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French Aviation Safety Agency Confirms Similarities in 737 MAX Accidents
The pressure on Boeing continues to grow following two crashes of its 737 MAX 8 aircraft. French aviation experts have now confirmed that there are strong similarities of the data collected from the black boxes of the crashed Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX and the Lion Air 737 MAX that had been lost in October 2018.
Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 had crashed on March 12 after takeoff from Addis Ababa airport, killing all 157 souls onboard. Lion Air flight 610 had also crashed shortly after takeoff from Soekarno–Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia killing 189. Both aircraft failed to gain altitude after taking off and show similar flight paths in which the nose of the airplane dipped down repeatedly before pilots lost the fight to keep the aircraft climbing.
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DOT calls for audit of 737 Max 8 certification
The US Department of Transportation has requested its inspector general to carry out an audit of the certification process of the Boeing 737 Max 8, less than a week after US regulators grounded the aircraft.
In a memorandum to DOT inspector general Calvin Scovell III, US transportation secretary Elaine Chao says: "This is to confirm my request that the Office of Inspector General proceed with an audit to compile an objective and detailed factual history of the activities that resulted in the certification of the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft."
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Embraer closes in on Praetor 600 certification
Embraer's Praetor 600 has entered the final phase of its flight-test campaign, and remains on track to secure US type approval and enter service early in the second half of the year.
Certification testing of the super-midsize business jet was completed on 11 March, says the Brazilian airframer, with three aircraft – two prototypes and a production-conforming example – logging 440h across 372 flights at Embraer's Gaviao Peixoto test base.
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Boeing chief reinforces safety focus in open letter
Boeing chairman, president and chief executive Dennis Muilenburg has released an open letter to airlines, passengers and the aviation community reinforcing the company’s commitment to safety, as most of the global fleet of Boeing 737 Max aircraft enters its second week of grounding.
The letter repeatedly affirmed Boeing’s commitment to safety, and its unity with regulators and airline customers to understand what happened in the 10 March crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 and the 29 October crash of Lion Air Flight 610.
LinkAirlines
Air Canada halts 737 MAX flights through June
Air Canada has pulled the Boeing 737 MAX from its schedule until at least July 1, and has reshuffled its schedule and aircraft assignments to accommodate the capacity reductions. “Because the timeline for the return to service of the 737 MAX is unknown, for planning purposes and to provide customers certainty for booking and travel, Air Canada intends to remove 737 MAX flying from its schedule until at least July 1, 2019,” the airline said.
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India’s government steps in to review Jet Airways
India’s government is applying closer scrutiny to Jet Airways, as the Mumbai-based grounds more fleet on lease payment defaults, resulting in more flight cancellations.
Suresh Prabhu, the government’s minister for aviation, directed that an emergency meeting be held by the aviation ministry to review some of the ramifications of Jet’s groundings.
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Avianca cancels 17 A320neos, defers more deliveries
Avianca is canceling orders for 17 Airbus A320neo family aircraft and deferring delivery of 35 more by at least seven years, the Colombia-based airline said March 15.
In an SEC filing, Avianca said the agreement “will reduce Avianca’s fleet CapEx needs by more than $350 million over the next three years and reduces financial commitments for the 2020-2022 period by more than $2.6 billion.”
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US senators want passenger surveillance data from airlines
US Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) and John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) are asking US airlines to provide information about whether they use cameras to monitor passengers, following a report by CNN in March that raised questions about the tiny cameras passengers have spotted in IFE systems.
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Saudia upgrades A320 cabins for European destinations
Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) is refitting seven Airbus A320s with a new cabin that includes lie-flat business-class seats and an enhanced IFE system.
The reconfigured A320s, used on medium-haul services to European destinations, include 20 seats in business class and 90 in economy. The business-class seats, which convert to fully flat beds, are from the Collins Aerospace Diamond range, while the refitted economy-class cabin will use modified versions of Collins’ Pinnacle A model.
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UK carrier Thomas Cook adopts ‘Sleeper Seat’ concept
UK charter operator Thomas Cook Airlines plans to introduce a new system whereby economy-class passengers can opt to reserve a complete row of three seats and convert them into a bed.
Called “Sleeper Seat,” the concept includes a specially designed mattress can be laid out over the three seats to allow a passenger to stretch out. The new arrangement will be available from May 13 on Thomas Cook’s Airbus A330-200s on long-haul routes to New York and San Francisco.
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SWISS to designate CSeries aircraft as A220s
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will rename its Bombardier CS100/300 aircraft as Airbus A220-100/300s later this year. In 2016, the Lufthansa Group subsidiary became the first operator of CSeries aircraft. Two years later, Airbus took majority control of the Bombardier program and renamed the aircraft as the A220. Applying the new designation is not a simple task, SWISS CEO Thomas Klühr told ATW in Zurich, and requires intensive paperwork.
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Taiwanese startup Starlux Airlines firms A350 commitment
Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines has confirmed an order for 17 Airbus A350-family aircraft, as the startup carrier prepares to begin operations next year.
The airline had signed an MOU for the A350s at the Farnborough Air Show in July 2018. The deal includes five -900s, which will be delivered from late 2021, and 12 -1000s to begin arriving in late 2022.
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Corsair to lease A330neos and go all-Airbus under new owner Intro
French carrier Corsair is to phase out its Boeing aircraft over the next five years, in favour of an expanded, all-Airbus fleet which includes a trio of leased A330-900s.
Under a strategy unveiled by new majority owner Intro Aviation, the airline will grow from its current seven long-haul aircraft to 13 by 2023.
Each of Corsair's three Boeing 747s will be replaced by two A330s, says Intro.
LinkAirports
Vinci Airports gets green light for Gatwick acquisition
The European Commission (EC) has given the go-ahead for French airports operator and infrastructure specialist Vinci to acquire majority control of London’s Gatwick Airport.
Late last year, US-based Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and its fellow-shareholders announced they had sold 50.01% of Gatwick to Vinci Airports for £2.9 billion ($3.9 billion), under a deal that is expected to complete by the end of the second quarter of 2019.
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HKIA records steady increases in passenger throughput in February
Despite increases in passenger traffic, Hong Kong International Airport’s cargo throughput has fallen 14.4 per cent year-on-year from 2017, due to unfavourable macroeconomic conditions.
HKIA records steady increases in passenger throughput in February
Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) saw continued growth in passenger throughput and flight movements in February 2019. During the month, HKIA handled 5.89 million passengers and 32,430 flight movements, marking year-on-year increases of 1.1 per cent and 0.3 per cent, respectively
LinkMilitary
PICTURES: 30 years since Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey’s first flight
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey first flew 30 years ago today on 19 March 1989.
Since, the Bell-Boeing joint venture behind the tiltrotor has produced more than 375 examples, which have accumulated more than 450,000 flight hours, the manufacturers say.
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Boeing to integrate nuclear-tipped cruise missile on B-52
The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded Boeing Defense Space & Security a $250 million contract to integrate the nuclear-tipped Long Range Stand-Off Cruise Missile (LRSO) on the B-52H bomber.
The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract is for aircraft and missile carriage equipment development and modification, engineering, testing, software development, training, facilities, and support necessary to fully integrate the missile on the strategic bomber, says the USAF.
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Aviation Quote
I Don't believe in being the launch customer for anything.
- Carl Michel, British Airways— commercial director, regards the Airbus A3XX (which was eventually named the A380), February 2000.
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AIRPORTS
Provide Either the IATA code or the airport name
1. Will Rogers International Airport.
2. LEMD
3. General Billy Mitchell International Airport
4. TNCM
5. LFSB
6. EDDF
7. EGLL
8. YSSY
9. SAEZ
10. SKBQ
11. ENGM
12. Tokyo Haneda
13. OIII
14. Cape Town D.F. Malan
15. BOMBAY INTERNATIONAL
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