NewsProduction AT-6 aircraft makes first flight The first production Beechcraft AT-6 light attack aircraft made a ceremonial first flight on 20 August in Wichita, Kansas. The single-engined 1,600shp (1,190kW) Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop aeroplane took to the air at about 10:30 local time with test pilot Lionel Alford at the controls. "It flies great," he says. The aircraft was loaded with a pair of 66 gal (250 litres) drop tanks, two inert GBU-58 laser-guided bombs and two LAU-131 seven-shot rocket launchers. The AT-6 was also carrying a L-3 Wescam Mx-15Di electro-optical infrared camera. Although a production aircraft, it is a company-owned asset. Beechcraft has not secured an order for the type.
LinkPassenger Tries To Open Jet Door Mid-FlightAn AirTran Airways flight made an emergency landing in Memphis, Tennessee, on Monday evening after a passenger tried to open an emergency exit on the plane, a television station reported. AirTran Flight 265 was en route to Austin, Texas, from Baltimore when an unruly passenger tried to open a door in the rear of the plane, prompting the flight to be diverted to Memphis, WREG-TV in Memphis reported. Southwest Airlines spokesman Brad Hawkins said in an email to the station late on Monday that the flight was "safely diverted to (Memphis) this evening. I also understand there was an unruly customer among the 120 onboard (plus crew of 5)." AirTran is a Southwest unit.
LinkUnion Pressure Likely To Limit Finnair Sell-OffUnion pressure is likely to limit the sale of Finnish state holdings including its stake in national carrier Finnair when the government announces its 2014 budget proposals next week. The six-party coalition is due to raise EUR€500 million (USD$668 million) a year from share sales to boost revenues and maintain Finland's triple-A rating in the face of falling taxes and rising spending on an aging population. But the SDP and Leftist Alliance, the second and third biggest groups in government after the conservative National Coalition party, are backed by unions which want the state to keep its historical role in business and discourage job cuts.
LinkBrazil's Azul Scraps Share SaleAzul, Brazil's third-biggest airline, said it has given up plans for an initial public offering due to adverse market conditions. Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras said in a statement, however, that it still intends to launch an IPO in the future and that it will keep monitoring markets to find the best moment to do so. The total size of the transaction had been expected to reach about BRR1 billion reais (USD$414 million), according to sources. Azul had announced the IPO in May, under which it would have sold stock in a primary offering to raise funds for corporate purposes, with shareholders partially exiting their stake in the company through a so-called secondary offering.
LinkBeechcraft offers G58 for ISR missionsBeechcraft is offering a new intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) variant of the G58 Baron twin-engined piston aircraft, says a company official. Beechcraft has already sold one such aircraft to Puerto Rico's police force, says Justin Ladner, Beechcraft's vice-president for special mission aircraft sales. Further, there has been a lot of interest from a number of government and police organisations, he says.
LinkFlexjet to hire pilots to meet demand for fractional and card programs Rising demand for its fractional ownership and jet card programme has persuaded Flexjet to escalate its recruitment of new pilots to satisfy the uptake. The Bombardier-owned company and second largest fractional ownership operator recently reported a 112% increase in fractional ownership shares between January and June this year, compared with the first six months of 2012. Jet card sales climbed by nearly 70% during the same period. The 18-year-old company has taken delivery of more than 225 Bombardier business jet types since its inception and currently operates a fleet of 35 Learjet and 44 Challenger-series aircraft
LinkBombardier upholds delivery guidance despite Learjet slip Bombardier still plans to deliver the same number of business jets this year despite a schedule slip for completing certification on the Learjet 70/75 programme. The two new variants that will replace the Learjet 40/45 series will now be delivered in the fourth quarter, instead of the first half of this year, says Bombardier president Pierre Beaudoin. "We feel good about that," says Beaudoin, referring to the new schedule in a conference call with analysts. The Learjet 70/75 features higher-thrust Honeywell TFE731-40BR engines, a Garmin G5000-based Vision flight deck and an interior cabin refresh.
LinkRussian Helicopters schedules first flight of high-speed type for 2018Russian Helicopters plans to perform the maiden flight of its new developmental high-speed rotorcraft towards the end of the decade as it eyes the fledgling market for advanced vertical-lift aircraft. Development of the airframer's Russian Advanced Commercial Helicopter - or RACHEL - was first revealed at Farnborough air show in 2012. The company is now targeting first flight in 2018, says chief executive Dmitry Petrov. A flying testbed is being built around a Mil Mi-35 to validate systems that Petrov believes will translate into a 10t-class machine capable of carrying 21-24 people at a cruise speed of 195-205kt (360-380km/h). Comparatively, AgustaWestland's 30-passenger AW101 boasts a cruise speed of 150kt.
LinkIAI aims to complete F-35 wing facility in mid-2014Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) expects to complete construction of its new manufacturing facility to produce wings for the Lockheed Martin F-35 by mid-2014. Building work commenced on the factory earlier this year following an agreement between the two companies, although the schedule for completion has been advanced under technical supervision by Lockheed personnel. The site will eventually produce 811 wing pairs for the Joint Strike Fighter. IAI's contribution to the program is part of an offset deal stemming from Israel's decision to purchase an initial 20 examples of the F-35A for its air force.
LinkAustralia's DoD denies Tigerair Australia talksAustralia's Department of Defence denies that it has had talks with Tigerair Australia on using Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Richmond for commercial flights. "Defence is not in discussions with Tigerair or any other commercial airline about using RAAF Base Richmond for non-defence flying operations," a spokesman for the department said. Recent media reports in Australia have suggested that the low-cost carrier has been in high-level talks about operating flights from Richmond, located northwest of Sydney's central business district, in addition to its existing services from Sydney airport.
LinkBlog: Delta drafts smart strategy for Los AngelesDelta Air Lines has created a smart strategy to crack the Los Angeles market, writes blogger the Cranky Flier. By implementing an hourly shuttle between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the carrier is appealing to travelers without having to add a lot of capacity. "But the real benefit is that there are dedicated check-in counters that require arriving only 30 minutes before departure and close-in gates to make things move quickly," he writes.
LinkJetBlue resumes plan to build trainee hotel near Fla. airportJetBlue Airways is resuming plans to build a $25 million hotel near Florida's Orlando International Airport. The 115,000-square-foot hotel is scheduled to open in 2015 and will provide lodging for JetBlue staff attending JetBlue University, a training facility at the airport. JetBlue CEO Dave Barger also told the Orlando Sentinel that the airline plans to hire up to 50 people for a reservations center at the university that is scheduled to open by mid-November. The center is expected to employ up to 500 people within five years.
LinkAirlines offer a touch of luxury to premium passengersAirlines are offering luxury brands to entice first- and business-class travelers. Delta recently announced a partnership with Westin Hotels to provide blankets and pillows to business-class passengers. British Airways has also joined forces with Twinings to offer special blends of tea to premium passengers.
LinkAirbus secures bond issue for Ala. facility A bond issue totaling $260 million has been secured for construction of Airbus facilities at Brookley Aeroplex. Roger Wehner, the authority’s executive director, confirmed late Monday the bond has been secured and will be repaid by lease payments from the A320 final assembly line already under construction on roughly 116 acres of Brookley’s nearly 1,700-acre campus.
LinkNextGen landing approaches improve Alaska's fuel efficiencyThe Federal Aviation Administration has implemented NextGen satellite-guided arrivals and departures for Alaska Airlines at Seattle-Tacoma International and a few other airports. More than 90% of Alaska pilots use the GPS-guided landing approaches, which saved the carrier $17.6 million and 200,000 gallons of fuel last year because of greater efficiency. Alaska Air Chairman Bill Ayer said the Seattle project "proves what this technology can do," adding that he hopes it project will help advance NextGen across the country. The effort "certainly has needed a bit of a push," he said, "it still does."
LinkTexas attorney general faces criticism over antitrust roleThe presidents of the chambers of commerce in Dallas and Fort Worth sent a letter to the attorney general of Texas lamenting his role in joining an antitrust lawsuit against US Airways and American Airlines. "By any stretch of the imagination, having what the press refers to as 'the World's Largest Airline' based in Texas, makes our state more competitive," wrote James Oberwetter of Dallas and Bill Thornton of Fort Worth in a letter to Attorney General Greg Abbott. The union representing flight attendants at American Airlines is also urging members to contact attorneys general for states such as Texas that joined the antitrust action.
LinkN.J. approves ban on sale of select lasersThe New Jersey state Senate has overwhelmingly approved a bill to ban laser pointers that exceed 1 milliwatt in output power. The legislation is designed to reduce the risk of lasers pointed at aircraft.
LinkModern air travel advances include mobile boarding passesModern air travel has came a long way from the Wright brothers. In celebration of National Aviation Day on Monday, FoxNews has compiled the top advances in air travel. The list includes non-stop flights, inflight Wi-Fi and mobile phone boarding passes.
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