sexta-feira, 20 de abril de 2018
Airbus’ A330neo continues toward its 2018 service entry
Flight evaluations take two A330neo test aircraft to locations around the globe
The A330neo is demonstrating its capabilities as the newest member of Airbus’ proven and highly-reliable twin-engine A330 Family, with flight testing continuing ahead of its planned service entry in Summer 2018.
Two test aircraft have logged more than 700 hours aloft in the 200-plus flights performed as of 10 April, according to A330neo aircraft integration and flight testing integrated product team (IPT) leader Jean-Christophe Bonjour.
He noted that flight testing has covered the globe, including the cold weather validations in Kazakhstan in temperatures as low as -27° C., natural icing testing in the United States, crosswind landing evaluations in Ireland, a Bolivia-based altitude campaign at 8,000 ft., and recently-completed hot weather trials in Mexico, which had temperatures of up to 37° C.
A330neo to join Airbus’ jetliner family that seats 140-555 passengers
Crawford Hamilton, Head of A330 Marketing, said the A330neo completes Airbus’ new-generation product line, which begins with the single-aisle A320neo Family (A319neo, A320neo and A321neo), increases in size with the A330neo (including the A330-800 and A330-900), followed by the A350 XWB (with the A350-900 and A350-1000) and completed with the A380.
“With all these aircraft, we have a true family covering seating capacities from 140 to over 550 passengers,” Hamilton explained. “Pilots that fly one of these jetliners are equipped to fly them all thanks to Airbus’ unique operational commonality, and aircraft versatility provides the range and flexibility for any type of airline operation.”
The new-generation A330neo, powered by highly-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 powerplants, has a longer wingspan with new high-efficiency Sharklets and incorporates Airbus’ innovative Airspace cabin that it has in common with the A350 XWB. These elements combined deliver the world’s most efficient, most comfortable mid-size twin-aisle airliner.
Further improving the A330neo capabilities is the launch of an increased-range version, with a nine metric tonne increase to the maximum takeoff weight to 251 metric tonnes. This provides up to 1,500 nautical miles more range when compared to typical A330s in service today, enabling airlines to open new markets, while radically improving aircraft economic efficiency, Hamilton added.
The A330neo’s flight testing included cold weather validations in Kazahkstan, where temperatures were as low as -27° C.
Primera Air takes delivery of its first A321neo
Confirming the success of the A320 Family on the market
Primera Air, a low-fare Nordic airline, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo at an event in Hamburg, Germany attended by Andri Már Ingólfsson, CEO and President of Primera Travel Group and Kimon Sotiropoulos, Vice President Sales Northern and Central Europe from Airbus. The aircraft, which was assembled in Hamburg, is the first of three A321neos to be leased from GECAS in 2018. Primera Air will also lease a further five A321neos from other lessors, including two A321LRs, growing its fleet to eight aircraft in 2018.
The aircraft, powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines features a two-class layout with 16 premium and 182 economy seats. The aircraft was selected by Primera Air for its outstanding operational efficiency, comfort and range. The aircraft will be deployed in the United Kingdom and France on transatlantic destinations to North America.
The A321 is the largest member of the A320 Family, seating up to 240 passengers, depending on cabin configuration. Incorporating the latest engines, aerodynamic advances and cabin innovations, the A321neo offers a reduction in fuel consumption of at least 15 percent per seat from day one and 20 percent by 2020.
Boeing Delivers First 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter
Launch customer GE Capital Aviation Services takes delivery of first-in-service 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF)
Next-Generation 737 converted freighter is here
LEICESTERSHIRE, England, April 19, 2018 - Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced the delivery of the first 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF). The first customer is GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) and the freighter will be operated by West Atlantic Group, based in Sweden.
“We’re excited to be the first operator of the 737-800BCF,” said West Atlantic’s chief executive, Fredrik Groth. “The additional capacity and Next-Generation efficiency offered by this new aircraft will deliver real benefit to our customers and we’re delighted to be at the forefront of deliveries of this new technology. With the 737-800 BCF, we expect to improve reliability, lower aircraft operating costs, and provide a better environmental footprint.”
West Atlantic will receive four 737-800 aircraft within the next 11 months and, once delivered, the company will operate 23 Boeing 737 freighter aircraft.
“We are very proud to be the launch customer for the 737-800 BCF, and pleased to supply this inaugural aircraft to West Atlantic,” said Richard Greener, GECAS’ Senior Vice President & Manager, Cargo Aircraft Group. “This freighter type is an important complement to our portfolio as we support our customers across expanding air cargo markets.”
Boeing’s Current Market Outlook forecasts that over the next 20 years, customers will need more than 1,100 standard-body converted freighters.
“The 737-800BCF brings customers the next generation of freighters,” said Mike Fleming, vice president, Commercial Services, Boeing Global Services. “For the first time, operators get one-stop shop support throughout the lifecycle of a standard-body freighter – originally manufactured by Boeing, converted by Boeing, and supported by Boeing.”
Through its freighter conversion program, Boeing transitions passenger airplanes into freighters, extending the service life of the airplane. The 737-800BCF carries more payload – up to 23.9 tonnes (52,800 lbs) – and has longer range – 2,000 nautical miles (3,750 km) than other standard-body freighters – providing capability to open new markets. The 737-800BCF freighter also offers operators newer technology, lower fuel consumption and better reliability than other standard-body freighters. It primarily will be used to carry express cargo on domestic / short haul routes.
For the 737-800BCF, Boeing has received 45 orders and commitments, from seven customers including: YTO Airlines, based in Hangzhou, China; China Postal Airlines, based in Beijing, China; GECAS, based in Ireland; Air Algerie, based in Algiers, Algeria; LAS Cargo, based in Bogota, Colombia; Cargo Air, based in Sophia, Bulgaria ; and an unannounced customer.
Twelve pallet positions provide 4,993 cubic feet (141.4 cubic meters) of cargo space on the main deck of the 737-800BCF. This will be supplemented by two lower-lobe compartments, combined providing more than 1,540 cubic feet (43.7 cubic meters) of space for revenue-generating cargo.
Existing passenger airplanes will be modified at select facilities located near conversion demand, including Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services Co. Ltd., and Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Co. Ltd., also known as STAECO, in China. Modifications include installing a large main-deck cargo door, a cargo-handling system and accommodations for up to four non-flying crew members or passengers.
Boeing Business Jets Celebrates Flyaway of First BBJ MAX Airplane
SEATTLE, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today celebrated the fly away of the first BBJ MAX airplane, which extends the range, performance and cabin comforts of the world's most popular business jetliner.
"We are excited to see the first BBJ MAX come to life and fly through the development milestones. In the past few weeks, the airplane has achieved factory rollout, first flight, multiple certifications, and now flyway," said Greg Laxton, Head of Boeing Business Jets.
The first airplane, a BBJ MAX 8, will now be outfitted with an auxiliary fuel tank, which will enable the new owner to fly up to 6,640 nautical miles (12,297 km) in a standard configuration.
"The BBJ MAX will be able to connect distant cities like a widebody commercial jet. It's one of the reasons why this game-changing airplane outsold the competition four to one last year," said Laxton.
Customers from around the world have placed orders for nearly 20 BBJ MAX airplanes, including all three models: the BBJ MAX 7, BBJ MAX 8, and BBJ MAX 9. The first delivery is set for later this year.
Aside from its market-leading range and interior space, the BBJ MAX also features a system that provides a lower cabin altitude, integrated airstairs, and other modern amenities.
The Boeing Business Jet MAX - based on the new 737 MAX airplane family – is designed with more fuel efficient engines, improved aerodynamics, and advanced systems. The new technology allows all three models of the family to fly farther and have lower operating costs than its predecessors.
Philippine Airlines selects Airbus Flight Hour Services maintenance solution for its A350-900 fleet
- Airbus’ FHS reaffirms its leading position on the A350 XWB both globally and in the Asia-Pacific region.
- FHS contract to support PAL’s long-haul services to North America and Europe.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) has selected Airbus Flight Hour Services (FHS) to support the maintenance requirements of the Philippine flag carrier’s A350-900 aircraft with the signing of an FHS-Components Maintenance contract, the first comprehensive maintenance solution in the Asia-Pacific region exclusive to PAL’s fleet of six A350-900s.
The Airbus FHS, powered by Skywise, provides the highest reliability for operators of the A350 XWB. Under the agreement, Airbus will handle component services, repair, warehousing and transportation for PAL, supported by Airbus FHS pools in Hong Kong. It will allow for a proactive component engineering, with strong engineering focus that enables operators to predict in-service issues. This will lead to an improvement in operations by reducing delays, and help to simplify troubleshooting.
The Airbus FHS will be strengthened by Airbus’ data platform Skywise, taking advantage of state-of-the-art data hosting and analytics to optimise the airline fleet utilisation. This new service will harness ‘big data’ to greatly enhance levels of operational performance, compared with current industry technologies.
PAL will receive the first of six A350-900s in July 2018. The FHS contract will support the airline in its operations to New York and other long-haul service to North America and Europe.
Airbus Flight Hour Services’ scope encompasses fully integrated component services, aircraft engineering and maintenance management to enable the highest levels of aircraft availability and dispatch performance. Through FHS, airlines can leverage Airbus’ wide and flexible portfolio of products and services, supported by its global team of aerospace professionals.
Drukair opts for the A320neo
Drukair’s Airbus A320neo will be the largest aircraft to operate from Bhutan’s Paro Airport
Unmatched performance for high-altitude airports
Drukair, the flag carrier of the Eastern Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, has signed a purchase agreement for one Airbus A320neo to support its growth plans and complement its existing fleet of three A319s. The aircraft will be powered by CFM LEAP-1A26E1 engines optimised for high-altitude operations and will become the largest aircraft operating out of Drukair’s base in Paro.
Paro, located at an altitude of 7,300 feet and surrounded by high mountains, is one of the world’s most challenging airports. Thanks to the A320neo’s unmatched performance, it will become the largest aircraft to operate from Paro offering greater payload capabilities and higher passenger comfort levels than any other product.
Featuring a two-class cabin layout, the aircraft will be deployed to increase capacity on existing regional routes to Singapore, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Delhi and Calcutta.
The A320neo Family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklets which together deliver at least 15 percent fuel savings at delivery and 20 percent by 2020. With some 6,000 orders received from nearly 100 customers, the A320neo Family has captured some 60 percent share of the market.
Paro, located at an altitude of 7,300 feet and surrounded by high mountains, is one of the world’s most challenging airports. Thanks to the A320neo’s unmatched performance, it will become the largest aircraft to operate from Paro offering greater payload capabilities and higher passenger comfort levels than any other product.
Featuring a two-class cabin layout, the aircraft will be deployed to increase capacity on existing regional routes to Singapore, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Delhi and Calcutta.
The A320neo Family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklets which together deliver at least 15 percent fuel savings at delivery and 20 percent by 2020. With some 6,000 orders received from nearly 100 customers, the A320neo Family has captured some 60 percent share of the market.
Modern Logistics to add first B737-300 freighters
Modern Logistics (WD, São Paulo Guarulhos) is set to acquire its maiden B737-300(F)s with PP-YBD (msn 24463) already having been acquired and currently being prepared for delivery to the Brazilian logistics specialist in Budapest and a second aircraft, a 29-year-old aircraft, N421AU, that recently was converted from Quick Change (QC) to a dedicated freighter by Coopesa in Costa Rica and has been leased from Automatic Leasing.
Modern Logistics operates two B737-400(F)s on scheduled and ad-hoc charter cargo flights throughout Brazil. Its scheduled network consists of Manaus, Brasilia, and Campinas Viracopos. To bolster its regional hubs, it is also planning to add ATR72 freighters at some point in the future.
ch aviation
British Airways outlines S18 A320neo operations
British Airways on Sunday (15APR18) inaugurated Airbus A320neo aircraft, which saw the aircraft operating London Heathrow – Lisbon route. As of 17APR18, planned British Airways A320neo operation in summer 2018 season as follows.
London Heathrow – Budapest
London Heathrow – Lisbon
London Heathrow – Madrid
London Heathrow – Warsaw
By Jim Liu - Routesonline
Volaris adds first A321neo
Volaris (Y4, Toluca) has taken delivery of its first A321neo. Flightradar24 ADS-B data indicates N534VL (msn 7941) was positioned to México City from Hamburg Finkenwerder via each of Reykjavik Keflavik and Bangor this past weekend.
According to its 1Q18 earnings report, the Mexican budget carrier is expecting to add six A321neo from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) this year. It has a total of thirty-four on order alongside seventy-six A320neo of which six have been delivered thus far.
Insofar as existing aircraft are concerned, Volaris also operates nine A319-100s, forty-one A320ceo, and ten A321ceo.
ch aviation
Maleth-Aero set for maiden A340-600
Maleth-Aero (MLT, Malta) has announced it has acquired a maiden A340-600 in the form of 9H-PGS (msn 1030), formerly A6-EHK with Etihad Airways .
The Maltese ACMI/charter specialist's chief executive, Michael O'Brien, said in a statement the aircraft will feature eight seats in First, 32 in Business, and 276 in Economy class.
"We are very pleased to be introducing this product to our managed fleet and expect 9H-PGS to be on the ramp by August," he said.
ch aviation
FEAT orders eleven B737 MAX 8s
Far Eastern Air Transport (FE, Taipei Sung Shan) has announced it has selected the B737 MAX 8 from Boeing for its fleet renewal plans.
domingo, 15 de abril de 2018
AIR INCHEON - first B767-300ERSF has arrived ICN APO.
Anchorage - Alaska - USA
Gulf Air reveals new branding, prepares for first 787
The new aircraft will replace the A320s, A321s and A330-200s that currently constitute the fleet.
The first two 787-9s will serve Gulf Air’s double-daily London Heathrow service, offering increased capacity and improved on-board products and services, from June 15.
The 787-9s will have a two-class, 282-seat configuration with a 26-seat Falcon Gold business-class cabin, plus 256 seats in economy.
A new business class section will be “best in class,” according to CEO Krešimir Kučko, who has said that new business-class seats had been benchmarked not against other carrier’s business class, but first-class, seats. While declining to give further details, he said the cabin would be considerably better than normal business-class offerings from other airlines.
“The same goes with the neo. It will have lie-flat seats in business-class in the A321s flying the longer destinations, such as Paris and Frankfurt.” The airline’s current A321s also have this feature—unusual in a single-aisle aircraft. Gulf Air says that the arrangement has proved popular on the Bahrain-Paris run.
The airline also unveiled its new branding. The current livery of a gold forward fuselage and dark blue engine nacelles will be replaced with an all-white fuselage, with oversized Gulf Air titles on the forward fuselage and a more naturalistic rendition of the company’s falcon logo on the fin. The engine nacelles are painted gold.
The airline said it will reveal further details over the coming weekend, during the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix motor race.
Alan Dron alandron - ATW
Photos: Do Tran Huy - Everett Snohomi - USA
B787-9 Dreamliners - Gulf Air - N1789B - LN689
B787-9 Dreamliners - Gulf Air - N1789B - LN689
sábado, 14 de abril de 2018
Philippine Airlines to use A350s on long-haul routes
The initial A350 will likely be flown on some routes around the Southeast Asia region initially, a PAL spokesman told ATW’s sister publication Aviation Daily.
The aircraft will then be used for nonstop flights from Manila to New York JFK, replacing PAL’s one-stop service. PAL is tentatively looking at the last week of October for the New York A350 flight, which would be the start of the winter schedule season.
PAL, which placed the order for six of the type in 2016, expects to receive four by the end of this year and the other two in 2019, the spokesman said. Other early A350 destinations will be London and Toronto.
The A350 arrivals will allow PAL to phase out its remaining five A340-300s. This will not necessarily occur as one-for-one replacement when each A350 is delivered, and the retirement schedule is still being worked out, the spokesman said.
PAL currently serves JFK with 4X-weekly flights using Boeing 777-300ERs, with Vancouver as the stopover point. The Toronto flight is nonstop 4X-weekly with -300ERs, and PAL serves London Heathrow nonstop daily with the same aircraft type.
The carrier is also preparing for the initial deliveries of its Airbus A321neo orders this year. PAL is one of the many customers of the A321neos affected by delivery delays because of issues with the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine option. The carrier now expects its first A321neo delivery in June, although late May is a possibility, the spokesman said. PAL has 21 of these aircraft on order, although no update is available as to how many are scheduled to arrive this year.
Adrian Schofield, avweekscho@gmail.com
Adrian Schofield | ATW Plus
Mandarin Airlines adds a Global Maintenance Agreement to its partnership with ATR
by its flagship maintenance offer
Toulouse, April 11, 2018 – ATR and Mandarin Airlines, a regional subsidiary of Taiwan’s flag carrier China Airlines, have signed a Global Maintenance Agreement (GMA). This comprehensive support package covers the repair, overhaul and pooling services of Line Replaceable Units, along with a door-to-door service through which ATR is providing transportation of spares to the airline’s facilities.
This GMA covers the entire ATR fleet of the Taiwanese carrier, consisting of nine ATR 72-600s. World’s leading turboprop manufacturer ATR hereby reaches a key milestone of more than 300 in-service aircraft under GMAs. Through ATR’s flagship maintenance offer, Mandarin Airlines will benefit from an a la carte pay-by-the-hour maintenance package, with a high level of flexibility that makes it possible to meet a wide range of specific needs, depending on the operator’s local resources, fleet and expected operations.
Mandarin Airlines’ President, Jenny Tsao, declared: “In terms of maintenance and repair, the ATR GMA allows us to minimise our own stock level while maintaining an adequate level of protection. The delivery time for parts is very short, which means easier budget control for us and enhanced efficiency. Most of all, ATR’s support is proving extremely useful when it comes to offering recommendations as we phase in our new fleet and learn how to make the most of it.”
This maintenance agreement is part of a broader support from ATR who will be providing a full range of technical and engineering maintenance services, along with comprehensive training solutions for the airline’s flight crew, mechanics and technicians. ATR is also supporting China Airlines and its subsidiaries to set-up in-house capabilities for ATR heavy maintenance, up to C-checks.
Tom Anderson, Senior Vice-President Programs and Customer Services of ATR stated: “Our partnership with Mandarin Airlines is a great example of ATR’s commitment to anticipate and answer the various needs of our operators worldwide. Mandarin Airlines will indeed also benefit from continuous monitoring of the aircraft configuration to enhance safety and reliability even further.”
Mandarin Airlines started operating its first ATR 72-600s in February 2018. Taiwan’s domestic network counts 1.2 million passengers annually and the airline’s aircraft are already providing essential air services within the country.
EVA Air Cargo expands Boeing 777 Freighter network in Aug 2018
EVA Air Cargo in its latest summer 2018 schedule filing scheduled additional routes to be operated by the new Boeing 777 Freighter, set to commence from August 2018. Planned additional routes to be served by Boeing 777 as follow.
Taipei Taoyuan – Anchorage – Atlanta – Anchorage – Osaka Kansai – Taipei Taoyuan eff 11AUG18 2 weekly
BR668 TPE0800 – 0055ANC0155 – 1230ATL 77X 46
BR667 ATL1450 – 1805ANC1905 – 2005+1KIX2205+1 – 2355+1TPE 77X 46
Taipei Taoyuan – Anchorage – Dallas/Ft. Worth – Atlanta – Anchorage – Taipei Taoyuan eff 13AUG18 1 weekly
BR670 TPE0700 – 2355-1ANC0055 – 0950DFW1210 – 1510ATL 77X 1
BR669 ATL1730 – 2045ANC2145 – 2335+1TPE 77X 1
Taipei Taoyuan – Penang – Bangkok – Taipei Taoyuan eff 11AUG18 1 weekly (Day 6)
BR6031 TPE0300 – 0725PEN0925 – 1010BKK 77X 6
BR6032 BKK1210 – 1700TPE 77X 6
By Jim Liu - Routesonline
Ethiopian extends A350 Frankfurt service to October 2018
Ethiopian Airlines in late-March 2018 extended Airbus A350-900XWB operation on Addis Ababa – Frankfurt route, previously scheduled until 31MAY18. The A350 operation is now extended until 26OCT18, replacing Boeing 777-200LR aircraft. The airline serves this route on daily basis.
ET706 ADD2320 – 0531+1FRA 350 D
ET707 FRA2205 – 0555+1ADD 350 D
By Jim Liu
British Airways adds first A320neo
British Airways has a total of twenty-five A320neo on order from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) with deliveries to run from 2018 through to 2022. It also has ten A321neo due to deliver from later this year through 2019.
The IAG International Airlines Group unit currently operates one A318-100, forty-four A319-100s, sixty-eight A320ceo, and eighteen A321ceo.
ch aviation
Boeing, Qatar Airways Sign Letter of Intent for Five 777 Freighters
WASHINGTON, April 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Qatar Airways today signed a letter of intent to purchase five 777 Freighters, valued at $1.7 billion at list prices. When a purchase is finalized, it will be posted to Boeing's Orders and Deliveries website.
The letter of intent was signed during a ceremony attended by Qatari Minister of Finance and Qatar Airways Chairman His Excellency Mr. Ali Sharif Al Emadi, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Boeing Commercial Airplanes President & CEO Kevin McAllister.
"The addition of five 777 Freighters is a significant moment for our cargo division," said His Excellency Mr. Al Baker. "As the world's third-largest cargo operator, Qatar Airways continues to invest in fleet expansion. This transaction will be a reinforcement of our confidence in Boeing to continue to deliver an outstanding product that meets our exacting standards. We expect no less than perfection, and we are confident that Boeing will continue to deliver that."
Qatar Airways currently operates a fleet of nearly 100 Boeing widebody airplanes and has about 100 more Boeing airplanes on order.
"We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Qatar Airways and we value their business and the positive impact on Boeing, our employees, suppliers and communities," said McAllister. "We are honored that one of the world's leading international cargo carriers recognizes the unmatched capabilities of the 777 Freighter to continue to lift their growing freight operations."
The 777 Freighter is capable of flying 4,900 nautical miles (9,070 kilometers) with a payload of 112 tons (102 metric tonnes or 102,000 kg). The airplane's long range translates into significant savings as fewer stops mean lower landing fees, less congestion, lower cargo handling costs and shorter delivery times.
Boeing is the air cargo market leader, providing over 90 percent of the dedicated freighter capacity around the world.
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