NewsCommercial
Boeing positive on raising 787 rate before 2020
Boeing is pressing forward with plans to raise 787 monthly output to 14 aircraft per month by the end of the decade, but still has dozens of order slots to fill as company executives begin a final evaluation of the ramp-up decision. After raising the monthly production rate to from 10 to 12 aircraft last May, Boeing is already delivering 787s at a faster clip than any widebody aircraft in history. Raising the rate even higher would help Boeing offset declining cash-flow from the 777 program and claw back savings from a $30 billion stockpile of deferred production and unamortized tooling costs still hanging over the program.
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P&W hits "growing pains" on GTF reliability
Pratt & Whitney will deliver two upgraded parts for geared turbofan engine operators later this year that should meet durability standards, United Technologies Corp chief executive Greg Hayes told market analysts on 25 January. Speaking on a fourth quarter earnings, Hayes acknowledged that some GTF operators, especially in India, have reported reliability concerns about a fuel seal and a combustor liner. In response, P&W will deliver upgraded parts to retrofit later this year. Meanwhile, P&W has dipped into a pool of spare engines to help meet aircraft dispatch targets, he says.
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Bombardier makes organizational changes
Bombardier has made changes in responsibilities for members of its senior management team to support the Canadian manufacturer’s turnaround plan. Effective immediately, Bombardier said SVP and chief procurement officer Nico Buchholz will assume a new role as SVP-strategic initiatives. VP-operations strategy Jim Vounassis will assume chief procurement officer responsibilities, in addition to continuing to lead the company’s operations transformation.
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Airbus operations chief warns against disruption to model
Airbus’s chief operating officer has warned a UK parliamentary committee of the risks of disrupting the airframer’s strategic model, during a session on the UK’s future with the European Union. Tom Williams outlined to the treasury committee his concerns over potential complications – such as customs regulations and restrictions on “movement of talent” – arising from the UK’s exit from European Union membership.
LinkAirlines
AirAsia X Gets Approval For US Flights
Malaysia's AirAsia X has received Federal Aviation Administration approval for flights to the United States. The airline will be able to fly to any US destination and is the first Asian low cost carrier to get approval for scheduled passenger flights.
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American Airlines boosts connectivity to accommodate customer trends
American Airlines has significantly enhanced in-flight internet speeds, and movies and television shows in its onboard library and live television are complimentary. The move to enhance connectivity comes as 90% of passengers now bring their own mobile devices for in-flight entertainment.
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ASL Aviation names CEO of rebranded TNT Airways
Ireland’s ASL Aviation Group has named Ulf Weber as the new CEO of ASL Airlines Belgium, formerly known as TNT Airways. Weber joins ASL Airlines Belgium from German freight specialist Aerologic, where he held the role of managing director and accountable manager. Prior to that, he had experience with both long- and short-haul passenger and cargo airlines.
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Austrian Airlines launches Vienna-Shiraz services
Lufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines plans to add 4X-weekly Vienna-Shiraz (Iran) services from July 2. The flight will be operated with Airbus A320 aircraft and do an interim stopover in Isfahan. In addition to existing services of up to 14 weekly flights from Vienna to Teheran Imam Khomeini International Airport, the Star Alliance member is expanding its portfolio of destinations in Iran to three cities.
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FedEx gains FAA approval for delivery facility in Calif.
FedEx has been awarded the Federal Aviation Administration's approval for a delivery facility with four supporting buildings at Chino Airport in California.
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Finnair To Launch Alipay Onboard Trial
Finnair will introduce Chinese online payments system Alipay on a trial basis on its Shanghai to Helsinki route. The airline will use Finland’s e-payment platform ePassi to offer Alipay onboard flights from Shanghai. A Finnair lounge at Helsinki Airport will also accept Alipay.
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Oman Air freshens up A330 first class
Oman Air refreshing its first-class cabins on board three of its Airbus A330-300s. The Omani flag carrier will refurbish the aircraft’s six first-class seats and will introduce new bed linens for the lie-flat seats. It will also improve inflight dining. The “new look and feel” was introduced to maintain the quality of Oman Air’s premium product, the airline said, as it faces stiff competition from major Gulf carriers Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways.
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Thrust reduction and wind shift behind Omni 767 tail-strike
Investigators believe that early reduction of engine thrust on a Boeing 767-300ER during a landing at Kabul caused the aircraft to sink, triggering a response which led to a damaging tail-strike. The Omni Air International twinjet (N768NA) had been conducting a visual approach to the Afghan capital in variable gusting wind conditions, following a charter flight from Bucharest on 20 June 2014.
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Southwest adds flights to Baltimore, Orlando for summer
Southwest is adding flights to Orlando and Baltimore during the summer travel season, adding 40 nonstop flights with almost 10,000 seats on weekend days. It will amount to an 8% capacity increase over last summer.
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United recognized for sustainability initiatives
United Airlines' Eco-Skies program has helped the company earn the award of Eco-Airline of the Year from Air Transport World magazine. Among many eco-friendly initiatives, United was the first US airline to use biofuels for ongoing operations. "Innovation and sustainability are twin engines that drive our progress as the most environmentally conscious airline in the world," said United CEO Oscar Munoz.
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Economics of 100-seaters ‘don’t work’ for United
This story has been updated to reflect that United could add up to 70 more 76-seat regional jets, not up to 35. United Airlines president Scott Kirby says the economics of a 100-seat aircraft “just don’t work” for the carrier’s mainline fleet. “We basically need to spread mainline costs over the greater number of seats in the bigger airplanes,” he said in a discussion with employees at United’s Chicago O’Hare hub earlier in January.
LinkAirports
Robot helpers in restaurants – the future is now at Oakland International Airport
Global restaurateur, HMSHost, has joined forces with SoftBank Robotics America (SBRA) to launch a new pilot programme with Pepper the humanoid robot at the Oakland International Airport. Beginning this week, Pepper will greet and engage with guests at HMSHost’s Pyramid Ale Taproom in Terminal 2, offering assistance, menu recommendations and directions to travelers, beginning their journeys with a memorable encounter.
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New York's airport system enjoys record breaking year
Traffic levels again reached record heights at the New York/New Jersey metropolitan airports in 2016, with 128.6 million passengers passing through the big three gateways of JFK, LaGuardia and Newark-Liberty. JFK welcomed 58.8 million total passengers – with records for its 31.6 million international and 27.2 million domestic passengers.
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One fifth of Brits has accidentally taken a restricted item onboard a flight – new report
New research by an online travel agency in the UK claims that as many as one fifth of Britons has accidentally taken items onboard a plane that were classed as 'restricted/prohibited'. It also reveals that these passengers passed through security without getting 'caught' for their faux pas and only realized this later on in their journey. According to the study, liquids over 100ml, aerosols and drugs were listed as items accidentally 'smuggled' on board in the cabin.
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Military
Raytheon pulls out of T-X competition
Raytheon has withdrawn as the prime contractor for the Leonardo T-100 in a joint bid for the US Air Force T-X trainer contract, stating on 25 January that the two companies “have decided not to jointly pursue the program.” Raytheon will not enter the trainer competition again with another partner, a Raytheon spokesman said.
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Boeing surpasses $2 billion in KC-46 tanker charges
Boeing’s KC-46 tanker took a $312 million hit to its bottom line last quarter, bringing total charges over the course of the recapitalization program to more than $2 billion. Boeing Commercial absorbed a $243 million pre-tax charge on the KC-46 Tanker program, while its defense sector took a $69 million pre-tax charge as well. It marks the fifth cost overrun for the program, following a $354 million and $219 million charge to Boeing commercial and defense last July associated with a refueling boom issue
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Fallon calls for tactical advance on A400M
UK defense secretary Michael Fallon has challenged Airbus Defense & Space to maintain its drive on the A400M program during 2017, so that the Royal Air Force can take full advantage of its capabilities across a wide range of operational conditions. “I am encouraged that A400M is available for extended, worldwide strategic operational deployment,” Fallon told an Airbus Group reception in London on 24 January. “The challenge I give you for this year is to ensure that all of those aircraft can operate in all environments, from benign to hostile, so that our forces can summon up that vital flexibility when they need it.”
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Aviation Quote
I would attack any squadron blockading a port. Nothing could prevent me from dropping out of the clear blue sky on to a battleship with 400 kilos of explosives in the cockpit. Of course it is true that the pilot would be killed, but everything would blow up, and that's what counts.
- Jules Vedrines, pre-1914.
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