|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LATEST NEWS
|
Wednesday, October 16th, 2019
|
|
|
|
|
Swiss International Air Lines AG (Swiss), part of the Lufthansa group of companies and based near Basel, Switzerland, has announced that it has been forced to ground its fleet of 29 Airbus 220 jets in order to make engine checks after a technical problem was encountered by one of its jets on a London to Geneva flight which was redirected to Paris.
|
According to RTS, the Swiss public television company, eight technical problems with the A220 have been reported within a year. “Only after a faultless inspection will the aircraft return to regular flight operations,” Swiss said. This would lead to a noticeable reduction in Swiss flight operations, as numerous flights would have to be cancelled, it added.
|
“Swiss takes these incidents very seriously and is in close contact with the responsible authorities, Airbus Canada and the engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney,” it continued. “The safety of our customers and crews is our top priority. We will do everything in our power to return our fleet to normal flight operations as quickly as possible and to continue to ensure safe flight operations.”
|
Pratt & Whitney confirmed that it has recommended additional checks on engines which power the Airbus A220 and also a number of Embraer E2 passenger jets. “Pratt & Whitney and our airframe OEMs (manufacturers), working in coordination with the regulatory authorities, have recommended additional inspections of the low-pressure compressor for PW1500G and PW1900G engines to keep the fleet operational,” a spokesman said. “The engines continue to meet all criteria for continued airworthiness.” All 29 A220 jets were supplied by Bombardier, the Canadian plane maker which sold a 50.01% stake in the CSeries to Airbus in July 2018 with the aircraft series then renamed the Airbus A220.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of January 1, 2020, Marcel de Nooijer will start as Transavia's new CEO. He succeeds Mattijs ten Brink, who left Transavia on September 30, 2019.
|
Marcel de Nooijer is currently Executive Vice President Air France-KLM Cargo and Managing Director at Martinair. In addition, commercial director Erik-Jan Gelink has indicated that he will leave Transavia at the end of this year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
StandardAero has signed an exclusive long-term contract with Fort Lauderdale-based Silver Airways for Pratt & Whitney PW127M engine support. Silver Airways is America’s leading independent regional airline. StandardAero will provide Silver Airways with comprehensive engine services in support of the airline’s fleet of brand-new ATR -600 regional turboprops, including responsive overhaul-level support from StandardAero’s Summerside, PE, Canada location. In addition, Silver Airways will benefit from access to StandardAero’s North American network of service centers and mobile repair teams (MRTs).
|
StandardAero will also be supporting the airline with engine condition trend monitoring (ECTM) services, which provide proactive real-time engine maintenance recommendations, thereby
maximizing the operational availability of Silver’s fleet.
|
Silver Airways is the U.S. launch customer for the ATR -600 series, and earlier this year the airline became the first U.S. carrier to take delivery of an ATR 42-600. Silver Airways plans to introduce up to 50 ATR -600 series aircraft, including an initial order for 20 ATR 42-600 aircraft leased from Nordic Aviation Capital. Silver has up-gauged certain deliveries to the larger 70-seat ATR 72-600. The new ATR -600 series fleet will allow Silver to expand service for travelers on existing routes in Florida and the Southeastern United States, the Bahamas and other islands in the Caribbean.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bombardier's two latest additions to the Global family, the Global 5500 and Global 6500 business jets, have received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification, validating the requirement for the aircraft’s operation in the European Union. This certification comes on the heels of Transport Canada certification and entry-into-service on September 30.
|
The aircraft went through the rigorous flight testing program, which was completed at Bombardier’s test centre in Wichita, Kansas. The Pearl 15 engine, the latest addition to Rolls-Royce’s business aviation engine portfolio, was developed at the Rolls-Royce Centre of Excellence for Business Aviation engines in Dahlewitz, Germany, and was custom-designed with the most innovative technology – including enhanced aerodynamics, blade cooling and advanced engine health monitoring systems – to power the Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft. With the purpose-built engines, advanced wing design and built-in systems redundancy and robustness for which Bombardier Global aircraft are renowned, the aircraft offer superior safety and a smooth ride to its passengers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
West Star has promoted Eric Valdes to Gulfstream Program Director with associated programs for Egyptian contracts, Accessories, NDT and Window Repair at its East Alton, IL (ALN) facility.
|
Valdes brings over 26 years of aviation experience with him, formally serving as Gulfstream Program Manager at West Star for the past 12 years and previously at Midcoast for nine years.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amaszonas Línea Aérea ( Amaszonas) of Bolivia is the newest Embraer E-Jet operator. The airline started flying an E190 on October 15, between Santa Cruz de la Sierra’s Viru Viru Airport and La Paz. Amaszonas is adding a total of six E190s to its fleet. The airplanes will fly to several domestic and international destinations.
|
The first two E190s are leased from GECAS and configured with 112 seats in a single class layout. The other four aircraft will be leased from CDB Leasing and have 110 seats in a single class layout. The airline will also operate the E190s at Montevideo’s Carrasco International Airport in the future.
|
Embraer and Amaszonas have also signed a Flight Hour Pool Program agreement until 2024 to provide repairable component support for the carrier’s fleet of up to six E190s. The multiyear program features both the Pool Program and repair management services for the carrier’s fleet of E-Jets, including material services engineering and advanced component exchanges from Embraer’s
spare parts distribution center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MRO service provider SR Technics, has been awarded a seven-year exclusive engine maintenance contract with Ukraine International Airlines (UIA). The agreement covers a minimum of 34 CFM56-7B shop visits. Meanwhile, work began on the first engine in the SR Technics engine shop in Zurich in August of this year.
|
UIA and SR Technics have had a continuous partnership since April 2017, when the airline signed a five-year contract for integrated component services with SR Technics for UIA’s Boeing 737NG fleet. SR Technics was able to secure the new engine services contract with a competitive commercial offer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Panasonic Avionics Corporation subsidiary, AeroMobile and TrueMove Thailand, a subsidiary of True Corporation, have partnered to launch an inflight data roaming bundle for its customers.
|
The inflight bundle, which commercially launched in September 2019, will place inflight mobility at the heart of TrueMove Thailand’s roaming packages.
|
As the first operator in the country to launch an inflight roaming bundle, this agreement further cements TrueMove Thailand‘s position as a market innovator and respected service provider, with a highly competitive offering that brings more value and a greater experience for their 28 Million+
customer-base.
|
Customers who subscribe to the inflight service will be able to use their mobile phones to browse the internet, send and receive emails, texts and calls and stay in touch with friends on social networks, whilst travelling on AeroMobile equipped aircraft.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MTU Aero Engines has built a new test center for engine parts on its Munich premises, investing an amount of more than €25 million in a new building and the most advanced test equipment. After two years of construction, the test center is now operational.
|
With the new test center MTU not only satisfies its current testing needs - the company has also set its sights on the future. Dr. Jörg Henne, Senior Vice President Engineering and Technology, explained: “We’ve built up the testing capacities we need for our current engine programs – but not without bearing upcoming future requirements in mind.” Plans are to test new materials, new designs and larger structures. Henne also talked about entirely new propulsion systems just emerging on the horizon: commercial engines of the next and next-but-one generation which will have to meet even more stringent requirements. “Our ultimate goal is emission-free air traffic, and MTU is already pushing the development of innovative green propulsion technologies systematically forward,” Henne said.
|
An emerging program in the military segment is the Next European Fighter Engine, or NEFE for short. This propulsion system will be developed jointly by MTU and European partners, and its parts will be put through their paces in the new test center in Munich, according to Henne. The facility has been designed such that it can easily be expanded when needed, for example to add floor space or to accommodate new technologies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aerospace and aviation recruitment specialist, Aeropeople, has been awarded CAMO Part M approval, which adds to an already extensive portfolio of global services.
|
The company has held Part 145 line maintenance approval since 2004 and is officially recognised as a Line Maintenance Organisation, so this latest approval further broadens its offering to airlines and enables it to provide a total line maintenance solution.
|
Aeropeople is one of the country’s leading provider of engineering staff and training to airlines in the UK and abroad.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
click here to download the latest PDF edition
|
|
|
|
click here to download the latest PDF edition
|
click here to subscribe to our other free publications
|
|
AIRCRAFT & ENGINE MARKETPLACE
|
click here to view in PDF aircraft and engines available for sale and lease
|
|
UPCOMING EVENTS
MRO Europe
October 15 - 17, 2019 – ExCel London, London, UK
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
