Jackie Chan shows off his Embraer Legacy 650

(Photo by Embraer)

 

Late last year, Brazilian business jet maker Embraer announced a marketing coup for the China market: They brought Jackie Chan on-board as both an aircraft owner and as their brand ambassador.

 

Jackie’s new aircraft is an Embraer Embraer Legacy 650 that is painted with a red and yellow dragon logo along with his distinctive personal logo on the tail. That alone made it an important display centrepiece at the Singapore Airshow for executive aircraft maker Embraer.

 

Jackie’s Legacy 650 has a range of 3,900 nautical miles (7,223 kilometres) – meaning he can fly non-stop from Beijing to Dubai or from Hong Kong to Australia. The aircraft is also divided into three distinct cabin zones for him to work, play and rest. Thanks to high tech features such as wi-fi, busy business or movie moguls can get straight to work once aboard.

 

It should be mentioned that Embraer Embraer only entered the executive aviation market in 2001 but today it accounts for some 19 percent of total global executive jet deliveries thanks in part to offering a full line of executive jets from entry level aircraft for businessmen and movie stars to ultra-large aircraft for those who, like Jackie, have achieved mogul status.

 

I had the opportunity to fly on an Legacy 650 last year (not Jackie’s but the same model and configuration). We went from Farnborough up to Dundee for lunch at the famous Gleneagles hotel and golf club.

 

 

The cabin is very comfortable and has lots of space to stand up and move around. The seats recline and even lie flat to make beds for longer trips. It’s a very nice place to be.

 

 

Fold out entertainment systems and tables mean that you can get some work done. The seats slide forward and back on rails so you can tuck yourself neatly under the tables. It took me a while to figure this out until the flight attendant showed me. At first, I just assumed business jet owners had longer arms than me!

 

 

The larger four-seat table is good for meetings or relaxing meals.

 

 

When I was kid, captains often invited passengers up to the cockpit but these days this view is much rarer and more coveted. The cockpit itself boasts all the latest systems.

 

 

We taxied past the RAF’s famous Red Arrows display team on our way out of Farnborough. Since everyone on board was an aviation enthusiast this was a nice treat. They even park neatly.

 

 

 

Dundee Airport has a (very) short runway and the 650 showed its flexibility by getting in and out without any stress.

 

(Matthew Stibbe - Forbes)

Could your IPhone endanger your flight?

Are Apple’s iPhones endangering the safety of commercial airplane flights?

According to a Bloomberg report from earlier this week, electronic mobile devices have been wreaking all sorts of havoc with airplanes’ navigational systems for some time now. However, a careful reading of the article reveals that these alarming claims were not based on any concrete scientific evidence, but were instead based mostly on one pilot’s speculation about a particular incident.

According to NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System website, the 2011 incident involved a small regional airliner that experienced compass problems soon after takeoff. After a flight attendant instructed a passenger to shut off his iPhone, the “flight continued to the destination with no further problems.”

However, even the pilot of that flight characterized his interpretation of the event as “speculation that cell phones left on may contribute to the heading problems” based on the fact that the “timing of the cell phone being turned off coincided with the moment where our heading problem was solved.”

Although incidents like this should be fully investigated, there is still no scientific evidence that mobile devices are interfering with a plane’s electronic systems, according to the Federal Aviation Administration via The New York Times.

A recent joint study conducted by the Airline Passenger Experience Association and the Consumer Electronics Association says that 99 percent of adult airline passengers brought a “portable electronic device” with them on their flight.

Almost 70 percent of these passengers used their devices during their flights. However, even when they are asked to turn off their devices, almost 30 percent of these passengers admit that they still accidentally leave the devices on. Sixty-one percent of these devices are smartphones, which undoubtedly includes many iPhones.

Based on the sheer number of people flying every year, the incidents of iPhones interfering with a plane’s electronic systems should number in the millions. However, it appears that the only evidence for iPhones causing any electronic malfunctions on flights is based on anecdotal accounts and speculation.

While one should always follow flight attendants’ instructions regarding the use of mobile devices on airplanes, it seems that there is little to no basis for concerns about electronic device usage on flights — other than disturbing a neighboring passenger as he attempts to sleep through your game of Angry Birds.

(Nathanael Arnold - Wall Street Cheat Sheet)

Passengers with one small carry-on bag awarded at American Airlines

If you're traveling light, you can board earlier on American Airlines.
                

The airline said Thursday that people carrying just a personal item that fits under the seat — no rolling suitcases — will be allowed to board before most other passengers.

                
American said that the change will speed up the boarding process and allow flights to take off sooner, helping the airline improve its on-time performance.
                

Airlines have been seeing a buildup in boarding times since they began charging fees for checked baggage as more people fight for limited space in overhead bins.

                

American tested the new boarding procedure at several airports earlier this year and began applying it to all flights Thursday. Passengers carrying just a personal item — a purse, backpack or computer bag that will fit under the seat — will board right after Group 1 premium passengers and before boarding groups 2, 3 and 4.

                
The airline said that it will let passengers check a carry-on bag at the gate at no charge. That means savvy travelers will be able to move up in the boarding order and avoid checked-bag fees — $25 for the first bag, $35 for a second on flights within the U.S. — although they'll have to retrieve their bag at baggage claim after they land.
                

Kevin Doeksen, director of customer planning for American, said the change speeds up boarding, because fewer passengers stop in the aisle to hoist a bag into the overhead bins. The difference is about two minutes per flight, "which doesn't sound like much, but it adds up throughout the day," he said.

                
If the change results in fewer big bags being rolled on the plane, it could reduce the number of flights on which the overhead bins fill up. When the bins are stuffed, gate agents or flight attendants must ask passengers in the last boarding group to surrender their bag for gate-checking — an awkward situation all around.
                
Competition for bin space has also made travel more stressful. Passengers in the last boarding groups often creep forward and jockey for position to be the first in their group on the plane.
                
"They're anxious because they've got a big roll-aboard (bag with wheels) and they're worried about having no space in the bin," Doeksen said.

(David Koenig - Associated Press)

GE and Boeing alert 777-300ER operators to gear-box issue with GE90-115B engines

General Electric Co and Boeing Co have alerted airlines about a potential problem with engines on Boeing's long-range 777 jumbo jet that caused the engines to shut in mid-flight twice this year.

 

The problem affects about 118 so-called transfer gear boxes made between September and March. The part, made by Italian company Avio SpA, are on about 26 in service 777-300ER jets and another 44 aircraft in production, GE said.
 

There are more than 1,150 of the GE90-115B engines in service and the gearbox has been a reliable part for more than 15 years, GE said. The cause of the problem appears to be with an anomaly in the material that caused gears to separate, although the exact cause remains unknown, GE said.
 

The companies told airlines to inspect or replace the transfer gear boxes produced during the six-month period, ensuring that at least one engine on the plane has had an inspection or a replacement made before September. GE is sending replacement parts to airlines.
 

The gearbox transfers power from the engine to run fuel pumps and other vital engine functions, GE said. Failure causes the engine to shut down.
 

The incidents in which engines shut down during flight occurred in February and on May 9, GE said. One of the incidents occurred on an Air China plane. The other could not immediately be identified.
 

In both cases, only one engine shut down, and the twin-engine 777 is able to continue flight with the remaining engine.

 

"You don't have a fire, you don't have an explosion," when the gearbox fails, said Rick Kennedy, a GE spokesman.
 

While the cause of the failures remains unknown, the FAA is expected to make the inspections mandatory through an Airworthiness Directive. The FAA did not respond to requests for comment.

 

(Reuters)

Airbus begs China to buy from them

China's decision to ease a boycott of some $11 billion (7.16 billion pounds) in Airbus jet orders followed a high-level appeal from the planemaker urging Beijing to recognise its support over a trade row with Europe, a letter seen by Reuters shows.

It gives a glimpse into the intensity of the lobbying in the dispute, which helped persuade the European Union to freeze a law on regulating international aviation emissions.

China partly lifted a blockade on 45 long-haul A330 jet orders during a visit by French President Francois Hollande last month.

Behind the scenes, Airbus claimed partial credit for the EU climb-down and cheered what its chief executive described to Beijing as "joint efforts" to limit damage to Chinese airlines.

Writing to China's top aviation official shortly after the EU back-pedalled on its Emissions Trading Scheme last November (Xetra: A0Z24E - news) , Fabrice Bregier said Airbus had been "very active" in supporting China's preference for a broader global system.

"Through our joint efforts, we have managed to ensure that Chinese airlines are not unfairly impacted by the scheme as previously planned," Chief Executive Fabrice Bregier said.

"I hope we at Airbus have been able to clearly demonstrate our strong support to Chinese aviation."
Airbus, which also got backing from European leaders, says the blocked orders alone put 2,000 jobs at risk.

"Since I became president of Airbus in June (2012), I have made this issue one of the top priorities for the company," Bregier wrote to Li Jiaxiang, the government official in charge of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

A spokesman for Airbus declined to comment on the letter but reiterated that the company, a subsidiary of EADS, welcomed the EU's decision to pause the scheme for a year.

Bregier signed the two-page letter on November 16, four days after EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard agreed to "stop the clock" for a year on plans to make all airlines using EU airports pay for their emissions through a trading scheme.

The proposal unleashed a volley of international criticism and China - which viewed it as a breach of sovereignty - froze orders for aircraft worth up to $230 million each.

Bregier urged China to respond to the European Union's decision by swiftly granting approvals for all 45 aircraft.

While Beijing approved 18 orders worth $4 billion, more valuable deals remain on hold as China awaits the outcome of international talks on the problem of managing borderless emissions without infringing sovereignty.

PRESSURE TO ORDER PARTS

Bregier's letter sheds light on frantic efforts to unblock the orders as Airbus reached the deadline for ordering parts for the jets. According to his letter, the first aircraft was tentatively scheduled to be delivered in the summer of 2013.

Industry sources say a golden rule of the aerospace industry is that planes are never built without a firm order and deposit.

However, the schedule suggests Airbus may have been willing to show some flexibility, given China's role as the world's fastest-growing aviation market and a strategic trade partner.

Longest-lead-time components are ordered around a year in advance, meaning that if the planes are indeed to be delivered this summer, some parts would have been ordered last year.

The letter also gives the first available breakdown of the A330 orders, details of which have mostly been kept secret pending final approval from the Chinese government.

They include 10 aircraft for Air China, 10 for Hainan Airlines, 10 for China Southern and 15 for China Eastern. The letter said first deliveries were tentatively scheduled for mid-2013.

Airbus has not said which of these are included in the approvals for 18 aircraft announced on April 25.

It is not the first time high-profile plane orders have become swept up in trade tensions between China and Europe or the United States, home to Airbus's arch-rival Boeing.

Supported by India and the United States, China objected to the EU airlines plan on the grounds that it based charges on the whole trip, including China's jealously protected airspace.

The European Union says it was forced to act after more than a decade of inaction by the international community.

For internal EU flights the EU scheme remains in place and the European Union says it will re-impose the scheme for all flights using EU airports if global talks do not progress.

In practice, diplomats say that places the onus on the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization to reach a breakthrough during its general assembly from September 24.

The absence of a deal would raise the prospect of further deadlock over Airbus orders.

Aviation executives are expected to tackle the issue on Monday in Montreal, home to ICAO, where they are attending an Airbus-sponsored environment workshop.

(Barbara Lewis - Reuters)

EVA Air considers 787-10 and 777X

Taipei-based EVA Air is reportedly considering buying the B787-10 and the B777X with its management waiting for Boeing to reveal more information with respect to the 787-10 and 777X before making a decision.

It has also said that it is keen on the B777-F as a replacement for its ageing cargo fleet of six MD- 11Fs and nine B747-400Fs, but that the current soft global air cargo market does not make that a viable proposition currently.

In line with its plan to cut costs – fuel costs in particular – EVA will gradually phase out its fleet of seven MD-90s and three B747-400s between 2014 and 2016 while simultaneously phasing in a fleet of seven brand new B777-300ERs and ten more A321-200s.

(Payload Asia)

Time to cash in frequent-flier miles, Southwest is the best

Southwest Airlines 737-3H4 (25250/2103) N355SW on short final to Rwy 25L at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX/KLAX) on January 25, 2012.

(Photo by Michael Carter) 

Booking a free ticket with your frequent-flier miles can seem like casino gambling: Getting what you want is like hitting a jackpot, but more often than not, the house wins.

Not all airlines offer the same odds. Availability of award tickets at the basic mileage level on United Airlines is twice as good, for example, as on Delta Air Lines or US Airways, according to the Switchfly Reward Seat Availability Survey. The survey, to be released Thursday, found that United had seats available on 80% of the queries made. Delta and US Airways both had the lowest availability rate among the 25 airlines, at only 36.4%.

Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways scored best among U.S. airlines. Those two, along with other discount airlines, showed greater availability than airlines with big international networks. Southwest had seats available for every query. Southwest's AirTran Airways unit had seats available for 95% of queries, while JetBlue offered seats 88.6% of the time.

The disparity in availability is "not accidental," said Jay Sorensen, president of IdeaWorksCompany, a consulting firm that conducted the study. Some airlines "consciously provide more award seats."

The survey also tested booking tickets just five to 15 days before departure in April. The chances of getting tickets were better than when booking three to seven months in advance on Delta, US Airways and American Airlines. This indicates airlines have gotten more aggressive about making unsold seats available shortly before departure to make sure planes take off full. Delta's short-term booking rate increased 35 points over the same period in 2012.

Cashing in miles has been a source of long-standing frustration. Some fliers set clocks to request free tickets at midnight 331 days, or about 11 months, before departure—traditionally the moment airlines open a flight for booking—only to find no seats available on popular flights. And airlines have raised the price of award tickets by introducing higher-cost award tiers, reducing availability at the lowest award level.

Overall, average award availability was about the same as last year, at 71.1%. Availability increased at discount airlines and declined at more traditional carriers with extensive international networks. "Ongoing consolidation and capacity cuts continue to squeeze reward seat availability," said Daniel Farrar, chief executive of Switchfly Inc., a technology company that provides software for loyalty programs at airlines, hotels and banks, and sponsored the study.

Travelers have an easier time getting free tickets on discount carriers in part because they generally have short flights with multiple departures each day on each route. Airlines generally make more seats available on short flights. They tend to offer intercontinental trips only once or twice a day, and they have more confidence they can sell seats to cash-paying customers rather than giving them away for miles.

Some airlines, including Southwest, are also simply answering customer demand that frequent-flier miles be easier to cash in.

"This was one of the pain points that we tried to solve with the new program," said Ryan Green, Southwest's senior director of loyalty and partnerships.

Southwest's old program had limits on availability. Southwest's new program, launched in March 2011, offers an award price for any ticket available for sale. Southwest's percentage of its passenger traffic flying on awards increased to 9% in 2012, from 8.3% a year earlier, according to the company's annual 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The survey found seats for a huge majority of queries across all airlines for flights under 2,500 miles: nearly 85%. But the success rate for seats dropped to only 43% for flights longer than 2,500 miles.

Among carriers offering long-haul trips, Singapore Airlines was the most generous for its frequent fliers, making seats available on 94% of queries. US Airways was the stingiest with its long flights, with award seats available on only 4.3% of queries.

Air France-KLM showed the biggest improvement of any of the 25 airlines in the survey, with availability jumping 22.2 points to 77.9%. An Air France spokeswoman said that as part of an improvement program, the carrier did "indeed try to make more award seats available."

Delta and US Airways have scored at the bottom for award seats all four years of the survey, though both have upped their availability. In 2010, both carriers offered seats to fewer than 13% of the IdeaWorks queries.

Delta says it, like other airlines, offers all seats on planes to frequent fliers, just at higher mileage cost than the lowest redemption level, which is 25,000 miles for a domestic coach round-trip ticket. Both Delta and US Airways have a three-tier redemption structure, offering seats at the basic level, a midtier level at around 40,000 miles for a domestic coach ticket and a full-fare level for as many as 60,000 miles for domestic coach round trips.

A Delta spokeswoman said the carrier was pleased the survey showed its increased availability for close-in bookings, something Delta has tried to boost. Half of all Delta award tickets are now booked within 60 days of departure. "Award demand is at an all-time high," she said. Yet Delta customers actually redeemed fewer awards last year compared with 2011, according to the company's SEC filings, and the percentage of passenger traffic flying on awards last year dipped as well.

US Airways, which said in its 10-K filing that its redemption totals were unchanged from 2011, notes that its short-haul route structure means its customers take longer to reach awards and many prefer to redeem awards on partner airlines for long trips. That availability doesn't show up on the airline's website—customers have to call—so it wouldn't be included in the study, a US Airways spokesman noted.

Consumers earn more miles these days as rewards from credit-card companies and other vendors rather than from actual flying. American Airlines reported in its SEC filings that it issued 209 billion frequent-flier miles in 2012; 66% of them were sold by the airline to partner companies to give as rewards to their customers. The allure of free travel to prized destinations has remained a powerful driver of consumer loyalty.

The survey is based on 7,000 booking requests for two seats at the lowest mileage level, now often called "saver" awards, at 25 airlines. Each airline's website receives 280 queries on their busiest routes. Consumers can sometimes find better award availability by calling airlines and getting an experienced agent to hunt for seats and check the inventory of airline partners. The vast majority of award tickets, however, are booked online.

IdeaWorks made queries in March for travel dates spanning June through October, and selected itineraries that always included a Saturday-night stay with travel on each airline's top 10 routes under 2,500 miles and 10 busiest routes longer than 2,500 miles in order to evaluate availability in each carrier's strongest markets. Circuitous routes and layovers longer than four hours were rejected.

IdeaWorks kept track of the lowest offer each airline had for seats on trips under 2,500 miles and found Southwest had the lowest average cost, at 9,353 points. US Airways had the highest, with an average of 31,143 miles required to get a round-trip ticket for flights under 2,500 miles.

 

 (Scott McCartney - The Wall Street Journal)



Air India 787s to return to service next week

Air India began test flights of the first of the Boeing 787s fitted with the new battery package on Thursday. The aircraft was flown from Mumbai to Delhi via Ahmedabad. Commercial flights will start next week on domestic routes connecting Delhi to Chennai, Bangalore, airline officials said.
                                                                      
The Dreamliners were grounded Jan. 16 following two battery-related incidents aboard All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines 787s. Authorities lifted the grounding April 19 after design modifications of the battery system were approved.

Air India 787s will be operated only on domestic routes in May; international flights to Frankfurt and London will begin from June 1. Teams of engineers from Boeing and the airline are currently performing the battery modifications on all six aircraft at Mumbai’s engineering base.

The induction of the Dreamliners was slated to be a major part of the turnaround strategy presented by the airline to the government. The aircraft was expected to allow the airline to expand its global footprint economically.

In January, India’s minister for civil aviation Ajit Singh said Air India would seek “some kind of compensation” for the grounding of its six 787s.

Inventory is up for sale on GDS for flights on the Delhi-Frankfurt, Delhi-Paris and Delhi-London routes from June 1.

The airline is also chalking out plans to restart flights to Rome, Moscow, Beijing and to either Melbourne or Sydney from India. These routes have been axed from its network over the past decade as the airline went deeper into a financial hole. Not everyone is sure the re-introduction of the Dreamliners alone can result in a turnaround. Though its financial numbers are not announced regularly, Air India is projected to end the financial year (April 2012 to March 2013) with a loss of about $1 billion.

The board also cleared a proposal to replace 19 of its older narrowbody aircraft with newer Airbus A320 family aircraft. They will all have a standard 180-seat configuration, and will be operated like low-cost carriers on the domestic routes. The process is likely to be carried out over the next two years. The leased aircraft will be returned and owned ones will be sold. After the process is complete, Air India will have 62 aircraft in its narrowbody fleet.

(Cuckoo Paul - ATWOnline News)

All Nippon Airways (ANA) 787 operations to re-commence on June 1st

All Nippon Airways (ANA) will join Japan Airlines (JAL) in resuming Boeing 787 operations on 1 June.

The aircraft type will be used on routes from Tokyo Narita to San Jose, and from Tokyo Haneda to Frankfurt and Beijing.

On 1 June, ANA will deploy the 787 on the Tokyo Haneda-Taipei Songshan and Tokyo Nartia-Beijing routes. The 787 will also replace the 767-300ER on the Tokyo Narita-Shanghai Pudong service starting 1 August.

The airline intends to use the 787s on services from Tokyo Haneda to Akita and Toyama, starting 1 and 15 June respectively. It also intends deploy the aircraft type on additional domestic flights from July, primarily on services to Okinawa.

Domestic destinations previously served by the aircraft type will also resume in June, says an airline spokesman.

Meanwhile, its Tokyo Narita-Seattle services - which were suspended as a result of the 787 groundings - will resume on 1 June using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

ANA and JAL are in the process of changing their 787s' main and auxiliary lithium-ion batteries, as well as adding new containment and venting systems. Both expect modifications to be completed by mid-May.

Data from Flightglobal Pro shows that ANA has received 17 787-8s, with an additional 19 -8s and 30 787-9s on order. JAL, meanwhile, has seven -8s in its fleet, with an additional 18 -8s and 20 787-9s on order.

           

 (Firdaus Hashim -FlightGlobal News)

EasyJet to test ash detection system

EasyJet, with Airbus and Nicarnica Aviation, is preparing for the final airborne test of a volcanic ash detection system called AVOID.

The UK budget carrier has airfreighted to the test entre at Toulouse a tonne of Icelandic volcanic ash collected by the Institute of Earth Sciences in Reykjavik. The ash, dried to the consistency of fine talcum powder, will be used in an experiment planned for August.

The trial will involve two Airbus aircraft, one of which carries equipment to inject the ash into the atmosphere, creating a real ash cloud, and an A330 fitted with an AVOID wingtip pod to enable the crew to detect and avoid it at more than 30,000ft (9,150m).

The experiment will be conducted when the Seviri and Calypso satellites are aligned so that images of the ash cloud can be captured from space, to gauge the accuracy and effectiveness of the AVOID technology. 
 
"We hope this system will contribute towards three-dimensional, dynamic mapping tools to allow the airlines to take necessary decisions for a safe flight under the full knowledge of current location of ash clouds," says Manfred Birnfeld, senior flight-test engineer for Airbus.

EasyJet likens the AVOID system to "a weather radar for ash". Created by Dr Fred Prata, chief technology officer at Nicarnica Aviation, the system comprises infrared technology, developed by the US military, to enable supply of images to pilots and an airline's operations control centre.

The images allow pilots to see an ash cloud up to 100km ahead of the aircraft and at altitudes between 5,000ft and 50,000ft, enabling them to make small adjustments to the flightpath to choose airspace that is free of ash.

"This will be the perfect science experiment," says Prata in reference to the August trial. "We will know exactly how much ash we have placed in the atmosphere, and also its concentration and composition. AVOID will then measure it and demonstrate the technology."
 
Ian Davies, EasyJet's engineering director, says that finalising approval of AVOID is "as crucial now as ever to ensure we never again see the scenes of spring 2010 when all flying ceased for several days".

             (David Learmount - FlightGlobal News)

NTSB orders new rounds of test on 787 batteries

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting an urgent new round of testing on the Boeing 787's lithium-ion batteries in hopes of finding a root cause before most airlines resume routine commercial flights next month.

A solicitation issued on 3 May by the NSTB uses the "urgency" of the tests to justify bypassing federal regulations that require calling for multiple bids and instead award the work to a contractor based close to the agency's headquarters in Washington DC.

The computed tomography (CT) scans of eight lithium-ion battery cells "must also be completed within the shortest timeframe possible to provide the fastest possible receipt of this information to avoid potential future accidents involving this type of aircraft battery", the NTSB says.

"Since the [Federal Aviation Administration] has recently approved a plan intended to result in the Boeing 787 being approved for a return to service, the information from these tests is needed as soon as possible," the agency adds.

The selected contractor, Chesapeake Defense Services, was to begin CT scans of eight battery cells on 6 May, according to the solicitation. There are eight lithium ion cells in each of the 787's main and auxiliary power unit batteries.

More CT scans are also required on up to 40 additional battery cells, but in two parts. The first part will scan the batteries before a round of usage testing to establish a baseline configuration. A second round of CT scans to examine the batteries after the usage testing.

The FAA lifted the grounding order on the 787 fleet on 26 April three months after two lithium batteries over-heated on separate aircraft in early January. Ethiopian Airlines boarded a load of passengers on a single 787 flight on 27 April from Nairobi to Addis Ababa on 27 April and Qatar Airways has resumed its 787 services, but no other commercial flights involving the Dreamliner are expected to resume until June while airlines perform their own flight tests and re-train crews.

Though the NTSB and the Japan Transportation Safety Board (JSTB) continue to search for a route cause, Boeing has suggested that a triggering event for the battery failures may never be found.

Meanwhile, the company has improved the battery monitoring software, installed ceramic plates between each of the eight cells, replaced an aluminium battery enclosure with a stainless steel case and added vents and ducts to exhaust any smoke or fumes directly offboard the aircraft.

             (Stephen Trimble - FlightGlobal News)

WestJet places order for 10 737-800s

Calgary-based WestJet has struck an agreement with Boeing to purchase 10 737-800s, and defer five 737-700s scheduled for delivery between 2014 and 2015 to 2016 and 2017.

Through a separate agreement with a third-party, WestJet will sell 10 of its oldest 737-700s to a third party in 2014 and 2015. Removing these older aircraft will lower the age of WestJet's fleet by a year, it says.

WestJet operates more than 100 Boeing 737 aircraft, with the oldest 737-700s aircraft built in 2001, shows Flightglobal's Ascend Online database.

"These agreements are part of our strategy to optimise and modernise our fleet mix, which will improve CASM [cost per available seat mile], while maintaining fleet flexibility going forward," says Gregg Saretsky, WestJet's chief executive.

WestJet reported CASM of 13.84 Canadian cents (13.8 cents) in the first quarter of 2013.

             (Kristin Majcher - FlightGlobal News)

Detroit "Redwings" depart from Long Beach Airport

Olympia Aviation MD-81 (48006/966) N682RW taxies onto Rwy 30 at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) for departure to Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport (DTW/KDTW) taking the NHL Detroit "Redwings" home on May 9, 2013.

 

This aircraft was originaly delivered to Swissair as HB-ING on 4/3/1981, later serving with SAS Scandinavian Airlines as OY-KIG and finally with Midwest Express Airlines/Midwest Airlines as N812ME prior to its current owners purchase on 1/26/2011. 

 

(Photo by Michael Carter)

Gulfstream G200 "Galaxy" (c/n 048) N200GA holds short of Rwy 30 at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) before departing to General Rodolfo Sanchez Taboada International Airport (MXL/MMML) Mexicali, Baja California on May 9, 2013.

 

(Photo by Michael Carter)

Bombardier CSeries airliner on schedule for first flight in June

Bombardier Inc said its CSeries jetliner was on track to make its first flight in June, and the world's No. 4 commercial aircraft maker reported a 25 percent jump in first-quarter revenue on robust growth at its aerospace unit.

The new C-Series -- Bombardier's ticket into the larger commercial jet market -- is a single-aisle plane, with seating for up to 160 passengers.

It represents the Canadian company's attempt to break into the lower end of the lucrative 100-to-200-seat aircraft market dominated by Boeing Co and Airbus.

Bombardier said on Thursday it had commitments for 388 CSeries aircraft as of March 31, including 145 firm orders from nine customers in eight countries.

The CSeries tests are progressing well, Chief Executive Pierre Beaudoin said in a statement.

The aircraft claims a 15 percent cash operating cost advantage and 20 percent fuel burn advantage over the Boeing and Airbus models. Its airframe is lighter as well.

"We believe (CSeries progress) will continue to help to lift sentiment - particularly if it is matched with new orders going into the Paris Air Show next month," analyst Walter Spracklin of RBC Capital Markets said in a note to clients.

The Montreal-based company is under pressure to meet its targets of 300 firm orders and 20 customers by mid-2014.

Bombardier, which is also the world's biggest train manufacturer, reported a 5 percent drop in first-quarter net profit to $148 million, or 8 cents per share.

On an adjusted basis, net income rose 4 percent to $156 million, or 8 cents per share, in line with analysts' average estimate, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Total revenue rose to $4.3 billion.

Revenue in Bombardier's aerospace unit, which makes business, commercial and amphibious aircraft, jumped 53 percent to $2.3 billion. Bombardier said backlog at the aerospace unit was $32 billion as of March 31, compared with $32.9 billion as of December 31.

Bombardier delivered a total of 53 aircraft in the quarter, up from 37 a year earlier. Revenue in the transportation unit, which makes trains, rose 15 percent to $2.1 billion.

The company said it expected an increase in transportation revenue over the course of the year, but did not provide a specific forecast.

Bombardier said the order backlog in its transportation unit was $31.0 billion as of March 31, compared with $32.0 billion as at December 31.

Free cash flow usage fell to $590 million from $695 million a year earlier. Bombardier defines free cash flow usage as cash flow from operating activities less net additions to property, plant and equipment and intangible assets.

Shares of the company closed at C$4.23 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

 

(Bhaswati Mukhopadhyay - Reuters)

Gulfstream G650 passes through Anchorage

This was a huge catch for me while in Anchorage this past week, I never dreamed that I would see a G650 in Anchorage due to the aircrafts range.

 

 Arriving on Rwy 7L.

 Deploying thrust reversers.

 Whoa, whoa...slow down you gorgeous beast! 

Operated by Wal-Mart, G650 (c/n 6008) N762MS departs Anchorages's Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC/PANC) from Rwy 33 on May 5, 2013. Downtown Anchorage can be seen in the distance.

(Photos by Michael Carter)

Gulfstream G150 visits Anchorage

 Climbs from Rwy 33.

Sticker located behind forward entry door.

 

Gulfstream G150 (c/n 298) N150GD was in Anchorage for the Great Alaskan Aviation Expo held this past weekend (May 4 & 5). We got a chance to peek inside while attending the show then were lucky enough to catch her as she departed on Sunday May 5, 2013.

 

(Photos by Michael Carter)

Emirates to look at 777X

In an exclusive interview with Gulf News on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market 2013, Tim Clark, chief executive officer of Emirates, discusses a number of topics ranging from new aircraft orders, scope of alliance with Qatar Airways and potential new code share agreements in Europe and North America.

When will you start talking to Boeing about placing orders for new 777X aircraft? And when will Emirates be replacing its current Boeing 777 fleet [175 of those] with the new 777X aircraft, and with how many of those?
 

Tim Clark: Certainly, negotiations with Boeing on the 777X jets will start in the next couple of months, depending on a number of things such as the delivery timeline etc. They won’t be delivered until late 2020 or 2021.

We have to ascertain that this aeroplane is going to do what Boeing and General Electric say it will do. We will not enter into negotiations with Boeing till we are absolutely sure that it is going to be delivered to the specification that we called for, on the timeline that they say it will be, at the price that we want. But we are not in that position quite yet. If they fail on any of those, we don’t go anywhere.
 

I can’t say how many we are likely to place an order for. But it will be a healthy number. What I would say is that we will have 175 777-ERs (extended range) by then. And all those have got to be replaced. So the number will be determined by the fleet replacement cycle, the big Airbus A350 as an alternative, whether we can get more A380s — above the 90 that we will have by November 2017 etc. But that also leaves a very large number of 777-ERs to be replaced. And we have worked very closely with them to get this one [777X] launched and designed. So a lot of it is a result of what Emirates wants.

 

What do you have to say about Qatar Airways exploring alliance opportunities with Emirates?

 

Akbar Al Baker runs a great airline. It is not just similar to what we are doing, equally, Etihad Airways is not similar. We tend to follow the same business models. I think he is quite aspirational in his wish to come closer to Emirates.

We are already quite close — we talk at a high level regularly, but that’s as far as it can go at this point in time because if you go beyond that you start breaching all sorts of rules — such as competition law, competition in the EU, Oceana, North America.
 

And if such an arrangement ever happened – I am not s43aying it will – the burning hoops that you’ll have to pass through to get an arrangement like this through the anti-cartel, competition in the EU and everywhere else, will be quite difficult.
 

I know he (Al Baker) would like to take it further, but there are difficulties there – not of our doing but other peoples’ doing. So let’s just leave it there for the time being.
 

Emirates has been seeking additional landing rights into Canada. And Etihad Airways just recently struck a codeshare deal with Air Canada. Does that make your chances weak to have more rights into Canada?
 

A: I don’t think it so. We will stand on our strengths and our own merits. We have had a standing application with Canada for additional traffic rights for almost 10 years, or more. Neither Etihad nor Emirates have been able to increase beyond their three [flights a week] each.
 

It’s been a difficult time, we know the history, we know what has been happening with the Canadians, and we know there has been a moderation of positions taken more recently. But that’s a political thing. Hopefully, they will see their way to give us more access.
 

What Etihad is doing with Air Canada with codeshare — well, good luck.
 

Could you also potentially seek an alliance with Lufthansa?
 

Lufthansa, we hear, are examining options. Lufthansa was asked a few days ago — you are seeing Etihad and Air France, Emirates and Qantas – what they thought about working with one of those.
 
And they said, maybe. What I am saying is, would I shut the door to that kind of a thing? We are open to a commercially driven — like we have with Qantas — a well-understood partnership that delivers a value to both carriers without any distortion. But there is nothing on the table now.
 

But don’t forget that in 1992 we made that proposition to Lufthansa. We tried that and we got quite a long way down the road, and suddenly Lufthansa pulled the rug. They discontinued negotiations overnight and left me high and dry.
 

Have you made any breakthrough yet with the Indian government allowing your Airbus A380s to land at India’s airports?
 

No. It’s up to the Indian government. That’s all I can say. We haven’t had the seat increase from the Indian government since May 2008. That’s been the standing request for years. Flydubai is operating some of our seats anyways, so they have their points plus our seats. And now, they [Indian government] have refused us to allow the A380s in. So we are just waiting. It’s such a pity.
 

Emirates has a very large number of aircraft – 22 – to be delivered this year. How are you financing the new deliveries? Are we going to see Emirates issuing another bond this year [It has already issued two bonds this year]?
 

I am not sure we will see more this year. But the way we did the last one was pretty good. There is a strong appetite for Emirates debt and that has driven the pricing down. So for us it’s a very attractive financing proposition. We have a very strong balance sheet. And therefore, anybody, whether they are in the retail market for investing or institutions — they know this a good bet.
 

So our ability to raise funds when and where we want to is not something we are really worried about.
 

What is Emirates’ current fleet size and where do you think it will reach by 2020?
 

It’s around 200 aircraft at present. We know we have 240 aircraft planned to be in use by 2017 and that is an amount of incremental units and retirement of the old fleet. We are in the process of getting through 68 of the old aircraft – they all have to be retied. So they will have been finally gone by then.

 

(Shweta Jain - Gulfnews.com) 

Qatar Airways - 777X Launch customer?

Qatar Airways plans to order up to 50 Boeing 777X aircraft — the new updated version of the 777s being developed by Boeing, according to the carrier’s top executive.

“We are very interested in the new 777X aircraft being developed by Boeing. We are looking at anywhere between 40 and 50 aircraft of the type,” Akbar Al Baker, chief executive of Qatar Airways, told Gulf News in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.
 

He said that the airline would replace its existing fleet of 45 Boeing 777s — in operation and in the pipeline — (including 777-ERs-extended range and 777-LRs-long range) with the new type.
 

Asked if Qatar Airways had already initiated talks with Boeing for the new 777Xs, Al Baker said: “Yes, Boeing has presented the aircraft to us — they have presented the specifications. We have not gone into detailed discussions with them, but we will be doing it imminently.” He added that the 777Xs will be offered somewhere “between 2020 and 2022”.

The Doha-based carrier has deferred its IPO (initial public offering) plans for 10 years. “Qatar Airways had plans for an IPO in 2009-2010. But we shifted it as we got right into the recession at that time. I think we will not do any IPO until at least the next 10 years,” said Al Baker.
 

The delay in opening Doha’s new airport — Hamad International — has cost Qatar Airways “approximately $650 million [Dh2.4 billion] in lost revenue”, Al Baker said. “It was a lost expansion opportunity for the airline, and this amount will be claimed by Qatar Airways from the airport owner, which in return will claim it from the people, contractors, consultants who were responsible for the delay,” he said, adding that he is confident the airport would open by this year end.
 

The airline aims to have a network of 173 destinations and an equal number of aircraft in its fleet in three years, according to Al Baker. On Monday, it announced route expansion on three continents this year — the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, Clark International Airport in the Philippines and Philadelphia in the US.
 

Talking of future plane deliveries, Al Baker said that he expects the first batch of the 80 Airbus A350s it has on firm order to be delivered in the second half of 2014. “We have not been notified of any delays yet and we hope there won’t be any. If there are delays, we are already looking at interim lift by ordering additional A330s,” said Al Baker.
 

Long-term codeshare
 

Asked if Qatar Airways was keen to strike a long-term codeshare alliances with other carriers — similar to Emirates’ alliance with Qantas — Al Baker said: “Yes, we are interested in long-term codeshare partnerships and this will be possible when we enter the oneworld alliance later this year.

There will be a lot of opportunities for us to then get into this kind of relationships with the partners we have within our alliance.”
 

However, he did not divulge the airlines he was exploring such a possibility with.

 

 (Shweta Jain - Gulfnews.com) 

Boeing officially offers the 777X to airlines

Boeing has shown airlines a blueprint for the world's longest-range passenger jet, adding spice to a long-awaited revamp of its 777 wide-body jet, people familiar with the matter said.

Boeing on Wednesday launched a race against Airbus for sales of the newest long-haul jets by announcing it had begun selling an upgraded aircraft family code-named 777X.

First seen in the 1990s, the 777 cornered the market for large twin-engine aircraft able to fly routes previously only possible with four engines, earning it the nickname "mini-jumbo."

Analysts say the 777 is Boeing's most profitable plane, thanks largely to the 777-300ER, a 365-seat version that began operations in 2004.

Most of the industry's attention is now focused on a future 400-seat version known as the 777-9X, which is Boeing Co's response to a growing challenge from the largest version of Europe's newest aircraft, the Airbus A350-1000.

But talks between Boeing and potential buyers have also generated interest in a 777-8X that would be a successor to the 777-200LR, the industry's current distance champion, with a range of more than 9,300 nautical miles, people briefed on the talks said.

The 777-8X, boasting a range of 9,500 nautical miles, would be designed for some of the world's longest trips such as from the Middle East to South America.

"They are offering an ultra-long range aircraft in the 777-8X," said an industry source briefed on the plans. "It'll be the longest range aircraft in the business."

Boeing declined to comment on specifics, but spokeswoman Karen Crabtree said the company is working with customers to fine tune the details.

Experts say ultra-long range planes deliver mixed benefits to airlines and so far the market for them remains a niche, overshadowed by the juggernauts designed for trunk routes.

That is because when modern aircraft fly the longest 15-hour flights, the first few hours are spent mostly burning the fuel needed to carry even more fuel for the rest of the flight.

These aircraft "carry more fuel to carry more fuel," said consultant Richard Aboulafia of Virginia-based Teal Group.

"They need a very big wing with lots of (fuel storage) capacity, which means lots of structure and weight."

Fuel is not the only source of extra weight. The long journey times also mean loading extra meals and a reserve crew, so that the fuel burned per hour - a measure of efficiency - can end up greater than if the plane simply stopped en route.

Airlines must balance this against any extra revenue they can charge for a direct flight and the ability to eliminate the fuel wasted in climbing and descending twice, as well as en-route landing fees and other costs linked to a stopover.

NICHE MARKET

Proof that ultra-long haul is not for everyone is contained in a quick comparison of sales for comparable existing models.

Boeing has sold 59 of its 777-200LR endurance jet, which entered service in 2007, compared with 687 of the shorter-range but highly popular 777-300ER.

Air India has announced plans to sell 5 777-200LR's and one industry source said some or all could end up being acquired by the government for VIP transport. Air India declined comment.

Before the 777-200LR, the industry's previous long-distance record-holder, the Airbus A340-500, was capable of flying 9,000 nautical mile on polar routes yet notched up fewer than 40 sales.

Production was halted in 2011, driven also by a wider slowdown in sales for all but the largest four-engine aircraft.

Reflecting thinner demand for super-long haul, the 777-8X is expected to take a backseat to the 777-9X, which is seen as the main weapon in an all-out defense of Boeing's mini-jumbo franchise. The main model is slated to enter service at the end of the decade.

Nonetheless, recent public presentations suggest Boeing is confident the significantly enlarged wing and more powerful engines designed for the main 777-9X model will give airlines the flexibility to use the 777-8X spin-off more efficiently.

Randy Tinseth, vice president of Boeing marketing, told financiers in January the 777X would have "significantly lower operating cost" and greater payload and range ability. Airbus says its 350-seater is the right size and costs less to run.

As both sides trot out competing claims, the 777 vs A350 contest is likely to spark a fierce debate on technology - just as the industry digests the lessons of recent technical troubles on the 787 Dreamliner and, before that, the A380 superjumbo.

Boeing is expected to argue that its decision to keep the 777's metal fuselage and focus on new carbon-fiber wings will marry increased performance with a proven record of reliability.

Airbus argues its A350-1000, the largest variant of its A350 family, will be cheaper to run because the whole plane, not just the wings, will be mainly built of lightweight carbon fiber.

Ironically, the two rivals are taking roughly opposite positions at the smaller end of the market for wide-bodied jets, where Boeing is pushing a possible all-composite stretched version of its 787 Dreamliner against the traditional A330, an older plane marketed on reliability and availability.

Both the 777 and A330 are important cash cows, helping to produce the funds needed to pay for ground-breaking developments such as the 787 and A350.

(Reuters)