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NEWS

Obama taps former US Army major general to head TSA
US President Barack Obama yesterday announced that he will nominate retired Army Maj. Gen. Robert Harding to head the Transportation Security Administration.
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United, AirTran add to storm tally
United Airlines and AirTran Airways yesterday revealed the amount of revenue lost as a result of last month's record-breaking snowstorms in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US.
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Agreement In Hand On A400M
The seven partner countries buying the Airbus Military A400M and industrial lead EADS have come to terms over how to handle several billion euros in cost overruns on the military transport aircraft.
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Airbus to raise A320 production rate

Airbus is stepping up its monthly A320 production rate to 36 aircraft, from 34, in order to prepare for market recovery.
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Iraqi Government firms 787 order
Iraq's Government has formally signed for 10 Boeing 787 aircraft, but has yet to disclose an engine selection.
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Ruag boosts business aircraft refurbishment activity
Swiss aerospace group Ruag is stepping up its business aircraft refurbishment offering in an attempt to expand its share of this profitable niche and exploit its engineering expertise.
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Other News

China Southern Airlines announced the private placement of CNY10 billion ($1.46 billion) in new A shares to a minimum 10 investors, including parent China Southern Air Holding Co., along with new H shares to CSAHC's Hong Kong subsidiary Nan Lung worth a reported CNY750 million. CZ said the funds "will help reduce the company's gearing ratio, improve its capital structure and enhance its ability to mitigate risk." CSAHC is investing the CNY1.5 billion it received from the Chinese government last month, the airline said.

Separately, CZ is selling five ATR 72-500s at auction. Bids, along with a $500,000 deposit, are due May 31.

US Airways was fined $40,000 by the US Dept. of Transportation "for violating rules that require airline price advertisements to disclose the full price consumers must pay for air transportation." DOT said its Aviation Enforcement Office found that US listed fares on its website "that did not include additional applicable taxes and fees, or any notice on that page that these additional charges would be required," on certain lists generated by customer searches for one-way flights. The agency reiterated that either the entire fare must be indicated on the first page listing price quotes or "the existence of additional government-imposed per-passenger charges must be prominently disclosed along with a hyperlink that takes consumers to a page that describes the additional charges."

Air Jamaica said it has "targeted" April 12 for beginning "the transition to Caribbean Airlines." The troubled carrier appears to be settled on an arrangement whereby its assets would be taken over by the Trinidad & Tobago airline, although no final agreement has been reached between the Jamaican government, which controls JM, and Caribbean. Finance Minister Audley Shaw previously said the government is "seeking to divest Air Jamaica on the best terms available" and to ensure that there is adequate air services to/from the island nation. While it has been speculated that most of JM's workers would be laid off following the Caribbean takeover, the airline said in the statement that the "transition to Caribbean Airlines will be phased over a period of up to one year [and]. . .Air Jamaica aircraft will continue to be utilized during the transition period. Current Air Jamaica pilots, flight crews and ground staff will operate the aircraft for the [spring/summer] schedule already published."

Boeing yesterday confirmed that Turkish Airlines finalized its order for 10 737-800s and 10 737-900ERs. The manufacturer said the aircraft are worth $1.6 billion at list prices.

ILFC said Istanbul Ataturk-based Onur Air leased three used A330-300s for five years each. Deliveries are scheduled for April and June.

Aer Lingus will not announce its 2009 results today as planned owing to its inability to list an accurate charge relating to cost reduction agreements it is attempting to reach with unions. Late last week flight attendants represented by Impact rejected proposals agreed upon by the union and EI. The result of a vote by maintenance employees represented by the Craft Union had not been announced late yesterday. "Following the outcome of recent staff ballots it is necessary to revise the provision for restructuring costs and amend the preliminary results accordingly," EI said. It added that it is "determined to achieve the annualized cost savings of €97 million ($132.1 million) targeted by the cost reduction program over the period to 2012." The board is scheduled to meet today to approve next steps.

WestJet yesterday launched a frequent flyer program in partnership with RBC and MasterCard, offering passengers for the first time the opportunity "to earn and accumulate WestJet dollars," the Calgary-based LCC said. "Every WestJet dollar can be used as cash toward the purchase of any flight on any date to any destination. . .There are no points, redemption grids, advance booking, blackouts or seat restrictions--just dollars off flights and vacation packages." VP-Marketing Lauri Feser added that the program will "be simple, open and transparent. . .For the frequent business traveler, our research indicates there is strong appeal for the rewards offered by this type of program."

Jazz Air, Air Canada's regional partner, announced a tentative labor agreement with dispatchers represented by the Canadian Air Line Dispatchers Assn. No terms were revealed. The airline said that negotiations with the Air Line Pilots Assn. and Canadian Flight Attendants Union "are ongoing."

Ukraine International Airlines will launch thrice-weekly Kiev Boryspil-Geneva service on April 28 aboard a 737.

ALTA said that Lufthansa Consulting has joined the organization as an affiliate member.



AVIATION QUOTE

Ladies and gentleman, this is your captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them going again. I trust you are not in too much distress.

— Captain Eric Moody, British Airways, passenger PA after flying through volcanic ash in a B-747.



AEROSPACE TERM

Height

1. Vertical distance; the distance above some reference point or plane, as, height above sea level.
2. The vertical dimension of anything; the distance which something extends above its foot or root, as blade height.



DAILY VIDEO





EDITOR’S CHOICE


Image by Zak



HUMOR

Engineer as a Designer of the Human Body

Three engineering students were gathered together discussing the possible designers of the human body.

One said, ``It was a mechanical engineer. Just look at all the joints.''

Another said, ``No, it was an electrical engineer. The nervous systems many thousands of electrical connections.''

The last said, ``Actually it was a civil engineer. Who else would run a toxic waste pipeline through a recreational area?''



TRIVIA

3D ID

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2.


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8.


9.


10.

2: Fokker 28
8: Boeing 720... I think
10: Consolidated P2Y

1. Bell 222
2. Fokker 70
3. Grumman OV-1 Mohawk
4. Breguet Alize
5. Dassault Mirage IV
6. General Dynamics F-111
7. Curtiss C-46 Commando
8. Boeing 707(-120?)
9. Douglas F4D Skyray
10. Consolidated P2Y

1. Airwolf

I think Queso pretty much nailed it

miamiair wrote:Airbus is stepping up its monthly A320 production rate to 36 aircraft, from 34, in order to prepare for market recovery.

I'm so glad I no longer work in materials procurement for Airbus - they have virtually no provision for build-rate increases in the materials supply chain and don't seem to appreciate the fact that magicing up several tons of TA-56 at a few weeks notice (before you even start on the alu in oddball treatment conditions) is rather more difficult than simply submitting an order to your materials partner/auxillary approved supplier, and hoping they can deliver

ANSWERS:

1. Bell 222
2. Fokker F-28 Fellowship
3. Grumman OV-1A Mohawk
4. Breguet Br-1050 Alize
5. Dassault Mirage IVA
6. General Dynamics F-111E “Aardvark”
7. Curtiss C-46 Commando
8. Boeing 707-300
9. Douglas F-4D Skyray
10. Consolidated P2Y3