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Tuesday, August 31, 2010
KC-135
Boeing-built KC-135, 54 yrs in flight, receives Programmed Depot Maintenance from #Boeing in #SanAntonio
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Monday, August 30, 2010
Male international airport, Maldives
Male international airport, Maldives. Runway is 3,200m long. From my favorite twittering astronaut @Astro_Zoichi
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Couple Held At Gun Point Because Of Bureaucratic Mistake
This is an interesting tale of government agencies working with each other, towards the correct goal, but with incorrect information. I disagree with the writer that had the report been of a stolen car that the police would've checked their facts.
Having had a car stolen, I can assure you, that the police does nothing to try and find your car.
In my opinion, the only reason that the police bothered to do something in this case, was because EPIC gave them the tip off and the Santa Barbara Police Department thought that they'd nab a big time drug trafficker. Fortunately, the SBPD didn't think to plant evidence in the plane.
What do you think?
Amplify’d from www.aero-news.net
On Saturday, August 28 at the Santa Barbara Airport, Martha
and I were held at gunpoint, ordered from our Cessna 172,
handcuffed and detained in the back of two separate police
cars.
Later, the Santa Barbara Police told us that a "private
company" had called them and reported that N50545 had been stolen
and was on its way to Santa Barbara Airport. In fact, the airplane
that had been stolen (8 years ago) was a 1968 C150J and the
registration for that airplane had been cancelled by the FAA in
September of 2005. The registration number was then re-assigned
four years later by the FAA to the airplane we were flying, a 2009
Cessna 172S owned by Cessna Aircraft Corporation. It would have
taken less than 60 seconds on the FAA website to reveal these
facts.
Apparently the Santa Barbara Police took the word of a
company they were not familiar with, failed to make even
rudimentary checks on the web, confused a 2009 Cessna 172S with a
1968 150J, and on that basis, put us at grave risk by creating a
situation that could have been lethal.
The "private company" that supposedly had called the Santa
Barbara Police was the El Paso Intel Center (EPIC). In reality this
"private company" is shown on the web as a program of the
DEA.
The concerning issue to us, as it should be for all pilots,
is that apparently nobody is bothering to remove a registration
number from the stolen aircraft list when a registration number has
been re-assigned. As a result, completely innocent citizens wind up
being detained at gunpoint. It appears that there is no system in
place to prevent this from happening repeatedly.
We had flown up IFR, utilizing a system in which we gave the
FAA our name, address and contact information and announced to the
world that we were going to Santa Barbara-hardly, it seems, the way
someone flying a stolen airplane would behave.
In many ways the Santa Barbara Police Department could feel
set up for this failure, by a system that falsely reported the
aircraft as stolen. Had it been a reportedly stolen automobile,
they would have verified their facts with the DMV before they took
action. But they don't know anything about aircraft. One officer
asked me where he could find the vehicle identification number
(VIN) for the aircraft. When I said that aircraft don't have a VIN
the officer said to me, "Yes they do." I finally realized he wanted
to know where to find the aircraft serial number.Read more at www.aero-news.net
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Friday, August 20, 2010
JASDF Boeing KC-767J Take off at Komaki
Japan Air Self Defense Force KC-767J military aerial refueling taking off from
Nagoya - Komaki Airport
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Moscow Delivers A Nuclear Submarine To India
So, this has nothing to do with aviation, but I found it interesting nonetheless.
This article was originally printed in French and was auto-translated to English.
Amplify’d from www.aerocontact.com
MOSCOW, Aug. 20 (Reuters) - Russia has delivered to the Indian Navy a submarine with nuclear propulsion, the NERP, leased for ten years to force New Delhi, reported Friday, Russian news agencies.
In November 2008, an accident had twenty deaths on board the NERP, which was conducting tests in the Pacific Ocean.
The submarine, with an Indian crew, left the base this week on the Russian Pacific coast to India, says agency Interfax quoted a source within the Russian military-industrial complex.
The RIA news agency, she said, citing a source in the Pacific Fleet, wrote that the crew consists of Russian and Indian seamen and that the submarine conducts tests and has still not been officially handed over to India .
Neither the Russian Ministry of Defence nor the staff of the navy could not be contacted immediately. The press service of the Pacific Fleet gave no details.
The NERP, the last built submarines of the class "Akula", according to the name of NATO, entered service in late 2009.
In initial trials Wed, November 8, 2008, three soldiers and 17 civilians were killed and 21 others injured in an accident related to the inadvertent fire suppression system based on freon, a highly toxic gas.
The submarine has eight torpedo launchers of 533 mm and 650 mm. Its draft is 8140-12770 tons, maximum speed of 30 knots, maximum depth of immersion of 600 meters. Its range is 100 days and its crew of 73 people. (Dmitry Solovyov, Guy Kerivel for the French service)
Read more at www.aerocontact.com
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Russia To Buy French Made Helicopter Carriers?
If this isn't a sign of the apocalypse, I don't know what is. Russia is looking to buy 2 helicopter carriers, and the company that is considered the front runner is French.
Since when does Russia buy western military hardware?
For the record, the article I clipped was auto-translated from French-English.
Amplify’d from www.aerocontact.com
Read more at www.aerocontact.com
YEREVAN, August 20 (Reuters) - Russia will launch an international tender for the purchase of two helicopter carriers for its navy said Friday that the Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov.
The latter said that the Russian Defense planned to choose the manufacturer of these ships by the end of the year.
"We are talking of two vessels for the moment," he told reporters in the Armenian capital where he was accompanying Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Yet Russia has discussed for months with France on the acquisition of buildings and projection command (PCB) type Mistral.
President Nicolas Sarkozy had also assured last month that the sale to Russia of ships Mistral, which can carry helicopters, was acquired.
A leader of the shipyards had also said that the agreement should be finalized by the end of the year.
However, the Russian Minister of Defense said in May that Moscow also discussed this issue with Spain and the Netherlands.
Anatoly Serdyukov said Friday that the French shipyard DCN, including the specialist defense electronics Thales shareholder, were welcome if they wanted to participate in international bidding.
PRESSURES ON PARIS?
The announcement came a day after an article published by the Russian business daily Kommersant referring to the launch of such a tender, citing Roman Trofimenko, president of the United Shipbuilding Corporation public group.
On Thursday, the Elysee had expressed his confidence on the outcome of ongoing negotiations with Moscow.
"France sees no reason to worry about current developments. Conversations are continuing normally in a good background," he then said the French presidency.
Some analysts believe that Moscow is seeking with its tender to put pressure on Paris to obtain better conditions for the acquisition of vessels Mistral.
"It should not be excluded that the holding of such a tender could be aimed at obtaining a better price, better terms, (transaction) and, finally, transfer of technology ( by France to Russia), "said Konstantin Makiyenko, deputy director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, a Moscow think tank.
He estimated that the acquisition of two ships to France Mistral cost up to 800 million euros.
(With Dmitry Solovyov in Moscow, Catherine and Alexander Monin Boksenbaum-Granier for the French service, edited by Gwénaëlle Barzic)
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Thursday, August 19, 2010
Airline to Flight Attendants: Lose Weight or be Reassigned!
I'd like to see how the airline defines "overweight." I've seen some people that looked to be average weight described as being overweight. I'm on board as far as F/A having to meet certain fitness guidelines, but "overweight" is too nebulous a term for me.
Amplify’d from blog.seattlepi.com
A nice Turkish Airlines Airbus A340 up front, lots of other Turkish planes in the background.
The argument for "passengers of size" has been going on for quite some time now. Now Turkish Airlines is looking to add "flight attendants of size" into the mix. 28 flight attendants have been put on unpaid leave to shape up or be reassigned.
Izzet Levi, head of a cabin attendants' association, and one of those trying to lose weight, told the Haber Turk newspaper he must drop 22 pounds or he will get re-assigned.
This is a tricky situation. With larger passengers, it is easy just to have them purchase a second seat, but flight attendants need to be able to safely get up and down the aisle and help passengers get off the aircraft in case of an emergency.
It is easier with passengers to tell when they have to buy a second seat. If you can't put your seatbelt on or put down the armrests, there is a good chance you will have to buy the seat next to you, but with flight attendants, it is not as easy.
Read more at blog.seattlepi.com
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Monday, August 16, 2010
Owners Of Supercars Owe Millions In Parking Fines
I don't know about you, but it doesn't seem like they have boots or tow trucks in England.
They need to come get some lessons from campus police departments and learn how to put a boot on a car, or learn how to tow a car to the impound lot. That's how you get your money that you are owed.
Seems like the Westminster Council needs to change tactics.
I know this article isn't about planes, but the article does mention that the vehicles in question are flown on private jets to England, so that's my connection.
Amplify’d from www.telegraph.co.uk
Westminster Council claims the owners of Bugattis, Ferraris and Lamborghinis
routinely flout parking restrictions because they know officials are
powerless to trace them in their own countries.
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Supercars illegally parked
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The list of councils hitting motorists with parking charge rises
Drivers hit by soaring parking 'tax'
Soaring demand for speed awareness courses as motorists avoid penalty points
The council, Britain’s largest parking authority, accuses the culprits of a
“blatant disregard” for the country’s road laws by refusing to pay the
penalties.
In the past three years, offenders have failed to settle a total of 36,332
parking tickets, leaving the council £3,776,490 out of pocket, The
Daily Telegraph can disclose.
Top of the authority’s most wanted list is the owner of a £300,000 Rolls-Royce
Phantom, who owes them £2,000 for 18 parking tickets.
While the owner of a Bugatti Veyron L’Edition Centenaire would have lavished
£1.2 million on buying their 250mph car, they have failed to pay a £120 fine
for parking on a single yellow line outside Selfridges.
Despite having the distinctive registration 111111, the council is also
struggling to track the driver of a red and black Bugatti Veyron ticketed
this month near Marble Arch. All three cars are on Arabic plates.
Other prolific offenders include owners of a US-registered Hummer and a
Lamborghini Murcielago from Dubai.
Westminster Council is calling on the Government to help establish a system of
international co-operation to allow local authorities to trace foreign
motorists – 80 per cent of whom refuse to pay fines.
Currently, there are no laws to provide parking authorities with access to
overseas driver and vehicle registration data to chase up parking fines.
New EU legislation will allow member states to share such information but
experts say British authorities will not be able to use the law because
parking offences are not classified as criminal offences in this country.
Cllr Lee Rowley, Westminster Council’s cabinet member for parking, said: "British
taxpayers can no longer foot the bill for foreign motorists who seem think
the rules of this country do not apply to them.
"We would like to see a more rigorous system put in place to hold these
drivers to account and send a clear message that this blatant disregard of
the law will not be tolerated."
Officials say the problem is most pronounced among vehicles registered in the
Middle East, which are frequently seen parked on yellow lines, in bus lanes
or in residents' parking bays in expensive parts of the capital.
Many wealthy Arabs have their sports cars flown into Britain by private jet
during the so-called ‘season’ in July and August, when it has become
fashionable to visit London.
The issue follows complaints, from residents in Knightsbridge over sports car
owners shattering their night-time peace by racing through the streets
around Harrods.
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Bathroom brawl on Southwest Flight
Seriously lady, go before you get on the plane, or after the plane takes off. I can understand the need to go, but it looks like passenger was able to hold it in during the scuffle etc.
Amplify’d from www.nbcchicago.com
A California woman was arrested at Midway Airport Saturday night after allegedly causing a disturbance on a Southwest Airlines aircraft that was getting ready for takeoff.
Patsy Ann Butler, 51, of Chino Hills, CA, is accused of getting into an altercation with an airline employee that started when she tried to use the bathroom while the flight was preparing for takeoff -- and ended with expletives, slapping and shoving.
It all started as flight 2861 was about to leave for Norfolk, VA, airline spokeswoman Whitney Eichinger said.
Eichinger said Butler was trying to use the washroom as the aircraft was beginning to push back from the gates in order to take off, and a flight attendant tried to stop her.
“She wanted to use it [the lavatory] but they were not operational because the flight [was] going back,’’ Eichinger said.
During the altercation, Butler allegedly began to yell obscenities, calling the flight attendant a b ----, according to a police report.
Butler was removed from the aircraft, along with a companion, and the flight took off safely, Eichinger said.
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Cool picture of the first plane of a new airline called "Sol Del Paraguay" http://www.airliners.net/photo/Sol-del-Paraguay/Fokker-100-%28F-28-0100%29/1761813/L/ http://amplify.com/u/8qwb
Aires Jet Carrying 131 Passengers Crashes
1 passenger was killed in the crash. I'll add more information about this crash as it develops over on my aviation news website.
Amplify’d from nycaviation.com
The aircraft, which was carrying 121 passengers and six crew, left Eldorado Airport in Bogota about two hours before the crash happened at the airport in San Andres. It attempted to land during a heavy storm, and was presumably struck by lightning upon landing.
Airport officials said one adult female passenger had been killed, while 114 others were injured. Their injuries ranged from minor to serious injuries.
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NTSB issues preliminary report on Roush Airventure crash
This is a preliminary report on the Oshkosh crash. It makes for an interesting read. To me, the money quote comes from Roush himself when he said that he was put in "conflict with the flight plan of another airplane."
That's pilot speak for: "I was about to hit another plane."
Amplify’d from blog.globalair.com
The NTSB issued its preliminary report late last week into the Beechcraft Premier crash landing of NASCAR team owner Jack Roush that occurred last month during EAA Airventure 2010 in Oshkosh, Wisc.
It cites amateur video taken during the incident, which hospitalized Roush and a passenger with serious but not life-threatening injuries. The agency said in its report that the video shows Roush’s aircraft overshot the centerline of the runway after a left base turn for final “before entering a slight right bank simultaneously as the nose of the airplane pitched up.”
“The airplane then turned left toward the runway centerline and began a descent,” the preliminary report continues. “During this descent the airplane’s pitch appeared to increase until the airplane entered a right bank and struck the grass area west of the runway in a nose down, right wing low attitude.”
The report indicated that no mechanical failure of any sort is suspected as a factor.
Roush spoke to media this weekend, saying that the proposed path of his flight conflicted with that of another aircraft. However, the NTSB preliminary report did not make mention of this.
“I was put in conflict with the flight plan of another airplane close to the ground, and I was unable to address the conflict and keep the airplane flying,” Roush is quoted as saying to the AOL web publication Motorsports. “I ground-looped the airplane.”
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Friday, August 13, 2010
Kurdish Aviator Builds Plane, Flies Over Home Town
This is a great story. I love that this guy persevered through the years and finally built his plane and flew it.
Amplify’d from www1.voanews.com
After 19 years of experimenting - and some help from his local government - a Kurdish man has realized his childhood dream. Nareeman Anwar Saleh has flown his home-built airplane over his home town of Irbil.
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5 Longest and 5 Shortest Commercial Flights
That Newark-Singapore flight, takes almost 19 hours. The 1.9 mile flight is just too cute.
Amplify’d from www.airlinetickets.org
The Five Longest
1. Newark to Singapore
Distance: 9,535 miles
2. Los Angeles to Singapore
Distance: 8,770 miles
Johannesburg to Atlanta
Distance: 8,439 miles
Dubai to Los Angeles
Distance: 8,339 miles
Los Angeles to Bangkok
Distance: 8,270 miles
The Five Shortest
Westray to Papa Westray
Distance: 1.7 miles
Ipota to Dillons Bay
Distance: 4.1 miles
Warraber Island to Yam Island
Distance: 6.1 miles
St. Kitts to Nevis
Distance: 9 miles
5. Saipan to Tinian
Distance: 10.8 miles
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Etihad Takes Delivery Of Their First A330-200F
This article was originally in French. I had my buddy Google auto-translate it to English for me. Cool, n'est pas?
See a picture of the plane on my aviation website www.iloveplanes.com
Amplify’d from www.aerocontact.com
The cargo subsidiary of Etihad Airways has actually approved its first Airbus A330-200 Freighter August 9 last in Toulouse (and not during the high-profile ceremony at Farnborough). The aircraft then returned to his new base in Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Crystal Cargo is expecting a second device of the type that will be delivered in October in addition to a dedicated fleet now includes two A300F and two MD-11F for rent.
Etihad Crystal Cargo has seen its traffic grow by 21% in tonnage and 30% in yield since last year, posting a revenue increase of almost 57%.
The company also set a record in July, carrying more than 23,000 tons of goods carried by a rising demand from Pakistan, Australia, China and Bangladesh.
The arrival of the Airbus A330-200F will allow the airline to increase frequencies on Europe and Asia, the new device capable of carrying 64 tonnes of cargo a distance of more than 7400 km.Read more at www.aerocontact.com
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Abbotsford Airshow 2010
Seems like a great lineup of planes and events. If you go, make sure to take lots of pictures and share them :-)
Amplify’d from www.miss604.com
The Abbotsford International Airshow is summer staple in Southwest BC and it returns today through Sunday at the Abbotsford Airport.
In the Air
Read more at www.miss604.com
Catch the following teams, performers, and shows up in the sky: CAF Snowbirds, USAF Heritage Flight, US Navy Legacy Flight, Avro Lancaster, B-25 Mitchell, de Havilland DH 82C Tiger Moth and many more.
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Easy Jet Refuses To Board Disabled Passenger Citing Security Concerns
Apparently, this isn't EasyJet's first rodeo with denying service to wheelchair bound passengers.
Amplify’d from www.aerocontact.com
PARIS, Aug. 13 (Reuters) - Secretary of State for Transport, Dominique Bussereau, spoke Friday the possibility of sanctions against the airline low cost Easyjet
after refusing to board a disabled passenger. In a statement expressing his "dismay", he states that he requested an investigation to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) "in order that proceedings be instituted against the company for failure, for possible sanctions.
On Tuesday, a passenger in a wheelchair could not embark on an Easyjet flight Lyon-Bastia. Citing security reasons, the company told him he must have a companion. One passenger offered to play this role but Easyjet has maintained its refusal.
One such incident had happened with a paraplegic passenger for a flight in late May Orly Geneva.
"Easyjet can not hide behind the safety regulations for refusing to board passengers with walking difficulties," said Dominique Bussereau. "It must implement solutions tailored to each case, as do most companies. If it must be punished with the utmost severity".
Contacted by Reuters, Easyjet was not able to respond immediately. (Elizabeth Pineau, edited by Yann Le Guernigou)
Read more at www.aerocontact.com
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Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Union in talks to save troubled Mexican airline
Mexicana, is not the same as "AeroMexico." It looks like AeroMexico may end up buying out "Mexicana" and, at least the pilots association, seems to like the idea.
Amplify’d from www.reuters.com
* Mexicana filed for creditor protection
* Airline has stopped selling tickets
* Unions decline to identify possible investors
(Recasts first paragraph with union statement, details on
negotiations, company situation, adds byline)By Cyntia Barrera Diaz
MEXICO CITY, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Employees of airline
Mexicana de Aviacion are talking with investors in a bid to
keep the cash-strapped carrier flying, a union official said on
Monday.Mexico's pilots union said it would meet with at least one
investor group that might inject cash into the airline, which
flies thousands of tourists from the United States and Europe
to Mexican beaches every year.Fernando Perfecto, head of the pilots union, is set to meet
Read more at www.reuters.com
Monday afternoon with the group, union spokesman Antonio Vargas
told Reuters. He declined to say who was in the group.
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Analysis: Planemakers mull critical move in engine war
They've been talking about re-engining their planes for awhile now. I think that Boeing is partial to creating a new plane rather than just re-engining.
Amplify’d from www.reuters.com
(Reuters) - Airbus and Boeing are sweating this summer over whether to upgrade their best-selling aircraft with new, more efficient engines, a move which could reshape the $80-billion jetliner industry.
Billions of dollars in profits and trade balances are at stake as they act to fend off emerging competition from Canada, China and Russia.
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Inside Tour Boeing 787 ZA001
If you're an airplane geek, like me, I think you'll appreciate this video. Heck, even if you're not an airplane geek I think you'll enjoy this 787 flight test video.
Amplify’d from www.iloveplanes.com
This is video from Boeing showing us the inside of the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner dubbed ZA001. This is a really cool tour of the inside of the plane.Read more at www.iloveplanes.com
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Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Sen. Stevens Was Staunchly Protective Of Aviation In Alaska
Former Republican Senator Ted Stevens was among 5 people that died in a plane crash today. Senator Stevens' aviation career started when he flew cargo planes over "the hump" in the Himalayas during WWII and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service.
I have more aviation news over on my website iloveplanes.com
Amplify’d from www.newsweek.com
A former senior federal aviation safety official says that former GOP Sen. Ted Stevens, who is reported to be among the missing in the crash of a small plane on Monday night in a remote area of Alaska, was “very protective” of an “aviation culture” in Alaska, which sometimes involved risky flying practices that might not be tolerated elsewhere in the United States. CBS is reporting that Stevens died in the crash.
Peter Goelz, who served as managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) during the Clinton administration, told Declassified that Stevens made it clear to government safety agencies, both in private and sometimes during public hearings, that regulators ought to be willing to allow a little leeway when it came to aviation in the state. Stevens argued for the exception because aviation is so essential to the economic well-being of Alaska, but flying conditions there are “unique” due to extreme weather and terrain.
“He wanted us to understand that guys didn’t always follow the rules,” Goelz said. Stevens felt that because of the “very challenging” aviation environment in Alaska, regulators had to tolerate a certain amount of risk taking by aviators that they might not tolerate elsewhere in U.S. airspace. “He wanted to make sure that we understood the special role that aviation played in Alaska.”
Read more at www.newsweek.com
John Olafson / APAn undated photo of the DeHavilland DHC-3T with tail number N455A.
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Boeing 787 fly over
I tried to embed the video, but I couldn't. I posted the video over on my aviation blog, go check it out.
Amplify’d from blog.seattlepi.com
Every year Seattle celebrates Seafair. Parties, parades, hydroplanes, lots of people and of course the Blue Angels.
This year there was a special guest: Boeing 787 Dreamliner ZA003 did two fly-overs.Read more at blog.seattlepi.com
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Monday, August 9, 2010
A400M begins rough field test activity
In a different article, EADS is supposed to say that they need to sell 170 of these planes in order for the A400M program to be profitable. I wonder how many they would have needed to sell if the plane had been on time, on budget and on spec.
As it stands now, the plane is $5+ billion over budget, more than 4 years late and heavier than anticipated so it doesn't meet the original specs that were promised. The joys of new product development.
Amplify’d from www.eads.com
The new Airbus Military A400M airlifter has performed preliminary tests in preparation for rough field trials planned for later this year. The aircraft briefly visited Francazal air base near Toulouse to carry out high-speed runs on a layer of chalk balls used to simulate a rough surface. The work was designed to ensure that the aircraft and procedures are ready for the eventual test programme at a location yet to be selected.
Read more at www.eads.com
See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/8i1o
A400M begins rough field test activity
In a different article, EADS is supposed to say that they need to sell 170 of these planes in order for the A400M program to be profitable. I wonder how many they would have needed to sell if the plane had been on time, on budget and on spec.
As it stands now, the plane is $5+ billion over budget, more than 4 years late and heavier than anticipated so it doesn't meet the original specs that were promised. The joys of new product development.
Amplify’d from www.eads.com
The new Airbus Military A400M airlifter has performed preliminary tests in preparation for rough field trials planned for later this year. The aircraft briefly visited Francazal air base near Toulouse to carry out high-speed runs on a layer of chalk balls used to simulate a rough surface. The work was designed to ensure that the aircraft and procedures are ready for the eventual test programme at a location yet to be selected.
Read more at www.eads.com
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Friday, August 6, 2010
PDX Is Too Loud For This Neighbor
Wow, this lady has been fighting about the noise coming from PDX for 20+ years. I admire her tenacity.
Amplify’d from www.oregonlive.com
HILLSBORO -- Of all the Port of Portland's records on citizens, Miki Barnes' is the biggest. For more than a decade, she's complained, testified at meetings, volunteered on citizen boards and published an aviation website trying to change airport noise policies.
When none of that worked, Barnes started filing lawsuits.
Now, the people who plan where and how airplanes should land must listen to her. Last month, the state Land Use Board of Appeals agreed with her complaint that the Port and the city of Hillsboro acted unconstitutionally when the city created an ordinance that gave more power to the Hillsboro airport. Hillsboro staff members spent five years crafting the ordinance before the land use board threw it out.
"They can't throw me off as just an opinionated woman," Barnes said, "because I study. I have the law on my side."
To understand how Barnes became the Port's most persistent gadfly, look back 20 years. Before Southwest Airlines came to Portland International Airport in 1994, far fewer planes took off from it, says Christopher Corich, the airport's general manager for long-range planning.
Southwest's low prices meant more people could afford to fly. Other airlines cut prices, too. By 1998, takeoffs and landings had nearly doubled at PDX. That's the year Barnes said she looked up from her peaceful Cedar Mill garden and thought, "Well, this is a lot of noise."
Over eight days in 1998, the Port recorded 171 aircraft flying over Barnes' home at 60 decibels or louder, a level the Port considers intrusive.
That year, the Port revamped its PDX Citizen Noise Advisory Committee, and Washington County leaders nominated Barnes, who had been pestering local officials with noise complaints.
"Back then I thought you should sit down, tell people what's going on and then have a reasonable dialogue about it," she said.
The Port does listen to noise complaints, Corich says. And when possible, it makes changes in response. That's part of the reason for the noise rumbling above Barnes' home.
As the airline business picked up in the late 1980s, Portland residents complained about increased noise. So the Port and the Federal Aviation Administration developed new flight paths directing all planes to ascend over the Columbia River and change direction at 6,000 feet.
The turnaround spot for south- and southeast-bound flights was over Barnes' home.
As Barnes worked on the noise committee, she became increasingly frustrated. Nothing changed. So she decided to move. As she and her husband searched for a new house, they requested flight path information for each potential location. Finally, she thought she had found a place where few planes would go. She moved to Banks -- 40 miles from PDX.
Barnes' house in Banks is secluded and surrounded by Douglas firs, but those do nothing to block out noise, she said. Fewer planes go over her home now, but it's not the peaceful place she imagined.
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Porter orders four Bombardier turboprops
I guess they couldn't have ordered these during Farnborough 10, eh?
Amplify’d from www.reuters.com
* Order worth $120 million
* Also takes options for six more aircraft
* Says raised C$15 million in equity from shareholders
(In U.S. dollars unless noted)TORONTO, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Porter Airlines said on Friday
Read more at www.reuters.com
it ordered four Bombardier (BBDb.TO) turboprop airplanes worth
about $120 million to help expand its service from Toronto's
downtown airport.
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Private Jet Usage On The Rise
This is an interesting article from the Wall Street Journal about private jets. I always thought that corporate jets spent most of their time ferrying C- level executives around, but it turns out they spend a lot of time ferrying other people and equipment around as well.
Make sure you check out the rest of the article on the WSJ's website. Come to my aviation website for other aviation news.
Amplify’d from www.wallstreetjournal.com
WSJ: In light of the controversy sparked by auto executives two years ago, do you think companies now view corporate jets as taboo?
Mr. Bolen: I think a CEO or a senior executive, board of directors and shareholders should all have an attitude of when the business airplane makes good sense, when it's the right tool for the mission, then it should be used. Flying as a status symbol is probably not an appropriate business philosophy or measurement stick, just as not flying [isn't one]. If a company could do more for its shareholders and for its employees by seeing four customers in one day instead of four customers in two weeks, then they really ought to do it.
WSJ: What's the experience of being on one of these jets?
Mr. Bolen: Think of what it feels like in a minivan, except that the seats tend to face each other so you can have a conversation. That's why a lot of companies use these because they feel can turn their travel time into productive work time. They don't have to worry about eavesdropping or discussing proprietary equipment. So a company can have four people—some planes hold six maybe eight people—and they can discuss propriety information. ...
We've done surveys throughout the business aviation community. CEOs are generally aboard the company airplane generally 15% of the time. The majority of the time business airplanes are flying, over 50% of the time, with no senior executive aboard the plane. They are moving technicians, salespeople, engineers or parts and equipment.
WSJ: What are the pros and cons to business jet ownership, fractional ownership and chartering?
Mr. Bolen: It generally matters how often you'd be using the airplane. If there are just a couple of times a year … where you need to visit three cities in a single day or move a large team of employees to an area with not good commercial airline service or move a piece of equipment that won't fit in an overhead bin or is too fragile for a cargo hold, … then you'd probably charter.
If you have more than that ... but it is eight or 12 times a year, it might be cheaper to have a fractional share. If you are flying every day—say you're a company headquartered in a community with no airline service at all and you've a got lot of need to see customers and move teams around, then it may make sense to own your own airplane.
Read more at www.wallstreetjournal.com
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Thursday, August 5, 2010
Farnborough 2010: Air Lease Avolon ordering 72 Boeing 737s
This is something that I wanted to post on my aviation news website, but I decided to post it here and see what's what.
This article was auto-translated from French to English
Amplify’d from www.aerocontact.com
The leasing companies flourish in Farnborough and build their portfolio. Boeing announced July 20 that the last two leasing companies were established last order for 72 737-800 total.
© Boeing
The first announcement is that of Avolon. The young Irish company has acquired twelve 737-800, an agreement estimated at 921 million dollars, according to prices at the U.S. manufacturer's catalog. She was already a backlog of Boeing since December 2009 but the identity of the Irish leasing company was not revealed.
Avolon sign is his first purchase contract with a manufacturer. Launched in May 2010 and is based in Dublin and has opened offices in New York, Hong Kong and Shanghai, ensuring a global presence.
Air Lease Corporation for its well into its shopping session. After the full single-aisle Airbus, Embraer and ATR, the new leasing company U.S. has naturally turned to Boeing, with which it ordered sixty 737-800, fifty-four firm orders and six Optional. Deliveries should commence in 2012 and continue until 2017.
Read more at www.aerocontact.com
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Farnborough 2010: LAN Airlines And Hong Kong Order More Airbus Planes
This is an article that I originally wanted to post to my aviation blog, but I decided to post it on here instead. It was an article that was originally in French,but I auto-translated it to English.
Amplify’d from www.aerocontact.com
Airbus is festive. Airbus has signed two memoranda of understanding promising July 20 at the Farnborough Air Show, one with a LAN for fifty aisle, the other with Hong Kong Airlines for A330 and A350.
© Airbus
LAN plans to buy fifty copies of the A320 family. It is the largest order ever received by Airbus in South America and bringing to 152 the number of aircraft acquired by the Chilean company with the Airbus. Of these fifty are ten single-aisle A321s, a new device for the company.
LAN has also chosen to equip its seventy aisle in order CFM56-5B. This choice for thirty units of family she has ordered in December 2009, and forty A320 Order today. No engine has been chosen for the A321. This part of the order is valued at two billion dollars and includes a maintenance agreement.
Hong Kong Airlines plans for its expansion very important with Airbus. The Hong Kong company has ordered ten A330-200s and fifteen A350. The A350 from the conversion of part of the A330 that the company had previously ordered. She also becomes a new client device. It now awaits the delivery of thirty A320, A350 and fifteen eighteen A330.
The A330 of this new order should be delivered from 2012 and the A350 from 2018. They will be placed on routes to Europe and North America. Far more concentrated on the regional network, Hong Kong Airlines has recently received its first two A330-200 which enabled it to launch its first route to Europe, to Moscow. His next destination could be Tokyo, Istanbul and Paris.Read more at www.aerocontact.com
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Iberia takes delivery of the last A340-600
According to this article, which was originally in French and auto-translated to English, this could be the last A340-600 ever made. I'll try to get some pictures of this plane over on my aviation blog.
Apparently, Airbus has no more A340-600s on order. All the remaining A340 orders that Airbus has are for -500 series and a few VIP configuration units that may end up getting converted to A330s.
Interesting n'est pas?
Amplify’d from www.aerocontact.com
Airbus has completed its long-haul shipments to Iberia. The Spanish company has announced August 4 that it had taken delivery of its 17th Airbus A340-600, called "Mexico City" to commemorate 60 years of service to the Mexican capital. The unit bears the registration EC-LFS.
© AEROCONTACT - all rights reserved
The device will operate on routes to Latin America, the United States and South Africa. It is equipped with the new Business Plus cabin.
The A340-600 is the last Iberia had on order from Airbus. She had acquired from the manufacturer sixteen European, five of which were delivered in 2010 after suspension of approvals of aircraft in 2009 due to the crisis and eighteen A340-300. It operates thirty-five A340 in total.
It is perhaps also the last commercial A340 delivered by the European manufacturer. Indeed, only six A340-500 remain on the backlog, four and two in VIP configuration theoretically intended to Kingfisher Airlines. But the Indian company would have converted A330 in 2008.
Read more at www.aerocontact.com
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