DTN News: Boeing, Qatar Airways Launch New 777 Performance Improvement Package

DTN News: Boeing, Qatar Airways Launch New 777 Performance Improvement Package

*Airlines News: Boeing services offering provides airline options to open new routes, improve fuel efficiency, increase payload capabilities

Source: K. V. Seth - DTN News + Boeing

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada  {FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom)- July 12, 2016: Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Qatar Airways announced today at the 2016 Farnborough International Airshow the launch of a new Performance Improvement Package.

Qatar Airways is the first customer in the world to take advantage of the new modification offering, a reflection of its focus on providing a superior product to its customers.

"Qatar Airways operates one of the world's youngest and most technologically advanced fleets, and we are always seeking ways to grow our operational advantage," said His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive. 

"We appreciate Boeing's continued efforts to improve the value and efficiency of our existing airplanes, allowing us to stand out in the marketplace and keep our fleet at the forefront of global aircraft performance capabilities."

Through design improvements, Boeing's retrofittable Performance Improvement Package allows airlines to open new routes, fly existing routes more efficiently and improve payload capacity and range. Qatar Airways, as the launch customer for the offering, will be upgrading its entire fleet of 53 777s.

"Boeing never stops evaluating means of improving our already highly efficient and reliable aircraft," said Stan Deal, senior vice president, Boeing Commercial Aviation Services. "With our Performance Improvement Package, we're helping our customers obtain even greater performance from the market leading 777 family of aircraft."

Doha-based Qatar Airways is the state-owned flag carrier of Qatar. The airline currently operates a fleet of 34 Boeing 777-300ERs and nine 777-200LRs, in addition to 10 777 Freighters, linking over 150 international destinations across the globe.

Boeing is a leader in providing 24/7 support and service to the global aviation industry. In addition to retrofits and modifications, Boeing offers the industry's largest portfolio of services including aftermarket parts, subscription-based maintenance programs, engineering support, crew training, route planning, digital crew scheduling, advanced data analytics and software to enhance airlines and leasing company operations.

Contact:

Cynthia Reynaud
Boeing Commercial Airplanes Communications
+1 206-661-2632

cynthia.l.reynaud@boeing.com


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DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Boeing, Air China Finalize Order for Six 777-300ERs

DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Boeing, Air China Finalize Order for Six 777-300ERs
*Boeing and Air China today announced an order for six additional 777-300ER (Extended Range) jetliners

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Boeing
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 8, 2016: Boeing [NYSE:BA] and Air China today announced an order for six additional 777-300ER (Extended Range) jetliners. The order is valued at more than $2 billion at current list prices and bolsters Air China’s long-haul widebody fleet as it looks to expand its international network.

“The 777-300ER has consistently proved its value as a long-haul flagship for our customers around the world, making it the preferred choice for Air China’s international expansion,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president, Northeast Asia Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “This order reflects the strength of our decades-long relationship with Air China and we look forward to partnering with Air China on additional opportunities in the future.”

China’s flag carrier continues to modernize its long-haul fleet to replace aging aircraft and plans to expand its growing network internationally. Air China currently operates a fleet 174 Boeing airplanes, including nearly all current Boeing production models, including the Next-Generation 737, 747-8 Intercontinental as well as 777-300ERs.

With this new order, Air China will increase its unfilled airplane orders with Boeing to 90 units, which include orders for new 787-9 Dreamliners.

The 777-300ER is one of the most fuel and cost-efficient airplanes in its class as well as the most reliable twin-aisle aircraft in the world. It also has the highest cargo capability of any passenger airplane in service. The 777-300ER will receive further improvements in 2016 designed to reduce fuel use by another two percent.

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Boeing
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DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17: Navigating Airspace Over Warzones

DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17: Navigating Airspace Over Warzones

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources CBC
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - July 18, 2014: The Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 catastrophe in Ukraine could have been a tragedy for another international carrier, aviation experts say, noting the doomed jet’s flight plan was the very route that was, until recently, used by several European airlines.

The European Cockpit Association, which represents 38,000 pilots, said Thursday the path taken by the doomed Boeing 777 flying to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam is the "the most common route for flights from Europe to Southeast Asia."

MH17 ended up flying over a volatile region near eastern Ukraine.

A surface-to-air missile reportedly shot it down on Thursday after the commercial airliner carrying 298 people was believed to have drifted about 300 kilometres off its normal course to evade a thunderstorm.

'Mischance'

"The flight was diverted … into an area where the conflict was very active," said Ted Lennox, president of LPS AVA Consulting.

People place flowers outside Schiphol airport in Amsterdam, on July 18, 2014. The attack on a Malaysian jetliner Thursday afternoon killed 298 people from nearly a dozen nations, more than half being Dutch, including vacationers, students and a large contingent of scientists heading to an AIDS conference in Australia.   

"It was mischance, in some respects."

Amid calls for an international investigation, airlines and aviation authorities around the world ordered flight routes to circumvent the region.

"It’s a mistake a lot of people were making, and until now, very few were avoiding," said retired Air Canada and Canadian Air Force veteran Russ Cooper.

"The only ones that were basically opting out [of flying over the region] were the Americans because of the FAA."

Passengers' nationalities

Jos Nijhuis, CEO of Schiphol Airport, confirmed the 15-member crew were Malaysian nationals and said that along with at least one Canadian, the plane also carried:

154 Dutch passengers.
27 from Australia.
28 from Malaysia (including two infants).
12 Indonesians (including one infant).
Nine from the United Kingdom.
Four from Germany.
Four from Belgium.
Three from the Philippines.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Authority warned American aircraft on April 25 to steer clear of the region near the Crimean peninsula, where Ukraine’s military and pro-Russian separatists have clashed for months.

Air Canada released a statement Thursday confirming the carrier "has been proactively avoiding airspace over the region for some time already."

Before the disaster, there appeared to be little reason for concern given MH17’s high altitude, noted Pierre Jeanniot, a former Air Canada CEO who once negotiated flight routes over conflict areas.

The International Civil Aviation Organization had also deemed the route, known as L980, a safe corridor.

"I would think there are a lot of precedents around the world," Jeanniot said. "I mean, we flew over Afghanistan at those levels. We fly over Syria, we fly over Iran and Iraq … and we fly over a lot of Middle East points. We fly over Egypt, over a lot of potential problem areas, and no incidents have taken place. No major events."

Earlier in the week, however, Ukraine claimed that a military transport plane was downed by a Russian missile.

That should have raised red flags among risk-reduction analysts, said Arthur Rosenberg, a New York aviation lawyer.

"I don’t think anyone can dispute the fact that this is a warzone and no commercial airline should have been flying — in my view — in, near, or around this area," he said.

Knowledge of open or closed airspace and "war exclusion zones" are communicated through documents called "NOTAMs" (notice to airmen), which would be reviewed by everyone from the airline to the pilot, air traffic controllers and dispatchers.

Studying up on NOTAMs is part of routine flight planning, explained John Maris, president of the Ontario aerospace research firm Marinvent.

NOTAMs issued by each country

"The NOTAM will give you whatever information you need to stay out of trouble. So in Quebec we’ve got fireworks displays in the summer, and they’ll establish a little zone above the fireworks display prohibiting flight over that area, and give whatever altitude limit is required," he said.

A man uses his mobile phone to film the wreckage at the site of the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in Grabove, in rebel-held east Ukraine on July 18.

For a space shuttle launch, a NOTAM would inform pilots whether an area has become "hot" or active, and indicate whether a patch of airspace that is normally dormant should be avoided at any altitude.

The publicly accessible documents would also advise pilots about whether an airport is closed, a taxi runway is congested, or whether local air shows or military test sites are active in the area.

"If you're going to fly all the way across Europe, you'll get the French NOTAMs, the German NOTAMs, Greek NOTAMS, all in one big dump, if you will. It's up to you as a pilot to decide how you'll react to them," said Maris, who has conducted aviation accident investigation work.

'The argument would be that at that altitude, the airplane is not a threat. Who's going to shoot down an airplane at 35,000 feet?' - Mike Boyd, aviation expert with the Boyd Group

The non-profit Nav Canada runs and lists national NOTAM data. Ukraine’s civil air navigation system publishes its own.

If carriers failed to follow Ukraine’s aeronautical advisories then, they’re much more likely to heed them now.

"I guarantee there’s not going to be a commercial airline within a 1,000 kilometres of that place now," said Mike Boyd, a Colorado-based airline security consultant and president of the Boyd Group.

While North American airliners exercised caution around Russia and Ukraine, Boyd said, "you can make the argument legitimately that Malaysia should have known better than to be there."

Yet it appears Malaysia flight never actually violated closed airspace near Dontesk in Ukraine’s east.

A deadly presumption

Eurocontrol, which co-ordinates European airspace, said its records showed the Malaysian airliner was flying at a cruising altitude of roughly 10,000 metres, or 305 metres above restricted airspace.

Although the airline company may have believed that to be a "safe" distance from the reach of military ground fire, Boyd said that was a deadly presumption to make.

"The argument would be that at that altitude, the airplane is not a threat," he said. "Who’s going to shoot down an airplane at 35,000 feet?"

Cooper called that a grave "miscalculation."

The BUK missile launcher, also known as the SA-11, is sophisticated radar-guided weaponry that can launch missiles with a range of up to 80,000 feet.

Saving on fuel costs

While flying in the Persian Gulf during his Air Force days, Cooper said, he narrowly escaped a variant of the same missile fired at his fighter jet by the Iraqi Republican Guard.

"My F18 at the time had pretty state-of-the-art (radar) jammers and I had a lot of training with regard to how to avoid missiles, and I had to use every trick in my book to avoid being taken down by one of those SA-11s," he said. "There’s no way a civil airliner could come out of this on the bright side."

But knowing that transport planes have already been taken down in the region, why would any airline continue to take the risk in that airspace?


Cooper, who was tapped after the 9/11 attacks to work as a member of the Air Canada Pilot’s Association Security Committee, supposes the main reason in many cases is companies don’t want to hurt their bottom line.

MH17's flight path was considered to be cheaper, busier and more direct.


"Airlines run on a real tight profit margin and one of the biggest factors is fuel," Cooper said. "You go around things, you make your travel longer, you burn more fuel, you lose more money, and sometimes, saving money is the name of the game."

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*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources CBC
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DTN News - BOEING NEWS: Few customers For Boeing 747 Despite Upgrade

DTN News - BOEING NEWS: Few customers For Boeing 747 Despite Upgrade

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources By Julie Johnsson and Andrea Rothman
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 4, 2014: (CHICAGO) — Boeing’s iconic 747 jumbo jet is gliding deeper into its twilight years, with a new Air Force One fleet offering the strongest sales prospect for a passenger model that no longer fits most airlines’ needs.

Even as Boeing talks with Emirates airline about an order for the upgraded 747-8, the carrier played down the chances of a deal because it’s buying 150 Boeing 777X jets. That plane will be bigger and more efficient than the current 777, a twin-engine aircraft so capable that it’s cannibalizing Boeing’s jumbo sales.

Commercial success has proved elusive for the 747-8, the latest update to an almost 50-year-old plane known for its distinctive humpbacked fuselage. While the 747-8 is a lock to win bidding that opens this year to replace the president’s fleet, waning demand for the cargo variant further imperils an assembly line that has slowed to just one or two planes a month.

‘‘Air Force One is it, unless a miracle happens in the airfreight business,’’ said Glen Langdon, president of Langdon Asset Management, a San Francisco firm that has extensive experience selling used 747s and other wide-body freighters.

Discussions with Emirates were disclosed this week by John Wojick, senior vice president for sales and marketing at Chicago-based Boeing’s commercial airplane unit, at the annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association in Doha. Emirates is the world’s largest international airline and it operates a fleet of A380s from rival Airbus Group.

Boeing is fighting to land customers, even using trade-ins of older models to seal deals. Boeing faces a ‘‘material’’ accounting loss if it can’t win sufficient 747 orders to recover the costs of development, according to a company filing. So far, Boeing has tallied just 51 sales for the passenger variant, known as the 747-8I or Intercontinental, since Deutsche Lufthansa AG placed the first order in 2006.

This year’s 747-8 order count: one. It wasn’t always so grim. Pan American World Airways announced a $525 million order for 25 of the first 747s in 1966, effectively launching a program that would go on to produce almost 1,500 planes.

But Boeing outdid itself with the 777-9X, the first twin-engine jet designed to carry a jumbo’s haul of 407 passengers. Meanwhile, a glut of the previous 747 iteration remain parked, and Boeing cut 747 production twice last year, to 18 jets a year, as the backlog dwindled.

‘‘We expect 747-8 sales to increase with the economy, and customers flying the airplane tell us they love its strong performance,’’ Randy Tinseth, a Boeing vice-president for marketing, said in an e-mail. ‘‘That’s why we continue to invest in the 747-8, to make it even better.’’

The 747-8’s likeliest sales are to the Pentagon. The Air Force is planning to upgrade the all-747 presidential aircraft fleet by 2023 and has also begun studying whether to replace the ‘‘Doomsday’’ fleet, four 747-200 jets hardened against nuclear blasts that provide a mobile military command, Charles Gulick, an Air Force spokesman, said in an e-mail.

The White House’s fiscal year 2015 budget proposes spending $1.65 billion over five years to replace its aging Air Force One fleet, which began ferrying President George H.W. Bush in August 1990.

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources By Julie Johnsson and Andrea Rothman
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DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Malaysia Airlines MH370 Plane 'CHANGED COURSE'

DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Malaysia Airlines MH370 Plane 'CHANGED COURSE'

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources CBC News
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 11, 2014: The Malaysian military has radar data showing the missing Boeing 777 jetliner changed course and made it to the Malacca Strait, hundreds of kilometres from the last position recorded by civilian authorities, according to a senior military official.

The development injects more mystery into the investigation of the disappearance of Saturday's flight, and raises questions about why the aircraft was not transmitting signals detectable by civilian radar.

Local newspaper Berita Harian quoted Malaysian air force chief Gen. Rodzali Daud as saying radar at a military base had detected the airliner at 2:40 a.m. local time near Pulau Perak at the northern approach to the strait, a busy waterway that separates the western coast of Malaysia and Indonesia's Sumatra island.

A high-ranking military official involved in the investigation confirmed the report and also said the plane was believed to be flying low. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

Authorities had earlier said the plane, which took off at 12:20 a.m. and was headed to Beijing, may have attempted to turn back to Kuala Lumpur, but they expressed surprise that it would do so without informing ground control.

The search for the plane was initially focused on waters between the eastern coast of Malaysia and Vietnam, the position where aviation authorities last tracked it. No trace of the plane, which was carrying 239 people, has been found by the 40 planes and ships from at least 10 nations searching the area.

Earlier Tuesday, Malaysia Airlines said in a statement that search and rescue teams had expanded their scope to the Malacca Strait. An earlier statement said the western coast of Malaysia was "now the focus," but the airline subsequently said that phrase was an oversight. It didn't elaborate. Civil aviation chief Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said the search remained "on both sides" of the country.

Also Tuesday, authorities said two people who boarded the flight using stolen passports were Iranians who had purchased tickets to Europe. Their appearance on the flight had raised speculation of a possible terrorist link.

Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said investigators had determined one was a 19-year-old Iranian, Pouria Nourmohammadi Mehrdad, and that it seemed likely he was planning to migrate to Germany.

"We believe he is not likely to be a member of any terrorist group," Khalid said.

Switched passports

Interpol identified the second man as Seyed Mohammed Reza Delavar, a 29-year-old Iranian, and released an image of the two boarding a plane at the same time. Interpol Secretary General Ronald K. Noble said the two men travelled to Malaysia on their Iranian passports, then apparently switched to their stolen Austrian and Italian documents.

He said speculation of terrorism appeared to be dying down "as the belief becomes more certain that these two individuals were probably not terrorists." He appealed to the public for more information about the two.

Malaysia Airlines, meanwhile, said it is investigating an Australian television report that the co-pilot on the missing plane had invited two women into the cockpit during a flight two years ago.

Jonti Roos described the encounter on Australia's A Current Affair. The airline said it wouldn't comment until its investigation is complete.

Roos said she and her friend were allowed to stay in the cockpit during the entire one-hour flight on Dec. 14, 2011, from Phuket, Thailand, to Kuala Lumpur. She said the arrangement did not seem unusual to the plane's crew.

"Throughout the entire flight, they were talking to us and they were actually smoking throughout the flight," Roos said.

Roos didn't immediately reply to a message sent to her via Facebook.

The missing plane took off from Kuala Lumpur, on the western coast of Malaysia, early Saturday en route to Beijing.

It flew across Malaysia into the Gulf of Thailand at 11,000 metres and then disappeared from radar screens.

Vast search area

The hunt began on Saturday near the plane's last known location. But with no debris found there, the search has been systematically expanded to include areas the plane could have reached with the fuel it had on board. That is a vast area in which to locate something as small as a piece of an aircraft.

China, where two-thirds of the passengers are from, urged Malaysian authorities on Tuesday to "speed up the efforts" to find the plane. It has sent four ships, with another four on the way.

A shopping mall in Beijing suspended advertising on its large outdoor LED screen to display a search timer — an image of an airplane along with a digital clock marking the time since contact with the flight was lost.

Assuming the plane crashed into the ocean or disintegrated in midair, there will likely still be debris floating in the ocean, but it may be widely spread out and much may have already sunk. In past disasters, it has taken days or longer to find wreckage.

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources CBC News
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DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Boeing Adjusts 747-8 Production Rate

DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Boeing Adjusts 747-8 Production Rate

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Boeing
(NSI News Source Info) HONG KONG - October 19, 2013: Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced that it will adjust the production rate for the 747-8 program from 1.75 airplanes to 1.5 airplanes per month through 2015 because of lower market demand for large passenger and freighter airplanes.

"This production adjustment better aligns us with near-term demand while stabilizing our production flow, and better positions the program to offer the 747-8's compelling economics and performance when the market recovers," said Eric Lindblad, vice president and general manager, 747 Program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Although we are making a small adjustment to our production rate, it doesn't change our confidence in the 747-8 or our commitment to the program."

The company expects long-term average growth in the air cargo market to begin returning in 2014, and forecasts global demand for 760 large airplanes (such as the 747-8) over the next 20 years, valued at $280 billion.

The 747-8 family provides airlines with double-digit improvements in fuel efficiency, operating costs and emissions, while being 30 percent quieter and adding more capacity. To date, the 747-8 has accumulated 107 orders for passenger and cargo versions, 56 of which have been delivered.

The first delivery at the new production rate is expected in early 2014. The production rate change is not expected to have a significant financial impact.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this release may be "forward-looking" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expects," "forecasts," "plans," "projects," "believes," "estimates," "targets," "anticipates," and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions, which may not prove to be accurate. These statements are not guarantees and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in these forward-looking statements. As a result, these statements speak to events only as of the date they are made and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as required by federal securities laws. Specific factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the effect of economic conditions in the United States and globally, and general industry conditions as they may impact us or our customers, as well as the other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts:

Carrie Berry
747 Communications
+1 425-418-8592
carrieann.berry@boeing.com

Doug Alder
Boeing Communications
+1 206-660-2978
doug.alder-jr@boeing.com
SOURCE Boeing

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Boeing
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DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Airbus Delivers Its 1,000th A330 To Cathay Pacific

DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Airbus Delivers Its 1,000th A330 To Cathay Pacific

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Airbus
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - July 20, 2013: Airbus has celebrated the delivery of the 1,000th A330. The aircraft, an A330-300 powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, was handed over to Cathay Pacific Airways at special ceremony in Toulouse today. Cathay Pacific together with its sister airline Dragonair is the world’s largest operator of the A330, with a total of 56 now in service.

The 1,000th delivery comes as the A330 continues to enjoy increasing popularity with airlines across the globe. Continuously enhanced to maintain its economic advantage, the aircraft remains the most cost-efficient twin engine widebody in service today for both regional and long haul routes, with the latest versions capable of flying non-stop on sectors of up to 7,250 nautical miles / 13,420 km. The spacious cabin is a firm favourite with passengers, offering the best comfort in its category and the latest state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment systems and connectivity options.   

“The A330 has played an integral part in Cathay Pacific’s growth and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership in the future,” said Ivan Chu, Chief Operating Officer, Cathay Pacific Airways. “The A330 is the backbone of our mid-size fleet and we are delighted with the reliability, flexibility and above all the economics of this great aircraft. We are very proud to be the recipient of the 1,000th A330.”

“It is of particular importance for us to be celebrating this 1000th A330 delivery milestone with our long-standing partner Cathay Pacific Airways,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “The A330 offers the lowest operating costs of any aircraft in its category in service today and is unmatched even by the latest competing aircraft. The fact that a world-leading airline such as Cathay Pacific Airways has placed so many repeat orders says it all.”

Since its first delivery of the A330 in 1995, Cathay Pacific’s Airbus fleet now comprises 38 A330-300s and 11 A340s, while Dragonair flies 21 single aisle A320 Family aircraft and 18 A330-300s. The Cathay Pacific Group has outstanding orders for 10 more A330-300s. The airline will also take delivery of 48 all-new A350 XWBs in the future, including 46 ordered from Airbus and two leased aircraft.

The wide market appeal of the A330 Family is demonstrated daily by over 100 operators, including network carriers, low cost, charter and flag carriers, who fly A330s on all missions from 30 minutes to over 14 hours. About 1.2 billion passengers have enjoyed travelling on board the light, bright and spacious A330 cabin to and from the 300 airports it serves today. More than 1,250 A330s have been ordered to date.

The A330-300 brings Airbus widebody efficiency to airline operations on longer-haul routes.
RANGE AND COMFORT

The stretched-fuselage A330-300 matches twin-engine efficiency with increased passenger capacity – all while retaining the A330 Family’s highly comfortable, low-noise cabin and operating commonality with the entire Airbus fly-by-wire product line.  This jetliner currently has a range of up to 5,570 nautical miles while carrying 300 passengers in a typical two-cabin arrangement, seating 36 in first or business class at a 60-inch seat pitch, and 264 in economy at 32-inch pitch. 

Its designed-in flexibility allows airlines to integrate Airbus’ innovative crew rest facilities without giving up revenue passenger seats.  A secure flight crew location next to the cockpit accommodates one or two bunks, while a pallet-mounted rest area with up to seven bunks for cabin personnel is designed for loading under the main deck, with accessibility via a stair in the centre-left passenger cabin. 

As a member of the popular A330 Family, the A330-300 benefits from demonstrated reliability, performance and unbeatable operating costs of the product line, in service to more than 300 airports worldwide, logging 25 million-plus flight hours on more than 5.5 million flights with over 100 operators. 

Many also profit from Airbus commonality: some 20 A330 customers utilise both A330-300s and the shorter-fuselage A330-200; while pilots with approximately 30 carriers practice mixed-fleet flying by using A330-300/200 jetliners along with four-engine A340s, or A330s alongside single-aisle A320 Family aircraft.

The A330-300 incorporates Airbus’ latest technology, which includes its digital fly-by-wire flight controls, a high-efficiency wing, and more than 10 tonnes of lightweight composite structures in its airframe. A lighter, brighter and more spacious cabin results from updated features that include smoother contours, new interior styling, state-of-the-art LED lighting and newly-designed air conditioning units.  Also available is appealing mood lighting and a choice of overhead storage options with optimised bin designs.

Airbus’ 222-inch fuselage cross-section provides unmatched comfort on the main deck, while also offering large underfloor holds that open up opportunities for extra revenue from cargo.  These holds accept industry-standard LD3 containers in side-by-loading, facilitating cargo processing and interlining.  In a typical arrangement, six 96-inch pallets or 18 LD3 containers can be accommodated in forward zone; while its aft cargo hold can handle such loads as 12 LD3 containers along with one 96-inch pallet, plus bulk cargo.

Caring for the environment, the A330 Family environmental footprint is better than the standards of today and tomorrow.  With its low noise and emissions levels, A330s fly greener and quieter – supported by Airbus’ long-term commitment to further enhancing the eco-efficiency of its jetliner product line.


With the 242-metric-tonne increased maximum takeoff weight version, the A330 will bring increased fuel efficiency thanks to aerodynamic refinements and engine enhancements.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Airbus
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DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Boeing Delivers British Airways' First 787 Dreamliner

DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Boeing Delivers British Airways' First 787 Dreamliner

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Boeing
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 27, 2013: Boeing (NYSE: BA) and British Airways announced the delivery today of the UK carrier's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The British Airways 787 departed Paine Field in Everett, Wash., on Wednesday, June 26, arriving at London's Heathrow Airport today at 12:10 pm local time. The airplane was welcomed to its Heathrow home by Willie Walsh, chief executive officer of International Airlines Group (IAG), the company that owns British Airways.

"The 787 is a tremendous, innovative aircraft which sets new standards for environmental performance and operating efficiency and I'm sure British Airways' customers will love it," said Walsh. "The 787 will become a mainstay of the British Airways fleet over the next few years."

British Airways has announced that the airline will operate the 787 from Heathrow to Toronto from Sept. 1 and Heathrow to Newark from Oct. 1.

"The delivery of the first of BA's 787s is an exciting milestone for Boeing and British Airways," said Todd Nelp, vice president of European Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.  "The 787 is the most technologically advanced and fuel-efficient commercial jetliner in its class. Its improved lighting, bigger windows, larger overhead bins, lower cabin altitude and cleaner cabin air will offer BA's passengers an unparalleled flying experience."

The 787 Dreamliner is composed of lightweight composites and features numerous systems, engine and aerodynamic advancements, with unmatched fuel efficiency using 20 percent less fuel than today's similarly sized airplanes.  It is the first mid-sized airplane capable of flying long-range routes, providing airlines with unprecedented fuel economy and low operating costs and enabling airlines to open new, non-stop routes preferred by passengers. On a 787 with Rolls-Royce engines, UK companies make about 25 percent of the 787 by value.

The British Airways 787 Dreamliner carries 214 passengers and is configured with 35 seats in Club World, 25 in World Traveller Plus and 154 seats in the World Traveller cabin.

British Airways operates more than 140 Boeing airplanes within its fleet including 52 777s, as well as the world's largest fleet of 747s with 52.

This is the first of 24 787s British Airways has on order. In addition, IAG recently announced that it will convert 18 787 options to firm orders for British Airways, subject to shareholder agreement. Twelve of these will be 787-10s, meaning British Airways will operate the entire 787 family – the 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10.

British Airways employs approximately 40,000 people, based mainly in the UK, although it has staff based in more 75 countries around the world. The airline has 14,500 cabin crew and 3,500 pilots. The airline's route network currently serves in excess of 177 destinations and it operates in excess of 300,000 flights per year.

Contact:

Fiona O'Farrell
Boeing European Communications
+44 (0) 7557 160 645
fiona.ofarrell@boeing.com

Matthew Knowles
Boeing UK Corporate Communications
+44 (7785) 463 861
matt.knowles@boeing.com

SOURCE Boeing

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Boeing
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DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Airbus A350 Makes Maiden Test Flight

DTN News - AIRLINES NEWS: Airbus A350 Makes Maiden Test Flight

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources BBC News
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 14, 2013: The newest aircraft from European planemaker Airbus has taken off on its maiden test flight.

The Airbus A350 is designed to be more fuel-efficient, and a direct competitor to US rival Boeing's 787 Dreamliner.

It is seen as vital to the future of Airbus, which competes with Boeing to supply the majority of the world's airlines with new planes.

It took off from Blagnac airstrip in the French city of Toulouse, where the A350 is assembled, on Friday morning.

The plane will take a short trip to carry out tests, and then land back at Toulouse again.

Boeing's Dreamliner has proved popular since its first flight in 2009, despite recently being grounded by regulators over safety fears relating to its batteries.

Major milestone

Airlines are being squeezed by high fuel costs and falling passenger numbers, and are looking for more fuel-efficient aircraft.

Airbus claims the A350, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, will use about 25% less fuel than previous generation wide-bodied aircraft.

Like the Dreamliner, the A350 is made largely of advanced materials, particularly carbon composites, in order to save weight.

Airbus has already taken more than 600 orders for the new plane, whereas there have been 890 Dreamliner orders so far.

The company hopes to start delivering the first A350s to customers by the end of 2014.

Analysts say a successful test flight would be a major milestone for Airbus in the A350 project, with major aircraft manufacturing projects frequently beset by delays.

"All recent programmes before it, both by Airbus, Boeing and others, have had reasonably horrendous technical problems and delays," said Nick Cunningham, an aviation analyst at the London-based Agency Partners, speaking to French agency AFP.

"So every time you hit a milestone (such as a test flight), it's good news because it means that you've missed an opportunity to have another big delay."

The plane's wings were designed at an Airbus facility in Filton near Bristol, and are manufactured at Broughton in Wales.

The Airbus A350 XWB is a family of long-range, two-engined wide-body jet airliners under development by European aircraft manufacturer Airbus. The A350 will be the first Airbus with both fuselage and wing structures made primarily of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer. It will carry 250 to 350 passengers in three-class seating, depending on variant.

The A350 was originally conceived in 2004 as a largely new design, but with a fuselage based on the A330. This was rejected by some prospective customers. The 2006 redesigned A350 was named by Airbus as the A350 XWB, where the XWB is an acronym extra wide body. Airbus stated that it will be more fuel-efficient and have operating costs up to 8% lower than the Boeing 787.

The launch customer for the A350 is Qatar Airways, which ordered 80 aircraft across the three variants. Development costs are projected to be €12 billion (US$15 billion or £10 billion). The airliner is scheduled to enter airline service in mid-2014. As of February 2013, 617 aircraft have been ordered.

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Airbus next-generation A350 ready for debut test NDTV Toulouse, France: Airbus's next-generation A350 plane takes off on its first test flight today, with its backers predicting hundreds of orders at next week's Paris Air Show as the European company ups the fight against Boeing. The test flight is a ... See all stories on this topic »

Qatar Airways' First Airbus A380 On course For Delivery MENAFN.COM Jun 13, 2013 (Menafn - M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) --Ahead of the planned 2014 delivery of the first Qatar Airways Airbus A380-800 on order, the airline today released the first image of theaircraft in partial livery from the manufacturer's Toulouse ... See all stories on this topic »

EADS CEO Sees 'Several Hundred' Airbus Orders at Paris Air Show Wall Street Journal PARIS--EADS chief executive Tom Enders said Thursday he expects order announcements for "a few hundred" commercial aircraft for its Airbus division during next week's Paris air show. EADS, which stands for European Defence and Space Co. (EADSY ... See all stories on this topic »

Bombardier gambles on big order payoff with new jet Globe and Mail Airbus and Boeing rule the world of bigger commercial jets, and will defend their turf with discounts and revamped planes, while Brazil's Embraer SA, the world's No. 3 plane maker, leads in sales of smaller regional jets. Embraer has 142 firm orders ... See all stories on this topic »

For Airbus and Bankers, Big A340s Pose Sizable Risks Wall Street Journal As Airbus prepares to celebrate as early as Friday the first flight of its A350, which already has attracted more than 600 orders, the European aircraft maker and its bankers are facing what could be hundreds of millions of dollars of losses on the new ... See all stories on this topic »

Airbus A350 set for maiden flight BBC News Airlines are being squeezed by high fuel costs and falling passenger numbers, and are looking for more fuel-efficient aircraft. Like the Dreamliner, the A350 is made largely of advanced materials, particularly carbon composites, in order to save weight ... See all stories on this topic »

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources BBC News + Wikipedia

*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS