Tag: alternative (Page 2 of 2)

Embraer Praetor 600 Jet Makes Its First Transatlantic Crossing

May 20, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Melbourne, Florida, May 17, 2019 – Embraer’s new Praetor 600 super-midsize business jet has completed its first transatlantic crossing, powered by Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuel (SAJF). The aircraft arrived yesterday in Farnborough, having departed from Teterboro Airport in the U.S. The first transatlantic flight of the Praetor 600 covered about 3,000 nautical miles with about 15,000 lb of fuel, of which 3,000 lb was SAJF.

Embraer will debut its new Praetor business jets at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 21 to May 23. The new midsize Praetor 500 and super-midsize Praetor 600 business jets were launched in October 2018.

On static display at this year’s EBACE will be the entry-level Phenom 100EV, the Phenom 300E light jet, the midsize Praetor 500, the super-midsize Praetor 600, the large Legacy 650E and the ultra-large Lineage 1000E. All aircraft will arrive at EBACE fueled with SAJF.

Prior to arrival at EBACE, Embraer will participate at a business aviation biofuel event to be held at Farnborough Airport on May 18. This event will mark the first anniversary of the launch of the Business Aviation Coalition for Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuel (SAJF), at EBACE 2018, and the 10th anniversary of the Business Aviation Commitment on Climate Change, announced in 2009.

The “Fueling the Future” event will gather business aviation and civic leaders to discuss the path forward for the continued adoption of SAJF in business aviation, in order to fulfill the coalition’s goal of reducing emissions through investments and innovation. Several manufacturer’s business aircraft will be fueled with SAJF before departing to EBACE.

On May 8, the Praetor 600 began its journey to EBACE at São Paulo International Airport in Brazil and arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with a six-passenger equivalent payload of 1,200 lb (544 kg). This was the aircraft’s longest flight to date, covering 3,904 nm (7,230 kilometers) over an air distance of 3,678 nm (6,812 kilometers), having faced up to 43 knots of headwinds and descended into Miami’s distinct air space pattern.

The Praetor 600 is the best performing super-midsize jet ever developed, surpassing all its main design goals and becoming capable of flying beyond 4,000 nautical miles in long-range cruise speed or beyond 3,700 nautical miles at Mach .80 from runways shorter than 4,500ft, complemented by an outstanding payload capability.

The Praetor 600 is the first super-midsize jet with full fly-by-wire technology, which powers the Active Turbulence Reduction that not only makes every flight the smoothest but also the most efficient possible.

Lockheed Martin to Develop Modular Guided Rocket Pods

May 15, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

DALLAS, May 15, 2019 – The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $10.5 million contract to develop a new modular pod for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets. The new pods will replace the depleting inventory of M26 rocket pods and support the increased production of GMLRS rounds.

The modular pod is designed to allow for reloading of individual rocket tubes as they are expended, whereas the original GMLRS pods are discarded after use. The pod will be able to fire the GMLRS Unitary and Alternative Warhead variants, as well as the developmental Extended-Range GMLRS rockets and future rounds.

“The new pods will be compatible with both the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and MLRS M270 family of launchers,” said Gaylia Campbell, vice president of Precision Fires and Combat Maneuver Systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “These new pods will improve reload operations and assure our warfighters have adequate rounds available to them when they are most needed.”

The modular pods will be produced at Lockheed Martin’s Precision Fires Center of Excellence in Camden, Ark. Ground testing will begin this fall, with a planned flight test before the end of the calendar year. The first deliveries of the new modular pod are anticipated in the fall of 2021.

For more than 40 years, Lockheed Martin has been the leading designer and manufacturer of long-range, surface-to-surface precision strike solutions, providing highly reliable, combat-proven systems like MLRS, HIMARS, the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and GMLRS to global customers.

For additional information, visit our website: http://www.lockheedmartin.com.

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 105,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

Close To 85,000 Travelers Took VIA Rail During Easter Weekend

April 29, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

MONTRÉAL, April 25, 2019 – VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) continued its long multiple-quarter streak of increased revenue with a solid performance over Easter weekend. Passenger revenue was up 8,8% from 2018’s Easter break, giving the Corporation its best performance in 10 years.

Out of the approximately 85,000 travelers who chose VIA Rail to get around, more than half boarded trains within Ontario on routes that included Ottawa – Toronto, where 10 departures are offered each day in both directions. As for interprovincial travel, 29% of passengers took the train between Ontario and Quebec, particularly on the Montréal – Toronto and Montréal – Ottawa segments. In six days, VIA Rail trains covered a total distance of 28 million kilometres.

Of the busiest segments, the most notable increases over the long weekend were between Montréal and Québec City, Ottawa and Québec City, and Kitchener and Toronto, where passengers opted to take the train instead of their cars for a comfortable and worry-free springtime getaway with their friends or family.

“Our transformation plan continues to pay off as we bring Canadians towards a more sustainable future,” said Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, President and Chief Executive Officer of VIA Rail. “These results are a testament to the growing popularity of train travel and to our commitment to offering passengers a sensible, green alternative to road travel and an easy, sustainable and enjoyable travel experience. This is VIA Rail’s contribution to the future of Canada and of Canadian communities. I commend the sustained efforts and the remarkable devotion of our employees, who are largely the drivers of VIA Rail’s success.”

VIA Rail cross-Canada routes

Most popular route: Ottawa – Toronto
Most notable ridership increases on the Québec City – Windsor corridor: Montréal – Québec City (up 15%), Ottawa – Québec City (up 11.6%) and Kitchener – Toronto (up 9.8%)
24.7% revenue and 8.9% ridership increases on non-Corridor routes (Toronto – Vancouver and Montréal – Halifax long-distance trains, and regional routes)
Busiest day: Thursday, April 18

About VIA Rail Canada
As Canada’s national rail passenger service, VIA Rail (viarail.ca) and all its employees are mandated to provide safe, efficient and economical passenger transportation service, in both official languages of our country. VIA Rail operates intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking over 400 communities across Canada and about 180 more communities through intermodal partnerships, and safely transports nearly 4.8 million passengers annually. The Corporation has been awarded five Safety Awards and three Environment Awards by the Railway Association of Canada since 2007. Visit the “About VIA Rail” section at https://www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail.

Airbus Pencils in Orders for New A321XLR Jet

February 21, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

PARIS (Reuters) – Airbus has begun lining up tentative orders for a longer-range version of its A321 jetliner, seeking to exploit signs of hesitation at arch-rival Boeing over whether to develop a new model in a hotly contested niche of the airplane market.

The European firm is in detailed talks with airlines over the price and timing of the longer-range design – known as A321XLR – and has pencilled in some orders subject to a formal launch, expected this year, industry sources said.

Airbus is looking for 200-300 draft orders before committing to build the A321XLR, in a move that would limit the space available for a mid-market alternative that Boeing hopes to launch in a gap between medium-haul and long-haul jets.

“Every A321XLR that Airbus sells, means one less potential sale for the NMA (Boeing’s proposed New Mid-sized Airplane),” an industry source said.

An Airbus spokesman said the planemaker is “always talking to customers” and declined further comment.

The middle of the jet market is at the centre of one of the most widely watched airplane design battles for years.

Boeing is aiming its potential new 220 to 260-seat NMA at a niche previously served by two models: its own 757, a long-range single-aisle jet, and its 767, a larger twin-aisle model.

Boeing dominates the upper end of that spectrum but has come under pressure from Airbus at the lower end.

Last month it postponed a decision on whether to launch the NMA to 2020 from 2019, though it said it could still decide whether to offer the plane on a preliminary basis this year. It maintained its goal of seeing any new jet enter service in 2025.

Facing a potential new competitor, Airbus plans a pincer move, using derivatives of two existing models: the A321neo and its souped-up sister versions – the A321LR and the proposed A321XLR – at the lower end and an upgraded A330 at the top end.

Unlike the smaller A321neo, the upgraded A330neo has been selling poorly but received a boost last week when Emirates ordered 40 of the planes.

The A321XLR would attempt to make it harder for Boeing to launch its new plane by increasing pressure at the lower end of the roughly 200-270-seat mid-market, valued at hundreds of billions of dollars over 20 years.

It would have a higher maximum take-off weight of 101 tonnes and 400-500 nautical miles more range than the A321LR, Airbus’ longest-range single-aisle. It would not carry extra passengers.

The A321LR can carry 206 people for 4,000 miles or up to 240 people on shorter trips. Boeing’s proposed new jet is expected to fly 4,000-5,000 miles, but Boeing says it will do so with the greater comfort of a twin-aisle jet and at a lower cost.

Airbus is expected to try to create momentum for the A321XLR by offering airlines with existing orders for the A321neo or A321LR versions a chance to upgrade to the A321XLR.

U.S. sources have dismissed the A321XLR, saying another model in the A321 family would dilute the second-hand market, making it harder to finance orders of the new longer range version for which the market remains relatively niche.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; editing by Richard Lough)

Embraer Praetor 600 Jet Makes Its First Transatlantic Crossing

Lockheed Martin to Develop Modular Guided Rocket Pods

Close To 85,000 Travelers Took VIA Rail During Easter Weekend

Airbus Pencils in Orders for New A321XLR Jet

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