NAS Daily 01 FEB 19

airtrainer 01 Feb 19, 00:51

News

Commercial

ATR sees opportunity in Bombardier’s Q400 sale
Regional turboprop manufacturer ATR plans to capitalize on the turmoil affecting its main competitor, Bombardier, by positioning itself as the only company in the sector that can guarantee its products’ longevity. Speaking Jan. 31 at ATR’s annual press conference in Paris, ATR CEO Stefano Bortoli said 2019 would be a year of consolidation in which the Franco-Italian manufacturer would better understand the ramifications of Bombardier’s decision to sell its Q400 turboprop
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Four MROs form aircraft-modification alliance
Four aircraft retrofit specialists—EAD Aerospace, Envoy Aerospace, Etihad Airways Engineering and Lufthansa Technik—have signed an MOU to form the Independent Aircraft Modifier Alliance (IAMA).
EAD Aerospace sales director Patrick Gindre said IAMA will provide a “home” for aircraft modifiers to discuss challenges, best practices and develop a common voice.
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Iranian ATRs redistributed to new homes
The undelivered aircraft from Iran Air’s order for 20 ATR 72-600 turboprops have all been placed, ATR CEO Stefano Bortoli said Jan. 31.
The Franco-Italian manufacturer delivered 13 of the aircraft over 2017-18, the last in a batch of five that made a last-minute ferry-flight dash to Tehran in August 2018, just 24 hours before renewed US sanctions blocking trade with Iran were imposed.
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Bloomberg sees Airbus, Boeing book-to-bill decline in 2019
Continued deceleration of economic growth in China coupled with sluggish environments in the US and Europe will take their toll on new-aircraft demand, likely leaving Airbus and Boeing with fewer orders than deliveries this year, a Bloomberg analyst has warned.
“We think 2019 is a less than 1 book-to-bill rate as China slows,” Bloomberg senior analyst-aerospace, defense and airlines George Ferguson told delegates at Aviation Week’s Aero-Engines Americas in Dallas Jan. 30.
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ATR: Enhanced vision system, new cargo aircraft on track
Turboprop manufacturer ATR is on schedule with the development of a wearable enhanced vision system and the ATR 72-600F cargo aircraft, and is gearing up for the launch of a short takeoff and landing (STOL) variant of the ATR 42, CEO Stefano Bortoli said.
Bortoli provided the product updates Jan. 31 at ATR’s annual press conference in Paris.
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Airbus launches investigation into cyberattack
Airbus is investigating a cyberattack on its commercial aircraft business, where the attackers gained unauthorized access to employee contact information.
“Investigations are ongoing to understand if any specific data was targeted; however, we do know some personal data was accessed. This is mostly professional contact and IT identification details of some Airbus employees in Europe,” Airbus said in a statement, issued Jan. 30.
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Boeing buys time with 2020 NMA launch timeline
Aerospace observers view Boeing's latest new-aircraft decision timeline as another delay to an already lengthy process, a development that could reflect the project's complexity.
"A lot of people were taken by surprise," says aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia of news that Boeing's decision to launch the so-called New Mid-market Airplane (NMA) will not come until 2020.
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'No plans to sell GECAS': GE chief
GE has sought to quell months of speculation on the future of its aircraft leasing company GECAS by declaring that it is not selling the subsidiary.
"To be clear, we have no plans to sell GECAS," GE chief executive Larry Culp told investors during an earnings call today, adding that the aircraft lessor would receive about $4 billion of financial support from its parent this year.
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Airlines

Airbus, Emirates in ‘commercial discussions’ about A380 order
Airbus said in a regulatory filing released Jan. 31 that it is in “commercial discussions with Emirates Airline in relation to its A380 contract” following two reports that the airline may ditch all or part of a follow-up order for the aircraft. A termination of the contract could force Airbus close to shutting down the program, a move the manufacturer seriously considered before securing the latest commitment from the type’s by far largest customer.
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JAL raises FY2018 profit forecast as fuel prices ease
Japan Airlines (JAL) reported a lower net profit for the first nine months of fiscal 2018, but raised its full-year income outlook as a result of an anticipated easing of fuel prices.
The carrier reported a net profit of ¥106.5 billion ($980.4 million) for the nine-month period ending Dec. 31, 2018, down 6.6% from the same period a year earlier. For the full fiscal year ending March 31, however, JAL raised its net profit estimate to ¥138 billion, ¥28 billion higher than the profit guidance issued Oct. 31, 2018.
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Qatar Airways converts some A321neos to A321LRs
Qatar Airways is converting part of its order for 50 Airbus A321neos to the long-range version of the aircraft.
The airline confirmed Jan. 31 that 10 of the aircraft will now be A321LRs, with the first of them to be delivered in 2020. The carrier has not selected an engine type yet.
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SkyWest orders nine more Embraer E175s
SkyWest Inc. has signed a firm order for nine Embraer E175 jets, with deliveries expected to begin this year. The order, which has a list-price value of $422 million, was already included in Embraer’s 2018 fourth-quarter backlog.
Utah-based SkyWest Airlines will operate all nine E175s, featuring a 76-seat configuration.
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Aeroflot LCC Pobeda adds 10 new destinations for summer 2019
Aeroflot low-cost subsidiary Pobeda Airlines plans to launch flights to 10 new destinations for the IATA 2019 summer schedule, the carrier said.
Among the new destinations are: Moscow Vnukovo-Ulyanovsk, Moscow Vnukovo-Omsk, St. Petersburg-Kazan and Sochi-Kirov. The carrier will announce the rest of the routes and start ticket sales in February.
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Condor expands fleet for summer operations
German leisure carrier Condor will add six aircraft for the summer 2019 season to expand services and secure operations, especially punctuality.
The six aircraft include: one Airbus A321; two Boeing 757s, which will be transferred from Thomas Cook Airlines UK; and three wet-leased Boeing 737s, which will fly from Stuttgart to European leisure destinations.
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Cebu Pacific aims for 83 aircraft by 2022
Philippines LCC Cebu Pacific plans to have a fleet of 83 aircraft by 2022, fronted by 27 Airbus A321neos.
In 2019, the airline will have 12 new aircraft this year: six A321neos, five A320neos and an ATR 72-600. The first of 32 A321neos was delivered Jan. 21 and has been placed in domestic service from Manila to Cebu and Davao.
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Korean Air posts 2018 net loss on fuel costs, currency shifts
Korean Air reported a net loss for 2018 as revenue gains were outweighed by the impacts of higher fuel prices and currency depreciation.
In preliminary results, the Seoul-based airline estimated a 2018 net loss of KRW80.3 billion ($72.2 million), a turnaround from a KRW908 billion net profit in the previous year. A full earnings report and 2019 business plan will be released by the end of March, an airline spokeswoman said.
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Ryanair in talks with Toulouse-Blagnac for next French base
Ryanair is in talks to open a base at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in southern France, marking the potential next step in a strategy unveiled by the Irish LCC a year ago to expand its presence in the French market.
The Dublin-based carrier last January said its plan to add 10 new routes in France in 2018 was “the beginning of a larger Ryanair growth initiative in France, which may include aircraft bases.” Later that year, the airline announced it would open two new French bases in Bordeaux and Marseille in its summer 2019 schedule.
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United expects first premium-heavy 767 in February
United Airlines expects to receive its first Boeing 767-300ER with an expanded business class cabin in February, FlightGlobal understands.
The first aircraft in the configuration, which is dubbed the "76L" by the Chicago-based carrier, is due for completion in mid-February after an initial target date of 18 January, FlightGlobal understands. Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (HAECO) is handling the reconfiguration work.
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PICTURE: Air Premia picks 787-9 for fleet
South Korean startup carrier Air Premia has selected the Boeing 787-9 to form the basis of its fleet, with deliveries to start in 2020.
The airline will take five through lessors, with three to arrive in 2020, and two the year after. It plans to grow that to a fleet of 10 of the jets over five years.
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SAS to implement carbon-offset for loyalty bookings
Scandinavia’s SAS is to introduce a new carbon-offset scheme which will encompass all tickets booked through its loyalty programme EuroBonus.
The company says the scheme, which commences on 1 February, will mean 40% of all passenger-related carbon dioxide emissions will be offset.
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Saudia to introduce 787-10s this year
Saudi Arabian flag-carrier Saudia is to introduce Boeing 787-10s this year, the largest variant of the twinjet family.
The carrier already has 13 787-9s in service, all powered by General Electric GEnx-1B engines.
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Airports

Canada’s TSB urges safety improvements at Toronto Pearson
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) made several recommendations after an investigation pointed to similarities in 27 runway incursions that occurred at Toronto Pearson International airport between June 2012 and November 2017.
“Although the vast majority of incursions pose little to no risk, the [TSB] has identified a troubling pattern at Pearson International,” TSB chair Kathy Fox said during a 31 January press briefing, noting that on average 445 runway incursions have occurred in Canada annually over the past few years.
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IndiGo to open new MRO base at Bengaluru airport
The parent company of Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo will build its second MRO base at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.
InterGlobe Aviation will enter into a 20-year agreement with Bangalore International Airport Limited to sub-lease land to build a 13,000 sqm hangar will be that can accommodate two narrowbody aircraft.
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Airspace agreement set to open up more Tokyo Haneda slots
A tentative agreement to allow civilian aircraft through US-controlled airspace around Tokyo could allow for more slots to be opened up at Haneda International airport.
Japan’s deputy chief cabinet secretary Kotaro Nogami told reporters during a press conference that an “in-principle agreement was made” with the United States on 29 January that will allow civilian movements through airspace controlled by its Yokota air base.
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Changi welcomes pop-up Hennessy store for Chinese New Year
Singapore Changi Airport has unveiled a new interactive Hennessy pop-up store, which it hopes will appeal to passengers celebrating the Chinese New Year.
Located in Terminal 3 and around until February 19, the outlet is the result of a collaboration between Moët Hennessy, DFS Group and Changi operator, Changi Airport Group (CAG).
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Schiphol retains status as Europe's third busiest Cargo hub
Amsterdam Schiphol handled 1.7 million tonnes of freight in 2018 to maintain its status as Europe's third largest cargo airport.
The airport reported a 4.1% increase in bellyhold cargo in 2018 although its overall freight volumes dipped by 2.5% during the year.
In what proved to be a tough year for cargo shipments at Amsterdam Schiphol, the Dutch gateway reveals that the number of full freighter movements decreased by 10.4% in 2018.
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Military

VIDEO: SB-1 Defiant starts ground run tests ahead of first flight
The Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 Defiant compound helicopter completed its initial ground run and is being ground tested before its first flight which is anticipated for early 2019.
The demonstrator helicopter was supposed to have flown initially in 2017, but issues with the composite rotor blade manufacturing process and transmission gears delayed takeoff. Sikorsky and Boeing then thought it would lift off for the first time in 2018, but issues discovered by engineers in a powertrain system test bed delayed the flight again.
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PICTURE: First operational F-35A emerges for the Netherlands
Lockheed Martin has rolled out its first operational F-35A for the Royal Netherlands Air Force, ahead of its transfer to the service's Leeuwarden air base later this year. The fighter was unveiled during a ceremony at the company's Fort Worth final assembly site in Texas on 30 January.
Prior to the first F-35A shipments being made to the Netherlands, the air force's lead example for squadron use will be transferred to Luke AFB in Arizona, to support pilot training.
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Manila nears formal commitment for 16 S-70is
Manila is on the verge of placing an order for 16 Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk helicopters equipped for combat utility missions.
The final elements of the deal are being put in place, according a source familiar with the transaction.
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Aviation Quote

Today, the situation is exacerbated with costs exceeding revenues at four times the pre-September 11 rate. Today, we are literally hemorrhaging money. Clearly this bleeding has to be stopped - and soon - or United will perish sometime next year.

- James Goodwin, chairman and CEO of United's parent company UAL. The unions of the (at the time) employee owned company forced his replacement. 17 October, 2001