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Airbus A320neos Delayed 2-3 Months - Norwegian
Airbus has delayed deliveries of the A320neo by two to three months for additional tests of its Pratt & Whitney engines, the chief executive of Norwegian Air said. "The A320neo has some teething issues but we are working with Pratt & Whitney to solve the problems," an Airbus spokeswoman said. "We are in constant discussion with our customers and we expect the problems to be solved by mid-year."
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Recaro intelligent seat concept reports live operational data
Recaro Aircraft Seating has showcased a concept seat, which is capable of reporting live operational and maintenance data. The seat, which was exhibited at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, ties in with the Internet of Things by transmitting operational status data to a handheld tablet computer. This includes whether the seat is in the correct takeoff and landing position, for cabin crew use.
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FAA calls for removal of certain Zodiac seats
FAA is calling for more than 10,000 Zodiac Aerospace seats to be removed from service, citing design flaws that could cause injury if a passenger was thrown forward during a high-impact incident. An FAA Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) released April 20 covers seats with model numbers 4157, 4170 and 4184. The seats are installed on Bombardier CRJ700s, -900s and Q400s; Embraer ERJ 145s, -170s and -190s; and Boeing 717s. Affected airlines include US carriers Delta Air Lines, Envoy Air, Island Air, Republic Airlines, SkyWest Airlines and United Airlines.
LinkAirlines
Air Canada debuts service from Montreal to sunny spots
Air Canada plans to offer service from Montreal to four new warm-weather destinations, including Palm Springs, Calif., and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. "Flights are timed to optimize connectivity for travelers from all across Quebec and Eastern Canada looking to escape the Canadian winter," said Benjamin Smith, president of passenger airlines at Air Canada.
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Alaska Air Group 1Q net profit up 23%
Alaska Air Group, parent of Seattle-based Alaska Airlines and regional carrier Horizon Air, reported a consolidated first-quarter net income of $184 million, up 23% from a net income of $149 million in the year-ago quarter. Alaska Air Group announced April 4 it had reached a deal to acquire San Francisco-based Virgin America for $2.6 billion in cash. The transaction is pending Virgin America shareholder and regulatory approval.
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Lion Air Group selects Sabre fleet, operations management
Indonesia-based Lion Air Group has signed a contract with technology provider Sabre Corp. to install a comprehensive airline operations and crew management system. Lion Air Group CEO Edward Sirait said Sabre AirCentre technology is being implemented to “streamline operations and create efficiencies and cost savings” across the group’s Lion Air, Batik Air, Wings Air, Malindo Air, and Thai Lion Air subsidiaries.
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Southwest posts record 1Q net income, revenues
Southwest Airlines, bolstered by continued low fuel prices and record first-quarter revenue, posted record first-quarter net income of $511 million, up 13% year-over-year. The Dallas-based carrier’s total operating revenues were a first-quarter record $4.8 billion—up 9.3% compared with last year’s first quarter—including $4.4 billion in passenger revenues.
LinkAirports
Rail link connects Denver airport, city center
A new commuter rail line between Colorado's Denver International Airport and Denver's city center will be available for travelers starting April 22 at noon. The ride to Denver's Union Station takes 40 minutes and costs $9.
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EU Exit Would Strengthen Case For Heathrow Expansion
A British exit from the European Union would strengthen the case for expanding Heathrow, the UK's busiest airport, because the country would need more global trading routes, the airport's chief executive said. Heathrow's position is that Britain would be better off in a reformed EU, chief executive John Holland-Kaye said, but should the country vote to leave, it would be more dependent on a bigger Heathrow with more emerging market links.
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Southwest to break ground on Love Field expansion in June
Southwest Airlines is moving forward with a $143 million expansion of its facilities at Dallas Love Field. "We're excited that plans are underway for our new flight training facility, and our ground breaking will be in early June," said Southwest's Lori Crabtree.
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Military
Bell V-280 taking form in Amarillo
Bell Helicopter’s third-generation tiltrotor, the V-280 Valor, is literally coming together in Amarillo, Texas, as the company enters the final stages of mating the wing with the fuselage. It’s a moment of truth for the engineers and fabricators who have been working on prototype aircraft, which is being prepared to fly in September 2017 as part of the US Army’s Joint-MultiRole Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) program. If one part or structure doesn’t line up the project might stall, Vince Tobin, Bell’s vice-president of V-280 and Future Vertical Lift says the company’s three-dimensional design models have proven accurate so far.
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Aviation Quote
Keep the aeroplane in such an attitude that the air pressure is always directly in the pilot's face.
— Horatio C. Barber, 1916
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