NewsCommercial
JetBlue & American A321s to be first off the US Airbus factory
The first two Airbus A321 aircraft to be assembled at the new assembly-and-delivery facility in Mobile, Alabama, were shown to the media Sept. 13, one day ahead of the formal opening of the factory. Parts for the first two aircraft began arriving in June. A JetBlue Airways A321 will be the first aircraft to roll off the new final assembly line and is scheduled for flight tests to begin in the first quarter of 2016, with delivery following in the second quarter.
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Brazil awards type certification for Bombardier Q400
The Bombardier Q400 has gained Brazilian type certification, enabling the aircraft to operate in the South American nation. Bombardier is trying to break into the large turboprop market in Brazil, which is currently controlled by rival turboprop manufacturer ATR. Brazilian airlines will be able to operate the Q400 in up to an 86-seat configuration. In late 2013, the Canadian manufacturer introduced an extra capacity seating configuration option for the Q400 in which airlines can operate the turboprop aircraft with 86 seats with a seat pitch of 29 inches.
LinkAirlines
American to reinstate flights to 4 cities from LGA
American Airlines will restart service to four destinations from New York's LaGuardia Airport in late 2015 and early 2016. The carrier will offer flights to: Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Orlando, Fla.
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Citilink plans nine new aircraft, increased schedules
Garuda Indonesia low-cost carrier (LCC) subsidiary Citilink Indonesia plans to lease nine new Airbus A320 aircraft to boost fleet numbers and regional service schedules. The carrier already has a fleet of 34 Airbus A320s, flying to 24 destinations daily across Indonesia, and in 2013 placed an order with Airbus for 25 A320neos.
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EasyJet to cease London-Moscow service
UK low-cost carrier easyJet will stop flights from London Gatwick to Moscow Domodedovo from March 21, 2016 due to reduced demand. “The decision has been taken in response to the significant and sustained reduction in demand for travel between Moscow and London in recent months, which has been driven by a number of factors, including the weakness of the Russian economy together with the tightening of the visa approval process. EasyJet will keep the potential reintroduction of the route under review,” EasyJet said in a statement.
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JetBlue reports higher traffic for August
JetBlue Airways reported a 6.7% increase in passenger traffic for August on a year-over-year basis. The carrier also reported an 87% load factor for the month.
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Thai Airways signs 787 pilot training deal with Boeing
Thai Airways International has signed a pilot training agreement with Boeing Flight Services covering training for its Boeing 787 pilots. Under the agreement, around 50 pilots trained for Thai’s fleet of 787s will be trained at Boeing's campus in Singapore. Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets database shows that the airline operates six Boeing 787-8s, and has two 787-9s on order.
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United debuts new first-class cabin design for short-haul flights
Despite a bit of turmoil in the home office last week, United Airlines moved forward with plans to launch a new premium cabin design for a portion of its short haul fleet. The design takes advantage of all of the modernizations coming down the pipeline of aircraft design and adds a few touches of United flair. On the design side, United chose to move forward with its conservative signature styling, using its standard navy and champagne colors on all-leather, 21.1″ wide seats. Recline is managed through an articulated bottom, which moves the seat forward as the back of the chair tilts back — effectively improving leg room across the board. As with most modern premium cabin designs, there are also power ports at each seat, though USB ports still aren’t an option.
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Wizz Air confirms MOU for 110 Airbus A321neos
Fast-growing Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air has formalized the memorandum of understanding (MOU) it announced at the Paris Air Show in June to purchase 110 Airbus A321neos. In a statement released Sept. 11, Wizz Air said the order was worth $13.7 billion at list prices, but said “Airbus has granted significant discounts.” The airline added that it retained its commitment to purchase a further 48 aircraft from Airbus, comprising 21 A320ceos and 27 A321ceos.The first Wizz Air A321ceo aircraft will enter service in November, configured with 230 seats.
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Inflight Wi-Fi to see upgrade in 2016
Three out of four providers of inflight Wi-Fi to US carriers plan to ramp up their technology for faster streaming. The upgrades will not lead to an increase in cost for passengers.
LinkAirports
New Istanbul Airport to open in 2018
Istanbul’s third airport, which will have capacity for 150 million passengers and is scheduled to open in 2018, is moving ahead with the selection of a design firm. Istanbul New Airport, located 35 km from the city center on the European side of Istanbul, will be built and run by the IGA consortium. IGA comprises five Turkish contractors: Cengiz, Mapa, Limak, Kolin and Kalyon.
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Dead Stowaway Found In Cargo Plane In Amsterdam
The body of a dead stowaway was found on Saturday in the landing gear of a cargo plane at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport. Border police spokesman Dennis Muller said the flight had arrived from Africa, but declined to provide more details about the origin or airline due to an ongoing investigation into the death. He also gave no details about the stowaway.
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Spanish ATC Union Announces Strike Days
Spanish air traffic controllers will strike on two days in coming weeks in protest against sanctions imposed by airport operator Aena on some staff. Controllers will strike between 06:00 CET and 18:00 CET on September 26 and October 3, the USCA union said in a statement. It had suspended industrial action in August, one of the busiest months for tourist arrivals.
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Military
Air Force will focus on modernization in 2017
The Air Force will likely avoid major deviations from its 2016 course as it creates it 2017 spending plan, sources say. "Wherever we can, we have to make the decision to minimize investment in old things and mission capability that we don't absolutely need today and transfer that investment to modernization for the future, because, 10 years from now, the threat and the scenario will be completely different," said Gen. Mark Welsh. "So we've got to figure out how we modernize this force."
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Lockheed Skunk Works' next-generation U-2 morphs into 'TR-X'
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works’ proposal for a next-generation, optionally-manned U-2 surveillance aircraft has morphed into more of a tactical reconnaissance aircraft dubbed “TR-X”. The designation is both a throwback to the U-2’s TR-1 designation in the 1980s but also symbolises a change in thinking that could drive the design to be more of an affordable peace and wartime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) workhorse than a strategic, penetrating platform – like the supersonic Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.
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Aviation Quote
Nothing makes a man more aware of his capabilities and of his limitations than those moments when he must push aside all the familiar defenses of ego and vanity, and accept reality by staring, with the fear that is normal to a man in combat, into the face of Death.
— Major Robert S. Johnson, USAAF.
Daily Video
Editor’s Choice
Trivia
World Airlines
1. What is the oldest airline still operating under its original name?
KLM
Northwest Airlines
Deutsche Lufthansa
Qantas
2. What airline carried the most passengers in 2005?
British Airways
American Airlines
United Airlines
Japan Airlines
3. Which of these low-cost airlines is not based in India?
Air Blue
Go Air
SpiceJet
Paramount Airways
4. What colour is associated with EasyJet?
Dark Blue
Purple
Orange
Maroon
5. Which of these is not an international airline?
Continental Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Delta Air Lines
6. Which of these European Airlines is not operating?
SABENA
Air Dolomiti
Eurowings
Luxair
7. Which of these is a French airline?
GB Airways
Air Scotland
Brit Air
Aurigny Air Services
8. MALEV was the flag-carrier of what country?
Czech Republic
Lithuania
Iceland
Hungary
9. Which of these is not a Japanese Airline?
Skymark Airlines
All Nippon Airways
Asiana Airlines
Hokkaido International Airlines
10. Which of these is a Mexican Airline?
Aero California
Mesaba Airlines
Frontier Airlines
Chautauqua Airlines
Queso wrote:Editor's Choice photograph:
