NewsCommercial
First delivery of Airbus A350 slated for next month
Airbus plans to deliver its first A350 in December. The Federal Aviation Administration certified the long-range aircraft last week. The A350 is made with carbon fiber for a lighter weight.
LinkAirlines
Air Canada to deploy 787 on route to Beijing
Air Canada plans to deploy its Boeing 787 Dreamliner on more international routes, including service from Vancouver to Beijing. The 787, which can typically seat 251 passengers, will replace the 767 with a capacity for 191 passengers. Air Canada will have a fleet of 6 Dreamliners by the end of the year.
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American continues negotiations with pilots union
The Allied Pilots Association has put out a hotline that confirmed that American Airlines said no to the APA contract proposal, but pulled the “scope” changes that the union had disliked: “Management removed their Scope-related proposal from the JCBA negotiations. However, management did not agree to any of APA’s new proposed items from last week. While there was no change to previously announced tentative agreements, management indicated that their comprehensive proposal from last week minus their previous Scope ‘ask’ remains unchanged. “The APA Negotiating Committee indicated that they have questions concerning several of management’s proposed items. Our negotiating team and management are scheduled to meet again tomorrow morning to further address these items.
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Emirates Targets 8-10 Percent Profit Growth
New aircraft and routes will help Emirates grow profit by no less than eight to ten percent in coming months, its president Tim Clark said. "We will continue to grow at a percentage which is never going to be less than about 8-10 percent, and that's a conservative figure," Clark said on the sidelines of an aviation conference in Dubai. Clark warned of currency risks that are dampening profit even as the airline can take advantage of low fuel prices in the months ahead. "As a dollar-based airline, we are facing collapses of currency in Russia, in Australia; the euro, the pound has gone way down and these are primary income generating countries," he said.
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JetBlue announces plan to charge for checked bags
JetBlue Airways announced it will begin charging for checked bags. "We believe the plan laid out today benefits our three key stakeholders," said Robin Hayes, president of JetBlue. "It delivers improved, sustainable profitability for our investors, the best travel experience for our customers and ensures a strong, healthy company for our crewmembers."
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Southwest soars as top stock in S&P 500
Even for the high-flying airline sector, Southwest (LUV)is in a class of its own. The stock has soared 110% this year, making it the best performer in the S&P 500. The reason is simple: an improving economy and industry consolidation have led to packed planes and record profits for all airlines. American , Delta, and United are all cruising comfortably with gains between 50% and 80%.
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Portugal Expects Competing Bids For TAP
The Portuguese government expects to receive at least two rival bids for flag carrier TAP, according to state secretary for transport Sergio Monteiro. Last week, the government announced the re-launch of the privatization of TAP, in which it plans to sell a 61 percent controlling stake to one or several large investors. Monteiro said the process would go ahead even with one offer, as happened in 2012 before the only bid was disqualified for insufficient financial guarantees, but the government expected a better scenario this time.
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United CEO discusses integration 4 years after merger
Jeff Smisek, CEO of United Continental Holdings, reflected on integration four years after the merger between United Airlines and Continental Airlines. "We needed consolidation in the business and consolidation has been very good for the business," Smisek said. He added that Continental would not have survived as a stand-alone carrier.
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Air travel remains a good deal, United CEO says
Jeffrey Smisek, the CEO of United Airlines, said air travel provides value for passengers. "Air travel is still a bargain, it's still a lot cheaper than it ought to be" when adjusted for inflation, Smisek said.
LinkAirports
Snowstorm affects air travel at Buffalo, N.Y. airport
About a third of Tuesday's flights have been canceled at Buffalo/Niagara International Airport as the region gets hammered by the first lake-effect snow of the season. About 60 combined arrivals and departures had been canceled there as of 11:45 a.m., according to flight-tracking service FlightAware. That represents about a third of the day's schedule at Buffalo, where the airport was digging out from a heavy overnight snow with more in the forecast.
LinkMilitary
India resumes Su-30MKI flights following safety checks
The Indian air force has resumed flying activities with its Sukhoi Su-30MKI combat aircraft, after lifting a grounding order imposed following an uncommanded ejection involving the type on 21 October. “Flying with the Su-30MKIs has resumed from 14 November”, and the air force is “satisfied with the changes that have been carried out on all airplanes across the entire fleet”, the service says. “The court of inquiry set up to probe the accident is expected to have its report finalized and submitted by this weekend,” it adds.
LinkRegulatory
DOT requires 777 operates to inspect pitch rate sensors
A new airworthiness directive issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration requires Boeing 777 operators to inspect and potentially replace the aircraft's dual pitch rate sensors (PRS). The directive, which applies to 777-200LRs, -300s, -300ERs and 777 freighters, comes in response to reports received by the agency of dual failures of the sensors. When both sensors fail, the aircraft's primary flight computer transitions from primary to secondary mode, which causes the autopilot to disengage, says the directive, made public by the US Office of the Federal Register on 19 November. "We are issuing this AD to prevent a dual PRS failure that could cause an automatic disengagement of the autopilot and autoland," says the DOT's directive.
LinkRotary Wing
US awards Sikorsky $1.3 billion in helicopter contracts
The US Army and Navy on November 17 announced the purchase of 102 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and MH-60R Seahawk helicopters at a total cost of more than $1.3 billion. The Army, which oversees contracting for all H-60 variants out of Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, awarded Sikorsky $771.9 million for 41 UH-60M Black Hawks and 24 HH-60 Pave Hawks and for maintenance and support of the aircraft. The contract is scheduled for completion by 30 June 2015, according to government documents. Sikorsky also was awarded a $535.3 million contract for the Navy’s fourth program year orders for eight MH-60S and 29 MH-60R helicopters along with sustainment engineering, program management, systems engineering, logistics support and advanced procurement for future contract years. That work is slated for completion by 31 December 2015.
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Aviation Quote
Landing on the ship during the daytime is like sex, it's either good or it's great. Landing on the ship at night is like a trip to the dentist, you may get away with no pain, but you just don't feel comfortable.
— LCDR Thomas Quinn, USN.
On This Date
--- In 1919... The 1st municipal airport in the United States opens in Tucson, Arizona and is still in use today.
---In 1953... The 1st man to exceed Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound) is American test pilot Scott Crossfield in a Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket.
---In 1954…Scott Crossfield flies the Douglas Skyrocket past Mach 2, the first flight to reach this speed. The world airspeed record is now set at 1,291 mph (2,078 km/h).
---In 1970…In Operation Ivory Coast, the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army assault North Vietnam's Son Tay prison camp to free prisoners-of-war thought to be there, but none are found.
Large air raids are conducted to divert North Vietnamese attention from the assault.
---In 1974… Lufthansa flight 540 crashes and burns moments after takeoff, killing 59 people. It was the first major accident involving the Boeing 747.
---In 1978…The US Air Force orders development of the KC-10 Extender.
---In 1998…Air Tahiti Nui commences flight operations.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
Communication
You are the chief airplane washer at the company hangar and you:
(1) Hook high pressure hose up to the soap suds machine.
(2) Turn the machine "on".
(3) Receive an important call and have to leave work to go home.
(4) As you depart for home, you yell to Don, your assistant, "Don, turn it off."
(5) Assistant Don thinks he hears, "Don't turn it off." He shrugs, and leaves the area right after you.
As with any occupation, make sure personnel have a clear understanding of what you are communicating!
This actually happened. See the picture of the consequences
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