News
BA to have 469-seat A380s and 214-seat 787-8s
British Airways has revealed that its Airbus A380s will have a four-class layout with 469 seats, comprising 212 on the upper deck and 257 on the lower. It has also disclosed that its Boeing 787-8s will be fitted with 214 seats in three classes. But the carrier has yet to identify the routes on which the jets will be deployed. The initial destinations will be unveiled in spring 2013.
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Jet Airways could convert 787-8s on order to -9s
Indian carrier Jet Airways could convert its orders for the Boeing 787-8s to the larger -9 variant. The carrier's 10 -8s on order are scheduled to be delivered starting 2014, Dinesh Keskar, Boeing Commercial Airplanes' senior vice-president of Asia-Pacific and India sales said.
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IAG formally begins tender offer for Vueling
International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent of British Airways and Iberia, has asked Spain's National Securities Market Commission to authorise its proposed acquisition of Vueling Airlines. Acting through a fully-owned company called Veloz Holdco, the group plans to acquire 16.2 million shares in Barcelona-based Vueling, amounting to 54.14% of the Spanish carrier's total capital. The remaining stake is already owned by Iberia.
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Cyprus Court Orders Retrial Over Greek Air Disaster
Cyprus's highest court on Tuesday ordered a retrial for now defunct airline Helios and former senior executives who were acquitted of charges over a 2005 crash in Greece that killed 121 people.
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Ryanair CEO Confident On Aer Lingus Changes
Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said on Tuesday he is confident the European Commission will accept a package of remedies offered to obtain approval for its proposed acquisition of Irish rival Aer Lingus.
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Kingfisher In Stake Sale Talks With Etihad, Others
Kingfisher Airlines said on Tuesday it was in talks with Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways and other investors about taking a stake in the grounded and indebted Indian carrier.
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New Dubai Airport To Open End-2013
Dubai's new Al Maktoum Airport, which began cargo operations two years ago, expects to open its long-delayed passenger terminal by the end of 2013, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum said on Tuesday. Sheikh Ahmed is president of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and chairman of Dubai Airports.
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Qatar Airways amends Airbus A350 XWB order
Qatar Airways has altered its order for the forthcoming Airbus A350 XWB, moving to the larger models in the range. The fast-expanding Arab carrier had previously ordered 80 aircraft spread across the three-model range—20 A350-800s, 40 -900s and 20 -1000s. Qatar’s amended order comprises 43 -900s and 37 -1000s. Qatar is the latest of several airlines to change its order from the smaller -800 version to the larger-capacity models.
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Austrian Airlines to cut 150 administrative jobs
Austrian Airlines Group is cutting 150 administrative positions as part of its €260 million ($337.8 million) restructuring program. The measures—which also include eliminating redundancies in the flight operations of Tyrolean Airways and technical processes—will result in more than €10 million in savings. Tyrolean Airways MD Gaudenz Ambühl called the move “highly painful.” However, he said “it is one that our restructuring makes inevitable. This makes it possible for us to realize all of the savings in costs enabled by the operational transition. These measures have been widely expected. They will now eliminate the redundancies found in operations.”
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AMR's restructuring is "essentially complete," CEO says
With new labor contracts in place for its unionized workers, American Airlines parent company AMR is nearing the end of its bankruptcy restructuring, CEO Thomas Horton said in an interview. Details regarding the company's capital structure and a possible merger with US Airways Group remain to be worked out, but Horton said he expects the company to emerge from bankruptcy soon.
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Sandy caused $50 million in revenue loss, United says
United Continental Holdings has reported that superstorm Sandy led to a loss of $50 million in revenue for the carrier. Passenger traffic was down 2.3%, and the airline estimates a decrease in passenger revenue per available seat mile of 1% to 2% for November when compared to last year.
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US Airways adds second destination in Brazil
US Airways is expanding its market in South America, with the addition of service to Sao Paulo, Brazil. The new route will fly out of Charlotte, N.C., the carrier's largest hub. US Airways already has a nonstop route to Rio de Janeiro, also from Charlotte.
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Aviation experts say Boeing's Dreamliner issues are minor hiccups
The failure of an electric generator midflight last week on the same day that the Federal Aviation Administration ordered all 787 fuel lines to be inspected could be considered normal for new jet models on the market by some. Support by United CEO Jeff Smisek remains. "There is a tremendous amount of promise for customers preferring this airplane over others," he said. "It still has a new-plane smell."
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Washington is "difficult," ALPA's president says
Lee Moak was elected national president of the Air Line Pilots Association after six years as chairman of the Delta chapter. "If you compare Washington with Wall Street, on Wall Street everybody is interested in getting a deal done as soon as possible and moving forward. In Washington, some people want to get a deal done, but there is a cottage industry devoted to slowing things down and making sure you get nothing done. If you're trying to get something done quickly, Washington is going to frustrate you," he said in an interview.
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Russian air force receives first Su-30SM fighters
The Russian air force has taken delivery of its first two Sukhoi Su-30SM multirole fighters, with the pair having been delivered to the service's test and evaluation centre at Akhtubinsk, the nation's defense ministry said on 5 December.
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Russia delivers India's first upgraded MiG-29s
Russia's RAC MiG has handed over the first three upgraded MiG-29UPG fighters to India, as part of a $900 million contract to modernize New Delhi's air force fleet of 69 of the type. "The first three aircraft have been transported to India on board an [Antonov] An-124 heavy-lift transport plane," RAC MiG said on 10 December.
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USAF launches X-37B into orbit
The US Air Force launched a Boeing X-37B space plane on 11 December from the Kennedy space center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The unmanned vehicle was carried into orbit onboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at around 13:00 Eastern Time. This particular X-37B, one of two examples built, is on its second flight according to manufacturer Boeing. "The second mission for OTV-1 [Orbital Test Vehicle-1] demonstrates the vehicle is capable of multiple missions and affordable access to space," says Paul Rusnock, vice president of Boeing government space systems.
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Other News
Turkish Airlines last week inaugurated its 5X-weekly Boeing 737-900ER Istanbul-Kilimanjaro-Mombasa-Ataturk flights, bringing the number of destinations in Africa to 33. Speaking onboard the inaugural flight, CEO Temel Kotil said, “Soon our network in Africa will show 40 destinations. In all, 50 cities will be served from Ataturk, which is a good number.”
American Airlines has taken delivery of its first Boeing 777-300ER as part of the airline's fleet modernization effort and global network strategy. The delivery makes the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier the first US airline to add the 777-300ER to its fleet. The aircraft will enter service in early 2013 on the Dallas Fort Worth-Sao Paulo route.
Three European airline associations have called on the European Parliament to increase competition in the ground handling market. The groups—Association of European Airlines (AEA), the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) and the International Air Carrier Association (IACA)—are urging Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to vote in favor of the ground handling regulation, which is part of the “Better Airports” package to be debated Tuesday afternoon. The package includes a policy summary document and three legislative measures on ground-handling, slots, and noise. The MEPs will vote on the package Dec. 12. The ground handling regulation is intended to increase the number of ground handling companies—both third-party (specialized ground handling companies) and self-handlers (an airline or airport’s own ground handlers)—at Europe’s airports. In particular, for airports with more than 5 million passengers or 100,000 tonnes of freight per year, this limit cannot be fewer than three companies; for self-handlers, the market is fully opened. Today the number of self-handlers can be limited to no fewer than two at airports with more than 2 million passengers.
The São Paulo government has launched a bid for the construction of a much-anticipated rail link between downtown São Paulo and São Paulo-Guarulhos Airport. The rail link is estimated to open by the end of 2014. São Paulo-Guarulhos Airport reported 30 million boarding passengers in 2011. The rail link will extend the São Paulo existing railway system 11 km. (6.1 miles). Local observers said residents are unhappy the rail line will not provide exclusive services for airport passengers, as it mainly will serve residents of the metropolitan area of São Paulo. It will board an estimated 120,000 passengers daily between intermediate train stations. Another concern is that, contrary to the original project, the airport train station will not be built adjacent to terminals 1 and 2, allowing passengers to walk in into the terminals, but will be 2 km. away by terminal 4.
FL Technics has signed a letter of intent with Ariana Afghan Airlines for a long-term strategic cooperation with the intent to establish EASA-compliant line maintenance stations in Afghanistan. The first is slated to open at Kabul International Airport in March 2013.
PEMCO has relocated its US product support and spares sales departments from Dothan, Ala. to its headquarters in Tampa, Fla. All staff excluding spare parts and AOG sales will remain with the team.
British Airways Engineering developed its own Part 21J major change to upgrade from TCAS 7.0 to TCAS 7.1. It can now carry out warranty repair capabilities for components supplied by ACSS, via its ACSS-approved European repair center.
Aviation Quote
The Shuttle is to space flight what Lindbergh was to commercial aviation.
— Arthur C. Clarke
On This Date
---In 1951…Alaska Air becomes the first airline to fly over the North Pole.
---In 1953... Mach 2.5 (2 ½ times the speed of sound) is achieved for the first time by Major Charles “Chuck” Yeager in the Bell X-1A. The rocket-propelled experimental aircraft reaches 1,650 mph at 70,000 feet.
---In 1979…First flight of the SH-60 Seahawk 161169.
---In 1985… An Arrow Air DC-8,Arrow Air Flight 1285, carrying American military personnel on a charter flight home for Christmas, crashed in Newfoundland, killing all 248 passengers on board and 8 crew members.
---In 2001…Thomas Cooke Airlines Belgium is founded.
Daily Video
Editor's Choice
Humor
The TRUE Meaning of Aviation Terms! In alphabetical order.
AA : "Alcoholics Anonymous" (or "American Airlines" if you prefer)
ASC : "Attractive and Sexy Captain" (Actually "Automatic Systems Controller")
BOAC : "Bored Of Always Copiloting" (Actually "British Overseas Airways Corporation")
BOEING : "Beware: One Engine Is No Good" (Actually the sound of crashing)
Concorde : (French for "concord") What the British and the French could not achieve3
CSA : "Captain's Sleep Assistant" the other name for "co-pilot". (Actually "Ceskoslovenské Státni Aerolinie" or Czekoslovak State Airline)
DFP : "Drunken First-class Passengers" (Actually "Displayed Flight Path")
ETOPS : "Engines Turning Or Passengers Swimming" (Actually "Extended Twin OPerationS")
FA : "Female Attraction" (Actually "Flight Attendant")
FAA : Foolish And Abominable" (Actually "Federal Aviation Administration")
FSC : "Friendly Sexy Captain" (Actually "Fuel System Controller")
IFR : "I Follow Roads" (Actually "Instruments Flight Rating")
MALEV : "Most Attendants Left Early for Vacations" (Actually "Magyar Légiközlekedési Vallalat", the Hungarian state airline)
MCDU : "Most Captains Don't Understand" (Actually "Multifunction Control Display Unit")
MIG : "Meals Insipid in the Galley" (Actually "Mikoyan Gurevich" a Russian plane manufacturer)
PFD : "Passengers Feeling Dizzy" (Actually "Primary Flight Display")
TWA : "Time Wasted at the Airport" (Actually "Trans World Airline")
Virgin : A Flight Attendant ...BEFORE she becomes a Flight Attendant
Trivia
General Trivia
1. During World War II, _____ Tuskegee Airmen were deployed overseas as fighter pilots.
a. 155
b. 355
c. 955
d. 1,555
2. Why does an airplane with a constant-speed propeller have a shorter takeoff roll than an identical airplane with a fixed-pitch propeller?
3. The Lake Sport Mermaid, an amphibious light sport airplane marketed by the Czech Aircraft Works,
a.has tricycle landing gear legs that must be
operated individually.
b.has wing flaps that the pilot can operate
individually (one side at a time).
c.utilizes an iPad as its primary flight display.
d. can be modified by adding an exterior seat.
4. Why are Gary Burrell and Min H. Kao so well known in general aviation circles?
5. True or False? An airport without a published instrument approach procedure may be designated as an alternate airport when filing an instrument flight plan.
6. Why is landing a landplane in water called ditching?
7. True or False? The “Five Blackbirds” were an aerobatic team consisting of African-American pilots.
8. What is missing from the following list of VFR maneuvers?
a. touch-and-go landing
b. low approach
c. missed approach
d. full-stop landing
miamiair wrote:8. What is missing from the following list of VFR maneuvers?
a. touch-and-go landing
b. low approach
c. missed approach
d. full-stop landing
