ALTA member airlines traffic growth 15.2% in January
March 10, 2010
The Latin American & Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) reported its 32 plus member airlines recorded 15.2% growth in RPKs in January, on ASK increase of 8%, moving the load factor up 4.8 points to 77.4%. The airlines carried 12.2 million passengers in the month, for a passenger increase of 13.9%. Cargo FTKs were up a record 25.4%, a sign that the crisis is not over. Domestic traffic in January is the largest market for the member airlines, generating 7.950 billion RPKs with an increase of 18.7% y/y. Europe had the greatest growth with 2.196 billion RPKs for an increase of 23.25% y/y. Intra Latin American, with 3,963 billion RPKs grew 11.4% while North America with 3,383 billion RPKs grew 6.3%. Load factors were impressive, with domestic at 75.0%, Europe at 82.1%; Latin America with 79.9% and North America at 78.1%.
LAN Airlines operational update after the earthquake
March 10, 2010
Chile’s “model airline” reported an operational update on the February 27th earthquake yesterday, March 3. The report states that operations outside Chile and its subsidiaries, LAN Cargo, LAN Peru, LAN Ecuador and LAN Argentina are all operating under normal conditions with the exception of flights to and from Santiago. Obviously, as of February 27 commercial flights were suspended until March 2 when LAN was able to re-launch operations at the Santiago airport. Currently the largest airline in Latin America is operating 45% of its scheduled flights at Santiago, both domestic and international, and expects to be at 60% by March 7.
Dassault Falcon Launches Major New Strategy for Its Worldwide Service Center Network
March 10, 2010
(Teterboro, New Jersey, March 5, 2010) — In an effort to deliver an industry leading
service center experience to Falcon customers, Dassault recently undertook a major
review of both its Company Owned and Authorized Service Center (ASC) network.
“Our overall objective is pretty simple,” said Jacques Chauvet, Senior Vice President of
Worldwide Customer Service for Dassault Falcon. “We must improve the service
experience for Falcon owners, no matter where they are based and wherever they fly. To
do this, we will expand what we call our ‘footprint’ of service.”
Currently, Dassault Falcon has five Company Owned Service Centers and 26 Authorized
Service Centers (ASC) strategically located throughout the world. In addition, the
company recently added five Satellite Service Stations with ‘GoTeams’ positioned on
four continents.
At the time the traditional Falcon ASCs were established, the basic philosophy was that
each center needed to meet an ultimate level of requirements in terms of equipment and
services to support all Falcon models, up to and including “C” inspections. While this
philosophy works well in areas with large Falcon populations such as Europe and the
United States, it proved less practical in some of the new, emerging markets for business
jets.
Chauvet continued, “We are now putting in place a stronger, more vibrant network that
will allow ASCs to specialize in one or two aircraft models if they choose or to support
all Falcon models through all phases of maintenance. What our customers will see is a
more specialized approach that will provide a quicker reaction to their needs.”
The new Dassault Falcon ASC structure will be divided into three categories: Heavy,
Major and Line maintenance.
· “Heavy Service Centers” will provide comprehensive customer support for all
Falcon models and hold local regulatory approvals as well as those from the FAA
and EASA. Most of the ASCs in North America and many in Europe fall into this
category offering a complete line of services including all levels of maintenance
and inspections, Rapid Response AOG teams, refurbishments and upgrades.
· “Major Service Centers” will provide comprehensive support for Falcons of a
particular model series and hold local regulatory approvals as well as those from
the FAA and EASA. Services will typically include all maintenance including
AOG service and inspections through a ‘C’ check. Five centers located in
Finland, Germany, Singapore, South Africa, and the U.S. fall into this category.
· “Line Service Centers” will provide support for specific Falcon models and hold a
minimum of local regulatory approvals. Services include what is typically called
line maintenance up through A and A+ checks. Thirteen centers around the globe
fall into this category.
“Under this new approach, a wider group of quality service providers are candidates to be
included in the Falcon ASC network,” said Frank Youngkin, Vice President of Customer
Service for the Western Hemisphere. “We can now add smaller ‘Line Service Centers’ in
areas that experience a high level of transient traffic but with few aircraft based in the
area.”
Satellite Service Stations and More GoTeams Launched
To further enhance Dassault’s “footprint of service” Dassault Falcon has introduced
company owned Satellite Service Stations. These facilities are an extension of an
existing Company owned service center and are staffed with technicians, AOG support
tooling and a targeted inventory of spares.
“This is a valuable new program that will directly and indirectly benefit all of our
operators in many ways,” said Pierre Thielin, Vice President Customer Service for the
Eastern Hemisphere. “It allows us to be closer to our customers and to respond more
rapidly to their needs. It will also increase available resources at our company owned
service centers to respond to AOG situations.”
The Satellite Service Stations will support basic line maintenance up through A
inspections. Each will be staffed with an AOG GoTeam which will provide rapid mobile
response directly to an aircraft location with the parts and tools necessary to get an
operator’s Falcon flying with minimal delay.
The first such facility in the United States was opened recently in St. Louis, Missouri.
Other sites currently in operation are located in Nice, France; Rome, Italy; Moscow,
Russia and London, United Kingdom.
Currently other locations for Satellite Service Stations are being considered in the
Northeast, Southeast and Western United States.
In unveiling the new customer services strategies at Dassault Falcon, Chauvet was quick
to credit the strong guidance coming from the company’s Worldwide Operator Advisory
Board (OAB). “This Board represents a cross section of all Falcon operators from around
the world and has been instrumental in helping us set priorities,” said Chauvet.
Air India Signs Agreement To Become GEnx Service Provider
March 9, 2010
HYDERABAD, INDIA – March 4, 2010 – GE Aviation and India’s national
carrier Air India have signed a GE Branded Services Agreement (GBSA)
under which GE Aviation will provide technical support as Air India
offers maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for the GEnx-1B
engine and further advances its plans to become a global MRO service
provider.
Under the GBSA, Air India will be licensed to perform maintenance and
overhaul work on the GEnx-1B engine. GE will provide Air India with
assistance on overhaul workscoping and component repair licenses,
comprehensive material support and training.
The GEnx-1B engine will power Boeing’s 787 aircraft. Air India has 27
GEnx-1B-powered Boeing 787 aircraft ordered.
Air India has been overhauling jet engines for more than four decades.
During this time, Air India has handled various jet engine models and
has acquired expertise in overhauling jet engines at low cost while
maintaining high standards of quality. The facility not only caters to
the entire widebody aircraft of Air India consistently, but also carries
out third party work for customers situated all across the globe.
“Air India envisages a state-of-the-art facility catering to GE90 and
GEnx engines, including a new engine test facility. Our strong
collaboration with GE will enhance the visibility of the facility in the
world and will result in India becoming one of the major engine MRO
players. Further, advanced repair technology will also come to the
country by way of this agreement,” said Arvind Jadhav, Chairman and
Managing Director, Air India.”
“GE Aviation is excited to work with Air India as it expands its MRO
capabilities to the GEnx-1B engine,” said Tom Gentile, president and
chief executive officer of GE Aviation Services. “Air India will offer
OEM material and overhaul support to GEnx-1B engine customers in the
region to help them keep their engines in top condition.”
With about 1,300 engines sold to date, the GEnx is the fastest-selling
engine in GE’s history Based on the proven architecture of the GE90, the
GEnx engine will succeed GE’s CF6 engine. Compared to the CF6 engine,
the GEnx engine will offer 15 percent improved fuel efficiency, which
translates to 15 percent less CO2. The engine achieves these
improvements with aerodynamic advancements that enable higher pressures
and improved energy extraction from a more compact core architecture
that has significantly fewer parts.
The GEnx’s innovative twin-annular pre-swirl, TAPS, combustor will
dramatically reduce NOx gases as much as 60 percent below today’s
regulatory limits and other regulated gases as much as 90 percent. Based
on the ratio of decibels to pounds of thrust, the GEnx will be the
quietest engine GE has produced due to the large, more efficient fan
blades that operate at a slower tip speed, resulting in about 30 percent
lower noise levels. The GEnx will be the world’s only jet engine with
both a front fan case and fan blades made of carbon fiber composites.
Using the same material on the fan case and fan blades enables more
precise thermal matching, further enhancing aerodynamic efficiency.
Learn more about the GEnx engine by visiting:
http://www.ge.com/news/genx_video.html.
IHI of Japan, Avio SpA. of Italy, Volvo Aero of Sweden, MTU of Germany,
TechSpace Aero of Belgium, Snecma (SAFRAN Group) of France and Samsung
Techwin of Korea are revenue-sharing participants in the GEnx program.
Air India is the pioneer airline in India and has been in operation
since 1932. The airline operated its first international flight in June
1948. Air India, which is inducting new aircraft to modernize its fleet
and expand operations, has 159 aircraft, including the state-of-the-art
Boeing 777s, Airbus A321s, Airbus A319s and Boeing 737-800 in its fleet.
Boeing 787 aircraft are expected to join the fleet in 2011. Air India
flies to 62 destinations in India and 51 destinations around the world.
Air India has a strong technical base and its engineering facility
includes maintenance of aircraft, overhaul of engines, repair and
overhaul of components, accessories and avionics. Thus the airline can
provide all technical support to its fleet. Air India has well-trained,
skilled technical manpower to carry out all complex tasks connected with
civil aviation maintenance.
Cessna’s Citation Mustang Makes Public Debut at India Aviation
March 9, 2010
HYDERABAD, India, March 3, 2010 Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today the Citation Mustang just completed its first customer demonstration tour throughout India on its way to make its public debut in India at India Aviation 2010 at Begumpet Airport (VOHY) in Hyderabad, India.
“There is a lot of interest in the Mustang around India and it was well received during its first tour in the area,” said Todd Duhnke, Cessna’s director of International Sales. “India is a growing market for general aviation. We believe there is potential growth in the area for the entire line of Cessna products as this region continues to embrace the advantages of general aviation,” he said.
Cessna recently rolled out the 300th Citation Mustang from its facility in Independence, Kan. It will be delivered later this year to a retail customer in Australia.
The Citation Mustang is the world’s first fully certified entry-level business jet. It was announced at the 2002 National Business Aviation Association convention and made its first flight in April 2005. The first Citation Mustang was delivered in April 2007.
Coming in at just over $3 million (2010 delivery), the Mustang features Garmin avionics, Pratt & Whitney Canada engines and boasts a range of 1,200-nautical miles.
CFM Opens New CFM56 Training Center in Hyderabad
March 9, 2010
2007, CFM International (CFM) today formally opened the new CFM56 Training Center here.
The Hyderabad facility, the fourth such engine maintenance training center for CFM56
customers worldwide, has the capacity to train 500 engineers annually and mirrors those in
China, France, and the United States.
There are currently more than 500 CFM56 engines in service in India and Southern Asia,
including Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka, power Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft. The
first students are scheduled to begin training the week of March 8, 2010.
This new state-of-the-art training center, which will be fully certified by the Indian Directorate
General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), will represent an investment of approximately $15 million U.S.
by CFM over the next decade, including initial start-up costs.
“It gives me great pleasure to open this new CFM56 training center on behalf of CFM,” said Eric
Bachelet, president and CEO of CFM International. “We felt that Hyderabad in general, and the
Rajiv Gandhi Airport in particular, was the logical location for this new facility. The area is rapidly
establishing itself as a regional leader for excellence in aviation and we are proud to be part of
it. This CFM facility will provide extensive maintenance training that we believe is simply
unequalled in the region.”
The newest CFM56 Training Center will provide advanced hands-on courses in line
maintenance and borescope inspection for CFM56-7B and CFM56-5B engines, which power
Boeing Next-Generation 737 and Airbus A320 families aircraft, respectively. In addition to Indian
operators, the facility will also provide training to students from such near-by regions as the Gulf
states, the Middle East, and Far Eastern countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and the
Philippines.
CFM, a 50/50 joint company between France’s Snecma (Safran Group) and the General
Electric Company of the United States, is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial
aircraft engines. Since the company was founded in 1974, it has delivered more than 20,250
engines to more than 500 operators around the globe.
Nova Companhia Aerea no Brasil
March 9, 2010
A companhia aérea portuguesa de voos fretados White Airways deve ser a próxima estrangeira a voar entre a Europa e o Nordeste do Brasil. Os pilotos da White Airways treinam para operar o modelo A310, da Airbus, para 200 passageiros. A Anac informou que o Diário Oficial da União publica hoje a autorização para funcionamento jurídico da White, que ainda precisa do certificado operacional e a concessão da Anac.
Major General Chuck Swannack Joins Ranger International as C.O.O. of its U.S. Logistics Subsidiary
March 2, 2010
GREENVILLE, S.C. – March 1, 2010–Ranger International Services Group, a private equity consolidator specializing in government services, announces the appointment of Major General (US Army, retired) Chuck Swannack as the Chief Operating Officer of its wholly owned subsidiary US Logistics. US Logistics is a government outsourcing contractor specialized in tactical vehicle overhauls and repairs, technical staffing, base logistics, and aircraft technical services. General Swannack retired from the US Army in 2005 after 33 years of service, culminating as the Commander of the fabled 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. As the new Chief Operating Officer of US Logistics, Swannack will help guide the continuing aggressive growth of that award winning company, with constant vigilance on quality, safety, and F.A.R. compliance. US Logistics has strong backing from large institutional shareholders, and a deeply experienced management team at multiple levels which Swannack now joins in the COO role.
MG Swannack served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and led elements of the division in the advance to Baghdad and in the succeeding year in western Iraq. MG Swannack is a 1971 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served in progressive leadership and staff positions throughout his distinguished career. Since leaving active duty, MG Swannack has mentored US Army Reserve and Army National Guard senior military leaders in soon to be deployed units to help prepare them for the rigors of combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Chuck Swannack said: “I am proud and enthused to join this fine organization. Our commitment to our customers and to our own people is simple, to be the best we can be every day. We’re on the move, we’re growing steadily, and US Logistics is very good at its job. I met most of our major customers just last week at an AUSA gathering, and they all know how committed we are to serving their technical services needs with high quality and cost-effective pricing.”
SECOND GULFSTREAM G650 FLIES FOR FIRST TIME
March 2, 2010
Two G650 Test Articles Airborne Simultaneously
SAVANNAH, Ga., February 26, 2010 — Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), announced today that a second ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G650 has completed its first flight.
The second test article — known as T2 — took off from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport at 12:50 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25, with senior experimental test pilots Gary Freeman and Scott Buethe in the cockpit. The aircraft flew for 2 hours and 33 minutes, reaching an altitude of 37,000 feet (11,278 m) and a speed of Mach 0.80 before landing back in Savannah.
In a company first, both G650 flight-test aircraft — T2 and T1 — were airborne simultaneously and were tracked by dual telemetry facilities in real time.
“T2 performed extremely well during the initial tests of its integrated flight control system and handling,” said Pres Henne, senior vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream. “We plan to make half a dozen flights to assess basic system functionality before proceeding to more intensive testing.”
“The conditions were very gusty and blustery, yet T2, like T1, handled great,” said Freeman. “To control the aircraft precisely requires small, light control input from the pilot. It’s an easy jet to fly.”
The G650 flight-test and certification plan involves five aircraft and an estimated 1,800 hours of testing. Each aircraft is used for a specific series of tests, with T1 focused on performance and flight controls, T2 on systems and T3 on avionics. The two production aircraft in the test program — P1 and P2 — will be used to evaluate the interior systems and reduced vertical separation minimums (RVSMs), respectively.
T1, which spent approximately six hours in the air on Thursday, has completed 18 flights over more than 43 hours. The aircraft has reached a maximum speed of Mach 0.90 and a top altitude of 47,000 feet (14,326 m). Test pilots are progressively opening the flight envelope in conjunction with load testing of a ground-test airframe designated S6.
Gulfstream expects to receive concurrent G650 certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in 2011.
Gulfstream announced the G650 program on March 13, 2008. On Sept. 29, 2009, the aircraft rolled out under its own power in front of a crowd of more than 7,000 people. It completed its first flight on Nov. 25, 2009, and remains on schedule for entry-into-service in 2012.
The G650 offers the longest range at the fastest speed in its class. Powered by best-in-class Rolls-Royce BR725 engines, the business jet is capable of traveling 7,000 nautical miles (12,964 km) at Mach 0.85 and has a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925.
Colombia and Panama sign Open Skies agreement
March 2, 2010
At meetings held by the Civil Aviation Authorities of Colombia and Panama in San Andres, the two countries have signed a passenger Open Skies agreement. which at this time does not include cargo. But it does open up opportunities for airlines from both countries to expand their presence in the market, offering fifth freedom rights to points in the US, Central America and the Caribbean.
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