Airliner World June 2015

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Trans World AirlinesGone but not Forgotten

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LOSING AN AIRLINER LESSONS LEARNT FROM MH370

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East Midlands AirportRegional Hub Reaches Half Century

EurowingsGermanys Low-Cost Long-Haul Pioneer?

Trans World AirlinesGone but not Forgotten

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Contents5 News Airliner Worlds comprehensive coverage of worldwide news, including a full round-up from Lufthansa Techniks annual press conference, end of the line for Wizz Air Ukraine, expansion at Bristol and a bumper order from Panama's Copa Airlines. 20 Aircraft Interiors Expo 2015All of the information from the recent event in Hamburg, plus a summary of the Crystal Cabin Award winners.

24 East Midlands AirportCelebrating half a century of operations at one of Britains leading regional facilities.

32 Losing an AirlinerMore than a year since the loss of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, what lessons have been learnt and how is the industry responding?

38 Maintaining Mature FleetsExploring the difficulties faced by airlines operating ageing aircraft fleets.

42 Routes Europe 2015All the news and stories from the regional network development event in Aberdeen.

47 World Airliner Guide

71 Spotting Spot AntalyaGateway to the Turkish Riviera.

76 New EurowingsWill Lufthansas new-look subsidiary deliver genuinely low-cost, long-haul travel, and will it mark the breakthrough for such a business model?

82 easyJet 250 Not OutThe UKs largest low-cost carrier takes delivery of its 250th Airbus A320 Family aircraft.

86 DeliveriesThe latest commercial acquisitions.

92 MRO NewsUpdates from maintenance, repair and overhaul providers.

94 Aviation TrainingA round-up of recent developments.

96 Departure GateA selection of readers comments and photographs.

98 Air SafetyUp-to-date accident reports and crash information.

102 Trans World Airlines Gone but not ForgottenAs one of the original Big Four domestic carriers of the United States, TWA played an important role in developing post-war air travel.

49 Airbus54 Boeing58 ATR60 Bombardier62 Embraer

64 Asian Aerospace66 United Aircraft

Corporation

68 Viking 68 Britten-Norman

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76

38

32

102102TWA Gone but not Forgotten

East Midlands Airport

50 Years of Operations

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COVER PHOTO: A Wind Rose Aviation Airbus A330-200 at Kiev Boryspil. AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/OLEG BELYAKOV

of the aircrafts crew should be on the flight deck at all times, a precaution taken in the US since 9/11. Many carriers around the world implemented this measure immediately after the likely cause of the crash emerged a good example of the industrys safety-conscious ethic.

Meanwhile the airline business moves on, and in June the aviation industry gathers in Paris for the biennial airshow. What are the chances of some major airliner orders or indeed the launch of an A380neo? As a preview to the event, this issue includes a 24-page world

airliner supplement complete with a giant poster illustrating the major commercial airliners currently in production or being developed. If you are a digital subscriber and would like a copy of the poster, please send a request by email to [email protected]

Brand EditorMark Nicholls

In our ever-connected world, the internet, 24-hour news coverage and social media are playing an increasingly important part in everyday life. Much of this is good, but there is also a downside. The tragic crash of Germanwings Airbus A320-211 D-AIPX, on March 24, is an example of the latter where speculation about the cause of the crash on news networks and social media was rife within hours. Such a frenzy of often ill-informed gossip benefits nobody, especially the families of the 150 people who perished. It can also threaten the integrity and reputation of an airline, in this case the Germanwings parent group Lufthansa.

Initial analysis of the cockpit voice recorder quickly led investigators to suggest co-pilot Andreas Lubitz deliberately crashed the aircraft, for reasons that might never be known.

According to German media reports Lubitz failed to disclose his private medical history to his employer, which poses a dilemma for the wider aviation industry. Private medical records are confidential should there be a legal requirement for such records to be made available in certain circumstances, for instance in cases of clinical depression or other types of mental illness?

One of the few positive responses to this terrible event is the European Aviation Safety Agency recommendation that two members

Welcome

Germanwings Airbus A320-211 D-AIPX (c/n 0147) was lost with all onboard on March 24. Here it departs Dsseldorf in May last year. AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/TT

4 AIRLINER WORLD MAY 2015

www.airlinerworld.com 5

News Review Europe

NewsReviewAIRLINER WORLDS COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF WORLDWIDE NEWS

Bristol Airports New LookWELSH INTERIOR specialists, Beacons Business Interiors (Bbi), 300,000 revamp of Bristol Airports terminal reception area is complete. The 8,000sq ft (750m) space has been transformed into a fresh, modern environment and is shortlisted for a Design Through Innovation Award by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors in its South West Awards cat-egory. Reclaimed aircraft parts includ-ing wing tips, sections of fuselage and

even seats have been renovated and used to enhance the overall appear-ance. Wing tips have been installed with lighting and suspended from the atrium ceiling, while aircraft seats have been placed around the reception area. A welcome desk and coffee table were created from former engine intake cowls mounted with plate glass, and panels of the fuselage were fixed to walls creating innovative lighting features throughout the space. (Photo Bristol Airport)

Green Light for Darwin

SWITZERLANDs Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) has approved Etihad Airways acquisition of a 33.3% stake in Darwin Airline. The Lugano-based carrier has been flying under the Etihad Regional banner since January 2014 as part of a brand and partnership agreement with the UAE flag carrier, but will now extend the arrangement to include codeshares. Etihad Airways President and CEO James Hogan said the investment into Darwin was in line with a growing trend of consolidation within the airline industry, to ensure the continuation of viable, reliable and stable air services, and to maximise flight connectivity. He added, however, that some oppor-tunities for the two carriers had been diminished or lost because of the length of the regulatory review process. Because of the time taken to approve this partnership, and intense competi-tion during this period, Etihad Regional has been forced to reduce or withdraw services on a number of routes, which were launched on the expectation that they would be supported by traf-fic flowing between the Etihad Airways global network and the Etihad Regional network in Europe, Hogan said. Once formalities are completed to activate the investment, Etihad Regional will have much greater connectivity, not only with Etihad Airways but also with its other partners in Europe, including Alitalia, airberlin and Air Serbia.

Authorities in Sicily have reportedly approached Alitalia and Ryanair to launch intra-island services between Catania and Palermo after a landslide forced the closure of a section of the main A19 highway which links the two. The cities, which lie 100 miles (160km) apart, are critical to the islands economy and, according to local press, train service provider Trenitalia has been overwhelmed by demand. It was not immediately clear how long the road would be closed, though Italian Infrastructure Minister Graziano Delrio has suggested it could take up to two years to replace the damaged section.

Icelandair became the latest airline to move to London/Heathrows Terminal 2 at the end of March. Its specially-designed aurora borealis themed Boeing 757-200, the Hekla Aurora, was used to transport the first passengers (see Airliner World, February 2015). Guests were also treated to live music from the Northern Lights Symphony Orchestra quartet, playing in the T2 departures lounge. (Photo Icelandair)

British low-cost carrier Jet2.com will acquire an Airbus A320 on damp-lease from charter specialist Titan Airways. The five month-long deal, which was expected to have started in early May, will see London/Stansted-based Titans latest Airbus jet, G-POWM (c/n 2564), deploy to Glasgow where it will provide additional capacity on Jet2.coms routes to Spain and Portugal. It follows the successful conclusion of a similar agreement in 2013.

Wizz Air is expected to introduce its first Airbus A321 on services between Budapest and London/Luton from November 20. According to airline intelligence website CH-Aviation, the 220-seat jets will also be deployed on routes to Brussels, Eindhoven and Istanbul from mid-December. The Hungarian low-cost carrier will take delivery of an eventual 26 examples after converting some of its outstanding orders for the smaller A320 in late 2013.

Cypriot start-up CobaltAir claims it could begin flying later this year after initiating its certification process with the countrys Department of Civil Aviation. The Larnaca-based airline plans to fill the void left by recently failed national carrier Cyprus Airways, using a fleet of Airbus aircraft on services to Europe.

in brief

Austrian Airlines Airbus A321-111, OE-LBC (c/n 581), is the first to wear the Vienna-based carriers new livery. The colour scheme dispenses with the previous sky blue undersides and nacelles in favour of a largely white fuselage, and the jet now carries my Austrian titles on the forward fuselage. DIETMAR SCHREIBER/WWW.AVIATION-MEDIA.COM

My Austrian

Aegean Reveals New Uniforms

GREEK CARRIER, Aegean Airlines is renewing its corporate image and has revealed new uniforms for cabin crew, designed by the London-based Greek fashion designer Sophia Kokosalaki.Dimitrios Gerogiannis, the carriers CEO, said: Our companys Greek character always pushes us to promote and showcase the work of those who share the same values with

us. We are very happy about our col-laboration with Sophia Kokosalaki and the new dynamism she brings to our image. The new uniforms com-bine the companys corporate col-ours (deep blue, red and grey) and the designers identity. They represent more than a new look and signal the start of a new chapter for the company. (Photo Aegean)

6 AIRLINER WORLD JUNE 2015

News Review Europe

British Growth for bmi regional BRITISH CARRIER bmi regional has expanded its presence at Bristol after launching services to Paris Charles de Gaulle and Dsseldorf. The new links introduced on April 27 increase the number of routes flown from the Southwest England airport to seven

after Aberdeen, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt and Milan. The airline has also confirmed plans to add seasonal connections to Nantes from early July. Peter Simpson, CEO of bmi regional, said: The launch of our Paris and Dsseldorf routes from Bristol mark

another milestone in our expansion. The double-daily weekday service to Charles de Gaulle is conveniently timed for business passengers who can now have a full day of business in the French capital, rather than having to overnight. (Photo bmi regional)

Lufthansa Retro JetGerman flag carrier Lufthansa celebrated its 60th anniversary by painting its latest Boeing 747-8I, D-ABYT (c/n 37844), in a striking retro livery. The colour scheme is a variation of that first introduced in 1968, but without the polished metal undersides. BRANDON FARRIS/AIRLINERS GALLERY

Records fall at ManchesterMANCHESTER AIRPORT broke its all-time passenger record in the last financial year, ending March 2015, with 22.32 million people flying through the northwest hub. It beat the previous 12-month record set in July 2006 of 22.26 million. The new record represents a growth of 7.5% year-on-year, with March 2015 seeing

growth close to 10%.Ken OToole, Managing Director at Manchester Airport, said: We have worked closely with our airline partners to cement and maintain this continued growth, increasing capacity and frequency on existing routes, plus confirming new services, particu-larly to serve demand that exists from

Manchester in the long-haul market. Its great news that an increasing number of the 22 million UK residents living in our catchment area are choos-ing to fly from Manchester. With the airport having spare runway capacity we can offer those customers and air-lines an alternative to travelling via a congested London facility.

Gatwick Goes

RegionalTHE GENERATION of new domestic and regional air services from Gatwick Airport will be helped by a 20 million fund being made available by the facilitys operator, Gatwick Airport Limited. It can be used to incentivise airlines to introduce new services and provide jointly-agreed marketing support to regional development or other tourism bodies across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Gatwick already serves 11 destinations within the UK compared with seven at Heathrow, and the initiative is designed to ensure the benefits of adding the proposed second runway also extends to further improving connectivity between the regions and London. Stewart Wingate, Gatwicks CEO, said: Gatwick expansion is best for the UK and regions because it supports not only the growth of connectivity to London, but also more connectivity between all UK airports and international short- and long-haul destinations.

Flybe Finland to rebrand REFLECTING THE change in owner-ship of parent company Flybe Nordic the companys regional carrier Flybe Finland is to be rebranded as Nordic Regional Airlines. At the end of March, national carrier Finnair acquired Flybe UKs 60% stake in the carrier on a tem-

porary basis, while ownership discus-sions continue with two Finnish firms, StaffPoint Holding and G W Sohlberg. The airlines proposed name change is subject to approval by the Finnish Patent and Registration Office, which is anticipated at the beginning of May.

Airport Growth in the UKACCORDING TO figures released by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), 238 million passengers were handled by UK airports (excluding the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) during 2014. This represents an increase of 4.4% over the previous 12 months, and is the fourth annual increase in a row.

European destinations were the most popular, accounting for 144 million travellers, with Spain being the primary destination (34.3 million). The country with the biggest percentage rise was Greece with 13.2%, while the largest decline was Poland, which saw passen-ger numbers fall 2% to 5.2 million.

Anglia Airways

Plans for Year End Launch

UK START-UP carrier Anglia Airways is planning to acquire its first aircraft and launch its initial routes by the end of the year. Speaking to Airliner World at Routes Europe in Aberdeen on April 13, Managing Director John Sturgeon said he originally planned to use Embraer ERJ 135/145 regional jets, but is now looking to secure the use of a Saab 340 or ATR 42. During the event he spoke to the management teams from several airports with the aim of establish-ing connections from Cambridge and Norwich on thin routes to several European destinations. Business travellers and upscale lei-sure passengers are the target market and Sturgeon hopes to gradually add more aircraft and broaden the airlines route network while keeping costs low.


News Review Europe

Bristol Expansion for easyJet

EASYJET ADDED five new routes from Bristol Airport at the start of the sum-mer flight schedules and expects them to be used by up to 185,000 pas-sengers in the first year. The airline is adding a 12th aircraft to its Bristol base this summer to accommodate the expansion to Bilbao, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Lanzarote and Porto. Ali Gayward, easyJets UK Commercial Manager, said: Were committed to serving the South West and have grown significantly since first start-ing flights at Bristol Airport just under 13 years ago. It is now our largest operation in the UK outside of London, and we fly directly to 53 destinations

across Europe and beyond. Shaun Browne, Aviation Director at Bristol Airport, added: Not only will the new destinations provide an improved route network for passen-gers, the continued growth will bring extra job opportunities and economic benefits to the region. The routes will also provide increased inbound tour-ism opportunities for visitors wishing to visit the West of England and the large variety of tourist attractions and events the region has to offer. The British low-cost carrier has also launched a new service from Rome Fiumicino with four times weekly rotations to Alicante.

New Swiss carrier Eurosky Airlines has been renamed Metropolitan Airlines ahead of its launch next year. The Zurich-based operator was incorporated last September and plans to offer scheduled regional European flights. The carriers spokeman said: [We] will fill the gaps not served by existing network carriers and low-cost airlines.

Austrian airline S-Air Salzburg has revealed plans to acquire a pair of former Blue Islands British Aerospace Jetstream 32s. The aircraft, G-ISLC (c/n 873) and G-ISLD (c/n 915), are due for delivery in the autumn and will serve the air taxi and charter market. S-Air, which is scheduled to launch services later this year, is a joint venture between managing director Astrid Emersberger and rail freight firm Salzburger Eisenbahn-Transport-Logistik.

Norwegian Air Shuttle CEO Bjrn Kjos has revealed the low-cost carrier is in the process of applying for Air Operator Certificates (AOC) in both the UK and Spain. The airline already has a base at London Gatwick along with several in Spain, but local AOCs would enable Norwegian to tap into bilateral air service arrangements with other countries, enabling it to fly to destinations that would not otherwise be accessible. (Photo Norwegian)

Irish regional carrier CityJet has confirmed it will retain 16 of its 17 BAE Systems Avro RJ85s after postponing its fleet renewal plans. The former Air France affiliate, which was acquired by Intro Aviation in April 2014, had been due to select a new aircraft type last October but, according to Intro CEO Hans Rudolf Whrl, falling oil prices has reduced the need to replace its four-engined RJs. He added that any potential suitor must be able to operate from the restricted London City Airport, adding that of the types previously under consideration, the Embraer E-Jet was too old, the Sukhoi Superjet 100 was not yet certified for steep approaches and the Bombardier CSeries is still to enter commercial service.

Giaevair is the name of a new Norwegian carrier planning to launch services from Troms. Little is known about the start-up, which is being backed by former Widere pilot Ola Giver, though it is understood the company intends to acquire a fleet of float-equipped Viking DHC-6-400 Twin Otter seaplanes.

TAG Aviation has added a sixth Gulfstream G650 to its fleet, making it one of the largest operators of the worlds fastest, ultra-long-range jet. The aircraft features a wider cabin interior than earlier models and is equipped with industry-leading in-flight Wi-Fi and satellite communications systems.

in briefShared Lounge at HeathrowTHE FIRST shared-use facility at London Heathrows Terminal 5 is set to open this summer. Aspire, the Lounge and Spa at LHR T5 will be operated as a joint venture between the Collinson Group, owners of Priority Pass, and Swissport. The new facility will be located close to Gate 18.Since launching in 2012, the Aspire brand of airport lounges has grown in popularity and now covers many global destinations, said Shaun Weston, Swissports Travel Services Director. The opening of this new facility is a significant step for us and our brand of lounges, giving us a presence in one of the worlds leading airport terminals.Elsewhere, following its move to Terminal 2, Singapore Airlines has unveiled its brand new SilverKris Lounge for First- and Business Class passengers. It follows the carriers worldwide home away from home concept, which is designed to provide

a sense of being at home and will make London the airlines third city to feature these designs.

The lounge is part of the airlines network-wide upgrade programme. (Photo Singapore Airlines)

FedEx to Acquire TNT Express

INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS company FedEx is negotiating to acquire TNT Express, which may result in the lat-ters airline operations being sold. In a statement, FedEx said the European regional headquarters of the com-bined companies will be in Hoofddorp, Amsterdam, while Lige will be main-tained as a significant operation. It also revealed that TNT Express own air operations would be sold, add-ing: TNT Express operations as a European air carrier will be divested to address applicable airline owner-ship regulations. Where permitted by regulation, FedEx intends to transi-tion TNT Express intercontinental air operations into FedEx.

Blue ATRRome Fiumicino-based Blue Panorama Airlines has acquired ATR 72-200, D-ANFE (c/n 272) on short-term lease from Avanti Air. The aircraft, which will remain with the Italian carrier until mid-July, is based in the Albanian city of Tirana and is flying regional services under the Blu Express brand. MARCO FINELLI


News Review Europe

GERMAN MAINTENANCE, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider Lufthansa Technik enjoyed a strong year after recording a revenue of 4.3 billion for 2014. Operating profit for the period was 392 million, 3% lower compared with the previous year. In his welcoming address at the companys Hamburg headquarters on March 17, outgoing Chairman of the Executive Board, August Wilhelm Henningsen said: In spite of a good year for global aviation on the whole, price pressures on technical services providers have not let up. Against this backdrop, Lufthansa Technik has con-tinued to develop well.He added: Through the continuation of successful cost reduction and a positive order situation we have finished the year with very good results. We have main-tained our market position and remain the worlds leader amongst independent MRO providers.During 2014 operating costs increased by 2.9% to 4.1 billion and material costs rose by 4.1% to 2.2 billion, while personnel costs reduced slightly to 1.2 billion (down 3.3%). Significantly, the MRO secured 30 new customers and 325 new contracts last year, worth 3.1 billion. Henningsen said an important factor in securing the companys economic success was its contribution to Lufthansas efficiency-enhancing future programme (SCORE), a series of projects put in place to streamline costs across all divisions. Now in its third year, it has reportedly resulted in savings of 500 million.

Elsewhere, Lufthansa Technik has received EASA approval as a maintenance organisation for the new Airbus A350 XWB and has started undertaking work on the type at its facilities in Frankfurt and Munich. Long-term partnerships have also been formed with systems manufacturers, including UTC Aerospace Systems and Honeywell, enabling the company to provide a range of MRO services on the Boeing 787 and A350.Closer to home, the firm is continuing its cabin refit programme on Lufthansa entire long-haul fleet with work due for completion by the autumn. This includes a new Business Class, Flynet II (Wi-Fi internet access) and the introduction of a new Premier Economy Class. Additionally the company has worked on several special projects over the last 12 months including overhauling NASA and the German Aerospace Center's SOFIA 747SP flying telescope and Novespace's zero-G A310, while it also fitted an A340 with a Patient Transport Unit (PTU) and iso-lation facilities, enabling Germany's Federal Government to offer evacuation services for Ebola patients.In Budapest a sixth maintenance line has been added in an inflatable hangar and in Shenzhen, China workshop and warehouse capacity has been nearly tri-pled with the opening of two new hang-ars. Meanwhile in Manila, foundations were laid to extend the A380 hangar so that two airframes can be worked on simultaneously. A new overhaul site is due to open in Puerto Rico in the

autumn, initially dealing with A320s for the American market. New long-term contracts have been signed with Spirit and Jet Blue. In Frankfurt, 60 million is being invested in a new wheel and brake workshop that should be ready in early 2017.Today, Lufthansa Technik has 30 facili-ties globally and looks after 800 cus-tomers and 3,200 aircraft in Europe, the Middle East, US, Russia, China and Asia. The briefing concluded with news that Henningsen has been succeeded by

Vice President for Human Resources, Engine- and VIP-Services Dr Johannes Bussmann following his retirement on April 1 after 14 years at the helm. His replacement has been with Lufthansa Technik since 1999 and a member of the Executive Board since 2012. Henningsen concluded by saying: This is a strong team performance in which Johannes Bussmann has played a central role for many years. I am there-fore delighted to pass the baton and a genuinely strong team on to him.

Solid Growth for Lufthansa Technik Richard Benedikz reports from Lufthansa Techniks annual

press conference in Hamburg.

Lufthansa Technik is part-way through a major contract to refit the Lufthansa long-haul fleet with a new Business Class, Flynet II and a new Premier Economy Class. KEY - RICHARD BENEDIKZ

August Wilhelm Henningsen (right) delivered his final annual report before retiring on April 1. He has been succeeded by Dr Johannes Bussmann (left). SONJA BRGGEMANN/LUFTHANSA TECHNIK

8 Lufthansa.indd 8 30/04/2015 15:54

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News Review CIS

Yamal Goes Russian

YAMAL AIRLINES could transition to an all-Russian fleet after suggesting it will place a substantial order for Sukhoi Superjet 100s. The carrier, which is based at Salekhard near the Arctic Circle, currently flies Western-built types, including the Airbus A320, Boeing 737 and Bombardier CRJ200. However, Dmitry Kobylkin, Governor of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, told Russias Interfax news agency that the devaluation of the rouble means state-owned Yamals fleet, all of which is leased from international firms, has become a serious financial burden on the local government. He added that the potential order was already being discussed with Sukhoi, the federal government and domestic lessors. Deliveries of the SSJ100s could be completed by 2021.

UTair Bailout Approved

This winglet-equipped Boeing 737-8LP, N471AG (c/n 41711), was one of two examples destined for UTair but not delivered. The jet, which was to be re-registered VQ-BMF, is pictured in storage at Victorville, California in March. JAVIER RODRGUEZTHE RUSSIAN Government has approved UTair Aviations request for financial assistance as US and EU sanctions continue to cripple the countrys aviation sector. The RUB19 billion ($335 million) bailout is less than half the amount originally requested by the ailing airline late last year and will go

towards debt restructuring, including the settlement of outstanding money owed to banks, aircraft lessors, aviation fuel suppliers and airports. UTair, which has been subject to bankruptcy petitions from several creditors, including Avialeasing, Alfa Bank and lessor UGRA SPb, recently cut

its fleet from 115 aircraft to 71 in an effort to reduce its operating costs. The airlines CEO Andrei Martirosov said the move was necessary to offset the fall in demand for travel as well as a sharp increase in the cost of lease payments brought on by the weakened Russian rouble.

Rossiya Cuts Antonovs

AEROFLOT SUBSIDIARY Rossiya has temporarily withdrawn its fleet of Antonov An-148 regional jets from revenue service as part of a programme aimed at optimising operational activities to cope with a worsening market situation. The slowing Russian economy and devaluation of the rouble is placing Russian airlines under significant pressure, though the St Petersburg-based carrier said the decision had

been made on a purely commercial basis. In terms of per-seat kilometre cost and other criteria, overall economic efficiency of the An-148 is lower compared with that of other types in our fleet, said a Rossiya spokesman. The airline added that it had encountered sporadic difficulties in maintaining its six-strong fleet currently the largest of any operator due to disruptions in the supply of spare parts from Ukraine. (Photo United Aircraft Corporation)

Still Waiting... Third Superjet for Red WingsRED WINGS Airlines has added a third Sukhoi Superjet 100 to its fleet. The first two aircraft are operating schedule ser-vices from Moscow to the Russian cities Makhachkala, Grozny, Ufa, Nalchik and Ulyanovsk City. The third will be used to expand the route network to Gelendzhik, Saratov and other Russian cities, as well as to develop inter-regional flights. The airline says the first two aircraft have flown more than 500 hours during their two months of operations, and have carried more than 17 000 passengers.

Wizz Air Ukraine ClosesWIZZ AIR Holdings subsidiary, Wizz Air Ukraine closed on April 20 as a result of the civil war in the eastern part of the country. A company statement said continuing instability in Eastern Ukraine, the devaluation and volatility of the local currency and the impact of foreign exchange controls left it with no alternative but to close the operation. The carriers ten international routes and 16 domestic rotations, operated by two Airbus A320s, were discontinued on April 20. The parent company has also announced a restructuring of its opera-tions in Ukraine. From April 20, Wizz Air Hungary will operate eight routes into and out of Ukraine, and this will be fol-lowed by the subsidiary establishing a Kiev base with one Airbus A320 in early June. The second A320 that was based in Kiev will be redeployed to Wizz Airs new base in Kosice, Slovakia, which is due to start services to Milan Bergamo and Doncaster Sheffield in early June.

Tax Reductions

in Russia IN WHAT is good news for the countrys airlines, the Russian government has approved a bill to reduce value-added tax (VAT) from 18% to 10% for carriers operating domestic flights, although it is not due to come into force until January 2017. At the end of 2014, the Russian government pledged to support the financially struggling Transaero Airlines, while both UTair Airlines and Ural Airlines are also seeking government guarantees. Russias international traffic was down 14.5% in January-February, while domestic passenger numbers grew 12.4%. UTair carried 691,834 passen-gers for the two-month period down 33.6% and Transaero carried 1.42 million, down 5% year-on-year, a direct consequence of the ongoing financial crisis in Russia.

Former Nordwind Airlines Boeing 757-2Q8 VQ-BAK (c/n 26332) is one of six examples still in open storage at Lasham, UK. The aircraft, which wears the livery of subsidiary Ikar, was returned to lessor ILFC at the end of last year but is yet to find another operator. CRAIG WEST

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Abu Dhabi Connections Grow

ROUTE DEVELOPMENT at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) in the United Arab Emirates continues with the addition of further flights to Italy. The new services - to Milan and Venice - are operated by Alitalia and complement the Italian flag carrier's existing AUH to Rome route as well as Etihad Airways flights to both Rome and Milan. Meanwhile a new four-times-a-week connection between AUH and Madrid by Etihad Airways the carriers first route to Spain began at the end of March.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways President and CEO, commented: Madrid is an important addition to Etihad Airways European and global network, and were delighted to commence our operations to the Spanish capital. The new route further bolsters our network in Europe and meets growing demand from travellers in Spain and the UAE.The start of the summer timetable also saw the introduction of South African Airways daily flights from Johannesburg.

Air Seychelles ExpansionAIR SEYCHELLES and Air France have signed a memorandum of understand-ing (MoU) in Aix en Provence, France, involving signatories Jol Morgan, the Seychelles Minister of Foreign Affairs and Transport and Chairman of Air Seychelles, and Frdric Gagey, Chairman and CEO of Air France. The MoU lays the groundwork for a deal to deliver codeshare opportunities and reciprocal frequent flyer points between the two carriers as well as technical and cargo co-operation subject to regulatory approvals.

Morgan said the agreement will support the start of a non-stop three-times-a-week service to Paris on July 1. The flights will replace the current twice-weekly service to the French capital via Abu Dhabi. The carrier also dramatically increased weekly frequencies on its regional network in April.In addition Air Seychelles regional net-work development strategy will see it upgrade Mauritius and Mumbai flights to four a week and run a third weekly flight to Antananarivo, Madagascar. Including its current scheduled ser-

vices to Dar es Salaam (two weekly flights) and Johannesburg (three weekly flights), the enhancements mean Air Seychelles now offers 16 return flights a week across the Indian Ocean region, up from 13 previously.Meanwhile Etihad Airways and Air Seychelles will offer a double daily service between the Seychelles and Abu Dhabi. The existing three-times-a-week service between the Seychelles and Hong Kong will be incorporated into a daily codeshare Etihad Airways rotation. (Photo Air Seychelles)

Emirates Agrees

More A380 Financing

EMIRATES HAS announced it has secured $913 million of funding bonds issued by Khadrawy, with the benefit of a guarantee by the Export Credits Guarantee Department of the UK Government (currently operating as UK Export Finance or UKEF). The deal is the worlds first Sukuk (fixed interest bond) financing supported by UKEF and the largest-ever capital markets offering in the aviation industry with an export credit agency guarantee.The funding is being used to acquire four Airbus A380-800s, which are being delivered between April and July. The aircraft will be leased to and operated by Emirates. The first, delivered on April 17, was the carriers 60th A380; at the time five more were at Airbus Hamburg Finkenwerder facility for cabin fitting out.

Qatar Airways Expands Codeshares

QATAR AIRWAYS has broadened its codeshare agreements with oneworld partners Cathay Pacific Airways and Japan Airlines. The Middle East carrier and Cathay Pacific announced a strategic codeshare agreement in April last year, shortly after Cathay Pacific started flying to Doha in March 2014, complementing Qatar Airways existing route frequencies to Hong Kong. Meanwhile, new codeshare routes between Doha and Muscat and Doha to So Paulo, Brazil, will further

enhance connectivity.Qatar Airways is widening its network offering for passengers travelling to Japan with the addition of 24 new domestic codeshare routes with Japan Airlines. Qatar Airways serves three Japanese destinations Osaka and the two main Tokyo airports, Haneda and Narita. The additional domestic destinations include: Hiroshima, Okayama, Nagasaki, Kochi, Tokushima and Misawa. (Photo Qatar Airways)

Alitalia and Etihad Airways cabin crew marking the introduction of Venice-Abu Dhabi flights on March 30 were joined by Silvano Cassano (Alitalia CEO), Bruno Matheu (COO of Equity Partners at Etihad Airways), Aubrey Tiedt (Alitalia Chief Customer Officer), Giorgio Ricci (Alitalia Station Manager Abu Dhabi) and Enrico Marchi (Chairman of SAVE Group Venice Airport).

Cleared to Fly?LAGOS-BASED DISCOVERY Air could be set to resume operations following reports that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is to reinstate its Air Operator Certificate (AOC). The airline, which uses a pair of Boeing

737-300s, was grounded in January following alleged safety-related violations. The carrier successfully challenged the findings, but now has to complete a financial health audit before it can relaunch services.


News Review Africa/Middle East

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New Cabin for Air Algries Latest A330ALGERIAN FLAG-carrier Air Algrie has revealed a new cabin for three Airbus A330-200s it is due to receive shortly. The design includes the latest in-flight entertainment system and more spacious seats 18 in Business Class, 14 in Premium Economy and 219 in Economy. Speaking in Toulouse on April 2, the carriers CEO, Boultif Mohamed Salah, said: Im delighted to welcome the first of the three A330 family aircraft we have on order into our fleet. The A330s unmatched profitability and unri-valled operating costs allow us to pursue the development of affordable services while offering our passengers the advantages of a top of the range cabin.

Fastjet Zimbabwe a Step Closer

AFRICAN LOW-cost carrier (LCC) fastjet has received an Air Service Permit (ASP) from Zimbabwes Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development which administers the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) moving it closer to obtaining an Air Operating Certificate (AOC) and, ultimately, the launch of fastjet Zimbabwe. Ed Winter, the airlines Interim Chairman and CEO, said: The granting of the ASP demonstrates the ever-increasing

reputation that fastjet has built across the region and marks a significant step for-ward for our business.Fastjet has identified many potential routes within and from Zimbabwe where it believes that the low-cost model will stimulate and tap into the huge market of passengers currently travel-ling by bus. For example there are as many as 100 buses a day travelling the 684 miles (1,100km) between Harare and Johannesburg at fares up to $120 return.

Proflight Zambia

Reintroduces CRJ100

PROFLIGHT ZAMBIA is to reintroduce a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ100, ZS-CMD (c/n 7215), in May. The aircraft, which was introduced on a trial basis last October to coincide with celebrations of Zambias 50 years of independence, is being brought back on a long-term basis due to popular demand.Services will have two flight attendants, double the number used on the carriers 29-seat British Aerospace Jetstream 41, and will primarily be used on the Lusaka-Ndola and Lusaka-Solwezi routes. When demand warrants it, the aircraft will also be used on routes to Mfuwe and Livingstone.Proflight Director of Government and Industry Affairs Captain Philip Lemba said: Proflight Zambia has grown steadily but surely over the last few years, adding new routes and growing passenger numbers hence now is the time to increase our fleet by adding a larger jet aircraft.

More Jetsfor flydubai

Middle East low-cost carrier flydubai took delivery of its 47th Boeing 737-800 on April 14. The aircraft, -8KN A6-FEW (c/n 40276), is seen landing back at Boeing Field after a test flight five days earlier. BRIAN WORTHINGTON

Boeing 737-8HX, 5Y-CYD (c/n 40553), departs Manchester Airport for Kenya on April 26 while on delivery from the manufacturer; it had arrived the previous day. NIK FRENCH

Latest Kenya Airways 737


News Review Africa/Middle East

Air Madagascar has renewed its full support agreement with Air France/KLM Engineering and Maintenance to support its pair of Airbus A340-300s. The airline began using the Air France/KLM maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in September 2012. Roger Rakotozafy, Industrial Director at Air Madagascar, said: We are pleased to renew this agreement based on Air France/KLMs proven ability to cover our maintenance needs with a full support contract.

Bahrains Gulf Air has launched a premium, black tier Falconflyer loyalty programme card introducing new benefits for its highest level of frequent flyer programme members and supplementing the programmes existing Blue, Silver and Gold loyalty programme tiers. Benefits include 55lb (25kg) excess baggage allowance, complimentary upgrades to Falcon Gold class and no redemption charges for cancellations or booking changes. The black card also enables members to offer a selected person a complimentary Falconflyer Gold card.

Proflight Zambia has completed the first step towards gaining the top safety accreditation standard in the international aviation industry, paving the way to exempt it from the European Union ban on Zambian-registered aircraft flying to Europe. It completed the first of three workshops approved under the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) initiative in April and will take part in the other two within the next eight months. (Photo Proflight Zambia)

South African carrier Comair will be the first airline to operate scheduled flights to the remote South Atlantic island of Saint Helena once its first airport opens in 2016. The service from Johannesburg will operate as a British Airways flight as part of its licence agreement with the UK carrier, flying a single weekly rotation. Comair will use one of its Boeing 737-800s on the route, but will be restricted to 120 passengers and a limited amount of cargo because of the airports short (6,100ft/1,850m) runway.

RwandAir has signed a MoU for two Airbus A330s, becoming a new Airbus customer and the first airline in East Africa to order the type. The aircraft, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 772B engines, will be delivered in the second half of 2016. The airline is also introducing a second Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 NextGen into its fleet, this example will be leased from Dubai-based lessor Palma Holding. The aircraft will be in a dual-class configuration and is the fifth example ordered by Palma, the four others have been placed with another African operator.

in brief

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News Review Americas

Bumper Order for Copa

COPA AIRLINES is the latest carrier to commit to the Boeing 737 MAX after penning a multi-billion dollar deal for 61 examples. The order, for both MAX 8s and MAX 9s, is valued at $6.6 billion at list prices making it the largest commercial transaction ever between a Panamanian and a US-based company.

The contract for the new aircraft was signed in the presence of US President Barrack Obama and Panama President Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez as well of other heads of state who had gathered in Panama City for the seventh Summit of the Americas. The carriers CEO Pedro Heilbron said:

We are proud to sign this landmark order in the presence of our two presidents. The Next-Generation 737 is the backbone for our fleet today, and our order for the 737 MAX shows our continued commitment for the future to bring people together across all of the Americas using the most modern

and efficient airplanes in the sky as well as our Hub of the Americas in Panama City. The Panamanian flag carrier will be the first airline in the region to operate the 737 MAX 9 and is expected to use the type on routes into South America. (Photo Boeing)

Canadian Globetrotter Voyageur Airways de Havilland Canada DHC-7-102, C-GGUL (c/n 070), made a welcome visit to Glasgow in late March. The aircraft, which is flying on behalf of the United Nations, departed for Eindhoven en route to Morocco. IAN MACKENZIE

New SeaTac

AppTHE PORT of Seattle Authority has joined US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency to introduce a Mobile Passport Control (MPC) at Seattles Tacoma International Airport. The MPC is the first authorised app to help speed a travellers arrival into the US and the airport is the third in the country to introduce the option. Eligible travellers simply submit passport information and customs declaration form to CBP via the smartphone and tablet app prior to arrival. Android and iPhone users can download Mobile Passport for free from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. MPC currently offers US citizens and Canadian visitors a more secure and efficient in-person inspection between the CBP officer and the traveller upon arrival in the US.

Avmax Reacquires Regional 1 CALGARY-BASED AVMAX Group has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with a joint venture partner to reacquire 100% ownership of Regional 1 (R1) Airlines. The transaction which was announced on March 18 is subject to stakeholders

and regulatory approval. The decision follows an extensive review of both Avmax and R1 Airlines strategies, markets and structure. Avmax said in a statement that the carrier can maximise its growth opportunities and drive greater value for its clients. Under its management, R1 Airlines can address the unique needs of the

competitive resource market including the demands from customers in the peacekeeping, humanitarian, corporate and leisure sectors. R1 Airlines has access to the worlds largest private fleet of Bombardier Dash 8 and CRJ Series aircraft and is backed by the strength of a global MRO support network and supply chain. (Photo Regional 1)

First A321s for Volaris

VOLARIS HAS introduced its first of two Airbus A321-231s into service. The jet, XA-VLH (c/n 6558), arrived in Mexico on April 22 after being ferried from the European manufacturers Hamburg/Finkenwerder plant via Reykjavik and Bangor, Maine. It is being acquired from Air Lease Corporation along with sistership XA-VLJ (c/n 6601), which is due to arrive later this year.

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News Review Americas

American Airlines has received a single operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following its merger with US Airways. It is the culmination of more than 18 months of work aligning both carriers operating policies and procedures with air traffic control communications now referring to all flights with the call sign American.

Aruba Airlines is set to launch services between its home hub of Oranjestad and Miami from July 2. The carrier will operate a five-times weekly rotation using an Airbus A320 , becoming the fourth direct travel option to Aruba after American Airlines, InselAir and Surinam Airways.

Chicago O'Hare-based United Airlines revealed it has converted orders for ten Boeing 787 Dreamliners into 777-300ERs. The new jets the first of their kind for the carrier are due for delivery from next year and will join its fleet of 74 777-200ERs. United is also understood to be close to finalising a deal to lease up to 20 second-hand narrowbody aircraft. (Photo Key Craig West)

Lima-based Peruvian Airlines has withdrawn its sole Douglas DC-8-73F freighter. The 47-year-old jet, OB-2059-P (c/n 45990), had been flying on behalf of Heavylift Cargo Airlines but has now been returned to Las Vegas-based owner SkyBus Jet Cargo and reverted to its previous identity N807DH.

American Airlines has revised the delivery programme for its Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The Dallas/Fort Worth-based carrier has taken delivery of three examples to date but has now delayed the handover of five aircraft (from a total order of 21) from next year to 2017 (four jets) and 2018 (one).

Eastern Air Lines has confirmed it will make its official debut, a charter flight carrying war veterans to Washington DC, on May 30. The Miami-based company took delivery of its first of an eventual ten aircraft Boeing 737-8AL N276EA (c/n 35070) Spirit of Captain Eddie Rickenbacker late last year.

Chilean flag carrier LAN Airlines has withdrawn its Airbus A340-300s from scheduled service. The Santiago-based operator had been using its three remaining examples on transpacific flights to Australia and New Zealand but has replaced them with new-build Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners. The A340s final flight LA800 from Sydney to Santiago via Auckland was flown by CC-CQF (c/n 442) on April 17. The aircraft has now been placed into short-term storage but will continue to provide additional capacity as required until it is finally retired in June.

in brief

DELTA AIR LINES and Virgin Atlantic are to expand their co-operation after announcing they will fly a combined 39 return transatlantic flights a day to 15 US destinations this summer. The joint schedule includes ten daily services between London Heathrow and New York (eight to John F Kennedy and two to Newark Liberty), and three daily flights to Los Angeles, two of which will be flown by Virgin. The group is expecting to carry almost 400,000

passengers a year on the route to California, while the British carrier will open its first Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Los Angeles International Airport during May. Joe Thompson, Director of Network and Alliances at Virgin Atlantic said: Were very excited to offer this range of new services and frequencies which are a further demonstration of how our joint venture partnership is benefitting customers. Both Virgin Atlantic and

Delta Air Lines put our customers at the heart of what we do. We are passionate about giving them the best flying experience possible and we look forward to welcoming passengers on board.The new schedule will also see a transfer of operations between the two airlines, with Virgin taking over Deltas Manchester to Atlanta service and Delta flying a former Virgin link from Heathrow to Newark. (Photo Key Craig West)

Transatlantic Expansion

Brazilian carrier AZUL Linhas Areas Brasileiras has applied special markings to Embraer 195AR, PX-AXS (c/n 19000620), to celebrate carrying its 100 millionth passenger. DANIEL R CARNIERO

AZUL Milestone

Sun Valley Upgrade Nears CompletionSUN VALLEY/Friedman Memorial Airport is to reopen to air traffic on May 20 following a month-long closure. The airfield, in Blaine County, Idaho, is undergoing the final phase of a reconfiguration which includes the construction of a new Taxiway B.

A statement from operator Friedman Memorial Airport Authority explained: This reconfiguration primarily focuses on the relocation of the airport taxiway, west of the runway. As a result, the airport passenger terminal and parking lot were also required to be reconfigured.

The facilitys two scheduled operators, Horizon Air and SkyWest Airlines, have both suspended services to the airport for the duration of the closure, while private aircraft are using alternative facilities at Twin Falls, Boise and Idaho Falls.

Embraers Soldier OnDELTA CONNECTION carrier Republic Airlines has reversed its decision to retire its fleet of Embraer ERJ 145s after Delta Air Lines confirmed it would extend its contract with the regional affiliate. Republic had previously suggested the type would be phased out of

service from August through to May 2016, along with its ERJ 140s, E-190s and Bombardier Dash 8-Q400s, as part of an initiative to streamline its operations. However, Delta has now exercised an option to extend contracts for up to 41 ERJs for a further five years.

T3 for TAMBRAZILIAN CARRIER TAM Airlines will become the 37th carrier to operate from London Heathrow's Terminal 3 after confirming plans to relocate from Terminal 1 on May 27. The So Paulo-based oneworld alliance member said T3 will make it for easier flight connections, particularly for those flying to and from Scandinavia.

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News Review Asia/Pacifi c

ANA Order More A321s

ANA HOLDINGS, parent of All Nippon Airways has firmed-up an order for seven more Airbus A321s, consisting of four A321ceos fitted with Sharklets and three A321neos. The deal brings ANAs order total for the A320 Family to 37 aircraft 26 A321neos, four A321ceos with Sharklets and seven A320neos. Airbus has so far received 3,699 firm orders for the new NEO variants of the A320 Family from more than 70 cus-tomers. First deliveries are scheduled before the end of this year.

Avro Air Tanker Completes Fire-Fighting Missions

BAE SYSTEMS-BUILT Avro RJ85 Airtanker has arrived back in Canada after successfully completing nearly three months of aerial firefighting duties in Australia. The aircraft is one of three of the type owned and oper-ated by the Conair Group of Abbotsford. The Canadian company has modified the former regional passenger jetliner and fitted it with a large external tank enveloping the mid-underbelly fuse-lage. This tank contains more than 2,530gal (11,500lit) of fire retardant or water, released through a sophisticated

computer-controlled system.Under a contract from the State of Victoria to strengthen its armoury against wildfires during the dry Australian summer season, the RJ85, N355AC (c/n E2293) painted as Tanker 162, was used extensively to support ground-based firefighters.Conairs Director of Avro RJ85 AT Operation, Roy Horton, who was involved in many of the sorties, said: As expected, the RJ85 has adapted to its new role extremely well. The han-dling characteristics and performance

of the tank/aeroplane combination has proven the jet is now an excellent air-tanker. Only a week after its trans-pacific ferry flight the aircraft was in action fighting its first fires in Victoria. In neighbouring South Australia it was called into action again, and over a two-day period dropped 43,994gal (200,000lit) of retardant on fires. Tanker 162 was later dispatched across Australia to Perth to aid fire-fighting efforts there, before finishing its con-tract on the island of Tasmania. Photo BAE Systems

Real Tonga Leases ATR 72

FOLLOWING THE grounding of the Real Tongas Xian MA60, A3-RTL (c/n 904), in March, the carrier has leased a 68-seat ATR 72-600 from Fiji Airways to make up the capacity shortfall. It was initially used to operate a series of charter flights between Tongatapu and Vavau. The leased MA60 was returned to its Chinese manufacturer in response to pressure from the New Zealand Government, which refused to provide funding if the aircraft remained in service. Real Tongas CEO Tevito Palu commented: The ATR 72-600 is a great option as it is state-of-the-art technology and provides us with an opportunity to evaluate the air-crafts operational characteristics with a view to developing regional services in the near future.

VIETNAM ARLINES has completed the switch of its twice-weekly departures to both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City servic-es from Gatwick Airport to London Heathrow. The inaugural flight, VN55 from Hanoi on March 31, was marked by a welcome ceremony at Terminal 4, where Vietnam Airlines will be based alongside fellow SkyTeam members. Heathrows CEO, John Holland-Kaye welcomed the airline to the airport. He said: The Vietnam Airlines move to Heathrow, the UKs hub airport, is good

news for Britain as it secures a direct route to an important growth economy, with more frequent flights and greater cargo capacity. Responding, the carriers General Manager UK & Ireland, Le Thanh Dzung, added: Were delighted to be joining our fellow SkyTeam partners here in Terminal 4. Operating from Heathrow means our passengers can now benefit from world-class airport facilities and unrivalled connectivity. Looking for-ward, it also enables us to offer the

increased frequency and capacity need-ed to build on growing leisure and busi-ness demand to travel to Vietnam and the Indochina region.Vietnam Airlines has already announced that London will be the launch destina-tion for its new Boeing 787-9s, the first of which is due to arrive this summer. New Dreamliner services will also increase non-stop services to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, rising incrementally from four weekly flights to daily rota-tions by next summer.

Vietnam Airlines Boeing 777-26KER, VN-A146 (c/n 33505), touches down at Heathrow Airport on its inaugural flight to the London hub. VIETNAM AIRLINES

Heathrow Welcomes Vietnam Airlines

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News Review Asia/Pacifi c

India regional carrier Air Pegasus has started operations from its base at Kempegowda International Airport. The airline is a subsidiary of Decor Aviation, an aircraft ground-handling services company based in Bengaluru (Bangalore). It is currently using two ATR 72-500s and expects to add a third aircraft later this year as it expands its route network across Southern India.

Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines has ordered 30 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to meet what the airline says is a continuous growth of Chinas market demand, with all aircraft being delivered by 2021. The deal is valued at $7.7 billion at current list prices, but the Haikou-based airline noted it had negotiated some discounts. The carrier also said it planned to accelerate its international expansion and will open four new international routes to Europe and the US.

A subsidiary of Vietnamese low-cost carrier (LCC) VietJet Air has launched operations with a Bangkok-Phuket service using an Airbus A320-200. Thai VietJet Air had originally planned to start flights from Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi International, but has opted for Don Mueang instead, saying it is cheaper to operate from, as it is primarily a LCCs airport. The carrier plans to extend services to Krabi and Udon Thani in Thailand, as well as to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam later this year with a fleet of up to four A320-200s.

All Nippon Airways has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with US lessor Intrepid Aviation for five Airbus A330-300s that were originally used by Skymark Airlines. Last month bankrupt carrier Skymark relinquished leases on all ten of its A330-300s (see Airliner World, May 2015) seven of which are from Intrepid and the remaining three from CIT Aerospace. The ANA leases are due to start next year. (Photo Airbus)

Korean Air Aerospace Division (has been selected by Airbus to supply Sharklet wingtip devices including a wingspan extension for the recently launched A330neo the latest variant of the A330 Family of widebody aircraft. The devices will be manufactured at the companys Busan facility in South Korea before being transported to the A330 final assembly line in Toulouse.

Air New Zealand will introduce the Boeing 787-9 on its Auckland to Nadi, Fiji flights this summer season (November-March, 2016) adding 8,000 more seats on the route compared with the previous year. When the carriers initial Dreamliner lands at Nadi International Airport on November 27 it will be the first of the type operating to the Pacific Islands. The 787-9 will begin with two rotations per week (Saturday and Sunday) building to five during the peak season mid-December to late January.

in briefStar Alliance Dream

Qantas Uniform RedesignedAUSTRALIAN FASHION designer, Martin Grant, is to create a new modern uniform for Qantas domestic, regional and international pilots two years after he designed a new image for the airlines cabin crew and ground staff. Every Qantas uniform over the past 95 years reflects its times and were excit-ed to work with Martin again on a new design that reflects modern Australian style as well as the positive things hap-pening at Qantas, said the Groups CEO Alan Joyce. Its important that our crew feel proud to wear the Qantas uniform around the world, every day. They represent the national carrier, so we want them to feel confident and comfortable sitting in the flight deck, standing in the cabin or walking through an airport. (Photo Qantas)

Air China Selects Rolls-Royce

CHINESE FLAG Carrier Air China has selected Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines to power 15 new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners it has on order. The deci-sion continues the strong relation-ship forged between the two compa-nies; the airline already flies 49 Trent 700-powered Airbus A330s and four more due to be delivered. It also has ten Trent XWB-engined A350 XWBs on order.Rolls-Royce CEO John Rishton said: This is a significant selection by a val-ued customer and we look forward to continuing to strengthen our relation-ship with Air China.

Korean Adds A330-300SEOUL-BASED CARRIER Korean Air has introduced a new Airbus A330-300 on its South East Asia routes, serving Sydney, Brisbane and Singapore. It currently uses 18 examples and is planning to introduce

three more by the end of the year. The new aircraft will be equipped with a revamped Business Class, called Prestige Suites. Korean Air said the suites take in-flight style and com-fort to a next level. There are privacy

panels between seats and passen-gers in aisle seats are able to raise the panels higher for increased pri-vacy. Each seat is also equipped with an ottoman, where travellers can rest their feet. (Photo Korean Air)

Air India has taken delivery of its 20th Boeing 787-8, VT-ANU (c/n 36292), finished in this Star Alliance colour scheme. It became the first Dreamliner to feature any of the major alliance liveries when it was handed over at the US manufacturers North Charleston facility on March 31. BOEING

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News Review International

Boeing Deliveries

China Eastern Airlines took delivery of Boeing 737-79P, B-5828 (c/n 39741) on March 6. The 134-seat aircraft is painted in the carriers colourful Yunnan Peacock livery. BRIAN WORTHINGTONBoeing delivered the following aircraft in March 2015:737-700 1 China Eastern Airlines

737-800 34

AerCap (2), airberlin, Air China (2), ALC (2), All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Avia Leasing (2), Avolon, CIT Leasing (2), COPA Airlines, flydubai, GECAS, Lion Air (2), Norwegian, Oman Air, Republic of Iraq, Ryanair (2), Shanghai Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, SMBC Capital, Southwest Airlines (2), TUI Travel, Unidentified customer, Virgin Australia Airlines, WestJet, Xiamen Airlines

737-800A 1 US Navy

737-900ER 7 Delta Air Lines (2), El Al Israel Airlines, Oman Air, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines (2)747-8 1 Lufthansa747-8F 1 Cargolux767-300F 2 FedEx (2)

777-300ER 11Aeroflot, ALC (2), All Nippon Airways, Boeing Business Jets, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Eastern Airlines, Saudia, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines (2)

777F 2 Qatar Airways, Unidentified customer787-8 6 AerCap, Air India, Hainan Airlines, Korean Air, TUI Travel, Xiamen Airlines787-9 5 AerCap, Scoot, United Airlines (2), Virgin Atlantic AirwaysTotal 71

HondaJet World Tour

HONDA AIRCRAFT Company has received provisional type certification for its Model HA-420 HondaJet busi-ness aircraft from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The company says it is now close to achieving full type certification. The four HondaJets in the flight test fleet have flown more than 2,500 hours. Having been granted provisional type certification Honda Aircraft is sending the aircraft on a world tour from late April, starting in Japan where it will be making appearances at several airports, including Narita International. Company President and CEO Michimasa Fujino said: We are also excited to bring the HondaJet to the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition [EBACE] in Geneva, Switzerland [May 19-21] and showcase its performance capabilities in Europe.After the jets visit to EBACE, it will undertake demonstrations in five other European countries consisting of UK (Farnborough and Birmingham); Belgium (Antwerp); France (Paris); Germany (Munich and Hamburg) and Poland (Warsaw).

Extended Flight ApprovalTupolev has confirmed that Tu-204-200 (tail number 64026) completed certification testing to comply with ETOPS-120 standards at Ulyanovsk on March 28, 2015.Requirements of this standard define the possibility of operating a twin-engine aircraft on routes located at a distance equal to 120 minutes of flight time to the nearest alternate airfield

(even with one working engine). The ETOPS-120 certification removes a number of limitations relating to opera-tion of the Tu-204 and now means the type can perform transatlantic flights, the company noted.Following the successful conclusion of the tests, data obtained during the process will be used to obtain certification for the Tu-214 variant.

TaxiBot in OperationA NEW form of aircraft tug TaxiBot has gained approval by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and is in operation at Frankfurt Airport, Germany. It is hybrid-electric aircraft tractor, which is controlled by the pilot and allows the aircraft to be taken to the end of the runway without starting its engines and therefore saving fuel (and reducing emissions).The system has been developed by

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) with extensive support and co-operation from Lufthansa LEOS a subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik and is a competi-tor to the WheelTug system, which has not yet been certificated. A special nosewheel cradle in the unit registers all the steering movements and then transfers these to the tractors wheels, enabling the pilot to steer it directly from the cockpit. (Photo Lufthansa)

BAe 146 Increases CapabilitiesBAE SYSTEMS has won European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) approval for a significant increase in payload/range for its BAe 146-100/200 regional jets operating from unpaved runways in Australia. This approval is now to be sought for other variants of the BAe 146/Avro RJ family and follows

a two-year project carried out by tech-nical specialists working with leading Australian operator Cobham Aviation Services. The increase could be as much as four tonnes in payload (or up to 40 passengers or extra freight), an additional 700nm (1,300km) range, or a combination of both.

The projects aim was to increase the number of passengers that can be car-ried on Cobham routes from Perth in Western Australia. For the trial the unpaved runway at Kambalda, Western Australia and one off the carriers BAe 146-100s was used. (Photo Cobham Aviation Services)


News Review International

Aircraft lessor CIT Aerospace has placed a firm order for five more Airbus A321ceos, doubling its most recent commitment signed at the Farnborough International Airshow in 2014. This latest agreement brings the companys total order for the A320 Family to 205 aircraft - consisting of 155 ceos and 50 neos.

Aircraft completion and service centre Comlux America has undertaken the installation and certification of the first Future Air Navigation System (FANS) programme on a Bombardier Challenger 601. The FANS project enables aircraft operation in airspace requiring Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC).

Boeing has received 330-minute extended range twin-engined operations (ETOPS) approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its 747-8 Intercontinental. This is the first time a four-engine aircraft has received this type of design approval. Although ETOPS has been a requirement for twin-engine aircraft since the 1980s, the regulations have recently been applied to the designs with more than two engines. (Photo Boeing)

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has awarded type certification for the 242-tonne maximum take-off weight Airbus A330-300 variant. This latest evolution of the A330 Family incorporates a new aerodynamic package, engine improvements and optional fuel tank activation giving more capability and lower operating costs. Delta Air Lines is scheduled to take delivery of the first increased take-off weight A330 later this year, followed by the ten other airlines that have selected this option since its launch in 2012.

Pratt & Whitneys PurePower engine family has completed more than 16,000 hours and 31,000 cycles of testing, including 3,500 hours of flight time. The PW1100G-JM engine is currently flying on two Airbus A320neo aircraft, while the PW1500G is powering six Bombardier CSeries examples. The data they provide is according to the company meeting or exceeding technical expectations and commitments.

GKN Aerospace has formed a centre of excellence for fan blade repairs for the General Electric CF6 high-bypass turbofan engine. Under the aftermarket and licensing agreement between the two companies, GKN Aerospace will undertake all fan blade repairs for the entire suite of CF6 engines which are currently equipping 13 aircraft types including the McDonnell Douglas DC-10, Boeing 747/767 as well as Airbus A300 and A330 airliners. GKN Aerospace repairs over 65,000 blades annually at its EL Cajon, California facility.

in brief

Huge Rolls-Royce

OrderEMIRATES HAS announced a US$9.2 billion order with engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce to equip the additional 50 Airbus A380s the carrier ordered at the 2013 Dubai Air Show. Including the associated service package, the contract is the largest non-military contract ever won by a UK engineering company. The deal marks an interesting change of policy by the Gulf carrier, which had selected the Engine Alliance GP7000 engine for its previous 90 A380s. Industry observers say the decision is a calculated move to put further pressure on manufacturer Airbus to launch a re-engined variant of the type, dubbed the A380neo. Emirates CEO Tim Clark said: What impressed us with Rolls-Royce was its continued commitment to applying the technologies it was developing into its engines. Perhaps we couldnt see that so much from [Engine Alliance].

Caravan at 30CESSNA HAS celebrated the 30th anni-versary of the first deliveries of its Model 208 Caravan. Conceived as a rugged utility aircraft with low operating costs, the Caravan was designed for use in remote areas with extreme weather changes, mountainous terrain and rough landing conditions.It has been used extensively by a variety of customers, including government agencies, law enforcement and militaries, air ambulance operators,

freight carriers, corporations and humanitarian organisations. The first Caravan was delivered on February 25, 1985, to an air service pro-vider in Alaska, and the next day Federal Express (now FedEx) took delivery of its first Caravan, which included a belly cargo pod and other modifications spe-cially designed for the express delivery pioneer. Today, FedEx, through con-tracts with Part 135 operators, operates around 240 Caravans. (Photo Cessna)

Airbus Deliveries

The first brand new Airbus A320-232 for Mexican low-cost carrier VivaAerobus is undergo-ing pre-delivery test flying at the manufacturers Toulouse facility. The aircraft will become XA-VAA (c/n 6574) when it is handed over to the airline. EUROSPOTAirbus delivered the following aircraft in March 2015:

A319 6 Air China, American Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Druk Air, Tibet Airlines (2)

A320 24Air Arabia, AirAsia, Avianca Brazil (2), Batik Air, Citilink, easyJet (4), Kuwait Airlines (2), Lufthansa, Sichuan Airlines, Spirit Airlines (2), Spring Airlines, Tigerair Australia, VietJet Air, Vistara Airlines, Vueling (3), Wizz Air

A321 12airberlin, Air Macau, American Airlines (2), China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, EVA Air, Philippine Airlines (2), Thomas Cook Airlines, Turkish Airlines, VietJet Air

A330-200 1 Air Algrie

A330-300 6 Cebu Air, CIT, Intrepid Aviation, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, SriLankan AirlinesA350 1 Qatar AirwaysA380 2 Emirates, Lufthansa

Total 52


News Review AIX 2015

THE WORLDS largest exhibition dedi-cated to aircraft cabin interiors, was held at the Hamburg Messe in northern Germany from April 14 - 16. Aircraft Interiors Expo 2015 (AIX) was actu-ally in three parts and included the World Travel, Catering and Onboard Services Exhibition and the Passenger Experience Conference. The whole

event grows in size every year, and in 2015 occupied nine of the facilitys 11 halls, with AIX having attracted more than 530 exhibiting companies from 30 different countries. The IFE Zone was also bigger than ever, having expanded by 31% over 2014s. Over 800 airline buyers, 530 supplier companies and around 14,000 attendees were present.

WTCE CateringCO-LOCATED WITH AIX, the World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) has now grown to occupy two halls in a separate section of the Hamburg Messe. It is now the worlds largest event dedicated to such prod-ucts, with the worlds in-flight catering services market alone expected to be worth $16.5 billion by 2018.With a bigger show than ever, the increased and varied content provid-

ed visitors with the latest innovations and updates the travel industry has to offer, from on board services, to retail and catering, said Archana Sharma, WTCE Event Manager. Both visitors and exhibitors alike benefitted as it also provided a platform to meet with industry influencers and experts, and network with customers and partners, sourcing new business opportunities.

Aircraft Interiors Expo 2015

Honeywells Virtual HeadsetVISITORS TO the Honeywell stand were shown into a virtual world to view the com-panys product line. Once fitted with a headset, the user could be transported virtu-ally into the cockpit or cabin of a business jet, and by looking at specific icons would receive a detailed briefing orally and visually of the capabilities and products available. (Photo Honeywell)

British Airways 747

UpgradeUK COMPANY Airline Services Interiors has been awarded a contract by British Airways to upgrade 18 of its Boeing 747s. It will be responsible for the design, cer-tification and manufacture of the modifi-cation kits to integrate the new IFE sys-tem on all classes of passenger seating from World Traveller (Economy) though to First Class. The company is working with Panasonic and aircraft integrator Zodiac to fit Panasonics next generation eX3 IFE system, which will be installed from September 2015. As part of the work, new universal power sockets will be fitted at every seat in World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy) together with individual USB sockets enabling customers to power phones and tablets. The cabin interiors are also being refreshed with newly-fitted seat covers so they match those on the air-lines latest Airbus A380s and 787s.The dedicated Airline Services Interiors business, one of three distinct divisions under a new streamlined structure, was announced by the company at the AIX.

Cabin Solutions From Rockwell Collins

FOLLOWING ITS takeover of service providers ARINC and Pacific Avionics, Rockwell Collins can now provide a full suite of cabin solutions to improve online connectivity for passengers.Were redefining passenger engage-ment for airlines with advanced, reliable entertainment systems, empowering high-speed broadband and robust appli-

cations, Craig Elliott, vice president, Sales and Marketing, Air Transport Cabin Solutions told Airliner World. Since our acquisitions, we are taking a significant step forward with a unique offering in the market that provides airlines with scalable cabin solutions that are open and flexible to meet the needs of any mission profile. (Photo Rockwell Collins)

New Economy Classes From Airbus

TWO NEW Economy Class seating layouts have been proposed by air-craft manufacturer Airbus. Comfort Economy (at ten abreast on the A380) and Budget Economy (at 11 abreast) are designed for differ-ent flight durations according to the wishes of the carrier. Both have an 18in (45.7cm) wide seat with the added seat unit being fit-ted in by changing the design next

to the windows and shrinking the aisle widths. Additionally there is the option for a Premium Economy seat with a typical eight-abreast configuration.The company also demonstrated a mock-up of its new pivoting over-head stowage compartment, which it claims offers 60% more stowage of roll-on trolleys, with a design similar to that on the new A350.

STG liTeMoodSTG AEROSPACE of Norfolk, UK has produced liTeMood, a plug-and-play, programmable, blue/white LED cabin lighting solution. It brings the lighting quality of existing non-LED equipped cabins in line with aircraft delivered new with the latest systems. It saves 88lb [40kg] on a Boeing 757, Marcus Williams, STGs Director of Global Sales and Marketing told Airliner World at the show. It is a simple replacement for what is already there and fits in the same tracking and connections. The LED version replaces fluorescent tubes and the retrofit can be done on a typi-cal overnight check. It also consumes 70% less power, and combined with its lighter weight, improves both the aircrafts fuel consumption and elec-trical efficiency.Incorporating the latest research into the effects of ambient lighting, STG claims that liTeMood also provides significantly increased reliability over traditional lighting systems, thereby reducing ongoing maintenance costs, and delivering important environmental benefits.


News Review AIX 2015

LED lighting for DreamJet AIRCRAFT LIGHTING provider STG Aerospace has been awarded a contract to retrofit a Boeing 757-200 belonging to DreamJet trading as La Compagnie, which provides a transatlantic all-busi-ness class service. The aircraft will be equipped with STGs latest generation safTglo SuperSeal UltraLite (SSUL) emer-gency floorpath marking system and liTe-Mood LED cabin lighting system. Not seen in daylight by most passengers

as it blends into the colours of the carpet and only illuminating when dark, safTglo is in use with more than 300 global airlines and is installed on over 9,000 aircraft worldwide. La Compagnie will also be the first airline to install the SSUL OverCarpet system which provides even simpler installation, and with its specific hinged-wing design removes the need for airlines to bind the carpet edges.

InFlyt by Thales SERVICES PROVIDER Thales announced it is reshaping its in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) activities into Thales InFlyt Experience. This strategic shift focuses on the passenger experience which we offer, as well as the airline expe-rience where customers engage with us to design, deliver and support their solu-tions, said Dominique Giannoni, the CEO of the companys in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) section.Glenn Latta, President of LiveTV told Airliner World: The integration of the LiveTV fran-chise into Thales in 2014 represented a key step in this vision. In todays world, we need a strong hardware solution to pro-vide the best services to the passenger. Our complete portfolio combines state-of-the-art in-seat entertainment systems with wireless content streaming and high-performance connectivity services to give airlines the choice they need to design the experience they want. There are three elements to the new branding:

AVANT is claimed to be one of the most advanced Android systems on the market with a lighter unit and HD displays and is already flying on larger Airbus and Boeing aircraft including the new A350. FlytLive consists of a host of fast and secure broadband connectivity programs and is structured around safety, data security and the fastest possible perfor-mance. We have fitted 300 aircraft in the last 12 months, added Latta. On board internet is big and getting bigger.FlytCare is a maintenance and repair service leveraged by Thaless global service network. The companys network supports more than 40 airports worldwide so that problems can be rectified as soon as possible.Giannoni concluded: We believe our InFlyt Experience is going to revolutionise passenger air travel and the way airlines see IFE providers. We are fully dedicated to the satisfaction of our airline customers in all phases of their project. (Photo Thales)

digECOR has launched a new LED cabin lighting solution that gives airlines up to four billion colour and light intensity levels to maximise passenger comfort during flight. The system is fully integrated with the companys Glide seat-centric IFE solution and is available as a direct replacement for most aircraft light fixtures in sidewalls and ceilings. Northern Avionics has introduced WAvES (Wireless Avionics Entertainment System) its latest line of wired and wireless IFE and cabin management systems. The company claims the new unit is all about flexibility, customer customisation and ease of retrofit without compromising quality. It is designed to fit or retrofit any aircraft, from large airliners down to private jets and helicopters.

China Southern Airlines is the launch customer for Panasonics new eXO system, claimed by the company to be the industrys most sophisticated overhead in-flight entertainment system. It is designed with single-aisle aircraft in mind and the carrier has chosen it for its new narrowbodied fleet of Airbus A320s and A321s. Panasonic has also acquired one of the leading Swedish mobile app and software consultancies Tactel. The move is part of an ongoing strategy to enhance Panasonics leadership and capabilities in software and design.

STG Aerospaces, safTglo photoluminescent emergency floorpath marking system has been chosen by Shanghai Airlines to replace the combination of lighting systems that were previously installed in its fleet of Boeing 767s. Four examples of the airlines seven-strong fleet have now been retrofitted with the new system. (Photo STG)

Diverse manufacturing company SABIC showcased a 3D-printed Economy Class seat prototype designed by Gavari and made using filament from SABICs ULTEM 9085 resin. The seat was printed by Stratasys and is FAR 25.853 and OEM toxicity compliant and offers low moisture absorption and design flexibility. The use of 3D printing enabled the rapid prototyping of the design, resulting in a seat with less than 15 components.

The GuideU floor path marking system from Lufthansa Technik is now available for the successful Embraer 170 and 190 regional jets following the issuing of the required Supplemental Type Certificate (STC). The system is completely maintenance-free and, after initial installation, can remain in the cabin throughout an aircrafts service life.

News in brief

Connectivity Collaboration

THREE MAJOR aerospace companies Honeywell, Inmarsat and Kymeta are working together to design, create and test a new, higher-speed Ka-band wireless antenna for business and commercial aircraft customers around the globe. It will have advanced capa-bilities that will bring faster connec-tivity and a higher quality broadband service to the aircraft. Its smaller and more compact design will allow the antenna to be installed on a wider vari-ety of aircraft, including smaller busi-ness aviation aircraft, plus it is lighter and therefore will reduce total weight and drag on the aircraft, in turn reduc-ing fuel and maintenance costs.Jack Jacobs, vice president of Marketing & Product Management at Honeywell Aerospace told Airliner World: Our work with Inmarsat on GX Aviation is at the forefront of bringing high-speed, global connectivity servic-es to airlines and operators.Having Kymeta and Inmarsat aligned with us ensures we stay forward-look-ing with new antenna technology that will be more efficient and compact, providing customers with even faster global in-flight connectivity.

Successful Year for PanasonicIN THE last 12 months, the Panasonic Avionics Corporation has recorded a 16% growth in revenue and 10% increase in orders for its IFE packages. We have also reached a major milestone with the 700th aircraft installation of our eXConnect in-flight Wi-Fi system, said Neil James, Executive Director Sales and Marketing at a briefing during the show. Our job is to take 25% of maintenance from our customers and strengthen the brand.Panasonic installed global communication services on 488 aircraft for 57 custom-ers in 2014, with over 200 of these having LiveTV on board. (Photo Panasonic)

Vistara Selects IntelliCabin

FORMED EARLIER this year, Indian car-rier Vistara has selected BAE Systems IntelliCabin in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for its fleet of A

Airliner World June 2015

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Transcript of Airliner World June 2015