All articles by David Kaminski-Morrow – Page 65
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NewsEl Al 787 cuts flight time to Thailand with Saudi-Omani transit
El Al has conducted its first flight through Saudi Arabian and Omani airspace since recent agreements lifted restrictions on transit by Israeli carriers. The airline operated its LY083 service from Tel Aviv to Bangkok on 26 February, using a Boeing 787-9 – a flight which took about 7h 30min. Its ...
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NewsPratt-powered A321XLR undergoes cold-weather testing in Canada
Airbus has carried out several days of cold-weather testing of the A321XLR, having flown one of the prototype twinjets to northern Canada. The test aircraft – MSN11058, also known as FTV2 – departed Toulouse on 20 February for the airport at Iqaluit. It undertook a number of flights, conducting circuits ...
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NewsSmartLynx lands Australian approval for A330 operations
Latvian wet-lease specialist SmartLynx has secured authorisation to conduct operations from Australia, where is intends initially to use Airbus A330s. The company says it has received an Australian foreign air transport operator certificate. SmartLynx says operating flights to Australia has been “integral” to its strategic effort to extend its network ...
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NewsRolls-Royce presents opportunity for cost-cutting through synergies: new chief
Rolls-Royce chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic argues that the company can still afford to undertake further cost-reduction measures despite the extensive restructuring carried out during the pandemic. Speaking during the company’s full-year briefing on 23 February, Erginbilgic said the previous cost-cutting efforts had focused primarily on civil aerospace and had been ...
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NewsBluebird 737 freighter destabilised by ballast shift during Paris approach
Investigators are probing an apparent ballast shift on board a Bluebird Nordic Boeing 737-400SF during its descent towards Paris Charles de Gaulle. The incident involving the Icelandic-registered freighter occurred on 10 February, according to French investigation authority BEA, which is citing preliminary information from its Icelandic counterpart. BEA says the ...
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NewsOptimistic SAS lifts long-term financial forecast over strong demand
Scandinavian carrier SAS is reviewing long-term financial projections for 2024-26, with preliminary indications that stronger-than-expected demand will generate higher revenues and earnings towards the end of this period. SAS had previously estimated revenues of SKr49 billion ($4.7 billion) for 2026 but believes this figure will be greater, while it is ...
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NewsNew Rolls-Royce chief tears into underperformance and strategic weakness
New Rolls-Royce chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic has given a withering assessment of the company’s strategic and financial performance as it unveiled its full-year results. Rolls-Royce has been “underperforming for an extended period”, he said during a presentation on 23 February. “Cash generation is unsatisfactory. Our debt is still too high. ...
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NewsOmani government to permit Israeli overflights: ministry
Oman has become the latest Middle Eastern state to allow transit of Israeli aircraft, a decision which will enable a reduction in flight times for carriers operating Asian routes to and from Tel Aviv. The opening of Omani airspace follows several months of discussions between the two sides, and comes ...
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NewsRolls-Royce civil aerospace profits up but company 'capable of much more': CEO
Large engine flying hours for Rolls-Royce increased further last year, but remain 35% below the pre-crisis level of 2019, the manufacturer has disclosed. But it expects this gap to reduce to 10-20% this year following the easing of travel restrictions in China. Rolls-Royce large civil engine deliveries reached 190 – ...
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NewsConsortium to explore conversion of manure into sustainable jet fuel
Ten consortium partners are to investigate the conversion of agricultural residue, including manure and straw, into sustainable aviation fuel. The partners are participating in a four-year European Union-funded project called Circulair, formally launched at the beginning of January. It will develop innovative conversion technologies to turn plentiful residues into fuel ...
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NewsFlyr administrator pessimistic over creditors’ claims
Collapsed Norwegian carrier Flyr’s administrator believes there will be no funds available for non-priority creditor claims, once it has addressed those with greater precedence such as wage arrears. Flyr was placed in bankruptcy by an Oslo court on 1 February. Law firm Kvale held an initial creditor meeting on 16 ...
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NewsTajikistan’s Somon Air considers possible L-410 acquisition
Tajik carrier Somon Air appears to be considering potential acquisition of Let Aircraft Industries L-410s for regional operations. Somon Air says a delegation from the airline has conducted a familiarisation visit to the Czech plant of the company. It says representatives aimed to become acquainted with the production process of ...
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NewsPitch-up after tailwind shift led to SAS A320neo tail-strike at Split
Croatian investigators believe a late shift in tailwind preceded an SAS Airbus A320neo’s loss of lift just before touchdown in Split, leading to a tail-strike. The aircraft, arriving from Bergen, had been stabilised during an ILS approach to runway 05. But winds were varying from 170-245°, and a 10kt change ...
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NewsAtlanta firm acquires ex-WestJet 737-600s for teardown
Seven WestJet Boeing 737-600s have been divested to a US-based firm which will tear down the aircraft for parts. Aventure Aviation is picking up the twinjets which are in storage at a facility located in Marana, Arizona. The aircraft were all manufactured in 2005 and 2006. “We are constantly seeing ...
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NewsFrankfurt Hahn administrator issues new invitation to acquire airport
Frankfurt Hahn airport’s administrator has re-issued an invitation for potential investors in the German facility. Administrator Jan Markus Plathner says the invitation follows “refused approvals” and “new expressions of interest”, after previous options failed to materialize. A prospective bidder for Hahn, Swift Conjoy, had been discussing acquisition but did not ...
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NewsCRJ900 unexpectedly climbed and accelerated during cruise: safety board
Canadian investigators have disclosed that a Jazz Mitsubishi CRJ900 experienced an uncommanded climb and acceleration during a domestic service. The aircraft had departed Vancouver for Saskatoon on 13 February. Transportation Safety Board of Canada states that the incident occurred as the aircraft was cruising at 37,000ft some 60nm east of ...
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NewsEmirates prepares for A350 and 777X training with new simulator centre
Middle Eastern carrier Emirates is preparing for the introduction of its Airbus A350 and Boeing 777X fleets with a new pilot-training facility in Dubai. The facility, to be sited next to its current training centre, is scheduled to open in March next year. It will have six full-flight simulator bays ...
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NewsSiberia’s Yakutia restores ‘dismantled’ Superjet to flight
Siberian carrier Yakutia has restored an Irkut Superjet 100 to flight after extensive maintenance, giving the operator additional jet capacity. Russian lessor GTLK says the aircraft was one of two it leased to the airline which, is says, were in a “dismantled state” at the end of last year. Yakutia ...
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NewsRoyal Jordanian expands network as fuel costs weigh on full-year results
Royal Jordanian Airlines is looking to expand its network, as it seeks to reverse full-year net losses of more than JD79 million ($111 million). The Middle Eastern carrier attributes the performance – worse than the previous year’s JD74.3 million – to higher fuel prices, which accounted for a near-JD98 million ...
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NewsKorean Air-Asiana competition investigation focuses on four Seoul-EU routes
Korean Air’s proposed merger with Asiana is to be scrutinised by European Union regulators concerned that the tie-up will reduce or eliminate competition on Korean-European routes. The European Commission is opening an in-depth investigation which will focus on four particular connections from Seoul. Korean Air and Asiana both operate to ...