miamiair/forum/images/avatars/gallery/first/user54/1.pngoffline(netAirspace FAA) 18 Oct 11, 09:01
NEWS
Saudis, UAE enter market for CH-47Fs Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have joined a growing pool of countries interested in buying the Boeing CH-47F Chinook, US Army and Boeing officials have said. The UAE has signed a letter of request for pricing and technical information on a possible buy of 16 of the heavy-lift helicopters, the army said. The letter is the first step in the foreign military sales (FMS) process. Saudi Arabia has also expressed interest in buying a similar number of aircraft, officials said, but the Saudis have yet to sign a letter of request to formally open an FMS case with the US government. Link
China Eastern orders 15 A330s, drops five A340s China Eastern Airlines has agreed to purchase 15 Airbus A330 aircraft, and will dispose of five A340-300s. The SkyTeam carrier's announcement was followed shortly by a statement that it would drop orders for 24 Boeing 787s, and convert them to 45 737s. China Eastern's 15 A330s will be delivered from 2013 to 2015, said the airline, which did not specify an engine choice for the aircraft. Link
Positive reaction for Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney deal Reaction to the deal between Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney appears positive for both parties. Although P&W is paying a large sum up-front, it gains control of the V2500 program, allowing it greater flexibility in sales campaigns when chasing contracts for carriers ordering both A320 and A320neo aircraft. Andrew Shilston, finance director at Rolls-Royce Group, said: "This will allow IAE to focus on the success of the re-engined A320 and will enable [the engines for] both the old and new versions of the A320 to be marketed through the same vehicle. It's much more efficient for Pratt & Whitney." Link
ATA: Domestic seat-capacity growth will drop to lowest point in years The Air Transport Association reported that domestic seat-capacity growth has trailed economic growth for the past two decades. By the end of 2011, domestic seat-capacity growth "will be at its lowest point relative to U.S. gross domestic production since 1979." While most airlines are expected to report profits for the third quarter after reducing the number of available seats, capacity is expected to shrink an additional 1.3% in the fourth quarter. Link
Spirit's price-focused strategy leads to profits, consumer complaints Spirit Airlines' business model of low base fares coupled with a variety of additional fees has led to company profits, but has also garnered numerous complaints from passengers. However, CEO Ben Baldanza says the airline's policies are not for everybody. "There's a trade-off flying Spirit," he said. Link
Air Canada and union are at an impasse in labor dispute Air Canada has accused the Canadian Union of Public Employees of negotiating in bad faith in a labor dispute and has complained to the Canada Industrial Relations Board. The airline and union are at odds over wages and working conditions and talks between the two have broken down. Link
NextGen air-traffic system remains in holding pattern The much touted Next Generation air-traffic-control system may still be years away from implementation because of cost overruns and congressional inaction. The Department of Transportation says software development for NextGen is $300 million over budget and may be delayed for five years. In addition, Congress has yet to pass legislation funding the government's more than $20 billion tab for the project. Steve Lott of the Air Transport Association also says that "the airline industry wants the FAA to allow more use of the advanced navigation procedure, for which many aircraft are now equipped." Link
Laser strikes at aircraft are growing problem Laser strikes on aircraft in the U.S. are increasing, with 2,644 incidents involving 2,658 aircraft reported this year. No injuries have occurred as a result of the incidents. However, some pilots have been temporarily blinded and had to turn over the controls to a co-pilot. "Shining a laser into the cockpit of an aircraft is not a joke. These lasers can temporarily blind a pilot and make it impossible to safely land the aircraft, jeopardizing the safety of the passengers and people on the ground," Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Randy Babbitt said. Link
Cellphones continue to raise safety concerns for FAA The Federal Aviation Administration continues to believe that electronic devices may pose a risk to flight-management computers, auto-pilots, radios and display screens in cockpits. "The FAA is going to be conservative when it comes to safety," an agency spokeswoman said. Meanwhile, some airlines believe that the majority of passengers support a ban on cellphone use. "Our customers have told us loud and clear they would rather have a quiet in-cabin experience," a JetBlue spokeswoman said. Link
Boeing is set to deliver 1 new 747-8I by end of the year A fire on one of Boeing's 747-8I test aircraft has delayed delivery of the new plane until the end of this year. Boeing says it will deliver the first green 747-8I to a completion center in early December. Lufthansa is expected to take delivery of the new plan next spring Link
3 airports pump more than $27B into Houston economy Increased flights at Hobby and Bush Intercontinental airports contributed $27 billion to Houston's economy in 2010, a report says. The city's three airports employ more than 47,000 people and generate $8.7 billion in earnings. Indirect economic effects contributed an additional $19 billion. "We like to periodically take the temperature and have a fresh number to remind people how valuable we are," said Kirk Rummel, chief financial officer of the Houston Airport System. Link
September air-ticket sales by travel agents rose 6.43%, ARC reports The ARC reports that the dollar value of airline tickets sold by U.S.-based travel agencies in September climbed 6.43% in the first nine months of 2011, compared with the same period last year. Ticket sales from January to September 2011 amounted to $64.2 billion, compared with 2010's $60.3 billion, while total sales in September reached $6.978 billion, rising 6.13% from last year's figures, the ARC reports. Total transactions for September dropped 2.71%, to 12.1 million, while domestic and international fares for the month rose 6.59% and 2.58%, respectively. Link
China Eastern cancels order for 24 787 Dreamliners China Eastern Airlines (MU) has canceled an order for 24 Boeing 787s and replaced it with an order for 45 737s, citing delivery delays and a weakening economy, it was reported Monday afternoon. Link
Qantas 747 lands safely following engine failure A Qantas (QF) Boeing 747-400, en route from Bangkok to Sydney on Sunday, returned to Bangkok an hour into the flight following the contained failure of one of its Rolls-Royce RB211 engines. There were no injuries among the 356 passengers and crew. Link
Air France KLM Group CEO resigns; Spinetta and Van Wijk return Pierre-Henri Gourgeon stepped down as CEO of Air France KLM Group and CEO of Air France (AF) following a board meeting in Paris on Monday afternoon. Former AF chairman and CEO Jean Cyril Spinetta and former KLM president and CEO Leo Van Wijk were reappointed as chairman and CEO of AF KLM Group and group deputy CEO, respectively. They will be in charge of its “strategic coordination,” AF said. The two men masterminded Europe’s first merger between two flag carriers in 2004. Link
Chinese carriers’ profit plummets 38.8% in September Chinese carriers reported an aggregate profit of CNY3.7 billion ($582 million) in September, a 38.8% drop compared to total net income of CNY6.04 billion in the year-ago period. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) attributed the profit decline to the economic downturn in the US and Europe, and the decline in international cargo. Link
Other News
Sky Express, Russia’s first low-cost carrier (LCC), will lose its air operator’s certificate (AOC) and operate under a new single AOC with Russian regional carrier Kuban Airlines.
Etihad Airways (EY) has declined to comment on media reports that it has approached the Irish government to buy a 25% stake in Aer Lingus (EI).
Qantas (QF) is expected to ground its 747s and cut back on international flights this week as the industrial crisis deepens. CEO Alan Joyce said Sunday the situation is “getting worse and there is no end in sight to the dispute.”
A German court on Thursday has ruled on the operating hours of Berlin’s newest airport, Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), which is expected to open June 3, 2012. The court confirmed the night flight ban between midnight and 5 a.m., and upheld scheduled flights from between 5:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. There will be no scheduled flights between 5 and 5:30 a.m. and between 11:30 p.m. and midnight; however, early- or late-arriving and departing aircraft will be allowed to use these 30-minute windows.
American Airlines (AA) said it will relocate approximately 230 Maintenance Operations Center (MOC) employees from Tulsa, Okla. to Dallas/Ft. Worth Systems Operations Control (SOC) Center.
Thai Airways International (TG) acquired an additional 10% stake in Nok Air (DD), lifting its holding in the low-cost carrier to 49%, according to a statement to Thailand’s stock exchange. With a 49% share, TG has five out of nine directors on DD’s board, compared to four previously, giving it greater control over DD’s strategy.
Boeing and Emirates Airline have joined with non-profit organizations to transport relief supplies usinga newly delivered 777-300ER to victims of the civil war in Somalia.
Frontier Airlines received IATA’sIOSA registration.
Air Astana named Kales Airline Serves as its European Cargo GSSA.
Jazeera Airways has captured a higher market share on summer destinations in 2011 compared to its record performance of summer 2010. It carried more than 344,000 passengers during the season and more than 780,000 passengers for the year ended Aug. 31.
AVIATION QUOTE
Harmony comes gradually to a pilot and his plane. The wing does not want so much to fly true as to tug at the hands that guide it; the ship would rather hunt the wind than lay her nose to the horizon far ahead. She has a derelict quality in her character; she toys with freedom and hints at liberation, but yields her own desires gently.
— Beryl Markham, West With The Night,’1942.
ON THIS DATE
October 18th
---In 1909... Charles Comte de Lambert, Wilbur Wright’s 1st aviation pupil, flies around the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
---In 1956…Air Force cancels the design efforts of the REX hydrogen fueled engines. This engine design was later considered for the SR-71. (Q)
---In 1983…Pan Am and American Airlines announce they will trade aircraft; Pan Am will send 15 McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to American in exchange for 8 Boeing 747s. It is the first time in history two airlines agree to a swap.
In his book, Sled Driver, SR-71 Blackbird pilot Brian Shul writes: "I'll always remember a certain radio exchange that occurred one day as Walt (my back-seater) and I were screaming across Southern California 13 miles high. We were monitoring various radio transmissions from other aircraft as we entered Los Angeles airspace. Although they didn't really control us, they did monitor our movement across their scope.
I heard a Cessna ask for a readout of its ground speed. "90 knots," Center replied. Moments later, a Twin Beech required the same. "120 knots," Center answered. We weren't the only ones proud of our ground speed that day as almost instantly an F-18 smugly transmitted, "Ah, Center, Dusty 52 requests ground speed readout." There was a slight pause, then the response, "525 knots on the ground, Dusty." Another silent pause
As I was thinking to myself how ripe a situation this was, I heard a familiar click of a radio transmission coming from my back-seater. It was at that precise moment I realized Walt and I had become a real crew, for we were both thinking in unison. "Center, Aspen 20, you got a ground speed readout for us?" There was a longer than normal pause.... "Aspen, I show 1,742 knots" (That's about 2004.658 mph.)
No further inquiries were heard on that frequency.
In another famous SR-71 story, Los Angeles Center reported receiving a request for clearance to FL 600 (60,000 ft). The incredulous controller, with some disdain in his voice, asked, "How do you plan to get up to 60,000 feet?" The pilot (obviously a sled driver), responded, "We don't plan to go up to it; we plan to go down to it." He was cleared.
TRIVIA
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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
miamiair/forum/images/avatars/gallery/first/user54/1.pngoffline(netAirspace FAA) 19 Oct 11, 08:28
ANSWERS:
1. AL, Skyway Airlines/Midwest Connect 2. AS, Alaska Airlines 3. AZ, Alitalia 4. DL, Delta Airlines/Breast Cancer Awareness 5. EI, Air Lingus 6. F9, Frontier Airlines 7. KL, KLM, Royal Dutch Airlines 8. M3, Westjet Airlines 9. SV, Saudi Airlines 10. US, America West/USAirways 11. VA, V Australian Airlines 12. YK, Horizon Air
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
