Expanding Kenya Airways to lease two 777s from GECAS Kenya Airways signed a letter of intent with GECAS for the lease of two new Boeing 777-300ERs as part of its long-term expansion plan, Group MD Titus Naikuni revealed on the sidelines of the Connectivity in Africa conference organized by Embraer in Nairobi. The new -300ERs are in addition to its Dreamliner order and are expected to be delivered at the end of 2012-early 2013 if the contract is firmed, he said. Link
Alaska shows interest in re-engined 737 Alaska Airlines is interested in Boeing's recently-announced re-engined 737 offering, though the carrier has yet to make any decisions about the type's future in its fleet. "We are very much in favour of lower fuel burn, and if Boeing can do this sooner rather than later, that's a good a thing", said Bill Ayer, CEO of Alaska parent Alaska Air Group during the company's second quarter earnings call. Link
SIA to operate long-haul low-cost unit using Boeing 777-200s Singapore Airlines will operate its planned long-haul low-cost carrier unit using Boeing 777-200s. The aircraft, which will be acquired from its parent company, will be reconfigured with a new seating layout, Singapore Airlines said. Link
ANZ frustrated over new 787-9 delay Air New Zealand has said frustration would be an "understatement" of its reaction to a new delay that could now see the Boeing 787-9 enter service later in 2014 than planned. Boeing had last advised ANZ, the launch customer of the stretched 787, that it would receive its first of eight aircraft in late 2013 or early 2014. ANZ said that date has slipped to an undetermined period in 2014 that it is still in discussions with Boeing about. Link
United Continental posts Q2 profit of $538 million United Continental Holdings weathered rising fuel costs to attain a second-quarter profit and exceed the expectations of analysts. However, net profit for the merged carrier fell to $538 million for the second quarter from a combined $611 million in the same quarter a year ago, when United and Continental were separate carriers. Link
Alaska Airlines reports Q2 profit, revenue increase Fuller planes and higher fares helped Alaska Airlines post a second-quarter profit of $28.8 million and raise its quarterly revenue to $1.1 billion. Parent company Alaska Air Group noted that the airline had met analysts' expectations after it made adjustments for losses realized through fuel-cost hedging. Link
US Airways beats Q2 expectations despite fuel costs US Airways Group saw its fuel costs rise by more than 50% during the second quarter. However, the carrier still managed to beat some analyst expectations with earnings of $92 million for the quarter. US Airways also reported that its revenue jumped 10.5% from the same quarter last year. Link
Column: Airlines strive to perfect boarding procedures Columnist Scott McCartney explains how American Airlines changed its boarding strategy after a two-year study into ways to speed up the process. As a result of the study, travelers without elite status are randomly assigned to boarding groups. This article also looks at how other airlines handle boarding. Link
Boeing decides to upgrade 737 jet rather than design new model Jim Albaugh, CEO of the commercial airplane unit at Boeing, explained that the company has decided to upgrade its best-selling 737 jet rather than design a brand-new model. "While the technology was there to do a [new] airplane, the production system was not well understood to be able to get to 60 planes per month," he said. Link
Aviation sector raises concerns about proposed user fees Lawmakers continue to debate raising the debt ceiling, which has prompted a discussion about possible new taxes, including some aimed at aviation. The Air Transport Association has raised concerns about the possibility of higher passenger ticket taxes. "The industry already pays more than its fair share of taxes -- more than alcohol and tobacco, products that are taxed at levels to discourage their use," said ATA President and CEO Nicholas Calio. Link
Air-traffic controller training involves simulator The Federal Aviation Administration uses a $900,000 simulator to help train air-traffic controllers near Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport. "Before we had this simulator, our controllers learned on the job," said Jim Burgan, air-traffic control tower manager at McCarran. "But with this, we have the ability to stop things, learn from it, replay and re-create the experience." Link
Other News
Boeing has conceded that its experience with new technology and supply chain problems on the 787 put a damper on its ability to assure customers of a timely delivery for the all-new 737 replacement it had been pushing.
Minneapolis/St. Paul-based Sun Country Airlines said it has been sold to Cambria Holdings. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The airline operates a fleet of 12 737-800s to 38 destinations (including seasonal services). It has struggled with ownership and financial problems for several years, including going through a bankruptcy restructuring. Sun Country President and CEO Stan Gadek said in a statement, "We look forward to working with our new owners to continue to expand our services … The acquisition is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our employees during these past few years. I am very proud of our people and what we have accomplished during some challenging times." Sun Country has more than 800 employees. No immediate changes to its operations are expected.
MTU Maintenance Hannover extended its V2500-A1 Engine Maintenance agreement with US Airways until the end of 2016.
FL Technics won a contract with Wizz Air to maintain the carrier's Airbus A320 aircraft at its base in Vilnius. It will provide all-inclusive line maintenance support as well as additional support services.
Swiss AS said Portugalia Airlines has chosen the maintenance management solution AMOS to cover its entire fleet. Implementation, which is slated to take 10 months, has begun.
Jet Midwest Technik has gained certification to perform heavy maintenance on all McDonnell Douglas MD-series aircraft, as well as all Boeing 737 series aircraft. It launched operations in Kansas City, Mo., approximately one year ago.
AVIATION QUOTE
The pilot is still the pilot, whether he is at a remote console or on the flight deck. With the potential for thousands of these unmanned aircraft in use years from now, the standards for pilot training need to be set high to ensure that those on the ground and other users of the airspace are not put in jeopardy."
— Mark Rosenker, NTSB Chairman, verbal comments following the release of the NTSB's first report on a UAV accident, 16 October 2007
ON THIS DATE
July 22nd
---In 1914... Britain’s first airplane passenger service is launched. The short-lived service flies from Leeds to Bradford and back, on half-hour intervals.
---In 1920... Aviation enthusiast David R. Davis and airplane designer Donald W. Douglas team up to form the Davis-Douglas Company. Their goal is to build the first aircraft capable of flying non-stop across the U.S.
---In 1933... One-eyed pilot Wiley Post lands after completing the first solo flight around the world. Post pioneers the early development of a pressure suit and proves the value of navigating instruments, especially the automatic pilot.
---In 1959…The Sud-Aviation Caravelle enters operational service with Air France.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
How Much Time?
In the US Army Airborne School, which trains parachute jumpers for the Army, one of the Sergeants was demonstrating all of the possible failures that could happen to the equipment. In particular, he was explaining how many things could happen to keep the main parachute from opening. When one of the trainees asked, "If my parachute fails to open, how long do I have to open my reserve chute?"
"Son, you have the REST of your life to deploy that reserve!", the sergeant drawled.
TRIVIA
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And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
