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Bombardier schedules CS300 first flight for 26 February
Bombardier has scheduled first flight for the CS300 for 26 February, pending optimal weather conditions. The Canadian airframer last week set a three-day first flight window for the 135-160 seat aircraft, after receiving an experimental flight permit from Transport Canada. The aircraft has also since completed high speed taxi runs.
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MH370 hunt covers 40% of search area
Search teams hunting the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200ER have covered 40% of the priority area drawn up by investigators. No trace of debris from flight MH370 has been located since the aircraft vanished en route to Beijing in March last year.
LinkAirlines
Aeromexico Announces Pricing of Notes Guaranteed by the US Ex-Im Bank
Grupo Aeromexico S.A.B. de C.V. ("Aeromexico") (AEROMEX.MX), the largest airline in Mexico, today announced the pricing of an offering of USD $195.8 million of 2.329% secured notes due 2027, (the "Notes")guaranteed by the Export-Import Bank of the United States ("Ex-Im Bank").
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AirAsia X To Cut Costs, May Defer Deliveries
AirAsia X will cut flights on unprofitable routes, redeploy staff and defer some aircraft deliveries to turn around the loss-making long-haul budget carrier. "Capacity reduction and cost-cutting within the organization would be two strategies this year," Benyamin Ismail, the acting chief executive of AirAsia X said. Squeezed by intense competition in Southeast Asia's crowded aviation business, the airline has lost money for the last five quarters.
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Avianca Holdings And Its Subsidiaries Carried More Than 2.3 Million Passengers In January 2015
In January, the subsidiary companies of Avianca Holdings S.A. transported 2,360,600 passengers, up 8.9% compared to January 2014. Capacity, measured in ASKs (available seat kilometers), increased 7.2%, while passenger traffic, measured in RPKs (revenue passenger kilometers), increased 8.2%. The load factor for the month was 81.9%
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Delta to Upgrade In-Flight Wi-Fi and Expand Coverage Areas for Customers
Delta Air Lines will upgrade the in-flight Wi-Fi service its customers experience with broadband speeds and expanded coverage. The upgrades will extend Wi-Fi access beyond the shores of the North America for customers traveling between the U. S. and Latin America or the Caribbean. Gogo (GOGO) will begin updating Delta's long-haul domestic aircraft currently using air-to-ground technology with satellite-based technology starting in 2016.
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Hawaiian CEO comments on long-term fuel strategy
Hawaiian Airlines is standing by its policy of hedging fuel, despite the current drop in jet fuel prices. "We're not enjoying the market benefit of lower fuel prices today but will enjoy it for longer when fuel does spike up," said Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO of Hawaiian. He added that Hawaiian's policy is to hedge fuel for 18 months to two years.
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Mesa Airlines Expands Fleet with Seven New CRJ900 Aircraft to Fly for American Airlines
Mesa Airlines, Inc. has been selected by American Airlines to operate seven new Bombardier CRJ900 NextGen aircraft for a 10-year term under the American Eagle brand. The aircraft, recently purchased by Mesa, will bring the total number of CRJ900s operated by the company to 64. “As the CRJ900 launch customer in 2001 and one of the world’s largest CRJ900 operators, we are extremely pleased to add these brand new CRJ900 NextGen aircraft to our fleet,” said Mesa Chairman and CEO Jonathan Ornstein
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Southwest comments on aircraft inspections
Southwest Airlines Co. says it has grounded 128 planes after failing to inspect backup hydraulic systems used to control the rudder if the main system fails. Southwest spokesperson Brandy King said the airline canceled about 80 flights Tuesday and expected to cancel up to 19 more on Wednesday while some inspections are done. She said the airline expected to finish "a good portion" of the inspections by Wednesday morning. The grounding covers about one-fifth its fleet. The move surprised passengers who reported that their flights were unexpectedly delayed at airports like Baltimore/Washington International, reports CBS News correspondent Jeff Pegues.
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Turkish Airlines Profit Almost Triples
Turkish Airlines posted a 2014 net profit that almost tripled and unveiled plans to invest more than USD$3 billion mostly on its fleet. Net profit rose to TRY1.82 billion lira (USD$739 million) from TRY683 million the previous year. Sales rose 29 percent to TRY24.1 billion. The airline and its subsidiaries are planning around USD$3.74 billion in new investment this year, most of it on increasing its 261 fleet of aircraft.
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United Airlines Introduces New Premium-Cabin Menu on United Express Flights
United Airlines will introduce new premium-cabin dining service on United Express flights beginning next week, featuring freshly prepared entrees served on chinaware and expanded meal-service times for United First and United Business customers on regional flights.
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Wizz Air Sets London IPO Price
Wizz Air said its London initial public offering had been priced at GBP£11.50 per share, giving the company a notional market value of GBP£601 million (USD$932 million). The airline, which operates mainly in Eastern Europe, said it would receive net proceeds of about GBP£103 million (USD$160 million) from the IPO.
LinkAirports
Denver airport continues to revamp concessions
Denver International Airport is continuing to refresh its retail and food offerings, after adding 21 new or updated concessions in 2014.. Last year, retailers at the airport reported a record $322.8 million in revenue. "When the airport is able to generate revenue like this, it allows us to keep costs low for airlines, which in turn makes Denver a more attractive place for airlines to operate at," said DIA spokesman Heath Montgomery.
LinkMilitary
RAAF upbeat on Wedgetail reliability
The Royal Australian Air Force says recent operational experience operating the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning & control (AEW&C) aircraft has established the platform's effectiveness. Speaking to media, RAAF Wg Cdr Paul Carpenter says that receipt of Initial Operational Capability in December 2012 marked a key milestone in the type's service history. "IOC was very significant, because it put us on the hook for taskings," says Carpenter.
LinkRotary Wing
Flying Colours completes first VIP S-92
Canadian maintenance, repair and overhaul company Flying Colours has completed its first VIP refurbishment of a Sikorsky S-92, marking its first foray into the large/heavy-twin helicopter completions business. The Peterborough, Ontario-based company, which has already outfitted a number of smaller S-76s, now plans to expand its helicopter interiors offering.
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Australia and New Zealand lift R44 groundings
Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand have both lifted emergency airworthiness directives that temporarily grounded Robinson R44s helicopters fitted with certain main rotor blades. Both regulators imposed the grounding on R44s with C016-7 main rotor blades on 21 February following a fatal accident near Queenstown in New Zealand on 19 February. It was thought that a crack may have caused the failure of one of the blades.
LinkCorporate
SyberJet SJ30i first flight slips to fourth quarter
SyberJet Aircraft has pushed back first flight of its SJ30i to the end of the year following its decision to bring in house the electronic engineering work involved in incorporating the light business jet’s redesigned cockpit. The revamped twin was scheduled to make its maiden sortie this quarter, equipped with its new SyberVision avionics suite. The engineering work was originally assigned to an undisclosed private company. “We have decided to take full control of the engineering project,” says SyberJet’s general manager, Mark Fairchild. “This has delayed the SJ30i certification by a few months, but it is a price worth paying.”
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Aviation Quote
Pilots are a rare kind of human. They leave the ordinary surface of the word, to purify their soul in the sky, and they come down to earth, only after receiving the communion of the infinite.
— Jose Maria Velasco Ibarra, President of Ecuador.
On This Date
---In 1931... Imperial Airways begins scheduled services from England to Africa using Armstrong Whitworth Argosys.
---In 1940... The US Air Defense Command is formed at Mitchell Field, New York.
---In 1941…Asia’s oldest airline, Philippine Airlines, is founded.
---In 1941… Eastern Air Lines Flight 21 crashed near Atlanta, almost killing Eddie Rickenbacker, who was traveling on airline business. His recovery in the hospital received broad press coverage; during his initial recovery several news reports claimed that he had died.
---In 1949... A Boeing B-50 makes first nonstop refueled flight around world. American Capt. James Gallagher and Luck Lady II crew cover 23,452 miles (37,742 km) in 94 hours 1 minute and are refueled in flight four times.
---In 1954…Piedmont Airlines carries its one millionth passenger after 6 years of scheduled service
---In 1955... The first supersonic ejection takes place when North American test pilot George F. Smith ejects himself from his diving F-100 off Laguna Beach, California. He is unconscious for five days but recovers.
---In 1975…First flight of the Cessna 404 Titan N5404J.
---In 1977…1st flight of Space Shuttle (atop a Boeing 747).
---In 1979…The A-4 Skyhawk ends production after 26 years.
---In 1979…Continental begins codesharing with Air France.
---In 1979…Last total eclipse of Sun in 20th century for continental US.
---In 1987…NASA launches GEOS-H.
---In 1998…Total solar eclipse in Venezuela-Pacific Ocean (4m09).
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Trivia
British Aircraft Jumble
1. MICAISTR
2. RGYOSAS
3. FASLTBE
4. OWNLIEGTLN
5. CAARTNSLE
6. HFDSOIWRS
7. EFTNIDA
8. MSTPTEE
9. JARUGA
10. CRERNAAB
