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Airbus starts final certification process for A350-900
The Airbus A350-900 is in final stages of certification for passenger service. The jetmaker recently said the plane has started three weeks of route trials, which include a trip over the North Pole, automatic landings, and airport turnaround service. The plane seats up to 350 travelers.
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MH17 was on established airway: Ukrainian commission
Ukrainian investigators believe the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200ER which crashed in the east of the country had been flying an established route. The state commission supporting the inquiry says that an international working group including European Aviation Safety Agency and UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch specialists had been examining aspects of flight MH17’s navigation. It states that analysis of data from automatic dependent surveillance (ADS-B) transmissions and ground radar confirms that the aircraft was operating in Ukrainian airspace within an established air traffic services route.
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Fighting Complicates MH17 Crash Investigation
Fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine where Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was downed has further complicated an investigation as Europe and the United States prepared economic sanctions on Russia over the conflict. At least 13 people were killed in clashes between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels that raged in five areas around the wider region. International monitors said they had abandoned plans to visit the MH17 crash site because of fears it was not safe, even though Malaysia said earlier that rebels had agreed to provide access. Ukraine said it was trying to dislodge the rebels, but denied it was fighting near the crash site, saying the separatists had put the monitors off by falsely claiming that the army was operating nearby.
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Armed Mission To MH17 Site "Not Realistic"
The Netherlands, Australia and Malaysia have ruled out sending an international armed mission to secure the site in eastern Ukraine where Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed, the Dutch prime minister said on Sunday. "We concluded there was a real risk that an international mission would immediately be involved in the conflict in Ukraine," he said, adding that it was "not realistic" to attain military dominance over heavily armed separatists in an area so near the Russian border.
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Families Mourn Victims At Air Algerie Crash Site
Family members of those killed on the Air Algerie flight that crashed in Mali were taken to the wreckage on Saturday to grieve as French President Francois Hollande announced three days of mourning. Hollande ordered that flags on government buildings across France fly at half-mast for three days from Monday after the death of 118 people in the crash, including 54 French nationals. Hollande, who met relatives of victims for three hours on Saturday afternoon, said that all the bodies would be flown to France and that he would make sure that families can, at some point, travel to the crash site to help them cope with their grief.
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Bad Weather Likely Cause Of Air Algerie Crash
Poor weather was the most likely cause of the crash of the Air Algerie flight in the West African state of Mali that killed all 116 people on board, French officials said. Investigators at the scene of the crash in northern Mali concluded the airliner broke apart when it hit the ground, the officials said, suggesting this meant it was unlikely to have been the victim of an attack. "French soldiers who are on the ground have started the first investigations. Sadly there are no survivors," French President Francois Hollande told reporters. A column of 100 soldiers and 30 vehicles from the French force stationed in the region arrived early on Friday morning to secure the crash site near the northern Mali town of Gossi and recover bodies, a Defense Ministry official said.
LinkAirlines
Air New Zealand issues 787-9 first user riposte
Air New Zealand (ANZ) will begin using its newly-delivered Boeing 787-9 aircraft on an ad hoc basis, starting in August. The carrier posted a number of tweets on 25 July saying that it will operate the first commercial flight with the variant. The tweets followed an announcement yesterday from All Nippon Airways, in which the Japanese carrier claimed that it would be the first carrier to operate the variant with charter services in August. “The [Boeing] 787-9 is scheduled to operate between Auckland and Sydney on a surprise and delight basis from 9 August,” says an Air New Zealand spokeswoman.
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Alaska Air reports increase in Q2 profit, revenue
Alaska Air Group reported net income of $165 million for the second quarter, compared to net income of $104 million in the same quarter last year. The parent company of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air also reported a 9% increase in revenue for the quarter.
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American to give shareholders first dividend since 1980
American Airlines says it will pay its first dividend since 1980. The company announced Thursday that shareholders will get a quarterly cash dividend of 10 cents per share. American will also spend up to $1 billion to buy back shares, which raises the value of remaining shares. American Airlines Group Inc. made the announcement as it reported net income of $864 million in the second quarter, up from $220 million a year earlier.
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JetBlue's Mint section helps boost profits
JetBlue’s latest earnings are a boon for its shareholders—less so for its loyal economy customers. Executives at the US airline, whose earnings rose six-fold in the second quarter, said during its earnings call today that they were especially pleased with the mid-June launch of its new business class cabin, Mint. The premium class launched on flights between Los Angeles and New York marks a stark shift from JetBlue’s previous egalitarian approach. It has touted that its all-coach cabins offer more legroom than other US commercial carriers.
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Southwest Airlines to reward employees with $200 bonus
Southwest Airlines said Thursday it is giving its employees a $200 one-time bonus to reward them for getting the carrier’s profits to record levels. That’s in addition to the built-in profit-sharing that employees receive. The airline had a return on invested capital (ROIC) of 17.1 percent for the 12 months ended June 30. Its stated goal is 15 percent.
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Southwest CEO: Air travel remains safe
Despite a week in air travel that saw an unusual spike in incidents, air travel remains a safe way to travel, experts say. Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines chairman and CEO, said that air travel is one of the safest modes of transportation. "We'll continue to keep safety of customers and our crew as our absolute top priority, and look for every opportunity to mitigate risk," Kelly said.
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United Continental shares hit 52-week high on Q2 earnings
United Continental Holdings shares traded at a 52-week high of $49.28 after the carrier announced second-quarter results. "We have laid a sound financial foundation over the last few years by paying off debt and investing in our business," said CFO John Rainey. United Continental also announced a plan to repurchase $1 billion in stock.
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U.S. airlines upgrading equipment, rewarding employees
American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines all posted record profits in the past quarter, a development experts say could be a sign of a turning point for the airline industry. All three carriers are now well positioned to pay down debt, upgrade equipment, reward shareholders with dividends and raise employee compensation.
LinkMilitary
Australian F-35s rolled out in Texas
Australia’s first pair of F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft have been rolled out, during a ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth final assembly site in Texas. They are the lead examples of at least 72 aircraft to be produced for the nation, under an acquisition worth a projected A$12.4 billion ($11.6 billion).
LinkRotary Wing
K-Max returns from Afghan deployment
The US Marine Corps’ Lockheed Martin/Kaman K-Max unmanned helicopter has returned from its Afghan deployment, following almost three years in theatre. The cargo-carrying unmanned air vehicle returned in May, and is now undergoing technical assessment at Lockheed’s Owego facility in New York. A USMC assessment of assets in theatre concluded that the UAV was no longer required in Afghanistan to support the mission, so the unmanned rotorcraft was subsequently returned, Capt Patrick Smith, programme executive officer for multi-mission UAS, says.
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Aviation Quote
If you're faced with a forced landing, fly the thing as far into the crash as possible.
— Bob Hoover
On This Date
---In 1933... Dr. Albert Forsythe and Charles Alfred “Chief” Anderson land at Atlantic City to complete the first return flight to the West Coast by African-American pilots.
---In 1934... Nelly Diener becomes Europe’s first air stewardess.
---In 1945…a U.S. Army B-25D bomber crashes into the Empire State Building in heavy fog, killing 11 people in the building and all three of the plane’s crewmen.
---In 1950... The first scheduled passenger service flown by a gas-turbine powered airliner (turboprop) is British European Airway’s (BEA) Vickers V. 630 Viscount.
---In 2003…First flight of the Adam A700 AdamJet.
---In 2009…Air Cargo Germany makes its first revenue flight.
---In 2010…Airblue Flight 202, operated with an Airbus A321, crashes in the Margalla Hills near Islamabad.
---In 2010… Boeing C-17 Globemaster III 00-0173 of the United States Air Force crashed near Elmendorf Air Force Base killing all four people on board.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
Teaching The Child
As a crowded airliner is about to take off, the peace is shattered by a 5-year-old boy who picks that moment to throw a wild temper tantrum. No matter what his frustrated, embarrassed mother does to try to calm him down, the boy continues to scream furiously and kick the seats around him.
Suddenly, from the rear of the plane, an elderly man in the uniform of an Air Force General is seen slowly walking forward up the aisle. Stopping the flustered mother with an upraised hand, the white-haired, courtly, soft-spoken General leans down and, motioning toward his chest, whispers something into the boy's ear.
Instantly, the boy calms down, gently takes his mother's hand, and quietly fastens his seat belt. All the other passengers burst into spontaneous applause.
As the General slowly makes his way back to his seat, one of the cabin attendants touches his sleeve. "Excuse me, General," she asks quietly, "but could I ask you what magic words you used on that little boy?"
The old man smiles serenely and gently confides, "I showed him my pilot's wings, service stars, and battle ribbons, and explained that they entitle me to throw one passenger out the plane door on any flight I choose."
Trivia
General Trivia
1. Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin were first to walk on the moon. Altogether, how many men have walked on the moon, and who were the third and fourth astronauts to do so?
2. The tires of some turbofan-powered airplanes have chines. What are these and what purpose do they serve?
3. What is the greatest speed ever achieved by a man-made object?
4. Who was apparently the only pilot to intentionally solo a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress?
5. True or false; The Boeing JB-17G Flying Fortress was a single-engine, propeller-driven version of the famed bomber.
6. True or false; When filing flight plans, pilots should include cadavers when indicating the number of persons on board the aircraft (or mention them in the Remarks section).
