The T-37 Tweet officially retired and the 80^th Flying Training Wing replaced the prominent trainer aircraft with the T-6A Texan II.

Retired Navy Rear Adm. James Maslowski handed the “set of keys” to Col. David Petersen, 80^th FTW Commander David Petersen, to signify the wing’s acceptance of the first two trainers.

“We are pleased that you are beginning training in the T-6, but it also marks the end of a historical aircraft, the T-37,” Admiral Maslowski said.

Sheppard Air Force Base currently has eight T-6As on its ramp, but will receive a total of 69 over the next 18 months. Base officials have 74 T-37s at this time.

The two aircraft taxied up to a vintage AT-6 Texan a little after 3 p.m. Colonel Petersen piloted the first aircraft, with Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Steering Committee Chairman Royal Netherlands Air Force Air Commodore Peter Berlijn in the back seat. The second T-6A was piloted by Capt. Brian Wood, an instructor pilot at the 89th Flying Training Squadron. Italian Brig. Gen. Franco Marsiglia, the steering committee’s incoming chairman, was also in the second aircraft.

Two airline companies merged upon approval by the directors of Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines last April 14, 2008 Monday and this merge will result into the world’s largest airline.

According to Delta Airlines, the Atlanta-based combined airline will have $17.7 billion enterprise value.  Richard Anderson, CEO of Delta, will head the merger and therefore it will retain the Delta name.

Last year, both airlines emerged from bankruptcy protection.  Thus, the merger will provide employees great job security and stability as the cost of fuel became higher and increased competition.  Customers will also benefit from the merger with competitive fairs and more flight choices, according to officials.

The airline and its regional partners combined will offer flights to nearly 400 destinations in 67 countries.  Officials said that they expect $1 billion to generate in their annual revenue through more effective use of aircraft, a comprehensive and diversified route system, reduced overhead and improved operational efficiency.

Last April 3rd, the T-37 Tweet formally retired from Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training here after 39 years of service as the gateway to the sky for more than 10,000 Air Force aviators. Columbus Air Force Base was the last Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training base flying the T-37, but the T-37 Tweet will continue to be used in the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program at Sheppard AFB, Texas.

“If you are a flier or a maintainer of any airplane, there is an emotional attachment,” said Maj. Gen. Irving L. Halter Jr., the 19th Air Force commander. “The T-37 is a part of the fabric of Air Force aviation as well as American aviation.”

“The T-37 has been a symbol of Air Force pilot training for half a century,” said Lt. Col. David Johnson, the 37th Flying Training Squadron commander. “While getting newer aircraft is always a good thing, the Tweet was a living, breathing piece of pilot training heritage being used on a daily basis to train our young men and women.”

The retirement ceremony ended with a four-ship T-37 Tweet fly over by members of the 37th Flying Training Squadron.

“Goodbye, old girl. We are going to miss you,” General Halter said. “You have done much for this nation and have made dreams come true.

In the Airline Inflight Entertainment Survey commissioned and conducted by Skytrax Research of London, Emirates came out on top and won the 2007 Best Airline Inflight Entertainment Award. The data was gathered using online customer surveys, business research group interviews, customer telephone interviews, and selected passenger interviews.

More than 90 different nationalities participated in the survey. Respondents nominated airlines based on the quality attributes for the following factors:

• Best total quality of inflight entertainment
• Best selection of movies (including language choices)
• Best selection of “short/magazine” video programs
• Best selection of audio programming
• Best selection of games and other interactive options
• Reliability of AVOD programming
• Ease of usage for AVOD program systems
• Quality of headset/sound quality

The top 5 airlines according to the survey are:

1. Emirates
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Cathay Pacific
4. Korean Air
5. Virgin Atlantic