NewsDelta orders 40 A330s and A321s Delta Air Lines has ordered 10 Airbus A330-300s and 30 A321s with deliveries from 2015. The first A330 will be delivered to the Atlanta-based carrier in the second quarter of 2015 with four delivered that year, four in 2016 and two in 2017. Delta says it will be the first airline to operate the enhanced 242t version of the A330, which offers additional range and payload. Delta's A330s will be powered by General Electric CF6-80E1 engines. The first sharklet-equipped A321 will be delivered during the first quarter of 2016, with 15 coming that year and 15 in 2017. The aircraft will use CFM International CFM56-5B engines. The deal is valued at about $5.6 billion at list prices. "This Airbus agreement is another opportunistic fleet transaction for Delta in which we acquire economically efficient, proven-technology aircraft," says Richard Anderson, chief executive of Delta. "These A330s and A321s will provide tremendous flexibility for Delta to optimally manage our capacity over the next five years while further improving the flight experience for our customers and returns for our shareholders."
LinkLinkTSA PreCheck Extended To Additional AirportsThe US Transportation Security Administration said on Wednesday it would expand TSA PreCheck to 60 additional airports this year, allowing tens of millions of airline passengers to keep their shoes and belts on at airport checkpoints. The TSA said its TSA PreCheck program will operate at 100 airports in 42 US states plus Guam and Puerto Rico. The agency also plans to expand the number of TSA PreCheck lanes at the existing 40 airports in the coming weeks. With TSA PreCheck, pre-approved airline travelers may leave on their shoes, light outerwear and belt while they go through security. They do not have to remove laptop computers from cases or take approved-sized liquids out of carry-on bags before the bags are screened.
LinkJudge Extends Freeze On LAN Hangar EvictionAn Argentine judge has extended the suspension of an order to evict LAN Argentina from its hangar at Buenos Aires airport Aeroparque. The decision will allow LAN Argentina to carry on using maintenance facilities at Aeroparque after airport authorities last month gave the airline 10 days to vacate because it was not a state airline, a move that LAN said would put its Argentine domestic operations at risk.
LinkUSAF and Boeing complete KC-46 critical design review The US Air Force and Boeing completed a critical design review (CDR) for the KC-46 tanker on 21 August. The milestone was completed one month ahead of the contract schedule, which called for the CDR to be finished by 24 September. "I'm pleased to report that the design of the KC-46A tanker has been locked down," says Maj Gen John Thompson, the USAF's programme executive officer for tankers. Boeing and the USAF have been working on component and sub-system design reviews for 10 months to get to this point. With the CDR complete, the KC-46 design is now set and production and testing can proceed.
LinkCSeries high-speed taxi tests delayed by weather Bombardier has postponed high-speed taxi tests of the CSeries to at least 5 September, as weather thwarted plans to begin the trials for the second day in a row. The Canadian airframer says that optimal weather and a dry runway are required for the tests, which was not the case at Mirabel airport today. Scattered rain showers passed over the airport a little after midday today, weather radar on The Weather Network shows.
LinkZenit launcher makes successful return after January failureRussia's troubled Zenit launch vehicle made a successful return to flight on 31 August, following a January incident that destroyed both the rocket and its satellite payload. The latest launch, from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, placed into orbit an Israeli civilian communications satellite called Amos 4. Land Launch, the sister company of Sea Launch which undertakes operations from the Kazakhstan site, says the operation proceeded normally. At least five additional Zenit launches are scheduled, both on land and at sea.
LinkIndian government auditor slams AW101 acquisition Indian government auditor slams AW101 acquisition India's comptroller and auditor general (CAG) has slammed the acquisition of 12 VVIP AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters for the Indian air force in its probe into the deal. According to the report, "the entire process of acquisition of VVIP helicopters right from framing of [the] Services Qualitative Requirements (SQRs) to the conclusion of contract deviated from laid down procedures. "The entire process of acquisition thus poses serious questions on accountability and lack of transparency in the finalisation of the contract, which need to be addressed." The report is likely to remove all hope of an early resolution to the matter. India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has already registered a case against 13 people and six firms with regard to the contract. A CBI investigation is under way and the contract has been put on hold. India has already paid about 30% of the €560 million ($737 million) contract.
LinkLockheed To Double Jet Simulator BusinessLockheed Martin plans to double its sales of flight simulators and services for commercial jet pilot training to about USD$220 million a year in three to five years, a senior official said. The growth is part of an effort to increase sales at the Pentagon's largest defense contractor, helping offset declines in sales of military equipment under US budget cuts and sequestration, said Dale Bennett, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Training unit, speaking at the Reuters Aerospace and Defense Summit.
LinkJetBlue not interested in merging, CEO saysThe CEO of JetBlue Airways, who was speaking at the Reuters Aerospace and Defense Summit, said the carrier is not interested in a merger. "But mergers and acquisitions: just not of interest to JetBlue. Independence into the future is our plan," CEO Dave Barger said.
LinkSouthwest, AirTran flight attendants reach tentative dealSouthwest Airlines and the union representing flight attendants at AirTran Airways have reached a tentative deal. The agreement covers 1,400 flight attendants, as another 400 attendants have transitioned to become Southwest employees. "This contract includes progressive concepts that are beneficial for AirTran flight attendants, while supporting company objectives," said Southwest's Vice President of Cabin Services Mike Hafner.
LinkReport: Passenger traffic increased at world's airports in 2012The world's airports served more than 5.7 billion passengers in 2012, a 4.4% increase from 2011, according to a report from ACI World. “Passenger traffic around the world continued to grow in spite of a climate that is best described as global economic uncertainty," said Angela Gittens, director general of ACI World.
LinkBoeing remains confident in jet marketAlthough Boeing and Airbus have a healthy backlog of commercial jet orders, some analysts say the jet market is slowing down. However, the aircraft manufacturers remain confident in demand for jets. "All of the data points to a strong and resilient airplane market," said Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel.
LinkSeattle airport uses conservation to prevent bird strikesA wildlife biologist at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is helping birds and aircraft live in peace. The airport has planted a variety of grass that tastes foul to birds, and also has created a buffer zone around the airfield. When mitigating bird-strikes, "so much can be done with conservation," said biologist Steve Osmek.
LinkBoeing relocates engineering jobs from Wash. to Calif. Boeing is shifting more engineering jobs from Washington state to Southern California, the latest in a series of such changes that could see hundreds of jobs moving away. Mike Delaney, head of engineering at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, announced internally last week that the team working on advanced-concept airplanes will move by year-end to the commercial-jet unit’s growing engineering-design center in the Los Angeles area. The team’s focus is futuristic airplane ideas, such as supersonic or low-emission jets, that may be developed a decade or more from now. About 60 engineers from various groups within the Puget Sound area do that work today, though many of them also have other responsibilities.
LinkJetBlue gets FAA green light for Wi-FiThe Federal Aviation Administration approved JetBlue Airways' next generation Wi-Fi service, and the carrier plans to officially launch the service next month. "In a statement, Chief Commercial Officer Robin Hayes said that several aircraft will be wired by the end of this year, with many A320s scheduled to come online throughout 2014," this feature states.
LinkTSA’s Pistole touts benefit of risk-based security proceduresTransportation Security Administration chief John Pistole said the agency's shift to "risk-based" procedures was helping to change fliers' perception of the agency -- and expedited screening is especially helpful. "We have undertaken some fairly significant changes both in policy and in procedures, so more and more people are experiencing a different TSA at the airport," Pistole said.
LinkSouthwest has the most amount of roomy seats, Routehappy findsA new Routehappy report finds that Southwest has the most flights with the roomiest seats. Seats with extra legroom -- those with a pitch of 32 to 35 inches -- are available on 40% of flights in the U.S., the report states. Other carriers with roomy seats include Alaska Airways, JetBlue, US Airways, and Virgin America.
LinkCost rises for redevelopment project at Dallas/Fort Worth airportThe $2.3 billion terminal redevelopment project at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport may cost $220 million more than originally estimated, staff members told airport board members. "We're going to look at this thing holistically, not just [the terminal renovation program], but all of the money we're spending here at DFW Airport as it relates to these budgetary items," said Bernice Washington, a board member.
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