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Air New Zealand takes delivery of first Boeing 787-9
Air New Zealand (ANZ) has taken delivery of the first Boeing 787-9 aircraft at a handover event in Everett on 9 July. The Rolls-Royce Trent 1000-powered aircraft is the first of 10 787-9s the launch customer has on order. The aircraft is 6 metres longer than the 787-8 variant and also able to carry up to 40 more passengers, says Boeing.
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Boeing creates room for 737 Max to grow
On one side of Boeing’s “482” building in Renton, Washington, is what Marty Chamberlin, director of 737 factory operations, calls the “freeway” – an assembly line that cranks out an average of one single-aisle aircraft every working day. Running parallel down the wide hangar, the other side of the 482 building looks today more like a parking lot – but not for much longer. Two-thirds of this space is filled with 737 inventory, forming a vast staging area to feed both 737 “freeways”, including a similarly-sized assembly line in building 481. The final one-third is filled with the scaffolded, monumental systems integration tool, which cradles up to three 737 fuselages, each to be stuffed with wiring, ducts and other systems before entering the assembly lines.
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Kaman's bullish expansion plans
Kaman Aerospace, the diversified US-headquartered aerospace group, enters the 2014 Farnborough air show, having substantially reinforced its UK presence. In May this year it opened a new 34,000ft² (3,160m²) facility in Burnley, Lancashire in the northwest of England. The purpose-built site is designed to cope with the increasing size required for modern aircraft tooling. Pride of place in the new Tooling Center of Excellence is a massive 20m (65ft) five-axis CNC milling machine capable of producing an item 21m long by 3m high by 1.5m wide – one of the largest machines of its kind in Europe. One of the products from the factory will be the tool that makes major sections of the Airbus A350’s wings. Also being installed at Burnley is a 6m co-ordinate measuring machine that will be used for complex high-precision digital inspections of components. The company says the new site will also become one of the few UK locations to have a state-of-the-art design suite for enhanced design and manufacturing.
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A350 performs crosswind tests in Iceland
Airbus has been continuing performing testing of the A350-900 with a series of crosswind handling trials at Reykjavik’s Keflavik airport. Its MSN1 test aircraft arrived in Keflavik from Toulouse on 3 July, says the airframer, with testing starting the same day. The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered jet initially carried out a set of departures and approaches on the east-west runway 29 before switching to the opposite-direction runway 11.
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Air France Profit Warning As Overcapacity Bites
Air France-KLM warned that its 2014 profits could be 12 percent lower than previously forecast, mainly as a result of overcapacity resulting in weak prices in both the passenger and cargo sectors. The warning comes weeks after a similar jolt from Lufthansa, which warned on profit targets for 2014 and 2015 due to weaker-than-expected passenger revenue and cargo trends. Among the factors it blamed were overcapacity on North Atlantic routes and competition from low-cost and Gulf carriers. Since the Lufthansa statement, other smaller players such as Icelandair and Jet2.com have warned on profit, SAS said it will step up cost cuts, and Delta disappointed with its revenue figures.
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Germany Increases Airport Security After US Request
Germany has tightened security at its airports after US authorities said they were concerned that al Qaeda operatives in Syria and Yemen were developing bombs that could be smuggled onto planes. Germany's interior ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that authorities had introduced enhanced security measures following a request from the United States. "At German airports, the authorities have already implemented higher levels of security checks for passengers and baggage," said the ministry. It said passengers flying from Germany direct to the United States would have to remove technical equipment, such as laptops, from protective covers and turn it on to make sure it worked.
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Etihad First Half Revenues Up 28 Percent
Etihad Airways reported a 28 percent jump in first-half revenues, helped by growth in passenger and cargo volumes. The carrier earned revenues of USD$3.2 billion in the six months ended June 2014 compared to USD$2.5 billion in the corresponding period last year, it said in a statement. Revenues from code-sharing and equity partners rose 31 percent to USD$471 million. The airline carried 6.7 million passengers in the first half of this year, up 22 percent, while cargo volumes grew 25 percent to 268,713 tonnes.
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Airbus Chief Positive On A330neo
Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier has voiced growing support for plans to upgrade the A330 to sharpen its contest with Boeing. In European newspaper interviews published on Tuesday, Bregier said there were predictions of strong demand for an enhanced version of the A330. The possibility is "growing every day" that Airbus will go ahead with the A330neo, though not necessarily at next week's Farnborough Airshow, he told the Financial Times. The newspaper quoted him as saying it might be possible to sell more than 1,000 of the updated aircraft. Airbus has drawn up plans to revamp the A330 to preserve a second front in its competition with the delayed Boeing 787 Dreamliner while it prepares to introduce the A350.
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Southwest ad campaign to celebrate end of Wright Amendment
Southwest Airlines is embarking on a new ad campaign to celebrate the expiration of the Wright Amendment in October, which will allow the carrier to fly nonstop to cities in the U.S. from its home of Dallas Love Field. The campaign crafted by GSD&M features the song "All You Need is Love" as performed by Echosmith. "We're thrilled to be able to offer our customers nonstop service from Dallas to 15 new cities," said Dave Ridley, senior vice president of business development for Southwest.
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Hawaiian Airlines traffic rose in June
Hawaiian Airlines traffic rose 0.8% in June on a year-over-year basis as the airline transported 1.3% more passengers during the month. In June, the carrier also boosted capacity by 2.6% compared to the same month last year.
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American to honor executive by naming operations center after him
American Airlines Group announced plans to name its new operations center in Fort Worth, Texas, after the late Bob Baker, who worked for American Airlines for 34 years. "Bob Baker was widely regarded for his commitment to safety, reliability and operational integrity," said Doug Parker, American's chairman and CEO, in a statement. "He is a great example for all of us at American and we are honored to have his name on this extremely important facility."
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Another U.S. airline curtails service to Venezuela
Delta Air Lines is reducing service to Venezuela amid a dispute with the government over revenue trapped in the South American country. Delta spokeswoman Sarah Lora confirmed Monday that the carrier is reducing service by 85 percent, replacing its daily roundtrip flight between Atlanta and Caracas with one roundtrip weekend flight as of Aug. 1. Lora declined to say how much money Delta has stuck in Venezuela because of the government's hold on repatriation of airline revenue.
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Malaysia Airlines, American Airlines expand codeshares
Malaysia Airlines is ramping up its codeshares on American Airlines flights to and within the United States. From July 11, the airline will place its code on AA’s daily Hong Kong-Dallas flight – allowing Malaysia Airlines customers to fly with their national carrier across to Hong Kong before picking up the journey with its Oneworld partner. Currently, Malaysia Airlines customers bound for the United States fly through Tokyo Narita Airport before jumping on an AA or Japan Airlines flight to either Los Angeles or New York, as MH no longer flies to the land of the free. Expanding on the reach of these existing codeshares, Malaysia Airlines will also apply its code to onward flights from these arrival hubs – allowing passengers to travel seamlessly and earn the highest number of Enrich miles.
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Airbus CEO: Sales of A330neo could exceed 1,000
Fabrice Bregier, CEO of Airbus Group, predicts the aircraft manufacturer could sell more than 1,000 A330neos if it goes forward with a revamp of the A330. Bregier also said a weaker euro could help Airbus compete in the export market.
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Military

New-look Scorpion touches down in UK
Textron AirLand’s prototype Scorpion light attack aircraft has completed its first transatlantic crossing, ahead of participating at the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough International Airshow in the UK. Now sporting a new, two-tone grey colour scheme, the twin-engined aircraft was flown from Wichita in Kansas, with stops made in locations including Mirabel and Iqaluit, both in Canada, and Edinburgh, Scotland. It was accompanied on its journey by a Cessna Sovereign+ business jet.
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Israel poised to receive first M-346 'Lavi'
The Israeli air force’s first Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced jet trainer will land at the service’s Hatzerim air base later this week. A further 29 of the type will follow before the end of 2016. The air force has named the M-346 the “Lavi”; the name previously carried by the Israel Aerospace Industries fighter developed in the 1980s and scrapped because of opposition from the USA.
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Israeli air force escalates strikes on Gaza Strip
The Israeli air force has been on high alert since 7 July, as part of a major operation aimed at stopping the launch of rockets from the Gaza Strip. By the morning of 8 July, air force aircraft had hit more than 70 targets in the central Gaza Strip. Most of these were hidden launchers and storage for rockets, the service says. The air force launched the actionin response to a heavy barrage of rockets launched into Israel.
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Aviation Quote

If you don't think you're the best pilot in the business, MAYBE you're in the wrong business. If you think you could never make a mistake, you are REALLY in the wrong business.

— Randy Sohn

On This Date

---In 1910... Walter Brookins attains an altitude of 6,175 feet in a Wright biplane, becoming the first to fly a mile high and wins a prize of $5,000 for his feat.

---In 1924... The first recorded flight of a live bull takes place when champion breeder Nico V is flown from Rotterdam, Holland to Paris, France. The bull is carried by KLM in a Fokker F.III transport aircraft.

---In 1933... Flying their Lockheed Sirius built in 1929 and used for the 1931 survey flight of Alaska, the North Pacific and China, Charles Lindbergh and his wife begin a major route-proving tour of the North and South Atlantic. They complete their survey on December 6.
---In 1956…The NACA makes another announcement about the great research work being conducted with the U-2. It informs the public of the need to conduct these types of research flights overseas. This just another cover story to explain the presence of U-2 in Germany and other locations. Through out 1957, 1958 and 1959 the U-2 regularly over flew the Soviet Union at a rate of about once per month. The Soviets tried in vain to intercept the U-2 flights. However, they continued to get closer with each attempt. The United States knew that it was only a mater of time before a U-2 would be lost over the Soviet Union. (Q)

---In 1960… Sabena begins airlifting Belgian nationals out of Congo. Over the next three weeks, 25,711 will fly home.

---In 1964…Pilot Bill Park took A-12 (939) to a record altitude of 96,250 feet. The A-12 crashed onlanding at Groom Lake due to an outboard aileron servo valve that was stuck. Pilot Bill Parks ejected safely. (Q)

---In 1982…Pan American Airways flight 759 a Boeing 727-235, N4737 Clipper Defiance, was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Miami to Las Vegas, with an en route stop at New Orleans. On July 9, 1982 at 4:07:57 PM central daylight time, Flight 759, with seven crew members, one non-revenue passenger in the cockpit jumpseat, and 137 passengers (a total of 145 people on board) crashes after encountering a micro-burst. There were 153 fatalities, eight of them on the ground.

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Murphy’s Laws of Combat

1. Friendly fire - isn't.

2. Recoilless rifles - aren't.

3. Suppressive fires - won't.

4. You are not Superman; Marines and fighter pilots take note.

5. A sucking chest wound is Nature's way of telling you to slow down.

6. If it's stupid but it works, it isn't stupid.

7. Try to look unimportant; the enemy may be low on ammo and not want to waste a bullet on you.

8. If at first you don't succeed, call in an air strike.

9. If you are forward of your position, your artillery will fall short.

10. Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than yourself.

11. Never go to bed with anyone crazier than yourself.

12. Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder.

13. If your attack is going really well, it's an ambush.

14. The enemy diversion you're ignoring is their main attack.

15. The enemy invariably attacks on two occasions: a. When they're ready. b. When you're not.

16. No OPLAN ever survives initial contact.

17. There is no such thing as a perfect plan.

18. Five second fuses always burn three seconds.

19. There is no such thing as an atheist in a foxhole.

20. A retreating enemy is probably just falling back and regrouping.

21. The important things are always simple; the simple are always hard.

22. The easy way is always mined.

23. Teamwork is essential; it gives the enemy other people to shoot at.

24. Don't look conspicuous; it draws fire. For this reason, it is not at all uncommon for aircraft carriers to be known as bomb magnets.

25. Never draw fire; it irritates everyone around you.

26. If you are short of everything but the enemy, you are in the combat zone.

27. When you have secured the area, make sure the enemy knows it too.

28. Incoming fire has the right of way.

29. No combat ready unit has ever passed inspection.

30. No inspection ready unit has ever passed combat.

31. If the enemy is within range, so are you.

32. The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is incoming friendly fire.

33. Things which must be shipped together as a set, aren't.

34. Things that must work together, can't be carried to the field that way.

35. Radios will fail as soon as you need fire support.

36. Radar tends to fail at night and in bad weather, and especially during both).

37. Anything you do can get you killed, including nothing.

38. Make it too tough for the enemy to get in, and you won't be able to get out.

39. Tracers work both ways.

40. If you take more than your fair share of objectives, you will get more than your fair share of objectives to take.

41. When both sides are convinced they're about to lose, they're both right.

42. Professional soldiers are predictable; the world is full of dangerous amateurs.

43. Military Intelligence is a contradiction.

44. Fortify your front; you'll get your rear shot up.

45. Weather ain't neutral.

46. If you can't remember, the Claymore is pointed towards you.

47. Air defense motto: shoot 'em down; sort 'em out on the ground.

48. 'Flies high, it dies; low and slow, it'll go'.

49. The Cavalry doesn't always come to the rescue.

50. Napalm is an area support weapon.

51. Mines are equal opportunity weapons.

52. B-52s are the ultimate close support weapon.

53. Sniper's motto: reach out and touch someone.

54. Killing for peace is like screwing for virginity.

55. The one item you need is always in short supply.

56. Interchangeable parts aren't.

57. It's not the one with your name on it; it's the one addressed "to whom it may concern" you've got to think about.

58. When in doubt, empty your magazine.

59. The side with the simplest uniforms wins.

60. Combat will occur on the ground between two adjoining maps.

61. If the Platoon Sergeant can see you, so can the enemy.

62. Never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can sleep.

63. The most dangerous thing in the world is a Second Lieutenant with a map and a compass.

64. Exceptions prove the rule, and destroy the battle plan.

65. Everything always works in your HQ, everything always fails in the Colonel's HQ.

66. The enemy never watches until you make a mistake.

67. One enemy soldier is never enough, but two is entirely too many.

68. A clean (and dry) set of BDU's is a magnet for mud and rain.

69. The worse the weather, the more you are required to be out in it.

70. Whenever you have plenty of ammo, you never miss. Whenever you are low on ammo, you can't hit the broad side of a barn.

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