NEWS
A jetBlue A320 captain subdued by passengers
Passengers on board a JetBlue flight were forced to subdue the captain Tuesday after he began to exhibit "erratic behavior," including screaming "they're going to take us down," according to the passengers. JetBlue Flight 191, which was headed from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to Las Vegas, made an emergency landing in Amarillo, Texas, due to what the airline called a "medical situation."
DISCUSS HERE
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Iran Air lines up three Boeing 747-300s
Iran Air has acquired the first of three Boeing 747-300s from Al Sayegh Airlines. The 1986-vintage aircraft (MSN 23408), which is still in storage, has been registered in Gambia since February 2012, according to sources. UAE-based Sayegh Group, which owns Kyrgyzstan-based Al Sayegh Airlines, says: "Please [note] that Sayegh Group sold the three 747-300[s] to an aviation company, but not to Iran."
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AMR Corp. should exit bankruptcy by end of 2012, CEO says
Tom Horton, the CEO of AMR Corp., wants to quickly move the company through bankruptcy proceedings. Horton would like to wrap up the bankruptcy for the parent company of American Airlines by the end of 2012. "We must do this right," Horton said. "We must do it only once, and we must be sure that the company is profitable, successful and growing coming out the other side."
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Former union leaders encourage Air Canada pilots to negotiate
Former union leaders are urging Air Canada pilots to embrace the "new realities" of the airline industry and return to the negotiating table. "Nobody likes change, but change is coming," said a memo signed by 27 former leaders of the Air Canada Pilots Association.
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Dubai’s dedicated Emirates A380 terminal to open in 2013
Emirates Airline’s (EK) dedicated Airbus A380 terminal at Dubai International (DXB) will open Jan. 1, 2013, Executive VP-passenger sales Thierry Antinori confirmed to ATW. “At this new facility we can offer 20 A380 parking positions,” Antinori said. Emirates will take delivery of 11 A380s and 20 Boeing 777-300ERs this year. The carrier operates 170 widebody aircraft.
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Japan Airlines, JetBlue Airways agree to code-share
JetBlue Airways and Japan Airlines have signed an agreement to code-share a flight from Tokyo to Boston. Japan Airlines plans to launch the flight April 22. The code-share agreement is awaiting approval from the Department of Transportation.
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Embraer could suffer from American Eagle plan, Moody's says
American Eagle's plan to replace smaller jets with a fleet of larger planes could affect Embraer, according to Moody's Investors Service. "The value of small regional jets will be adversely affected as significant numbers of these aircraft are remarketed," Moody's said.
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FAA changes break-even forecast for NextGen to 2020
The Federal Aviation Administration has changed its break-even point for NextGen to 2020, from 2018 in a previous forecast. However, the FAA said NextGen remains an important goal. "Recognizing that NextGen provides improvements is not enough ... we must also understand that without NextGen we will not be able to sustain the performance of the U.S. airspace system and economy will suffer," the FAA said.
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Cargolux unions against bigger control by Qatar Airways
Tensions are rising at Cargolux International Airlines over the increased influence of Qatar Airways, which is reportedly willing to increase its shareholding to 49% from 35% via a capital increase.
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Boeing to Deliver Eight 747-8 VIPs in 2012 as Jet Enters Service
Boeing Co. (BA) expects to deliver eight 747-8 planes to VIP customers this year, as the newest version of its biggest plane enters service. The tally includes one jumbo jet that was handed over last month, Steve Taylor, the president of its private-aircraft unit, told reporters today at the ABACE business-jet show in Shanghai. The planemaker will also deliver four Boeing Business Jets, he said.
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House members criticize TSA, accuse it of "ineffectiveness"
Members of Congress berated officials of the Transportation Security Administration on Monday, saying that the agency wastes taxpayers' money on faulty equipment and calls treatment of some passengers improper. During a joint committee hearing, House members related stories from passengers who complained of harsh treatment from TSA employees.
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Aer Lingus eyes bmi Heathrow slots
Aer Lingus sees an opportunity in Lufthansa’s divestment of British Midland International (bmi) to expand its slot portfolio at London Heathrow.
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Delta launches Basic Economy fare class
Delta Air Lines has added a fare class called Basic Economy to its offerings. Passengers are not allowed to choose their own seats, and cannot make changes or receive refunds for the fares. But Delta said the fare class was "ideal for travelers who seek the lowest fare option, do not intend to make changes and do not consider seat choice an important part of their travel experience."
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Russian, Belarusian authorities dispute bilateral agreement changes
Russian and Belarusian aviation authorities will negotiate changes in their bilateral agreement Thursday after a dispute stopped flights between the countries for several hours Tuesday. Although details are still not clear, the conflict revolved around the number of frequencies on the Moscow-Minsk (MSQ) route. According to the agreement, the number of carriers on each side can be different but the number of frequencies should be equal.
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Airlines for America formally ends EU ETS lawsuit
Airlines for America (A4A) said Tuesday it will no longer pursue its lawsuit against aviation's inclusion in the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), and instead will back efforts by Congress and the Obama administration to challenge the EU on the issue.
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Other News
Panasonic Avionics has taken a majority stake in in-flight connectivity pioneer AeroMobile Communications.
China Eastern Airlines reported a net profit of CNY4.58 billion ($722 million) in 2011, down 7.7% from CNY4. 96 billion in 2010, due to rising fuel prices and competition from China’s high speed rail system.
Israeli manufacturer UAS Technologies has unveiled a new unmanned air system design in conjunction with training specialist Simlat.
Star Alliance will debut its new common seat platform on three carriers over the next year. Air China, Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa will roll-out the Star Plus seat, which has been developed as a joint platform for the alliance members.
Tour operator Thomas Cook Group has announced its selection of Rockwell Collins (stand 6B1) Paves 3 in-flight entertainment (IFE) for 71 Airbus A320s and A321s. The deal includes the Paves 3 High-Definition Media Server, 12" widescreen overhead monitors, and WiFi-enabled content applications and web pages.
The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation into United Technology Corp.’s proposed acquisition of Goodrich after its preliminary investigation indicated potential competition concerns, the European Commission said Tuesday.
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AVIATION QUOTE
The pilot who teaches himself has a fool for a student.
— Robert Livingston, Flying The Aeronca.
ON THIS DATE
---In 1843... William Samuel Henson (1805-1888) receives the patent and publishes in London his design for an Aerial Steam Carriage. This is the first reasoned, formulated, and detailed design for a propeller-driven aircraft.
---In 1908... Leon Delagrange makes the first passenger flight, taking Farman aboard his Voisin biplane at Issy-les-Moulieaux.
--In 1910... The first flight of Henri Fabre’s Hydroavion, the first powered seaplane in the world, takes place at La Mède harbor, Martigues, France. The hydroplane flies for about 1,600 ft. at the maximum height of 7 ft.
--- In 1936... National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) commences operational use of the newly constructed 8-ft.-high speed tunnel (8-Foot HST) at the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, Langley, Virginia. Built as a companion to the full scale tunnel capable of simulated speeds of up to 118 mph, the new facility can test models and components to 577 mph (Mach 0.75).
---In 1948…United States Air Force B-29 Superfortresses undergo aerial refueling tests, demonstrating the viability of this technique to extend the range of strategic bombers.
---In 1961… Air Afrique is formed.
---In 1980… The 1,000th production Learjet is delivered.
---In 1981…First flight of the Dornier 228 D-IFNS.
---In 1985… International Cometary Explorer measures solar wind ahead of Halley.
---In 1985… STS-51-D vehicle moves to launch pad.
---In 1993… Type II supernova detected in M81 (NGC 3031).
---In 2005… Chicago Express Airlines, also known as ATA Connection, ceased operations.
---In 2010…Air One becomes a separate “Low Fare” carrier, from Alitialia.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
You Might Be An Airplane Mechanic If…
You've ever slept on the concrete under a wing.
You've ever said "Oh yes sir, its supposed to look like that"
You know what JP4 or 145 octane tastes like.
You've ever used a black grease pencil to fix an overworked tire.
You have a better bench-stock in the pockets of your coveralls then the supply system.
You've ever used a piece of safety wire as a toothpick.
You've ever been told to go get "some prop wash and a yard of flightline."
You've ever worked a 14 hour shift on an aircraft that isn't flying the next day.
You can sleep anywhere, anytime, but as soon as the engines shut down you are wide awake.
You've ever stood on wheel chocks to keep your feet dry.
Used dikes to trim fingernails.
Wiped leaks immediately prior to crew show.
Wondered where they keep finding the idiots that keep making up stupid rules.
You've ever had to de-fuel an aircraft an hour after refueling it.
You've used a wheel chock as a hammer.
You know more about your coworkers than your own family.
You ever wished the pilot would say "Great Airplane".
You've ever wondered why it takes a college degree to break an airplane but only a high school diploma to fix one.
You have used a wooden chock as a pillow while sleeping on a pushback tug.
You have scuba dived a lav tank to remove everything under the sun.
You have had a pilot ask you why the valve stems on all the tires are not the same size.
You have had a steering bypass pin fall out during a blinding snowstorm while in a near red-line turn.....BOOM!!!
You have had a starter hang while performing a manual start on a RC-130!!!!
You just screwed up something really expensive.....D'OH!!!!
You have seen the "northern lights" inside the cabin while being shocked by a ballast (200v).
You have had fire lick the back of your neck after getting that INOP APU FINALLY started (tub removed).
You have told someone that you are an aircraft mechanic only to have them say, "But not on the engines...right?"
You have been blamed by management for looking where you were NOT SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING.
You have wanted to put your foot up a pilot's ass on many occasions.
You have wished that you had chosen a different career.
TRIVIA
General Trivia
1. W.W. Windstaff was a fighter pilot for Great Britain during World War I. What did he say that is so well known that he is unwittingly quoted by almost every pilot?
2. What was Grumman’s first monoplane, and what was its first multiengine airplane?
3. What is a good reason to always leave the rotating beacon switch in the On position even when the airplane is parked, the master switch is off, and no one is in the airplane?
4. Just as B is the designation for Air Force bombers, RS is the designation for reconnaissance aircraft. Why, then, are the letters reversed in the designation of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, which also is a “recon” aircraft?
5. A pilot climbs into the cockpit of his airplane and has reason to believe that his manifold pressure gauge is in error. How can he determine the amount of instrument error, if any, without turning on the master switch or operating the engine?
6. Who were the Night Witches?
CO777ER wrote:4. President Lyndon B. Johnson publicly and erroneously referred to the new Lockheed RS-71 as the SR-71. So as not to embarrass the president, the aircraft was henceforth designated as the SR-71.
CO777ER wrote:
5. He can turn the altimeter-setting knob until the altimeter indicates field elevation. The ambient atmospheric pressure will be indicated in the Kollsman (altimeter-setting) window, and this is what the manifold pressure gauge should indicate when the engine is not running.
