Fleets – Page 945

  • News

    747-400IGW gets go-ahead

    1997-12-24T00:00:00Z

    Guy Norris/SEATTLE The Boeing board has given its civil-aircraft sales team authority to offer a growth version of the 747-400 with a maximum take-off weight of 413,140kg and a range of up to 14,245km (7,700nm). The decision is the first significant growth step for the aircraft since the ...

  • News

    737 production recovery disappoints Boeing

    1997-12-24T00:00:00Z

    Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Boeing "is not seeing the improvement anticipated" for its production-recovery programme on the Next Generation 737, admits Commercial Airplanes Group president Ron Woodard. The number of jobs behind schedule have stayed essentially static since October, despite Boeing's efforts to "rebalance" the 737 production line. Woodard ...

  • News

    Guarantee allows Garuda to receive 737s at last

    1997-12-24T00:00:00Z

    Garuda Indonesia will finally begin taking delivery of six completed Boeing 737-300/500s parked in the USA, following a long-awaited guarantee from the Indonesian finance ministry on lease financing. Delivery of the aircraft has been on hold since August after demands from the US Eximbank for a guarantor to agree ...

  • News

    P&W considers new rival for CFM56

    1997-12-24T00:00:00Z

    Guy Norris/EAST HARTFORD Pratt & Whitney has begun studies of an advanced-technology geared-fan engine in an initiative to re-enter the narrowbody market and challenge the dominance of CFM International. The study outlines an initial series of engines for the 107-156kN (24,000-35,000lb)-thrust range, and is based around the use ...

  • News

    Saab decides to terminate turboprop products

    1997-12-24T00:00:00Z

    Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH Saab is to discontinue manufacture of the Saab 340 and 2000 turboprops by mid-1999, shifting the focus of its civil-aircraft operation to support and finance of existing fleets, and to contracting for other manufacturers. The Swedish company is continuing discussions about the possible move of the production ...

  • News

    EC allows France to subsidise Sextant Airbus system

    1997-12-17T12:24:00Z

    The European Commission (EC) has given the go-ahead for a Fr140 million ($23.3 million) re-imbursable French Government subsidy to Sextant Avionique to help develop a flight-management system (FMS) for new Airbus aircraft. Sextant plans to develop the FMS with Smiths Industries under a memorandum of understanding signed earlier in ...

  • News

    CCAir concludes roll-over agreement to upgrade Jetstream fleet

    1997-12-17T12:16:00Z

    CCAir has concluded an agreement with British Aerospace Asset Management Turboprops (AMT) to replace its BAe Jetstream 31s with upgraded Jetstream 32EPs. The deal will also enable Charlotte, North Carolina-based US Airways Express to replace its ageing Shorts 360s. CCAir has signed an agreement with BAe AMT to take ...

  • News

    Next Generation 737 delivery encounters further delay

    1997-12-17T12:13:00Z

    Delivery of the first Boeing Next Generation 737-700 to Southwest Airlines has been held up again, this time because of last-minute modifications to the lateral trim system. The first aircraft was originally due to be handed over to launch customer Southwest in October, but this slipped to late November ...

  • News

    Fairchild rolls out first 328JET

    1997-12-17T12:09:00Z

    Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH Fairchild Dornier has unveiled the first 328JET prototype at Oberpfaffenhoffen, and is to begin trials this month. The aircraft has been created by the conversion of the second Dornier 328 turboprop prototype. Its first flight is due on 20 January, weather permitting, says Fairchild Dornier president ...

  • News

    Marketplace

    1997-12-17T12:06:00Z

    ++ Mexicana has leased an ex-Sunways Boeing 757-200 from Sunrock Aircraft, along with an ex-SAS Boeing 767-300ER from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS). The 757 was repossessed by Sunrock in September when the Swedish charter airline folded. Another ex-Sunways 757 has been leased to Britannia, by Tombo Aviation. ++ British ...

  • News

    MAS warns Boeing to raise 777X tempo

    1997-12-17T11:58:00Z

    Paul Lewis/LANGKAWI Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has reiterated that it is still interested in launching the proposed ultra-long-haul Boeing 777-200X, but in the wake of the recent slowdown in the programme, the carrier is warning that there is a limit to its patience. In March, the Malaysian carrier signed ...

  • News

    Latin sounds

    1997-12-17T00:00:00Z

    Geoffrey Jones/SANTIAGO Chile's two major airlines, LAN Chile and Ladeco, have been working together formally for some two years, since LAN Chile took control of its struggling domestic contemporary in 1995. The take-over has helped both carriers, with Ladeco consolidating its domestic market position while LAN Chile has been ...

  • News

    Airbus aids new A320 training in Singapore

    1997-12-17T00:00:00Z

    Airbus Industrie is to assist Asia-Pacific Training & Simulation (APTS) to establish a new A320 simulator training capability in Singapore, in an effort to improve support for the growing number of regional operators of the aircraft. Singapore-based APTS has ordered a single A320 full-flight simulator from Reflectone, equipped with ...

  • News

    Bavarian bank acquires Aero Lloyd

    1997-12-17T00:00:00Z

    A majority stake in German charter carrier Aero Lloyd is to go to the Bayerische Landesbank (BLB), the Bavarian bank originally called in to find new investors for the airline. BLB is negotiating to take 51% of the company, adding that investment in Germany's sizeable tourist market is a ...

  • News

    BA drops B/E Aerospace as IFE supplier

    1997-12-17T00:00:00Z

    British Airways is to ditch B/E Aerospace as its in-flight entertainment (IFE) hardware supplier and is expected to announce a tie-up with Hughes-Avicom International around 15 December. The contract could have eventually been worth around $225 million to B/E Aerospace. The UK carrier decided to re-evaluate its IFE programme ...

  • News

    Major Latin American carriers close in on short-haul orders

    1997-12-17T00:00:00Z

    Major airlines in Brazil, Chile, Columbia, El Salvador and Panama are expected to finalise big short-haul fleet orders soon. Combined orders and options for over 100 aircraft are expected from the carriers. Copa Panama is close to finalising an order to replace its entire fleet, which consists of 11 ...

  • News

    Sempati to revitalise fleet with ex-United 737s

    1997-12-17T00:00:00Z

    The owners of Sempati Air Transport are to acquire 26 Boeing 737-200s from United Airlines, in an effort to revitalise the financially struggling Indonesian carrier. Asean Marketing Investment (AMI) has reached an agreement with United Airlines to purchase the surplus 737s for use by the Indonesian regional carrier. AMI ...

  • News

    Varig converts 737 orders to create Next Generation fleet

    1997-12-17T00:00:00Z

    Guy Norris/RIO DE JANEIRO Brazilian flag carrier Varig is converting outstanding orders for 14 Boeing 737-300s into Next Generation -700 and -800 models and may eventually buy up to 32 aircraft as part of plans to increase the operational flexibility of its fleet. The bulk of the initial ...

  • News

    Air 2000 to expand long-haul operations with 767-300

    1997-12-17T00:00:00Z

    Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON Air 2000 is set to become a genuine long-haul airline in 1999 following the signing of a lease deal for delivery of its first dedicated widebodies in the form of the Boeing 767-300ER. The charter airline, which is based at Luton in the UK, has signed ...

  • News

    Challenge launches Omega DC-10 freighter programme

    1997-12-17T00:00:00Z

    Challenge launches Omega DC-10 freighter programme Challenge Air Cargo is set to be the launch customer for the Omega Air-backed McDonnell Douglas DC-10-40 freighter-conversion programme, with the acquisition of up to five aircraft, starting in 1998. According to company president Bill Spohrer, the Miami-based regional freight operator is ...