KLM Engineering & Maintenance was contracted by Pegasus Airlines to overhaul five CFM56-7Bs plus two options. KLM E&M will provide two leased engines to the Istanbul-based carrier as part of the deal.
South Africa's Civil Aviation Authority ordered the grounding all 737-200s in the country for inspections after an engine fell off a Nationwide Airlines -200 during takeoff in Cape Town last week. The plane returned safely to CPT on one engine.
Boeing said Transavia France signed up for five modules of its Maintenance Performance Toolbox--Structures, Systems, Library, Authoring and Tasks--in an effort to streamline maintenance on its 737-800 fleet.
International Aero Engines said its V2500 SelectOne build standard is on target to deliver a 1% reduction in fuel burn plus savings in other areas. The engine upgrade package is undergoing a three-engine test program, and "performance results indicate" it will provide a 20% improvement in time on wing, "reduce miscellaneous shop visits by up to 40% and demonstrate compliance with the most stringent CAEP/6 NOx standards, in addition to the fuel savings." The flying testbed flight plan has been completed with seven flights and approximately 45 flight hr.
Singapore Technologies Aerospace won three contracts valued at S$232 million ($160 million) from Delta Air Lines. The first will take effect in January and is a two-year heavy maintenance deal on 757-200s with an option to extend it three additional years. The second calls for business class interior modification on 757-200ERs. Work on the 757-200s and 757-200ERs will take place at San Antonio Aerospace. Under the third contract, modifications of 767 IFE systems will begin this month at ST Mobile Aerospace Engineering.
Embraer reported third-quarter net income of $194.9 million, nearly triple net earnings of $67.2 million in the year-ago quarter, as net sales jumped 62.9% to $1.43 billion. The manufacturer delivered 47 jets during the quarter, comprising 38 commercial and nine business aircraft. It delivered 38 jets in the year-ago period. Its firm order backlog reached a record $17.2 billion as of Sept. 30. The company produced 13 jets per month during the quarter and said it aims to build 14 per month by year end. It maintained a delivery forecast of 165-170 for 2007.
Honeywell announced that it signed a contract with AirTran Airways to supply avionics systems on new aircraft and provide maintenance on Honeywell products across the airline's entire fleet through 2030. The contract, which builds on an existing agreement with the Orlando LCC, has a value of $1 billion, of which around 50%-55% represents new business, according to Honeywell VP-Airlines Mike Madsen.
Mexicana and Amadeus announced Friday that the airline signed a preliminary agreement to adopt the full Altea Customer Management Solution to manage its reservations, inventory and departure control. Mexicana CIO Santiago Ontanon pegged the value of the investment at around $40-$50 million out of $100 million the airline has committed to invest in IT systems over five years. He told ATWOnline at the ALTA Airline Leaders Forum that the carrier began its search for a new reservations system around the time it was privatized in 2005.
ABX Air declared Friday that DHL is "in default" of its contracts with the Ohio-based airline that transports cargo throughout the US for the express giant. ABX has both an ACMI and a hub and line-haul service agreement with DHL under which the latter reimburses the former for many of the expenses incurred while conducting DHL business.
Air transport brings economic benefits of $157 billion and supports 27 million jobs in Latin America, IATA DG and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said last week in Cancun as he called for greater transparency about the benefits that airlines bring to the region and the challenges they face in the areas of safety, infrastructure, liberalization and the environment. IATA and the Latin American Civil Aviation Commission are in the process of carrying out economic studies showing the contribution airlines make to the economies and job rolls of nations in the region.
Singapore Airlines is the first customer for A380 Flight Hour Services, a new Airbus support package to provide airlines with "enhanced maintenance and logistics support for spare parts and services for their A380s." The agreement signed with SIA is for an initial 10-year period and covers Airbus LRU spare parts and services for avionics, cabin and integrated modular avionics systems on all the A380s SIA will operate.
Goodrich and Turkish Technic signed an MOU yesterday to establish a joint venture in Istanbul to perform maintenance and repair work on nacelles. The JV, to be known as Goodrich HABOM, will provide MRO services and rotable support for nacelles on Turkish Airlines aircraft. It anticipates opening a certified repair station at Sabiha Gokcen International in 2009. "In addition to servicing the Turkish Airlines fleet, the planned 43,000-sq.-ft. facility would also focus on MRO support for other carriers in Turkey and the neighboring region," Goodrich said.
United Airlines said it is adding a $5 one-way and $10 roundtrip fuel surcharge onto "most domestic fares. . .to offset record-breaking fuel costs." The surcharge, effective immediately, will exclude flights to and from Hawaii. "Every dollar increase in the price of crude oil increases United's annual costs by approximately $65 million," UA said in a statement. It noted that the per-barrel price topped $98 this week "compared with $55 a barrel just nine months ago and $20 a barrel six years ago."
JetBlue Airways said yesterday that Executive VP-Corporate Services and CFO John Harvey resigned effective immediately "to pursue other professional interests." It named Senior VP-Finance and Principal Accounting Officer Ed Barnes interim CFO. CEO Dave Barger said the LCC will "implement an executive search for a permanent CFO.''
JetWorks Leasing and sister company SkyWorks Capital arranged the conversion and lease of a 757-200 purchased by Stratus Ltd. The aircraft will undergo a cargo conversion at Flightstar Aircraft Services using the Precision Conversion STC.
Mexico soon will incorporate IATA's Operational Safety Audit into its civil aviation regulatory requirements for airlines operating to, from and within the country, Minister of Communication and Transport Luiz Tellez announced yesterday. Speaking to the ALTA Airline Leaders Forum in Cancun, Tellez said airlines that successfully complete an IOSA will not have to undergo an annual audit from Mexico's DGAC, as is currently required, but will enjoy an extended interval of three years or longer between inspections.
Air Berlin transported 2.8 million passengers in October, up 11.3% from the year-ago month. Load factor rose 2.5 points to 81.7% and unit revenue fell 0.4% to 4.99 euro cents (7.24 US cents). CFO Ulf Huttmeyer admitted the company has "not yet been able to fully optimize yield management and capacity control in the course of LTU's integration." Separately, AB named dba flight operations head Helmut Weixler as LTU's MD-flight operations and accountable manager. CEO Joachim Hunold also added the title of LTU chairman. He ceded the duties of AB accountable manager to Karl Lotz.
SkyWest Airlines pilots once again rejected overtures from the Air Line Pilots Assn., with 65% of those voting preferring to remain nonunion. "We appreciate our pilots' decision to remain union free and the professionalism they displayed during the campaign," VP-Flight Operations Brad Holt said. "The vote is an endorsement of the relationship that has worked so well throughout our history."
Southwest Airlines yesterday introduced a "business select" fare category that will provide passengers paying more for tickets with guaranteed early boarding, more frequent-flier credits and a free cocktail, a move that is part of the LCC's ongoing effort to alter its traditional single-class service to attract more business travelers.
Schiphol Group appointed Maarten de Groof chief commercial officer effective Feb. 1. Silver Air of the Czech Republic named Steffen Harpoth as its new CEO.
Mubadala Development, Abu Dhabi's government investment firm, became sole shareholder of Gulf Aircraft Maintenance following its acquisition of Gulf Air's 40% stake in the company. It consequently renamed the MRO Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies.
EASA, aviation authorities from Scandinavia and Canada and OEMs Bombardier and Goodrich met yesterday in Cologne and concluded that the Oct. 27 incident involving an SAS Q400--the carrier's third--was "not due to a design error and that the airworthiness of the aircraft is maintained." Last week the Danish Investigation Board said the most recent Q400 landing gear incident resulted from an O-ring lodged in the right main gear's actuator.
Lufthansa Technik signed a five-year MRO agreement with bmi and bmibaby covering all base maintenance checks on bmi's 24 A320 family aircraft as well as its three A330s, the recently added BMED fleet of eight A320 family aircraft and bmibaby's 21 737 Classics. Deal is valued in excess of €50 million ($72.6 million). Sabena Technics renewed its contract for line and light maintenance of Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium's six A320s. Initial agreement was signed three years ago and now is extended for an undetermined period.
