NewsCommercial
Boeing to upgrade software in 737 MAX 8 fleet in 'weeks'
(Reuters) - Boeing Co confirmed late on Monday it will deploy a software upgrade to the 737 MAX 8, a few hours after the Federal Aviation Administration said it would mandate “design changes” in the aircraft by April.
Boeing did not reference Sunday’s Ethiopian Airlines crash in connection to the software upgrade. The statement did express the company’s condolences to the relatives of the 157 people who died, however.
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The Striking Similarities Between Lion Air and Ethiopian 737 MAX Crashes
The Boeing 737 MAX is the latest mass-market jet, meant to easily transport passengers around the world.
And that’s what it has been doing — safely — since its debut in 2017.
However, Sunday’s crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX is the second fatal incident involving the aircraft type in just five months. It’s way too soon to jump to any conclusions. But the similarities between the crashes are going to put additional focus on the popular jet that is now flown by more than 40 airlines around the world, including Southwest, American Airlines and United.
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Boeing to delay 777X rollout after Ethiopian crash
Boeing will push back the official rollout of the 777-9 following the 10 March crash of a Boeing 737 Max 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines.
“Boeing is deeply saddened by the Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 accident and our focus is on supporting our customer,” says the company in an email to FlightGlobal.
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Lufthansa Aviation Training sees strong FFS demand
Lufthansa Aviation Training (LAT) continues to see strong demand for full-flight simulator (FFS)-based pilot training, even though the industry is in its ninth consecutive year of growth.
“We don’t see a downturn at the moment. Our simulator capacities are working under full load,” LAT Austria MD Christian Korherr told ATW in Vienna. He added there are 200 airlines globally that purchase simulator time.
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GKN to expand production automation on A330neo wing section
Aerostructures manufacturer GKN Aerospace intends to further automate wing component production, building on its use of robotic technology for the assembly of Airbus A330neo outer wingboxes.
GKN says that it automated drilling, countersinking, and installation and removal of temporary fasteners for the re-engined twinjet’s outer-wingbox in 2018.
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ANALYSIS: Asia-Pacific February 2019 deliveries report
Asia-Pacific airlines received 36 of the 97 new commercial airliners delivered during February, up from 27 deliveries posted a month earlier.
North American airlines took 27 new aircraft during the month, European airlines 23. Latin American airlines took seven new aircraft, while airlines in the Middle East and Africa received two each.
LinkAirlines
Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 crash probe eyes Lion Air ties
The crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 near Addis Ababa March 10 has triggered voluntary groundings of in-service MAX-family aircraft even as investigators only begin their work, as concerns over possible links to last October 2018’s Lion Air MAX 8 crash mount, despite evidence of any clear links between the two crashes.
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Some MAX 8s grounded as Ethiopian crash investigation continues
Concern that two crashes involving new Boeing 737 MAX 8s in less than five months may be linked has led operators and regulators to ground about a third of the in-service fleet while investigators work to either connect the two accidents or calm fears.
Groundings started less than 24 hours after Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302, a three-month-old 737 MAX 8, crashed six min. after takeoff from Addis Ababa in clear weather March 10.
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Azul signs nonbinding deal to buy Avianca Brazil assets
Brazil's Azul has signed a deal to purchase key assets of financially troubled Avianca Brazil, including 30 Airbus A320-family aircraft, for up to $105 million.
Azul has also agreed to take over Avianca Brazil's air operator's certificate and 70 pairs of airport slots.
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Both flight recorders retrieved from Ethiopian 737 crash site
Recovery personnel have retrieve both flight recorders from the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 which crashed shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa on 10 March.
The airline states that personnel have recovered the cockpit-voice and digital flight-data recorder from the crash site.
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HNA’s Capital Airlines to fly from Daxing to Russia
Russian cities will be the first intercontinental destinations that HNA Group subsidiary Capital Airlines will serve from Beijing’s new Daxing International Airport.
The airline plans to fly from Daxing to Moscow 5X-weekly and to St. Petersburg, Russia twice-weekly, from September, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
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Ryanair to prohibit new UK shareholders if no-deal Brexit
Ryanair said UK nationals would not be allowed to buy Ryanair shares in the event of a no-deal or “hard” Brexit as part of updated guidelines for ensuring the Irish LCC remains majority European Union (EU)-owned.
The UK is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29, but with less than three weeks to go the terms of its departure remain unclear.
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European airline CEOs anticipate more airline failures
The CEOs of some of Europe’s largest airlines—easyJet, International Airlines Group (IAG), KLM, Lufthansa and Ryanair—are all anticipating further airline failures, despite reasonably positive market conditions. “We are starting to see some warning signs in the market,” Airlines for Europe (A4E) managing director Thomas Reynaert said, speaking at the (A4E) Aviation Summit in Brussels March 6. “Imagine what will happen if fuel prices go up.
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French airlines: Government plans to improve competitiveness not enough
Government proposals to improve competitiveness in the French air transport sector do not go far enough, the FNAM industry body representing French airlines said March 11. The French government has been consulting with the transport industry in a year-long summit known as “Les Assises du Transport,” aiming to improve the competitiveness of French players in a sector that contribute 4.3% of French GDP and a turnover of €90 billion ($101 billion).
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ANALYSIS: ANA’s A380s set to make waves in Hawaii
All Nippon Airways (ANA) will become the first – and last – operator of new Airbus A380s since 2014 in May, in what will be a big bet on the Hawaiian tourist market.
ANA’s A380s will operate thrice weekly on the Tokyo Narita-Honolulu route from 24 May, with 11 other services flown by 787-9s. From July, that will grow to 10 A380 services per week and four 787-9s, while from 1 August the 787-9s will be substituted for 777-300ERs.
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Vietnam Airlines switches Moscow airport
Vietnam Airlines will move its Moscow operations from Domodedovo to Sheremetyevo airport in July.
Sheremetyevo International Airport is the largest and fastest growing Russian airport and this decision will also facilitate Vietnam Airlines’ partnership with Russia’s major carrier Aeroflot.
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Sichuan Airlines Cargo expands into Europe with Brussels freighter
Chinese carrier Sichuan Airlines Cargo will launch a freighter service between China and Belgium at the end of April targeting e-commerce traffic.
The three-times-per-week service will operate between Chengdu and Brussels using recently delivered A330F aircraft. It is the e-commerce specialist’s first full-cargo destination in Europe.
LinkAirports
Legal challenges begin to Heathrow Airport expansion plans
A series of legal challenges to the planned expansion of London Heathrow Airport has got underway in the UK High Court, with London mayor Sadiq Khan and environmental organization Greenpeace joining local authorities in a bid to stop plans to build a third runway.
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Routes Asia: Berlin Airports tries to attract long-haul Asian airlines
Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg (FBB), the operator of Berlin’s three airports—Schönefeld, Tegel and the new Brandenburg airport—is in Cebu, Philippines for Routes Asia 2019 for the first time in a bid to attract potential long-haul flights from Asia.
The company launched a long-haul initiative in 2018 and is the only European airport at the event this year.
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Routes Asia: Cam Ranh airport expands network, infrastructure
Vietnam’s Cam Ranh International Airport has started plans to expand a new infrastructure as it catches up with double-digital growths.
Designed to handle 4 million passengers, the airport’s new international Terminal 2 opened in August 2018. However, international passenger arrivals for 2018 reached 5.2 million a year-on-year (YOY) growth of 42%.
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New Plaza Premium Lounge opens at Langkawi International Airport
The Plaza Premium Group now boasts facilities at more than 70 airports across the globe followng the opening of its new lounge at Langkawi International Airport in Malaysia.
Located in the airport's Departure Hall (pre-security), the boutique space is designed to offer a stylish and cosy environment for travellers to unwind before departing the serene island.
LinkMilitary
Northrop Grumman starts AARGM-ER engineering and manufacturing
Northrop Grumman received a $323 million contract from the US Navy for engineering and manufacturing development work on its Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER), an air-launched weapon designed to seek and destroy radar sites on the ground.
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Detailed Design Complete for GE's Revolutionary Adaptive Fighter Engine
GE Aviation has completed the detailed design process of its XA100 engine under the U.S. Air Force's Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP), the company announced Thursday.
The latest development means that GE can send engineering drawings out to its supply chain to get engine parts manufactured, according to David Tweedie, general manager for advanced combat engines at GE.
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Aviation Quote
It's when things are going just right that you'd better be suspicious. There you are, fat as can be. The whole world is yours and you're the answer to the Wright brothers' prayers. You say to yourself, nothing can go wrong ... all my trespasses are forgiven. Best you not believe it.
- Ernest K. Gann, advice from the 'old pelican,' The Black Watch, 1989.
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