NewsLion 737 crash crew had no visual contact with runwayIndonesian investigators indicate that the crew of a Lion Air Boeing 737-800 continued to descend below minimum altitude despite not having visual contact with the runway during a non-precision approach to Bali. The National Transportation Safety Committee, in its preliminary report into the 13 April accident, says the first officer, who was flying, mentioned that the runway was not in sight as the aircraft descended through 900ft. Although the aircraft's automated systems issued a "minimum" warning at 550ft the crew disengaged the autopilot and autothrottle, and continued the descent.
LinkLinkQatar Air Wants To Be 777X Launch CustomerQatar Airways' chief executive said the Middle-Eastern carrier wants to be a launch customer for Boeing's 777X mini-jumbo jet, and that the airline plans to open at least three new routes to the US in the next 12 to 18 months. "We are very keen on the 777-8 and -9X aircraft and we are receiving presentations from Boeing in this regard," Akbar Al Baker, CEO of the Doha-based airline, said in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday. "We would definitely want to be the launch customer," he said. "We hope to be one of the launch customers." But he said that since the aircraft has only been offered recently, "we need to go through the paces."
LinkSingapore Airlines Fights Back To Boost GrowthSingapore Airlines, caught between the rapid emergence of Gulf carriers and low cost Asian rivals, is attempting a big strategy overhaul to revive growth, pushing into the low-cost segment and expanding its regional network. State-backed Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways are doing deals, while Gulf states race to become regional hubs linking the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. SIA's promotional fares on its mainstay long-haul routes have helped it boost traffic, but yields are under pressure. Premium class travel, which makes up about 40 percent of revenue, has been hit by cutbacks in corporate budgets.
LinkGE, Boeing Issue Alert On 777-300ER Engine ProblemGeneral Electric and Boeing have alerted airlines about a potential problem with engines on Boeing's long-range 777-300ER jet that caused the engines to shut down in mid-flight twice this year. The problem affects about 118 transfer gear boxes made between September and March. The part, made by Italian company Avio, are on about 26 in-service 777-300ERs and another 44 aircraft in production, GE said. There are more than 1,150 of the GE90-115B engines in service and the gearbox has been a reliable part for more than 15 years, GE said. The cause of the problem appears to be with an anomaly in the material that caused gears to separate, although the exact cause remains unknown, GE said. The companies told airlines to inspect or replace the transfer gear boxes produced during the six-month period, ensuring that at least one engine on the plane has had an inspection or a replacement made before September.
LinkBoeing To Fix Batteries On All 787s By End-MayBoeing will complete fixing the batteries on all 50 of its 787 Dreamliner jets by the end of this month, Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president for sales in Asia Pacific, told Reuters on Wednesday. The planes had been grounded worldwide since January following incidents of overheating in the batteries providing auxiliary power. Boeing has since worked to develop new battery housings to prevent a repeat of the incidents.
LinkWingletted Hawker 800s height-limited and awaiting modificationThe operators of Hawker 800 business jets with winglets have received a service bulletin from winglet manufacturer Aviation Partners instructing them not to fly the midsize aircraft above 34,000ft (10,370m) until a modification is applied to prevent possible roll oscillation. The US Federal Aviation Administration is expected to make the SB an airworthiness directive, but it has not yet done so. The manufacturer said: "Aviation Partners and the FAA consider this SB to be a safety-related limitation until a design change to preclude the oscillations is developed and FAA approved." AP's chief operating officer, Hank Thompson, explained that the company believes it has found a solution involving rebalancing the ailerons, where the oscillation tendency had originated.
LinkHawaiian to offer trust certificates for aircraft purchaseHawaiian Airlines plans to issue $444.5 million of Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates on May 29. The trust certificates will be used to finance the purchase of six Airbus A330 aircraft.
LinkTreat employees with love, Southwest CEO saysAccording to Department of Transportation data, Southwest showed the fewest customer complaints in 2012 and hasn't experienced employees layoffs or pay cuts. "People want to come work for Southwest Airlines because they have an awareness of what I'm describing here," Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said as the reason.
LinkJetBlue Airways, Emirates agree to code-shareJetBlue Airways and Emirates plan to extend their partnership to code-sharing on flights. If the agreement receives government approval, JetBlue would place its code on Emirates flights from the U.S. to Dubai, as well as Emirates flights between New York and Milan, Italy.
LinkAirline customer satisfaction improvesAirline passenger satisfaction has increased 14 points from last year's J.D. Power study, reaching 695 on a satisfaction scale of 1,000 points. A reason for the improvement is due to technologies airlines are employing that improve the travel experience such as check-in, in-flight Wi-Fi and seatback entertainment. Experts also credit improved comfort, including legroom, for the uptick in passenger satisfaction.
Link2 unions to represent ground workers at AA-US AirwaysThe Transport Workers Union and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers agreed to share the role of representing ground workers at American Airlines and US Airways after the carriers merge. "This agreement allows us to use our combined strength and resources on behalf of all our members," TWU President James C. Little said in a statement.
LinkBoeing restarts 787 deliveries after 4-month hiatusBoeing announced on Tuesday that it has restarted deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner. The aircraft manufacturer placed deliveries on hold for four months due to a battery issue. United Continental Holdings plans to resume flights with the 787 on May 20.
LinkAirbus keeps the faith in A380 despite few ordersAlthough Airbus only booked four new orders last year for its A380, the manufacturer said it has faith in the future of the double-decker jet. "Our view on the A380 is unchanged. This asset has [its] place," said Harald Wilhelm, the CFO of Airbus and parent company EADS.
LinkAncillary revenue helps airlines reach profitabilityPreliminary data from the Transportation Department's Bureau of Transportation Statistics show airlines collected $3.5 billion in luggage and $2.6 billion in reservation change ancillary services in 2012. The industry has made tough business decisions to improve its finances and overall efficiency, yet an increase in fuel costs over last year continue to negatively impact airlines. To make up for these increased costs, airlines have aggressively managed capacity and sought to increase revenue. Airlines state that a National Airline Policy, which remains a long-held priority, could help the industry get stronger.
LinkPilots can switch on runway lights at Maine airportBangor International Airport in Maine has installed a $20,000 system that allows pilots to control runway lights. The measure will help pilots land if the tower is unmanned. "It won't be known until June whether the FAA's budget cuts will lead to the closure of towers altogether, or to reduced operating hours,” said Tony Caruso, airport director.
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