Airbus A350-900ULR

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Volume 5 Issue 6

On The Boeing Front

                              Boeing Celebrates Flyaway of First BBJ Max

On April 16, Boeing celebrated the flyaway of the first BBJ MAX airplane, from the air-framer’s  facility in Seattle on the first stage of its journey to becoming a fully outfitted BBJ Max 8.

The plane was flown to Delaware Coastal airport. Local company Aloft AeroArchitects will now install Its PATS auxiliary fuel tank, which will boost the aircraft’s range to 6,640nm (12,230km)—some 3,000nm more than the standard Max 8, which entered service in 2017, and 800 more than the BBJ2 which it replaces.

The green BBJ Max 8 is scheduled to arrive for outfitting in the fourth quarter at Comlux Completions in Indianapolis. The finished aircraft will be handed over to its undisclosed customer in the second half of 2019.

“We are excited to see the first BBJ Max come to life and fly through the development milestone,” says Boeing Business Jets president Greg Laxton. ”In the past few weeks, the airplane has achieved factory rollout, first flight, multiple certifications, and now flyaway,” he adds.

The BBJ Max 8 was launched in 2014 as the first member of the re-engined BBJ family. This will be followed by the BBJ Max 7 and BBJ Max 9.

Source : BBJ/Picture Boeing

                      

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

                          First A350-900ULR Starts Flight-Test Campaign

Airbus has conducted the maiden flight of its A350-900ULR, the heavier and longer-range variant of the twinge tailored to operate specialized long-haul routes. The initial aircraft, MSN216, departed the air-framer’s Toulouse headquarters on April 23rd.

It features three primary modifications, of which two will be applied to all new-build A350-900s.

Airbus has hiked the maximum take-off weight to 280t, and increase on the previous figure of 275t.It has also incorporated a series of aerodynamic changes which, it says, will contribute to a 1% fuel-burn saving.

These include a further slight twist of the wings taller winglet, trailing-edge extension and clean-up of the upper wing fairing. All these adaptations will become standard on the -900.

The ultra-long range-900ULR will have dedicated changes, primarily a higher fuel capacity. The center wing tank will not be increased in size but re plumbing of interior installations will provide access to another 24,000 liters ( 6,340 ) gallons of existing volume.

Airbus puts the reference range of the -900ULR at 9,700 nm compared with the standard 8,100nm of the basic -900. Singapore Airlines has ordered seven-900ULRs and is set to take delivery of the first -900ULR this year, although Airbus declines to narrow the handover window beyond a second-half timeframe.

The first A350-900 ULR) for Singapore Airlines has been revealed in the Airline’s livery following completion of painting in Toulouse.

The aircraft is now set to move to the next stages of production, including the installation of engines and cabin furnishing, before starting ground and flight tests.

The Aircraft is scheduled for delivery to Singapore Airlines after all the testing is completed.

Source : Airbus/Flightglobal/Picture Airbus

                    

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

                              Pilatus Aircraft Has Delivered  its Second                                PC24 To Its US Dealer

Pilatus Aircraft delivered its second PC24 to its US dealer and maintenance provider Western Aircraft. The Handover  comes as the first production example enters service with fractional ownership company Plane Sense.

Pilatus plans to deliver 23 of the super tight business jets in 2018, from an order backlog of 84.

Western Aircraft says it has seen strong demand for the PC-24, ”With more than a dozen offers to buy the first aircraft”. Despite the demand Western plans the second aircraft to its inventory, where it will be used for ad hoc charter and for the coming year as a Company demonstrator.

PlaneSense, one of Pilates’s largest customers, has an order for six PC-24s, but is keen to acquire additional aircraft to bolster its fleet of 36 PC-12s.

Source : Pilatus                                                                                                                                          

                          American Orders 15 E175s and 15 CRJ900s

American Airlines has ordered 15 Bombardier CRJ900s and 15 Embraer E175 regional jets, deals with a combined list price value of roughly $1.4 billion.  Deliveries of the CRJ900s with 76 seats to American Subsidiary PSA Airlines will begin in the second quarter of 2019 according to Bombardier media release.

The Bombardier commitment, including an additional 15 CRJ900 options, has a value at list prices of $719 million. Bombardier stated that the aircraft will be outfitted with the Company’s new “Atmosphere” cabin, which includes overhead bins that can accommodate large roller bags.

Embraer will deliver the 15 E175s with 76 seats to American Subsidiary Envoy from March 2019 to November 2019, the manufacturer says.

That deal, including options for 15 more E175s, has a value at list prices of $705 million. It follows an order by American for 10E-Jets in October 2017.

Source : American/Bombardier/Embraer

                                                                     

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

                       ANA Unveils the Features of The New Airbus A380s 

All Nippon Airways (ANA) three A380s will be exclusively introduced to the Tokyo-Honolulu service and each cabin is specially designed to meet the passenger’s needs on this route.

Honolulu is loved by many Japanese families, couples, newlyweds and Hawaii is a popular destination for their vacations and honeymoons. With this in mind, ANA aims to make their experience onboard more comfortable by strategically designing the cabin features in order to meet their unique needs while providing them with a once in a lifetime experience.                       In March 2017, ANA announced the special livery motif FLYING HONU. At the time, the design ANA introduced was blue, an homage to the Hawaiian blue sky.

Since then ANA announced two more colors, green and orange. The emerald green is inspired by the crystal clear waters of the Hawaiian ocean and orange is a reference to the beautiful Hawaiian sunset.

In order to make this triad, the FLYING HONUs, more familiar to everyone, ANA has created a character for each aircraft. The blue character is named “Lani” meaning sky, while the emerald green character is named “Kai” meaning ocean, and the orange character is named “Ka La” from the Hawaiian word meaning sunset.

The Cabin interiors have also been strategically designed in order for the passengers to feel the spirit of Hawaii from the moment they board the aircraft.

The walls and lights have been arranged in such a way as to illustrate Hawaii’s enviable blue skies, sunrises, sunsets, night skies and iconic rainbows.

Source : ANA/Worldairlinenews/ANA Pictures                                                                                     

                              Air Italy Displays Livery on 737 Max 8

Air Italy has unveiled the first aircraft featuring its new livery. The first 737 Max 8 has been painted with the scheme, which incorporates the maroon shade prominent in the branding of shareholder Qatar Airways.

Air Italy, formerly Meridiana, had only previously shown the livery as a digital mock up.

In March, the full-service carrier announced that it would be adding five A330-200s and three 737 Max 8’s to its fleet as the summer season commences.

The aircraft are being leased from 49% shareholder Qatar Airways as Air Italy embarks on a rapid short-and long-haul expansion program with Milan Malpensa as its focus.

Flights under the new brand name commenced on March 1st, operated with 737s and Boeing 767s still bearing Meridiana’s livery. Those aircraft will be phased out as the A330s and 737 Max 8’s enter the fleet.

In May 2019, the airline is set to begin receiving Boeing 787s, also leased from Qatar Airways. Air Italy will have a fleet 50 aircraft by 2022.

Source : Flightglobal/Pictures Boeing                                                                                                  

                                  Worries Over Low-Cost Correction

A period of good economic conditions has led to complacency among low-cost carriers that is ripe for a “correction”, in the view of former EasyJet chief executive Ray Webster.

Speaking at the Routes Europe conference in Bilbao on April 23, Webster—who was chief executive of EasyJet between 1996 and 2006—said that outlook for low-cost airlines was “quite worrying” as they were unprepared for future economic shocks.

A period of “very good” economic conditions has been punctuated by the lack of a “serious downturn or runaway fuel prices”, he states.

As a result, carriers have not been put under”pressure” and so have “incrementally added Costs” and lost efficiencies over time, while not experiencing the typical “ Peaks and troughs” of the market.

Webster forecasts that oil producers could raise prices, which would have a “dramatic” impact on airline bottom lines.

Source : Flightglobal     

      

LATEST NEWS

  • Southwest Airlines orders 40 more Boeing 737 MAX jets worth $ 4.68 billion.
  • Bombardier concluded a firm order with Ethiopian Airlines for 10 new Q400 aircraft, plus five options. Based on list prices, the order is valued at $332.
  • Qantas has firmed options on six additional Boeing 787-9s, once delivered, the new jets will take its 787 fleet to 14 aircraft and will be powered by GEnx engines.
  • Uzbekistan Airways finalized an order with Boeing for one Boeing 787-8, valued at $239 million at current list prices.
  • Primera Air European leisure carrier has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo is the first of three A321neos that Primera will lease from GECAS.
  • Taiwan’s Far East Air Transport will take the 11 Boeing 737 Max 8s it plans to acquire on operating lease.
  • Drukair of Bhutan has signed a purchase agreement with Airbus for a single A320neo.                                                                                       
  • Lufthansa orders up to 16 Airbus and Boeing aircraft. The orders include 12 A320 family aircraft and four 777s, two 777-300ERs for Swiss and two 777 Freighters for Lufthansa Cargo.                                  
  • British Airways has put its first Airbus A320neo into service with a flight to Lisbon, Portugal.                                                                                
  • Austrian Airlines modified its livery showing much larger Austrian titles on the fuselages well as red bleed from the flag scheme onto the aft fuselage on the first 777-200ER.                                                                                                                                                                                                

AIR CARGO

                            Boeing Delivers the First 737-800 Converted                                    Freighter

On April 19th Boeing announced the delivery of the first 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter(BCF) to GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) and the freighter will be operated by West Atlantic Group, based in Sweden.

West Atlantic will receive four 737-800 Converted Freighters within the next 11 months, once delivered, the company will operate 23 Boeing 737 freighter aircraft.                                                                                                  

“We are very proud to be the launch customer for the 737-800BCF, and pleased to supply this inaugural aircraft to West Atlantic,” said Richard Greener, GECAS’ Senior Vice President & Manager, Cargo Aircraft Group”.

Boeing’s Current Market Outlook forecasts over the next 20 years, customers will need more than 1,100 standard-body converted freighters.

Boeing has received 45 orders and commitments, from seven customers including: YTO Airlines, based in Hangzhou, China; China Postal Airlines based in Beijing, China: GECAS, based in Ireland; Air Algeria, based in Algiers, Algeria; LAS Cargo, based in Bogota, Columbia; Cargo Air, based in Sophia, Bulgaria; and an unannounced customer.

The 737-800BCF has 12 pallet positions which provide 4,993 cubic feet(141.4 cubic meters) of cargo space on the main deck of the 737-800BCF.this is supplemented by two lower-lobe compartments, combined providing more than 1,540 cubic feet(43.7 cubic meters) of space for revenue-generating cargo.

Source : Boeing/GECAS/Boeing Picture

       

            Brazil-Based Cargo Carrier Modern Logistics & Harley-Davidson                                                

In April of this year Brazil Cargo carrier and motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson entered into a partnership that will help bikers get their motorcycles faster.                                                                                                 

Harley plans to increase output at its Manaus-area factory and use Modern Logistics’ road and airfreight network to transport bikes to 21 Brazilian dealerships.

The new bikes will be flown to Brasilia or Viacopos, and then trucked the rest of the way, reducing average delivery times by four days.

Modern Logistics uses 737-400SFs for the purpose.

Source : Air Cargo World/ModernLogistics Picture

   

  Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul News

                                  Engine OEMs Transition From Old to New

Engine OEM representatives discussed navigating challenges around support and spares when transitioning from old to new engine programs at Aviation Week Network’s Engine Leasing, Trading &Finance event in London.

GE aviation, Pratt& Whitney and Rolls-Royce have expressed overall satisfaction with their new-generation engine programs despite some growing pains related to entry-into-service phase and the transition from older programs to newer ones.

In a panel on new engine programs held at the event on May 2, Paul Finklestein, marketing director at Pratt & Whitney, acknowleged the struggles encountered by Pratt & Whitney on the PW1100G greed turbofan(GTF) program over the past few years.

Currently in operation on around 150 aircraft comprised of Airbusa320neo, Bombardier Series and as of early-May, Embraer E190-E2 aircraft Finklestein said the modifications have smoothed over some of the challenges with the engine program.

Meanwhile, Brian Ovigton, engine services marketing director at GE Aviation, said the OEM experienced a relatively smooth entry-into-service (EIS) of its new engine type—the CFM LEAP family for the 737 MAX and the A320 new narrow bodies and the GEnx, an option for the 787 and the 747-8.Both engines have yet to experience AOG incidents, he said. 

Alastair Knox, head of aircraft transitions at Rolls-Royce, said the British engine makers “very pleased” with the results of the Trent XWB, found on the Airbus A350 aircraft and the Trent 1000 powering the Boeing 787. 

Despite Rolls-Royce’s satisfaction with new engine types, Knox said there are some challenges to consider dependent on the size of the carrier awaiting new models to enter their fleets.

Source : Aviation Week

 

                                  MRO LATEST NEWS

  • Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Celebrates a Milestone ( HAECO) Xiamen-based business unit has completed its 3000th maintenance check since it started operations in March 1996.To mark the occasion some of the firm’s staff posed in front of the milestone aircraft, Boeing 777-300ER before its redelivery to Cathay Pacific.                                                                                                                
  • Safran has an AirAsiaX contract to maintain Airbus A330 landing gear at Singapore through 2025.
  • GE Aviation Acquired a stake in Avionica as part of an agreement to form joint venture to provide wireless data collection and processing for connected aircraft.
  • All Nippon Airways (ANA) will bring its Boeing 737-500 out of retirement in July as a dedicated maintenance training jet to help assure its maintenance technicians have the best tools for training and to ensure the highest level of quality maintenance. ANA is the first Japanese airline to incorporate a non-operating fully functional jet into its training program.                  

 

 

 

 

Researched and Compiled by :

Ed Kaplanian    Commercial Aviation Advisor 

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

Editor:   Lee Kaplanian 

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Volume 5 Issue 4 The Kaplanian Report

ON THE BOEING FRONT

                     GE Aviation’s GE9X Engine Begins Flight Tests

GE Aviation’s GE9X turbofan engine, which will power Boeing’s new 777X aircraft, completed its first flight test under the wing of GE Aviation’s flying testbed in Victorville, California.

GE said the first flight marks the start of a flight test campaign that is slated to last through most of this year.  “Today’s flight starts the beginning of the GE9X flight test campaign that will last for several months, allowing us to accumulate data on how the engine performs at altitude and during various phases of flight” ,says GE program manager Ted Ingling.

The GE9X will power the Boeing 777-9 and 777-8, which are scheduled to enter service in 2020 and 2022, respectively.

The engine is the largest turbofan engine in history.  The 105,000lb-thrust engine produces less thrust than the older 115,000lb-thrust GE90 for the 777-300ER; but has a larger diameter fan of 134in-diameter(340cm) vs the 128in-diameter fan(325cm) of the GE90-115.  The number of blades was reduced from 22 on the GE90-115 to 16 composite blades made from 4th generation carbon fiber composite. The GE9X is 10cm(3.94in) wider. The additional width increases the bypass ratio to about 10.1, a key metric in GE’s plan to reduce fuel burn compared to the GE90-115 by about 10%.

The GE9X program also has completed icing tests at GE’s facility in Winnipeg, Canada. Cross tests are continuing at Peebles Test Operation in Ohio.

Source : ATW/GE Aviation/GE Aviation PictureEd’s Research

                     

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

First Airbus A350-900ULR Rolls Out in Toulouse

The First A350-900ULR has rolled out of the Airbus final assembly line in Toulouse.  It went to  the outdoor station for ground testing before installation of its Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.

The Airbus A350-900ULR features a redesigned fuel system and aerodynamic improvements that increase its range to 9,700 nautical miles.

Next, plans call for the aircraft to embark on what Airbus characterizes as a short flight-test program to certify the modifications to the standard A350-900 that will bring the ULR’s additional range capability. The test phase will also measure enhanced performance derived from aerodynamic improvements, including extended winglets.

The first ultra-long-range Airbus A350-900ULR is destined to be delivered to Singapore Airlines.

Source : Flightglobal/Airbus Picture

                  

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

GE Renames ATP Engine ‘CATALYST” As Test Plans Pick Up Pace

GE Aviation’s Czech-built Advanced Turboprop (ATP) engine has been rebranded Catalyst, as the manufacturer readies the new design for critical certification tests relating to ice crystal icing this summer.

The Renaming comes more than three years after Textron Aviation selected GE’s 1,300shp (969kW) turboprop to power the Cessna Denali; a surprise break from the aircraft manufacturer’s long association with the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6.

“That is such an appropriate name because it is a catalyst for change,” Brad Mottier, vice-president and general manager of GE’s Business, General Aviation and Integrated Systems business, told reporters during a tour of the company’s facility for small turboprop engines in Prague.

Source : GE Aviation

 

                           Embraer to Deliver First E190-E2 to Wideroe 

Embraer will deliver the first E190-E2, registered LN-WEA, to launch customer Wideroe on April 4.  The air framer unveiled the aircraft on March 12, as it moves off the assembly line into flight testing.

Wideroe is Norwegian regional carrier, which has firm orders for three E 190-E2s, will take delivery of its second in May and third in June, Embraer has said.

Kazakhstan’s Air Astana is expected to be the second operator of the aircraft, and will take the first of five aircraft leased from AerCap in the second half of this year.

According to Flight Fleets Analyzer, Embraer has secured 74 firm orders for the E190-E2.

Source : Embraer/Flightglobal

                                                               

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

                     SpiceJet, CFM Sign $12 Billion Engine, Service Deal    

One of India’s fastest-growing airlines has signed a 12.5 billion with CFM international Inc. for engines and a 10-year services contract for an incoming fleet of more than 150 737 MAX aircraft.

SpiceJet Ltd. has agreed to buy the LEAP-1B engines and spare engines from CFM, which is a joint venture between France’s Safran Aircraft Engines SAS and General Electric Co.’s GE Aviation, the two companies said in a statement on March 10.The deal also includes a 10-year services contract for maintenance of the CFM engines, which will be billed on an hourly basis, the statement said. SpiceJet already deploys CFM engines in its current fleet.

“From what we have seen so far, the LEAP-1B is living up to its promises for efficiency and reliability,” Ajay Singh, SpiceJet’s chairman and managing director, said in a statement.

The deal was announced as French President Emmanuel Macron visited India and met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Source : SpiceJet/CFM International 

                    

                                 Virgin Cancels Long-Dormant A380 Order

Virgin Atlantic has finally cancelled it order for six Airbus A380s, the air framer’s latest backlog data shows. Airbus has listed a cancellation of six A380s in the figures covering the first two months of this year.

The carrier has been among the first A380 customers, originally signing for the Rolls-Royce Trent 900-powered jets in 2001.

But it has repeatedly postponed deliveries—the jets were supposed to have been handed to the airline in 2006—and Virgin Atlantic has since amended its fleet plans to include long-haul twinjets such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350-1000. Virgin Atlantic has confirmed the A380 cancellation.

“Following a thorough review of our fleet we have taken the decision not to pursue our order for six Airbus A380,” says the carrier.

We believe the A350-1000 will best serve our customers and network, and will enable us continue reducing the carbon emissions from our fleet, through our ongoing investment in quieter, more fuel efficient aircraft,” it adds.

These take total A380 orders to 331 of which 222 have been delivered, leaving 109 still to be produced.

Source : Flightglobal/Virgin Atlantic

 

       Turkish Airlines Finalize an Order for Up to 30 787 Dreamliners 

Turkish Airlines finalized a firm order with Boeing for 25 787-9 Dreamliners with options for five more airplanes. The firm order will allow Turkey’s flag carrier to further meet the growing demand at its home airport, Istanbul’s third airport, and improve the flying experience for passengers.

First announced as a commitment in September 2017 Turkish Airline becomes the 71st customer to buy the 787.Together these customers ordered more than 1,300 Dreamliners.

Turkish Airlines has continued to expand its fleet of Boeing airplanes. Recently, the airline grew its stable of 777 jets with the purchase of three more 777 Freighters.

The airline also uses electronic charts and some other services from Boeing Global Services to further optimize its operations and operational systems.

Source : Boeing/Turkish Airlines  

   

LATEST NEWS

  • Hawaiian Airlines announced the purchase of 10 787-9 valued at $2.82 billion also has purchase rights for 10 additional 787s.                                                                                                     
  • Iceland Air took delivery of its first 737 MAX 8 on March 1st.Iceland air ordered 16 737 MAX 8s in 2013.                                                                                                                                         
  • Boeing rolled out the 10,000th 737 at its Renton, Washington plant the recipient of the aircraft a 737 MAX 8 will be Southwest Airlines.
  • Aeromexico took delivery of the first of up to 90 737 MAX aircraft, to expand its network  across the Americas.                                                                                                                  
  • Indigo Airlines agreed to lease two new Airbus A320-200s from Air Lease Corp, for delivery in the 3d quarter of this year.
  • China’s Air Guilin leased two new Airbus A320-200s from DAE Capital.

 

AIR CARGO

                     GECAS to Offer New Telair Flexible Loading System

Sweden’s Telair International has received certification for its new Flexible Loading System (FLS) for all current production and in-service Boeing 737 aircraft—and lessor GECAS will offer the system to its 737-800 freighter conversion customers on aircraft entering service this year.

Allowing 737 operators to carry containerized freight along with bulk-loaded bags in the lower hold of the aircraft, the FLS” improves loading efficiency and adds flexibility, especially for combination, express and e-commerce operators”, commented Richard Greener, senior vice president and manager, Cargo Aircraft Group, GECAS.

“The Flexible Loading System allows Telair’s containers to be preloaded and screened at the cargo sort and brought on board the aircraft using existing bulk loading equipment,” he explained.

New Telair containers have been designed specifically for use with Telair EDGE Sliding Carpet, an on-board conveyer system for loading and unloading bulk cargo, which is currently installed on the 737 MAX. The EDGE model is about 40 percent lighter than existing variants, Telair said, since it uses carbon fiber technology.

Source : air cargo technology news/GECAS picture

 

Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul News

   Healthy Projections for The 787 Aftermarket

Being a new generation aircraft, it is a long-held brief that the 787 will be a lot less maintenance-intensive than some of the older predecessors.                                                                     

However, with the sheer number of 787s set to enter into service over the next decade, estimated to stand at 2,317 units in service by 2027 by Aviation Week’s Fleet & MRO Forecast, the aircraft will still see a healthy year on year compound annual growth rate for MRO of 18.9% annually. 

While MRO demand is forecast to grow at a smaller rate than that of its competitor the Airbus A350(26.3%), the 787 is nevertheless estimated to have 1,000 more aircraft in service than the A350 by 2027. Among the largest operators by then will be Japan’s All Nippon Airways in Asia Pacific, Qatar Airways in the middle East and United Airlines in North America.

Engine maintenance is expected to account for the largest share of MRO work conducted on the aircraft, accounting for 28%($17 billion) of spend from now until 2027.

The Aftermarket ambitions of its manufacturer Boeing are well documented, with a $50 million play targeted over the next decade. So far, the OEM appears on the right track. In the most recent financial results published in late-January 2018, the company saw an estimated 3%-5% annual growth in the division, taking its overall aftermarket sales to $14.6 billion for the year. 

Source : pro.network/Boeing Numbers

 

                                   MRO Latest News 

  • Magnetic MRO was selected by Air Nostrum to provide Bombardier CRJ1000 line maintenance.
  • Vallair the aircraft trading, leasing and specialist MRO organization, delivered a Boeing 737-400F to Ireland’s ASL Aviation Holdings.
  • Turkish Technic was selected by Russia’s IKar Airlines to perform C Check on a Boeing 767-300ER.
  • S7 Technics will paint 17 aircraft, Airbus A320s and Boeing 737-800s, for S7 Airlines into airline’s new brand livery.
  • Tarmac Aerosave, a company specializing in aircraft storage, maintenance and dismantling a second Airbus A380 at its Tarbes, France facility for storage. Bringing the total of ex-Singapore Airlines A380s to be stored in Tarbes to four.             

 

 

 

Researched and Compiled by :

Ed Kaplanian    Commercial Aviation Advisor 

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

Editor:   Lee Kaplanian