Flag Counter

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Etihad ties up with Air Berlin on 787 introduction

Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways is to combine its Boeing 787 introduction programme with that of new partner Air Berlin in a bid to reduce the costs of bringing a new type into the fleet.

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier, which has 41 787s on order, will expand its programme to cover the 15 787s of Air Berlin.

Etihad's 787s will be powered by General Electric GEnx engines but Air Berlin's powerplants are still listed by Boeing as unselected - it is unclear whether the pact will influence the engine choice.
But Etihad says the two carriers will "streamline" purchasing of engines, avionics, rotables and in-flight entertainment systems.

Between them the airlines will carry out maintenance pooling, joint training and combine their infrastructure resources. They will also achieve common cabin specifications, giving passengers a "consistent product experience", says Etihad.

Etihad, which opted to acquire a large shareholding in Air Berlin at the end of last year, claims the tie-up will save "millions of dollars".

It had already indicated that the equity investment in Air Berlin would generate synergies for the operators, and that Etihad would perform 787 maintenance for the German airline.

"It is an ideal solution for reducing the costs associated with the introduction of a new aircraft type, and an excellent example of the value of our partnership," says Etihad chief James Hogan.

"It makes both operational and commercial sense to work together on common fleet issues and we expect the synergies we achieve through this integration to result in significant efficiency benefits for both airlines."

Etihad is the largest shareholder in Air Berlin, with a stake of just over 29%. It is expecting to start taking 787s from late 2014 while Air Berlin will begin accepting the twinjets in 2015.

Air Berlin chief Hartmut Mehdorn says that the two sides "saw an opportunity to work as a team" during the introduction of the 787s.

source: http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/etihad-ties-up-with-air-berlin-on-787-introduction-369424/

Lion Air takes delivery of its 60th Boeing 737-900ER in a special color scheme



Lion Air (Jakarta) on March 7 accepted its 60th new Boeing 737-900 ER (Extended Range) airliner. 737-9GP ER PK-LJO (msn 38315) is painted in this special color scheme to celebrate the significant milestone. Lion Air is the largest operator of the type. With the first delivery on April 27, 2007, the fast-growing carrier has another 118 copies on order.
Lion Air was the launch customer for the largest variant of the Boeing 737, the 737-900 ER when it placed an order in 2005.

Lion Air set a record when it placed an order for 230 aircraft from Boeing, making this the largest order in terms of aircraft ordered as well the cost of the order. In November 2011, Lion Air and Boeing announced that the airline planned to buy 29 737-900 ER and 201 737 MAX aircraft, with options for 150 more, valued at $21.7 billion at the time. 

 A firm order was signed on February 14, 2012, with the 737 MAX aircraft identified as 737 MAX 9s, making Lion Air the launch customer for that variant. By the time of the signing, the order’s value had risen to $22.4 billion at list prices, the largest aircraft order in history. Deliveries of the new -900 ERs are due to start in 2016, with the MAXs to follow in 2017.

Boeing to Showcase 787 Dreamliner at 2012 FIDAE Air Show

- 787 to be centerpiece for Boeing presence at Latin America's largest air show
- Super Hornet simulator to highlight Boeing exhibit

CHICAGO, March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boeing (NYSE: BA) 787 Dreamliner, the world's most advanced passenger airplane, will make its Chilean debut as the centerpiece at the FIDAE 2012 International Air and Space Fair in Santiago, Chile, March 27-30. Boeing also plans to display the advanced capabilities of its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter with a cockpit demonstrator at the show.
"We are pleased to bring the 787 Dreamliner to FIDAE for its Chilean debut and showcase the many features that make this airplane truly a game-changer for the industry," said Van Rex Gallard, Sales vice president for Latin America, Africa, & Caribbean, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We have a great customer in LAN, one of the leading airlines in Latin America and the first Latin American customer to take delivery of the 787."
The 787 will land in Santiago for the first time on Monday, March 26 and be on static display March 27-30. LAN is Boeing's largest 787 customer in Latin America, with 26 Dreamliners on order directly from Boeing.
The Boeing exhibit will feature an array of defense products in addition to the Super Hornet cockpit demonstrator, including the CH-47 heavy-lift and AH-6i attack helicopters, the ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle, cybersecurity, and the KC-135 tanker now in service with the Chilean Air Force. Also on display at the booth will be a model of the new 737 MAX, the new-engine variant of the world's best-selling airplane, and information on the Boeing Edge – Boeing's industry-leading services offerings.
"FIDAE is the region's foremost air show and our participation is critical, given Chile and other neighboring countries' strategic importance to The Boeing Company. Our focus at this show is on establishing relationships with potential local partners, building awareness and ensuring customer satisfaction with Boeing products and services," said Joe McAndrew, International Business Development vice president for Europe, Israel and the Americas, Boeing Defense, Space & Security.
Boeing will hold a series of media briefings during the show, as listed below. Reporters should contact one of the contacts below for more information and to confirm their attendance.

Note: All times listed below are local to Santiago.

Monday, March 26

1000
787 Dreamliner Lands in Santiago

Tuesday, March 27

1200 – 1330:   
Joint LAN / Boeing Commercial Airplanes / Rolls-Royce Briefing


Venue:       
LAN exhibit


Speakers:     
Pedro Margozini, chief Marketing officer, LAN Airlines

Justin Siegel, 787 program lead, LAN Airlines

Van Rex Gallard, vice president of Sales for Latin America, Africa, & Caribbean, Boeing Commercial Airplanes

Peter Turner, vice president of Customers, Americas, Rolls-Royce


1400 – 1600:  
787 Dreamliner Tours


Venue:        
787 Dreamliner


1600 – 1700:  
Boeing market overview / 787 Dreamliner product overview


Venue:      
Conference Room 4


Speakers:  
Randy Tinseth, vice president, Marketing, Commercial Airplanes

Mike Sinnett, vice president & chief project engineer, 787 Program


Note: The 787 Dreamliner also will be open to media at the following times:
Wednesday, March 28, 1000 to 1100; Thursday, March 29, 1000 to 1100


Wednesday, March 28

1200
Boeing Defense, Space & Security Briefing on Chilean Air

Force KC-135 Program and Sustaining the Tanker Fleet Worldwide


Venue:     
Conference Room 2


Speaker:       
Earl Godby, director, Business Development, Maintenance, Modifications

and Upgrades International Programs

JAL Announces Delivery Date of its First 787 Dreamliner, Reveals Cabin Interior

TOKYO March 21, 2012: Japan Airlines (JAL) announced today that it will take delivery of its first Boeing 787-8 on March 25, 2012, and the aircraft will be flown from Seattle, Everett to Tokyo, Narita by JAL pilots the following day.
 
JGN11185_fig1.jpg
 
JAL’s first commercial 787 flight will also be the first ever nonstop flight to connect Boston with Asia when JAL uses it to launch the new service between Tokyo (Narita) and Boston on April 22, 2012. JAL will later this year, also use this super-efficient aircraft to start yet another first nonstop service between a US city and Asia with the launch of direct flights between Tokyo (Narita) and San Diego. The 787 is scheduled to be deployed on routes between Tokyo and Beijing, Moscow, New Delhi and Singapore as soon as subsequent aircraft are delivered and all necessary preparations are completed.
 
First Delivery Flight Schedule
Departure: Seattle, Paine Field
Arrival: Tokyo, Narita
March 26, 2012
16:00
March 27, 2012
18:30




All timings shown are local.
 
Seat Configurations
JAL’s 787 Dreamliner is configured in two classes with 42 seats in business and 144 seats in economy. The airline will fit its newest Executive Class JAL SHELL FLAT NEO seats that are 5 cm (2 inches) wider (than the seats now fitted on JAL’s Boeing 777s), in a 2-2-2 configuration so that customers are either seated by the window or along the aisle. Lavatories in Executive Class also feature a special warm-water Toto Washlet*1 jointly developed by companies Toto, JAMCO and Boeing. The 144 Economy Class seats have 2 cm (0.8 inches) wider space than current seats and arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration.
 
Cabin Interior Highlights
In the design process of the 787 Dreamliner, JAL participated actively in the Boeing-led Working Together Team program that involved various airline customers brainstorming for enhanced passenger comfort and usability. JAL aimed to demonstrate hospitality from the heart in all customer-contact points in the cabin as well as the work space for cabin attendants such as the kitchen equipment in the galley. Some highlights of the revolutionary aircraft are:
 
Executive Class: JAL SHELL FLAT NEO     Economy Class
   
 JGN11185_fig2.JPG          JGN11185_fig3.JPG
30% larger windows than a Boeing 767 allow for more light into the cabin and a greater view of the outside even for passengers seated in the middle sections.
 
Electronically dimmable windows allow customers to adjust the amount of light entering the cabin, and it replaces conventional shades that either completely shut out or let in external light.
 
Taking advantage of the kaleidoscope of colors afforded by the new LED lights, JAL’s original onboard lighting design creates a soothing in-flight atmosphere that would evoke a sense of the four seasons in Japan, such as pink hues of cherry blossoms in spring. The lighting is also used to create a more conducive environment at the right timing for a sound slumber and a refreshed wakening, as well as to make in-flight meals more appetizing.
Higher ceilings and lower cabin pressure are subtle enhancements that make a noticeable difference to customer comfort, especially on long-haul flights. The ceiling of the 787 Dreamliner is approximately 14 cm (5.5 inches) higher than a Boeing 767 aircraft (comparing the height of the economy class section) while the maximum cabin altitude is also lower at 1,800 meters which reduces passenger fatigue.
 
A brand new type of in-flight entertainment will be introduced onboard JAL’s 787 Dreamliner, called SKY MANGA which reflects a distinctive part of the Japanese culture. There will be more than 30 titles of Japanese comics available in electronic versions on JAL’s in-flight entertainment system initially, with expansion to English versions planned for the near future.
    For more information on JAL’s 787 Dreamliner, visit: http://www.jal.co.jp/en/787/.
 
Executive Class
JGN11185_fig4.JPG JGN11185_fig5.JPG
Seat type:
JAL SHELL FLAT NEO
Seat configuration:
2-2-2
Seat pitch:
Approximately 153 cm (60.2 inches)
Seat width in upright position:
Approximately 54 cm (21.3 inches) between the armrests
TV screen size:
15.4 inches (touch panel)
Degree of recline:
Approximately 171 degrees
Other functions:
Universal PC power outlet, USB port, RCA sockets



 
 
Economy Class
 
Seat configuration:
2-4-2
Seat pitch:
Approximately 79 cm (31.1 inches)
Seat width:
Approximately 47 cm (18.5 inches) between the armrests
TV screen size:
10.6 inches (touch panel)
Other functions:
Universal PC power outlet, USB port, RCA sockets


 
 
 
 
 
*1 TOTO Washlet - An electronic toilet seat featuring a water-jet function for washing, developed by Japanese manufacturer of plumbing fixtures - TOTO.
 
END

Boeing Receives Certification for 787 Dreamliner With GE Engines - Mar 20, 2012

EVERETT, Wash., March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) received an amended type certificate today from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the 787-8 Dreamliner equipped with General Electric GEnx engines.

"This is a great day for our customers and for our team who worked tirelessly to ensure the Dreamliner offers breakthrough fuel efficiency, unprecedented performance and new levels of comfort," said Larry Loftis, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. "We are pleased to accept the FAA's confirmation of the safety and reliability of this airplane."

The amended type certificate from the FAA formally recognizes that the 787 with GE engines has demonstrated compliance with rigorous federal regulations. The achievement caps off the most robust flight and ground test program ever conducted in the company's history.

"This milestone completes the certification of the 787-8 airplane, and allows airlines to now operate the GE engine-powered 787 with both the baseline Block 4 engine and the PIP1 engine upgrade," said Mike Sinnett, vice president and chief project engineer for the 787 program. "It also represents the success of a remarkable partnership with the regulatory agencies around the world."

"This is the culmination of extraordinary work by teams from GE and Boeing," said Chuck Nugent, general manager of the GEnx engine program for General Electric. "GE Aviation is honored to power the Boeing 787 Dreamliner with its new GEnx-1B engine, and we look forward to seeing the aircraft-engine combination flying the skies around the world."

Initial type certification of the 787 with Rolls-Royce engines took place in August 2011. Each new combination of an airframe type and engine requires additional certification to validate the integrity of the design.

60 customers around the world have ordered more than 870 Dreamliners.

source: boeing.com

Widebody freighters could be piloted remotely within 15 years

Civil freight aircraft will be flown by either a single pilot on board with a remote co-pilot on the ground, or no on-board crew at all within 10 to 15 years, delegates of the ATC Global conference in Amsterdam were told.
The extraordinary prediction came from Steve Pennington, executive director of the US policy board on federal aviation, who spoke at the event earlier this month.
As a senior military official, Pennington has considerable experience of managing the deployment and operation of unmanned air vehicles across various sizes and mission types.
Pennington says one of air traffic management's major challenges for the near future will be managing UAVs, because they will be used in a significant proportion of civil and military operations.
He predicts this will start in commercial civil aviation via the freight operations of companies such as FedEx and UPS, which will use a single-pilot crew or pilot devices entirely from the ground.

source: http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/widebody-freighters-could-be-piloted-remotely-within-15-years-369439/

Air Berlin outlines plans for €200m earnings improvement

Germany's Air Berlin is aiming for more than €200 million ($261 million) in earnings improvements during 2012, after posting huge losses for last year.
The carrier has indicated that it plans to source this from €70 million in yield and revenue management - by optimising distribution channels and improving sales platforms - and €55 million in cost initiatives, such as fuel savings.
Network reduction and productivity will generate another €45 million. The airline is to cut back its fleet from 170 to 152 aircraft by summer this year.
Air Berlin also expects €20 million in benefits through its tie-ups with the Oneworld alliance and Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways.
It will derive another €20 million from maintenance savings and "process improvements", such as more self-service terminals at airports and pooling of station resources.
Air Berlin intends to achieve 13% of the overall €200 million enhancement in the first quarter of this year, with 22%, 31% and 34% being realised in successive quarters - some two-thirds of the improvement will come in the second half of the year.
Last year the airline posted a €247 million operating loss. Air Berlin says that higher fuel costs and aviation taxes placed a €395 million burden on the company, the equivalent of over 9% of sales, which "could not be passed on to the ticket price".
Excluding these factors, it says, the operating result would - in "purely arithmetical terms" - have been positive at €148 million.

source: http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/air-berlin-outlines-plans-for-200m-earnings-improvement-369589/

Boeing to send 113 aircraft to Indian carriers within six years

Boeing has 113 aircraft in its order book from Indian carriers, most of which are for narrowbodies.
Jet Airways is the airframer's largest Indian client, with 10 Boeing 787s and 43 Boeing 737s.
State-owned carrier Air India has 27 Boeing 787s and three 777s on order, while SpiceJet has ordered 30 Boeing 737s.
The manufacturer is aiming to deliver these aircraft within the next five to six years, Boeing India president Dinesh Keskar said at a press conference at the India Aviation airshow.
He dismissed concerns that the big losses incurred by the Indian carriers could have an impact on the company's business.
"We have been prudent, only selling to Air India, Jet Airways and SpiceJet. We make sure that they have business plans and that everything makes sense to us," said Keskar.
"SpiceJet and Jet Airways losing money quarter after quarter are not comfortable for us. They have to raise fares if they want their financial situation to improve," he said, adding that Boeing has not had a single cancellation from the Indian market, despite these challenges.
He added that Indian carriers have to stop selling below costs to stop the bleeding and put the right aircraft on the right routes to match capacity with demand to succeed.
Boeing projects that of the 33,500 aircraft needed worldwide in the next 20 years, India will account for 1,320 aircraft worth $150 billion.

source: http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-to-send-113-aircraft-to-indian-carriers-within-six-years-369540/

Kingfisher curtails ‘bleeding’ overseas widebody operations

India's Kingfisher Airlines has reduced its overseas widebody operations, returning an Airbus A330-200 aircraft to a lessor, and has called on India to approve higher foreign direct investment levels for domestic airlines.
The beleaguered carrier listed the moves in a broad ranging 18-point media release. The release outlined efforts to rectify its challenging commercial position and also attempts to reassure passengers that it will operate as many flights as possible.
It notes that on 13 March, Kingfisher operated 101 flights, and that it aims to operate the same number on 14 March. It provides no projection for subsequent days.
"Our prime mission is to maintain schedule integrity by predicting in advance what we can with the sole objective of minimising, if not eliminating, guest inconvenience," says Kingfisher.

airspace images
© FlyPHANUK on AirSpace Images
The carrier also confirms that it is "curtailing" overseas widebody flights, which it says are "bleeding heavily". The carrier has an extensive overseas route network, serving destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific.
"To this end we have already returned one Airbus A330-200 to the lessor in the UK," it says. "Positive and immediate action is being taken on all fronts to cut costs."
At the time of publication, Kingfisher was unable to provide details about the aircraft it plans to return. According to Flightglobal Pro, Kingfisher has five leased A330-200 aircraft.
Of these, two are leased from Ireland-based Pembroke Group, a unit of Standard Chartered, and three from Dubai-based DAE Capital. The registration of the two A330s leased from Pembroke are VT-VJL and VT-VJN.
The statement also touched on Kingfisher's financial difficulties, noting the impact of the suspension of its IATA Clearing House (ICH) and Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) accounts, stemming from action by India's tax authorities.
"We request one and all to appreciate the serious handicaps we face not only because of our frozen accounts but because of the operating environment," says Kingfisher. "We are working hard to resolve the issues that confront us given the current environment. We continue to work with the tax authorities to arrive at a solution to de-freeze our accounts as early as possible."
Meanwhile, it is working with its bankers to raise "urgent interim working capital" and said approval of these funds would not be contingent on State Bank of India approval.
The airline also awaits the government's final verdict on investments by foreign airlines, with the current foreign direct investment level capped at 49%.
"We can confirm that there is interest from prospectives on this basis," says Kingfisher.

source: http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/kingfisher-curtails-bleeding-overseas-widebody-operations-369484/