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Airbus To Decide On A380 Update This Year
Airbus will decide around the end of 2015 on how to update the A380, chief executive Thomas Enders was quoted saying by German business weekly WirtschaftsWoche. "The board of directors will certainly need until the end of the year to form a comprehensive overview of the situation and to make decisions," he said in remarks published on Friday.
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Bombardier works to boost appeal of CRJ, Q400
Bombardier plans to reinvigorate its marketing efforts on the Q400 turboprop and CRJ regional jet after admitting that it has neglected the two aircraft in recent years. In addition, it is evaluating future engine options and other changes for both types in a bid to drive performance improvements. “I think we took our eye slightly off the ball,” says Colin Bole, senior vice-president sales and aircraft management at the Canadian airframer. “We will put more emphasis on marketing both the Q400 and CRJ in future.”
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CSeries ferry flight operated 'typical airliner' profile
Bombardier's CSeries operated at "typical airliner" cruise speeds for its first transatlantic flights to make its appearance at Le Bourget, test pilot Mark Elliott has revealed. "The entire cruise was operated at Mach 0.78 and flight time was just under 7h," says Elliott, who is CSeries liaison pilot at Bombardier and piloted CS100 FTV-5 across from Montreal.
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Bombardier unveils improved CSeries performance
Bombardier took the offensive on the eve of the 2015 Paris air show, announcing that its flagship CSeries aircraft will have even better performance than the company had previously predicted. The CS100 and CS300, both of which are making their debut at the show, will have a range of 3,300nm (6,112km), which is 350nm more than previously listed in the Montreal-based company’s specification sheets for the types.
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Column looks at projected global aircraft demand
Boeing has announced projected demand for the next 10 years. It expects the global fleet to more than double -- from 21,600 to 43,560. The company expects about two-thirds of the 38,050 new orders will be for narrowbody craft.
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How feasible is a 757 replacement?
There would have to be a market of at least 2,000 aircraft to prompt one of the big airframers to launch a product to fill the middle-of-the-market gap between their largest narrowbodies and smallest twin-aisles. Prompted by a number of customers, Boeing is considering a replacement for its 757 narrowbody, seating 220-240 passengers. However, skeptics doubt whether there is sufficient demand for such a type without Airbus or Boeing cannibalizing sales of existing models.
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CFM expects Leap-1A certification in 'coming weeks'
CFM International plans to wrap up certification testing "within the coming weeks" for the Airbus A320neo-family's Leap-1A turbofan option after completing a milestone test on 13 June, the engine maker's executive vice-president Allen Paxson has disclosed. Flight testing of the Leap-1A on board the A320neo began on 19 May without the engine first achieving certification, but Airbus is operating the aircraft under no restrictions, Paxson said in an interview.
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Honeywell debuts its 757 test aircraft
Honeywell has brought an industry veteran to Paris in the form of its Boeing 757 test aircraft, with this particular example making its Le Bourget debut. The avionics-to-APUs manufacturer describes the former passenger aircraft - line number 5 - as a "flying science laboratory" which it uses to test all of its development technology.
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France displays Fokker 100 with a lot of Rafale inside
Among the aircraft making their first visits to the show this year is a Fokker 100. That might not sound special, but this example differs significantly from commercially-operated examples of the regional twin-jet, because it is in fact part Dassault Rafale fighter. On display outside Thales’s exhibit and operated by the DGA defence procurement agency’s CEV flight-test unit from Cazaux.
LinkAirlines
All Nippon Airways, United launch partnership to support small- and medium-sized enterprises
All Nippon Airways and United Airlines have announced what they are calling the Asia Joint Venture Simple Program. The program will offer discounted rates to small- and medium-sized businesses throughout southeast Asia when their employees travel anywhere in the Americas. "SMEs play a vital role in our local and regional economies. We're delighted to support SMEs with this new program," said Alison Espley, United Airlines managing director of Japan and Asia-Pacific sales.
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American Airlines announces service between Auckland, Los Angeles
American will begin direct service between Auckland, New Zealand and LAX in 2016, according to a recent announcement.
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Delta announces new head of Europe, Middle East, African operations
Delta Air Lines has named Nathaniel Pieper the head of Europe, the Middle East and Africa operations. Pieper previously served as a vice president. He is expected to focus on maximizing the growth of Delta's joint ventures in the region. "Nat's outstanding record of strategic fleet management, combined with his experience of forging world-class partnerships, will keep Delta on course for success on the transatlantic, continuing the great work achieved under Perry Cantarutti," said Delta President Ed Bastian.
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France Opens Criminal Inquiry Into Germanwings Co-Pilot
A French prosecutor has formally opened a criminal inquiry into the Germanwings plane crash in March that killed 150 people to investigate whether mistakes were made in monitoring the psychological health of the co-pilot. A preliminary report into the crash of the A320 in the French Alps found first officer Andreas Lubitz locked the captain out of the cockpit and deliberately steered the plane into a mountain.
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Top chefs will concoct dishes for Hawaiian Airlines passengers
First-class passengers on Hawaiian Airlines will enjoy the fare of five top chefs, including Chef Jon Matsubara of Waikiki's Japengo and Sheldon Simeon of Mala Wailea. It's part of the airline's Featured Chef Series, but the airline's executive chef Chai Chaowasaree will continue to create dishes for passengers, as well.
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JetBlue is anticipating strong second quarter
JetBlue Airlines expects passenger revenue per available seat mile to increase up to 1.5% in this quarter compared to last year.
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Lufthansa Cabin Crew Union Raises Prospect Of Strikes
German cabin crew union UFO said that mediation with Lufthansa over pensions and pay looked unlikely to result in an agreement, raising the prospect of more strike action at the airline. Lufthansa is engaged in talks with various staff groups as it seeks to bring down costs and revamp pension schemes to ensure it can compete with low-cost airlines and expanding Middle East rivals.
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Malaysia Air Makes Emergency Landing In Melbourne
A Malaysia Airlines flight returned safely to Melbourne after turning back within minutes of take-off after an engine fire alert went off. The Airbus A330 aircraft MH148 was carrying 300 passengers and heading to Kuala Lumpur. "There was an emergency declared, there was an 'engine fire' alert in the cabin. The plane proceeded to dump the fuel and returned to land and it landed safely at the aviation rescue sites," a spokeswoman at Airservices Australia said.
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Gateway Consortium To Buy TAP Stake
A consortium led by American-Brazilian investor David Neeleman will take control of Portuguese state airline TAP, ending a sales process that has faced strong opposition from many unions. The winning consortium is called Gateway and is led by Neeleman and Portuguese bus company owner Humberto Pedrosa. Neeleman was the founder of US airline JetBlue and is chief executive of Brazilian airline Azul.
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Airlines post strong operational performance results
U.S. airlines completed more than 99% of their flights in April, and have increased on-time arrivals to an industry average 81.8%.
LinkAirports
Delta unveils $229 million upgrade to Los Angeles International Airport
Delta Air Lines has unveiled the results of its $229 million upgrade to LAX terminal 5. The refurbished terminal includes a new pre-security lounge for Delta ONE and VIP customers, the lounge comes with a system to move these passengers through security and to boarding more quickly and efficiently. Delta also made extensive upgrades to its regular Sky Club facilities.
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Military
Airbus waits on approval to resume A400M deliveries
Airbus test pilots Ignacio “Nacho” Lombo and Tony Flynn are putting the A400M through its full display paces this week, as the company continues to wait on a Spanish military decision on whether to allow it resume flight testing the type for its customers. Restrictions were imposed following a fatal crash in Seville, Spain on 7 May, and Airbus is now sitting on an increasing stock of newly-manufactured aircraft, which it is unable to fly.
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JF-17 wins first export order
The Chengdu/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex JF-17 Thunder fighter has secured its first confirmed export deal. “A contract has been signed with an Asian country,” says Air Commodore Khalid Mahmood, the Pakistan air force officer who leads sales and marketing efforts for the type. Citing client sensitivities, he declined to specify the customer and the number of aircraft it will obtain. Deliveries will start in 2017.
LinkRotary WIng
Bell bullish on V-22 and V-280 tiltrotors
Bell Helicopter arrives at Paris confident that production of the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor will extend well into the mid-2020s, despite output falling this year to 21 aircraft from 2014’s high of 37 units. Produced in partnership with Boeing, the Osprey has so far secured only the US Marine Corps and US Air Force as customers. The program entered into its second multi-year contract with Washington late last year, guaranteeing production until 2020.
LinkGeneral Aviation
Daher debuts TBM 900 turboprop single
French airframer Daher’s latest iteration of its high-speed turboprop, the TBM 900, is making its Paris air show debut, 15 months after entering service. “This show provides an ideal setting for us to promote the TBM 900, not only to business and corporate users but also to international governments and agencies,” says director of product marketing for Daher's airline business unit Philippe de Segovia.
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Aviation Quote
I really don't know one plane from the other. To me they are just marginal costs with wings.
— Alfred Kahn, 1977.
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