Aviation Daily

By Adrian Schofield
The carrier already flies narrowbody jets between main centers in New Zealand, but it now intends to open routes to some smaller cities with a fleet of Bombardier Q300s.

By Bradley Perrett
The carrier will be called Ningbo Airlines, and have 16-20 aircraft by 2020, municipal media report, citing the agreement between HNA and city administration.

By Sean Broderick
GE Aviation and Lufthansa Technik have laid the groundwork for a Europe-based GEnx-2B and GE9X full-service overhaul facility.
MRO

By Guy Norris
The company—which developed the system initially for the 787-9—says the drag benefits do not justify its inclusion on the 777X, which is due to achieve firm configuration later this summer.

Global Jet Fuel Prices (midpoint)* As of June 18, 2015, compared with previous week and previous year cts/gal prev. week prev. year NY Jet Barges 182.53 -2.59 -112.56 Chicago Jet 180.78 -5.34 -115.31

Bureau of Transportation Statistics
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By Jens Flottau
The aircraft underwent high power runs of the PW1200G engine that went up to 60% of maximum thrust recently.

By Joe Anselmo
“The narrowbodies are going to have to ramp up,” Kevin Cummings said in an interview with Aviation Daily at the Paris air show June 17. “I don’t believe that Boeing and Airbus want to have a customer come in the door and tell them "you have to wait nine years" for delivery."

By Jens Flottau
The Hungarian LCC signed an agreement on June 18 for 110 Airbus A321neos and secured purchase rights for an additional 90 aircraft of the same type.
Air Transport

The group’s existing fleet comprises 12 Saab 2000s, five ATR 75-500s and 12 Avro RJs—a mix of RJ85 and RJ100s.

By Guy Norris
LE BOURGET, France—The General Electric Pratt & Whitney Engine Alliance says it remains in contention to power the potential reengined A380neo with a comprehensive upgrade to the GP7200, but says the timing of such a move depends upon the airframe maker.

By Bradley Perrett
The second-stage expansion of Haikou Meilan, on the southern island province Hainan, will raise annual capacity to 35 million passengers and 400,000 tons of freight by 2025, the agency says, the National Development and Reform Commission. The project cost will be 14.4 billion yuan ($2.32 billion).

The Franco-Dutch group’s profitable MRO arm will have to deliver some €170 million ($192 million) in cost savings over the next three years as part of the broader push to drive profitabilty at the group level.

The preliminary assessment, published by the Canadian Transportation Safety Board (TSB) on June 16, puts the focus of the crash on the pilots and the procedures used during the non-precision instrument approach to the runway in the midst of a relatively strong crosswind and snow showers that significantly limited visibility.

By Guy Norris
The engine is a derivative of the C Series engine and, because of this, Pratt is using a modified PW1500G development unit adapted with the external changes required for the Embraer program.

By Jens Flottau
The two companies plan to develop, get certification and deliver the first aircraft within ten years and forecast 2025 for entry-into-service.

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IATA is “pausing” rollout of its “Cabin OK” plan, which sought to limit the size of carry-on bags, ostensibly to ensure that carry-on luggage travels in the cabin even when the flight is full. The plan, announced last week at IATA’s Annual General Meeting in Miami, met with intense opposition from some carriers, particularly in the U.S., many of which said they had no plans to comply.

United Airlines from Oct. 25 will cease operating flights from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport, and will shift all operations to Newark Liberty International Airport, the company said. Delta Air Lines will trade its Newark slots for United’s JFK slots, pending government approval. The companies are not disclosing how many slots will be traded at each airport.

The first legal loss this spring did not come as a surprise to most industry insiders. Allegiant pilots wanted to mount a “status quo” strike, claiming that they had a legal basis to stop work after the airline illegally changed work rules once the pilots unionized.

By Graham Warwick
Leveraging funding from the Eurostars program, Elbit will integrate a volcanic ash-imaging sensor developed by Norway’s Nicarnica Aviation into its ClearVision multi-spectral EVS. The program is supported by the Norwegian Research Council and Israel’s Office of the Chief Scientist.

By Bradley Perrett
Tibet Airlines, a subsidiary of state-owned Air China, holds a 75% economic interest in the new carrier, Himalayan Airlines, says an industry official in China who has been involved in arrangements for the company to begin operations.

The ATR 72-600s will join an existing fleet of five ATR 72-500s operated by Braathens Regional from its base at Stockholm’s Bromma City Airport.

Airlines, of course, are already targeting offers to passengers.