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Bombardier’s plant sales will further reduce its airliner business
Bombardier has announced plans to divest its aerostructures businesses in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Morocco and to form an integrated Bombardier Aviation unit with manufacturing operations in Canada, Mexico and the US. The new unit will combine Bombardier Business Aircraft with what remains of the company’s Commercial Aircraft and Aerostructures & Engineering Services businesses after the divestitures, transfer of the CSeries program to Airbus and sale of the QSeries regional ...
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US senators push FAA on airline seat size rules
Three US senators want to know what steps FAA is taking to finalize standards for minimum seat dimensions on commercial carriers, as required by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. The five-year reauthorization bill, which was signed into law in October 2018, provided FAA one year to issue guidance on minimums for passenger seat pitch, width and length “that are necessary for the safety of passengers.”
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Spirit AeroSystems suspends 2019 guidance after MAX production slowdown
Aerostructures provider Spirit AeroSystems has suspended its financial guidance for 2019 and shelved stock buybacks, executives announced May 1, as the Wichita manufacturer tries to get a handle on costs and challenges from the Boeing 737 MAX production slowdown and groundings. The announcement was not surprising and followed similar moves at Boeing—the 737 is responsible for roughly 50% of Spirit’s annual revenue alone.
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FLIGHT TEST: Airbus's refreshed widebody – the A330neo
The Airbus A330neo family is a 21st century refinement of the highly successful A330/A340 family. This pair of twin and quad widebodies was formally launched in June 1987 using the 222in (5.64m) wide fuselage cross-section of the original A300 series, combined with a new wing and engines.
Fresh off the development and certification of its single-aisle A320, Airbus incorporated its then ground-breaking fly-by-wire flight control system and state-of-the-art glass, sidestick-controller equipped flightdeck.
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Boeing created new legal position with focus on 737 Max crashes
Boeing has given its former general counsel the new job of providing legal advice on matters related to the two recent Boeing 737 Max crashes.
Michael Luttig, who had been general counsel since 2006, has taken the newly-created role of counselor and senior advisor, a position under which he will advise chief executive Dennis Muilenburg and Boeing’s board of directors.
LinkAirlines
Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc expand partnership
Doha-based Qatar Airways is increasing its presence in Morocco with a new service to the nation’s capital of Rabat and an expanded joint business agreement with oneworld alliance partner Royal Air Maroc.
Qatar Airways currently operates a 5X-weekly Boeing 777 Doha-Casablanca-Marrakech-Doha service, plus a 2X-weekly direct Doha-Casablanca link.
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SkyWest looks at United’s CRJ550 concept
SkyWest Airlines could see converting some of its 100 Bombardier CRJ700s into 50-seat CRJ550s to support United Airlines’ push into premium-class service on small, high-yield regional routes, SkyWest CEO Chip Childs said. “I think that the 550 is a very compelling case,” Childs said on the Utah-based carrier’s recent earnings call. “That 700 platform has a lot of flexibilities across all of our partner bases.
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Atlas sees adjusted 1Q income rise; prepares for 737Fs
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (AAW) posted a 2019 first-quarter adjusted net income of $27.3 million, a 15% increase year-over-year. Volumes increased 16% to 77,061 block hours, while revenue grew 15% to $679.7 million. However, the cargo carrier’s pre-adjustment posting for the quarter was a loss of $29.7 million, because of a noncash unrealized loss of $46.6 million on outstanding warrants.
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China Eastern posts 1.2% 1Q net income hike, 12% traffic growth
China Eastern Airlines posted a 2019 first-quarter net income of CNY2 billion ($298 million), a 1.2% increase from CNY1.9 billion in the year-ago quarter.
After deducting nonrecurring items, the Shanghai-based carrier’s 1Q net profit was up 2% to CNY1.9 billion.
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Air China sees healthy 2019 1Q financials
Air China has posted a 2019 first-quarter profit that increased 3.6% year on year (YOY) from CNY2.7 billion ($402.2 million) from CNY2.6 billion.
For the first three months, Air China’s revenue was CNY32.6 billion, up 3% YOY. After deducting non-recurring profits and losses, Air China’s net profit was CNY2.6 billion.
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China Southern 1Q net income up 4.1% on revenue gains
China Southern Airlines reported a net profit increase of 4.1% to CNY2.65 billion ($393 million) for the first quarter of 2019, compared to CNY2.54 billion in the year-ago period.
After deducting nonrecurring items, the carrier’s net profit was CNY2.46 billion, up 3.2% from CNY2.38 billion in 1Q 2018.
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Alitalia to be 'associate' of new Delta-Air France venture
Alitalia is in talks to become an associate member of the new transatlantic joint venture being forged by Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM.
The associate membership will change the way revenues are split among the four primary members – Air France, Delta, KLM and Virgin Atlantic Airways – and the Rome-based SkyTeam Alliance carrier while leaving their joint operations across the Atlantic unchanged, says Alitalia chief business officer Fabio Lazzerini at an event to mark the launch of the airline's new Washington DC service today.
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Korean Air to remove first class on 27 routes
Korean Air plans to drop first class service on 27 routes operated by Boeing 787-9s, 777-300ERs and Airbus A330s from 1 June.
The SkyTeam carrier says that the change is aimed at achieving “better operational efficiency” and reflects low demand for first class on several the routes.
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PICTURE: Fiji Airways to add two A350-900s to fleet
Fiji Airways will lease two Airbus A350-900s from DAE Capital that will be used to enhance its services between Fiji, Australia and the United States.
The airline will take delivery of the two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered jets in November and December this year.
LinkAirports
Manchester Airport joins free tap water refill scheme
Manchester Airport takes steps to reduce passengers’ single use plastic consumption by adopting the Refill initiative.
Passengers flying in and out of Manchester Airport can now refill their water bottles free of charge at any of the bars, cafes and restaurants.
LinkMilitary
IDEF: Turkey's T70 rotorcraft heading for 2020 certification
Turkish industry is on track for the certification of its locally-assembled Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk – known as the T70 – by early next year, as part of the country’s Turkish Utility Helicopter Programme (TUHP).
An industry official working on the TUHP activity told FlightGlobal at the IDEF exhibition in Istanbul that the T70’s military certification is expected by February 2020.
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IDEF: Turkish Aerospace builds its rotorcraft ambitions
Turkish Aerospace expects to fly the second prototype of its T625 Gokbey twin-engined helicopter within the next month, with the company using the IDEF exhibition in Istanbul to highlight the type's potential as a Bell UH-1 replacement for the Turkish armed forces.
A first T625 prototype was flown last September, five years after a contract was signed between Turkish Aerospace and the defence industries undersecretariat for a new indigenously designed multirole helicopter.
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IDEF: Aselsan pitches AESA radar at F-16 upgrade market
Aselsan used the IDEF exhibition in Istanbul to showcase its latest airborne radar developments, including an active electronically scanned array (AESA) design that is being pitched for integration on the Turkish air force's fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16s.
The new radar is currently company funded, and leverages Aselsan's experience in developing AESA sensors for ground and naval applications.
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USAF looks to help Taiwan with F-5 spares
The US Air Force wants to assess sources that can provide spare parts for Taiwan’s fleet of Northrop F-5E fighters.
The Proven Aircraft Office of the Air Force Materiel Command has issued a list of 37 separate F-5 parts required, ranging from windshield panels and fuel tanks to air data computers.
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Aviation Quote
The smallest amount of vanity is fatal in aeroplane fighting. Self-distrust rather is the quality to which many a pilot owes his protracted existence.
- Captain Edward V. 'Eddie' Rickenbacker.
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Trivia
General Trivia
1. What country has the world’s worst weather?
2. What is the greatest speed ever attained by a human being in flight?
3. Explain how it is possible for two aircraft to maintain a constant distance and bearing from each other while both maintain the same true heading and altitude, yet are flown at different true airspeeds (in no-wind conditions)?
4. What famous pilot also was a bantamweight boxer who won a West Coast Amateur Championship and became a professional boxer?
5. What U.S. airline was first to operate an all-turbine (turbo-prop) fleet, and what U.S. airline was first to operate an all-jet fleet?
6. A pilot is speaking to an FSS specialist and is overheard saying, “I am going to praise God.” Why does this make perfect sense to the specialist?
7. Who was the first politician to use an airplane to travel between campaign stops?
