The International Air Transport Association has announced the global passenger traffic results for November, showing strong traffic growth. The Middle Eastcarriers had a 9.8% demand increase in November, with capacity rising faster at 11.5%, leading load factor to fall to 69.4%. Business conditions across the non-oil producing private sectors of the UAE and Saudi Arabia are strengthening, helpi...
Piper Aircraft, Inc. has received an amendment to the Validation of its Type Certificate issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for the addition of Garmin G1000 avionics in the Archer training TX/LX aircraft. The approval was made by CAAC on December 21, 2015. "CAAC's approval of G1000 in the Archer is exceptionally exciting news for Piper and p...
Russian Helicopters has yet to make a final decision on whether to revive production of the Mil Mi-14 amphibious rotorcraft. In July 2015 the company raised the prospect of restarting the programme, which has been dormant since the mid-1980s, but Alexander Shcherbinin, deputy chief executive of business development at the manufacturer, says the project is “still under consideration”...
Mitsubishi Aircraft has reduced the number of seats on both the MRJ90 and the MRJ70, ostensibly with the goal of increasing seat pitch. The MRJ90 will now have 88 seats, down from 92; the MRJ70 will have 76 seats, down from 78. The changes were reflected on a new website launched last November. Cutting the number of seats will allow the MRJ to have an “industry standard” seat pit...
Citibank has cancelled a ZAR250 million (USD15 million) loan facility to South African Airways, reported The Africa Report. "We are aware that Citi has cancelled a 250 million rand facility to SAA and are working closely with SAA on the issue to make sure there's sufficient liquidity. We are unable to comment further," treasury spokeswoman Phumza Macanda said. The c...
The use of mood lighting on planes has almost become cliché—ahem, Virgin—but what if airlines could take that idea a bit further, actually using LEDs and projected imagery to wholly improve the flying experience? Boeing has a pretty great idea for what a well-lit plane of the future might feel like. A new concept video from Boeing’s product development division shows ho...
When thinking about the range of qualities we look for in an airline, the ability to deliver us to our destination alive is at the top of the list (just slightly edging out leg room). Safety is primary when flying: we want to travel on airlines that are rigorous about safety inspections, use innovative navigation technology, and adhere to basic best practices, like making sure the plane is heading...
AMAC Aerospace AG has opened a fourth hangar at its facilities at EuroAirport in Basel after only 11 months construction time. The additional hangar area of 7,280 sqm and the additional apron area of 6,038 sqm will allow AMAC Aerospace to further expand its capacity for wide-body maintenance work. AMAC Aerospace Switzerland AG is offering narrow and wide-body vip completion and maintenance for...
While business aircraft activity in Europe climbed 1.7 percent last month, to 51,563 departures, the gain wasn’t enough to push full-year results into positive territory, according to data released yesterday by WingX Advance. Overall, flying was down 0.6 percent in the region last year, equivalent to 4,866 fewer flights than in 2014. WingX said last month’s boost was the result...
Long-haul low-cost carrier AirAsia X is to add a tag flight on to Auckland Airport from one of its existing Gold Coast flights from its Kuala Lumpur hub. The new flights begin in March and will mark nearly three years since the Malaysian carrier has served New Zealand. D7 206 will continue to be a late night departure from Kuala Lumpur, followed by a daytime return to Auckland departing OOL at...
An unmanned air ambulance has been filmed taking off, untethered, for the first time. The AirMule, developed by Tactical Robotics and long proposed as a means of extracting soldiers from a battlefield without risking further loss of life, has been in development for close to a decade. In theory the robotic craft would be able to take off and land vertically, in terrain where helicopters are...
Whether you’re a seasoned flyer or you hate air travel, the chances are good that you still have a lot to learn when it comes to traveling by airplane. Luckily, airline staff, pilots included, may have answered some of your questions in a Reddit thread about the industry’s biggest secrets – and you won’t like all the answers. Before you book your next flight, you should...
