NAS Daily 21 JUN 19

airtrainer 21 Jun 19, 00:37

News

Commercial

PARIS 2019: Nordic Aviation Capital commits to 20 A220 family aircraft
Regional aircraft lessor Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) has signed an MOU with Airbus for 20 A220 family aircraft, following a $2 billion letter of intent for up to 105 ATR aircraft earlier in the week.
The deal was signed at the Paris Air Show between NAC chairman Martin Møller and Airbus CCO Christian Scherer.
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PARIS 2019 BLOG: Air transport industry confidence on display
The fourth and final trade show day saw a handful of additional Airbus narrowbody orders or conversions, closing a show that was relatively light on new airliner order numbers—as anticipated—but which still delivered some surprises.
The biggest bolt from the blue by far was International Airline Group’s (IAG) LOI for 200 Boeing 737 MAXs
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PARIS 2019: Airbus still hopes to secure IAG narrowbody order
Airbus has not yet given up on securing a major narrowbody order from International Airlines Group (IAG) flipping a commitment announced by the company for the Boeing 737 MAX earlier this week.
“We will be very happy to make our offer when it comes to a tender at a later stage,” Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said June 20. “We have not received a request for proposals (RFP), but we are taking the position that we would like to bid for the business,” CCO Christian Scherer added.
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PARIS 2019: Siemens deal boosts Rolls’ electric-propulsion plans
As aerospace accelerates toward a more electric future, Rolls-Royce has secured a jumpstart on its strategic goals in the sector with the surprise acquisition of Siemens’ electric and hybrid-electric aerospace propulsion unit.
Based in Germany and Hungary, Siemens’ eAircraft business has been developing all-electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems for aircraft such as Eviation’s Alice nine-seat commuter aircraft and the Airbus-Rolls E-Fan X hybrid-electric demonstrator.
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PARIS 2019: Growing fuel costs could trigger ATR orders
ATR is continuing to explore hybrid aircraft technologies and biofuels, but in the nearer term CEO Stefano Bortoli believes higher fuel prices could trigger more aircraft orders.
“In a scenario of growing fuel prices, our aircraft regain their competitive edge,” Bortoli said, speaking at a Paris Air Show media briefing June 19.
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PARIS: A321XLR addresses only a 'sliver' of NMA market – Boeing
Boeing has mounted a defence of its New Mid-market Airplane concept following the launch of the Airbus A321XLR, arguing both that its European rival's new variant does not serve as a 757 replacement, and that its own plans are not limited to filling that space.
"When you talk about the NMA value proposition, that is not a value proposition that addresses just the 757," said Boeing vice-president of commercial sales and marketing Ihssane Mounir at the Paris air show today.
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PARIS: Lessor BBAM signs with EFW for A321 converted freighter
Conversions specialist EFW has secured a letter-of-intent commitment from lessor BBAM for an Airbus A321 freighter.
The narrowbody will be inducted for conversion into a 14-pallet cargo configuration in mid-2020 and is scheduled for redelivery "in end 2020", says EFW's majority shareholder, the Singaporean group ST Engineering.
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PARIS: A220 weight hike mainly a paperwork change
Airbus's maximum take-off weight increase for the A220 is effectively a paperwork change, rather than a structural adaptation.
The MTOW hike of nearly 2.3t is due to become available from 2020, and Delta Air Lines has emerged as a customer for the upgrade.
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PARIS: Boeing reticent on Max brand's absence from IAG statement
Boeing has downplayed the significance of IAG's decision to omit the "Max" brand name from its statement on a deal for 737-8s and -10s.
The letter of intent, covering 200 aircraft, was disclosed at the Paris air show on 18 June. With its avoidance of the brand name, the European airline group has fuelled debate on whether Boeing will need to rebrand its flagship narrowbody amid the crisis that has followed two fatal crashes and the jet's subsequent, and ongoing, grounding.
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PARIS: Comac displays CBJ VIP airliner in model form
China's national airframer Comac is displaying its in-development VIP airliner for the first time at a public event outside China.
A one-tenth scale model of the aircraft, known as the CBJ, is on display alongside a similar-sized model of the ARJ21-700 regional airliner.
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Airlines

Delta deepens Korean Air partnership with equity investment
Delta Air Lines has acquired a 4.3% equity stake in Hanjin-KAL, Korean Air’s largest shareholder, setting the stage for even closer cooperation between the two joint-venture (JV) partners. The Atlanta-based carrier said it intends to increase the stake to 10% “over time, after receiving regulatory approval.”
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Retired airline captain ‘Sully’ urges simulator training for 737 MAX pilots
Retired pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who gained fame after he landed a US Airways Airbus A320 in the Hudson River off Manhattan in 2009, told US House lawmakers that pilots flying the Boeing 737 MAX should receive additional Level D full flight simulator (FFS) training before the MAX returns to flight. Such training would enable MAX pilots to “see, hear, feel, experience and understand the challenges” associated with the aircraft’s maneuvering ...
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PARIS 2019: JetBlue converts Airbus A321neos to XLR version
JetBlue Airways will convert 13 aircraft in its existing Airbus A321neo order book to the XLR version—launched earlier this week—for delivery scheduled to begin in 2023.
JetBlue said the aircraft will support the New York-based LCC’s focus city strategy by being able to implement further expansion to additional European destinations from Boston and New York, while also providing added fuel efficiency.
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PARIS 2019: Flynas signs for 10 A321XLRs
Flynas, Saudi Arabia’s first low-cost airline, has signed an MOU with Airbus for 10 A321XLR aircraft, which was launched earlier in the week.
As part of the commitment, Flynas will also upsize 10 of the A320neos it currently has on order to the A321neo.
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PARIS 2019: India’s IndiGo switches to CFM engines for incoming A320neos
Indian LCC IndiGo flipped its preferred engine supplier, ordering CFM LEAP-1A engines to power 280 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft it has on order—aircraft that will fly alongside Pratt & Whitney PW1000G geared turbofan (GTF) Airbus narrowbodies.
The Gurgaon-based carrier operates a fleet of 232 aircraft, including 216 A320-family aircraft. Only 17 are powered by CFM engines—all CFM56-powered A320ceos. It also has 108 International Aero Engines (IAE)-powered A320ceos. Pratt is a joint venture partner in IAE.
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EVA Air cabin crew begin strike action
The cabin crew of Taiwan’s EVA Air have begun after last-minute negotiation between the two parties fell through June 20. The labor action started at 4 p.m. local time, resulting in the cancellation of over 20 flights at press time. These include flights from Taipei Taoyuan to San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Seoul, Vienna and Paris; three flights to Hong Kong; and two to Bangkok. Authorities expect at least 7,000 passengers to be affected within the first 24 hours.
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Chinese carriers seek rights to fly new routes to Japan, Korea
Air China, Juneyao Airlines and Shenzhen Airlines are among five airlines have filed applications with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to start new routes to six points in Japan.
Shenzhen Airlines is seeking to fly daily from Wuxi to Nagoya and Sapporo from September. Kunming Airlines, Air China, Juneyao Airlines, as well as Spring Airlines each filed one route application.
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Hainan launches Xian-Osaka Kansai
Hainan Airlines will begin operating thrice-weekly flights between Xian and Osaka Kansai on 1 July.
The airline says in a press statement that it will fly its Boeing 737 aircraft on this route.
Cirium’s flight schedules data shows that Hainan will be the third Chinese carrier to ply the route. Sichuan Airlines flies daily and Spring Airlines, once a week.
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Airports

Spirit debuts Las Vegas airport's first automated bag drop
Spirit Airlines has launched Las Vegas airport's first automated self-service bag drop system, as the ultra low-cost carrier marks a network expansion from the Sin City today.
The new bag drop system will help expedite the check-in process for passengers, says the Miramar, Florida-based airline.
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Singapore investigates drone sightings near Changi airport
Singapore Changi airport was forced to temporarily suspend operations from one runway late on 18 June after confirmed sightings of a drone operating in the vicinity.
Local army and police were activated for the search and locate operation, which included representation from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Changi Airport Group. Investigations are ongoing.
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Kansai Airport to replace plastic bags with eco-friendly alternatives by 2020
Plastic bags will soon be a thing of the past in Kansai Airports across Japan, but is this enough to quell the environmental impact of the airports?
Kansai Airports Group has decided to scrap plastic-bag usage at its airports, replacing them with eco-friendly alternatives by 2020, be that paper bags or bio-based bags.
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Military

PARIS: DGA pushes ahead with Guepard helicopter definition
France's DGA procurement agency is working through the definition process for the new H160M Guepard helicopters it is acquiring for all three branches of the country's armed forces under the HIL programme.
Defence minister Florence Parly in late May announced that she was advancing the schedule for the Guepard, with programme launch moving by one year – to 2021 – and first delivery by two years, to 2026.
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PARIS: Airbus defence chief targets technological edge
After six months in position as Airbus Defence & Space’s head of military aircraft, Alberto Gutierrez was at the show in upbeat mood, buoyed by a new contractual agreement with customers of the A400M tactical transport and the swift progress being made with a Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme for France, Germany and Spain.
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PARIS: Lockheed Martin buoyed by European spending boost
Lockheed Martin is enjoying a busy show, thanks to an upturn in defence spending among European nations and increased interest in products including the F-16 and F-35 fighters, C-130J tactical transport and PAC-3 air-defence missiles.
“Four years ago, we had very little work in Europe in our [long-range] plan,” says Lockheed Martin International executive vice-president Rick Edwards.
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Iran claims shoot down of RQ-4 Global Hawk
Further raising tensions in the Middle East, the government of Iran claims to have shot down a Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle (UAV) over Kuh Mubarak, a coastal area of Iran at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on its news website that it has shot down an American spy drone that had violated Iranian airspace.
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PARIS: Aeronautics eyes fresh Orbiter 4 sales
Israeli unmanned systems specialist Aeronautics is displaying its flagship Orbiter 4 multipurpose unmanned air vehicle at the show, with the company aiming for a number of export opportunities around the world.
Dany Eshchar, Aeronautics' deputy chief executive, told FlightGlobal that he sees sales opportunities in a number of countries including the Australia, India and the USA.
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PARIS: IFTS fighter school to open second base
The International Flight Training School (IFTS) operated by the Italian air force and Leonardo will open a second branch at Decimomannu air force base, on the island of Sicily.
Following the announcement of the IFTS at the 2018 Farnborough air show, the existing base of Galatina has added three Leonardo T-346 advanced jet trainers, and its first batch of civil instructor pilots have completed training.
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PARIS: Norway’s Boeing P-8 buy delivers Nammo ramjet shell deal
Boeing has signed an agreement to help Nammo further develop ramjet-powered artillery shells.
The development deal is the result of an offset agreement with the Norwegian government related to the acquisition of five P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft by the Royal Norwegian Air Force in 2017.
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PARIS: JF-17 Block III to have first flight by year-end
The Block III version of the Chengdu/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex JF-17 fighter will have its first flight before the end of 2019.
An official familiar with the programme says that a number of key decisions are set to be made about the programme.
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