ATR reappointed Filippo Bagnato as CEO, stating that the move "responds to the aim of ATR’s shareholders, Alenia Aeronautica and EADS, to ensure the continuity of the ATR program management and its further growth, keeping up strong relationship with customers and privileged confidence from them." He succeeds Stephane Mayer, whose three-year mandate has expired, the joint-venture company said.
Three Thai Airways crewmembers were injured Sunday when their flight on descent into Osakastruck severe turbulence over the Pacific Oceanat about 16,500 ft. The three flight attendants were taken to a hospital after the aircraft, a 777 en route from Bangkok, landed at Osaka Kansai. Flight 622 was carrying a total of 244 passengers and crew. Unlike the flight attendants, the passengers were seated and wearing seatbelts in preparation for landing and none were reported injured in the incident.
Honeywell signed a contract with Tiger Airways to provide a full suite of safety avionics including its IntuVue 3-D weather radar for the carrier's 50 new A320s. The aircraft are expected to be delivered starting in late 2010 and continuing through 2015. Honeywell's full suite will include an Air Data Inertial Reference Unit, Flight Management System, next-generation Aircraft Collision and Avoidance System, Flight Data Recorder, Cockpit Voice Recorder and Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System.
The first 787 test aircraft powered by GEnx-1B engines completed its first flight late Wednesday, landing at Boeing Field in Seattle at 6:29 p.m. local time following a 3 hr. 48 min. flight. The aircraft is the fifth of six 787s in the Dreamliner flight test program ( ATW Daily News, April 22). A second GEnx-1B-powered 787 will take flight before the end of July, Boeing said.
British Airways 777-200ER sustained substantial damage to its right Trent 895 engine while en route from Singapore to London Heathrow on June 15 and diverted to Amsterdam Schiphol "reporting multiple technical problems and a low fuel state,"according to Ascend. The consultancy and data services provider said the damage to the engine turbine and outlet area occurred approximately 5 hr. prior to landing. The aircraft, MSN 30315 built in 2001, landed safely and there were no injuries to anyone onboard.
Hong Kong Airlines this week took delivery of its first Airbus aircraft, an A330-200 with which it intends to launch services to Europe by the end of the month, initially flying to Moscow. The A330 is the first of 53 Airbus aircraft it has on order comprising 23 A330s and 30 A320s. "The arrival of the A330 is a milestone for Hong Kong Airlines as we expand into the long-haul market," President Yang Jian Hong said. Aircraft are equipped with Panasonic Avionics' eX2 IFE and communication systems.
Turkish Airlines topped up its firm order with Airbus with an additional A330-200 for delivery in July 2011. The aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines. The purchase joins existing orders for 10 A330-300s, two A330-200 freighters and 24 A320 family aircraft signed last year.
Boeing announced yesterday that the 747-8 freighter has received expanded type inspection authorization from US FAA, a critical step toward certification that allows agency personnel to participate in test flights and collect required data.
Lufthansa Technik AERO Alzey signed an eight-year exclusive repair and overhaul agreement with Eurowings covering "at least" 30 CF34-8C engines powering the carrier's CRJ900 fleet.
Air Canada said yesterday that that it has "received a commitment" from GE Japan Corp. for a senior secured term loan facility of "up to $170.5 million" that will allow it to finance "a portion of the purchase price" for 16 aircraft that it currently leases and operates. The leased aircraft comprise 12 A319s and four 767-300ERs. It said it plans to buy eight of the A319s and the 767s next year and four of the A319s in 2012.
TAM yesterday signed an MOU with Airbus at the Berlin Air Show for 20 new A320 family aircraft and five additional A350-900s. If finalized, the deal would bring TAM's total number of A320 family aircraft on order for future delivery to 64 and its A350 orders to 27. It also has three A330-200s on order. The five A350-900s will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. TAM did not select an engine for the 20 A320s.
Emirates' ambitions to build Dubai into "a central gateway to worldwide air travel" took another major step forward yesterday as it ordered 32 additional A380svalued at $11.5 billion at list prices, the single biggest order for the aircraft to date and bringing EK's total orders for the type to 90. The order agreement was signed in a ceremony yesterday at the Berlin Air Show witnessed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, EK Chairman and CEO Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoumand Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders.
EasyJet will start trialing a new technology called AVOID (Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector) that it hopes will minimize future disruptions from volcanic activity. The system is "essentially a weather radar for ash" and uses infrared devices fitted on the aircraft's tail fin to provide images of ash clouds up to 100 km. ahead at altitudes of 5,000-50,000 ft. The images are sent to both the pilot and the airline's flight control center and will allow for adjustments to the aircraft's flight path to avoid any volcanic ash.
Bombardier reported net income of $153 million in its fiscal first quarter ended April 30, down just 3.2% compared to income of $158 million in the year-ago period amid some signs of a strengthening commercial aircraft sector. Quarterly revenue fell 6.7% to $4.2 billion. Operating profit dipped 4.7% to $224 million from $235 million a year earlier, although operating margin remained stable at 5.3%.
