Company Produces 100th Re-Life Wing Box

The FAA has granted an STC to Ikhana Aircraft Services (Ikhana) for their RWMI DHC-6 Re-Life Fuselage program. The DHC process re-manufactures the DHC-6  fuselage, extending it with an additional 66,000 hours/132,000 cycles of fatigue life. It is applicable to DHC-6-100/-200/-300 Series Twin Otter airplanes.

Refitted Soviet Ship Varyag Raises Suspicions Among Neighbors

It's easy to become so focused on the amazing pace of aviation development in China that we could forget - the country is also conducting sea trials of its first aircraft carrier. The ship is called the Varyag, and if that doesn't sound particularly Chinese, there's a reason. It's an old 300-meter-long Soviet carrier with an armored hull which was reported bought from Ukraine in 1998 without a powerplant, to be refitted.

Commit To Commercialize Renewable Drop-in Jet Biofuels At A Dinner Hosted By Former President Jimmy Carter

Honeywell said Tuesday it plans to invest engineering services and equipment to accelerate the deployment of a renewable biofuel process developed by AliphaJet ... a collaborative venture between SynGest and Unitel Technologies.

Aircraft Unveiled At Heli-Expo 2011

Transport Canada has certified Eurocopter's latest Ecureuil helo, the AS350 B3e. The aircraft, which was introduced at Heli-Expo 2011,  is designed to carry out demanding missions in the most extreme weather and geographical conditions.

Ratification Vote Dates Not Yet Set

Negotiators for technical and professional workers at Spirit AeroSystems are unanimously recommending union members approve the tentative agreement reached Tuesday (Nov. 29) for a new contract. The tentative agreement covers 2,300 employees in the Wichita Technical and Professional Unit (WTPU) of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001. Employees have been working without a contract since July 28.

Former First Lady Laid To Rest While Northerly Island Languishes

The city of Chicago at a Monday memorial service said their goodbyes to former First Lady Maggie Daley, and while she's being remembered for her charitable achievements and courage in the face of breast cancer, there is at least one of her projects which has yet to be completed - the redevelopment of Northerly Island, the former home of Meigs Field. The job was given her by her husband, former Mayor Richard Daley.

IFTPE Had Obtained The Organization Vote Through Mediation

United Airlines' and Continental Airlines' professional engineers and related employees rejected representation sought by the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), the airline's holding company announced Tuesday.

New York Company To Offer Flights To Golf, Disney, Other Tourist Destinations

Florida, particularly south Florida, has often been compared to a southern suburb or New York City. And maybe it's a sign of the improving economy, or just that companies see a niche that needs to be filled and move to fill it, but a New York helicopter charter operation has set up shop in West Palm Beach to provide high-end helicopter shuttle services to popular tourist and other destinations in the Sunshine State.

RAC System Used Research Affects Of Extreme Altitude On Pilots, Crews

Three of the four chambers for the USAF Research Altitude Chamber System are due to arrive at Environmental Tectonics Corporation (ETC) within the next few weeks for final assembly. ETC's Aircrew Training Systems (ATS) business unit is manufacturing the RAC system for the USAF to be used to support the USAF's research needs.

AD NUMBER:  2011-24-06

MANUFACTURER: BAE SYSTEMS (Operations) Limited Model BAe 146-100A, -200A, and -300A airplanes; and Model Avro 146-RJ70A, 146-RJ85A, and 146-RJ100A airplanes.

AD NUMBER: 2011-24-05

MANUFACTURER: Certain Airbus Model A330-201, -202, -203, -223, -243, -301, -302, -303, -321, -322, -323, -341, -342, and -343 airplanes; and Model A340-200 and -300 series airplanes.  

AD NUMBER: 2011-24-04

MANUFACTURER: McDonnell Douglas Corporation Certain Model DC-10-10, DC-10-10F, and MD-10-10F airplanes.

Union Will Reportedly Seek To Kill The NLRB Complaint, As Well

It's truly a 'Win-Win'... ANN is monitoring details of recent news surrounding agreements reached in the last few hours between Boeing and the IAM. Boeing is allowing to the union to do most of the talking but has posted the following: Boeing is pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with the IAM for a four-year contract extension that reflects a new era of working together between the company and its IAM-represented employees. The deal, which must be ratified by IAM members in Washington, Oregon and Kansas, provides significant economic gains for workers, demonstrates Boeing’s long-term commitment to airplane production in the Puget Sound region — which includes the investment to be made for pro

So... What's The Next Major Glass Panel Offering??? SmartDeck Could Be It

We're big fans of innovation... especially when that innovation means that one's flying could potentially become easier, safer and more methodical than ever before. A number of companies are on the right track in their pursuit of building the next generation of glass panels... but few of those programs impressed us as much as the SmartDeck program now under the direction and development of CMC Esterline.

Concerned About 737 MAX Order Placed By The Airline

AMR Corp's Chapter 11 filing has Boeing officials concerned about an order placed by American Airlines for 100 new 737 MAX airplanes, and the potential effect on its competitive position with rival Airbus.

Campaign To Find Ways To Cut Fuel Consumption Successfully Underway

The first test flight of the ‘Sharklet’ wing-tip devices on an Airbus A320 development aircraft (MSN 001) has been successfully completed. This milestone marks the start of the early flight-test campaign to capture data for fine-tuning the flight laws, as well as for certification and performance validation.

Union Says It Will Defend Jobs Through AA Bankruptcy Proceedings

Following AMR Corporations' announcement Tuesday that it will be filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, AFA-CWA president Veda Shook, which represents flight attendants working for subsidiary American Eagle, said the union would work to assure that its members will play an integral role in the reshaping and rebuilding the regional carrier.

Seminoles Will Serve China's Largest Civil Aviation Flight School

Piper Aircraft will deliver the last of seven twin-engine Piper Seminole advanced training aircraft to the Civil Aviation Flight University of China this December. While neither organization is disclosing the fleet purchase price, the retail value of seven new Seminole aircraft totals nearly $4.2 million.

Of 61,000 WWII Volunteers, Only A Few Hundred Remain

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is observing 70 years of vigilant service. But CAP says its celebration won’t be complete until CAP’s earliest members – now in their eighties and nineties – are “rightly honored” with the Congressional Gold Medal.

North Carolina Plants Say Hiring Will Continue Into 2012

A flurry of orders announced during the Paris and Dubai Airshows this year is bringing an uptick in employment at some GE Aviation Facilities in the US. Cathay Pacific, Air China, Republic Airways, LAN, Garuda Indonesia, Lufthansa, Emirates and Cargolux all had deals with GE announced over just three days of the Dubai show, and the manufacturer will be hiring through 2012.

Aero-News: Quote of the Day

ANN's Quote of the Day usually derives from current news, though we reserve the right to pick quotes out of history that have a bearing on the day's events and issues.

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