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NEWS

Bankrupt JAL reports record $2 billion nine-month loss
Japan Airlines posted a net loss of ¥177.9 billion ($1.99 billion) for the first three quarters of its fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2009, considerably widened from a ¥1.9 billion loss for the prior-year period.
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Thai swings to $223 million 2009 profit
Thai Airways reported 2009 net income of THB7.34 billion ($222.8 million), reversed from a net loss of THB21.38 billion in 2008, citing "cost control" and a foreign exchange gain as the main reasons it returned to the black.
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Air New Zealand reports surge in first-half profit
Air New Zealand lifted its net profit for the six months to Dec. 31, 2009, to NZ$56 million ($38.6 million), more than double the NZ$24 million reported in the year-ago semester, despite fuel hedge losses and a significant decline in revenue.
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THY to introduce new class that 'will exceed' typical premium economy
Turkish Airlines will introduce a new class and service product in between business and economy on its new widebody aircraft, CEO Temel Kotil said last week in Istanbul.
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Complexity of AF447 crash probe to dominate ICAO discussion
Complications with the investigation into the destruction of Air France flight AF447 are set to dominate discussions on flight-data retrieval, aircraft communications and tracking at a high-level ICAO safety conference this month.
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UAV pioneer unveils new design for long-endurance VTOL aircraft

Tad McGeer, an unmanned aircraft pioneer who designed the Aerosonde and ScanEagle, has now unveiled a vertical take-off and landing, long-endurance aircraft in the same size class called Flexrotor.
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Depth of Koito seat problem still being assessed
Airbus and EASA are still working to assess whether seats manufactured by Koito Industries and currently fitted to in-service aircraft meet airworthiness standards, following the Japanese firm's revelation that it falsified safety test results on as many as 150,000 seats used by 32 carriers.
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Other News

Cyprus Airways lost €3.3 million ($4.4 million) in 2009, reversed from a €1.7 million profit in 2008, as traffic and yield fell sharply. The carrier attributed the result to the "world economic crisis that adversely affects the airline industry." Revenue dropped 20.1% to €249 million and the operating loss of €5.7 million compared to a €2 million surplus the prior year. CY said it has sufficient liquidity to meet its obligations. It sold three older A320s last year and hopes to find buyers for its remaining four owned A320s. It plans to take delivery of four newer leased A320s this year and two in 2011.

British Airways cabin crew represented by Unite last week announced they "unanimously backed the work of their negotiating team attempting to resolve the current dispute" and steered away from setting a date for strike action. Unite members endorsed strike action in a vote that saw 80.7% call for a walkout. The union reportedly has until March 22 before its strike mandate expires under trade union legislation.

South African Airways named SA Express CEO Siza Mzimela as the flag carrier's new CEO. She joined SA Express in 2003. GM-Operations Chris Smyth had filled the position on a temporary basis following the departure of Khaya Ngqula one year ago. SAA's regional partner reported a ZAR235.4 million ($30.1 million) profit last year.

Ukraine International Airlines posted a UAH7.9 million ($977,400) profit in 2009, down 26.9% from the UAH10.8 million surplus reported in 2008. It was UIA's 10th consecutive year in the black. Revenue climbed 15.8% to UAH2.2 billion but operating income plunged 51.8% to UAH40 million from UAH83 million. President Yuri Miroshnikov said the carrier suffered just a 6% fall in passenger traffic despite a 17% decline in demand in the Ukrainian market. It operates 19 737s.

Third Sukhoi Superjet 100 test aircraft began cold soak testing last week in Yakutsk. Testing will validate standard flight preparation and systems performance after short (up to 2 hr.) and long (at least 12 hr.) parking. Sukhoi said average February temperature at the airport is -35C.

CSA Czech Airlines said it launched a tender to sell its slots at London Heathrow and New York JFK. It operates to LHR twice-daily from Prague and codeshares on Delta Air Lines flights to/from JFK.

Air Line Pilots Assn. and the Southwest Airlines Pilots' Assn. issued statements last week protesting a proposal from Sen. Jim DeMint (R.-S.C.) that data from cockpit voice and flight data recorders be available to use as evidence when disciplining individual pilots. DeMint is the ranking member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation's subcommittee on aviation operations, safety and security. His proposal followed a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation that airlines "routinely download and analyze all available sources of safety information as part of their flight operational quality assurance program." ALPA President John Prater said DeMint's proposal will have a "chilling effect" on safety. SWAPA President Carl Kuwitzky said the move would be "a perfect example of a good intention to increase safety that has the exact opposite effect. This proposal and, unfortunately, the NTSB recommendation, are misdirected attempts at promoting safety that will surely backfire."

Garuda Indonesia announced the sale of four 737-400s through auction.

Arik Air last week took delivery of its fourth 737-800 and 25th aircraft overall. Aircraft seats 16 in business class and 132 in economy.

AWAS delivered two A320-200s to Viking Hellas Airlines.

Delta Air Lines flight simulator technicians voted to reject union representation by the International Assn. of Machinists, the airline announced.

Carpatair will launch twice-weekly flights from Craiova to Rome Fiumicino and Bergamo on May 24 aboard F70s.

Spirit Airlines will operate daily Atlantic City-Detroit service May 20-Nov. 10.

Lufthansa Group airlines flew 13.06 billion RPKs in January, a 17.9% increase from the year-ago month. Capacity rose 20.1% to 17.91 billion ASKs, lowering load factor 1.4 points to 72.9%. LH Passenger Airlines flew 9.2 billion RPKs, up 3.1%, against a 4.7% lift in ASKs to 12.52 billion. Load factor slipped 1.1 points to 73.5%.

Skywest Airlines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines flew a combined 1.37 billion RPMs in January, up 9.9% year-over-year. Capacity rose 8.4% to 1.87 billion ASMs and load factor was up 1 point to 73.3%.

Republic Airways Holdings airlines flew 1.52 billion January RPMs, up 119% year-over-year, against a 102% climb in capacity to 2.22 billion ASMs. Load factor rose 5 points to 68%.

EasyJet transported 3.1 million passengers in July, up 10.7% year-over-year. Load factor rose 3.6 points to 79.3%.

Gol flew 3.07 billion RPKs in January, up 32.1% year-over-year. Capacity climbed 16.8% to 3,94 billion ASKs, lifting load factor 9 points to 77.9%.

TAM flew 2.78 billion domestic RPKs in January, a 14% increase year-over-year, while capacity rose 8.4% to 3.67 billion ASKs and load factor climbed 3.7 points to 75.8%. International traffic grew 9.1% to 1.79 billion RPKs against a 3.8% lift in capacity to 2.18 billion ASKs. Load factor increased 4 points to 81.9%.

Safran reported a €376 million ($509.3 million) profit in 2009, up 47% from the €256 million posted the prior year, on a 1.2% lift in revenue to €10.45 billion. Its Aerospace Propulsion segment posted a 2.2% fall in turnover to €5.67 billion. It participated in the delivery of 1,263 CFM56 engines, compared to 1,268 in 2008, and took 795 orders. The segment's operating income rose 7.5% to €628 million. The Aircraft Equipment segment, which includes Labinal, Messier-Bugatti and Messier Services, reported a €73 million operating profit, up 21.7%.

Pratt & Whitney announced a multiyear fleet technical management agreement with Singapore Airlines Cargo under which Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines & Global Services will provide powerplant engineering and on-wing fleet management for SIAC's PW4000s.

CTT Systems said it will supply Thomas Cook Scandinavia with six Zonal Drying Systems for installation onboard the Danish airline's A320s and A321s in April and May.

Dunlop Aircraft Tyres announced the acquisition of testing and manufacturing equipment from The Yokohama Rubber Co., which is withdrawing the Yokohama brand name from the aircraft tire business. Under the agreement, Dunlop will acquire the Japanese company's radial and bias new tire manufacturing and testing equipment, "including an additional dynamometer that will enable the company to bring new products to market more quickly."



AVIATION QUOTE

If we went into the funeral business, people would stop dying.

— Martin R. Shugrue, Vice-chairman Pan Am.



AEROSPACE TERM

Heat Transfer

The transfer or exchange of heat by radiation, conduction, or convection within a substance and between the substance and its surroundings.
Radiation represents the transfer of radiant energy from one region to another by electromagnetic waves, with or without an intervening medium. Conduction, or diffusion of heat, implies the elastic impact of fluid molecules, without any net transfer of matter. Convection arises from the mixing of relatively large volumes of fluid because of the fluid motion and may be due either to local temperature inequalities (free convection) or to an applied pressure gradient (forced convection).



DAILY VIDEO





EDITOR’S CHOICE





HUMOR

Flight Attendants

A flight attendant was out golfing one day off when she hit her ball into the woods.

She went into the woods to look for it and found a frog in a trap.

The frog said to her, "If you release me from this trap, I will grant you 3 wishes."

The flight attendant freed the frog and the frog said, "Thank you, but I failed to mention that there was a condition to your wishes-that whatever you wish for, your captain will get 10 times more or better!"

The flight attendant said, "That would be okay," and for her first wish, she wanted to be the most beautiful flight attendant in the world - beautiful enough to make people stop flying SQ.

The frog warned her, "You do realize that this wish will also make your captain the most handsome pilot in the world, an Adonis, that other flight attendants will flock to."

The flight attendant replied, "That will be okay because I will be the most beautiful flight attendant and he will only have eyes for me."

So, KAZAM - she's the most beautiful flight attendant in the world!

For her second wish, she wanted to be the richest flight attendant in the world.

The frog said, "That will make your captain the richest pilot in the world and he will be ten times richer than you."

The flight attendant said, "That will be okay because I'm such a devoted flight attendant that what is mine is my captain's and what is my captain's is mine."

So, KAZAM she's the richest flight attendant in the world!

The frog then inquired about her third wish, and she answered, I'd like a mild heart attack."

Moral of the story : Flight attendant are clever bitches. Don't **** with them



TRIVIA

Google Earth

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9 wouldn't be Tenerife Sur, would it?

Okay, Canada may have won the Olympics, still doesn't mean there should be so many Canadian airports in the trivia .

1. YHZ Halifax Int'l
2. YUL Montreal Dorval (yes I know it's been renamed after some Franco-Canadian politician with a big ego but I don't care)
3. YQX Gander Int'l
4.
5. YYZ Toronto-Pearson Int'l
6. YVR Vancouver Int'l
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8. LPA Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
9. TFS Tenerife Sur Reina Sofia
10. TFN Tenerife Norte Los Rodeos

I almost started singing ' O Canada' when I saw the first few photos...

#4 is Yellowknife (YZF) in the Northwest Territories of Canada.

Answers:

1. YHZ, Halifax Int'l, Halifax, NS, Canada
2. YUL, Montreal - Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Int'l, Montreal, Canada
3. YQX, Gander Int'l, Gander, NF, Canada
4. YZF, Yellowknife, Yellowknife, NT, Canada
5. YYZ, Lester B. Pearson Int'l, Toronto, ON, Canada
6. YVR, Vancouver Int'l, Vancouver, BC, Canada
7. HAV, Jose Marti International, Havana, Cuba
8. LPA, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
9. TFS, Tenerife Sur - Reina Sofia, Canary Islands, Spain
10. TFN, Tenerife Norte - Los Rodeos, Canary Islands, Spain