You are at netAirspace : Forum : Air and Space Forums : netAirspace Daily News

NEWS

Facing four-day pilot strike, Lufthansa cancels two-thirds of schedule
Lufthansa canceled about two-thirds of its scheduled flights through Thursday as a result of the pilot strike slated to start at midnight last night.
Link
Discussion

DOT faults FAA for lacking 'rigor' in oversight of American Airlines
US FAA's oversight of American Airlines' maintenance program "lacked the rigor needed" to uncover "weaknesses" that created safety concerns, the Dept. of Transportation's Inspector General said in a report issued last week that was highly critical of both FAA and AA.
Link

Unsuccessful in court, BA cabin staff to announce strike plan
British Airways flight attendants represented by Unite are expected today to announce their intention to strike in the wake of last week's UK High Court ruling permitting BA to enforce changes to their labor contract.
Link

TIACA chairman warns of cargo 'volatility,' touts long-term viability
Cargolux President and CEO Ulrich Ogiermann, current chairman of The International Air Cargo Assn., predicted that "volatility" in air cargo demand will continue in 2010 but that the airfreight industry will emerge from the economic downturn in a "stronger position."
Link

Aviation Operations Proving More Hazardous
U.S. soldiers have been twice as likely to die from aviation accidents as they were from ground mishaps or incidents over the past two and a half decades, according to an Aerospace DAILY analysis of U.S. Army data.
Link

No change of heart on airborne laser, Pentagon says
Even after last week's successful test of Boeing Co.'s airborne laser anti-missile system, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has no plans to restore more than $8 billion in funding for the program. The specially outfitted 747s carry an "extraordinary cost," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said yesterday, and the technology requires that pilots "hover a 747 in enemy territory to shoot down a missile." Morrell said directed energy is still a "very attractive" technology for missile defense, "and we'll figure out down the road what the appropriate and cost-effective platform is."
Link

MAS posts 490m ringgit profit in 2009
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has posted a net profit of 490 million ringgit ($144 million) in 2009, as it returned to profit in its last fiscal quarter.
Link

Air Force chief warns of possible budget breach for F-35
The Air Force chief of staff says it is "a possibility and maybe even likely" that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will breach federal limits on cost overruns. Gen. Norton Schwartz did not specify how the Pentagon would respond if the plane exceeded limits under the Nunn-McCurdy statute, and a spokesman for Lockheed Martin Corp. said the company has not been informed of a breach.
Link


Other News

FAA announced a proposed $1.2 million civil penalty against GE Caledonian, a Glasgow Prestwick-based repair station, for "improper maintenance procedures" involving 101 engines between January 2005 and May 2008. The agency said during that time GEC "used a procedure to remove the thrust pins from the forward engine mounts of 101 CF6 engines that was different than the one required by the manufacturer's maintenance manuals. When it removed the thrust pins, GE Caledonian welded the locking screw to the thrust pin instead of drilling and tapping a hole in the thrust pin, as required in the manual." FAA said GEC has 30 days to respond. GE did not release a statement.

Chile President-elect Sebastian Pinera will sell an 8%-10% stake in LAN Airlines to the Cueto family, which already owns about 20%-25% of the carrier, Reuters reported. Pinera, who will take office next month and is trying to offload holdings that could represent a conflict of interest, owns 26% of LAN, the largest single shareholding in the carrier. He reportedly will sell 5% on the Bolsa de Comercio de Santiago, the country's main stock exchange, and had wanted to sell a 21% stake to the Cuetos. But the family only wants 8%-10%, leaving Pinera looking for alternate investors to purchase the remainder, the news service reported.

Finnair Flight AY022 from Delhi to Helsinki today is the airline's final scheduled passenger flight aboard an MD-11. The type served Finnair for nearly 20 years and flew some 400,000 hr. on more than 50,000 segments. It became the first airline to operate the MD-11 in December, 1990 and had up to seven at one time. It now uses A330s and A340s on its long-haul routes. It has two owned MD-11s up for sale and is considering using the aircraft for cargo operations.
Discussion

US and EU negotiators concluded discussions in Madrid last week without significant progress on a second-stage open skies agreement, sources on both sides told Dow Jones. "It is clear it is going to take some time to get a deal," an EU spokesperson said, although sources said some progress was made. The deadline is November.

EasyJet Chairman Michael Rake said at the company's annual general meeting last week that a cost-reduction program designed to save £190 million ($296.6 million) per year is expected to deliver net savings after inflation of £1 per seat by the conclusion of the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2012. He also said that the board agreed to increase seat capacity by 7.5% per year over the next five years, which it expects to boost its share of the European short-haul market from the current 7% to 10%.

Mapjet, a Vienna-based startup, said it will begin selling tickets on March 15 for flights to Stockholm Arlanda, Amsterdam, Sulaymaniyah and Baghdad. Service to Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich also is planned. Flights should begin on March 28 aboard three leased E-195s.

American Airlines announced new international service from New York JFK to San Jose, Costa Rica (five-times-weekly from April 6 aboard a 757), Madrid (daily from May 1 aboard a 757) and Manchester (daily from May 13 aboard a 757), boosting the number of foreign destinations it serves from the airport to 31.

United Airlines announced the following new routes, all launching June 9: Chicago O'Hare to Anchorage (through Sept. 25), Maui (through Aug. 14), Billings (through Aug. 23 operated by SkyWest Airlines), Kalispell and Missoula (each through Aug. 30 operated by SkyWest) and Jackson Hole (through Sept. 30); Denver to Anchorage (through Aug. 30), Traverse City (through Aug. 23 operated by SkyWest) and Minot (operated by SkyWest); Los Angeles to Bozeman, Jackson Hole and Aspen (each through Aug. 23 operated by SkyWest); San Francisco to Anchorage (through Aug. 23) and Bozeman (through Nov. 3 operated by SkyWest); Washington Dulles to Colorado Springs (operated by SkyWest) and Quebec City (through Nov. 3 operated by Trans States Airlines).

Air France KLM said January unit revenue fell year-over-year. It flew 15.87 billion RPKs, down 1.6%, against a 3.4% decline in capacity to 20.34 billion ASKs. Load factor rose 1.4 points to 78%.

British Airways flew 8.26 billion RPKs in January, down 7% from the year-ago month. Capacity dropped 8.3% to 11.13 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 1 point to 74.2%.

Iberia said January unit revenue was "slightly higher" than in the year-ago month. It flew 3.92 billion RPKs, up 1.8%, while capacity was cut 5.7% to 4.9 billion ASKs. Load factor rose 5.9 points to 80%.

Turkish Airlines flew 3.35 billion RPKs last month, up 35.6% year-over-year. Capacity rose 29.2% to 4.89 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 3.2 points to 68.6%.

Aer Lingus flew 942 million RPKs in January, a 6.3% drop year-over-year. Capacity was cut 10.7% to 1.4 billion ASKs and load factor rose 3.1 points to 67.4%.

Icelandair said January unit revenue climbed 3% year-over-year to ISK7.57 (5.89 cents). It flew 196.2 million RPKs during the month, a 21% increase. Capacity rose 19% to 312.4 million ASKs and load factor was up 1.3 points to 62.8%.

CAE sold a 777-300ER 7000 Series full flight simulator to Turkish Airlines for delivery this year. THY also signed up for the Simfinity integrated procedures trainer for the 737NG. In addition, CAE sold a 737-800 7000 Series FFS to Skymark Airlines that will be delivered to Skymark's Tokyo Haneda base by year end and an E-170/190 7000 Series FFS to Gulf Aviation Academy, which switched its order from an A330/A340 simulator. GAA will take delivery this year at its Bahrain facility.

Air Works India Engineering said it acquired an 85% stake in UK-based Air Livery, which Air Works called Europe's "leading aircraft refinishing company," with annual revenue equivalent to INR1.35 billion ($29.3 million). Value of the transaction was not disclosed. Air Works Executive Director Suresh Soni said the deal "is a very significant step for Air Works in its strategy to become a complete solution provider for MRO services in India and its surrounding region." Air Livery, which provides aircraft repainting, interior repair and refurbishment, will function as an independent business unit of Air Works.

Esterline CMC Electronics' PilotView Class 2 electronic flight bag was granted an STC by EASA for the A320. STC was developed by Aeroconseil in Toulouse. Launch airline is Air Mediterranee.



AVIATION QUOTE

You f---ing academic eggheads! You don't know sh-t. You can't deregulate this industry. You're going to wreck it. You don't know a goddamn thing!

— Robert L. Crandall, CEO American Airlines, addressing a Senate lawyer prior to airline deregulation, 1977.



AEROSPACE TERM

Heat of Fusion

The increase in enthalpy accompanying the conversion of one mole, or a unit mass, of a solid to a liquid at its melting point at constant pressure and temperature. Used for latent heat of fusion.



DAILY VIDEO





EDITOR’S CHOICE





HUMOR

Student Pilot

A young and stupid pilot wanted to sound cool on the aviation frequencies.

So, this one time he was approaching a field during the night time.

Instead of making any official requests to the tower, he said: "Guess who?"

The controller switched the field lights off and replied: "Guess where!"



TRIVIA

General Trivia

1. There have been several British airplanes named after insects, such as the de Havilland Mosquito. How many American production airplanes have been named after insects?

2. Most pilots are familiar with the PBY, a twin-engine Consolidated Catalina flying boat used initially as a patrol bomber during World War II. What was a PBJ?

3. As any pilot who has studied a sectional chart knows, an RCO is a remote communications outlet used to communicate with distant facilities. What is a GCO?

4. What well-known civilian landplane may land with landing gear retracted during routine operations?

5. True or False, early Lear Jets have a "knife blade" down the center of the windshield. Its purpose is to dissect birds in flight.

6. True or False, After resigning from and selling his interest in TWA, Howard Hughes purchased another airline and named it after himself.

1) The F/A 18 Hornet is the only one that comes to mind.
2) WWII era bomber.
3) Ground Communication Outlet.
4) A glider of some sort?
5) False
6) True.

ANSWERS:

1. There undoubtedly are others, but the best known are the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, the Mooney Mite, the Northrop F/A-18 Hornet, the Northrop P-61 Black Widow, the Northrop F-89 Scorpion, and a few liaison aircraft designated as Grasshoppers.

2. During World War II, the U.S. Navy acquired 706 North American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers from the U.S. Army Air Force. These were used by 16 Marine Corps bombing squadrons and designated as PBJs.

3. A ground communications outlet (GCO) allows pilots on the ground at some airports to communicate by radio with IFR air traffic control facilities and/or flight service stations without relying on a cell phone.

4. Some McDonnell Douglas DC-10s have four landing-gear assemblies: a nosewheel, right main, left main, and center main. All must be used for heavy landings, but extending the center main is optional at light landing weights.

5. True. The center of the original windshield could not withstand a bird strike (simulated by shooting a four-pound chicken carcass from a cannon at 250 knots). The knife literally divided the load and spread it right and left.

6. True. In 1970 he purchased Air West and called it Hughes Airwest, which eventually became a part of Northwest Airlines.