Year: 2009

777th 777 Delivered to Air France with New Livery

Boeing and Air France celebrated significant milestones yesterday with the delivery of the 777th Boeing 777 airplane. The new Boeing 777-300ER (F-GZND) also will be the first to bear a new Air France livery and company brand identity.

777th Boeing 777 - Air France Boeing 777-300ER with New Livery

Video:
Video - Air France Boeing 777-300ER with New Livery

Air France operates one of the largest fleets of 777s in the world and was the launch customer for both the 777-300ER and the 777 Freighter.
The relationship between Air France and Boeing goes back to the early days of the airline, which celebrated its 75th anniversary last year. Air France’s early fleet of DC-3s sported the distinctive silver and royal blue livery that was used to launch the airline.
Three generations of Boeing airplanes have carried three Air France liveries. The first was with the arrival of the jet age and the Boeing 707. The second opened up long-haul international travel, epitomized by the Boeing 747 and finally, today with the unveiling of the Boeing 777-300ER. The latest incarnation of the distinctive Air France livery continues the all-white theme but is intended to position the company in the 21st century as a truly international carrier that has more than half of its passengers based outside France.

Photo: Boeing
Source: Boeing

EU Updates Airline Blacklist

The European Commission for Transport today adopted the update of the blacklist of airlines that are banned from flying into the European Union due to safety concerns. The Commission has imposed a ban on six airlines from Kazakhstan, one airline certified in Thailand, one additional Ukrainian air carrier and on operations of all carriers certified in Benin.

Following the opinion of the Air Safety Committee, the Commission decided to expand the list and impose an operating ban for safety reasons on the following air carriers:

  • Air Company Kokshetau, ATMA Airlines, Berkut Air, East Wing, Sayat Air and Starline KZ (Kazakhstan)
  • One Two Go Airlines (Thailand)
  • Motor Sich Airlines (Ukraine)
  • All airlines certified in the Republic of Benin on the basis of the negative results of an audit by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

The Commission noted good progress in relation to the measures taken by Angola in order to improve the safety situation. In particular, it took note of the progress report drawn up by the aviation authorities of Angola on the implementation of corrective actions following the visit of a team of European experts in February 2008 and the publication of the ICAO safety audit report in October 2008.

A report of the visit of a European team of experts to Indonesia in February 2009 showed considerable improvements.

Hence from today the EU blacklist imposes a ban on:

  • All carriers from Angola, Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia, the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Gabon save for Gabon Airlines which has an exemption for Boeing 767-200 TR-LHP and Afrijet which has an exemption for 2 Falcon 50 and 1 Falcon 900 – TR-LGV, TR-LGY and TR-AFJ
  • Afghanistan – Ariana Afghan Airlines
  • Cambodia – Siem Reap Airways International
  • Comores – Air Services Comores except LET 410 UVP D6-CAM
  • Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – Air Koryo
  • Kazakhstan – Air Company Kokshetau, ATMA Airlines, Berkut Air, East Wing, Sayat Air, Starline KZ
  • Rwanda – Silverback Cargo Freighters
  • Sudan – Air West
  • Thailand – One Two Go Airlines
  • Ukraine – Motor Sich Airlines, Ukraine Cargo Airways, Ukraine Mediterranean Airlines and Volare Aviation

Download EU Blacklist (PDF): http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/pdf/list_en.pdf

Source: European Commission for Transport

Airbus Deliveries – First Quarter 2009

Airbus deliveries for the first quarter of 2009.

Model Number of Deliveries By Customer
A318 1 1 – Comlux
A319 31 10 – easyJet
2 – CIT Leasing (Tiger Airways)
2 – Hainan
3 – Lan Airlines
1 – ILFC (Bangkok Airways)
1 – BOC Aviation (Aeroflot)
1 – ILFC (Mexicana)
2 – AERVENTURE (Royal Jordanian Airlines)
1 – Hamburg International
1 – Indian Airlines (NACIL)
1 – China Southern Airlines
2 – Germanwings
1 – ILFC (Armavia)
1 – GECAS (Aeroflot)
1 – ILFC (Chongqing Airlines)
1 – Private Customer
A320 51 1 – Tiger Airways
4 – Aegean Airlines
1 – AERVENTURE (Spring Airlines)
1 – ALAFCO (Wataniya Airways) [Link]
2 – ILFC (Jetstar Airways)
1 – Middle East Airlines
1 – Shenzhen Airlines
1 – AERVENTURE (Aegean Airlines)
2 – GECAS (Cebu Pacific)
3 – jetBlue Airways
1 – GECAS (Bulgaria Air)
1 – Air France
3 – AirAsia
1 – RBS Aerospace (TAM – Linhas Aereas)
2 – Wizz Air
1 – AERVENTURE (TAP- Portugal)
3 – GECAS (Aeroflot)
2 – AERVENTURE (Aeroflot)
2 – RBS Aerospace (Aer Lingus)
1 – easyJet
1 – China Eastern Airlines
2 – CIT Leasing (National Air Services)
1 – Aerdragon Aviation Partners (Air France)
1 – Alafco (Wataniya Airways)
2 – Go Air
1 – indiGo
1 – ILFC (Air Arabia)
1 – CIT Leasing (Iberworld)
1 – Silkair
1 – Aircraft Purchase Fleet (Alitalia)
1 – Middle East Airlines
1 – Air Berlin
1 – AERVENTURE (Air France)
1 – Spring Airlines
1 – ILFC (Air Arabia Maroc)
A321 18 2 – Indian Airlines (NACIL)
2 – Air China
3 – China Southern Airlines
1 – TAM – Linhas Aereas
4 – Turkish Airlines
2 – US Airways
1 – TAM – Linhas Aereas
1 – Air France [Link]
1 – ILFC (Aegean Airlines)
1 – NIKI
A330 13 2 – CIT Leasing (Etihad Airways)
3 – AWAS (Singapore Airlines) [Link]
1 – Grupo Marsans (Air Comet)
2 – Middle East Airlines
1 – ILFC (Hainan)
1 – Lufthansa
1 – Aer Lingus
1 – Finnair [Link]
1 – Lease Corporation Int’l (Singapore Airlines)
A340 2 2 – Lufthansa

Boeing Deliveries – First Quarter 2009

Boeing deliveries across its commercial and defense products for the first quarter of 2009.

Model Number of Deliveries By Customer
737 Next Generation 91 4 – Air Berlin
2 – Air China
1 – Air India
6 – Alaska Airlines
1 – All Nippon Airways
2 – American Airlines
2 – Business Jet / VIP Customer(s)
1 – China Eastern Airlines
4 – Continental Airlines
1 – COPA Airlines
2 – Delta Air Lines
2 – Egyptair
9 – GECAS
2 – GOL Airlines
4 – Hainan Airlines
7 – ILFC
1 – Integrated Defense Systems
2 – JAL International
1 – KLM – Royal Dutch Airlines
3 – Lion Air
1 – Pegasus Airlines
22 – Ryanair
1 – Shandong Airlines
1 – Shenzhen Airlines
3 – Southwest Airlines
2 – SpiceJet
4 – TUI
747 4 3 – Cathay Pacific Airways
1 – UPS
767 3 1 – Business Jet / VIP Customer(s)
2 – JAL International
777 23 1 – Air Canada
2 – Air France [Link]
1 – British Airways
3 – Delta Air Lines
1 – Dubai Aerospace Enterprise
2 – Emirates [Link]
1 – EVA Air
4 – GECAS
1 – ILFC
3 – Qatar Airways
1 – Singapore Airlines
2 – V Australia [Link]
Apache (New Builds) 5 Unknown – Probably US Army
C-17 3 1 – US Air Force
(437th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base)
2 – Unknown – Probably US Air Force
F-15 4 Unknown
F/A-18E/F and EA-18G 10 Unknown
T-45TS 2 2 – US Navy
KC-767 Tanker 1 1 – Japan Ministry of Defense

Photos – Embraer 190 Steep Approach Tests at London City Airport

Embraer now has another member of its E-Jets family, the EMBRAER 190, formally beginning its steep approach campaign to enable operations at London’s business airport, London City (LCY). This certification is expected to be earned by the end of 2009.

Embraer 190 Steep Approach Tests at London City Airport

In December 2008, Embraer and British Airways signed a contract for 11 E-Jets, composed of six EMBRAER 170s and five EMBRAER 190s, to be operated by BA CityFlyer. The first EMBRAER 170, already certified for steep approach operations, will be delivered in the second half of 2009.

E190 Steep Approach Tests LCY

The EMBRAER 190 will perform the steep approach with the use of a software solution developed on the existing fly-by-wire system, which means better flight qualities and control, reduced pilot workload, and less aircraft weight and maintenance costs. When departing from LCY, the EMBRAER 190 range will reach more than 800 nautical miles (1,500 km), covering all current routes operated from this airport and bringing additional flexibility for airlines to add more important European business destinations. The steep approach capability will also enable operations at other airports that require equivalent procedures.

Source: Embraer
Photos: Embraer

Hotelicopter – World’s First Flying Hotel

This summer the world’s first flying hotel will take off! The aircraft called “Hotelicopter” – a custom-built helicopter, actually the largest helicopter ever produced, will feature 18 luxuriously-appointed rooms for adrenaline junkies seeking a truly unique and memorable travel experience. On June 26th, 2009 the Hotelicopter will start to its 14 day Inaugural Summer Tour to/from New York – via Charleston, Freeport/Bahamas, Montego Bay/Jamaica, Santo Domingo/Dominican Republic, Nassau/Bahamas, Miami.
A California Tour and European Tour will follow in July.

Hotelicopter

Each soundproofed room is equipped with a queen-sized bed, fine linens, a mini-bar, coffee machine, wireless internet access, and all the luxurious appointments you’d expect from a flying five star hotel. Room service is available as well.

Video

More on http://www.hotelicopter.com

Happy April Fools’ Day! 😀

20 Bombardier CSeries Aircraft Ordered by LCI

Bombardier Aerospace announced on Monday that Lease Corporation International Aviation Limited has signed a firm purchase agreement for three CS100 and 17 CS300 jetliners. The purchaser, which also took options on a further 20 CSeries aircraft, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lease Corporation International Limited (LCI). LCI is a privately owned aircraft leasing company that owns and leases planes to major airlines. LCI customers to date include Air France, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, British Airways, Finnair, GOL, Hainan Airlines, Hongkong Express, Iberia, Kingfisher Airlines, Oman Air, SAS, Shanghai Airlines, Shenzen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Spanair, TAP Portugal, Thomas Cook and Virgin Atlantic.

LCI Bombardier CS300

The 110-seat and 130-seat CSeries family of aircraft brings fourth-generation aerodynamics; increased use of composites and advanced aluminium alloys in structures; the very latest in system technologies, such as fly-by-wire, electric brakes, and a next-generation engine – the Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1000G engine. PurePower represents a significant breakthrough in turbofan technology, especially on the environmental front where it will set new benchmarks from dramatically reduced fuel burn, noise, and emissions.

Source: Bombardier
Image: Bombardier