|

Continental Announces New Tentative Agreement With Flight Attendants

CHICAGO, Jan. 4, 2011

Continental Airlines today announced that it has reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) representing Continental flight attendants. The IAM is expected to hold a ratification vote in the coming weeks.

“The negotiation teams were able to reach a fair agreement that is another positive step forward as we work to combine our companies,” said Sam Risoli, vice president of Inflight Service for the combined company.

The agreement covers approximately 9,300 Continental flight attendants located throughout the United States.

To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.

Similar Posts

  • | | |

    Colgan Air Encounters Texas Turbulence


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Danny Fritsche

    What: Continental Airlines/Colgan Air Saab 340B en route from Houston to Shreveport
    Where: Lufkin Texas
    When: May 17th 2010
    Why: While en route, the flight encountered turbulence. One injured passenger remained aboard until a safe landing at Shreveport.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • |

    FAA Finalized Fatigue Damage Rule

    George’s Point of View

    Design approval holders must now set a time- or cycle-based limit after which structural damage inspections must take place. The rule specifically addresses widespread fatigue damage (WFD) with the intent of “providing for the establishment of safe operational limits and the maintenance actions necessary to preclude WFD prior to reaching those limits.

    The FAA Statement is below:

    Press Release – FAA Adopts “Comprehensive Solution” to Widespread Fatigue on Aging Aircraft

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a continuing effort to address aging aircraft issues, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finalized a rule designed to protect most of today’s commercial planes and those designed in the future from structural damage as they age.

    The new rule seeks to prevent “widespread fatigue damage” (WFD) by requiring aircraft manufacturers and certification applicants to establish a number of flight cycles or hours a plane can operate and be free from WFD without additional inspections for fatigue. Manufacturers have between 18 and 60 months to comply depending on the particular aircraft type.

    Once manufacturers establish these limits, operators of affected aircraft must incorporate them into their maintenance programs within 30 to 72 months, depending on the model of aircraft. After the limit is in the maintenance program, operators cannot fly the aircraft beyond that point unless the FAA approves an extension of the limit.

    “Safety is our highest priority. This rule provides a comprehensive approach to the problem of widespread fatigue in aging aircraft,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Requiring carriers to regularly inspect their aircraft for possible fatigue is essential to ensuring the highest levels of safety.”

    “We’ve addressed the problem of aging aircraft with numerous targeted regulations and 100 airworthiness directives over the years,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “This rule is a comprehensive solution to ensure the structural safety of today’s airliners and the airplanes of tomorrow.”

    An airplane’s metallic structures are stressed and can develop cracks when they experience repeated loads such as the pressurization and depressurization that happens on every flight. While airlines regularly inspect aircraft for cracks exceeding a certain size, WFD involves aircraft developing numerous tiny cracks, none of which would have raised concerns individually but which together run the risk of joining up and impairing the structural integrity of the plane.

    The new regulation applies to airliners with a takeoff weight of 75,000 lbs. and heavier. It also applies to all transport designs certificated in the future.

    The affected models, totaling 4,198 U.S.-registered airplanes, are listed in the rule.
    The FAA is working closely with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and other national authorities to harmonize this rule with their regulations as much as possible. EASA is now developing rulemaking to address WFD, and the FAA participates in that process.

    Download the Rule in PDF format here:
    Widespread Fatigue Damage Final Rule.pdf

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | |

    Air India Signs OnPoint Solution Agreement for Its GE90 Engine Fleet

    February 01, 2011
    Air India Signs OnPoint Solution Agreement for Its GE90 Engine Fleet
    –DUBAI– GE Aviation and India’s national carrier Air India have signed a 20-year OnPointSM solution agreement that covers its GE90 engines. The value of the agreement is not being released.

    Air India will expand its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities at its Mumbai, India facility to include GE90 engine overhaul. The current schedule calls for the Mumbai facility to be certified for basic GE90 MRO by 2012. Eventually, Air India plans to build a new MRO facility in Nagpur, India, that will include GE90 testing capabilities.

    As part of the OnPoint solution agreement, GE will provide Air India with comprehensive material support, training and assistance on overhaul workscoping. While Air India develops its GE90 MRO capabilities, GE will provide the airline with overhaul services at GE’s MRO facilities to support the carrier’s GE90 engine fleet.

    “Air India has more than 40 years of providing high-quality MRO services in India,” said Nalin Jain, country director for GE Aviation. “Adding GE90 engine overhaul service is the perfect expansion of Air India’s MRO capabilities.”

    “Air India has already established partial capabilities on GE90 engines in Mumbai with the help of GE. Three engine overhauls were recently completed, saving us shipping costs and also reducing our turnaround time significantly. This will help us as we prepare to take on third-party work in the facility,” said Mr. K. M. Unni, SBU Head of the MRO SBU and Board Member, Air India.

    Air India ordered 23 GE90-powered Boeing 777 aircraft in 2005 and currently operates 20 of these aircraft with the remaining three aircraft to be delivered in the next few years.

    OnPoint solutions are flexible, long-term commitments designed to meet customers’ unique engine services needs. Backed by GE’s world-class support, these solutions help lower our customers’ cost-of-ownership and maximize the use of their assets. Available services include overhaul, on wing support, new and used serviceable parts, component repair, technology upgrades, engine leasing and diagnostics.

    Air India is the pioneer airline in India and has been in operation since 1932. The airline operated its first international flight in June 1948. Air India, which is inducting new aircraft to modernize its fleet and expand operations, has 159 aircraft, including the state-of-the-art Boeing 777s, Airbus A321s, Airbus A319s and Boeing 737 -800 in its fleet. Air India flies to 62 destinations in India and 51 destinations around the world. The carrier has a strong technical base and its engineering facility includes maintenance of aircraft, overhaul of engines, repair and overhaul of components, accessories and avionics. Thus the airline can provide all technical support to its fleet. Air India has well-trained, skilled technical manpower to carry out all complex tasks connected with civil aviation maintenance. For information on Air India, visit www.airindia.in.

    GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of jet and turboprop engines, components and integrated systems for commercial, military, business and general aviation aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings. For more information, visit us at www.ge.com/aviation. Follow GE Aviation on Twitter at http://twitter.com/GEAviation and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/GEAviation. For more information on ecomagination, visit http://www.ecomagination.com.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • |

    Press Release – FAA Issues First-Ever Spaceport Grants to Strengthen Commercial Space Activities

    For Immediate Release
    September 30, 2010

    WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a new grant program designed to fund projects that develop and expand commercial space transportation infrastructure. The Space Transportation Infrastructure Matching Grants will be awarded to four separate projects located in Alaska, California, Florida, and New Mexico.

    “The Obama administration is committed to making sure the United States remains the world leader in space development and exploration,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “This new grant program underscores that commitment, and will help ensure that the commercial space industry can meet our current and future space transportation needs.”

    In June of this year the Obama administration unveiled a new National Space Policy that recognizes opportunities and advancements in commercial space capabilities. The 2010 policy lays out more specific ways for the government to make use of commercial capabilities.

    The FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation will administer the new Space Transportation Infrastructure Matching Grants. The first matching grants include: $43,000 for the New Mexico Spaceport Authority to provide an Automated Weather Observing System; $227,195 to the Alaska Aerospace Corporation for a Rocket Motor Storage Facility; $125,000 to the East Kern Airport District in Mojave, Calif., for an emergency response vehicle; and, $104,805 to the Jacksonville Airport Authority in Florida to develop a Spaceport Master Plan for Cecil Field. Under the law, the FAA can provide matching funds for specific projects being carried out by public entities involved in commercial space activities.

    The United States’ space program has three sectors – civil, military and commercial. The FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation is responsible for licensing, regulating and promoting the commercial-sector space industry. Since the office was created in 1984, the FAA has issued licenses for more than 200 launches, licensed the operation of eight FAA-approved launch sites known as spaceports, and has helped ensure that no loss of life or serious injury has been associated with these efforts.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • |

    Butler National Expands Presence in Brazil With Significant New Orders From OceanAir

    OLATHE, Kan., Feb. 15, 2011 — Butler National Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: BUKS), a leader in the growing global market for structural modification, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) has been retained by OceanAir, a Brazilian MRO company, to perform special mission modifications on three Learjet Model 35 airplanes. OceanAir is part of Synergy Group.

    “This is a highly specialized modification and electronics integration package,” said Jose Efromovich. “We would only entrust such technically sophisticated work to Butler’s Avcon Group. We have been working with Butler for three years and look forward to our continued relationship as we keep expanding in the rapidly growing Latin American market.”

    Christian Vila, Director of Latin & South American sales for Butler National added, “Avcon is the leading provider of Learjet modifications in Brazil. We believe we will see strong demand for this and other Avcon modifications in the future including commercial aircraft.” Synergy Group, which is the parent company of OceanAir, also owns 67% of AviancaTaca with approximately 150 aircraft.

    Butler National’s expanded presence in Brazil continues its effort to leverage a major global growth trend in aviation. According to recently published reports the global deliveries of new aircraft are projected to total 56,900 by 2029 and the total global fleet will approach 70,000 for commercial and business aircraft. This represents more than $3 trillion in value with most of the growth coming from Latin American, Asia and the Middle East.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • |

    IATA: Avoid Spanish Air Traffic Control Strike

    Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged AENA, the Spanish air navigation service provider, and the Spanish air traffic controllers to take all measures possible to avoid strike action. Specifically, Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO urged Spain’s air traffic controllers to accept AENA’s offer to enter into an arbitration process to resolve their differences.

    “This is not the time for strikes. Arbitration is a fair, open and balanced means to settle the differences between AENA and the air traffic controllers. And it would avoid debilitating disruption to Spain’s economy,” said Bisignani.

    “The global financial crisis and Europe’s ongoing debt crisis are challenging governments, employers and employees to change in order to build stronger and more robust economies. With 20% unemployment, Spain cannot be a spectator. The economy is weak and it can ill afford the devastating effects of an air traffic control strike on Spanish business, especially tourism,” said Bisignani.

    “This is not just theory. When much of Europe’s air space closed for a few days as a result of the ash crisis, airlines lost $1.8 billion in revenue and the cost to economy is estimated at over $5 billion. Even the threat of a strike is seeing people changing plans to avoid Spanish destinations, airports and airspace. That’s lost money for the economy and puts Spanish jobs at risk. Agreeing to arbitration would remove the threat of a strike and restore passenger confidence,” said Bisignani.

    After decades of discussion, Europe is finally moving forward with some key elements of the Single European Sky. Uniting Europe’s air space is critical. Each year, the efficiencies generated will save over EUR 5 billion in costs, reduce delays by millions of minutes and reduce CO2 emissions by 16 million tonnes. Many of the changes under contention between AENA and the air traffic controllers are associated with the preparations for Spain to benefit from the Single European Sky.

    “Over the last decade, every industry has been challenged to change and to improve efficiency. Airlines improved productivity by 63% but, as the bankruptcy of Mexicana proves, the industry is fragile and even more change is needed. Changes in telecoms, automobiles or pharmaceuticals have all been massive, often times painful, but absolutely necessary to survive. AENA too must change to ensure that Spain has cost-efficient air connectivity to power its economy. The burden of this change includes the controllers,” said Bisignani.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.