The first Embraer ERJ-190 was delivered to Australian carrier Virgin Blue Airlines. Yesterday, March 08, the Embraer ERJ-190-100LR 190LR, VH-ZPA, called “Candid Canberra” was seen on its delivery flight via Curacao and San Jose.
Month: March 2008
2nd KC-767 delivered to Japan
Boeing on Monday delivered the second KC-767 Tanker to Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), two weeks after delivering the first refueling aircraft to the Japanese military.
The KC-767 made the 13-hour non-stop flight to Gifu, Japan, near Nagoya, from Wichita, near Boeing’s tanker modification center.
Japan has ordered four convertible freighter 767s, providing flexibility in carrying cargo or passengers while maintaining its primary role as an aerial refueling tanker. It features Boeing’s advanced aerial refueling boom and Remote Aerial Refueling Operator (RARO II) system. Boeing is scheduled to deliver the remaining two refueling aircraft in 2009 and 2010.
Boeing also is building four tankers for Italy with delivery of the first aircraft planned in 2008.
Source & Photo Credit: Boeing
700th Boeing 777 delivered
Last Friday Boeing delivered its 700th Boeing 777 airplane, a 777-300ER (Extended Range), to International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC) and its customer, Cathay Pacific Airways. The 777 Program reached this milestone after 12 years in service. ILFC has ordered 79 Boeing 777s since 1992 and the airplane delivered is its 74th, which makes ILFC the world’s largest 777 customer.
Cathay Pacific now operates 24 777s, with 23 more 777-300ERs scheduled to be delivered. The airplane delivered Friday will join the airline’s fleet of 6 777-300ERs, 12 777-300s, 5 777-200s and 24 747-400s in passenger service.
The airline also currently operates 6 747-400 Freighters, 6 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF) and 7 747-200 Freighters, with 6 747-400ER Freighters and 10 of Boeing’s new 747-8 Freighters on order.
The first 777 went into service in June 1995. To date, Boeing has orders for 1060 777 jetliners, with 55 customers around the world.
Source & Photo Credit: Boeing
Safety Report – 03/03/2008
Date & Time: 03/01/2008 16:12
Location: Dallas, TX
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-3H4 Registration: N652SW
Operator: Southwest Airlines Flight: 15
Phase: Other
Damage: Minor
Injuries & Fatalities: None
Description: N652SW, on pushback from the gate was struck at the tailsection by the winglet of another aircraft, N741SA Southwest Airlines flight 411 a Boeing 737-7H4, which was taxiing to a gate – Dallas Love Field
Date & Time: 03/02/2008 20:00
Location: New York LaGuardia, NY
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (DC-9-82) Registration: N7528A
Operator: American Airlines
Phase: Standing
Damage: Minor
Injuries & Fatalities: None
Description: While parked at the gate, a tug struck the nose section of the aircraft
Date & Time: 02/29/2008 19:30
Location: Detroit, MI
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 Registration: N967N
Operator: Northwest Airlines
Phase: Standing
Damage: Unknown
Injuries & Fatalities: None
Description: Aircraft was struck by a deicing vehicle at the right wing
Source: FAA
Correctness of this posting is not guaranteed & completeness not intended. This posting is just for informational purpose.
First 777-200LR for a US Carrier delivered
Last Friday the first 777-200LR (longer range) airplane for a U.S. carrier was delivered to Delta Air Lines.
The airplane is the first of 8 Boeing 777-200LRs ordered by Delta Air Lines. The aircraft is scheduled to enter scheduled service March 8 flying between Atlanta and Los Angeles, and will fly on March 9 from Atlanta to Tokyo.
In tribute to employees and to the original “Spirit of Delta” – a Boeing 767-200 given to the airline in 1982 by employees, retirees and friends – the new Boeing 777-200LR, Ship 7101, will be called “The Delta Spirit” in gratitude to the many accomplishments of Delta’s employees worldwide. The aircraft will be officially dedicated to Delta employees in a celebration March 6 in Atlanta.
Source & Photo Credit: Boeing
Video of the Day – A320 crosswind approach
As some of you might know, during the past 2 days a heavy storm hit central europe, killing at leat 13 people.
This video shows Lufthansa flight LH044, an Airbus A320, landing at Hamburg, Germany during the storm on Saturday. According to Lufthansa the left wing hit the runway, damaging the wingtip fence (winglet).
US Air Force selects KC-30 Tanker
Wow, what a news! The Boeing monopoly for US military planes is finally broken.
The U.S. Air Force announced its selection of the Airbus KC-45A Tanker, culminating a multi-year evaluation. The programme award calls for 179 aircraft with an estimated contract value of US$ 40 billion. The initial KC-45A contract for Northrop Grumman covers four System Design and Development aircraft and is valued at US$ 1.5 billion.
Louis Gallois, CEO of EADS, stated: “We have committed our energies to this important U.S. Air Force programme and to our team mate Northrop Grumman. Selecting a tanker based on the A330 MRTT will provide the U.S. Air Force with the most modern and capable tanker aircraft available today.â€
Tom Enders, President and CEO of Airbus said: “Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force can count on the full resources of Airbus to support the KC-45A tanker’s production and delivery. All four System Design and Development aircraft are already in production. Preparatory work is now underway for our commitment to co-locate the final assembly of the tankers and A330 civilian freighter aircraft at Mobile, Alabama, creating the first new large commercial aircraft assembly facility in the U.S. in over 40 years.â€
The KC-45A Tanker is based on the EADS Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport). Its airframe is derived from the popular Airbus A330 jetliner produced by EADS’ Airbus Division, of which more than 880 have been ordered worldwide in passenger and freighter configurations. The Military Transport Aircraft Division (MTAD) is responsible within the EADS Group for all military derivative programmes based on Airbus platforms, including tankers.
The KC-45A Tanker assembly will employ 25,000 workers at 230 U.S. companies. The KC-45A’s refueling systems will be built at new facilities in Bridgeport, W.Va., and delivered to the KC-45A Production Center for aircraft integration.
The KC-45A will be built by a team led by Northrop Grumman, and includes primary subcontractor EADS North America and General Electric Aviation, Sargent Fletcher, Honeywell, Parker, AAR Cargo Systems, Telephonics and Knight Aerospace.
Compared to the Boeing KC-135 (based on the 707), the EADS KC-45 (based on the A330) has 25% more fuel capacity, much higher payloads and its General Electric CF6-80E1A4B engines feature 3 times more thrust.
Source: Airbus, Northrop Grumman
Boeing delivered 1400th 747
Boeing last week delivered its 1400th 747, a 747-400 Freighter (VP-BIK) delivered to GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) for lease to AirBridgeCargo Airlines, a subsidiary of the Volga-Dnepr Group.
The 1400th 747 is the seventh 747 freighter in the AirBridgeCargo Airlines fleet, joining five 747-200/-300 Freighters and a 747-400 Freighter. The Volga-Dnepr Group also has ordered five of Boeing’s new 747-8 Freighters, the highly efficient and more capable next model in the 747 freighter family.
The 1400 747 airplanes assembled at the Everett site have established a strong track record. The 747 has completed more than 17 million flights through 2007. It has logged approximately 89 million flight hours or more than 10,000 years of flight time. The airplanes have flown approximately 42 billion nautical miles (78 billion kilometers), which is equivalent to making nearly 203,000 trips to the moon.
Source: Boeing