General Aviation Thread

[ngatimozart]

Good news for Emirates passengers, fantastic news for aircraftspotters from whole Indonesia!

Emirates to launch first A380 service to Bali

Dubai, UAE, 24 March 2023: Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, will deploy its signature A380 aircraft to Bali starting from 1 June 2023, marking a milestone in Indonesia’s aviation history as the first scheduled A380 service to the country.The new 2-class Emirates A380 service...

www.emirates.com

They restarted the A380 flights into Christchurch yesterday.

 

[swerve]

Good news for Emirates passengers, fantastic news for aircraftspotters from whole Indonesia!

Emirates to launch first A380 service to Bali

Dubai, UAE, 24 March 2023: Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, will deploy its signature A380 aircraft to Bali starting from 1 June 2023, marking a milestone in Indonesia’s aviation history as the first scheduled A380 service to the country.The new 2-class Emirates A380 service...

www.emirates.com

I've flown Air France A380 to Tokyo. BIIIIIGGGG!

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

I just don't understand that this pilot could continue with his threats, rude behaviour, insults, sexual intimidation and sexual abuse against aircrew, groundstaf, passengers, hotel employees and anyone else for over 20 years. He did this during flight, at the airport and outside the airport in the Netherlands and abroad.

He had probably someone in the management protecting him. I didn't expect this from KLM, an airline the Dutch people are so proud of.

KLM mag piloot ontslaan na 20 jaar grensoverschrijdend gedrag

De gezagvoerder zou tussen 2002 en 2022 zich keer op keer ernstig hebben misdragen tegen bemanningsleden, grondpersoneel en passagiers.

nos.nl

And starting from 2025, there will be no more nightflights at Schiphol (AMS) between 0:00 - 5:00, and from 5:00-6:00 in the morning only arriving flights are allowed.

Schiphol moet 's nachts op slot om vertrouwen te herstellen

SCHIPHOL – Schiphol wil uiterlijk in 2025 alle nachtvluchten schrappen tussen middernacht en 5 uur ’s ochtends. Tussen 5 en 6 uur is de luchthaven alleen open voor binnenkomend vliegverkeer. Dit is onderdeel van een pakket maatregelen, dat interim-topman Ruud Sondag heeft gepresenteerd. Het...

luchtvaartnieuws.nl

 

[At lakes]

Here's What We Know About The Second An-225 Antonov Wants To Build

The Ukrainian aircraft builder wants to resume building the second airframe that was never completed and in storage since 1994. As we reported earlier

theaviationist.com

The uncompleted 2nd AN225 is currently stored in a Very Big Hanger in Germany. Some Ukrainians from Antonov are now talking about completing it and getting it airborne. The major problem is finding someone or some country with 500 million e willing to invest.

 

[ngatimozart]

Here's What We Know About The Second An-225 Antonov Wants To Build

The Ukrainian aircraft builder wants to resume building the second airframe that was never completed and in storage since 1994. As we reported earlier

theaviationist.com

The uncompleted 2nd AN225 is currently stored in a Very Big Hanger in Germany. Some Ukrainians from Antonov are now talking about completing it and getting it airborne. The major problem is finding someone or some country with 500 million e willing to invest.

An article suggesting that Airbus work with Antonov to build the 2nd AN-225. Has some details about what is required.

Airbus and the Antonov An-225: The Best Partnership for Rebuilding the Largest Aircraft

New Life for the World's Largest Aircraft: The Reconstruction of the Antonov An-225

jetlinemarvel.net

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Singapore Airlines has decided to cancel eight B737-8s it had on order and convert orders for three B787-9s for Scoot into an order for three B787-10s for Singapore Airlines. So from the 21 737MAXes on order, 13 are left over.

Singapore Airlines restructures its Boeing-orders

Singapore Airlines restructures its Boeing-orders Singapore Airlines Group has announced its has restructured some of the aircraft it had on order with Boeing in its Financial Year...

scramble.nl

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Good news for the chinafans of Defencetalk
The Comac C919 had its first commercial flight.

Eerste lijnvlucht van passagierstoestel 'Made in China'

Het toestel, de C919, moet de concurrentie aangaan met Airbus en Boeing, die de markt voor passagiersvliegtuigen domineren.

nos.nl

Geslaagde eerste commerciële vlucht C919 van Chinese rivaal Boeing

BEIJING - Luchtvaartmaatschappij China Eastern Airlines heeft zondag de eerste commerciële vlucht uitgevoerd met een C919 van de Chinese vliegtuigbouwer Comac. Het toestel vloog zondagmorgen van Shanghai naar Peking.

www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl

China’s C919 Takes Maiden Commercial Flight—and First Bite From Boeing

Despite backing from top leaders and a ready-made market for its planes, manufacturer Comac faces a steep path to success.

www.wsj.com

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/china-eastern-c919-first-commercial-flight-intl-hnk/index.html

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

The new 787-9 for Riyadh Air looks really nice. Top level paint job.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1665406459226779648

Bonusphoto:
The first landing of a scheduled flight of an A380 to an Indonesian destination, landing at Bandara I Gusti Ngurah Rai (DPS), Denpasar.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1664197326649569280

 

[ngatimozart]

The new 787-9 for Riyadh Air looks really nice. Top level paint job.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1665406459226779648

Bonusphoto:
The first landing of a scheduled flight of an A380 to an Indonesian destination, landing at Bandara I Gusti Ngurah Rai (DPS), Denpasar.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1664197326649569280

We have the A380 coming into Christchurch about 3 times a week. I was flying out of Auckland in 2008 and there were two A380s at the international terminal there, with a third due in not longer after we flew out.

 

[John Fedup]

Apparently a Citation business was considered a threat and F-16s were scrambled to intercept it creating sonic booms that freaked people on the ground. The business jet crashed. Apparently the pilot appeared unconscious and the military jets did not shot it down. The danger of flying solo.

Citation Jet Crashes In Virginia After Supersonic Intercept By F-16s (Updated)

A powerful blast was heard all across the region, sparking concerns and confusion from the Capital to the Virginia coast.

www.thedrive.com

 

[John Fedup]

A news release by RR describes their new jet engine for commercial aircraft.

Rolls-Royce announces successful first tests of UltraFan technology demonstrator in Derby, UK

Rolls-Royce announces successful first tests of UltraFan technology demonstrator in Derby, UK

www.rolls-royce.com

 

[Ananda]

Russia rolls out the Il-96-400M quad jet - Air Data News

The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) rolled out the Il-96-400M quadrijet, a higher-capacity variant of the widebody developed during the Soviet Union.

www.airdatanews.com

Russia have no other choice. With CR929 co-op with China still facing delays, there're also no guaranteed how long they still can keep fly those Airbus and Boeing wide bodies.

Even if China and Russia manage to handle each ego on CR929, each of them going to be busy in next few years smoothing each of their single aisle (C919 and MC-21). So CR929 most realistically going to be ready operational by end of this decade. Thus reviving this quad jets is the best they can do for time being.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Indigo Air has signed the contract with Airbus for the largest order in history.

|"IndiGo vliegt momenteel al met ruim 300 toestellen, waarvan 276 uit de A320-familie. Bovendien hadden de Indiërs al nog bijna 500 toestellen uit de A320neo-familie in bestelling. Met deze nieuwe order groeit de totale vloot dus richting de 1300 toestellen."|

So from the 300 aircrafts in its fleet, 276 are already from the A320 family. With the last order of 500 aircrafts, the total amount of aircrafts in the fleet of Indigo Air will rise to more than 1300.

IndiGo bevestigt mega-order bij Airbus voor 500 toestellen

PARIJS - Zoals verwacht heeft IndiGo maandag een mega-order bekendgemaakt op de Paris Air Show. De prijsvechter onder leiding van Pieter Elbers bestelt nog eens 500 toestellen uit de A320neo-familie, waarmee de totale uitstaande order op bijna 1000 exemplaren uitkomt.

www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl

Historische vliegtuigdeal: Indiase maatschappij koopt 500 Airbus-toestellen

IndiGo maakte de bestelling van 500 Airbus-vliegtuigen bekend op een Parijse vliegtuigshow.

nos.nl

 

[Ananda]

Airbus CEO on Indian big order from IndiGo (500 aircraft), and Air India (290 aircraft). Shown Air India under new ownership also increase their fleet options to counter IndoGo.

In the interview, Blomberg ask him on potential vertical intergrations (Thus the aircraft manufacturer buy engine producers). Something that Airbus CEO pointed it is not efficient as means the aircraft OEM tied up to only one option.

Still I got impression that the business model still going to relies on engine manufacturer to come out with new efficient engine, toward future iterations on existing airframes. Which is understandable cause building new airframes model is very expensive.

Airbus seems talk on A220-500 is the only potential on new model. At least in foreseeable future.

 

[ngatimozart]

Airbus CEO on Indian big order from IndiGo (500 aircraft), and Air India (290 aircraft). Shown Air India under new ownership also increase their fleet options to counter IndoGo.

In the interview, Blomberg ask him on potential vertical intergrations (Thus the aircraft manufacturer buy engine producers). Something that Airbus CEO pointed it is not efficient as means the aircraft OEM tied up to only one option.

Still I got impression that the business model still going to relies on engine manufacturer to come out with new efficient engine, toward future iterations on existing airframes. Which is understandable cause building new airframes model is very expensive.

Airbus seems talk on A220-500 is the only potential on new model. At least in foreseeable future.

500 aircraft are a large buy in anyone's books and Boeing will be smarting from this. Whether it will wake up the ideas of their management or not is another story.

 

[Ananda]

Whether it will wake up the ideas of their management or not is another story.

My colleagues which specialises in airlines Industry, told me they're buffle with Boeing's shareholders. They don't know why there's no further push from them to demand fundamental shake ups in Boeing management. There's something wrong on their current business model. Even the CEO's being change like before, still they're stick with current line up.

Single aisle airliner is still in the end the bulk of the market, and MAX clearly not able to give proper answer toward Airbus 320/321 Neo and 220 combo. Airline business model also shown increasing trend to use single aisle for up to medium range (4-7 hrs flights).

Still so far the Boeing still stick with MAX as seems the magic answer for everything. Even though MAX 10 so far lack the capabilities to answer A321 Neo including LR and XLR, and MAX 7 can't be competitive toward A220. All they have now is MAX8/9 to answer A320.

Boeing looks beyond Max 7 and 10 certification struggles

Although much of Boeing's attention is focused on certificating the 737 Max 7 and 10 and overcoming other lingering Max struggles, the airframer is also turning toward the future of air travel.

www.flightglobal.com

Add: This article from flightglobal basically talk how Boeing CEO still betting with MAX able to handle all Airbus Single Aisle portfolio of A320/321, however he conveniently side track A220 (which basically Boeing doesn’t have anything to answer). Not counting also Airbus A321 has more options model then MAX 10.

Boeing only hope for clean sheet design is their work on new single aisle concept in X-66A. If we compare to Airbus concepts for future Airliners (that they already put in media), I still say Airbus has relatively more visions.

 

[Ananda]

U.S. airlines to consult for NASA X-66A jet, future Boeing aircraft. Here’s a peek

Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest and United have agreed to provide input on the experimental aircraft that could be the template for Boeing's all-new airliner.

www.seattletimes.com

Further development of NASA-Boeing X-66A concept. Several US big airlines already being involve on their assesment on the program development. This is clear that the program aim to get as much as possible market input, thus also market attraction.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

U.S. airlines to consult for NASA X-66A jet, future Boeing aircraft. Here’s a peek

Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest and United have agreed to provide input on the experimental aircraft that could be the template for Boeing's all-new airliner.

www.seattletimes.com

Further development of NASA-Boeing X-66A concept. Several US big airlines already being involve on their assesment on the program development. This is clear that the program aim to get as much as possible market input, thus also market attraction.

So this is more an experiment to test this new wing-configuration on an aeroplane with a modified MD-90 fuselage, based on the five-abreast DC-9 design from the '60s. The new wings are thinner and because of this generating less drag, but the transsonic truss make the design more expensive and will cause also a lot of drag.

I don't think that this 154-seater with an obsolete design will be the definitive replacement of the 737 series and the right answer on the A320 NEO family in this current design.

 

[Ananda]

Jakarta To Kuala Lumpur: Indonesia’s TransNusa Completes Its 1st COMAC ARJ21 International Service

TransNusa has put both of its ARJ21 aircraft into international route operations, achieving a daily utilization rate of over 7 hours on the first day.

simpleflying.com

Indonesia Transnusa Airlines as so far the sole operator of ARJ21, also now launch the first International Route for ARJ21. The frequency of usage on the route also become the highest for ARJ21 in daily operations. Seems the airlines use less capacity ARJ21 from A320 to provide more frequency in the routes, while move A320 to fatter routes like Jakarta-Surabaya or Jakarta-Denpasar.

Still if ARJ21 can work fine on more frequencies, this can be justification for the type on thinner routes. Either win or lose for ARJ21 this utilization by Transnusa on future export market.

don't think that this will be the definitive replacement of the 737 series and the right answer on the A320 NEO family in this current design.

I don't think that's the purpose for X-66A project. This is New Tech proving concepts, and Boeing practically 'hitchhiking' US Tax Payers money (NASA Budget) on doing that. This is safer bet on RnD for Boeing. This is also means any utilisation on new wing design if ever come out successfully, will be at least in end of next decade at most.

Boeing answer to A320Neo family (including A321 Neo) still on 737MAX. Which at the moment they are not doing too well especially betwen 737-10 vs A321 Neo/LR/XLR. They are planning to have 737-10 HGW or 737-10ER to answer that. But with base 737-10 still not fully certified yet, it will take at least by end or Second Half of Decade to come out. Meanwhile they are loosing potential market especially market that going to replace 757.

Perhaps what's come out of this X-66A project will be use for the Mid Range 797 project that's been postpone and push downward several times by now.

 

[Ananda]

Watch NASA's sci-fi-looking X-59 'quiet' supersonic jet roll out of the hangar (video)

Ride into the danger zone with this epic roll-out video.

www.space.com

NASA X-59 Quiet Supersonic Tech Demonstrator come out from the hangar. This is the tech that hope to reduce sonic boom and making Supersonic Commercial flights allow to do overland flight. Especially in North America and Euro Zone.

No more lowering nose mechanism like in Concorde (which is basically heavy and reported cumbersome to maintain). Virtual video surrounding cameras will tacke that. Just thinkin how reliable the fail safe mechanism need come out on any Aviation Agency regulators certification.