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Three Rescuers Killed In Helo Crash
A police helicopter crashed about 9 a.m. Sunday while trying to rescue an injured climber in the Picos de Europa mountain range in Spain, killing all three crew members on board. A fourth crew member, who had already exited the helicopter to aid the climber, survived and called for help. Read More
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Boeing S. Carolina Site To Be 'Aerospace Campus'
Boeing is expected to receive final approval to build a corporate campus as part of a major expansion of its factory in South Carolina. Boeing has asked officials to rezone 466 acres of newly acquired land for use as an "Aerospace Campus," with dining and other consumer conveniences more familiar to employees of Amazon or Google than aircraft factory workers. Boeing, which tends to be guarded about any future expansion, said there were no immediate plans to start erecting the new services, but it is not ruling them out.
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C919 advances with mid-fuselage completion
The mid fuselage of the first Comac C919 aircraft has rolled off AVIC Xian Aircraft Industry's production line, as the airframer works towards starting final assembly of the narrowbody by end 2014. “The successful roll out of the mid fuselage is an important achievement of the whole fuselage work package, and at this point, the C919 aircraft has taken a solid step towards structure roll off,” says Comac.
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Designers contemplate windowless planes
French design agency Technicon Design has released plans for a windowless aircraft that would feature thin screens that could display video of the surrounding view or be used for films or other presentations.
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IAI pitches converted 767 tanker to Poland
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is offering a converted Boeing 767 aerial refueling tanker fitted with its new fly-by-wire (FBW) boom to fulfill a Polish air force requirement. The Polish air force operates a fleet of 48 Lockheed Martin F-16C/Ds fighters and needs a boom-equipped tanker to fulfill its obligations to NATO. Currently Warsaw relies on Boeing C-17s operated by the NATO Strategic Airlift Capability consortium to meet its aerial refuelling needs.
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More Earthquakes Jolt Icelandic Volcano
Two earthquakes measuring more than magnitude 5 hit Iceland's Bárðarbunga volcano overnight and overall seismic activity remained high, the country's Meteorological Office said on Wednesday. The rumblings at Iceland's largest volcano system have raised worries of an eruption which could spell trouble for air travel. In 2010, an ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano closed much of Europe's airspace for six days. "During the night we have had three larger events, two of them in the Bárðarbunga caldera. Those were 5.2 and 5.3, and very similar to the events that we have seen there before," said Palmi Erlendsson, a geologist at the Met Office.
LinkAirlines
Competition heats up meal service on U.S. airlines
Several U.S. airlines are adjusting their meal service to meet passenger demand for inflight fare, writes blogger the Cranky Flier. "Frankly, what amazes me is the attention to detail when it comes to meals," he writes.
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Airlines adding seats to accommodate demand for air travel
Major airlines are adding seats to the marketplace to meet the high demand for air travel. The carriers have been rewarded with higher passenger traffic and relatively few empty seats.
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Airlines soar by practicing goodwill
Rich Thomaselli, the editor of TravelPulse, said airlines should create goodwill with passengers whenever possible. "Engendering goodwill among your business base is invaluable, to say the least," he writes.
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American Airlines ends Orbitz distribution
American Airlines has stopped offering its flights through travel website Orbitz and will remove US Airways airfares from the site Sept. 1. Fliers who previously purchased tickets through Orbitz can still use them, but may only make changes directly through the airline. Orbitz for Business customers are unaffected.
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JAL orders 15 E-Jets; signs LOI for 32 MRJs
Japan Airlines (JAL) has placed a firm order for 15 Embraer E-Jets, while also inking a letter of intent with Mitsubishi Aircraft for 32 MRJ regional jets. JAL will deploy the MRJs on domestic routes from 2021, to be operated by its wholly-owned regional subsidiary J-AIR. Its Embraer order comprises of both the E170-E1 and E190-E1 variants, with options for an additional 12 of the aircraft. The jets are scheduled to be delivered from 2015.
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JetBlue CEO: Airlines are not a commodity business
Several Wall Street analysts have been agitating for JetBlue Airways (JBLU) to replace Chief Executive Officer David Barger when his contract expires in February. He’s too passenger-friendly, they say, and impedes measures that could increase the airline’s profitability. Whether you agree with this assessment depends in part on whether you’re an investor, a passenger—or David Barger. Neither he nor the company are discussing his plans, but in an interview on Monday he made it clear that the steady drumbeat of implied criticism and share price upgrades based on his anticipated departure are increasingly annoying.
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Malaysian Crew Members 'Afraid To Fly'
Malaysian Airlines has been losing cabin crew at a higher than normal rate recently and the leader of its biggest union says there's no mystery there. Abu Malek Ariff told AFP some employees "are now afraid to fly." Since the missile attack on one of its aircraft in Ukraine, which followed the March disappearance of another Boeing 777 it's believed that family pressure has also convinced some of the flying staff to find other work. Read More
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Bombardier delivers first high density Q400 to Nok
Bombardier has delivered its first 86-seat Dash 8 Q400 aircraft to launch customer Nok Air. This is part of the Thai low-cost carrier’s order in November 2013 for up to eight Q400 turboprops. Nok now has firm orders for six Q400s, with purchase rights for two additional aircraft.
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Qantas ‘looking forward’ to firming 787-9 options
Qantas could soon exercise options for some Boeing 787-9s for delivery from 2017 if its international business rebounds to profitability in the coming years. Qantas first ordered 787s in 2006, but in 2013 it converted most of the order into 50 options that gave it delivery positions from 2016 onwards. The airline still retained orders for 14 787-8s that are bound for budget unit Jetstar. “Those 50 options and purchase rights still exist,” says chief financial officer Gareth Evans. “We’ve pushed back the first couple of those from 2016 into 2017 and we’re very much looking forward to exercising those options and bringing those aircraft into the Qantas fleet.”
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Qantas Posts Record AUD$2.8 Bln Full-Year Loss
Qantas Airways on Thursday reported its biggest financial loss ever after taking a AUD$2.6 billion (USD$2.4 billion) write-down due to a company restructure that includes a re-valuation of its fleet. Australia's flag carrier attempted to reassure investors after a turbulent few years, saying the worst was now behind it and that it expected a return to underlying profit growth in the first half of the current financial year. The 'Flying Kangaroo' has been bruised by high fuel costs, a strong Australian dollar, increasing international competition and a domestic price war with rival Virgin Australia. It also says it is handicapped by government laws restricting its access to foreign funding.
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Qatar shows off first A350 in full livery
Qatar Airways’ first Airbus A350-900 has broken cover with its full livery, although the aircraft has yet to have its powerplants installed. The Doha-based airline will be the initial recipient of the A350 when it takes delivery of the jet by the end of the year.
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Ryanair rolls out new product aimed at business market
Irish budget carrier Ryanair has launched a new "Business Plus" product aimed at corporate travellers. The range of benefits includes flexibility on ticket changes, a 20kg checked-in baggage allowance, fast-track security at certain airports, and priority boarding and allocated seating. Business travel already accounts for more than a quarter of Ryanair's passenger numbers, says the airline, which intends to launch a second GDS partnership shortly, having sealed a deal with Travelport in March.
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Ryanair To Make Non-Binding Offer For Cyprus Air
Ryanair has moved a step closer to making an offer to buy Cyprus Airways and may make a firm offer early next year if this is approved by the Cypriot government. The airline's decision follows a meeting between Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary last Friday with the Cypriot government, which owns more than 90 percent of Cyprus Airways. "Ryanair is planning to make a non-binding offer on Friday as a result of a positive meeting last week," Chief Marketing Officer Kenny Jacobs said. He said a couple of months of due diligence would be required before a binding offer was possible.
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Southwest sees opportunity in international markets
Southwest Airlines sees “plenty” of opportunity for expansion in the north of South America with its existing fleet of Boeing 737s and will begin increasing its international service from Fort Lauderdale, Florida by 2017 or 2018, an executive at the Dallas-based carrier said.
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Southwest disappointed by machinists union request for mediation
On Monday, the International Associaiton of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents customer service agents and representations at Southwest Airlines, announced it had filed for mediation in its contract talks. On Tuesday, Southwest issued a lengthy statement in response to the IAM’s request to the National Mediation Board: “While we will certainly honor the IAM’s desire to request national mediation assistance, we are shocked and disappointed by their sudden request. The Company has only presented an initial proposal on economics to IAM, to which the Union never formally responded. That economic proposal included performance bonuses, potential incentives to boost Employee earning power, and an increase in fixed wage rates.
LinkAirports
Denver airport lost and found goes digital
Travelers who leave possessions behind at Denver International Airport can now go online to file claims and hopefully find their lost items. Airport officials say items left at the airport in the last 30 days include 260 cellphones, 72 wallets, 307 IDs and passports and 107 laptops.
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Why the Indianapolis Airport works so well
The $1.1 billion Indianapolis airport is celebrated for having a sense of place, and for the lack of long lines at security checkpoints. Experts say the key to the airport's success is its design, which gives travelers a sense of what the city is all about, allows them to see planes arriving and departing, and is pervaded by an atmosphere of modernity and calm.
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Analyst predicts steep growth for Las Vegas airport
Michael Boyd, president and CEO of Boyd Group International, says passenger traffic at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas could increase 16.8% through 2023.
LinkMilitary
Air Force: Pegasus tanker is moving forward
Wiring problems and other issues have delayed the production of Boeing's KC-46A Pegasus tanker, but the Air Force says it's committed to the program and the problems are not a concern. "I don't see anything of great concern [about the Pegasus program]," said Gen. Darren McDew, commander of Air Mobility Command. McDew said the Air Force also may consider unmanned versions of the aerial tanker in the future
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KC-390 engine wins FAA certification
The International Aero Engines V2500-E5 power plant for the Embraer KC-390 tactical transport has achieved FAA certification. “Achieving engine certification on schedule is a big win for the program,” says Jackson Schneider, president and chief executive, Embraer Defense & Security. “We have a high level of confidence that the engine will perform as reliably as its in-service counterpart has done, and we look forward to a successful first flight.”
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Textron competes for Air Force T-X contest with Scorpion
Textron AirLand is vying for a contract for the Air Force T-X trainer replacement and will offer a variant of its Scorpion intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance plane. "We will compete for T-X," Stephen Burke, Textron AirLand's regional vice president for military business development, said late last week. A modified Scorpion would have an engine with more thrust and shorter wings.
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US Air Force nears final test of target drone F-16s
The US Air Force next week will finalize the conversion of a fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16s into expendable unmanned aircraft by shooting one with an air-to-air missile fired from an operational jet fighter. A Boeing F-15 will fire the missile – which will not be equipped with a warhead – at the modified drone aircraft in the final test of the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the QF-16 air superiority target program. The test initially was scheduled for 27 August, but was postponed for an unspecified reason, a Boeing spokesman says.
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USN contracts for first four Australian P-8As
The US Navy has agreed an advanced acquisition contract for the first four of up to 12 Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft being bought by Australia, with delivery expected from 2017. The Australian government approved the Aus$4 billion ($3.7 billion) acquisition of eight of the 737-derived aircraft – plus options for four more – in February, allowing Boeing to place lead time orders for the first four aircraft. They are being purchased from the US government under the Foreign Military Sales program.
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Massachusetts-based F-15 crashes in Virginia
A Boeing F-15C assigned to the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard crashed in the Virginia mountains around 09:00 Eastern Time on 27 August. The pilot, who officials described as very experienced, reported an inflight emergency before radio contact was lost, according to Col. James Keefe, commander of the 104th Fighter Wing. The status of the pilot was still unknown as of 16:00 Eastern Time. The F-15 is equipped with an ejector seat, though no one has confirmed if the pilot had the opportunity to eject prior to the crash. Unconfirmed reports said witnesses saw a parachute in the area.
LinkSpace
Understanding NASA's asteroid-grab plan
NASA's asteroid redirect mission is meant to be a cheaper steppingstone to Mars than landing on the moon, and already scientists have identified three possible asteroids on which astronauts could land. The asteroid plan, would cost between $1.25 billion and $2.6 billion, not including the price of the rocket. Congress is split on support of the mission, which NASA estimates is needed in order to get humans on Mars by the 2030s.
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Commercial crew contest is nearing finish line
By early September, NASA is expected to announce which company or companies will create the spacecraft used to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station. The Commercial Crew competition -- whose contenders are Boeing, Sierra Nevada and SpaceX -- is aimed at ending U.S. reliance on Russian transport and will begin a new chapter of public-private partnership in the U.S. space program.
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Aviation Quote
Once you get hooked on the airline business, it's worse than dope.
— Ed Acker, while Chairman of Air Florida
On This Date
--- In 1908... The US Army accepts its first dirigible. It is 96 feet long, with a 20-hp Curtiss engine.
---In 1919... The International Air Traffic Association (IATA) is formed at The Hague, Holland.
--- In 1957... A record altitude for manned aircraft is achieved by the RAF Canberra serial no. WK 163 piloted by chief test pilot M. Randrup. He flies the aircraft to 70,310 ft. with the aid of a Double Scorpion rocket motor.
---In 1972…Captain Richard Richie becomes the first U.S. Air Force ace of the Vietnam War.
---In 1972…Prince William of Gloucester is killed in the crash of a Piper Cherokee Arrow during the Gordonwood Trophy race.
---In 1988… The Ramstein airshow disaster takes place during a performance by the Italian Air Force Frecce Tricolori aerobatic demonstration team at Ramstein Air Base in West Germany when three Aermacchi MB-339 PAN aircraft collide, killing all three pilots and 67 spectators on the groundand injuring 346 people. It is the worst air show accident in history.
---In 2008…Zoom Airlines ceases operations due to financial struggles.
---In 2010…Mexicana ceases operations.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
• It was mealtime during our trip on a small airline in the Northeast.
"Would you like dinner?" the flight attendant asked the man seated in front of me.
"What are my choices?" he asked.
"Yes or no," she replied.
• On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."
• On landing the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have."
• "There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out off this airplane."
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