Emirates

by

Kaplanian Report – June 2020

ON THE BOEING FRONT

    Boeing to Model Potential Spread of Pathogens Inside Aircraft Cabin

Boeing appointed an executive on Thursday, May 14, to lead the company’s Confident Travel Initiative, the plan that intended to help people get back on planes.

Boeing named Mike Delany, currently vice president of digital transformation at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, to the role, which aims to “minimize air travel health risks” in a Covid-19 world.

“As air travel slowly begins to resume and restrictions ease around the globe, health and safety remain our top priorities,” said Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun in the company’s news release.  ”Mike’s deep technical expertise, leadership skills, industry knowledge and great passion for our customers make him uniquely qualified to lead this effort.”

Delany will work with Boeing customers to design and implement policies regarding facial coverings, plane cleaning, and temperature checks.  The checks will have to be completed before boarding, adding another level of complexity for travelers and airlines.

Boeing also referenced its commitment to air quality when announcing the new role.  All Boeing planes are equipped with high-efficiency particulate air, also known as HEPA, filters, ”similar to those used in hospitals and industrial clean room.”  The company says HEPA filters are better than 99.9% effective at removing particulates including viruses.

Air filtration helps, but it doesn’t eliminate the risk of disease transmission. Bacteria and viruses are viable on surfaces—such as seat-back pockets—for some time after being deposited by a cough or sneeze.

Boeing hopes modeling will predict how the virus might spread through aircraft with differing seating configurations.The company hopes to determine how variables such as coughing (with or without masks) and use of hand sanitizer might affect potential contagion.

“We are using science as opposed to anecdote…and emotionally-driven responses,” says Delany, who is also Boeing’s vice-president of digital transformation.

Source: Boeing/Barron’s/Picture Shtterstock

                      

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

                   Airbus Opens A220 Hanger in Mobile, Alabama

Airbus celebrated a pair of milestones at its commercial aircraft production in Mobile, Alabama; announcing the official inauguration of production activities in its newly built final assembly line hanger and the start of the first U.S.-built A220 for JetBlue.

The new 270,000-sq-ft hanger, capable of accommodating assembly of both A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft, has officially opened for business after an 18-month construction project.   It houses five primary assembly stations where workers attach major airframe component assemblies for a completed aircraft in a flow line process. Airbus began producing A220 aircraft in Mobile in August 2019, using space in an existing A320 final assembly line hanger, and newly built support hangers.  With the completion of the new hanger, the Airbus production site in Alabama has doubled in size.

Airbus recently welcomed the first component assemblies destined to become an A220 for JetBlue into the new hanger.  JetBlue will become the second customer that takes an A220 from Mobile, following Delta Air Lines.  JetBlue expects to take delivery of the first U.S.-made A220 during this year’s fourth quarter.

“The team is excited to start working in their new facility and welcome a new customer,” said Airbus president of A220 USA Paul Gaskell. “It’s a strong endorsement from JetBlue in this challenging time,” said Paul Gaskell, president of A220 USA and head of A220 Program in Mobile.

Source: Airbus/Airbus Photo

         

        REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

                           Cessna SkyCourier Completes First Flight

The Cessna SkyCourier twin-turboprop prototype lifted off on its first flight Sunday morning May 17 from Beech Field at Textron Aviation’s east campus in Wichita. Piloted by senior test pilot Corey Eckhart and chief test pilot Aaron Tobias, the utility twin flew for two hours and 15 minutes.

“We were very pleased with how the Cessna SkyCourier performed throughout its first flight,” Eckhart said.”It was particularly impressive to see how stable the aircraft handled on takeoff and landing. The Cessna SkyCourier already displays a high level of maturity in its flight characteristics, especially for a first flight.”

“We were able to accomplish everything we wanted on this flight, and that’s an excellent start to the flight test program.”

With an initial order from FedEx for 50 copies of the high-wing airplane and options for 50 more, the SkyCourier is capable of flying 200 ktas powered by two 1,100-shp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65SC turboprop engines driving 110-inch McCauley propellers.  It also features a Garmin G1000 NXi flight deck.

Configurable for both cage and commuter operations, the high-wing turboprop is designed to carry a payload of up to 6,000 pounds.  It is equipped with an 87-inch cargo door, a flat floor, and a nearly 70-inch tall and wide cabin to accept three standard LD3 air cargo containers.  In passenger configuration, it will have seating for up to 19 passengers, with a netted cabin area for luggage and equipment.  It also will be available in a mixed passenger/cargo combination.

Source: Textron Aviation

         Boeing Business Jets New Aircraft Development Continues 

As the 737 Max crisis rumbles on, Boeing says it is “staying close to VIP customers” on the re-engines narrow body.

Two examples of the BBJ Max 8 have been delivered green to date, and while Boeing is continuing to work on the -9 and -7 variants, it will not give a delivery timeframe for either model.

The pair were originally scheduled for certification and customer handover in 2020 and 2022 respectively.  Boeing records 14 orders for the CFM international Leap-1B-powered BBJ Max, most of them -8s- though Boeing Business Jet expects the shorter Max 7 to be the eventual favorite, owing to its 7,000nm(13000km)-range:360nm longer than the -8 and 675nm longer than the -9.

Boeing has also expanded its VIP wide body offering with the introduction in late 2018 of the BBJ777X.  The twin-aisle airliner is the updated version of the BBJ 777, of which Boeing has sold 13 examples to date.

Boeing describes the 777X as a “far superior offering”, with GE Aviation GE9X engines and a new, more advanced composite wing.

As of this month two Boeing BBJ Max 8s have been delivered.

Source: Boeing Business Jets/Picture Boeing

                                                                      

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

Air France Terminates A380 Fleet with Immediate Effect

Air France has accelerated plans to phase out its Airbus A380 fleet and will retire the aircraft immediately rather than in 2022 as previously scheduled.

Air France grounded its A380s on March 16 as the coronavirus pandemic began to take a toll on operations, before ultimately suspending the majority of its scheduled passenger flights. Air France-KLM announced on May 20 the “definitive end” of the French carrier’s Airbus A380 operations.

“Initially scheduled by the end of 2022, the phase-out of Airbus A380 fleet fits in the Air France-KLM Group fleet simplification strategy of making the fleet more competitive, by continuing its transformation with more modern, high-performance aircraft with significantly reduced environmental footprint,” the group says.

Five of the Airbus A380 aircraft in the current fleet are owned by Air France or on finance lease.  A further four are on operating lease.  Air France-KLM says the impact of the A380 phase-out write down is estimated at $547 million dollars and will be booked in the second quarter of 2020 as a non-current cost/expenses.  The fleet is powered by Engine Alliance GP7200s.

In December Air France-KLM Group said it was ordering another 10 Airbus A350-900s, which would be used to replace the company’s A380s.

Source: Air France/Picture Air France

                                Delta to Retire Its 777 Fleet

Delta Air Lines will retire its Boeing 777 fleet by the end of 2020 as the coronavirus crisis continues to disrupt global travel, creating openings for airlines to permanently streamline fleets and save money by shifting to more-efficient aircraft.  The move will leave Delta with a single type of ultra-long aircraft: Airbus A350s.

The Atlanta-based airline has 18 777s, including 10 of the long-range 777-200LR variant, according to Cirium fleets data.  Nine of these are currently operating and nine are in storage.

Delta’s first 777s joined the fleet 21 years ago, and the airline says it will replace them with its next-generation A350-900s;  which burn 21% less fuel than the Boeing jets. Delta has nine  A350s in service, four in storage and 12 on order, according to Cirium.

In past weeks the airline used 777s for cargo and repatriation flights between North American and cities in Asia,Europe and Australia.

Source: Delta Air Lines/Picture Delta Air Lines 777-200LR

           Airbus and Rolls-Royce Have Axed the E-Fan X Project

Airbus and Rolls-Royce axed the e-FanX demonstrator programs year before the experimental hybrid-electric engine airliner was supposed to fly.  The E-Fan X program was launched to explore electric aviation and involved equipping a BAE Systems Avro RJ100 with a hybrid powertrain.  But Airbus chief technology officer Grazia Vittadini says the airframer is having to “ navigate the realities” of a world impacted by the corona virus crisis, and concentrate on priorities.

She says Airbus and Rolls-Royce have as a result “jointly decided” to “bring the E-Fan X demonstrator to an end”.  “As with all ground-breaking research projects, it’s our duty to constantly evaluate and reprioritize them to ensure alignment with our ambitions,” she adds.

“These decisions are not always easy.  But they are undoubtedly necessary to stay the course.”  Vittadini points out that the effort to decarbonize the aviation industry is “no small feat”, adding: “to achieve this, we need to re-focus all our efforts on technology bricks that will take us there.”  The E-Fan X, launched in 2017, was due to carry out its maiden flight in 2021.

Source: Flightglobal

   Mitsubishi Aircraft to Close all Non-Japan Locations, Shelves M100 

Mitsubishi Aircraft is closing all non-Japan locations and moving all Spacejet activities back to its headquarters in Nagoya, Japan, above coming in response to cost pressure amid the coronavirus aerospace downturn.

As part of the consolidation to Japan, the company will halt flight testing of its 90-seat SpaceJet M100 regional jet and suspend development of its 76-seat M100, Mitsubishi Aircraft says.

Most effected outside Japan is its operations in the US Northwest.  The Mitsubishi Aircraft U.S. headquarters in Renton will close, and flight test operations in Moses Lake will cease operations.

Mitsubishi Aircraft has not announced any change to a plan under which its parent Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will acquire Bombardiers’s CRJ program for $550 million.

Source: Mitsubishi Aircraft/Picture Mitsubishi Aircraft        

      

LATEST NEWS

  • BOC Aviation has signed a purchase-and-leaseback agreement with Southwest Airlines for 10 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.
  • Emirates largest operator of the Airbus A380 axes the aircraft and seen cutting deliveries.
  • Boeing the U.S. Navy received its 100th P-8A aircraft from Boeing on May 14 as the global fleet, which also includes the Indian navy and the Australian and the U.K. airfares approaches 300,000 flight hours.

  • Lauda subsidiary of Ryanair plans to cancel all Airbus deliveries and replace them with ones from Boeing.

  • American Airlines is parking its fleet of Airbus A330-200s in storage until at least 2022, part of the airline’s broader effort to downsize in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
  • Air Lease Corp said it would reduce capital expenditure on new jets in a move likely to restrict its-near-term growth; but still support liquidity’s it faces demands from airlines for rental relief seen as crucial to their survival.
  • United Aircraft of Russia is set to begin mating the tail and engine pylons for the first llyushin ll-96-400M, which is undergoing assembly at the Voronezh-based VSO plant.

  • Saab Aircraft has secured an SKr1.6 billion ($ 165 million) order for an undisclosed number of its Saab 2000 Erieye airborne early warning control (AEW&C) system aircraft.

Source:  Air Lease, Emirates,Saab Aircraft,American Airlines, Ryanair, United Aircraft,Boeing

 

AIR CARGO

     Alaska Airlines Transports  First Copper River Salmon to Seattle

Alaska Airlines teamed with partners to fly the first catch of salmon from Copper River to Seattle on May 15th.  The first to enjoy the fish will be over 200 healthcare workers from the Swedish Medical Center-Ballard.

The first catch of fresh, sustainable Copper River salmon arrived in Seattle on an Alaska Airlines plane.  This is not new for the airline.  Some Alaskan communities rely on Salmon exports for economic success.  In Cordova, Alaska, over 50% of local residents work in the fishing industry.  Thanks to air travel, the fish can end up in markets less than 24 hours after being pulled from the water.

Managing director of cargo for the airline, Torque Zubeck, said the following:  “ Alaska Air Cargo has been a partner of the Alaska seafood industry.  Now more than ever we provide a critical service that directly impacts the economic vitality of the region.  In Cordova alone, more than half of residents are directly involved in the fishing industry or related business.”

Chef Douglas will feature the salmon donated by seafood processors and Copper River Marketing Association to create over 200 meals for Seattle-area medical professionals.  Alaska Airlines will send pilots, flight attendants, and management employees to be part of the efforts after carrying the fish on its planes.

Source: Alaska Airlines/Picture Alaska Airlines

                      OTHER NOTEWORTHY NEWS

            The Planes in Spain Parked Neatly on the Plain

Dozens of passenger aircraft belonging to European carriers stand idled in neat lines in what has become a giant airplane parking lot amid the flat farmlands of eastern Spain.

Teruel Airport specializes in the storage and maintenance of aircraft, and business has boomed since coronaviris lockdowns globally forced airlines across Europe to ground fleets for several weeks.  There is no end in sight for many.

Planes showing the markings of commercial airlines including: British Airways, Lufthansa and Air France stand parked, buffeted by spring wind blowing across the plain.

“Teruel’s climate is dry-semi-desert with more than 250 days of sun per year,” said airport manager Alejandro Ibrahim.

“Also there is very little air traffic congestion which makes it the ideal place for plane preservation and maintenance.”

The airport currently hosts 95 wide-body aircraft, including eight of the world’s largest passenger airliners-the Airbus A380.  The number of planes arriving per week to be parked in the airport has doubled since the start of the pandemic.  The airport, owned by the local government, has not increased its rates since the beginning of the crisis, Ibrahim said.

The sudden stop to air travel has led airlines struggling to find space to store their planes. In Europe, some airlines have grounded their entire fleets and are storing their aircraft by parking them in airports, including on now-unused runways.

Source: Reuters/Picture spainsnews.com

                         

 

 

 Researched and Compiled by : 

Ed Kaplanian    Commercial Aviation Advisor  

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

Editor:   Lee Kaplanian  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by

Volume 5 Issue 8 The Kaplanian Report

ON THE BOEING FRONT

Boeing Creates One-Stop Shop for Jets and Services in Airbus Battle

Boeing has reorganized its sales operations as part of a push into services that has helped it take a lead over rival jet maker Airbus this year.

Boeing set up a standalone division in 2017 to build a $50 billion business in services for the civil and defense aircraft. These can include repairs, crew rostering, parts and even wind forecasts. It previously offered fewer, more dispersed services.

Now sales of jetliner services have been brought under the same umbrella as plane sales, headed by senior vice president Ihssane Mounir, Boeing Co’s overall commercial sales chief.

The previously unreported move, which started late last year designed to increase the number of deals and boost profits as it will make it easier for Boeing to sell high-margin services at the same time as it sells planes. The change comes as airlines try to keep a lid on costs by planning jet purchases and long-term operations together.

“We approach the campaigns in a much more comprehensive way than we have ever done before” said Mounir, whose role was expanded to include responsibility for jetliner-related services across the group.

Though Mounir will oversee certain services sales, income will still be reported under the Boeing Global Services unit.

Boeing has sharpened its sales offensive by deploying both Mounir and Commercial Airplanes CEO Kevin McAllister, a former General Electric steeped in analytics.

Source : Reuters/Boeing

Boeing to Take 80% in Embraer’s Commercial Business

Following months of negotiations, Boeing and Embraer have signed an MOU to set up a joint venture(JV) comprising Embaer’s commercial aircraft and services business.

The non-binding agreement, announced July 5, sees Boeing to take 80% stake in Embraer’s commercial operations, while Embraer will control the remaining 20%. Management of the new company will be based in Brazil and will be led by a president and CEO who will report to Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg.

Boeing will “have operational and management control of the new company,” it said.

The companies expect the transaction to close by the end of 2019 following all shareholder and regulatory approvals, including support by the Brazilian government.

The proposed transaction values Embraer’s commercial aircraft business at $4.75 billion, Boeing therefore pays $3.8 billion for the 80% stake. Financial and operational details and a definitive agreement still need to be worked out ”in the coming months.”

Separately, the two companies announced they will also cooperate in developing new markets and applications for defense products, most notably, the K-390 military transport aircraft. For these activities, another JV will be set up.

Source : Boeing/Picture Boeing-Embraer        

           

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

  Airbus Completes Takeover of Bombardier Series Program

Airbus and Bombardier confirmed the transaction transferring majority control of the Series program to Airbus was completed as scheduled on July 1.

Under the terms of the agreement reached in October 2017, Airbus now owns a 50.01% stake in the Series Aircraft Limited Partnership(CSALP), Investissement Quebec owns approximately 34% and Bombardier holds 16%.

CSALP’s head office and primary Series final assembly line will remain based in Mirabel, Canada. Philippe Balducchi, who formerly was Airbus Commercial Aircraft’s performance management chief, has taken over as the head of CSALP.

The 110-150-seat narrow body aircraft, which is available in two variants (the CS100 and CS300), will immediately become part of Airbus’ portfolio.

Bombardier has indicated its primary focus will return to the regional aircraft market and its CRJ and Q400 programs.

Source : ATW/Airbus/Airbus Picture

              

                          Airbus BelugaXL rolled out of Paint Shop

Airbus has painted its first BelugaXL freighter in a distinctive beluga livery chosen by its employees.

The initial aircraft—formally designated the A330-700L—registration number WBXL. It is one of five BelugaXLs, fitted with Rolls-Royce Trent 700 power plants, which will be manufactured to replace the A300-600 ST Beluga fleet.

The First aircraft is due to commence flight-testing this summer. Airbus will introduce the BelugaXL to service with its logistics and specialized transport arm next year. The aircraft will be capable of carrying two A350 wings simultaneously.

Source : Airbus/Airbus Picture

                   

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

                Textron is Halting Production of the Cessna CitationX+

Textron Aviation calls time on Citation X after a 22-year run. The announcement follows several years of low delivery output for the Rolls-Royce AE 3007C-powered all-metal aircraft—the fastest business jet on the market with top speed of Mach 0.935.

It will be replaced by the slower but larger cabin Longitude as Cessna’s only super-midsize offering. Certification and service entry of the 10-seat twin are scheduled for this quarter.

Textron Aviation does not disclose when the final CitationX+ will roll off the production line, however, the Wichita headquartered airframer says it “continuously monitors the market as it fluctuates and adjusts its product offerings and adjusts its product offerings as necessary”.

Flight Fleets Analyzer records annual deliveries of eight examples of CitationX+ in 2015 and four each in 2016 and 2017—significantly down on the model’s 2000 peak of 37 units.

The Company says the Citation X “has become a beloved aircraft by operators and passengers alike,” with 338 examples delivered globally: 314 of the X and 24 of the X+ model.

Source : Flightglobal/Picture Textron Aviation                                                                                                  

               Pilatus PC-24 Begins Rough-Field Certification Tests

Pilatus Aircraft’s PC-24 made its first landing on an unpaved runway on June 19, following the arrival of flight-test aircraft P01 at Woodbridge airfield in the UK for a two week program of rough-field approval testing.

The PC-24 is designed to take off from and land on runways of only 2,810ft (856m), including grass and gravel strips. This feature gives the aircraft access to cover 20,000 landing sites around the globe.

“This sort of mission would not be conceivable without the PC-24’s rugged landing gear, clever flap systems and special wing design,” says Pilatus chairman Oscar Schwenk.” The PC-24 was designed with exactly this sort of operation in mind.”

The Swiss airframes sold 84 positions within36h of the order book opening in 2014.A second order round is planned for 2019.

Source : Pilatus/Picture Pilatus Aircraft               

                                                 

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

                           Emirates and Flydubai Edge Closer Together   

Dubai-based LCC flydubai has deepened its partnership agreement with local full-service carrier Emirates Airlines by adopting the Emirates Skywards product as its loyalty program.

The LCC said this “strategic move builds on the success of the initial phase of the extensive partnership.”

The agreement. announced in July last year, incorporates codesharing, but also includes several initiatives spanning the commercial, network planning and airport operations fields.

Under the adoption of Emirates’ loyalty program, members of flydubai’s OPEN loyalty program will be enrolled into Emirates Skywards from Aug. 1.  They will accumulate Skywards Miles and tier points when traveling with either airline. 

Source : ATW/ Picture Emirates

          Norwegian Installs New Slimline Seats on Its Boeing 737 MAXs

LCC Norwegian has introduced its first Boeing 737 MAX with a cabin featuring new slimline seats that the airline says are designed for more comfort on longer routes and will give taller passengers more personal space.

Norwegian is installing the new Recaro BL3710C seat on its latest aircraft. The leather seats have 30in seat pitch and are 16.8in wide. The airline says that the new seats are designed to add space at knee-level. Norwegian claims it is the first airline to install the new seat.

Norwegian has more than 100 Boeing 737 MAX on order and will take delivery of 12 this year.

Each seat weighs around 10kg-1kg (2.2lbs-0.45 lbs) less than the seats they replace, which reduces the weight of the aircraft by more than 200kg(440lbs) overall, improving fuel burn.

Source : Norwegian/PictureNorwegian                                                                                                  

Grounded COMAC C919 Test Aircraft Fly Again After Modifications

The first two Commercial Aircraft Corp.of China (COMAC) C919 flight test aircraft returned to the air on June 22 after weeks on the ground for what industry sources described as modifications.

The development program for the narrow body airliner is proceeding according to plan, COMAC said when announcing the latest flights. ”Developmental test flights, static tests, and on ground, post-sortie onboard tests and optimization are being carried out inane orderly manner,” the state manufacturer said.

The first prototype, unit 101, is at Xian, a northwestern city where program supplier Aviation Corp.of China (AVIC) has a flight-test base; the aircraft flew for 3hr.10 min. on June 22.Aircraft 102 is at Shanghai, the location of the program’s final assembly plant; its latest flight lasted 1 hr.34.min.

Unit 101 has been modified on the ground and undergone strength calibration, COMAC said, without referring to the duration of the period of non-flying. Work also included modification and calibration of the water ballast system used in flight testing. For Unit 102,COMAC said such tasks as checks on stability control have been completed. That aircraft will shortly move to COMAC’s test base at Dongying, in the eastern province of Shangdong.

COMAC said it is trying to make the first C919 delivery in 2021, following achievement of airworthiness certification in 2020.

Source : ATW/Picture COMAC

 

  LATEST NEWS

  • Ethiopian Airlines has taken delivery of its first of 30 Boeing 737 Max aircraft on July 1.

  • Iberia took delivery of its first A350-900 incorporating a “wing-Twist”. The wing twist was originally introduced on the A350-1000 and will become standard on all A350s.

  • Aegean Airlines has firmed up an order for 30 Airbus A320neo covering 10 A321neos and 20 A320neos.
  • GOL of Brazil has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max 8 which was financed under a sale-and leaseback with DAE Capital that it finalized in early 2017.The deal also covers four more Max deliveries this year.
  • Jet Airways has disclosed that it is purchasing 75 additional Boeing 737 Max jets. The airline has already taken delivery of its first of 150 737 Max airplanes Jet has on order with Boeing.
  • HNA Group of China has signaled its intention to add 200 Comac C919s and 100 ARJ21s regional jets to its group fleet under a commercial pact struck with COMAC.
  • Bamboo Airways proposed Vietnamese startup airline has booted its fleet plans with a major commitment for 20 Boeing 787-9s, with deliveries tentatively set to occur in April 2020.

  • Bahamasair has agreed to purchase a Boeing 737-700 from AerCap with delivery of the aircraft expected in December of this year.
  • WestJet ULCC subsidiary Swoop took to the skies on June 20 with an inaugural flight from Hamilton to Abbotsford, marking the next major development in what is an expanding Canadian Low-cost airline scene.
  • Okay  Airways has taken delivery of the first of 10 Boeing 737 Max 8s it has on firm order.
  • Sources : Boeing, Flight international, Air Transport World & Ed’s Research

 

AIR CARGO

                     AirBridgeCargo Adds Budapest Freighter Call

AirBrigeCargo (ABC) Airlines has added a twice-weekly call at Budapest airport to its schedule as it looks to continue growing Asia-Europe volumes.

The new service will deploy Boeing 747 fighters and will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays offering 139 tons of capacity on each flight.

Sergey Lazarev, general director, AirBrigeCargo said: ”Budapest has been expanding at a fast clip, upgrading its facilities, infrastructure, and solutions for freighter carriers and following a cargo-friendly strategy”.

“Its advantageous central location in Europe makes Budapest Airport a perfect location for carriers operating between Asia and Europe. On top of this, we foresee an upsurge of e-commerce traffic with swelling demand for internet purchases among European consumers.”

Budapest Airport chef executive Jost Lammers said: “From next year on our cargo partners in Budapest can operate from our brand new Cargo City which will provide 20,000 square meters(21,528 square feet) of warehouse space, including for AirBridgeCargo staff.”

Source : aircargonews/Picture AirBridgeCargo

    

        Boeing, FedEx Express Announce Order for 24 Freighters

On June 19,2018 Boeing and FedEx Express announced a new order for 12 767-300ERF Freighters and 12 777-200LRF freighters as the world’s largest air cargo carrier continues to invest in the industry’s most capable freighters to better serve its customers.

“We are taking another positive step in our fleet modernization program as we add more efficient, lower emission aircraft to our global fleet,” said David L. Cunningham, President and CEO of FedEx Express. ”The Boeing 767 and 777 Freighters have brought greater efficiency and reliability to our air  operations. The 777, with its tremendous range characteristics, has allowed us to provide faster transit times around the globe. We are excited to add more of these aircraft to our fleet.”

Source : Boeing/FedEx/Picture Boeing

 

MAINTENANCE, REPAIR & OVERHAUL

                                   AFI KLM E&M Adds LEAP Capabilities                                                                            

Franco-Dutch maintenance provider AFI KLM E&M has received FAA approval to provide on-wing and on-site services for CFM LEAP engines. The scope of that work may include engine build-ups, borescope inspections, or changing line replaceable units.

“AFI KLM E&M is now approved to offer its services to all operators of the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines equipping the A320neo and the Boeing 737 MAX worldwide,” says Anne Brachet, EVP of the MRO provider.

AFI KLM E&M already has similar approval from EASA and while that certificate is more relevant given the company’s far bigger line maintenance presence in Europe than the US, the FAA award is further demonstration of its commitment to new technology engine maintenance.

Motivation for this comes from the current wave of overhaul demand stemming from the LEAP’s predecessor, the CFM56-5B/7B, which was a key element of AFI KLM E&M’s sales last year. LEAP overhauls will only occur from 2019 onwards and it will take significantly loner for LEAP maintenance demand to overtake that of the CFM56, but in the meantime, there will be plenty of lighter maintenance work.

“We’re establishing capabilities first and foremost inner own shops, on the GE side and the Safran side, but also, when customers are interested, we are working with third-part MRO providers,” CFM’s Alan Kelly told Engine Yearbook 2018.

Source : mro-network         

               

          HIGHLIGHTS FROM FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW                                

   Farnborough Rolls Out Stealth Orders For Commercial Airliners

Airbus was dominant in capturing single aisle orders for their A320 and A321 and the new A220 airliners, Boeing did not do so bad on their MAX line up either.

Boeing, on the other had, was dominant in capturing both the twin aisle and the cargo  market.  The 777-200LRF captured orders from DHL, Cargo Logic and Qatar.            The so-called dead 747-8 Freighter continues to stay alive.

In the recent Farnborough air show order tracker generated by Flightglobal, the following are the totals:

Order Commitments: thru July 19th   1,263

Options :                                                   201

Total :                                                     1,464

Of the total orders commitments announced during the air show, 1,263 order commitments, plus 201 options.  In summary, Boeing said on Thursday July 19th, it had won 528 new orders and commitments at the show, buoyed by demand for freighters as air cargo markets rebound.

Airbus said it had won 431 new orders and commitments, including 60 for its newly rebranded A220, former Bombardier Series.

Not covered much during the show are the deals Boeing Global Services and Boeing subsidiary Aviall announced during the show.  Overall a successful show, the opinion of this writer.

Source : Boeing/ Flightglobal

 

                      Boeing’s Brand Value Soars in Latest Survey

Prior to the opening of the Farnborough Air Show, It was announced that Boeing is the most powerful brand in aerospace and defense.  That claim hardly was surprising, given that it is also the biggest company.  In fact, according to a new survey by brand valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance, the top 10 most valuable brands in the industry belong to 10 of the largest businesses by turnovers ranked by Flight Global’s Top 100.

However, what is revealing is that Brand Finance reckons Boeing’s brand is worth just short of $20 billion; more than $3.5 billion more than it was valued at in 2017, and almost $9 billion than arch-rival Airbus.

The increase in Boeing’s brand equity is down to several factors says Brand Finance consultancy.  These include that it passed the 1,000-order mark with the 787; commenced production of the 777X, and just as the report was being published, announced its new venture with Embraer on commercial aircraft.

 

Source : Flightglobal/Brand Finance Consultancy.

Researched and Compiled by :

Ed Kaplanian    Commercial Aviation Advisor 

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

Editor:   Lee Kaplanian 

by

June 2017 The Kaplanian Report

ON THE BOEING FRONT

 Boeing Elaborates on 777-9 Design Details 

Boeing has published further preliminary details of the 777-9’s configuration, three years ahead of entry into service. It shows a slightly lower aircraft with an interior re-sculpted to carve out a precious 10.2cm (4in) of internal diameter.

A 79-page document posted on Boeing’s website offers the first detailed update on the larger 777X variant’s dimensions since a brochure version appeared in 2015.

Boeing released both documents to help airport managers prepare for the arrival of the stretched wide body with its extended wingspan.

Compared with the previous iteration, the update shows the 777-9’s designers have made a few minor tweaks.  For example, the height of the vertical tail above the runway is about 17 cm (6.6 in) shorter,while it remains nearly 1m (3.3 ft) taller than the height of the 777-300ER.

The most critical dimensions for the 777-9 remain unchanged, with a 2.9m (9.5 ft) longer fuselage and 7m (22.9 ft) wider unfolded wingspan compared to the 777-300ER.

The folded wingspan of the 777-9 measures 64.82m (212.7 ft), about 2,54cm (0,083 in), wider than the 777-300 ER. Boeing also has

worked to make the 777-9 more comfortable with a standard 10-abreast layout in economy class.

The 777-9 shares an external fuselage cross-section with the 777-300ER, but the internal sidewalls have been carved out by about 10.2cm (4.0in).

Boeing now lists the 777-9’s standard two-class cabin as accommodating 414 passengers, with a three-class cabin holding 349 seats.

Source : Boeing/BoeingPicture

 

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

                        A330 First Flight Likely to Slip to September

Airbus will now perform the first flight of its A330neo “at the end of the summer”’, a significant delay over its previous timeline for the re-engined aircraft.  Speaking at an event in Toulouse, Airbus executive vice-president for programs Didier Evrard confirmed the slippage.

The initial Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engine has successfully completed tests, he says: “We will install it during the summer and fly at the end of the summer.”

The maiden flight, he says, would likely take place around September rather than August, due to the lengthy summer break in France.

In the meantime, lessor SMBC Aviation Capital has ruled out interest in the Airbus A330neo. Instead they are focusing its energies on securing more sale-and-leaseback deals for the A350.

Although leaving the door open for the re-engined wide body, SMBC chief executive Peter Barrett says at the moment “it is not something we have considered”.

Source : Airbus/Flightglobal

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

Fourth MRJ Arrives in US; Mitsubishi                                Evaluating Flight Test Program

A fourth Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. MRJ90 flight test aircraft has arrived at Moses Lake, Washington.  The aircraft, which departed Nagoya, Japan, March 13, arrived April 1 at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake. It made stops in Guam, the Marshall Islands, Honolulu and San Jose, California.

The total flight distance flown from Japan was approximately 14,000 km (8,700 miles) and total time was 19 hr and 48 min.

The latest aircraft to arrive in Moses Lake was the last that had been designated to participate in US-based MRJ flight testing.  A fifth MRJ90 flight test aircraft is remaining in Japan, though the majority of flight testing is slated to occur in the US.

Source : ATW/Mitsubishi Aircraft

 

   Dutch to Replace Royal Transport with 737 BBJ

The Dutch transport minister has announced the purchase of a Boeing 737 business jet to replace the current Fokker 70 that is currently used to transport members of the nation’s Royal family and government officials.

Boeing will supply the airframe, while Fokker Technologies will provide the VIP interior.  The aircraft will have a capacity of 24 passengers: the same as the Fokker 70 in current use.  It will carry the registration PH-GOV.

The preliminary agreement has been signed and final contract was finalized in April. The purchase price is estimated at $98.7 million and anticipated delivery is in 2019.

One of the requirements for the new aircraft is that it should be able to reach parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands non-stop, including the Dutch Antilles in the Caribbean.

Four responses were received following the release of a public tender last year, but none met all criteria leading the Netherlands to enter negotiations with Boeing over a BBJ acquisition.

One of the pilots for the new VIP transport will be King Willem-Alexander, who also has flown the Fokker 70. He will commence type rating training on the 737 this year.

Source : Flightglobal

 

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

Gulf Air on Track for the First 787-9 Delivery

Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier, is gearing up for the arrival of the airline’s first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.  It will be delivered in April 2018 and will operate the airline’s long haul routes, gradually replacing its Airbus A330s.

A total of 5 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners will have entered Gulf Air’s fleet by the end of 2018, with an additional 2 aircraft arriving in 2019 and 3 arriving in 2020.

Gulf Air’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners will offer 282 seats in a two-class configuration, with 26 Falcon Gild Class seats and 256 Economy Class seats.

“The 787 customer base is growing, not just globally, but in the Middle East as well with airlines such as Gulf Air taking delivery of the Dreamliner,” said Marty Bentrott,Vice President- Sales, the Middle East, Turkey, Russia and Central Asia.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes, ”We are confident that the 787-9 will help Gulf Air achieve a new level of efficiency and profitability, plus will contribute to their future growth and success.”

Source : Bizbahrain

WestJet to Purchase Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners

On May 2, WestJet announced a definitive purchase agreement with The Boeing Company for up to 20 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. This agreement includes commitments for 10 Boeing 787-9 aircraft to be delivered between the first quarter of 2019 and December 2021; with options for an additional 10 aircraft to be delivered between 2020 and 2024.  The airline also announced it has selected General Electric’s GEnx-1B engine for the 787.

“We welcome WestJet to the Dreamliner family and look forward to the new destinations they will serve,” said Ray Conner, Vice Chairman of The Boeing Company. “WestJet, for its entire 21-year history, has been a loyal all-Boeing jet customer and we’re excited to see them expand their fleet with the 787.”

As part of the purchase agreement, WestJet is converting 15 firm orders for the Boeing 737 MAX that were to be delivered between 2019 and 2021 to options available between 2022 and 2024.

Source : WestJet

Oman Air Plans Major Aircraft Order                                         Even as Break-Even is Delayed

Oman Air Transport plans to move ahead with a multi-billion order for wide body jets early next year, even though it won’t now break even in 2017. The low oil prices curbs growth in the Persian Gulf.

The Carrier is now aiming to end losses by the end of next year, contingent on demand not deteriorating further, Chief Executive Officer Paul Gregorowitsch said in an interview on May 2.  While the Mideast carrier will also delay plans to expand to a 70 aircraft and 75 destinations to 2023, from 2020, it still plans to order 15 new wide body jets needed to replace older planes and add capacity, he said.

Further discussions will be held with manufacturers and leasing firms as Oman Air seeks to agree to terms to take either the Airbus A350 or the Boeing 787-9.

The 787 model has a slight advantage because the carrier already operates six Dreamliners, with the tally set to increase to 10 in 2018.

Oman Air will also go ahead with deliveries of the 20 Boeing 737 Max planes it has on order  as it leases out some of its current marrow body fleet to better Match seats to demand.

While the carrier is continuing to operate 10 Airbus A330s, which form the core of its wide body operations, those planes will be retired to make way for the new aircraft. Gregorowitsch said.  The upgraded A330neo isn’t of interest.

Source : Bloomberg

 

LATEST NEWS

  • Hawaiian Airlines has launched a companywide rebranding under which it will update its logos and repaint its fleet over the next several years.
  • Rossiya, the Russian carrier has unveiled a Boeing 777-300 with a specialized paint scheme, intended to draw attention to conservation of rare wildlife, including big cats.

  • Delta Air Lines added 10 Boeing 737-900ERs to its order book during the first quarter, bringing its total orders for the type to 130 aircraft.
  • Embraer delivered its 1,100th business jet on May 4. The milestone aircraft is the industry’s best selling Phenom 300, the customer is Net Jets.

  • Boeing has selected Ipeco to design and manufacture a High Comport Attendant Seat for the next generation 777X airplane.  This follows on from a contract awarded last year for the pilot and observer seating for the same aircraft.
  • UPS Airlines is adding its first used Boeing 767-300 freighters to its fleet, with expected entry into service in 2018.
  • SMBC Aviation Capital has placed a direct order from Boeing for three 737-800s, bringing its total owned, managed and committed portfolio for 737-800s to 198.
  • Avolon delivered one Airbus A320-200 aircraft to Batik Air.  This is the sixth Avolon aircraft on lease to Batik Air.
  • Asiana Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-900, which is on lease from Dublin based SMBC Aviation Capital.  The aircraft, part of a six A350 sale-and-leaseback deal is the first of the type to be operated by a Korean Airline.

  • Primera Air Scandinavian leisure carrier has placed an order for eight 737 MAX 9s, has taken purchase rights on four more.  They will lease another eight from US lessor Air Lease Corp.

 

AIR CARGO

        One of the Last Airworthy Boeing 747-200s                      Flies into Retirement

A Kalitta Air Boeing 747-200 delivers a soft puff of white smoke as the jet completes its second-to-last landing ever on Thursday April 20 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.  On Friday, April 21st, the jet and its crew shuttled the airplane back to Kalitta Air’s home base in Michigan, where the airplane was retired for good by the cargo carrier.

In a time when the iconic jetliner has been disappearing from fleets across the globe at an astounding rate, another 747 biting the dust may not seem particularly remarkable.  Yet this particular airplane stands out among the crowd: It’s one of the last airworthy 747-200s in commercial service. There are two others still in use as Air Force One.

“I tell ya, this is a nice airplane.It’s old school,” Captain Scott Jaykl says during a post-landing interview aboard the aircraft. “It’s a pilot’s airplane,” Jaykl says from the plane’s antiquated flight deck. ”You have manual control over everything.”

Built in 1987, Captain Jaykl’s jet was among the last “-200“ variants of the 747 to come off the assembly line.  The model was then replaced by the updated 747-400 in 1989, and the -200 variant, which debuted in 1971, ended production completely a few years later.

This specific aircraft was originally bought by United Airlines, converted to a freighter for Northwest Airlines in 2000, then transitioned to Kalitta and added to its fleet in 2010 according to public records.

Source : USA Today/Ed’s Research/Picture

 

 Cargolux And Emirates SkyCargo Ink                                                  a Memorandum of Understanding

Luxembourg all-freight operator, Cargolux and Dubai-based Emirates SkyCargo, have signed a memorandum of Understanding (MOU), paving the way for strategic cargo partnership

The partners said the agreement, which was signed at the Air Cargo Europe event in Munich, is the first of its kind in the air cargo industry between a mainline airline and a specialized freighter operator.

Under the cooperation, Emirates SkyCargo will use Cargolux’s nose-loading 747 freighters for heavy and outsized cargo, complementing its own fleet of 13 777Fs and two 747-400ERFs.  The two carriers will also further develop block space and interline agreements on each other’s network.

Emirates SkyCargo will launch flight operations to Luxembourg from this month, while Cargolux will step up its Dubai World Central frequencies to 3X-weekly. Both airlines’ cargo will be handled at the same facility in Luxembourg, Cargolux will be handled by Emirates SkyCargo at Dubai World Central.

Cargolux operates 14 747-8Fs and 12 747-400Fs, covering 90 destinations. ( five and a half years after the first GEnx powered 747-8F went into service.  Cargolux has become the first operator to fly 1 million operating hours with the new engine type so far, the carrier has experienced no engine-caused in-flight shutdown of a GEnx since its entry into service.) Ed

Source:  ATW

 

 Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul News

Lessors Welcome New Engine Entrants

With next generation engine types, the CFM LEAP and the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan having a combined order backlog of nearly 20,000 units, engine lessors are anticipating greater numbers being brought into their portfolios over the next decade.

In a six person panel discussing the engine leasing market at Aviation Week Network’s Engine Leasing,Trading & Finance in London on May 10, lessors foresee opportunities around both the LEAP and the GTF.  While Pat Laffan, SVP structured finance at GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), says the company will focus on GE and CFM engine types in future; primarily in the sale and leaseback market.  They would also consider looking at other engine types should the returns be beneficial.

Julie Dickerson, managing director of Ireland-based Shannon Engine Support, a firm which doesn’t chase sale and leaseback deals, expects a greater focus on early year LEAP engines along with continuing with mature CFM56 types.

The widebody engine market also conjured up some interesting perspectives.  Having found success with sales and aftermarket coverage with the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine, Bobby Janagan, vice president and general manager at Rolls-Royce and Partners Finance, conceded associated costs with the engine type could be high. Nevertheless they were similar to those of another wide body engine type, the GE90.

Speaking from the perspective of an independent lessor on the XWB, Dan Coulcher, SVP & chief commercial officer at Willis Lease Finance Corporation, pondered if there would be a competitive aftermarket for the engine type powering the Airbus A350, which has been in service since 2015. He also says entry-into-service challenges around Pratt’s GTF are a concern for would be investors, due to questions over changes to bills of materials on the engine.

Source : MRO Network

                          MRO LATEST NEWS 

  • OEMServices has a 15-year Asiana Airlines contract to provide Airbus350-900 component support.
  • AFI KLM E&M extended component support deal with Malaysia Airlines for 54 Boeing 737NGs.
  • FL Technics signed a contract with Russia’s Nordavia to provide CAMO services for its Boeing 737CL aircraft.
  • Epcor was selected by Kenya Airways for APU support for Boeing 737NGs, 787s and Embraer E190s.
  • Airbus has a UPS contract to upgrade 52 Airbus A300-600Fs with new Honeywell avionics.
  • AerFIn agreed to acquire 15 Embraer E170s, plus spares inventory, from Saudia.

 

Researched and Compiled by : Ed Kaplanian

Commercial Aviation Advisor

Contact – ed@kaplanianreport.com

by

Volume 3 Issue 7 July 2016

ON THE BOEING FRONT

Boeing Selects iPad-Like Touch Screens For 777X Flight Deck

Future Boeing 777X airline pilots will be able to interact with their flight information displays in the same way that they use their smart phones and tablets.

Boeing has decided to integrate a multi-touch interface on the flight deck of the re-engineer wide body due to enter service in 2020, replacing a touch-pad based cursor control device (CCDs) mounted on the aisle-stand of the original 777, says Bob Feldmann, vice president and general manager of the 777X program.

The decision was made so recently that Boeing is not yet able to announce the supplier, as the contract had not been signed as of mid June, Feldmann says.

The new technology will be integrated as Boeing transitions from a standard layout of six displays in the 777 cockpit to the 787’s five display format in the 777X.  ”We think we are the first Commercial airplane to really make something that is like all our customers are used to doing in their daily lives,” Feldmann says.

In discussions with our 777X customers, Boeing received a clear preference for making the transition to multi-touch screens, Feldmann says.

The next milestone for the 777-9 development program is a critical design review scheduled earlier next year.  Production of the first test aircraft is expected to begin next June, with first flight following in 2018.

Cockpit touch screens are one of several key technologies Boeing is developing for the 777X.  The most visible innovation on the 777X is perhaps Boeing’s plan to integrate folding wingtips, a feature normally found on fighters based on space constrained aircraft carriers.

Source : Flightglobal/Boeing

                 

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

Airbus Starting A330neo Final Assembly in October

Airbus is working through some high profile issues with the introduction of the A350 and the A320neo to market, but surely wishes those programs were low-profile as the A330neo.  The reengineer A330 program, is progressing more quietly and without major problems that have kept Airbus in the news.

The A330-900, the first reengineer version of the family, is due to enter service by the end of 2017, followed by the smaller -800 a year later.  Airbus hopes the program’s lower costs – combined with the fuel burn reduction the new engines are expected to provide and the new cabin designed to align it with the larger A350’s interior – will be sufficient to counter the Boeing 787.

Airbus is well on the way to producing the A330neo subassemblies. The first wing is essentially completed in the Broughton, England facility with only the sharklets missing, and the second is close behind.  Along with engines and the new cabin, the wing has seen the most modifications of the major components. At 64 m(210 ft), the A330neo wingspan has grown by 4 m (13.1 ft) over the the A330ceo’s and has been structurally reinforced to accommodate the Neo’s heavier engines. The wing-to-body-juncture also has been redesigned.

In parallel, the first A330neo nose section is completed at the Saint-Nazaire plant in France.  Airbus has a total of 186 orders for the two versions of the A330neo,10 for the A330-800 and the rest for the larger -900.  Hawaiian Airlines has ordered 6 -800s and 4 for TransAsia Airways

Source : China Aviation Daily/Airbus Photo

  

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

 Mitsubishi Starts Final Assembly of First Delivery Jet

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is set to begin final assembly of the first customer aircraft for the MRJ regional jet program, with various sections of the fuselage having been delivered to the MRJ final assembly hanger.In a newsletter, Mitsubishi Aircraft says it will work through the final assembly process, with an eye on delivery to launch customer All Nippon Airways in mid 2018. The Japanese airframe also gave an update of the MRJ flight tests, which are ongoing using two test aircraft.  It says valid results have been obtained from FTA-2, which started flying on May 31st, including the confirmation of emergency response measures – such as flying with one  engine, activation of emergency power units and stall tests.

Various tests are also being carried out as the program prepares for ferry flight to Moses  Lake, Washington State, this summer.

These include the expansion of its flight envelop to it’s design specifications of a maximum speed of Mach 0.78 and a maximum altitude of 39,000 ft, conducting instrument flights,plus checking on terrain awareness, warning system and collision avoidance system.

Its Moses Lake Flight Test Center meanwhile has been conducting flights using a small aircraft, rehearsing for the test missions ahead.

Mitsubishi adds that preparations are underway for FTA-3 and FTA-4 to take their first flights this summer.

Source : Flightglobal/Photo/Mitsubishi Aircraft

                                                                       

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

 First CSeries Aircraft is Delivered to SWISS

Bombardier delivered the first CSeries aircraft to Lufthansa subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines(SWISS), at ceremonies in Montreal on June 29th.

The delivery marks an important milestone in an aircraft program beset with technical problems, delays and difficulty securing customers.  Swiss originally ordered 20 CS100 and 10 CS300s, plus 30 options, but then converted five 100s to the 300 variant.

The handover should begin a process in which SWISS will receive nine aircraft by year end, taking one aircraft per month this month, August and September.  After that, deliveries will increase to two aircraft per month.  The first aircraft will enter service this month.

On June 23, Bombardier signed a definitive agreement with the Quebec government for $1billion investment in the CSeries program.  The assets, liabilities and obligations of the program have been transferred to the CSeries Aircraft Limited Partnership(CSALP) of which 50.5% is owned by Bombardier and 49.5% by the provincial government through Investment  Quebec.

The money will be used for cash-flow purposes, representing half of the $2 billion Bombardier says is required to take the CSeries program to cash-flow positive production in 2020.

The $2 billion includes funds to cover losses on discounted sales to marquee customers, including Air Canada and Delta Air Lines deals which Bombardier will record a $500 billion this quarter to cover “onerous contract provisions.”

The Canadian federal government, meanwhile, confirmed it is continuing negotiations with Bombardier about investing in the CSeries partnership.

Source : ATW/Bombardier Photo

 Pratt & Whitney to Invest $65m in Georgia GTF Maintenance Site              

Pratt & Whitney will invest $65 million in maintenance site near Columbus, Georgia, where the company maintains and overhauls PW 1000G geared turbofans (GTFs).  The investment, which comes as the company embarks on massive GTF production ramp up, will help P&W ensure it has infrastructure in place to meet increasing maintenance demand, P&W said in a media release.

Also, later this year the company expects construction will begin on an additional engine test facility at the site in Columbus, which is about 90 miles(145km) south of Atlanta, P&W says.

The company has orders for more than 7,100 GTFs, executives have said.  P&W will manufacture about 200 of the engines this year, but the company forecasts production will hit 400 in 2017, 600 in 2018 and 1,200 annually by 2020, executives have said.

The Columbus maintenance site is also where P&w is modifying a number of in-service PW 1100Gs to address a slow-engine-start issue, P&W aftermarket president Matthew Bromberg has told Flightglobal.

Source : Flightglobal/P&W

Air Lease Corp. Names New CEO;  Udvar-Hazy to Be Executive Chairman

Air Lease Corp.(ALC) has appointed John Plueger as president and CEO, effective July 1, as current CEO Steven Udvar-Hazy assumes the role of Executive chairman of the board, a full-time officer role.

Steve Udvar-Hazy started ALC in February 2010, the company owns and manages 268 young and in-demand jet aircraft on lease to 88 airline customers around the world.  It has an order book of 386 new jet aircraft to be delivered from Airbus and Boeing through 2023.

Plueger joined ALC as president, COO and board member in March 2010, shortly after the company was formed.  Plueger has more than 30 years of aviation experience, 24 of which were with International Lease Finance Corp.

Udar-Hazy said, ”John and I have worked together for over 30 years and I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished in six short years at ALC.  I look forward to continuing to partner with John in my new role”.

Source : ATW

                 

LATEST NEWS

  • Emirates  took delivery of its 80th A380 to join the Emirates the A380 fleet and the airline has another 62 on order including 21 to be delivered this year.
  • Gulfstream  G500 business jet program has reached another milestone with the completion of the ultimate load testing on June 16.
  • Irkut Corporation Russian aircraft manufacturer rolled out its MC-21-300 on June 8 at its factory in Irkutsk.
  • Chengdu Airline made its first commercial flight with China’s home grown ARJ21 on June 28 with 70 passengers on board.  Chengdu is the launch customer for the ARJ21.
  • Alaska Airlines took delivery of a 737-900 painted in a special livery to celebrated Boeing’s 100th Birthday.

  • Bombardier Commercial Aircraft has announced that an unidentified customer has signed a firm purchase order for 10 CRJ900 aircraft.  The agreement is valued at $472 million at list prices.
  • HNA Group (Hainan Airline mother company) will become the biggest customer of both Airbus and Boeing aircraft within the next 10 years.  Hainan Airlines welcomed its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on June 10.
  • Ethiopian Airlines took delivery of the first of 14 Airbus A350 XWBs on June 28, making it Africa’s first operator of the type.

  • Embraer E190-E2 has achieved first flight in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, earlier than expected.
  • Xiamen Airlines will be the sixth airlines to fly from Seattle to China using the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.  The three-times weekly service will connect to Xiamen, a city 360 miles to the northeast of Shenzhen.
  • Nile Air, Egyptian based carrier, began operations from Cairo to  Al Ain international airport in Abu Dhabi located on the Omani border.

AIR CARGO

 FedEx’s 270 Boeing Planes

Package delivery company, FedEx Corp, owned 582 airplanes at the end of May 2015 and leased another 65 for a total fleet of 647 planes.  Of the planes owned,241 were manufactured by the Boeing Company or by McDonnell Douglas prior to its merger with Boeing in1997.  Another 29 Boeing planes were leased, bringing FedEx’s total Boeing fleet to 270 planes.

The most popular Boeing aircraft in the FedEx fleet is now the 757-200, a dual-engine narrow body that Boeing configured as a cargo plane.  The plane can carry 63,000 pounds of cargo with maximum range of 3,625 miles.  The average age of these planes in FedEx fleet is nearly 25 years.  Boeing sold more than 1,000 of the planes and delivered the last new 757 in 2004.(it went to Shanghai Airlines in China)

Boeing had also supplied FedEx with 21 767-300 cargo freighters at the end of May 2015 (the end of the most recent fiscal year for which the company has produced an annual report).  FedEx ordered 50 more of the wide body planes last July with an option on 50 more.  At list price of $199.3 million per plane, the order was valued at nearly $20 billion.

Why buy an old design? it is simple to replace even older ones and reduce the variety of planes in FedEx’s fleet.  FedEx’s 767s average less than three years old.  The 767 is also more fuel efficient and shares many parts with the 757s in the fleet; plus it is a great aircraft.

Because Boeing is building the Air Force tanker, The KC-46A, on the 767 airframe, FedEx is assured of spare parts for at lease another 40 years, the expected life of the tanker.

Finally, FedEx reported 27 Boeing 777 freighters in its fleet at the end of November 2015, and in January the company said it had committed to another 16 at a list price of $318.7 per plane,for an order totaling more than $5 billion.

Source : 24/7 Wall St/ Boeing Photo/Ed’s Research.

 

  MILITARY NEWS

China’s New Y-20 Is the Largest Military Aircraft Currently in Production 

The Y-20 is China’s version of the C-17 Globemaster.  The first Xian Y-20 military transport aircraft was delivered to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) on June 15. Developed by Xian Aircraft Corporation, the Y-20 has an empty weight of 110 short tons, making it the largest military aircraft currently in production – larger than Russia’s Ilyushin Il-76.  Boeing’s C-17 Globemaster III is bigger than the Y-20, the C-17’s empty weight is about 60,000 pounds more than the Y-20.  Its payload capacity is 25,000 pounds more, but production stopped in 2015, making the Y-20 the biggest that currently rolling out of factories.

The Y-20 has the official codename “Kunpeng” after a mythical Chinese bird, though it is nicknamed “Chubby Girl” for its appearance.  The Y-20 is remarkably similar to the C-17.  Currently the Y-20 uses four Russian made Soloviev D-30 turbofan engines; however, plans are to replace the engines with Chinese-made Shenyang WS-20 turbofans by 2020 to give the plane short takeoff capabilities and a greater range.

Source : Popular Mechanics/AIN Online

 

 

Researched and Compiled by : Ed Kaplanian

Commercial Aviation Advisor

Contact – ed@kaplanianreport.com

by

Volume 2 Issue 10 The Kaplanian Report

ON THE BOEING FRONT

 The Venerable Boeing 767 Lives on as a Freighter

Boeing is planning to increase production of its wide-body 767 aircraft to 2.5 a month in 2017. The proposed plans come after American courier delivery major FedEx signed a $10 billion deal to purchase 50 additional 767-300F airliners in July.

Boeing currently produces the 767 at a monthly production rate of 1.5, which will be increased to two in early 2016.

gallery-full-05

Since 1981, the company has built passenger and freighter versions of the jet at its Everett assembly line. It was the second twin-aisle aircraft designed to accommodate up to 290 passengers and the second twin-aisle aircraft to be built at the Everett site after the 747.

A Boeing spokesman was quoted by The Wall Street Journal as saying: ”Increasing the production rate in 2017 provides flexibility needed to address additional commercial orders while meeting all our customer requirements.” According to reliable sources Boeing is negotiating with FedEx rival UPS for another large order and there is a Chinese express-cargo carrier considering a move into the wide-body market, with the 767 as a likely candidate.

In addition, Boeing is preparing to commence production of a modified version of the 767, which will serve as the future refueling tanker for the US Air Force (the KC-46) and had it first flight on September 25th, 2016.

Source : Aerospace-Technology/Ed’s Research/Photo Boeing

 

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT 

 Airbus Details Dimensions of A330-Based Beluga

Airbus’s new Beluga XL transport will be some 4.3 m (14.1ft) longer than the A330-200 on which the aircraft is based.

The Beluga XL, which will succeed the smaller A300-600ST within the airframe’s logistics fleet, has reached design freeze.

Airbus has disclosed that it will be 63.m (207 ft) in length while its wing span will remain  unchanged from the A330-200’s at 60.3m (97 ft)

The Aircraft’s next development stage will be the detailed design freeze.

Airbus says a review has shown that the Rolls-Royce Trent 700-powered jet is sufficiently “robust and mature” to move out of the concept phase. Final assembly is scheduled to begin in 2017.

The Beluga XL will be around 1.5m (4.9 ft) taller at fin than the A330 counterpart.

Airbus projects that it will have a maximum take-off weight of 227t compared with 155t for the current A300-600ST.

The XL, with an 8.8m-diameter fuselage, will be able to transport a maximum payload of 53t over a range of 2,200nm.   Airbus expects to put the Beluga XL, of which it will construct five, into service in 2019.

Source : Flightglobal

 

BUSINESS/REGIONAL NEWS

 Embraer Begins Assembling the First E190-E2

Two years after the launch of the program at the Air Show in Le Bourget, Paris, the first E-Jets E2 family, an E190-E2, is beginning to be assembled at the company’s factory in Sao Jose dos Campos.  Embraer has already received the first sub-assemblies from suppliers in several countries and the assembly of the first prototype is moving forward as planned.

“It is exciting to see the E2 taking shape with the large amount of sub-sets arriving to our Sao Jose dos Campos facility, where the final assembly will soon begin,” says Luis Carlos Affonso, Senior Vice President & COO, Embraer Commercial Aviation.

At Embraer’s plant in the city of Evora, Portugal, the first sub-assemblies for the wings and central fuselage are ready. In Spain, Aernnova AEROSPACE S>A. is finishing the assembly of the vertical empennage; the company will also supply the horizontal empennage. In the Czech Republic, Latecoere finished the baggage doors and they have already been sent to Brazil to be installed in the aircraft.

In the United States, Triumph Aerostructures, which is also responsible for the rudder and elevator, is assembling section three and the aft of the fuselage; these are the only large segments that will not be manufactured by Embraer.

Eleb, an Embraer wholly owned subsidiary, with 35 years of experience in designing and manufacturing landing gear, was chosen to supply the landing gear of the second-generation E-Jets, and it is working to conclude the first sets.

The first delivery of an E-Jets (the E190-E2 is planned for the first quarter of 2018.  The E195-E2 is scheduled to enter service in 2019 and the E175-E2 in 2020.

Source : Embraer

 

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

Lufthansa Technik Completes First BBJ Split Scimitar Winglet Modification 

German maintenance, repair and overhaul provider Lufthansa Technik has become the first European company to install Aviation Partner(API’S) new split scimitar winglets(SSW) on a Boeing Business Jet.

The modification took 10 days to complete and comes on the heels of EASA approval for the aerodynamic wingtip-developed jointly by API and Boeing.

The SSW retrofit involves replacing the BBJ’s current winglet tip caps with an aerodynamically shaped similar tip cap, and adding a smaller, similar-shaped vertical strake.

Lufthansa Technik said that in order to install the winglets, its engineering team were required to “reinforce various areas on the inside of the aircraft structure, particularly in the wing tanks”. The project also in evolved “complex painting tasks…to match the aircraft’s current paint  scheme”, it adds.

API launched the retrofit program two years ago for owners and operators of BBJ, BBJ2 and BBJ3 VIP airliners (BBJ is based on the 737-700, BBJ2 is based on the 737-800 and the BBJ3 is based on the 737-900 airliners)

According to Seattle, Washington-based API, the new winglet helps to reduce drag on long-range flights and boosts range by around 2%-or as much as 120nm ( 220km).

Lufthansa Technik is now in talks with other BBJ owners looking to modify their aircraft with the SSW adaption.

Source : Flightglobal / Lufthansa Technik

 

Rizal Ramli Urges Garuda to Cancel Airbus A350 Purchase Plan

After being on the job one day, recently appointed Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli has made news by requesting national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia cancel its fleet expansion plan.

“I made the request to President Jokowi. I don’t want Garuda to go bankrupt again. In July it agreed to buy 30 Airbus A350 using $44.5 billion loan from China Aviation Bank. The aircraft is only suitable for Jakarta-North America and Jakarta-Europe route.” said Rizal.

According to Rizal, the international routes planned by the carrier are unprofitable. Airlines in Southeast Asia that offer similar routes, such as Singapore Airlines, have poor financial performance, he pointed out.

Rizal added that Garuda’s routes to Europe only had a 30 percent passenger load factor. Instead of expanding its international routes it would be better if Garuda concentrated on the domestic and regional markets.

“We can rule the regional market in five to seven years. When we are strong enough, then we can go onto the next step. The President has agreed to the cancellation of the purchase of the Airbus 350 and we will summon the Garuda management to change its plans,” said Rizal.

Separately, Garuda Indonesia vice president for corporate communication M.Ikhsan Rosan said the carrier had not made a final decision on the purchase of the Airbus A350. Ikhsan said the carrier was considering whether it would use Airbus A350 or Boeing 787.

“It is true there was a signing ceremony in Paris with Airbus in June, but it was a letter of intent,” said Ikhsan.

Source : Jakarta Post

 

Bombardier Seeking Investors for all Business Units : Sources

Canada’s Bombardier Inc is exploring the sale of a stake in any of its business areas, not just its rail unit, to ensure it can finish development of its delayed C Series jet, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The Montreal-based company has hired investment bankers to look at a variety of financing options, the sources said, including selling aerospace or rail assets in full or in part, forming joint ventures or bringing in private equity investors. One source familiar with the company’s thinking said Bombardier hoped to secure some additional source of cash, through the sale of a business unit or another arrangement, perhaps with Canadian government, before its third-quarter earnings report on October 29th.

A banking source said the company is not desperate for cash but wants to be proactive and shore up its stock, which has dropped more than 50 percent in the last year as it pushes to bring the new C Series jet into service, years late and billions over budget.

In May, the company said it planned to file late this year to launch an initial public offering for a minority stake in its rail unit, Bombardier Transportation. Spokeswoman Isabelle Rondeau said that the plan had not changed.

“Everything is on the table,” said the source familiar with the Company’s thinking.

“They’re aggressively looking worldwide for some sort of capital infusion. At the end of the day, they need more cash to keep the C Series going, because the future of the company depends on that Plane”

“We are in constant contact with Bombardier and won’t comment on rumors,” a spokeswoman for Quebec’s economy minister said.

Source : The Globe And Mail

 

LATEST NEWS IN BRIEF  

  • British Airways receives the first 787-9, and will enter service on the 25th of this month.
  • Aeroflot drops plans to acquire Transaero. The Russian government will allow Transaero to enter bankruptcy placing the carrier’s future in serious doubt.
  • Mitsubishi Aircraft has narrowed the target schedule for the first flight of the MRJ to the last week of this month. Between Oct. 26th and Oct. 30th.
  • Blue Air(Romania)  is set to establish a base in Turin, Italy with effect from 26th of this month. The airline has a fleet of Boeing Classic aircraft composed of 737-300, 400s and one 737-500.

yrbac

  • Airbus flies the second CFM International Leap-powered A320neo into the type’s flight-test campaign.
  • Alaska Airlines has become just the second North American carrier to achieve Fast Travel Platinum status, which is awarded by IATA to airlines that offer four or more Fast Travel compliant options to at least 80% of their passengers.
  • Boeing employees in Renton, Wash. have started the final assembly of the first 737 MAX 8,  the first member of Boeing’s new single-aisle family, on schedule.  More Detailed report on this aircraft will be coming in my next report.
  • Emirates celebrated the Boeing 777 fleet completing 859,000 flights while logging over 4,720,000 flight hours since its first delivery in 1996.
  • Scandinavian Airlines has taken delivery of its first 242t Airbus A330-300; making it the first carrier in Europe to receive the higher-weight, longer-range-300 variant.
  • Flybe UK regional introduced its first ATR 72-600 series aircraft into its fleet, on lease from Aviation PLC. It will operate from Sweden in the livery of Flybe’s new partner in Northern Europe, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)

  • Jetstar’s transition to an all Boeing 787-8 long-haul fleet is almost complete after the low-cost carrier’s 11th and final Dreamliner on firm order entered revenue service in mid September.

 

AIR CARGO

Atlas to Operate B767 Converts for DHL

US aircraft lessor Atlas Air will operate two Boeing 767Fs leaded by its Titan Aviation arm to DHL Express.

Atlas Air will operate the aircraft, which are being converted from passenger to freighter configuration, through sister company Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, linking the flights with Polar’s existing services for DHL and other customers.

The new operation represents a continued expansion of Atlas Air’s crew, maintenance and insurance(CMI) service. The operation is expected to begin in late 2015 and early 2016 following the conversion of the two 767s.

“By growing our CMI operations, we continue to diversify our business mix and to drive more predictable revenue and earnings streams,” said William Flynn, president and chief executive of parent group, Atlas Air Worldwide.

The company will operate 20 aircraft in its CMI operations when these units commence service.

Source : aircargonews/Atlas Air

 

MILITARY NEWS

Boeing to Lead $ 4 Billion F-15 Jet Fighter Contract 

An aging but formidable fighter jet is being given new relevance in a bid to fill the gap created by delays in the world’s most expensive new generation combat aircraft program.

Boeing was named the first week of this month as prime contractor on a $4 billion contract to install a new, all digital electronic warfare and threat detection system on the F-15 fighter, which made its first flight more than 40 years ago and was never been defeated in air-air combat.

Often described as the backbone of the US Air Force’s air superiority, the F-15 tactical fighter jet was due to be replaced in the 2020s by more advanced fifth generation aircraft such as the F-35.

However delays in developing and fielding the F-35, and cutbacks in the procurement of another fighter-the F-22- prompted the USAF to extend the life of the F-15 until 2040.

BAE Systems of the UK will develop the electronic warfare suite in a deal worth some $1 billion over 10 years, of which $67 million will be booked this year. BAE said the contract was significant milestone in the group’s plan to extend the electronic combat solutions business. The new system will replace the current Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite developed by Northrop Grumman, which has been in use since the 1980s.

The new threat detection system will be installed on more than 400 F-15 Es and F-15 Cs.

Source : Financial Times

 

          Boeing’s KC-46 Pegasus Hits a Key Milestone 

Boeing seems to get a bum rap from the so-called analysts, who think that they know better what happens at Boeing with every product they come up with.  The same applies to the KC-46 tanker.

Fortunately, the project is back on track, on September 25th Boeing completed an initial four-hour test flight for the first KC-46 tanker. There is plenty of testing left to do, but Boeing will salvage the KC-46 program and turn a decent profit as Boeing know how to build airplanes.

The initial flight conducted last month checked the plane’s basic systems. According to the company, ”Boeing test pilots performed operational checks on engines, flight controls and environmental systems and took the tanker to a maximum altitude of 35,000 feet prior to landing.”

Boeing still expects to be able to test the refueling system and then do aerial refueling trial runs before the end of the year.

In the opinion of this writer and shareholder of The Boeing Company the KC-46 program will be a great success, the same as the 787 program, which got its share of bad publicity from the so-called financial experts

Source : Ed’s opinion/Picture Boeing

 

 

Researched and Compiled by : Ed Kaplanian

Commercial Aviation Advisor

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

 

by

Volume 2 Issue 9 September 2015

ON THE BOEING FRONT

Spirit AeroSystems Celebrate the Completion & the Delivery of the First Boeing 737 Max Fuselage 

Spirit AeroSystems announced it has completed the first fuselage as well as other components for the first Boeing 737 MAX.  Spirit delivers approximately 70 percent of the 737 structure to Boeing including the fuselage, pylon, thrust reverser and engine nacelle at its Wichita, Kansas facility and the wing leading edges at its Tulsa, Okla. facility.

maxfriday

BDN_5800-1024x683

The first 737 MAX fuselage has arrived at the Renton  site on Friday, August 21st.

Assembly of the first MAX is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2015 with the first delivery to customers scheduled for the third quarter of 2017.

The new 737 MAX will deliver 20 percent increased fuel efficiency to airlines versus the original Next-Generation 737. Boeing has already booked more than 2,800 firm orders with 58 different customers.

Source: Spirit AeroSystems/Boeing

Delta Retired  the Very First Boeing 747-400 Built for A Commercial Airline 

The wide body passenger jet (tail number N661) flew its final flight from Honolulu International Airport to Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

delta-nwa-boeing-747-n661us-4*750xx2553-1436-300-300

While it was the first 747-400 Boeing built for Northwest, it was the third to fly for the carrier because Boeing held on it for longer testing.

The Boeing 747-400 was the biggest model of the 747 family when it was released and is the best-selling aircraft Boeing jet.  Boeing sold the first ones for about $150 million each.

Delta’s 747-400s were inherited by Delta, when the two airlines merged. It carries 376 passengers and cruise at about 560 mph, with a range of 7,400 miles.

Since it was delivered to Northwest Airlines it logged more than 61 million miles, enough to make 250 trips from the Earth to the moon.

It will move to Atlanta’s Delta Museum in early 2016.

Source: Minneapolis Biz Journal/Ed’s Research

 

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT 

A350-900 Makes Moscow Debut as Aeroflot Continues Review

Airbus has debuted the A350-900 at the 12th Moscow air show (MAK-2015) at least three years ahead of the first delivery to the type’s only customer in Russia.

Airbus A350 test pilot Frank Chapman piloted the A350-900-MSN-001 from Toulouse,France landing on August 24th at the Ramenskoye airport that hosts the biannual air show.

The A350 arrives in Moscow as Russian customer Aeroflot continues to evaluate several details about its original order, including the timing and number of deliveries and current mix of 14 A35-900s and eight A350-800s.

yourfile

Airbus cancelled the A350-800 program last year, Aeroflot remains one of the few customers that have not decided what to do with its order. But Aeroflot has vowed not to cancel the A350-900 order in full. Last year, Aeroflot expected to take delivery of the A350-900s between 2018 and 2020, but not does not discuss a timetable for the aircraft.

Supporting the carrier’s decision likely figured large in Airbus’ decision to bring the A350-900 to MAKS for the first time.

Source : Flightglobal/Airbus

 

BUSINESS/REGIONAL NEWS

Comac Working Toward November ARJ21 First Delivery Chengdu Airlines

Comac is working toward an internal target to deliver its first ARJ21-700 to launch customer Chengdu Airlines on November 28, 2015.

The  date holds significance for the Chinese airframe since it marks the day the indigenous regional jet took its first flight back in 2008.

yourfile

The Plan is for Comac to deliver two regional jets to Chengdu Airlines this year, which will then be put into commercial passenger service next February.

Vice Chief Designer at Comac said Comac is still working on making changes to the ARJ21 despite receiving type certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China(CAAC) last December.  He adds that while these issues do not relate to the safety of the aircraft, they could affect the operational efficiency of the jet.

Examples include changes that need to be made to improve how the aircraft’s anti-icing system functions in the event of a single-engine operation, as well as to the warning system to help enhance pilot’s operational awareness and help them better anticipate possible flying situations.

Source : Flightglobal/Photo Comac

 

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

 

WestJet Adds First Widebody to Fleet with Delivery of  Boeing 767-300 ER   

WestJet has taken delivery of its first Boeing 767-300ER, adding a wide body aircraft to its fleet for the first time.

 WestJet-Boing-767-300ERW

The Calgary-based low-cost carrier (LCC) has operated an all 737 fleet since its founding in 1996, and in 2013 launched a Bombardier Q400 regional subsidiary called WestJet Encore.  The airline is slated to take delivery of four 767-300ERs over the next eight months, with the fourth expected to arrive just before it launches 767 flights to London Gatwick in May 2016.

The first has arrived at WestJet’s base in Calgary and will be used on flights between Toronto and Calgary for several months, the carrier said.

The next two 767s will arrive this fall,and WestJet will launch 767 flights between western Canada and Hawaii and between Toronto and Montego Bay for its winter schedule in December.

The airline’s 767s will seat 262 passengers, including 24 in premium economy, but will have no first or business class seats.  The aircraft will be able to fly up to 11 hours.

Source : ATW/WestJet

Alaska to Take First 737 MAX 8 in 2017

Alaska Airlines 737-MAX8 Artwork K65759

Alaska Airlines plans to take delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max 8 early in late 2017.

The Seattle-based carrier will take delivery of its first 737 Max about six months after launch customer Southwest Airlines takes its first aircraft, says its vice-president of capacity planning  John Kirby at the Boyd International Aviation Forecast Summit in Las Vegas.

“Boeing has indicated that it maybe ready a little early,” says Kirby.

Alaska previously anticipated its first 737 Max 8 in 2018.  The airline has firm orders for 37 737 Max aircraft, including 20 737 Max 8s and 17 737 Max 9s.

Alaska operates a fleet of 143 737s, including 27 737-400s, 14 737-700s,61 737-800s and 41 737-900ERs.

Source : Flightglobal

 

 Vietnam Airlines Drops its A380 Order

The Vietnamese government has dropped all plans to confirm options on four Airbus A380s it signed up for in 2009.

The Vietnamese flag carrier Vietnam Airlines cited “increased pressure of arranging capital for aircraft purchases” as a key factor, along with slow progress on the planned Long Thanh International Airport at Ho Chi Minh City-the only Vietnamese airport with enough capacity to handle A380 aircraft.

Vietnam Airlines also has reportedly scaled down its original plan to boost fleet size to 150 aircraft over the next five years, and will instead grow to just over 120 aircraft.

The airline which is scheduled to take delivery of eight Boeing 787-9s and 10 Airbus A350 XWBs up to 2019 said that “ the world economic situation is more difficult,” and “fierce competition in the aviation market place” were both reasons for opting out of the A380 deal.

This latest cancellation comes as an added blow for Airbus’s A380 program,which has seen several cancellations in Asia, including a significant six- aircraft order from bankrupt low cost carrier Skymark Airlines.

Source : ATW

 

LATEST NEWS IN BRIEF  

  • Jet2 Budget carrier Jet2 has signed an order with Boeing for 27 737-800 aircraft. The deal marks the carrier’s first direct order with Boeing.
  • Emirates takes delivery of the 65th A380. Emirates A380s serve 34 destinations and has a further 75 on order.
  • Philippine Airlines is considering the acquisition or lease of eight 787 Dreamliners or Airbus A350 XWB aircraft.
  • KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has switched an order for six Boeing 787-9s to the larger 787-10 to better fit with its network plans.

IMG_3584

  • Norwegian will lease two additional Boeing 787-9s, due for delivery in summer 2017, which it will use to extend its long-haul network.
  • China’s Bohai Leasing is in exclusive talks to buy Irish aircraft leasing firm Avolon for USD$2.64 billion, after raising its offer to put it ahead of a rival bidder.
  • Tyler  IATA  CEO and director general Tony Tyler will retire in June 2016 after serving five years in the position. Tyler’s retirement was announced on Aug.28 and the search for his successor has begun.
  • Malaysia  Airlines has been granted an air operator’s certificate (AOC) by the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation under its new name Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB).

malaysia-airlines-a330-300-rf

  • Mitsubishi Regional Jet( MRJ) test flight is scheduled for the latter half of October, Mitsubishi Heavy industries has announced.
  • Emirates and Boeing celebrated the simultaneous delivery of three 777s- two 777-300ERs and one 777 Freighter – marking the entry of the 150th 777into Emirates fleet.
  • Austrian Airlines  Lufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines is preparing to receive the first of 17 modified Embraer E-195s.
  • BoraJet Airlines Turkish regional carrier has taken delivery of three Embraer 195s from the Regional aircraft Group of GECAS, the leasing and financing division of GE.

 

Air Cargo

Air China Cargo Began Freighter Service to Canada 

Air China Cargo began its first scheduled freighter service between China and Canada on the 3rd of September, when Air China Cargo 777F touched down at Edmonton International Airport by the traditional gun salute, commemorating the carrier’s first scheduled stop at the western Canadian airport.

Air-China-at-EIA-2-300x200

Air China Cargo will serve Edmonton six times each week, with a Shanghai-Edmonton-Dallas-Edmonton-Shanghai routing.

This is the first Freighter route between mainland China and the Canadian province of Alberta, and a key step in connecting the two economies. It’s also the only freighter service between Alberta and Texas.

Edmonton estimates that this new service will boost the GDP of the region by $31 million per year. Edmonton is situated near two business centers-the Nisku Business Park and the Leduc Business Park.  It will provide opportunities for cargo businesses to work with Air China Cargo as well. The airport is also near major highways for easy truck transport.

Source : Air Cargo World/Air China

 

MILITARY NEWS

 

Northrop Delivers the 150th KC-10 Extender Aircraft to the US Air Force 

KC-10 Extender

Northrop Grumman has delivered the 150th KC-10 Extender air-to air refueling tanker aircraft to the US Air Force after providing major improvements.

The aircraft received product reliability improvements as part of its CF6-50 engine overhaul program,offering a 15-year high in engine fleet performance.

Northrop Grumman Technical Services weapon systems operations director Matt Emerson said : ”The delivery of the 150th KC-10 depot aircraft contributes to the critical mission requirements of the United States Air Force by ensuring that the KC-10 is operational when the customer need it.”

“ The aircraft was accepted with zero defects,further contributing to the company’s proven track record for helping the Air Force achieve the KC-10’s highest fleet mission capable rates in more than 16 years.”

The KC-10 Extender can refuel aircraft midair while transporting personnel,equipment and patients on overseas deployments and aeromedical evacuations.

Source : Airforcetechnology.com

 

  US Navy Orders 13 P-8As, with Four for Australia

Boeing has secured a $1.49 billion contract from the US Navy for 13 P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, including the first four examples for the Royal Australian Air Force.

The deal covers nine aircraft for the USN and four for the Royal Australian Air Force, the company says.

“By working together since the early stages of the P-8A development, the US and Australia have created one airplane configuration that serves the need of both countries,” says Capt. Scott Dillon, the former’s P8 program manager.  ”The Us and Australian P-8As will be able to operate with each other effectively and affordably for decades to come”, he adds.

In early 2014, Canberra approved an A$4 billion ($2.9 billion) allocation to acquire eight of the 737-derived aircraft, with options for four more.  This allowed Boeing to place long lead-time orders for parts for the first four aircraft.

The P-8A will replace the RAAF’s fleet of Lockheed Martin AP-3C prions currently in their fleet.

Source : Boeing

Researched and Compiled by : Ed Kaplanian

Commercial Aviation Advisor

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

Volume 1 No. 1 August 2014
by

Volume 1 No. 1 August 2014

ON THE BOEING FRONT

Boeing Beavers Away on 787-10 Dreamliner

53be6ce90028438faf7f5c8e767f2254-boeing-787-10-dreamliner-920

Boeing has only just delivered its first 787-9 to launch customer Air New Zealand but the aircraft manufacturer has already begun detailed design work on the final member of the Dreamliner family, 787-10 ahead of its first flight in 2017.

The 787-10, which will be longer against the stretched 787-9 in order to carry around 320 passengers depending on how airlines configure the jet. “The -10 is a much simpler program” than its predecessors says Mark Jenks, Boeing’s vice president for 787 development.

“When you look at all the learning we had on the -8, all the improvements and new technology we’ve put on the-9, that was a big job” Jenks told Australian Business Traveller during the delivery flight of the world’s first Boeing 787-9 from Everett to Auckland for launch customer Air New Zealand.

“The -10 is very different” Jenks said.”We’ve had a team doing the up-front work on the 787-10 for the better part of a year now, it’s very simple stretch and very low risk.”

It’s so low-risk that while first 787-10 test flights are slated for 2017 ahead of delivery to its launch customer in 2018, this Dreamliner could achieve something few all-new airplane types have ever done, and delivered ahead od schedule, Jenks admitted.

Boeing is currently pushing 10 of the 787-8 and 787-9 variants a month, across three assembly lines, with the goal of taking this to 14 airplanes per monthly the end of the decade.

The 787-10 accumulated 132 orders, however Boeing has yet to reveal which airline will be the launch customer.

Singapore Airlines was the first airline to commit to the largest Dreamliner, signing up for 30 of the jets at list price of US$289 million each, Etihad Airways has placed an equal order alongside its order of 41 of the 787-9s.

Source : Australian Business Traveller/Boeing Photo

free vector 09

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

Dissecting the A330neo

09d938b833

With much fanfare, the re-engined A330neo(new engine option) family was launched on the first day of the Farnborough Airshow with a memorandum of understanding (moU) from Air Lease Corporation (ALC) for 25-900neo aircraft, which alongside its smaller sibling-800neo succeed the 295-seat -300 and 253-seat-200, respectively.

Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier confidently proclaimed that the European plane-maker would garner 100 orders for the aircraft by the end of the week, which will have an entry into service in the fourth quarter of 2017, with potential orders coming from the likes of long-haul low-cost carrier Air AsiaX, lessor CIT and more.

The centerpiece of the upgrade is the 112-inch Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engine which is based on the Trent 1000-TEN (Thrust Efficiency and New Technology) powering the 787 Dreamliner and provides an 11% specific fuel consumption.  While the Trent 7000 is considerably larger than the 97-inchtrent 772 engine on the existing A330, which along with strengthened engine pylons lead to increased weight and drag,thus creating a 2% and 1% respective fuel penalty.  These are going to be offset by the 4% reduction in block fuel burn achieved by the installation of an A350-styled shark let and other aerodynamic clean-ups.

Monday’s launch immediately sparked a war of words between arch-rivals Airbus and Boeing, with the former saying the A330neo will be offered at a 25% lower capital cost than today’s A330 while featuring improved avionics, interior and share a 95% commonality; the latter claims the A330neo weighs heavier and cannot have the same fuel burn per seat as the 787 Dreamliner which is lighter, technically superior aircraft. The A330neo, Boeing asserts,is a deja vu of the original commonly know as the A350 Mk 1.

The A330neo serves as a useful indication that with significantly cheaper cost, the aircraft could have a feasible business case for few operators which clamor for fuel efficiency more readily available than the 787 Dreamliner whose production slots are sold out until 2019 and 2020 at the earliest.  Though Boeing is undoubtedly going to contest this, with rising production rate to 12 a month by 2016 and 14 a month by 2020 improving its availability and delivering superior capability at every stage length.

Source : Aspireaviation/Ed’s Research/Airbus Photo

 

free vector 09

BUSINESS/REGIONAL NEWS

EASA Certifies the ATR’s New Pratt& Whitney Canada 127N Engines 

0

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has certified the ATR72-600 aircraft for the use of new PW127N engines. Following in the PW127M’s flight path with over 10 million hours of operation, the PW127N provides a 4.5 power increase of Maximum Take-off ratings, thus enhancing performance in hot and high operating conditions. The PW127N will be rolled out progressively to Avianca’s ATR fleet throughout 2014 and 2015.

The First ATR72-600 of Avianca equipped with the new PW127N engines has already been delivered in late June. This will enable the airline to get better performance at take-off on airports in altitude like their hub in Bogota, Colombia.

The new PW127 N engines recently obtained certification from Transport Canada(TC), the Canadian Airworthiness Authority and now the EASA certification as well.

Source: ATW

free vector 09

 COMMENTARY

Farnborough Boeing/Airbus Orders – The Clear Picture

Following all the sales activity at the Farnborough Air Show last month, Boeing ended July with a commanding lead over European rival Airbus in both orders and deliveries. Boeing booked 324 orders in July, the largest sales figure it has ever booked in a single calendar month.  This gives the jet maker a total of 823 net orders so far this year. But the disparity is greater than those top-line numbers suggest, because Boeing has an extensive lead in sales of bigger and much more expensive wide body aircraft. Boeing has booked firm orders for 273 wide body aircraft. That included two large orders from Gulf carriers Emirates and Qatar for a total of 200 of the new 777-9X (not counting options for another 100 options for both airlines)- orders that had been announced last fall at the Dubai Airshow, but were made firm only in July.

In contrast, because in the past two months Emirates canceled 70 Airbus A350 wide bodies and Skymark of Japan canceled six A380, Airbus’s net tally of wide body aircraft orders so far this year is negative-a deficit of 27 orders.

At Farnborough, Airbus launched  the A330neo, and announced commitments(Memorandums of Understanding)from airlines and leasing companies to buy 121 of them.(These are not confirmed orders yet).When these orders are confirmed, they will help Airbus win back some ground in the widebody-sales race.

In another boost for Boeing, data released on Thursday, August 7th, by the company, show that United traded up a previous order for seven 787-8s for seven of the larger, more expensive 787-10s.

Based unreal market pricing data from aircraft-valuation firm Avitas, that switch is worth nearly $200 million to Boeing.

In the narrow body aircraft sector, both plane makers plan upgrades to derivative models with more fuel-efficient engines.   Airbus customers have canceled orders for 113 of the current narrow body A320 aircraft so far this year.  Boeing has had 54 cancellations of its corresponding 737 aircraft family .

In 2014. Boeing commitments from China totaled 205 so far.  These include 25 737s from Donghai Airlines, 50 737s; from Shandong Airlines; 50 from Nine Air and 80 from China Eastern Airlines.  In addition to these commitments Monarch Airlines committed to order 30 737s at the Farnborough Airshow which have not been confirmed yet.

In summation,  there is a big difference between gross and net orders; the key to orders taken by Airbus and Boeing are the net orders.  They are not the gross orders, which many financial analysts on Wall Street use to distort facts.

Source : Ed’s Research

free vector 09

 

Other Aviation News

Mitsubishi Mounts Engines on First MRJ Test Aircraft

MRJ-Engines-Mounted-0614a

yourfile

Mitsubishi Aircraft has mounted the Pratt & Whitney PW1200G engines on its first MRJ regional flight test aircraft. This comes shortly after the Japanese airframer completed the wing-body join of the regional jet.

Installation of other equipment, wiring and piping works are being carried out, says Mitsubishi. The MRJ is scheduled to take its first flight in the 2Q 2015.Mitsubishi has also rolled out its first ground test aircraft in preparation for static strength tests.

Source: ATW/Ed’s Research

free vector 09

Emirates Tops World for First Class Business Capacity

Emirates Airlines is the number one airline for premium capacity measured in international seat kilometers, clocking 876 seat kilometers per week, according to flight data firm OAG.

OAG said popularity of the Dubai-based airline’s Business and First Class cabins is primarily due to long haul nature of Emirates fleet deployment.

Earlier this month, the airline received delivery of its 50th A380, configured with 90 First and Business seats.  Thus further adding to Emirate’s average weekly capacity of over 191,000 premium seats.

Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airlines said: “When we signed up for the A380, we had a clear vision of how we would deploy these aircraft.  At the same time we also saw a tremendous opportunity to take the flying experience to whole new levels”.

Over 27.5 passengers have flown on Emirate’s A380s since 2008, with premium overall seat factors on the A380 fleet consistently outperforming the network.

Globally, Emirates’ First Class capacity grew by six percent over the last year, while First Class passenger traffic increased by eight percent.

Across the network, First Class demand is strong, particularly on routes to Europe, Africa and the Middle East, recording consistently high load factors of over 70 percent.

Emirates is in advanced stages of developing a new First Class “bedroom concept” for its A380 and now new Boeing 777 fleets. Customers can expect fully enclosed rooms and all the touches and amenities common to luxury hotels and yachts, including room service.

Emirates operates the world’s largest fleet of A380s,with 50 in service, and another 90 pending delivery.  It also operates the world’s largest fleet of Boeing 777s with 139 in service and another 205 on its order books.  It recently received the 500th 777 produced by Boeing.

Source: Aviation Business /Ed’s Research

 

free vector 09

Budget Carrier Jin Air Makes Inroads into Long-Haul Market

South Korea’s budget carrier Jin Air, a subsidiary of Korean Air, announced in June that it will become the country’s first low-cost carrier.  It is due to start budget long-haul service as early as the end of this year, armed with wide-body aircraft and newly allocated international air routes.

The carrier will also double the size of its passenger jet fleet from 11 to 20 by the end of 2015.

Top management of Jin Air unveiled the growth strategy at a press conference in Seoul to mark its sixth anniversary.

To offer long-haul flight services at affordable prices, Jin Air will acquire a 777-200 wide body that can fly from Seoul to parts in Europe and North America in December.  Then two more of the model next year for its new long-haul venture.

The firm plans to have a fleet of 20 aircraft by the second half of next year by adding nine aircraft, including a 777-200 ER and 737-800.  By the second half of this year, Jin Air will increase its flight routes to 17 from 13 with at present with new routes to China, Japan and Malaysia.

The 777-200Er aircraft will be used initially for flights to Guam and Hong Kong, with services to destinations like Hawaii to be offered after the second batch of wide body aircraft arrive.

Source : The Korea Herald

free vector 09

 

MTU Aero Engines Takes Stake in GE9X Engine Program

 ge9x_jet_engine_cutaway_0_1

MTU Aero Engines will take a 4% workshare in General Electric GE9X program. MTU will manufacture and assume design responsibility for the engine’s turbine center frame. Take over the life of the program, the workshare will be worth around $5.5 billion in revenue for MTU.

The new engine will be designed to exclusively power the Boeing 777X, which is slated to enter service around 2020. Thee hundred aircraft are already on order plus options. The contractual details still need to be finalized between the parties to the deal.  MTU will participate in the engine’s sales and profits in proportion to its program share.

“Our stake in the GE9X program gives us significant market share in one of the most important next generation engines in the upper thrust category.  At the same time, it helps us further balance the mix of our product portfolio,” MTU CEO Reiner Winkler said.  “ Some 30% of today’s active aircraft have MTU modules on board.  We are going to increase this share in the worldwide engine fleets appreciably over the next five to ten years”

Source : ATW

free vector 09

LATEST NEWS IN BRIEF  

  •     The Japanese Government plans to obtain two Boeing 777-300 Er aircraft to replace a pair  of 747-400s used for the VIP transport mission.
  •     Leap-1A the first Leap-1A engines for the A320neo enter production.
  •     Vistara Airlines Tata SIA Airlines has announced that its New Delhi based carrier will be named Vistara,with the carrier scheduled to start operations in October.

             Vistara-620x310

  •   Ethiopian Airlines has added its ninth Boeing 787 Dreamliner to its expanding fleet
  •   KLM has signed a long-term contract with Air Lease Corp.(ALC),covering a pair of new build 777-300ERs.
  • ANA finalized an order for 40 wide body Boeing aircraft comprised of 20 777-9Xs, 14 787-9s and 6  777-300ERs.
  •   Scoot the wholly-owned low-cost,long-haul subsidiary of Singapore Airlines,has selected UTC Aerospace Systems to provide asset management & repair services on its 787 aircraft.

free vector 09

Air Cargo

Summer Brings Cherries Jubilee for Some Cargo Carriers

Sea-TacCherries

 

Virtually all phrases that incorporates the word “cherries” donate something happy and positive.  That is certainly the case this summer for cargo carriers serving the Pacific Northwest, as the banner cherry crop has been the cherry on top of the sundae.

This has been especially true for cargo carriers serving Seattle’s Sea-Tac International Airport and Vancouver International Airport in British Columbia.

Tom Green, senior manager for air cargo operations and development at Sea-Tac International Airport, says when the last cherry is picked in a few weeks.  It will likely be the second strongest crop on record for the region.  The crop is running ahead of forecasts and is huge compared to last year, when poor weather resulted in reduced tonnage.  Cherries are the top perishable cargo shipped out of Sea-Tac.

Cherries-med

It has been a bonanza for air cargo carriers, both those with freighters in their fleets and those who only carry the sweet fruit in their bellies. It has become the summer of the Cherry charter at Sea-Tac.  China Eastern and Nippon Cargo have both added weekly charters, while Polar Air Cargo has flown three weekly charters.  In addition EVA has added three weekly flights, Asiana has added two flights, China Airlines has added six and Korean Air five weekly flights.

Seven of the carriers with freighters serve Asian destinations, while Cargolux brings Washington cherries to Europe. Air Canada is another belly-cargo carrier benefiting from the cherry bounty with flights from both Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia.

Source: Air Cargo World

 

Researched and Compiled by : Ed Kaplanian  Commercial Aviation Advisor

Contact Ed at ed@kaplanianreport.com