The Argentine government is raising its subsidy for Aerolineas Argentinas and its Aero Austral subsidiary by 22% and granting the company a tax holiday for 2013.
Lessons learned from the fatal crash of a G650 test aircraft in Roswell, N.M., could bolster safety for airframers and flight test departments globally.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), resisting industry suggestions to address the problem with new maintenance recommendations, has ordered CFM56-3 and -7 operators to replace accessory gearboxes (AGBs) to prevent oil leaks caused by incorrectly reinstalled covers.
The adverse effects of laws that will increase the certification requirements for scheduled carriers’ first officers will be compounded by an aging workforce and a reduced supply of instructors, says a new report by the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI).
Click here to view the pdf Nonstop Passengers Per Day Each Wa, Honolulu - Tokyo Narita Nonstop Passengers Per Day Each Wa, Honolulu - Tokyo Narita JAL Delta Others 2007Q1 1,120 618 643
Japanese Boeing supplier Nippi is looking to reduce the cost of making carbon-fiber composite parts by half, with the anticipated upgrade or successor to the U.S. manufacturer’s 777 a possible early application of this new process. By eliminating fasteners in complex pieces, Nippi estimates it also can reduce the mass of the parts by 10%.
A proposed tightening of the FAA’s English language proficiency requirements for key repair station employees is being criticized by Japan Airlines and Rockwell Collins. In its draft rewrite of Part 145 certification, the agency proposes that supervisory personnel, inspection personnel and anyone authorized to approve an article for return to service be required to “understand, speak, read and write English.” The current rule has similar requirements, with one key difference: the regulations do not require spoken English.
Indian operator Kingfisher Airlines has resumed the sale of tickets for flights from Oct. 12 despite orders from the country’s aviation regulator to suspend all reservations until the grounded carrier has complied with safety inspections.
Willie Walsh, CEO of International Airlines Group, is giving his strongest signal yet that the European company could invest in American Airlines. “IAG would look favorably on investing in a new American, regardless of whether it is a standalone carrier or in support of a decision [American Airlines CEO] Tom [Horton] and American would take to pursue consolidation,” Walsh said Oct. 8 in New York at an event announcing Qatar Airways’ inclusion in the Oneworld alliance. “Our clear interest is to do something that supports our Oneworld partner,” Walsh said.
The FAA will contract with Pratt & Whitney to modify an F117 turbofan engine—the military version of the PW2000—for a volcanic ash study involving NASA and the U.S. Air Force (USAF). P&W’s F117 powers USAF’s C-17 four-engine military transport aircraft, one of which will be used for the study, which is scheduled to start in March. The ground will inject ash into the modified engine.
Pratt & Whitney has signed a memorandum of understanding to provide internships, job opportunities and sponsorships for aerospace students and graduates at Singapore’s Republic Polytechnic that will supply the engine maker with “a pool of qualified engineers” Republic Polytechnic has three aviation-related diploma courses, two of which are focused on aerospace engineering. Each course runs for three years and has an annual intake of about 100 students.
American Airlines’ pilots union, which recently resumed talks with the carrier on a new contract, says the seven-day negotiating window set by management may be too short to resolve the months-long dispute. “No one is wildly optimistic,” a spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association (APA) tells Aviation Week. “We should know in a couple of days if management is serious or if this is just another delay tactic.” APA members in August overwhelmingly rejected American’s last contract offer, prompting the carrier to seek the bankruptcy court’s abrogation of the contract.
Airbus’ research and development efforts on titanium alloys will include a focus on the creation of new alloys with improved machining capabilities and mid- and high-temperature resistance and better fatigue and damage-tolerance properties. The manufacturer’s senior VP-material procurement, Eric Zanin, speaking yesterday at the Titanium 2012 conference in Atlanta, also said Airbus is looking to reduce titanium’s buy-to-fly ratio to lower the amount of the metal needed for each part.
Click here to view the pdf Nonstop Segment Performance: Asia/Oceania - U.S., 12 Months Ending December 2011, Ranked By Onboard Passengers Onboard ASMs % Chg. Seats Per Load
The FAA has trimmed almost 20% from its latest biennial five-year outlook for infrastructure projects eligible for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding, in part because of the current economic climate. In a new National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems report to Congress, the FAA estimates $42.5 billion of AIP-eligible projects from 2013 to 2017 for the 3,300 airports that qualify for grants, a $19.8 billion, or 19%, decline on the $52.2 billion estimated in its previous report for AIP development for 2011-2015.
The turmoil at South African Airways (SAA) has reached a new level following the resignation of Siza Mzimela as the airline’s CEO about 19 months after she assumed the role. Mzimela’s departure is understood to be linked to the airline’s deteriorating financial performance and its rough relationship with its parent, the South African government’s Ministry of Public Enterprises.
Delta Air Lines plans to expand its Asia network through the addition of two new nonstop Boeing 767-300ER services from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The proposed services, which still require government approval, are Shanghai Pu Dong International Airport and Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. Delta also plans to upgauge its Seattle service to Tokyo Narita International to a Boeing 747 and increase frequencies between Seattle and New York John F. Kennedy International Airport, attributing this growth to its code-share accord with Sea-Tac-based Alaska Air Group.
Click here to view the pdf Aircraft Operating Costs and Statistics - 12 Months Ended March 2012 - Jet Aircraft Page 8 MD11 Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas
