Gulfstream G500 performs first flight

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, today announced that the all-new Gulfstream G500 successfully completed its first flight. The G500 is part of Gulfstream’s new family of clean-sheet aircraft, the G500 and G600, and the first of the two to begin flight tests.

The G500 took off at 10:39 a.m. May 18 from Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, with Gulfstream experimental test pilots Scott Martin and Kevin Claffy at the controls. Flight Test engineer Bill Osborne provided on-board support.

The aircraft climbed to an initial altitude of 10,500 feet/3,200 meters and reached a maximum altitude of 15,000 ft/4,572 m. During the 2-hour-and-16-minute flight, the crew exercised all primary flight control systems; evaluated handling qualities in takeoff and landing configurations; performed a simulated approach and go-around; and checked all systems using the Symmetry^TM flight deck touchscreen controllers. The aircraft achieved a maximum air speed of 194 knots. It landed back in Savannah at 12:55 p.m. local time. 

“The successful first flight of N500GA represents the tremendous investments we have made in the G500 program,” said Dan Nale, senior vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream. “We have achieved this milestone thanks to Gulfstream’s world-class research and development teams and our commitment to setting new standards for business aviation.”

Years before this first flight, Gulfstream established four labs dedicated to the G500 program:

• A Conceptual Advanced Simulation Environment to develop fly-by-wire control laws and perform human factors evaluations
• A systems integration bench to integrate the avionics and aircraft systems with the aircraft’s Data Concentration Network
• A full flight deck integration test facility to evaluate major avionic and aircraft systems and software
•  
  • The ITF also includes an outfitted cabin to test the galley, the Gulfstream Cabin Management System and other interior elements
• And an iron bird — a spatially correct, dimensionally accurate structure, including the flight deck, used to rigorously evaluate the fly-by-wire flight controls, hydraulics, electrical systems and landing gear

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Air enthusiasts flock to Manchester Airport for final Monarch Airbus A300 flypast

Aviation enthusiasts will be flocking to Manchester Airport this afternoon for a flypast by Europe’s last passenger-carrying Airbus A300 plane.

Monarch Airlines are to fly the iconic passenger jet - the last operating in Europe - past the airport at 1,000ft on its final flight before it is to be scrapped.

Over 300 Airbus enthusiasts have paid for tickets on the flight, which takes off from London Gatwick and will do the flypast at Manchester around 3.30pm today.

The plane will then land at Birmingham Airport, before being taken to the famous Mojave Desert aeroplane scrapyard in California.

With capacity for 360 passengers, the Airbus 300 has been in use by Monarch since 1991, with the airline owning four of the planes.

The first wide-body, twin-engine airliner used, the planes have carried over 20 million passengers since being introduced.

Today’s flypast by A300-605R is the final Airbus owned by Monarch to fly, with the airline’s three other planes already retired.

Monarch are also the last airline still to use the Airbus 300s in Europe, with many airlines now switching to the newer and smaller Airbus A321.

Today’s flypast will be carried out by Monarch’s chief pilot Martin Pound, who flew the first Airbus 300s when they were first introduced.

He said: “I was the first project pilot appointed in 1989.

“I was involved in the delivery of the aircraft and the first commercial flight from London Gatwick to Tolouse in 1990.

“I flew the first flight and now I am flying the last - I am very proud but at the same time very sad.”

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Airbus unveils first cabin for new A350 jet

European planemaker Airbus has unveiled the first cabin for its new twin-engined airliner, the A350 XWB, vowing to avoid a repeat of the previous delays caused by cabin design changes on its bigger A380 super jumbo. Airbus delivered the first A380 two years late, hit by delays stemming from a surge in demand for customised interiors and problems of installing electrical wiring harnesses. Executives said yesterday the first A350, Airbus’ wide body rival to Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, was still on track to be delivered to launch customer Qatar Airways at the end of this year, with certification in the autumn. POTENTIAL DELAYS While it is offering customisation options, such as a choice of seats and LED lighting, of which there are 16.7 million different colours on offer, Airbus is hoping its new customisation centre in Hamburg plus a catalogue of specific options will reduce potential delays. Suppliers are also certified ahead of being included in the catalogue, another measure that is meant to prevent delays. “It’s enabling us to keep an eye on the industrial rampup,” Chris Emerson, senior vice-president of marketing, told Reuters, while standing in front of the first test A350 to be fitted with a passenger interior.


The information is "http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/article/2000108908/airbus-unveils-first-cabin-for-new-a350-jet" Is always quoted the reference link.

Bid to set up terminal for business jets, cut costs

Tourism minister Karmenu Vella has confirmed that the government was working with Malta International Airport to set up a terminal for business jets, saying it wanted more competitive fees and also to ease handling regulations.

The sector is growing fast and already represents a €20 billion indus­try in Europe alone. It is expected that another 10,000 new jets will be added to the worldwide fleet in next 10 years.

Mr Vella said that the Civil Aviation Department needed more resources if it were to be ready to handle future opportunities, with the first change to be one from a directorate to an authority.

He admitted that Malta did not currently have the manpower required to support a wider aviation industry, but that this could be built up slowly but surely by bringing in foreigners to fill the gaps who would eventually mentor the Maltese as they worked their way up the ranks.

Malta is keen to develop the aviation sector beyond its current scope, mirroring the success of the maritime registration sector. Mr Vella stressed that just as with the Malta maritime flag, Malta’s aviation register would never be a ‘flag’ of convenience.

John Matthews, the chairman of AirX Malta, also took part in the discussion, saying the company bought aircraft from distressed companies and turned them into executive jets. In its first year of operation, it already carried some 3,700 high net worth individuals. The company already employs 14 Maltese apprentices.

 The information is "http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140316/business-news/Bid-to-set-up-terminal-for-business-jets-cut-costs.510830" Is always quoted the reference link.

Emirates flight turns back after door fault

An Emirates Airline flight from Dubai to Singapore was forced to turn back midflight after maintenance staff reported a problem with the aircraft’s door.

The Airbus A380 performing flight EK354 was approximately 80 minutes into its journey on 21 February when passengers in business class on the upper deck heard loud noises coming from one of the doors.

Crew descended the aircraft’s flying level to 20,000ft, before the Dubai-based maintenance team instructed them to fly back to Dubai, where passengers were transferred to a replacement A380. The flight eventually arrived in Singapore with a seven-and-a-half hour delay, the website Aviation Herald reported.

The site did not provide any further details on what the issue was and a spokesperson for Emirates did not immediately respond to Arabian Business’s request for clarification on the matter.

Early last year, a British tourist claimed that an emergency exit door on an Emirates A380 aircraft blew open at 27,000ft.

David Reid said in comments published by the UK's Daily Mailnewspaper that there was a "massive explosion" two hours into the flight.

Reid, travelling with his son Lewis, said freezing air rushed into the cabin after the door in business class came an inch and a half ajar.

Emirates denied the claim in a statement. “At no time during the flight did one of the upper deck doors open.”

“There was also no loss in cabin pressurisation at any time during the flight."

"This is currently under investigation in conjunction with Airbus. Emirates have now fixed the problem."

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India's High Fliers Control 12% of Global Private Jet Market

Today, there are over 130 private aircraft owned by Indians, scaling our skies. Industrialists Mukesh Ambani, Ratan Tata, Anil Ambani, Atul ‘Micky’ Punj, Gautam Singhania and KP Singh have their own jets. Nita Ambani got her own private number (an Airbus 319 Corporate Jet, costing Rs 242 crore) from husband Mukesh on her 44th birthday, six years ago. Steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal uses one of his many premium executive jets to get around three countries in a day. It’s not just the owners; executives of Tata Steel, GMR and Jindal Steel also use their company planes when on tight schedules.

With more and more industrialists using private jets, the country’s executive aircraft story is actually speeding the runway. According to Canadian aircraft major Bombardier, which retails small Learjets, mid-size Challengers and bigger, long-distance global business jets, the Indian market should see 1,340 private planes in next 20 years. “The demand in India will be driven by economic growth, globalization and importantly, the increase in the number of billionaires. We have the right mobility solution for busy CEO’s and businessmen,” says Nilesh Pattanayak, regional vice president, Asia Pacific, Bombardier, which showcased its wide-body Challenger 605 business jet at the recent India Aviation 2014 event in Hyderabad.

According to Frost & Sullivan, India is a fast-growing private jets market in Asia Pacific. In fact, India outnumbers China and Japan when it comes to private jets. As compared to China’s 93 and Japan’s 76 private jets, India’s 130 plus private aircraft represent 12 per cent of the global market.

“The Indian market is small but can grow further. In the next ten years, the worldwide market is set to touch $250 billion in size and the Indian market is pegged at $5 billion, which is just about 2 per cent,” says Jose Eduardo Costas, vice-president, Market Intelligence, Embraer Executive Jets, which recently delivered the $9.5-million, seven-seater Phenom 300 to Joy Jets, a subsidiary of Joyalukkas Group. Joy Jets’ Phenom 300 is now set to fly across India, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Seychelles.

Of the 130 private aircraft flying in India, the Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer delivered 20 jets in the past six years. Its other models, the $4.6-million Phenom 100, and the five-seater Legacy 450, priced at $16.9 million with a seating capacity of about eight, are the most sought-after by businessmen.

French aircraft maker Dassault Falcon is betting big on its new Falcon 5X business jet priced upwards a neat $45 million. The company, which produces military, regional and business jets, is set to debut its new large-cabin, long-haul, large-body twin-jet Falcon 5X couple of years from now after receiving necessary certifications.

“We see improving signs of the Indian market, which has been slow recently. India has a real need for expanding business aviation and we remain bullish about future market prospects,” says Gilles Gautier, vice president, Sales Europe, West Asia and Africa, Falcon. The company has 22 large-cabin, long-range private aircraft in service in India. The new orders are for the longest-range Falcon models capable for flying non-stop to London from anywhere in India, says Gautier, who has high hopes from Falcon’s 7X, priced $52 million.

The US-based aircraft maker Gulfstream flew its G650 business jet for the first time in India at the India Aviation 2014, in Hyderabad. With luxurious interiors, the aircraft can seat up to 10 and is priced at $65 million.

“As the economy improves, we anticipate that the demand for business jets will increase too,” says Jason Akovenko, regional vice president (Asia-Pacific), Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, that has 20 aircrafts in Indian skies.

An important aspect customers need to consider is the cost of parking their jets, something which can only be done at large airports like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Besides, owners also have to count charges for ground landing, which depends on factors such as the aircraft’s weight, landing time and duration of use of parking facilities and the number of seats. Of utmost priority is getting regular inspections and maintenance to ensure the jet’s continued airworthiness, which also comes at a cost.

“Buying your own jet should make business sense. Profitability depends on how many times one will need to fly to justify the investment, and if it saves both time and costs,” says Embraer’s Jose. He points to operational expenses such as fuel costs, maintenance, airport fee, pilot fee, insurance that need to be factored in.

On the brighter side, those buying the aircraft can customize everything from noise-cancelling headphones to fully-berthable seats, touch-screen remote controls, gaming consoles, private showers and much more.

As informações são"http://www.newindianexpress.com/business/news/Indias-High-Fliers-Control-12-of-Global-Private-Jet-Market/2014/03/16/article2110907.ece#.UycRZ6iIBNc".Sempre é citado o link de referência. The information is "" Is always quoted the reference link.

1st JetBlue flight to Boston sign of lower fares, more flights to come

Discount airline JetBlue Airways began flying out of Detroit Metro Airport today, becoming the first domestic airline to add service there in nine years — and pushing down nonstop fares on the Detroit-Boston route to as low as $79 each way.

The first arriving and departing passengers at the North Terminal’s Gate D15 this morning were treated to balloons, dancing girls, applause, flowery speeches, blue-frosted cupcakes and coney dogs.

“I’ve been bugging my brother for 14 years to start Detroit service,” said Connie Powe-Watts of Williamston, who, it turns out, is the sister of JetBlue CEO Dave Barger. “That’s why there’s no way I would miss this flight” from Boston to Detroit.

Her son, Joshua Powe, is network manager for JetBlue. He said that if service between Detroit and Boston is successful, JetBlue likely will add more service from Metro, possibly from Detroit to Ft. Lauderdale and/or to Washington Reagan National.

With JetBlue’s new permanent counter and gate at the North Terminal “there is a lot of opportunity to expand,” he said. That is significant, because airline consolidation the last five years means competition is scarce, and competition is what keeps fares low. “We’d love to see them add service,” said Thomas Naughton, Wayne County Airport Authority CEO, smiling amid the hoopla this morning.

The Free Press bought a ticket on the first flight, which left at 11:55 a.m. The flight, on a 100-seat Embraer 190 jet, featured goodie bags for each traveler on the first flight, plus its normal service of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, chocolate chip cookies, free seat-back TV and a free first checked bag.

With good weather at both ends, the flight was extremely uneventful — not a bad thing. It disembarked at the C Terminal at Boston Logan Airport. That makes it handy for travelers making connections at the international E Terminal for Boston’s new service to Dubai, which also was launched today by JetBlue partner Emirates Airlines.

Passengers who book quickly should see very low fares on nonstops between Detroit and Boston, which routinely have been running about $400 round-trip on the sole carrier, Delta. As of now, Delta is matching JetBlue’s fares.

In addition to attracting JetBlue, Detroit Metro will welcome Alaska Airlines later this year and its nonstop route between Detroit and Seattle. The last domestic airline to start service out of Detroit Metro before JetBlue was Air Tran in 2005.

JetBlue was founded in 2000. It serves 85 cities.

As informações são"http://www.freep.com/article/20140310/FEATURES07/303100110/JetBlue-Boston-nonstop-Detroit-Metro".Sempre é citado o link de referência. The information is "" Is always quoted the reference link.

Piloto aborta decolagem após caça ser atingido por peixe

Um piloto de um caça americano precisou abortar a decolagem depois que um peixe caiu do céu e atingiu a aeronave. O comandante Nick Toth estava no meio da pista de uma base na Flórida, quando um peixe caiu das garras de uma águia e se chocou contra o avião.

Inicialmente, Toth não percebeu que o avião havia sido atingido pelo peixe. Ele abortou a decolagem ao ouvir um estrondo. No entanto, após descer para verificar a pista, ele encontrou um sargo-de-dentes de 23 centímetros.

"Estávamos chegando ao ponto da decolagem, quando uma águia com algo em suas garras voou na frente da aeronave", disse Toth, que pensou que a ave de rapina tinha se chocado com aeronave.

O incidente aconteceu no ano passado em uma base em Tampa, na Flórida, mas foi divulgado nesta semana pela agência "Associated Press"

As informações são"http://g1.globo.com/planeta-bizarro/noticia/2014/03/piloto-aborta-decolagem-de-caca-apos-aeronave-ser-atingida-por-peixe.html".Sempre é citado o link de referência. The information is "" Is always quoted the reference link.

Brooksville airport tenant's certification could be good for county

A certification from the Federal Aviation Authority will allow Corporate Jet Solutions to perform maintenance on more aircraft, which could mean more revenue for Hernando County, local officials said.

The company, which is located at the Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport & Technology Center, is now an authorized airplane repair station, capable of working on larger aircraft, such as Hawker business jets, for both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance.

"It will bring larger aircraft into the area," said Bradley Dye, vice president of Corporate Jet Solutions.

That means more revenue for the county in terms of fuel sales, he said. It also means that pilots and crew will be spending money in the area and perhaps staying at local hotels for the night while their planes are getting serviced, he said.

Corporate Jet Solutions specializes in storage and fuel for aircraft and performs emergency or unscheduled maintenance on jets, helicopters and smaller aircraft.

Dye and his son Tony, the president and owner of the company, recently hired Steve Young, director of technical sales, to help guide the team forward.

Young has held multiple leadership positions at NetJets, Inc., a global operator of a 400-plus private jet fleet, and the Berkshire Hathaway company for more than 13 years.

"Before now, if aircraft operators needed maintenance while travelling through Florida's west coast, their choices were limited," Young said.

Now able to perform heavier maintenance, operators can "plan ahead to have inspections completed while enjoying the Tampa Bay area or Florida's Nature Coast," Young said.

"(The Brooksville-Tampa Regional Airport & Technology Center) is perfectly located for pilots wishing to avoid larger airports, resulting in a positive economic impact to our community," he said.

The Dyes had been working toward this goal even before they moved into their complex at 15421 Technology Drive.

The FAA certification is given to a facility that, according to its code of regulation, "is engaged in maintenance, preventative maintenance, inspection and alterations of aircraft and aircraft products."

Corporate Jet passed the written and demonstration procedures completing the process to receive this certification, despite delays at the FAA due to a government shutdown and sequester.

Corporate Jet Solutions has 17 full-time and two contract employees. It expects that new business generated from the repair shop will require them to hire more employees in the future.

County Commission Chairman Wayne Dukes and Diane Rowden attended a press conference Thursday to announce the certification and both praised Dye and his staff for investing in Hernando County.

"If you succeed, we succeed in the community," Dukes said.

Bradley Dye also announced at Thursday's press conference that the Honda Aircraft Company recently visited his facility to test its new $4.5 million lightweight business jet.

Dye called it a coup for Brooksville and said Honda may return to do more testing. He said the company was impressed with the adjacent runway, the rural surroundings and the presence of the airport control tower.

In fact, without the tower, Dye said Honda would not have agreed to test its aircraft, which it hopes to start selling to consumers by the end of 2014.

 The information is "http://hernandotoday.com/he/list/news/brooksville-airport-tenants-certification-could-be-good-for-county-20140227/" Is always quoted the reference link.

Flying private with Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson

I should probably admit right from the start that I was a little bit skeptical about flying on the Total Eclipse.

While I have never been particularly convinced about the aircraft itself – or the very light jet model in general – the weather leading up to the day hadn’t been perfect for flying, so it was with trepidation that I arrived at Blackbushe Airport in the south of England to meet up with Cardiff Aviation’s Bruce Dickinson.

Dickinson, front man for heavy metal rock group Iron Maiden and former airline pilot, joined the board of European Eclipse distributor Aeris Aviation late in 2013 as non-executive chairman and had kindly offered to take Corporate Jet Investor for a flight in the Total Eclipse.

The Eclipse we’ll be flying on today is 2007-build msn 0072 / N843TE, originally delivered to Helijet Holdings in Texas, but now owned by Aeris Aviation and based at Dunkeswell Airport in the UK. Although it’s one of the older Eclipse 500 models, the aircraft has been upgraded to Total Eclipse standards and now includes added system functionality, the most important of which is GPS-coupled autopilots.

Meeting Bruce Dickinson

After brief introductions, Bruce gives us a quick look around the aircraft, both inside and out. The aircraft today is fitted with two seats in the back, one for me and the other for Corporate Jet Investor’s deputy editor Alex Andrews, who is also along for the ride.

The information is "" Is always quoted the reference link.

Connected in thin air

When businessmen charter a corporate jet they expect to have the Wi-Fi and cellphone calling capability that is available on a commercial flight.

Many business executives refuse to fly on charter jets that don’t have Wi-Fi and cellphone capability, according to John Wade, executive vice president and general manager of Aircell Business Aviation Services LLC in Broomfield.

“The reason people fly business aircraft is for the time efficiency, and for a business executive to be cut off from the Internet, is almost an anathema,” Wade said. “I think it has reached the tipping point. It’s as important on a business aircraft as the seats and the lavatory.”

Wade believes Aircell is poised to help. Aircell’s most popular product is Gogo Biz – an Internet connectivity system that works by linking wirelessly with cellphone towers on the ground. Aircell has installed more than 2,000 of the systems on business planes. The company, and parent Gogo Inc. in Itasca, Illinois, rolled out a cellphone talk and text service in 2013.

Wade’s sales pitch to charter jet owners and others: An owner faces a potential loss of $300,000 to $500,000 in revenue per year, if a jet can’t be rented out because it doesn’t have broadband capability.
The revenue estimate comes from an hourly rental rate of $4,000 to $8,000 per hour multiplied by the potential number of hours a charter jet might fly on an annual basis, Wade said.

Aircell’s equipment box and two hockey puck-size antennas sell for $60,000 to $100,000, with customers paying an additional sum to have the system installed. With Wade’s potential loss calculations, the Aircell system pays for itself in less than a year, he said.

Large market to tap

Only about 6,000 business jets – about one-third of the 18,000 business jets registered in the United States – have broadband connectivity installed, Wade said. That means the sky’s the limit for Aircell’s growth in the next several years, he said. The cellphone talk and text service costs about $10,000 to install on a private plane, he said.

“We’re in the early days. At some point, the vast majority of business aircraft will have connectivity on board,” Wade said. “We have a long way to grow.”

Aircell, with 200 employees in Broomfield, is the business aviation division of Gogo Inc. (Nasdaq: GOGO), a company focused on selling inflight Internet and phone connectivity equipment for commercial jets. Aircell’s revenue was up 42 percent at $34.8 million for the quarter ended Sept. 30, because of a 37 percent increase in equipment revenue and a 51 percent increase in service revenue, according to a Gogo earnings statement.

Gogo Biz system hardware is made by Honeywell in New Jersey and shipped to Broomfield, where subcontract manufacturers do additional work on the product, Wade said, without giving specifics. It then goes through quality testing before being boxed up and sent to customers. Aircell received an exclusive FCC frequency license in 2006 to build the mobile broadband network for commercial and business planes.

The company has more than 200 ground-based towers in the United States, including Alaska, and soon will have service in parts of Canada, according to Tom Myers, a company spokesman. Gogo owns some of the towers and leases the rest.

Competition in wings

Parent company Gogo Inc. competes with some other companies in the commercial space, according to industry watchers. For example, Global Eagle Entertainment in Westlake, California, through subsidiary Row 44, sells a satellite-based system that Southwest Airlines uses for Internet connectivity. Gogo and Aircell also have a satellite-based system, available for sale, but it hasn’t been as popular as the ground-to-air system, Wade said.

Global Eagle Entertainment spokeswoman Karin Pellmann said she wasn’t aware of any direct competition for Aircell’s proprietary ground-to-air system, however.

“It’s such a young industry to begin with. There’s a lot of opportunity in the market,” Pellmann said.

Overall, Gogo Inc. is forecasting revenue between $395 million and $415 million for 2014, a 49 percent increase over 2013. Specific growth forecasts have not been announced for Aircell, although the company is growing rapidly, Wade said.

Because of the growth, Aircell plans to move into new digs in the Interlocken Advanced Technology Park sometime in the next two years. The company is expected to be the first tenant in the unoccupied EOS building in the Interlocken business park, taking 112,300 square feet of the 186,000-square-foot building.

City of Broomfield officials recently approved a $222,062 tax-incentive package that requires Aircell to have more than 150 employees. Gogo has more than 600 employees in total in Broomfield, Illinois and London.

 The information is "http://www.bcbr.com/article/20140228/EDITION/140229918" Is always quoted the reference link.

Mumbai airport fit for Airbus A380 landing

A day after the governments of India and Dubai agreed to allow more flight operations between the two regions, India's aviation regulator has certified that Mumbai's airport is suitable for landing the Airbus A380 super jumbo jets, said a source close to the development.

Both moves will directly benefit middle-eastern carrier Emirates which aims to fly the world's biggest passenger plane to India, starting from the Mumbai airport. India and Dubai Wednesday agreed to enhance their weekly bilateral seat entitlements by 20 per cent to 65,200. carriers of both countries will be able to sell 11,000 extra seats by October next year.

The increase will be done in three phases—5,500 in April-October 2014; 3,300 in October-March 2014; 2,200 in April-October. Emirates should be able to deploy at least two flights per day of the super jumbo A380 without any reduction in its current flights to India immediately. By October 2015, it will be able to have four flights per week of the A380.

The plane can seat 850 passengers in an all-economy configuration, but those having a three-class configuration can accommodate between 550-600 passengers. Executives at Emirates have been saying the airline is keen to bring the A380 to India but it had already exhausted its air service rights. On Jan 27, the Indian government in-principle allowed airlines to operate the world's biggest passenger plane to four of India airports-—Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore. . In a letter to the Mumbai International Airport, the DGCA said it was now ready for Code-F operations.

International Civil Aviation Organisation rules say an airport has to have among other things a runway width of 60 meters to be Code F certified. Emirates flies 185 weekly flights to India, of which the highest number— 35—is to Mumbai. "If the airline doesn't get additional seat entitlements or doesn't get enough to fit additional A380 services, it may combine flights to operate the plane," said a person close to the development.

 The information is "http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-02-28/news/47774213_1_airbus-a380-biggest-passenger-plane-185-weekly-flights" Is always quoted the reference link.

Perigo de voo com piloto cansado aparece em inquérito da UPS

Os reguladores de segurança dos EUA que investigam o acidente fatal de um jato da United Parcel Service Inc., ocorrido no ano passado, ressaltaram os perigos de cansaço do piloto, uma questão crucial para as tripulações dos aviões de carga, que frequentemente voam durante a noite.

Documentos divulgados ontem pelo Conselho Nacional de Segurança nos Transportes dos EUA (NTSB, na sigla em inglês) mostraram que o capitão havia reclamado da árdua programação noturna e que o copiloto não havia aproveitado ao máximo a oportunidade de descansar antes de começar seu turno. Ambos os pilotos morreram em uma aterrissagem fracassada antes do amanhecer de 14 de agosto.

O peso de alternar entre um estilo de vida diurno e voos noturnos pode prejudicar as respostas dos membros da tripulação a situações críticas, disse Bill Waldock, que dá aulas sobre investigações de acidentes na Universidade Aeronáutica Embry-Riddle. As autoridades de segurança disseram que os pilotos do UPS voo 1354 cometeram erros quando tentaram a aterrissagem em Birmingham, Alabama.

“Nós somos, basicamente, animais diurnos”, disse Waldock em entrevista por telefone, de Prescott, Arizona. “Nós gostamos de ficar acordados durante o dia e dormir à noite. Para muitas pessoas é difícil inverter isso”.

A UPS, a maior empresa de entrega de pacotes do mundo, e a FedEx Corp., a operadora da maior companhia aérea de cargas, realizam muitos de seus voos à noite, quando há menos concorrência no espaço aéreo com aviões de passageiros. Cerca de dois terços do volume da UPS é movimentado em voos noturnos, disse Jeff Wafford, um porta-voz da empresa.

Turnos dos pilotos

Voar à noite é um desafio maior porque é provável que os pilotos tentem manter uma rotina normal durante o dia quando não estão trabalhando, disse Bob Mann, ex-executivo da American Airlines que agora é presidente da consultoria de aviação R.W. Mann Co. em Port Washington, Nova York.

“Isso é real se você é um piloto de aviação geral ou um piloto de uma companhia aérea que voa de dia ou um piloto de uma companhia aérea de carga que voa de noite”, disse Mann, por telefone.

As informações são"http://exame.abril.com.br/mundo/noticias/perigo-de-voo-noturno-com-pilotos-cansados-se-torna-evidente".Sempre é citado o link de referência. The information is "" Is always quoted the reference link.

FlightSafety gets EASA approval for Embraer Legacy 500 training programme

FlightSafety International’s Embraer Legacy 500 aircraft maintenance training programme has been approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Training is currently being provided to Embraer and authorised service centre personnel. Operators of the Legacy 500 will begin training following certification of the aircraft.

“FlightSafety and Embraer have worked closely together to develop the Legacy 500 maintenance training program and to receive EASA approval,” said Mike Lee, director, maintenance training business development, FlightSafety. “Maintenance technicians who support the Legacy 500 will appreciate the quality of this comprehensive training program. They will benefit from the experience and expertise of FlightSafety’s instructors, subject matter experts and courseware designers and developers.”

Edson Carlos Mallaco, vice president, customer support and services, Embraer Executive Jets said: “Embraer Executive Jets and FlightSafety have built an important partnership in order to serve our mutual customers worldwide. This approval illustrates our continued commitment to meet customer needs.

“These achievements confirm that we will be prepared to support the entry into service of the Legacy 500 and also our continuous efforts to provide the best possible customer experience.”

The information is "http://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/articles/flightsafety-gets-easa-approval-embraer-legacy-500-training-programme/" Is always quoted the reference link.

Virgin America claims some of AA's slots at D.C.'s Reagan

Virgin America will get a little bit bigger at Washington's Reagan National Airport (DCA). The carrier announced this afternoon that it was successful in its bid for additional landing rights there.

The San Francisco-based company bid on 8 slots – or four "slot pairs." In airline vernacular, a slot is the right to operate one takeoff or one landing. A pair, then, would allow a carrier the rights to operate one round-trip flight. DCA is one of just a handful of U.S. airports where takeoff and landing rights are capacity controlled by a slot system.

Virgin America's new DCA flight rights come from the 52 slot pairs – or the rights to 52 round-trip flights – that are being divested by American and US Airways in a deal with Justice that cleared the way for their merger. American and US Airways also had to give up flight rights or gate space at other airports, including at New York LaGuardia (LGA), Chicago O'Hare and others.

"In response to the creation of now four 'mega-airlines,' the Justice Department has taken important steps to allow some new entrant competition in major markets like LGA and DCA," said Virgin America President and CEO David Cush.

It was not immediately clear how Virgin America might use the D.C. slots. In another unusual rule at DCA, most flights are restricted to a 1,250-mile "perimeter" around the airport. Congress has acted during the past decade to add some "beyond-perimeter exemptions" to that rule, though those exemptions cover only a small portion of DCA's overall flight schedule. Virgin America's slots are not thought to be exempt.

Both of Virgin America's hubs – San Francisco and Los Angeles – are well beyond the distance restrictions specified in the so-called perimeter rule.

Virgin America spokeswoman Abby Lunardini tells USA TODAY, "We are not asking for an exception. However, we will plan to announce the updates to our network based on these slot acquisitions later this month.''

British tycoon Richard Branson owns a minority stake in Virgin America.

As for the other 52 slot pairs being given up by AA, Southwest has already announced that it won approval for 27 while JetBlue says it received 12.

In addition, JetBlue had already been leasing 8 slot pairs (8 round-trip flights) from American, which it will take permanent control of per the agreement between AA/US Airways and Justice.

With that, Southwest, JetBlue and Virgin America now say they have been awarded a combined 51 slots pairs – including the 8 already in use by JetBlue.

That would appear to leave only one of AA's 52 divested slot pairs remaining unaccounted for.

The information is "" Is always quoted the reference link.

Virgin America nabs eight slots at Reagan National

Virgin America has picked up eight departure and landing spots at Washington's Reagan National Airport, widening its footprint at the tightly constrained gateway to the nation's capital.

The carrier joins its lower-cost peers, Southwest and JetBlue, in picking up the coveted slots that American and US Airways had to agree to give up at Reagan National to clear the way for their mega-merger.

"In response to the creation of now four mega-airlines, the Justice Department has taken important steps to allow some new entrant competition in major markets,'' David Cush, president and CEO of Virgin America, said in a statement. "The latest opportunity allows us to significantly expand our network.''

American and US Airways agreed to give up 52 pairs of spots at Reagan airport and 17 pairs of takeoff and landing slots at La Guardia to settle a lawsuit that threatened to derail their planned merger. The Justice Department and several state attorney generals filed the suit out of concern that yet another mega-sized airline tie-up would lead to higher ticket prices and fewer travel choices for consumers.

Virgin America, along with Southwest, gained 34 takeoff and landing slots at New York's La Guardia Airport. And JetBlue announced last month that its request for 12 pairs of slots at Reagan National had been accepted. Southwest's bid for 27 slot pairs at Reagan National was also accepted.

Additionally, JetBlue had previously been leasing 16 takeoff and landing spots at Reagan National from American, which will become theirs permanently as a result of the Justice Department settlement.

La Guardia and Reagan are two of the few airports in the U.S. where takeoff and landing spots are restricted, making those slots highly coveted by the airlines. Reagan also has another quirk. Most of its flights are limited to a range of 1,250 miles. Virgin America's home base of San Francisco falls beyond that range, but Congress has allowed some exemptions in the past decade.

"It's great news for Virgin America that they have these extra slots because it will allow the airline to increase its presence in one of the most important cities in the country and it does increase the level of low-fare airline competition at Reagan,'' says Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst with Hudson Crossing.

However, he noted that eight additional slots isn't a huge number, and so they will not "make Virgin America a major player at the airport.'' And if the carrier doesn't receive an exemption to the so-called "perimeter'' rule, it will need to fly to a destination within the permitted range rather than increasing flights between Reagan National and California.

Virgin America spokeswoman Abby Lunardini said, "We are not asking for an exception. However, we will plan to announce the updates to our network based on these slot acquisitions later this month.''

 The information is "http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2014/02/19/virgin-america-reagan-national/5619175/" Is always quoted the reference link.

Air France-KLM to invest $100 mln in Brazilian airline Gol

Brazilian airline Gol Linhas Aereas has formed a strategic partnership with Air France-KLM that includes flight sharing and joint sales, according to a securities filing on Wednesday.

As part of the deal, Air France-KLM will invest $100 million in Gol including buying $52 million of shares in the company.

As informações são"http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/19/brazil-gol-partnership-idUSE5N0EC04Z20140219".Sempre é citado o link de referência. The information is "" Is always quoted the reference link.

Brazil bans A380 flights at São Paulo airport

 Brazilian regulators have nixed Air France's plans to use its Airbus A380 superjumbo jet for flights to São Paulo, Brazil's biggest metropolis.
Brazil's air traffic regulator says airlines will not receive approval to fly the A380 to São Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport — the city's main international airport  because the main runway there is not wide enough for the jet, according to The Associated Press.

Brazil's Civil Aviation Agency said in a brief Friday statement that "not all minimum and essential safety requirements at Sao Paulo's International Airport have been met, especially the widening of the landing and takeoff runway."

The agency adds that it would allow carriers to plan A380 flights to São Paulo once the airport's runway is widened.

AP says the decision by Brazilian regulators came after the São Paulo runway was inspected after Air France requested permission for its A380s to use the airport."

Air France currently flies Boeing 777 jets on its route between Paris and São Paulo.

The information is "http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2014/02/18/brazil-bans-a380-flights-at-so-paulo-airport/5576871/" Is always quoted the reference link.

Boeing Wind Updates Service to Optimize In-Flight Operations for Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways today announced a five-year agreement to provide Boeing Wind Updates services for the airline to maximize in-flight operational efficiency. Boeing Wind Updates provides customized, real-time wind and temperature information to aircraft. This data allows for more efficient trajectory prediction during pre-flight operations and continuous optimization in-flight by providing tailored wind information for flight crews and the aircraft flight management system. As part of the agreement, Boeing Wind Updates will be integrated fleet-wide, across all Qatar Airways Boeing and Airbus aircraft. 

"We are pleased to upgrade our wind uplink capability by integrating the Boeing Wind Updates service into our operations at Qatar Airways to properly predict and measure current wind conditions," said Akbar Al Baker, chief executive officer, Qatar Airways. "In a highly competitive business environment, the Boeing Wind Updates service will provide us with a means to reduce fuel burn and increase routing efficiency, which leads to improved bottom line results."

Boeing Wind Updates uses industry-leading technology and Boeing-developed algorithms to select wind and temperature information specific to each flight's trajectory and considers wind conditions at a specific time. This data is individually tailored to the specific aircraft type, regardless of manufacturer, to provide optimized routing. This advanced capability differentiates the Boeing Wind Updates service from other similar products in the marketplace.

"By providing more current and accurate wind data, Boeing Wind Updates will enhance the efficiency of every Qatar Airways flight," said Per Noren, vice president, Customer Solutions, Boeing Digital Aviation, a business unit of Commercial Aviation Services. "We salute Qatar Airways as the first Middle East operator to use Wind Updates, as this technology solution supports continued optimization from pre-flight planning through real time, in-flight optimization."

Boeing Wind Updates integrates with existing aircraft communications technology and systems, and does not require additional regulatory clearance for airline use. Operators can achieve a competitive advantage and significant fuel savings from improved flight planning, optimized cruise speed and cost index performance, improved altitude selection, optimized top-of-descent advisories and more efficient descent trajectories while using the Boeing Wind Updates service.    

About the Boeing Edge Boeing offers a comprehensive portfolio of commercial aviation services, collectively known as the Boeing Edge, bringing value and advantages to customers and the industry. Boeing Digital Aviation is the business unit that delivers the Boeing Edge through integrated offerings in software, applications, information solutions and advanced training to drive optimized performance, efficiency and safety across customer operations. Boeing provides a competitive edge by solving real operational problems, enabling better decisions, maximizing efficiency and improving environmental performance – creating intelligent information solutions across the aviation ecosystem.

As informações são"https://www.google.com.br/search?q=Qatar+Airways&espv=210&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=aGEDU72oJcjksASzkoLYBg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1270&bih=738#facrc=0%3Bqatar%20airways%20logo&imgrc=_".Sempre é citado o link de referência.

Smaller planes in demand as Asia travel boom deepens

Smaller passenger planes are increasingly in demand in Asia as budget carriers cash in on the region's growing middle classes by expanding their reach to less prominent cities, industry executives say.

So-called "regional" jets -- short to medium-haul aircraft that generally seat under 100 passengers -- were among the best-sellers at the Singapore Airshow which ended at the weekend.

Jimmy Lau, managing director of show organiser Experia Events, said demand for smaller aircraft will rise as Asia's burgeoning middle class sustains the growth in air travel that began in metropolitan areas.

"The people who will be likely making good inroads are the Embraers and the Bombardiers who will be selling their smaller regional jets to countries like Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia," Lau told reporters as the Airshow ended with deals totalling a record $32 billion.

Embraer, the Brazilian plane maker, forecasts that Asia-Pacific carriers will take delivery of 1,500 new jets in the 70- to 130-seat segment over the next 20 years, with a total value of $70 billion. This would represent nearly 20 percent of global demand.

Canada's Bombardier expects the region to get one-third of the 12,800 aircraft in the 20 to 150-seat segment it forecasts to be delivered worldwide in the next two decades.

The company's vice president for marketing Philippe Poutissou told AFP that Bombardier sold almost 80 percent of its planes to Western countries in the past.

Four-month-old Indian carrier Air Costa sprang the biggest surprise at the event when it ordered 50 E-Jets E2 planes from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer worth $2.94 billion, with purchase rights for 50 more.

Air Costa wants to connect cities in southern India such as Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Vijayawada, as well as key secondary cities in the country's north and northwest.

- Reaching further -

"Our philosophy is that we believe that 70 percent of the population, of the huge 1.2 billion population in India, still reside in these non-metros," Air Costa chief financial officer Vivek Choudhary said.

Bangkok Airways, which describes itself as a "boutique" airline that serves popular tourist destinations in the country as well as the Maldives, Laos and Cambodia, ordered six 72-600 planes from European plane maker ATR for $150 million.

Thai budget carrier Nok Air ordered two Q4 100 aircraft -- which can seat 70-80 passengers -- from Bombardier to help it expand into smaller cities in Thailand and neighbouring countries, and may buy six more.

Nok Air chief executive Patee Sarasin said the airline's strategy is to use 33-seater planes to penetrate small towns and stimulate air travel, and then to increase frequency or use bigger aircraft as demand rises.

"There are so many airports in Thailand that are underutilised and so many towns that are underdeveloped in terms of the flying experience," Patee said.

Poutissou of Bombardier said his company is also aiming at a slightly larger aircraft class with its C Series of planes that can seat up to 150 passengers, competing directly with popular single-aisle planes made by Boeing and Airbus.

The Airbus A320 and Boeing B737 -- currently favoured by Asia's major budget carriers -- can seat between 126 and 200 passengers.

Poutissou said regional jets and single-aisle planes can complement each other, and he expects airlines to have a combination of both.

Boeing and Airbus are watching their smaller challengers.

"They are moving up into that part of the market (single aisle) in order to compete directly with us," said Randy Tinseth, vice president for marketing at Boeing.

Tinseth said Boeing and Airbus must assume that one of the smaller aircraft manufacturers, including some from China, will become successful.

"It's not a question of whether they will be successful, but when," he said.

John Leahy, Airbus chief operating officer, said he was not "overly concerned" about the upcoming competition.

But he added: "If you ask: Will Airbus and Boeing be under threat in the next 10 years? The answer is no. And 20 years? The answer is probably yes."

 The information is "" Is always quoted the reference link.