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April 30, 2005

Rotana looks beyond ME

Abu Dhabi-based Rotana Group of Hotels, Suites and Resorts is planning to set up a separate company for hotel investments and expand operations outside the Middle East, reported Gulf News. The group has signed 13 new management contracts for regional properties and is looking to take its services to South Asia and China. [AMEInfo.com]

Posted at 11:40 PM

Christopher Booker's notebook (Telegraph.co.uk)

In a week when Labour was boasting that it is now "the party of entrepreneurs", scores of successful British firms, many world leaders in their market, fear that in five months' time they will be forced out of business, thanks to the chaos which has followed the handing over of air safety regulation from the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to the new European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Posted at 07:40 PM

One dead in light aircraft crash (BBC News)

A man dies after the light aircraft he was piloting crashes into a field in North Somerset.

Posted at 12:54 PM

Aviation pioneer dies at age 89 (The Oklahoman)

Apr 30, 2005: Oklahoma aviation pioneer Eula Pearl Carter Scott, who at the age of 13 became one of the nation's youngest female pilots, has died in Marlow after a long illness, her son said. She was 89. Her love of flying began with her first plane ride in 1927. Her pilot that day was Oklahoma aviation legend Wiley Post.

Posted at 05:42 AM

April 29, 2005

Leaner airline records big loss (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Mirroring problems ravaging the entire airline industry, US Airways yesterday said it continues to bleed money, losing $191 million in the first quarter amid record-high fuel prices and super-cheap fares.

Posted at 11:06 PM

Report Urges Increased Volcano Monitoring (ABC News)

Report Calls for Increased Volcano Monitoring, Citing Hazards Both on the Ground and to Aviation

Posted at 08:06 PM

Low-cost airline opens service to Abu Dhabi (International Herald Tribune)

India's first international low-cost airline began service to the United Arab Emirates on Friday, making its maiden flight from Trivandrum in Kerala Province to Abu Dhabi.

Posted at 07:11 PM

Wichita ships 53 percent of general aviation in Q1 (BizJournals)

Bombardier Aerospace, Cessna Aircraft Co. and Raytheon Aircraft Co. shipped a combined total of 261 general aviation aircraft during the first quarter of 2005, according to a report by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.

Posted at 03:00 PM

Aviation Committee Takes Different Tack - Gulf County Florida news story from StarFL.com, The Star (Star)

The time was ripe for new coordinates. The county Aviation Advisory Committee, rebuffed in its attempts to forge a cross-county partnership with Franklin County officials, found themselves on Monday tacking in a new direction.

Posted at 10:28 AM

Malta Aviation Museum Launches New Website (di-ve)

The Malta Aviation Museum has just launched an all new website featuring high quality photographs and comprehensive information about the twelve aircraft, aircraft engines, models, airfield equipment and memorabilia on display at the museum.

Posted at 06:48 AM

MISSILE NEWS Russian Missiles In Syria Pose Risk For Israel Civil Aviation (Space War UAV News)

Russian anti-aircraft missiles sold to Syria would pose no danger to the Israeli air force, but could put civil aviation in peril if they fell into "terrorist" hands, an Israeli official said Wednesday.

Posted at 04:24 AM

India's first international budget airline begins service to Middle East (AP via Yahoo! Asia News)

India's first international budget airline launched service to the United Arab Emirates on Friday, making its maiden flight from this southern city to Abu Dhabi.

Posted at 02:29 AM

Charter Airline Must Pay $27M (AP via Yahoo! News)

A jury ordered a charter airline company to pay $27 million to a woman for failing to keep her ex-husband from taking her children out of the country.

Posted at 01:00 AM

April 28, 2005

MISSILE NEWS Russian Missiles In Syria Pose Risk For Israel Civil Aviation (SpaceDaily)

Russian anti-aircraft missiles sold to Syria would pose no danger to the Israeli air force, but could put civil aviation in peril if they fell into "terrorist" hands, an Israeli official said Wednesday.

Posted at 08:10 PM

Continental Airlines Earns Highest Federal Aviation Administration Award for Companywide Maintenance Excellence (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)

Continental Airlines today received honors for companywide excellence in Aviation Maintenance Training from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Posted at 03:01 PM

Airbus A380 makes aviation history with its maiden flight (Picayune Item)

BLAGNAC, France (AP) - The world's largest passenger plane, the Airbus A380, successfully took off on its maiden flight Wednesday, a milestone for aviation and for the European aircraft-maker's battle with American rival Boeing Co.

Posted at 10:25 AM

BA flies to Red Sea

British Airways will start direct flights from London to Sharm El Sheik and Hurghada on the Red Sea from 22 October. Operated by franchise partner GB Airways, flights will run three times a week from London Gatwick to Sharm El Sheik and twice a week to Hurghada. [AMEInfo.com]

Posted at 04:40 AM

Airbus A380 flies into aviation history (Kane County Chronicle)

BLAGNAC, France *** The world's largest passenger plane, the Airbus A380, completed a maiden flight Wednesday that took it over the Pyrenees mountains, a milestone for aviation and for the European aircraft maker's battle with American rival Boeing Co.

Posted at 12:50 AM

April 27, 2005

Tehran airport re-opens

Iran is set to re-open the country's flagship international airport, reported Reuters. The Imam Khomeini International Airport was shut down almost a year ago when Revolutionary Guards took over the airport on its first day in operation. Flights to and from the airport will commence on Saturday with flights to Dubai. [AMEInfo.com]

Posted at 11:13 PM

AIRBUS A380, THE BIGGEST AIRLINER IN AVIATION HISTORY (The Tocqueville Connection)

T OULOUSE, France, April 27 (AFP) - The Airbus A380, the world's biggest airliner, made its maiden flight on Wednesday, opening a new chapter in aviation history.

Posted at 09:22 PM

Airbus A380 Makes Aviation History With Maiden Flight (Channel 3000)

Aviation history has been made in France today. The world's largest passenger plane is back on the ground after a nearly four-hour maiden flight.

Posted at 04:10 PM

A380 lifts Europe's aviation hopes (CNN.com)

The world's largest passenger plane has made its maiden flight in an aviation milestone that Europe's jetliner maker hopes will give it a boost in its battle with American rival Boeing.

Posted at 10:52 AM

Qatar Airways, ANA codeshare

Qatar Airways and All Nippon Airways have entered into a codeshare agreement. Under the agreement the airlines will operate joint flight codes on the trunk route between Doha and Osaka and onto Tokyo Haneda Airport, Fukuoka and Sapporo. [AMEInfo.com]

Posted at 05:44 AM

April 26, 2005

Jordan pushes MICE at ATM

The Jordan Tourism Board will hold a seminar on the Kingdom's MICE tourism potential at Arabian Travel Market 2005. Jordan developed its national tourism strategy last year, and aims to double the size of the industry by 2010. Tourism is the country's second largest private sector employer and the second highest producer of foreign exchange. [AMEInfo.com]

Posted at 10:21 PM

Even Modern Test Flights Never Risk Free (AP via Yahoo! News)

In the wartime heyday of aviation legends like Howard Hughes, and even into the 1960s, a pilot couldn't be sure how a prototype plane would fly until she was airborne.

Posted at 03:19 PM

Devorak named to aviation hall (Fergus Falls Daily Journal)

Joseph F. Devorak, Sr., a longtime resident of Fergus Falls, was honored Saturday by being posthumously inducted into the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame.

Posted at 09:07 AM

Emirates best SkyCargo

Emirates SkyCargo has won three awards at the Cargo Airline of the Year Awards in London. It picked up winning awards for the best cargo airline in the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Far East. Emirates SkyCargo currently serves a global route network that spans 76 destinations in 53 countries. [AMEInfo.com]

Posted at 04:49 AM

Gulf Air, passenger boost

Gulf Air carried 7.48m passengers in 2004, up 23.8% over 2003, while its load factor went up to 71.4% from 68.1%, according to President James Hogan. Gulf Traveller, the all-economy subsidiary recorded an average load factor of 75.8% across its 17-destination network. The airline is ahead of schedule in its Project Falcon restructuring plan, but says competitive pressures and high fuel costs in 2005 will need to be addressed. [AMEInfo.com]

Posted at 01:54 AM

April 25, 2005

Gulf Air, privatisation move

Gulf Air may look at ways to privatise after the board gave the airline the go-ahead to assess options, according to President James Hogan. Speaking via live webcast about the airline's 2004 financial results Hogan said that the airline is leaner and more flexible and that there is a strong argument for privatisation to re-equip the airline to compete effectively in the region, reported Gulf News. [AMEInfo.com]

Posted at 10:24 PM

Time to end dithering on aviation policy - Lab (Politics.ie)

There is now an urgent need for an end to the dithering and for the government to make decisions on aviation policy based on what is in the best interest of consumers and the country as a whole.

Posted at 02:42 PM

KOBTV.com - Eclipse Aviation announces sales agreement (KOBTV.com Albuquerque)

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - Albuquerque-based Eclipse Aviation says it has signed an agreement to sell more than 200 of the small twin-jet airplanes it***s developing.

Posted at 10:32 AM

Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame inducts four new members (ABC 7 Chicago)

April 25, 2005 (Decatur, Ill.) *** The Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame has four new members -- who have all spread their wings in different directions. Jayne Schiek was the first female commissioner of Macomb Municipal Airport.

Posted at 07:41 AM

April 24, 2005

Air India Express takes off

Low-cost flights to Indian destinations on the new Air India Express will start from Dubai International Airport's Terminal 2 from April 30. There will be daily flights to Kochi and Kozhikode and three flights a week to Thiruvananthapuram. [AMEInfo.com]

Posted at 11:32 PM

Raffles hotel for Dubai

Singapore's famous Raffles hotel is to establish Raffles Dubai on a site adjoining the Wafi shopping mall. The 240-room pyramid-shaped hotel marks Raffles debut in the Middle East. Dubai's MKM Commercial Commercial Holdings is building the hotel for Raffles to manage. [AMEInfo.com]

Posted at 11:25 PM

ADTA takes on conferences

Responsibility for licencing exhibitions in Abu Dhabi has shifted from the General Exhibitions Corporation to the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, reported Gulf News. This move is part of a drive to boost attendance at conferences in the UAE capital by six-fold over the next decade, said officials. [AMEInfo.com]

Posted at 11:10 PM

Aviation execs meet this week in Phoenix (The Arizona Republic)

Top executives of the nation's airlines and aerospace companies will gather in Phoenix this week for the 14th-annual International Aviation Symposium.

Posted at 11:01 PM

Cathay Pacific Shares May Rise After Pilots End 4-Year Dispute (Bloomberg.com)

April 25 (Bloomberg) -- Shares of Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., Asia's second-largest airline by market value, may gain after its pilots' union accepted a settlement to end a dispute that began in 2001 when 51 of its members were fired.

Posted at 08:31 PM

Israel's Former President Weizman Dies Aged 81 (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Ezer Weizman, a World War II fighter pilot who helped found the Israeli air force and later served as the country's seventh president, died on Sunday after a long illness, Israeli officials said. He was 81. Weizman, who built a modern air force that crippled enemy aircraft on the first day of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, later became a dove who helped shape peace with Egypt and the Palestinians.

Posted at 02:51 PM

MTU CEO says no schedule for planned IPO yet (AFP via Yahoo! UK & Ireland Finance)

FRANKFURT (AFX) - Aircraft engine maker MTU has not yet decided when to launch its planned initial public offering, ...

Posted at 12:15 PM

Airline flies lonely skies of Michigan (South Bend Tribune)

IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. -- We land with a whisper, the little Cessna 402 touching down on the long runway like a slipper on velvet. The engines roar as the six-seater rolls to a stop.

Posted at 10:52 AM

Tesco to sell Wizz Air flights (AFP via Yahoo! UK & Ireland Finance)

LONDON (AFX) - UK retail giant Tesco PLC has branched out into air travel by linking up with European budget airline Wizz Air to sell flights at its stores in Hungary. ...

Posted at 09:47 AM

Munich freighter for Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways is taking advantage of the new bilateral agreement between the governments of Qatar and Germany by introducing a freighter route linking Doha with Munich. The thrice-weekly service becomes the third cargo route on the carrier's freighter network which also covers Chennai and Amsterdam, and is being operated non-stop by an Airbus A300-600F. [AMEInfo.com]

Posted at 05:21 AM