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Dubai Airshow 2019: Airbus fello’fly to boost environmental performance
Airbus believes aircraft following another one can reach up to 10% in fuel burn reduction by taking advantage of the wake updraft and launches a project that could pave the way for entry-into-service by the middle of the next decade. The manufacturer launched its fello’fly project on Nov. 18 at the Dubai Airshow.
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Dubai Airshow 2019: Dickson: ‘Key’ MAX certification issues emerge
The unprecedented and ongoing examination of aircraft certification, triggered by the two Boeing 737 MAX accidents, has identified several areas that must change to improve outcomes, FAA administrator Steve Dickson said.
“We’ve identified some key themes that are emerging regarding aircraft certification processes,” Dickson said at the Dubai Airshow Nov. 17.
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Dubai Airshow 2019: FAA chief says certification changes needed to prevent future crashes
The grounding and recertification process of the Boeing 737 MAX accidents have identified several areas that must change to improve certification outcomes, FAA administrator Steve Dickson says.
“We've identified some key themes that are emerging regarding aircraft certification processes,” Dickson said during the Dubai Airshow Nov. 17.
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Dubai Airshow 2019: De Havilland might re-engine Dash 8-400
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada is looking at the possibility of fitting new engines to the Dash 8-400, the company’s COO.
A further stretch, and possibly also a shortening, of the regional turboprop’s fuselage is also being considered, Todd Young said.
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ANALYSIS: Dubai air show Order Tracker
Local carriers Emirates and Air Arabia led the order activity on the second day of the Dubai air show with commitments covering 170 Airbus aircraft, while Turkey’s SunExpress gave Boeing a welcome lift with a follow-up Max commitment.
Emirates placed a firm order for 50 Airbus A350s, in a revision of the Dubai carrier’s initial Airbus long-haul order.
LinkAirlines
SAS’ first A321LR to enter service in 2020
Scandinavian Airlines’ (SAS) first Airbus A321LR will enter commercial service in September 2020, operating an initial route between Copenhagen and Boston.
SAS said the aircraft, the first of three A321LRs on order, will enable it to operate Copenhagen-Boston as a high-frequency year-round service from Sept. 18, 2020.
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SAA may take legal action over unions’ safety allegations
South African Airways (SAA) has threatened legal action over union claims that its operations are unsafe, as the airline works to reinstate flights canceled when cabin crews and technicians went on strike.
An ongoing pay dispute with the carrier prompted the South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) to go on strike Nov. 15, forcing SAA to ground most of its flights.
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Garuda Indonesia receives first of 14 Airbus A330neos
Garuda Indonesia took delivery of its first Airbus A330neo Nov. 16, becoming the third airline group in the region to operate the type after AirAsia and Lion Air.
The aircraft, one of 14 A330neos Garuda ordered in 2016, will allow the carrier to launch nonstop services from Jakarta to Europe, Airbus said. Currently, London and Amsterdam are the carrier’s only European destinations, and are served via Medan in the North Sumatra province because of the range limitations of its existing fleet.
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Dubai Airshow 2019: Emirates Airline converts A380 order to A350
Emirates Airline signed a firm order for 50 Airbus A350s at the Dubai Airshow in the first of several steps to transform its aircraft commitments and fleet plans.
The order supersedes an MOU signed earlier this year that saw it taking 40 A330neos and just 30 A350s. The preliminary deal came on the heels of Airbus’ decision to terminate the A380 program.
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Air New Zealand suspends more flights as Trent engine issues continue
Continuing problems with the Rolls-Royce engines on its Boeing 787s are forcing Air New Zealand to suspend some flights as its peak season approaches. The carrier announced it will cancel its twice-weekly seasonal route between Christchurch, New Zealand and Perth, Australia. It will also suspend its second daily Auckland-Perth flight from Dec. 10-Jan. 5.
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Dubai Airshow 2019: SunExpress firms options for 10 Boeing MAX 8s
Turkish leisure carrier SunExpress exercised options for 10 Boeing 737 MAX 8s in a deal that boosted the Turkish Airlines-Lufthansa subsidiary’s MAX commitments to 42.
More importantly, it gave Boeing’s grounded narrowbody a tangible vote of confidence as the manufacturer works to convince regulators and the public that the model is safe.
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Dubai Airshow 2019: Air Arabia boosts growth with order for 120 A320neo family aircraft
Air Arabia placed a large order for Airbus A320neo family aircraft, clearing the way for significant growth. The Sharjah-based low-cost carrier is buying 73 A320neos, 27 A321neos and 20 A321XLRs. “[The order] takes us into the 2020s to grow the business,” CEO Adel Ali said Nov. 18 at the Dubai Airshow. The aircraft are to be delivered from 2024 onward, which is when the first production slots were available with Airbus.
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Dubai Airshow 2019: SalamAir expands fleet with GECAS A321LRs
SalamAir has agreed to lease two new Airbus A321LRs from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) and is eyeing them to address peak-season capacity surges and winter charter demand to Europe, among other routes, the airline’s top executive says.
“This airplane is a game-changer,” SalamAir CEO Mohammed Ahmed said Nov. 17.
LinkAirports
New Siberian airport set to begin scheduled operations in 2021
A new Russian airport being developed in the Western Siberian city of Tobolsk is planned to open in 2020 and begin accepting scheduled flights in 2021.
The airport’s main investor, the SIBUR petrochemicals company, has selected the Airports of Regions holding company as a consultant for the runway launch stage.
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Immigration hall expansion at East Midlands Airport begins
Construction work on the expansion of East Midlands Airport‘s immigration hall has begun, with the extended facility expected to be reopened ahead of the summer season in 2020.
Two thirds of East Midlands Airport’s passengers visit the airport between April and October, and so the quieter winter months have been deemed the best time for construction to occur.
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Finavia to test new security check technology at Helsinki Airport
As part of Finavia’s Terminal 2 expansion at Helsinki Airport, planning for a new generation of hand luggage technology to be piloted is underway in order to develop and revolutionise the security check process.
The technology is intended to be tested as early as 2020, ready for the opening of the terminal expansion in 2021.
LinkMilitary
DUBAI: Boeing and Embraer rebrand transport as C-390 Millennium
Boeing and Embraer have rebranded the KC-390 airlifter as the C-390 Millennium to emphasise the transport’s cargo mission.
The companies have also announced that their defence joint venture set up to sell the KC-390 will be branded as Boeing Embraer – Defense. The two firms announced their joint venture in 2018.
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DUBAI: UAE inks $2 billion in defence contracts
The UAE government signed Dh7.6 billion ($2 billion) in contracts on day one of the air show, with a notable contract going to Dassault Aviation for the Mirage 2000 upgrade programme.
The contracts were spread among 11 companies for suppliers such as aircraft support, training, simulation, and spare parts.
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Aviation Quote
I don't mind being called tough, because in this racket it's the tough guys who lead the survivors.
- General Curtis LeMay, USAF.
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Trivia
General Trivia
1. What is unusual about the control tower at Wellington International Airport in New Zealand?
2. Who was “Chicken” Kamikaze?
3. There were five space-shuttle orbiters that circled the Earth: Atlantis, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, and Endeavor. What was the total number of orbital missions launched, and during how many years were they flown?
4. Pilots know that 0 degrees Celsius represents the freezing point of water. What is the significance of 0 degrees Fahrenheit?
5.What was the first turboprop airplane to enter production in the United States?
6. A VFR pilot with seaplane and landplane ratings takes off from a lake in an amphibian, flies for an hour, and then lands on a hard-surface runway. How must the flying time be logged?
a. all as seaplane time
b. all as landplane time
c. half seaplane, half landplane
d. It does not matter.
7. Why did British Spitfires regularly take off for battle with bright red patches of tape on their leading edges?
8. True or False: Excluding the effects of magnetic deviation, the magnetic compass in an airplane points to the magnetic north pole.
