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Qatar Airways A350 delivery suffers last-minute delay
Delivery of the first Airbus A350-900 to launch customer Qatar Airways has been postponed indefinitely for unspecified reasons. The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered aircraft was due to be handed over to Qatar Airways this weekend in Toulouse, with a formal ceremony scheduled to take place on 15 December at Doha's Hamad International airport following the aircraft's ferry flight. In a statement, the airline says the delivery has been postponed but does not explain the reason: "Qatar Airways announces that the Airbus A350 aircraft ceremonial transfer of title has been postponed until further notice."
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Airbus Shares Slide After 2016 Profit Warning
Airbus shares slid 10.4 percent on Wednesday after the plane maker predicted flat profits in 2016, surprising investors who had expected new and recently upgraded models to start boosting results that year. Airbus was also forced to call off a ceremony planned for Saturday to deliver the first A350 to Qatar Airways after the Gulf airline said it was delaying the handover indefinitely. Analysts said the rebuff from the airline, famously picky about accepting new aircraft and widely believed to use such tactics to obtain last-minute concessions, was overshadowed by concerns over the model it replaces, the A330. Airbus, which has already announced plans to cut A330 production by 10 percent to nine aircraft a month, said it would have to cut production again in 2016 to an unspecified level.
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Column looks at the future of Airbus A380
Airbus Group NV, which has failed to find a new airline buyer for its A380 superjumbo this year, is at a crossroads that leaves it with two directions: spend heavily to improve the plane or let it go. This year is shaping up to be the first since the doubledecker entered service without a new airline customer. Its only buyer was a leasing company that has yet to line up a single carrier to take any of the 20 planes it ordered. The backlog remains as thin as it is fragile, highlighted by the cancellation of six jets ordered by Japan’s Skymark Airlines Inc. (9204), with two close to handover.
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Report: airliners crash less, but repairs are more expensive
Despite the long-term trend for fewer airline fatalities, innovations in aircraft are raising the cost to repair and replace planes, according to a study released Thursday. The study by Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty insurer and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University noted that the fatality rate for commercial flights dropped to two people per 100 million passengers during the last decade, from 133 per 100 million during the 1960s. But planes filled with sophisticated electronics -- and made of composite material rather than metal – are becoming more expensive to repair and replace. Looming risks to the industry include drones and cyber attacks on the automation in planes and air-traffic control.
LinkAirlines
Aer Lingus' Shareholders Back Pension Deal
Aer Lingus' shareholders have voted to inject EUR€191 million (USD$237 million) into a staff pension fund, one of the final obstacles to resolving a dispute that has weighed on Aer Lingus for years. Seventy-eight percent of shareholders backed the deal, indicating the airline's largest investor Ryanair, which controls 30 percent, voted in favor. Ryanair and Aer Lingus declined to comment on how Ryanair voted.
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American’s first 787 delivery delayed to 2015
American Airlines plans to take delivery of its first Boeing 787-8 in the first quarter of 2015, an at least two month delay from previous expectations of a November delivery. “As with any first delivery of a new fleet type, there are a number of things that have to be coordinated before it is introduced to ensure we deliver a state-of-the-art product for our employees and customers,” the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier says. “We’re working with our partners at Boeing to make it happen.”
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American Airlines Group celebrates first anniversary of merger
A year after US Airways and American Airlines merged, blogger Terry Maxon reflects on their progress. "It's hard to imagine a more favorable set of circumstances for the merger, with a reasonably good economy, strong demand, rising fares and falling fuel prices," Maxon writes.
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American to receive delivery of first 787 in 2015
American Airlines will receive delivery of its first 787 in 2015. Matt Miller, a spokesman for American, said "we’re expecting to take delivery in the first quarter of next year, and it's going to be a great addition to our fleet and a big part of our fleet renewal efforts going forward."
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Delta Air Lines rebrands fare classes
Delta Air Lines has rebranded five classes of fares, ranging from the low-cost option of Basic Economy to the premium option of Delta One. Other classes of fares include Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+ and First Class.
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Delta giving away free passes to new arrival lounge at London Heathrow
Delta Air Lines' SkyMiles Diamond and Platinum Medallion members and BusinessElite passengers who touch down at London Heathrow Airport on flights from the U.S. will receive free passes to Delta's new luxury lounge at Terminal 3. The lounge features 11 showers, butler service and a business center.
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JetBlue to launch service in Cleveland next year
JetBlue Airways plans to enter the Cleveland market in 2015, launching its first flight from Cleveland to Boston on April 30. "JetBlue looks forward to adding Cleveland to our route network and we see a bright future in this market," said Dave Clark, vice president of network planning for the carrier.
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Lufthansa Pilots Call For Wider Mediation
Pilots at Lufthansa have called for mediation to cover all areas of their dispute with the airline's management, not only the early retirement row that has resulted in 10 strikes this year. Lufthansa offered last week to enter mediation to resolve the long-running dispute over early retirement benefits, seeking to halt the hits it was taking from repeated industrial action. The company estimated this week that strikes this year have cost it close to EUR€200 million (USD$247.5 million) in operating profit. However, pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) said in a statement on Wednesday that the dispute could not be laid to rest unless all points of conflict were resolved.
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Baby delivered aboard Southwest flight
A Southwest Airlines flight landed in Los Angeles with one more passenger than when it took off. A passenger gave birth shortly after Flight 623 took off from San Francisco on Tuesday and the Phoenix-bound jet diverted to Los Angeles International Airport.
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US Airways to move near American Airlines at Calif. airport
US Airways is moving its local operations from Terminal 2 West to Terminal 2 East at San Diego International Airport, effective Dec. 11. Airport officials said the carrier’s ticketing and check-in counters will be located next to those of American Airlines, west of the security checkpoint. Signs will be posted throughout the terminal to direct travelers to US Airways’ new location.
LinkAirports
Heavy rain affects air travel at NYC airports
The nor'easter pelting New Jersey with wind and rain has been causing hours-long delays at Newark Liberty, John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports, the Federal Aviation Administration is reporting. Air traffic management controls in place at Newark Liberty prompted by the weather were causing average delays of 1 hour 50 minutes as of Noon among the flights involved, according to the FAA. At LaGuardia, similar controls were delaying flights an average of 4 hours and 7 minutes, the FAA said, while delays at JFK were averaging 1 hour and 31 minutes.
LinkRegulatory
ICAO celebrates 70th anniversary
The International Civil Aviation Organization, inaugurated in 1944, has for 70 years worked with countries around the world to establish global aviation standards and guidelines.
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Aviation Quote
You know the part in 'High Flight where it talks about putting out your hand to touch the face of God? Well, when we're at speed and altitude in the SR, we have to slow down and descend in order to do that.
— USAF Lt. Col. Gil Bertelson, SR-71 pilot, in 'SR-71 Blackbird: Stories, Tales and Legends,' 2002.
On This Date
---In 1917... Katherine Stinson flies 606 miles from San Diego to San Francisco, setting a new American non-stop distance record.
---In 1961… The first American military aircraft are based in Vietnam, as the U.S. Army's 8th and 57th Transportation Companies (Light Helicopter), arrive at Saigon, South Vietnam. They are equipped with 32 H-21C Shawnee transport helicopters.
---In 1968…First McDonnell Douglas DC-9-20 delivered to SAS.
---In 2009…First flight of the Airbus A400M in Spain.
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Editor’s Choice
Trivia
General Trivia
1. A pilot is cruising VFR at an altitude of more than 3,000 feet agl while maintaining a magnetic course of 150 degrees. Everything else being equal, most conflicting traffic will approach his airplane from
a. the right.
b. the left.
c. approximately straight ahead.
d. This cannot be determined from the information given.
2. When an airplane reaches its absolute ceiling,
a. VX is greater than VY.
b. VY is greater than VX.
c. VX is identical to VY.
d. the airplane is on the verge of a stall.
3. The current world speed record for a propeller-driven, piston-powered seaplane was established in 1931 and is
a. 298 mph.
b. 348 mph.
c. 398 mph.
d. 448 mph.
4. True or false; a major advantage of a nuclear-powered airplane is that it would have incredible range and endurance. The “N’ in the designation, “Convair NB-36 Peacemaker,” indicates that the enormous bomber had nuclear power.
5. True or false; Hermann Göring, Nazi Reichsmarschall and Commander of the German Luftwaffe during World War II, had a nephew who was a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Force and flew 48 bombing missions against Nazi Germany and occupied Europe.
6. True or false; the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight was first reported in a journal titled Gleanings in Bee Culture.
