Engine manufacturers constantly trade claims over whose product performs best, traditionally comparing apples to apples, turbofan to turbofan. But as the battle to power the Airbus A320NEO intensifies, engine makers increasingly are exchanging fire over their technology choices. Pratt & Whitney’s success in winning five applications for its geared turbofan (GTF)—and defeating conventional turbofan offerings on four of them—has changed the tone of the engine war of words. No more apples to apples, it’s now architecture against architecture.
Nicholas Calio, president and CEO of Airlines for America (A4A), says airlines will be willing to support the FAA’s next-generation air transportation system (NextGen) programs if the agency can show economic or operational benefits, particularly in the near-term. “That hasn’t always been the case so far, and more often than not, it hasn’t” said Calio late last week in Washington at a one-day symposium held by the Air Line Pilots Association and National Air Traffic Controllers Union.
United Airlines is to issue a formal request for proposals (RFP) for renewable jet fuel as a follow-on to the Midwest Aviation Sustainable Biofuels Initiative (Masbi), which presented its recommendations late last week.
AirAsia Group is planning to add 10 Airbus aircraft each year to its recently approved Indian joint venture, which is expected to start operations by the end of the year. The joint venture, which includes Tata Group and Telestra Tradeplace as partners, already has permission from India’s Foreign Investment Promotion Board to invest 800 million rupees ($13.4 million) in the new airline, and is currently awaiting regulatory approval from the Ministry of Civil Aviation to begin operations.
Click here to view the pdf Aviation Week’s Top Performing Airlines Rankings Aviation Week’s Top Performing Airlines Rankings Top 10 Airlines With Revenues Greater Than $6 Billion R
Click here to view the pdf Arab Air Carriers Organization Monthly Traffic: April 2013 Arab Air Carriers Organization Monthly Traffic: April 2013 RPK % Chg. ASK % Chg.
Delivery of British Airways’ (BA) first Boeing 787-8, registration G-ZBJA, was delayed due to technical problems and the aircraft celebrated as the carrier’s first delivery was in fact the second 787 to be built for the operator, Aviation Week has learned. This second aircraft, G-ZBJB, had always been scheduled to arrive at London Heathrow Airport June 27, while the first aircraft was due to be delivered June 26. However, G-ZBJA was pulled from delivery at Everett on June 25 due to a technical issue.
Click here to view the pdf Aircraft Operating Statistics, 12 Months Ended December 2012, Turboprops and Regional Jets (Sorted By Seats Per Departure) Aircraft Operational Statistics
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) in September will launch a second review of the interoperability of the Single European Sky ATM Research (Sesar) and FAA’s NextGen at the request of the U.S. House of Representatives aviation subcommittee. “Interoperability” refers to the ability for European and U.S. aircraft to use each other’s air traffic management systems as next-generation air traffic control systems come on line.
San Francisco-based Lam Aviation completed another round of flight tests using a Lancair Columbia fitted with its Lam Aileron, confirming a number of performance improvements that range from 30% improved fuel consumption to a 50% increase in rate of climb over the in-production aircraft, the company says.
Introducing the Aero 100 Airfare Benchmark Index Designed for anyone with risk on the future level of airfares – for example Airlines, Banks/Credit Card Companies, Corporate Travel Managers, etc. The Aero 100 Airfare Benchmark Index tracks daily airfares within the domestic airline market. The Aero 100 delivers financial risk mitigation and protection against constant fluctuation of airline ticket prices by providing the price settling mechanism for Commodity Futures Contracts.
Click here to view the pdf Aircraft Operating Costs, 12 Months Ended December 2012, Turboprops and Regional Jets (Sorted By Seats Per Departure) Cost Per Block Hour
The FAA plans to canvas the federal government, industry and academia to study the potential impact that cybersecurity issues may have on aircraft certification and operations.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected]. (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) July 11—National Business Aviation Association, Business Aviation Regional Forum, Denver, Colo., 703-783-9000, www.nbaa.org July 18-19—Airline Operational Efficiency & Cost Management Workshop, IATA Training Facilities, Beijing, PRC, www.iata.org/events/Pages/efficiency-workshop.aspx
The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate Appropriations Committees last week made substantially different recommendations for the fiscal 2014 FAA budget, clearing bills that are nearly $1 billion apart in funding. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill 22-8 that calls for an increase in the FAA’s funding over fiscal 2013 levels to $15.9 billion. This would include increased funding for safety inspectors and NextGen investments. At the same time, the House approved 28-20 a bill that would cut the agency's funding to $15 billion.
Vietnamese low-cost carrier VietJet has signed a memorandum of understanding with Thai Cessna Grand Caravan operator Kan Air to establish Thai VietJet Air, a joint venture operation in Bangkok. Kan Air’s owner, Thailand’s Kannithi Group, will own 51% of the new airline and the remaining 49% will be held by VietJet’s owner, Vietnamese conglomerate Sovico. The partners say Thai VietJet Air will be a low-cost carrier operating Airbus A320s, the same aircraft type as VietJet, on domestic and short-haul international routes from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Aviation Week’s latest Top Performing Airlines (TPA) study shows that an increasing number of carriers are in a healthier financial position as the industry downturn eases. This change in momentum means many contrasting dynamics are evident. Carriers from much-touted developing regions are generally struggling to exit the malaise. Small, niche carriers still have an advantage, but large airlines are starting to perform better. And fortunes are certainly mixed for the newly-merged mega-carriers.
As clearly indicated by the $4.7 billion in new widebody engine deals announced at the Paris air show, Rolls-Royce continues to bank heavily on the higher-value big-engine market. With around half of this newly signed business tied up in aftermarket support and sales of existing products, the company is stepping up its wide-ranging campaign to plow back technology from the latest-generation large turbofans into the rest of the in-service Trent family.
Click here to view the pdf Fuel Watch: Global Jet Fuel Prices (midpoint) As of June 26, 2013, compared with previous week and previous year cts/gal prev. week prev.
