News Desk

“i Am Happy!” Exclaimed Yablontsev. “at Last, After So Many Years We Are Here. We Did It. I Am Very Delighted That We Are the First Who Have Taken the New Russian Jet Off. This Aircraft is a Real Success, and I Can Surely State That It is as Easy to Pilot as Airbus or Boeing’s Planes I Had Previously Captained. ” the First Superjet is Due for Delivery in the First Quarter of 2009 to Aeroflot. It Will Be the First New Aircraft Design From Russia Since the 1990s, and Will Be Marketed Internationally by Alenia Aeronautica.

787 on Track for June Power-onboeing Says That It is on Track to Achieve the First Power-on of the 787 in June, in Line With Its Recently Updated Schedule.

Boeing Made the Announcement During Its 787 Media Day, Where a Number of Media Organisations Were Invited to View the Progress of the 787 Assembly Line. Four 787s Are Currently in Various Stages on the Everett Production Line While a Fifth Aircraft is Being Readied for Static Ground Testing.

Boeing’s 787 Program Manager Pat Shanahan Said That the Mood Within the Factory Had Changed Dramatically, According to an Associated Press Report.

“if You Came Here Six Months Ago — Long Faces, Real Frustration. Now, They Are Really Motivated. They Can See Light,” Shanahan Said. “These Guys Are Pumped. ” Shanahan Also Shed Some Light on the Stretched 787-9 and Proposed 787-10, Saying, “We’re Still Studying the Market [for the -10], but We’re Looking to Lock Configuration One Year From Now [for the -9]. ” Several Airlines, Including Qantas, Have Been Pushing for the Development of a 300-seat 787-10 to Compete With the Larger Airbus A350xwb Series.

If Power-on is Achieved in June as Expected, Boeing Will Begin Its Flight Testing Program in the Last Quarter of the Year. Shanahan Even Suggested That the 787 Could Head to Alice Springs for Hot Weather Testing as Part of the Program.

Meanwhile, Japan Air Lines, Which Was an Early Customer for the 787, Admitted That the Delays Have Held Back Its Growth Plans but Also Reaffirmed That It Was Not Looking at Any Alternatives. Recent Speculation in the Industry Has Linked Jal With a Plan to Acquire More Boeing 767-300ers as a Stopgap for the 787 Which Would Be Leased to It at Below Market Rates.

Airbus Confirms Delays to Wave 2 A380sairbus Has Confirmed That It Will Only Deliver 12 A380s This Year and 21 in 2009, Compared With Previous Estimates of 13 and 25 Respectively.

The Delay Comes After Airbus Announced in Recent Weeks That It Was Conducting a Review of Its Supply Chain to See if It Would Cope With the Projected Ramp Up in Production Over the Next Three Years.

Putting a Positive Spin on the Announcement, an Airbus Release Said That Its Recovery Program, Established in 2006 After Encountering Wiring Problems With the Aircraft, Was “progressing Well” and That There Were Currently 17 A380s in Various Stages of Production.

The Problem Has Been in the Ramp Up of ‘wave 2’ Aircraft, Which Have Had the New Wiring Harness Installed During Production. The First of These, Msn026, Has Taken Three and a Half Months Longer Than Originally Expected.

“when We Extrapolate That Forwards and We Look at the New Heads of Versions That We Have to Do – We Have to Do Four Between Now and the End of 2009- We Can See That It’s Going to Take Us a Little Longer Than We Expected,” Airbus’s Tom Williams Said. “on Average, (It’s) Two and a Half to Three Months. ” Despite the Announcement of the Delay, Effectively the Third One to the A380 Program, Airbus Ceo Tom Enders Tried to Emphasise the Positives in a Phone Conference With Media. “we Are Not Back to Square One, to Summer 2006, Clearly Not, We Are in the Production Process, We Have Hit Challenges We Have to Cope With in the Next Weeks and Months. We Cannot Go for the Full Rate Increase We Had Scheduled Originally. So We Had to Inform Customers and the Markets. ” Early Reports Are That Singapore Airlines and Emirates Will Face the Greatest Impact, With Sia Stating That Their Sixth Aircraft Will Be Delayed, Although It Did Not Say by How Much.

Qantas Has Yet to State if It Has Been Affected by the Announced Delay, Preferring Only to Say That It Was on Track to Receive Its First Aircraft in August and That It Will Enter Service on the Melbourne-los Angeles Route From October. Qantas Egm John Borghetti Was Reported as Remaining Confident That the Airline Would Have Four A380s by the End of 2008.

Airbus Says It Has Not Yet Calculated the Financial Impact of the Delays, but It is Believed That Affected Carriers Will Press for Compensation.

Eads Has ‘encouraging’ First Quartereads Says That Robust Fundamentals and Strong Performances From All Its Divisions Have Helped It to Record Earnings Before Interest and Tax (Ebit) of €769m (a$1. 26bn) for the First Quarter of 2008.

Eads’ Consolidated Revenue for the Quarter Was Up by 10 Per Cent on the Previous Year to €9. 9bn (a$16. 2bn), Driven by Higher Deliveries at Airbus and Eurocopter and Stronger Performances in Eads Astrium and the Defence & Security Division.

“though Many Serious Challenges Have Been Overcome There Remains Much to Do in Order to Secure the Significant and Lasting Improvement in Operational Performance We Are Targeting. But First Quarter Results Are Encouraging in That Respect,” Said Eads Ceo Louis Gallois.

Airbus Recorded an Increase in Revenue for the Quarter by Seven Per Cent to €7. 1 Bn (a$11. 6bn). This Was Driven by an Increase in Deliveries to 123 Aircraft for the Quarter. Despite Failing to Sell Five Sites in Germany and France as Had Been Planned Under the Power 8 Program, Ebit for Airbus Was Up Significantly to €628m (a$1bn), Compared to a Loss of €69m (a$133m) in the Same Period in 2007.

“implementation and Execution of Power8 is Underway and We Will Look Into Further Measures Beyond” Said Gallois. “with Regard to Our Long-term Strategic Plan Vision 2020, We Have Achieved First Tangible Successesthe Us Tanker Selection and Our Recent Acquisition in the Us Support Us in Our Aim to Balance Both Our Global Footprint and Our Business Portfolio. We Are Determined to Build on That Encouraging Start and Are Looking to Make Further Advances in Transforming Our Business. ”

China Creates Large Aircraft Manufacturers

Number of State-owned Chinese Companies Have Formally Incorporated Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, With the Goal of Developing Large Commercial Jets.

Cacc Has Been Incorporated in Shanghai and Plans to Develop a 150 Seater Jet, as Well as Developing the Arj 21 Regional Jet. The Company Also Holds Ambitions of Manufacturing Large “jumbo” Aircraft, Possibly to Compete With the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental.

Cacc’s Majority Shareholder is the State Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, Which Has Invested Cny6bn (a$908m), With Other Shareholders Including Avic I & Ii, Guo Sheng Group, Baosteel, Aluminium Corp of China and Sinochem Corp. Total Registered Capital is Cny19bn (a$2. 87bn)

Quickstep Demonstrates Rapid Curing

for Compositesperth-headquartered Composites Company Quickstep Technologies Has Demonstrated Its Ability to Manufacture Thick Laminate Composites Much Quicker Than Existing Methods.

The Patented Quickstep Process Allows for Thick, Aerospace-grade Composite Parts to Be Manufactured Without Having to Have the Parts Cured in an Autoclave, Cutting Down the Manufacturing Time Significantly.

“our Discussions With Aerospace Companies Have Indicated There is a Significant Industry Concern About Future Production Rates of Composite Intensive Aircraft, and the Variable Curing Rates Currently Experienced in an Autoclave,” Said Quickstep’s Managing Director Nick Noble. “our Preliminary Work and Prototype Production Has Indicated Quickstep May Be Able to Offer Significant Benefits in This Respect. ”

Airbus Fails to Sell Factories Again

airbus Has Failed to Reach an Agreement to Sell Two of Its Factories in France.

Airbus and Latecoere Terminated Their Talks on the Sale of Airbus’s Facilities at Meaulte and Saint Nazaire Ville, After “a Viable Solution Could Not Be Finalised Within the Required Timeframe, in Particular Due to the Current Difficult Financial Environment. ” Despite the Termination of Talks, Latecoere Will Remain a “first Tier Partner” for the A350, According to Airbus.

This is the Second Time That Airbus Has Failed to Sell Its Plants, Having Failed to Sell Factories in Germany to Mt Aerospace in March, but the Company is Still Believed to Be in Talks With Gkn on the Sale of a Strategic Stake in Airbus Uk. All Three Sales Were Part of Airbus’s Power8 Restructuring Program.

New A380 Production Delays? Airbus Has Reportedly Told at Least Two Airlines That It Will Not Deliver All 25 A380s Due for Delivery in 2009.

Reports Emerged Last Week That Possible Delays to the A380 Due to Problems With Ramping Up Production May Have Arisen. According to ‘reuters’, Emirates and Etihad Airways Have Received Letters From Airbus Warning Them to Brace for Delays in the Delivery of Their A380s. Emirates President Tim Clark Said That Any Delays to the A380 Would Be “devastating” to the Carrier’s Growth Plans.

When Contacted Last Week, a Qantas Spokesman Said That the Carrier Currently Does Not Expect Any Delays in Delivery of the 20 A380s It Has on Order. Qantas Will Receive Its First A380 in August This Year.

Mitsubishi Secures Investment for Mrj

mitsubishi Aircraft Has Secured Investments From a Number of Japanese Corporations and Has Also Been Working With Saab on After Sales Support for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (Mrj).

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, the Subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Which is Developing the Mrj, Has Secured the Backing of Toyota Motors and Mitsubishi Corporation, Which Both Hold 10 Per Cent of the Company, and Sumitomo and Mitsui, Which Will Each Hold Five Per Cent. Mhi Will Hold the Remaining 60 Per Cent.

Mitsubishi Announced at the Regional Airline Association Conference in Indianapolis That It Hopes to Partner With Saab to Provide Customer Support Services for the Mrj. The Two Parties Are Still in Talks About the Details of an Agreement, but Mac Hopes That the Experience Which Saab Has Built Supporting Its Regional Turboprops Will Flow Into Supporting the Mrj. “as a Newcomer to the Market, We Needed Someone to Walk Together With Us to Guide Us Through,” Mrj Vp Sales and Marketing Yosuke Takigawa Told ‘atwonline. Com’.

The Mrj Was Launched in March This Year After It Secured an Order for 15 Aircraft From All Nippon Airlines, and Will Enter Service in 2013.

Commercial Briefs

Boeing Rolled Out the 777 Freighter in Front of Customers, Employees and Suppliers at Its Everett Plan on May 21.

Boeing Has Reportedly Signed a Letter of Intent With Nigeria’s Arik Air Which Could See It Become the Second Customer for the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental. The Manufacturer Has Yet to Announce a Firm Order.

According to a Report in German Business Daily ‘handelsblatt’, the Airbus A350xwb is Overweight by Eight Tonnes Due to Problems With Its Composite Structure. An Airbus Spokeswoman Told Media That It Was “not Abnormal” for the Aircraft to Be Overweight and That the Design of the A350 Would Be Finalised by the End of the Year.

Spirit Aerosystems, a Major Supplier to Boeing, Has Been Announced as One of the Fuselage Suppliers to Airbus for the A350. Spirit Says It Will “firewall” Its Production for Each Airframer to Ensure That Confidential Details Are Not Passed on.

Airbus Will Test Fly Winglets Developed by Aviation Partners on an A320 in July. Airbus Previously Tested Two Winglet Designs in 2006, but Found That the Additional Weight Required in Strengthening the Wings Offset the Efficiency Benefits of the Winglets.

Japan Air Lines and All Nippon Airlines Are Believed to Be in Discussions With Boeing About Leasing New Build 767-300ers as Compensation for the Delays in Their 787s. Neither Boeing Nor the Airlines Have Commented on the Speculation.

Air New Zealand is One of at Least Seven Carriers Who Have Ordered a New Performance Enhancement Package for Their 777-200/200er/300 Aircraft Which is Designed to Increase the Airliner’s Fuel Efficiency by One Per Cent. The Package Includes Drooped Ailerons, Smaller Vortex Generators and a New Ram Air System, and Can Be Retrofitted in Three Days.

Hawker De Havilland Shipped the Elevator Sections for V Australia’s First Boeing 777-300er on May 15. The 11 Metre Carbon Composite Elevators for All 777 Aircraft Have Been Manufactured at Hdh Bankstown Since 1992.

Sukhoi’s Superjet 100 Had Its First Taxi and Run Tests on May 13 at the Manufacturer’s Facility in Komsomolsk-on-amur.

Thai Airways Internation Embraer Recorded a First Quarter Profit of Us$85m (a$90m) on Net Sales of Us$1. 33bn (a$1. 41bn). The Brazilian Manufacturer Delivered 45 Commercial and Executive Jets During the Quarter.

Boeing Delivered Its First 737-900er to Gecas. The Aircraft Has Been Leased to Spanish Charter Airline Futura International Airways.

Sukhoi Has Confirmed That Its Superjet 100 Should Make Its First Flight by the End of the Month. First Delivery to Launch Customer Aeroflot is Expected in the First Half of 2009.

Sales

Middle Eastern Vip Operator Maz Aviation Has Ordered Six Airbus A350xwb Prestiges.

the Jetalliance Group of Vienna Has Ordered One Airbus Corporate Jetliner and Two A318 Elites.

Dubai-based Eta Star Group Has Ordered Seven Embraer E-170s With Options for Three Others and Five Purchase Rights for Any E-jet Model. The Aircraft Will Be Operated by Star Aviation of India.

Israel’s El Al Has Ordered Four Boeing 777-200ers.

the Iraqi Government Has Ordered 30 Boeing 737-800s and Taken Options on Another 10 737s.

asiana Airlines Has Ordered Two Boeing 777-200ers.

Military

Tiger Back on Trackeurocopter Subsidiary Australian Aerospace and the Defence Materiel Organisation Have Signed a Revised Contractual Agreement to Continue the Development and Delivery of the Tiger Arh Helicopter to the Australian Army.

The Dmo Took the Unprecedented Step of Suspending Payments Last July After Australian Aerospace Failed to Meet a Number of Delivery and Training Milestones. The Delays in the Program Had Been Caused by Training and Certification Delays in the Lead Franco-german Tiger Programs, as Well as Software and Through Life Support Issues With the Aircraft.

“a Formal Dispute Was Initiated in October Last Year Over the Contract Provisions for Through Life Support,” Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support, Greg Combet, Said in a Statement. “the New Deed of Agreement Deals With These Issues. It Should Be Noted That Australian Aerospace, to Their Credit, Continued Work on the Project During This Period. ” as Part of the Agreement, Australian Aerospace Will Provide Two Ec 135 Helicopters to Army in Darwin for Lead-in Pilot Training for a Period of Two Years at a Rate of 1600 Hours Per Year. The Provision of These Aircraft is in Lieu of Penalty Payments on the Contract, and They Will Be Operated by Helicopters Australia. The New Agreement is Also Believed to Have Amended the Support Contract to a Performance Based Arrangement.

The “deed of Agreement Announced by the Commonwealth Will Ensure That the Australian Defence Force Will Receive the Capability It Needs as Quickly as Possible,” Australian Aerospace Ceo Dr Jens Goennemann Said in a Statement. “i’m Delighted to Say That the Cooperative Working Relationship Between the Parties Has Not Just Emerged Intact but Improved and It Will Continue to Be a Common Effort to Deliver These Outstanding Helicopters to the Australian Defence Force. ” Army Plans to Base a Number of Tigers at Darwin’s Robertson Barracks From July, and is Scheduling an Initial Operating Capability (Ioc) in Mid 2009.

Assistance to Burma to Be Ramped Upthe Adf’s Assistance to Cyclone-ravaged Burma Has Been Ramped Up With the Announcement That an Raaf C-17 Will Be Employed to Bring Transport Helicopters From South Africa to Thailand to Aid in the Food Distribution and Relief Effort.

“the World Food Program Requested Immediate Support From a Small Number of Countries as Commercial Aircraft Were Not Available in a Suitable Timeframe,” Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon Said in a Statement. “the Adf Has the Knowledge and Experience to Make an Immediate and Positive Contribution to This International Humanitarian Assistance Effort. ” the Ramp Up Follows an Initial Mission on May 13 in Which a C-17 Took 31 Tonnes of Medical and Humanitarian Aid Supplies to Burma.

Adf Celebrates 50 Years at Butterworththe Adf Has Celebrated Its 50th Anniversary of Operations From Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth Near Penang, Malaysia, Last Week.

Butterworth Has Always Been a Key Location for Malaysian and Allied Forces Since the Communist Insurgency of 1958, Although the Last Permanent Australian Aircraft Unit Pulled Out of the Base in 1988 With the Retirement of 75sqn’s Mirages. Since Then the Base Has Remained a Key Staging Post for Ap-3c Orions Fulfilling Their Obligations to Alliances and Defence Agreements in the Region, as Well as Transport and Combat Aircraft Transiting or Deploying to the Region for Exercises and Humanitarian Efforts, Supported by the Butterworth Based 324 Combat Support Squadron.

F-35 Milestones Passed

the Pentagon Has Authorised the Release of Us$2. 2bn (a$2. 3bn) of Funds to Acquire Six F-35a Ctol and Six F-35b Stovl Aircraft From Lockheed Martin.

The Release Comes After the Defense Acquisition Board’s Recommendation to Proceed With Low Rate Initial Production (Lrip). “we Welcome the Board’s Decision and Their Vote of Confidence in the F-35 Program,” Said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin Executive Vice President and F-35 Program General Manager. “we’re Seeing Excellent Progress on Our Production Line, With 17 Preproduction Aircraft in Assembly Flow, the First Two Production-model F-35s Already Under Way and Unprecedented Assembly Quality Across the Board. ” While Funding for the Six F-35as Has Been Released Immediately, Money for the F-35bs Has Been Withheld Until the First Development F-35b, Bf-1, Makes a Successful Maiden Flight Which is Expected in Early June.

Meanwhile, the F-35’s P&w F135 Engine Has Received a Statement of Qualification From the F-35 Joint Program Office for the F-35b, Meaning Bf-1 Has Been Cleared for Its Inaugural Flight, Albeit in Conventional Form. The Aircraft is Not Expected to Commence Vertical Lift Flight Trials Until Early Next Year Following the Clearance of an Upgrade to the Engine’s Third Stage Compressor After a Test Failure Last October.

It’s That Test Failure Which Has Prompted the Us House Armed Services Committee to Order the Pentagon to Reinstate Funding for the Rival Rr/ge F136 Engine to the Tune of Us$526m (a$548m) for the Fy09 Budget Year.

“These Test Failure Events . . . Cause the Committee to Remain Steadfast in Its Belief That the Non-financial Factors of a Two-engine Competitive Program Such as Better Engine Performance, Improved Contractor Responsiveness, a More Robust Industrial Base, Increased Engine Reliability and Improved Operational Readiness Strongly Favour Continuing the Competitive Propulsion System Program,” the Committee Report Says.

The Funding Reinstatement Comes After the Pentagon Tried to Cancel the Alternate Engine for the F-35 in Order to Free Up Development Funds for the Third Budget Year in a Row.

Lockmart Proposes Fixed Price Jsf

lockheed Martin Has Proposed a Fixed Price F-35 Jsf for Smaller Partner Nations in Response to Reports That Some Countries Are Looking to Defer Their Orders or Reduce the Number of Aircraft They Will Buy.

The Proposal, Which Will Need to Be Ratified by the Pentagon Would See a Consortium of Partner Nations Such as Australia Offered an Indexed Fixed Price of Around Us$63m (a$66m) Per Aircraft (in 2008 Dollars) Regardless of Where Their Deliveries Fall in the Current Production Schedule, Thus Removing Much of the Risk Associated With Taking Early Low Rate Initial Production (Lrip) Aircraft Which Traditionally Cost a Lot More Than Later Full Rate Production Aircraft. Australia is Currently Planning to Acquire as Many as 27 F-35s From Lrip Batches 5, 6 and 7 Before Full Rate Production Commences in 2015, Aircraft Which Under Previous Projections Could Have Cost as Much as Us$135m (a$141m) Each. These Prices Do Not Include Training, Spare Parts, Maintenance and Ground Support Equipment, and Other Necessary Infrastructure, Items Which Normally Add at Least One Third to a Combat Aircraft’s Acquisition Cost. But It Would Still See the Project Come in Well Below the Raaf’s Planned Acquisition and Establishment Budget Upper Limit of $16 Billion.

“We Will Bring Forward a Proposal for the Partners,” Lockheed Martin’s Vice-president for F-35 Business Development, George Standridge Recently Told an Australian Media Group in Fort Worth. “i Hope to Have the First Snapshot by About September-october With the Intent of Bringing Forward a Proposal by About January of Next Year That Says ‘you Wanted Firm Pricing – Here It is’. ” Standridge Added That the Consortium Price Would Also Give Surety of Price to Small to Medium Companies Looking to Bid for Production Work and to Make the Necessary Investments in Their Tooling and Workforces.

The New Labor Government’s Air Combat Capability Review is Expected to Recommend Moving Forward With the F-35 to Replace the Raaf’s F/a-18s When It is Released in the Next Few Weeks, Although Some Reports Indicate the F-35 Buy May Be Moved to the Right by a Few Years to Acquire Later Build and Thus More Mature Production Airframes. However Standridge Added That the Fixed Price Would Only Be Able to Be Offered if Consortium Numbers and Schedules Are Maintained, and That It Would Likely “add Additional Costs” Should Partner Nations Start Deferring or Reducing Their Buys.

Mr Standridge Also Said That a Proposal for 48 F-35s Had Been Submitted to Norway in Late April for About Us$60m (a$62. 8m) Per Aircraft for Delivery From 2016, and That Israel Had Requested an Order for 25 F-35as and 50 Options in a Letter of Request to the Us Government. If Approved, the Israeli Aircraft Would Be Amongst the First International Build Aircraft Delivered From 2012.

Army I-view Uav Under Review

the Troubled Jp129 Project to Deliver a Number of I-view Tactical Uavs to the Australian Army is Believed to Be Under Review by the New Government Following Delays of Up to 18 Months on the Project.

The Israeli-made Iai I-view 250 Offered by Boeing Australia Was Selected in December 2005 to Provide Reconnaissance, Target Acquisition and Battle Damage Assessment Capabilities for Army, and is Planned to Be Operated by the Newly Established 20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment (20sta Regt) at Enoggera Barracks in Brisbane. Contract Signature on the Project Was Pushed Back to Late 2006 Due to Delays in Agreeing on the Through Life Support Agreement for the Aircraft, and the First Eight Aircraft Were to Have Entered Service This Year.

But Defence Sources Say the Contractors Are Having Significant Integration Problems With the Aircraft’s Sensor Payload, and That the Dmo Has Set a Deadline of the End of June to Address the Issues Otherwise a Stop Payment Order Will Be Given and Alternative Solutions Sought.

As an Interim Uav Capability, Boeing Australia Has Been Providing an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (Isr) Capability to Australian Ground Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan With a Fleet of Smaller Scaneagle Uavs Under an Hourly Service Agreement.

Defence Industry Must Do Better – Combetthe Rudd Government’s Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, Greg Combet, Has Said the Defence Industry is Primarily to Blame for the Delay of More Than a Billion Dollars Worth of Defence Projects in the 2006/07 Financial Year.

Mr Combet Told the Australian Homeland Security Research Centre Conference Last Week That Around 53 Per Cent of the $1. 7 Billion Which Was Unspent Last Year or Will Not Be Spent This Year, and Will Thus Rolled Over Into the Next Decade, Can Be Attributed to Delays by Defence Contractors in Meeting Contracted Milestone Delivery Dates. Other Factors Included Delays in Foreign Military Sales (Fms) Processes, Administrative and Contract Problems Within the Dmo, and Delays in the Availability of Equipment for Upgrade.

He Said Many of the Delays Were Caused by Contractors Under-estimating Costs and Schedules in Bringing New Capabilities Into Service, and Stressed That He Was Taking Note of Repeat Offenders.

Some of the Big Ticket Projects Singled Out for Attention Include the Wedgetail Aew&c Aircraft Which is Currently 28 Months Late and is Expected to Soon Be Delayed by a Further 12 Months to Early 2010, Navy’s Ffg Frigate Upgrade Project, the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (Arh) Which is About Two Years Late but is Expected to Move Forward Soon, Army’s M113 Upgrade Project, and the Jp129 Tactical Uav (See Above Item).

Lockheed Protests Northrop Grumman’s Bams

Winlockheed Martin Has Lodged a Formal Protest With the Government Accountability Office (Gao) Over the Awarding of the Us Navy’s Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (Bams) Contract to Rival Northrop Grumman.

“information Provided to Us During Our Debrief Indicated That We Offered a Technically Compliant and Awardable Solution at Significantly Lower Cost, Leading Us to Request a [gao] Review,” the Company Said in a Statement.

At the Time of Writing, Northrop Grumman Had Not Commented on the Protest, but the Us Navy Has Said That It Considered All Bidders Equally and in Full Compliance With Federal Procurement Rules. Boeing, Which Also Bid on the Bams Tender, Has Not Launched a Protest but is Said to Be Watching Lockheed Martin’s Protest “with Interest. ” Northrop Won the Bams Contract With a Proposal to Supply Up to 68 Rq-4n Global Hawks With a Raytheon Sensor Package. Lockheed Martin Had Offered the General Atomics Mariner (a Navalised Predator B) With an Israeli Sensor Package, While Boeing Offered an Optionally Manned Gulfstream 550.

Australia is a Possible System Design and Development Partner on Bams and Has Until the End of the Year to Decide Whether to Participate in the Program or Not.

Defence Reviews Procurementparliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, Greg Combet, Announced on May 7 a New Review Into the Processes of the Defence Materiel Organisation (Dmo).

The Review Will Be Led by David Mortimer, Chairman of Leighton Holdings and Also Chairman of the Defence Procurement Advisory Board Since 2004. He Will Be Supported by Major General Tony Fraser, Currently the Head of Dmo’s Helicopter Systems Division.

“there Have Been Some High Profile Problem Projects in the Area of Defence Procurement and the Government is Committed to Avoiding a Repeat of Past Problems Through an Ongoing Reform Program,” Combet Said.

Under the Terms of Reference, the Review Will Consider the Progress in Implementing Reforms From a Previous Review in 2003, Will Explore Other Potential Reforms (Including a Possible Greater Use of Public-private Partnerships) as Well as Options to Optimise the Competitiveness of Australian Industry Involvement in Defence Procurement.

“the Government is Fully Committed to Ensuring That the Dmo is Subject to Continual Reforms to Improve Its Efficiency and Effectiveness. The Reforms Underway in the Dmo Have Been Working, but This Review Will Highlight Areas Where More Can Be Done,” Combet Said.

“for Example, I Would Like the Review to Examine How Dmo Can Continue to Develop Its Commercial Orientation and Become More Business-like in Its Operations. ” Public Submissions of Up to 10,000 Words Are Open Until Friday June 6, With the Report to Go to Mr Combet in Either Late July or Early August.

Additional F-22s, C-17s Given Nodthe Us House of Representatives Armed Services Subcommittee Has Approved Us$4. 4bn (a$4. 7bn) for the Air Force to Purchase Additional C-17s and Place Down Payments on F-22s Which Were Not Part of the Initial President’s Budget.

The Subcommittee Has Recommended Us$3. 9bn (a$4. 1bn) Be Allocated to Acquire 15 More C-17 Globemaster Iiis and Recommended That Us$523m (a$555m) Be Allocated in the Fy2010 Budget Towards 20 More F-22a Raptors. It Also Allocated Us$526m (a$559m) for the Development of the Ge/rr F136 Alternate Engine for the F-35 Jsf.

The Recommendations Will Be Debated by the Full Armed Services Committee on May 14, Before Being Voted on by the House. It Will Then Have to Pass Through the Senate Before It is Signed Into Law by the President.

Military Briefs

the Raaf Has Ordered an/aaq-24(V) Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (Laircm) Systems for Its 12 C-130j Hercules Transports as Part of an Enhancement to That Aircraft’s Electronic Warfare Self Protection System. The Order Was Notified Last Week by the Us Defense Security Cooperation Agency and is Awaiting Approval by Congress.

Australian Customs Has Just Completed a Six Week Trial of an Iai Heron Uav in the Gulf of Carpentaria to Assess Uav Technology in Combating Quarantine and Border Threats, Illegal Fishing and Other Prohibited Activities Around the Australian Coastline. A Report on the Trial is Due to Be Handed Down in June.

the Indian Navy is Reportedly Studying the Possibility of Operating Boeing F/a-18e/f Super Hornets From Its Refurbished Former Russian Aircraft Carrier, the Ins ‘vikramaditya’ When It Enters Service in 2012, if the Super Hornet Wins That Country’s Mmrca Fighter Competition. Boeing Has Confirmed That Preliminary Discussions Have Taken Place and That It Has Assessed the Carrier as Being Capable of Operating the Aircraft. India Has So Far Ordered 18 Mig-29ks for the Carrier, the First Three of Which Are Due to Be Delivered Next Month.

Boeing’s A160t Hummingbird Unmanned Helicopter Flew for 18 Hours Nonstop in a May 14 Test Flight, Setting a Number of Unofficial World Records in the Process for Uavs in the 500 to 2500kg Class.

the Uk Mod Has Given the Go-ahead for the Construction of Two Large Aircraft Carriers for the Royal Navy. To Be Called Hms ‘queen Elizabeth’ and Hms ‘prince of Wales’, the Two Ships Will Each Displace More Than 60,000 Tonnes, Making Them the Largest Warships to Ever Enter British Service. The Ships Are Due to Be Delivered in 2014 and 2016 Respectively.

a British Coroner Has Recommended That the Raf’s Entire Fleet of Ageing Nimrod Mr. 2 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft Should Be Grounded as They Have “never Been Airworthy” Due to a Design Flaw With the Aircraft’s Fuel System. The Recommendation Was Contained in the Coroner’s Report Into the 2006 Crash of a Nimrod in Afghanistan in Which 14 Raf Servicemen Died.

an Raaf C-17 From Amberley’s 36sqn Delivered a Load of Humanitarian Supplies to Burma on May 13 to Assist Victims of Cyclone Nargis Which Struck the Low-lying Irrawaddy Delta Region on May 3. Operation Nargis Assist Saw 31 Tonnes of Emergency Relief Supplies Including Water Purification Tablets, Blankets, Tarpaulins and Medical Supplies Delivered.

Melbourne-based Metaltec Precision International Has Been Awarded a $2 Million Contract to Manufacture Assembly Tooling for Rolls-royce for Use on the Rolls-royce/general Electric F136 Engine for the F-35 Jsf.

the First of Six Wideband Global Satcom (Wgs) Satellites for the Us and Australian Militaries Has Entered Service Following a Four Month Test Period by Boeing and Usaf Engineers. The Satellite, Which Was Launched in October Last Year, is the First of a Constellation of Six Wgs ‘birds’ Which Will Provide Global Communications to Us and Australian Forces. Under an Agreement With the Us, Australia Last Year Agreed to Fund the Sixth Wgs Satellite in Return for Access to the Network Provides by the Whole Constellation.

the New Zealand Mod Has Signed a €57m (a$93m) Contract With Agustawestland for Five Aw109luh Helicopters to Be Used in the Advanced Training and Operational Conversion Roles for Nz’s Seasprite and Forthcoming Nh90 Helicopters. The Deal Also Includes a Flight Simulator and Initial Support.

Nato Has Ordered Two Boeing C-17 Airlifters From the Us to Provide Increased Deployability for Its Forces as Well as Support for Humanitarian Relief and Peacekeeping Operations. The Aircraft Will Be Based at Papa Afb in Bulgaria.

Lockheed Martin Has Been Awarded a Us$3. 57bn (a$3. 73bn) Contract for Up to 12 Next Generation Global Positioning Satellites for the Pentagon’s New Gpsiii System. The Deal is the First of Three Contracts for a Total of 32 Satellites Worth Up to Us$12bn (a$12. 5bn), All of Which Are Expected to Be in Orbit by 2022.

Boeing Was Forced to Suspend Production of Its Ch-47 Chinook Helicopter at Its Ridley Park Facility Near Philadelphia for Several Days Last Week Following the Discovery of Deliberate Acts of Sabotage on Two Helicopters During Routine Inspections. Boeing Says Federal Officials Are Investigating and That the Pentagon Had Offered a Us$5000 Reward for Information.

Raytheon Has Successfully Demonstrated a System Which Will Allow Lightweight Anti-submarine Torpedos to Be Launched From Stand Off Distances by Aircraft Such as the P-3c Orion and P-8a Poseidon. Dubbed Fish Hawk, the System Comprises a Gps Guidance Section and a Folding Wing Kit Which Attaches to the Torpedo Allowing It to Be Launched From at Least 10nm (18km) From the Target Submarine, and is Designed to Meet the Us Navy’s High Altitude Anti-submarine Warfare Weapons Concept (Haawc) Requirement.

the Us Air Force Temporarily Grounded Its Fleet of T-38c Talon Jet Trainers on May 2 Following Two Crashes of the Type in the Last Two Weeks. The Type Was Cleared to Return to Service on May 7.

Hawker Pacific Has Been Granted Interim Authorised Maintenance Organisation (Amo) Status by the Republic of Singapore Air Force for Support of Its Pilatus Pc-21s. The Pc-21s Are Being Delivered to Raaf Base Pearce Near Perth for the Rsaf’s Basic Wings Course Which is Being Managed by Lockheed Martin.

the Us Navy Has Purchased Four Antonov an-32 ‘cline’ Tactical Transports for the Afghan National Army Air Corps.

Airlines

Jetstar’s Reach Grows as Jetstar Pacific Takes Offjetstar Pacific, the Vietnamese Affiliate of Jetstar Airways, Launched Services Under the Jetstar Brand on May 23.

Jetstar Pacific, Which Was Formerly Known as Pacific Airlines, Re-launched Its Services With a Fleet of Four Boeing 737-400s, With Another 737 to Join the Fleet in June Before the Airline Begins Re-equipping With Airbus A320s From Later This Year. The Airline Hopes to Have a Fleet of 30 A320s by 2014.

The Launch Has Opened Up the Ability of Jetstar Passengers Flying in on the Australian Carrier’s A330 Service From Sydney to Connect With Flights to Hanoi From the Launch Date, While Other Connecting Destinations Will Become Available at a Later Time.

“as Vietnam’s First Value-based Carrier, Jetstar Pacific Will Change Air Travel in Vietnam by Making It More Affordable for More People to Fly,” Said Luong Hoai Nam, Jetstar Pacific’s Ceo.

Jetstar Pacific is 18 Per Cent Owned by Qantas, With the Stake to Rise to 30 Per Cent in 2010. The Other Stakes Are Held by Vietnamese State-owned Companies Saigon Tourist and the State Capital Investment Corporation.

Qantas Increases Faresas the Price of Oil Soared Past Us$130 Per Barrel Last Week, Qantas Announced That It Would Raise Fares on Tickets Issued After June 4.

The Carrier Said That It Would Raise International Fares by Approximately Four Per Cent and Domestic Fares by Three Per Cent. This is on Top of Increases Earlier This Month of Three and 3. 5 Per Cent Respectively.

“despite Our Hedging Activities, Fare Increases, Surcharges, and Strong Focus on Managing Costs Across Our Operations, We Will Not Cover These Higher Fuel Costs, Which at Current Prices Will Add More Than $2 Billion to Our Fuel Bill in 2008/09,” Said Qantas Ceo Geoff Dixon.

“we Are Continuing to Target Further Efficiency Improvements Which Now Include a Review of the Network and Schedules of Qantas, Qantaslink and Jetstar. ” as Part of These Savings, Qantas Has Confirmed That It and Jetstar Have Been Using “variable Speed” to Conserve Fuel on Long Domestic Flights. It is Believed That Other Fuel Saving Initiatives Are Likely to Be Introduced.

Gold Coast Boosted With Japan & Norfolk Servicesjetstar Has Announced That It Will Move Its Daily Sydney-osaka-brisbane Flight to the Gold Coast in Lieu of Its Brisbane Stop, While Norfolk Air Will Also Start Services to the Airport.

According to Jetstar, the Decision Was Made After a Number of Japanese Tourists Indicated That From Brisbane That Were Heading to the Gold Coast. “a Daily Direct Osaka to Gold Coast Operation We Believe Will Better Serve Existing and Future Market Demand, and Allow International Visitors to Australia From Osaka a More Direct and Seamless Entry Point Into South East Queensland,” Said Jetstar Ceo Alan Joyce.

Overall, the Qantas Group Has Suffered Recently on Routes to Japan, Particularly as the Strong Australian Dollar Has Driven Japanese Tourists to Other Markets.

Norfolk Air Has Also Announced That It Will Serve the Gold Coast From Norfolk Island From October 2. The Flights Will Depart Every Thursday and Will Be Operated by a Boeing 737-300 With 126 Economy and Four Premium Economy Seats.

Aa Slashes Capacity as Fuel Bitesamerican Airlines Has Announced That It Will Cut Domestic Capacity by Between 10-12 Per Cent Due to the Rising Cost of Fuel and the Poor Economic Conditions in the Us.

“the Airline Industry as It is Constituted Today Was Not Built to Withstand Oil Prices at $125 a Barrel, and Certainly Not When Record Fuel Expenses Are Coupled With a Weak Us Economy,” Said American’s Chairman and Ceo Gerard Arpey. “our Company and Industry Simply Cannot Afford to Sit by Hoping for Industry and Market Conditions to Improve. We Must Work to Overcome Our Near-term Challenges and to Secure Our Company’s Long Term Future for the Benefit of Our Shareholders, Customers and Employees. ” the Carrier Will Cut Up to 45 Mainline Aircraft, Believed to Be Mostly Md-80s and Some A300s, as Well as Up to 40 Regional Jets Operated by American Eagle. Some Turboprops Operated by Other Carriers Under the ‘american Connection’ Brand Will Also Be Withdrawn. In Addition to These, the Airline Has Warned Its Staff That There Will Be Deep Job Cuts and Some Facility Closures as Routes Are Cut From the Network.

Aa Also Introduced a Number of Revenue Initiatives, Including Charging Us$15 (a$15. 60) for Checked Baggage on Discount Economy Fares Within the Us and Canada. The Fee Will Not Be Charged for Full Economy Passengers or Those Passengers With Status in Their Aadvantage Loyalty Program. Other Rises Include Fees for Pet Handling, Reservations Service and Oversize Baggage.

Air Asia X Goes West From Novemberair Asia X Has Announced That Perth Will Be Its Second Australian Destination From Kuala Lumpur, With Services to Commence on November 2.

The Carrier Made the Announcement on May 15 That It Will Use Its First Factory-delivered A330 on the Route Six Times Weekly, Rising to a Daily Service From March 2009. The Carrier Started Selling Seats on the Service on May 16 With a Promotional Price of $99, Equivalent to Only the Taxes and Surcharges. Regular Fares Will Be “around 40 Per Cent Lower” Than Existing Fares, According to the Airline.

At the Launch, Wa’s Tourism Minister Sheila Mchale Said That the Airline Would Help to Boost Tourism From Southeast Asia. “with Airasia X Having the Broadest Low-cost Carrier Route Network in South East Asia and China, the Airline is Expected to Bring an Additional 40,000 International Visitors to Wa in the First Year,” She Said.

The Airline Had Been Close to Announcing Melbourne, Avalon or Newcastle as Its Next Destination, but With the Addition of New Route Rights Under the Malaysia-australia Bilateral Agreement Put Perth in the Winning Position.

Osman-rani Praised the Work of Tourism Wa and Perth Airport’s Operator Westralia Airports Corporation to Secure the Airline’s Services. “the Resolve and Dedication of Each of These Parties to Bring About the Launch of This New Route is Testimony to the Strength of the Relationships That Have Been Forged and the Benefits This Will Bring to Travellers. ” Osman-rani Also Said That the Airline is Currently Negotiating to Secure an Airbus A340 to Launch Direct Services to Europe in the First Quarter of 2009. He Also Said That the Leased A330 Currently Being Used on Kuala Lumpur-gold Coast Services Would Be Reconfigured Later This Year to Have an Identical Layout to the 25 Ordered A330s, Which Have 390 Seats Compared to Its Current 315 Seat Layout.

Qantas Engineers Back Down on Strike

Threatthe Association of Licensed Aircraft Engineers Called Off Planned Stop-work Meetings Last Week Which Were Aimed at Pushing Qantas to Increase Its Pay Offer for Its Engineers.

The Engineers Had Planned Two Stop Work Meetings on May 16 and 23 for Up to Four Hours to Discuss the Pay Deal. Alaea Had Pushed for a Five Per Cent Pay Rise, but Qantas Has Only Offered Three Per Cent, Plus an Additional One Per Cent in Superannuation. Alaea and Qantas Negotiated the Rise Last Year, but It Was Rejected by Its Members.

In Order to Stave Off the Stop Work Meeting and Cancellations of Hundreds of Flights, Actu President Sharan Burrows Intervened and Has Asked Qantas Ceo Geoff Dixon to Meet With the Union to Negotiate a Pay Increase of Between Three and Five Per Cent.

Qantas Cancelled Flights Which Would Have Been Affected by the Strike Action and Rebooked Passengers on Other Flights. With the Announcement of the Back Down, Qantas Was Able to Lessen the Impact of a Disruption on May 16.

Despite Opening Fresh Talks, Qantas Has Not Indicated That It Will Raise Its Current Pay Offer, and Has Also Come Under Fire Last Week for Allegedly Hiring Strike-breaking Non-union Engineers on Lucrative Short Term Contracts Through an Independent Company.

Sia Unveils Higher Profit but Outlook

Uncertainthe Sia Group Has Announced a Higher Operating Profit for the Financial Year Ending March 31of S$2. 1 Billion (a$1. 6bn), but Warned That High Fuel Prices and a Slowing Worldwide Economy Would Affect It in the Next Year.

The Higher Group Profit Was Boosted by a Stronger Performance From Both Singapore Airlines and Sia Cargo. Sia’s Airline Profit Was Up by 60. 1 Per Cent to S$1. 64bn (a$1. 26bn) While Sia Cargo Recorded a $132m (a$102m) Profit, Compared to a Loss of S$32m (a$25m) in the Previous Year. Sia’s Other Operating Divisions All Recorded Profits.

For the Year, Sia Carried 19. 12 Million Passengers, an Increase of 4. 2 Per Cent. Passenger Traffic (in Revenue-passenger-kilometres) Grew by 2. 6 Per Cent While Capacity Grew by 1. 2 Per Cent, Resulting in a Passenger Load Factor of 80. 3 Per Cent.

The Company Said That It Had Benefited From Strong Business Conditions During the Financial Year but Was More Circumspect in Its Outlook. “the Current Turmoil in Global Financial Markets Has Clouded the Outlook for Discretionary Air Travel. In Addition, Jet Fuel Prices, in Step With Crude Oil Prices, Look Set to Stay Well Above Us$100 Per Barrel This Year. The Combination of a Global Economic Slowdown and Record High Fuel Prices Will Make This a More Challenging Year for Airlines. ” Sia’s Ceo Chow Choon Seng Was Also Reported Last Week as Saying That the Company Was Open to “all Reasonable Offers” for Its 49 Per Cent Stake in Virgin Atlantic. He Told Media at the Result Announcement That It Regarded the Va Stake as an “underperforming Investment”, and Indicated That the Stake in the British Carrier May Be Sold Off This Year.

Qantas Engineers Approve Industrial Actionqantas Engineers Have Voted to Approve Industrial Action After They Rejected a Pay Deal From the Airline.

The Engineers Voted to Reject an Eba Earlier This Year in Which Qantas Had Offered a Three Per Cent Pay Rise Plus an Additional One Per Cent Extra in Superannuation. According to the Engineers’ Union, the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (Alaea), Talks With the Company on a New Pay Deal Have Broken Down, and the Union Has Recommended the Engineers Take Industrial Action.

Alaea Has Recommended That the Engineers Take Overtime Bans From May 15, but Has Warned Qantas That It May Engage in 48 Hour Work Stoppages if the Airline Tries to Bring in Strike Breakers. Such Action Could Lead to Widespread Delays and Cancellations of Some Flights.

Ozjet Sold to Heavyliftozjet Airlines Confirmed Last Week That Owner Paul Stoddart Had Sold His Stake to Sydney-based Freight Carrier Heavylift Cargo Airlines.

Heavylift Finalised the Acquisition of Ozjet on May 2, Which Includes All Four Boeing 737-200s, Contracts and Employees. Willie O’neill Will Remain the Airline’s Ceo While Heavylift Ceo Nick Leach Has Now Become Chairman of Ozjet.

“i Am Delighted With the Acquisition of Ozjet and Look Forward to the Synergies That Can Be Achieved With Our Existing Fleet of Boeing 727 Cargo Aircraft,” Said Leach. “these Are Challenging Times in the Aviation Sector, but This Development Will Strengthen Both Companies. ” Leach Told ‘aa’ That He Intends to Retain the Ozjet Brand and to Expand the Business by Adding to Its Fleet. Leach Said That the Carrier Intends to Also Acquire Quick Change Aircraft Which Would Enable It to Operate Both Passenger and Cargo Flights, Including Domestic Cargo Flights. Ozjet Would Also Retain Its Perth-derby Rpt Flights, Which Currently Operate Four Times a Week.

Heavylift Currently Operates a Fleet of Foreign Registered Boeing 727 Freighters on Charters and Scheduled Flights to the Pacific Including Papua New Guinea, as Well as a Shorts Belfast for Oversized Cargo.

Rex Cancels Cooma Service Indefinatelyregional Express Has Announced That It Has Suspended the Sydney-cooma Route Indefinitely Due to the Ongoing Pilot Shortage at the Airline.

Rex Has Not Operated on the Route Since Late Last Year and Had Previously Announced That It Would Resume Services on June 6.

“when We Announced Our Decision to Suspend the Summer Schedule for Cooma, We Were Counting on a Lessening of the Recruitment Activities of the Major Carriers Over the Winter Period to Enable Us to Resume the Cooma Service in Winter,” Said Warwick Lodge, Rex General Manager, Network Strategy and Sales. “unfortunately This Was Not to Be and in the Most Recent Month of April, Rex Experienced Five Per Cent Attrition in Our Pilot Ranks, With the Attrition Rate in This Financial Year Tracking Above 50 Per Cent. ”

Rex Was Awarded the Exclusive Right to Operate on the Sydney-cooma Route in March, but It is Believed That the New South Wales Government Will Now Call for Fresh Tenders on the Route. There Are Hopes That Another Operator Would Be Able to Offer a Sustained, Year-round Service on the Route.

Rex Will Also Reduce Frequencies on Routes Including Adelaide-mount Gambier, Melbourne-mount Gambier, Mildura-albury, and Sydney-griffith.

The Airline Says It Hopes to Restore Services Once Its First Batch of Cadet Pilots Graduates Later This Year. “once Our Cadets Start to Enter Into Service Late This Year, We Believe That We Will Be in a Much Better Position to Be in Control of Our Pilot Strength and Hopefully We Could Envisage a Gradual Resumption of Our Network Expansion,” Said Rex Chief Pilot Chris Pine.

Qantaslink Adds Qld Capacity With Alliancealliance Airlines and Qantaslink Have Announced a New Agreement Which Will See Alliance Operate 13 Flights Per Week on Behalf of Qantaslink on the Brisbane-mackay Route.

Under the Arrangement, Alliance Will Provide a Fokker 100 With Technical and Cabin Crew to Operate 13 Weekly Services on the Route From June 23. The Operation Will Have a Dedicated Aircraft, but This Will Remain in Alliance Livery.

“the Arrangement Will Result in an Extra 584 Seats Per Week on the Brisbane-mackay Route, Increasing Qantas Group Capacity on the Route to More Than 10,000 Seats Per Week,” Said Qantas Gm Regional Airlines Narendra Kumar.

Alliance Also Operates Daily Services From Perth to Karratha and Port Hedland on Behalf of Qantaslink With a Fokker 100.

Qantaslink Will Also Reinstate Some Services in Queensland Which Were Suspended Earlier This Year Due to an Acute Pilot Shortage at the Airline. These Include Services to Rockhampton, Gladstone, Townsville and Cairns.

Airline Briefs

Rex Has Announced a Further Increase to Its Fuel Surcharges as Oil Climbed Through Us$130 a Barrel Last Week. The Airline and Subsidiary Air Link Will Raise Its Fuel Surcharge by $4 to $40 Per Sector From May 27.

There Was a Significant Improvement in Airline on Time Performance in March Compared to the Previous Month, According to the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, With an Average of 83. 8 Per Cent of Departures and 82 Per Cent of Arrivals on Time and 1. 1 Per Cent of All Flights Cancelled. Qantas Had the Most on Time Departures for the Month With an Average of 84 Per Cent.

Macair Has Upgraded Services on Its Brisbane to Oakey, St George, Cunnamulla and Thargomindah Route to a Saab 340 From May 18. Macair is Currently Phasing Out the Last of Its Fairchild Metroliners in Favour of Newer Saab 340s and Atr 42s.

Qantas Has Now Put Premium Economy Seats on Sale on Selected Services From November 14 From Sydney to Los Angeles, and December 19 for Melbourne to Los Angeles Flights. Premium Economy is Already Available on Certain Services to Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Johannesburg and London.

Air New Zealand Has Announced

That the New Inflight Entertainment System Which is Being Fitted to Its Airbus A320 and Boeing 767 Fleets Will Feature the Ability to Connect With an Ipod.

Singapore Airlines’s Inaugural A380 Service From Singapore to Tokyo on May 20 Had to Be Diverted to Nagoya Due to Bad Weather at Tokyo Narita. The Aircraft Did Make Its Way to Narita and Successfully Completed the Return Flight to Singapore.

Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines Will End Their Joint Service Agreement on the Singapore-kuala Lumpur Route From June.

British Airways’s Subsidiary Openskies Has Been Given Approval by the Us Department of Transport to Start Selling Tickets on Its Services From Paris-orly to New York Jfk. The Airline Will Commence Service on the Route in June Utilising a Specially Configured Boeing 757.

Rex Further Lifted Its Fuel Surcharge by $3 to $36 Per Sector on May 13.

Skywest Will Resume Services From Perth to Karratha From May 27. The Services Will Operate on Tuesday and Wednesday Mornings and Will Be Operated by a Fokker 100, With Fares Starting From $249 One Way.

Air Niugini Has Taken Delivery of a Leased 214 Seat Boeing 767-300 From Icelandair. The 767 Replaces a Leased A310 Operated by White Airways and Will Have Engineering Support From Icelandair.

Qantas Has Applied to the International Air Services Commission to Continue to Codeshare on Its Services to Japan With Japan Air Lines, Citing Losses It Has Been Incurring on the Routes.

a Passenger on a Jetblue Flight is Suing the Airline for Us$2m (a$2. 1m) After Claims He Was Forced to Sit in the Lavatory on a Flight From San Diego to New York. Jetblue Has Refused to Comment on the Case, but the Faa Has Launched an Investigation.

Singapore Airlines Now Offers Ipod and Iphone Integration in the in-flight Entertainment System on Its Fleet of Business Class Only A340-500s Which Serve Los Angeles and Newark. The First of the Reconfigured A340 Flights Departed Singapore on May 15 for Newark.

Finance briefs

Tiger Aviation Group Recorded a Profit of S$10 Million (a$7. 7m) for the Financial Year Ending March 31, According to Singapore Airlines’ Ceo Chew Choon Seng, Which is the Largest Shareholder in Tiger.

Qantas Will Open a Pilot Base in Perth in December Where Up to 80 Pilots Will Be Based to Support Strong Demand for Intrastate and Transcontinental Flights. From June, Qantas Will Operate 317 Flights a Week to and From Perth.

Singapore Airlines is Raising Its Fuel Surcharge for Tickets Issued on or After May 12. The Surcharge Will Now Be Us$35 (a$37) on Regional Routes Within Asean, Us$150 (a$159) Per Sector to the Us and Canada and Us$80 (a$85) on All Other Routes.

Singapore Airlines Will Utilise an A380 on One of Its Three Daily Services to Beijing Between August 2 and 8 to Satisfy Demand During the Olympic Games in Beijing. The Sq802/805 Service is Usually Served by a Boeing 777.

Hawaiian Airlines Has Celebrated Its Fourth Anniversary on the Honolulu to Sydney Route and Has Released a Special $799 Return Fare (Excluding Taxes) to Honolulu for Travel in Early December and February.

Jetstar Has Been Named as the Official Airline for the Rugby League World Cup Which is Being Hosted in Australia Between October and November This Year.

Emirates Passengers at Dubai International Airport Who Only Have Hand Luggage Will Now Be Able to Bypass Check-in and Proceed Directly to Passport Control With a Home-printed Electronic Boarding Pass. Emirates Has Also Introduced Quick Bag Drop Counters Which Will Also Speed Up the Check-in Process for Passengers With Baggage.

Business Class Airfares in the Asia Pacific Region Jumped Four Per Cent in the First Quarter of 2008, According to the Latest American Express Asia Pacific Business Travel Monitor. This Was Attributed to Fare Increases on Flights Originating in Asia Pacific Going to the Americas and Intra-asia Pacific Destinations.

Environment

Brisbane Airport Creates Biodiversity Zonebrisbane Airport Has Set Aside Nearly 10 Per Cent of Its Land as a Protected Conservation Zone to Protect Local Bird Life.

Called the Biodiversity Zone, the 285 Hectares Set Aside Includes Vegetation and Wetlands, and is the Native Habitat of a Number of Birds Including the Lewin’s Rail and Eastern Grass Owl, as Well as Reptiles and Raptors.

“brisbane is Fortunate to Have Such a Large Airport Area to Enable Us to Properly Manage the Natural Environment While at the Same Time Develop the Aviation Facilities to Meet the Infrastructure Demands of the Future,” the Airport’s Gm of Operations Stephen Goodwin Said.

“we Are Currently in the Midst of Examining the Possibility and Feasibility of Creating Specialist Trails and Tracks Adjacent to the Zone, So We Can Open This Wonderful Asset for All of Brisbane and Its Overseas Visitors to See and Enjoy. It is Their Biodiversity Zone, and Our Responsibility to Preserve This. ” Brisbane Airport Has Recently Invested in a Number of Initiatives to Reduce Its Environmental Footprint, Including Water Recycling Systems and Re-landscaping Areas Around the Terminal With Native Tree Species.

Airbus, Honeywell & Jetblue Partner on Biofuel

sairbus, Honeywell and Jetblue Have Announced That They Are Partnering With International Aero Engines to Develop a ‘second Generation’ Biofuel for Use in Commercial Aircraft.

The Companies Are to Focus on Developing a Jet Fuel Which Can Be Derived From Non-food Vegetation and Algae. They View This as a More Sustainable Alternative to Fuel Derived From Food Crops, Such as Corn or Sugar-based Ethanol. This Will Involve Honeywell’s Subsidiary Uop, Which Has Developed a Process to Convert Biological Material Into Jet Fuel, Which Airbus Claims Has the Same Characteristics and Performance as Regular Jet Fuel.

“over the Last 40 Years, Aviation Has Reduced Fuel Burn – and Therefore Carbon Dioxide Emissions – by 70 Per Cent, but More Needs to Be Done,” Said Sebastien Remy, Head of Alternative Fuels Research Programs for Airbus. “millions of Barrels of Kerosene Are Used Each Day for Aircraft Fuel, and Worldwide Demand is Growing. In Order to Replace a Significant Portion of That Jet Fuel With Bio-jet, We Need to Find Something That Has Much Greater Yield Than the Current Biomass Sources Available. Airbus Believes That Second-generation Bio-jet Could Provide Up to 30 Percent of All Commercial Aviation Jet Fuel by 2030. ” Boeing Has Made a Grant of Us$750,000 (a$796,897) Over Three Years to the Cascade Land Conservancy, Which Helps to Preserve Farmlands and Forests Through the Pacific Northwest Region of the United States.

Airports

the Star Alliance Has Expressed a Desire to Consolidate Its Members’ Operations at Sydney Airport as It Has at Other Airports Around the World. Preliminary Talks Between the Member Airlines Have Been Held, but No Formal Approach Has Been Made to the Airport.

Singapore’s Changi Airport Has Received a Duty Free News International Award for Travel-retail Excellence in the Asia Pacific Region for Its Approach to Supporting Travel-retail. The Airport Also Received the ‘best Airport in the World’ Award at the Ultimate Travel Related Awards in London.

Burnie & Illawarra Get Security Fundsburnie and Illawarra Regional Airport Have Received Funds From the Federal Government Under the Regional Airport Funding Program to Improve Security.

Burnie Received More Than $85,000 for the Installation of a Closed Circuit Tv System While Illawarra Received $6700 to Upgrade Fencing at the Airport. Last Year, the Airports Handled More Than 87,000 and 15,000 Passengers Respectively.

“the Government’s $36. 5 Million Regional Airport Funding Program is There for Practical Measures That Will Strengthen Security Arrangements at Up to 150 of the Nation’s Regional Airports,” Said Transport Minister Anthony Albanese.

“the Aim of the Program is Simplea High Level of Public Confidence in the Security Provided by Our Regional Airports – Facilitates That Collectively Supports Thousands of Local Jobs and Attract Greater Investment Opportunities to the Communities They Serve. ”

General Aviation

Federal Express Has Donated Us$10,000 (a$10,400) to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The Funds Will Be Used to Purchase a Portable Ultrasound Machine for the Rfds’s Southeast Section.

Eurocopter Has Sold Its First Ec-135 ‘l’hélicoptère Par Hermès’ to Falcon Aviation Services of the United Arab Emirates. The Helicopter Features a Luxurious Interior by French Design House Hermes, and Will Be Used on Vip Services.

Aeromil Pacific, the Local Dealer for Cessna, Has Announced That Synthetic Vision Technology Will Be Available on All Cessna Aircraft Delivered With the Garmin 1000 Avionics System. A Retrofit Will Also Be Made Available.

Ga Diesel Engine Manufacturer Thielert Says That It Will Not Honour Warranty Claims or Extend Credit for Parts. Thielert Went Into Bankruptcy Two Weeks Ago but is Continuing to Manufacture Engines and Parts.

Turbomeca Australasia Will Establish a New Helicopter Engine Repair Operation at Bankstown, in Addition to the Existing Facility It Has There. The New Facility Will Employ Up to 100 People.

Slingair Soldkununurra, Wa Based Helicopter and Ga Operator Slingair Heliwork Group Has Been Sold to the Curry Kenny Aviation Group.

Slingair Owner Kerry Slingsby Said in ‘the West Australian’ That the Group Had Reached a Point Where It Needed to Expand in Order to Take Advantage of Increased Tourism and Other Charter Operations in the Region. Slingsby Founded the Company in 1984 and Has a Strong Reputation in the Region and Wider Aviation Community.

Slingair Operates as a Fixed Wing Charter Operator While Sister Company Heliwork Wa Operates a Number of Helicopters on Scenic Flights in the Kimberly. Both Companies Have a Combined Fleet of 40 Aircraft.

While No Details of How Much Was Paid for the Company, Grant Kenny, Chairman of the Curry Kenny Group Said, “it is a Real Thrill to Have Acquired the Business and I’m Looking Forward to Seeing the Company Benefit From Its Involvement With the Curry Kenny Aviation Group. ” the Curry Kenny Group Also Owns Caloundra Based Helicopter Training School Chopperline, as Well as Property Development Interests.

Ga Billings Up, Deliveries Down in First Quarterthe General Aviation Manufacturer’s Association Announced That First Quarter Deliveries of Ga and Business Aircraft Were Down by 7. 5 Per Cent but That Billings Were Up by 16. 1 Per Cent to Us$5. 3bn (a$5. 6bn).

Gama, Which Represents the Major Ga Manufacturers and Suppliers, Released Figures That Showed That There Was a Dramatic Fall of 28 Per Cent in Deliveries of Piston Powered Ga Aircraft to 399, Which Overshadowed Growth in the Turboprop Sector Which Delivered 85 Aircraft (a 7. 6 Per Cent Increase) and Business Jets, Which Saw 297 Units Shipped in the Period (an Increase of 40. 8 Per Cent). This Growth in Turboprops and Business Jets Helped Push the Increase in Billings During the Quarter.

“This Past Quarter’s Overall Industry Billings Remain Impressive, With the Turbine Segments Showing Dramatic Increases. The Trend of Increasing Marketshare Occurring Outside of North America Continues for Most Manufacturers. It is Apparent, However, That Current Uncertainty in the Us Economy is Having an Effect on Some of the Offerings in the Piston Spectrum of Aircraft,” Said Pete Bunce, Gama President and Ceo.

General Aviation Briefs

Hawker Beechcraft Company Has Recorded a First Quarter Loss of Us$1. 5m (a$1. 6m), Despite Recording Net Sales of Us$576. 5m (a$612. 5m). The Company Blamed a Us$18. 4m (a$19. 5m) Charge Related to Changes Made to Early Production Hawker 4000 Aircraft for the Operating Loss.

Local Cessna Dealer Aeromil Pacific Has Announced That It Has Sponsored the Cessna Pilots Association Australia (Cpaa). The Cpaa Was Formed in 2001 and Provides Information and Support for Cessna Aircraft Owners, as Well as Advocacy of Issues in General Aviation.

Cessna Has Flown the First Production 162 Skycatcher Light Sport Aircraft From Its Facility in Wichita, Kansas, on May 1, Eight Weeks After the First Prototype Flew.

Business Aviation

Hawker Launches Premier Ii

hawker Beechcraft Company Has Officially Launched Its Premier Ii Business Jet at the Ebace Convention, With Commitments Already for 70 of the Type.

The Premier Ii is an Evolution of the Premier Ia, and Will Feature Higher Cruise Speeds, 20 Per Cent Longer Range (With Four Passengers) and an Increased Payload. The New Aircraft Will Be Powered by Two Williams Fj44-3ap Turbofans and Feature New Elliptical Winglets Which Will Give the Aircraft a 1500nm (2778km) Range With an Operational Ceiling of 45,000ft and Increased Gross Takeoff Weight of 6260kg.

“our Program Objective Was All About Improving the Performance of Our Exceptionally Successful Premier Ia,” Said Hbc’s President of Commercial Aircraft, Brad Hatt. “the Premier Ii Takes Everything That Operators Love About the Premier Ia and Improves Upon It to Create an Aircraft That Will Deliver the Performance and Capabilities of a Much Larger Jet While Providing the Economy and Efficiency of a Light Jet. ” the Premier Ii’s First Flight is Planned to Take Place in April 2009, With Faa Certification Planned for the Second Quarter of 2010 and Easa Certification in the Fourth Quarter of the Same Year. At the Exposition, Hbc Said That It Had Booked Commitments for 70 Premier Iis, Including Firm Orders for 40 Aircraft.

Hbc Also Received an Order for 11 Hawker 4000s From Indian Fractional Operator Bjets. It Also Announced That the Hawker 750 Had Achieved Certification for the Type by Easa, as Well as Authorities in India, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.

Shop in City for Citation Jets

australian Cessna Dealer Aeromil Pacific Will Open the World’s First Business Aviation Shop in the Central Business District of Sydney on May 29.

Known as ‘the Cessna Store’, the Shop Will Be Located on Spring Street and Will Serve as a Way for Potential Customers to Increase Their Awareness of Business Aviation and Play a Key Part in the Marketing of Citation Business Jets.

Aeromil’s Executive Chairman Steve Padgett Says the New Store Would Make Business Aviation More Visible to Professionals Working in the Sydney Cbd. “unlike the Us, There Are a Lot of Unknowns About Corporate Aviation and Charter in Australia and New Zealand, Even Big Business Doesn’t Know Where to Go,” He Explained. “we Will Market Aircraft, Offer Aircraft Management, Arrange Charters, and Generally Educate Our Professional Clientele. ” the Store Will Also Market Aeromil’s Pilot Centre and Flying Club, Which Are Both Located at Its Headquarters on the Sunshine Coast.

Hawker Pacific & Execujet Team Up

for Skyparkhawker Pacific and Execujet Announced at the Ebace Conference in Geneva Last Week That They Will Team Up to Operate a Fixed Base Operation (Fbo) at Malaysia’s Subang Airport, Near Kuala Lumpur.

“this Joint Collaboration by Both Execujet and Hawker Pacific at Skypark Subang Forms a First of Its Kind and We Are Excited at Being a Part of This Partnership. We Look Forward to Working Closely With Them in This Venture,’” Said Datuk Ravindran Menon, Group Executive Director of Skypark.

The Fbo Facility Will Be Based at the Former Terminal 3 at Subang Airport, and Will Have a Space of 743sq M With Full Handling and Fuel Facilities and a Vip Lounge.

Skypark Malaysia is an Initiative of the Malaysian Government for the Development of the Former International Airport at Subang Into a Regional Business Aviation and Mro Facility. Swiss-based Company Jet Aviation Had Also Bid to Operate the Fbo.

Cessna Announces More on Columbus

cessna Chose the Ebace Exhibition to Display a Cabin Mock Up of Its Largest Business Jet, the Model 850 Citation Columbus, While Also Providing More Details About the Progress of Development of the Jet.

Cessna Announced That It Had Completed Low and High Speed Wind Tunnel Testing on the Aircraft’s Exterior Design. Other Engineers Have Started Working on Completing Architecture and Layout Planning Ahead of Being Merged Into a Master Development Schedule.

Cessna Also Revealed That Vought Aircraft Industries, Goodrich and Argo-tech Corporation Are Major Component Suppliers for the Columbus.

Vought Will Design and Produce the Columbus’s Wing at Its Facility in Nashville, Where It Also Manufactures Wing Panels for the Citation X. Goodrich Will Supply Landing Gear for the Aircraft While Argo-tech Corporation Will Design and Build the Jet’s Fuel System.

“the Citation Columbus Team is on Schedule to Finalise Supplier Agreements to Achieve Faa Certification by the End of 2013, and Deliveries Beginning in 2014,” Said Joe Hepburn, Program Manager for the Columbus. “the Selection of Vought, Goodrich and Argo-tech Represents Long Term Relationships With Companies and People Who Have Proven Their Ability to Meet Cessna’s High Standards of Quality. ” Meanwhile, Cessna Recorded an Order for 24 Citations From Austrian Based Jetalliance Group. This Brings Year to Date Order From Jetalliance to 50, Comprising Four Citation Mustangs, Seven Cj2+s, 11 Cj3s, Three Cj4s, 10 Xls+s, Seven Sovereigns, Four Citation Xs and Four Citation Columbus Aircraft. Cessna Also Announced an Order for 20 Citation Mustangs From Russian Air Taxi Operator Dexter.

Medium/large Jets to Dominate Business – Rolls-royceengine Manufacturer Rolls-royce Has Released Its Business Aviation Market Forecast, and Expects That There Will Be Demand for 39,000 New Business Aircraft Over the Next 20 Years.

Rr Forecasts That There is a Market of Us$110bn (a$115bn) for Business Jet Engines Across All Sectors of the Industry Over the Next 20 Years, With a Projected Need of 79,000 Engines to Power These Aircraft. Of These 39,000 Aircraft, Nearly 40 Per Cent Will Be in the Medium and Large Sector, With 16,000 to Be Delivered Between 2008 and 2027.

“the Market Continues to Grow at a Robust Rate; It Has Also Become More Diverse in Terms of Geographic Distribution and Breadth of Aircraft Capability Available,” Alan Stiley, Rr’s Vp Marketing for Corporate and Regional Engines Said. “in Response, Rolls-royce Will Continue to Invest in New Products and Services in Order to Maintain Its Leading Position With Business Aircraft Operators and Manufacturers. ” Hawker Pacific is Believed to Have Been Chosen as the Strategic Partner for the Skypark Subang Fbo and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Facility for Business Jets at Subang Airport Near Kuala Lumpur. Jet Aviation and Execujet Had Also Bid to Run the Facility.

Embraer Will Assemble the Phenom 100 and 300 Light Business Jets at a New Facility to Be Built in Melbourne, Florida. Embraer Will Break Ground on the 15 Hectare Site in the Coming Weeks.

Cj4 Fliescessna’s Cj4 Business Jet Prototype Made Its First Flight on May 5 From Mcconnell Air Force Base in Kansas.

The Flight Lasted for Two Hours and 22 Minutes and Consisted of a Number of Flight Manoeuvres and a Sustained Climb to 16,000ft. The Flight Later Landed at Mid-continent Airport Where a Number of Engineers Had Monitored the Flight.

“it Was an Outstanding First Flight,” Said Cessna Senior Engineering Test Pilot Dan Morris, Who Flew the Aircraft With Engineering Flight Test Manager Dave Bonifield as Copilot. “we Tested Quite a Number of the Systems on the Aircraft, Including the Autopilot, and All Performed Very Well. The Fadecs Operated Just as We Expected, and Along With the Four Displays of the Pro Line 21, This is a Very Pilot-friendly Aircraft. Operators Will Transition Easily Into the Cj4. ” the Cj4 is Scheduled for Certification in the Second Half of 2009, With First Deliveries of the Type to Follow in the First Half of 2010.

Business Aviation Briefs

Embraer Has Named Its Newest Midlight (Mlj) and Midsize (Msj) Business Jets the Legacy 450 and Legacy 500 Respectively. Embraer Said It Signed Over 100 “letters of Interest” for the Two Jets at Ebace.

Assembly of the First Boeing Business Jet 3 (Based on the 737-900er) Has Begun at the 737 Facility in Renton. The Bbj 3 Will Be Delivered to an Unidentified Customer Next Year.

Eclipse Aviation Has Gained Certification for the Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet in India and Australia.

Embraer Concluded Cold Soak Testing on Its Phenom 100 Light Business Jet at a Specialist Laboratory Eglin Air Force Base in Florida on April 14. Certification of the Phenom 100 is Expected in the Second Half of the Year.

Security

the Australian Government is Providing $100,000 to Help Train 250 Security Officials at East Timor’s Department of Civil Aviation and Dili Airport. The Funds Will Allow the Staff to Be Trained in Areas Such as Security Policy and Baggage and Passenger Screening.

Cargo

Air Freight Set to Return to Steady Growth – Oagoag Analytical Services is Forecasting That World Air Freight Growth Will Slow in the Short Term but Should Experience an Annual Growth Rate of 5. 6 Per Cent by 2011.

“amid Soaring Fuel Prices and Economic Uncertainty, the Projections for the Next Decade Reveal Some Light at the End of the Tunnel,” Says Tulinda Larsen, Managing Director Oag Analytical Services.

Intercontinental Air Freight is Expected to Drive the Majority of the Growth, With the Projected Growth Rate of 6. 1 Per Cent Per Annum, While Security and Environmental Issues Are Likely to Keep Regional Freight to a Growth Rate of 3. 9 Per Cent Per Annum.

In Terms of Regions, Oag Expects the Strongest Demand to Come From the Middle East With an Annual Growth Rate of 12. 9 Per Cent, Followed by Africa (12 Per Cent), China (10. 5 Per Cent) and Asia (7. 1 Per Cent). North America Will Experience the Slowest Demand Growth, With Freight Only Expected to Grow by 3. 1 Per Cent.

“trade Connecting to North America Continues to Dominate Global Air Freight and Other Markets Are Feeling the Impact of the Us Economic Woes,” Said Larsen. “the Rising Cost of Operations Will Force the Industry to Make Tough Decisions That Will Impact Air Freight Capacity on a Global Level. ” Qantas’s Former Vice President of Freight for the Americas, Bruce Mccaffrey, Has Agreed to a Plea Bargain Deal With the Us Department of Justice, Which Will See Him Serve Eight Months Jail and a Us$20,000 Fine for Conspiring With Other Airline Executives to Fix Air Freight Prices. Qantas Has Already Pleaded Guilty to Price Fixing and Agreed to Pay a Fine of Us$61m (a$65m).

Maintenance, Support & Training

Asset Trains Russian Pilots in Australia

queensland Based Training Company Asset Aviation Has Recently Graduated 48 Russian Pilots to the Airbus A320.

The Pilots, From Vladivostok Airlines, Had All Previously Flown Tupolev Aircraft in a Four Crew Configuration. Asset Has Developed a Tailored Program for These Pilots Which Fits With the Russian Safety and Regulatory Systems.

According to Asset’s Ceo Mat Petrenko, the Course Has Been a Learning Curve for Some of the Students. “some of the Crew Heading to Australia Have Flown on Russian Aircraft for Most of Their Career, and Now, Must Adapt to a New Culture of Flight Operations, Including the Way They Interact With Other Crew Members and Deal With Human Factors,” Said Petrenko.

“it Really is a Challenging Transition for Them, but It is an Essential One. Russian Aircraft Manufacturers Cannot Keep Up With the Demand for Aircraft and Western Aircraft Are Making an Entry Into the Russian Market for the First Time. ” the Training Has Been Conducted at Alteon’s Training Centre in Brisbane and Has Involved a Combination of Theory, Fixed Base Training and Simulator Sessions.

Air New Zealand to Open Aviation Academy

air New Zealand Has Laid Out Plans to Open Its Own Aviation Academy to Train Pilots, Flight Attendants, Engineers and Management Staff.

The Academy Would Train Between 200-300 Pilots and Engineers Each Year and Would Develop Its Own Curriculum for Its Training Programs. Air New Zealand Says That It Hopes to Develop the Academy in Consultation With Industry and Could Have Operations Around Different Areas of New Zealand, Including Some Regional Centres.

“the Academy Will Form the Basis of Air New Zealand’s Long Term Commitment to Continuing to Build a World Leading Airline Through a Highly Skilled and Motivated Workforce Which Sees Real Career Prospects and a Future in New Zealand,” Said Captain David Morgan, Air New Zealand’s Gm Airline Operations and Safety. “It Will Also Provide Opportunities and Career Structure for Our People, and Help Them Define and Manage Their Career Paths Within the Aviation Business. ” the Airline Says It Also Plans to Use the Academy to Train Pilots, Engineers and Other Staff for Airlines Through the Asia-pacific Region and Was Currently in Talks With a Number of Possible Partners. Further Announcements Are Likely Throughout the Year.

Etihad Airways Has Opened a New Line Maintenance Facility at Sydney Airport. The Facility Will Operate Seven Days a Week With Four Engineers and Four Mechanics on Hand to Support the Ramp Up of Etihad’s Services to Sydney From Seven to 11 Per Week.

Virgin Blue Officially Commissioned Its Embraer E-jet Simulator at the Airline’s Training Centre in Brisbane on May 8. The $11 Million Simulator Sits Alongside Two Boeing 737ng Simulators Also at the Centre.

Maintenance, Support & Training Briefs

Safe Air Has Been Granted Authorised Maintenance Organisation Status for the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

V Australia Commissioned Its $14 Million Boeing 777 Simulator at the Cae Simulator Centre in Sydney on May 22.

Air Safety

Blade Tip Rubbing Caused 747 Engine Failure

an Australian Transportation Safety Bureau Report Into the Shutdown of an Engine on a Qantas Boeing 747-400 on February 3 2007 Has Concluded That Damage to the Engine Was Sustained From a Fan Blade Which Had Rubbed Against Its High Pressure Case.

The Crew Operating the Flight From Sydney Had Heard Several Loud Bangs and Reported Vibrations Through the Aircraft’s Structure Shortly After Takeoff. After Observing Increased Exhaust Gas Temperatures, the Crew Followed Procedure and Shut the Engine Down Before Dumping Fuel and Returning to Sydney.

The Atsb Found in Its Examination of the Engine That the Engine Had Sustained a Stage One Blade Failure in the High Pressure Compressor. This Was Attributed to Cracking in the Blade, Which Had Been Caused From Rubbing With the High Pressure Case Which Was Itself Distorted. The Engine’s Manufacturer, Rolls-royce, Had Issued a Service Bulletin to Address the Problem but This Had Not Been Completed on the Engine in Question.

Subsequently, Qantas Accelerated Its Serving of the Service Bulletin to Minimise the Risk of Further Failures. Rolls-royce is Continuing Testing and Research Into the Fan Blade Failures.

Atc & Airspace

Avalon to Get Controlled Airspacecasa’s Office of Airspace Regulation (Oar) Has Finalised a Report Into Airspace Surrounding Avalon Airport in Victoria and Has Recommended That Controlled Airspace and Air Traffic Control Be Implemented at the Airport, Although Any Such Decision Will Be Left to the Airport Itself.

According to the Report, the Oar Has Recommended That the Airspace Around Avalon Be Reclassified to C-class Airspace to Bring It Into Line With Other Major Airports.

“operating Arrangements at the Airport Currently Provide for Controlled Airspace to Be Activated and Air Traffic Control Services Provided Only on Request,” Said Casa Chief Bruce Byron.

“with the Projected Increase in Aircraft Movements at Avalon Airport Over the Coming Years the Study Found That a Move to Controlled Airspace is Warranted. ” the Report Has Been Handed to Avalon’s Operator, Linfox, and Jetstar Which Uses the Airport for Flights to Brisbane, Sydney and Perth. Casa Has Indicated That It Will Work With Both Airservices and Linfox on Implementing the Recommendations.

Boeing and China Eastern Airlines Have Been Testing Required Navigation Performance Approaches at Lijiang in Western China. Boeing Subsidiary Jeppesen Developed the Rnp Arrival and Departure Procedures at Lijiang.

Atc & Airspace Briefs

Qantas Will Trial Required Navigation Performance (Rnp) Techniques on Board Its Boeing 737-800s Operating Services Into and Out of Broome, Kalgoorlie, Karratha and Mount Isa Airports. The Trials Will Continue Into 2010.

People

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Has Appointed Elizabeth Lund to the Position of Vice President of Product Development. Lund Will Be Responsible for Leading Preliminary Design of New and Derivative Airplanes and Systems, and Environmental Performance Strategy. She Succeeds Todd Zarfos, Who Has Been Named Vice President of 747/767/777 Engineering.

Qantas Has Appointed Patrick Stringer to the New Role of Group General Manager Strategy and New Business Asia, Based in Hanoi. Stringer Will Be Responsible for Overseeing Business Opportunities for the Qantas Group in Asia.

Simon Moutter Has Been Appointed as the New Ceo of Auckand International Airport Limited. Moutter Will Take Up the Role Within Three Months and Comes From Telecom New Zealand.

Sri Lankan Airlines Has Appointed Manoj Gunawardena as the Chief Executive Officer of the Airline.

Auckland International Airport Limited’s Cfo Robert Sinclair Will Step Down From the Position at the End of August. Sinclair is Immigrating to England to Pursue New Career Opportunities.

Events

the Raaf’s Central Flying School (Cfs) at Raaf Base East Sale Will Celebrate Its 95th Anniversary on August 15. As Part of the Celebrations Cfs Plans to Host a Reunion Dinner and Other Associated Activities. Former Cfs Members Wishing to Attend the Event Are Requested to Send Their Details Including Name and Rank, Their Dates Posted to Cfs, Their Position Held at Cfs, Their Email Address, and Their Mailing Address to Flgoff Amanda Van De Paverd, Admino Cfs via Email Amanda. Vandepaverd@defence. Gov. Au or by Mail to Central Flying School, Raaf Base East Sale, Vic 3852.

Dixon to Deliver Visionary Keynoteqantas Group Ceo Geoff Dixon Will Deliver the Visionary Keynote Speech at the Asia Pacific Aviation Summit 2008.

This Will Be the First Keynote by Dixon in the Event’s Four Year History. Other Speakers at the Conference Will Include Jetstar Ceo Alan Joyce, Azran Osman-rani, Ceo of Air Asia X and Brett Godfrey, Ceo of Virgin Blue. The Summit Also Includes the Asia Pacific Airports Forum Which Will Discuss a Number of Issues Relating to the Airport Industry.

The Asia Pacific Aviation Summit Runs From July 28-31 at the Sydney Hyatt Hotel.