Aircraft News October 2005.

Japanese engineers have tested a small, unmanned model of a supersonic passenger jet in Australia. The 38-foot model reached a speed of Mach 2, or about 1,350 mph, and officials said the test went as planned. This is a second attempt. The original prototype crashed in 2002. Japan hopes its plan to build a supersonic jet will push it to the front of the global aircraft industry. A supersonic passenger jet could be flying again by 2025. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9649821 Oct 24, 2005

Technology to detect wake vortexes could boost runway capacity. A Connecticut company is developing new technology to help air traffic controllers determine how close airplanes can safely follow each other. Giant laser "ears" can find the airplanes' wake vortexes -- horizontal tornadoes near each wingtip. Flight Safety Technologies is testing its system now and hopes to have it in place by next year. The system would tell controllers when the wake vortex is not dangerous, which could boost runway capacity by 20%. Oct 11, 2005

Japan tests supersonic model in Australian outback. Japanese engineers tested a small, unmanned model of a supersonic jetliner Monday in Australia. The 38-foot model reached a speed of Mach 2, or about 1,500 mph, and officials said the test went as planned. Japan hopes its plan to build a supersonic jet will push it to the front of the global aircraft industry. It hopes to have a supersonic jet flying by 2025. Oct 11, 2005

Concorde crash investigators are examining a former Aerospatiale engineer as part of their case looking into the causes of the Air France tragedy five years ago. The engineer is the latest person to be investigated, following the announcement that Henri Perrier, former head of the Concorde program, was being examined along with Continental Airlines. The Concorde crashed shortly after take off from Paris De Gaulle Airport killing all 109 people aboard and four people in a hotel. Oct 24, 2005

Airbus, the European aircraft manufacturer, will source half its components from suppliers outside Europe to cut costs and increase global reach, it announced. Main beneficiaries will be China, Russia and Japan. Airbus, owned 80% by European aerospace giant EADS and 20% by the UK's BAE Systems, is outsourcing about 20% of components for the A380 to non-European companies. http://www.airbus.com Oct 31, 2005

Airbus is hoping for at least three new customers for its A380 next year. Chief executive Gustav Humbert said two or three new customers during 2006 would be good, on top of the three secured this year - China Southern Airlines, India's Kingfisher Airlines and freight carrier UPS. Airbus has so far received 159 orders for the aircraft from 16 customers. A second A380 has been tested, while the first has completed more than 100 test flights. http://www.airbus.com Oct 24, 2005

Second Airbus superjumbo jet starts testing. A second A380 superjumbo jet took off on its maiden flight Tuesday from Toulouse, France. The plane will test its four Rolls Royce engines, systems and materials. Airbus said it will test three more planes for cabin comfort, noise levels and alternative engines. Oct 19, 2005

Airbus parent to build part for Boeing 787. The parent of European jetmaker Airbus will build a key part of the rear fuselage of Boeing's 787 jetliner. European Aeronautic Defence & Space will build the plane's aft pressure bulkhead, a structural wall at the rear of the passenger cabin. Boeing outsourced the work to Vought Aircraft Industries, which included EADS among its second-tier suppliers. Oct 18, 2005

Airbus A380 prototype MSN001, is to fly from Toulouse to Frankfurt for airport compatibility verification tests at the end of this month and then visit Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane during the first half of November, finishing up at the Dubai air show which starts on Monday 21 November. The visits, which mark the first time that the Airbus A380 will be seen outside Europe, will give customers a chance to see the aircraft at first hand, and airports an early opportunity to check their preparedness to handle it in commercial service. The tests at Frankfurt will include taxiing around the airport, docking at a terminal and checking passenger boarding bridge positioning. They will also demonstrate ease of access for servicing vehicles, such as catering trucks, cargo-loaders, fuel bowsers and water servicing - both individually and together, as they would be positioned during an aircraft turnaround. MSN001 is presently a pure engineering aircraft, its cabin fitted with extensive flight-test instrumentation, measuring equipment and ballast tanks that can be filled with water to simulate the weight of a full load of passengers and cargo. http://www.dubaiairshow.org http://www.flightinternational.com Oct 17, 2005

Airbus takes superjumbo jet on the road. Jetmaker Airbus will take its A380 superjumbo jet on its first tour outside of Europe. The jet will fly to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in the first half of November and visit the Dubai Air Show in the second half of the month. Oct 14, 2005

European aid for A350 escalates trade dispute. Revelations by Airbus that it has received "legally binding" government funding for its A350 program have escalated a trade dispute between Europe and the U.S. The U.S. has asked the World Trade Organization to create a panel to decide its case. The EU took the same step in its countersuit. The U.S. believes Airbus receives unfair state subsidies to build its jetliners, but the EU counters that Boeing receives subsidies in the form of defense contracts. Oct 11, 2005

Airbus has finally confirmed the go-ahead for the revamped A330 to be known as the A350. It will be interesting to see what happens to the A340 and whether that receives what in fact is a mid-life upgrade. Planned to enter service in 2010, the A350 family will initially include two members. The A350-800 will carry 253 passengers in a standard three-class configuration up to 8,800nm/16,300km. Its larger sister, the A350-900, will accommodate as many as 300 passengers in a comparable three-class layout up to 7,500nm/13,900km. The A350 will initially be powered by General Electric's new generation GEnx 1A engine. An agreement with Rolls-Royce has also been signed to supply a new variant of its Trent engine series for the A350, the Trent 1711. A major feature of the A350 is a new composite wing built in the Airbus Chester factory. To date Toulouse has taken orders for 140 aircraft from nine airlines. http://www.airbus.com Oct 10, 2005

Airbus to build A350; offers not to accept aid. Airbus on Thursday formally announced plans to build the A350 and offered not to accept state aid to develop and build the jetliner. Airbus said it hopes forgoing the aid will encourage negotiations between the U.S. and European Union over aircraft subsidies. The A350 will compete against Boeing's new 787. Oct 7, 2005

European governments agree to withhold funding for A350. European governments have agreed to postpone funding the Airbus A350 jetliner while negotiations over aircraft subsidies continue with the U.S. Airbus is expected to launch the plane today. The U.S. filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization last year claiming Airbus receives illegal subsidies to fund the development of its jets. The EU countersued, saying Boeing also receives subsidies in the form of defense contracts. Oct 6, 2005

Officials debate flight rules for Airbus superjumbo jet. U.S. and European safety officials are debating how far airliners should fly behind the Airbus A380 superjumbo jet during takeoffs and landings. The plane's huge wings and engines create powerful turbulence. Airbus is expected to deliver the first A380 in late 2006. Some observers say the trade dispute over aircraft subsidies may escalate the debate. Oct 5, 2005

Three Japanese firms decline Airbus contract work. Citing commitments to Boeing, three Japanese manufacturers have rejected offers for contract work from jetmaker Airbus, Airbus Chief Executive Officer Gustav Humbert said. Humbert hopes Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Fuji Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries change their minds. Meanwhile, Airbus is talking with other Japanese firms. Oct 26, 2005

Boeing, Airbus fix cockpit door glitch. Boeing and Airbus worked for nearly two years with the Federal Aviation Administration to redesign locks on cockpit doors. In 2003, a Northwest Airlines maintenance mechanic inside an Airbus A330 jet pushed the microphone button to talk into his handheld radio, which unlocked the cockpit door. Boeing said it finished fixing doors on all affected jets last month, and all affected Airbus jets in the U.S. were fixed by September 2004. Oct 6, 2005

Jazeera Airways, the startup privately owned airline of Kuwait, has taken delivery of the first of four Airbus A320s. The carrier will use the aircraft to begin offering low-cost flights to destinations in the Middle East. Each of Jazeera's A320s will be configured in a 165-seat single-class layout. Jazeera's network includes Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Bahrain and Dubai. http://www.jazeeraairways.com Oct 31, 2005

South America finally has the Airbus A321 in service. TACA, based in El Salvador and one of the Continent's longest established and most stable airlines, took delivery of its first A321 aircraft last week, seating up to 194 passengers in a two-class configuration, and now operates 35 Airbus aircraft (nine A319s, 25 A320s and the one A321). Destinations include such long distance points as New York to the north and Buenos Aires southbound. http://www.taca.com Oct 3, 2005

Alaska Airlines says jackscrews are properly lubricated. Alaska Airlines has inspected the jackscrews on its entire fleet of MD-80 jetliners and says it has not found more jackscrews that lack lubrication. The airline found one jackscrew without enough lubrication on Wednesday. The inspection was ordered in late September after mechanics reported they found no lubrication on a jet they inspected. The Federal Aviation Administration also launched an investigation. Jackscrew failure led to an Alaska Airlines crash in 2000. Oct 11, 2005

Alaska Airlines jackscrew probe continues. A fleetwide inspection of Alaska Airlines jetliners revealed a jackscrew with inadequate lubrication. Federal officials recently began investigating reports that a jackscrew had not been greased. A jackscrew failure led to the January 2000 crash of Flight 261. A spokeswoman for the carrier said the jackscrew showed no excessive wear and that there were no signs the part was unsafe. Oct 6, 2005

Runway incursion forces American jet to abort takeoff. An American Airlines jet aborted a takeoff at Boston's Logan International Airport after another plane crossed onto its runway. The incident, caused by pilot and controller errors, was the second runway incursion in a little more than a week, and the 16th since October 2004. The chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Port Authority has asked federal officials to sanction controllers involved in the runway incursions. Oct 6, 2005

Air Atlantique will confirm delivery of its first ATR 72 whilst Eastern Airways, now with a 31 aircraft fleet, will be hard pushed to deny strong rumors that it is to make its entry into the London market next January using the very fast Saab 2000 from Newcastle to City airport. Flight time will be just 65 minutes, quicker than to Heathrow. Carpatair, based in Timisoara, Western Romania, another new member and with Swiss financial support, is expected to announce flights to London in 2006. Romania joins the EU in 2007. http://www.airatlantique.co.uk Oct 10, 2005

Bank of America aircraft financing posts heady growth. A boom in demand for corporate aircraft has boosted business for Bank of America's corporate aircraft finance unit. It has grown from $500 million in loans and leases to about $4.5 billion in the past 10 years. The business is now second to GE Capital in aircraft finance. Officials say the need for financing has increased as smaller companies become interested in corporate planes. Oct 13, 2005

Boeing expects to book more orders than Airbus in 2005. Boeing expects to book more orders for jetliners than its European rival Airbus for the first time in five years. The two manufacturers are competing for large orders from Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Emirates. Australian airline Qantas is also expected to place a large order soon. Oct 28, 2005

Intensive talks between Boeing, engineers to begin next week: Boeing and the union representing its engineers will start round-the-clock contract negotiations Tuesday morning. Union members are concerned about retirement and health care benefits, pay and job security, union leaders said. A four-week strike by Boeing's machinists recently ended. Oct 28, 2005

Boeing Q3 profits climb to $1.01B despite strike. Boeing said third-quarter profits more than doubled from a year ago to $1.01 billion. The company expects strong demand for commercial jetliners to offset declining Department of Defense spending. A four-week machinists strike caused the company's revenue to decline 4% to $12.63 billion. Company executives said the strike could affect deliveries for the next four years. Boeing missed 21 deliveries in the third quarter and will miss another nine deliveries by the end of the year. Oct 27, 2005

Boeing CEO sees systematic ramp-up of new jets: Boeing will take the upcoming boost in jetliner production "seriously and systematically," Chief Executive James McNerney said. In the next three years, Boeing also must start producing 787 Dreamliners and develop cargo and passenger versions of a 747 Advanced. McNerney hopes to avoid the losses and delays Boeing experienced during its most recent production booms. Oct 27, 2005

Boeing sells Ontario sheet-metal unit. Boeing has completed the sale of its Arnprior, Ontario, sheet-metal fabrication plant to Arnprior Aerospace. Terms were not disclosed. The sale was part of Boeing's strategy to sell units that make smaller parts. Oct 25, 2005

Boeing head to make rare appearance in announcing earnings. Jim McNerney, Boeing's chairman, president and chief executive officer, will make a rare appearance when he leads a conference call Wednesday to discuss the company's earnings. McNerney has kept a low profile since he was named CEO five months ago and is concentrating on "deep dives" into many projects in Boeing's three businesses. Oct 24, 2005

Boeing may accelerate production of 787 to keep up with demand. Boeing may boost its production rate on the new 787 to meet strong demand for the jetliner. Many customers would like early deliveries, a Boeing official said. The plane will use 20% less fuel than other aircraft the same size. It is scheduled to start flying in 2008. Oct 20, 2005

In Boeing's 787 production, another firm shows ties to Airbus: A Canadian firm partly owned by the parent of jetmaker Airbus will build a small part for the Boeing 787. European Aeronautic Defence & Space owns half of Composites Atlantic, the company that will make the part. This is the second Airbus link to the 787: Earlier this week Vought Aircraft Industries revealed it has subcontracted production of a part to an EADS unit. Oct 20, 2005

Boeing Field neighbors say "no" to Southwest: Neighborhood and business groups prevented Southwest Airlines from moving from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Boeing Field. The airline was trying to follow its proven strategy of flying from secondary airports, and executives say they still believe in their business model. Southwest also said Sea-Tac's per passenger fee has nearly doubled in the past 10 years. Boeing Field's cost would have been half of the current fee. Oct 17, 2005

Boeing, engineers union to start talks next month. Boeing will begin negotiations Nov. 1 with the union representing its engineers. The company is still recovering from a machinists strike that lasted a month. Boeing and the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace hope to avoid a similar strike. Boeing financial head James Bell said an agreement must be "within the economic envelope that's going to allow us to be competitive." Oct 14, 2005

Boeing financial head plans to stay with company. Boeing Chief Financial Officer James Bell said he plans to stay with the company. Some observers expected him to take a post with another company. Bell served as acting chief executive and financial chief as Boeing searched for its current chief executive officer, James McNerney. Bell also said he expects the U.S. and EU to settle a trade dispute over aircraft subsidies. Oct 13, 2005

Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner is to have a home, of sorts, in the UK. Alteon, the aircraft manufacturer's flight training arm, has confirmed that its Gatwick operation is to be one of three initial worldwide locations for a 787 simulator. The other two will be in Seattle and at a site to be determined in China. A further three 787 training locations are expected to be up and running before delivery of first 787s in 2008. http://www.alteontraining.com http://www.boeing.com Oct 10, 2005

Boeing to require smart labels on 787 parts. Boeing will require suppliers to place RFID tags on parts for the 787 before shipping them. The company wants a "robust, high-memory capacity smart label" for its parts, said Kenneth Porad, program manager for automated identification programs at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Boeing hopes the tags will improve its ability to track the parts and maintain service histories. Oct 7, 2005

Boeing's Q3 deliveries drop due to strike. Boeing's third-quarter deliveries dropped 7.5% as the company endured a machinists strike. The company may struggle to meet its annual delivery goal of 320 planes. Boeing delivered 62 planes in the third quarter; it delivered 67 jets in the same period a year ago. Oct 5, 2005

Boeing is a going back to work following the settlement of a strike at its Seattle, Portland and Wichita plants. The dispute, which stopped production for two weeks, did delay delivery of aircraft for a number of carriers but the knock-on effect should be minimal. Though they are not required to return to work until October 12, some workers are already back on the job. In November Boeing will start a new round of contract talks with the unions representing its engineers and technical workers. Those two contracts expire in the first week of December. http://www.boeing.com Oct 3, 2005

Panel approves Air India plan to buy Boeing jets. A government panel in India approved Air India's purchase of 68 jetliners from Boeing. The order, the largest by an Indian carrier, still needs approval by the Cabinet of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The order would be worth $8.1 billion, based on list prices. Oct 14, 2005

Air New Zealand has taken delivery of its first of eight Boeing 777-200ER aircraft in Seattle. A second Boeing 777 will be delivered November 8. Four of the new 313-seat aircraft will be bought and four leased from ILFC. The cost and maintenance of the fleet will cost NZ$1 billion. The aircraft will replace Boeing 767-300s and enable the airline to enhance its international fleet. ANZ has also doubled its 787 order and bought two more 787-8s, with delivery of all four expected in 2010 and 2011. http://www.airnz.co.nz Oct 31, 2005

New Zealand carrier boosts Boeing order: Air New Zealand has doubled its order for new Boeing 787 jetliners. The airline will now purchase four planes, each with a list price of $130 million. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Oct 28, 2005

Official rejects Boeing Field proposals by Alaska, Southwest. King County Executive Ron Sims rejected proposals by Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines to launch service from Boeing Field in Washington. He cited the increase in noise and traffic, as well as possible lawsuits and the need for funding from taxpayers. Southwest first proposed moving service to Boeing Field from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in July, and Alaska followed with a competing bid in September. Oct 12, 2005

ELAL, a privately owned airline, is to add a pair of 777-200ER to its fleet, after making a decision to stay as a dedicated Boeing operator. The aircraft are expected to replace 747s on the nonstop New York - Tel Aviv service. Configured three-class, flight time is expected to be around 10 hours 30 minutes. El Al was known to be considering a four-engine Airbus A340 as against the 777 twin, but clearly high fuel costs have swung in the Seattle assembled aircraft's favor. Other news from Israel is that Delta is to introduce a nonstop service to Ben Gurion from Atlanta next spring. Boeing 777s will be used. http://www.elal.co.il Oct 10, 2005

International Lease orders 20 Boeing 787s. International Lease Finance Corp. has ordered 20 Boeing 787 jetliners. The purchase is worth $2.4 billion, based on list prices. ILFC is the first major leasing company to order the new plane, and is the largest airplane lessor in the world. Observers say its endorsement is important to the success of a new plane. Oct 17, 2005

Qantas may purchase Boeing 777, 787. Australian airline Qantas may soon buy 777 and 787 jetliners, according to media reports. Boeing and the airline are close to finalizing a longer-range version of the 777-200LR that would allow the airline to fly from Sydney to London. Oct 3, 2005

Bombardier is halting production of its 50-seat CRJ200 aircraft, with no guarantee it will begin again. Work will stop on the jet in January and confirm the layoff of 660 employees in Montreal and Belfast. Production of the Challenger 850 business jet, and the CRJ700 and CRJ900 are unaffected as the manufacturer looks to build aircraft which are more in demand. http://www.bombardier.com Oct 31, 2005

Bombardier to delay decision on CSeries. Canadian jetmaker Bombardier has postponed a decision on whether to build the CSeries aircraft until after it meets with possible customers. The company said its board was expected to decide on the project in late October. U.S. airlines' financial problems are making it difficult for Bombardier to secure orders for the small jet. Oct 24, 2005

Continental picks GE engines for new 787 fleet. Continental Airlines said General Electric GEnx engines will power its 10 recently-ordered 787s. The order is worth more than $250 million, and deliveries will start in 2009. Oct 2, 2005

Delta Air Lines to simplify fleet for efficiency. Delta Air Lines hopes to rebuild its fleet around simple, fuel-efficient planes. Over the years, Delta has added 14 types of jets to its fleet. Now the airline plans to center its fleet on the 737 for short-haul flights, the 757 and 767 for longer domestic routes and some international routes, and the 777 for intercontinental flights. Oct 24, 2005

Finnair passengers will soon be able to share the delights of the Embraer 170, the carrier having taken delivery of the first of 12. The aircraft are configured with 76 seats and replace ATR 72s, allowing the Oneworld partner to develop into new destinations. Hong Kong Express last week became the first Asian airline to receive the 170. http://www.finnair.com Oct 3, 2005

Helios Airways, the Cypriot airline who suffered a major loss north of Athens on August 14, was involved with two scares last week, each of which turned out to be of a minor nature. On both occasions outbound flights from Larnaca were aborted, one to London and the other Glasgow. In each case the Boeing 737-800 involved, underwent a thorough examination and air test. The fact that the pilots turned back is an indication of the sensitive situation at Helios, which will probably not be resolved until the Greek authorities complete their investigation. What is clear now is that the aircraft crashed after running out of fuel, its two pilots unconscious and the plane on autopilot for more than two hours. http://www.flyhelios.com Oct 17, 2005

Pratt to manage spare parts for United Airlines. United Airlines picked engine maker Pratt & Whitney to manage its parts inventory and logistics for 217 engines powering United's 747s, 767s and 777s. Terms of the 10-year contract were not disclosed. Oct 31, 2005

New regional jets feature more space, storage. The new generation of regional jets are roomier and more comfortable then their predecessors, according to the Los Angeles Times. Airlines are quickly adding the planes to their fleets. United Airlines recently started flying the newer regional jets on dozens of routes. Its planes also feature leather seats, a section with more legroom and overhead storage compartments that can accommodate standard carry-on bags. Oct 11, 2005