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SkyWest Airlines Introduces Jeppesen Airside Service to Jet Fleet

ST. GEORGE, Utah, Nov. 11, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — SkyWest Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc. , is pleased to announce the launch of Jeppesen Airside Service for flight crews onboard each of its 246 jet aircraft.

“This is just one of the ways SkyWest Airlines continues to invest in our professional pilots,” said Chip Childs, SkyWest President and COO. “The new Airside Service will provide more efficiency, consistency and convenience for every SkyWest pilot – and underscores SkyWest’s role as an industry leader in safety, efficiency and progress.”
Utilizing Jeppesen Airside Service for more than 1,300 daily CRJ departures eliminates the need for pilots to carry up to 35 pounds of operational manuals, standard operating procedures and navigational charts. With Airside, the most current information is preassembled by Jeppesen and placed onboard each aircraft.
SkyWest has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to implement the new program, which is expected to bring immediate benefits to the SkyWest operation, its crewmembers and passengers. The new service is proven to increase operational standardization and consistency, improve crew response time to irregular operations, increase environmental responsibility with fewer paper products, and even reduce injury. SkyWest continues to refine resources and processes for its pilot group, ensuring more time is focused solely on safely transporting passengers.
The program will initially be used on SkyWest’s fleet of 246 Bombardier-manufactured Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) aircraft and will expand to include its nearly 50 Embraer aircraft in the coming months.
“We are pleased to continue to enhance our partnership in offering this product to SkyWest Airlines and its pilots,” said Capt. Brad Thomann, Jeppesen Chief Operating Officer. “Using Airside Service is a simple way to quickly improve efficiency.”

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    Southwest Airlines and Its Stock Clerks Announce New Tentative Agreement

    Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Airlines Division, representing the carrier’s Stock Clerks, announced today that the two parties have reached a tentative agreement. The tentative agreement is for a new, five-year contract through August 16, 2013. The current contract became amendable on August 16, 2008. One year ago, Southwest and the Teamsters agreed to seek assistance from the National Mediation Board through the mediation process as defined by the Railway Labor Act.

    “Hard work and persistence have definitely paid off during this mediation process,” said Mike Van de Ven, Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “The negotiation teams worked together to address several work rule changes in reaching this mutually beneficial, forward thinking tentative agreement, which delivers wage and benefit enhancements in exchange for work rule improvements and contract flexibility.”
    In the upcoming weeks, the IBT membership will be given the full details of the agreement and have the opportunity to vote on ratification. IBT represents more than 170 Southwest Airlines Employees.

    In its 40th year of service, Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers–offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines serves Milwaukee with 12 daily departures and is the nation’s largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded, now serving 69 cities in 35 states. Beginning March 13, 2011, Southwest will initiate service to Charleston and Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina, and on March 27, 2011, service will begin to Newark Liberty International Airport. Southwest also is one of the most honored airlines in the world known for its commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet. To read more about how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen, visit southwest.com/cares to read the Southwest Airlines One Report(TM). Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide.

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    Lockheed Martin Awarded $15 Million Production Contract to Upgrade Military Helicopter Sensor System

    ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 6, 2011 — The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) a $15 million contract for production of a low-light-level TV capability, called VNsight, for the Apache’s combat-proven Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS), also known as Arrowhead®. The new VNsight visible/near infrared sensor is integrated into the Modernized PNVS, providing the Warfighter with significant tactical advantages, particularly in low-light-level conditions.

    The VNsight Lot 1 production contract for 65 sensors and spares will equip two Apache battalions. It will also provide an initial quantity of cameras and spares to outfit a Foreign Military Sales customer. The M-TADS/PNVS systems will be upgraded as a field retrofit. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control will produce the VNsight lens and serve as the system integrator, while Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors in Akron, OH, will provide the sensor’s camera.

    “The VNsight completes a commitment to the Warfighter to deliver a blended image capability in the Apache to support both situational awareness for the pilot and improved air-to-ground coordination,” said U.S. Army Apache Sensors Product Manager Lt. Col. John Vannoy. “After thorough testing of this system with pilots experienced in both combat theaters, I’m confident that their appraisal of the system as a must-have capability will result in the Apache becoming even more lethal on the battlefield.”

    “The VNsight camera upgrade represents a mission enhancing capability improvement for the Lockheed Martin produced Apache sensor,” said Monty Watson, VNsight program manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “VNsight provides an increase in pilot situational awareness, flight safety and mission flexibility.”

    By blending VNsight imagery with the M-PNVS forward looking infrared (FLIR) imagery, pilots can see cultural and military lighting (lasers, markers, beacons, tracer rounds, etc.) accurately registered within the thermal image over the full 30-by-40 degree field of view of the sensor. This ensures safer flying conditions and enhanced mission capability by improving situational awareness in low-light-level conditions and situations where existing light sources cannot be imaged by the FLIR.

    The capability to image light sources in-band with the VNsight sensor allows aviators to see some laser pointers, improving coordination with ground units. It also allows the aircrew to see their own laser spot while designating targets for laser-guided munitions engagements, providing an extra level of certainty that the correct target and aim-point are designated. Enhanced air-to-ground situational awareness reduces the potential for fratricide.

    Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 133,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s 2009 sales from continuing operations were $44.0 billion.

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    Press Release: Virgin America To Order 40 Airbus Jets

    VIRGIN AMERICA SPREADS ITS WINGS: AIRLINE PLANS ORDER FOR 40 AIRBUS
    A320 AIRCRAFT, WITH OPTIONS FOR AN ADDITIONAL 20

    Award-Winning Airline to Triple Fleet Size with Order; Projects Growth from 28 Aircraft to 90 by 2016

    San Francisco – July 22, 2010 – Virgin America today announces it plans to order 40 new Airbus A320 aircraft, with options for 20 additional aircraft. The new aircraft would be delivered from 2013 through 2016 – with 10 firm orders per year on average, and options for 20 additional aircraft in 2017-2018. With today’s order of 40 new aircraft and growth from other sources, Virgin America’s fleet is projected to grow from its current 28 aircraft to 90 aircraft by 2016 – a compounded annual growth rate of 21.5 percent. David Cush, Virgin America President and CEO, and John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, make the announcement of their memorandum of understanding today at the Farnborough International Airshow.

    “This MOU reflects confidence in our financial performance, business model and unique service. Despite the tough economic climate since our 2007 launch, Virgin America has experienced record growth, strong financial progress and a sweep of the major reader-based travel awards. At a time when most carriers are contracting and shedding jobs, we’re pleased to be growing and bringing our low-fare, innovative service into new markets,” said Virgin America President and CEO David Cush. “The low operating costs, cabin comfort and carbon-efficient design of our all new Airbus fleet will continue to fuel our growth and success in the North American market.”

    With the U.S. Department of Transportation’s approval of its new ownership structure in January 2010, Virgin America is focused on growth – with six additional aircraft entering its fleet this year and 12 additional aircraft planned in 2011. The airline currently has four aircraft for delivery in 2012 and expects to look for additional aircraft for 2012, in order to bridge its fleet growth to the new Airbus order starting in 2013. The airline currently serves 10 cities, with expansion to Orlando, at least one more U.S. city and two destinations in Mexico by this winter. The airline expects to grow by three to four additional new destinations a year from 2011-2016. The airline has created 1600 new jobs since its 2007 launch and intends to double its teammate base in the next three years. Virgin America continues to expand at its base of operations at San Francisco International Airport, as one of two anchor tenants in the airport’s new $383 million Silver LEED certified Terminal 2 facility – which is slated to open in 2011.

    “A repeat order from Virgin America – a U.S. airline growing quickly both in terms of its route network and its reputation for excellent service – is a great affirmation of the benefits of operating the A320 Family,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “We are very pleased they have chosen to expand their reach with even more of our aircraft. Their investment in a state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient Airbus fleet will continue to give them a competitive advantage as they grow.”

    Virgin America is planning to benefit from the new, fuel-saving “Sharklet” option that is available beginning in late 2012 on A320 aircraft. Sharklets have been developed to enhance the eco-efficiency and payload-range performance of the A320 aircraft, resulting in at least 3.5 percent reduced fuel burn over longer sectors. Since its launch, Virgin America has operated a new Airbus A320 Family fleet that is up to 25% more fuel efficient than the average U.S. fleet. The airline has not yet announced its choice of engines for the additional aircraft.

    According to Airbus, each new order for Airbus aircraft means a direct boost to the U.S. economy. Airbus spends some 40 percent of its procurement budget with hundreds of suppliers in more than 40 U.S. states. In 2009 alone, Airbus spent more than $10 billion in the U.S. – more than it spent in procurement in any other country. Using U.S. Department of Commerce figures, that dollar amount translates into Airbus support of 180,000 American jobs.

    “Airline expansion drives job, travel and tourism growth – and is also a powerful indicator of overall economic health. When we enter new markets service improves and fares drop, so our growth into new cities stimulates demand as well as direct and indirect job growth,” added Cush.

    With outstanding service and inventive amenities, Virgin America has captured a loyal guest following since its launch. The airline offers beautifully designed mood-lit cabins, fleetwide WiFi and the most advanced touch-screen in-flight entertainment platform in the skies. The airline has captured the “Best Domestic Airline” title in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards and Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards every year since its 2007 launch.

    Virgin America reported its first quarterly operating profit in the third quarter of 2009 and is on track for projected full year operating profit in 2010. Virgin America has seen significant increases in traffic and bookings in the second quarter of 2010, with progress that has largely exceeded the overall positive trends for the industry year to date.

    The Airbus A320 Family, which includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, is recognized as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. More than 6,500 Airbus A320 Family aircraft have been sold to more than 310 customers and operators – making it the world’s best selling commercial jetliner. With proven reliability and extended servicing periods, the A320 Family has the lowest operating costs of any single aisle aircraft. Uniquely, the A320 Family offers a containerized cargo system, which is compatible with the world-wide standard wide-body system.

    Virgin America flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Toronto and Orlando (starting October 6, 2010).

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    Airbus delivers the 30th A380

    The 30th A380 to be delivered was handed over today to Emirates Airline, one of the launch customers of the Airbus double-decker aircraft. This is the tenth A380 Emirates has received out of its total firm order for 58 aircraft.

    This aircraft will be on display at the ILA Berlin Air Show which is taking place from June 8th to 13th. Lufthansa will also bring their recently delivered, first A380 to the show and from June 11th an Airbus flight test A380 will be on static and flying display.

    Airbus has already delivered seven A380s so far in 2010, three to Emirates Airline, two to Air France, one to Lufthansa and one to Qantas. Airbus is on track to deliver a total of at least 20 A380s in 2010.

    Today five major airlines, Singapore Airlines, Emirates Airline, Qantas, Air France and Lufthansa, operate 30 A380s on 20 routes linking 18 major international destinations. Together they have carried nearly five and a half million passengers on 15,000 revenue flights and have clocked up almost 140,000 revenue flight hours. These A380 flights have saved 640,000t of CO2 emissions by replacing journeys that would otherwise have been made with less fuel-efficient large aircraft. The A380 has the lowest fuel burn of any wide body aircraft, needing less than three litres of fuel per passenger per 100km.

    The A380 is also a proven profit generator. Delivering an impressive double-digit percentage reduction in cash operating costs, it allows airlines to either increase the number of seats offered at little or no extra cost or keep the same capacity at a much lower total cost. This is one of the reasons why seven of the 17 A380 customers have already placed repeat orders and over half the world’s top international carriers have ordered it.

    Airbus has received 202 firm orders for the A380 from 17 customers.

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    Press Release: NTSB CHAIRMAN ISASI SPEECH

    National Transportation Safety Board
    Washington, DC 20594

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 29, 2010
    SB-10-14

    NTSB CHAIRMAN DISCUSSES ADVANTAGES – AND LIMITATIONS – OF USING DATA-DRIVEN SYSTEMS TO IMPROVE AVIATION SAFETY

    National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman said today that the use of data to manage and improve safety in the aviation industry has had a positive effect on the world’s improving aviation safety record but she cautioned against over-reliance on these systems to the neglect of forensic investigation.

    Addressing a conference of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators in Chantilly, Virginia, Hersman noted that “we have reached an era when aviation accidents are extremely rare…” One reason is the use of data – particularly, but not exclusively, Safety Management Systems (SMS) – in accident prevention and investigation.

    The Board has been advocating the use of SMS for a decade, having issued 17 recommendations in favor of implementing SMS in the aviation industry. When implemented correctly, Hersman said, “SMS holds real promise in a variety of scenarios.” She noted several instances where SMS helped
    eliminate potential unsafe conditions, notably a corporate flight operation that used flight data to determine that high bank angles occurred on repositioning flights, and a review of commercial aircraft approach data that indicated a high rate of TCAS (Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance
    System) warnings at a particular airport. In these instances, she said, “data management adeptly identified a clearly measurable set of information and allowed for a relatively simple and effective solution.”

    However, Hersman noted, SMS works well for companies that are already “getting it right,” but may provide little more than false confidence for companies with less than robust safety cultures.

    Also, there are accidents caused by a combination of factors that SMS cannot possibly detect. As an example, Hersman mentioned the British Airways Boeing 777 crash at Heathrow Airport two years ago involving a dual engine failure on approach. It was not data analysis that solved the mystery, but detailed forensic analysis; the circumstances were so unusual that a data analysis system would not pick them up.

    Hersman said she hoped that with all the focus SMS will place on data collection and analysis, “let’s not lose focus on outcomes. The success of SMS won’t be measured by how much data we collect, but by how many lives we save.”

    “I will enthusiastically support any approach that will make our nation safer,” she said. “But I think we need a measured approach – one that acknowledges the potential benefits and limitations of SMS, and further, doesn’t discount tried and true methods for identifying vulnerabilities, such as accident investigations.”

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    Airline Passengers Benefit as Flight Attendants Gain Ground on Sanitation and Temperature Standards

    Flight Attendants Get Cabin Health and Safety Standards in Senate’s FAA Reauthorization

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2011 e-USNewswire/ — Members of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) put key U.S. Senate offices on speed dial in a successful call-in campaign to press for long-overdue health and safety protections: Yesterday, the Senate defeated an attempt to strip OSHA protections for Flight Attendants from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Bill. The amendment to remove health and safety protections for Flight Attendants and passengers, including sanitation and temperature standards in the aircraft cabin, was rejected by a 52-47 party line vote.

    “No sanitation standards in the passenger cabin. Really???” said Veda Shook, AFA International President. “It is not funny. To date, OSHA has been kept out of the aircraft cabin and that means Flight Attendants and passengers are subject to an environment absent sanitation standards, temperature standards and proper procedures for clean up of biohazards. This is inexcusable and our union of Flight Attendants will not rest until we get the OSHA protections for passengers and crew. We applaud the Senate for taking this action today and we implore the House to act quickly to include the same provision in their version of the bill.”

    For Flight Attendants, each day on the job brings potential exposure to turbulence, severe air pressure changes, unwieldy service carts, broken luggage bins, balky exit doors and door handles, exposure to toxic chemicals, unruly passengers, communicable diseases, and emergency evacuations. As a result, safety and health violations occur on a daily basis for Flight Attendants yet the Federal Aviation Administration, which claims exclusive jurisdiction over the safety and health of crew members on civil aircraft, has failed to extend basic OSHA protections afforded to other workers across the country.

    The Association of Flight Attendants has already begun a targeted grassroots advocacy campaign to implore members of the House to include the health and safety provisions for Flight Attendants and passengers. The FAA Reauthorization bill has been extended 17 times over three years, delaying critical safety and health protections for Flight Attendants and the traveling public

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