Airbus engineers develop scale-model aeroplane with first in-flight, flapping wing-tips

Albatross One ©Airbus

Airbus engineers have developed a scale-model aeroplane with the first in-flight, flapping wing-tips that could revolutionise aircraft wing-design. Airbus has drawn on nature to develop its ‘semi-aeroelastic hinge’ concept to reduce drag and overall wing weight, while combating the effects of turbulence and wind gusts. Known as AlbatrossOne, the remote-controlled aircraft has already taken its first flights to prove the concept and the team will now conduct further testing before the demonstrator, based on the manufacturer’s A321 plane, is scaled-up further. “While hinged wing-tips are not new – military jets employ them to allow greater storage capacity on aircraft carriers Read more

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Pattonair signs contract renewal and expansion with Rolls-Royce

Global aerospace and defence supply chain provider, Pattonair, has announced the renewal and expansion of its Logistics and Parts supply agreement with Rolls-Royce until 2030. Pattonair has been the strategic integrator for Rolls-Royce since the late 1990s supporting its total supply chain including production sub-tier and aftermarket requirements across the globe.  This latest development sees that relationship expand and extend through until the end of 2030 and is a reflection of the world class service together with innovative supply chain solutions that Pattonair is able to deliver. Wayne Hollinshead Chief Executive of Pattonair, said, “Renewing our contract with Rolls-Royce is Read more

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Southwest Airlines to remove MAX from flight schedule through September 2

Southwest Airlines had to reschedule its flight plan for the 737 MAX again. In April the carrier revised its flight schedule by removing the MAX through Aug. 5, to offer reliability to its operation and stability for its customers during the busy summer travel months. With the timing of the MAX’s return-to-service still uncertain, Southwest had to revise its plans again to remove the MAX from schedule through September 2. The revision will proactively remove roughly 100 daily flights from the carriers schedule out of its total peak-day schedule of more than 4,000 daily flights.

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Mitsubishi MRJ to be renamed SpaceJet

©Mitsubishi's MRJ to be renamed SpaceJet

12 years after the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ (Mitsubishi) MRJ program was unveiled to the world, the Japanese plane manufacturer has announced that the name of the program is to change from Mitsubishi MRJ (Mitsubishi Regional Jet) to Mitsubishi SpaceJet in what the company describes as a move to “redefine the business of regional travel.” The original MRJ90 will now be known as the SpaceJet M90 and will have a capacity of between 81 and 92 seats depending on class configuration. The original MRJ70 program has now been closed and taking its place will be the SpaceJet M100 which has a Read more

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Lufthansa Group Airlines welcome 13 million passengers on board in May

©Lufthansa

Lufthansa Group airlines welcomed around 13.2 million passengers in May. This shows an increase of 2.8% compared to the previous year. Capacity for May was up 3.5% over the previous year, at the same time, traffic increased by 5.7%. In addition as compared to May 2018, the seat load factor increased by 1.7 points to 81.1%. Cargo capacity increased by 7.3% year-on-year, while cargo traffic increased by 2.5% in revenue tonne-kilometre terms. As a result, the Cargo load factor showed a corresponding reduction, decreasing by 2.9 points to 61.3%. The Network Airlines including Lufthansa German Airlines, SWISS and Austrian Airlines Read more

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AerCap announces new share repurchase program of US$200 million

AerCap’s Board of Directors have approved a share repurchase program authorizing total repurchases of up to US$200 million of AerCap ordinary shares through December 31, 2019. Repurchases under the program may be made through open market purchases or privately negotiated transactions in accordance with applicable U.S. federal securities laws. The timing of purchases and the exact number of ordinary shares to be purchased will be determined by the Company’s management, in its discretion, and will depend upon market conditions and other factors. The program will be funded using the Company’s cash on hand and cash generated from operations.

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Revima turns to IFS to deploy best-practice aviation MRO processes globally

©Revima

Revima, a leading independent aviation MRO solutions provider, has selected IFS Applications 10 to drive Revima’s international expansion and support its complex maintenance operations. Propelled by strong growth, Revima is currently in the process of establishing a new, ultra-modern MRO facility in Thailand. The 130,000-ft² site will become operational in early 2020 and will provide advanced MRO services for landing gear to customers in the Asia Pacific region. “Our accelerated growth coupled with the decision to build a new facility in Thailand were the catalysts for deploying advanced business processes and harmonizing them throughout the company,” said Olivier Legrand, President Read more

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Boeing to build MH-47G Block II Chinooks for Special Ops

Boeing will build next-generation MH-47G Chinooks for the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command. The Block II configuration will enhance the Army’s ability to safely carry out the most challenging missions around the world. The US$194 million contract is for a second lot of MH-47G Block II aircraft, to be delivered starting in 2021. Block II Chinooks feature technological advancements to extend the fleet’s service life and enhance performance. Boeing is now on contract for a total of 15 MH-47G Block II Chinooks. The first MH-47G Block II aircraft is scheduled to begin final assembly this year.

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Airbus hands over first A350 XWB to JAL

JAL's first A350 XWB takes off ©Airbus

Airbus has handed over the first A350 XWB to Japan Airlines (JAL) at its headquarters in Toulouse, France. This is the first aircraft produced by Airbus for the Japanese carrier, which has ordered 31 A350 XWB aircraft, comprising 18 A350-900s and 13 A350-1000s. JAL will initially operate the A350-900 on high frequency domestic routes, while the larger A350-1000 will fly on the carrier’s long haul international network. The first aircraft will enter service on the airline’s Haneda – Fukuoka route at the start of September. JAL’s A350-900 is configured in a premium three class layout, with 12 seats in First Read more

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SAS to fly new A350 from January 2020

On January 28, 2020, the first of eight new SAS Airbus A350 will officially enter into long-haul service between Copenhagen and Chicago, one of the most popular SAS routes. The A350 will be based at the SAS hub at Copenhagen Airport and will operate on seven routes during the first year, including Chicago, Beijing, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong and San Francisco. The new aircraft is a key investment and part of the extensive renewal of the SAS fleet, tailored to reduce emissions, and in line with the Scandinavian outlook on travel.

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