life-support systems has been settled. Haney was killed in a tragic 16 November, 2010, crash in Alaska.
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Finnair loss narrows in 2Q
Finnair (AY) reported a second-quarter loss of €19.8 million ($24.9 million), a 13.9% improvement over the €23 million loss recorded year-over-year. Turnover was up 10.2% to €594.4 million from €539.4 million in the year-ago period. As a result, operating income moved into positive territory to €14.7 million, reversed from €13.8 million in the year-ago period. This was despite a significant 19.9% increase in fuel costs, which now accounts for 27% of overall expenses.
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United will move corporate headquarters to Willis Tower
The corporate headquarters of United Airlines will move to the Willis Tower in Chicago. United Continental Holdings already leases 12 floors in the building, and will occupy four additional floors. The lease runs through 2028. "This deal shows United's commitment to Chicago for a generation," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement.
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Report: American Airlines merger action is possible in "weeks"
A decision on whether American Airlines will pursue a merger is expected in a few weeks, the Financial Times reports. The newspaper reported that the airline's CEO said a merger with US Airways could be a smart choice if the circumstances are right.
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JetBlue boosted capacity in July; traffic rose 7.1%
JetBlue Airways passenger traffic increased 7.1% in July on a year-over-year basis as the carrier boosted capacity by 5.5% for the month. Load factor also rose, to 87.2% from 85.9% in the same month of last year. Passenger revenue per available seat mile also increased, by 3%, preliminary figures show.
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Aircraft lessors include clauses on EU emissions trading
Some aircraft lessors are taking steps to protect their aircraft if airlines choose not to comply with the European Union's emissions-trading scheme. "These leasing/financing companies are beginning to include provisions in their leases providing that the lessees, or permitted sublessors, will operate the aircraft in compliance with the EU ETS," said Annie Petsonk, a lawyer at the Environmental Defense Fund.
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FAA is working on policy to integrate UAVs into airspace
The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing public comments and issues on integrating civilian unmanned aerial vehicles into airspace. "There are operational issues that we need to address ... such as pilot training. We also need to make sure that unmanned aircraft see and avoid other aircraft and that they operate safely if they lose the link to their pilot," said acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta.
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Other News
Lessor AeroCentury Corp. has reported a net income of $1 million for the second quarter and $2.4 million for the half-year, compared to net losses of $0.1 million and $2.4 million for the same periods in 2011. Revenues were $7.5 million and $14.3 million for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, respectively, compared with total revenues of $6.8 million and $11.7 million for the same periods a year ago.
China Southern Airlines (CZ) will equip 40 Boeing 737-700 and -800 aircraft with blended winglets, with retrofit performed by Aviation Partners Boeing (APB). The contract represents APB’s largest order in its history from a Chinese airline. "With 40 additional aircraft utilizing our technology, China Southern can expect almost $11 million in additional contribution to profit annually, while reducing their CO2 output by more than 20,000 tonnes,” APB director-sales and marketing Craig McCallum said.
The FAA is proposing a $681,200 civil penalty against Memphis, Tenn.-based FedEx Corp. for allegedly violating US Dept. of Transportation hazardous materials regulations.
The FAA alleges that “between Aug. 2 and Aug. 12, 2010, FedEx employees in numerous locations around the country improperly accepted several dozen shipments containing hazardous materials for transportation by air,” FAA said in a statement. The FAA also alleges that “in 19 instances on Aug. 12, 2010, the airline failed to provide pilots of flights to and from Los Angeles with the required ‘accurate and legible written information’ about shipments of hazardous materials it accepted for transportation by air,” FAA said. Additionally, the FAA alleges FedEx “failed to document hazardous materials training and testing for three individuals who were among those accepting the shipments for the company.”
OLT Express Germany (OL) has been purchased by Dutch financial investor Panta Holdings after Polish Amber Gold sold its investment. OL said it will continue its growth plan within Germany and European destinations. The carrier will launch routes from Munster Osnabruck (FMO) to Stuttgart (STR), Berlin and Vienna. Up to three aircraft will be based at FMO. OL, which finalized the acquisition of STR-based Contact Air, will take over flight operations completely in September. Panta Holdings also owns Denim Airways, leasing company Mass Lease, and holds shares in Canadian supplier Avcorp Industries.
Thai AirAsia (FD) will increase services to Myanmar, a fast-emerging destination. The LCC will launch 4X-weekly Airbus A320 services to Mandalay from Bangkok (BKK), Oct. 4, FD CEO Tassapon Bijleveld said. It will also increase daily services to Yangon. FD also plans to increase its BKK-Yangon flights from 2X- to 3X-daily.
Frontier Airlines will launch 2X-weekly Orlando, Fla.-Trenton, N.J. (TTN) Airbus A319 service Nov. 16. It will be the only airline providing scheduled carrier service out of TTN.
Allegiant will suspend Los Angeles, Calif. service to Billings, Mont.; Pasco, Wash.; and Sioux Falls, S.D. Aug. 31 due to a decline in allotted gate space.
Porter Airlines will increase 3X-weekly Sault Ste. Marie-Toronto City service to 4X-weekly Oct. 1.
Qantas will commence 3X-daily Boeing 737-800 services between the Gold Coast and Sydney from late October.
Aviation Quote
There is a peculiar gratification on receiving congratulations from one's squadron for a victory in the air. It is worth more to a pilot than the applause of the whole outside world. It means that one has won the confidence of men who share the misgivings, the aspirations, the trials and the dangers of aeroplane fighting.
— Captain Edward V. 'Eddie' Rickenbacker, USAS.
On This Date
--- In 1909... The first woman passenger to fly in a powered airplane in Great Britain is the wife of Samuel F. Cody. She is taken for a 3-minute flight from the Royal Engineers Balloon Factory at Farnborough in Cody’s British Army Aeroplane No.1.
--- In 1931... Piloted by M. M. Gromov, the Tupolev ANT-14 large passenger aircraft makes its first flight. The largest landplane of its day, it could carry 36 passengers.
---In 1953... The sound barrier is broken over Australia for the first time by Flight Lieutenant Bentleigh, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), in the first Australian-built Sabre fighter at Avalon, Victoria.
---In 1962…East German Ilyushin Il-62 crashes on takeoff from East Berlin, killing 156.
---In 1966…YF-12 (934) is written off after an a landing accident at Edwards AFB. The rear of this YF-12 was used to build 61-7981, an SR-71C which became known as “The Bastard”. This SR-71C is on display at Hill AFB Museum, Utah. (Q)
---In 1968…Los Angeles Airways Flight 417, a Sikorsky 61L helicopter (N300Y) flying from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Disneyland Heliport, crashes in Compton, Calif., killing all 18 passengers and three crewmembers on board. One of the rotor blades had separated from the spindle, causing loss of control.
---In 1979…Hitting 499mph in a specially modified P-51 named Red Baron, Steve Hinton sets a new world speed record for a piston-engined aircraft.
---In 1993…Two B-1 Lancers complete a round-the-world trip in 47 hours.
---In 2005…Helios Airways Flight 522, a 737-300 (5B-DBY) crashes into a mountain near Marathon, Greece, killing all 121 on board. A problem with the pressurization system had caused the pilots to lose consciousness, leading to loss of control and fuel starvation.
---In 2009…Australian airline Strategic Airlines commences operations.
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Humor
Combat Never Forgets
• Once you are in the fight, it is way too late to wonder if this is a good idea.
• It is a fact that helicopter tail rotors are instinctively drawn toward trees, stumps, rocks, etc. While it may be possible to ward off this natural event some of the time, it cannot, despite the best efforts of the crew, always be prevented. It's just what they do.
• NEVER get into a fight without more ammunition than the other guy.
• Cover your Buddy, so he can be around to cover you.
• Letters from home are not always great.
• The madness of war can extract a heavy toll. Please have exact change.
• Share everything. Even the Pound Cake.
• Decisions made by someone over your head will seldom be in your best interest.
• The further away you are from your friends, the less likely it is that they can help you when you really need them the most.
• Sometimes, being good and lucky still was not enough. There is always payback.
• "Chicken Plates" (bullet proof plates for flak jackets) are not something you order in a restaurant.
• If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as planned, you're about to be surprised.
• If the rear echelon troops are really happy, the front line troops probably do not have what they need.
• Happiness is a belt-fed weapon.
• Eat when you can. Sleep when you can. Visit the head when you can. The next opportunity may not come around for a long time. If ever.
• Combat pay is a flawed concept.
• Having all your body parts intact and functioning at the end of the day beats the alternative.
• If you are allergic to lead it is best to avoid a war zone.
• When you shoot your gun, clean it the first chance you get.
• Loud sudden noises in a helicopter WILL get your undivided attention.
• Hot garrison chow is better than hot C-rations, which, in turn is better than cold C-rations, which is better than no food at all. WHAT is often more important than WHY.
• Girlfriends are fair game. Wives are not.
• Everybody's a hero on the ground in the club after the fourth drink.
• There is no such thing as a small firefight.
• A free-fire zone has nothing to do with economics.
• Medals are OK, but having your body and all your friends in one piece at the end of the day is better.
• The only medal you really want to be awarded is the Longevity Medal.
• There is only one rule in war: When you win, you get to make up the Rules.
• While a Super Bomb could be considered one of the four essential building blocks of life, powdered eggs cannot.
• C-4 (plastic explosives) can make a dull day fun.
• Cocoa Powder (found in field rations) is neither. Always make sure someone has a P-38 (compact can opener).
• Flying is better than walking. Walking is better than running. Running is better than crawling. All of these however, are better than extraction by a Med-Evac, even if this is technically a form of flying.
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mhodgson wrote:I can't get the link about the Olympic Airspace to open.
