Blogs

State Dept: No decision on F-16s for Taiwan

The State Department just sent the following statement to the Star-Telegram about published reports that it had denied Taiwan's request to purchase 66 new F-16 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin.

Read more...

What should TWU do at American Airlines?

I've been reading some comments from our "Ice, Ice, baby" posting, and it raises the question about what the Transport Workers Union should do in its contract talks with American Airlines.

Read more...

Online Publishing Gives Air Facts New Life

At AirVenture a friend asked if I’d seen the new Air Facts. What new Air Facts? All I knew about were the Air Facts videos Richard Collins produced with Sporty’s Pilot Shop that grew out of the eponymous print publication Leighton Collins launched in 1938. (Collins sold Air Facts in 1973, and changes made by the new owners were its demise.) 

Read more...

F-35 ground tests to resume, but not flights

The F-35 Joint Program Office authorized a return to ground operations for the F-35 developmental test (DT) aircraft today.  This is the first step in returning the F-35 fleet to full flight operations.  A precautionary suspension of both ground and flight operations for the program was issued Aug. 3.

Read more...

Airlines report July 2011 traffic, capacity load factors

With numbers now in from the seven largest U.S. carriers, we're left to wonder why Southwest Airlines showed the smallest increase in unit revenues among the four carriers who report those numbers.

Read more...

Passenger traffic and capacity was up for airlines in July

It looks like the busiest month of the summer vacation season meant more passengers for airlines.

Read more...

Airline employment up 2 percent in June, BTS says

Airlines and cargo carriers continue to add more employees, according to a new government report.

 
Read more...

Remembering that day, Sept. 11, 2001

As we've been preparing stories for the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the logical question comes up: What were you doing on that day?

Read more...

Boeing completes 747-8F certification flight test campaign

When RC523 landed in the early morning Wednesday hours following a 17 hour maximum endurance flight, the arrival marked the completion of the aircraft's functionality and reliability (F&R) trials and more importantly the final test of the jumbo freighter's certification campaign. 

 
Read more...

American MD-80 makes unplanned stop in Abilene

Suspicions of possible engine trouble late Tuesday caused an American Airlines crew to divert their MD-80, en route from Los Angeles to Dallas-Fort Worth, to Abilene Regional Airport.

Read more...

American Airlines pilots lose help of larger union

The Air Line Pilots Association won't be helping the Allied Pilots Association any more in APA's contract talks with American Airlines.

 
Read more...

Photo of Note: With 17 hours to kill, why not write "747" in the sky?

The fifth 747-8F is flying its max endurance ETOPS/F&R (extended operations not extended twin-engine operations) mission today, and the crew of RC523 appears to have taken some creative liberties with its flight plan over the western half of the United States. 

Read more...

AMR´s Horton would like to merge with BA parent, some day

Could another big airline merger take off? The president of American Airlines‘ parent company hopes so.

Read more...

The blimp is back

High in the sky over Akron, Ohio early Wednesday was a blimp -- the Lockheed Martin developed first-of-its kind High Altitude Long Endurance-Demonstrator (HALE-D). Apparently the first flight didn't go nearly as well as hoped although it's being billed as a success.

Read more...

The Airlines Have a Netflix Problem

U.S. airlines have been taking some heat this week for boosting fares to compensate for the end of the 7.5 percent federal excise tax that expired July 23 amid partisan squabbling in Washington. The Senate’s inaction also meant that segment taxes of $7.40 per roundtrip, an $8.20 charge for flights to Alaska and Hawaii and a $16.30 assessment for international flights are not being collected. 

Read more...

First F-35C catapult launch

Another day and another first for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter development testing program. An F-35C. the JSF carrier variant, was launched today (Wednesday) using a steam catapult like those found the Navy's aircraft carriers.

Read more...

American Airlines gives some, takes some in latest offer to TWU ground workers

American Airlines has put out some details of its latest offer to fleet service clerks and other ground workers, a deal that the Transport Workers Union negotiators didn't accept on Tuesday.

Read more...

Southwest appearance techs reject tentative agreement.

The appearance technicians union at Southwest Airlines has voted down a tentative agreement with the Dallas-based carrier.

Read more...

Until re-engine plans are firmed, 737´s future in Renton is an open question

Jim Albaugh, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, made a comment last week on the sidelines at the American Airlines order announcement in Dallas that initially escaped my note, in response to a question about the industrial footprint for re-engining the 737 and Renton's role in building the updated narrowbody

Read more...

What´s Out the Window?

Have you ever been flying and looked out the window and wonder where the heck you are and what is that object? You might just ask your seat neighbor, but I think half the time they are just making up the answer.

Read more...
copyright AviationGeeks 2010
Vefsíðugerð & vefhönnun: Smartmedia © 2011