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First A350-1000 structures emerge
Initial carbonfibre wing covers for the first Airbus A350-1000 have been completed, as structural work on the largest member of the family progresses. Upper and lower wing covers have respectively been readied at the plants in Stade and Illescas. Airbus says the Nordenham facility of Premium Aerotec has started producing carbonfibre layers for the -1000’s fuselage. Production of the first rear fuselage section is also under way, says the airframer.
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Boeing breaks ground on 777X wing facility in Wash.
Boeing started construction this week on a 777X wing facility in Everett, Wash., with a groundbreaking ceremony. Boeing said the facility, which will build composite wings, will employ 10% more people than a similar 777 facility.
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Boeing tests flax for airplane interiors
Researchers at Boeing Co. are testing ways to use flax in airplane interiors. If the natural fiber stands up to the manufacturer's rigorous requirements it could lessen the environmental impact of the production and disposal of aircraft interiors.
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Boeing's Q3 Profit Jumps 18 Percent
Boeing reported an 18 percent increase in quarterly profit and raised its full-year core earnings forecast for the third time, reflecting strong commercial aircraft demand. In the quarter ended September 30, Boeing earned USD$1.36 billion, up from USD$1.16 billion a year earlier. Commercial aircraft operating margins narrowed to 11.2 percent from 11.6 percent, reflecting the effect of deliveries of lower-margin 787 and 747 aircraft, Boeing said. But Boeing shares slipped 4.3 percent as analysts viewed the profit gain as a given and were more concerned that costs of the 787 Dreamliner are creeping higher, while the company's cash generation was low.
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Boeing Books First Sales To Iran Since 1979
Boeing sold aircraft-related goods to Iran Air in the third quarter, marking the first acknowledged dealings between US aerospace companies and Iran since the 1979 US hostage crisis. Boeing said it sold aircraft manuals, drawings, navigation charts and data to Iran Air to help improve the safety of Iran's civil aviation industry. The sales did not include spare parts for aircraft, which were thought to be likely since Iran Air's fleet of planes includes vintage Boeing and Airbus airliners delivered as long ago as 1978.
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Introducing a "smart" suitcase
Bluesmart is a new suitcase that can be controlled with a smartphone, will lock itself automatically when it's away from its owner, and can be tracked if it goes astray. Created by New York industrial designers, the "smart" suitcase also weighs itself and sends an alert if someone else tries to unlock it.
LinkAirlines
American inks codeshare agreement with Jetstar Japan
American Airlines customers will have greater access to domestic Japanese destinations starting on October 22, 2014, thanks to a new codeshare agreement between American and Jetstar Japan. Under the new arrangement, American Airlines will place its 'AA' code on services operated by Jetstar Japan between Tokyo Narita International Airport and Fukuoka, Matsuyama, Okinawa (Naha), Osaka (Kansai) and Sapporo (Shin Chitose), with first flights under the codeshare starting October 26, 2014. "Jetstar Japan's network provides our customers with access to more destinations in Japan," said Andrew Nocella, American's chief marketing officer. "We also look forward to welcoming Jetstar Japan's customers on our direct flights from Tokyo Narita International Airport to our hubs in Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles. We are delighted to work with Jetstar Japan, which is partly owned by two of our Joint Business Partners in Asia, Qantas Airways and Japan Airlines."
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FedEx forecasts busier holiday shipping season
FedEx expects another record for holiday-season deliveries. The company forecast Wednesday that deliveries between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve will rise 8.8 percent over last year, to 290 million shipments. That's a more subdued forecast than a year ago, when FedEx predicted 13 percent growth for the season. Volume is expected to surge on each of the first three Mondays in December. FedEx Corp. said the peak day is likely to be Dec. 15, when it expects to handle 22.6 million shipments around the world.
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Hawaiian reports net income for Q3
Hawaiian Holdings Inc., the parent company of Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air, reported net income of $35.6 million for the third quarter. "We are pleased with our 35% improvement in adjusted net income for the third quarter versus last year," said Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO of Hawaiian.
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Seat-back solution could let airlines update tech more often
Lufthansa Systems is developing a seat back window that will allow airlines to update entertainment technology without needing to test the new equipment for Federal Aviation Administration safety compliance. The new equipment would slide behind the FAA-approved window, eliminating the need for new testing.
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Turkish Airlines To Restart Libya Flights Next Week
Turkey's special envoy to Libya said that THY Turkish Airlines would resume flights to the eastern Libyan city of Misrata next week, the first foreign carrier to fly to the country since fighting there worsened in July. Three years after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya is in chaos, with Islamists and other armed groups feuding for territory and power and the government unable to impose control. Turkey's national carrier will initially operate a daily flight to Misrata, 200km to the east of Tripoli from Istanbul, starting on October 27, the envoy Emrullah Isler said. The airline is also considering the security and logistical possibilities for routes to the eastern cities Tobruk and Bayda, Isler said on his return from Libya on Tuesday night.
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Earnings preview: United on track for revenue growth in Q3
Analysts predict United Continental Holdings will report net income of $2.59 per share on Thursday, when the carrier posts its quarterly results. Revenue is expected to rise to $10.6 billion for the quarter, compared to $10.2 billion in the same quarter last year.
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Volaris Reports Third Quarter 2014 Net Profits and Net Margin Expansion on Improving Non-Ticket Revenues per Passenger
Volaris the ultra-low-cost airline serving Mexico and the United States, today announced its financial results for the third quarter 2014. Volaris CEO Enrique Beltranena commented: "After navigating difficult challenges in the last twelve months, we are reporting net profits and net margin expansion, along with improved financial and operating results. We continued managing capacity for profitability in a disciplined way. While the Mexican economy has been gradually regaining growth, and the Mexican air travel market has seen slight improvements in the peak travel season, our financial and operating results begin to demonstrate recovered performance and the long term value creation potential of our business model. Third quarter highlights include expanding net margins, on the back of record non-ticket revenue per passenger, and continued cost control discipline. We have experienced tailwinds in fuel costs with the recent drop in oil prices and we would expect this benefit for our ULCC model to continue in the short term."
LinkAirports
Asur Reports Higher Q3 Profit
Mexican airport operator Asur, which operates Cancun and eight other airports in southern Mexico, said its third-quarter profit rose 14 percent, as passenger traffic increased. Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, earned MXP581 million pesos (USD$43.28 million), compared to a profit of MXP511 million pesos in the year-earlier period.
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Palm Beach, Fla., airport looks to update baggage handling system
Palm Beach International Airport officials on Tuesday will ask the county for permission to spend $42 million to replace the airport's outdated baggage handling and explosive detection systems to make them safer and more efficient. Palm Beach County's Department of Airports plans to use $32.4 million in federal and state grants to pay for the new systems, which would replace Palm Beach International's manual baggage screening process with automated inspection equipment. The remaining $9.6 million would come from passenger facility charges, a $4.50 fee the airport adds to the cost of every ticket to help pay for improvements.
LinkMilitary
Elbit lands Asian F-5 upgrade deal
An unnamed Asian country has awarded Elbit Systems contracts worth approximately $85 million to perform an avionics upgrade on its air force fleet of Northrop F-5 fighters. The work also includes installation of new communications equipment andelectro-optical sensors and will be conducted over a three-year period, the Israeli company adds. "We are proud to have been selected to perform this aircraft upgrade program, building on our vast know-how and experience in F-5 avionics modernization projects," Elbit chief executive Bezhalel Machlis says.
LinkUAV
Flyox multipurpose UAV heads for the Arctic
Singular Aircraft is to begin the flight test certification campaign for its new Flyox I unmanned air vehicle (UAV) in the next two weeks, starting in the Arctic. The multipurpose UAV has been in development at the Spanish company for two years, and the airframer has now brought the type to market ahead of the final certification process. Singular is marketing the Flyox as a low-cost platform with an endurance of up to 63h. The type features an interchangeable, 2,000kg (4,400lb)-capacity payload bay that can be swapped out, depending on the application. Possible applications include agriculture, firefighting, cargo transport and surveillance.
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UK to acquire UAVs for Antarctic research
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is to acquire a fixed-wing unmanned air vehicle to complement its fleet of manned aircraft in carrying out scientific research. Requirements are being formally defined, but the BAS says it needs an off-the-shelf vehicle with a range of some 540nm (1,000km) and a payload capacity of about 8kg (17.6lb). Once the requirements are established, they will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union in accordance with laws surrounding public-sector organizations. A tender is expected early in 2015.
LinkCorporate
Dassault's Trappier pokes fun at rival Gulfstream
Dassault Aviation boss Éric Trappier has congratulated rival Gulfstream on the unveiling of two new models, while also cheekily suggesting that the Savannah firm is merely following in its footsteps. Speaking at the French airframer’s annual NBAA breakfast this morning, Trappier noted that its in-development “ultra-wide body” 5X was “not the only new model in the 5000nm [range] segment” following last week’s launch of the G500 and G600 jets. “We congratulate Gulfstream on its recent announcement but the 5X will unquestionably be the new benchmark,” he says.
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Aviation Quote
I can't imagine a set of circumstances that would produce Chapter 11 for Eastern.
— Frank Lorenzo
On This Date
---In 1906... Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos Dumont makes the 1st sustained airplane flight in Europe in his own airplane, the N° 14 bis.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Humor
Area 51
You've heard of the Air Force's ultra-high-security, super-secret base in Nevada, known simply as "Area 51?"
Well, late one afternoon, the Air Force folks out at Area 51 were surprised to see a Cessna landing at their "secret" base. They immediately impounded the aircraft and hauled the pilot into an interrogation room.
The pilot's story was that he took off from Vegas, got lost, and spotted the Base just as he was about to run out of fuel. The Air Force started a full FBI background check on the pilot and held him overnight during the investigation.
By the next day, they were finally convinced that the pilot really was lost and wasn't a spy. They gassed up his airplane, gave him a terrifying "you-did-not-see-a-base" briefing, complete with threats of spending the rest of his life in prison, told him Vegas was that-a-way on such-and-such a heading, and sent him on his way.
The next day, to the total disbelief of the Air Force, the same Cessna showed up again. Once again, the MP's surrounded the plane... only this time there were two people in the plane.
The same pilot jumped out and said, "Do anything you want to me, but my wife is in the plane and you have to tell her where I was last night!"
Trivia
General Knowledge
1. When a US Army Air Corps pilot earned their wings in WW2, the center of the wings contained a shield. Some wings contained a star(Command or Senior pilot), a "G"(a Glider pilot), or an "L"(a Liaison pilot). What pilot wings contained a diamond?
2. True or False, a tandem airplane has two seats, one behind the other.
3. In 1943, the RAF's 617 Squadron flew Avro Lancaster bombers exactly 60 feet over three reservoirs at night before dropping "bouncing bombs" to destroy three German dams that were protected by torpedo nets. Altimeters were not sufficiently accurate, and there were no radio altimeters at that time. How did these pilots, "The Dam Busters" level off and maintain the required sixty foot height?
4. Estimate within ten knots the highest surface winds ever recorded anywhere (and not associated with a hurricane or tornado).
5. What biplane was produced in the greatest numbers?
6. Class A airspace begins at Flight Level 180. Flight into that airspace requires that a pilot have an instrument rating, that the airplane be IFR equipped and first receive an appropriate ATC clearance. How may a VFR-only pilot fly at FL240 without meeting any of these requirements and without special permission?
miamiair wrote:An unnamed Asian country has awarded Elbit Systems contracts worth approximately $85 million to perform an avionics upgrade on its air force fleet of Northrop F-5 fighters.
miamiair wrote: The work also includes installation of new communications equipment andelectro-optical sensors and will be conducted over a three-year period, the Israeli company adds.
Queso wrote:So in Asia, still operating the F-5, that leaves Greece (not likely, they don't have the money)
miamiair wrote: Dassault's Trappier pokes fun at rival Gulfstream
Dassault Aviation boss Éric Trappier has congratulated rival Gulfstream on the unveiling of two new models, while also cheekily suggesting that the Savannah firm is merely following in its footsteps. Speaking at the French airframer’s annual NBAA breakfast this morning, Trappier noted that its in-development “ultra-wide body” 5X was “not the only new model in the 5000nm [range] segment” following last week’s launch of the G500 and G600 jets. “We congratulate Gulfstream on its recent announcement but the 5X will unquestionably be the new benchmark,” he says.
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miamiair wrote:4. Estimate within ten knots the highest surface winds ever recorded anywhere (and not associated with a hurricane or tornado).
