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Commercial

Boeing begins 737 Max 9 flight testing after "sporty" first flight
Boeing has begun roughly eight months of flight testing on the 737 Max 9 to focus on validating the aerodynamic and environmental system changes compared to the smaller variant. The 2h42min first flight completed on 13 April took off with a tail wind from Renton Municipal Airport and landed at nearby Boeing Field into a 20kt crosswind.
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The 737’s five-decade journey from 100 to Max 9
Half a century ago this month, Boeing’s 737 made its first flight and the twinjet has gone on to become the industry’s short-haul workhorse. Between the first 737-100 completing its maiden flight on 9 April 1967, and the take-off today of the latest variant, the 737 Max 9, Boeing has built and delivered some 9,450 examples of the twinjet. These historical pictures from the Boeing images archive highlight the key milestones and derivatives over the 737’s first 50 years.
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Embraer delivers 18 commercial aircraft in Q1
Embraer delivered 18 commercial jets in the first quarter, during which it also marked progress in its E-Jet E2 program. The Brazilian manufacturer's commercial deliveries were split between 16 E175s and two E195s.
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Airlines

Delta chief calls overbooking 'valid' practice
Delta Air Lines chief executive Ed Bastian says overbooking flights is a "valid industry process" that allows it to generate higher financial returns than other carriers, amid a furore over a United Airlines passenger who was forcibly removed from a flight.
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Garuda appoints new CEO in management shake-up
Garuda Indonesia has appointed bank executive Pahala Mansury as its new chief executive, in a management shake-up following a major plunge in its 2016 net profit. Mansury, formerly chief financial officer at Bank Mandiri, replaces Arif Wibowo, who was appointed as president and chief executive in December 2014. Prior to that, he was chief executive at low-cost unit Citilink, before taking on the top job at the mainline carrier.
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Hainan Airlines wins SAIC approval for Chengdu LCC
Hainan Airlines has moved one step closer toward launching low-cost carrier (LCC) Shen Niao Airlines after securing approval from China’s State Administration for Industry & Commerce (SAIC). According to Hainan Airlines, the Chengdu-based LCC venture has a registered capital of CNY3 billion ($435 million). Its Kunming-based subsidiary Lucky Air will hold a 35% stake with a CNY1.05 billion investment, Yunnan Lucky Investment Co. will own a 45% stake with a CNY1.35 billion investment, and Chengdu Communications Investment Group will hold the remaining 20% stake with CNY600 million.
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Iran Air finally seals ATR 72-600 deal
Iran Air has finally concluded an agreement for up to 40 ATR 72-600 turboprops, originally disclosed more than a year ago. ATR says that the deal has been "officially signed" and covers 20 firm aircraft and 20 options.
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Qantas starts beta testing inflight connectivity
Australian flag carrier Qantas has moved a step closer to providing inflight connectivity on its domestic aircraft fleet. Following several months of tests with broadband provider ViaSat and nbn’s Sky Muster service, the airline is now operating Wi-Fi in beta mode on a Boeing 737-800. Up to 15,000 passengers a month will be able to try the service free of charge while the airline continues to fine-tune the system.
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Rossiya adopts 'big cat' scheme on 777
Russian carrier Rossiya has unveiled a Boeing 777-300 with a specialised paint scheme intended to draw attention to conservation of rare wildlife, including big cats. The livery, which features a leopard's face over the cockpit section, is reminiscent of a previous Amur tiger design on Transaero Boeing 747.
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SalamAir ramps up route network
New Omani low-cost carrier (LCC) SalamAir plans to rapidly expand its route map as it inducts more aircraft to its fleet. The airline began operations in January with flights between the Omani capital Muscat and the nation’s second city, Salalah. It followed this in February with its first international service to Dubai.
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Syrian Arab Airlines introduces A340
Syrian Arab Airlines has introduced an Airbus A340-300 to its operation, opening services by conducting a service to Dubai. The Syrian ministry of transport says that a ceremony in Damascus has welcomed the aircraft, with attending delegates including transport minister Ali Hammoud.
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United to issue refunds to all Flight 3411 passengers
United Airlines announced that each customer traveling aboard Flight 3411 will receive a full refund for the cost of their ticket. "All customers on Flight 3411 from Sunday, April 9, are receiving compensation for the cost of their tickets," United said in a statement to USA Today. United CEO Oscar Munoz apologized for the incident, accepting full responsibility and vowing to ensure it never happens again.
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United passenger plans lawsuit following forcible removal
The passenger who was forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight plans to file a lawsuit, his lawyers say. Thomas Demetrio, a partner at Corboy & Demetrio and the lawyer representing David Dao, says they plan to file a lawsuit against the carrier and the City of Chicago following the incident onboard an aircraft at Chicago O'Hare International airport on 9 April.
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Airports

Alaska Airlines connects Dallas Love Field, West Coast cities
Alaska Airlines is adding daily service connecting Dallas Love Field to Seattle, San Diego, Portland, Ore., and San Jose, Calif., beginning this summer. Alaska Airlines gained access to Love Field though its acquisition of Virgin America.
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Military

Air Force authorises extended life for F-16
The F-16 Falcon will live to fight another day, or at least another 4,000 hours, according to the US Air Force and Lockheed Martin. The USAF authorized extending the F-16’s service life from its original 8,000 flight hours to 12,000 flight hours, a 12 April Lockheed release states. After performing SLEP modifications, the service will be able to operate the Block 40 through 52 aircraft beyond 2048, according to Lockheed.
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Can Typhoon storm to further sales?
It was, as chief executive Volker Paltzo put it, a very special day as the Eurofighter consortium delivered its 500th production example of the Typhoon in Turin. Resplendent with its commemorative red tail livery, Italy’s latest example joins a global fleet which includes jets operated by partner nations Germany, Spain and the UK, plus export customers Austria and Saudi Arabia. The first Typhoons for Kuwait and Oman are now in production.
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Aviation Quote

The machine does not isolate man from the great problems of nature but plunges him more deeply into them.

- Antoine de Saint Exupéry, Wind, Sand, and Stars, 1939.

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Trivia

Space Shuttle

1.
What United States president signed an order that officially began the space shuttle project?
A. John F. Kennedy
B. Richard M. Nixon
C. Jimmy Carter

2. What year was the first space shuttle mission launched?
A. 1977
B. 1979
C. 1981

3. What shuttle was used to repair the Hubble Space Telescope in 1993?
A. Challenger
B. Discovery
C. Endeavour

4. How many successful U.S. shuttle missions had taken place before Challenger disintegrated into a ball of fire in 1986?
A. 9
B. 24
C. 99

5. What was the first shuttle to be launched following the Challenger disaster?
A. Atlantis
B. Discovery
C. Endeavour

6. What was the first shuttle to dock with Russia's Mir space station?
A. Atlantis
B. Columbia
C. Enterprise