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Magnetic MRO raises $9.1 million to acquire competitor
Baltic maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) firm Magnetic MRO has raised €8 million ($9.1 million) from a bonds issue, which it plans to use to acquire one of its competitors.
“Capital raised with the bond issue will be used for acquiring a competitor operating in the same industry and further expanding Magnetic MRO’s business,” Magnetic said in a statement issued Feb. 4.
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Boeing 'focuses on CFM' as Spirit AeroSystems recovers: CFO
A top Boeing executive has expressed confidence that Spirit AeroSystems will meet the next 737 production increase while reiterating that remaining supply chain problems stem largely from CFM International.
"The recovery right now focuses on CFM. They have a recovery plan in place that takes them to about mid-year, when they are fully recovered," Boeing chief financial officer Greg Smith says on 6 February.
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Airbus picks Dassault Systemes for digital transformation
Airbus will implement a digital design and engineering platform from Dassault Systemes, to transform the way aircraft are being manufactured and operated. The move aims to "lay the foundation for a new European industrial ecosystem in aviation".
The airframer has signed a five-year memorandum of agreement to implement Dassault Systemes' "3DExperience" platform to facilitate "collaborative 3D design, engineering, manufacturing, simulation and intelligence applications".
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Bombardier launches 50-seat CRJ700 derivative
Bombardier has launched a new 50-seat variant of its CRJ series and recruited United Airlines as launch customer.
Dubbed the CRJ550, the variant have a "new type certificate based on the CRJ700", Bombardier says.
LinkAirlines
Qantas cancels order for 8 Airbus A380s
Qantas's cancellation of the A380 superjumbo jets is the latest blow to aeronautics company Airbus. A number of airlines have canceled or stalled orders in recent years, causing Airbus to question the A380's future. Australian airline Qantas Airways on Thursday announced it had formally canceled an order for eight Airbus A380 superjumbo jets. "Following discussions with Airbus, Qantas has now formalized its decision not to take eight additional A380s that were ordered in 2006," a Qantas spokesperson said. "These aircraft have not been part of the airline's fleet and network plans for some time."
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United unveils 50-seat CRJ550 as part of premium-seating expansion
United Airlines has unveiled a major increase to its premium-cabin inventory that includes introducing reconfigured Bombardier CRJ700s as 50-seat, two-class aircraft that the airline sees as ideal, scope-clause-compliant replacements for its 50-seat regional jets. The Chicago-based carrier is re-configuring 21 Boeing 767-300s and all its Airbus narrowbodies, adding premium seating throughout. The 767s will have 46 Polaris business-class seats, up from 30.
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Norwegian to raise $26 million from A320neo sale; launches paid Wi-Fi
LCC Norwegian plans to raise $26 million in fresh liquidity from the sale of two Airbus 320neos and is moving to a paid model for faster inflight connectivity.
Norwegian announced the sale of the two aircraft, owned by its Arctic Aviation Assets subsidiary, on Feb. 5.
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Austrian Airlines to wet lease two Adria Airways CRJ900s
Lufthansa Group subsidiary Austrian Airlines will wet lease two Bombardier CRJ900s from Slovenia-based Adria Airways from March 31 to secure and stabilize operations for the summer 2019 season.
The Star Alliance carrier was challenged last year with flight delays and cancellations as a result of several factors, including an ambitious flight planning strategy, which did not provide enough aircraft, air traffic controller strikes and serious weather conditions.
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Azul to acquire more Embraer and Airbus jets in 2019
Brazilian carrier Azul has sped the pace of its fleet renewal by upping the number of Embraer E195-E2s and Airbus A320neo-family aircraft it plans to acquire in 2019.
A revised fleet plan released by Azul on 6 February also calls for more retirements in 2019 of first-generation E195s, one less A330 delivery and no ATR deliveries.
LinkAirports
SWISS modernizes dedicated concourse at Zurich Airport
Lufthansa Group subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) unveiled an upgraded concourse in Zurich Airport’s Check-in 1 on Feb. 5 with a fresh new look and check-in desk concept, waiting zones and screen displays for passengers in all travel classes.
SWISS invested several million Swiss francs for the redesign and modernization work that was performed between April 2018 and February 2019, with “no interruption of regular check-in operations,” SWISS said in the Feb. 6 announcement.
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Hong Kong enjoys Chinese New Year celebrations
The Year of the Pig began in style at Hong Kong International Airport earlier today as airport staff joined passengers to celebrate the first day of the Chinese New Year.
Special guest, Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region, joined airport CEO, Fred Lam, and Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) chairman, Jack So Chak-Kwong, at the airport to mark the occasion.
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Chicago O’Hare Airport becomes America’s busiest airport again
For the first time since 2014, Chicago O’Hare International Airport has overtaken Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson as America’s busiest airport.
After four years at number two, Chicago O’Hare has become the busiest airport in America.
Data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shows that Chicago O’Hare handled 903,747 flights during 2018, while Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, the previous front-runner, handled just 895,502.
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Fraport launches operations at Nashville International Airport
Fraport USA and Nashville International Airport unveil plans for a new programme which will see the development of Nashville International’s concession space.
Fraport is taking over the overall management of concession areas for shops, restaurants and other services at Nashville International Airport (BNA). With almost 16 million passengers in 2018 (up 13.2 per cent year-on-year), BNA set an all-time record for the sixth consecutive year and has maintained its position as one of strongest performing aviation gateways in North America.
LinkMilitary
PICTURES: US Navy retires last of legacy F/A-18 Hornets
The US Navy marked retirement of its last legacy McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet fleet in a fly-over ceremony at sunset on 1 February at Naval Air Station Oceania in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The Blue Blasters of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 34 were the last squadron in the USN flying the Hornet, most recently aboard aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson during freedom of navigation patrols in the South China Sea in 2018, says the USN. The legacy F/A-18C Hornet is being replaced by the Boeing F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet, including the single-seat E model and the two-seat F model.
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PICTURE: Qatar receives first of 36 Rafale fighters
Dassault has handed over the first of an eventual 36 Rafale combat aircraft – a DQ two-seat variant – to Qatar, for operation by the country's air force.
Doha signed for 24 examples in 2015, adding a further 12 aircraft a little over two years later.
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PICTURES: RAF Tornados complete operational duties
Deployed operations with the UK's Panavia Tornado GR4 strike aircraft have come to an end, with its last examples having returned to the Royal Air Force's Marham base in Norfolk.
Three of the type completed a transfer from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus on 5 February, the day after five others had returned to the UK.
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'Huge effort' yields Tiger, MRH90 performance boost for Australia
Australia believes it has finally overcome the high-profile problems that have dogged two of its helicopter procurement programmes – with such progress made on one platform that it has now been accepted for special forces operations.
Canberra acquired both the Airbus Helicopters Tiger and the NH Industries NH90 in the early 2000s, and saw both rotorcraft fail to deliver promised levels of availability or performance.
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