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15 September 2005 News today that Delta & Northwest filed bankruptcy as predicted on cfidarren.com last August 1st. Three factors contribute to airline troubles: oppressive ticket pricing, fuel prices, and labor costs. Both airlines have very underfunded pension funds which will end up becoming a taxpayer burden. Why is this happening to our airline industry? Next time you fly, remember that you took that flight because it was the cheapest not the safest. As long as our airline industry will not charge the real price for a flight, it will continue on its current path. 01 September 2005 A major update to CFIdarren.com was released today. New features include Student Training Plans, Helicopter Information, Helicopter Ground School, and a Download section. The changes were in response to regular webpage readers, including suggestions and corrections from pilots around the globe. Thanks for your help. 01 August 2005 July was a slow news month, everything has been busy with the airlines and no one was complaining. In spite of a busy summer travel scene, looks like my predictions will come true about new bankruptcy surprises at the end of the summer. Who is it? Delta & Northwest (who loses $4 million a day). Here's the sneaky part, they have until October 17th when the new bankruptcy laws come into effect to make up their minds. Independence Air might also be considering plan B. 29 June 2005 The Airbus A380 sales are dismal. Apparently the Paris Air Show resulted in only 1 new order for the aircraft bringing the total order volume for this very expensive bird to 145 aircraft. Boeing who rejected the idea of designing such a large aircraft recently received confirmation that Continental Airlines will be the next domestic buyer of the new 7E7 Dreamliner. French 0, USA 1 26 May 2005 LAX is the worst airport terminal in the world. Looks like Heather Locklear and Blair Underwood aren't doing a great job according to the LA Times. Read the full story at: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/state/la-me-airports26may26,1,4683241.story?coll=la-news-state&ctrack=1&cset=true 25 May 2005 The TSA No fly list is ticking people off. Since September 2004, the United States has ordered seven international flights to alter course, forcing them either to divert to a designated airport or return to their departure site. Two flights originating in foreign countries were diverted to Bangor Maine (guess its better if we subject them to our terrorists right?) and in both cases, the apparent passenger "hit" was false. Read more about the no-fly list at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/24/AR2005052401388.html 20 May 2005 China's aviation sector is picking up. The first Chinese GA aircraft, called Eaglet 500 was just certified after 339 test flights. Mass production should start by the summer. 15 May 2005 The corporate history of United Airlines is at risk now that budget cuts have hit the corporate archivist. Flight attendant uniforms from the 1930s, a passenger seat from the 1920s, and a flight suit from an airmail pilot are all at risk of being locked away forever without the care required for museum quality pieces. Read the story at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0505150341may15,1,2918008.story?ctrack=1&cset=true 13 May 2005 The US Air/America West merger will be announced next week. Read the latest at http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05133/503793.stm 12 May 2005 British Airways posts £415 Million Fiscal Year Profit. How did they do this in an era of operational disruptions last year and record-high fuel costs? In short? They charge the real price of a fare unlike US-based airlines who are in a race to the bottom for riders. 11 May 2005 United's success in court decimating the retirees pension plan and transferring it to a government program for failed pension funds will most likely be copied by other airlines in the coming year. Labor contracts are coming next. More details at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/10/AR2005051000317.html?referrer=email and http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0505110027may11,1,591808.story?coll=chi-business-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true and http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2005-05-11-pensions-usat_x.htm 4 May 2005 Scientists in Britain unveiled the world's funniest joke on Thursday at the end of the largest study of humor ever. Here it is: Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his cellphone and calls the emergency services. He gasps: "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator says: "Calm down, I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence, then a shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says: "OK, now what?" 1 May 2005 Parts fall off aircraft regularly. If they aren't maintained. So how safe is your favourite airline? How safe are you when you travel to other countries? A rare glimpse is offered by a report release last week by Japanese authorities. A total of 159 incidents of falling parts from airplanes were reported by Japanese airlines for the fiscal year to March. The falling parts included outer panels of aircraft bodies, covers of lights and engine parts, according to the report released last week Sunday by the Japanese Transport Ministry. It is a growing problem? Apparently so because the previous fiscal year saw 96 incidents which is a 163% increase year to year. 30 April 2005 Widely reported in the aviation news services is the pulsating red and green laser beams, part of a government effort to prevent a terrorist attack. The lasers are harmless, "This is good laser, if you will," said U.S. Air Force Col. Ed Daniel of the North American Aerospace Defense Command. "It is very eye safe." "There are so many high-value targets in this area. It is the center of government. We need to do everything we can to protect it," Daniel said. If an errant plane cannot be contacted by radio, authorities would attempt to get the pilot's attention by aiming the lasers and flashing the rapid red-red-green signal - colors chosen because they are easily seen and a sequence not otherwise used in aviation. NORAD developed the system in two years, constructing it from off-the-shelf technology. There are no plans to put similar systems in other cities, although it could be considered for locations such as the presidential retreat at Camp David. 29 April 2005 A Wisconsin communications company called Sanswire has unveiled its almost-finished prototype of a hard-framed, unmanned airship designed to fly in the stratosphere 13 miles above the earth and send broadband and mobile phone signals to an area the size of Texas. It's a "Stratellite," and its makers believe it will revolutionize the broadband and wireless industry. The company hopes to start building and launching full-size Stratellites as soon as next year, with hundreds if not thousands of the devices eventually straddling the globe, staying aloft for months at a time. 28 April 2005 As a follow-up to the April 13th prediction that one major US airline will fail, the New York Times reported Tuesday that persistently high fuel prices, a seeming inability or unwillingness to raise prices, and limited cash to negotiate favorable fuel contracts has left most airlines significantly exposed. The problem was exacerbated by miscalculations in 2004, which lead many carriers to erroneously believe that fuel prices would begin falling. Meanwhile, it looks like Delta with their first-quarter loss of $1.1 billion, might be facing bankruptcy. Read more about it at: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050427/BIZ01/504270319/1002/BIZ and http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/26/AR2005042600913.html 27 April 2005 Up until today, the fact that the Airbus A380 could fly was purely theoretical. That changed today as the world's largest passenger plane, the Airbus A380, completed its maiden flight Wednesday. A milestone for aviation, the plane landed successfully in Toulouse at 2:22 p.m local time after a four-hour flight. To give you perspective how big this thing is, you can part 70 cars on the wings. Airbus has playfully given the first plane the registration F-WWOW 27 April 2005 As a follow-up to the March 21st article here at cfidarren.com, Agence France-Presse and USA Today have an interesting piece on reductions in aircraft cabin oxygen, as discussed in a British medical Journal article released Monday. The report says that airline passengers may experience significant drops in oxygen levels, which may account for some of the flight sickness often reported by travelers. Read the report at: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2005-04-26-plane-oxygen-levels_x.htm 26 April 2005 The Southwest Airlines of Britain, easyJet, faced an unusual boarding request today. A man slipped past airport control, ran to the aircraft and stood less than a meter in front of it, waving his boarding pass and demanded to be let on. Airport officials denied that a breach of security happened. Read the report: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/18174870 26 April 2005 A revised update to www.cfidarren.com has been released. New features include a weather resources section with graphic & textual weather briefing. Thanks for your support. Hits counter: 55906 25 April 2005 A new wave of airline consolidation rumours. Rumours of a merger of struggling US Airways and America West has industry analysts talking. Wall Street isn't interested in this strategy, but in a strategy of finding ways to make money. About every cost to be cut has been cut, so lets get on with the business of being competitive and making some money. Read the news item at: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2005-04-20-usairways-cover_x.htm 25 April 2005 Is there possibly a world's most dangerous airline? Phuket Air comes to mind for some Bangkok to London passengers last April 8th when a Boeing 747 shut its engines off at 35,000 feet and started spraying more than 50 tons of fuel from its wingtip nozzles. After suffering a gear box seal failure, engine failure, and TCAS failure. Meanwhile another of Phuket's aged 747s was forced to abort takeoff's during a fuel stop in UAE a week later. Later it suffered a hydraulic failure. Where did these outdated aircraft come from? KLM, NorthWest's partner in Europe. Phuket Air claims all its aircraft are only 15 years old and in good condition. But Boeing reportedly said the carrier's 747s were 25 years old. Phuket Air, started in 2001, has had no fatal accidents. 24 April 2005 Terrible news: the biggest jumbo, the Airbus 380 with 555 seats will not be able to fly at the Paris Air Show this coming June. Flight testing is coming soon for the behemoth with Singapore Airlines due to operate passenger services in Summer 2006. Prediction: Jet Blue by 2008. 23 April 2005 The last of 2,231 F16 fighters was delivered to the US Air Force on March 18th. The production run lasted from 1978 until now. A few more will be produced for US allies. The F16 evolved from a VFR day light attack fighter to an all-weather, air-to-air/air-to-ground weapon system that received such upgrades as IFF, flight computers, automatic targeting, moving map GPS, and battleground instant messaging. 22 April 2005 Homeland Security Department Acting Inspector General Richard Skinner, said the TSA deceived individuals, the press and Congress in 2003 and 2004. Congress also called the TSA a liar last week. Regarding the use of "Secure Flight", the TSA is not permitted to use the software which is used to screen passengers who are also on the TSA terrorist watch list due to privacy concerns. Between February 2002 and June 2003, TSA had a role in 14 transfers of data involving at least 12 million records obtained without passengers' knowledge or permission from America West, American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Frontier and JetBlue. 21 April 2005 The FAA finally ordered rudder inspections for A310 and A300 operators last week. French authorities issued a similar order which could affect as many as 500 of the aircraft in Europe. Major operators in the US include FedEx and American. 20 April 2005 Guess who's back? Jetsgo of Canada. Transport Canada (FAA of the True North Strong & Free) says if they get their act together they can fly again. Jetsgo wants to fly by July but faces a steep uphill battle to regain the public trust, travel agents, and creditors such as Boeing. Prediction: not around for long, especially since the CEO failed in two other airline startup attempts. 19 April 2005 While the TSA is now confiscating lighters, the British Department of Transport is allowing knitting needles back in the air. Real knives and forks are coming back on Britsh Airways for those lucky to sit in first class leather. 18 April 2005 The dirty little secrets that airlines don't want you to know are now part of the DOT's safety reporting requirements. Events such as engine failure with dislodged parts that damage any part of the engine or airframe are more common than you'd think but are currently unreportable to the DOT. Those incidents are internally handled. Also on the list, prop strikes, display failures (very common) in electronic cockpits, and rotor damage to commercial helicopters. Who is the new watchdog on the case? Pilots... seems like the FAA/TSA/NTSB are putting increased demand on pilots and flight instructors to perform the duties of maintenance inspectors, border patrol agents, and security screeners for passengers of private aircraft. 17 April 2005 While the TSA bans lighters, they've lost 400 screeners at Atlanta's Hartsfield airport. Adm. David Stone is stepping down as head of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration in June after a year and a half. That's the 3rd TSA administrator in a few short years. The TSA has lost their explosives team as well as the air marshall program to the Homeland Security Department. Even more troubling is the growing internal intelligence capabilities of the Homeland Security Department which is collecting records on all of us. In those records contain any civil action we've been involved with, including bankruptcy actions, divorces, and drivers license records. 16 April 2005 No doubt, Southwest Airlines is the darling of the airline industry. Part of their success was to purchase fuel based on 2003 prices until 2006. Southwest Airlines reported dramatically increased earnings during the first quarter of this year, because its pre-purchased fuel program protected it from price fluctuations that have plagued the industry. Those benefits will disappear next year and it will be looking for ways to cut costs just like all of the other airlines. 14 April 2005 How many pets did your favourite airline kill? The airlines now have to report this according to a new DOT policy. Read the report at: http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/11373359.htm 13 April 2005 Prediction: One major airline will fail this year. The airline industry is in critical condition with lucrative business fares gone, severe cost cutting unproductive, major concessions by pilots, flight attendants, and mechanics. Meanwhile, USA Today reports that we're satisfied with airline service. You get what you pay for....Read the report at: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2005-04-12-attitude-usat_x.htm 10 April 2005 Prediction: TSA gone by 2006. 4 April 2005 The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered the immediate inspection of all Cessna 402C aircraft, which makes up the majority of Cape Air and Island Airlines' fleets, because of a possible wing defect. "Such a wing failure could result in the wing separating from the airplane with consequent loss of control of the airplane," the FAA said in a March 2 directive. Twenty of the airline's 49 Cessna 402C planes have the modification, exempting them from the FAA order. The rest will have the supports within 18 months, Goddard said. Cessna discontinued all 400-series planes in the 1980s. The last 402C, now part of Cape Air's fleet, was built in 1985. 1 April 2005 Qantas pilots have been told to fly to the right of airways over Indonesia to avoid other airplanes that could be on a head-on collision course, and now Air New Zealand is considering a similar policy. Last March, a Qantas 767 was climbing to 36,000 feet and was put on a collision course with an Air New Zealand 767 cruising at that altitude. Both crews responded to onboard alerts and passed each other by less than 400 feet. A similar incident in the same area last June involved two Qantas airplanes. 29 March 2005 The plot thickens for Airbus in the rudder problems of its A310. Under the microscope, the Air Transat flight from Cuba to Quebec and now a replay of American Airlines flight 587, an Airbus A300 model which suffered from rudder problems. After that incident, more than 20 American Airlines A300 pilots asked to be transferred to Boeing aircraft. Other reports are starting to surface including a 2002 report from a FedEx A300 freight pilot who reported "uncommanded inputs" from the rudder. More to come... 28 March 2005 The new "Sport Jet" has appeared. Its billed as the most affordable personal jet with a design empty weight of 2,800 pounds. The new model, which will sell for less than $1 million, can cruise at 340 knots at 25,000 feet (above 95% of all weather). It can carry four persons over 1,000 nautical miles and will be equipped with a parachute-based supplemental emergency landing system. Overall length of the aircraft is 29 feet, with a maximum tail height of 8.2 feet. 23 March 2005 Two weeks after the March 5th incident with Air Transat, Airbus said it would tell airlines Wednesday to inspect the rudders of 400 aircraft worldwide after most of a tail part fell off during a flight earlier this month, a company spokesman said. The Airbus 310, flying from Cuba, to Quebec City, developed what the airline reported as mechanical difficulty about 30 minutes into the flight. Later it was revealed that most of a tail part fell off during the flight. Airbus will have airlines conduct the "5-year" checks of the airplane as soon as possible. 21 March 2005 Air China flight 112 was the beginning of SARS as 22 of the 37 individuals contracted that illness after that flight. Increasing ventilation within the aircraft by recirculating air 15-20 an hour would decrease the risk of catching airborne diseases by half. Right now, aircraft typically recirculate air five to 10 times per hour. While in flight, passengers are subjected to a low-pressure, low-oxygen condition known as hypobaric hypoxia. Studies are only beginning to understand the impact such an environment has on people. Aircraft such as the CRJ Regional Jet do not recirculate fresh air but filter and recirculate existing air. 19 March 2005 Northwest Airlines responds to CFIDARREN.COM news article (just kidding) from 23 Feb 2005 by grounding 18% of the DC-9 Fleet. As of Feb. 14, NW was operating 166 DC-9s, according to the Airclaims fleet database, and most had an average age of about 35 years. Approximately 800 jobs will be lost as a result and Northwest will stop recalling furloughed pilots. 18 March 2005 The Associated Press says that reports from India claim that the recent devastating tsunami affecting the region may have uncovered signs of an ancient civilization. Some experts dispute the claims, saying that to some people, "every stone is a temple." Read the complete report at: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2005-03-18-tsunami-tourism_x.htm 14 March 2005 According to the Associated Press, U.S. airline pilots are unhappy at the slow pace of a federal programs that is designed to authorize them to carry guns in the cockpit. Some contend that the TSA is moving slowly because they never really wanted the program to be successful. Read the report at: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2005-03-14-pilots-guns_x.htm 12 March 2005 The Coalition of Airline Pilots Association yesterday awarded failing grades to most security measures undertaken to protect the nation's transportation system over the past four years. The complaints were echoed by elected officials and criticized the large sums of money spent on security to deliver little or no result. Read the report at: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=7869983 11 March 2005 Canadian airline Jetsgo with its very recognizable green smiley face on the tail is ceasing all operations and seeking bankruptcy protection. The carrier started operations in 2002 in a hostile airline market in Canada and never quite got the marketshare it planned. It operated 14 rather aged MD83 aircraft and during recent inspections by Transport Canada (the FAA of the true north strong and free) found several serious irregularities in operations and maintenance. Jetsgo had routes to 30 Carribean, Candian, and US destinations, 11 March 2005 According to media reports, a US made audio system designed to frighten birds away from Beijing international airport failed because of what state media called a "language barrier." The system is being reworked to include sounds of domestic, rather than foreign, predatory birds which officials hope will be more effective. Read the report at: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12511725-13762,00.html 8 March 2005 The first Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner, the world's longest range commercial airplane, completed its first flight Wednesday and began a test program that will lead to its first delivery in January 2006. The 777-200LR, capable of connecting virtually any two cities in the world nonstop, is the fifth 777 model. It can carry 301 passengers up to 9,420 nautical miles (17,445 kilometers). 7 March 2005 The Christian Science Monitor reports that airline delays and complaints have risen significantly in what it calls the "crowded, cranky skies." The paper suggests that demoralized employees are partly to blame. Read the report at: http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0304/p02s02-ussc.html 5 March 2005 Canada's Air Transat plane develops problem leaving Cuba. Today, one of Air Transat's ten Airbus 310, flying from Varadero, Cuba, to Quebec City, developed what the airline reported as mechanical difficulty about 30 minutes into the flight. A spokesperson for the airline said the plane's rudder "partially fell off." Read the report on 7 March 2005 reports also indicate the US denied landing rights to the aircraft departing Cuba in this report from 8 March 2005 "but officials with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration say the pilot never informed them he was having an emergency." 28 Feb 2005 According to the Washington Post, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is questioning operations practices surrounding a British Airways flight from Los Angeles to London. The report describes how one of the aircraft's four engines failed shortly after takeoff, and relates the decision to continue to London with only three engines. The flight eventually ran short of fuel and had to make an emergency landing at Manchester. Read the complete report at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61698-2005Feb28.html 25 Feb 2005 A revised update to www.cfidarren.com has been released. New features include customized lesson plans for each student, more free content, special 'keyword' content, and an online store. Thanks for your support. Hits counter: 53444 24 Feb 2005 According to Newsday, Air Traffic Control in the New York area has seen a significant rise in mistakes since the FAA reduced overtime a few weeks ago. The report quotes air traffic controller union officials as stating that the facility is "woefully understaffed," and speculates that all errors are not being reported. Read the report at: http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-liatc0218,0,7319471.story 23 Feb 2005 According to the Associated Press, Northwest Airlines ties with Aerolineas Argentinas for the world's oldest average age of its fleet among major airlines. The report says that this is driven largely by the number of DC9s the carrier continues to own, some of which were flying when LBJ was president. Because Northwest owns much of the old equipment outright, continuing to operate it has help manage costs in difficult economic times. Read the report at: http://www.indystar.com/articles/7/224044-1527-223.html 22 Feb 2005 The Private Pilot Ground School toured the St Pete Tower. Thanks to Sharon for making this happen. 21 Feb 2005 Airline start-up Virgin America, one of British tycoon Richard Branson's projects, has found the search for start-up capital challenging and may delay its planned launch until 2006. Analysts speculate that, for reasons many consider obvious, few people want to invest in the airline business just now. Read a report at: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6926746/ Your Thoughts... |
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