Inquiry considers Yak-42 test as crash cause proves elusive Russian investigators are considering a full-scale experiment to identify the cause of the Yakovlev Yak-42 crash at Yaroslavl, having failed to find an obvious explanation for the accident. Link
Congress working on surface/air bill that extends FAA funding into 2012 US Congress appears to be moving this week toward passing a combined surface/air transportation funding extension that would keep FAA fully operational through at least Jan. 31, 2012. Link
US government group forms to promote NextGen products worldwide The US Dept. of Commerce is creating a new committee that will target opportunities to promote and sell NextGen technologies and products to non-US markets. Announcing the NextGen Vendors Group (NVG) today, Dept. of Commerce principal deputy assistant secretary Maureen Smith said that through NVG, Commerce will reach out to industry and other agencies to identify market opportunities. Link
New bmi chairman appointed as likelihood of sale increases British Midland (bmi) appointed former Scandinavian Airlines deputy CEO Vagn Ove Sorensen to succeed Lufthansa (LH) executive board member and Group Airline chief officer Stefan Lauer as bmi chairman, yet another move indicating that LH Group is interested in selling its loss-making UK subsidiary. Link
FAA seeks to fine ATS $1 million for lapsed Southwest inspections The US Federal Aviation Administration proposes to fine Everett, Washington-based Aviation Technical Services (ATS) $1.1 million for making improper repairs on 44 Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300s. ATS allegedly failed to accomplish work required under an airworthiness directive that mandated five repetitive inspections and a one-time inspection to find and repair fatigue cracks in the fuselage skin of the aircraft, said FAA. Those inspections were also required under the Southwest continuous airworthiness maintenance program. Link
Southwest will implement "radical changes" to AirTran schedules Southwest Airlines plans to change flight schedules and routes at AirTran Airways once it fully gains control of the airline. Southwest has so far announced plans to introduce nonstop flights to Austin, Texas, and remove service to Atlantic City, N.J., and Newport News, Va., as part of its envisioned "megacity" operation for AirTran. Link
Airline shares are poised to rise, analysts say Airline stocks appear set to climb after a weak first quarter followed by profits in the second quarter, analysts say. Ray Neidl, a Maxim Group senior aerospace analyst, said airline managers have become "more concerned about profits than market share," which is good news for investors. Barron's also predicted airline stocks will make a comeback. Link
Emirates is working with Boeing on possible 777-300ER successor Dubai-based Emirates has indicated that it could be Boeing's launch customer if the company moves forward with its 777-300ER successor program. "There's a lot of work going on [at Boeing on the new 777], and we're involved in it," said Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline. However, Emirates is also planning to discuss its concerns with the A350-1000 with Airbus. Link
Boeing's decision to re-engine 737 gains fans Airbus launched its A320neo re-engined narrow-body aircraft late last year, prompting speculation about what Boeing would do in response. Boeing finally announced that it would re-engine its 737 in a move that seemed too conservative for some observers. However, that decision is starting to gain fans, including Moody's rating service. Link
China plans to build world's largest airport Beijing aims to become the world's largest aviation hub with its plans to construct its third airport, which could have up to nine runways, this article says. The planned airport reportedly is expected to eventually handle 120 million to 200 million passengers a year. Link
Other News
Qatar Airways (QR) and Cargolux International Airlines (CV) completed the equity transaction announced in June after gaining all regulatory approvals, making the Doha-based carrier the second largest shareholder in Europe's largest all-cargo airline with a 35% stake. Luxair, which has a 43.4% equity stake, is CV's largest shareholder.
Embraer and GE Aviation concluded a series of biofuel test flights in Brazil aboard a CF34-8E-powered E-170. One of the aircraft's two engines was powered by a 50/50 blend of camelina-derived hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) and Jet-A. ASTM International's committee on petroleum products and lubricants in June provisionally approved a new specification for hydroprocessed renewable jet fuels.
Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance & Engineering Co. (GAMECO), the joint venture owned by China Southern Airlines (CZ), South China International Aircraft Engineering and Hutchison Aircraft Maintenance Investment, said it broke ground Sept. 7 on a new $90 million hangar at Guangzhou Baiyun International. The 24,107 sq. m. hangar is primarily intended to support the “rapid growth” of CZ's fleet, it said.
DHL Express launched Cincinnati-Panama Boeing 757F service.
Pegasus Airlines and Air Berlin reached a codeshare agreement under which passengers can book flights between Dusseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Munich and Berlin, and Istanbul—as well as services between IST and Izmir and Ankara, in combination with flights from Germany to IST. The two airlines plan to launch a charter partnership Nov. 1.
Southwest Airlines will launch daily Atlanta service to Phoenix and Las Vegas March 10.
Lufthansa will launch 5X-weekly Munich-Mexico City Airbus A340-600 service March 26.
AVIATION QUOTE
A pilot who doesn't have any fear probably isn't flying his plane to its maximum.
— Jon McBride, astronaut.
ON THIS DATE
September 13th
---In 1906…The first fixed-wing aircraft flight in Europe.
--- In 1928... In an effort to speed up the time it takes for mail to reach the United States via Europe, a single-engined Liore et Oliver LeO 198 airplane is catapulted off the Ile de France ocean liner, reducing the time it takes mail to reach the United States by one whole day.
--- In 1935... Millionaire film producer and amateur air racer Howard Hughes shatters the world land plane speed record in his home built Hughes Racer airplane.
---In 1978…Rollout of the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet.
---In 1978…First flight of the Aérospatiale Super Puma F-WZJA.
---In 1982…Spantax Airlines Flight 995, a Douglas DC-10 (EC-DEG), crashes on takeoff at Malaga Airport in Spain, killing 50 of the 294 people onboard. The pilot felt a strong vibration in the nosegear and decided to abort the takeoff even though he had passed Vr (rotation speed). The aircraft overran the runway, bursting into flames on an embankment.
---In 1986…First flight of the Piaggio P.180 Avanti.
---In 1994…The Airbus Beluga makes her maiden flight.
---In 2001…Civilian aircraft traffic resumes in the United States following the terrorist attacks two days earlier.
---In 2010…A Conviasa ATR-42 (YV-1010) crashes while flying from Santiago Mariño Caribbean International Airport in Porlamar to Manuel Carlos Piar Guayana Airport in the city of Ciudad Guayana, killing at least 15 of the 47 people on board.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
Military Sports The National Science Foundation announced the following study results on U.S. Military recreation preferences
1. Sport of Choice: Marines: Bowling 2. Sport of Choice: Navy: Football 3. Sport of Choice:: Army: Baseball 4. Sport of Choice: Coast Guard: Tennis 5. Sport of Choice: Air Force: Golf
Notice how the farther down the list you go the small their Balls get.
TRIVIA
Tail ID
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3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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
#5 is a tough one ... 3 snowcapped mountain-tops on what looks like to be a DC-9 (or MD80-series) ... I would place my bet into western South America, but still I am unable to figure it out. -HT
Use your time wisely; remember that today is the first day of the rest of your life.
Trivia: 1. Spirit 2. Southwest 3. Tarom 4. Sri Lankan 5. Reno Air 6. LOT Polish Airlines 7. Kuwait Airlines 8. Egypt Air 9. MEA / Air Liban 10. Ecuatoriana
Look, it's been swell, but the swelling's gone down.
