NewsQantas to use biofuel on Australia-Los Angeles flightsAustralia’s Qantas Airways has made a major move toward renewable fuels, announcing plans to use biofuel in its aircraft that stop at Los Angeles International Airport.
LinkFinnair rides Asian expansion waveA significant expansion of Finnair’s capacity to Asian destinations has been the major factor behind the airline’s improved financial figures in 2017, the carrier’s CCO said Oct. 13.
LinkFrance to pursue new ATM strategyIATA is to cooperate with French air navigation service provider (ANSP) DSNA to develop an air traffic management (ATM) strategy for the European nation, the two organizations said Oct. 13.
LinkRussia’s Air Traffic Control reports 8.2% record growthRussia’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) handled a record number of flights during the first nine months of 2017, ATC said in a statement Oct. 13. From January-September, Russian and foreign carriers operated 1.2 million flights over Russian airspace, up 8.2% year-over-year (YOY), and up 3% compared to the same period in 2014 when the previous peak was reported.
LinkBrussels Airport to upgrade airbridgesBrussels Airport in Belgium is to spend more than €52 million ($61 million) to re-equip one of its piers with modern airbridges in a substantial investment program aimed at improving customer services. The airport, at Zaventem, will replace the 24 airbridges on Pier B. The existing bridges are 25 years old and will be progressively replaced to cope with the increasingly large aircraft operating into the Belgian capital’s airport.
LinkBasic economy is a success if it does NOT sellA key to understanding airlines’ basic economy fare strategy is this: the carriers are more than happy if basic economy tickets ultimately don’t sell well. These fares are meant to ward off defections to ultra low-cost carriers or, if there is no ULCC competition on a given route, to simply get price-conscious customers in the door. Delta Air Lines was the first US major to introduce basic economy fares. It now offers the fare class on every domestic flight, more than 50% of its flights to/from Latin America and expects to have basic economy available on its entire global network by the end of next year. But here’s a bit of an open secret: “Really the success of that product isn’t how many people buy it, but how many people don’t buy it and choose another product.”
LinkFAA adopts Stage 5 noise standard on new aircraft designsFAA has adopted a new noise standard that will result in a volume decrease of seven decibels (dBs) for certain newly designed subsonic aircraft. The ruling, called Stage 5 Airplane Noise Standards, is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2018, and will apply to any new aircraft design with a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 121,254 lbs. (55,000 kg) or more submitted on or after Dec. 31, 2017, or to any new aircraft design with a MTOW of less than 121,254 lbs. submitted on or after Dec. 31, 2020.
LinkAir India receives final 787-800Air India has received its final Boeing 787-800 aircraft, completing an order placed more than a decade ago. Air India in 2006 placed orders with Boeing for 68 aircraft—27 787-800s, 15 777-300ERs, eight 777-200LRs and 18 737-800s.
LinkUnited adding seats to 777-200s with Polaris retrofitUnited Airlines will add at least 23 seats to its long-haul Boeing 777-200s when it reconfigures the aircraft with its new Polaris business class seats. The Chicago-based carrier will configure the aircraft with 50 lie-flat Polaris business seats and 242 economy seats, shows a seating diagram sent to flight attendants and provided to FlightGlobal by a source.
LinkEASA to order disk checks on Leap-powered A320neosOperators of Airbus A320neos with CFM International Leap-1A engines are likely to be told to inspect high-pressure turbine disks to check for possible defects. The European Aviation Safety Agency says it is proposing the checks after a batch of second-stage disks were subjected to a "forging process deficiency" during manufacture.
LinkEmirates loses UK appeals against extra-EU delay liabilityMiddle Eastern carrier Emirates has lost appeals over compensation liability for delayed flights outside of the European Union after UK judges originally reached contradictory rulings in two similar cases. The two cases, both brought in Liverpool, involved Emirates services from Manchester – one to Bangkok and the other to Sydney – operating via Dubai.
LinkAirport screening as we know it won't change soon: HololeiAirport security screening will become less intrusive in the future, but the technology necessary has yet to mature. Henrik Hololei, director general of mobility and transport at the European Commission, admits that current processes for screening passengers are less than ideal from a convenience perspective, but are reliable and keep passengers safe.
LinkA380 operators ordered urgently to check GP7200 fan hubsOperators of Airbus A380s with Engine Alliance GP7200 powerplants are being ordered to conduct an urgent inspection of the engines' fan hubs for damage. The US FAA's emergency directive follows the un-contained failure of a GP7200 which, it says, had accumulated 3,527 cycles since new.
LinkBoeing rolls out first 787-10 out of paint shopBoeing has rolled the first 787-10 aircraft out of the paint shop for its launch customer Singapore Airlines (SIA). Images posted by the airframer on its Twitter account shows that the aircraft will bear the registration 9V-SCB.
LinkIs A380 fleet overtaking 747 a hollow victory? News that the Airbus A380 fleet now exceeds that of the Boeing 747 will have been met with mixed emotions in Seattle. The decline of the original “queen of the skies” – as a passenger airliner at least – relative to its nemesis is not a milestone that Boeing will have been savoring. But the circumstances in which it has happened certainly vindicate the US manufacturer’s long-held pessimism about the size of the ultra-large airliner (ULA) market.
LinkNew tests move P&W closer to ultra-high bypass GTFPratt & Whitney is a step closer to developing an ultra high-bypass version of the PW1000G geared turbofan after completing a second round of ground testing of key components. Increasing the ratio of airflow that bypasses the engine core is one of the tools that engine designers use to improve fuel efficiency. The PW1100G entered service with the Airbus A320neo family with a 12.2:1 bypass ratio, which doubled the amount of air bypassing the engine core compared to the CFM International CFM56 engine.
LinkUSAF searching for hypersonic vehicle materialsThe US Air Force Research Laboratory is searching for leading edge materials for reusable and expendable hypersonic vehicles to support its high speed strike weapon program. Air Force Materiel Command will consider thermal performance as it selects the material, according to the $2.3 million contract award to Integration Innovation posted 27 September on the Federal Business Opportunities website. Based in Huntsville, Alabama, Integration Innovation Integration has previously worked with the Defense Department and NASA on thermal protection systems supporting hypersonic vehicles.
LinkIsrael steps back from V-22 purchaseThe Israeli air force has frozen its evaluation of the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, with a senior defense source indicating that the tiltrotor is unable to perform some missions currently conducted using its Sikorsky CH-53 transport helicopters. In January 2014, the US Department of Defense notified Congress about its intention to sell six V-22s to Israel. This followed an evaluation conducted by air force personnel, which led to the service seeking a rapid acquisition to support special operations. The proposed purchase met with opposition from elsewhere within Israel's defense ministry, however.
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