HondaJet Dazzles in Sun at Florida Airshow

HondaJet HA-420 (c/n 42000014) N21HJ operated by Marine Coastal Recovery LLC, which has a British racing green finish, is drawing crowds this week at the Sun ’n’ Fun International Fly-In in Lakeland, Florida. The jet is making its debut at the airshow, as well as participating in the afternoon aerial display.

(Photo: Chad Trautvetter/AIN)

A HondaJet with a British racing green finish is drawing steady crowds this week at the Sun ’n‘ Fun International Fly-In, where it is also making its debut at the Lakeland, Florida show. U.S. Southeast Honda Aircraft dealer Banyan Air Service is displaying HondaJet N21HJ at the Honda Power Sports chalet at the flightline on the approach end of Runway 5, which is closed to air traffic for the week.

In addition to being on static view at Sun ’n Fun until Sunday, the new light jet is also taking part in the afternoon aerial displays. It is flying alongside the Honda Generators-sponsored Race 90 T-6 in a “unique formation appearance of Honda-branded aircraft.”

Banyan senior vice president of aircraft sales Michael O’Keefe said that foot traffic has been fairly brisk at the Honda chalet, despite the light jet not being at the main static display area. However, it is near the warbird line, which is a show draw unto itself.

Another HondaJet will make a return appearance for the model at Aero Friedrichshafen, which is being held later this week in Germany. The aircraft will also make two more airshow debuts this month—next week at ABACE in Shanghai and at Aero Expo Panama Pacifico in Panama City on April 20 and 21.

(Chad Trautvetter - AINOnline News)

AirAsia X looks to accelerate A350 deliveries

Rendering of A350-900 in AirAsia X livery
(Airbus)

Long-haul, low-cost carrier (LCC) AirAsia X has approached Airbus to see if it can bring forward its A350 deliveries, as it looks to reinstate flights to Europe and add services to the US.
 
“We will probably try to advance the A350s,” AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail told ATW during an exclusive interview at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg.

“Something we are looking at for the group [strategic] direction is to go back to Europe and even to the US. Since we have got the [A350] orders locked up further back, we are just asking Airbus if there is any possible of doing that advance. We are trying to analyze that, so if it happens, it would be great.”

AirAsia X has 10 A350s on order, scheduled to start arriving in 2018. The company wants to go back to Europe “as fast as we can,” Ismail said.

In March 2012, AirAsia X axed its 6X-weekly London Gatwick and 4X-weekly Paris Orly services, because of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme and escalating air passenger duty taxes. The changes were part of a restructure to move operations from loss-making routes to focus on more profitable regional routes. Instead the airline chose to focus on services in Australasia, China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea.

AirAsia X is also preparing to take its first A330neos, with the initial aircraft scheduled to join its fleet in the fourth quarter of 2017.

“We are getting there. We are already sitting down with Airbus and discussing cabin interiors and all that stuff. It looks like we are on schedule for a fourth quarter launch with the A330neos,” Ismail said.

(Victoria Moores - ATWOnline News)

Antonov An-132D transport aircraft makes first flight

Antonov AN-132D takes off on maiden flight in Kyiv, Ukraine.
(Antonov)

Ukraine aircraft manufacturer Antonov's An-132D, a multipurpose transport aircraft, conducted its first flight from the company’s airfield in Kyiv, Ukraine March 31.

The aircraft, which was rolled out in Kyiv at the end of December 2016, is a modernized version of the Soviet-built An-32 developed in the 1970s.

The An-132D is intended to operate on short- and medium-haul routes, the manufacturer said in a statement. “The new aircraft will perform a variety of tasks, such as the transportation of raw materials, mail and other cargo, including bulk cargo […] and light self-propelled and non-self-propelled vehicles weighing up to 9.2 tonnes. The aircraft will also be deployed for emergencies, including civilian and casualty evacuation from disaster areas and airdropping paratroop rescue teams,” the statement added.

The An-132 program is being developed following a contract with Тaqnia Aeronautics Co. and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, both of Saudi Arabia, in May 2015. The deal includes the transfer of “aviation industry technology” to Saudi Arabia, according to a May 2015 statement from Antonov. In February 2016, both sides agreed to organize the assembly of An-132 in Saudi Arabia.

(Polina Montag-Girmes - ATWOnline News)

Boeing teams up with LIFT again for 787 seating

Aircraft seating newcomer LIFT by EnCore has caused a stir for the second year running at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), revealing a 787 economy seat developed in direct partnership with Boeing.

LIFT by EnCore seemingly appeared from nowhere at the 2016 AIX show, debuting as Boeing’s new seating partner with an economy seat designed specifically for line production of the 737NG/MAXs and NG retrofit. Boeing said this was the first time a seat had been designed and optimized for its aircraft.

At this year’s AIX, LIFT once again scooped headlines with the launch of a 787 economy seat. “This is the first economy seat designed specifically for 787 Dreamliners,” Boeing Commercial Airplanes director-differentiation strategy Blake Emery told a small media gathering in Hamburg.

“LIFT has expanded and built on the collaboration that we announced last year. They have been really successful with the 737 seat, so they have launched a 787 seat. This collaboration has been fantastic. It is going faster and faster,” he said. “I would never work on designing an interior [like the Sky Interior] again without working with a seat supplier.”

787 tourist class seat

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner tourist class seat is 17.7 inches wide with a 6-inch cradle recline and more comfort features than the short-haul 737 design. It features a 12-inch back-lit screen, which works in conjunction with the 787’s mood lighting to create a modern and joined up feel. The screen, which looks like a tablet, appears to float in a curved seat-back recess that is lined with plush fabric.

There is a fold-out personal electronic device shelf so passengers can dual-screen, seat-back power, a high fixed shell literature pocket, a lower flexible net seat-back pocket and a hook for headphones. The innovative seat covers were inspired by single-piece sportswear materials. The fabric has a wider weave in areas of heat build-up—like the central back—and a tighter, more durable weave in high-wear areas.

The new design, which feels more like a private space than being sandwiched in behind someone else’s seat, took LIFT six months to develop and a full-sized working prototype is being showcased at AIX to get initial customer feedback.

“We didn’t want to spend two years working on this before we put it in front of the customer. This way they can tell us what need changing,” LIFT by EnCore VP of development and strategy Elijah Dobrusin told ATW at AIX.

Dobrusin added that LIFT was able to move quickly because its design and engineering team is now well-established, following the company’s creation in 2014. LIFT’s close relationship with Boeing also means it can check its designs meet the manufacturer’s specifications up front, speeding up the development cycle.

“The technology industry moves in days, but [the aircraft seating industry] was moving in years. We needed to change that, or the technology would be ancient by the time it gets on the aircraft. Things can’t take five years to develop and certify. We need to move quickly to innovate. This is not pie in the sky; it will be flying soon,” Dobrusin said.

The 787 seat is expected to be certified in the second half of 2018, for delivery by early 2019. To hit this timeline, LIFT will need to secure a launch customer by early 2018. The company has only just revealed the product and does not yet have any firm customers lined up.

Weighing in at 12-15 kilos (26-33 lbs.), depending on options, the seat it is not designed to be the lightest on the market. “We are weight competitive, but we are not trying to be ultra-competitive on weight,” Dobrusin said, noting that LIFT also prioritizes passenger comfort, durability and maintenance costs.

737 economy seat

Meanwhile, LIFT’s 737 economy seat—which has already secured two unnamed customers—is likely to take just over two years from initial inception to first delivery, but this is partly because the company was being established at the same time.

The 737 seat is now in the final stages of development and will be delivered to an undisclosed launch customer this year. “We are well into the final engineering,” Dobrusin said. “We are going through certification right now and expect it to be fully completed by July.” The two customers should be named around the same time.

Learning from the 787 seat will “almost certainly” be used to come up with a second iteration of the 737 seat, to make it lighter and more ergonomic.

“We entered the market with an economy seat because it was lower risk and faster to get into. We don’t want to do things that we can’t do well. If we jumped straight into business class, it would be risky. We want to take our time. We are in no rush to get there,” Dobrusin said, but he added that there are quite a few projects in the pipeline.

New technologies

“It’s not just the next seat,” LIFT director of design Tom Eaton told ATW. “We are developing technologies so we can put together a tool kit to do things better and create a few products in future. We have a different way of approaching traditional assembly techniques which are unique to LIFT. We are small, flexible and nimble.”

EnCore already supplies galleys and flooring to Boeing. It was founded in 2011 by Jim Downey and Tom McFarland, who have worked with Boeing for 40 years. LIFT was launched as EnCore’s seating division in 2014.

“LIFT represents to us a really capable company with leaders that we have had relations with over 30-40 years across Boeing. They are growing, they have invested in all the right ways and they are going to vertically integrate, building more seats” Boeing's Emery said.

“There is a lot of trust. That is what got the ball going,” Dobrusin said. “That heritage, history and the performance in EnCore group got us another step. We deliver on time and to a good quality. We don’t take on work unless we can do it.”

LIFT has no immediate plans to diversify and work for other manufacturers. “Boeing is definitely our focus. They are a great collaboration partner for us. We are going to grow and expand and we are more than satisfied working exclusively with Boeing.”

When speculatively quizzed on whether a stake in LIFT could be up for sale, and whether Boeing might be a potential equity partner, Dobrusin replied: “This is not a ‘grow your company quick and sell it’ venture. Our owner held their previous company for 30 years before they sold it. Our goal is to grow and create a great company.”

(Victoria Moores - ATWOnline News)

JetBlue Plans to Expand Mint Service as Demand Shoots Up

JetBlue A321-231(SL) (c/n 7390) N971JT "Don't Mind If I Blue" smokes the mains on Rwy 28R at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL/KFLL) on February 8, 2017.
(Photo by Michael Carter)

JetBlue Airways Corp. plans to expand its premium service offering, Mint, in the east and west coast markets where customers have limited choice and other airline players sell dated business class options at a high cost. The move is aimed to meet the surge in demand.

The Long Island City, NY based low cost carrier is offering its popular Mint seats on the New York (JFK)-Las Vegas (LAS), New York (JFK)-San Diego (SAN) and Boston (BOS)-San Diego (SAN) routes. It will also extend the service between Boston and Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Mint service will also be available on some Caribbean routes.

JetBlue intends to launch the Mint service on one daily flight connecting JFK and SAN on Aug 15. The second Mint roundtrip on the same route will be operational from Oct 10. Similarly, the service on the BOS-SAN route will be initiated on Dec 10 while the second flight (equipped with the service) will be added on Dec 20. One JFK-LAS roundtrip flight will get the service activated on Nov 6, followed by a second flight starting Nov 10. The seasonal flights between Boston and St. Maarten will be available on Saturday starting this November to next April.

Last year, JetBlue introduced Mint on BOS-LAS flights. However, escalating demand has encouraged the carrier to plan a fourth flight starting Oct 20. In the Caribbean, JetBlue will add a second Saturday Mint roundtrip from JFK to Barbados, with effect from Nov 4. This will be in addition to its existing year-round Saturday Mint service. JetBlue will also be adding additional Mint flights on peak travel days between New York and St. Maarten. During Christmas festivities and on the Saturdays before and after Thanksgiving, a second roundtrip will also be made available.

The carrier will also revive the seasonal Mint service from JFK to Aruba beginning Sep 9, to St. Maarten from Nov 4 and to St. Lucia’s Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) and Grenada’s Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND) starting Dec 2. Seasonal Mint flights between Boston and Barbados will start operating from Nov 4. Also, flights between Boston and Aruba will start from Sep 9. Mint service to Seattle is soon to be introduced as well, the date for which is yet to be announced.

With this widespread addition of Mint flights, the airline’s premium service is expected to grow to around 70 daily flights by the end of the year. By this December, approximately one in every 14 JetBlue flight will offer Mint.

Price Performance

Shares of JetBlue have performed well of late, outperforming the Zacks categorized Transportation-Airline industry over the last one month. The stock has gained 5.62% as against the industry’s loss of 1.9%.

The expansion of its popular Mint service is expected to further boost the stock.

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

JetBlue currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks in the airline space are Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes GOL, Deutsche Lufthansa DLAKY and LATAM Airlines Group LFL. Gol Linhas sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while Deutsche Lufthansa and LATAM Airlines carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

(Zacks Equity Research - Zacks)

Boeing and JetBlue just invested in a tiny electric-jet startup that could revolutionize air travel

Zunum Aero's hybrid-electric regional jet. 

(Zunum)

On Wednesday, the hybrid electric-aircraft startup Zunum Aero announced that it had received an investment from Boeing and JetBlue.

"I consider us very fortunate to have backers like JetBlue and Boeing," Zunum Aero founder and CEO Ashish Kumar told Business Insider. "We have been engaged with both companies for about a year, and both are as passionate as we are in this opportunity to reinvent regional air travel."

JetBlue's investment in the three-year-old startup was made through its Silicon Valley-based venture-capital fund led by Bonny Simi, the Olympian turned pilot turned airline executive. The amount was undisclosed.

"At JetBlue Technology Ventures, our goal is to be part of a disruptive force rather than the one being disrupted, and we seek new technologies that look to change the game," Simi said in a statement. "As a company that is also deeply committed to innovation in sustainable travel, we believe that Zunum and its quiet, environmentally friendly aircraft will light up a vast network of underutilized airports and reinvent regional travel."

In a statement, Boeing's vice president of strategy, Steve Nordlund, echoed Simi's sentiments, adding that Zunum's hybrid electric technology was leading the way in the up-and-coming segment.

Zunum's proposed regional aircraft would hold 10 to 50 passengers with a range of up to 1,000 miles. According to Kumar — whose résumé includes leadership stints at Dell, Google, and McKinsey and a Ph.D. from Cornell in mechanical and aerospace engineering — the jet will be powered by a battery first series hybrid propulsion system. This calls for the aircraft to run primarily on battery power with an aviation diesel or turbine range-extending power generator on call if necessary.

Since the aircraft isn't expected to fly until the next decade and will have a service life of roughly 20 years, Zunum is designing its aircraft to be "future-proof" — meaning the aircraft will be designed in a way that will allow it to adopt new technology. For instance, the aircraft will initially feature hybrid propulsion designed to deliver 80% lower emissions than comparable traditional aircraft. But with advancements in battery technology, the range-extending internal combustion engine can be replaced with an extra battery pack, thereby lowering emissions to zero, Kumar said.

In addition, Zunum's propulsor technology is expected to reduce the aircraft's noise emissions by 75% — important for operations into airports with stern noise restrictions.

Zunum's CEO believes his company's nature-friendly electric jet also makes economic sense for airlines and their passengers.

In recent years, many carriers have moved away from operating small 50-seat regional jets in favor larger aircraft that offer lower unit costs. Zunum says that by cutting out the need for large volumes of jet fuel, its aircraft can cut an airline's operating costs by 40% to 80% a flight. Even though airlines will have to swap out battery packs once or twice a year, Kumar believes his electric jets can deliver better unit costs than the latest jumbo jets from Airbus and Boeing.

In addition, the Zunum jets are designed for operation out of small general aviation or regional airports. This cuts down on passenger commute times, time spent in long security lines, and the need to connect through a larger hub. In fact, Kumar says that by taking advantage of general aviation airports, the planes could deliver door-to-door speeds that are two to four times as fast as those of highways, high-speed rail, or conventional aircraft.

According to Simi, JetBlue Technology Ventures, which launched early last year, targets investments that it believes can help JetBlue function better as an airline or provide its passengers with a better experience.

With Zunum, it may have found an investment that can do both.

Oddly enough, however, JetBlue operates a fleet made up entirely of Airbus and Embraer aircraft. If Zunum Aero works out, it may finally be time for JetBlue to acquire aircraft with Boeing's fingerprints on it.

(Benjamin Zhang - Business Insider)

Lufthansa Cargo wants to remain in airfreight's Champions League

Lufthansa Cargo wants to remain in airfreight’s “Champions League”, using a first team line-up of Productivity, Products, Partnership, Digitization, ANA and Cathay Pacific, with Swiss and United on the bench.

The German carrier’s logistics division made a combined €50m loss in 2016, as its cargo airline business pushed ahead with a C40 cost-cutting and efficiency program that will save €80m per year, shed 800 jobs and put the cargo division back in the black in 2018 and return to “normal” profitability from 2019.

That was the message from Peter Gerber, Lufthansa Cargo's chief executive and executive board chairman, when outlining the carrier’s strategy as the carrier also considers a freighter fleet renewal, the options for a new cargo terminal at home hub Frankfurt, the threat from Middle East Gulf rivals and a “very volatile” air cargo sector.

Gerber said that the 2016 loss was due mainly to restructuring costs around the C40 program and the signing of a maintenance contract for its five Boeing 777 freighters now that their engineering “cost honeymoon” is over.

While 2016 saw an “extremely hard” first half, Lufthansa discerned “quite good signs” in the last quarter which has continued into 2017.

Operationally, Lufthansa Cargo “came close to zero” rather than a loss last year, said Gerber, adding that he espied a “glimpse of hope” for end of 2016 and 2017, emphasizing that the division loss was more about “reinvesting for the future and engineering”.

Lufthansa Cargo's evolution is packed in four parts: a cost cutting and efficiency drive (C40), looking for new products, airline partnerships and digitization.

C40 is ongoing and two new products were launched last year: MyAirCargo and td.Basic. MyAirCargo, aimed at passengers wanting to fly their shopping home, has been at the smaller range of expectations, said Gerber, while td.Basic has 'suffered' as customer used higher yield products instead: "It is a nice problem to have," he added.

The established joint venture with Japan’s ANA has now moved beyond the operational agreement to IT integration.

Then there is a joint venture with Cathay Pacific, currently operating from Hong Kong to Europe but set to go in the reverse direction within 2017, while the two airlines have now moved into each other's terminal at Frankfurt and Hong Kong.

Negotiations with US carrier United are in the final phase and expected to conclude in a few weeks, with a launch this year. The “one-cargo” link with Swiss, owned by the Lufthansa parent group, will bring together “two strong brands”, said Gerber, calling the combination a “cornerstone” project for the German carrier.

Digitization at Lufthansa Cargo is firstly about bringing the carriers internal IT “into the 21st Century” and then onto the next layer in dealing directly with the customer.

“Today, we see a lot of transnational business with phones and sheets of paper,” said Gerber, who added that it was important to “plug into the systems of our partners” while the third layer will look at “cloud data” alternatives and the potential arrival of “digital forwarders”.

Gerber said of the four-pronged strategy: “We need to take these steps, in order to stay in the Champions League.”

The effect of digitization on the forwarder industry is now being debated, but Gerber was firm on Lufthansa Cargo’s current business relationship structure.

“The freight forwarders are our valued customers and will remain valued customers. If the market changes, then we will adjust, but I don’t see that happening yet."

He added that digitization is “always a threat to the middleman” and that in ocean freight 50% of the shippers deal directly with the container ship operators, but Lufthansa has not taken any steps in that direction.

“We have a department of industry development that is always talking with the end customer about their needs, but the business is always with the freight forwarder or together with the freight forwarder.”

Lufthansa will continue to operate freighters, said Gerber, who outlined the investment possibilities, which could include additional B777Fs, either fresh off the Boeing production line, second hand or leased.

The carrier currently operates 12 MD-11 freighters, with two more of the 90 tonne capacity tri-jets parked and up for sale, and a third set to join them this year. The two-engine B777F has a capacity of around 105 tonnes.

Gerber said: “We are happy with the MD-11s,” adding that a decision on how to transition from the MD-11Fs to replacement main deck capacity will be made within the next 12-15 months, saying: “The view of the whole group in decision and the B777F is the only product for us to fly,” this dismissing any chance of a four engine Boeing 747-8F darkening its hangar doors.

“I do not see a role for the B747-8F. We decided on the B777 for two reasons: we are in the middle of Europe which means we can fly to every location in the world. And 105 tonnes is the perfect capacity and if we have more capacity to fill there is a problem with the yield and prices.”

But the current market conditions and fuel price are not sufficient to force an immediate decision on the fate of the MD-11Fs. Said Gerber: “The MD-11s are not that old, as we got the last of the production freighters in 2000, and 15 years is no age for a freighter plane. In terms of fuel costs, there is no crisis in flying the MD-11s.”

He added: “Lufthansa will always fly freighters and we need these freighters but the question is the best way to roll them over and to consider the financial financial alternatives.

“There are ten big players in the airline business and nine of them operate freighters. The only one that does not is IAG but it uses Qatar Airways freighters.

“It is a fairy tale or alternative fact that everybody is getting out of freighters. Everyone is flying freighters and the big players are increasing their fleets.”

It is interesting to note that Lufthansa is a joint venture partner with DHL in Aerologic, which also operates B777Fs. Gerber said of this “successful business” that talks are taking place with DHL on “how to develop it further”.

It was almost two years ago that the carrier put its planned new showpiece Lufthansa Cargo Centre neo (LCCneo) project at Frankfurt on hold due to financial and cargo growth reasons.

A final decision on LCCneo is unlikely until next year, at the earliest, and Gerber spoke of “alternative planning” which could see modular increments tailored to freight market segments rather than a one-size fits all “big building”.

One ‘benefit’ of the cargo downturn last year is that the present Frankfurt terminal has sufficient capacity to accommodate Cathay Pacific, although there will be some modernization of the facility.

The question of hidden subsidies and level playing fields came to the fore when Gerber was questioned about the Middle East Gulf carriers.

While acknowledging that airlines have to be competitive in their own right, hence Lufthansa Cargo’s C40 program, Gerber said that competition “has to be fair and with no subsidies,” referencing the “heavy subsidies of the [Middle East] Gulf carriers”.

Gerber said that the European Commission in Brussels, bundling up the traffic rights of member states in talks with the Gulf carriers, should negotiate with regard to the World Trade Organizations international standards, adding: “They (Gulf state carriers] should not get additional traffic rights and already have more than expected.”

There is a slight irony in that the Lufthansa parent group in February this year signed a non-equity partnership with Etihad in the UAE, with an initial focus on in-flight catering and aircraft maintenance. Although cargo is not on the menu at this stage it could be looked at in the future, conceded Gerber.

So when will Lufthansa Cargo be making money again was one bald question to the cargo boss.

“One simple truth is that the market is very volatile and my experience of the last three years is that when things are bad people see the end of airfreight and when there are better times, people say it has a bright future.

“The markets will get better but they always do, and our cost cutting and efficiency program, the biggest in Lufthansa’s history, will see us come back into the black in 2018, and in 2019 we will be back to normal and maybe, maybe, even earlier.”

(AirCargoNews)

Boeing's first Dreamliner 787-10 jets are coming to Seattle soon

Boeing's biggest and newest Dreamliner is scheduled to fly to Seattle later this month after completing the first test flight in South Carolina.

The new 787-10 plane, which is made only in Charleston, South Carolina, is 18 feet longer and offers 40 more seats than the Dreamliner 787-9 model that's made in Everett.

Two Boeing test pilots from the Puget Sound area, Capts. Tim Berg and Mike Bryan, flew the 787-10 on its first test flight last Friday. They put the airplane through 50 pages of tests involving flight controls, systems and handling qualities during the four-hour flight.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes has heavy work ahead of it in the Puget Sound region over the next year to get the fuel-efficient, long-haul aircraft certified.

First up is comprehensive flight testing at Boeing Field to earn Federal Aviation Administration certification before airline customer deliveries begin in the first half of 2018.

Three 787-10s will arrive for testing over the next few months. There is no exact date for when the first test airplane will arrive in Seattle, Boeing spokesman Doug Alder said, but company officials think it will likely arrive later this month.

The 787-10’s first flight moved Boeing one step closer to giving customers what Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Kevin McAllister said is "the most efficient airplane in its class."

The stretched-out Dreamliner already has 149 orders from nine customers across the globe, Boeing said.

The 787-10's launch customer will be Singapore Airlines.

Other airline buyers include North American launch customer United Airlines, Air Lease Corporation (ALC), All Nippon Airways (ANA), British Airways, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

(Andrew McIntosh - Puget Sound Business Journal)

Russia’s AirBridgeCargo grows 747-8F fleet

Russian air freight carrier AirBridgeCargo (ABC) Airlines has taken delivery of the first of two Boeing 747-8Fs under a long-term lease agreement with US-based lessor Intrepid Aviation.

The second 747-8F is scheduled for delivery to ABC later this year. The deliveries are the culmination of Intrepid’s first transaction with the Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO)-based cargo carrier.

Singapore-based lessor BOC Aviation also announced it had purchased two 747-8Fs, both to be delivered to ABC under long-term lease agreements. The transaction also marks BOC Aviation’s first leasing arrangement with ABC. BOC Aviation confirmed with ATW the 747-8Fs are secondhand aircraft purchased from Boeing Capital Corp.

As of Feb. 28, ABC had taken delivery of five 747-8Fs out of a direct order for seven of the aircraft placed in October 2014. The most recent deliveries were in June and September of 2016. ABC’s fleet of cargo aircraft comprises nine 787-8Fs, five 747-400ERFs, three 747-400Fs and three 737-400SFs.

ABC is part of the Russian air cargo conglomerate Volga-Dnepr Group. In addition to AirBridgeCargo, Volga-Dnepr owns air cargo carriers Volga-Dnepr Airlines and Atran Airlines.

(Mark Nensel - ATWOnline News)

MIAT Mongolian Airlines to lease two Boeing 737 MAXs

MIAT Mongolian Airlines plans to lease two Boeing 737 MAXs from Irish lessor Avolon as it looks to bolster its single-aisle fleet. The new aircraft are scheduled for delivery in early 2019.

“The 737 MAX will become a cornerstone in our fleet modernization strategy as we look to introduce new airplanes to our customers in the years to come,” MIAT Mongolian Airlines president and CEO Tamir Tumurbaatar said. “These fuel efficient airplanes will help us realize our goals of driving down operational costs and expanding the regional network, while also providing our valued customers and passengers with an unmatched flying experience.”

The Mongolian flag carrier is expected to operate the 737 MAX aircraft on existing routes to South Korea, China, Japan, Russia, Germany and future new routes.

“We will commence a new scheduled flight to Busan, South Korea beginning this summer and increase frequency for all flights toward Asian and European destinations to accommodate our peak travel season while continuously looking for new possibilities to open new markets in the coming years,” Tumurbaatar said.

The Ulaanbaatar-based carrier currently operates a fleet of three Boeing 737s and two 767 aircraft.

(Linda Blachly -ATWOnline News)

Fourth MRJ arrives in US; Mitsubishi evaluating flight test program

Fourth MRJ90 flight test aircraft landing at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Washington.
(Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp.)

A fourth Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. MRJ90 flight test aircraft has arrived in Moses Lake, Washington.

The aircraft, which departed Nagoya, Japan March 13, arrived April 1 at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake after stops in Guam, the Marshall Islands, Honolulu and San Jose, California.

The total flight distance flown from Japan was approximately 14,000 km (8,700 miles) and total flight time was 19 hr. and 48 min.

The latest aircraft to arrive in Moses Lake is the last that had been designated to participate in US-based MRJ flight testing. A fifth MRJ90 flight test aircraft is remaining in Japan, though the majority of flight testing is slated to occur in the US.

Since the MRJ90’s first delivery to All Nippon Airways (ANA) was delayed again in January—pushed to mid-2020 from mid-2018—Mitsubishi Aircraft has been evaluating how many additional flight test aircraft and flight test hours will be necessary. The delay was necessitated by a design change—the rerouting of wire harnesses and the relocation of some components in the avionics bay—and at least one additional, newly produced MRJ90 incorporating those changes will have to conduct some flight testing in order for the aircraft to gain certification.

The program originally called for 2,500 hr. of flight testing with five MRJ90s, with four doing most of the flight testing in the US. “We are now taking a close look at our flight test program, reflecting the recent change and approximately how much time will be needed or which aircraft will be used, including how many additional flight test aircraft are required to obtain type certification,” a Mitsubishi Aircraft spokesperson told ATW.

(Aaron Karp - ATWOnline News)

Mesa Airlines pilots request federal mediation

Phoenix-based Mesa Airlines pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), have requested mediation services from the National Mediation Board (NMB) to facilitate negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement.

The decision to file for mediation comes weeks after company management delivered a proposal that was rejected by pilots.

“We are dissatisfied with the pace of our negotiations and we are asking the National Mediation Board to help us reach an agreement that recognizes the contributions our pilots have made to our company’s success,” ALPA Mesa Air Group chairman Andy Hughes said.

According to ALPA, once the NMB processes the request, a federal mediator will take control of the bargaining schedule and oversee negotiations going forward.

Mesa pilots have been in contract negotiations for more than six years with no pay increases since 2010, ALPA said in a statement. Both parties currently remain divided on significant economic and other pressing issues.

“Since negotiations began, the company has added more than 70 new aircraft to the fleet and offered bonuses to new hires while existing pilots continue to fall further behind in pay rates compared to their peers,” ALPA added.

Mesa Airlines operates as American Eagle from hubs in Phoenix and Dallas/Fort Worth and as United Express from Washington Dulles and Houston. Mesa pilots operate 133 aircraft, with more than 600 daily system departures to 124 cities, 38 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Mexico, and the Bahamas.

(Linda Blachly - ATWOnline News)

Airbus A319neo concludes maiden flight

A319neo first flight
(Airbus)

The first Airbus A319neo performed its maiden flight March 31, Airbus announced in a statement.

The smallest member of the A320neo family, powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines, took off from Hamburg and landed in Toulouse after a five-hour flight.

The flight crew was able to assess the general handling of the aircraft and to check the main systems, Airbus said. The A319neo, registered as D-AVWA, will be based in Toulouse in order to complete its flight test program.

Airbus said in February that production of the A320 family of single-aisle airliners was “essentially sold out to 2022.” The Toulouse-based manufacturer plans to ramp up production of A320 family aircraft to 69 a month in 2019.

The A319neo is the smallest member of the A320neo family. Airbus said the aircraft offers its operators “superior short field performance in hot and high conditions.” It can accommodate up to 160 passengers.

(Linda Blachly - ATWOnline News)

Iran Aseman Airlines agrees to buy up to 60 Boeing 737 MAXs

Rendering of Boeing 737 MAX in Iran Aseman Airlines' livery
(Boeing)

Boeing has confirmed Iran Aseman Airlines signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for 30 737 MAX aircraft, with a list price value of $3 billion. The deal includes purchase rights for 30 additional 737 MAXs.

Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2022.

Boeing said it negotiated the MOA under authorizations from the US government following a determination that Iran had met its obligations under the nuclear accord signed in 2015. Boeing said it will look to the Office of Foreign Assets Control for approval to perform under this transaction.

“Boeing continues to follow the lead of the US government with regards to working with Iran’s airlines, and any and all contracts with Iran’s airlines are contingent upon US government approval,” the Seattle-based manufacturer said in a statement.

In December 2016, Boeing announced it had firmed an MOA with Iran Air earlier that year for 50 narrowbody and 30 widebody aircraft in a deal valued at $16.6 billion at list prices. The contract covered 50 737 MAX 8s, 15 777-300ERs and 15 777-9Xs.

In January this year, Iran Air took delivery of its first Airbus A321, which was part of historic order for 100 Airbus aircraft—46 A320-family single-aisle models, plus 54 twin-aisles consisting of a mix of A330s and A350s—signed in 2016. In March, the Iranian flag carrier received its first widebody A330-200 from that order.

(Linda Blachly - ATWOnline News)

Hawaiian refurbishes A330 cabins as it prepares for A321neos

Hawaiian’s A321neo interior
(Hawaiian Airlines)

Hawaiian Airlines is revamping cabin interiors across the bulk of its fleet with the arrival of its first Airbus A321neos expected in the fourth quarter and a retrofit of its A330s well underway.

“A little under half our A330 fleet has been retrofitted with the new cabins,” Hawaiian SVP-marketing Avi Mannis said. The new A330 cabins include 18 flat beds in first class, 68 premium economy seats, up from 40 and a new total of 278 seats compared with 297 previously.

The airline expects to receive three A321neos in the fourth quarter of 2017 and bring them into service early in 2018. Deliveries were originally scheduled to begin in July, but production problems with the Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan (GTF) engines have caused delays. Hawaiian wants to use the A321neos on routes from the west of the US to Hawaii, Mannis said.

The design of the new cabins includes elements that connect them to Hawaii, such as abstracted patterns of the islands on its economy seat covers, and wave-like stitching. “It’s hospitality-inspired, with threads of Hawaii. There’s a design language consistency between all Hawaiian Airlines products,” said Tim Manson, Design Director of JPA Design, which worked with Hawaiian to design the new cabins. He added that the carrier’s leisure focus means the design team opted for warm tones rather than greys and blues that would conjure up a more corporate image.

They were speaking on the sidelines of the Passenger Experience Conference, part of the annual Aircraft Interiors Expo.

JPA Design and Hawaiian worked to give passengers a long-haul style experience on a narrow-body aircraft, including installing two lavatories mid-way through the A321neo cabin to allow for passengers to move around during inflight meal service, Manson said.

Eight more of the aircraft should enter the Hawaiian fleet in 2018, six in 2019 and one more in 2020, completing the order of 18 aircraft it has in place, Mannis said. By that stage the airline should have phased out its Boeing 767s.

The airline currently operates a fleet of 54 aircraft: 23 Airbus A330s with a 24th scheduled to arrive in October, three ATR-500s, 20 717s—after it recently added two—and eight 767s.

Hawaiian is looking at adding connectivity to its fleet but “we have not yet settled on a service that provides enough bandwidth across the Pacific,” Mannis said. “We’re not convinced we have found exactly the right thing. Being a leisure-focused carrier gives Hawaiian “a bit of a reprieve,” on connectivity, he added.

(Helen Massy-Beresford - ATWOnline News)

PAWA Dominicana McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (49741/1630) HI992

This absolutely gorgeous DAC aircraft is captured on a late afternoon arrival to Rwy 9 at Miami International Airport (MIA/KMIA) on February 8, 2017.

(Photo by Michael Carter)

Qatar Airways Boeing 777-3DZ(ER) (36009/676) A7-BAA

Short final to and touchdown on Rwy 9 at Miami International Airport (MIA/KMIA) on February 8, 2017.

(Photos by Michael Carter)

LATAM Airlines Chile Boeing 787-9 (35321/309) CC-BGC

Captured on short final to Rwy 9 at Miami International Airport (MIA/KMIA) on February 8, 2017.

(Photo by Michael Carter)

Air China Boeing 787-9 (34308/455) B-7800

Climbs form Rwy 25R at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX/KLAX) following a very long take-off roll on January 17, 2017. The aircraft was built at and delivered to the carrier from Boeing's South Carolina Facility in Charleston (CHS/KCHS) on July 28, 2016.

(Photos by Michael Carter)

American Eagle (Mesa Airlines) Canadair CRJ-900(ER) (c/n 15021) N921FJ

"Mesa5914" arrives at Long Beach Airport (LGB/KLGB) following a 1hr 16min flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX/KPHX). My friend Tim Brown who is a First Officer with Mesa Airlines was at the controls for this picture perfect (no pun intended) arrival, I will give him a score of 8!..........hahahahahahahaha!

(Photos by Michael Carter)