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Airbus extends A220 range; considers longer-range A321neo
Airbus is offering both versions of the A220 at substantially increased ranges and is working on a further upgrade of the A321LR to improve that model’s range capabilities further. The manufacturer said May 21 that the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) for both models will increase by 2.3 tons, allowing around 450 nm in additional range. The A220-100 will be able to fly 3,400 nm, whereas the larger A220-300 will serve routes of up to 3,350 nm.
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Airbus studies production efficiency, vertical integration strategy
Airbus is studying potential efficiency gains in its production system and what level of vertical integration makes sense in the future.
The efficiency study will be complete by the end of 2019, while the analysis of the outsourcing/insourcing balance will take longer, but could be ready in early 2020, new COO Michael Schoellhorn told journalists in Toulouse May 21.
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ATSB urges ICAO to toughen runway centerline standards
ICAO should consider stronger standards for centerline lighting on wide runways because of the key role the visual cue plays in helping pilots avoid runway excursions, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) says.
ATSB’s recommendation, issued May 15, came out of an investigation into a December 2016 runway excursion by a Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800 at Darwin International Airport.
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Airbus expects market for larger A350 will develop
Airbus anticipates that the market will eventually want a version of the A350 XWB larger than the -1000 variant, company executives said May 21. However, any decision to launch what has been dubbed the A350-2000 is “a matter for tomorrow, not today,” Airbus CCO Christian Scherer told reporters in Toulouse at the company’s program briefing event for media. The A350-1000 became the largest airliner in Airbus’ new-sales portfolio since the company announced in February ...
LinkAirlines
American looks for clarity on MAX status; delays 737NG seat upgrade
American Airlines is confident that two stakeholder gatherings in the coming days will help provide clarity on when the Boeing 737 MAX fleet will be cleared to fly again, a top executive said.
“Both of these are really big meetings, I think,” American president Robert Isom said at the Wolfe Research Global Transportation Conference May 21. “I expect, and I hope, that we have some better clarity to the path to get the aircraft back up and flying.”
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American sues mechanic unions over alleged work slowdown
American Airlines is suing the unions representing most of its mechanics, alleging that union officers and members have engaged in a deliberate work slowdown to gain leverage during ongoing contract negotiations.
The lawsuit filed May 21 against the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) alleges the slowdown has caused 644 flight cancellations and more than 270 maintenance delays of two hours or more between Feb. 4 and May 13.
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Russian carrier operates last commercial Tu-134 flight
Russia’s Alrosa Airline on May 20 operated its final flight using the Tupolev Tu-134B, the last of the type used in Russia for scheduled commercial passenger service.
The aircraft carried 70 passengers from Alrosa's base in Mirny, Yakutia Republic, to Irkutsk in Eastern Siberia.
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Report: China Eastern files claim with Boeing over MAX losses
China Eastern Airlines has filed a claim with Boeing over losses incurred from the grounding of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, according to a news report.
A source told Chinese news outlet Sina the claim covers the revenue loss from the grounding and delayed delivery of the aircraft, but did not say how much the carrier is seeking
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Boeing 787 seen as favorite for Air New Zealand order
Air New Zealand is close to announcing an order for Boeing aircraft to replace its 777-200ER fleet, industry observers say—a move that could also make the manufacturer the frontrunner for the airline’s eventual 777-300ER replacement.
Many industry observers contacted by ATW predict the carrier will most likely select 787s for the fleet upgrade. An announcement at Air New Zealand’s annual investor day May 27 is possible.
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Indonesia may ground Boeing MAX beyond 2019
Indonesia regulators might extend the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX until 2020 as it makes its own deliberations over the certification of the aircraft and pilots.
Indonesia civil aviation authority director general Polana Pramesti, told Bloomberg that there were “a lot of issues” to address it was uncertain whether the aircraft would be allowed to fly in Indonesia this year.
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US airlines see record summer travel despite 737 Max grounding
Airlines for America (A4A) forecasts a record 257.4 million passengers will fly on US airlines between 1 June and 31 August despite the grounding of Boeing 737 Max aircraft that took 200 daily flights out of service for the summer travel season.
The trade group estimates the grounding results in a loss of 35,000 daily seats for the summer travel season.
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ANALYSIS: How racing legend Lauda disrupted the airline industry
Austrian motorsport star Niki Lauda, who has died aged 70, will be remembered with the aviation industry not just for his racing achievements but also for the airlines that bore his name and sought, over several tempestuous decades, to challenge the dominance of his nation's flag carrier and ultimately Lufthansa in Vienna.
In his Formula 1 career, Lauda won the World Drivers' Championship three times, in 1975, 1977 and 1984.
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Hindju Group shows interest in Jet Airways
Indian conglomerate Hindju Group has confirmed that it is evaluating a potential investment in defunct carrier Jet Airways, as most of its fleet continues to be repossessed by lessors and banks.
Hindju tells FlightGlobal that it is “evaluating the Jet Airways opportunity” but did not provide any other detail or commentary.
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PICTURE: E190 returns to Cobham, Q400 to follow
Cobham Aviation Services Australia has put an Embraer 190 back into service, over one year since its previous E190 was returned to its lessor.
The jet ferried into Cobham’s Perth base on 17 May after a delivery flight from Nashville, and entered service on 20 May on resource charter flights between Perth and Barrow Island for petroleum company Chevron.
LinkAirports
Auckland to kick off major expansion project in June
Auckland International airport will start a major airfield development programme in June that is expected to be completed in late 2021 as part of a long-term expansion plan.
The airfield project will focus on around 250,000sqm of land at the western end of the airport, adjacent to the international terminal, and result in the construction of a new taxiway, an extension of an existing taxiway, and building six new Code-F remote stands to park aircraft.
LinkMilitary
Boeing to test CH-47F Chinook with two 7,500shp engines
Boeing plans to soon test fly a CH-47F Chinook Block II helicopter with two GE Aviation T408 turboshaft engines, which each produce 7,500shp (5,600kW).
The GE T408 turboshaft has 2,500shp more than the helicopter’s current engine, the Honeywell T55. It is certificated and installed on the US Marine Corps’ (USMC) forthcoming heavy lift helicopter, the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion.
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More hints about Beijing's aircraft carrier ambitions
Beijing’s ambitions for a large aircraft carrier have gained more clarity, with the emergence of detailed artist impressions of the Xian KJ-600 airborne early warning & control (AEW&C) aircraft, as well as satellite imagery of a Chinese shipyard.
Recent artists impressions posted on social media offer more details about the Xian KJ-600, which is expected to be a key part of future People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) carrier air wings.
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Bell V-280 completes low-speed manoeuvre demo
Bell’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor completed a series of low-speed pitch, roll, and yaw manoeuvres at the company’s Flight Research Center in Arlington, Texas in early May.
The company says the rotorcraft’s flight demonstrations show that it meets the US Army’s Level 1 handling qualities requirements. Bell believes those qualities will roughly reflect what the service wants from its Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA).
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Aviation Quote
The best defense of the country is the fear of the fighter. If we are strong in fighters we should probably never be attacked in force. If we are moderately strong we shall probably be attacked and the attacks will gradually be bought to a standstill. . . . If we are weak in fighter strength, the attacks will not be bought to a standstill and the productive capacity of the country will be virtually destroyed.
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding
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Trivia
General Trivia
1. What is an aerial train?
2. The most common configuration for a twin-engine business jet is for an engine to be mounted on each side of the rear fuselage. What was the first twin-engine turbine airplane to be so configured?
3. What is it called when a) ice becomes water vapor without becoming water in the process, and b) water vapor becomes ice without becoming water in the process?
4. True or false; Supersonic airplanes generate three sonic booms.
5. The world's first radio-equipped air traffic control tower began operation in 1930 and served
A. Cleveland, Ohio.
B. Indianapolis, Indiana.
C. Newark, New Jersey.
D. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
