News
Final Repaired TP400 Nearing Delivery For A400M Reliability Tests
Europrop International (EPI) expects the last of four inspected and repaired TP400 engines to be delivered this week to Airbus Military, clearing the way for the resumption of delayed functional and reliability (F&R) flight testing of the A400M.
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American points to saddle clamp for loose seats
American Airlines says that an improperly installed saddle clamp resulted in a row of seats coming loose in-flight on two of its Boeing 757-200s. The Fort Worth-based Oneworld carrier says that the clamp in question is used to secure seats to the aircraft floor on 47 of its 757s. It has expanded seat inspections to all of these aircraft from the initial 10.
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Boeing, United Launch Alliance prepared for latest GPS launch
Boeing has fixed an issue with cesium clocks aboard GPS IIF satellites, and is prepared to launch the third example on 4 October. An issue identified earlier, which may have shortened the usable lifespan of the GPS satellites, was traced to a xenon bulb with higher than expected pressure. The bulb is standard equipment aboard GPS' highly accurate cesium clocks, says Boeing, but inflating it to standard pressures could potentially shorten the satellite's lifespan.
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American Loses Bid To Block Union Vote
American Airlines lost a court battle in its effort to block a union election vote by nearly 10,000 passenger service agents. Wednesday's decision by the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans came amid a separate dispute between the airline's 8,000 pilots and its parent company, AMR. The pilots are expected to approve a strike later this week.
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Long-term Air Freight Boom To Follow Short-term Gloom
Air cargo will grow by an average of 5.2 percent annually over the next 20 years, according to Boeing. The U.S. airframer’s World Cargo Forecast 2012/13, published on October 3, predicts that the global freighter fleet will expand to nearly 3,200 aircraft by 2031.
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Lufthansa Proposes Measures To Reduce Cabin Fume Events On A380s
Lufthansa is working on initiatives to reduce cabin fume events on its fleet of Airbus A380s. The measures include alterations to the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines, procedural changes and better surveillance of cabin air quality.
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New refinery helps Delta lower expenses
Delta Air Lines is reporting that its fuel costs have declined due to its new refinery. The airline is expected to report an operating margin in the third quarter of 10% to 11%, up from its prediction of 9% to 11%.
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AA, pilots to resume negotiations as strike vote closes
American Airlines' parent company, AMR, said Tuesday that it would resume contract negotiations with its pilots this week, and a key factor of that discussion may be the final pilots' vote regarding a union strike. The airline and the union, Allied Pilots Association, have not yet reached a labor agreement under AMR's bankruptcy restructuring, and flight crews have been working under new terms put in place by AMR.
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Air Canada will combine new budget carrier with its tour operator
Air Canada has announced that it will start a new low-cost airline, which will be consolidated with its tour operator Air Canada Vacations. The new carrier is expected to begin flights in June with four planes.
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Atlanta airport promotes air cargo strengths at conference
While hosting the International Air Cargo Association's Air Cargo Forum this week, Atlanta officials promoted the aspects of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport that would make it attractive to cargo carriers. Cargo service is considered an economic boon, and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has prioritized air cargo growth. The airport is also beginning to plan a fourth cargo facility, which could open as early as 2014, to attract cargo carriers.
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Dragon wreckage found
A meticulously restored and rare 1934 De Havilland DH84 Dragon with six aboard went missing Monday northwest of Brisbane, Australia, and its wreckage was found found Wednesday in bushland near Mount Kandanga, with no survivors.
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Other News
Silver Airways launched Saab 340Bplus service to Atlanta from Greenville, N.C., Tupelo, Hattiesburg-Laurel and Meridian, Miss., as well as Muscle Shoals, Ala. Oct. 1.
United Airlines will launch Cleveland (CLE) service to Nashville (2X-weekly) and Oklahoma City (weekly) Dec. 19 and Feb. 14, respectively. It will discontinue CLE-Green Bay service Dec. 18.
LOT Polish Airlines launched 6X-weekly Warsaw-Hannover Embraer E-170 service.
Virgin Australia will increase 17X-weekly Brisbane (BNE)-Emerald ATR 72 service to 24X-weekly Oct. 29. It will also increase 14X-weekly BNE-Newcastle Fokker 100 service to 19X-weekly Nov. 12 and 35X-weekly BNE-Rockhampton ATR 72 service to 40X-weekly Nov. 12.
The South African government has agreed to guarantee ZAR5 billion ($600 million) in loans for South African Airways for two years. The guarantee will enable the financially troubled carrier to borrow from the financial markets, continuing operations.
Aviation Quote
The greater issues were beyond us. We sat in a tiny cockpit, throttle lever in one hand, stick in the other. At the end of our right thumb was the firing button, and in each wing were four guns. We aimed through an optical gunsight, a red bead in the middle of a red ring. Our one concern was to boot out the enemy.
— Group Captain Peter Townsend, RAF.
On This Date
--- In 1784... James Sadler becomes the 1st British aeronaut when he makes a flight in a Montgolfier-type balloon of a 170-foot circumference
---In 1909... More than a million New Yorkers watch as Wilbur Wright makes a flight along the Hudson River.
---In 1957…The Avro Arrow rolls out at the Avro Canada plant in Malton, Ontario.
---In 1957…The Soviets win round one of the Space Race, launching Sputnik I, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth.
---In 1958... Britain’s national overseas airline BOAC becomes the 1st carrier to fly the Atlantic route by jet airliner.
---In 1960…Eastern Airlines Flight 375, a Lockheed L188 Electra (registered N5533) flying from Boston Logan (BOS) to Philadelphia (PHL) crashes seconds after takeoff due to a bird strike, killing 62 of the 72 on-board.
---In 1968…First flight of the Tupolev Tu-154.
---In 1982…Death of Leroy Randle "Roy" Grumman (b.4 January 1895) was an American aeronautical engineer, test pilot, and industrialist.
---In 1984…After her husband dies at the controls, 61-year-old Elaine Yadwin safely lands a Piper Cherokee Warrior II in Florida.
---In 1992…El Al Flight 1862, a 747-200F (registered (4X-AXG), crashes into an apartment complex in Amsterdam, killing 4 on the aircraft and 39 on the ground after engines number 3 and 4 fall from the wing. It would be determined that fuse pins designed to let separating engines break away clean had failed to do so, allowing the number 3 engine’s loss to also cause the number 4 engine to separate as well. This caused damage to the flaps and right aileron that sent the aircraft into an 90-degree roll while attempting to slow down for their second landing attempt.
---In 2001…Siberian Airlines Flight 1812, a Tu-154 (registered RA-85693), is struck by an errant Ukranian missile, sending it crashing into the Black Sea, killing all 78 on-board.
---In 2004…Burt Rutan’s SpaceShipOne makes its third successful flight into space, thus clinching the $10 million Ansari X Prize.
---In 2010…Sociedad Aeronautica de Medellin (SAM) ceases operations.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
A Scotsman, American, and an Irishman
The Scotsman says, "Aye, this is a nice bar, but where I'm from,
back in Glasgow, there's a better one. At MacDougal's, you buy a
drink, you buy another drink, and MacDougal himself will buy your
third drink!"
The others agree that sounds like a good place.
Then the American says, "Yeah, hat's a nice bar, but where I come
from, there's a better one. Over in Brooklyn, there's this place, Vinny's.
At Vinny's, you buy a drink, Vinny buys you a drink. You buy another
drink, Vinny buys you another drink."
Everyone agrees that sounds like a great bar.
Then the Irishman says, "You think that's great? Where I come from in
Dublin, there's this place called Murphy's. At Murphy's, they buy you
your first drink, they buy you your second drink, they buy you your third
drink, and then, they take you in the back and get you laid!"
"Wow!" say the other two. "That's fantastic! Did that actually happen
to you?"
"Not yet," replies the Irish guy, "but it's happened to me sister!"
Trivia
Given Names
1. McDonnell Douglas F-4C
A. Phantom
B. Phantom II
C. Rhino
D. Marauder
2. Republic F-105
A. Thunder Streak
B. Thunder Jet
C. Thunder Bomber
D. Thunder Chief
3. Lockheed F-104
A. Starfighter
B. Night Fighter
C. Thunder Jet
D. Lightning
4. North American F-100
A. Sabre
B. Saber II
C. Super Saber
D. Super Comet
5. Lockheed P-3C
A. Neptune
B. Poseidon
C. Orion
D. Osiris
6. Convair F-106
A. Delta Dagger
B. Delta Dart
C. Delta Arrow
D. Delta Spear
7. Grumman F-6F
A. Wildcat
B. Hellcat
C. Bearcat
D. Tigercat
8. North American P-61
A. Black Mamba
B. Black Widow
C. Brown Recluse
D. Tarantula
9. Douglas A-20
A. Havoc
B. Invader
C. Marauder
D. Liberator
10. Bell UH-1
A. Huey
B. Cobra
C. Cheyenne
D. Iroquois
