NewsCivil Aviation
JetBlue orders larger Airbuses as it defers Embraers
JetBlue Airways is to order another 35 Airbus jets but defer delivery of 24 Embraer 190s under a fleet restructuring plan which shifts the balance of the fleet towards larger aircraft types. The restructuring will also involve converting 18 of its A320 and A320neo orders to larger A321 and A321neo twinjets. "We believe these fleet changes will provide increased ability to match capacity and demand throughout our network and reduce costs, leading to improved shareholder returns over the long term," says JetBlue chief Dave Barger.
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Qatar Airways formally joins Oneworld
Qatar Airways has today formally joined Oneworld, becoming the first of the major Gulf carriers to join one of the global alliances. The Doha-based carrier joins after just a one-year accession period and becomes the alliance's 13th member. It is the second Middle Eastern member of Oneworld, alongside Royal Jordanian Airlines. "We are convinced the time is right clearly right...and Oneworld is clearly the best alliance," said Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker during a joining ceremony at Doha's new Hamad International airport on 29 October.
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Scandinavian's MD-80s bow out with special flight
Scandinavian Airlines’s final three Boeing MD-80s were retired from operations on 26 October, ending 28 years of service with the carrier. To mark the event, the airline performed a special service with one example, carrying out a 2h tour of Denmark. Flypasts were made at Aalborg and Billund airports, followed by the Storebælt and Øresund bridges.
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Airbus revives sharklet retrofit for older A320s
Airbus has restarted its sharklet retrofit program for older members of the A320 family, having secured commitments for about 200 sets from customers. It is formally offering the retrofit, initially for the A320 and A319, from 2015. The retrofit covers aircraft delivered before the introduction of the reinforced sharklet-capable wing which is now standard build for the type.
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Airbus To Deliver Minimum 25 A380s A Year
Airbus has kept its 2013 goals for the A380 despite a shortage of orders, but struck a more cautious note for future years, according to a newspaper interview. Chief executive Fabrice Bregier told French newspaper Les Echos that Airbus would both sell and deliver 25 of the world's largest passenger jets in 2013, meeting its targets. "We will deliver 25 this year. I have no intention of dropping below this rate in the years to come. The question is whether we will be able to increase sustainably to 30 aircraft.
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Boeing Ekes Out More Fuel Savings For 737 MAX
Boeing said on Tuesday that its next-generation 737 MAX jet will beat its previous fuel-efficiency target, delivering a 14 percent improvement, instead of the 13 percent gain promised earlier this year. The 1 percentage point increase follows firm design configuration of the jet and completion of engineering reviews that confirmed the improvement over existing single-aisle jets, Boeing said.
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China's COMAC Gets 20 More C919 Orders
Commercial Aircraft of China (COMAC) has secured an order for 20 C919s, bringing total orders for China's only homegrown commercial jet to 400. Shanghai-based COMAC said the latest order is from the finance leasing arm of the Industrial Bank, making the Chinese lender its 16th client for the C919.
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AW609 tiltrotor progresses as AgustaWestland eyes future
Even as AgustaWestland continues to refine the performance of its developmental AW609 civil tiltrotor, the airframer is considering its future plans for the design. Clive Scott, program manager for the AW609, says it could easily increase the size of the aircraft, which can presently accommodate nine passengers. “The design is inherently scalable, which arguably is not the case with some of our competitors. “Work is ongoing for the future - we are looking at opportunities; we are looking at the next generation.”
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BAE Systems poised to commence South Korea F-16 upgrades
Fresh from its successful campaign win of an avionics upgrade program for South Korea’s 134 Lockheed Martin F-16s, BAE Systems is eyeing similar opportunities globally. The UK firm beat Lockheed Martin in a competition for the upgrade deal in late 2012, which was followed by Seoul’s announcement in March 2013 that it had selected Raytheon’s Advanced Combat Radar (RACR) for the radar component of the enhancement. BAE’s vice-president global fighter programs John Bean said that BAE expects Seoul to sign the letter of agreement for both the avionics and radar upgrades by the end of 2013.
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US Navy considers extending F/A-18 procurement into fiscal year 2015
The US Navy is considering ordering additional Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft in fiscal 2015, despite current plans to cease procurement in the current 2014 fiscal year, which ends on 30 September. In a pre-solicitation notice posted on FedBizOpps.gov, the Naval Air Systems Command says it “intends to solicit and negotiate a fixed-price” contract with Boeing for up to 36 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and E/A-18G Growler aircraft in FY2015. The notice comes amid concern about ending F/A-18E/F production in a time of uncertainly about the readiness of the Lockheed Martin F-35C Joint Strike Fighter.
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JetBlue announces Q3 profit and fleet restructuring plan
JetBlue Airways reported its third-quarter earnings increased 58%. The airline's net income for the quarter was $71 million, or 21 cents per share, an increase from $45 million, or 14 cents a share, when compared to the same quarter of 2012. The airline also announced plans to optimize its fleet strategy to match passenger demand and reduce costs by deferring 24 Embraer 190 aircraft from 2014-2018 to 2020-2022; converting 18 Airbus A320 positions to A321s; and, an incremental order for 15 A321ceo and 20 A321neo aircraft. President and CEO Dave Barger commented on the fleet restructuring plan, saying, "While the E190 is critical to our continued success in Boston and San Juan, we are now at the point where our network growth calls for larger-gauge aircraft." Barger said the airline also expects the "fleet restructuring plan will allow us to accelerate attractive growth opportunities at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport."
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Alaska updates minimum check in policy to 40 minutes
Alaska is increasing its minimum check-in time for all customers from 30 to 40 minutes on most domestic flights. In a statement, Jeff Butler, Alaska Airlines' vice president of customer service, airports and cargo said, "Our previous policy sent a mixed message by having different cutoff times, depending on the airport and whether a customer is checking bags. The new policy will make check-in times the same for everyone, making it easier for passengers to remember the cutoff, regardless of how they are checking in and whether they're checking a bag. A consistent cut-off time should make things easier for customers and employees alike." The minimum check-in time for international flights remains 60 minutes.
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Hawaiian predicts revenue increase from hotel rooms, car rentals
Hawaiian Airlines predicts revenue will double from selling car rentals and hotel rooms on its website over the next three of four years. "We've got plans in place on how to sell that better in the future," Peter Ingram, chief commercial officer for Hawaiian Holdings, the parent company of Hawaiian Airlines.
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4 airports file "friend of court" brief in support of AA-US Airways merger
Airports in Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Charlotte, N.C., filed an "amicus curiae" or "friend of the court" brief on Monday in support of the proposed American Airlines-US Airways merger. "As set forth below, amicus all operate international hub airports hosting flights by American and/or US Airways," the airports said in the filing. The brief also commented that the merged airlines would provide more travel options for passengers.
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Boeing considers larger 777X role for S.C. plant, sources say
Boeing could ramp up the role of its facility in North Charleston, S.C., in building the 777X, sources say. The nonunion plant could perform final assembly of the stretched version of the 777, as well as build carbon-fiber composite wings. "We are studying our options," a Boeing spokesman said.
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DOJ, airlines agrees to mediator for merger case
US Airways, American Airlines and the Department of Justice have agreed to turn to a mediator to try to negotiate a settlement for the government's lawsuit against the proposed merger between the two carriers. If the three parties do not reach a settlement, a trial will proceed as scheduled, starting on Nov. 25.
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Column: Amazon tested devices on planes
Paul Misener, who heads up public policy for Amazon, led a committee that is recommending the Federal Aviation Administration allow the use of electronic devices on board airplanes for the full duration of flight. His company tested the use of Kindle devices on planes to show the devices would not interrupt the flight.
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European airlines maintain capacity discipline
European carriers may face extra capacity over the winter months, analysts say. "Our goal is to keep capacity discipline," said a Lufthansa spokesman. The carrier plans to increase capacity by 1.1% this winter.
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NYC airports continue to see upgrades to customer experience
While a new report says that the three big New York airports -- LaGuardia, JFK and Newark-Liberty -- should boost amenities for customers, Mary Kirby, founder of Runway Girl Network, pointed to the heavy investments that airlines and airport vendors have already made to improve the experience. "[T]ake Delta Air Lines' award-winning Sky Deck terrace at New York JFK Terminal 4 and OTG Management's iPad ordering system at New York LaGuardia," she said. "These innovations underscore the fact that some airlines and vendors are making a concerted effort to improve the passenger experience on the ground. New York airports are not standing still."
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Miami airport adds amenities, routes
The Miami International Airport introduced two new amenities earlier this month. The Clover Irish Pub opened on Oct. 15, and GNC opened a health store on Oct. 8. The airport also inaugurated a new route from Miami to Calgary, in Alberta, Canada, on Monday.
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Aviation Quote
We're going to bomb them back into the stone Age.
— General Curtis E. LeMay USAF, Mission with LeMay: My Story,1965.
On This Date
---In 1908... Henry Farman performs the 1st cross-country flight in Europe as well as the 1st flight between two towns.
---In 1909... Claude Moore-Brabazon wins a £1,000 prize offered by the Daily Mail for a circular flight of one mile.
---In 1967… A-12 (932) is the first and only Blackbird ever to sustain flak damage. Flown by Denny Sullivan. At least 6 missiles were fired and confirmed by photography. Pilot witnessed 3 missile detonations behind the A-12. Traveling at Mach 3.1, 84,000 feet. Post flight inspection revealed the flakdamage. (Q)
---In 1979… Sir Barnes Wallis dies, aged 82.
---In 2006…Arik Air commences operations.
---In 2006…Mango, the low-cost South African airline is founded.
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Russian War College
At the Russian War College, the general is a guest lecturer and tells the class of officers that the session will focus on potential problems and the resulting strategies. One of the officers in the class begins by asking the first question,
"Will we have to fight a World War Three?"
"Yes, comrades, looks like you will," answers the general.
"And who will be our enemy, Comrade General?" another officer asks.
"The likelihood is that it will be China."
The class looks alarmed, and finally one officer asks, "But Comrade General, we are 150 million people and they are about 1.5 billion. How can we possibly win?"
"Well," replies the general, "Think about it. In modern war, it is not the quantity, but the quality that is the key. For example, in the Middle East, 5 million Jews have fought against 50 million Arabs, and the Jews have been the winners every time."
"But Comrade General," asks the panicky officer, "Do we have enough Jews"?
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