Air Transport

Principals of the Aireon joint venture formally announced on Apr. 2 the launch of the company’s satellite-based air traffic control (ATC) surveillance system, a capability that for the first time provides a means of continuously tracking aircraft over oceans and remote regions of the world.

South Korea’s Asiana Airlines is considering trimming its operations as it looks to shore up the financial stability of the company and restore market confidence.

Australian cabin-technology supplier Burrana, which was rebranded from digEcor after acquiring Collins Aerospace’s commercial in-flight entertainment (IFE) business, is pushing ahead with the integration and is on the lookout for further acquisitions.

Airbus has yet to find a customer for its lower-deck cabin module but its promoters have clearer ideas on how to market and certify it.

Airbus has made a prominent change to its Day & Night first-class concept, the “night” area of which now looks like a two-person bedroom.

Low-cost airline Wizz Air anticipates its profit for the year will be at the high end of its estimate, thanks to robust demand; its operational performance in March was good as well, with a decrease in cancellations.

Four aircraft retrofit specialists—EAD Aerospace, Envoy Aerospace, Etihad Airways Engineering and Lufthansa Technik—have officially launched the Independent Aircraft Modifier Alliance (IAMA), firming up an MOU that was first announced in January.

Aircraft interior design consultants, physicians and cabin-amenity providers are revivifying the airline industry’s efforts to improve passenger sleep now that data-gathering and analytics technologies are opening new possibilities.

Aircraft seat manufacturer Recaro has launched its lightest-weight economy seat at the 2019 Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, shaving 1 kg (2.2 lb.) off its predecessor, along with an economy sleeper-seat option. Meanwhile, its smart-seat and flexible-configuration concepts from prior years are beginning to gain traction.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced on Apr. 2 that it has grounded two of its nine Boeing 787-10 due to premature blade deterioration found on the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 TEN engines.

UK-based design consultancy Tangerine believes the next big area for development on board airliners could be the premium-economy cabin.

Investment company Searchlight Capital Partners is buying 26% of French aerostructures and electrical systems manufacturer Latecoere, the Toulouse-based company said Apr. 2.

Taiwan’s China Airlines (CAL) has appointed its president, Hsieh Su-Chien as its new chairman, following a meeting by its board of directors on Apr. 2. Hsieh will retain his position as CAL’s president.

Airbus is working with industry stakeholders to create a data-producing aircraft cabin—covering smart galleys, lavatories, overhead bins and seats—with the aim of adding the data to its predictive maintenance and analytics platform Skywise.

Airbus has extended its Airspace customer definition center (CDC) at Hamburg Finkenwerder to include the cabin customization of its A320 and A330 programs, which complements existing A350 XWB customization areas, which launched in 2014.

Boeing’s proposed changes to its 737 MAX family flight-control software will undergo “additional work” and may not be in regulators’ hands for a final review for another six weeks.

Emirates and China Southern Airlines have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to progress a comprehensive reciprocal codeshare agreement, which is set to open up new destinations for passengers travelling between China and the Middle East and Africa.

Composite materials, widely seen as greener than metal because they enable lighter aircraft designs, are falling behind expectations for recyclability.

Airlines are investing in their digital offerings to stay relevant with customers.

Analysts ponder how to harness the tremendous potential of autonomous mobility in congestion-clogged cities worldwide.

While aerospace stakeholders hope for an optimistic outcome, they must also plan for the possibility of pessimistic scenarios.

U.S. lawmakers, determined to leave no stone unturned as they push for answers in the aftermath of two Boeing 737 MAX accidents in five months, have asked the Transportation Department’s (DOT) auditor to investigate pilot training, with emphasis on cockpit automation and international standards.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-New York) is urging the FAA to temporarily suspend Boeing from a rulemaking advisory committee, describing the manufacturer’s inclusion on the panel as a “potential conflict of interest” amid continuing investigations into the 737 MAX.

A brief outage in a third-party vendor’s software system disrupted the operations of several U.S. carriers Apr. 1.

Carriers will increasingly seek to personalize the passenger experience through activities such as livestreaming events to passengers’ onboard devices, according to speakers at the Passenger Experience Conference in Hamburg Apr. 1.