Newsdesk

airbus Set to Match 2008 Deliveries

“we’re on Track to Repeat the 2008 Delivery Record of 483 Planes in 2009,” Said Tom Williams, Airbus’s Vice President of Programs at a Briefing in Wales on October 28. He Added That the A380 Program Was “not Running as Smoothly as We Would Like,” Appearing to Confirm Earlier Comments From Ceo Louis Gallois That the Airframer Will Not Meet Its Goal of Delivering 14 of the Large Airliners This Year. Despite the High Level of Output, Orders Are Down Significantly, With Airbus Having Only Booked 149 Gross Orders During the First Three Quarters of the Year. That Places It Well Short of Its Target of 300 for the Year, With Few Significant Orders Expected During the Final Quarter. Europcopter Wins Mrj Contract Eurocopter Deutschland Has Been Selected to Design and Manufacture the Doors for the Mistubishi Regional Jet. Dr Wolfgang Schoder, Ceo of Eurocopter Deutschland, Said During the Contract Signature Ceremony in Nagoya on October 28, “this is a Significant Success for Our Company. We Are Very Proud to Continue the Long and Successful Relationship Between Eurocopter and the Japanese Industry on Aircraft Doors and Helicopters With This New Project. ” the 70-90 Seat Mrj Program Was Launched in 2008 by Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, With the Aircraft Set to Enter Service With Launch Customer All Nippon Airlines in the First Quarter of 2014.

Gecas Mulls 787 Order Lessor Ge Commercial Aviation Services is Said to Be Considering a Firm Order for as Many as 30 Boeing 787 Aircraft. “we Expect Some Delivery Slots Will Open to Accommodate an Order of That Size,” Gecas Executive Vice President for Product Evaluation and Strategy Bill Carpenter Told Air Transport Intelligence. “gecas Would Also Seek to Support Previously Committed Airline Customer Orders Through Purchase and Leaseback Financing. Where There is Customer Demand, We Want to Be Part of It. ” Carpenter Added That the Lessor Would Be Looking to Take Delivery of the Aircraft in Three to Five Years After Placing Its Order, and Would Prefer to Complete Initial Deliveries by 2018. Tellingly, He Also Noted That the Company Was “more Optimistic” About the 787-9, but Did Not Rule Out an Order for the Smaller -8.

Boeing Drops to Loss

the Boeing Company Has Recorded a Net Loss of Us$1. 6bn (a$1. 7bn) for the Third Quarter, as Revenue Increased Nine Per Cent to Us$16. 7bn (a$18bn). The Loss Was Attributed to Delays and Associated Development Costs of Its New Airliner Programs. “the 787 Cost Reclassification and the 747 Charge for Increased Costs and Difficult Market Conditions Clearly Overshadowed What Continues to Be Otherwise Solid Performance Across Our Commercial Production Programs and Defense Business,” Said Boeing Chairman, President and Ceo Jim Mcnerney. “we Look Forward to Getting the 787 and 747-8 in the Air Soon and Moving Forward With Flight Test and Certification for These Two Important Programs. ” Those Costs Saw Boeing Commercial Airplanes Record a Loss of Us$2. 8bn (a$3bn) as Revenues Increased by 13 Per Cent to Us$7. 9bn (a$8. 5bn), Driven by Higher Deliveries Compared to the Same Time Last Year. The Business Booked 96 Gross Orders and Cancellations of 17 Aircraft, Leaving Its Contractual Backlog at Us$254bn (a$274. 6bn), More Than Seven Times Bca’s Expected 2009 Revenues. Revenues Were Also Higher at Integrated Defense Systems, Up by Three Per Cent to Us$8. 7bn (a$9. 4bn), Which Saw the Division’s Earnings Increase by Four Per Cent to Us$885m (a$957m). The Division Was Buoyed by Increases in Military Aircraft and Global Services & Support Business Revenues, Although These Were Tempered by a Nine Per Cent Fall in Revenue at Network and Space Systems as a Result of Lower Volumes. Boeing Capital Corporation Saw a Five Per Cent Increase in Earnings of Us$39m (a$42m), Despite a Three Per Cent Fall in Revenue to Us$166m (a$179m). The Company Noted That There Was a Small Decline in the Value of Its Portfolio, Which Was Offset by Us$153m (a$165m) in New Aircraft Financing. For the Full Year, the Boeing Company Still Expects Revenue to Come in Between Us$68-69bn (a$73. 5-74. 6bn), With Earnings Per Share Targeted at Us$1. 35-1. 55 (a$1. 46-1. 68) Due to the Charges Made on the 787 and 747-8 Programs

Chinese E-jet Line for Embraer?

Embraer’s Vice President Airline Market Mauro Kern Says That the Company is Considering Establishing a Second E-jet Final Assembly Line in China. Kern Told Aviation Daily at the European Regions Airline Association’s Annual Meeting at Interlaken That the Manufacturer Was Expected to Have a Firm View on Whether to Assemble E-jets in China in the Next Six Months, With a Formal Decision Possible Within the Next Year. Embraer Currently Assembles Erj-145s Through a Joint Venture With Avic I in Harbin, Although a Cut in Demand for the 50-seat Jet Means That Production There is Likely to End in 2011. It is Expected That the Harbin Facility Would Be the Most Likely Place for a Second E-jet Assembly Line. The Move by Embraer May Be in Part to Allow It More Access to the Chinese Regional Jet Market at a Time When It is Expected That the Central Government Will Encourage Most Airlines to Order the Acac Arj 21 Flying Phoenix. The E-jet Series is Has a Major Weight Advantage Over the Flying Phoenix, Which is Likely to Make It Much More Competitive in Terms of Operating Costs.

Ryanair Shopping for New Aircraft Irish Low Cost Carrier Ryanair is Threatening to Cancel and Defer Some of Its Boeing 737s on Order and Curb Its Growth if It Does Not Reach a Fleet Renewal Agreement With Boeing by the End of the Year. “we See No Point in Continuing to Grow Rapidly in a Declining Yield Environment, Where Our Main Aircraft Partner is Unwilling to Play Its Part in Our Cost Reduction Program by Passing on Some of the Enormous Savings Which Boeing Has Enjoyed Both From Suppliers and More Efficient Manufacturing in Recent Years,” Said Ceo Michael O’leary. O’leary Said at a Press Conference on October 12 That He Was Hopeful on Reaching Agreement With Airbus or Boeing on a New Narrobody Order for Up to 200 Aircraft for Delivery From 2016-2013. Ryanair Currently Flies a Fleet of 202 Boeing 737-800s, and Has a Further 110 on Order With Dozens More Options.

Commercial Briefs

Hawker Beechcraft Services Announced on October 21 That It Reached Agreement With Raytheon Airline Aviation Services (Raas) to Upgrade Its Beechcraft 1900d Demonstrator With the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 Integrated Display System. Raas, Which Specialises in Marketing Beechcraft 1900 Aircraft to Regional Airline, Freight and Corporate Operators, Will Feature the Hbs Ids Upgrade in Its World-tour Demonstration Aircraft After Installation Next Year. the Worldwide Fleet of Over 600 Embraer E-jets Has Surpassed Over Three Million Flight Hours, the Brazilian Manufacturer Announced on October 29. Rolls-royce Has Won a Us$720m (a$797m) Order for Trent 700s to Power 10 Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330-300s. The Contract Includes Total Care Support for the Engines. Cathay Pacific Has Taken Delivery of a Boeing 777-300er Featuring the Oneworld Livery to Commemorate the Alliance’s 10th Anniversary. Boeing Delivered the Aircraft to Lessor Boc Aviation and Cathay at Its Everett Plant on October 17. It is Cathay Pacific’s 12th 777-300er and Its 29th 777.

Sales

Norweigan Air Shuttle Has Ordered Six Boeing 737-800s, Adding to 48 Already on Order From the Oslo Based Carrier. Norweigan is Also One of the First Customers in Europe for the 737 Blue Sky Interior, Which Includes a Number of Interior Features Inspired by the Boeing 787. It is Expected to Take Its First Blue Sky 737 in 2010. Air New Zealand Has Ordered 14 Airbus A320s, and Taken Options on 11 A320 Family Aircraft.

Military Redesign for Part of F136 Engine the General Electric/rolls-royce F136 Alternative Engine for the F-35 Jsf Requires a Minor Redesign of a Diffuser Which Directs Air Into the Engine Combustor. The Redesign Became Necessary After an Investigation Into Why a Nut Broke Off During Testing Last Month and Damaged a Test Engine. A Ge Spokesman Told Reuters That the Redesign Should See the Engine Back “up and Running by the End of the Year,” and That the Engine’s Combustor Was Performing as Expected. The F136 Engine Narrowly Avoided Being Cancelled Again This Year for the Third Year Running After Senate and House Appropriators Found Additional Funding to Keep It Alive, Despite a Threat From the White House to Cancel It. The P&w F135 Engine, a Development of the F-22 Raptor’s F119, is Already Flying in Three F-35 Development Aircraft.

Aussie Companies Win Jsf Contracts

Quickstep Holdings, Marand Engineering and Bae Systems Companies Have Signed Two Mous for Additional Work on the F-35 Jsf Program. Quickstep Holdings Has Signed an Mou With Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to Manufacture as Much as $700 Million Worth of Work Comprising Lower Side Skins, Maintenance Access Panels, F2 Fuel Tank Cover, Lower Skin and in-board Weapons Bay Doors for the Aircraft, While Marand Engineering, Bae Systems Australia and Quickstep Have Signed a Joint Mou to Produce as Many as 700 Vertical Tails for the F-35. All Parties Are Now Working Towards Securing a Long Term Agreement by Mid 2010. “the Potential Value of the Lta (Long Term Agreement) to Quickstep and to Australia Cannot Be Overstated,” Quickstep Managing Director Philippe Odouard Said in a Statement. “as Well as Generating Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in Export Revenue, the Lta Could Lead to World-class Training Opportunities in the Highly Advanced Industry of Aerospace Composites. Australia is Ideally Placed to Carve Itself a Much Bigger Slice of the Global Defence Market. ” Quickstep Says That It Expects the Lta Would Create 156 High End Jobs, With a Further 620 Support Industry Jobs. The Company Also Noted That It is Also Involved in Talks With Other Parties Concerning Further Jsf Work. “a Lot of Work Still Needs to Be Done to Turn the Mous Into Contracts but the Government Welcomes the Ongoing Efforts by Lockheed Martin and Its Jsf Industry Partners – Bae Systems (Uk) and Northrop Grumman Corporation – to Award Work to Local Companies as Agreed Under the Jsf Industry Participation Plan,” Acting Defence Minister Greg Combet Said. “to Date, Some 25 Australian Companies Have Won More Than $220 Million in Jsf Work, Primarily in Design and Production of the 19 Test Aircraft and Associated Support Equipment.

Final F-111 Exits Deep Maintenance

the Final F-111 to Undergo Deeper Level Maintenance With Boeing Defence Australia Has Exited the Company’s Amberley Facility, Ending 35 Years of F-111 Heavy Maintenance in Australia. F-111c A8-135 Was Delivered to 82wg for the Final Time at a November 4 Ceremony Attended by Raaf and Boeing Officials. The F-111 Fleet is Scheduled to Be Withdrawn by the End of 2010, and Will Likely Be Gradually Drawn Down as Aircraft Reach Their Major Service Points. “today is Exceptionally Historic Because We Are Delivering A8-135 From the Same Hangar 278 Where Deeper Maintenance Work on the First F-111 Began 35 Years Ago,” Said John Duddy, Vice President and Managing Director, Boeing Defence Australia. “we Take Pause to Honour and Recognise Every Raaf Serviceperson and Boeing Employee Who Has Contributed Toward Maintaining This Platform. Because of You, the F-111 Today Remains the Fastest and Longest Ranging Combat Aircraft in the Asia Pacific Region. ” “the Maintenance Systems Introduced With the F-111 Aircraft Have Been a Mainstay of Defence and Industry’s High Tech Support Capabilities for Well Over 35 Years,” Said Aircdre Roy Mcphail, Director General of Aerospace Combat Systems. “today’s Completion of the F-111 Deeper Maintenance Program Will Ensure the F-111 Fleet Remains Fully Capable Until the Replacement F/a-18f Super Hornets Come on Line. ” the F-111 Was Initially Serviced by Raaf Personnel Before Boeing Took Over Deeper Maintenance in 2001. More Than 300 Deeper Maintenance Services Have Been Performed on the Raaf’s Fleet of 28 F-111cs and 15 F-111gs Since 1974. The F-111gs Were Retired in 2007. Following the Usaf’s Retirement of Its F-111s in 1996 and Ef-111s in 1998, Boeing is Considered the Original Equipment Manufacturer of F-111 Because of the Extensive Modifications Made to the Fleet, With Boeing Also the Design Authority Certificate Holder for the Aircraft. Boeing Signs With Indian P-8i Suppliers Boeing Integrated Defence Systems Has Signed Several Agreements With Indian Defence Companies to Supply Electronics and Other Equipment for India’s Eight P-8i Poseidon Maritime Surveillance Aircraft. India Ordered the Eight Aircraft in a Us$2. 1bn (A2. 3$bn) Deal Earlier This Year, Making It the First Nation to Commit to the New 737-800 Derived Aircraft. “we Have Signed Agreements With Indian Companies Such as Bharat Electronics, Electronic Corporation of India and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for Supplying Equipment to Us for the Indian P-8is to Be Built in the Us,” Boeing’s India Chief Vivek Lall Said in a Statement. “they Will Be Supplying Indigenous Equipment and Spares Such as Transponders and Other Electronic Equipment for the Aircraft. ” Australia is Expected to Order 8-10 P-8as to Replace Part of Its Ap-3c Fleet Early Next Decade for Delivery From Around 2015.

First Australian Converted Kc-30 Departs for Spain

the Second Airbus Military Kc-30 (A330 Mrtt) for the Raaf Departed Australia for Spain on October 28 to Join the First Kc-30 for a Final Series of Proving Flights in Madrid Alongside the First Kc-30. The Kc-30 (Dubbed Mrtt 002), the First of Four to Be Converted to Tanker Standard From Green A330 Airframes at Brisbane by Qantas Defence Services, Undertook Four Test Flights Totalling 20 Flight Hours Before Departing for Spain for Further Testing. One Flight Included Several Low Passes Over the Kc-30’s Future Home Base of Raaf Amberley, While a Simulated Long Haul Flight Took the Aircraft Out to Alice Springs, Uluru and Return. Ground Testing Prior to the First Flight Included a Rejected Takeoff, With the Mrtt Accelerating to 100kt Before the Application of Full Braking to Bring the Aircraft to a Stop. Successful Completion of the First Local Kc-30 Conversion, According to Valentin Merino Villeneuve, Mrtt Raaf Program Manager, Was “an Outstanding Achievement and a Major Milestone in the Australian Mrtt Program. The Task Has Meant a 15 Month Hard Slog for Both Airbus Military and Qantas Defence Services to Gear Up for and Achieve Such an Enormous Technological Achievement, Utilising a Culturally Diverse Mix of Australian and Spanish Professionals 17,000km From Home Base. Its Success Strengthens Our Confidence in Our Ability to Successfully Complete Conversion of the Remaining Three Tankers. ”

Australian Forces Consolidate

in Middle East the Australian Military Contingent Based in the Persian Gulf Region is Preparing to Consolidate Its Support Elements and Move Into a New Centralised Base in an Undisclosed Country on the Gulf. Currently Dispersed Among Four Bases in the Region, the New Base Will Be Home to the Raaf’s Ap-3c Orions and C-130h/j Hercules Based in the Region, and Will Become the Main Cargo, Equipment and Personnel Movement Hub for Australian Forces Deploying to and Returning From the Region. About 500 Australian Personnel Will Be Located at the New Base, and Capacity for a Further 500 Personnel Transitting Through Has Been Provided. It is Australian Government Policy to Not Disclose the Location of Its Bases in the Persian Gulf Region Bases in Deference to the Host Nations’ Wishes. Believed to Be the Furthest South of the Four Bases Currently Being Used, the New Base Gives Better Access to the Air Routes Around Iranian Airspace Into Afghanistan, as Well as for the Ap-3cs Conducting Anti-piracy Operations in the Indian Ocean. “with the Change in Government the Focus Shifted to Afghanistan,” the Base Commander, Wgcdr Peter Davis, Told Aap. “the Big Problem We Have Had is We Have Still Had Our Support Network Set Up as if We Were in Iraq. ” Sharing the Base Will Be Uk, Canadian, Us, New Zealand, Dutch and Other Forces.

Pentagon Jet Team Sticks With Negative Jsf Assessment

the Pentagon’s Joint Estimate Team (Jet) Has Re-affirmed Its Previous Assessment of the F-35 Jsf Program, Saying “substantially More Money and Time Will Be Required” to Complete Development of the Aircraft Than is Currently Scheduled. The Assessment Suggests the Program May Even Come Close to the 25 Per Cent Overrun Trigger Point Which Would Incur a Breach of the Nunn-mccurdy Limit, Forcing a Program Review and Either a Restructure if Deemed Essential to National Security, or Possible Cancellation. Lockheed Martin and the Jsf Program Office (Jpo) Have Responded, Saying the Findings Weren’t Unexpected Considering the Immaturity of the Flight Test Program and Because the Jet Had Based Its Findings on “legacy” Flight Test Programs. “we Disagree With Their Conclusions, Which We Believe Are Driven by Legacy Based Assumptions Regarding the Time Required to Deliver the Remaining Sdd (System Development and Design) Aircraft, Complete Development, and Conduct the Flight Test Campaign,” the Company Said in a Statement. “the Program is Early in the Flight Test Phase, So It is Much Too Soon to Conclude That the Expected Payoffs Will Not Be Realised. ” According to the Blog ‘dod Buzz’, One Congressional Aide on Capitol Hill Has Reportedly Called for a Restructure of the Program as Soon as Possible to Avoid a Nunn-mccurdy Breach, While Another Said the Cost Increase Could Be Between Us$7bn and Us$17bn (a$7. 6-$18. 5bn). The Company Had Planned to Fly Nine More Flight Test Aircraft in 2009 to Add to the Three Already Flying, but None of These Aircraft Have Flown to Date and at Least Three Have Slipped to 2010. The Delays Have Been Attributed to ‘travelled Work’ From Suppliers Resulting in Detailed Post Production Work Needing to Be Performed Before the Aircraft Can Be Handed Over to the Flight Line.

Alternative Jsf Engine Funding Survives

Again Us President Barack Obama Has Signed the Us Defense Authorization Bill for Fy2010, a Bill Which Includes Us$680m (a$760m) Funding for the Jsf’s Alternative Rolls-royce/ge F136 Engine. The Funding Had Been in Jeopardy After Various Interest Groups Had Called for the Second Engine to Be Dropped, While President Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates Had Threatened to Veto Any New Funding for It if It Took Funding Away From the Jsf Program Itself. But the Senate and House Appropriations Committees Had Both Voted to Include the Engine During Their Deliberations in October Without Eating Into Jsf Funds. Rolls and Ge Have Continually Argued That Having an Alternative Engine, Despite Costing Some Us$6bn to Develop, Will End Up Saving Money Over the Life of the Program Due to a Competitive Process in Engine Selection. They Consider the F136 to Be a Younger, Higher Technology Engine With Greater Thrust and Growth Potential Over the Life of the Program. Pratt & Whitney Has Argued Its F135 Engine is More Mature Because It is the Only F-35 Engine Currently Flying, and It Was Developed From the Core of F-22’s Proven F119 Engine. Us Defense Secretary Robert Gates Had Not Ruled Out Trying to Kill Off the Funding in Next Year’s Fy2011 Budget. “that is the Discussion That is Taking Place Between the Secretary and His Budget Team as They Go About Building the Fy11 Budget Request,” Pentagon Spokesman Geoff Morell Said, Adding That “it is Still Very Much a Question as to How We

Four More Raptors

Lockheed Martin Has Been Awarded a Us$474. 2m (a$526m) Contract by the Usaf for the Final Four of 187 F-22 Raptors. The Money Was Appropriated Under the Fy2010 Defense Authorization Bill Which Was Signed Into Law on October 28 by President Barack Obama. Long Lead Items for These Aircraft Had Been Authorised Under Previous Defence Budgets, and Production of the F-22 is Due to Wrap Up by Early 2011. Of the 187 Production F-22s, Two Have Been Lost in Accidents.

Malaysia to Retire Mig-29s?

Malaysia Will Retire Its Mig-29s Next Year Due to Rising Maintenance and Operational Costs, According to a Report in Local Media. The Report Says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi Said the Aircraft Will Be Drawn Down Over the Next 12 Months and Will Be Phased Out by December 31 Next Year. Malaysia Operates a Wide Variety of Small Numbers of Combat Aircraft Including Su-30mkms, F/a-18ds, the Mig-29s, F-5e/f and Hawk 200s, Although the Operational Status of These Varies. Raytheon Flies First Jsow-er Raytheon Has Announced It Successfully Conducted the First Free-flight of a Joint Stand-off Weapon – Extended Range (Jsow-er) on October 1. The Jsow-er is a Jsow Glide Weapon Fitted With a Hamilton Sundstrand Tj150 Turbojet Within the Original Unpowered Weapon’s Mould Line to Increase the Range From Just Over 100km to More Than 400km, Giving Aircraft Such as the Hornet and Super Hornet a True Stand-off Precision Attack Capability. While the Jsow-er is a Currently a Mostly Company Funded Development Program, the Us Navy Has Shown Considerable Interest and Provided Some Development Funding. The Raaf Has Ordered the Current Non-powered Agm-154 Jsow C-1 to Equip Its New F/a-18f Super Hornets Which Enter Service From March Next Year.

Usaf Tanker Battle Resumes

Hot on the Heels of the Usaf Re-releasing a Draft Rfp for Its Kc-x Tanker Replacement Program, Northrop Grumman Has Opened the Possibility of Boycotting the Competition Due to What It Says Are Faulty Draft Bidding Rules and Because It Claims Boeing Received an Unfair Advantage When It Was Given Costing Information on Northrop’s Previous Bid. The Kc-x Process is Now in Its Third Iteration Following Two Previous Aborted Attempts to Run a Fair and Equitable Competition, Both of Which Northrop Grumman/eads Won With Their A330 Based Offering Against Boeing’s Kc-767at. “compared to the Last Competition, We May Be on a Path Where the Taxpayer May Pay More for Less Capability,” Mitch Waldman, a Northrop Vice President, Told a Washington Media Briefing on October 28, Comparing the Competition to a “race to the Bottom. ” When Asked Whether the Company Would Consider Not Offering a Bid in the Competition, Waldman Said, “we Really Need to See What the Final Request for Proposals Looks Like Before We Make That Determination. ” the Pentagon Has Dismissed Northrop’s Threat, but Has Agreed to Consider All Feedback Before Releasing the Final Rfp. “i Find That Extraordinarily Hard to Believe,” a Pentagon Spokesman Said. “this is an Extremely Lucrative Contract and I Don’t Think We Have Any Doubt That There Will Be a Healthy Competition to Win It. ” “i Would Imagine That We Are Going to Consider Some Change to the Rfp,” Air Force Secretary Michael Donley Told Aviation Week, Adding That He Wasn’t Happy With the Political Posturing and Public Campaigns That Were Already Starting to Emerge, Despite No Firm Rfp Having Yet Been Released. “we Really Don’t Need the Emotional (Element) and This is a Tough Project in and of Itself,” He Said. “we Don’t Need All of the Difficult and Complicating Elements That Are Added to That When People Try to Develop Campaigns in Favour of Their Program. ” It is Expected That 179 Tankers Will Be Required for Kc-x, With Possible Follow-on Orders Early Next Decade Under the Planned Kc-y Program to Replace the Usaf’s Large Fleet of 1950/60s Era Kc-135 Tankers. Boeing is Yet to Indicate Whether It Will Offer a Version of Its 767 Which is Smaller Than the A330, or the Larger 777. First Wet Contact for Kc-30 Boom the Raaf’s First Kc-30 Tanker Has Successfully Performed Its First ‘wet Contact’ Inflight Refuelling Using Its Arbs Boom, Passing Fuel to Two Portuguese Air Force F-16s on October 21. The Flight Lasted Four Hours and 30 Minutes, During Which a Total of 13 Contacts Were Performed, With More Than 1. 5 Tonnes of Fuel Being Transferred, Airbus Military Announced. The Test “demonstrates That the Refuelling System is Well Integrated Into the Airframe, With All Systems Functioning Satisfactorily,” Airbus Military Said in a Statement. Raytheon Australia Wins Aosg Support Contract Raytheon Australia Has Successfully Retained Its Contract to Support the Aircraft Operated by the Adf’s Aerospace Operational Support Group (Aosg) at Raaf Base Edinburgh. The Contract Was Signed by Avm Mark Skidmore, Air Commander Australia, and Raytheon Australia’s Managing Director, Michael Ward. “this Successful Re-compete of the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (Ardu) Contract Which Raytheon Australia Has Held for the Past 10 Years Continues Our Tradition of Providing High Quality and Dependable Aircraft Maintenance Services to the Australian Defence Force,” Ward Said. “the Contract Requires Many Specialised Skill-sets Including Avionics, Aircraft, Armament and Life Support Technicians, Ground Support Equipment and Manufacturing Specialists, Logistics, Governance, and Project Management. Many of the Existing Staff Will Continue Service From the Original Ardu Contract Inception, Continuing Their 10 Years of Dedicated Service to Ardu and Aosg. ” the Work Includes Aircraft Maintenance, Armament Support, Electrical and Mechanical Component Manufacture as Well as Non-standard Modification for the Aosg’s Permanent Fleet of Two F/a-18s, One S-70a-9 Black Hawk and Two Pc-9/as, as Well as Visiting Aircraft.

Qinetiq Teams With Bae Systems for Jp66

Qinetiq and Bae Systems Have Teamed Up to Offer a Solution for the Adf’s Long Held Jp66 Phase 1 Air Defence Target System Requirement. The Teaming Says Its “partnership Will Deliver Flexibility and a Depth of Capability to Provide the Full Extent of the Defence Requirement From Helicopter Simulations, Through Towed Targets That Can Produce a Variety of Signatures, to High Velocity, Highly Manoeuvrable Unmanned Aerial Targets. ” No Specific Airframes or Target Types Have Been Publicly Identified as Part of the Proposed Solution. The Jp66 Contract Will See Three Types of Targets Owned, Maintained and Operated by the Successful Bidder Under the Contract and Operated at Various Ranges Around Australia. The Project Received First Pass Approval Earlier This Year and is Due to Go to Second Pass Consideration in 2010. Service Entry is Expected in 2012. Hawker Beechcraft Updates at-6 Progress Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Provided an Update on Its Beechcraft at-6 Light Attack Aircraft Program at the Nbaa Convention in Orlando on October 20. The Company Has Been Flying an at-6 Demonstrator Version of Its T-6 Advanced Trainer With a View to Selling the Aircraft to the Us and Other Countries as an Economical Light Attack/counter Insurgency Aircraft/armed Reconnaissance Aircraft, and Has Recently Completed Preliminary Flight Envelope Investigations and Initial Integration of an Eo/ir Sensor. A Second Prototype is Currently Under Construction and is Scheduled to Fly Early Next Year, and Will Be Fitted With a More Powerful Pt6a-68/10 Engine. Offered by Raytheon in Australia, the at-6 is Likely to Be Considered as a Replacement for the Raaf’s Pc-9/as Currently Operated by 4sqn in the Forward Air Control (Fac) Training Role at Raaf Base Williamtown.

Denmark Postpones Fighter Decision  Denmark’s Defence Minister, Soren Gade, Has Announced That a Major Fighter Order Planned for This Year Will Be Deferred Because the Country Has Failed to Come to a Decision on the Successful Bidder. Denmark Currently Operates 62 F-16ams Acquired in the Late 1970s and Early 1980s, and Will Choose Between the Lockheed Martin F-35a, Boeing F/a-18e/f Super Hornet and Saab Jas-39e/f Gripen Ng as a Replacement. Despite Having a Requirement for 48 Operational Aircraft From a Core Fleet of 62, Denmark is Also Reportedly Looking to Reduce This Number to Just 30 From a Smaller Core Fleet and Possibly Retaining Some of the F-16s, All of Which Have Been Extensively Upgraded in the Past Decade.

Boeing to Market Int’l Hfmod

Boeing Defence Australia Has Signed an Mou With Radio Frequency Systems (Rfs) to Jointly Market Boeing’s Locally Designed Modernised High Frequency Communications System (Mhfcs) Internationally. The System, Based on That Designed for the Adf’s Jp2043 Hfmod Project Currently Being Delivered, Has Seen Great Interest From Overseas Operators, Especially Those With Large Airspaces to Defend. “developed Over 10 Years for Use by the Australian Defence Force (Adf), Boeing’s Mhfcs is Independently Recognised as the World’s Most Advanced System of Its Type,” Said Steve Parker, Vice President and General Manager of Network & Space Systems for Bda. “rfs is an Important Supplier of Antenna Systems to Bda, and This Agreement Marks the Next Step in Our Teams’ Successful Collaboration. Rfs’ Expertise in the Innovative Design, Manufacture and Installation of High Frequency Antennas Significantly Strengthens Our Mhfcs Offering. ” First New F-16 for Pakistan Rolled Out the First of 18 New Build F-16c/d Block 52s for Pakistan Was Rolled Out at Fort Worth on October 13. The Aircraft, Part of the Peace Drive I Program, Was Presented to the Chief of the Pakistani Air Force. The Order Includes an Initial 12 F-16cs and Six F-16ds Plus Options on a Further 20 Aircraft. Also Included is a Comprehensive Weapons Package and the Upgrade of 34 F-16a/b Fighter Which Were Delivered to Pakistan Prior to a Weapons Ban Being Enforced on the Country in 1990. Deliveries of the First Batch of Aircraft to Pakistan is Scheduled for December This Year.

Military Briefs

Hawker Beechcraft Has Announced the Usaf Has Ordered an Additional Six Mc-12w Liberty Isr Aircraft to Add to the 23 It Ordered Last Year and Already Has in Service. Based on the King Air 350er, the Special Mission Equipped Mc-12ws Have Already Been Deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in Support of Coalition Troops. Pilatus Has Successfully Flown the First of 35 South African Air Force Pc-7 Mk. ii Advanced Trainers to Have Undergone a  Comprehensive Avionics Upgrade. The Upgrade Sees the Aircraft Fitted With a Digital ‘glass’ Cockpit Replacing Obsolete and Difficult to Support Analogue Equipment to See the Aircraft Through to Their Planned Withdrawal From Service Date. The First Upgrade Was Completed in Switzerland by Pilatus, but the Remaining Upgrades Will Be Performed in South Africa by Aerosud With the Support of Pilatus Field Engineers. The Work is Expected to Be Completed by 2012. the Usaf Has Given the Go-ahead to Northrop Grumman to Fit an All-new Advanced Radar to Its Remaining Fleet of 20 B-2 Stealth Bombers. The Upgrade Will See a New Advanced Electronically Scanned Array (Aesa) Radar Fitted to the Fleet Under the Radar Modernization Program (Rmp). The New Radar Will Not Only Add New Capabilities to the B-2, but Will Also Be Much Easier to Maintain and Support in Service. the Us Navy’s Northrop Grumman Global Hawk Demonstrator for Its Planned Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (Bams) Program Has Returned to the Us After an Eight Month Deployment to the Middle East. The Demonstrator, a Former Usaf Rq-4a Block 10 Development Aircraft, Was Based in the Middle East Performing Operational Maritime Surveillance and Other Missions as Part of the Program to Develop the Bams Concept of Operations. During Its Deployment It Flew More Than 1000 Hours in 60 Missions, an Average of More Than 18 Hours Per Mission. the Usaf Has Given Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft (Acca) Technology Demonstrator the Designation the X-55a. The One-off Acca, Which First Flew in June, Uses the Wings, Engines and Empennage of a Dornier 328jet Mated to an All-new Composite Structure Fuselage, Using Just 300 New Parts to Replace More Than 3000 Original Parts, and Just One-tenth the Number of Fasteners. the Us Air Force Has Retired Its Last Active F-15a/b. The Final Aircraft, F-15a Tail Number 77-098 (an Fy77 Budget Year Model Delivered in 1979) Has Been Flying With the Oregon Air National Guard Since 1994. The a and B Model F-15s Were Replaced by the F-15c/d in Production From 1980, and Have Been Slowly Phased Out of Service Since, Most Be Mothballed at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (Amarg) at Davis Monthan Afb in Arizona. Boeing’s A160 Hummingbird Vertical Takeoff Uav Has Successfully Demonstrated a Series of Flights With a Foliage Penetrating Radar Called Forester. The Radar Flew for 53 Hours Aboard the A160 and Demonstrated Its Ability to See Through Foliage That May Be Masking Troops or Vehicles as Part of a Darpa Sponsored Development Program for the Us Army.

Airlines

Air Nz Opts for Airbus

Air New Zealand Has Ordered 14 New Airbus A320s to Replace 15 Boeing 737-300s for Domestic Services, to Join 12 A320s Already in Service for Trans Tasman and Pacific Routes. The Deal, Announced on November 3, Also Includes Purchase Options on 11 Further A320s, Which Could Possibly Be Upgraded to A321s. The First A320 From the Order Will Arrive in January 2011, With More Aircraft Arriving Through Until the End of 2016 as Leases on the 737s Expire. While the Order is Worth Over Us$1bn (a$1bn) at List Prices, Air Nz Says That It Has “secured the Aircraft at a Discount That Reflects the Current Market Conditions. ” the Aircraft Will Be Powered by Iae V2500 Engines, Albeit a More Advanced Version Compared to Its Current A320s. The New A320s Will Also Have a Domestic Configuration, Which is Likely to Be an All-economy, 171-seat Arrangement. “our 12 Airbus A320s Already Deployed on Short Haul International Routes Are Performing Well, and Moving to One Single-aisle Aircraft Type for Both Domestic and Short Haul International Routes Will Immediately Deliver Added Efficiencies in Maintenance, Crew Training, and Overall Fleet Simplification,” Said Bruce Parton, Air New Zealand General Manager Short Haul Airline. The A320 Family Was Chosen After a Competitive Evaluation That Also Considered the Boeing 737-800, and It is Understood That the Airline Was Able to Extract a Significant Discount on the Aircraft’s List Price.

Accc Approves Delta-virgin Blue Tie Up

the Accc Issued a Draft Determination on November 2 to Allow Delta Air Lines and Virgin Blue to Operate Their Proposed Joint Venture on Trans-pacific Routes. “the Accc Considers That the Joint Venture is Likely to Assist Virgin Blue and Delta to Compete More Effectively Against the Incumbents on the Routes, Qantas and United Airlines,” Accc Chairman Graeme Samuel Said. “the Entry of Virgin Blue and Delta on the Trans-pacific Routes Has Created Strong Competition on Price and Service in the Market for Passenger Transport. The Accc Expects That This Would Continue to Be the Case Under the New Arrangements to the Benefit of Consumers,” He Added. Under Their Proposed Joint Venture Arrangement, Delta and Virgin Blue Would Coordinate Their Approaches on Pricing, Revenue Management, Schedules, Product and Capacity on Services in the South Pacific. The Deal is Expected to Deliver Great Benefit to Both V Australia and Delta’s Trans-pacific Services. The Airlines Are Also Awaiting a Decision From the Us Department of Transportation in Order to Proceed With the Joint Venture.

Air France Takes First A380

Air France Became the First European Airline to Take Delivery of an Airbus A380 When the French Carrier’s First Example Was Handed Over in a Ceremony at Hamburg on October 30. The Engine Alliance Gp7200 Powered Aircraft, Configured to Seat 538 Passengers in a Nine First Class, 80 Business Class and 449 Economy Class Arrangement, is the First of 12 Air France Has on Order. It Will Enter Service on November 23 on the Paris-new York Route. Three of Air France’s 12 A380s Will Be Delivered Through to the Northern Spring of 2010, the Airline Said, Closely Followed by a Fourth. Paris-johannesburg Flights Will Launch During the Northern Winter of 2009-2010. “each A380 Will Enable Air France to Save 12 to 15 Million Euros a Year, Which, in Today’s Depressed Economic Climate, Provides the Company With the Means to Withstand the Crisis,” Said Air France Klm Ceo Pierre-henri Gourgeon. Air France’s First A380 is the 20th A380 Delivered So Far by Airbus – 10 Are Now in Service With Singapore Airlines, Five With Emirates and Four With Qantas Operating on 13 Routes. To Date, Says Airbus, These Aircraft Have Accumulated Over 75,000 Revenue Flight Hours in Over 7900 Commercial Flights, Carrying Over 2. 5 Million Passengers.

Tiger Spralwls Stalking Avalon?

Tiger Airways Australia Will Add Brisbane-melbourne to Its Network in 2010, as Well as Increasing a Number of Frequencies From Melbourne and Sydney, Amidst Reports That It is Looking to Move to Avalon Airport. The Carrier Announced on November 5 That It Will Fly Up to Three Times Daily Between Melbourne and Brisbane From March 28. Previously, It Announced That From January It Will Add From Melbourne an Extra Weekly Service to the Sunshine Coast, an Extra Daily Service to Hobart, Six Weekly to the Gold Coast and Three Additional Weekly Services to Adelaide. The Carrier Also Announced on October 30 That It Will Add a Second Daily Service Between Sydney and the Gold Coast From Early February. Tiger Launches Daily Services on the Route on December 15. Meanwhile, a Report by the Herald Sun Newspaper in October Claimed That the Airline Has Also Been Involved in Talks With Linfox to Move Some or All of Its Flights to Avalon Airport, West of Melbourne. Tiger Spokesperson Vanessa Regan Said That the Airline Was in “continual Discussions With All Airports About Its Growth Strategy”, While a Linfox Spokesman Declined to Comment. Rival Jetstar Operates Five Daily Services From Avalon to Sydney and Three Times Daily Services to Brisbane.

Qantas Cries Foul on Levy

the Qantas Group Has Spoken Out Against Plans by the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority to Impose a Passenger Safety Levy on Jetstar’s Domestic New Zealand Services. Under Changes to Legislation Proposed by the New Zealand Government, the Nzcaa Would Be Able to Impose a Levy on Services Operated Within New Zealand by Airlines Operating on an Australian Air Operator’s Certificate. “we Are Opposed to the Change in the Regulations Based on the Principle That We Believe the Intent of the Existing Regulations Was to Offer Carriers in Both Countries an Operating Environment Where They Were Regulated by a Single Safety Regulator and Not Both, Which Also Includes Paying All Fees and Charges to the Regulatory Authority of Which They Are Governed by,” Said Qantas Executive Government and Corporate Affairs David Epstein. “we Believe That the Changes Proposed by the New Zealand Government Will Result in Commercial Inequities, and Have Adverse Implications for Both New Zealand and Australian Operators Seeking to Invest in Either Market in the Future. ” Epstein Said the Proposed Changes, Which Were to Take Effect From December 4, Would Mean That Jetstar Would Have to Pay the New Zealand Government an Additional Nzd $1. 66 Per Passenger (Including Gst), Per Domestic New Zealand Sector.

Nz-south Africa Air Services Agreement Expanded

New Zealand and South Africa Have Expanded Their Air Services Agreement, Which Will Allow Airlines to Operate Daily Services via Australia. “the New Arrangements Will Provide a Real Boost for Business, Tourism and People-to-people Links,” Said New Zealand’s Associate Minister of Transport Nathan Guy. “this Will Allow the Airlines of Each Country to Pick Up and Drop Off Passengers and Freight in Australia, and to Operate Daily Flights Between Our Two Countries – Up From Three Flights Per Week. ” the New Agreement Was Negotiated in June 2008 and Updates Aspects of the New Zealand-south Africa Air Services Agreement Negotiated in 1997. The New Arrangements Could Allow Air New Zealand or South African Airways – Which Are Both Star Alliance Carriers – to Either Launch Their Own Services or Codeshare on Each Others’ Services.

Regional Pacific Looks to Cairns-mt Isa-alice Springs

Air Link Regional Pacific Airlines (Rpa) Operated a Proving Flight From Cairns to Alice Springs via Mount Isa on October 28, With the Airline Planning to Develop It Into a Twice Weekly Passenger Service. Rpa Ceo Anthony Sandford Told the Abc That He Sees Potential to Develop the Route to Service the Mining Sector and Develop Tourism. “queensland is Currently Promoting the Outback, Visit the Outback, Western Queensland, and We Believe That We Can Then Tap Through to Central Australia Too,” He Said. “so It Would Be a Complete Outback Package That Can Be Put Together. ” Regional Pacific Currently Operates a Fleet of Embraer Emb-120 Aircraft From Cairns and Flies to Mount Isa, Northern Peninsula Area (Bamaga), Edward River and Kowanyama.

Jetstar Launches Credit Card

Jetstar Has Launched a New Credit Card Which Will Offer Cardholders Credits Towards Flights on the Airline. Launched in Conjunction With Macquarie Bank on October 28, the Jetstar Mastercard Offers a Low Interest Rate and Will Allow Cardholders to Earn ‘jetstar Dollars’ Which Can Be Redeemed for Flight Vouchers to Use Across the Jetstar Network. the Card Will Accrue One Cent in Jetstar Dollars for Every Dollar Spent on Everyday Purchases and Two Cents for Every Dollar Spent on Everyday Purchases on the Jetstar Platinum Mastercard. Jetstar Says That It is Also Working on a Mechanism Whereby Cardholders Will Be Able to Use Their Jetstar Dollars to Purchase Qantas Frequent Flyer Points.

Baggage Handlers’ Strike Leads to Prosecutions

the Fair Work Ombudsman Has Launched Prosecution Action Against the Transport Workers Union (Twu) Over a Strike by Qantas Baggage Handlers on March 30. According to Documents Lodged With the Federal Court in Sydney, the Ombudsman Alleges That the Four Hour Snap Strike Was Unlawful. The Respondents, Including the Twu and Twu Queensland, Face Fines of Up to $33,000, While Four Union Officials Face Individual Fines of Up to $6000. Qantas is Also Reportedly Seeking Up to $2 Million in Damages. The March 30 Strike Took Place at Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth Airports in Protest Against a Decision to Outsource Some Work and Qantas’s Security Policies, Forcing Delays to the Unloading of a Number of International Flights.

New Airline for Christmas Island?

A New Christmas Islands Based Airline Has Applied to the International Air Services Commission to Allow It to Start Flights Between Christmas Island and Singapore Using a Boeing 737-300 Wet Leased From Our Airline. Australian Indian Ocean Territories Airlines (Aiota) Says in Its Application, Dated October 22, That It is Seeking Unlimited Capacity on the Singapore Route for 10 Years, With Some of the Capacity to Be Utilised on the Commencement of the Northern Winter 09 Scheduling Season, Although It Does Not Provide an Indicative Schedule of What Its Likely Frequencies Would Be. Aiota Notes That It “has a Sound Business Plan to Serve the Indian Ocean Territories and is Well Funded to Make This Venture a Success”, While It Has Also Lodged an Application With the Department of Infrastructure to Be Designated as an Australian Carrier on the Singapore Route. It Also Says That It Has Submitted Applications for an International Airline Licence as Well as a Western Australian Aircraft Licence. The Prospective Airline Says That to Serve the Route It Will Wet Lease a 737-300 With 130-seats From Nauruan Carrier Our Airline. Our Airline is Also Planning to Provide a 737 on Wet Lease to Pacific Wings to Operate Flights From Brisbane and Sydney to New Caledonia and New Zealand.

Fyfe Apologises to Erebus Families

Air New Zealand Ceo Rob Fyfe Has Apologised to the Families of the Victims of the Crash of One of the Airline’s Dc-10s at Mount Erebus in Antarctica in 1979, Saying That the Airline Has Not Offered Enough Support for Them. “i Can’t Turn the Clock Back, but as I Look Forward, I Would Like to Start This Next Step in Our Journey – by Saying Sorry,” He Said on October 23 in a Speech at the Unveiling of a Sculpture at the Airline’s Headquarters. “sorry to All Those Who Suffered the Loss of a Loved One or Were Affected by the Erebus Tragedy and Who Did Not Receive the Support and Compassion They Should Have From Air New Zealand. ” Fyfe Also Reflected on the Accident Involving One of Its A320s Off the Coast of Perpignon, France, Last Year in Which Four Air Nz Staff Members Died. “we Could Also Do Everything in Our Power to Learn From the Accident and Ensure That All Those Who Fly in Future, Can Fly More Safely as a Result of the Improvements That Are Made Once We Discover the Mysteries of What Caused This Accident. ” Air New Zealand Flight Te901 Crashed Into Mount Erebus While on a Sightseeing Flight Over Antarctica on November 28 1979.

V Aus Launches Nadi Service

V Australia Launched Sales of Its Sydney-nadi Services on November 5, Following a Competition for Capacity With the Qantas Group. The Airline Has Announced That It Will Commence Daily Services From December 18, Decreasing to Six Times Weekly From February 1. Virgin Blue Originally Applied for an Allocation of 1260 Seats on August 12, Which With the Pacific Blue Allocations Would Allow It to Operate a Daily 777 Service From Sydney to Nadi, in Part Driven by a Need to Increase the Utilisation of the V Australia Fleet. Qantas Subsequently Launched a Competing Application for Some of That Capacity, Proposing Jetstar to Operate Daily A321 Services on the Same Route. Qantas Does Not Operate Its Own Services to Fiji, but Has a Freesale Codeshare Agreement With Air Pacific, in Which It Owns a 46 Per Cent Stake. At the Time of Writing, Jetstar Had Not Announced if It Will Launch Its Own Flights. The Qantas Group Has Been Awarded Enough Capacity to Allow It to Operate Four A321 Services Each Week.

Skywest Profit Plunges

Skywest Airlines Has Recorded a Profit of S$3. 179m (a$2. 46m) for the 2008/09 Financial Year, a 65 Per Cent Drop on the Previous Year’s Result. The Profit Came on Revenues of S$180. 85m (a$140. 34m), Down Two Per Cent as Costs Increased by Two Per Cent to S$90. 17m (a$69. 97m). Chairman Jeff Chatfield Noted That the Company Reported a Loss During the First Half of the Year, Forcing It to Take a More Conservative Growth Profile Which Led to a “very Significant Improvement in Profit in the Second Half of the Year”. It Also Successfully Negotiated New Enterprise Bargaining Agreements With Its Pilot and Engineering Groups and Hired Two New Executives During the Year. While It Didn’t Offer Specific Profit Guidance, the Airline Noted That With the Increase in Resources Sector Activity in Wa and the Recent Renewing of Its Coastal Route License by the Wa Government That It Was Well Placed to Sustain Continued Revenue Growth in the Future. The London Listed Airline Also Said That It Was Still Investigating Listing on the Australian Securities Exchange in Order to Increase Participation by Australian Investors. The Airline Notes That This “might Facilitate an Increase in the Australian Level of Investment in the Company Which May in Turn Assist the Group to Obtain an Australian International Airline Licence”.

Jetstar Renews Gds Agreements

Jetstar Has Renewed Distribution Arrangements With the Sabre and Worldspan Global Distribution Systems. The New Arrangements Will Allow Jetstar (Jq), Jetstar Asia (3k) and Valuair (Vf) Tickets to Be Issued via the Gds’s Through a Single Agreement. Jetstar Pacific Tickets Will Soon Be Added to Distribution Through Sabre, in Addition to Its Existing Agreement With Worldspan. “through Our Growing Interline and Gds Partnerships, Customers Planning Travel Across the Asia Pacific Region Are Increasingly Able to Tap Into the Qantas Group Network When Determining Their Travel Itinerary to or From Europe, Asia, the United States or the Middle East,” Said Jetstar’s Executive Manager Commercial David Koczkar. Gdss Are Traditionally Shunned by Low Cost Carriers Due to the Additional Costs It Adds to Tickets, but Jetstar Negates This by Adding a Surcharge on Tickets Purchased Through a Gds. Qantas Unveils Socceroos 747 Qantas Unveiled a New Socceroos Decal on One of Its Boeing 747-400s in a Ceremony at Melbourne Airport on October 22, Ahead of the Socceroos Fifa World Cup Campaign in South Africa Next Year. “this Aircraft Will Be Flying Across Australia and Around the Globe, Showing the Support That Australia Has for Its Football Team,” Said Qantas Ceo Alan Joyce. “this Boeing 747-400 Will Carry the Team to the World Cup Next Year and We Will Be Making Sure the Team Arrive in South Africa Rested and Ready to Take on Their Opponents. ” the Boeing 747 Spent a Week in the Qantas Hangar for the New Decal to Be Applied. It Reentered Service on October 23, Operating Qf63 From Sydney to Johannesburg. Qantas is the Naming Rights Sponsor of the Socceroos, and Has Committed Its Sponsorship Out to March 2012.

Qantas Sees Recovery Ahead

Qantas Chairman Leigh Clifford Told Investors at the Company’s Agm in Perth on October 21 That While the Global Economic Outlook Remained Uncertain, the Airline Was “seeing Some Encouraging Signs and Certainly No Further Deterioration. ” “the Qantas Group is Well Positioned to Withstand This Period of Downturn With the Strengths of Its Two Flying Brands, Strong Management, and Dedicated People. And the Group Will Be Ready to Emerge Strongly, and Seize the Opportunities When Conditions Improve,” Said Clifford. Speaking Alongside Clifford After the Agm at a Press Conference, Ceo Alan Joyce Noted That the Airline Had Been Able to Maintain Loads Over the Year by Cutting Fares and Yields, With International Yields Down 20 Per Cent While Domestic Yields Were Down “in the Low Teens”. He Also Noted That the Airline Has Started Raising Its Fares Domestically, and Expects to Continue to Do So to Bring Yields Back to Sustainable Levels. He Added That While Leisure Traffic Has Been Strong and Has Assisted the Airline’s Loads, Business Traffic Has Not Yet Recovered. “we Are Not Seeing an Improvement in the Business Traffic. We Still See the Business Traffic as Being Weak. That is Something That Needs to Improve. ” the Agm Was Dominated by Discussion About the Airline’s Payout to Former Chief Executive Geoff Dixon, Which Totalled $10. 7 Million After Compensation Was Given to Dixon for Changes to Superannuation Tax Changes Affecting His Contract. As a Result, More Than 42 Per Cent of Shareholders Voted to Reject the Board’s Remuneration Report, Although It Was Still Officially Passed. Shareholders Also Re-elected General Peter Cosgrove (Ret’d), Gary Hounsell and James Strong to the Board, Although the Latter Faced Some Backlash Due to His Handling of the Dixon Payout as Chair of the Airline’s Remuneration Committee. Technical Issues Force Delay to Qantas A380 Qantas is Not Expected to Take Its Fifth Airbus A380 Until December Following “flight Stability Problems” Encountered With One of the Aircraft. The Airline Has Confirmed That One of the A380s Will Undergo Further Testing at Toulouse After Encountering the Problems During Routine Flight Testing, the Newspaper Reported. The Issue is Reportedly Be Related to the Aircraft’s “flight Trim”. ”qantas Has Robust Contractual Provisions in Place With All Aircraft Manufacturers, Including Airbus, That Govern Tolerances Around Aircraft Specifications, Including Flight Trim,” an Airline Statement Was Quoted as Saying. It Added That Qantas Was Not Expecting “any Commercial Impact” From the Delay as It Was Yet to Publish Schedules for the Fifth A380.

No Further Jetstar Replacement of Qantas Flights – Joyce  Qantas Ceo Alan Joyce Has Told the Australian That Jetstar Would Not Take Over Any More Routes From the Qantas Brand Despite the Success in Turning Around Losses in the Japanese and Domestic New Zealand Markets. “we Have Decided That, With Qantas, We Have Gone to a Minimum Network, a Network We Can’t Drop Below,” Joyce Told the Newspaper in an Interview Published on October 16. “there Will Be No Further Replacement of Qantas Flights With Jetstar. That’s It. ” Nevertheless, Jetstar is Expected to Continue Its Expansion, Particularly on Medium Haul Routes as It Prepares to Take on Additional A330-200s, Which Could Allow It to Launch One-stop Services Into Southern Europe, Particularly to Cities Such as Rome, Milan and Athens. “with the Big Italian and Greek Communities Here, There is a Big Visiting-friends-and-relatives Market,” Said Joyce. Joyce Added That the Carrier Was Looking at Reconfiguring Its International Fleet to Increase the Number of Economy and Premium Economy Seats, and Could Look at Taking Out the First Class Cabin on Further Routes. “we Are Still Going to Be a First Class Airline – We Are Absolutely Committed to That – but Do We Need First Class Everywhere?” Rex Cries Foul on Qantaslink’s Pricing Regional Express (Rex) Has Slammed Rival Qantaslink, Claiming That It Has Engaged in Predatory Pricing on the Townsville-mackay Route After the Qantas Subsidiary Increased Capacity and Dropped Its Lead-in Fares to $99 One Way. ”it Looks Like They Are Trying to Push Us Out,” Rex Managing Director Jim Davis Told the Townsville Bulletin. “we Have Not Experienced Such Aggression Before. We Are Not Afraid of Competition, It is a Very Competitive Industry, but Strong Competition is Different to Predatory Competition. ” Davis Noted That the Airline Has Not Ruled Out Reporting Qantaslink’s Action to the Accc, but Has Gone to the Public First by Launching an Advertising Campaign Urging the Community to Support Rex’s Services. ”if We Get Good Support From the Local Community We Believe We Can Put Up a Good Fight,” Said Davis. Rex Began Services on the Townsville-mackay Route on October 1, While Coincident With Increasing Townsville-mackay Frequencies, Qantaslink Reduced Services on the Cairns-horn Island Route From 16 to 13 Per Week and From 14 to 10 Per Week on the Cairns-weipa Route.

Air Nz Changes Domestic Fares

Air New Zealand Has Announced New Lead-in and Fully Flexible Fare Products for Its Domestic Services as It Works to Shore Up Its Strong Position Over Competitors Jetstar and Pacific Blue. From October 19, the Airline Introduced Smart Saver Fares as Its New Lead-in Fare Product, Which Will Also Be Available on Regional Flights, in Some Cases Cutting Fares by 28 Per Cent. The Fares Are Non-refundable, Attract a Nz$50 (a$40. 45) Change Fee for Any Changes (Plus Any Fare Difference) and Will Not Earn Any Airports Dollars, Although They Will Attract Airpoints Status Credits. They Also Include a 25kg Checked Baggage Allowance, Although Child Fares Will No Longer Be Offered. The Airline Has Also Introduced the Business Focused Flexi Plus Fare, Which Allows for Passengers to Change Their Flights for Free to Any Available Seat, is Fully Refundable and Attracts Airpoints Dollars and Status Credits. Child Fares Are Also Offered at a 25 Per Cent Discount to Adult Fares.

Virgin Blue to Sell and Lease Back Hq

Virgin Blue Has Announced That It Has Appointed Jones Lang Lasalle to Manage Its Property Portfolio, Including Managing the Sale and Leaseback of Its Brisbane Headquarters, the ‘virgin Village’. According to Jones Lang Lasalle, Virgin Blue Will Continue to Be the Sole Tenant at the Campus-style Virgin Village, Which Houses Approximately 1000 Employees. No Estimate of the Value of the Sale Has Been Given, but It is Expected That This Will Help to Bolster Virgin Blue’s Cash Reserves Following a Major Capital Raising Earlier This Year Which Raised $231. 4 Million. Under the Three Year Agreement Jones Lang Lasalle Will Manage All Virgin Blue Leases, Licenses and Owned Property Assets Across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Air Nz Sees Higher Loads in September Air New Zealand Recorded a Rise in Load Factor Across All Its Major Markets During September as It Made a Number of Capacity Cuts to Match Lower Demand. Compared to September 2008, the Carrier Saw a 1. 2 Per Cent Fall in Passengers Carried, Resulting in a 6. 8 Per Cent Fall in Rpks. However, With Capacity Lower by 11. 9 Per Cent, Load Factor Improved by 4. 5 Percentage Points to 82. 3 Per Cent. Interestingly, the Largest Growth in Passenger Numbers Was Experienced on Its Domestic Market, With Passenger Numbers Up 1. 5 Per Cent, Despite the Increased Competition From Jetstar and Pacific Blue. Passenger Numbers on the Tasman Were Lower by 2. 2 Per Cent, but a 13. 1 Per Cent Cut in Capacity Saw Load Factor Increase by 8. 6 Points to 80. 2 Per Cent. Long Haul Services Continued to See Declines, Although a 13. 6 Per Cent Decrease in Capacity Saw Load Factor Increase by 2. 7 Points to 84. 7 Per Cent. Sia Records Higher September Loads Singapore Airlines Boosted Its Passenger Load Factor During September on the Back of Slashed Capacity. The Airline’s Passenger Load Factor Increased by Four Percentage Points to 80. 9 Per Cent Over September 2008, as Capacity Was Cut by 12. 5 Per Cent, Helping to Offset a 7. 9 Per Cent Decline in Rpks. Total Passenger Numbers Declined by 10 Per Cent to 1. 36 Million. By Region, the Largest Increase in Load Factor Occurred on East Asian Routes Which Saw an 8. 5 Percentage Point Increase to 76. 3 Per Cent. The Only Region to See a Decrease (-0. 4 Percentage Points) Was the South West Pacific, Which Recorded a Load Factor of 85. 3 Per Cent. Cargo Load Factor Also Increased During the Month, Up by 2. 1 Percentage Points to 63. 2 Per Cent, as Cargo Capacity Decreased by 17. 3 Per Cent and Freight Tonne-kilometres Were Down by 14. 5 Per Cent. Premium Traffic in Asia Starting to Rise Iata Said in Its August Premium Travel Monitor That Bookings in Business and First Class in the Asia Pacific Region Are Starting to Rise Again, Driven in Part by a General Rise in Trade Across the Region. “the Strongest Rise in Economic and Business Activity Has Been Seen in the Asia Pacific Regions, Where Private Sector Balance Sheets Are Less Encumbered With Debt and Bad Assets,” It Said. “premium Travel in This Region Went From a 19. 5 Per Cent Decline in July to a Level 10. 4 Per Cent Down on a Year Earlier in August. Economy Travel Rose Strongly So Overall Passenger Numbers in This Region Are Now 4. 4 Per Cent Higher Than a Year Earlier. ” Nevertheless, the Report Noted That Long Haul Travel Outside of the Asian Region Has Remained Depressed, With Travel to the North and Mid Pacific Down by 8. 2 Per Cent in July and August. While There Were Signs That Premium Bookings Were Starting to Improve, the Report Noted That It Will Still Take Some Time Before Demand is Back at Pre-recession Levels. “premium Revenues Are Now Improving but, at an Estimated 30 Per Cent Down Year-on-year in August, There is an Awful Long Way to Go Before Positive Growth Resumes,” It Said.

Cobham Launches Rpt Services to Kambalda

Cobham Aviation Services Australia Commenced Regular Public Transport Flights Between Perth and Kambalda on October 19 as an Extension of Charter Services to the Goldfields Town. “one of the Great Benefits of the Introduction of the Charter Service is That It Has Now Opened Up to Everyone in Kambalda. Instead of Driving to Kalgoorlie to Catch a Flight, the People of Kambalda Will Be Able to Fly Directly to Perth for Business and Medical Appointments,” Said Cobham’s General Manager Regional Services David Moncrieff. Under the Arrangements, Approximately 300 Seats on 12 Weekly Bombardier Dash 8-q300 Flights Will Be Made Available to the Public, and It Follows the Upgrading of the Airstrip and Airport at Kambalda by Gold Fields – St Ives Gold Mine. Kambalda is Located 55km South of Kalgoorlie and 625km Northeast of Perth. The Daily Air Services to Kambalda Have Been Flown Since December 2008 as a Charter Under Contract to Four Mining Companies. Winglets Generating Greater Fuel Savings – Air Nz Air New Zealand Says That the Blended Winglets Being Progressively Fitted to Its Fleet of Boeing 767-300ers Are Achieving 19 Per Cent More Fuel Savings Than Originally Forecast. With Four Aircraft Now Sporting the 3. 4m High Winglets, It is Expected That Once the Fifth Aircraft is Fitted With the Winglets That the Fleet Will Save Seven Million Litres of Fuel Each Year, Instead of the Six Million Originally Anticipated. It is Also Expected That the Winglets Will Cut the Fleet’s Carbon Emissions by 18,400 Tonnes Annually. “the Installation of the Blended Winglets is Part of Air New Zealand’s on-going Drive to Be the World’s Most Environmentally Sustainable Airline,” Said General Manager Airline Operations Captain David Morgan. Hawaiian Airlines Announced on November 4 That It Has Finished the First Installation of Blended Winglets on One of Its 767s, and Expects to Complete Seven More by the Second Quarter of 2010.

Qantas Cuts Back South Korean, South African Plans

Qantas Has Cut Its Plans to Start Seasonal Flights to South Korea, While It Will Not Proceed With a Proposed Seventh Weekly Service on the Sydney-johannesburg Route, According to a Filing With the International Air Services Commission. However, the Airline Says That It is Not Seeking the Renewal of a Determination Made in 2005 Allocating It 687 Seats Per Week to Operate Services to South Korea Between December and February, as “in Light of Current Market Conditions, Qantas Does Not Intend to Make Use of This Allocation for the Foreseeable Future. ” Qantas Also Indicated in a Request to Renew Its Allocation on the South Africa Route That Plans to Commence a Seventh Weekly Service on the Sydney-johannesburg Route Have Now Been Deferred Due to the Global Financial Crisis. Nevertheless, the Airline Notes That It Has Been Granted an Extension on the Deadline for It to Operate the Seventh Service, Raising the Prospect That It May Do So in the Near Future. The Filing Was an Application for the Extension of a Number of Determinations Which Granted Capacity to the Airline on a Number of Routes, Including the Hong Kong, Netherlands and Vanuatu Routes, Most of Which Are Unchanged. Pacific Blue Also Lodged an Application to Renew Its Capacity Allocations on the Tonga and Cook Islands Routes. On the Tonga Route, Pac Blue Currently Operates 360 Seats Out of an Allocation of 540, but Says That It Intends to Increase Services Once the Market Recovers to the Full 540 Seats. Pac Blue Also Has an Allocation of 540 Seats on the Cook Islands Route, Which is Being Operated to Capacity and Has Sought a Renewal at the Same Level of Capacity.

Airline Briefs

Qantas Opened Its New Business Lounge at Hong Kong International Airport on November 3, Replacing the Current Lounge Which Opened in 1998. Access to the Lounge is Open to All Business, Chairmans Lounge, Platinum Frequent Flyers, Gold Frequent Flyers, Qantas Club Members and All Eligible Oneworld Passengers Travelling on a Oneworld Marketed or Operated Flight. Viva Macau Has Announced That It Will Fly Direct Twice a Week to Melbourne From December 9, Making It the Second Destination in Australia to Be Served by the Low Cost Carrier. The Carrier Also Flies From Macau to Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Tokyo and Sydney With a Fleet of Three Boeing 767s. Skywest Airlines Commenced Three Additional Weekly Services on the Perth-karratha Route to Meet Demand From Citic Pacific Mining. The Flights Are Operated by Fokker 100s. Virgin Blue Added an Additional Weekday Service on the Perth-port Hedland Route From November 16. The Services Are Operated by E-190s. Emirates Reported a Net Profit of Dhs752m (a$225m) for the Half-year Ending September 30. The State-owned Airline Says That the Profit Result Represents a 165 Per Cent Improvement Compared to the Same Period Last Year. Garuda Indonesia Has Announced That It Will Launch Jakarta-dubai-amsterdam Services on June 1 2010, Marking Its First Return to Europe Since It Ceased Flights There in 2004. The Flights Will Be Operated by Airbus A330-200s, While Longer Term the Airline Hopes to Operate Nonstop Services From Jakarta to Amsterdam After It Takes Delivery of Its Boeing 777-300ers. Air India Has Announced That It Will Delay Delivery of Three Boeing 777-300ers Which Were Due for Delivery in 2010 and 2011 by Up to Two Years as It Restructures Its Operations. Air India Has Been Struggling Financially This Year, and Recently Accepted an Inr50bn (a$1. 18bn) Bailout From the Indian Government. China Southern Airlines Has Announced That It Will Increase Its Frequencies to Melbourne and Sydney During the Peak December-february Season. From December 2 to February 20, China Southern Will Operate Daily Departures From Sydney to Guangzhou. Meanwhile, the Airline Will Operate Three-times Weekly Direct Guangzhou-melbourne Services From October 26 to March 25, Departing on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Environment

Boeing, Uop & Mexican Government Collaborate on Biofuels Boeing, Uop and Mexico’s Airports and Auxiliary Services Agency (Asa), Which is an Arm of the Mexican Government’s Ministry of Communications and Transport, Have Announced a Collaboration to Identify, Research and Further the Development of a Commercially Viable Market for Mexico-sourced Sustainable Aviation Biofuels. “this is a First-of-its-kind Collaboration, Involving Key Government, Private Sector and Academic Leaders,” Said Darrin Morgan, Director of Biofuel Strategy for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “working Together, We Are Assessing the Potential for Large Scale Production of Aviation Fuels Made From Sustainable Biomass Systems Such as Halophytes, Algae, Jatropha, Castor and Other So-called Next Generation Biomass-for-energy Systems. ” Asa is Responsible for Fuel Management and Aircraft Refuelling Operations in Mexico, and is Expected to Bring a Focus on the Fuel Supply Chain to the Existing Partnerships Between Boeing and Uop. Together, the Three Parties Are Expected to Focus Their Energies on Producing Biofuels From Halophytic Plants, Which Thrive in Arid Land and Can Be Irrigated With Seawater Waste Streams From Aquaculture. As Such Halophytes May Be Suitable for Biofuels Development in Arid Ecosystems With Little Competing Land Use Potential. Qantas Joins Biofuels Group Qantas Announced on November 2 That It Has Joined the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (Safug), Which is Working Towards the Development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. “through the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group We Are Joining Other Industry Partners to Work Together to Lessen the Environmental Impact of Aviation,” Said Qantas Ceo Alan Joyce. “qantas is Also Looking at Ways to Save Fuel and Reduce Carbon Emissions, and is Pioneering Required Navigational Performance (Rnp), Which Uses Leading Edge Technology to Land Aircraft Efficiently. ” Safug is Pursuing the Development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Which Performs as Well or Better Than Traditional Kerosene Based Fuel, Minimises Biodiversity Impacts and Provides Socioeconomic Value for the Communities Where Fuel Feedstocks Are Grown. Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific and Virgin Blue Are Also Members of the Safug.

Qatar Makes Gas-powered Flight

a Qatar Airways A340-600 Operating a Flight From London Gatwick to Doha Has Made the First Passenger Flight Powered by Gas-to-liquid (Gtl) Fuel. The Fuel Was a 50/50 Blend of Conventional Jet Fuel and Gtl Developed by Shell, Which Recently Gained Certification From Astm International. The State of Qatar is Planning to Put the Fuel Into Commercial Production From 2012. “once Again, Qatar Airways Has Shown Its Commitment to the Environment and We Expect This Alternative Fuel to Provide Benefits, Particularly the Improvement of Air Quality,” Said Qatar Ceo Akbar Al Baker, Who Was Onboard the Flight. “this Milestone Flight is the First Step in Making This Alternative Fuel Available to Airlines. Qatar Airways Looks Forward to Continuing to Work With the Consortium Members to Further Develop This Exciting Project and Commit Towards a Cleaner Environment. ” the First Gtl Flights Were Tested on an A380 in February 2008 on a Flight From Filton in the Uk to Toulouse.

Environment Briefs

Airports

Adelaide Sets New Record

Adelaide Airport Set a New Record for Passenger Traffic Over the 2008/09 Financial Year, Despite the Economic Downturn. The Airport Says in Its Annual Report That 6. 9 Million Passengers Passed Through the Airport Over the Year, a 2. 3 Per Cent Increase on the Prior Financial Year. This Was Driven by a 2. 9 Per Cent Increase in Domestic Passengers and a 0. 3 Per Cent Increase in International Passengers, While Regional Passengers Fell by 2. 7 Per Cent Due to a Reduction in Mining Related Traffic. Ceo Phil Baker Said That the Airport Would Be Focused on Preparing for the Anticipated Recovery and Upturn in Demand Likely Due to the Growth in the South Australian Economy. The Airport is Currently Planning for a New Multi-level Carpark and Roadways, as Well as a Terminal Expansion, Potential Office Building and a New Control Tower to Be Constructed by Airservices Australia.

Airbiz Wins Export Award Melbourne Based Consultancy Airbiz Aviation Strategies Has Been Awarded the 2009 Small to Medium Services Award at the Governor of Victoria Export Award Ceremony at Government House in Melbourne. “we Operate in a Very Dynamic Sector, With Aviation and Airport Businesses Constantly Demanding Change and Addressing New Challenges,” Said Airbiz Ceo Greg Fordham. “to Stay at the Top of the Game We Have Had to Continuously Adapt, and This Award Recognises Just How Successful We Have Been. ” Airbiz Specialises in Strategic Consultancy for Airport Operators Around the World, and Has Been Involved in Projects in Over 41 Countries.

Melbourne Airport Passenger Numbers Up

Melbourne Airport Announced on October 20 That Total Passenger Numbers for the First Quarter of the Current Financial Year Increased Three Per Cent, Driven Primarily by Strong International Growth. International Passenger Numbers Increased by 10 Per Cent During the Quarter With a 14 Per Cent Increase in September Alone as International Capacity Increased Significantly. Domestic Passenger Numbers Were Up by One Per Cent, While Transit Passenger Numbers Remained Static. “this Result Shows the Strength of the Melbourne Market and Bodes Well for the Future,” Said Melbourne Airport Ceo Chris Woodruff. “airlines Are Responding to This – Singapore Airlines Commenced Daily A380 Services on September 30, and Qatar Airways and V Australia Have Both Announced They Will Begin Melbourne Services in December of This Year. On Top of This, China Southern Will Increase Services in October, and Airasia X Will Increase Services to 11 Per Week in December. ” Melbourne Airport Was Also Named ‘low Cost Airport of the Year’ by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.

Auckland Sees Marginal Passenger Growth Auckland International Airport Saw Marginal Increases in Both Domestic and International Traffic During September, but Has Been Buoyed by Strong Increases in Passengers Travelling From Australia and the Us. International Departures Rose by 4. 1 Per Cent Over the Same Month Last Year, but This Was Offset by a 17 Per Cent Decline in Transit and Transfer Traffic Through the Airport, Bringing the Net Increase to Only 1. 2 Per Cent. Nevertheless, the Airport Noted That Arrivals From the Us Increased by 12. 2 Per Cent, While Arrivals From Australia Increased by 15. 4 Per Cent as Competition Spurred on More Traffic. The Airport Also Recorded a 1. 8 Per Cent Increase in Domestic Passengers, While Domestic Aircraft Movements Fell by 7. 4 Per Cent.

Perth Airport Master Plan Approved

Infrastructure & Transport Minister Anthony Albanese Announced on November 2 That He Has Approved Perth Airport’s 2009 Master Plan, Which Includes Major Plans to Consolidate Its Terminals at the Current International Precinct. “in Response to Perth’s Growing Need for Modern, Well Planned Aviation Infrastructure, the Master Plan Sets Out a 10 Year, $2. 4 Billion Investment Program Which Includes the Phased Relocation of All Regular Passenger Services to the International Precinct,” Said Minister Albanese. “in Addition, the Commonwealth and State Governments Are Working Together to Identify How Road and Public Transport Links to and From the Airport Can Be Improved. This $3. 5 Million Study is Due to Be Finalised Next Year. ” Minister Albanese Added That He Has Requested That Airservices Australia, the Airport and Operators Ensure That Residents Around Perth Are Made Aware of the Impacts of Planned Flightpath Changes to Accommodate Runway Works Over Six Weeks in Early 2010. The Works Will See Flights Use the Smaller Cross-runway at the Airport for Their Duration, and Will Require Aircraft to Be Re-routed Over Some Areas Which Have Previously Had Minimal Traffic.

Mayor Calls for Jandakot Curfew the Federal Government Must Put a Night Time Curfew on Jandakot Airport in Perth’s South if a Fourth Runway is Approved, According to the Mayor of the Local Government Area the Airport is in. City of Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett Told Fairfax Press That With the Additional Runway That Movements at the Airport Would Rise to 514,000 Per Annum, Which Would Only Be Acceptable if There Was a Night Curfew and the Airport Agreed to Insulate a Number of Houses Surrounding the Airport. According to Officers From the Council, 70-80 Additional Houses Would Require Acoustic Insulation as a Result of the Fourth Runway, While a Similar Number of Houses in Neighbouring Shires May Also Be Affected. Jandakot Airport Holdings Managing Director John Fraser Denied That the Impact Would Be as High as the Council Anticipated, Adding That Imposing a Curfew at the Airport Would Be Detrimental to the Airport. “i Understand the Noise is an Impact on Residents but It Has Been an Airport for a Long Time,” He Said. “we Don’t Anticipate the Impact Would Be That Bad, Especially With New (Aircraft Noise Attenuation) Technology. ” Jandakot is a Major Pilot Training Centre, With Singapore Flying College, China Southern Wa Flying College and the Royal Aero Club of Wa All Operating Major Training Schools There. In Addition, It is the Wa Base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Wa Police Air Wing.

Newcastle Opens Terminal Expansion

Newcastle Airport Officially Opened Its $4 Million Terminal Expansion on October 19. The Expanded Terminal, Which is on the Western Side of the Current Passenger Terminal, Opens Up an Additional 750 Square Metres of Premium Office Space on Level One, While Also Providing Five More Check-in Counters and Additional Check-in Area. The Ceo of Newcastle Airport, Paul Hughes, Said That “the Redeveloped Check-in Area Has Already Been Popular With Passengers Travelling From Newcastle Airport – Ensuring That Departing Passengers Take a Positive First Impression of Newcastle Airport With Them on Their Travels. ” Qal Records Increase in Passenger Numbers Queensland Airports Limited, Which Operates Townsville, Gold Coast and Mount Isa Airports, Recorded a 13 Per Cent Increase in Passenger Numbers During September. The Growth Was Driven Primarily by the Gold Coast Which Saw a 19 Per Cent Jump in Passenger Numbers While Townsville Recorded a 1. 13 Per Cent Increase, but Mount Isa Was Lower by 17. 29 Per Cent. Qal Managing Director Dennis Chant Noted That Growth Through the Gold Coast Has Been Strong on Both the Domestic and International Fronts. “gold Coast Airport Continued to Record Exceptional Growth in International Passenger Numbers, Increasing by Almost 130 Per Cent Over This Time Last Year. However, Even More Notable is the Return to Strong Domestic Growth of Nearly 10 Per Cent After 12 Months of Little or Negative Monthly Growth. ” Chant Also Noted That Despite the Fall in Passenger Numbers at Mount Isa, There Are Signs That the Airport is Starting to See Some Recovery. “while Mount Isa Airport Numbers Are Down on the Same Period Last Year, We Have Again Seen an Increase Since Last Month. The Last Three Consecutive Months Have Had the Highest Passenger Numbers for the Region Since October 2008 and This is a Positive Sign the Region is Recovering. ”

Airport Briefs

Transport Minister Anthony Albanese Has Approved the Construction of Second Building at the Gold Coast Airport Campus of Southern Cross University. The $50 Million Facility Will Include Lecture and Teaching Spaces, Faculty Offices and Student Facilities and is Due for Completion in 2012. It Was Part of a Major Development Plan and as Such Required Ministerial Approval Following a Public Comment Period, While It is Also Consistent With the Airport’s 2006 Master Plan.

General Aviation

Ra-aus Mtow Increase Knocked Down by Casa

a Push by the Recreational Aviation Australia (Ra-aus) to Increase the Maximum Takeoff Weight Limit of Aircraft Which Can Use the Ra-aus Register Has Been Closed by Casa. Under the Ra-aus Request, Casa Started a Project in June 2006 to Examine a Proposal to Increase the Mtow Limit for Aircraft Operating Under Cao 95. 55 to Increase to 750kg, Instead of the Current Limits of 544kg for Certificated Aircraft and 600kg for Light Sport Aircraft. Casa Notes on Its Website That It “believes That There Would Be No Adverse Safety Impact by Operating These Aircraft With Increased Weight Provided the Aircraft Are Certificated to a Suitable Standard That Allows Up to 750kg. ” “however, It is Expected That the Increase in the Mtow for Ra-aus Operations May Be Controversial for Other Sectors of the Aviation Community and Casa Needs to Undertake a Broad and Proper Consultative Process Through This Project. ” as Such, Casa Advised on October 12 That the Project Has Been Closed. Red Bull Returns to Perth in 2010 the Red Bull Air Race Will Return to Perth on the Weekend of April 17-18 2010, Featuring Australian Pilot Matt Hall. As in Previous Years, the Race Will Be Run Over the Swan River, With a Race Airport Set Up at Langley Park, Adjacent to the Air Race Course. Organisers Say That the Ticketed Area on Sir James Mitchell Park in South Perth Will Also Be Expanded. “i Am Over the Moon That Perth Has Returned to the Schedule for the 2010 Red Bull Air Race World Championship,” Said Hall, a Former Raaf Fighter Pilot. “when I Was Told at the Last Race of the 2008 Season in Perth That I Would Be Making My Red Bull Air Race Debut in 2009, I Was Excited to Say the Least but to Now Be Able to Make My Australian Debut, Back in Perth Where for Me the Dream Began, is Just So Special. ” Hall Had a Stellar Debut in This Year’s Air Race Series, Becoming the First Rookie to Finish the Championship on the Podium in Third Place. Britain’s Paul Bonhomme Took Out This Year’s Championship, With Austrian Hannes Arch the Runner Up. Maf Opens New Gove Hangar Mission Aviation Fellowship (Maf) Opened Its New Hangar at Gove Airport in Late September. The New Facility is Around 37 Metres Long, 26 Metres Wide and Three Times Higher Than the Old Hangar, Which Has Been Retained, Creating More Space to Store Aircraft and Equipment. “it’s Been Quite a Journey,” Said Maf International Asia Pacific Director and Vice President Bill Harding. “we Had Long Delays During Fund Raising, Massive Cost Increases Due to the Price of Steel and Fuel and All Sorts of Other Setbacks From Transport to Termites. “but Finally It is Finished, It is Fantastic and We Really Can Rejoice and Give Thanks. A Number of People Put in Monumental Efforts. Many Sacrifices Have Been Made. It Has Been an Incredible and Personally Costly Effort but Something Great Has Been Achieved. ” Maf Conducts Maintenance on a Number of Aircraft at Gove, From Where It Operates a Number of Flights in Support of Remote Aboriginal Communities in East Arnhem Land.

Cessna Resumes Corvalis Production

Cessna Has Resumed Production of the Model 350 Corvalis and 400 Corvalis Tt Models, Albeit at Indepedence, Kansas, Rather Than Their Former Home of Bend, Oregon. Cessna Closed the Former Columbia Aircraft Facility at Bend Where the Models Were Produced in April Due to the Global Financial Crisis Hitting Demand for the High Performance Composite Corvalis Models, With Production Planned to Resume at Cessna’s Piston Production Facilities in Kansas. Under the New Arrangement, the Aircraft’s Composite Structure Will Be Made in Mexico, With Final Assembly at Independence. Work on the First Kansas Manufactured is Expected to Take Six Months, With the Production Initially Being Accommodated in Cessna’s Paint Facility at Independence Ahead of a More Permanent Move by the End of the Year Alongside Cessna’s Mustang and Single Engine Production Lines. Sources Indicate That 24 Corvalises Were Delivered During the First Half of 2009, Representing Half the Number for the First Half of Last Year. Nevertheless, Cessna Expects That Demand Will Pick Up Across Its Single Engine Lines During the Year Ahead.

Ga Shipments Still Falling

Shipments of Ga Aircraft for the Year to September 30 Plunged 46. 8 Per Cent, While Billings Were Down 23. 5 Per Cent, According to the General Aviation Manufacturer’s Association. The Biggest Fall in Shipments Occurred in the Piston Engine Segment, Which Saw a 58. 7 Per Cent Fall. This Was Followed by Business Jets, Which Recorded a Fall of 37. 8 Per Cent, While Turboprops Declined by 15. 8 Per Cent. Overall, 1587 Ga Aircraft Have Shipped for the First Nine Months of 2009, Compared With 2982 Over the Same Period Last Year. “these Shipment and Billing Figures Are a Result of This Difficult Business Cycle and Reflects the Impact of the Weak Economy,” Said Gama President and Ceo Pete Bunce. “however, Another Contributing Factor That Has Led to the Disappointing Year-to-date Numbers is the Unwarranted Negative Attacks on Business Aviation.

General Aviation Briefs

Italian Manufacturer Tecnam and Austrian Company Airborne Technologies Gmbh Have Teamed Up to Offer a Surveillance Variant of the Twin Engine P2600 as the Tecnam Mma (Multi Mission Aircraft). In Mma Configuration, the Aircraft is Able to Carry a Payload of 360kg, Including Electro-optical Sensors, Tactical Hf Radio and Uplink and Downlink Systems as Well as Enough Fuel for a Five Hour Mission. As Such, It is Being Targeted at Government and High-end Private Security Firms.

Business Aviation

Hondajet Passes Significant Tests Honda Aircraft Company (Hac) Says That the Development of the Hondajet is Progressing Well, With Major Structural Assemblies on the First Conforming Aircraft Completed and the Completion of a Number of Qualification Tests. Hac Says That the Fuselage, Wing, Empennage, Landing Gear and Other Crucial Components for the First Conforming Honajet Have Already Been Assembled, While Rejected Takeoff Brake Tests, Structural Tests and Crew and Cabin Seat Crash Tests Have Also Been Completed Using Honda’s Advanced Systems Integration Test Facility. “we Are Pleased to Have Achieved Such Positive Results in the Completion of Major Structural Assemblies for Conforming Aircraft and We Are Now Fully Focused on Final Assembly of the First Conforming Aircraft,” Said Michimasa Fujino, President & Ceo of Hac. “although We Face Many Challenges Ahead, Every Honda Associate is Diligently Working Towards First Flight Early Next Year,” He Added. The First Conforming Hondajet is Scheduled to Make Its First Flight in 2010, With First Customer Delivery Due in the Fourth Quarter of 2011.

Embraer Reveals Legacy 650

Embraer Revealed Its New Legacy 650 Business Jet, Which Offers Increased Range Compared to the Legacy 600, at Nbaa on October 19. Like the Legacy 600, the 650 is Based on the Erj-135 Regional Jet, but Introduces an Additional Belly Fuel Tank in a Ventral Fairing and Upgraded Rolls-royce Ae 3007a2 Engines. This Gives the Aircraft a Range of 3900nm Nonstop With Four Passengers, Making Nonstop London-new York or Singapore-sydney Flights Viable. The Aircraft Has Also Received Extensive Airframe Modifications, Including Strengthening the Wing and Landing Gear. In Addition, the Legacy 650 Gains a Honeywell Primus Elite Avionics Suite, Which Will Also Be Used on Future Legacy 600s and Will Be Available as a Retrofit for Existing Legacy 600s. “embraer Entered the Business Jet Market With the Firm Vision to Become a Leading and Long Term Player, Attempting to Bring Fresh, Real Contributions to the Industry, and Listening Attentively to Customers. The Launch of the Large Cabin Legacy 650 Drives This Purpose Forward, Extending Our Product Portfolio to Seven State-of-the-art Executive Jets,” Said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer’s President and Ceo. Developed Largely Outside of the Public Eye, the First Flight of the Legacy 650 Took Place on September 23 at Embraer’s Gavaio Peixoto Flight Test Facility. Two Legacy 650s Are Currently Involved in Flight Testing, With Certification and First Deliveries Due in the Second Half of 2010. Cessna Sees

Business

Aviation Coming Back

Cessna Ceo Jack Pelton Has Told the Nbaa Convention in Orlando, Florida, That the Company is Seeing Some Optimistic Signs for the Business Aviation Market, While Also Announcing Increased Performance Figures for the Citation Cj4 and a New Flight Planning Tool. “i’m Far From Ready to Call a Turnaround, but We Do Continue to See Some Encouraging Developments,” Said Pelton. “financing is More Readily Available, Used Aircraft Inventory is Lowering and Prices for Used Aircraft Have Increased for the First Time in Several Quarters. Average Daily Utilisation Figures for the Citation Fleet Have Stopped Dropping and Bookings for Maintenance Work Are on the Rise. We Are Seeing Signs of Stabilisation and Some Indicators That the Business Jet Market is Starting to Move in a Positive Direction. Single Engine Retail Sales Have Been Particularly Strong in Recent Weeks Which is Usually a Forerunner for the Rest of the Product Line. ” Gama, Nbaa Set Record Straight on Business Aircraft the General Aviation Manufacturers’ Association (Gama) and the National Business Aviation Association (Nbaa) Published a New Survey Conducted by Harris Interactive on October 15 Which Shows That Some Portrayals of Business Aviation Are Inconsistent With the Realities Experienced in the Us. The Survey Found That the Typical Company Using Private Aviation is a Small or Mid-sized Business Flying a Single Aircraft That is Used by a Broad Mix of Employees to Make Business Trips Utilising Community Airports, Often With Little or No Airline Service. “these Findings Stand in Stark Contrast to Recent Mischaracterisations of Business Aviation Operators,” Said Gama President and Ceo Pete Bunce. “the Reality is, Companies of All Sizes Rely on Many Different Types of Aircraft to Be More Competitive, Productive, Efficient and Successful. ” the Survey Was Conducted Online and by Mail Within the Us Between June 1 and October 6 Among 350 Pilots, Flight Department Managers, and Directors of Aviation of Business Aircraft Operators and 289 Passengers of Business Aircraft. The Survey Found That 59 Per Cent of Companies Operating Business Aircraft Had Fewer Than 500 Employees, and in Most Cases, It Was Managers and Other Mid-level Employees Who Used the Aircraft, Primarily Into Airports With No or Few Airline Services. Gama and the Nbaa Have Been Fighting Perceptions in the Us That Business Aircraft Are an Expensive Toy Used Primarily by High-level Executives to Excess, Particularly Since the Start of the Global Financial Crisis. Embraer Announces New Options for Phenoms Embraer Will Offer Synthetic Vision Technology (Svt) and a Number of Cabin Enhancements as Options on Its Phenom 100 and 300 Aircraft. Svt Will Be Integrated Into the Aircraft’s Prodigy Flightdeck, and Will Allow the Pilot to View a Three-dimensional Depiction of Terrain, Obstacles and Traffic on the Primary Flight Display. In the Cabin, the Phenoms Will Feature an Optional Divider Which Provides for a Real Door on the Lavatory and Cuts Down Cabin Noise Levels. Also, a New Inflight Entertainment System Has Been Developed, Which Features as Xm Satellite Radio, Ambient Sound System, Capability for Passengers to Listen to Air Traffic Control (Atc) Communications in the Cabin, an Interface for Portable Media Players, and a Vip Panel That Allows Cabin Temperature Regulation. Embraer Also Said That the Flight Test Program for the Phenom 300 Was Progressing Well, With Over 1000 Flying Hours Completed, and Was Now in Its Final Phase Ahead of Certification Later This Year. The Brazilian Manufacturer Also Noted That It Would Display One of the Five Test Aircraft at the Nbaa Conference From October 20-22 in Orlando, Florida. Meanwhile, the Smaller Phenom 100, Which Entered Service in December 2008, Has Now Logged Over 1000 Flying Hours With 45 Aircraft in Operation as of September 30.

Business Aviation Briefs

Cessna Has Released Increased Operational Performance Data for the Citation Cj4. Cessna Says Results of Engineering Flight Testing Have Validated Significant Performance Enhancements Including a Maximum Speed of 452kt, a Range of 1963nm With Two Crew and Five Passengers, and a Direct Climb to 45,000ft in 28 Minutes at Maximum Takeoff Weight. Cessna Has Announced That It Will Offer a New Greentrak Flight Planning Software Suite Which Uses a Process Known as Cost Indexing to Minimise Total Trip Cost by Balancing the Costs of Direct Operation, Fuel Burn and Carbon Emissions, and is Intended for Compliance With the European Emissions Trading Scheme. Cessna Plans to Release Greentrak as an Upgrade Option to Its Cesnav Program in 2010 for All Current Production Citations. Airbus Announced on October 19 That It Has Delivered Its 10th A318 Elite Business Jet, Which So Far Has Accounted for Nearly a Quarter of the Orders for Members of the Airbus Corporate Jet Family. The A318 Elite Was Launched in November 2005, With the Aircraft Entering Service in 2007. Flightsafety and Hawker Beechcraft Have Teamed Up to Offer Mxpro Training Courses at Flightsafety’s New Maintenance Training Center at Wichita, Kansas, From November 9. The Basic Mxpro Course Will Be Taught by Both Hbc and Flightsafety Instructors and Incorporates Two Weeks of Classroom and One Week of Hands-on Instruction. It Utilises a Variety of Methods and Training Devices, Combining High Tech Visualisation and Interactive Computer Three-dimensional Modelling.

Cargo

Thai Airways Faces Accc Charges

on Cargo Cartel the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (Accc) Launched Proceedings Against Thai Airways International on October 29 in the Federal Court as a Result of the Cargo Fuel Surcharge Cartel Investigation. The Accc Alleges That Between 2001 and 2006 Thai “entered Into Arrangements or Understandings With Other International Air Cargo Carriers in Specific Countries That Had the Purpose or Effect of Fixing the Price of Fuel Surcharges and Security Surcharges That Were Applied to Air Cargo. ” It is Therefore Seeking Declarations, Injunctive Relief, Pecuniary Penalties, and Costs. The Cargo Cartel Investigation Has So Far Seen $41 Million in Fines Levied Against Airlines Including Qantas, British Airways and Cargolux, While the Accc is Still Involved in Court Proceedings Against Singapore Airlines Cargo, Garuda Indonesia, Emirates and Cathay Pacific.

Cobham Gains Contract Extension for Aae Cobham Aviation Services Australia Has Won an Extension to Its Contract With Australian Air Express, Which  Will See It Continue to Operate Three Bae 146qt Freighters for the Qantas-australia Post Joint Venture. “this is a Significant Achievement for Cobham,” Said Ceo Peter Nottage. “for Relationships Like This to Stand the Test of Time, Our Service Has to Be Industry-best for Safety, Reliability and Flexibility. Cobham Prides Itself on Long Term Business Partnerships in This Highly Competitive Industry and in What is a Challenging Economic Environment. Cobham/national Jet Has Been Providing Freighter Services for Aae for 17 Years, and With the Latest $100 Million Extension to Its Contract, Will Take Its Relationship Into Its Third Decade. As Well as the Three Bae 146s, Which Provide Overnight Freight Links Between Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, Njs Previously Operated Boeing 727-200fs Which Have Since Been Replaced by Boeing 737-300fs Operated by Qantas Subsidiary Express Freighters Australia. Bae Systems Regional Aircraft Announced on November 5 That Cobham Has Acquired the Three Bae 146qts, Which Had Been Leased Since the Early 1990s.

Cargo Briefs

Finance

Macquarie Opens Singapore Office

Dublin Based Macquarie Airfinance Has Chosen to Open an Asia Pacific Office in Singapore. The Singapore Office Will Be Staffed Initially by Australian Harry Forsythe, Vice President Marketing, Asia Pacific. John Willingham, Chief Executive Officer of Macquarie Airfinance, Commented, “we Are Excited to Have an Established Office Presence in Asia/pacific and Are Eager to Assist Airlines in the Region in Developing Their Fleets Through Sale and Leasebacks and Leases of Aircraft From Our Existing Portfolio. This Fast Growing, Highly Populated Region, With Its Healthy Appetite for Young Aircraft, Presents Ideal Prospects for Our Business Model. ” Macquarie Airfinance Was Established in 2006 Through the Acquisition of the Aircraft Leasing Assets of Gatx Corporation. It Currently Manages a Portfolio of 123 Jet Aircraft.

Finance Briefs

Qantas Appoints New Head of Engineering

Qantas Has Appointed Chris Nassenstein, Who is Currently Head of Air New Zealand’s Engineering Operations, as Its Executive Manager Qantas Engineering From February 2010. “qantas Engineering Has a Well Established International Reputation for Operational Excellence and Safety and a Long and Successful History of Internal Appointments to This Important Role,” Said Group Executive Qantas Operations Lyell Strambi. “however Chris’s Appointment Represents a Rare Opportunity for Us to Bring External Experience and a Global Perspective to This Position and Our Engineering Operations. ” Nassenstein Has for the Last Five Years Been the General Manager Technical Operations for Air New Zealand. Prior to This, He Held the Senior Engineering Posts at Air Transat, Lan Chile, Air Canada and Canadian Airlines. Earlier in His Career, He Worked for Mcdonnell Douglas Usa and the Royal Netherlands Air Force.

Virgin Blue Hits Back at Alaea After Wheel Issue

Virgin Blue Has Hit Back at Claims by the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (Alaea) That the Airline is Being Lax With Its Maintenance Practices Following an Incident on a Boeing 737-800 Which Was Taxiing at Melbourne Airport on October 20. According to Newspaper Reports, Alaea Federal Secretary Steve Purvinas Claimed That One of the Wheels on a 737-800s Disintegrated Upon Landing at Melbourne. Purvinas Also Said That the Airline Was Cutting Back on Its Maintenance Programs. “when the Wheels Are Regularly Falling Off Your Aircraft, the Last Thing You Want to Do is Program Less Maintenance,” He Said. Virgin Blue Hit Back at Purvinas’s Claim About the Nosewheel, Saying That the Pilot Landed Safely, and While Taxiing the Aircraft the Pilot Noted Extra Drag, Which Was Presumed to Be a Brake Related Issue. On Inspection, It Was Found That a Component Within the Wheel Hub Had Failed. “the Safety of Crew and Guests Onboard Was Never in Question,” Said the Airline’s Manager of Aircraft Airworthiness and Maintenance Control Darren Dunbier in a Statement. “this Aircraft Including Aircraft Landing Gear Are Expertly Designed With Many Back-up Safety Features Including the Ability to Land Safely if Any Wheel is Rendered Unserviceable Which Was the Case This Morning. ” Dunbier Also Clarified Changes That the Airline is Making to Its Maintenance Programs. “to Be Very Clear and at Our Own Initiative, We Are Making a Casa-approved Change to Our Aircraft Line Check Procedures Which Will Deliver More Frequent Maintenance Inspections of Aircraft Across Our Fleet,” He Said. “mr Purvinas Should Be Well Aware That Virgin Blue is Increasing Our Maintenance Schedule to a Level Which Exceeds the Manufacturer’s Recommendations as Well as Meeting and in Many Cases Exceeding All Regulatory Requirements and Therefore We Find His Statements Bewildering and Misleading. ” Virgin Blue Said in the Statement “it is Seeking Legal Advice Regarding the Seriously Inaccurate Statements” Made by Purvinas. Awa Trains Air Asia Pilots Gold Coast Based Australian Wings Academy Has Started Training Its First Group of Cadet Pilots From Malaysian Carrier Air Asia After It Secured a Contract With the Airline Earlier This Year. “awa is Delighted and Extremely Proud to Have Been Selected by Air Asia as Their Australian Flight Training Partner,” Said Phil Sweeney, Director of Awa. “air Asia Demands a High Quality Pilot Training Academy That Focuses on Delivering What the Airline Wants by Utilising Multi Crew Airline Style Training Concepts From the Very First Lesson. This Contract is a Fillip for the Industry and Awa. ” the First Group of Students Started Their Training With Awa During September.

Maintenance, Support &training Briefs

Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting (Arff) Service Officers at Broome, Rockhampton and Mackay Have Recently Been Involved in Assisting Local Brigades With Fires in Their Respective Regions. Airservices Australia Says That at Rockhampton, Arff Crews Were Involved in Fire Containment and Property Protection Measures Around the Lakes Creek Area, While They Also Assisted in Filling Firebombing Aircraft Used to Fight Fires in Mount Archer National Park. In Mackay, Arff Crews Responded to a Cane Fire Next to the Airport, While in Broome Crews Assisted Local Brigades to Protect Homes From a Threatening Bushfire.

Air Safety

Casa Boss Calls for ‘constructive Criticism’

Casa Ceo John Mccormick Has Called for an End to “mean-spirited, Self-serving and Frequently False Accusations” Against Staff at the Authority, but Has Called on the Industry to Be More Constructive With Its Criticism and Feedback on the Organisation. Mccormick Made the Calls in the November Issue of Casa’s Briefing Newsletter. Quoting His Testimony at a Recent Senate Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Hearing, He Said, “i Have Absolutely No Interest in Discouraging Our Critics From Drawing Casa’s Actual or Assumed Shortcomings to My Attention, to the Government’s Attention or to the Attention of the Australian Public. As I Said, I Welcome and Embrace This. ” but, Noting That Some Individual Casa Officers Have Been Subject to Personal Attacks, He Said, “if Left Unaddressed It Impugns the Reputations and Integrity of Committed, Capable and Professional Individuals Who Are Dedicated to Critical, if Sometimes Thankless, Regulatory and Other Safety-related Tasks; and It Takes a Serious Toll on the Morale of the Entire Staff. to Those Who Constantly Challenge Casa to Lift Its Game, I Say ‘thank You, and Keep It Coming!’  to Those Whose Intent is Merely to Insult, Denigrate, Vilify and in Some Instances, I Suspect, to Defame Individual Casa Officers, Unless and Until They Might Be Held Accountable for Their Words and Actions, I Can Only Say ‘shame’. ”

People

Fedex Express Announced on October 28 That It Has Appointed Grace Choong as Managing Director of South Pacific Sales, Based in Singapore. Sydney Airport Corporation Limited Chairman Max Moore-wilton Has Been Elected the Chairman of the Airports Council International. He Will Replace Current Chair James Sherry From January 1 2010. Lockheed Martin Has Appointed Christopher E Kubasik to the Position of President and Coo. The Appointment is Effective January 1 2010. Boeing Has Announced Three Management Changes at Its Boeing Capital Corporation and Boeing International Subsidiaries. Bcc President Walt Skowronski Announced on October 16 That He Will Retire at the End of the Year, With Mike Cave to Take on the Leading Role at Bcc. As a Result, Shep Hill Will Assume Cave’s Responsibilities as Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy, While Retaining His Role as President of Boeing International. Airbus Military Has Made Some Key Personnel Changes at the Head of Some of Its Key Programs as It Strives to “reinforce the Management Team at the Head of Airbus Military. ” the Changes Were Announced in Madrid by the Head of Airbus Military, Domingo Urena. Antonio Caramazana, Previously the Head of the Uk’s Fsta Tanker Program, Has Succeeded Miguel Angel Morel as the Head of All Airbus Military Derivatives. Rafael Acedo is the New Head of Strategy. Miguel Angel Morell Succeeds Rafael Acedo as the New Head of Engineering and Technology, and Jaime Perez-guerra Has Been Appointed Head of Communications.