NEWS
Wreck found of Russia jet on Indonesia demo flight
CIDAHU, Indonesia (AP) — Search and rescue teams found the wreckage a Russian-made passenger plane on a mountain Thursday after it disappeared during a demonstration flight in western Indonesia. The conditions of the 48 people on board are not known. Helicopters had resumed a search halted earlier because of bad weather. They saw the wreckage along a cliff on the mist-shrouded mountain, Maj. Ali Umri Lubis, of Atang Sanjaya Air base, told Metro TV. "The helicopter just informed us that they spotted the wreckage about 10 minutes ago," Lubis said. "It was at about 5,000 feet. The condition of the wreckage is still unclear." The Sukhoi Superjet-100, Russia's first new passenger jet since the fall of the Soviet Union two decades ago, left Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon for what was supposed to be the second demonstration flight of the day. Potential buyers and journalists were on board.
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Singapore Airlines fiscal-year profit sinks 69%
Singapore Airlines Group (SIA) reported net income of S$336 ($269.5 million) for its fiscal year ended March 31, a 69% drop from a S$1.09 net profit in the prior year. It also sunk to a fiscal fourth-quarter net deficit of S$38.2 million, reversed from a S$171 million profit in the 2011 March quarter.
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Turkish close to finalizing LOT investment decision
Turkish Airlines, which has been in negotiations with LOT Polish Airlines about buying a stake in the airline, is close to finalizing a decision.
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Canada’s Triple Five mulls majority stake in Cyprus Airways
Cyprus Airways (CY) has affirmed that Canadian conglomerate Triple Five is interested in acquiring a majority stake in the Cypriot airline. In a statement, CY said that Triple Five had expressed an interest in a letter dated May 4 and requested information about the airline’s financial situation and business activities, as well as other relevant data.
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Europe moves to second phase of Mode S implementation
Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) Mode S Elementary Surveillance (ELS) implementation in Europe has been expanded to include a much great number of flights, taking the initiative into its second phase.
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US airlines report 1Q loss of $1.73 billion, down 74%
Airlines for America (A4A) said Wednesday that the 10 US passenger airlines that have reported first-quarter results incurred an aggregate net loss of $1.73 billion, down 74% from a net deficit of $1 billion in the March 2011 quarter.
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Singapore Air Posts Q4 Loss, No Quick Fix
Singapore Airlines swung to an unexpected fourth-quarter loss, battered by weak demand and high jet fuel prices, putting further pressure on chief executive Goh Choon Phong to turn around the airline.
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Gun Parts Found In Child's Toys At US Airport
Authorities are investigating how gun parts and bullets ended up hidden inside a 4-year-old boy's Mickey Mouse doll and stuffed animals he was carrying aboard a plane in Rhode Island.
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Lufthansa Sticks With Berlin Expansion Plan
Lufthansa said it was in talks with Tegel airport in Berlin to secure more slots following news that the opening of the new Brandenburg airport in Germany's capital will be delayed.
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Indian Carriers Default On Airport Charges
All but two major airlines in India have defaulted on paying airport charges, civil aviation minister Ajit Singh said on Wednesday.
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Skin friction challenge demands active drag control
On all three key fronts in aviation's battle against fuel burn - aircraft weight, engine efficiency and drag - there are promising applications of nanomaterials. However, as a recent London conference on uses of these billionth-metre-scale particles was told, while nano-enabled materials are the focus of much practical research into making structural materials lighter and more durable - and even better-performing in the intense heat of a jet engine - when it comes to drag reduction it is proving remarkably difficult to turn theoretical benefits into practical advances.
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Australia confirms A$1.4 billion deal for 10 C-27Js
Australia has confirmed that it will obtain 10 Alenia C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft for A$1.4 billion ($1.4 billion) through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Mechanism. "The C-27J was assessed by Defence as the aircraft which best met all the essential capability requirements and provides the best value for money," Australia's Department of Defence says in a statement. "It was assessed as being able to fly further, faster, higher while carrying more cargo and requiring a smaller runway than the other aircraft under consideration, the Airbus Military C-295."
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United Continental aims for cost savings with fleet, CFO says
John Rainey, the chief financial officer of United Continental Holdings, says owning a fleet of aircraft made by one manufacturer saves money. "It helps from a maintenance perspective. It helps from a scheduling perspective," Rainey said. The carrier flies aircraft from Boeing and Airbus.
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AMR flies fewer passengers in April, trims capacity
AMR Corp. reported a 0.2% drop in passenger traffic for April for its American Airlines and American Eagle. The company trimmed capacity by 3.2% for the month; its load factor rose 2.5% in April to 82.9%. While domestic passenger traffic fell by 2.2%, international passenger traffic increased by 1.8% for the month.
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Southwest marks decade of service by AirTran in Wichita, Kan.
Southwest Airlines held a celebration to mark a decade of service in Wichita, Kan., by AirTran Airways. Southwest acquired AirTran last year, but plans to continue flying to Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. AirTran aircraft will eventually bear Southwest's name in Wichita.
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Forecast: Record number of international travelers will fly in summer
A record number of people are expected to take international flights on U.S. carriers this summer, according to Airlines for America. A4A estimates that 26.8 million passengers will board international flights. "Customers are benefiting from record airline operational performance and greater access to the global economy while fares continue to trail the price of other services," said A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio.
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Transport Workers Union will vote on AMR contract
The Transport Workers Union, which represents mechanics, technicians and ground workers at AMR Corp., are slated to begin voting on a contract this week. The six-year contract offers 7.5% wage increases, but would lay off about 1,000 workers and outsource some maintenance tasks.
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U.S. issues security guidance to international airports, airlines
The U.S. on Tuesday reminded some international airports and air carriers about security steps for travelers bound for the U.S., urging them to protect against threats from liquid explosives and explosives hidden inside a traveler's body. Department of Homeland Security spokesman Matt Chandler said the purpose of the guidance was "to underscore the importance of these ongoing measures to air carriers and foreign government partners." He also said that the department knew of no credible threat or plot against the U.S.
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DHS: Scanners could detect latest underwear bomb
A Department of Homeland Security official says scanners in place at U.S. airports are capable of detecting a sophisticated underwear bomb that authorities say was made by al-Qaida's Yemeni affiliate. However, some officials say that older metal detectors, which are still used at some airports, might not detect the device. Since 2007, the Transportation Security Administration has installed about 700 full-body scanners at 180 U.S. airports.
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Alaska Airlines is adding lighter seats to save on fuel costs
Alaska Airlines is adding thinner seats designed by Recaro Aircraft Seating in 22 new Boeing 737-900ERs arriving next year. Alaska estimates that the lighter seats, which weigh nearly a third less than comparable seats and have won industry awards for comfort, will save the airline as much as 8,000 gallons of jet fuel per aircraft per year.
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Other News
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, parent of ACMI cargo carriers Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo, posted a first-quarter net income of $12.8 million, up 21.9% from $10.5 million in the year-ago period.
Vision Airlines will operate Boeing 737 service to Myrtle Beach, SC from Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Toledo, OH; Columbus, OH: Indianapolis, IN; Louisville, KY; Nashville, TN; and Springfield, IL May 31-Oct. 31.
Turkish Airlines has launched 4X-weekly Istanbul Ataturk-Bremen service, increasing to daily May 28.
Aeromexico will launch daily Mexico City-Washington Dulles Boeing 737 service May 21.
Lufthansa will launch 2X-daily Munich-Rotterdam Bombardier CRJ900 service Oct. 1, operated by LH CityLine.
British Airways will begin once daily E170 service between LCY and IOM on May 28th.
GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A., the largest low-cost and low-fare airline in Latin America, is the first Brazilian airline to use RNP-AR-Approach (Required Navigation Performance), which reduces noise, cuts flight times, saves fuel and, consequently, diminishes the atmospheric emission of polluting gases. Last Saturday, on May 5th 2012, the Company conducted the operational validation flight and obtained authorization from ANAC (Brazil's civil aviation authority) to utilize the RNP-AR-Approach procedures designed by DECEA (Airspace Control Department) at Santos Dumont Airport, in Rio de Janeiro. Currently, GOL is training the crew for this operation, expected to be fully implemented by July 2012.
Boeing (BA) today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Inmedius, a provider of software applications and services for managing and sharing information and learning content. Terms of the transaction, announced on April 26, were not disclosed. Inmedius will be integrated into Continental DataGraphics (CDG), a subsidiary of Boeing Commercial Aviation Services. Inmedius President and CEO Gary L. Schaffer will continue to lead the business, reporting to CDG President and CEO David Malmo. Inmedius has approximately 75 employees and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., with offices in the United Kingdom and India. Headquartered in Long Beach, Ca., CDG has more than 1,200 employees worldwide, with offices in multiple locations across the U.S., United Kingdom and India.
Copa Holdings, S.A., today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2012(1Q12). The terms "Copa Holdings" or "the Company" refer to the consolidated entity. The following financial information, unless otherwise indicated, is presented in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). See the accompanying reconciliation of non-IFRS financial information to IFRS financial information included in financial tables section of this earnings release. Unless otherwise stated, all comparisons with prior periods refer to the first quarter of 2011 (1Q11).
OPERATING AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
---Copa Holdings reported net income of US$95.9 million for 1Q12, or diluted earnings per share (EPS) of US$2.16. Excluding special items, Copa Holdings would have reported an adjusted net income of $90.6 million, or $2.04 per share, a 10.5% increase over adjusted net income of US$82.0 million and US$1.86 per share for 1Q11.
---Operating income for 1Q12 came in at US$111.6 million, a 12.0% increase over operating income of US$99.6 million in 1Q11. Operating margin for the period came in at 20.5%, compared to 23.7% in 1Q11, mostly as a result of a 19.5% increase in the effective price of jet fuel.
---Total revenues increased 29.5% to US$543.3 million, outpacing a strong capacity expansion. Yield per passenger mile increased 6.8% to 17.7 cents and operating revenue per available seat mile (RASM) increased 5.5% to 14.2 cents, despite a 15.6% increase in average length of haul.
---For 1Q12, robust demand trends resulted in passenger traffic (RPMs) growth of 22.4% on a 22.8% capacity expansion. Consolidated load factor came in at 77.2%, or 0.2 percentage point below 1Q11.---Operating cost per available seat mile (CASM) increased 9.9%, from 10.3 cents in 1Q11 to 11.3 cents in 1Q12. CASM, excluding fuel costs, increased 4.2% to 6.8 cents, mainly due to increased passenger servicing and aircraft rental costs.
---Cash, short term and long term investments ended 1Q12 at US$647.8 million, representing 33% of the last twelve months' revenues.
---During the first quarter, Copa Airlines took delivery of four Boeing 737-800 aircraft. As a result, Copa Holdings ended the quarter with a consolidated fleet of 77 aircraft.
---For 1Q12, Copa Holdings reported consolidated on-time performance of 85.9% and a flight-completion factor of 99.6%, maintaining its position among the best in the industry.
International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), a wholly owned subsidiary of American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG - News), announced it completed a total of 65 lease transactions and took delivery of ten new Boeing 737-800s during the first quarter of 2012. These transactions include extensions and placements from ILFC’s existing fleet, which today includes nearly 200 customers in more than 80 countries.
AVIATION QUOTE
The quality of the box matters little. Success depends upon the man who sits in it.
— Baron Manfred von Richthofen, AKA The Red Baron.
ON THIS DATE
---In 1810... Astronomer Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel appointed director of Frederick William III of Prussia's Königsberg Observatory and professor of astronomy.
---In 1897… Konstantin Eduardovitch Tsiolkovsky (Russian Rocketry Pioneer) created his calculations about space flight theory.
---In 1919... The recently formed Avro Transport Company in Manchester opens Britain’s first scheduled air service. A fare of four guineas (£4.20) is being charged for the journey of 50 miles. The company is using four of Avro 504K aircraft, modified to carry two passengers.
---In 1950…First flight of the de Havilland Heron G-ALZL.
---In 1961... A Convair B-58A cruises at a speed of 1,302mph (2,095kph) and wins the Blériot trophy, created 30 years ago for the first airplane to maintain a speed of more than 2,000 kph for more than 30 minutes in a closed circuit.
---In 1970… SR-71 (969) was lost due to a pitch up accident due to an improper center of gravity problem near Bangkok Thailand. Pilot Willie Lawson and RSO Gil Martinez survived. (Q)
---In 1971… Kosmos 419, USSR Mars Probe, launched. Failed to leave Earth orbit.
---In 1972…First flight of the Fairchild YA-10 71-1369.
---In 1983... Airspur Helicopters introduces the Westland 30 helicopter into scheduled airline service.
---In 1988… Airbus A300's are delivered to American Airlines and they enter service with American Airlines.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
New French Threat Levels
The French Government has established new internal threat levels. Unlike the US the French only have four such levels. They are, from low to high:
• RUN
• HIDE
• SURRENDER
• COLLABORATE
On Saturday, in light of the Madrid bombing, France has raised its terror alert level from "RUN" to "HIDE."
TRIVIA
General Trivia
1. True or false; The highest-scoring non-German fighter ace of all time was an American.
2. True or false; When Buzz Aldrin left the lunar lander, Eagle, to join Neil Armstrong on the lunar surface during the Apollo 11 mission, he had to be careful not to close Eagle’s door because it did not have an outer handle.
3. True or false; It is possible to fly a conventional airplane in such a way as to reduce its stall speed to 0 knots.
4. From reader Richard Somers: An airline mechanic is taxiing a Boeing 747 from a maintenance hangar across an active runway and along active taxiways to the terminal building. He is required to have
a. an FAA pilot certificate.
b. an FAA taxi certificate.
c. a driver’s license.
d. None of the above.
5. Orville and Wilbur Wright were the first and second pilots to fly an airplane. The third person was:
a. American.
b. Brazilian.
c. British.
d. French.
6. Dynamic hydroplaning occurs when water cannot get out of the way of rolling tires fast enough and literally lifts the tires off the runway surface. The speed above which this occurs depends on the
a. gross weight of the airplane.
b. tire footprint area.
c. tire pressure.
d. depth of the water.
