USAir McDonnell Douglas MD-81 (48036/963) N802US

Originally delivered to Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) as N926PS on March 9, 1981 the aircraft is seen at San Diego International - Lindbergh Field (SAN/KSAN) on November 6, 1988. Sadly the aircraft has since been broken-up.

(Michael Carter Slide Collection)

United Airlines Boeing 727-222(ADV) (21917/1616) N7463U

Delivered factory fresh to United Airlines on May 12, 1980, this lovely aircraft is captured on short final to Rwy 27 at San Diego International - Lindbergh Field (SAN/KSAN) in August 1998.

(Michael Carter Slide Collection)

Boeing wins $4B contract to build 78 new Super Hornets

The Boeing Co. has been awarded a $4 billion modification contract by the Department of Defense to produce 78 F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets for the U.S. Navy.

The contract stipulates the production and delivery of 78 F/A-18 aircraft, specifically 61 F/A-18E and 17 F/A-18F aircraft for fiscal years 2018 through 2021, according to the Department of Defense.

Boeing's Hazelwood plant will get 9 percent of the contract work. The company's El Segundo, California, plant will get 61 percent of the work with a variety of other operations filling out the rest.

(Vince Brennan - St. Louis Business Journal)

Korean Air unveils 50th anniversary livery

(Korean Air)

Korean Air 50 anniversary special aircraft livery

Korean Air will be operating ten aircraft with special liveries to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.

The aircraft will display a special emblem saying “50 years” with a plane flying over it (see photo). The number “0” is designed in a taegeuk style, resembling the iconic red and white circle of the South Korean flag.

The aircraft to display the livery will be two Airbus A380-800s, two A220-300s, two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, two 777-300ERs and two 737-8 Maxs.

A 777-300ER flying the airline’s Seoul Incheon to San Francisco route was the first plane with the special livery to take off, on 14 February. The other aircraft with this special livery will join both the domestic and international routes of Korean Air from 1 March. The emblem and slogan, designed and selected by the employees of the carrier, will remain on the side of the ten aircraft until the end of 2019.

Korean Air was established in 1969 and has flights to 124 destinations in 44 countries. The airline has a total fleet of 174 aircraft and carried 26 million passengers in 2017.

 

(Korean Air)

British Airways to Expand Fleet with New Boeing 777X Aircraft

International Airlines Group (IAG) has placed an order for brand new Boeing 777X aircraft, to be more precise, for 18 Boeing 777-9 aircraft, plus 24 options, for British Airways.

According to the statement, new aircraft will replace 14 Boeing 747-400 and four Boeing 777-200 planes in a period of 2022-2025.

“The new B777-9 is the world’s most fuel efficient longhaul aircraft and will bring many benefits to British Airways’ fleet. It’s the ideal replacement for the Boeing 747 and its size and range will be an excellent fit for the airline’s existing network”, said Willie Walsh, IAG chief executive.

British Airways has 135 wide-bodied longhaul aircraft in its fleet (12 A380s, 30 B787s, 12 B777-300ERs, 46 B777-200s and 35 B747s) with 12 more B787s, four B777-300ERs and 18 A350s on order.

(Karolina Prokopovič - Aviation Voice)

jetBlue Airbus A320-323(WL) (c/n 5349) N809JB

Arrives at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) sporting the special "jetBlue For Good" livery this afternoon with extreme dark & threatening skies in the distance.

 
(Photos by Michael Carter)

US legislators introduce bill to mandate secondary cockpit barriers

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers have introduced a bill that would require all commercial aircraft operating in the US be retrofitted with secondary cockpit barriers to prevent terrorist attacks similar to 9/11.

If it becomes law, the Saracini Enhanced Aviation Safety Act would mandate the installation of lightweight wire-mesh gates between the passenger cabin and cockpit door, which would block access to the flight deck whenever the cockpit door is opened during flight.

The bill was named in honor of Capt. Victor Saracini, who was killed when the plane he was flying—a United Airlines Boeing 767—was hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center on 9/11. His widow has since become a national advocate for aviation safety.

“It is unacceptable that, more than 17 years after terrorists breached the cockpit of my husband’s airplane on Sept. 11, 2001, our skies are still susceptible to repeat this act of terrorism,” Ellen Saracini said “It is my mission to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect the flight deck aboard our nation’s airliners because, without secondary barriers, we are just as vulnerable today as we were on that fateful day.”

Since 2001, FAA has issued a series of rules to protect flight decks from intrusion and small arms fire, resulting in the installation of reinforced flight deck doors on all commercial carriers operating flying to and from the US. While these doors provide protection when they are closed and locked, the FAA has long recognized that the flight deck is vulnerable when the crew members open the door to access lavatories, transfer meals or switch positions for crew rest purposes.

Last year, Congress attached an amendment onto the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 that required all new manufactured aircraft to install a secondary barrier protecting the cockpit. The Saracini Aviation Safety Act would extend that rule to all existing aircraft, ensuring current fleets are held to the same standards as newly manufactured planes.

“I was proud to cosponsor bipartisan legislation last Congress requiring secondary barriers on new commercial aircraft to help stop terrorists on airplanes,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-New Jersey) said. “Now that it’s law, we need to go a step further to protect our country by requiring all commercial aircraft to have secondary cockpit barriers. We must do everything we can to prevent all terror attacks on our country, and that includes in our skies.”

(Ben Goldstein - ATWOnline News)

Polar Air Cargo Boeing 747-47UF (32838/1307) N416MC

 

Originally delivered to Atlas Air on July 16, 2002, this lovely aircraft is now operated by Polar Air Cargo and is captured on short final to Rwy 25L at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX/KLAX) on December 15, 2018.

(Photos by Michael Carter)

Air China Cargo Boeing 777-FFT (44678/1158) B-2095 / Delivered 12/17/2013

Arrives at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX/KLAX) on December 29, 2018.

(Photo by Michael Carter)

American Airlines Boeing 737-8Max (44446/6652) N308RD / Delivered 12/22/2017

Departs from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX/KLAX) on a simply gorgeous SoCal morning, February 8, 2019.

(Photo by Michael Carter)

Air Canada Boeing 737-8Max (61222/6940) C-FSNQ / Delivered 6/8/2018

Climbs from Rwy 25R at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX/KLAX) on February 8, 2019.

(Photo by Michael Carter)

United Airlines Boeing 737-9Max (43437/7173) N37507 / Delivered 9/30/2018

Captured on short final to Rwy 25L at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX/KLAX) on February 8, 2019.

(Photo by Michael Carter)

Lufthansa Cargo McDonnell Douglas MD-11F (48782/626) D-ALCB

Captured on short final to Rwy 25L at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX/KLAX) sporting the carriers new livery on a gorgeous SoCal afternoon.

(Photos by Michael Carter)

Boeing Cracks $100 Billion in Sales for the First Time in Its 102-Year History

Boeing surged after reporting a record cash gush for 2018 and cracking the $100 billion sales barrier for the first time in its 102-year history—and the U.S. planemaker says the best is yet to come.

Sales, earnings and cash are all poised to rise this year, building on fourth-quarter earnings that beat estimates, the company said in a statement Wednesday. The lone blemish: Free cash flow of $2.45 billion in the last three months of 2018 missed the $2.52 billion average of analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

The upbeat forecast shows that Boeing still sees room for improvement as it works to overcome factory stumbles in its jetliner business and speed output of its cash-cow 737 planes. Boeing and Airbus, its European rival, are riding high on a historic sales boom rooted in low interest rates and a growing middle class, particularly in Asia.

“There’s a very strong guide and no hint that there’s anything that could derail this,” said Ken Herbert, an analyst with Canaccord Genuity.

The shares jumped 6.2% to $387.40 ahead of regular trading in New York. Through Tuesday’s close, Boeing had risen 13% this year, the third-best performance on the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
 
Exceeding Estimates

Revenue will climb to a range of $109.5 billion to $111.5 billion this year, up from $101.1 billion in 2018, the company predicted. Operating cash flow will be as much as $17.5 billion, about $2 billion more than last year.

Adjusted earnings will be $19.90 to $20.10 a share, Boeing said. That compared with the $18.44 average of analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

All of Boeing’s main businesses posted double-digit sales increases in the fourth quarter, and the company expects the momentum to continue into 2019 as it emphasizes cross-selling initiatives. While the shares have gyrated in response to trade tensions between the U.S. and China, Boeing is still seen as a safe haven for its $490 billion backlog of unfilled orders.

The Chicago-based manufacturer sold more commercial jets than it made in 2018, tallying 893 orders with a value of $143.7 billion. Repeating that performance this year will be tougher as the company targets delivering a record 895 to 905 commercial aircraft while navigating a global economy fraught with geopolitical risk.
 
Downturn ‘Risk’

Still, some analysts are monitoring a recent spate of airline bankruptcies and sputtering economic growth in China for inklings of the next slump.

“The big risk is that we go into a downturn,” George Ferguson, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, said in an interview prior to the earnings release.

Boeing has also been contending with parts shortages and costly out-of-sequence work in its jetliner factories. The company delivered 806 aircraft last year, falling shy of its target for 810 to 815, despite working deep into the year-end holidays to overcome engines and other shortages.

This year, Boeing is looking to increase output of its 737 jetliners by almost 10% while boosting production of the 787 Dreamliner. Deferred production costs for the Dreamliner program fell $584 million to $23 billion in the fourth quarter, reflecting improved per-plane profit as Boeing improved efficiency with which its carbon-fiber jets are built.
 
Max Production

Bringing suppliers along for the ride to stepped-up production will be challenging, particularly as engine makers cope with parts shortages of their own. But there were signs of progress in the late push to get back on schedule. Boeing delivered 51 of its upgraded 737 Max jetliners in December and 111 of the jets in the fourth quarter.

That’s crucial to “shore up confidence that the Max production system is making progress” ahead of 2019, when the redesigned aircraft family will account for nearly all of the 737 models that the planemaker builds, said Seth Seifman, an analyst at J.P. Morgan Chase.

(Bloomberg)

Boeing ramps up its sales efforts behind the new 777X jet

After winning 51 orders for older 777 wide body jets in 2018, Boeing sales teams are now focused on persuading more airlines to buy the new 777X passenger airplane in 2019.

"We do see a high wave of replacement demand (for worn, older 777s) early in the next decade, but that means those sales campaigns are underway now," Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said Wednesday.

Muilenburg revealed the sales shift — planned and part of 777X program — during a call with analysts after Boeing released record fourth-quarter and full 2018 financial results.

Boeing so far has 326 orders for the 777X, which is so big it will have folding wingtips. Its last order came in June 2017.

Muilenberg said Boeing's two-pronged sales efforts to win 777X orders comes as the company also attempts to secure more orders for the classic 777 model, a strategy aimed at "building a bridge" between the old and new manufacturing programs.

The 51 777 classic orders Boeing won in 2018 strengthened the bridge between older and new models, he said. Both jets are made at Boeing Everett.

"We still have have some work to do to fill out that bridge," Muilenberg said. "Our confidence continues to grow in our ability to do that."

Boeing CFO Greg Smith also shared an update about the 777X program, which remains in the development and testing stage.

The company is building 777X test aircraft, including one for a first flight this year. The jets must pass all tests before U.S. aviation safety regulators certify the airplane as safe for passengers. Airlines are scheduled to get the new jet starting in 2020.

"Things are going well out there (Everett) today," Smith said from his office at Boeing's Chicago headquarters. "We've got very good early signs that the aircraft is moving into the production system smoothly and any challenges we have, we're working through and we know what they are. But so far so good."

Boeing will build five 777s a month in 2020, a combination of 777Xs and 777 classics. It builds 3.5 a month now.

(Andrew McIntosh - Puget Sound Business Journal) 

Southwest Airlines extends schedule, adds new seasonal routes

Southwest Airlines announced the addition of two weekend-only seasonal routes to its schedule. It also confirmed the return of seven seasonal routes that will resume in August.

The new nonstop options will connect the Texas airports of Dallas Love Field and Corpus Christi as well as Richmond, Virginia, and Tampa, Florida.

The new services were announced Thursday as Southwest extended its booking schedule through Oct. 1.

The low-cost carrier frequently reveals new or dropped routes during its regular schedule updates. But the update revealed Thursday was uncharacteristically quiet. No routes were discontinued, though some seasonal routes are ending and are expected to resume next year.

As for the additions, none featured daily or year-round schedules.

The Dallas-Corpus Christi route will begin Aug. 10. Southwest will offer one daily round-trip flight between the cities each Saturday. Southwest last flew the route nonstop in 1986, according to spokesman Dan Landson. The Tampa-Richmond flights will start the same date and will operate on both Saturdays and Sundays. Both routes will be seasonal, continuing into Southwest’s winter schedule.

Southwest also confirmed the return of seven seasonal, Saturday-only routes. All of the routes included in Thursday's announcement will continue into either the fall or winter schedules, depending on the route.

The full schedule details are below:

Dallas Love-Corpus Christi, Texas

Begins Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Richmond, Virginia-Tampa, Florida

Begins Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday and Sunday. Seasonal.

Hartford, Connecticut-Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Buffalo, New York-Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Boise, Idaho- Chicago Midway

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Newark, New Jersey-Orlando, Florida

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Richmond, Virginia-Orlando, Florida

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Milwaukee-Seattle

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Des Moines, Iowa-Phoenix

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday and Sunday. Seasonal.
 

(Ben Mutzabaugh - USA TODAY)

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-8H4(WL) (36654/5273) N8660A, Delivered 2/11/2015

Holds short of Rwy 30 at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) this morning (January 26, 2019) as it readies to depart to Sacramento International Airport (SMF/KSMF) as "SWA3630."

(Photo by Michael Carter)

Gulfstream G650(ER) (c/n 6346) N1895T

On short final to Rwy 30 at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) following a flight from the factory at Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport (SAV/KSAV) as "GLF66" arriving at 16:19 pst.

(Photos by Michael Carter)

Etihad to cut 50 pilot positions

Etihad Airways will cut 50 pilot positions by the end of January as it continues its turnaround efforts.

In a memo to employees, the airline's vice-president of flight operations Sulaiman Yaqoobi says the reduction in headcount follows a cut in capacity, and is part of the airline's plan for a "7 to 10% reduction in our operating cost across its network."

The memo notes that the airline has 2,065 pilots in its ranks, which is a surplus of around 160 due to the reduced flying by the airline.
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He adds that the past year was "extremely challenging", and this is expected to continue into 2019.

"However, while we posted a significant loss at the end of last year, I want to reassure you that we are on the right trajectory and are getting closer to bridging the gap between operating costs and revenue," Yagoobi says.

Etihad reported a $1.52 billion loss for 2017, which was a 22% reduction on the previous year as it started a major transformation initiative.

That saw it cut services to Perth and Edinburgh in 2018, as it changed focus to serving point-to-point markets.

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier recently cancelled orders for 10 Airbus A320neos, but has maintained an order for 26 A321neos.

(Aaron Chong - FlightGlobal News)

American Airlines Boeing 787-9 (40654/720) N836AA

(Photo by Michael Carter)

Positive climb, gear up as this lovely lady climbs from Rwy 25R at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX/KLAX) on a gorgeous SoCal day, January 1, 2019.