Air New Zealand’s new 787-9 takes flight

Air New Zealand’s first Boeing 787-9 has taken to the air for the first time today, successfully completing its first production test flight in the skies above Seattle, Washington.

The aircraft, which is in Air New Zealand’s signature black livery and has the tail registration ZK-NZE, is currently in the final phases of the delivery process before being formally handed over to the airline as the new owner.

Air New Zealand is the launch customer for the Boeing 787-9 and has 10 of these stretch versions of the 787 on order.

This first test flight is known as a B1 flight where the two pilots put the aircraft through its paces thoroughly exercising its systems to verify performance while at the same time the functionality of every aspect of the cabin is tested in-flight.

The distinctive black aircraft departed from Paine Field airport north of Seattle at 1.45pm local time. It reached an altitude of 11,800 meters (39,000 feet) and an airspeed of 360 knots which is standard for a B1 flight and returned to Paine Field three hours and ten minutes later.
ANZ

AIR SERBIA - A320-200 - YU-APH

Ton Jochems - AMS

Emirates Ups Services to India

A380 service to Mumbai, Boeing 777s for Delhi and Hyderabad

DUBAI, U.A.E, 28th May 2014 Emirates, a global connector of people and places will expand its A380 network to 28 destinations, when it launches a daily A380 service to Mumbai International Airport on 21st July.
EK 500 and EK 501 between Dubai and Mumbai will be up-scaled to a three-class A380 aircraft, representing with a capacity increase of 2,127 seats per week in each direction. This offers passengers flying to India from key destinations in North America and Europe the chance to experience Emirates’ hugely popular flagship aircraft on this route.

In addition, Emirates will deploy larger Boeing 777 aircraft to Delhi and Hyderabad to serve growing demand. Delhi will have 980 additional one-way weekly seats while Hyderabad will increase its capacity to add 672 one-way weekly seats.

A combined total of 3,779 one-way weekly seats will be deployed on Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad through these aircraft upgrades. This follows the recent bilateral discussions between the governments of Dubai and India, which provided a phased increase of 11,000 seats for Dubai carriers.

“Air transport is an important economic driver. It facilitates trade and tourism, and has a multiplier effect through direct and indirect job creation. Emirates has been serving India since our founding year in 1985, and it is our largest market today which we serve with 185 flights each week. We look forward to working with the new Government in India to grow India’s economy through enhanced aviation connectivity and to realize India’s ambition to grow its international aviation market to 85 million passengers by 2020,” said Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations- West Asia & Indian Ocean.
India's National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) recently modelled the impact of Emirates up-gauging daily services to Mumbai from Boeing 777s to an Airbus A380. The annual incremental economic benefit from up-gauging one service is US$8.3 million in additional GDP per return flight and the creation and support of over 1,000 jobs.
The Emirates A380 operating on the Mumbai route will feature 14 private First Class suites, 76 Business Class lie-flat seats and a spacious cabin for 399 Economy Class passengers.
On board, passengers can experience a range of unique facilities in all cabins - from the famous Shower Spas in First Class, to the A380 Onboard Lounge where passengers in the premium cabins can relax in a social environment during the flight; as well as 11.4” touch screen LED personal TVs.

Passengers across all cabins can enjoy up to 1,800 channels of the latest movies, TV shows and music from around the world alongside a range of games on the award-winning ice inflight entertainment system. The latest technology allows passengers to stay connected throughout the flight with high-speed Wi-Fi access and mobile phone and data services.
“Many customers specifically book their flights to our destinations knowing that they will have the chance to fly on the A380. Now that Mumbai is being added to our global network of A380 destinations, I’m sure this will come as welcome news to many of our passengers across Europe and North America who can now fly all the way from their origin point of departure to Mumbai exclusively on the A380,” said Ahmed Khoory.
Emirates currently has 48 A380s in service, more than any other airline globally. Emirates received 12 of the giant double decker aircraft over the last year. More than 25 million passengers have travelled on the Emirates A380 since it was first launched in 2008.
 

KLM CityHopper - ERJ-190 - PH-EXD

Ton Jochems - AMS

21 AIR - B767-241ER - N768QT

21 Air, LLC is a North Carolina corporation based in Piedmont Triad International Airport at Greensboro, NC created as a marketing vehicle operating in the international ACMI (Aircraft Crew Maintenance and Insurance) and charter markets, to become an Air Cargo Solutions provider. 21 Air currently manages two Boeing 767-200ERSF. The aircraft are operated under U.S. 121 carrier air operator certificates.

Photo:Luis Delgado PR - Aviation Spotter - Miami - USA

BLUE PANORAMA - B767-300ER - EI-DBP

PMB / FPP - Lisboa

CARGOLUX- B747-400F - LX-ACV

PMB / FPP - Lisboa

New Brasilian Cargo Airline - COLT CARGO - B737-400F

Colt Cargo

Philippine Airlines Eyes Increased Frequencies to Canada

In the first change to the Philippine - Canada Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) since December 2008, the two sides have agreed to increase the frequency entitlement for each side from seven flights a week to 14. Fifth freedom rights were also increased from four to five per week.
Routesonline
Photo:PMB / FPP - LHR

Air Seychelles to return to Europe from July 2

29MAY2014 no comments or reactions Air Seychelles will return to Europe with a twice weekly Mahé to Paris CDG via Abu Dhabi Int'l service beginning July 2.

Boeing, Japan Transocean Air Finalize Order for Next Generation 737s

737-800s to be used for airline's fleet renewal program
Flexibility to transition order for 737 MAX

NAHA, Japan, May 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Japan Transocean Air (JTA) finalized an order today for 12 Next-Generation 737-800 airplanes. The arrival of the new 737-800s in 2016 will mark the start of the airline's fleet renewal program.

"This order is a key part of our strategy to bring the highest levels of comfort, amenity and convenience to the people of Okinawa, by continuing to operate the most reliable and fuel-efficient aircraft available today and in the future," said Manabu Sato, president of Japan Transocean Air and executive officer at Japan Airlines.

The order, first announced as a commitment on March 27, is valued at $1.1 billion at list prices. As part of the agreement, JTA will also have the flexibility to switch to the 737 MAX family of airplanes.

"We are honored that JTA has chosen to maintain an all-Boeing fleet of Next-Generation 737s," said John Wojick, Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "The Next-Generation 737 will provide JTA with market-leading efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort, allowing JTA to continue to grow and prosper, while also allowing JTA and Boeing to build on a successful partnership for many years to come."

Based in Okinawa, Japan's southernmost major island chain, Japan Airlines Group member JTA currently operates a fleet of 737-400 airplanes on domestic routes linking Okinawa with major Japanese cities as well as other Okinawa islands.

The 737-800 is the best-selling version of the highly successful Next-Generation 737 family, the most technologically advanced airplanes in the single-aisle market. The Next-Generation 737's market success has been confirmed by investors who consistently rank it as the most preferred single-aisle airplane due to its wide market base, superior performance efficiency and lowest operating costs in its class. The airplanes will be fitted with Boeing's latest Performance Improvement Package (PIP), delivering an additional 2 percent improvement in fuel efficiency for what is already the most fuel efficient single-aisle airplane in the market. The airplanes will also feature the popular passenger-inspired Boeing Sky Interior, with modern sculpted sidewalls and window reveals, LED lighting that enhances the sense of spaciousness and larger pivoting overhead stowage bins.

Sukhoi Superjet 100 in UTair-Express Fleet Got a Special Livery

the first Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft for UTair-Express was painted in a livery specially designed for this aircraft type in the Airline’s fleet.

This SSJ100, decorated with bright folk patterns in the traditional Russian style, is the first aircraft painted with the new brand UTair-Express colours. This entirely new livery was developed by the UTair Group in cooperation with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company, manufacturer of the SSJ100. In total, more than 460 liters of enamel of seven colors and more than 1100 meters of stencil were used


to implement the idea.

The aircraft in a single-class 103-seat arrangement will be the first one of this type in the fleet of UTair-Express, a member of the UTair Group.



UTair-Express will receive six SSJ100 aircraft in the long range version through the year 2014. The three-party contract between Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company, UTair Aviation and VEB-Leasing was signed during the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS in August 2013.



The long range version of the aircraft ordered by UTair-Express differs from the basic one for the increased range of up to 4578 km (2470 NM) and the increased takeoff weight of up to 49.45 tons. The SSJ100 LR is equipped with the engine SaM146 with increased takeoff thrust of 5%.



Following the painting’s completion in the hangar of "Spektr-Avia" Company in Ulyanovsk (Russia), the SSJ100 aircraft is currently undergoing to the interiors’ installation.

FINAL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - LISBON 2014 - 1

PMP / FPP - Lisboa