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Mitsubishi rebrands former MRJ90/70s as SpaceJet family aircraft
As part of a major shake-up of its regional jet strategy, Mitsubishi Aircraft has rebranded the former MRJ90 as the SpaceJet M90 and has announced details of the stretched MRJ70 redesign, which will now be called the M100.
Details of the revamp, which come as the Japanese manufacture continues negotiations with Bombardier over the potential acquisition of the CRJ regional jet program, emerge on the eve of the Paris Air Show at which the rapidly changing state of the regional airliner market is expected to be a major talking point.
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Russia’s Irkut MC-21 program deals with consequences of US sanctions
Russia’s deteriorated relations with the West following Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 has had substantial consequences for the Irkut MC-21 program.
The hardest blow came at the end of 2018 when Irkut’s key suppliers of composite parts—Ulyanovsk-based AeroComposit and Obinsk Research and Production Enterprise (ORPE) Technologia—were slapped by US sanctions and lost access to foreign fiber and prepregs.
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ANALYSIS: Rolls-Royce prepares for future with UltraFan and electric power
Rolls-Royce arrives at this year’s Paris air show with the immediate focus on ramping up production of in-service engines and curing the disruption still being felt by operators of Boeing 787s powered by the Trent 1000.
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Comac gets going with home grown aircraft programmes
Comac appears to be hitting its aircraft development stride, with the ARJ21, C919 and CR929 all making progress. But there are strong doubts about how well China’s national airframer can execute all three programmes.
It has been a busy 11 years for the company, which was originally launched to build the C919, but soon inherited the ARJ21 regional jet programme from AVIC Aircraft.
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Boeing bets on eVTOL in electric flight race
Boeing envisions a future with electric-powered aircraft that cut the costs and emissions of jet fuel propulsion, but its executives know even their vast company cannot get there alone. It faces the same limits of battery technology as other companies designing electric and gasoline-electric hybrid aircraft, so is relying on investments and partnerships in addition to its internal projects.
LinkAirlines
PICTURE: JAL takes delivery of first A350
Japan Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350, also the first aircraft it has received from the European manufacturer.
The A350-900 was handed over at a delivery ceremony in Toulouse today and will enter service at the start of September on the Haneda-Fukuoka route.
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First SAS A350 to enter service in January 2020
SAS's first Airbus A350 is to enter service in January 2020.
The Scandinavian group says the first long-haul flight operated with the aircraft, on 28 January, will be between Copenhagen and Chicago, which SAS describes as one of its most popular routes. Based in Copenhagen, the aircraft will also be used on six other routes next year, to Beijing, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong and San Francisco.
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Hainan to dispose of aging 737s, A319s
Hainan Airlines Holding will move eight Boeing 737-800s and four Airbus A319s to a holding company based in Hong Kong.
Hainan’s subsidiary Air Changan will similarly be moving four A319s to the Hong Kong-based holding company, in a combined deal worth CNY2.76 billion ($399 million).
LinkAirports
New shop openings for Munich airport
Munich Airport has opened three new stores which it believes will make shopping at the gateway even more convenient and enjoyable.
And the newcomers could hardly be more diverse as they include a fashion boutique, flower shop and a trendy pop-up store.
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Super umbrella artwork unveiled at rainy Heathrow
A canopy of brightly coloured umbrellas has appeared at Heathrow, but it has nothing to do with the torrential rain falling across large parts of the UK this week.
The umbrellas are actually part of an initiative to raise awareness of neuro-developmental disorders, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dyspraxia.
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Customer service excellence recognition for Changchun and Hohhot airports
China's Changchun Longjia and Hohhot Baita airports are the latest gateways to be inducted into ACI World's Director General’s Roll of Excellence for the consistent delivery of exceptional customer service.
ACI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) programme is the only worldwide service quality measurement and benchmarking service that captures passengers’ impressions and opinions while still at the airport, and the Director General’s Roll of Excellence recognises consistent high performers.
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Birmingham airport in the UK unveils its new master plan
Birmingham Airport today published its final Master Plan and Surface Access Strategy following a 12-week public consultation to gather feedback from community and regional stakeholders.
The Master Plan outlines how the airport will develop its site to handle the increase in passenger numbers up to the year 2033.
LinkMilitary
Italy orders 13 additional M-345 trainers
Italy has signed for 13 more Leonardo M-345s in a deal worth €300 million ($333 million), bring to 18 the number of the new trainers ordered by Rome.
Deliveries are expected to begin in 2020, and the Williams International FJ44-4M-34-powered jets will be located at Galatina air base near Lecce.
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PICTURES: Rafale M in marathon carrier deployment
Dassault Rafale M fighters operating from the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle are performing well during an epic long-range deployment.
FlightGlobal visited the ship in Singapore three months into a cruise that has included the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean and finally the Straits of Malacca.
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Gripen E to give Swiss flight tests a miss
The Saab Gripen E will not participate in upcoming flight tests in Switzerland following a recommendation from the Geneva – but the Swedish company maintains the type’s suitability to recapitalise the Swiss air force.
Switzerland’s procurement agency, Armasuisse, made a formal recommendation that Saab not participate because it only wants to consider fighters that are operationally ready in 2019, says Saab.
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General Trivia
1. How would navigation have been affected had Germany won WW2?
2. True or false; The USAF has never had an operational, four-engined jet bomber that was flown by a single pilot.
3. Why did the military develop TACAN when a similar navigational system VOR/DME, was already in civilian use and had been proven reliable?
4. True or false; the first indication to a a pilot that his airplane is encountering a low-altitude microburst is that the nose pitches up and there is an increase in lift.
5. Why is it inappropriate to use the word "throttle" when referring to the power lever of a turbine powerplant?
