NewsA350 starts critical braking tests at Toulouse Airbus started carrying out braking tests of the A350-900 prototype at Toulouse on 9 June, as it continued progress towards the first flight of aircraft MSN1. The aircraft performed braking manoeuvres at various speeds on the runway at Blagnac. But a source familiar with the A350 test regime says the high-speed rejected take-off test has not yet taken place. Airbus has not commented on when the first flight of the A350 might take place. But the source indicates that a first flight is unlikely before 13 June.
LinkFlights Cancelled In French ATC StrikeFrench air traffic controllers walked off the job at the start of a three-day strike on Tuesday, grounding hundreds of flights across the country in a Europe-wide protest against the European Union's plans for civil airspace changes. One in two flights to airports serving Paris, Lyon, Nice, Marseille, Toulouse and Bordeaux were cancelled, France's DGAC civil aviation authority said.
LinkFrench ATC Strike Hampers Airbus A350 DebutPreparations for the first flight of the Airbus A350 have hit a snag as the fallout widens from a three-day air traffic control strike due to start on Tuesday, French transport sources said. As airlines began canceling flights to Toulouse in southwest France, protests by controllers over plans to reorganize European airspace established Friday June 14 as a possible date for the historic first flight, they said. However, plans are in flux and the date is also subject to the weather and the outcome of a final set of ground trials. The debut of the first new Airbus airliner in almost a decade is set to dominate the build-up to the June 17-23 Paris Airshow and step up competition with Boeing.
LinkAviation Partners completes Hawker 800 test for flutter fixWinglet manufacturer Aviation Partners has completed a test flight with a Hawker 800 featuring a new winglet installation that was tweaked to prevent aeroelastic flutter. The original Aviation Partners winglet was the source of several reports of Hawker 800s that experienced wing and aileron oscillations. Those reports prompted the Seattle-based company to issue a service bulletin last month restricting flights of a Hawker 800 equipped with the aftermarket winglet above 34,000ft (10,400m). In the meantime the company re-considered how the winglet interfaces with the aileron as it is installed on the aircraft. Using the finite element method, Aviation Partners recreated the oscillating symptom in simulation and analysed all of the triggering scenarios.
LinkThree to contest Polish trainer deal as Czech firm withdraws Three bidders have submitted preliminary proposals to participate in the next phase of an advanced jet trainer system competition for the Polish air force, with the Czech Republic's Aero Vodochody having withdrawn its interest. The Polish defence ministry's armament inspectorate confirmed on 7 June that it had received responses from Alenia Aermacchi, BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin UK for the planned eight-aircraft deal.
LinkSouthwest Flight Diverted After Phone ThreatA Southwest Airlines flight bound for Texas from Los Angeles with 143 passengers aboard was forced to land in Phoenix on Monday after a telephoned bomb threat and US fighter jets were diverted to monitor the situation, authorities said. Southwest Airlines flight 2675 landed safely in Phoenix at about 3:30 pm local time and all passengers on board were taken off without incident, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and Southwest said. Phoenix police interviewed the passengers and bomb squad officers and dogs swept the aircraft. Police spokesman Sergeant Steve Martos later Tweeted that the search found "nothing of concern."
LinkBA To Receive First 787s, A380 Within WeeksBritish Airways will receive its first two Boeing 787 Dreamliners on June 26 and 27 and its first Airbus A380 superjumbo jet seven days later, becoming the first European airline to operate both aircraft. The airline, which is owned by International Airlines Group, said it would take delivery of the Airbus A380 on July 4. British Airways is spending GBP£5 (USD$8 billion) on new aircraft, better cabins and new technologies. The delivery of its first 787 was originally scheduled for the end of February but was delayed by a series of battery incidents.
LinkUS Airways-American name senior leadership teamUS Airways-American Airlines announced its senior leadership team for the merged carrier. "We are combining the strengths of legacy American and US Airways and creating a collaborative industry-leading leadership team," said US Airways CEO Doug Parker, who will be the leader of the merged carrier, in a statement. Meanwhile, the confirmation hearing on the AMR Corp. reorganization plan to exit bankruptcy will be held on Aug. 15.
LinkEU to approve Delta-Virgin Atlantic deal, sources sayEU regulators are preparing to approve a deal between Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic, sources say. The agreement will allow Delta to purchase a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic and set up a joint venture for trans-Atlantic flights. "The European Commission is likely to approve the deal without conditions," said one of the sources.
LinkAmerican Airlines traffic, load factor rose in MayAMR Corp. reported that consolidated traffic rose slightly by 0.8% in May as the carrier boosted capacity by 0.3% for the month. Load factor also increased by 0.4% to 84% in May.
LinkAirline CEOs vote to enhance information for customersCEOs of most major airlines voted in favor of the New Distribution Capability at a meeting of the International Air Transport Association. NDC will allow airline customers to see more information on airfares, including ancillary services and amenities, when purchasing through travel agents.
LinkIndia protests EU emissions-trading schemeIndia is protesting inclusion in the European Union's emissions trading scheme. Officials said they are approaching the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and the International Civil Aviation Organization. "We are taking up the issue first with the UNFCC, followed by ICAO rather than the other way round," said V. Rajagopalan, secretary in the ministry of environment and forests.
LinkIATA: Airlines in favor of emissions plan to be set by ICAOAirlines at the annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association voted in favor of measures to curb aviation emissions after 2020. The IATA said the International Civil Aviation Organization would be the proper organization to develop such measures. "This is a responsible industry," said Tony Tyler of the IATA. "We are the only industry in the world that has set itself clear targets in terms of emission stand."
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