ON THE BOEING FRONT

     Boeing Preps to Begin 2021 ecoDemonstrator Program Using 737 Max 9

Boeing will continue its “ecoDemomstrator” program in 2021, using a 737 Max 9 to evaluate new cabin sidewalls, 3D-printed cabin air vents, noise-reducing engine nacelles and a new fire fighting chemical.

Boeing will also use the jet—which is earmarked for delivery to Alaska Airlines in 2022— to evaluate flight-control technology, atmosphere-measuring equipment and use of biofuel, said on June 3rd.

The Company expects to begin this year’s ecoDemonstator flights this month and to wrap up testing in December.  It will fly the 737 Max 9 from Seattle.

The 2021 program will see Boeing evaluate the noise-reducing effects of changes to engine nacelles, particularly the use of “advanced acoustic liners”.

Boeing will perform the acoustic tests over Moses Lake,Washington, where it will collect data using an “acoustic array” system, the company says.

“ These refinements will help address the different noise footprint of next-generation ultra-high-bypass engines and compact Nacelles.”

The 737 Max 9 dedicated to the 2021 ecoDemonstrator program has already been manufactured by Boeing.

The 2021 flights mark the 10th year of Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator program.Through the effort, Boeing has evaluated technologies using aircraft including a 737-800, 747-8, 757, 777, 787 and Embraer 170, it says.

Source: Boeing,Picture Boeing

                      

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

      Airbus Provides Suppliers with an Update on Production Plans

Airbus has notified suppliers that it plans to boost production of A320-family jets from an average of 45 per month in the fourth quarter in 2021 to 64 per month by the second quarter of 2023.  In a statement issued on Thursday May 27th, the company said it has also started preparing for a rate of 70 per month by the first quarter of 2024, reflecting a bullish outlook for post-covid recovery of the narrowbody sector.

“The aviation sector is beginning to recover from the Covid-19 crisis,” said Airbus Guillaume Faury.  ”The message to our supplier community provides visibility to the entire industrial ecosystem to secure the necessary capabilities and ready when market conditions call for it.  In parallel, we are transforming our industrial system by optimizing our aerostructures set-up and modernizing our A320 Family production facilities.  All these actions are set in motion to prepare our future.”  

Separately, the company confirmed an increase in A220 production from five per month to six in early 2022.  It said it envisions a monthly production rate of 14 per month by the middle of the decade.         

Among wide bodies, plans call for an increase in the monthly A350 rate from five to six by autumn 2022, while A330 production remains at two per month.

Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, (IATA) voiced skepticism a day after Airbus published proposals to almost double single-aisle production to as high as 75 jets a month by 2025.

“Let’s wait and see, because obviously there is a huge disconnect between what the manufacturers say they are going to produce and what the airlines decide to buy,” he told Reuters.  “So, you know that they’re in the business of selling.  I don’t see that there’s going to be the requirement for whatever it is they’re producing,” he added in an interview.

Sources: Airbus,IATA,Reuters

        

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

                   Jet Aviation Delivers First VVIP-configured 737 Max

Completion specialist Jet Aviation has delivered a Boeing 737 Max 8 business jet to a customer, outfitted with a VVIp cabin interior. The customer has not been disclosed but the illustration provided by the company shows a Max 8 with the Cayman Islands registration VP-CMA.

Jet Aviation says the design and engineering work was carried out at its center in Basel.  It says the aircraft is the first 737 Max BBJ to have such a cabin fitted.

“The brief was for a cosy residential space in which one could relax and enjoy the ride,” says Jet Aviation senior director of design Grischa Schmidt.  Its features include a seven-seat dining table, kitchens, sofa and indirect lighting.  Among the fittings are woven wooden panelling, cocoon seats and integrated wine fridge.

“This interior is a fine example of the intricacy and attention to detail of our teams here in Basel,” says Jet Aviation vice-president for completion sales Matthew Woollaston.  “This was an exciting opportunity to familiarize ourselves with the next generation of this aircraft.”

Source: Jet Aviation, FlightGlobal ,Picture Jet Aviation    

                                                                 

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

GE & RJ Partner to Use Groundbreaking Jet Engine Cleaning System,  GE’s 360 Foam Wash

GE Aviation has awarded Royal Jordanian Airlines a technical license to use GE’s patented 360 Foam Wash system on its GEnx-1B aircraft engines.  The technical license allows Royal Jordanian to perform 360 Foam Wash on its fleet of GEnx-1B engines for Boeing 787 aircraft completely on its own.

GE’s 360 Foam Wash is an alternative to the water wash method.  It restores engine performance leading to reductions in fuel consumption.  The process involves injecting a specially-formulated, proprietary solution that removes dust and dirt particles in the engine. 

The system is self-contained, allowing it to be used inside maintenance hangers or outdoors.   GE’s 360 Foam Wash is approved for use on multiple GE engine programs, including models of GE90, GEnx, CF34 and CF6.

During technology trials with its GEnx engines, the 360 Foam Wash solution allowed Royal Jordanian to improve engine performance by reducing build-up of deposits in the engine, lowering engine exhaust temperatures, and improving engine compressor efficiency.  These improvements led to reduced fuel consumption and increased engine time on the wing.

According to RJ Vice Chairman & CEO Samer Majali, ” The 360 Foam Wash is an exciting development in enhanced engine cleaning which assist in reducing maintenance and restore engine performance and fuel efficiency’s well as carbon emissions.”  

Tom Levin, vice president and general manager of GE Aviation’s After Market Strategic Solutions.  “We’re thankful Royal Jordanian values 360 Foam Wash technology for maintaining its GEnx engines.”

Sources: GE Aviation,Royal Jordanian,Picture GE Aviation 

 

                    Asia-Pacific 737 Max Deliveries Resume 

Fiji Airways became the first carrier in the Asia-Pacific region to take delivery of new Boeing 737 Max aircraft this year, after Fijian civil aviation authorities lifted the type’s grounding.

However, the pair of new aircraft delivered on May 25 and 27, according to Cirium fleets data, are unlikely to fly anywhere yet, despite the airline’s key markets of Australia and New Zealand also lifting the type’s grounding.

This is due largely to travel restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.  Australia, for example, has closed it’s international borders until 2022.  Fiji itself had battled a resurgence in coronavirus cases in April, after being relatively unscathed by the global pandemic.

The Carrier had two 737 Max 8s in storage, which it took delivery of in 2018-2019.  The remaining three jets, which were in its original order of five examples, were due to be delivered in mid-2019, but had to be deferred following the Max’s global grounding.

Fiji Airways chief Andre Viljoen stressed the 737 Max is “the core of the Fiji Airways fleet”, and that the type “will be integral for our economic recovery”.

For more of you interested the deal for five Boeing Max aircraft was announced on November 23, 2016 by Fiji Airways, Boeing and GECAS(the lessor).

The acquisition process was explained in detail at the time, together with details about the groundbreaking acquisition deal; that it was a 12-year Sale & Leaseback Agreement with GECAS, for aircraft to be specifically built for Fiji Airways.  The lessor is effectively renting the aircraft to Fiji Airways.

Source: Fiji Airways,Picture Boeing

 

           Ryanair Finally Took delivery of its First 737 Max 8-200

After a long wait Ryanair finally took delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX jet after a delay of more than two years on Wednesday June 16th.  Flight-tracking websites show that EI-HEN- which is painted in Ryanair’s mainline colors.

Ryanair expects to receive total of 12 Boeing Max 8-200s during the summer season, following the delivery of its first example.

Six of those jets will be in Ryanair mainline colors and six in the livery of Malta Air.  Ryanair then plans to receive an additional 50 of the type-which the carrier refers to as the “game-changer” before Summer 2022.

“These new Boeing 737 aircraft will help Ryanair lower costs, cut fuel consumption and lower noise and CO2 emissions as we invest heavily in new technology to deepen our environmental commitment,” says group chair executive Michael O’Leary.

He further notes that the delivery schedule will enable Ryanair “to rebound strongly, offering new routes, lower fares and rapid traffic recovery to many partner airports across Europe as the tourism industry rebuilds from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020/2021”.

Ryanair’s first 737 Max 8-200 a high density variant that has 197 seats and an extra doors.

O’Leary refers to ”regrettable deal” that have seen the airline frequently adjust downwards its expectations for deliveries in 2021, to the point where he suggested in mid-May that Ryanair might not take any Max jets at all this summer.

Ryanair has orders in place for 210 737-8-200 Max aircraft, having firmed up 75 units in early December 2020.

Sources: Ryanair, Boeing,FlightGlobal,Picture Ryanair

      

      

LATEST NEWS

• Icelandic Start-up carrier Play’s first aircraft has emerged in the airlines’s distinctive all-red livery.  The aircraft, an Airbus A321neo, is fitted with CFM International Leap-1A engines.

• Aircastle Limited announced on July 17 that it has deliver an Airbus A320neo aircraft to Frontier Airlines.  This is the first of four new A320neos that Aircastle will deliver to Frontier in 2021.

• Etihad Airways has been awarded Best Cabin Crew and Best Frequent Flyer Program at this year’s Traveller Middle East Awards 2021.

• Flair Airlines introduces a new livery with its new 737 Max 8s.  The first Max 8 was handed to the carrier on May 26, 2021.  Previously on January 27, 2021, Flair announced it would be acquiring 13 new Boeing 737 Max 8 jets.

• AeroLogic German cargo carrier has extended its multi-year heavy maintenance agreement for another four years.  The contract, which will run from 2021 to 2024, covers AeroLogic’s fleet of 18 Boeing 777 freighters.

• Texel Air, a subsidiary of Chisholm Enterprises, has placed an order with Boeing for the Bahrain-based airline’s second 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF).

• Lufthansa Cargo has placed an order for another Boeing 777 freighter.  The cargo airline says the new purchase agreement takes the total number of full-freighters in the German Carrier’s portfolio to 15.

• Air Lease Corp. announced the delivery of one new Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft on a long term lease to Aeromexico on June 2nd.  This is the first of four new 737 Max 9s Areomexico has committed to lease long-term from ALC.

Sources: FlightGlobal,Lufthansa Cargo, AeroLogic, Etihad Airways, Boeing,  Aircastle Limited.

 

AIR CARGO

     Israel Aerospace to Set Up 777 Freighter Conversion line in Seoul

Israel Aerospace Industries is intending to establish a Boeing 777 passenger-to-freighter conversion facility in South Korea, specializing in both-200ER and -300ER modification.

The Company has reached a preliminary agreement with sharp Technics K and Seoul’s Incheon airport regarding the plan.

IAI says it aims to convert six 777s annually at the facility, which will be part of Incheon maintenance and overhaul cluster, from 2024.

IAI says its Aviation Group division is “ working around the clock” and intends to conclude a licensing process in 2023.

The Company has been developing a modification program and supplemental type certificate, in operation with lessor GECAS, for the 777-300ER — the first aircraft is undergoing conversion in Tel Aviv.

“Over the past few years IAI has transferred production of business jet wings, main frame, and parts of the tail to Korean companies,” says Aviation Group general manager Yossi Melamed.

He says the memorandum reached with Sharp Technics K and Incheon is “directly connected” to this “close co-operation” with South Korea’s aviation industry.

Source: FlightGlobal,Israel Aerospace Industries,Picture Israel Aerospace Industries

 

                         

Researched and Compiled by : 

Ed Kaplanian    Commercial Aviation Advisor  

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

Editor:   Lee Kaplanian