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Air Mauritius Takes Delivery Of Its First A330neo

Air Mauritius has taken delivery of its first A330-900, on lease from ALC during a ceremony held in Toulouse. The national carrier of the Republic of Mauritius is the first A330neo operator based in the southern hemisphere, and the first airline in the world to operate a combination of both the A330neo and A350 XWB.

Benefiting from the A330neo’s unbeatable operating economics and award-winning Airspace cabin, the aircraft (named Aapravasi Ghat in reference to Mauritius’ history) will feature a two-class cabin with 28 business class seats and 260 economy class seats. The carrier will deploy the aircraft on routes connecting Mauritius to Europe (mainly London and Geneva), India and South East Asian routes and on regional destinations including Johannesburg, Antananarivo and Reunion Island.

Air Mauritius CEO Somas Appavou stated: “I am delighted to welcome our first Airbus A330neo, another milestone in our fleet modernisation programme. The addition of two A330neos to our fleet will bring more flexibility and efficiency to our operations while supporting our network strategy. The A330neo offers similar levels of comfort as the A350 XWB, which has received very favourable feedback from our customers. I strongly believe that with the addition of the A330neo to our fleet, Air Mauritius will further reinforce its focus and emphasis on the customer who are at the very core of our business model.”

“Sugar and spice and all things nice! Like its namesake, inspired by the island’s history in developing the sugar industry, their first A330neo will pioneer Air Mauritius into a whole different level of efficiency and flexibility by operating both the A330neo and the A350 XWB, our latest generation widebodies”, said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer. “Passengers will enjoy unmatched levels comfort in our award winning ‘Airspace by Airbus’ cabins on both aircraft. Well done to our trusted partner on being the world’s first airline to operate the A330neo and the A350 XWB together – a sweet combination!”

Air Mauritius currently operates nine Airbus aircraft, of which two A350-900s, three A340-300s, two A330-200s and two A319s on its regional and long haul services.

The A330neo Family is the new generation A330, comprising two versions: the A330-800 and A330-900 sharing 99 percent commonality. It builds on the proven economics, versatility and reliability of the A330 Family, while reducing fuel consumption by about 25% per seat versus previous generation competitor aircraft and offering an unrivalled range capability. The A330neo is powered by Rolls-Royce’s latest-generation Trent 7000 engines and features a new wing with increased span and new A350 XWB-inspired Sharklets.

With an order book of more than 1,700 aircraft from 120 customers to date, the A330 is the most popular widebody family.

@AirMauritius @Airbus #A330neo

TAP Air Portugal Takes Delivery of its First A321LR

Lisbon-based TAP Air Portugal has taken delivery of its first of twelve A321LRs on order, becoming the first airline to operate a combined A330neo and A321LR fleet. The A321LR is the world’s most flexible and capable large single-aisle aircraft. Powered by CFM engines, TAP’s A321LR is configured with 171 seats (16 full flat Business, 48 Eco Premium and 107 Ecomomy seats).

The combination of the A321LR and the A330neo within a single fleet provides operators a powerful lever to cover the needs of the medium- to long-haul market. With both newest-generation single-aisle (20% fuel burn reduction) and widebody aircraft (25% fuel burn reduction), airlines benefit from an unrivalled commonality for operations while passengers experience a higher and harmonised comfort standards.

“The A321LR is critical for TAP’s expansion plans. With its superior range we can comfortably explore markets in North America, South America and Africa from Portugal, and it’ll fit in seamlessly with our A330neos,” said Antonoaldo Neves, CEO, TAP Air Portugal. “In North America it allows us to explore markets on the East Coast, such as New York, Boston, Montreal or Washington. In Brazil the A321LR can open new markets in the Northeast and complement existing services to cities like Recife, Natal, Fortaleza or Salvador,” he added. “The aircraft are equipped with the latest-generation full flat business class and high comfort economy seats, a full suite of in-flight entertainment (IFE) and connectivity, as well as free messaging services”.

TAP’s A321LR will be operated on the Lisbon-Tel Aviv route at its entry into service.

“We applaud TAP Air Portugal for becoming the first airline to leverage the benefits of the A321LR and the A330neo in a common fleet. The A321LR and A330neo working in tandem have the middle market segment nicely covered. The ‘Airbus NEO Midsize Aircraft’ – let’s call them the ‘A-NMA’s,’ are a winning, seamless combination – unprecedented capacity and transatlantic range with single aisle cost with the A321LR, and unbeatable unit costs and flexibility for true long haul with the A330neo. Both with the most contemporary technology and cabin comfort in their class,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer.

TAP currently operates an Airbus fleet of 75 aircraft comprising five A330neo, 13 A330ceo,4 A340s, and 45 A320 Family aircraft. The single-aisle fleet includes 21 A319ceo, 20 A320ceo, four A321ceo, two A320neo and six A321neo.

The A321LR is a member of the A320neo Family, with over 6,500 orders by more than 100 customers. It delivers 30% fuel savings and nearly 50% reduction in noise footprint compared to previous-generation competitor aircraft. With a range of up to 4,000nm (7,400km) the A321LR is the unrivalled long-range route opener, featuring true transatlantic capability and premium wide-body comfort in a single aisle aircraft cabin.

The A330neo is a true new-generation aircraft building on the A330’s success and leveraging A350 XWB technology. It incorporates the highly-efficient new-generation engines, new wings and new sharklets derived from A350 XWB technology.

@TAPAirPortugal @Airbus #A321LR

Story and images from http://www.airbus.com

Bombardier Signs Contract to Upgrade Trains for Queensland

  • Bombardier to lead a $361 million AUD design change programme requested by the Queensland Government
  • Bombardier to leverage local supply chain to improve fleet’s accessibility and passenger experience

Mobility technology leader Bombardier Transportation announced today an order from the Queensland Government to deliver modifications to the New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) trains currently being introduced to the South-East Queensland rail network. The order has been signed on March 29th. The total value of the contract is approximately $361 million AUD ($255 million US, 228 million euro) which includes design and delivery, as well as ongoing maintenance, over the remaining term of the public-private partnership.

“Bombardier is proud to partner with Queensland Government to deliver the new generation trains to the passenger rail network. This variation order is an important request from our customer, and we will continue to work closely with them to deliver the NGR project in line with the enhanced specifications set out by the Queensland Government,” said Paul Brown, Bombardier Transportation’s Project Director for the Queensland New Generation Rollingstock project.

Bombardier is leading the Qtectic consortium contracted to deliver the NGR project and will undertake the work to modify the trains in line with the government’s revised design specifications with industry partner Downer EDI. The agreement between Bombardier and the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) will see the previously approved toilet modules upgraded for improved disability access. The changes will also include an additional module added to each six-car train to provide improved access for passengers with limited mobility.

“The significance of the NGR project in Queensland cannot be understated,” affirmed Wendy McMillan, President, Southeast Asia and Australia at Bombardier Transportation. “With 70 percent of Queensland’s future population growth targeted in the South-East region, the NGR fleet will bring a significant 26 percent capacity increase to the South-East Queensland rail network to meet the growing demand for rail services. It’s a game-changing project for Queensland and Bombardier is proud to be delivering it.”

Features of the new trains include capacity for 964 passengers in each six-car train, onboard WiFi, CCTV throughout the train, LCD infotainment displays, toilet modules, 12 allocated spaces for mobility aids and more enhancements to the passenger experience.

Bombardier has created more than 2,000 local jobs across the industry and supply chain throughout this project. The design and toilet modification activities will support a further 100 local jobs at Downer’s Maryborough facility in addition to the 145 current Bombardier employees at the Wulkuraka Maintenance Facility.

The $4.4 billion AUD NGR project is being delivered under a public-private partnership with the Queensland Government and was awarded to Qtectic, comprising Bombardier Transportation, John Laing, Itochu and Aberdeen Standard Investments. The project includes the design and delivery of 75 new passenger trains, construction of a new maintenance centre at Wulkuraka, Ipswich and 32-years of fleet maintenance.

About Bombardier

With over 68,000 employees across four business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety.

Denel May Wind Down Airbus A400M Manufacturing

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African state arms company Denel is in talks with Airbus about winding down production of parts for the European planemaker’s A400M military aircraft, Denel said on Saturday.

Denel, a cornerstone of South Africa’s once mighty defense industry, is battling to emerge from a financial and operational crisis. In February it said it could sell stakes in some divisions as part of a strategy to return to profits within two years.

The company has also been trying to renegotiate onerous contracts and exit parts of its business which are no longer viable, after making a 1.7 billion rand ($117 million) loss in the 2017/18 financial year.

Denel said it was yet to finalize terms with Airbus for the winding down of production for the A400M.

“The two companies agreed that the continued manufacturing of aircraft parts by Denel is no longer sustainable in its current form,” Denel said in a statement. “Alternative options are now being considered between the two parties.”

Denel will try to minimize the impact on jobs at its Aeronautics division, it added.

(Reporting by Alexander Winning; Editing by David Holmes)

Bamboo Airways Signs Firm Deal For 50 Airbus A321neo’s

HANOI (Reuters) – Vietnamese carrier Bamboo Airways has signed a firm deal to buy 50 Airbus A321Neo planes, its chairman Trinh Van Quyet said on Thursday.

The first of the planes will be delivered in 2022, Quyet told Reuters.

He said Bamboo Airways will conduct its first international flights late next month, to Japan, Singapore and South Korea.

(Reporting by Khanh Vu; editing by David Evans)


FILE PHOTO: An Airbus A321 aircraft of Bamboo Airways taxis at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, Vietnam January 16, 2019. REUTERS/Kham

Airbus Skyways Drone Trials First Shore-to-Ship Deliveries

Airbus has begun shore-to-ship trials in Singapore with its Skyways parcel delivery drone. This marks the first time drone technology has been deployed in real port conditions to deliver a variety of small, time-critical maritime essentials to working vessels at anchorage.

The maiden shore-to-ship delivery flight was made to the Swire Pacific Offshore’s Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessel “M/V Pacific Centurion,” 1.5 km from the shoreline of Singapore’s Marina South Pier, carrying 1.5 kg of 3D printed consumables. Landing safely on the ship deck and depositing its cargo to the shipmaster, the Skyways unmanned air vehicle swiftly returned to its base, with the entire flight taking within 10 minutes.

The trials are being undertaken in conjunction with partner Wilhelmsen Ships Services, one of the world’s leading maritime logistics and port services company. During the trials, Airbus’ Skyways drone will lift off from the pier with a payload capability of up to 4 kg, and navigate autonomously along pre-determined ‘aerial corridors’ to vessels as far as 3 km from the coast.

Airbus’ Skyways lead, Leo Jeoh, shared his excitement at the milestone flight: “We are thrilled to launch the first trial of its kind in the maritime world. Today’s accomplishment is a culmination of months of intense preparation by our dedicated team, and the strong collaboration with our partner, as we pursue a new terrain in the maritime industry.”

“We are also happy to be taking a step forward for Airbus’ urban air mobility endeavour, as we continue to explore and seek better understanding of what it takes to fly safe and reliable autonomous flying vehicles safely,” he added.

“The now proven, seamless operation of drone deliveries from shore to ship, in one of the world’s busiest ports proves the hard work, investment and faith we, and indeed our partners, placed in the Agency by Air project over the past two years was not misplaced,” said Marius Johansen, Vice President Commercial, Ships Agency at Wilhelmsen Ships Services.

“Delivery of essential spares, medical supplies and cash to master via launch boat, is an established part of our portfolio of husbandry services, which we provide day in and day out, in ports all over the world. Modern technology such as the unmanned aircraft systems, are just a new tool, albeit a very cool one, with which we can push our industry ever forward and improve how we serve our customers,” he added.

The use of unmanned aircraft systems in the maritime industry paves the way for possible enlargement of existing ship agency services’ portfolio, speeding up deliveries by up to six times, lowering delivery costs by up to 90%, reducing carbon footprint, and significantly mitigating risks of accidents associated with launch-boat deliveries

Airbus and Wilhelmsen Ships Services signed an agreement in June 2018 to drive the development of an end-to-end unmanned aircraft system for safe shore-to-ship deliveries. The collaboration marries Airbus’ extensive expertise in aeronautical vertical lift solutions and Wilhelmsen’s wealth of experience in ship agency services. A landing platform and control centre were set up at the Marina South Pier in November 2018, through the facilitation of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. The maritime agency also designated anchorages for vessels to anchor off the pier for the trials, while the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore worked with Airbus and Wilhelmsen to ensure safety of the trials.

Skyways is an experimental project aimed at establishing seamless multi-modal transportation networks in smart cities. Through Skyways, Airbus aims to develop an unmanned airborne infrastructure solution and address the sustainability and efficiency of unmanned aircraft in large urban and maritime environments.

Having demonstrated the ability to deliver parcels safely and reliably to vessels anchored off the coast of Singapore, Skyways will soon be commencing another trial phase delivering air parcels autonomously in an urban environment, at the National University of Singapore.

About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2018 it generated revenues of €64 and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.

Story and images from http://www.airbus.com

EmbraerX Displays The Future of Urban Air Mobility at SXSW

Austin, TX, USA, March 06, 2019 – Austin’s South By Southwest (SXSW) festival is the stage of EmbraerX’s first Prototype Room, a space for connection between technology, accessibility, collaboration and creativity. By showing its collaborative ecosystem mind approach, EmbraerX aims the enhancement of urban air mobility acceptance in a human-centric experience.

The Prototype Room will feature a series of interactive experiences for people to know, understand and imagine the Flying Vehicle and Urban Air Mobility. The proposal is to invite the public to know and interact with EmbraerX from their projects and ideas more audacious and revolutionary.

All this technologies and activities developed by partner companies that are part of the EmbraerX collaborative ecosystem will take place at Hilton Austin Downtown hotel, room, 602, March 8-13.

“The industry needs to build a collaborative ecosystem to reinvent mobility. But it will only be possible, if we ignite people’s imagination and show we are not offering product, but a social transformation. SXSW is an obvious stage to spread this message by demonstrating Embraer moves toward to the future of urban air mobility and accessibility”, said Antonio Campello, CEO of EmbraerX.

This year the Tech Industry & Enterprise Track is presented by Embraer. This interactive track has focuses on the forward-thinking innovation of today and what we project to be trending tomorrow. Executives and leaders from a variety of industries will be gathered to discuss the evolving landscape of technology driven services. Session topics include new developments from established organizations; technology ecosystems from around the world; strategic B2B practices; and the changing nature of tech-based services within industries.

EmbraerX team will be also attending the panel Mobility, Reimagined: Co-Designing at the Hilton Austin Downtown hotel New Futures, on March 12, at 9:30am, at room 400. The panel will explore how people and technologies will interact in the new age of smart cities and autonomous vehicles. In this opportunity, the Company will address its vision on a truly build safe future-forward transportation for all, which users will be the first to benefit from these new technologies and revolutionary services, what will be the implications on mobility and the design of new frictionless technologies.

EmbraerX, a wholly owned Embraer subsidiary, exists to build disruptive businesses, considering that transportation will probably be disrupted by the exponential growth of new technologies as well as the development of new business models.

Embraer has existing partnerships with dozens of universities and research centers and also co-creates with customers and aerospace companies around the world, in truly collaborative knowledge networks, based upon open innovation concepts, with shared achievements, budgets and risks. The company 50-year successful history is a representation and endorsement of what is being built for the future. eVTOL.

Embraer is part of the Uber Elevate Network, sharing the vision that on-demand aviation has the potential to radically improve urban mobility, improving the quality of life for people who live in congested urban communities.

Urban air mobility can be leveraged by using the eVTOL (electrical Vertical Take Off and Landing). However, the entire ecosystem has to be developed, which demands a significant integration among ride-sharing platform, aircraft manufacturer, infrastructure for vertiports, air traffic management, certification authorities, etc.

As the leading manufacturer of commercial jets with up to 150 seats and a major player in business aviation, in addition its important role in defense and security, Embraer is one of the most experienced partners in this space and Uber recognizes and values Embraer’s ability to bring affordable, yet advanced flight systems to much smaller aircraft.

EmbraerX eVTOL Video – https://youtu.be/87t8NvJGFOU

Boeing & Bamboo Airways Announce Order for 10 787 Dreamliners

HANOI, Vietnam, Feb. 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Bamboo Airways today confirmed an order for 10 787-9 Dreamliners valued at $3 billion according to list prices. The order for the super-efficient and longest-range member of the Dreamliner family was unveiled during a signing ceremony in Hanoi, witnessed by U.S. President Donald Trump and General Secretary and President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.

“We are excited to be adding the new 787 Dreamliner to our growing fleet,” said Mr. Trinh Van Quyet, Chairman of FLC Group and owner of Bamboo Airways. “Our long-term vision is to connect Vietnam with key markets in Asia, Europe and North America and the Dreamliner will enable us to launch these long-haul operations. The 787’s superior operating economics and efficiency, as well as the passenger pleasing interior of the Dreamliner, will allow us to successfully grow our business while enabling us to better serve our customers.”

This order was previously unidentified on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website.

Bamboo Airways, a startup airline founded in 2017, began commercial operations in January, offering flights linking the capital of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with cities in Vietnam. The airline plans on offering up to 40 domestic routes in 2019. Additionally, Bamboo is preparing to launch international service to Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and Australia, before broadening service to other destinations in Asia, Europe, and North America.

“The 787 Dreamliner’s unmatched efficiency, range and flexibility make it the perfect airplane for Bamboo Airways to achieve its long-range ambitions. We are excited to advance the partnership between Boeing and Bamboo Airways and we look forward to helping them connect Asia with Europe, North America and beyond,” said Kevin McAllister, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

The 787 Dreamliner family allows airlines to fly long ranges while reducing fuel costs by more than 20 percent compared to previous widebody jets. The Dreamliner’s superior efficiency and range have allowed airlines to open more than 210 new non-stops routes around the world since it entered service.

At 63 meters (206 feet), the 787-9 can fly 290 passengers, in a typical two-class configuration, up to 7,635 nautical miles (14,140 kilometers). The airplane is 6 meters longer than the original Dreamliner and is capable of carrying more passengers and flying farther.

The 787 Dreamliner is the fastest-selling widebody airplane in history with more than 1,400 orders from 75 customers since its launch. Nearly 800 Dreamliners have entered service around the world, helping airlines save 33 billion pounds of fuel.

Bamboo Airways is wholly-owned by the FLC Group, a Vietnamese multi-industry company, focusing on aviation, real estate, resorts, farming, and golf.

Story and image from http://www.boeing.com

Boeing Nominates Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley to Board

CHICAGO, Feb. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] board of directors has nominated Nikki Randhawa Haley to be elected as a director at the company’s annual meeting of shareholders on April 29.

Haley is the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, the first female governor of South Carolina, and a three-term legislator in the South Carolina House of Representatives.

“Ambassador Haley brings to Boeing an outstanding record of achievement in government, industry partnership, and successfully driving economic prosperity for communities in America and around the world,” said Boeing Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg. “Boeing will benefit greatly from her broad perspectives and combined diplomatic, government and business experience to help achieve our aspiration to be the best in aerospace and a global industrial champion.”

Ambassador Haley, 47, graduated from Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She was first elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2004, serving three terms before being elected Governor of the state between 2011 and 2017. Haley was appointed U.S. ambassador to the United Nations by President Trump in January 2017, serving until December 2018. 

“It’s an honor to have the opportunity to contribute to Boeing’s continued success as a cutting edge industry leader and a great American company,” said Ambassador Haley. “Not only is Boeing the largest aerospace company in the world and America’s biggest exporter, it also understands the importance of teamwork and building community through its network of suppliers in all 50 states and around the world.”

This Press Release Does Not Constitute a Solicitation of Proxies
This press release is not a solicitation of proxies from holders of common stock of The Boeing Company (the “Company”).  The Company will provide shareholders with a proxy statement and other relevant materials in connection with the 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.  Any solicitation of proxies by or on behalf of the Company in connection with the 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be conducted upon and following the dissemination of the proxy statement and other materials in accordance with applicable law.  We urge shareholders to read the proxy statement and any other relevant documents to be filed with the SEC when available, as such documents will contain important information.  Shareholders will be able to receive the proxy statement and other relevant documents free of charge at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov or at http://www.boeing.com.

Story from http://www.boeing.com

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