Archive for March 2017

Embraer Shows Boeing, Airbus and Other Big Boys How it’s Done

Embraer E2

Following the fortunes of Boeing and Airbus , you could be forgiven for thinking that aircraft manufacturers always run late, over budget, and the resulting end product can struggle to meet initial expectations. But Brazil’s Embraer , the world’s third-largest commercial jet maker, has shown with its next generation narrow body regional aircraft, the E-2…

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Challenge to Boeing, Airbus: China-made passenger jet C919 passes assessment for maiden flight

Challenge to Boeing, Airbus: China-made passenger jet C919 passes assessment for maiden flight

A single-aisle passenger jet that is being built by the Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China is set for its first test flight by the end of next month, according to Philippe Petitcolin, chief executive officer of Safran SA, an aircraft engine maker. China’s first homegrown large passenger plane has passed a major technical assessment, bringing…

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Zimbabwe government continues to hunt

Zimbabwe government continues to hunt

GOVERNMENT continues to hunt for a technical partner for national flag carrier Air Zimbabwe, which is saddled with a US$334 million debt, despite recent setbacks in attracting a suitor. Nine airlines – among them Ethiopian Airlines, Angolan Airlines, Boeing, Emirates – have either been engaged or expressed interest in a partnership. Until recently, Air Zimbabwe…

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Richard Branson celebrates Virgin Atlantic’s entry to Seattle market, tears into Alaska Air

A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner touched down Monday afternoon at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, bringing entrepreneur Richard Branson to town for a celebration of Virgin Atlantic’s entrance into the Seattle market. But he also used the visit to tear into Alaska Air Group, which announced last week it would retire the Virgin America brand in the next…

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Airbus to run parcel-delivery drone trial in Singapore

Airbus Parcel Delivery Drone

AVIATION giant Airbus said it will reveal more details “in the coming months” about an unmanned parcel-delivery drone trial in Singapore, one that could be extended to transporting passengers too. Its comments come a day after the city-state’s Ministry of Transport told The Business Times that it is talking to some firms about trying out…

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China-made passenger jet passes assessment for maiden flight

Hainan Airlines Comac C919 V2

China’s first homegrown large passenger plane has passed a major technical assessment, bringing it closer to its maiden flight as the Communist giant seeks to challenge the dominance of western aviation giants like Boeing and Airbus in the global market. An evaluation committee consisting 63 aviation specialists from across China has agreed that the C919…

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EASA Issues Four Airbus A320 Family Proposed ADs

Airbus A320neo

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued four proposed airworthiness directives (PAD) March 20-21 for the Airbus A320 family. According to Aviation Week’s Fleet Discovery , there are about 2,000 aircraft owned and leased by European operators. The top five operators are EasyJet, Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France and Vueling Airlines. This excludes Turkish Airlines…

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Is JetBlue Ready to Dump Its Smallest Planes?

JetBlue

In 2003, JetBlue Airways  shocked industry observers by ordering Embraer ‘s  new 100-seat E190 jet. This departed from the accepted wisdom that low-cost carriers should stick to operating a single aircraft type in order to keep costs down. (JetBlue primarily flies Airbus  A320-family aircraft.) As many pundits had predicted, JetBlue‘s decision to add the E190…

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Alaska Air: Virgin America name will disappear, ‘likely’ in 2019

Virgin America A321neo

Alaska Airlines’ name will live on; Virgin America’s will not. Alaska Airlines announced Wednesday it will drop the name and logo of the merger partner it acquired late last year. Virgin America will be phased out, “likely sometime in 2019,” Alaska Air said in a statement. Instead, the combined carrier “will adopt many of the…

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Private Jet Flipped Over in Wake Turbulence From Airbus A380: Reports

A small private jet was flipped over in midair and plunged 10,000 feet after being caught in the wake turbulence from a passing Airbus A380 superjumbo, according to reports. One person aboard the Bombardier Challenger 604 reportedly suffered serious injuries in the accident, which is being investigated by aviation authorities. Erez Lichtfeld / Sipa via…

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Embraer presents E195-E2

Embraer E195 passenger jet

That means a 24% improvement in fuel burn per seat compared to the current generation E195 and a “plethora of new city pairs airlines can address”, Slattery said, adding, “This is [an Embraer] aircraft that low-priced carriers will for the first time look at in a very serious fashion …” In single class configuration it…

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Embraer Legacy 450 sets speed records between California, Hawaii

Embraer Legacy 450 business jet

Embraer’s Legacy 450 mid-light business jet set speed records on its recent flights between California and Hawaii, according to the National Aeronautic Association (NAA). The Hawaii trip was a first for both the aircraft and the passengers from Calgary-based AirSprint, which operates Canada’s largest fractional aircraft fleet and was the Canadian launch customer for the…

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Is this the future of personal transport in big cities?

Airbus Pop.Up

The Geneva Motor Show has been the place to see the latest innovations in automotive technology since 1905. To no-one’s surprise, the 87th show has been awash with autonomous and zero-emissions offerings from the biggest names in the global car industry. Less predictable was the preview of a self-driving zero-emissions flying car concept. Designed by…

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Istanbul New Airport terminal construction 95 pct complete

Istanbul Airport

The countdown for the opening of Istanbul’s third airport, known as Istanbul New Airport, has started. About 95 percent of the construction of the terminal building has been completed; elevators and escalators have been installed in some sections and installation of the facade and roof has commenced. The rough construction of the Air Traffic Control…

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