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US Approves Airbus Sales License For Iran
The United States Treasury has approved licenses for Airbus to export 17 aircraft to Iran. Airbus needs approval for the Iran deal because of the US-made parts in its aircraft.
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IATA Seeks US Antitrust Immunity On Venezuela Funds
IATA has filed a request for antitrust immunity with the US Department of Transportation to allow airlines to discuss options to maintain connectivity to Venezuela. The request comes as a result of the Venezuelan government’s continued refusal to release airline funds. IATA says the total amount of blocked funds is now USD$3.8 billion.
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Boeing selects Rockwell Collins for 777X touchscreens
Rockwell Collins will supply touchscreen flight displays for the Boeing 777X cockpit, ushering the technology into scheduled commercial aviation when the 777-9 enters service in 2020. “We applaud Boeing for taking the bold step to embrace this next evolution in flightdeck technology,” says Kent Statler, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Rockwell Collins.
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WTO criticizes EU for large aircraft subsidies inaction
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has upheld a US claim that the European Union (EU) has failed to act on illegal Airbus subsidies, but has rejected other allegations related to the Airbus A380 and A350 programs. The Sept. 22 WTO report is the latest chapter in a long-running, two-way battle between Airbus and Boeing over large aircraft subsidies, with both manufacturers claiming the other has received unfair advantages.
LinkAirlines
American Airlines "very close" to selecting cloud services vendor
American Airlines Group is moving data to the cloud and is considering services from Amazon, IBM and Microsoft. The airline is "very close" to picking a service provider, according to Maya Leibman, chief information officer. She said that after vendors are chosen, American will look at which systems and applications to place in the cloud.
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ANA orders RealitySeven A320 flight simulator
All Nippon Airways (ANA) has signed to buy an L-3 CTS RealitySeven full flight simulator (FFS) for Airbus A320 training.
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Cebu Pacific takes first high capacity ATR 72-600
Philippine low-cost carrier (LCC) Cebu Pacific Air has taken delivery of the first ATR 72-600 High Capacity aircraft. Configured with 78 seats, this new ATR 72 option has 10 additional seats compared to the standard 68-seat configuration of the aircraft.
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Hawaiian Airlines looks to European routes with A330neo
Hawaiian Airlines is anticipating reliance on the Airbus A330neo for its planned new service to Europe. The carrier is also considering around six long-distance routes to destinations in East Asia and North America, along with more East Coast destinations and Canadian cities as possibilities.
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Jet2 to open London Stansted base
UK leisure carrier Jet2 has detailed plans to open a base at London Stansted Airport, where it is expected to position six Boeing 737-800s. Stansted will become Jet2’s ninth UK base, and the airline’s first in the south of England when it opens March 30, 2017.
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JetBlue named launch customer for Airbus scheduled maintenance program
New York-based JetBlue Airways is the launch customer for the first module of Airbus’ Scheduled Maintenance Optimizer, a long-term planning ‘e-solution’ tool, Airbus announced Sept. 22. According to Airbus, the module “will help decrease maintenance costs through the optimization of scheduled maintenance events at fleet, aircraft and single task level.”
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KLM seeks cabin crew productivity agreement
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is reorganizing cabin crew structures to achieve 4% productivity gains under Air France-KLM’s Perform 2020 strategy. Under the plan, KLM wants to move from two pursers overseeing World Business Class on intercontinental flights to just one, with the other purser working in-team.
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Lufthansa Offers New Deal To Pilots
Lufthansa has made a new offer to its pilots in an effort to resume talks with the Vereinigung Cockpit union which stalled earlier this month. Lufthansa said it offered a one-off payment and a 4.4 percent pay rise. Pilot pay would increase over two stages, the airline said.
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Qantas CEO attributes financial success to open environment
Cutting across company department silos and ensuring the voices of all departments are heard is critical to an airline’s financial success, the CEO of Qantas Airways believes. Speaking at the IATA World Financial Symposium in Singapore Sept. 22, Alan Joyce said he was “a big believer” in diversity and inclusion, and that it was important to listen to all voices, not just the financial department.
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Southwest pilots to vote on tentative agreement
The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association’s (SWAPA) board of directors has decided to present a recent labor contract agreement with Dallas-based Southwest Airlines’ management to the carrier’s 8,400 pilots for a ratification vote. SWAPA said in a statement that its board voted 21-2 to move the proposed contract to a ratification vote after two days of “spirited deliberations.” Voting on the tentative agreement will commence Oct. 8 and close Nov. 7, SWAPA said.
LinkAirports
Greece Approves Old Athens Airport Redevelopment
Greece has approved the lease of disused Athens Hellenikon airport to a consortium led by Lamda Development. Lamda will turn the abandoned site into a seaside town of hotels, residences and shops, after the 99-year lease was approved by the Greek Parliament.
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Expert projects fast growth for LAS
An aviation expert who monitors passenger traffic at airports across the country says McCarran International will maintain its status as the nation’s ninth busiest airport in five years. Mike Boyd, president and CEO of Boyd Group International, Evergreen, Colorado, said McCarran would continue its torrid growth rate in the next five years, but other airports would grow even faster and push McCarran’s tourism industry rival Orlando International Airport ahead of Las Vegas by 2022.
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Military
Bell unveils V-247 Vigilant unmanned tiltrotor
Bell Helicopter has unveiled a unmanned tiltrotor aircraft, the V-247 Vigilant, as it looks towards a future requirement from the US Marine Corps for a large, armed platform capable of operating from ships. Although the USMC already has smaller group 1 and 3 UAVs in its inventory, including the Textron Systems RQ-7 Shadow and Boeing Insitu RQ-21A Blackjack, the service outlined its need for larger armed systems in its 2016 Marine Aviation flight plan – an effort to end its reliance on the the US Air Force’s fleet of MQ-9 Reapers and MQ-1 Predators for expeditionary missions.
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Aviation Quote
I think it is well . . . for the man in the street to realise there is no power on earth that can protect him from bombing, whatever people may tell him. The bomber will always get through. The only defence is in offence, which means that you have to kill more women and children more quickly than the enemy if you want to save yourselves.
- Stanley Baldwin, British Prime Minister, House of Commons speech 10 November 1932.
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