As we prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July, let us keep the men and women of our armed forces protecting the freedoms which we so value, in our thoughts. Our wish is that you are able to celebrate this time with your families and friends, taking part in the fireworks, parades and barbecues which surround this celebrated day. We at Precision Turbines would like to thank all of our loyal readers and subscribers who make this newsletter such a continued success so that we are able to bring you the most up to date, industry-related news. From all of us here at Precision Turbines we bid you a very healthy and happy Fourth of July!
Delta Pilots Approve Labor Contract Through 2015
Delta Air Lines pilots approved a new labor agreement last week after two months of bargaining. The contract, which took effect Sunday, runs through 2015. Delta said the contract "provides career growth opportunities and pay, scheduling and benefits improvements to the pilots, while providing Delta with the ability to accelerate fleet enhancements."....Read More
AMR Wants To Extend Deadline For Reorganization
AMR Corp., the parent company of American Airlines, wants a three-month extension of its reorganization plan under bankruptcy protection. An extension would push back the deadline from Sept. 28 to Dec. 27. "We have one chance to get this restructuring right, so it's important we approach this process in a methodical and disciplined manner," said Missy Cousino, spokeswoman for American"....Read More
Pilots' Bill Of Rights Passes U.S. Senate On A Unanimous Vote
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), a member of the Senate General Aviation Caucus and certified flight instructor with more than 10,000 flight hours, hailed the Senate's unanimous passage of his bill, the Pilots' Bill of Rights (S.1335) on Friday. Inhofe has worked to pass the legislation for the past year. His bill has 65 co-sponsors, including U.S. Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK)....Read More
APA Board To Send AA Contract To Rank And File For A Vote The APA Board of Directors voted nine to seven Thursday to approve a tentative contract offer from American Airlines' management. The vote of approval triggers the membership ratification process, which at the direction of the bankruptcy judge will follow a moderately compressed schedule relative to the normal process...Read More
Chinese Astronautes Return To Earth
Three Chinese astronauts, including the first Chinese woman to fly in space, have returned safely to Earth following a 13-day mission in which they successfully docked their Shenzhou 9 capsule to the Tiangong 1 space lab prototype already in orbit. The landing was broadcast live on Chinese state television...Read More
WestJet Airlines Orders 20 Q400 NextGen Aircraft Canadian carrier WestJet Airlines placed a firm order for 20 Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft on Thursday, a deal worth about $683 million...Read More 2 More Counties Certify GE H80 Turboprop Engine The GE 80 turboprop engine has received approval from aviation agencies in Brazil and Argentina. The engine has also received type certifications from the Federal Aviation Administration and European authorities. GE says it plans to produce 70 H80 engines this year at its facility in the Czech Republic...Read More Court OKs Agreements Between American Airlines, 5 Employee Groups A bankruptcy court has approved new labor agreements between AMR Corp.'s American Airlines and five groups represented by the Transport Workers Union. American Airlines pilots will vote on new contract terms soon, and the airline will resume talks with flight attendants and two other groups represented by the TWU..Read More Delta Closes Refinery Deal Delta Airlines last month announced that it had purchased an idle oil refinery in suburban Philadelphia so that it could begin to manufacture its own jet fuel. The airline announced last Friday that it has finalized the deal, and hopes to have the facility operational by fall...Read More
Hawker Beechcraft Loses $90 Million in May In a hearing yesterday that lasted barely 10 minutes in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, Hawker Beechcraft made an obligatory filing in compliance with Chapter 11 reporting requirements. As part of the report, HBC noted a $90 million loss for the month of May that included $33 million in operating losses...Read More NBAA Warns Of Coming 'Climb Via' Changes for SIDs The FAA is making "significant changes," effective August 15, that will affect pilots flying instrument departures and arrivals, according to NBAA..Read More
Shannon Airport Highlighted At Irish Bizav Confab
Shannon Airport is on track to create an aviation center of excellence-to include a broadened business aviation role-at the Irish field, speakers said yesterday at the second annual Irish Business Aviation Convention. The two-day event concludes today...Read More
American Airlines Pilots Union Will Send Contract To Members
American Airlines and its pilots union reached a tentative agreement on a labor contract Wednesday. The Allied Pilots Association board voted to send the six-year contract for a vote by members. "We believe this agreement addresses the needs of our pilots while achieving the goals of our business plan, and further demonstrates our commitment to reaching consensual agreements with all of our unions," American said in a statement...Read More
AMR Corp. Is Improving Business In Bankruptcy, Analysts Say
AMR Corp. is improving its operations during bankruptcy, analysts say. "AMR posted healthy May RASM that contributed to an otherwise normal sequential industry trend, but may have been overlooked as analysts focused elsewhere," said JP Morgan analyst Jamie Baker...Read More
Opinion: Better Data Management Can Improve Aircraft Repairs
Christopher Koch, editorial director at SAP, says airlines could benefit from better data management for aircraft repairs. "Inefficient operations are more than a customer service nightmare," writes Koch. "Air carriers lose a whopping $10,000 for every hour spent on the ground performing maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO)."...Read More
Embraer's Phenom 300 Earns Canadian Type Certificate Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) granted a type certificate to Embraer for its Phenom 300 light jet. The Phenom 300, which received its initial certification by U.S. and Brazilian aviation authorities in 2009, is now certificated in more than 40 countries...Read More Banyan Adds Challenger Capabilities The Bombardier Challenger 601-1A/3A/3R and 604 have been added to Banyan Air Service's FAA Part 145 repair station approval at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, as well as to its EASA certification and Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela approvals. "We have a large customer base and as they transition into larger aircraft we intend to augment our capabilities to be able to continue to offer them service and support,"...Read More Vector Acquires PWC's Australian Overhaul Facility Vector Aerospace recently acquired Pratt & Whitney Canada's A'Asia wholly owned subsidiary in Brisbane, Australia. According to Brian Thompson, Vector's senior vice president commercial, "Vector is buying the 30,000-sq-ft facility and all its assets. It will officially be a P&WC PT6 designated overhaul facility and will hold FAA, EASA and Australian CASA approvals."...Read More Piper Aircraft Will Celebrate 75 Years of Piper Cub In July Piper Aircraft plans to celebrate its 75th birthday, as well as the 75th birthday of the Piper Cub, next month. The aircraft manufacturer will display a vintage Cub at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2012, from July 23 to 29. The distinctive yellow Piper Cub first appeared on the market in 1937...Read More
Aviation Industry Faces Too Much Regulation, United CEO Says
Jeff Smisek, president and CEO of United Continental Holdings, says the airline industry faces challenges in the U.S. "I think we're brutally regulated, we're also brutally overtaxed," he said. Smisek called for national aviation policies in the U.S. and Europe...Read More
U.S. Expects Decreased Dependence On Foreign Oil
U.S. demand for energy will increase less than 1% annually through 2035, and reliance on imported oil will steadily fade, according to a report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. During the next decade, imports of crude oil will decrease 2 million barrels daily, cutting spending on foreign oil by $58 billion annually at existing prices, the agency said...Read More
Farnborough AIr Show May See 1,455 Exhibitors
Organizers of the Farnborough International Airshow predict a rebound for the U.K. air show, which is sold out. "The last two years have seen a very difficult economic environment, but 2012 is looking like it will be a really great show," said Farnborough International CEO Shaun Ormrod. The air show can accommodate about 1,455 exhibitors from about 70 countries...Read More
Boeing Will Launch Flying Display of 787 At The Air Show
Boeing plans to showcase the 787 Dreamliner in a flying display at the Farnborough International Airshow in July. Boeing has not done a flying display at the air show in almost three decades, choosing to display aircraft on the ground. Boeing will fly a 787 destined for Qatar Airways, sources say...Read More
Brazil Seizes Nine Bizjets Over Alleged Tax Evasion
Brazilian tax, police and aviation authorities joined forces to seize nine business jets last week, and they have targeted 13 more suspect aircraft. According to officials, Brazilians allegedly own and use the jets but registered them overseas to avoid Brazilian state and federal import taxes of nearly 35 percent. Foreign-registered airplanes can remain in Brazil for up to 60 days without paying import duties...Read More
Embraer Ramps Up For Olympics
In anticipation of the London Olympic Games, scheduled for 27 July to 12 August and the increased traffic in the United Kingdom during this period, Embraer has developed a comprehensive and integrated plan to support local and visiting customers...Read More
Airbus Makes Mobile A320 Plant Official
In what it billed as a major strategic announcement Monday, which was maybe one of the worst-kept secrets in aviation last month, Airbus said it will establish a manufacturing facility in the United States to assemble and deliver A320 Family aircraft. Located at the Brookley Aeroplex in Mobile, Alabama, it will be the company's first U.S.-based production facility. Airbus stressed that the assembly line, which will create jobs and strengthen the aerospace industry..Read More
Boeing To Conduct Manufacturing Research In Japan Boeing and its three major Japanese airframe partners - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Fuji Heavy Industries - announced Friday that they have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Institute of Industrial Science (IIS), the University of Tokyo. Under the MOU, the parties will commence joint research and work to create a consortium to develop industrial-scale manufacturing technology and processes, in a new model of academic-industry cooperation..Read More Former Astronaut Fatally Injured In Boating Accident Retired astronaut Alan Poindexter was fatally injured Sunday when the personal watercraft he was on with his 22-year-old son was struck by a second PWC operated by his 26-year-old son...Read More |
