NewsCommercial
Boeing sees large narrowbodies appeal in Asia
Boeing expects that larger variants of the 737, or even a new middle-of-the-market aircraft will have major appeal to operators in Asia-Pacific. Speaking during a presentation at the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines’ annual Assembly of Presidents, senior vice-president of sales in Asia-Pacific and India Dinesh Keskar, said that carriers in the region, especially those in Oceania, “have a significant interest in the middle of the market airplane”.
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Airbus ramping up to meet production targets
Airbus is confident that it will meet its production targets for the year, despite the persistent hold-ups on the A350 and A320neo lines. Chief operating officer customers John Leahy told reporters in Manila that the manufacturer is working hard to meet is targets during the fourth quarter, and is looking at ways to avoid the rush over those three months to meet its quota.
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Airbus A350-1000 first flight scheduled for Nov. 24
The Airbus A350-1000, the larger variant of the A350 slated to seat 366 passenger in a typical three-class configuration, will fly for the first time Nov. 24, according to an Airbus statement.
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Second MRJ arrives in US
A second flight test aircraft from the MRJ regional jet programme has arrived at the airframer’s US test facility in Moses Lake after a 14,000km journey. FTA-4 took off from Nagoya Airfield at 09:35 local time on 15 November and arrived at Grant County International airport in Washington at 06:46 local time on 19 November, says Mitsubishi Aircraft. In between, the aircraft made stops at Guam International airport, Majuro International airport in Marshall Islands, Honolulu International airport and San Jose International airport.
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Boeing names GE’s McAllister new Commercial Airplanes CEO
Boeing has named GE Aviation Services president and CEO Kevin McAllister the new president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, replacing Ray Conner. The leadership change is effective immediately, but Conner will remain as a Boeing vice chairman through 2017 and “will work closely with McAllister in the months ahead on a purposeful hand-off of customer, supplier, and community and government relationships, and to ensure continuity of operations and customer support,” Boeing said in a statement, adding that Conner also will “remain involved in ongoing product development strategy at Commercial Airplanes.”
LinkAirlines
Air Mauritius Group profit more than doubles in FY 2Q
The Air Mauritius Group recorded profits of €13.8 million ($14.6 million) for 2Q in its 2016-17 financial year. This more than doubled the figure for the same period a year ago when it earned €5.8 million. Revenue for the Group rose 2.1% to €131.1 million. Profit for the airline section of the Group was €13.6 million, compared to €5.7 million last time.
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Report: Alaska Air Group could soon see DOJ approval for Virgin America buy
Alaska Air Group is close to winning regulatory approval for its $2.6 billion merger with Virgin America, according to a Reuters report. The Department of Justice review of the deal could finish by month's end.
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EgyptAir denies 737-800 deferral reports
EgyptAir has denied reports it has asked Boeing to defer delivery of a batch of 737-800s. The Egyptian flag carrier said Nov. 21 that reports in several international media outlets last week, quoting the country’s civil aviation minister Sharif Fathi as saying the carrier had asked for the deferral, were incorrect.
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Etihad, TUI Group in final talks to create new leisure airline
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Aviation Group and German holiday company TUI Group are in final discussions to create a European leisure airline group, which is expected to operate 60 aircraft on point-to-point services to key tourist markets. The deal is expected to be finalized at a Nov. 23 board meeting. “The new, yet-to-be named airline will have a market share in the Germany/Austria/Switzerland leisure business of 35%,” a source involved in the negotiations SAID.
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GOL revises 2016 financial guidance
São Paulo-based low-cost carrier (LCC) GOL has revised is 2016 financial guidance following the airline’s third-quarter results. GOL’s total seat guidance for the year was revised downward one percentage point to -17%; GOL’s total volume of departures for the full year was also revised downward by one point, to -17%.
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Lufthansa Group faces strikes Nov. 22-23
Lufthansa Group will be affected by two strikes Nov. 22-23. On Nov. 22, Lufthansa low-cost subsidiary Eurowings said its trade union Verdi announced a cabin crew strike at Dusseldorf and Hamburg from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m. local time.
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Oman Air opens Muscat training center
Gulf airline Oman Air has opened a training center for flight deck and cabin crews at its hub in Muscat, the Omani capital. The Oman Air Flight Training Centre (OAFTC) will help the national carrier train more personnel as it steadily ramps up the size of its fleet in the next few years. The airline had a 35-strong fleet in January 2015. That figure has now increased to 45 and will climb to 70 by 2020.
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Salam Air receives first A320
New Omani startup Salam Air has received the first of three aircraft, an Airbus A320 leased from South America’s LATAM Group, as the low-cost carrier (LCC) prepares to begin services by the end of the year. The LCC is in the final stages of gaining an air operator’s certificate from the Public Authority for Civil Aviation.
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United Continental expands service to smaller cities
United Continental is expanding into as many as 20 smaller cities throughout the US as it looks to compete with other larger airlines and low-cost carriers.
LinkMilitary
Lockheed awarded $1.2 billion for Korean F-16 upgrades
After a lengthy negotiating process, the South Korean government awarded a $1.2 billion contract to upgrade 134 Lockheed Martin F-16C/Ds to the F-16V standard, the US Department of Defense announced on 18 November. The award comes more 16 months after the US State Department cleared South Korea to purchase the upgrade package, which includes the Northrop Grumman APG-81 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR), new modular mission computers, upgraded electronic warfare suites and second generation joint helmet mounted cueing systems.
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Korea pursuing KFX technology through future offset deals
After the US denied South Korea export licenses for active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for its future KFX fighter, Seoul is in talks with Washington over acquiring lower technologies for the jet. In 2015, the US denied Korea’s request for AESA radar, infrared search and track, electro-optical target tracking devices, and jammer technology transfers. During a panel at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington this week, Seoul’s minister of Defense Acquisition and Procurement Administration says Korea will pursue other US technologies while continuing domestic development of its own AESA. Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD) is developing its own radar and the first prototype is slated for late 2020, FlightGlobal previously reported. The country’s defense technology is not yet on par with the US, though the country is making progress, DAPA Minister Myoung-jin Chang says.
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First flight for upgraded Merlin HC4
Leonardo conducted the maiden sortie on 24 October of the UK Royal Navy’s first AgustaWestland AW101 raised to the new HC4 standard. Taking place at the manufacturer’s facility in Yeovil in southwest England, the modifications are part of a £330 million ($410 million) contract to upgrade a total of 25 Merlin HC3/3A aircraft.
LinkRegulatory
President-elect Trump seems supportive of ATC reform
Transportation leaders in both the House and Senate believe the case for modernizing our skies has strengthened and air traffic control reform could progress under the Trump administration. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee chairman, said that the Federal Aviation Administration has spent billions of dollars without bringing fundamental change to ATC management. "Congress has different options, and we will continue to explore them, but the case for changing the FAA's approach to air traffic control modernization has become stronger," said Thune.
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Aviation Quote
If we maintain our faith in God, love of freedom, and superior global air power, the future [of the US] looks good.
- General Curtis Lemay
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Trivia
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
The Blackbird was constructed mainly of what material?
The temperature of the skin at Mach 3 was in excess of what temperature?
How many SR-71s were built? How many were lost in accidents?
The first flight of the SR-71 was on? What year did it become operational?
What engines did the SR-71 use? How much thrust did they produce?
At high Mach number cruise, what part of the engine produced the most thrust? (Inlet, compressor, exhaust, etc)
If the shockwave in the inlet was not properly adjusted, what was the term given to what would happen next?
What limited the SR-71’s speed (Altitude, barometric pressure, etc)? And what was that limit.
What was used to cool the leading edges and electrical components?
What color were the tires?
What feature was used on the skin panels to allow for contraction and expansion?
Before GPS was around, what type of navigation was best suited to the SR-71, and what was the name of the system?
What type of fuel did the SR-71 use?
What was used to start the J-58s?
What color temporarily flashed as the J-58 ignited?
What was the destination of the final SR-71 flight?
