Flexjet receives Two Prestigious Awards

Flexjet, a leader in business aviation solutions, has been identified again by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. National Air Transportation Association (NATA) for excellence in aircraft technical training.

The Diamond Award of Excellence is the FAA’s highest honor for maintenance training and Flexjet is the only fractional jet ownership program provider that has received this award for 13 consecutive years

“It is our technicians’ unyielding dedication to the highest safety standards that have enabled Flexjet to win the FAA Diamond Award more times than any other fractional jet ownership provider,” said Dave Gross, Vice President, Operations, Flexjet. “Thirteen consecutive years of outstanding maintenance training is not only a remarkable achievement, but a shining example of their steadfast commitment to excellence.”

The FAA first created this award program in 1991 to encourage aviation maintenance technicians (AMTs) and their employers to actively participate in training programs. To qualify for the prestigious FAA Diamond Award of Excellence, 100 percent of an organization’s eligible maintenance technicians must complete specialized, continuous training in aircraft systems, regulations and FAA rules over a 12-month period.

The U.S. National Air Transportation Association is also granting Flexjet’s maintenance organization with a second consecutive Five Star Award, the NATA's highest recognition offered. To secure this standing, at least 90 percent of AMTs participated in a qualified training program and completed a minimum of 12 hours of education per year.

China plan to launch 100 satellites by 2015

China has planned to fill the sky with its satellites, launching a total of 100 by 2015. It will also carry out the first manned space rendezvous with the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft this year.

Zhang Jianheng, deputy general manager of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp said that,"the densely arranged launch missions and flight tests have posed an unprecedented challenge to the country's space program”.

The plan is to stay ahead of the United States launching an average of 20 satellites a year. China crossed the US tally of 18 satellite launches in 2011 by sending out 20 of them last year.

But Russia continued to lead the world by launching 36 satellites in 2011.

China has an ambitious plan of launching 30 satellites in 2012, Zhang told reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the Chinese parliament, where he is a legislator.

China conducted its first space docking experiment last year to build a space station of its own by 2020.

The new space missions included launching the third lunar probe, Chang'e-3 next year and conduct a moon landing and lunar explorations.

China launched the Change-1 in 2007 and the Chang'e-2 2010.

United Airlines launches daily flights from Reagan

In May United Airlines will start daily flights, nonstop service between its San Francisco hub and Reagan National airport in Washington, D.C.

On Tuesday United Continental Holdings Inc. said that the service is United's first flight from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport.

The eastbound service will start on May 14, the westbound on May 15.

The airline said the new service means it will serve San Francisco 13 times a day from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including flights from its hub at Dulles International Airport.

Shares of United Continental fell 59 cents, or 2.9 percent, to close at $19.88.

Etihad Airways commences new flights to Basra, Iraq

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has confirmed it will commence flights to Basra in southern Iraq from mid-April. Basra becomes the 84th destination in the carrier’s worldwide network and the third city it flies to in Iraq.

Etihad – considered the World’s Leading Airline by the World Travel Awards already operates services to the capital, Baghdad, and Erbil, in the country’s north. “Iraq’s surging economy represents a good opportunity to add even greater depth to our schedule,” Etihad Airways chief executive, James Hogan, said earlier.

“Basra is an important industrial and transport hub but currently has only limited access to air services and we are delighted to be able to help improve these by investing in the local community.”

The new Airbus A320 service, with 16 Pearl Business class seats and 120 seats in Coral Economy class, will operate four times a week from April 15th.

New Rules for co-pilots proposed by Federal Aviation AdministrationNew Rules for co-pilots proposed by Federal Aviation Administration

Many new commercial airline co-pilots would be required to have 1,500 hours of flying experience, up from the current minimum of 250 hours, under a set of new rules is put forward today by the Federal Aviation Administration in reaction to the 2009 crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 in Clarence Center.

Under the proposal, all new commercial pilots would be required to have an Air Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, which normally requires 1,500 hours of flight experience. Military pilots would be able to get that restricted privileges license with 750 hours of flight experience, while graduates of aviation bachelor's degree programs could get that provisional certification with 1,000 hours of flight time.

“The new rule stemmed from his agency's emphasis on safety,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "This proposed rule reflects our commitment to the safety of the traveling public by making sure our pilots are the most qualified and best trained in the world," LaHood said.

The proposal would also require pilots to have 1,000 hours of experience at a passenger airline before qualifying as a captain.

And the proposed rule also would make it tougher to qualify for an ATP certificate. Pilots would need to complete a new FAA-approved training program, and have 50 hours of flight experience on a multiengine plane, in addition to the 1,500 hours requirement.

"Our pilots need to have the right training and the right qualifications so they can be prepared to handle any situation they encounter in the cockpit," said FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta. "I believe this proposed rule will ensure our nation's pilots have the necessary skills and experience."

The proposal is likely to draw fire from the airlines, since they would find it harder to hire pilots under the new rule.

Travel site names airlines that offer best, worst foods

With over three million passengers traveling abroad every year, it becomes essential to know which airlines offer the best and worst foods. According to the flight comparison site skyscanner.net 18 out of the 19 international airlines in the survey surprisingly passed the taste buds of airline passengers.

A statement of the news site Emirates 24/7 on Monday named the top five airlines offering  delicious meals:

1.Turkish Airlines             (scored 86/100)

2.Singapore Airlines         (81/100)

3.Etihad                           (80/100)

4.Aer Lingus                    (78/100)

5.Emirates                        (77/100)

According to the skyscanner.net survey, the bottom five on the list were:

1.American Airlines         (scored 47.5/100)

2.Lufthansa                     (53/100)

3.Alitalia                         (54/100)

4.Virgin Atlantic              (57/100)

5.Qatar Airways             (57/100)

Tagged as the worst airline, American Airlines offers a wide array of food options below $10.

Flights by US airlines hit Recession

The US government figured that US airlines in 2011 operated the fewest number of flights since the hijack attacks on New York and Washington depressed air travel and accelerated the industry's worst-ever financial downturn. 

The Transportation Department said major airlines, their chief low-cost competitors and the biggest regional carriers, recorded 6.08 million departures last year. Takeoffs were not that low since 2002, when they totaled 5.27 million.

Reduced operations and good summer weather, especially in the East, helped airlines post a 79 percent on-time rating in 2011, unchanged from the previous two years.

The overall number of flights by US airlines has steadily declined since 2008 when the recession dampened travel demand. Most recently, stubbornly high fuel prices have prompted airlines to further cut capacity to reduce costs and maintain higher fares.

The industry operating figures were released as President Barack Obama signed into law $63 billion legislation authorizing guaranteed funding of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through. 2015. The FAA oversees US air traffic operations at more than 400 airports.

The measure approved by Congress last week also comprises funding for the next steps in transforming the air traffic network from a radar-based system to one relying on satellites. Proponents say the change will allow for more flights, better routing and fewer delays.