Boeing dumps unreliable automation system used for 777 jetliner fuselage manufacture

A key automation system which Boeing has deployed for the manufacture of fuselage sections for the 777 jetliner has been phased out owing to unreliability problems. Back in 2015 Boeing began the manufacture of the 777’s fuselage in an upright orientation in a system known as fuselage automated upright build (FAUB) which involved robots drilling holes and installing fasteners. However, last year reliability and rework issues led to delays. Boeing has now transitioned to “flex tracks”, which involves the automated drilling of holes along the circumference of the 777 fuselage which are then manually fastened. According to company spokesman Paul Read more

Email Post to a Friend Email Post to a Friend

Qantas operates 2nd of 3 Project Sunrise research flights, non-stop from London to Sydney

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce (centre) with flight deck crew ©James D. Morgan/Getty Images for Qantas

Qantas, Australia’s national carrier is preparing for its second ultra-long haul research flight, as part of scientific studies into minimising jetlag for passengers and improving crew wellbeing. The first research flight operated between New York and Sydney non-stop four weeks ago with 49 passengers and crew. It cut around three hours off the typical gate-to-gate travel time of current one-stop flights. The airline has re-purposed the delivery flights of three brand new 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which would otherwise ferry empty from Seattle to Australia. A third research flight, repeating the New York-Sydney route, will take place in December. Researchers from Read more

Email Post to a Friend Email Post to a Friend

TrueNoord leases three Embraer E190s to Finnair

ATR 72-500 NoRRA Nordic Regional Airlines ©AirTeamImages

TrueNoord, the specialist regional aircraft lessor, has leased three Embraer E190s to Finnair. These aircraft have been purchased with leases attached from GOAL Aircraft Leasing and they are being sub-leased and operated by Nordic Regional Airlines (NoRRA). Financing was provided under TrueNoord’s term loan warehouse facility supported by Morgan Stanley, NORD/LB Norddeutsche Landesbank, Barclays and ABSA Bank. Hogan Lovells advised TrueNoord on the transaction and Dentons supported GOAL. NoRRA operates a significant part of Finnair’s domestic and European traffic with over 50,000 flights yearly. The company’s modern and young fleet includes 24 aircraft.  Twelve ATR turboprops for shorter journeys and Read more

Email Post to a Friend Email Post to a Friend

Airways’ TotalControl simulation taking off to the U.K.

Airways International’s TotalControl simulator will shortly be used by air traffic control trainees at the United Kingdom’s Takeoff Aviation Academy. Airways will provide Takeoff Direct with a desktop tower simulator and a surveillance simulator, in the first installation of a TotalControl simulation solution into the United Kingdom. The project is due to begin in early 2020. The Takeoff Direct desktop simulator will have eight screens, with two multi-purpose pseudo pilot positions capable of controlling both tower and radar simulations as well as preparing new exercises. The simulator uses high fidelity 3D graphics, and air traffic control trainees will be able Read more

Email Post to a Friend Email Post to a Friend

CAE to train more than 1,000 new easyJet pilots under cadet training agreement

easyJet cadets training with ©CAE

CAE has signed a long-term exclusive training agreement with easyJet to train 1,000 new easyJet cadet pilots on a Multi-Crew Pilot licence (MPL) programme. CAE will also provide Airbus 320 type rating training and place graduates of CAE’s Integrated Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) programme with easyJet. Selected cadets will begin MPL training with CAE in 2020 and upon completion of training, the first graduates will join operations as easyJet co-pilots by the end of 2021. Aspiring pilots on the easyJet MPL course will complete their ground school classes in one of CAE’s European aviation academy locations including CAE Brussels, Read more

Email Post to a Friend Email Post to a Friend

Chorus Aviation reports third-quarter 2019 financial results

In the third-quarter, Chorus reported adjusted EBITDA of US$92.6 million, an increase of US$5.8 million or 6.7% relative to the third quarter of 2018. The Regional Aircraft Leasing segment’s adjusted EBITDA increased by US$13.2 million related to the growth in aircraft earning leasing revenue. The Regional Aviation Services segment’s adjusted EBITDA decreased US$7.4 million, partially offsetting the previously described increase. Adjusted net income was US$29.2 million for the quarter, a decrease from 2018 of US$1.6 million or 5.2%. Net income was US$24.2 million, a decrease of US$0.6 million over the 2018 period excluding the quarter-over-quarter change in net unrealized foreign Read more

Email Post to a Friend Email Post to a Friend

BOC Aviation delivers two Airbus A321neo aircraft on lease to Sichuan Airlines

BOC Aviation delivers two Airbus A321neo aircraft to Sichuan Airlines ©AirTeamImages

BOC Aviation has delivered the final two of five Airbus A321neo aircraft on lease to Sichuan Airlines. These aircraft are powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF™ PW1100G-JM engines, and were delivered from the Company’s existing order book. Sichuan Airlines is a full-service carrier with more than 300 routes carrying nearly 30 million passengers annually. Established over 30 years ago, Sichuan Airlines’ shareholders include three other airlines and its largest investor is the Sichuan provincial government. It currently operates an all-Airbus fleet totaling more than 150 single and dual-aisle aircraft. 

Email Post to a Friend Email Post to a Friend

Leonardo delivers first AW169M helicopter to Italy’s Guardia di Finanza

Leonardo has delivered the first of 22 latest-generation AW169M light intermediate twin-engine helicopters for Italy’s Guardia di Finanza. The initial delivery is linked to a contract worth €280 million, which was signed at the end of 2018. It also includes a complete support and training package that could be extended in the future for further services with an additional value of €100 million. The AW169Ms will be used for various tasks including: maritime police/patrol, homeland customs security, law enforcement, rescue and other security duties. The delivery of all aircraft is expected to be completed by 2024, complementing a fleet of Read more

Email Post to a Friend Email Post to a Friend

Lufthansa Group Airlines welcome more than 13.3 million passengers on board in October 2019

©Lufthansa Group Airlines

In October 2019, the Lufthansa Group airlines welcomed around 13.3 million passengers. This shows an increase of 1.1% compared to the previous year’s month. Capacity was up 1.4% over the previous year, at the same time, sales increased by 2.7%. The load factor increased by 1.0 point to 82.8%.Cargo capacity increased by 1.7% year-on-year, while cargo sales decreased by 3.0% in revenue ton-kilometer terms. The Cargo load factor decreaed by 3.0 points to 62.4%. The Network Airlines including Lufthansa German Airlines, SWISS and Austrian Airlines carried around 9.8 million passengers in October – 2.5% more than in the prior-year period. Read more

Email Post to a Friend Email Post to a Friend

Improving air travel experience for passengers with disabilities

Last week, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) concluded its inaugural Global Accessibility Symposium, the first event of its kind seeking to improve the air travel experience for passengers with disabilities. Hosted by Emirates in their home city of Dubai, the Symposium welcomed guests from airlines, regulators and accessibility advocacy groups. The event is in line with an industry resolution agreed upon by IATA member airlines in June 2019, which commits to bettering the passenger experience for travelers with disabilities, both visible and invisible. “This event showed that collaboration and feedback are crucial. Through this gathering and other initiatives, airlines Read more

Email Post to a Friend Email Post to a Friend