Iberia firms up order for eight A330-300s, selects GE CF6 engines Iberia and British Airways parent International Airlines Group firmed up an order for eight Airbus A330-300s plus eight options. GE CF6-80E1 engines were selected to power the aircraft, which will begin delivering in 2013. The engine deal is valued at $200 million at list prices. Link
FAA partial shutdown continues; lawmakers refuse to budge Prospects for a quick resolution to the partial shutdown of US FAA appeared dim Tuesday with arguing lawmakers holding firm and Congress's focus largely centered on the more high-profile debate over lifting the country's debt ceiling. Link
As contract expirations loom, AA says it is close to a temporary deal with Travelport American Airlines said it is "very close" to reaching a temporary agreement with Travelport under which Travelport would agree not to boot the carrier from its GDS until Jan. 31. Link
USAF continues probe into F-22 grounding USAF tests have been unable to replicate the hypoxia-like conditions experienced by some pilots of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. Speaking to analysts following Lockheed's second-quarter earnings, chief executive Bob Stevens, said that the company was working closely with the USAF in order to get to the bottom of the issue which has led to the stand-down of the F-22 fleet. Link
Lufthansa firms order for 30 A320neos Lufthansa has firmed up its order with Airbus for 25 A320neos and five A321neos. The German carrier's board approved the order in March. The aircraft will be powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines. Link
Airbus makes bid to buy Satair Airbus has made an offer to buy Danish aircraft parts supplier Satair for Danish krone (DKr) 2.6 billion ($504 million). The EADS subsidiary plans to make the acquisition through a public offer, offering Satair shareholders DKr580 for each share and warrant holders DKr378.66 for each warrant they hold. Link
Dispute brews about legal ownership of impounded 737 Germany has demanded the Thai government pay €30 million ($43 million) for the return of a Boeing 737-400, registration HS-CMV, impounded in Munich, as a legal dispute surrounding the aircraft's ownership brews. A report in Bangkok's The Nation newspaper said the German embassy in Bangkok issued the demand on 22 July. Link
US to continue China spy flights despite Su-27 incident The US will continue to carry out reconnaissance flights close to Chinese airspace despite a recent airborne incident involving aircraft from the USA, China and Taiwan. On 29 June, a People's Liberation Army Air Force Sukhoi Su-27 briefly crossed the center of the Taiwan Strait, straying into Taiwanese airspace, according to a Taiwan defense ministry statement. Link
Analysts expect Delta Air Lines to post quarterly profit Analysts expect Delta Air Lines to post a profit for the second quarter when the company announces earnings on Wednesday. In a survey by FactSet, analysts expected the carrier to report earnings of 46 cents per share. For the second quarter of 2010, Delta reported earnings of 55 cents per share. Link
American Airlines outlines schedule of aircraft delivery In a regulatory filing, American Airlines outlined its schedule for receiving new aircraft from Boeing and Airbus. The carrier purchased a total of 460 aircraft, with options to purchase 465 additional aircraft. American filed a Form 8-K with the government on Monday detailing the aircraft deliveries Link
JetBlue reports 19% drop in Q2 profit JetBlue Airways reported earnings of $25 million for the second quarter, a 19% drop from the profit of $31 million for the same quarter last year. Higher fuel costs offset the carrier's 22% increase in revenue for the quarter. JetBlue paid 58% more for fuel in the second quarter compared with last year. Link
Laser pointers are growing issue for aircraft, FAA says The Federal Aviation Administration said there were 2,836 incidents involving laser pointers directed at aircraft in 2010, up from fewer than 300 in 2005. A man in Missouri temporarily blinded a pilot recently by pointing a laser pointer at a helicopter. The man spent a night in jail and received a year's probation for the incident. Violators who point lasers at aircraft can be charged with interfering with a flight or a flight crew. Lawmakers have introduced a bill that would make it a crime to point lasers at aircraft. In addition, FAA announced that violators could face fines of up to $11,000 per incident. Link
Reports indicate possible delay in delivery of 787-9 A recent report in an Australian newspaper said that Boeing's 787-9 will not be delivered in 2013 and could be delayed until mid-2014. Along with other reports from Australian and New Zealand airlines, the report suggests a possible slowdown in the production plans for the 787 Dreamliner and the 787-9. Marc Birtel, a spokesman for Boeing, reiterated that the first 787-9s are scheduled to be delivered in "late 2013." Link
Global airline-accident figures remain consistent In the first six months of 2011, 11 fatal airline accidents occurred around the world, compared with nine during the same period the previous year. The figures during the past decade are fairly consistent. Link
Other News
Gogo announced it will launch a new in-air multimedia platform to offer access to online services as well as movies and TV shows. The platform will be available beginning in the fourth quarter to passengers via their Web-enabled devices on any aircraft equipped with Gogo's Wi-Fi internet service.
Fraport Cargo Services won a contract from Russia's AirBridgeCargo Airlines to provide freight handling services at Frankfurt.
LAN Cargo's Colombian affiliate, Linea Aerea Carguera de Colombia, opened a 65,121 sq. ft., $7 million warehouse facility in Bogota.
Southern Air and Saudi Arabian Airlines inked an ACMI agreement under which Southern will operate a Boeing 747 freighter for Saudi beginning this month.
AVIATION QUOTE
If you aren't sweating too much before a flight, you surely haven’t asked enough questions. If you are not sweating just a little during the flight, you may not be attentive enough. And, if you are not sweating out the answers with all the experts you can think of after the flight, you may never find that very beautiful pearl in all that pig litter.
— Corwin H. Meyer, Grumman test pilot W.W. II
ON THIS DATE
July 27th
---In 1901... Wilbur and Orville Wright make the first of a series of test glides at Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Their redesigned biplane glider No. 2 has a larger wing area and wing control worked by a pilot’s hip-cradle device.
---In 1909... Orville Wright makes the first official test flight of the U.S. Army’s first airplane in Fort Meyer, Virginia. President William Howard Taft, his cabinet, and 10,000 spectators witness the flight.
---In 1912... Lieutenant John Rodgers and Ensign Charles Maddox, in a Wright B1 Flyer, send the first wireless message from an airplane to a ship, the torpedo boat USS Stringham, stationed in Annapolis, Maryland.
---In 1923... Edward Stinson lands his Junkers at Mitchell Field in New York after making the first non-stop flight from Chicago.
--- In 1931... The Air Line Pilots Association of the USA is formed.
---In 1944…Gloster Meteors of No. 616 Squadron RAF fly their first V1 interception mission.
---In 1949... The de Havilland 106 Comet becomes the world’s first jet airliner to be used in commercial travel.
---In 1953…The Korean War ends.
---In 1967…The McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63 enters service with KLM.
---In 1972…First flight of the McDonnell Douglas YF-15A 71-280.
---In 1976… SR-71 sets 100 KM closed course world speed record at 2092 mph. (Q)
---In 1983…First flight of the Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia PT-ZBA.
---In 2002… Su-27 fighter plane crashes into a crowd of spectators at an air show in Sknyliv near Lviv, Ukraine killing 77.
---In 2010…Lufthansa McDonnell Douglas MD-11 D-ALCQ crashes at King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
Ten Things You Can’t Say When You’re Drunk
1. “I think it’s too soon for us to have sex.”
2. “No thanks barkeep, I’ve had enough already.”
3. “Good evening, officer. Isn’t it a lovely night?”
4. “You’re right.”
5. “I’d love to go home with you, but you’re just not that attractive.”
6. “No thanks. I don’t want any pizza.”
7. “I should probably just keep my mouth shut about it.”
8. “Z, Y, X, W, V, U, T . . . ”
9. “Let’s just talk it through. There’s no need for violence.”
10. “No, I don’t know why you pulled me over.”
TRIVIA
Airports and Airlines
1. Which doesn’t fly into MIA? A. Delta B. Southwest C. American Airlines D. United Airlines
2. Which doesn’t fly into LHR? A. British Airways B. SAS C. BMI D. jetBlue
3. Which doesn’t fly into SXM? A. BWIA B. Amerijet C. Ameriflight D. American Airlines
4. Which Airline doesn’t fly into DFW? A. WN B. AA C. US D. DL
5. Which airline doesn’t fly into LAX? A. CX B. QF C. B6 D. OZ
6. Which Airline doesn’t fly into LGB? A. AA B. AS C. DL D. B6
7. Which airline serves ICT? A. F9 B. WN C. DL D. AA
8. Which airliners operate out of PGD? A. Allegiant Air B. Virgin America C. USA Jet D. Pinnacle Airlines
9. Which airlines do not fly out of FRA? A. FR B. AA C. IB D. LX
10. Which Airlines do not fly out of BSL? A. U2 B. LX C. AB D. EA
And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
ANSWERS: 1. B. WN, Southwest Airlines does not operate out of Miami International. 2. D. jetBlue does not operate trans-Atlantic service. 3. A. BWIA ceased operating and emerged as Caribbean Airways. 4. A. WN operates out of DAL, not DFW. 5. C. B6 does not fly into LAX, it operated from nearby LGB. 6. A. American Airlines does not fly into LGB, the others do. 7. D. AA flies into Wichita, the others are operated by feeder carriers, except WN, which does not fly there. 8. Trick question, a, b and c, operate out of PGD, but B and C are charters for Direct Air. 9. A. Ryanair does not fly into Frankfurt. 10. D. Eastern Air Lines ceased operations in 1991 and never flew to BSL.
And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
