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Southwest Airlines Statement Regarding Tentative Agreement With Pilots Union on the Boeing 737-800

Thu, Oct 14, 2010 – DALLAS – The decision to bring the Boeing 737-800 into the Southwest Airlines fleet moved yet another step closer to reality today as the Board of Directors for the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association (SWAPA), representing more than 5,800 Pilots, unanimously approved a tentative agreement reached with the Company. The tentative agreement will now be presented to the full SWAPA membership for a ratification vote.

“Two months ago, we initiated discussions with both our Flight Attendants and Pilots as part of our contractual requirements to operate the-800,” said Mike Van de Ven, Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “Today, I want to congratulate both SWAPA and TWU 556, the Union that represents our Flight Attendants, for recognizing the potential longterm benefits associated with adding the -800 to our fleet. We are still evaluating the needs for training, scheduling, aircraft configuration, and other regulatory considerations, but this is an important step in the due diligence process.”

If approved by a majority vote of the Pilots, their current contract will be extended by one year, becoming amendable August 31, 2012, and also include the potential for wage rate increases based on the Company’s financial performance.
Last month, the Executive Board of the Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 556, representing more than 9,700 Southwest Flight Attendants, unanimously approved a tentative agreement reached with the Company. The tentative agreement is currently being presented to all members of TWU 556 for a ratification vote.

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    Southwest Airlines Celebrates Diversity With North Texas Summit

    Southwest Airlines is celebrating workplace diversity by hosting its first Diversity Summit today themed “Join the Conversation.” The Summit will gather executives from North Texas local Fortune 500 companies to dialogue about diversity and inclusion initiatives, fostering new opportunities, and expanding best practices.

    Joining the conversation as keynote speaker is Dr. George C. Wright, President, Prairie View A&M University. Dr. Wright will be sharing his personal diversity journey and the impact it has had on his life. The Summit will focus on dialogue, education, and strengthening relationships to support an ever-changing workforce. The Summit also will provide participants with a workshop hosted by Pamela Tegarden, founder of the Soluna Institute, about raising the tide on gender diversity, and Tegwin Pulley, who will discuss, “Diversity, Employees, and the Bottom Line.”

    “We are thrilled to be hosting the first Southwest Airlines Diversity Summit in our hometown of Dallas. The purpose of this Summit is to listen and learn about diversity and inclusion best practices through open dialogue and interactive workshops,” said Linda Rutherford, Southwest’s Vice President Communication and Strategic Outreach. “A modern and diverse workforce is a key competitive advantage in the national marketplace. Southwest Airlines has an outstanding network of more than 35,000 Employees systemwide in 35 states, and growing.”

    The Southwest Airlines Diversity Summit was created and hosted by the airline’s Corporate Diversity Council. This Council is comprised of Southwest Employees who meet every month to improve the recruitment and advancement of women and minorities, increase supplier diversity,educate/train “Respecting Differences” consistent with meeting our Company’s business objectives, and create awareness of and show appreciation for cultural or lifestyle differences within our diverse workforce. This year, Hispanic Business Magazine named Southwest Airlines as one of the top Elite companies for Diversity.

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    NTSB TO MEET ON 2008 U.S. FOREST SERVICE CONTRACT FIREFIGHTING HELICOPTER CRASH IN WEAVERVILLE, CALIFORNIA

    National Transportation Safety Board
    Washington, DC 20594

    December 1, 2010

    The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a public Board meeting on Tuesday, December 7, at 9:30 a.m., in its Board Room and Conference Center, 429 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W., Washington, D.C.

    There is one item on the agenda. The Board will consider a final report on the following accident:

    * On August 5, 2008, a Sikorsky S-61N helicopter (N612AZ), impacted trees and terrain during the initial climb after takeoff, located at an elevation of about 6,000 feet in mountainous terrain near Weaverville, California. Impact forces and a post- crash fire destroyed the helicopter, which was being operated by the U.S. Forest Service as a public flight to transport firefighters and was contracted with Carson Helicopters, Inc. As a result of this accident, nine occupants were fatally injured and four were seriously injured.

    A live and archived webcast of the proceedings will be available on the Board’s website at www.ntsb.gov. Technical support details are available under “Board Meetings.” To report any problems, please call 703-993-3100 and ask for Webcast Technical Support.

    A summary of the Board’s final report, which will include findings, probable cause and safety recommendations, will appear on the website shortly after the conclusion of the meeting. The entire report will appear on the website several weeks later.

    NEW TEMPORARY DIRECTIONS (due to ongoing construction) to the NTSB Board Room: Front door located on Lower 10th Street, directly below L’Enfant Plaza. From Metro, exit L’Enfant Plaza station at 7th and D Streets escalator, turn left, cross 7th Street, walk a half block, take stairs on left and walk into the entrance marked La Promenade, walk through shopping mall, turn right at florist shop, see the CVS store (on the left) and take escalator (on the right) down one level. The Board room will be to your left.

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    Boeing PR: Boeing Joins Fuselage Sections for First 747-8 Intercontinental

    EVERETT, Wash., Oct. 15 — Boeing moved closer this week toward completing assembly of the first 747-8 Intercontinental as mechanics in Everett, Wash., loaded the forward and aft fuselage sections to join with the wing and center section.

    The 747-8 fuselage is 250 feet 2 inches (76.3 meters) long, which is 18 feet 4 inches (5.6 meters) longer than the 747-400. The stretch provides space for 51 additional seats to accommodate 467 passengers in a typical three-class configuration and offers 26 percent more cargo volume.

    "Final body join is an important milestone for the 747 program," said Pat Shanahan, vice president and general manager of Airplane Programs in Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "It is a major step toward completing the structural integration and building out our all-new interior. We now have the first real look at the size and distinctive shape of the 747-8 Intercontinental. This is going to be a superb airplane for our customers both from an aesthetic and a performance perspective."

    The 747-8 is the new high-capacity 747 that will give airlines the lowest operating costs and best economics of any large airplane while providing enhanced environmental performance. The airplane also features a 787 Dreamliner-inspired interior that will offer passengers a greater feeling of space and comfort.

    The 747 program has orders for 109 747-8 Freighter and Intercontinental airplanes. Thirty-three of those are for the 747-8 Intercontinental, with orders coming from Lufthansa, Korean Air and eight VIP customers. The first 747-8 Intercontinental delivery is scheduled for late 2011 to a VIP customer.

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    Southwest Airlines Boeing Lands Safely on One Engine


    Click here for full size photo on Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Michael Van Bosch

    What: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 [see example above] en route from the McCarran International Airport en route to Long Island, New York.
    Where: McCarran International Airport Las Vegas
    When: Thursday afternoon shortly after taking off–at 3:28 p.m.
    Who: 118 passengers
    Why: The crew of the Southwest Airlines Boeing shut down one engine when it caught on fire; and used the remaining working engine to make the emergency landing safely.

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    LONG BEACH, Calif., Nov. 6, 2009 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) received Aviation Week magazine’s Program Excellence Award in the category of System Level Research & Development/System Development & Demonstration at the Aviation Week Aerospace & Defense Programs conference in Phoenix on Nov. 3. Boeing C-130 Avionics Modernization Program Receives Aviation Week Program Excellence Award

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    Boeing Announces Agreement to Acquire Summit Aeronautics Group in Montana

    Provides additional capacity to manufacture titanium and other hard metals structures

    SEATTLE, Nov. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Boeing announced today that it has agreed to acquire the business and operations conducted by Summit Aeronautics Group in Helena, Mont. Summit employs 135 people to manufacture titanium and other hard metal structures for commercial and military aircraft.

    This acquisition extends a strong partnership between Boeing and Summit. Summit currently performs hard metal machining on 747-8 fail-safe bars, which allow the flaps to move on the wings; 787 edge frames that fit around the doors; and 767 main-landing-gear beams, which facilitate the landing gear rotation. After the transaction, Summit will continue its work on these Boeing programs and manufacture other machined parts for the 787. Summit also will continue to support existing military programs.

    “Bringing this successful partner and its talented employees into Boeing provides additional flexibility to support increased production rates,” said Ross Bogue, vice president and general manager of Boeing Fabrication. “It grows our capacity to manufacture titanium and other hard metals structures in support of current and future airplane production requirements.”

    “Our Summit team is proud of the work we have done to support key Boeing programs,” said Tom Hoffman, president of Summit Aeronautics Group. “The acquisition recognizes that our people and capabilities are world class. We look forward to expanding our relationship with Boeing and becoming an integral part of the Boeing production team.”

    Through the agreement, Boeing will acquire, among other things, the building, assets and inventory as well as assume operation of the site. Boeing anticipates this transaction will close in the fourth quarter following satisfaction of customary closing conditions. This transaction is not expected to have a material impact on Boeing’s 2010 or 2011 financial results. Terms were not disclosed.

    Once acquired, Boeing Fabrication will manage the Helena facility. Boeing Fabrication, which is currently located at 10 sites worldwide, provides key manufacturing and assembly capabilities and technologies to Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

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