Aircraft News - North America.

For more aircraft news, data, fleets and analysis, please go to: http://www.airguideonline.com/professional.htm Jun 26, 2006

Boeing

Boeing is coming under growing pressure to boost capacity on the 747-8 Intercontinental by two seat rows as airlines start to look at it as a possible alternative to the A380 rather than a model positioned between the 365-seat 777-300ER and 555-seat A380. Increasing the length of the dash 8 to that of the 747-8F adds 20 seats. Moving galley carts into the overhead space would add another 30, lifting seating capacity to 500 in the standard Boeing configuration compared to 416 for the 747-400 using the same rules. Currently the passenger variant has a 3.6-m. stretch while the freighter is stretched by 5.6 m. Boeing also is well underway with trade studies that may see the Intercontinental with the same wing as the freighter, lifting the resale value for freighter conversion. Currently it is conducting low-speed aerodynamic tests at Qinetiq's wind tunnel at Farnborough. In May, Boeing revealed to this website that results of high-speed wind tunnel tests enabled it to raise the Intercontinental's range from 8,000 nm. to 8,300 nm. Jun 23, 2006

Boeing

Boeing is considering selling or shutting down its Connexion by Boeing onboard Internet venture because the unit shows no sign of becoming profitable six years after launch, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation. A Boeing spokesperson declined to comment on the article but said, "We are evaluating the long-term business model for Connexion, trying to assess what's best for customers. It is a good product. We are trying to determine how good a business it is." A number of carriers have outfitted their aircraft with the Connexion systems or are in the process of doing so, but the market to date has been limited to widebody aircraft operating on long-haul routes. Customers include ANA, Asiana Airlines, Korean Air, Lufthansa--which launched the program--SAS and Singapore Airlines. According to the WSJ, Boeing has approached satellite communications providers including SES Global SA, Inmarsat and Loral Space & Communications about purchasing the unit or becoming a partner. It has invested about $1 billion in Connexion, the paper said. Jun 23, 2006

Boeing

Boeing says 787 delivery schedule unchanged. Boeing said on Tuesday that the delivery schedule for its new 787 Dreamliner remained unchanged. Jun 20, 2006

Boeing, AAR Landing Gear

AAR's Landing Gear Services operating unit successfully completed its first overhaul of a 717 landing gear shipset on behalf of Hawaiian Airlines. Jun 23, 2006

Boeing, Eos, Maxjet

Maxjet has confirmed the delivery of its third aircraft allowing increased frequencies on existing routes as well as development of new services. Maxjet says that a fourth 102-seat Boeing 767 aircraft will be delivered later this year. In May, the airline carried approximately 3,950 passengers between Stansted and New York with an average load factor of 72%. The CAA statistics showed 5,500 for the rotation leaving 1,550 with Eos, not a true competitor but in truth after much the same market. The London to Washington DC route, which began on April 5, has also been successful. In May Maxjet carried approximately 1,600 passengers between Stansted and Washington. With an increasing demand, on June 29, Maxjet will add a fifth weekly flight on a Thursday to the US capital. Eos says that to date June is running at 70% with a second JFK service due to come on line in September once again with a 48-seat Boeing 757, but at a much higher yield. http://www.maxjet.com http://www.eosairlines.com Jun 24, 2006

Boeing, Qantas and Singapore Airlines

The Boeing 777-200LR still is on high priority lists at Qantas and Singapore Airlines, according to internal sources at both carriers. Qantas is impressed with the 747-8, but under its rules the aircraft may not be able to perform the Dallas-Sydney mission in all seasons. Boeing has been working with Qantas since mid-2005 to refine the 777-200LR to perform a variety of missions including London-Sydney nonstop and Sydney-Dallas. Singapore Airlines has been looking to the type to replace its five A340-500s, with reports suggesting that its nonstops to New York and Los Angeles are not profitable. Boeing has been looking at a lighter-weight interior borrowed from the 787 to make the business case more compelling, and some progress has been made. Both airlines are expected to announce decisions soon, although they "are not imminent." Jun 22, 2006

Boeing, Xiamen Airlines

Boeing's aircraft orders website showed that orders for three 787s were dropped last week. Flight International's website reported the three belonged to Xiamen Airlines, which swapped them for six 737-800s. Jun 19, 2006

Bombardier

Bombardier said it continues to explore options for a CRJ900X that would seat 98-100 passengers as well as an extended version of the Q400 turboprop that would seat 78-100. But these models would not cross over ibto the CSeries product line, according to VP-Markets and Analysis Barry MacKinnon; "the CSeries is for mainline operators." Thus far the company has tallied 394 firm orders for the CRJ700/705/900, with some 40% of those orders from customers of the CRJ200, he said. MacKinnon also said Bombardier is keeping an eye on Sukhoi's RRJ program. Jun 20, 2006

Bombardier

Bombardier sticks with CSeries for now, looks to stretch CRJ900, Q400. Bombardier said it will stay with the proposed CSeries program at least through this year, with a scaled-back team of engineers working on technology development issues for the 110/130-seat jet and a concerted effort to boost interest in the aircraft from international customers.But the future after 2006 is unclear. Research shows there will be a $250 billion market for mainline aircraft in the 90/149-seat range over the next two decades, Boehm added. "This market needs a 100-seat product designed from the ground up." Bombardier unveiled the CSeries at the 2004 Farnborough Air Show, proposing two basic models, the C110 and C130, configured for either long- or short-haul travel between 1,800 and 3,000 nm. The following year at the Paris Air Show, it announced a preliminary agreement with Pratt & Whitney Canada to supply the powerplant, which Boehm said remains in effect. Even so, the program has failed to capture a number of partners or, perhaps most importantly, a launch customer. In January, Bombardier put the CSeries on the back burner but pledged to keep it alive for at least this year with $100 million earmarked for continued development. Jun 20, 2006

Bombardier. Horizon Air

Horizon Air today unveiled a 25th anniversary aircraft during an event at the airline's Operations Center at Portland International Airport. Hundreds of Horizon employees, their families and Port of Portland officials and other dignitaries gathered to be among the first to see the eye-catching design. The aircraft -- a Bombardier Q400 -- sports a vibrant paint scheme that celebrates Horizon's 25 years of service. The aircraft's base coat seamlessly blends all of Horizon's livery colors, from the past shades of orange to the present red and burgundy. A trail of festive ribbons and confetti extend across the fuselage, ending with a brushstroked "25" on the tail. Jun 20, 2006

Eclipse 500, Cessna Mustang

Very Light Jet (VLJ) is poised to Debut. Both the Eclipse 500 and Cessna Mustang are scheduled for certification and service entry within the next several months, and are expected to be followed by the Adam Aircraft A700. When first announced several years ago, this new type of four-eight-passenger Very Light Jet (VLJ) was greeted with a great deal of skepticism, particularly as startup company Eclipse Aviation, which was the first to commit to the new concept, had never built an aircraft. Jun 19, 2006

Goodrich

Goodrich announced that its agreement to sell its Turbomachinery Products business to Turbo Machinery Products Inc., a privately held company formed by Admiralty Partners Inc., was terminated. Goodrich will continue to operate Turbomachinery Products as an ongoing concern. Jun 23, 2006

Goodrich

Goodrich broke ground on a 300,000-sq.-ft. expansion of its Singapore-based nacelle/thrust reverser MRO facility. Expected to be complete in December 2007, the expansion more than doubles the size of the existing 230,000-sq.-ft. complex. Goodrich Aerostructures Service Center-Asia will occupy most of the facility. The company will relocate its Singapore-based Customer Services and Aircraft Interior Products service centers into the complex as well. Jun 23, 2006

US Airways

US Airways Launches 'Piedmont Pacemaker' With Throwback Aircraft Dedication. US Airways is pleased to christen its second 'throwback' aircraft today at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Jun 22, 2006