Lockheed Martin delivers first KC-130J Super Hercules Tanker to U.S. Marine Corps Reserve squadron

©Lockheed Martin delivered the first KC-130J Super Hercules tanker assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 452 (VMGR-452)

Lockheed Martin has delivered the first KC-130J Super Hercules tanker assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 452 (VMGR-452), the Marine Forces Reserve squadron at Stewart Air National Guard Base, New York. A U.S. Marine Corps crew ferried the aircraft from Lockheed Martin’s facility on May 28 to the aircraft’s new home. VMGR-452 is the second Marine Reserve squadron to operate KC-130Js and this delivery signifies the recapitalization of the squadron’s existing KC-130T fleet. VMGR-452 — known as the Yankees — has operated Hercules tankers for more than 30 years, flying KC-130s in support of Operations Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom Read more

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Frontier Airlines announces 18 new nonstop routes for summer 2020

©Frontier Airlines

Low-fare carrier Frontier Airlines has announced 18 new routes for summer 2020. The new flights beginning in June and July expand the airline’s growing presence in major cities, including Boston, Chicago, Newark and Philadelphia. As another step to support the health and well-being of customers, the carrier will implement mandatory temperature screenings for passengers and team members beginning June 1, 2020. “We’re pleased to announce 18 new routes and demonstrate our commitment to providing low fares to great destinations for our customers as the country reopens,” said Daniel Shurz, senior vice president of commercial for Frontier Airlines. “Frontier has been Read more

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GE Aviation awarded US$394 million by DLA for J85 engine supplies

GE Aviation has been awarded a US$394 million contract from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to provide J85 engine supplies for the United States Air Force and Navy. The work will be carried out by GE Aviation’s facility in Lynn, MA, and across GE’s U.S. supply chain sites. The DLA classifies the new contract as part of its Captains of Industry (COI) program, which uses Supplier Capability Contracts to streamline the procurement process. Since entering service in 1959, the J85 engine has reliably powered military aircraft including the T-38, F-5, T-2C, and A-37B, accumulating more than 75 million hours. More Read more

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Frankfurt Airport steps up flight services from this week on

©Frankfurt Airport

Flight services at Frankfurt Airport are being stepped up significantly from June 1. They will focus on connections between cities in Europe, but flights to popular vacation destinations will also increase. Further long-haul destinations are also being added to the timetables. Daily capacity is now up to approximately 26,000. This is around 10% of the previous year’s figure. The airport operator expects a gradual build-up of flight services in the weeks ahead. However, as overall volumes remain well below last year’s levels due to the coronavirus pandemic, Terminal 1 will remain the focal point of all passenger-handling activities for the Read more

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BALPA caught off guard as easyJet announces massive wave of job cuts

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BALPA, the British Airline Pilots’ Association and pilots’ union has criticized easyJet for its announcement of a shedding of up to 30% of its staff without prior consultation. The union sees this volume of layoffs as totally unnecessary and that it would need “a lot of convincing” that easyJet needed to make “such dramatic cuts.” The fact that easyJet is making cuts came as no surprise, despite the fact that staff had already taken pay cuts to ease the financial burden created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact the low-cost carrier’s fleet has remained grounded since March 30. The Read more

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EFW delivers A330-300P2F converted freighter to DHL

©EFW delivers another A330-300P2F frighter to customer DHL

EFW has delivered another A330-300P2F converted freighter to customer DHL. This will be the first High Gross Weight (HGW) converted A330-300 with a gross payload of more than 62 tons on the market. Two more 330-300P2Fs will be delivered to DHL in the course of this year with up to 12 additional A330s to follow for this integrator.  EFW is the center of excellence for Airbus freighter conversions, with more than 20 years of experience and over 200 widebody converted freighters delivered to over 40 customers worldwide. During the past months, the company has enjoyed increasing requests to convert A330, Read more

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All-electric Cessna 208B Grand Caravan makes inaugural flight

Successful maiden flight of an all-electric Cessna Grand Caravan 208B ©AeroTEC

magniX, the company powering the electric aviation revolution, and AeroTEC, an independent company focused on aerospace testing, engineering and certification, have announced the successful flight of an all-electric Cessna Grand Caravan 208B. The successful flight of the eCaravan, magnified by a 750-horsepower (560 kW) magni500 propulsion system, took place at the AeroTEC Flight Test Center at the Grant County International Airport (KMWH) in Moses Lake, Washington. As the world’s largest all-electric commercial aircraft, this is a significant milestone in disrupting the transportation industry and accelerating the electric aviation revolution. “The iconic Caravan has been a workhorse of industry moving people Read more

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Air Canada announces pricing of Offering of Shares and Convertible Senior Notes

©Air Canada

Air Canada has priced both its previously announced underwritten marketed public offering of 30,800,000 Class A Variable Voting Shares and/or Class B Voting Shares of the Company at a price to the public of CA$16.25 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of CA$500,500,000 and its concurrent marketed private placement of convertible senior unsecured notes due 2025 for aggregate gross proceeds of US$650,000,000. The Convertible Notes will bear interest semi-annually in arrears at a rate of 4.000% per annum and will mature on July 1, 2025, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. The initial conversion rate of the Convertible Notes is Read more

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Chinese domestic air travel breaks 50% barrier

ForwardKeys, the travel analytics company, has revealed that domestic air travel in China, which has been recovering slowly in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, has now reached more than 50% of what it was at the equivalent moment in 2019, based on issued air tickets. In addition, analysis of flight ticketing data reveals a significant uptick in last minute domestic flight bookings in China between May 11, and May 21. During that period, the lead time between ticketing and travel shortened dramatically; 72% of flight tickets were issued within four days of the travel date, compared with 51% at Read more

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Drone Threat Management solution will be implemented at Bristol Airport following pilot project

Anti-drone-system to be installed at Bristol Airport, U.K. ©telent

telent, in collaboration with its technology partner Digital Global Systems (DGS), has agreed a three-year contract to install the CLEARSKY TM Drone Threat Management system at Bristol Airport, marking the first U.K. deployment of the system. The CLEARSKY TM Drone Threat Management system was developed by DGS in response to the rising threat of unauthorized drone usage at critical infrastructure sites, including airports. Its implementation at Bristol Airport, an international transport hub and one of the ten busiest airports in the U.K., follows a successful three-month pilot project with Bristol Airport Authority, local police and other security agencies. With the Read more

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