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NEWS

American becomes first U.S. carrier to buy bigger 777s
American Airlines says its purchase of two Boeing 777-300ER jets, expected for delivery late next year, will help it grow internationally. American says it is the first U.S. carrier to order the 777-300ER, part of a $4.2 billion program of aircraft purchases and upgrades of planes and facilities begun in 2007.
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Expanded Pinnacle Airlines reports higher traffic, capacity
Three regional carriers owned by Pinnacle Airlines Corp. saw an increase of more than 240 million revenue passenger miles in January, the company reported Monday. Traffic was up more than 60% from year-earlier levels, with much of the increase due to Pinnacle's acquisition of Mesaba Aviation in July.
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Northeast braces for snow as Midwest digs out
Another wintry blast taking aim at the East Coast has canceled only a few dozen flights for today, after nearly 1,200 cancellations Monday. Snow was expected from southern Pennsylvania to northern Virginia, with up to four inches in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. "In my nearly 40 years as a commercial pilot, I do not remember any winter with so many major storms affecting so many major airports," says analyst Bob Herbst, who anticipates the airline industry could incur weather-related losses as high as $80 million in the first quarter.
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Column: Air data computers are part of a jet's redundant safety systems
With recent news reports of repairs to air data computers on Boeing 757 aircraft, Capt. John Cox answers a reader's question about the role of such computers. Erroneous data may cause pilots to fly too fast or too slow, he explains, which could put additional stress on the airframe or trigger a stall warning. But modern jets have multiple airspeed indicators, so one false reading is little cause for concern, Cox explains. "Pilots are trained to recognize this and to use the two accurate [readings] while disregarding the erroneous one."
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737 engine failure highlights decades-long safety record
Statistics show that engine failures like the one Sunday on a flight from Fort Lauderdale to Minneapolis are extremely rare. The type of GE engine that failed shortly after takeoff has logged more than 470 million hours of flight time, almost without incident. There were no injuries reported as the pilots returned safely to the airport.
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Oil prices threaten to wipe out airline profits
Unrest in the Middle East is raising oil prices, with Brent Crude hitting more than $100 a barrel earlier this month. According to one estimate, airline profits could decline by 40% with oil priced at $84 a barrel, and each $1 increase above that level would add $1.6 billion in costs industrywide. "There's only so much airlines can do to offset the increased cost," said British Airways CEO Willie Walsh. "It will drive airlines that are unprofitable out of the industry ¬because they just won't be able to survive, but ultimately it's going to lead to higher prices."
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Mica, union president differ on private passenger screening
Rep. John L. Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, says 16 airports have implemented the private airport passenger-screening model and that testing and evaluation has proven that using private screening professionals under federal regulation and oversight is a better security option. John Gage, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, argues that the federal screening system is superior to private screeners, as long as federal screeners are given the rights they need to perform their jobs.
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San Diego airport concessions to get a local flare
Officials are looking for a "fresh approach" to concessions at San Diego International Airport, bringing in more local businesses to offer products and services not found in other airports. After more than 40 years, San Diego has decided not to renew its contract with a large national operator. Instead, the city will bring in up to 14 smaller contractors, creating "additional opportunities for the local businesses to participate," according to an airport official. Experts say San Diego's move is part of a national trend for airports, which are looking to increase revenues without raising the fees charged to airlines.
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Companies struggle to define policies for business fliers
Corporate travel departments are struggling with budgets and policies amid the shifting landscape of airline fees. A 2010 survey by CareerBuilder.com found that 37% of companies that had cut back on corporate trips believed it had hurt their business. Now, more are getting back on the road but trying to take all those extra fees into account.
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Asiana reports $211 million 2010 profit
Asiana Airlines posted 2010 net income of KRW236 billion ($211.3 million), reversed from a net loss of KRW266.3 billion in 2009, as annual revenue surged 30.5% to a record KRW5.07 trillion.
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Beijing raises domestic jet fuel prices 5.8%
The Chinese government on Saturday responded to escalating oil prices by raising domestic jet fuel prices 5.8% to CNY6,340 ($963.56) per ton, putting added cost pressure on the country's airlines.
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EgyptAir looking to lease 35% of fleet
EgyptAir reportedly has sent aircraft leasing proposals to Aviation Capital Group, GECAS and fellow members of the Star Alliance as it attempts to cope with severe drops in inbound passenger demand following the recent civil protests that led to the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak.
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AA backs off ‘booking source premium’
Is the current distribution war finally cooling down, or have the opponents gone back to their foxholes to regroup? American Airlines reversed its plan to charge travel agents outside the U.S. and the Caribbean a “booking source premium” for booking the carrier through Travelport GDSs.
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Embraer confirms interest in UK's basic trainer contest

Embraer confirms that its EMB-314 Super Tucano is a "feasible" candidate for the UK Royal Air Force's pending requirement for a new basic trainer, and that Elbit Systems is a potential partner for the contract.
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Virgin Blue's new ATR72s to arrive from May
Virgin Blue expects to take delivery of its new ATR72 turboprops from May, with the -500 variant first to join the fleet. The carrier will have four of the type by end-July. It announced earlier today an order for up to 18 ATR72s, comprising both the -500 and -600 variants.
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Virgin Blue unveils new domestic business class

Virgin Blue has unveiled its new domestic business class that will premiere on its forthcoming Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The first two aircraft will commence operations on transcontinental routes between Sydney and Perth in May.
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Focus on affordability for Global Hawk
With an important report on the RQ-4 Global Hawk's due out next month, the unmanned aerial vehicle's contractor, Northrop Grumman, says it is doing all it can to keep costs down as it moves into the next production phase.
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Jordan gets Schiebel Camcopter S-100

Jordan has accepted delivery of two Camcopter S-100 unmanned aerial vehicles, says Austrian manufacturer Schiebel Group. The pair of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAVs, which will be part of a Jordanian reconnaissance squadron, were ordered in July 2010 by the King Abdullah Design and Development Bureau, the independent military-civilian research and development arm of the Jordanian military.
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Other News

Qantas reported a statutory net profit for the fiscal first half ended Dec. 31, 2010 of A$239 million ($241.7 million), dramatically improved over earnings of A$60 million in the year-ago period. The carrier said it had an underlying profit before tax of $417 million for the half-year, 56% up on the year-ago period.

The European Low Fares Airline Assn. said its nine member airlines reported a 6.1% year-over-year increase in passenger numbers for 2010 to 172.4 million and a 0.3% increase in average seat load factor to 82.3%.

Travelport and Air Astana announced the signing of a long-term content agreement under which Galileo and Worldspan-connected users will gain access to all of Air Astana's fares and inventory "with immediate effect."

Air New Zealand will run a special Boeing 747 flight on Wednesday from Auckland to Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand, which was devastated by an earthquake Tuesday.

A Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-800 en route from Ft. Lauderdale to Minneapolis made an emergency landing Sunday following the contained failure of one its CFM56-7B engines during initial climb. There were no injuries among the 125 passengers and crew and no damage to the aircraft reported, though Broward County (Fla.) police said they found "small pieces" from the engine near FLL. DL said the damaged engine would be examined to determine the cause of the failure.

Lufthansa, which this year had planned to launch the world’s first scheduled commercial passenger flights partially powered by biofuel, said it will delay its six-month trial owing to a delay in certification for the new fuel. The trial with an IAE V2500-powered Airbus A321 was supposed to begin in April.

AFI KLM E&M signed a five-year APU overhaul and repair contract with Gazpromavia Aviation covering its three Boeing 737NGs. The work will be carried out by subsidiary EPCOR BV.

Sabena Technics won a five-year contract from Thomas Cook Airlines covering line and light maintenance of its seven Airbus A320s, as well component support and pool access.

Aviation Technical Services received Saudi Arabia General Authority of Civil Aviation certification, allowing it to perform heavy maintenance and installations of interior furnishings, entertainment systems, antennas and cameras on Boeing 737 series aircraft flying or to fly under Saudi registration.

Germania Technik will become a 100% subsidiary of Germania from April 1 and will be renamed as Germania Technik Brandenburg. GTB will be a certificated maintenance company for Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s.

Phillips Service Industries announced it has acquired aircraft component manufacturer and maintenance repair organization Skytronics.

Adria Airways Technika completed the first Airbus A320 12-year check for Spanair under a five-year base maintenance agreement covering the carrier's A320/A321 fleet.

Virgin America will launch service to Chicago O’Hare from Los Angeles (twice-daily) and San Francisco (thrice-daily) May 25. The carrier first announced its intent to serve ORD in 2008, but was delayed due to gate availability, it said.

Spirit Airlines resumed seasonal thrice-weekly Ft. Lauderdale-Punta Cana service.

WestJet will operate weekly seasonal Moncton-Orlando service until May 5.

Qatar Airways will launch daily Doha-Venice Marco Polo Airbus A320 service June 15.

Lufthansa will resume its five-times-weekly Frankfurt-Rio de Janeiro service Oct. 30, using a 221 seating Airbus A340-300. LH served the route from 1956–2005.

Middle East Airlines will operate seasonal twice weekly Beirut-Dusseldorf Airbus A320 service June 2-Sept. 10, increasing to thrice-weekly June 15.



AVIATION QUOTE

This thing we call luck is merely professionalism and attention to detail, it's your awareness of everything that is going on around you, it's how well you know and understand your airplane and your own limitations. Luck is the sum total of your of abilities as an aviator. If you think your luck is running low, you'd better get busy and make some more. Work harder, Pay more attention. Study your NATOPS more. Do better preflights.

— Stephen Coonts, The Intruders.



ON THIS DATE

February 23rd

• In 1909... John A. McCurdy flies the Aerial Experimental Association’s Silver Dart biplane 40 feet over the frozen Bras d’Or lake at Baddeck Bay – the first flight of a heavier-than-air machine in Canada.

• In 1914... Harry Busteed makes the first test flight of the Bristol Scout biplane at Larkhill training center in England.

• In 1921... A team of pilots completes an experimental coast-to-coast mail flight; flying by day and night, they have linked San Francisco and Long Island in a day and half’s flying time.



DAILY VIDEO





EDITOR’S CHOICE





HUMOR

A Pilot In Heaven

A minister dies and is waiting in line at the Pearly Gates. Ahead of him is a guy who's dressed in sunglasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket, and jeans.

Saint Peter addresses this guy, "Who are you, so that I may know whether or not to admit you to the Kingdom of Heaven?" The guy replies, "I'm Joey Shasta, retired pilot, of Pittsburg, PA."

Saint Peter consults his list. He smiles and says to the pilot, "Take this silken robe and golden staff and enter the Kingdom."

The pilot goes into Heaven with his robe and staff.

Next it's the minister's turn. He stands erect and booms out, "I am Joseph Snow, pastor of Saint Mary's for the last 43 years." Saint Peter consults his list. He says to the minister, "Take this cotton robe and wooden staff and enter the Kingdom."

"Just a minute," says the minister. "That man was a pilot and he gets a silken robe and golden staff. How can this be?"

"Up here, we work by results," says Saint Peter. "While you preached, people slept; while he flew, people prayed."



TRIVIA

Initial Operators

Name the airline that was the initial operator for the airplane listed

1. B727-232ADV
2. B737-823
3. B767-424ER
4. B757-225
5. B767-231
6. B747-436
7. B767-316F
8. B737-322
9. B777-240LR
10. B787-94K
11. B737-7H4
12. B747-4D7
13. B747-256
14. B757-351
15. B737-530

6 is BA. The rest? Pfffffff...

That's OK. I embrace the fail.

3. Continental
4. Delta
5. United
6. British Airways
9. PIA
12. ANA
14. Northwest

Willie Walsh is not CEO of BA anymore, he's over at IAG

trekster wrote:Willie Walsh is not CEO of BA anymore, he's over at IAG

Indeed... *scratches FlightGlobal off the list of reliable news sources*

ANSWERS:
1. Delta Airlines
2. American Airlines
3. Continental Airlines
4. Eastern Air Lines
5. Trans World Airlines
6. British Airways
7. LAN Chile Cargo
8. United Airlines
9. Pakistan International Airlines
10. All Nippon Airlines
11. Southwest Airlines
12. Thai Airways International
13. Iberia
14. Northwest Airlines
15. Lufthansa

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