News
Boeing to move quickly to get 787s flying if FAA approves fix
Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Ray Conner said the 787 could be flying again “very fast” if FAA approves Boeing’s proposed fix for the grounded aircraft. “So much is dependent on” how quickly FAA makes a decision on whether to accept Boeing’s solution for modifying the 787’s lithium ion batteries, Connor told investors on Monday at a JP Morgan conference in New York available via webcast.
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TSA to permit small knives in carry-on bags
The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is lifting its ban on small knives, novelty bats and some sporting sticks in carry-on baggage.
From April 25, airline passengers going through US airports will be allowed to take onboard small Swiss Army-type knives provided the blade is no longer than 2.36 inches, or 6 centimeters, and does not have a locking fixed blade or a molded grip. This will bring US airport carry-on security rules in line with European Union rules.
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Norwegian Air Shuttle plugs 787 gap with A340s
Norwegian Air Shuttle will launch its long-haul services with Airbus A340s to make up for delivery delays of its Boeing 787s.
The Scandinavian carrier will wet-lease two A340-300s from Portuguese leasing specialist Hi Fly to begin its planned services to New York and Bangkok in late spring and early summer. The initial Oslo-New York JFK is scheduled for May 30, with Oslo-Bangkok following June 23.
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Delta Air Lines expects Q1 profit
Delta Air Lines says it expects to post a first-quarter profit for the first time since 2000. Delta President Ed Bastian says he expects an operating margin of 2.5% to 3.5% for the quarter.
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Southwest is expecting key revenue increase
Southwest Airlines is predicting growth in the key metric of passenger revenue per available seat mile for the first quarter. "Our first quarter is tracking in line with what we had laid out in our plan," said Chief Financial Officer Tammy Romo at a JPMorgan Chase conference.
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Mergers help airline shareholders, US Airways CEO says
Doug Parker, who will helm the airline resulting from the US Airways-American Airlines merger, said mergers help shareholders. "This isn't an industry that's ever been able to meet its return on capital," said Parker in an interview for Bloomberg Television. "Investors are demanding that and we need to go do it."
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American Airlines files to modify Republic contract
American Airlines has filed a court motion to modify a deal with Republic Airways. The modification would remove six used aircraft from a 12-year contract for Republic to fly aircraft for American Eagle, and is expected to reduce the cost of the transaction, while maintaining the benefits of the agreement. Republic would still fly 47 new 76-seat aircraft for American.
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Plans for stretched 787-10 is still in the works, Boeing says
Boeing says it still plans to offer a stretched 787-10, but has delayed the timetable for the aircraft. "Clearly having the fleet down has slowed things down a bit," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President Ray Conner.
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Over 1,000 flights cancelled as snow hits US Midwest
Flights were cancelled as a snowstorm hit the north central US, heading towards the mid-Atlantic states. A blizzard roared into North Dakota on Monday and was expected to dump up to a foot of snow in neighboring Minnesota before moving east over the mid-Atlantic states, where it could bury the Washington area with its biggest snowfall of the winter, the National Weather Service said.
Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport had 107 flight cancellations on Monday and Chicago O'Hare had 65, FlightAware reported.
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FAA investigating report of drone near JFK
The US Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a commercial pilot's report that he saw a drone in the sky as he approached John F Kennedy Airport, New York for a landing.
The pilot of an Alitalia flight from Rome to New York contacted authorities about the sighting at 1:15 pm on Monday, said FAA spokesman, Jim Peters. The pilot spotted the craft at an altitude of about 1,500 feet and approximately five miles southeast of the airport.
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Other News
Spirit announced new routes out of Houston's Bush airport to Denver & Detroit.
Korean Air has submitted a bid to take a 44% stake in CSA Czech Airlines.
Hainan Airlines is planning to launch Heilongjiang Airlines in conjunction with the Heilongjiang provincial government.
Air France will review its regional hubs this fall, following a lackluster 2012 performance from its domestic and medium-haul operations.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines on Friday will launch a series of biofuel-powered intercontinental flights from New York-JFK Airport to Schiphol Amsterdam Airport on a Boeing 777.
Bosnia's BH Airlines has been grounded and faces possible bankruptcy over an outstanding bank debt, a senior government official said on Tuesday.
Aviation Quote
Renting airplanes is like renting sex: It's difficult to arrange on short notice on Saturday, the fun things always cost more, and someone's always looking at their watch.
Anonymous
On This Date
---In 1935... U.S secretary of commerce signs a special air traffic regulation that prohibits air flights over parts of Washington, D.C.
---In 1951…the Martin aircraft company gains production rights to the English Electric Canberra as the B-57.
---In 1965... The first nonstop transcontinental helicopter flight across the United States — flown off the deck of the carrier USS Hornet at San Diego, California to the deck of the carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt off Jacksonville, Florida — is completed successfully. A U. S. Navy Sikorsky SH-3A Sea King flies 2,116 miles.
---In 1966…A BOAC Flight 911, a 707-436 en route from Tokyo to Hong Kong, encountered clear air turbulence close to Mount Fuji; the sudden violent gusting caused the vertical stabilizer to detach from the aircraft, following which the aircraft entered an uncontrolled dive. The 707 progressively broke up as a result of aerodynamic over-stressing of the airframe, then struck the ground near the foot of the mountain. All those on board died.
---In 1970…BEA opens its charter service, BEA Airtours.
---In 1974…Mars 7 failed to go into orbit about Mars and the lander missed the planet. Carrier and lander are now in a solar orbit.
---In 1986... Japan Air Lines embarks the world’s heaviest man, an 880-lb Austrian flying from Frankfurt, Germany, as a passenger; 16 seats are removed from the cabin to make room for him.
---In 1986…USSR's Vega 1 flies by Halley's Comet at 8,889 km.
---In 1990… What was to be the final flight of an SR-71 (972) set 4 international speed records while being delivered to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum at Dulles International Airport. Los Angeles to Washington DC, 2,404 miles, 67 minutes 54 seconds, 2404 miles at an average speed of 2124 MPH. Over Kansas City to Washington DC in 26 minutes. Over St. Louis to Cincinnati in 8 minutes, 32 seconds, a new city to city aviation record. It was also the first time that a sonic boom had transversed the entire length of the United States. Pilot Ed Yeilding and RSO T. “JT” Vida. SR-71s were retired from service. The SR-71 was the only operational military aircraft never to be shot down or lose a single crewman to enemy fire. (Q)
---In 2003…Hooters Air begins service, operated by Pace Airlines. The business would last less than three years.
---In 2003…Air Algerie Flight 6239 crashes on takeoff from Tamanrasset, Algeria, killing all but one of the 103 on-board. The Boeing 737-200 (7T-VEZ) suffers a contained engine failure on rotation and is unable to maintain altitude, coming back to Earth a few thousand feet beyond the runway…
---In 2007… ANA announces orders for 4 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
Fighter Escort
A young guy in a two-engine fighter was flying escort for a B-52 and generally being a nuisance, acting like a hotdog, flying rolls around the lumbering old bomber. The hotdog said over the air,
"Anything you can do, I can do better.”
The veteran bomber pilot answered, "Try this hot-shot."
The B-52 continued its flight, straight and level.
Perplexed, the hotdog asked, "So? What did you do?"
"I just shut down two engines, kid."
Trivia
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