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Qantas deploys the A380 to Dallas-Fort Worth

Qantas to replace 747-400ERs with the A380 on its longest haul

Qantas will operate the Airbus A380 on its services between Sydney and Dallas- Fort Worth (DFW) from September 29 this year, as part of network changes that include reducing Sydney-Hong Kong A380 services and retiming Melbourne-Dubai-London flights.

The final product is far superior to anything available in the market today. ETIHAD’S PETER BAUMGARTNER P14

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The 484-seat, four-class A380 will replace Boeing 747-400ERs which have been operating the DFW services since May 2011.

Unlike the 747, the double-decker superjumbo is able to operate the return journey from DFW direct to Sydney, negating the need for the current fuel tech-stop in Brisbane.

The current daily frequency will be reduced to six times weekly (Tuesday flights will be dropped)but Qantas says the A380 will bring a net 10 per cent increase in capacity on the route, as well as introducing first class to DFW services.

“Dallas has become an important gateway for Qantas customers since we started flying there in 2011. It is the hub for our partner American Airlines and offers more than 30 destinations beyond the west coast of the United States as well as parts of Canada and Mexico on their network,” Qantas group chief executive Alan Joyce said.

“When you combine the A380 with the onward connections available from Dallas, this is a great example of the right aircraft on the right route. ” In a promotional video on the airline’s YouTube channel, QantasEngineering manager Alan Milne said the A380 was “specifically designed for this long-haul flying”, and the introduction of the A380 to DFW, “Qantas will once again have the largest aeroplane in the world, on the longest route. ” At 13,804km, the Sydney-DFW route is currently recognised as the world’s longest non-stop sector, beating out Delta’s Atlanta-Johannesburg 777-200LR service which is 13,582km, and Emirates’ A380 service between Dubai and Los Angeles at 13,420km.

Qantas has freed up A380 capacity to operate to DFW thanks to unspecified “adjustments” to “the mix of A380s and B747s flying on the Sydney to Hong Kong route” and the retiming of its QF9/10 A380 services between Melbourne and London via Dubai. “This schedule change unlocks more A380 flying time that we can use on the Dallas route, and now offers four times the number of onward connections to Europe because of the new arrival time of the Melbourne flight into Dubai,” Joyce said.

The retimed Melbourne flights were in part necessitated by runway works at Dubai, but Qantas said Melbourne passengers would be able to connect to 17 Emirates flights within a four-hour window, rather than four within four hours under current timings. The retimed Melbourne flights take effect from June 20. QF9 departs Melbourne at 2255, arrives into Dubai at 0705 and then touches down in London at 1340. The return QF10 will depart London at 1330, arrive into Dubai at 2325 and land in Melbourne at 2055.

The largest aeroplane in the world, on the longest route. alan milne

Telstra trialling 4G for inflight Wi-Fi

Airborne internet access a step closer following trials on Sydney-Melbourne flights

Inflight video calls using super fast broadband may be a couple of years away if recent Telstra trials are any anything to go by.

Australia’s largest telco is investigating inflight Wi-Fi using its 4G, or Long-Term Evolution, network.

The company has tested the technology, dubbed ‘Skinet’, on two aircraft – a Piper Chieftain and Cessna Mustang – fixed with an antenna designed to connect to upward-facing antennas on four specially-built mobile phone towers along the Melbourne-Sydney air corridor.

Telstra executive director of networks Mike Wright said engineers conducted speed tests, email and web browsing and achieved a maximum data throughput of 15 Mbps, with anaverage throughput of about 10 Mbps.

“As I’m told, one of the guys even did a video call with his wife, who was I think on a boat somewhere overseas,” Wright said in an interview.

Wright said there were plans to eventually run trials on Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft, given they were the most common aircraft types on the Melbourne-Sydney route.

While the immediate benefit of high-speed broadband in the air would be for passenger use, Telstra was also looking at a range of “remote monitoring and control applications”.

“It might be anything from tracking a plane’s location to mounting a camera on a plane to do some remote monitoring,” Wright said.

“Who knows, maybe even one day communicating and controlling some drones over a remote bit of bushland or to monitor a farm. ” However, it was expected to take at least two years of further testing, and an allocation of spectrum from the government, before the telco would be ready to sell the service to an airline or company.

“It is way too early to look into the actual business models and payment methods at this stage,” Wright said.

“By understanding the technology and the interest we can go to the next step and start costing what it would cost to build it and then how would you get your money back. ”

Rail link for Tullamarine

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine has pledged to build a rail link to Melbourne Airport if the Coalition was re-elected in November.

The Victorian May state budget committed $830 million over the next four years to start construction of the Melbourne Rail Link, including a rail line to Tullamarine.

The airport line would run from Tullamarine to Albion before linking in with the rest of the rail network to Southern Cross Station. It is expected services would depart every 10 minutes during peak times, with trips taking about 25 minutes.

A 2013 study by the state government body Public Transport Victoria recommended an airport rail link follow a modified “Albion East” corridor design.

According to Public Transport Victoria: “The new Albion East design follows the 2001 route from the airport boundary via new tracks through reserved land and a freight corridor, but will use the existing rail tracks from Sunbury within the Sunshine corridor and connect with the Melbourne Metro rail tunnel, extending the link to Melbourne’s east. This alignment outperformed options which connected the Airport with the CBD via a direct tunnel, a connection via Craigieburn and a connection via Flemington. ”

Etihad reveals new A380 & 787 cabin products

Etihad Airways has revealed a stunning range of new premium cabin products for its new Airbus A380s and Boeing 787s when they enter service later this year.

Leading the way is ‘The Residence by Etihad’, located on the forward upper deck. There will be just one residence on each Etihad A380, offering a living room, double bedroom and separate ensuite bathroom for one or two passengers, as well as a dedicated chef and butler service.

“The Residence will set Etihad Airways apart from the rest of the industry and allow us to provide the complete range of world-class products and services to cater for the individual tastes of every VIP traveller,” Etihad chief commercial officer Peter Baumgartner said. “Without doubt, we are usheringin a new era of luxury travel in commercial aviation. ” The residence’s living room features a two-seat reclining sofa, dining tables and a chilled mini-bar. There is an 80cm LCD TV with the new Panasonic eX3 entertainment system, and a touchscreen control unit which operates a retractable ottoman, mood lighting, window shading and seat functions. The bedroom has a 210cm long double bed, and its own 68cm LCD TV, while the entire suite is fully Wi-Fi enabled and offers broadband with internet mobile and data capability, Live TV, HDMI, an AC outlet and USB ports.

The airline also launched new first class products. The ‘First Apartment’ will be offered on the A380, and features a living space with a reclining lounge chair and ottoman which converts to a 202cm long fully-flat bed, a chilled mini-bar, personal wardrobe, and a separate vanity unit. The First Suite on the 787 will also have centre seats which can be joined to create a 202cm long double bed.

“Our new First Apartments andFirst Suites are major milestones for Etihad Airways and the global aviation industry as a whole, marking the dawn of an exciting new era in sophisticated, luxurious air travel,” said Baumgartner. “The final product is far superior to anything available in the market today and more akin to the offerings of the world’s top five-star hotels. ” The A380s will feature nine First Apartments on the upper deck of the aircraft, six of which have connecting doors, while the 787s will have eight First Suites in a 1-2‑1 configuration.

Also to debut on the new aircraft will be a new ‘Business Studio’ product, 70 of which will be offered on the A380’s upper deck, and 28 on the 787. All Business Studios will be arranged in a 1-2-1 ‘dovetail’ configuration giving all an aisle access, and will feature a 55cm wide seat and an ottoman which convert to a 202cm long fully-flat bed.

On the A380, first and business class passengers will have the use of ‘The Lobby’, a serviced lounge and bar area located between the two premium cabins, which has semi-circular leather sofas, a marquetry table and a large TV screen.

Rounding out the new products is a new economy ‘Smart Seat’ which the airline says will provide enhanced comfort and entertainment. The new seat features a ‘fixed wing’ headrest, a six-inch recline, adjustable lumbar support, and a 28cm TV monitor with noise-cancelling headsets.

The 787 economy seat is 17. 2in wide and has a 31 to 33in pitch for a total of 199 seats in a 3-3-3 configuration. The A380 seat is wider at 18. 5in, and is laid out in a 3-4-3 configuration for 417 seats.

The first A380 will enter service in December on the Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow route, and by the end of 2015 the airline will have five A380s in service operating on routes to Sydney and New York JFK. The airline has 10 A380s on order for delivery by the end of 2017.

The first 787 will also enter service in December, and will initially operate on services to Washington DC, Dusseldorf and Mumbai. A total of 71 787s are on order for Etihad, comprising 41 787-9s and 30 stretched 787-10s.

Joyce outlines Qantas job cuts and fleet plans

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has told the Macquarie Australia Conference in Sydney that the airline is on track to achieve $800 million in savings by June 2015, and the planned $2 billion in savings by early 2017.

The airline will have reduced its full-time employee numbers by 2,200 by the end of June this year, Joyce said, with a further 1,800 jobs to follow by June 2015 and another 1,000 by 2017. The Qantas boss also said the airline was looking to reduce its costs by 10 per cent excluding fuel, and that its goal was to reduce the cost gap to Virgin Australia in order to make it more competitive.

Part of those cost reductions will come from fleet rationalisation, with Joyce’s presentation to the conference providing new information on Qantas’s fleet plans, including aircraft type retirements and aircraft utilisation plans. As already announced the Qantas mainline domestic fleet will operate just two types (the A330-200 and 737-800) by the end of March 2015, but his presentation explains that since the end of 2013 the last three 737-400s have been retired, with two 767 retirements due by the end of June and that a further six 767s will be withdrawn from the fleet by the end of 2014, with the last six to retire between January and March 2015. The 767s are able to be retired as Jetstar continues to take delivery of 787-8s, which in turn allows Jetstar to roll over its A330‑200s to Qantas.

Joyce’s presentation says the domestic fleet rationalisation will save Qantas over $55 million a year, including fuel efficiency savings. Further savings will come from better aircraft utilisation.

On the international side the presentation explains how network changes will enable the retirement of three 747-400s by the end of 2014. Those changes are: exiting Perth-Singapore (operated by an A330-300) and in turn down-guaging Brisbane-Singapore from the 747 to the A330-330; increased domestic utilisation allowing an A330 to be freed up to replace a 747-400 on Sydney-Singapore; and retiming Melbourne-Dubai-London flights freeing up A380 capacity which will be redeployed on Sydney-DFW flights. In addition, a further two 747-400s are due to be retired by mid-2016, without explaining what other network/route changes would be necessary to facilitate that.

The five 747-400 retirements in total should save greater than $100 million a year.

Joyce said challenges remained in the highly competitive nature of all its markets, and in the high Australian dollar fuel price.

Jetstar launches BNE-DPS 787 services

Jetstar has become the first airline to operate Boeing 787s from Brisbane Airport with the launch of new services to Denpasar on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali.

The four times a week JQ47/46 services will add nearly 3,000 seats to the sector each week. The airline currently has three 787s in service, with two more aircraft due to arrive soon. The 787s are replacing Airbus A330-200s in service.

SIA reduces SYD & MEL A380 services

Singapore Airlines will down-gauge one of its two daily Airbus A380 services to Sydney from May 30, and will permanently down-gauge its daily A380 service to Melbourne in response to operational requirements for the larger aircraft elsewhere.

While both cities will retain four daily return services from Singapore, the daily SQ231 service which departs Singapore at 12. 45am and arrives in Sydney at 10. 25am, and the return SQ222 service which departs Sydney at 3. 15pm and arrives at 9. 40pm will be operated by a Boeing 777-300ER until October.

And from October 26, the daily SQ227 A380 service from Singapore to Melbourne and the return SQ228 will be replaced by a 777-300ER.

Clarification regarding Airwork 737

incident In our March issue we reported on the Airwork-operated 737‑300F, ZK-TLC, that suffered a collapse of its right-hand main landing gear on landing at Honiara, the Solomons Islands, in January.

Our apologies to the aircraft’s crew for using the term “hard landing”. We certainly didn’t mean to imply crew error. No investigation into the incident has yet been published, but it does appear likely the gear failure, which occurred during the landing roll-out, was due to some form of fatigue issue.

For the record ZK-TLC was struck of the New Zealand civil aircraft register on April 8 as “destroyed”.

Virgin transfers SYD-OOL capacity to Tiger

Virgin Australia will reduce its daily return services between Sydney and the Gold Coast from 12 to nine from July, while its Tigerair subsidiary will increase its daily services on the route from two to four.

“It starts to build up a good presence and a solid market offering for us up there [on the Gold Coast],” Tigerair chief executive Rob Sharp told Fairfax Media. “These network reviews are a very important part of positioning the business going forward. ”

Super Hornets conduct Harpoon trials

The F/A-18Fs of the RAAF’s 82WG based at Amberley conducted flight trials with live Boeing AGM‑84 Harpoon anti-surface warfare (ASuW) missile rounds in April and May.

The trials are part of the development of systems, procedures and training to employ the Harpoon with a full operational clearance, and are based on those used by the US Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet.

A Defence spokesperson told Australian Aviation that the Harpoon will complement the Raytheon AGM-54C-1 JSOW precision weapon in the Super Hornet’s ASuW arsenal. In a written response to questions, the spokesperson said: “The choice of weapon used would be subject to the tactical and threat scenario,” adding that the two weapons “have different navigation and target sensors and different launch envelopes making them complementary weapons for maritime strike. ” The surface-skimming Harpoon missile has a range of more than 100km and, in Block II form can attack ships or fixed land targets.

The JSOW is a low observable glide weapon with GPS guidance and a mid-course update capability via datalink and, when launched from altitude, can fly more than 50km to hit moving surface vessels or land targets.

The ADF’s entire inventory of Harpoon missiles is able to be configured for air launch from the Super Hornet, classic Hornet or AP- 3C Orion; and with booster packs for rail or VLS canister launchers from ANZAC and FFG frigates respectively, or for Collins submarine sub-surface launch systems.

Sydney Uni researcher wins UAS challenge

University of Sydney robotics researcher and PhD candidate at the Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR) Daniel Wilson has been awarded first place in the 2014 International Simulink Challenge.

Developed using MathWorks’ Simulink software, the winning ‘Skymaster’ is an autopilot for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which was designed as part of efforts to meet engineering challenges such as inflight refuelling and docking.

In a statement, Wilson said he chose UAV autonomous formation flight as a focus area because he sees the drone community gaining momentum on a global scale. “Although many technical and regulatory challenges remain, there’s huge scope for the use of UAV technology in how we communicate, work, and go about our daily lives,” he said. “Unlike large commercial organisations, we’ve been able to take a more cavalier and agile approach to tackle those challenges with our research. ” Entries were received from students around the world for the competition, all of which used the Simulink software.

US Navy receives 100th Growler, lobbies for more

The US Navy has taken delivery of its 100th Boeing EA-18G Growler at a ceremony in St Louis.

The aircraft will be based at NAS Whidbey Island near Seattle in Washington State, home of all the US Navy’s Growlers.

The US Navy currently has a program of record for 114 EA‑18Gs, production of which is due to start ramping down in 2015. But the US FY15 defence budget contains an ‘unfunded priority’ for an additional 22 aircraft, the merits of which are currently being debated as part of the budget approval process in Congress.

At the time of writing, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) had ‘marked up’ funding for up to 47 more Growlers and Super Hornets, although some of these aircraft including 12 EA-18Gs for the RAAF had already been funded in previous years, and it is reported that only five of these are from new funding.

“Given the threat environment we are moving into, the Growler will play a major role in identifying, tracking, targeting and potentially firing upon the enemy,” US Navy F/A-18 and EA-18G program manager Capt Frank Morley said at the ceremony. “The EA-18G Growler is a high-demand asset that is equally critical in disrupting our enemies operations as it is enhancing our own. ” Added Boeing’s F/A-18 and EA‑18G Programs vice president Mike Gibbons: “Today we celebrated 100 Growler deliveries – all on cost and on schedule – and highlighted the need for additional Growlers in the future so our men and women in uniform can prosecute their missions in the safest, most effective way possible. We believe there is a compelling case to be made that the Navy needs 50 to 100 more aircraft to meet future requirements. ” Boeing and the Navy are both lobbying hard for these additional aircraft, as the Growler and the 75 or so remaining orders for its F-15 line comprise the company’s entire tactical combat aircraft backlog until a next generation of manned or unmanned aircraft can be developed.

New RNZAF chief takes command

Air Vice-Marshal Mike Yardley has assumed the role of Chief of Air Force in a ceremony held at RNZAF Base Auckland on April 30, taking over from AVM Peter Stockwell as head of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).

AVM Yardley joined the RNZAF in 1981 as a general duties navigator, and was initially posted to 5SQN and the P-3K Orion. He has held the position of commanding officer of 5SQN, has completed a Master of Arts degree at the USAF Air War College, and has had tours in the NZDF Development Branch as Project Manager for the P-3K upgrade project in Texas, and as Assistant Chief of Air Force Capability.

More recently AVM Yardley has been Chief Staff Officer – Joint Plans. He attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in London, was Chief of Staff HQ NZDF, and was Air Component Commander HQ Joint Forces NZ.

Collier trophy for X-47B

The Northrop Grumman X-47B unmanned combat air system demonstrator (UCAS-D) program has been awarded the 2014 Collier Trophy for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in the US.

The award, announced by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), recognises the achievements of the X-47B industry team “for developing and demonstrating the first unmanned, autonomous air system operating from an aircraft carrier”.

RAAF’s Air Lift Group renamed as Air Mobility Group

Name change to better reflect mission sets

The RAAF’s force element group (FEG) tasked with the movement of ADF personnel, materiel and forces by air changed its name from Air Lift Group (ALG) to Air Mobility Group (AMG) on April 1.

“ALG was formed in February 1987 when Air Force created its original force element groups,” Commander AMG, AIRCDRE Warren McDonald said. “The name Air Lift Group served us well for the last 27 years and provided a ready identity to our missions, which included air logistics support, airborne operations and aeromedical evacuation. Air Mobility more closely describes our expanded scope of operations and is consistent with the current air power doctrine. This change in terminology has been reflected in a number of our newer organisations, including the formation of the Air Mobility Control Centre (AMCC) in 2005 and the Air Mobility Improvement Program in 2010. The adoption of an AMG identity aligns our terminology with our allied partners, assisting with coalition integration and improving interoperability. ” The FEG has a head count of 1,515 personnel and is headquartered at RAAF Richmond near Sydney. AMG operates two wings – 84WG and 86WG – the AMCC and the Air Mobility Training & Development Unit (AMTDU), seven flying squadrons, and 36 aircraft at four bases.

Under 84WG’s command is 34SQN which operates the 737BBJ & Challenger 604 special purpose aircraft (SPA) fleet at Canberra, Richmond’s 35SQN which will soon receive its first C-27J Spartan in the US, 37SQN which operates the RAAF’s C-130J Hercules at Richmond, and the 285SQN which is the C-130J training unit, also at Richmond.

86WG is responsible for the KC-30As of Amberley’s 33SQN, 36SQN which operates the C-17A also at Amberley, and 38SQN’s King Air B350s at Townsville.

New RNZAF chief takes command

Air Vice-Marshal Mike Yardley has assumed the role of Chief of Air Force in a ceremony held at RNZAF Base Auckland on April 30, taking over from AVM Peter Stockwell as head of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).

AVM Yardley joined the RNZAF in 1981 as a general duties navigator, and was initially posted to 5SQN and the P-3K Orion. He has held the position of commanding officer of 5SQN, has completed a Master of Arts degree at the USAF Air War College, and has had tours in the NZDF Development Branch as Project Manager for the P-3K upgrade project in Texas, and as Assistant Chief of Air Force Capability.

More recently AVM Yardley has been Chief Staff Officer – Joint Plans. He attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in London, was Chief of Staff HQ NZDF, and was Air Component Commander HQ Joint Forces NZ.

Collier trophy for X-47B

The Northrop Grumman X-47B unmanned combat air system demonstrator (UCAS-D) program has been awarded the 2014 Collier Trophy for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in the US.

The award, announced by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), recognises the achievements of the X-47B industry team “for developing and demonstrating the first unmanned, autonomous air system operating from an aircraft carrier”.

New Air Force Cadet Centre opened

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Darren Chester, officially opened the Australian Air Force Cadets National Aviation Centre at Bathurst on April 11.

Overseen and funded by the RAAF, the new $5 million centre is located at Bathurst Aerodrome, and will become home to a National Aviation Centre for 7,100 Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC).

“The facility will make aviation training more accessible for cadets from around Australia,” Chester said. “It will be used by cadets aged between 13 and 20 years of age who will travel from all over Australia to participate in weekend and school holiday aviation camps in Bathurst. Bathurst was chosen as the home for the AAFC’s dedicated National Aviation Centre for its uncongested airspace, whilst remaining close to Sydney which will provide easy access for cadets from around Australia. ” The new facility will have accommodation for up to 80 cadets and 20 staff at any one time, and the buildings will include classrooms, living accommodation, kitchen facilities, and a separate hangar to house aircraft.

The official opening also saw the unveiling of the first of 19 new DG-1001 two-seat sailplanes and ASK-21M two-seat motor gliders which have been purchased by the RAAF for the AAFC.

Matt Hall-led consortium to buy Belmont Airport

A consortium of buyers led by Red Bull Air Racer and former RAAF F/A‑18 Hornet pilot, Matt Hall, is pitching to buy Belmont Airport on Lake Macquarie near Newcastle.

The consortium, which also includes Hunter-based companies Airborne, Newcastle Helicopters, and Skydive the Beach plans to upgrade the run-down airport which has not seen regular use for nearly a decade. Hall’s company, Matt Hall Racing operates a thriving joy-flight business using two-seat aerobatic aircraft, and he also has shares in a CAC Mustang.

“As a group we are really excited about the opportunities this presents for us and the local community in what is a beautiful part of the world,” Matt Hall said in a statement on his Facebook page. “There will no doubt be jobs created and a boost for tourism and hospitality operators due to the ease of access that the reopening and upgrading of the airport will bring. ” The airport is in the Lake Macquarie suburb of Pelican, and was the original home of regional carrier Aeropelican which commenced operations in 1971 and operated Twin Otters between the airport and Sydney until 2004 when it moved its operations to Newcastle Airport.

The contracts for the property most recently owned by developer Mirvac were exchanged on April 15, and the sale is expected to be settled in the next few months.

Queenstown granted provisional extended flight ops approval

New Zealand’s Queenstown Airport has been granted provisional approval to extend its operating hours into night flight operations.

The approval by the NZ Civil Aviation Authority is subject to the airport meeting a number of conditions including making some infrastructure improvements, and comes after owners Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) in conjunction with Navigatus Consulting successfully demonstrated the benefits of all participants taking a collaborative approach.

“This approval is the result of much hard work and dedication from airline operators, Queenstown Airport Corporation, CAA and Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority,” Director of Civil Aviation Graeme Harris said in a statement. “The size and configuration of Queenstown Airport and mountainous surrounding terrain has meant limiting flying to daylight hours has been appropriate until now. Queenstown Airport Corporation and operators have shown a willingness to improve infrastructure and develop operational procedures to gain this approval. ” The improvements required for night operations included a widening of the runway from 30m to 45m; the addition of a “comprehensive aeronautical lighting package” including runway, taxiway, approach and off-airport lights; a customised crew selection and training package; employing the full capability of the existing RNP technology; and changes to onboard flight procedures to reduce pilot workload on final approach.

QAC chief executive Scott Patterson welcomed the approval.

“The decision by the authorities on both sides of the Tasman to approve the foundation safety case for after-dark flights is a potential game changer for Queenstown’s tourism industry and the regional economy,” Patterson said.

QAC says night flights probably couldn’t start until the winter 2016 season because of the time required to implement the changes. “We now have a very clear roadmap of the technology, infrastructure and operational steps required to enable it to happen,” Paterson said. “Evening flights would be a huge plus for travellers and for local businesses, particularly in the busy winter months. Extending the airport’s operating window would give travellers more flexibility, provide better connectivity across airline networks, and improve their airport experience – peak times would be more spread, with less pressure on facilities and services. ” The move was welcomed by the New Zealand Airline Pilots Association (NZALPA).

“The widening of the runway, installing of an approach lighting system, improved runway lighting and installing of additional obstacle lighting are all most welcome improvements for pilots operating into and out of the airport,” said NZALPA technical director Rob Torenvlied.

“Although these improvements are being made to facilitate night-time operations, they will, in addition, provide significant safety benefits for daylight operations as well. ” Meanwhile, Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia have announced they will add an additional 40,000 seats on services to and from Queenstown over the winter peak season this year.

Running from July to September, the airlines say they will increase capacity on trans-Tasman services to Queenstown by more than 12 per cent for the period with up to five additional services by the two carriers per week between Queenstown and Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

Air New Zealand will also increase domestic services to Queenstown by 11 per cent from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch by up-gauging services to A320 equipment.

NZ safety regs not suitable for Australia – CASA

The Director of Safety at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), John McCormick, has dismissed calls from industry to adopt aviation safety regulations similar to those of New Zealand.

McCormick said the New Zealand rules allowed for considerable discretion in regard to the intent of the regulations and what is acceptable for compliance, and that many of the provisions in the New Zealand regulations were not consistent with Australian legislative standards, definitions, and terminology.

“If we went in this direction we may need to amend the Civil Aviation Act and rework the new Civil Aviation Safety Regulations that have already been made,” he said on the CASA website. “This would be a long-term undertaking, involving several additional years of legislative redrafting and industry consultation. ” McCormick’s comments come in the wake of informal lobbying from industry bodies to Transport Minister Warren Truss to consider adopting New Zealand-style regulations.

McCormick said the New Zealand rules left an operator open for prosecution if contravened, and that they contain too many differences to ICAO regulations. “We believe some rules may not offer adequate levels of safety and do not take into account Australian conditions and considerations,” he added.

Rex commissions Saab 340 sim, buys out aircraft leases

Regional Express buys out 18 leased Saab 340Bs

Regional Express has officially opened its new Saab 340 full-flight simulator (FFS) at its Wagga Wagga-based Australian Airline Pilot Academy (AAPA).

The opening ceremony was held in conjunction with a Rex cadet graduation ceremony, and was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure Warren Truss.

“Rex is an integral part of the regional aviation sector and plays a pivotal role in servicing regional areas,” Truss said. “This is the most modern pilot training facility in the Asia Pacific region, not only because of the standard of instruction, but also the access students have to state-of-the-art equipment. The simulator we are opening today will also augment training by providing a seamless transition from cadet to Regional Express Saab 340 first officer, all at the one facility. ” Added Rex’s general manager flight operations and chief pilot, Neville Howell: “The Saab FFS is the ultimate training tool and allows for more effective training and prepares the pilot for a raft of abnormal and emergency scenarios in a safe and controlled environment. This demonstrates the commitment Rex has for safety and to ensuring the highest possible training standards. ” The simulator was acquired from FlightSafety International last May, and has been installed in a new purpose-built facility at the AAPA. It obtained certification from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) on April 16.

The sim commissioning comes only a month after Rex announced it had purchased 18 Saab 340B+ aircraft which it been operating under a lease.

The airline says the aircraft were part of a group of 25 340s it had been operating on lease since 2006. It says the other seven aircraft had come off lease last July and had also been purchased by the airline.

The purchase means Rex now has a fleet of 51 Saab 340s, all of which it owns. “Rex committed to leasing these aircraft in late 2006 as part of its fleet modernisation and expansion programme,” COO Garry Filmer said. “Upon lease expiry we had the opportunity of purchasing them at advantageous rates. With a remaining useful life of at least another 20 years, the Saab 340s with their low operating cost and fuel efficient engines will continue to provide sterling service on the Rex network. ”

MoU signed for Avalon international expansion

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the owners of Avalon Airport, Linfox Group, and HNA Group Hainan Airlines to commence international services into Avalon.

The MoU, signed on the sidelines of Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s trade mission to China, commits Linfox Group to assist HNA Group to start an aviation service between Australia and China within 18 months using Avalon Airport as a base.

“This announcement outlines an important commitment by Linfox to assist HNA Group in their consideration of using Avalon Airport as a base for the introduction of passenger flights directly from Victoria to China,” Victorian Premier Dr Denis Napthine said. “An international terminal at Avalon would mean more jobs for Victorians and greater access to international flights for people in Geelong and the surrounding regional areas. ” Avalon has to date only been used by low-cost-carriers Jetstar and Tigerair for domestic services.

Meanwhile, Avalon has dramatically cut its landing fees in a bid to stimulate activity.

Landing fees for airliners and corporate jets are being cut by 15 per cent, while light aircraft landing fees will be cut from $100 to $30. Charter aircraft landing fees and missed approach fees are also being cut.

Curfew-free Avalon is one of only four airports in Victoria equipped with an ILS.

Boeing delivers 8,000th 737, opens customer interior studio

The world’s best-selling jet airliner achieved another milestone on April 16, with the delivery of the 8,000th 737 to United Airlines.

The aircraft, a 737‑900ER is painted in standard United Airlines livery with a small logo commemorating the milestone added to the upper fuselage.

“The 737 program continues to innovate with new features and technology, meeting the needs of our customers now and into the future,” Boeing’s vice president and general manager of the 737 program Beverly Wyse said in a statement. “Boeing has a long and treasured history with United Airlines, and we’re proud they’re taking delivery of this milestone airplane. ” Since 1965, United has taken delivery of more than 550 737s and has operated most models. Boeing holds a backlog of more than 3,700 737s, 1,934 of which are for the re-engined MAX model to be delivered from 2017.

Boeing has also opened a new 737 customer configuration studio near its Renton production facility in Washington state.

Similar to the 787 Dreamliner gallery, Boeing said the 737 configuration studio provided “private and welcoming showroom environment to assist Next-Generation 737 and 737 MAX customers with the design and configuration of new airplane interiors”.

“Our customers make a large investment when they choose their interiors,” Wyse said. “This new studio offers one-stop shopping, eliminating the need for them to fly around the world to meet with different suppliers. ” The studio will eventually offer more than two dozen major interior configuration and lighting options.

New FBO for JHAS site

Melbourne businessman Paul Little has acquired the former JHAS facilities at Melbourne Airport with a view to establishing a new VIP jet base on the site.

The deal, reportedly valued at $10 million, will see Little spend an additional $10 million refurbishing and establishing the FBO on the site as part of his Little Aviation business.

“We want to change the focus of the facility from what has been maintenance to one of servicing private aircraft and associated aviation businesses,” Little told Fairfax Media. “We think the types of people that will use the facilities are private aircraft owners through to rock groups to sporting people that come to Melbourne for the grand prix. It is the sort of world-class facility that Melbourne just doesn’t have at the moment. ” Little said he hoped the new venture would be able to employ some of the 230-strong workforce from JHAS which ceased operations in March, and he hoped other elements of the former Ansett site could be redeveloped into aviation training facilities.

“We’ve already had talks with several colleges who have expressed interest in using some of the site for training purposes, and we could also look to build some student accommodation there as part of it,” he said Little owns a large shareholding in transport and logistics group Toll Holdings.

Airbus opens A350 customer definition centre

Airbus officially opened its A350 XWB Customer Definition Centre (CDC) on the sidelines of the Aviation Interiors Expo in Hamburg in April.

The CDC will allow airline customers and operators to design their A350 cabin products from a catalogue of options, with the emphasis being on shorter lead times. Airbus says the CDC features “individually tailored zones, enables the customers to see, feel and test the real catalogue solutions presented in a showroom environment, and in close cooperation with the risk-sharing partners”.

The CDC also has a virtual environment – dubbed the A350 XWB Configurator – which is a modelling tool for cabin specification and visualisation of seat configurations, galleys, and lighting.

Airbus also revealed a demonstration cabin interior for its new A350 on its MSN002 prototype. The aircraft, which made its first flight in February, is the first of the A350 development aircraft to be equipped with a cabin interior. Airbus says the aircraft has been conducting “intensive cabin flight and ground tests” during a two-week period in Hamburg.

“Passenger comfort is an increasingly important differentiator for the airline industry, becoming a fundamental deciding factor driving passenger choice and business success,” Airbus senior vice president of marketing Chris Emerson said in a statement.

The aircraft has started a series of ‘early long flights’ with its cabin accommodating real passengers, while ‘hot and cold’ cabin trials will also be part of the test program. It will be joined soon by MSN005 which will conduct long-haul route-proving flights to major destinations planned by early customers.

Review Airservices – Audit Commission

The federal government’s Commission of Audit has recommended a review into the operations and activities of government-owned monopoly air traffic management service provider Airservices.

The report recommends: “an independent review be undertaken of Airservices Australia with a particular focus on the scope of its activities as well as its planned capital expenditure program. ” It also mentions “the potential to outsource some of its [Airservices’] activities”. Notes one of the report’s appendices: “Areas for early consideration in relation to contestability may include Airservices Australia. ” There had been industry speculation the commission might recommended the outsourcing of Airservices’ Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) service.

The federal government’s other civil aviation bodies, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, were spared the Commission of Audit’s attentions, rating only passing mentions.