News Desk

“When We Shifted Our Focus a Few Years Back to Widebody Freighters, We Began to Keep a Close Eye on Developments at Airbus,” Intrepid Aviation’s Ceo Ron Anderson Said in a Statement. “Its Size, Range and Exceptional Economics Make It Very Attractive for Airlines Needing a Medium to Long Range Widebody Freighter. ” the Aircraft’s Floor, Fittings and External Cargo Door Are Currently Under Development at Airbus, and First Deliveries Are Expected to Commence in 2010.

The 69 Tonne Payload A330-200f is the Successor to the A300-600f and Converted A310s in the Airbus Line-up, and Will Compete Against Converted ‘classic’ 747fs, Md-11fs and Dc-8-70fs, and Boeing’s 777f and 767f/bcf.

Airbus Plans A320 Production Boostairbus is Reportedly Studying Plans to Boost Production of Its Hot-selling A320 Family of Single-aisle Airliners From 30 to 40 Units Per Month in the Face of High Demand and an Increasing Backlog for the Aircraft.

The Aircraft is Already Slated for a Boost to 36 Aircraft Per Month From July 2008, but Strong Demand, Particularly From Asian Carriers, May See That Raised Further.

Meanwhile, Airbus Has Revealed a Teaser From Its Power8 Restructuring Plan to French Media. Airbus Ceo Louis Gallois Told La Tribune on January 14 That All A320 Family Manufacturing Will Be Consolidated in Hamburg – Apart From the Green Fields Site Being Established in China – Meaning the Current A320 Final Assembly Line Will Move From Toulouse to Be Amalgamated With the A318, A319 and A321 Line.

Additionally, All A380 and A350 Production Work Will Be Done in Toulouse.

Gallois is Expected to Release Details of the Radical Power8 Plan Later This Month.

Ge to Acquire Smiths Aerospace

general Electric is Set to Acquire the Uk’s Smiths Aerospace for Us$4. 8bn (a$6. 12bn).

Smiths Has Seen a Surge in Business in Recent Years With Its Supply of Aircraft Avionics Systems and Other Components to Lockheed Martin for the F-35 Program, Boeing for Its 737 and 787, and to Airbus for Its A320 Family of Airliners.

“Ge and Smiths Fit Together Well Because Our Product Offerings Are Complementary, and Because We Have Similar Customers and Deep Domain Expertise in This Industry,” Ge Chairman and Ceo Jeff Immelt Told Us Media on January 15. “This Acquisition is Consistent With Our Strategy to Invest in High Technology Infrastructure Businesses That Deliver Strong Growth, Earnings Expansion and Higher Margins. ” Ge is Adamant That Things Will Be “Business as Usual” for Smiths in the Uk, and That It Has No Plans to Relocate Any of the Company’s Component Manufacturing. Smiths Has More Than 11,000 Employees in the Uk and Us and Reported Sales of Us$2. 4bn (a$3. 06bn) in 2006.

Another Record Year for Boeing

despite Most Commentators and Industry Observers Saying We Would Never See Another Year Like It, Boeing Has Eclipsed 2005’s Total of 1002 Aircraft Sales by Logging a Remarkable 1044 Net Commercial Aircraft Sales in 2006.

A Breakdown of Boeing’s Tally Saw 729 Orders for the 737 Family Received in 2006, a Record for the Type. However, Unlike 2005, Boeing’s Larger (and More Profitable) Aircraft Comprised a Smaller Piece of the Order Pie in 2006, With All Models Except the Resurgent 747 Recording Fewer Orders.

The Yet-to-fly 787 Received 157 Orders in 2006 Compared to 232 Last Year While the 777 Also Went Backwards With Only 76 Orders Compared to More Than Double That, 155 in 2005.

The 747, Comprising Both the Current -400f and Forthcoming -8i and -8f Models, Continued Its Renaissance, Logging a Remarkable 72 Orders Compared to 48 in 2005, and Even the Elderly 767, Production of Which Had Been Predicted to Be Wound Down by 2008, Managed 10 Orders for the Year on Top of the 19 It Received in 2005, Thus Ensuring Production Can Be Maintained Until the Usaf’s Kc-x Tanker Competition, for Which the 767 Based Kc-767 is a Contender, is Awarded in Mid 2007.

“Beyond the Order Totals, We Are Very Excited About the Breadth and Depth of Our 2006 Order Book,” Boeing Commercial Airplanes’s President and Ceo, Scott Carson Said in a Statement. “We Have Secured Significant Orders From Customers Around the Globe and Across Our Product Line as We Continue to Build a Strong, Well-balanced Backlog. ” Seventy-six Different Customers Ordered the 1044 Airliners.

A Summary of Recent Orders Since Our Last Update as They Appear on Boeing’s Order Website Include: Meanwhile, Transatlantic Rival Airbus is Yet to Announce Its 2006 Total, However Few Expect It to Repeat Its Late Run of 2005 Where It Logged Almost 400 Sales in the Last Few Weeks of the Year to Total 1111 Sales, and Thus Pip Boeing at the Line. The European Manufacturer is Expected to Show Around 850 Sales by December 31 When It Announces Its 2006 Total Later This Month.

Boeing Finalises Deliveries for 2006

boeing Commercial Airplanes Has Released Its Year End Deliveries Data Showing That It Delivered 398 Airliners in 2006, Significantly Up on the 290 It Delivered in 2005.

The 737 Again Comprised the Largest Portion of the Total, With 302 Delivered in 2006 Compared to 212 in 2005. Next Was the 777 With 65 Delivered Last Year, Compared With 40 the Year Before. Fourteen 747s Were Delivered in 2006 Compared to 13 in 2005, in Addition to the 12 767s Delivered Last Year Compared to 10 the Year Before.

Boeing Also Delivered Five 717s, Production of Which Ceased in 2006.

Airbus is Yet to Reveal Its Delivery Totals for the Year, However It is Expected to Surpass 450 Units.

Faa to Drop Etops Regulations

the Us Faa Has Announced It Will Allow Properly Equipped and Approved Twin Engined Airliners to Operate Unrestricted Over Oceanic and Polar Regions, Regardless of Engine-out Flying Time to Alternate Airports.

The New Rules Are Intended to Assist Airlines in Improving Their Dispatch Rates and to Provide More Direct Routes Between Ports, and Have Been Brought About Due to the Extreme Reliability Shown in Recent Years by Aircraft Such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus A330. To Obtain Approvals, an Aircraft Will Need Fire Suppression Systems Sized for the Requested Time-to-alternate Duration, and Sufficient Emergency Oxygen for the Crew and the Passengers. The Aircraft Will Also Have to Carry Automated External Defibrillators.

“the Rule Has Mechanisms for Twins to Go to Any Length and Any Duration From an Alternate Airport, Subject to the Capabilities of the Aircraft,” Faa Air Carrier Operations Manager Robert Reich Said. Although the New Rules Come in on February 27, Airlines Will Still Have to Meet Maintenance and Operational Requirements to Be Allowed to Operate Within Them.

A380 Wake Vortex Separation Rules Finalisedicao (the International Civil Aviation Organisation) Has Released Its Final Guidelines on the Safe Separation Times and Distances for the Airbus A380 When It Enters Service.

Following More Than 200 Hours of Testing Conducted by Airbus in Takeoff, Landing and Cruise Flight Regimes and With Various Aircraft Types, Icao Has Adopted Some, but Not All of the Manufacturer’s Recommendations.

Airbus Had Recommended That the A380 Be Placed in the Same ‘heavy’ Category as the Boeing 747 After Claiming There Were No Adverse Effects From the Larger Aircraft.

“the Icao Accepted Some of These Recommendations, but Not All,” Airbus’s A380 Product Marketing Manager Corrin Higgs Told Engineering News on December 15.

“We Have Been Doing a Lot of Testing Ourselves, Unprecedented Testing With Other Makes of Aircraft, Including the Boeing 747 and 777, as Well as Other Airbus Types. . . To Check the Wake Effects of the A380. We Couldn’t Detect Any Such Effect. ” the Icao Steering Group Set Up to Study the A380’s Wake Vortex Effects Has Dictated That Other Heavy Aircraft (A330 and Larger) Maintain a Six Mile Separation on Approach, While Medium or Light Aircraft Must Be at Least Eight Miles in Trail.

“a Medium A320 Has to Follow an A380 at a Greater Difference Than a Light Cessna 172 Has to Follow a 747,” Higgs Said. “This is Hardly Logical, It Shows the Conservatism of the Icao’s Approach. ” the Group Has Also Recommended That Only Normal Vertical and Horizontal Air Traffic Control Separations Standards Should Apply in the Cruise Regime After Agreeing With Airbus That the A380 Posed No Greater Threat to Other Traffic Than Current Aircraft.

Airbus Had Also Hoped That Icao Would Allow the A380 to Follow Another Heavy Category Aircraft at a Distance of 2. 5 Miles on Approach, However Icao Has Applied a Four Mile Separation.

Industry Observers Agree That Many of These Rules Are Conservative, Stating That the Greater Separation Distances in Part Negate Some of the Benefits, Particularly to Airports, of the Larger Capacity A380.

Commercial Briefs

Boeing Has Delivered the 600th 777, a -300er to Singapore Airlines.

Embraer Has Announced That It Will Offer the Pilotview Class Ii Electronic Flightbag as an Option on All of Its E-jet Airliners, and Legacy 600 and Lineage 1000 Business Jets. The First Customer for the Efb is Expected to Be Northwest Airlines, Which Has 36 E-175s on Order for Delivery From April.

Boeing Has Rolled Out Its First Extended Range 737-700er Airliner. The Aircraft, Which Features Auxiliary Fuel Tanks and the Longer Wing and Heavier Landing Gear of the Larger -800 Giving It a Range of Up to 5510nm (10,200km), Will Undergo a Period of Testing Before Delivery to Ana in the Next Few Months.

India’s Kingfisher Airlines Debuted the First Atr Turboprop to Feature a Jet-style in-flight Entertainment System With 17 Drop Down Tv Screens and Led Cabin Lighting When It Took Delivery of an Atr 72-500 on January 4.

Qantas Has Announced

It Will Increase Direct Flights Between San Francisco and Sydney From Three to Five Per Week From March 26 Next Year. Qantas Resumed Flying to San Francisco in March.

Iata Has Forecast That the World’s Airlines Will Turn a Collective Profit in 2007 After Six Consecutive Years of Losses. The Organisation Expects a Profit of Us$2. 5bn (a$3. 2bn) to Be Made in 2007, Compared to a Projected Loss of Us$500m (a$640m) in 2006.

A Group of Travel Agents Has Launched a Class Action Against Six Major Airlines for the Recovery of $80 Million in Commissions on Fuel Surcharges. The Airlines Comprise Qantas, Air New Zealand, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines.

The Oneworld Airline Alliance Has Announced That Hong Kong’s Dragonair Will Join the Group From Next Year Following That Carrier’s Merger With Oneworld Founding Member Cathay Pacific.

Delta Air Line is Expected to File Its Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Re-organisation Plan With Us Court Officials Before Christmas.

China Southern Airlines Has Been Voted the World’s Fastest Expanding Airline by Ascend, a Uk Based Information Consultant to the Aerospace Industry. China Southern Took Delivery of 50 New Aircraft in 2006, 30 Per Cent More Than Its Nearest Rival, Us Low Cost Carrier Southwest.

Sales

Mexican Low Cost Carrier Interjet Has Converted Options It Was Holding for 10 Airbus A320s Into Firm Orders. The Options Were Placed at the 2005 Paris Airshow Along With an Initial Order for 10 Aircraft.

Us Regional Carrier Republic Airlines Says It Has Converted Options for 13 Embraer E-170s Into Firm Orders After Securing a New Partnership Deal With Frontier Airlines.

German Low Cost Carrier Air Berlin Has Ordered 60 737-800s Alaska Airlines Has Ordered One 737-800.

Us Bankrupt Major Delta Air Lines Has Ordered 10 737-800s.

Klm Has Ordered Three 737-800s.

Three Unidentified Customers Ordered a Total of 32 737-800s.

Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise (Sale) Has Converted Options and Purchase Rights for 20 737-800s Into Firm Orders. This Deal Was Previously Attributed to an Unidentified Customer.

China’s Xiamen Airlines Ordered Six 737-800s.

Qantas Ordered Five 737-800s.

Korean Air Ordered Four 737-900ers, 10 777-300ers, Five 747-8f and Five 777f Freighters.

India’s Jet Airways Ordered 10 787-8s.

Malaysian Based Low Cost Carrier Airasia Has Ordered 50 and Taken Options on a Further 50 A320s. This Contract Was Signed on January 8 and is Not Expected to Be Included in Airbus’s 2006 Tally.

Spanish Leisure Carrier Grupo Marsans Has Ordered 12 A330-200s From Airbus, and Taken Options on an Additional 10 A330s Through Its Affiliate Lessor Astra Worldwide.

Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise (Sale) Has Ordered 20 and Placed Options on 10 A320 Family Airliners.

Us Lessor Pegasus Aviation Finance Company Has Ordered Six A330-200s, and Has Become the First Customer to Sign for the A350xwb in Its Definitive Guise, Ordering Two Aircraft.

Singapore’s Silkair Has Ordered 11 and Taken Options on Nine A320s.

Qantas Signed Contracts for Its Previously Announced Order for an Additional Eight A380s as Well as Four Additional A330-200s.

Singapore Airlines Also Signed for Nine Additional A380s as Well as Options for Six. The Airline Also Signed an Agreement to Lease 19 A330-300s, Presumably to Alleviate Its Capacity Shortfall Until Its A380s Are Delivered.

Other Recent Sales Include: French Regional Airlinair Has Ordered One Atr 72-500.

Switzerland’s Sky Work Has Ordered One Bombardier Dash 8-q400.

Dutch Lessor Aercap Has Ordered 20 Airbus A330-200s.

Qatar Airways Has Ordered Two Boeing 777f Freighters for Delivery in 2009. Qatar Already Has 14 777-300ers and Six 777-200lrs on Order.

Kenya Airways Has Converted Options for Three Boeing 787s Into Firm Orders to Add to the Six It Ordered Last March. The Airline Retains Three Additional 787 Options.

Guadalupe’s Air Caraibes Has Ordered One and Optioned a Second Embraer 190 for Delivery in Late 2007.

Military C-130j Back in Us Favour

A Decision by Former Us Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to Cut Production of the Lockheed Martin C-130j Airlifter for the Us Military Has Been Reversed by the Pentagon.

Us Dod Deputy Secretary Gordon England Has Directed That Us$2. 6bn (a$3. 32bn) Be Set Aside in Financial Years (Fys) 2009 to 2013 for at Least 30 Additional C-130js to Be Acquired for the Us Marine Corps and Usaf, With the First Six to Be Bought in 2009.

Rumsfeld Had Directed in 2005 That the Us Portion of the Program Be Terminated After Current Orders Had Been Fulfilled as Part of a Major Cost-cutting Drive, but Successful Lobbying by the Usaf, Which Has Said It Needs More of the Aircraft, in Conjunction With Political Elements in Georgia Where the Aircraft is Built, Has Seen That Decision Overturned.

“With Donald Rumsfeld Now Departed From the Pentagon, the Services Are Beginning to Reverse Decisions Made on His Watch That They Considered Ill-conceived,” Us Military Analyst Loren Thompson Told Bloomberg News. “in the Case of the C-130j, the Air Force Feels It Must Replace Ageing Cargo Planes That Are Becoming Too Dangerous to Fly, and the C-130j is the Only Suitable Replacement. ”

F-22 Deploying to Pacific

the Usaf is to Commence the First Extended Deployment of a Squadron of F-22 Raptor Fighters to Kadena Afb on the Japanese Island of Okinawa From Early February for Five Months.

The Deployment Will Allow the F-22s to Work Up With Forward Deployed Usaf and Us Navy Units in the Region as Well as the Air Arms of Japan and South Korea in What is Becoming an Increasingly Geopolitically Sensitive Region.

Some Opposition to the Deployment Has Been Received From the Residents of Okinawa Who Had Been Promised a Gradual Decline in Us Military Activity Around the Island in the Future. They Have Described the Prospects of Additional Jet Noise Around the Base as “Very Disappointing” and “a Nuisance”.

A Side Benefit of the Deployment is That Australians May Get Their First Look at the F-22 With the Possibility of a Deployment of Two of the Raptors to March’s Australian International Airshow at Avalon.

Boeing Delivers Scan Eagles to Aust Army in Iraq

Boeing Has Provided Some Details on the Australian Army’s Lease of an Undisclosed Number of Insitu Scan Eagles Uavs.

Despite the Lease Agreement Only Being Signed in December, the Aircraft and Their Associated Launch, Recovery and Control Systems Have Already Been Delivered to Army Units Serving in Iraq With the Overwatch Battle Group as Part of Operation Catalyst. The Aircraft Are Being Used to Provide Real-time Surveillance Imagery of Areas Surrounding Coalition Forces as a Safeguard Against Insurgent Activity.

The System Comprises Several Air Vehicles, Two or Three Ground Vehicles, a Compressed Air Catapult Launcher and a Skyhook Lasso on a 15 Metre High Pole Into Which the Air Vehicle Flies for Recovery.

Interestingly, Boeing Has Stressed That the 20kg Scan Eagle and the Forthcoming 250kg I-view Uav Can Be Operated as Complimentary Systems Rather Than the Scan Eagle Being an Interim Lease in Lieu of the Delivery of the I-view Due From 2009 Under Project Jp129.

Although There is No Active Requirement, Adf Capability Managers Are Known to Be Interested in a Smaller Tactical Uav to Cover the Middle Ground Between Man-portable Aircraft Like the Hand-launched Skylark, and the I-view Which Requires a Small Runway or Cleared Area. The Scan Eagle Has the Additional Advantage of Being Able to Be Employed From Ships From the New Armidale Patrol Boats Right Up to the Ran’s Forthcoming 20,000 Tonne Plus Amphibious Ships.

Orion Support Agreement Extended

local Eurocopter Subsidiary Australian Aerospace Has Had Its Deep Maintenance Support Agreement for the Raaf’s 19 Ap-3c Orions Extended to the Type’s Planned Life of Type in 2015, in a Deal Worth $201 Million.

The P-3 Standard Support Contract Builds Upon Australian Aerospace’s Support of the Raaf’s Orions Which It Has Performed Since 1993, in Addition to Its Caribou Transports. The Company Performs Annual Checks and Five-yearly Major Overhauls on the Orion.

The Company Employs 140 Engineers and Administration Personnel at Its Main Orion Support Facility at Raaf Richmond Near Sydney as Well as Its Smaller Facility at Raaf Edinburgh in Adelaide, and Plans to Add a Further 40 Employees in the Near Future.

Military Briefs

Russia and India Have Announced Plans to Jointly Develop a Medium Sized Multirole Transport Aircraft (Mrta). A 50:50 Joint Venture Has Been Established Between India’s Hindustan Aeronautics (Hal) and Russia’s Irkut Corporation to Develop the 60 Tonne Twin Jet Airlifter, and It is Hoped a First Flight Can Be Conducted in 2011.

The Federal Government and the University of Queensland’s Teamed Up With Boeing, the Usaf and Nasa to Conduct a High Speed Aircraft Research Program Under the Us$54m (a$68m) Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation, or Hifire Project. The Project Will Likely Initially Focus on Hypersonic Missiles, but It is Planned to Also Look at Hypersonic Manned and Unmanned Strike Aircraft Concepts in the Future.

The Defence Materiel Organisation’s (Dmo) New Air Combat Capability (Nacc) Office Has Awarded 10 Grants to Educational and Collaborative Research Organisations to Conduct Research Which May Have Short-term Applications to the F-35 Jsf’s System Design and Development (Sdd) and Production, Sustainment and Follow-on Development (Psfd) Phases.

Saudi Crown Prince and Minister for Defence and Aviation, Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Has Announced That the Saudi Government Has Signed a Deal to Acquire 72 Eurofighter Typhoon Fighters From Bae Systems. The First Group of 18 Aircraft, All Two-seaters, Will Reportedly Be Diverted From Raf Tranche 2 Stocks of Which Deliveries Are Due to Commence Later This Year. Earlier the Uk’s Director of the Serious Fraud Office Had Decided to Cease an Investigation Into Bae Systems Concerning the Al Yamamah Defence Contract With Saudi Arabia, Clearing the Way for Negotiations for Up to 72 Eurofighter Typhoons to the Saudi Kingdom to Re-commence.

The People’s Republic of China Army Air Force (Plaaf) Has Reportedly Inducted the Indigenous Chengdu J-10 Fighter Into Service. The Single-engined J-10 Borrows Heavily From the Cancelled Israeli Iai Lavi Fighter Which Itself Was a Development of the F-16, and Uses a Licensed Engine of Russian Design. Pakistan Reportedly Provided an F-16a to China to Be Studied During the J-10’s Development.

Northrop Grumman Has Threatened to Withdraw Its Airbus A330-based Kc-30a Contender From the Usaf’s Lucrative Kc-x Tanker Competition After It Claimed the Bidding Process Has Been Weighted to Favour Boeing’s Rival Kc-767.

The Uk’s the Times Newspaper Has Reported That the British Mod is Considering Buying an Additional Three Boeing C-17s Over Fears That Delivery of the Airbus A400m Airlifter Will Be Delayed by as Much as Three Years. The Raf Already Operates Four C-17s and is Buying a Fifth.

Boeing Has Been Awarded a Us$1. 5bn (a$1. 9bn) Contract for 126 Ah-64d Apache Longbow Helicopters. Ninety-six of the Helicopters Are for the Us Army, While the Remaining 30 Are for an Undisclosed Foreign Customer.

Sikorsky Has Selected the Ge38-1b Turboshaft to Power Its New Ch-53k Heavylift Helicopter for the Us Marine Corps. The Ge38 is a Derivative of the Cfe738 Commercial Turbofan (Falcon 2000 Bizjet) and the V-22’s T407 Turboshaft.

Spain Has Announced It Will Order at Least 45 Nh 90s. They Will Likely Be Manufactured in Spain, With Service Entry From 2010.

Lockheed Martin Has Been Awarded a Us$931. 3m (a$1. 18bn) Contract for 20 Block 52 F-16c and 10 F-16d Fighters for Greece Boeing Has Been Awarded a Us$1. 5bn (a$1. 92bn) Contract by the Us Army for 16 New Build and Nine Remanufactured Ch-47f Helicopters. Options on the Contract Provide for a Further 22 New Build and 19 Aircraft Remanufactured From Ch-47ds.

The Usaf is Studying a Concept to Fit Its Fighter Aircraft With Air Launched Versions of the Pac-3 Mse Hit-to-kill Anti-ballistic Missile Weapon. The First Aircraft to Be Studied Will Be the F-15c, but Additional Funding Has Been Provided for the F-35, F-22 and F-16.

The Us Navy’s Next Aircraft Carrier, Cvn-78, Will Be Named the Uss Gerald R Ford in Honour of the Former Us President Who Passed Away in December. The Ford Will Be the Second of a Hybrid Class of Ships Incorporating the Hull of the Current Nimitz Class With Advanced Communications, Flightdeck Design and Systems, and Sensor Systems.

Sukhoi Has Delivered the First Two Production Su-34 ‘fullback’ Strike Bombers to the Russian Air Force. The Aircraft Will Be Based at the Lipetsk Training Centre for Test and Evaluation and Tactics Development Duties. The Su-34 is a Radical Development of the Su-27/30 Line With a New Side-by-side Cockpit Section. Russia Hopes to Have as Many as 200 Su-34s in Service by 2020.

A Usaf B-52h Bomber Has Successfully Flown Using a Blend of a Synthetic Fischer-tropsch Fuel and Conventional Jp-8 in All Eight Engines. The Blend is Claimed to Provide Superior Performance Than Traditional Jp-8 Only Fuel, and Reduces Smoke Emissions by Up to 90 Per Cent.

India Has Signed a Us$800m (a$1bn) Deal With Mikoyan to Upgrade Its 66 Mig-29 Fighters With New Engines, Radars, Advanced Avionics and an Air-to-air Refuelling Capability.

Airlines

Tigers in Perth

singapore Based Low Cost Carrier Tiger Airways Has Announced Its Intentions to Commence Services to Perth From Late March.

The Airline, Which Already Operates Between Singapore and Darwin Using Airbus A320s, Plans to Offer Four Services a Week to Perth Initially and Increase This to a Daily Service From November.

The Initial Flights Will Depart Singapore in the Afternoon and Arrive in Perth Five Hours Later.

New Aus Intl Airline?

Strong Rumours Have Emerged of a New Australian Airline Planning to Commence Trans-pacific Services to the Us From Early 2008 Using Boeing 777-200lrs.

Although the Key Players Are Keeping Their Cards Close to Their Chest, They Are Believed to Have Strong Financial Backing and Have Placed Orders for the Aircraft With Boeing, Which the Manufacturer Currently Lists as Being From ‘unidentified Customers’.

Qantas’s Geoff Dixon and Margaret Jackson With Airbus’s Louis Gallois and John Leahy Celebrate Qantas’s Latest A380 Order. (Andrew Mclaughlin)

Qantas Signs for More Jets

qantas Has Signed Contracts for Eight Additional Airbus A380s and Four A330-200s It Ordered Earlier in 2006, and Announced an Order for Five Additional Boeing 737-800s to Augment Its Domestic Fleet.

The Contracts for the Additional Airbus Jets Were Signed at a Ceremony in Sydney on December 21 Attended by New Airbus Ceo Louis Gallois on His First Visit to Sydney and Coo John Leahy, Along With Qantas Chairman Margaret Jackson and Ceo Geoff Dixon.

Qantas Now Has 20 A380s on Order, Making It the Second Biggest Customer for the Giant Airliner Behind Emirates. “the A380 is Clearly the Most Suitable Aircraft for Qantas to Meet Passenger Traffic Growth on Our Dense Long Haul Routes,” Dixon Said in a Statement. “the Aircraft Will Play a Key Role in Alleviating Airport Congestion Without Losing Capacity. It Has Breakthrough Technology and Everything We Have Seen Reinforces Our View That It is the Best Aircraft Available for Qantas. ” “a Repeat Order From a Premier Carrier Like Qantas is More Than a Vote of Confidence in the A380,” Added Gallois. “It Not Only Reaffirms Qantas’s Commitment to the Product, It Also Shows That the A380 is an Aircraft for the Future of Air Travel. Certification Has Demonstrated That the Aircraft is Technically Ready to Fly. It Also Shows That the Aircraft Has All the Characteristics in Performance and Comfort and Economics to Become a 21st Century Flagship for Airlines. ” Dixon Also Hinted That Qantas’s New International Interior Which Had Been Scheduled to Debut on the A380 May Now Make Its First Appearance on Another Type. With the Airline’s New 787s Not Due to Arrive Until After the A380, This May Mean the New Interior May Now Appear on a Refurbished 747-400.

Rex to Taree, Graftonregional Express (Rex) Has Moved Rapidly to Fill the Gap Left by the Suspension of Operations of Big Sky Express With the Announcement It Will Commence Services to the Nsw North Coast Centres of Grafton and Taree From Sydney From February 25.

Rex Will Operate 36 Services a Week on the Sydney-taree-grafton-sydney Route Using Saab 340s. Big Sky Express Ceased Operations in December After Casa Withdrew the Aoc of Transair, Which Operated Aircraft on Big Sky’s Behalf.

Regional Express Has Warned That the Grafton and Taree Routes Will Be Marginal for It. But “a Deciding Factor for Us Was the Strong Commitment by Both the Clarence Valley Council and Greater Taree City Council to Co-invest in a Partnership Arrangement Which Has Proven So Successful in Many of the Ports That We Serve,” Said Rex Managing Director Geoff Breust. “Another Major Factor in Our Decision to Apply Was the Federal Government’s Active Assistance for Regional Airline Services Through the Enroute Charges Rebate Scheme Which Reduces the Cost of Certain Air Navigation Charges for Various Regional Operators. ” Meanwhile Rex Has Said It Has Dropped Plans to Introduce Additional Services to Port Lincoln From Adelaide After Failing to Come to an Agreement With the District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula on a Partnership for Co-investment in the Services.

Etihad Oz Boundthe Uae’s Etihad Airways Has Been Granted Entry to the Australian Market by Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Mark Vaile.

The Airline, Which Has Grand Expansion Plans Along the Lines of Its Older Regional Sibling Emirates and is Headed Up by Australian James Hogan, Says It Hopes to Be Able to Announce Which Ports It Will Operate Into by the End of February.

“I Expect That Etihad Will Announce Its Commercial Decision About the City or Cities to Which It Will Operate After Holding Discussions With Australia’s Major International Airports,” Vaile Said in a Statement.

Airasia to Go Long Haul

the Owner of Malaysian Regional Low Cost Carrier Airasia Has Announced Plans to Introduce Long Haul International Services.

Dubbed Airasia X, the New Carrier Will Be Owned by Fly Asian Express (Fax), a Small Airline Primarily Servicing Malaysian Domestic Routes and Also Owned by Malaysian Businessman Tony Fernandes, and Will Work in Collaboration With the Rapidly Expanding Airasia Which Just Announced Orders for a Further 50 Airbus A320s and Options for an Additional 50.

Fernandes Expects to Initially Offer Services to Tianjin and Hangzhou in China, but Plans to Expand to Manchester or London Stanstead in the Uk, and Possibly to Australia With Fares About Half Those Charged by Mainline Carriers. He Said He Would Be Placing an Order for Either Boeing 777s or Airbus A330s by the End of January.

Malaysian Media Reports Had Previously Suggested a Possible Tie Up Between Virgin Atlantic, European Low Cost Carrier Easyjet, and Airasia, Which Would See the Formation of a ‘budget Alliance’, but All Three Carriers Have Labelled the Rumours as Premature, and Have Denied Any Deal Has Been Agreed Upon.

Airline Briefs

Rex Has Donated $1 Million in Travel Services to Assist Communities Affected by Drought for 2007, a 100 Per Cent Increase on Its 2006 Donation.

Jetstar Has Announced It Will Expand Its Services Between Adelaide and Sydney, Melbourne (Avalon), Brisbane, Gold Coast, Cairns, Darwin, Sunshine Coast and Hamilton Island From Late March.

Jetstar International Suffered a Rather Inauspicious Debut for Its New Melbourne to Honolulu Services When the Inaugural Service Scheduled for December 28 Departed 12 Hours Late Due to a Maintenance Problem With the Aircraft. Passengers Were Accommodated in Nearby Hotels Overnight and the Aircraft Departed Early on the 27th.

The Star Alliance Group of Airlines Has Expelled Struggling Brazilian Carrier Varig From Its Membership.

Lufthansa and Sas Have Played Down but Not Denied Reports of Talks on a Possible Merger Between the Two Star Alliance Carriers.

Northwest Airlines Has Withdrawn the Last of Its Dc-10s After the Airline Flew Its Final Honolulu to Minneapolis-st Paul Service With the Type on January 7. The Dc-10 Entered Service With Northwest in 1972, and Will Be Replaced in Service by Airbus A330s.

Plans by Us Carrier Virgin America to Commence Services Soon Have Been Dealt a Major Blow by the Us Department of Transport Which Has Denied It an Operator’s Certificate Because It is Not Clearly 75 Per Cent Owned and Operated by Us Citizens. The San Francisco Based Airline, Which Already Has Nine Airbus A320s on Strength and Leases Signed for a Further 25 Aircraft, is a Spin-off of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group.

Newcastle Based Regional Airline Aeropelican Says It is Looking to Commence Operations on the Newcastle to Tamworth Route After It Consolidates Its New Sydney to Inverell Services Which Start in February. Aeropelican is About to Introduce Two Bae Jetstream 31s Onto Its Network to Replace Its Metro and Bandeirante.

On the Back of the Announcement Last Week of Airasia’s Intentions to Begin International Long Haul Operations, Malaysia and Australia Are Holding Discussions About the Opening Up of Low Cost Air Services Between the Two Countries. The Services Would Likely Be Operated by Jetstar International and Airasia X on a Reciprocal Arrangement.

Richard Branson Has Told New Zealand Media That He Has Held Preliminary Talks With Airport Authorities About the Possibility of Conducting Domestic Services in Nz Under the Pacific Blue Brand.

Airports Auckland Airport Announced a Record Week in the Lead Up to Christmas With 153,453 Passenger Passing Through Its Terminals From December 17 to 24. The Number Was 7. 8 Per Cent Up on the Same Week in 2005, and Beat the Previous Record by 1071 Passengers.

A Proposal by Airports of Thailand to Reopen Bangkok’s Recently Closed Don Muang Airport to Domestic Traffic Due to Congestion at the New Suvarnabhumi Airport Has Been Approved. The New Airport Has Quickly Saturated Its Terminal Facilities and With the Planned Low Cost Terminal Still Some Years Away From Completion, Airlines Have Asked to Return to Don Muang Until Suvarnabhumi is Ready.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (Aopa) Has Come Out in Support of the Minister for Transport in His Reinforcing of the Airports Act in Relation to Perth’s Jandakot Airport Which Limits Development on and Around Airport Sites. Aopa Has Also Called Upon the Minister to Force the Operators of Sydney’s Bankstown Airport to Reopen the Closed North-south Runway.

General Aviation Briefs

Eclipse Aviation Finally Delivered Its First Very Light Jet to a Customer on December 31 After Several False Starts Due to Production and Certification Delays. The Jet Was Accepted by Jet-alliance.

The Mooney Airplane Company Has Laid Claim to Building the World’s Fastest Piston Engined Light Aircraft With the Certification on January 4 of Its M20 Tn Acclaim. The M20 Can Cruise at 237kt at 25,000ft.

Australia’s Angel Flight, a Group of Volunteer Pilots Who Provide Non-emergency Flights for Financially and Medically Needy People, is Actively Looking for Volunteers to Join Its Angel Flight Pilot and Earth Angel Ranks. If You Can Assist, Please Contact Angel Flight Toll Free on 1300 726567 or Register Your Support via Www. Angelflight. Org. Au.

The Unique Australian Designed Seabird Seeker Will Conduct a Tour of East-coast Airports Over the Next Few Weeks in an Effort to Drum Up Domestic Sales Following Its Release for Sale. A Number of Seekers Have Been Sold to Iraq’s New Air Force for Border Patrol Work, and Seabird is Hoping to Attract Additional Interest From Military or Paramilitary Organisations.

Diamond Aircraft Has Teasingly Revealed Limited Information on Its Latest Offering, the Da50 Superstar. The Single Engined, Five-seat Da50 Will Use Avgas and Diesel (Avtur) Engines in the 350hp (260kw) Range, and Will, According to Diamond, “Be the Most Spacious in the New Generation of Single Engined Aircraft in Ga. ” Vulcanair Has Relaunched Production of the Former Partenavia Ap68tp-600 a-viator. The a-viator Will Be Offered With 350hp (260kw) Powerplants and a Revised Eight-passenger Cabin, and Will Also Offer a Lighter, Retractable Gear Version of the Aircraft Powered by a Pair of 200hp (150kw) Lycoming Io-360s.

Business Aviation

Raytheon Aircraft Sale Agreed

raytheon Has Agreed to Sell Its Aircraft Business Unit to a New Company Called Hawker Beechcraft Which is a Partnership of Goldman Sachs’ Investment Subsidiary Gs Capital Partners and Onex of Canada for Us$3. 3bn (a$4. 21bn).

Raytheon Says It is Disposing of the Aircraft Manufacturing Business So as to Consolidate and Focus on Its Core Strategy of Government and Defence Business. It Further Says the Production Lines for Its Hawker and Beechcraft Lines Will Likely Remain in Place in Kansas, Arkansas and Texas Under the New Company, as Will the Business Units’ Management Team. The Sale Also Includes Raytheon’s Fbo Network in the Us, Uk and Mexico.

Onex Also Owns the Former Wichita, Kansas Based Boeing Business Unit, Now Known as Spirit Aerosystems. It is Also a Partner in the Private Equity Takeover Bid for Qantas.

The First Customer Dassault Falcon 7x Has Been Delivered to the Company’s Little Rock, Arkansas Finishing Centre for Painting and Interior Fit-out. Dassault Has 125 7xs on Order With Production Sold Out Until 2011.

Business Aviation Briefs

Boeing Has Announced Plans to Offer a Rockwell Collins Enhanced Vision System (Evs) on Its Bbj Series of Large Business Jets. The System Will Be Retro-fittable to Aircraft Already Delivered, and Will Be Offered Through Service Bulletins. Certification is Expected in 2008.

Cessna Has Announced Its Citation Encore+ Seven to 11 Seat Bizjet Has Been Granted Faa Type Certification.

Boeing Business Jets Ordered Three 737-700bbjs and One 737-900bbj for Conversion to Corporate Jets.

Cargo

Reports Out of the Uk Indicate a Second Shorts Belfast Airlifter is Set to Join Its Brother in Australia at Heavylift. The Aircraft is Reportedly Receiving Some Major Attention at Southend-on-sea Airport Including Refurbished Rolls-royce Tyne 22 Engines in Preparation for Its Delivery Flight Later This Year.

Finance

Rex Has Announced It Has Exercised Its Option to Acquire a Further 25 Per Cent Holding in Pel-air, Bringing Its Total Stake in the Air Freight and Charter Operator to 75 Per Cent. Rex Acquired the First 50 Per Cent in November 2005.

Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise (Sale) Has Been Sold to a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Bank of China for Sg$1. 5bn (a$1. 24bn). Sale Was Previously Owned by Singapore Airlines, the Singapore Government, and by Westlb. It Owns 63 Airliners and Holds for a Further 28, Mostly Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s.

Air Safety 2006 Accidents Below Par

the Aviation Safety Network Has Said That the 27 Fatal Airline Accidents That Resulted in 888 Deaths During 2006 Were “Significantly Lower” Than the 10 Year Average of 36 Accidents and 1005 Fatalities.

However, It Tempered This by Pointing Out That 17 of the 27 Accidents Resulting in 800 Deaths Were Attributed to Loss of Control of the Aircraft, Labelling This as a “Noteworthy” Statistic. Of These 17, Six Occurred on Takeoff or Landing, and 11 During Flight.

Another Noteworthy Statistic Showed That, Although Africa Only Accounts for Three Per Cent of the World’s Movements, It Accounted for More Than 18 Per Cent of Last Year’s Fatal Accidents.

Grob Has Announced That the Elevators and Left Stabiliser Separated From Its Second Spn Prototype Moments Before It Crashed During a Demonstration Flight on November 29. Grob’s Chief Test Pilot, Gerard Guillaumaud, Was Flying the Second Prototype When It Crashed 8km (4nm) From the Runway While He Was Lining Up for a High Speed Pass Over the Company’s Tussenhausen-mattsies Airfield in Germany. The Company Says There is No Doubt Separation of the Elevators and Stabiliser Took Place, but the Reason Why is So Far Unknown. The Aircraft’s Elevators Had Previously Been Modified for Improved Performance in Icing Conditions.

People

Former Federal Defence Minister Sir James Killen Has Died Aged 81. Sir James Was Defence Minister in the Fraser Government From 1976 to 1981, and Before That Minister for Navy From 1969 to 1971. As Defence Minister Sir James Oversaw the Selection of the F/a-18 Hornet for the Raaf.

Australia Pacific Airports Corporation, the Operators of Melbourne and Launceston Airports, Has Announced That Chris Barlow Will Remain in the Position of Ceo for the Time Being Following the Withdrawal of His Replacement, Chris Woodruff’s Application for the Position for Family Reasons.

Eads Has Appointed Alain Garcia, the Head of Engineering of Airbus and Harald Wilhelm, the Deputy Cfo and New Chief Controlling Officer (Cco) of Airbus to the Executive Committee of Airbus.

Airbus Has Appointed Didier Evrard, From European Missile Manufacturer Mbda, to Lead the A350 Program.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Has Announced the Appointment of Stan Deal as Its New Vice President Asia Pacific Sales.

Events

Former British Airways Ceo Sir Rod Eddington Will Deliver the Sir Reginald Ansett Memorial Lecture at Parliament House in Canberra on October 31 to Launch the Biennial Safeskies Conference Program. The Conference Will Commence the Following Day at the Nearby Hyatt Hotel Canberra.

Captions

Boeing Has Delivered the First Major Fuselage Structural Components From Japan to Charleston, South Carolina for Assembly. The Parts, a Forward Fuselage Section and a Centre Wheel-well and Wing Tank Were Picked Up From Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Fuji Heavy Industries in Nagoya by Boeing’s First 747lcf ‘dreamlifter’, the Aircraft’s First Such Delivery Since Flying Last Year. Meanwhile, the Second Dreamlifter Was Rolled Out of Evergreen’s Modification Facility in Taipei on January 7 Painted in Its Full White and Blue Livery.

Columbia Aircraft Has Announced Its 2007 Model Line-up. All the 2007 Models Feature New Paint Schemes; Additional Standard Features Such as Two-tone Interior Leather and Black Walnut Trim, Integral Cup Holder/approach Plate Holder, Integral Headset Hanger/torch Holder and Map Pocket, New Two Position Rudder Pedals and Adjustable Seat Height; and Options Such as Remote Keyless Entry.

Airbus Has Delivered a Vip Configured A340-600 to Saudi Arabia’s Saad Air Ltd. Painted in a Striking White and Gold Livery, the Aircraft Will Be Fitted Out With a Luxury 80-seat Vip Cabin.