Daily2018-02-20

Monday, April 29th, 2019

LATEST NEWS

Re-sited new Mexico City airport should be operational by mid-2021

With President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador canceling the new partially constructed hub located on the eastern side of Mexico City amidst claims of corruption and the project being too costly, plans for a new airport, located 29 miles away at Santa Lucia, have now been confirmed. According to Reuters, Brigadier General Ricardo Vallejo, head of the military college of engineers, told a news conference the first phase of the airport would be completed by June 2021, adding that its full development potential would not be reached until 2050.

It is understood that the new airport will be constructed by the military and will have an initial capacity for 20 million passengers, rising to a full capacity of 80 million. However certain
engineering experts feel that it is unlikely the two hubs will be able to be operated simultaneously. Transport and Communications Minister Javier Jimenez Espriu has rejected this opinion, telling the news conference a third terminal would be added to the Benito Juarez airport where the presidential hangar previously stood. This would raise its current capacity to 50 million
passengers a year.

There is still an element of doubt as to whether the new Santa Lucia airport will still be built, despite the fact it will save billions of dollars compared to the estimates US$13 billion for the
original project. In December last year, Lopez Obrador said construction on the Santa Lucia hub would start in January 2019. Earlier this week he said construction would begin “next Monday”. At the news conference on Friday he said construction would begin in June, “once we have all the requirements.”

GA Telesis

American Airlines Group reports first-quarter 2019 profit

American Airlines has reported that strong passenger demand drove a 1.8% year-over-year increase in first-quarter 2019 total revenue, to a first-quarter record US$10.6 billion. Driven by a record first-quarter total passenger load factor of 82.2%, passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) grew 0.6% to 14.49 cents. Cargo revenue decreased 4% to US$218 million due in part to a 9.1% decrease in cargo ton miles. Other revenue was up 1.9% to US$708 million due primarily to higher loyalty revenue. First-quarter TRASM increased by 0.5% to 15.87 cents on a 1.3% increase in total available seat miles. This marks the 10th consecutive quarter of TRASM growth for American.

Total first-quarter 2019 operating expenses were US$10.2 billion, up 2% year-over-year. Total operating cost per available seat mile (CASM) was 15.31 cents in the first quarter of 2019, up 0.7% from first-quarter 2018. Excluding fuel and special items, first-quarter CASM was 11.88 cents, up 2.7% year-over-year, driven primarily by a higher volume of heavy maintenance checks.

The company has removed all 737 MAX flying from its flight schedule through Aug. 19, which is approximately 115 flights per day. These flights represent approximately 2% of American’s total capacity each day this summer. In total, the company presently expects the 737 MAX cancellations, which are assumed to extend through Aug. 19, to impact its 2019 pre-tax earnings by approximately US$350 million.

Fady Lahame joins Macquarie Capital in leadership position in Paris

Macquarie Capital, the corporate advisory, capital markets and principal investment arm of Macquarie Group (Macquarie), has announced that Fady Lahame has joined the firm to take up the role of Head of France, for its division covering Americas, Europe and Asia (AEA).

Lahame brings over 20 years’ experience to Macquarie Capital, beginning his career at Credit Suisse in London, he eventually became Co-Head of France and BeLux for the investment banking department in Paris. During his Credit Suisse’s tenure, Lahame advised corporates and private equity firms on several high-profile M&A and capital market transactions, across a range of sectors.  Later in 2015, he joined the French advisory firm Messier Maris & Associés as a Partner, leading domestic and cross border M&A transactions primarily involving French large cap corporates.

TP Aerospace

DAE delivers ATR 72-600 to US Bangla Airlines

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) Ltd. announced that it has delivered an ATR 72-600 to Bangladesh-based US Bangla Airlines. The aircraft was handed over to the airline during a celebration at the ATR facility in Toulouse, France.

This factory new ATR is the final aircraft of an order of 20 ATR 72-600 aircraft which DAE placed with the manufacturer in 2014.

Universal Avionics partners with AerSale to certify Airbus A320 EFVS solution

Universal Avionics (UA), an Elbit Systems Company, is partnering with AerSale, to develop an FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the ClearVision™ Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS) on the Airbus A320 aircraft. FAA certification for the retrofit upgrade is expected by the end of first quarter of 2020, with CAAC and EASA STC validation to immediately follow.

The ClearVision EFVS solution includes the SkyLens™ Head-Wearable Display (HWD), a cost-effective and more modern alternative to a traditional fixed Head-Up Display (HUD). The SkyLens high-transparency visor presents high-resolution symbology/imagery, including Enhanced Vision System (EVS), Synthetic Vision System (SVS), and Combined Vision System (CVS) for superior see-through transmission in all weather conditions, day and night. The state-of-the-art Head-Wearable Display requires significantly less installation efforts, and can often be installed in just a few days, compared to a fixed HUD which requires disassembly of the aircraft cockpit and can take weeks – all while the aircraft is grounded.

MTU

S7 Technics’ workload increased by 7% in 2018

Russian maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services provider S7 Technics, has enjoyed an increase in workload at its bases last year as the demand for aircraft maintenance in Russia and the CIS grew substantially. The company's technical specialists completed some 2.153 million standard hours in 2018, a 7.7% improvement year-over-year .

The MRO performed 83 heavy maintenance checks in the period, 32 of which (almost 40%) accounted for base maintenance work and re-deliveries, each project representing a significantly large amount of work. The growing demand for heavy checks and re-deliveries at S7 Technics' bases reflects the entire region’s aviation market trend and reflects the recent peak of aircraft deliveries to Russia, the largest increase since 2008. Demand continues to show signs of growth, with two currently on-going lease-return projects for major global lessors that are due to be completed in 2019.

During 2018, three S7 Technics’ bases – at Domodedovo (Moscow), Mineralnye Vody and Tolmachevo (Novosibirsk) airports – collectively provided 28,600 component repairs, a 27% improvement, whilst performing 97,600 standard hours of work, up by 34%.

APOC Aviation's crowdfunding campaign raises US$2.6 million

APOC Aviation has raised US$2.6 million in a highly successful crowdfunding campaign and Max Wooldrik, Founder and Managing Director of APOC, attributes that to the Company’s successful track record.

“This is our seventh crowdfunding raise for investment capital” he explains.  "The first time we experimented with the method it took us eleven days to generate US$900,000 but we paid it back early so that generated ‘trust’ within the crowd."

“As an organisation APOC Aviation has strong credentials within the new-tech arena.  We have developed our own proprietary software platform ‘Alicanto’ which deploys crucial algorithms to estimate sales price/value for airframes and engines, delivering unique services for airline customers. Our team is technologically astute and forward-thinking so we’re really happy to involve a broad community of investors via the internet and share the exciting world of aviation with them.”

Component Control

Zero-carbon aviation one step closer with award of UK Aerospace Research and Technology Programme grant

A partnership of Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), Collins Aerospace, and the University of Nottingham (UoN) has won grant funding in excess of £1m from the UK Aerospace Research and Technology Programme to develop electric propulsion technologies using Airlander 10 as the initial platform.

The project, named E-HAV1, will deliver a full-sized prototype 500kW electric propulsor for ground testing and technologies ready for future productionisation. These technologies will be directly applicable to a future Airlander 10, with the goal of replacing its fuel-burning forward engines as the first step towards an all-electric version of the aircraft.

Utilising a combination of buoyant lift from helium, aerodynamic lift, and vectored thrust, Airlander 10 already operates with a significantly lower fuel burn than other aircraft of similar capability. The integration of electric forward propulsors will increase this advantage. Airlander 10’s ability to support a broad range of activities from passenger travel to fisheries protection makes it the ideal platform for pioneering electric propulsion in civil aircraft.

Project E-HAV1 will address key goals of the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy: strengthening the UK’s aerospace capabilities, positioning the UK for developing future generations of civil aircraft, and advancing a new generation of efficient propulsion technologies. Each of the three partners is a leader in their sector: HAV in whole-aircraft design capability, Collins in electric power system development, and UoN in electric propulsion research and testing.

Jet Parts Engineering welcomes new sales directors

Jet Parts Engineering (JPE) has announced the addition of two new members to its Sales team: Andrew Bonefas, Regional Sales Director for Western North America, and Pascal Lethien, Regional Sales Director for Europe Key Accounts.

Prior to joining Jet Parts Engineering, Andrew Bonefas had extensive PMA and DER repair experience while serving as Director of Sales West Region North America at The Wencor Group and Regional Sales Manager at AAR PMA Products. Prior to this, Andrew was managing airline materials at Southwest Airlines. In addition to bringing a wealth of sales knowledge to the JPE team, Andrew is passionate about innovation, product, and partnerships. He is based in Pearland, Texas.

Pascal Lethien also brings extensive sales and aerospace knowledge to the JPE team, having previously worked in the MRO and OEM sector. He gained experience in strategic customer account management and business development by working in sales at Standard Aero, Meggitt, Airfoil Technology International, The Nordam Group, and Titanox Aerospace. Pascal is based outside of Montpellier, France.

AFG

Acro delivers seats for ATRs operated by Finnish airline Norra

Acro’s Series 3 ST+ seat has been selected as part of a fleet-wide cabin refresh on the ATR aircraft that the Finnish airline Norra operates for Finnair in regional traffic. The cabin refresh is a part of continuous efforts to enhance customer experience and comfort of Finnair customers. Acro has been working to deliver the project in an efficient lead time of eight months and it will be a first delivery for the Series 3 ST+ on an ATR aircraft.

Norra operates the  ATR aircraft for Finnair on domestic flights in Finland, to the Baltics, to Gdansk in Poland and to Stockholm’s Bromma airport. The first ATR aircraft with the Series 3ST+ seats installed is expected to be in operation in summer 2019, and the refurbishment of the 12 aircraft will be completed by the end of Q1, 2020. 

SR Technics breaks ground on new center of excellence for aircraft maintenance in Malta

SR Technics, has reported the ground breaking of the new six-bay hangar including significant back-shop facilities for its center of excellence (CoE) for aircraft maintenance in Malta. The project, as announced in February this year, will enable SR Technics to continuously provide high-quality aircraft maintenance and cabin modification services, now for up to six narrow body aircraft of the B737 & A320families simultaneously.

The first bays of the hangar will be completed by the beginning of 2020. Such new CoE does not only open its doors to customers located within the region in a very central hub but it is a great opportunity for Malta’s economy as the project requires a significant number of new skilled
employees.

AMROS Global
AviTrader_Weekly_Headline_News_Cover_2019-04-29

click here to download the latest PDF edition

AviTrader_Monthly_MRO_e-Magazine_Cover_2019-04

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

AIR Convention Asia
May 1 - 3, 2019 – InterContinental Bangkok Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand


Aviation Festival Americas 2019
May 13 - 15, 2019 – JW Marriott Marquis, Miami, FL, USA


Managing Technical Aspects of a Leased Asset & Maintenance Reserves Seminar Training Seminar
June 11 - 12, 2019 – Novotel Barcelona City Hotel, Barcelona, Spain


Paris Air Show 2019
June 17 - 23, 2019 – Le Bourget, Paris, France
twitter linkedin