All articles by David Kaminski-Morrow – Page 134
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NewsPresidential Rombac One-Eleven donated to Romanian aviation museum
Romania’s national aviation museum has formally received a licence-built Rombac One-Eleven, formerly in the presidential fleet of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, donated following a 27 May auction. Rombac locally licence-built the UK’s BAC One-Eleven. The auctioned aircraft (YR-BRE) was manufactured in 1986 and served as the presidential transport from 1986 to ...
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NewsUK aviation regulators and accident investigators extend remit to spaceflight
UK civil aviation regulators and accident investigators are to extend their authority to the spaceflight sector under a new broadening of their remit. Under the new regime the Civil Aviation Authority has initiated a system allowing commercial spaceflight companies – with a variety of launch vehicles – to apply for ...
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NewsAirbus chief hints at frustration over supplier concerns with A320 ramp-up
Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury has revealed signs of irritation over apparent supplier concerns with single-aisle ramp-up targets, stressing that the airframer has been transparent over its production-rate plans. The airframer brought monthly A320-family production down to just 40 aircraft last year but is intending to take this output to ...
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NewsCondor ordering seven A330neos and plans to lease nine more
German leisure carrier Condor’s long-haul fleet replacement will include orders for seven Airbus A330-900s directly from the manufacturer. But it will lease the other nine to provide the overall total of 16 aircraft. Condor has not specified the source of the leased jets. Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury confirmed during ...
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NewsAirbus to base new A350 freighter ‘predominantly’ on -1000 variant
Airbus indicates that its proposed A350 freighter derivative will be a light hybrid of its current variants but primarily based on the -1000. It is aiming for a 2025 entry into service for the twinjet, after the company secured board approval for its development, but the airframer is yet to ...
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NewsAirbus board approves A350 freighter development
Airbus has secured board approval to develop a freighter version of the A350, as the airframer prepares for a commercial aircraft production ramp-up in the second half. Chief executive Guillaume Faury says the company is “enhancing our product line” with the A350 freighter derivative following the approval. “[We are] responding ...
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NewsCondor opts for A330neo to replace long-haul fleet
German leisure carrier Condor has selected the Airbus A330neo for a long-haul fleet-modernisation programme. It is to take 16 of the larger -900 variant, following approval from the company’s supervisory board. Condor says it will introduce the twinjets – powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines – from autumn next year. ...
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NewsYak-40 with superconducting engine begins test flights
Researchers have commenced flight-testing with a Yakovlev Yak-40 modified with a superconducting electric engine mounted in the nose. The aircraft is fitted with a motor, developed by materials firm SuperOx, and propeller as part of a hybrid powerplant demonstrator. This engine “complements” the aircraft’s two other functioning jet engines, the ...
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NewsS7 Group to set up new A320neo budget carrier for central Russia
Russian operator S7 Group is to establish a new low-cost carrier which will commence operations in summer next year. S7 Group says the airline division will exclusively operate Airbus A320neos, four of which are already due to be transferred to the carrier under a preliminary deal. It will serve inter-regional ...
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NewsOpposition and unions concerned government will abandon Mango
South Africa’s political opposition and aviation unions are concerned that the government is prepared to abandon South African Airways’ subsidiaries, including operator Mango, in order to remove potential obstacles to the proposed strategic partnership deal for the flag-carrier. Under a legislative act for special appropriations, signed off on 6 July, ...
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NewsWizz Air lifts aircraft utilisation as it aims for summer landmark
Budget carrier Wizz Air is expecting to increase daily aircraft utilisation to 10h as it ramps up operations over the summer. Chief executive Jozsef Varadi says the rise in utilisation means the airline is “getting closer” to its pre-crisis figure of 12h and more. The airline is maintaining that it ...
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NewsCondor secures approval for revised German aid package
German state financial support to Condor has been re-approved by the European Commission after the figure was revised in the aftermath of a court ruling on the way the aid was calculated. The Commission says it has approved two measures – comprising €204 million in damage compensation and €321 million ...
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NewsReunion’s Air Austral receives first A220
French island territory Reunion’s operator Air Austral has become the latest Airbus A220 operator with the delivery of its first of the type. The A220-300 twinjet (F-OLAV), powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engines, is one of three to be introduced by the Indian Ocean carrier. Air Austral has configured ...
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NewsEASA clears A220-300 to take up to 149 passengers
European authorities have formally approved a hike in the Airbus A220-300’s maximum seating to 149 passengers, contingent on an overwing exit slide modification. The aircraft had previously been limited to 145 seats. Air France is planning to introduce its first A220-300 with a layout of 148 seats, due to be ...
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NewsVolga-Dnepr expresses interest in freighter version of MC-21
Russian logistics specialist Volga-Dnepr Group has expressed interest in the potential for a freighter version of the Irkut MC-21. Representatives of the cargo firm toured the MC-21 during the MAKS 2021 Moscow air show. The MC-21 family is designed for passenger layouts of 150-211 seats. But Volga-Dnepr notes the “wide ...
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NewsCanadian investigators take over probe into Air Baltic A220 engine incident
Canadian investigators are to probe an engine-control incident involving an Air Baltic Airbus A220-300 during which both powerplants shut down after the aircraft touched down in Copenhagen. Danish authorities have delegated the investigation into the 11 July incident to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. The board says the twinjet ...
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NewsAzimuth agreement is A220's first from Russia since local certification
Russian carrier Azimuth’s agreement to take Airbus A220s is the first from one of the country’s airlines since the twinjet family quietly secured certification from the federal aviation regulator Rosaviatsia. Airbus obtained certification for both the A220-300 and smaller -100 from Rosaviatsia on 24 December 2020, according to the type ...
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NewsAttempt to steer with reverse-thrust preceded Taiga DHC-6 excursion
Investigators have determined that a Russian-operated Viking Air DHC-6-400 suffered a runway excursion after the crew lost directional control while attempting to use engine power to steer. Operating for regional carrier Taiga on 6 June, the aircraft (RA-67264) had touched down on runway 22, at Nogliki in the Sakhalin region, ...
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NewsIcing emerges as prime suspect in An-28 double-engine failure accident
Russian investigators are focusing on icing in relation to the dual-engine failure which resulted in a PZL-Mielec An-28’s having to make an emergency landing in a swampy field, where it flipped over and suffered extensive damage. Federal air transport regulator Rosaviatsia states that accident occurred shortly after the An-28, operated ...
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NewsAirbus seals A220 flight-hour services pact with Central Asia’s Air Manas
Airbus has concluded its first flight-hour services contract in Central Asia with an A220 pooling and component repair agreement with Kyrgyzstan’s Air Manas. The airline has introduced a single A220-300 to its fleet, through a lease deal with GTLK, and has indicated plans to take a second this year. Air ...