Tag: decision (Page 2 of 3)

U.S. Transportation Department Office of Inspector General to Audit FAA Pilot Training Requirements

February 10, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Transportation Department’s Office of Inspector General said on Monday it will audit Federal Aviation Administration pilot training requirements for U.S. and foreign air carriers after two deadly crashes of Boeing’s <BA> 737 MAX.

The audit will also review international civil aviation authorities’ requirements for carriers’ pilot training regarding the use of flight deck automation.

Pilots have been harshly critical of Boeing’s decision not to disclose details of a new automation system – known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS – that has been linked to both fatal crashes.

The Inspector General cited a report by Indonesia’s Lion Air that “responses to erroneous activations of MCAS contributed to the crash, raising international concerns about the role of pilot training.”

The report said Boeing’s safety assessment assumed pilots would respond within three seconds of a system malfunction. But on the fatal flight and one that experienced the same problem the previous evening, it took both crews about eight seconds to respond.

Boeing declined to comment on the new review.

The FAA said it would cooperate with the inspector general’s review. “Raising and harmonizing pilot training standards across the globe are among the FAA’s top aviation safety priorities,” the FAA said. “We continue to pursue expanded conversations among the world’s aviation regulators to identify ways to enhance international aviation safety through robust pilot training programs.”

Boeing has proposed new simulator training for pilots on a series of scenarios before they are allowed to resume 737 MAX flights.

The MAX is not expected to be freed to fly until late April at the earliest. In March, the department’s IG said it would audit the FAA’s certification of the Boeing 737 MAX.

The Trump administration on Monday proposed an additional $30 million in it 2021 budget “to improve aviation oversight, following recommendations from the Boeing 737 MAX investigations.”

The funding would support 13 new full-time positions for the creation of an office mandated by Congress to oversee the FAA’s delegation of some certification tasks to Boeing and other plane-makers. The FAA would also use some of the funds for data collection and for “technological advances that we use to assess safety data,” Deputy FAA Administrator Dan Elwell said.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Dan Grebler)

FILE PHOTO: Aerial photos show Boeing 737 Max airplanes on the tarmac in Seattle

United Airlines to Offer Denver Travelers More Flights to More Places

February 7, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

CEO Oscar Munoz and Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock celebrate 24 more United gates as part of Denver International Airport’s $1.5 billion Concourse Expansion Program

DENVER, Feb. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — United Airlines today hosted an event in partnership with Denver International Airport (DEN) celebrating the recent decision from Denver City Council to approve the lease of an additional 24 gates by the airline at DEN, paving the way for local travelers to access more flights to more places than ever before. United Airlines CEO Oscar Munozjoined Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock to sign United’s proposal to amend its current lease, solidifying United’s plans to grow its Denver hub from 500 to as many as 700 daily flights by 2025. The additional gates are a combination of newly constructed and existing gates, and part of DEN’s $1.5 billion Concourse Expansion Program.

“United Airlines is a vital partner for Denver International Airport, and we’re proud they are continuing to invest and grow right here in Denver,” said Mayor Michael B. Hancock. “As United increases daily flights and continues to add new routes, they are creating economic opportunities that benefit our entire community.”

On Jan. 21, the Denver City Council unanimously approved an amendment for United’s lease of additional gates.

Click the link for the full story! https://finance.yahoo.com/news/united-airlines-offer-denver-travelers-160000644.html

Boeing’s New CEO Orders Rethink on Key Jetliner Project

January 22, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

LONDON/CHICAGO (Reuters) – Boeing Co’s new chief executive has sent the aerospace giant back to the drawing board on proposals for a new mid-market aircraft, effectively shelving in their current form plans worth $15 billion-$20 billion that had been overtaken by the 737 MAX crisis.

A decision on whether to launch a New Midsize Airplane (NMA) seating 220-270 passengers, which seemed imminent barely a year ago, had already been postponed as Boeing gave all its attention to the grounding of the smaller 737 MAX after two fatal crashes.

But days after taking the helm with a mandate to lift Boeing out of its 10-month-old reputational crisis, Chief Executive Dave Calhoun said the competitive playing field had changed.

“Since the first clean sheet of paper was taken to it, things have changed a bit … the competitive playing field is a little different,” he told journalists on a conference call on Wednesday.

“We’re going to start with a clean sheet of paper again; I’m looking forward to that,” Calhoun said.

He also spoke of a fresh approach to the market.

A Boeing spokesman said Calhoun had ordered up a new study on what kind of aircraft was needed. New aircraft typically take 6-7 years or more to bring to market once a decision is made, though Boeing aims to shorten that in part through digital technology and new business models designed around the NMA.

Calhoun “has asked the team to do an assessment of the future market and what kind of airplane is needed to meet the future market,” spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

Noting that the original assessments on the NMA were made about two and a half years ago, he said the new study would “build upon what has been learned … in design and production.”

In further evidence of a change of pace, people familiar with the matter said a meeting between Boeing and a major potential supplier, originally scheduled for next week, had been abruptly cancelled with no new date set.

That contrasts with the approach just weeks ago when Boeing was still presenting new details of the NMA to some airlines, including a working logo – “theNMA” – and details of an “advanced composite” structure, according to a slide seen by Reuters.

The NMA had been designed to address a slender gap between single-aisle workhorse jets like the 737 MAX and long-haul wide-body jets like the 787.

But most of the effort revolved around a new production system designed not only to support the NMA but to lay the groundwork for the next single-aisle aircraft after the 737 MAX.

Calhoun said he expected the MAX, whose return to service was delayed again earlier this week, to resume its previous place in the market and remain in service for a generation.

Traditionally toe-to toe-with Europe’s Airbus SE, Boeing has fallen behind in sales for the largest category of single-aisle planes, such as the 200-240-seat Airbus A321neo, which overlaps with the niche being targeted by the NMA.

By delaying a decision on the NMA, Boeing already risked losing the sweetest part of the market, especially after Airbus seized contracts with two major U.S. airlines, analysts said.

Analysts have also questioned whether Boeing, facing costs equivalent to a new programme to repair the MAX crisis, as well as delays on its large new 777X jet whose maiden flight is set for Thursday, would have appetite for such a costly project now.

(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski in Chicago and Tim Hepher in London; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

GM to Revive Hummer Name with Electric Pickups, SUV’s

January 10, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Workers leave the General Motors CAMI car assembly plant where the GMC Terrain and Chevrolet Equinox are built in Ingersoll

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – General Motors Co <GM> will revive the Hummer name to sell a new family of electric pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles and will tout the return with a Super Bowl ad featuring NBA star LeBron James, two people briefed on the matter said on Friday.

The vehicles will be sold under the GMC nameplate. Reuters reported in October that GM planned to build a new family of premium electric pickup trucks at its Detroit-Hamtramck plant beginning in late 2021 and was considering reviving the Hummer name, citing several people familiar with the plans.

The Wall Street Journal reported GM’s decision to move forward earlier on Friday. GM declined to comment.

The electric truck and SUV program is the centerpiece of a planned $3 billion investment in the Detroit-Hamtramck plant to make electric trucks and vans, and part of a broader $7.7 billion (5.9 billion pounds) investment in GM’s U.S. plants over the next four years that was part of a new contract signed with the United Auto Workers union last year.

The investment moves the automaker into a part of the EV market that is largely untested and where GM has a higher likelihood of turning a profit, analysts said.

Reuters reported GM plans to first build EV pickups in late 2021 and then an electric SUV in 2023.

Tesla <TSLA> CEO Elon Musk in November unveiled an electric pickup called “Cybertruck” it plans to build starting in late 2021.

Rivian, a start-up electric company backed by Amazon.com <AMZN>, will begin building 100,000 electric delivery vans for Amazon starting in 2021.

Hummers were rugged civilian utility vehicles with low gas mileage that were inspired by military vehicles and were popular with such celebrities as actor Arnold Schwarzenegger but derided by environmentalists as gas-guzzlers. GM shut down its Hummer brand after a deal to sell the SUV-line to an obscure Chinese machinery maker was blocked by Chinese regulators in 2010.

Michael Harley, executive editor for Kelley Blue Book, noted “the original Hummer was ostracized out of showrooms for being heavy and ponderous with an insatiable appetite for gasoline. An all-electric powertrain essentially exonerates the truck on all charges.”

Electric pickups and SUVs – the heart of the U.S. market – could help Ford Motor Co <F> and GM generate significant sales of EVs needed to meet tougher California emission standards and electric vehicle mandates.

The Trump administration is moving to roll back those standards – and eliminate extra credits that automakers receive from EV sales but electric trucks are a hedge if California prevails.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Sandra Maler and Alistair Bell)

Air Kiribati Receives Its First Embraer E190-E2 Jet

December 30, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

São José dos Campos, Brazil, December 30th, 2019 – Air Kiribati, the flag carrier of the Republic of Kiribati, received today its first E190-E2 jet. Embraer announced the contract with the Government of Kiribati, in partnership with its national airline, Air Kiribati, in December 2018. The airline ordered two E190-E2s and has purchase rights for two more.

“Aviation is critical for any island nation and Kiribati is no exception. Our Government has made the conscious decision to take into our hands the opportunity to unlock economic prosperity for our people and our nation through the purchase of these two aircraft,” said Hon. Willie Tokataake, Minister for Information, Communication, Transport and Tourism Development of the Kiribati Government. “The arrival of our first jet today is the culmination of three years of vision, strategic thought, government focus, research, evaluation, hard work, commitment, partnership and a good measure of problem solving.”

Air Kiribati is the launch operator for the E190-E2 in Asia Pacific. The aircraft will be configured in a dual class layout seating 92 passengers in total, with 12 seats in business class and 80 seats in economy class. Located in the central Pacific, Air Kiribati can now fly longer domestic and international routes than it currently does with its turboprop fleet.

“This is first E190-E2 delivered in the Pacific region,” said Cesar Pereira, Asia Pacific Vice President, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “We’re are honored that Air Kiribati selected the E190-E2 as the best fit for the airline’s challenging flying environment. The E190-E2 has cutting-edge technology and is the most fuel efficient and environmentally-friendly single aisle jet in the world. These attributes are extremely important for Kiribati.”

With a maximum range of up to 2,850 nautical miles, the E190-E2 can serve destinations throughout the vast expanse of Kiribati, including nonstop from Tarawa to Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, one of the most challenging routes in the Pacific. The current domestic flight from Tarawa to Kiritimati requires an international stopover in Fiji.

Spanning four time zones and comprised of more than 30 islands, Kiribati is the only country in the world to be in all four hemispheres. Embraer has been present in the Pacific since the first Bandeirante was delivered to a customer in Australia in 1978. The company continues to support operators across Oceania more than 40 years later.

The E190-E2 is the first of three new aircraft types in the E-Jets E2 family, developed to succeed the first-generation E-Jets. Compared to the first-generation E190, the E190-E2 burns 17.3% less fuel and nearly 10% less than its direct competitor. This makes it the most efficient single-aisle aircraft on the market. The E190-E2 generates significant savings for airlines in terms of maintenance costs. It has the longest maintenance intervals – 10,000 flight hours for basic checks and no calendar limit in typical E-Jets utilization. This means an additional 15 days of aircraft utilization over a period of ten years.

The E2 cockpit features advanced Honeywell Primus Epic 2 integrated avionics. Combined with closed-loop fly-by-wire controls, the systems work together to improve aircraft performance, decrease pilot workload and enhance flight safety. From a passenger perspective, the E2 cabin features a comfortable two-by-two layout. The absence of a middle seat enables passengers to have an enjoyable flight experience with more legroom and additional luggage storage space.

Embraer is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial aircraft up to 150 seats with more than 100 customers across the world. For the E-Jets program alone, Embraer has logged more than 1,800 orders and 1,500 aircraft have been delivered. Today, E-Jets are flying in the fleets of 80 customers from 50 countries. The versatile 70 to 150-seat family is flying with low-cost airlines as well as with regional and mainline network carriers.

Brazilian Airline GOL Says Delta Air Exits Stake

December 11, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

PRYCBK Delta airlines airplane preparing for landing in the blue sky at day time in international airport

Dec 11 (Reuters) – Brazil’s GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA said late Tuesday that Delta Air lines Inc has sold more than 32.9 million shares it held in the company, a few months after the Atlanta-based airline announced its decision to exit stake.

Delta’s decision to sell its stake was expected, following its acquisition of a 20% stake in GOL competitor LATAM Airlines Group SA for $1.9 billion in September.

Delta did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

The deal with LATAM Airlines was Delta’s largest since it merged with Northwest Airlines a decade ago, and ended the Chilean carrier’s ties with American Airlines Group.

Delta’s deal with Latin America’s largest carrier would give it a bigger footprint in the region, where American Airlines has been leading the charts.

American Airlines confirmed in October it was negotiating a possible partnership with GOL, after a newspaper reported that the two companies were in contact the same day that Delta bought its stake in LATAM.

The structure or content of any potential partnership was unclear, Brazil’s Valor Economico said at the time.

(Reporting by Bhargav Acharya in Bengaluru, Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

Wizz Air Partners With Sabre to Leverage Intelligent Planning

December 4, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

LONDON and SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Dec. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Wizz Air (PNK: WZZAF) Europe’s greenest airline and leading low cost carrier in Central Eastern Europe, has selected Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), the leading technology provider to the global travel industry, as a strategic partner to enhance its network planning and scheduling technology. With this new agreement, Wizz Air joins a portfolio of more than 80 airlines that have implemented Sabre’s leading technology to optimize complex schedule and slot management processes.

Sabre has a strong reputation in driving results through its intelligent planning and scheduling solutions. Empowering collaborative and intelligent decision-making, Sabre AirVision Schedule Manager helps airlines build and deliver robust, accurate and operationally feasible schedules across their networks. This proven solution has helped airlines achieve up to 9% incremental operating profit and up to 12% increase in productivity.

Wizz Air has implemented Sabre AirVision Slot Manager and Schedule Manager, equipping it with the right mechanisms to reduce the risks of losing valuable historic slot rights, while enabling increased productivity and a fast response to rescheduling.

“Adopting the right planning and scheduling technology has a significant impact on revenue optimization and cost reduction, as well as running a robust and efficient operation,” said George Michalopoulos, chief commercial officer at Wizz Air. “Sabre’s end-to-end planning and scheduling suite provides Wizz Air with the intelligence and flexibility needed to deploy optimized schedules.”

Sabre’s agreement with Wizz Air reflects its ongoing investment in creating technology solutions that are perfectly adapted to the requirements of different airline business models. With a customer community that includes a portfolio of airlines in the network, low-cost and ultra-low-cost categories, Sabre is consistently driving innovation through its partnerships.

“Wizz Air has a solid and ambitious plan for profitable expansion, and therefore needed a strong technology partner,” said Alessandro Ciancimino, vice president sales Europe, Travel Solutions, Sabre. “Sabre’s suite of technology helps airlines to get schedules to market faster, rapidly respond to market conditions in real time, and more efficiently manage a growing network of routes – which will help it position itself competitively, and differentiate itself among increased competition.”

About Sabre Corporation
Sabre Corporation is the leading technology provider to the global travel industry. Sabre’s software, data, mobile and distribution solutions are used by hundreds of airlines and thousands of hotel properties to manage critical operations, including passenger and guest reservations, revenue management, flight, network and crew management. Sabre also operates a leading global travel marketplace, which processes more than US$120 billion of global travel spend annually by connecting travel buyers and suppliers. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre serves customers in more than 160 countries around the world.

About Wizz Air
Wizz Air, the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe, offers more than 700 routes from 25 bases, connecting 152 destinations across 44 countries. A team of more than 5,000 aviation professionals delivers superior service and very low fares making Wizz Air the preferred choice of 38 million passengers in the past 12 months. WIZZ operates an all-Airbus fleet of 120 aircraft. Its A320s are equipped with 180 seats, its A321s with 230 seats and its A321neo aircraft with 239 seats. According to the latest data of the Swiss airline intelligence provider CH-Aviation, Wizz Air has one of the youngest airline fleets in the world.

United Orders 50 New Airbus Long-Range Jets to Replace Boeing 757’s

December 3, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

CHICAGO, Dec 3 (Reuters) – United Airlines Holdings Inc announced on Tuesday an order for 50 Airbus SE A321XLR jets to fly between the U.S East Coast and Europe, becoming the latest U.S. airline to ink a deal for the European planemaker’s new passenger jet.

The long-range A321XLR jets will replace United’s 53 Boeing 757-200 planes beginning in 2024, the Chicago-based planemaker said, flying to cities like Porto, Portugal and other potential new destinations.

United’s 757 planes will reach the end of their lifespan in about a decade and Boeing Co is not building any more of the large single-aisle model.

Instead, the U.S. planemaker has been considering a new twin-aisle plane, provisionally known as the NMA, but has delayed a launch decision until 2020 while it manages the ongoing global grounding of its 737 MAX jets following two fatal crashes.

United’s chief operating officer Andrew Nocella told reporters the airline has worked closely with Boeing on the potential new aircraft and is still open to orders if the planemaker decides to move forward with developing the NMA.

Meanwhile, U.S carriers including American Airlines Group Inc, JetBlue Airways Corp and Spirit Airlines Inc have agreed orders for Airbus A320neo-family jets.

Among the benefits of the A321XLR is a 30% lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, United said.

United has also ordered the larger A350 widebody jets but said it is deferring delivery of those jets until they are needed in 2027.

Its A321XLR order is the second for a U.S. carrier following tariffs that the United States is imposing on European-made aircraft.

(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski Editing by Chris Reese and Michael Perry)

U.S. Says May Raise Tariffs on EU Products in Aircraft Subsidy Row

December 2, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

WASHINGTON, Dec 2 (Reuters) – The U.S. government on Monday said it would review the possibility of raising tariffs on European Union products and applying tariffs to more products, given what it called lack of progress in resolving a dispute over aircraft subsidies.

The U.S. Trade Representative’s office said Monday’s decision by the World Trade Organization (WTO) affirmed the U.S. position that European Union launch aid to planemaker Airbus continued to harm the U.S. aerospace industry.

“In light of today’s report and the lack of progress in efforts to resolve this dispute, the United States is initiating a process to assess increasing the tariff rates and subjecting additional EU products to the tariffs,” USTR said in a statement. It said it would release more information about the process later this week.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

EU hasn’t ended illegal subsidies to Airbus, WTO panel says

Airbus Says Could Stretch A220 Airliner

November 12, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

FILE PHOTO: A model of the Airbus A220-300 aircraft is seen at a media event at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Airbus SE’s <EADSY> Canadian-designed A220 narrowbody jet has the potential to be stretched to carry more passengers but the company has no current plans to do so, a top executive said on Tuesday.

Air France KLM SA <AFLYY>, which has a firm order for 60 A220 jets, has expressed interest in a larger variant of the plane. The A220-100 model can carry from 100-120 passengers while the larger A220-300 takes from 120-150.

In a presentation to investors, Air France KLM last week posted a slide referring to a larger A220-500 plane.

“It’s no secret that the aircraft has potential to be stretched, potential to grow,” said Philippe Balducchi, head of an Airbus-led venture which took over production of the airliner in July 2018.

Airbus’ first responsibility was to make sure the two existing planes become established in the marketplace, he told Reuters on the sidelines of an aviation conference. After that the firm would decide how to develop its planes.

“Will (there) be an A220-500 or not? I cannot tell you that today. It’s definitely not my priority but there is the potential – we will see,” said Balducchi.

Montreal-based Bombardier <BDRBF> originally drew up designs for the airliner some 15 years ago but sold Airbus a 50.01 percent stake for a token fee of one Canadian dollar in 2018 after sluggish sales and low production rates pushed the program well over budget.

Balducchi sidestepped questions as to whether Airbus would buy Bombardier’s 33.58% minority stake, saying that was a decision for shareholders.

“I think Airbus is comfortable with the situation today,” said Balducchi.

Under the terms of the 2018 deal, Bombardier could oblige Airbus to acquire its stake in the program in 2026 for market value. Airbus could also oblige Bombardier to sell the stake.

Bombardier Chief Executive Alain Bellemare recently said the company is “looking at all options” regarding its stake, while specifying that such a decision “is not for today.”

The Canadian province of Quebec continues to hold a 16.41% stake in the program.

(Additional reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

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