NewsCommercial
Airbus posts 19 commercial aircraft orders in October
Airbus reported firm orders* for a total of 19 commercial aircraft in October, valued at approximately $2 billion at list prices, from three undisclosed customers. The Toulouse-based manufacturer’s biggest order for the month came Oct. 20 when an undisclosed customer placed a firm order for 10 A320neos, valued at $1.1 billion. Another undisclosed customer ordered three A321ceos and two A320ceos on Oct.6, valued at $540.7 million; a third undisclosed customer ordered four A319ceos on Oct. 31, valued at $358.4 million.
LinkAirlines
Air Astana takes delivery of first Airbus A320neo in the CIS
Air Astana has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320neo, becoming the first airline in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to operate the type. The aircraft, which is Airbus’s 35th of the type, is powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G geared turbofan (GTF) engines. It features a two-class cabin layout, seating 16 passengers in business and 132 in economy.
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Air Canada posts profit growth of 76% for third quarter
Air Canada's reported net profits rose by 76% for the third quarter to $586.6 million. The airline's capacity increased by 21% for the period compared to 2015.
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Alaska Airlines adds capacity to Boise-Seattle route
On June 4, Alaska Airlines will begin flying a mainline Boeing 737 between Boise and Seattle, the Boise Airport announced Monday. The 737 service, once per day in each direction, will replace a smaller regional jet, such as the Embraer 175 or Bombardier Q400, adding approximately 60 seats per day to/from the Seattle market.
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American beats out Delta for Los Angeles-Beijing route award
American Airlines has been chosen over Delta Air Lines to operate daily Los Angeles (LAX)-Beijing (PEK) flights. Both carriers had applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for the route rights in March, seeking to become the only US airline operating nonstop LAX-PEK service. DOT has tentatively awarded the route to Dallas/Fort Worth-based American.
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Asiana Airlines swings to profit in 3Q
South Korean carrier Asiana Airlines posted a third-quarter net profit of KRW152.6 billion ($133.1 million), reversing a loss of KRW62.2 billion in the same period last year. Total third-quarter revenue rose 9.4% to KRW1.6 trillion. Operating profit for the quarter rose to KRW151.6 billion, versus KRW45.5 billion last year.
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China Southern nearly triples net profit in 3Q
China Southern Airlines reported a third-quarter net profit of CNY3.3 billion ($495 million), nearly tripled from a net income of CNY1.2 billion in the year-ago quarter. Operating revenue rose 1.8% to CNY32.6 billion while operating expenses fell 5.8% to CNY29.1 billion because of a 33% decrease in exchange rate losses.
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Pacific island carrier PNG Air converts five ATR 72-600 options
Papua New Guinea carrier PNG Air has converted five options for ATR 72-600 regional turboprops into firm orders. The carrier ordered six ATR 72-600s and took 14 options in 2014. It is scheduled to receive the fifth of its original firm order by the end of 2016. The option conversion is valued at $134 million. The last of the new batch will be delivered by 2022.
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Southwest Airlines reports uptick in RPMs for Oct.
Southwest Airlines reported a 5.2% uptick in revenue passenger miles for October for a total of 10.5 billion. Capacity for the airline was up 5.4% to 12.2 billion available seat miles.
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Tianjin Airlines looks to international markets
China’s Tianjin Airlines plans to open a second route to London and begin operations from its home city to Paris in 2017. The airline, based in the major port city of Tianjin, around 100km southeast of Beijing, is making a rapid entry to the international arena.
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Russia’s UTair Aviation receives Moscow-Berlin designation
Russia’s UTair Aviation has received approval for 14X-weekly Moscow-Berlin service, according to a statement by Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency. Previously, Aeroflot subsidiary Rossiya Airlines had these rights. The Moscow-Berlin service is currently operated by Russia’s Sheremetyevo-based Aeroflot, which flies to Berlin Schönefeld, and S7 Airlines, which started Moscow Domodedovo-Berlin Tegel flights in March 2016.
LinkAirports
JetBlue celebrates 3 years at Worcester Regional Airport
JetBlue's service connecting Worcester Regional Airport and two destinations in Florida has attracted 350,000-plus travelers over the past three years. "As we celebrate our third anniversary at Worcester Regional Airport, JetBlue is as committed as ever to offering the Commonwealth [of Massachusetts] our award-winning service and low fares," said JetBlue's Jeff Goodell.
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Military
US Marine Corps investigating cause of F-35B fire
Two systems, including the Honeywell-supplied integrated power package (IPP) linked to a previous aircraft fire, failed as a fire erupted inside the weapons bay of a US Marine Corps Lockheed Martin F-35B on a 27 October training mission. Sensors onboard the aircraft detected a fire in the right weapons bay and failures of the IPP and a hydraulics system while the aircraft was flying in the airport's landing pattern, according to a mishap report released by the Naval Safety Center.
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IAF to replace Sea Scan fleet with Heron 1 in MPA role
The Israeli air force (IAF) is phasing out its Israel Aerospace Industries Sea Scan 1124 maritime patrol aircraft, with the company’s Heron 1 unmanned air vehicle set to take over in this role. The three-strong Sea Scan fleet has become costly to maintain, so persistent maritime patrol missions will instead be carried out using the maritime version of the Heron 1.
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Aviation Quote
When asked why he was referred to as 'Ace':
Because during World War Two I was responsible for the destruction of six aircraft, fortunately three were enemy.
- Captain Ray Lancaster, USAAF.
Daily Video
Editor's Choice
Trivia
General Trivia
Q.1 What new technology for a commercial airliner was introduced by Boeing on the 787-9?
Adaptive bypass ratio engines
Hybrid laminar flow control
Aero-elastic wings
Automated speech recognition for cockpit commands
Q.2 Which new aircraft concept did NOT emerge from either Airbus or Boeing in 2014?
A321neoLR
737 Max 200
A330-800
757 Max
Q.3 How many flight hours had been amassed by four Bombardier CS100s from first flight on 16 September 2013 to a grounding caused by an engine failure on 29 May 2014?
About 300
Nearly 2,400
Slightly more than 600
Less than 100
Q.4 Which country would have been the site of a Dash 8 Q400 assembly plant if negotiations with Bombardier had not failed?
China
Brazil
Russia
USA
Q.5 What Asia-Pacific carrier operates the world’s longest route?
Singapore Airlines: SIN-JFK
Cathay Pacific: HKG-LHR
All Nippon Airways: NRT-ATL
Qantas Airways: DFW-SYD
Q.6 Which Russian air defense system was identified by US officials as the source of an alleged missile attack that caused Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 to crash in Ukraine on 17 July?
Tor-M1
S-300
Patriot
Buk
Q.7 Which US carrier ordered 50 Airbus A350s?
Delta Air Lines
United Airlines
American Airlines
JetBlue Airways
Q.8 In April, Mesa Air Lines agreed to buy four regional aircraft from a mothballed Alitalia fleet. What type were they?
Sukhoi Superjet 100
Embraer ERJ 145
Bombardier CRJ900
ATR 72
Q.9 In its investigation of the 2013 battery fire on a Japan Airlines 787 at Boston’s Logan airport, the US NTSB raised quality control concerns about which Japanese supplier to Boeing?
Mitsubishi
Takamatsu
Panasonic
GS Yuasa
Q.10 Which Middle Eastern carrier is taking a 49% stake in Alitalia as part of a bid to save the troubled Italian flag carrier?
Emirates
Gulf Air
Etihad
Royal Jordanian Airlines
