News Desk

Airbus Undoubtedly Had the Best of the Airshow, With Firm Orders for 163 Aircraft From 10 Customers Valued at More Than Us$28bn (a$31. 3bn) Announced, Including 70 A350s and an Additional 11 A380s From Emirates (Refer Newsdesk Last Issue), 10 A350s From Yemenia, Three A330-300s and Two A330-200s From Oman Air, 34 A320s From Air Arabia, 22 A320s for Saudi Arabian Airlines, Nine A320s for Egypt’s Nile Air, Eight A320s From Pakistan’s Air Blue, as Well as Five Private Orders Including an A380 ‘flying Palace’ for Hrh Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal of Saudi Arabia.

“this Airshow Has Confirmed That Airbus is Very Much Back on the Market, Continuing to Satisfy Customers With the Right Products,” Airbus’s Coo-customers John Leahy Said. “the A380 and A350 Have Been the Highlight of the Show, Receiving Tremendous Customer Endorsement. ” Boeing Logged an Additional 12 777-300ers for Emirates, Six 787s for Lessor Lcal and Two 787s for Royal Jordanian, While Qatar Airways Finally Admitted It Was the Owner of a Previously Unidentified Order for 30 787s, 14 777‑300ers and Six 777-200lrs Which Had Been Placed as Far Back as Last Year, Plus a New Order for Five 777f Freighters.

The Leasing Arm of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Dae Capital, Announced Its Intention to Order 200 Aircraft From Boeing and Airbus, Comprising 70 Boeing 737s, Five 747-8f Freighters, 10 777-300ers and 15 787s, as Well as 70 Airbus A320 Family Airliners and 30 A350s.

“today, We Are Laying Down a Significant Marker,” Dae Capital Ceo Bob Genise Said During the Show. “we Have Fairly Ambitious Goals. ”

Boeing Close to Defining 787-10

Boeing’s Scott Carson Told Media at Dubai That the Manufacturer is Close to Defining the Market for the Stretched 787-10.

Carson Said Some Customers Had Asked for a 425-seat Aircraft With 9200km, While Others Wanted a 380-seater Which Can Fly 14,000km. He Added That the Final Specification May Involve a “simple Stretch” Which Retains the 787-9’s Wing, Engines and Landing Gear, Whilst an Alternative May Involve Uprated Engines and Heavier Landing Gear. The Former Model Would Undoubtedly Take Sales Away From Airbus’s Planned A350-900 but Also Boeing’s Own 777-200er and -300, While the Latter Would Go Up Against the A350-1000 as Wellas the 777-300er.

Ilfc Chairman and Ceo Steven Udvar-hazy Revealed Recently That the 787-9 is Currently 6300kg Over Its Target Operating Empty Weight.

Udvar-hazy Told Atw Online That the -9’s Weight Issue Will Flow Onto the Planned 787-10, Meaning the -10 May Require Higher Thrust Engines and Strengthened Landing Gear Regardless, and Thus May Move It Away From Boeing’s and Potential Operators’ Commonality Goals With the Smaller 787-3, -8 and -9 Models.

“there is More Residual Value if the Plane Retains Commonality,” Carson Said.

“there Are Six to Eight (Sales) Campaigns Around the World (for the 787-10) and Each One Wants a Different Thing. ” Carson Added That, in Total, Prospective Customers Were Looking for About 200 787-10s.

Atr to Launch 90- Seater?

Atr Has Used the Dubai Airshow to Announce That It is Examining a Stretch of Its Revised Atr 72-600.

Atr Ceo Stephane Meyer Told Media at the Show That the “trend is for Bigger Aircraft”, a Fact Borne Out by 80 Per Cent of Its 180 Aircraft Backlog Being for the Larger 70-seat 72-500 Model.

Whilst Not a Firm Project, Meyer Says Atr Has Options to Build a Higher Capacity Version of the 72-600, One That Would Seat Up to 90 Passengers. “we Are Looking at It With Our Customers as We Think About What We Will Do in the Next Five to 10 Years,” He Said. “some Airlines Are Already Asking About a 90-to- 99 Seater. ” Bombardier is Also Thinking Along the Same Lines With Its Proposed Q400x Stretch of the 78-seat Q400.

Agreement Signed to Develop Synthetic Jet Fuel

Qatar Airways, Qatar Petroleum, Qatar Fuel Company, Airbus and Rolls-royce Have Signed an Agreement to Study the Development of Jet Fuel From Natural Gas.

In a Dubai Airshow Release, the Group Claims the Synthetic Fuel Will Have a Higher Energy Density Meaning Aircraft Will Be Able to Fly About Five Per Cent Further on the Same Amount of Fuel, It Will Burn Cleaner With Zero Sulphur and Nitrate Emissions, and Will Require No Modifications to Existing Engine Technology or Airport Infrastructure.

Qatar Gas Ventures Suggested That Airlines Should Expect to Pay a Premium for the Increased Efficiency Offered by the New Fuel, but Natural Gas is in Plentiful Supply.

Dubai Airshow Briefs

• Us Based Aerion Began Taking Lois for Its Supersonic Business Jet (Ssbj) at the Dubai Airshow. Production Positions Can Be Secured With Refundable Us$250,000 (a$275,000) Deposits Through Execujet Aviation.

• Emirates Has Opened Its New Dhs1. 3bn (a$395m) 55 Hectare Engineering Centre in Dubai at a Ceremony to Coincide With the Dubai Airshow. The Site Has Eight 11,500m2 Hangars, Each of Which Can Accommodate an Airbus A380.

• Embraer Says It Took Five Orders and Two Options for the Lineage 1000 Business Jet Variants of the E-190 at Dubai, as Well as Two Legacy 600s. The Order Was Placed by Al Jaber Aviation of Abu Dhabi.

Commercial Airbus Talks Up A380 Stretch

Airbus Coo-customers John Leahy Has Said the Manufacturer Will Start Work on the Stretched A380-900 Once the Initial -800 Version Reaches Full Production in 2010.

Responding to Comments by Influential Chairman and Ceo of Ilfc, Steven Udvar- Hazy, That a 10m Stretch of the A380 Would Be Needed for the Aircraft to Realise Its True Efficiency Potential, Leahy for the First Time Committed Airbus to a Timeframe to Begin Work on the Stretched Version.

Emirates President Tim Clark Has Also Said He Would Buy the Stretched Version, Adding That He Would Swap -800 Model Slots for 750-seat, Three Class or 1000-seat Single Class -900 Models if He Could.

Udvar-hazy Told Atw Online That the Cargo Capacity of the First A380 Which Entered Service With Singapore Airlines in Late October Has Been “dismal” and That a Stretch Would Expand the Belly Space for Cargo as Well as Passenger Luggage.

Airbus Warning on Us Dollar Weakness

Airbus Ceo Tom Enders Has Warned Employees That the Continuing Weakness of the Us Dollar Means the Company May Be Forced to Go Beyond the Power8 Restructuring Program to Look for Additional Efficiencies in Its Future Business Model.

Already Forced to Shed Up to 10,000 Jobs and Sell Off Several Plants in Germany and France, Enders Has Warned There May Be More Pain to Come. “the Dollar’s Rapid Decline is Life Threatening for Airbus,” Enders Told Employees in Hamburg. “the Dollar Exchange Rate Has Gone Beyond the Pain Barrier. ” While All Commercial Aircraft Are Sold in Us Dollars, in Europe Airbus Pays Most of Its Bills in Euros, Which Has Risen More Than 12 Per Cent Against the Dollar This Year Alone. Airbus Says Power8 Does Not Go Far Enough to Address the Continuing Slide of the Dollar, and That It Will Have to Find an Additional €1bn (a$1. 7bn) in New Savings by 2010/11.

Employee Unions Have Disputed Enders’ Comments, Claiming They’re Alarmist and That the Future of the Manufacturer is Not Under Threat.

Embraer E-jets Log One Million Hours

the Global Fleet of Embraer E-jets Recently Logged Its One Millionth Flight Hour, According to the Manufacturer.

More Than 300 E-jets Comprising the E-170 and 175, and Larger E-190 and 195 Have Been Delivered to More Than 45 Airlines in 30 Countries, and as of September 30, Total Orders Stood at 712 E-jets With a Further 756 Options.

About a Quarter of the Global Fleet of E-jets is Based in Europe, While the Us, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific Regions Each Comprise 19 Per Cent of the Fleet.

Emirates Pushes for 777 Successor

Emirates President Tim Clark Appears to Be Positioning the Booming Middle Eastern Carrier as the New Driving Force of Influence for Aircraft Manufacturers to Develop Future Aircraft Models, in Much the Same Way as Former Airline Icons Like Pan Am and Twa Dictated Airliner Specifications in the Heady Middle Decades of the 20th Century.

Following on From Recent Calls for a Stretch of Airbus’s A380, More Range for the Boeing 747-8i, and the Launch of the Boeing 787-10, Clark is Now Pushing Boeing to Develop a Successor to the Hot-selling 777-300er, and He May Just Get His Way.

Emirates Placed a Stunning Order for 50 Mid Range A350-900s and 20 Larger A350-1000s at November’s Dubai Airshow, Most of Which Clark Says Will Replace A330s and Early Model 777s on Regional and Medium Haul Routes to Europe, Asia and Africa. However, He Also Says There is Still Room at the Upper End of the Widebodied Twin Market for an Enhanced 777 Using Engine and Composite Technologies Developed for the 787 to Increase the Big Twin’s Efficiency. “we Are Aware of the Enhancements Being Studied,” He Said in a Recent Interview, “but Are Pushing Them to Produce a New -300er, the Same Size Etcetera, but With 787 Technology and Design. It Would Be a World Beater!” “this Explains Why I Made 20 A350-1000s Part of Our Order,” He Said, Saying the Timing of Any Such Development of the 777 Remains Uncertain.

The Call Comes as Boeing and General Electric Are Working on Engine and Aerodynamic Improvements for the 777-300er and -200lr Range. Boeing Commercial Airplanes Ceo Scott Carson Reportedly Said the Companies Plan to Incorporate Improvements Found in the 787’s Genx Engine Program Into the 777’s Ge90-110 and -115 Engines, Currently the World’s Most Powerful Jet Engines, as Well as Fine-tune the 777’s Aerodynamics. Carson Said He Hoped to Be Able to Offer Efficiencies That Will Rival the Forthcoming A350-1000 Years Before That Aircraft Enters Service in 2016.

Airbus to Build Five Per Cent of A350 in China

Airbus Has Signed an Mou With China’s National Development and Reform Commission (Ndrc) Which Will See Five Per Cent of the A350 Airframe Work Undertaken by Chinese Industry.

The Mou Was Signed in Beijing on November 26 by Airbus Coo Fabrice Bregier and by Vice Minister of Ndrc Chen Deming, While French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chinese President Hu Jintao Looked on.

The Mou Will See Airbus “carry Out High Level Industrial Cooperation on A350xwb Development and Manufacturing Work, in Order to Enhance a Closer Strategic Cooperation Relationship Between Airbus and the Chinese Aviation Industry,” as Well as “prepare for Further Possible Cooperation for Future Programs. ” “we Demonstrate Once Again Airbus’s Commitment to the Long Term Development of China’s Aviation Industry.

For Airbus, China is Not Only an Important Market, but Also an Industrial Partner,” Bregier Said. “we Are Making Efforts to Further Strengthen the Already Existing Cooperation. ” Airbus Also Signed an Agreement With China Aviation Industry Corporation Ii (Avic Ii) to Establish a Joint Venture Manufacturing Centre in Harbin to Produce Composite Components for the A350.

Bombardier Ramps Up Crj Production

Bombardier Has Announced It Will Increase Production of Its Rejuvenated Crj Series of Regional Jet Airliners Due to an Increase in Demand for the Aircraft.

The Announcement Came on the Back of Increased Profit Numbers in the Third Quarter to October 31, the Appointment of a New President and Ceo, and the Successful Launch of the Nextgen Series of Crjs.

“right Now, There is Very Strong Demand for Crjs, Both in the Us and Internationally, and That is Why We Are Increasing Rates Again on the Crj700 and 900,” Said New President and Ceo Pierre Beaudoin. The Rate Will Increase by 25 Per Cent, From One Aircraft Every Four Days to One Every Three Days.

The Planned Annual Production for the 12 Months to January 31 of 50 Crjs is Expected to Rise to 64 in the Following 12 Month Period, After the Company Logged 124 Orders in the Nine Months to October 31 Against 95 in the Same Period Last Year.

United Calls for New Generation Narrowbody

United Airlines Has Called Upon Airliner Manufacturers to Design a New Single-aisled Narrowbody Jet for Its Us Domestic Services.

The Airline, Which Emerged From Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection in 2006 and is Expected to Begin an Extensive Fleet Modernisation Program Over the Next Decade, Says It Wants a “narrowbody Equivalent” of a Boeing 787 or Airbus A350 With Their Promised 20 Per Cent Gains in Efficiencies, and Has Started Discussions With Boeing and Airbus About Starting Such a Program.

“we’ve Got the Fleet We Have, and We’ll Have It for Several Years to Come,” United’s Cfo Jake Brace Told a Goldman Sachs Conference in New York on November 10, Adding That It Was Unlikely Such an Aircraft Would Be Available Before 2015.

But With Both of the Current Models Selling Well and Effectively Sold Out Beyond 2012, Neither Manufacturer is in Any Hurry to Spend the Expected Us$10bn+ (a$11. 2bn+) in Development Costs to Replace Them.

A380 Confirmed as Quietest Large Airliner

Airbus Says Its Claims That the A380 is the Quietest Large Airliner Were Validated by Officials From the European Aviation Safety Agency (Easa) and the Us Federal Aviation Administration (Faa).

The External Noise Certification is One Element for the Joint Easa and Faa Type Certification for the Gp7200 Powered A380, Currently Scheduled for Next Month, and Backs Up That Granted to the Rolls-royce Trent 900 Powered Version Earlier Thisyear. The Aircraft Recorded 17 Epndb (Effective Perceived Noise in Decibels) Cumulative Margin to the Icao Chapter 4 Noise Standard, Voluntarily Used by Airbus Instead of the Mandatory Chapter 3 Standard.

Such Levels Are About Half Those of the Boeing 747-400, Meeting Stringent Qc2 Departure and Qc0. 5 Arrivals Noise Standards at London’s Heathrow Airport.

The Trent 900 Powered A380 Entered Service Last October With Singapore Airlines, While the First Gp7200 Powered A380 is Due to Enter Service With Emirates in August.

Rr to Establish Overseas Engine Assembly Facilities

Rolls-royce Has Announced Its Intention to Establish Commercial Engine Assembly Facilities in the Us and in Singapore in Order to Meet Growing Demand for Its Products in These Key Markets.

The Us Facility Will Be Built in Virginia to Assemble and Test Rb282 Engines for the Recently Announced Dassault Super Midsize Corporate Jet, and Will Also Support the Military F136 Engine Program for the F-35 Jsf. It Will Be Operational by the End of 2009.

The Singapore Facility Will Be Used to Test and Assemble Larger Civil Jet Engines Such as the Trent 1000 and Trent Xwb as Used by the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 Respectively, Large Numbers of Which Have Been Ordered by Airlines in the Region, and Will Also Be Operational by the End of 2009.

Commercial Briefs

• Pratt & Whitney Has Confirmed Its Geared Turbofan (Gtf) Engine Has Been Selected to Power Bombardier’s Yetto- Be-launched Cseries Airliner. Already Selected for Mitsubishi’s Planned Regional Jet (Mrj), the Larger Gtf for the Cseries Promises Greater Efficiency, Reduced Fuel Burn, and Lower Operating Costs Than Current Generation Engines. The on-again, Off-again Cseries is Expected to Be Launched in 2008 With Service Entry in 2013.

• the Airbus A318 With Cfm56 Engines Was Granted Approval for Steep Approach Landings by Easa on November 19. The Approval Comes After Pw6000 Powered A318s Were Granted Similar Approval Back in June. This Certification Allows the A318 to Operate Using 5. 5 Degree Glideslopes Into Airports Such as London City, Where Stringent Approach Requirements Exist.

Military F-35 ‘partner Version’ to Be Different

Lockheed Martin Has Been Awarded a Further Us$134m (a$153m) Contract for the Development of a “partner Version” of the F-35 Jsf, One That Will Meet “us National Disclosure Policy, but Remains Common to the Us Air System, Where Possible. ” the Contract Award Comes on Top of Us$603m Awarded in 2003 for the ‘delta System Development & Design’ (Delta Sdd) Program to Develop the Partner Aircraft.

Despite the Fact That a Partner Version May Not Feature All the Low Observable Attributes or the Levels of Integration of the Us Aircraft, the Adf and Lockheed Martin Both Told Australian Aviation That the Partner F-35a Will Still Meet Australia’s Requirements.

“australia Will Receive a Jsf Air System That is as Common as Possible With the Us Jsf Air System in Line With Us National Disclosure Policy,” an Adf Spokesman Said in a Written Response to Our Questions. “the ‘delta Sdd’ Contract Will Deliver an Air System That Meets the Requirements of All the Jsf Partners, Including Australia.

Defence Has Detailed Information on All Jsf Characteristics and Has High Confidence That the Block 3 Jsf Planned for Australia Will Provide the Capability Australia Needs for Its Sovereign Defence Needs and Maximum Interoperability With the Us for Future Coali-tion Operations. Any Difference Between Australian and Us Aircraft Will Be Minor and Will Not Affect the Operational Capability of the Aircraft. ” “every Partner Country Establishes an Agreement With the Us (Government) on the Capabilities of Their Aircraft, and the Jsfpo (Program Office) is Developing an Aircraft to Meet the Needs, Both Common and Unique, of the Nine Nations Participating in the Program, to Include the Us,” Said Lockheed Martin’s John Smith in a Statement to Aa. “each Partner is Fully Cognisant of the Design Features of Their F-35s and How Those Design Features Translate Into Warfighting Capability.

Each Partner Will Receive a Jet That is Fully Compliant With the Requirements Agreed Upon by Us and the Partner Nation. The F-35 Meets the Operational Requirements of All Nations in All Aspects. ” Even Though These Responses Appear to Be Outwardly Reassuring, the Revelation That the Us Will Be Holding Back Technologies From Partners With Financial Stakes in the Multi-billion Dollar Program is Concerning, Especially as Adf Planners and Analysts Have Previously Discounted the Possibility of Ordering the F-22 Partly Because It Would Cost “more Than $1 Billion” to Develop an “export Version” of the Super Fighter.

Perhaps Not Surprisingly, Neither Lockheed Martin Nor the Adf Would Expand Upon to What Extent the F-35’s Capabilities Would Be Degraded, Nor Expand Upon What the Differences Between the Us and ‘partner Version’ of the F-35 Would Be.

The Delta Sdd Phase is Scheduled to Be Completed in 2013.

Nz to Order New Advanced Trainer

Any Prospects That the Fleet of Rnzaf Mb-339 Macchis May Have Been Brought Out of Mothballs Have Been Dashed Following the Go-ahead by Nz Defence Minister Phil Goff to Replace the Service’s Current Fleet of King Air Trainers.

The King Airs Are Used to Train Aircrew for the Rnzaf’s 757 and C-130 Transports, and P-3k Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft. Nz Did Away With Its Fleet of a-4k and Mb-339 Fast Jets in 2001, and is Yet to Obtain Us State Department Approval to Sell These Aircraft.

“the Nzdf Looked at the Possibility of the Aermacchis Being Used to Replace the King Air Advanced Pilot Training Aircraft During the Evaluation Stage, but Ruled It Out,” Goff Told Nz Media. “the Aermacchis Were Rejected as an Option Because They Are Not Suitable for Providing Full Training Capabilities Necessary for the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Upgraded C-130 Hercules, P-3 Orions and 757s and the New Helicopter Fleets. ” “another Factor Was the Cost of the Package of Training Aircraft That Would Have Included the Aermacchis, Which Was Three Times the Operating Cost of Purposespecific Aircraft,” He Added.

There Has Been No Indication as to What Type May Be Considered as a Replacement Trainer.

Usaf F-15 Grounding Renews Interest in Additional F-22s

the Recent Grounding of the Usaf’s Fleet of More Than 700 F-15a-e Fighters and Strike Aircraft Has Led to Renewed Interest in Extending the F-22 Production Line Beyond the Currently Planned 183 Units.

The F-15s Were Grounded Following the Catastrophic Break-up in Flight on November 2 of a Missouri Ang F-15c. While the F-15es Were Returned to the Air Relatively Quickly, at the Time of Writing More Than 440 F-15a-ds Remained Grounded for Inspections Following the Discovery of a Structural Design Weakness in the Forward Fuselage.

The Usaf Has a Longstated Requirement for 381 F-22s.

In the Meantime, While the F-15s Remain Grounded, Canada Has Deployed Cf-18 Fighters to Elmendorf and Eielson Afbs in Alaska to Provide Air Defence for the Northwestern Approaches to North America.

Military Briefs • Boeing Has Designed a Fix for the Italian Air Force’s Kc-767 Tankers That Will Allow the Aircraft to Achieve Theirmach . 82 Speed Requirement.

The Aircraft Were Previously Limited to Mach . 79 Due to Aerodynamic Restrictions on the Wing Tip Refuelling Pod Pylons. Italian Officials Have Reportedly Expressed Their Disappointment That the First Two of Four Kc-767s Won’t Be Delivered Until Next June, Some Three Years Late.

• Europrop International Delivered Its First Tp400-d6 Flight Test Engine for the Airbus A400m Transport to Marshall Aerospace for Integration With a C-130k Testbed on November 19.

• the Raaf Has Taken Delivery of Four Truck/aircraft Loading Unloading Units (Talus) for Its C-17s for Use at Its Amberley, Pearce, Townsville and Darwin Bases. The Talus Were Made by Adelaide Firm Static Engineering and Are Each Capable of Lifting 22. 5 Tonnes Up to the Level of the C-17s Cargo Floor, Negating the Need to Use the Aircraft’s Rear Loading Ramp for Pallets and Other Awkward Shape Loads.

• the Us Senate and House Armed Services Committees Have Agreed to Retain Us$460m (a$504m) in Funding for the Ge/rolls-royce F136 Alternate Engine for the F-35 Jsf in the Fy2008 Us Defence Budget. The Engine Was Under Threat of Being Cut to Free Up Funds for Other Areas of the Jsf Program.

• the First Two of 66 Bae Systems Hawk 128 Trainers for India Have Been Delivered From the Uk. Of the 66 Jets, 24 Are Being Built by Bae While the Remaining 42 Will Be Manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (Hal) in Bangalore.

Airlines O’connor in Strife

Regional Airline O’connor Airlines Has Been Placed in Voluntary Administration on November 21 With Debts of at Least $4 Million at the Request of the Company’s Directors.

The Airline Has Been Hit Hard by the Grounding of Its Cessna Conquests Earlier This Year and by Increased Competition From Rex. O’connor is Continuing to Operate Between Adelaide, Mount Gambier, Port Augusta and Mildura While the Receivers Look for a Buyer.

Receivers Have Said They Have Been Approached by at Least 10 Potential Buyers for the Troubled Carrier, and Are Optimistic About Achieving a Sale.

Emirates to Grow Australian Services

Emirates Has Announced It Will Grow Its Services to Australia From 49 Flights to 70 Flights Per Week by 2009, and Will Introduce the A380 Onto Australian Routes.

Speaking at a Gathering in Sydney, Emirates Ceo and Chairman Hh Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-maktoum Said a Second Daily Service to Brisbane Would Be Added in 2008, Along With a Third Daily Service to Sydney and Melbourne in 2009. The Extra Brisbane Service Will Be Directfrom Dubai Using Airbus A340-500s, While A380s Will Also Operate Direct to Sydney and Melbourne From Dubai.

“the Airbus A380 is a Very Important Aircraft to Emirates,” Sheikh Ahmed Said. “our First Aircraft Are the Ultra Long Range Version in a 489 Seat, Three-class Configuration Which is Ideally Suited for Australian Flights and Will Address the Current Seat Capacity Shortage at Many Australian Airports. ” “emirates Airline Has Welcomed Over Six Million Passengers Onto Their Australian Flights Since Its First Service to Melbourne in 1996 and Today’s Announcement Represents a Strong Commitment to Build on That Growth,” Sheikh Ahmed Added. “the Emirates-australian Partnership Has Been a Tourism and Trade Success Story. Emirates Has Been Fortunate to Have Received Bipartisan Support at Both a Federal and State Level Over Many Years. ”

Rex’s Breust Retires

Regional Express Managing Director Geoff Breust Retired on December 5.

“geoff Also Made a Considerable Contribution to His Community and Was Recently Recognised by His Elevation to the Wagga Wagga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Roll of Honour, a Distinction Awarded to Only a Handful of Citizens of One of Australia’s Largest Regional Cities,” Rex Deputy Chairman John Sharp Said. “geoff Actively Contributed to the Aviation Industry and Was Passionate About Regional Australia. ” “rex’s Success is the Clear Result of the Dedication, Professionalism and Just Plain Hard Work of Its Staff,” Breust Said in a Brief Statement.

“they Are Its Backbone and Heart and Soul. Rex Has a Great Future and I Wish Them All Every Success. ” Chief of Staff Jim Davis Has Assumed a Leadership Role in the Airline Pending a Management Restructure by the Board.

Pacific Blue Nz Domestic Flights Take Off

Pacific Blue Flew Its First New Zealand Domestic Services on November 12, With Two Aircraft Departing Auckland and Christchurch, Bound for Wellington.

“as a Challenger Brand We Are Always Attracted to Markets That Are Constrained by Lacklustre Competition and Monopolistic or Duopolistic Suppliers,” Virgin Blue Ceo Brett Godfrey Said on November 12. “new Zealand is a Prime Example of This and We Are Pleased That From Today, New Zealanders Will Have Increased Choice, More Affordable Fares and Greater Travel Options. ” the Airline Offers Five Return Services Between Auckland and Wellington, Two Return Services Between Auckland and Christchurch, and Three Return Services Between Wellington and Christchurch, All Using 737-800s.

The Airline Also Raised Nz$1014 for a Children’s Charity After It Auctioned Off Seat 1a on the Inaugural Flight From Auckland.

Jetstar to Grow Melbourne and Cairns Services

Jetstar Has Announced Increases in Its Services From Melbourne and Cairns From March Next Year.

Perhaps in a Direct Response to Newcomer Tiger Airways, Jetstar Will Increase Its Services From Melbourne to Cairns, Hobart, the Sunshine Coast, and the Gold Coast From March 18, Including Introducing the A321 on Services to Cairns and the Gold Coast.

“our Growing Mix of New A321 and A320 Services From Melbourne Airport Will Provide an Additional 8500 Weekly Seats for Our Melbourne Domestic Operations and Further Build Our Domestic Capacity at Melbourne Airport to Offer Almost 200 Weekly Return Services by April Next Year,” Airline Ceo Alan Joyce Said.

“melbourne Airport Remains Critical to the Future Projected Growth of Jetstar and Our Overall Victorian Based Domestic and International Services Now Support Close to 1000 Direct Jobs Across the State. ” “our Introduction of an A321 Fleet Firstly Onto Some of Our Strongest Domestic Routes From Melbourne is in Direct Response to Existing Growth Opportunities,” Joyce Added. “as the Largest Member of the Airbus A320 Family, the A321 Offers Jetstar a Suite of Benefits to Meet the Demands of a Growing Market and to Maintain Our Low Fares Leadership Position. ” Additional Services Between Sydney and Cairns Will Also Be Added, With Two Daily Services to Be Operated Also From March 18. “we Are Continuing to Build on Our Existing Aircraft and Crew Base in Cairns by Establishing a Second A320 in Cairns From February 2008 and Supporting a Growing International Cabin Crew Base for Our Direct Services to Western Japan From Cairns,”joyce Said. “jetstar’s Growth in Both Domestic and International Flying From Cairns is Now Creating Around 130 Direct Jobs for the Airline in Cairns Including Pilot, Cabin Crew, Engineering and Airport Customer Service Roles. ” the A321s Are Scheduled to Enter Service on March 18.

Qantas Reaches Eba Agreement With Flight Attendants

Qantas Has Announced It Has Reached an Agreementin- Principle With the Flight Attendants Association of Australia (Faaa) International Division for a Five Year Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (Eba).

Qantas Ceo Geoff Dixon Says the Agreement Will Allow More Than 2000 New Fulltime Flight Attendants to Be Employed Over the Next Three Years. “this is Essential to Qantas’s Continued Growth, and Builds on Our Track Record of Having Created 5000 New Jobs Since 2001,” Dixon Said. “this Agreement Will Help Provide the Level of Competitiveness Qantas Must Have in the Highly Competitive International Aviation Industry.

This New Eba Provides Stability and Certainty for Qantas and Its Long Haul Cabin Crew for the Next Five Years. ” Qantas Says the Agreement Allows for a Three Per Cent Per Annum Pay Rise, a $3000 Signon Bonus, Extra Parental Leave, and Improved Superannuation Arrangements. The Airline Will Reportedly Also Increase the Number of Crew on Its Boeing 747s Fitted With Premium Economy Seating by One.

The New Fas Will Be Employed Through a New Subsidiary Company Called Qantas Cabin Crew Australia Pty Ltd (Qcca) From Early 2008, With the First 550 Expected to Be in Place by Next June.

Meanwhile, Qantas’s Engineers Have Won the Right to Hold a Secret Ballot About Possible Strike Action.

The Australian Industrial Relations Commission Granted Permission to the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (Alaea) to Hold the Ballot on December 20 Over Ongoing Issues Regarding Salary and Overtime Compensation, and the Airline Sending Work Offshore.

The Airline Has Offered Its Engineers a Three Per Cent Annual Pay Increase and Improved Superannuation Benefits in Line With Packages Accepted by Its Flight Attendants and Ground Staff.

Finally, Qantas Has Reached an in Principle Agreement With the Australian Services Union on a Three Year Enterprise Agreement (Eba) Covering About 25 Per Cent of the Airline’s Australia Based Employees. The Agreement Will See the Employees Receive an Annual Three Per Cent Wage Increase, as Well as an Increase in Superannuation Contributions and the Ability to Salary Sacrifice Additional Contributions.

The Eba, Which Will Be Backdated to July 1, is Scheduled to Be Voted on and Come Into Affect by the End of January.

Qantas Cargo Admits Price Fixing Liability

Qantas Has Entered a Plea Agreement With the Us Government to Settle Its Liability in the Us Resulting From What It Says Was “illegal Price Fixing Conduct Within Its Freight Division. ” Qantas Ceo Geoff Dixon Said the Airline Had Agreed to Pay a Fine of Us$61m (a$69. 2m) as Part of the Plea Agreement Which Covered Illegal Fixing of Fuel Surcharges in the International Air Cargo Market Between 2000 and 2006. “similar Investigations to Those Being Carried Out by the United States Department of Justice Are Being Undertaken by Antitrust Regulators in Other Countries, Including Australia,” Dixon Said in a Statement. “we Understand More Than 30 Other Airlines Are Included in These Investigations. ” “these Investigations Confirmed That the Practices Adopted by Qantas Freight and the Cargo Industry Generally to Fix and Impose Fuel Surcharges Breached Relevant Antitrust Laws,” He Added.

“qantas Takes Its Obligations to Comply With the Law Very Seriously. We Have a Comprehensive Competition Compliance Program in Place, and Expect All of Our Employees to Comply With These Requirements at All Times. ” the Airline Had Already Set Aside Us$40m (a$45. 3m) in Its 2006/07 Financial Statement as Provision for Potential Fines.

Qantas Premium Economy on Sale

Qantas’s New Premium Economy International Product Went on Sale on November 13.

The New Product is Now Being Offered on Qantas 747-400 Services From Sydney to London via Singapore and Bangkok and to Johannesburg From April 1, From Melbourne to London via Singapore and Hong Kong From May 16, and From Sydney to Hong Kong From August 3. Premium Economy Will Only Be Available on Select747 Services to the Us From Late Next Year.

It Offers a 50cm (19. 5in) Wide Seat, a 102cm (40in) Pitch and Greater Recline, a Larger in-seat Video Screen, and Noise Cancelling Headsets.

“our Service Will Also Include Priority Check-in, Dedicated Cabin Crew, an Additional Hand Baggage Allowance, and Priority Boarding and Disembarkation,” Qantas’s John Borghetti Said in a Statement. “qantas Will Offer 32 Premium Economy Seats on Its B747‑400 Aircraft in a Two-four-two Configuration. ” Qantas’s Return Premium Economy Fares Start From $1999 for Flights to Hong Kong, $2189 to Singapore, $2552 to Bangkok, $4217 to Johannesburg, and $4567 to London.

Airline Briefs

• Qantas Has Applied to the International Air Services Commission for a Variation on the Singapore Route and on to Frankfurt to Permit Spain’s Iberia to Codeshare on These Services. Under Reciprocated Arrangements, Qantas Will Codeshare on Iberia’s Daily Services Between Frankfurt and Madrid.

• Tiger Airways and Korea’s Incheon City Authorities Have Signed a Deal to Establish a New Korean Low Fare Airline Called Incheon Tiger Airways.

The Airline Will Have an Initial Fleet of Five A320s and Be Based at Incheon International to Serve the Chinese and Japanese Markets.

• Qantas Celebrated 60 Years’ Service on Its Iconic ‘kangaroo Route’ Between Australia and the Uk on December 1. The Anniversary Marked Qantas’s First Scheduled Service Between the Two Countries, Operated by a Lockheed Constellation Which Departed Sydney on December 1 1947.

Airasia X Reports Strong Demand for Its Four-times a Week Services From Kuala Lumpur to the Gold Coast Since the First Flight Landed on November 3. By Early December Flights for That Month and Into January Had Sold Out. “if Our Aircraft Fleet Was Bigger Than What It Currently is, We Definitely Would Be Able to Fill More Flights on This Route,” Said Airasia X General Manager Australia Darren Wright. (Daniel Wilson) • Singapore Airlines Has Concluded an Agreement With China Eastern Airlines to Take a 15. 73 Per Cent Share in the Chinese Airline for S$870m (a$661m).

• Virgin Blue Has Extended Its Tie-ups With Gulf State Airlines After Signing an Interline Agreement With Etihad. The Interline Agreement Will Provide Etihad Passengers With Connections to Virgin Blue’s 22 Australian Destinations From Sydney and Brisbane.

• Skywest Began Fokker 100 Services From Kalgoorlie to Melbourne on November 23.

• Pacific Blue and Skyairworld Have Both Been Granted Approval by the Iasc to Operate on the Brisbane to Honiara Route. Pacific Blue Has Approval for 360 Seats on a Three Times a Week Service Initially Using a Leased Boeing 737-300, While Skyairworld Will Have 470 Seats With a Six Times a Week Service Using Its Embraer E-170. Both Airlines Are Expected to Upgrade Their Equipment Next Year; Pacific Blue to a 737-800, and Skyairworld to Its New E-190 When It Arrives in March.

• Virgin Blue is Adding Extra Flights From Sydney to Mackay and Rockhampton in the Face of High Load Factors and Increasing Competition From Newcomer Tiger Airways.

Three Extra Flights a Week Will Operate to Mackay, While the Rockhampton Route Will Be Upgraded From Three Flights a Week to a Daily Service. The Flights Will Be Operated by Embraer E-jets or Boeing 737s.

• Jetstar Commenced Services Between Melbourne Tullamarine and Perth on November 14, Making It the First Airline to Operate From Two Airports Directly to One Australian City. Jetstar Currently Also Flies One Return Flight Per Day to Perth From Melbourne Avalon, Andnow Two Daily Services From Tullamarine.

• India’s Kingfisher Airlines Reportedly Has Plans to Launch a Four Times Weekly Service From India to Sydney From October, Subject to Government Approval, With Longer Term Plans to Fly a Daily Service. Kingfisher Has Also Reportedly Requested Airbus to Bring Forward the Delivery of the Five A380s It Has on Order From 2011-12 to the End of 2009.

• Qantas Has Officially Launched Its Reconciliation Action Plan Which It Says Aims to “double Indigenous Employment Opportunities Across the Qantas Group; Improve the Involvement of and Support for Indigenous Staff; Assist Qantas Staff to Better Appreciate Indigenous Cultures and Promote Cultural Diversity Within the Company; and Encourage Qantas’s Partners and Customers to Actively Support Reconciliation and Indigenous Issues. ” • South African Airways Celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Its First Flight Into Perth on November 26. The First Scheduled Flight of the Airline From Johannesburg’s Jan Smuts Airport to Perth Took Place on November 25 1957 and Was Operated by a Douglas Dc-7b, and Took 21 Hours Flying via Mauritius and the Cocos Islands. Today, Saa Uses Airbus A340-200s on a Non-stop 11-hour Service.

Environment Execujet Launches Carbon Offset Program

the Execujet Aviation Group Has Partnered With Non-profit Environmental Foundation, Myclimate, to Offer Its Charter Clients Worldwide the Opportunity to Offset Their Carbon Emissions and Fly ‘carbon Neutral’.

Clients Will Be Offered the Opportunity to Purchase a Myclimate Ticket Which Will Offset the Equivalent Carbon Emissions Generated by Their Journey, the Proceeds of Which Will Be Invested in a Climate Protection Project.

Execujet Says the Offset Ticket Price Will Be Determined by Myclimate, and Will Take Into Account the Climate Relevant Emissions Generated Per Hour Flown, and the Costs of Offsetting a Tonne of Co2 in a Carbon Offset Project.

Airports Sydney’s Cross Runway to Close for More Than a Year

Sydney Airport Has Announced That It Will Construct a Larger Runway Safety Area at the Western End of Its 25/07 East-west Runway From April 2008.

The Construction Work, the Last of the Runway Overrun Safety Work to Be Performed Following the Completion of Similar Work on Its Other Runways, Will Take More Than a Year and Will Require the Runway to Be Closed for the Duration Due to the Need to Use Cranes and Other Heavy Equipment.

“sydney Airport Has Three Runways, Meaning That We Require Six of These Larger Runway Safety Areas, Airport Ceo Russell Balding Said.

“we Have Already Completed Five, at a Cost of $3 Million, and Will Commence Constructing the Sixth, at a Cost of More Than $65 Million, in April 2008. ” “the Construction of the Sixth Runway Safety Area Will Be Far More Complicated Than the Five We Have Constructed So Far,” Balding Added. “this is Because Some of Sydney’s Important Infrastructure is in, or Near to, the Construction Area. The Design and Construction of the Runway Safety Area Has Taken Into Account the Presence of Sydney Water’s Southern and Western Suburbs Ocean Outfall Sewer; (the) M5 East Motorway Tunnel; Energyaustralia’s High Voltage Power Feeder Cables; and the Cooks River. ” the Work Will Involve the Addition of an 8100m2 Land Bridge Over the Cooks River That Will Provide a 90x90m Runoff Area at the 07 Threshold.

Construction Will Involve the Installation of More Than One Hundred 27 Metre Long Pre-cast Concrete Structural Beams, Each Weighing More Than 25 Tonnes.

The Closure Will Leave Sydney With Just the Two North-south (16/34) Runways for the Construction Period.

“the Temporary Closure of the East-west Runway Also Means That There Will Be Operational Impacts in the Event of Strong Cross-winds,” Balding Said. “if There Are High Cross Winds While the East-west Runway is Unavailable It is Likely That Flights to and From the Airport Will Be Delayed or Diverted to Other Airports. ”

Qantas Planning Airport Upgrades

Qantas Says It is Planning a Host of Airport Upgrades Around the Nation as It Ramps Up Its Domestic Fleet and Strives to Fight Off Challenges by Virgin Blue and Tiger Airways in the Next Few Years.

The Airline Says It is Working With Brisbane Airport to Address “infrastructure Issues” There. “addressing This is a Priority for Qantas, and We Are in the Process of Accelerating a Planned Multi-million Dollar Redesign of Our Terminal in Brisbane,” the Airline’s Regional General Manager Andrew Hogg Said.

“this Will Involve Moving the Check-in and Security Areas to the Upstairs Level, Expanding Baggage Areas, Modifying Aircraft Gates and Expanding Our Airport Lounges. ” Recent Media Reports About Check-in Staff Shortages at Brisbane Came to the Fore Recently When Staff Were Reportedly Booed for Closing a Check-in Desk in Order to Assist an Elderly Passenger Who Had Collapsed (and Subsequently Died). Industry Chatter Suggests the Airline Has Severe Staff Shortages at Brisbane Resulting in Long Check-in Queues During Peak Periods. The Airline Says It is in the Process of Recruiting 35 New Customer Service Staff at Brisbane, and a Total of 230 Staff Australia-wide Over the Next Few Months.

Following on From Plans Announced in September Toupgrade Its Facilities at Perth, Qantas Says It is Also Finalising Plans for Additional Developments of Its Domestic Terminals at Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney Airports.

Airport Briefs

• Melbourne Avalon Owner Linfox Has Announced Plans to Spend $30 Million on a New Passenger Terminal at the Airport to Handle an Increase in Services by Jetstar and Planned Services by Malaysian Long Haul Startup Airasiax.

Linfox Says, if Approved, Work on the 8000m2 Building Will Commence Early Next Year and Will Include Customs, Quarantine and Immigration Facilities, as Well as Retail, Dining, and Duty Free Outlets.

• the Australian Airports Association Held Its Annual Industry Awards Evening on November 20.

Category Award Winners Were: Australian Aviation Personality of the Year-alan Joyce; Australian Rural Airport of the Year – Port Augusta Airport; Australian Regional Airport of the Year – Essendon Airport; Australian Major Airport of the Year – Rockhampton Airport; and Australian Capital City Airport of the Year – Canberra Airport.

• Queensland Tourism Minister Desley Boyle Held Talks With Major Asian Airlines in November in a Bid to Seek New Airline Opportunities for the State and to Promote the State’s Successful Aviation Training and Engineering Capabilities.

• Newcastle Airport Broke Its Monthly Passenger Total in October When the 90,000 Passenger Mark Was Exceeded for the First Time. A Record 93,380 Passengers Used the Terminal During October, an Increase of 6454 Passengers Over September, the Previous Highest Month.

General Aviation Cessna Wins Battle for Columbia

Years of Financial Uncertainty Ended for Columbia Aircraft on November 26 When Cessna Purchased the Bankrupt Oregon Company at Auction, Reports Jeffrey Decker.

“the Columbia Models Are a Good Fit With Our Existing Product Line,” Cessna’s President, Chairman and Ceo Jack Pelton Said. “we Look Forward to Providing Existing Columbia Owners With Improved Levels of Service and Support and Introducing New Customers to These Outstanding Aircraft. ” the All-composite Columbia 350 and 400 Will Become the Cessna 350 and 400. The 350’s Continental Tsio-550-c Engine and the 400’s Dual Turbochargers at Last Give Cessna a High Performance Piston to Compete With Cirrus Design, Which Has Led Four-seat Single Engine Sales for Five Years and Also Briefly Considered Acquiring Columbia.

Ultimately Only Cessna and New York Based Park Electrochemical Corporation Made Offers for Columbia, and the Two Company Heads Shook Hands After Three Rounds of Bidding. Cessna’s Last Offer for Us$26. 4 Million Includes Us$15. 9 Million in Cash and the Assumption of Various Liabilities, Including Customer Deposits, Warranties and Payrolls. Pelton Had Been Courting Columbia Since April 2006 and in September Cessna Offered Us$24. 5 Million.

Columbia Owners at the Auction Cheered the News.

Columbia Owners and Pilots Association President Chuck Yanke Said Cessna’s Expertise and Service Base Are Reassuring for the Nearly 600 Owners.

However, About 80 Columbia Service Centres Are Left Out of the Deal. “the Existing Columbia Authorised Service Centres Are Welcome to Apply to Become Cessna Facilities,” Says Cessna. Most Are Seeking Funds Through Bankruptcy Court, as Are More Than 1000 Others With an Unsecured Debt Total of Aboutpay Us$2m (a$2. 3m) to Cover Liability to Garmin.

Cessna’s Purchase of Columbia’s Assets Was Finalised on December 4. The Next Day It Increased Weekly Work Hours From 32 to 40 and the Employee Count of 430 Will Increase Over 90 Days. In 2006 They Numbered More Than 700 Before One Layoff and Two Furloughs in 2007 After Columbia Reported a Net Loss of More Than Us$21. 8m (a$24. 7m) for the Year.

Pelton Was Met With Applause When He Visited the Facility After the Auction, and Said to Expect Tens of Millions of Cessna’s Dollars.

“we Plan to Make Significant Investments in (the Factory), in People and Operations, to Bolster Customer Satisfaction and Business Profitability,” He Said, Staying Away From Specifics.

At Present There Are No Plans to Manufacture the Under-development Next Generation Piston Family at the Plant, Cessna Officials Say.

Cirrus Reveals Gen3

Cirrus Has Revealed a Remake of Its Sr20 Piston Single to Coincide With the Tenth Anniversary of the Original Aircraft’s Certification, Reports Jeffrey Decker.

The 2008 Sr20, or Sr20- Generation Three, Has Been Completely Redesigned, Featuring a New Carbon Fibre Spar in the Enlarged Wing That Provides an Increase in Climb Rate and Useful Load With No Increase in Overall Weight.

Deliveries of the New Model Begin in January. “you Can Place Your Trust in the Reliability of a Composite Airframe Rated to 12,000 Hours, Proven by a Fleet of Over 3000 Aircraft That Have Logged Over Two Million Flight Hours,” Cirrus Says.

Cirrus’s Higher-performance Sr22 Has Been the World’s Most Purchased Single Engine Piston for Five Years.

Cessna to Build 162 Skycatcher in China

Cessna and China’s Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (Sac) Have Signed an Agreement That Will See Sac Assemble the 162 Skycatcher Lsa in China.

Cessna Says It Will Retain Responsibility for the Aircraft’s Design and Certification Compliance Work, and Will Oversee the Aircraft’s Assembly by Sac.

“the Lsa Market Demands the Latest Avionics, Safety and Reliability, Lightweight Equipment and a Competitive Price Tag,” Cessna Chairman, President and Ceo Jack Pelton Said. “our Solution is to Partner With Sac, a Company With Excellent Facilities, Stateof- the-art Technologies and a Workforce Highly Experienced in Aircraft Manufacturing. ” First Flight of the Prototype Skycatcher is Scheduled for Early 2008, While Deliveries Are Expected to Begin in the Second Half of 2009. Cessna Hopes to Build Up to 700 Skycatchers a Year Once Fullrate Production Commences.

Snowy Grammar’s Pilot Cadet Scheme

the Snowy Mountains Grammar School (Smgs) Has Joined Forces With Canberra’s Brindabella Airlines to Offer the Smgs Pilot Cadet Scheme.

The the School Says the Scheme Will Be Open to Students in Year 9 or Above, and Will Feature “career Prospects at the Successful Completion of the Course; Integrated and Ongoing Career Assessment Procedures; Insights Into Facets of the Industry Including Charter, Regional Airline, Engineering and Training Operations; and the Ability to Complete Full Academic Nsw School Certificate and Higher School Certificate Programs While Undertaking Training; Work Experience Within the Industry While Training; a Tutorial Style Study Program Catering for Individual Learning Styles; and the Opportunity to Gain a Ppla and/or Cpla Licence/s. ”

General Aviation Briefs

• Garmin Has Been Awarded a Supplemental Type Certificate (Stc) by the Us Faa for the G1000 Avionics Suite in the King Air C90a/gt, the Company’s First G1000 Retrofit Stc. The Stc Will Also Pave the Way for Future G1000 Retrofit Installations for Larger Members of the King Air Family.

• the Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350er Has Gained Its Type Certification From the Us Faa. The Aircraft Features an Increase in Gross Weight From 6180kg to 7490kg Through the Addition of Nacelle Fuel Tanks and Heavy-weight Landing Gear. The B350er is Being Pitched at Military and Civilian Search and Rescue Organisations for Surveillance, Patrol and Disaster Relief Duties.

• New Zealand’s Pacific Aerospace Set a Show Record at November’s Dubai Airshow by Recording the Longest Distance Travelled for Any Aircraft on Display at the Show. The Company Flew a 750xl More Than 9000nm (16,660km) in 59 Hours Flying Time Over Six Days From Hamilton to Dubai.

Business Aviation

• Gulfstream Aerospace Has Conducted a Comprehensive Flight Test Campaign Using a Test G450 Fitted With a Combined Synthetic Vision System and Enhanced Vision System.

Gulfstream Says the Dual Navigation Capability Comprises the Three-dimensional Terrain Images of Gulfstream’s Synthetic Vision-primary Flight Display (Sv-pfd), and the Forward Looking Infrared (Flir) Images of the Gulfstream Enhanced Vision System Ii (Evs Ii), Meaning Greater Pilot Situational Awareness at Night and in Adverse Weather.

• the Global Fleet of Cessna Citation Sovereign Business Jets Recently Logged 100,000 Flight Hours. The First Sovereign Entered Service in September 2004, and Cessna Says 160 Have Since Been Delivered to Customers in 41 Countries. One Currently Flies in Australia, With a Second on Order for Distributor Aeromil Pacific for a 2009 Delivery.

• Hong Kong’s C Jet Limited Has Signed an Mou for the First Vip Configured Airbus A350. To Be Added to Airbus’s Acj Range, the Vip A350 Will Be Known as the ‘prestige’. Dassault Aviation Says It Will Move Some of Its Activities Out of Europe Because of the Continuing High Level of the Euro Against the Us Dollar. The Company Says “the Natural Approach Will Be the Relocation to Dollar or Lowcost Zones, as Has Been Done by the Automobile Industry. ”

Security

• Casa Says It Has Outsourced the Administration and Processing of Aviation Security Identification Cards (Asics) to Aviation Id Australia Based in Merimbula in Nsw. Casa Says “the Company Will Be Required to Adhere to Casa’s Service Delivery Charter Protocols and Framework and There Will Be Regular Governance and Performance Audits Conducted by Respected Auditors Kpmg. ”

Maintenance, Support & Training

• Brisbane’s Aviation Australia Has Picked Up Another Client for Engineer Training. Airasia Has Selected the Booming Training Company to Deliver Its Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Training at the Airline’s Academy in Kuala Lumpur.

Air Safety New A340 Written Off at Toulouse

a Brand New A340-600 Destined for Etihad Airways Was Extensively Damaged in an Accident at Airbus’s Toulouse Site on November 15.

The Aircraft Was Undergoing Pre-delivery Engine Tests in a Large Test Bay When It Surged Forward and Struck a Concrete Deflection Barrier.

The Aircraft Mounted the Barrier, Extensively Damaging Its Forward Fuselage. Images of the Crash Show the Nose Section and About 10 Metres of the Forward Fuselage Largely Detached From the Rest of the Aircraft, and Severe Crumpling Along the Entire Fuselage.

Airbus Says 10 Workers Were on or Near the Aircraft at the Time, Five of Whom Were Injured, None Seriously.

Atc & Airspace Flightwatch Gains a Reprieve

Airservices Australia’s Flightwatch Radio Service Was Saved at the 11th Hour After Then Transport and Regional Services Minister Mark Vaile Stepped in to Stop It Closing Down During the Federal Election Campaign.

Former Casa Chairman Dick Smith Had Mounted a National Media Campaign to Save the Service Which Provides Weather and Safety Information to Pilots Around the Country via Vhf Radio.

“there Are 27 Air Safety Radio Stations That Have Been in Place for 50 Years That Are Being Closed Down Two Days Before the Election, With No Consultation, No Safety Study,” Smith Said. “you Don’t Use It a Lot but It’s an Absolute Necessity. ” Airservices Had Planned to Make Air Traffic Control Responsible for Providing the Information Available on Flightwatch, a Move Smith Says Would Be Unworkable.

“the Transfer of Flightwatch to Air Traffic Control Frequencies Will Not Affect the Overall Safety of the Air Traffic Management System,” Airservices Ceo Greg Russell Said in a Statement. “other Than the Change of Frequencies, the Procedures for Pilots Requesting and Receiving Flightwatch Information Remains Unchanged. The Flightwatch Service Remains a Free-of-charge Service for General Aviation and Vfr Pilots. ”

atc & Airspace Briefs

• Thales Australia Has Been Awarded a $28 Million Dollar Contact to Upgrade the Australian Advanced Air Traffic System (Taaats) With New Air Traffic Control Functionality. The Work Will Include the Design, Development, Delivery and Set-to-work of Enhancements to Each of the Eurocat Air Traffic Systems Deployed in Taaats, and is Planned to Be Complete by 2010.

People

• Just as Australian Aviation Was Going to Press We Were Very Saddened to Learn of the Death of Legendary Ag Pilot and Warbirder Col Pay. Col Died on December 7 in an Accident on Lake Liddell in the Nsw Hunter Valley While Test Flying ‘water Scooping Skis’ Fitted to an Air Tractor 802 Firebomber. Col Pay Celebrated 50 Years as an Ag Pilot in 2007, and Was Profiled on Page 38 in the November Edition of the Magazine. Aa Extends Its Condolences to Col’s Family and Many Friends in the Aviation Community.

• Air New Zealand Has Appointed Bruce Parton to Group General Manager Short Haul Airline.