Boeing Announces SF Airlines Order For Converted Freighters
China's SF Airlines has placed an order for an undisclosed number of 767-300ER passenger-to-freighter conversions (Boeing Converted Freighters). SF Airlines, a subsidiary of Shenzhen, China-based delivery services company SF Express, will accept its first redelivered 767 in the second half of 2015."SF Express aims to become China's most respected and reliable international courier company," said Li Sheng, President of SF Airlines. "The addition of both wide...Read More
United Flight To Australia Sets New 787 Overnight Record
The Boeing 787 has set an overnight record with its longest flight of 15 hours from Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia. The United Airlines flight on a 787-9 allows nonstop service between the two cities for the first time. "It's exciting for us to see the 787 do exactly what we promised our customers it would do -- open up new routes all over the world," said Randy Tinseth, vice president of marketing for the aircraft manufacturer...Read More
Plane Makers Enjoying Surge In Business
Plane manufacturers Boeing Company and Airbus are enjoying a surge in orders of fuel-efficient aircraft from U.S. airlines. Recent drops in the cost of fuel haven't lessened the demand, and both manufacturers are scheduling deliveries seven years out...Read More
Bolen Deems NBAA 2014 In Orlando An 'Enormous Success'
The three-day 2014 NBAA Convention, which concluded on Thursday in Orlando, Fla., "was an enormous success, filled with announcements and product introductions," according to NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. "The exhibit floor and aircraft displays had lots of activity and excitement. Education sessions were informative and well attended. The event once again showcased the industry's size, diversity and significance." NBAA 2014 hosted approximately...Read More
American Airlines and US Airways plan to merge frequent flyer programs next year as the integration process continues. The Dividend Miles loyalty program from US Airways will be folded into the AAdvantage loyalty program from American Airlines. The integration of the programs should be completed by the second quarter of 2015...Read More
Given the deliberate, predictable pace of the aerospace business, there are few occasions when it is possible to witness a sea change underway. Yet the official unveiling of Pratt & Whitney Canada's PW800 turbofan at this year's National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention here Oct. 21-23 was perhaps just such a moment...Read More
Vector Aerospace Reaches Services Agreement
Vector Aerospace Corporation a global independent provider of aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services is pleased to announce that Vector Aerospace Engine Services-Atlantic, Inc. (ES-A) has renewed its Engine Service Agreement with Gander Aerospace Manufacturing/Evas Air based in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada. As per the terms of the exclusive agreement, ES-A provides Gander Aerospace Manufacturing/Evas Air with comprehensive fixed-wing aircraft engine repair and overhaul support from...Read More
Google Computer Scientist Breaks High-Altitude Skydive Record
Computer scientist Alan Eustace, a senior executive at Google, broke the world record for a high-altitude skydive set by Felix Baumgartner, with a successful jump from 135,890 feet on Friday over Roswell, N.M. James Hayhurst of the United States Parachute Association was on hand to verify the record. Eustace was wearing a space suit and life support system that he pioneered...Read More
JetBlue Hires Former Firefighters As Flight Attendants
Almost 300 flight attendants at JetBlue Airways got their start as New York City firefighters. The ranks of former or current firefighters makes up 10% of the workforce for the airline based in New York City. "It's a natural transition for those who want to remain in New York" and remain part of a "close-knit family," said David Barger, CEO of JetBlue...Read More
Opinion: Bumbling Caused B-52 Reengining Delay
The U.S. Air Force is taking a serious look at reengining the Boeing B-52. The question is not whether it makes sense, but why it hasn't been done. The answers include poor planning, budgetary procedures that defied economic logic and at least one bone-headed accounting error...Read More
Multiple Sorties Flown Into Storms Over The Pacific And Atlantic Oceans
It's been a busy two weeks for the Air Force Reserve's Hurricane Hunters, the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew their last of 15 missions into Hurricane Ana in the Pacific Oct. 20, while gathering weather data for the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. On the other side of the globe, the hunters wrapped up a week-long deployment to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, flying their last Hurricane Gonzalo mission Oct. 16, in the Atlantic...Read More
NTSB Releases Probable Cause Report In Accident Involving Perry Inhofe
The NTSB's has released its probable cause report from an accident last November 10th involving Dr. Perry Inhofe, the son of U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe. According to the report, radar and air traffic control communications indicated that the Mitsubishi MU-2B-25 was operating normally and flew a nominal flightpath from takeoff through the beginning of the approach until the airplane overshot the extended centerline of the landing runway, tracking to the east... Read More
Southwest Airlines, IAM Reach Tentative Agreement Southwest Airlines and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), representing the carrier's approximately 6,000 Customer Service Agents and Customer Support and Services Representatives, announced today that the two parties have reached a tentative agreement. The tentative agreement is for a new four year contract and requires Membership ratification. The current contract became...Read More
Honeywell Adds New Technology Features To The Cockpit
With landing and taxiing being some of the most difficult situations for pilots, Honeywell Aerospace is working on new features to its Primus Epic integrated flight deck product line that will keep pilots better informed and safer in the air and on the ground. "You might think that once a pilot lands a plane after an eight-hour trip the workload decreases and the job gets easier, but that's not always true," said Sandy Wyatt, test pilot with Honeywell Aerospace...Read More
Gulfstream Delivers 1,000th Enhanced Vision System
Gulfstream recently delivered the 1,000th aircraft equipped with its state-of-the-art Enhanced Vision System (EVS I and II). The vision-enhancing equipment was installed on a Gulfstream G650. This delivery marks yet another avionics milestone for Gulfstream. The company was the first original equipment manufacturer to certify EVS in September 2001 after more than seven years of research, development and testing. The first EVS was installed...Read More
Civil War Soldier To Posthumously Receive Medal Of Honor
President Obama will present the Medal of Honor to Army 1st Lt. Alonzo Cushing posthumously on Nov. 6. The Civil War Union Army lieutenant served as commanding officer of Battery A, 4th United States Artillery, Artillery Brigade, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac, when his battery was charged near Cemetery Ridge in Gettysburg, Pa. During Pickett's Charge, Cushing manned the only remaining serviceable field piece in his battery and went...Read More
United Airlines Increasing Capacity
United Airlines expects to increase capacity 1.5% to 2.5% in 2015, with domestic capacity increasing 0.5% to 1.5%. The company also announced that it has converted orders for Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners to 787-10 models, deferring planned 2017 and 2018 deliveries to 2022 and beyond...Read More
Alaska Airlines Relies On Fuel-Efficient Boeing Planes
Alaska Airlines is relying on fuel-efficient aircraft from Boeing. Alaska has ordered 737-900ERs and the 737 Max to replace its fleet of 737s. Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group, said Alaska can compete due to "much more fuel-efficient aircraft that are coming on-line...Read More
New Technologies On Gulfstream's G600
Fred George, Aviation Week's chief aircraft evaluation editor, takes a look at the new features being introduced in the cockpit of Gulfstream's G600, while Senior Propulsion Editor Guy Norris discusses the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW800 engine that will power the new long-range business jet...Read More
GE Honda Develops A New Citation Jet Engine Retrofit Program
GE Honda has announced a joint project with Sierra Industries, of Uvalde, TX, to develop an engine retrofit program for the legacy Citation Jet platform using the recently certified HF120 engine. This new project, known as the Sapphire program can be applied to all CitationJet, CJ1 and CJ1+ models. The HF120 engine will provide the CitationJet with improved performance and enhanced productivity. The Sapphire retrofit plan...Read More
Boeing Celebrates Groundbreaking For 777X Composite Wing Center
Boeing this week celebrated the groundbreaking of its new 777X Composite Wing Center at the Everett, WA campus. Permitting for the new 1-million-square-foot facility was completed approximately seven weeks earlier than anticipated, allowing for an accelerated start to construction. Boeing is investing more than $1 billion in the Everett site for construction and outfitting of the new building. Once completed, the facility located on the north...Read More
Citation X+ Sets New Speed Records
The fastest civilian aircraft in the world recently flexed its muscles with a series of record-breaking flights across the United States. The Cessna Citation X+, which received FAA certification in June, set four new speed records, include a coast-to-coast record from Seattle to Miami...Read More
Fiscal 2014 Average For Foreign Military Sales
The US topped $30 billion in total Foreign Military Sales in Fiscal 2014, marking a slight increase from last fiscal year, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced. "FMS, like all security cooperation programs, is about relationship building and achieving our national security and foreign policy objectives," head of DSCA Vice Adm. Joseph Rixey said in an Oct. 27 release. The past year's $34.2 billion total includes $31.2 billion...Read More
Depot Redirection
The Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex is working to make its repair work less art and more science. After years of instability led to a severe backup on the nation's sole F-15 depot line, things are finally coming together at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex at Robins AFB, Ga. Up until recently, the complex's approach to depot maintenance was to treat it as an art form. Restoring an aircraft was a delicate art, and each artist-or worker or crew chief-had an individualized approach to the process...Read More
F-35 LRIP 8 Handshake Deal
The Defense Department and Lockheed Martin have struck a deal on the Lot 8 buy of F-35 low-rate initial production jets, announced the company on Monday. While overall numbers have to wait while currency conversions are done for all the international partners, the unit cost "for all three variants of the airframe in LRIP 8 is approximately 3.6 percent lower than the previous contract," states the company's release. This continues the trend of decreasing unit costs. LRIP 8 will include 43 airplanes, including 29 aircraft for US service-19 F-35As for the Air Force, six F-35Bs and four F-35Cs-and 14...Read More
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