NewsCommercial
Fokker 50 freighter crashes into building in Nairobi
Fokker 50 freighter crashed into a building in Kenya’s capital city Nairobi in the early hours of 2 July, shortly after take-off. Kenya Airport Authority confirms in a tweet that the aircraft “crashed at a commercial building in Utawala” after taking off from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
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DoT report slams FAA's slow progress on UAS integration
The US Department of Transport has issued a scathing report on the Federal Aviation Administration’s efforts to integrate unmanned air systems into the national airspace (NAS), claiming the administration is behind on a number of targets that determine if it will meet its 2015 integration deadline. An Office of Inspector General audit report claims the FAA is behind on a number of objectives, and there remains a lack of technology standards for UAS to be able to sense and avoid obstacles. Other issues are a lack of certification and air traffic management procedures, or sufficient training for these.
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Southwest operates first international flights in its 44-year history
Two Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700s departed Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) Tuesday morning bound for the Caribbean, marking the first international flights in the 44-year history of the Dallas-based carrier. The first Southwest 737 departing BWI headed for Aruba while the second 737 headed for Montego Bay, Jamaica.
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Airbus rolls out first A320neo
Airbus has completed the assembly of its first A320neo following painting of the aircraft and the mounting of Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM engines. MSN6101, which will be the first A320neo to fly, will soon start ground tests to prepare for first flight.
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Virgin Atlantic interested in Airbus A330neo
Virgin Atlantic has thrown its weight behind a possible revamp of the Airbus A330, saying it would consider placing an order if the price and economics worked out correctly, but urged Airbus to make a rapid decision.
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Boeing close to 30 jet Monarch Airlines order
Boeing is reported to be close to a USD$3 billion deal to sell around 30 aircraft to Monarch Airlines, ousting the UK carrier's current supplier, Airbus. A spokesman for Boeing UK declined to comment. Monarch Airlines said a final decision had not been taken.
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Unidentified customer orders up to 24 Bombardier CRJ900s
Bombardier has received a firm order for 16 CRJ900 NextGen regional jets, plus eight options, from an unidentified customer. Based on current list prices, the order is valued at approximately $727 million; it could increase to $1.12 billion if the options are exercised.
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American, US Airways to operate from one terminal at O'Hare
American Airlines and US Airways are combining operations today at Chicago O'Hare International Airport into a single terminal. All flights will depart from Terminal 3 as part of the merger integration. "We are working on enhanced signage and staffing to make sure this is clear to customers," said a spokeswoman for American.
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Delta returning to Barbados
Delta Air Lines will relaunch flights to Barbados as part of its expansion in Caribbean markets. The airline will begin flights in December from New York JFK and Atlanta airports. "We continue to expand our presence in the Caribbean to offer customers the most convenient connection options for them to fly to their favorite tourist destinations," said Maria Fernanda Price, Delta's regional manager for the Caribbean.
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Southwest VP to retire this fall
Jim Sokol, vice president of maintenance operations for Southwest Airlines, announced plans to retire on Sept. 15. "Southwest has remained a resilient and efficient operation benchmarked by companies around the globe" under Sokol's leadership, said Mike Van de Ven, chief operating officer for Southwest, in a statement. Landon Nitschke, who serves as senior director of maintenance, will be promoted to vice president once Sokol retires.
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Aerospace firms may move to Washington after Boeing 777X decision
Boeing's decision to assemble the 777X in Washington means that aerospace suppliers may be drawn to the state to capitalize on the move, says Washington Gov. Jay Inslee's aerospace adviser, Alex Pietsch. The Boeing decision has made it easier to recruit companies, he explained. "A lot of conversations before were, 'Talk to us when the 777X lands,'" he said. "Now that it is coming, we know, at least with regard to commercial airplanes, our future is secure, at least for the next several decades."
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American near $2.6 billion CFM engine order
American Airlines is close to ordering 200 CFM International engines, worth USD$2.6 billion at list prices, for 100 Airbus A320neo aircraft that the airline has on firm order, according to three people familiar with the matter.
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U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear appeal in pension case
In a decision released Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a case in which US Airways pilots were challenging the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.’s calculation of their benefits. The prolonged case stems from US Airways’ termination of its pension plan more than 10 years ago, giving the pilots’ pension responsibility to the PBGC. The pilots were appealing a decision from the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia.
LinkCorporate
Embraer predicts Legacy 500 certification within 30 days
Embraer expects to have its midsize Legacy 500 business jet cleared to enter service within 30 days, chief executive Frederico Curado says. The fly-by-wire, nine-passenger aircraft is targeted for certification by Brazil’s national civil aeronautics agency by mid-year, but Curado says in an interview with Flightglobal that it should be done before August.
LinkMilitary
Dutch F-16s fly last mission in Afghanistan
On 30 June, the last two Royal Netherlands Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16AMs completed their final mission for the air task force over Afghanistan. For the last 12 years the service had maintained a detachment of F-16s to support the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force mission in the country. Since starting operations in October 2002, the Dutch aircraft amassed over 24,000 flight hours on more than 10,000 missions, mainly flown in support of coalition ground forces.
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Corrosion issue halts Dutch NH90 deliveries
Dutch defence ministerJeanine Hennis-Plasschaert has sent a letter to the nation’s parliament regarding a decision to postpone acceptance of the country’s final seven NH Industries (NHI) NH90s in the NFH naval variant, until a suitable solution for corrosion problems found on its earlier examples and financial compensation for additional costs have been agreed. The problems were first noted when two helicopters returned from missions in a maritime environment in 2013 and underwent regular inspection. One was operating an anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia, while the other had been on patrol in the Caribbean Sea on board a Royal Netherlands Navy frigate. Both assignments lasted around five to six months.
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USAF chooses Lm2 simulator motion modifier for KC-135 training
Belgium-based technology company AWx has sold its patented flight simulation motion modifier – known as Lm2 – to the US Air Force to equip its Boeing KC-135 simulator training organisation at Scott AFB in Illinois. The order was placed in May under an agreement between AWx, the USAF and the Tampa, Florida-based US branch of Canadian simulation company CAE, but has only just been announced. It will result in 19 of the service's operational flight trainers (known as full flight simulators to non-military customers) being equipped with Lm2 lateral motion modifiers.
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Aviation Quote
They will pressure you into doing things that may be unsafe, use your good judgment, and remember, 'I would rather be laughed at, than cried for.'
— George MacDonald
On This Date
---In 1859... Two American balloonists, John Wise and John La Mountain, fly in their balloon from St. Louis, Missouri to Henderson, New York. The 809-mile trip takes 20 hours.
---In 1900... The first trial of the first Zeppelin airship, the LZ-1, takes place over Lake Constance, Germany. The first of the rigid, monster airships, it is 420 feet long and contains 16 separate gas-bags with a total capacity of 338,410 cubic feet. It is tentatively successful, and attains a speed of 8½ mph. It is housed in a floating hangar, the first in history.
---In 1919... The first crossing of the Atlantic by airship, as well as the first double-crossing (return flight), is made by the British rigid airship, R-34. This giant dirigible, which flies non-stop from Scotland to Long Island, New York, has a 30-man crew and is piloted by Major G.H. Scott.
---In 1926... The U.S. Army Air Corps is formed out of the former Air Services. Provisions are made for an assistant secretary of war and a five-year Air Corps expansion program.
---In 1937... Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan are lost over the South Pacific near Howland Island in a Lockheed Electra. This was to be her last long-distance attempt.
---In 1967… First international flight of an SR-71 (972). During a training mission the ANS (Astroinertial Navigation System) failed and the aircraft accidentally flew into Mexico. Pilot Jim Watkins, RSO Dave Dempster.
---In 1994…A USAir Douglas DC-9 crashes in North Carolina, the victim of a microburst, killing 37 people.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
Which Branch of the Service Do Your Prefer?
An Army grunt stands in the rain with a 35 pound pack on his back, 15 pound. weapon in hand, after having marched 12 miles, and says, "This is shit!"
An Army Airborne Ranger stands in the rain with a 45 pound pack on his back, 15 pound weapon in hand, after having jumped from an airplane and marched 18 miles, and says with a smile, "This is good shit!"
A Navy SEAL lies in the mud, 55 pound pack on his back, 15 pound weapon in hand, after having had a 10 mile swim to shore, a five crawl through swamps, and a 25 mile march in jungle, at night, through enemy positions, says with a grin, "This really is great shit."
A Marine, up to his nose in the stinking, bug-infested mud of a swamp with a 65 pound pack on his back and a 15 pound weapon in each hand, after jumping from an aircraft at high altitude, into the ocean, swimming 12 miles to the shore, killing several alligators to enter the swamp, then crawling 30 miles through the brush to assault an enemy camp, says, "I love this shit."
An Air Force NCO sits in an easy chair in an air conditioned, carpeted office and says, "My e-mail's out? What kind of shit is this?"
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9. LGUDSOA DRKRIYSAE
10. BEGION OTATRORRTSFSES
