TUNISAIR PLACES FIRM ORDER WITH AIRBUS FOR A350s, A330s AND A320s
July 15, 2008
North African airline Tunisair, celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, has signed a firm contract with Airbus for the acquisition of three A350-800s, three A330-200s and ten A320s, as part of an important fleet development plan that will modernise and expand the fleet of this growing airline. With this acquisition, that follows an initial agreement announced last April, Tunisair is the third African airline to order the all-new A350 XWB. Tunisair currently already has 12 A320s, four A319s, and three A300-600s in operation.
The all-new, eco-efficient A350s will provide the right aircraft at the right time for the long-term development plans of Tunisair for long haul routes to North America and Asia. Meanwhile, the A330s will allow the airline to modernize its wide-body fleet and seamlessly enter the long haul market, shortly opening new routes to North America with the most modern and cost efficient aircraft available today. Furthermore, the A320s will allow Tunisair to renew and expand its regional operations with more efficient and cost effective aircraft complementing its current fleet.
“With this firm order, Tunisair underlines its positive business outlook and can now start putting its plans into action and prepare for the future, both nearer and further out, with the right aircraft,‘’ said Mr. Chettaoui, President and CEO of Tunisair group. “The A330s and later on the A350 will really allow us to develop our long haul market, while our A320 fleet, which is already performing extremely well, will be further expanded. And with these products, our customers will be benefiting from the most efficient and comfortable aircraft in the market today”, he continued.
“We are very proud of this renewed trust from Tunisair, which shows the value and strength of the Airbus Family concept, bringing operational commonality into their fleet and allowing for important cost savings and fleet efficiency,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus Chief Operating Officer. “Tunisair was one of our first customers. It has accompanied Airbus since its early days and grown with us. We are very happy to further strengthen our close ties well into the future”, he added.
The longstanding relationship started in 1980, when Tunisair placed its first order for an Airbus A300B4. It has built up its Airbus fleet, with the first A320 order placed in 1988, one of the first orders for the type in Africa. In another pioneering move, with the order in 2006 for the A319 Extended-Range, Tunisair was the first airline to start operating this aircraft type in Africa, benefiting from Airbus’ continuous efforts for innovation and technological advancements.
The A350 XWB (Xtra Wide-Body) Family is Airbus’ response to widespread market demand for a series of highly efficient medium-capacity long-range wide-body aircraft. With a range of up to 8,300 nm / 15,400 km, it is available in three basic passenger versions: the A350-800 accommodating 270 passengers, the A350-900 seating 314, and the A350-1000 for 350 passengers in a typical three-class layout. The A350 has the widest fuselage in its category, offering unprecedented levels of comfort, the lowest operating costs and lowest seat mile cost of any aircraft in this market segment. Powered by two new generation Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines delivering each up to 92,000 lbs of thrust, the A350 XWB Family is designed to confront the challenges of high fuel prices, rising passenger expectations, and environmental concerns. Orders for the aircraft stand at more than 350 from over 20 customers.
With a true wide-body fuselage allowing very high comfort standards, the A330-200 is able to accommodate seat and class configurations to suit the diverse customer requirements. It has a range of up to 6,750 nm / 12,500 km with a full passenger load. Its large under-floor cargo holds can also carry standard pallets and containers side-by-side. It also has the excellent operational flexibility necessary to serve a wide range of route structures, providing operators with very low operating cost per seat. Its proven record of economy and superior passenger comfort provides operators with a significant competitive advantage in the market today.
Orders for the aircraft stand at more than 500.
The A320 Family, which includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, is recognized as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. Each aircraft features fly by wire controls and all share a unique cockpit and operational commonality across the range. Around 6,200 Airbus A320 Family aircraft have been sold and more than 3,500 delivered to some 280 customers and operators worldwide, making it the worlds best selling commercial jetliner ever.
Airbus is an EADS Company.
Qatar Airways To Acquire Four Airbus A321s
July 15, 2008
Qatar Airways, the national airline of Qatar has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the purchase of four Airbus A321 aircraft. The agreement was signed at a ceremony at the 46th Farnborough International Airshow by Qatar Airway’s Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker, and Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders.
“Concluding this deal with Airbus for the additional A321 aircraft will further assist Qatar Airways in the rapid development of its regional network,” said Mr Al Baker. “Qatar Airways’ young and fuel efficient fleet of Airbus A320 family of aircraft continues to support the airline’s dramatic growth at a time when the airline industry as a whole is struggling with the impact of prevailing high fuel prices,” he added.
The Doha-based airline’s current in-service fleet consists of a total of 19 A320 Family variants, one A300-600R, three A300-600 freighters, 31 A330s, and four A340-600s.
“Qatar Airways’ attention to passenger service is legendary, so we are delighted to have it as a customer for the A321,” says Tom Enders. “We take great pride in our partnership with Qatar Airways which dates back to its inception in 1992. Qatar Airways is a world class airline and our partnership grows with these new aircraft order.”
Qatar Airways is one of the world’s leading airlines, with a fleet that comprises aircraft from the A320, A300/A310 and A330/A340 families including the ACJ corporate jet. Qatar Airways is also a customer for the 21st Century flagship, the A380 and is the largest customer for the
A350 XWB.
The A320 Family, which includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, is recognized as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. Each aircraft features fly by wire controls and all share a unique cockpit and operational commonality across the range. Around 6,200 Airbus A320 Family aircraft have been sold and more than 3,500 delivered to some 280 customers and operators worldwide, making it the worlds best selling commercial jetliner ever.
With proven reliability and extended servicing periods, the A320 Family has the lowest operating costs of any single aisle aircraft. Uniquely, the A320 Family offers a containerized cargo system, which is compatible with the world wide standard wide-body system.
Airbus is an EADS company.
CAE announces more than C$128 million in contracts at Farnborough
July 15, 2008
FARNBOROUGH, UNITED KINGDOM–(Marketwire – July 15, 2008) – CAE (NYSE:CGT)(TSX:CAE) announced today at the Farnborough Air Show, in two separate press releases, more than C$128 million of military and civil aviation contracts. The civil aviation contracts are for the sale of four full-flight simulators and training devices to Etihad Airways, British Airways, Bombardier and Embraer; and the military contract, valued at more than C$78 million, is for training support services to the Commonwealth of Australia. More detailed information is available in the two releases issued at 7:30 a.m. EST on Marketwire and on www.cae.com.
CAE is a world leader in providing simulation and modelling technologies and integrated training solutions for the civil aviation industry and defence forces around the globe. With annual revenues exceeding C$1.4 billion, CAE employs approximately 7,000 people at more than 75 sites and training locations in 20 countries. We have the largest installed base of civil and military full-flight simulators and training devices. Through our global network of 27 civil aviation and military training centres, we train more than 75,000 crewmembers yearly. We also offer modelling and simulation software to various market segments and, through CAE’s professional services division, we assist customers with a wide range of simulation-based needs. www.cae.com
Bombardier and Shenyang Aircraft Corporation Sign Contract Related to CSeries Commercial Aircraft
July 15, 2008
FARNBOROUGH, UNITED KINGDOM–(Marketwire – July 15, 2008) – Today, Bombardier Aerospace signed a contract with the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), a subsidiary of the state-owned aviation industrial entity China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC I), to supply the centre fuselage on the newly launched Bombardier CSeries aircraft. This agreement is another concrete example of the strategic business relationship that exists between Bombardier Aerospace and AVIC I.
“AVIC I signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Bombardier in April 2007. AVIC I attaches great importance to and supports the CSeries project and is willing to participate in this project as a risk-sharing supplier. Two days ago, Bombardier officially announced the launch of the CSeries program. Today, we are here signing the contract in which AVIC I / SAC will take part in the design, manufacture, assembly and relevant testing as well as after market support of four major work packages for the CSeries aircraft. I am confident that the cooperation between AVIC I and Bombardier will further promote the development of the commercial aircraft business of our two companies and contribute to the development of the global aviation industry,” stated Mr. WANG Yawei, Vice President, Commercial Airplane, AVIC I.
“Shenyang has a long and proud history as an industrial base in China, and we place aerospace as one of our key priorities,” said Mr. WANG Ying, Vice Mayor of Shenyang Municipality. “The goal of the Shenyang National Aviation and High-Tech Industrial Base – our industrial hub dedicated to the high-tech aerospace sector – is to be China’s largest single site for final assembly of regional jets, business jets, light aircraft and jet engines. On the occasion of this announcement between Bombardier Aerospace and AVIC I, we are pleased to offer our support to AVIC I as it invests in a new facility in Shenyang for its subsidiary company SAC.”
The contract announced today at Farnborough between Bombardier Aerospace and SAC is an integral part of a longstanding relationship between AVIC I and Bombardier Aerospace. Back in June 2007, the two companies announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a long-term strategic cooperation in the 90- to 149-seat commercial aircraft market. Both parties expect the outcome of this collaboration to result in mutually beneficial cost reductions and increased production efficiencies for their respective aircraft programs.
In July 2006, Bombardier entered an agreement that stipulated SAC would manufacture certain structural aircraft components for the Q400 aircraft that were previously sourced from Mitsubishi Heavy Industry (MHI) in Japan.
“Last year when we announced the MOU between AVIC I and Bombardier Aerospace we were confident of the long-term benefits to both companies. With the official announcement of the launch of the Bombardier CSeries aircraft program, the signing of this contract with SAC as a major structural supplier for our CSeries aircraft program is further evidence that this collaborative partnership was the right choice,” said Pierre Beaudoin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bombardier Inc. “Together, we will expand upon this supplier relationship and build a new, long-term strategic cooperation that will allow us to reap the benefits of working together on products that will more than meet the needs of the marketplace.”
“This is good news for everyone involved. Our Bombardier CSeries aircraft is a true game changer and, with the signing of this contract with SAC, we now have a major supplier for the aircraft’s center fuselage,” said Guy C. Hachey, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bombardier Aerospace. “Featuring the latest in system technologies and aerodynamics, the five-abreast CSeries aircraft family is specifically designed to meet the growing needs of the 100- to 149-seat mainline commercial airliner market, which is estimated at 6,300 aircraft over the next 20 years. We expect to be able to capture up to half of this market.”
For the SAC project, financial, technological and human resources are being deployed from both parties. Currently, 25 employees from China are working at Bombardier’s Montreal facilities.
Bombardier employs approximately 3,000 employees in China, participates in three manufacturing joint ventures (JV), has four whole foreign-owned enterprises (WFOE), and four administration offices in transportation; aircraft field service representatives; a parts depot in Beijing and sales representation for business and regional aircraft. Seven commercial airlines and government agencies in Greater China (including Taiwan) operate a total of 46 Bombardier regional aircraft (as of January 2007), making Bombardier an important supplier of regional aircraft to China. Bombardier Business Aircraft is the market leader in China with 41 per cent market share of the aircraft installed base.
About AVIC I
China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC I) is a large, state-owned industrial group. AVIC I has 47 large- and medium-sized facilities, 31 science and technology research institutes, and 22 specialized companies and institutions. It employees 230,000 people and its assets exceed $20 billion US. In 2007, AVIC I delivered $470 million US in subcontracted aeronautical products, with a 30 per cent annual growth over three consecutive years. Additional information is available on www.AVICI.com.cn.
About Bombardier
A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from commercial aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, systems and services, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2008, were $17.5 billion US, and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). Bombardier is listed as an index component to the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. News and information are available at www.bombardier.com.
Bombardier and CSeries are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.
DASSAULT AVIATION : Infotech Enterprises Limited and Dassault Aviation sign an MoU on MMRCA program
July 15, 2008
SAINT CLOUD, FRANCE and HYDERABAD, INDIA–(Marketwire – July 15, 2008) – Saint Cloud / Hyderabad, July 15th, 2008 – Infotech Enterprises Limited (IEL), a Global Technology Solutions provider, with global headquarters at Hyderabad and Dassault Aviation, one of the major players in the civil and military aviation industry, have signed an MoU at Dassault Aviation Headquarters in France to jointly collaborate and perform activities related to the Ministry of Defense, Govt of India proposed Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) offset program. This program is one of the strategically most important and largest Indian defense programs.
Under the agreement, Infotech will be a technology partner to Dassault Aviation and will provide business driven solutions performing engineering, defense related business process and IT services to help Dassault Aviation satisfy offset obligations. The term on the MoU is for 5 years period and can be extended by mutual agreement between the parties.
Mr. B.V.R. Mohan Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director, Infotech Enterprises Limited said that “Infotech is proud to be associated with Dassault Aviation and Ministry of Defense for this program. Having completed over seven million engineering service hours on Aerospace projects, Infotech has extensive knowledge in aerospace domain and offer a modular service concept that allows customers and partners such as Dassault Aviation to secure the services they need ranging from design to manufacturing stages.”
Mr. Charles Edelstenne, Chairman and CEO, Dassault Aviation said, “It is a privilege to work with Infotech Enterprises for this significant program which represents an important milestone for Dassault’s business in India. This MOU would go a long way in enhancing strategic technology expertise of Dassault”.
About Infotech Enterprises Limited – Infotech Enterprises Limited, (listed as INFOTECENT in BSE – Bombay Stock Exchange and in NSE – National Stock Exchange), a Global Technology Solutions provider, offers Engineering Services and Geographic Information Services to manufacturing, aerospace, transportation, telecom, utilities and government customers worldwide. Infotech currently employs over 7000 professionals across 25 global locations and is certified to SEI CMMi Level 5 version 1.2, ISO 9001:2000, AS 9100 and ISO-27001 standards.
Visit: www.infotech-enterprises.com to know more.
About Dassault Aviation –
In the past sixty years Dassault Aviation has delivered more than 7500 civil and military aircraft to 75 countries logging some 20 million flight hours to date. This unique worldwide experience has allowed Dassault Aviation to build up considerable expertise in the design, development, production, sale and support of all types of aircraft and a recognized and demonstrated know-how, innovative operational solutions as well as a pragmatic and dynamic approach to cooperation. Within the frame of a step- by-step approach initiated several years ago, it’s know-how in the field of systems technologies and airborne vectors allow the company to propose the best cost-efficient solutions to the users. Thanks to a pragmatic approach in its partnerships, Dassault Aviation has been able to establish a wide cooperation network with other companies, which is not only optimized for the success of today’s programmes, but also contributing to the synergy of tomorrow’s defence industries .
EADS’ A330-Based Tanker for the Royal Australian Air Force to Enter Final Testing
July 15, 2008
Preparations Continue for the Delivery of the First KC-30 Multi-Role Tanker/Transport to Australia Next Year
ARLINGTON, VA–(Marketwire – July 15, 2008) – The Royal Australian Air Force’s first KC-30B Multi-role Tanker/Transport is being readied for its final phase of ground and flight testing, which will clear the way for a 2009 delivery of the world’s most advanced aerial tanker platform to a key U.S. ally.
The KC-30B successfully completed Phase I flight testing in just three months earlier this year. During Phase I, the MRTT flight envelope was explored and expanded, aerodynamic and performance data gathered, and aircraft handling qualities validated with the full-up aerial refueling boom and wing pod systems installed. The KC-30B achieved all Phase I objectives, including demonstration that the modified aircraft is free from buffet and flutter throughout the flight envelope. The Phase 1 testing obtained all test data required to support civil certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
“The success of the KC-30B’s outfitting, flight testing and performance validation effort reflects the outstanding partnership between EADS, led by the Military Transport Aircraft Division of EADS, and the Royal Australian Air Force as we continue toward delivery of the first two aircraft next year,” said John H. Young, Jr., CEO of EADS North America Tankers — a business unit of EADS North America. “The significant advances of this program, in both development and manufacturing, will directly benefit the Northrop Grumman KC-45 Tanker and their customer, the U.S. Air Force.”
During the upcoming Phase II evaluations, the KC-30B will continue the ground and flight test program — leading to final military certification and qualification. Preparations for Phase II testing included the installation of an updated state-of-the-art Boom Enhanced Visual System (BEVS), the addition of the KC-30B’s Remote Aerial Refueling Operator (RARO) console and installation of military avionics systems.
In parallel, the transition of military tanker conversion to Australia for the subsequent KC-30Bs continues on schedule. Earlier this month, the Royal Australian Air Force’s second A330 departed the Airbus final assembly line in Toulouse, France and arrived at the Qantas Australian Conversion Center at Brisbane Airport. This aircraft will be the first of four KC-30Bs to undergo military conversion to full tanker configuration in Australia.
The RAAF KC-30B is equipped with the EADS fly-by-wire Aerial Refueling Boom System (ARBS), along with two underwing hose and drogue refueling pods. The advanced centerline boom and underwing pod combination enables the Royal Australian Air Force to support its own fighters, airlifters and AWACS assets, while also offering full aerial refueling compatibility with U.S., NATO and allied military aircraft.
EADS’ all-electric ARBS provides highly accurate, reliable in-flight refueling, with a maximum nominal fuel flow rate of 1,200 U.S. gallons per minute. A high resolution, panoramic and 3D-vision surveillance system enables the boom operator to remotely control boom operations from the cockpit during air-to-air refueling during daylight or nighttime operations.
Five KC-30Bs have been ordered by Australia. These aircraft have a high degree of commonality with the Northrop Grumman KC-45 tanker — selected by the U.S. Air Force to replace the aging KC-135 tanker fleet. This commonality ensures a low-risk approach for the U.S. Air Force tanker program.
The multi-role tanker/transport family is derived from the highly popular A330 jetliner. To date, more than 940 A330s have been ordered for civil, military and government customers, and the aircraft’s production rate is increasing to meet a growing international demand.
In addition to its acquisition by the Royal Australian Air Force, the A330-based tanker also has been selected by the air forces of the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, having been consecutively selected in the last 5 international competitions for next-generation aerial refueling aircraft.
About EADS North America (www.eadsnorthamerica.com)
EADS North America is the North American operations of EADS, the second largest aerospace and defense company in the world. As a leader in all sectors of defense and homeland security, EADS North America and its parent company, EADS, contribute over $10 billion to the U.S. economy annually and support more than 190,000 American jobs through its network of suppliers and services. Operating in 17 states, EADS North America offers a broad array of advanced solutions to its customers in the commercial, homeland security, aerospace and defense markets.
Boeing 787 Vice President Says Program is a Leap Forward on All Fronts
July 15, 2008
FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom, July 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The
Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) is making steady progress on getting the 787
Dreamliner global production system up and running.
Pat Shanahan, vice president and general manager of the 787 program,
reporting on the program’s progress at the Farnborough International
Airshow, said that the dedicated global partner network is one of the many
aspects of the 787 that are a major leap forward for the program.
“Often, when people think of the 787 what immediately comes to mind is
a more composite airplane. But it’s not just that,” said Shanahan. “It’s
the whole process, from a brand-new design using a new suite of tools that
burns 20 percent less fuel to bold innovations in technology to a more
comfortable passenger cabin and flying experience.”
He emphasized that sales continue to break records, with almost 900
orders to date. As of today, the program has 896 orders from 58 customers,
including yesterday’s order from Etihad Airways.
“This broad appeal has already translated into repeat business for the
787. In the last year alone, we received orders for 259 787s. Of that
number, 63 airplanes have been ordered by eight different repeat
customers,” he said.
Shanahan also stressed the program is making steady progress, from
recent production line moves to an important milestone called Power On,
which proved the functionality and installation of the airplane’s electric
systems, to being almost 100 percent complete on systems hardware and
software goals.
“My honest assessment is we worked the right priorities, made the right
decisions, and have a lot to be proud of,” said Shanahan.
With much of the focus on the first 787 Dreamliner, which is scheduled
to fly in the fourth quarter of this year, Shanahan outlined the next set
of key activities the plane will undergo.
“We are currently in the build-verification testing process, which
validates electronics and hardware on the airplane to make sure they are
functioning properly,” he said. “Things will really get exciting when we
fuel the airplane and start the engines and APU for the first time. After
that, we’ll move forward into gauntlet testing, which is a series of
ground-based tests where we trick the airplane’s systems into thinking that
it is airborne. Then we’ll conduct taxi tests and the airplane will take to
the skies.”
Shanahan also provided status on the robust testing program that has
been ongoing for nearly seven years as well as actions being taken to
prepare for certification and derivative development.
He concluded by saying, “The 787 Dreamliner is a fantastic airplane –
one that is already changing our industry, meeting customers’ needs, and
will soon be changing passengers’ expectations about flight.”
SOURCE The Boeing Company
TAM Honored in EXAME’s 35 Years of the ‘Biggest and Best’ Ceremony
July 15, 2008
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL BRAZIL
The company is a leader in gross operational revenue and stands out in
other categories in the 2008 edition of the award promoted by the magazine
SAO PAULO, Brazil, July 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — TAM was amongst
those honored in EXAME magazine’s ceremony commemorating 35 years of the
Biggest and Best Award, held last week, where it was chosen as one of the
Companies of the Year throughout the history of the prize (1997). The award
recognizes the 500 companies with the greatest achievement and
participation in the national GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080221/SPTH002LOGO)
Paulo Castello Branco, TAM’s vice president of Planning and Alliances,
received the commemorative trophy from the hands of the president of the
Board of Directors and president of Publisher Abril, Roberto Civita, and
from the executive president of Grupo Abril, Giancarlo Civita.
In addition to the tribute, the company is highlighted in eleven
ranking categories prepared by the magazine in the 2008 edition of the
award. It is the market leader and the gross operation revenue leader in
the Transportation and Logistics industry, the company is the 39th largest
company in Brazil and the 11th in the services industry, in sales.
About TAM:
TAM (http://www.tam.com.br) has been the domestic market leader since July of
2003, and closed June 2008 with a 48.6% of market share. The company flies
to 42 destinations in Brazil. With business agreements signed with regional
companies, it reaches 79 different destinations in the country. TAM’s
market share among Brazilian companies that operate international flights
stood at 75.3% in June. Operations abroad include TAM flights to 16
destinations in the United States, Europe and South America: New York and
Miami (USA), Paris (France), London (England), Milan (Italy), Frankfurt
(Germany), Madrid (Spain), Buenos Aires and Cordoba (Argentina), Santa Cruz
de la Sierra (Bolivia), Santiago (Chile), Asuncion and Ciudad del Este
(Paraguay), Montevideo and Punta del Este (Uruguay), and Caracas
(Venezuela). It has code-share agreements that make possible the sharing of
seats on flights with international airlines, enabling passengers to travel
to 64 other destinations in the U.S., Europe and South America.
SOURCE TAM
GMT Global Acquires Four Airbus A320-200s
July 15, 2008
Addition of Single-Aisles Expands Fleet to 22
DUBLIN, July 15 /PRNewswire/ — GMT Global Republic Aviation (GMT
Global) has acquired four Airbus A320-200 aircraft with a market value of
US$68 million, from Aercap Holdings N.V. The aircraft are currently on
lease until 2012 to TAM – LInhas Aereas, S.A. based in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The addition of the four single-aisles further diversifies GMT Global’s
portfolio to a total of 16 twin-aisle and six single-aisle aircraft.
TAM is a major Brazilian airline providing scheduled services from Sao
Paulo-Guarulhos to approximately 50 domestic destinations with an
additional two dozen served through alliances with regional carriers. The
airline has a fleet of 108 aircraft and has been the leader in the
Brazilian domestic market for more than three years with a 50 percent share
of passenger traffic.
The two-engine narrow-body Airbus A320-200 has been in production with
Airbus for 20 years; over 6,000 aircraft in the Airbus A320 family have
been ordered and over 3,300 delivered to more than 225 operators worldwide.
Paul Mason, Chief Executive Officer of GMT Global, commented:
“This transaction is an important development for us, as it expands our
fleet with single-aisle aircraft and also develops our presence in Latin
America, one of the fast growing economic regions. We will continue to
increase our portfolio globally, particularly as economic conditions
tighten, as this plays to our strengths as a value-focused aircraft
investor.”
GMT Global’s strategy is to expand its business by acquiring and
managing aircraft in the rapidly growing international aviation market.
There are approximately 20,000 commercial aircraft currently in service.
This is expected to rise significantly in the coming years. GMT Global
plans to leverage its unique industry expertise and key market
relationships to expand its fleet at all stages of the aviation economic
cycle.
About GMT Global Republic Aviation (http://www.gmt-aviation.com).
GMT Global Republic Aviation is an international strategic aviation
company. The Dublin-based firm acquires and manages commercial aircraft
with attached leases. GMT Global is managed by a team of senior executives
and staff with extensive world-class experience in manufacturing,
commercial-passenger, and air-cargo carriers.
SOURCE GMT Global Republic Aviation (GMT Global)
Boeing 777 Freighter Makes First Flight
July 15, 2008
EVERETT, Wash., July 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The first Boeing
(NYSE: BA) 777 Freighter, the world’s most capable twin-engine cargo
airplane, today successfully took to the sky for the first time and
completed an initial series of tests during a flight lasting more than
three-and-a-half hours. The airplane performed well.
“The 777 Freighter completed the scheduled three-hour inaugural flight
with no airplane performance-related issues,” said Dennis O’Donoghue, vice
president of Flight Operations, Test & Validation. “The only issue was a
data-communication problem between the airplane and the telemetry room at
Boeing Field.”
Boeing will identify and fix the problem to resume the flight test
program as soon as possible. Due to the data-transmission issue, the 777
Freighter was unable to complete all of the first-flight tests and was
returned to Paine Field in Everett, Wash. per Federal Aviation
Administration procedure. The original first-flight plan called for a
landing at Boeing Field.
The newest member of the 777 airplane family took off at 10 a.m. (PDT)
from Paine Field in Everett, Wash. It landed at 1:38 p.m. at Paine Field.
During today’s flight, 777 Chief Pilot Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann and 777
Deputy Chief Pilot Van Chaney took the airplane to an altitude of 18,000
feet (5,486 meters) and an air speed of 270 knots, or about 311 miles (500
kilometers) per hour, customary on a first flight. Typically, the 777s
cruise altitude is 35,000 (10,668 meters), and its cruise speed is Mach
0.84, about 484 miles (779 kilometers) per hour.
“This is the moment that thousands of Boeing employees have worked
towards in the design, build and test of the 777 Freighter. The airplane
handled perfectly,” said Darcy-Hennemann after the flight ended. “Being at
the controls of a commercial airplane on its maiden flight is a rare and
unique opportunity and it was a great day.”
The 777 Freighter, the sixth member of the 777 airplane family, will be
capable of flying 4,885 nautical miles (9,047 km) with a full payload,
making it the world’s longest-range twin-engine freighter. The airplane’s
range capability will translate into significant savings for cargo
operators: fewer stops and associated landing feeds, less congestion at
transfer hubs, lower cargo handling costs and shorter cargo delivery times.
“I’m very proud of our 777 team and what they’ve accomplished with this
airplane,” said Larry Loftis, vice president 777 program, Boeing Commercial
Airplanes. “By working together with our customers and suppliers we have
built the best possible new cargo airplane. I couldn’t be more pleased.”
The flight-test program will involve the airplane flown today and a
second one. The two aircraft will prove the airplane’s safety, reliability
and service-ready condition during approximately 270 flight hours and more
than 450 ground test hours.
Boeing’s plan is to earn certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration and Europe’s Joint Aviation Authority during the fourth
quarter and deliver to launch customer Air France shortly thereafter.
To date, Boeing has secured 78 firm orders from 11 customers for the
777 Freighter.
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