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Airbus, Boeing report orders for first 7 months of 2014
Airbus secured 705 net orders for the first seven months of the year, while Boeing received 783 net orders for the same time period. Airbus had 980 aircraft orders before cancellations, while Boeing took in 837 orders before cancellations.
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Australia appoints contractor for MH370 search
The Australian government has selected Fugro Survey to conduct the undersea search of the southern Indian Ocean that hopes to locate the missing aircraft that operated Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The Joint Agency Coordination Centre says in a statement that the company will use two vessels for the search, which will cover and area of 60,000km2. It is expected to take up to 12 months, and will be coordinated by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. “The vessels will search the sea floor using side scan sonar, multi-beam echo sounders and video cameras to locate and identify the aircraft debris,” the JACC adds.
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Temperature A Factor In 787 Battery Meltdown
Cold winter temperatures were a factor in the meltdown of a lithium ion battery that caused a Boeing 787 Dreamliner to make an emergency landing in Japan last year, the Asahi newspaper said, citing the conclusions of local investigators. The battery meltdown on the ANA plane prompted authorities to ground the global fleet of 787s for more than three months. It followed an incident less than two weeks earlier at Boston Airport when a battery on a parked Japan Airlines 787 overheated and emitted white gases.
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IATA: Air cargo demand increased for first half of 2014
According to the International Air Transport Association, global air cargo traffic rose 4.1% for the first six months of 2014. "At the half-way point of the year, it is clear that overall cargo demand is much stronger than in 2013," said Tony Tyler, director general and CEO of IATA.
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NATS hones flight trajectories for efficiency
UK air navigation service provider NATS says it is on track to meet a target of saving 600,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from aircraft fuel burn in 2014 compared with historic levels, usingscores from a flight trajectory efficiency measuring tool. NATS explains it measures the efficiency of an aircraft’s route and trajectory using its three-dimensional inefficiency (3Di) metric, where each flight is compared to a scale on which zero represents total environmental efficiency. Most flights typically score somewhere between 15 and 35. By providing the most direct possible routes, smooth continuous climbs and descents and optimum flight levels during cruise, air traffic controllers aim to help reduce aircraft fuel burn and carbon emissions, earning a low 3Di score.
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Russia May Restrict Overflights For EU Airlines
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has threatened to retaliate for the grounding of a subsidiary of national airline Aeroflot because of EU sanctions, with one newspaper reporting that European flights to Asia over Siberia could be banned. Low-cost carrier Dobrolet, operated by Aeroflot, suspended all flights last week after its airline leasing agreement was cancelled under European Union sanctions because it flies to Crimea, a region Russia annexed from Ukraine in March. "We should discuss possible retaliation," Medvedev said at a meeting with the Russian transport minister and a deputy chief executive of Aeroflot. The business daily Vedomosti reported that Russia may restrict or ban European airlines from flying over Siberia on Asian routes, a move that would impose costs on European carriers by making flights take longer, requiring more fuel.
LinkAirlines
Air Canada considers resumption of flights to Venezuela
Pending the resolution of withheld funds, Air Canada may resume flights to Venezuela that were suspected in March. The Venezuelan government is holding $1.4 million in revenues, according to a global airline association. American Airlines has reduced its flights to Caracas as it attempts to resolve similar issues with the government.
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Alaska Air Group carried more passengers in July
Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, carried 2.83 million passengers in July, a 7.8% increase from the same month in 2013. Capacity rose 7% for July on a year-over-year basis, while load factor remained stable at 88.6% for July.
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American Airlines outlines changes to meal service on short flights
Starting Sept. 1, American will offer snacks instead of a meal to first- and business-class passengers on most flights under two hours and 45 minutes. They now get meals on flights as short as two hours. The change lines up American with US Airways, which this spring reduced its meal cutoff to 2:45 from three hours and 30 minutes. The carriers merged in December to form American Airlines Group Inc.
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American to update international service to meet seasonal demand
American Airlines plans to change its schedule for international service to reflect seasonal demand. The carrier will suspend service to five European cities in the fall, and resume the service in the spring. American will also suspend service from Philadelphia to Rome and Barcelona for part of February and March.
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Jets Escort Qatar Plane To Manchester After Bomb Threat
British fighter jets on Tuesday escorted a Qatar Airways plane into Manchester airport after the pilot reported a possible explosive device on board. A passenger was later arrested on suspicion of making a hoax bomb threat. The incident, which prompted the authorities to close the northern England airport for 25 minutes, briefly raised fears of a terrorism attack. Qatar Airways said the Airbus A330-300 plane was flight QR23 from Doha to Manchester with 269 passengers and 13 crew on board. An eye witness saw armed police remove a handcuffed male passenger from the plane.
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Southwest advertises new destinations from Dallas with billboards
We ran a set of photos last November about the billboard blitz launched by Southwest Airlines to let Dallas area travelers know about the upcoming end of the Wright amendment on Oct. 13. In February, the Dallas airline named the 15 cities that it would begin serving when the Wright amendment expired along with its restrictions on nonstop service out of Love Field. Shortly afterward, a new set of billboards popped up.
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Thai formally retires A300 from fleet
Thai Airways formally retired the Airbus A300-600 aircraft from service on 31 July. The type operated its last flight on the Khon Kaen-Bangkok route, with the particular aircraft bearing the registration HS-TAZ, says the carrier.
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United Airlines to retire 50-seat regional jets
United Airlines plans to retire more than 130 regional jets that seat 50 passengers, a move welcomed by blogger Cranky Flier. "This isn't going to happen overnight, but we now know that by the end of next year, United will retire more than 130 of those airplanes," he writes. "Seventy of those will be replaced with Embraer 175s, and that's a big improvement," he continues.
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United Airlines changes 787 order to larger variant
United Airlines has modified an order for Boeing 787s to include additional 787-10s. Boeing changed its order for seven 787-8s to the larger 787-10 variant. In addition to the 787-10s, Boeing will receive one 787-8 and 26 787-9s with deliveries slated to start later this year.
LinkAirports
United Airlines to trim costs at Boston airport
United Airlines will furlough 52 of its employees at Logan International Airport and will cut 10 full-timers to part-time hours under a plan that continues the carrier’s cost-cutting moves in the wake of its merger with Continental Airlines. “These were difficult decisions, but these changes will enable us to better manage seasonal demands in our schedule and operate more competitively,” United spokesman Luke Punzenberger said. The furloughs and hour reductions take effect Oct. 1, United said. Punzenberger said the furloughed employees will have opportunities to transfer to different positions in airports where United operates. “Those folks, based on their seniority and qualification, will have opportunities to transfer to other areas in the system,” he said.
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Sky magazine highlights Delta hub of Detroit
Delta Air Lines’ in-flight magazine this month highlights Detroit. The publication, Sky, boasts a cover profile of Detroit Tiger Miguel Cabrera, interviews with Gov. Rick Snyder and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan; an essay by Pulitzer Prize-winning Detroit Free Press editorial page editor Stephen Henderson; a guide to what to see and eat in Detroit depending on your personality; and Delta CEO Richard Anderson’s thoughts about Detroit’s revival.
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Aviation Quote
Though I Fly Through the Valley of Death I Shall Fear No Evil For I am 80,000 feet and Climbing.
— sign over the entrance to the SR-71 operating location on Kadena AB kinawa.
On This Date
---In 1910... An International aviation meeting opens at Lanark, Scotland, drawing a wide range of flyers and airplanes. In all, 22 competitors participate.
---In 1945…The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima by a Boeing B-29, the Enola Gay, piloted by Col. Paul Tibbets.
---In 1950…The Handley Page Hermes enters service with BOAC.
--In 1953…Ted Williams returns to the Red Sox after serving a tour of duty as a Marine airman in the Korean War.
---In 1956…First flight of the Beechcraft Travel Air.
---In 1966…Braniff Airways Flight 250, a BAC-111 flying from Omaha to Kansas City, crashes near Falls City, Nebraska, killing all 42 on board. The plane had flown directly into a violent thunderstorm, which damaged the flight control surfaces and wings, causing it to fall out of the sky.
---In 1969... The biggest helicopter ever built, the Soviet Mil V-12 secures an unbeaten world lifting record for rotary-winged aircraft by carrying 40,205.5 kg (88,636 lb.) to a height of 2,255 m (7,400 ft.).
---In 1986…First flight of the BAe ATP.
---In 1996…First flight of the Kawasaki OH-1.
---In 1997…Korean Air Flight 801, a 747-300, crashes into Nimitz Hill on the island of Guam, killing 228 of the 254 on board. The disaster is ultimately blamed on failures of the crew and Korean Air procedures.
---In 2005…Tuninter Flight 1153, an ATR 72 (TS-LBB) runs out of fuel and ditches into the Mediterranean Sea while flying from Bari, Italy to Djerba, Tunisia, killing 16 of the 39 people on board. Technicians had installed the wrong fuel fuel quantity indicator the night before, causing it to display far more fuel in the tanks than there actually was.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
Flyboy Goes To Heaven
An air force officer arrives in heaven. St Peter asks him if he has ever done anything in his life that he believes makes him worthy of admittance to heaven. The officer flyboy replies; yes, I once went into a bar with four of my pilot friends and saw two Seabees harassing a young girl at the bar, so being a gentleman I went up to the biggest one and told him to leave this young lady alone.
When he refused I told him again more forcefully. This time I slapped him across the face and told this Seabee to stand down. St Peter said this was a very good thing to do and asked when the pilot did this great act.
The pilot replied; about 5 minutes ago! My friends should be here shortly!
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