Category: Top Stories

Boeing and Aerion partner on pioneering Supersonic Aircraft

©Boeing

Boeing has partnered with Aerion, a Reno, Nev.-based company pioneering next-generation supersonic aircraft. As part of the agreement, Boeing made a significant investment in Aerion to accelerate technology development and aircraft design, and unlock supersonic air travel for new markets. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Boeing will provide engineering, manufacturing and flight test resources, as well as strategic vertical content, to bring Aerion’s AS2 supersonic business jet to market. The AS2 is designed to fly at speeds up to Mach 1.4 or approximately 1,000 miles per hour. With the ability to fly up to 70 percent faster than Read more

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Germania goes bust as low-cost carriers struggle

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Berlin-based budget carrier Germania Fluggesellschaft mbH, trading as Germania, has filed for bankruptcy, citing fuel prices and currency fluctuations as the principal causes and ceasing all operations with immediate effect. “We ultimately failed to successfully complete our financing efforts to meet short-term liquidity needs,” said managing director Karsten Balke, adding: “We very much regret that, as a consequence, we had no choice but to file for bankruptcy.” The privately owned airline was founded in 1978 and over recent years had changed its operating strategy from charter operations to scheduled flights, expanding from carrying 2.5 million passengers in 2009 to over Read more

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O’Leary moves away from Ryanair front line

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Michael O’Leary, the abrasive CEO of Ryanair, Europe’s largest low-cost carrier, is to step down from the role of day-to-day running of the airline to take up a new role as CEO of a restructured Ryanair overseeing CEOs of the company’s four airlines – Ryanair DAC, Ryanair Sun, Ryanair UK and the newly acquired Laudamotion. O’Leary has been heavily blamed for much of Ryanair’s staffing discontent which led to a number of strikes last year. Despite surviving a shareholder rebellion last year which wanted to see him removed as Group Chairman, David Bonderman has agreed to step down from the Read more

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India’s debt-ridden Jet Airways handed lifeline by Etihad

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With current debts of approximately US$1.14 billion resulting mainly from fierce competition, high oil prices and the depreciation of the rupee, India’s Jet Airways has agreed to the majority of terms laid down by Gulf carrier Etihad Airways (Etihad) in a much-needed financial bail-out and company ownership restructuring. Currently, Etihad holds a 24% stake in the airline which will increase to 40%, while current 51% majority shareholder Naresh Goyal will reduce his stake to 22% and step down from the board. Jet Airways holds approximately one-sixth of the burgeoning Indian aviation market but owes money to banks, aircraft vendors and Read more

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ANA to place aircraft orders with Boeing and Airbus

ANA places orders for 48 narrow-body aircraft ©AirTeamImages

ANA Holdings voted at its board meeting to place an order for a total of 48 aircraft, which include 30 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 18 Airbus A320neo. Deliveries are scheduled from FY2021 to FY2025. The decision was based on the economic growth of Asia and emerging countries, with demand in the Asian aviation market. ANA and Peach Aviation each selected its own optimum aircraft to fit its strategy to further grow. The specific markets that will be served by the new order have not been finalized. Boeing 737 MAX 8, a first for a Japanese airline, is more spacious Read more

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Airbus and Thailand’s CATC to jointly implement courses for maintenance and pilot training

Airbus and Thailand CATC to work on pilot, maintenance training ©Airbus

Airbus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to the Thailand’s Civil Aviation Training Center (CATC) to collaborate on the training of pilots and maintenance training. The two will identify means of deeper cooperation for training aviation professionals in Thailand, subsequent to an existing arrangement where Airbus is working with CATC on basic maintenance training. The overall intention of the collaboration is to support the development of Thailand’s aviation industry by ensuring that there is a steady supply of pilots, engineers and mechanics for the country’s airlines and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centres. According to Airbus’ Global Services Forecast 2018 Read more

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Seven killed in Italian Alps mid-air collision – flight instructor arrested

A French flying instructor has been arrested by Italian police following a mid-air collision between a light plane and a helicopter in the Val d’Aosta region of Italy last Friday in which seven people were killed. It is understood that a light plane which was attempting to land on the Rutor Glacier struck a helicopter which had just collected some heli-skiers, and which was lifting off the glacier at the same time. The flight instructor who is recovering in hospital could now be facing charges of negligence and manslaughter. According to Italian aviation authorities, the light aircraft had not communicated Read more

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Boeing successfully completes first test flight of autonomous passenger air vehicle (PAV) prototype

Passenger Air Vehicle (PAV) ©Boeing

Boeing has successfully completed the first test flight of its autonomous passenger air vehicle (PAV) prototype in Manassas, Virginia. Boeing NeXt, which leads the company’s urban air mobility efforts, utilized Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences to design and develop the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and will continue testing to advance the safety and reliability of on-demand autonomous air transportation. The PAV prototype completed a controlled takeoff, hover and landing during the flight, which tested the vehicle’s autonomous functions and ground control systems. Future flights will test forward, wing-borne flight, as well as the transition phase between vertical Read more

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Lessors struggle to repossess jets from Avianca escalates

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At least 20 jets are at the center of a struggle by lessors to obtain possession after the ailing Brazilian airline fell behind with lease payments. Last Friday (Jan.18) Brazil’s aviation regulator ANAC confirmed it would no longer ground ten jets, while another lessor ramped up its efforts to take possession of a further ten aircraft. Both Aircastle Ltd and General Electric Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) have struggled to take back possession of these aircraft after Avianca filed for bankruptcy protection back in December 2018. Last Thursday ANAC confirmed it would ground ten aircraft at the request of GECAS, but Read more

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Growing pains sees Norwegian axe 5 bases in cost-cutting program

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As part of a cost-cutting program announced in December last year with the intention of reducing running costs by US$234 million, Low-cost carrier Norwegian has announced it is to axe a number of routes and bases, starting April this year. Palma de Mallorca (PMI), Gran Canaria (LPA), Tenerife (TCI), Rome-Fiumicino (FCO), Stewart (SWF) and Providence (PVD). The last 18 months has seen Norwegian aggressively and rapidly penetrate a number of competitive markets, but this now appears to have come at a cost. According to Helga Bollmann Leknes, Norwegian Air’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), the airline “has reached a point where Read more

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