50 SKY SHADES - World aviation news

United States aviation news

Crystal Luxury Air acquires ex-Air Austral B777

Crystal Luxury Air has acquired an ex-Air Austral B777-200(LR) in the form of F-OLRA (msn 40955) now re-registered as P4-XTL under the Aruban registry. The aircraft will shortly be joined by a B787-8 as well as an A319-100CJ and a Bombardier Global Express XRS. Beginning March 2016, the cruise specialist will use the new aircraft to operate private charters and transport guests from any po...

Southwest settles FAA lawsuit for $2.8mn

Southwest Airlines and the United States have settled a lawsuit involving allegations the Texan LCC operated numerous B737 aircraft that did not conform to US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) maintenance standards and were therefore not airworthy. In November last year, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a USD12 million lawsuit against Southwest for three separate types of mainte...

Second Sikorsky CH-53K ‘almost ready’ to join test campaign

After a slow start, the Sikorsky CH-53K development project is gathering pace at West Palm Beach, Florida, with sixth test flights and counting since initial lift-off in late October and a second aircraft almost complete. The US Marine Corps announced this week that one of its own pilots flew the King Stallion, taking over from Sikorsky’s test team for the first time. Lt Col Jonathan M...

Kroll Bond Rating Agency Releases Its First Sector Outlook on Airlines

Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA) releases its first sector outlook on airlines. The overview of the airline sector is KBRA’s view on key themes for the airline industry in 2016. While much of the focus is on the U.S. aviation market as the largest in the world, this comment provides a general view of non-U.S. airlines as well. KBRA rates a number of airlines (to date, on an unpublishe...

CBP Returns Seized King Air, but Questions Persist

Bethany, Okla.-based American Jet Charter recently reclaimed its King Air E90 after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) held the aircraft for 72 days. The CBP’s Office of Air and Marine seized the aircraft, N48W, at McAllen Miller International Airport in Texas on September 6, saying the pilot was “in the process of smuggling” seven illegal aliens. Jim Hensley, who founde...

F-35 program meets 2015 delivery goal of 45 aircraft

The F-35 program achieved its 2015 delivery target of 45 aircraft, the F-35 Joint Program Office has announced. Forty-four of the jets were delivered from prime contractor Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility, while one jet was delivered from the Cameri production line in Italy. The delivery of 45 F-35s – the milestone aircraft was a US Air Force F-35A, AF-84 – repr...

Boeing Agrees to Pay $12 Million and Enhance its Compliance Systems to Settle Enforcement Cases

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration announced a comprehensive settlement agreement with Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) that resolves multiple pending and potential enforcement cases. Under the agreement, BCA pledged to implement and improve several certification processes to further enhance the airworthiness and continued compliance of all&...

Crystal Launches New 'All Exclusive' Brand Campaign And Announces Private Charter Air Service

Aboard the newly christened Crystal Esprit, Crystal Cruises’ ultra-luxury yacht, CEO and President Edie Rodriguez unveiled to special guests and distinguished travel partners the line’s new brand campaign – All Exclusive™ – heralding the debut of the new Crystal as the company embarks on the most significant brand expansion in luxury travel and hospitality....

Boeing eyes nextgen lighting, projection technology for cabins

Among the pioneers of LED mood lighting for aircraft cabins, Boeing introduced a step change with its Sky Interior for the 737 and dramatic 787 color schemes. Now it’s looking to take the experience to the next level. The US airframer is investigating next generation cabin lighting, projection technology and sound systems in a bid to inform, entertain and transform #PaxEx. &ldqu...

Ray Conner of Boeing to be Honored with Aviation’s Highest Award

Mr. Ray Conner, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, will be awarded the Living Legends of Aviation’s  “Lifetime Industry Leader Award,” with Mr. Steven Udvar-Hazy and Mr. Herb Kelleher presenting.  Boeing Commercial aircraft account for the majority of Boeing’s total revenues and with nearly 12,000 jetliners in service worldwide, this is roughly 75 p...

700th R66 Rolls Off Production Line

Robinson’s 700th R66 turbine helicopter rolled off the production line on December 18, five years after the five-place helicopter received FAA certification. S/N 700 is an R66 Turbine Marine, which is an R66 equipped with pop-out floats. The helicopter will be delivered to Robinson dealer Air Technology Belgium. This will be the first Turbine Mari...

NetJets' first Challenger 650 enters operational service

The Bombardier Challenger 650 has entered operational service with US fractional ownership provider NetJets. The delivery of the large-cabin business jet, serial number 6053 – which was added to the Federal Aviation Administration register on 14 December – marks the first of seven units destined for the operator before the end of 2015. It also marks the 1000th Challenger 600-series del...