September 27, 2020 by kaplanianreport

The Kaplanian Report – October 2020

ON THE BOEING FRONT

Tests of the 777X Continue to Ramp Up

After a slower-than planned start, tests of the first 777X family member the 777-9 continue to ramp up with the third development aircraft entering the flight-test program on August 3. Designated WH003, the aircraft departed Boeing’s Everett, Washington, facility and flew a circuit encompassing parts of Northern Oregon and central Washington before returning to land at the company’s flight-test base at Boeing Field, Seattle. The 2-hr. 47-min flight reached a maximum altitude of 28,000 ft and included two missed approaches and circuits of Moses Lake, Washington.

This third aircraft, destined for launch operator Lufthansa after certification, will be used primarily to evaluate performance of General Electric GE9X engines as well as flight loads and operation of the auxiliary power unit and avionics. It joins Boeing’s first two 777-9 development aircraft, which continue to amass test hours since the flight of the first aircraft on Jan 25, and the second on April 30.

Although WH001 testing is primarily aimed at stability and control as well as high-and low- speed aerodynamics, it has also been used for avionics, flight control systems and brake tests.The second aircraft, is engaged primarily on tests of the auto land system and ground effects testing. WH002, which conducted outland approaches at Moses Lake on Aug 3., will also be used to augment the stability and control work of WH001.

A fourth aircraft, WH004, is also set to join the test program later this year. Incorporating a production-representative internal cabin configuration, the last dedicated 777-9 test airframe will be used mainly to evaluate the environmental control system. Later in the certification effort in 2021, WH004 will also conduct airport noise compliance work and ultimately, finish its test role with a phase of extended twin-engine operations and airline-like functionality and reliability operations testing.

Source: Boeing

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

Airbus Subsidiary Satair Acquires A220 Parts Service Work From Bombardier

Airbus subsidiary Satair is taking over A220 materials servicing from Bombardier, a move that comes several years after Bombardier divested the broader A220 program to Airbus.

The European airframer says the move brings parts servicing for its entire lineup of commercial aircraft in-house under Copenhagen-based Satair.

“There is only one go to company, that is Satair, for all parts customers will need,” says Satair chief executive, Bart Reijnen.

The companies began transferring parts and other equipment related to A220 parts servicing from Bombardier’s facilities to Satair sites in July. Transfers were completed at the end of September, said Reijnen. Airbus acquired Satair in 2011.

“ Customers will now be dealing with just a single interface” under Satair, adds Rob Dewar, senior vice president of A220 customer service, customer satisfaction and product policy. He calls the change a “key step in the integration of the A220 program into Airbus”.

Prior to taking on A220 parts servicing, Satair needed to acquire related information-technology infrastructure, achieve necessary regulatory approvals and secure new agreements with suppliers. Satair completed those steps over the last year, said Reijnen.

Satair holds an inventory of more than 1 million different types of parts and has 10 facilities globally. Outside Europe, the company has sites in Beijing, Singapore, Dubai and several in USA.

Source: Airbus/Satair

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

GulfStream, Jet Aviation Open New Florida Facility

Jet Aviation and sister company Gulfstream, have opened their new co-located Fixed-Base Operator(FBO)/aircraft maintenance complex at Florida’s Palm Beach International Airport more than a year after the nearly $50 million project broke ground. While Jet Aviation will continue to operate its primary FBO on the southeast side of the field, the complex on the northwest side features a new 11,270 sq-ft satellite, two story FBO terminal of which, Gulfstream occupies 9,000 sq-ft on the first floor, and a 42,000 sq ft Jet Aviation hanger with 30 foot-high-doors.

“ This investment is the fifth new hanger we have opened in recent years and underscores our commitment to exceeding customer expectations by further strengthening our global facility network,” said Jet aviation president, David Paddock. ”I would like to take this opportunity to thank our parent company, General Dynamics for their ongoing support of our business, particularly during these uncertain times.

The adjoining service center for Gulfstream consists of more than 104,000 sq ft of climate-controlled hangers and workshops capable of simultaneously sheltering up to seven G650s. The two companies will share 200,000 sq ft of ramp space.

Source: Aviation International News

Boutique Air Grows with PC-12s

Pilatus originally envisioned the PC-12 turboprop single engine as an executive utility aircraft, but the model has gained widespread popularity as a commuter airliner since its introduction in 1994. Of the 1,750 PC-12s delivered through mid-August, 94 are flying with 35 passenger airlines around the world, according to the Swiss OEM. One of these operators is Boutique Air, based in San Francisco and started operations in 2011 by high-tech executive, who bought a company with a Part 135 certificate and one aircraft. In 2014, the airline began flying regularly scheduled service on one route between Clovis, New Mexico, and Dallas.

Today Boutique serves 29 U.S. airports in 17 states nationwide, operating a fleet of 27 PC-12-45 and PC-12-47 aircraft configured for eight passengers. “We’re the largest PC-12 commercial carrier in the United States,” said Boutique general manager, Brian Kondrad. In 2019 the airline flew 180,000 passengers.

Boutique operates exclusively on routes subsidized through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s $316 million annual Essential Air Service (EAS) program, linking rural airports with major airline hubs.

Source: Boutique Air/Picture Boutique

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

Germany Took Delivery of Its First New VIP Airbus A350-900 XWB

Germany’s new “Air Force One” was delivered to the armed forces on Thursday, August 27th after arriving at Lufthansa Technik for completion for in May.

The Airbus A350-900 XWB will be replacing the country’s A340-300 fleet acquired from flag carrier Lufthansa.

The purchase came in 2019 following mechanical issues with the existing VIP aircraft, one of which forced Chancellor Angela Merkel to fly commercial to the G20 in 2018.

As Germany is home to numerous Airbus production plants, parts of the plane were even manufactured in the country, although the final assembly took place in France. German Defense Minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, received the first Airbus A350-900 XWB in Hamburg during a handover ceremony with Lufthansa Technik.

Airbus had delivered the aircraft in May, but the interior completion work was handled by the maintenance, completions, repair, and overhaul division of the German flag carrier.

Germany ordered three Airbus A350 aircraft in 2019 as a replacement to the aging Airbus A340-300 fleet that flies top government officials around the world.

Source: Business Insider

GE Aviation CF34 Great Reliability

With more than 5,000 engines producing at least a 99% reliability rate, it is hard to argue that GE’s CF34 regional aircraft engine program has been anything but successful.

In 1992, GE’s CF34 engine family helped launch a new era in regional jet aviation, it continues to set the standard for performance, durability and world-class reliability. More than 5,200 CF34 engines are in service, the engine family has accumulated more than 160 million flight hours.

The following are the details by engine family according to GE Aviation:

**The CF34-8 family includes 3,792 engines in operation with 92 operators. The fleet has accumulated 73 million hours and 54 million cycles and it generated a 99.96% reliability rate.

**The CF34-10As are in operation with four operators. The power plant accumulated 54,000 flight hours and 38,000 cycles and it has logged 100% reliability rate.

**The CF34-10E includes 1,643 engines in operation with 98 operators. The power plant has accumulated 32 million flight hours and 23 million cycles, generating a 99.98% reliability rate.

The CF34-8 variants power Mitsubishi jets, 700, 900 and 1000 regional jets, Bombardier Challenger 870 and 890 business jets and Embaraer 170 and 175 regional jets. Meanwhile, the CF34-10 variants power the Comac ARJ21 family and Embraer 190, 195 and 1000 regional jets.

Source: GE Aviation/Picture GE Aviation

A New Plane for the Indian Prime Minister/President/Vice President

Air India One highly customized Boeing 777-300ERs, meant for the exclusive use Indian Prime Minister, President and Vice-President, landed in New Delhi in August. A second will arrive by the end of this year.

The aircraft, which has its own missile defense system, called the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures(LAIRCM) and Self Protection Suites(SPS) besides state- of-the-art communication system, will be operated by the Indian Air Force(IAF), although Air India would receive it.

When the handover to the IAF is complete, the call sign is likely to change from Air India One to Air Force One, just like the one used by American Presidents.

The two new aircraft have been heavily modified keeping in mind that the planes are exclusively meant for VVIPs.

The plane has the capability to function as a full-fledged flying command center

thanks to its advanced and secure communication system, which facilitates audio and video communication without being hacked or tapped, just like Air Force one, sources added.

The interior of the aircraft has been divided into big cabin for VVIP passengers’ mini medical center, conference room and also seats for the accompanying entourage.

In February last year, the US Defence Security Agency had, in a notification to the Congress, said the US had approved the purchase of LAIRCAM and SPS for an estimated cost of USD 190 million.

The defense systems, which would bring security of Air India One at par with that of Air Force one, would be installed in two Boeing 777 Head-of-State aircraft, the Pentagon said.

Source: Defense News/Picture Airliner World

Boeing and Etihad Complete Testing on ecoDemonstrator Program

Boeing and Etihad Airways concluded testing on the aerospace company’s 2020 ecoDemonstrator program the first week in September. It took a cross country flight using a 50/50 blend of sustainable and traditional jet fuel.

Flying from Seattle to Boeing’s manufacturing site in South Carolina, Etihad’s newest 787-10 Dreamliner used the maximum sustainable fuel blend permitted for commercial aviation. The transcontinental flight also demonstrated a new way for pilots, air traffic controllers and airline operations centers to communicate simultaneously and optimize routing.

Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad Aviation Group chief operating officer, said: “Together with Boeing and the national airline’s sustainable fuel partners World Energy and PIC, Etihad used 50,000 gallons of a 50/50 blend of sustainable aviation fuel on the final flight of our ecoDemonstrator 787-10 flight tests.

Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator program takes promising technologies out of the lab and tests them in the air to accelerate innovation. This year’s program evaluated four projects to reduce emissions and noise, plus enhance the safety and health of passengers and crew. All the 787-10 test flights used a blend of traditional jet fuel and sustainable fuel from inedible agricultural wastes to minimize emissions, with the final flight operating at the maximum 50/50 commercial blend.

Source: Etihad Airways/Boeing/Picture Etihad

Lufthansa to Put its Entire A380 and A340-600 Fleet In Storage

Lufthansa Group will put all of its Airbus A380s and 10 of its A340-600s into long-term storage, only to be reactivated in the event of an “unexceptional rapid market recovery”, and will permanently remove the remainder of its A340-600 fleet from service.

The German airline group says that the outlook for international air transport has “significantly worsened” in recent weeks, forcing it to revise its capacity expectations downward.

While it had previously aimed to offer 50% of its prior-year capacity on its long-haul network and 55% on short-haul in the fourth quarter of this year, Lufthansa now says it expects capacity to be ”in a range between 20% and 30%, compared to the same period in 2019. As a result, it foresees a group-wide reduction of 150 aircraft “by the middle of this decade”.

“ The continuing high level of uncertainty in global air traffic makes short-term adjustments to the current market situation unavoidable for the foreseeable future,” says Lufthansa, adding that the expansion of pre-flight Covid-19 testing is “essential prerequisite for the resumption of global mobility.”

Source: Lufthansa/PictureLufthansa

LATEST NEWS

AerSale Aircraft trader and support specialist has acquired 24 Boeing 757-200 passenger jets that were stored at its facilities in Arizona and New Mexico. Some will be dismantled and other will be converted into freighters.

ATR flies the first new-build 72-600 freighter for FedEX. The aircraft was launched three years ago with an order for up to 50 from US express freight specialist FedEx.

GE Aviation has delivered its first F110-129 engines for integration with Boeing’s F-15EX fighter, ahead of the new model’s flight debut next year.

Texel Air a private airline and MRO based in Bahrain, has announced the arrival of the latest addition to its fleet, the Boeing 737-700 Flex Combi.

EASA The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has completed test flights of the 737 Max, a key milestone in restoring airworthiness certification and returning the airliner to operational status.

French Bee Paris Orly-based long-haul, low-cost carrier French Bee remains in upbeat mood despite the coronavirus crisis. Next year it will significantly expand its fleet with the addition of two leased Airbus A350-1000s.

Cayman Airways has sent one of its Boeing 737 MAXs to Victorville, California in anticipation of the aircraft returning to service.

Northwest International Cargo Airlines new Chinese cargo start-up has been approved by the country’s civil aviation authority to introduce three Boeing 737 freighters to its fleet.

El Al Israeli flag carrier has been granted a deferral to the end of November for delivery of its final Boeing 787.

EVA Air has reached agreement with Boeing to exchange seven of the 787-10s yet to be delivered for four 787-9s and three 777Fs.

Sources: Flightglobal, Cayman Airways, Eva Air, Boeing, GE Aviation, Arabian Aerospace

AIR CARGO

Boeing 777 Freighter Joins The Volga-Dnepr Group

On August 17th, the 777 Freighter joined Volga-Dnepr Group fleet of 24 Boeing Freighters.

AirBridge Cargo will operate the airplane via a sale-leaseback agreement with Dubai Aerospace Enterprise DAE.

“We are delighted to welcome Volga-Dnepr Group as our newest customer as they introduce the 777 Freighter to their fleet,” said Firoz Tarapore, DAE’s Chief Executive Officer. ”DAE Capital is the world’s largest lessor of the profitable and efficient 777 freighter. We look forward to a long and rewarding relationship with Volga-Dnepr as they continue to grow their successful operations.”

Volga-Dnepr Group is among the world’s largest Boeing freighter operators, flying 17 747 freighters and five 737 freighters, including 13 747-8F, four 747-400ERF, two 737-800BCF and three 737-400SF.

The 777Freighter, which can fly 4,970 nautical miles(9,200 kilometers),can carry a payload of 224,900 lbs.(102,010 kg) with more capacity than any other twin-engine freighter.

Source: Boeing/BoeingPicture

OTHER NOTEWORTHY NEWS

Reactivating Parked Aircraft Requires Extra Care

Parking planes during the pandemic does not mean technicians ignore them until airlines are ready to fly again. A great deal of mechanical support work, including electrical checks and engine starts, takes place to keep aircraft serviceable.

Even when approved maintenance schedules are followed, there are threats to the safe return of aircraft from extended downtime.

The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recently issued a safety notice addressing the potential hazards of bringing aircraft out of storage as airlines resume more flights.

The agency said it found examples of incomplete maintenance and other faults associated with lengthy storage of aircraft, including two cases involving loose engine ports and missing access panel to wing flap.

In another recent case, mechanics found insect larvae in instruments that help determine an aircraft’s airspeed even though the probe’s covers had been used and the system flushed according to the manufacturer’s guidance.

Hibernating Planes

Airlines placed most of their fleets in a state of hibernation when COVID-19 spread worldwide in March and travel demand evaporated. Precautions include sealing up the engines and sensors to keep out dirt, birds and insects. Engineering frequently check wings and landing gear areas for wildlife. Rodents can damage wires and hydraulic lines.

The top three storage locations are in the U.S.: Roswell International Air Center in Nevada; Pinal County Airpark in Arizona; and Victorville Southern California Logistics Airport, with about 900 planes combined according to Cirium.

The percentage of passenger jets in storage continues to fall, but a third of the global fleet remains grounded. As of August 10, Cirium classified a total of 8,750 widebody, narrowbody and regional jets in storage status, while nearly 17,500 were in service. During the spring, more than two-thirds of the global fleet was in storage.

Airlines are bringing back their newest aircraft first because of better operating efficiencies. Cirium said that fewer than half of passenger jets built prior to 2013 were used in commercial flights recently. The most active aircraft were built in 2017.

The longer aircraft are in storage, the more likely they are to require maintenance work before they can return to service, ranging from software and technical updates to following airworthiness directives and service bulletins.

Source: Benzinga.com/FreightWaves/Cirium

Researched and Compiled by :

Ed Kaplanian Commercial Aviation Advisor

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

Editor: Lee Kaplanian

October 14, 2019 by kaplanianreport

The Kaplanian Report – October 2019

ON THE BOEING FRONT

Boeing Global Services Continues to Be On the Roll

Boeing’s services business has signed a series of orders and contracts from Asia-Pacific carriers, primarily for its digital products.

This comes on the back of a Boeing Global Services forecast projecting the Asia-Pacific commercial aviation services market will grow 5% annually over the next twenty years. By 2038, it is estimated to be worth $3.4 billion.

Boeing announced that Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo signed a deal for crew and aircraft scheduling and management solutions offered by Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen.

Japanese low-cost operator Peach Aviation has signed for Boeing’s digital aircraft positioning products. Chinese carriers, Shandong Airlines and Shenzhen Airlines, both renewed multi-year contracts for various Jeppesen products as well.

Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific and Philippine Airlines inked deals with Boeing for performance improvement packages for their Boeing 777-300ER fleets.

The second version of the packages feature aircraft modifications, associated retrofit parts kits and accompanying service bulletins. These will improve aircraft fuel efficiency, payload and range capability without requiring airlines to significantly change operational policies or procedures, says Boeing.

Lastly, Malaysia Airlines signed a consumables and expendables services agreement, allowing Boeing to provide supply chain solutions.

Source : Boeing

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

Airbus Inaugurates Automated Fuselage Line in Hamburg

Airbus has inaugurated an automated fuselage structure assembly line for the A320 family of aircraft in Hamburg, the company announced on October 1st.

The new facility features 20 robots, new logistics concept, automated positioning by laser measurement, and digital data acquisition system.

For the initial section assembly, Airbus uses a modular, lightweight automated system called Flextrack, which employs eight robots and counter-sinking 1,100 to 2,400 holes per longitudinal joint. In the next production step,12 robots, each operating on seven axes, combine the center and aft fuselage sections with the tail to form one major component, drilling, counter-sinking, sealing, and inserting 3,000 rivets per orbital joint.

Besides the use of robots, Airbus will implement new methods and technologies in material and parts logistics to aid production efficiency, improve ergonomics, and shorten lead times. The initiative includes the separation of logistics and production levels, demand-oriented material replenishment, and use of autonomous guided vehicles.

The Hamburg structure assembly facility carries responsibility for joining single fuselage shells into sections and final assembly of single sections to aircraft fuselages. Mechanics equip aircraft parts with electrical and mechanical systems their delivery to the final assembly lines in France, Germany, China, and the U.S.

Source : ainonline/Picture Airbus

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

Flagship Cessna Citation Longitude Enters Service

Textron Aviation has announced the first deliveries of the company’s new flagship Cessna Citation Longitude super-midsize business jet, which it says signals the start of a new dimension in business travel.

“The newly certified Citation Longitude brings unrivaled technology to the business travel market, for both the passenger and the pilot, offering our customers the most efficient and productive super-midsize jet now in operation,” said Ron Draper, president and CEO. ”We are thrilled to now transition this program into service.”

The Longitude features the longest maintenance intervals in its class—800 hours or 18 months—and is the most cost-effective aircraft in its category.

“The Longitude was designed around maximizing reliability and operational availability for our customers,” said Kriya Shortt, senior vice president, global Customer support.

Source : Textron Aviation/Picture Textron Aviation

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

Aeroflot Announce Contract on 777 Passenger Cabin Modifications

Aeroflot and Boeing announced a contract to modify passenger cabins on 18 of the Russian flagship carrier’s 777-300ERs.

Boeing will perform engineering work and supply component kits for the planned cabin interior reconfiguration.

“It’s a great honor that a leading Russian carrier selected Boeing solutions,” said Stan Deal, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Global Services. ”Aeroflot is an experienced 777 operator and we are pleased to provide them with the expertise that will support their implementation, long-term strategic growth and development plans.”

Aeroflot is a member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance. It serves 159 destinations in 54 countries. Aeroflot’s 249-strong fleet is the youngest of any airline worldwide that operates more than 100 aircraft. In 2018, Aeroflot carried 35.8 million passengers.

Source : Boeing/Picture Aeroflot

Gulf Air Receives its Seventh 787-9 Dreamliner with New Livery

The airline received the aircraft at Dulles International Airport in Washington, DC.In attendance at the event marking the arrival, which took place ahead of Gulf Air’s 70th anniversary, was the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, and Chairman of Gulf Air’s Board of Directors, HE Zayed, R. Alzayani and the United States Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur L.Ross.

Attendees toured the aircraft, which displayed a redesigned vintage of the Golden Falcon Locheed TriStar livery, representing the company’s iconic design from the 1970s.

Alzayani said: “It gives me great honor to reveal this special livery which would definitely resonate nostalgically with our global audience.The revival of this livery is a homage to our resilient national carrier as it celebrates being one of the first established carriers in the Middle East and how it continues to connect the Kingdom of Bahrain to the world”.

The new Dreamliner will join the fleet by the end of this month, increasing the total number of Dreamliners operated by the airline to seven aircraft following the delivery of three more by 2021.

Source : Arabian Aerospace

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Delays Entry into Service of A350-1000 Jets

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways is delaying the entry into service of five Airbus A350-1000 jets as it strives to return to profitability after three consecutive years of losses.

The state-owned carrier has been downsizing its fleet and route network following a failed strategy to rapidly expand to compete with more established Gulf airlines like Emirates.

The Spokesman for the airline said the largest version of the A350 jet remained important to Etihad’s future plans, but did not say when the airline would start using it. Airbus declines to comment, referring questions to Etihad.

Etihad has canceled billions of dollars in aircraft orders, including for 40 of the smaller A350-900 jets and two A350-1000s, as part of a five-year turnaround strategy started in 2016. It has committed to take delivery of five A350-1000s from a current order of 20.

Etihad replaced the management who led the aggressive expansion strategy, which also included investments in airlines that later ceased operations due to their own financial turbulence.

Source : Reuters

LATEST NEWS

SpiceXpress has taken delivery of its first 737-800 Boeing converted Freighter (BCF)

Pegasus Airlines took delivery of its first Airbus A321neo on September 11, equipped with a 239-seat high-density cabin layout.

China’s AVIC begins first MA700 assembly; on September 27, aiming for first flight in 2020 and certification in 2022.

EasyJet UK budget carrier has emerged as the recipient of the 9,000th Airbus A320-family jet to undergo delivery to customers.

Turkmenistan Airlines buys a Boeing 777-200LR which is planned for delivery in January 2021.

Mongolian Airlines will receive its first Boeing 787-9 from Air Lease Finance in the Spring of 2021.

Saudia the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has welcomed its first Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner with a special ceremony that included a water cannon salute at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport on Monday September 30.

Flydubai introduces Split Scimitar Winglets on its NG Boeing 737-800 fleet.

Boeing says it remains fully committed to the development of the ultra-long-range 777-8 variant despite its decision to shelve development to focus on recovering the schedule of the baseline 777-9.

ATR regional aircraft manufacturer, confirms it has received authorization from the board of directors for the launch of the ATR 42-600S.

Sources: Flightglobal, Boeing, Arabian Aerospace, World Airline News, Airbus.

AIR CARGO

Express Cargo Operator Atran Adds Extra 737-800 BCF

Russian express airline Atran has added another freighter to its fleet as it continues adding capacity to cater for an e-commerce bonanza.

The addition of a second Boeing 737-800 BCF brings the Volga-Dnepr-owned airline’s fleet to six aircraft.

Atran has now taken delivery of three freighters this year and its fleet also includes four 737-400Fs and another 23t-capacity 737-800BCF.

The company says that the additional capacity will help it meet growing demand for e-commerce shipments, including mail, between China, Russia and CIS states.

The 737-800BCF is 19ft (6m) longer than the -400F variant and also has a wider cargo door.

Atran says that the “step-by-step” fleet expansion and addition of new destinations has allowed it to achieve a “more than 15-fold volume upsurge from China to Russia, eight fold increase of domestic traffic, and more than six-fold uptick from Europe to Russia.”

Source : Volga-Dnepr/Flightglobal/Picture Atran Airlines

MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND OVERHAUL NEWS

Japan Airlines Strives for No Irregular Operations

Japan Airlines is a bit of a phoenix that has risen past adversity and now has an engineering division that is striving toward achieving the highest safety goals, what it terms zero, zero, 100 irregular operations and inflight shutdowns; zero flight squawks and 100% on-time departure.

Since starting its zero, zero, 100 safety goals in 2017,JAL’s flight operations have improved. One big achievement is not having any inflight shutdowns in 2018 and none in 2019 as of this writing, says Yasuo Yoshida, VP maintenance, corporate planning and finance. This is a first for JAL.

He also revealed that the airline’s on-time domestic and international on-time departure rate is more than 99.38%, as of August.

“We’d like to be first MRO” to reach the zero, zero, 100 goal, he says. While he says some people think the airline’s goals are “far too high” or “may sound crazy”, he says they are largely driven by three detrimental things: the crash of flight JA8119, a Boeing 747 that crashed in 1958 and resulted in 520 deaths; the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau issuing a “business improvement order” in 2005 after a series of three unsafe events: and the airline filing bankruptcy in 2010 after accumulating $264 trillion in debt.

“We had given so much trouble to society due to the accident and bankruptcy that we felt that we needed to give back,” says Yoshida. JAL, relisted on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Researched and Compiled by :

Ed Kaplanian Commercial Aviation Advisor

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

Editor: Lee Kaplanian

August 31, 2017 by kaplanianreport

Volume 4 Issue 9 The Kaplanian Report September 2017

ON THE BOEING FRONT

Urals Boeing Plant to Triple Partners’ Titanium Capacity

Shipments of Russian-made aerospace parts will exceed $1billion after the new Urals Boeing Manufacturing (UBM) plant begins operations next summer. Sergei Kravchenko, Boeing president for Russia and CIS, told reporters during a briefing in Moscow a day ahead of the July 18th to 23rd MAKS 2017 airshow.

UBM, a joint venture between the U.S. airframes and Russia’s Roster Corporation officially launched operations in 2009, but the demand for more titanium parts prompted the partners to invest in a second plant to triple the capacity.

The new plant opens “just in time”, said Kravchenko, considering the 18 to 24 month lead time for major 777X parts.

Russian output grew quickly as Boeing 787 production rose from an initial two to 12 per month. Each Dreamliner coming off the production line uses 56 parts made of Russian titanium, weighing a total weight of 22 tons, including heavily machined components from UBM and raw material supplied directly by Rostec’s VSMPO-Avisma company.

Financial restrictions have proved most damaging, because they make it harder for Russian airlines to buy Boeing aircraft. ”We continue materializing all we had agreed before, but the political instability restricts our ability to launch larger economic projects that would benefit both sides,” he said. ”I want to see sanctions removed.”

Nevertheless, Kravchenko expressed optimism about the potential of Boeing Global Services(GBS).” Kravchenko said “Stan Deal, GBS president and CEO, asked for my assistance…and I shall be working for him while keeping the current position,” he added.

Kravchenko said he sees the recent achievements of Russian airlines – most notably Aeroflot – in the area of digitization as a major contribution to the new division to provide round-the-clock support for airlines. Boeing plans to take advantage of the time zone difference between Moscow and Seattle, employing engineers in those respective cities “as though in two shifts”.

“This way, we can get airline’s requests for services fulfilled quicker and in a more efficient manner,” concluded Kravchenko.

Source : Air Transport

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

Airbus Delivers Its 100th A350 XWB

Airbus has delivered its 100th A350 XWB, just some 30 months after the first delivery in December 2014. The 100th aircraft delivered is an A350-900 for China Airlines.

“The 100th A350 XWB milestone comes as we reach our fastest wide body production ramp-up on track to meet the target of 10 A350 deliveries per month by the end of 2018,” said Fabrice Bregier, Airbus COO and President Commercial Aircraft.

“China Airlines is happy to be receiving the 100th A350XWb,” said Nuan-Shuan Ho, Chairman of China Airlines. To date, the A350 has been delivered to 14 airlines worldwide and is flying with an outstanding operational reliability rate of 99%. ”This is a remarkable statistic at this early stage of the program,” Fabrice Bregier adds.

The A350-1000 is the new member of the A350 XWB family and benefits from its high level of commonality with the A350-900. Scheduled for Type Certification and first Customer delivery in the fourth quarter of 2017, the A350-1000 is currently performing an intensive flight test campaign.

As of July 26, Airbus has recorded a total of 847 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 45 customers worldwide.

Source : Airbus/Airbus Picture

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

Embraer Lauds Services In Q2 Results

Embraer saw a 30% increase in second-quarter sales, due in part to improved revenue from services – an increasingly important business line for the world’s major aircraft manufacturers.

The Brazilian company’s second-quarter revenue rose to $1.77 billion, on factors including higher services sales and increased commercial deliveries.

Embraer delivered 35 commercial aircraft during the quarter, versus 26 in last year’s equivalent period. It also delivered 24 business aircraft, and noted that its executive jets division had recorded a double-digit growth in services revenue.

Boeing is also pushing its aftermarket product: First-half earnings for its services division unit were up 11% to $674 million and Boeing expects the unit’s operating margin for the full year to breach 13.5%, up from a previous forecast of 12.5%-plus.

And while Embraer’s 2Q trading statement is unclear about services’ contribution to higher revenues within its commercial aircraft division, the manufacturer does offer a full suite of services, including maintenance, modifications, field support, training and materials.

In the first half of 2017, Embraer had invested almost $24 million in parts for its pooling program. The company also invested in its E2 aircraft program, which is currently running four E190-Es and one E195-E2 prototypes. The E190-E2, which has 83 firm orders, completed its wing bending test in May and is now more than halfway through its test campaign.

(It is interesting how airframers are now putting more emphasis on the services side of their businesses. As a former spares executive in the car industry and heavy duty Truck industry, I am elated to see the expansion of this business, which handled correctly can generate more profit for airframes)

Source : Embraer/ Embraer Picture

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

ALC Looks to Accelerate Boeing Deliveries As Airbus Delays Mount

Air Lease is looking to accelerate some of its Boeing deliveries to offset delays to certain Airbus aircraft in 2018, as it questions the stability of both airframers’ supply chains.

Delivery delays of Pratt &Whitney powered A320neo family aircraft and Rolls Royce- powered A330-900neos continue and are

“sliding right” month-by-month in 2018, says John Plueger, chief executive of the Los Angeles-based lessor, during a second quarter earnings call on August 3rd.

Steven Udar-Hazy, chairman of All, calls the delays to the A330neos the “Rolls Royce Situation”, during the call. He adds that the aircraft has not even begun flight tests.

As a result of the delays, the lessor is looking to accelerate some of its Boeing deliveries into 2018 and may temper its aircraft sales program, says Plueger.

The lessor has yet to determine the full impact of the delays on deliveries from its order book and to its sales program, says Plueger when asked by Wall Street analysts. He adds that it is receiving updates from Airbus on a weekly basis and hopes to have some clarity by the end of summer. ALC attributes the delays to supply chain issues, particularly with engines, that are impacting Airbus and, to a lesser extent, Boeing.

“We don’t have the production delay problems with Boeing that we have with Airbus,” says Udvar-Hazy, when asked about possible acceleration of Boeing deliveries.” It just seems Boeing has its programs under control,” he adds.

Source : Flightglobal/ALC

Norwegian Has Performed Its First Commercial Transatlantic 737 MAX

Low-cost carrier (LCC) Norwegian Shuttle has performed its first commercial transatlantic flights using the Boeing 737 MAX, with two aircraft now in revenue service.

The first Norwegian 737 MAX transatlantic sector was operated July 15 by aircraft named “Sir Freddie Laker,” who is widely recognized as long a long-haul, low-cost pioneer. The Skytrain executive started long-haul, low-cost flights between London Gatwick and New York in 1977, with fares starting at $77.

Norwegian’s 189-seat 737 MAX operated between Edinburgh and Hartford, Connecticut; followed by a second rotation from Edinburgh to Stewart International in New York.

The 737 MAX offers longer range compared with older narrow bodies, opening up smaller transatlantic city pairs at an affordable cost and fare price.

Norwegian will take delivery of six 737 MAXs this summer, joining the two it already has in service.

Source : Flightglobal/Norwegian/NorwegianPicture

LOT Polish Airlines Completes Initial Phase of Long-Haul Renewal

LOT Polish Airlines has taken delivery of the final aircraft of its batch of eight Boeing 787-8s, as the Polish national carrier eyes the arrival of the larger-9 model next year. CEO Rafal Milczarski credits the twin-aisle aircraft as being a factor in the airlines financial turnaround.

The eighth 787-8 will largely be used to increase frequencies on LOT’s Asian routes, notably to Tokyo (from 3X-to 4X-weekly) and Seoul (from 3X-to %X-weekly) beginning this month. The enlarged fleet will also begin %X-weekly services from Warsaw to Newark Newark, replacing a Boeing 767-300 leased from Portuguese leasing and charter specialist EuroAtlantic Airways.

The final 787-8 will also allow for potential new long-haul services to be launched, even before the arrival of a batch of four 787-9s next year. That will be used to inaugurate the recently announced Budapest-New York JFK and Chicago O’Hare routes from May.

On the short-haul front, July also saw the deliveries go four 737-800NG completed, while in November, LOT will be one of the early operators of the 737 MAX 8.

Source : ATW/Picture Norwegian

LATEST NEWS

Air Lease Corp has finalized an order with Boeing for 12 737 MAX aircraft previously announced at the Paris Air Show. The agreement also includes two new orders for the 787-9 Dreamliner.

Avolon Irish lessor delivered one Boeing 737 Max 8 to Indonesia’s Lion Air. This is the fourth Avolon aircraft on lease to Lion Air.

ICBC, Chinese lessor, has been identified as the customer behind an order for 20 Airbus A320neo placed at the end of 2014.

ALAFCO secured a loan from Stellwagen Finance for the first Airbus A320neo for lease to Air India.

GE Aviation earned $1.49 billion on $6.53 billion sales in 2Q17 vs $1.35 billion on $6.51 billion in 2Q16.

Meggitt aviation component and systems maker has landed a deal with Boeing to provide the airframe with integrated standby flight displays (ISFD) for the 777X.

Flydubai Dubai based low-cost carrier (LCC) has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX 8, becoming the first Middle Eastern carrier to operate the type.

Singapore Airlines has dropped its short-haul low-cost carrier (LCC) brand Tingerair, merging the airline into mid-to long-haul LCC Scoot.

Saudi Aramco has taken delivery of three new Boeing 737-800s in as many months.

New England Patriots has acquired two former American Airlines Boeing 767-300ERs for travel to out-of-town games. The 767s are owned by a company called Team 125 Inc, operated by New England Patriots LLC and financed by Kraft Group, a company let by Patriots owner Robert Kraft. The aircraft will be configured in an all-first class configuration and will operate out of TF Green airport near Providence, Rhode Island.
BOC Aviation firmed its commitment to order 10 737 Max 10s made at the Paris Air Show in June.

AIR CARGO

Volga-Dnepr Weighs in With Vision for a Larger An-124

Volga-Dnepr Group has outlined its principal requirements for a future freighter to replace the Antonov An-124-100.

During the MAKS air show in Moscow in July, it outlined its vision of a successor to the Ukrainian outsize-cargo aircraft, developed in the 1970s as a military transport.

“In our view, a new freighter should be 35% to 40% more efficient economically and capable to carry a payload of up to 170t for at least 8,000km to 10,000km (4,300-5,400nm)”, say technical director Viktor Tolmachev. “This would enable the operator to transport even bulkier cargos on longer-haul routes across the oceans and continents.”

The cargo variant of the An-124 entered commercial service with Volga-Dnepr Airlines in October 1991. Since then the freighter has undergone several enhancements and modifications, the latest is the-100M-150, fitted with Western avionics and capable of flying 2,430nm with a payload of 150t.

Volga-Dnepr currently uses a dozen An-124s, of which 10 were built 22-27 years ago.

Source : Flightglobal/ Volga-Dnepr Picture

Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul News

One-Stop OEM Shopping?

The aviation aftermarket is being jolted by some bold moves from OEMs that could challenge conventional business models. Or is this simply part of the next wave of consolidation?

Take Boeing Avionics. The OEM announced on July 31, that it is setting up the avionics unit to develop avionics for both commercial and military platforms. That means it will compete against some of its Tier 1 suppliers – such as Honeywell, United Technologies Corp. and Rockwell Collins. The latter “saw its share price whacked on the Boeing Avionics news,” says Robert Stallard, an analyst at Vertical Research Partners, who points out Rockwell Collins stock “has since rallied.”

A few days later, on Aug. 4, reports started swirling that United Technologies might purchase Rockwell Collins. Keep in mind Rockwell Collins just finished acquiring B/E Aerospace, the cabin interior product and services company, on April 13th. It had expanded its interiors portfolio and established natural synergies and complementary services in areas such as cabin management, connectivity and communication.

Now that some OEMs aim for more aftermarket revenue, it’s not surprising that they seek greater in-house capabilities for an expanding market, which Aviation Week forecasts to reach $74.3 billion this year.

Expect the market to continue expanding through the year. In Vertical Research Partners’ assessment of the global aerospace and defense market’s second quarter, released Aug. 7, it says the aerospace market grew about 7% slightly higher than the 5% in the first quarter.

While all this is emerging, Stallard also sees “a potential shift in the balance of power between the aircraft OEMs and their suppliers,” some of which “are struggling to keep up with the relentless price and efficiency demands of Boeing and Airbus.”

Source : MRO-Network

MRO Short News

Jet Yard was selected by Delta Material Services to perform part outs in Marana, Arizona.

ATR extended its global maintenance agreement with Stobart Air for 17 Air aircraft.

Czech Airlines Technics was selected by KLM low-cost carrier Transavia for Boeing 737NG maintenance.

Zodiac Seats US was selected by Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair to supply Z110 economy seats for Boeing 737 MAXs.

Ducommun has a Boeing contract to supply aluminum fuselage skins for the Boeing 737-800BCF.

September Puzzler

August Puzzler Answer : Allegiant Air the fleet is so old that its most numerous airplanes are McDonnell Douglas MD-80s and -90s, which ceased production 17 years ago. Allegiant also operates a pair of Boeing 757s (out of production since 2004) and about somewhat younger dozen Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft.

Researched and Compiled by : Ed Kaplanian

Commercial Aviation Advisor

Contact – ed@kaplanianreport.com

April 18, 2015 by kaplanianreport

Volume 2 Issue 4 April 2015

ON THE BOEING FRONT

Boeing ecoDemonstrator 757 Flight Tests Focus on Aerodynamic Efficiency

Boeing has begun several months of flights with ecoDemonstrator 757 to evaluate new technologies to improve commercial aviation’s efficiency, reduce noise and carbon emissions. Boeing is collaborating with TUI Group and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on ecoDemonstrator 757 tests.

The 757 flight tests continue the ecoDemonstrator Program’s multi-year effort to accelerate testing, refinement and use of new technologies and methods that can improve aviation’s environmental performance.

“The ecoDemonstrator 757 furthers our commitment to accelerate innovative technologies for current and future airplane programs.” said Mike Sinnett, vice president of Product Development, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.” The Boeing ecoDemonstrator program is focused on putting new, more environmentally efficient technologies and airplanes in the hands of our customers sooner.”

On the left wing, Boeing will evaluate technologies to reduce environmental effects on natural laminar flow as a way to improve aerodynamic efficiency. As an example, the ecoDemonstrator 757 will test a Krueger shield that can protect the leading edge from insects.

On the right wing, NASA will test bug-phobic coating to reduce the residue left by bug strikes on the leading edges of aircraft wings; the goal is to enable more drag-reducing laminar flow over the remainder of the wing.

On the vertical tail, NASA and Boeing are testing active flow control to improve airflow over the rudder and maximize its aerodynamic efficiency.

TUI Group, the world’s largest integrated tourism group, is collaborating with Boeing as way to reduce carbon emissions.

Source : Boeing/TUI Group/Photo

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

Airbus Celebrates Delivery of its 9,000th Aircraft

Airbus has celebrated the delivery of its 9000th aircraft at a ceremony in Hamburg, Germany on March 20th 2015.The aircraft is the first A321 to be delivered to Vietnamese carrier VietJetAir and will join the carrier’s all Airbus A320 Family fleet flying on its Asia-Pacific network.

VietJetAir first took to the skies at the end of 2011 and now operates a fleet of 22 A320 Family aircraft on a network covering Vietnam and a growing number of destinations across Asia. The A321 delivered is the first of seven ordered by the airline as part of a major aircraft acquisition plan for up to 100 A320 Family aircraft announced in 2014.

Since delivering its first A300 in 1974, Airbus has developed a comprehensive product line. Today this includes the single aisle A320 Family and the A330 twin Aisle, the A350XWB and the world’s largest aircraft the A380.

Source : Airbus/Airbus Photos

BUSINESS/REGIONAL NEWS

Bombardier to Use Additional CSeries Aircraft

The fifth and final test vehicle for the initial CS100 version of Bombardier’s CSeries airliner has begun flying, but additional aircraft will be used in the test program in a bid to meet the target of certification toward the end of this year.

Aircraft FTV5, the first CSeries fitted with a finished interior, made its first flight from Mirabel, near Montreal,on March 18. A second followed March 19.The aircraft is being used to test passenger-related systems.

CSeries testing has passed the 1,200 hour mark, but the total now includes flying FTV7, the first test vehicle for the stretched CS300, which made its first flight from Mirabel in February. Bombardier has said certification is expected to take around 2,400 hr.

To meet its certification target this year, Bombardier plans to use the first production CS100 in the flight-test program.

The first CS300 will also be used to fly test points for the smaller CS100, said Rob Dewar, vice president for the CSeries program. This is because of the high degree of commonality between the versions.

Firm orders for the CSeries still stand at 243 aircraft, but total commitments including options are now 603. This includes a letter of intent to purchase 20 CS100, with options for another 20, for the new airline Flymojo announce by the Malaysian government on March 17.

Source: Flightglobal/Ed’s Research

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

Air Madagascar Re-Fleets with ATR

Air Madagascar has ordered three ATR 72-600 turboprops in a deal worth approximately $77 million, and is leasing two more of the type from Ireland based Elix Aviation Capital.

The first of the two leased aircraft was formally delivered on March 11th, with the second due to next month. The Three purchased from ATR will be delivered from 2017.

The arrival of the aircraft will enable Air Madagascar to renew and expand its fleet of ATRS, which currently consists of one ATR 42-500 and two ATR 72-500s,significantly increasing seat capacity on the carrier’s main domestic routes on the Indian Ocean island nation.

Air Madagascar transports nearly 600,000 passengers annually, with 75% of those on its regional or domestic network. The carrier is long standing ATR customer, having introduced its first of the type, an ATR 42-300,in 1996 and introducing the -500 since 2005.

Source: Elix Aviation Capital

Singapore Airlines Looks to Buy Korean LCC Jeju Air

Singapore flag carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been in talks to buy around 20% of Korean low-cost carrier(LCC) Jeju Air in the lead up to its initial public offering later this year.

In a statement to the Singapore Stock Exchange, SIA confirmed ”that discussions have taken place on possible equity investment in Jeju Air.” SIA added that further public announcements could be on the way.

The deal would give SIA Group considerably more access to expanding Korea-China market, where full service carriers are seeing high levels of competition from other LCCs such as Air Busan, Eastar, Jin Air and T’Way.

SIA started talks to buy into Jeju Air with its parent Aekyung Group late last year, prior to the LCC’s plan to go for a Q4 2015 IPO to raise $180 million for expansion of its fleet and network, principally deeper into China’s second tier cities. Late last month, Jeju Air introduced a new 3 weekly Daegu-Beijing service using Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Source : ATW

GE Honda Aero Engines Receives US Approval for HF120 Production

GE Honda Aero Engines has cleared a key milestone for its HF120 turbofan, which powers the HondaJet light twin-engined business jet, with the US Federal Aviation Administration granting production approval for its new manufacturing plant in Burlington, Massachusetts.

This validation comes more than two years after the 2,095 lb thrust engine, developed by GE Aviation and HondaJet,secured US approval. It allows the company to build the powerplant to type design specification without FAA oversight.

The $4.5 million HondaJet is the first platform for the HF120, although it has also been selected by US engineering company Sapphire for its Cessna CitationJet upgrade program.

HF120 production was initially performed at Ge’s Lynn, Massachusetts, facility before its transition to Burlington late last year. The 2,000 square feet plant has capacity to build 500 engines a year. It will also carry out engine maintenance, repair and overhaul work.

The HondaJet is scheduled for certification and service entry in the coming weeks. The six-seat aircraft is being assembled in nearby Greensboro, North Carolina.

Source : Flightglobal/GE Aviation

Mangoes Anyone?

This past December, LAN Cargo set a new monthly record for the transportation of mangoes from Peru to Europe, shipping 525 tons of the tropical fruit using two 767 freighters. The mangoes were flown from Lima to Sao Paulo, there operations teams at Guarulhoes ensured that the cold chain was maintained before onward shipping to Europe. LAN is responsible for transporting approximately 35 percent of Peruvian mangoes to Europe. Expect tropical salads to be a big hit this year on Parisienne cafes.

Source: Air Cargo World

LATEST NEWS IN BRIEF

Rockwell Collins was selected by China Eastern Airlines to supply avionics, including Head-up Guidance System for its 20 Boeing 737NG starting in 2016.

Avolon delivered the first of four Boeing 787-9s to Virgin Atlantic, which has a further line in its fleet.

Boeing Shanghai Aviation has signed a maintenance agreement with Russia’s Transaero Airlines for its Boeing 767s.

Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) has announced a commitment to purchase three additional 777-300ERs. The order will be posted on Boeing’s Order and Deliveries website when finalized.

ANA finalized an order for three 787-10 Dreamliners on March 2nd.. The order was announced as a commitment in January of this year.

Turkish Airlines has placed a firm order for four additional Airbus A330-200 freighters that will be operated by its Turkish Cargo business.

The Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) has placed a firm order for 30 Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) ARJ 21-700 regional aircraft.

Vietnam Airlines’ first Airbus A350-900 aircraft has left the paint shop, revealing a new livery for the carrier.

Qantas’s first 747-400 has flown into retirement after completing an historic ferry flight to Illawarra Regional airport on March 8th.

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC) is going to deliver 44 Sukhoi Super Jet 100 jets in 2015.

BAE was selected by Boeing to supply the final piece of the revamped fly-by-wire control system on the 777X currently in development.

Air Tahiti Nui (ATN), the major carrier of French Polynesia, has decided to order four Boeing 787-9 aircraft to replace its fleet of Airbus A340-300.

Pilatus Aircraft recently delivered its 1300th turboprop PC12 to Surf Air,a private air travel club based in California.

Gulfstream on March 12th, the National Aeronautic Association announced GulfStream will be awarded the 2014 Robert J.Collier Trophy, ‘For the development of the Gulfstream G650 business Jet, which strengthened business aviation through significant technological in aircraft performance, cabin comfort, and Safety.”

AIR CARGO

EVA Refleets as Martinair Defleets

In the Netherlands, it appears that time for talking has ended, as Air France-KLM has taken the axe to subsidiary carrier Martinair. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Taiwan based EVA Air is looking to the future, with plans to place an order for five 777Fs.

The disappearance of Air France, KLM and Martinair as major players in the main-deck freight business has been underway for some time now, effectively since the Air France/KLM merger. At a press conference in mid-March, Air France-KLM announced massive job cuts at Martinair, saying that

330 employees, including 110 of the carrier’s pilots, would be let go. On the fleet side, all six Martinair’s MD-11Fs will be retired, leaving Air France-KLM with two 777Fs based in Paris operated by Air France and three 747-400Er based in Amsterdam.

In Taiwan EVA Air reported strong growth in both cargo traffic and cargo revenue this year, while the carrier plans to reduce the number of freighters in its fleet, it has also made a decision to refleet with new production 777Fs. Eva Chairman Chang Kuo was recently quoted in China Times as the first phase of a massive fleet renewal will involve replacing its eight 747-400 freighters with five new 777Fs. There has been no announcement about the timing of the order but recent reports in China Aviation implies that it will be sooner, rather than later.

Source: Cargo Facts/China Times

Northern Air Cargo a Niche Air Cargo Carrier

As a docent at the Museum of Flight in Seattle located at Boeing Field I thought I knew most airline liveries, however, while on duty as a docent the past few weeks I kept seeing one of Northern Air Cargo planes parked not far from Clay Lacy’s hanger on the field and asking myself who is Northern Air Cargo and decided to investigate and discovered that Northern Air Cargo is the cargo carrier that assists the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race called “The Last Great Race” that has been held in Alaska since 1973.

Just like those early mushers, Northern Air Cargo (NAC), Alaska’s largest all-cargo airline, also delivers goods in support of that race that celebrates their arduous journey. This year the ceremonial start was held on March 7th in downtown Anchorage, as usual, but the actual race started in Fairbanks due to lack of snow. NAC was there in its 33rd year of ferrying about 75 tons of dog food, sleds, kennels, snow machines, chain saws, camera equipment, plywood, heaters, propane tanks, perishables and general gear to support the mushers and their dogs.

The carrier uses a 737-200 freighter and a 737-300 freighter for the race, operating one flight a day, three or four days a week, to drop supplies at three hub locations along the trail-the towns of McGrath, Unakakleet and Nome, where the race ends.

No stranger to flying in sub-zero conditions, NAC, founded in 1956, flies to 14 points in western and northern Alaska. One of NAC’s largest customers is the Red Dog Mine, a zinc-lead mine in Northwest Alaska near Kotzebue, which NAC has been servicing for 20 years. The oil companies that are active in Prudhoe Bay, at origination of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, are also frequent customers.

Interesting discovery on my part. I also discovered that NAC is also tied to freight routes in much warmer-even tropical climates. When Hawaii’s Aloha Airlines went bankrupt in 2008, Saltchuk Resources, which bought NAC in 2006, bought the air freight portion, Aloha Air Cargo, based in Honolulu, which is predominantly inter-island service, with one weekly frequency between Los Angeles and Hawaii. using a 767-300 freighter.

Dave Squire is the chief operating officer for both NAC and Aloha Cargo in Hawaii which make up the vast majority of Northern Air Service’s business. The company also keeps a couple of aircraft in Laredo, Texas, for expedited on demand charters, mostly carrying auto parts between the U.S. and Mexico. Approximately 68 percent of cargo on NAC carriers freight and 32 percent is mail.

Source: Air Cargo World/Ed’s Research

Researched and Compiled by : Ed Kaplanian

Commercial Aviation Advisor

Contact – ed@kaplanianreport.com