NewsShort-landing 737 crew failed to notify airport over damagePolish investigators have disclosed that an Air Europa Boeing 737-800 crew failed to inform airport or air traffic control after landing far short at Katowice and carving through the airport's approach light structures. Over 120 items of damage were recorded on the aircraft, including impacts to both wings, engines, flaps and the landing-gear.
LinkEtihad names new chief financial officerAbu Dhabi's Etihad Aviation Group has named ex-JetBlue Airways finance head Mark Powers as its new chief financial officer. He ultimately succeeds James Rigney who stepped down during last year's major management change.
LinkChina relaxes control on domestic fare pricingChina has lifted some controls on domestic airfares, giving airlines greater freedom in how they price tickets on more than 300 routes. On routes where there are more than five players, fares shall be subject to market forces, says the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
LinkFirst BelugaXL rolls out as work begins on secondAirbus has commenced work on a second BelugaXL transport following finalisation of structural assembly on the initial aircraft. The airframer has rolled out the first example of the XL – which is based on the A330 – following installation of the main freight door.
LinkThe reinvention of Romania's AerostarOn first appearance, Aerostar’s sprawling complex of buildings next to Bacau airport may reflect its heritage as a state-run enterprise focused on supporting the Romanian defence forces. But the country’s biggest aerospace company, founded 65 years ago, has reinvented itself in the past two decades from a potentially rusting post-communist relic to a stalwart of the second tier of the aerospace supply chain with customers including GKN and Airbus unit Premium Aerotec.
LinkSecond MC-21 to fly around end-FebruaryRussian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin expects the second Irkut MC-21-300 test aircraft to fly in late February or early March. Rogozin, who is in charge of the country's defence industry, says the initial test airframe has completed a total of 33 test flights.
LinkPiper gains US approval for G1000NXi-equipped pairPiper Aircraft has secured US validation for the next-generation Garmin G1000NXi integrated flightdeck on both its M500 single-engined turboprop and its M350 pressurised piston-single; deliveries of both aircraft are now under way. The airframer, based in Vero Beach, Florida, is planning to offer the NXi system as a retrofit option for earlier versions of those aircraft equipped with the standard G1000 suite. These include about 1,000 M350-derived Matrixes and Mirages and 700 Meridians, the first iteration of the M500.
LinkUS denies Raytheon radar protest on JSTARS Raytheon's Archimedes radar is out of the race to win a major contract after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirmed on 9 January that it rejected company's protest over the Air Force's decision to exclude it from a planned competition. The decision leaves Northrop Grumman's wide area surveillance radar as the sole sensor option for three different aircraft being proposed by Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop to replace the E-8C JSTARS fleet.
LinkBAE ignites unmanned interest with MagmaDubbed Magma, the sub-scale demonstrator has so far been flown with traditional controls installed on the wing. However, BAE says further flights over the coming months with the jet-powered type will "demonstrate the novel flight control technologies, with the ultimate aim of flying the aircraft without any moving control surfaces or fins".
LinkNigeria to acquire three JF-17 fightersNigeria's proposed 2018 budget document confirms that the African nation will obtain the Chengdu Pakistan Aeronautical Complex JF-17 fighter. The nation's 2018 budget allocation document indicates that N13.1 billion ($36 million) will be earmarked as partial payment for three JF-17s. The payment will also cover support equipment and spares.
LinkDassault Falcon deliveries stabilise as orders riseDeliveries of Falcon business jets remained flat in 2017, but, at 49 units, output was almost 9% higher than the 45 aircraft Dassault had forecast for period. It is the first time in five years that the French airframer has not recorded a year-on-year decline in deliveries.
LinkIAI to decide imminently on whether to launch business jetIsrael Aerospace Industries will take a decision imminently on whether to relaunch its own business jet. It comes 17 years after the Israeli defence giant divested its two aircraft programmes and their marketing and completions arm, Galaxy Aerospace to Gulfstream parent General Dynamics, and as Yosef Melamed, head of IAI’s new aviation group, looks to bolster the company's presence in non-military markets, following the merger of three former divisions.
LinkBoeing delivers 763 aircraft in 2017, looks to raise production ratesBoeing delivered 763 commercial aircraft in 2017, led by placements of 529 single-aisle 737s—including 74 re-engined MAX variants—and received 912 net orders, valued at nearly $135 billion at list prices.
LinkChinese carriers took delivery of 424 aircraft in 2017Chinese carriers introduced 424 aircraft—407 passenger aircraft and 17 freighters—in 2017, expanding their total fleet to 3,261 aircraft (3,118 passenger aircraft and 143 freighters) at year-end.
LinkTurkish Airlines orders three more Boeing 777FsOn Jan. 8, Boeing announced a Turkish Airlines order for three more 777 freighters the carrier placed in December 2017. The new order came weeks after the Istanbul-based airline took delivery of two of the large cargo jets as part of its plan to further expand its freight business.
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Russia resumes flights to EgyptRussia has restored permission for Russian airlines to fly to Egypt. The decision, which became effective Jan. 2, ended a ban that was imposed following the destruction of a Russian airliner by a terrorist bomb in October 2015. The aircraft, a Metrojet Airbus A321, crashed shortly after taking off from Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh. All 224 on board were killed. A local affiliate organization of the jihadist group Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the incident.
LinkMalaysia Airlines resumes Brisbane serviceMalaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) is strengthening its Australian network with the resumption of service to Brisbane, reflecting an improvement in the market in 2017. The carrier plans to restart its Kuala Lumpur–Brisbane route on June 6 with 4X-weekly flights using Airbus A330-300s.
LinkAir Astana completes 767 connectivity roll outKazakhstan national carrier Air Astana has finished rolling out Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) high-speed connectivity on its Boeing 767 fleet. The first of Air Astana’s three 767s went live in September 2017. On Jan. 8, 2018, the airline confirmed that the sub-fleet has now been retrofitted with inflight connectivity.
LinkLufthansa Group to hire more than 8,000 staff in 2018Lufthansa said it will hire more than 8,000 new employees in 2018—the majority will be flight attendants for various group airlines, including Eurowings and Austrian Airlines. Lufthansa mainline will be hiring around 2,500 flight attendants at its Frankfurt and Munich hubs.
LinkWizz Air to open Vienna baseWizz Air will open a new base in Vienna, Austria, and will base one Airbus A320 there from June. The Central and Eastern European LCC will deploy two additional A321s at Vienna in November, offering 17 new routes. Wizz Air said it will invest $331 million at the Vienna base, which will create 120 jobs. During 2018, the LCC plans to offer a total of 450,000 seats from Vienna on up to 69 weekly flights.
LinkSpring Airlines, CFM finalize LEAP-1A engine order for A320neosCFM International has finalized an agreement with China’s LCC Spring Airlines for the purchase of 120 LEAP-1A engines to power its 60 Airbus A320neo aircraft. The deal was signed in conjunction with French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to China.
LinkUnited Airlines adding 8 new nonstop routesIn June, United Airlines will add eight new nonstop routes that will connect smaller airports with its major hubs. The carrier added 10 new routes and two destinations in November.
LinkFedEx to open new facility in ShanghaiFedEx is preparing to open a new, 1.4-million-square-foot facility in Shanghai. Officials say the building will allow the company to better serve Chinese customers who are increasingly sending and receiving shipments from all over the world.
LinkHawaiian Airlines' new A321neo planes increase nonstop serviceHawaiian Airlines' new A321neo jets will enable the airline to operate more nonstop flights with lower fares for passengers. "The introduction of A321neo service to the western US heralds the dawn of a new era for Hawaiian Airlines and its guests," said Hawaiian Airlines executive Peter Ingram.
LinkHawaiian Airlines sees 4.1% increase in passengersHawaiian Airlines served 11,505,324 passengers in 2017, a 4.1% increase over 2016. The airline has enjoyed 13 consecutive years of growth.
LinkSouthwest launches new route from Tampa, Fla., to San DiegoSouthwest Airlines on Monday launched new nonstop service between Florida's Tampa International Airport and California's San Diego International Airport.
LinkPanasonic Avionics rolls out 3rd-generation networkPanasonic Avionics is launching its third-generation inflight connectivity product for airlines, featuring streaming video, video-enabled chat and voice-over-IP where permitted. The service will debut first with United Airlines and Southwest Airlines.
LinkPhiladelphia airport features outstanding diningTerminal B at Philadelphia International Airport has undergone renovations that included the addition of new gateside restaurants with an array of appealing food choices. Tabletop screens allow customers to order food and pay without waiting for a server to bring a check.
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