NewsA350 set to fly on 14 June Airbus has tentatively set 14 June for the maiden flight of the prototype A350-900 twinjet. Its decision follows a series of ground, taxiing and braking tests - at low and high speeds - with aircraft MSN1, one of five A350s which will comprise the flight-test fleet. The airframer says the first test flight, from Toulouse Blagnac airport, is planned to take place at 10:00.
LinkStrike Hits French Airports Until WednesdayFrench air traffic controllers walked off the job on Tuesday, grounding one flight in four across the country in a protest against EU plans for civil airspace changes. Walkouts are expected to spread across Europe on Wednesday, but France's air controller union SNCTA cancelled a planned third day of strikes on Thursday, citing encouraging support from the French and German governments against the EU's project. Workers are concerned that plans for a 'Single European Sky', intended to reduce travel times and costs, will adversely affect their working conditions and result in job cuts.
LinkLATAM Shareholders Back USD$1 Bln Capital IncreaseShareholders of LATAM Airlines on Tuesday approved a USD$1 billion capital increase chiefly destined to fund a major overhaul of the company's fleet. The airline told the shareholders meeting that it plans to spend around USD$11 billion to boost its fleet by 165 planes by 2017.
LinkEmbraer Super Tucano to make debut Paris air show appearanceEmbraer will display its A-29 Super Tucano at the Paris air show for the first time, a top company official says. The aircraft will not fly, but will be on static display. "We are going to bring our Super Tucano to Le Bourget," says Luiz Carlos Aguiar, chief executive of Embraer Defense and Security. "This is the first time in history the airplane will be there." The A-29 that will be on display at Paris is an aircraft destined for Mauritania, Aguiar says. The nation has so far taken deliver of two light-attack aircraft from a three-unit order signed in March 2012. Aguiar says it is important for Embraer to showcase the Super Tucano after the company's victory over Beechcraft's AT-6 during the US Air Force's Light Air Support (LAS) contest. While the 20 aircraft that are to be delivered for the LAS contract are for Afghanistan rather than for the USAF's own use, the service's selection is an important endorsement of the Super Tucano's capabilities.
LinkCroatia to refurbish MiGs, delaying new combat typeThe Croatian government has formally decided to refurbish part of its current Mikoyan MiG-21-based fleet, and to add more examples of the type to have one operational squadron, as a shortage of funds continues to thwart plans to acquire a new type. The nation's defence ministry has shortlisted Romania's Aerostar and Ukraine's SE Odessa Aircraft Plant as potential contractors for the overhaul of seven air force MiG-21s, and the provision of five additional aircraft.
LinkBoeing rejects bubble talk in latest delivery forecast Boeing's latest annual market forecast reveals even higher demand for single-aisles and fewer sales of high-capacity aircraft such as the 747-8 and Airbus A380. The 2013-2032 current market outlook predicts 35,280 new aircraft deliveries worth $4.8 trillion over the next two decades. Compared with its last 20-year forecast, Boeing sees overall single-aisle deliveries growing by 5% to 24,670. Medium-sized widebody output remains essentially flat at 7,850 units over 20 years. But projected delivery of large widebodies declines by 4% to 760, Boeing says.
LinkEasyJet agrees pilot recruitment terms with BALPA UK low-cost carrier EasyJet has agreed with the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) a working contract for flightcrew, intended to give job beginners a definite career path into regular employment with the airline. BALPA says that EasyJet - among other carriers - has been employing several hundred pilots on flexible contracts via external agencies for years without a clear structure for them to become permanent employees at the low-cost carrier. Under the new deal, trainee co-pilots can only be hired through external agencies for up to a year. This period counts as a probation period. Thereafter the airline has to employ the pilot as a second officer with a minimum salary of £38,000 ($59,000) a year.
LinkX3 breaks helicopter speed recordEurocopter is claiming a pair of unofficial helicopter speed records following the latest test flights of its X3 compound rotorcraft at the beginning of June. The Marseille-based helicopter manufacturer says that the X3 on 7 June, flown by test pilot Hervé Jammayrac, attained 255kt (472km/h) in level flight. Several days earlier Jammayrac hit 263kt during a descent. The 255kt record was achieved during a 40min sortie conducted at around 10,000ft (3,050m) over Istres air base in southern France.
LinkIndia becomes eighth nation to operate C-17 India has officially received its first Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport, becoming the eighth nation to operate the type. New Delhi will receive four more C-17s this year, and the remaining five in 2014, says Boeing. This will make New Delhi the second largest operator of the C-17 after the USAF. After taking delivery of the aircraft, the Indian air force crew departed for India.
LinkBoeing awarded $4bn multi-year contract for ChinooksThe US Army and Boeing have signed a $4 billion multi-year contract for 177 CH-47F Chinook helicopters, in a deal that is expected to save the US government more than $800 million, the company says. But the total number of Chinooks built as part of the contract could rise to as many as 215, if the service exercises all of its options. "This multi-year contract provides unprecedented savings for the US Army and American taxpayers," says Col Robert Barrie, the army's project manager for cargo helicopters.
LinkUS notifies Congress of potential Libyan C-130J sale The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress on 7 June that it may sell the Libyan government two Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 tactical transports for an estimated $588 million. The potential deal would also include 10 Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 engines, support and test equipment, and other government furnished equipment, such as radios. The proposed sale, which would be executed under the Pentagon's Foreign Military Sales construct, comes at the request of the Libyan government. The country previously operated 11 C-130s under the regime of Muammar Gaddafi, but Flightglobal's MiliCAS database records only one C-130H and one civilian-model L100 as currently being in use with the Libyan air force.
LinkFAA to propose sensor-only runway landingsThe US Federal Aviation Administration is set to take the first step towards allowing pilots to land an aircraft using only sensors to see the runway. A notice of proposed rulemaking will be published on 11 June in the Federal Register that would lift the requirement for pilots to rely on natural vision within 30.5m (100ft) of the touchdown point of the runway. If the proposed rulemaking is accepted as a final rule, pilots could use an enhanced flight vision system instead that overlays real-time imagery of the runway on a synthetic graphical database of the terrain all the way to touchdown and roll-out of the aircraft. The FAA would accept vision systems based on forward looking infrared, millimetre wave radiometry, millimetre wave radar or low-light level image intensification.
LinkUnited launches Denver-Tokyo service on 787 DreamlinerUnited Airlines inaugurated 787 service from Denver to Tokyo with a ceremony at Denver International Airport on Monday. Jim Compton, vice president and chief revenue officer for United Airlines, said the service will connect to Denver to markets in Japan, as well as Asia. From Tokyo, All Nippon Airways Co. offers direct flights to 18 Asian cities.
LinkAir Canada plans capacity boost for 2014Air Canada plans to boost capacity by 9% to 11% in 2014, while at the same time cutting costs because of more fuel-efficient aircraft. The carrier is also launching a low-cost carrier, Rouge, next month. "We do have a plan to transform Air Canada into a sustainably profitable airline," CEO Calin Rovinescu said in a webcast.
LinkSouthwest, flight attendants union begin contract negotiationsSouthwest Airlines and the union representing its flight attendants began negotiations on a new contract on Monday. The carrier is planning to start international service soon. In a statement, Southwest said: "We look forward to working with our flight attendants to ensure that we have a successful, rewarding and secure future together."
LinkLawmakers to hold hearing on Boeing 787 battery issueThe House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee plans to hold a hearing on Wednesday to learn lessons from the Boeing 787 battery issue. Mike Sinnett, chief engineer for the 787, and Peggy Gilligan, associate administrator for aviation safety for the Federal Aviation Administration, are scheduled to testify.
LinkDelta Air Lines to open Sky Deck at Atlanta airportDelta Air Lines plans to open an outdoor terrace at its Delta Sky Club in the Atlanta airport. The Sky Deck will feature runway views from the airport lounge, which is located on Concourse F at the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal.
Link 
