NewsRussia to spend $66.4 million for three subsidy programsRussian airlines will be able to carry 729,000 passengers within the framework of three subsidy programs through Dec. 1, 2018. The government has set a budget of RUB3.8 billion ($66.4 million) for the carriers. According to Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, the Far East subsidy program comprises 57 destinations that connect the region and other parts of the country. It is expected that 446,700 passengers will purchase subsidized tickets. The Far East program includes seven airlines—Aeroflot, Alrosa, NordStar, S7 Airlines, Ural Airlines, Utair Aviation and Yakutia. Russian authorities launched the Far East subsidy program in 2009.
LinkSichuan Airlines to add fifth freedom flights to Zurich in JuneSichuan Airlines has secured approval to use fifth freedom rights to extend a route from Chengdu, China to Prague, Czech Republic and onto Zurich, Switzerland beginning June 23. The new twice-weekly Chengdu-Prague-Zurich Airbus A330 service is expected to become the first fifth freedom flight from Chengdu to transport passengers to a third country.
LinkNASA picks supplier for low-boom supersonic demo aircraftNASA has selected Lockheed Martin to build an X-plane to demonstrate that sonic boom noise can be reduced to a level low enough to lift bans on commercial supersonic flight over US land. NASA believes the low-boom demonstrator—its first clean-sheet manned X-plane in decades—will pave the way for development of quiet supersonic transports by US industry once the overland flight ban has been lifted and replaced by sound-based certification rules.
LinkFlybe sees ‘continued improvement’ in operating figuresUK-based regional carrier Flybe has announced a combination of continued improvement in load factor, together with a reduction in available capacity as it slims down its fleet.
LinkDelta: Strong demand generates ‘positive results’ in 1QDelta Air Lines said strong first-quarter demand generated “positive results” in “all geographic entities,” adding that international unit revenues outperformed domestic, the Atlanta-based carrier said in an investor update.
LinkAir Lease Corp. finalizes Boeing MAX orderAir Lease Corp. (ALC) has finalized an order for eight more Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, valued at $936.8 million at list prices. This new order raises California-based ALC’s total of 737 MAX orders to 138. ALC delivered the first 737 MAX 8 to LOT Polish Airlines in December 2017.
LinkTAP Portugal, EgyptAir expand codeshareStar Alliance members TAP Portugal and EgyptAir are expanding their codeshare on European routes. The new agreement will enable EgyptAir to put its MS code on TAP flights from Lisbon to Amsterdam Schiphol (Netherlands), London Heathrow (UK), Frankfurt and Munich (Germany), Geneva (Switzerland) and Vienna (Austria).
LinkKenya’s Jambojet to double Dash 8 Q400 fleet to 10 aircraftKenya Airways LCC subsidiary Jambojet plans to add a sixth Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 to its fleet, which should quickly rise to 10 of the type as it takes over more regional routes from the mainline carrier.
LinkVirgin Australia to launch new flights to Hong KongVirgin Australia will begin flights from Sydney to Hong Kong on July 2, which will join its existing service from Melbourne to Hong Kong. The carrier had previously signaled it wanted to start the Sydney flights this year as it expands its reach in the Greater China market.
LinkSpiceJet orders ultralight seats for Bombardier Q400s, Boeing 737sSpiceJet has selected ultralight seats designed by French startup company Expliseat on 10 of its Boeing 737 NGs and the 25 Bombardier Q400s the India-based LCC ordered last year. At 4,500 seats, the contract can be seen as the first major order for Expliseat.
LinkAbrupt Great Lakes shutdown leaves two Arizona cities without serviceUS regional Great Lakes Airlines, which ceased scheduled passenger flights operations March 26, did not provide the required advance notice of changes, according to the US Department of Transportation (DOT), which ordered the carrier to resume flights.
LinkBritish Airways’ new pension scheme to save $112 million a yearBritish Airways’ new employee pension scheme should result in annual savings of £80 million ($112 million), its parent company International Airlines Group (IAG) said. UK carrier British Airways (BA) closed its New Airways Pension Scheme (NAPS) to future accrual and its British Airways Retirement Plan (BARP) to future contributions from March 31. They have been replaced with a flexible benefits scheme, incorporating a new defined contribution pension scheme, called the British Airways Pension Plan (BAPP), which offers a choice of contribution rates and the ability to opt for cash instead of a pension, the company said.
LinkFedEx introduces program to attract pilot candidates Last month, FedEx chairman and CEO Frederick Smith announced the launch of the company's Purple Runways program, aimed at attracting pilot candidates to FedEx and its feeder airlines. The program will aid career development and promote aviation career studies at colleges and universities, starting with Delta State University in Mississippi.
LinkSouthwest employees benefit from tax reformSouthwest Airlines employees this week had the chance to share personal stories of how the recent tax cuts and $1,000 Southwest bonus have benefited them at a town hall with House Speaker Paul Ryan and Southwest CEO Gary Kelly. "What was very heartwarming for us is just the stories that were instantly being shared by our employees," Kelly said.
LinkVirgin Australia and Air NZ to end transtasman allianceVirgin Australia and Air New Zealand will end their seven-year old alliance on transtasman services on 27 October when their existing regulatory approval expires. Air NZ’s chief revenue officer Cam Wallace says that the decision to not pursue a new approval reflects the changing dynamics on the Tasman market, which have made it more appropriate for each airline to focus on their own objectives.
LinkJet Airways finalises follow-on order for 75 737 Max aircraftIndian carrier Jet Airways has finalised a deal to purchase an additional 75 Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The carrier confirmed the deal in a brief stock exchange disclosure, but provided no other details on which variant of the narrowbody would be purchased.
LinkARJ21 completes crosswind validation testing in IcelandThe Comac ARJ21 regional jet has completed crosswind validation testing in Iceland that is aimed at widening its operational scope. China's ministry of industry and information technology says aircraft 104 completed the testing on 26 March at Reykjavik's Keflavik International airport, and subsequently approved by by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
LinkViking nears CL-415 EAF start, CL-515 launch decisionAs the Chilean government emerges as a potential customer, Calgary-based Viking Air has moved within months of inducting the first of 11 CL-415 Enhanced Aerial Firefighter (EAF) airframes into modification, says executive vice-president of sales and marketing Rob Mauracher. Bombardier closed production of the family of amphibious water-bombers in 2015 and sold the type certificate to Viking Air the following year.
LinkNetherlands outlines 10-year defence spending planThe Netherlands has unveiled a new long-term defence plan, which includes additional funding to boost operational readiness. Presented by recently appointed defence minister Ank Bijleveld-Schouten, the white paper proposes annual spending of €1.5 billion ($1.84 billion) – or about 1.3% of gross domestic product.
LinkHAL hits new milestones as revenue up 2.2% to over Rs180bn Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) generated revenue of more than Rs180 billion in the financial year ended 31 March 2018, up 2.2% year-on-year. The government-owned airframer says it produced 40 new aircraft and helicopters, and 105 new engines, while also taking orders for 41 Dhruv and eight Chetak helicopters from the Indian armed forces. It completed overhaul work on 220 aircraft and helicopters, and 550 engines.
LinkThe Navy's Secret Wish: Bring Back the Old F-14 Tomcat from the Dead?While the requirement for a carrier-based long-range strike capability is a frequent subject of discussion around Washington, the U.S. Navy’s need for improved air superiority capabilities is often neglected.
LinkUS Air Force to deploy CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft to Japan earlyThe U.S. Air Force has said today that it will deploy the CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft to Japan this week, more than a year ahead of schedule. In a statement issued earlier today, U.S. Forces, Japan, or USFJ, announced that five U.S. Air Force Bell-Boeing CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft are scheduled to arrive at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo later this week, ahead of the previously announced fiscal 2020 timeline.
LinkHomestead Air Reserve Base may get 24 new fighter aircraftThe Homestead Air Reserve Base, which currently utilizes F-16C planes to carry out Air Force Reserve Command related missions, might permanently gain up to 24 new F-35A aircraft, which combine stealth, sensor fusion and unprecedented situational awareness in combat, according to a notice of intent issued by the U.S. Air Force.
The Homestead Air Reserve Base, which is one of four locations Air Force officials are analyzing, will undergo an impact study to evaluate the environmental consequences that could result from the use here of these aircraft.
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