NewsCivil Aviation
Global Aviation Holdings Files For Chapter 11 Reorganization
Global Aviation Holdings, Inc., the largest commercial provider of charter air services to the US Military and a major provider of worldwide commercial global passenger and cargo air transportation services, today announced that the Company and its subsidiaries, including its two operating airlines World Airways and North American Airlines, have filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The Company has taken this action to strengthen its balance sheet and gain financial flexibility as it continues to realign its operations. The Company intends to continue to operate during the reorganization process. As part of the reorganization, the Company is taking steps to align its cost structure with the realities of market demand. The Company expects to reduce its workforce accordingly by approximately 16% of the employees over the next 90 days.
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Etihad Airways In Talks On Airbus Order
Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways is in talks to buy jets from Airbus even as it puts finishing touches to a reported deal with rival Boeing, people familiar with the matter said. At least one of the deals could be announced at next week's Dubai Airshow, marking the first time the Abu Dhabi carrier has played a significant role at the showcase event hosted by its closest rival, Emirates, the people said.
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British Airways To Face US Frequent Flyer Lawsuit
A US judge has rejected British Airways' bid to dismiss a lawsuit by frequent flyers who accused the carrier of imposing bogus fuel surcharges on rewards flights. The carrier had argued that federal regulations preempted the lawsuit, and that the flyers failed to plausibly allege that the surcharges were not based on fuel costs. In a decision made public on Friday, US District Judge Raymond Dearie in Brooklyn, New York, said the plaintiffs offered sufficient support for their claims that the surcharges were not "reasonably related to or based upon" fuel costs. He did not rule on the merits of the case. The case was brought last November 9 by four members of British Airways' frequent flyer program, Executive Club. Members accumulate points known as Avios that can be redeemed for tickets.
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New Six-Runway Airport Proposed For London
A new six-runway hub airport on the Thames estuary to the east of London could be built within seven years at a cost of GBP£47.3 billion, said a consortium formed by London Mayor Boris Johnson to address the capital's air capacity shortage. The British government and business groups want to expand flights to fast-growing economies to ensure the UK can tap into billions of pounds of trade opportunities. With Heathrow, London's biggest airport, operating at 99 percent capacity, more runways are needed. The proposed new airport would sit on a purpose-built island off the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, some 50 miles east of central London, and would be known as London Britannia Airport, said the Thames Estuary Research and Development (Testrad) consortium formed by Johnson to study options for estuary airports.
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Alitalia Management Reviewing Industrial Plan - Lender
Alitalia management is reviewing the airline's industrial plan, the chief executive of one of its key lenders, UniCredit, said on Monday. UniCredit's Federico Ghizzoni said he had no indication yet of whether biggest shareholder Air France-KLM would participate in a EUR€300 million (USD$402.23 million) capital increase.
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Virgin America To Oppose US Air-American Merger
Virgin America asked for permission on Monday to file a brief with the court hearing the Justice Department's bid to stop the merger of US Airways and American Airlines, arguing for barriers to entry to be lowered in the industry.
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Alaska Air CEO Tilden to succeed Ayer as chairman
Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, has named Brad Tilden as chairman. Tilden serves as president and CEO, and will replace outgoing chairman Bill Ayer, who is retiring at the end of the year. "Under Brad’s leadership, Alaska Air Group has continued to set the bar in safety and operational performance, provide award-winning service, innovate to make flying easier, grow our network, and achieve record financial results. His new role as chairman completes an orderly leadership transition that the board has been planning for years," Ayer said. Tilden has worked for Alaska Air in a variety of roles since 1991.
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Alaska Airlines allows gate-to-gate use of PEDs
Alaska Airlines became the latest carrier to allow gate-to-gate use of personal electronic devices on Saturday. Passengers can use handheld device such as e-readers, tablets, music players and other devices during all phases of flight.
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AMR reports best Oct. on record with $1.9B revenue
AMR Corp., the parent company of American Airlines, reports a 6.6% increase in passenger revenue per available seat mile for October, compared to the same month last year. AMR also reported $1.9 billion in revenue for October, the highest revenue for the month in the company's history.
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Transaero, JetBlue connect fliers with interline agreement
Transaero and JetBlue have signed an interline agreement. This means that JetBlue fliers can connect to Moscow and other cities in Russia via a connecting Transaero flight at New York City. Scott Laurence, JetBlue"s vice president of network planning, said, "We look forward to introducing even more travelers throughout the world to our airline with the many new flight options this interline agreement creates via our hometown of New York City."
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Air Canada looks at expanding in Europe and Asia-Pacific
Air Canada is planning a big expansion in flights to Europe next year, but the Asia-Pacific region holds the brightest long-term promise, chief executive Calin Rovinescu says. “To the extent folks believe that this is the ‘Pacific century’ that is about to be upon us, you can assume there is going to be significant growth in the traffic that occurs in the Pacific,” Mr. Rovinescu told analysts Friday as the airline reported its best quarterly financial results yet.
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Delta receives $5.9M loan to revamp Minn. call center
Delta Air Lines plans to remodel a call center in northern Minnesota with a $5.9 million loan received from the government. Northwest Airlines originally built the call center in 1994, and Delta acquired Northwest in 2008.
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Survey: New PED rule makes it easier to keep children entertained
A survey by Dish Network found that 26% of fliers said the most important benefit of using personal electronic devices on aircraft will be to keep children entertained. Another 24% listed checking email as most beneficial, while 17% said reading books was most important. The Federal Aviation Administration relaxed its rules on PEDs last month.
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Jet fuel prices drop due to softer demand
Jet fuel prices have dropped from an eight-month high due to soft demand, which should boost airline earnings, experts say. "Jet prices are coming off because less travel demand and the return from refinery maintenance is bringing more supply," said energy analyst Harold York. "We're seeing export demand growth, but we're producing much more than we're consuming.” John Heimlich, chief economist for Airlines for America said, "For U.S. carriers, international air transport demand has a stronger growth rate than domestic air transport demand."
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EU to lift liquids ban in January, U.S. keeps ban
The European Union will begin allowing passengers to carry liquids in their carry-on luggage in January. The U.S. is reviewing technologies for liquid screening but has no plans to lift the ban at this time.
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GoGo launches Talk & Text app for airline passengers
GoGo is offering a Text & Talk application for airline travelers. Passengers will be able to send text messages while traveling up to 30,000 feet after downloading the app. GoGo provides wireless inflight networks to several U.S. carriers.
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London Thames Estuary airport plans unveiled
A UK consortium has outlined plans for a new Thames Estuary airport to replace Heathrow as London’s hub. The London Britannia airport would boast six runways with a capacity to handle 172 million passengers per year and would operate 24h a day, the Thames Estuary Research and Development Company (Testrad) consortium states. Built on a “blue brownfield” site to the north of the Isle of Sheppey, the airport would cost £47 billion ($75 billion) and take seven years to construct once local planning approvals had been granted.
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Austrian completes cabin revamp with regional fleet
Austrian Airlines has completed upgrading the cabins of its regional aircraft as the final phase of a fleet-wide interior revamp programme over the past three years. Some 14 Bombardier Q400 turboprops, eight Fokker 70 and 15 Fokker 100 regional jets were refurbished. The use of leather seat covers was a central part of the program aimed at aligning the aircraft’s cabins to the airline’s Airbus A320 fleet, the carrier says. Austrian installed new, extra-slim seats on its A320s in 2011, after parent Lufthansa introduced the same seat type on its A320s and Boeing 737s to create more capacity on the European network. The seat allowed to install an additional seat row on A320s.
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JAL 787 returns to Helsinki after battery fault indication
Japan Airlines had to return one of its Boeing 787-8s to Helsinki after take-off on 8 November when the crew was alerted to a battery problem by the cockpit indicator. A spokesman for the airline confirmed that the aircraft, registration JA830J, was operating flight 414 bound for Tokyo Narita when the incident happened. The aircraft was forced to return to Helsinki after a cockpit indicator showed a problem with the jet’s auxiliary power unit battery. Once the aircraft returned, the batteries were removed, inspected and no faults were found. Inspections were also made of the battery charger, which was subsequently replaced and sent to the manufacturer for further analysis, says the spokesman.
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Airbus backlog reveals conversions to A320neo
Two customers for the baseline Airbus A320 family appear to have converted their orders to the A320neo, despite previous insistence from the airframer that such swaps would not be entertained. The airframer had 2,392 orders for the A320neo at the end of September, and added 60 more from VivaAerobus and JetBlue Airways during October – giving a theoretical total of 2,452. But Airbus confirms that another 35 aircraft have been added to the backlog for the re-engined type, and confirms the total as 2,487. Analysis of backlog data indicates that 30 A320s have been converted to A320neos by IndiGo, which placed a landmark order for 150 A320neo and 30 A320 jets in 2011.
LinkCorporate Aviation
Pilatus builds PC-24 sales and service centre network
In preparation for the service entry of its PC-24 business jet in 2017, Pilatus Aircraft has begun to strengthen and expand its sales and service network for the superlight twin. The network so far includes six established service centres in the USA: Western Aircraft in Boise, Idaho and Epps Air Service, in Atlanta, Georgia and one each in Panama, Australia, Africa and Europe. Negotiations with additional sales and service partners covering other parts of the world are under way, says the Stans, Switzerland-based manufacturer of the PC-12 single-engined turboprop. The PC-24 was launched in May and marked Pilatus’s foray into the business jet market. The first Williams FJ44-4A-powered PC-24 is currently under construction in Stans, and is scheduled to make its first flight in late 2014. Three aircraft will be used in the flight test program. Certification is earmarked for 2017.
LinkRotary Wing
FL Technics parent branches out into helicopter MRO
Lithuania’s Avia Solutions Group is taking over local rotorcraft support specialist Helisota. The parent of Vilnius-based MRO provider FL Technics is acquiring 96.2% of Helisota, partly through the transfer of newly issued Avia group securities. The transaction will be conducted in stages, but is to be complete by year-end. Helisota will continue to trade under its name and retain its management team, Avia says. The Kaunas-based maintenance provider is an approved service facility for Russian Helicopters types and Robinson R44s. It generated a turnover of LTL42 million ($16 million) in 2012. Becoming part of the Avia group will strengthen the helicopter MRO specialist's market standing, says Helisota chief executive Josif Legenzov. “We will not only expand the spectrum of our services, but also extend the scope of our geographical presence,” he says.
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Indian AW101s sold on to avoid potential loss
The already strained relations between India and AgustaWestland on the back of its stalled purchase of 12 VVIP-roled AW101 helicopters look set to worsen after it was revealed that three of the aircraft originally destined for New Delhi have now been sold to "other customers". Speaking to analysts during an 8 November results call, Alessandro Pansa, chief executive of AgustaWestland parent Finmeccanica, said although it is still engaged in arbitration with the Indian government, it has moved to mitigate against any potential financial loss. "If the contract goes ahead we will produce more helicopters," he said. "But the three helicopters which are in our warehouse have recently been sold."
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AgustaWestland closes on Norway SAR deal
AgustaWestland is closing in on an order from Norway for as many as 22 search and rescue-configured AW101s after the nation's Ministry of Justice and Public Security announced it was beginning final negotiations with the manufacturer. To replace the Royal Norwegian Air Force's fleet of aged Westland Sea Kings, which will be phased out by 2020, the new helicopters will arrive from 2017. Olso intends to acquire an initial fleet of 16 AW101s, with a further six aircraft covered by options. AgustaWestland and Eurocopter, which had offered its EC725, were shortlisted for the requirement in July, beating off competition from the Sikorsky S-92 and NH Industries NH90.
LinkUAV News
US FAA report outlines multi-year process for UAS integration
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been vocal about efforts to integrate unmanned air systems (UAS) into US airspace, but details in the agency's new plan reveal the path to full integration will be long and technically challenging. “FAA experience to date with the development of [proposed rules] for small UAS indicates that UAS rulemaking efforts may be more complex, receive greater scrutiny, and require longer development timeframes than the average regulatory effort,” says the FAA’s 7 November report, which was required by the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012.
LinkMilitary
US Air Force issues contract for three more Global Hawks
The US Air Force has moved one step closer to acquiring three more RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 30 unmanned aircraft by awarding a $114 million advanced procurement contract to manufacturer Northrop Grumman. The announcement, made in a Northrop media release, follows efforts by the air force to retire its fleet of Block 30s. The advanced procurement contract calls for procurement of long-lead items, including three enhanced-integrated sensor suites (EISS) made by Raytheon.
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France accepts second A400M Atlas
France has accepted its second A400M Atlas tactical transport from Airbus Military, with the aircraft due to touch down at the French air force’s Orléans base later this week. One of 50 A400Ms on order for France, and first flown on 7 June (above), aircraft MSN8 was formally accepted on 6 November, the nation’s DGA defence procurement agency says. Its arrival with the air force’s 1/61 “Touraine” squadron will follow that of its first example, MSN7, which was handed over in August and formally introduced on 20 September.
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Romanian F-16 acquisition plan detailed
Romania is looking to advance its proposed acquisition of 12 surplus Lockheed Martin F-16s from the Portuguese air force, with permission being sought via the US government. The possible deal for the Block 15 fighters has a total estimated cost of $457 million, with this also including “weapons, equipment and support”, says the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in a notification to Congress. The aircraft would be procured “through a third party transfer from Portugal” via the US government’s Foreign Military Sales framework, it adds.
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Qatar fighter request attracts Typhoon display
Qatar has started the process of seeking a replacement for its small fleet of Dassault Mirage 2000-5 fighters, with the emirate having recently approached potential suppliers for preliminary information about new-generation combat aircraft. Nine EDA-model fighters currently represent the Qatar Emiri air force’s entire fixed-wing combat inventory, with Flightglobal’s MiliCAS database also listing four Mirage 2000-5DDA trainers as being in use. The French-built assets entered service from 1997.
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Aviation Quote
It was my view that no kill was worth the life of a wingman. . . . Pilots in my unit who lost wingmen on this basis were prohibited from leading a [section]. The were made to fly as wingman, instead.
— Colonel Erich 'Bubi' Hartmann, GAF.
On This Date
---In 1903... The 1st fully practical airship, the Lebaudy, makes a successful flight in Paris, France. The 190-foot-long airship flies 38 ½ miles and achieves a speed of 25-mph.
---In 1906... Alberto Santos-Dumont flies some 720 feet and wins the Aéro-Club de France prize for exceeding 100 meters.
---In 1912... The 1st successful catapult launch of a seaplane is made at the Washington, D.C. Navy Yard. Catapulted by a compressed air system from an anchored barge, the floatplane is a Curtiss A-1.
---In 1919…Keith and Ross Smith set out to fly a Vickers Vimy, registered G-EAOU, from England to Australia, the first flight between these two places. They arrive in Darwin on December 18.
--- In 1921... The 1st air-to-air refueling is made when American Wesley May steps from the wing of one aircraft to that of another carrying a five-gallon can of gasoline strapped to his back.
---In 1952…First flight of the Tupolev Tu-95 (NATO:Bear).
---In 1980…Voyager 1 makes its closest approach to Saturn, flying 77,000 miles above its surface and taking photo of its rings.
---In 1980…Delta Air Lines orders 60 Boeing 757-200s, the largest single order at the time for a single airliner type.
---In 1981…Space Shuttle Columbia performs mission STS-2, the first time that a manned, reusable aircraft returned back into space.
---In 1984…Space Shuttle astronauts snare a satellite, the first ever “space salvage.”
---In 1989…California Polytechnic State University flies the first human-powered helicopter.
---In 1996…The Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision, between Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 763 (a 747-100 registered HZ-AIH) and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 (an IL-76 registered UN-76435), kills a total of 349 people, making it the deadliest mid-air collision in aviation history. The Kazakh aircraft was cleared to descend to 15,000ft, but leveled off at 14,500ft instead, into the path of the departing Saudi airliner. The IL-76’s tail sliced off the 747’s wing, making the Boeing spiral towards the ground, reaching 705mph at impact. The IL-76 remained somewhat stable but still crashed in a field, with 4 passengers surviving for a short while before succumbing to their injuries.
---In 2001...American Airlines Flight 587, an Airbus A300 crashed in the Belle Harbor neighborhood of New York City due to separation of the vertical stabilizer. All 260 people aboard the jetliner and 5 people on the ground were killed.
---In 2003… First commercial flight for Etihad Airways.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
A Little Boy, Awe Struck
A little boy was standing in front of a mirror in the rest room at John F. Kennedy Airport, when in walked a Marine staff sergeant, dressed in his dress blues.
The little boy turned to the Marine and said, "Wow! Are you a Marine?"
The Marine replied, "Why, yes I am, young man.
Would you like to wear my hat?"
"Boy, would I!," said the little boy.
He took the hat and placed it on his head and turned to admire himself in the mirror.
As he was looking in the mirror, he heard the door open and through a ray of bright light, a man entered the room.
But, this was not just a man -- he was more than a man.
He was an Airborne Ranger.
The little boy turned and went over to the soldier. As he approached him, he could see the reflection in his boots. His eyes widened as he stared up at the soldier's chest full of medals and combat ribbons.
He tried to speak, but he couldn't.
Finally, he took a deep breath, and managed to say, "Excuse me, Sir. Are you an Airborne Ranger?"
The Ranger replied with a thunderous voice, "Why yes, I am!! Would you like to shine my boots?"
The little boy smiled, and said, "Oh, no sir!! I'm not a Marine. I'm just wearing his hat!"
Trivia
General Trivia
1. What is the most likely cause of an accident resulting from a climbing downwind turn (in a strong, steady-state wind) near the ground and shortly after takeoff?
a. The pilot failed to account for the increased stall speed unique to turning downwind.
b. An airplane tends to overbank more during a downwind turn than an upwind turn.
c. During a downwind turn, the headwind becomes a tailwind that causes a loss of airspeed.
d. The pilot reacts to a sense of increasing groundspeed.
2. With respect to encountering an increasing-tailwind type of wind shear, which of the following do/does not belong?
a. Airplane tends to sink.
b. Groundspeed increases.
c. Indicated airspeed increases.
d. Pitch attitude decreases.
3. True or false; Everything else being equal, a given airliner operated more efficiently when passengers were allowed to smoke en route than after 1988 when the smoking ban took effect.
4. True or false; As its name implies, an aircraft or automotive alternator produces alternating current (AC).
5. True or false; Upward-folding wing tips are an available option for purchasers of the Boeing 777. This enables the aircraft to fit in relatively small parking spaces.
6. True or false; A pilot preflighting an airplane notices that each rivet head has a circular indentation. This is caused by the device that drives the rivet.
---In 2003… First commercial flight for Etihad Airways.
airtrainer wrote:Love today's Editor's choice
miamiair wrote:Thanks for confirming the pick.
Tom in NO wrote:A 75 billion dollar airport to replace Heathrow? Seems quite pricey to me.
