Commences it's takeoff roll on Rwy 28R, at Fort Laudredale - Hollywood International Airport (FLL/KFLL) on February 8, 2017.
(Photo by Michael Carter)
Saturday, April 8, 2017
Bombardier Opens Bizjet Service Center in Tianjin, China
Officials from Bombardier Business Aircraft and Tianjin Airport Economic Area celebrated the opening of a new service center at Tianjin in northeastern China on April 7.
(Photo: Bombardier)
(Photo: Bombardier)
Bombardier Business Aircraft and Tianjin Airport Economic Area (TAEA) opened a service center at Tianjin in northeastern China on April 7. The new 95,766-sq-ft (8,500 sq m) facility features hangar space, offices and back shop areas. Maintenance, repair, overhaul and other services are available for Bombardier customers in this region, and the investment strengthens the Canadian airframer's support network for Asia.
Opening a few days ahead of the 2017 ABACE show in Shanghai, the Tianjin service center received its Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) certification to support the Global, Challenger 604, Challenger 605 and Challenger 850 series. This means the center can perform 96-month inspections for Challenger 600 series jets as well as 120-month inspections for Globals. The first inspection on a customer aircraft is under way at the facility.
“We are delighted to see the inauguration of our joint venture with Bombardier and are committed to its success,” commented Zhao Xuesen, TAEA vice president. “It shows the vitality of the Tianjin aviation industry and consolidates Tianjin’s position as an emerging aviation hub in China. Business aircraft [movements] reached 1,528 at the Tianjin Airport in 2016, a 17.36 percent increase from the previous year. With China’s growth strategy in place, a rapid expansion of the business aviation industry can be anticipated in Tianjin, in line with China’s 13th Five-Year Plan.”
The Tianjin service center joins Bombardier’s network of nine service centers, five line maintenance stations and 17 customer response team mobile units located around the world. Bombardier estimates that approximately 1,100 business jet deliveries for Greater China, South Asia and the Asia-Pacific regions will take place over the next 10 years. Currently, there are 280 Bombardier business jets based in Asia.
Lanny Schindelmeiser, general manager of Bombardier Tianjin Aviation Services Co., Ltd, commented, “The opening of the Tianjin Service Centre demonstrates Bombardier’s priority to bring top maintenance services to our Chinese customers and ensure faster access to support, closer to their base of operations. Our technicians have been trained through a comprehensive program to deliver the value-added experience Bombardier provides throughout its worldwide network.”
(Samantha Cartaino - AINOnline News)
G550 Order and G650 Approval Boost Gulfstream Hopes In China
The specially equipped Gulfstream G550 for the Beijing Red Cross Emergency Medical Center will be used for disaster relief and air rescue services.
(Gulfstream)
(Gulfstream)
Last month’s decision by the Beijing Red Cross Emergency Medical Center to acquire a Gulfstream G550 jet for its new medical evacuation service was a timely reminder of the growing use of business aircraft in China. The announcement came a month after the news in February that the U.S. manufacturer had achieved type certification with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for its latest G650 and G650ER models.
The specially equipped G550 will be used for disaster relief and air rescue services, and will be equipped for medical personnel on board to be able to perform emergency resuscitation on patient and also have easy access for examinations thanks to a bed that can be moved on tracks in the cabin. The aircraft is also being fitted with the following items of special equipment: a medical bay, a powered gurney loading system on the aircraft stairs, fold-out seats for nurses to use while caring for patients, refrigerated medical storage cabinets, crew rest berths and X-ray viewing equipment.
The Beijing Red Cross Emergency Medical Center was established in 2010 and currently has more than 1,000 staff. The G550 will join its existing fleet of two helicopters and a Dassault Falcon 2000LX that was delivered in November 2015. It also has three hundred ambulances.
The G550 can fly non-stop from Beijing to New York in just over 13 hours at Mach 0.83, or from Beijing to London at Mach 0.85. More than 500 of the aircraft are in service worldwide.
“The G550’s tremendous performance, outstanding cabin environment and interior flexibility are ideal for medevac missions,” said Scott Neal, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales, Gulfstream. “We are committed to working with customers to deliver an aircraft that exceeds their requirements, and this uniquely tailored G550 is no exception. The aircraft’s customizable cabin will serve as an example for future programs.”
On February 16, Gulfstream announced that its G650 and G650ER ultra-long-range twinjets have received Chinese type certificate validation, confirming the authorization previously given by the FAA, and removing the last barriers for an aircraft to be registered in China. The approval marks the 26th country approval for the G650 and the 16th for the G650ER.
“The G650 and G650ER demonstrate real-world capability that our customers value,” Neal commented. “As business aviation needs in the Asia-Pacific region continue to increase, we are pleased to offer our customers in China the safety, performance and reliability [of] the G650 and G650ER.”
At Mach 0.85, the G650 offers a range of 7,000 nm, while its longer-legged G650ER sister can travel 7,500 nm. In February 2015, the G650ER set two city-pair speed records, during a one-stop, around-the-world trip, traveling 6,939 nm from White Plains near New York City, to Beijing at Mach 0.87, and a 6,572-nm return from Beijing to Gulfstream’s headquarters in Savannah, Georgia, at Mach 0.89.
Gulfstream Growth In China
Today there are more than 180 aircraft Gulfstream aircraft based in Greater China (including around 60 in Hong Kong), which is more than nine times the number a decade ago. Across Asia, the number of Gulfstreams based in the region is now more than 300.
The manufacturer has made significant investments in the country, where it now employs more than 75 people and has offices in Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore. In November 2012, it opened China’s first factory-owned service center in Beijing, boosting its product support capability for the region, which also is served by eight field service representatives in Asia (two in mainland China, four in Hong Kong, one in Singapore and one in India). Around $54 million worth of spare parts are positioned in Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore.
“We see a mix of private individuals, corporations and charter operators using our aircraft in China,” Neal told AIN. “The majority of these customers fly our large-cabin Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream G650 and Gulfstream G650ER due to their tremendous range and speed, which allow them to fly from China to Europe, Africa or North America nonstop.”
According to Neal, China has made “significant strides” in facilitating the expansion of business aviation, including infrastructure improvements at airports and easing of airspace restrictions at lower altitudes. “We hope those trends continue, allowing China’s business aviation industry to see success through continued enhancements to the country’s aviation infrastructure, the possible easing of airspace regulations and the potential for improved access to training for pilots, technicians and mechanics,” he commented.
Gulfstream’s optimism about growth prospects in the Asian market is largely based on expected sales success for its new G500 and G600 long-range, high-speed jets, for which initial deliveries are, respectively, due to begin later this year and in 2018. Both feature wide cabins, improved fuel efficiency (from their Pratt & Whitney PW814GA and PW815GA engines) and Symmetry flight deck, including new active control sidesticks.
Both new aircraft offer a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90 and a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925. The G500 will be able to fly 5,000 nautical miles at Mach 0.85 or 3,800 nautical miles at Mach 0.90, enabling high-speed trips from London to New York or Dubai. The G600 has a range of 6,200 nautical miles at March 0.85 and a 4,800 nautical-mile range at Mach 0.90 that will enable high-speed flights from New York to Moscow or Sao Paulo.
The Symmetry flight deck uses 10 touch-screen control panels. This approach greatly reduces the number of switches in the cockpit, reducing pilot workload and making the aircraft more intuitive to fly.
Any movement of the active control side sticks by the pilot in command of the aircraft is seen and felt by the non-flying pilot on the opposite side of the cockpit. According to Gulfstream, this makes operations significantly safer by improving situational awareness and coordination between the crew and also improves efficiency.
The most recent development in the certification program for the new aircraft is that the second G600 flight-test aircraft completed its first flight on February 24, spending 4 hours and 26 minutes in the air. The aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 51,000 feet and a top speed of Mach 0.87, signaling Gulfstream’s confidence in the aircraft performance and the investment it has made in extensive ground testing. The two G600 test aircraft have logged more than 200 flight hours.
The five G500 test aircraft, including a fully outfitted production aircraft, have surpassed 2,360 flying hours over nearly 600 flights. We’ve completed development testing; company testing is under way; and FAA certification testing has started.
The specially equipped G550 will be used for disaster relief and air rescue services, and will be equipped for medical personnel on board to be able to perform emergency resuscitation on patient and also have easy access for examinations thanks to a bed that can be moved on tracks in the cabin. The aircraft is also being fitted with the following items of special equipment: a medical bay, a powered gurney loading system on the aircraft stairs, fold-out seats for nurses to use while caring for patients, refrigerated medical storage cabinets, crew rest berths and X-ray viewing equipment.
The Beijing Red Cross Emergency Medical Center was established in 2010 and currently has more than 1,000 staff. The G550 will join its existing fleet of two helicopters and a Dassault Falcon 2000LX that was delivered in November 2015. It also has three hundred ambulances.
The G550 can fly non-stop from Beijing to New York in just over 13 hours at Mach 0.83, or from Beijing to London at Mach 0.85. More than 500 of the aircraft are in service worldwide.
“The G550’s tremendous performance, outstanding cabin environment and interior flexibility are ideal for medevac missions,” said Scott Neal, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales, Gulfstream. “We are committed to working with customers to deliver an aircraft that exceeds their requirements, and this uniquely tailored G550 is no exception. The aircraft’s customizable cabin will serve as an example for future programs.”
On February 16, Gulfstream announced that its G650 and G650ER ultra-long-range twinjets have received Chinese type certificate validation, confirming the authorization previously given by the FAA, and removing the last barriers for an aircraft to be registered in China. The approval marks the 26th country approval for the G650 and the 16th for the G650ER.
“The G650 and G650ER demonstrate real-world capability that our customers value,” Neal commented. “As business aviation needs in the Asia-Pacific region continue to increase, we are pleased to offer our customers in China the safety, performance and reliability [of] the G650 and G650ER.”
At Mach 0.85, the G650 offers a range of 7,000 nm, while its longer-legged G650ER sister can travel 7,500 nm. In February 2015, the G650ER set two city-pair speed records, during a one-stop, around-the-world trip, traveling 6,939 nm from White Plains near New York City, to Beijing at Mach 0.87, and a 6,572-nm return from Beijing to Gulfstream’s headquarters in Savannah, Georgia, at Mach 0.89.
Gulfstream Growth In China
Today there are more than 180 aircraft Gulfstream aircraft based in Greater China (including around 60 in Hong Kong), which is more than nine times the number a decade ago. Across Asia, the number of Gulfstreams based in the region is now more than 300.
The manufacturer has made significant investments in the country, where it now employs more than 75 people and has offices in Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore. In November 2012, it opened China’s first factory-owned service center in Beijing, boosting its product support capability for the region, which also is served by eight field service representatives in Asia (two in mainland China, four in Hong Kong, one in Singapore and one in India). Around $54 million worth of spare parts are positioned in Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore.
“We see a mix of private individuals, corporations and charter operators using our aircraft in China,” Neal told AIN. “The majority of these customers fly our large-cabin Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream G650 and Gulfstream G650ER due to their tremendous range and speed, which allow them to fly from China to Europe, Africa or North America nonstop.”
According to Neal, China has made “significant strides” in facilitating the expansion of business aviation, including infrastructure improvements at airports and easing of airspace restrictions at lower altitudes. “We hope those trends continue, allowing China’s business aviation industry to see success through continued enhancements to the country’s aviation infrastructure, the possible easing of airspace regulations and the potential for improved access to training for pilots, technicians and mechanics,” he commented.
Gulfstream’s optimism about growth prospects in the Asian market is largely based on expected sales success for its new G500 and G600 long-range, high-speed jets, for which initial deliveries are, respectively, due to begin later this year and in 2018. Both feature wide cabins, improved fuel efficiency (from their Pratt & Whitney PW814GA and PW815GA engines) and Symmetry flight deck, including new active control sidesticks.
Both new aircraft offer a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90 and a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925. The G500 will be able to fly 5,000 nautical miles at Mach 0.85 or 3,800 nautical miles at Mach 0.90, enabling high-speed trips from London to New York or Dubai. The G600 has a range of 6,200 nautical miles at March 0.85 and a 4,800 nautical-mile range at Mach 0.90 that will enable high-speed flights from New York to Moscow or Sao Paulo.
The Symmetry flight deck uses 10 touch-screen control panels. This approach greatly reduces the number of switches in the cockpit, reducing pilot workload and making the aircraft more intuitive to fly.
Any movement of the active control side sticks by the pilot in command of the aircraft is seen and felt by the non-flying pilot on the opposite side of the cockpit. According to Gulfstream, this makes operations significantly safer by improving situational awareness and coordination between the crew and also improves efficiency.
The most recent development in the certification program for the new aircraft is that the second G600 flight-test aircraft completed its first flight on February 24, spending 4 hours and 26 minutes in the air. The aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 51,000 feet and a top speed of Mach 0.87, signaling Gulfstream’s confidence in the aircraft performance and the investment it has made in extensive ground testing. The two G600 test aircraft have logged more than 200 flight hours.
The five G500 test aircraft, including a fully outfitted production aircraft, have surpassed 2,360 flying hours over nearly 600 flights. We’ve completed development testing; company testing is under way; and FAA certification testing has started.
(Charles Alcock - AINOnline News)
G550 Gets Facelift at Duncan Aviation
The G550 has been in the client's fleet for 12 years, and the Duncan refurb gives it a modern feel.
(Photo: Duncan Aviation)
Duncan Aviation recently refurbished a G550 with a new interior, CMS upgrade and exterior paint scheme, all performed during scheduled maintenance on the 12-year-old jet, which Duncan had helped the owner purchase when new. “This serial number was a top performer in our client’s fleet, so we gave it a facelift and kept it flying,” said completions/modifications sales manager Nate Klenke.
Duncan Aviation lead designer Rachael Weverka incorporated stylized design elements using the existing panels and structure to help meet the client’s “conservative” budget. A client representative was on site at Duncan’s facility in Lincoln, Neb. throughout the three-month project, attending daily team meetings and having access to every Duncan Aviation employee who touched the aircraft. “We like to partner with our clients on these complex projects and be transparent throughout the entire process,” said Klenke.
Duncan Aviation lead designer Rachael Weverka incorporated stylized design elements using the existing panels and structure to help meet the client’s “conservative” budget. A client representative was on site at Duncan’s facility in Lincoln, Neb. throughout the three-month project, attending daily team meetings and having access to every Duncan Aviation employee who touched the aircraft. “We like to partner with our clients on these complex projects and be transparent throughout the entire process,” said Klenke.
(James Wynbrandt - AINOnline News)
The little airport that's getting crushed by Trump
For most people who live in Palm Beach County, Florida, the stringent security that protects President Trump during his visits to Mar-a-Lago is a manageable inconvenience.
They brace for heavier traffic. They review detour routes. They leave early to make dinner reservations.
But one corner of the county takes Trump's frequent weekend trips far harder than the rest.
At Lantana Airport, a Trump visit isn't just a minor pain. It's a potentially budget-breaking event.
"When he's here, we can't fly," said Marian Smith, the owner of Palm Beach Flight Training, which operates at the airport. "We're totally grounded. We can't even use our offices here."
Lantana Airport is about six miles southwest of Trump's private club on the island of Palm Beach. That is within the 10-mile zone that is subject to the strictest flight rules imposed by the federal government when the president is in town.
According to protocol, no flight training of any kind is allowed at the airport while the president is in town. The rules also ban helicopter tours, airplane rentals and other charter flights.
Trump himself lands in Air Force One at nearby Palm Beach International Airport, which is far bigger and can absorb a presidential visit without much disruption.
But tiny Lantana essentially becomes a ghost town.
Mounting losses
The two dozen companies that operate at Lantana Airport have lost more than $720,000 since Trump began taking weekend visits while in office, according to data compiled by Representative Lois Frankel, a Democrat who represents the Palm Beach area.
Flight schools like Smith's have lost at least $70,000 in total revenue, according to Frankel. Sightseeing businesses are out $30,000.
The regulations are also hitting aircraft maintenance and fuel supply shops like Stellar Aviation, which Frankel said lost a $440,000 contract when a helicopter company moved to another airport that isn't affected by the restrictions. Jonathan Miller, the CEO of Stellar Aviation, did not respond to requests for comment from CNNMoney.
Cathy Milhoan, a spokeswoman for the Secret Service, said the agency has met frequently with Palm Beach County business owners and government officials since the election.
"We've tried to be as accommodating as we possibly can while still maintaining our security protocols," Milhoan said. But she added that "there's no plans right now to adjust what's in place."
A "big imposition"
Palm Beach County Mayor Paulette Burdick said the county doesn't blame the Secret Service for doing its job. But she said the frequency of Trump's visits has been a concern.
"I anticipated that the president would come down to the Palm Beaches, where he has a winter residence," she said. "I did not expect that he would be down here nearly every weekend since his presidency."
Trump's Thursday trip to Mar-a-Lago with Chinese President Xi Jinping will be his sixth visit to Palm Beach since he took office in January. His past visits have all come on weekends in the middle of what officials say is their peak tourism season.
"It's a big imposition," said Smith, the owner of the flight training shop. She said she canceled 63 flights on President's Day weekend when Trump visited Palm Beach. She has invested in another office in Fort Lauderdale to accommodate some clients.
That decision brought its own challenges. The Fort Lauderdale office, which is a 40-minute drive south of Palm Beach County, costs an extra $1,000 per month, Smith said. She estimates she's lost more than $60,000 in revenue -- a sizable chunk of the $2 million she takes in every year.
The other problem, Smith said, is the short notice the airport receives. She said she generally finds out about Trump's visits only a couple of days before he comes down.
"We have no idea when he's coming here," she said. "We have no idea how much it's going to affect us."
Creating workarounds
Lantana Airport can still allow some aircraft, like private planes, to land on its field when the presidential restrictions are in effect.
But there are cumbersome rules: Those planes have to land first at another airport that has TSA agents and can carry out inspections. And a private jet can't take off from Lantana until the president leaves town.
Mike Simmons, a county airports official, said the county has even looked at installing a temporary control tower at Lantana in hopes of getting the government to relax its restrictions. Those plans haven't gone anywhere.
So the little airport is finding workarounds. Dan Crowe, the president of a helicopter flight training and charter service at the airport, said his flight training business has to continue because of contract obligations.
So when he finds out about a Trump visit, Crowe rents a van and hauling equipment to take his planes and customers about an hour west, to an airport that falls outside the restricted zone. Each trip costs him an extra $2,000.
But he can't reschedule other activities, like his charter flights. If a couple is coming to Palm Beach to get married and wants to schedule a scenic tour of the area, Crowe said they're well aware that the trip could be a gamble.
"They're not going to change the date they are getting married," Crowe said. "We always make them aware of this possibility, and again, sometimes we could be losing business because of it, because they may decide, well, 'I'm not even going to take that chance.'"
Qantas fires first shot in battle for Australia's domestic market
Qantas has flicked the switch on its domestic in-flight Wi-Fi offering — the latest innovation aimed at snaring more of Australia's competitive domestic market.
Over the next 18 months the nation's flag carrier will roll out Wi-Fi on its entire domestic fleet, enabling downloads once the aircraft door has closed.
Speaking with CNBC at a media launch for the Wi-Fi offering, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said intense competition in the domestic market has prompted new initiatives.
"We always want to stay ahead... offering Wi-Fi for free enhances our advantage over the competition. If you're ahead, stay ahead," Joyce said.
Qantas is planning on large usage by customers once the service is rolled out on the network.
"We think 50 to 60 percent of passengers will use the service because it's going to be free," Joyce explained.
Qantas unsuccessfully trialed a Wi-Fi offering on some of its international fleet, but pulled the trial after a lukewarm response and unreliable service.
The airline isn't planning on such issues on the roll out across its domestic network.
"This is the first time we're able to offer a very high speed service and consistent product across Australia because the national broadband network have launched two satellites that cover the entire continent," Joyce told CNBC.
Domestic rival Virgin Australia will launch a similar Wi-Fi offering toward the middle of 2017 as on-board technology offerings firm up as the next battleground in the Australian domestic market.
Over the next 18 months the nation's flag carrier will roll out Wi-Fi on its entire domestic fleet, enabling downloads once the aircraft door has closed.
Speaking with CNBC at a media launch for the Wi-Fi offering, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said intense competition in the domestic market has prompted new initiatives.
"We always want to stay ahead... offering Wi-Fi for free enhances our advantage over the competition. If you're ahead, stay ahead," Joyce said.
Qantas is planning on large usage by customers once the service is rolled out on the network.
"We think 50 to 60 percent of passengers will use the service because it's going to be free," Joyce explained.
Qantas unsuccessfully trialed a Wi-Fi offering on some of its international fleet, but pulled the trial after a lukewarm response and unreliable service.
The airline isn't planning on such issues on the roll out across its domestic network.
"This is the first time we're able to offer a very high speed service and consistent product across Australia because the national broadband network have launched two satellites that cover the entire continent," Joyce told CNBC.
Domestic rival Virgin Australia will launch a similar Wi-Fi offering toward the middle of 2017 as on-board technology offerings firm up as the next battleground in the Australian domestic market.
(Matthew Taylor - CNBC Asia Pacific)
Boeing Introduces Self-Cleaning Airplane Lavatories
(Boeing)
In the future, you might not have to desperately avoid using the germ-filled airplane bathrooms on long-haul flights. Boeing has built a prototype of a self-cleaning lavatory that disinfects after every use-which, paired with hands-free features, would make using the restroom in-flight will be considerably less gross.
Far ultraviolet light is the key to this Clean Lavatory concept. Boeing explains in a press release that its UV lights are positioned throughout the restroom and will kill 99.99% of bacteria and pathogens on all surfaces within a mere three seconds.
“The UV light destroys all known microbes by literally making them explode,” Boeing Research & Technology engineer Jamie Childress said in a statement.
While Boeing says this particular type of light isn’t harmful to humans, the cleaning system is designed only to turn on when the bathroom door is closed and unoccupied. It is also rigged to automatically lift the toilet seat during cleaning so that this, too, can be germ-free in three seconds flat.
That kind of automation can be found throughout the rest of this self-cleaning bathroom prototype, too. Boeing’s bathroom uses features like hands-free soap dispensers, trash bins, hand dryers, and that automatically lifting toilet seat and lid. The faucet is also hands-free, as well as outfitted with another UV light to ensure the purity of the water you might use to brush your teeth or wash your face. Boeing says its engineers are also researching a hands-free door latch and a vacuum-vent system.
Though some of these hands-free features are already implemented on aircraft, it’s going to be a while before the self-cleaning lavatory makes it into the air. A Boeing spokesman tells Travel + Leisure that there’s no timeline for putting this design on aircraft since the company has only just finished the prototype. But, he said, “We are moving forward with the design and development of the concept.” The Clean Lavatory is also one of the top three finalists for a Crystal Cabin Award, an international aircraft design innovation award whose winners were announced on April 5.
Far ultraviolet light is the key to this Clean Lavatory concept. Boeing explains in a press release that its UV lights are positioned throughout the restroom and will kill 99.99% of bacteria and pathogens on all surfaces within a mere three seconds.
“The UV light destroys all known microbes by literally making them explode,” Boeing Research & Technology engineer Jamie Childress said in a statement.
While Boeing says this particular type of light isn’t harmful to humans, the cleaning system is designed only to turn on when the bathroom door is closed and unoccupied. It is also rigged to automatically lift the toilet seat during cleaning so that this, too, can be germ-free in three seconds flat.
That kind of automation can be found throughout the rest of this self-cleaning bathroom prototype, too. Boeing’s bathroom uses features like hands-free soap dispensers, trash bins, hand dryers, and that automatically lifting toilet seat and lid. The faucet is also hands-free, as well as outfitted with another UV light to ensure the purity of the water you might use to brush your teeth or wash your face. Boeing says its engineers are also researching a hands-free door latch and a vacuum-vent system.
Though some of these hands-free features are already implemented on aircraft, it’s going to be a while before the self-cleaning lavatory makes it into the air. A Boeing spokesman tells Travel + Leisure that there’s no timeline for putting this design on aircraft since the company has only just finished the prototype. But, he said, “We are moving forward with the design and development of the concept.” The Clean Lavatory is also one of the top three finalists for a Crystal Cabin Award, an international aircraft design innovation award whose winners were announced on April 5.
(Amy McKeever - Travel+Leisure)
Boeing 737, which ‘took the aviation world by storm,’ marks 50 years of flight
The first flight of the Boeing 737-100 occurred April 9, 1967. With pilots Brien Wygle and Lew Wallick at the controls, the airplane took off from Boeing Field in Seattle and flew for 2-1/2 hours before landing at Paine Field in Everett, Wash. The 737 was designed as a logical short-range airplane to complement larger 707 and 727 jetliners. The first 737-100 was delivered to Lufthansa Dec. 28, 1967, and began commercial revenue service on Feb. 10 of the following year.
(Boeing)
(Boeing)
On Sunday April 9, the Boeing 737 celebrates the 50th anniversary of its first flight, and Seattle’s Museum of Flight is hosting a birthday bash.
The first flight of Boeing’s original 737 took place 50 years ago on Sunday, and Seattle’s Museum of Flight will mark the anniversary with a celebration that’s open to the public for the price of admission.
The occasion comes just weeks before the first delivery of the newest version of that jet, the Boeing 737 MAX.
Brien Wygle, the pilot who commanded that first flight on April 9, 1967, and who two years later was co-pilot on the first flight of the 747 jumbo jet, will participate in a panel discussion at noon in the museum theater.
“Fifty years ago we had no idea,” Wygle, 92, said in an interview this week. “We were hoping to eventually sell enough to break even.”
As it turned out, the longevity and success of the 737 proved astounding. Boeing as of last month had delivered 9,448 of the single-aisle twinjets, with 4,506 more still on order.
And with the delivery of the first MAX coming soon, Boeing plans to ramp up production in Renton later this year to 47 jets per month and up to 52 per month next year.
“The 737 took the aviation world by storm and has been improved steadily since,” Wygle said. “It obviously filled an incredible need.”
A new 737 MAX will be on display in the museum parking lot Sunday, with a demonstration flight tentatively scheduled for 1:15 p.m. — the exact time the prototype 737 first took off.
And the original from 50 years ago will also be there for its birthday bash.
That plane was used as a Boeing test aircraft until 1973, then sold to NASA for use as a flying research laboratory.
NASA donated the plane to the Museum of Flight in 1997, and during six years in storage at Moses Lake it was lovingly restored by a team led by former 737 engineer Bob Bogash.
Bogash likes to say he’s been involved with the 737 “from womb to tomb.”
He worked as an engineer building the first airplane, then on the flight tests and later as a field rep for 10 years, traveling the world and helping airlines introduce the airplane. And he was on board its final flight in September 2003 for the hop to Boeing Field and its final resting place at the museum.
He said the 737 changed aviation, bringing jet transport to tiny airports all over the world.
“Small airlines flew it to remote places,” Bogash said. “We flew off unpaved runways in the Canadian North. Many of those airlines had never had a new airplane before and never had a jet airplane.”
The 737 also transformed the economics of domestic flying in the U.S.
Its swift turnaround times, fuel efficiency and ability to operate from small airports produced the concept of low-fare carriers and brought air travel to the masses.
Today, Southwest Airlines flies a fleet of more than 700 of the jets.
On Sunday, a reception from 2-4 p.m. will be in the museum’s Aviation Pavilion, next to the restored 737 No. 1, which still sports its NASA livery.
(Dominic Gates - The Seattle Times)
Gulfstream (IAI) 1125A Astra SPX (c/n 94) N500MA
Operated by Andretti Autosport Aviation Inc., Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI) (Gulfstream) 1125A Astra SPX arrives at long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) on April 5, 2017.
(Photos by Michael Carter)
A Jumbo Jet of Your Very Own
JET SET - Clockwise from left: Emirates A380-800, $58; JetBlue Embraer 190, $54; United 787-9, $44; Pan American DC-8-33, $44; British Airways A380, $11. airplaneshop.com
(Photo: F. Martin Ramin - The Wall Street Journal)
Refrigerator magnets are for amateurs. For many seasoned travelers, the collectibles of choice are scaled-down versions of the planes they’ve flown. Here’s how to build your own miniature fleet
United Airlines may be retiring its aging Boeing 747s, but the iconic jet is not entirely obsolete. The carrier will sell you a sleek new die-cast model of the jumbo jet for $55 at one of its airport stores in Newark, N.J., or Houston.
Model planes have grown with the industry they celebrate and promote, starting with the first pull toys made to (bumpily) honor Lindbergh’s 1927 solo flight to Paris. New Jersey-based Daron Worldwide Trading Inc., a leading purveyor of aircraft collectibles, stocks some 8,000 models (representing about 100 airlines), from the workaday American Airlines 737 to the less-predictable Uzbekistan Airways Tupolev Tu-154.
Made of metal, hard plastic or resin, the geeky gewgaws conform to precise scale measurements, with paint jobs that mirror the real thing. “The road warriors tend to buy what they fly,” said Eugene McKeown, Daron’s vice president of sales, who noted that most collectors either work in the industry or are frequent fliers. The hottest sellers? Widebody jetliners like the Dreamliner (Boeing’s 787) and Airbus ’s superjumbo, A380, whose mini versions can cost up to $400, more than the price of some airline tickets.
Thriftier aviation buffs can find a fleet of options for under $60 on Daron’s airplaneshop.com, which leaves plenty of cash for an actual flight.
(Barbara S. Peterson - The Wall Street Journal)
Friday, April 7, 2017
787-10 flies to Seattle for start of yearlong flight testing
The first Boeing 787-10 Dreamlinerflew from South Carolina to Boeing Field on Thursday to begin flight testing.
The first of Boeing’s latest new jet, the 787-10 Dreamliner, arrived at Seattle’s Boeing Field shortly after 3:00 p.m. Thursday to begin an extended testing period.
The plane, built at Boeing’s North Charleston assembly plant, was rolled out in February with President Donald Trump attending the ceremony. It made its roughly five-hour first flight on March 31.
With Boeing’s flight test pilots, mechanics and engineers based here, the flight test program, which is projected to last about a year, will be centered at Boeing Field.
Unlike the two earlier versions of the 787, which are assembled in Everett as well, the 787-10 is built only in South Carolina.
Its mid-fuselage section, assembled in North Charleston, is too long to fit into the specialized Dreamlifter cargo plane used to ferry 787 sections to Everett.
At 224 feet from nose to tail, the 787-10 is 18 feet longer than the 787-9 and carries 330 passengers in a two-class configuration, 40 more than the -9 version.
Boeing’s 787-10 Dreamliner took its first flight March 31 over South Carolina.
(John D. Parker: Courtesy of Boeing)
(John D. Parker: Courtesy of Boeing)
The first of Boeing’s latest new jet, the 787-10 Dreamliner, arrived at Seattle’s Boeing Field shortly after 3:00 p.m. Thursday to begin an extended testing period.
The plane, built at Boeing’s North Charleston assembly plant, was rolled out in February with President Donald Trump attending the ceremony. It made its roughly five-hour first flight on March 31.
With Boeing’s flight test pilots, mechanics and engineers based here, the flight test program, which is projected to last about a year, will be centered at Boeing Field.
Unlike the two earlier versions of the 787, which are assembled in Everett as well, the 787-10 is built only in South Carolina.
Its mid-fuselage section, assembled in North Charleston, is too long to fit into the specialized Dreamlifter cargo plane used to ferry 787 sections to Everett.
At 224 feet from nose to tail, the 787-10 is 18 feet longer than the 787-9 and carries 330 passengers in a two-class configuration, 40 more than the -9 version.
(Dominic Gates - The Seattle Times)
Gulfstream G200 (IAI 1126 Galaxy) (c/n 14) N20BD
Operated by Lobo Aviation 2 LLC, this lovely example of a G200 is captured on short final to Rwy 30 at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) on April 6, 2017.
(Photo by Michael Carter)
Boeing offers 737 lie-flat seats
Boeing has revealed that it is already offering lie-flat business seats for the 737 in a move that is attracting a lot of airline interest.
“We are offering lie-flat seats on the 737 now. We know how to certify them and are looking for a customer,” Boeing Commercial Airplanes director-differentiation strategy Blake Emery told a small media gathering at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg.
He added that forward-facing seats work better in terms of layout.
“We are hearing quite a bit of interest from multiple airlines,” Emery said.
“We are offering lie-flat seats on the 737 now. We know how to certify them and are looking for a customer,” Boeing Commercial Airplanes director-differentiation strategy Blake Emery told a small media gathering at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg.
He added that forward-facing seats work better in terms of layout.
“We are hearing quite a bit of interest from multiple airlines,” Emery said.
(Victoria Moores - ATWOnline News)
First Boeing 737 MAX flight simulator is FAA certified
FAA has certified the first-ever Boeing 737 MAX full-flight simulator (FFS), located at Boeing’s Miami training center.
The FSS, made by TRU Simulation & Training, was certified to FAA Level C standard. Pilots can start training on an interim level C simulator. The qualification level will be upgraded to the level D standard once all final aircraft data is available, a TRU spokesperson told ATW.
TRU has also delivered the first of several Boeing 737 MAX FFSs and a fixed flat panel training classroom to Boeing’s Miami training center. The delivery is part of a 10-year exclusive agreement between Boeing and TRU signed in 2014 to provide multiple 737 MAX flight-training suites to Boeing’s training campuses worldwide. Training on the devices will begin this year. Additional 737 MAX FFSs will be deployed at Boeing training centers in Shanghai, Singapore and at London-Gatwick, in the UK.
The MAX narrow-body is scheduled to begin service with Dallas-based Southwest Airlines in mid-2017.
In March, Boeing placed an order with TRU for two 777-9 FFS devices, as part of a 10-year agreement between the companies announced in April 2016 for multiple 777X FFS devices and flat-panel classroom trainers. The first 777X training suite is expected to be ready for training in 2019-2020, ahead of the aircraft’s entry into service, planned for 2020.
The FSS, made by TRU Simulation & Training, was certified to FAA Level C standard. Pilots can start training on an interim level C simulator. The qualification level will be upgraded to the level D standard once all final aircraft data is available, a TRU spokesperson told ATW.
TRU has also delivered the first of several Boeing 737 MAX FFSs and a fixed flat panel training classroom to Boeing’s Miami training center. The delivery is part of a 10-year exclusive agreement between Boeing and TRU signed in 2014 to provide multiple 737 MAX flight-training suites to Boeing’s training campuses worldwide. Training on the devices will begin this year. Additional 737 MAX FFSs will be deployed at Boeing training centers in Shanghai, Singapore and at London-Gatwick, in the UK.
The MAX narrow-body is scheduled to begin service with Dallas-based Southwest Airlines in mid-2017.
In March, Boeing placed an order with TRU for two 777-9 FFS devices, as part of a 10-year agreement between the companies announced in April 2016 for multiple 777X FFS devices and flat-panel classroom trainers. The first 777X training suite is expected to be ready for training in 2019-2020, ahead of the aircraft’s entry into service, planned for 2020.
(Mark Nensel - ATWOnline News)
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Gulfstream G650 (c/n 6143) N988DJ
This gorgeous Gulfy arrives at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) this afternoon April 6, 2017 from Amarillo International Airport (AMA/KAMA). She was originally delivered to a German customer as D-ADSK.
(Photos by Michael Carter)
Gulfstream G-IVSP (c/n 1377) N316VB
Operated by the Living World Christian Center, this ex Netjets (N477QS) Gulfy smokes the mains on Rwy 30 at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) following a short flight from Riverside Municipal Airport (RAL/KRAL) Riverside, California this afternoon, April 6, 2017.
(Photos by Michael Carter)
Gulfstream G650 (c/n 6266) N606GA
Smokes the mains on Rwy 30 at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) as she arrives from Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport (SAV/KSAV) as "GLF35" this morning, April 6, 2017.
(Photo by Michael Carter)
Gulfstream G650 (c/n 6243) N643GA tbr N919PE
Departs on then returns from a very short pre-delivery test sortie on Wednesday April 5, 2017 at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB).
(Photos by Michael Carter)
Japan's ANA to lease four Boeing 737-800s as MRJ delays continue
Japan's ANA, will lease four Boeing 737-800 aircraft while it awaits delayed deliveries of the country's first commercial aircraft in 50 years, the 90-seat Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), a senior executive told Reuters.
"We have shortages because of the delayed delivery of the MRJ," said Yuji Hirako, who took up the role of president and chief executive of ANA's airline subsidiary, All Nippon Airways Co, on April 1.
ANA, Japan's largest airline, had no plans to cancel its order for 25 of the Japanese-designed jetliners, he added.
The aircraft will be leased from Singapore-based BOC Aviation Limited and Dublin-based SMBC Aviation Capital, a representative said.
The MRJ, which is being built by a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, was delayed for two more years in January to redesign its wiring, with first delivery now set for 2020. The latest holdup is the fifth since development began ten years ago.
To tackle the delays, ANA previously said it would push back the retirement of older Boeing 737-500 aircraft and buy three DHC-8-Q400 aircraft from MRJ rival Bombardier . Each of the 737-800s can seat up to twice as many passengers as an MRJ.
"We have shortages because of the delayed delivery of the MRJ," said Yuji Hirako, who took up the role of president and chief executive of ANA's airline subsidiary, All Nippon Airways Co, on April 1.
ANA, Japan's largest airline, had no plans to cancel its order for 25 of the Japanese-designed jetliners, he added.
The aircraft will be leased from Singapore-based BOC Aviation Limited and Dublin-based SMBC Aviation Capital, a representative said.
The MRJ, which is being built by a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, was delayed for two more years in January to redesign its wiring, with first delivery now set for 2020. The latest holdup is the fifth since development began ten years ago.
To tackle the delays, ANA previously said it would push back the retirement of older Boeing 737-500 aircraft and buy three DHC-8-Q400 aircraft from MRJ rival Bombardier . Each of the 737-800s can seat up to twice as many passengers as an MRJ.
(Sam Nussey, Makiko Shiraki, and Tim Kelly - Reuters)
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Alaska Will Keep Gates at Dallas Airport Dominated by Southwest
Alaska Air Group Inc. will keep flying from two gates it recently acquired at the secondary Dallas airport, retaining a foothold in a hub dominated by discount powerhouse Southwest Airlines Co.
Virgin America, which Alaska bought last year, offers nonstop flights to five cities from Dallas Love Field, which is popular with business travelers because of its proximity to downtown. Alaska already serves Portland and Seattle from the larger Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, a hub dominated by American Airlines Group Inc.
“We’re keeping both for sure. We love Love Field,” Ben Minicucci, Alaska’s president and Virgin America’s chief executive officer, said in an interview Wednesday.
By retaining a presence at Love Field, Alaska will offer service from two airports in an area that was an epicenter of a 2015 fare war triggered when American took on Southwest and Spirit Airlines Inc. Pricing power for U.S. carriers has yet to recover fully from the scuffle, which eventually spread to most of the domestic industry as growth in seats and flights exceeded travel demand.
Virgin America’s current nonstop routes from Dallas to New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington may change, Minicucci said. Alaska plans to drop the Virgin America brand in 2019.
The fate of the Love Field gates had been the focus of speculation because Virgin America’s flights there, competing against Southwest, were never strong profit generators. Virgin America acquired the gates when American was forced to give them up to merge with US Airways in 2013.
Southwest began a broad expansion from Love Field in 2014, which also pushed fares lower there. Delta Air Lines Inc. operates five daily flights to Atlanta from Love Field and is embroiled in a legal fight with Southwest over continued access to gates at the facility.
Virgin America, which Alaska bought last year, offers nonstop flights to five cities from Dallas Love Field, which is popular with business travelers because of its proximity to downtown. Alaska already serves Portland and Seattle from the larger Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, a hub dominated by American Airlines Group Inc.
“We’re keeping both for sure. We love Love Field,” Ben Minicucci, Alaska’s president and Virgin America’s chief executive officer, said in an interview Wednesday.
By retaining a presence at Love Field, Alaska will offer service from two airports in an area that was an epicenter of a 2015 fare war triggered when American took on Southwest and Spirit Airlines Inc. Pricing power for U.S. carriers has yet to recover fully from the scuffle, which eventually spread to most of the domestic industry as growth in seats and flights exceeded travel demand.
Virgin America’s current nonstop routes from Dallas to New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington may change, Minicucci said. Alaska plans to drop the Virgin America brand in 2019.
The fate of the Love Field gates had been the focus of speculation because Virgin America’s flights there, competing against Southwest, were never strong profit generators. Virgin America acquired the gates when American was forced to give them up to merge with US Airways in 2013.
Southwest began a broad expansion from Love Field in 2014, which also pushed fares lower there. Delta Air Lines Inc. operates five daily flights to Atlanta from Love Field and is embroiled in a legal fight with Southwest over continued access to gates at the facility.
(Justin Bachman - Bloomberg News)
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