NewsCommercial
Southwest announces service to Aruba, Bahamas and Jamaica
Southwest Airlines will start selling tickets to international destinations this week. The carrier announced plans to expand service to Aruba, the Bahamas and Jamaica starting July 1.
Link
Greenpoint secures patent for first BBJ 747-8 elevator
US engineering and VIP completions company Greenpoint Technologies has secured a patent for a ground-to-main deck elevator for the first Boeing BBJ 747-8. The Aerolift provides a unique entry and exit to the widebody airliner, says Greenpoint, by transporting up to four passengers from the tarmac to the main deck via the cargo hold. Greenpoint provides the Aerolift as a complete installation for the BBJ 747-8, which comprises a lift carriage, an automatic door on the fuselage, a power unit and lift structure, as well as significant structural modifications to the main, lower and upper deck.
Link
US air traffic controllers discuss challenges, solutions to UAS integration
Integrating unmanned air systems (UAS) into civil airspace in the United States is one of the toughest jobs the nation's aviation industry has ever faced, according to the leader of the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) trade body. The group held a UAS-focused conference on 24 January near Washington, DC, during which attendees detailed many of the issues they say must be overcome before UAS become common in US skies. “Integrating UAS is the hardest thing we have ever done,” Peter Dumont, president of ATCA, says. He likens the problems posed by the booming UAS industry to those caused by the widespread introduction of jet-powered aircraft in the middle of last century, only “more difficult.”
Link
Germany To Bear Brunt Of Airbus Job Cuts
Airbus has told its unions it will shed the equivalent of 5,291 jobs as part of a restructuring of its military and space activities, with the cuts falling most heavily in Germany, a union source said on Monday. The company said in December it would cut 5,800 full-time and temporary posts as it combines the two divisions into one unit sharing the Airbus name. Of these, 1,500 will be eligible to be re-employed by the group's commercial plane making and helicopter subsidiaries and a further 1,300 are temporary workers not on the main payroll. This leaves 3,000 net job reductions from the main company payroll, just over half of which would be on a voluntary basis, leaving up to 1,450 forced redundancies.
Link
India Lifts Ban On Airbus A380s
India will allow Airbus A380s to land at the country's four main airports, the civil aviation ministry said on Monday, lifting restrictions on the superjumbos flying into the country. The four airports equipped to handle the A380s are in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, the ministry said. The ban on A380s was mainly due to concerns that foreign carriers may further hurt state-run Air India by grabbing a larger share of international traffic.
Link
Brazil Airports Overhaul Plan Another Blow To Investors
President Dilma Rousseff's plans to shake up Brazil's troubled airports sector could undermine billions of dollars in private investment and serve as a broader cautionary tale for investors in infrastructure. The questions over confidence in the rules of the road come as Rousseff struggles to finance over USD$100 billion in highway, road, port and rail projects. The sweeping plans, announced in 2011, are aimed at adding momentum to an economy that has struggled to grow over the last three years. One of the early successes of the plan was the sale of nearly USD$20 billion in concession rights to Brazilian and foreign companies to operate the country's five largest airports. The winners pledged more than USD$10 billion in initial investment.
Link
American Airlines introduces "Ops Olympics" employee bonuses
American Airlines Group plans to give out monthly employee bonuses if the carrier finishes first in three categories, including most on-time arrivals and other metrics. The "Ops Olympics" program will give employees $50 for each category the carrier finishes first among its three biggest competitors, up to a total of $150.
Link
American Airlines to merge flight operations centers
American Airlines announced Friday that it plans to consolidate its southwestern Pennsylvania and Phoenix flight operations centers in North Texas. In letters released to employees, unions, the Federal Aviation Administration and local officials in the affected areas, the company informed staff in both Pittsburgh and Phoenix of plans to consolidate all operations in Texas. Roughly 600 people will be affected, according to an email sent out by Matt Dinkel, press secretary for U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, a Democrat representing the Forest Hills area near Pittsburgh.
Link
Study: Airline mergers benefit consumers by providing low fares
A recent study by study by PwC concludes that airline mergers have benefited the industry and consumers. The study found that airfares decreased by 0.5% from 2004 to 2013 when adjusted for inflation.
Link
United Airlines exec: Economy Plus bookings to return to GDSs
Seats in United Airlines' Economy Plus segment should return to GDS platforms within the first half of 2014, said James Compton, United's vice chairman and chief revenue officer. "Importantly, we'll be able to utilize the same dynamic pricing and offer the same rich information through the GDS providers as we do on United.com," Compton said.
Link
LAX served more than 17.8M international travelers in 2013
Bolstered by an improving economy, Los Angeles International Airport handled more than 17.8 million foreign travelers in 2013, a record for the West Coast gateway that struggled for years to recover that portion of its market. The previous peak for the nation's third-busiest airport was about 17.5 million international passengers in 2005, but a global economic slowdown triggered a steep decline in air travel and hampered further growth. Gina Marie Lindsey, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports, the operator of LAX that announced the passenger figures, attributed the record to an improving worldwide economy, especially in Asia, and a modest strengthening of the Southern California economy.
LinkMilitary
British, Australian jets arrive for Red Flag workout
Combat aircraft from Australia and the UK have arrived at the US Air Force’s Nellis AFB in Nevada, to participate in the three week-long Red Flag 14-1 air combat exercise. Around 150 aircraft are expected to be involved in the large-scale training event, says the UK Royal Air Force. Its detachment includes Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4s from Leuchars-based 6 Sqn, and Panavia Tornado GR4s from 9 Sqn at RAF Marham, respectively to perform swing-role and low-level strike tasks. One Boeing E-3D Sentry from 8 Sqn at RAF Waddington will also take part, providing an airborne command and control function.
Link
NAS Meet Link
Bedek studies 'boom-less' design for advanced tanking
Israel Aerospace Industries' Bedek division is evaluating the design of a "boom-less" system that will enable an in-flight refuelling tanker to refuel three fighters simultaneously. According to Jack Gaber, senior vice-president for marketing and business development, the idea is based on replacing the tail boom with a flexible hose that will be connected to three aerodynamic surfaces, "like small unmanned air vehicles". Each surface will be fly-by-wire controlled, so that it enables the safe simultaneous refuelling of three aircraft.
Link
Rafael advances missile evaluation for Israeli F-35s
Rafael has completed an initial evaluation of the requirements for a sixth-generation air-to-air missile that will be carried by the Israeli air force's Lockheed Martin F-35s. The step was confirmed by Yosi Druker, vice-president and general manager of Rafael's air superiority systems division. In the past, the company said only that it was developing the "building blocks" for such a weapon. It also previously announced that its Stunner missile – developed for the David's Sling rocket interceptor system – would provide the basis for a future air-to-air system.
Link
USAF reveals plan to replace JSTARS with business jets by 2022
The US Air Force has taken the first step in a newly revealed, eight-year process to develop and field a business jet-sized replacement for the Northrop Grumman E-8C joint surveillance target attack radar system (JSTARS), although the project still has no approved funding. The JSTARS Recapitalisation (Recap) program seeks to achieve an initial operational capability in 2022 with a “more efficient airframe” in the business jet class. It will be acquired using separate contracts for developing the aircraft, the airborne sensor, battle management command and control (BMC2) system and a communications subsystem.
Link
New Zealand signs T-6C trainer deal
The New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) is to buy 11 Beechcraft T-6Cs to meet its requirement for an advanced pilot training capability. The NZ$154 million ($127 million) deal will also include simulators and classroom- and computer-based training packages. New Zealand requires an intermediate trainer with a glass cockpit that will be able to take students from the Pacific Aerospace CT-4E Airtrainer to the Lockheed Martin P-3K2 Orion maritime patrol aircraft, Boeing 757 and upgraded Lockheed C-130H transports, plus the AgustaWestland AW109, NH Industries NH90 and future Kaman SH-2G(I) Seasprite helicopters.
Link
Aviation Quote
Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd planned to speak to you tonight to report on the state of the Union, but the events of earlier today have led me to change those plans. Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country. This is truly a national loss.
Nineteen years ago, almost to the day, we lost three astronauts in a terrible accident on the ground. But, we've never lost an astronaut in flight; we've never had a tragedy like this. And perhaps we've forgotten the courage it took for the crew of the shuttle; but they, the Challenger Seven, were aware of the dangers, but overcame them and did their jobs brilliantly. We mourn seven heroes: Michael Smith, Dick Scobee, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. We mourn their loss as a nation together.
For the families of the seven, we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy. But we feel the loss, and we're thinking about you so very much. Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace, that special spirit that says, 'Give me a challenge and I'll meet it with joy.' They had a hunger to explore the universe and discover its truths. They wished to serve, and they did. They served all of us.
We've grown used to wonders in this century. It's hard to dazzle us. But for twenty-five years the United States space program has been doing just that. We've grown used to the idea of space, and perhaps we forget that we've only just begun. We're still pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew, were pioneers.
And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's takeoff. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them.
I've always had great faith in and respect for our space program, and what happened today does nothing to diminish it. We don't hide our space program. We don't keep secrets and cover things up. We do it all up front and in public. That's the way freedom is, and we wouldn't change it for a minute. We'll continue our quest in space. There will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and, yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue. I want to add that I wish I could talk to every man and woman who works for NASA or who worked on this mission and tell them: "Your dedication and professionalism have moved and impressed us for decades. And we know of your anguish. We share it."
There's a coincidence today. On this day 390 years ago, the great explorer Sir Francis Drake died aboard ship off the coast of Panama. In his lifetime the great frontiers were the oceans, and a historian later said, 'He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it.' Well, today we can say of the Challenger crew: Their dedication was, like Drake's, complete.
The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for the journey and waved goodbye and 'slipped the surly bonds of earth' to 'touch the face of God.'
Thank you.
President Ronald Reagan - January 28, 1986
On This Date
---In 1613... Galileo may have unknowingly viewed undiscovered planet Neptune.
---In 1871... The last balloon to leave Paris during the Persian siege takes off with orders for the French fleet to bring food and supplies to replenish the French capital, an armistice having been signed. The flight of the General Cambronne ends a period of almost exactly 5 months during which the advantages of balloons were put to efficient use.
---In 1948…A DC-3 flight chartered by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service crashes into hills west of Coalinga, California, killing 32. The crash became the impetus of the Woody Guthrie song “Deportee.”
---In 1959…Nike-Cajun successfully launched 12-foot-diameter test inflatable sphere to a height of 75 miles over NASA Wallops Island, the sphere inflating satisfactorily.
---In 1964…A U.S. Air Force T-39 Sabreliner strays into East Germany and is shot down by Soviet MiG-19s near Erfurt, killing all 3 crewmembers.
---In 1986…The Space Shuttle Challenger, operating mission STS-51L, explodes 73 seconds after launch at an altitude of 48,000ft. The disintegration is attributed to an O-ring failure on the solid rocket booster (SRB) joint affected by the cold, 36 degree temperature at launch. All 7 members of the crew died, including Christie McAuliffe, the first chosen in the Teachers In Space Program. The crash resulted in a 32-month hiatus on Shuttle flights.
---In 2002…TAME Flight 120, a Boeing 727-134 (HC-BLF) crashes into the side of the Cumbal Volcano in Colombia, killing all 94 aboard. The cause was attributed to the Captain’s decision to continue the approach into Colonel Luis. A Mantilla Airport in poor weather, and poor navigation as well.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
Hard Landing
After a particularly lousy landing made from the right seat of a commercial airliner, that FO heard the Captain announce "Ladies and gentlemen, XXX Airlines wishes to apologize for that rough landing provided today by our First Officer."
Some months later the same crew was together and, sure enough, the Captain made an even worse one. The First Officer immediately jumped on the intercom, announcing "Ladies and Gentlemen, XXX Airlines wishes to apologize for that rough landing provided today by our Captain."
The Captain turned angrily to his FO. "What did you say that for?"
"Remember a couple of months back when you did that to me?" the First Officer replied. "Now we're even!"
"But I never keyed the mike!" protested the Captain.
Trivia
General Trivia
1. A pilot is number two for takeoff behind a McDonnell Douglas MD–80 and notices that the right elevator of the jetliner is up while the left elevator is down. To whom should he report this?
2. On June 1, 2009, an Air France Airbus A330-200 operating between Rio de Janeiro and Paris crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in the vicinity of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. What is the ITCZ and what causes it to develop?
3. What is the maximum amount of lift that the wings of a typical, 2,000-pound general aviation airplane are allowed to develop?
4. How many aircraft carriers did Germany have during World War II, and what were (was) their (its) name(s)?
5. What well-known aircraft accident was the impetus for establishing the Federal Aviation Agency (later named the Federal Aviation Administration) in 1958?
6. What is unique about the Boeing 737-700IGW?
Southwest announces service to Aruba, Bahamas and Jamaica
Southwest Airlines will start selling tickets to international destinations this week. The carrier announced plans to expand service to Aruba, the Bahamas and Jamaica starting July 1.
