NewsSecond GEnx-2B Failure Under Investigation By General Electric
General Electric (GE) is preparing to dismantle and inspect a GEnx-2B engine that failed at high thrust during a Sept. 11 takeoff run of an Air Bridge Cargo-operated Boeing 747-8F in Shanghai. Although GE says it is too early to connect this event with the failure in July of a GEnx-1B engine on a Boeing 787 at Charleston, S.C., the initial evidence indicates several similarities.
LinkLagardere To Closely Examine BAE-EADS Deal
French group Lagardere, a key shareholder in European aerospace company EADS, said it would closely examine any tie-up between the Airbus owner and British peer BAE before accepting a deal.
LinkSpiceJet In 'Preliminary' Talks With Gulf CarriersIndian low-cost airline SpiceJet is in "very preliminary" discussions with various Gulf carriers for possible investments, but any decision will be taken only after the government relaxes rules, a spokeswoman said.
Link747-200 freighter shreds 14 tyres
An electrical failure is thought to be behind an emergency landing at Ted Stevens Anchorage Airport, US. Local media have identified the aircraft, which blocked the runway for several hours from 2am Tuesday, as a Southern Air Boeing 747-200 freighter from Miami.
LinkAer Lingus Union Announces Stoppages
Staff at Irish airline Aer Lingus will begin industrial action next month in a dispute over a shortfall in the company's pension scheme, the SIPTU union said on Thursday.
LinkGol's Yield Improves As Routes Cut
Brazilian airline Gol said on Thursday that a measure of ticket pricing known as passenger yield rose about 1 percent in August from a year earlier as it cut flights to restore profitability.
LinkChina Eastern stock sale to raise $568 million 
China Eastern Airlines (MU) is expected to raise CNY3.6 billion ($568 million) by selling nearly 1.4 billion new shares on the Hong Kong and Shanghai stock exchanges to its parent company China Eastern Air Holding. The transaction will ease its heavy debt burden, enabling the carrier to pay off loans and add to its working capital, paving the way for an ambitious fleet expansion.
LinkFrankfurt Airport’s August freight fall 
Frankfurt Airport’s (FRA) airfreight volumes fell by 4.1 per cent to 165,406 tonnes year-on-year in August this year. “Once again, this can be attributed to the uncertain development of the world economy,” explains a spokesperson for its German owners Fraport.
LinkGerman minister urges ICAO-based emissions solutionA German politician has urged ICAO to find a solution to the problem of aircraft emissions when it convenes in fall 2013. Peter Hintze was reported as saying that Airbus could “suffer deeply” from retaliatory actions to protest the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). The US, India and China are among countries that have refused to co-operate with the ETS, in some cases barring their airlines from participating in it. China has also forced some airlines to put Airbus aircraft orders on hold.
LinkNew Computer Prepares Super Hornet For Upgrades
A fourth generation of “mission” computer for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler has entered flight testing, paving the way for further capability upgrades including advanced cockpit displays. The Type 4 advanced mission computer (AMC), which helps control the aircraft in combat, completed a 90-min. first flight in a U.S. Navy F/A-18F on Sept. 6 at Naval Air Station China Lake, Calif. A production decision is planned for the first quarter of 2013.
LinkFirst Production A400M Flight Slated For Early 2013
Airbus Military expects to conduct the first flight of its first production A400M transport in the first quarter of next year, later than the most recent plan for the struggling program. MSN 7, the first production aircraft, was slated for first flight in August with MSN 8 to follow in November. That has now slipped owing to implementation of a fix by the manufacturer of the TP400 engine, which has suffered repeated gear box problems. The engine issues have kept the A400M off the flying display for air shows repeatedly, but the aircraft is slated to fly today at the ILA Berlin Air Show.
LinkGiant German Luftwaffe Aircraft Wreck Found? Italian researchers claim (with video) to have found wreckage off the Sardinian coast of a huge Messerschmitt-323 Gigant (Giant) of which some 200 examples were built and none of which were thought to have survived the war. The Me-323 spanned 180 feet, was driven by six wing-mounted piston engines, weighed 45 tons, could carry 120 fully equipped men and was thought to exist in the modern world only through history books.
LinkUSAF and NASA officials testify before Congress on F-22 Raptor oxygen systems 
Senior US Air Force and NASA officials testified 13 May before Congress on the steps the service is taking to ensure that the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is safe to fly.
LinkIndia Launches 100th Space MissionThe Indian Space Research Organization on Sept. 9 successfully lofted its historic Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, putting two foreign satellites into orbit. The fully-indigenous PSLV-C21 vehicle, which weighs 230-tons and stands 44 meters (144 ft.) tall, blasted off from the Satish Dhawan space center at Sriharikota in south India at 9:53 a.m. on Sunday morning, an ISRO official said.
LinkSpy satellite and hitchhiking Cubesats successfully launched United Launch Alliance (ULA) has successfully launched an Atlas V from Vandenburg AFB, California, after several weeks' delay. The Atlas lofted a reconnaissance payload for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and 11 Cubesats.
LinkMasten Xaero Destroyed During Test FlightA prototype vertical take-off and landing sub-orbital launch vehicle under development by Masten Space crashed Sept. 11 during a flight test at Mojave, Calif.
LinkAMR will continue seeking contract agreements with pilotsAMR, which received court approval Wednesday for revamped contracts with its flight attendants and mechanics, will continue to work on a new contract agreement with its pilots. "We all respect and appreciate what our pilots do every day, and hope to achieve an agreement that will fortify our competitive position and create more security and opportunity for pilots," wrote CEO Tom Horton in a companywide memo. AMR, the parent company of American Airlines, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 2011.
LinkAlaska Airlines says it recycled enough aluminum to build 3 planesAlaska Air Group, parent company of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, says it recycled 230 tons of aluminum last year -- enough to build three new airplanes. The statement was part of a corporate sustainability report, but not all of the company's sustainability goals were reached.
LinkSkyWest will run some regional flights for American AirlinesSkyWest will be operating regional flights under the American Eagle brand through a new deal with American Airlines. Flights are expected to begin Nov. 15.
LinkU.S. budget carriers head south to increase businessLow-cost carriers such as JetBlue, Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines have begun opening up flights to Central and South America to open up more connections. Some flights are not direct, however.
LinkPhiladelphia airport joins PreCheck programAs of this week, the Philadelphia airport is participating in the Transportation Security Administration's PreCheck program. PreCheck allows pre-screened travelers to pass through security checkpoints without removing their belts and shoes. "The program is part of TSA's attempt to move away from the one-size-fits-all approach to screening," said TSA spokeswoman Ann Davis. "We can comfortably give some passengers some expedited opportunities, given we know a little more about them, and they are willing to give us a little more information about themselves."
LinkIn-flight connectivity providers growing with demandAs personal electronic devices continue to grow in popularity, the demand for in-flight connectivity increases. Some airlines are looking to increase their capacity for connectivity, and providers are developing a range of technologies to provide faster speeds, greater bandwidth and even coverage on international flights. Wireless streaming to personal devices is another potential growth area, with some streaming services already in testing.
LinkHawaii expects continued growth in air seat capacityThe Hawaii Tourism Authority anticipates more growth in air travel to the state through the remainder of the year. Total air seat capacity for 2012 is expected to exceed 10 million seats, a 9% increase over last year. Total capacity is expected to reach 99% of the peak travel to Hawaii, which occurred in 2007.
LinkFrom Porsche to plane, Delta aims to deliver for frequent fliersDelta Air Lines has been randomly selecting top-level fliers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for its high-end shuttle service. Frequent fliers are picked up in a Porsche and driven on the tarmac to their plane. The service emulates what Lufthansa and Air France have already been doing for their elite-flier guests.
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