G550 (c/n 5063) N897AW operated by Audrey Enterprise LLC, rotates from Rwy 19R at John Wayne Orange County Airport (SNA/KSNA) on March 21, 2013.
(Photo by Michael Carter)
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Gulfstream G-IVSP N2CC
G-IVSP (c/n 1343) N2CC operated by Tonkawa Inc. rolls for take-off on Rwy 19R at John Wayne Orange County Airport (SNA/KSNA) on March 21, 2013.
(Photo by Michael Carter)
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Boeing wins huge Ryanair 737-800 order
Irish budget carrier Ryanair has agreed to acquire 175 new Boeing 737-800s, an agreement it values at nearly $15.6 billion at list prices.
The carrier says the deal, yet to be finalised, will take its fleet to more than 400 aircraft by the "end of the delivery stream" in 2018.
Once approved by Ryanair shareholders the purchase will, the airline claims, be the "largest ever" aircraft order by a European carrier.
The 737-800s are exclusively powered by CFM International CFM56 engines.
Some 75 of the new aircraft will replace part of Ryanair's current fleet of 305 737s. "But the remainder will drive new growth of Ryanair's fleet of young, highly efficient aircraft," the carrier says.
Ryanair says it is continuing to evaluate the re-engined 737 Max, which is due to enter service in 2017.
The carrier says the deal, yet to be finalised, will take its fleet to more than 400 aircraft by the "end of the delivery stream" in 2018.
Once approved by Ryanair shareholders the purchase will, the airline claims, be the "largest ever" aircraft order by a European carrier.
The 737-800s are exclusively powered by CFM International CFM56 engines.
Some 75 of the new aircraft will replace part of Ryanair's current fleet of 305 737s. "But the remainder will drive new growth of Ryanair's fleet of young, highly efficient aircraft," the carrier says.
Ryanair says it is continuing to evaluate the re-engined 737 Max, which is due to enter service in 2017.
(David Kaminski-Morrow - Flight Global New)
C-17A 10-0221
U.S.A.F. C-17A (P-221) 10-0221 "Charleston" is now on the flight ramp at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB).
(Photo by Michael Carter)
G550 N662P delivered
Taxies on "Lima" towards Rwy 30.
Holding short of Rwy 30.
G550 (c/n 5403) N662P departed Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) this morning at 08:16 pst bound for Portland (PDX/KPDX) and delivery to its new owner.
(Photos by Michael Carter)
Gulfstream G550 N883A
G550 (c/n 5175) N883A operated by the Funair Corporation, is captured rolling for takeoff on Rwy 19R at John Wayne Orange County Airport (SNA/KSNA) on March 17, 2013.
(Photo by Michael Carter)
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Southwest Airlines 737's touch winglets in Detroit
Two Southwest Airlines planes struck each other while leaving adjacent gates at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW/KDTW).
Both jets returned to their gates, and all passengers and crew got off.
According to Mainz, initial inspections show that neither aircraft sustained substantial damage, but each has been removed from service for further inspection and repair.
Southwest says it's accommodating customers on other flights out of Detroit.
Flight 3660 was to go from Detroit to Denver (DEN/KDEN) and was carrying 85 passengers and five crew members.
Flight 2005 was scheduled to take 38 passengers and five crew members from Detroit to St. Louis (STL/KSTL).
The collision first was reported by WXYZ-TV.
Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz says no one was hurt when the planes' winglets collided Saturday morning.
Both jets returned to their gates, and all passengers and crew got off.
According to Mainz, initial inspections show that neither aircraft sustained substantial damage, but each has been removed from service for further inspection and repair.
Southwest says it's accommodating customers on other flights out of Detroit.
Flight 3660 was to go from Detroit to Denver (DEN/KDEN) and was carrying 85 passengers and five crew members.
Flight 2005 was scheduled to take 38 passengers and five crew members from Detroit to St. Louis (STL/KSTL).
The collision first was reported by WXYZ-TV.
(Associated Press)
Friday, March 15, 2013
Steven Udvar-Hazy claims Boeing will boost 787-10X range to 7,100 nm
Boeing has agreed to demands by operating lessor Air Lease (ALC) to slightly increase the range, thrust requirement and gross weight of the nascent 787-10X.
"It's in the works," says ALC chief executive Steven Udvar-Hazy on the sidelines of the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) conference.
Previously Boeing has advertised the range for the double-stretch variant as between 6,700nm (12,400km) and 7,000nm, but that fell short of Udvar-Hazy's expectation for the aircraft.
In November, he told a teleconference of market analysts that he wanted Boeing to increase the range to at least 7,100nm.
Four months later, 787-10X engine providers General Electric and Rolls-Royce have confirmed they both can meet the higher thrust requirement for the 7,100nm-range level, Udvar-Hazy says.
The additional thrust is necessary because the range boost implies a slightly higher gross weight for the aircraft, he adds.
Boeing was not immediately available to comment on the apparent range increase for the -10X.
The official launch of the 787-10X has been slowed by the ongoing 787 battery crisis, in which the entire Dreamliner fleet remains grounded due to two instances of overheating lithium-ion batteries.
However, the airframer still expects to formally launch the aircraft later this year.
"It's in the works," says ALC chief executive Steven Udvar-Hazy on the sidelines of the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) conference.
Previously Boeing has advertised the range for the double-stretch variant as between 6,700nm (12,400km) and 7,000nm, but that fell short of Udvar-Hazy's expectation for the aircraft.
In November, he told a teleconference of market analysts that he wanted Boeing to increase the range to at least 7,100nm.
Four months later, 787-10X engine providers General Electric and Rolls-Royce have confirmed they both can meet the higher thrust requirement for the 7,100nm-range level, Udvar-Hazy says.
The additional thrust is necessary because the range boost implies a slightly higher gross weight for the aircraft, he adds.
Boeing was not immediately available to comment on the apparent range increase for the -10X.
The official launch of the 787-10X has been slowed by the ongoing 787 battery crisis, in which the entire Dreamliner fleet remains grounded due to two instances of overheating lithium-ion batteries.
However, the airframer still expects to formally launch the aircraft later this year.
(Stephen Trimble - Flight Global News)
Thursday, March 14, 2013
New C-17A performs test flight
Taxies on "Lima" towards a Rwy 30 departure.
Turns onto Rwy 30 at "Lima 1".
Rotates from Rwy 30.
Over the end of the Rwy.
A very short final to Rwy 30.
USAF C-17A (P-220) 10-0220 "McChord" AFB touches down on Rwy 30 at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) as it returns from a pre-delivery test flight on March 13, 2013.
(Photos by Michael Carter)
A lovely G-IVSP at Long Beach
.JPG)
Rolls for take-off on Rwy 30.
.JPG)
Climbs over DeerJet G550 (c/n 5399) N399GA soon to be delivered.
Positive climb, gear up as G-IVSP (c/n 1248) N700PP departs for an unknown destination.
(Photos by Michael Carter)
G550 departs on delivery flight
Rolls for take-off on Rwy 30.
.JPG)
Rotates from Rwy 30.
.JPG)
G550 (c/n 5398) N838KE ex-N398GA departs Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) bound for Portland International Airport (PDX/KPDX) and delivery to its new owner on March 13, 2013.
(Photos by Michael Carter)
U.S. Navy F/A-18F "Super Hornet" at Long Beach Airport
Just off the deck.
Up, up and away.
Positive climb, gear up!
U.S. Navy F/A-18F (c/n F039) 165879 goes to after burners as it climbs from Rwy 30 at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) on March 13, 2013.
(Photos by Michael Carter)
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Boeing gets FAA okay to commence testing of 787 battery fix
Boeing Co. won approval from U.S. transport regulators on Tuesday to start testing a redesigned battery for the 787 Dreamliner, putting it one step closer to getting the troubled airplane back into regular service.
Also on Tuesday, sources told Reuters the planemaker was close to signing a $15 billion deal to sell about 170 single-aisle 737 planes to budget Irish carrier Ryanair.
Boeing's shares closed up 1.5 percent, hitting an almost five-year high, and extended gains in after-hours trade, while shares in Japan's GS Yuasa Corp , the battery maker for Dreamliner, rose 0.9 percent in Tokyo on Wednesday, outpacing a 0.5 percent drop in the benchmark Nikkei.
Late on Tuesday, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said it approved Boeing's battery certification plan and will permit two aircraft limited flights to test the new design.
Regulators grounded the 50 fuel-efficient Dreamliners in use by airlines on January 16 after a battery fire on a Japan Airlines Co Ltd 787 at Boston airport and a second battery incident on an All Nippon Airways Co Ltd flight in Japan.
Boeing halted deliveries of the lightweight aircraft, although its factories continue to make it. The firm is losing an estimated $50 million a week while the planes are grounded.
"We won't allow the plane to return to service unless we're satisfied that the new design ensures the safety of the aircraft and its passengers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.
The FAA said the new design must pass a series of tests before it is approved and that the agency will be "closely involved" in the certification process. The FAA has been criticized for delegating too much responsibility to manufacturers in certifying equipment.
The FAA's decision was welcomed by Boeing, while Kyoto-based GS Yuasa declined to comment.
Japan's Civil Aviation Bureau, its FAA counterpart, reiterated that 787 flights can resume before Boeing finds the root cause of the battery problems as long as the fix demonstrates that the trouble experienced on the All Nippon Airways flight can be prevented.
"There are various steps towards resuming flights and this is another step forward so this is a good development. And I may be repeating my earlier comments, but there are still steps required," said Shigeru Takano, senior safety official at the CAB.
A STEP FORWARD
Steven Udvar-Hazy, chairman and chief executive of Air Lease Corp, which has 12 787s on order, called the FAA approval a "good step forward" during a panel discussion at an aircraft trading conference in Orlando, Florida.
"It is not flying yet. It is a first step," said Udvar-Hazy, considered one of the world's most influential airplane buyers. "I'm happy that the FAA has taken the constructive role in working with Boeing to address this problem."
The FAA, under political pressure to ensure no further mishaps, has yet to approve Boeing's redesigned battery.
The consensus among plane buyers and operators at the Orlando conference was that the 787 may be able to re-enter service in June, barring further surprises. Still, that would not be early enough for airlines to plan summer schedules.
News of the big order from Ryanair further boosted investor enthusiasm for Boeing. Sources familiar with the deal, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the order was exclusively for the current generation 737NG jet. If completed, it would mark a major win against rival Airbus, a unit of Europe's EADS.
Boeing shares closed up $1.22, or 1.5 percent, at $84.16 on the New York Stock Exchange, their highest close since May 2008, and extended gains after hours to $84.44. That is the highest since the end of May 2008.
Also on Tuesday, sources told Reuters the planemaker was close to signing a $15 billion deal to sell about 170 single-aisle 737 planes to budget Irish carrier Ryanair.
Boeing's shares closed up 1.5 percent, hitting an almost five-year high, and extended gains in after-hours trade, while shares in Japan's GS Yuasa Corp , the battery maker for Dreamliner, rose 0.9 percent in Tokyo on Wednesday, outpacing a 0.5 percent drop in the benchmark Nikkei.
Late on Tuesday, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said it approved Boeing's battery certification plan and will permit two aircraft limited flights to test the new design.
Regulators grounded the 50 fuel-efficient Dreamliners in use by airlines on January 16 after a battery fire on a Japan Airlines Co Ltd 787 at Boston airport and a second battery incident on an All Nippon Airways Co Ltd flight in Japan.
Boeing halted deliveries of the lightweight aircraft, although its factories continue to make it. The firm is losing an estimated $50 million a week while the planes are grounded.
"We won't allow the plane to return to service unless we're satisfied that the new design ensures the safety of the aircraft and its passengers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.
Boeing's new battery - which it presented to the FAA in late February - is designed to minimize the chances of a short circuit, better insulates the cells within the battery, and adds a new containment and venting system to prevent damage even if the battery catches fire.
The FAA said the new design must pass a series of tests before it is approved and that the agency will be "closely involved" in the certification process. The FAA has been criticized for delegating too much responsibility to manufacturers in certifying equipment.
The FAA's decision was welcomed by Boeing, while Kyoto-based GS Yuasa declined to comment.
"Today's approval from the FAA is a critical and welcome milestone toward getting the fleet flying again and continuing to deliver on the promise of the 787," Boeing Chief Executive Jim McNerney said in a statement.
Japan's Civil Aviation Bureau, its FAA counterpart, reiterated that 787 flights can resume before Boeing finds the root cause of the battery problems as long as the fix demonstrates that the trouble experienced on the All Nippon Airways flight can be prevented.
"There are various steps towards resuming flights and this is another step forward so this is a good development. And I may be repeating my earlier comments, but there are still steps required," said Shigeru Takano, senior safety official at the CAB.
A STEP FORWARD
Airline customers cautiously agreed. All Nippon Airways, a Dreamliner launch customer which has 17 of the planes it wants to bring back into service, said the FAA approval represented "a major step towards the resumption of flights," while rival Japan Airlines said it was another step in the right direction, and would continue to work with related parties on the issue.
Steven Udvar-Hazy, chairman and chief executive of Air Lease Corp, which has 12 787s on order, called the FAA approval a "good step forward" during a panel discussion at an aircraft trading conference in Orlando, Florida.
"It is not flying yet. It is a first step," said Udvar-Hazy, considered one of the world's most influential airplane buyers. "I'm happy that the FAA has taken the constructive role in working with Boeing to address this problem."
The FAA, under political pressure to ensure no further mishaps, has yet to approve Boeing's redesigned battery.
The consensus among plane buyers and operators at the Orlando conference was that the 787 may be able to re-enter service in June, barring further surprises. Still, that would not be early enough for airlines to plan summer schedules.
News of the big order from Ryanair further boosted investor enthusiasm for Boeing. Sources familiar with the deal, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the order was exclusively for the current generation 737NG jet. If completed, it would mark a major win against rival Airbus, a unit of Europe's EADS.
Boeing shares closed up $1.22, or 1.5 percent, at $84.16 on the New York Stock Exchange, their highest close since May 2008, and extended gains after hours to $84.44. That is the highest since the end of May 2008.
(Bill Rigby - Reuters)
Sunday, March 10, 2013
McDonnell Douglas TA-4J "Skyhawk" at Orange County
McDonnell Douglas TA-4J "Skyhawk" (c/n 14291) N518TA captured at the Lyon Air Museum at John Wayne Orange County Airport (SNA/KSNA) this morning, what a gorgeous aircraft!
(Photos by Michael Carter)
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Bombardier takes wraps off CSeries airliner
Canada's Bombardier Inc took the wraps off its $3.4 billion challenge to industry leaders Boeing and Airbus on Thursday, announcing "solid progress" on the development program for its largest plane to date.
Bombardier's single-aisle CSeries planes, promised with seating for up to 160 passengers, represent the company's attempt to break into the lower end of a 100-to-200-seat market heavily defended by its U.S. and European rivals.
China and Russia are also preparing to challenge the trans-Atlantic duopoly over the largest segment of the global jet market, valued at $2 trillion at list prices over the next 20 years.
Bombardier is aiming to capture 50 percent of the 100-to-149 seat aircraft sub-category over the next 20 years - an estimated $430 billion market, said Mike Arcamone, president of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.
In the meantime, Bombardier is under pressure to ramp up its order book and ensure no delays. On Thursday, company officials told an audience of executives, analysts and reporters that the program met a number of milestones over the last few months.
"We believe today's discussions of the status of various components, tests completed to date and the status of the flight test vehicles should help build confidence that first flight should occur as scheduled in June," said Chris Murray, an analyst at PI Financial.
GLITZY PRESENTATION
Bombardier, based in Montreal, is the world's fourth-largest plane maker, behind Boeing, Airbus and Brazil's Embraer SA. Its hangar includes regional jets and propeller planes, as well as a range of executive aircraft.
It formally unveiled its newest plane after a glitzy multimedia presentation at its Mirabel facility near Montreal, lifting a large screen to reveal one of the aircraft.
Bathed in blue light, the white and olive-gray jet had a red-orange and white nose, its two Pratt & Whitney engines spinning gently.
"It's not a paper airplane, it's a real airplane," Arcamone said. "It's not a re-engined aircraft we are putting into the market ... I can tell you we are a very serious contender."
The company said it was transitioning to flight testing ahead of a first flight scheduled by the end of June.
At list prices, the 110-seat CS100 costs $62 million and the 130-seat CS300 costs $71 million. In contrast, the Boeing 737 MAX costs $82 million and Airbus' A319 NEO costs $88.8 million.
Latvia-based airBaltic is one of the first customers to purchase a higher-density 148-seat version of the plane, the company said.
Bombardier said it would also offer a CS300 with an option for up to 160 seats, either as an initial order or as a retrofitted plane.
LURING CUSTOMERS
A big buyer is Germany's Deutsche Lufthansa , the first airline to put in a firm order. Lufthansa Executive Vice President Nico Buchholz was present at the event, along with executives from Swiss International Air Lines and Republic Airways.
Bombardier said executives from about 15 customers and potential customers attended the event, though most asked the planemaker to keep their anonymity.
Its book currently stands at 148 firm orders, excluding a commitment for 32 CS300 jets by Russia's Ilyushin Finance Co. That order is awaiting shareholder approval, which is expected to go through sometime this month.
That compares with 1,064 orders for Boeing's competing 737 MAX and more than 1,440 for Airbus' NEO family, although only a small fraction of those orders is for the smaller models that compete directly with the CSeries.
Arcamone, noting it already has 14 customers, was adamant that Bombardier would meet its target of 300 firm orders and at least 20 customers by mid-2014, when the jet enters service.
DISCOUNTING
Bombardier's slowly growing order book has raised concerns that the company does not have the appetite to lure customers with deep discounts, as Boeing and Airbus do, or provide financing offers and walk-away rights.
"We've had some customers that we did offer launch pricing as our competition's done, which is the industry norm. It makes economic sense," said Arcamone.
The CSeries claims a 15 percent cash operating cost advantage and 20 percent fuel burn advantage over the Boeing and Airbus models. Its airframe is lighter.
The plane uses conventional batteries rather than the lithium ion batteries that have caused troubles for Boeing's Dreamliner plane. "We are very glad about that decision," Arcamone said.
Airbus and Boeing have moved to defend their strong market shares by adding fuel-saving engines similar to those on the CSeries to their own best-selling models.
That is a draw for airlines preferring to stick with existing suppliers, whose planes pilots are already certified to fly and where spare parts are plentiful. Numerous repair stations are already qualified to service the competing jets.
Bombardier, which says it expects orders for the CSeries to pick up once the aircraft has made its maiden flight, has an ambitious launch schedule, analysts say, with little room for error.
Bombardier's single-aisle CSeries planes, promised with seating for up to 160 passengers, represent the company's attempt to break into the lower end of a 100-to-200-seat market heavily defended by its U.S. and European rivals.
China and Russia are also preparing to challenge the trans-Atlantic duopoly over the largest segment of the global jet market, valued at $2 trillion at list prices over the next 20 years.
Bombardier is aiming to capture 50 percent of the 100-to-149 seat aircraft sub-category over the next 20 years - an estimated $430 billion market, said Mike Arcamone, president of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.
In the meantime, Bombardier is under pressure to ramp up its order book and ensure no delays. On Thursday, company officials told an audience of executives, analysts and reporters that the program met a number of milestones over the last few months.
"We believe today's discussions of the status of various components, tests completed to date and the status of the flight test vehicles should help build confidence that first flight should occur as scheduled in June," said Chris Murray, an analyst at PI Financial.
GLITZY PRESENTATION
Bombardier, based in Montreal, is the world's fourth-largest plane maker, behind Boeing, Airbus and Brazil's Embraer SA. Its hangar includes regional jets and propeller planes, as well as a range of executive aircraft.
It formally unveiled its newest plane after a glitzy multimedia presentation at its Mirabel facility near Montreal, lifting a large screen to reveal one of the aircraft.
Bathed in blue light, the white and olive-gray jet had a red-orange and white nose, its two Pratt & Whitney engines spinning gently.
"It's not a paper airplane, it's a real airplane," Arcamone said. "It's not a re-engined aircraft we are putting into the market ... I can tell you we are a very serious contender."
The company said it was transitioning to flight testing ahead of a first flight scheduled by the end of June.
At list prices, the 110-seat CS100 costs $62 million and the 130-seat CS300 costs $71 million. In contrast, the Boeing 737 MAX costs $82 million and Airbus' A319 NEO costs $88.8 million.
Latvia-based airBaltic is one of the first customers to purchase a higher-density 148-seat version of the plane, the company said.
Bombardier said it would also offer a CS300 with an option for up to 160 seats, either as an initial order or as a retrofitted plane.
LURING CUSTOMERS
A big buyer is Germany's Deutsche Lufthansa , the first airline to put in a firm order. Lufthansa Executive Vice President Nico Buchholz was present at the event, along with executives from Swiss International Air Lines and Republic Airways.
Bombardier said executives from about 15 customers and potential customers attended the event, though most asked the planemaker to keep their anonymity.
Its book currently stands at 148 firm orders, excluding a commitment for 32 CS300 jets by Russia's Ilyushin Finance Co. That order is awaiting shareholder approval, which is expected to go through sometime this month.
That compares with 1,064 orders for Boeing's competing 737 MAX and more than 1,440 for Airbus' NEO family, although only a small fraction of those orders is for the smaller models that compete directly with the CSeries.
Arcamone, noting it already has 14 customers, was adamant that Bombardier would meet its target of 300 firm orders and at least 20 customers by mid-2014, when the jet enters service.
DISCOUNTING
Bombardier's slowly growing order book has raised concerns that the company does not have the appetite to lure customers with deep discounts, as Boeing and Airbus do, or provide financing offers and walk-away rights.
"We've had some customers that we did offer launch pricing as our competition's done, which is the industry norm. It makes economic sense," said Arcamone.
The CSeries claims a 15 percent cash operating cost advantage and 20 percent fuel burn advantage over the Boeing and Airbus models. Its airframe is lighter.
The plane uses conventional batteries rather than the lithium ion batteries that have caused troubles for Boeing's Dreamliner plane. "We are very glad about that decision," Arcamone said.
Airbus and Boeing have moved to defend their strong market shares by adding fuel-saving engines similar to those on the CSeries to their own best-selling models.
That is a draw for airlines preferring to stick with existing suppliers, whose planes pilots are already certified to fly and where spare parts are plentiful. Numerous repair stations are already qualified to service the competing jets.
Bombardier, which says it expects orders for the CSeries to pick up once the aircraft has made its maiden flight, has an ambitious launch schedule, analysts say, with little room for error.
(Solarina Ho - Reuters)
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Airlines on-time performance showing improvment
Airlines landed more than nine out of ten flights on-time in February, according to global flight and airport information service provider FlightStats, which tracks the performance of over 150,000 flights per day from hundreds of airlines worldwide.
Seattle-based Alaska Airlines led the major North American airlines in February, boasting 90.56% on-time performance. Delta Airlines placed second with 86.35% of its flights on time, followed by Southwest Airlines (85.54%), US Airways (82.92%), United Airlines (82.09%), American Airlines (79.92%) and JetBlue (71.76%). On average all North American airlines –large and small– delivered 79.04% of their flights to the gate within 15 minutes of schedule, down a bit from 79.21% in January.
Alaska’s strong performance may have been helped by the fact that one of its hubs, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) was the best performing major international airport in February, according to FlightStats’ tracking of on-time departures, with 91.18% of departures occurring on-time.
Tokyo’s Haneda Airport placed second among international airports with 90.83% on time departures, followed by Phoenix (PHX) with 87.66%, Los Angeles (LAX) with 85.27%, and San Francisco (SFO) with 84.28%. The average on-time departure performance among the top 35 international airports in February was 73.29%, down slightly from January’s rate of 74.73%.
Among all major international airlines, South African Airways led the pack with 94.71% of all flights reaching the arrival gate on time. Gulf Air came in second with 90.77% on-time performance, and Japan Airlines placed third with 90.24%. Industry-wide, the major international airlines on average delivered 77.64% of their flights to the arrival gate within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time. That figure is down just slightly from 78.27% in January.
(David M. Ewalt - Forbes)
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Los Angeles to be British Airways first A380 destination
British Airways has revealed that Los Angeles (LAX/KLAX) and Hong Kong (HKG/VHHH) will be the first destinations for its new Airbus A380 fleet.
The Oneworld carrier's first A380 will arrive in July and the airline has opened ticket sales for services to Los Angeles beginning on 15 October.
It says Hong Kong will be its second A380 destination. BA will operate the A380 to Hong Kong from 15 November.
Before operating these long-haul routes, BA is planning to train pilots on the type by deploying it on short-haul routes within Europe, although it has yet to disclose the sectors involved.
"A380 enthusiasts eager to be on the very first commercial services should note that dates for these will be announced once plans for training flights are completed," says the carrier.
It says it will finalise the dates of these inaugural flights "over the next few months".
BA is to operate its A380s with 469 seats in a four-class configuration, but full details will be revealed once the first aircraft arrives at London - Heathrow (LHR/EGLL) in July. It has ordered 12 of the type, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines.
"This will be a very special premiere," says BA chief Keith Williams. "London and Los Angeles are two world-leading cities, and we are proud to be the first airline to connect them with the A380."
(David Kaminski-Morrow - Flight Global News)
Monday, March 4, 2013
Interesting article on the G650
Gulfstream Aerospace is working to step up the pace of deliveries of the new G650, taking account of time lost due to the need for retrofit work on early models. By the end of last year, the airframer had delivered six completed G650s to customers. The tally since then is unknown because Gulfstream has yet to release G650 delivery numbers for this year.
Gulfstream had earlier stated that it expected to deliver 17 G650s by the end of last year. The reason that it was able to deliver only six of the jets was because, according to a Gulfstream spokeswoman (repeating the word “disequilibrium” used by General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic at an earnings conference earlier this year), “There is a disequilibrium between initial and final phase on the G650.
This was the result of a delay in the FAA certification process and our decision to continue manufacturing G650 aircraft during certification. As a result, we have some retrofit work we have to do on green G650s to bring them up to the FAA-approved configuration. We expect initial and final phase manufacturing to be rebalanced within the year.” This “disequilibrium” stems from Gulfstream’s beginning production of the G650 before the type and production certification processes had run their course.
Gulfstream received the G650’s FAA type certificate on September 7 and its production certificate on Dec. 20, 2012. All G650s built after issuance of production certification “comply with the FAA configuration and do not require retrofit,” the spokeswoman told AIN. Gulfstream declined to comment on the specifics of what items required retrofitting, except to say: “The retrofits consist of system upgrades to bring the pre-certification aircraft up to final [type certificate] configuration.”
While Gulfstream won’t reveal how many G650s were affected, it did acknowledge that more than the six delivered last year were built before receipt of the production certificate.
Of the six G650 deliveries last year, FAA registry records indicate deliveries to: Walmart; Swap Shop founder Preston Henn; Contrail Aviation in Philadelphia; Exxon Mobil; and the final two (N524EA and N711SW) to bank trustees. N711SW reportedly was purchased by Wynn Resorts chairman and CEO Steve Wynn but Gulfstream has not confirmed this.
James Johnson, manager of aviation services for Exxon Mobil, wrote in an email to AIN, “The aircraft has been operating as well as or better than we expected and the crewmembers and passengers are pleased with the early performance. Gulfstream is dedicated to ensuring it addresses any issue we experience and has continued to reinforce the reputation it has for product support.”
Preston Henn, 82, is a pilot, racecar driver and boater who likes to go fast. He also owns a GIV but doesn’t fly his jets himself. The first flight in his new G650–N650PH–took place early last month. Gulfstream brought the jet to Florida, where Swap Shop is headquartered, to give Henn a ride before the jet went into demo service. “It’s extremely quiet when they throttle back and very comfortable inside,” he said. When the G650 returns after flying demos, Henn plans to lease the jet instead of selling it so he doesn’t have to recapture tax depreciation that he has already taken. He said that during the demo period, Gulfstream plans to try to break a round-the-world speed record with his G650.
When Gulfstream first opened the order book for the G650 in 2008, Henn was racing a car in China and, he said, to be fair to customers Gulfstream was taking orders only on April 15. But Henn emailed then-president Joe Lombardo on April 15 from China, which was April 14 in the U.S., hoping that Gulfstream would allow that date to count. “I ended up with the first position,” he said. Henn added that he was supposed to get G650 serial number two, which was destroyed in a flight-test crash on April 2, 2011.
Of the G650s that aren’t blocked from viewing on flight-tracking services, Henn’s jet and N711SW can be observed. The longest flight in Henn’s G650 was 13 hours and three minutes on January 25, from Doha to Teterboro. The demo flights appear to consist of many short trips as well as long ones that include flights from Washington, D.C., to Doha and Moscow to Savannah. The G650 thought to belong to Steve Wynn has been flying mostly short-duration flights, with the longest a five-hour, 14-minute trip from Boston to Las Vegas on January 15.
Gulfstream had earlier stated that it expected to deliver 17 G650s by the end of last year. The reason that it was able to deliver only six of the jets was because, according to a Gulfstream spokeswoman (repeating the word “disequilibrium” used by General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic at an earnings conference earlier this year), “There is a disequilibrium between initial and final phase on the G650.
This was the result of a delay in the FAA certification process and our decision to continue manufacturing G650 aircraft during certification. As a result, we have some retrofit work we have to do on green G650s to bring them up to the FAA-approved configuration. We expect initial and final phase manufacturing to be rebalanced within the year.” This “disequilibrium” stems from Gulfstream’s beginning production of the G650 before the type and production certification processes had run their course.
Gulfstream received the G650’s FAA type certificate on September 7 and its production certificate on Dec. 20, 2012. All G650s built after issuance of production certification “comply with the FAA configuration and do not require retrofit,” the spokeswoman told AIN. Gulfstream declined to comment on the specifics of what items required retrofitting, except to say: “The retrofits consist of system upgrades to bring the pre-certification aircraft up to final [type certificate] configuration.”
While Gulfstream won’t reveal how many G650s were affected, it did acknowledge that more than the six delivered last year were built before receipt of the production certificate.
Of the six G650 deliveries last year, FAA registry records indicate deliveries to: Walmart; Swap Shop founder Preston Henn; Contrail Aviation in Philadelphia; Exxon Mobil; and the final two (N524EA and N711SW) to bank trustees. N711SW reportedly was purchased by Wynn Resorts chairman and CEO Steve Wynn but Gulfstream has not confirmed this.
James Johnson, manager of aviation services for Exxon Mobil, wrote in an email to AIN, “The aircraft has been operating as well as or better than we expected and the crewmembers and passengers are pleased with the early performance. Gulfstream is dedicated to ensuring it addresses any issue we experience and has continued to reinforce the reputation it has for product support.”
Preston Henn, 82, is a pilot, racecar driver and boater who likes to go fast. He also owns a GIV but doesn’t fly his jets himself. The first flight in his new G650–N650PH–took place early last month. Gulfstream brought the jet to Florida, where Swap Shop is headquartered, to give Henn a ride before the jet went into demo service. “It’s extremely quiet when they throttle back and very comfortable inside,” he said. When the G650 returns after flying demos, Henn plans to lease the jet instead of selling it so he doesn’t have to recapture tax depreciation that he has already taken. He said that during the demo period, Gulfstream plans to try to break a round-the-world speed record with his G650.
When Gulfstream first opened the order book for the G650 in 2008, Henn was racing a car in China and, he said, to be fair to customers Gulfstream was taking orders only on April 15. But Henn emailed then-president Joe Lombardo on April 15 from China, which was April 14 in the U.S., hoping that Gulfstream would allow that date to count. “I ended up with the first position,” he said. Henn added that he was supposed to get G650 serial number two, which was destroyed in a flight-test crash on April 2, 2011.
Of the G650s that aren’t blocked from viewing on flight-tracking services, Henn’s jet and N711SW can be observed. The longest flight in Henn’s G650 was 13 hours and three minutes on January 25, from Doha to Teterboro. The demo flights appear to consist of many short trips as well as long ones that include flights from Washington, D.C., to Doha and Moscow to Savannah. The G650 thought to belong to Steve Wynn has been flying mostly short-duration flights, with the longest a five-hour, 14-minute trip from Boston to Las Vegas on January 15.
(Matt Thurber - Aviation International News Online)
Sunday, March 3, 2013
A very cool Gulfstream G-II
Gulfstream G-II (c/n 151) N909JE operated by Hyperion Air Inc., is caught resting in the morning sun at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) on February 26, 2013. Unfortunately this was the best angle I could get on this gorgeous aircraft as a L.A. County Sheriffs Department helicopter was blocking the perfect shot.....oh well what can you do?
(Photo by Michael Carter)
Another nice Global Express at Long Beach this past week
Global 5000 (c/n 9454) N678RC is captured arriving at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) on February 26, 2013.
(Photos by Michael Carter)
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