Alcoa Corporation reports fourth-quarter 2019 net loss of US$303 million

Alcoa has posted a net loss of US$303 million in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared with a net loss of US$221 million in the third quarter of 2019. In the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company took several actions in alignment with its strategic priorities, including taking the first steps in a multi-year portfolio review and continuing work to strengthen the balance sheet. The announced closure of the Point Comfort alumina refinery in Texas and additional actions taken on pension and other post-employment benefits were the primary drivers of the US$246 million in special items for the fourth quarter Read more

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Brian Znotins becomes Vice President of network and schedule planning for American Airlines

Brian Znotins

Brian Znotins has been named Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning for American Airlines. In this role, Znotins will guide the development and implementation of American’s global network and hub strategy, including all route planning, slot management and long-range planning efforts. Znotins will report to Vasu Raja, American’s Senior Vice President of Network Strategy. Znotins joins American from WestJet, where he spent the past three years as the airline’s Vice President of Network, Alliances and Corporate Development.

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Vaclav Havel Airport Prague handles 17.8 million passengers in 2019

©Prague Airport terminal

Based on the latest operating results, Prague Airport handled a total of 17,804,900 passengers in 2019. That means that approximately one million more passengers passed through the airport than in 2018, which is a 6% year-on-year increase. Throughout the entire year, 71 airlines provided regular connections from Prague to a total of 165 destinations, of which 15 were long-haul. The airport reported a significant increase in the number of passengers also on long-haul routes, overall by 10.9%. This positive trend is supposed to continue in 2020, during which two more long-haul destinations will be added  ̶  to Chicago and to Read more

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Ideagen secures software project with Saudi Arabia’s first flying academy

UK-based global software firm Ideagen has secured a project with a Saudi Arabian flying academy which will see it provide software to help it meet regulatory and operational requirements. OxfordSaudia, owned by the Saudi National Company of Aviation (SNCA), will implement Ideagen’s Coruson system for quality management with additional functionality and capability for safety and risk. The flying academy is the kingdom’s first ever, and is an authorized training partner of the CAE, a global leader in training for the civil aviation, defense and security, and healthcare markets. OxfordSaudia was launched in 2017 following a joint announcement by the CAE Read more

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Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engines power Air Canada Airbus A220 entry into service

A220 Air Canada take-off ©P&W

Pratt & Whitney, along with Airbus and Air Canada have celebrated the entry into service of Air Canada’s first A220 aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engines.  Passengers will be welcomed aboard the A220-300 on January 16, 2020, on its maiden commercial flight between Montreal and Calgary. This entry into service marks a significant milestone for Air Canada as it becomes the first Canada-based A220 operator.  Final assembly of Pratt & Whitney’s PW1500G engines, which power the A220 aircraft, is completed in Canada.

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StandardAero’s Summerside, PEI, Canada MRO Facility inducted over 1,000 engines for overhaul during 2019

StandardAero’s engine overhaul facility in Summerside, PEI, Canada finished 2019 on a high, inducting over 1,000 Pratt & Whitney PW100, PT6A and JT15D engines during the course of the year.  This record figure was achieved following the recent expansion to the facility, StandardAero’s commercial turboprop engine MRO Center of Excellence, which saw the site expand its shop floor area to over 226,000 sq. ft of leased space.  The facility, located at the Summerside airport in Slemon Park, also grew its workforce to approximately 500 employees as a result of the recent expansion. The 1,000th engine to be inducted was a Read more

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Immediate backlash as U.K. government agrees to help struggling Flybe

Flybe ©AirTeamImages

No sooner had the U.K. government confirmed it was prepared to provide financial assistance to help keep struggling domestic carrier Flybe afloat than the backlash from competitive airlines began. There have also been a number of questions raised as to why the government is prepared to help Flybe when it refused to provide any help for the now defunct Thomas Cook last year. IAG chief Willie Walsh has already lodged a complaint with the EU that the actions of the U.K. government represent a “blatant misuse of public funds.” The European commission said it was ready to discuss the bailout Read more

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TP Aerospace and SAS Scandinavian Airlines sign multiyear wheels and brakes program

SAS ©AirTeamImages

At the end of December, 2019, TP Aerospace and SAS Scandinavian Airlines signed an all-inclusive wheels and brakes program covering the support of 124 aircraft. The program is set to go into effect on January 15, 2020. SAS Scandinavian Airlines has chosen TP Aerospace’s fully integrated, all-inclusive and highly flexible Cycle Flat Rate (CFR) program to support its full fleet of A319, A320, A321, A330, A340 as well as B737-700 and B737-800 aircraft. The program includes key support elements such as Component Maintenance Services (CMS), Component Pool Services (CPS), Component Inventory Services (CIS) and Logistic Services (LS) on a fully Read more

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Commercial Jet names R. Rick Townsend as Vice President Sales & Marketing

Commercial Jet is welcoming R. Rick Townsend as Vice President Sales & Marketing. Townsend brings to Commercial Jet over 35 years of MRO industry experience encompassing senior level sales, business development, marketing, and customer support roles. He has also played important roles in helping to build a couple of MRO facilities (FFV / Ascent) from the ground up in addition to senior roles at mature MRO enterprises including Avianor, Lufthansa Technik and AAR Aircraft Services. At Commercial Jet, Townsend will be responsible for leading all sales and business development efforts for the company’s broad portfolio of maintenance, modification and refurbishment Read more

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Boeing and U.S. Navy complete first Super Hornet IRST Block II flight

An F/A-18 Super Hornet equipped with a Block II Infrared Search and Track prepares for its first flight with the long-range sensor.

In late 2019 and for the first time, Boeing and the U.S. Navy flew an F/A-18 Super Hornet equipped with an Infrared Search & Track (IRST) Block II pod. IRST Block II is a critical component of the Block III Super Hornet. The Block III conversion will include enhanced network capability, longer range with conformal fuel tanks, an advanced cockpit system, signature improvements and an enhanced communication system. The updates are expected to keep the F/A-18 in active service for decades to come. IRST is a passive, long-range sensor incorporating infrared and other sensor technologies for highly accurate targeting. Currently Read more

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