NewsCommercial
Boeing: Aviation growth is sustainable
Dennis Muilenburg, the chief operating officer of Boeing, predicts a bright future for the aircraft manufacturer. Boeing has a backlog of seven years for its aircraft. "When you look at traffic growth and associated fleet growth, combine that with replacement growth, that is a long-term sustainable cycle," Muilenburg said.
LinkAirlines
Air NZ to exercise options on two more 787-9s
Air New Zealand (Air NZ) will exercise options on two Boeing 787-9s, taking its total commitment of the type to 12. In a statement, the airline says that the two 787s will be delivered in late 2017 and the second half of 2018 respectively. Air NZ chief executive Christopher Luxon says that the investment in the new aircraft has been made possible due to the carrier's strong commercial performance.
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Parker charts course for 2nd year of AA-US Airways merger
Doug Parker, the CEO of American Airlines Group, is preparing to navigate the second year of the merger between American Airlines and US Airways. The two carriers merged on Dec. 9, 2013. For 2015, American is planning to fly under a single operating certificate, as well as combine reservation systems and frequent-flyer programs
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American plans to spend $2B to improve passenger experience
American Airlines Group is planning $2 billion in capital expenditures to update seats, in-flight entertainment and add power outlets, spending money on changes passengers will notice most.
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American Airlines boosted capacity in Nov.
American Airlines Group, Inc. reported Monday that traffic and load factor for the month of November declined, while capacity edged up from last year. American Airlines emerged from bankruptcy and closed its $11 billion merger with US Airways Group Inc. in early December 2013 to form the world's biggest airline under the name American Airlines Group Inc.
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Delta debuts new maintenance facility in Tokyo
Delta Air Lines’ MRO division, Delta TechOps, opened a new line maintenance facility at Tokyo Narita Airport to provide support for the airline’s Airbus A330 and Boeing 747-400, 777, 767 and 757 aircraft. “The new hangar allows us to enhance our capabilities and further support our stellar workforce at Narita,” Delta VP-line maintenance Lee Gossett said.
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Delta adds craft beers to in-flight menu
Delta Air Lines is now stocking regional, craft beers on select flights, part of its program to offer passengers regional food and beverages.
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Envoy, pilots union hammer out deal on larger aircraft
Envoy Air and its pilots union have come to a tentative agreement that will allow the carrier to fly larger regional aircraft. Pedro Fabregas, CEO of Envoy Air, said the deal "will be especially promising for our pilots, providing them new, large and modern aircraft to fly and a faster path to a career at American Airlines."
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Korean Air VP Orders Flight Attendant Off Plane
South Korea's transport ministry is investigating reports that the daughter of the chairman of Korean Air, who oversees in-flight service, caused a plane being pushed back from a gate to return in order to expel a flight attendant. Heather Cho, 40, was in a first class seat on a flight from New York's John F Kennedy Airport for Incheon on Friday when she took issue with a flight attendant who handed her macadamia nuts in a bag and not on a dish, according to local media reports. Cho, a vice president at the airline, summoned the cabin crew chief to ask whether the flight attendant was following the in-flight service manual, said an industry official, who was briefed on the matter but declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.
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Qantas Gets Lift As Turnaround Strategy Kicks In
Qantas expects to post its best first-half result since 2010 as its AUD$2 billion cost-cutting initiative bears fruit and lower oil prices trim fuel costs. Shares in the 'Flying Kangaroo' closed up 13.8 percent at AUD$2.39 as the airline said it expected further gains from its turnaround strategy and lower fuel prices in the second half of the year. Qantas said underlying first-half profit would be between AUD$300 million and AUD$350 million (USD$249 million - USD$290 million), reflecting a faster-than-anticipated recovery following last year's AUD$2.8 billion net loss. All the company's operating segments, including its troubled international division, would be profitable, it said.
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Southwest Airlines traffic increased 6% in Nov.
Southwest Airlines Co. reported Wednesday operational results for the month of November, reporting year-over-year increases in traffic, load factor and capacity from last year. The passenger revenue per available seat mile or PRASM, for November 2014 is estimated to have increased in the four to five percent range when compared to November 2013. Dallas, Texas-based Southwest said traffic, measured in revenue passenger miles or RPMs, grew 6.0 percent to 8.55 billion from 8.07 billion in the same month last year. Capacity, measured in available seat miles or ASMs, also increased 4.0 percent to 10.67 billion from last year's 10.26 billion.
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UTair Facing Bankruptcy Lawsuit
Russia's third-biggest airline UTair is facing a bankruptcy lawsuit after struggling to pay its debts because of currency devaluation and an economic downturn. With the Russian economy heading for recession following Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis, some observers expect Russian airlines to see losses deepen, likely forcing them to reduce their fleets and seek state support.
LinkAirports
BWI hosts flight rehearsal for autistic children
Fifty families with autistic children attended a staged flight at Baltimore-Washington International to help practice traveling by air. The families rehearsed check-in and security before boarding a Southwest aircraft that did not depart from the gate.
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UK authorities probe 'serious' Heathrow UAV airprox
UK safety authorities have disclosed that they have been investigating an airprox incident between an Airbus A320-family jet and an unmanned aerial vehicle west of London Heathrow. The incident, which occurred on 22 July, has been classified by the UK Airprox Board as creating a “serious risk of collision” – the strongest category that investigators can assign. Co-ordinates given by the Airprox Board state that the incident took place at a height of 700ft west of the threshold of runway 09L.
LinkMilitary
Globus upgrade enhances Israeli Hercules
The Israeli air force's fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130 tactical transports is being equipped with a new mission planning and navigation system. Developed by the service based on technology from Elbit Systems, Globus has until now only been installed in the weapon systems officer's crew position of the legacy C-130 "Karfnaf". Any changes or deviations in the aircraft's intended flightpath were conveyed orally by the weapon systems officer to the pilots, but the new installation will instead allow them to see such information in real time on their cockpit displays.
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Israeli air strikes target Syrian weapons
The Israeli air force hit at least 10 targets in Syria on 7 December, with Syrian television reports indicating that air strikes were conducted near Damascus International airport and in the town of Dimas, near the Syrian-Lebanese border. According to foreign sources, the air strikes targeted an arms depot, which caused huge blasts near Damascus airport. Residents in the Syrian capital were reported to have heard loud explosions. Israeli combat aircraft also bombed areas near the smaller airport at Dimas.
LinkRotary Wing
Sikorsky's S-97 Raider will not be airborne until 2015
Sikorsky has chosen prudence over spectacle and delayed the first flight of its S-97 Raider prototype until 2015. The company, which has invested more than $150 million of internal funding to develop the coaxial rigid-rotor vertical-lift platform, originally planned for it to fly before then end of 2014, but has yet to begin ground testing in preparation for the aircraft’s maiden flight. Doug Shidler, who headed the Raider project before taking the helm of the company’s joint multi-role development effort, tells Flightglobal there is no particular issues holding the programme back. “We are going through several lab ground tests right now and we are planning to get into aircraft ground run here in the next couple of weeks,” he says. “As with any development program and first-of-type, there are discoveries. We haven’t had too much discovery, nothing that is insurmountable. We’re making some really good progress in getting the aircraft set for doing its ground runs.”
LinkCorporate
At least three killed in first Phenom 100 crash
At least three people were killed on 8 December in the first fatal accident involving the Embraer Phenom 100 while it appeared to be on the final approach path to an airport in Maryland. The Phenom 100, registered to Sage Aviation, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, appeared to be landing at the Montgomery County Airpark in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The six-place business jet crashed into one house and damaged two others.
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Aviation Quote
Flying an aeroplane with only a single propeller to keep you in the air. Can you imagine that?
— Captain Picard, from 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' episode 'Booby Trap.'
On This Date
--- In 1904... The Wright brothers discontinue trials with Flyer II after completing 105 tests and 80 brief flights since they began flying the new machine in May.
--- In 1909... American Dr. Henry W. Walden makes the first flight with his triplane known as the Walden III. It is powered by a three-cylinder, 22-HP Anzani engine and takes off from Mineola, Long Island, N.Y.
---In 1946…The first powered flight by the Bell X-1 took place.
---In 1954… The CIA signs a contract to buy the first batch of twenty Lockheed U-2A’s.
---In 1956…Trans-Canada Air Flight 810, a Canadair North Star registered CF-TFD, crashes into Mount Slesse in British Columbia, killing all 62 people on-board. It is suspected to have crashed due to icing and turbulence, hitting the summit at high speeds, completely destroying the aircraft. Because the area is so inhospitable, the wreckage and most of the bodies we left at the crash site.
---In 1963…Alia –Royal Jordanian is founded.
---In 1970…Artem Mikoyan, the designer of many MiG aircraft, dies at the age of 65.
---In 1983…Delta receives the 1,000th Boeing 737 made, a 737-232Adv registered N306DL.
---In 1988…First flight of the JAS 39 Gripen.
---In 2002…United Airlines files for Chapter 11, making it the largest airline bankruptcy in history after losing $4 billion in the previous two years.
---In 2002…First flight of the Diamond Twin Star.
---In 2004…United Airlines begins flights to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam from San Francisco via Honk Kong. This was the first flight since Pan Am ended service in 1975.
---In 2013…American Airlines and US Airways merge to form the largest airline with over 6700 daily flights to over 336 cities in 56 countries.
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Humor
Engine Blew Up
While cruising at 40,000 feet, the airplane shuddered and Mr. Benson looked out the window. “Good lord!” he screamed, “One of the engines just blew up!”
Other passengers left their seats and came running over. Suddenly the aircraft was rocked by a second blast as yet another engine exploded on the other side. The passengers were in a panic now, and even the stewardesses couldn't maintain order.
Just then, standing tall and smiling confidently, the pilot strode from the cockpit and assured everyone that there was nothing to worry about. His words and his demeanor made most of the passengers feel better, and they sat down as the pilot calmly walked to the door of the aircraft. There, he grabbed several packages from under the seats and began handing them to the flight attendants. Each crew member attached the package to their backs.
“Say,” spoke up an alert passenger, “Aren't those parachutes?”
The pilot said they were. The passenger went on, “But I thought you said there was nothing to worry about?”
“There isn't,” replied the pilot as a third engine exploded. “We're going to get help.”
Trivia
AIRLINE SCRAMBLE
1. TUAHLNSFA
2. REESNTA
3. UTSOSHETW
4. RACNAEIM
5. RNANFII
6. EITADH
7. IBAIRE
8. GVRAI
9. LIOSARV
10. AROOFTEL
airtrainer wrote:
