NewsCommercial
Mitsubishi still finalising new MRJ production schedule
Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation stresses that it has not yet completed its revised production schedule for the MRJ regional jet following the latest design changes that have delayed delivery of the first aircraft to 2020. Japanese newspaper The Yomiuri Shimbun reports that suppliers to the programme have been briefed that production in 2020 is being scaled back from a planned 10 aircraft per month to only one per month.
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Embraer names new CEO of Portugal’s OGMA
Embraer has named Marco Tulio Pellegrini as the new CEO of Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal (OGMA). He will succeed Rodrigo Almeida Rosa who will take over as CFO of Embraer Europe, responsible for the company’s finance activities in Europe, Middle East and Africa. The change will become effective April 3.
LinkAirlines
Aeroflot Group international traffic up 25.6% in January
Russia’s Aeroflot Group carried 1.5 million international passengers in January, up 25.6% year-over-year (YOY). Domestic traffic grew 10.1% to 1.9 million. The group’s passenger load factor increased 2.5 percentage points YOY to 76.6%. Total group traffic reached 3.4 million in January, up 15.4% YOY.
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Air Canada, Alaska Airlines expand routes
Air Canada launched its first route to Asia this month with service to Shanghai, and is offering expanded seasonal capacity to Israel. Alaska Airlines, meanwhile, has announced service connecting Orange County, Calif., and Albuquerque, N.M., launching this summer.
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Poor crew decisions and support cited in Air India A320 accident
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has found a number of organisational and human errors contributed to a landing accident involving an Air India Airbus A320 on 5 January 2014. The aircraft, registered VT-ESH, was operating flight from Imphal and Guwahati to Delhi when it was forced to divert due to poor visibility at Delhi.
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American Airlines to Retire the Airbus A330-300 by 2018
American Airlines plans to accelerate the retirements of all of its Airbus A330-300s, Embraer E190s, and some of its Boeing 767-300ERs, according to a letter from American VP of Flight Service Hector Adler that was first reported on by Brian Sumers. American currently operates nine Airbus A330-300s and 40 767-300ERs (out of a widebody fleet of 146 aircraft), and 20 E190s (out of a mainline narrowbody fleet of 796 aircraft).
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BA appears to switch 787-9s for more -8s
British Airways appears to have reduced the number of Boeing 787-9s it expects to receive, according to parent IAG’s latest fleet plan. The fleet plan outlined in IAG’s full-year results shows a total of 18 787-9s for the carrier, three fewer than the 21 listed in the half-year schedule.
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Chorus posts $83 million 2016 net profit; leasing revenue up 44%
Halifax-based Chorus Aviation, the parent company of Canadian regional airline Jazz Aviation, posted 2016 net profits of C$111.8 million ($83 million), more than quadrupling its C$25.5 million net result for 2015. “Our overall [2016] fiscal results were in line with our expectations,” Chorus president and CEO Joe Randell said. “The capacity purchase agreement (CPA) with Air Canada continues to … deliver strong and stable financial results … we achieved a 44% increase year-over-year in our aircraft leasing revenue under the CPA, to $99 million.”
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SWISS to increase capacity on North Atlantic routes
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will increase capacity on North Atlantic routes this summer by using larger aircraft. The Lufthansa subsidiary will also base its first Bombardier CS300—which it expects to receive in the 2Q—in Geneva. From April 22, SWISS will increase Zurich-San Francisco services from 3X-weekly to daily using a Boeing 777-300ER. The carrier will also operate the 777-300ER on six of its 12X-weekly Zurich-Chicago O’Hare routes between June and October. As a result, the 777-300ER will be used on daily services over the summer from Zurich to five intercontinental destinations—Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
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United to launch San Francisco-Munich service
United Airlines is launching its first flight from its San Francisco hub to Munich for the summer schedule. The Chicago-based carrier will operate the seasonal flight daily with a Boeing 787. The flights are expected to launch on May 24.
LinkAirports
Calif. airport may update expansion plans amid passenger surge
California's Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, already planning an expansion, may have to update its plans to accommodate a surge of newly scheduled flights and the possible addition of service by United Airlines.
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Military
USAF picks Elta for counter-UAS deal
Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta North America subsidiary has been awarded a $15.5 million, fixed-price contract to provide the US Air Force with counter-unmanned air system equipment. According to the agreement, Elta will deliver 21 manpads kits. The equipment will produced in Israel, with training provided in the USA by July 2017, the US Department of Defense says.
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RAAF chief stresses power of networked capabilities
The chief of the Royal Australian Air Force has laid down a strategy for the next ten years that emphasises networked assets and joint capabilities. Air Marshall Leo Davies says that progress has been made under the auspices of Project Jericho, an initiative launched by his predecessor to more tightly network the nation’s air force, and also strengthen connectivity with the country’s army and navy. Still, more needs to be done.
LinkRegulatory
FAA grants Kenya Category 1 safety rating
FAA, under its International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program, has granted Kenya a Category 1 rating, determining the East African country’s civil aviation authority meets ICAO safety standards. According to the FAA, the IASA program focuses on a country's ability, not the ability of individual air carriers, to adhere to international aviation safety standards and recommended practices.
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Trump gives first hint of budget priorities; DOT may face reductions
US President Donald Trump has given the first preview of his budget priorities for the federal government, indicating significant spending reductions in areas outside of the military and law and immigration enforcement. Trump said he will give more specifics in a Feb. 28 speech to the US Congress, and his formal budget proposal will be submitted to Congress sometime in March.
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Aviation Quote
I've never known an industry that can get into people's blood the way aviation does.
- Robert Six, founder of Continental Airlines.
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ANCFlyer wrote:American Airlines to Retire the Airbus A330-300 by 2018
The 767s were long in the tooth when I was travelling a lot. They are garbage. Interesting though the A330s are being trashed . . .
