News
Jet, SpiceJet In Stake Talks With Etihad, AirAsia
Indian carriers Jet Airways and SpiceJet are in talks with Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways and Malaysia's AirAsia, respectively, to sell minority stakes, an Indian government source said.
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EADS Hit By Latest Shareholder Talks
Accelerated efforts by Germany and France to rearrange stakes in EADS knocked shares in the Airbus parent on Friday as investors fretted about surplus stock and state interference.
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Gol To Cut 850 Jobs, Reduce Fleet Size
Gol, Brazil's second-largest airline, will cut 850 jobs and reduce its fleet size next year as a result of the closure of its Webjet subsidiary, the company said in a securities filing on Friday.
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Iberia Losing Market Share On Latam Routes
Iberia is losing ground to rivals on its prized routes to Latin America and, because it is unable to close the gap, it may change some services or stop flying them temporarily.
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China Eastern Seals $5.4 Bln Airbus A320 Deal
China Eastern Airlines, one of the country's top three carriers, said it has agreed to buy 60 Airbus A320 aircraft for about USD$5.4 billion, expected to be delivered in stages from 2014 to 2017.
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GKN poised for transformaton in wake of Volvo Aero acquisition
With its £633 million ($1 billion) acquisition of Volvo Aero complete, GKN Aerospace has embarked on what appears to be a 15-month transformation, as it adds manufacturing jet engine components to its competence as a top-tier aerostructures supplier. The deal, agreed on the eve of the Farnborough air show in July, will turn GKN's relatively small engine components business into a global major player, with annual turnover of £800-900 million - Volvo Aero's 2012 sales will be about SKr7.3 billion (£680 million) this year - with rivals as significant as MTU Aero Engines and Italy's Avio.
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Star not interested in Gulf carriers despite rivals’ gains
Star Alliance remains stoically convinced that it does not need a Gulf carrier within its ranks, despite being left in the cold after recent accords between airlines in the region and its rival alliances. Speaking at the ALTA Airline Leaders Forum in Panama City, Star chief executive Mark Schwab took an aggressive stance about the recent moves by Qatar Airways to join Oneworld; Etihad to link with SkyTeam's Air France-KLM; and Emirates' plan to forge a deep tie-up with Qantas.
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SAS secures final union cost-cuts agreement
SAS Scandinavian Airlines has secured an agreement with its Danish pilots’ union, the last labor accord it needed to obtain a loan that will help save it from bankruptcy. The new Danish pilots’ collective agreement was the last of eight union accords SAS scrambled to conclude so that it could meet the requirements of an SEK3.5 billion ($515 million) revolving credit facility from banks and core shareholders.
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EU postpones 2012 emissions allowances auction
Following the European Commission’s (EC) Nov. 12 announcement that it was temporarily suspending its Emissions Trading System (ETS) for flights into and out of Europe, the EC has requested the postponement of all further aviation auctions for 2012. The EC said last week it had requested the European Energy Exchange (EEX), which hosts a common auction platform of behalf of European Union member states, to “put on hold” auctions for 2012 aviation allowances.
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Air Berlin cuts operational fleet to 135 aircraft
Air Berlin (AB) is planning to further cut its operational fleet from 158 to 135 aircraft as part of a new drive for more cost cutting. The carrier had already decided to trim its fleet from 175 aircraft, but AB CCO Paul Gregorowich told ATW, “If we want to be an alternative to Lufthansa, then we need an additional (cost cutting) program. There are no taboos anymore.” Gregorowich was in Istanbul for delivery ceremonies of Austrian partner Niki’s first re-branded aircraft from THY Technik.
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China starts flight operations from first aircraft carrier
The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has started test flights onboard its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, with Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark fighters. According to Chinese media reports, the ship and its aircraft have been conducting sea trials over the past two weeks. The ship and the J-15 aircraft "are meeting all requirements and achieving good compatibility", the Chinese Xinhua state news agency reports.
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Sweden acts smart to deliver 'complete air force'
At its peak military strength during the early years of the Cold War, Sweden boasted an inventory of about 1,000 combat aircraft, giving it one of the largest and best-equipped air forces in the world. Types operated include the nationally developed Saab J29 Tunnan, or "flying barrel", which was a precursor to later indigenous types such as the Lansen, Draken and Viggen.
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Other News
Air Algerie signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with six other Arab Airlines for cooperation in maintenance and exchanging spare parts as well to create specialized maintenance centers, news agency Algeria Press Services reported without giving more details of the air companies. The MOU also includes airlines from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
ATR’s flight training center in Singapore has gained European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification and will soon begin ATR 42-600 and ATR 72-600 training courses. The center will be inaugurated in mid-December and will provide flight crew type rating through recurrent training to differences courses. The EASA certification covers full flight simulator training for -600 aircraft, maintenance and training devices and a brief/debrief station.
Investec Aviation Finance has launched a new global aircraft fund to enable institutional investors and pension funds to invest in aircraft that are leased to airlines globally. Investec Aircraft Syndicate Limited (IASL) has raised $500 million to invest in new generation, fuel efficient aircraft on lease to a number of airlines. The company says it can increase the size of the fund and is in discussions with various parties looking to invest in its second raising. Investec Aircraft Finance’s previous offering, Investec Global Aircraft Fund, manages 20 aircraft with an acquisition cost of approximately $1 billion.
Turkish Airlines is in talks with banks about a leasing arrangement worth around $500 million to help fund its plane orders from 2014, bankers familiar with the negotiations said on Friday. The airline is considering using Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETCs) for the first time - financial securities issued by banks under which the airline gets ownership of the planes when the certificates mature, the bankers said. Turkish Airlines was also considering issuing sukuk - Islamic bonds - or eurobonds next year to finance its aircraft acquisition plans from 2014, they said.
United Airlines bears no responsibility for the collapse of a third World Trade Center building on September 11, 2001, stemming from suspected airport security lapses that allowed hijackers to crash an American Airlines plane into the complex, a federal judge ruled on Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein granted a request by United and its parent, United Continental Holdings Inc, to dismiss negligence claims by Larry Silverstein, the leaseholder of the World Trade Center property, over the destruction of 7 World Trade Center.
Aviation Quote
It is true to say that the first kill can influence the whole future career of a fighter pilot. Many to whom the first victory over the opponent has been long denied either by unfortunate circumstances or by bad luck can suffer from frustration or develop complexes they may never rid themselves of again.
— General Adolf Galland, Luftwaffe.
On This Date
---In 1939... British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) is established through the amalgamation of Imperial Airways and British Airways.
---in 1951…First flight of the Gloster Javelin prototype WD804.
---In 1964… Belgian paratroops are dropped into Congo by the U.S. Air Force.
---In 1965…In the Hammaguir launch facility in the Sahara desert, France launches a Diamant-A rocket with its first satellite, “Asterix-1” on board, becoming the third country to enter outer space.
---In 1968…USAF helicopter pilot James P. Fleming rescues a Special Forces unit pinned down by Viet Cong Fire. He is later awarded the Medal of Honor for his Courage under fire.
---In 1987… A Douglas DC-9 of Continental Airlines crashes in Denver, Colorado on take-off during a snowstorm; 26 lose their lives and 56 are gravely injured.
---In 1990…First flight of the Delta II rocket.
---In 1991…Ed Heinamann passes away. A famed designer of the SBD Dauntless, A20 Havoc, A26 Invader, A1 Skyraider, A3 Skywarrior, A4 Skyhawk, F3D Skyknight, F4D Skyray Douglas Skystreak and the Skyrocket. He left Douglas Aircraft Company in 1960. In 1962 he joined General Dynamics where he oversaw the development of the F-16.
---In 2003…Concorde makes its final flight over Bristol.
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
WW2 AXIS Scramble
1. AIICH
2. SIITHMIUBS
3. ANAIJKAM
4. PRNCAIO
5. TAIF
6. HIRTACMTE
7. SEIEMSMRTSTC
8. UERJNSK
9. ELEISERF
10. ENKEHLI
