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FAA bans US flights over Venezuela
FAA has issued an emergency order banning all flight operations by US pilots and carriers in Venezuelan airspace, citing “increasing political instability and tensions” and the “associated inadvertent risk to flight operations” stemming from the deteriorating political situation in the country.
Mass protests have broken out in Caracas this week as opposition leader Juan Guaidó challenges the Venezuelan president.
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Boeing boosts liquidity against MAX costs
Boeing has secured up to $5 billion in new debt and credit to cushion its balance sheet as costs rise related to the grounded 737 MAX. The company sold $3.5 billion worth of debt April 30. The new money is slated to go to general corporate purposes, including paying off older debt, according to Boeing. Credit analysts said they expect some funds also would go to bolster corporate reserves against the ongoing MAX production slowdown, delivery halt and groundings worldwide.
LinkAirlines
JetBlue buys two CAE A220 full-flight simulators
New York-based JetBlue Airways, which has 60 Airbus A220-300s on order, has purchased two full-flight simulators (FFSs) for the type from training provider CAE.
In an April 30 announcement, CAE said it has sold two CAE 7000XR-series FFSs and two 500XR flight training devices (FTDs) to JetBlue, which is preparing for entry into service of the 141-to-160-seat A220-300, formerly the Bombardier C300.
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Russia’s Utair reports 2018 net loss on fuel costs, staff shortages
Russia’s Utair Aviation posted a net loss of RUB22 billion ($316.7 million) for 2018, reversed from a RUB2.4 billion net profit in the previous year.
Revenue grew 10% year-over-year (YOY) to RUB83.6 billion. Operating costs reached RUB78.8 billion, a 15.5% YOY increase; operating profit was down 36.8% YOY to RUB4.8 billion.
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PICTURE: ExpressJet receives first of 25 E175s
Embraer has delivered the first E175 aircraft to be operated by ExpressJet Airlines with the remaining 24 expected to be delivered throughout this year.
These newly delivered E175s, to be operated by the carrier as United Express on behalf of United Airlines, will be based at Houston Intercontinental airport, with a second base to be announced soon, says ExpressJet chairman Subodh Karnik.
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Malaysia Airlines seeks clearance for JAL tie-up
Malaysia Airlines is seeking clearance from its regulator for a proposed metal-neutral joint venture with Japan Airlines covering routes between the two countries.
A notice from the Malaysian Aviation Commission shows that the joint venture would allow the two carriers to co-ordinate schedules, capacity, sales and marketing and revenue planning on their passenger services between Japan and Malaysia.
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Air Astana launches low-cost unit with international ambitions
Kazkahstan's flag carrier Air Astana could give its new budget arm FlyArystan an international debut later this year and follow this by establishing subsidiaries in neighbouring countries under plans to make the unit a pan-Central Asian low-cost carrier.
Air Astana chief executive Peter Foster says FlyArystan – which today launched domestic flights – could add several cross-border routes by year-end, once more aircraft have been delivered.
LinkAirports
UK High Court rejects Heathrow third-runway challenge
The UK High Court has dismissed five legal challenges against the government’s plans to add a third runway at London Heathrow Airport.
In fall 2018, the UK transport secretary selected a third Heathrow runway--situated to the northwest of the current two runways--as the preferred option for new airport capacity in southeasr England.
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Work starts on Frankfurt Airport's future Terminal 3
Frankfurt Airport has laid the cornerstone for its new Terminal 3, the benefits of which operator, Fraport, claims will be felt across Germany.
Fraport AG CEO, Stefan Schulte, said: “We are building the future with Terminal 3 – for Frankfurt Airport, the entire Rhine-Main region and far beyond.
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Good year for operator of Ireland's Dublin and Cork airports
Profits at Ireland's daa Group increased by 6% to a record €133 million in 2018 as the company, which has operations in 13 countries, benefitted from higher passenger numbers and increased commercial income.
Daa’s results for 2018 showed that the Group, which operates Dublin and Cork airports, the global travel retailer ARI and daa International, had another positive year.
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Chicago O'Hare expands its fleet of snow clearance vehicles
We maybe just coming out of winter, but the Chicago Department of Aviation is already thinking about the next one, announcing that it has acquired 36 snow sweepers from Boschung.
The vehicles, officially called jetbrooms, will join the existing fleet of 29 already successfully in use for the crucial winter operations at Chicago O'Hare.
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New Chicago O’Hare travel plaza to open in 2019
Chicago Department of Aviation has announced a new O’Hare travel plaza which is set to open in November 2019.
The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) has announced the upcoming opening of its first-ever publicly accessible fuel station at O’Hare International Airport. This travel plaza will provide airport users and the surrounding communities access to an increased selection of sustainable and traditional fuel sources.
LinkMilitary
Further GlobalEye sales already on radar, says Saab chief
With the first delivery of its GlobalEye surveillance system still more than a year away, Saab is already talking to several potential additional customers, chief executive Hakan Buskhe has revealed.
Buskhe says the Swedish company’s GlobalEye flight test campaign is “going extremely well”.
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Lockheed Martin expects most Indago sales to include tether power
Lockheed Martin expects up to 80% of future Indago quadrotor sales to include purchases of the drone’s tethered power option.
The Indago previously could be flown with battery packs that offered 50min or 70min of flight endurance, but now Lockheed Martin says the unmanned air vehicle’s (UAV) endurance is virtually limitless when powered via its tether. In an experiment the company demonstrated five days of tethered flight time.
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Northrop Grumman aims to outsource much of Firebird production
Northrop Grumman designed its optionally-piloted Firebird surveillance aircraft so that parts of its production could be readily outsourced to developing nations that demand local manufacturing involvement.
The company says the Firebird’s configuration is simple enough that less sophisticated aerospace manufacturers could easily play a role in its production should their government decide to purchase the aircraft.
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Aviation Quote
"Nobody ever thought about having to protect the passengers from the pilots."
- David Neeleman, 19 March 2014. Yes, the date is right. 2014. Over a year before the Germanwings 9525. Article in Popular Mechanics magazine.
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General Knowledge
1. When a US Army Air Corps pilot earned their wings in WW2, the center of the wings contained a shield. Some wings contained a star(Command or Senior pilot), a "G"(a Glider pilot), or an "L"(a Liason pilot). What pilot wings contained a diamond?
2. True or False, a tandem airplane has two seats, one behind the other.
3. In 1943, the RAF's 617 Squadron flew Avro Lancaster bombers exactly 60 feet over three reservoirs at night before dropping "bouncing bombs" to destroy three German dams that were protected by torpedo nets. Altimeters were not sufficiently accurate, and there were no radio altimeters at that time. How did these pilots, "The Dam Busters" level off and maintain the required sixty foot height?
4. Estimate within ten knots the highest surface winds ever recorded anywhere (and not associated with a hurricane or tornado).
5. What biplane was produced in the greatest numbers?
6. Class A airspace begins at Flight Level 180. Flight into that airspace requires that a pilot have an instrument rating, that the airplane be IFR equipped and first receive an appropriate ATC clearance. How may a VFR-only pilot fly at FL240 without meeting any of these requirements and without special permission?
