All articles by David Kaminski-Morrow – Page 164
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NewsRussian 737 operator Smartavia to bring in A320neos
Russian carrier Smartavia is to switch to Airbus A320neo twinjets next year, planning to lease three of the type to expand its fleet. Smartavia – which was formerly known as Nordavia – is an all-Boeing 737 operator, with 14 aircraft. Its fleet includes 737-800s and -700s, as well as a ...
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NewsEl Al obtains further deferral for final 787 delivery
Israeli flag-carrier El Al has obtained an agreement to extend the period for taking delivery of its final Boeing 787, pushing the date back to the end of March next year. The airline has 15 787s in its fleet and had already been granted a delivery deferral for the last ...
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NewsEl Al names Nashville energy firm director as new chief executive
Israeli flag-carrier El Al has named Avigal Soreq as its new chief executive, succeeding Gonen Usishkin who will step down at the end of January next year. Soreq is the chief operating officer of Delek US Holdings, an energy firm based just south of Nashville, Tennessee, and specialising in assets ...
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NewsIsrair sale trustee expresses concerns over Fortissimo bid
Israeli leisure carrier Israir’s trustee has expressed several concerns to the latest bidder for the airline, investment fund Fortissimo Capital, over its acquisition proposal. Fortissimo emerged as a bidder on 24 November but the airline’s trustee has sought an urgent meeting with the company to discuss problems with the bid. ...
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NewsEl Al survival remains in balance as losses top $400m
Israeli flag-carrier El Al has unveiled a pre-tax loss of $148 million for the third quarter alone, after revenues for the period sank by 94% to less than $40 million. El Al’s performance under the weight of the pandemic crisis brings its overall pre-tax losses for the first nine months ...
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NewsRussian government to create United Leasing with GTLK and VEB merger
Russian state leasing company GTLK is to be merged with state investment corporation VEB’s leasing arm to create a single entity. The plan has been disclosed by Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin during a 23 November meeting with deputy ministers which discussed the optimisation of development institutions and removal of ...
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NewsHow EASA’s 737 Max requirements differ from the US FAA’s
While the European airworthiness directive to modify the Boeing 737 Max for return-to-service are the same as those issued by the US FAA, some of the operational requirements will differ. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has invited comments on its proposed directive, which will enable operators of the twinjet ...
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NewsEASA expects to revoke 737 Max grounding in mid-January
Europe’s air safety regulator expects to publish a final airworthiness directive on modification of the Boeing 737 Max in mid-January, which will mark the formal revocation of the grounding order imposed on the twinjet. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has published, on 24 November, a proposed directive on the ...
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NewsIsrael’s El Al to open Dubai flights before year-end
Israeli flag-carrier El Al is to open services to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, the latest development between the two countries’ air services following normalisation of diplomatic relations. El Al states that it will offer 14 weekly flights to Dubai from Tel Aviv, beginning on 13 December. It will ...
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NewsChinese bank CDB’s Irish lessor orders cargo conversion of A330s
China Development Bank’s Irish leasing subsidiary CDB Aviation has ordered freighter conversion of a pair of Airbus A330-300s for operation in early 2022. The two aircraft will undergo cargo conversion at the Dresden-based EFW facility next year. CDB Aviation says the agreement to take the aircraft marks its “first entry” ...
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NewsAttempt to squeeze CRJ take-off ahead of landing 717 led to serious airprox
French investigators believe a controller unnecessarily attempted to optimise runway use at Strasbourg by allowing a Bombardier CRJ700 to take off while an approaching Boeing 717 was close to touchdown. When the 717 crew chose to conduct a missed approach, it came into conflict with the CRJ700 during its climb. ...
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NewsAeroflot names GTLK ex-head Poluboyarinov as new chief
Russian flag-carrier Aeroflot’s board has elected Mikhail Poluboyarinov, the former head of state leasing firm GTLK, as its new chief executive. He will succeed Vitaly Saveliev who has been appointed as the new Russian transport minister – while the former transport minister, Yevgeny Ditrikh, is taking over as head of ...
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NewsEASA prepares to issue own 737 Max recertification directive
Europe’s aviation safety regulator is intending to issue its own proposed Boeing 737 Max airworthiness directive before the end of this month, which will enable European operators to start returning the embattled twinjet to service. Owing to this decision to pursue its own directive, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency ...
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NewsFormer Russian transport minister to lead state lessor GTLK
Former Russian transport minister Yevgeny Ditrikh has been appointed to head the state transport leasing company GTLK. Ditrikh was succeeded in the ministerial role earlier this month by Aeroflot Group chief Vitaly Saveliev. GTLK has a leasing portfolio valued at over Rb1 trillion ($13 billion) across multiple transport sectors, including ...
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NewsUkrainian investigators join probe into excursion that wrecked An-32
Ukrainian investigators have disclosed that the crew of an Antonov An-32A freighter turned off a propeller-control switch before the aircraft was destroyed in a serious runway excursion in Peru. The aircraft, operated by Colombian carrier AerCaribe, had been arriving at Iquitos from Lima on 14 October. It touched down 1,225m ...
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NewsMoscow airspace overhaul aims to cut delays and shorten routes
Russian authorities are preparing to introduce a new airspace structure in the Moscow flight information region, as well as the regions to the north of the capital. The new structure will take effect from 3 December and is intended to improve flight efficiency across the huge territory. “It was necessary ...
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NewsPIA maintenance lapses meant ATRs had poor engine reliability
Investigators probing a Pakistan International Airlines ATR 42 engine failure, which preceded the fatal loss of the aircraft, found that engine reliability at the carrier was comparatively poor. The aircraft came down near Havelian in December 2016 after its left-hand Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127 powerplant suffered a blade fracture ...
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NewsPakistan ATR 42 crash inquiry finds crew’s licences were valid
Two pilots of the Pakistan International Airlines ATR 42-500 which crashed near Havelian four years ago were among cockpit crew initially suspected of holding dubious licences, but accident investigators have concluded their qualifications were valid. Pakistan’s civil aviation authority initiated an examination of pilot licensing records last year, finding evidence ...
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NewsIsraeli-Arab codeshare to feature in El Al-Etihad co-operation talks
Israeli flag-carrier El Al and United Arab Emirates operator Etihad Airways are to discuss closer ties which could include codesharing on their networks, as well as co-operation in maintenance and freight services. The two airlines have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore closer ties, following the normalisation of diplomatic ...
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NewsCrashed PIA ATR 42 stalled and inverted after complex engine failure
Investigators have determined that the complex failure of a Pakistan International Airlines ATR 42-500’s left-hand engine preceded a loss of control which developed into a stall, loss of altitude, and eventual fatal collision with terrain. At one point in the accident sequence the aircraft inverted as it underwent a full ...