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NEWS

Air Canada swings to C$107 million 2010 profit
Air Canada earned net income of C$107 million ($107.5 million) in 2010, reversed from a C$24 million net loss in 2009, crediting cost discipline and strong growth in international revenue—particularly on transpacific flying—for the turnaround. Fourth-quarter net income was C$134 million, reversed from a C$56 million deficit in the prior-year period, on an 11.5% escalation in revenue to C$2.62 billion.
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Copa Holdings posts $212 million 2010 profit, plans aggressive expansion
Copa Holdings, parent of Panama's Copa Airlines and Copa Airlines Colombia (formerly Aero Republica), posted 2010 net income of $212.1 million, down 11.8% from a $240 million profit in 2009. But it noted that 2009 net results benefited from a $58 million non-cash gain owing to fuel hedging, and net income excluding special items rose from $201.7 million in 2009 to $219.2 million in 2010.
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Chinese airlines post $428 million January profit
Chinese carriers reported CNY2.82 billion ($428 million) in collective net income for the month of January, reversing a collective net loss of CNY50 million in the year-ago month, according to CAAC. The regulator credited the turnaround to strong demand growth stimulated by rapid domestic economic expansion.
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Lufthansa, TAP Portugal, Turkish, Brussels Airlines targeted in EC codeshare probe
The European Commission announced Friday that it has launched formal antitrust investigations into the free-flow codeshare agreements between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines on the Munich-Istanbul Ataturk and Frankfurt-IST routes and between Brussels Airlines and TAP Portugal on the Brussels-Lisbon route. The two investigations are separate. All four airlines are members of Star Alliance.
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Boeing 747-8I debuts in new custom livery

Boeing today unveiled the largest jetliner in its history, the 747-8 Intercontinental, which it claims is significantly more fuel efficient, quieter and greener than its 747-400 predecessor. The new jetliner was revealed to a crowd of approximately 10,000 made up of customers, government officials, media and company staff.
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Discussion

Lufthansa's 747-8Is to seat just 386 passengers
Lufthansa plans a 386-seat configuration of its new 747-8I when it arrives in its fleet in first quarter of 2012. The stretched jet will be configured with eight first-class, 80 business-class and 298 economy seats.
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Boeing rules out short-haul 747-8I
The market for a "D-model" 747-8I designed for short-haul operations is "non-existent", says Boeing Commercial Airplanes marketing vice president, Randy Tinseth. "We could do things in terms of going to a one-class interior," he says, "but we're not going to modify the airplane to make it. It kills the residual value...and you're really building a plane for a very small market and the question is, who would be willing to finance it? It's just at best a technically very, very, very small market."
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Southern Air to start replacing 747 Classics with 747-400SFs
US cargo carrier Southern Air has unveiled plans to start replacing its fleet of 14 747-200/300s with 747-400 converted freighters, with the first of the new type to be placed into service in the middle of this year.
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Boeing, US army near decision on CH-47 future
Looking beyond delivery of the last CH-47F/G Chinook model in 2019, Boeing and the US Army are nearing a decision about taking the next step with the venerable heavylift helicopter design.
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Northrop reveals interest in new upgrade for RC-12X
Northrop Grumman has acknowledged completing an internal study to define the costs and engineering changes required to upgrade the US Army's RC-12X fleet with a full motion video (FMV) payload.
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Other News

Aegean Airlines, whose proposed merger with competitor Olympic Air was blocked by the European Commission last month, said it expects to report a net loss of €22-€24 million ($30-$33 million) for 2010 and warned that a loss for the current year is “very likely” owing to higher fuel prices and continued weak demand in the domestic market. It estimated 2010 revenue at about €590 million.

United Continental Holdings last week told employees that aircraft and crews from both United Airlines and Continental Airlines will begin to operate on "some routes" formerly covered by the other airline, part of the carriers' ongoing integration under UCH. The company noted in a memo to workers that from Feb. 17, Houston Intercontinental-Lima service "formerly flown with a Continental aircraft and crew will now be flown with a United aircraft and crew." Other changes will take place starting with the implementation of the summer schedule and continue throughout the year, with flights from Washington Dulles and Newark to be most affected initially, according to the memo.

IATA DG and CEO Giovanni Bisignani last week charged that the UK government’s “policy pillars of excessive taxes, inefficient airport regulation and limiting growth will destroy the UK’s proud aviation legacy.”

Pakistani International Airlines four-day strike, reportedly ended on Saturday after the airline's managing director, Ejaz Haroon resigned. The strike was begun by pilots and supported by other workers concerned about job losses following an announcement that PIA would enter into a route-sharing deal with Turkish Airlines. According to a report in the Daily Times, at least 380 domestic and international flights were cancelled and 25,000 passengers stranded since the strike began Feb. 8. Losses were estimated at Rs500 million ($5.8 million) per day. Flights were expected to resume Sunday.

Air New Zealand last week announced it will enable its new Airbus A320, outfitted with an all-black livery in homage to the country's famous All Blacks rugby team, with voice and data capability. It will be the first commercial aircraft in the country that will allow passengers to use their mobile phones during domestic flights. ANZ earlier this month took delivery of the first of 14 A320s it is expected to receive through 2016, with three more coming this year. The aircraft will progressively replace the airline's Boeing 737-700s on domestic flying.

Turkish Airlines increased 20-times-weekly Istanbul Atatürk-Jeddah service to 21-times-weekly, and will increase 18-times-weekly Istanbul-Vienna service to 21-times-weekly June 13.

Norwegian will operate twice-weekly service to Oslo Gardermoen from Athens (April 28-Oct. 27), Pristina (June 27-Aug 12), Sarajevo (June 27-Aug 11) and thrice-weekly service from Lakselv (June 27-Aug 12)

SAS will launch four-times-weekly Moscow Sheremetyevo-Oslo Gardermoen service March 27, six-times-weekly Munich-Oslo service March 28, and will operate seasonal service to Oslo from Madrid (weekly, June 28-Aug. 16), Palma de Mallorca (thrice-weekly, June 26-Aug. 14) and Split (twice-weekly, June 27-Aug. 12).

Qatar Airways on March 27 will increase Doha service to Kuala Lumpur (to twice-daily), Dar Es Salaam (to twice-daily), Paris Charles de Gaulle (to 16-times-weekly), Geneva (to daily, May 2), Copenhagen (to daily), and Muscat (to 24-times-weekly) and will upgrade service to Bengaluru and Barcelona with A330s beginning March 1 and March 27, respectively.

Monarch will launch twice-weekly service to Paphos from London Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester from May 4.

American Eagle Airlines will increase 26-times-weekly Moline-Chicago O’Hare service to 32-times-weekly June 9-Nov. 16, using 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145s.

AirBaltic will increase service from Riga to Lappeenranta (to twice-daily, March 27) and Vaasa (to seven-times-weekly June 2), also increasing Vaasa-Umea to seven-times-weekly June 2.



AVIATION QUOTE

The Cub is the safest airplane in the world; it can just barely kill you.

— attributed to Max Stanley, Northrop test pilot.



ON THIS DATE

February 14th

• In 1914... An official American nonstop duration and distance record is made when Lt. Townsend Dodd and Sgt. Herbert Marcus fly the U.S. Signal Corps Burgess H tractor biplane. (S.C. No. 26) 244.8 mi. in 4 hours 43 minutes. Although it established a record for two people in one airplane, it also exceeded the previous single-seat record.

• In 1932... Ruth Nichols flies her Lockheed Vega from Floyd Bennett Field, New York to an altitude of 19,928 feet, a new world record for diesel-engined airplanes.

• In 1980... Japan Air Lines begins commercial operations with the highest-capacity airliner ever put into scheduled service, conducting the inaugural flight of eight Boeing 747SR. The aircraft has seating for 550 passengers, 45 in the upper deck.



DAILY VIDEO





EDITOR’S CHOICE





HUMOR

TOP TWENTY ACTUAL TRANSMISSIONS MADE IN THE O'HARE TRACON

20. Expect lower at the end of this transmission

19. Citation 123, if you quit calling me center, I'll quit calling you twin Cessna

18. About three miles ahead you've got traffic 12 o'clock, five miles

17. If you hear me, traffic no longer a factor

16. You got him on TCAS? Great. When you're seven in trail, resume normal speed and call Chicago Center on 120.12

15. I am way too busy for anybody to cancel on me

14. You got any more smart remarks, we can be doing this over South Bend...go ahead

13. You're going to have to key the mike. I can't see you when you nod your head.

12. It's too take for Louisville. We're going back to O'Hare

11. Put your compass on 'E' and get out of my airspace

10. Don't anybody maintain anything

9. Caution wake turbulence you're folling a heavy 12 o'clock,three...no let's make it five miles

8. Climb like you're life depends on it...because it does

7. If you want more room Captain, push your seat back

6. For radar identification throw your jumpseat rider out the window

5. Air Force One, I told you to expedite

4. Listen up gentlemen, or something's gonna happen that none of us wants to see. Besides that, your tickin' me off!

3. Leave five on the glide, have a nice ride, tower inside, twenty-six
nine...see ya!

2. Japan Air Ten Heavy, how about a radio check? (Response: Rogah, switching)

1. Turn in and take over...you know the rest.



TRIVIA

Grumman Iron Works Scramble

1. WTDLICA
2. CLLETAH
3. CARBTEA
4. GTAITERC
5. AAURGJ
6. AEHRTNP
7. GACROU
8. IRTEG
9. OTMCTA
10. EEANRVG

1. WILDCAT
2. HELLCAT
3. BEARCAT
4. TIGERCAT
5. JAGAUR
6. PANTHER
7. COUGAR
8. TIGER
9. TOMCAT
10. RAVENGE

United Continental Holdings last week told employees that aircraft and crews from both United Airlines and Continental Airlines will begin to operate on "some routes" formerly covered by the other airline, part of the carriers' ongoing integration under UCH. The company noted in a memo to workers that from Feb. 17, Houston Intercontinental-Lima service "formerly flown with a Continental aircraft and crew will now be flown with a United aircraft and crew." Other changes will take place starting with the implementation of the summer schedule and continue throughout the year, with flights from loyal UA customers flying out of Washington Dulles getting the SMI/J shaft and Newark to be most affected initially, according to the memo.

FIFY.

ANSWERS:

1. WTDLICA is WILDCAT.
2. CLLETAH is HELLCAT.
3. CARBTEA is BEARCAT.
4. GTAITERC is TIGERCAT.
5. AAURGJ is JAGUAR.
6. AEHRTNP is PANTHER.
7. GACROU is COUGAR.
8. IRTEG is TIGER.
9. OTMCTA is TOMCAT.
10. EEANRVG is AVENGER.