EasyJet founder to set up rival airline Fastjet A new row has erupted between the easyJet board and the airline’s founder and largest shareholder after Stelios Haji-Ioannou revealed plans to launch a new airline. Haji-Ioannou and his family own 37% of easyJet through the private investment vehicle easyGroup. Link
Shareholders inject over €150 million into AirBaltic Latvian national airline AirBaltic (BT) will receive €153.7 million ($201.9 million) in new capital financed by its two main shareholders, the Latvian government and Baltic Aviation Systems (BAS), Latvian media reported. Link
Boeing Cautious On New 737 Output Rise Boeing has warned about the risk of flooding the market with too many passenger jets as plane makers rush to meet demand in Asia, but wants to reduce the seven-year waiting list facing airlines shopping for its 737s. Jim Albaugh, the head of Boeing's flagship commercial subsidiary, said the company would not follow Airbus any time soon into a further increase in production beyond the target of 42 planes a month already established by both jet makers. Link
Hundreds more 737 Max orders soon: Boeing Boeing's marketing chief Randy Tinseth expects the 737 Max family to rack up "hundreds" more orders in the coming months as the airframer works to firm the configuration of the new narrowbody. The airframer launched the new family in August with deposits from five undisclosed customers - known to include American Airlines - for 496 commitments. Link
LAN Says TAM Takeover Ruling Flawed LAN Airlines said on Tuesday a Chilean anti-trust ruling that imposes a host of conditions on its planned multi-billion dollar takeover of Brazil's TAM was flawed, and continues to study it. LAN said it had asked anti-trust regulator TDLC, which last week conditionally approved a deal to pave the way for the creation of one of the world's biggest airlines, to rectify "numerical errors" in calculations of its national and international tariffs, or yields. Link
Airlines Should Brace For Tough Times - IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned of tough times ahead for the airline industry and the head of Thai Airways said financial market turmoil as the European and US economies slow down was "frightening". IATA director general Tony Tyler also said the European Union's carbon emission trading system would add to the financial pressures on airlines despite an offer of free permits, which he criticised as "linguistic gymnastics". Link
Avianca orders four A330F aircraft for cargo unit Colombia-based Avianca, part of the airline group AviancaTaca Holdings, has ordered four A330-200 freighters, Airbus announced Tuesday. The new aircraft, to be operated by Avianca’s cargo subsidiary Tampa, will replace its cargo fleet and play a key role in expanding Avianca’s international cargo business, Airbus said. Avianca will announce its engine choice at a later date. Link
Brownsville spends on Latin hub New grants will help Brownsville South Padre Island International accelerate its attempts to become a US-Latin America hub.The airport has been approved for a US$1 million grant from the US Economic Development Administration for construction of a 20,000 sq ft air cargo facility inside the airport’s Foreign Trade Zone. Link
F-35 Inches Closer To Pilot Training Ops F-35 program officials are awaiting a clearance from the procurement community to begin local flight operations at Eglin AFB, Fla., a step closer to pilot training for the developmental stealthy aircraft there. Air Force officials at the U.S. Air Force’s Aeronautical Systems Center in Ohio, which oversees procurement of service aircraft, are reviewing data collected during a period of “maturity flights” using two conventional-takeoff-and-landing F-35As (AF-6 and AF-7) at the Edwards AFB, Calif., test center. Link
Airline Associations Blast EC Comments On ETS Three European airline associations say they are “outraged” by European Commission comments regarding the upcoming Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). They blame the commission for “blatant misunderstanding of economic reality.” The comment was directed at Jos Delbeke, EC director general for climate action, who stated on Monday that airlines charge their customers for carbon allowances they receive for free, thus making additional revenues. Those revenues could be used to renew fleets, he suggested. “A significant share of allowances will be given for free, which represents €20 billion” until 2020, he said. Link
Other News
Alaska Airlines named Daniel Chun its new regional manager of sales and community marketing for Hawaii. Chun, who is based in Honolulu, will lead Alaska Airlines' marketing and community outreach efforts to the four Hawaiian Islands.
Air Seychelles appointed Bram Steller as CEO. Steller previously served as COO of Kenya Airways since 2008 and was in charge of flight operations, ground operations, technical, commercial and network planning, revenue management, operations control and cargo.
Southwest Airlines announced several executive changes. Current EVP-strategy and planning Bob Jordan has been promoted to EVP and CCO and will maintain his role as president of AirTran Airways. Jeff Lamb, currently SVP-administration and chief people officer has been promoted to EVP and chief people and administrative officer. Previously VP-customer support and services, Ellen Torbert has been promoted to VP-diversity and inclusion.
Air Lease Corp. announced the addition of three VPs, Chi Yan, Michael Bai and Jenny Van Le. ALC said the three new appointments bring a combined 27 years of experience in aircraft leasing from ILFC.
Boeing said Russia’s UTair Aviation has finalized an ordered 40 Boeing 737NextGen aircraft, comprised of seven 737-900ERs and 33 737-800s.
The Supervisory Board of Austrian Airlines (OS) appointed Jaan Albrecht as the airline’s CEO, effective Nov. 1.
Airbus partner and aerospace structures company Aerolia has delivered the first A350 XWB nose section to Airbus’ facility in St. Nazaire, France.
AVIATION QUOTE
If you can fill out the yellow sheet with Jack Black in your hand instead of an I.V. in your arm, it was a good landing.
— Charlie Kisslejack, Commander, US Navy, 1983.
ON THIS DATE
September 28th
--- In 1920... American pilot Howard Rinehart, flying a Dayton-Wright R.B Racer, becomes the 1st person to fly an airplane fitted with retractable landing gear.
---In 1924…Two U.S. Army planes land after an around-world flight, Seattle to Seattle, after 57 stops.
--- In 1934... Lufthansa, Germany's national airline flies its millionth customer.
---In 1965…An AIM-47 missile was fired from a YF-12A at Mach 3.2 flying at 75,000 feet. The missile missed its intended target 36 miles away flying at 40,000 feet by less than 7 feet. (Q) ---In 1980… Iraqi Tupolev Tu-22s land in Riyadh after bombing Iran.
---In 1988…First Flight of the Ilyushin Il-96.
---In 1992…Pakistan International Airlines Flight 268, a Airbus A300-203 (registered) AP-BCP), crashed into a mountain in Kathmandu, killing all 167 people on-board. The aircraft was on approach to land in a valley, when they descended below their cleared altitude, striking a cloud-covered hillside.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
Airline Humor
From the pilot during his welcome message: "We are pleased to have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately none of them are on this flight."
This was overheard on an American Airlines flight into Amarillo, Texas, on a particularly windy and bumpy day. During the final approach, the captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the flight attendant came on the PA and announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo. Please remain in your seats with your seatbelts fastened while the captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"
Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: "We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."
An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a, "Thanks for flying XYZ airline." He said that in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally, everyone had gotten off except for this little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sonny, did we land or were we shot down?"
After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the flight attendant got on the PA and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt up against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal."
Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of us here at US Airways."
TRIVIA
Aviation Firsts
1. How many flights did the Wright brothers make on 17th December 1903? 3 5 2 4
2. Where did the historic flight, of the Wright brothers, take place? Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, N.C. Potomac River Dayton, OH Long Beach, CA
3. The first of the Wright brothers to fly their aeroplane on the very first flight was Orville. True False
4. Who was the first American to fly after the Wright Brothers? Samuel Franklin Cody Glenn Curtiss Charles Lindbergh Samuel Langley
5. Who made the first sustained manned powered flight in Europe? Wilbur Wright Albero Santos-Dumont Orville Wright Louis Bleriot
6. What was another "first" in aviation history, achieved by Albero Santos Dumont? He made the first flight of an aeroplane in Argentina He was the first to cross the English channel with an aeroplane He was the first to fly, in an airship, around the Eiffel Tower in Paris He made the first flight of an aeroplane in Brazil
7. Who was the first man to cross the English Channel in an aeroplane? Glen Curtiss Samuel Cody Louis Bleriot Henry Farman
8. What was the first 4-engine aeroplane to fly? Handley Page O/400 Sikorsky Ilya Mourometz Sikorsky Bolshoi DeHavilland D.H.4
9. The first US Navy aeroplane was Curtiss A-1 "Hydroplane". True False
10. Who was the first to make a double crosing of the English Channel (from England to France and back)? Louis Bleriot Henry Farman Hubert Latham Charles S. Rolls
Ideology: The mistaken belief that your beliefs are neither beliefs nor mistaken.
ANSWERS: 1. 4. The plane was named "Flyer". The plane was their own design including the engine. The 4th flight was 852 feet long and lasted 59 seconds.
2. Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, N.C.
3. True, They chose who would fly first by tossing a coin. Wilbur was the winner. His trial flight was made on December 14th and was not successful. So it was Orville's turn was to make the next flight, which became the first manned powered flight by an aeroplane.
4. Glenn Curtiss . The flight took place on 20th June 1908. His plane was named "June Bug". Samuel Cody made the first officially recognized flight in Great Britain. Charles Lindbergh was, of course, the first to make the solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris. Samuel Langley designed and built the first plane to make an unmanned sustained flight of heavier than air aircraft, in August 1903. He was competing with the Wrights to make the first manned flight.
5. Albero Santos-Dumont; he was a Brazilian, living in France. The flight took place on 12th November 1906. His plane was named "14-bis".
6. He was the first to fly, in an airship, around the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
7. Louis Bleriot. He did it on Sunday, 25th July 1909. The aeroplane was Bleriot XI. He took off from Les Baraques in France at 04:41 am and landed at 5:17 near Dover Castle.
8. Sikorsky Bolshoi. It was designed and flown by Igor Sikorsky when he was still in Russia, before the WWI and the Communist revolution. It was a biplane (the name means "The Great" in Russian), flown first on 13th May 1913 at St. Petersburg. It was powered by 4 100 hp Argus engines.
9. True. First flown on 1st July 1911.
10. Charles S. Rolls, This was the "Rolls" of "Rolls-Royce". He made the flight on 2nd June 1910. He was flying a French-built Wright bi-plane. He flew from Dover, England to France and back without landing.
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
