Composites material supplier Hexcel is looking for ways to overcome what it sees as a production-capacity challenge from around 2025 if the trend toward more composite materials in airframes continues on its current pace. Should next-generation narrowbodies consist of more than 50 percent carbon-fiber reinforced and other plastics, as in the most recent widebodies from Boeing and Airbus, the indus...
New lighting plans on airlines are helping passengers adjust to new schedules. But how close are we to eliminating jet lag altogether? When flight attendants start wheeling out dinner service on certain Singapore Airlines flights headed east, the cabin lighting dims to mimic candlelight. During dessert—though it's still light outside—the cabin lights up to look like sunset. By t...
Bombardier Commercial Aircraft announced that it has extended its Authorized Service Facility (ASF) agreement with Adria Tehnika of Ljubljana, Slovenia, for an additional five-year term. Under the agreement, Adria Tehnika is designated as an authorized service provider for base and other maintenance on all Bombardier CRJ Series aircraft, including aircraft modifications and upgr...
Azul Brazilian Airlines has selected a host of Rockwell Collins avionics, including its MultiScan ThreatTrackTM weather radar and GLU-925 Multi-Mode Receiver (MMR), for 58 Airbus A320neo aircraft. Deliveries will begin in September. The announcement was made at FIDAE 2016 Chile, the International Fair of Air and Space Exhibition. “These advanced avionics will enable Azul ai...
AAR announces its Airlift division has commenced operations for Search and Rescue (SAR) and Support Helicopter (SH) services for the UK Ministry of Defence in the Falkland Islands. AAR Airlift Group, together with British International Helicopters (BIH) and Air Rescue Systems (ARS), is delivering turnkey SAR and Support Helicopter services to the British Forces South Atlantic Islands (BFSAI) op...
Morocco is seeking to attract more visitors from Russia, China and West Africa, as instability in nearby countries deters tourists from traditional European markets. Plans to open new air routes are in motion, Minister of Tourism Lahcen Haddad said in an interview in Rabat following a visit by King Mohammed VI to Russia. “Russia offers us a big opportunity,” he said. “We wa...
Boeing announced Wednesday plans to cut about 4,000 jobs by mid-year, and another 550 jobs in lab testing unit. Boeing Co plans to cut up to 8,000 jobs this year at its commercial airplane division, according to two people familiar with the matter, a move that could slash $1 billion in costs and help it battle for sales against European rival Airbus. Boeing on Wednesday acknowledged plans to...
Since 27 and 28 March 2016, Air France customers have been able to enjoy the comfort of the new long-haul travel cabins to Houston and Luanda from Paris-Charles de Gaulle. The progressive installation of the cabins on the Boeing 777 enables Air France to offer a daily flight to Houston (Texas, USA) and up to two weekly flights to Luanda (Angola). On board the aircraft equipped with the lates...
Business aviation in the UK faces two significant issues: dispelling the image of business aviation as a luxury for the rich and privileged rather than a business tool, and addressing such challenges as access to airports and taxation. That was the message from the annual conference of the British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA), held recently in London. “P...
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines on Thursday launched a series of some 80 biofuel flights from Oslo to Amsterdam with an Embraer 190. It plans to operate the remaining flights over the next five or six weeks, while Embraer conducts measurements to gauge the efficiency of biofuel compared with kerosene. The flights will depart from Oslo Airport, the first airport to supply biofuel directly from its hy...
Engineers at Lufthansa Technik have now refined their emergency floor path marking system to be only visible when actually needed. “GuideU CustomFit” can be fully integrated in any carpet and flooring design. It will be introduced to the business community for the first time at the Aircraft Interiors Expo from April 5 – 7 in Hamburg. Torben Biehl, Head of product developme...
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, announced two Bell 505 letter of intent (LOI) signings in Chile to two corporate customers. Both aircraft will be outfitted for corporate and VIP transport for flights throughout the region. These signings are a testament to the growing demand of this aircraft and brings the current LOI count to more than 350 worldwide and more than 75 throughout...
