Preflight

Flight VA23, operated by Boeing 777-300ER VH-VPF, took off from Melbourne at about 1145 local time on Tuesday April 4 and landed at Los Angeles Airport about 14 hours later.

Virgin consolidated its long-haul Boeing 777-300ER flying to Brisbane and Sydney in October 2014 when it withdrew from the Melbourne-Los Angeles route.

At the time, Virgin said the decision to drop Melbourne-LA was made in order to boost its Brisbane-LA service to daily. Its withdrawal coincided with the arrival of United on the route.

However, in September 2016 the airline announced a shakeup of its long-haul network that included a five-times weekly Melbourne-Los Angeles service, as well as a reduction of Brisbane-Los Angeles from daily to six times weekly.

There will also be a schedule change on one Brisbane-Los Angeles- Brisbane rotation a week, which will be an evening departure from Brisbane and a morning departure from Los Angeles. That change, as well as ending the three times weekly Sydney-Abu Dhabi flights in February 2017, helped free up the extra flying time on its five 777-300ERs required to return to the Melbourne-Los Angeles route.

With Melbourne-Los Angeles underway, Virgin and its joint-venture partner Delta Air Lines now offer 25 flights a week from Australia to Los Angeles. Further, it is the only alliance to guarantee direct aisle access and lie-flat beds for every passenger in business class, regardless of airline, route or aircraft type.

“We are delighted to commence services between Melbourne and Los Angeles today, bringing the Virgin Australia flair and sophistication to this route,” Virgin Australia group executive for airlines John Thomas said.

Qantas and United are the other two carriers offering nonstop flights on Melbourne-Los Angeles.

There will be further Virgin Australia long-haul flying out of Melbourne from July 5, when the airline mounts nonstop flights to Hong Kong with Airbus A330-200 equipment in partnership with HNA Group.

The airline said on March 21 it would operate the route five times a week as part of a proposed alliance with HNA Group-affiliated carriers.

Flight times show a morning departure from Melbourne on Monday and Wednesday, while on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Virgin has scheduled an overnight service arriving in Hong Kong in the early morning.

The reciprocal Hong Kong-Melbourne flight departs in the early evening for a morning arrival into Melbourne.

The airline is likely to require two aircraft to serve the route, given on three days a week the A330-200 will be sitting on the ground in Hong Kong for about 11 hours.

Cathay Pacific (three daily flights) and Qantas (daily) are the only two airlines currently offering nonstop flights between Melbourne and Hong Kong.

Virgin also plans to operate between Australia and mainland China, likely to be Beijing. However, no start date has been announced.

The proposed alliance covered Virgin Australia, Hong Kong Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Beijing Capital Airlines and Tianjin Airlines’ services between Australia and mainland China and Hong Kong, including services via New Zealand and on routes within HNA Group airlines’ domestic networks.

Virgin Australia’s international network (which apart from Los Angeles also includes South Pacific, trans-Tasman and Bali flying) posted underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of $800,000 for the six months to December 31 2016, representing a return into the black following a $30. 8 million underlying EBIT loss in the prior corresponding period.

Plans to commence Perth-Abu Dhabi nonstop flights that were slated to begin in June with A330-200s were dropped in late February.

Read more about Virgin’s North Asian ambitions elsewhere in this edition.

Chester issues new statement of expectations for CASA

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester has issued a fresh Statement of Expectations (SOE) for the board of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

The new SOE, which took effect from March 27 2017 and will run until June 30 2019, sets out CASA’s governance, regulatory approach, key aviation activities and stakeholder engagement functions.

Chester said CASA should be “pragmatic, practical and proportional” in its dealings.

“This statement sets out in an open and formal way some important parameters for CASA’s regulatory approach, including implementing its regulatory philosophy,” Chester said on March 28.

“CASA has an extremely important role to play in maintaining Australia’s enviable safety record, having regard to risk; CASA must also take into account the economic and cost impact on the aviation industry.

“A pragmatic, practical and proportional approach to regulatory activity is intended to help support aviation growth in this country, particularly in the general aviation sector. ” The new SOE immediately replaced the former SOE issued by then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss in April 2015 that was due to expire on June 30.

The SOE, which can be read in full on the federal government’s register of legislation website, said CASA was consulted in finalising the document.

It said CASA should maintain high standards of professionalism, service, probity, reporting, accountability and transparency, consistent with the provisions of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) as well as other relevant legislation.

“I expect CASA to operate as a world-leading aviation safety regulator, backed by a workforce with the requisite skills and capabilities,” the Statement of Expectations said.

In terms of regulatory approach, the SOE sets out the Minister’s expectation that CASA focuses on aviation safety as its highest priority while considering the “economic and cost impact on individuals, businesses and the community in the development and finalisation of new or amended regulatory changes”.

Regional Aviation Association of Australia (RAAA) chief executive Mike Higgins said the SOE was an “excellent starting point for future engagement with CASA at all levels”.

“It reinforces and builds on the great work already undertaken by CASA’s acting CEO Shane Carmody,” Higgins said in the Minister’s statement.

The SOE also requires CASA pay “particular attention” to changes taking place in air traffic management including the new OneSky air traffic management system and Airservices’ new operating model.

“I’ve also asked CASA to focus effort on enhancing the level of controlled airspace, including at major regional airports,” Chester said.

“I look forward to CASA making strong progress against this statement and encourage the aviation industry to provide cooperative input to the important work that will be progressed over the next few years. ” For stakeholder engagement, the SOE said it expected CASA to “undertake effective and ongoing engagement with the aviation industry to create a collaborative relationship between CASA and industry based on a foundation of mutual understanding and respect”.

Separately, Chester announced the appointment of Cheryl Cartwright to the CASA board, effective April 17 2017 for a three-year term.

Cartwright was chief executive of Australian Pipelines and Gas Association for about 12 years before stepping down in February 2017.

CASA chairman Jeff Boyd welcomed Cartwright’s appointment.

“She will bring a wealth of corporate experience, which will complement the skill-sets of existing board members and I certainly look forward to working with her,” Boyd said.

Qantas searching for next big idea

Qantas is on the hunt for the next big ideas in aviation, announcing it is giving “start-ups, scale-ups and digital disruptors” the opportunity to work with it on a 12-week project to come up with innovations relating to the travel experience both in the air and on the ground.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said the AVRO Accelerator initiative was named after the airline’s first aircraft, the Avro 504K.

“We’re proud of our track record as innovators and early adopters and we think there’s much more to come, so we’re asking Australian and international start-ups to join us as we unearth the next big ideas,” Joyce said in a statement.

“Customer needs keep evolving and the limits of technology are constantly expanding, so there is a clear business imperative for us to find new ways to improve how we operate.

“We’re looking forward to opening up our doors to ideas that are different, challenging and truly innovative. Ideas that could benefit from the expertise and scale at a company like Qantas to refine them and make them a reality. ” Qantas said up to 10 teams would be chosen to participate. The airline outlined five areas of interest – creating seamless journeys, care beyond the air, building connected platforms, transforming for tomorrow and innovating without limits.

The AVRO Accelerator initiative is in partnership with Slingshot, a corporate startup accelerator. Slingshot’s venture capital fund will also provide up to $150,000 in funding for the successful applicants.

Successful applicants will be able to access Qantas Group’s operational data, technology platforms and anonymised customer insights, as well as get help from mentors.

“An innovation strategy must include an external approach to tap into an increasing world of disruption and talent,” Slingshot chief executive Karen Lawson said in the Qantas statement.

“We are seeing a fundamental shift as more corporate boardrooms mature in their understanding of the role start-ups and scale-ups play in navigating the reinvention of their industry and meeting customers’ changing expectations. ”

Fiji Airways posts increase in full year profit

Fiji Airways has overcome the negative impact of Tropical Cyclone Winston and growing competition on international routes on the way to a 20 per cent improvement in full year profit.

The airline group, which covers Fiji Airways, Fiji Link and other subsidiaries, reported profit before tax of $FJ84. 5 million for the 12 months to December 31 2016, up from $FJ70. 2 million in the prior corresponding period.

It was the highest full year result in the company’s history, eclipsing calendar 2015’s record profit before tax.

Revenue rose one per cent to $FJ825. 3 million, Fiji Airways said in a statement on March 16, while passenger numbers were up 4. 9 per cent.

Fiji Airways chief executive Andre Viljoen said the lift in profit came despite increased competition and lower airfares, which led to yields coming under pressure.

The airline also battled Tropical Cyclone Winston, which resulted in scores of flights cancelled in February 2016. Fiji Airways said efforts to stimulate travel to the country following the tropical cyclone through discounting cost it about FJ$40 million in lost revenue.

“To achieve these results is nothing short of outstanding – in a year when we had the most devastating cyclone in our nation’s history slow down tourism and the launch of three new international routes,” Viljoen said.

During 2016, Fiji Airways commenced service to Singapore and Vava’u, launched flights to San Francisco and increased frequencies to destinations such as Auckland, Hong Kong and Sydney.

And there is more growth to come, with the Fijian flag carrier due to start nonstop flights between Adelaide and Nadi from June, while Fiji Airways is also boosting capacity to San Francisco in response to demand.

The airline launched nonstop flights between Nadi and San Francisco in June 2016, initially as a twice-weekly seasonal service with Airbus A330 equipment that operated in the months of June, July, August, December 2016 and January 2017.

It will now serve San Francisco all year with two flights a week, increasing to three flights a week during peak periods.

San Francisco is Fiji Airways’ second destination in North America alongside its year-round daily offering to Los Angeles.

The airline is also scheduled to open an upgraded premium passenger lounge at its Nadi hub in mid-2017.

“2017 will be another busy year as we’ve set bigger, even more ambitious goals for ourselves,” Viljoen said.

“This year we are targeting many further service improvements to attain the highly prized 4-Star Skytrax rating during 2018. ”

Raytheon selected for Army’s ground-based air defence system with NASAMS

The Australian Government has approved the development of a short-range ground-based air defence system to improve protection for deployed personnel A single-supplier limited request for tender will be released to Raytheon Australia in the first half of this year that will see the development of the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) for the Army under Project LAND 19 Phase 7B.

This project is the first step in the development of the Australian Army’s contribution to the Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) program. Valued at up to $2 billion, the system will provide the innermost layer of an enhanced capability, and will be operated by the 16th Air Land Regiment.

Defence will collaborate with Raytheon and CEA Technologies to look at integrating a CEA radar into an upgraded NASAMS. Defence and Raytheon will also investigate using the Hawkei protected vehicle as a potential platform for the system’s missile launchers.

“A modern and integrated ground-based air-defence system is needed to protect our deployed forces from increasingly sophisticated air threats, both globally and within our region,” said Minister for Defence Senator Marise Payne.

“Australia’s current short-range capability is 30 years old and due to be retired early next decade. The replacement system will provide improved protection for our deployed servicemen and women. ” Raytheon stated that approval of the LAND 19 Phase 7B Ground Based Air and Missile Defence project identifies Raytheon Australia as the Prime System Integrator.

Raytheon said its proposal will be based on the NASAMS capability, which can utilise different launchers, radar technologies and missile types, adding that an option known as MEDUSA would incorporate Australian AESA sensor technology into the baseline NASAMS.

“The Raytheon offering draws on a common launch rail that can make effective use of multiple weapons from existing Australian Defence Force inventory,” said Raytheon Australia managing director Michael Ward.

“As the prime systems integrator, our solution will provide short and medium-range defence capability using in-service multipurpose AIM-9X and AMRAAM missiles, providing a system to meet Army’s ground-based air and missile defence requirements. ” Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne stated that Australian industry content will be maximised.

“Through a risk-mitigation contract, the government will ensure there are opportunities for Australian industry participation, with direct access to Raytheon Australia for local businesses to showcase their abilities,” Minister Pyne said.

“As part of this contract, Raytheon will hold workshops across the country to engage with local industry, giving them an opportunity to be part of the supply chain for this project. ” Defence will complete a detailed analysis prior to returning to the government for final consideration of the project in 2019.

USAF F-16s visit Williamtown for Diamond Shield

F-16s from the US Air Force’s 18th Aggressor Squadron, 354 Fighter Wing have visited RAAF Base Williamtown to take part in Exercise Diamond Shield, one of the practical components of the Air Warfare Centre’s new air warfare instructor training course during March.

More than 20 pilots and 150 support personnel deployed from Eielson Air Force Base to Williamtown for the exercise, with their F-16Cs and two-seat F-16Ds flying alongside and against RAAF F/A-18A classic and F/A-18F Super Hornets. The E-7A Wedgetail, AP-3C Orion and C-130J Hercules aircraft and Air Affairs Australia Learjets also took part in the exercise.

Air warfare instructor course graduates are intended to be experts in ADF capabilities and integration across the services, and have technical mastery of their own roles, platforms and systems.

“For the first time, we are bringing together different Defence units in the warfare space to integrate their roles in a process of continuous improvement to match the fifth-generation platforms coming into service,” Air Commodore Joe Iervasi, commander of the Air Warfare Centre, said.

“As our platforms interact electronically, so too must the human elements to get the greatest benefit from this technology. The air warfare instructors’ course developed by the Air Warfare Centre has done that, and over the next few months each component of the course will prepare our instructors to be effective in the integrated air warfare space.

“Graduates will provide leadership in the development of future tactics, and help determine how those tactics can be used to enhance the ADF’s joint warfighting capability using fifth-generation platforms. ”

X marks the space

Virgin Australia goes from Space+ to Economy X

Virgin Australia has launched a new Economy X product that replaces its previous Space+ offering and gives passengers what group executive for airlines John Thomas describes as “speed on the ground and space in the air”.

Economy X, which offers extra legroom seats that come with perks such as priority boarding, priority security screening and dedicated overhead locker space, is being progressively rolled out across Virgin Australia’s domestic and international fleet.

Thomas said more than half of Virgin’s 75 Boeing 737-800s have been reconfigured with the new Economy X-branded seats, which feature a red stripe on the headrest with “Economy X” in white lettering.

The majority of the fleet was expected to be fitted with Economy X by the end of May.

On the Boeing narrowbody, the seats are pitched at 34 inches compared with 30 inches on Virgin’s standard economy seats.

The seats will be available free of charge for platinum members of Virgin’s Velocity frequent flyer program on domestic and short-haul international services.

For everyone else, Economy X will be available as an add-on to their purchased fare, starting at $29 for Sydney-Melbourne and rising to $149 for a long-haul Sydney-Los Angeles flight.

This represents an increase from prices of $10-$50 for Virgin’s previous Economy Space+ product. There will also be an increase in the number of seats available as Economy X compared with Economy Space+, which mainly featured the exit rows in the cabin.

Thomas said Economy X was about giving passengers more ways to choose how they wanted to fly.

“What we found was they want speed on the ground and space in the air and that is basically what we give you with Economy X,” Thomas told journalists in Sydney on March 30.

“We believe that it will revolutionise the domestic travel experience and give our customers that level of choice that’s never been seen in the Australian marketplace in the past. ” Figures from Virgin showed about 20 per cent of economy seats on its 737-800s, 737-700s and 777-300ERs have been rebranded to Economy X, while the percentage was in the single digits for the rest of the fleet.

On Virgin’s long-haul flights, those seated in Economy X will also receive a guaranteed first meal choice and noise cancelling headphones in addition to priority check-in and priority boarding.

Thomas said giving good customer experience “flows directly to the bottom line”.

“The more that you give customers choice, the more that you actually give them control of their experience, the better experience it is for them,” Thomas said.

“And interestingly enough, the better you can make their experience, the more financially profitable you can be. ” Economy X went on sale on March 31 for flights from May 21 2017.

Air New Zealand, Virgin Australia progress biofuel bid

Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia say they have compiled a shortlist of potential companies for the supply of commercially viable, locally produced aviation biofuel, following their request for information (RFI) process.

In March 2016, the two carriers published the RFI as part of a new partnership, hoping the size of their combined operations would offer the scale needed to kick-start large local production of aviation biofuel at a commercially viable price.

A year later, the trans-Tasman alliance partners said they had whittled down the 30 responses to the RFI from companies in Australia and New Zealand as well as Canada, Europe and the United States to a shortlist.

The next step was to work with those firms on “strengthening the commercial case for investment”, Virgin and Air New Zealand said in a joint statement on March 16.

Air New Zealand head of sustainability Lisa Daniell said the RFI “helped stimulate industry dialogue on the production of sustainable aviation fuel in the Australasian region”.

“Importantly, the process has also greatly expanded our understanding of the technologies and processes involved and the potential timeframes to scale up to the volumes required,” Daniell said.

Virgin Australia head of sustainability Robert Wood said the company was “optimistic about the potential of biofuel to achieve significant carbon emissions reductions in the medium term”.

“There is clear interest and potential to produce sustainable aviation fuel in this region, and we will now undertake further detailed exploration in order to reach significant commercial scale,” Wood said.

Charter passengers drop in 2016

Australia’s charter operators carried about 220,000 fewer passengers in calendar 2016 amid the decline in resources-related activity, new figures show.

The annual domestic aviation activity report from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) showed there were 2. 41 million domestic charter passengers on fixed-wing aircraft in 2016, down 8. 1 per cent from 2. 63 million in the prior corresponding period.

Meanwhile, there was an even steeper reduction in the number of charter aircraft trips in 2016, which fell 12. 6 per cent to 44,812, from 51,247 previously.

It was the second straight year of weakening charter activity, following a 1. 3 per cent drop in passenger numbers and 6. 9 per cent reduction in trips in 2015.

Australia’s major domestic carriers have all been affected by the end of the so-called mining boom, which had resulted in reduced demand for fly-in/fly out (FIFO) workers and left excess charter capacity in the market.

Lower commodities prices has also prompted corporate clients to seek better deals amid a more competitive charter market.

Indeed, Virgin Australia and Alliance Aviation Services noted in their application to Australia’s competition regulator for a proposed charter alliance the mining industry as a whole had been in decline since mid-2013.

“As there are very few new resources projects coming online, reductions in the size of FIFO workforces and the closure of mines, demand for FIFO air services has waned over the past few years and there is substantial excess capacity to support FIFO services,” the pair said in its submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

“In addition to the downturn resulting in decreased demand for FIFO services, resource companies are also exerting pressure on FIFO operators to deliver enhanced value through reduced prices. ” The ACCC is currently considering the application, having issued a draft determination that rejected the proposed tie-up as it would reduce the number of players in the market. The two parties have submitted additional information in an effort to convince the regulator of the benefits of their proposed alliance.

Meanwhile, Qantas said in its 2016/17 first half results presentation it had cut capacity to resources-related markets by 13 per cent and was using smaller aircraft on those routes.

Further, the company reported a $50 million fall in revenue from resources markets in the 2016/17 first half, with revenue expected to decline $30 million in the current half, compared with the prior corresponding period.

Qantas said the outlook was for revenue declines to moderate in 2017/18 and be stable by 2018/19, with Queensland expected to slightly lag Western Australia in resources market stabilisation.

The BITRE report also showed significant falls in passenger numbers at a number of regional airports in Queensland and WA in 2016.

The largest decline came at Roma, which experienced a 41. 1 per cent drop in passengers to 87,800 during the year. Meanwhile, Gladstone tumbled 19. 1 per cent to 331,700 and Moranbah slumped 15. 2 per cent to 117,700.

In WA, Karratha suffered an 18. 5 per cent drop in passengers to 494,900, and Port Hedland had 14. 9 per cent fewer travellers in 2016 at 356,400.

ATSB releases preliminary report into Essendon Airport crash

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) says an examination of the Beechcraft B200 Super King Air that crashed at Essendon Airport shortly after takeoff found there were no pre-existing faults with the aircraft that could have contributed to the incident.

King Air VH-ZCR was operating a private charter flight to King Island. All four passengers and the pilot died in the accident on February 21.

The preliminary report into the incident, published on March 29, said the aircraft took off from Runway 17 and performed a shallow climbing left turn while maintaining a relatively level pitch and roll attitude.

The ATSB said Airservices ADS-B data showed the aircraft reached a maximum height of about 160ft above ground level while tracking in an arc to the left of the runway centreline before colliding with the DFO shopping centre.

The aircraft was configured with 10 degrees of flap and had its landing gear extended and locked when it crashed.

“On-site examination of the wreckage did not identify any pre-existing faults with the aircraft that could have contributed to the accident,” the ATSB report said.

The ATSB said the left and right engines were separated from their mounts in the accident, with both suffering varying degrees of fire and impact damage.

The engines were taken away from the accident site for further analysis with assistance from the engine manufacturer.

“That examination found that the cores of both engines were rotating and that there was no evidence of pre-impact failure of either engine’s internal components,” the ATSB said.

Embraer E195-E2 gets airborne

Embraer’s E195-E2 has commenced its flight test program with a successful maiden flight at the company’s Sao Jose dos Campos facility.

The largest variant of the E2 family of regional jets, powered by two Pratt & Whitney PurePower geared turbofan engines, took off at 1122 local time on March 29 and flew for two hours, Embraer said in a statement.

The flight tested the aircraft’s performance, flight quality, systems behaviour such as autopilot, fly-by-wire in direct mode and the landing gear retraction.

Pilots Márcio Brizola Jordão and José Willi Pirk were at the controls, accompanied by flight engineers Celso Braga de Mendonça and Mario Ito.

Embraer rolled out the first E195-E2 in early March. It originally planned for the first flight to take place in the second half of calendar 2017, meaning it has come months ahead of schedule.

Entry-into-service was planned for the first half of 2019 with launch customer Azul Brazilian Airlines.

The E195-E2 is one of three models in the E2 family of jets and can seat between 120 and 146 passengers, depending on configuration. The E190-E2 was currently in flight testing, with four aircraft in the certification program.

The E2 improves on the current generation E-jets with new aerodynamically advanced, high-aspect ratio, distinctively shaped wings, improved systems and avionics, including fourth generation full fly-by-wire flight controls.

Boeing 787-10 flies

Boeing’s largest 787 variant has commenced its flight test program, meaning all three members of the Dreamliner family are flying.

The first 787-10 completed a four-hour, 58-minute flight over the skies of North Charleston, South Carolina on March 31.

Boeing pilots Captain Tim Berg and Captain Mike Bryan tested flight controls, systems and handling qualities during the flight.

“From takeoff to landing, the airplane handled beautifully and just as expected,” said Berg, who is the chief 787 pilot.

The aircraft, N528ZC, is the third variant of the 787 and was first presented to employees, media and invited guests, including the US President, during the rollout ceremony held at Boeing’s North Charleston, South Carolina facility on February 17.

It is capable of flying 6,430nm when configured with 330 passengers in a two-class layout, according to Boeing figures.

North Charleston is the location of the 787-10 final assembly line. First delivery to launch customer Singapore Airlines was expected to occur in the first half of 2018.

At 68. 2m, the 787-10 is a 5. 5m stretch on the 787-9 that began flying in August 2014. The first 787 variant, the -8, made its commercial debut in October 2011 with launch customer All Nippon Airways.

The 787-10 has secured 149 orders from nine customers, according to the Boeing website.

Brisbane Airport welcomes new Malaysia and Indonesia link

Malaysia-based Malindo Air , which is a joint-venture between Malaysia’s National Aerospace and Defense Industry (NADI) and Indonesia’s Lion Group, has commenced daily flights to Brisbane.

The inaugural service, OD157 operated by Boeing 737-800 9M-LNQ, touched down at Brisbane Airport a little after 0600 on April 1, where it was met with an Airservices Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) monitor cross. The aircraft was on the ground for 75 minutes before taking off as the reciprocal OD158. The daily service will operate via a Kuala Lumpur-Denpasar-Brisbane-Denpasar-Kuala Lumpur routing, with the airline having pickup rights on the Denpasar-Brisbane sector.

It is Malindo’s second destination in Australia, having launched nonstop Kuala Lumpur-Perth flights in November 2015.

Jetstar and Virgin Australia offer nonstop flights between Denpasar and Brisbane, while there are no carriers flying nonstop on the Kuala Lumpur-Brisbane route after Malaysia Airlines withdrew service in August 2015.

Brisbane Airport said in a statement the start of the Malindo flights represented additional capacity of about 130,000 seats a year.

Maiden flight for A319neo

Airbus has completed the maiden flight of its A319neo, the smallest member of the A320 family of aircraft.

The aircraft, D-AVWA, took off from Hamburg-Finkenwerder Airport in Germany on March 31 and landed at Airbus headquarters at Toulouse Airport in France some five hours later, Airbus said in a statement.

Airbus experimental test pilots Michel Gagneux and Eckard Hausser, along with test flight engineer Jean Michel Pin and flight test engineers Sylvie Loisel-Labaste and David O’nions were on board the inaugural flight, which tested the general handling of the airframe and checked the main systems.

The first A319neo flight was powered by two CFM International LEAP-1A engines. The aircraft is also available with Pratt and Whitney’s geared turbofan powerplants.

Airbus said in a statement the A319neo would be based in Toulouse for its flight test program, which would focus on aircraft handling qualities, autopilot, performance and systems – building on the required engine tests that already have been performed with the A320neo and A321neo versions.

The aircraft is capable of flying 3,750nm when configured with 124 passengers in a two-class cabin, according to Airbus figures.

As of February 28, Airbus has secured 55 orders for the A319neo, a fraction of the 4,063 total orders for the A320neo program.

Kerrie Mather to step down as Sydney Airport chief executive

Kerrie Mather has announced her resignation as Sydney Airport chief executive.

The decision to leave the company she has led since 2002 comes as Sydney Airport considers whether to take up its right of first refusal to build and operate the proposed airport at Badgerys Creek in Sydney’s west.

The airport has until May 8 to inform the federal government of its decision.

Mather, who will stay on as chief executive until her successor is appointed, said in a statement on March 29 Sydney Airport was well positioned for the future.

“I’m very proud of the work we’ve done in partnership with industry, governments and the community, to grow aviation connectivity and choice, domestically and internationally,” Mather said.

“It’s the right time to transition to new leadership. I look forward to continuing to work with the leadership team until the new CEO starts. ” The company said an international recruitment firm had commenced the search for a new chief executive.

Sydney Airport chairman Trevor Gerber said Mather had made a “tremendous contribution” in her time as chief executive.

In February, Mather said the government’s proposal represented a “challenging investment proposition” given the Commonwealth was not offering any funding assistance for the construction of the terminals and runways that are estimated to cost between $5-6 billion.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said recently an independent or government-owned airport at Badgerys Creek would be a win for airlines and the passengers they carry.

The federal government has said it was prepared to build the airport itself should Sydney Airport not exercise its right of first refusal.

Hobart Airport CEO to step down in July

Hobart Airport is on the lookout for a new chief executive following the resignation of Rod Parry after seven years at the helm.

Parry will leave as chief executive at the end of July, Hobart Airport said in a statement on March 14.

He said it was the right time to hand over the reins for the next stage of the airport’s growth.

“I am proud of the achievements of the Hobart Airport team over the past seven years. The next 12 months will see the completion of the runway extension project and the commencement of the second phase of the terminal redevelopment with a further $60 million investment planned,” Parry said.

The extension of Runway 12/30 to 2,751m, due to be completed in March 2018, was central to the airport’s master plan. The runway is being lengthened by 150m at the northern end and 350m at the southern end. The airport said the longer runway would enable flights to Asia, as well as new freight opportunities. The federal government is contributing $38 million to the project, with Hobart Airport contributing $2 million.

Construction of the runway extension also involves the relocation of navaids, the construction of jet blast walls, and the extension of the airport’s HIAL (high intensity aviation lighting). There are also some associated road works.

The airport’s terminal redevelopment project involved new security screening facilities (already complete), a new arrivals hall, international-capable swing gates, upgraded roadways and redeveloping the departures hall.

Hobart Airport chairman Hugh Fitzsimons said: “The board respects Rod’s choice that it is time to hand over to a new CEO after seven years of service and we appreciate Rod’s ongoing commitment to Hobart Airport during this five-month transition period while an international search process is undertaken. ”

Richard Goyder tapped to join Qantas board

Outgoing Wesfarmers boss Richard Goyder will join the Qantas board.

Qantas chairman Leigh Clifford said Goyder would seek election at the airline group’s annual general meeting in October and, if elected, would join the board as a non-executive director after stepping down as Wesfarmers chief executive in November.

In addition to his chief executive role at Wesfarmers that he has held since 2005, Goyder also sits on the diversified Australian conglomerate’s board.

Elsewhere, Goyder is also a director of the Business Council of Australia alongside Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce.

Further, he also sits on The University of Western Australia Business School advisory board and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Australia board, where he is chairman.

Also, it was announced in February Goyder was due to join the board of Woodside Petroleum as an independent non-executive director in August, before becoming the petroleum exploration and production company’s chairman in April 2018.

Clifford said Goyder’s business experience would strengthen the Qantas board.

“As well as his achievements with Wesfarmers, he’s respected as a clear voice for the business community on broader economic and policy issues,” Clifford said in a statement on April 6.

“Having his knowledge and perspective on the board will be a great asset as we continue to deliver for Qantas’ shareholders and customers. ” Goyder said it was “an honour to be asked to join the board”.

“I’ve admired the way that the management team led by Alan Joyce has repositioned the group over the past few years and it’s clear that Qantas has an exciting future with some big opportunities ahead,” Goyder said.

“I hope to make a contribution to that next chapter. ”