Aviation News
Commercial Aircraft MRO Market To Be Worth $49.2 Billion In 2013
Visiongain's analysis indicates that the world commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market will reach a value of $49.2 billion in 2013 because of growing demand for maintenance services to handle the global fleet of commercial aircraft. The commercial aircraft MRO market is forecast by Visiongain to experience growth over the next decade providing numerous business opportunities. More aero-news.net
* * *
Airbus And Dell Computer Launch Electronic Flight Bag Service
Dell OEM Solutions has partnered with Airbus to support A320 Family airliner operators worldwide by providing an end-to-end Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) solution supported by Dell Latitude solutions. Dell laptops, which adhere to strict regulatory standards, will be pre-loaded with FlySmart with Airbus software and installed as Class-2 EFB equipment. This initial announcement will cover EFB Class-2 solutions for Airbus’ Single Aisle aircraft, though the agreement includes scope to extend application to other aircraft types. More aero-news.net
* * *
Senators Raise Concerns About Abu Dhabi Preclearance Center
A bipartisan group of 11 U.S. Senators has sent a letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano asking for an explanation of the department's decision to establish a preclearance facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport, going against recent direction from Congress and enabling a foreign government to pay for core security functions. More aero-news.net
* * *
ST KITTS AIRPORT LOSES POWER
Passengers were delayed at St. Kitts Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport on Wednesday due to a power cut caused by the commissioning of a new transfer switch, which is used to switch from the power grid to back up power. The new switch is thought to have tripped when it was turned on, and necessary repairs from the resulting incident delayed the restoration of power. The Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) sent a press release apologizing for the inconvenience caused by the power outage. “Work started on May 7, 2013 to commission a new transfer switch to replace the existing one, however, due to unforeseen challenges the repairing exercise has taken longer than expected. SCASPA regrets any inconvenience which this interruption in electricity supply has caused, and extends assurances of returned service as soon as possible.” Airline, Immigration and airport staff were forced to processing hundreds of travelers manually using cell phones to call stations in other islands and a make-shift system hooked up to a backup generator. More aviationnews-online.com
* * *
UPS ADDS WINGLETS TO ITS 767 FLEET
UPS has added winglets to its Boeing 767 fleet in a bid to save fuel and reduce emissions. These wingtip devices, which are arrow-shaped surfaces attached to the tip of each wing, enhance the overall efficiency of the aircraft, saving fuel by reducing drag while also lowering noise emissions by improving take-off performance. The modifications will save UPS more than six million gallons of fuel each year and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 62,000 metric tonnes. UPS estimates approximately a four percent fuel savings on each 767 flight. “UPS continues to lead the industry in sustainable business practices,” said David Abney, UPS chief operating officer. “With the widest portfolio of services in the industry, we are constantly looking for ways to reduce emissions, and drive down operating costs so our customers have the solutions they need to compete in a global economy. These winglets are a perfect example of sustainability in action. They are good business and good stewardship.” UPS currently operates 54 of the 767 aircraft with five on order. The company plans to have winglets on all 767 aircraft by the end of 2014. Winglets are already installed on UPS’s 747, and MD-11 fleets, and the A300-600 has a similar device called a wingtip fence. More aviationnews-online.com
* * *
BOEING ROLLS OUT FIRST 787 DREAMLINER AT INCREASED PRODUCTION RATE
Boeing has rolled out of the factory the first 787 Dreamliner to be built at the increased production rate of seven airplanes per month. The airplane, which rolled out earlier this week, is the 114th 787 to be built overall and the 100th 787 to be built at the Everett, Wash., factory. Boeing’s 787 program is on track to achieve a planned 10 per month rate by year-end. The production rate accounts for airplanes built at the Everett Final Assembly facility, the Everett Temporary Surge Line and Boeing South Carolina. To date, 50 787s have been delivered to eight airlines. The program has more than 800 unfilled orders with 58 customers worldwide. More aviationnews-online.com
* * *
EL AL UNLIKELY TO GAIN STAR ALLIANCE MEMBERSHIP
El Al is unlikely to become a member of Star Alliance since the group has stated that any new members need to be beneficial to the Alliance overall and to the individual carrier, which means a new member airline would have to bring in additional destinations into the Alliance as well as having a strong home market. Israel’s tough antitrust laws will work against EL Al’s possible entry into the alliance as it makes it almost impossible for El Al to maintain codeshare agreements with the same flexibility enjoyed by European carriers. The airline’s stringent security procedures also have an impact. Moreover all of the global airline alliances already have a Middle East partner presence and so do not need El Al, which also does not benefit from a wide hub-and-spoke network. More aviationnews-online.com
* * *
QATAR SEEKING 12% STAKE IN IAG
An unconfirmed media report has suggested that Qatar has approached International Airlines Group with an informal offer to buy Bankia’s 12% stake. According to the Financial Times newspaper, the Qatari entity (as yet unidentified) has approached the British Airways and Iberia parent company to see whether it would be welcomed as a shareholder. More aviationnews-online.com
* * *
EMIRATES ANNOUNCES 25TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF PROFIT
The Emirates Group has today announced it 25th consecutive year of profit and company-wide growth ending the year in a strong position despite continuing high fuel prices and a weak global economic environment. The financial year also ended with some very positive newly reached capacity milestones throughout the business. Released today in the Group’s 2012-13 Annual Report, the company posted an AED 3.1 billion (US$ 845 million) net profit, up 34% from last year. Even with external challenges, the Group’s revenue reached AED 77.5 billion (US$ 21.1 billion) an increase of 17% over last year’s results. The Group’s cash balance grew by 53% reaching a solid AED 27.0 billion (US$ 7.3 billion). More aviationnews-online.com
* * *
RWANDAAIR DEBT TO BE PAID WITH BOND PROCEEDS
Rwanda intends to use part of the funds from its debut dollar-bond sale to pay down some of state-owned RwandAir’s debt. Rwanda sold $400 million of debt last month – although it received orders of $3.5bn. The country is open to selling more debt if it needs to fund future projects. More aviationnews-online.com
* * *
KENYA AIRWAYS TO INCREASE CAPACITY TO MOZAMBIQUE
From June 10, Kenya Airways will add an additional flight from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi to Maputo in Mozambique to meet rising demand on the route. The airline now operates four flights to Mozambique. More aviationnews-online.com
* * *
United Announces Date for Resuming Boeing 787 Flights
United Airlines said it will resume commercial service with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner on May 20 after the aircraft undergoes lithium-ion battery system modifications.
United is the only U.S.-based carrier operating the 787, with a total of six in its fleet. The airline's Dreamliners have remained grounded since mid-January, when FAA issued a directive grounding all in-service 787s following multiple incidents where the aircraft's battery system overheated. Beginning May 20, United will phase in scheduled service with its 787s between Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and several domestic hubs, according to a United spokesperson. Boeing engineers are currently performing the battery system modifications at Kelly Field in San Antonio. More aviationtoday.com
* * *
FAA: Some Boeing 777s need fixes in case of fires
The Federal Aviation Administration says unsafe wiring conditions on some Boeing 777 jetliners need to be fixed to prevent the possibility of a crash from an in-flight entertainment system fire. In a proposed order to be published in the Federal Register Friday, the FAA says wiring systems in about 59 U.S.-registered 777-200 and 777-300 planes must be modified. The proposed order requires installing wires and changing electricity load-management-systems panels to ensure pilots are able to use a switch in the cockpit to turn off power to the entertainment systems if a fire breaks out. Without such capability, the FAA says, pilots might not be able "to control smoke or flames in the airplane flight deck or passenger cabin" and could lose control of the plane. Once a rarity, in-flight entertainment systems have become more sophisticated and more common at every seat. They allow passengers to select movies, TV shows, games and other functions for viewing on individual screens. The FAA says its proposed order "was prompted by reports of smoke or flames related to wiring for in-flight entertainment systems, cabin lighting and passenger seats in the passenger cabins" of "various" airplanes. More washingtonpost.com
* * *
American Airlines ready to pay $24.9 million to settle safety issues raised by US government
American Airlines has agreed to pay $24.9 million to settle $162 million in potential fines that were proposed by U.S. safety regulators. American called the payment “a reasonable resolution” to the Federal Aviation Administration’s claims that American had violated safety regulations involving electrical wiring on planes and other issues. The airline’s parent company, AMR Corp., disclosed the settlement Thursday in a filing with the federal bankruptcy court in New York. “This settlement recognizes the many changes, including enhancements to our maintenance and engineering processes, increased training, inspections, and audits that have taken place at American over the past several years that address past FAA concerns,” the spokeswoman, Andrea Huguely, said in a statement. The settlement is subject to the bankruptcy court’s approval. AMR expects to emerge from bankruptcy protection and merge with US Airways Group Inc. by the end of September. In 2010, the FAA proposed a record penalty of $24.2 million against American over maintenance lapses that caused planes to be grounded and thousands of flights to be canceled in 2008. The FAA said that American crews had not followed proper procedures in restraining electrical wires on many planes, raising the risk of fires and fuel-tank explosions. The airline always insisted that passenger safety was never compromised and that the FAA’s charges were overblown. More washingtonpost.com
* * *
South Korea Eyes Business Jet Program
All other things being equal, developing smaller aircraft is cheaper. The equipment for making them is less expensive, too, so if the project turns bad, the losses are lower. It is not surprising, then, that countries that want to develop jet transports repeatedly look at business aircraft as a first step. China is determined to build business jets, Japan's Fuji Heavy Industries has long nursed a plan for one, and a business jet is shaping up in South Korea as one of two likely projects that would become the foundation of a civil aeronautics industry capable of building its own complete aircraft. If the program goes ahead, as it may in a year or two, the manufacturer will be Korea Aerospace Industries, probably the only company in the country with sufficient engineering resources. More aviationweek.com
* * *
Passengers won't pay more for wi-fi
Airline passengers will not pay extra for inflight wi-fi according to a Holiday Extras survey. 84% of more than four thousand travellers surveyed stated that they would rather go without than pay more. While 25% of these felt strongly that payment was inappropriate because internet access is fast becoming a human right. Many were ambivalent about the effect of internet access on the plane, declaring that they would choose to ignore incoming emails while they tuck into their airline meal or enjoy an inflight movie. 62% of those surveyed didn't feel that wi-fi access would spoil their flight, with 27% of men and 23% of women feeling that they could make more productive use of flight time if wi-fi access came as standard. While 10% admitted that they would never be able to relax knowing that their inbox was just a click away. More travelmole.com
* * *
Joule says it can now produce renewable gasoline & jet fuel without biomass
Bedford-based Joule Unlimited said Monday that it has extended its renewable fuel production process to produce the essential components of gasoline and jet fuel. The company is currently scaling its patented process — which doesn't require biomass — in the production of ethanol, at a plant in New Mexico. Joule is also developing its process for use in producing diesel. The extension of the technology promises to "supplant meaningful amounts – not small fractions – of fossil-derived gasoline and jet fuel," CEO William Sims said in a news release. Joule's process produces fuels from specially engineered photosynthetic bacteria, waste carbon dioxide, sunlight and water. The production method involves erecting solar converter systems across unused land. More travelmole.com
* * *
White House extends aviation biofuel program
The federal government extended a research program to develop biofuels for use in commercial airplanes by five years on Monday. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the agreement at a conference outside Washington, D.C. "By continuing to work together to produce American made 'drop-in' aviation fuels from renewable feedstocks, we will create jobs and economic opportunity in rural America, lessen America's reliance on foreign oil and develop a thriving biofuels industry that will benefit commercial and military enterprises," Vilsack said in a statement. The initiative, which started in 2010, is part of a broader federal effort to bring domestic production of those drop-in aviation biofuels to 1 billion gallons per year by 2018. Known as “Farm to Fly,” the effort also involves private airline firms — who cite making the fuel supply chain more efficient as a key benefit — and the Federal Aviation Administration. The White House has promoted the aviation and other biofuel programs as a way to lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduce dependence on foreign oil and grow domestic biofuel companies. More travelmole.com
* * *
Southwest takes over more AirTran flights
Southwest Airlines continued its gradual integration of AirTran flights this week, announcing it has taken over service to several cities that had been served by AirTran up until Sunday. Southwest said it is now providing nonstop flights between Charlotte and Baltimore/Washington, Chicago (Midway), Houston (Hobby) and Orlando; between Flint, Mich., and Baltimore/Washington, Orlando, and Tampa Bay; between Portland, Maine and Baltimore/Washington; between Rochester, N.Y. and Baltimore/Washington, Chicago (Midway), Orlando, and Tampa Bay; and between San Juan, Puerto Rico and Orlando and Tampa Bay. AirTran ended service to Charlotte, Flint, Portland and Rochester on Sunday. More travelmole.com
* * *
FAA Delays Tower Closures Until June 15
FAA on Friday announced that it will delay the closure of 149 federal contract air traffic control towers until June 15. Last month, the agency said that it would eliminate funding for these towers on a phased schedule, beginning April 7, as part of its required $637 million budget cuts under sequestration. The delay until June 15 will allow the agency to attempt to resolve multiple legal challenges to the closure decisions, FAA said. "As part of the tower closure implementation process, the agency continues to consult with airports and operators and review appropriate risk mitigations," FAA said. "Extending the transition deadline will give the FAA and airports more time to execute the changes to the National Airspace System." More travelmole.com
* * *
EASA Closes In On Airworthiness Directive For A380 Wing Modifications
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is slowly nearing the issuance of an airworthiness directive (AD) that will include guidelines on how Airbus A380 operators have to modify wings of the in-service fleet. EASA yesterday released a notification of a proposal to issue an airworthiness directive that is based on 14 service bulletins, five of which have yet to be issued and another three that are being modified. The AD itself will be published once all the service bulletins are finalized; the consultation period for the proposed AD ends on May 13. The process addresses the planned modification of wing rib feet and other components inside the wings of in-service A380s, and aircraft that are in final assembly but still built to the old standards. More aviationweek.com
* * *
GE Set For Upgraded 747-8 Engine Certification
General Electric expects to clinch certification for the upgraded 787 engine within weeks, and it is midway through initial flight tests of the improved sister GEnx-2B engine for the Boeing 747-8. It has been a long road, but seven years after the first run of the GEnx-1B engine for the 787, and five years after the -2B was powered up for the first time, the engine maker is entering the home stretch in development of what it hopes will be two engines that are either at or above specification. Boeing and GE originally planned to run the individual performance improvement package (PIP) tests sequentially, but just as with the development of the original engine standard, delays to the 787 program mean the two efforts are occurring virtually simultaneously. Flight tests of the upgraded -1B PIP II for the 787 are set to resume after a four-month hiatus caused by the grounding of the aircraft due to the battery failures. Flight testing of the improved -2B PIP for the 747-8, leveraging upgrades made to the 787 engine, have been underway on GE's 747 flying testbed since February. GE is about to ship the third of four flight-test engines to Boeing as part of plans to evaluate the PIP standard on a 747-8 within the next few months. More aviationweek.com
* * *
Pilot Actions Under Investigation In Lion Air Crash
Investigators are examining the actions of the pilots involved in a Lion Air crash on April 13, which was the result of a Boeing 737-800 landing short of the runway at Bali’s Denpasar-Ngurah Rai Bali International Airport. Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) has questioned the pilots and they have also undergone drug and alcohol tests, which they have reportedly passed. The Indonesian Directorate of Civil Aviation, meanwhile, has temporarily suspended the two pilots while the investigation is underway, as is standard practice. The NTSC says the 737-800 was on final approach to runway 09, but then landed short of that runway at around 3.30 p.m. local time. Lion Air’s spokesman has also said publicly that the aircraft landed short of the runway. All of the 101 passengers and seven crew on board survived the crash. The aircraft was completing a flight from Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung, in west Java, to Denpasar-Ngurah Rai Bali International Airport, which has a runway that extends into the sea. More aviationweek.com
* * *
Pratt Prepares A320Neo Engine For First Flight Test
Pratt & Whitney is preparing to ship the initial PW1100G A320Neo engine for flight tests in Canada on a company Boeing 747SP testbed. The engine, rated at 33,000lb thrust, has accumulated 120 hours since beginningtests at Pratt’s West Palm Beach, Florida test site in early December. The unit concluded acoustic tests on April 10, and following installation work at Pratt’s Mirabel site, is expected to begin flight tests in June. A second engine is undergoing structural tests and is poised for crosswind evaluations. The tests will assess fan characteristics and flutter margin. Although the variable area fan nozzle (VAN) is part of the baseline on the Pratt-powered A320Neo, and will be certified in this configuration, there is a possibility that the tests may show the VAN may not ultimately be required. More aviationweek.com
* * *
Airbus CEO Stands By Mid-Year First Flight For A350 Widebody
The assembly of the Airbus A350 is largely complete with recent installation of the engines, and the manufacturer expects the first flight by mid-year, but not by the time of the Paris air show in mid-June, Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier says. “It’s possible, but not probable,” Bregier said in an interview before giving a speech this week to the Aero Club of Washington. “For the program, and this is what counts, it doesn’t make any difference if [the first flight] is before or just after. "What counts is to fly around mid-year, because it will support the deliveries in 2014, which is what counts,” More aviationweek.com
* * *
Pilatus Sees Growth On Influx Of 2012 Orders
Pilatus Aircraft ended 2012 with its lowest sales total in at least five years, but a series of contracts for its military, trainer and special mission aircraft propelled the company to its strongest year ever in order intake and positions the Swiss airframer for growth. The company reported 2012 at 593 million CHF ($625 million U.S.), down from 781 million a year earlier and 688 million CHF in 2010. At the same time, though, orders totaled 2.67 billion CHF on the year, more than six times the 416 million CHF taken in during 2011. More aviationweek.com
* * *
Dassault Sees Growing Chinese Interest In Smaller Bizjets
Chinese interest in smaller aircraft is growing, says Dassault Falcon, noting strengthening sales of its Falcon 2000 aircraft in the country. In some cases, operators of large business jets, such as the 32-metric-ton (70,000 lb.) Falcon 7X, are interested in the Falcon 2000 because they realize that, while they require a second aircraft, they need it only for domestic and Asian regional flying, says Jean Michel Jacob, senior vice president for international sales at Dassault Falcon. In other cases, the buyers of Falcon 2000s are customers who cannot afford the largest aircraft or do not see a need to spend so much money. Rising interest from such people is a sign of the maturing of the Chinese market, which has been focused heavily on the most impressive and therefore largest aircraft. The Falcon 2000 has a gross weight of 19 tons (41,000 lb.). More aviationweek.com
* * *
Robinson Secures Russian Breakthrough For R66
Robinson Helicopter is set to deliver as many as 40 turbine-powered R66s to Russia before the end of the year following receipt of long-delayed type certification from Russian authorities. Type approval follows the U.S. FAA’s recent clearance of the R66’s hydraulic control system to an equivalent level of safety (ELOS), and could clear the way for similar recognition from Canada and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). All these agencies refused to accept the FAA’s original exemption over the helicopter’s single-string hydraulics, thereby preventing certification of the R66 in several countries which have proved to be successful markets for Robinson’s piston-powered R22 and R44 models. Although seven R66 demonstrators had been delivered to Russia prior to certification, a further 22 have been built and await delivery, says the Torrance, Calif.-based company, which describes the breakthrough as “a cause for celebration.” A further 18 R66s are also in production for Russian customers and are scheduled for delivery later this year. More aviationweek.com
* * *
Eclipse Moves Toward Initial 550 Deliveries
Eclipse Aerospace took a step toward returning new production Eclipse very light jets to market in the third quarter with the first power up of an Eclipse 550. The March 14 power up of the first production Eclipse 550 followed the launch of the production line in June. “This event is another key signal to the world that we continue on our methodical and well-executed plan to reintroduce production and delivery of the Eclipse 550 Jet this year,” says CEO Mason Holland. Eclipse hopes to begin delivery of the first few aircraft early in the third quarter and deliver a total of 10-12 jets this year. Production would ramp up to rate of two-three per month in 2014. Eventually, Eclipse hopes to reach a target of 48 aircraft per year. More aviationweek.com
* * *
Page 2 - Page 3 - Page 4 – Page 5 - Page 6 – Page 7
Facebook , Twitter , Google , Yahoo , Bing , MSN , Alexa , Wikipedia
............................................. ................................. ............... ................................................ ............................................. ................ ........
Airlines, flights, Airfare, flying, Airways, Aviation, Aero,
Airlines in America, Europe, Asia, Caribbean, Oceania, Africa,
Airlines All World – World Air by Countries And Alphabet
Aviation News, Airports code and Countries Capitals.
