Thales is nearing the end of the proof-of-concept phase for its TopMax head-worn aircraft display and hopes to launch product development later this year. Thus far, a prototype display has logged about 40 hours of flight-testing aboard turboprop aircraft, as well as 10 hours in a simulator. The trials have shown that the right eye can be used, regardless of the pilot's dominant eye, said Thale...
After a relatively disappointing 2015, all eyes are on the first month of 2016 to see if the drop off in European and US flight activity continues. Argus: US Flights up 3.0% between January 2015 and January 2016, but down -1.5% when compared to December 2015. WINGX: European flights down -4.5% from January 2015. WINGX – Substantial drop in activity, especially in leading Western...
Philippe Couteaux has joined Aircelle in the roles as Vice President for Strategy, and Vice President of the company’s Customer Support and Services operation. Couteaux will direct Aircelle’s processes and innovation to expand and strengthen the company’s position in its core markets as Aircelle develops additional nacelle systems and ramps up their production. In relation...
A congressional soldier fighting a war against shrinking airline seats lost a battle in the U.S. House Thursday. In a 26-33 vote, a House committee defeated legislation that would have mandated size standards for airline passenger seats. "I am disappointed," Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, said in a statement. "This was a vote against the safety and health of airline passengers.&q...
The third Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner took off for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, today to join the fleet of Saudia, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia. This is the fourth new aircraft delivered by Boeing to Saudia within two weeks, with the Dreamliner being the third of a total of eight ordered by the airline as part of its fleet expansion and modernization program. Saudia expects to get 29 new aircraf...
ST Aerospace’s VIP completions brand ‘AERIA Luxury Interiors’ (AERIA) redelivered its first green BBJ (Boeing Business Jet) VIP completion for an undisclosed customer at the end of December, 2015. The San Antonio based affiliate company accepted the green BBJ in late 2014 directly from Boeing. The BBJ VIP interior features...
It’s “full speed ahead” for Airbus’ A350 XWB with final assembly start-up for the new-generation jetliner family’s longest-fuselage member, the A350-1000 – which was kicked off this week, as per planning, in parallel with the baseline A350-900 version’s continued production ramp-up to meet market demand. The no. 1 A350-1000 is one of three test ai...
Ryanair, Europe’s favourite airline, announced 3 new daily winter services from Manchester to Berlin, Hamburg and Nuremberg, beginning at the start of November. Ryanair celebrated its new Manchester winter routes by releasing seats for sale from just £19.99 for travel in November. These low fare seats are available for booking on the Ryanair.com website until midnight Tuesday (16 Fe...
Riga. The Latvian airline airBaltic will launch a new summer charter flight between Riga and Rimini on June 5, 2016 for Tez Tour. Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic: “We are delighted to serve Rimini, Italy for our excellent cooperation partner Tez Tour to boost summer travel. The new route from Riga to Rimini will offer excellent opportunities to visit one of the most fam...
Southwest Airlines Co. announced it will share $620 million through its ProfitSharing Plan with its Employees for 2015—equaling approximately 15.6 percent of each eligible Employee’s eligible compensation, or the equivalent of eight weeks’ pay. This $620 million contribution—nearly $1.7 million a day—is the largest total dollar amount Southwest has ever allocated to P...
Centreline Air Charter (CAC) is continuing its period of growth with the addition of a Dassault Falcon 2000LXS to its fleet. The company has also gained an EASA approved worldwide Aircraft Operating Certificate (AOC) which enables CAC to operate long haul services to an almost unlimited range of destinations. Centreline Air Charter, part of the full service business aviation company, Bristol Fl...
Cirrus Aircraft announced that new aircraft shipments in 2015 exceeded 300 for the second year in a row as the Cirrus SR22 maintained its position as the best-selling airplane in its segment for the thirteenth consecutive year. New unit deliveries for 2015 totaled 301 while the global Cirrus fleet surpassed 6,200 total SR aircraft and amassed over seven million flight hours. In addition...
Delivery of the first of six AW169 helicopters ordered by leading EMS-service operator Specialist Aviation Services Over 150 AW169 helicopters ordered by almost 60 customers in over 20 countries around the world, including framework contracts and options The AW169 is the only new generation helicopter in its weight class in more than 30 years Finmeccanica, through its Helicopter D...
Boeing will cut jobs at its commercial aircraft unit, a move that comes as the company is under intense pressure to lower costs to compete with Airbus. The decision was announced by Boeing commercial planes chief executive Ray Conner in an employee webcast after the company saw sales fall and profit margins narrow last year. Airbus won 57 percent of new aircraft orders booked by the two plan...
Heli-One’s helicopter MRO facility in Rzeszow, Poland, is now approved to provide base maintenance on Airbus Helicopters H225s operating in Europe, the U.S., Canada and the Cayman Islands. The approval adds to the facility's existing AS332 and the H135 capability. Rzeszow is the third Heli-One facility to offer H225 base maintenance, joinin...
Slumping piston and turboprop deliveries and a slight weakening in some pockets of the large-cabin business jet market combined to drive down industry billings last year, despite the boost new models gave to the midsize and light jet segment, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s latest aircraft shipment report.GAMA released its year-end industry results and outl...
Business aviation flight activity in North America jumped by 3 percent last month versus a year ago and could climb much more steeply this month, according to data released yesterday by aviation services group Argus International. In fact, the firm is projecting a 9.1-percent year-over-year increase this month and a 5-percent rise during the first quarter, compared with the same three-month period...
Airbus Helicopters has partnered with Thales and Helisim to develop and deploy the full flight simulator (FFS) for the H160. In line with the “born ready” strategy implemented by the H160. since the beginning of its development, the FFS will be available to support the H160’s entry into service. This partnership between experienced and recognized companies will offer to fu...
Largest member of A350 XWB Family becomes reality. Airbus has started final assembly of the first A350-1000 on schedule at the A350 XWB Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Toulouse, France. This A350-1000, one of three flight test aircraft to be built, will take to the skies for its maiden flight before the end of 2016. A350-1000 deliveries will start in mid-2017. To ensure the smooth integration o...
Air India pilots flew back to India a plane grounded by authorities at Sharjah airport, prompting the national carrier to bar a senior captain from operating international flights for violating regulations. The incident drew a sharp response from UAE’s general civil aviation authority (GCAA), which threatened to ban the aircraft from entering the country’s airspace. The carrier late...
Pakistan's national airline resumed normal flight operations on Wednesday after employees called off an eight-day strike held in protest at a government plan to sell part of the carrier, officials said. "Normal operations have been resumed," Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesman Danyal Gilani said, adding that domestic and international flights would be running. Two p...
