Boeing agreed to pay Air India $145 million in compensation for the delay in its 787s, the Indian government announced. AI parent National Aviation Co. of India had requested $710 million. It has 27 787-8s on order and has seen first delivery pushed back from the originally scheduled May 2008 to April 2011.
US FAA is issuing an Airworthiness Directive this week mandating a software fix for autopilot flight director computers on 777s to prevent runway overruns on takeoff, Boeing confirmed. "Boeing had received operator reports of flight crews inadvertently engaging the autopilot while on the ground," the company told the
Air Berlin yesterday announced the cancellation of 10 firm 787 orders worth a combined $1.7 billion at list prices, along with five options, "to account for a change in market conditions and in order to meet. . .specific operative requirements."
AWAS delivered a fifth A330-300 to Singapore Airlines. Aircraft will serve Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Male and Kuwait City beginning this month, with Fukuoka and Taipei added in April and Colombo in May.
FAA issued an emergency Airworthiness Directive calling for operators of 737-600s, -700s, -800s, -900s and -900ERs to inspect elevator tab control mechanisms following "severe elevator vibration" on a Ryanair 737-800 that made an emergency landing in Brussels this month.
Fourth 787 joined Boeing's flight test fleet and completed its first flight Sunday partially equipped with passenger cabin fittings. ZA003 departed Paine Field in Everett at 10:55 a.m. Sunday morning and landed at Boeing Field at 2:01 p.m. In addition to demonstrating that the interior meets certification requirements, ZA003 will be used to conduct tests on systems, noise performance, flight-deck operations, avionics, electromagnetic effects, high-intensity radio frequency response and ETOPS. ZA001 has completed 57 flights, ZA002 37 flights and ZA004 one flight. Total combined hr.
Second 747-8 freighter completed its first flight Sunday. Test Program Manager Andy Hammer said the aircraft "performed well" on a 2.5-hr. flight on which it reached an altitude of 27,000 ft. and an airspeed of 240 kt. before landing at Boeing Field. The second aircraft will conduct tests focused on community noise, environmental control systems and extended operation performance ( ATWOnline, March 12).
Spirit Airlines took delivery of the first of four new A320s scheduled to arrive this year and placed it into service Sunday on its Fort Lauderdale-Washington National service. It now operates 26 A319s, two A321s and the new A320, which seats 178 passengers.
AAR Corp. won a contract to design and manufacture composite flap track fairings for wings on the CSeries. Deal could be worth more than $90 million over the life of the program, AAR said.
Goodrich Corp. said Flydubai took delivery of the first 737NG (a 737-800) outfitted with its Duracarb carbon brakes. Goodrich will supply wheels and carbon brake equipment to the airline's entire incoming fleet and will retrofit its previous six -800s.
Thai Airways unveiled a fleet plan designed to accommodate "increased competition over the next five years as well as open skies in Asia and various regions worldwide" and growing customer expectations. Through 2014 it plans to phase out six 747-400s, 10 A300-600s, four A340-500s, three 737-400s and two ATR 72s. It will take delivery of three A330-300s and six A380-800s during the same timeframe and said it plans to acquire an additional seven 300-seat planes for use on regional routes and eight 350-seat aircraft for intercontinental operations to Los Angeles and Scandinavia.
Emirates President Tim Clark told ATWOnline yesterday in Berlin that the airline's A380s have been a success with passengers and on the balance sheet but that "there are still problems with the reliability of the aircraft. And when we fix snags, we find new ones. I am trying to be kind to Airbus, but they have to solve the problems." The operational reliability of EK's seven in-service A380s is 90%-95%, which he said is not good enough, although he added that the manufacturer "gives us good support." EK plans to take seven more A380s and six 777-300ERs this year.
Boeing completed initial airworthiness testing on the 747-8 freighter, enabling test engineers to be onboard during future flights and allowing two additional 747-8Fs to begin test flights. "The airplane is performing as expected in the initial stages of flight test," it said. "Since the first flight in early February, the program has conducted 13 flights, achieving several key accomplishments. Pilots have taken the airplane to an altitude of 30,000 ft. (9,144 m.) and a speed of Mach 0.65. The program has completed approximately 33 hr. of flying.
Volga-Dnepr Airlines said it will take delivery of a third new-generation IL-76TD-90VD next month, taking Volga-Dnepr Group's investment in the modernized aircraft to more than $90 million. VI said it predicts its investment in the 50-tonne-capacity ramp-loading freighter "is likely to double as more new aircraft join its fleet to meet global demand for the IL-76TD-90VD's unique operating capability." It signed a contract for another two aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2011.
United Airlines firmed its order for 25 A350-900s, Airbus announced yesterday. Aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWBs. UA, which will take delivery of the aircraft in 2016-19, signed a contract for 25 787-8s two week ago ( ATWOnline, Feb. 26).
EgyptAir took delivery of the first of six 777-300ERs on lease from GECAS. Remaining five are due before the second half of 2011. The -300ER seats 346 and features 49 lie-flat beds.
Despite reporting a €763 million ($1.04 billion) net loss in 2009, reversed from a €1.57 billion surplus the prior year, Airbus parent EADS yesterday announced an increase in the monthly A320 family production rate from the current 34 to 36 in December thanks to "continuing demand" and a "record backlog." The Airbus commercial unit posted an operating profit of €386 million excluding goodwill impairment and exceptional items, an 83.3% plunge from the €2.31 billion earned on a similar basis in 2008. Revenue slipped just 0.6% to €26.37 billion.
Boeing expects to make a decision on 737 re-engining "toward the end of this year," Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh said yesterday at the JP Morgan Aviation, Transportation & Defense Conference in New York, available via webcast. He said the company is talking to "all three engine manufacturers" and that it recognizes it is "looking at more competitors in the future" in the single-aisle market. "We have to deliver an airplane that has more value than the competition," he said
Hawaiian Airlines added to its firm long-haul Airbus order, signing up for a seventh A330-200 scheduled for delivery in 2011. HA placed an order for six -200s and six A350-800s, plus purchase rights for six of each type, two years ago ( ATWOnline, Feb. 5, 2008). It also plans to lease three additional A330s.
Pemco World Air Services reached agreements with JetBlue Airways to upgrade the seats on the carrier's 110 A320s and to extend the existing heavy maintenance contract covering the fleet.
SITA is partnering with Spanish and Portuguese air navigation service providers AENA and NAV Portugal to deliver data link infrastructure for pre-operational testing in preparation for introduction of Controller Pilot Data Link Communications across the Iberian Peninsula by 2013. CPDLC will enable pilots and ATC to exchange certain routine messages via data link and will replace radio telephone communication.
Allegiant Air parent Allegiant Travel Co. will add six 757-200s to a fleet currently comprised entirely of MD-80s in order to "expand its leisure travel strategy" with nonstop flights to Hawaii.
Boeing yesterday confirmed that Turkish Airlines finalized its order for 10 737-800s and 10 737-900ERs ( ATWOnline, Feb. 5). The manufacturer said the aircraft are worth $1.6 billion at list prices. ILFC said Istanbul Ataturk-based Onur Air leased three used A330-300s for five years each. Deliveries are scheduled for April and June.
