50 SKY SHADES - World aviation news

United States aviation news

United Pushes China Expansion After Hitting Roadblocks in India

The rapid expansion of seat capacity to and from India by Middle East carriers is impeding United Airlines’ plans to build market share in the country. Instead, United, which already has daily nonstop service from New York to both Delhi and Mumbai, is mainly focusing on expanding operations to China’s secondary cities. Acccording to Brian Znotins, United’s network vice president,...

SFO’s Towering Achievement

An iconic and towering structure rises along the San Francisco Bay area skyline --and it’s safe to say it’s unlike any other. The 231-foot air traffic control tower features a graceful flaring base with an offset cab of glass at the top, giving it a distinct look resembling that of a wine glass or Olympic torch. A ribbon of glass stretches up the base, reflecting the sparkling water...

United Pilots To Get 13 Percent Pay Hikes in 2016 if They Approve Contract

United Continental Holdings Inc. rose the most in two weeks after pilot leaders agreed to send a proposed contract extension to union members for approval. Ratification by rank-and-file aviators would help labor peace with a crucial work group at United Airlines. Executives are still seeking to unify employees more than five years after the carrier was created in a merger between former United...

Students climb into 727 cockpit

It’s a bit musty inside the 727 parked near a row of storage sheds at Riverside Municipal Airport. Part of the stale smell may be because the plane has been sitting dormant for more than 2½ years. Part of it may be the pigeons that have taken roost in the housings of the unused jet engines. The former Federal Express plane is the property of California Baptist University and is one...

Engine problem sends Virginia-bound plane back to New York

An engine-related problem has forced a plane bound for Virginia to return to Rochester, New York. The Federal Aviation Administration says Commutair Flight 3585 declared an emergency at around 3 p.m. Friday shortly after takeoff. The plane had been headed to Washington Dulles International Airport but returned to Rochester International Airport. It landed safely. Representatives for Commu...

Northrop wins $93 million deal to build drone for smaller warships

Northrop Grumman Corp has won a contract worth $93.08 million to build a full-scale demonstrator of a new unmanned spy plane - a flying wing with large counter-rotating propellers - that would take off and land on destroyers and frigates, the Pentagon said on Thursday. Northrop has been working on a design for the new drone for several years under a joint program called Tern that is led by...

United pilots to vote on accord without 100-seater commitment

Pilots at United Airlines will vote on a contract extension in January that lacks any commitment for a 100-seat aircraft order from the carrier. The Chicago-based airline put the possibility of a small narrowbody order on the table in talks earlier this year, confirms Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) United master executive council chair captain Jay Heppner in a video post...

New human resources leadership for Boeing

Boeing has elected Heidi Capozzi, 46, a corporate senior vice president, and named her to replace Tony Parasida as the company’s human resources leader effective March 1st, 2016. Parasida, senior vice president of human resources and administration, has announced his intent to retire this spring after a 38-year Boeing career. Capozzi, who leads the company’s talent and leadership...

Aerial Firefighters Close Out 2015 Fire Season, With Innovations For 2016 Underway

The aerial firefighting industry is already preparing for what could be another intense period, as it winds down from one of the most destructive wildland fire seasons ever experienced in the American west, particularly in California and the Pacific Northwest. "The helicopter and fixed wing aerial tanker companies once again proved their reliability and readiness to deploy their aircraft a...

Crystal Luxury Air acquires ex-Air Austral B777

Crystal Luxury Air has acquired an ex-Air Austral B777-200(LR) in the form of F-OLRA (msn 40955) now re-registered as P4-XTL under the Aruban registry. The aircraft will shortly be joined by a B787-8 as well as an A319-100CJ and a Bombardier Global Express XRS. Beginning March 2016, the cruise specialist will use the new aircraft to operate private charters and transport guests from any po...

Southwest settles FAA lawsuit for $2.8mn

Southwest Airlines and the United States have settled a lawsuit involving allegations the Texan LCC operated numerous B737 aircraft that did not conform to US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) maintenance standards and were therefore not airworthy. In November last year, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a USD12 million lawsuit against Southwest for three separate types of mainte...

Second Sikorsky CH-53K ‘almost ready’ to join test campaign

After a slow start, the Sikorsky CH-53K development project is gathering pace at West Palm Beach, Florida, with sixth test flights and counting since initial lift-off in late October and a second aircraft almost complete. The US Marine Corps announced this week that one of its own pilots flew the King Stallion, taking over from Sikorsky’s test team for the first time. Lt Col Jonathan M...