NAS Daily 17 DEC 19

airtrainer 17 Dec 19, 06:30

News

Commercial

Boeing to halt 737 production in January
Boeing confirms it will suspend 737 production in January, a move that comes 10 months after the aircraft’s grounding and that signal significantly-broader fallout from a crisis that has already hammered Boeing.
How long the company will halt production remains unknown, as does the duration of the grounding.
Link

FAA downgrades Venezuela’s safety status
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has downgraded the safety status of Venezuela, assigning it a Category 2 rating under the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program.
The rating shift comes after it was determined that Venezuela’s Civil Aviation Authority is not adequately complying with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards about regulating and supervising local airlines.
Link

PW blade issue spurs A320neo engine de-pairing order
Operators of certain Airbus A320neo-family aircraft are being instructed to de-pair Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines over low-pressure turbine blade damage.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency says the engine manufacturer has developed an improved third-stage disc turbine blade.
Link

Airlines

Airport authorities impound seven Hong Kong Airlines aircraft
The Airport Authority of Hong Kong has seized seven Hong Kong Airlines (HKA) aircraft sitting idle, in a move to “protect financial interests”.
In a statement, the authority states that it acted under the territory’s Airport Authority Ordinance to “detain” the aircraft.
It adds that the seven aircraft “have not been operated for passenger service in recent months”.
Link

Turkey’s AtlasGlobal prepares to resume flights
Turkish carrier AtlasGlobal is preparing to restore services, after re-opening its reservations system after nearly a month-long suspension.
AtlasGlobal temporarily halted services on 26 November after admitting to financial difficulties.
But it states that the booking engine has been re-opened and that it will restore flights from the morning of 21 December.
Link

Government seeks Tarom rescue aid: minister
Romania’s government is to seek €47 million in rescue finance for loss-making flag-carrier Tarom, as part of a €110 million restructuring package, the country’s transport minister has told a television station.
Lucian Bode has disclosed the plan to Romanian television channel B1.
Link

SpiceJet grounds three IAI-converted freighters
India’s SpiceJet has grounded three Boeing 737 freighters converted by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) over concerns of potential defects.
The carrier states in a stock exchange disclosure that it has done so on the advice of IAI, which has recently advised operators of its converted freighters, of which 47 were delivered, not to operate them.
Link

Taiwan’s FAT says closure notice mistakenly issued
Taiwan’s Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT) rescinded last week’s closure notice but is subject to punitive action from the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA).
Chairman Chang Kang-wei held a press conference over the weekend, suggesting that the notice was mistakenly issued by airline executives after he was absent for 15 days.
Link

Airports

Cologne Airport adds 12 snowploughs to winter fleet
In preparation for the winter weather, Cologne Bonn Airport has made significant improvements to its winter road clearance service by investing in new additions to the current fleet.
Twelve state-of-the-art sweepers have been received from Aebi Schmidt, each featuring a seven-metre-wide snow blade. This provides the airport with the capability to completely clear the 3,815m long and 60m wide runway by being able to sweep the space in a single run when all sweepers are used in formation.
Link

Record breaking year for Prague airport
Prague's Václav Havel Airport broke the 17 million passengers per annum milestone for the first time on Friday after another solid year of traffic growth.
Passenger numbers have been soaring at the Czech gateway since 2016 when it handled just over 13 million passengers.
The airport attributes this year's upturn in traffic to a number of new routes, rising load factors and more seats being offered on existing services.
Link

Fraport USA wins retail concession for Newark Liberty's terminal B
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has awarded Fraport USA a five-year contract to manage the retail concessions space of Terminal B at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
Fraport USA will provide retail management services (including foodcourt and common areas) and manage the loading dock/storage facilities at Terminal B from February 1, 2020.
Link

Christmas tails : London Luton holds XMAS party for its Police dogs
London Luton Airport held a Christmas party for its 12 police dogs today, with the most popular tune with the canines apparently being 'Bark, the Herald Angels' sing!
To thank them for their work this year the six spaniels (Chip, Milo, Laser, Peper, Poppy and Sparky) and six Labradors (Hunter, Quirky, Toby, Charley, Ned and George) each chowed down on Christmas themed dog treats and played festive games in the terminal.
Link

Military

Bell discloses booster engine for 360 Invictus
Bell’s 360 Invictus, the company’s proposal for the US Army’s Future Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competition, will receive a power boost from a supplemental power unit, a Pratt & Whitney PW207D1 turboshaft.
The PW207, which is used on the Bell 429 light, twin-engined helicopter, will serve not only as an auxiliary power unit for starting the helicopter and powering its electronics, but will provide power to the main rotor shaft in certain situations, says Frank Lazzara, programme director for FARA, at the company’s Arlington, Texas Flight Research Center on 12 December.
Link

Czech Republic signs for UH-1Y and AH-1Z in $600 million deal
Bell has secured a deal from the Czech Republic for a total of 12 military rotorcraft: eight UH-1Ys for utility missions and four AH-1Z attack helicopters.
To be acquired under the USA’s Foreign Military Sales process, congressional approval of the deal has already been granted.
Link

Dublin, Prague bolster Airbus C295 backlog
Airbus Defence & Space has secured new orders for its C295 twin-turboprop from the Czech Republic and Ireland, with the year-end business further bolstering its backlog for the utility and special-mission type.
Prague on 16 December signed for two new C295s, and also committed to an upgrade programme for its in-service fleet of four examples. The Czech air force will receive its new, winglet-equipped medium transports by mid-2021, Airbus says.
Link

GE Aviation clinches US Army T700 engine contract
GE Aviation has been awarded an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract — worth more than $1 billion — by the United States Army for the production of T700 turboshaft engines.
The contract, which will last through 2024, will cover as many as 1,700 engines, if completely exercised, GE Aviation states. The engines will be manufactured from GE Aviation’s Lynn, Massachusetts, facility in the US.
Link

Aviation Quote

I mean, I had fast motor cars and fast motor bikes, and when I wasn't crashing airplanes, I was crashing motor bikes. It's all part of the game.

- Sir Harry Broadhurst, RAF, 12 victories WWII.