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Commercial

Rolls-Royce pulls out of running to power Boeing NMA
In a shocking move, Rolls-Royce is withdrawing from the contest to power Boeing’s proposed new midsize airplane (NMA), citing challenges presented by the aircraft’s tight development schedule. The decision, which was revealed ahead of the engine maker’s full-year financial results, comes as Boeing is in the final stages of choosing a propulsion supplier for the twinjet, which it hopes to launch in 2020.
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Roll-Royce sees progress in Trent 1000 engine retrofits
Rolls-Royce is hopeful that the number of Boeing 787s grounded by Trent 1000 engine problems could drop to single figures by the end of the year. Thirty-one 787s are currently grounded at airports around the world because of the engine issues, Rolls-Royce CEO Warren East told investors Feb. 28 as the company announced it 2018 financial results.
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Dassault on schedule with 6X business jet development
Dassault has reiterated that its new Falcon 6X business jet remains on track for service entry in 2022, while also advancing development work on its "future Falcon" programme.
Speaking in Paris on 28 February, chief executive Eric Trappier said the twin-engined 6X is "totally in-line with schedule", although he would not specify a date for first flight.
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ANALYSIS: How Sikorsky S-92 is weathering offshore storm
One unheralded aspect of the crisis in the market for offshore helicopter transportation supporting the oil and gas market is the rise – by default, some would argue – of the Sikorsky S-92 to become the heavy rotorcraft of choice in the West.
By default, because the absence of the Airbus Helicopters H225, and slow uptake of other models has limited the choice for operators.
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Rolls-Royce takes near-$250m charge after Airbus's A380 decision
Rolls-Royce has in its full-year results for 2018 recorded an exceptional item of £186 million ($247 million) relating to Airbus's decision to end production of the A380, for which the Trent 900 was a power option.
The charge reflects "onerous contracts, tooling write-offs and the acceleration of depreciation and amortisation on associated Trent 900 programme assets", says the engine maker.
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Airlines

IAG orders up to 42 777-9s for BA fleet replacement
International Airlines Group (IAG) has ordered up to 42 Boeing 777-9 aircraft for its British Airways (BA) subsidiary. If all options are exercised, the deal is valued at $18.6 billion at list prices.
The order is a firm commitment for 18 aircraft with options for 24 more. Initially, BA will replace 14 747-400s and four 777-200s between 2022 and 2025. The aircraft will be fitted with 325 seats in four cabins.
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Thai startup Kom Airlines firms SSJ100 order
Thailand’s startup airline Kom Airlines has firmed an order for six SSJ100 regional jets from Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. (SCAC). The airline signed an LOI for the aircraft in late December 2018.
All six aircraft, in a single-class 100-seat configuration, will be delivered in the 2019-2020 timeframe, with the first arriving in the fall. SCAC said that total value of the contract at list prices is about $300 million.
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JAL’s LCC brand launch imminent
Japan’s first long-haul LCC is on the verge of unveiling its brand name and inflight products, which may happen within “weeks.” 
Currently known simply by its corporation name, TBL Corp. Ltd, the airline aims to apply for an air operator’s certificate in a few weeks and begin commercial service by summer 2020, before the Tokyo Olympics.
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Source: Nok Air-Thai AirAsia consolidation ‘highly likely’
A consolidation between Thailand LCC Nok Air and the owners of Thai AirAsia, Asia Aviation, is ‘highly likely,’ according to a source familiar with the airlines, as both companies convened for a meeting Feb. 28. The source was speaking to ATW at the Aviation Festival 2019 in Singapore.
Reuters reported on Feb. 25 that Asia Aviation is looking to purchase an unspecific stake in rival Nok Air. Asia Aviation is the majority stakeholder of Thai AirAsia, with 55% ownership, and the rest with AirAsia Group.
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SAS deepens net loss in 1Q on higher costs, Brexit uncertainty
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has reported a SEK576 million ($64 million) first-quarter net loss for the November-January period, widened from a SEK291 million loss it posted in the year-ago period.
The Swedish flag carrier said underlying reasons for the deepened loss—for the 1Q of its 2018-19 financial year—included a weak Swedish kroner against the US dollar, rising fuel prices, and economic and political uncertainty such as Brexit.
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AirAsia reports 2018 4Q net loss on rapid capacity growth
AirAsia’s financial results for the December quarter were under pressure partly because of the carrier’s aggressive capacity growth, although the airline said the expansion will make it stronger in the long term.
The AirAsia Group reported a net loss of RM457 million ($112.4 million) for the three months through Dec. 31, 2018, its fourth quarter. This represented a significant reversal from a profit of RM434.2 million in the same period a year earlier.
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Eastern Air Lines seeks DOT approval for US-China routes
North Carolina-based Eastern Air Lines, LLC is seeking permission from the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to operate roundtrip services from New York to Jinan, China, with a technical stop in Anchorage, Alaska.
The twice-weekly flights from New York JFK would stop off at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) before continuing on to Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport (TNA) in Jinan, the capital city of China’s eastern Shandong province.
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Southwest Airlines wins FAA approval for Hawaii service
Southwest Airlines has received FAA approvals needed to conduct Hawaii services and plans to announce specific routes, fares and a launch date “in the coming days,” the airline said Feb. 27, setting the stage for a major battle in the popular market.
The Dallas-based carrier, which has its teams in place at its new markets, has indicated that its initial Hawaii flights could launch within a few weeks of gaining needed approvals.
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PICTURES: Alaska unveils new Airbus cabins
Alaska Airlines will begin operating Airbus aircraft with cabin upgrades including new premium seats this year, with the goal of updating 36% of its cabins by “early 2020.”
"Just two years after acquiring Virgin America, we're thrilled to introduce a modern cabin that aligns the onboard experience across our fleet," Alaska president Ben Minicucci says in a press release. Cabins were modified with brand elements from Virgin America "after extensive feedback from our guests and in collaboration with our partners,” Minicucci says, calling it “premium experience at an affordable price".
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Cost savings rather than range drew Wizz to A321neo
Wizz Air is focused on availing of the Airbus A321neo's lower operating costs rather than its potential to add farther-flung destinations to the network.
Speaking to FlightGlobal in London on 27 February, chief executive Jozsef Varadi said the airline "primarily" saw its on-order A321neos as representing "a cost initiative rather than a range initiative".
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Delta to base A330neos in Seattle from July
Delta Air Lines will base its first Airbus A330-900neos at its Seattle Tacoma gateway, with flights to Asia beginning in July.
The Atlanta-based SkyTeam carrier says it will use the aircraft for flights to Shanghai Pudong from 1 July, Seoul Incheon from 31 July, and Tokyo Narita from 31 August.
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Juneyao Airlines plans London debut in July
Juneyao Airlines is seeking rights to launch services to Vladivostok, London and Cairo, as it looks to further expand its international network.
It wants to launch a twice-weekly Nanjing-Vladivostok service in June, followed by thrice-weekly services between Shanghai Pudong and London in July. Thereafter, it wants to operate twice-weekly on the Shanghai Pudong-Xian-Cairo route from November.
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Vietnam's Bamboo Airways mulls order for 25 Max jets
Vietnam start-up Bamboo Airways says it is considering an order for 25 Boeing 737 Max jets, as it announced a purchase for 10 787-9s.
"Details of the contract will be reviewed and announced by both parties after reaching the necessary agreements," says Bamboo, adding that the narrowbody contract is valued at $2.5 billion.
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Air NZ to announce 777-200 replacement by June
Air New Zealand is continuing to work through proposals from Airbus and Boeing to replace its eight Boeing 777-200ERs, with a decision to be announced before the end of June.
“Aircraft selection is still in progress…We are still expecting to announce our selection before the end of the current financial year,” chief financial officer Jeff McDowall said in the airline’s first-half earnings call.
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Air NZ eyes full 787 operations by September
Air New Zealand expects its full fleet of Boeing 787-9s to be in service by the start of September as it eyes an end to the troubles caused by issues with the type's Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines.
Chief executive Christopher Luxon says that in the six months to December, up to five of the 787s were grounded due to ongoing maintenance issues with the engines, but that the situation has been improving.
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Airports

Booming Vientiane airport looks at new site by 2040
Laos’s capital Vientiane Wattay International Airport is looking to build a new airport by 2040, as the country faces a surging influx of tourists into the South East Asian country.
In 2018, Wattay saw 1.5 million passengers pass through its terminal, a 25% increase year-over-year.
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Sydney Airport rule changes target wake turbulence risks
Airservices Australia has changed aircraft separation protocols to reduce wake turbulence risks at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) following an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) analysis, but ATSB says the air traffic services provider’s moves do not go far enough.
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Skanska USA and HOK sign off Tampa expansion project
Skanska USA and global design firm HOK have announced the completion of the $154 million expansion and renovation of the main terminal at Tampa International Airport.
The upgrade is designed to enhance the passenger experience, improve wayfinding and expand concession options for travellers at one of the nation’s best airports.
The design-build team of Skanska and HOK led the redevelopment of the Main Terminal and concessions programme – one of the largest elements of the first phase of the Airport’s Master plan expansion. Construction commenced in 2014.
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Dufry shopping concept comes to Malta International Airport
Dufry has opened a new bigger and better walk-through shopping store at Malta International Airport.
It is the latest of Dufry’s shops to be opened under its ‘Dufry Shopping’ concept, that allows domestic passengers to experience a shopping environment similar to a classic duty-free store.
The concept was first introduced in Brazil in 2014 and was quickly expanded to seven other locations in the country.
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London Stansted Boss calls for better public transport link to UK Airports
London Stansted CEO, Ken O'Toole, today called for improvements to the public transport links to UK airports to reduce journey times and support growth.
Addressing over 150 delegates at the annual Stansted Area Transport Forum, he urged local businesses, community leaders and regional organisations to make their voices heard and press government for upgrades to the rail links to the airport.
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Military

​US Navy’s sea-skimming aerial target declared initially operational
The US Navy’s next-generation of sub-sonic aerial target, the Kratos BQM-177A, reached initial operational capability on 27 February.
The service says the jet-powered target drone will soon start land-based operations from Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California. The Kratos BQM-177A is designed to simulate sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missiles. The USN uses the target as a stand-in for practicing shooting down cruise missiles.
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Aviation Quote

When a prang seems inevitable, endeavour to strike the softest, cheapest object in the vicinity, as slowly and gently as possible.

- advice given to RAF pilots during WWII

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Trivia

WW2 Luftwaffe

1. The JU-87 "Stuka" was not a pretty site to look at, all the less so when it was hurtling towards you at an 80 degree angle, but it was not pleasant to hear either. It had a siren on its port landing gear. What was the nickname the crews gave this device?

The Horns of the Reich
The Trumpets of Jericho
The Sirens of Jericho
The Trumpets of Victory

2. This out-of-date bomber was used for high altitude reconnaissance by Germany for a short period of time after the Battle of Britain. Which was it?

Junkers 88P
Junkers 86R
Dornier 217N
Dornier 23R

3. Germany shortly before WW2 is commonly believed to have had little interest in long range heavy bombers, but in fact it had one of the largest supporters of long range bombers from the get-go. Who was he?

Ernst Udet
Ernhard Milch
Kurt Student
Walter Wever


4. Many medium bombers that Germany had were converted into night fighters when the need arose. Which of those was unpopular with its crews?

Junkers 188
Junkers 88
Dornier 217
Messerschmitt 110

5. The He-177 was a great aircraft when it worked. What was one of the things the RLM (Reichsluftministerie) did that caused the 177 to go from a great bomber to a great disaster?

Elimination of the evaporative cooling system
Demands that poor french engines power the He-177
Demands that the He-177 be built out of wood
Underpowered BMW 132 Bramo engines

6. Which one of the three German Battle of Britain bombers could carry the most tonnage, and which could carry the least over a short distance?

Junkers 88, Junkers 87
Junkers 88, Junkers 87
Dornier 215, Heinkel 111
Heinkel 111, Dornier 17

7. This is the only bomber in World War II to have a top speed of over 460mph, what was it?

Arado 234
Heinkel 111P
Arado 232
Junkers 388K

8. The Junkers 287 was the intended replacement for the aging Stuka in 1944. With forward swept wings, two Junkers 003 turbojets and something interesting captured from the Americans, the JU-287 would have been a formidable ground attack/bomber aircraft. What was the American "contribution"?

Landing gear taken off B-24's
Rockets of P-47 wing racks
Guns off of P-51D fighters
Norden bombsights off of B-17's

9. Ground attack was a field of bombers in which the Germans excelled. Convinced that more armor was necessary to protect the pilots of ground attack aircraft Henschel came up with the HS-129, what was its nickname?

armored Panzer destroyer
The flying tank
The flying armoured car
the flying assualt gun

10. The Germans had originally decided to build one carrier known as the Graf Zeppelin. What were the two types of aircraft that were designed to be based on the carrier?

Fi-282, Do-215
He-115B, Bf-110E
Fi-167, Ju-87C
Ju-87T, Bf-109L