Zak/forum/images/avatars/gallery/first/user2/2.pngoffline(netAirspace FAA) 14 Oct 11, 09:11
NEWS
PNG plane crashes, death toll unknown An aircraft carrying 32 people crashed on Thursday in the South Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea, local aviation officials said, but it was unclear how many passengers had died. The Airlines PNG Dash 8 crashed en route from Lae to Madang in PNG's north, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said from the PNG capital Port Moresby. Residents said there was a violent storm in the area at the time. Link Link (AvHerald) Discussion
Boeing completes final assembly of first United-Continental 787 Boeing has finished final assembly of the first 787 to be delivered to North American launch customer United-Continental. The carrier plans to inaugurate service with its first 787 in the second of half of 2012, and aims to take delivery of five aircraft next year, down from a previous projection of six. Link
787 delays force United to revise 2012 plan Another production delay apparently has hit Boeing’s troubled 787 program, and at least one customer, United Continental Holdings, is paring back its delivery schedule for 2012 to account for the issue. Last month, United Continental detailed a plan that added six Boeing 787-8s and 19 737-900ERs to its fleet in 2012, but on Wednesday the plan had shrunk to 19 737s and just five 787s. United Continental is not offering any explanation for the revision, and a Boeing spokesperson could not reached for comment. However a source with knowledge of the situation tells Aviation Week the slip is attributed to a production issue, and that it is unclear if the delayed aircraft will be added to United Continental’s 2013 fleet schedule. Link
Airbus opens UK's A350 wing factory Airbus has formally inaugurated the A350 plant at Broughton in the UK, which will manufacture wings for the twinjet family. The North Factory facility was opened during a ceremony attended by UK prime minister David Cameron. Link
Qantas scraps 97 flights per week as strikes continue Qantas (QF) has canceled or delayed more than 50 flights Friday and has grounded five aircraft as the bitter dispute with three key unions continues. The airline has scrapped 97 flights a week as pressure mounts for the Australian government to intervene to end the dispute. Link
Australia may force end to Qantas strike The Australian government said on Thursday it could force an end to a bitter dispute between unions and Qantas Airways after the airline warned it will ground aircraft and cut around 100 domestic flights a week due to rolling industrial action. Qantas said a prolonged dispute involving baggage handlers, ground staff, engineers and increasingly pilots, would disrupt thousands of passengers, with flights to and from major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne most affected. Link
Ottawa intervenes to stop Air Canada cabin crew strike Air Canada (AC) averted a planned strike by its more than 6,800 flight attendants when Canadian labor minister Lisa Raitt deployed a rarely used procedural move that legally prevents cabin crew from walking off the job. Raitt formally referred the matter to the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to determine whether a strike disrupting AC's flight schedule would "threaten public health and safety." AC cabin crew had planned to start striking Thursday. Link
Spain shelves airport selloff Spain shelved the multi-billion euro selloff of its two biggest airports after bidders struggled to raise financing, depriving the state of more revenue to reduce borrowings as it fights its corner in the euro zone debt crisis. The public works ministry said on Thursday it will postpone the sale for three months, until after the November parliamentary election which polls predict will give a landslide victory to the main opposition People's Party (PP). Link
Turkish Airlines eager for new Istanbul airport by 2016 Turkish Airlines (TK) needs a bigger airport and hopes the new Istanbul airport will be built by 2016. CEO Temel Kotil told ATW in Istanbul that TK’s hub at Istanbul Ataturk, which handles about 32.9 million passengers per year, is too small and has hindered the carrier’s growth strategy. Link
P&W expects to run IAE from mid-2013 Pratt & Whitney (P&W) anticipates taking full control of International Aero Engines (IAE) by around mid-2013 if regulatory approvals and administrative business transactions are completed by mid-2012. P&W announced Wednesday it was restructuring its almost 30-year 50:50 joint venture with Rolls-Royce, buying out Rolls’ share of IAE for $1.5 billion (ATW Daily News, Oct. 13). The two companies are creating a new 50:50 JV to develop engines for future new mid-size aircraft in the 120-230 seat range. The program will focus on geared turbofan technology. Link
Airbus backs Rolls and Pratt turbofan deal In an unprecedented move designed to outflank General Electric and its CFM partner Snecma, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce have announced plans to form a new engine joint venture to power future mid-size aircraft based initially on the geared turbofan (GTF) configuration. Link
Amerijet opens freight facility Cargo transportation provider Amerijet International has opened a new 20,000 sq ft freight facility in Newark, New Jersey (US). “Amerijet is committed to its development strategy and Newark is a key market for our network expansion,” Rich Hernandez, regional manager, said. Link
French board objects to publication of cockpit conversations The French aviation accident investigation board, the BEA, on Thursday condemned an author's disclosure of cockpit conversations among the pilots who died in the Rio-to-Paris Airbus flight that crashed in the Atlantic Ocean in June 2009. A book by Jean-Pierre Otelli, Erreurs de pilotage, Tome 5 (Pilot Errors, Volume 5), includes literal transcriptions from the cockpit voice recorder that had not been published in the official reports, which included only excerpts. "This transcription mentions personal conversations between the crew members that have no bearing on the event, which shows a lack of respect for the memory of the late crew members," the BEA said in a statement (PDF). According to Bloomberg News, Otelli's book reveals "confusion, a lack of coordination, and denial among the flight crew as the jet plunged through the night sky toward the ocean surface." Link
Plane crashes into Fla. Turnpike A Socata TBM-800 single-engine plane, carrying two people, crashed around 1:34 p.m. EDT Wednesday into a Florida Turnpike in Hollywood approximately 20 miles north of Miami, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told Air Safety Week. The agency is unsure of the pilot and passenger's injuries at this time; however, they were taken to a local hospital, according to news reports. Link
US defence chiefs raise alarm on cost of three F-35 variants The new chairman of the joint chiefs of staff has raised concerns about the cost of building three variants of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. "I am concerned about the three variants and whether we can go forward in this fiscal environment with all three, but I am eager to learn more about that," said General Martin Dempsey, speaking at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on 13 October. Link
Other News
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has granted draft approval for Virgin Australia’s (VA) comprehensive alliance with Singapore Airlines (SIA)
Mexicana Airlines, which ceased operations under severe financial distress over a year ago, will offer charter flights through Nov. 20.
Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners has been selected by Cargolux Airlines for an Engine Management Program agreement providing on-wing engine health monitoring. It will use its Web-based Advanced Diagnostics & Engine Management tools to provide engine performance monitoring services for the airline’s fleet of PW4056 engines.
NAYAK Aircraft Services was selected by Boeing as an MRO partner for its Boeing GoldCare program. It will cover both line and base maintenance.
Turkish Technic has a contract for covering two base maintenance C checks on a NEOS Boeing 737-800. It also signed a painting service agreement, covering one 737-800. Based at Milan Malpensa International, NEOS operates six 737-800s and two 767-300s.
Pteris Global Ltd. has agreed to acquire Singapore-based aircraft ground support equipment designer/manufacturer AeroMobiles.
AVIATION QUOTE
I just made a balls of it, old boy. That's all there was to it.
— Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader, about his December 1931 roll performed immediately after takeoff that ended in the crash that led to the loss of both legs. He later flew fighters again, and led a wing of Spitfires during the Battle of Britain.
ON THIS DATE
October 14th
---In 1947... Captain Charles “Chuck” Yeager becomes the 1st person to fly faster than sound. Yeager “breaks the sound barrier” in his Bell X-1 airplane, Glamorous Glennis, named after his wife. He was able to reach 670-mph or Mach 1.015 at Muroc Dry Lake, California.
---In 1962…U2 flight over Cuba discovers Soviet ballistic missile base. (Q)
---In 1964…First flight of the Sikorsky YCH-53 Sea Stallion.
Some years ago, streams of RAF Vulcan B2s were flying into their base in extremely marginal (English) weather. Once on the ground, and after roll out, each pilot in turn was asked, "What height did you see the runway lights?" Answers such as 250 and 300 confirmed that pilots had landed within safe limits - - all except the last. That radio sequence follows:
XXXXX - - On the runway from approach, which dispersal please.
Tower - - Back to Alpha. At what height did you see the lights, please?
[pause]
XXXXX - - What lights?
TRIVIA
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Ideology: The mistaken belief that your beliefs are neither beliefs nor mistaken.
