New Star Alliance member - Shenzhen Airlines

Air China subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines joined Star Alliance Thursday, becoming Star’s 27th member. Shenzhen Airlines is China’s fifth largest carrier.

By joining Star, Shenzhen Airlines hopes to accelerate the pace of its international expansion as well as strengthen the alliance position in China and across Asia. Shenzhen Airlines will add some 400 daily flights to 70 Star destinations, including five new cities for the alliance—Juzhou, Linyi, Qinhuangdao, Shijiazhuang and Zhousan.

“Our customers now benefit from improved access throughout the economical Pearl River Delta and across Southern China ... I feel pretty good with the [Star] network in China,” Star Alliance CEO Mark Schwab told ATW.

Shenzhen Airlines is Star’s second carrier in Mainland China after Air China became a member in December 2007. Air China was Shenzhen’s mentor for the joining process.
Taiwan-based Eva Air is expected to join Star in June 2013.

Shenzhen Airlines operates 116 passenger and cargo aircraft, comprising Boeing 737NGs, 747s, Airbus A319s and A320s. By the end of 2015, the fleet should grow from 122 to more than 170 aircraft by 2015.

The carrier operates bases in Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

(Kurt Hofmann - ATWOnline News)

French Court clears Continental Airlines of criminal blame for 2000 Air France Concorde Crash

Continental Airlines has been cleared of criminal blame for the July 2000 crash of an Air France Concorde aircraft at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.

United Continental Holdings confirmed the decision of a French appeals court today and said in a statement, “This was a tragic accident and we support the court’s decision that Continental did not bear fault. We have long maintained that neither Continental nor its employees were responsible for this tragic event and are satisfied that this verdict was overturned.”

United Airlines and Continental merged in 2010 and received its single operating certificate late last year.
 
The appeals court decision comes almost two years to the day after another French court found Continental to be criminally responsible for the crash, in which 113 people died. That court concluded that there was a link between safety failures by Continental and the fire that brought down the Concorde.

It held the airline and its mechanic responsible for having manufactured and installed a piece of titanium that fell from a Continental DC-10 that took off from the same runway shortly before the Concorde’s departure.

The airline was fined €200,000 ($265,000) and ordered to pay €1million in damages to Air France.

According to a BBC report Thursday, the appeals court has upheld the damages order, saying Continental still bore civil responsibility.

(Karen Walker - ATWOnline News)

Gulfstream G550 (c/n 5381) N381GA taxies to the Gulfstream ramp on a rainy/gloomy afternoon at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) following it's arrival from Outagamie County Regional Airport (ATW/KATW) in Appleton, Wisconson.

 

(Photo by Michael Carter)

DeerJet G450 (c/n 4234) B-8250 arrived at approximately 1600 pst and parked at the Gulfstream service center.

DC-9-15(F) returns home to Long Beach

Kalitta Charters II DC-9-15(F) (47086/219) N915CK arrives at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) following a flight from El Paso (ELP/KELP), Texas on November 28, 2012.

 

(Photos by Michael Carter)

LGB Airport Manager is one of Long Beach's most important leaders

(Photo - Aero Pacific Flightlines Archives)

When Mario Rodriguez took charge of Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) operations in early 2009, the historic regional flying field was a functional landmark full of history but lacking in vision. Since then, he has launched a nationwide branding campaign to put Long Beach’s airport on the map while overseeing the implementation of a $140 million modernization plan, the crown jewel of which—a state-of-the-art concourse—will be opening ahead of schedule this December.

Instead of shrinking down an LAX-type airport model for the future LGB, Rodriguez’s plans called for the restoration of the airport’s historic art deco terminal—including the recently discovered mosaic floors hidden for decades under dingy carpet near the check-in desks—as well as a series of expansion projects that will soon posit the facility at the forefront of air travel.

In the last year, Rodriguez saw three consecutive quarters in which LGB not only had the cheapest airfares in the state, but the second-cheapest in the entire nation. All as the airport prepares to open a partially solar-powered 14,200 sq. ft. concourse that will generate more than a hundred new jobs and house Long Beach-only businesses.

By simultaneously respecting the past and crafting a vision for the future, Rodriguez’s power to give LGB a vision has made Long Beach’s once-overlooked local airport into a regional air travel gateway, one that will continue to be an economic force for the City without being detrimental towards the aura of what makes Long Beach Long Beach.

(Long Beach Post)

Hawker Beechcraft to close several services centers due to bankruptcy

The closing of some Hawker Beechcraft (HBC) factory-owned service centers as a result of the manufacturer’s bankruptcy has changed the way customers have their aircraft maintained, especially in the Southwest U.S. Previously, the factory-owned HBC center in Mesa, Ariz., pulled business from the West Coast, Mexico and other areas.  Other locations that served these markets included facilities in Little Rock, Ark., and San Antonio but these too have closed, meaning that independent HBC-authorized maintenance facilities such as West Coast Aircraft Maintenance in Long Beach, Calif., are picking up a lot of new business. “We’re the only Hawker Beechcraft-approved facility in the Southwest U.S.,” said West Coast sales manager Alfredo Garcia. “We’re in the big leagues now.”

West Coast was awarded Mexican DGAC repair station approval in November, making the company a viable option for maintaining Mexican-registered aircraft. The DGAC approval encompasses the same ratings as West Coast’s FAA Part 145 repair station, which includes airframes from piston singles through Bombardier Challengers and other capabilities such as engine hot-section inspections.

The HBC authorization covers Bonanzas through the Hawker-series jets, including the Premier I/IA, but not the Hawker 400 or Hawker 4000. West Coast also installs King Air modifications such as Garmin G1000 avionics and Raisbeck and BLR Aerospace airframe upgrades.

A “West Coast Edition” King Air 200 is available with the G1000 avionics (including RVSM), BLR winglets, P&WC PT6A-52 engines (by StandardAero) and a variety of Raisbeck mods, including Hartzell propellers, wing lockers, ram-air recovery system, enhanced-performance leading edges and dual aft-body strakes.

(AIN Online News)

Embraer Jet goes down in Indian Ocean

A plane crashed in the Indian Ocean off the Comoros Islands on Tuesday after suffering mechanical problems, but all 29 people on board survived, officials said.

The Embraer jet went down a few minutes after taking off from Moroni airport at about 1 pm local time, they said. The plane, belonging to Inter-Iles, had been bound for the nearby island of Anjouan.
A senior military official who gave his name only as Zarouk and was on board the plane, said aircraft fuel was leaking "like an open tap" upon take-off.

He alerted the pilot who decided to return to the airport, but was unable to land in time, instead crashed into the sea.

Abu Mohamed Ali, director general of Civil Aviation for the Comoros Islands, said all 29 people on board - 25 passengers and four crew - were safe. The pilot suffered head injuries while the rest were unhurt. Fishermen appeared to have led the search-and-rescue operation.

(Reuters)

Air New Zealand 777-319(ER) sports new "Hobbit" livery

 The "Hobbit" arrives

 in Los Angeles

 following a flight

 from New Zealand.

Air New Zealand 777-319(ER) (39041/972) ZK-OKP arrived at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX/KLAX) from Auckland (AKL/NZAA), New Zealand as "NZ 2" at 13:54 pst sporting the new "Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" livery which was inspired by the new Peter Jackson movie.  

This is the inaugural flight for this special livery which also sports the carriers new tail livery which is now black with a white Koru.

   The aircraft will depart LAX for London Heathrow (LHR/EGLL) at 4.00pm.

(Photos by Michael Carter)

Here we go again, union at Boeing threatens strike!

Engineers at Boeing have moved closer to a strike after the US aircraft manufacturer's latest offer on two contracts that expire Sunday.

The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) said the new offer still represents a cut in salary and other benefits for the 23,000 members of its two bargaining units, professional and technical workers.

"We're closer to calling a strike authorization," SPEEA executive director Ray Goforth said. "We don't have a date or plans" to call a vote, he added.

Boeing said the offer is much improved over its opening proposal, and reflects the tough competition with Airbus and the needs of price-sensitive airlines.

"It's going to take movement from both sides" to get a deal, said Doug Alder, a Boeing spokesman. "And we made a big move."

The union's current contracts expired on October 6 and a 60-day extension runs out Sunday, canceling the no-strike clause that had prevented the union from staging a walkout.

However, the two sides met on Wednesday in Seattle, where most of SPEEA's members are based, and plan to meet again next week.

"As long as we're continuing to negotiate, work goes on as normal," Alder said.

While a strike was now possible, he noted that the union has not taken a strike-authorization vote.

PACE OF JET PRODUCTION AT STAKE

Boeing churns out 52 jets a month, worth nearly USD$8 billion at list prices, and is stepping up its pace of production to work through a backlog of more than 4,000 orders.

The professional engineers and technical workers could stop production if they walked out.
The standoff has the potential to affect jet production even if the union doesn't call a strike, as engineers could work more slowly and limit their hours, something the union already is asking them to do.

"It is becoming clear Boeing corporate will need additional persuasion" to reach a deal, Bill Dugovich, SPEEA communications director, said in a statement. "Our teams encourage members to continue workplace actions, including refusing to work voluntary overtime and other ‘work-to-rule' actions to bring pressure on Boeing."

Goforth said members were "conducting work-to-rule activities" in Oregon and Washington, and declining overtime during the Thanksgiving holiday. Alder said Boeing had not seen any impact so far.

After Wednesday's meeting, SPEEA said Boeing had restated its plan to eliminate its defined-benefit pension for new hires.

The engineers argue that Boeing has rewarded executives with hefty pay raises and shareholders with a 4.8 percent dividend increase. The company is reporting strong profits and yet is offering engineers less than when the last contract was struck in 2008.

Boeing says its pay and benefit offers are industry leading at a time of high unemployment when many workers are getting modest raises and paying much more of their health-care costs.

The situation puts both sides under pressure. The union knows it is strategic to Boeing.

"They also know they have to deliver at the bargaining table," said Gary Chaison, a professor of industrial relations at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.

"Boeing has an embarrassment of riches," he added. But the company "has to maintain its reputation of being a tough negotiator to get what it wants."

Boeing's new offer of four-year contracts would give professional engineers annual pay raises of 4.5 percent in the first and third years, and 4 percent in each of the other two years. That's up from 3.5 percent per year in the company's previous offer.

Technical workers, whose work provides a crucial bridge between that of engineers and machinists, would get a 3.5 percent raise in each of the first and third years and a 3 percent raise in each of the other two years. That's up from 3 percent in the first year and 2.5 percent a year in the proposed contract's other three years in the company's previous offer.

Boeing said it also lowered employees' out-of-pocket contribution for health care and eliminated hospital co pays, among other steps, in response to the union's rejection of its first offer. Members voted it down by a margin of about 96 percent.

The negotiations are set to resume on Tuesday.

(Reuters)

Qatar C-17A performs a short flight

Qatar Emiri Air Force C-17A (F-252/QA-4) A7-MAE performed a short pre-delivery test sortie on Wednesday November 21.

 

(Photos by Michael Carter)

Happy Thanksgiving

Myself and the entire APF staff would like to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!

 

May you and your family have a wonderful day!

 

Michael Carter

Editor and Chief 

Aero Pacific Flightlines

Forth C-17A destined for Qatar Emiri Air Force takes to the skies

 One gorgeous aircraft

 on short final

 to Rwy 30 at Long Beach Airport.

Smokes the mains on Rwy 30.

 

The forth C-17A (F-252/QA-4) N9500R tbr A7-MAE destined for the Qatar Emiri Air Force took to the skies for the first time today at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) returning at 15:21 pst November 20, 2012.

 

(Photos by Michael Carter) 

 Short final to Rwy 30.

G550 (c/n 5405) N545GA smokes the mains on Rwy 30 at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) as it arrives from Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport (SAV/KSAV) on November 20, 2012.

 

(Photos by Michael Carter)

G-IVSP (c/n 1312) N4FL ex-9M-ABC arrived from Las Vegas McCarren International (LAS/KLAS) at 14:38 pst.

 

(Photo by Michael Carter)

USAF KC-135R at LGB

Took a swing by Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) this afternoon after work and discovered United States Air Force (USAF) KC-135R (717-148) "Stratotanker" (c/n 18504) 62-3521 of the 434th ARW based at Grissom Air foece Base parked on the Signature ramp. Don't know when she arrived and I have no idea when she is scheduled to leave. 

 

Cheers

Michael Carter

A second new G650 arrives at Long Beach Airport

G650 (c/n 6034) N603GA arrived at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) as "GLF47" from Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport (SAV/KSAV) at 10:14 pst.

 

(Photo by Michael Carter)

Another G550 destined for a Chinese customer flies at LGB

G550 (c/n 5364) N764GA returns to Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) following a customer flight.

 

(Photo by Michael Carter)

"Gulftest 37" departs Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB)

 Taxies on "Delta".

G550 (c/n 5388) N588GA rotates from Rwy 30 as "GLF37" as she departs on a pre-delivery test flight.

 

(Photos by Michael Carter) 

Gulfstream G280 (c/n 2007) N280FR turns onto Rwy 30 for departure to Honolulu International Airport (HNL/PHNL) at 07:44 pst. To my knowledge, this is the first G280 to visit Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB).

 

(Photo by Michael Carter)

USAF T-38A stops by LGB

This was a very nice surprise this morning at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB), USAF Northrup T-38A "Talon" (c/n N5733) 64-13304. She is captured taxing on "Delta" towards a Rwy 30 departure at 11:14 pst.

 

(Photo by Michael Carter)