GE Aviation will build the advanced turboprop engine for Textron Aviation’s new turboprop single at a development, test and engine production headquarters planned in the Czech Republic. Dubbed the GE Turboprop Center of Excellence, the facility is expected to open in 2020 to develop and manufacture new turboprop engines in the 1,000- to 2,000-shp range, including the 1,300-shp powerplant for...
Weather that sharply deteriorated from VFR to IFR conditions surprised a possibly tired crew that lacked specific training for the Citation 560 XLS+, leading to spatial disorientation. That was the conclusion of Brazil's Cenipa in its final report on the Aug. 13, 2014 crash that killed all seven aboard the airplane carrying Eduardo Campos and members of his presidentia...
Starting this month, North American FBOs, airports and others with an interest in aircraft ground handling will have a new option when it comes to moving aircraft with the debut of the TugMaxxe line of remote-operated tug vehicles (ROTV). The system, developed in Germany by TNA Aviation Technologies, has been in use elsewhere for more than a decade, with approximately 3,000 devices...
Quest Aircraft's parent Setouchi Holdings has sold a 12.5% stake in the Kodiak single-engined turboprop manufacturer to fellow Japanese company Mitsui. The equity sale gives Sandpoint, Idaho-based Quest more than $10 million in much-needed investment to help it expand its product portfolio and grow its share of the global utility aircraft market. “This investment is great...
The world’s leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, Inmarsat, has opened its new Singapore office, which is the company’s largest facility in Asia Pacific region. Inmarsat’s investment in the 1,700 sq metre (19,500 sq feet) office in Toa Payoh, Central Region Singapore, sees the company’s regional hub providing a new solutions lab, demonstrat...
Germany is continuing to promote the creation of a multinational pool of up to 20 NH90 rotorcraft to be used for combat medevac missions. It first floated the idea in late 2014 amid contract revision talks with the NH Industries consortium which resulted in it retaining 20 options for the troop transport helicopter. Maj Gen Thomas Marlow, commander of the German army’s rapid forces div...
Bell Helicopter begins 2016 with final assembly of its V-280 next-generation tiltrotor 23% complete and on target for first flight in September 2017, with the next major milestones being mating of the wing and fuselage in April. The company’s VP of advanced tiltrotor systems Vince Tobin says the straight, composite wing for the US Army technology demonstrator is almost fabricated, includi...
Thai Airways International will postpone delivery of 14 widebody aircraft originally scheduled to enter the fleet between 2016 and 2018. The 14 aircraft comprise 12 Airbus A350-900s and two Boeing 787-9s, says a company spokeswoman. “This resulted from decisions put forth by the State Enterprise Policy Committee (SEPO) that advised [Thai] to be cautious of introducing new aircra...
Ryanair, Europe’s favourite airline, today (20 Jan) announced that it has negotiated 5 year pay and conditions deal with all of its 76 cabin crew bases across Europe, following the successful conclusion of similar 5 year deals at all 76 pilot bases. Following weeks of direct negotiations between Ryanair and its elected cabin crew representatives, using long established collective bargaining...
Philippine Airlines and Lufthansa Technik AG have signed a five-year Total Component Maintenance (TCM) contract for the Airline’s Airbus A320 and A340 Fleet. The services will be extended end of 2016 to support additional Airbus 320s operated by Philippine Airlines. Lufthansa Technik will support Philippine Airlines at its main base in Manila, the Component Service o...
The Lufthansa Group, Airbus’ largest airline customer and operator, marks a major step in aviation history today by taking delivery of the first A320neo, the world’s best-selling and most fuel efficient single aisle aircraft. Equipped with all new technology Pratt & Whitney PurePower® Geared Turbofan™ engines, the A320neo sets a new, even higher standard in aircraft ef...
Russian aircraft manufacturer Aviastar-SP, based in Ulyanovsk, will upgrade three Antonov An-124 Ruslan (NATO reporting name: Condor) heavy transport planes, the manufacturer’s press office told TASS on Tuesday in a message. "Under a government contract, Aviastar-SP JSC will modernize three An-124 planes - one in 2016 and two in 2017," the message says. According to the press...
