NewsCracked window causes Southwest pilots to divert 737-700 The pilots of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 diverted to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and landed safely on May 2 after a window cracked in flight. Southwest flight 957 was enroute from Chicago Midway International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey with 76 passengers aboard when the incident happened. The aircraft flew as high as 33,000 ft. before pilots began a descent, landing at 10:43 a.m. in Cleveland less than an hour into the flight, according to tracking service FlightAware.
LinkAirbus-Rolls UltraFan demonstrator to fly on 747 testbedFurther details are emerging of Rolls-Royce’s plan to flight test the company’s UltraFan future commercial engine technology demonstrator with Airbus as part of a wider strategy that targets entry-into-service from the mid-2020s.
LinkAlitalia buyer selection deadline delayed to fallItaly has formally pushed back the deadline for selecting a buyer for Alitalia by six months to Oct. 31, with the repayment of a controversial government bridge loan that is keeping it flying now set for Dec. 15.
LinkDOT widens drone integration program The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has doubled the number of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) integration projects it will fund after a strong response from organizations that want to participate. The UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP) was launched by the Trump administration to accelerate the integration of UAS into the national airspace system by helping find a balance between the concerns of stakeholders, including state and local governments, FAA and security agencies.
LinkAir China grounds some 787s on Trent 1000 engine inspectionsAir China has grounded some of its Boeing 787s powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, which had been found to have vulcanization and fatigue cracks in the blades of the engine’s intermediate pressure (IP) compressor. In April, Rolls-Royce warned airlines that additional checks of its Trent 1000 engine powering the 787 would be needed to better understand the durability of the Package C compressor, featured on nearly 200 787s worldwide.
LinkChina Southern plans new Heathrow routesChina Southern Airlines is ultimately hoping to secure rights to fly between the new Beijing Airport and London Heathrow, but in the interim the Guangzhou-based carrier plans to announce a new Heathrow link from Sanya, an island off China’s south coast
LinkNew orders will boost Qantas 787 fleet to 14Qantas Airways has converted six more options for Boeing 787-9s to firm orders, which will allow the Australian flag carrier to retire its remaining 747-400s a few years earlier than planned.
LinkAir France to operate nearly 85% of flights May 3 as strikes continueAir France plans to operate almost 85% of its flights on May 3, the latest in a series of strikes its unions are holding over pay as employees have their say over the airline’s pay proposal in a company-wide consultation. The airline said 78% of its long-haul flights would go ahead, along with more than 80% of its medium-haul flights to and from its Charles de Gaulle Airport hub in Paris also operating.
LinkVolaris posts $62 million 1Q net loss, cites domestic LCC fare rivalryMexican ultra-LCC Volaris reported a MXP1.1 billion ($61.5 million) net loss for the first quarter of 2018, narrowed from a MXP1.3 billion net loss in 1Q 2017, as competitive low-cost fares in the country’s domestic market and increased industry capacity continued to inflict pressure on the Mexico City-based carrier. Volaris closed out 2017 with a full-year MXP595 million net loss.
LinkSmart luggage manufacturer Bluesmart folds, cites airline restrictionsThree months after several airlines banned “smart” luggage with non-removeable lithium ion batteries, one of the technology’s leading manufacturers, New York-based Bluesmart, has called it quits. In a blog announcement posted on its website April 30, Bluesmart said “changes in policies announced by several major airlines at the end of last year … put our company in an irreversibly difficult financial and business situation. After exploring all the possible options for pivoting and moving forward, the company was finally forced to wind down its operations … unable to continue operating as an independent entity.
LinkAmerican to suspend Beijing route amid fall changesAmerican Airlines will suspend service to Beijing Capital from Chicago O'Hare in October, amid a number of network changes this fall. The Oneworld Alliance carrier cites a weak fare environment for its decision to suspend its six-times weekly service to Beijing Capital airport from Chicago with its last eastbound flight on 22 October, it says today. It operates a Boeing 787-8 on the route.
LinkJetBlue rolls out first A320 with new cabin interiorJetBlue Airways has unveiled the first Airbus A320 that has completed a cabin reconfiguration. The aircraft, registered N646JB, operated its first revenue flight today between Boston and Bermuda. This A320 was delivered to JetBlue in November 2006, Flight Fleets Analyzer shows.
LinkR-R reviewing Trent 700 design after A330 birdstrike Rolls-Royce is reviewing the design of some components of the Trent 700 engine, following a probe into a birdstrike and engine failure involving an AirAsia X A330-300 on 3 July 2017. The A330, registered 9M-XXT, was taking off from Gold Coast airport enroute to Kuala Lumpur when its starboard engine ingested three small birds, causing it to stall and fail. Cabin crew reported a starboard engine fire to the pilots, and the crew carried out their procedures, including discharging the fire suppression system.
LinkManagement autonomy promised to prospective Air India buyers The Indian government has stated that the winning bidder for Air India will receive complete freedom in managing the carrier.
In a list of clarifications sought by potential bidders, New Delhi says it is seeking to "divest... management control [in Air India]" along with a 76% stake in the airline and that the 24% remaining stake is only limited to equity.
LinkComac starts concept definition for CR929 fuselage, tailComac has started the concept definition phase with suppliers on the fuselage and tail of the Chinese-Russian CR929 widebody. The focus will be on the design requirements and optimising technical solutions, says China-Russia Commercial Aircraft Corporation (CRAIC) general manager Guo Bozhi.
LinkBrazil approves composite, swept propeller for King Air 350Hartzell Propeller and Raisbeck Engineering have secured a supplemental type certificate (STC) from Brazil for a swept-blade turbofan propeller on the Beechcraft King Air 350 series. The approval comes less than eight months after the US Federal Aviation Administration became the first civil aviation authority to approve the $150,000 system for the twin-engined turboprop. Since then, six propellers have been delivered and installed for US owners, says Raisbeck.
Link Japan yet to decide on P-1 fleet sizeJapan has yet to reach a firm decision on the future size of its Kawasaki Heavy Industries P-1 maritime patrol aircraft fleet, or determine whether the surveillance asset could be exported to international buyers. Developed as an indigenous replacement for the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force's Lockheed Martin P-3C Orions, the four-engined type was first flown in 2007, and entered operational use in 2016.
LinkBoeing pitches doubling navy's EA-18G Growler fleetStretched thinly by escort jamming responsibilities not only for its native US Navy, but also for the US Air Force and soon the US Marine Corps, the nation's 160-strong fleet of Boeing EA-18G Growlers may need to grow.
LinkPuerto Rico ANG C-130 Crashed At Savanahine people were on board a National Guard C-130 that crashed near Savannah, Georgia, on Wednesday, Sgt. Noel Velez from the Georgia Air National Guard tells CNN. A spokesman for the Georgia Air National Guard said the crash was deadly, but no details are being disclosed until investigators have more information about who was on the plane.
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