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Honda To Increase Business Jet Production
Honda Aircraft is planning to ramp up production of its HondaJet business aircraft as orders increase. Honda will increase output to 80 aircraft per year from the 36 currently produced. The company has taken orders for around 100 of the USD$4.5 million jets.
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Pratt & Whitney Wins USD$800 Mln Contracts From China
Pratt & Whitney has received orders worth almost USD$800 million to supply engines to two Chinese carriers. Air China ordered engines for 18 Airbus A320ceo aircraft, and Shenzhen Airlines for 13 A320ceos.
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Boeing targets Latin America for widebody sales
Boeing sees big sales potential in the evolving Latin American market, with the company particularly targeting carriers in Argentina and Mexico for sales of new widebodies. Van Rex Gallard, Boeing Commercial Airplane's vice-president of sales for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean,
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Boom unveils XB-1 supersonic demonstrator
Colorado-based Boom Technology has unveiled the XB-1 supersonic demonstrator that will be used to refine the aerodynamics and propulsion for a Mach 2.2, 40-seat airliner and private jet planned to enter service in the early 2020s. Several concepts for supersonic business jets have appeared since the retirement of the BAC/Aerospatiale Concorde fleet in 2003, but none have yet moved past the drawing board stage. Meanwhile, new regulations restricting take-off noise emissions take effect in 2017, making it even harder for a jet engine capable of supersonic speed to be successful.
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Irkut activates MC-21 electrical system
Russian aircraft manufacturer Irkut has activated the electrical system on the MC-21 narrowbody as the flight test aircraft moves closer to a scheduled first flight in February or March. The power-on milestone was disclosed in a transcript released by the Kremlin of a conversation between prime minister Vladimir Putin and deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin on 11 November.
LinkAirlines
Aer Lingus to open Miami route
Aer Lingus is to the open a new service to Miami from Dublin next year. The Irish flag carrier says the new route will operate three times a week from 1 September. This will be the carrier's 11 North American route from Dublin.
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Air France strengthens ties with Copa Airlines
Air France has expanded its codeshare with Copa Airlines, adding its designator to five more routes operated by the Panamanian airline. Following the move, Air France-KLM will codeshare with Copa across 11 routes.
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Airlines bring fine dining to 30,000 feet
American Airlines and others are stepping up on-board dining options in an effort to further attract business- and first-class passengers. American will offer select wines from Ruth's Chris Steak House starting next year, and the wines will be paired with new gourmet dishes created by four chefs.
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Austrian Airlines to recruit 100 new pilots in 2017
Lufthansa Group subsidiary Austrian Airlines will recruit 100 new pilots without flight experience in 2017, and will train them in the European Flight Academy. According to Austrian, the additional need for young pilots is related to the retraining drive triggered by the integration of 17 Embraer E195s to replace 21 Fokker 70/100s, as well as the expansion of the fleet by two Airbus A320 (by the end of 2016) and one Boeing 777-200ER, which is scheduled for deployment from the 2018 summer flight schedule.
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EasyJet details disruption impact on full-year profit
UK budget carrier EasyJet estimates that disruption over the course of the year has had a £150 million ($187 million) impact on pre-tax profit. The airline’s pre-tax figure for the 12 months to 30 September fell by 28% to £495 million.
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Jet Airways Group posts $13 million net profit for fiscal 2Q
India’s Jet Airways Group recorded a net profit of INR850 million ($12.7 million) for the second quarter of the airline’s 2017 financial year, up 2.4% from INR830 million in the year-ago quarter. Second-quarter revenue for the Group was INR56.8 billion, up 3.2% from INR55 billion a year ago.
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Porter Flight Dives To Avoid Possible Drone
A Porter Airlines flight with 54 passengers onboard was forced to dive suddenly to avoid an unidentified object as it approached Toronto on Monday. The Porter Bombardier Q400 was on a flight from Ottawa to Toronto’s Billy Bishop city airport when the pilots saw the object as it flew over Lake Ontario.
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Synergy Aerospace orders up to 18 ATR 72-600s
South American company Synergy Aerospace has ordered 12 firm ATR 72-600s, plus six options. The aircraft are to be operated by the group’s new subsidiary in Argentina, Avian Líneas Aéreas, branded as Avianca Argentina. The 72-seat ATR 72-600s “will provide an essential service across the Argentinian market, introducing new regional routes and connections to and from main hubs, first in Buenos Aires and then in Córdoba,” ATR said in a statement. The first delivery is expected before the end of the year, with entry into service planned for the first quarter of 2017.
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United Airlines converts 737-700s order to -800, -MAX versions
United Airlines plans to convert its recent order for 65 Boeing 737-700s into four 737-800s and 61 737 MAX aircraft, airline management said during an Investor Day presentation Nov. 15. The 737-800 aircraft are to be delivered in 2017; delivery dates for the 737 MAXs are still to be determined. United said the changes will reduce expenditures by approximately $1.6 billion through 2018.
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United Airlines to introduce Basic Economy fare class
United Airlines will offer a new Basic Economy fare for passengers starting next year, the airline said on Tuesday.
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Venezuela risks losing all airline service
Some $3.8 billion of airlines’ funds remain trapped in Venezuela, which risks losing all air service to the country, IATA DG and CEO Alexandre de Juniac warned.
In a Nov. 14 speech at the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) Airline Leaders Forum in Mexico City, de Juniac called Venezuela an “economic basket case” and pushed the country’s government to repatriate money to airlines at a fair exchange rate.
Link]Airports
Southwest Airlines employee fatally shot at OKC
Oklahoma City's Will Rogers World Airport was closed Tuesday afternoon after a Southwest Airlines employee was shot and killed there, police and the airline said.
Authorities identified the victim as Michael Winchester, 52. A LinkedIn page in Winchester's name described him as a ramp supervisor for Southwest and said he was from Washington, Okla.
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Military
Boeing Space and Defense continues consolidation
As part of its long term-cost cutting plan, Boeing Space and Defense is shuttering some facilities and reshuffling jobs to facilities in St. Louis, Missouri and Huntsville, Alabama. Boeing will eliminate 500 positions nationwide over the next four years beginning in 2017, a company spokesman said. The company does not know where those cuts will come from specifically yet, but plans to inform its employees first when the decision is made, he adds.
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Indonesian air force's new CN235 MPA unveiled
The Indonesian air force has put its latest Airbus Defence & Space CN235 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) into service, equipped with winglets and an electronic support measures (ESM) system. The aircraft appears to date from a 2001 order, but before the release of images of the new-build aircraft by the ESM provider Leonardo, no details of its manufacture had emerged.
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Aviation Quote
All of the people involved in the program, to my knowledge, felt 'Challenger' was quite ready to go and I made the decision, along with the recommendation of the team supporting me, that we launched.
- Jesse W. Moore, NASA associate administrator for space flight, reported in the New York Times, 29 January 1986.
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[/quote]Trivia
Airman Exam – ATP
8391
What is the principal advantage of a sweepback design wing over a straightwing design?
A) Sweepback will accelerate the onset of compressibility effect.
B) Sweepback will increase changes in the magnitude of force coefficients due to compressibility.
C) The critical Mach number will increase significantly.
8327
Which of the following is considered an auxiliary flight control?
A) Ruddervator.
B) Leading-edge flaps.
C) Upper rudder.
8396
For a given angle of bank, the load factor imposed on both the aircraft and pilot in a coordinated constant-altitude turn
A) varies with the rate of turn.
B) is constant.
C) is directly related to the airplane's gross weight.
8358
What is the safest and most efficient takeoff and initial climb procedure in a light, twin-engine airplane? Accelerate to
A) best engine-out, rate-of-climb airspeed while on the ground, then lift off and climb at that speed.
B)an airspeed slightly above VMC, then lift off and climb at the best rate-of-climb airspeed.
C) VMC, then lift off at that speed and climb at maximum angle-of-climb airspeed.
9332
How soon after the conviction for driving while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs shall it be reported to the FAA, Civil Aviation Security Division?
A) No later than 60 days after the motor vehicle action.
B) No later than 30 working days after the motor vehicle action.
C) Required to be reported upon renewal of medical certificate.
8151
An air carrier airplane's airborne radar must be in satisfactory operating condition prior to dispatch, if the flight will be
A) carrying passengers, but not if it is "all cargo."
B) conducted IFR, and ATC is able to radar vector the flight around areas of weather.
C) conducted under VFR conditions at night with scattered thunderstorms reported en route.
9117
Scanning procedures for effective collision avoidance should constitute
A) looking outside for 15 seconds, then inside for 5 seconds, then repeat.
B) 1 minute inside scanning, then 1 minute outside scanning , then repeat.
C) looking outside every 30 seconds except in radar contact when outside scanning is unnecessary.
9339
A pilot, acting as second in command, successfully completes the instrument competency check specified in FAR Part 61. How long does this pilot remain current if no further IFR flights are made?
A) 90 days.
B) 6 months.
C) 12 months.
9051
What is the hijack code?
A) 7200.
B) 7500.
C) 7777.
9354
A person may not act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft if alcoholic beverages have been consumed by that person within the preceding
A) 24 hours.
B) 8 hours.
C) 12 hours.
8342
Why do some airplanes equipped with inboard/outboard ailerons use the outboards for slow flight only?
A) Aerodynamic loads on the outboard ailerons tend to twist the wingtips at high speeds.
B) Increased surface area provides greater controllability with flap extension.
C) Locking out the outboard ailerons in high-speed flight provides variable flight control feel.
9050
Under what condition does ATC issue safety alerts?
A) If the aircraft altitude is noted to be in close proximity to the surface or an obstacle.
B) When weather conditions are extreme and wind shear or large hail is in the vicinity.
C) When collision with another aircraft is imminent.
8336
Which is a purpose of ground spoilers?
A) Increase the rate of descent without gaining airspeed.
B) Aid in rolling an airplane into a turn.
C) Reduce the wings' lift upon landing.
8331
Which is a purpose of leading-edge flaps?
A) Direct airflow over the top of the wing at high angles of attack.
B) Increase the camber of the wing.
C) Reduce lift without increasing airspeed.
9108
The illusion of being in a noseup attitude which may occur during a rapid acceleration takeoff is known as
A) inversion illusion.
B) somatogravic illusion.
C) autokinesis.
8325
When are outboard ailerons normally used?
A) Low-speed flight only.
B) High-speed flight only.
C) Low-speed and high-speed flight.
8152
While on an IFR flight in controlled airspace, the failure of which unit will precipitate an immediate report to ATC?
A) Airborne radar.
B) One engine, on a multiengine aircraft.
C) DME.
9120
Hazardous vortex turbulence that might be encountered behind large aircraft is created only when that aircraft is
A) operating at high airspeeds.
B) developing lift.
C) using high power settings.
9099
When setting the altimeter, pilots should disregard
A) effects of nonstandard atmospheric temperatures and pressures.
B) corrections for instrument error.
C) corrections for static pressure systems.
8201
What is the minimum number of flight attendants required on an airplane having a passenger seating capacity of 188 with only 117 passengers aboard?
A) Five.
B) Four.
C) Three.
8150
If an air carrier airplane's airborne radar is inoperative and thunderstorms are forecast along the proposed route of flight, an airplane may be dispatched only
A) when able to climb and descend VFR and maintain VFR/OT en route.
B) in day VFR conditions.
C) in VFR conditions.
8359
What procedure is recommended for an engine-out approach and landing?
A) The altitude and airspeed should be considerably higher than normal throughout the approach.
B) The flightpath and procedures should be almost identical to a normal approach and landing.
C) A normal approach, except do not extend the landing gear or flaps until over the runway threshold.
9333
An applicant who is scheduled for a practical test for an airline transport pilot certificate, in an approved flight simulator, is
A) required to have a first-class medical certificate.
B) not required to have a medical certificate.
C) required to have at least a current third-class medical certificate.
9340
An applicant who is scheduled for a practical test for an airline transport pilot certificate, in an aircraft, needs
A) a second-class medical certificate.
B) a first-class medical certificate.
C) at least a current third-class medical certificate.
