Preflight

 Qantas prepares for more 787 delays

Likely delays for Jetstar 787s

Qantas is prepared for the possibility of further 787 delays but at the time of writing had not received formal notification from Boeing that the aircraft slated for delivery later this year will be arriving late.

The traditional airline alliances have evolved into slow-to respond, bureaucratic organisations. ETIHAD BOSS SAYS ALLIANCES OBSOLETE S

This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.

Login

Become a Member

To continue reading the rest of this article, please login.

Username or Email

Password Forgot password?

Keep me signed in on this device.

If you check this box before you log in, you won’t have to log back into the website next time you return, even if you close your browser and come back later.

If you check the box above before you log in, you won’t have to log back into the website next time you return, even if you close your browser and come back later.

---

or

---

Login with a Passkey

To unlock all Australian Aviation magazine content and again unlimited access to our daily news and features, become a member today!
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.

PRINT

$49.95 for 1 year Become a Member

See benefits

• Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
• Access to In Focus reports every month on our website

MOST POPULAR

PRINT + DIGITAL

$99.95 for 1 year Become a Member

$179.95 for 2 years Become a Member

See benefits

• Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
• Access to the Australian Aviation app
• Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
• Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
• Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
• Daily news updates via our email bulletin

DIGITAL

$5.99 Monthly Become a Member

$59.95 Annual Become a Member

See benefits

• Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
• Access to the Australian Aviation app
• Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
• Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
• Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
• Daily news updates via our email bulletin

View more offers and details

Jetstar is scheduled to receive the first of 14 787-8s under order by the Qantas Group in August. Those aircraft are to replace A330-200s that will be transferred back to the Qantas mainline fleet, allowing for the retirement of ageing Qantas Boeing 767-300ERs.

A further delay in the arrival of the 787s would mean keeping the 767s in service longer, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said on March 31.

Joyce said Qantas had been told its 787s would be fitted with the new battery design meant to prevent the overheating that led to a pair of incidents in January.

“We expect that we’ll probably take a bit of a delay, we don’t know what that length will be yet,” Joyce told media. “But we then have to make sure that we’re comfortable with that design and that process before we agree to accept it. ” Meanwhile, Boeing completed a 787 certification demonstration flight on April 5 which it said in a statement “marks the final certification test for the new battery system, completing the testing required by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). ” The one hour, 49 minute flight of a 787 built for but yet to be delivered to LOT Polish Airlines had a crew of 11 onboard, including two FAA representatives.

“The crew reported that the certification demonstration plan was straightforward and the flight was uneventful. The purpose of the flight was to demonstrate that the new battery system performs as intended during normal and non-normal flight conditions,” Boeing said.

“Boeing will now gather and analyse the data and submit the required materials to the FAA. We expect to deliver all of the materials to the FAA in the coming days. Once we deliver the materials we stand ready to reply to additional requests and continue in dialog with the FAA to ensure we have met all of their expectations. ” Boeing has continued producing 787s since the model was grounded by the FAA over battery issues in mid- January.

We expect that we’ll probably take a bit of a delay.

Singapore Close To F-35b Buy?

Singapore is said to be close to ordering a dozen or more F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, a move that would bolster the JSF program as it faces continued uncertainty and the possibility of US cuts.

Reports suggested that the tiny island nation would order the first 12 of 75 F-35Bs imminently. The reports did not cite any sources for the report, but speculation has been growing in recent weeks that Singapore was readying to commit to the F-35 to update its already formidable air force.

Singapore’s defence minister, Ng Eng Hen, told the country’s parliament earlier this month that the F-35 had been identified as “a suitable aircraft to further modernise our fighter fleet. ” Singapore signed on to the Joint Strike Fighter program as a Security Co-operation Participation in 2003, alongside Israel. Israel went on to order 20 JSFs in October 2010, but until now Singapore has held back from committing to the aircraft.

The F-35B is the STOVL version of the jet ordered by the US Marine Corps. If Singapore does go ahead with the order, the F-35 would eventually join a fleet that currently includes 24 F-15SGs, 20 F-16Cs, 40 F-16Ds, 28 F-5Ss and five F-5Ts.

Jetstar gets go-ahead for greater QF coordination

But Virgin-Tiger remains in doubt

Qantas’s plans to increase coordination between its growing stable of Jetstar joint ventures across Asia has received regulatory approval even as Virgin Australia’s bid to take over Tiger Airways appears in question.

In a ruling by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Jetstar and its offshoots in Sinapore, Vietnam, Japan and Hong Kong are able to coordinate passenger and cargo services. The competition watchdog said the coordination would benefit consumers by increasing the likelihood of additional Jetstar flights and destinations in Asia.

“The ACCC considers that the coordination is likely to result in little, if any, detriment due to the fact that the Jetstar joint ventures are unlikely to be close competitors with each other with or without authorisation, nor are the joint ventures likely to be close competitors with their owners,” ACCC chairman Rod Sims said.

“More important, in most instances where overlap does occur, there are multiple competitors present. As a result the ACCC considers that the coordination is likely to result in little, if any, detriment,” Sims said.

But in an interview with Fairfax Media, Sims sounded a far more cautious note on Virgin’s proposal to take over Tiger, calling it “a very complex matter. ” The ACCC had been due to release a decision on March 14 but instead asked for more information from Virgin. Sims said a decision wasn’t likely for at least another month.

The proposed deal is seen as a move to counter the Qantas-Jetstar relationship by giving Virgin its own budget subsidiary, but Sims is reportedly concerned about opening the way for what would amount to a duopoly.

The expanded partnership now offers 17 weekly flights between China and Australia.

Qantas will expand its codeshare relationship with China Eastern Airlines in a bid to attract more corporate customers travelling to Australia’s biggest trading partner. Under the deal, which takes effect from May 1, Qantas will codeshare on China Eastern’s daily Melbourne-Shanghai and thrice weekly Sydney-Nanjing-Beijing services, in addition to the carrier’s domestic Shanghai-Nanjing flights. The expanded partnership now offers 17 weekly flights between China and Australia. That figure includes Qantas’s existing daily service between Sydney-Shanghai, which will continue to operate as before. Qantas also codeshares on China Eastern services between Singapore-Shanghai.

In continuing growth in Australia/ China traffic, China Southern has introduced A330-200 services to Perth and Brisbane. The fast-growing airline said it was introducing the new aircraft as part of an ongoing program to upgrade its product and services to and from Australia. The new A330s feature flatbed seats in business class and personal IFE screens throughout the cabin. China Southern has made an aggressive tilt at the Australian market in recent years. It now operates 41 weekly flights to five Australian cities and offers connections to some 200 destinations through its Guangzhou hub.

Qantas expands China Eastern codeshare, China Southern adds Perth and Brisbane

Chinese airlines loom ever larger

Tiger ramps up services

Adds Sydney-Cairns and Alice Springs to growing network

Jetstar NZ flies five millionth passenger

Jetstar New Zealand has carried its five millionth passenger since launching domestic operations in 2009. Auckland is the airline’s busiest destination with more than 2. 1 million domestic passengers flying in and out with the airline since its domestic services began in June 2009.

Tiger Airways has returned to Alice Springs, with new services from Sydney and Melbourne. The airline’s return to Central Australia comes as the Northern Territory tourist industry is calling out for more flights off the back of growing demand from both local and international visitors.

Tiger Airways’ commercial director Carly Brear said demand had been exceptionally strong, leading to the 2,880 seats weekly through Alice Springs airport.

The airline has also introduced services between Sydney and Cairns. The initial four weekly return services will increase to daily by June, delivering up to 2,520 additional visitor seats through Cairns Airport weekly.

Tiger said early sales on the new route had been pleasing. “We expect the momentum to continue now that the route is operating. We’re confident the services will prove successful. ” A pair of flight-ready engines have been installed on the first Airbus A350 XWB test aircraft as the aircraft maker prepares to commence flight testing in the coming months. The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines have been installed alongside a Honeywell HGT1700 auxiliary power unit at Airbus’s production facilities in Toulouse, France. With that done, A350 XWB MSN001 becomes “essentially a ‘completed’ aircraft,” Airbus said. The aircraft will be handed over to the Airbus flight-test team following ongoing ground tests and other preparations, including painting. Flight tests are expected to commence during the northern hemisphere summer, Airbus said. The new Trent XWB engines received engine type certification from the European safety regulator in February. The engines have already powered a series of flight tests on Airbus’s A380 flying test bed aircraft since early 2012. airbus

Etihad boss says alliances obsolete

Equity more powerful, Hogan says

Legacy airline alliances have outlived their usefulness and become a drag on innovation, Etihad CEO James Hogan has argued in a strongly-worded defence of his airline’s ‘equity partnership’ strategy.

“The traditional airline alliances have evolved into slow-to-respond, bureaucratic organisations which struggle to deliver added value to their member airlines, many of which are no longer compatible with each other,” Hogan said during a speech at the International Aviation Club in Washington DC.

Like rival Gulf carriers, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad has shied away from traditional alliances, instead building an ad hoc network of some 42 codeshare partnerships. It operates an extensive relationship with Virgin Australia, in which Etihad owns a 9 per cent stake.

Dubai-based Emirates had also steered clear of formal alliances until inking its landmark deal with Qantas, which took effect last month. Qantas and Emirates have described their tie-up as a new breed of alliance that goes well beyond the traditional, multi-airline arrangements at which Hogan’s comments were aimed. Unlike Etihad’s approach, however, the Qantas-Emirates deal does not include an equity component.

In addition to its stake in Virgin Australia, Etihad owns a 29 per cent share of airberlin, 40 per cent of Air Seychelles and three per cent of Aer Lingus. By taking a minority stake, Etihad is able to enter markets without the complexity of a merger or larger investment while taking on the impetus to innovate and build partnerships of real value, Hogan said.

“We focus on our partners’ profitability as much as our own, because we are not dealing with competing interests. When the five CEOs sit down to make decisions, we have a shared commitment to make things happen,” he said.

While Etihad has in the past expressed interest in broadening the scope of its equity partnerships scheme, Hogan said he expects to see the continued break-down of legacy alliances in the coming years.

“If we look at the consolidation currently occurring throughout the airline industry, we are also seeing more fragmentation within the alliances,” Hogan said. “This is going to continue as members seek ways to operate profitably in a very competitive environment with high fuel costs and generally slower global economic growth. ”

Emirates on trans-Atlantic

First dedicated services between Europe and US markets

In a noteworthy strategic network development, Emirates is extending its presence in the European and US markets, launching nonstop flights between Milan and New York from October 1.

While already flying across the Atlantic from Dubai, this is the first time Emirates has connected a European port with the US, further raising the competitive stakes in a region already beset by poorly performing airlines.

Announcing the new service, Emirates said it aimed to “capitalise on the significant traffic flow between these cities and giving both leisure and business travellers more choice and added convenience. ” “Operating a trans-Atlantic route has been on our agenda for some time,” Emirates president Tim Clark said. “Having carefully monitored traffic flows we have identified strong demand for both a direct connection and, importantly, for the Emirates product. The route is currently underserved, particularly with a strong premium product offering this is where we see a clear opening for Emirates. We intend to capitalise on this opportunity, stimulating further demand and encouraging additional traffic flow in both directions. ” The new service represents an important shift in Emirates’ strategy beyond the use of Dubai as a hub. Speculation continues about the airline operating trans-Pacific services, something that would be an attractive extension of its relationship with Qantas.

Operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, the flight will be an extension of one of Emirates’ existing three daily Dubai to Milan flights. The airline has optimised its schedule to offer connecting services from feeder markets in the US with partner airline JetBlue and in Europe with easyJet. The first Skywest aircraft to be repainted in Virgin Australia colours has arrived in Perth after repainting with Flying Colours in Townsville. The aircraft is pictured here on approach to land at Perth on April 10, a day before Virgin Australia’s takeover of Skywest officially took effect. Skywest operates Fokker 100s and Fokker 50s on a mix of fly-in/fly-out services for the mining sector and WA intrastate passenger services, as well as Virgin Australia’s ATR 72 regional operation. brenden scott

Fiji Airways takes delivery of first A330-200

Renamed Air Pacific begins long-haul fleet renewal

The rebranded Air Pacific – Fiji Airways – has taken delivery of the first of three A330- 200s, sporting the airline’s new identity.

The A330, which will replace the airline’s 747s and 767s, has entered commercial service ahead of Fiji Airways’ formal launch in June. The new livery was designed by celebrated Fijian Masi artist Makereta Matemosi.

Dave Pflieger, Air Pacific’s managing director and CEO said: “We are determined to become the airline of choice in the South Pacific. Our distinctive livery conveys the warmth and hospitality of our home. Our passengers will experience superior comfort with our state-of-the-art cabin products once we start commercial operations with the A330 in April, with even better features and products to be rolled out once we become ‘Fiji Airways’ in June. The A330 is the most fuel-efficient aircraft in its category and allows us to optimise our network and modernise our fleet to ensure future growth. ”

NC212 development deal agreed

C212 to be made in Indonesia

Airbus Military has signed a formal agreement with PT Dirgantara Indonesia to develop the NC212i light utility transport aircraft. The agreement, signed at the LIMA Airshow in Malaysia, outlines plans for joint development, manufacturing and commercialisation of the aircraft, which was launched in November.

Under the terms of the agreement, PT Dirgantara will lead engineering and manufacturing while Airbus Military will take responsibility for certification.

The NC212 is an upgraded version of the C212-400 featuring new interiors, digital avionic and autopilot systems and seating up to 28 passengers. The two companies plan to market the aircraft to both military and civilian customers.

First BA A380 in full livery

While talks about A350 order grow momentum

The first A380 for British Airways was rolled out of Airbus’s Hamburg paint shop in early April. The tail of the aircraft features some 10,000 dots that make up the flag logo.

The aircraft are being configured in a generous 469-seat, four-class layout. BA is selling tickets for its first A380 services to Los Angeles and Hong Kong, which start on October 15 and November 15 respectively. The airline’s first A380 is due to arrive in Heathrow in July.

Meanwhile, British Airways may be close to ordering the Airbus A350 in what would constitute a big win for Airbus over rival Boeing. The Wall Street Journal reported BA parent International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) was close to finalising the deal.

The size of the order was still under negotiation but IAG was believed to be focusing on the largest variant, the A350-1000, as a replacement for its aging Boeing 747-400s. The A350-1000 is scheduled to begin deliveries in 2017. The US newspaper said IAG was also considering orders for the smaller, longer-range A350-900.

British Airways currently operates 52 Boeing 777s, and Boeing has sought to persuade IAG to opt for the proposed upgrade to that aircraft, known as the 777X.

Turkish Airlines to fly nonstop to Sydney

Turkish Airlines is eyeing non-stop services from Istanbul to Sydney starting next year. The service, which would be among the longest non-stop commercial flights in the world, would make Turkish the only carrier operating directly from Europe to Australia. The move, revealed by Turkish Airlines CEO Temel Kotil in an interview with Air Transport World, comes as the carrier sets itself up as a global competitor with Gulf-based carriers such as Emirates. Turkish flies to more than 200 destinations from its Istanbul hub.

Boeing delivers 7,500th 737

Boeing has delivered its 7,500th 737 since deliveries began some 46 years ago. With more than 3,100 737s yet to be delivered, Boeing has so far received some 10,500 orders for the 737.

Air NZ and P&W upgrade CHC engine centre

Air New Zealand and Pratt & Whitney will spend NZ$20 million upgrading Christchurch Airport’s engine overhaul facility to support new generation aircraft. The jointly operated V2500 engine shop, established in 2005, overhauls the engines fitted to Air New Zealand’s A320 fleet and other aircraft. The expansion is expected to be complete by the end of 2014.

CAPA adds fleet database product

The Centre for Aviation – CAPA – has added ‘CAPA Fleets’ to its growing list of product offerings – a database that details some 51,000 aircraft worldwide. The product is being pitched as a “new generation fleet database for professionals who require the most accurate and reliable fleet data, without a gold plated price tag”. CAPA said it has developed the database on a flexible platform, offering time-saving download and display options and responds to the consolidation and rising expense of fleet data.

Lockheed shuffles leadership

Frayed relations amid F-35 tensions

Newly-appointed executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Orlando Carvalho at the F-35 arrival ceremony at Nellis AFB. lm Lockheed Martin has replaced the head of its aeronautics division in what is widely seen as a bid to improve frayed relations with the Pentagon over the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The defence giant named Orlando Carvalho, 54, as executive vice president of aeronautics, replacing Larry Lawson. Carvalho, who had previously been in charge of the F-35 program, took over immediately, with Lawson set to retire April 5, Lockheed said.

The move comes amid looming US defence cuts and amped up tensions over the costly F-35 program. The Pentagon’s F-35 program chief, Lt Gen Chris Bogdan, has recently accused Lockheed of trying to “squeeze every nickel” it can from the US government and has described the relationship with the contractor as “the worst I’ve ever seen. ” According to reports in the US, Carvalho is viewed as having developed better relations with the Pentagon than Lawson, who is seen as a tough but somewhat argumentative negotiator.

Lockheed also named Lorraine Martin, 50, as vice president and general manager of the F-35 program. Martin previously worked with Carvalho on the F-35 system development.

“Orlando and Lorraine are impressive leaders who have consistently demonstrated their ability to build strong customer relationships, successfully manage complex programs, and inspire our teams,” Lockheed CEO and president Marillyn Hewson said. “These appointments are examples of our deep bench of talent and demonstrate the value of our robust succession planning efforts. ” Separately, Lt Gen Bogdan has declared that affordability is his main concern.

Speaking at the McAleese/Credit Suisse Defense Programs Conference in Washington, DC, the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program executive officer said the development program is due to end in 2017 and is about 90 per cent complete with approximately US$6 billion left in the budget. He said that any additional program expenses would have to be covered by cuts found elsewhere, including by reductions in capability if necessary.

“I can honestly tell you that the warfighter does not like me standing up saying that,” Lt Gen Bogdan said. “Maybe they will give me more money and more time, but I will not take the first step in asking for more money and more time.

“I will try and finish what I have promised to finish, given the resources I have. ”

Boeing delivers 7th P-8A

Boeing has handed over the seventh production P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft to the US Navy.

The maritime patrol aircraft departed Boeing Field in Seattle for Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, where it joined six P-8As currently being used to train Navy crews.

“This is our second P-8A delivery of 2013, and we’ll continue to provide the Navy with new Poseidon aircraft at a rate of nearly one a month,” said Rick Heerdt, Boeing vice president and P-8 program manager. “We’ve got a full factory of P-8As for the US Navy and P-8I aircraft for India, and we’re working side-by-side with both customers to introduce the aircraft’s advanced capabilities into their fleets. ” Boeing is on contract to build and support 24 P-8A aircraft as part of three LRIP contracts awarded in 2011 and 2012. The Navy plans to purchase 117 P-8As, which are based on the Boeing 737-800 platform.

F-35B conducts first night STOVL

At-sea test trials loom

A US Marine Corps F-35B Joint Strike Fighter has made its first night time short takeoff and vertical landing.

A Marine Corps test pilot conducted the flight April 2 to gather data on the helmet and lighting conditions for night operations. The test was one of a series of events being conducted to prepare for the second of three scheduled at-sea test periods during the development program.

The first F-35 ship trials occurred in 2011, when two F-35Bs performed 72 vertical landings and takeoffs aboard the USS Wasp, a large-deck amphibious ship.

The STOVL F-35B variant of the Lightning II is designed for use by the US Marine Corps, as well as F-35 international partners in the United Kingdom and Italy.

“The completion of this test event demonstrates the F-35B is one step closer to delivering a critical capability to the US Marine Corps and F-35B partners in the United Kingdom and Italy” said Lt Gen Chris Bogdan, F-35 program executive officer. “There is plenty of work to be done and progress to be made, but we’re on a solid path forward. ” The F-35B has conducted approximately 700 short takeoffs and completed more than 380 vertical landings including the first operational vertical landing aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona on March 21.

Boeings’ 1000th China delivery

China has become the first country outside the United States to take delivery of 1000 Boeing aircraft, reflecting the country’s growing involvement in Boeing production.

According to the US jet maker, more than 7,000 Boeing aircraft worldwide include major parts and assemblies produced in China, with Chinese companies contributing to all current Boeing production aircraft.

“Boeing greatly values China as both a customer and a supplier partner,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner. “This delivery symbolises the tremendous accomplishments we have achieved together along with the significant trust and confidence that Chinese airlines have placed in Boeing’s products and services. ” Boeing estimates that China will need 5,260 new commercial aircraft worth $670 billion over the next 20 years.

The 1,000th aircraft, a 737-800 featuring a special peacock livery, was delivered to China Eastern Yunnan Airlines. China Eastern currently operates the country’s largest 737 fleet.

Airbus seals mega Lion Air deal

Indonesian LCC buys up big

Airbus booked 250 orders in March and delivered 64 aircraft during the month, headlined by the massive order from Indonesia’s Lion Air for 234 A320 Family aircraft.

Airbus’s backlog now stands at 4,948 aircraft, which Airbus described as “breaking the industry record again and ensuring more than seven years of production for the manufacturer. ” The delivery of 64 aircraft during March brought the number of deliveries in the year’s first quarter to 144, representing a 10 per cent increase when compared to the same period in 2012.

Also during the first quarter Airbus delivered its 100th A380, which was received by Malaysia Airlines.

And Hawaiian Airlines has signed a firm order for 16 A321neo aircraft, in the process becoming a new A320 Family customer. The new aircraft will feature a two-class cabin with approximately 190 seats.

The airline has not yet announced its engine selection.

Meanwhile Airbus has begun construction of an assembly facility in Mobile, Alabama for its narrow-body family of aircraft – its first production facility in the US.

Assembly of aircraft at the new site is expected to begin in 2015 with an initial production rate of four aircraft a month. The first deliveries of locally-built aircraft are scheduled in 2016. Performance PERFORMANCE

UK reveals F-35B basing

The UK has announced that its F-35B fighter fleet will be based at RAF Marham in Norfolk. Marham is currently home to three Tornado GR4 squadrons.

The F-35Bs, to be jointly operated by the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, both from Marham and the forthcoming Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, were originally to be based at RAF Lossiemouth. But following 2010’s Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), a study by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation was tasked with rationalising the UK defence establishment.

The announcement came after a Royal Air Force squadron leader on March 19 became the first non-US student pilot at the 33rd Fighter Wing to complete his first conversion sortie onto the F-35.

The UK expects to receive frontline F-35Bs from 2015 onwards with an initial operating capability from land in 2018, followed by first-of-class flights from HMS Queen Elizabeth later that year.

BAE wins ADF tech training contract

The ADF has signed a $107 million, five-year contract with BAE Systems to provide Aviation Technical Training at RAAF Base Wagga.

The contract will cover about 900 students annually and provides for initial training for technicians and maintainers in all aviation-related trades, as well as a range of postgraduate courses, Minister for Defence Materiel Mike Kelly said in announcing the contract.

BAE has sub-contracted the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Pennant Pty Ltd to support the contract.

“The design of the new contract provides BAE with a high level of autonomy and responsibility for the delivery of the training,” Minister Kelly said. “BAE will be introducing a contemporary training environment supported by modern training systems. ” The third UK Lockheed Martin F-35B takes off from Fort Worth on its first flight on April 1. lockheed martin

First US customer for NZ’s Pacsim

New synthetic training device taken up by leading Florida training school

Hot on the heels of its recent sale to an Australian-based flying school, Pacific Simulators (Pacsim) has signed a deal with ADF Airways in Miami, Florida for the purchase of the latest PS4. 5 Flight Training Device.

Due to be installed at ADF Airways in the second quarter of 2013, the PS4. 5 device will be evaluated by the FAA under application as an Advanced Aviation Training Device. The PS4. 5 is a fixed-base trainer based on the Boeing 737-800. Its scale replica, fully enclosed cockpit includes accurate representation and functionality of all aircraft panels, systems, avionics and controls such as glass cockpit displays, flight management computers, autopilot flight director system, TCAS and GPWS. The revolutionary high definition visual system includes a 180° wrap-around curved screen with Lockheed Martin’s Prepar3D scenery database including over 24,000 airports and cities.

Based in Christchurch, New Zealand, Pacsim has recently released its newest device, the PS4. 5, which is suited for Flying Schools and Airlines to use for a wide range of training applications such as multi-crew courses, recruitment assessments and type rating preparation, which typically require more expensive flight simulators.

Fewer lost bags despite more pax

Airline baggage handling improved last year with the rate of mishandled bags dropping 1. 78 per cent, according to the ninth annual SITA Baggage Report.

In 2012 8. 83 bags per thousand passengers were mishandled, down from 8. 99 in 2011.

SITA said the industry achieved this improvement despite a 4. 5 per cent rise in passenger numbers to 2. 95 billion globally, with higher passenger volumes inevitably increasing pressure on airport baggage operations.

One area the industry is focusing on is improving baggage transfers between flights. This is traditionally the ‘pinch point’ in the baggage handling process and the leading cause of delay.

In 2012 SITA’s report showed an improvement in this area with transfer bags, as a proportion of all mishandled bags, down nine per cent from 2011.

SITA CEO Francesco Violante said of the results: “The industry has made a concerted effort to improve baggage handling operations in recent years through significant investment and innovation. Over the past six years, the rate of mishandled bags per thousand passengers has fallen 53. 2 per cent. While there is still work to be done, the six-year trend shows our collaborative efforts are paying off to the benefit of both passengers and airlines. ”

Ferra wins JDAM ER wing kits contract

Boeing has chosen Ferra Engineering to build wing kits for the Joint Direct Attack Munition Extended Range (JDAM ER) that are intended to triple the weapon’s range. The RAAF became Boeing’s first JDAM ER customer in 2011. Brisbane-based Ferra has also secured work on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter and P-8A Poseidon aircraft. “Boeing has been in Australia for 86 years and we have many great local industrial partners doing work across our commercial and defence product lines,” said Dennis Muilenburg, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “Ferra, an innovative, high-technology company, is a leader in that group. ”

Upgraded radar online in Brisbane

Airservices has commissioned a new radar facility at Mount Hardgrave on North Stradbroke Island to improve coverage of aircraft operating around Brisbane Airport. The new radar provides both primary and secondary surveillance, improving on what had been solely a secondary surveillance facility. The radar is housed within a dome to protect it from high winds and other severe weather.

GA trade show postponed

An inaugural trade show for recreational, sports and general aviation has been postponed until 2014.

A400M certified

Organisers of the Aviatex show said the decision to push back the event, which had been scheduled for May, came in response to industry feedback. “After widespread industry consultation, we are convinced that Aviatex offers the well-located, professionally presented and affordable trade show the industry is looking for,” organiser March Bright of Bright Events said. “We have been encouraged by the large number of exhibitors wanting to participate in Aviatex, but most have indicated a preference for 2014. ” The inaugural event will now be held May 2-4 2014 at Illawarra Regional Airport. F-35 news

Quickstep delivers first F-35 parts made in Bankstown

Quickstep has delivered its first batch of F-35 parts produced at its new facility located at Bankstown Airport in Sydney.

Delivery of the complex panels to Northrop Grumman was completed on schedule.

“The timely delivery of this carbon fibre composite part is an important validation of the significant investment in this facility and the quality of our processes,” Quickstep managing director Philippe Odouard said. “Quickstep has continued to meet all JSF delivery deadlines agreed with Northrop Grumman while establishing, qualifying and now delivering from the new facility. ” Quickstep is producing 21 different parts under Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program contracts.

F-35s arrive at Nellis

Lockheed Martin has delivered three F-35A conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) aircraft to the US Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis AFB in Nevada.

The jets have been assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, marking the start of operational testing and evaluation at the base.

“The work done by the Nellis team will forge the F-35 into the fighter of the future and test it to its limits,” said Orlando Carvalho, executive vice-president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. “Their skilled pilots and maintainers will take the F-35’s performance to new heights and define the tactics the F-35 will one day use to defend freedom around the world. ”

Netherlands parks F-35s

The newly-appointed Dutch defence minister has announced the Netherlands will place into storage its F-35A Joint Strike Fighter test aircraft in advance of a final decision on a replacement for the nation’s F-16s. A second F-35 was scheduled to be delivered in mid-2013, but it will be stored at Edwards AFB where they will be maintained in airworthy condition.

The implications for the Netherlands’ decisions will be discussed with the F-35 Joint Program Office, while a formal decision on whether to proceed with ongoing participation in the program will be made before the end of the year.

It is expected the defence minister will be seeking alternative submissions from Boeing and Saab.