Airnews Round Up February 2012
MAJOR 737MAX FIRM ORDER
Dallas, Texas – Boeing and Southwest Airlines have announced a firm order for 150 737 MAX aircraft, Southwest thus becoming the first customer airline to finalise an order for the type and therefore the launch customer for the new-engine variant. The Dallas-based carrier also ordered 58 Next-Generation 737s. The firm order is the largest in Boeing history both in dollar value, nearly $19-billion at list prices, and the number of airplanes. It supports Southwest’s initiative to modernise its all-Boeing fleet, the world’s largest fleet of 737s. As the 737 MAX launch customer, Southwest will take delivery of the first airplane when it enters service in 2017.
BIG DREAMLINER ORDER
Abu Dhabi – Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced an order for 10 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and two Boeing 777 Freighters, valued at a combined $2,8-billion.
This order will make Etihad the world’s largest airline customer of the 787-9. Etihad has a total of 41 787s on order.
ETHIOPIAN BUYS FIVE Q400S
Addis Ababa – Ethiopian Airlines is finalising negotiations with Canadian aircraft manufacturer,
Bombardier, to buy five more Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft. Ethiopian acquired eight Q400 aircraft valued at US$192-million dollars in 2010. The airline deployed the aircraft on domestic and regional routes.
7 000th AIRBUS AIRCRAFT DELIVERED
Toulouse – Airbus has delivered its 7 000th aircraft to come off its assembly lines – an A321, to US Airways, the airline that operates the largest fleet of Airbus aircraft in the world. This milestone comes just two years after the delivery of Airbus’ 6 000th aircraft.
BOEING 747-8 I GETS FAA CERTIFICATION
Everitt, Washington – Boeing has received certification for the new 747-8 Intercontinental from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which clears the way for delivery of the new airplane early this year.
The FAA presented Boeing with an Amended Type Certificate (ATC) and the amended Production Certificate for Boeing’s newest passenger airplane, the 747-8 Intercontinental. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued its ATC for the airplane soon afterwards. Boeing received its FAA and EASA certificates for the 747-8 Freighter in August.
ETIHAD INCREASES NETWORK
Abu Dhabi – Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has announced its purchase of a stake in airberlin, a deal which brings to 269 the total number of destinations it serves, either directly or with partner airlines. The announcement means Etihad Airways now offers a route network more than 80
destinations larger than that offered by any other Gulf carrier. As part of its deal with airberlin, Etihad
Airways will sign code share agreements with the airberlin group for all European activities including NIKI, the Austrian airline and Belair, the Swiss airline.
DELIVERY TO FRANCE OF CN235s
Madrid – The Flight Test Centre of the Direction Générale de l’Armament (DGA) of the French Ministry of Defence has taken delivery of the first of eight CN235 medium airlifters ordered from Airbus Military by the French DGA last year. These eight aircraft will be operated by the French Air Force, to add to the 19 examples it already has in service. The last of the remaining seven aircraft ordered will be delivered by the end of 2012.
EGYPT AIR LOSSES
Cairo – Egypt Air has announced that it lost 700-million Egyptian pounds due the political unrest unfolding in that country and in other North African countries. In the first weeks of the revolution the airline’s revenue dropped by 80 percent, flight operation by 50 percent, ticket sales by 60 percent and seat occupancy by 50 percent.
RESTRUCTURING PROGRAMME
Marrakech – Royal Air Maroc (RAM) is undergoing a restructuring programme that will enable it to transform from a loss makingairline into a profitable one. The airline’s management is working hard on cost reduction and is downsizing its work force. The airline had laid off 891 employees as of November and was due to have laid off a further 600 the end of January.
ETHIOPIAN JOINS STAR ALLIANCE
Addis Ababa – Ethiopian Airlines has become a member of the Star Alliance group, the official announcement having been made at a gala dinner held in Addis Ababa recently. Ethiopian has thus become the third African airline to join Star Alliance, joining South African Airways and EgyptAir.
In related news, delivery of the long awaited Boeing Dreamliner aircraft to Ethiopian has once again been postponed, this time to June this year. Ethiopian placed an order for ten Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners valued at $1,5- billion dollars at list prices in 2005. Delivery was originally slated for 2008-2010. Boeing was originally expected to deliver the first two aircraft last month, but this was postponed to March some time ago. Boeing has again pushed back the delivery, to June. The delay is costing the Ethiopian dearly as it was forced to lease more aircraft. Sources said the delay had affected the airline’s growth plan, but they said Boeing is compensating the national flag carrier.
AFRIQIYAH AIRWAYS RENEWS CONTRACT
Tripoli – The Libyan flag-carrier, Afriqiyah Airways, has renewed its trust in AFI KLM E&M after a hiatus in their contract of over 12 months due to political events. The 2008 contract between AFI KLM E&M and has been reactivated following an amendment signed in November. The agreement still involves pool access and component repairs for the Libyan carrier’s A320 and A330 fleets. The contract includes the maintenance checks on these aircraft. Trust-based, the relationship between the two groups has been in place for several years. The airline has a 14-strong fleet of A319s and A320s and two A330s. Afriqiyah Airways aircraft parked at Tripoli International Airport were damaged during the hostilities, but the expertise delivered by Air France Consulting personnel, combined with the technical support of AFI KLM E&M, will
contribute to the return to service of the aircraft as soon as possible.
PALLETISED SHELTER FOR C-130J
Denver, Colorado — An airborne signals intelligence system configured specifically for the newest C-130J aircraft has been delivered to the US Air Force by Lockheed Martin. The system, which is part of the Senior Scout programme that enables C-130 aircraft to be used for tactical signals intelligence and reconnaissance, underwent acceptance testing in December. Senior Scout is an intelligence, surveillance
and reconnaissance (ISR) system built into a trailer-like container that can be rolled on and off C-130 aircraft. This ISR suite of equipment rapidly configures standard C-130 aircraft for
tactical signals intelligence, providing capabilities that exploit, geolocate and report communications intelligence and signals of interest to air and ground component commanders.
NEW STAR ALLIANCE CEO
Addis Ababa – The Chief Executive Board of Star Alliance has appointed Mark Schwab to head the Star Alliance central organisation, based in Frankfurt, Germany, as its new chief executive. The announcement was made during a gala dinner held in Addis Ababa recently to mark the acceptance as the alliance’s newest member, Ethiopian Airlines. Schwab held numerous executive positions in the airline industry – at United Airlines, US Airways and American Airlines. He began his aviation career in 1975 with Pan American
World Airways, in Rio de Janeiro.
CHANGES AT CESSNA
Wichita, Kansas — Cessna has announced that Mark Paolucci, senior vice president, sales, retired at the end of December after 32 years with Cessna. Paolucci joined Cessna in 1979 as a design engineer and progressed into a number of key sales and customer support roles. During his tenure, he held a number of sales leadership positions and led the Customer Service organisation, bringing a number of innovative
service offerings to market. As a result of Paolucci’s retirement, Cessna’s sales leadership will be divided into the western and eastern hemispheres. Tim White has been promoted to vice president, Sales -
the Americas and will lead the sales force in North, Central and South America. Trevor Esling has been promoted to vice president, Sales for EMAA (Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia).
CLOSED ON SATURDAYS
Johannesburg – Rand Airport-based Comet Aviation Services has announced that it will no longer be open for business on Saturdays.
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