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Air Lease Corp. 2016 net profit up 48% to $375 million
Los Angeles-based commercial aircraft lessor Air Lease Corp. (ALC) posted a 2016 net profit of $374.9 million, up 48% from $253.4 million net income in 2015. ALC’s total revenues for the year were $1.4 billion, up 16% over $1.2 billion in 2015. The company’s expenses totaled $838.8 million, up 1.1%; operating income was $580.2 million, up 47.7% over $393 million in 2015.
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Air Caraibes chief describes 2016 strike as 'very good thing'
Air Caraibes chief executive Marc Rochet believes that last year's strike in reaction to the creation of long-haul low-cost offshoot French Blue was a "very good thing" for the two airlines. Speaking at the Connect conference in Ajaccio on 23 February, Rochet conceded that Air Caraibes management had been "partly responsible" for the three-day strike by staff in April "because the vision we gave to them [was] not very clear".
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Boeing To Open First European Factory
Boeing announced it will open its first European manufacturing facility with a GBP£20 million (USD$25 million) investment in the UK. The 2,300 square metre (25,000 square feet) factory in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, will produce actuators for 737, 737 MAX and 777 aircraft. The plant extends the manufacture of actuators beyond Boeing’s Portland, Oregon facility.
LinkAirlines
AirBaltic to launch CS300 long-haul flights to Abu Dhabi
Latvian carrier airBaltic plans to launch 4X-weekly Riga-Abu Dhabi Bombardier CS300 service beginning Oct. 29, in cooperation with Etihad Airways, the Riga-based carrier announced Feb. 24. AirBaltic CEO Martin Gauss said the CS300 will be able to “fly longer distances and reach airports that we were not able to serve with our fleet before.”
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Atlas has acquired all 20 767s to be operated for Amazon
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings has secured all 20 Boeing 767-300s it will wet lease to Amazon, according to president and CEO Bill Flynn. Purchase, New York-based Atlas has also secured freighter conversion slots for all of the used aircraft. It is additionally acquiring one spare 767-300 to dedicate to Seattle-based Amazon.
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British Airways Cabin Crew Call Another Strike
The union representing ‘mixed fleet’ cabin crew at British Airways have called a further round of strikes for March. The Heathrow-based mixed fleet crew, which makes up about 15 percent of the airline’s total cabin crew numbers, will strike for seven days, from 00:01 Friday March 3 to 23.59 on Thursday March 9th.
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Condor expands US services
German leisure carrier Condor Airlines has outlined what it called the largest US expansion in its 60-year history. The airline said it will add nonstop service from Frankfurt to San Diego (2X-weekly), Pittsburgh (2X-weekly) and New Orleans (2X-weekly). It will also add nonstop service from Munich to Seattle (2X-weekly) and Las Vegas (2X-weekly).
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Delta names new Seattle VP
Delta Air Lines has named John Caldwell its new VP-Seattle as Mike Medeiros transitions to his new role as COO at Aeromexico. In this position, the Atlanta-based carrier said Caldwell “will continue Delta’s momentum and develop and achieve Delta’s strategic objectives for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest as Delta embarks on its fifth consecutive year of growth.
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Flybe Dash 8 Q400 landing gear collapses at Amsterdam Schiphol
A Flybe Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 twin turboprop suffered a landing accident at Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport (AMS) Feb. 23. AMS confirmed on its website, “The landing gear of a Flybe airplane collapsed during touchdown at the Oostbaan at Schiphol around 17.00 h. There were 59 people on the plane. Nobody is injured. The cause of the incident is being investigated.”
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IAG satisfied with long-haul deliveries shuffle
IAG has shuffled the delivery schedule of new twin-aisle aircraft, having previously indicated that it was reviewing its long-haul fleet development. The company states that it has outstanding commitments to 43 Airbus A350s, among them 18 A350-1000s, for delivery in 2018-22. It is also taking 18 Boeing 787s – including 12 of the new 787-10 – over 2017-21.
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JetBlue sees room to grow in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is expanding and flights across carriers could grow by 8% this year, according to Morgan Stanley. As the largest airline at the airport, JetBlue will continue to "grow thoughtfully" in the market, a spokesperson said, and is planning to roll out its Mint service in Fort Lauderdale later this year.
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Kenya-US Flights Closer After Security Clearance
The launch of direct flights between Kenya and the US is one step closer after Nairobi’s main airport received approval from the FAA for Category One status. The approval comes after an FAA audit of facilities and security at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta airport.
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United Airlines announces San Francisco-to-X'ian, China, connection
United Airlines' route from San Francisco to Xi'an, China, would mark the first nonstop trans-Pacific route to Xi'an operated by a US airline. The route is still pending governmental approval.
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United doubles down on Madison, Wis.,-Newark, N.J., route
United Airlines will be doubling its flights from Madison to the New York City area with a second daily non-stop to Newark Liberty International Airport beginning in May. The new flight was announced by Dane County Regional Airport officials on Thursday.
LinkAirports
Heathrow celebrates "milestone" year – airport CEO
Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye, claims that 2016 was a milestone year for the airport, based on record traffic figures and government support for a third runway. An all time high of 75.7 million passengers (+1%) passed through the UK hub in 2016, during which time it notes that its passenger charges fell by 1%. The airport also delivered a strong financial performance with revenue of £2,807 million (+1.5%) and Adjusted EBITDA of £1,682 million (+4.8%), which it says "reflects continued cost control and strong retail income growth".
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Innovation Lab unveiled at San Diego International Airport
San Diego International Airport has created its own innovation lab where it can conceive, develop and test emerging technologies and business concepts that have the potential to transform the airport experience for future passengers, writes Rick Belliotti. The lab is located in a repurposed part of its former Commuter Terminal.
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New Wolfgang Puck restaurant opens at Singapore Changi
Emirates Leisure Retail (ELR) has opened a new restaurant in Singapore Changi's Terminal 3 – The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck. ELR is one of the fastest growing travel retail groups global and the restaurant is the first of three planned new concessions to open at Changi.
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Military
Should A400M partners prop up Airbus?
Even for a programme with a history as chequered as the A400M, Airbus chief executive Tom Enders’ latest critique of the troubled airlifter was astonishingly frank – and packed with intent. Normally, bosses fall back on the stock statement that development programmes are complex and unpredictable. By contrast, Enders describes his company’s initial development and production contract for the Atlas as its “original sin”. Not only was it wrong to let customers impose the selection of an unproven engine, its further decision to accept liability for the TP400 was an “incredible blunder”, he believes.
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TP400 engine fix nearing completion: MTU
German engine specialist MTU expects that a final fix for the power gearbox issues on the Airbus A400M’s Europrop International (EPI) TP400-D6 engines will be installed from September. At a press briefing in Munich on 23 February, MTU programme chief Michael Schreyogg said the modification comprised a “handful” of changes to the gearbox, which were designed when EPI’s shareholders met with the component’s supplier, General Electric-owned Avio Aero, in 2016. Alongside MTU, EPI’s members include Safran, Rolls-Royce and the latter’s Spanish subsidiary ITP.
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F-35 to fight ISIS in a few years
The US Air Force’s F-35A will fight ISIS in the near future, but don’t expect to see the Lockheed Martin Lightning II flying over Iraq or Syria this year. The F-35A’s Middle East deployment is not imminent and is planned a few years out, USAF Air Combat Command chief Gen Herbert Carlisle told reporters 24 February. It’s unclear now whether the jet will have increased software capabilities by that point or will remain in the current Block 3i configuration.
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Aviation Quote
You'll be bothered from time to time by storms, fog, snow. When you are, think of those who went through it before you, and say to yourself, 'What they could do, I can do.'
- Antoine de Saint Exupéry, Wind, Sand, and Stars,'1939.
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General Knowledge
1. When a US Army Air Corps pilot earned their wings in WW2, the center of the wings contained a shield. Some wings contained a star(Command or Senior pilot), a "G"(a Glider pilot), or an "L"(a Liaison pilot). What pilot wings contained a diamond?
2. True or False, a tandem airplane has two seats, one behind the other.
3. In 1943, the RAF's 617 Squadron flew Avro Lancaster bombers exactly 60 feet over three reservoirs at night before dropping "bouncing bombs" to destroy three German dams that were protected by torpedo nets. Altimeters were not sufficiently accurate, and there were no radio altimeters at that time. How did these pilots, "The Dam Busters" level off and maintain the required sixty foot height?
4. Estimate within ten knots the highest surface winds ever recorded anywhere (and not associated with a hurricane or tornado).
5. What biplane was produced in the greatest numbers?
6. Class A airspace begins at Flight Level 180. Flight into that airspace requires that a pilot have an instrument rating, that the airplane be IFR equipped and first receive an appropriate ATC clearance. How may a VFR-only pilot fly at FL240 without meeting any of these requirements and without special permission?
