Air New Zealand has taken delivery of its first A320 equipped with fuel saving wing tip devices, or Sharklets, at a ceremony during the 50^th Le Bourget Paris airshow. The aircraft was officially handed over to the airline’s Chief Flight Operations and Safety Officer David Morgan.

Airbus launched the Sharklet during the November 2009 Dubai air show, and Air New Zealand was the first to commit to the fuel saving devices.

Captain David Morgan says, “The A320 is at the core of Air New Zealand’s domestic fleet and the airline is committed to moving all domestic flying to this aircraft type to reap the efficiency gains it offers.”

“We are delighted that the launch customer for our Sharklet, Air New Zealand has taken delivery of its first A320 equipped with these fuel saving wing tip devices. The Sharklets deliver a fuel burn reduction of up to four percent and will help Air New Zealand become even more efficient in one of the world’s most competitive markets.” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer – Customers.

Air New Zealand will take delivery of a total of 10 Sharklet equipped A320s.

GKN Aerospace is to open a new advanced engineering centre in Bangalore, India.  The centre will commence operating in August, 2013 and will provide engineering resources to the company’s international aerospace projects, across all its areas of expertise.  It will extend the company’s worldwide engineering design, analysis, and production support strength and also manage the company’s local supply chain.

The centre will add additional highly skilled individuals to GKN Aerospace’s global engineering resource. During the first year of operation the company will transfer existing Bangalore staff to the new facility, which will then grow to over 100 personnel over the subsequent 18 months through local recruitment.

Initial activities at the new centre will support the company’s engine systems operation, which is one of the three major aero-engine structures providers to the global aerospace market.  Over the longer term, the centre will provide engineering support for projects across the GKN Aerospace enterprise, including the development of both engine and airframe structures. 

Marcus Bryson, Chief Executive Officer, GKN Aerospace and Land Systems explains: “We have been present in Bangalore, through our extensive Indian supply chain, for almost a decade and in that time we have seen the engineering skills in-country develop to a truly impressive level. Our new Bangalore centre will form an integral part of our global engineering strength, helping us support our customers internationally with the very best engineering solutions.”

SkyWest has signed a firm order for 100 E175-E2 aircraft, with another 100 Purchase Rights, bringing the total potential of the order to 200 aircraft. The announcement was made today at a press conference at the 50th International Paris Air Show. If all the orders are exercised, the contract has an estimated value, at list price, of USD 9.36 billion.

This new contract is in addition to SkyWest’s previous order in May 2013 for up to 200 current generation E175 aircraft, and therefore the potential order of E-Jets at SkyWest may reach 400 aircraft.

“After concluding an agreement for up to two hundred orders for our current-generation E-Jets from SkyWest just last month, I’m more than glad that the company has made this decision to be the launch customer for the E175-E2,” said Paulo Cesar Silva, President and CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “To have the world’s largest regional airline placing this E-Jets E2 order shows SkyWest’s confidence in Embraer and its products. Our companies have a long history together and with this new contract, that partnership is going to continue well into the future.”

As the first operator to order the E175-E2, SkyWest becomes the launch customer for that aircraft, one of three E-Jets E2 models. SkyWest, of St. George, Utah, USA, is the largest regional airline group in the world.  It is the parent company of SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines, both of which have been long time operators of Embraer aircraft.  More than 40 EMB 120 Brasilia turboprops continue to fly in the SkyWest Airlines network, primarily in the western states. ExpressJet Airlines operates 249 aircraft from the ERJ 145 family and has the largest ERJ fleet in the world.

“The selection of the current E175 and the new E175-E2 is another phase of our fleet renewal strategy that will allow SkyWest to offer the best operating economics for its partners and the most comfortable experience for their passengers,” said Jerry Atkin, Chairman and CEO of SkyWest. “We’ve worked with Embraer for many years and our good experience with the EMBs and ERJs promises to continue with our new fleet of E-Jets.”

The E-Jets E2 represent Embraer’s commitment to continuously invest in the company’s line of commercial jets and maintain its leadership in the 70 to 130 seats market. The three new airplanes (E175-E2, E190-E2, E195-E2) carry the designator “E2” which signifies generational changes in technology that have been incorporated in the design. Each of the three aircraft has the versatility for a range of single class, multi-class or high-density seat capacities to suit operator requirements with new ‘look and feel’ and improved comfort levels.

State-of-the-art engines in combination with new aerodynamically advanced wings, full fly-by-wire flight controls, and advancements in other systems will result in double-digit improvements in fuel burn, maintenance costs, emissions and external noise.

The first delivery of an E-Jets E2 (the E190-E2) is planned for the first semester of 2018. The E195-E2 is slated to enter service in 2019 and the E175-E2 in 2020. Over 950 E-Jets have been delivered to date. Currently, 65 customers from 47 countries have added Embraer E-Jets to their fleets.

Further to the Definitive Agreement (DA) signed on March 21, 2012 covering program commonalities between the C919 and CSeries aircraft and the Letter of Intent (LOI) signed on November 13, 2012 signaling the beginning of Phase II of their strategic collaboration, Bombardier and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd (COMAC) wish to announce the signing of a DA covering four distinctive projects. The DA is to be executed as part of the second phase of the parties’ long-term collaboration on leveraging commonalities between the C919 and CSeries airliners.

The four initiatives COMAC and Bombardier will collaborate on are: 1) specific areas of the CSeries aircraft flight test activities pertaining to non-flying tasks, 2) implementing and maintaining the common items that were achieved as part of Phase I, 3) sales and marketing, and 4) certain areas of customer services related to training, technical publications and parts distribution.

The second phase of COMAC and Bombardier’s cooperation is expected to contribute further to enhancing the competitiveness of not only the C919 and CSeries aircraft programs, but also of both COMAC and Bombardier’s overall businesses, and will help with maximizing both parties’ cost savings and market shares, while allowing customers of the C919 and the CSeries commercial airliners to realize cost benefits from the operation of both aircraft families.

The Lufthansa Group has firmed up a previous Supervisory Board decision from March this year and signed for 100 A320 Family aircraft (35 A320neo, 35 A321neo and 30 A320ceo with Sharklets) at the Paris International Airshow in Le Bourget, France.

The Lufthansa Group has been operating the A320 Family since October 1989. They were the launching customer for the A321 and belonged to the first operators of the A319 and A320. The new order confirms Lufthansa’s leading position as the largest Airbus airline customer and operator in Europe, increasing its order for the A320 type to 299. Over 150 of these aircraft have already been delivered.

“These modern and fuel-efficient aircraft will meet the future growth and fleet renewal needs of the Lufthansa Group airlines. By purchasing these aircraft, we will be able in the long term to offer customers a comfortable and modern product in the highly competitive environment. In addition, these aircraft are contributing significantly to reduce noise and emissions wherever we fly our aircraft to”, said Nico Buchholz, Executive Vice President, Lufthansa Group Fleet Management.

“Lufthansa is a loyal customer, and has been operating our aircraft for almost 40 years. We are extremely pleased to receive this repeat order and thank our prestigious customer for their continuing strong commitment to our eco-efficient products. The A320 Family represents the highest level of operational performance while also offering Lufthansa passengers superior level of comfort and services,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.

Regional airline LIAT has started its fleet upgrade with the first new ATR 72-600 aircraft delivered today. This first ATR in LIAT’s fleet is being leased from the lessor GECAS (GE Capital Aviation Services). This is the first of a total of eight ATRs (four 68-seat ATR 72-600 and four 48-seat ATR 42-600s) that will be introduced into LIAT’s fleet.
The introduction of these brand new ATR -600s in LIAT’s current fleet of 14 aircraft is a part of the airline’s restructuring plans aiming at fleet modernization and network improvements. By progressively replacing its current fleet of former turboprop aircraft with the modern and fuel efficient ATRs, the airline will significantly reduce operating and maintenance costs, gain further in profitability and offer more comfort to its passengers due to its enhanced seats design. The line-up of the full new generation ATR model range will allow LIAT to optimize their fleet on their pan-Caribbean network with aircraft of one same family, offering both 50 and 70 seat capacity.

“LIAT currently connects 21 destinations throughout the Caribbean with most routes under 100 Nm, like Grenada to Trinidad, or Dominica to Antigua. The 68-seat ATR 72-600s are perfectly adapted to many of our existing and potential routes,” says Ian Brunton, Chief Executive Officer of LIAT. “By renewing our fleet our customers will enjoy more efficiency and better travel experience. The ATR 72-600 perfectly fits with our requirements in terms of low operating costs, most updated technologies and optimal comfort. This is the most-recently certified turboprop aircraft on the market, and we are proud to start our operations with such a modern, successful and well-reputed aircraft”.
It is anticipated that the first ATR 72-600 would be pressed into service before the end of June, with the remaining aircraft expected for delivery during 2013 and 2014.

Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) has been selected by FARNAIR Europe to provide four firm B737-400SF 11 Pallet Configuration conversions, with an option for four additional conversions. The first aircraft, a high gross weight B737-400 will undergo freighter modification in August of 2013 at AEI’s Authorized Conversion Center, Commercial Jet.

Guy Girard, CEO of the FARNAIR Group stated that “The addition of the B737-400SF from AEI will significantly enhance our operations and will enable us to respond to the current demand of our customers for larger capacities. The aircraft’s configuration and payload performance is an ideal match for the growth we face not only within the European cargo market but mainly further afield.”

AEI’s B737-400SF shall provide FARNAIR with an Ancra CLS capable of carrying multiple ULD’s including:
• (10) 88″x125″ AAA Containers/pallets, P1 to P10 or
• (8) 96″x126″ ULD’s or
• 10 88″x108″ ULD’s and
• (1) 53″X88″X64″ Pallet or AEP/AEH or 60.4″X61.5″ AKE/LD3 or 61.5″X88″X56″H AYY in P11
This unique flexibility has been designed by AEI to allow the operator to immediately adapt to multiple ULD configurations at a moment’s notice. When combined with proven reliability, the AEI Converted B737-400SF will allow FARNAIR to keep their aircraft where they belong “In the air, generating revenue.”

The first A350 XWB flew this morning for its maiden flight at Blagnac in Toulouse, France at 10.00 hours local time. Equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB turbofans, the A350 XWB first flight took place over south western France.

An international crew of six is on board, comprising two Flight Test Pilots, one Test Flight Engineer and three Flight Test Engineers. At the controls of the A350 XWB’s first flight are Peter Chandler, Airbus’ Chief Test Pilot, and Guy Magrin, Project Pilot for the A350 XWB. Accompanying them in the cockpit is Pascal Verneau, the A350 XWB Project Test Flight Engineer. At their flight test stations in the main aircraft cabin and monitoring the progress of the flight via an extensive array of flight test instrumentation are the three flight test engineers: Fernando Alonso, Head of Airbus Flight & Integration Test Centre; Patrick du Ché, Head of Development Flight Tests; and Emanuele Costanzo, lead Flight Test Engineer for the Trent XWB engine.

This first flight marks the beginning of a test campaign totaling around 2,500 flight hours with a fleet of five development aircraft. The rigorous flight testing will lead to the certification of the A350-900 variant by the European EASA and US FAA airworthiness authorities, prior to entry into service in the second half of 2014 with first operator Qatar Airways.

The A350 XWB is Airbus’ all-new mid-size long range product line comprising three versions and seating between 270 and 350 passengers in spacious three-class layouts. The new family will bring a step change in efficiency compared with existing aircraft in this size category, using 25 per cent less fuel and providing an equivalent reduction in CO2 emissions. To date the A350 XWB has already won 613 firm orders from 33 customers worldwide.

The Irkut MC-21 narrowbody aircraft’s first flight is scheduled for 2015, followed by certification in 2017 and deliveries in 2020.
The Russian government is throwing its weight behind the project to ensure the aircraft is well placed for export, which could include an increase in the government share up to 69%. The remainder is to be covered by Irkut’s own funds (15 percent) and funding raised on the commercial market (26 percent). To ensure the latter part, the manufacturer is negotiating with the nation’s largest Savings Bank for about a $1 billion, 10-year credit line.
The manufacturer claims it has received commitments for over 250 MC-21s–and Irkut president Oleg Demchenko insists that 185 of those are firm orders.

WheelTug has announced the execution of a Slot Purchase Agreement with Icelandair. With the new reservations the order book of WheelTug aircraft drive systems grows to 573 delivery slots reserved by eleven airlines from Europe, America, the Middle East and the Far East.

Icelandair becomes the first carrier to reserve WheelTug Delivery Slots for 737MAX aircraft.

The WheelTug electric drive system uses high-performance electric motors, installed in the nose gear wheels of an aircraft, to provide full mobility while on the ground, without the use of the aircraft’s jet engines or tugs for both pushback and taxi operations.

Current commercial aviation practice utilizes a tug for aircraft gate pushback, while forward taxi is powered by the aircraft’s engines. Typically, a taxiing Airbus A320 or Boeing 737NG aircraft burns 24 to 27 pounds of fuel per minute. The electric WheelTug unit needs only four pounds of fuel per minute by using the aircraft’s auxiliary power unit (APU), representing an 80% reduction in ground operation fuel consumption.

In addition to lower ground operation fuel consumption, other intended benefits of the WheelTug aircraft drive systems include: removal of the time and safety costs of the use of ground tugs, substantially reduced carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, increased safety and flexibility of operations, faster turnaround times, reduced engine wear and repair costs, and decreased noise pollution. WheelTug estimates the total savings at over US$700,000 per aircraft per year. WheelTug Systems will be offered to the airlines entirely on a lease, or power-by-the-hour basis, so that the systems can be installed and operated on aircraft without any capital expenditure on the part of the airline whatsoever.

WheelTug plc successfully installed and tested the first in-wheel WheelTug in Prague in June 2012.