Ethiopian Airlines

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Kaplanian Report March 2021

On The Boeing Front

Boeing Delays 737 Max 10 Deliveries to 2023

Boeing has further delayed its 737 Max 10 program by two years, with deliveries of the largest variant of its re-engined narrowbody now scheduled in 2023.  The company also now expects to deliver the first 737 Max 7  this year; that milestone was previously anticipated last year.

Boeing disclosed the tweaked timelines in its latest annual report, made public on February 1.  Several days earlier, during Boeing’s January 27 earnings call, the company said it pushed back the first 777-9 delivery from this year to 2023.

“We now anticipate that the first 737 Max 10 and the 777X delivery will occur in 2023,” Boeing’s securities filing says.  ”This schedule reflects a number of factors, including an updated assessment of global certification requirements informed by continued discussions with regulators and resulting in a management decision to make modifications to the aircraft’s design.

Boeing has disclosed it is modifying the 777-9 due to certification requirements but has not mentioned Max 10 design changes. However, recent document from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) says the Max 10 will receive an angle-of-attack AoA) sensor” integrity enhancement”—essentially a means of reducing the risk from failure of one of the two AoA sensors.

Boeing rolled out the first Max 10 in November 2019.  The Jet’s differences from its smaller siblings include longer landing gear, which ensures appropriate clearance between the rear fuselage and the ground during take-off rotation.

Source: Boeing/Picture Boeing 

                     

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

  Airbus to Seek ETOPS Approval for the BelugaXL

Airbus is to seek extended twin-engined operations approval for the BelugaXL transporter, in order to support commercial services involving overwater flights.   Three BelugaXLs based on the A330, have been built and introduced in October 2020.  Another three will be built, the last two of which will have 180 min ETOPS approval, according to BelugaXL chief engineer Pascal Vialleton.

Vialleton disclosed the ETOPS plan during a Royal Aeronautical Society event on February 4th.  He says Airbus wants to have the final two aircraft, due to arrive in 2022 and 2023, to have the flexibility to conduct transatlantic flights, to the possibility of satellite transport to launch stations in North America.

Vialleton says the current A300-600ST Beluga fleet will be phased out as the XLs arrive.  Demand on the-600St fleet rose from 6,000h in 2014 to 8,600h in 2017, but the XL offers capacity relief because it is able to accommodate two A350 wings at a time.  Each XL will operate about 1,000 flights and 1,700h per year.

The capacity strategy rather than the-600St’s age, says Vialleton, is the main reason for the fleet renewal: “We still can use the -600ST.  But what to do with it?”

Airbus is looking to improve the XL’s capabilities following its entry into service in January of last year.  Its original flight-test aircraft will become part of the operational XL fleet, says Vialleton, but is likely to be the last to be introduced, joining once its on-board test instrumentation has been removed.

Source: Airbus/Picture Airbus       

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

                                            Gulfstream to Expand Appleton Completions

Gulfstream Aerospace is expanding and renovating its completions facility in Appleton, Wisconsin, as part of a larger effort to modernize its facilities and enhance customer support. 

The Savannah, Georgia-based airframer will add more than 13,000 sq ft to its completions hanger at Appleton International Airport, bringing the facility to 126,500 sq ft. The improvements will also include upgrading the future finishing shop, consolidating back shops for improving workflow, and enhancing the shipping and receiving areas.  Along with the expansion, Gulfstream expects to add 200 new jobs.

“This expansion is another effort in our long-range plan to upgrade and modernize Gulfstream facilities to further support our customers,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns.  ” Enhancing the Appleton completions operations is in line with Gulfstream’s culture of continuous improvement.”  Gulfstream expects the project to be completed in the third quarter of this year.

Source: Gulfstream/Picture Gulfstream                                                                      

                                             Nigeria’s Air Peace Takes First E195-E2

Air Peace took delivery of its first of 13 firm ordered E195-E2s, it was formerly handed over to the Nigerian carrier on January 27, 2021, at Embraer’s site at Sao Jose dos Campos.

“The E195-E2 is the perfect aircraft to expand our domestic and regional operations.  The E195-E2 aircraft will further help us actualize our ambition of connecting not just the whole of Nigeria, but the entire African continent, while feeding long-haul flights from our Lagos hub,” Chairman and Chief Executive Allan Onyema said.

Besides a further twelve units on firm order, the Nigerian carrier also holds purchase rights for seventeen additional regional jets. The carrier also operates eight E145s (operated by its regional Air Peace Hopper), one Do328-300 for Vip charters, eight B737-300s, five B737-500, one B777-200ER, and two B777-300ERs.

Air Peace will become the second operator of the E2 aircraft since the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic, following Belavia which took its first E195-E2 in December 2020.

Source: Embraer/Picture Embark

    OTHER AVIATION NEWS

                            RAF Welcomes Fifth Poseidon P-8A at Lossiemouth Base

The UK Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) P-8A Poseidon MRA1 maritime patrol aircraft fleet has been boosted by the arrival of its fifth example of the adopted Boeing 737NG.

Named Fulmar, aircraft ZP805 touched down at the service’s Lossiemouth in Scotland on February 2, following an 8h-plus delivery from Boeing field near Seattle. 

The service notes that this represents the first time an RAF Poseidon has been delivered to Scotland straight from the factory”.

“The arrival of this latest aircraft helps to ensure that we have the continued capability to defend our waters and support our NATO partners,” says the RAF, which notes that it also “ comes at a time of unprecedented submarine activity close to UK waters”.   A total of nine Poseidon MRA1s will be introduced, with the type operated by 120 Sqn. 

Source: Flightglobal/Picture Crown Copyright

                                      EuroAtlantic’s First 787 a former Aeromexico Jet  

Portuguese wet-lease specialist EuroAtlantic Airways has identified a former Aeromexico Boeing 787-8 as the first example of the twinjet to be introduced to its fleet.  EuroAtlantic disclosed last year that it planned to acquire two used 787s for 2021, through an agreement with lessor AerCap. 

Cirium fleets data shows that the aircraft has been operated by Aeromexico since being delivered to the airline a little more than seven years ago, in August 2013.  It lists the aircraft as being due for transfer to EuroAtlantic in the middle of this month. AeroMexico has been operating the 787-8 with a 243-seat layout.

EuroAtlantic will become the first airline in Portugal to introduce the 787.  The fleet includes the Boeing 777-200ER, 767-300ER and 737-800.

Source: EuroAtlantic/Cirium/Picture EuroAtlantic

                   KLM Makes First Regular Flight With Sustainable Synthetic Fuel 

Air France-KLM’s Dutch arm operated a passenger flight from Amsterdam to Madrid that the carrier says was the first in the world to use sustainable derived synthetic aviation fuel.  The Boeing Co. 737-800 narrow body plane carried 500 liters of fuel produced by Royal Dutch SellPlc, equating to more than 5% of total requirement for the trip, KLM said in a statement.

While flights partly powered by plant-derived biofuels have become commonplace as aviation seeks to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, fully synthetic propellants have taken longer to develop.  KLM said the Madrid flight, which took place on January 22, was groundbreaking in combining carbon capture with solar and wind power to produce a fully sustainable kerosene substitute. 

“ The introduction of sustainable aviation fuel is very important to us,” KLM Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers said in a webinar on SAF, where news of the flight was disclosed.  ”The captain informed the passengers that this was a big step for the industry.  They didn’t notice any difference.”  

Fuel for the KLM flight was produced in a Shell lab using carbon dioxide captured from Europe’s biggest oil refinery in Pernis, near Rotterdam, and from a cattle farm in the northern Netherlands. 

Source: KLM/Picture KLMs

      LATEST NEWS

  • Singapore Airlines has made significant changes to its order book by swapping Boeing 787-10 for more 777-9s in a move that sees it defer more than $3.01 billion in capital spending by about three years.
  • French Shipping Giant CMA CGM French logistics and sea transport firm CMA CGM is branching into air freight operations, with the acquisition of four Airbus A330-200Fs.
  • Copa Airlines of Panama announced of February 11 that it expects to receive 8 Boeing 737 MAX planes this year.
  • Pilatus hands over the first Pilatus PC-24 with a higher-density, 10-seat configuration to customer in the western United States in late January.
  • TUI Fly Belgium on Wednesday February 17 became the first EU carrier to resume service with the Boeing 737 Max since its March 2019 grounding with a flight from Brussels to Alicante and Malaga, Spain.
  • Flydubai is to start the process of returning its Boeing 737 Max aircraft to service after the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority cleared the type for operations again.
  • S7 Airlines of Russia has taken delivery of the first of a pair Boeing 737-800 converted freighters.The aircraft are being leased to the airline by GECAS.
  • Icelandair is optimistic that it will be able to start ramping its network in the second quarter of this year, and intends to return is Boeing 737 Max fleet to service in spring.                                       

Source: GECAS, Flydubai, Copa Airlines, Pilatus, Singapore Airlines, Flightglobal 

AIR CARGO

                                         ASL Orders 10 More 787-800 Converted Freighters

Irish airline group ASL Aviation Holdings has ordered another 10 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters, bringing to 21 the number of those jets it intends to acquire.  The orders are conversions of previously held options.  ASL, based near Dublin, took those options along side a firm order for 10 737-800 BCFs that it placed at the Paris air show in 2019.  With the deal, Boeing holds orders and order commitments to sell more than 150 737-800BCFs, Boeing says.

ASL received its first 737-800BCF in January, placing that jet into service with subsidiary ASL Airlines France.  It received a second 737-800BCF, which will be operated by K-Mile Asia, a Bangkok airport-based carrier co-owned by ASL.

“The aircraft offers an excellent option for our express-cargo customers, as they develop their networks to meet demand in the years ahead,” ASL chief executive Dave Andrew says.  ” It is right-sized in payload And range.”

Boeing launched the 737-800 conversion program in 2016 with orders and commitments to sell 55 of the jets.  Boeing modifies the aircraft to have main-deck cargo doors, cargo-handling systems and capacity to carry 12 pallets, in standard pallets and one half pallet.  The 737-800 BCF can carry 23.9t of cargo and has,2,025nm(3,750km) range says ASL.

Source: ASL Aviation Holdings/Boeing/Picture ASL

 OTHER NOTEWORTHY NEWS

                    US FAA Tracking All Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft Via Satellite Data

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Friday February 19 it is tracking all Boeing 737 MAX airplanes using satellite data under an agreement with air traffic surveillance firm Aireon LLC based in McLean, Virginia.  The FAA said that “ Aireon is providing the agency with ADS-B flight data for all Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.”

Aireon’s system will flag deviations from certain parameters during all phases of flight and alert the FAA’s aviation safety division. Safety engineers and inspectors will use the early notification to further analyze the incident,” the agency said.  Boeing did not immediately comment.

The FAA 737 MAX monitoring began on January 29, Aireon Chief Technology Officer Vinny Capezzuto said during a February12 web event hosted by Aviation Week.  You can literally monitor it on a situational awareness display and it has event detection tied into it,” Capezzuto said, adding the FAA can look for emergency codes and track other data.  The system emails FAA”when events are detected and every day you get a report card on” data from flights from the previous day,”  he said.

Source: Reuters/Picture Aireon

Boeing is Again Under the Microscope

When will the news media leave Boeing alone?   It seems the company is always in the news, after February 20th engine failure on a United 777-200, the media is attacking Boeing again.  The aircraft in question was delivered to launch customer United Airlines in 1995.  When the the aircraft was built the -200, -200 ER and -300, they were offered with three engine options to customers with the PW4000 competing with Rolls-Royce Trent 800, and General Electric GE90.  The PW4000 was offered to airlines as PW4073 to PW4084 (the engine that had the problem on the United flight was PW4077)

The Point to remember is that Boeing does not make or maintain engines.  Boeing said there were 69 777s with Pratt & Whitney 4000-112 engines in service and another 59 in storage.  United had 24 of these planes in service.  For about the last 15 years, new 777s have all been delivered with GE 90 engines.  So the grounding of the 777 only applies to the models, I mentioned at the beginning of this piece, the average person does not know this information.

Source: Ed Kaplanian

                         

Researched and Compiled by : 

Ed Kaplanian    Commercial Aviation Advisor  

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

Editor:   Lee Kaplanian  

 

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Kaplanian Report – December 2020

ON THE BOEING FRONT

                                           Boeing Sticks to 2022 777X Delivery Goal

Though Boeing continues working toward delivering the first 777-9 in 2022, the company’s chief executive has warned about potential further changes to the timeline. 

On October 28th, CEO David Calhoun said the certification of the 777-9 the first variant has incorporated “learnings” from the 737 Max process. The pace of certification, Calhoun added, will be set by regulators.

“On the 777X, we continue to work with regulators on certification work-scope, including reflecting the learnings from the 737 cert process,” Calhoun says during Boeing’s third-quarter earnings call.

“As with any development program, there are inherent risks that can affect schedule,” Calhoun adds.”  While we continue to drive toward entry into service in 2022, the timing will ultimately be influenced by certification requirements defined by the regulators.”

Calhoun does not specify what 737-related lessons have been in corporate into 777X certification work.  He mentioned similar lessons during Boeing’s previous earnings call.

Source: Boeing / Picture Boeing 

           Boeing Buoyant About Robust China Market Growth 

Boeing estimates Chinese carriers will require 8,600 new aircraft — at a price tag of over $1.4 trillion—over the next 20 years, underscoring the airframes’s optimism about what it deems a key market.

Boeing’s latest 20-year estimate for the Chinese market, which spans until 2039, represents a 7% increase from its previous forecast released last year, with much of the demand coming from single-aisle jet aircraft.

Of the 8,600 aircraft, about 75% of these jets are expected to be single-aisle aircraft and about 18% to be widebodies, with the remaining regional aircraft and freighters.

Boeing’s buoyant forecast is in spite of the coronavirus pandemic this year, which began in China, and has since plunged the aviation industry into turmoil.  It cites the country’s rapidly-growing middle class, increased economic growths as well as increasing urbanization as reasons for its forecast.

On the services end, Boeing anticipates China to require about $1.7 trillion in commercial aviation services for the next 20 years.  It also forecast a growing appetite among Cheese carriers for new and converted freighters, as well as digital solutions.

Source: Boeing

               

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

         Airbus Receives Initial ‘Airspace’ Cabin Entry Area for A320neo

Austrian aerospace firm FACC has delivered its first entrance area of the ‘Airspace’ interior configuration developed for the Airbus A320neo.

PACC had been tasked with developing the door zone and overhead bins for the new interior layout two years ago.

The Airspace basin was introduced on the long-haul Airbus A350 and A330neo, but has been working to apply similar concepts to the single-aisle family.   They are offering additional comfort to passengers as well as larger luggage bins and customize lighting. 

The completely redesigned entrance area of the A320 family boasts a high-quality design, has a sophisticated appearance, and makes important contributions to consistent weight optimization with innovative fiber composite materials.  The cabin solution comprises the entire lining of the entrance and door area in the front, middle and rear sections of the aircraft. 

Following the initial delivery of components, including the lighting, to Airbus’s Hamburg Finkenwerder facility for installation,FACC is to embark on ramping-up serial production.

Source: Airbus/FACC/PictureFACC            

                      REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

                       Aerion Completes AS2 Wind Tunnel Testing

Aerion Supersonic wrapped up low-and high-speed tunnel testing for its redesigned Mach 1.4 AS2 business jet, accumulating the equivalent of 78,000 nm flown and hundreds of simulated flight hours at facilities in Europe and North America.

The testing, along with digital modeling, enabled Aerion engineers to assess more than 200,000 data points to validate the aerodynamic shape of the aircraft and keep the program on target for component manufacturing to begin in 2022 and AS2 assembly in 2023.

The tests involved an evaluation of the full operational envelope of the AS2, including takeoff and landing, subsonic cruise, ”boomless” supersonic cruise, and dive speed.  In addition, the AS2 design was tested for operational conditions, including the deployment of landing gear and wing icing, along with handling qualities.

Aerion worked in conjunction with the French Office of National Aerospace Research in Modane, France, on the high-speed testing.  This testing assessed stability and control at tannic and supersonic speeds over more than 1,000 cycles and equivalent of 72,000 nm flown. 

In combination with the wind tunnel testing, Aerion has conducted digital modeling through the use of aerodynamic optimization tools developed by its subsidiary, Aerion Technologies, in Palo Alto, California. Plans call for Aerion to fly the aircraft in 2025 timeframe, with certification and entry-into-service later in the decade.

Source: Aviation International News/Photo: Aerion Supersonic                                                 

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

                   Sanad & GE Aviation Celebrate 100th GEnx Engine Milestone

Sanad has successfully completed the maintenance of 100 GEnx engines on behalf of GE Aviation.  Sanad Aerottech is based in Abu Dhabi. 

Sanad was the first MRO partner within GE Aviation’s global services network to obtain MRO certification for the GEnx engine and remains the only certified GEnx MRO partner in the Middle East and North Africa region.  In 2021, when the GEnx reaches 10 years of operation, Sanad will expand its existing maintenance and repair services to include the full overhaul of 315 GEnx engines until 2035.

“This achievement evidences Sanad’s distinguished engineering capabilities and our ability to continue providing the highest quality MRO service to global OEM partners,” said Mansor Janahi, deputy Group CEO of Sanad.

With more than 2,000 engines delivered worldwide on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Boeing 747-8, the GEnx is the fastest-selling, high-thrust jet engine in GE Aviation history.   Due to rising GEnx demand, Sanad recently financed and leased its ninth GEnx engine through a sale-and-leaseback agreement with Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carrier and one of the largest global operators of Boeing 787 aircraft.

“On behalf of the GE Aviation team worldwide, I wish to congratulate Sanad on reaching this historic milestone.We look forward to our continued partnership and meeting the MRO requirements of a growing global fleet,” said Dave Kircher, GE Aviation General Manager for the GEnx engine. 

Source: Sanad Aerotech/GE aviation/Sanad Picture

                     Honeywell Rolls Out A320 Family APU Upgrade

Honeywell has released an upgrade for its APU fitted on Airbus A320 family aircraft, which it says will help reduce fuel burn and increase time-on-wing hours.

The high-efficiency mode upgrade will increase the average time-on-wing by 1,200 flight hours, and reduce fuel burn by 2%.  It is enabled by a software encryption key, Honeywell adds.

The roll-out for the 131-9A APU upgrade will commenced in October for existing Honeywell maintenance services customers.    It will be available to other operators next year.  Honeywell’s has shipped more than 15,000 131-9a APUs since 1995.

The Upgrade is intended for any aircraft operating a 131-9A APU, including Airbus A319, A320 and A321 models.  Customers enrolled in Honeywell’s Maintenance Service Plan will have access to the upgrade for no additional cost beginning in late October 2020.   It will be available to other operators with 131-9APUs beginning in January 2021.  For all aircraft, this upgrade can be installed during any regularly scheduled maintenance event and does not require additional downtime to implement.

Source: Honeywell Aerospace/Picture Honeywell

              Rolls-Royce to Test Wholly-sustainable Fuel UltraFan Development

Rolls-Royce is to test a Trent engine with a fully-sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as part of its development of the advanced UltraFan powerplant.  The Trent 1000 engine will feature a lean-burn low-emission known as ALECSys, says Rolls-Royce.  The UltraFan is intended to provide a 25% fuel-burn saving over the first generation Trent engines.

Rolls-Royce states that the ground tests, which will commence at its Derby headquarters, will mark the first time the manufacturer has used a 100%-sustainable fuel.

The tests will aim to confirm that unblended sustainable fuel-rather than the current approved 50% blends-can serve as a “full drop-in” option, and make a “significant contribution” to improving engines’ environmental performance, it adds.

US-based fuel specialist World Energy is producing the fuel, sourced by Shell Aviation and delivered by SkyNRG.

Gene Gebolys, Chief Executive Officer and founder,World Energy, said: “World Energy exists to empower leaders to innovate by providing the world’s most advanced low carbon fuels.  Rolls-Royce is putting their technological prowess to work to understand how to maximize their potential in engines and we are proud to support them.”

“ These tests aim to show that we can deliver real emissions reductions,” says Rolls-Royce chief technology officer Paul Stein.

Source: Rolls-Royce/Rolls-Royce Picture

        LATEST NEWS

  • Southwest Airlines has sent a team of mechanics to Victorville, California to start the long process of bringing its 34 Boeing 737 Max jets out of their desert hibernation, now the planes’ permission to fly was restored.
  •  Canada’s transport minister has signaled his country will “ soon” follow the USA in certificating Boeing’s 737 Max.  But Canada’s approval will include different requirements than the Federal Aviation Administration’s green light.
  • Boeing has secured a contract for the third and fourth KC-46 aerial tankers for the Japan Air self-defense Force(JASDF).
  • Ethiopian Airlines on November 7 Ethiopian Airlines took delivery of another pair of Airbus A350-900s both aircraft being handed over on the same day.
  • Kuwait Airways has received its first two A330neos.  The aircraft are the first of eight A330neos ordered by the airline.
  • Emirates Airlines has fully retired its first A380, A6-EDB, almost 12 years to the day when it entered service.
  • Air Canada canceled an order for 12 A220s to conserve cash and deferred the handover of the remains 18 A220 it had been due to receive in 2021 and 2022. The airline also canceled orders for 10 737Max jets.
  • GE Catalyst GE Aviations clean-sheet engine is expected to begin its ground testing on a flying testbed early this month.  Beechcraft King Air is serving as the flying testbed.
  • Alaska Airlines will sell 10 Airbus A320s, shifting to 13 more-fuel-efficient, leased Boeing 737-9 Max which will be delivered from end of 2021 through 2022.  The A320s will go to Air Lease Corp, which will also lease the Boeing jets  to the carrier.
  • Brazil’s Civil Aviation Agency ( ANAC) has cleared the Boeing 737 Max aircraft to return to revenue service in Brazil.

Sources: Boeing, Flightglobal, Air Canada, Emirates, Airbus, Ethiopian, Alaska Airlines, GE Aviation

                                           AIR CARGO

 Cargolux is Examining The Boeing 777-300ER Freighter Conversion

Cargolux is looking very closely at the 777-300ER freighter conversion programs as a candidate to meet its future fleet requirements, says the airline’s chief executive Richard Forson.

The European cargo operator-whose fleet of 30 747s were all line built freighters- is considering two scenarios for future aircraft orders, Forson explained during a UK Aviation Club events on November 12.  They look to the big manufactures for freighter versions of newer-generation wide bodies, or seek the conversion of alder generation passenger aircraft.

“The specific one we are looking very closely at is the conversion of the 777-300ER into a freighter, in which GECAS, together with IAI, are doing a program,” he says.

The IAI conversion program was unveiled in October last year by leasing giant GECAS, which placed a launch order for 15 firm conversions with 15 options and is co-investor in the effort.  The conversion is designated 777-300ER Special Freighter (SF) and is the first after-market cargo modification launched for the 777 family. 

“I’m keeping an eye on that and wondering if the whole freighter concept is now going full circle.  It initially it started off as conversion of passenger aircraft and then it went into production freighters, and maybe are getting back to a situation now where manufacturers are going to say theirs is too high,” Forson explains.

Eventually, he acknowledges, Cargolux “will have a mix in its fleet of the747 and then a twin-engine freighter, which will bring complexity into our operations, which we do not have at this point in time.”

That is regrettable, Forson explains, because “having a single type in your fleet is of huge advantage.”

Source: Flightglobal

   Kalitta to Be Launch Operator of 777-300ERSF Converted Freighter


Kalitta Air will be the first airline to operate the Boeing 777-300ERSF, a converted freighter being developed by lessor GECAS and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).  GECAS reached an agreement under which Michigan-based Kalitta will operate three of the freighters, with deliveries in 2023, the lessor said.

Conversion specialist IAI and GECAS launched the 777-300ER conversion program in October 2019.  IAI has been working to secure a supplemental type certificate for the 777-300ERSF variant.  The 777-300ERSF will have 25% more cargo volume than the 777-200LRF, and 15% more than a 747-400BCF, according to IAI.

Source: GECAS/PictureGECAS

                       OTHER NOTEWORTHY NEWS

         Alaska Prepares for the Boeing 737 Max to Safely Joins Its Fleet

On March 2021 Alaska Airlines is scheduled to start welcoming guests on their first Boeing 737Max 9 aircraft.  The airline is expected delivery of the first plane in January, followed by several more thought 2021.

Once the first Max is delivered, the airline will begin two months of testing and verifying all necessary processes to prepare the aircraft for passenger service, which is scheduled to begin in March.  Alaska’s teams will put the plane through its paces, which include flying it more than,19000 miles and over 50 flight hours all over the US including Alaska and Hawaii.

Alaska will activate their training programs and make sure their employees are ready.  The airline has been closely testing, verifying and implementing all necessary processes to ensure the Max aircraft meets the airline’s safety standards.

Alaska manages safety through their Safety Management System(SMS).The airline was the first major U.S. airline to receive FAA validation and acceptance of SMS in 2016, even before it became required in 2018.

Alaska will fly the Boeing 737 MAX only after their own assessments, verifications and internal reviews that well determine that the aircraft is safe throughout its network for their guests and their crews.   Teams from divisions all across Alaska are working on the entry into service requirements for the MAX.

Source: Alaska Airlines/Picture Alaska Airlines

                         

 Researched and Compiled by : Ed Kaplanian   

Commercial Aviation Advisor  

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

Editor:   Lee Kaplanian  

May 2021 be a great year for all of us!!!

 

Kaplanian Report – November 2020
by

Kaplanian Report – November 2020

On The Boeing Front

Boeing’s Latest ecoDemonstrator Targets Noise, Airspace Routing

The drive for environmental sustain ability comes in many forms and from all sectors of the aviation industry. Boeing’s completion in early September of its latest ecoDemonstrator flight trials centering on noise, airspace routing efficiency, and cabin disinfection certainly applies to business jets as much as airliners.

Performed over about a week of flying twice a day from a former U.S. Air Force base in Glasgow, Montana, and during individual positioning flights between Seattle’s Boeing Field and the company’s Dreamliner assembly plant in Charleston, South Carolina, the tests evaluated the effectiveness of noise-mitigating fairings attached to the 787-10’s Safran Landing gear. Further noise testing involved the use of 200 microphones attached to the left side of the aircraft’s fuselage and 1,000 more listening devices on the ground in Montana.

Addressing both environmental efficiency and safety, the testing also demonstrated a system meant to more accurately guide flights around hazards such as storms, allowing pilots to better plan their routes and more quickly arrive at their destinations.

Separately, engineers tested a new hand-held wand to kill germs on surfaces within the cabin such as Covid-19. Using 222-nanometer ultraviolet light, the wand disinfected the 787 flight deck in unless than 15 minutes.

The Etihad 787-10 was the seventh test platform used since the start of the ecoDemonstrator program in 2012. Over the eight year program, Boeing has managed to apply several of the tested items to production airplanes. One of the earliest studies, in 2012, resulted in Advanced Technology winglet that now appears on the 737 Max.

On the 777X, Boeing has incorporated touchscreen displays first tested in 2014 and in 2016 signed a contract with Rockwell Collins (now Collins Aerospace) to supply the devices of all flight deck displays.

Source: Boeing

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

 Higher-Weight A330-900 Secures EASA Certification

Airbus’s higher-weight A330-900 has obtained certification from the European airworthiness authority, enabling operators to take advantage of greater range.

The aircraft, the larger variant of the A330neo family, has a maximum take-off weight of 251t. The French carrier Corsair will be the first carrier to introduce the new version. Airbus commenced flight-testing of the higher-weight version at the end of February this year, using MSN1967.

The aircraft has undergone modifications, including strengthening the landing gear and structural reinforcements, which Airbus describes as “weight-neutral” adding that it retains 99% spares commonality.

“Modifications to the nose-and main landing-gear has also enabled Airbus engineers to extend their time-before-overhaul,” stretching the interval from 10 to 12 years.

Airbus intends to obtain similar 251t certification next year for the smaller A330-800.

Source: Airbus

Last Ever Airbus A380 Rolled Out From the Factory In Toulouse 

On September 25th, the last ever Airbus A380 rolled out of the Airbus Toulouse assembly plant. Since the A380 first delivery to Singapore Airlines in 2007, more than 240 A380s have rolled of the line. 

Initial assembly of the final A380, serial number 272, has been completed with manufacturing station 40 out of work. It’s now off to station 30, where the engines will be installed and tests are carried out on electrical and hydraulic systems.

After engine tests are performed, the aircraft will make its first flight test to Hamburg, Germany, where the cabin will be installed, fitted out and the plane painted in the customer’s livery: Emirates Airlines.

The Airbus 380 was developed at a cost of $25 billion and, with a capacity of up to 853 passengers, it’s the largest gas produced civil airliner in history. 

Airbus overestimated airlines’ appetite for the aircraft. By the time the 2019 announcement, it had delivered just 234 of the aircraft—less than a quarter of the 1,200 it had predicted when the A380 was introduced.

Source: Airbus/Picture Airbus       

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

    King Air 360/360ER Awarded FAA Type Certification

Textron Aviation’s Beechcraft King Air 360/360ER has been awarded FAA type certification, a little more than a month after the upgraded twin-turboprop was announced.

The upgraded airplane features the Innovative Solutions & Support(IS&S) ThrustSense auto throttle, which allows pilots to automatically manage engine power from takeoff roll through climb, cruise, descent, and go-around phases of flight. Also new to King Air cockpit is digital pressurization controller that automatically schedules cabin pressurization during climb and descent and gauges of which have been integrated into the airplane’s Collin Aerospace Pro Line Fusion flight deck.

Cabin altitude has been improved by 10 percent over its predecessor 350i, providing an altitude of 5,960 feet at a typical cruising altitude of 27,000 feet.

Source: Textron Aviation/Textron Aviation Picture 

                    Jetfly Takes Delivery of First PC-12NGX 

European fractional ownership company Jetfly Aviation has taken delivery of the first Pilatus PC-12NGX along with its fifth PC-24 aircraft. 

Unveiled in 2019, the PC-12 NGX is equipped with an updated Pratt & Whitney PT6E-67XP engine, which includes a full digital engine control, marking a first for business turboprops. In addition, the aircraft includes a fully integrated auto throttle option and features a new passenger cabin that draws from the PC-24 twinjet.

The Jetfly Group, which includes Fly 7 Aviation, currently operates 47 Pilatus aircraft.  Delivery of the fifth PC-24 comes within two years of Jetfly’s first. The company’s fractional program has attracted 50 owners to the Swiss twinjet. Jetfly plans to take delivery of its sixth PC-24 by the end of this year.

Source: Pilatus Aircraft/Jetfly Aviation Picture                                                                 

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

 GE9X Engine for the Boeing 777X Gets FAA Certification 

On September 28, the Federal Aviation Administration has certificated GE Aviation’s 105,000lb-thrust (467kN) GE9X turbofans milestone; coming as Boeing continues working toward achieving certification for its GE9X-powered 777-9. 

GE completed the GE90X certification program using eight test engines that logged nearly 5,000h of operation and 8,000 cycles. 

John Slattery, president and CEO of GE Aviation, said: “It takes the world’s best talent in jet propulsion to create a game-changing product like the GE9x engine. There is no substitute that can achieve the combination of size, power and fuel efficiency of theGE9X. This engine will deliver unsurpassed value and reliability to our airline customers.”  

“GE’s focus remains working with Boeing to complete the 777X flight-test program and entry into service,” GE says. ”Eight GE9X test engines and two test spares have been delivered to Seattle for Boeing’s four 777X test airplanes.”

GE continues working to achieve FAA GE9X”extended operations”(ETOPS) approval – an effort expected to involve 3,000 GE9X ground -test cycles. The Company is also “conducting maturation testing to help GE engineers prepare to support the engine in service”, it adds.

GE Aviation in 2021 will kick off a GE90X test program intended to validate the power plant’s durability when operating in sandy, dusty conditions.

The tests will let GE evaluate the 105,000lb-thrust (467kN) GE9X’s design and technologies intended to help the power plant tolerate such extreme operations.

“One of our biggest focus points has been a sand infection,” says GE90X program leader Karl Sheldon.” The test next year is where we purposefully allow the engine to ingest sand.”

“The intent of the test is to validate the technology that we put in therein a full-up operating condition” Sheldon adds.  

Source: GE Aviation/picture GE Aviation

Extra Facility Opened For Planes Grounded By Covid-19

An aircraft storage facility in Central Australia is now so full that its owners have had to seek out more space.

Many carriers haven’t had enough passengers to justify flying during the pandemic, and have opted to store their planes.

Asia Pacific Airline Storage is storing 94 planes at Alice Springs, and will store more in Southeast Queensland (APAS).

APAS has additional sixteen slots on site, but they are already booked with existing customers. The site has become a local landmark in the remote town of about 25,000 people.

The Company has plans to expand the facility from its current 110 slots to accommodate 160-200 aircraft. Until the expansion is ready, APAS needs to find extra space elsewhere. Desert conditions are widely regarded by manufacturers and airlines as preferable for storing planes because it is easier to protect against corrosion in dry weather.

APAS now has 70 employees ensuring the planes are properly looked after until the airlines need them again. The Facility is not an airline “boneyard” where old planes are stripped for reusable parts; but suggested that they might become part of the business if the industry continues to face headwinds.

The IATA estimates that it will be at least 2024 before air traffic reaches pre-pandemic levels.

Source: BBC/APAS/PictureAPAS

                CMA CGM to Take Stake In French Airline Parent 

Shipping transport and Logistics group CMA CGM has signed a memorandum of understanding to take a 30% stake in Groupe Dubreuil Aero, shareholder of carrier Air Caraibes and French Bee. 

The move is aimed at further developing activity in the airfreight market, building on co-operation struck during the coronavirus crisis, plus providing fresh equity for the french airline operator.

Air Caraibes took delivery of its first A350-1000 in December, and already operates three A350-900s.

CMA CGM chef executive Rodolphe Saade says: “The acquisition of this stake will enable the CMA CGM Group to strengthen its position in airfreight. We will bring to Groupe Dubreuil Aero all our expertise in the transport of goods in ultra-marine territories.”

The carriers operate a combined fleet of 17 aircraft, including six Airbus A330 and eight A350 widebodies. They handled 2.15 million passengers in 2019, roughly a third go Groupe Dubreuil revenues.

Source: Groupe Dubreuil/Picture Air Caraïbes

                          Atlas Air Trains Air Force One Pilots 

Atlas Air operates the world’s largest fleet of Boeing 747 Freighters flying to 90 countries, it is a leading provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services.

On the first week of October confirmed that the United States Air Force has exercised its option to continue its pilot and flight engineer training contract for Air Force One with Atlas Air Inc.

Atlas Air has been training Air Force One Pilots and engineers since October 2007 and under this new extension, crews for the Air Force’s VC-25, which is a highly modified version of the Boeing 747-200, will receive ground and flight-simulator training at Atlas Air’s training center in Miami, Florida. 

“ Air Force One”, the designated call sign of the aircraft when the President is on board, consists of two specially configured Boeing 747-200B aircraft.

“We are honored to provide this vital training to the pilots and crews of Air Force One and the presidential Airlift Group. Their exacting demands for safety, professionalism, efficiency and security make this contract extremely meaningful, and a testament to the training provided by our highly experienced instructors,” said John Dietrich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide. 

“ This contract extension is the result of our team’s unwavering commitment to  safe and efficient operations.”

Source: Atlas Air Worldwide/Picture Air Force One Arriving in the UK  

Little Humor During this Pandemic

After every flight, UPS pilots fill out a form, called a “gripe sheet” which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight.

Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are actual maintenance complaints submitted by UPS pilots (“P”) and solutions recorded (“S”) by maintenance engineers:

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement. S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough. S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit
S: Something tightened in cockpit

P: Dead bugs on windshield. S: Live bugs on back-order.

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear. S: Evidence removed.

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick. S: That’s what friction locks are for.

P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield. S: Suspect you’re right.

P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny.
S: Aircraft warned to: straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit. S: Cat installed.

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget

LATEST NEWS

  • European Union Safety Agency(EASA) will this month publish a draft airworthiness directive(AD) which should enable the Boeing 737 Max to return to service in the bloc before the the end of the year.
  • Australia’s Regional Express(Rex)has signed letters of intent with two lessors to lease 737-800s thus entering the jet business.
  • Uganda Airlines Airbus has rolled out the first A330-800 for Uganda Airlines following completion of the twinset’s livery painting.

  • Middle East Airlines(MEA) has taken delivery of its third A321neo with a distinctive manufacturer serial number, 10,000.
  • Alaska Airlines will retire 10 of the Airbus A320 aircraft it owns earlier than intended, accelerating its cost-saving transition to the all Boeing fleet structure it operated before acquiring Virgin America.

  • Icelandair is to sell three of its Boeing 757-200s, which will be converted into freighters following the transaction.
  • American Airlines has added its Airbus A330-200s to the list of aircraft types it now plans to permanently retire due to demand erosion from the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • Cathay Pacific has given an indication of the timeline surrounding deferrals of its 777-9 aircraft, confirming that the wide bodies will only be delivered “beyond 2025”.
  • Air Lease boss stands by plan to keep Max orders John Plueger Said: Boeing’s 737 Max is “going to have a role” in meeting airlines’ future narrowbody needs & lessors ”can be helpful” in ensuring the airframer is able to place the aircraft once it is cleared to fly again.
  • Ethiopian Airlines recently launched their 40th humanitarian delivery flight when it delivery of the airline’s 787-9 delivery on October 2nd.

Source: Cathay Pacific, American Airlines, Rex Airlines, Airbus, Flightglobal

AIR CARGO

321 Precision Conversions Complete First Flight of A321 Converted Freighter

Oregon company 321 Precision Conversions has completed first flight of its Airbus A321-200PCF. freighter.

The type is a former passenger A321 converted to a freighter capable of carrying 27t of payload.

Precision Conversions is working toward receiving a supplemental type certificate for the type from the Federal Aviation Administration, and certifications from European and Chinese regulators.

“This milestone flight was nominal in all respects, with primary and secondary systems- including the cargo door and support sub-systems- functioning perfectly as designed,” says Precision Conversions President Gary Warner.

Precision Conversions is a joint venture between aircraft modification specialist Precision Aircraft Solutions, also based in Oregon, and air freight company Air Transport Services Group, based in Ohio.

The A321-PCF conversion includes addition of a hydraulically operated main-deck cargo door and main-deck cargo loading system.The type has a reinforced floor and plugged windows.

The Conversion allows the A321 to carry up to 14 containers measuring (88x125in) on the main dockhand 10 smaller containers on its lower deck.

Precision Conversions has said the jet’s capacity will be similar to that of Boeing 757-200Fs, with costs comparable to 737Fs.

Wet-Lease and charter specialist SmartLynx’s Maltese division is to lease a pair of the A321s which have been converted to freighters.

Source: 321Precision Conversions

 OTHER NOTEWORTHY NEWS

Factors at Play as 737 Max Closes in on Operational Return

The signs are that after the many hurdles that had to be overcome and several false dawns for its revival; the Boeing 737 Max should finally return to the skies before the end of 2020. But the recertification will be just the start of a new set of challenges for Boeing, its customers, and the wider industry. 

There are myriad issues that will come into play as the program is revived more than 20 months since its grounding; including some linked to the airline trading conditions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. There are questions around areas; such as the pace of the Max fleet restoration (among the installed fleet and hundreds of built but undelivered airframes); operators’ appetite to add Max and crew-training capacity; the potential displacement effect on other fleets: and the alignment of regulatory approvals worldwide.

But the crucial parameter is beyond the industry’s control: the acceptance by the traveling public to fly on the aircraft. While the narrative on the Max’s safety failings has perhaps been overtaken by Covid-19 pandemic, media attention around its re-introduction could quickly revive painful memories. As it stands, there are 385 delivered Max aircraft grounded worldwide, according to Cirium fleets data. Cirium estimates that approximately another 450 Max airframes are but and stored awaiting delivery. 

If, as is now widely expected, recertification by the FAA is imminent, that should clear the way for an almost immediate resumption of deliveries to US airlines. It is likely that the FAA’s approval will be shadowed promptly by authorities participating alongside it in the 737 Max Joint Operations Evaluation Board (JOEB): Brazil, Canada and the EU. The approval status in key Max market China is less clear; but might be expected to follow within months of the FAA’s decision.

If US Max clearance does come soon, then Ascend by Cirium estimates that 2020 deliveries could just reach double figures. As Boeing works to clear the backlog of built aircraft, along with integrating deliveries from Renton assembly line, we project annual shipments reaching 430 in 2021 and 480 in 2022. Before declining below 400 over the following two years. Assuming deliveries are a mix of stored and new-build airframes, we estimate that backlog of parked aircraft will be cleared by the first quarter of 2023. The delivery rate would then fall slightly to approximately 390 at a monthly rate of 31 aircraft.

There will be several drivers determining the pace of return to service of the 385 aircraft grounded in March 2019. Once approval is received within each operator’s jurisdiction, every aircraft will have to undergo post-storage checks and testing. From a demand-side prospective, airlines will look at their fleet-planning strategy amid the downturn and training availability required for flight crews.

Source: Flightglobal                      

 Researched and Compiled by : 

Ed Kaplanian    Commercial Aviation Advisor  

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

Editor:   Lee Kaplanian  

by

Volume 5 Issue 9 Sept 2018

On the Boeing Front

                    Boeing Making Steady Progress With 777X (Part 1)

Engineers have attached the first fuselage barrels for the first Boeing 777-9s—the static test airframe and the first flight test example—and moved them into systems installation, Boeing reported in late June, and the first pair of wings have emerged from the horizontal build line at the company’s wide body plant in Everett, Washington. 

Scheduled to complete the static test airframe by the end of the year, Boeing has moved the wings for the larger of the two 777X variants into letdown and systems installation, while at the 1.3-million-sq-ft composite wing center(CWC), the company has begun fabricating wings for the fifth airplane. So far, Boeing has sent four sets of wings out of the CWC and into spar assembly.

Boeing has now completed 98 percent of its engineering releases, leaving “very few left to do”, according to a company spokeswoman, who reported the remainder involves mainly systems. In the factory, Boeing has completed the static test rig in Everett, and now is loading it with all its test equipment, while the fatigue test rig has reached the halfway point of construction.

Meanwhile, the airplane’s folding wingtips have arrived from their production site in St. Louis for the static airplane and the first-test article. One of the airplane’s most visually distinguishing characteristics, the 12-foot-long folding wingtip will allow regulators to classify both airplanes as Code E, meaning they will fit the same size parking space the 777-300ER now uses.

The Airbus A380, conversely, operates as a Code F airplane, significantly limiting the number of airports it can use.

See more about this subject in my October report.

Source : ainonline/Boeing/Boeing pictures

 

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

           Airbus BelugaXL Completes First Flight in Toulouse 

Airbus’s first BelugaXL has completed its first flight, paving the way for a 10-month long test certification campaign and a planned entry into service next year.

The BelugaXL, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, took off from Blagnac in Toulouse, southwest France, where Airbus is based ,on July 19 and landed four hours and 11 min. later, Airbus said.

The aircraft, with its livery designed to look like a smiling beluga whale, the result of a vote by Airbus’s 20,000 employees, is the first of five BelugaXL’s that will enter service in 2019, gradually replacing the existing five BelugaST transporters Airbus uses to carry complete sections of its aircraft from production sites across Europe to final assembly. 

Airbus launched the BelugaXL, in November 2014 to address transport and ramp-up capacity requirements beyond 2019.The new oversize air transporters are based on the A330-200 freighter, with a large re-use of existing components and equipment. It has a payload lifting capacity of four tons greater than the current Beluga A300-600ST.  

Source : Airbus/Airbus Picture         

                                   

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

Transport Canada Certifies 90-Seat Cabin for Bombardier’s Q400 Aircraft

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft announced on August 1 that its 90-passenger Q400 aircraft certification has received its certification from Transport Canada, becoming the first in-production commercial turboprop in the world to reach that capacity.  

Todd Young, head of the Q Series Aircraft Program, said “This milestone certification showcases the unique versatility of the Q400 turboprop and continued commitment to the evolution of the program”. 

The 90-seat configuration represents another step in Bombardier’s continuous improvement of its Q400 aircraft. Other improvements under development    

includes a 2,000 lb- increase in payload capacity and an escalation of the A-Check and C-Check intervals from 600/6000 to 800/8000 flight hours.  

Launch customer for this aircraft is SpiceJet of India.

Source : Bombardier Commercial Aircraft

            

       Rockwell Collins Signs Contracts with AVIC For MA700 

Rockwell Collins has signed master contracts with China’s AVIC Aircraft to supply its Pro Line Fusion avionics suite and air data systems for the MA700 twin-engine turboprop. AVIC Aircraft also has designated the Rockwell Collins HGS 3500 Head-up guidance System as an option.

AVIC Aircraft plans to fly the first MA700, powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150C engines in November 2019 and to obtain certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in late 2021.

Pro Line Fusion on the MA700 features four, 14-in. widescreen primary and multifunction flight displays and Multifunction weather radar with predictive windshear capability.

Avionics work will take place at Rockwell Collins facilities in the U.S. and Hyderabad, India as well as at the company’s Rockwell Collins CETC Avionics Co. joint venture in Chengdu, China.

Source : ATW/Picture Rockwell Collins

                                                                 

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

  Canadian North, First Air Will Merge to Serve Canadian Arctic  

Calgary-based Canadian North and Ottawa-based First Air airlines have announced plans to merge—the latest step in the carriers’ efforts to combine air services to best meet the needs of the communities in the Canadian arctic.

The two carriers plan to operate under the Canadian North name with an administrative headquarters in Ottawa. The deal, which requires regulatory approvals is expected to close this year.

The two carriers provide key passenger and cargo connections between communities in Canada’s northern region as well as links to the country’s major metropolitan areas down south.

The two carriers said combining forces ”is the only viable way” to meet air service demands in the Canadian north. A 2017 investigation by Canada’s Competition Bureau concluded that a merger’s benefits would outweigh its drawbacks. 

First Air operates a fleet of 20 aircraft, including 13 ATR 42s, five Boeing 737-400s and two 737-200s, Canadian North has 16 aircraft, including 10 737-300s, three 737-200s, and three de Havilland Twin Otters. 

Source : ATW/Picture Canadian North

 

   Cathay Pacific Announces New Seattle to Hong Kong Direct Service  

Cathay Pacific, one of Asia’s best-known airlines, announced plans to debut nonstop service between Hong Kong and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in April 2019.

The four-times weekly service will see Seattle-Tacoma become the airline’s eighth passenger gateway in the United States, and its 10th in North America.

Cathay Pacific currently serves Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York(JFK), Newark, San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver. A new Cathay Pacific service to Washington, DC will commence on the 16th of this month.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer Rupert Hogg said the Seattle route, which will be operated by the airline’s Airbus A350-900 aircraft, underscores the airlines expansion strategy to connect new destinations not otherwise served from Hong Kong.

CX857 will depart Seattle on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings at 1:05 a.m., arriving in Hong Kong the following day at 5:25 a.m. This early morning arrival allows passengers to connect with every Cathay Pacific flight across Asia—including, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and over 20 gateways in mainland China—without a lengthy layover in Hong Kong. The return flight, CX858, will depart Hong Kong at 11:55 p.m. (local time) on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday arriving Seattle at 9:00 p.m.(same day).

Source : World Airline News/Cathay Pacific Picture

 

 Iran Air Receives Five ATR 72-600s Before Return of US Sanctions  

European turboprop manufacturer ATR delivered five ATR 72-600 aircraft to Iranian flag carrier Iran Air just before US sanctions came back into force. The carrier has now received 13 out of an order of 20 aircraft, the Toulouse-based manufacturer said.

The aircraft took off from Toulouse on Aug.4, arriving in Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport after refueling stop for a welcome ceremony that took place Aug.5. 

“This is an important decision for ATR,” the manufacturer’s CEO Christian Scherer said. “The next step will consist of working on getting an appropriate authorization from the US administration to ensure a reasonable level of maintenance.”  

The company now faces “challenges” over the remaining aircraft Iran Air ordered for which ATR received a first US license in 2017, before the revocation, Scherer said.

Source : ATW/Picture ATR    

      

LATEST NEWS

  • El Al took delivery of its latest 787-9 featuring a retro livery of the Israeli flag -carrier. El Al adopted the livery on 707s, the carriers first jets, from 1961. 

  • Turkish Airlines has taken delivery in mid-July of the first higher capacity A321neo ACF(Airbus Cabin Flex) that can accommodate up to 240 seats in a single-class layout, in combination with a space-saving aft galley. 
  • Boeing plans to establish 100,000 sqft autonomous aircraft research and development facility at MIT in Cambridge, MA; facility will house engineering teams from Aurora Flight Sciences.
  • Cebu Air has agreed to lease five A320neos from Avolon for delivery starting in 2019.
  • Pobeda Russian airlines wholly owned subsidiary of Aeroflot, has agreed with Boeing for the order of 15 737 MAX8 aircraft, with delivery from autumn of 2019.
  • British Airways announced on July 19th a commitment for three 777-300ER.The airline will take the 777s on an operating lease with a leasing company.
  • Jeju Air becomes first low-cost carrier in Korea to own and operate 737-800. The delivery marks the first of three new 737-800 NGs the airline has on order with Boeing. 

  • Air China has become the first mainland Chinese carrier to take delivery of an Airbus A350, after the airframe secured Chinese validation of the type’s certificate in mid-jury.
  • CDB Aviation Lease Finance will convert its order for eight Boeing 787-9s into one for 22 additional 737 Max 8s.
  • China Airlines has revealed a special carbon fiber livery for its 14th and final A350-900. 

 

AIR CARGO

                Expanding Freight Firms Deliver Big Deals to Boeing

A raft of cargo deals were announced during the Farnborough Air show for a mix of new and converted aircraft. The biggest deal came at the start of the of the show, when DHL Express announced an order for 14 Boeing 777-200LRFs worth $4.7 billion.

The German express shipper expects the first four of the aircraft to be delivered in 2019, and has also taken purchase rights and options on a total of seven more.

Volga-Dnepr placed a firm order for five 747-8F Freighters and a commitment of 29 777-200LRFs. The Russian cargo airline is also in discussion with Boeing about further orders of new and converted 767 freighters and converted 737-800 BCFs.

Qatar Airways finalized an order for five 777-200LRFs, confirming a deal announced as a commitment in April.

Lessor GECAS is to take up to 35 more 737-800 BCFs, building on its current commitment for 15. The deal comprises firm orders for 20 conversions and options on 15 more.

Source : Flightglobal/Boeing 

                   Ethiopian Airlines, DHL Form Logistics Joint Venture

Ethiopian Airlines and DHL have agreed to form a joint-venture company to create what they call the leading cargo logistics provider in Africa. Named DHL-Ethiopian Logistics services, the company will base its operations in Ethiopia and do business throughout A, thereby improving Ethiopia’s logistics infrastructure and connections.

Under the terms of the contract, Ethiopian Airlines takes majority stake in the joint venture and has agreed to provide regulatory and operational support, while DHL establishes air, ocean, and road freight connections between Ethiopia’s main trade hubs and the rest of the world.

The joint venture builds on an extended partnership between Ethiopian and DHL Global Forwarding, which since 2010 has supported the maintenance, repair, and overhaul(MRO) operations of Ethiopian Airlines’ commercial segment, providing logistics services for aircraft parts, engines, and mechanical modules to textiles, utensils, food. and beverages via air and ocean freight between Europe and Asia.

Source: Ain International 

 

 Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul News

                    SR Technics to Expand in Malta 

Having signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in May 2017 to expand its aircraft maintenance facility in Malta, SR Technics furthered its plans on Monday August 6 by penning a contract with national economic development agency Malta Enterprise and Malta Industrial Parks which oversees the management of government-owned properties.

The new 322,000 square foot facility located at Malta International Airport will accommodate wide body and narrow body aircraft and will hold greater workshop space which will enable increased capacity for heavy maintenance work, C-checks and cabin modifications or retrofits to up to six narrow body aircraft at a time. The investment will stand at a reported $40.5 million.

Construction is expected to begin this year with four bays scheduled to be completed by November 2019.Initial focus will be on Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737NG aircraft.

Source : SR Technics/Picture SR Technics

 

 

                      LATEST MRO NEWS

  • AJW Group secured a 5-year power-by-the-hour Airbus A320 contract with Cambodia Airways, which is scheduled to begin operations later this year.
  • Turkish Technic was selected by Russia Nordwind Airlines to replace the landing gear on a Boeing 777.
  • Monarch has an Air Transat contract for Airbus A310/A330 line maintenance at Glasgow.
  • EFW(Elbe Flugzeugwerke) delivered its first converted Airbus A330-200P2F to EgyptAir.  EFW says EgyptAir ordered Three A330-200 PSFs.

  • S7 Technics opened a new line maintenance station at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.

 

                      

 

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

Volume 5 Issue 7 The Kaplanian Report

On the Boeing Front

                     Boeing Gets Approval for Folding Wings on 777X

Boeing’s 777X will become the first heavily used commercial airliner with the technology. 

While the wings are common on smaller defense aircraft, the FAA had to institute new regulations for Boeing’s commercial plane to avoid mishaps like the wing flaps coming loose during high winds.

Boeing assured the regulator that a locking mechanism would make it impossible for the wings to retract while in flight. The FAA finally gave approval to the 777X on Friday May 18.

Airlines will be able to park the 777X at current gates despite its 235 feet wing, thanks to the 12-foot foldable section.

The wings are made from lighter carbon fiber composites instead of aluminum. ”This airplane will be the most efficient twin-jet overdeveloped in commercial history,” Terry Beezhold, the 777X’s chief project engineer called it “this beautiful wing” in a recent video made by the company. ”This airplane actually will be the most efficient twin-jet ever developed in commercial history.” Beezhold said.

Source : Bloomberg/Boeing 

              Boeing Marks 737 Max Anniversary with 130-Strong Fleet   

Boeing has passed the one year anniversary of the 737 Max with a staggeringly large in-service fleet that has fulfilled promises of improved fuel efficiency. The company delivered 130 aircraft representing two versions of the 737 Max in the 12 months since the first delivery to Lion Air’s Malaysia-based subsidiary last May, the company says in an online blog post.  

The deliveries might have been even higher, but engine supplier CFM International fell several weeks behind on a planned ramp-up of Leap-1B engine production, CFM plans to catch up on deliveries in the third quarter.

So far, the 28 737 Max operators have logged 118,006 hours on 41,797 flights that carried 6.5 million passengers, according to Boeing.

The fleet now stands at a mission dispatch rate of 99.4% and should improve to the 99.7% standard by the end of the year.

Boeing has sold 4,509 firm orders of the 737 Max family with the 737-8 version is by far the most popular.

Source :  Boeing                

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

                              Airbus BelugaXL on Track for First Flight

Airbus said the BelugaXL has passed the ground vibration test (GVT), a requirement for certification of the aircraft that paves the way toward its maiden flight this summer.

“The objective of this test is to measure the dynamic behavior of the aircraft and confirm theoretical models of various flight conditions, such as maneuvering, flying in gusty conditions and landing. This test data also helps clear the aircraft’s flight envelope,” Airbus said in a statement.

The BelugaXL was launched in November 2014 to address the transport and ramp-up capacity requirements for Airbus beyond 2019.  The new oversize air transporters are based on the A330-200 Freighter, with large re-use of existing components and equipment. The first of five BelugaXLs will enter service in 2019. 

Source : Airbus/Picture Airbus

          

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

                                Air Baltic Signs for 30 More CS300s

Latvian carrier Air Baltic has signed for 30 more Bombardier Series aircraft and taken options for 30 more of the type. Deliveries of the new aircraft are set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Air Baltic has already ordered 20 of the type, eight of which are in commercial service. “In 2017, we successfully executed our fleet modernization strategy, and are excited to further grow our fleet up to 80 CS300 aircraft while phasing out our other types in the next three years.”

The new aircraft will support the next stage of its business strategy, which targets significant route expansion in key Baltic markets Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.

“A critical part of this new strategy is the introduction of a larger and exclusive fleet of all CS300 aircraft, which are the most suitable aircraft for the markets in which we operate,” said chief executive Martin Gauss. 

Source : Reuters/Picture Air Baltic      

      Boeing Business Jets Grows Order Book with New Sales

Boeing Business Jets have won four new orders in 2018 as elite customers continue to favor Boeing’s portfolio of ultra-large-cabin, long range airplanes, the company announced on May 28 at the European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (EBACE).

The New Orders this year follow an impressive 2017 in which customers purchased 16 Boeing Business Jets. Two of the new orders this year are for the BBJ MAX airplane, adding to a backlog of 19 airplanes and making the BBJ MAX one of the best-selling business jetliners in history.

“The performance advantage of the BBJ MAX is a big sales driver,” said Greg Laxton, leader of Boeing Business Jets. ”The airplane is perfectly suited for discerning customers who want to fly further without stopping.” 

Source : Boeing Business Jets Communications

                                                                       

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

      SIngapore Airlines To Merge Regional Silkair Unit into Main Brand 

Silkair’s Boeing 737 fleet will undergo a major cabin overhaul pending the unit’s merger with the main Singapore Airlines brand.

The full merger will take place after 2020, which gives the SIA Group time to upgrade the cabins aboard the regional carrier’s narrow body fleet, says SIA. 

“The program will comprise investment of more than $100 million to upgrade the wholly owned subsidiary’s cabins with new lie-flat seats in business class, and the installation of seat-back in-flight entertainment systems in both business class and economy class”, says SIA. “ This will ensure closer product and service consistency across the SIA Group’s full-service network.  

“Singapore Airlines is one year into our three-year Transformation Program and the announcement of May 18 of merging Silkair into Singapore Airlines is a significant development to provide more growth opportunities and prepare the Group for an even stronger future,” says SIA chief executive Got Choon.

Silkair operates 34 aircraft. They comprise of five 737 Max 8, 17 737-800s, three Airbus A319s, and nine A320s. The A320 family aircraft are being phased out in favor of the 737s, of which Silkair has orders for 32 Max 8s. 

Source : Singapore Airlines

                     GE9X Completes First Phase of Flight Testing

In early May, GE wrapped up the first phase of a two-stage flight-test effort on the 105,000lb-thrust GE9X. Phase 1 included 18 flights on board the company’s Victorville-based 747-400 flying testbed, GE9X program manager Ted Ingling said. The 105,000lb-thrust power plant was flown to Evendale, Ohio to prepare for phase 2, which is scheduled to begin in the third quarter.” It will be months of work to bring the engine down and back up again. The majority of the activities are around the instrumentation that we have on this vehicle. There’s over 1,600 pieces of discrete information through sensors that get bundled onto the engine routed into the aircraft,” Ingling says. 

“We want to preserve that instrumentation for the missions that follow. As a result, what would normally be a quick turn-around for incorporation of the hardware changes takes us a much longer time to bring the engine down and back up and make sure all the instrumentation is working,” he adds.

The first phase of flight-testing with the GE9X kicked off on March 13, with engine designated as No.4 within the program lifting off in Victorville. In nearly two months, the 747-400 flying testbed logged 110 flight hours overall during the 18 flights.

“We are very encouraged about the engine. All indications from flight test is that the engine is doing exactly what we want it to do and we’re on track to meet our objectives on performance,” Ingling says. ”The engine is really performing well and we couldn’t be happier with that.”

Source : GE Aviation

      JetBlue Founder Raising Funds for New U.S. Airline, Report Says 

David Neeleman, who started JetBlue Airways Corp.with $100 million in 2000, is raising money to launch a new low-cast carrier focused on secondary airports in the U.S., according to Airline Weekly.

The airline, to be called Moxy Airways, has secured orders for 60 Bombardier CS300 aircraft, the trade journal, citing people familiar with the matter.  The first would arrive in 2020, perhaps a ply on the word Moxie—meaning determination and pep—Moxy Airways reportedly aims to get of the ground in 2020.

The timeline coincides exactly with when Bombardier – and its new partner Airbus – intend to open a Series assembly site in Mobile, Alabama.

Moxy is designed to maximize the economic advantage of the C Series, along with the use of smaller, secondary airports such as Providence, Rhode Island, Forth Worth, Texas, Gary,  Indiana and Burbank, California. Plus the Long Island cities of Islip and Farmingdale, Airline Weekly said. The advanced jetliner reduces fuel burn due to its modern engines and carbon-fiber fuselage.

With 60 CS300 orders, Moxy would become the second-largest C Series customer after Delta Airlines.  Delta is acquiring 75 of the smaller CS100 model and plans to begin service with the plane next year. 

Source : Bloomberg/Ed’s Research

 

    LATEST NEWS

  • IATA downgraded its 2018 profit forecast for the global airline industry, projecting airlines will collectively earn $33.8 billion this year, down 12% from the $38.4 billion predicted in December 2017 as fuel costs rise. 
  • Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar Al Baker has been appointed the chairman of ATA board of governors. 
  • Ethiopian Airlines has taken delivery of its 100th aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on June 6,2018, once again leading the way in fleet expansion and modernization in Africa.
  • LOT Polish Airlines is acquiring six more Boeing 737 MAX 8s as part of its fleet modernization plans.
  • United Airlines debuted its first passenger service utilizing a 737 MX 9 between Houston and Orlando International Airport on June 7. 
  • BOC Aviation Limited delivered its first Boeing 737 MAX8 aircraft to its newest customer Corendon Airlines based in Turkey. 
  • CDB Aviation Lease Finance delivered two Boeing 737-800 aircraft to Ukraine International Airlines. The aircraft delivered from CDB Aviation order book with Boeing.
  • AirAsia Group received shareholder approval to sell 55 Airbus A320 family aircraft and seven CFM56s on an operating lease to FLY leasing; deal includes options on another 20 A320neos.
  • Vistara the Indian affiliate of Singapore Airlines Ltd has opted for six 787s with an option to buy four more. Vistara is considering between the 787-9 and the 787-10 version. 
  • Xiamen Airlines has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737MAX 8, expanding its fleet to 200 aircraft. The air carrier operates an all Boeing fleet of 737s,757s and 787s, with 31 consecutive years of profitability. 
  • Royal Brunei Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320neo aircraft during an event in Toulouse, France. 

Sources : Ed”s Research From Various Aviation Resources.

 

AIR CARGO

           Lufthansa Cargo Introduces Twice Weekly B777Fs to Chengdu

Lufthansa Cargo has confirmed its latest capacity increase into Chinese cargo market by adding twice weekly B777 freighter services to the city of Chengdu. 

Chengdu in western China has joined Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong as Lufthansa Cargo freighter connections to the country.

Speaking at Air Cargo China in Shanghai, Frank Naeve, Lufthansa Cargo vice president Asia-Pacific, said: “The extension to our network will allow us to offer solutions for booming markets in the west of China”. “These new flights to Chengdu are strengthening our position in China. It is a further investment into the very important Chinese airfreight market,” he declared.

Lufthansa Cargo flew 240,000 tons of cargo from and into China in 2017.

In addition to this news, Lufthansa has ordered two Boeing 777Fs to add to its fleet of five B777Fs, to be delivered in February and March of 2019.

“The Boeing 777F is not only the world’s most powerful, efficient and environmentally friendly freighter, it is a visible sign of our modernization strategy,” said Peter Gerber, chief executive of Lufthansa Cargo.” He added: “With the growth of our B777 freighter fleet, an important milestone has been reached on our way to forming a company for the next generation.”

With a full payload of 103 tons, the B777F is able to stay in the air for ten and a half hours. It covers a distance of more than 9,000 kilometers ( 5592 miles) non-stop.

Source : Aircargonews/Lufthansa/Picture Lufthansa

 

 Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul News

Services May Justify Future Boeing Aircraft: Fitch

 Boeing’s increasing emphasis on services and lifecycle revenue streams for its product is a “key development” for the company, says Fitch Ratings.

The credit rating agency had affirmed Boeing’s long-term rating at ‘A’ with a stable outlook, and says that Boeing’s 4.25 billion takeover of parts supplier KLX Aerospace Solutions—expected to close in the third quarter—will not affect this assessment.

Fitch broadly approves of Boeing’s aftermarket strategy, which it believes could drive growth and margin gains. It also increases the viability of clean-sheet aircraft programs by opening another revenue stream to recoup high development costs.

“Potentially greater services revenues through the life of a program could make some proposed programs more economically viable than if evaluated only on an original equipment basis,” Fitch states.

The obvious potential program in this regard is Boeing’s new midsize aircraft (NMA). Fitch questions whether Boeing’s current setup can provide a business case for the aircraft given development costs, but notes this might change with production system improvements and aftermarket gains.

“Key questions for Boeing over the next year will be whether it raises 737 rates further and whether the supply chain can support additional rate hikes”

Source: Fitch Credit Rating Agency

        MRO LATEST NEWS

  • ST Engineering Aerospace opened a $46 million, 173,500 sq ft maintenance and overhaul facility in Pensacola, Florida.  It’s the third facility in the US.  They have signed UPS as launch customer for Boeing 757s.
  • Boeing & Safran agreed to form a joint venture to design, build and service APUs.
  • Skytech-AIC was appointed by Kuwait Airways to market for sale the airline’s single, low-time, GE-powered 747-400 Combi and its first A340-300 aircraft, delivered new to Kuwait Airways in 1994-1995.
  • Thai Airways & Rolls-Royce signed cooperation agreement over Trent Maintenance.
  • German Asset Manager Dr Peters, on June 5th, disclosed plans to part out two ex-Singapore Airlines Airbus A380s.  Dr Peters executive, Anselm Gehling, estimates that the company can achieve a residual value of about $80 million per aircraft. This is done with  $45 million from parting out airframe, about $4 million from leasing engines over the next 18 months, and $32-$33 million from selling the engines in 2020.    

        

 

 

 

 

Researched and Compiled by : 

Ed Kaplanian    Commercial Aviation Advisor  

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

Editor:   Lee Kaplanian  

by

Volume 5 Issue 5 May 2018 The Kaplanian Report

On the Boeing Front

                               Boeing Start Assembly of the First 777-9

Major fuselage sections of the first 777X aircraft have entered Boeing’s fuselage assembly center in Everett wide body plant.

In a tweeted photo on March 23rd, (see picture) Boeing showed the first Section 41—the company’s internal designation for the nose and forward fuselage—entered the 40-47 bay of the Everett factory. The first 777-9 version of the 777X family to enter fuselage assembly will be used for static testing on the ground, Boeing says.

Inside the 40-47 bay, Section 41 will be joined to the center and aft fuselage sections, using a new process introduced two years ago on the 777-300ER and 777-200LR programs. Instead of loading the assemblies into a rotating tool fixture, Boeing will mate the 777X using automated upgrade build (FAUB) procession which sections are loaded into movable cradles and are mated together using mostly robots for drilling and fastening.

Later this year, the assembled fuselage will be moved to the final assembly bay for the 777X, where it will be joined with the aircraft’s first new composite wings.  Boeing introduced the first 777-9 wingspan into assembly last year for the static test airplane.

During final assembly, Boeing also mates the fuselage with the wings, onboard systems and the GE Aviation GE9X engines. The 777-9 program is scheduled to enter flight testing in 2019 and enter service with launch customer Emirates in 2020.The longer-range 777-8 will enter service two years later.

Source : Boeing/Flightglobal   

                   

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

      Sections for First All Nippon Airways A380 Arrive in Toulouse

Final assembly of the first A380 for All Nippon Airways is set to start this month.

The main sections of the first A380 for Japan’s All Nippon Airways(ANA) have arrived at the Airbus final assembly line in Toulouse, France via a special convoy, with six subassemblies—the nose, central and aft fuselage sections, the tailplane, and the two wings.

ANA Holdings placed a firm order for three A380s in 2016, becoming the first customer for the A380 in Japan. The first delivery is scheduled early in 2019, and the A380 will initially be operated on the Tokyo-Honolulu route. ANA’s A380 will feature a special Hono Hawaiian green sea turtle livery, symbolizing good luck and prosperity.

Source : Airbus/Picture Airbus            

       

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

      Gulfstream Aerospace Has Delivered a Fourth G650ER to Qatar

Gulfstream AeroSpace delivered a fourth G650ER to Qatar Airways for its Qatar Executive commercial charter service.

With the delivery, Qatar Executive becomes the largest single owner and operator of G650ER aircraft, Gulfstream said.

The delivery will help meet increased demand for a longer-range private air travel by Qatar customers, Qatar Airways said. Gulfstream’s partnership with Qatar Airways began in 2014 when it became the launch customer for the Gulfstream G500.

Since then, Qatar Airways has signed orders and options for up to 30 Gulfstream aircraft that include the G650ER,the G500 and the G600.

Source : Gulfstream/Qatar Airways                                                                                                                                  

                 Cambodia Bayon Airlines Commenced Operations                         with MA60 Domestically

Cambodia Bayon Airlines (Phnom Penh) is a new airline in Cambodia which selected the Xian MA 60 to fly domestic operations between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The airline received its AOC on December 23, 2014.

Cambodia Bayon Airlines is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bayon Airlines Holdings which was established in April 2014.

Bayon Airlines plans to introduce 20 MA60 aircraft and 10 Airbus A320 aircraft within five years to build route network which covers Cambodia and services to Japan , China and Korea.

Little bit about the MA60…it is a stretched version of the Xian A7-200A which was produced on the An24 to operate in rugged conditions with limited ground support and short take-off and landing(STOL) capability. The MA60 has not applied for FAA(US) and EASA(Europe) type certification and is not certified for use in the US and the European Union.

Source :World Airline News/Ed’s Research  

                                                               

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

         China Southern Group to Take 309 Aircraft Through to 2020

The China Southern Airlines Group is currently scheduled to take delivery of 309 aircraft over the next three years, with nearly half of those set to arrive this year.

Over 2018 the carrier will take delivery of 115 aircraft, comprising of 61 Boeing 737-800s,39 Airbus A320 family jets,10 787-9s and five A330-300s.It will retire 29 aircraft, thus ending the year with an estimated 840 aircraft-up from 2017’s 754.

2019 will see the addition of 105 aircraft, comprising of 45 Boeing 737-800s, 42 A320 family jets, seven 787-9s, six A350-900s and five 777-300ERs. It will end the year with 916 aircraft, after 29 retirements.

2020 will see 89 additions, again with the 737-800s forming the bulk of the deliveries at 51, followed by 24 A320 family aircraft, six A350-900s, five 787-9s and three 777-300ERs.With 26 planned retirements, it will end the year with 979 aircraft. China Southern is the largest airline group in China by fleet size. Besides China Southern, the group also has stakes in a list of carriers including Xiamen Airlines, Shantou Airlines, Zhuhai Airlines, Guizhou Airlines, Chongqing Airlines and Hebei Airlines.

Source : Flightglobal                                                                                                                                           

                    American Orders 47 787s for Fleet Replacement

American Airlines has ordered 47 Boeing 787s on April 6 and canceling its order for 22 Airbus A350s.The 787 order consists of 22 787-8s to begin arriving in 2020 and 25 787-9s scheduled to begin arriving in 2023 American said.

The 787-8s will replace American’s Boeing 767-300s, while later 787-9 deliveries will replace Airbus A330-300s and older 777-200s.All the 787s will be powered by GE Aviation GEnx-1B engines. The order is valued at $12 billion at list prices, says Boeing.

“This was a difficult decision between the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A350 and the A330neo and we thank both manufactures for their aggressive efforts to earn more of American’s business,” says Robert Isom, President of American, in a statement. “In the end, our goal to simply our fleet made the 787 a more compelling choice.”

As part of the deal, American is also deferring the delivery of 40 Boeing 737 MAX narrowbodies.

Boeing says that the order is a new deal from American and not an exercise of the carrier’s options for 58 787s.

American will be the largest operator of the 787 in the western hemisphere, with 89 aircraft. ANA, the Japanese carrier that was the launch customer for the Dreamliner, is the largest operator of 787s, while lessor AerCap is the largest 787owner.

So Far Orders for the 787 Dreamliners stand at over 1,365 that is not counting recent announcements from Hawaiian for 10 787-9s and Emirates for 40 787-10. When confirmed will be over 1,400. (EdK)

Source : Boeing/American/ATW/Flightglobal/Ed’s Research

           

                          Ethiopian Airlines Launches Split Scimitar                              Winglet in Northern Africa

Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) announced on March 26 that Ethiopian Airlines has become the first operator in Northern Africa of its Split Scimitar Winglet Technology. The first installation of the System was completed on March 20th,2018 in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopian Airlines intends to install the Winglets on its fleet of Boeing Next Generation 737-700 and 737-800 aircraft. Aviation Partners’ latest Winglet design, the Split Scimitar Winglet, uses existing Blended Winglets technology but adds new aerodynamic Scimitar tips and a large ventral strake, further increasing the efficiency of the airplane.

The Split Scimitar Winglet modification reduces Boeing Next-Generation 737 block fuel consumption by up to an additional 2.2% over the Blended Winglets alone. The Split Scimitar Winglet System will reduce Ethiopian Airline’s annual fuel requirements by more than 275,000 liters per aircraft and their carbon dioxide emissions by over 700tons per aircraft per year.

Since launching the Boeing Next-Generation 737 Split Scimitar Winglet program, APB has taken orders for over 1,800 systems, and over 1,000 aircraft are now operating with the technology. APB estimates that its products have reduced aircraft fuel consumption worldwide by over 8.0 billion gallons to date thereby saving nearly 85.0 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions

Source : Aviation Partners Boeing/Ethiopian Airlines/Picture Avimet.cr

     

LATEST NEWS

  • Ukraine International Airlines will take delivery of 10 aircraft in 2018, comprising of four 737-800s, four 777-200ERs and two Embraer E190s.
  • Spirit Airlines agreed to purchase 14 Airbus A319-100s off-lease from AerCap.
  • Avolon delivered one Boeing 787-9 aircraft to Virgin Atlantic. This is the fourth Avolon aircraft on lease to Virgin Atlantic.
  • Jet Airways announced a new order for 75 737 MAX. The new deal is in addition to a similar number of 737 Max 8s of firm orders and purchase rights that was announced at the 2015 Dubai air show.
  • Air Lease has firmed up an order for eight additional Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, valued at almost $939 million at list prices.
  • Royal Jordanian Airlines improved on-time performance to rank third in the Middle East and Africa.                                                                                                                                             
  • Hi Fly Portuguese long-haul wet-lease specialist is to become the latest operator of the Airbus A380, with planes to take delivery of the type around the middle of this year.
  • LOT Polish Airlines received its first 787-9 after a 9h 20 min flight from Everett Paine Field to Warsaw Chopin Airport.
  • Lessor BOC Aviation has signed a purchase agreement with Boeing for six 787-9s, in a deal valued at $1.69 billion at list prices.
  • All Nippon Airways(ANA) has finalized an order for two 777-200LRFs valued at $678 million at list prices. 
  • Gulf Air reveals new branding as it took delivery of its first delivery 787-9 on April 6th.                                                                                                                                                                     
  • Sources : Various Sources Researched by Ed K

 

AIR CARGO

  Air Bridge Cargo Launches Scheduled Freighter Services at Rickenbacker

AirBridgeCargo Airlines(ABC) will become the fifth freighter operator to provide scheduled services at Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus, Ohio.

The Russia-based carrier joins a network of logistics service providers at the US cargo-dedicated airport, which is located within a one-day drive to nearly half of the US population and one third of the Canadian population.

ABC’s inaugural flight landed at Rickenbacker on April 5th, and weekly flights will continue on Thursdays, carrying freight inbound from the airlines global hub in Moscow and returning to Moscow through Liege, Belgium. The carrier will employ its fleet of 747 freighters that provide up to 139 tons of capacity.

ABC joins Cargolux, Cathay Pacific Cargo, Emirates SkyCargo and Etihad Cargo as freight carriers that operate up to 15 weekly international lights at Rickenbacker International Airport(LCK).

Source : aircargonews/Photo ABC                                                                                                                   

       Qatar Airways Signs LOI for 5 Boeing 777-200LR Freighters 

On April 10 Qatar Airways signed a letter of intent(LOI) with Boeing to buy five 777-200LR Freighters, worth $1.7 billion at list prices, the airline said in a statement. Al Baker And Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Kevin McAllister met in Doha to sign the preliminary agreement. Qatar has taken delivery of 13 out of 16 Boeing 777 Freighters orders in 2006, and has 60 of the next generation jets on order, according to Boeing’s orders and deliveries website.

The order will be posted on Boeing’s orders and deliveries website once the purchase is finalized the statement said.

Source : Reuters

 

   Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul News

     Rolls-Royce Develops Maintenance Log Reader

Rolls-Royce is preparing to demonstrate part of Intelligent Insights a suite of tools launched under the IntelligentEngine program.

The first of those tools, Technical Insight uses natural language processing techniques to read engine maintenance logs, combining its findings with cloud-based inputs from other data sources.

“Insights are then delivered via visualization tools for the line maintenance environment in an easy-to-use append via the Rolls-Royce portal”, says Rolls-Royce in a statement.

If It works as intended, the tool should make mechanics’ lives easier, removing the need to cross-check various sources of information and presenting important data in an accessible manner.

The main goal is to improve dispatch reliability, but it will also be interesting to see how the new technology contributes to wider aims such as lifecycle management.

Rolls-Royce has not said if Technical Insight was developed with outside help or purely in house.

Source : Rolls-Royce/Rolls-Royce Picture

 

MRO LATEST NEWS

  • Safran Nacelles unveiled the NacelleLife service offering providing complete coverage of its set engine nacelle systems—including thrust reversers.
  • Lufthansa Technik has a total component support agreement with Easter Jet for its Boeing 737NGs.
  • AerFin signed a three-year TrueChoice Material Service Agreement with GE Aviation for serviceable OEM parts, advanced repair and technology upgrades for the CFM56,CF34 and CF-80C2 engines.
  • Wheeltug was selected by Kenya Airways to provide its electric taxi systems for its Boeing 737NGs.
  • Pratt & Whitney was selected by JetBlue Airways to supply GTF engines for another 85 Airbus A320neo family aircraft; the deal includes 15-year EngineWise service agreement.                    

 

 

Researched and Compiled by :

Ed Kaplanian    Commercial Aviation Advisor 

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com

Editor:   Lee Kaplanian

by

Volume 4 Issue 12 December 2017 The Kaplanian Report

ON THE BOEING FRONT

Boeing Ceremonially Kicks Off  777-9 Assembly

Boeing marked the official launch of production activity for the first 777-9 test aircraft in a public ceremony on October 23. The company started building the wing spar in the newly-erected composite wing center in Everett, Washington, during the summer. The October 23 ceremony coincided with the drilling of the spar by an automated machine in another building on the campus. The ceremonial launch of production for the 777X family comes about 14 -17 months before the scheduled first flight of the 777-9 test aircraft in the first quarter of 2019. Entry into service with Launch customer should occur about a year after first flight.

Meanwhile, GE Aviation is continuing certification testing of the GE9x engine, while the second engine is to test running on a ground test stand since May.

Combined with GE Aviation GE9X engines, the 777X’s new wing will play a key part in delivering enhanced fuel efficiency. It has been increased in diameter by around 7m (23ft) over the current 777-300ER model, to 71.8m (235ft 5in) with a new wing-fold mechanism of 3.5m (11.4ft) on each side — to enable the twin engine jet to use the same airport infrastructure and taxiways as its predecessor.

Flight testing of the 777X is set to commence in 2019. Boeing expects to deliver the first 777-9 during 2020, with the longer-range -8 model to follow one year later.

“We see a good order backlog — much better than the -300ER had at this time, ahead of production,” Boeing Commercial Airplane chief executive Kevin McAllister told Flight global on September 26.  I think you’ll see a very compelling value proposition on that airplane as we go forward.”

Boeing has secured firm orders for 336 of the aircraft—283-9s and 53-8s— since launching the program at the Dubai air show in November 2013 (the last order for 20-9s from Singapore Airlines was finalized in Washington, DC on October 23.)

Other customers include All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa and Qatar.

Launch customer will be Emirates.

Source : Flightglobal/Boeing Picture

 

ON THE AIRBUS FRONT

First A321neo With Revised Door Layout Assembled

The first Airbus A321neo equipped with a modified fuselage and additional cabin exits is nearing completion on the final assembly line in Hamburg. Dubbed the “Airbus Cabin Flex” (ACF) version, this first major variation of the A321 fuselage incorporates up to four over-wing exits instead of the main cabin doors immediately ahead of the wing on existing A321.

The pair of doors immediately behind the wing has also repositioned aft by four fuselage frames (with a deactivation option).

The changes increase in the twinset’s maximum seating from the current 230 passengers to up to 240.  Other interior changes include slimmer seats, redesigned rear galley and lavatory module, and a new rating for exit doors.

The A321neo ACF is due to enter service next year and the changes it features will be incorporated into the extended-range A321LR version of the A321neo, which is due to enter service in 2019.  This variant features increased weights and up to three auxiliary fuel tanks, to boost range by up to 500nm (925km) to 4,000nm.

Source : Flightglobal/Airbus Picture

 

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

  Boeing Business Jets Has Upped Its Sales For 2017

Boeing Business Jets tally for 2017 to 13 aircraft, adding six since the EBACE business aviation in May.  In what new BBJ president Greg Laxton calls a “fast and furious” year to date. The orders include a second 737 Max 7, the only narrow body Boeing Business Jet able to fly 7,000nm (13,000km). Boeing secured its first customer for the Max 7 BBJ late last year—a variant Laxton describes as a “game-changer” as it gives the airframe a product with similar range to the Gulfstream G650 or Bombardier 7000.

Boeing also notched up orders for six wide body business jets—Three 747-8s and three 777-300ERs— in 2017, as well as two of BBJ Max 9s, two original BBJs ( 737-700s) and a pair of BBJ 2s (737-800s). There have been four deliveries of green aircraft: three 777-300ERS and one 787-8.

In total, Boeing has orders for the BBJ version of the Max, with first delivery to a completion center—a 737 Max 8—due in the second quarter of 2018.

Source : Flightglobal/BBJ

 

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

      Retirement of KLM Fokker Ends Era That Began in 1921

The retirement of KLM Cityhopper’s last Fokker 70, after final flight on October 28, marks the end of an era in Dutch aviation history.

It was all the way back in April 1921 that KLM put its first Fokker into service.  KLM’s chief executive Pieter Elbers describes the exit of its last Fokker as “a sad moment”, but also highlights a new beginning for Cityhopper regional unit, which now operates a fleet composed of Embraer E-Jets.

“The replacement of the entire Fokker fleet began nine years ago with the introduction of the first Embraer 190 in November 2008,” Elbers recalls. ”it can be difficult to keep reliability high for the small Fokker fleet, but our maintenance team at Cityhopper has done a fantastic job.”

Special farewell flight between Heathrow and Amsterdam School was operated on the evening of October 28, becoming the last ever scheduled arrival of Cityhopper Fokker 70 at the Dutch hub. The aircraft (registered PH-KZU) was adorned with an image of founding father Antony Fokker on the tail and “Thank you” titles on the fuselage.

Source : KLM Press Room/KLM Picture

  American to Say Good Bye to MD-80s in 2019

American Airlines has set 2019 as the year it will retire its MD-80 fleet, replacing the rear-engined aircraft with modern Boeing 737-800s.The MD-80 was the workhorse of American and other US carriers’ domestic fleets from the 1980s through the early 2000s making it an everyday sight at airports around the country. Fort Worth-based America plans to finish this year with 45 MD-80s in its fleet, shrinking to 26 by the fall of 2018. All the carrier’s MD-80s will be based at its Dallas/Fort Worth hub once the ST Louis pilot base closes.

American was the first major US carrier to commit to the MD-80 — if only tentatively at first — when it agreed to “rent” 20 from McDonnell Douglas in 1982.

The airframer essentially leased the aircraft to the airline under a deal that allowed it to return the aircraft after five years with no penalty, or earlier with a cancellation charge.

Initially, American planned to primarily use the MD-80 to replace Boeing 727-100s in its fleet, citing 37% better fuel efficiency for the former compared to the latter.  Instead American opted to use the aircraft for growth when it placed what at the time was its largest order ever for 167 MD-80s, including 67 firm and 100 options, in 1984.

With the 1984 deal, American had “firmly pinned its future” on the MD-80.American’s fleet grew to 260 by 1993.

Source : Flightglobal/American Picture

 

                                                    LATEST NEWS

  • UTair Russian carrier has unveiled a refreshed livery and a slightly-modified  Utair brand name.

  • Ethiopian Airlines took delivery of the first of two Boeing 787-9s on October 27th making it Africa’s first operator of the type.
  • Aeroflot sizes up Airbus, Boeing for a narrow-body order and considering a “sizable” order of the A320neo and 737 MAX.
  • Airbus delivered first A320neo assembled in Tianjin to Air Asia. The aircraft, powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines.
  • Textron Aviation delivered its 100th Cessna Citation Latitude. The delivery went to NetJets.
  • Emirates Airlines takes delivery of its 100th A380 at Airbus’ Hamburg facility on November 3.
  • The Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC) has flown its C919 aircraft for the third time—five weeks after its second flight, and 26 weeks after the first flight.
  • Comlux signs the first BBJ MAX 8 completion ever, the aircraft will go to Comlux Indianapolis facilities in the 4th quarter of 2018 for redelivery by the fall of 2019
  • Pratt & Whitney successfully tests next generation Pure Power Geared Turbofan (GTF) as part of the FAA Sustainability Program.

  • Emirates Airlines kicked off the Dubai Air Show by announcing a commitment to purchase 40 Boeing 787-10s valued at $15.1 billion at list prices.

  • Air China and Air Canada take delivery of their first 737 Max 8 aircraft. The latest hand-overs raise Boeing’s total count of 737-8s this year to at least 35.

 

AIR CARGO

Lockheed Flies Second LM-100J Cargo Transport. 

The second LM-100 J has joined Lockheed Martin’s flight test program for the commercial freighter derivative of the C-130J military transport. The newly-built aircraft completed a first flight on October 11 from Lockheed’s final assembly plant in Marrietta, Georgia.

The first LM-100J started flying on May 25 to begin Lockheed’s campaign to receive a civil certification of the type from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The addition of the second aircraft “will accelerate our progress to deliver this unique aircraft’s capabilities to civilian operators around the world”, says Wayne Roberts, Lockheed’s chief test pilot for the LM-100J.

Lockheed has announced receiving 25 orders with a total value of $1.6 billion for the converted civil freighter. Externally, the most visible difference between the C-130 J and LM-100J is the absence of windows at the feet of the pilot and co-Pilot in the Cockpit of the commercial derivative. The LM-100J also lacks certain features of the military version, such as the capability to lower the cargo ramp door in flight.

Source : Lockheed/Lockheed Picture

 

 EVA Air Takes First 777-200 LR Freighter  

On November 10 EVA has taken delivery of its first Boeing 777-200LR Freighters part of its fleet modernization plan.

It will be put the aircraft was put into service between Asia and North America later that month. says the Taiwanese airline in a statement. It currently operates cargo services to North American points of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth and Atlanta.

EVA adds that the General Electric GE-90 powered 777-200LR freighter allows it to operate to any North American destination from Taiwan, with a technical stop in Anchorage.

The carrier has another four of the freighters on order, all of which will be delivered by September 2019. With the deliveries, it will retire its five remaining 747-400 Freighters by the end of 2019.

The airline’s executive vice-president of corporate planning Albert Liao tells FlightGlobal that the carrier’s cargo strategy is to utilize the five 777 freighters as well as the belly hold of its 34 777-300ER aircraft to ensure a “sustainable” cargo  in “ good and bad Times”.

Source : Flightglobal/EVA Picture

 

 Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul News

Leap Negotiates Teething Problems 

The engine manufacturers predict around 450 Leaps will be produced in 2017. With all the attention paid to Pratt & Whitney’s problems with the geared turbofan this year, some have overlooked the early hiccups with its rival, The CFM LEAP.

“We have observed a premature loss of coating on the high-pressure turbine shroud which is made by our partner in CFM GE on some engines,” said Safran CEO Philippe Petitcolin in a recent earnings call.

Following a problem with LEAP 1B low-pressure turbine(LPT) discs that has nearly been resolved, CFM is now dealing with premature loss of the thermal coating on high-pressure turbine discs on the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B.

However, Petitcolin, says that “most of this issue is really now behind us” and that coating problems should be fully resolved by 2018.He also stresses that the additional headwind is a conservative estimate, and that the extra technical support may not be needed.  One question for next year is the production split between CFM56 and LEAP engines, given ongoing strong sales of former powerplant.

Source: mro-network .com

 

 MRO Short News

  • FedEx orders up to 50 new-build ATR freighters and will become the launch customer for the line-produced ATR 72-600 Freighter, after placing a firm order for 30 aircraft, plus 20 options.

  • Boeing Asia Pacific Aviation Services has a Singapore Airline Cargo contract to provide fleet engineering services for 747-400Fs via customized solutions from Global Fleet Care portfolio.
  • Airbus forecasts MRO business in Asia will grow 4.5% annually through 2036(vs global growth of 3.9%) and be worth $ 660 billion over the next 20 years.
  • Swiss AviationSoftware was selected by Boeing to support its Global Fleet Care services with AMOS MRO software; Norwegian is first customer to use the AMOS-supported service.
  • HEICO secured $1.3 billion unsecured revolving credit facility to principally fund acquisitions.

 

Answer to Last Month Puzzler:

  TAM of Brazil

Researched and Compiled by : Ed Kaplanian

Commercial Aviation Advisor

Contact – ekaplanian@msn.com