NEWS
AF confirms cost-cutting plans, restructures operations
Air France (AF) has reiterated its Transform 2015 plans to increase productivity by 20% and expects to sign new agreements with ground personnel, flight deck and cabin crew unions at the end of June. Negotiations have been ongoing since the end of March.
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European airlines fire broadside over emissions plan
European airlines have lined up to criticize the European Union's (EU) controversial Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), warning once again that imposing it on non-EU nations and carriers risks a trade war.
The ETS is levied on all flights landing at or departing from EU airports—even if much of a sector's mileage is racked up outside EU airspace.
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Air Asia CEO eyes additional A320s to fill gap until A320neo arrives
Malyasia’s fast-growing low-cost carrier AirAsia is considering ordering more Airbus A320s until its A320neo aircraft arrive, CEO Tony Fernandes told ATW on the sidelines of Airbus Innovation Days in Toulouse, where he took delivery of the carrier’s 100th A320.
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Regulator grants ATI approval for JAL-IAG cooperation
Japan Airlines (JAL) and the International Airlines Group (IAG) have been granted antitrust immunity from the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) to cooperate commercially on flights between Europe and Japan, JAL said in a statement. The joint business, which will provide better links and more routes between the European Union and Japan, is expected to launch by late March 2013.
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Transaero, Air Astana add frequencies on Russia-Kazakhstan routes
Russia’s Transaero Airlines (UN) and Kazakhstan-based Air Astana (KC) have agreed to add one more frequency for each carrier on Moscow-Almaty (ALA) and Moscow-Astana (TSE) routes, due to growing demand. Each airline now will operate 15 flights per week between Moscow and ALA, and eight flights per week between Moscow and TSE.
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Weak demand prompts SIA to suspend AUH, ATH this fall
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will suspend services to Abu Dhabi (AUH) in the UAE and Athens (ATH), Greece this fall as a result of sustained weak performance on both routes. The last flights to both cities will depart Singapore (SIN) Oct. 26.
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IATA: Premium traffic up 8.6% in March
IATA reported that international premium traffic for March was up 8.6% compared to the year-ago growth of 2.9% recorded in March 2011, and up from 6.3% growth in February
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Virgin Atlantic to offer AeroMobile connectivity
Virgin Atlantic (VS) will launch AeroMobile connectivity onboard its Airbus A330 aircraft flying from London to New York, and on its Boeing 747 aircraft currently under refurbishment. It will offer the phone, text, email and web GPRS service on nearly 20 aircraft by the end of the year.
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Grandstar Cargo to be liquidated
Grandstar Cargo International Airlines, the joint venture launched by Sinotrans Air Transportation Development Co. and Korean Air, is expected to be liquidated due to continuous operating losses.
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AEA calls for urgent action on Single European Sky
The Assn. of European Airlines (AEA) has renewed its call for the continent's states to implement the Single European Sky (SES) system to improve air traffic control.
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Leahy: 777 cannot compete with A350-1000
The Airbus A350-1000 will beat the Boeing 777-300ER on range and fuel burn per passenger, but demand for the A350 is outstripping availability, Airbus COO-customers John Leahy said Wednesday during a media briefing in Toulouse, France.
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Other News
GECAS delivered one new Airbus A330-300 to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, one new Boeing 737-900ER to Jet Airways and three Embraer E-170s to Air France subsidiary Régional Compagnie Aérienne Européenne.
Skyworld Aviation has been appointed remarketing agent for two ex-Colgan Airways Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft.
Avolon has acquired two Airbus A321 aircraft, to be leased to US Airways this year.
Norwegian Air Shuttle has leased an additional two Boeing 787-8s, taking its total fleet to eight.
An Etihad Airways Airbus A332 has performed the first Required Navigation Performance Authorization Required (RNP-AR) approach to Abu Dhabi Airport.
Russia’s UTair will lease eight Boeing 767-200ERs, the company said in a statement.
Vienna-based Austrian Airlines will combine its ground operations and hub management as it continues its $220 million restructuring program.
Timisoara based Carpatairon May 25 introduced its first Boeing 737 aircraft, configured in 148 seats, on the Timisoara-Milan route.
Air Lease Corp. (ALC) has executed transactions covering 11 twin-aisle aircraft and two single-aisle aircraft. It purchased eight new Boeing 787-9 aircraft for lease to Vietnam Airlines; purchased one 777-300ER from Macquarie Aviation on long-term lease to Emirates; one incremental Airbus A330-200 on long-term lease to KLM; one A330-300 on long-term lease to Sichuan Airlines; a four-year extension from Sichuan on one A319 on lease from ALC; and one Embraer E-190 leased to LAM.
Southern Air Holdings has taken delivery of its fourth Boeing 777F, for use on its new round-the-world service, Hong Kong-Los Angeles-Leipzig-Hong Kong.
Novus Aviation has purchased a new Boeing 777-300ER, leased to Emirates. It is the second new aircraft delivery for Novus Aviation this year, following its acquisition of a new A330-300HGW leased to Malaysian Airlines.
AVIATION QUOTE
If an airplane is still in one piece, don't cheat on it. Ride the bastard down.
— Ernest K. Gann, advice from the 'old pelican,' 'The Black Watch,' 1989.
ON THIS DATE
---In 1908... The first passenger flight in Europe occurs as Henri Farman takes up Ernest Archdeacon for a brief flight at Issy-les-Moulineaux, France.
---In 1925... Alan Cobham lands the prototype de Havilland D.H.60 Moth after flying 1,000 miles to Zurich, Switzerland and back to Croydon, England in a single day.
---In 1934... The Collier trophy for the year’s outstanding aviation achievement is awarded in Washington, D.C. to Hamilton Standard Propeller Company for the development of the controllable-pitch propeller.
---In 1940…First flight of the Chance Vought XF4U-1.
---In 1951... Capt. Charles Blair lands in his F-51 piston-engined Mustang after making the first solo flight across the North Pole in a single-engined aircraft, from Bardufoss, Norway to Fairbanks, Alaska, covering 3,375 miles in 10 hours, 29 minutes.
---In 1968… CMSGT Bill Gormick starts tie-cutting tradition of Habu crews neck-ties.
---In 1974… Luna 22, USSR Lunar Orbiter, launched. Successfully entered lunar orbit.
---In 1987… Mathias Rust, 19 years old, a West German pilot, shocks people by landing his Cessna 172 plane in Red Square, Moscow.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
The Dustoff Pilot
He was a ragged looking old man who shuffled into the bar that afternoon. Ragged, fat old geezer, walked like he had no feeling left in his peripheral neuropathy diabetic legs. His arthritic hands shook as he took the "Piano Player Wanted" sign from the window and gave it to the bartender.
I'd like to apply for the job, ' Ken said.
The bartender wasn't too sure about this doubtful looking old guy, but it had been awhile since he had a player and business was falling off.
'What do you do?' he asked.
I used to be a Dustoff helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army was the answer. Now real unsure, the bartender decided to give him a try...he really needed more business. 'The piano is over there...give it a go.'
The old man staggered his way over to the piano and several patrons snickered.
By the time he was into the third bar of music, every voice was silenced. What followed was a rhapsody of sound and music unlike anyone had ever heard in the bar before. When he finished, there wasn't a dry eye in the place.
The bartender brought the old Medevac pilot a beer and said that he sounded really really good. 'What do you call that?' he asked. 'It's call "Drop Your Panties, Baby, We're Gonna Rock Tonight,' said the old pilot as he took a long pull from the beer.
'I got another, and he began to play again. What followed was a knee slappin', hand-clappin' bit of ragtime that had the place jumping. People were coming in from the street to hear this guy play. After he finished, the Dustoff pilot acknowledged the applause and told the crowd that the song was called "Big Boobs Make My Rotors Dance.'
He then excused himself as he lurched off to the men's room. After thinking a bit, the bartender decided to hire the guy, no matter how bad he looked or what his songs were called.
When the guy came out of the men's room, the bartender went over to tell him he had the job, but noticed that the old fighter pilot's fly was undone and his member was hanging out.
He said, 'The job is yours, but first I got to ask, do you know your fly is open and your willy is hanging out?'
'Know it?' the pilot replied, 'Hell, I wrote it!'
TRIVIA
General Trivia
1. Why is it that VFR pilots flying in Class B airspace are required only to remain clear of clouds but when operating in Class C, D, or E airspace must remain specified distances from clouds?
2. GPS was to have been used exclusively by the U.S. military. What event caused President Ronald Reagan to make GPS available to private and commercial aviation?
3. Grumman Aircraft designed and manufactured three popular twin-engine amphibians for the civilian market, the G–21, the G–44, and the G–73. What were the names of these models?
4. Under what conditions was it suggested that a pilot in the United States fly triangular patterns with two-minute legs?
5. Why is there a copper penny welded to the front of many Pratt & Whitney radial engines?
6. What was the first aviation instrument that enabled pilots to fly on instruments?
7. Name the first aircraft manufacturer to employ the use of leading-edge slats and slots.
8. When we think of Japanese military aircraft from World War II, the name Mitsubishi usually comes quickly to mind. How many of the other eight Japanese aircraft manufacturers can you name?
3. Grumman Aircraft designed and manufactured three popular twin-engine amphibians for the civilian market, the G–21, the G–44, and the G–73. What were the names of these models?
8. When we think of Japanese military aircraft from World War II, the name Mitsubishi usually comes quickly to mind. How many of the other eight Japanese aircraft manufacturers can you name?
