AI wants $1 billion for Boeing Delays

Air India is looking to get $1 billion from Boeing due to the delays of the Boeing 787 deliveries.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/AI-seeks-1-bn-from-Boeing/Article1-584830.aspx

Early Evolution of Airmail (1911-1925)

In September 1911, the United States Postal Service made one of its greatest evolutions. At the aviation meeting at Nassau Boulevard on Long Island in New York, Earle Ovington was appointed as the first aviator for the Postal Service. With his monoplane, Ovington covered a single route from Garden City, NY to Mineola, NY where he would drop his packages from his airplane for the mail carrier to pick up. These daily flights proved to be an efficient and promising method for the Postal Service. After making further aviation experiments, in 1912 the USPS encouraged congress to grant $50,000 for further testing of aviation. However, due to their speculation of air travel, congress denied the appropriation. Despite this setback, flights were flown within 16 states and airmail became increasingly popular. Due to this new trend, the U.S. government used $50,000 worth of funds from the appropriations of Steamboats or other Power Boat Services.

During this year, the Postal Service posted routes in Massachusetts and Alaska. Unfortunately, every interested bidder was unable to obtain a suitable plane for the task. Nevertheless, the progress of airmail continued as negotiations with aircraft manufactures began.

JN-4H Jenny

In 1918, congress granted the Postal Service $100,000 and the Secretary of War suggested that cross country airmail flights would be great experience for student pilots. Thus, the Post Office Department encouraged the Army Signal Corps to donate its pilots and planes to the Postal Service.  On May 15, 1918, the first official route was established between New York City and Washington D.C. with a stop in Philadelphia. With aviation being of great interest to the military, the War Department was the greatest supporter of this new method of mail delivery.

The Department quickly began plans for a trans-continental flight from New York to San Francisco. The first legs opened in 1919 from Cleveland to Chicago, with a stop at Bryan, Ohio, and from New York to Cleveland with a stop at Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. In 1920, a flight from Chicago to Omaha, via Iowa City, was established. Also, lines from St. Louis and Minneapolis to Chicago were created. The last segment from Omaha to San Francisco, via North Platte, Cheyenne, Rawlins, Rock Springs, Salt Lake City, Elko, and Reno opened in September of 1920.

Even though airmail became increasingly popular, all pilots were flying based on dead reckoning. Therefore, the mail was flown during the day and shipped on trains at night. By 1921, airmail began flying at night after ten weather stations were opened, including two Navy stations.

Cleveland Air Field (1921)

In 1922 and 1923, the Department was awarded the Collier Trophy for demonstrating the safety of night flight.

Congress then appropriated $1,250,000 for airmail improvements. These included new ground facilities, additional landing fields, towers, beacons, searchlights, and boundary markers across the country. Also, it allowed for modifications to be made to the aircraft, such as the installation of luminescent instruments, navigational lights, and parachute flares. On February 2, 1925, a law was passed "to encourage commercial aviation and to authorize the Postmaster General to contract for mail service."

An early airmail pilot, Charles I. Stanton, said, “We planted four seeds … They were airways, communications, navigation aids, and multi-engined aircraft. Not all of these came full blown into the transportation scene; in fact, the last one withered and died and had to be planted over again nearly a decade later. But they are the cornerstones on which our present world-wide transport structure is built, and they came, one by one, out of our experience in daily, uninterrupted flying of the mail.”

These events not only changed the methods of the US Postal Service, but they allowed for the evolution of aviation. These understandings and experiments allowed for developed technologies before the Second World War. Arguably, the advancements of airmail have been the most significant events for the creation of modern aviation.

SWA Flight Attendant Rap

I know this video is a little old, but it's too good to leave out of this blog.

Southwest Airlines never fails to have the best commercials (and flight attendants).

Lausitz Air Race and the Fate of 2011

Lausitz's EuroSpeedway

This weekend, Lausiz, Germany's EuroSpeedway will play host to the world's greatest air race sponsored by Red Bull. Starting in 2003, Red Bull, known for their extreme sporting events, began a series of air races across the globe. This year, North America hosted two races: in New York City and Winsor, Ontario. This race in Germany will be this season's sixth race. After five races, British pilot Paul Bonhomme leads Hannes Arch (Austria) 53 to 48. The American pilot Kirby Chambliss is currently in fourth with 35 points. But with three races remaining, the pilot's still have a chance to seize victory.

On July 28, it was reported that Red Bull will not bring the Red Bull Air Races back in 2011. A spokesperson for Red Bull said that this decision is not a result of the troubled global economy. Rather, Red Bull is reporting that they want to take a year off in order to implement new safety measures and restructure the event for future years. This news comes as a disappointment to many governments, especially in Detroit and Windsor, where the event has greatly assisted with economic growth. For example, in 2008, the Tourism Minister of Perth Liz Constable reported that the Red Bull Air Race brought $12 million to the Australian economy. Organizers have not made any statements yet regarding the status of the 2012 races.

Aerospace T-Shirt at Zazzle.com

Check out this shirt I customized on zazzle.com. I chose my favorite aerospace manufacturing companies from around the world and put them on one shirt. Take a look and order one to support your aerospace industry.

Here's the link and a picture of the back of the shirt:

"Designing Innovation in Aerospace Technology" at zazzle.com

EAA AirVenture 2010

Here's an aerial video of this year's EAA AirVenture. I'm disappointed I wasn't able to attend this year.

Congress Passes New Airline Regulations

In February 2009, Continental Connection Flight 3407 crashed near Buffalo, NY killing 50 people. The NTSB concluded that this crash was a result of pilot inexperience. Now, more than a year after the fatal accident, family and friends concerned about airline safety are able to see a reworking of the aviation industry.

The bill was described as "miracle legislation" by Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY). He went on to state that he has "never seen a small group that had right on their right, but didn't have the money or the connections or anything else, take on such powerful interests and succeed."

On August 1, 2010, four days after its appearance in Congress, President Obama signed H.R. 5900 which changes the way airlines conduct their businesses. Sponsored by Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN), this bill passed by a unanimous vote and was sent to the White House. Although congratulated by major airlines and safety advocates, this bill may introduce a grim fate to regional airline companies. Among other enactments, this bill will require first captains to have just as much piloting experience as the pilot in command. This means that rather than 250 documented flight hours, a pilot will need 1,500 hours applying to be a commercial airline pilot. Although this change may represent a greater level of security for each airline passenger, this may finally push all remaining regional companies out of business. Local charter, unlike major airlines, may not have the budget to afford pilots with greater experience.

Among its legislation, the bill would:

- Require limiting pilots' work schedules to avoid fatigue.

- Boost the minimum flight experience required to be a first officer from 250 hours to 1,500 hours.

- Require more complete pilot training programs and increase the difficulty of piloting examinations.

- Require websites that sell airline tickets to state the name of the carrier operating each segment of the flight.

787 Interior

Here's a video that gives you a tour of the interior of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner vs Airbus A380

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Airbus A380

In modern commercial aviation, Boeing is paving the way with the latest and greatest machine, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (capable of flying 9,780 miles). Unlike Airbus, who pushes to build the biggest airliner, Boeing is perfectly content with their completely innovative 787. From the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 or the GE GEnx engines (claiming to use 20 percent less fuel than the competition) to the luxurious cabin space, this aircraft changes the experience of air travel. Although the Dreamliner can only carry up to approx. 330 passengers (compared to 850 on the A380), these passengers can enjoy every detail of this flying machine. With LED mood lighting, windows with adjustable tint, a lower cabin altitude and a quieter and smoother ride, this is truly a luxurious flight experience on an appropriately named aircraft: Dreamliner.

Since 2000 (not including 2006 or 2007), Airbus has been able to sell more planes than Boeing, but now, Boeing has a total of 863 orders for the 787 Dreamliner, while Airbus only has 234 orders for their A380. Now, 7 years after the 787 was first conceptualized, Boeing plans to begin deliveries by the end of 2011. Although the 787 did not make an appearance at EAA AirVenture in my home state of Wisconsin, it was able to make its first international flight to appear at the Farnborough International Airshow in England.

From Michael Crichton

In the words of one of the greatest authors:

"They're engineers... emotionally, they're all thirteen years old, stuck at the age just before boys stop playing with toys, because they've discovered girls. They're all still playing with toys. They have poor social skills, dress badly -- but they're extremely intelligent and well trained, and they are very arrogant in their way. Outsiders are definitely not allowed to play."

~Casey Singleton ('Airframe' by Michael Crichton)

Carry-on Fees for Spirit

Today, Spirit Airlines became the first airline to charge a fee ($30 - $45) for carry-on luggage. Although five airlines (American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways; United Airlines and US Air Airways) have pledged to never charge carry-on fees, it's difficult to criticize Spirit Airlines. In America, Spirit Airlines is one of only a few "discount" airlines. Although fees at the gate may seem steep, the ticket price tends to be significantly cheaper than others.

When airlines began to charge for checked luggage, I watched an interview in which a Delta executive said that the fees would force travelers to pack lighter and bring fewer bags. He concluded that this would eventually result in a happier traveler (since he/she would have fewer things to worry about). This may be true, but for many, these checked bag fees only forced people to find more room in their carry-on luggage. To me, these fees by Spirit Airlines seem much for logical. With fewer (or smaller) carry-on bags, maybe the lines through security will speed up.

Twin Cities Flugtag 2010

Since I am currently residing in the Twin Cities metro area, it would be impossible for my to maintain this blog and not report on last weekend's Red Bull Flugtag event.

"Flugtag," meaning flying day in German, is the perfect name for this unique occasion. The idea, originating in England in 1971, included an assortment of (usually haphazard) flying machines which were eventually pushed from a cliff only to fall to their doom in the waters below. The original event, "Birdman Rally," maintains it popularity throughout the world (especially in the U.K. and Australia). However, in 1991, Red Bull hosted its first "Flugtag" in Vienna, Austria and with the sponsorship of Red Bull, this event has grown increasingly in the past two decades.

Although I am usually only a quick drive from this year's Twin Cities Flugtag, I was occupied with a family reunion during the 24th of July. Nevertheless, I was able to receive first hand accounts of the spectacular event. One spectator said, "I thought there were probably three or four thousand people there." Not even close! This year, the Twin Cities played host to more than 90,000 spectators and 37 teams. With a turnout like that, something big was bound to happen. This event set a Flugtag attendance record and the team Major Trouble and the Dirty Dixies set a Flugtag world record by flying 207 feet (beating the previous record of 195 feet which was set ten years ago).

Here is their historic flight:


(I was part of an assembled team, but our application didn't make it to the finals. Maybe I'll try again next year.)

To view the top results and to browse the list of competing teams, go to http://www.redbullflugtagusa.com/TwinCities2010.

I'm disappointed I missed out on this event, but with a turnout like that, I would expect Red Bull to bring Flugtag back to the Twin Cites in the near future. Congratulations to Major Trouble and the Dirty Dixies and the rest of the competing team.

Welcome to Aero Weekly

This start-up blog, Aero Weekly, was created for one purpose: to report on the widest spectrum of aviation. Rather than focusing on airlines or aerospace contractors, this blog will cover every aspect of aviation, from the airline pilots who energize the commercial aviation industry to the fans of flight who promote aviation in their own backyard.

Although titled, Aero Weekly, this blog will not confine itself to the restriction of a weekly reporting schedule. Rather, I will routinely submit new posts within a week of the last. Also, I will do my best to report the biggest news stories when they break (or at least within the same day).

As a private pilot, a student of aerospace engineering and an aviation fanatic, I have always attempted to find the greatest wealth of information from the world of flight. Now, I hope to pass these updates on to the readers of this blog.