NewsFlydubai to wet lease Smartwings 737s to cover MAX capacity Flydubai has finalized a wet-lease agreement with Czech Republic-based Smartwings for four Boeing 737-800s from Dec. 14- Jan. 25, 2020 as the MAX grounding drags on. The Dubai-based carrier has 14 MAXs in its fleet. Flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said: “The continued grounding of our MAX aircraft has had a significant impact on our operations with a 30% reduction of our flying schedule … these four additional aircraft will enable more passengers to have more travel options during the holiday season.”
LinkGaruda’s chief executive to be dismissedGaruda Indonesia’s top executive appears set to lose his job after allegations linking him to the smuggling of motorbike parts on an aircraft delivery flight. According to multiple local media reports, a senior Indonesian government minister has stated that Garuda president-director Ari Askhara will be dismissed. This follows the discovery of parts for a high-end motorbike and bicycles aboard a new Airbus A330-900 flown to Indonesia from France last month. The parts had not been properly declared.
LinkFormer Aigle Azur Paris Orly slots redistributedFrench slot coordinator COHOR has redistributed 9,868 Paris Orly slots formerly belonging to Aigle Azur, which collapsed in September after encountering operational and management issues linked to its long-haul expansion plan. Of the 12,335 slots left by Aigle Azur’s exit, COHOR said the French state will reserve 20% for routes subject to public service obligations, leaving 9,868 slots available for distribution, split between new and existing operators.
LinkIrAero crew let unauthorized person handle An-24 in flightRussian federal investigators are to decide whether to pursue a criminal case against an Antonov An-24 crew after an unauthorized person was permitted to sit at the controls and handle the aircraft during a domestic flight. The IrAero An-24RV had been operating a service from Batagay-Alyta's Sakkyryr airport to Yakutsk on 31 August.
LinkA220 deliveries on verge of reaching triple figuresAirbus is close to taking A220 deliveries into triple figures, with the 100th aircraft set to be handed to Latvian carrier Air Baltic. By the end of November, a month in which it unveiled the 100th aircraft, the airframer had delivered 98 A220s.
LinkAirbus picks up undisclosed order for four A330-800sAirbus has secured an order for four A330-800s, disclosing a rare agreement for the twinjet variant in its latest backlog revision. The airframer has not identified the customer for the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000-powered aircraft, the smaller of the two-member A330neo family.
LinkAvolon trims A350 order as A330neo commitment risesLessor Avolon appears to have dropped four Airbus A350-900s from its total order for 14 of the type. The change has been revealed in Airbus's revised backlog, which also records the recent rejig of the lessor's A330-900 order.
LinkSAS to deepen cuts after 'unsatisfactory' 2019 resul Scandinavian airline SAS has stepped up cost-saving measures after delivering a full-year result its chief executive Rickard Gustafson describes as "unsatisfactory". The carrier says that it did not meet two of its three financial targets for the fiscal year ended October. While "financial preparedness remains strong", Gustafson describes an 8% return on invested capital as "disappointing."
LinkSAS starts looking towards modernizing mid-size fleetScandinavia's SAS is looking to the next phase of fleet renewal to address the 120- to 150-seat sector in its operations. SAS operates types including the Airbus A319 and Boeing 737-700 in this sector.
LinkAir France tests autonomous baggage tractor at Toulouse Air France has embarked on tests with a driverless autonomous baggage tractor which is being used to deliver luggage for aircraft loading at Toulouse airport. Developed by a co-operation between ground vehicle manufacturer Charlatte and autonomous system specialist Navya, the AT135 tractor – known as 'Autonom Tract' – operates between the baggage sorting area and the aircraft stands.
LinkUS aircraft repair industry launches campaign against MRO billThe US aviation maintenance industry has come out swinging against pending legislation that would heighten US oversight of foreign aircraft repair stations and impose new maintenance reporting requirements upon airlines. Unions support the bill, but staunch opposition is coming from the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA), which represents aircraft repair stations, and other industry groups.
LinkUSAF searches for Boeing E-4B aerial command center replacementThe US Air Force (USAF) has started searching for a new airborne command, control and communications operations center to replace the Boeing E-4B, and the service is asking US defense manufacturers for input. The Survivable Airborne Operations Center Weapon System (SAOC WS) is to replace the legacy E-4B National Airborne Operations Center, a militarized version of the 1970s-era Boeing 747-200 commercial airliner, which is approaching the end of its service life, according to a USAF pre-solicitation notice posted online 4 December.
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