TOMORROWS TRANSPORTATION NEWS TODAY!

Tag: jet (Page 23 of 32)

Bombardier Sells Five Learjet 75’s to Undisclosed Customer

May 7, 2019 – Montréal Bombardier Inc., Business Aircraft, Press Release

  • Value of Learjet 75 transaction an estimated US$69 million based on 2019 list prices
  • Learjet 75 aircraft features the quietest and most private cabin in its class, an eight-seat double club configuration, a smooth ride and the only flat floor in the light jet category
  • Bombardier’s Learjet fleet recently celebrated 25 million flight hours

Bombardier today announced that an undisclosed customer has purchased five industry-defining Learjet 75 aircraft. The transaction is valued at approximately US$69 million dollars based on 2019 list prices.

Today’s announcement follows the landmark achievement Bombardier’s fleet of trailblazing Learjet aircraft set earlier in 2019, when the fleet surpassed the 25 million flight-hour mark, adding yet another accomplishment to an impressive string of Learjet milestones and firsts. The first Learjet business aircraft entered service in 1964, creating the experience and defining the industry of private flight.

“The ultimate business tool, Learjet 75 aircraft feature industry-leading performance and help drive direct bottom line results,” Peter Likoray, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “Reliability and longevity are just two of the reasons customers among Fortune 500 companies continue to choose Learjet aircraft for productivity gains. With its bevy of recent enhancements, the Learjet 75 aircraft is a superior business jet offering in terms of size, performance and reliability, all at highly competitive operating cost.”

Bombardier continues to invest in this industry-leading light business jet, with its recently-released comprehensive Garmin G5000 avionics upgrade, which will allow customers to optimize their routes and paves the way for future technological enhancements. The upgrade will be offered as forward and retrofit for in-service Learjet aircraft. Bombardier also recently announced that Learjet 75 aircraft operators now benefit from lengthened intervals between recurring major powerplant inspections, which have been extended from 3,000 to 3,500 engine hours.

Renowned worldwide for its sleek ramp appeal and favoured by pilots for its impressive handling characteristics and high-performance, the Learjet 75 is the only business jet in its class to feature an eight-seat double-club configuration, a flat floor throughout the cabin and a pocket door for reduced noise levels.

Since acquiring the Learjet Corporation in 1990, Bombardier has introduced an impressive eight new models, including the best-selling Learjet 75 aircraft, which entered service in 2013.

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.

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries across the segments of Transportation, Business Aircraft, Commercial Aircraft and Aerostructures and Engineering Services. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, Bombardier posted revenues of $16.2 billion US. The company is recognized on the 2019 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World Index. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

No Survivors Found in Mexico Crash of Jet Carrying 13 People

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – All 13 people aboard were killed when a private jet crashed between the U.S. city of Las Vegas and Monterrey in northern Mexico, authorities said on Monday.

The wreckage of the plane was found via aerial surveillance in a remote mountainous zone in the northern municipality of Ocampo, the government of Coahuila state said in a statement.

A photograph published on local television network Milenio showed what it said were the burnt remnants of the plane, broken into pieces, spread over charred earth.

The Coahuila government said the flight plan listed 13 people on board. It said no survivors were found.

Mexican media reported that the passengers had been to a boxing match between Mexican boxer Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and U.S. fighter Daniel Jacobs in Las Vegas on Saturday.

The nationalities of the victims were not immediately clear. The surnames of the three crew and 10 passengers published by the Coahuila government were all Hispanic.

The victims were aged between 57 and 19, according to a version of the passenger list published in Mexican media.

Newspaper Diario de Yucatan said on its website that among the victims were 55-year-old businessman Luis Octavio Reyes Dominguez, his wife, and their three children.

In a statement, Canada’s Bombardier Inc identified the jet as a Challenger 601 and said the plane had gone missing about 150 nautical miles from the northern Mexican city of Monclova.

Expressing its condolences to the victims, the company said it had been in touch with Canada’s transportation safety board and would work with the investigating authorities.

Mexican broadcaster Televisa reported the twin-engine jet lost contact on Sunday with air traffic controllers sometime after 5:20 p.m. local time (2220 GMT) as the pilot descended to avoid a storm.

Francisco Martinez, an emergency services official in Coahuila, told Milenio recent adverse weather conditions would form part of the investigation into the crash. However, he stopped short of saying weather had caused it.

(Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon, Noe Torres, Ana Isabel Martinez, David Alire Garcia and Allison Lampert; Editing by David Gregorio and Tom Brown)

ACJ319neo Sets Record During Test Flight

The first ACJ319neo successfully completed a 16-hr. and 10-min. test flight on 26th April, setting a new record for the longest A320 Family flight by an Airbus crew.

It flew from Toulouse to northern Greenland and back, in an endurance flight that included a simulated diversion under 180 min ETOPS rules, for which the A320 airliner family is already certified.

The aircraft is due to be delivered to K5 Aviation of Germany in the coming months, after ACJ319neo flight trials are completed.

“We want to fly customers to their destination using the quickest routes, as well as delivering unsurpassed comfort and service, and it’s impressive to see such long-range capability at first hand,” said K5 Aviation CEO and Chief Pilot Erik Scheidt, who participated in the flight.

The ACJ319neo is derived from the A320neo airliner family, which features new engines and wingtip-mounted Sharklets.

“Airbus’ modern aircraft family takes the world in its stride with robust reliability, and corporate jet operators are natural beneficiaries of this airliner heritage, which also brings comparable operating costs to traditional business jets,” said ACJ President Benoit Defforge.

K5 Aviation’s ACJ319neo is fitted with five additional centre tanks (ACTs) in its cargo-hold, and includes improvements such as a lower cabin altitude for greater passenger comfort.

Corporate jet orders and commitments for A320neo Family-derived aircraft now total 14.

Airlines and corporate jet customers have ordered almost 15,000 A320 Family aircraft to date, with more than 700 of the new A320neo version already serving airlines worldwide.

Around 200 Airbus corporate jets are in service worldwide, flying on every continent, including Antarctica.

@ airbus #ACJ319neo #ACJ

Sukhoi Superjet 100 Involved in Deadly Fire

This image taken from a video distributed by Russian Investigative Committee on Sunday, May 5, 2019, shows the Sukhoi SSJ100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines on fire, at Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia. At least 40 people died when an Aeroflot airliner burst into flames while making an emergency landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, officials said early Monday. (The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation via AP)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The Aeroflot-operated SSJ100 passenger jet that caught fire during an emergency landing in Moscow is part of Russia’s efforts to maintain a presence in civil aviation in a market dominated by companies like Boeing, Airbus and Embraer.

Here’s a quick look at the SSJ100 and the Russian company that built it, the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company:

THE PLANE

The SSJ100, or Superjet 100, is a short- to medium-haul narrow body jet with two engines that can be configured to carry up to 103 people.

At that size, it’s intended to substitute for larger planes such as the Boeing 737 or Airbus 321 on shorter, less travelled routes and during slower travel seasons. Regional aircraft are an important part of Russia’s transportation system, given the country’s enormous distances and many remote towns. The Superjet succeeds older, Soviet-built planes such as the Tu-134 airliner.

The plane is built at the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company’s plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Russia’s distant Far East region. Although the design is Russian, the company says it uses the latest Western technology as well. The engines are made by PowerJet, a joint venture between France’s Safran Aircraft Engines and Russia’s Saturn.

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft of Airflot Airlines, center, is seen after an emergency landing in Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. (Moscow News Agency photo via AP)

The plane first flew in 2008 and entered commercial service in 2011. It is certified by the European Union Safety Agency but is mainly used in Russia and has not made much headway against international competitors, not just from Boeing and Airbus but also from Brazil’s Embraer.

Aeroflot is the biggest client with 50 of the planes. Mexico’s Interjet said Sunday it operated five of the planes “under the highest safety standards.”

Interjet earlier operated 22 Superjets but referred in a recent earnings report to the “gradual phase out of the fleet of SSJ100.” The company reported lost sales after the planes were grounded due to a defect in the tail section in December 2016 and said it was seeking “contractual recovery of amounts related to maintenance costs” for the planes.

Ireland’s CityJet, which supplies planes and crews to other airlines, stopped operating several Superjets in January.

People gather around the damaged Sukhoi SSJ100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines at Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, May 6, 2019. Russia’s main investigative body says both flight recorders have been recovered from the plane that caught fire while making an emergency landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least 40 people on Sunday. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

THE COMPANY

The Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company bears the name of the legendary Soviet aircraft designer, Pavel Sukhoi, who was responsible for a series of Soviet military aircraft starting before World War II.

Today’s firm is part of Russia’s United Aircraft Company, which consolidated many of the legendary names of Soviet aviation such as MiG, Sukhoi, Tupolev and Yak. UAC was established by a decree from President Vladimir Putin in 2006 to promote the Russian aircraft industry, which is seen as essential for the security and defense of the country. Much of its production goes to the military, while the SSJ100 is the key project aimed at maintaining a Russian presence in civil aviation.

TROUBLES

On May 9, 2012, a demonstration flight hit Mount Salak in Indonesia, killing all 45 on board, after the pilot disregarded six alarms from the terrain warning system on the apparent assumption there was a problem with the terrain database, according to the report from Indonesia’s air safety regulator. The plane had unintentionally left a circling pattern after the crew was distracted by a prolonged conversation not related to flying the plane.

And a Superjet skidded off the runway at Iceland’s Keflavik airport in 2013 with landing gear up during flight certification tests involving landing on one engine; one crew member suffered minor injuries.

In this photo taken on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, the Sukhoi SSJ-100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines that made an emergency landing on Sunday, May 5, 2019 in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, takes off from the Siberian city of Tyumen, Russia. Russia’s flagship airline Aeroflot says the plane that caught fire at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least one person, had been forced to turn back after taking off for the city of Murmansk because of technical reasons. (AP Photo/Marina Lystseva)

Jet Aviation Acquires Stake in Scottsdale Jet Center

TETERBORO, N.J., May 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Jet Aviation announced today that it has acquired a stake in Scottsdale Jet Center, with the intent to build and operate a new, state-of-the-art Jet Aviation branded fixed-base operator (FBO) and tenant hangar by late 2020. The new facility will complement existing tenant facilities at Scottsdale Airport, a top 15 US business aviation market.

With an expanding footprint in the US market, Scottsdale Jet Center allows Jet Aviation to continue its strategy of supporting customers in the locations they most frequent. The new facility will allow Jet Aviation to operate FBO’s in eight of the top 15 US business aviation markets.

“We are committed to growing Jet Aviation’s position as a leading FBO service provider,” said Dave Paddock, senior vice president and general manager, Jet Aviation Regional Operations USA. “Scottsdale is a highly attractive location to business jet owners and operators and is regularly ranked in the top 15 US airports. Having a presence in Scottsdale will enable our customers to have greater connectivity across the Jet network.”

Scottsdale Jet Center currently leases 45,000 square feet of office space, 24,000 square feet of T-hangar space, tie-down spaces and shades. Planning for the new FBO terminal and 30,000-square foot hangar is currently underway, with opening planned for late 2020. Thereafter, Jet Aviation plans additional phases of development to support growing customer demand.

Once opened, Scottsdale Jet Center FBO will bring Jet Aviation’s global FBO network up to 35 locations.

Spirit Airlines Starts Serving the Research Triangle

MIRAMAR, Fla., May 02, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The savings and signature service has arrived in the Research Triangle!  Today Spirit Airlines officially began service to and from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). The airline’s signature yellow Airbus jets will now connect RDU to Baltimore/Washington, DC, Boston, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans, Chicago, and Orlando with nonstop flights. The new routes also create dozens of connections to other Spirit destinations in the United States, as well as the Caribbean and Latin America. Raleigh-Durham is Spirit’s third destination in the Tar Heel State, joining the Piedmont Triad and Asheville and will soon be joined by Charlotte on June 20.

“The time has finally arrived for us to begin serving the Research Triangle, and we are ready to do just that,” said Ted Christie, Spirit Airlines’ president and CEO. “With eight daily flights to some of our biggest destinations, and connections to many more, we believe our service and value will resonate in the Raleigh-Durham region. In less than a year, Spirit has gone from no footprint in the state to serving four destinations by June 20, and I want to thank North Carolinians for embracing us.”

“We are happy to welcome Spirit Airlines as the newest carrier connecting the Research Triangle community to the world,” said Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. “Spirit’s low fares and suite of nonstop destinations will add to the world-class airport experience business and leisure travelers expect from RDU.”

Raleigh-Durham, NC (RDU)Starts:Frequency:
Baltimore, MD/Washington, DC (BWI)May 2, 20192x daily, year-round
Boston, MA (BOS)May 2, 2019Daily, year-round
Detroit, MI (DTW)May 2, 2019Daily, year-round
Orlando, FL (MCO)May 2, 2019Daily, year-round
Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL)May 2, 2019Daily, year-round
New Orleans, LA (MSY)May 2, 2019Daily, year-round
Chicago, IL (ORD)May 2, 2019Daily, year-round

Beyond next month’s launch in Charlotte, the airline will also be expanding on the West Coast, adding Burbank and Sacramento to its network.  All three new cities will launch on June 20. Spirit’s growing route network comes with ongoing investments into its guest experience. The airline continues to rank among the top in on-time arrivals, baggage handling, and is in the process of installing high-speed Wi-Fi to its entire fleet.

About Spirit Airlines:
Spirit Airlines (NYSE: SAVE) is committed to delivering the best value in the sky while providing an extraordinary Guest experience. We are the leader in providing customizable travel options starting with an unbundled fare.  This allows every Guest to pay only for the options they choose — like bags, seat assignments and refreshments – something we call À La Smarte. We make it possible for our Guests to venture farther, travel more often, and discover more than ever before. Our Fit Fleet™ is one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient in the U.S.  We operate more than 600 daily flights to 75 destinations in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean, and are dedicated to giving back and improving the communities we serve. Come save with us at spirit.com. At Spirit Airlines, we go. We go for you.

Contact:
Derek Dombrowski
(305) 916-6065
derek.dombrowski@spirit.com
Spirit.png

Source: Spirit Airlines, Inc.

Bombardier To Create Single Aviation Division

MONTREAL (Reuters) – Canada’s Bombardier Inc said on Thursday it would unite its corporate and regional jet-making units into a single aviation division, as it continues focusing on its strongest businesses while shedding aerostructure facilities in Belfast and Morocco.

The announcement comes ahead of an annual general meeting later in the day, where the plane and train maker is expected to face questions from investors on whether its turnaround plan is still on track as its transportation unit grapples with delayed rail contracts.

Investors were rattled last week when Bombardier cut its first-quarter and full-year revenue targets for the transportation division, its largest unit, raising concerns over whether it will still meet its 2020 targets of boosting margins and generating $20 billion (£15 billion) in revenue.

Bombardier on Thursday posted first-quarter revenue and profit, in line with revised expectations issued a week ago, when it sharply cut estimates for full-year profit and revenue.

It had slashed its full-year transportation revenue forecast by almost 8 percent to about $8.75 billion.

The company said in a statement it was making progress toward completing five long-term rail projects that have been marred in some cases by delivery delays and production problems, but these would take a few more quarters for completion.

Bombardier’s planned sale of its Belfast wing and structure-making operation, the largest high-tech manufacturer in Northern Ireland which employs 3,600, stunned workers who called on the British government to retain jobs.

A separate facility which produces aeronautical-equipment in Morocco will also be sold.

Under Chief Executive Alain Bellemare, Bombardier has been selling off businesses, including the money-losing Q400 turboprop program, to focus on more profitable units like rail and corporate jets.

The rail division, which is expected to generate $10 billion next year, is crucial to Bombardier’s five-year turnaround plan, after heavy investment in aircraft production drove it to the brink of bankruptcy in 2015.

Besides creating a single aviation division headed by business aircraft president, David Coleal, the company said it will consolidate its five aerostructures businesses to focus on facilities in Montreal, Mexico and its newly acquired Global 7500 business jet wing operations in Texas.

Bombardier’s commercial aircraft president Fred Cromer will continue to lead efforts as the company weighs the future of its money-losing regional jet program.

Some investors have questioned Bombardier’s credibility in revising its financial guidance after a recent debt raise.

“The concern, particularly after the March debt raise, is whether management remains committed to its longer term 2020 guidance,” said Toronto-based AltaCorp analyst Capital Chris Murray by email.

“We expect that during that process, the company had reiterated prior 2019 guidance, which it changed last week, adding to concern on the part of bondholders.”

A Bombardier spokesman declined to comment and said management would address questions at the meeting.

Bombardier said it continues to expect full-year free cash flow to be breakeven, plus or minus $250 million, as Global 7500 aircraft and key transportation project deliveries are expected to accelerate in the second half of the year.

Adjusted core earnings rose by $1 million to $266 million in the three months to March 31, while revenue fell 13 percent to $3.52 billion.

(Reporting By Allison Lampert in Montreal. Additional reporting by Arathy Nair in Bengaluru and Fergal Smith in Toronto; Editing by Arun Koyyur and Bernadette Baum)

FILE PHOTO: Logo of Bombardier is seen at an office building in Zurich, Switzerland February 28, 2019. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

Boeing Supplier Spirit AeroSystems Suspends Outlook

(Reuters) – Boeing Co’s largest supplier Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc reported strong first-quarter results on Wednesday, while following the planemaker in suspending its full-year outlook in the face of the global grounding of 737 MAX jets.

The crisis with Boeing’s most popular aircraft has thrown into doubt orders for a raft of parts makers who have been investing heavily to meet record-breaking demand from the world’s biggest planemaker over the past two years.

Spirit, which makes fuselage, structural engine components and wing parts for the MAX, did a deal with Boeing last month to stick to its current parts delivery schedules for now, and its profits in the first quarter were up 30 percent, according to Wednesday’s quarterly results.

Boeing however has announced cutbacks in its monthly production of MAX jets to 42 from 52 and while it says it is nearing certification for a software fix for the jet, airlines are assuming the planes will not be back in the air before August.

Spirit said with the uncertainty around MAX production it could not stand by its previous full-year outlook which had factored production for MAX jets rising to 57 units per month in June.

“As we now expect to remain at 52 aircraft per month for some period of time, (prior) guidance does not reflect our current outlook,” Spirit Chief Executive Officer Tom Gentile said, adding he was waiting for more clarity from Boeing on MAX’s return to service.

MAX’s other major supplier General Electric Co, which makes engines with Safran SA of France, on Tuesday stuck to its full-year forecasts, while highlighting risk due to MAX’s reduced production.

Another MAX supplier United Technologies Corp last month included an up to 10 cents per share impact in its full-year profit outlook from the groundings of the jet, assuming Boeing produced at 42 aircraft per month for the rest of the year.

Spirit, whose shares are down about 10 percent since the fatal crash of the Ethiopian Airlines’ jet on March 10, rose as much as 3.5 percent to $89.96 in morning trade.

“Given that (Spirit’s) shares have already notably sold off, we think much of this … has been discounted into the price,” Vertical Research Partners Krishna Sinha said.

The company said it has taken actions including deferring capital investments and pausing hiring and share repurchases to mitigate the financial impact of the MAX production change.

On an adjusted basis, Spirit earned $1.68 per share, beating analysts’ average estimate of $1.64 per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

Total revenue rose 13.4 percent to $1.97 billion (£1.51 billion), beating estimates of $1.93 billion.

(Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)

ExpressJet Takes Delivery of First New Embraer E175 Aircraft

ATLANTA, May 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — ExpressJet Airlines, a United Express carrier, this week took delivery of its first of 25 new Embraer E175 aircraft in a handover ceremony at the Embraer factory and delivery center in São José dos Campos, Brazil.

“The delivery of our first E175 represents a significant milestone in ExpressJet’s growth as an exclusive United Express carrier,” said Chairman and CEO Subodh Karnik. “I want to express my gratitude to our partners at Embraer and United Airlines as well as to the ExpressJet employees who have worked tirelessly over the past six months to make this day a reality.”

ExpressJet will take delivery of new E175’s through the remainder of 2019. Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) will serve as the airline’s first E175 base, with a second base location to be announced soon.

To support its E175 fleet growth, ExpressJet is hiring more than 600 new pilots in 2019. Pilots who sign on with ExpressJet can expect a quick selection process, an immediate class date, and to bid for flying within three months. Pilots interested in signing on with ExpressJet should apply at expressjet.com/pilots or airlineapps.com.

About ExpressJet Airlines
ExpressJet Airlines operates as United Express, on behalf of United Airlines (UAL), to serve more than 100 airports across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with over 3,300 weekly flights from bases in Chicago, Cleveland, Houston and Newark. ExpressJet’s fleet includes more than 110 Embraer ERJ145 and Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft, with 25 new Embraer E175’s being added in 2019. ExpressJet pilots enjoy top-tier pay and quality of life and a career path to United Airlines. ExpressJet is a subsidiary of ManaAir, LLC. For further information, contact 404-856-1199, corpcomm@expressjet.com.

Corporate Communications
Atlanta, Georgia
404-856-1199
corpcomm@expressjet.com

U-Haul International Takes Delivery of its First PC-24

In a ceremony today at Pilatus Business Aircraft Ltd’s facility in Broomfield, Colorado, the Swiss aircraft manufacturer delivered the first of two PC-24 Super Versatile Jets to US customer U-Haul International.

In a stylish paint scheme featuring the distinctive U-Haul orange livery, the 27th production PC-24 aircraft took to the skies for its new home base in Phoenix, Arizona, where it will join a U-Haul fleet that includes two PC-12s.

On hand to accept the keys to their first PC-24 was Joe Shoen, Chairman of AMERCO, parent company of U-Haul International, who stated: “We are delighted to start flying this great new aircraft. When Pilatus announced the new jet, we were confident that it would be a real workhorse that, alongside our two PC-12s, would help us manage our growing operations throughout North America. We have been eagerly looking forward to this day.”

Thomas Bosshard, CEO of Pilatus subsidiary Pilatus Business Aircraft Ltd stated: “We are extremely pleased to have the honour of delivering the first of two PC-24s to U-Haul International, one of our many great, long-time customers. Joe Shoen and his flight department have been on board with Pilatus and the PC-24 since we first introduced the concept to them more than five years ago. Throughout the development and certification of the aircraft they’ve been looking forward to this day, and we are thrilled to celebrate it with them.”

With the aircraft now in operation, the global fleet of PC-24’s has now accumulated over 4,000 flight hours, with the fleet leader already clocking up more than 1,100 flight hours.

The PC-24 Super Versatile Jet will be on display at Pilatus’ static exhibit during the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, 21 to 23 May. Reservations for personal viewings may be made onsite or with any Authorized Pilatus Centre.

« Older posts Newer posts »