Airnews Round Up January 2011
VECTOR AEROSPACE IN SA
Johannesburg – Vector Aerospace officially opened its doors to business recently at its new facility based at Lanseria International Airport, in what used to be the Pratt & Whitney building, Hangar 25. This latest addition to Vector’s fixed and rotary-wing maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) organisation offers a variety of specialised services for the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A, JT15D and PW100 series engines; up to and including full overhaul support for PT6A engines.
These specialised services include field service repairs, fuel nozzle maintenance, boroscope services, limited repairs and hot sections for PT6A and JT15D series engines. Vector Aerospace’s services have been delivered through three operating divisions: Acrohelipro Global Services, Atlantic Turbines International and Sigma Aerospace. In 2008 Vector Aerospace united itsoperational divisions under one brand. With the completion of its acquisition of the Fleetlands Rotary Wing and Almondbank Components businesses of the UK Ministry of Defence’s DARA (Defence Aviation Repair Agency), it is now one of the largest, independent aviation MRO companies in the world.
Speaking at the official opening, general manager for SA, Mark Booth, said future plans for the facility would be the inclusion of the PT6T engine, which is used in helicopters.
CAPITAL FOR COMAIR
Johannesburg – Investec Capital Markets has announced that it had successfully implemented the pre-delivery finance transaction for an initial four new Boeing 737-800 aircraft for Comair, the operator of British Airways in South Africa and buget airline, kulula.com. The finance company also announced it had been appointed lead arranger to Comair for the term debt finance, which will be supported by a credit guarantee from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im).
The new fleet of Boeing 737-800s will be part financed through the Ex-Im backed term debt finance, with the balance through Comair’s own resources. Investec, which has enjoyed a solid relationship with Comair exceeding 15 years, is currently structuring the term debt facility in consultation with the airline operator. Requests for proposals will be issued to the local and international banking market in early 2011 for the Ex-Im backed term debt finance required to purchase the new fleet. Investec is arguably recognised as one of the top 10 aviation banks worldwide.
VITAL PARTS FOR A400M
Johannesburg – South Africa’s contribution to the manufacturing of the Airbus A400M airlifter was taken another step forward recently when the first set of top shells for the aircraft’s fuselage left the production line at Denel Saab Aerostructures (DSA). The top shells will be fitted on all 180 Airbus A400Ms that will be produced over the 25- year life cycle of the project and will be a profitable project for DSA.
The company is responsible for the entire product, from design to manufacturing, at its facilities in Kempton Park, near Johannesburg. The top shells are made up of more than 1 100 parts consisting of a large machined skin, made out of an aluminium alloy. In addition some 900 system brackets are fitted to the shells Each aircraft is fitted with two top shells, positioned in front of, and behind, the wings where they are joined to the fuselage. The brackets support the vital electric and electronic wiring, hot air and heat exchange piping and including the aircraft’s life-rafts.
Denel Saab Aerostructures also manufactures the wing-to-fuselage fairings made of an aluminium alloy frame and carbon composite panels.
MILESTONE B777
Everett, Wash. – Boeing recently delivered its 900th 777 airliner to Ethiopian Airlines. The aircraft is the ultra-long-range Boeing 777-200LR (long range) Worldliner, and is the first of five 777s the airline ordered in 2009. Based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the carrier is investing in additional aircraft to broaden its network. The airline will use the 777-200LRs on new, non-stop services from Washington, DC, to Addis Ababa and new long-haul, nonstop routes like Beijing.
Boeing claims the 777 programme reached the 900-airplane milestone faster than any other twin-aisle aircraft in history. The 777 has logged 1 165 orders from 61 customers.
SKELETON CREW
Miami – Mooney Aviation Company began a company-wide “draw down” recently that saw its staff cut from 53 positions to “less than 10” by January 1.
“The company is not shutting down and its aircraft will be supported,” Mooney’s Susan Harrison confirmed. The layoffs were staggered during December. Our US Editor, Ed Hirsch, reports that, for the time being, Mooney will be staffed by a skeleton crew that will maintain the company’s facilities, its type and production certificates and parts inventory, and provide technical support to owners. Mooney has been involved in negotiations with potential investors for 18 months and says those efforts will continue.
MAIDEN FLIGHT UAE’S FIRST PC-21
Zurich – Pilatus Aircraft has announced that the maiden flight of the first PC-21 for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force and Air Defence took place recently, one year to the day after the contract was signed. A post flight debriefing was undertaken with the UAE Air Force and Air Defence, represented by Brigadier General Sami Saeed Al Nuaimi.
Delivery of the 25 PC-21 aircraft and the other key components of the Pilatus training system are scheduled to begin soon, paving the way for UAE Air Force and Air Defence pilots to undertake basic and advanced flying training at Khalifa bin Zayed Air College, Al Ain, complementing the existing PC-7 fleet which has been in service for more than 26 years. After Singapore and Switzerland, the UAE becomes the third country to revolutionise its training pipeline with the most modern and advanced turbo trainer aircraft on the market today.
SKYWORLD EXTENDS BUSINESS
Freetown – Acting on behalf of ALS Ltd., of Kenya, Skyworld Aviation has successfully placed an Embraer ERJ 135LR, on a one-year ACMI lease contract with Fly6ix of Sierra Leone. The aircraft arrived at Fly 6ix’s operational base at Lungi International Airport, in Freetown, recently. The local market is currently largely served with higher capacity aircraft with low frequency flights and Fly6ix has identified a niche for more regular flights with smaller aircraft.
The new addition to the fleet will operate a regular daily service to major regional capitals in seven countries in West Africa. Skyworld Aviation has worked with ALS Ltd for many years, originally placing a Dornier 228 with the Nairobi-based firm in 2003. This operator is a wet lease provider, operating contracts for resource industry clients and United Nations aid agencies in Africa. The airline also flies a scheduled operation from its based in Nairobi. Its fleet now totals 26 aircraft, mainly comprising of Beech 1900s, Dash 8-100s and two ERJ 135s.
MILESTONE KING AIR
Wichita, Kansas – Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) recently marked the rollout of the 2 000th Beechcraft King Air C90 at its final assembly facility in Wichita. The milestone aircraft, a King Air C90GTx, represents the latest advancement in this most successful turbine aircraft line-up in general aviation today. Key enhancements to the King Air C90GTx include an increase in gross weight and the addition of composite winglets, which improve climb performance and further increase fuel efficiency. Featuring a cabin 50% larger than some very light jets, the C90GTx seats up to seven passengers in its famed squared-oval design, allowing greater passenger comfort. It includes an in-flight accessible, heated and pressurised baggage storage area along with a private aft lavatory as standard.
HOTEL GROUP LAUNCHES AIRLINE
Dar es Salaam – Our Tanzanian correspondent, Laura Hartstone, reports that a new charter carrier, known as Safari Plus, will enter the already crowded Tanzania skies soon thanks to the initiative of Dar es Salaam-based Hoteliers Kempinski.
This will be the 28th carrier of its type in the country and it will launch its services with two 19-seat Beech 1900Ds and a King Air 350. Safari Plus plans to offer flights between Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Serengeti initially, expanding its network later according to demand. It also plans to introduce scheduled flights at a later stage, but has not yet confirmed its route network proposals for these services.
“DASH OF SAFARI”
Nairobi – Fokker Services, in co-operation with Bombardier, recently hosted a seminar in Nairobi to share with operators which services they can offer and what benefits these have. More than 10 potential operators signed up with significant delegations for the seminar which was called “A Dash of Safari” in recognition of Kenya being a world-renowned country for safari operations, and “Dash” is the name for the Bombardier Dash 8 series, now called the Q100, -200, or -300 series. Fokker Services and Bombardier entered into a strategic alliance whereby the former offers Abacus to Dash 8 operators.
THREE MILLIONTH PASSENGER
Malta – Twenty-six year old Parisian, Barbara Fesquet, was the three-millionth passenger to pass through the gates of the Malta International Airport in 2010. She arrived on an Air Malta flight, KM 467, from Paris-Orly. Ms. Fesquet works in incentive travel and she came to Malta on a four-day flying visit to tour the island and see what it has to offer to potential clients. Welcoming her, at the La Vallette arrivals lounge was the head of airline marketing, Alan Borg, and the CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority, Josef Formosa Gauci.
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