NewsFatigue signs in failed engine prompt new Southwest inspections Southwest Airlines will begin a round of “enhanced inspection procedures” for CFM International engines following a preliminary finding that a fan blade bore signs of metal fatigue in a fatal acccident on 17 April, a US National Transportation Safety Board official says. The call for inspections came several hours after an engine failed on Southwest flight 1380, which was operated by a Boeing 737-700, about 11:15 am, puncturing the fuselage and wing with pieces of the failed left engine. Although enroute from New York-LaGuardia to Dallas Love Field, the crew diverted to Philadelphia International airport. One passenger was killed during the accident.
LinkUnited inspecting 737 engines following service bulletinUnited Airlines is inspecting 698 CFM International engines on its Boeing 737 fleet following a recent service bulletin from the manufacturer, says chief operating officer Greg Hart. The bulletin, which was released during the week of 9 April, follows an incident aboard a 737 in 2016, says Hart without specifying the incident during a quarterly earnings call today.
LinkAir New Zealand reshuffles widebody fleet as 787 restrictions take holdAir New Zealand will reshuffle its widebody fleet and seek more leased aircraft as it copes with new operational restrictions for the Boeing 787s used on long-haul routes.
LinkSingapore Airlines, Fiji Airways agree to codeshareSingapore Airlines (SIA) and Fiji Airways have agreed to codeshare, adding popular leisure destination Fiji to the SIA network and broadening Fiji Airways’ global access. Under the deal, SIA and its SilkAir subsidiary will codeshare on Fiji Airways’ nonstop flights between Singapore and Nadi, Fiji.
LinkEtihad Airways, EgyptAir to expand codeshareAbu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways and EgyptAir have expanded their codeshare partnership to cover more destinations in Africa, North Asia and Australia, starting May 2. The initial agreement was launched March 1, 2017.
LinkEurope to upgrade ATM communications networkEuropean air traffic management organization Eurocontrol signed a 10-year, €50 million ($62 million) contract with BT Global Services to provide an upgraded network for air traffic management (ATM) communications across 47 countries.
LinkLift by EnCore knits together seat design elements “Knitting is the future.” Not the type of remark you hear every day in the aviation industry, but seat manufacturer Lift by EnCore VP-development & strategy Elijah Dobrusin is serious. Knitting, it seems, has advantages over traditional woven methods in certain aspects of cabin fabrics manufacture. Notably, it does not produce seams that can start to chafe passengers. This makes it ideal for the facing of headrests, for example.
LinkAir France offers ‘growth pact’ pay proposal in bid to end strikesAir France has presented a new “growth pact” pay proposal to unions in a bid to put an end to a series of strikes that has led to flight cancellations and disruption. Air France offered a deal that included salary increases for 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, which it said would lead to an average increase of 12.5% over the period. In addition, the airline said it would include a general increase of 7% for all categories of staff, as well as individual increases and sliding seniority and skills pay scales.
LinkLufthansa’s bid for Alitalia called ‘most promising’ Lufthansa’s bid for Alitalia has emerged as the frontrunner as its fate still remains unclear after nearly a year since the Italian flag carrier filed for bankruptcy. Industry minister Carlo Calenda told Italian newspaper La Repubblica that Lufthansa’s bid for the airline was the “most promising.” Lufthansa has previously said it would only be interested in investing in a restructured Alitalia. Other bidders are UK LCC easyJet and Cerberus Capital Management.
LinkBeijing to lift foreign ownership restrictions on aircraft The Chinese government has announced it will lift restrictions on the proportion of foreign ownership in aircraft manufacturing companies this year, as part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s latest pledge made at the Boao Forum for Asia last week. According to China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), aviation manufacturing firms that produce commercial airliners and regional aircraft—as well as helicopters, drones and blimps—will be included.
LinkUnited sees 'opportunity' to grow Washington Dulles hubUnited Airlines sees an "opportunity" to grow at Washington Dulles International airport, as it focuses on driving additional connectivity across its hubs. "Dulles is a great hub," says Andrew Nocella, chief commercial officer of the Chicago-based carrier, during an earnings call today. "We continue to evaluate how to take advantage of [unused gate space]… I think there's opportunity to grow that in the future."
LinkSIA 777 door ripped off at Los AngelesA Singapore Airlines (SIA) Boeing 777-300ER had its second leftside door ripped from the airframe at Los Angeles International airport on 16 April at 17.50 hours local time. The carrier confirmed the incident, which happened as the aircraft "was being prepared for towing to its departure gate from a remote bay." The 777 was scheduled to operate as flight SQ7 from Los Angeles to Seoul on that day.
LinkTextron Aviation downplays dramatic sales backlog swing in Q1Textron Aviation’s sales backlog for new business jets and turboprops swelled suddenly by 33% from the end of December to 1 April, reversing a long-term trend in a stagnant market. The Wichita-based manufacturer of Cessna and Beechcraft-branded aircraft finished the first quarter with a $1.6 billion backlog, or $400 million higher than on 31 December. It was the largest increase since Cessna acquired Hawker Beechcraft in 2014 and absorbed the latter’s backlog. Since 2015, Textron Aviation’s combined backlog has hovered between $1 and $1.2 billion.
LinkBoeing celebrates 'flyaway' of first BBJ Max The first business jet version of the Boeing 737 Max took off from the airframer's facility in Seattle on 16 April, on the first stage of its journey to becoming a fully outfitted BBJ Max 8. According to online flight tracking tool FlightAware, the re-engined narrowbody – serial number 61329, bearing registration N329BJ – lifted off from Boeing Field at 09:33 local time and landed at Delaware Coastal airport, in the east of the USA, 4h 42min later.
LinkUK re-forms 617 Sqn for F-35B eraThe Royal Air Force's 617 Sqn – the UK's first frontline unit to field the Lockheed Martin F-35B – has been officially re-formed during a ceremony in Washington DC. Staffed by a mix of RAF and Royal Navy pilots and support personnel, lead elements of 617 Sqn are currently involved in training at MCAS Beaufort in South Carolina, using the UK's current 15 short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) Lightning IIs.
LinkF-22 Raptor skids across runway at Navy’s Top Gun schoolA Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor skidded on its belly across the runway of NAS Fallon near Reno, Nevada on 13 April after a takeoff mishap. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft without major injuries and the cause of the crash is unknown, though the incident is under investigation, said Anchorage, Alaska-based Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Base. The aircraft is assigned to the base's 3rd Wing. The F-22A was in Nevada for mock dogfighting against fighter aircraft in the Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, also called Top Gun.
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