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February 4, 2010

Garuda to triple capacity by 2014

By Gregory Polek

Garuda Indonesia Airlines is in Singapore with one of its new Boeing 737-800s to promote plans to expand its capacity threefold by 2014. Dubbed Quantum Leap, the five-year plan begins in earnest this year, as Garuda takes delivery of 23 new B737-800s and a single A330-200.
“We’re planning to add 10 domestic routes this year, increase frequencies on regional services including Singapore more

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Airbus accelerates launch plan for re-engined Airbus A320s

By Gregory Polek

Airbus hopes to reach a decision on an engine replacement option for the A320 family in time for this summer’s Farnborough airshow, according to company COO for customers John Leahy. Planning to offer a new engine from either International Aero Engines, which would adapt a version of the Geared Turbofan developed by Pratt & Whitney, or CFM International, which would offer a member of its Leap-X more

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Singapore Airlines Sees Profits at Last

Singapore Airlines (SIA) returned to profitability in the third quarter of the current financial year–hopefully turning its back on two straight quarters of losses. The flagcarrier’s operating profit of the quarter ending on Dec. 31, 2009, was S$323 million, marking a major turnaround after the S$159 million loss suffered in the second quarter. Group revenues in the third quarter climbed by al more

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First Beechcraft T-6As Delivered to Iraqi AF

Hawker Beechcraft has delivered the first four of 15 Beechcraft T-6A military trainers scheduled to go to the Iraqi air force under the terms of a pair of contracts signed last August and September, the company announced here yesterday. Plans call for the air force to take delivery of the rest of the aircraft in the first and fourth quarters of this year.

Along with the 15 airplanes, t more

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Steep Approach OK’d for Gulfstream 150

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have certified the Gulfstream 150 for a steep-approach angle of up to 6 degrees compared to the normal 3.5 degrees or less. Several airports worldwide require steep-approach certification to land at their facility due to terrain, obstacles or local noise ordinances.

The G150 is the first Gulf more

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C-17 Aircrew Training Begins in Australia

The first two Royal Australian Air Force C-17 pilots began training at a new aircrew training system (ATS) facility at RAAF Amberley, Queensland. The air force had previously undertaken its aircrew training in the U.S., and the Australian ATS is the first to be established overseas. Boeing Defense Australia instructors provide 350 hours of training to student pilots over a 100-day course, which in more

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Sikorsky Launches Innovation Scheme

Sikorsky has launched a technology development organization called Sikorsky Innovations, whose mission is to develop and mature technologies, products and processes. Sikorsky Innovations, a “virtual organization,” will strive to shorten execution timelines and reduce costs, the U.S. helicopter manufacturer announced this week.

Among those technologies are several that the company sa more

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Unmanned helos eyed for cargo carrying role

By David Donald

Unmanned air vehicles for cargo duties have been studied for some years, but the current difficulties being experienced by U.S. and other forces in Afghanistan has lent a new urgency to development of this concept. IEDs and ambushes have taken a heavy toll on the MSRs (main supply routes) along which the military is forced to move its materiel.

Last August the U.S. Marine Corps Warfight more

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LHT’s Manila facility to keep Air Asia X’s Airbuses flying

By Thierry Dubois

Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) yesterday signed an agreement with low-cost long-haul carrier Air Asia X for maintenance, repair and overhaul services (MRO) at its Manila facilities. Beginning in March the Malaysia-based operator’s fleet of eight Airbus A330s and A340s will be supported under the three-year contract.

According to the agreement, during the first year, LTP will perf more

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EADS Astrium displays space plane

By Thierry Dubois

EADS Astrium (Stand H23) is displaying a model of its proposed Space Plane, which would require seven years of development between actual program launch and first commercial flight. Hugues Laporte-Weywada, the company’s senior vice president for industrial globalization, told AIN that Astrium’s goal is to produce a certified aircraft that would be more flexible than the in-development Virgin G more

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