Career Pilot
Industry News
AirTran opening flight crew bases in Milwaukee
AirTran Airways announced Dec. 29, 2009, that it will open pilot and flight attendant bases in Milwaukee in April 2010 to support increased operations. Initially the bases will consist of 50 Boeing 737 pilots, and a minimum of 50 flight attendants working on both Boeing 717 and Boeing 737 aircraft. The payroll for these Milwaukee-based positions is expected to exceed $6.5 million per year. “As we continue to grow our Milwaukee operation, we have reached a point where we need to add flight crew bases in Milwaukee to make our airline more efficient and to support the flying out of Milwaukee,” said Kevin Healy, senior vice president of marketing and planning. Flight crews can bid for the Milwaukee positions based on seniority with the company.
[ POSTED DECEMBER 29, 2009 ]
Continental pilots mark anniversary without new contract
Even though Continental Airlines and its pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA), have been negotiating a successor agreement since July 2007, Continental pilots will see another year begin without a new contract in place. The current concessionary agreement that helped keep Continental out of bankruptcy was signed in April 2005 and became amendable on Dec. 31, 2008. Since that time, however, the parties have reached tentative agreements on only nine of 32 sections of the contract. The union presented a comprehensive proposal to management on Dec. 9, 2009, bringing all remaining sections of the contract to the table—most notably those dealing with economic issues such as pay, work rules, and benefits. “Our pilots have given over $200 million to Continental each year through cuts in pay, benefits, and work rules under our current agreement,” said Capt. Jay Pierce, union leader of the Continental pilots. “As we renew our negotiating efforts in 2010, we expect management to recognize the fact that improvements in our contract are long overdue.”
[ POSTED DECEMBER 29, 2009 ]
Second Boeing 787 Dreamliner completes first flight
The second Boeing 787 Dreamliner, ZA002, completed its first flight Dec. 22, 2009. The all-new airplane, which features the livery of the Dreamliner’s launch customer, All Nippon Airways of Japan, took off from Paine Field in Everett, Washington, landing at Boeing Field in Seattle after a two-hour flight. Capt. Randy Neville was at the controls for the flight, with Chief Pilot Mike Carriker operating as co-pilot. They took the airplane to an altitude of 13,000 feet and an airspeed of 200 knots. It was the second of six 787s that will be used in the airplane’s flight-test program. Each of the airplanes will be used for a specific set of tests, with this airplane focusing on systems performance.
[ POSTED DECEMBER 29, 2009 ]
Industry news is more important to career development and the job search than many aspiring career pilots realize. What new regulations that could affect your career lurk just over the horizon? A proposal is pending, for example, that could eliminate the longstanding FAA regulation that required airline pilots to leave the cockpit when they turn 60.
Which airline is thinking about buying another carrier? That could affect you directly if you work for the acquired carrier. Who is ordering new airplanes? If new aircraft are an addition to the carrier’s existing fleet, it will have to hire more pilots to fly them. How is the industry—and individual airlines—doing financially? While a company’s financial situation can change over time, you should know how an airline stands when you apply.
Boeing 787 makes first flight
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner flew for the first time Dec. 15, lifting off from Paine Field in Everett, Wash., before an estimated crowd of more than 12,000 employees and guests. The largely composite aircraft landed at Seattle’s Boeing Field about three hours later. 787 Chief Pilot Mike Carriker and Capt. Randy Neville took the airplane to an altitude of 15,000 feet and an airspeed of 180 knots, customary on a first flight. Tuesday’s flight, more than two years later than originally scheduled, marks the beginning of a flight test program that will see six airplanes flying nearly around the clock. First deliveries of the Dreamliner are scheduled for late 2010. To date, 55 customers around the world have ordered 840 787s, which Boeing said makes the Dreamliner the fastest-selling new commercial jetliner in history.
[ POSTED DECEMBER 22, 2009 ]
Passenger demand fell in November, ATA says
The Air Transport Association of America reported Dec. 18 that airline passenger revenue fell 7 percent in November 2009, compared to the same month in 2008—marking the 13th consecutive month in which passenger revenue has declined from the prior year. ATA said the decline in revenue was fueled primarily by the 12th consecutive month of ticket price decreases, although U.S. airlines reported that passenger counts were down 1 percent in November. Passenger revenue fell most sharply in trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific markets, ATA said. “While it’s good to see the number of passengers beginning to stabilize after several months of pronounced declines, revenue remains depressed,” said ATA President and CEO James C. May. “Hopefully this is an indication that a gradual recovery is under way.”
[ POSTED DECEMBER 22, 2009 ]
JetBlue to serve Punta Cana
JetBlue Airways said Dec. 16 that it has applied for authority from the U.S. Department of Transportation to provide new international service to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Boston’s Logan International Airport. Punta Cana would be JetBlue’s fourth destination in the Dominican Republic. The airline plans to begin daily nonstop flights between Punta Cana and Kennedy on May 6, 2010, and nonstop Saturday flights from Boston two days later. JetBlue will operate its Punta Cana service with 150-seat Airbus A320 aircraft.
[ POSTED DECEMBER 22, 2009 ]
AirTran launches new island services
AirTran Airways on Dec. 17 launched nonstop service to Key West (Fla.) International Airport from Orlando International Airport. AirTran operates Boeing 737s on the route, with four flights each week. On the same day, AirTran launched nonstop flights to Nassau, Bahamas; new nonstop service to Aruba began Dec. 19; and flights to Montego Bay, Jamaica, will begin in February. The carrier also said it will resume scheduled service from Gulfport/Biloxi, Miss., to the carrier’s hub in Atlanta— and add new service from Gulfport/Biloxi to Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla.—beginning January 8; Boeing 717 aircraft will fly the roués on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
[ POSTED DECEMBER 22, 2009 ]
American, DHL fly steaks to troops in Afghanistan
In the true spirit of giving, American Airlines Cargo and DHL Express recently partnered to deliver steak dinners to U.S. troops based in Afghanistan. American supplied DHL with temperature-controlled containers, allowing for the long-range transportation of perishable goods. DHL used the containers to deliver more than 5,000 steaks for the troops to enjoy during the holiday season. In addition, 2,500 pounds of Dallas Cowboys football jerseys and other sports apparel, donated by the Cowboys, were provided to the troops. “The logistics of getting freshly frozen food product to a war zone in a desert environment is astounding,” said Red Alexander, vice president of aviation for DHL Express.
[ POSTED DECEMBER 8, 2009 ]
Continental ups flights between California, Hawaii
Continental Airlines announced Dec. 4 that new service between Orange County and Maui would begin March 7, 2010. The carrier also increased to daily its previously announced service between Orange County and Honolulu, also starting March 7. The new Orange County-Maui flight will operate four times weekly, using 124-seat Boeing 737-700 aircraft; Continental plans to increase the service to daily during the summer. Increased from four times weekly to daily, Continental’s previously announced service between Orange County’s John Wayne Airport and Honolulu International Airport also will use Boeing 737-700s. Earlier, the airline announced new service between Los Angeles and Maui and the addition of a second daily flight between Los Angeles and Honolulu.
[ POSTED DECEMBER 8, 2009 ]
Allegiant Air shifting some flights to Orlando International
Allegiant Air, LLC, a subsidiary of Allegiant Travel Company, announced Dec. 1 that it will establish a new base at Orlando International Airport beginning Feb. 1, 2010. The low-fare carrier will initially serve 10 U.S. cities from the base. Allegiant currently offers nonstop, scheduled service to Orlando-Sanford International Airport from 31 U.S. cities; service to 10 of those cities will shift to Orlando International. Moving some flights from Orlando-Sanford to Orlando International “allows us to be responsive to the many Orlando travelers who prefer the proximity of Orlando International to the most prominent attractions in the Orlando area, including, most obviously, Walt Disney World,” said Robert Ashcroft, vice president of planning for Allegiant Air. By March 5, the leisure-focused carrier plans to base five 150-seat MD-80 series jets at Orlando International.
[ POSTED DECEMBER 8, 2009 ]
Delta adding new flights to Hawaii
Delta Air Lines announced Dec. 2 that it will begin nonstop flights connecting Honolulu with Detroit and San Diego, beginning in June 2010. The new service marks the first time Delta has served Honolulu from San Diego and reinstates nonstop service from Detroit that had been discontinued in 2004. &dquo;The expanded customer base created through Delta’s merger with Northwest allows us to bring new service to markets that previously did not have the demand to sustain nonstop flights,&dquo; said Bob Cortelyou, Delta’s senior vice president for network planning.
[ POSTED DECEMBER 8, 2009 ]
New Gulfstream makes first flight
The new ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G650 has successfully completed its first flight, Gulfstream Aerospace announced Nov. 25. Flown by experimental test pilot Jake Howard and senior experimental test pilot Tom Horne, the G650 took off from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport at 1:41 p.m. local time with flight engineer Bill Osborne on board. The pilots were alerted to a slight vibration in a landing-gear door and curtailed the testing regimen as a precautionary measure; the jet landed 12 minutes later. The G650 rolled out of the Savannah manufacturing facility under its own power on Sept. 29 and remains on schedule for type certification by 2011, followed by entry into service in 2012. Gulfstream did not announce how many orders it has received for the new model.
[ POSTED DECEMBER 1, 2009 ]
American Eagle ups Milwaukee, Dallas/Fort Worth flights
American Eagle Airlines said it will increase its daily nonstop flights between General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wis., and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport beginning Jan. 31, 2010. The additions will increase to five American Eagle’s total number of flights between the cities. The carrier will operate its Milwaukee service using a combination of 70-seat Bombardier CRJ-700 and 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 jets.
[ POSTED DECEMBER 1, 2009 ]
AirTran to launch service between Des Moines, Orlando
AirTran Airways announced new service between Orlando and Des Moines International Airport on Nov. 27. Beginning March 6, 2010, AirTran will offer a nonstop flight each way between the cities on Saturdays and Sundays, using Boeing 717 aircraft. AirTran said it will be the only carrier offering nonstop service from Des Moines to Orlando International Airport.
[ POSTED DECEMBER 1, 2009 ]
Jamaicans object to Spirit’s bid for Air Jamaica
A former president of the Jamaica Airline Pilots Association (JALPA) has sent an open letter to Spirit Airlines, asking the low-cost carrier to drop its bid to purchase Air Jamaica and disclose the purchase price to the current and former Air Jamaica employees who are determined to keep the country’s only airline under Jamaican ownership—even if it means purchasing it themselves. “Air Jamaica is our one remaining national treasure, our only resource to hand down to the children of Jamaica in hopes of a better future for them,” said Wesley Sampson of Mayday Air Jamaica. “It is unconscionable to take this asset out of Jamaican hands.” The organization is asking the Jamaican government to sell the airline to its employees.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 24, 2009 ]
American Eagle to serve five new destinations from Miami
American Eagle Airlines, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, began nonstop jet service from Miami International Airport to Charleston, S.C., and Knoxville, Tenn., as well as to Eleuthera and Treasure Cay in the Bahamas, on Nov. 19. New service to Governor’s Harbour, Bahamas, began Nov 20. With the additions, American and American Eagle will operate 276 daily flights from their Miami hub.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 24, 2009 ]
Comm outage effects should have been minor
The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS), the union representing FAA technicians, is concerned about the response to Nov. 19’s outage of the Federal Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI). The outage occurred because of a corrupt router card for the FTI server at the Salt Lake Center in Utah and had a rippling effect that caused significant air traffic delays across the country. When the outage occurred, FTI parent Harris Corporation attempted to troubleshoot the problem remotely but eventually a Harris FTI technician had to be dispatched to the scene, and it took four hours to rectify the situation. “If the FAA owned and maintained this system, the problem could have been corrected within minutes,” said Tom Brantley, PASS national president. “This could have reduced delays tremendously and allowed a much quicker resolution to the problem.”
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 24, 2009 ]
Honeywell fuel powers 747’s biofuel demonstration flight
UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced Nov. 23 that its renewable jet fuel process technology was used to convert second-generation, renewable feedstocks to green jet fuel for a biofuel demonstration flight by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. UOP’s process technology was used to convert oil from camelina, an inedible plant, to green jet fuel for the flight. One engine of a Boeing 747 was powered by a 50/50 mixture of the green jet fuel and traditional petroleum-derived jet fuel. The flight, from Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, was the first green jet fuel demonstration flight in Europe and the first test flight to carry a select group of observers.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 24, 2009 ]
Teamsters, ABX Air reach tentative bargaining agreement
The Airline Professionals Association Teamsters Local 1224 announced Nov. 13 that it has reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement with ABX Air, Inc. Formerly Airborne Express, the cargo airline’s primary customer is DHL. The tentative agreement is contingent on two key components: ABX Air and DHL must reach a commercial agreement for airlift and union members must vote to approve the contract. “The fact is that our struggle may not be over,” said Local 1224 President Joe Muckle. “If ABX Air and DHL aren't able to reach a commercial agreement, all our time and efforts will have been for naught.” Union spokesmen said the pilot group made sacrifices to help the company reduce costs so that it could survive and strive for growth, as well as giving the carrier greater flexibility. Nearly 400 ABX flight crewmembers are on furlough.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 17, 2009 ]
First 747-8 Freighter leaves factory
The first Boeing 747-8 Freighter was towed out of the factory in Everett, Wash., on Nov. 12. As soon as the airplane, ultimately destined for Cargolux, is painted, preparations for flight test will begin. Boeing said the 747-8 Freighter is a new high-capacity 747 that will give cargo operators the lowest operating costs and best economics of any freighter airplane while providing enhanced environmental performance. It is 18 feet, 4 inches longer than the 747-400 Freighter, providing 16 percent more revenue cargo volume or space for four additional main-deck pallets and three additional lower-hold pallets. Boeing reports 105 orders for the 747-8, 78 of which are for the cargo version.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 17, 2009 ]
Pilots’ group offers scholarships
The National Gay Pilots Association plans to award $15,000 in scholarships during 2010 to students pursuing careers as professional pilots. Merit-based scholarships of $3,000 to $4,000 will be awarded on the basis of demonstrated academic ability, financial need, and active participation in matters of social justice and the betterment of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. Awards will not discriminate on the basis of an applicant’s sexual orientation. Applications are due March 1. For more information, see the Web site.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 17, 2009 ]
Virgin America launches California-Fort Lauderdale service
California-based Virgin America will celebrate the launch of its new service to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Nov. 18. Passengers will be welcomed with a champagne reception when Airbus A319 aircraft arrive from Los Angeles International and San Francisco International airports. The airline will offer two daily nonstop flights between the California airports and Ft. Lauderdale. Virgin America is a separate company from Virgin Atlantic, although Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group is a minority shareholder in Virgin America.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 17, 2009 ]
NetJets to furlough up to 495 pilots
NetJets Aviation, Inc. intends to furlough up to 495 pilots in mid-January 2010, the fractional operator’s pilot union announced Nov. 5. "After several months of continuous efforts to mitigate a pilot furlough, we have reached a point at which the economic realities that challenge our employer can no longer be offset by the ground-breaking initiatives implemented earlier this year," said Capt. Mark Luthi, NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots president. Despite widespread participation in a variety of voluntary, incentivized staffing reduction options launched in April, NetJets has concluded that furloughs are unavoidable. The union said that with nearly a year of planning, it is positioned to offer immediate access to information and resources designed to assist furloughed crewmembers and their families. "As the NetJets restructuring effort continues, the union remains willing to engage in mutually beneficial talks intended to hasten our pilots’ return to the flight line," Luthi said.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 10, 2009]
ATA expects 4-percent dip in Thanksgiving travel
The Air Transport Association of America said Nov. 9 that it expects a 4-percent year-over-year decrease in the number of passengers traveling on U.S. airlines during the 2009 Thanksgiving holiday season, despite deep discounting over the past several months. "It is increasingly apparent that the economic headwinds facing the airlines and their customers are anything but behind us," said ATA President and CEO James C. May. Because of the decrease in available seats and deep discounting, flights still are likely to be very full. ATA expects the federal government to open up special-use airspace to help ease congestion.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 10, 2009]
United to drop 26 Mesa regional jets
Mesa Air Group on Nov. 6 announced that the deadline had passed for United Airlines to renew Mesa’s operation of 26 CRJ-200 aircraft under its code-share agreement with United. Mesa said that it plans to work with United on an orderly transition plan, and expects to stop providing the service no later than April 30, 2010. Mesa currently operates 136 aircraft with approximately 800 daily system departures to 126 cities, 40 states, Canada, and Mexico; it operates under contract as Delta Connection, US Airways Express, and United Express.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 10, 2009]
SkyWest to launch code share with AirTran
SkyWest Airlines, Inc. a subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc., and AirTran Airways announced Nov. 4 that SkyWest—under a new code-share agreement with AirTran—will operate five 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft between Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport and six destinations. SkyWest will offer new nonstop service from Milwaukee to Akron/Canton, Ohio; Des Moines, Iowa; and Omaha, Neb.; and will add frequency from Milwaukee to Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis. The first flights are scheduled to begin Dec. 4.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 10, 2009]
Cape Air launches service from St. Louis
Cape Air will begin air service Nov. 8 from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport to Cape Girardeau, Mo., as well as Quincy and Marion, Ill. “Our aircraft are in place and pilots, along with our airport personnel, are ready to greet our Midwest passengers,” said Dan Wolf, Cape Air’s founder and CEO. While the agreement is still being finalized, Wolf expects Cape Air to be operating under a code share arrangement with American Airlines by early spring.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 3, 2009 ]
Boeing chooses South Carolina for second 787 assembly line
Boeing announced Oct. 28 that it has chosen its North Charleston, S.C., facility as the second final assembly site for the 787 Dreamliner program. Boeing said it evaluated criteria designed to find the final assembly location within the company that would best support the 787 business plan as production rates increase. Boeing Charleston already performs fabrication, assembly, and systems installation for the 787 aft fuselage sections; across the street, Global Aeronautica, which is 50 percent owned by Boeing, is responsible for joining and integrating 787 fuselage sections from other structural partners. Approximately 55 airlines have ordered some 840 787 airplanes since the program was launched in 2003, although the airplane has not yet flown. Boeing said Aug. 27 that the 787 was now scheduled to make its first flight by the end of 2009, with first deliveries of the new airliner expected in the fourth quarter of 2010. The company anticipates a production rate of 10 airplanes per month by late 2013.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 3, 2009 ]
Continental launches new routes from Houston
Continental Airlines launched daily nonstop flights Nov. 1 to three new destinations from its hub at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston: Frankfurt, Germany; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; and Washington Dulles International Airport. The new service to Frankfurt will be operated with Boeing 767-400ER aircraft, and daily flights to Edmonton will use Boeing 737-500 aircraft. The flights to Washington Dulles International Airport, to provide increased connecting opportunities with Star Alliance partner United Airline’s international service, will be operated three times daily by Continental Express carrier ExpressJet using 50-seat Embraer regional jets.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 3, 2009 ]
ACI anticipates Asia Pacific growth
In 20 years more than 40 percent of the world’s airline traffic will begin, end, or take place within the Asia Pacific region, according to Randy Tinseth, Boeing’s vice president of marketing. “That’s a big leap for a region that was not even mentioned in our earliest Boeing market forecasts back in the 1950s.” During that period, Tinseth added, Asia Pacific air travel will grow from 32 percent of the world market to 41 percent. As a result, Air Charter International—an aircraft charter and leasing company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates—is opening regional offices and building relationships in the region. “Making sure we are well represented in this region is vital to the success of our business,” said Stuart Wheeler, ACI’s CEO.
[ POSTED NOVEMBER 3, 2009 ]
ATA reports continued decline in passengers, cargo
The Air Transport Association of America reported Oct. 20 that passenger revenue, based on a sample group of carriers, fell 19 percent in September 2009 versus the same month in 2008—marking the 11th consecutive month in which passenger revenue has declined from the prior year. ATA said the revenue decrease was primarily caused by 10 consecutive months of ticket-price declines. "The demand for air travel remains weak, as evidenced by the untenable pricing environment," said ATA President and CEO James C. May. "While other sectors may be seeing signs that the economy is getting back on track, the airline industry has faced challenges in its effort to generate revenue." Also reflecting a weak global economy is the continued decline in cargo traffic. U.S. airlines saw cargo revenue ton miles decline 12 percent year over year in August 2009, the 13th consecutive month of declining volumes.
[ POSTED OCTOBER 27, 2009 ]
SkyWest expands relationship with United
SkyWest, Inc. announced Oct. 20 that it has reached an agreement with United Air Lines, Inc. that provides operational funding to United; extends the current code-sharing relationship with SkyWest Airlines; and creates the opportunity for Atlantic Southeast Airlines, another SkyWest subsidiary, to develop a relationship with United. The agreements extend SkyWest Airlines’ rights to operate 40 regional jet aircraft under the United Express brand until the end of their current lease terms, which is an average of 8.4 years. ASA will begin operating as a United Express carrier starting in the first quarter of 2010, and is scheduled to be operating 13 regional jets for United Express by May 2010. SkyWest Airlines loaned United $80 million for 10 years at 11 percent interest; it is secured by certain ground equipment and airport slot rights held by United. SkyWest Airlines also agreed to defer certain amounts otherwise payable to SkyWest under the existing United Express agreement.
[ POSTED OCTOBER 27, 2009 ]
Continental joins Star Alliance
Continental Airlines became the 25th member of the Star Alliance on Oct. 27. Alliance officials said the move will further enhance its three main customer benefits: global reach, worldwide recognition, and seamless travel. Continental’s membership follows last year’s announcement of a strategic partnership between Continental and United Air Lines. Staff from both airlines and the alliance have been working together over the past 18 months to ensure the first successful transition of a major airline from one global alliance to another.
[ POSTED OCTOBER 27, 2009 ]
House votes to increase hiring minimums for regional pilots
The U.S. House of Representatives on Oct. 14 passed H.R.3371, the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act, by a vote of 409 to 11. It would mandate that all commercial air carriers, including regional airlines, only hire pilots that hold an airline transport pilot certificate—effectively increasing minimum flight time to 1,500 hours, a requirement of the ATP. A provision would allow credit toward those 1,500 hours for certain ground training, the details of which remain to be decided. The legislation, enacted in response to the February 2009 crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 near Buffalo, also mandates additional stall training, mentoring for less experienced pilots, and proactive efforts to mitigate pilot fatigue. The measure cannot become law until it is adopted by the Senate; it was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on Oct. 15.
[ POSTED OCTOBER 20, 2009 ]
NBAA announces business aviation job resource
The National Business Aviation Association has launched a new job resource, Business Aviation Jobs. It is designed to make it easier for business aviation professionals to find the newest available positions and gain greater exposure to hiring companies. Job-seekers can upload a resume free of charge; it will be indexed for easy searching by hiring companies. Visitors also can search available jobs and sign up to receive alerts when new jobs are posted. Until Nov. 15, companies can post job openings on the site at no charge.
[ POSTED OCTOBER 20, 2009 ]
United pilots object to airline’s continued outsourcing plan
United Airlines’ acknowledgement that it will continue pursuing an “innovative” arrangement with Aer Lingus even though both airlines are laying off employees is an insult to employees on both sides of the Atlantic, United’s pilot group said. Last January, United announced an agreement with Aer Lingus under which it would operate flights between Washington, D.C., and Madrid using non-United pilots. “With United’s plans to furlough nearly 1,500 pilots and siphon marketing money from its own operation to pour into this venture, it is inexcusable for this same management team to turn around and utilize non-United pilots to fly the Washington-to-Madrid route,” said Capt. Steve Wallach, chairman of the United Master Executive Council of the Air Line Pilots Association. Workforce reductions announced by Aer Lingus apparently won’t affect the arrangement. The Air Line Pilots Association has launched a legislative campaign to ensure that U.S. airline workers are treated fairly in alliances between U.S. and foreign carriers.
[ POSTED OCTOBER 20, 2009 ]
UND launches first collegiate program in unmanned aircraft systems
The University of North Dakota John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences said it is the first educational institution in the nation to offer an undergraduate major in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations. UND Aerospace said the program, launched in August 2009, addresses the increasing demand for qualified pilots and sensor operators in the rapidly growing field of UAS, high-altitude aircraft that are flown remotely from the ground for both military and commercial uses. “As platform use increases with military, law enforcement, and other commercial applications, the demand for qualified pilots and operators will increase as well,” said UND Aerospace Dean Bruce Smith. “Our program offers tremendous career opportunities to students who are passionate about aviation and aspire to push the envelope of innovation.”
[ POSTED OCTOBER 20, 2009 ]
Mesa announces Hawaii joint venture
Mesa Air Group on Oct. 13 partnered with Mokulele Airlines to provide Hawaii inter-island airline service under the go! and Mokulele brand names. The move will form Hawaii’s second largest inter-island airline. “We are delighted and privileged to launch this joint venture and build upon go!’s strong reputation as Hawaii’s only low-cost provider of inter-island service,” said Mesa Chairman and CEO Jonathan Ornstein. “This strategic alliance in partnership with Mokulele is a first among regional airlines.” Mesa, which currently operates 136 aircraft, launched inter-island Hawaiian service as go! in June 2006, linking Honolulu to Hilo, Kahului, Kona, and Lihue.
[ POSTED OCTOBER 13, 2009 ]
Southwest adds flights through seasonal adjustments
Southwest Airlines announced Oct. 13 that through the continuation of a flight optimization exercise, the airline is adding 62 roundtrip flights and eliminating 10 roundtrip flights for a net gain of 52 roundtrip flights, or 104 one-way weekday flights systemwide. “Some airports will see noticeable increases—Chicago gets 21 more daily flights, Baltimore gets 18, Orlando and Tampa each get nine more flights,” said Bill Owen, Southwest’s lead planner, in a blog post. “To be clear—we are not back into growth mode,” Owen noted. “We’re able to add all these flights not by adding to our fleet, but by taking advantage of the seasonal decrease in flying time going from winter into spring. You’d be surprised how much extra time an average decrease of five minutes per flight, spread across 3,200 flights a day, can create.”
[ POSTED OCTOBER 13, 2009 ]
Embraer Phenom 100 simulators certified
Two Phenom 100 full-flight simulators, designed and manufactured by CAE for Embraer CAE Training Services (ECTS), have received certification from international regulatory authorities. The first is located at the CAE training center in Dallas, and has been certified by both the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The second Phenom 100 full-flight simulator, located in Burgess Hill, United Kingdom, was certified by EASA. “A very comprehensive training program has been built around these state-of-the-art full-flight simulators,” said Simon Newitt, Embraer’s director of customer training. ECTS, a joint venture between Embraer and CAE, provides comprehensive pilot and technical training to Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 purchasers.
[ POSTED OCTOBER 13, 2009 ]
Sullenberger flies again for US Airways
Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who piloted US Airways Flight 1549 during its emergency water landing on the Hudson River in January, has returned to work in a new role as a management pilot, the airline announced Sept. 28. In addition to his flying duties, Sullenberger will serve on the US Airways flight operations safety management team. “The months since January 15 have been very full, and my family and I have had some unforgettable experiences,” Sullenberger said. “However, I have missed working with my colleagues at US Airways and I am eager to get back in the cockpit.” He said he would continue to be an advocate for aviation safety in his new role. On Oct. 1, Sullenberger and Flight 1549 First Officer Jeff Skiles flew US Airways Flight 1427 from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte, N.C. They were recently named co-chairmen of the EAA Young Eagles Program, succeeding actor and pilot Harrison Ford.
[ POSTED OCTOBER 6, 2009 ]
Eagle announces new service to Fargo, Birmingham
American Eagle Airlines announced that it will begin nonstop jet service between Fargo, N.D., and Chicago O’Hare International Airport on April 6, 2010. American Eagle will operate 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 jets three times daily on the route. On the same day, American Eagle will launch nonstop jet service between Birmingham, Ala., and Miami International Airport with two daily Embraer ERJ-145 flights. American Eagle operates more than 1,500 daily flights to nearly 160 cities.
[ POSTED OCTOBER 6, 2009 ]
CitationShares to announce re-launch
CitationShares will announce its company re-launch, including a new name and brand, Oct. 9 in New York City. CitationShares’ leadership, as well as senior leadership from parent companies Cessna Aircraft Company and Textron, Inc. also will share their thoughts on the future of the private aviation industry. Founded in 2000, CitationShares offers individuals and businesses the advantages of private jet travel through fractional and whole-aircraft ownership programs, as well as through its Vector Fleet JetCard, which allows customers access to its entire fleet of Citation aircraft on an hourly basis.
[ POSTED OCTOBER 6, 2009 ]
Newest Goodyear blimp pilot takes flight
Nathan Brooks has become the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s newest blimp pilot after passing his checkride at the company’s airship operations facility in Carson, Calif. Brooks, 29, joins three other aviators who serve as pilots for the California-based Spirit of America airship. There are fewer blimp pilots than there are astronauts, so Brooks joins an elite group, Goodyear said. The company employs 12 blimp pilots and currently operates three airships; the Spirit of Goodyear is based in Akron, Ohio, and the Spirit of Innovation calls Pompano Beach, Fla., home. Goodyear blimps are used to promote the company’s business, support customers, help charities, and provide aerial views of major television events. The tire maker, which is celebrating 100 years of aircraft-tire production in 2009, built its first airship in 1925.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 29, 2009 ]
Hearing considers punitive attendance polices at regionals
The Regional Airline Association testified at a Sept. 24 hearing before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation that none of its member carriers has a punitive sick or fatigue policy. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 747, the union representing Republic Airways flight crewmembers, disagreed. The union said Republic Airways—comprising Chautauqua Airlines, Republic Airlines, Shuttle America, and now Midwest Airlines—has an attendance policy that “strikes fear in the employees who fly for these airlines.” When calling in sick, a Republic pilot is considered "unavailable" regardless of the reason; the union said eight such occurrences in a year likely will result in termination. Federal aviation regulations preclude required flight crewmembers from flight duty while they have a known medical or physical deficiency. The NTSB issued a report last year on an incident involving a Republic carrier in which the captain’s fatigue, and the carrier’s failure to administer an attendance policy that permitted flight crewmembers to call in fatigued without fear of reprisals, were cited as contributing factors.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 29, 2009 ]
Global airline capacity grows for second consecutive month
Global airline capacity for September 2009 is showing positive growth for the second consecutive month, OAG reported Sept. 24. The world’s airlines scheduled 296.9 million seats, a rise of 1.4 percent—or 4,130,744 more seats—over September 2008 levels. “After 11 straight months of capacity cutbacks, these figures indicate a growing confidence within the industry that demand for air travel is starting to pick up," said David Beckerman, OAG vice president of market intelligence. Frequencies are marginally down compared to last year, with 14,321 fewer flights than September 2008.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 29, 2009 ]
Flight Options pilots to vote on strike
The pilots employed by Flight Options LLC, the Cleveland-based provider of luxury business jet fractional ownership and charter programs, are taking part in a strike authorization vote. Teamsters Local 1108, which authorized the vote, and Flight Options management have been in negotiations over a first contract for pilots since June 2006. The parties met at the National Mediation Board in Washington, D.C., during mid-September but no agreement was reached; the federal mediator assigned to the case has scheduled a final bargaining session in late October. Strike authorization ballots were sent to the union’s membership on Sept. 21, and ballots will be counted at Local 1108’s Richmond Heights, Ohio, offices on Oct. 19. The local, which is part of the Teamsters Airline Division, represents more than 500 pilots employed by Flight Options LLC.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 ]
United adds new destinations
United Airlines announced Sept. 22 that it is launching service to three new destinations: Duluth, Minn.; Asheville, N.C.; and Midland/Odessa, Texas. Twice-daily nonstop flights will connect Duluth and Asheville with Chicago; Midland/Odessa will be served from United’s Denver hub. In addition, one new daily nonstop will link Denver with Louisville, Ky. All of the flights will be operated by United Express carrier SkyWest Airlines, using 50-seat CRJ-200 regional jets.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 ]
FedEx takes delivery of first 777 Freighter
Boeing Commercial Airplanes and FedEx Express celebrated the delivery of the airline’s first 777 Freighter in Seattle on Sept. 22. FedEx has ordered 30 of the twin-engine airplanes from Boeing and has options on 15 additional aircraft. FedEx’s cargo-configured 777s will have a maximum takeoff weight of 766,800 pounds, maximum operating revenue payload of 324,000 pounds, and a range of 6,675 statute miles in typical FedEx international service.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 ]
TSA approves electronic ID for airline crews
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has authorized the operational rollout of an electronic identification service for airline crews. ARINC recently added biometric fingerprint scans to its CrewPASS system, now being tested at three U.S. airports. To use the system, airline crew members must present their airline employee badge at a TSA checkpoint and place their index finger on a scanner. The badge number is verified against the airline’s secure database, while the fingerprint scan is verified against another secure database. “The next milestone involves recruiting multiple airlines as early adopters. This will allow us to begin a systematic rollout of the service nationwide,” said Tim Ryan, ARINC CrewPASS program director.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 15, 2009 ]
Amerijet, flight crews agree on 4-year contract
Amerijet and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters agreed Sept. 14 on a new four-year labor contract covering flight crew employees. “A company’s employees are its greatest asset. We are pleased that an agreement was reached and that we can move forward together,” said Pamela Rollins, senior vice president of business development. She said Amerijet’s relationships with its customers, employees, and agents worldwide allowed the airline to continue scheduled operations despite the two-week strike that began Aug. 27. The agreement is the pilots’ first collective bargaining agreement after five years of negotiations. The pilots and flight engineers, who fly Amerijet’s five Boeing 727s—and, beginning in early 2010, two leased Boeing 767s—from Miami International Airport to the Caribbean islands and South America, voted 35 to 3 in favor of the contract. “We had tremendous industry support for our Amerijet pilots,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters general president. “This contract is a major step forward for the pilots.”
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 15, 2009 ]
JetBlue launches new service to Baltimore
JetBlue Airways launched nonstop service on Sept. 9 to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, with four daily flights to Boston’s Logan International Airport. The new service to Baltimore, JetBlue’s 57th destination, complements the carrier’s existing six daily flights between Boston and Washington Dulles International Airport.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 15, 2009 ]
Southwest to add three destinations from Denver
Southwest Airlines said it will begin new nonstop service between Denver and Boston Logan, Spokane, and Reno/Tahoe airports beginning Jan. 10, 2010. Southwest will add two new daily nonstop roundtrips between Denver and Boston Logan; it will add one new daily nonstop roundtrip each from Denver to Spokane and to Reno/Tahoe.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 15, 2009 ]
Boeing projects significant Asia Pacific growth
The Asia Pacific region will be the world’s largest aviation market over the next 20 years, requiring 8,960 new commercial jets valued at approximately $1.1 trillion, according to Boeing forecasts. “Twenty years from now more than 40 percent of the world’s airline traffic will begin, end, or take place within the Asia Pacific region,” said Randy Tinseth of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Between now and 2028, Asia Pacific air travel will grow from 32 percent of the world market to 41 percent, he said. Covering a broad area including Japan, Korea, China, Australia, and India, the region currently accounts for more than 8,300 flights and 1.2 million travelers daily. According to the Boeing outlook released Sept. 9 in Hong Kong, in less than 10 years it will be the largest air travel market in the world. “This is clearly a difficult time in the aviation market, and today’s challenges are reflected in the Boeing forecast, but we do expect the growing Asia markets to lead the industry into recovery,” Tinseth said.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 8, 2009 ]
Passenger groups advocate 3-hour deplaning rule
The Business Travel Coalition has joined FlyersRights.org in advocating for passenger rights legislation that includes an option for passengers to disembark after three hours of onboard delay for domestic U.S. flights, should the captain decide it is reasonable and safe to do so. In a Business Travel Coalition survey, 82 percent of travel industry professionals and business travelers support legislative language championed by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) that includes the three-hour option. Coalition Chairman Kevin Mitchell said the organization has testified four times since 1999 in opposition to Congressional intervention, and opposed the New York State Passenger Bill of Rights that would have led to disparate passenger rights standards in every state. However, he said, “Consumers continue to be harmed and are without protections at the state level.”
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 8, 2009 ]
Industry urged to consider fixed training devices
The aviation training industry should stand together through the current economic challenges by lowering training costs, increasing efficiency, and embracing competency-based training programs, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Training and Flight Services Vice President Sherry Carbary said Sept. 8. Speaking at the Asia Pacific Aviation Training Symposium in Hong Kong, she said that every step of the value chain needs to simplify operations and better utilize resources, and advocated the migration of training from full flight simulators to fixed training devices. “Given the technology that exists today and that which will be available tomorrow, airlines need to rethink what training should be done by simulator and what can be done more efficiently by fixed training devices and Web-based learning systems,” she said.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 8, 2009 ]
United Express launches new Chicago routes
United Express has begun service between the United Airlines hub at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Huntsville, Ala.; El Paso, Texas; and Little Rock, Ark. Another new route, between Chicago and London, Ontario, begins Sept. 29.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 8, 2009 ]
Boeing revises 787 schedule
The Boeing Company announced Aug. 27 that the 787 Dreamliner will make its first flight by the end of 2009, with first deliveries of the new airliner expected in the fourth quarter of 2010. The revised schedule reflects the previously announced need to reinforce an area within the side-of-body section of the aircraft, along with the addition of several weeks of schedule margin to reduce flight test and certification risk, Boeing said. The company anticipates a production rate of 10 airplanes per month by late 2013.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 1, 2009 ]
JetBlue announces codeshare, new routes
JetBlue Airways signed a codeshare agreement with Lufthansa on Aug. 31. The airlines initially plan to offer connecting service between 12 JetBlue destinations in the United States and Puerto Rico and Lufthansa’s network of 180 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. In January 2008, the two airlines entered into an agreement under which Deutsche Lufthansa AG purchased an ownership interest in JetBlue Airways Corporation. JetBlue also announced that it will begin nonstop service from San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Nov. 17. In January 2010, the airline will add two daily nonstop flights from San Francisco to Long Beach, Calif.; a daily nonstop flight to Boston’s Logan International Airport; and a daily nonstop flight to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. New service linking Montego Bay, Jamaica, to Boston and Orlando is anticipated this winter, pending government approvals.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 1, 2009 ]
Other unions support striking Amerijet flight crews
Pilot organizations for several major U.S. passenger and cargo airlines are demonstrating their support for the 62 Amerijet flight deck crewmembers who went on strike Aug. 27. The cargo carrier said it was prepared for this contingency and it has continued to operate its published flight schedule. Amerijet and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters have been negotiating a collective bargaining agreement for nearly five years, and both parties are at an impasse on central issues. Pilots from UPS, Atlas Air, and Kalitta, all of which are Amerijet competitors, have joined pilot unions at American, US Airways, Southwest, and others in support of the striking Amerijet pilots and flight engineers. At Miami International Airport, Teamster-represented maintenance workers and cleaners are also refusing to cross picket lines.
[ POSTED SEPTEMBER 1, 2009 ]
July passenger demand falls, despite lower fares
The Air Transport Association of America (ATA) reported Aug. 20 that passenger revenue based on a sample group of carriers fell 21 percent in July 2009 versus the same month in 2008, the ninth consecutive month in which passenger revenue has fallen from the prior year. Four percent fewer passengers traveled on those U.S. airlines in July, while the average price to fly one mile fell 18 percent. Revenue declines extended beyond the mainland United States to the trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific, and Latin markets, ATA said. U.S. airlines saw cargo revenue ton miles decline 15 percent year over year, 11 percent domestically and 18 percent internationally, in June 2009.
[ POSTED AUGUST 25, 2009 ]
ExpressJet crew cleared in Aug. 8 tarmac delay
The ExpressJet Airlines crew of Continental Airlines Flight 2816 was not at fault in the Aug. 8 tarmac delay at Rochester, Minn., that stranded passengers in the airplane from 12:28 to 6 a.m., U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Aug. 21 when he announced that DOT had completed its preliminary investigation into the incident. “The flight crew repeatedly tried to get permission to deplane the passengers at the airport or obtain a bus for them,” LaHood said. “The local representative of Mesaba Airlines improperly refused the requests of the captain to let her passengers off the plane. The representative incorrectly said that the airport was closed to passengers for security reasons,” he said. Mesaba was the only carrier able to assist Continental at the airport, where the flight—en route from Houston to Minneapolis—diverted because of severe weather in the Twin Cities region. "We have processes in place to avoid these situations and those processes clearly broke down in this case,” Continental Chairman and CEO Larry Kellner said. “We are working to ensure that doesn’t happen again."
[ POSTED AUGUST 25, 2009 ]
Passenger-rights group targets Obama
President Obama arrived on Martha’s Vineyard Aug. 22 to vacation with his family—and airline passenger advocacy group FlyersRights.org hopes that he’ll watch some television while he’s there. The organization is running cable television ads on Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Cape Cod during Obama’s visit to remind him of his support for the Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights. “We’re closer to protecting airline passengers than ever before,” said Kate Hanni, who founded 26,000-member FlyersRights.org after she and her family were stuck on the tarmac in Austin for nine hours in 2006. The bipartisan Boxer-Snowe Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights was approved unanimously by the Senate Commerce Committee in July, and is expected to be taken up by the Senate next month. “We’re coming to Martha’s Vineyard to remind the president of his cosponsorship of the legislation when he was a senator and to ask him to support us as president,” Hanni said.
[ POSTED AUGUST 25, 2009 ]
Republic beats Southwest in bid for Frontier
Bankruptcy trustees for Frontier Airlines on August 13 selected a bid by Republic Airlines as the “highest and best” offer for the assets of the carrier. Republic bid $108.8 million for Denver—based Frontier, which filed for bankruptcy protection in April 2008. Southwest’s bid of more than $170 million included several contingencies that had to be resolved before a deal would go through—including an agreement between the airlines’ pilot unions. “We chose not to amend our bid to remove the labor requirement, a key reason our bid was not selected,” said Gary Kelly, Southwest’s chairman, president, and CEO. “This was a great opportunity that required us to act fast. A lot of people worked very hard with every intention of making this work.” In the end, the Frontier bankruptcy lawyers allowed only a few hours to negotiate an integration agreement that historically takes months or years to accomplish, noted Capt. Carl Kuwitzky, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association. “Southwest Airlines chose to include a labor contingency in their bid for Frontier Airlines,” Kuwitzky said. “That contingency guaranteed no drawn—out labor integration battle that is seen in so many other mergers and acquisitions.”
[ POSTED AUGUST 18, 2009 ]
Regional pilots can participate in fatigue survey
Are you currently flying as a regional airline pilot? If so, Alertness and Performance Management, a fatigue management training company in Charlotte, N.C., wants your help. Regional airline pilots are invited to take the company’s online survey. The survey will help determine the extent of human fatigue in the regional airline industry, the company said.
[ POSTED AUGUST 18, 2009 ]
Global airline capacity shows marginal growth
Global airline capacity is showing marginal growth for August 2009—the first month of positive growth for a year, reports aviation information company OAG. The world’s airlines have 314.2 million seats on offer this month, a rise of 0.2 percent (472,839 more seats) over August 2008 levels, OAG said. “After a year of capacity cutbacks, it is encouraging to see positive numbers in the year-on-year comparisons,” said David Beckerman, vice president of OAG Market Intelligence. “August is traditionally one of the busiest months for air travel, and it will be interesting to see if the steady upward trend we have seen since May continues once the summer vacation season draws to a close.” Frequencies remain down compared to August 2008, however, with 2.53 million flights scheduled for August 2009—a reduction of 2 percent, or 52,043 flights, compared with the same month last year.
[ POSTED AUGUST 18, 2009 ]
Southwest submits bid for Frontier
Southwest Airlines confirmed August 10 that it submitted a binding cash offer of more than $170 million to acquire Frontier Airlines, which will be sold at auction as part of Frontier’s bankruptcy proceedings. When the auction—expected to commence August 13—is concluded, the bankruptcy court must still approve the selection of the winning bidder. Southwest did not release complete details of its offer, which may change during the auction process, but indicates that it would acquire approximately 80 percent of Frontier’s existing Airbus fleet. Initially, Frontier would operate about 40 Airbus aircraft as it does today; they would be retired and service would transition to Southwest’s Boeing 737s over a period of approximately 24 months. Southwest said that despite an initial reduction in its fleet, it would continue to serve all existing markets, as well as add new nonstop routes from Denver. Frontier filed for bankruptcy court protection in April 2008.
[ POSTED AUGUST 11, 2009 ]
TSA, ALPA announce security initiative for crews
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced August 5 that it has set standards for the CrewPASS program, paving the way for nationwide expansion. CrewPASS verifies flight crew identity through biometrics, enhancing security and expediting the screening process for all travelers. The Air Line Pilots Association, International developed the concept in early 2007. Eligible flight-deck crewmembers will enter the secure area via the exit lane of the security checkpoint after presenting their airline-issued identification and another form of ID to transportation security officers (TSOs). An approved biometric identification also will be used. These credentials will be checked against the Cockpit Access Security System (CASS) database, which includes a picture and other information to verify the individual’s employment status. Crewmembers also will be subject to random screening, observation by behavior detection officers, and other layers of security.
[ POSTED AUGUST 11, 2009 ]
Pinnacle, ALPA reach tentative agreement
As the result of contract talks that began in 2005, Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. and ALPA have reached a tentative agreement to amend the contract covering the airline’s 1,250 pilots. “Our pilots have been instrumental in keeping us among the best-performing airlines in the nation, and this agreement provides well-deserved pay increases in the midst of a rapidly changing industry,” said Philip H. Trenary, the airline’s president and CEO. Pinnacle pilots, who operate a fleet of 141 regional jets as Northwest Airlink and Delta Connection, must now ratify the agreement.
[ POSTED AUGUST 11, 2009 ]
Boeing’s training operation changes name
Boeing’s training organization, Alteon, will be renamed Boeing Training & Flight Services, the company announced August 6. The new name reflects expanded capabilities for providing flight, maintenance, cabin safety, and flight operations training. With the addition of flight services, the organization’s expertise now includes customized flight and dispatch documentation, airplane performance data, operational consulting, and safety analysis. The new name will be phased in during the months ahead.
[ POSTED AUGUST 11, 2009 ]
Southwest seeks to acquire Frontier
Southwest Airlines confirmed July 30 that it is preparing a bid to acquire Denver-based Frontier Airlines, which will be sold at auction in bankruptcy court this month. Frontier filed for bankruptcy protection in April 2008. On June 22, 2009, Republic Airways submitted a bid to purchase Frontier for $108.8 million. Southwest has submitted a nonbinding proposal worth a minimum of $113.6 million, which allows Southwest to engage with Frontier in the due diligence required to determine the scope of a binding proposal that must be submitted by the court's Aug. 10, 2009, deadline. A successful acquisition of Frontier will allow Southwest to expand its network, add jobs into Southwest, and boost competition in Denver and other cities, the company said.
[ POSTED AUGUST 4, 2009 ]
Airline workers live in LAX parking lot
Pilots, mechanics, and other airline workers who commute to Los Angeles International Airport for work live part-time in motor homes parked in an airport lot, the Los Angeles Times reported. The tightly controlled lot allows airline employees—most of them impacted by turbulence in the industry—to save money, as well as to significantly reduce commuting. One 60-year-old airline pilot told the newspaper that living in Lot B while on duty saves him the expense of renting a local apartment—and spares him the alternative, commuting 12 hours a day from the home he shares with his wife in Washington state. His neighbors have homes in Anchorage, Indianapolis, Memphis, Minneapolis, and Hawaii. The Los Angeles Times also offers an audio slideshow that depicts life in Lot B.
[ POSTED AUGUST 4, 2009 ]
Bahamas, Texas land new flights
American Eagle Airlines, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, says it will add nonstop service between Miami International Airport and three airports in the Bahamas—Harbour Island, Treasure Cay, and Governors Harbour—beginning Nov. 19. American Eagle will operate the service with 66-seat ATR-72 aircraft. Alaska Airlines will expand its service to Texas with new daily flights between Seattle and Austin beginning Aug. 3; daily service between San Jose, Calif., and Austin will commence Sept. 2. In addition, Alaska will begin daily nonstop service between Seattle and Houston beginning Sept. 23.
[ POSTED AUGUST 4, 2009 ]
ATA says passenger demand, cargo traffic continue to fall
The Air Transport Association of America (ATA) reported last week that the number of passengers traveling on U.S. airlines in June 2009 fell 6.5 percent compared to June 2008. Passenger revenue fell 26 percent in June compared to a year earlier, while the average price to fly one mile fell 20.7 percent. ATA also said that U.S. airlines saw cargo traffic—as measured in revenue ton miles—decline 20 percent year over year in May 2009 (June 2009 cargo data are not yet available). “Despite extreme price discounting, June data reflect ongoing weakness in demand for air travel. The airline industry remains fragile as this country continues to suffer from the worst recession since the 1930s,” said ATA President and CEO James C. May. ATA said these numbers continue to reflect the weak global economy and the lingering impact of the H1N1 (swine) influenza outbreak.
[ POSTED JULY 28, 2009 ]
Mexican airports also report traffic drop
Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR), the privatized operator of Cancun Airport and eight other airports in southeast Mexico, announced Monday that during the second quarter of 2009, its total passenger traffic declined 26.8 percent compared to the second quarter of 2008. International passenger traffic declined 30.6 percent, ASUR said, while domestic passenger traffic fell 21.6 percent. In late April the World Health Organization announced the outbreak of the H1N1 Influenza in Mexico, contributing to year-over-year drops in passenger traffic of 50.7 percent in May and 28.4 percent in June.
[ POSTED JULY 28, 2009 ]
United flight attendants take voluntary furlough
United Airlines announced Friday that about 2,100 flight attendants have taken advantage of voluntary furlough and other furlough mitigation programs, again eliminating the need for the company to implement involuntary furloughs. In June, United said it needed to reduce its flight attendant workforce because of capacity reductions and lower attrition. Last year, the company announced a reduction of 1,550 flight attendants, which also were achieved through voluntary furloughs.
[ POSTED JULY 28, 2009 ]
215 Delta pilots take early retirement
Some 215 Delta pilots have accepted an early retirement incentive that will cut the number of pilots and related costs for the airline, FlightOps.com reported last week. The average age of participants is 59.7 and more than 200 were former Northwest pilots, according to a union memo. Delta has said it plans to cut its capacity by 10 percent this fall. FlightOps.com also said last week that Atlantic Southeast Airlines will furlough 56 more pilots this fall; the airline furloughed 80 pilots earlier this year. Formerly a Delta subsidiary, Delta Connection carrier ASA was acquired by Utah-based SkyWest, Inc. in 2005.
[ POSTED JULY 21, 2009 ]
New tool to reduce taxi times in Atlanta
A new airport automation and management tool will provide airlines and management at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport with a comprehensive view of airport surface traffic. Sensis Corporation’s Aerobahn combines airside operational information, such as flight schedules, with the location and identification of aircraft and vehicles for a real-time, comprehensive view of surface operations. “This information enables users to proactively reduce taxi times for greater fuel savings and less environmental impact, facilitate on-time arrivals, and quickly recover from inclement-weather operations for improved customer experience,” said Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Assistant General Manager Robert Kennedy. Predictive tools will enable airport operations personnel to better anticipate peak arrival and departure times, and plan gate assignments, ground crew staffing, and push-back sequencing accordingly.
[ POSTED JULY 21, 2009 ]
Aviation Week ranks airlines
Aviation Week & Space Technology has ranked the world’s airlines, based on the results of its Top-Performing Companies study. It identifies Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, and Malaysia Airlines as the top three mainline carriers for 2009; Alaska Air Group is 14th, Continental places 16th, Delta Air Lines ranks 22nd, AMR Corp. is 24th, and US Airways Group and UAL Corp. are 30 and 31, respectively. “The recession has grabbed hold of the airline industry, and survival is still the name of the game,” said Editor-in-Chief Anthony L. Velocci Jr. He said liquidity and financial health are the top indicators for weathering further volatility in the economy and rising fuel prices. “We are seeing sharp drops in scores across the board, in all regions, but with the TPC rankings, we can identify those airlines that are doing things right.” Southwest Airlines, ranked 10, is the highest-rated U.S. low-cost/niche airline and FedEx Corp. tops the freight-carrier rankings. Full results are available online.
[ POSTED JULY 14, 2009 ]
Global airline capacity stabilizing, OAG says
Airline seat capacity cutbacks, begun a year ago in the face of global economic pressures, are beginning to stabilize, according to the Official Airline Guide, an aviation data service. The world's airlines have scheduled a total of 2.55 million flights for July 2009, down 3 percent compared with the same month last year, with capacity only one percent lower than July 2008 levels. Last month, the year-over-year global frequency and capacity figures were down by 4 percent and 2 percent, respectively. "Airline capacity is often cited as a barometer of economic confidence,” said David Beckerman, OAG’s vice president of market intelligence. “Carriers adjust their fleet and services in anticipation of market demand for air travel, which is vulnerable to corporate cost management and to disposable income of leisure travelers at times of financial uncertainty.”
[ POSTED JULY 14, 2009 ]
Airlines join sustainable aviation fuel users group
The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group, an airline-led industry working group, announced on July 13 that air carriers Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, TUIfly, and Virgin Blue have become members of the group. It was launched last fall to help accelerate the commercialization and availability of sustainable biofuels. "Aviation is stepping up and addressing its environmental and fuel challenges and the work being done by these industry leaders is at the forefront of that effort," said Billy Glover, managing director of environmental strategy for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Tremendous technical progress has been demonstrated over the past several years, and as we move closer to approval to use these advanced-generation fuels, we are rapidly developing sustainability practices and conducting ongoing research to ensure we remain on the right path."
[ POSTED JULY 14, 2009 ]
June load factors trend upward
Several air carriers have reported their June traffic levels. Southwest, United, American Eagle, Alaska, Horizon, and Continental reported decreases in revenue passenger miles flown that were offset by reductions in available seat miles. As a result, their load factors—the percentage of occupied passenger seats, an important measure of airline efficiency—increased for the month. While American and Air Tran also posted reductions in capacity, their load factors decreased slightly. Capacity reductions are achieved by reducing flight frequencies or using smaller planes on a route.
- Southwest Airlines flew 6.7 billion revenue passenger miles in June 2009, a 2.1 percent decrease from the 6.9 billion flown in June 2008. Available seat miles decreased 3.8 percent from June 2008. The load factor for the month was 79.5 percent, compared to 78.2 percent for June 2008.
- United Airlines’ total consolidated revenue passenger miles—for United and United Express—decreased by 7.5 percent in June on a consolidated capacity decrease of 8.0 percent in available seat miles, compared with the same period in 2008. United said its June consolidated passenger load factor was 85.9 percent, up half a point from 85.4 in June 2008.
- American Airlines reported that June domestic traffic decreased 10.1 percent year over year on 10.6 percent lower capacity. International traffic decreased by 4.5 percent relative to last year on a capacity decrease of 3.1 percent. Overall, traffic decreased 8.1 percent and capacity decreased 7.8 percent compared to June 2008. American’s June load factor was 85.1 percent, a decrease of 0.3 points versus the same period last year.
- American Eagle reported that June 2009 traffic decreased 5.0 percent compared to June 2008, as capacity decreased 8.4 percent. American Eagle’s June load factor of 77.9 percent represented an increase of 2.8 points over the same period last year.
- AirTran’s revenue passenger miles flown during June were down 6.5 percent compared to June 2008; available seat miles were reduced 5.3 percent. June’s load factor was 83.6 percent, a 1.1-percent decrease from June 2008, although AirTran said that its quarterly load factor of 80.7 percent set a second-quarter company record.
- Alaska Airlines reported a 2.6-percent decrease in revenue passenger miles in June, and a 4.1-percent decline in available seat miles compared to June 2008. June’s load factor increased to 80.7 percent, compared to 79.5 percent in June 2008. Fellow Alaska Air Group subsidiary Horizon Air Horizon reported a 9.2-percent decrease in revenue passenger miles, and a 10.8-percent reduction in capacity, compared to June 2008; its load factor increased to 79.4 percent in June 2009, compared to 78.0 percent in June 2008.
- Continental Airlines and its regional affiliates reported a consolidated traffic decrease of 6.5 percent and a consolidated capacity decrease of 7.8 percent in June, as compared to June 2008; its consolidated June load factor of 84.8 percent was 1.1 points higher than June 2008. Continental said its June 2009 domestic mainline load factor of 88.1 percent set an all-time record for the month.
[ POSTED JULY 7, 2009 ]
JetAmerica delays launch 31 days
JetAmerica, a new low-fare air carrier service, said it’s delaying the launch of its first flights for 31 days. Service was scheduled to begin July 13, 2009, but flights are now slated to begin August 14. The delay resulted from unforeseen complications with landing and takeoff time slots at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, said Brian Burling, vice president of operations. JetAmerica, a Part 380 indirect air carrier subcontracting aircraft from Miami Air International, plans to provide nonstop Boeing 737-800 service from Lansing, Mich.; Melbourne, Fla.; South Bend, Ind.; and Toledo, Ohio, to Newark. Flights are also planned between Toledo and Melbourne; Toledo and Minneapolis-St. Paul; and Lansing and Melbourne. JetAmerica said customers that booked flights from July 13 through August 13 would receive full refunds to their credit card accounts.
[ POSTED JULY 7, 2009 ]
Frontier announces codeshare with Midwest
Frontier Airlines has entered into a codeshare agreement with Milwaukee-based Midwest Airlines, the Denver-based carrier announced June 29. The agreement, which is scheduled to begin by late summer, will allow Frontier Airlines to sell tickets under a Frontier code and expand its network to additional destinations currently served by Midwest, and vice versa. “Under the codeshare, customers of both airlines will benefit from a wider choice of travel destinations and additional flight options and connection possibilities,” explained Gregory D. Aretakis, a vice president for Midwest. “They will also have the convenience of booking their entire flight on a single ticket.”
[ POSTED JUNE 30, 2009 ]
Flight attendants seek job protections in United, Continental alliance
Flight attendants at United Airlines, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO (AFA-CWA), are pressing the Department of Transportation to ensure American jobs are protected when considering the antitrust immunity filing to join Continental with United Airlines and the Star Alliance. Their efforts follow an announcement by United that it will furlough 2,150 flight attendants this fall. As United Airlines management helped grow the Star Alliance to the largest in the world over the last decade, flight attendants at the carrier said their ranks were cut by nearly half, or 12,000 jobs. Anticompetitive concerns identified by the Department of Justice directly relate to conditions that lead to greater job loss, they said. Fares rise as the frequency of flights is diminished when all competition is erased.
[ POSTED JUNE 30, 2009 ]
Boeing joins wing to first 747-8 Freighter; 787 slips again
Boeing workers attached the 40-foot fuselage section of its first 747-8 Freighter to the center wing box in the final assembly bay at the factory in Everett, Wash., on June 29. The wing and center section are now being prepared for final body join, when the assembly will be connected to the forward and aft fuselage sections. The 747-8 Freighter will offer 16 percent more cargo volume than the 747-400 Freighter, but operating costs will remain essentially the same; cargo operators have ordered 78 of the new jets. A few days earlier, Boeing announced that the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner will be postponed so that it can reinforce part of the aircraft structure. It’s the fifth major delay of the new airliner’s first flight, The Seattle Times reported. Boeing said a new schedule for the first flight and first delivery will be available in several weeks.
[ POSTED JUNE 30, 2009 ]
Southwest begins LaGuardia service
Southwest Airlines celebrated its new service at New York’s LaGuardia Airport June 28 by serving New York-style bagels to customers and employees while they were serenaded by Southwest's rapping flight attendant, David Holmes. Southwest began service to LaGuardia with five daily nonstops to Chicago Midway and three daily nonstop flights to Baltimore/Washington International.
[ POSTED JUNE 30, 2009 ]
Colgan accident may mean big changes
Pilot duty time, training, and hiring standards could change as a result of the fatal Colgan accident earlier this year in Buffalo, according to industry representatives at a meeting held last week. They spoke at the FAA’s first summit held specifically to discuss the possible changes, which could include longer rest periods between trips, new training standards and techniques, and more scrutiny of pilot checkride records during the hiring process. More meetings are scheduled in the future, after which the FAA will likely change certain regulations.
[ POSTED JUNE 23, 2009 ]
Boeing predicts strong growth
Despite a sluggish economy, Boeing is predicting strong long-term growth. The airplane-maker said it expects a $3.2 trillion market for commercial aircraft over the next 20 years, or 29,000 new passenger and cargo airplanes. The biggest demand is expected to be for those airplanes that are highly fuel-efficient. According to Boeing, passenger demand will grow at an average of 4.9 percent each year for the next 20 years.
[ POSTED JUNE 23, 2009 ]
Contract pilot demand up
Although some airlines and corporate operators are shedding pilot jobs, demand for contract pilots is up, according to flycontract.com. The Web site, which matches employers with pilots and flight attendants, has seen demand increase by more than 50 percent over the past six months.
[ POSTED JUNE 23, 2009 ]
Southwest Pilots strike down contract proposal
Members of the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association last week narrowly struck down a vote to ratify a contract proposal with the low-cost airline. The final vote was nearly 51 percent against the proposal with more than 95 percent of pilots participating. According to union leadership, the proposed contract included pay increases, but must have offered too many concessions to make it worthwhile. Union leadership now has to go back to the bargaining table with airline management to come up with a new proposal. Negotiations have been ongoing for more than two years.
[ POSTED JUNE 9, 2009 ]
United may buy 150 new jets
There was word last week that United Airlines put out requests for a bid of 150 aircraft to both Boeing and Airbus. It’s not certain that the carrier, which currently operates 396 aircraft, will end up purchasing the new jets. Don’t expect United’s potential new aircraft to be super jumbo jets. Instead, the carrier will focus on smaller, more fuel-efficient airplanes. If the deal goes through, the purchase plan is expected to cover the next 25 years.
[ POSTED JUNE 9, 2009 ]
TSA power limited in new bill
The House of Representatives last week passed H.R.2200, the Transportation Security Administration’s funding bill that includes language that would limit the agency’s authority to unilaterally impose security directives. Under the terms of the bill, the TSA would be required to form a GA coalition that would have input on potential security measures that affect the industry. Some recent security directives would have made it difficult for transient pilots to gain access to GA ramps.
[ POSTED JUNE 9, 2009 ]
Business aviation slump may be over
The recent steep decline of business aviation activity and business aircraft sales may be coming to an end, according to a number of recent industry reports. Brian Foley Associates, a business aviation consulting group, said that although some future bad news is expected, businesses such as charter firms and FBOs have seen some encouraging results recently. “The business jet industry is no longer careening off a cliff, it’s just bouncing off the rocks below,” said principal Brian Foley.
[ POSTED JUNE 3, 2009 ]
Expert says aviation emission standard inevitable
It’s only a matter of time before emissions standards are applied to aviation, according to the international climate policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. Addressing a recent aviation environmental meeting, Jake Schmidt referenced current legislation in Congress that seeks to cut carbon emissions dramatically over the four decades, as well as a specific EPA mandate to develop a carbon dioxide standard for new aircraft by 2012.
[ POSTED JUNE 3, 2009 ]
Airline pilot jobs rose last year
Despite a tough economy, airline pilot and maintenance jobs rose in 2008 over 2007 numbers, according to the Labor Department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The bureau said U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 2.3 percent more pilots and 5.9 percent more maintenance personnel in 2008 than in 2007. The major airlines added 1.1 percent to the pilot workforce, while all the low-cost carriers except for Frontier Airlines added new pilots to the ranks.
[ POSTED JUNE 3, 2009 ]
Collier Trophy recognizes aviation safety technologies
On Thursday, the National Aeronautics Association will present the 2008 Robert J. Collier Trophy to the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST), an industry/government partnership established in 1997 with the goal of reducing the U.S. commercial aviation fatal accident rate by 80 percent in 10 years. The nomination notes the partnership’s original goal was difficult to achieve, but that “the year 2008 topped the previous year as the safest year in commercial aviation history, and the CAST team is proud to report the risk in fatal commercial accidents has been reduced by 83 percent.” NASA’s Aviation Safety Program has been a part of CAST since the team was established. NAA awarded the 2007 trophy to a team that included NASA’s Langley and Ames research centers for their work on Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B, a system that allows aircraft to be tracked by satellite rather than radar.
[ POSTED MAY 26, 2009 ]
WestJet, Southwest delay code sharing
WestJet and Southwest Airlines will delay implementation of a code-share agreement, in part because of economic conditions. With the recessionary revenue environment, Southwest has decided to redirect some resources from the code-share project toward other near-term revenue opportunities, WestJet said. “Our continued US expansion is a key strategy for our airline, but code-sharing is only one element of this,” said Dr. Hugh Dunleavy, WestJet’s executive vice president of commercial distribution. “WestJet’s implementation of the Sabre reservation system, which is key to code-sharing, is continuing on track and will be ready for launch in the fourth quarter of 2009.” Bob Jordan, Southwest’s executive vice president for strategy and planning, said the airline remains absolutely committed to its partnership with WestJet and to code-sharing in general.
[ POSTED MAY 26, 2009 ]
Boeing completes first 787 Dreamliner engine runs
Boeing has completed the first engine runs on the all-new 787 Dreamliner. During the initial engine runs, which lasted about 40 minutes, the engines were started and operated at various power settings to ensure all systems performed as expected. The test began with the auxiliary power system providing power to start the two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. Basic systems checks continued throughout the test. The engines were powered down and inspected and will be restarted following a technical review. A vibration check was completed and the shutdown logic was monitored to ensure it functioned as expected.
[ POSTED MAY 26, 2009 ]
Spirit pilots could strike
Pilots at Spirit Airlines recently voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if negotiations come to a halt. According to the Air Line Pilots Association, Spirit pilots have been in negotiations for more than two years, during which time airline management has repeatedly violated terms of the current contract. At issue is the fact that the airline is asking for more than $5 million in concessions while at the same time undergoing expansion plans. Fully 98 percent of voting members supported the possibility of strike.
[ POSTED MAY 19, 2009 ]
LaHood may cancel NYC slot auctions
Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is proposing the cancellation of plans to auction a certain number of landing slots at New York City’s three major commercial airports. LaHood said the plan was controversial, and perhaps even irrelevant given the current state of the economy. LaHood said he is committed to reducing congestion in the New York City area and that he plans to meet with stakeholders this summer on how to move forward.
[ POSTED MAY 19, 2009 ]
‘Passengers left at the gate’
A large passenger rights group says airline passengers will be “left at the gate” if the FAA reauthorization bill goes through Congress as is. According to FlyersRights.org, there is no provision in the bill that limits the amount of time passengers can be held in an airplane on the ground, a key issue for passenger rights groups. In fact, the group said, the bill leaves that decision up to the airlines themselves. FlyersRights.org Executive Director Kate Hanni is pushing for a three-hour maximum.
[ POSTED MAY 19, 2009 ]
Delta adds Wi-Fi to half of domestic fleet
Delta Air Lines has installed Wi-Fi on nearly half of its domestic mainline fleet. Of the more than 300 airplanes Delta operates on U.S. routes, 139 are equipped with Gogo Inflight Internet, including the entire MD-88 fleet. Installation in the MD-90 fleet will be complete by the end of May, with the remainder of the domestic fleet scheduled for completion by September. Installation plans also include approximately 200 pre-merger Northwest airplanes slated for completion next year. The cost of Wi-Fi access on a single Delta flight ranges from $7.95 to $12.95; soon, customers will be able to purchase month-long, unlimited-use passes. AirTran Airways announced May 12 that its entire fleet of 136 jets will be fully outfitted with in-flight Wi-Fi by mid-summer.
[ POSTED MAY 12, 2009 ]
Boeing offers convertible BBJ
Boeing announced May 11 the availability of the BBJ Convertible. The Boeing Business Jet iteration, a derivative of the 737 airliner, can be reconfigured from all-passenger to all-cargo configuration in less than eight hours. In addition, BBJs delivered after mid-2011 will see fuel consumption reduced by 2 percent through a combination of airframe and engine improvements that Boeing announced in late April.
[ POSTED MAY 12, 2009 ]
American flying 757s overseas, updating fleet
American Airlines is reconfiguring 18 of its 124 Boeing 757s for use on international routes, and a May 7 flight from New York City to Brussels was the first international departure with the new configuration, which features new seats, new cabin interiors, and updated in-flight entertainment systems. The 757 Business Class cabin, with a 2-2 seating configuration, features 16 next-generation, angled lie-flat seats with drop-down armrests and on-demand audio/video in-seat entertainment systems. Since April 14, four new Boeing 737-800 aircraft joined American’s fleet, the first of 76 that will arrive through the first quarter of 2011. These deliveries will expand American’s current fleet of 77 737-800s and are intended to eventually replace the carrier’s MD-80s.
[ POSTED MAY 12, 2009 ]
United mechanics seek to oust Teamsters
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) wants to help United Airlines’ 9,000 mechanics and related employees return to Machinists Union representation. “At the request of a diverse group of United Airlines Mechanic and Related employees, the Machinists Union has launched a drive to help them return to the only union that can provide a secure defined benefit pension plan and the cross-classification solidarity they need,” said IAM General Vice President Robert Roach Jr. “The lack of a secure pension option and the system-wide lack of servicing caused their UAL members to seek a union with a strong focus on local representation,” said Roach. IAM currently represents 17,000 other United Airlines employees.
[ POSTED MAY 12, 2009 ]
ATA responds to air travel avoidance suggestion
The Air Transport Association of America (ATA) last Thursday responded to remarks made by U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden on NBC’s “Today” show. “Vice President Biden's comment that people should avoid air travel in response to the H1N1 flu outbreak was extremely disappointing,” said ATA President and CEO James C. May. “The airlines have been working daily with government agencies, none of whom suggest people avoid air travel, unless they are not feeling well. The fact is that the air onboard a commercial aircraft is cleaner than that in most public buildings.” ATA, a trade association for U.S. airlines, posted its letter to Biden on its Web site.
[ POSTED MAY 5, 2009 ]
First Boeing 787 Dreamliner nearer to flight testing
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner expected to fly later this quarter has moved to the flight line. Fuel testing, the first in the next phase of extensive checks the airplane must undergo, is to begin soon. “We are making great progress, and moving ever closer to first flight,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 Dreamliner program. The airframe has completed a rigorous series of tests, including a full simulation of the first flight using the actual airplane. With Chief Pilot Mike Carriker at the controls, the simulation tested all flight controls, hardware, and software. The simulation also included manual and automatic landings and an extensive suite of subsequent ground tests. All structural tests required on the static airframe prior to first flight also are complete. Boeing on April 30 delivered the seventy-fifth 777 commercial jetliner to Dubai-based Emirates, which is expected to become the world's largest 777 operator later this year.
[ POSTED MAY 5, 2009 ]
Piper gets new owner; PiperJet to continue
Piper Aircraft, Inc. announced Friday that Imprimis, a corporate finance and investment management firm that operates from Bangkok, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam, has purchased a 100-percent stake in the 72-year-old company. Piper said its new owner intends to invest significant capital in the company’s current operations, to strengthen its position in its traditional markets and continue development of key new products such as the PiperJet. Imprimis also believes Piper has significant potential in new Asia Pacific markets. Piper's headquarters, production, and product development facilities are expected to remain in Vero Beach, Fla.
[ POSTED MAY 5, 2009 ]
HondaJet first flight, deliveries delayed
Because of delays in delivery of major subassemblies utilizing proprietary Honda designs and technologies, Honda Aircraft Company has moved the first flight target for the conforming HondaJet aircraft to January 2010. The first customer delivery, originally scheduled for late 2010, is projected to take place the fourth quarter of 2011. “We have been working very closely with our suppliers over the past year in an effort to minimize the effect of the ongoing worldwide economic instability on HondaJet development,” said Michimasa Fujino, Honda Aircraft Company president and CEO. “Unfortunately, we now have no choice but to revise our schedule.” Honda Aircraft recently completed a research and development center at its Greensboro, N.C., campus that features more than four acres under roof; ground is to be broken this summer on the HondaJet production facility.
[ POSTED MAY 5, 2009 ]
Airline demand down in April
Demand for the world’s airlines continued to slide this month, with six percent fewer flights and three percent fewer available seats in April compared to the same period last year, according to aviation data provider OAG. April marked the ninth straight month of decline. OAG said 136,000 fewer flights took place this month, with most market softening coming from Europe and North America. Demand in the Middle East and Asia remained strong, the firm said.
[ POSTED APRIL 28, 2009 ]
Cessna offers new trainer configuration
For decades future airline pilots have trained in light Cessna aircraft, such as the 152 and 172. Now those aircraft may look a little different at flight schools thanks to Cessna’s novel approach to seating. Instead of a bench seat in the back, Cessna’s new 172 with the optional crew resource management configuration features a single seat in the center behind the pilot and copilot seats. It’s specifically tailored to airline and university flight schools, according the manufacturer.
[ POSTED APRIL 28, 2009 ]
AirTran posts profit
Despite a deep recession that has left even Southwest Airlines unable to turn a profit in the first quarter, fellow low-cost carrier AirTran said last week it squeezed out a relatively large $28.7 million gain. This is compared to a $35.4-million loss for the first quarter last year. According to the Atlanta-based carrier, the profit resulted from its decision to begin cutting seats when fuel prices soared last summer.
[ POSTED APRIL 28, 2009 ]
ATA reports continued decline in passenger, cargo demand
The Air Transport Association of America (ATA) reported that passenger revenue fell 23 percent in March 2009 compared to March 2008—the fifth consecutive month in which passenger revenue has fallen from the prior year. March passenger traffic on U.S. airlines fell by 10 percent, while the overall cost to fly one mile fell by 13 percent. U.S. airlines also saw cargo traffic decline 21 percent year over year in February 2009. “We are seeing first quarter 2009 earnings for the U.S. airline industry that reflect the adverse conditions impacting the broader economy,” said ATA President and CEO James C. May. “While the industry faces demand uncertainty as we head into the summer, we certainly would like to believe that we have seen the low point.”
[ POSTED APRIL 21, 2009 ]
Delta, Southwest, United report losses
Three major airlines have reported losses for the quarter ending in March 2009. Delta Air Lines reported a net loss for the quarter of $794 million, but the company said excluding $684 million in realized fuel hedge losses and special items, its results were breakeven. Delta also said that it realized approximately $100 million in synergy benefits from its merger with Northwest Airlines during the quarter. UAL Corporation, parent of United Airlines, reported a first quarter net loss of $579 million. Even industry bellwether Southwest Airlines reported a first quarter net loss of $91 million, despite a record first-quarter load factor.
[ POSTED APRIL 21, 2009 ]
Boeing assembles first 747-8 wings
The Boeing Company has completed major assembly of the first set of wings for the 747-8 Freighter. The new 135-foot, 3-inch wings incorporate aerodynamic technologies that will allow it to fly farther and more efficiently. The advanced airfoil provides improved overall performance and greater fuel capacity. The Boeing 747-8 Freighter is a new, high-capacity 747 variant designed to minimize operating costs.
[ POSTED APRIL 21, 2009 ]
Narrowbodies to carry Boeing through downturn
After an announcement recently that Boeing plans to drastically reduce production of its widebody 777, the planemaker said last week it is holding steady on production levels of the narrowbody 737 line. According to analysts, however, a 30- to 40-percent cut will be necessary to remain competitive. Although Boeing still claims more than 2,000 backorders for the venerable jets, more than 175 relatively new airplanes sit idle in boneyards around the world because of reduced passenger demand.
[ POSTED APRIL 15, 2009 ]
In tough times, two airlines offer bonuses
Pilots and other employees at Continental Airlines and Delta Air Lines received welcome news last week when the two global carriers handed out employee bonuses. Delta gave employees a total of about $6 million, or about $100 each, for meeting on-time performance goals. And executives at Continental added an additional $50 million to employee pension plans, bringing the year-to-date total to$100 million.
[ POSTED APRIL 15, 2009 ]
Florida school offers free open house
Jet University, a flight school at Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport in Florida that is dedicated to career pilot training, will hold an open house April 18 and 19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event will feature the school’s glass-cockpit-equipped Diamond training airplanes, an L-39 jet, a Beechcraft King Air, and a Canadair Regional Jet simulator. Sessions flying the CRJ simulator will be available for free with an online reservation. The school’s flight instructors and airline pilot consultants will also be on hand to answer questions about learning to fly for fun or a career.
[ POSTED APRIL 15, 2009 ]
Airline contract negotiations difficult
USA Today reported this week that a number of unions in contract negotiations are having difficulty recovering pay and benefits slashed after the 2001 downturn, thanks to the current economic condition. Various unions are in talks with their respective management at United Airlines, Continental Airlines, US Airways, Air Tran, Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and American Airlines. According to the story, one option being considered is to change the industry practice of automatic pay increases for workers and executives regardless of the company’s financial health.
[ POSTED APRIL 7, 2009 ]
ASA temporarily grounds CRJ fleet
No doubt cautious because of similar situations at Southwest Airlines and American Airlines last year, Atlantic Southeast Airlines last week grounded 60 of its 112 Canadair CRJ 200 regional jets to ensure that inspections on their General Electric CJ34 engines had been completed. A company spokeswoman said it was unclear whether the inspections had already been completed and not properly documented, or whether they had been overlooked. After cancelling 277 flights, the airline returned the jets to service later in the week.
[POSTED APRIL 7, 2009]
FAA predicts long-term growth for aviation
The FAA said in its annual aviation forecast released last week that it expects domestic passenger enplanements to drop by almost 8 percent this year, followed by average annual increases of 2.7 percent for the next 15 years. The report also said U.S. airlines will carry one billion passengers by 2021, a full five years later than when the agency said that would happen in last year’s forecast.
[ POSTED APRIL 7, 2009 ]
Tarver joins FltOps.com
Experienced career counselor Judy Tarver has joined FltOps.com as the vice president of pilot career services. In her new position, Tarver will be responsible for implementing the company’s global pilot hiring database, according to Louis Smith, the company’s president. Tarver has more than 30 years of experience in pilot selection and recruitment, and as a consultant. As manager of pilot recruitment for American Airlines, she oversaw the hiring of more than 7,100 pilots.
[ POSTED APRIL 7, 2009 ]
Military needs more UAV pilots
Although it may not seem as glorious as a job in the cockpit, the military will need thousands of unmanned aerial vehicle pilots over the coming decades, according to military news sources. The Air Force has begun training nonpilots to fly the drones because so few qualified aircraft pilots are willing to transfer. While commissioned officers must fly drone attack missions, a number of civilian contractors employ nonmilitary personnel to conduct reconnaissance flights.
[ POSTED MARCH 31, 2009 ]
Airline wardrobe a concern for pilots, flight attendants
Two dress items made news this week as Northwest Airlines pilots and flight attendants were required to trade their uniforms for Delta livery, and one Air Tran pilot was suspended for wearing his outside of work. Switching uniforms has proven to be one of the most visible signs to travelers that Northwest and Delta are now one company. This move is in addition to major rebranding at airports around the world. Meanwhile, an Air Tran pilot was recently suspended for wearing his uniform to a union event, a violation of the collective bargaining agreement. Although the pilot was apparently dropping off his family at a union picnic on the way to work, the airline stood by its decision to suspend the offending pilot.
[ POSTED MARCH 31, 2009 ]
Bombardier adds to CSeries order book
Buoyed by a firm order from launch customer Lufthansa, Bombardier announced this week it received a firm order for 20 CSeries aircraft from lease company Corporation International Aviation Limited. Valued at a list price of $1.44 billion, the order includes options for 20 more aircraft. The ordering company is a subsidiary of Lease Corporation International Limited, an international company that leases commercial aircraft to airlines.
[ POSTED MARCH 31, 2009 ]
Airlines expected to lose $4.7 billion this year
Airlines around the world are projected to lose an estimated $4.7 billion this year, according to the International Air Transport Association. That estimate is almost double what IATA said in December would be the year’s loss. According to the industry trade group, falling fuel prices have been offset by reduced passenger and cargo demand. Although the situation doesn’t look good, IATA said, things should start to rebound through the second half of the year. Incidentally, North American airlines are expected to do the best in the world with $100 million in profits.
[ POSTED MARCH 24, 2009 ]
World airline demand down five percent
The world’s airlines scheduled almost five percent fewer flights in March, translating to a three-percent decline in seat capacity, according to consulting firm OAG Aviation. OAG said the world’s airlines are expected to fly 2.38 million flights this month, a reduction of 122,000 flights from March of last year. March is a continuation of an eight-month decline in scheduled flights, which are down seven percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year.
[ POSTED MARCH 24, 2009 ]
Dassault Falcon, Cessna see declining demand
Although Dassault Falcon Jet said it expects to deliver more jets this year than last, demand for new aircraft is sinking fast. DFJ said it will deliver 90 aircraft this year, compared to 72 last year. But in a negative turn of events, Bloomberg reports that the manufacturer had more cancellations than orders during the past two quarters. Meanwhile, Cessna CEO Jack Pelton said the company is scaling back production on three of its Citation models to meet reduced demand. Further layoffs are expected as a result.
[ POSTED MARCH 24, 2009 ]
Lufthansa inks order for Bombardier jets
Lufthansa last week signed an order for 30 CSeries Bombardier jets with an option for an additional 30. The deal is significant because the German carrier has long been touted as the launch customer for the super-regional 100- to 149-seat CSeries. The 100-seat jets that Lufthansa will take delivery of in 2013 will be powered by Pratt & Whitney’s new geared turbofan engine, and will be operated by Lufthansa subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines.[ POSTED MARCH 17, 2009 ]
Air Tran sees fees as key to profitability this year
The additional fees that airline passengers love to hate will make Air Tran Airlines profitable in every quarter this year, according to airline CEO Bob Fornaro. Fornaro said that even though oil prices are down, demand also is reduced. That decreased demand has led to lower prices, but the fees have increased revenue to the point that the airline expects to be in the black.[ POSTED MARCH 17, 2009 ]
United Technologies to lay off almost 12,000 workers
United Technologies, the parent company of helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky and turboprop and jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney, said last week it will lay off 11,600 workers, or five percent of its workforce. Although the cuts are expected to cross all of the company’s sectors, including elevator and air conditioning, the aerospace market is a major factor. Pratt & Whitney Canada, which makes business aircraft engines, said that demand for its products has dropped off considerably.[ POSTED MARCH 17, 2009 ]
Alaska Airlines announces tentative deal with pilots
After more than two years of contract talks, Alaska Airlines and the Air Line Pilots Association announced last week that they had come to an agreement in concept for the carrier’s 1,500 pilots. The current contract for the pilots became amendable in May 2007, and the two sides began discussions in January of that year. If the airline and its elected pilot union representation formally agree to the contract principles, the final decision will rest with the pilots, who then will vote whether or not to ratify the agreement.[ POSTED MARCH 10, 2009 ]
Mesa denied use of Aloha branding
Although a simple court hearing was all that was left in the way of Mesa subsidiary go! using the name of its former competitor Aloha, the judge denied the request and sent the parties back to the beginning of the process. According to the court, the public auction process in which Mesa offered Aloha parent company Yucaipa millions for the name was not public at all. Other would–be bidders testified they had been shut out of the bidding, and the judge agreed to start the process over. One analyst said he expects Mesa will eventually be given rights to the name.[ POSTED MARCH 10, 2009 ]
No Plane, No Gain makes gains
An industry public relations effort aimed at educating the public and influencers about the value of business aviation in the face of heightened scrutiny seems to be taking hold. Last week Republican Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas said, “I will continue to fight against any measure that negatively impacts the use of general aviation aircraft or limits the ability to utilize these aircraft to grow business opportunities.” Brownback’s comments echo those by a number of high–profile Washington–commentators, including radio personality Rush Limbaugh.[ POSTED MARCH 10, 2009 ]
Former NTSB chief wants to ground turboprops
Although National Transportation Safety Board investigators stressed it was too early in the investigation to make conclusions on the fate of Colgan Air Flight 3407, which crashed in Buffalo, New York, on February 12, former NTSB chief Jim Hall said all twin–turboprop aircraft should be grounded immediately. Hall said that the ATR 42 and Bombardier Q400—one of which was the Flight 3407 aircraft—have inherent problems with icing, mainly due to their slow speeds and pneumatic–boot deicing systems. An FAA spokeswoman said grounding was unlikely.
[ POSTED MARCH 3, 2009 ]
Alaska Airlines answers buyout rumors
Since Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines announced a code sharing agreement three months ago, talk has surfaced that Delta may be preparing to buy Alaska. Alaska CEO Bill Ayers said that although the company is doing well independently, “If there is a better alternative, we will look at that alternative.” Delta has declined to comment on the rumors since the code share agreement was announced, when it said that buying Alaska wasn’t anticipated.
[ POSTED MARCH 3, 2009 ]
HAI attendance breaks record
Despite a slumping economy and continued external pressures on most aviation businesses, the helicopter sector seems to be flourishing. The Helicopter Association International announced last week that attendance at its annual convention was a record-breaking 17,995—some 600 more people than attended last year. HAI also said there were 585 exhibitors, which was also an increase from last year.
[ POSTED MARCH 3, 2009 ]
Southwest Airlines settles with FAA on maintenance discrepancies
The FAA on Monday announced it had reached a $7.5–million settlement with Southwest Airlines for the airline’s maintenance oversights. An initial penalty of $10.2 million was proposed in March after the airline flew almost 60,000 flights without inspecting the airplanes for fatigue cracks; the inspections were required by airworthiness directive. The airline is also being put under a probation that subjects it to stricter oversight and potential fines if future inspections aren’t completed.
[ POSTED MARCH 3, 2009 ]
Delta crew rest procedures challenged
Last October, Delta Air Lines voluntarily instituted tough industry crew rest standards that the rest of the airline industry is now challenging. Under the new standard, crews were required to have 48 hours off before a shift as long as 23 hours, and the airline required four-pilot crews on all long-haul flights. Now other airlines are suing after the FAA adopted the stricter standard for the industry. The suit seeks a formal rulemaking process, something the FAA has thus far declined to do.
[ POSTED FEBRUARY 18, 2009 ]
GA shipments down, billings up last year
Strong general aviation aircraft billings in 2008 were tempered by a decrease in the number of new aircraft delivered worldwide, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) announced Feb. 17. Billings for new aircraft delivered worldwide during 2008 set an industry record of $24.8 billion, 13.4 percent more than the previous year’s $21.9 billion. However, the number of GA airplanes shipped last year decreased for the first time in five years—to 3,969, a drop of 7.1 percent from 2007. The number of piston-engine aircraft shipped during 2008 decreased compared to previous-year numbers, while shipments of turboprops and business jets increased.
[ POSTED FEBRUARY 18, 2009 ]
AIR, Inc. shutters operation
The struggling economy has claimed AIR, Inc., the Atlanta-based aviation career information service offering information on airline job openings, career fairs, and résumé services. “The current status of the airline industry and the economy has made our business unsustainable, and we are closing,” AIR, Inc. President and Publisher Kit Darby said in a message last week Darby said AIR, Inc. members and subscribers can continue to receive services at no cost from FltOps.com for the duration of their membership, if they enroll with the service by April 15. With the exception of a bump in September 2008, pilot hiring has fallen each month from January 2008 to December 2008, the last month for which hiring data was available. Aviation employers hired 1,101 pilots in January 2008; by December, the number had fallen to 114, according to AIR, Inc. Airline pilot hiring totals for 2008 were 6,479; in 2007, the industry hired 13,157 pilots. In its final forecast, AIR, Inc. estimated that only 5,000 new pilot jobs will be created in 2009.
[ POSTED FEBRUARY 18, 2009 ]
New air taxi service starts in New York
Hopscotch Air is adding itself to a growing list of operators using Cirrus SR22s for intercity air taxi service. The company will operate primarily in the Northeast. Pilots will meet customers at any New York City-area airport and deliver them to their airport of choice. According to Hopscotch Air, the fare will be comparable to that of shuttle service between New York and Boston, and the destination will obviously be closer than airline airports. Although flying a single-engine piston may not seem like an obvious career path, operators like Hopscotch Air are springing up all over the country.
[ POSTED FEBRUARY 18, 2009 ]
Bombardier sales figures fall sharply
Airplane manufacturer Bombardier last week reported a significant sales drop for the 2008 fiscal year. The company sold a total of 378 aircraft between its commercial and business aircraft divisions, a 46-percent decline from the previous year. For the current fiscal year, Bombardier said it expects business aircraft orders to drop by another 10 percent, but for that drop to be offset by a 10-percent increase in commercial orders—especially those for the fuel-efficient Q400 turboprop.
[ POSTED FEBRUARY 10, 2009 ]
JetBlue pilots decline union option
Although it may seem as though every airline’s pilots are unionized, some carriers are still without an organized group. One of those, JetBlue, will remain without representation after its pilots recently voted to forgo a union. A simple majority was required to pass the measure, which would have established the JetBlue Pilots Association as the official pilot union, but only 646 out of 1,937 eligible pilots voted in favor. The vote means JetBlue pilots remain the largest group of nonunionized airline pilots in the United States.
[ POSTED FEBRUARY 10, 2009 ]
Charter executives charged in accident
A 2005 accident in which a Bombardier Challenger business jet operated by Platinum Jet Management crashed on takeoff at Teterboro airport in New Jersey and struck a warehouse has resulted in criminal charges for six of the company’s executives. The six are charged with falsifying documents and misrepresenting the business to customers. It was discovered after the accident that the company did not have a charter operating certificate and its flights were often flown outside of weight and balance limitations, which caused the crash in 2005.
[ POSTED FEBRUARY 10, 2009 ]
Bombardier sales figures fall sharply
Airplane manufacturer Bombardier last week reported a significant sales drop for the 2008 fiscal year. The company sold a total of 378 aircraft between its commercial and business aircraft divisions, a 46-percent decline from the previous year. For the current fiscal year, Bombardier said it expects business aircraft orders to drop by another 10 percent, but for that drop to be offset by a 10-percent increase in commercial orders—especially those for the fuel-efficient Q400 turboprop.
[ POSTED FEBRUARY 10, 2009 ]
JetBlue pilots decline union option
Although it may seem as though every airline’s pilots are unionized, some carriers are still without an organized group. One of those, JetBlue, will remain without representation after its pilots recently voted to forgo a union. A simple majority was required to pass the measure, which would have established the JetBlue Pilots Association as the official pilot union, but only 646 out of 1,937 eligible pilots voted in favor. The vote means JetBlue pilots remain the largest group of nonunionized airline pilots in the United States.
[ POSTED FEBRUARY 10, 2009 ]
Charter executives charged in accident
A 2005 accident in which a Bombardier Challenger business jet operated by Platinum Jet Management crashed on takeoff at Teterboro airport in New Jersey and struck a warehouse has resulted in criminal charges for six of the company’s executives. The six are charged with falsifying documents and misrepresenting the business to customers. It was discovered after the accident that the company did not have a charter operating certificate and its flights were often flown outside of weight and balance limitations, which caused the crash in 2005.
[ POSTED FEBRUARY 10, 2009 ]
Southwest reaches tentative agreement with pilots
Southwest Airlines reached a tentative contract agreement with its pilot union, the company said last week. The company said the tentative agreement includes pay raises and increased retirement benefits for pilots. If finalized by the airline and the union, and then ratified by all pilots, the agreement will continue for five years.
[ POSTED FEBRUARY 3, 2009 ]
Delta posts massive loss
Despite a merger with Northwest Airlines that was supposed to generate cost savings, Delta Air Lines last week reported a loss in the fourth quarter of $1.4 billion. The airline blamed more than $900 million of the loss on a one-time charge for employee compensation related to the merger. More than $600 million was lost because of fuel hedging, a practice in which airlines attempt to save costs by contracting to buy fuel long before it’s needed. However, despite the heavy setback, analysts say Delta is expected to become profitable after the first quarter of this year.
[ POSTED FEBRUARY 3, 2009 ]
Robinson Helicopter builds a record
Despite a sagging economy that is hitting the airlines and business aviation hard, helicopter operators are going strong, as evidenced by Robinson Helicopter’s record-breaking 893 helicopters produced last year. That total marks the largest number of civil helicopters ever produced in one year by a single company. Even better news for career-seeking pilots is that 80 percent of Robinson’s sales are for the company’s four-seat models, which are more often used in commercial operations.
[ POSTED FEBRUARY 3, 2009 ]
Colgan Air orders 15 Q400s
Pinnacle Airlines Corporation subsidiary Colgan Air ordered 15 Bombardier Q400 NextGen twin-turboprop aircraft, the manufacturer said last week. Colgan operates Q400s from Newark as part of its Continental Connection service. Bombardier said the aircraft will feature the new quiet interior. The Q400 is the modern version of the de Havilland Dash 8; it has 74 seats and cruises at 360 knots.
[ POSTED JANUARY 21, 2009 ]
PlaneSense fractional program expands
PlaneSense, the New Hampshire-based company operating the largest fleet of Pilatus PC-12s in the world, said this week it plans to expand its fractional ownership program. The company’s primary operating area was previously east of the Mississippi River but now extends to Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. Additional Bahamian airports are also available for use, PlaneSense said.
[ POSTED JANUARY 21, 2009 ]
Embry Riddle orders new Diamond twin trainers
Diamond Aircraft announced last week it won an order from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for 10 DA42 L360 twin-engine aircraft. The model was introduced with Lycoming IO-360 engines after diesel engine manufacturer Thielert, which originally provided the DA42’s engines, filed for bankruptcy last year. The DA42 L360 features a Garmin G1000 integrated cockpit and can be equipped for flight into known icing.
[ POSTED JANUARY 21, 2009 ]
NTSB releases judgment on medevac accidents
In a rare move last week, the National Transportation Safety Board released at one time new information about nine separate medical helicopter flights. Of the nine accidents discussed, four were final determinations, of which three were attributed to weather. The board said it planned to hold public hearings on the state of medevac safety to coincide with the new information.
[ POSTED JANUARY 21, 2009 ]
2008 hiring down; 5,000 pilot jobs predicted for 2009
Airline pilot hiring numbers for last year were less than half of the 2007 total—6,479 pilots found jobs in 2008, compared to 13,157 the previous year. High fuel prices, a softening economy, and the credit crunch were among the factors contributing to the decrease, said Atlanta-based AIR, Inc. Of the 92,348 pilots employed industry wide, 4,494 are currently furloughed, an increase of 1,400 from this time last year. AIR, Inc predicts 5,000 new airline pilot jobs for 2009.
[ POSTED JANUARY 13, 2009 ]
Airlines fatality-free for two years
U.S. airlines flew 1.5 billion passengers without a fatality in 2007 and 2008, a new record. There have only been four years without a fatality in the past 50, making the two-year stretch all the more impressive. Only one major accident occurred in the past two years, when Continental Flight 1404 ran off the runway at Denver International Airport last month.
[ POSTED JANUARY 13, 2009 ]
AirTran recalls pilots
Despite a deep recession that has hit the airline industry hard, Air Tran Airways announced this week it is recalling 60 furloughed pilots and hiring flight attendants to deal with the upcoming summer travel season. Air Tran continues to cut capacity, however, and more than 100 pilots will remain on furlough status.
[ POSTED JANUARY 13, 2009 ]
ASA to operate new jets, furlough pilots
SkyWest, the owner of Delta regional carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines, said this week it reached an agreement with Delta for the airline to operate 10 new Bombardier CRJ900 jets. The jets will replace 20 of the company’s smaller CRJ200s. But the new jets and merger of Delta and Northwest did not keep the airline from furloughing for the first time in its 30-year history. The company is expected to furlough 80 of its 1,700 pilots.
[ POSTED JANUARY 13, 2009 ]
Airlines sue FAA over crew rest changes
Several U.S. airlines have sued the FAA over new rules aimed at increasing crew rest periods on ultra-long flights. The complaint says the FAA should have gone through a rulemaking process for the changes, allowing more industry input. Listed on the lawsuit are American, Continental, United, US Airways, JetBlue, Evergreen, and Atlas. The Allied Pilots Association, American’s pilot union, is in favor of the rule changes and does not believe there is a problem. The issue was discussed in FAA working groups, and the airlines used this opportunity to comment, APA spokesman Scott Shankland said.
[ POSTED JANUARY 6, 2009 ]
FAA, whistleblowing controller settle
On advice from its Office of Special Counsel, the FAA settled with an air traffic controller at Memphis International Airport who was taken off duty after multiple attempts to stop what he considered an unsafe air traffic procedure. The controller took exception to a practice of putting airplanes on intersecting runways. After taken off controller duty, the employee filed a complaint, which was validated by the OSC and Department of Transportation Inspector General. As part of the agreement, the controller will be put back on duty, and transferred to another ATC facility.
[ POSTED JANUARY 6, 2009 ]
Public meetings begin on LASP
Public meetings begin this week on the Large Aircraft Security Program, a Transportation Security Administration program intended to vet crewmembers and passengers aboard business aircraft. The plan has drawn widespread opposition from aviation groups, which requested the public meetings. Comments are still being accepted on the proposal, which if enacted would mandate baggage screening and independent security audits. For more information, see AOPA’s security action center.
[ POSTED JANUARY 6, 2009 ]
Continental to fly first U.S. biofuel test
It’s been happening around the world for months, but Continental Airlines said it will become the first U.S. airline to fly a Transport-category aircraft powered with biofuels in a test this week. The demonstration flight will burn a special fuel blend including components derived from algae and jatropha plants. According to the airline, the demonstration flight will be the first biofuel flight by a commercial carrier using algae as a fuel source—and the first using a two-engine aircraft, a Boeing 737-800 equipped with CFM International CFM56-7B engines.
[ POSTED JANUARY 6, 2009 ]
