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Hong Kong International Airport enhancement project unveiled



Airport Authority Hong Kong unveiled phase 1 of its midfield development project. The $7 billion phase 1 development of the midfield includes the building of a new midfield concourse with 20 aircraft parking stands, a new cross-field taxiway and the extension of the existing automated people mover (APM) to the midfield concourse.



Construction will start in the third quarter of this year. Phase 1 development is targeted for completion by the end of 2015.The midfield area is located to the west of Terminal 1 and between the two existing runways. It is the last piece of land on the airport island available for large-scale development.
Link
Thanks to xwizard for the heads-up.

Behind the scenes in the Southwest, AirTran deal
Seeing few options "in a consolidating, competitive industry," executives at AirTran Airways pushed for a higher price before conceding to a buyout by Southwest Airlines, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. When Southwest initially offered $6.50 per share, AirTran countered at $8, and the two sides eventually settled on a range of $7.25 to $7.75.
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Delta launches major customer-service initiative
Delta Air Lines says 11,000 employees will be required to take customer-service training this year as part of a $2 billion improvement effort. The daylong sessions, which include classroom work and role-playing exercises designed to improve customer-service skills, are the first recurrent training sessions devoted solely to customer service.
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Flight cancellations head toward 14,000 in storm's wake
Chicago O'Hare was all but shut down by a winter storm on Wednesday, causing far-flung flight cancellations that topped 6,000 for a second consecutive day. With 13,600 flights canceled so far, the current storm has topped last year's Christmas blizzard, which grounded about 10,000 flights.
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Customers want new Boeing narrow-body jet, survey finds
A poll of Boeing's biggest customers shows a clear preference for an all-new narrow-body model rather than a re-engined 737, according to RBC Capital Investments. "If Boeing follows the pattern of the 787, and listens to what its customers actually want, then we expect to see a formal decision not to re-engine the 737 this summer," RBC aerospace analyst Robert Stallard said in a report.
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Senator wants new pilot fatigue rule for nonscheduled airlines
New pilot fatigue rules would not apply to military troop transport and certain cargo flights under an amendment offered Wednesday by Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla. Inhofe wants the FAA to conduct a separate rule-making process for nonscheduled airlines, a move that is strongly opposed by pilots unions. The amendment could complicate efforts to pass a long-term reauthorization bill for the FAA, according to Washington observers.
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Senators seek federal enforcement of laser beam laws
Pointing a laser beam at the cockpit of an aircraft could soon be a federal crime, under an amendment to the FAA reauthorization bill offered by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., on Wednesday. Calling the increase in laser incidents "an extraordinarily dangerous situation," Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., who is managing the FAA legislation, added his name as a co-sponsor of the amendment.
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McCain proposes ending subsidies for rural air service
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has proposed eliminating the $200 million federal subsidy that guarantees airline service to some 150 small communities across the U.S. McCain's amendment sets up a clash with Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., the main sponsor of the FAA reauthorization bill, who wants to see funding increased for the essential air service program.
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Discussion

FAA to invest $4.2 million to equip 35 JetBlue A320s for NextGen
US FAA said Thursday that it will spend $4.2 million over the next two years to equip 35 JetBlue Airways A320s with ACSS's SafeRoute ADS-B equipment, enabling the LCC to operate "more precise, satellite-based flights from Boston and New York [JFK] to Florida and the Caribbean" starting in 2012. In return, the airline has agreed to cover maintenance costs on the equipment and to share with FAA detailed data on flight operations.
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Investors show strong interest in Garuda IPO offering
Domestic retail investors in Indonesia have shown a strong interest in Garuda Indonesia’s IPO offering, which went on sale Wednesday ahead of the airline’s listing on Feb. 11.
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ACCC formally approves Virgin Blue-Etihad alliance
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission formally approved the alliance between Virgin Blue Group and the UAE’s Etihad Airways. It follows the interim approval granted on Sept. 23.
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Airbus to boost A330 production to 10 monthly in 2013
Airbus said Wednesday it will raise the Airbus A330 production rate to 10 per month in the second quarter of 2013, up from 7.5-8 produced monthly currently. The rate will be first increased to nine per month in early 2012.
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RVSM finally set to remove bottleneck over Iraq
Implementation of reduced vertical separation minima across the Middle East region is set to be completed next month if Iraqi airspace authorities hold to a revised schedule to join the scheme.
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Volaris seeks authority for more than 20 new US routes
Mexico's Volaris has requested authority to add 23 transborder routes as the low-cost carrier kicks its US expansion plan into high gear. In a 3 February filing with the US DOT, Volaris is seeking rights for 23 new routes. Volaris says in the filing that one of the planned routes, Guadalajara-Fresno, "will begin immediately after receipt of the department's approval". Volaris also highlights five other routes - Aguascalientes-Los Angeles, Guadalajara-San Francisco, Guadalajara-Sacramento, Mexico City-Oakland and Zacatecas-Chicago - as next on its list for US expansion.
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Boeing's 2011 737 order tally wiped out by cancellation
Just over one month into 2011, Boeing's 737 net order total was wiped out with the cancellation of 32 737 aircraft from an unidentified customer.
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Other News

Delta Air Lines will retire more than 100 regional and mainline aircraft over the next 12-18 months as it trims planned capacity growth in the face of rising fuel prices, President Ed Bastian said Thursday. Addressing the Raymond James Growth Airline Conference available via webcast, he said, "I know this will bring a tear to many eyes but we are going to finally retire the DC-9 fleet." Delta removed 35 DC-9-30s and -40s last year, he said. "We are going to be retiring about 35 DC-9-50s over the next 12-18 months. By next year, there will be no DC-9s flying in the Delta fleet."

Boeing on Wednesday rolled out its 1,000th 767—a -300ER passenger model for All Nippon Airways. It is the final 767 to complete assembly on the current production line; henceforth, 767s will be assembled in a new, smaller bay geared toward leaner, more efficient operations.

US Dept. of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that US airlines employed “virtually the same number of workers” in November in 2010 as they did in the year-ago month.

BAE Systems announced its Regional Aircraft segment is “refocusing its customer support operation” and will also expand its offering into different aircraft types this year. “In addressing our customer needs and the continuing consolidation in the repair and overhaul market, Regional Aircraft has now developed, and is offering to the market new Total Support solutions to meet the needs of our large European fleet operators,” BAE Systems Regional Aircraft Business-Director Sean McGovern said.

Oman Air launched four-times-weekly Airbus A330 Muscat-Milan service.

Qatar Airways launched five-times-weekly Airbus A330 Doha-Brussels service.

AirBaltic reached a codeshare agreement with Transaero under which it will offer connections via Moscow Domodedovo to destinations in Russia, Central Asia and the Far East.

Frontier Airlines will launch 13-times-weekly Embraer 135 service from Milwaukee to Ironwood, Mich., Manistee, Mich. and Rhinelander, Wis. April 18.

Eastern Airways will increase its thrice-daily Southampton-Aberdeen service to four-times-daily Feb. 7.

Jetstar launched an interline agreement across its group of airlines with oneworld carrier, Finnair. The partnership allows Finnair passengers to purchase a Jetstar, Jetstar Asia, Valuair or Jetstar Pacific flight as part of a single integrated transaction and travel itinerary and sold on a Finnair E-ticket.



AVIATION QUOTE

Don't believe other people, prove it for yourself.
Stick to what you have proved believable.
Don't be overawed by other more senior people.
Don't ignore the feelings in your bones.
— David P. Davies, former Chief Test Pilot of the British Air Registration Board (now the CAA). Quoted in the preface to the second edition of Design of the Aeroplane, 2001.



ON THIS DATE

February 4

1929

The Colonial Flying Service and Scully Walton Ambulance Company organize the United State’s 1st civilian air ambulance service.

1949

In the US, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) gives authorization for the full use of ground control approach (GCA) landing aids. These will be used only in conditions of poor visibility caused by fog or bad weather and comprise a ground radar system.

In the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (formerly known as the U.S. Civil Aviation Authority), is responsible for the safety of civil aviation. The Federal Aviation Act of 1958 created the agency under the name Federal Aviation Agency. It adopted its present name in 1967 when it became a part of the Department of Transportation. Its major roles include:

• Regulating civil aviation to promote safety
• Encouraging and developing civil aeronautics, including new aviation technology
• Developing and operating a system of air traffic control and navigation for both civil and military aircraft
• Researching and developing the National Airspace System and civil aeronautics
• Developing and carrying out programs to control aircraft noise and other environmental effects of civil aviation
• Regulating U.S. commercial space transportation



DAILY VIDEO





EDITOR’S CHOICE





HUMOR

Gear Pins Installed

While taxiing out in sequence behind a Lufthansa airliner at Frankfurt, a C-130 crew noticed an orange "Remove before flight" streamer hanging out of the Lufthansa nose wheel well (their nose gear locking pin was still installed). Not wanting to cause too much embarrassment by going thru the controller, the 130 crew simply called the Lufthansa aircraft on the tower frequency: "Lufthansa aircraft, Herky 23." No reply.

They repeated the transmission and again there was no reply. Instead, the Lufthansa pilot called the tower and asked the tower to tell the Herky crew that "the professional pilots of Lufthansa do not engage in unprofessional conversations over the radio."

The 130 pilot quickly replied, "Frankfurt tower, can you please relay to the professional pilots of the Lufthansa aircraft that their nose gear pin is still installed?"



TRIVIA

United States Air Force
Aircraft ID.

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6.


7.


8.


9.


10.


EXTRA CREDIT
11.

1. B-57 Canberra
2. F-100
3. F-102
4. C-123?
5. AC-47
6. F-4
7. F-105
8. F-106
9. A-1 Skyraider
10. RF-80
11. P-80/F-80

1. B-57
2. F-100
3. F-106
4. C-119
5. AC-47
6. F-4
7. F-105
8. F-102
9. A-1E
10. T-33?
11. AT-37?

By next year, there will be no DC-9s flying in the Delta fleet."

What will replace them?!

AndesSMF wrote:

By next year, there will be no DC-9s flying in the Delta fleet."

What will replace them?!

I think you mean, who's going to buy out Delta?

ANSWERS:
1. Martin B-57 Canberra
2. North American F-100 Super Sabre
3. Convair F-106 Delta Dart
4. Fairchild AC-119K Stinger
5. Douglas AC-47 Spooky “Puff the Magic Dragon”
6. McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II
7. Republic F-105G Wild Weasel
8. Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
9. Douglas A-1H Skyraider
10. Lockheed F-94 Starfire
11. Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star