ATW Daily News

747-8 completes first flight one day shy of 41st anniversary of original 747 flight

Tuesday February 9, 2010

The 747-8 freighter achieved first flight yesterday, taking off from Paine Field in Everett, Wash., at around 12:40 p.m. local time following a nearly 3-hr. weather delay and landing at the same airport at 4:18 p.m., marking the start of flight testing for the latest derivative of Boeing's successful widebody program. [ more ]

IATA: Airline CFOs confident demand, profitability will continue to improve

Tuesday February 9, 2010

IATA said executives from airlines around the world reported "a sharp improvement in the business environment" for the air transport industry in the final months of 2009 and are optimistic that conditions will continue to improve throughout the current year. [ more ]

FAA seeks comment on new pilot certification proposals

Tuesday February 9, 2010

FAA yesterday published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeking public comment on proposals to adjust certification regulations for FAR Part 61 and 121 pilots and "to gather information on whether current eligibility, training, and qualification requirements for commercial pilot certification are adequate." [ more ]

Thai approves lease of 15 widebodies

Tuesday February 9, 2010

The Thai Airways board announced plans to lease 15 widebody aircraft over the next five years, requiring an investment of approximately THB35 billion ($1.05 billion). [ more ]

Today's Other Headlines

Tuesday February 9, 2010

Short-term improvement will not stop 'record' full-year loss at BA

Monday February 8, 2010

British Airways maintained its stark outlook and warned of "record losses" in its fiscal year ending March 31 despite sharp cost cuts and a better-than-expected third-quarter loss of £37.5 million ($58.9 million), narrowed 52% from the £78 million deficit suffered in the year-ago period. [ more ]

Steven Udvar-Hazy retires from ILFC

Monday February 8, 2010

Unable to arrange a purchase of the aircraft leasing giant he founded from parent American International Group, ILFC CEO Steven Udvar-Hazy retired from the company Friday. [ more ]

Finnair annual loss doubles to €102 million

Monday February 8, 2010

Finnair reported a 2009 net loss of €102 million ($142.2 million), more than double the €46.3 million loss it suffered in 2008, citing a "historically difficult year" in which demand and yield plunged. [ more ]

Growing SpiceJet returns to profit

Monday February 8, 2010

SpiceJet reported a company record INR1.09 billion ($23.5 million) profit in its fiscal third quarter ended Dec. 31, reversed from a INR179.6 million deficit in the year-ago period that resulted largely from a INR187.8 million charge related to a dispute with an investor. [ more ]

Today's Other Headlines

Monday February 8, 2010

Singapore Airshow News

Friday February 5, 2010

Singapore Airlines A380s stealing market share, Airbus claims
Pratt confident GTF can be installed on 737NG
747-8 first flight very near
India's Air Works looks to enlarge footprint in commercial MRO
Additional stories

[ more ]

Turkish commits to least 20 737s as fleet renewal continues

Friday February 5, 2010

Turkish Airlines yesterday continued its ambitious fleet renewal and announced a commitment for 10 737-800s and 10 737-900ERs (plus 15 options) that will join the A320 family aircraft ordered last month. [ more ]

Hawaiian enjoys 'remarkable' $116.7 million 2009 profit

Friday February 5, 2010

Hawaiian Airlines concluded what President and CEO Mark Dunkerley called a "remarkable" 2009 with a $116.7 million profit, a more-than-fourfold improvement from the $28.6 million surplus posted in 2008. [ more ]

Republic to shut down Lynx, Q400 flying

Friday February 5, 2010

Republic Airways Holdings will dissolve its Lynx Aviation subsidiary by September, removing the former Frontier Airlines subsidiary's Q400s from operation and eliminating approximately 175 jobs. [ more ]

Today's Other Headlines

Friday February 5, 2010

Singapore Airshow News

Thursday February 4, 2010

Airbus: A320 re-engine decision 'ideally' by Farnborough Airshow
Garuda confirms swapping 10 787 orders for 10 777-300ERs
Airbus forecasts demand for 8,000 new aircraft in Asia/Pacific over 20 years
Lufthansa Technik inks A330/A340 MRO deal with AirAsia X, deepens Asia commitment
SIA Engineering Co. opens S$50 million A380 hangar at Changi
777-300ER performance improvement package could deliver 4% fuel burn gain
Additional stories

[ more ]

Shenzhen reports huge full-year profit increase

Thursday February 4, 2010

Shenzhen Airlines earned a net profit of CNY500 million ($73.1 million) last year, nearly 20 times the CNY26 million surplus posted in 2008. [ more ]

AirTran finds pulse of economic, industry recovery

Thursday February 4, 2010

Six of the 10 American carriers that have reported 2009 fourth-quarter results turned a profit in the period, among them AirTran Airways, whose CFO Arne Haak said that "yield and average prices are very different from what we saw 3-6 months ago" and that "even on an absolute basis, things are looking more normal than in quite some time." [ more ]

NTSB fingers pilots for Colgan crash; FAA to propose new rules 'soon'

Thursday February 4, 2010

The US National Transportation Safety Board identified pilot error as the cause of the February 2009 Colgan Air Q400 crash that killed 50, stating in its report released late Tuesday, "When the stick-shaker activated to warn the flight crew of an impending aerodynamic stall, the captain should have responded correctly to the situation by pushing forward on the control column. However, the captain inappropriately pulled aft on the control column and placed the airplane into an accelerated aerodynamic stall." [ more ]

Today's Other Headlines

Thursday February 4, 2010

Singapore Airshow News

Wednesday February 3, 2010

Boeing concedes 787-3 all but canceled
Singapore Airlines 747-400 completes first multi-sector ASPIRE flight
Embraer sees slow recovery in 2010; cautious on new programs
Mitsubishi: MRJ design freeze by end of summer
IAE wins $300 million V2500 engine order from Sichuan Airlines
Additional stories

[ more ]

Singapore Airlines returns to profit with strong third quarter

Wednesday February 3, 2010

After two consecutive quarterly losses, Singapore Airlines Group returned to the black in its third fiscal quarter ended Dec. 31, posting a S$403.7 million ($286.1 million) profit that marked a 19.7% increase from the S$337.2 million earned in the year-ago period. [ more ]

UPS finishes strong, reports 28% drop in full-year profit

Wednesday February 3, 2010

UPS said it finished 2009 "on a high note," reporting significant fourth-quarter improvement and closing out the year with a $2.15 billion profit, down 28.3% from the $3 billion earned in 2008. [ more ]

Amadeus unveils fare family tool for agents

Wednesday February 3, 2010

News from Travel Technology Update: Amadeus is rolling out Master Pricer Agent Fare Families, an application that will enable travel agencies to set their own criteria for sorting air fares on their Web sites. [ more ]

Today's Other Headlines

Wednesday February 3, 2010