News
AirAsia's Fernandes continues call for A330neo
AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes is continuing to apply pressure on Airbus to re-engine its A330 widebody, even though the company appears to be ruling out the option. Fernandes, whose AirAsia group has several franchises in countries around Asia and is one of the most valuable customers for Airbus, is in Toulouse for "some important meetings" with the European airframer. Both AirAsia and Fernandes have a stake in AirAsia X, the Malaysia-based long-haul, low-cost carrier that has a fleet of nine A330-300s. It has orders for another 18 A330s and 10 of the new-generation Airbus A350-900s.
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Japan: Over-charging preceded ANA 787 battery malfunction
Japanese safety investigators have determined an All Nippon Airways 787 lithium-ion main battery malfunctioned after being over-charged, forcing the widebody to make an emergency landing on 16 January and triggering a global grounding of the fleet still in effect. The 32V battery overheated and sprayed burning electrolytes in a compartment beneath the cockpit because it received a charge exceeding its design limit, Japan aviation safety agency investigator Hideo Kosugi told reporters in a press conference near the damaged aircraft still parked at Takamatsu airport.
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787 Probe Widens After Excess Battery Voltage Ruled Out
US safety investigators on Sunday ruled out excess voltage as the cause of a battery fire last month on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Japan Airlines and said they were expanding the probe to look at the battery's charger and the jet's auxiliary power unit. Last week, governments across the world grounded the Dreamliner while Boeing halted deliveries after a problem with a lithium-ion battery on a second 787, flown by All Nippon Airways, forced the aircraft to make an emergency landing in western Japan. A growing number of investigators and Boeing executives are working around the clock to determine what caused the two incidents which the US Federal Aviation Administration says released flammable chemicals and could have sparked a fire in the plane's electrical compartment.
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ANA, JAL 787 batteries show similar damage
A lithium ion battery on the All Nippon Airways Boeing 787 that made an emergency landing this week was badly burned, Japanese investigators said. The ANA 787 battery was damaged in a manner similar to the battery that is believed to have started a fire last week on a Japan Airlines 787 in Boston. Hideyo Kosugi, an investigator with the Japanese government who has examined the burned ANA 787 battery, told reporters Friday that “voltage exceeding the design limit” likely occurred in the ANA incident, according to multiple reports from Japan. He noted the ANA 787 battery and the JAL 787 battery exhibited similar-looking damage, suggesting a potential common cause, though no cause for either incident has been determined.
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Airbus close to launching A320 sharklet retrofit
Airbus expects to be able to launch a retrofit program for sharklet wing-tips on the A320 by around March-April, having determined the technical requirements for the modification. The airframer has transferred to a new wing standard for the A320, which includes reinforcement to accommodate optional sharklets. But Airbus has been evaluating demand for a possible sharklet retrofit for the previous wing standard, although this would require more extensive reworking of the type's wing-tip.
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Israeli 707 tests commercial anti-missile system
Israel's air force has used a Boeing 707-300 to trial a missile-defence system intended for deployment on board commercial aircraft. The aircraft, which carries air force designation 272, is close to 40 years old and was previously in service with operators including British Caledonian. Israeli firm Elbit Systems has used the four-engined jet to conduct a series of test flights with its C-Music infra-red countermeasures system.
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F-35B grounded after fueldraulic line failure
The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) has temporarily grounded the Lockheed Martin F-35B short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the tri-service stealth fighter after the failure of a fueldraulic line in the aircraft's propulsion system. The fueldraulic line powers the actuator for the F-35B's STOVL exhaust vectoring system. F-35B flight operations have been suspended at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, Eglin AFB, Florida, MCAS Yuma, Arizona, and at Lockheed Martin's production facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Flight operations for the US Air Force's F-35A and the US Navy's F-35C model aircraft are unaffected.F-35B grounded after fueldraulic line failure
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Snow Hits London, Paris Flights, More Cuts Seen
ondon's Heathrow Airport cancelled a fifth of flights on Sunday and airlines scrapped 40 percent of flights to Paris's two main airports as snow blanketed parts of Europe, with more forecast. Air France predicted more cancellations on a similar scale for Monday. Heathrow said the reduced schedule - amounting to around 250 fewer flights - would help it cope with the snowfall without making further cancellations.
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US Replaces Airport Scanners In Bid For More Privacy
The Transportation Security Administration said it is removing controversial full-body scanners at US airports and replacing them with new scanners that allow greater privacy. The TSA cancelled a contract with Rapiscan last week because the company had failed to deliver software to protect the privacy of passengers. The TSA had faced widespread complaints from travelers that the Rapiscan equipment, using an X-ray technology called backscatter, had shown what looks like a naked image of passengers' bodies to security officers.
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MAG To Buy London's Stansted Airport
Manchester Airports Group (MAG) said it had agreed to buy London's Stansted airport from Heathrow Airport Holdings for GBP£1.5 billion (USD$2.4 billion). As part of the transaction, Australian infrastructure investment group Industry Funds Management (IFM) will become an investor in MAG, invest new equity and take a 35.5 percent stake in the enlarged group, MAG said. Single runway Stansted, which is predominantly a low-cost leisure travel airport, is 50 km (31 miles) northeast of central London and is Britain's fourth busiest airport, handling just under 18 million passengers last year.
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Airbus CEO: A380 market remains weak
The A380 program is on track to breakeven in 2015, Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégier said on the sidelines of the results conference in Toulouse. However, he said the market remains weak for the aircraft. “We are confident [we will] get additional customers, because year-on-year we have met our targets,” he said. Brégier said the A380 has a “huge market and a long-term outlook, but the market right now for this aircraft is too soft.” He said the economic crisis, combined with the aircraft’s price tag, have made customers more cautious. “We got nine new [A380] orders last year; Boeing got just one [747-8I]. We are not proud with nine orders, but the [weak] market is a reality.”
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Qantas orders three Bombardier Q400s; cancels one Boeing 787
Qantas has ordered three new Bombardier Q400s and plans to lease five more Boeing 717s, but it has canceled one Boeing 787 in a move unrelated to the aircraft's grounding. The Bombardier order is valued at $98 million at list prices. The 717s are scheduled for delivery from this year’s second half. The Australian carrier had 15 787s on order. However, at the end of 2012 Qantas reduced the order to 14 aircraft. This change has now been finalized. Qantas already canceled a firm order for 35 787-9s last year after posting its first full-year loss since 1995.
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Italy’s Meridiana Fly battles for survival, replaces CEO
Italian carrier Meridiana Fly, which had its license downgraded by Italian civil aviation authority ENAC this week, said it will continue normal flight operations. A new provisory license, issued because of the airline’s financial difficulties, expires in one year. Meridiana S.p.A., which merged with Air Italy in 2011, reacted swiftly to the license downgrade by replacing CEO Giuseppe Gentile with controlling stakeholder Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) aviation director Roberto Scaramella. It also outlined a new business plan and struck a deal to buy out the 38.71% stake held by Air Italy’s former shareholders, taking its total Meridiana Fly ownership to 89.91%.
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Other News
India’s minister for civil aviation Ajit Singh said Friday that Air India would seek “some kind of compensation” for the grounding of its six Boeing 787 aircraft. Speaking to journalists in Delhi, Singh said the matter will be taken up later. The priority is to find clarity on the problems that have led to the grounding of the aircraft around the world, he said. The minister said there is no re-thinking on taking deliveries of the remaining planes on order. Air India has 27 of the aircraft on order, six of which have been delivered.
Airbus, which said the A380’s order book comprises 262 firm orders from 20 customers, acknowledged India’s Kingfisher Airlines order for five of the type “looks shaky.” Kingfisher has ceased operations and its aircraft have been impounded. “I have legally binding contracts with Kingfisher right now. We got deposits, we rescheduled the aircraft and it is probable at some point we will take the orders out,” COO-Customers John Leahy said, adding that it hopes the troubled carrier gets new investors. “We certainly don’t want to get out [of this contract]. It is a good customer, operates an all-Airbus fleet. I don’t see a reason to give up [yet],” Leahy said.
Gogo will install satellite and ground-based connectivity on new American Airlines Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737s. Installations are set to begin in 2013 as American takes delivery of the new aircraft. The dual systems—Ku-band satellite and Gogo’s air-to-ground solution ATG-4 will allow the aircraft to offer inflight Internet on domestic and international service. “Installing the two systems helps ensure these aircraft will stay connected wherever they fly, whether they’re flying domestically or headed to an international destination,” Gogo president and CEO Michael Small said. “Gogo’s ability to deploy multiple connectivity solutions gives us the flexibility to install the right technology for each individual aircraft regardless of its mission.”
Volga-Dnepr Technics (VDT) began A check maintenance services on a Czech Airlines Airbus A320 at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport. The carrier is VDT’s launch customer for the service; it received authorization to provide maintenance services up to A check for new aircraft types at the beginning of December.
MNG Technic won a contract from Vueling for 6YE checks of two Airbus A320 aircraft.
ST Aerospace won contracts worth approximately $450 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 for airframe, component and engine maintenance, and engineering and development. During the quarter, the company redelivered 165 aircraft for airframe maintenance and modification work and five converted Boeing 757-200 freighters.
TAP M&E Brazil has launched a “Minor Checks” program to meet growing demand for aircraft light maintenance in Brazil. The program will be available to customers operating all models of Airbus, ATR, Boeing and Embraer aircraft in or to Brazil from the beginning of February. Up to eight service boxes located inside TAP M&E Brazil facilities, in Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre will be available.
SAS and Singapore Airlines have announced a joint venture agreement on flights between Scandinavia and Singapore from February 1, 2013. "We are very pleased that we are now able to take the next step in our co-operation together with Singapore Airlines. We look forward to offer our customers more and better options to reach parts of Asia and Australia/New Zealand from all of Scandinavia," said Joakim Landholm, EVP, commercial at SAS. Star Alliance partner Singapore Airlines currently flies between Copenhagen and Singapore three times a week. From March 31, 2013, flights will increase to five a week and may be expanded with additional flights and destinations in Scandinavia. SAS and Singapore Airlines have been codesharing since December 2010 on a number of flights in Asia and Northern Europe.
Qatar Airways has implemented a ‘required navigational performance – authorisation required’ (RNP AR) approach into Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal. The airport has a complicated approach due to the challenging terrain of the Himalayan mountain range surrounding Kathmandu; the new RNP AR approach helps to reduce the pilots’ workload courtesy of advanced navigation equipment installed on the aircraft. The RNP AR approach allows aircraft to automatically fly accurate trajectories without relying on ground-based navigation aids, optimises airspace utilisation and reduces diversions in difficult weather conditions.
Braathens Technical has extended a JetSpares contract with BAE Systems Regional Aircraft for the support of 12 Avro RJ regional aircraft operated by Braathens subsidiary Malmo Aviation. The three-year contract, which contains an option for a fourth year, will cover Avro RJ operations by Malmo Aviation until the delivery of new-generation replacement aircraft. The JetSpares arrangement offers customised rotable spares support on a rate-per-flying-hour basis and is designed to allow an airline to concentrate on flight operations while BAE takes care of spares inventory, logistics and repairs.
Dassault Falcon has awarded its two training partners, CAE and FlightSafety International, certificates demonstrating full compliance with the requirements of the new Falcon Training Policy Manual (FTPM). The two-year certificates cover the training of pilots, cabin crew and maintenance personnel and will be followed by individual aircraft approvals in 2013. Gerard Dailloux, VP, operational support, Dassault Aviation, said the certificates ensure that “the slightest change in aircraft design will immediately be reflected in the training syllabus”.
The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), representing 60,000 members, has joined government and industry experts to discuss the in-flight use of portable electronic devices. Organised by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the committee will evaluate regulations, policies and procedures which attempt to manage the safe use of portable electronic devices during flight. The committee will meet for six months before offering recommendations to the FAA.
Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) has assisted AlMasria Universal Airlines of Egypt with an aircraft-on-ground (AOG) situation concerning CFM56-5B engines installed on one of its aircraft. AFI KLM E&M organised the leasing of two spare engines and a shop visit for the two engines which it described as “faulty”. Hassan Azia, president and CEO, AlMasria, praised the “availability and responsiveness” of AFI KLM E&M’s technical support team.
Aviation Quote
Always remember you fly an airplane with your head, not your hands.
Anonymous
On This Date
---In 1921... The first triple-triplane aircraft, and the first passenger-carrying aircraft designed to carry more than 100 people that actually got off the ground, is launched at Lake Maggiore, Italy. The flight attempt ends in failure when the 55,000 lb. flying boat nosedives into the lake.
---In 1943…Pan Am flight 1104, a Martin M-130 Flying Boat (“Philippine Clipper”, reg. NC-14715), crashes in Ukiah, California, killing all 19 on-board. The aircraft, flying in very poor weather, descended for improved visibility, causing it to crash into a mountain after drifting off-course. The 10 passengers on the aircraft were all naval officers enroute to San Francisco.
---In 1951…The United States Air Force F-84 Thunderjet makes its first kill, when F-84 pilot Lieutenant Colonel William E. Bertram shoots down a MiG-15 during the Korean War.
---In 1951…Westinghouse J-40 jet engine (7,500 pounds dry thrust) completed 150-hour Navy qualification test.
---In 1952... The Saab 210 experimental delta-winged research aircraft makes its first flight in Sweden.
---In 1968.. A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress carrying four nuclear weapons crashes in the sea near Thule Air Base in Greenland.
---In 1972…First flight of the Lockheed S-3A Viking 157992.
--In 1976... First passenger services by a supersonic airliner are begun, as British Airways and Air France Concorde supersonic transports take off simultaneously for Bahrain and Rio de Janeiro.
---In 1979…Neptune becomes outermost planet (Pluto moves closer). Unless a new planet is discovered, Neptune will remain outermost planet since on August 24, 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) formally downgraded Pluto from an official planet to a dwarf planet.
---In 1980…An Iran Air Boeing 727-086 (EP-IRD), crashes into a mountain while on approach to Tehran in very snow conditions. There were no survivors among the 128 aboard.
---In 1985…Galaxy Airlines Flight 203, a Lockheed L-188 Electra (reg N5532) crashes just after takeoff from Reno, Nevada. The small air-start door on the right wing had not not secured properly by ground crews, causing a vibration felt by the crew. The pilots then eased back on the engines to try to isolate the noise, which resulted in a stall as they tried to continue climbing. There was only one survivor among the 70 people on the aircraft.
---In 1990… Last SR-71 (962) left Kadena AFB. Tail art was a tombstone which read: “DET 1 RIP 1968-1990” (Q)
---In 2004…NASA’s Mars Exploration Robot-A (MER-A) Spirit ceases communication from the red-planet because of a flash memory issue. The problem would be fixed two days later remotely from Earth.
---In 2010…Cargolux Flight 7933, operated by Boeing 747-400 LX-OCV struck a vehicle on landing at Luxembourg International Airport. The van suffered major damage and the aircraft sustained a damaged tyre. Three investigations have been launched into the incident.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
The F/O
So the BirdSeed 747 is inbound to LHR after a looooong all-nighter. The effoh is rubbing his neck and looking miserable. The ever so senior Captain asks what the matter is. The effoh reports that his neck is hurting after such a long time in the seat. The Captain obviously related to this, and said "Ah yes my boy - I often get the same trouble. I have my own way of dealing with it - works every time." Effoh - "Pray sire - tell me your cure" Captain - "Well lad, I get in the Beemer, and while I am driving home I call the old girl, tell her to get the hot-tub ready, and fix me a huge Bloody Mary, and to get in the best lingerie that I have bought her. Then I get home, wallow in the tub, have my drink, and then I get out and bonk her rotten, then sleeping with my head using her huge bosoms for a pillow. You should try that!" A couple of weeks later they are flying again, and the Captain remembers the conversation. "Well lad - did you try my cure for neck pain?" Effoh - "Yes sir!" Captain - "And what did you think?" Effoh - "Well sir, everything went just as you suggested. I have to say you have a lovely hot-tub!"
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