News Desk

787 Goes to Extremes Boeing 787 Test Aircraft Za003 Has Been Undergoing Extreme Weather Testing at the Mckinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, Commencing With “cold Soak” Testing.
During the Cold Soak Test the Hangar’s Temperature is Lowered to as Low as -43 Degrees Celcius for a Period of Several Hours, “after Which Flight Test Technicians Will Follow the 787 Airplane Maintenance Manual to Perform the Steps Required to Prepare the Airplane for Flight Release and Operate Under These Conditions,” According to the Manufacturer. “sensors and Monitors Will Allow the Test Team to Determine if All Systems Hardware and Software Operate as Expected.”
After the Cold Soak the 787 Was Then Due to Be Tested in Extreme Heat Conditions of Up to +46 Deg C.
“this is Really the Only Place in the World We Could Go in April That Would Give Us the Kind of Cold Temperatures That We Need,” Said Tom Sanderson, Flight Test Director for Za003, of the Mckinley Facility, the World’s Largest Refrigerated Hangar. “we Have a Lot of New Systems on This Aircraft and We Want to Make Sure It’s All Functioning Properly in Extreme Situations.”
Boeing Says Additional Extreme Weather Testing Will Be Completed Later in the Aircraft’s Flight Test Program.

787 Gains Expanded Tia Clearance Boeing Has Announced That the Faa Has Granted the 787 Expanded Type Inspection Authorisation (Tia) on April 20, Clearing the Way for Faa Staff to Fully Participate in Future Test Flights on the Path to Achieving Full Type Certification.
“this Tia Expansion is Another Significant Step Toward Delivering Airplanes to Our Customers. We Remain on Track to Deliver the First Airplane to Ana This Year,” Said Scott Fancher, Vice President and General Manager of the 787 Program.
The 787 Was Granted Initial Tia in February, and Boeing Says That the Granting of Expanded Tia is Confirmation From the Faa That the Aircraft and Team Are Ready to Collect Additional Certification Data. It Was Achieved by Demonstrating the Readiness of the 787 Throughout a Variety of Speeds, Altitudes and Configurations.
Boeing Has Also Announced That It Has Finalised the Aerodynamic Design of the Aircraft, With No Changes to the External Lines or Shape Required.

Boeing Reports Lower Q1 Profit the Boeing Company Has Reported a Lower First Quarter Profit, Although the Result Remained Within the Company’s Guidance for the Three Months.
Boeing Recorded Net Income of Us$519m (a$559m) for the Quarter, as Revenue Declined by Eight Per Cent to Us$15.2bn (a$16.4bn). Despite the Fall in Revenue, the Company’s Earnings From Operations Increased by 15 Per Cent to Us$ 1.17bn (a$1.26bn).
“with Clear Progress on the 787 and 747-8, Solid Financial Performance and Marked Improvement in Our Customer Outlook, We Continue to Draw on the Positive Momentum We Saw at the End of 2009,” Said Jim Mcnerney, Boeing Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “our Outlook Remains Attractive, and We Are Focused on Executing Well and Delivering on Our Commitments to Customers.”
Boeing Commercial Airplanes Saw a 13 Per Cent Decline in Revenue to Us$7.5bn (a$8bn), Primarily Driven by an 11 Per Cent Fall in Deliveries as a Result of Lower Than Planned Deliveries of 747s and the Koito Seat Issue. The Unit Recorded Net Orders of 83 Aircraft Over the Three Months, Leaving It With a Backlog Valued at Us$250bn (a$269bn). Operating Earnings for Bca Increased by 63 Per Cent to Us$679m (a$731m).
Boeing Defense, Space & Security (Bds) Also Recorded a Fall in Revenues, Down by One Per Cent as Lower Revenues From the Network and Space Systems Unit Offset Gains in Military Aircraft and Global Services and Support. Operational Earnings From Bds Dropped by Six Per Cent to Us$664m (a$715m).

Boeing Temporarily Halts 787 Fuse Shipments

Boeing is Holding Shipments of Fuselage Sections for the 23rd Production 787 at Charleston to Give Some of Its Suppliers Time to “catch Up”, and Pushing Assembly of the Aircraft Out to Early June.
According to a Report From ‘flightglobal.com,’ the 24 Manufacturing Day Hold Will Allow Suppliers to Deal With Parts Shortages and Incorporation of Design Changes Ahead of the Ramp Up of Production for the Airliner, and Will Also Avoid the Need to Introduce Out-of-sequence Work to the Final Assembly Line at Everett. Final Assembly Work on Airplanes 19 to 22 Will Continue, While Fuselage Sections of Airplane 23 Will Remain at Charleston. The Wings for Airplane 23 Are Understood to Have Recently Arrived in the Us From Japan.
Despite the Halt, Boeing Says That Production and Delivery Schedules Will Not Be Impacted. The First 787 is Due to Be Delivered to Launch Customer All Nippon Airlines by the End of the Year.

747-8f Heads to California

Boeing Has Announced That the Third 747-8 Freighter, Rc521, Has Ferried to Palmdale, California Where It Will Conduct the Majority of Its Certification Testing.
“taking the Airplane to Palmdale is a Big Step,” Said Mo Yahyavi, Vp and General Manager of the 747 Program. “the Team is Focused on Ensuring a Seamless Transition Into the Next Phase of the Flight Test Program as We Prepare to Expand Testing of the 747-8 Freighter’s Performance Characteristics.”
The Two Other 747-8fs Will Join Rc521 in the Coming Weeks to Complete Approximately 3700 Hours of Ground and Air Testing. Delivery of the First 747-8f to Launch Customer Cargolux is Due to Take Place During the Fourth Quarter of This Year.

A330-200f Certified Easa (the European Aviation Safety Agency) Has Granted Type Certification to the Airbus A330-200f, After the New Freighter Completed a 200 Hour, Two Aircraft Flight Test Campaign, Which Validated the Aircraft’s Payload as 70 Tonnes, One More Than Originally Expected.
“after a Very Smooth and Successful Flight Test Campaign We Have Reached Certification in Line With Our Planning,” Christian Favre, A330/340 Chief Engineer, Said. “moreover, Thanks to Some Design Optimisation, the Aircraft’s Payload Capability of 70 Tonnes is One Tonne More Than First Expected.”
The Freighter Has Been Certified Through an Amendment to the Existing A330-200 Easa Type Certificate Granted in 1998. Us Faa Certification is Expected to Follow Shortly.

787 Passes Wing and Fuselage Load Tests Boeing Has Announced That Following Analysis of Test Results That the 787 Dreamliner Has Passed Its Recent Wing and Fuselage Ultimate Load Testing Conducted on the Static Test Airframe.
“successfully Completing This Test is a Critical Step in the Certification of the 787. This is Further Validation That the 787 Performs as Expected, Even in the Most Extreme Circumstances,” Said Scott Fancher, Vp and General Manager of the 787 Program for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
The First 787 Delivery is Due to Launch Customer All Nippon Airlines During the Fourth Quarter of the Year.

Embraer Reshuffles Management Team Speculation is Mounting That Embraer is Looking at Developing an Aircraft Larger Than the E-195 After the Brazilian Manufacturer Announced a Reshuffle of Its Executive Management Team.
The Biggest Change is the Appointment of Mauro Kern, Who Was Previously the Company’s Executive Vice President, Airline Market, to the New Role of Executive Vice President, New Programs, Airline Market. Kern’s Previous Position Has Been Taken on by Paulo César Silva. In Addition, Embraer Has Appointed Artur Coutinho as Chief Operating Officer, With Direct Responsibility for Industrial Operations, Procurement, Technology, Organisational Development and Human Resources.
Embraer Said in a Statement That the Appointments Would “enhance Its Ability to Assure Full Customer Satisfaction and Expand Its Business Dynamics, While Reinforcing the Strength and Productivity of Its Internal Operations.” However, With the Appointment of Kern to His New Position, a Number of Analysts Believe That It May Signal a Move by Embraer Into Larger Aircraft, Possibly Following Rival Bombardier Into the 100-150 Seat Market.

Boeing Delivers 108 Aircraft for Q1 Boeing Has Announced Its Deliveries for the First Quarter of 2010, Showing That It Delivered 108 Commercial Aircraft for the Three Months Ending April 31.deliveries Comprised 86 737ngs, Three 767s and 19 777s. There Were No 747 Deliveries Over the Three Month Period.

Boeing Selects Monarch as Goldcare

Partner Boeing Has Selected Uk Based Monarch Aircraft Engineering as a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Partner for Its Goldcare 787 Support Package.
Under the Agreement, Monarch Will Conduct Scheduled Maintenance for 787s, Including a, B, C and D Checks for 787s Covered Under the Goldcare Program in Europe. Monarch’s Sister Company Monarch Airlines Has Six 787s on Order Which Are Expected to Be Maintained Through the Goldcare Arrangement.
Tui Travel Signed on Last Month as the First Customer for Goldcare, Which Also Involves Partnerships With Component Suppliers Including Ge Aviation, Hamilton Sundstrand, Honeywell, Moog Inc, Panasonic and Rockwell Collins.
Few Airlines Have Shown Interest in Signing on for the Support Package So Far, With Some in Recent Years Criticising the Proposed Cost Structure When Compared With Carrying Out Maintenance in-house.

Boeing to Open 787 Interior Manufacturing in South Carolina Boeing Has Announced That It Will Establish a New Operation at Its South Carolina Facility to Manufacture Interior Parts for the 787s to Be Assembled and Delivered From Its North Charleston Facility.
Boeing Fabrication Interiors South Carolina Will Be Located Near the North Charleston Facility, and Will Serve as an Extension of the Existing Interiors Responsibility Center in Everett, Washington. Boeing Says That the Facility Will Help It to Improve the Efficiency of Its 787 Assembly Line.
“by Expanding Boeing’s Footprint in South Carolina, We Enhance Our Existing Foundation With Boeing Charleston and Further Contribute to the Growth of Aerospace in the Region,” Said Ray Conner, Vp and Gm, Supply Chain Management and Operations. “ultimately, the Decision We Made in 2009 Builds on Our Overall Strategy to Successfully Meet Our 787 Customer Commitments and to Optimise Our Production Capability.”

Commercial Briefs

Brisbane Based Company Ferra Engineering Has Been Awarded a Five Year Build-to-order Contract From Boeing to Build 50 Machined Components for 747-400s. Ferra Was Identified Through Boeing’s Office of Australian Industry Capability (Oaic), Which Was Established in 2008 in Conjunction With the Defence Materiel Organisation to Assist Australian Small and Medium Enterprises (Smes) Gain Greater Access to Opportunities in Boeing’s Global Supply Chain.

Sales

Angolan Airline Taag Linhas Aereas Has Ordered Two Boeing 777-300ers and Taken Purchase Rights on a Further Two. The Order is Valued at Us$544m (a$587m) at List Prices, and Was Originally Posted as an Order to an Unidentified Customer on the Boeing Orders and Deliveries Website Last Year. Taag Currently Operates Three 777-200ers.
Hong Kong Airlines Has Confirmed an Order for Six Airbus A330-200s, Firming Up a Memorandum of Understanding Announced at the Singapore Airshow Earlier This Year. The New Aircraft Will Be Powered by Pratt & Whitney Pw4000 Engines, and Brings the Number of A330s on Order for the Carrier to 23.
Argentine Domestic Carrier Austral Líneas aéreas Has Firmed Up an Order for 20 E-190ars. Embraer Originally Announced the Agreement in May 2009, and Listed the Order as ‘undisclosed’ Until the Airline Fulfilled Several Requirements, Which Have Since Been Finalised.

Military

Lockmart Jsf Program Head Changes

Lockheed Martin’s Executive Vice President and Jsf Program General Manager, Dan Crowley, Has Been Promoted to the Newly Created Position of Chief Operating Officer of the Company’s Aeronautics Sector.
Crowley, Who Worked in Partnership With Fellow Program Executive Vice President and Jsf Program General Manager, Tom Burbage, Will Be Succeeded by F-22 Program Manager Larry Lawson. Burbage Will Continue in His Current Role.
Lockheed Martin Has Stressed the Change is Not Related to Program Delays, Nor is It a Response to the Firing of Jsf Program Office Head Majgen David Heinz by Us Defense Secretary Robert Gates in February.

General Atomics Unveils Sea Avenger

Uas General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (Ga-asi) Has Unveiled the Sea Avenger Carrier Based Derivative of Its Jet Powered Predator-c Avenger Designed to Fulfil a Us Navy Requirement for an Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike System.
The Uas (Unmanned Aerial System) Concept is in Response to a Us Navy Rfi Which Was Issued on April 30 for a Carrier Based Unmanned Aircraft That Offers Long Endurance, Isr and Precision Strike Capabilities. The Predator-c Was Designed From the Outset With a Tail Hook, High Lift Devices, and Folding Wings in Its Original Form, With Many Analysts Believing After Its Unveiling Last Year That Ga-asi Had Naval Intentions for the Aircraft.
Artists’ Concepts of the Stealthy Sea Avenger Show It With a Jsf Style ‘sapphire’ Faceted Eo/ir Sensor Window Under the Forward Fuselage.

Ge/rr Propose F136 Engine Fixed Price Offer

the General Electric and Rolls-royce Team Developing the Alternate F136 Engine for the F-35 Jsf Program Has Announced It Has Offered the Pentagon a Fixed Price Offer for the Engine.
An April 28 Release Says the Offer Intends to “create and Accelerate Competition” Between the Program’s Two Engines, the Other Being the Pratt & Whitney F135. A Blowout in F-35 Program Development Costs in Recent Years Has Prompted the Us Secretary of Defense to Try to Cancel the F136 Several Times, but Each Time Congress Has Stepped in and Restored Development Funding for the Engine. This Latest Move is Seen as a Bid to Provide Surety in Pricing for the Program.
“we Are Announcing a Fixed Price Offer for F136 Engines Purchased in 2012, Followed by Further Price Reductions for Engines Procured in Each of 2013 and 2014,” Said David Joyce, President and Ceo of Ge Aviation. “we Can Create a Competitive Environment That Will Save the Government (Us)$1bn (a$1.1bn) Over the Next Five Years, and (Us)$20bn (a$21.5bn) Over the Life of the Jsf Program.”
The Fixed Price Offered is Dependent on a Guaranteed Number of Engines Being Ordered Over a Defined Period, and Would Be Void Should Numbers Be Reduced or Schedules Change.
But Analysts Have Pointed Out That Any Savings Made From More Competitive Tenders for Engine Supply Contracts Would Have to More Than Offset the Additional Development and Production Costs, as Well as the Costs of Carrying Two Support Infrastructures for the Two Engines. Pentagon Spokesman Geoff Morrell Was Quoted Recently as Saying, “the Department Certainly is Not Convinced That the Speculative Benefits of Competition Will Offset the Very Real Upfront and Ongoing Costs of Pursuing an Extra Engine.”

Airbus Begins Work on First Uae Tanker Airbus Military Has Commenced Conversion Work on the First of Three A330 Mrtt Tankers for the United Arab Emirates, Meaning Mrtt Conversion Work is Now Underway on Aircraft for the Type’s Four Customers, Which Also Includes Australia, the Uk and Saudi Arabia.
Like Australia, the Uae and Saudi Aircraft Will Be Configured With a Centreline Boom and Two Wing Mounted Hose and Drogue Refuelling Systems, While the Uk’s Mrtts Will Not Have the Centreline Boom.
Australia’s First Two Kc-30a Tankers Are Due to Be Delivered Later This Year, Nearly Two Years Behind Schedule.

India Delays Fighter Decision the Indian Government Has Asked Bidders for Its 126 Aircraft Mmrca Fighter Contest to Resubmit Their Bids for Another Year After It Revealed It Would Not Meet a Two Year Deadline of April 28 Since the Original Bids Were Submitted to Select a Winner.
“the Companies Have Been Informed by the Government That They Can Extend Their Bid for One More Year,” Indian Defence Ministry Spokesman Sitanshu Kar Was Reported as Saying by Bloomberg. “they Have the Option of Increasing or Decreasing Their Price,” He Said, Adding That It “highlights That This is by Far the Biggest, Most Complex Arms Purchase India Has Ever Undertaken.”
The Bidders, Comprising Boeing With Its F/a-18e/f, Lockheed Martin’s F-16i, Saab Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale and the Mapo Mig-35, Have All Sent Aircraft to India for Testing and Trials.

Northrop Grumman and Bell to Develop Fire-x Vuas Northrop Grumman and Bell Helicopter Are Partnering to Develop a Medium Range Vertical Unmanned Aerial System (Vuas) Based on Bell’s 407 Light Single Helicopter.
To Be Known as Fire-x, the Optionally Manned Vuas Will Integrate the Unmanned Systems Architecture Developed by Northrop Grumman for the Us Navy’s Mq-8b Fire Scout Program. The Fire-x Will Be Designed to Operate With Current and Future Military Standards-based Control Systems Including the Us Navy’s Tactical Control Station and the Us Army’s One System Ground Control Station.
The Fire-x’s is Expected to Be Able to Carry a 1180kg Underslung, a 1360kg Internal Payload and Offer a 14 Hour Endurance.
Both Companies Are Aiming to Have the Fire-x Concept Ready for a New Medium Range Uas Competition for the Us Navy Anticipated in 2011.
The First Flight of a Fire-x Prototype is Expected Before the End of 2010.

Prompt Global Strike Missile Test Failure the Us Prompt Global Strike Missile Concept Suffered a Setback on April 22 After a Test Vehicle on a Test Flight From Vandenberg Afb in California to Kwajelin Atoll in the Marshall Islands Disappeared Somewhere Over the Pacific Ocean.
The Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (Htv-2), Which is Launched Into the Upper Atmosphere Atop a Rocket Booster and is Designed to Hit a Target Anywhere on Earth With a Conventional Warhead Within an Hour, is a Wedge Shaped Glider Which Effectively ’skips’ Along the Upper Atmosphere at Mach 20.
A Darpa Spokesman Said Contact Was Lost With the Htv-2 Nine Minutes After Launch After the Vehicle Successfully Separated From Its Booster and “achieved Controlled Flight Within the Atmosphere at Over Mach 20.”
Other Options for the Prompt Global Strike Mission Include Arming Icbms With Conventional Warheads, and an Air-launched Powered Missile Like the Planned X-51a Waverider, First Flight of Which Has Been Delayed but is Currently Scheduled for May.

Seahawk Replacement Tender Released the Dmo Has Released Tender Solicitation Documents to the Us Navy and to Australian Aerospace for the Supply of Up to 24 Naval Combat Helicopters to Replace the Ran’s Seahawks and Foregone Seasprite Capability Under Air 9000 Phase 8.
The Tender Release Follows First Pass Approval of the Project in February, and the Government’s Subsequent Decision to Open the Requirement to a Competition Between Nhi/eurocopter’s Nh90 Nfh and the Lockheed Martin/sikorsky (Team Romeo) Mh-60r.
“a Competitive Process is Consistent With the Kinnaird and Mortimer Procurement Reforms,” Minister for Defence Materiel and Science, Greg Combet, Said. “it Will Allow the Companies to Offer Innovative Solutions That Satisfy the Capability, Cost and Schedule Requirements and Detail What Opportunities They Will Offer Local Industry.”
A Decision on the Successful Tender is Due to Be Handed Down in Early 2011.

Coalition Pledges Global Hawk Buy

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott Has Said a Coalition Government Would Buy Three Northrop Grumman Rq-4 Global Hawk Uavs to Bolster the Nation’s Border Security if It Wins Government in This Year’s Federal Election.
Speaking on April 23, Abbott Made the Announcement as Part of a Broader Foreign Policy and Defence Statement. “i Can Announce Today, Though, That One Major Acquisition, as Soon as Possible, Would Be Three Unmanned Global Hawk Surveillance Aircraft,” He Said. “in a Day, a Global Hawk Can Keep Under Surveillance 40,000 Square Nautical Miles. These Aircraft Would Help to Protect the Vast Oil and Gas Projects Now Progressing on the North West Shelf. Real-time Surveillance and Their Vast Area of Coverage Should Allow Much Earlier Detection and Interception of Illegal Boat Arrivals.”
The Global Hawk Has Been Under Consideration by the Adf for Several Years as Part of a Two Tiered Replacement for the Raaf’s Ap-3c Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft. Under Phase 1b of Project Air 7000, the Current Defence Capability Plan Would See an Unmanned Maritime Reconnaissance Capability Considered by the Government From 2019 for Service Introduction in the Early 2020s.

Raaf Ap-3c Damaged in Flare Accident an Raaf 11sqn Ap-3c Orion Based in the Middle East Was Damaged on April 8 After a Flare Became Hung Up Within Its Countermeasures Dispenser System.
The Aircraft Recovered Safely to Its Base at Al Minhad Air Base in the Uae and No Crew Members Were Injured, but the Incident Has Been Subject to an Investigation and the Aircraft to an Extensive Inspection, Including Non-destructive Testing Inspections With the Assistance of 37sqn Hercules Engineers Also Based at Al Minhad.

A330 Mrtt Hose and Drogue System Cleared for Certification

Airbus Military Says It Has Completed All the Flight Tests Required for the Daylight Certification of the Wing-mounted Cobham 905 Hose-and-drogue Refuelling System on Its A330 Mrtt, Clearing the Way for Formal Military Certification of the System From Spain’s Inta Certification Authority.
Tests Included Manoeuvring in an Expanding Flight Envelope to Verify the Aircraft’s Handling Qualities With the Hose-and-drogue Deployed, Both in Free-flight and When Hooked Up to Spanish Air Force Ef-18 Fighters.
“following Civil Certification of the A330 Mrtt on 17th March 2010, the Completion of This Flight Test Phase is a Further Major Step Towards Final Military Certification of the Aircraft,” Airbus Military Head of Derivatives, Antonio Caramazana, Said.
Airbus Military Says It is Also Well Advanced in Testing of the Mrtt’s Aerial Refuelling Boom System (Arbs), Which Will Be Completed Shortly.
The Raaf Will Take Delivery of Its First of Five Kc-30a Mrtts Later This Year.

Eads Goes It Alone on Usaf Kc-x Bid

Eads North America Has Announced Its Intention to Bid for the Usaf’s Kc-x Tanker Replacement Program as the Prime Contractor With Its A330 Mrtt Based Kc-45, Although It Stresses That It Hasn’t Given Up Looking for Us Partners for Its Bid.
Previously Partnered With Northrop Grumman and More Recently Reported to Have Unsuccessfully Explored a Tie-up With L-3, Eads Na Was Granted a 60 Day Extension by the Usaf to July 9 to Submit a Proposal for the Competition.
“we Have Notified the Dod We Are Going to Bid,” Eads North America Ceo, Sean O’keefe Said at a April 20 Media Conference. “we Have the World’s Best Tanker. We Have Won Five Different Times Against the Kc-767. The Kc-45 is Flying, It Exists. This Means Substantially Less Risk. The Dod Should Not Be Forced Through Sole Source to Buy an Aircraft That Exists Only on Paper.”
Boeing Has Proposed the Kc-767 New Generation (Ng) Tanker, a Development of the 767-200 With 787 Based Cockpit Avionics, a New Boom, and Winglets. After a Protracted Development Running Nearly Two Years Late, the Raaf Will Take Delivery of Its First of Five Kc-30a Mrtts, on Which the Kc-45 is Based, Later This Year, While 23 Other A330 Mrtts Have Been Ordered by the Uk, Saudi Arabia and the Uae.
“this Tanker Competition is All About the Warfighter and the Aircraft That Most Successfully Meets Their Requirements,” O’keefe Added. “the Kc-45 Offers What the Air Force Needs Today a Modern Military Tanker That is in Production Now With Deliveries Beginning This Year. Not Only Does the Kc-45 Offer the Best Value and a Huge Capability Advantage Over the Competition, It Also Will Support Tens of Thousands of Jobs Across America by Expanding Our Nation’s Industrial Aerospace Capacity.” as Part of Its Bid, Eads Has Recommitted to Building the Bulk of the 179 New Tankers at a New Facility in Mobile, Alabama Alongside Commercial A330f Freighters as Well.
Boeing Responded to Eads’s Announcement With a Statement of Its Own. “from the Outset, Boeing Has Been 100 Per Cent Focused on Responding to the Needs of Our Air Force Customer and Preparing a Competitive Proposal. Only Boeing Can Produce a Tanker That Will Meet the Air Force’s 372 Requirements and Promise Delivery of a Combat-ready, Safe and Survivable Tanker That is the Most Capable for the Warfighter, the Lowest Cost for the Taxpayer, and Backed by Boeing’s Proven Us Work Force. We Are Confident in the Superior Value and Capabilities of Our Newgen Tanker and Intend to Present a Compelling Case for It in Our Proposal.”
Despite the Usaf Stressing That Pending World Trade Organisation (Wto) Rulings Would Not Be Taken Into Account in the Kc-x Selection Process, Boeing Again Raised the Issue of What It Terms Illegal Development Subsidies Being Paid to Airbus Over the Years, Including for the A330 Program. “we Also Remain Deeply Concerned About the Ability of a Heavily Subsidised Airbus/eads to Accept Levels of Financial Risk That a Commercial Company Such as Boeing Cannot,” the Statement Read. “we Regret That These Concerns Will Not Be Addressed in the Bid Evaluation, Even When the Us Government Has Proven in a World Court That Those Subsidies Are Illegal and Directly Distort Competition Between Airbus and Boeing.”

Weapons Test F-35a Flies the Seventh F-35 Jsf Development Aircraft Made Its First Flight From Fort Worth on April 20, Flying for One Hour With Pilot Jeff Knowles at the Controls.
The Aircraft, an F-35a Dubbed Af-2, Will Be Used to Validate the F-35’s Weapons Suite, and as Such is the First to Be Fitted With the New Internal Four-barrel General Dynamics Gau-22/a 25mm Gun Which is Capable of Firing 3000 Rounds Per Minute.
The Gun Testing Will Validate Its Vibration, Acoustic and Recoil Loads, While Additional Weapons Testing Will Include Vibro-acoustic Loads With the Weapons-bay Doors Open and Closed With Various Weapon Configurations, and Eventually, Weapons Clearance and Launch Trials.

‘green Hornet’ Flies for Earth Day the Us Navy Flew an F/a-18f Super Hornet Powered by a 5050 Mixture of Jp8 Jet Fuel and a Camelina Oil Based Biofuel at Supersonic Speeds to Commemorate Earth Day on April 22.
The Flight Saw the Aircraft, Dubbed the ‘green Hornet’, Reach Mach 1.2 and Was the First Time a Biofuel Blend Had Been Used With Afterburners Engaged. The Navy Intends to Conduct a Further 14 Demonstration Flights Totalling 23 Flight Hours to Test and Certify the Blend, With the Intention of Clearing It for Use on Other Types and for Introducing the Blend Into Operational Service by 2012.
The Green Hornet Program is Part of the Us Navy’s Larger Green Fleet Initiative, Which Plans to Have 50 Per Cent of the Service’s Energy Produced by Non-fossil Based Fuels by 2020.

First Dutch Nh90 Nfh Delivered Agustawestland Has Delivered the First of 12 Nh90 Nfhs to the Royal Netherlands Navy During an Official Ceremony at the Company’s Vergiate Plant in Italy on April 20.
The Delivery is the First of 111 Nfh Variants to Have Been Ordered by the Netherlands, France, Italy, Norway and Belguim, and Comes Nearly Three Years After the Aircraft First Flew.
The Royal Netherlands Air Force Has Also Ordered Eight Marinised Nh90 Tth Helicopters for Troop Transport and Other Vertical Lift Missions.

New Look for Af-1 Jsf Test Aircraft F-35a Af-1, the First “optimised” a Model F-35, Has Emerged From Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Final Finishes Facility at Fort Worth Sporting Its Robot Applied Paint Coatings and New Hand Painted Fin Flashes on Its Vertical Tails.
Af-1 Had Flown Twice Late Last Year Before Undergoing a Period of Ground Testing, but is Being Prepared for Its Return to Flight and Being Ferried to Edwards Afb for Continued Flight Testing.

Team Romeo Proposes Black Hawk/seahawk Refurbishment the Team Romeo Group of Companies Bidding for the Ran’s Air 9000 Phase 8 Naval Helicopter Program, Comprising Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky, Raytheon, Ge and Cae, Has Proposed to Refurbish the Adf’s Outgoing Fleet of 50 S-70a Black Hawks and S-70b Seahawks for Sale to a Third Party as Part of Its Bid.
Speaking to Media in Sydney on April 16, Sikorsky’s General Manager Business Development, Chris Clapperton, Said the Team Romeo Proposal Would See the Aircraft Refurbished After They Leave Adf Service, and Offered to the Market Where They Are Expected to Be Attractive to Emergency Services Such as Police or Fire Fighting Organisations. Such a Move Would See Team Romeo Take Responsibility for the De-militarisation and on-selling of the Aircraft, a Process Which Can Often Be a Slow and Bureaucratic One When Dealing With Us State Department Rules for the Sale of Military Aircraft of Us Origin, but is Something With Which Sikorsky Has Experience.
The Refurbishment Would Concentrate on the Aircraft’s Engines and Dynamic Components, an Airframe Structural Life Extension Enhancement, and an Upgrade of the Helicopters’ Avionics to a Near Common Configuration.
The Army’s Fleet of 34 Black Hawks is Currently Being Replaced by Mrh 90 Troop Transports, While the Navy’s 16 Seahawks Will Be Replaced by Either the Mh-60r or the Eurocopter Nh 90 Nfh From 2013. Team Romeo Says It is Expecting a Decision on the Successful Tender in Early 2011.

Raaf Reviews Use of Salt Ash Range the Raaf Has Said It Will Review the Use of the Salt Ash Weapons Range Just North of Williamtown After Responses to Its Joint Strike Fighter (Jsf) Draft Public Environment Report Expressed Concern Over Its Continuing Use and the Affect of Jet Noise on the Nearby Communities of Medowie and Oyster Cove.
“the Department of Defence and the Air Force Take the Issue of Aircraft Noise Very Seriously,” Deputy Chief of Air Force, Avm Geoff Brown Said. “this Review Will Determine Whether Air Force Can Decrease Noise Impact on Residents by Changing the Way the Jsf Will Use the Weapons Range. With the Jsf’s Introduction, Defence is Looking to Balance the Enhanced Capability the Jsf Will Provide With the Environmental Impact It Will Have. Changing the Way We Use the Range Will Have an Impact on Raaf Base Williamtown’s Fast Jet Training Capability and This Review Will Determine Whether That is Viable and Sustainable.”
The F-35 Jsf With Its 42,000lb Thrust F135 Engine is Expected to Have Much Higher Noise Levels Than the Current Fleets of F/a-18a/b Hornets and Hawk 127s.

Super Hornet Work for Production Parts the One-year Contract Gives Production Parts Options on Future Contracts Boeing May Receive From the Us Navy and International Customers for the Super Hornet. The Aircraft is Currently in Contention for Sales to Denmark, Brazil, Greece and India, and a Follow-on Multi-year Procurement (Myp) Contract is Under Consideration for the Us Navy.
“this Contract Not Only Demonstrates the Global Competitiveness of Australian Companies, but Also is a Testament to the Success of the Australian Government’s Office of Australian Industry Capability Program,” Said Peter Nicholls, Managing Director of Production Parts. “this Program Has Enabled Production Parts to Bid and Win Work With One of the World’s Largest Defence Primes, and We Look Forward to a Long Term Relationship and Further Opportunities With the Boeing Company.”
Production Parts Also Has Contracts for Components for the System Design and Demonstration Phase of the F-35 Jsf Program.

Second A400m Flies the Second Airbus Military A400m Made Its Maiden Flight on April 8.
Msn2 Took Off From Seville, Spain, at 15.15 Local Time, Landing Back at Seville Four Hours and 50 Minutes Later. Aircraft Captain for the Flight Was Michel Gagneux, Joined by Copilot Karl-heinz Mai, With Flight Test Engineers Jean-jacques Bernard and Emiliano Requena, and Test Flight Engineer Gerard Maisonneuve.
Meanwhile Msn1, Which is Now Based Out of Toulouse, Had by the Time of Msn2’s Flight Completed 15 Flights, Logging Over 66 Flight Hours. Airbus Military Says the Third A400m Will Fly by the Beginning of the Northern Summer, the Fourth A400m “around” the End of the Year.

First F-35 With Mission System Flies the Sixth F-35 Jsf Development Aircraft Made Its First Flight From Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth Facility on April 7.
The Aircraft, an F-35b Dubbed Bf-4, is the First of the Planned 20 Development Aircraft to Be Fitted With a Mission System and Sensor Suite, and Block 0.5 Flight Software. Sensors Fitted Include an Apg-81 Aesa Radar, Electronic Warfare Suite, and the Pilot’s Vsi Helmet Mounted Display. Still to Be Installed Are the Electro-optical (Eo) Targeting System and 360-deg Eo Distributed Aperture System.
The Aircraft, Which Flew 13 Months Later Than Scheduled, Reached an Altitude of 15,500ft During Its 51 Minute Flight.

Second at-6 Flies With New Engine the Second Hawker Beechcraft at-6 Texan Ii Production Representative Test Vehicle (Prtv) Has Made Its First Flight Fitted With a New Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&wc) Pt6a-68d Engine With 1600shp (1195kw).
The Aircraft is a Structurally Strengthened Version of the T-6b Advanced Trainer, Developed to Meet a Growing Requirement in the Us and Other Nations for a Light Attack and Armed Reconnaissance (Laar) Aircraft. The First Prtv Was Equipped With the T-6b’s Standard Pt6 Engine and a Mission Suite Based on That in the Upgraded a-10c, and Has Been Conducting Integration Test Work Since Flying in Mid 2009.
The Us Air National Guard is Scheduled to Conduct an Evaluation of the at-6 and Embraer’s Emb-314 Super Tucano Later This Year for the Usaf’s Laar Requirement.

Lockmart Rolls Out First Usaf Hc-130j Lockheed Martin Has Rolled Out the First Hc-130j Combat Rescue Tanker for the Usaf From Its Marietta Facility in Georgia.
The Aircraft is the First of 115 Special Operations Equipped C-130js for the Usaf, Comprising 78 Hc-130js for Air Combat Command (Acc), and 37 Mc-130js for Air Force Special Operations Command (Afsoc). The First Aircraft Will Be Presented to the Usaf on April 19 and After Flight Testing, is Due to Enter Service in 2012.

Predator Uav Family Logs 1 Million Flight Hours the General Atomics Predator Family of Unmanned Aerial Systems Logged Its One Millionth Flight Hour During Operations Over the Easter Weekend.
Comprising the Predator a, the I-gnat, the Er/sky Warrior and Predator B/reaper Uavs, the Milestone Was Recorded in Just Under 80,000 Missions, 85 Per Cent of Which Have Been Flown on Operations.
Ga-asi Estimates That at Any Time of the Day, More Than 40 Predator Uavs Are Airborne Worldwide, the Majority of Which Would Be in the Afghanistan, Middle East and Horn of Africa Regions. The Predator Family is Currently Being Built at a Rate of Eight Aircraft and Seven Ground Stations Per Month, and Are Logging Almost 30,000 Flight Hours Per Month.

First Two Raaf Wedgetails Handed Over

the Raaf Formally Took Delivery of the First Two of Six Boeing 737 Wedgetail Aew&c Aircraft at a Ceremony at Raaf Williamtown on May 5.
The Official Handover Has Seen the Two Aircraft Brought Onto the Raaf’s Register With 2sqn, a Large Proportion of the Project’s Contracted Fees Paid to Boeing, and Comes Six Months After an ‘initial’ Handover Took Place Late Last Year. Following That Initial Handover, the Aircraft Remained on the Us Civil Register and Boeing Test Crews Had Been Required to Fly With and Oversee Maintenance Work on the Aircraft at All Times, While Raaf Crews Trained and Conducted Operational Test Work.
“the Wedgetail Project Has Suffered Problems, Especially in Regards to Schedule, and Has Been on the Government’s ‘projects of Concern’ List,” Said Minister for Defence Materiel and Science. Greg Combet. “this Project Was Experiencing a Variety of Problems When the Government Was Elected but We Have Put a Lot of Work Into Getting It Back on Track. Over a Decade Since the Project First Started It is Finally Now Ready to Be Used for Air Force Training. I Congratulate All Parties, Including the Department, Air Force and the Wedgetail’s Manufacturer Boeing Who Have Got Us to This Point. This is Good News, Although There Are Still a Number of Hurdles to Overcome. Defence Will Continue to Work Alongside Boeing to Support the Ramp Up of Training and the Final Delivery of All Six Completed Aircraft.”
The Wedgetail Project is Running Nearly Four Years Late After Development and Integration Problems With the Aircraft’s Revolutionary Mesa Radar System. Three More Wedgetails Are Due to Be Delivered by the End of 2010 and the Final Aircraft Early Next Year.
Ongoing Work is Still Being Conducted on the Aircraft’s Esm System and Its Integration With the Mesa Radar. The Final Four Aircraft All Should Have Their Esm Systems Fitted and Integrated at Delivery, While the First Two Aircraft Will Have Their Systems Activated and Configured in 2011.
Projected Full Operational Capability for the Wedgetail Fleet is Projected to Be Realised in Late 2012.

Indian Navy Seeks New Light Utility Helos the Indian Navy Has Issued an Rfi for at Least 50 New Light Utility Helicopters to Replace the 32 Locally Produced Hai Cheetaks Currently in Service.
The Rfi Calls for a Twin Engined Aircraft With a Maximum Weight of 4500kg, the Ability to Carry a Lightweight Torpedo or Two Depth Charges, and Provision for Mounting 12.7mm Machine Guns and/or a Rocket Launcher on Either Side of the Aircraft. The Helo Will Also Be Required to Undertake Search and Rescue, Medical Evacuation, Observation, Anti Piracy/terrorism and Other Tasks.

Military Briefs

Boeing Says It Successfully Flew the First of a Second Batch of F-15k Fighters for South Korea on April 19. The Aircraft, Dubbed F-15k41, is the First of 21 F-15ks Ordered Under South Korea’s Nfx2 Contract as a Follow-on to the Original Batch of 40 F-15ks Which Completed Delivery in October 2008.
The B-1b Lancer Bomber, More Colloquially Known as the ‘bone’ as a Play on Its B-1 Designation, Celebrated 25 Years in Usaf Service on April 29.
The First Boeing P-8a Poseidon Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft Arrived at the Us Navy’s East Coast Test Facility at Nas Patuxent River Near Washington Dc on April 10. T1 Will Conduct Test and Evaluation Activities at Pax River Including Airworthiness and Flight Envelope Expansion Tasks. Two Other Test Aircraft, T2 and T3, Will Joint1 at Pax Later This Year.

Boeing Defence Australia (Bda) Has Been Awarded a Three Year Contract Worth $4.5 Million to Provide the Raaf With Support for F/a-18 Hornet Technical Publications. The Contract is an Extension of the Current Agreement Which Has Seen Boeing, as the Original Equipment Manufacturer (Oem) of the F/a-18, Provide Technical Publication Services Including Management, Production of Amendments and Additional Support Tasks as Required to the Raaf Since 2005.
Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin Have Announced a Teaming Agreement to Jointly Bid for the Us Navy’s Revived Vxx Presidential Helicopter Program. Under the Agreement Sikorsky Would Act as Prime Contractor, Offerings Its H-92 Medium Lift Helicopter, While Lockheed Martin Would Act as Major Subsystems Integrator and Supplier. Under the Original Vxx Program, Cancelled Last June Due to Program Complications and Cost Overruns, Lockheed Martin Had Been Under Contract to Supply 23 Vh-71a Helicopters, Based on the Agustawestand Aw 101.
The Usaf Air National Guard Has Taken Delivery of Its First F-15 Golden Eagle, an F-15c Upgraded With a New an/apg-63(V)3 Advanced Electronically Scanned Array (Aesa) Radar. The Apg-63 Replaces the Ageing Apg-70 Radar, and Gives the F-15s Far Greater Situational Awareness and a New Anti-cruise Missile Mission. Only 44 F-15cs Have Been Funded to Receive the Upgrade.

Airlines

Continental and United Confirm Merger

Continental Air Lines and United Airlines Have Agreed to a Us$3bn (a$3.2bn) All-stock Merger Which Will Make the Combined Entity the Biggest Airline in the World.
The Boards of the Two Airlines Announced That an Agreement Had Been Struck on May 3 Under Which Continental Shareholders Will Receive 1.05 Shares in the New United Continental Holdings Inc Company for Every Continental Share They Hold. The Combined Carrier Will Retain the United Name but Will Feature the Continental Logo and Livery. Overall, It is Expected That the Merger Will Deliver Us$1-1.2bn (a$1.1-1.3bn) in Net Synergies Up to 2013.
“today is a Great Day for Our Customers, Our Employees, Our Shareholders and Our Communities as We Bring Together Our Two Companies in a Merger of Equals to Create a World Class and Truly Global Airline With an Unparalleled Network Serving Communities Worldwide With Outstanding Customer Service,” Said United Ceo Glenn Tilton, Who Will Be the Combined Company’s Non-executive Chairman Until December 31 2012.
“together, We Will Have the Financial Strength Necessary to Make Critical Investments to Continue to Improve Our Products and Services and to Achieve and Sustain Profitability,” Added Continental Ceo Jeff Smisek, Who Will Be the Ceo of the Combined Carrier Before Succeeding Tilton in 2012 to Become the Carrier’s Executive Chairman.
Together, the Two Carriers Will Have 10 Hubs and Fly to 370 Destinations in 59 Countries, and Operate a Fleet of 693 Mainline Aircraft. Listed Orders, Which From United Include Airbus A320s, A350 Xwbs and Boeing 787s While Continental Has 787s, 737ngs and 777s, Are All Expected to Be Maintained.
Locally, United Flies Daily to Sydney and Melbourne, While Continental Flies From Guam to Cairns and is Also an Interline Partner With V Australia. Continental Also Recently Concluded a Codeshare Agreement With Star Alliance Partner Air New Zealand.

Virgin Blue & Air Nz Detail Alliance Virgin Blue and Air New Zealand Have Announced Details of Their Planned Revenue Sharing Trans-tasman Alliance Proposal, First Revealed to the Asx Last Week, Confirming It Will Be a Non-equity Arrangement.
The Airlines Said in a Joint Statement Released on May 3 That the Alliance Will Allow Them to “strengthen Their Competitive Offering” on the Trans-tasman Market, and That They Will “collaborate” on Future Route and Product Planning, Codesharing and Frequent Flyer Program Benefits. The Alliance Would Also Connect Regional Centres in Australia and New Zealand “but Only as Part of a Trans-tasman Journey and Does Not Include Domestic-only Travel in Either Australia or New Zealand,” the Statement Reads. “the Agreement is Also Not a Signal of Intention by Air New Zealand or Virgin Blue to Take a Shareholding in Each Other,” the Statement Asserts, and the Two Will Continue to Compete on the New Zealand Domestic Market.
The Carriers Say the Alliance Would Involve a “broad” Free Sale Codeshare Agreement; a “revenue Allocation” Agreement for All Trans-tasman Flights and a Joint Trans-tasman Network Planning and Revenue Management Team; Reciprocal Frequent Flyer Scheme Benefits; and a Lounge Cooperation Agreement. The Two Airlines Will Also Aim to Closely Align Their Trans-tasman Product Offerings.
“simple Moves Like Integrating Schedules and Capacity, Allowing Customers to Book Multi-sector Journeys on One Code, Providing Reciprocal Loyalty Scheme Benefits and Reciprocal Lounge Access for Qualifying Customers Will Be a Compelling Proposition for Leisure and Business Travellers on Both Sides of the Tasman,” Said Air New Zealand Ceo Rob Fyfe.
“we Are Two of the World’s Most Innovative and Nimble Airlines and by Working Closer Together We Believe We Can Deliver Significant Benefits to Customers and Shareholders,” Said Fyfe, Who Stressed That Seat Capacity on the Trans-tasman Under the Alliance Would Grow More Quickly Than Would Otherwise Be the Case.
“this Market Stimulation is Likely to Allow Air New Zealand and Virgin Blue to Harness the Alliance Benefits to Start New Routes or Additional Frequencies,” Said Vb Group Ceo Brett Godfrey, Who Told a May 3 Media Call That Under the Alliance the Two Carriers Would Have “just Under” 50 Per Cent Marketshare of the Trans-tasman.
“we Believe We Are Well Matched and the Timing is Good and Incoming Chief Executive, John Borghetti, Thoroughly Supports This Strategy,” Godfrey Said.
The Airlines Say They Have Been Working on the Trans-tasman Proposal for “some Months”, and That Today They Will File Applications With the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (Accc) and the New Zealand Ministry of Transport Seeking Approvals for the Alliance. Godfrey Told the Media Phone Hookup That He Thought Regulatory Approval Would Take in the Order of Six Months.

Frequent Flyer Hits 7m Members Qantas Has Announced That Its Frequent Flyer Program Has Now Attracted More Than Seven Million Members.
Qantas Says That Since a Relaunch of the Program in July That There Has Been a 32 Per Cent Increase in Memberships. Other Major Enhancements to the Program Since Then, Such as the Addition of ‘any Seat’ Redemption Opportunities and a Partnership With the Woolworths Everyday Rewards Program, Have Also Attracted New Members.
Since Its Restructuring Into a Separate Business Within the Qantas Group, Frequent Flyer Has Been a Star Performer, and Has Recorded Consistent Profit Growth. While It Was Being Prepared for an Initial Public Offering in 2008 by Previous Qantas Ceo Geoff Dixon, Current Ceo Alan Joyce Has Noted That Qantas Intends to Retain the Business Due to Its Strategic Importance to the Group.

Jal Confirms Brisbane

Services Cut Japan Air Lines Has Confirmed That It Will Cease Operating Its Daily Tokyo Narita-brisbane Service From September This Year as a Part of the Airline’s Restructuring.
A Statement Issued by Brisbane Airport Notes That the Airline Had Met With Airport Management in February to Brief It on the Circumstances of the Cancellation. In November 2009, Jal Downsized the Service From a Boeing 747 to a 767-300, and the Airport Says That Since Then It Has Been Operating With High Load Factors.
“jal’s Letter to Bac Stated Unequivocally That Once Their Restructure Was Complete and the Company Had Returned to Profitability, Jal Would Be Seeking to Reinstate the Brisbane-narita Service, Possibly Using Boeing 787 Aircraft,” the Airport Said.
The Move by Jal Has Not Been Unexpected as the Tokyo-brisbane Route Appeared on a List of Likely Route Cuts Which Was Leaked Last Year. Jal is Planning to Cut a Number of Domestic and International Routes as Part of a Wider Range of Measures to Fight Its Way Out of Bankruptcy.

Virgin Blue Voted Best Domestic Carrier

a ‘choice’ Magazine Survey Has Named Virgin Blue as Australia’s Best Domestic Airline for the Second Year in a Row, With Tiger Airways Taking Out Last Place.
The Survey Involved 11,000 Choice Members Who Rated the Major Domestic Carriers on 10 Criteria Including Cost, Inflight Service and Food Quality, and Saw Virgin Blue Receive the Highest Overall Score of 73 Per Cent. The Airline Was Consistently Rated First or Second Across the Criteria, With a Number of Members Commenting on Their Standards of Service and Its Change of Policy Which No Longer Requires Disabled Passengers to Travel With a Carer.
Regional Express Was Ranked Second in the Survey at 71 Per Cent, With Members Noting Its “old-fashioned” Service. Qantas Came in Third at 68 Per Cent, With Some Comments From Members Noting That the Quality of Service Varied Across Flights. Jetstar Came in at 60 Per Cent, Slightly Above Tiger’s Rating of 54 Per Cent, With Delays Noted by Members From Both Carriers.

Lufthansa to Fly A380 to Beijing, Tokyo Lufthansa Has Announced That Beijing and Tokyo Will Be the First Routes to Receive Regular A380 Services, the First of Which Will Be Delivered on May 19.
From June 11, the German Flag Carrier Will Operate Three Weekly Services With the A380 on the Frankfurt-tokyo Narita Route, Followed by a Three Times Weekly A380 Operation on the Frankfurt-beijing Route From August 26. Prior to That, Lufthansa Will Also Use Its First A380 for a Special Flight to Johannesburg on June 6 to Transport the German National Football Team and a Group of Supporters to the Fifa World Cup.
Lufthansa’s A380s Will Be Configured to Carry 526 Passengers, With Eight First Class Seats and 98 Business Class Seats on the Upper Deck and 420 Economy Seats on the Main Deck.

Hawaiian Takes First A330 Hawaiian Airlines Has Taken Delivery of Its First Airbus A330-200 at a Ceremony Held at the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse.
“today’s Ceremony Marks an Important Moment in the History of Hawaiian Airlines as We Pursue Our Plans for Growth and Expansion,” Said Hawaiian Ceo Mark Dunkerley. “these New Airbus Aircraft Will Allow Us to Operate More Efficiently and Over Greater Distances, While Also Setting a New Standard for Passenger Comfort and Convenience.”
The New Aircraft Will Arrive at Hawaiian’s Honolulu Base on May 3, and is Scheduled to Enter Service on the Honolulu-los Angeles Route From Early June.
The Airline is Taking Delivery of Three A330s on Lease This Year, While the First of Seven A330s Purchased Directly From Airbus Will Join the Fleet From 2011. In Addition, the Airline Has Orders for Six A350-800s, as Well as Purchase Rights for an Additional Five A330s and Six A350s.
Hawaiian Airlines Has Also Announced That It Has Completed Retrofitting Blended Winglets on Eight Boeing 767-300ers to Help Reduce Fuel Burn and Emissions.

Virgin Blue & Qantas Launches Mobile Check-in

Virgin Blue and Qantas Have Both Revealed New Processes Which Will Allow Passengers With Smartphones to Use Them to Complete Check-in and Board Domestic Flights.
Virgin Blue Was First With Its April 22 Launch of Its First Phase of Its ‘check Mate’ Project, Which Involves Its ‘mobile.virginblue.com.au’ Website and a Special Blackberry Application, Which Offer Mobile Check-in, Seat Selection and Boarding via  a 2d Barcode Scanning on Smartphone Devices for Passengers Travelling on Direct Flights Between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Passengers Will Also Be Able to Access Other Virgin Blue Information, Such as Velocity and Lounge Information Through Their Mobile Devices.
“we Are Excited to Be the First Airline in the Country to Be Offering a Full Suite of Mobile Options, in Particular the Ability for People to Actually Make a Flight Booking, Check Themselves in on Their Way to the Airport and Then Go Straight to Boarding With Their 2d Barcode,” Said Virgin Blue Ceo Brett Godfrey.
The Move, Particularly to Launch With a Blackberry Application, Appears to Be Focused Largely on Time-poor Corporate Travellers, and Brings It Into Line With Other Carriers Which Are Adopting Simplified Check-in Procedures and Paperless Boarding Passes.

Virgin Blue Says That It Intends to Roll Out Use of 2d Barcodes Across All Australasian Ports in Future Phases of the Project.
Subsequently on April 28 Qantas Announced the Rollout of Its Program to Allow Passengers to Check-in Using Internet-enabled Mobile Devices on Its Domestic Services.
Under Its Mobile Check-in Initiative, Qantas Passengers With Blackberrys, Iphones and Other Web-enabled Mobile Devices Will Be Able to Check-in Between 24 Hours and 45 Minutes Prior to Departure. A 2d Bar Code is Then Sent to Their Phone Which is Then Scanned by a Reader at the Gate, and a Boarding Receipt is Printed With Their Name, Frequent Flyer Details, Flight Number and Seat Allocation.
Ports That Have Launched Mobile Check-in Include Sydney Terminal 3, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, Gladstone, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Ayers Rock, Alice Springs, Darwin, Hobart, Launceston, Kalgoorlie, Broome, Karratha, Newman, Paraburdoo and Port Lincoln. There Are Also Plans to Roll Out Mobile Check-in to Adelaide, Cairns, Sydney Terminal 2, Newcastle and Port Hedland in Coming Months.
Qantas Says That Mobile Check-in is Being Launched in the Context of Its Broader Next Generation Check-in Project, Which Will Be Initially Launched at Perth Airport in July Ahead of a Wider Rollout Across Its Cityflyer Ports in 2011.

Volcano Will Not Affect Earnings

– Joyce Despite Admitting That It Had Been Costing His Airline Over $1.5 Million a Day, Qantas Ceo Alan Joyce Told Reporters on April 21 That He Did Not Expect the Disruption to European Flights as a Result of the Icelandic Volcano Eruption to Materially Affect Qantas’s Earnings Outlook.
“it Won’t Affect Our Earnings Forecast. We Will Need to Come Out With the Final Numbers, but It Won’t Affect Our Position,” Joyce Told Reporters After Speaking at a Business Lunch.
The Qantas Ceo Added That the Disruption Has Cost the Airline Up to $10 Million. “the Large Bulk of This Cost We Have Incurred in Looking After Our Passengers, Which Amounts to $700,000 a Day.
“that is an Obligation That is Not Covered by Our Insurance. That’s an Obligation We Have That is Coming Out of Our Own Pockets.”
Qantas Resumed Services to London and Frankfurt on April 21 After Receiving Clearance From Uk and German Authorities to Resume Flying. The Airline Resumed Its Normal Schedule on April 22, but is Also Mounting Additional Services to Clear Its Backlog of Passengers. It Had Indicated That It May Take Between Two and Three Weeks to Move the Backlog.
Qantas Has Forecast an Underlying Profit Before Tax of Between $300 and $400 Million for the 2009/2010 Financial Year.

Passenger Numbers Set to Soar

a New Report by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (Bitre) Predicts That Passenger Numbers Across Australia’s Capital City Airports Will More Than Double by 2030.
According to the Forecast, by the 2029/2030 Financial Year, the Number of People Transiting Through Capital City Airports is Expected to Grow by 140 Per Cent to 235 Million. However, the Greater Use of Larger Capacity Aircraft Will See the Number of Flights Increase by Only 70 Per Cent to 1.7 Million Movements.
By Airport, Biggest Annual Growth Will Be at Brisbane Which is Expected to Grow by an Annual Rate of 4.9 Per Cent to 51.2 Million Passengers by the 2029/2030 Financial Year. This is Followed by Perth (4.7 Per Cent), Darwin (4.4 Per Cent), Melbourne (4.2 Per Cent), Sydney (4.0 Per Cent, While Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart Airports Will All Grow at 3.5 Per Cent Per Annum.
Bitre Expects That This Will Be Primarily Driven Through International Traffic, Which is Expected to Grow Annually by 5.3 Per Cent Compared to 4 and 3.5 Per Cent on Inter-capital and Regional Routes Respectively. This is in Line With Recent Data Which Shows Strong Growth on International Routes, as Well as Sustained Growth for Domestic Routes.

Tiger to Cairns

Tiger Airways Australia Has Announced That It Will Commence Flying From Melbourne Tullamarine to Cairns From September 16.
The Airline Will Operate Daily Services on the Route, With Launch Fares Starting From $98 One Way. Tiger’s Commercial Director Steve Burns Said, “we’re Thrilled to Be Flying to Cairns, Providing Another New Destination and New Catchment Area in the Far North of Queensland, With Access to Consistently the Lowest Airfares.”
Cairns Airport Ceo Stephen Gregg Welcomed the Announcement, Saying, “we Are Very Pleased to See a Positive Result to Our Negotiations With Tiger Airways and Welcome Them as the Newest Airline to Come to Cairns Airport and as One of Our Key Low Cost Aviation Partners Who Will Bring a New Section of the Market to Cairns.”
Tiger Will Be Competing Directly With Jetstar and Virgin Blue in Serving the Route, Which Traditionally Has Been Seen as a Leisure Market. According to Bitre Data for the Year Ending February 2010, Melbourne-cairns Passenger Traffic Decreased by 21.5 Per Cent Compared to the Previous Corresponding 12 Month Period.

Jetstar Launches Singapore-taipei-osaka Services Jetstar Asia Has Announced That It Will Fly Its First Connection to Japan From July 5, Extending Its Daily Signapore-taipei Services on to Osaka.
The New Flights Come as Part of Jetstar Asia’s Aggressive Growth Plan, Which Has Seen It Increase Capacity From Its Singapore Base by 46 Per Cent Over the Past Year as It Has Taken Delivery of Additional A320s. It Also Comes After the Low Cost Carrier Was Beaten by Singapore Airlines to the Rights to Launch Flights to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, Which is Being Gradually Opened Up to Foreign Carriers.
Jetstar Also Flies to Osaka From the Gold Coast and Cairns With Airbus A330-200s.
Separately, Jetstar Has Announced That It Will Partner With the Band Powderfinger to Raise Money for World Vision and the Yalari Foundation as Part of the Band’s Sunsets Farewell Tour.

Tiger Pounces on Avalon

Tiger Airways Australia Has Confirmed Long-running Industry Speculation That It Will Commence Flights From Avalon Airport, Near Geelong.
The Airport Has Announced That It Will Base Two Airbus A320s at the Airport to Complement Its Services From Melbourne Tullamarine. The Airline Has Not Yet Announced Which Cities It Will Fly to From Avalon.
“the New Flights From Avalon Airport Are Further Proof That We Are Well Positioned to Continue Our Growth and Expansion in Australia as We Have Planned,” Said the Airline’s Managing Director Shelley Roberts, According to ‘the Geelong Advertiser’ Newspaper.
Ironically, Tiger’s Main Competitor Jetstar Issued a Statement Which “welcomed the Future Arrival of a Second Domestic Airline”, Noting That the Increased Use of the Infrastructure at Avalon Would Help to Keep Costs Low. Jetstar Currently Operates Flights From Avalon to Sydney and Brisbane, and Previously Moved All Services to Adelaide and Perth to Tullamarine in Order to Compete Against Tiger’s Services on Those Routes.

Some Flights Set to Resume in Uk a Strengthened Eruption From the Eyaffjalljokull Volcano in Iceland Which Has Created a New Ash Cloud Could Hamper Efforts in Europe to Reopen Some Airports and Resume Flights.
Despite Noting the Strengthened Eruption, Uk Air Navigation Provider Nats Issued a Statement on April 19 Noting That Some Airports in the Uk Were Planned to Open From April 20, Although London’s Heathrow and Gatwick Airports Remain Closed.
“latest Information From the Met Office Shows That the Situation is Worsening in Some Areas,” Read the Statement, Which Was Issued on the Night of April 19. “based on This Information, the Situation for Northern Irish Airports for the Morning is Uncertain, Due to the New Ash Cloud.  the Latest Information Shows That Scottish Airports Should Be Available From 0700 (4pm Aest) and More Airspace Over England May Become Available From 1300 Although Not as Far South as the Main London Airports.”
In Anticipation of the Reopening of the Affected Airspace, Airlines Have Already Started Planning for Major Waves of Flights to Move Disrupted Passengers, Including Thousands Stuck at Hub Airports Such as Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok.
Qantas Estimates That the Current Disruption is Costing It $1.5 Million Per Day and Has Affected Over 15,000 Qantas Passengers Thus Far. It Has Cancelled All Flights Between Singapore and Bangkok and Frankfurt and London Through to April 22.
“qantas is Exploring the Opportunity to Operate Supplementary Flights to Reduce Back Loads, However These Services Cannot Be Applied for Until We Have Confirmation on Airspace Availability From European Authorities,” Spokesman David Epstein Said on April 20. “customers Due to Travel on Cancelled Services Will Be Transferred to Next Available Scheduled Services or Offered a Refund. At This Time There is No New or Additional Seat Availability on Services to Europe Until Early May.”
Iata Has Put the Industry Cost at Over Us$200m (a$217.5m) Per Day. Iata Ceo and Director General Giovanni Bisignani Criticised the Approach Taken to Close Airspace Based on Theoretical Modelling of the Ash Cloud. “this Means That Governments Have Not Taken Their Responsibility to Make Clear Decisions Based on Facts. Instead, It Has Been the Air Navigation Service Providers Who Announced That They Would Not Provide Service. And These Decisions Have Been Taken Without Adequately Consulting the Airlines. This is Not an Acceptable System, Particularly When the Consequences for Safety and the Economy Are So Large.”

Limited Competition for Intra-wa Network

the Wa Department of Transport Has Proposed a New Framework for Intra-wa Turboprop Routes Which Would See a Greater Number of Route Licences Issued, as Well as Limited Competition on Some Currently Protected Routes.
In a Presentation to Stakeholders on April 9, the Department Noted That Intra-wa Routes Were Not Yet Ready to Support Full Deregulation, but That Some Routes Could Support Competition. As Such, the Framework Proposes That the Perth-geraldton Route Be Fully Opened Up to Competition, Enabling Geraldton to Become an Aviation Hub. The Framework Also Proposes Perth to Learmonth, Albany and Esperance Would Be Opened Up for Up to Two Licences.
The Proposed Changes Will Also Result in the Breaking Up of the Previous Coastal and Goldfields Route Networks Into Northern Goldfields (Perth to Mount Magnet, Leonora, Leinster, Meekatharra and Wiluna), Western Coastal (Perth to Learmonth, Carnarvon, Monkey Mia, Kalbarri, Geraldton) and Kimberley (Broome to Derby, Kununurra and Fitzroy Crossing). These Licences Would Be Exclusive, With the Exception of Perth-leinster Direct Which Would Be Opened Up, While the Perth-derby Route, Which is Currently Operated by Strategic Airlines, Will Remain a Protected Route. Charter Services on the Protected Routes Would Be Limited to One Frequency Per Week, While All Other Routes Would Be Unregulated.
The Framework is Currently Open for Submissions, Ahead of Advertising a Request for Proposals in Early May for Operations on the Licences, Which Will Close in June Ahead of New Contracts Being Awarded in August/september. The New System Would Commence Operation in December.
The Changes to Route Licences Are Likely to Result in Incumbents Skywest Airlines and Skippers Aviation Reducing the Number of Rpt Services They Operate. They Also Face the Prospect of Increased Competition, Which Could Come From Qantas and Virgin Blue, or Other Smaller Operators Such as Network Aviation and Maroomba Airlines.

Airnorth Announces Flights to Port Headland and Karratha Airnorth Has Announced That It Will Launch Flights From Darwin to Port Headland and Karratha via Broome From June 1.
The Flight Will Operate on a Darwin-broome-karratha and Return Service. The Services Will Be Operated by 76-seat Embraer E-170s, With the Airline to Take Delivery of Its Third of the Type in May.
Lead-in Fares Will Start From $143 Between Port Hedland and Karratha, $185 Between Port Hedland and Broome and $181 From Karratha to Broome.

Garuda Receives 75th Aircraft Garuda Indonesia Has Taken Delivery of a New Boeing 737-800 Which Takes Its Total Fleet Size to 75 Aircraft.
“the Airline Has an Aggressive Fleet Expansion Plan That is Part of Its ‘quantum Leap’ Transformation Strategy,” Said Garuda Indonesia President and Ceo Emirsyah Satar. The Airline Plans to Grow to a Fleet of 116 Aircraft by 2014, and Will Take Delivery of 23 737-800s This Year, Both Direct Purchase and Leased Aircraft. These Will Assist Garuda With Its Plans to Add More Domestic and Regional International Frequencies.
Garuda’s Current Fleet Includes 737-800s and 737 Classics, 747-400s and Airbus A330s. It Also Recently Swapped an Order for 10 787-8s for 10 Larger 777-300ers.

Continental and United Again in Merger Frame Continental Airlines and United Airlines Have Started Merger Discussions According to Reports, Which Come Following Earlier Reports of United Also Holding Discussions With Us Airways.
According to a Report From the Reuters News Service, Which Cites an Unnamed Source Briefed in the Matter, Continental and United Talks Are in the “very Early Stages”, Although Much of the Groundwork Has Already Been Laid From an Aborted Merger Attempt Made in 2008 Which Resulted in a Broad Alliance Between the Two Carriers Rather Than a Full Merger. United is Also Reportedly in Talks With Us Airways on a Merger, and It is Understood That Those Discussions Are More Advanced Than Those Being Held With Continental. United, Us Airways and Continental Have All Declined to Comment on the Reports.
United Has Been Pursuing a Consolidation Agenda for a Number of Years, but Recent Attempts to Merge With the Other Two Carriers Have Foundered on Labour and Competition Issues. While It is One of the Biggest Carriers in the World, United is Regarded as One of the Weakest, With Years of Losses Having Taken Its Toll on the Carrier, While Continental is Considered Among the Stronger Us Carriers.

Macbank Buys Ilfc Aircraft

Macquarie Bank Has Purchased 53 Aircraft From Aig Subsidiary International Lease Finance Corporation (Ilfc) in a Us$2bn (a$2.1bn) Transaction.
Under the Terms of the Agreement, Macbank Will Acquire 47 Aircraft Worth Us$1.67bn (a$1.8bn), While It Will Also Transfer to Its 37.5 Per Cent Owned Subsidiary Macquarie Airfinance the Right to Purchase Six of the Aircraft “on Similar Terms” to the Bank.
“the Portfolio of 47 Aircraft Comprises Young, Modern Aircraft on Lease to 35 Airlines in 27 Countries,” Macbank Said in a Statement, Adding That Narrowbodies Made Up “more Than 70 Per Cent of the Portfolio. The Remainder of the Portfolio Are in-production Widebody Aircraft, Well Suited to the Operating Lease Market. Macquarie Considers the Credit Quality of the Lessees to Be Above Average for an Aircraft Operating Lease Portfolio.”
The Transaction Will Be Conducted Over the Remainder of the 2010 Calendar Year, and Will Be Fully Funded From Existing Cash Reserves.
As Well as Its Interest in Macquarie Airfinance, Which Was Formed From the 2006 Acquisition of Gatx Air, Macbank Also Owns Macquarie Asset Leasing Trust, Which Owns Nine Aircraft on Lease to Qantas.

Passengers and Cargo Up for Cathay Cathay Pacific and Dragonair Have Released Their Joint Operating Statistics for March, Showing an Appreciable Rise in Both Passenger and Freight Traffic for the Month.
Passenger Numbers Increased by Six Per Cent Over the Month to 2.22 Million, While Load Factor Increased to 85.7 Per Cent, a Rise of 6.6 Percentage Points as Capacity Fell by 1.6 Per Cent. Significantly, Cathay’s General Manager of Revenue Management Tom Owen Said That Yields Were Showing Some Signs of Recovery. “premium Demand Was Also Sustained at Levels Significantly Higher Than During Last Year’s Market Crash, but Still Fell Short of the Pre-recession Levels We Used to Enjoy,” He Said. “forward Demand Recovery Off Last Year’s Low Base in Both Our Business and Economy Cabins Remains Encouraging Over the Next Few Months.”
Cargo Also Showed Strong Resilience, With Freight Tonnage Up 22.9 Per Cent on the Same Time Last Year. Cargo Services Were Also Appreciably Fuller, With Load Factor Up 13.8 Points to 81.7 Per Cent. Cargo Capacity in Freight-tonne Kilometres Increased by 0.7 Per Cent.
Cathay’s General Manager Cargo Mainland China and Hong Kong James Woodrow Said, “demand in March Was Strong With Improved Yield and Particularly High Load Factors. Regional Traffic Continued Its Good Start to the Year. Additional Freighter Flights Were Added in the Second Half of March to Cope With the Peak Demand and the Outlook for April Continues to Be Promising.”

Airasia Ups Perth, Melbourne Capacity

Airasia X Has Announced That It Will Operate Twice Weekly Services From Kuala Lumpur to Perth and Melbourne, While Indonesia Air Asia Will Up Its Services on the Perth-denpasar Route to Three Times Daily.
The Additional Airasia X Services to Melbourne Will Commence From July 1, With Perth to Also Receive Double Daily Services From August 1. The Services Will Be Flown by Airbus A330-300s, Which Are Currently Being Refitted With New Seating in Both Economy and Premium Classes.
Airasia X Ceo Azran Osman-rani Said That the New Services Would Cater for High Demand. “loads Have Been Consistently Strong Year-round on All Australian Services and This Has Given Us the Confidence to Increase Our Capacity Particularly on Melbourne and Perth Routes and as We Grow Our Network and Expand Heavily to India.”
The Services Reportedly Are Also Linked to the Refusal of the Malaysian Government to Grant Airasia X Rights to Serve the Kuala Lumpur-sydney Route, Which Airasia Has Previously Labelled as Protecting Government Controlled Malaysia Airlines. Nevertheless, the Company is Expected to Keep Pressing Its Case to Serve Sydney.
Airasia Will Also Increase Its Services on the Perth-denpasar Route to Three Times Daily From June 1, Which Will Be Operated With A320s. The Move Comes as Strategic Airlines is Preparing to Launch Three Times Weekly Services on the Route From June 12, Joining Pacific Blue, Jetstar and Garuda Indonesia’s Existing Services.

Virgin Blue Engineers to Take Industrial Action Engineers at Virgin Blue Have Voted to Take on Work Bans and Also Possible Strikes After Talks Between the Airline and the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (Alaea) Broke Down.
According to a Report in Farifax Media, the Engineers Could Start Industrial Action With Three Days’ Notice, Which Could Range From Overtime Bans Up to Two Day Strikes, Which Could Seriously Disrupt the Airline’s Schedules. “at the Moment Our Members Are Asked to and Expected to Work Copious Amounts of Overtime to Keep That Airline Flying,” Said the Union’s Federal Secretary Steve Purvinas.
The Dispute Between the Airline and the Union Centres Around Changes to the Scope of the Engineers’ Work, Which Now Sees Baggage Handlers Marshal Aircraft and Talk to Pilots About Defects.
Virgin Blue Says That Talks With the Alaea Are Continuing.

Us Airways, United in Fresh Merger Talks? Us Airways and United Airlines Are Reportedly in Discussions Over a Possible Merger According to Media Reports From the Us, Although Any Formal Announcement is Likely to Be Some Weeks Off.
According to an Article in the ‘new York Times’ Citing “people Briefed in the Matter”, the Two Airlines Are Working on Setting a Management Structure, as Well as Industrial Relations Issues. Nevertheless, Spokespeople for Both Airlines Have Declined to Comment on the Reports.
Us Airways and United Proposed a Merger in 2000 Which Was Thwarted After Objections From the Us Department of Justice. This Was Followed by Months of Negotiations in 2008 Which Also Came to Naught. United Has Also Previously Pursued Merger Negotiations With Fellow Star Alliance Partner Continental Airlines, Although These Have Also Come to Nothing So Far.

Jetstar Carries One Million Nz Passengers Jetstar Has Carried Its One Millionth Domestic New Zealand Passenger Since It Replaced Qantas’s Domestic New Zealand Services in June 2009.
“of Our One Million Jetstar Domestic Passengers, Around 900,000 Kiwis Have Been Able to Get to Their Destination for Under Nz$100 (a$76), While More Than a Third Has Flown for Under Nz$50 (a$38) and Nearly 15 Per Cent for Under Nz$30 (a$23),” Said Jetstar Ceo Bruce.
Jetstar Currently Flies Up to 84 Weekly Services Between Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown With a Fleet of Six 177-seat Airbus A320s.

Virgin Blue and Virgin America in New Agreement Virgin Blue and Virgin America Have Signed an Agreement Which Will Allow Access From Each Carrier’s Loyalty Programs, as Well as a Cabin Crew Exchange Program Between the Two.
As a Result, Velocity Members Will Be Able to Earn and Redeem Points on Virgin America Services, While Members of That Airline’s Elevate Program Will Be Able to Do Likewise on Virgin Blue and V Australia Services.
The Two Airlines Have Also Launched a Crew Exchange Program Which Will Commence in October This Year, Allowing Cabin Crew From Virgin Blue to Undertake a One Year Exchange to Work With Virgin America and Vice Versa. “the Goal of the Program is to Give Each Airline’s Teammates the Chance to Experience Work and Life at Another Virgin-branded Carrier,” the Two Carriers Said in a Statement.
Virgin Blue and Virgin American Already Cooperate by Interlining Passengers From V Australia’s Services to Los Angeles Through Onto the Va Network, Which is Primarily Focused on Us Transcontinental Services.

Air Canada Interlines With Jetstar Air Canada Has Signed an Interline Agreement With Jetstar, Allowing Passengers to Transfer Easily Between the Two Airlines’ Services at Sydney and Honolulu.
“the Ability for Customers to Now Choose to Connect Through or Have a Stop-over in Hawaii When Travelling Between Vancouver and Sydney With Jetstar and Air Canada as Part of a Single Booking is Both Financially Beneficial to Our Airline and Also Provides New Access Opportunities for Inbound Visitation to Australia, New Zealand and Beyond From Canada,” Said Jetstar’s Executive Manager Commercial David Koczkar.
The Air Canada Agreement Takes the Number of Interline Partners for Jetstar to 11, Including Eithad Airways, Qantas and Air Calin.

Airasia X Goes Premium Airasia X Has Started Reconfiguring Its Fleet of Airbus A330-300s and A340-300s With New Seating in Both Its Premium and Economy Cabins.
Under the Reconfiguration, the Low Cost Carrier is Retrofitting Flatbed Seats to Its Premium Cabin, Featuring a 152cm (60in) Pitch, Width of 51cm and a Full 196cm Length When Fully Reclined. The Seats Feature Universal Power Sockets, Adjustable Headrests and Built-in Personal Utilities Such as Tray Table, Drink Holder, Reading Light and Privacy Screen. Premium Passengers Will Also Enjoy Complementary Meals, Priority Boarding and Check-in, Baggage Allowance and a Comfort Kit.
“we Concede That the Old Seats Were Neither Suitable Nor Comfortable for Long Haul Flights. But True to Airasia Tradition, We Change and Adapt,” Said Airasia X’s Ceo Azran Osman-rani.
In Addition, the Carrier Was Revamped Its Economy Seats, Which Now Feature a 31in (79cm) Pitch, Adjustable Headrest and Can Be Reclined, Rather Than the Fixed Shell Seats Currently Used by the Carrier.
The Changes Will Reduce the Number of Premium Seats on Its A330s From 28 to 12, Although Economy Seats Increase to 365, While the A340s Will Feature 18 Flatbed Seats and 309 in Economy. The Full Refurbishment is Expected to Be Completed by June This Year.

Brett’s Big Farewell Outgoing Virgin Blue Ceo Brett Godfrey Was Farewelled by Colleagues, Key Industry Executives, Political Figures and Media During a Dinner at Sydney’s Ivy Room on May 5, Shortly Before His Last Official Day as Boss of the Airline He Co-founded With Sir Richard Branson 10 Years Ago.
Key Founding Virgin Blue Executives Including Former Deputy Ceo and Coo Rob Sherrard and Former Head of Commercial and Head of Strategy & Communication David Huttner, Plus Incoming Ceo John Borghetti, Were Joined by a Range of Industry Figures Including Qantas Ceo Alan Joyce, Air New Zealand Ceo Rob Fyfe, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Mark Vaile, Casa Ceo John Mccormack, Sydney Airport Ceo Russell Balding, Figures From the Aviation, Travel and Tourism Industry, and Media Identities Such as David Koch and Derryn Hinch in Farewelling Godfrey. A Range of Speakers Paid Tribute to Godfrey’s Drive and Vision in Setting Up and Running Virgin Blue, Including Old Foe Former Qantas Ceo Geoff Dixon (Who Comforted Godfrey That “there is Life After Aviation”), Former Head of Sydney Airport Max Moore-wilton, and, via Recorded Video Message, Virgin Group Chairman Sir Richard Branson.
On Behalf of Virgin Blue Staff, Head of Corporate Affairs Heather Jeffrey Presented Godfrey With a Commemorative Gold Velocity Frequent Flyer Card, While the Transport and Tourism Forum’s Chris Brown and Bruce Baird Presented Godfrey With Its National Leadership Award 2010. Jeffrey Also Announced That Virgin Blue’s Next Aircraft Due for Delivery, a Boeing 737-800 Due in July, Will Be Named Brett’s Jet and Be Registered Vh-bzg, With Bzg the Initials of ‘brett and (His Wife) Zara Godfrey’.
A Virgin Blue Staff Farewell for Godfrey is Due to Be Held on Friday at the Airline’s Brisbane Headquarters.
Virgin Blue Began Operations With Two Leased 737-400s on August 31 2000. Today the Virgin Blue Airlines Group, Including Pacific Blue, Polynesian Blue and V Australia, Operates a Fleet of 86 Boeing 737s, Boeing 777-300ers and Embraer E-jets Flying to 31 Australian and 16 International Destinations.

Qantas Forced to Pay Additional Commissions

to Agents Qantas Will Have to Pay Millions of Dollars to Travel Agents Across Australia After the Federal Court Ruled That Agents Were Able to Make Commissions Off Fuel Surcharges Placed by the Airline on Some Tickets.
Qantas and Other Airlines Have Been Involved in a Class Action Suit Brought by Travel Agents and Law Firm Slater and Gordon in the Federal Court During 2006, and Arose After the Airlines Failed to Include Fuel Surcharges in the Commission Calculations. As Part of Evidence in the Trial, Qantas Admitted That It Would Cost It $26 Million as Commission on Fuel Surcharges Up to 2007, a Figure Which is Understood to Have Significantly Increased Since Then.
“the Time Has Now Come for the Airlines, Which Have Been Using the Fuel Surcharge to Bolster the Bottom Line Since It Was Introduced in 2004, to Stop Fighting the Travel Agents and Resolve This Major Problem,” Said Lawyer, Steven Lewis.
Consumer Groups Have Long Attacked Airline Fuel Surcharges, Which Have Been Imposed at Various Times Due to Higher Fuel Costs, With Most Claiming That the Charges Merely Help to Inflate the Profit Figures of Carriers.

Ash Closes Irish and Scottish Airspace Again a New Plume of Ash From the Erupting Eyjafjallajokull Volcano in Iceland Has Forced Irish Aviation Authorities to Ground All Flights in and Out of the Country, While Uk Authorities Will Close Some Airspace Around Scotland.
The Irish Aviation Authority Moved to Impose Restrictions on All Flights in and Out of the Country on May 4 Between 0700 and 1300 Local Time Due to Predicted Ash Concentrations Exceeding Acceptable Levels for Jet Aircraft. The Restrictions Effectively Grounded Flights at Eight Airports, Including Dublin, Shannon and Galway, Although Overflights of the Nation to the Uk and Europe Will Not Be Affected, While Flights to Mainland Europe Will Operate Normally.
The Uk Caa Has Also Announced That the Forecast of the Ash Dispersal Will Lead to Limited Airspace Closures Around Scotland, With Airspace Closed Around the Outer Hebrides, Which Has Shut Down Operations From the Islands of Barra and Benbecula.
Unlike the Disruptions in April, the Latest Ash Clouds Are Not Expected to Disrupt Airport Operations in Other Parts of Europe, With Airports in Britain Such as London Heathrow and Manchester Expected to Continue Operating Normally.

Airline Briefs

Virgin Blue Has Applied a Special Livery to One of Its Boeing 737s, 737-800 Vh-vul, to Mark the Airline’s Marketing Relationship With 20th Century Fox to Mark the Release of the Movie Avatar on Dvd and Blu Ray.
Singapore Airlines Has Recorded an Impressive 11.4 Percentage Point Rise in Passenger Load Factor During March, Signalling That the Asia Pacific Region is Rebounding Strongly From the Global Financial Crisis.
Us Airways Has Announced That It Has Withdrawn From Merger Discussions With Larger Rival United Airlines, Leaving United Only With Continental Airlines as a Potential Merger Partner.

Airports

Sydney Trials New Aircraft Comms Link

Sydney Airport Corporation and Sita Are Conducting a Series of Trials at the Airport’s International Terminal to Demonstrate the Benefits of Sita’s Planned Aircom Ip Gatelink Wireless Connectivity Solution for New Aircraft Including the A380, Boeing 777 and Forthcoming 787.
The New Product From Sita is Aimed at Providing a Cost-effective Way of Transmitting Large Amounts of Data on the Ground Wirelessly During Aircraft Turnarounds. This Service Will Allow Airlines and Airports to Take Full Advantage of the Operational Benefits of These New Aircraft Types by Automating Labour Intensive and Time Consuming Processes to Retrieve and Load Large Volumes of Aircraft Systems’ Data, Which Cannot Be Transmitted Cost-efficiently Using Traditional Datalink Services Such as Acars.
The Initial Phase of the Trial at Sydney Has Been Underway Since Mid 2009 and is Focused on Boeing 777 Aircraft, With A380s Added During Recent Weeks. Sita Adds That It is Actively Pursuing Trials of Aircom Ip Gatelink at Other Airports Around the World Ahead of a Planned Commercial Rollout of the Service Towards the End of the Trials.

Mount Isa Leads Passenger Growth Mount Isa Came in Ahead of Gold Coast and Townsville Airports for the Highest Rate of Growth During March, According to Data Released by the Three Airports’ Parent Company Queensland Airports Limited (Qal).
The Mining Town Airport Saw a 19 Per Cent Growth in Passenger Numbers Compared to the Same Month in 2009, Which Qal Said Was Proof That the Airport Was Recovering Well From the Affects of the Global Financial Crisis. Townsville Recorded a Seven Per Cent Increase in Passenger Traffic, While the Gold Coast Saw a Rise of 15.6 Per Cent, Which Was Driven in Large Part by Growing International Traffic, Which Was Up by One-third.
“we Are Pleased to See a Growth in Passenger Numbers Across the Qal Group During March. The Figures Show Consumer and Business Confidence Continues to Grow With Positive Domestic Growth Across All Three Airports,” Said Qal Managing Director Dennis Chant.

Sunshine Coast Pushes Ahead

Sunshine Coast Airport Has Announced That It Has Engaged Consultants Aecom and Arup to Start a Study on Building a New Runway at the Growing Airport.
“this is a Very Early but Essential Stage in Planning for a New Runway and Will Contribute to the Development of a Preliminary Design,” Said Sunshine Coast Mayor Bob Abbot. “a New Runway Had Been Identified as a Catalytic Project That Would Bring Significant Economic Benefit to the Entire Region,” He Said.
Sunshine Coast Airport General Manager Peter Pallot Said the Preliminary Investigations Are Expected to Take Around Six Months. “the Initial Advice Statement is an Information Gathering Process That Will Inform All Levels of Government of the Potential Environmental, Social and Economic Impacts of the Project,” He Said.
The Airport Opened Its Expanded Terminal in November 2009, Which is Helping to Cater for the Growing Number of Frequencies Operated by Jetstar and Tiger Airways. Further Growth is Expected Over the Coming Years as Both Low Cost Carriers Attempt to Cement Their Place in the Market to and From the Sunshine Coast.
Construction Would Begin in 2017, With the New Runway Completed by 2020.

Parafield to Stay

an Attempt to Close Down and Relocate Adelaide’s General Aviation Airport at Parafield Has Failed.
In Rejecting Adelaide Airport Ltd’s Draft Master Plan for Its Parafield Airport, the Federal Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, Has Given an Assurance That the General Aviation Facility Will Not Be Closed or Forced to Relocate.
Salisbury Council and the State Government’s Land Management Corporation, as Well as a Local Residents’ Group, Had Been Campaigning for a Closure, Aimed at Redeveloping Parafield Airport’s 470 Hectares as Prime Residential Real Estate, Next Door to the Successful Mawson Lakes Housing Development.
However, in Assuring Its Aviation Future, the Minister Has Demanded Further Community Discussion Over the Parafield Master Plan, Saying There Had Been Inadequate Consultation With “those Sections of the Community Most Affected by Aircraft Noise as the Airport Grows”.
He Also Called for More Accurate Information on Present and Forecast Aircraft Movements at Parafield, Where the Bulk of the Flying is Undertaken by the International Flying School Flight Training Adelaide.
The Draft Plan Said Currents Movements Were 290,000 a Year, With a Forecast 348,000 Within 20 Years. A Study Found the Maximum Capacity Was About 450,000 Movements.
However, Local Opponents Claimed Present Movements Already Exceeded Aal’s Figure and That More Than 30,000 Homes Were Affected by Aircraft Noise, With the Problem Increasing in the Future.
Mr Albanese Has Given Aal 12 Months to Complete New Consultations and Prepare a Revised Plan.
The Original Draft Contains a Wide Range of Proposals to Expand the Commercial Activities on the Airport, Including Further Retail Development, as Well as Offices and Warehouses, and Scope for a Hotel-motel, Licensed Restaurant and Other Food Outlets, a Recreation Centre and Child Care Centre.
A Spokesman for Salisbury Council Expressed Disappointment That the Airport Would Not Be Relocated but Said Council Would Work to Minimise the Impact on the Local Community.
Aal’s General Manager of Corporate Affairs, John Mcardle, Said It Would Be “business as Usual” at Parafield, Despite the Rejection.
The Previously-approved 2004 Master Plan Would Allow Projects to Go Ahead, Including a Distribution Warehouse, Similar to Harbour Town at Adelaide Airport, and, Possibly, a Retail Brand-outlet Centre.
Mr Mcardle Said the Minister’s Assurance That the Airport, With 89 Years of Its Lease Still to Run, Would Not Be Closed Would Enable Negotiations on Projects to Continue.
Meanwhile, Aal Would Revive Its Draft Master Plan Discussions With the Local Community and Update Its Traffic and Noise Exposure Forecasts, and Revisit the Findings on Parafield’s Socio-economic Impact.
This Was Likely to Take More Than 12 Months, He Added.
– Chris Milne

Alice Springs Gm Steps Down Alice Springs Airport Announced on May 5 That Its Long Serving General Manager Don Mcdonald is Stepping Down.
Mcdonald, Who Has Been at the Airport for 12 Years, Will Leave the Airport on June 30 and Will Be Succeeded by Katie Cooper, Who Will Start Work There on May 24 to Ensure a Timely Handover.

General Aviation

Piper Delivers First Pipersport

Piper Aircraft Delivered the First Pipersport Light Sport Aircraft to a Customer on April 13 at the Sun ‘n Fun Event in Lakeland, Florida.
“the Pipersport is an Amazing Entry Level Aircraft That Will Bring New Customers to Piper,” Said Piper President and Ceo Kevin J Gould.  “it Fits Perfectly Into Our Overall Mission of Delivering the Very Best Airplanes.  It Will Lead the Way for Customers to Step Up Into More Sophisticated and Higher Performance Aircraft Within Our Line Over Time.”
Manufactured by Czech Sport Aircraft (Which Also Sells the Aircraft as the Sportcruiser), the All Metal Lsa is Powered by a 100hp (75kw) Rotax 912 Engine, and Sells in Three Models From Us$120,000 Featuring Different Levels of Avionics and Interior Trim. Piper Launched the Aircraft on January 21 at the Sebring Us Sport Aviation Expo.

Aeromil Acquires Historic Cessna Aeromil Pacific Has Announced the Acquisition of a 1936 Cessna C34 Airmaster Which Has a Long Historical Connection With Australia.
“this Beautiful Airplane Was the First Cessna to Fly in Australia and is Now One of Only Two Left in the World,” Said Aeromil Managing Director Steve Padgett. “i Am Very Proud to Announce the Purchase of the Airmaster, to Preserve Australia’s and Cessna’s Aviation History. As Aeromil Pacific is the Cessna Dealer, the Airmaster Certainly Has an Appropriate New Home to Continue the Cessna Story in Australia”.
The C34, Msn339 and Registered as Vh-uyg, Was Built in December 1936 and Made Its First Flight on January 1 1937 Before It Was Shipped to Australia and Joined the Local Register in July 1937. It Subsequently Went on to Be Operated by the Raaf During World War 2 and Later the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Rfds) in Wa. The Aircraft Received a Complete Restoration in 1993.
Aeromil Will Base the Aircraft at Its Facilities in the Sunshine Coast, With the Company Looking at Building a Glass Showroom to Display It and Ensure Its Long Term Protection. It Also Expects to Fly the Airmaster to Special Aviation Events, Given Its Significance to Australian Aviation.

Casa Starts Education on Class D

Casa Has Started Its Campaign to Educate Pilots on the New Class D Procedures Which Will Replace General Aviation Aerodrome Procedures (Gaap) at Bankstown, Camden, Moorabbin, Archerfield, Parafield and Jandakot From June 3.
“gaap Aerodromes Will Move to New Class D Procedures and Will No Longer Be Known as Gaap,” Said Casa Ceo John Mccormick. “the New Class D Procedures Also Apply to Existing Class D Aerodromes.  These New Procedures Align With International Civil Aviation Organization Standards and United States Federal Aviation Administration Class D Procedures.”
Casa Says That It Will Publish the New Procedures, Which Will Also Apply to Existing Class D Airports, in Late April, With a Communications Campaign Starting in May, Which Will Include on-line Training, Dvds, Brochures and Information Cards. The Authority Will Also Conduct More Than 60 Workshops Around the Country Beginning in May, With Bookings Available Through the Casa Website.
The Workshops Will Also Outline Changes to Procedures at Non-towered Aerodromes.
“at Non-towered Aerodromes the Changes Relate to the Carriage and Use of Radios, Circuit Procedures and Maintaining Separation,” Mccormick Said.
“the Changes Being Made to Procedures at Non-towered, Class D and Gaap Aerodromes Are Not Radical but They Must Be Understood by All Pilots.”

Arch Wins, Hall Second in Perth Red Bull Austrian Hannes Arch Won the Perth Round of the Red Bull Air Race Over the Weekend of April 17-18, While Australian Matt Hall Put in a Great Effort to Come in Second Place.
Less Than One Second Separated Arch and Hall, With the Austrian Recording a Time of 126.03 in His Final Run, Just Ahead of Hall’s 126.51, Which Was His Best Performance of the Week. Briton Paul Bonhomme Came in Third Place With a Time of 126.82.
“this is Definitely the Way We’re Going Forward,” Said Arch. “everything Starts With Vision and This Was My Vision. I Was Really Struggling During the Week. Should I Attack or Should I Just Slow Down? I’m Very Pleased.”
Hall Was Pleased With His Result, Which is Now His Highest Placing Following a Third Place in Porto Last Year as a Rookie. “i’ve Been Aiming for That for Over a Year. The Perth Race Was Always Going to Be My Focus. This is What I’ve Been Looking Forward to Since I Started in the Red Bull Air Race – a Great Performance in Front of My Home Crowd in Australia.”
Bonhomme Retains the Overall Championship Lead With 22 Points After the First Two Races of the 2010 Season. Nigel Lamb of Britain, Who Was Fourth on Sunday, is in Second Place on 18 Points. Arch Jumps Into Third Place Overall With 14 Points and Hall Moves Up to Fourth, Also on 14 Points.
The Next Round of the Red Bull Air Race Will Be Held in Rio De Janeiro on May 8-9.
Airvan to Fly Around the World Two Pilots From Bendigo Will Take on a Round-the-world Flight in a Gippsland Aeronautics Ga8-tc to Commemorate the Centenary of Powered Flight in Australia, as Well as to Raise Funds and Awareness to Fight Malaria.
Ken Evers, 33, and Tim Pryse, 51, Will Depart From Bendigo on May 8 Bound for Norfolk Island on the First Leg of a Journey Across the Pacific Through to Arizona and New Orleans. From There They Will Travel to Jamaica and Barbados Before Heading South to Brazil, Then Due East Across the Atlantic to Africa, on to India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Png and Back to Australia.
The Pilots Hope to Raise $1 Million in the Fight Against Malaria by Inviting Donations Online to Two Nominated Charities – Mission Aviation Fellowship and the Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia and Pacific.
For Further Details About Ken’s and Tim’s Epic Journey and an Opportunity to Donate Online to Maf, Go to Www.millionsagainstmalaria.com.

1100th Ipanema Delivered Embraer Delivered the 1100th Ipanema Agricultural Aircraft to a Brazilian Operator at a Ceremony at the Company’s Botucatu Plant on April 7.
“the Delivery of the 1100th Aircraft is a Great Milestone for Us, Because It Shows the Reliability, Solidity and Tradition of the Ipanema in the Domestic Market,” Said Almir Miguel Borges, Embraer’s Vice President – Botucatu Plant. “there Have Been Nearly 40 Years of Uninterrupted Production, Guided by Continuous Research to Improve the Aircraft and Always Focused on the Needs of Our Customers and of the Brazilian Agricultural Aviation Market.”
The Ipanema Has Been Primarily Sold in Brazil, Where It is Mainly Used for Crop Dusting of Soy and Sugar Crops. It is Also the First Factory Built Aircraft Which is Certified to Fly With Hydrogenated Ethanol, Which is Widely Used in Brazil.

G650 Passes Weight, Speed Tests

Gulfstream Aerospace Has Announced That the G650 Has Passed Structural Load Limit Testing and Has Also Reached Its Top Speed of Mach 0.925, Placing It Well on Track for Entry Into Service in 2012.
The Limit Load Testing Was Conducted on Its Primary Structural Components, Including Fuselage, Wing, Vertical and Horizontal Stabilisers, Main Landing Gear, Nose Landing Gear and All Control Surfaces. During the Static Load Testing, the Advanced Fly-by-wire Flight Control System Passed Certification Tests for Proper Operation While Under the Limit Load Condition. The Limit Load Represents the Maximum Load the Aircraft Should Experience During Its Life Cycle.
The Passing of the Tests Allowed the Company on May 3 to Conduct a Flight Test Taking the Aircraft to Its Maximum Speed of Mmo 0.925, Which Was Conducted at 42,500ft After Takeoff From Its Savannah, Georgia Facility.
“the G650 Excelled at Its Top Speed of Mach 0.925,” Said Gulfstream’s Chief Test Pilot John O’meara. ”even at Near the Speed of Sound, the Aircraft Provides Stable and Precise Handling Characteristics. It’s Very Responsive to Pilot Input With Fantastic Manoeuvre Capabilities. Turns Can Be Initiated and Completed Without Any Onset of Buffet. The Engine Performance is Extremely Smooth. At the Conditions Flown Today, the Entire Operation Was Flawless.”
Gulfstream Says the Mach 0.925 Maximum Speed Makes the G650 “the World’s Fastest Transport Category Aircraft”.

Legacy 650 on Track Embraer Has Announced That Its Legacy 650 is on Track to Be Certified During the Second Half of the Year, With Approximately 95 Per Cent of Its Ground and Flight Tests Completed.
“the Legacy 650 Test Campaign Has Gone Smoothly and the Results Have Been as Expected. The Airplane Benefits From the Proven Dna of the Legacy 600, Offering Enhanced Capabilities With the Updated Cockpit and Increased Range,” Said Maurício Almeida, Embraer’s Vice President, Programs – Executive Jets.
The Aircraft Was Launched at Last Year’s Nbaa Convention, and Offers Extended Range Over the Legacy 600 (Which is Based on the Airframe of the Erj-135 Regional Airliner) Through the Addition of a Ventral Tank and a New Central Wet Wing Box, and Reinforcements to the Wing Structure and Landing Gear. The Aircraft Also Receives Updated Rolls-royce Ae 3007a2 Engines, Which Achieved Faa Type and Production Certification in Mid April.
Embraer Currently Expects Certification During the Second Half of the Year by Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) and Easa, Followed by Faa Certification. The First Delivery is Planned for This Year to a Europe-based Customer.

Upgrades for Hawker 800xp

Hawker Beechcraft Has Announced That It Will Offer an Aftermarket Upgrade Package for the Hawker 800xp, Including an Engine Change and New Winglets to Increase Capability and Performance.
“customer Input Clearly Told Us That Many Hawker 800xp Owners Are Interested in Enhancing the Value of Their Current Aircraft With Improved Range, Better Hot/high Performance and Lower Operating Cost,” Said Christi Tannahill, Hbc’s Vice President Global Customer Support.
Designated as the Hawker 800xpr, the Upgraded Aircraft Will Feature New Honeywell Tfe731-50r Engines Capable of Producing 22.2kn of Thrust, Which Help to Improve Hot and High Performance and Lower Fuel Burn and Emissions as Well as Higher Maintenance Intervals. In Addition, Hbc Has Also Developed Winglets for the Aircraft Which Yield Increased Range, Better Climb Performance and Faster Cruise Speeds.

Security

Public Supports Full Body Scans a Survey Conducted by Unisys Has Found That the Majority of Australians Support the Use of Full Body Scans and Biometric Identification to Increase Aviation Security and Enable More Efficient Passenger Processing.
Of the 80 Per Cent of Respondents to the Survey Who Travelled by Air, 77 Per Cent Said That They Would Be Willing to Provide Personal Data in Advance, Such as Passport or Drivers’ Licence Information, Up From 68 Per Cent in March 2007, While 68 Per Cent Said They Would Be Willing to Prove Their Identity Using Biometric Data, Such as Iris Scans and Fingerprints. The Survey Also Showed That 70 Per Cent Would Be Willing to Submit to Full Body Scans at an Airport.
“the Endorsement by the Australian Public of Particular Security Measures Despite Perceptions of the Loss of Privacy Sends a Message to Aviation Regulators That the Community is Supportive of More Stringent Measures,” Said John Kendall, National Security Program Director for Unisys Asia Pacific.
The Survey Comes After the Federal Government Committed to a $200 Million Boost to Aviation Security, Which Will Include the Fitting of Body Scan Equipment at Airports Around Australia by Early 2011.

Air Safety

Australia Passes Faa Audit

Australia Has Retained Its Category One Status Following an Audit by the Us Federal Aviation Administration, Which Was Conducted at the Invitation of Casa.
“australia Can Continue to Be Very Proud of Our Aviation Safety Record and the Effort We Make to Maintain That Record,” Said Casa Ceo John Mccormick.  ”the Audit Recognised There Had Been a Past Under Investment in Technical Training for Casa Staff and Supported Casa’s Current Initiatives to Provide Even More Comprehensive Technical Training.”
The Audit Found That Australia’s System of Aviation Safety Oversight Met the Applicable International Standards, Resulting in the Retention of Category One Rating, Which Allows Australian Registered Carriers to Continue to Freely Serve the Us Without Additional Oversight.

Cathay A330 in Emergency at Hong Kong Two Australian Pilots in Command of a Cathay Pacific A330-300 Are Being Praised for Being Able to Land at Hong Kong International Airport While Experiencing Major Engine Problems.
The A330 Was Operating Flight Cx780 From Surabaya on April 13 When One of the Engines Experienced Problems in-flight. The Airline Says That on Approach to Landing at Hong Kong, the Number Two Engine Was at Idle Power, While the Number One Engine Was Frozen at 70 Per Cent Thrust.
“this is a Higher Power Setting Than is Required for a Normal Approach With a Single Operating Engine. Consequently, This Higher Than Normal Power Setting Led to a Higher Than Normal Approach Speed and Incorrect Flap Configuration,” Said Cathay’s Manager Maintenance Support Dennis Hui.
As a Result, the Aircraft Touched Down at Approximately 230kt, Nearly Over 100kt Faster Than the Aircraft’s Normal Landing Speed at Its Operating Weight, Forcing the Pilots to Use Maximum Braking and Reverse Thrust to Bring the Aircraft to a Halt, With Some Reports That There Was a Small Brake Fire Which Was Extinguished by the Airport Fire Fighting Service. Passengers Were Then Evacuated From the Aircraft on the Runway Using the Emergency Slides, Resulting in Injuries to Eight Passengers.
Cathay Pacific, the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department, Rolls-royce and Airbus Are All Investigating the Incident, and in Particular What Caused the Engine Malfunction.

New Firefighters Graduate Airservices Australia Graduated 24 New Aviation Rescue Fire Fighters From Its Melbourne Academy on April 9, Adding to the 700 Other Fire Fighters Which Operate Under Its Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting (Arff) Service Around the Country.
The 24 New Recruits Completed a 10 Week Training Course at Airservices Learning Academy in Melbourne and the Organisation’s Fire Training Ground in Hobart. They Received a Theoretical and Practical Education in Fighting Aircraft and Structural Fires, Aviation Rescue Techniques and Dealing With the Hazards of Aviation Fuels. Victorian Recruit Anthony Wilkinson Was Awarded the Silver Axe as the Most Outstanding Recruit of the Course.
On Average, the Arff Responds to 150 Emergency Calls Each Week Across Australia’s 21 Busiest Regional, Domestic and International Airports. In the Past Two Years Airservices Fire Fighters Have Saved More Than 20 Lives.

Ads-b and Vhf Upgrade

for Lord Howe Island Airservices Australia Has Commissioned a New Vhf Radio and Ads-b System on Lord Howe Island Which It Says Will Improve Safety for Air Traffic Serving the Island and Over Flying High Capacity Jet Airliner Traffic en Route to and From East Coast Airports.
“for the First Time, Airservices Air Traffic Controllers Will Be Able to Positively Identify, Track and Directly Manage Aircraft Within a 250nm Radius (Around 460km) of Lord Howe,” Said Airservices’s General Manager Technology and Asset Services Alastair Hodgson.
Ads-b Coverage From Lord Howe, in Conjunction With Existing East Coast Radar Services, Means Flights Between Sydney, Brisbane and Lord Howe Will Now Be Under Constant Surveillance by Air Traffic Controllers, Which Will Also Help Improve the Efficiency of Traffic Movements Into Sydney.
The Vhf Radio Upgrade Meanwhile Will Deliver Improved Communications With Air Traffic Controllers Compared to the Previous High Frequency Radio Link, Which is Prone to Atmospheric Interference.

Business Aviation

Embraer Cuts Metal for First Legacy 500 Embraer Has Announced That the First Metal Cut for the Prototype Legacy 500 Executive Jet Was Made on April 19 at the Company’s Sao Jose Dos Campos Headquarters.
This First Component is Part of the Forward Fuselage, to Which the Radome, Radar, and Glide Slope Antenna Will Be Attached, and Was Milled From a Plate of Aluminium Alloy by a Five-axis High-speed Machine.
The Midsize Legacy 500 Was Launched by Embraer at the Nbaa Convention in September 2007 Alongside the Smaller, Mid-light Legacy 450, and is Scheduled to Make Its First Flight in 2011. The Two Aircraft Will Be Powered by Honeywell Htf7500e Engines, and Will Also Feature Fly-by-wire Controls and a Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion Avionics Suite, With Interiors Designed by Bmw Group Designworks Usa.

Maintenance, Support & Training

Aviation Australia Launches New Boeing Courseware Aviation Australia Has Become the First Organisation to Be Licensed by Boeing Training & Flight Services to Deliver Its 737ng and 777 Maintenance Courseware.
“these Courses Will Be Delivered in Our Brisbane and Cairns Campuses by Aviation Australia’s Highly Experienced Instructors Using Courseware and Data Under Licence From Boeing,” Said Aviation Australia Ceo Paul Bredereck. “this Will Now Offer Much Higher Quality Training Using Up-to-date Data From Boeing, and Allow Greater Local Access for Australian Aircraft Engineers to Improve Their Skills and Qualifications on Two of the Most Popular Airline Aircraft Flying in the Region.”
Aviation Australia is Based at Brisbane Airport, and Offers Training for Local and International Engineering and Flight Attendant Students.

Ex Ozjet 737 Lands at Jandakot a Boeing 737-200 Landed at Jandakot Airport on April 27 Where Perth’s Polytechnic West (the Former Swan Tafe) Will Use the Ex Ozjet Aircraft (N732hv) as a Non Flying Static Training Aid.
“polytechnic West’s Boeing 737 is a High Quality Training Asset Which Will Be Used to Train Local and Overseas Engineering Students Who Are Considering a Career in the Airline and Air Transport Industries,” Director of Pwa’s Aerospace Centre Mckie Said.
The 737, Reportedly the Largest Aircraft to Land at Jandakot, Retains Its Full 100-seat Airliner Interior, and Joins Polytechnic West’s Beech Barron and Cessna 340 Training Aids.
“the Jet Will Be Maintained in a Fully Serviceable Condition at Jandakot Airport, the Location of the Polytechnic’s New Aerospace Training Centre,” Mckie Said. “the Boeing Will Also Allow Pwa to Undertake a Range of Non-engineering Skills Training, Including Cabin Crew Safety and Ground Handling.”

Qantas Commences A330 Maintenance

Qantas Has Commenced Heavy Maintenance on Its First A330 at Its Brisbane Facility, and Welcomed in 21 New Apprentices on April 9.
At a Ceremony Attended by Queensland Treasurer Andrew Fraser to Mark the Commencement of A330 Maintenance, Qantas Ceo Alan Joyce Reaffirmed the Airline’s Commitment to Maintaining the Majority of Its Maintenance Onshore, as Well as Training New Engineers. “we Are Committed to Continuing Our Investment in the Future Engineers of Australia,” He Said. “we Operate the Largest Civil Aviation Apprentice Program in Australia Where Our Apprentices Learn Alongside Our Senior Engineers to Maintain Our Aircraft to the Highest Safety Standards.”
The Brisbane Facility Now Handles Heavy Maintenance for the Airline’s Boeing 767 and A330 Fleets, in Addition to Other Heavy Maintenance Facilities at Tullamarine (737) and Avalon (747), Meaning That the Carrier Undertakes 90 Per Cent of Its Maintenance in Australia.

Boeing Completes First 787 Maintenance Course a Group of 10 Maintenance Engineers From All Nippon Airlines as Well as Two Regulators From the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau Have Completed the First Maintenance Training Course for the Boeing 787.
The Engineers Spent Over a Month Learning How to Maintain the 787, Including 20 Days of Theoretical Training, Two Days of Engine Runs and Taxi Testing, Five Days of Practical Training and Five Days of Troubleshooting Exercises.

Cargo

Caribou Freight Operation Planned Queensland Company Caribou Cargo Plans to Soon Commence Operations With a Re-engined Turbo Caribou Stol Transport, Pitched at Customers in Australia, Png and Asia Who Require Loads of Up to 4500kg to Be Carried Into Small or Unprepared Airstrips.
Company Principal, Paul Strike, Says the Aircraft Has Been Retrofitted by Us Based Caribou Specialist Pen Turbo Under a Supplementary Type Certificate (Stc) to Remove the Old Radial Engines and Replace Them With Pt6a Turboprops and Associated Propellers.

Events

Aviation Careers Expo Set for August 21

Aviation Australia Has Confirmed That the 10th Annual Aviation Careers Expo Will Be Held on August 21 From 10am to 4pm at Its Facilities at Brisbane Airport.
The Expo Brings Together a Number of Employers and Training Organisations From Around Australia to Showcase Potential Careers in the Aviation Industry to School Leavers, University and Tafe Graduates and Those With a General Interest in the Industry. Entry to the Public is Free, With Car Available.  Shuttle Bus Services to and From Toombul Shopping Centre and Brisbane International Airport Will Be Provided to Aviation Australia and Will Operate Throughout the Day.
For More Information on the Expo, Visit Www.aviationaustralia.aero.

People

Casa Restructures Management

Casa Has Made Some Changes to Its Management Structure, in Line With Its 2009 Corporate Plan.
Under the Changes, Terry Farquharson Has Been Appointed as Acting Deputy Director of Aviation Safety, Supporting Ceo and Director of Aviation Safety John Mccormick in a Range of Strategic and Executive Functions. Farquharson Will Also Be Directly Responsible for a Number of Areas Including Accident Investigation Liaison, the Casa Safety Management System and Australia’s State Safety Program.
The Regulator Has Also Appointed Its Former Executive Manager Legal Services Jonathan Aleck to the Now Role of Associate Director of Aviation Safety. In This Role, Aleck Will Work With Farquharson to Oversee the Further Development of Regulatory and Governance Policies and Practices. In Addition, Greg Hood Has Been Appointed as Executive Manager, Operations; Peter Fereday as Executive Manager, Industry Permissions; and Gary Harbor as Executive Manager, Corporate Services.

Lockmart Jsf Program Head Changes Lockheed Martin’s Executive Vice President and Jsf Program General Manager, Dan Crowley, Has Been Promoted to the Newly Created Position of Chief Operating Officer of the Company’s Aeronautics Sector.
Crowley, Who Worked in Partnership With Fellow Program Executive Vice President and Jsf Program General Manager, Tom Burbage, Will Be Succeeded by F-22 Program Manager Larry Lawson. Burbage Will Continue in His Current Role.
Lockheed Martin Has Stressed the Change is Not Related to Program Delays, Nor is It a Response to the Firing of Jsf Program Office Head Majgen David Heinz by Us Defense Secretary Robert Gates in February.