NAS Daily 18 JUL 19

airtrainer 18 Jul 19, 00:19

News

Commercial

A321neo operators alerted over 'excessive pitch' anomaly
Airbus has introduced a temporary revision to A321neo flight manuals intended to prevent the possibility of the aircraft reaching excessive pitch attitudes.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has disclosed that the revision follows analysis of the re-engined type's elevator and aileron computer.
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Crash victim families seek new type certification for Boeing 737 Max
Relatives of 737 Max crash victims want regulators to re-certificate the troubled Boeing narrowbody as a completely new aircraft, and only after crash investigations are complete.
That was one message delivered to US lawmakers on 17 July by relatives including Paul Njoroge, whose wife, three children and mother-in-law died in the March crash of Ethiopian Airlines flights 302.
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ALPA warns of potential trend to single-pilot commercial aircraft
The Air Line Pilots Association is fighting to ensure large commercial aircraft do not evolve to have only one pilot.
The union released a report on 17 July stressing what it describes as the criticality of maintaining two pilots in the cockpit of transport aircraft – a standard it says is under attack.
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Textron suspends Cessna Hemisphere programme
Textron Aviation has suspended development of the Cessna Hemisphere business jet over continued uncertainties regarding the aircraft's Safran Aircraft Engines Silvercrest turbofans.
Safran says that the "initial contract" with Cessna has been "terminated with no financial impact for either partner".
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Lessor BOC Aviation sells 17 aircraft
Singapore-based lessor BOC Aviation has agreed to sell a portfolio of 17 aircraft to Silver Aircraft Lease Investment and affiliates (SLVRR 2019-1).
To finance a portion of the purchase of the aircraft portfolio, SLVRR 2019-1 has issued three tranches of notes, consisting of $443 million of 3.97% Series A notes, $73 million of 4.95% Series B notes and $32 million of 6.9% Series C notes.
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Airlines

United’s 2Q net income jumps 54% on rising revenue, demand
United Air Lines reported a second-quarter net income of $1.1 billion, up 54% year-over-year (YOY). Revenue was up 6% from the year-ago quarter to $11.4 billion, bolstered by rising demand systemwide.
Operating expenses in the quarter edged up 3% YOY to $9.9 billion. Unit costs less fuel and profit staring, or CASM-ex, was up 0.6%.
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China’s Loong Air opens Xi'an northwest branch
China’s Zhejiang Loong Airlines (Loong Air) officially opened its northwest branch in Xi’an, Shanxi province July 17.
The Hangzhou-based carrier also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the China West Airport Group (CWAG) and the Xi’an New District Airport New City Management Committee to promote air transport in the province.
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El Al set to retire remaining Boeing 747s
El Al Israel Airlines will retire its remaining three Boeing 747-400s by the end of October, the carrier said July 16.
A fourth 747-400 was phased out July 9 after completing a flight from New York. That aircraft was in service with the carrier for 25 years and made 11,000 flights.
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Wizz Air cuts frequencies on A320 delivery delay
Central and Eastern European airline Wizz Air will reduce frequencies on some routes from Kiev (Ukraine) and Warsaw (Poland) in August because of an aircraft delivery delay.
ATW understands the Budapest-headquartered carrier was scheduled to receive an Airbus A320 family aircraft at the end of July but the delivery has been postponed to Aug. 20.
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Judge sides with American by denying motion from mechanics' union
A federal judge has ruled to keep in place an order requiring that American Airlines mechanics' unions work to achieve productivity levels equal to 2018 levels.
The 16 July order from US district judge John McBryde strikes another blow against the unions, which have been accused by American, in a legal suit, of orchestrating a work slowdown.
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Yangtze transfers four B737s to Tianjin Bohai
Tianjin Bohai Leasing is taking over the leases on four Boeing 737s from Yangtze Leasing at a transfer price of CNY650 million ($94.5 million).
Tianjin Bohai is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bohai Leasing. The transaction is reported as a related-party transaction, as HNA Capital Group is a controlling shareholder for both Bohai and Yangtze.
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United to pick up batch of used 737-700s
United Airlines has agreed to purchase a batch of used Boeing 737-700s, and intends to start taking delivery of the jets before the end of this year.
The airline is to take 19 of the twinjets and expects deliveries to begin in December.
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Emirates secures rights to daily Mexico City service
Middle Eastern carrier Emirates has revived plans to open a service to Mexico City, which will operate via Barcelona in Spain.
The decision follows its aborted attempt last year to introduce a service after a dispute over frequency.
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Airports

ACI Europe hits back at calls to close small, un profitable airports
ACI Europe has reacted with dismay today to the call by an environmental group for the closure of all small regional airports across Europe unable to achieve profitability within a five-year period.
Transport & Environment (T&E) made what ACI Europe has labelled "the shocking policy recommendation" as part of an ‘analysis’ of State aid to selected airports used by Ryanair.
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DXB installs the Middle East’s largest airport solar energy system
Comparable to 53,617 tree seedlings grown for 10 years, this new sustainable scheme will significantly help reduce DXB’s carbon emissions.
Dubai Airports and Etihad Energy Services Company have announced the successful installation of a solar energy system comprising 15,000 photovoltaic panels at Dubai International’s Terminal 2 – the largest at any airport in the Middle East.
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Military

Lockheed Martin F-35 and F-22 to miss 80% mission capability rate
The US military’s fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor stealth fighters will fail to meet a 80% mission capability rate by September 2019 as directed by US Department of Defense (DoD).
Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis ordered the USAF and US Navy (USN) in September 2018 to increase mission capable rates for the F-35, F-22, F-16 and Boeing F/A-18 to more than 80% by the end of September 2019.
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PICTURES: UK's second F-35B squadron arrives at Marham home
Six Lockheed Martin F-35Bs assigned to the UK Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) 207 Sqn operational conversion unit touched down at the service’s Marham base in Norfolk on 16 July.
The short take-off and vertical landing aircraft arrived at their new home following a 10h flight from the US Marine Corps’ MCAS Beaufort site in South Carolina. The deployment was supported by RAF Airbus A330 Voyager tanker/transports.
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