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NEWS

Wi-Fi interference with Honeywell avionics prompts Boeing action
Honeywell Phase 3 Display Units (DUs) have shown themselves susceptible to "blanking" during airline electro magnetic interference (EMI) certification testing of wireless broadband systems (Wi-Fi) on various Boeing 737NG airplanes, prompting Boeing to cease linefit installs of in-flight connectivity systems across its portfolio, including widebody aircraft.
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Republic eyes re-engined Airbus jets
Republic Airways Holding confirms it is weighing a purchase of the re-engined Airbus A320neo, one year after announcing an order for 40 Bombardier CSeries jets valued at more than $3 billion. "As current Airbus customers, we are major advocates of more-fuel-efficient aircraft, and we are discussing the Neo with them," said a spokesman for Republic.
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Mexicana hopes to be airborne within weeks
Mexicana could fly again by Easter weekend after bankruptcy officials pick new investors to inject about $250 million in startup capital. A previous comeback was derailed last week when a private equity group failed to raise the necessary funds. The Mexican carrier hopes to rehire 40% of its workforce and fly 46 Airbus aircraft, but it will not operate as a low-cost carrier, says bankruptcy administrator Gerardo Badin.
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ILFC comes off the sidelines with big jet order
International Lease Finance Corp. on Tuesday announced its first aircraft orders in three years, including 100 Airbus A320 jets and 33 737-800s built by Boeing. The planes have a value of more than $11 billion at list prices. The order marks a turnaround for the world's second-largest aircraft lessor, which has been sidelined since parent company American International Group was pushed to the brink of insolvency by the financial crisis and forced to accept a federal bailout.
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"Human factors" engineer improves technology for pilots
Dave Domino, a former flight instructor, uses his degree in human factors engineering to improve the interaction between pilots and machines. Domino said his goal "is to ensure that information is being presented at the right time to a pilot and in the right form so that the human cognitive capabilities are not simply overwhelmed."
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January fuel prices rise 20% year-on-year, DOT reports
The Transportation Department says January fuel prices at U.S. airlines increased to their highest levels since October 2008. At an average of $2.62 per gallon, jet fuel was up 20% from year-earlier levels and 14% higher than December's prices.
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Editorial: Rule on tarmac delays has made things worse, not better
Federal efforts to end lengthy tarmac delays have "backfired," according to an editorial in the Newark Star-Ledger, as airlines cancel more flights in order to avoid fines of $27,500 per passenger. The paper notes that cancellation rates soared once the rule went into effect and that passengers must sometimes wait days for re-booking. "It is now time, it seems, to reduce or eliminate the tarmac fines, and to find another way to protect passengers before this rule becomes law in 2012," concludes the paper's editorial board. "In this case, the cure is proving worse than the disease."
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U.S. is poised to cement air-safety pact with EU
The U.S. and the EU are working toward an air-safety pact that would eliminate duplicate efforts, saving millions of dollars each year, and enhance aviation oversight. U.S. lawmakers had delayed the deal, which was reached in 2008, but issues have been resolved. The agreement means that inspection and analysis by air-safety agencies in the U.S. and EU will be mutually recognized.
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Authorities clear 8 more airports to handle flights to Cuba
Eight airports are joining those in Miami, Los Angeles and New York to have federal clearance to handle charter flights to Cuba. The White House has been easing policy on traveling to the island nation, but only those with cultural, academic, religious or journalistic missions are allowed to visit Cuba.
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Senator takes aim at federally subsidized short-hop flights
The Senate version of an FAA funding bill would end federal subsidies for rural airports within 90 miles of a larger airport as well as flights that carry fewer than 10 passengers per day. The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., says about 35 markets would be affected, out of some 154 communities that currently receive subsidies under the Essential Air Service program.
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Cathay Pacific reports dramatic 2010 profit rise to $1.8 billion, to add 27 aircraft
Cathay Pacific Group reported that annual profits nearly tripled in 2010 to HK$14.04 billion ($1.8 billion) from a HK$4.69 billion surplus in 2009 on a 33.7% rise in revenue to HK$89.52 billion. It additionally announced orders for 25 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing and inked lease agreements with ILFC for two more, additions aimed at both supporting growth and facilitating the replacement of all of its A340-300s and some of its 747-400s.
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Aeroflot orders eight 777s
Aeroflot placed an order for six GE90-powered Boeing 777-300ERs and two 777-200ERs, the manufacturer said Wednesday, noting the order was previously attributed to an unidentified customer on its website.
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EADS posts 2010 profit surge driven by Airbus
EADS reported 2010 net income of €553 million ($770.8 million), a major turnaround from a €763 million net loss in 2009, on 7% growth in revenue to €45.8 billion driven by a strong performance by Airbus.
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Lufthansa 2010 profits soar past $1.5 billion on strong second half
Lufthansa Group said that based on preliminary figures it ended 2010 with a net profit of €1.1 billion ($1.53 billion), significantly improved from a restated net loss of €34 million in 2009. All of the earnings occurred during the second half of 2010, as LH Group had a loss through the first six months of the year of €104 million.
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Pilatus introduces iPad delivery program for owner pilots
Pilatus Business Aircraft, manufacturer of the PC-12 NG, the world's best-selling turboprop business aircraft, says it is reinventing the aircraft delivery and ownership experience with the launch of its new iPad delivery program.
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Piper re-enters training fleet sales business
Piper Aircraft is back in the training fleet sales business, and anticipates enormous growth in pilot demand in the coming decade. The company's Brunei-based director of fleet sales Chuck Glass estimates that there will be annual demand of 2,000-2,500 trained pilots in the Asia Pacific and Middle East over the next decade, and 600-700 training aircraft.
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Other News

Air Baltic's aging fleet, which includes 14 Boeing 737-300/500 aircraft, creates challenges in managing rising fuel prices, President and CEO Bertolt Flick said this week in Los Angeles. "It is clear that we need a more modern fleet," he said.

Emirates Airlines President Tim Clark said at ITB Berlin that all 15 of the airline's Airbus A380s operated for the first time with 100% technical dispatch reliability last week. "We have some hiccups sometimes [with the A380 operation] but the reliability is going up," he said. When EK's first A380 arrived about 220 post-factory modifications had to be made. "Today the number is about 60," he said.

Lufthansa Systems said it will launch its new wireless inflight entertainment system, BoardConnect, on Condor’s Boeing 767s. BoardConnect is a next-generation IFE system, operating on a Wi-Fi network allowing passengers to connect to video and audio on demand—including games, e-mail and social networks—via their IFE screens or a personal Wi-Fi-equipped device.

LAN Airlines and affiliates Lan Peru, Lan Argentina and Lan Ecuador signed a bilateral interline agreement with JetBlue Airways, under which LAN passengers gain access to up to 55 cities in the US, Latin America and the Caribbean through JetBlue's hub at New York JFK. JetBlue customers gain access to LAN destinations in South America. Under the terms of the deal, customers will be able to purchase a single ticket for travel on both airlines and take advantage of one-stop check-in for boarding passes and baggage.

Boeing said on Tuesday its 747-8 Intercontinental aircraft successfully completed the first engine runs on its GEnx-2B engine.

AWAS delivered one new Boeing 737-800 to Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA. The aircraft is equipped with Boeing's Sky Interior. Separately, AWAS said it acquired two Airbus A320-200s from Dublin-based Aircraft Purchase Fleet Ltd. for lease to Alitalia.

Cabot Aviation arranged the sale of one RB211-535E4-B-powered Boeing 757-200ER to Icelandair, on behalf of Flycorp. Cabot said the aircraft was delivered new to ATA in 2000 and subsequently operated by VIM-Avia in Russia and Aurela in Lithuania.

Dallas Airmotive received Honeywell Aerospace authorization to supply turbofan engine and APU support services for the Asia/Pacific region, including major periodic inspection services on TFE731 engines, and line authorizations on CFE738 and HTF7000 engines and APUs (36 series, RE100, RE220). It also plans to add mobile response teams in Singapore, Hong Kong and eastern Australia this year, and an MPI shop in Singapore for TFE731 inspections in January 2012.



AVIATION QUOTE

It is possible to fly without motors, but not without knowledge and skill.

— Wilbur Wright

ON THIS DATE

• In 1905... The French lawyer and aspiring aeronaut Ernest Archdeacon sends a letter to the Wright brothers in Dayton, Ohio challenging them to prove the validity of their claims. This marks the beginning of a bitter contest between the Wrights and European aeronauts.

• In 1910... The first flight at night is made by Frenchman Emile Aubrun in Argentina on a Bleriot airplane. Aubrun makes two flights in the dark, each about 20 km from Buenos Aires and back again.

• In 1925... One of the most outstanding flying boats of its day and a stunning demonstration of the skills of aircraft designer R. J. Michell, the Supermarine Southampton, makes its first flight with Henri Biard at the controls. It remains in service for 12 years, longer than any other flying boat before Sunderland.

• In 1948... NACA test pilot Herbert Henry Hoover becomes the first civilian to exceed the speed of sound when he flies the No. 2 Bell XS-1 to a speed of 703 mph (Mach 1.065).

• In 1956... The first aircraft to exceed 1,000 mph (1,609 km/h) is an English Fairey Delta 2. Piloted by Lt. Cdr. Peter Twiss, it reaches a speed of 1,132 mph (1,822 km/h).



[b]DAILY VIDEO





EDITOR’S CHOICE





HUMOR

Ways To Annoy The Person Sitting Next To You On A Flight

• Find common interests. Ask, "Are you in the Witness Protection program too?"
• Tell your fellow passenger that you just heard the bathrooms were out-of-order. Then pause and say, "Did you know that peanuts are a natural diuretic?" Smile.
• Call the stewardess "nurse".
• Sport a kamikaze helmet and goggles. Speak in a low voice into a hand held tape recorder: "Today's date, December 7th, 1941. I was not able to command my own personal plane but success shall still be ours...."
• Yell out, "John Lithgow is on the wing!"
• Speak in Spelling Bee-eese: "Hello. H-e-l-l-o. Hello. Nice weather we're having isn't it? Weather. W-e-a-t-h-e-r. Weather."
• Start singing the Shari Lewis theme, "This is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friends, some people started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because, this is the song that never ends...." Suddenly realize that you can never stop singing. Become very panicky. Scrawl "Help me" on a piece of paper and hand it to the person sitting next to you. Claw at your throat and thrash around in the seat. Never stop singing.
• Continually offer to share your "Beano".
• Decorate. Bring a scatter rug and tiny draperies. Hang a "Home Sweet Home" plaque on the back of the seat in front of you. Invite your fellow passengers in for tea.
• Suddenly remember that you left your iron on. Ask if the pilot would mind going back so you can check.
• Bring your computer keyboard without a monitor. Place it on your lap. Stare into the palm of your hand. Wait. Push the return key a few times. Yell out "Yes! Alright! I told them I didn't need a laptop!" Plug the headphones into your nostril and play DOOM.
• Bring a duffel bag packed with pipe cleaners, styrofoam balls, construction paper, etc. Organize a "Kraft Korner". Make a craft likeness of the person sitting next to you. Give yourself an "F".
• Say, "Did you know every time a plane crashes, an angel gets its wings?" Then sigh and stare dreamily into the clouds.
• Snap Polaroids of him or her. Pull out an empty photo album and arrange the pictures inside it. Tuck the album under your jacket and say, "You know, in some cultures they believe that when you take a person's photograph...you own their soul...," while smiling maniacally.
• Bring a cellular phone. Call God. Say, "The reception is much clearer up here...."
• Speak in an incredibly fake Australian accent. Call the person "mate". Tell them you're not used to seeing the sky, since you are from "Down Under". Keep repeating quotes from "Crocodile Dundee," such as "That's not a knife! That's a knife!", until they are forced to yell at you that you are not Australian. Call them prejudiced.
• Bring a "Word-a-Day" calendar on board with you. Read every single word aloud and attempt to use it in a sentence. Use them all incorrectly. "My, you have a very irate home,' she said governessly."
• Lean back in your seat, fold your arms behind your head and exclaim, "Thank God for auto-pilot, eh?"



TRIVIA

Tail ID

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6.


7.


8.


9.


10.

2. Important in 1991
3. Important in 2010
5. Important in 1989
6. Minnesota was never important
7. Important in 1953
9. Wasn't around in 1996, when Atlanta was important
11. Minnesota was never important

1.
2. Kuwait Airways
3. LAN
4.
5. Lufthansa (D-AIRX if I'm not mistaken!)
6.
7. Avianca
8.
9. Eastern Airlines
10. Northwest

ANSWERS:

1. FM, Shangahi Airlines
2. KU, Kuwait Airways
3. LA, LAN Airlines
4. AIA, American International Airways
5. LH, Lufthansa
6. RA, Republic Airlines
7. OZ, Asiana Airlines
8. EA, Eastern Air Lines
9. EA, Eastern Air Lines
10. NW, Northwest Airlines