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737 Max chief to retire; NMA VP to take over
The head of the troubled Boeing 737 programme, Eric Lindbald, will be retiring, less than a year after assuming the role.
Replacing Lindbald is Mark Jenks, vice president of Boeing’s New Mid-Market (NMA) programme. Jenks previously oversaw the 787 programme.
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OPINION: How the Airbus effect transformed A220 sales
Back when the Airbus A220 was still the Bombardier-owned CSeries, there was always the sense that the twinjet was a good product whose potential was hamstrung by, well, everything else.
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MA700 avionics test completed
AVIC has completed avionics systems testing for its MA700 turboprop programme.
The Chinese airframer says the tests, which took a week to complete, were conducted in Cedar Rapids in the US, and involved linking the avionics with the power system.
LinkAirlines
Yeti Airlines ATR 72 in runway excursion at Kathmandu
A Yeti Airlines ATR 72-500 suffered a runway excursion amid rainy weather at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport.
According to an update from the airline, the incident occurred on 12 July around 11:05 local time. The aircraft, registration 9N-AMM, was operating flight YT422.
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PICTURE: Faroe Islands carrier takes first A320neo
Faroe Islands carrier Atlantic Airways has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320neo, an airframe leased from US specialist Air Lease.
The CFM International Leap-1A-powered twinjet (OY-RCK, MSN8918) is configured in an all-economy layout, and will replace one of the operator's A319s.
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Thomas Cook in talks to split airline, tour operations
A strategic investor could still take over Thomas Cook Group’s airline division even after the tourism company agreed with banks, bondholders and Chinese shareholder Fosun Tourism Group on the basic terms of a major recapitalization. A strategic review of the airline unit, officially now “paused,” could lead to another transaction once the proposed complex deal involving Fosun and other constituents has been closed, industry sources told ATW.
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United extends Boeing MAX schedule pull to early November
United Airlines has removed Boeing 737 MAXs from its schedule through Nov. 3, saying it expects to see 5,000 flight cancellations in September and October as a result. The Chicago-based carrier’s change stretches its MAX-less schedule out from Aug. 3. It also illustrates the mounting challenge that airlines expecting more MAXs face as the global grounding continues. United had 14 MAXs when FAA issued its grounding March 13.
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Atlantia examines possible interest in relaunch of Alitalia
Italian infrastructure group Atlantia, which operates Rome’s airports, has said it is investigating the possibility of taking part in the relaunch of bankrupt airline Alitalia just a few days ahead of the latest deadline for a formal bid and business plan for the carrier. Atlantia said in July 11 statement: “Having taken note of its subsidiary Aeroporti di Roma’s interest in having a competitive and traffic-generating flag carrier, the company’s board of ...
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Alaska, Spirit raise 2Q guidance on strong US market
Alaska Airlines and Spirit Airlines delivered largely encouraging updates on projected second-quarter results, providing more evidence that the US market is strengthening as it hits peak summer.
Seattle-based Alaska projects its 2Q RASM will be up 5% year-over-year (YOY), at the top end of its 3.5%-5% guidance issued last month.
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Turkish Airlines, Kuwait Airways to codeshare
Turkish Airlines and Kuwait Airways have signed a new strategic partnership, which will see their respective codes added to their partner’s flights between Kuwait and Istanbul’s two hubs, the newly opened Istanbul Airport and the city’s secondary entry point, Sabiha Gökçen.
The codeshare will start Aug. 1.
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India’s Vistara to launch Boeing 737 Singapore service
Indian airline Vistara is preparing to begin its expansion to international routes, with Singapore set to be its first destination outside India.
The airline announced it will launch a route from Delhi to Singapore on Aug. 6, and from Mumbai to Singapore Aug. 7.
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AAIB cites human error in Flybe pressurization incident
UK regional carrier Flybe has urged pilots to record faults promptly and in writing after incomplete reporting of a defect played a role in a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 not pressurizing because the aircraft was not configured correctly, a UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report revealed.
The incident flight, from Belfast to Edinburgh, took place Sept. 21, 2018.
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Artificial runway lengths avert long A340 take-off rolls
Air France and Lufthansa introduced artificial reductions of runway length at Bogota as a precautionary measure after incidents involving prolonged take-off runs by Airbus A340s.
French investigators have disclosed the carriers' actions in an analysis of a serious departure incident from the Colombian capital in March 2017.
LinkAirports
Vienna Airport begins $563 million terminal modernization program
Vienna International Airport (VIE) has launched a €500 million ($563 million) investment program for a large-scale terminal modernization.
The project includes the renovation of Terminal 2 (T2), the Pier East and construction of a large 70,000 sq m building, the “T3 Southern Enlargement.”
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US airports concerned about possible firefighting foam liabilities
US airport executives are concerned that a provision in a defense spending bill passed by the US House will expose airport operators to “costly litigation and cleanup efforts,” if the measure becomes law.
The House on July 12 passed defense authorization legislation that included an amendment that would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as hazardous substances under the Superfund program.
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Chinese company to build new Cambodian airport
A contract to build two sections of Cambodia’s new Siem Reap Angkor International Airport was awarded to China’s Shanxi Mechanization Construction Group.
The CNY290 million ($42.2 million) deal includes construction of terminals, aprons, a runway, earthworks and drainage.
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Heathrow staff back summer strikes in pay dispute
Trade union Unite today warned of "travel chaos" at Heathrow later this month after workers backed industrial action in a dispute over pay.
Unite, the UK's largest union, says that over 4,000 workers across the airport's five terminals – including security guards, engineers, passenger service operatives and drivers – plan to walk out in a series of strikes.
LinkMilitary
Turkey defies USA by taking delivery of Russian S-400 missiles
Defying threats from the USA that it would be cut from the F-35 stealth fighter programme, Turkey took delivery of the first batch of components for the Russian-built S-400 surface-to-air missile system on 12 July.
The Russian defence ministry and the Turkish defence ministry each released videos of an Antonov An-124 Ruslan heavy cargo transport landing at Turkey’s Mürted Air Base, with several military green trucks rolling out of the airlifter’s nose door ramp.
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KC-390 sales take off with Portuguese contract
Portugal has become Embraer’s first confirmed export customer for the KC-390 tactical transport/tanker, having signed a contract to buy five of the type.
Announcing the development on 11 July, Embraer said Lisbon’s acquisition is intended to “modernise Portuguese air force capacities to support national armed forces operations and increase readiness in missions of public interest.”
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Aviation Quote
The emergencies you train for almost never happen. It's the one you can't train for that kills you.
- Ernest K. Gann, advice from the 'old pelican,' 'The Black Watch,' 1989.
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Trivia
General Trivia
1. What was the longest-duration passenger flight ever made by an airline using an airplane powered by reciprocating engines?
1. 23 hours 19 minutes
2. 20 hours 19 minutes
3. 17 hours 19 minutes
4. 14 hours 19 minutes
2. Which of the following was the only operational Century-series fighter not deployed over Vietnam?
1. Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
2. Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
3. Convair F-106 Delta Dart
4. McDonnell F-110 Spectre
3. Multiengine pilots know that it can take substantial rudder-pedal force to arrest the yaw created by a failed engine when operating at minimum-controllable airspeed (VMC). The maximum force allowed by aircraft certification regulation Part 23.149 is
1. 75 pounds.
2. 100 pounds.
3. 150 pounds.
4. 200 pounds.
4. True or false; For instrument-rated pilots: A pilot is cleared to “cruise at 9,000 feet,” for example. This means that the pilot is cleared to execute the instrument approach at his destination airport.
5. True or false; The Beech King Air was the first civilian turboprop airplane produced in the United States.
6. True or false; American pilots know that when two airplanes are on converging courses, the airplane on the other’s right has right-of-way. In England (and a few other countries), however, the airplane on the other’s left has right-of-way.
