News Desk

The Launch Was Based on a Letter of Intent for 30 Cseries From Lufthansa Launch Customer Lufthansa Has Yet to Firm Up Its Letter of Intention. Reports Are That Little Known Mongolian Airline Enzis Has Also Recently Signed an Loi for Seven Cseries, and While There Has Been Speculation of Orders From Chinese Carriers and Gulf Air, None Have Been Forthcoming.

Aboulafia Also Attacked Bombardier’s Decision to Outsource Part of the Manufacture of the Doors, Centre Fuselage and Tailcone of the Cseries to Shenyang Aircraft Corporation of China, Saying That It “screams Risk”. Bombardier Rejected This Criticism, Noting That Sac Would Only Be Responsible for the Manufacture of 10 Per Cent of the Structure.

Bombardier Has Also Previously Said That It Was Not Concerned by the Slow Progress in Confirming Lufthansa’s Loi Into a Firm Order. Instead, the Canadian Manufacturer Continued to Point at What It Sees as a Major Market for the Aircraft. “We at Bombardier Estimate That 6,300 Aircraft Representing More Than [us]$250bn (a$384bn) in Revenue Over the Next 20 Years Fall Into That Category. This is Not an Insignificant Market in Which to Be Involved,” Said the Firm.

Airbus Beats Boeing, but Sees Tough 2009

Airbus Has Confirmed That It Once Again Beat Boeing During the 2008 Sales Race, but Ceo Tom Enders Has Acknowledged That 2009 Will Be a Tougher Year for the Manufacturer.

For the Year, Airbus Took Net Orders for 777 New Aircraft Valued at Us$100bn (a$151bn) at List Prices, Compared to Boeing’s Total of 662. The Orders Comprised of 472 A320 Family Aircraft, 138 A330s/a340s, Nine A380s and 162 A350 Xwbs. By the End of 2008, the Manufacturer Had Increased Its Backlog to a Record 3715 Aircraft.

The Airframer Also Had a Record Year for Deliveries, With 483 Aircraft Delivered Comprising 386 A320 Family Aircraft, 72 A330s, 13 A340s and 12 A380s.

While Pleased With the Results of the Company This Year, Airbus Ceo Tom Enders Acknowledged That the Year Ahead Would Not Be as Fruitful for the Company. The Company’s Chief Operating Officer – Customers, John Leahy, Added in a January 15 Press Conference That, “This is Clearly Going to Be a Slow Year for All Aircraft Orders,” and That There is “an Awful Lot of Softness in the Marketplace. ” Nevertheless, He Noted That the Company Does Not Have Any White Tail Aircraft Planned for Production During 2009.

As With Its Rival Boeing, Airbus is Expecting to Step Up Its Vendor Financing Activities to Support Sales During the Year, and is Also Counting on More Financing From Export Credit Agencies. Leahy Said That He Was Expecting Up to 50 Per Cent of Planned Deliveries to Be Funded Through Export Credit Agencies.

Boeing Sales Dropped by Half in 2008

Boeing Recorded Net Orders for 662 Aircraft During 2008, a Drop of Over 50 Per Cent Compared to Its Sales for 2007.

Boeing Says That the Majority of Its Sales Were for the Boeing 737 Next Generation Series, With 484 Sold, Followed by Orders for 93 787s, 54 777s, 28 767-300ers and Three for the 747-8 Intercontinental. Those Figures Also Account for Cancellations of Four 737s and One Each of the 747, 767 and 787.

The Manufacturer Also Delivered 375 Aircraft for the Year, Despite the Six Week Long Strike That Halted Production at Its Seattle Factories. The Delivery Tally Comprised 290 737s, 14 747s, 10 767s and 61 777s. Based on Averages of the Previous Three Quarter’s Deliveries, Boeing Would Likely Have Delivered Approximately 35 More Aircraft Comprising About 27 737s, 6 777s Plus at Least One Each of the 767 and 747, Had the Strike Not Occurred.

While Boeing Says That Its Total Orders of 662 for 2008 Are Its Eighth Strongest Year on Record, It is a Far Cry From the Record of 1422 Aircraft Ordered During 2007 and Will See It Lose the Unofficial Annual Sales Race to Rival Airbus Which Had Reported 756 Sales at the End of November 2008 756. Airbus is Expected to Release Its Finalised Year End Sales Figures in the Coming Weeks.

And With Further Dips in Sales Predicted, Boeing Has Announced That It Plans to Reduce Its Commercial Airplanes Division Workforce by About 4500 Staff This Year as It Seeks to Retain Its Competitiveness in the Weakened Global Economy.

“as We Look Forward to 2009 and See Daily Headlines of How a Growing Global Recession is Impacting Economies, It is Clear That Industries and Individuals Must Prepare for a Year of Tough Challenges,” Commercial Airplanes President and Ceo, Scott Carson, Said in a January 9 Letter to All Employees. “as Part of This Overall Effort to Meet Our Business Plan and Address Current Business Realities, We Will Be Reducing Employment by About 4500 Positions. Normal Attrition and a Reduction in Non-boeing Labor Will Account for Some of the Job Reductions, but Layoffs of Boeing Employees Also Are Necessary. Many of the Job Reductions Will Be in Overhead Functions and Other Areas Not Directly Associated With Airplane Production. This Will Enable Us to Continue Our High Production Rates and Successfully Execute Our Key Development Programs. ” Most of the Lay Offs Are Expected to Have Been Made by Mid Year With the Vast Majority Being From Boeing’s Washington State Workforce.

Airbus and Eads Complete Aerostructures Carve Outs

Airbus and Its Parent Company Eads Have Completed the Structural Separation of Two Key Aerostructures Businesses, and Completed the Transfer of Its Wing Parts Production Facility at Filton, Uk Facility to Gkn Aerospace, Marking Key Achievements of Its Power8 Program.

Gkn Formally Took Over the Production Facilities at Filton on January 5, With the Business Renamed Gkn Aerospace Filton. Gkn Aerospace Ceo Marcus Bryson Said That the Company Aims to Grow the Site to Become a Centre of Excellence for Wing Structures for Both Airbus and Other Customers.

Eads Has Also Created Two New Subsidiaries Which Control Other Aerostructures Sites Which Had Been Earmarked for Sale Under Power8, but Had Failed to Sell. Eads Has Established Premium Aerotech Gmbh, Which Controls the Former German Airbus Sites in Nordenham and Varel and the Former Eads Site in Augsburg, While the Meaulte and St Nazaire Ville Sites in France Have Formed the Foundation of Aerolia. Aerolia Will Also Control a Soon to Be Constructed Facility in Tunisia. Both Companies Started Operations as Separate Eads Subsidiaries on January 1.

“the New Companies Are Well Equipped to Become Long-term Partners for Airbus and Major Players in the Global Aerostructures Market,” Said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus Coo. “our Vision to Establish a Network of Strong Suppliers for Cabin, Wing and Aerostructures is Clearly Taking Shape, and We as Airbus Can Focus on Our Core Business, Being an Aircraft Architect and Integrator. ”

Airbus Freezes A350 Design, Starts Work on Production Facility

Airbus Announced That It Had Achieved Its Design Freeze Milestone for the A350 Xwb in December at a Ground Breaking Ceremony on January 14 to Mark the Start of Work on a New Facility to Assemble the New Twinjet.

The New 74,000 Square Metre, €140m (a$279m) Facility at Toulouse Will House the First Stages of Final Assembly for the A350 Up to the Joining of Fuselage and Wings, While Testing and Cabin Equipping Will Be Conducted at the Current A330/340 Facility. The Building, Which Will Open in 2010, Will Also Have a Number of Environmental Features, Including Photovoltaic Roofing Which Will Provide Most of the Power for the Facility.

Airbus Hopes That the New Facility Will Also Allow It to Cut Down Assembly Time on the A350 by Up to 30 Per Cent. This Will Be Achieved by Conducting Some Work in a Different Sequence, Such as Powering on the Aircraft Before Its Wings Are Joined, While It Will Also Conduct Parallel Works, With the Aircraft to Have Some Cabin Furnishing Done at the Same Time as the Wing Joining.

“the Detailed Definition Freeze at the End of 2008 and the Start of Construction Work on Our New Final Assembly Line Confirm That the A350 Xwb is Making Steady Progress,” Ceo Tom Enders Said. He Added That the Aircraft Was on Track to Enter Service in 2013.

China Seeks Partners for Jet Engine Manufacturer the Chinese Government Could Partner With a Foreign Investor in a New Company Which Will Manufacture Jet Engines for Some of the Country’s Larger Passenger Aircraft.

According to the ‘shanghai Securities News’, the Chinese Government Will Sell a 30 Per Cent Share in Avic Commercial Aircraft Engine Co Ltd (Acae) to Private Investors, and is Said to Be Interested in Partnering With a Foreign Company. Citing Acae Vice Chairman Tan Ruisong, the Report Says That the It Will Have a Capital of Cny6bn (a$1. 3bn), With Other Investors Including State Owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China With 40 Per Cent, and the Shanghai Electric Group and Shanghai Government Investment Arms Holding 15 Per Cent Each.

It is Understood That the Company Will Initially Focus on the Design and Manufacture of Engines for Aircraft With More Than 150 Seats, but Will Later Broaden Its Portfolio to Include Engines for Business Jets. A Key Focus is Expected to Be the State-sponsored Proposal to Build a 150 Seat Passenger Aircraft, Which is Planned to Enter the Market in 2020.

One Potential Partner for the Engine Maker Could Be General Electric, Which Has a Strong Relationship With Aviation Industry Corporation of China as Its Has Supplied Its Cf34 Engine for the Arj-21 Regional Jet. Rolls-royce and Pratt & Whitney Have Also Been Cited as Possible Investors.

Atr Registers Record Turnover in 2008

Atr Says the Market for Turboprops Has Continued to Grow, With the Manufacturer Reaching a Record Us$1. 3bn (a$2. 0bn) During 2008.

“we Have Achieved an Important Rate of Growth, Including a Doubling of Aircraft Deliveries in Two Years, While Keeping One of Our Highest Historical Backlogs,” Said Atr’s Chief Executive Officer Stephane Mayer. “in Such Complicated Times We Are Specially Gratified by the Confidence Shown Both From Our Current Operators and Our New Customers”.

Mayer Added That the Manufacturer Would Continue to Maintain Its 50 Per Cent Share of the Commercial Turboprop Market, in Spite of the Tough Economic Conditions.

During 2008, Atr Received Firm Orders for 42 Aircraft and Options for 14, With 23 of the Orders Coming From the Asia Pacific Region. The Manufacturer Also Delivered 55 Aircraft During the Year, Compared to 44 in 2007. This Left the Company’s Backlog at 169 Aircraft, Including 39 for the ‘-600’ Series of Atr-42s and -72s.

This Year, Atr Says It Aims to Deliver 60 Aircraft This Year and Increase Its Turnover by Us$100m (a$154m). It Also Plans to Continue the Development of Its -600 Series Aircraft, With the First “pre-series” Aircraft Due to Fly This Year, Ahead of the Entry Into Service in 2011.

Atr Starts Ground Test on -600 Atr Has Achieved ‘power-on’ Ground Testing of Its ‘-600′ Pre-series Aircraft.

The Manufacturer Has Commenced Testing the Functioning of the Electrical Systems and the Thales New Generation Avionics Suite.

“we Are Proud of Starting the Ground Test of the Aircraft, Which Represent the Result of a Very Strong Work Done in the Last Months, in Partnership With Thales,” Luigi Lombardi, Atr’s Senior Vice President of Operations, Said. He Also Added That the Manufacturer Was Progressing on Schedule With the Development of the -600.

The Atr ‘600 Series’ Pre-series Aircraft, an Atr 72, Will Make Its Maiden Flight During the Northern Summer of 2009, With Entry Into Service Scheduled for the Beginning of 2011.

Atr’s -600 Series Features the New Thales Avionics Suite, Upgraded Pratt & Whitney Canada Pw127m Engines, and Various Cabin Refinements. It Will Feature Improved Hot and High and Field Performance and Increased Payload Over the Current -500 Series. No Launch Customer Has Yet Been Announced.

Commercial Briefs

* Embraer Has Delivered Its 500th E-jet, an E-170, to Air France Subsidiary Regional – Compagnie aérienne Européenne on December 13. There Are Now 52 E-jet Operators in 35 Countries, Including Virgin Blue, Skyairworld and Airnorth in Australia.

* Airbus Has Begun Flight Testing a Cfm56 Powered A320 Fitted With Blended Winglets Designed by Aviation Partners Inc. Airbus Previously Tested Two Winglet Designs on the A320 in 2006, but Found That the Additional Stiffening Required to Support the Winglets Offset the Aerodynamic Savings.

* Airbus Has Received an Overwhelming Response to Its ‘fly Your Ideas’ Competition, With Over 2350 Students From 130 Universities Around the World Entering. The Competition Challenged Students to Come Up With Innovative Ideas to Shape the Future of Aviation and to Develop Eco-efficient Ideas. The Teams Will Now Advance Through Different Competitive and Challenging Rounds, Concluding With a Live Final at the Paris Airshow in June 2009.

* Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation Announced on January 22 That It Had Signed a Contract With Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation on the Design and Manufacture of Key Components for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (Mrj). Aidc Will Design and Build the Slats, Flaps, Belly Fairings, Rudder and Elevators for the Mrj.

* Embraer Delivered 204 Jets During 2008, a 20 Per Cent Increase on Its Deliveries for the Previous Year. Of These 162 Were Commercial Aircraft, Comprised of Six Erj-145s, Nine E-170s, 55 E-175s, 78 E-190s and 14 E-195s. The Company Also Delivered 36 Executive Aircraft and Six Aircraft for Government/defence Customers.

* Reunion Island Based Carried Air Austral Has Signed a Mou for a Potential Order for Two Airbus A380s Configured in an All-economy Layout With Up to 840 Seats. Subject to a Formal Order, Delivery of the Aircraft is Likely to Take Place in 2014.

* Boeing Announced on December 22 That It Had Received Faa Approval of Its Maintenance Plan for the 787 Dreamliner. Boeing Claims That Maintenance Costs on the 787 Will Be Up to 30 Per Cent Lower Than Comparable Aircraft Due to the Use of New Technologies, Such as the Composite Airframe.

* Airbus Met Its Goal of Delivering 12 A380s During 2008 With the Delivery of the Fourth A380 to Emirates on December 29.

* Bombardier is Understood to Be Investigating Increasing the Production Rate of Its Q400 Line. The Canadian Manufacturer is Could Use the Additional Resources Freed Up by the Decision to End Production of the Smaller Q200 and Q300, the Last of Which Will Be Delivered Mid-year.

* the Second Sukhoi Superjet 100 Made Its First Flight From Komsomolsk, Russia on December 24.

* Airbus is Delaying Delivery of the First A330-200f Freighter to Launch Customer Flyington Freighters Until 2010 to Free Up Production Slots for the Passenger A330. There Has Been an Increase in Demand for the A330 Due to the Delays to the Boeing 787.

Sales

* British Airways Has Ordered Six Embraer E-170s and Five E-190srs, Which Will Be Operated by Its Ba Cityflyer Subsidiary.

* Colgan Air (Usa) Has Ordered 15 Bombardier Q400 Next Gen Turboprops.

* Vietnam Airlines Has Purchased Six Atr 72-500s.

Military

War of Words Erupts Over Jsf Performance

a War of Words Has Erupted Between the Dmo and Liberal Backbencher Dr Dennis Jensen Over His Claims That the F-35a Jsf Will Be Unsatisfactory for Australia’s Future Defence Needs.

Dr Jensen’s Claims, Made Recently on His Website and in the ‘financial Review’, Come After a Scathing Report on the Jsf’s Ability to Penetrate Modern Integrated Air Defence Systems Was Published by Dr Carlo Kopp and Peter Goon’s Air Power Australia Think-tank. The Report Claims the F-35 Will Not Be Survivable Against Modern Ground Based Air Defences Such as the Russian Sa-10 and Sa-20 Systems Which It Says Are Proliferating in Our Region and Around the World. “a New Paper Which Analyses Problems in the Jsf Stealth Design Now Casts More Doubt on the Claims Made by the Jsf Camp,” Dr Jensen Said. “as Someone Who Has Worked With Secret Data in the Past, I Can Attest That the Data is Secret Either Because Release of Such Data Would Expose the Source, or Otherwise It Relates to Details of Capabilities, Signatures, Frequencies of Equipment Etc, Disclosure of Which Would Compromise Key Capability. ” Dr Jensen Was an Raaf Air Traffic Controller in the 1980s, and a Csiro and Defence Scientist and Analyst From 1995 to 2004 Before Entering Politics.

But in an Unusual Move for Defence, the New Air Combat Capability (Nacc) Program Manager, Avm John Harvey Has Published a Rebuttal of Dr Jensen’s Claims, Saying the Wa Backbencher Has Made “numerous Incorrect Claims About the Capability and Cost of the Jsf. ” in the Rebuttal, Avm Harvey Says “dr Jensen Falsely Claims Defence is Hiding Behind Unnecessary Classification of Jsf Performance Information as There Are No Jsf Technologies or Capabilities That Are Not Already Known in the Public Domain,” Adding That “the Jsf Incorporates the Most Advanced Combat Technologies of the Us and They Are Very Closely Protected to Ensure the Us and Jsf Partner Countries Maintain a Capability Edge. ” to Claims by Dr Jensen That “the Jsf is Not Very Stealthy”, Avm Harvey Said “in Terms of Its Stealth Characteristics, the Us Government and Lockheed Martin Have Both Acknowledged That the Jsf Will Be a Very Low Observable (Vlo) Aircraft. The Jsf Has the Benefit of Experience With All Previous Stealth Aircraft Programs and the Lessons Learnt From Them Have Been Incorporated Into the Jsf. Defence Has Detailed Insight Into the Stealth Characteristics of the Jsf and Its Performance Has Been Confirmed by Detailed, Independent Defence Science & Technology Organisation (Dsto) Analysis. ” Dr Jensen Also Made Reference to the F-35’s Cost, Claiming That Inconsistent Figures Provided in Recent Years by Avm Harvey and Dmo Ceo Dr Stephen Gumley of Up to a$135 Million Per Aircraft Do Not Correlate With Cost Estimates of “between $us165 Million and $us230 Million Per Jet” Recently Provided to Norway. To This, Avm Harvey Said “because the Jsf Will Be Purchased in Us Dollars the Price is Very Sensitive to Exchange Rate, Hence Dr Stephen Gumley’s Stipulation That His Estimate of a$75m Was in 2008 Dollars at an Exchange Rate of 0. 92. It is Also Essential to Understand That the a$75m Figure Refers to the Basic Aircraft—the So-called Average Unit Recurring Flyaway Cost. The Total Project Cost Will Be Considerably Higher, Having to Take Into Account Spares, Facilities, Weapons, Support Equipment, Training Equipment, Etc, Hence Avm Harvey’s Previous Advice of an Average Unit Procurement Cost in the Order of a$130m. ” Avm Harvey Added That “cost Figures Dr Jensen Attributes to Norway Align More With Cost Figures Media Articles Attribute to Israel. These Figures Were Based on What is Referred to as a “never to Exceed” Estimate That Took Into Account Total Project Costs and Include Extensive Modification of the Jsf Air System to Incorporate Specific Israeli Systems and Weapons. ” a Further Release by Dr Jensen on January 9 Has Seen the Mp Challenge Avm Harvey to a Public Debate on the Issue. “his Statement is a Denial Without Significance,” Dr Jensen Said. “he is Evasive at Times, Misrepresents My Allegations in Some Cases, and is Simply Wrong on Other Points. I Challenge Air Vice-marshal Harvey to Debate This Issue With Me in Public. If He is So Sure of His Information on the Jsf, Then No Doubt He Will Have the Bottle to Stand Before the Australian People and Be Taken to Task. ”

A400m to Be More Than Three Years Late

Eads Has Revealed That Initial Deliveries of Its A400m Airlifter Will Now Not Start Until 2013, More Than Three Years Later Than the Most Recently Planned 2010 Timeframe, and Four Years After the Original 2009 First Delivery Schedule to Launch Customer France.

The Latest Delay Has Caused Partner Nations, Many of Whom Have Already Paid Hundreds of Millions of Euros to Underwrite Development of the Aircraft, to Consider Their Short to Medium Term Airlift Options Until the A400m Can Be Considered Operational From 2015. The Uk, Which Has Ordered 25 A400ms, is Believed to Be Looking at Acquiring Additional C-17as and/or C-130js to Meet Its Needs Over the Next Decade, and Says It May Also Need to Extend the Service Lives of Many of Its Up-to 43 Year Old C-130ks, Which Were to Be Retired From 2010, for Several More Years.

“We Cannot Accept a Three to Four Year Delay in the Delivery of These Aircraft,” British Defence Secretary John Hutton Told Parliament on January 12. “it is Going to Impose Unnecessary and Unacceptable Strain on Our Air Assets and We, Along With All of Our Partner Nations, Will Have to Consider Very Carefully Indeed What the Right Response Now to This Problem is as We Go Forward. We Have Recently Acquired Additional C-17s, and We Are Looking at the Possibility of Acquiring More. ” Eads Says It, Its Supplier and Customers Are Guilty of a “Complete Underestimation of the Nature of the Program” to Develop the A400m, Adding That the Airlifter’s Complexity is Greater Than That of the Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon Fighter Programs. Ceo Louis Gallois Has Proposed Offering Cargo-configured A330s and Other Undefined Aircraft as Interim Solutions to the A400m’s Delays, Although None of These Will Be Able to Carry Much of the Cargo That Was to Be Hauled by the A400m, Including the Uk’s Integrated Future Rapid Effects System (Fres).

The Seven European Partner Nations and Two Customer Countries Have Ordered a Total of 192 A400ms.

First Inflight Refuelling for Wedgetail Boeing Has Successfully Conducted the First Air-to-air Refuelling of a Wedgetail Aew&c Aircraft for the Raaf During Flight Testing in the Us.

The Test, Conducted on January 7, Saw the 737-based Wedgetail Take on  6355kg (14,000lb) of Fuel From a Usaf Kc-10 Near Edwards Afb in California, and Then Make a Subsequent Hook-up With a Kc-135 Three Days Later.

“the 737 Aew&c Aircraft’s Highly Automated and Efficient Refuelling System Worked Flawlessly in Both Tests,” Boeing’s Aew&c Program Vice President, Maureen Dougherty, Said.

The Wedgetail Program is Currently Running More Than Three and a Half Years Late Due to Ongoing Systems Integration Issues, With the First of Six Aircraft Due to Be Delivered in an Interim Training Configuration Later This Year.

Raaf Hornet and Super Hornet Engine Support Contracted

the Dmo Has Awarded a 12 Year Contract to General Electric for the Support of All Ge F404 Engines Which Power Raaf F/a-18a/b Hornets and F414 Engines for the Forthcoming F/a-18f Super Hornets.

The Work Will Be Carried Out at Raaf Base Amberley by Ge and Subcontractors Tasman Aviation Enterprises and Goodrich Control Systems Australia, and Will Provide Ongoing Work for About 150 Engine Support Staff at Amberley as Well as Bring Back About Up to $23 Million Worth of Engine Work to Australia Previously Performed in New Zealand.

Super Assembly Starts

Final Assembly of the Raaf’s First F/a-18f Super Hornet Has Commenced at Boeing’s St Louis Facility.

The Work, Which Saw the First Raaf Centre and Rear Fuselage Section Built by Northrop Grumman Inducted Into Boeing’s Super Hornet Assembly Line, Comes Eight Months Before the Aircraft is Due to Be Rolled Out in Mid July Next Year.

Decision on F-22 Needed Soon – Lockheed Lockheed Martin Has Urged the Incoming Administration of Us President-elect Barack Obama to Make a Quick Decision on Whether to Extend the F-22 Raptor Production Line, Otherwise the Aircraft’s Supplier Base Will Have to Start to Be Shut Down.

Speaking to Us Media on January 7, Lockheed Martin’s F-22 Program Head, Larry Lawson Said “Every Day That This Decision is Delayed Creates More Risk, Ultimately, for the Supplier Base. This is a National Leadership Decision That Needs to Be Taken, and Needs to Be Taken Soon. If They Do That, the Supply Base and All the Rest of This Will Work, We’ll Continue Production and the Country Will Continue to Get Incredible Capability. ” Lawson Said Suppliers of Key Items Such as Titanium, Avionics and Other Long-lead Components and Structures Would Start Closing Their Lines From Mid March if No New Orders Beyond the 183 Currently Contracted for Were Placed, and Sources Claim That the Company Had Already Started Subsidising Some of Its Long Lead Suppliers in Anticipation of Further Orders.

A400m Engine Flies on C-130 Testbed a C-130 Testbed Has Flown With a Europrop Tp400 Engine for the First Time, a Key Milestone in the Delayed Airbus A400m Development Program.

Installed on the Inner Left Mount of the Testbed Operated by Marshal Aerospace, the Much Larger Tp400 Was Initially Restricted to Power Ratings Equivalent to the C-130’s Three Remaining T56 Engines as the Aircraft’s Handling Characteristics With the Test Engine Were Established.

The Testbed is Expected to Complete 50 Flight Test Hours and Subsequent Assessments Before the Engines Are Considered Mature Enough for the A400m to Commence Flight Tests by Mid 2009.

X-47 N-ucas Rolled Out the First of Two Northrop Grumman X-47b Naval Unmanned Combat Aircraft System (N-ucas) Demonstrators Has Been Rolled Out at a Ceremony at Palmdale North of Los Angeles.

The Aircraft, Dubbed Av-1, Will Be Used to Demonstrate the Viability of Ucav Operations From Aircraft Carriers, and is Scheduled to Fly for the First Time Next November. A Second Aircraft is Also Being Assembled and Will Join the Test Program in 2010.

The X-47b Has a 20m Wing Span, 5. 5m Wider Than an F/a-18a, but the Wings Can Be Folded to Less Than Half This Span for Carrier Operations.

Usmc/usn F-35 Breakdown Revealed an Article in the Us’s ‘federal Register’ Has Revealed the Breakdown of F-35 Models Between the Us Navy and Us Marine Corps for the First Time.

The Article Says the Usmc Will Take on 20 Active Duty Squadrons and Two Reserve Squadrons of 16 Stovl F-35bs Each, Two Training Squadrons of 20 Aircraft Each, and an Operational Evaluation Unit of Six Aircraft for a Total of 398 F-35bs. With the Previously Announced Combined Acquisition of 680 F-35s for the Department of Navy Which Covers Both Navy and Marine Corps Units, This Means the Navy Will Take 282 Carrier-optimised F-35cs to Replace F/a-18a-d Hornets.

The Usaf Has a Published Requirement for 1763 F-35as to Replace F-16s and a-10s, While Lockheed Martin and the Jsf Program Office Plans to Sell More Than 800 F-35s to Partner Nations and Fms Customers, Including as Many as 100 F-35as to Australia.

Military Briefs

* an Raaf F-111c Made an Emergency Landing at Raaf Base Amberley on January 16. The Adf Says the Aircraft Front Landing Gear Failed to Retract Properly After Takeoff and Had to Be Manually Lowered, and That the Aircraft Safely Landed With the Aid of the Base’s Arrestor Cable at 3. 30pm.

* Boeing Says the Usaf Has Authorised Australia’s Provision of Us$234m (a$347m) to Fund the Sixth and Final Wideband Global Satcom (Wgs) Satellite. In Exchange for Funding the Sixth Wgs, Australia Will Receive Access to the Other Five Communications Satellites Which Will Form the Top Tier of the Adf’s Future Networked Force.

* the Adf Has Signed a $26 Million Contract With Rohde & Schwarz Australia for the Acquisition and Support of Three Transportable Air Operations Towers (Taots) Which Will Provide the Adf With “a Robust and Mobile Air Traffic Control Capability, Able to Be Deployed at Short Notice. ” * Nasa Has Unveiled Its Two Rq-4a Global Hawks It Acquired From the Usaf Last Year. The Large Uavs Will Be Used by the Agency for Environmental Science Research in Support of “its Science Mission Directorate and the Earth Science Community That Require High Altitude, Long Distance Airborne Capability,” and Says It Will Herald “a New Application for the World’s First Fully Autonomous High Altitude, Long Endurance Aircraft. ” * Eads Says It Needs a Commitment From Partner Nations on the Planned Tranche 3 Build of Eurofighter Typhoons by the End of the First Quarter of This Year or It Will Halt Production of the Aircraft at Additional Cost to the Original Partners, the Uk, Germany, Italy and Spain.

* the Raaf’s Fleet of Eight Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350s Recently Surpassed 20,000 Hours of Operations With 32sqn at Raaf Base East Sale. The Aircraft, Most of Which Entered Service in 2003, Are Owned and Supported by Hawker Pacific Under a 10 Year ‘turn-key’ Public Lease Agreement.

* Israel Has Expressed Interest in Acquiring the Australian Developed Jdam-extended Range Weapon System, According to Reports. The Jdam-er Was Recently Tested at Woomera by the Raaf and Local Boeing Subsidiary, Hawker De Havilland. Israeli Officials Have Been Quoted in Local Media as Being Interested in the System to Provide “unprecedented Stand-off Capabilities” for Its F-15 and F-16 Strike Fighters.

* Slovakia Has Chosen the Alenia C-27j to Fulfil a Future Transport Aircraft Requirement.

* India Has Signed a Contract for Eight Boeing P-8i Poseidon Long-range Maritime Reconnaissance and Anti-submarine Warfare Aircraft for Its Navy, Making It the First Foreign Customer for the P-8.

* the Raaf Has Taken Up a Us$13. 5m (a$19. 2m) Option for a Contract Modification for Us-based Flir Systems to Will Supply Star Safire Hd Eo/ir Imaging Systems for the Raaf’s 18 Ap-3c Maritime Patrol and Surveillance Aircraft.

* Thailand Has Ordered an Embraer Erj 135 for Use as a Vip and Medevac Aircraft for the Royal Thai Navy.

* South Korea Has Contracted Korea Aerospace Industries to Develop a Light Attack Version of Its T-50 Supersonic Advanced Trainer. The F/a-50 is Expected to Enter Service With the Rokaf N 2012.

* Boeing Announced It Delivered 45 F/a-18e/f/ea-18gs, 16 C-17as, 12 Ch-47f/mh-47g Chinooks, 14 F-15k/sgs, 7 T-45ts Trainers, Two Kc-767s and Three Ah-64d Apaches in 2008.

Airlines

Jetstar to Get 787s in 2nd Half of 2010

Jetstar Now Expects to Receive Its First Boeing 787-8s During the Second Half of 2008, Further Holding Back Its Long Haul Expansion.

The Qantas Subsidiary Was Expecting to Receive Its First Aircraft During the Second Quarter of 2010, but a Strike by Boeing Engineers and Ongoing Issues With the Aircraft Have Pushed That Timetable Back. “We’re Not Going to Put a Month on It but Obviously Our Planning is Now Around the Latter Half of 2010,” Said Jetstar Spokesman Simon Westaway in an Article Published by ‘the Australian’. Westaway Also Noted That Timetable Was Still Dependent on the Timing of the Aircraft’s First Flight and Its Development From There.

Jetstar Had Been Planning to Use the 787s to Replace the Six A330-200s It Currently Operated on International Routes and Spearhead a Push Into Europe Through an Asian Hub. Last Year the Carrier Abandoned Plans to Add to the A330 Fleet to Allow It to Expand Its Network in Favour of More Narrowbody Services to Asia From Perth and Darwin. However, With the Additional Delays and the Competition Being Felt From Other Airlines Including Airasia X and Other Airlines, It is Believed That the Airline is Once Again Looking at Leasing Additional A330s.

Delta Deals in on Transpacific

Only Days After V Australia Confirmed Its February Start Date, Delta Air Lines Has Announced That It Too Will Offer Flights From Los Angeles to Sydney From July 1.

The December 18 Announcement Will See the Us Airline Offer a Daily Boeing 777-200lr Atlanta-los Angeles-sydney Service. Delta Will Also Offer a Connecting Flight From Lax to New York’s Jfk Airport as Well as Further Connections From Los Angeles in Conjunction With Alaska Airlines.

“we Are Excited to Add Australia to Delta’s Global Network and Be Able to Offer Passengers the Opportunity to Make Seamless Connections to More Points Across the United States Than Any of Our Competitors,” Said Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s Executive Vice President of Network Planning and Revenue Management.

While the New Service Should Provide a Major Boost to Tourism, It Comes as a Major Blow for V Australia, Which Will Only Have Five Months to Build Up Its Own Presence on the Trans Pacific Route Before Delta Becomes the Fourth Airline to Serve the Route. Also, Neither Delta Nor V Australia Have Commented on Whether an Interline Agreement Signed Earlier This Year Between the Virgin Blue Subsidiary and Northwest Airlines – Which Has Now Been Taken Over by Delta – Will Go Ahead Now That the Two Carriers Will Be Competing.

V Australia Cuts Fares as February Launch Confirmed

V Australia Has Offered Fares From as Low as $1199 Return for Its Flights to Los Angeles, With the Airline to Take Off From Sydney to Los Angeles February 27, but Its First Direct Brisbane-los Angeles Service Has Been Pushed Back Until April 8.

The Airline Will Take Delivery of Its First Boeing 777-300er on January 26, With the Aircraft Due to Touch Down in Australia on February 9 Following the Fit-out of Special Cabin Equipment, Believed to Be Inflight ‘v Bars’ Designed by Air New Zealand Subsidiary Altitude Aerospace Interiors.

With the Announcement, V Australia Announced a Special Return Airfare of $1199 Return, Which is on Sale Until December 29 for Travel Between March 1 and October 24 2009. It is Expected That Airfares on the Historically Expensive Usa Route Will Remain Low This Year Due to the Added Competition From V Australia and Delta Air Lines, Which Will Compete From July 2009.

Despite Overall Drop, Jetstar Sees Japanese Revival

While New Data Shows a Drop of Nearly 20 Per Cent in Tourism Arrivals From Japan, Jetstar is Hopeful That It Will Be Able to Lead a Revival in Inbound Arrivals With the Launch of Its Services From Cairns and the Gold Coast to Tokyo on December 18.

From July to September This Year, Jetstar Recorded 77,940 Japanese Passenger Segments From Japan to Australia, Compared With 49,705 for the Same Time Last Year, on Its Routes From Australia to Osaka, Bucking the Trend Noted in a Recently Released International Visitor Survey, Which Shows a 19. 1 Per Cent Fall in Total Visitor Numbers Out of Japan, Compared to the Same September Quarter Last Year. “though Total Numbers Out of the Rest of Japan Are Down, It Just Reinforces How Well Our Strategy in Japan is Working, and is Great News Ahead of the Expansion of Our Flight Network to Tokyo,” Jetstar Ceo Bruce Buchanan Said.

Jetstar Operates Its Services to Japan With Two Class Airbus A330-200s, and Began Its First Service to Japan – on the Sydney-osaka-brisbane Route – on March 25 2007. Jetstar Will Increase the Gold Coast-tokyo Service to Daily From March 29, With Connections From the Gold Coast to Sydney and Cairns.

Despite Initial Criticism That the Jetstar Product Would Not Meet the Expectations of the Japanese Market, Buchanan Says That the Airline is Gaining Greater Consumer Acceptance. “jetstar Continues to Experience a Positive Consumer and Trade Response to Our Services. We Also Have a Significantly Lower Fuel Surcharge of Any Airline Flying Between Australia and Japan and We Continue to Develop and Enhance the Product We Offer Japanese Travellers,” He Said.

Macair on the Edge

Macair Has Been Refused a Request for a $7 Million Cash Injection by the Queensland Government as the Regional Airline Fights Off Actions From Creditors to Wind It Up, Leading to the Prospect of the Airline Having to Shut Its Operations.

According to a Court Listing on January 21, Air Partner Leasing No 2 and Riel Finance Lodged an Application as Creditors to the Queensland Supreme Court to Wind Up Macair. Other Records Show That Another Finance Company Had Also Lodged a Similar Application on January 13.

Macair’s Owner and Managing Director Terry Bryt Told the ‘abc’ on January 21 That the Airline Was Seeking the $7 Million From the State Government to Allow It to Clear Long Term Debt and Maintain Services to a Number of Far Northern Towns, but the Government Had Only Been Willing to Supply $3 Million. “We’ve Been There for the Long Haul Up-to-date and We Want to Continue to Be Queensland’s Regional Airline,” He Said.

Macair Last Year Signed Contracts With the Queensland Government to Provide Subsidised Air Services to a Number of Regional Centres at an Annual Cost of $4. 7 Million as Part of the Government’s Qconnect Program. However, Bryt Says That the Carrier Has Been Losing Money on the Qconnect Services and That Without “real Support”, the Airline Would Cease Trading.

Macair Currently Flies a Fleet of One Atr-42-500 and Seven Saab 340bs.

Qantas Pax Numbers Drop but Jetstar Higher in November

Qantas Has Recorded Lower Passenger Numbers for Both Its International and Domestic Services During November, but an Increase in Jetstar’s Numbers Has Helped to Offset the Loss.

During the Month, Qantas’s Domestic Services Saw Passenger Numbers Drop by 7. 4 Per Cent to 1. 48 Million, While Capacity in Asks Was Down 1. 6 Per Cent Resulted in a 4. 4 Point Decline in Load Factor to 78. 1 Per Cent. Qantaslink Fared Similarly, With It Carrying 355,000 Passengers, a Decline of 8. 3 Per Cent. Load Factor for the Regional Airline Was Also Down by 4. 4 Points to 70. 3 Per Cent.

Qantas’s International Services Were Also Lower, With Passenger Numbers Down 8. 4 Per Cent on Last Year, While Capacity Was Down by 2. 5 Per Cent. Seat Factor Was Lower by 3. 3 Points to 79. 4 Per Cent. It Appears That the Services Fell Victim to a Global Fall in Premium Traffic, With Iata Figures Showing an 11. 5 Per Cent Fall in Premium Traffic During November.

By Comparison, Jetstar’s Domestic Services Recorded an 11 Per Cent Increase in Passengers Carried, Although a 10. 6 Per Cent Increase in Capacity Saw Load Factor Decline by 2. 1 Points to 79. 3 Per Cent. On Its International Services, the Budget Carrier Saw a 5. 6 Per Cent Increase in Passengers, but Interestingly Saw Revenue-passenger-kilometres Fall by 3. 9 Per Cent. Capacity Was Lower by 0. 1 Per Cent, Which Saw Load Factor Fall by 2. 9 Points to 73. 3 Per Cent.

Asia Pacific Pax, Freight Traffic Lower During 2008 the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines Has Released Preliminary Data for 2008 Showing That for the 2008 Calendar Year Airlines Across the Region Collectively Carried Fewer Passengers and Freight Than the Year Prior.

For the Period From January to December, Member Airlines Recorded a 1. 8 Per Cent Decline, Which Brought Rpk’s Down by 1. 0 Per Cent. At the Same Time, Capacity Increased by 1. 7 Per Cent, Reducing Load Factor by Two Points to 75. 1 Per Cent. Freight Fared Worse, With Freight-tonne-kilometres Down by 6. 1 Per Cent, While Freight Capacity Was Also Down by 4. 9 Per Cent. Freight Load Factor Was 0. 9 Points Lower at 65. 6 Per Cent.

Mr. Andrew Herdman, Aapa Director General Said, “in What Proved to Be a Particularly Challenging Year, Airlines Were Battered by Skyrocketing Oil Prices Followed by Rapidly Weakening Demand as the Effects of the Global Economic Downturn Ricocheted Around the World. Aapa Passenger Traffic Held Up Reasonably Well for the First Nine Months of the Year, Before Growth Tapered Off. ” Herdman Also Noted That in the Foruth Quarter, Freight Traffic Dropped Dramatically, Including During the Traditionally Strong December Month, Which Saw a Decline in Ftks of 24 Per Cent Compared to the Same Time in the Previous Year, Likely the Result of the Global Economic Slowdown.

“with No Sign of Any Respite Amidst the Global Economic Downturn, Asia Pacific Airlines Are Braced for Another Extremely Difficult Year Ahead,” He Added.

Domestic Pax Growth Continued in November During November Last Year Domestic Passenger Numbers Continued to Grow, Although Higher Capacity Led to a Fall in Load Factors, Show Figures Released by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics on January 16.

During the Month, Passenger Numbers Were Up by 2. 1 Per Cent on the Same Month in the Previous Year, Pushing Total Passengers Up to Their Highest Ever in November With 4. 22 Million People Travelling.

By Route, the Melbourne-sydney, Brisbane-sydney and Brisbane-melbourne Routes Maintained Their Top Three Spots, Although Passenger Numbers Were Down by 4. 8, 0. 5 and 3. 2 Per Cent Respectively, Possibly Signalling a Drop in Business Travel. Nevertheless, Growth Was Experienced on a Number of Leisure and Regional Routes With Albury-sydney (+33. 8 Per Cent), Brisbane-mackay (+16. 5 Per Cent) and Maroochydore-sydney (+15. 9 Per Cent) Performing Strongly, Although That Appears to Have Largely Been Driven by Higher Capacity on These Routes.

For the Year Ending November 2008, Overall Passenger Numbers Were Higher by 7. 2 Per Cent, Which Would Make It Likely That 2008 Will Overtake 2007 for the Highest Number of Domestic Passengers on Record.

Singapore to Drop Frequencies

as Pax Loads Continue to Fall Singapore Airlines Will Cut Frequencies to a Number of Cities – Including Perth, Sydney and Brisbane – as Its Figures for December Showed That the Airline Has Continued Recording Lower Passenger Load Factors.

According to a Report in Singaporean Newspaper ‘the Straits Times’, Singapore Airlines is Dropping Frequencies on Some of Its Services to London and Zurich, as Well as Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Hong Kong and Cities in China and India as Part of a Cull of 200 Flights Between Now and March. The Paper Said That the Cuts Equated to a Three Per Cent Reduction in the Number of Flights Operated by the Airline, Although It Had Not Defined Which Individual Flights Would Be Cut at the Time of Writing.

The Cuts Come After Sia Again Reported Lower Load Factors for December, With the Combined Cargo and Passenger Load Factor Falling by 4. 9 Points to 65. 8 Per Cent, Despite an Overall Drop in Capacity of 3. 9 Per Cent. All Regions Except the Southwest Pacific Recorded Falls in Passenger Load Factor, While Sia Cargo’s Loads Were Lower in All Regions Largely as a Result of the Global Economic Slowdown.

Domestic Fuel Surcharges Dropped

Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Blue All Announced During the Christmas/new Year Period That They Would Scrap Fuel Surcharges on Domestic Tickets Due to Lower Oil Prices, but the Charges Are Set to Remain on Most International Services.

Virgin Blue Announced on December 24 That It Was Dropping Its Domestic Fuel Surcharge and Also Reduced the Fuel Surcharge on Services Operated by Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue by $10 to $25 One Way. Virgin Blue Ceo Brett Godfrey Said That the Consistently Lower Price of Fuel Had Made It Possible to Remove the Surcharge.

Qantas Followed Suit Days Later, Announcing on December 30 That It and Subsidiary Jetstar Would Drop Their $9 Fuel Surcharge, but International Flights Would Continue to Be Levied by the Surcharge. Nevertheless, Qantas Lowered Its International Fuel Surcharges Across Its International Network for Tickets Booked After December 23.

“Fuel Remains a Major Cost to Our Business and, Even With Surcharges, We Have Absorbed Significant Amounts of the Additional Record Fuel Costs Incurred in Recent Years,” Said Qantas Executive Manager John Borghetti. He Also Noted That Fuel Refining Margins Are Still Higher Than They Were Four Years Ago.

Fares Fall as Airlines Try to Stimulate Domestic Demand Australia’s Four Domestic Airlines All Reduced Their Lead-in Fares on a Number of Domestic Routes During the Traditionally Busy Christmas/new Year Period, as the Economic Uncertainty Dragged Down Demand for Travel.

During the Christmas/new Year Period, Tiger Airways, Jetstar and Virgin Blue Launched Fare Sales on Many Domestic Routes, While Qantas Also Dropped Its Fares to, in Some Cases, Be Cheaper Than Jetstar. This Discounting Has Been Attributed to Sluggish Forward Bookings as Households Reduce Their Discretionary Spending in the Face of Tough Economic Times.

The Latest Figures From the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics’ Domestic Air Fares Index Show That During January 2009, Best Discount Economy Airfares Dropped to Their Lowest Level Ever to 56. 1, While Restricted Economy, Full Economy and Business Airfares Were Lower Than the Same Month Last Year. Interestingly, Full Fare Economy Airfares Recorded a Massive 21 Per Cent Drop in the Index to 84. 3, Which Was Similar in Size to the Fall in Best Discount Fare.

However, the Effectiveness of These Fare Cuts in Stimulating Demand Has Been Questioned by Jp Morgan Analyst Matt Crow, Who Wrote in a Briefing Note Quoted in ‘the Australian’ That the Fare Cuts Would Not Be Enough to Overcome the Poor Economic Environment. “Demand for Air Fares is Far More Sensitive to Income Than It is to Price,” He Said. “in Good Economic Times, the Corporate Sector Will Pay Almost Anything for Certain Fares, but in Weak Economic Conditions Budgets Get Cut and Slightly Cheaper Fares Are Unlikely to See Travel Budgets Re-instated. ”

Asia-pacific Traffic Dropped in November New Data Released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (Aapa) Has Shown That Passenger and Freight Load Factors Dropped During November.

Compared to the Previous Year, International Passenger Numbers of Aapa’s 17 Member Airlines (Which Include Air New Zealand, Qantas and Singapore Airlines) Fell by 9. 8 Per Cent to 10. 9 Million, Dragging Down Rpks by 8. 5 Points. Despite a 2. 7 Per Cent Reduction in Capacity, Load Factors Fell by 4. 6 Points to 72 Per Cent.

Freight Fared Similarly, With Freight-tonne-kilometres Down by 15. 5 Per Cent, While Freight Capacity Was Reduced by 8. 9 Per Cent. This Saw Freight Load Factors Dragged Lower by 4. 9 Points to 64. 3 Per Cent.

Aapa Director General Andrew Hamilton Attributed the Sharp Falls in Both Passenger and Cargo Numbers to the Weaker Global Economic Climate During the Second Half of 2008. “the Recent Plunge in Oil Prices Provides a Measure of Relief, but Market Conditions Are Expected to Remain Extremely Difficult Moving Into 2009, Forcing Airlines to Adopt Additional Cost-saving Measures, Including Capacity Cutbacks and Deferral of Planned Capital Expenditures,” He Added.

Airline Briefs

* Singapore Airlines Will Operate the A380 on Its Singapore-paris Route From June 1, Replacing 10 Weekly Services Currently Flown by Boeing 777-300ers.

* Singapore Airlines Took Delivery of Its First of 19 Airbus A330-300 at Toulouse on January 21, With the New Build Aircraft Leased From Awas. The Aircraft Will Enter Commercial Service on the Singapore-brisbane Route on March 30, and Features Ipod Connectivity in All Cabins as Well as a New Regional Business Class Seat. The Airline Will Progressively Introduce Its First A330-300s on Services to Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Osaka From March Onwards, Replacing Boeing 777-200s. Sia Will Receive Its First A330 in January. The Aircraft Feature 30 New Business Class Seats and 255 Economy Seats.

* Air France-klm Has Announced That It Expects to Record an Operating Loss of Around €200m (a$397m) for the Third Quarter of 2008 Due to the Deterioration in the World Economy.

* Ryanair, Which Has Been Involved in and on-off Takeover Bid for Aer Lingus, Says It Has Abandoned Its Takeover Efforts After the Irish Government Failed to Approve the Bid.

* Qantas Commenced Airbus A380 Services From Sydney to London on January 16, Marking the Second Major Route for Its New Airliner. The Aircraft Will Initially Operate on Qf31 From Sydney to London via Singapore on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays With the Return Qf32 Operating on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Qantas Currently Has Three A380s in Service and Expects to Take Delivery of a Further Four in 2009.

* Virgin Blue Has Applied to the International Air Services Commission to Allow V Australia to Codeshare on Pacific Blue’s Services Between Australia and New Zealand.

* Qantas Became the First Airline to Operate the Airbus A380 on a Commercial Service to San Francisco on January 14 on Its Qf73 Service From Sydney in Place of a Boeing 747-400. The Substitution Was to Coincide With the Annual ‘g’day Usa’ Promotion, for Which Qantas is a Partner.

* Regional Express is Phasing Out Its ‘a’ Model Saab 340s, With the Airline Announcing on January 14 That It Had Sold Vh-kdi to Argentine Airline Sol Lineas Aeras. Rex Says That It is Finalising the Sale of Two More 340as to a European Operator, While Two Have Been Converted to Freighters for Use by Subsidiary Pel-air Aviation.

* Aeropelican Has Won Approval From the Nsw State Government to Take Over the Narrabri to Sydney Route, and is Now Working on Casa Approval for the Route. Qantaslink is Withdrawing Services to Narrabri From March 30.

* Jetstar Added a Fourth Weekly Service Between Perth and Denpasar on December 17. The Additional Service is Operated by an Airbus A320.

* Jetstar Will Once Again Allow Passengers Travelling on Its Jetsaver and Jetsaver Lite to Make Name Changes Up to 24 Hours Before Flying Following a Successful Appeal Against an Earlier Decision by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Passengers Will Still Have to Pay a Change Fee and Any Fare Difference.

* Skyairworld Took Delivery of Its Second Embraer E-190 (Vh-sxo) on December 13 After the Aircraft Ferried Into Brisbane From Brazil. The Airline’s Two E-190s Will Be Used on Its Three Times Weekly Brisbane-honiara Service and the Darwin-dili-denpasar Service From February 2009 on Behalf of Newly Formed Timor Air.

* the Oneworld Alliance Has Become the First Global Airline Alliance to Offer Round-the-world Airfares for Sale Through Its Website.

* Skyairworld Has Won a Tender by the Solomon Islands Government to Develop Anuha Island Into a Four Star Tourist Resort. Saw Plans to Open the First Stage of the Resort in October, and Will Provide a Flight From Honiara to Anuha Which Will Connect With Its Brisbane-honiara Service.

* Skyairworld Has Also Applied to the International Air Services Commission for Unlimited Capacity Allocation on the Indonesia Route. According to Its Filing With the Iasc, Saw Plans to Operate Services With the Embraer E-170 and E-190.

* V Australia’s First Boeing 777-300er, Vh-voz, Made Its First Flight at Boeing’s Paine Field on January 8. The Aircraft is Due to Be Handed Over to V Australia on January 26, With the Aircraft Due to Arrive in Australia in Early February.

* Air Tahiti Nui is Suspending All Direct Flights From Papeete to Sydney Between April and October. Air Tahiti Nui Will Still Offer Connections to Sydney via Auckland in Partnership With Qantas.

* Tiger Airways Has Dropped Plans to Start an Affiliate Low Cost Carrier in South Korea Due to the Global Economic Crisis. Incheon Tiger Airways Was to Have Been a Joint Venture Between Tiger Airways and the City of Incheon, but Has Faced Significant Challenges From Existing Carriers.

Environment Briefs

* New Zealand Based Company Aquaflow Bionomic Announced on December 15 That It Has Produced Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene, Which Can Be Blended With Petroleum Based Jet Fuel for Use in Jet Engines. The Spk Was Produced Using Technology From Honeywell Subsidiary Uop.

* Continental Airlines Completed Its First Trial Flight of Biofuels in a Boeing 737-800 on January 7. The Aircraft’s Number Two Engine Was Powered by a 50-50 Mix of Jet Fuel and a Combination of Algae and Jatropha Based Biofuel, and Lasted Two Hours Over the Gulf of Mexico.

Airports

Sydney Pushes Higher

Sydney Airport Recorded a 7. 4 Per Cent Increase in Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation for the 2008 Calendar Year to $653. 3 Million.

The Higher Result Was Driven by a 6. 9 Per Cent Increase in Revenue to $812. 7 Million, Driven Mostly by Higher Retail and Property Revenues, Although Aeronautical Revenue Was Higher by 3. 5 Per Cent. Costs Were Tightly Contained, With Only a 0. 6 Per Cent Increase.

“it is Particularly Pleasing to See Resilient Financial Performance During the Challenging Economic Environment,” Said Sacl Ceo Russel Balding. “record Passenger Numbers Were Achieved in 2008 With 32. 9 Million Passengers Passing Through the Airport. ” During the Year Ahead, Sacl Will Be Submitting a New Draft Master Plan to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Public Consultation on the New Dmp, Which Does Not Propose Many Major Developments Over the Next 20 Years, Was Completed in the Fourth Quarter of 2008.

Queensland Airports Continued Growth

Pattern in 2008 Queensland Airports Limited, Which Operates Gold Coast, Townsville and Mount Isa Airports, Recorded an Overall Increase in Passenger Throughput at Each of Its Airports.

The Biggest Growth Was Experienced at Gold Coast Airport, With Passenger Numbers Increasing by 14. 89 Per Cent, and Was Driven by New International Services From Jetstar, Air New Zealand, Airasia X and Pacific Blue. This Was Followed by 9. 16 Per Cent Passenger Growth at Mount Isa and 7. 97 Per Cent at Townsville.

“this Growth Was Achieved Largely in the First Half of the Year,” Qal Managing Director Dennis Chant Said. “as With Other Airports Worldwide, Our Airports Experienced More Difficult Conditions During the Second Half of the Year but It is Pleasing to See That They Have Mostly Stayed in Positive Territory. ”

Cairns Airport Sold

the Queensland Government Announced on December 24 That It Has Sold Cairns Airport to a Consortium of Banks and Private Investment Funds.

The 99 Year Lease of the Airport Fetched a Price of $530 Million, With the Consortium Made Up of Jp Morgan, the Infrastructure Fund, Perron Investments and Westpac Banking Corporation. Queensland Airports Limited, Which Owns and Operates Gold Coast, Mount Isa and Townsville Airports, Has Been Appointed as Continuing Technical Advisor to the Consortium. Qal is Also Advisor to a Similar Consortium Which Purchased Mackay Airport in November.

“cairns is a World Renowned Tourism Destination and We Are Very Keen to Connect With Local Industry Stakeholders to Maintain Cairns International Airport’s Pivotal Role in Facilitating Visitation to Tropical North Queensland,” Said Qal Managing Director Dennis Chant.

During the 2007/08 Financial Year, Cairns Airport Handled Over Four Million Domestic and International Passengers, and Has a Number of Domestic Flights, as Well as Services to Auckland, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Guam, Port Moresby and to Singapore via Darwin. The Airport is Also in the Middle of a $200 Million Domestic Terminal Redevelopment, the First Stage of Which Opened in Late November.

New Goulburn Push Could Threaten Canberra Freight Hub Plans to Extend the Runway and Attract More Freight Services by the New Owner of Goulburn Airport Could Threaten Canberra International Airport’s Plan to Become a National Air Freight Network.

The Airport’s New Owner, Property Developer George Tzovaras Has Revealed Plans to Invest Up to $25 Million on Infrastructure Development at Goulburn, With the Aim of Targeting Freight and Pilot Training Organisations Which Are Under Pressure in the Sydney Basin Area. According to ‘the Canberra Times’, the Developer Plans to Extend the Runway by 1. 6km to Accommodate Bigger Aircraft. Tzovaras Has Also Bought Several Properties Around the Airport to Develop the Freight Hub Concept Which Has Conceptual Approval From the Nsw Government.

If the Airport Development Goes Ahead, It Could Jeopardise Canberra International Airport’s Plans to Develop a 24 Hour Freight Hub There Which Would Be Able to Serve the Sydney Basin, Thus Relieving Pressure on Sydney’s Bankstown and Kingsford-smith Airports.

Airport Briefs

* Archerfield Airport is Restoring Its Historic Terminal Building, and Will Move Its Offices to the Second Level of the Terminal Which Has Recently Been Refurbished. The Terminal is Being Developed for a “modern Aviation Role. ”

Airport Briefs * the British Government Has Given Approval for the Construction of a Third Runway at London’s Heathrow Airport in a Move Which Has Angered Environmentalists, Including Greenpeace, Which Has Moved to Purchase the Land Earmarked for the New Runway.

* the Parkes Council Has Given Approval for a $2 Million Upgrade to the Main Runway at Parkes Airport. The Work Will Involve Resurfacing and Strengthening the Runway, Which is Reported as Having Been Extensively Damaged, and is Expected to Start Within Six to Eight Weeks.

General Aviation

New Cessna Programs Progressing Despite Layoffs

Cessna Says That Its New Aircraft Programs – Including the 162 Skycatcher and Citation Columbus and Cj4 Business Jets – Are All Progressing Well, Despite the Manufacturer Also Announcing Plans to Layoff Up to 2000 Staff.

“Despite the Uncertainty of the World’s Economic Environment, We Believe It is Critical That We Not Compromise Our Future. Our New Product Development Programs Are Proceeding on Schedule,” Said Cessna Chairman, President and Ceo Jack Pelton. “We Remain Committed to Investing in These Programs, Whether It is in Aircraft Development, Facility Construction or Ensuring We Have the People Resources to Meet Our Schedule. ” Nevertheless, a January 13 Report by ‘reuters’ Quoting Cessna Spokesman Doug Oliver Said That the Kansas Based Manufacturer Would Lay Off 2000 Staff – Approximately 13 Per Cent of Its Workforce – by March This Year. “People Taking Delivery of New Aircraft Are Cancelling or Delaying and New Orders Are Slowing Globally,” Oliver Said.

Cessna’s Parent Company Textron, Which Also Owns Bell Helicopter, Lycoming and a Number of Other Companies, Warned in December That It is Likely to Face a Loss for the Fourth Quarter Due to Weakness Caused by the Slowing Worldwide Economy.

Daher Completes Acquisition of Socata Diversified French Company Daher Has Taken Control of Former Eads Subsidiary Socata.

The Transfer of a 70 Per Cent Stake in the Aerostructures and Tbm850 Business Turboprop Manufacturer Occurred on January 7. Eads is Currently Maintaining a 30 Per Cent Stake in the Business, but is Expected to Sell This Down Over Time. Socata Will Now Be a Tier 1 Supplier for Airbus and Will Continue Manufacturing Aerostructures for Other Vendors, and Has Also Committed to Maintaining Production of the Tbm850.

Meanwhile, Socata Says That 2008 Was Its Strongest Year Ever for the Tbm850, With 60 of the Aircraft Delivered, Bringing the Worldwide Fleet to 471, With New Sales in Australia, Bulgaria and Brazil. “i Am Proud That a Highly Symbolic Milestone for the Tbm Program Was Reached With Another Record Year Deliveries of 60 Tbm 850s,” Commented Jean-michel Léonard, President of Socata. “it Was Supported by the Efforts and the Commitment of Our Teams, the Distributors and Thanks to the Confidence and Loyalty of Our Customers. ”

Cessna Names 350 and 400

Cessna Has Renamed Its 350 and 400 Models as the 350 Corvalis and 400 Corvalis Tt (for “twin Turbocharged”).

“Our Customers and Sales Team Asked Us to Name These Products Like Other Popular Cessnas Such as the Cardinal and Skyhawk,” Said Tom Aniello, Cessna’s Vice President of Marketing. “the Name Corvalis, Although Spelled Differently, Was Inspired From the Name of a Picturesque Oregon Town About 120 Miles West of Cessna’s Bend, Ore. Manufacturing Facility. It is a Graceful Word Befitting the Flowing Lines of the Aircraft and Its Unique Northwest Heritage. ” the Corvalis and Corvalis Tt Were Acquired From the Bankrupt Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Company in 2007.

Business Aviation

Dassault to Slow Production

French Business Jet Manufacturer Dassault Aviation Plans to Cut Its Output but Will Continue to Launch New Aircraft.

According to French Newspaper ‘les Echos’, the French Based Manufacturer Will Cut Production of Its Falcon Business Jet Range From 12 Per Month to Eight Between Now and 2011. The Report Also Said That It May Also Slow Production of the Rafale Jet Fighter Aircraft.

Nevertheless, a Report From Reuters Citing a Company Spokesperson Said That Work Was Continuing on the New Falcon Sms, Although He Would Not Be Drawn on When the Aircraft Would Be Commercially Available.

Us Congress Drops Bizjet Ban Us Congress Has Dropped a Controversial Requirement on Companies Seeking Financial Assistance That They Would Have to Divest Their Business Jet Operations.

Congress Dropped the Requirement After Strong Protests From the General Aviation Manufacturer’s Association (Gama), Which Said That the Proposal Would Endanger Jobs in the Aircraft Manufacturing Industry as Manufacturers Were Already Having Difficulty Handling the Weakness in the Economy.

“targeting Our Industry is an Unacceptable and Counterproductive Response to Our Nation’s Economic Situation,” Gama President and Ceo Pete Bunce Said in a January 11 Statement.

Lineage 1000 Certified

Embraer’s Largest Business Jet, the E-190 Based Lineage 1000, Has Received Faa, Anac and Easa Certification, Paving the Way for First Deliveries of the Large Cabin Jet.

The Faa Certification Was Announced on January 7, and Follows Previous Certification by Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) and Easa in December. “we Are Pleased to Announce the Certification of the Lineage 1000 by the Faa, Confirming All the Exceptional Characteristics Previously Approved by Anac and Easa,” Said Luís Carlos Affonso, Embraer’s Executive Vice President, Executive Jets. “one of the Great Achievements of This Project Regards to the Maximum Range of the Aircraft, Which Was Extended to 4500 Nautical Miles (8000km), Giving Operators New Possibilities for Routes and Destinations. ” Embraer Launched the Lineage 1000 in May 2006, Making It the Largest Aircraft in the Brazilian Manufacturer’s Business Jet Line. The Interior of the Lineage Was Developed by Embraer in Partnership With Design House Priestman-goode, and Offers Five Separate Zones and a Capacity of Up to 19 Seats.

The First Aircraft is Expected to Enter Service in the First Half of 2009.

Business Aviation Briefs

* Bankrupt Very Light Jet Manufacturer Eclipse Aviation Appears to Be Headed for a Sale to Luxembourg Based Etirc After a Court Appointed Auction Led to No New Bidders by the January 13 Deadline. It is Understood That Up to Four Bidders Had Expressed Interest, Including a Consortium of Eclipse Customers and Hawker Beechcraft, but None Had Launched Bids by the Deadline.

* Assets of Bankrupt Very Light Jet Manufacturer Eclipse Aviation Have Been Sold to Luxembourg Based Etirc Aviation Subsidiary Eclipsejet Aviation International Following Confirmation From a Us Bankruptcy Court.

* Hawker Pacific and Shanghai Airport Authority Started Construction on Their New Business Aviation Facility at Shanghai’s Hongquiao Airport on December 12. The Facility Will House an Fbo, Maintenance Repair and Overhaul and Aircraft Management Services, and Will Support Up to 6000 Business Aviation Movements a Year.

* Cessna Delivered the First Retail Citation Xls+ to an Undisclosed Customer in the United States on December 15. The Xls+ Received Faa Certification on May 30 This Year, With Easa Certification Expected in Early 2009.

* a Production Phenom 100 Ran Off the Runway at Low Speed After Landing at Gavião Peixoto, Brazil, on December 14. Embraer Says That There Were No Injuries but Some Damage to the Aircraft’s Landing Gear Actuator and Wing Was Sustained Which Will Be Repaired.

Cargo

* Qantas is Adding New Zealand to Its Network of Dedicated Freighter Flights From February 2009. The Flight, Operated by an Atlas Air Boeing 747-400f, Will Originate in New York Before Continuing to Chicago, Through to Auckland and Melbourne and Then Onto Asia.

* Canadian Company Cascade Aerospace Received Transport Canada Certification for Its Bombardier Q400 Cargo Modification on December 31. The First Q400pf Will Be Delivered to Launch Customer Nord-flyg of Sweden.

* Qantas Has Applied to the International Air Services Commission for an Allocation of Two Frequencies a Week on the Vietnam Route for Five Years From February 2009. Qantas is Proposing to Operate a Boeing 747-400f Wet Leased From Atlas Air on a Sydney-ho Chi Minh City–shanghai–usa Routing, With the Aircraft Returning via Auckland, Uae, Germany and Thailand.

Finance

* Macquarie Air Finance Has Closed a Sale/leaseback Deal on a Qantas Airbus A330-200 Vh-ebj (Msn940).

Maintenance, Support & Training

Quickstep Takes Delivery of Autoclaves Wa Based Composites Manufacturer Quickstep Holdings Has Received Three Autoclaves and a Five-axis Cnc Milling Machine Which Will Be Installed at Its North Coogee Manufacturing Facility, Allowing It to Move Forward With Plans to Produce Aerospace Parts.

The Autoclaves, With Two Sized at 8x3m and One at 5×2. 5m, Will Be Used to Cure Composite Components, While the Breton Milling Machine is the Only One of Its Kind in Wa. Together, the New Equipment Will Enable Quickstep to Start Manufacturing Aerospace Parts by March This Year Following Its As9100 Accreditation.

“our Aim is to Offer a Fully Integrated Aerospace-grade Composites Manufacturing Facility, Which Provides Customers With Access to Both Traditional Manufacturing Technologies – Such as Autoclaves – Alongside Quickstep’s Unique Patented Composites Manufacturing Technology,” Said Managing Director Philippe Odouard.

Quickstep Also Has a Patented Method of Curing Complex Composites Without the Need for an Autoclave, With Parts Manufactured Using the Quickstep Method Currently Involved in Trials on Us Navy Aircraft.

Maintenance, Support & Training Briefs

* Qantas Has Signed a 10 Year Agreement With Spairliners for the Supply of Parts and Rotables for Its A380 Fleet. Spairliners is a Joint Venture Between Air France Industries and Lufthansa Technik.

* Casa Has Issued a Notice of Final Rule Making Which Paves the Way for the First Multi-crew Pilots Licenses to Be Issued. According to the Nfrm, the Authority Received 12 Submissions on Its Original Notice of Proposed Rule Making Which All Broadly Supported the Introduction on an Mpl and the Advisory Circular About Teaching Mpl Students.

Air Safety

No Fatalities in Us Airways Ditching

All 150 Passengers and Five Crew of a Us Airways Airbus A320 Which Ditched Into the Hudson River in New York on January 15 Survived, With the Pilot Being Credited With Skilfully Guiding the Aircraft Down Into the Water.

The A320, N160us Operating Us1549 From New York’s Laguardia Airport to Charlotte, North Carolina, Suffered a Birdstrike Shortly After Taking Off, Suffering a Double Engine Failure. The Aircraft’s Captain Then Requested and Was Given Clearance to Make an Emergency Landing at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, but Being Unable to Make It to the Airfield, He Gently Glided the Aircraft Onto the Hudson at 1529 Local Time. With the Aircraft Still Floating, All Passengers and Crew Were Able to Evacuate Using Slides, and a Number of Ferries Were Able to Quickly Pick Up the Passengers, Some of Whom Had Sustained Minor Injuries.

Ccording to Ntsb Spokeswoman Kitty Higgins, the Recovered Cockpit Voice Recorder Reveals That About 90 Seconds After Takeoff the Captain Made a Remark to the Copilot About Birds. A Moment Later, the Cvr Recorded “the Sound of Thumps and a Rapid Decrease in Engine Sounds,” Higgins Said in a January 17 Briefing. “the Captain Makes a Radio Call (to Atc) Calling ‘mayday’, and Reports That They Hit Birds, Lost Both Engines and Were Returning to Laguardia. ” the Crew Then Elected to Make a Ditching on the Hudson, Deeming They Lacked the Height to Safely Glide to Lagaurdia or Nearby Teteboro.

The A320’s Captain, 19,000 Hour Veteran Chesley ‘sully’ Sullenberger, Was Praised by Officials and Passengers for His Judgement and Skill in Gliding the Aircraft Down. Sullenberger is a Former Usaf Pilot Who Had Flown F-4 Phantom Fighters. His Copilot Was First Officer Jeffrey Skiles.

The Aircraft Was Slowly Lifted From the Water Onto a Barge on the Evening of January 17 and Will Be Taken to an Undisclosed Location in New Jersey for Further Examination. Authorities Were Still Searching for the A320’s Port Engine, Which Detached During the Ditching.

Qantas Records Second A330 Adiru Failure

a Second Qantas Airbus A330-300 Has Suffered an Inflight Failure of an Aircraft Data Inertial Reference Unit (Adiru) While Flying Between Perth and Singapore on December 27, Forcing the Aircraft to Make a Precautionary Return to Perth.

The Crew of the A330 Received a Message From the Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor That Adiru Number 1 Had Failed. They Then Initiated New Procedures From Airbus and Disconnected the Faulty Adiru Before Returning to Perth and Completing an Uneventful Overweight Landing.

The Failure of an Adiru Has Been Attributed as the Most Likely Cause of a Massive Drop in Altitude of a Qantas A330 in October 2008 While Operating in the Same Region. “as It Appears to Be a Similar Event to a Previous Event Involving an A330 Aircraft It Will Be Included as Part of the Earlier Investigation,” the Atsb Said in a Statement on January 2. “the Atsb Investigation Will Explore All Aspects of the Operation of the Aircraft, Including Examination of Recorded Data, and Any Commonalities With Past Occurrences. ” According to a January 9 Article in ‘the Australian’, Northrop Grumman, Which Manufactures the Units, as Well as French and Us Authorities Were Involved in Testing to Establish Whether a Software Glitch May Have Been the Cause of Its Failure on Both Occasions.

An Adiru Software Fault Was Found to Be the Cause of an Uncommanded Nose Up Incident on a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 Operating a Flight From Perth to Kuala Lumpur in 2005, Although That Unit Was Built by Honeywell.

Air Safety Briefs

* Casa Has Published Its Notice of Final Rule Making to Amend Civil Aviation Regulation 252a and Civil Aviation Order 20. 11 to Mandate the Carriage of 460mhz Emergency Locator Transmitters in All Registered Aircraft.

Atc & Airspace

New Atc Trade Training Centre in Wagga

Transport Minister Anthony Albanese Has Launched a New Residential Training Centre in Wagga Wagga to Train Technicians for Maintaining Australia’s Air Traffic Control Equipment.

The Centre, Which is the Result of Collaboration Between Airservices Australia, Riverina Tafe, Wagga Wagga City Council and the Regional Development Board, Will Train Between 18 and 36 Students a Year Over Five Years. The Trainees Will Gain Diploma Qualifications With Specific Skills in Radio Communications and the Maintenance of Airways and Navigational Equipment, Such as Radars and Navaids, Before Moving Into Employment With Airservices.

“this is a Very Timely Initiative,” Said Minister Albanese. “over the Next Five Years, It is Expected That a Third of Airservices’s Current Technical Maintenance Staff Will Retire. ”

People

New Casa Chief Appointed John Mccormick Has Been Appointed

as the New Chief Executive Officer of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and Will Take Up the Position From March 1.

Mccormick, 53, Comes to the Role With Extensive Experience in Both Military and Civil Aviation, Having Held Roles at Qantas and Cathay Pacific, Including Most Recently as a Senior Training Captain for Cathay’s A340/a330 Fleet Based in Brisbane, After Starting His Career in the Raaf. “the Rudd Labor Government Places the Highest Importance on Aviation Safety and is Very Pleased to Have Someone of Mr Mccormick’s Calibre and Experience Taking the Reins of Casa,” Said Transport Minister Anthony Albanese in a December 16 Press Release Announcing Mccormick’s Appointment.

People Briefs

* Lufthansa’s General Manager for Australia, Kai Peters, Has Been Appointed as the Chair of the Star Alliance Country Steering Committee in Australia. The Role Will See Peters Chair All Star Alliance Activities in Australia and Also Undertake a Number of Promotional Events.