NewsAir China seeks approval for Houston-Panama routeAir China will apply to US Department of Transportation for a Beijing-Houston-Panama route on March 29, in an effort to explore the Latin American market. The twice-weekly Boeing 777-300ER service, which will be operated for at least one year, has secured Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) approval.
LinkPiper Lands Its Biggest Trainer Order EverPiper Aircraft accepted an order for 152 airplanes this week from a flight school in China, the largest single trainer order ever for the company. “This is a wonderful opportunity for both organizations as we work collectively to help address the global pilot shortage,” said Piper CEO Simon Caldecott. The seven-year, $74 million order came from Fanmei Aviation Technologies, a subsidiary of Sichuan Fanmei Education Group, a leading provider of aviation education in China.
LinkAegean Airlines closes in on fleet renewalGreek carrier Aegean Airlines is just three to four weeks away from a narrowbody renewal decision, as it prepares to grow to a 75-aircraft fleet by 2023. Aegean, which acquired Greek rival Olympic Air in 2013, currently operates 46 Airbus A320-family aircraft and 12 turboprops.
LinkVietnam Airlines delays plans for European expansionVietnam Airlines has postponed plans to add Berlin, Amsterdam or Rome to its network, as the market situations have changed and Middle East carriers and Turkish Airlines have become the toughest competitors, SVP-commercial Trinh Ngoc Thanh told ATW recently in Hanoi.
LinkAigle Azur to unveil new long-haul planFrench leisure airline Aigle Azur plans to present a new strategic plan next month, as it shifts attention beyond traditional short- and medium-haul routes toward long-haul operations. In December 2017 Aigle Azur ordered two Airbus A330-200 aircraft, which are scheduled to join its fleet in the first half of 2018
LinkFrontier unveils 35 mostly seasonal routesFrontier Airlines has announced dozens of seasonal routes that will begin operations beginning in April. The Denver-based airline will add Birmingham (Alabama), Myrtle Beach and Savannah to its route map as part of the addition of 35 routes. It will also resume service to Branson (Missouri), which it previously operated seasonal flights to. Among the 35 new routes, only two routes will be operated year-round: from Birmingham to Denver and to Orlando.
LinkFrance to buy more Rafales, A330 tankers under new spending planFrance has unveiled an ambitious and wide-ranging military modernisation programme that includes the acquisition of additional Dassault Rafale fighters, an all-new fleet of light helicopters and additional aerial refuelling tankers. Still to be ratified by lawmakers, the military spending plan, or LPM, covers the period 2019-2025.
LinkKorean Air returns to profit in 2017 on currency exchange rate gains
Korean Air reported a KRW479 billion ($440 million) net profit for the fourth quarter of 2017, reversed from a net loss of KRW672 billion in the year-ago period. The 4Q profit was boosted by major currency exchange rate gains. Gains related to exchange rate movements totaled KRW608 billion, compared to a loss of KRW884 billion last year.
LinkELINT version of C-2 transport conducts flight testsA Kawasaki Heavy Industries C-2 tactical tarnsport aircraft equipped for electronic intelligence (ELINT) has commenced test flights from Gifu air base in Japan. Images and video on social media show that the aircraft have several modifications from the baseline C-2.
LinkHonda Aircraft secures deal for 16 HondaJets from France's WijetHonda Aircraft has secured a memorandum of understanding for 16 HA-420 HondaJets from French air taxi company Wijet. The light business jets will replace the Paris-based operator’s fleet of 15 Cessna Citation Mustangs, with deliveries scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2018.
LinkAlgerie B736 at Toulouse on Feb 8th 2018, nose wheel separated on departureAn Air Algerie Boeing 737-600, registration 7T-VJR performing flight AH-1077 from Toulouse (France) to Oran (Algeria), departed Toulouse's runway 32R and climbed to cruise level. Enroute near Barcelona,SP (Spain) Spanish ATC informed the crew that French ATC had reported some piece had fallen off the aircraft at Toulouse, however, were unable to provide further details. The crew thus decided to continue the flight to Oran for a safe landing. Still unaware they had lost one of their nose wheels the crew taxied the aircraft to the apron, where ground staff advised the crew of the missing nosewheel.
LinkASL Aviation Holdings to close Spanish airlineIreland-based ASL Aviation Holdings will end operations at its Madrid-based operation, ASL Airlines Spain. The move follows less than a week after it handed back the air operator’s certificate for its Swiss operation and is part of a policy of what the group describes as reducing duplication, optimizing assets and creating centers of excellence across its European network.
LinkEhang Announces VTOL Passenger Flights
Ehang said this week they have flown “40 or so” passengers in their autonomous VTOL, the Ehang 184, and a video of the flights is now posted online. "Performing manned test flights enables us to demonstrate the safety and stability of our vehicles," said Ehang founder and CEO, Huazhi Hu.
LinkFour Companies Vie For New Zealand Airlifter BusinessFor the past couple of months, locals and visitors to Wellington, New Zealand, have been reminded of the country’s pending purchase of new airlifters—formally called the Future Air Mobility Capability (FAMC) Project—by billboards in the city and at its airport. Touting Embraer’s offering, they read “KC-390, The True First Responder.” Embraer is among a quartet of manufacturers vying to replace New Zealand’s aging fleet of five Lockheed C-130H
LinkBAE to upgrade HUD on UAE F-16 fleetLockheed Martin has tapped BAE Systems to upgrade heads-up displays (HUD) for the United Arab Emirates F-16 Block 60 fighters.
The work will see the aircraft's existing cathode ray tube projector with a digital projector, says BAE in a statement.
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