BA announces more cuts, A380 deferrals as Unite rejects employee reductions British Airways plans to cut summer and winter capacity by an additional 1%, ground six additional aircraft next year and defer its A380 deliveries, while some 2,000 employees represented by Unite have "overwhelmingly rejected" the airline's proposed job cuts ahead of Wednesday's talks mediated by the UK Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. Link
Lufthansa may expand cost cuts to €1 billion Lufthansa plans to announce details of an expanded cost savings program by the end of the month that could extend the current €300 million ($419.2 million) target "to up to €1 billion," a source close to LH management said. Link
Gulf taps former RJ chief Majali Gulf Air named former Royal Jordanian President and CEO Samer Majali as its new chief executive, replacing Bjorn Naf. Link
Ryanair proposes standing room; announces Porto base Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary found himself in the headlines again yesterday after telling Sky News "We might take out the last five or six rows [of seats] and say to passengers, 'Do you want to stand up? If you do, you can travel for free'." Link
Addressing DOD Root Acquisition Problems The Pentagon has focused too often on the symptoms of acquisition ills and needs to look at changing the way it buys its goods at a more basic level, a recent Defense Science Board (DSB) report says. Link
Romania's Blue Air in talks for 10 more 737-800/900s Romanian budget carrier Blue Air has started talks with Boeing with a view to purchasing 10 additional 737-800/900 aircraft. Link
Indonesian Merpati 737 loses wheel while taking off A wheel on the landing-gear of a Merpati Nusantara Boeing 737-400 fell off yesterday as it was taking off from an airport in eastern Indonesia. Link
Pay-per-view IFE&C 'comes of age' in USA: industry veteran Pay-per-view and pay-per-flight business models for in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFE&C) have "come of age" in the USA as airlines and consumers warm to the idea of charging and paying for such services, respectively, says long-time industry veteran Rich Salter. Link
Afghanistan's first G222 on track to fly during July Afghanistan's first of 18 refurbished and modernised Alenia Aeronautica G222 tactical transports is on track to fly in late July, having been rolled out near Naples in Italy earlier this month. Link
IAI forced to withdraw support for Gripen's Indian bid The USA forced Israel Aerospace Industries to withdraw a proposal to supply an advanced radar to Saab as part of the Swedish company's effort to win a fighter contest in India potentially worth $12 billion. Link
Afghanistan's Safi looking for narrowbodies and a widebody Privately-owned Afghan carrier Safi Airways is in the market to acquire newer narrowbody aircraft and one more widebody aircraft. Safi chief commercial officer, Claus Fischer, says the Afghan carrier has two Boeing 737-300s and one Boeing 767-200ER but "we're looking at a total fleet of six aircraft at the end of this year" and 10 aircraft by April 2011. Link
Other News
SpiceJet reported a INR78 million ($1.6 million) loss in the fiscal fourth quarter ended March 31, narrowed from a INR1.24 billion deficit in the year-ago period. The New Delhi-based LCC did not provide its full-year result. It lost INR180 million in its fiscal third quarter. Fourth-quarter operating revenue rose 4.4% year-over-year to INR3.99 billion on a 10.3% increase in passenger numbers to 1.4 million. It said "overall aviation demand" in India fell 13%. It operates 125 daily flights to 18 destinations aboard 19 737-800/900ERs.
French BEA said signals emanating from the flight data and voice recorders onboard the Yemenia Yemen Airways A310-300 that crashed in the Indian Ocean were detected Sunday. The accident near the Comoros capital of Moroni killed 152 of the 153 people onboard. Meanwhile, Yemenia said it is suspending its Comoros service indefinitely, according to press reports.
Vueling Airlines and Clickair said they will complete their "merger of equals" on July 9. The new carrier will use the Vueling name and Iberia will hold 45.9%, Hemisferio/Planeta 14.3% and Air Nostrum parent Nefinsa 4.2%. VY will operate 35 A320s (18 former Clickair) on 92 routs to/from 42 destinations in 18 countries. "The new Vueling must deliver a three-year plan to the board in October and a zero-growth plan is unlikely to be acceptable," CEO Alex Cruz said. It expects annual revenue of €800 million ($1.12 billion) and an initial €40-€45 million in synergies.
Aon Corp. released a report warning that the commercial aviation industry "is likely to see insurance premiums rise significantly for the rest of the year and potentially into the next" as insurers suffer heavy losses related to the recent accidents near Brazil, Comoros and Buffalo. "If the rest of 2009 follows the 13-year average pattern for losses, and discounting 2001, the year will be the most expensive ever seen in the airline insurance market," it said, with claims potentially surpassing $2.2 billion.
JetAmerica, a low-fare startup scheduled to launch flights from Newark and Toledo on July 13, said last week that it will postpone introduction of service until Aug. 14 "due to unforeseen complications with landing and takeoff time slots" at EWR. The airline has said it will offer seats starting at $9 each way and claimed that the 6,486 passengers who booked flights from July 13 through Aug. 13 will receive full refunds, along with "special incentives" to rebook. It plans to wet-lease a 737-800 from Miami Air International and operate 40 weekly flights.
Cargo B Airlines halted operations last week as it ran out of cash. The Belgian carrier launched in October 2007 and flew to Africa and South America with two new 747-400Fs. "Volumes held up well, but we could not secure sufficient financing to support the introduction of the second 747 which was delivered half May," President and CEO Robert Kuijpers said. Lessor Nippon Cargo Airlines repossessed the aircraft. The company will be liquidated.
Air Jamaica's rumored sale to Spirit Airlines owners Indigo Partners and Oaktree Capital has not been finalized, airline and government officials told The Jamaica Observer. "We are still talking to interested parties and the matter has not yet gone to Cabinet," a JM board member told the paper, while a government official said, "There has been no sale as yet. The recommendation still has to go to the Cabinet and the board of Air Jamaica before a decision is taken."
SkyEurope Holding last week announced the departure of SkyEurope Airlines Chairman and CEO Jason Bitter by "mutual agreement." He was replaced by former Vice Chairman and CFO Nick Manoudakis. The LCC is operating under creditor protection.
Mesa Air Group announced that the US Court of Appeals upheld an injunction against Delta Air Lines preventing it from canceling Mesa subsidiary Freedom Airlines' contract to fly 22 ERJ-145s for Delta Connection. Delta cited operational problems, but the court ruled, "The evidence showed that Delta induced Mesa to agree to Delta's coordinated cancellations by promising not to count such cancellations against it," Reuters reported.
Rolls-Royce announced a $470 million Trent 700EP order from Turkish Airlines. Engines will power A330s scheduled to begin delivering in 2010.
American Airlines flew 10.89 billion system RPMs in June, an 8.1% decrease from the year-ago month. Capacity dropped 7.8% to 12.79 billion ASMs and load factor slipped 0.3 point to 85.1%.
Continental Airlines said June consolidated and mainline RASM fell an estimated 19.5%-20.5%. It flew 8.07 billion consolidated RPMs last month, down 6.5% year-over-year. Capacity dropped 7.8% to 9.51 billion ASMs and load factor rose 1.1 points to 84.8%.
US Airways Group said June consolidated passenger RASM declined approximately 20% year-over-year, with total RASM falling around 18%. Group airlines flew 5.63 billion RPMs, down 4%, against a 6% fall in ASKs to 6.53 billion. Load factor rose 1.8 points to 86.2%.
US FAA named former Continental Airlines Senior VP-Customer Experience David Grizzle as chief counsel.
AVIATION QUOTE
“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.” — Confucius
AEROSPACE TERM
Geocentric Latitude
Of a position in the earth's surface; the angle between a line to the center of the earth and the plane of the equator. Because the earth is approximately an oblate spheroid, rather than a true sphere, this differs from geographic latitude, the maximum difference being 11.6 minutes of arc at latitude 45 degrees.
DAILY VIDEO
HUMOR
Air Traffic Control
During taxi, the crew of a US Air departure flight to Ft. Lauderdale made a wrong turn and came nose to nose with a United 727. The irate ground controller (a female) lashed out at the US Air crew screaming "US Air 2771, where are you going? I told you to turn right on 'Charlie' taxi way; you turned right on 'Delta'. Stop right there. I know it's difficult to tell the difference between C's and D's but get it right".
Continuing her lashing to the embarrassed crew, she was now shouting hysterically, "You've screwed everything up; it'll take forever to sort this out. You stay right there and don't move until I tell you to. You can expect progressive taxi instructions in about a half hour and I want you to go exactly where I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you. You got that, US Air 2771??"
Naturally, the 'ground control' frequency went terribly silent until an unknown male pilot broke the silence and asked, "Wasn't I married to you once?"
TRIVIA
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And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
1. OV-10 Bronco 2. B-66 3. F-100 Super Sabre 4. SAAB J-29 5. OV-1 Mohawk 6. F-4D Fury 7. A-10 Warthog (yes, I know the official name is "thunderbolt II." But that is a wimp name.) 8. B-26 Marauder 9. Avro Lancaster 10. TU-22
GQfluffy wrote:I don't know what exactly it is, but #6 looks like a deathtrap.
Look at yesterday's daily video.
And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
Embraer chief predicts slow recovery, fewer players Embraer CEO Frederico Fleury Curado expects to a see a turnaround in the commercial jet market by 2011, though it could be "more than five" years before corporate aircraft deliveries regain their 2007-2008 levels. "I don't think the business jet market will disappear," he told reporters in Paris. "It may shrink, it may have fewer players, but we believe we can be one of those players." Though he expects consolidation among general aviation manufacturers, Curado says Embraer is focused on "organic" growth rather than buying a rival. "[U]nless there is a very natural fit, we probably would not do it," he says. Link
Lockheed: Cruise missile nearing 90% reliability Lockheed Martin Corp. says an order received Monday for 12 extended-range versions of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile shows the Air Force has new confidence in the troubled missile program. In May, Air Force officials warned they might terminate the $6 billion contract if upcoming tests failed to improve on an unacceptable reliability rate. By investing additional funds in improvements and screening, Lockheed said Monday the JASSM program is "within very close striking distance of 90% now." A series of tests is expected later this summer, though no firm dates have been set. Link
Japan eyes THAAD system to defend again North Korean missiles Following a rash of missile launches by North Korea, Japan reportedly is considering three to four installations of Lockheed Martin Corp.'s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system. THAAD is said to have five times the range of the PAC-3 system already in place. Japan also has four destroyers armed with Raytheon's SM-3 missiles and the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system. The latest North Korean tests reportedly included longer-range Scud missiles capable of striking anywhere in Japan. Link
No near-term alternative to black boxes, experts say Two recent over-water crashes have some commentators urging that flight data be streamed to land-based servers rather than being stored on aircraft black boxes, which may be difficult to recover from the ocean's depths. While the technology for such an effort already exists, "The volume of information you're talking about is infeasible in terms of what it would cost to do that for every airplane," says an official with ARINC, a Maryland company that transmits airline data. One study by L-3 Aviation Recorders, a leading maker of flight data recorders, estimated that a U.S. airline with a global network would spend $300 million annually to transmit data via satellite. Still, some experts foresee a time when today's methods for data storage will appear antiquated. "At some point, we'll look back and remember when we sent divers down in the water," says Aerospace Industries Association vice president, civil aviation Dan Elwell. Link
Airline insurance claims soar in June; higher rates loom Following two fatal crashes in a single month, the three biggest airline insurers are anticipating their steepest monthly loss since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, and higher rates for airline customers are on the horizon. While insurance companies pay $1.4 billion in claims in an average year, this year's total could reach $2.2 billion, according to insurance broker Aon Corp. "With losses so far this year already above the full year average, the industry is likely to see insurance premiums rise significantly," Aon said in a report issued on Monday, acknowledging that the higher costs would be "a bitter pill to swallow" for already-struggling airlines. Link
Report: Europe eyes retaliation for proposed U.S. maintenance law A European aerospace group is warning that European regulators may require U.S. aircraft to fly with a mechanic on board as retaliation for a provision in the FAA reauthorization bill that increases U.S. oversight of foreign maintenance operations. The AeroSpace and Defense Industries Association of Europe is arguing that countries with bilateral aviation agreements should be exempt from the proposed U.S. requirements. "The FAA can't cover all stations," says ASD Secretary General Francois Gayet, noting that general aviation operators would be especially hard-hit by any retaliation on the part of EU regulators. Link
Climate bill may include compromises to win passage With 60 votes needed in the Senate to pass major legislation, energy-bill compromises on such issues as offshore drilling and nuclear plant funding are being put on the table for discussion. While key senators are holding off on commitment while working to get the bill to serve the interests in their states, environmentalists say they may not like the outcome, given the number of giveaways the House allowed in its bill. Link
Congress moving to loosen restrictions on U.S. satellite exports Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are moving to ease limits on technology transfers that have stymied U.S. satellite makers for more than a decade. The efforts have the support of President Barack Obama, who said during the campaign that "outdated restrictions have cost billions of dollars to American satellite and space hardware manufacturers as customers have decided to purchase equipment from European suppliers." U.S. satellite makers have seen their share of the $120 billion market drop from 73% to 27% as a result of the export restrictions, and other countries have stepped up their own R&D efforts to make up for the lack of American products, according to Aerospace Industries Association VP Cord Sterling. Link
Senate set to consider TSA appropriations bill The Senate today will take up debate on a Homeland Security appropriations bill requiring greater cooperation with the general aviation industry in formulating security requirements for GA aircraft. Though the Senate bill includes authorization for TSA to collect $1.6 million in fees for the Large Aircraft Security Program, it also includes language urging the agency to negotiate with general aviation stakeholders to formulate a rule that "minimizes adverse effects on general aviation while addressing security concerns." Link
NYT readers oppose new baggage enforcement duties for TSA A recent New York Times column on tasking the TSA to enforce size limits on carry-on bags generated more than 300 e-mail responses, according to the author. While there is plenty of disagreement over who's to blame for limited overhead space and slow boarding, most Times readers agree that enforcing baggage policies falls on the airlines, not TSA. Link
And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
ANSWERS: 1. North American OV-10D Bronco 2. Douglas B-66 SkyWarrior 3. North American F-100D Super Saber 4. SAAB J-29 Tunan 5. Grumman OV-1D Mohawk 6. Douglas F4D SkyRay 7. Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II 8. Martin B-26 Marauder 9. Avro Shackleton 10. Tupolev Tu-22 (NATO BLINDER)
And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
