Feb 06, 2018 -  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is calling for urgent attention to address infrastructure challenges in order to secure the industry's future. "Having the infrastructure to grow is vital to our industry's future. But in many key places, it is not being built fast enough to meet growing demand. And there are worrying trends which are increasing costs. One of these is airport privatizations. We have not found the correct regulatory framework to balance the interests of the investors to turn a profit, with the public interest for the airport to be a catalyst for economic…

Feb 2, 2018  -  Airbus SE reported its flight-test team completed the first flight for the A321LR (Long Range), a new variant of the A321neo single-aisle aircraft. The test mission lasted 2 hours and 36 minutes, with the aircraft powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines. The same aircraft now will undergo a flight-test program scheduled to last nearly 100 hours (including transatlantic routes) to attain for EASA and FAA Type Certification by midyear.

Jan 26, 2018  -  The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that only 60% of seats were filled on the ratepayer subsidised Wellington-Canberra flight route, compared to an average of nearly 80% for all flights in and out of Australia. Taxpayers’ Union Economist, Joe Ascroft, says that “Figures published by the Australian Government in their international airline review for 2016/17 make for sober reading. It is no surprise that Singapore had to move their flight route to Melbourne. Making profit, even after ratepayer subsidies, on a route where 40% of seats are empty on an average flight was never realistic.”…

Jan 18, 2018  -  OEM supplied +4% more aircraft and booked 52% more contracts than in the prior year.  Airbus S.E. reported its fifteenth consecutive annual increase in commercial aircraft deliveries for 2017, setting a new record with 718 aircraft delivered to 88 customers, an increase of +4% over the record (688 aircraft) set for 2016. More significantly, Airbus posted a 52% rise in contracts for new commercial aircraft, logging 1,109 net orders, and allowing it to claim the annual title in that category versus Boeing’s 912 new orders for 2017.

Jan 9, 2018  -  A bristol Freighter aicraft is to be restored in the city where it was built more than 60 years ago.  Shipped from New Zealand, where it had been in storage since last flying in 1977, it will be restored at Aerospace Bristol.  

Dec 29, 2017  -  Airbus has an order for 50 A321neo narrow-body aircraft from Qatar Airways, with deliveries to begin in 2019. The booking, which is valued at $6.35 billion at list prices, updates and expands an earlier contract placed by Qatar Airways in 2011.  The A321neo ACF (Airbus Cabin Flex configuration) introduces new placements for doors and other changes to the fuselage, so airlines can make more cost-effective use of cabin space and increase underfloor fuel capacity, for trans-Atlantic routes up to 4,000 nautical miles. The A321neo is the largest variant of the OEM’s single-aisle, twin-engine A320 series jets…

Dec 8, 2017  -  Photos of one of Air New Zealand's Boeing 787 Dreamliner engines which failed this week in-flight show damage to multiple turbine blades, at the rear, suggesting a part broke off and travelled through the engine.  That engine, on Tuesday morning's flight NZ99 bound for Tokyo with 282 people on board had to be shut down when it caused the aircraft to shake violently. Passengers heard clunking sounds and electrical power went out temporarily after takeoff from Auckland airport. The plane concerned, which was the first of the airline's nine Dreamliners to go into service, has since…

Dec 7, 2017  -  Thai Airways celebrates 30 years of flights between Auckland and Thailand today, marking a longstanding commitment to New Zealand as the only carrier to consistently service the Auckland-Bangkok route.  On 6th December 1987, the first official Thai Airways passenger jet service, operated by a DC-10 aircraft, touched down at Auckland Airport. Initially operated as a direct twice weekly service between Bangkok and Auckland, over the last thirty years the service has increased to daily with the recent launch of the new 787-9 Dreamliner on 17 November. The new offering marks a two-way tourist capacity increase from…

Dec 5,  2017  - Auckland Airport advises passengers travelling internationally in December 2017 and January 2018 to allow an extra 30 minutes for their journey through the terminal building.   Anil Varma, Auckland Airport’s acting general manager – aeronautical operations, says, “December and January are the busiest months of the year at our international terminal. Known as the summer peak, this year we are expecting around 162 international flights every day, with international passenger numbers expected to be approximately 6% higher than last summer. We are also expecting an average of around 37,500 passengers to use the international terminal on each…

Nov 28, 2017  -  Oceania Aviation has achieved approval of a cargo pod system for the Bell 429, and it is looking to further expand its equipment range.  Headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, Oceania Aviation’s Part 145 manufacturing division, Airborne Systems, has worked with a private owner to gain New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (NZCAA) approval for its Bell 429 Cargo Pod supplemental type certificate (STC). In early 2017, engineering manager Russell Goulden was approached by a private owner who was unhappy about a recently purchased cargo basket. With the possibility of making changes to the H125 Series cargo pod…

Cargo Composites (Charleston, SC, US) reports that it has partnered with Boeing (Chicago, IL, US) to deliver composite unit load devices (ULDs) to Air New Zealand. A Boeing 787 departed Charleston on Oct. 6 for Auckland, New Zealand, with Cargo Composites' newest container, an insulated ULD for transporting perishables via air cargo, called the aeroTHERM . To date, Air New Zealand has purchased more than 400 aeroTHERM units. Cargo Composites says the aeroTHERM ULD makes shipping perishables more affordable by taking advantage of Cargo Composites' patented and proprietary design. There is no need for power or for a cooling system…