NewsCommercial
Thousands Of Flights Cancelled As Snow Grips US South
Thousands of flights were cancelled as icy chaos gripped the US South on Wednesday in a storm that has killed at least seven people. The storm slammed a region largely unaccustomed to ice and snow - stretching from Texas through Georgia and into the Carolinas on Tuesday and early Wednesday. Airlines cancelled thousands of flights at airports from Houston to Atlanta, with about 500 halted early on Wednesday alone at Atlanta Airport.
Link
JetBlue Profit Up On Higher Ticket Prices
JetBlue Airways on Wednesday reported a higher fourth quarter profit as rising ticket prices bolstered revenue. The New York-based carrier cited "strong" revenue trends for the current period but added flight cancellations this month in wake of poor weather in the US Northeast would hurt first quarter results. Net income was USD$47 million for the fourth quarter, compared with USD$1 million a year earlier. Quarterly revenue rose 14 percent to USD$1.37 billion. The average airfare increased 8.9 percent to USD$168.94.
Link
Boeing Shares Dip On Cautious Outlook
Conservative profit and cash-flow forecasts spooked Boeing investors on Wednesday, sending the stock down 5 percent and overshadowing the company's strong fourth-quarter profit. Boeing said core earnings, which exclude some pension expenses, rose 29 percent to USD$1.84 billion, as it delivered record numbers of 737, 777 and 787 aircraft and upped production rates. But the company was much more cautious about the current year. It said core earnings would rise only about 2 percent and operating cash flow would fall more than 20 percent.
Link
Japan 787 Battery Investigators Look At Latest Incident
Japanese investigators probing a lithium-ion battery meltdown on a Boeing 787 a year ago are looking at a battery that overheated on a Dreamliner in Tokyo this month to help unlock the cause of the earlier fire, an official from the Japan Transport Safety Board said. The incident on board an ANA 787 a year ago left the battery charred and deformed, destroying evidence that could have pointed to a cause. The latest event on a parked Japan Airlines in a redesigned battery packed with insulation destroyed only one of eight cells. "The remaining seven cells are untouched, and I think that is where the investigation will focus," Masahiro Kudo, the lead investigator on the ANA battery said during a press briefing.
Link
Firefighter Says Not To Blame For Asiana Passenger Death
A San Francisco firefighter who responded to the crash of an Asiana Airlines plane last year has accused her department of falsely blaming her for the accidental death of a teenage girl who was lying on the runway near the aircraft. Chinese teenager Ye Mengyuan, 16, an Asiana passenger, was covered in fire-fighting foam when she was run over by emergency vehicles at the scene of the crash in July at San Francisco airport. State prosecutors did not file criminal charges in connection with her death, but Ye's family has filed a civil claim against the city. The firefighter, Elyse Duckett, says in a legal claim filed with the city last week that members of the San Francisco Fire Department defamed her by leaking her name to a local television news reporter as being the individual responsible for the girl's death.
Link
Boeing Q4 earnings soar beyond expectations
Boeing reported earnings per share of $1.88 for the fourth quarter, higher than analyst expectations of $1.55 for the quarter. "Strong fourth-quarter results underscored an outstanding full year of core operating performance that drove record revenue and earnings and increased returns to shareholders," said Jim McNerney, Boeing chairman and CEO.
Link
JetBlue glides to profit in Q4
JetBlue Airways posted a profit of $47 million, or 14 cents per share, for the fourth quarter. Passenger revenue per available seat mile rose by 5.3% for the quarter, while passenger traffic increased by 7.1%. Last year, JetBlue reported a $1 million profit for the same quarter.
Link
American sees $400M revenue opportunity from schedule changes
American Airlines Groups plans to reorganize flight schedules at its hubs in Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth and Miami. American President Scott Kirby said that adjusting flights from those three airports would bring in additional revenue of $400 million, and "there is a list of probably 100 items" from the merged company that could yield added revenue. Kirby also said he was confident the carrier will beat this year’s financial targets.
Link
Parent company of Hawaiian Airlines reports profit for Q4
Hawaiian Holdings, the parent company of Hawaiian Airlines, reported a $17.1 million profit for the fourth quarter. "The fourth quarter's results continued the trend in improving financial performance after a difficult start to the year," said Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO. "Demand remains strong in our markets and we have strategies to mitigate cost pressures."
Link
Hawaiian's Ohana could take off in a few weeks, CEO says
Ohana, the subsidiary for inter-island flights from Hawaiian Airlines, could be offering service in a few weeks. "We are cautiously optimistic that we're talking in numbers of weeks until we can start service, as opposed to numbers of months," said Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO of Hawaiian. Ohana is awaiting certification from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Link
Midway set new record for passenger traffic in 2013
Midway International Airport in Chicago set a new record for passenger traffic in 2013. The airport served more than 20 million passengers last year. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the airport is "a vital part of our city's strong transportation network."
Link
JetBlue, Southwest to show Super Bowl on flights
JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines plan to show the Super Bowl game live on flights in the air on Sunday evening. "Fans traveling on the day of the game will still get a chance to partake in the fun comfortably seated at 30,000 feet, while enjoying complimentary snacks and drink specials," said Roger Johnson, director of marketing for JetBlue.
LinkGeneral Aviation
Cirrus poised to fly first Vision SF50
Cirrus Aircraft’s ambition to be the first to market with a single-engined personal jet looks set to become a reality, as it prepares its Vision SF50 prototype for first flight next month. The certification aircraft, C-Zero, will be used for flight performance verification. The two remaining test aircraft – C-One and C-Two – are scheduled to enter service in the second and fourth quarter, and will be used for systems verification and parachute testing, respectively. An earlier configuration "technology demonstrator" – dubbed V1 – has accumulated around 800 flying hours and 1,000 engine runs since it was built in 2008. However, the new prototypes are more reflective of the production jet, says Cirrus executive vice-president of sales marketing Todd Simmons.
LinkMilitary
Report: U.S. missile interceptors need overhaul
U.S. missile defense "kill vehicles" which are meant to hit enemy missiles are so plagued with flaws that a complete redesign is needed, according to a report by Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon's director of operational test and evaluation. "The flight test failures that have occurred during the past three years raise questions regarding the robustness of the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV)," said the report.
Link
Date set for Swiss Gripen referendum
Switzerland’s planned purchase of 22 Saab Gripen E fighters will be put to the public vote on 18 May, the nation’s Federal Council has confirmed. Although the Gripen deal was approved by politicians late last year, the Swiss parliamentary system allows for a public referendum to be called if at least 50,000 signatures are secured opposing an action. Almost 65,400 people signed a petition against the Gripen Fund Law, the Swiss government says.
Link
UK launches commando role transition for AW101
Seven of the UK’s AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin rotorcraft will receive an initial set of modifications to ensure a continuation of support for the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force once the service’s last Westland Sea King HC4/4+ transports are retired in 2016. To be delivered to the RN from 2015, the “Phase 1” aircraft will be among 25 Merlin HC3/3As eventually transferred from the Royal Air Force’s support helicopter inventory as replacements for the aged Sea Kings.
LinkRotary Wing
IAI advances unmanned helicopter plans
Israel Aerospace Industries is continuing its efforts to offer an unmanned version of a manned helicopter. Two years after a joint venture between IAI and India's Hindustan Aeronautics aimed at developing an unmanned version of the latter's Dhruv advanced light helicopter was abandoned, the Israeli company is now moving ahead alone. According to one source, the firm's plan is to use a more advanced helicopter of the Airbus Helicopters EC145 class that has a fly-by-wire flight control system. Any such adaptation will be designed to meet the international Missile Technology Control Regime regulations that are aimed at limiting the range and payload carrying capacity of unmanned systems sold to international customers. Israel is not a signatory to the treaty, but follows its limitations.
Link
Aviation Quote
War is a nasty, dirty, rotten business. It's all right for the Navy to blockade a city, to starve the inhabitants to death. But there is something wrong, not nice, about bombing that city.
— Marshal of the Royal Air Force Arthur 'Bomber' Harris.
On This Date
---In 1889... John Herschel uses camera obscura to photograph 48" (120cm) telescope.
---In 1942...Arrow Airways and Canadian Airways merged to form Canadian Pacific Airlines. This airline would later be sold to Pacific Western Airlines in 1987, renaming the paired company Canadian Airlines International. This operation would later be absorbed by Air Canada in 2000.
---In 1943…The Royal Air Force de Havilland Mosquito made its first flight.
---In 1948…Orville Wright, one of the two Wright Brothers that were the first in powered flight, dies at the age of 76.
---In 1948…A British South American Airways Avro Tudor IV, Star Tiger, disappears without a trace en route from the Azores to Bermuda with 31 on board. The loss of the aircraft along with that of BSAA Avro Tudor Star Ariel in 1949 remain unsolved to this day, with the resulting speculation helping to develop the Bermuda Triangle legend.
---In 1957... Sikorsky’s HSS-1 S-58 piston-engined helicopter, developed for anti-submarine operations, makes its first flight.
---In 1964…Ranger 6 - USA Lunar Hard Lander launched. Cameras failed; lunar probe impacted the surface of the Moon.
---In 1974…Pan Am Flight 806, a Boeing 707-321B (N454PA) crashes on approach to Pago Pago International Airport in American Samoa. The crash was attributed to the flight crew not realizing their excessive descent rate in time to correct for it, ultimately killing 97 of the 101 aboard.
---In 1979…A Varig Boeing 707 Freighter (PP-VLU) carrying valuable paintings mysteriously disappears over the Pacific Ocean. No wreckage or bodies were ever found. The flight was flown by the same Captain who crashed Varig Flight 820 in July of 1973.
---In 1983…Sun Country Airlines begins operations.
---In 1986…First flight of the Boeing 767-300.
---In 1988... Boeing’s long–range 747 SP Friendship One returns to Seattle to set a round-the-world record of 36 hours 54 minutes 15 seconds.
---In 1989…Phobos 2 - USSR Phobos Flyby/Lander (July 12, 1988) arrived at Mars and was inserted into orbit. The orbiter moved within 800 kilometers of Phobos and then failed. The lander never made it to Phobos.
---In 1992…Space Shuttle STS-42 (Discovery 15) lands.
---In 2000…Kenya Airways Flight 431, an Airbus A310 (5Y-BEN) departing Abidjan, Ivory Coast, crashes just after takeoff following the flight crew’s failure to properly respond to a false stall warning. The aircraft crashed into the water, where 10 of the 179 aboard were pulled from the ocean alive.
---In 2009…United States Air Force C-17A Globemaster III 06-0002 makes a belly landing at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
Robinson Caruso
An Air Force fighter pilot ejected from his jet and wound up on a deserted island. There he stayed, unfound for 11 years.
One day, there appeared a beautiful woman, who simply walked out of the surf.
"How long have you been here?" She asked.
"11 Years," the fighter pilot replied.
"When is the last time you had a cigar?"
"11 Years"
She opened a pocket and gave him a cigar. The fighter pilot took it, and puffed in delight.
"When was the last time you had a drink?," the maiden asked.
"11 Years."
She opens another pocket and pulled out a beer. The pilot drank the whole bottle in one gulp.
"When was the last time you played around?," the lady asked with a gleam in her eye.
"11 years," the deprived pilot replied.
The women started to unzip the front of her wetsuit.
"YOUR'E KIDDING ME?????," said the pilot. "YOU GOT GOLF CLUBS IN THERE!!!???"
Trivia
Aircraft Names
Provided is the name, you provide the designation
1. HAVOC
2. BALTIMORE
3. BOLO
4. DRAGON
5. JETMASTER
6. DESTROYER
7. VENTURA
8. TORNADO
9. CANBERRA
10. HUSTLER
HT-ETNW wrote:TRIVIA:
#10 HUSTLER Convair B-58
-HT
