Airnews Round Up August 2011
WINGLET FIT FOR A320 FAMILY
Toulouse – Encouraged by the popular ‘Sharklet’ programme for new A320 Family aircraft, Airbus has decided to pursue a retrofit option of large winglets for the legacy inservice fleet.
To this end, Airbus is evaluating the technical, operational and business aspects of a retrofit offering, to provide a solution for A320 Family aircraft currently in service. The proposed large winglet retrofit offering will directly benefit from Airbus’ experience in developing the forward-fit Sharklet option for new-build aircraft, for which tests will soon be performed on the flight test A320 MSN1 aircraft.
Airbus invests approximately 100-million euros each year in keeping the A320 Family the benchmark eco-efficient single aisle airliner in service.
TERRAFUGIA EXEMPTION REQUESTS
Woburn, MA – Terrafugia, Inc., developer of the Transition “roadable aircraft”, has officially received a grant for all of the special exemptions it had requested from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Terrafugia’s Transition is the first combined flying-driving vehicle to receive such special consideration from the Department of Transportation since the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards came into being in the 1970s. These exemptions pave the way for Terrafugia to begin deliveries once the company’s rigorous Transition certification testing programme has been completed.
Extensive analysis and simulated crash testing are also being employed with industry partners to ensure that the Transition meets all other applicable crash safety standards. The Transition is the only light aircraft to have undergone this high level of crash safety design and analysis. It is also the first to incorporate automotive safety features such as a purposebuilt energy absorbing crumple zone, a rigid carbon fibre occupant safety cage, and automotive-style driver and passenger airbags.
NEW ROUTE
Addis Ababa – Ethiopian Airlines has launched new flight services to Malakal, a town located in the upper Nile region of the South Sudan. This new service has brought Ethiopian’s international destinations to 62. It is also the Ethiopian Airlines’second destination in South Sudan.
SUPERJET 100 ORDER
Rome – After two false starts, with the now defunct ItAli Airlines and the hastily revealed deal for SSJ 100s with Alitalia which never materialised, SuperJet International – a joint venture between Alenia Aeronautica (a Finmeccanica Company) and Sukhoi Holding – has finally landed its first Italian customer. Blue Panorama Airlines has signed a contract for the purchase of 12 Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) aircraft with deliveries due to start at the end of 2012.
The first Sukhoi Superjet 100 entered into revenue services with Armavia in April (see photo above). The aircraft was put into operation in an extremely short period of time, two days after the official delivery to the launch customer. On June 16, the SSJ100 entered into commercial operation with the Russian airline, Aeroflot, from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
B737 PRODUCTION INCREASE
Seattle – Boeing is to increase the production rate for its Next-Generation 737 to 42 aircraft per month. Once implemented in the first half of 2014, the 737 programme expects to build on average two 737s each workday and nearly 500 airplanes each year. The 737 programme currently produces 31,5 airplanes per month and expects to go to 35 per month in early 2012, 38 per month in second quarter 2013, and then to 42 per month in the first half of 2014.
AIRBUS, ROLLS-ROYCE AGREEMENT
Toulouse – The CEOs of Airbus and Rolls- Royce, Tom Enders and John Rishton respectively, recently signed a milestone agreement for the joint development of the enhanced Airbus A350-1000 airliner powered by a higher thrust Rolls-Royce Trent XWB turbofan.
The enhanced version of the Trent XWB engine will be fully optimised for the largest member of the A350 XWB Family and will deliver up to 97 000 lbs of thrust on takeoff, making it the most powerful engine ever developed for an Airbus aircraft.
ATR EXPANDS CERTIFICATION
Toulouse – ATR has renewed and expanded its ISO 14001 certification concerning the businesses’ adherence to environmental standards. The broadening in scope of this certification enables ATR to become the first regional aircraft manufacturer to obtain ISO 14001 certification covering the entire lifecycle of the aircraft.
EUROCOPTER / VECTOR DEAL
Leiden, The Netherlands – Eurocopter Holding, a subsidiary of EADS, has acquired Vector Aerospace, a Canadian Corporation, in a deal which will help to increase the growth of support and services activities for Eurocopter and EADS in both the civil and governmental markets. Vector Aerospace will also strengthen EADS’ presence in North America and the UK, in alignment with the company’s strategic goals as outlined in EADS’ Vision 2020 plan.
ET TO LEASE FREIGHTERS
Addis Ababa – As part of its fleet expansion project and to handle an increasing volume of cargo, Ethiopian Airlines will lease two Boeing 777 freighters from GE Capital Aviation Services.
Ethiopia has also ordered five 777s, of which two have already been delivered while a third is expected soon.
Furthermore, the airline is waiting to take delivery of the often-delayed 787 Dreamliner. Ethiopian was the first African airline to order the 787 when it did so in February 2005 and has ten on order. It expects the first two Dreamliners to arrive in January next year.
COMMERCIAL VENTURE
Nairobi – Kenya Airways has entered into a partnership with one of the largest financial services institutions in Africa, United Bank of Africa, to promote trade and remittances across the continent. Formalised by Kenya Airways chief operating officer, Bram Stellar, and managing director of UBA Kenya, Muyiwa Akinyemi, this partnership will see the bank highlight trade opportunities and financial products through onboard cabin advertising.
FLIGHTS TO OUGADOUGOU
Nairobi – Kenya Airways has affirmed that plans to grow its network across Africa were on course, pointing to its new service linking Nairobi with Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, which started last month. The new route, the 55th of the airline’s global destinations, will operate via Cotonou, the capital of Benin, and use Boeing 737-800 aircraft on the twice-weekly service.
IAOPA WORLD ASSEMBLY
Frederick, MD – The International Council of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associations (IAOPA) has confirmed an earlier announcement that selected member organisation, AOPA-South Africa, is to host the 26th biennial World Assembly of its 69 member associations. The meeting will be held from April 10 to 15 2012 in Stellenbosch, in the Western Cape. During the World Assembly, delegates will work on issues of critical importance to general aviation and determine policies for the future.
They will hear from experts representing the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), CAA South Africa and industry officials. Resolutions developed from these discussions will help guide policy decisions in each member’s country and provide direction for IAOPA in its dealings with other organisations such as IATA and ICAO.
NEW IATA APPOINTMENT
Nairobi – Kenya Airways’ group managing director and CEO, Dr. Titus Naikuni, has been appointed to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Board of Governors. Dr. Naikuni was elected to the IATA board at the conclusion of the association’s annual meeting in Singapore recently.
He was also appointed to the 2012 Nominating committee, which has the responsibility of nominating candidates to the IATA Board of Governors. With this appointment, Dr. Naikuni returns to the IATA Board after having served for four years from 2004 to 2009.
AVIASSIST FOUNDATION APPOINTMENT
Hoofddorp, The Netherlands – The AviAssist Foundation has announced that the Board of Governors has elected a new Board member, Mrs. Margaret Munyagi, former and now retired director general of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority.
Her election which took place at the AviAssist Foundations Board’s recent meeting, is in recognition of her leadership and commitment to raising aviation safety in Tanzania and Africa.
Mrs. Munyagi, in her role as director general of Civil Aviation, campaigned to bring best practices and global standards to Tanzania and the region and introduced new safety regulations in compliance with the Inter-national Civil Aviation Organisation.
FALCON 7X RESUMES FLIGHT
Saint-Cloud, France – Dassault Aviation announced recently that the first Falcon 7X with an “approved” modification to its pitch trim system had returned to operational status.
This follows an intensive effort by Dassault to create a solution that addresses a pitch trim incident experienced by a Falcon 7X on May 25th. Dassault Aviation has developed a modification kit, which has been approved by EASA, that, when installed, adds additional layers of protection to the Falcon 7X horizontal stabiliser pitch trim system.
SAA AWARDS
Johannesburg – For the ninth consecutive year, SAA has outperformed other airlines by winning two awards: Best Airline Africa, and Service Excellence Africa. The lucrative title Best Airline Africa is awarded to the airline rated the best in the region for all the different items of airline front-line product and service. The Service Excellence Africa award was given to SAA for the second consecutive year. A quality, unrivalled product, as well as unwavering service standards and consistency experienced at the airport and onboard the aircraft, were judging criteria for this award.
KENYA AIRWAYS CHOOSES IFE
Nairobi – A leading in-flight entertainment (IFE) supplier, IFE Services, has been chosen by Kenya Airways to provide all in-flight entertainment (IFE) services. IFE Services will supply Kenya’s national flag carrier with a wide selection of the latest Hollywood Blockbusters, classic movies, a broad selection of TV programmes as well as regional films from India and Africa.
AELS RECYCLES AIRCRAFT
Dresden, Germany – AELS (Aircraft End-of-Life Solutions), a Dutch company that develops and executes end-of-life strategies for the aerospace industry, recently announced a new project to disassemble and dismantle an Airbus A310-300 for EADS EFW in Dresden. The environmentally friendly “Total End-of- Life Solution” that AELS is providing includes the dismantling of the airframe and recycling of the leftover materials such as aluminium. In addition AELS will recertify, market and sell the components of the aircraft for re-use on other aircraft.
AELS has disassembled and dismantled in
excess of 20 aircraft for high profile clients,
such as KLM, Lufthansa and TNT.
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