NewsUS major airlines praise Tillerson’s agreement with QatarUS secretary of state Rex Tillerson confirmed the US and Qatar have reached “understandings … on civil aviation” aimed at addressing the concerns of US major airlines about alleged subsidies to Gulf carriers. Tillerson, appearing at the State Department in Washington DC along with representatives of a Qatari government delegation visiting the US for high-level talks, said US President Donald Trump “has made this matter a priority and the outcome we achieved will ensure a level playing field in the global aviation market.”
LinkVirgin Atlantic to lease ex-airberlin A330sVirgin Atlantic plans to supplement its fleet with four leased-in Airbus A330-200s to cope with unanticipated downtime for its Boeing 787-9 fleet powered by the troubled Rolls-Royce Trent 1000. The A330-200s are ex-airberlin aircraft. The first is undergoing renovations at Virgin Atlantic’s London Gatwick base before entering service at the start of the summer schedule in late March. All four will come into service throughout the spring.
LinkUnited to add three used 767-300ERs to fleetUnited Airlines, broadening its used-aircraft acquisition strategy to widebodies, will add three Boeing 767-300ERs to its fleet in 2018, continuing a trend that has seen it tap the second-hand market to boost its fleet significantly in the past two years. The 767-300ERs are said to be coming from Hawaiian Airlines via Boeing Capital and will join United's fleet in the second half of 2018. Hawaiian plans to retire its 767 fleet this year. While the 767s are the only used aircraft included in United's latest fleet plan, which envisions adding 24 mainline aircraft in 2018, executives are leaving the door open for more deals.
LinkQantas 787 completes transpacific biofuel flight A Qantas Boeing 787-9 has flown a transpacific flight using a biofuel blend, landing in Melbourne Jan. 30 after a 15 hour flight from Los Angeles. The General Electric GEnx-powered flight used a 10% blend of biofuel made from carinata. A non-food type of mustard seed, the carinata was developed by Canadian agricultural-technology company Agrisoma Biosciences. Under a partnership announced in 2017, the company is working with Australian farmers to grow the country’s first seed crop for commercial aviation biofuel by 2020.
LinkNTSB: Improve ultrasonic inspection of engine partsFAA and the airline industry should determine if improved ultrasonic inspection of engine parts during manufacturing would have found the defect that caused an uncontained engine failure Oct. 28, 2016 on an American Airlines Boeing 767, NTSB said.
LinkAir France-KLM studying business models including low-cost long-haul Air France-KLM is examining low-cost long-haul among other business models as it responds to a fast-changing air transport environment, the group said, playing down French media reports that it was presenting more concrete plans for a low-cost long-haul carrier to its works council.
LinkTUI Group CEO outlines Boeing 737 MAX delivery scheduleHanover, Germany-based TUI Group plans to take delivery of four more Boeing 737 MAX 8s this year as it begins a major fleet renewal initiative.
LinkEasyJet to add 23 new routes from Berlin-TegelUK LCC easyJet is boosting capacity to European leisure destinations from its new Berlin-Tegel base, but the airline is taking a cautious approach towards expanding German domestic flying.
LinkWith 130 weekly flights, American Airlines pleased with growth in BahamasAmerican Airlines executive Jim Butler says he is "impressed" with the growth of its six routes from the US to the Bahamas. The airline operates 130 weekly flights to the islands, serving Nassau, Freeport, March Harbour, Eleuthera, Exuma and San Salvador.
LinkAlaska, Virgin America to integrate PSS in early-2Q18 Alaska Airlines and Virgin America will complete the integration of their passenger service system (PSS) on April 25, 2018, Alaska Air Group CEO Brad Tilden announced during an annual earnings call on January 25. "On April 25, we'll transition to a common PSS system, which will give us a single shopping, buying, flight scheduling and airport check-in system, as well as a single branded digital and airport experience. At that point, which will be just 16 months after closing, we will be through 75% of the merger work," Tilden said.
LinkFAA expects heavy air traffic in Minn. for Super BowlThe Federal Aviation Administration is preparing to handle 3,500 additional flights between Feb. 1 and Feb. 5 at Minnesota airports as fans fly in for the Super Bowl. The event also means a greater temporary flight restrictions of up to 30 miles from the game's site, US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
LinkSikorsky parent warns on near-term civil helicopter sales prospectsHelicopter manufacturer Sikorsky is unlikely to see any upturn in the commercial market over the next two years, parent company Lockheed Martin has warned. Sikorsky only offers two dedicated civil helicopters, the medium-twin S-76D and the S-92 heavy-twin. Neither has sold in great volumes in recent years, with the latter particularly affected by the downturn in the offshore oil and gas market.
LinkAffinity completes UK military's Phenom trainer fleetThe UK's fifth and final Embraer Phenom 100 to have been acquired under its Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme arrived at the Royal Air Force's Cranwell base in Lincolnshire on 30 January. Affinity Flying Services accepted the first of the Phenoms in July 2017, with the type to support the instruction of multi-engine, fixed-wing flightcrew.
LinkHurkus B trainer makes flight debutTurkish Aerospace Industries has performed the first flight of its Hurkus B basic trainer, and says the new type is on track to achieve service entry as planned later this year.
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