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Airbus slated to deliver first A350 this week
Qatar Airways will receive Airbus' newest plane, the A350 jetliner, on Dec. 13, the Gulf carrier said in a statement on Thursday. The aircraft is the first of the 80 jets ordered by Qatar Airways, making it the first airline to receive Airbus' new wide-body long-haul jet. The A350 is made with carbon composite fuselage and is a direct competitor to Boeing's composite 787 Dreamliner.
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Airbus net orders pass 1,000 as first A330neos firmed
Airbus recorded three orders covering 120 Airbus A320-family jets during November, when it also booked its first firm agreements for the re-engined A330neo. The single-aisle orders comprise a total of 45 A320neo jets, plus 57 regular A320s as well as 10 A321s and eight A319s. While the agreements are attributed to undisclosed customers, China’s state aviation supply firm recently agreed to take 70 A320-family aircraft, while Chinese lessor CALC signed a preliminary deal for 100 including 74 A320neos. US carrier JetBlue Airways has increased its orders for the A321neo by 15, to a total of 45, through a series of conversions and cancellations of previous orders – although its overall net orders remain unchanged.
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Airbus November Order Total 248, Lags Boeing
Airbus sold 248 aircraft in November, with total orders between January and November sitting at 1,328, or 1,031 net orders. Airbus has delivered delivered 554 so far in 2014. November's Airbus sales included a total of 120 A320-family aircraft to three unidentified customers. However CIT Leasing cancelled an order for one of 15 new-generation A350-900s as it finalized an order for 15 upgraded A330neos. Airbus remains behind Boeing in what could be a tight finish to their annual order race. On Thursday, Boeing reported 1,380 orders between January 1 and December 2, including 100 737 MAX confirmed by Ryanair. Net orders stood at 1,274 aircraft.
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Air cargo profitability remains weak despite growth in traffic
According to the International Air Transport Association (or IATA), global air freight volume has increased by 5.2%. Plus, capacity measured by available freight tonne kilometers (or AFTK) increased by 3.8% year-over-year in September 2014. The Asia-Pacific region had the highest market share of cargo traffic accounting for ~40%. This is followed by Europe with ~26%, North America with ~15%, the Middle East with 14%, Latin America with 3%, and Africa with ~2%.
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Families Of MH17 Crash Victims Seek UN Investigation
Relatives of MH17 crash victims, angered by what they see as Dutch mishandling of inquiries into the disaster, want a special UN envoy to launch an international investigation. A letter sent to Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Friday said Dutch officials had failed to build a case. They asked that inquiries by the Safety Board and prosecution service be handed over to the United Nations. Rutte should "request the UN to appoint a special envoy to take over," said the letter written by Van der Goen Attorneys. Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was downed on July 17 over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 passengers and crew, two-thirds of them Dutch.
LinkAirlines
Air Canada spreads holiday spirit with free tickets
Air Canada recently surprised a group of Canadian expats based in London with free round-trip tickets back to Canada for the holidays. Airline representatives visited London’s Maple Leaf pub and offered the tickets to expats as part of an effort to embrace the spirit of the holidays.
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Etihad's Heathrow 787 models back on display
If you like your runways to feature models of an aviation sort, take a trip to the “Etihad roundabout” at the entrance to London Heathrow’s Terminal 4. The three Boeing 787 models on display there – not full-sized but big enough – are back on their stands after having been taken away for a respray in the airline’s new livery. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier will take delivery of its first example of the real thing later this month.
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FedEx rated a "buy" by majority of analysts amid record holiday shipping
FedEx expects to handle 290 million shipments during the holiday season this year, a 9% increase from the prior year. Analysts say FedEx will receive a boost from higher rates of online shopping and lower rates for fuel costs. According to FactSet, more than 50% of analysts rate FedEx shares as a "buy."
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Lufthansa Board Blocks Financing Plan - Report
Lufthansa's supervisory board has blocked management plans to issue a convertible bond to fund the purchase of more aircraft, Der Spiegel reported. The plans would have seen Germany's biggest airline issue a convertible bond of about half a billion euros, the magazine said, adding subscribers could have chosen after three years whether to get back their investment in cash plus interest or in Lufthansa stock.
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Aer Lingus CEO Mueller To Head New Malaysia Airlines
The man credited with turning round Irish carrier Aer Lingus has been picked to head the successor company to Malaysia Airlines, which is being taken private. Khazanah Nasional, Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund and MAS's parent company, said on Friday it had appointed Christoph Mueller as chief executive-designate and made other leadership appointments for the new company. "The appointments announced today are part of efforts by the Government and Khazanah to lay strong foundations for the future success of our national carrier," Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said in a statement.
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United to Launch New Daily Service to Santiago, Chile
United Airlines launches its new daily flights between Houston and Santiago, Chile, this Sunday, offering the only nonstop service between the airline's principal Latin American gateway and the Chilean capital. "The new Santiago service is a great addition to United's Latin American route portfolio," said John Slater, United's vice president of sales for the Americas. "These flights will not only give Houston-area travelers nonstop access to Santiago, but will also provide convenient one-stop connections at the hub to and from dozens of cities in United's global route network, including key markets such as Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington and Tokyo."
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United equips new jets with streaming technology
United Airlines has equipped its newest 737s with Thales' in-seat DirecTV system and ViaSat 'Exede'-powered Ka-band inflight connectivity system. Observers say the new equipment will allow travelers to stream content on to their personal electronic devices (PED). "The streaming TV system allows us to show lots of content from [the DirecTV] system on a PED. It allows us to offer all of the choices and then down-select to those that are picked on the aircraft to stream," said Glenn Latta, president of Thales' LiveTV unit.
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United Express launches route from Texas to Bahamas
United Express started flying thrice weekly between Houston and Nassau, Bahamas, on Dec. 3. SkyWest Airlines is operating the United Express flights using Canadair CRJ700 regional jets seating 70 passengers.
LinkAirports
Fla. airport reports increase in international traffic
Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Fla., reported a 5.68% increase in international traffic for fiscal year 2014. During the fiscal year, which ended in September, the airport handled 4.17 million international passengers.
LinkMilitary
India taps S-70B for MRH negotiations
India will enter negotiations with Sikorsky for 16 S-70B Seahawk helicopters for the country’s long-running Multi-Role Helicopter (MRH) requirement. “Negotiations will now begin to procure 16 S-70B Seahawk helicopters, with an option for eight additional aircraft, along with a complete logistics support and training program,” says Sikorsky in a statement. The helicopters will be equipped for the antisubmarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (AsuW) roles, serving both from warships and land bases.
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Our Top 10 rare military aircraft
Ahead of the publication of the annual World Air Forces directory, our Top 10 feature looks at some of the rarest aircraft still to be found in active military service around the globe. The selection draws on just some of the data contained within our global fleet listing, which details the almost 52,000 combat, special mission, tanker and transport aircraft, combat helicopters and training types currently in use across 160 nations. To make it more of a challenge, we have intentionally excluded nationally developed aircraft or type variants (for example the Denel Rooivalk attack helicopter) which have not been exported for use in other countries.
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Aviation Quote
High-performance jet fighter, fully armed with missiles, guns. ECM equipment, fresh paint (stars and bars painted over), single seat, 97% reliability rate, will outclimb, outturn F-16, outrun F-14, low fuel burn (relatively), all digital avionics, radar, terrain following, INS, GPS, TACAN, used only for testing and sales promotion. Now in storage.
Contact Northrop Corp. Will trade for Mig-25 and home address of Air Force Acquisition officer.
— ad found in 'Pacific Flyer' magazine, shortly after the F-20 program was cancelled.
On This Date
---In 1938... Germany officially launches its first aircraft carrier, the 280-foot by 89-foot Graf Zeppelin.
---In 1940... The New York City experiences its first blackout and anti-aircraft exercise, around the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
---In 1945…First flight of the Bell 47 prototype NC1H.
---In 1949…Muroc Army Airfield is renamed Edwards Air Force Base in honor of test pilot Glen Edwards.
---In 1964... A United Lines Caravelle makes the first landing in the USA completely controlled by computer (automatic touchdown).
---In 2006…NASA F/A-18 Hornet modified with Active Aeroelastic Wing is designated the X-53.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Trivia
Airlines That Have Disappeared
1. Which two airlines, owned by the British government, were merged to form British Airways in 1974?
British Caledonian and British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC)
British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and British European Airways Corporation (BEA)
Royal Air Carrier (RAC) and British Caledonian
British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and British United Airways (BUA)
2. What Miami-based airline sponsored the "If You Had Wings" attraction at Walt Disney World in the '70s and '80s? Their slogan at that time was "_________, the wings of man."
Continental Air Lines
Florida West Air Lines
Braniff Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
3. What Minnesota-based airline was formed from the merger of North Central Airlines and Southern Airways in 1979?
Republic Airlines
Southern Central Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Allegheny Airways
4. Name the airline formed by the combination of Pacific Western Airlines and Canadian Pacific Air Lines in 1987.
Pacific Northwest Airlines
British Columbia and Alberta Air Carrier
Air Canada
Canadian Airlines
5. What former US airline was the first to equip its jets with seats covered with leather from South America in the 1970s?
Trans Texas Airways
Braniff International Airways
Eastern Airlines
Avianca
6. What airline based in the western US suffered a plane crash caused by a disgruntled former employee with a .44 Magnum handgun?
Air California
America West Airlines
Pacific Southwest Airlines
Western Airlines
7. What was the airline that was created in 1946 by the Australian government to compete against existing private operators?
Qantas
Ansett Australia
Australian National Airways (ANA)
Trans Australia Airlines (TAA)
8. What airline was the predecessor of USAir?
Piedmont Airlines
America West Airlines
Pacific Southwest Airlines
Allegheny Airlines
9. Trans-Texas Air (TTA) started out as a regional airline in the state of Texas and the surrounding states. Which modern-day airline is the successor to TTA?
Southwest Airlines
Mesa Airlines
American Airlines
Continental Airlines
10. Which of the airlines below was formerly owned by Howard Hughes, Jr.?
Pan American Airlines
Trans World Airlines (TWA)
Hughes Tool Airlines
Baker-Hughes Airlines
ShanwickOceanic wrote:I think number 4 is Canadian Airlines (or rather Canadi>n). Shame we don't have any of them in the DB yet; I loved their goose livery.
Guess I was looking for the goose.
miamiair wrote:5. What former US airline was the first to equip its jets with seats covered with leather from South America in the 1970s?
...
Avianca
That one is neither a former airline, nor a US one... 
FlyingAce wrote:miamiair wrote:5. What former US airline was the first to equip its jets with seats covered with leather from South America in the 1970s?
...
Avianca
