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German court bans night flights at Frankfurt
A German court in Hessen ruled Tuesday that night flights will be banned at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) when the fourth runway opens Oct. 21. The ban, which runs from 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., will affect 17 movements of mainly cargo flights.
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Discussion

Singapore Airlines denies reports of April launch for new LCC
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has denied media reports that it will launch its new budget long-haul, low-cost subsidiary airline in April with one Boeing 777-200 aircraft.
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R-R confident of 787 engine commonality for larger version
Rolls-Royce is confident that it can achieve engine commonality across the entire Boeing 787 family should the airframer give the go-ahead for a larger -10 variant. R-R's Trent 1000 already powers the baseline -8 and stretched -9, certified to 74,000lb-thrust. Simon Carlisle, Trent 1000 programme director, said that current discussions with Boeing indicate a thrust requirement of 74,000lb on the -10. He indicated that the powerplant could provide more thrust if required without a redesign, but "you get to a point where you start to trade thrust for efficiency".
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AMR announces capacity cuts, plane retirements for American Airlines
AMR has announced plans to cut overall capacity at American Airlines for the rest of 2011 by 3% compared with January projections. "While our advance bookings are generally in line with last year, we are taking these additional steps in light of the uncertain economic environment, ongoing high fuel costs and to ensure we run a reliable schedule for our customers given additional pilot retirements we anticipate throughout the fourth quarter," said Virasb Vahidi, American's chief commercial officer. The airline will also be retiring up to 11 Boeing 757 aircraft in 2012, to be replaced by 460 new aircraft purchased in July.
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Canada prepares for planned strike by Air Canada flight attendants
The Canadian government is "very disappointed" with the decision by the union representing Air Canada's flight attendants to reject a tentative deal with the carrier, says a spokeswoman for Labor Minister Lisa Raitt. "We will be clear that a work stoppage is unacceptable in this time of fragile economy," Raitt said.
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Blog: Southwest's policy changes raise concerns
Adam Richardson, assistant vice president of strategy and marketing at the firm frog, says Southwest Airlines is his favorite carrier. However, he questions some of the policy changes that the airline has made recently. For example, Richardson questions Southwest's new check-in process and frequent-flier program.
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Calif. team aims to improve commercial aircraft takeoffs
An aerospace team at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo is working to reduce the noise from and accelerate takeoffs of commercial aircraft. The team has received a $4.5 million grant from NASA to create a plane that would advance commercial air travel.
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UPS will close sorting operation in Alabama for budget reasons
Mike Mangeot, public relations manager at UPS Airlines, says the company has offered workers at its Brookley Aeroplex sorting facility in Mobile, Ala., employment elsewhere within the company as it plans to shut the operation. "We have worked well with the airport in Mobile, but this is a necessary business decision," said a UPS spokeswoman. "The change will allow us to realize significant operational savings."
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Do electronics cause problems on planes? Maybe
If you travel on any airline to any destination, the message is the same: Turn off your electronic devices during takeoff and landing. But many question if their phone could really bring down a plane. The answer is: maybe. At a Boeing test chamber in Seattle, engineers laid out a variety of mobile devices before turning on the scanners. Within seconds, "noise" from the devices showed up in red. That interference comes from the video screens and internal computer chips, not the cell transmitters. Turning on a cellphone creates bigger headaches.
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Virgin Atlantic plans to work toward low-carbon jet fuel
Virgin Atlantic and LanzaTech have teamed up to develop a low-carbon jet fuel that can be used in the carrier's passenger aircraft. The companies will employ a technology "that will see waste gases from industrial steel production being captured, fermented and chemically converted using Swedish Biofuels technology for use as a jet fuel," Virgin Atlantic said.
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Debate continues over aviation-security costs
The Transportation Security Administration is facing criticism that it tends to spend money without considering efficiency or performing a cost-benefit analysis. Meanwhile the Obama administration is calling for an increase in the security fee for fliers.
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Airlines scramble to provide passengers with Wi-Fi
Airlines have been improving their in-flight entertainment systems for years, but now they are shifting toward providing entertainment on passengers' own gadgets. The market for providing onboard Wi-Fi is thriving, with more than half of all passenger planes expected to be connected by 2013.
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Other News

Virgin Atlantic Airways (VS) CEO Steve Ridgeway said the carrier is interested in acquiring loss-making British Midland (bmi) from Lufthansa (LH) Group.

Boeing has partnered with Lion Air (JT) and Indonesia’s DG of Civil Aviation to perform validation flights to test tailor-made required navigation performance (RNP) procedures at two terrain-challenged airports—Ambon and Manado, Indonesia. JT is the 737-900ER launch customer.

Virgin America (VX) will upgrade its onboard services in the next year, with the launch of a higher-speed Gogo Wi-Fi connection.



AVIATION QUOTE

Better to hit the far fence at ten knots than the close fence at VRef.

— Captain Rick Davies, Chief Pilot, Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (Queensland Section), advise given to new captains.



ON THIS DATE

October 12th

---In 1976... The NASA/U.S. Army rotor systems research aircraft produced by Sikorsky as the S-72 makes its first flight.

---In 1997…Singer John Denver dies when the Rutan Long EZ he is piloting crashes into the Pacific Ocean off Pacific Grove, California.

---In 2010…Transafrik International Flight 662, operated by Lockheed L-100 Hercules 5X-TUC crashed into a mountain 19 miles (31 km) east of Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan, killing all eight crew.



DAILY VIDEO





EDITOR’S CHOICE





HUMOR

German Aircraft Terms

AIRCRAFT---Der Fliegenwagen

JET TRANSPORT---Der Muchen Overgrossen Biggenmother Das Ist Fliegen Highenfaster Mit All Der Mach Und Flightenlevels. (Built by Boeing)

PROPELLER---Der Airfloggen Pushenthruster

ENGINE---Der Noisenmaken Pistonpusher Das Turnens Der Airfloggenfan Pushenthruster

JET ENGINE---Der Schreemen Skullschplitten Firespitten Smokenmaken Airpushenbacken Thrustermaker Mit Compressorsqueezen Und Turbinespinnen Bladenrotors. (Made by Pratt & Whitney)

CONTROL COLUMN---Der Pushenpullen Bankenyanken Schtick

RUDDER PEDALS---Der Tailschwingen Yawmaken Werks

PILOT---Der Pushenpullen Bankenyanken Tailschwingen Werker

PASSENGER---Der Dumbkopf Das Est Strappened En Der Baacken Mit Der Other Dumbkopfs Das Est Expecten To Leave Undgo On Scheduledtimen Und Arriven mit Der Luggagebags Somplaceneisen

STUDENT PILOT---Der Dumbkopf Das Learnen Fliegen Un Hopen To Jobenfinden Mit Der Airlinens

FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR---Der Timenbuilder Mit Less Den 1000 Hrs Multienginefliegen. Teachen Dumbkopfs To Fliegen Vile Waitenwatchen Fer Der Letter Mit Der Joboffering Frum United

AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT---Das Grosse Overpaiden Und Under Werken Whinencomplainer Biggen Schmuck Dat Fliegen Mit Das Big Airlinen

PARACHUTE---Der Stringencotten Das Est Usen To Floaten Der Tailschwingen

Pushenpullen Bankenyanken Werker Down To Earthen Ven Der Fliegenwagen Est Kaputen

FAA---Der Friggenfliegen Dumbkopf Schmucks Das Maken Alder Rulens Und Regulations

And of course:
Helicopter - -- Der Flingen Wingen Maschinen mit der Floppen Bladens dot ist Fliegen by der Dumbkopfs vas iss too Stupiden for Knowen dees Maschinens ees not Safen ver Fliegen.



TRIVIA

PRIVATE PILOT EXAM

3660
Who is primarily responsible for maintaining an aircraft in airworthy condition?
A) Mechanic.
B) Owner or operator.
C) Pilot-in-command.

3422
One of the most easily recognized discontinuities across a front is
A) an increase in relative humidity.
B) an increase in cloud coverage.
C) a change in temperature.

3160
When must batteries in an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) be replaced or recharged, if rechargeable?
A) When the ELT can no longer be heard over the airplane's communication radio receiver.
B) After any inadvertent activation of the ELT.
C) When the ELT has been in use for more than 1 cumulative hour.

3402
The presence of ice pellets at the surface is evidence that there
A) has been cold frontal passage.
B) is a temperature inversion with freezing rain at a higher altitude.
C) are thunderstorms in the area.

3416
Clouds are divided into four families according to their
A) outward shape.
B) composition.
C) height range.

3800
When making routine transponder code changes, pilots should avoid inadvertent selection of which codes?
A) 7500, 7600, 7700.
B) 1200, 1500, 7000.
C) 0700, 1700, 7000.

3143
Outside controlled airspace, the minimum flight visibility requirement for VFR flight above 1,200 feet AGL and below 10,000 feet MSL during daylight hours is
A) 5 miles.
B) 3 miles.
C) 1 mile.

3111
A steady green light signal directed from the control tower to an aircraft in flight is a signal that the pilot
A) should return for landing.
B) should give way to other aircraft and continue circling.
C) is cleared to land.

3083
Flight crewmembers are required to keep their safety belts and shoulder harnesses fastened during
A) takeoffs and landings.
B) flight in turbulent air.
C) all flight conditions.

3263
As altitude increases, the indicated airspeed at which a given airplane stalls in a particular configuration will
A) remain the same regardless of altitude.
B) decrease as the true airspeed decreases.
C) decrease as the true airspeed increases.

3077
A person may not act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft if alcoholic beverages have been consumed by that person within the preceding
A) 24 hours.
B) 12 hours.
C) 8 hours.

Where'd that AS tailstrike happen?

Curious that was a pretty steep departure angle . . . were they out of runway or what?

Trivia: Ha! Got me . . . I'm screwed.

ANSWERS:

3660: B
3422: C
3160: C
3402: B
3416: C
3800: A
3143: C
3111: C
3083: A
3263: A
3077: C