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Boeing to reveal 777-9 on 13 March
Boeing has confirmed it will make the public debut of the 777-9 at an event at its Everett plant in Washington on 13 March.
“Our very first 777X flight-test airplane will officially debut to the world on 13 March”, says Boeing, adding that will be live-streaming the event.
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European pilots call for overhaul of flight time rules
European pilots are calling for an overhaul of flight time regulations after they said a new European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and EU-commissioned study revealed that European legislation is failing to protect pilots and cabin crew from fatigue.
The report—carried out on behalf of the European Commission and EASA, and based on the operations of 24 airlines—shows European pilots and cabin crew are experiencing “unusually high levels of fatigue incompatible with an acceptable level of flight safety,” revealing major shortcomings of the flight time limitations (FTLs), the rules that govern pilots’ flight and rest times, the European Cockpit Association (ECA) said March 5.
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Europe urges stronger legal protections for aviation workers
The European Commission has set out recommendations to improve social standards in European aviation, a sector that directly employs 2 million people and supports 9.4 million jobs overall, in a report published March 1.
The report highlights the challenges pilots and cabin crew face in a sector marked by more competition, increased automation and digitalization, and atypical forms of employment such as employing crew through intermediaries
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HAI: Airbus Helicopters enhances light-single safety
Airbus Helicopters is to boost the safety of its H125 and H130 with several initiatives designed to improve the uptake of crash resistant fuel systems on the light-singles.
From 2020, all H125s built at the airframer's Marignane facility in the south of France will automatically be fitted with a CRFS – which is designed to prevent fire in the event of an accident – unless an operator specifically requests otherwise.
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HAI: Sikorsky upgrades S-92 with new B-model variant
Sikorsky has launched a new B-model variant of its S-92 heavy-twin helicopter, featuring improved levels of cockpit automation and a cabin capable of serving multiple missions.
In addition, manufacturing efficiencies and revised supplier agreements mean that Sikorsky will be able to keep the price of the new model below that of the current S-92A. The company has not disclosed specific prices, however.
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Delta encourages Boeing to launch NMA
Delta Air Lines chief executive Ed Bastian is encouraging Boeing to launch its proposed New Mid-market Airplane (NMA).
"We are still very interested in it," he tells investors at the JP Morgan Aviation, Transportation & Industrials Conference on the aircraft today. "Boeing hasn't decided if it's going to launch that aircraft – we hope they will."
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LHT wins MRO deals from three Russian airlines
MRO provider Lufthansa Technik has secured separate component maintenance contracts from Russian operators Aeroflot, AirBridgeCargo and Ural Airlines to support in-service and on-order aircraft.
Aeroflot has engaged the German company to provide engine nacelle maintenance for its Airbus A320-family fleet.
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Dassault eyes SEA, MSA sales in lieu of weak China market
Dassault continues to see weakness in the Chinese business jet market, but is more upbeat about other parts of the region for both private and government sales.
“My feeling is that for the moment we'll sell a few aircraft [in China], but not as many as we used to,” says Jean Michel Jacob, president of Dassault Aviation Asia Pacific.
LinkAirlines
Cathay Pacific may acquire stake in Hong Kong Express
Cathay Pacific Airways has confirmed it is considering purchasing a stake in Hong Kong Express (HKE), as Cathay’s financial health appears to be improving.
In a stock market notification, Cathay said it is “in active discussions about an acquisition involving HKE.” The Hong Kong-based LCC is currently controlled by China’s HNA Group, which has been divesting assets to alleviate financial difficulties.
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Initial CVR review of crashed Atlas Air 767 indicates loss of control
Communications by the pilots of Atlas Air flight 3591 indicated a loss of control of their Boeing 767-300 freighter before it crashed in Trinity Bay, Texas, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said March 5.
Ten days after witnesses saw the 767 dive steeply into the bay on Feb. 23, killing two Atlas Air pilots and a Mesa Airlines pilot jump-seating on the flight, the NTSB said it has completed an initial review of the aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR).
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PICTURES: NTSB completes Atlas Air cockpit voice recorder review
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has completed an initial review of the cockpit voice recorder from the Atlas Air Boeing 767-300ER Freighter that crashed southeast of Houston on 23 February, and will analyse the flight data recorder that was recovered on 3 March.
The agency says that “crew communications consistent with a loss control of the aircraft” began 18s prior to the end of the cockpit voice recording, which is 2h long.
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Southwest CEO: Grounded aircraft costing millions weekly
Schedule disruptions caused by unavailable aircraft are costing Southwest Airlines millions of dollars each week, and the issue’s uncertainly makes providing short-term financial guidance challenging.
“The damage to the company runs in the millions of dollars weekly in lost revenue due to canceled flights and millions of dollars weekly in terms of additional costs caused by delays and cancellations,” CEO Gary Kelly said at a J.P. Morgan investors conference March 5.
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South Korean government approves three Korean LCC startups
The South Korean government has granted approval for three new LCCs to enter service, although two others have had their applications rejected.
Korea’s ministry of land, infrastructure and transport (MOLIT) was considering four passenger LCCs and one cargo carrier in the latest round of airline startup applications.
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Lufthansa rethinks Eurowings’ long-haul strategy
Lufthansa Group LCC Eurowings is moving a large part of its long-haul operations to Frankfurt and Munich, the group’s main hub, as part of a wider strategy to rethink of how to tackle the leisure travel market.
“Today, Lufthansa Group is already one of the largest holiday travel providers in all of Europe,” group CCO-network airlines and executive board member Harry Hohmeister said.
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VIDEO: F/O Holly Sims on flying the BEA retrojet and women pilots
After British Airways unveiled its latest retrojet on 4 March, we spoke to F/O Holly Sims who crewed the Airbus A319 for its flight from Shannon, possibly becoming the first woman pilot ever to fly a BEA jet.
The A319 is painted in the "Red Square" livery used by BEA on European services between 1959 and 1968. During that era airlines like BEA limited their pilot recruitment to men, so Sims is quite possibly the first-ever "BEA" woman pilot.
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Delta could provide Alitalia 'incremental support': CEO
Delta Air Lines could provide bankrupt Alitalia some "incremental support", says chief executive Ed Bastian without providing specifics.
Bastian discounts reports that the Atlanta-based carrier is preparing to make a significant investment in the struggling Italian carrier, saying the "numbers being thrown around out there are pretty large and not something we’d consider" but adds that they would consider some form of support.
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BA compromises on red wings for retro BEA A319
While British Airways predecessor BEA’s aircraft featured distinctive all-red wing surfaces, technical considerations prevented the same being applied to BA’s retro-livery Airbus A319.
The UK flag-carrier states that composites used for the upper wing structure are “very sensitive” to ultra-violet radiation.
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Hong Kong Airlines looks to consolidate fleet
Hong Kong Airlines says it is working to consolidate and optimise its network and fleet, in response to reports that it could cut a third of its aircraft as it faces mounting financial pressures.
“Hong Kong Airlines aims to improve our structure to boost revenue, manage costs and achieve higher productivity,” it tells FlightGlobal.
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PICTURE: Alaska kicks off commercial flights from Paine Field
An Alaska Airlines Embraer 175 operated the first commercial service out of the new terminal at Paine Field airport in Washington state on 5 March, weeks after the US government shutdown delayed the debut flight.
The E175, with 76 passengers and four crew on board, took off at 10:00 and flew to Portland (Oregon), one of eight destinations the airline plans to eventually serve from the airport in Everett, Washington.
LinkAirports
Small explosive packages sent to London airports, rail station
London police are investigating three small improvised explosive devices (IEDs) delivered March 5 to administrative offices at two of the city’s airports and one of the capital’s main rail terminals.
The Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command launched an investigation after the packages—A4-size white envelopes enclosing yellow padded bags—were determined by police specialists to contain IEDs capable of igniting small fires when opened.
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Beijing's Daxing airport on track to open by 30 September
Beijing says that Daxing International airport’s facilities and equipment have met operating conditions, and that the gateway is on track to open before 30 September.
Feng Zhenglin, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, says that the target is for work on the airport to be completed by the end of June.
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Brussels Airport has introduced electric buses into airside operations
Quiet, eco-friendly and high-tech, the new electric buses at Brussels Airport continue with the trend of carbon neutrality throughout the airport.
Brussels Airport’s passengers are now able to use the new e-buses that will be used to carry passengers between their gates and the aircraft. The eco-friendly new buses provide a high standard of comfort and connectivity to improve our service to the passengers even further.
LinkMilitary
HAI: Leonardo AW609 set for military certification in 2021
Leonardo Helicopters is making steady progress with its AW609 tiltrotor and expects to achieve US Federal Aviation Administration this year, with first delivery following in 2020 and military approval in 2021.
The AW609 is attracting interest from several branches of the Italian military, as well as undisclosed armed forces in the Middle East, said Gian Piero Cutillo, managing director of Leonardo Helicopters, at a HAI Heli-Expo press briefing on 4 March.
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