Airframers – Page 1518
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News
Boeing's third 737-700 undergoes 50-cycle test
An intensive Five-day series of simulated airline operations with the third Boeing 737-700 (YA003) was successfully completed on 19 July. The aircraft achieved 100% dispatch reliability for on-time departures and arrivals, says Boeing. The 737 was flown for 50 flights to 24 cities in the Southwest Airlines network, ranging from ...
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Arkia wants RJ115s to replace Dash 7s
Arkia Israeli Airlines says that it has selected the Aero International (Regional) (AI(R)) Avro RJ115 to replace its fleet of de Havilland Dash 7 turboprops, but the airline is yet to begin contract negotiations with AI(R). Arkia, which wants to order three RJ115s, has been evaluating replacements for ...
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First Boeing 777-300 is joined together
THE final body join of the first Boeing 777-300 fuselage, the longest airliner built to date, was accomplished at around 1.30am on 21 July at Boeing's Everett, Washington, site. The completed aircraft will be 73.8m in length, or around 3.4m longer than the 747. Despite the structural changes ...
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CityBird expands with two 767s and a pair of MD-11 freighters
Herman de Wulf/BRUSSELS CityBird is to expand its fleet next year with the acquisition of Boeing 767s and McDonnell Douglas (MDC) MD-11 freighters. The Belgian low-fare scheduled airline, which began operations earlier this year with two MD-11s on transatlantic routes, will take delivery of two 268-seat ...
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China Southern kicks off 777 transpacific ETOPS with US flight
Transpacific operations with the Boeing 777 were inaugurated on 21 July when one of China Southern Airlines' two General Electric-powered 777-200IGWs (increased gross weight) landed at Los Angeles after a 12h 37min flight from Guangzhou. The service began following 180min extended-range twin-engine operations (ETOPS) approval for the 777 ...
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Indonesian air safety goes into decline
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE A Garuda Indonesia McDonnell Douglas (MDC) MD-11 is undergoing structural repairs for damage caused by a tail strike, in the latest runway incident to hit the national airline. The mishap occurred in Hawaii on 21 June and is the third time in the past ...
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Maersk nears regional choice
Maersk Air's Birmingham, UK, division is close to selecting a new 50-seat regional jet to replace its BAC One-Elevens. Maersk Air, which operates services under franchise to British Airways, flies a network of services to various European destinations. Its fleet includes three 86-seat One-Eleven 500s and three 123-seat ...
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Continental selects GE
General Electric Aircraft Engines has confirmed that it has won a $600 million order from Continental Airlines to supply GE90 engines to power the five additional Boeing 777-200s, ordered by the airline in June, as well as CF6-80C2 engines for the 30 Boeing 767-400ERs the airline has on order. ...
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Northwest Airlines RJ85 order doubles AI(R)'s Avro backlog
Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON Aero International (Regional) (AI(R)) has seen its order backlog for the Avro RJ family doubled as a result of the $620 million deal with Northwest Airlines, which has exercised its options for 24 RJ85s. Deliveries are spread out over three years, however, so production rates will ...
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SkyWest to operate as United Express carrier
SKYWEST AIRLINES is to become a United Express carrier, operating flights from Los Angeles International Airport to destinations in California, as well as Las Vegas and Phoenix, under a marketing agreement with United Airlines. SkyWest is also a Delta Connection carrier, and has signed a new five-year agreement to provide ...
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Indonesia turns to Russia for supplies of new weapons
Indonesia is sending a strong signal to the US Government that it might purchase major new weapons systems from Russia, including fighter aircraft, in the face of growing criticism in Washington of its human-rights record. According to defence sources in Jakarta, the Indonesian Government has already signed a ...
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Risky business
The gambles associated with Macau Airport are beginning to pay dividends PaulLewis/MACAU To invest over $1 billion on an all-new airport for a small city of 400,000 inhabitants would appear to be a financial gamble, but Macau, having built its economy around the casino industry, is accustomed to ...
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Boeing/MDC merger is set to start on 4 August
Boeing plans to start its merger with McDonnell Douglas (MDC) from 4 August after constructing a last-minute deal to gain approval from the European Commission(EC). The EC Competition Commissioner Karel Van Miert announced approval in principle for the deal on 23 July, proclaiming victory after having secured a series of ...
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Air Canada may reveal 747 Classic replacement in August
Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON Air Canada is expected to place an order by mid-August for up to 20 widebodied aircraft to replace its fleet of Boeing 747-100/-200 "Classics". The airline requires aircraft to replace its older 747s on transatlantic services, and has been evaluating the Airbus A340 and ...
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Japanese negotiate with Rolls-Royce for Trent 500 engine role
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) are negotiating with Rolls-Royce to take a share in the development and production of the new Trent 500 engine for the planned Airbus A340-500/600. The two Japanese manufacturers are discussing using the Trent 500 programme ...
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Corporate Air deal helps to fill Ayres Loadmaster orderbook
Ayres has announced additional orders for its LM200 Loadmaster single-turboprop freighter, taking its firm orderbook to 67 aircraft, including 50 for launch customer FedEx. The biggest new order is from Billings, Montana-based Corporate Air, which has ordered ten, with options on an addidtional 20. Corporate Air has a fleet ...
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Operators shrug off FAA's 727 payload restrictions
OPERATORS ARE playing down the impact of payload restrictions to be imposed on Boeing 727 freighter conversions under four airworthiness directives (ADs) proposed on 14 July. The ADs, which cover over 300 727s converted from passenger to freighter configuration by third-party modification companies, will require operators to fit strengthened floor ...
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FAA accelerates 747 fuse-pin inspections
The US Federal Aviation Administration has re-issued an emergency airworthiness directive (AD) reducing the time allowed for replacing the engine/ pylon fuse pins on General Electric- and Pratt & Whitney- powered Boeing 747s. The action follows the discovery of a fractured forward fuse pin on an unidentified aircraft. ...
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Europe's JAA places Trent-powered A330 on ETOPS trial
The Airbus A330-300, equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 700s, will have to have several months of reliability exhibited before the European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) restores 180min extended-range twin-engined operations (ETOPS) clearance for the aircraft. The Trent-powered variant became the last of the three A330ss to be cleared by ...
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Atlantic Coast Airlines begins CRJ training despite ban
ATLANTIC COAST Airlines has begun pilot training on its first Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ), despite the lack of an agreement enabling it to operate the 50-seat aircraft on its United Express services. United Airlines' pilot contract now bars the carrier's commuter partners from operating regional jets. The ...