News Desk

Boeing Chairman and Ceo Jim Mcnerney Said on July 22 That the Company Was “making Solid Progress” on the Structural Issues With the 787, and Would Release a Revised Timetable on the Flight Test Program in October. Responding to a Journalist’s Question, Mcnerney Said, “we’ve Characterised the Fix in the Best Way We Know How and Characterised Where We Are in the Process of Both Designing It and Implementing It, and We’re Entering the Implementation Phase Right Now and When We Understand That, We’ll Have a Much Better Understanding of Its Impact on the Schedule and Our Financials and We’ll Be in a Position This Quarter to Talk About Those Impacts. ” Despite the Wing Issue, the 787 Test Aircraft Have Completed a Number of Gauntlet Testing and Low-speed Taxi Tests, and Boeing Says It is Working With the Faa to Advance Its Certification Program Ahead of the First Flight.

Meanwhile, the Fifth 787 Dreamliner Flight Test Aircraft, Za005, Has Been Unveiled Sporting a New Simplified Boeing Corporate Livery Which is Predominantly White and Features Blue Accents. Boeing Says the Simplified Livery, Which Will Also Be Applied to the Three Remaining Flight Test Aircraft (Za003, Za004 and Za006), Saves Time and Money Compared to the Full Boeing Livery Painted on Za001. Registered N787ft, Za005 is Temporarily Engine-less After Its Genx Turbofans Were Returned to Ge “so That Planned Minor Improvements Can Be Made. ”

Embraer Profit Down Embraer Has Recorded a Massive Fall in Net Income During the Second Quarter, Primarily Due to Foreign Exchange Losses.

The Company Recorded Net Income of Us$67. 8m (a$82. 5m) for the Three Months to the End of June, Representing a 50 Per Cent Fall Compared to the Same Period Last Year. This Was Despite a 54. 2 Per Cent Rise in Operating Income, Driven by Productivity Gains and Cost Controls. Revenue for the Quarter Fell by 10. 9 Per Cent to Us$1. 63bn (a$b1. 98n).

Over the Three Months, the Company Delivered 56 Aircraft, an Increase of Four Over the Same Period Last Year. Deliveries of Commercial Aircraft Were Down by 18 Per Cent to 35, Primarily Due to Lower Deliveries of the E-jets Series of Aircraft. Nevertheless, There Was a Sizable Increase in Executive Aircraft Deliveries as a Result of the Deliveries of 13 Phenom 100 Light Jets.

The Poor Global Conditions in the Aerospace Market Saw Only One Addition to Its Order Book During the Quarter With the Conversion of Seven Options for E-190s by Klm Cityhopper. An Order for One E-175 From Japan’s Fuji Dream Airlines Was Announced During the Quarter but Included in the Previous Quarter’s Figures. As a Result, the Company’s Backlog Rose Marginally in Value to Us$19. 8bn (a$24. 1bn) Over the First Quarter of the Year.

Germany Holds Up A350 Funds

the German Government is Reportedly Holding Up Loans for Airbus to Develop the A350xwb as It Seeks to Gain a Greater Share of the Work From the Program.

According to Reports in Early August, Sources Close to Negotiations Between the Two Parties Claim That Talks Broke Down After the Government Sought Guarantees of a Bigger Role in the A350 and Other Future Airbus Aircraft. Both Parties Have Refused to Comment Due to the Sensitive Nature of the Negotiations.

Airbus Has Planned on Securing €3. 3bn (a$5. 6bn) in Loans From Various European Governments to Help Fund the Development of the A350, With Germany Expected to Provide Up to €1. 1bn (a$1. 9bn). Total Development Costs for the Aircraft, Which Will Compete With Boeing’s 787 and 777, Are Expected to Be in the Region of €11bn (a$18. 8bn). The A350 is Due to Enter Service in 2013.

Embraer Looking to Bigger Aircraft?

Embraer Has Hinted That It Has Started Preliminary Studies Into Building an Aircraft Which Could Challenge Airbus and Boeing’s Successful Narrowbodies.

In an Interview With Air Transport Intelligence, Embraer’s Executive Vice President Airline Market, Mauro Kern Said That the Brazilian Company Had Started a Design Study, With “Some Possible Work With a Little Bigger (Aircraft) Than the Current 195, Not Only in Terms of Using the Current Platform, but Also in Terms of Actually a New Design”.

The Article Also Said That Embraer Had Already Begun Talks With Ge, Rolls-royce and Pratt & Whitney on Next-generation Engines to Power the Aircraft, Which Could Include the Pw1000g Geared Turbofan or Cfm International’s Leap-x Engine. Embraer Currently Uses Ge Cf34 Engines on Its Range of Commercial Jets.

Kern Said That Any Decision on Launching a New Aircraft Would Be at Least 18 to 24 Months Away, With Entry Into Service During the Second Half of the Next Decade.

Commercial Briefs

Boeing Announced on July 31 That It Has Completed Its Acquisition of Vought Aircraft Industries’ North Charleston, South Carolina Plant, Which Produces Sections of the Boeing 787. The Facility Will Now Be Called Boeing Charleston.

Emirates Took Delivery of Its 78th Boeing 777 (a -300er) on July 30. The Delivery Makes It the World’s Largest Operator of 777s, With the Carrier Either Operating or Holding Orders for All Variants of the Aircraft.

Airbus Has Delivered Its 1000th A330/a340, an A330-300 for Thai Airways International.

Bombardier’s First Production Crj1000 Nextgen Regional Jet Completed Its First Flight During July. Bombardier Holds Orders for 64 Crj1000s, Although an Order for 15 From Italian Carrier Myair Could Be Scrapped After the Airline Was Grounded by Local Authorities There.

the Third Sukhoi Superjet 100 Prototype Made Its First Flight From Sukhoi’s Komsomolsk Facility on July 25 as Part of the Type’s Flight Testing Program. The Aircraft, Serialled 95004, Will Undergo Testing of the Passenger Cabin and Avionics, and Will Be the First Aircraft to Be Completely Fitted With Passenger Equipment and the Certification-ready Avionics Suite.

Airbus and Thai Airways International Have Agreed to Delay Delivery of the Carrier’s First A380 Until 2012. Thai Has Six A380s on Order, With the First Originally Slated for Delivery in October 2010.

Sales Boeing Copa Airlines Has Ordered 13 Boeing 737-800s and Taken Options on an Additional Eight.

Egyptair Has Ordered an Additional Eight Boeing 737-800s. The Order is a Conversion of a Previous Order for Two 777s.

Ethiopian Airlines Has Ordered Five Boeing 777-200lrs Turkish Airlines Has Ordered Seven Additional Boeing 777-300ers. The Carrier Previously Ordered Five of the Type in April This Year.

Airbus Ethiopian Airlines Has Ordered 12 Airbus A350-900s.

Bombardier an Unidentified Customer Has Ordered Five Q400 Nextgen Aircraft and Five Options.

Military

Raaf Super Flies the First Boeing F/a-18f Super Hornet for the Raaf Made Its First Flight on July 20 From St Louis’s Lambert Airport.

The Aircraft, the First of 24 ‘rhinos’ on Order for Australia, is Due to Be Officially Handed Over to the Raaf Before the End of the Month, but Will Remain in the Us for Validation Work and Crew Training Before Delivery to Raaf Amberley Next March.

Meanwhile, Boeing Delivered Its 400th F/a-18e/f Super Hornet to the Us Navy in June. Boeing Says That All the Super Hornets Have Been Delivered on Time and on Budget.

First F-35c Rolled Out

the First F-35c Carrier Variant (Cv) of the Jsf Family Was Been Rolled Out in a Ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth Facility in Texas on July 28.

Dubbed Cf-1, the Ceremony Saw the ‘green’ Aircraft Presented to Officials and Media Before Being Painted and Taken to the Forth Worth Flight Line to Prepare for Its First Flight Later This Year Where It Will Join Aa-1, Bf-1 and Bf-2 in the Flight Test Program.

In the Meantime, the Pentagon Has Initiated a New Cost Study on the Jsf Program in Order to Establish the Real Cost of the Program. Recent Cost Projections Presented by Program and Independent Bodies Such as the Project on Government Oversight (Pogo) Have Been Increasingly Divergent, So the Pentagon’s Office of Program Analysis & Evaluation, Cost Analysis Improvement Group and Joint Estimating Team (Jet) Have Been Called in. A Previous Jet Report Indicated the Program Could Costs Us$5bn (a$6bn) More and Take Two Years Longer to Develop Than That Estimated by the Jsf Program Office (Jpo) as Recently as 2008.

The Latest Report is Due to Be Tabled in September. Jpo Officials Don’t Expect There to Be Much Difference Between This and the Previous Jet Report, as Little Flight Testing Has Been Undertaken in Recent Months and the Flight Test Program is Running Several Months Behind Schedule.

F-22 Funding Cut

With the Us Senate Voting on July 21 to Discontinue Funding for the F-22 Program and the White House Threatening a Veto of Any New Funding, the Us House Armed Services Committee Has Now Also Agreed to Delete Funding for the F-22 Program From the Fy2010 Us Defence Budget.

It Now Appears the F-22 Program Will Be Capped at 187 Aircraft (Two of Which Have Been Lost in Accidents), Meaning Fewer Than 130 Aircraft Will Be Available for Frontline Operations After Training and Operational Evaluation Aircraft Are Taken Into Consideration.

While There is Little Hope of Additional Aircraft Being Acquired, the Next Battle the F-22 is Expected to Engage in is the Release of About Us$8bn (a$9. 6bn) to Fund an Upgrade of About 90 of the Jets to the Block 3. 1 and 3. 2 Standard, Which Will See New Datalinks, New Air-to-ground and Air-to-air Weapons and Improved Air-to-ground and Limited Electronic Attack Modes for Its Apg-77 Radar Added, and Several Obsolescence Issues Addressed.

Meanwhile, Japan Has Still “not Necessarily” Given Up on Its Hope of Acquiring the F-22 to Replace Its Large Fleet of F-4ej Phantom Interceptors. A Spokesman for the Japanese Defence Ministry Said After the Us House Vote That His Country Will Continue to Collect Information on the F-22 and That the Aircraft Still Remains One of Six Candidates to Replace the F-4ejs. Japan is Also Looking at the F-35 Jsf, the F/a-18e/f Super Hornet, a Variant of the F-15se Proposed by Boeing Earlier This Year, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale to Replace the F-4s.

Growler Declared Ready

the Us Navy Has Declared the Boeing Ea-18g Growler Ready for Fleet Introduction After Completing the Type’s Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (Iot&e).

The Aircraft Was Given a Rating of Operationally Effective and Operationally Suitable, a Goal It Achieved After Its Maintainability, Reliability, Its Support Aspects and Its Ability to Perform Its Intended Mission Were All Assessed. “We Consider the Ea-18g Program to Be a ‘model’ in Terms of Executing Better Than Planned,” Said the Us Navy’s F/a-18 & Ea-18g Program Manager, Pma-265, Capt Mark Darrah. “a Critical Reason Why the Growler Remained on Cost and on Schedule While Exceeding the Performance Required Was the Aggressive Management of Risk and Requirements. ” Whilst the Iot&e Did Find Some Minor Software Anomalies in the Gowler’s System, These Will Be Addressed in a New Software Update Due Later This Year.

A400m Gets Reprieve

European Defence Ministers Agreeing on July 24 to Continue Supporting the Development of the Chronically Delayed Airbus Military A400m Transport.

Under the Agreement, the Six Nations Who Ordered the A400m Through the Occar Consortium Have Agreed to Renegotiate the Contract for the Aircraft for the Remainder of the Year, With None Yet Confirming Any Cancellations. This Effectively Replaces a Moratorium Agreed in March Between the Nations Not to Cancel Any Orders, Which is Currently Possible Under the Existing Contract From Early Next Year.

“eads and Airbus Are Fully Committed to Finding an Agreement That is Technically and Contractually Acceptable to Both Sides,” Eads Said in a Statement.

Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and Turkey Ordered a Total of 180 A400m Planes in 2003, With the First Aircraft Originally Due for Delivery This Year, While Malaysia and South Africa Have Also Placed Orders for 12. Eads Expects That Under the Current Timetable That the First Aircraft Deliveries Will Not Take Place Until 2013 at the Earliest.

Raaf C-17 Vists Tarin Kowt a 36sqn C-17 Globemaster Has Made the Type’s First Trip in Raaf Service to the Remote Airstrip of Tarin Kowt in Afghanistan to Deliver Supplies and Equipment to Adf Soldiers Stationed There During July.

“What Made the Mission a Significant Milestone for This Aircraft Was the Fact the Airstrip at Tarin Kowt is a Dirt Strip and This Was the First Ever Landing and Takeoff by an Australian C-17 on Dirt in a War Zone, Which Presents a Whole Range of New Challenges for Jet Aircraft,” the Air Component Commander of the Joint Australian Task Force in the Middle East, Gpcapt Gary Martin, Said.

Mission Loadmaster Woff John Maddigan Described the Operation as a Key Moment in the Raaf’s Ability to Get Heavy Loads to Where They Were Needed Most. “While We Have Done Missions to the Middle East Before, Being Able to Take the Next Step and Get Bulk Stores and Equipment Into Afghanistan Itself is Extremely Satisfying,” He Said.

Tarin Kowt, in Afghanistan’s Oruzgan Province, is Home to the Adf’s Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force-two, Which is Working Alongside Afghan National Army and Other Coalition Troops.

Military Briefs

the Pratt & Whitney F135 Engine for the F-35 Jsf Has Passed 12,000 Test Hours as Part of the Program’s Sdd Phase. However, the Head of the Jsf Program Office (Jpo), Maj Gen David Heinz, Has Revealed Costs for the F135 Have Not Fallen as Much as Expected Due to a Large Number of Engine Parts Including Blades Having to Be Replaced Because of Lower Than Expected Tolerance and Quality Levels.

Saudi Arabia Has Ordered an Additional Three A330 Mrtt Tankers to Add to the Three It Ordered in 2008.

the Usaf Has Retired the Last of Its T-37 Tweet Advanced Trainers After 52 Years in Service. The T-37 Has Been Used to Train More Than 70,000 Usaf Pilots Since 1957, and Was Developed Into the a-37 Dragonfly Light Attack Aircraft. All Usaf Advanced Training is Now Conducted on T-6 Texan Ii and T-38 Talon Aircraft.

Korean Aerospace and Eurocopter Have Unveiled the First Korean Utility Helicopter (Kuh) Prototype in a Ceremony in Sacheon, Korea. The Kuh Program Commenced in 2006, and Korea Plans to Acquire Up to 245 Helicopters to Replace Uh-1s and Uh-60/s-70s.

South Korea Has Dropped Plans to Develop an Indigenous Fifth-generation Fighter Stealth Fighter and Will Instead Seek Foreign Help in Producing an F-16 Class Aircraft. The Aircraft is Expected to Replace F-4d Phantoms and F-5 Tiger Fighters.

Hawker Beechcraft Has Flown the First T-6a Texan Ii ‘avionics Upgrade Variant’. The Upgrade, Which Features Glass Cockpit Multi-function Displays, a Heads-up Display, Hands-on-throttle-and-stick Functionality, and Integrated Avionics Computers, is Expected to Receive Faa Certification Over the Northern Summer, With First Delivery to the Us Navy in July.

Boeing Delivered the First C-17 to the Nato Airlift Management Agency on July 14. The Aircraft, Along With Two Others Plus a Usaf Globemaster, Will Be Based at Papa Air Base in Hungary and Will Be Used by 10 Nato Nations Plus Sweden and Finland to Support Military, Humanitarian, Disaster Relief and Peacekeeping Missions.

Former Boeing Engineer Dongfan ‘greg’ Chung Has Been Convicted of Stealing Trade Secrets Relating to a Number of Programs, Including the F-15, B-52, Space Shuttle and Ch-47 Helicopter, and Passing Them on to China. Chung, Who is a Naturalised Us Citizen, Will Be Sentenced in November, and Could Face Up to 90 Years in Prison.

the Royal Air Force Has Cleared the Panavia Tornado to Carry the Paveway Iv Gps-guided Bomb. The Raf Has Been Using the Paveway Iv on Its Harrier Gr. 9s in Afghanistan for Six Months.

Airlines

Jetstar Adds Checkin Technology Jetstar Has Announced It Will Become the First Domestic Carrier to Introduce Sms Check-in Facilities, and Will Also Allow Customers to Apply Their Own Bag Tags on Its New Zealand Services.

Utilising Technology Developed by Melbourne Company Sissit Group, Customers Using Web Check in Who Do Not Have Checked Baggage Will Have the Option to Send a Unique Boarding Code Sent via Sms to Their Mobile Phone 24 Hours Before Departure. This Sms Will Then Be Scanned at the Gate and Issued a Paper Boarding Pass.

Sms Check in Will Initially Be Available for a Trial Later This Year From Avalon Airport, and Will Be Rolled Out Nationally if Successful.

Jetstar Has Also Introduced Customer Self-tagging at Its Domestic New Zealand Ports as Part of a Worldwide Rollout of the Technology, Which Allows Passengers to Use Kiosks to Weigh and Tag Their Own Baggage. The Airline Says It Will Retain Its Manned Check-in Counter and Its Web Check in Facilities.

Joyce- No Mergers for Qantas

Qantas Ceo Alan Joyce Says That the Airline Will Not Be Looking at Any Merger Opportunities for the Next 10 Years.

In a Report by the Sydney Morning Herald, Joyce Said That While Consolidation Was Back on the Table in Europe and the Us, but Regulatory Issues and Cultural Differences Will Make Any Consolidation Within Asia Pacific Slow. “‘‘we See Liberalisation as a Prerequisite for This to Fully Occur, and This is Going to Take Some Time in the Region,’’ He Said. ‘‘rather Than Putting All the Management Effort Into Trying to Make One of These Big Deals Happen … We Need to Focus Management Effort on Managing the Core Business. ’’ Joyce’s Comments Run Counter to Those of His Predecessor Geoff Dixon, Who Sought Out a Number of Merger Opportunities for the Carrier, Including an Aborted Merger With British Airways.

Airasia X Lifts Frequencies

Airasia X Has Announced That It Will Add More Frequencies From Kuala Lumpur to the Gold Coast and Melbourne From October.

Starting October 21, the Carrier Will Add Two Additional Services Per Week to the Gold Coast, Giving It Six Services a Week. Ceo Azran Osman-rani Indicating That Passenger Traffic Has Grown by Almost 15 Per Cent During the First Half of 2009, Compared to the Same Time Last Year. “contrary to the Skeptics, This is Not a Seasonal Holiday Route,” He Said. “loads Have Been Consistently Strong Year-round and This Has Given Us Confidence to Increase Our Capacity by 50 Per Cent With Our Two Additional Weekly Flights. ” the Carrier is Also Adding Four Additional Services Per Week to Melbourne, Taking It to 11 Per Week, From December 1.

According to Bitre Figures for May, Airasia X Accounted for 2. 2 Per Cent of Scheduled International Passenger Traffic Into and Out of Australia and Recorded a Seat Utilisation Rate of 65 Per Cent.

Air Nz Launches Rot-syd

Air New Zealand Has Announced That It Will Commence a Twice-weekly Service Between Rotorua and Sydney From December 19.

Operated by a 152 Seat Airbus A320, the Service Will Operate Initially on Saturdays and Mondays Until the End of January When the Monday Flight Will Switch to Tuesday. Year Round Fares Will Start From Nz$239 One Way.

“rotorua is an Iconic Tourism Destination and Well Knoen Amongst Australian Travellers,” Said Air Nz General Manager Tasman Pacific Airline Glen Sowry. “we See Potential for Good Passenger Numbers From Australia and the Continued Strength of Inbound Tourism From There Has Lent Weight to Our Decision. ” Sowry Added That the Tasman “remains One of Our Most Challenging Markets”, Although It Would Continue to Look for Opportunities in the Market. In Recent Months, Air Nz Has Cut Back a Number of Its Services, Particularly From Secondary Cities Such as Palmerston North and Dunedin, While Competitors Pacific Blue and Jetstar Have Moved to Increase Their Trans-tasman Services.

Virgin Blue Raises Cash, Godfrey to Go

Virgin Blue Announced on July 27 That It Was Issuing New Shares to Raise $231. 4 Million, While Ceo Brett Godfrey Also Announced He Intends to Leave the Company at the End of 2010.

Godfrey Said That the Funds “will Significantly Strengthen Virgin Blue’s Capital Position, and Improve Liquidity and Financial Flexibility Which We Believe is Prudent in the Light of Challenging Conditions Facing the Airline Industry. ” He Also Told Journalists That the Objective of the Raising Was to Strengthen the Balance Sheet and Prepare for a Turnaround, Rather Than Funding Losses.

Virgin Blue Completed the Issue in Two Stages, With an Institutional Placement and Entitlement Offer Completed on July 29, Raising $113. 1 Million, With the Remaining $98. 3 Million Raised Through a Retail Entitlement Offer.

Importantly, the Virgin Group Took Part in the Offering, Giving Confidence to the Market. “whilst the Aviation World Faces Some Tough Market Conditions, We Have Faith That Virgin Blue is Well Placed to Meet the Challenge With Its Strong Brand and Market Position. Almost 10 Years Since Launch It Still Boasts the Friendliest Service in the Sky and I Remain Committed to and Very Proud of It,” Said Virgin Group Chairman Sir Richard Branson.

While Announcing the Capital Raising, the Airline Also Released Its Unaudited Financial Performance Figures for the Financial Year Ending June 30 2009, Which Sees Estimates Underlying Trading Profit to Be Between Breakeven and a $10 Million Loss After Tax, While Group Net Loss is Expected to Be $160-$165 Million, Largely Due to Accounting Charges From Fuel Hedging and V Australia’s Startup Costs.

Godfrey Also Announced That He Plans to Leave the Airline at the End of Next Year. The Board is Expected to Focus on Recruiting a Successor Through 2010.

Tiger Attacks Cityflyer

Tiger Airways Has Announced a Major Increase in Its Flights From Sydney in October, Placing More Pressure on Qantas’s Cityflyer Services.

Under Its Revised Schedules, From October 4 Tiger Will Operate Up to Nine Flights Per Day on the Melbourne-sydney Route, Which It Says Have Been Made Possible Due to Reduced Services From Other Airlines and Increasing Customer Demand. It Will Also Add a Second Daily Adelaide-sydney Service at the Same Time. Daily Flights to Adelaide Started on July 31.

“we Launched Our New Melbourne to Sydney Route on 3 July 2009 and the First Few Weeks of Operation Have Been Fantastic,” Said Tiger Airways Australia Ceo Shelley Roberts. “we’ve Consistently Had Very Full Planes and Are Achieving Great Reliability Results for Our on-time Arrivals and Departures. The Arrival of Another New Aircraft Into Our Australian Fleet Means We Can Offer More Daily Services From Sydney to Satisfy Huge Consumer Demand for Our Low Fares, Especially From Business Travellers Who Are Looking for Both Very Low Fares and Frequent Services at Convenient Times. ”

Virgin-delta Tie Up Hits Opposition

Air New Zealand and Tiger Airways Have Announced That They Plan to Lodge Objections to Virgin Blue’s Proposed Trans-pacific Joint Venture With Delta Air Lines on Competition Grounds.

While Neither Airline Flies Directly From Australia to the United States, Both Claim That the Proposed Joint Venture Would Be Anti-competitive and Lead to Higher Airfares for Consumers on the Route. United is Also Expected to Lodge an Objection.

Air New Zealand Says That With the Accc Recently Blocking Its Proposed Codesharing Agreement With Air Canada That as a Matter of Consistency, the Virgin-delta Should Not Be Approved. “While We Can Understand the Benefits to the Two Airlines, Most of the Benefits They Outline for the Consumer Can Be Achieved Through More Usual Arrangements Such as Codesharing,” Air New Zealand’s General Counsel John Blair Told the Australian Newspaper.

Qantas Ceo Alan Joyce Has Signalled That the Airline Does Not Plan to Add Its Voice to Those Opposing the Tie-up. “our View is That We’re Looking to Our Own Operations and Planning, and Working With Our Own Partner Aa, and We’re Not Going to Say Anything in Relation to the Virgin Delta Venture,” He Said.

Tiger Seeking Aussie Investors?

Tiger Airways is Rumoured to Have Been Shopping Around for Local Investors to Take a Key Equity Stake in Its Growing Australian Operations.

In July, Report Claimed That the Carrier Has Approached Several Australian and New Zealand Companies Offering a “significant” Stake in Its Australian Operations. Claims Have Also Been Made That Tiger’s Major Shareholder, Singapore Airlines, Would Be Willing to Lower Its Share or Exit Completely as It Struggles With Its Own Issues.

Tiger Aviation Group Ceo Tony Davis Has Previously Said That Tiger Airways Australia Could Seek to Take on a Local Partner in Order to Allow It to Fly Internationally. Under Its Current Singaporean Ownership, Tiger Cannot Fly Internationally Under Australian Traffic Rights Except to New Zealand Due to the Structure of Most Bilateral Agreements.

Qantas Celebrates 50 Years of Jets

Qantas Marked the 50th Anniversary of Its First Commercial Jet Operations on July 29.

On July 29 1959, a Brand New Boeing 707-138 With 24 First Class and 60 Tourist Class Seats Operating Flight Em774 Departed Sydney Airport for Nadi, Honolulu and San Francisco, Marking the First Jet Service Across the Pacific. The Flight Reached San Francisco in a Then Record Time of 14 Hours 57 Minutes, Slashing by Half the Time Taken by the Airline’s Fleet of Lockheed L1049 Super Constellations.

“qantas Has a Proud History on the Pacific Route, Having Flown Uninterrupted Between Australia and the United States for 55 Years,” Qantas Ceo Alan Joyce Said. “it’s a Long and Challenging Route. Other Airlines Have Come and Gone, but Our Commitment to Providing Air Links Between the Two Countries Has Never Wavered. ”

Jetstar Ups Syd Flights

Jetstar Has Announced That It Will Add Flights From Sydney to Perth and a Daily Additional Service to Adelaide During October.

The Carrier Will Commence a Daily ‘back of the Clock’ Service From Sydney to Perth From October 2, While It Will Reintroduce an Afternoon Daily Service to Adelaide From October 25. Both Services Will Be Operated by 177 Seat A320s. The Additional Service to Adelaide Coincides With Tiger Airways’ Start of a Second Daily Service on the Same Route.

Jetstar Also Announced on August 4 That It Has Signed Interline Agreements With Qatar Airways, Air Pacific and Royal Jordanian, Allowing for Seamless Ticketing Between the Carriers. Jetstar Also Has Interline and Codeshare Agreements With Nine Other Carriers.

Sia Falls to Loss the Singapore Airlines Group Slipped to a Net Loss for the First Time in Six Years During the Three Months Ending June 30 Due to the Combination of the Global Economic Crisis, the H1n1 Pandemic and Ineffective Fuel Hedging.

Group Losses Reached S$307. 1m (a$258. 7m), as Revenue Fell by 30 Per Cent to S$2. 87bn (a$2. 42bn) Due to Lower Yields on Both Passenger and Freight Services. Expenditure Was Lower by 15. 8 Per Cent, Primarily Due to Lower Fuel Costs, Although Hedging Losses of S$287m (a$241. 7m) Were Recorded.

Singapore Airlines’s Passenger Operations Recorded a Loss of S$271m (a$228m), While Sia Cargo and Silkair Also Recorded Losses. Sats Group and Sia Engineering Were the Only Profitable Units of the Group.

The Company Said That the Poor Financial Performance Reflected Adverse Business Conditions, Which if Continued Would Push the Airline’s Full Year Results Into the Red. That Appears Likely, With the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (of Which Sia is a Member) Director General Andrew Herdman Saying That the Industry is Still Facing Significant Challenges. “the Trading Environment for Asia Pacific Airlines Remains Extremely Challenging, With Further Recent Declines in Passenger Demand Reflecting Ongoing Economic Weakness as Well as Public Anxieties Over Government Initiatives Related to the Widening Swine Flu Pandemic. As a Result, We Still Haven’t Seen a Floor in Terms of Overall Passenger Demand,” He Said.

Int’l Pax Traffic Up Data From the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics Shows That International Passenger Traffic Has Continued to Grow During May.

For the Month, Scheduled Passenger Traffic Increased by 1. 3 Per Cent, Month-on-month, to 1. 769 Million. However, an Increase in Available Seats of 3. 4 Per Cent Saw Overall Seat Utilisation Fall by 1. 3 Percentage Points to 66. 9 Per Cent. The Number of Flights Operated Also Increased by 2. 6 Per Cent to a Total of 10914.

Overall, the Qantas Group (Including Jetstar’s International Services) Remained the Largest Carrier Into and Out of Australia, Accounting for 31. 4 Per Cent of All Passenger Traffic, While Jetstar Became the Second Biggest International Carrier With Nine Per Cent Marketshare. Emirates, Pacific Blue, Airasia X and Cathay Pacific All Recorded Increases in Marketshare, While Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand Saw Declines.

While Passenger Service Recorded Positive Growth, Air Freight Volumes Were Down 13. 5 Per Cent at 55710 Tonnes for the Month. Qantas Was the Dominant Freight Carrier, Carrying 22. 2 Per Cent of the Total, Followed by Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific.

Sia to Take A380 to Mel

Singapore Airlines Has Announced That It Will Launch A380 Services to Melbourne From September 29.

The Announcement Means That Melbourne Becomes the Sixth Destination on Sia’s Network to Receive A380 Services. The Aircraft Will Operate the Sq227/228 Service, Replacing a Boeing 747-400.

“we Are Excited to Fly the A380 to Melbourne, the Second Largest City in Australia and a Vibrant Centre for Commerce, Arts, Industry, Sports and Tourism,” Said Huang Cheng Eng, Executive Vice President, Marketing and the Regions. “as the Greenest Widebody Aircraft in the Sky, the 471-seat A380 Will Increase the Seat Capacity to Melbourne by 10 Per Cent, Without the Need for Additional Frequencies. ” Separately, Sia;s Daily Sq231/232 Services Between Singapore and Sydney is Now Being Operated by Boeing 777-300s Which Have Been Retrofitted With Its New Cabin Product Since July 22. The New Product Will Also Be Progressively Rolled Out on Other Sydney Services, as Well as to Riyadh, Istanbul, Dubai and Shanghai Between October and December.

Sia, Cathay Pax Fall Continues Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific Both Recorded Major Falls in Passenger Numbers During June as Fears of the H1n1 Outbreak and Continuing Economic Slowdown Continued to Hurt Demand.

Sia Recorded a 19. 2 Per Cent Fall in Passenger Traffic Compared to June 2008, Although a 14. 4 Per Cent Fall in Capacity Saw Load Factor Fall by Only 3. 5 Percentage Points to 75. 7 Per Cent. Load Factor Was Lower in All Markets Except for West Asia and Africa. The Carrier Noted That Demand Was Lower, While Aggressive Competition and Fare Promotions Put Pressure on Yields.

Cathay Pacific and Its Dragonair Subsidiary Combined Saw an 18. 1 Per Cent Fall in Passenger Numbers, Dragging Its Load Factor Down by 4. 5 Points to 76. 8 Per Cent. Cathay Says That the Outbreak of H1n1 Has Particularly Hurt Its Home Market of Hong Kong, as Well as Depressed Travel Within the Region, Especially in Japan. Cathay Was Also Hurt by Lower Yields. “premium Cabin Demand Showed No Signs of Life but Was at Least Stable. Aggressive Competition for Economy Class Passengers in All Markets Continued to Provide Very Few Opportunities for Sustainable Yield Improvement,” Said the Airline’s Gm of Revenue Management Tom Owen.

With Demand Still Falling, Premium Seats Facing Major Discounts and Oil Prices Still Fluctuating, Iata Says That Many Airlines Have Expressed “renewed Pessimism” in Their Outlook, With Recovery Not Likely Until Early 2011.

Domestic Traffic Falls Again Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics Data for May Shows That Domestic Passenger Traffic Fell During May, Making It the Third Month This Year to Record a Fall.

Total Passenger Numbers Across the Country Declined by 0. 6 Per Cent Compared to May 2008, Dragging Down Rpks by 0. 3 Per Cent. Capacity Was Also Sharply Lower by 4. 9 Per Cent as Most Carriers Cut Frequencies, Resulting in an Overall Fall in Departures of 4. 1 Per Cent. Those Measures Saw Load Factor Increase by 3. 5 Percentage Points to 76. 8 Per Cent.

The Biggest Fall in Traffic Was on the Darwin-melbourne Route, Which Saw a 31. 5 Per Cent Fall, Followed by Kalgoorlie-perth (-27. 5 Per Cent), Cairns-sydney (-21. 7 Per Cent) and Cairns-melbourne (-19. 1 Per Cent). Adelaide-gold Coast Saw the Biggest Increase in Traffic at 37. 9 Per Cent, Followed by Canberra-sydney (+34. 4 Per Cent), Melbourne-mildura (+26. 1 Per Cent) and Port Macquarie-sydney (+17 Per Cent).

Traffic on the Business-heavy ‘golden Triangle’ Continued Its Downward Trend, With Melbourne-sydney Down by 7. 1 Per Cent, While Brisbane-sydney Was Also Lower by 4. 9 Per Cent. Traffic on Brisbane-melbourne Bucked This Trend Though, Recording an Increase of 6. 1 Per Cent.

Airline Briefs

Qantas Will Shift Its Flights Operating to London Heathrow to the Airport’s Terminal 3 From October 29, Bringing It Into the Same Terminal as a Number of Other Oneworld Airlines. British Airways’ Flights to Bangkok, Singapore and Sydney Will Also Move on the Same Date.

Lufthansa is Reportedly Looking at Options to Sell Off Loss-making Bmi, Which It Recently Increased Its Stake in to 80 Per Cent After Acquiring Sir Michael Bishop’s Shares. Virgin Atlantic is Seen as the Most Likely Acquirer. The Airline Recorded an Operating Profit for the First Half of the Year of Only €8m (a$13. 7m) as Revenues Declined by 15 Per Cent to €10. 2bn (a$17. 4bn). Net Loss for the Six Months Was €216m (a$359bn).

Garuda Indonesia Launched Flights From Jakarta to Sydney and Melbourne on August 2 and 3 Respectively. Both Services Are Operates Three Times Per Week With an A330-200.

Virgin Blue Commenced Services From Perth to Port Hedland on August 4. The Flights Operate Daily With Embraer E-190s.

Pel-air Aviation Has Been Awarded a Three Year Charter Contract to Operate Flights From Adelaide to Iluka Resources’s Jacinth-ambrosia Project, Approximately 190km Northwest of Ceduna. Pel-air Also Operates Charter Flights for Barrick Gold in Queensland With Saab 340s.

Emirates Has Announced a New Visit Australia Pass Which Allows Overseas Passengers Coming to Australia on an Emirates Service to Extend Their Journey to a Further 22 Destinations via Its Interline Agreement With Virgin Blue.

Air Pacific Has Announced That From September 11 It Will Reschedule Its Friday Service Between Nadi and Honolulu to Operate via Apia.

Qantas Has Received an Allocation From the International Air Services Commission of Unlimited Capacity on the Indonesia Route From All Points Other Than Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Pacific Blue Was Recently Granted a Similar Application.

the Iasc Issued a Determination on July 27 Allocating 0. 25 Units of Capacity on the New Caledonia and Unlimited Capacity on the New Zealand Routes to Startup Carrier Pacific Wings. Pacific Wings Plans to Wet-lease an Our Airline Boeing 737-300 to Start Services to Noumea and Secondary Cities in New Zealand From Later This Year. The Carrier Has Also Applied for an Additional 0. 5 Units of Capacity, Representing Additional Capacity Recently Revoked From Ozjet Airlines.

Southwest Airlines Has Announced That It Plans to Launch a Us$113m (a$137. 5m) Takeover Bid for Denver Based Frontier Airline. Republic Airways Previously Made a Us$109m (a$132m) Bid for the Airline, Which Has Been in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection Since April 2008.

Air New Zealand’s First Boeing 767-300er Fitted With Aviation Partners Boeing Blended Winglets Arrived at Auckland on July 13. The 767 Had the 3. 4m High Winglets and Also Zonal Dryers Fitted During a Maintenance Lay-up in Hong Kong.

Jetstar Will Double Its Services Between Sydney and Darwin by October, With the Route Lifting From Five Times a Week to a Daily Service From September 18, While an Additional Three ‘back of the Clock’ Services Will Start in Late October. The New Services Will Be Operated by 177-seat A320s.

Air New Zealand Saw a 5. 5 Per Cent Fall in Passenger Numbers During June, Driven Primarily by Weakness on Asian Routes Which It Attributes to the Affects of the Spread of H1n1 Influenza.

Indonesia Airasia Commenced Its First Service Between Denpasar and Perth on July 17. The Daily Services Will Rise to Twice Daily From August 19, and Are Operated by A320s.

British Airways’ Open Skies Subsidiary Has Announced That It Will Suspend Its Services Between Amsterdam and New York. Sources Indicate That Ba is Seeking Buyers for Open Skies, Which Operates a Fleet of Boeing 757s Fitted With Majority Premium Seats on Routes From European Cities Across the Atlantic.

a 17 Year Old Boy Has From Yorkshire Was Able to Fool Some Airport Officials and Airlines Into Thinking That He Was Going to Start an Airline Based in the British Isles. The Boy, Who Has a Form of Autism, is Unlikely to Be Charged Over the Alleged Fraud.

Qantas Has Applied to the Iasc for Permission to Renew Its Codeshare Agreement With Air Nuigini on Flights to Port Moresby. It Has Also Applied for an Additional Allocation of 125 Seats Per Week on the Indonesia Route to Allow Jetstar to Upgrade Certain Services to Be Operated by Airbus A321s in Place of A320s From August 13.

Pacific Blue Has Applied to the Iasc for an Additional Allocation of 720 Seats on the Indonesia Route to Allow It to Operate a Further Four Weekly Services to the Country. Pacific Blue Says It Will Fully Utilise the Capacity From April 1 2010.

Airports

Airpark for Evans Head?

A Consortium Involving the Curry-kenny Aviation Group Has Received Approval to Present Its Plans for a Redevelopment of the Historic Evans Head Aerodrome on the Northern Coast of New South Wales, Which Could See the Construction of a New Industrial Aviation Hub, a Residential Component and a Museum at the Site.

Under the Proposal, the Evans Head Airpark Consortium is Proposing to Construct a Museum on Site, With the Initial Focus Being the Sole Remaining Bellman Hangar Which Would Be Restored as Part of the Plan. It Would Also Develop at Least 60 Exclusive Homes on Site With Direct Access to the Aerodrome’s Facilities, as Well as a Motel With Convention Centre and Commercial Tenant Space.

The Consortium’s Proposal is One of Three Respondents to a Call for Expressions of Interest From the Richmond Valley Council to Develop the Heritage-listed Airport, Which Played a Significant Role in Training Pilots During World War 2, Into an Integrated Airpark.

Mel, Per Finish Year Strongly

Perth and Melbourne Airports Have Both Beaten the Poor Economic Conditions to Report Higher Passenger Numbers Over the Financial Year Ending June 30.

For the Year, Perth Airport Saw Overall Passenger Numbers Increase by 6. 1 Per Cent Over the Previous Financial Year to 9. 7 Million Passengers, Making It the Highest Growing Capital City Airport in the Country. International Traffic Increased by 4. 2 Per Cent While Domestic Passenger Traffic Was Up by 6. 7 Per Cent. Ceo Brad Geatches Said That the Increase Could Be Attributed to Increased Capacity in the Low Cost Carrier Segment, as Well as the General Strength of the Wa Aviation Sector.

Melbourne Airport Recorded a Total Rise in Passengers of Two Per Cent to 24. 8 Million, as International Passenger Traffic Grew by Three Per Cent and Domestic Traffic Was Up by Two Per Cent. The Airport Says That the Strong Result Has Been Driven by a Number of New Services From Carriers Including Airasia X, Emirates and Garuda, as Well as Qantas’s Utilisation of the A380 on Some Services to the Us. Nevertheless, the Last Quarter of the Financial Year Saw International Passenger Numbers Fall by Six Per Cent Due to a Drop in Travellers Attributed to Swine Flu Fears.

Bne Sets New Record

Brisbane Airport Set a New Record for Passenger Numbers Over the 2008/09 Financial Year, With Over 19. 2 Million Passengers Passing Through Its Terminals.

Compared to the Previous Financial Year, Passenger Numbers Were Up by 1. 3 Per Cent Despite the Current Economic Crisis. Domestic Passengers of 14. 7 Million Were Up 2. 8 Per Cent, While the International Terminal Saw Approximately 4. 1 Million People, Providing 0. 6 Per Cent Growth. Aircraft Movements Increased by 5. 5 Per Cent for the Domestic Terminal, and 4. 6 Per Cent for the International Terminal.

“the Past Year Has Not Only Seen Brisbane Airport Grow in Record Passenger Numbers, but We Have Also Expanded Our Network, Seat Capacity and Infrastructure,” Said Brisbane Airport Ceo and Managing Director Julieanne Alroe. “last Year Saw the Opening of Brisbane Airport’s $340 Million World Class International Terminal Expansion, Providing a Better Passenger Experience for Our Customers, and These Results Are a Reflection of Our Efforts. ” the Airport Says That There Has Been Strong Growth From Markets Including the United States, Canada, Hong Kong and the Middle East, Primarily Due to Lower Airfares.

Airport Briefs

Auckland International Airport Recorded Falls in Both Domestic and International Passenger Traffic During June of Three and Five Per Cent Respectively. The Airport Said Lower Numbers of Domestic Movements, as Well as Continued Sharp Declines in Arrivals From Northern Asia Were Behind the Falls. The Airport Also Announced in July That Air New Zealand Has Withdrawn a Longstanding Application for a Judicial Review of Its Aeronautical Charges.

Carter Newell Lawyers Has Released the Inaugural Edition of Its Australian Airports Liability and Compliance Guide, Which Provides a Detailed Review of the Relevant Legislation, Case Law and Applicable Penalties That Relate to the Operations for Australia’s Primary and Secondary Airports. It is the First Guidebook for Airport Legal Issues in Australia.

General Aviation

Ga Shipments Down

the General Aviation Manufacturers Association Has Recorded a 45. 9 Per Cent Fall in Shipments of New Ga Aircraft for the First Half of 2009.

Shipments Across All Sectors, Comprising Piston, Turboprop and Businesses Jet Aircraft, Were Down Markedly Compared to the Same Quarter a Year Ago. Hardest Hit Were Pistons, With Only 434 Delivered, Compared to 1034 in the Previous Year. Least Affected Were Turboprops, Which at 412 Units Were Only Down by 18 Per Cent.

“These Are Extremely Challenging Times for All General Aviation Manufacturers and Suppliers. Layoffs Continue and Our Industry Has Been Forced to Slow, and in Some Cases, Temporarily Halt Production Lines,” Said Gama President and Ceo, Pete Bunce. “we Are Encouraged That the Overall Economic Picture is Showing Some Signs of Improvement, Which is a Crucial Condition for Recovery in the General Aviation Market. Flight Hours Are Stabilizing, Used Inventories Are Beginning to Shrink, and Our Manufacturers Are Seeing Signs of Renewed Interest in Airplane Purchases. ”

Skycatcher Completes Astm Compliance

Cessna Announced on July 27 That Its Model 162 Skycatcher Has Completed Testing for Compliance With the American Society of Testing and Materials (Astm) for Light Sport Aircraft, Clearing the Aircraft for Deliveries to Begin Later This Year.

“this is Significant Not Only for Cessna, but for the Aviation Community as a Whole,” Said Cessna Chairman, President and Ceo Jack Pelton. “once These Airplanes Enter Service, They Will Act as a Catalyst for Increased Pilot Starts. They Will Significantly Change the Economics of Ownership and Operation for Flight Schools, Aircraft Renters and Aircraft Owners, and Will Benefit the Entire Ga Community. ” the 162 Has Been a Major Sales Success, but Has Also Faced Issues in Its Development With Two Development Aircraft Involved in Separate Crashes During Power on, Cross-controlled Spin Tests Which Aren’t Required for Astm Compliance. Those Accidents Forced Cessna to Place the Program Under a Review in Late 2008, Although It Has Repeatedly Said That It Still Intends to Make Its First Deliveries During the Second Half of 2009.

Fta Da-42s to Receive New Engines Flight Training Adelaide Has Announced That It Will Convert Its Fleet of Seven Thielert Powered Da42s to Be Powered by Lycoming Io-360 Engines.

Pine Pienaar, Fta’s Ceo, Said, “our Thielert Engines Suffered From Unreliability and Inadequate Support From the Engine Manufacturer, a Situation Exacerbated by the Tae Insolvency in 2008. In View of This, Fta Voluntarily Grounded Its Fleet in January 2009 With the View to Replace All the Thielert Engines With the Lycoming Solution Provided by Diamond” the Engine Upgrade Will Be Carried Out by Hawker Pacific at Bankstown Airport, With All Seven Aircraft to Receive the New Engines by December This Year.

King Air Receives New Upgrade

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Launched the New King Air C90gtx on July 27, Which It Says Enhances Payload and Performance of the Venerable Twin Turboprop.

Key Enhancements Included in the C90gtx Include Composite Winglets and an Increase in Aircraft Weights, While the Maximum Ramp Weight and Maximum Takeoff Weight of the C90gtx Have Been Increased by 175kg to 4783kg and 4756kg Pounds Respectively. This Allows the Aircraft to Carry More Fuel Over the Previous C90gti Model, Extending Range by 200nm With Four Passengers.

“the C90gtx is the Latest Example of Our Commitment to Keeping the Beechcraft King Air Family the Most Successful Turboprop Lineup in Aviation History,” Said Bill Boisture, Hbc Chairman and Ceo. “we Took an Outstanding Product, the C90gti, and Made It Even Better in the New C90gtx. No Other Aircraft in Its Class Can Compare. ” the C90gtx Will Be Available Beginning in Early 2010.

Rfds Beaten in Vic

the Royal Flying Doctor Service Appears to Be Set to Lose Its Patient Transport Contract in Victoria, With the Government Choosing Rex Subsidiary Pel-air as Its Preferred Tenderer.

Under the Proposed 10 Year Agreement Commencing From Mid 2011, Pel-air Would Provide Fixed-wing Patient Transport Across Victoria, Replacing the Rfds Which Has Operated the Air Ambulance Service Since 1997 With a Fleet of Four Beechcraft King Air B200s.

Rfds National Ceo Nigel Milan Said on July 31 That the Rfds Was Disappointed With the Loss, but Would Continue With Its Other Services. He Also Called on the Victorian Government to Explain Its Decision. “the Obvious Question is How a for-profit Bid Undercuts a Non-profit Bid on Price,” He Said.

It Also Administers the Rural Women’s Gp Service Throughout Nsw, Victoria and Tasmania From the Essendon Base, Which Will Not Be Directly Affected by the Loss of the Air Ambulance Contract.

Hawker-beechcraft Reports Lower Income the Hawker Beechcraft Acquisition Corporation, Parent Company of Hawker Beechcraft, Has Reported Lower Sales and Deliveries for the Months Ending June 28, Causing Its Operating Income to Fall 55 Per Cent to Us$39. 4m (a$46. 8m) Net Sales for the Quarter Decreased by Us$212. 4m (a$178. 7m) Compared to Us$816. 3m (a$686. 7m) in the Equivalent Quarter Last Year as the Global Economic Crisis Continued to Hit Its Core Business and General Aviation Markets. Deliveries Were Down by 30 Per Cent to 105 Units, Although Deliveries of the T-6 Texan Ii Military Training Aircraft Increased to 27 From 19.

Despite the Poorer Operating Performance, the Company Was Able to Record Net Income of Us$172. 2m (a$204. 7m), Aided by Gains on Repurchasing Debt Securities.

General Aviation Briefs

Victorian Skydiving Operator the Parachute School Has Taken Delivery of the First Gippsland Aeronautics Ga8-tc 320 Turbocharged Airvan to Be Purchased Solely for Parachute Operations. The Tc 320 is Powered by a Textron Lycoming Tio-540-ah1a Direct Drive Fuel Injected Engine, Which Ga Says Gives It the Same Direct Operating Costs as a Cessna 182 While Offering a Greater Capacity.

Cessna Announced on July 27 That It Will Offer a Retrofit Kit for the Cessna 177rg Cardinal to Equip It With an Upgraded Lycoming Io-390-a1a6 Engine. Cessna is Working With Lycoming and Mccauley Propellers to Develop the Supplemental Type Certificate for the Engine Retrofit, Which Replaces the Original Io-360 and Improves Speed and Performance.

Hawker Beechcraft Announced on July 28 That It Had Successfully Tested an Experimental Autolanding System on a Beechcraft Bonanza in Collaboration With Rockwell Collins, Which Could Allow the Aircraft to Land Itself in the Event of Pilot Incapacitation. Hbc Says That the Tests Are Part of an Ongoing Program to Develop Flight Control Technologies for Use in Future Ga Aircraft.

Parafield Based Flight Training Adelaide (Fta) and the Rescue and Salvage Bureau of China Signed a New Agreement on July 18 Extending Fta’s Helicopter Pilot Training Program for the Rsb. Fta Also Trains Helicopter Pilots on Behalf of the Hong Kong Government Flying Service.

the Battery Powered Skyspark Light Aircraft is Believed to Have Set a New Speed Record for Electrically Powered Aircraft After It Reached a Speed of 250km/h on June 17. The Skyspark is a Modified Pioneer Alpi 300 Powered by a 75kw Brushless Motor Using Lithium Polymer Batteries, and is a Joint Research Project Between Engineering Company Digisky and Italy’s Turin Polytechnic University.

New Zealand Based Spidertracks Has Announced It is Planning to Launch Its ‘spiderwatch’ Flight Following Solution at Airventure 2009 at Oshkosh and the Aia Show in Blenheim on July 27. Spiderwatch Allows for Automatic Tracking of Aircraft Fitted With the Spidertracks Equipment as Soon as the Aircraft’s Speed Exceeds 40kt, and Actively Tracks the Aircraft’s Position Using the Iridium Global Satellite Network and a Web-based Tracking Portal.

the New, Single-seat Belite Light Sport Aircraft Made Its First Flight on July 4. The 135kg Belite Incorporates Proprietary, Lightweight Carbon Fibre Material in the Fabrication of Struts, Ribs and Wing Spar, and the Prototype Was Powered by a 28hp (29kw) Mz-34 Engine.

Business Aviation

Cessna Cancels Columbus

Cessna’s Parent Company Textron Has Cancelled Its Citation Columbus Wide-body Business Jet Program.

The Program Was Originally Delayed in April Due to the Poor Market for Business Jets, and Was Expected to Resume When Market Conditions Improved. However, According to a Filing With the Us Securities and Exchanges Commission, Textron Said “upon Additional Analysis of the Business Jet Market Related to This Product Offering, We Decided to Formally Cancel Further Development of the Citation Columbus. ” Cessna Launched the Large Cabin Columbus in 2008 in Response to Customer Demand for a Larger Jet in the Citation Range Capable of Regular Trans-continental Flights. It Put the Manufacturer in the Space of Larger Business Jet Manufacturers Including Gulfstream Aerospace, Dassault and Bombardier, Which Have Been Struggling With Market Weakness Due to the Global Financial Crisis.

Business Aviation Briefs

Daher Socata Confirmed at the Eaa Airventure at Oshkosh That It is Working on a Twin Engine Business Aircraft Design, Although Any Launch Will Depend on Market Conditions and Securing Capital Financing for the Program. The New Aircraft is Widely Tipped to Be a Twin Turboprop to Complement Its Tbm 850 Six-seat Single Turboprop.

Cargo

Qantas Freight Has Announced That It Will Add Dallas to Its Freighter Network From August 6 With a Weekly Boeing 747-400f Service. The Flight Will Be Operated From Shanghai to Chicago, Then to Dallas With a Direct Onward Service to Sydney Once a Week.

Pacific Air Express Has Sought an Allocation of 35 Tonnes of Cargo Capacity Per Week to Vanuatu From the International Air Services Commission. Pae Plans to Operate Two Weekly Services Using a Boeing 737-300f Wet Leased From Toll/airwork.

Cargo Briefs

Eads First Half Income Down Eads Has Recorded a Six Per Cent Decline in Net Income to €378m (a$646. 7m) for the First Half of the Year, Although the Company Says That Its Businesses Have Been Performing Well in the Current Economic Climate.

The Fall in Net Income Came on the Back of a Two Per Cent Increase in Revenues to €20. 2bn (a$34. 5bn) During the Six Months, Aided by Strong Revenue Growth in Its Eurocopter and Astrium Divisions, Static Growth in Its Defence & Security Division, While Revenue at Airbus Was Lower.

“thanks to Our Robust Business and Our Disciplined Financial Management, Eads is in Good Shape. At the Same Time, Challenges in New Programmes Remain and Have to Be Addressed. We Are Sticking to Our Priorities Protecting Cash, Managing the Order Book and Deliveries and Ensuring That Eads is Competitively Positioned in Its Different Market Segments,” Said Ceo Louis Gallois.

Despite the Challenging Economic Conditions Which Are Expected to Have an Impact on Airbus’s Backlog, Eads Said in Its Outlook That It Expects to Record Positive Earnings Before Interest and Tax for the Second Half of the Year. It Also Expects That Its Solid Defence and Institutional Orders Will Provide Protection and Stability Should Airlines Choose to Defer or Cancel Their Orders for Airbus Aircraft.

Gallois Also Addressed Its Main Critical Program, the Chronically Delayed A400m Military Transport, for Which Eads is Planning to Renegotiate Its Launch Customer Occar. “we Welcome the Commitment of Our A400m Launch Customers to the Programme. In Partnership With Our Customers and Our Suppliers We Are Now Continuing to Work Hard in Order to Bring the A400m Back on Track,” He Said.

Boeing Profit Up Boeing Has Recorded an Increase of 17 Per Cent in Second Quarter Income Primarily Due to a Strong Performance From Its Integrated Defense Systems Unit.

Net Income for the Company Overall Was Us$998m (a$1. 2bn), With Revenue Up by One Per Cent to Us$17. 2bn (a$21bn). “Our Continued Focus on Productivity Improvements and Disciplined Cash Management Drove Solid Overall Results for the Quarter,” Said Boeing Chairman, President and Ceo Jim Mcnerney. “While Market and Development Program Execution Challenges Remain With Us, We Are Doing What’s Necessary to Emerge From the Current Economic Environment as a Stronger Company That’s Better Positioned to Grow and Improve Its Financial Performance Over Time. ” Boeing Commercial Airplanes’s Second Quarter Revenue Declined by Two Per Cent to Us$8. 4bn (a$10. 3bn) as a Result of Lower Aircraft Deliveries and Lower Service Volumes. Nevertheless, Earning From Operations Increased by Five Per Cent to Us$817m (a$1bn) Due to Lower Research and Development Costs, Although Earnings for the Six Months to June 30 Was Overall Down by 30 Per Cent.

Integrated Defense Systems Saw Its Revenues During the Second Quarter Rise by Nine Per Cent of Us$8. 7bn (a$10. 6bn), Which Boeing Said Was Driven by Increases Across Its Military Aircraft, Network and Space Systems and Global Services and Support Segments.

In Its Outlook, Boeing Continues to Expect Its Revenues to Reach Us$68-69bn (a$83. 2bn-84. 5bn) for the Full Year, Despite the Challenging Conditions for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Bca Says That It Expects to Deliver Between 480-485 Aircraft and is Completely Sold Out for the Year.

Map Drops Macbank

Macquarie Airports (Map) Has Announced That It is Ceasing Management and Advisory Services From Macquarie Bank in a Move to Cut Its Operating Costs.

The Airport Fund Will Issue 150 Million Shares to Macquarie Bank, Estimated to Be Worth $345 Million, as a Result of the Cessation of the Agreement. This is Despite Map’s Chairman Trevor Gerber Recently Confirming That It is Not Bound to Offer the Bank Anything if the Majority of Its Shareholders Approved Such a Move.

Under the New Arrangements, Macquarie Will No Longer Receive Management and Performance Fees, Which Have Averaged $44. 1 Million Years Per Annum Over the Past Six and a Half Years. Map’s Ceo Kerrie Mather Will Remain and Has Been Invited to Join the Board, While Other Macquarie Staff Will Be Offered Roles With Map. Macquarie Will Also Work Through a Transition Process Over the Next Six Months Until Map is Able to Stand on Its Own.

Map Was Established as a Listed Infrastructure Fund by Macquarie and Holds Significant Stakes in a Number of Airports in Mexico, Europe and Japan and is Also the Biggest Shareholder in Sydney Airport.

Maintenance & Training

Virgin Blue Chooses Jhas for E-jet Maint

Virgin Blue Has Awarded a 10 Year Maintenance Contract for Its Fleet of Embraer E-170s and E-190s to Melbourne Based John Holland Aviation Services (Jhas).

Commencing in August This Year, the Contract Will See Jhas Perform All Heavy Maintenance on Virgin Blue’s Fleet of 19 E-jets, and is in Addition to an Existing Contract Between the Two Parties to Provide Heavy Maintenance on Some of the Airline’s Boeing 737 Fleet. “we Have a Terrific Working Relationship With Jhas and Are Pleased to Be Taking It to a New Level by Awarding Them the Contract to Take Care of Our Embraer Heavy Maintenance Requirements,” Virgin Blue Chief Operations Officer, Andrew David, Said.

Under the Arrangement, Virgin Tech Will Continue to Conduct All Line Maintenance on Both the 737 and E-jet Fleets.

Alteon Changes Name

Boeing Announced on August 6 That It Will Change the Name of Its Training Subsidiary Alteon to Boeing Training & Flight Services Over the Coming Months.

The Company Said That the Name Change is Needed to Reflect the Organisation’s Expanded Capabilities, Which Include Maintenance, Cabin Safety and Flight Operations Training as Well as a Range of Flight Services Such as Operational Consulting and Safety Analysis.

Alteon Was Originally Formed as a Joint Venture Between Flightsafety International and Boeing in 1997 as Flightsafety Boeing, but Changed Its Name in 2002 After It Was Fully Acquired by Boeing. The Company Operates a Network of Training Centres Around the World, Including a Simulator and Training Centre Near Brisbane Airport.

Maintenance, Support &training Briefs

Brisbane Based Hospitality Training Association (Hta) and Aviation Australia Have Teamed Up to Offer a Diploma of Hospitality Management and Certificate Ii in Aviation Flight Operations (Cabin Crew) Qualification for Students Seeking a Career in Aviation. The Course Will See Students Undertake Hospitality Industry Training Through Hta and Complete Airline Training, Such as in Safety Procedures, Aircraft Cabin and Gallery Services, Airline Security and Customer Service, at Aviation Australia.

Air Safety

Easa to Mandate A330 Pitot Change

the European Aviation Safety Agency is Set to Mandate That Operators of Airbus A330s and A340s With Thales Manufactured Pitot Tubes to Replace at Least Two of Them With Goodrich Probes.

The Move Comes After Airbus Issued a Precautionary Recommendation to Operators to Replace Thales Manufactured Probes Which Have in Some Cases Been Prone to Icing, Leading to Incorrect Airspeed Readings. It is Thought That This May Have Been a Factor in the Crash of an Air France A330-200 Off the Coast of Brazil on June 1.

Qantas and Jetstar, Which Combined Operate 22 A330s, Have Previously Stated That Their Aircraft Have Goodrich Pitot Tubes Fitted, and So Will Not Be Affected by Any Directive Regarding the Thales Tubes.

Air Safety Briefs

a Merpati Nusantara Dhc-6 Twin Otter Crashed Over West Papua While on a Domestic Flight From Jayapura to Oksibil 23nm From Its Destination on Sunday August 2. All 15 Passengers and Crew on Board Were Killed.

an Aria Aviation Company Ilyushin Il-62 Operating a Flight From Tehran to Mashhad on July 25 Veered Off the Runway While Landing at Mashhad’s Hasheminejad Airport and Struck a Concrete Barrier, Killing 16 of the 153 People on Board.

the Faa is Proposing a Redesign of the Cooling Systems on Board Boeing 777s Powered by Rolls-royce Engines to Prevent the Accumulation of Ice in Fuel Lines, Which is Believed to Have Led to the Crash-landing of a British Airways 777-200er Short of the Runway at London Heathrow Airport. The Faa is Seeking Comment on the Proposal Until August 24, With the Fix Likely to Be Required on Us Registered 777s by January 2011.

One of the Nosewheels on a Virgin Blue Boeing 737 Operating a Flight From Melbourne to Sydney on July 25 Was Shorn From the Landing Gear Shortly Before Takeoff From Tullamarine Airport. Virgin Blue Says It Appears That Corrosion in the Landing Gear May Have Caused the Wheel to Come Off, and All Other Aircraft Have Been Checked and Cleared to Fly.

the European Union Has Removed Indonesian Carriers Garuda Indonesia, Batavia Air, Airfast Indonesia and Mandala Airlines From Its Blacklist, Although All Other Indonesian Carriers Remain.

a Caspian Airlines Tupolev Tu-154m Crashed on July 15 Shortly After Takeoff From Tehran, Killing All 168 People on Board.

Atc & Airspace Briefs

People

Ron Fisher to Retire Raytheon Australia Managing Director Ron Fisher Has Announced He Will Retire From the Position at the End of August, to Be Replaced by Michael Ward, Raytheon Australia’s Current General Manager of Strategy.

Fisher Has Overseen a Large and Rapid Expansion of Raytheon’s Footprint and Activities in Australia Since Assuming the Position in 1999, Particularly in the Fields of Systems Integration, Mission Support and Project Management Services for Various Adf Projects and in-service Systems Across All Three Services.

“ron is One of My Closest Business Partners and Has Earned the Reputation as the Finest Managing Director in the Australian Defence Industry,” Dan Smith, President of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Said in a Statement. “as He Moves to the Next Phase of His Journey, We Are Going to Have a Smooth Handoff to Mick, Who We Expect to Be a Fine Managing Director of Raytheon Australia. We Will Continue to Benefit From Ron’s Contributions as a Strategic Advisor to Both Raytheon Australia and Raytheon Company. ”

People Briefs

the Remains of the Final Australian Servicemen Missing in Vietnam Have Been Found Near Their Downed Raaf Canberra Bomber Which Went Missing in November 1970 and Was Found Earlier This Year. The Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, Greg Combet, Said the Remains of Flying Officer Michael Herbert and Pilot Officer Robert Carver Had Been Positively Identified and Would Be Returned to Australia for Private Burial Services With Their Families.

Auckland International Airport Limited Announced on July 23 That It Has Appointed Simon Robertson as Its New Chief Financial Officer. Robertson Has Worked With Aial for Five Years in a Number of Financial and Operational Roles, and Will Take Up the Appointment During August.

Local Cessna Dealer Aeromil Pacific Has Appointed Jared Kirk to the Position of Engineering Manager. In the New Role, Kirk Will Take Responsibility for Aeromil’s Maintenance Operations at Bankstown and the Sunshine Coast and Will Report to Director of Engineering Steve Crimmins.

China Southern Airlines Has Appointed Eric Huang as National Sales Manager, Australia. Prior to His New Sydney Based Appointment, Huang Was China Southern’s Manager Europe, Middle East and Africa Region.