CommercialBoeing 787 Receives FAA Approval For Extended OperationsThe US FAA has approved extended operations for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a move that will allow a wider range of routes at a time of renewed scrutiny. The ETOPS approval will allow airlines to fly routes that are up to 330 minutes flying time from a landing field, versus the 180 minute limit in place since the 787 was launched in 2011. "Granting of the expanded operational permission will allow airlines to introduce additional routes after they meet the proof of capabilities requirements and receive approval from their own regulatory agencies," Boeing said. The FAA approval formally applies only to US carriers, and within that group only United Airlines now operates the 787, but regulators in other countries typically follow the FAA's lead. Airlines apply their own rules for extended operations and could take time to actually begin flying those routes.
LinkDiscussionSearch for MH370 ceases until AugustAustralian authorities have stopped searching for debris related to the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the area where the ADV Ocean Shield detected acoustic signals in early April. The Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) says the Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle was pulled up on 28 March after searching over 850km2 of the ocean floor. Analysis of data it gathered shows no signs of the Boeing 777-200ER that disappeared on 8 March. “The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has advised that the search in the vicinity of the acoustic detections can now be considered complete and in its professional judgement, the area can now be discounted as the final resting place of MH370,” the JACC says. The announcement follows media confusion stemming from comments by a US Navy official. During a CNN interview, the navy’s deputy director of ocean engineering, Michael Dean, said that acoustic signals detected in early April – which informed the location of the Bluefin-21’s search – have subsequently been deemed by the USA and other nations to have been produced by a source other than MH370’s flight data or cockpit voice recorder.
LinkDoubt Raised Over Whether Pings Came From MH370The US Navy described as "speculative and premature" a media report on Thursday that said four acoustic pings are no longer believed to be from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370's black boxes. The report on CNN quoted Michael Dean, the US Navy's deputy director of ocean engineering, and said authorities now almost universally believe the pings did not come from the onboard data or cockpit voice recorders of MH370. Australian search authorities narrowed the search for the missing jet last month after picking up a series of pings near where analysis of satellite data put the last location of the plane some 1,600 km (1,000 miles) off Australia's northwest.
LinkMalaysian PM Won't Meet MH370 Families In ChinaMalaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak will not meet the families of Chinese passengers of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 when he visits Beijing for the first time since the plane disappeared. Najib will meet President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and head of parliament Zhang Dejiang during a six-day visit to mark 40 years of diplomatic ties, a Malaysian foreign ministry official said. But Najib will not meet the families of missing passengers, about two-thirds of whom were Chinese. A spokesman for Najib's China delegation told Reuters news agency he could not immediately comment on why there would be no meeting.
LinkAir New Zealand 787-9 makes first flightThe first Boeing 787-9 for launch customer Air New Zealand completed its first flight from Paine Field on 28 May. Painted in a distinct black livery, the aircraft was taken through its paces, reaching an altitude of 39,000ft and a speed of 360kt during the 3h10m flight over Washington.
LinkVenezuela To Pay Avianca 4 Pct Of Currency DebtVenezuela has agreed to release USD$12 million to Colombian airline Avianca, equivalent to 4 percent of the unrepatriated revenue trapped in Venezuela because of currency controls. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government requires airlines to sell tickets in the bolivar currency but has been slow to allow them to repatriate the earnings. Avianca has accumulated the equivalent of more than USD$300 million in ticket sales in Venezuela that it has been unable to convert into dollars, a company spokeswoman said.
LinkAmerican Airlines prepping for Dreamliner's arrivalAmerican Airlines is training pilots in Texas now in a simulator designed to mimic the experience of flying a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, preparation for the plane's November arrival at the airline. American will become the second U.S. airline to receive the fuel-efficient Dreamliner, and will begin using the plane on new routes later this year.
LinkAlaska, Delta to add new flights from Sea-TacAlaska Airlines plans to boost its daily departures from the Seattle airport by 11%, adding 27 new daily flights by spring 2015. Alaska plans to offer flights from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Chicago, Denver, Detroit and New Orleans, among other cities. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines is also adding flights from Seattle later this year. In November, Delta will add several daily flights to Spokane, Wash., and Calgary, Canada. In December, Delta will add flights to Hawaii and Montana, as well as international destinations if approved by the government.
LinkAnalysts optimistic about United's outlookDespite a wider loss than expected in the first quarter by United Airlines due to extreme winter weather, analysts say the carrier's fundamentals are solid. Aviation consultant Mike Boyd said the carrier's "market planning seems sound and their fleet plan is solid." Meanwhile, analyst Hunter Keay said he is "increasingly optimistic that the current management team can turn things around."
LinkAmerican to take over 4 LAX gates from United in Q3In a move that should help it expand at Los Angeles International Airport, American Airlines will take over four gates from competitor United Airlines later this year, officials confirmed Tuesday. American will pick up gates in Terminal 6, now shared by United and Alaska Airlines. American also will take counter space and offices. American did not disclose terms, but said it will take the gates in the third quarter of this year. American has long wanted to bolster its LAX operation, but has been hampered by a lack of gates. It has outgrown its space in its main LAX bases — Terminal 4 and a commuter terminal used by American Eagle. Terminals 4 and 6 are connected via an underground tunnel that has been closed for several years but is expected to reopen.
LinkUnited, flight dispatchers reach tentative dealUnited Continental has reached a tentative contract agreement with two unions that represent flight dispatchers. The tentative agreement covers 330 flight dispatchers from United Airlines and Continental Airlines. The two carriers merged in 2010.
LinkShareholders approve name change for EADS to Airbus GroupOn Tuesday, more than 99% of shareholders approved the name change for EADS to the Airbus Group. The aircraft manufacturer, founded in 2000, has been using the Airbus Group moniker since January. "There is clearly a positive implication for our ... acceptance in the market and for integration within Airbus," said Airbus CEO Tom Enders.
LinkAirbus aims for "flawless execution" of A320neo, CEO says Airbus Group NV Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders said Tuesday the plane maker needs to assure the introduction of its upgraded A320 single-aisle plane is achieved without hiccups as the company tries to meet profitability and cash flow targets. "We need an absolutely flawless execution on that program," Mr. Enders told shareholders at the company's annual general meeting in Amsterdam. The A320neo, an upgraded version with new engines, is due to fly in September ahead of first deliveries next year. Progress so far on the A320neo is "meeting our performance requirements or even better," Mr. Enders said.
LinkBoeing aircraft still in the air range from 717 to 787 Boeing is an aviation giant known across the world. From its iconic 747 jumbo jet to its workhorse 737 narrow-body aircraft to its new-age "Dreamliner," the company has delivered more than 10,000 aircraft to carriers across the planet. The jetmaker's lineup of commercial passenger jets are flying for carriers on all six inhabited continents. Boeing still has five major jet models in production for passenger airlines, producing 737s,747s, 767s, 777s and 787s that ultimately are bound for airlines of all stripes and sizes. And two of the carrier's recently discontinued lines — the 717 and 757 — still have a major presence in the fleets of several airlines, especially in the USA.
LinkFix customs wait times in U.S. firstPassengers flying to the U.S. from 16 airports around the world are pre-cleared by customs before leaving those countries, allowing them to step off their planes and bypass customs here, entering the airport just like domestic passengers. U.S. passenger airlines say the system gives foreign airlines a competitive edge because international travelers prefer to take advantage of shorter wait times at U.S. customs operations overseas. Peak wait times to clear customs at some major U.S. gateways can reach up to five hours. "If you can't get it right here, you shouldn't be sending any resources overseas and giving someone an advantage over people trying to come into this country," said Airlines for America President and CEO Nicholas Calio. "You ought to be able to clear JFK in the same time you clear Dublin."
LinkCongressman objects to FAA's proposed change to building height limits In the 23 years Rep. James P. Moran has been in Congress, he’s seen his Northern Virginia district morph into a megalopolis of broad boulevards, bustling developments and skyscrapers. Now he’s fearful that a federal agency wants to put a cap on this burgeoning skyline to help airlines and airports make more money. Most of Rosslyn’s big buildings would be too tall under the proposal, he says. So, too, would be communication towers proposed for the Pentagon and the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, not to mention buildings in New York, Phoenix, Chicago, Boston and Miami.
LinkIFE report details coming trends, new content In this report, we’ll look at how IFE has evolved in recent years to such a prominent element of the in-flight experience, why IFE is such an important factor to the airlines in product differentiation, what new innovations are in store for this technology, where IFE lags behind modern technology and when it might catch up. We provide some important highlights and feature key players and airline case studies here, in order to reflect the predominant trends in today’s market. We’ll look at key examples of IFE equipment selection: cutting edge tech for the premium airlines; the middle of the road product for “frugal carriers”; and the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) options. We’ll also discuss the key reasons why some carriers have avoided IFE on many or all of their flights. We’ll also look at recent developments in IFE equipment, and how they might evolve.
Link 
