CommercialMitsubishi Aircraft unveils first P&W engineJapanese airframer Mitsubishi Aircraft has published an image of the first Pratt & Whitney PW1200G geared turbofan engine for its MRJ regional jet. The engine, which was delivered this week, was unveiled at the final assembly factory in Aichi Prefecture, and will be mounted on the first MRJ test aircraft, says Mitsubishi Aircraft.
LinkChina Eastern retires A300-600sChina Eastern Airlines retired its last Airbus A300-600 aircraft after a final flight on 31 May. The type’s last flight was operated by aircraft registered B-2330 (MSN763) on the Shenzhen-Shanghai Hongqiao route, says the carrier. China Eastern received its first A300 in 1989, and operated as many as 18 around 2006, becoming the largest operator of the A300 and A310 family aircraft in China at that time.
LinkEl Al flight diverted after passenger disturbancePilots of an El Al Boeing 737 which took off from Ben-Gurion airport in Tel Aviv for Munich on the morning of 5 June were forced to make an emergency landing in Bulgarian capital Sofia after a passenger caused a disturbance and attacked a cabin crew member. The Israeli airline says the young German passenger behaved rudely to other passengers after the flight took off, and at one point hit the purser in the back. One unconfirmed report suggests the passenger shouted “terrorists” while he attacked the cabin crew member.
LinkSearchers given 300 days to find lost 777Search teams will be given 300 days to conduct a hunt for Malaysia Airlines’ missing Boeing 777 under the terms of an Australian government tender to find flight MH370. The tender document states that the effort must cover at least 5,000km2 every 25 days and a total area of 60,000km2 over the course of the program. Payments will be partially withheld if this search rate is not achieved but the government will also pay an agreed minimum fee if MH370 is discovered early. Successful bidders must begin the search within a month of signing a contract for the work. Bids are due by 30 June.
LinkAlitalia Expected To Give Initial Nod To Etihad Tie-UpAlitalia is expected to give an initial green light to a tie-up with Etihad Airways at a board meeting on Friday in a last-ditch attempt to save an airline that many in the industry have regarded as a lost cause. Alitalia has made an annual profit only a few times in its 68-year history and received numerous state handouts before being privatized in 2008. It was kept afloat by a government-engineered EUR€500 million (USD$680 million) rescue package last year but risks having to ground its planes unless a deal can be struck with cash-rich Etihad to allow it to revamp its flight network.
LinkNo Big Impact Seen From CSeries Engine FailureThe failure of a Pratt & Whitney jet engine during testing on a Bombardier CSeries test aircraft last week is unlikely to have a significant impact on Bombardier's testing schedule, according to an executive at P&W parent United Technologies. "We're working now with Bombardier on a plan to resume testing here in the next few weeks," United Tech Chief Financial Officer Greg Hayes told an investor conference. The engine failure had raised concern about potential further delays for Bombardier's CSeries jet, which is already 18 to 24 months behind schedule. Hayes' comments confirmed cautious optimism in the industry that the fallout from the May 29 incident would be limited.
LinkOdyssey Sees Gap In Transatlantic Business MarketOdyssey Airlines will not be the first new airline to have attempted to break into the lucrative London-New York business travel market, one of the most profitable routes in the world, but this time it will be different, says its founder. There is a graveyard of carriers who have failed to make the concept work. In 2008 Silverjet became the third business class-only transatlantic airline to go out of business, a month after US rival Eos stopped flying and less than five months after the failure of MAXjet as the financial crisis worsened. "They were flying the wrong aircraft to the wrong airports," Odyssey's founder and chief executive Adam Scott told Reuters. Odyssey, which will not begin flying until 2016, is in the proceeds of trying to raise an initial GBP£5 million (USD$8 million) through crowd-funding websites, with a view to seeking a further USD$100 million of financing in the first half of 2015.
LinkAmerican Airlines announces plan for new operations centerAmerican Airlines Group announced plans to construct an operations center near its corporate headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. "It became apparent that the best long-term solution is a new, state-of-the-art facility that can house all of our team members and the technology needed for our daily demands," said American executives in a letter to employees. The center will be built by late 2015. Meanwhile, American also inked an agreement with Fareportal to sell ancillary services through the online travel agency's sites.
LinkDelta, Travelport revised agreement in MayDelta Air Lines and Travelport restructured their agreement last month for technical services. As part of the revised agreement, 175 employees of Travelport will join the Delta workforce on July 1. Meanwhile, Delta also added additional amenities to its Economy Comfort seats.
LinkUnited CEO aims to strengthen earnings, reduce debtJeff Smisek, the CEO of United Continental Holdings, said the carrier plans to reduce debt and boost earnings before issuing dividends to shareholders. Smisek spoke at a Deutsche Bank conference, and also commented on pilot rest rules and air service to smaller markets.
LinkAirbus in discussions with suppliers over A320neo upgrades Airbus Group NV (AIR) is moving to upgrade its A320neo jetliner even before the revamped narrow-body plane’s scheduled commercial debut in 2015. In committing to the Neo in 2010, Airbus gambled by offering airlines a simple overhaul of the top-selling A320 that focused on fuel-saving new engines while Boeing Co. studied an extensive redesign of its 737. Now, Airbus is in talks with suppliers including Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Rockwell Collins Inc. (COL) about improvements in avionics and other systems. “Post Neo or Neo Plus, as some people are calling it,” Rockwell Collins Chief Executive Officer Kelly Ortberg said in an interview yesterday in Chicago. “They’re looking at technology insertion opportunities to continue to upgrade the airplane,” such as information-management updates.
LinkSeveral hundred DC-3s still flying decades after debut James Bond piloted a Douglas DC-3 airliner. Indiana Jones hopped a ride on one for his last crusade. This aviation icon even stars in a reality TV show. Almost 80 years after its introduction, a few hundred DC-3s are estimated to still be flying worldwide. That's kind of unbelievable in an age when dozens of younger types of airliners have already retired to aviation boneyards. "When we take them to air shows I watch people gravitate toward (them)," says Joe McBryan, co-star of History Channel's "Ice Pilots." McBryan owns Canada's Buffalo Airways and its six operating DC-3s. "People always have a story. They say their dad or grand-dad flew one ... or they flew on one when they were young."
LinkTSA plans new technology to tailor bag inspectionsThe Transportation Security Administration's strategic investment plan includes funding a baggage-check system that will electronically connect luggage with passengers, allowing agents to focus on the bags of travelers deemed higher risk.
LinkNumber of properly-handled bags sharply increases The number of bags delayed, damaged or lost by airlines has fallen by more than half since the industry hit a low point for lost luggage six years ago. It's happened thanks to a concerted effort world-wide by airlines and airports to fix a major inconvenience for travelers. Airlines last year mishandled 21.8 million bags, or 6.96 per 1,000 passengers, according to SITA, an aviation communications and technology company that tracks baggage performance each year. That's well less than half the rate in 2007, when airlines world-wide mishandled 46.9 million bags, or 18.88 per 1,000 passengers, SITA said.
LinkAviation innovations on horizon include transparent cabins The disruptive days of thunderous, fuel-guzzling planes hovering in our skies could be a thing of the past. So too could the tortuous queues and endless boarding process, if futuristic flight concepts become reality. Since the first commercial passenger flight in 1914, 65 billion passengers have taken to the skies and another 65 billion are expected to do the same before 2030. And experts say efficient, greener performance is what will steer aviation into the next century.
LinkNon-hub airports look to non-aeronautical revenue Knoxville's airport rents out land to office complexes, car dealers and the U.S. Postal Service. Huntsville International Airport receives revenue from a golf course and cotton farmers. And several other airports, especially the one in Albuquerque, are seeing increasing savings and tax credits from solar panels. American non-hub airports increasingly are turning to non-aeronautical budget enhancers as they face uncertainty in shaping long-term capital plans. "Non-aeronautical revenue represents a good opportunity for architects, engineers, contractors and investors to participate in the changing aviation environment," says Allan Shapiro, senior management consultant with Ross & Baruzzini.
LinkUnited unveils posh lounges at Heathrow airport United Airlines moves into London-Heathrow’s spiffy new Terminal 2 (The Queen’s Terminal) today and will open up its posh new business and first class lounges to passengers for the first time. Last month United invited a small group of media folks (including TravelSkills!) to London for a preview of its brand new United Global First Lounge and a United Club. United is the first airline to operate from Terminal 2. Starting today it will finally bringing its 17 daily Heathrow flights – currently split between Terminals 1 and 4 – “under one roof.” Later this year, the operations of United’s 22 Star Alliance partners at Heathrow will progressively move to Terminal 2, the alliance’s new home at the airport. The airport is moving airlines in slowly at T2– it does not want a repeat of the fiasco that occurred when British Airways moved into the massive Terminal 5 overnight.
LinkBoeing is eyeing Kan. location for Dreamlifter operations Boeing is considering building a Dreamlifter Operations Center at the airport in Wichita, Kan., which is home to supplier Spirit AeroSystems. The center would modify 747s with 787 forward fuselages built by Spirit. "We want to keep the production of the 787 fuselage in Wichita at Spirit by providing them a home for the operation," said Victor White, director of airports for Wichita Airport Authority.
LinkFormula One air races debut in Europe Formula One air racing debuted in Lleida, Spain, last weekend with three days of airshow events and racing. The event was attended by 14 pilots in two classes. French pilot Christian Guille took first place in the Gold Class, with a winning speed of 238 mph, while the Silver Class was won by U.K. pilot Des Hart flying at 182 mph.
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