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%.
International Communications Group was selected by AeroMexico to install its NxtLink ICS-120A communications systems offering flight deck voice and datalink services over the Iridium satellite network on five of its 767-200 and -300 series aircraft. ICG said the systems support ACARS, CPDLC and other FANS1/A messaging. Agreement also covers the associated Configuration Identity Modules and Spectralux Avionics Dlink+ all-in-one ACARS system, it said.
LuxairGroup yesterday announced it placed an order for one 737-800. The carrier said the aircraft's size and range will enable it to "optimize operations" for its tour operator LuxairTours. The order, valued at $77 million, previously was listed on Boeing's website as an unidentified customer.
Air Berlin took delivery of two A320-200s from GECAS as part of an existing order agreement between the carrier and Airbus. The aircraft are two of 15 that GECAS currently leases to AB. Lufthansa Technik subsidiary AERO Alzey signed an engine services agreement with Lufthansa CityLine to cover MRO services on CF34-10 engines powering CityLine's present and future E-190/-195 fleet.
Honeywell said last week that it will be analyzing the effects of ash ingestion in two of its TPE331 turboprop engines used to gather scientific data during the recent volcanic eruptions in Iceland. The engines powered a Do-228 "and accumulated 10 hr. of operation in the volcanic ash cloud and an additional 22 hr. of operation in the outer zone of the cloud," the company said. Engines were returned to Phoenix for teardown and evaluation. The aircraft was operated by the UK's Natural Environment Research Council.
Volga-Dnepr Airlines took delivery of one "built-to-order" PS-90А-76-powered IL-76TD-90VD freighter and completed the first customer flight. The freighter, manufactured at Tashkent Chkalov Aviation Factory, is part of a contract for three additional IL-76TD-90VDs signed by Volga-Dnepr Leasing Co. with JSC UAC-Transport Aircraft in 2007.
Airbus announced that South African Airways ordered five A320s, boosting an earlier commitment for the type to 20 from 15 previously. Aircraft, which will be delivered from 2013, will be powered by IAE V2500s. SAA recently agreed to lease six A330-200s from Aircastle for delivery in 2011 ( ATWOnline, Dec. 18, 2009). It already operates a fleet of 11 A319s, six A340-200s, six A340-300s and nine A340-600s.
PowerJet, the Snecma/NRO Saturn joint venture, announced yesterday that 100% of certification tests have been completed on the SaM146 engine that will power the Sukhoi Superjet 100. Speaking to reporters at the Regional Airline Assn. Annual Convention in Milwaukee, PowerJet Chairman and CEO Jean-Paul Ebanga said the last medium-bird ingestion test was conducted successfully yesterday and the engine is in the "home stretch" toward EASA certification "sometime this summer."
AerCap Holdings reached agreement to sell six A320s to Dublin-based operating lessor Avolon. Four of the aircraft were manufactured this year and are part of the AerVenture portfolio, a joint venture between AerCap and Abu Dhabi investment holding company Waha Capital. The other two are owned by AerCap and were manufactured in 2008. All aircraft have been sold with leases attached.
ATR VP-Marketing and Airline Studies Mario Formica said 2011 "will be fundamental" for making a final decision on whether or not the manufacturer will launch an 80/100-seat turboprop.
Bombardier pushed back against the notion that a re-engined A320 or 737 would severely damage the viability of its CSeries, questioning whether Airbus or Boeing could deliver equivalent fuel-burn improvements without making major and costly aircraft design modifications.
Finnair will lease two E-170s to Kenya Airways for four years beginning June 1. Value of the lease agreement is nearly $20 million. The leasing arrangements are being made by US lessor Jetscape Inc. Finnair Aircraft Finance, responsible for administering the Finnair fleet, either owns or leases 10 E-170s. Of these, two are leased to Finncomm Airlines in Finland. The aircraft leased to KQ are for sale. AY also operates 10 E-190s.
Copa Airlines took delivery of its fourth and fifth 737-800s, two of eight it expects to receive in 2010. The aircraft will seat 16 in business class and 144 in economy. Goodrich was selected by Icelandair to provide custom-tailored nacelle maintenance for the airline's RB211-535E4 engines that power its fleet of 19 757s. Agreement includes thrust reverser refurbishment and use of rotable assets and will be performed at Goodrich Aerostructures' Prestwick Service Center.
Airbus CEO Tom Enders told a group of journalists including ATWOnline in Hamburg this week that the company expects to deliver 20 A380s while securing orders for "more than 20" this year, including "additional orders from existing customers." He added, "I don't want to make airlines feel like we're putting them under pressure, but more and more it appears that an airline can only compete against an A380 with an A380."
