NEWS
Volga-Dnepr seeks to buy Air Cargo Germany
Russian cargo group Volga-Dnepr (VI) is planning to buy Frankfurt Hahn-based carrier Air Cargo Germany (6U). Germany antitrust authorities said that Amsterdam-based Volga-Dnepr Logistics sought approval for the deal March 1. A decision is expected this month.
VI representatives in Russia did not comment on the deal but market experts said 6U is not a profitable asset. VI wants to buy 6U is for its market share and to launch new flights from Europe.
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Flybe, Brussels Airlines sign wet-lease deal
Flybe signed a contract with Brussels Airlines to provide two Bombardier Q400 aircraft on a wet-lease basis for two years starting March 25. The Q400s will serve on various routes for the Belgian airline throughout Europe. The aircraft will carry the Brussels livery.
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Air Baltic launches $416.4 million restructuring program
Air Baltic is implementing a new restructuring plan, ReShape, to return the struggling airline to profitability and sustain future development at its North Hub Riga. The program, which aims to reduce costs by 16%, includes fleet modernization, cost optimization, operational efficiency, revenue enhancement and network improvements.
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Struggling Kingfisher reduces international flights
Kingfisher Airlines, struggling for its survival, said Wednesday that it is "curtailing" international flying. "We would like to confirm that we are curtailing our widebody overseas operations that are bleeding heavily," spokesperson Prakash Mirpuri said in a statement. "To this end we have already returned one Airbus A330-200 to the lessor in the UK. Positive and immediate action is being taken on all fronts to cut costs."
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IATA: Air cargo industry is under pressure
Air cargo operators need to be careful in the coming years, a leading consultant warned at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Kuala Lumpur.
The warning is the second in as many days for the air cargo industry about its future. "The global cargo industry is under pressure as volumes, load factor and net yield are all in decline," Gert-Jan Jansen, executive director, Cargo Advisory for Seabury Aviation and Aerospace said.
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Boeing in "advanced discussions" for 777s in China
Boeing says it is in "advanced discussions for a significant number of 777s in greater China", elaborating on commercial airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh's comments regarding having sold 30 777s to Chinese carriers in recent weeks.
"I think you're going to see sales of narrowbodies and widebodies continue to grow. I'm pretty excited about it. I sold 30 777s over [in China] last week and have a lot of discussions with other customers about more," says Albaugh at the JP Morgan Aviation, Transportation and Defense conference in New York.
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Iraq reaches airline debt deal with Kuwait
Iraq has reached a USD$500 million agreement with Kuwait to resolve a standoff over Gulf War-era debts that had prevented Iraqi Airways from flying to destinations in the West, an aide to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Wednesday.
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JetBlue not interested in Aer Lingus stake
JetBlue has no interest in buying the Irish government's stake in Aer Lingus, the US company said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Irish Times newspaper reported on Monday that JetBlue had spoken to the management of the Irish airline about the possible purchase, citing informed sources.
"We have no interest or intention in purchasing the Irish government's stake in Aer Lingus," a spokesman for JetBlue said in a statement.
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Air India seeking higher 787 compensation
Air India is negotiating for more compensation from Boeing for delayed aircraft delivery, a senior government official said, after the plane maker agreed to pay the cash-strapped airline more than USD$500 million.
"Two weeks back they (Boeing) agreed to pay a little over USD$500 million. We are asking for more, we are talking to them," joint secretary at the ministry of civil aviation Prashant Sukul said on Wednesday.
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IATA moves to a supply chain approach to boost air cargo safety
IATA is changing its strategy to a more supply chain-based approach to boost safety within the air cargo industry, a senior IATA official said. IATA assistant director-Cargo and Safety Standards Dave Brennan said the organization is "starting to talk about" outreach and oversight. "The real issue is upstream," he said, adding "there is talk now of the supply chain approach to safety."
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Boeing re-affirms 787 delivery guidance
Maintaining its goal of 35 to 42 787 deliveries in 2012, Boeing's Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh says the company is considering ramping up production at its North Charleston, South Carolina final assembly line to further bolster the advance to 10 787s per month at the end of 2013.
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Etihad, Air Berlin to integrate 787 programs
Etihad Airways (EY) and Air Berlin (AB) have announced plans to join their Boeing 787 programs, saving millions of dollars for both carriers. The deal affects 56 aircraft, according to the company, which said the joint order is the biggest worldwide for the 787.
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Other News
The last F-22 Raptor to be built for the US Air Force took-off on its inaugural test flight earlier today with a company pilot at the helm, a Lockheed Martin executive says.
A preliminary accident report by the NTSB states that a critically low fuel state preceded the deadly crash of an Israeli-built Kfir F-21C2 (N404AX) single-seat fighter jet at a US Navy base in Fallon, Nevada, on March 6th.
The US Air Force has not formally cancelled the Block 30 version of the RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, a top Northrop Grumman executive says.
A major Russian aeronautical research agency has launched preliminary design work for a quiet supersonic business jet that could fly over populated areas.
The European Aviation Safety Agency has issued an emergency airworthiness directive (AD) after a crack was detected on the lower hub-shaft flange of a Eurocopter EC135 main rotor during a routine inspection.
Airbus has completed structural assembly of the first A350 XWB aft fuselage of aircraft MSN1, which will be the first to fly.
A 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit east of Tokyo on Wednesday but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no initial reports of damage.
A German court due to make a landmark ruling on a night flight ban at Frankfurt Airport said residents' need of a few hours of quiet during the night near Germany's busiest hub deserved "special consideration".
Flight Training and Simulation NewsOxford Aviation Academy has acquired a new Airbus A320-200 full-flight simulator, to be based at its Stockholm Training Facility at Arlanda Airport.
Germanwings will open a new cabin crew training center in Cologne. It also plans to add 150 flight attendants this year, increasing the number to 700. It will also add two Airbus A319s to its fleet.
CAE will update the visual systems on two South African Airways full-flight simulators. It will install a CAE Tropos-6000 visual system with liquid-crystal-on-silicon wide-screendisplays on Airbus A320 and A340-600 full-flight simulators at the SAA training center in Johannesburg.
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AVIATION QUOTE
Most pilots learn, when they pin on their wings and go out and get in a fighter, especially, that one thing you don't do, you don't b'lieve anything anybody tells you about an airplane.
— Chuck Yeager
ON THIS DATE
---In 1938... De Havilland D. H. 88 Comet racer G-ACSS begins a record-breaking flight from England to New Zealand and back for what some regard as the most notable success of the Comet’s achievement: a return flight time of 10 days 21 hours 22 minutes.
---In 1941…Philippine Airlines begins service with a Beechcraft Model 18 NPC-54 with flights from Manila to Baguio.
---In 1957... A U.S. Navy ZPG-2 nonrigid airship sets a new unrefueled endurance record when it lands, having remained aloft for 264 hours (11 days) 12 minutes, beating the record set by the Graf Zeppelin in 1929.
---In 1962…Flying Tigers Flight 739 crashes into the Philippine Sea. The Lockheed L-1049H (N6921C) disappears while flying from Guam to Manila, killing all 107 souls on-board.
---In 1963…A Lloyd Aereo Boliviano Douglas DC-6B (CP-707) crashes into a mountain in Peru, killing all 39 aboard. The pilots were flying VFR (Visual Flight Rules) while operating in IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) conditions.
---In 1967…Air Southwest is incorporated by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King. They would go on to grow it into low-cost juggernaut Southwest Airlines.
---In 1967…Piedmont leases two Boeing 727s to use pending delivery of their Boeing 737s. This also marks the day that Piedmont places the Fairchild FH-227 into service.
---In 1972…NASA selects 3 part configuration for Space Shuttle.
---In 1974…A Sterling Airways Caravelle (OY-STK) caught fire while taxiing to depart in Tehran, Iran. The right main gear collapses, rupturing the fuel line, resulting in the deaths of 15 of the 96 people on the plane.
---In 1985…American Eagle Airlines, a commuter subsidiary of American Airlines, begins service.
---In 1985... Pan Am puts the Airbus A300B airliner into service, on its route from Miami, Florida to Mexico City.
---In 1996…Aircraft manufacturer Fokker shuts down after 84 years in business.
---In 1979…Pluto again becomes outermost planet when its orbit carries it past Neptune. It lost this status in 2006 when the IAU decided that Pluto is not a planet.
---In 2002…An Aerotaxi Antonov AN-2 crashes in Baez, Cuba, killing all 16 passengers. The aircraft plunges into a pond after a wing separated.
DAILY VIDEO
EDITOR’S CHOICE
HUMOR
A Blonde Goes Flying
A blonde went to a flight school insisting that she wanted to learn to fly. As all the planes were currently in use, the owner agreed to instruct her by radio on how to pilot the solo helicopter. He took her out, showed her how to start it and gave her the basics, and sent her on her way.
After she climbed 1000 feet, she radioed in. "I'm doing great! I love it! The view is so beautiful, and I'm starting to get the hang of this."
After 2000 feet, she radioed again, saying how easy it was to fly. The instructor watched her climb over 3000 feet, and was beginning to worry that she hadn't radioed in.
A few minutes later, he watched in horror as she crashed about half a mile away. He ran over and pulled her from the wreckage.
When he asked what happened, she said, "I don't know! Everything was going fine, but as I got higher, I was starting to get cold. I can barely remember anything after I turned off the big fan!"
TRIVIA
US Navy Aircraft of Yesteryear
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