Northrop Grumman

The flight 1h 20m flight from Northrop’s Palmdale, California facility reached 20,000ft (7,000m) altitude.

“Our goal is to mature the Triton UAS before supporting the Navy’s maritime [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] mission,” said Capt. Jim Hoke, programme manager for Triton . “The data we collect the next few years is essential to certify the system for operational use.”

The MQ-4C is a heavily modified version of the RQ-4 Global Hawk, replacing the original surveillance equipment with an electronically-scanned maritime radar, amongst other things.

The US Navy has ordered 68 of the aircraft for long-duration maritime surveillance, with a formal operational capability beginning in 2016.

MQ-4 has been ordered by the USN as a partial replacement for the aging Lockheed P-3C, which first flew in 1959. The MQ-4s are meant to work in concert with Boeing 737-derived P-8 Poseidon aircraft, several of which have been delivered to the US and Indian navies.

Australia has recently announced its intent to request detailed information from Nothrop in advance of a sale, but no aircraft have been formally ordered. Several other nations, including Canada, are thought to be considering the aircraft.

While Triton is ascendant, its progenitor the Global Hawk is facing difficulties. The US Air Force has plans to retire many of its new Block 30 models, which were built to replace the Lockheed U-2, due to high cost and underperformance. Germany recently cancelled orders for four of the aircraft, citing certification problems.

Source: Flightglobal

Airbus

The Trent XWB, specifically designed for the Airbus A350, is the fastest selling Trent engine ever, with more than 1,200 already sold, according to Rolls. The A350 is due to enter service in 2014.

Rolls-Royce did not give a value for the CIT deal.

Last month Rolls said it had won a $1.6 billion order from British Airways parent IAG for Trent XWB engines to power 18 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, including a support package.

Source: Reuters

Wikipedia

The pilot transfers began in April 2013, when the first batch of six Boeing 737-rated first officers arrived in Abu Dhabi to start training for the B777. Upon completion of the programme, the pilots will undertake line training on the Etihad’s flights before being fully licensed as B777 first officers.

Further pilot transfers will take place in the coming months, comprising Airbus A320 captains, A320 first officers, A330 first officers and B777 first officers.

“This development is part of the broader process to strengthen our alliance with equity group partners. With airberlin we are already sharing resources, integrating our fleet programmes, aligning our well-experienced personnel, and developing careers,” said James Hogan, Etihad’s president & CEO.

Etihad is planning to expand its fleet significantly over the coming years, with outstanding orders for more than 90 new aircraft – more than doubling its current fleet of 77 jets. As a result, Etihad plans to recruit 1,000 more pilots by 2020.

Source: Travel Daily Media

Oman Air has placed an order for three A330-300s, increasing its A330 family fleet to 10.The aircraft will be operated on long-haul routes.

Oman Air CEO Wayne Pearce said the additional order “will allow us to continue our strategy of growth with an aircraft we know to be both reliable and profitable, and in addition offering the highest levels of passenger comfort.”

Source: Air Transport World

Cessna is set to boost production of the 172 Skyhawk by up to 36% over 2012 levels, in response to an unexpected surge of orders, says chief executive Scott Ernest.

The Wichita-based airframer capped 172 production at an undisclosed level this year, but rising interest from Russian and Chinese pilot training schools overwhelmed supply.

“It’s interesting to me that we’re already sold out for the year,” Ernest says.

Cessna has not disclosed how many Skyhawks will be delivered this year, but the company reported shipping 140 in 2012.

“We have to decide whether we open the line for another 50 or so of the product at a certain price point,” Ernest says. “We’re actively looking at that. If the market will bear the price, then we’ll probably do it.”

Source: Flightglobal

Embraer

It will operate the Embraer 175 regional jets under a capacity-purchase agreement with United Airlines. Deliveries of the aircraft – to be configured in a 76-seat, dual-class layout – are scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2014 and conclude in 2015.

The order also includes 60 “reconfirmable aircraft” which are subject to SkyWest winning CPA contracts from other US airlines.

St George, Utah-based SkyWest is also taking options on an additional 100 aircraft.

The deal is additional to 30 Embraer 175 aircraft that United previously committed to purchasing for operation by a United Express carrier. These too are due to be handed over between 2014 and 2015.

In December 2012, SkyWest Airlines firmed an agreement to purchase 100 Mitsubishi Regional Jets, taking 100 options. These aircraft were scheduled for delivery from 2017.

The SkyWest regional airline group includes SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines. There are nine ERJ-135s and 241 ERJ-145s in ExpressJet’s in-service fleet. SkyWest Airlines operates 42 EMB-120 turboprops.

Source: Flightglobal

Héctor Montes De Oca

As part of the plan for the renovation of its fleet, the aircraft, with 86 seats in one single class, will gradually replace the Embraer 145 planes with 50 seats.

The Embraer 175 shares its design and cabin structure with the Embraer 190. This attribute allows customers to have the same travel experience on either one of these aircraft. Other features include more space for storing carry-on luggage in compartments that are overhead or underneath seats, more comfortable seats, a 2×2 seating configuration with space in the aisle, to name a few. Embraer aircraft are recognized as the most comfortable family of aircraft in their category.

Two of the three planes will start operations on June 1st and 20th, offering greater comfort along with cutting edge technology on routes from Mexico City to Acapulco, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Guadalajara, Tampico, Zihuatanejo, Minatitlan, San Luis Potosi and Aguascalientes.

Aeromexico continues to work on staying at the head of the industry, with one of the country’s most modern fleets, making its operations more efficient to reduce environmental impact while offering passengers world class service on its extensive network of routes to more than 45 destinations in Mexico, 18 in the United States, 11 in Latin America, three in Europe, two in Asia and one in Canada.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

The quarterly loss is in line with the company’s plans for the year, the statement reads.

The cash-strapped airline finished last year with a loss of EUR 10.8m, most of which it generated in the first quarter, when demand for flights is at its lowest. It therefore expects to break even by the end of this year.

The results were debated at a session of the supervisory board on Thursday, which also examined restructuring efforts at the company.

Meanwhile, the supervisors did not discuss the call to applications for a new board member which was concluded on 30 April.

The appointment of a new board member will complete the management board and pave the way to the naming of a full-time chairman.

Interim chairman Mark Anžur said that he was happy with operations in the first three months of the year. The goal of breaking even by the end of the year is in reach.

Source: The Slovenia Times

Dassault

The US Federal Aviation Administration and EASA have lifted restrictions following flight testing.

Aviation Partners says its blended winglets are now flying on more than 230 Falcon 2000, 900 and 50-series aircraft.

The high-Mach blended winglets, first certificated for the Falcon 2000 series in May 2009, are now FAA approved for all Falcon 2000, 900 and 50-series aircraft, and EASA approved for all 2000 and 900-series aircraft.

Source: Flightglobal

Ryanair

Passenger traffic grew 5% to 79.3 million as the airline added 217 new routes to its roster, bringing the total to 1,600.

But fuel costs rose by more than 290m euros, the company said, and now account for 45% of total costs.

Chief executive Michael O’Leary said: “Delivering a 13% increase in profits and 5% traffic growth despite high oil prices during a European recession is testimony to the strength of Ryanair’s ultra-low cost model.”

But he warned that growth would be slower in the 2013-14 financial year at Europe’s largest budget airline, thanks to rising oil prices and “unjustified higher Eurocontrol and Spanish airport charges”.

The company is forecasting net profits in the range of 570m to 600m euros for the coming year.

In March, Ryanair placed an order with Boeing for 175 planes worth £10.3bn ($15.6bn) to be delivered between 2014 and 2018.

The deal will increase its fleet by a third to 400 planes.

But in February, Ryanair’s expansion plans were dealt a blow when the European Commission blocked its third attempt to take over rival Aer Lingus, in which Ryanair already has a 30% stake.

Mr O’Leary, who is known for his outspokenness, dismissed the decision as “bizarre”, saying it was “yet another politically motivated decision by Europe’s competition authority”.

The Commission fears a takeover would reduce competition to the detriment of consumers.

Source: BBC