Month: January 2008

AWAS orders 75 Airbus A320 Family aircraft

This orders was already announced last week, but to keep the “Orders&Deliveries” Category up-to-date, I’m posting it anyway.

The Dublin based lessor AWAS, one of the three largest aircraft leasing companies in the world, has signed a firm contract for 75 A320 Family aircraft bringing their Airbus portfolio to a total of 145, comprising single aisle and long-range aircraft. This is the first order announced by Airbus this year.
The A320 Family includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321.

Source: Airbus

2nd Airbus A380 delivered to Singapore Airlines

Ten days earlier than planned, the second production Airbus A380 (MSN005 – 9V-SKB) was handed over to Singapore Airlines on 11th January. Equipped with four Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines, the second aircraft for the first A380 operator follows the delivery of the first A380 (MSN003) that took place on 15th October 2007.
The 2nd A380 (MSN005, 9V-SKB) will replace the 1st A380 (MSN003, 9V–SKA) for the Singapore-Sydney flights. The first A380 will undergo regular maintenance checks and then will be used for crew training till the 3rd A380 (MSN006 – 9V-SKC) will be delivered. The 2nd and 3rd A380 then will be used on flights to/from London.

> Watch Video

The second aircraft is fitted with the same spacious and luxurious cabin-interior Singapore Airlines revealed on the occasion of the delivery of their first A380, also featuring 471 seats in three classes.

Singapore Airlines’ second A380 will join the first aircraft, which has been operating a reliable daily scheduled service between Singapore and Sydney since 28th October, operating around 15 hours per day with a 100 per cent technical reliability for over two months to the satisfaction of the airline and the passengers alike.

At the end of 2007 the first Singapore Airlines A380 had accumulated over 130 flights and around 950 flight hours. Its operation confirmed the excellent turnaround time and high ground operations efficiency, as anticipated. More generally the A380 has been acknowledged as meeting, and often exceeding, the commitments made to its customers in terms of range, fuel burn, noise, and cabin comfort.

Source: Airbus

Chinese Aircraft Look-A-Likes

I decided to create a list with aircrafts built in China, but looking confusingly similar to western types. I’m not generally claiming that they were copied. Some might have been built in license, some might use officially licensed parts.

This list will occasionally be updated. Please leave a comment if you know further types.

China Star CS2000
Looks like: Boeing 787

Comparison China Star CS2000 and Boeing 787

AVIC ARJ21
Looks like: Douglas DC-9 / McDonnell Douglas MD-80/90 / Boeing 717

Comparison AVIC ARJ21 and DC-9
Comparison AVIC ARJ21-700 and DC-9-10

Shanghai Y-10 (canceled in 1983)
Looks like: Boeing 707-320

Comparison Shanghai Y-10 and Boeing 707-320

Xian MA60
Looks like: Antonov An-26

Comparison Xian MA60 and Antonov An-26

Chengdu JF-17/FC-1
Looks like: Northrop F-20 Tigershark

Comparison JF-17/FC-1 and Northrop F-20 Tigershark

Chengdu J-10
Looks like: Israel IAI Lavi B

Comparison Chengdu J-10 and Israel IAI Lavi B

Changhe Z11
Looks like: Eurocopter AS-350 Ecureuil

Comparison Changhe Z11 and Eurocopter AS-350 Ecureuil

Changhe Z8
Looks like: Aérospatiale Super Frelon

Comparison Changhe Z8 and Aérospatiale Super Frelon

Photo Credits:
China Star CS2000 by: carnoc.com; Boeing 787 by: Boeing; ARJ21 by: AVIC; DC-9 by: Paul Robbins; Shanghai Y-10 by: Taecoxu; Boeing 707 by: Gerard Helmer; Xian MA60 by: AVICI; Antonov An-26 by: Kristof Jonckheere; JF-17 & F-20 By: Wikipedia; J-10 & Lavi by: Unknown; Changhe Z-11 by: Yuxiaobin; Eurocopter AS-350 Ecureuil by: Marco Toso; Changhe Z8 by: unknown; Aérospatiale Super Frelon by: Wikipedia

Safety Report – 1/7/2008


Date & Time: 01/04/2008 06:45
Location: Portland, OR
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (DC-9-83) Registration: N944AS
Operator: Alaska Airlines Flight: 389
Phase: Landing
Damage: Minor
Injuries & Fatalities: none
Description: On landing, ingested a foreign object

Date & Time: 01/03/2008 02:20
Location: Atlanta, GA
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas MD-80 Registration: N/A
Operator: Delta Air Lines Flight: 681
Phase: Standing
Damage: Minor
Injuries & Fatalities: none
Description: While being loaded with baggage, the belt loader hit the C-2 door. Damage reported to the door as minor.

Source: FAA
Correctness of this posting is not guaranteed & completeness not intended. This posting is just for informational purpose.

Air Berlin with New Identity

German low cost carrier Air Berlin has come up with a new logo, changed logo type and new slogan.

Air Berlin - New Logo and Livery

If you ask me (being in media industry for quite some time), it’s one of the worst airline logos ever. The logotype is ok, but the logo is completely tasteless, cheap, un-creative, horrible. Let’s face it, every moderately talented design student could have come up with a better one. What does it symbolize anyway? The sun and a wave? An eye? A passengers head hit by the reclined seat in front? – wow how creative … come on! This logo could even be mistaken for some Asian airline or actually for the logo of the Marriott Hotel Group.
Recognition value?
airberlinlogos.gif
The new solgan “Genau deine Airline”, translated: “Right your Airline”, as well, is as cheap as the logo itself.
Air Berlin . is . was a known brand and had a high recognition value of its old Corporate Identity.
With the new, totally different looking tail logo they’re destroying their own market recognition and need to establish their brand once again, literally starting by “0”, but this logo won’t help to build a strong brand. I’m predicting that the logo will be changed again, in a time frame of only a few years.

Boeing with several new orders

Today Boeing announced several new huge orders.

Boeing Finalizes 787 Order with Vietnam Airlines and Vietnam Aircraft Leasing
Vietnam Airlines and Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Co. (VALC) have finalized an order for a total of 12 Boeing 787-8s with a list value of approximately US$ 2 billion.
Vietnam Airlines will take four of the new airplanes and VALC will purchase the remaining eight Dreamliners, leasing them to Vietnam Airlines.
The combined Vietnam order pushes 787 order totals to 802. The order is included in 2007 totals and will be included in this week’s Boeing Orders and Deliveries Web site update.
This is the second order for the 787 Dreamliner by the airline, following a previous order for four airplanes in 2005. The airline was the seventh carrier to select the 787, with an initial commitment in late 2004.
The order is the first ever placed by VALC, which was formed last year by Vietnam Airlines, the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), the Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin) and the Phong Phu Corporation.

Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Boeing, DAE Capital Conclude 100-Airplane Order
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise purchases 100 airplanes – 70 737s, 15 787s, 10 777-300ERs and five 747-8 Freighters valued at $10.9 billion at average list prices. DAE, a global aerospace, manufacturing and services corporation, and Boeing had previously signed a letter of intent at the Dubai Air Show in early November. The airplane order will be added to Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries Web site at the next scheduled weekly update on Jan. 3.

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) - 737 - 787 - 777-300ER - 747-8 Freighter

GOL Airlines orders 40 Next-Generation 737s
Brazil’s GOL Linhas Aéreas S.A., the parent company of Brazil’s low-cost airlines GOL Transportes Aéreos S.A. and VRG Linhas Aéreas S.A., has ordered an additional 40 Next-Generation 737 passenger airplanes. The airplanes will be included in Boeing’s 2007 order total.
The order also brings the number of Next-Generation airplanes GOL has ordered since beginning operations in Brazil in January of 2001 to 127. GOL has also confirmed the purchase rights for an additional 40 737s, for a total of 167 737s in the company’s projected fleet.

GOL Airlines Next-Generation 737

Source: Boeing
Photo Credit: Boeing

Safety Report – 1/2/2008

Date & Time: 12/31/2007 14:15
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas MD-90 Registration: N/A
Operator: Delta Air Lines Flight: 926
Phase: Standing
Damage: Unknown
Injuries & Fatalities: none
Description: The bottom antenna was broken by a belt-loader

Source: FAA
Correctness of this posting is not guaranteed & completeness not intended. This posting is just for informational purpose.

Jeju Air Orders 5 737-800s

Boeing announced that South Korea-based Jeju Air has ordered five Boeing Next-Generation 737-800s to meet future growth plans. The new airplanes are valued at US$370 million at list prices.
The 737s will be the first Boeing airplanes to enter the Jeju Air fleet. The airline currently only operates 5 Bombardier Dash 8 402Q.
According to Jeju Air, the 737s will be used on routes within Korea domestically, to Japan, China and other Asia Pacific regions.