BAE Systems said it placed 44 aircraft and won 41 remarketing mandates from third parties in 2009. Of the 44 placed aircraft, 30 were BAe 146/Avro RJs (23 of which were placed for passenger service, three as business jets, three as freighters and one for military use). It said it manages 40% of the market but was a party in 60% of the recorded transactions. It has 24 idle 146/RJ aircraft in its portfolio, which it admitted presents a "significant challenge." The 14 other placed aircraft comprised 11 ATP turboprops (eight freighters, three for passenger use) and three Jetstream 32s.
Ethiopian Airlines 737-800's flight data recorders were recovered from the Mediterranean Sea over the weekend and sent to France for study, the carrier said. The Jan. 25 crash killed all 90 people onboard ( ATWOnline, Jan. 27).
Pratt & Whitney announced that Hong Kong Airlines selected the PW4170 Advantage 70 to power the six A330-200s it ordered last week at the Singapore Airshow ( ATWOnline, Feb. 5).
Lufthansa's first A380 completed painting Friday and is on schedule for May 10 delivery ( ATWOnline, Feb. 2). Aircraft is named Frankfurt am Main. LH's second A380, dubbed Munchen, arrived at Airbus's Hamburg Finkenwerder facility last week ahead of cabin interior and painting work. Iberia Friday took delivery of a new A319, the first aircraft to join its fleet since deliveries were suspended more than a year ago as the company reduced capacity.
Bombardier Aerospace received net orders for 88 commercial aircraft in its fiscal year ended Jan. 31, down from 114 the prior year. Orders for 2009-10 comprised 22 CRJs, 16 Q400s and 50 CSeries aircraft. However, the company's net total was 11 owing largely to -85 net orders for business aircraft. Its 2008-09 net was 367. Full-year commercial deliveries rose to 121 from 110 in 2008-09, comprising 60 CRJs and 61 Q-Series aircraft. Total deliveries dropped to 302 from the 349 posted in the year ended Jan. 31, 2009.
Airbus announced A350 supplier contracts with Panasonic Avionics Corp. on OnAir, its joint venture with SITA. Panasonic will provide on-demand audio and video, eXPhone inflight mobile phone service, eXConnect broadband Internet and its Panasonic Airborne Television Network. OnAir's connectivity technology will be linefit offerable on the A350, the company said, adding that more than 40% of A350 customers have ordered the product.
Sukhoi said the fourth Sukhoi Superjet 100 joined the flight test program yesterday, operating a 2 hr. 45 min. flight. The aircraft will " undergo a complex evaluation of onboard equipment and avionics as well as failure safety tests" and be subject to fire protection and inert gas system testing. It also will host flight crew training for initial customers. Sukhoi is aiming for type certification in mid-year.
Hong Kong Airlines signed an MOU yesterday to purchase six A330-200s, increasing its commitment for the type to 23, Airbus announced. HKA will use the aircraft "to develop new services to destinations across the Asia/Pacific region, as well as to the Middle East and Europe," the manufacturer said. President Yang Jian Hong said the carrier intends to "establish our company as a premium brand in new international markets." Delivery dates and engine choice were not announced.
Sichuan Airlines yesterday took delivery of the first of three new A330-200s on lease from AerCap. It already operates 13 A319s, 21 A320s and 10 A321s. The A330 will seat 36 in first class and 209 in economy.
Turkish Airlines yesterday continued its ambitious fleet renewal and announced a commitment for 10 737-800s and 10 737-900ERs (plus 15 options) that will join the A320 family aircraft ordered last month.
E-190 has been certified by EASA to operate at London City, Embraer announced. The E-170 received steep-approach approval in 2007 and is operated by BA CityFlyer at the airport. The 190's range from LCY is more than 800 nm., Embraer said. CityFlyer, Baboo and Lufthansa CityLine plan to fly the 190 at LCY initially. The manufacturer said 15 of the type are expected to be operating out of the airport by year end.
Boeing's third flight test 787 has been outfitted with 135 seats, multiple lavatories and two crew rests in order "to test the passenger experience elements of the airplane," Director-787 Interiors Tom Galantowicz said, adding that the aircraft will fly "later this month."
AerSale of Florida announced the acquisition of 44 DC-8-71F/-73F freighters, the accompanying CFM56-2C1 engines, spare parts and tooling and a Level D DC-8-70 series flight simulator from an unnamed seller thought to be UPS Airlines, which retired its fleet of 44 DC-8s last year ( ATWOnline, April 24, 2009).
Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. contracted Heath Tecna of Bellingham, Wash., to supply flight deck, passenger cabin and cargo compartment linings, galley units, lavatories, emergency escape slides and waste and water systems for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet.
Jiangxi provincial government plans to build a CNY40 billion ($5.85 billion) aviation industrial complex in the capital of Nanchang centering on production of 25% of the fuselage for the country's C919 large commercial transport. Nanchang is about 400 mi. southwest of Shanghai. The local government signed a joint venture agreement with AVIC in December to cooperate on aviation technology and launch the Nanchang General Aircraft Co., which will support AVIC subsidiary Hongdu Commercial Aircraft Co.
Boeing announced the transfer of the 787 fatigue test airframe to its structural test rig in Everett. Tests are expected to begin in mid-2010. "Unlike static tests, where loads are applied to the airplane structure to simulate both normal operation and extreme flight conditions, fatigue testing is a much longer process that simulates up to three times the number of flight cycles an airplane is likely to experience during a lifetime of service," 787 VP and GM Scott Fancher said.
Despite all the advances in airframe durability and engine reliability over the past 50 years that have helped to make air travel the safest form of transportation the world has ever known, one thing has not changed: Bad weather is a threat to be avoided, not confronted. Fortunately, airlines have a weapon in their arsenal that gives them a huge advantage in the never-ending war of wits with Mother Nature--highly advanced weather radar systems.
Airbus announced a 5.8% increase in the list price of all its aircraft retroactive to Jan. 1. "We have tried to keep prices down for as long as we can. However, even with record aircraft deliveries and impressive orders in recent years, the continuing strength of the euro against the US dollar and the ongoing financial challenges ahead have forced us to take action," COO-Customers John Leahy said. Airbus said it was its first price hike in two years. Increased cost of materials and commodities also factored into the decision.
Wings Air took delivery of its first three ATR 72-500s, part of the order for 15 it placed at last fall's Dubai Airshow ( ATWOnline, Nov. 16, 2009). Aircraft will replace MD-80s. Remaining 12 -500s are scheduled to deliver through 2011. AWAS announced the delivery of the first of three F70s to Carpatair of Romania. Remaining aircraft will be delivered in February and March.
