Boeing has started telling its customers to expect serious delivery delays for the Boeing 787 as far out as this summer. Norwegian Air Shuttle on Friday confirmed that it has been alerted by Boeing that delivery of its first two aircraft, previously scheduled for April and June, could be affected. The company stated that Boeing has not announced a new delivery date or given written confirmation of a potential delay.
American Eagle Airlines’ Air Line Pilot Association (ALPA) chapter have asked the U.S. bankruptcy court overseeing AMR Corp.’s restructuring to block a 12-year capacity purchase agreement signed last month with Republic Airways Holdings. AMR executives “provide no explanation for why it would make sense to use a third-party carrier, one that provides regional feed to American’s mainline competitors, instead of AMR’s wholly owned subsidiary, whose labor costs have been successfully restructured in this bankruptcy,” ALPA says in its court filing.
Boeing says it is working with engine maker CFM International and the fuel supply chain to resolve a rare but potentially serious thrust instability observed in the CFM56-7B-powered Boeing 737NG fleet.
Saab appears to have ceased promoting its concept to develop a new generation of commercial turboprops. Two years ago at Aero India, Saab executives pitched the idea of working with Indian industry to develop two new models of commercial aircraft.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected] Feb. 12-13,—NBAA Leadership Conference, Hilton Austin Hotel, Austin, Texas, www.nbaa.org/events/leadership/2013/ Feb. 26-28—2013 Air Charter Safety Symposium, NTSB Training Center, Ashburn, Va., 571-223-3900 www.acsf.aero/symposium/
Imminent government-wide budget cuts could significantly hinder the FAA’s five-year capital investment plan, which maps out National Airspace System modernization projects, including NextGen, claims a new report from Democrats on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. The FAA’s overall budget could be reduced by $1 billion if the sequestration cuts go into effect March 1. According to the report, this is likely to adversely affect a capital investment plan that already has been constrained.
March 5-6 2013 Hilton Arlington Arlington, VA Join senior defense officials and discover where priorities and opportunities exist beyond the FY 2014 budget and hear First-hand how programs are implementing affordable and effective designs! Register now at www.aviationweek.com/events/dtar Click here to view the pdf
India’s state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) is about to expand into civil aviation, the company’s top official says. According to HAL Chairman R. K. Tyagi, India authorities have asked the company to take a primary role in the proposed $14 billion national civil aircraft program to develop a regional transport aircraft. The same authorities also want HAL involved in the design, development and manufacture of unmanned aerial systems.
Rolls-Royce (R-R) has received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) type certification for the initial version of its Trent XWB engine being developed for the Airbus A350. The engine is powering the -800 and -900 variants of the Airbus widebody; R-R is working on a much higher-thrust variant for the -1000 due to be delivered in 2017. R-R’s Trent XWB is the only engine type available for the A350.
Click here to view the pdf Fuel Watch: Global Jet Fuel Prices (midpoint) As of February, 2013, compared with previous week and previous year cts/gal prev. week prev.
Merger talks between American Airlines and US Airways are now focused on which management team will take control of a “New American” and how stakes in the new entity will be distributed among the two operators’ current shareholders.
Australia’s competition watchdog says it needs more information before it can rule on Virgin Australia’s proposed takeover of Tiger Airways Australia, although it has hinted that Virgin faces an uphill struggle to win approval. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) made a scheduled announcement regarding the takeover on Feb. 7, but instead of a ruling, it released a “statement of issues” and set a March 14 deadline for a final decision.
African startup Fastjet says the latest round of legal battles it has to fight with the former owner of regional carrier Fly540 Kenya, among others, will not affect its current operations in Tanzania. In a statement, the company “categorically denies” allegations by Five Forty Aviation head Don Smith about unpaid dues and alleged safety breaches.
The average retirement age of the world’s regional jets dropped to nearly 14 years in 2012, an analysis of the Aviation Week Intelligence Network fleets database shows, but the near-term trend will depend in part on what happens with Embraer’s ERJ-145 model, and the engines that power it.
Copa Airlines plans to alter its mix of owned and leased aircraft, in part because of the increased cost of Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) financing, says the Panamanian carrier’s leadership. “We concluded it’s not a bad idea to mix it up a little more” and acquire additional operating leases, CFO Victor Vial said Feb. 7 during the airline’s fourth-quarter earnings conference call, adding that operating leases provide fleet flexibility.
The Middle East is one of the fastest-growing commercial air transport regions in the world, leading in capacity per departure and average stage length growth, according to Aviation Week data. As airlines there increase in size, it is natural that they leverage their scale to gain efficiencies. That comes from both purchasing power and the desire to bring higher-technology maintenance, repair and overhaul capability in-house—or at least in the region.
NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman has risen to the top of the list of contenders to replace U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Hersman has an important source of support in Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. She served as a staff member on the panel from 1999 to 2004, and before that worked for West Virginia Democrat Rep. Bob Wise. Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa), chairman of the House Appropriations aviation subcommittee, says, “All I’ve heard are good things about her.”
