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UK must guard against losing EASA 'voice': Airbus COO
Airbus chief operating officer Tom Williams has stressed the importance of maintaining the UK’s position within regulatory circles following its exit from European Union membership. Williams told the UK Parliament's cross-party treasury committee, during a hearing on 24 January, that the UK – which operates under the European Aviation Safety Agency – should avoid imposing a “further burden” of certification approval upon withdrawal.
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American Airlines expands employee benefits
American Airlines is expanding benefits for employees, including 10 weeks of pregnancy leave, paid at 100% of base pay. The company will also reimburse employees up to $4,000 for adoption expenses.
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American Airlines introduces Cole Haan amenity kits
American Airlines and luxury fashion designer Cole Haan have launched their new amenity kit partnership. First- and business-class travelers on some long flights will receive beauty, skin care and sleepwear items, as well as headphone protectors, ear plugs and socks.
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US-based Cathay Pacific flight attendants join AFA-CWA union
US-based flight attendants for Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific voted Jan. 26 to approve union representation by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA).
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Hawaiian to take delivery of A321neo in late 2017
Hawaiian Airlines will have to wait an additional three months for its new Airbus A321neo planes, pushing delivery toward the end of the year. CEO Mark Dunkerley says Hawaiian has "every expectation of getting the aircraft on the timeline that has now been established."
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JetBlue 2016 net profit up 12% to $759 million
New York-based JetBlue Airways earned a full-year 2016 net profit of $759 million, up 12% over net income of $677 million in 2015. The airline’s full-year operating margin increased 0.8% year-over-year to 19.8%. JetBlue’s 2016 revenue grew 3.4% to $6.6 billion as expenses increased 2.3% to $5.3 billion, producing operating income of $1.3 billion, up 2.3% over $1.2 billion in operating profit for 2015.
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Ruili Airlines applies to open international routes
China’s low-cost carrier (LCC) Ruili Airlines has applied to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to open international routes. Launched in 2004, the Kunming-based LCC operates 11 aircraft on 26 domestic routes with 66 daily departures. The carrier plans to expand its fleet to 40 aircraft by 2020 and to 80 by 2025.
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S7 Airlines traffic up 24% in 2016
Russia’s S7 Airlines carried 13.15 million passengers in 2016, up 24% year-over-year (YOY). Domestic traffic grew 27.5% to 9.7 million for the year, while international traffic increased 14.1% to 3.5 million. In December 2016, international traffic growth exceeded domestic growth, and the number of passengers increased 16.7% and 15.6% YOY, respectively.
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Southwest earns $2.2 billion 2016 net profit; 44th straight profit
Southwest Airlines posted a 2016 net profit of $2.24 billion, up 2.9% from net income of $2.18 billion in 2015, marking the second straight year of record profitability for the Dallas-based carrier. It was also the 44th consecutive year of positive net income for Southwest, which noted that sluggish RASM performance is starting to improve. “December business travel was stronger than anticipated leading up to the holiday period,” chairman and CEO Gary Kelly said.
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Spirit Airlines participates in TSA Pre-Check program
Florida-based ultra low-cost carrier (LCC) Spirit Airlines is participating in the US Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) Pre-Check program. Effective Jan. 26, eligible Spirit customers can speed up the security screening process at participating US airports. TSA Pre-Check is an expedited screening program for trusted passengers at more than 180 US airports that allows pre-approved airline travelers to leave on their shoes, light outerwear and belt, keep their laptop in its case and their 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels bag in a carry-on in select screening lanes. Enrollment in TSA Pre-Check costs $85 for five years.
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Ukraine International Airlines continues fleet renewal
Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) has taken delivery of the first of six Boeing 737-800s, which are scheduled to join the fleet this year. The aircraft will be operated across UIA’s medium-haul route network. The 737-800 accommodates 186 passengers in a two-class configuration and is part of a large-scale fleet renewal and development program.
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Wings Air to review ATR bounce recovery after landing incident
Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) has asked Wings Air to review its bounce recovery training for pilots, following a 2016 Christmas Day incident where its ATR 72-600 suffered major damage after a hard landing in Semarang. The aircraft, registered PK-WGW, was flying from Bandung to Ahmad Yani International airport when the incident took place at 06:24 local time.
LinkAirports
New technology to end random security searches of cabin baggage at airports
Smiths Detection today unveiled a new X-ray machine it claims will mean the end to random searches of travelers' cabin luggage at airports. Its HI-SCAN 6040aTiX advanced checkpoint screening solution is the first in the industry to be awarded the new European Explosive Detection Systems (EDS) certification EDS CB C1 for its automated explosives detection capability. The move, it says, means that airports using the system can dispense with random searches using additional explosive trace detectors or dogs, thanks to its advanced detection system, which it claims "significantly enhances airport security while also speeding up the inspection process and boosting throughput".
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Driverless shuttle on trial at New Zealand's Christchurch Airport
The future arrived at Christchurch Airport this morning, with the introduction of the fully autonomous Smart Shuttle for New Zealand’s first on-road research trial. The Smart Shuttle will carry 15 people, has no steering wheel and is electric powered. Airport chief executive, Malcolm Johns, reveals that his team is keen to understand how autonomous shuttles might operate at Christchurch Airport and how people may react and interact with them.
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Pop-up store at Dubai International Airport celebrates Chinese New Year
Le Clos has opened a fun, Chinese-inspired pop-up stand at Dubai International Airport to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Created to welcome the Year of the Rooster, the eye-catching structure is a stand-out feature in Terminal 3's Concourse B, with a grand pagoda standing an impressive 4.5 metres tall. It is adorned with iconic yellow tiles, like those which cover the buildings in China’s Forbidden City, and complemented with traditional red accents.
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Military
Northrop noncommittal on T-X bid
Despite spending millions to develop a prototype jet to compete for a $16 billion contract, Northrop Grumman chief executive Wes Bush surprised market analysts on 26 January by striking a noncommittal tone about participating in the competition to replace the US Air Force's Northrop T-38C trainers with more than 300 new aircraft. “Let me be clear, we have not reached a conclusion,” Bush says, addressing analysts on a fourth quarter earnings call.
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Indian navy launches search for new carrier-based fighter
The Indian navy’s formal requirement for 57 multirole carrier-borne fighters (MRCBF) has been advanced via a request for information (RFI) issued by the nation’s defense ministry. Responses are due by 24 May, with the service having detailed its requirements over 59 pages of parameters and specifications. In its RFI, the navy calls for a fighter that can undertake roles ranging from air defense and surface strike to reconnaissance and electronic warfare, and which is capable of performing “buddy” tanking. The request also expresses an interest in license production of the aircraft with related transfer of technology.
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Bulgarian govt allocates 4.9 mln euro to keeping MiG-29 jets airworthy
Bulgaria's government said on Wednesday it approved an expenditure of up to 9.6 million levs ($5.3 million/4.9 million euro) under the defense ministry budget to ensure the airworthiness of ageing Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets of the country's Air Force.
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Aviation Quote
It is said that two wrongs do not make a right, but two wrights do make an aeroplane.
- Anonymous
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Trivia
DC-10 Trivia
1. The DC-10 made its first commercial flight in August, 1971. Which major air carrier had the distinction of making this first flight?
A. Air Canada
B. Pan American Airways
C. American Airlines
D. United Airlines
2. In a single-class configuration, what was the maximum number of passengers that a DC-10 could carry?
A. 420
B. 340
C. 380
D. 300
3. The DC-10-30AF, an all-freighter version of the airliner, was used most prolifically with FedEx, with orders starting in the mid-1980s. But for which airline was this variant originally designed?
A. Alitalia
B. Japan Airlines
C. Delta
D. British Airways
4. DC-10s have been involved in a number of accidents and incidents over the years. One notable disaster occurred in March, 1974, when a Turkish Airlines DC-10 crashed near what major city?
A. Berlin
B. Athens
C. Paris
D. Madrid
5. Another notable DC-10 accident occurred in July, 1989, when United Airlines Flight 232 crashed in which midwestern U.S. city?
A. Sioux City, Iowa
B. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
C. Omaha, Nebraska
D. Sioux City, South Dakota
6. The July, 2000, crash of Air France Flight 4590, the only crash of the legendary Concorde, was caused by a piece of titanium that fell off a DC-10 that had lifted off several minutes before the Concorde took off. Which airline owned the DC-10 from which the fatal piece of metal fell?
A. VARIG
B. Lufthansa
C. Continental
D. Northwest
7. The KC-10 Extender, the aerial refueling tanker based on the DC-10, was developed to increase the US Air Force's strategic reach across the globe. In what year did the KC-10 enter operational service?
A. 1980
B. 1982
C. 1983
D. 1981
8. In 1994, ORBIS International began flying a DC-10 aircraft that had been converted for use as what?
A. A private VIP transport
B. A flying eye hospital
C. A flying dental clinic
D. A space-launch platform
9. The company 10 Tanker Air Carrier, LLC, modified a DC-10 to fight forest fires in rural areas. The aircraft could drop how much water or retardant on a fire in a single pass?
A. 18,000 U.S. gallons (68,137 liters)
B. 15,000 U.S. gallons (56,781 liters)
C. 12,000 U.S. gallons (45,425 liters)
D. 21,000 U.S. gallons (74,494 liters)
10. The last DC-10 in service with a major American passenger carrier was retired in January, 2007. That airline, Northwest Airlines, used the aircraft to fly from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, to which destination?
A. Mexico City
B. London
C. Honolulu
D. Tokyo
