News
American and US Airways to fight DOJ challenge to merger
American Airlines and US Airways plan to fight the US Department of Justice's (DOJ) challenge to their proposed merger in court. "We and US Airways will vigorously defend our position," says Tom Horton, chairman and chief executive of Fort Worth-based American, in a letter to employees today. "While we do not yet know how long the court process will run, it will likely take a few months." Doug Parker, chairman and chief executive of Tempe, Arizona-based US Airways and future chief executive of the merged carrier, echoes the position in his own letter to the carrier's employees: "We will fight them. We are confident that by combining American and US Airways we are enhancing competition, providing better service to our customers and improving the industry as a whole."
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US Sues To Block AMR-US Airways Merger
The US Justice Department filed an unexpected lawsuit on Tuesday to block the merger of American Airlines parent AMR and US Airways, saying the deal would hurt consumers by leading to higher fares and fees. The USD$11 billion merger would create the world's largest airline, after four other major US carriers combined in recent years. The antitrust lawsuit, filed in US District Court for the District of Columbia and joined by several states including Arizona and Texas, drew concern from industry experts, support from consumer advocates and triggered a 6 percent sell-off in US airline stocks. It also threw into question the reorganization plan of AMR, which has been in bankruptcy since November 2011 and had structured its exit around merging with US Air.
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Cathay Cuts Capacity To Restore Profitability
Cathay Pacific Airways is scaling back seating capacity on some long-haul routes to offset declines in its air freight business and try to return to profitability. Cathay, which competes in global markets with carriers such as Singapore Airlines and Korean Air Lines, retired three Boeing 747s in the first six months of this year and replaced them with two smaller but more fuel efficient 777s, as the company squeezes more income from its North American passenger routes, its biggest market. The Hong Kong airline was the only one of Asia's top 10 carriers to cut available seat kilometers this year, down 4.8 percent in June from a year earlier. Garuda Indonesia led the gains with a jump of 16.5 percent year-on-year in April, the most recent month for which the data was available.
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Spirit Aero Swings To Loss On USD$448 Mln Charge
Spirit AeroSystems, a key supplier of aircraft components to Boeing, Airbus and other plane makers, said its earnings swung to a loss in the latest quarter due to USD$448 million in cost overruns on several aircraft wing programs. The big earnings surprise was flagged last week, when the company warned it would take a pre-tax charge of USD$350 million to USD$400 million and confirmed it was putting its troubled wing-construction facilities in Oklahoma up for sale. The latest hit comes on top of USD$590 million in cost-overrun charges last October, bringing total write-downs in the past year to more than USD$1 billion.
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Air India To Lease 19 Airbus A320s
Air India is seeking to lease 19 Airbus A320 short-haul aircraft as the money-losing carrier seeks to cut costs, the state-run company said on Tuesday. It plans to take delivery of up to seven aircraft in the fourth quarter of 2013, and the remainder in two phases by fiscal year 2015/16. The leasing is to "reduce costs and optimize revenue", an Air India spokesman said, without elaborating. The new planes could help replace some of its aging aircraft and save on fuel costs.
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AMR revenue per available seat mile sets record in July
AMR Corp., the parent company of American Airlines, said passenger revenue per available seat mile increased 4% in July. The carrier said its unit revenue of 14.61 cents per mile set a new record. Consolidated traffic at AMR also rose by 2.5% for July, as compared to the same month last year
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JetBlue traffic, capacity rose in July
JetBlue Airways reported a 7.3% increase in traffic for July on a year-over-year basis. The carrier boosted capacity by 6.8% for the month, and its load factor rose to 87.6% in July. JetBlue also reported a 5% increase in passenger revenue per available seat mile for the month.
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JetBlue offers Bags VIP delivery service
JetBlue Airways is offering a delivery service for baggage with Bags VIP. Passengers can have baggage delivered within 100 miles of the airport starting at $25 for one bag. Bags VIP also delivers luggage for American Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways.
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US Airways mechanics retain IAM representation
US Airways mechanics voted to maintain union representation by the International Association of Machinists. The Teamsters had attempted to win a vote to represent the workers. "By voting for the Machinists union, our members safeguarded their pensions and seniority heading into the merger with American Airlines," said Sito Pantoja, IAM Transportation vice president.
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DOT Sec. Foxx: NextGen increases Memphis airport capacity by 17%
In his blog, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx highlights NextGen improvements at the FedEx hub at the Memphis International Airport. "NextGen has made possible a significant improvement in FedEx's ability to move airplanes in and out of Memphis," writes Foxx. "For example, by working together on just one new NextGen approach last fall, government and industry have increased the airport's capacity by 17 percent."
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FAA to determine new standards for lithium-battery shipments
The Federal Aviation Administration is testing bulk shipments of lithium batteries to determine new standards for cargo flights in the U.S. The International Civil Aviation Organization instituted tighter standards on January 1 for international cargo shipments of lithium batteries.
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United to open lounge with a view at San Diego airport
United Airlines is opening a new lounge at the San Diego International Airport that features a balcony and views of the seaside community of Point Loma, Calif. "The new United Club in San Diego offers customers an improved airport lounge experience that reflects a true Southern California ambiance," said Martin Hand, senior vice president of customer experience at United.
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Aviation Quote
Of course risk is part of spaceflight. We accept some of that to achieve greater goals in exploration and find out more about ourselves and the universe.
— Lisa Nowak, STS-121 astronaut, a few days prior to launch, reported in the Houston Chronicle newspaper, 25 June 2006.
On This Date
--- In 1909... The first woman passenger to fly in a powered airplane in Great Britain is the wife of Samuel F. Cody. She is taken for a 3-minute flight from the Royal Engineers Balloon Factory at Farnborough in Cody’s British Army Aeroplane No.1.
--- In 1931... Piloted by M. M. Gromov, the Tupolev ANT-14 large passenger aircraft makes its first flight. The largest landplane of its day, it could carry 36 passengers.
---In 1953... The sound barrier is broken over Australia for the first time by Flight Lieutenant Bentleigh, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), in the first Australian-built Sabre fighter at Avalon, Victoria.
---In 1962…East German Ilyushin Il-62 crashes on takeoff from East Berlin, killing 156.
---In 1966…YF-12 (934) is written off after an a landing accident at Edwards AFB. The rear of this YF-12 was used to build 61-7981, an SR-71C which became known as “The Bastard”. This SR-71C is on display at Hill AFB Museum, Utah. (Q)
---In 1968…Los Angeles Airways Flight 417, a Sikorsky 61L helicopter (N300Y) flying from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Disneyland Heliport, crashes in Compton, Calif., killing all 18 passengers and three crewmembers on board. One of the rotor blades had separated from the spindle, causing loss of control.
---In 1979…Hitting 499mph in a specially modified P-51 named Red Baron, Steve Hinton sets a new world speed record for a piston-engined aircraft.
---In 1993…Two B-1 Lancers complete a round-the-world trip in 47 hours.
---In 2005…Helios Airways Flight 522, a 737-300 (5B-DBY) crashes into a mountain near Marathon, Greece, killing all 121 on board. A problem with the pressurization system had caused the pilots to loose consciousness, leading to loss of control and fuel starvation.
---In 2009…Australian airline Strategic Airlines commences operations.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
Joint Rules for the Army-Navy-Air Force-Marine Corps Game
New SecDef Directive: Joint Rules for the Army-Navy-Air Force-Marine Corps Game.
The Pentagon announced new rules for the fall 2005 Army-Navy-Air Force-Marine Corps football tournament:
Recently the Pentagon announced new rules for the annual Army-Navy-Air Force-Marine Corps football tournament. It is now known that fully integrated teams will take to the gridiron only after negotiating the following:
1. Only flag football will be played. The Joint Chiefs of Staff deemed tackle and touch football too dangerous. First, because of the CNN factor, the public will no longer tolerate even one field casualty. Second, touching another player today -- even the congratulatory pat on the behind -- is court-martial bait.
2. The phrase "making a pass" will be changed to the less ambiguous "throwing the ball." And the Army, Navy and Marines will be blocked from throws beyond 5 yards because of Air Force protests that it alone owns the long-range air attack mission.
3. The Marine Corps may run with the ball, but no more than 25 yards per quarter, the Pentagon ruled. It was prompted by Army objections to long-range naval ground operations.
4. The Navy may not use tailbacks. The term is too sensitive and should be avoided.
5. To promote inter-service cooperation, all teams were ordered to use the same game plan, after receiving suggestions from all four services.
The Army's plan, called "The Game After Next," called for handoffs of a digitized football to the fullback, up the middle, on every play. The Army plan's last chapter, titled "Exit Strategy," was oddly blank, which would leave players with no choice but to set up bunkers and temporary housing on the 50-yard line.
The Navy's "Forward... From the Bench" plan called for players -- each called a ball "carrier" -- to be surrounded by other Navy football players in a pack called "carrier groups." These units would establish a roaming "presence" all over the playing field. Less important than crossing the goal line is the Navy strategy of being able to protect the carrier group wherever it patrols the gridiron. So threatening are these carriers, the Navy strategy goes, that no one would be foolish enough to even mount a defense.
The Marine's "Three-Yard War" plan was predictable: Seize ground, every down, no matter how, regardless of the price, preferably while on the playing field. The linchpin of the Marine game plan called for packing the audience with members of Congress to ensure that the Marines' performance did not go unrecognized.
The Air Force's "Field-Wide Engagement" plan kept calling for very long, accurate throws on every down, during huddles, time outs, halftime, between games, in the parking lot and even in the showers. So fast and accurate would these throws be, went the Air Force strategy, no other team should even bother to take the field.
After examining each team's playbook the Secretary of Defense ruled that none was suitable, leaving each service to its own devices.
The Navy decided victory could be had by not taking the field at all. Instead, its players patrolled up and down the sidelines in breathtaking formation, hoping that would sufficiently deter the other teams from leaving their benches. Likewise, the Army decided against taking the field, at least until several conditions were met: one, that vital U.S. national interests were at stake; two, the conditions for victory were concrete and easily defined; and, three, the president would activate 550,000 reserve and National Guard Army football players if the game actually were to be played.
The Air Force felt victory could be achieved also by not showing up. Secret plans were later leaked to the press that the Air Force had spent $38.7 billion on a system able to fire the football into the end zone from space.
Bolstered by congressional resolution to be the "most ready football team when others are the least," the Marines stormed the playing field and declared themselves the winners.
And there was joy in Mudville.
You may wonder why the Coast Guard didn't participate in the game. Well, the Coast Guard originally suggested a game plan which would save tons of money by using a 35 year old football (painted white with a red stripe, for easy identification on the field); they would also play with hand-me-down uniforms from the Navy. Then, in order to economize, the Coast Guard proposed to play with only six players who would act as both offense, defense, first, second and third string. In order to provide value for service, these same six players would also sell concessions at halftime and sweep the stadium after the game. If asked, the Coast Guard players would also wipe the game ball for the Navy between plays. In order to reflect the right proportions of the smallest U.S. military force, four players would be designated quarterbacks, two as wide receivers, and one as left tackle. Oops, forgot they’d only field six players: forget the tackle.
However, the Coast Guard never made it to the game because Secretary Rumsfeld said the Coast Guard couldn't win on their own; the Coast Guard was told to confine play to the practice field from now on.
Little does the Secretary know the Coast Guard managed to sneak the six players in to the game anyway: dressed as cheerleaders!
Trivia
General Trivia
1.Modern aviation transceivers used in the United States can transmit and receive on as many as _____ frequencies, and their range is 118.00 to _____ MHz.
a. 720, 135.975
b. 720, 136.975
c. 760, 135.975
d. 760, 136.975
2. Everyone knows that Charles Lindbergh was first to fly solo and nonstop from New York to Paris. The second pilot to do this was
a. Giuseppe Bellanca.
b. Clarence Chamberlin.
c. Max Conrad.
d. Wiley Post.
3. Which of the following does not belong?
a. automatic
b. coupled
c. fixed
d. manual
e. pressure
4. True or False: A glider has never been flown nonstop across the United States (without being towed while en route).
5. True or False: Pilots not only are required to turn on their anticollision lights when flying at night, they also are required to turn them on during daylight, VFR conditions in all classes of airspace.
6. True or False: Lycoming began manufacturing engines in 1907, only four years after the Wright brothers’ first powered flight.
7. True or False: No American pilot was an ace in both World War II and the Korean War.
