Las Vegas (LAS/KLAS) "Heavies"

Philippines A340-313X (c/n 176) RP-C3431 touches down on Rwy 25L.

Thomas Cook A330-243 (c/n 301) G-OMYT stands on her "Tip-Toes" as she arrives in Las Vegas on a lovely afternoon.

Condor (Thomas Cook) smokes the mains on Rwy 25L as she arrives on a simply gorgeous afternoon.

Korean Air 777-2B5/ER (34214/684) HL7764 arrives in Las Vegas touching down on Rwy 25L.

Virgin Atlantic 747-443 (30885/1268) G-VROS "English Rose" arrives in Las Vegas having departed London-Gatwick ( LGW/EGKK) 9 hours earlier.

(Photos by Michael Carter)

United Commemorates Oprah Winfrey's 25th and final season

United Airlines unveiled newly painted 757-222 (25276/396) N542UA at O’Hare International Airport commemorating the 25th and final season of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

The Boeing 757-222’s tail is blue with Winfrey’s signature, with the words “The Farewell Season” painted on the fuselage.

On Thursday’s inaugural flight to Los Angeles passengers, which included Chicago mayoral candidate Rahm Emanual, heard a message from Winfrey before boarding the flight and received a monogrammed “Oprah 25” fleece blanket. One lucky passenger also will win a trip around the world.

“As Chicago’s hometown airline, United is proud to celebrate ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’s’ farewell season with our customers, employees and ‘Oprah’ show fans,” Mark Bergsrud, United’s senior vice president of marketing, said in a statement. “This unique plane represents the global reach of two great Chicago icons.”

United is the second airline to capitalize on the hype surrounding Winfrey’s final season. In the first episode in September, Winfrey and Qantas announced that they will fly the entire audience — about 300 people — to Australia in December.

The “Oprah” plane will be used on United’s domestic routes through May. In conjunction with the plane, United launched a sweepstakes that will give 1 million frequent-flyer miles to a customer each month through May.

(Press Release and Photo - United Airlines)

Canadian Royal Air Force visits Las Vegas

CF-188B (CF-18B) (c/n 0445/B080) "Hornet" 188923 touches down on Rwy 25L.

CF-188A (CF-18A) (c/n 0658/A539) "Hornet" 188796 arrives in Las Vegas sporting colorful tail art.

CF-188A (CF-18A) (c/n 0237/A188) "Hornet" 188750 arrives in Las Vegas on a goreous afternoon.

(Photos by Michael Carter)

Hawaiian Airlines action in Las Vegas

A330-243 (c/n 1104) N380HA "Makaki'i climbs from Rwy 1L past the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

A330-243 (c/n 1114) N381HA "Hokule" departs Las Vegas (LAS/KLAS) on a simply gorgeous November morning in the desert.

767-33A/ER (28139/857) N582HA "Ake Ake" smokes the mains on Rwy 25L as it arrives from Honolulu (HNL/PHNL).

(Photos by Michael Carter)

AeroMexico Travel MD-83's in Las Vegas

AeroMexico Travel MD-83 (49659/1438) N583MD smokes the mains on Rwy 25L at Las Vegas (LAS/KLAS) on November 4, 2010.

AeroMexico Travel MD-83 (49848/1592) N484SH arrives in Las Vegas (LAS/KLAS) on November 4, 2010 sporting the carriers latest livery.

(Photos by Michael Carter)

Aeromexico returns to Ontario with seasonal flight

With the start of the holiday season, Aeromexico will resume international flights out of L.A./Ontario International Airport (ONT/KONT) this month. The Mexico City-based airline, one of the largest in Mexico, exited Ontario in February, leaving the airport with no direct international flights.

Its return, with daily flights to Guadalajara Internaternational (GDL/MMGL), is good news for the airport, which has seen its passenger count drop by 32 percent between 2007 and 2009.

"It's absolutely terrific," said Maria Tesoro-Fermin, an airport spokeswoman. "We've got international flights back and perhaps it's a sign people are starting to travel again, at least from the Inland Empire, so we're very excited."

The first Aeromexico flight arrives in Ontario on Nov. 20. The flight leaves Ontario the next day at 1:15 a.m.

But although Aeromexico's return is a positive sign for the Ontario airport, the addition of flights does not necessarily mean more passengers, said Jack Keady, a Playa del Ray-based transportation analyst. In an area continuing to grapple with high foreclosure and unemployment rates, residents may need some convincing through marketing efforts to book the Aeromexico flights.

"The bigger issue is will these flights have staying power," Keady said.

The duration of the Mexican airline's return to Ontario remained unclear. In a statement announcing additions to its U.S. flights for the holidays, Aeromexico said it was resuming "seasonal service" from Ontario to Guadalajara. Tesoro-Fermin said the carrier's stay in Ontario is "indefinite," but will run into 2011. She also noted that airlines tend to change their schedules with little notice. Aeromexico could not be reached for comment.

Keady said in describing flight additions as seasonal, airlines often mean they are keeping flights in place for the peak winter season. But Aeromexico may also be taking a wait and see approach in Ontario.

"The other thing is seasonal could mean you don't want to commit year-round until you see what the traffic is," Keady said.

Aeromexico began flying out of Ontario in 2000, offering flights twice a week to Guadalajara.

The airport ended 2009 up 1.96 percent in the year's international passenger traffic from 2008, according to statistics from Los Angeles World Airports, which owns the Ontario airport and LAX.

But since October 2009, it has been seeing declines each month compared to the year before.

The airport was down 16.6 percent in 2008 in international passengers from the year before, and down 49 percent in 2007.

(Rebecca U. Cho - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

New Airbus A380 Customer

Japan's Skymark Airlines said on Monday it will buy up to six Airbus A380s and use them for international flights, starting in the year to March 2015.

It marks the first time that a Japanese carrier will purchase A380s.

Skymark, currently focused on domestic routes, plans to buy two of the superjumbos in the year to March 2015 and two more in the following year, with another two earmarked as options, it said in a statement.

Skymark's announcement comes amid trouble for A380s, with Australia's Qantas Airways grounding its A380 fleet to investigate the cause of an explosion that last week tore apart one of the superjumbo's engines supplied by Rolls-Royce.

Skymark has not picked the supplier of engines for the A380 aircraft it plans to buy, a Skymark official said.

(Reuters)

Sunwing Airlines 737-8HX (29647/2865) C-FTOH climbs from Rwy 19L at Las Vegas McCarren International Airport (LAS/KLAS) on a gorgeous morning in the desert.

Sunwing Airlines has leased 737-8KS (35134/2152) G-FDZA from Thomsonfly (Thomason Airways) for the winter season. The aircraft is captured climbing from Rwy 19L at Las Vegas McCarren International Airport (LAS/KLAS) on a lovely morning.

(Photos by Michael Carter)

New Horizon Air College livery

Touches down on Rwy 25L.

Rotates from Rwy 25R.
"Positive climb, gear up" as she climbs past the tower on a late afternoon departure.
(Photos by Michael Carter)

Horizon Air has introduced a new special livered aircraft sporting the colors of the University of Idaho "Vandals." De Havilland Canada DHC-8-401Q Dash 8 (c/n 4030) N400QX which carries the livery went into service on November 4, 2010 and is captured at Las Vegas McCarren International Airport (LAS/KLAS) the same day.

Saudi Arabian Airlines confirms 777/787 order

Saudi Arabian Airlines has formally confirmed an order for up to 22 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, as well as for eight 787s.

The 777 order has long been expected, after Saudi Arabian listed 12 of the type as forming part of its fleet-modernisation plans.

Under an agreement signed in Riyadh, the carrier is also taking options on 10 of the type. The carrier already has 23 777-200s in its fleet.

"Our decision to order the 777-300ER is part of a long-term growth strategy to expand and modernise our fleet with newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft, and is based on the aircraft's proven efficiencies," says Saudi Arabian director general Khalid Al-Molhem.

Boeing values the agreement for the 777-300ERs at $3.3 billion at catalogue prices.

Saudi Arabian has also formally stated that it is acquiring eight 787s. The airline had originally declared two years ago that it planned to take 12 787-9s, equipped with General Electric GEnx powerplants.

It intended to purchase eight of the 787s and lease the other four. Kuwaiti lessor ALAFCO subsequently stated that it has agreed to sell eight 787-9s, and lease four more, to the Jeddah-based carrier. The leased jets were originally due in 2012 while the purchased aircraft were scheduled to arrive in 2014-15.

Boeing's order backlog includes 22 787-8s, all with GEnx engines, for ALAFCO.

Saudi Arabian Airlines says that the 777s and 787s are part of a modernisation comprising 82 aircraft. It has also previously agreed to take 50 Airbus A320-family aircraft and eight A330s.

Al-Molhem says the aircraft will raise the airline's capacity and improve service on both its domestic and international route networks.

(David Kaminski-Morrow - Flight Global / ATI News)

Continental Airlines 737-524 (28903/2927) N16642 is seen at Charlotte-Douglas International (CLT/KCLT) today sporting United titles.

(Photo by Jay Selman)

New Airline? Global 737-406 N959PR at LAX

Global 737-406 (24959/1949) N959PR (ex KLM PH-BDY / tbr A6-JAK?) is captured departing Los Angeles International Airport (LAX/KLAX) this afternoon (November 6, 2010) at 13:48 bound for CFB Goose Bay (YYR/CYYR). The aircraft arrived at LAX the previous day (November 5, 2010) from San Bernardino International (SBD/KSBD) at 13:52.

(Photo by Michael Carter)

7th RAF C-17A takes to the skies

A gorgeous lady returns home to Long Beach.

RAF C-17A (P-227/UK7) N9500B (tbr ZZ177) made her maiden flight yesterday November 5, 2010 from Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB). This lovely aircraft is captured as she arrives back in Long Beach at 16:29. (Photos by Michael Carter)

Qantas suspends all 380 flights following engine problem

(Photo Wong Maye-E / Associated Press)

The CEO of Qantas says the safety of its superjumbo jet is the main focus and those planes are grounded until that's assured.

CEO Alan Joyce says the airline is suspending all flights of its six Airbus A380 jetliners after a mid-air engine problem on a flight from Singapore.

A Qantas superjumbo jet made an emergency landing Thursday in Singapore with 459 people aboard, after one of its four engines failed over western Indonesia.

Witnesses say a blast sent debris hurtling to the ground. The carrier says there was no explosion, and that the plane landed safely with no injuries.

A Qantas statement said the double-decker Airbus 380 plane experienced an "engine issue" soon after taking off from Singapore for Sydney.

The flight is a regular service that flies between Sydney, Singapore and London.

(WCBD TV Channel 2 News - Charleston S.C.)

New MD-11F Operator

SkyLease Air Cargo MD-11F (48497/512) N952AR, (ex- China Cargo Airlines B-2173) is seen recently at Miami International Airport (MIA/KMIA). Photo by Michael Bolden

Thai Airways to lease 8 777-300ER's

(Photo courtesy of Boeing)

BOC Aviation ordered eight Boeing 777-300ERs for long-term lease to Thai Airways International. Boeing valued the orders at $2.2 billion at average list prices.

The aircraft, powered by GE90-115BL engines, will be delivered from August 2012 to October 2013. The lease marks the first time BOC Aviation has worked with Thailand’s national carrier.

The Thai board of directors approved the acquisition of the aircraft last June but said they must be leased and the commitment did not appear on the Boeing orders and deliveries website at the time, as no order had been placed.

“We are in the process of replenishing our order book as air traffic has returned strongly. With the order of these eight Boeing 777-300ERs for lease to Thai, we have further strengthened the quality of both our lease and aircraft portfolios. We look forward to developing further our partnership with Thai and playing a long-term role in the carrier's future fleet requirements,” BOC Aviation MD and CEO Robert Martin said.

BOC Aviation, owned by the Bank of China, has a portfolio of 137 single-aisle and 26 wide-body aircraft.

(Geoffery Thomas - ATWOnline News)

Nomads 727-200 visits Long Beach

Nomads Inc. Boeing 727-221/ADV(RE) Super 27 (22541/1797) N727M arrived from Oakland (OAK/KOAK) on Monday November 1, 2010 at 22:09 and parked on the Signature flight ramp. The aircraft is scheduled to depart Thursday November 4, 2010 sometime in the afternoon, no definate time has been given.

Cheers
Michael

United Arab Emirates (UAE) bizjet at Long Beach

Canadair CL600-2B16 Challenger 604 (c/n 5520) A6-MBH taxies on "Delta" towards a Rwy 30 departure.

Rolling on Rwy 30 for departure at 16:18 for an unknown destination.
(Photos by Michael Carter)

Gorgeous BBJ visits Long Beach

Boeing 737-7GV (BBJ) (36090/2196) N111VM arrived at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) at 14:34 from an unknown location.

Short final to Rwy 30.

Taxies on "Delta" towards a Rwy 30 departure.

Rolls on Rwy 30 at 15:03 as it departs to an unknown destination.

(Photos by Michael Carter)

Mooney lands gear-up at Orange County

A small plane crash-landed at John Wayne Airport Sunday night October 31, slightly injuring one person and forcing the closure of the airport's main runway (19R) for the better part of an hour.

The accident happened just after 7:30 p.m. The pilot of a Mooney (c/n 25-0698) N6LL single engine aircraft reported the plane's landing gear could not deploy.

According to John Wayne Airport spokesperson Jenny Wedge, the pilot was instructed to 'belly land' on the airport's main runway because it is longer than the airports general aviation runway.

The pilot put the plane down on the runway without its landing gear.

Wedge told KTLA the plane was badly damaged and had to be towed off the main runway.

The pilot, other than a few bumps and bruises, was not seriously injured.

The FAA is now investigating the crash.

(The Daily Pilot / KTLA 5 News)