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NEWS

Delta agrees to buy $100 million in GOL shares
Delta Air Lines (DL) signed a binding agreement to invest $100 million in GOL to gain preferred shares in the Brazilian airline and a seat on the GOL board of directors. As part of the agreement, announced Wednesday, the carriers expanded their codesharing relationship and pledged to coordinate flight schedules to better facilitate the transfer of passengers and cargo in Brazil. GOL, which has moved to an all-737NG operating fleet, will also transfer its two remaining 767s to DL.
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IATA lowers 2012 profit forecast 28.6%
IATA lowered its global airline earnings forecast for 2012 to a net profit of $3.5 billion, 28.6% below its previous forecast, and warned of a possible net loss of $8.3 billion if the Eurozone crisis deteriorates into a renewed banking crisis and worldwide GDP growth slows to 0.8%.
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Virgin Australia launches new brand
The Virgin Australia group on Wednesday launched its international airlines V Australia and Pacific Blue under the new brand, Virgin Australia (DJ). Establishing one brand and identity for DJ’s domestic and international operations is a key part of the company’s game change program strategy and follows an agreement with Singapore Airlines (SQ), which is a 49% stakeholder in Virgin Atlantic Airways (VS).
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CSA Czech Airlines to fire 100 pilots
CSA Czech Airlines (OK) will fire a third of its 300 pilots in the coming days and weeks as part of its restructuring plan. According to Czech media, some of the 100 terminated cockpit crew members may be hired by CSA subsidiary Holidays Czech Airlines, but at significantly lower salaries. The financially troubled carrier posted a CZK632 million ($33.5 million) loss last year and is in need of an urgent restructuring plan. CSA said it will transfer up to 11 narrowbody aircraft to the leisure carrier.
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Boeing Union Ratifies Contract Deal
Boeing's biggest union on Wednesday ratified a four-year contract extension, ensuring the upcoming version of the plane maker's best-selling 737 narrow-body will be built in Washington state.
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Airlines Combine To Condemn UK Air Passenger Tax
The UK and Ireland's biggest airlines teamed up to slam Britain's decision not to scrap Air Passenger Duty (APD), with IAG-owned British Airways highlighting its opposition by saying the levy would lead to hundreds fewer jobs being created next year.
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Tiger Airways drops joint venture with Thai Airways
Tiger Airways has dropped its plan to form a Bangkok-based low-cost joint venture with Thai Airways after failing to get the necessary investment approvals from the Thai government. "As a result, Thai, Tiger Airways and Ryanthai have today [8 December] decided not to proceed with the incorporation of Thai Tiger," the low-cost carrier said in a stock exchange statement.
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Shanghai Pudong airport gets approval for two new runways
Shanghai Pudong International airport has received government approval to build a fourth and fifth runway, said the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The 3.8km long fourth runway, which will come with new air traffic control equipment, will cost yuan (CNY) 2.58 billion ($407 million). This runway will be built to handle large aircraft such as the Airbus A380, said regulator CAAC.
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Volcanic ash sensor trial prepares industry for next crisis
A program to keep Europe flying safely the next time a volcanic ash cloud affects the continent's airspace is forging ahead, with trials for an airborne warning device just successfully completed near the volcanicly active Mount Etna in Sicily.
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MAS to launch premium regional carrier by 2012
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will be launching a new regional premium carrier by the second half of 2012. The short-haul carrier, yet to be named, will focus on key business routes within four hours of Kuala Lumpur, said the airline at a press conference to unveil its revamped business plan on 7 December. This means that the new carrier will connect Malaysia to key cities in South Asia and Greater China.
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US Airways CFO touts benefits of consolidation
US Airways believes in the benefits of consolidation, Chief Financial Officer Derek Kerr says. However, he did not say in a recent webcast whether the carrier was considering a merger with American Airlines. "A key thing in this industry has been consolidation. We've been a proponent of consolidation since 2005," he said.
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AMR will change management team after 3 executives depart
Three executives announced their departure from American Airlines on Tuesday, a week after the carrier's parent company, AMR Corp., filed for bankruptcy. Vice presidents Bob Reding and Mark Burdette and Chief Information Officer Monte Ford announced their retirement effective Dec. 31. Treasurer and Vice President Beverly Goulet will be named chief restructuring officer.
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Passenger traffic rises in November for Southwest, Allegiant
Southwest Airlines traffic rose 2.5% in November, capacity increased 0.7%, and load factor climbed to 81.6%. Allegiant Airlines also posted higher passenger traffic for November.
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American Airlines, OpenSkies sign code-sharing agreement
American Airlines has signed a code-sharing agreement with OpenSkies, a subsidiary of British Airways. The partnership will cover flights between Paris and Newark, N.J. OpenSkies, which operates four Boeing 757s, is a premium unit of British Airways.
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Southwest CEO says carrier will focus on productivity
The cost advantage enjoyed by Southwest Airlines has dwindled over the years as U.S. carriers have filed for bankruptcy and emerged leaner. "The sloth-like industry you remember competing against is now officially dead and buried. ... Now the enemy is our own cost creep, our own legacy-like productivity and our own inefficiencies," said Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest.
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Expedia, United Airlines sign multiyear agreement
Expedia Inc. says it has signed a multiyear agreement with United Airlines. Expedia operates Expedia.com and the Hotwire website. Expedia said the agreement would "maximize exposure for United's products and grow revenue."
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United Continental will be part of TSA's PreCheck program
Next year, elite travelers with United Continental will have the opportunity to move more quickly through airport security, Transportation Security Administration chief John Pistole says. Delta Air Lines and American Airlines already participate in the program, which allows participants who have provided personal information and flight history to often keep their shoes and coats on at screening stations.
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Other News

Austrian Airlines (OS) may have to extend its cost-cutting program as the economic outlook weakens demand. OS will save up to €100 million ($134 million) this year but this may not be enough. Lufthansa (LH) CEO Christoph Franz told OS employees last week in Vienna that LH will no longer subsidize the troubled carrier. Details were not given, but an extended cost-saving program will include all areas of the company, including possible layoffs, the Austrian daily Die Presse reported.

Air Seychelles (HM) will slash all its remaining European routes as demand weakens and competition increases. HM will stop flights from Mahe to Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa as well London Heathrow from Jan 8. Services to Paris Charles de Gaulle will be reduced from 5X to 3X weekly from January and will stop completely by March 25. HM stopped flights to Singapore Nov. 24.

Turkish Technic inked base a maintenance and services agreement and paint services agreement with SmartLynx Airlines for one C check on an Airbus A320.

Air Berlin Technik said it will perform a transit check on an Emirates Airbus A380 each day it is in Munich.

Honeywell signed a distributor agreement with commercial aircraft spare parts supplier American General Supplies. The deal is intended to make its range of avionics, mechanical components, wheels and brakes and the support of its global MRO services, readily available to commercial airline customers throughout Africa.

Beacon Industries has completed the acquisition of TECT Power's Newington, Conn.-based facility, which produces discs, shafts and hubs for aerospace and industrial gas turbines. The facility is AS9100- and ISO 9001-certified.

Embraer signed a six-year flight hour pool agreement with Aerolineas Argentinas, under which it will provide component support for the carrier’s fleet of 20 E-190s through 2017.



AVIATION QUOTE

The first time I ever saw a jet, I shot it down.

— General Chuck Yeager, USAF, describing his first confrontation with a Me262.

ON THIS DATE

December 8th

---In 1938... Germany officially launches its first aircraft carrier, the 280-foot by 89-foot Graf Zeppelin.

---In 1940... The New York City experiences its first blackout and anti-aircraft exercise, around the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

---In 1945…First flight of the Bell 47 prototype NC1H.

---In 1949…Muroc Army Airfield is renamed Edwards Air Force Base in honor of test pilot Glen Edwards.

---In 1964... A United Lines Caravelle makes the first landing in the USA completely controlled by computer (automatic touchdown).

---In 2006…NASA F/A-18 Hornet modified with Active Aeroelastic Wing is designated the X-53.



DAILY VIDEO





EDITOR’S CHOICE





HUMOR

The Pearly Gates

It seems a 727 crew had a bad day out and the poor buggers slogged into a paddy and bit the big one. The Captain F/O and S/O were, subsequent to the crash, walking up to the pearly gates to discuss their fate with the Guardian At the Gate.

The Captain, being from the old school and not well versed in CRM told his mates to wait where they were for a blink while he sorted things out with the angel at the gate. The captain, discusses the situation for awhile and comes back to the two and tells them that he's got a little good news and a little bad news. The F/O and S/O both insist on the bad news first.

"Well" he says, "the bad news is that any extra marital affairs we have had bar our entry into paradise." The F/O and the S/O start to walk away quite upset and wondering what an eternity in Hades is going to be like. The captain says "wait a minute mates don't you want to hear the good news?"

"Layovers, don't count."



TRIVIA

Nose ID

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6.


7.


8.

ANSWERS:

1. Tupolev Tu-95 (NATO:BEAR)
2. Tupolev Tu-144 Concordski
3. Tupolev Tu-128 (NATO: FIDDLER)
4. Tupolev Tu-104
5. Tupolev Tu-154M
6. Tupolev Tu-114
7. Tupolev Tu-22 (NATO: BLINDER)
8. Tupolev Tu-16 (NATO: BADGER)

Damn, I was leaving the trivia until somebody else had given it a go and totally forgot