Aviation Daily Roundup: June 14, 2022

Airbus is introducing the L Bin, a new retrofit option for A320 family operators to benefit from enlarged overhead luggage bins. Even-larger XL Bins are available as line-fit and retrofit options, too, but the unspecified cost and the seven days of aircraft downtime needed to replace the previous bins created demand for a more straightforward option, cabin service marketing MD Francois Sautet explains. Retrofitting to L Bins is 30% cheaper and requires 3-5 days. Credit: www.lindner-fotografie.de +491725411578

South African LCC Mango Airlines is hoping to finalize talks with a buyer later in June, after finally receiving ZAR225 million ($14 million) in additional funding from its existing shareholder, although this is ZAR85 million less than originally planned. Mango entered South African business-rescue proceedings in late July 2021 and a plan was drawn up for a downsized operation, with three to four aircraft on short-term lease operating first domestic and then regional operations. The airline’s headcount was to be cut and a strategic equity partner would be invited to acquire Mango from parent company South African Airways (SAA) and then provide funding for up to eight aircraft. Credit: Rob Finlayson

Aviation safety regulators should prioritize harmonization of maintenance organization approvals to cut down on duplicative transborder audits and similar unnecessary requirements, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar said. “Aircraft maintenance is still not considered exportable, and so states are required to apply their own approval requirements,” Salazar told an audience of global regulators at the FAA/EASA International Aviation Safety Conference June 14. Credit: Depositphotos / Gorodenkoff

Airline information technology provider SITA is to supply its Smart Path biometric identity management technology as a component of the passenger journey through vertiports to be developed by the UK’s Skyports. The SITA system allows passengers to use a facial scan as a boarding pass from check-in to flight boarding. It will be implemented first at the Skyports Cergy-Pointoise vertiport testbed in Paris, which is planned to be completed in September. Credit: SITA

Pilots at two of American Airlines’ wholly owned regional subsidiaries have secured massive pay hikes of around 50%, raising the bar for pilot pay amid a national shortage that is weighing heavily on regional carriers. The pay increases come as part of tentative agreements for contract extensions from 2024 through July 2029 for pilots at Envoy Air and Piedmont Airlines, both of which operate to small communities under the American Eagle brand. Because the increase comes outside the contract amendable date, the tentative deals will also provide pilots a 50% premium on all wages through August 2024. Credit: Envoy Air

Airbus is launching Airspace Link HBCplus, a broadband connectivity solution using common hardware for a selection of service providers. Safran was chosen as the terminal provider and antenna integrator. It will use ThinKom’s VICTS phased-array technology, targeted for Ka-band. The solution is being made available on every Airbus aircraft, with entry into service expected in 2024. Credit: Airbus

Caeli Nova, a startup company formed in 2018, is developing a more efficient emergency oxygen system that aims at allowing shorter routes. The availability of onboard oxygen through masks, in case of cabin depressurization, is one of the limitations to take into account when planning a flight. Current systems allow 22-45 min. of oxygen, Caeli Nova CEO Tim Wakeford explains. By that time, the aircraft should be flying at 10,000 ft, an altitude that enables passengers to breathe without assistance. Credit: Caeli Nova

Thales has unveiled Avant Up, the latest evolution of its inflight entertainment (IFE) systems, featuring an improved display and smart charging for passenger’s devices. The Optiq display enables 4K QLED high dynamic-range pictures with one billion colors, Thales EVP Avionics Yannick Assouad says. It is available in various sizes, in more compact formats. For example, the 11.6-in. display has the same footprint as a previous-generation 10.1-in. display. Thickness stands at 8 mm (0.3 in.). Credit: Thales

The inflight connectivity (IFC) industry’s greatest challenge is facing “insatiable demand” for capacity and currently limited ability to grow, one of the sector’s leaders said at AIX in Hamburg June 14. “It takes a while for things to come to fruition with satellites,” Intelsat Commercial Aviation President Jeff Sare told Aviation Daily at the show. Credit: AVI stock / Getty Images

As cabin interiors designers and manufacturers roll out innovative and out-of-the box-thinking, they may not be considering the sustainability and lessor costs at end-of-lease. During a panel discussion on redefining the cabin at the Passenger Experience Conference, ahead of the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, one lessor offered a different perspective on new cabin redesigns. Credit: Linda Blachly

Boeing’s May deliveries continued several recent trends, including an emphasis of new-production 737 MAXs over those from its stored inventory and an overall total that is below long-term targets for wiping out its on-hand backlog. The company reported 29 total 737 MAX deliveries for May. Aviation Week Fleet Discovery figures show seven were built in 2019, while the rest rolled out in either 2021 or 2022, or after the model’s 21-month delivery pause ended in December 2020. Credit: B.O'Kane / Alamy Stock Photo

Long-range narrowbodies are destined to retreat to a relatively narrow range of routes once the market recovers sufficiently for widebody fleets to fully return to service, an audience at AIX heard June 14. “It’s a niche market, where you can’t fill a widebody, but you can fill a narrowbody,” Tronos Aviation Consulting managing officer, Gary Weissel said at the unveiling of Cirium’s Commercial Aviation and Interiors Market Outlook. Credit: Rob Finlayson

Panasonic Avionics hopes that the lower weight of its new seatback connectivity system means that it will be installed on regional aircraft and narrowbodies as well as IFE systems’ more traditional home of widebody platforms. The new Astrova system is scheduled for initial deliveries in late 2024, with operational use starting in 2025, Panasonic Avionics VP product and portfolio management Andy Masson said as the AIX show opened in Hamburg. Credit: Alan Dron

Safran is expanding the onboard audio experience with its Euphony wireless system for business and first-class seats that provides passengers with a headset-free individual sound system. No headphones are needed; the bespoke speakers are actually built into each side of a standard, adjustable headrest. Credit: Safran

Air France-KLM said CMA CGM, the French shipping company with which it signed a strategic partnership for air cargo last month, is now a 9% shareholder in the group. CMA CGM acquired the stake through the airline group’s recently concluded €2.6 billion ($2.7 billion) capital raise. It was announced that the shipping company would take the stake in May when the 10-year strategic air cargo partnership was announced. Credit: Ramon van Flymen/ANP/AFP/Getty Images

Canada’s Air Transat will begin scheduled service to Las Vegas in November, marking its return to the U.S. city for the first time in seven years. Flights from Montreal (YUL) to Las Vegas Harry Reid (LAS) will start Nov. 3, operating four times per week using Airbus A321neo aircraft. The airline previously served Montreal-Las Vegas between August and December 2014 and Toronto Pearson (YYZ)-Las Vegas between August and October 2015. Credit: Joe Pries

Virgin Australia is resuming more short-haul international destinations this week, and it is also planning for further expansion of its international network later this year and in March 2023. The carrier is making a cautious return to international flights after restructuring as a primarily domestic operator in 2020. Virgin’s only current international route is between Sydney and Fiji. Credit: Rob Finlayson