AVIONEWS - World Aeronautical Press Agency
101,301 news found
AirportsHelsinki, Asian traffic remained at last year's level
Helsinki, Finland - In the first quarter, 390,000 passengers used the airport as gateway between Europe and Asia
Helsinki Airport has reinforced its position as the leading transfer airport for flights between Europe and Asia. Despite the weak global economic situation, the number of transfer passengers in the first... more
DefenseFalconers against bird strikes at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan
Bagram, Afghanistan - To protect airplanes during the migration season
The US Air Force (USAF) decided to hire a group of local falconers to try to keep birds away from the Bagram Airfield, in Afghanistan. During the migration season bird strikes become a serious threat for... more
DefenseChinese Navy wants more modern aircraft and ships
Beijing, China - Admiral Wu Shengli statements
The Chinese Navy aims to a quick modernization of its resources. Admiral Wu Shengli yesterday told press agency "Xinhua News" that Beijing's naval forces are interested in new supersonic aircraft and high-precision... more
CuriositiesThe "Sunseeker II", solar energy airplane, overflies the Alps and lands in Turin
Turin, Italy - In the next days it will take off again to overfly all Peninsula
A century passed from the first crossing of the Alps by airplane. Next year the event's celebration by Peruvian Jorg (Geo) Chavez by a French Blériot monoplane. Last April 14 the American Eric Raymond... more
AccidentsIndonesia air accident (2): 11 victims the new balance
Jayapura, Indonesia - Among them also a 3-year-old child
The balance of tonight's (European time) air accident occurred to a Pilatus PC-6 in the Indonesian province of Papua (see AVIONEWS) grew to 11 victims, two more of the 9 announced by the first police reports.... more
ReportCanada: a boy commits suicide jumping from a plane
Cambridge Bay, Canada - The other occupants didn't manage to stop him
He fought with the other three occupants of the aircraft (two pilots and another passenger), an Adlair Aviation operated Beechcraft King Air 200, to open the door the 20-year-old boy that in the night... more
AirlinesMeridiana and Blu-Express sign an agreement
Rome, Italy - From May 5, they will operate code-share flights
Meridiana and Blu-Express signed a commercial agreement for the summer 2009, which includes code-share operations between Rome and Cagliari, Turin, Verona, Nice and Lamezia Terme and between Turin and... more
AccidentsUSA: plane takes off from the highway and crashes in a fence
Great Bend , USA - The pilot reported only minor injuries. He will probably charged
Kenneth Doonan decided on Wednesday to use the K-156 highway near Great Bend, Kansas, as runway to takeoff with his Aviat A-1B Husky aircraft, but a gust of wind made him flip ending in a side-road ditch... more
AirportsFirst time at Turin-Aeritalia for "PC-7 Team" aircraft of the Swiss Air Force
Turin, Italy - Nine exhibitions will be held during the year
Two Swiss Air Force “PC-7 Team” Pilatus PC-7/CH Turbo-Trainer aircraft put their wheels on the runway at Turin-Aeritalia airport for the first time. Commanding the two aerobatic aircraft were Fliegerstaffel 18... more
AirlinesIceland Express, from Stansted to Gatwick with success
London, United Kingdom - The move will bring a 10%-15% increase in passengers
As it approaches its switch of London base from Stansted to Gatwick on 1 May, Iceland Express is noticing different booking trends among its clientele. “The financial situation has led people to book c... more
AirlinesAlitalia bond: "Italian Government risks an own goal"
Rome, Italy - "It is necessary an intervention to increase the compensation at least from 30% to 50%"
"I think the sum of money budgeted for Alitalia bonds is low, there is a problem of respectability for the Italian State, and I believe the offer should be higher", Gianfranco Conte Finance Commission... more
AirlinesLuxair signs ten-year contract for Lufthansa Systems ProfitLine/Yield Rembrandt
Frankfurt, Germany - To modernize its Revenue Management
Luxair has selected Lufthansa Systems’ ProfitLine/Yield Rembrandt to modernize its revenue management. The solution will enable the Luxembourg airline to optimize their saleable capacities and, thus, i... more
Civil aviationAir Transport Association reports continued decline in passenger demand
Washington, Usa - March passenger traffic on U.S. airlines fell by 10%
The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, reported that passenger revenue based on data reported to ATA by many fell 23% in March 2009... more
AirlinesJoint-venture between Meridiana-Eurofly and Iberia
Milan, Italy - It will operate maintenance, repair&overhaul services
Meridiana-Eurofly and Iberia signed yesterday a Memorandum of Understanding to create a new joint-venture for maintenance services. The operation will be realized with the ordinance in a newco, by Eurofly-Meridiana,... more
OccurrencesArgentina: drunk woman forces pilot to invert the route
Buenos Aires, Argentina - After going out of control she felt sick on board
The pilot of a Boeing 767/300 airplane of the Chilean carrier LAN, from Buenos Aires to Miami, was forced yesterday to invert its route and land in the departure airport after a drunk passenger on board... more
HelicoptersUnited Rotorcraft Solutions delivers second Bell 407 to HALO-Flight
Corpus Christi, USA - For transporting the critically ill and injured
United Rotorcraft Solutions (URS) delivered another customized Bell 407 to HALO-Flight of Corpus Christi, Texas, on April 10th, 2009. This is the second that URS had contracted with this company. HALO-Flight... more
IndustryAlenia Aeronautica: Italian Air Force over 10,000 flight hours flown by the Eurofighter Typhoon
Rome, Italy - The airplane operates from Italian air bases in Grosseto and Gioia del Colle
"Alenia Aeronautica records with great satisfaction another important result reached by the Eurofighter programme in Italy: the Air Force’s pilots have surpassed 10,000 flight hours on the Eurofighter T... more
AirportsAéroports de Paris, passenger traffic drops 9.8%
Paris, France - Data relating to March 2009
Aéroports de Paris (AdP) has reported a -9.8% decrease year-on-year in March passenger traffic. The two major Paris airports – "Charles de Gaulle" and Orly – handled a total of 6.5 million passengers: 4.5... more
AirlinesMalaysia Airlines aims to acquire another carrier
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - The airline has a cash surplus and wants to invest it in an acquisition
Malaysia Airlines is looking around to get the chance to acquire another airline, finding itself with a huge cash surplus of almost $1 billion due to last year's good operational results. The carrier's... more
AirlinesAustrian Airlines, 1Q data
Vienna, Austria - Traffic -15.5% and capacity -11.7%
Austrian Airlines Group has reported its traffic results for the first quarter of 2009, ended 31 March, and the month of March 2009. For the first quarter of 2009 Austrian Airlines Group reported a... more
Military aviationIndia excludes Dassault Rafale from the MMRCA race
New Delhi, India - French officials say they received no communications
French Dassault Aviation Rafale is not competing anymore in the $10 billion tender for 126 new MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) fighters for the Indian government. Five models are still in the... more
OccurrencesEmergency landing for Alitalia flight in Lamezia Terme
Reggio Calabria, Italy - En route from Reggio Calabria to Milan the aircraft suffered an engine failure
An Alitalia McDonnell Douglas MD-82 was forced yesterday afternoon to make an emergency landing at Lamezia Terme airport after taking off at 2:00 pm (with an hour delay) from Reggio Calabria, destination... more
AirlinesSAS launches new "Mobile Check-in" service in seven European airports
Stockholm, Sweden - Starting from yesterday to July 1st, 2009
Passengers on Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) can now travel using only their mobile phone. During a trial period which began yesterday till July 1st, 2009, passengers can travel with the airline between... more
AirlinesVietnam Airlines to buy 10 A-321/200s
Hanoi , Vietnam - Deliveries should start in 2011
Vietnamese prime minister, Nguyen Tan Dung, granted authorization to national carrier Vietnam Airlines to purchase 10 new aircraft for its fleet. The airline will start talks in early May with Airbus about... more
Military aviationEADS considers sharing the tanker contract
Washington, USA - If it can build at least 12 planes a year
EADS (European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company) CEO, Louis Gallois, stated that his company and its partner Northrop Grumman will consider the possibility to split the contract for the construction... more
AirlinesCathay Pacific asks Boeing and Airbus to delay deliveries
Hong Kong, China - The carrier also announced capacity reductions from May
The economic downturn goes on hitting airlines worldwide. Cathay Pacific is into talks with Boeing and Airbus to ask them to delay deliveries of the already ordered A-330s, B-777/300ERs, B-747/8 freighters... more
SecurityItalian Air Safety Board (ANSV) reports the end of investigations on helicopter crash
Rome, Italy - The accident occurred to a SA-315B of Aerospatiale (Eurocopter) in October 2007
ANSV, the Italian Air Safety Board, announced the end of the report concerning the investigation on the Aerospatiale (Eurocopter) helicopter crash (model SA-315B, code I-AVIF) occurred on October 16, 2007... more
IndustryLockheed Martin will build a satellite for Japanese SKY Perfect JSAT
Newtown, USA - The JCSAT-13 will be launched in 2013
Lockheed Martin won a multi-million dollar contract to build a geostationary communications satellite for Japanese SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation. Designated JCSAT-13, the satellite will be launched in 2013. JCSAT-13... more
Accidents9 killed in a new Indonesian air accident
Jayapura, Indonesia - After last week's 6 victims
A private Mimika Air Pilatus PC-6 crashed tonight (European time) in the eastern Indonesian province of Papua. The aircraft was carrying 9 people, including two crew-members. None of the occupants survived... more
HelicoptersRega flies record number of missions in 2008
Berne, Switzerland - AW-109 "Project Da Vinci" helicopters will be taken delivered within 2010
Rega flew more than 14,000 missions in 2008, a five per cent rise on 2007. The Swiss Air Rescue organisation which flies a fleet of fixed and rotary-wing aircraft is flying on average 39 daily missions.... more
SecurityNTSB asks all Zodiac CH-601XLs to be grounded
Washington, USA - After six structural breakdowns that killed 10 people
The American National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue an airworthiness directive (AD) against all Zodiac CH-601XL aircraft, after six structural breakdowns... more
AirportsEaster 2009, air traffic at Cagliari-Elmas has grown
Cagliari, Italy - Passengers and movements increased, if compared with Easter 2008
Confirming the forecasts, the confrontation between air traffic figures for Easter 2009 and Easter 2008 recorded a big increase at Cagliari-Elmas airport. Figures show a growth in the number of passengers... more
ReportInquiry on Madrid's accident: judge asks EASA for impartial technical analysis
Madrid , Spain - In the meanwhile Spanair looks into the future
Juan Javier Pérez, the judge in charge of the inquiry on the accident of last 20th of August at Madrid-Barajas airport involving a Spanair MD-82 aircraft, in which 184 people were killed, can't find highly... more
Civil aviationStar Alliance on North of Italy and reinforces the offer
Milan, Italy - 150 new weekly frequencies
"Star Alliance continues into its growth strategy in Italy and reinforces further its own offer: the Alliance adds, with the Summer season 2009, compared to the same season of 2008, 150 new frequencies... more
AirportsTomorrow, April 17, personnel of Florence airport is on strike
Florence, Italy - From noon to 4 p.m.
For tomorrow, April 17, Italian union Ugi - Labour general union - called a strike of the personnel of Florence airport. "For this reason - as released in a statement of ADF (airport operator) - some changes... more
Civil aviationIata: agreement with CIS to improve aviation safety
Moscow, Russia - The contract has been signed today
"The International Air Transport Association (IATA) today announced the signing of an agreement with the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC, also known by its Russian abbreviation which is MAK) to improve... more
OccurrencesUSA: emergency landing for a Cessna in a school's playground
Phoenix, USA - Minor injuries for the two occupants. No damage to things or people on the ground
Engine problems forced yesterday a Cessna 152 with a 23-year-old trainee pilot and his 28-year-old trainer on board to make an emergency landing in an elementary school's playground in Phoenix. Luckily... more
AirlinesSummer 2009: Wind Jet flights from Forlì to Zante and Olbia
Catania, Italy - From June and July
"Wind Jet announces the launch of new links for Summer 2009: from June 19 the weekly connections Forlì-Olbia (every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday) and on July 16 the weekly service Forlì-Zante (... more
AirlinesAlitalia: the third new Airbus airplane delivered in Fiumicino
Rome, Italy - The fleet's renewal continues
"The new Airbus A-320 'Dante Alighieri' has been delivered in Rome-Fiumicino and tomorrow will be used on Fiumicino-Linate route. Now the new airplanes delivered in 2009 are three, an other step towards... more
AirlinesVietnam Airlines to join SkyTeam
Hanoi, Vietnam - Talks started for the carrier's entrance in the alliance in 2010
Vietnam Airlines made a step forward in its aim to enter SkyTeam alliance, thanks to the preliminary agreement signed yesterday in Hanoi in presence of Vietnamese minister of transports Ho Nghia Dung.... more
AccidentsHelicopter crash in New Zealand
Wanaka, New Zealand - Only injuries for the pilot
A Robinson R-22 helicopter crashed today in New Zealand, in Cardrona Valley next to the city of Wanaka. The alarm was given after the pilot activated the emergency beacon of his aircraft before hitting... more
Industry"The A-400M program needs more money"
Madrid, Spain - Thomas Enders, Airbus CEO, stated it
"The A-400M needs more investments". Thomas Enders, Airbus CEO, stated it to Spanish newspaper "ABC" in an interview that has been published today. He then stressed that the possible decision to drop the... more
DefenseGates: too expensive splitting the KC-X tanker program
Fort Rucker, USA - Boeing and Northrup Grumman/EADS are competing for the contract
American Defense Secretary Robert Gates stated at Fort Rucker base, Alabama, that it would be too expensive to split the program of the new USAF KC-X tanker among the two competitors Boeing and Northrup... more
AirlinesAmerican Airlines loses 375 million dollars
Atlanta, USA - Data relating to the 1Q 2009
American Airlines announced that it lost 375 million dollars in the first quarter 2009. A negative result that is better than analysts previsions. Net drop in revenues by 4.8 billion dollars against... more
AirlinesRyanair aims to 67 million passengers in 2009-2010
Milan, Italy - The statements by Michael Cawley
After the yesterday news about the opening of three new routes from Bergamo-Orio al Serio Airport and the displacement of another B-737 airplane (see AVIONEWS), Ryanair announces future goals for the FY... more
Military aviationRobert Gates answers questions on the F-35 and on the CSAR-X program
Maxwell, USA - Interviewed by USAF officers at Maxwell Air Force Base
American Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, answered USAF officers' questions at the Air War College in Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Surprisingly no one among the military asked anything about the cancellation... more
AirportsSEA: mobility for 390 employees
Milan, Italy - Today the announcement to Unions
SEA (Malpensa and Linate Airports Management Company) requested yesterday the mobility for 390 employees on 5,200. A decision that has been taken following to the drastic traffic's drop due to the economic... more
Press releaseItalian ENAC on the statements of Ryanair concerning the "Bird-strike" phenomenon and the role of the authority
Rome, Italy - The Italian authority in charge of civil aviation wants to highlight some things
With reference to Ryanair press release dated April 14 which highlighted some presumed defaults of ENAC (Italian Civil Aviation authority) on the hazard of birds over the city of Rome, ENAC, authority... more
Civil aviationIFALPA supports ANSV about change of the Italian rules on accident technical investigations
Chertsey, United Kingdom - The Ministry of Justice gives a positive response to a safety recommendation
The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) supports the Agenzia Nazionale per Sicurezza del Volo (ANSV) in its calls for a change in Italian law which will give technical i... more
OccurrencesEmergency landing for Turkish Airlines airplane in London
London, UK - The Airbus A-340 had a pressure failure during its flight from New York to Istanbul
A Turkish Airlines Airbus A-340/311 with 200 people on board (185 passengers and 15 crew-members) was forced to make an emergency landing this morning in London, while en route from New York (USA) to Istanbul... more