Tag: tanker (Page 3 of 3)

Latest ACH160 Order Underlines Market Confidence

May 23, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Geneva, Airbus Corporate Helicopters (ACH) has secured an additional sale for its latest ACH160 helicopter just days before the EBACE 2019 business aviation show in Geneva.

This new order, from an experienced UK helicopter operator which will use it for general corporate purposes, takes the ACH160 orderbook to 11 aircraft of which four have been won in the UK.

Two other ACH160s have been ordered by a privately owned UK company which is also a long-time corporate helicopter user, and a fourth UK aircraft has been ordered by an existing private Airbus Helicopters VIP customer to be managed by Isle of Man-based Luviair.

The H160 medium helicopter programme remains on-track for certification at the end of 2019 to be followed by the first ACH deliveries about one year later.

After recording 54 sales in 2017 following its launch at EBACE in May that year, ACH recorded 68 orders in 2018.

Mirroring sister brand Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ), ACH provides an exclusive end-to-end ownership experience from first enquiry and ordering, through in-service support, to enhanced resale opportunities.

ACH delivers the highest standards in safety, technology, craftsmanship and service and is backed by HCareFirst – a premium support service aimed directly at the specific needs of operators typically recording low flight-hours but demanding worry-free aircraft availability when required.

Frederic Lemos, Head of ACH, said: “This substantial new business for the ACH160 even before certification is clearly demonstrating its very high level of acceptance in the market. These firm orders from highly knowledgeable customers are concrete evidence that the aircraft is addressing the needs of the most demanding operators.”

The full ACH helicopter range consists of the ACH125, ACH130, ACH135, new ACH145, ACH160 and ACH175 variants of Airbus Helicopters’ comprehensive and market-leading family of light and medium models. A range of premium-design aircraft completions, including bespoke solutions, is available for all models.

Renowned for its combination of versatility and comfort, the ACH range of helicopters is admired by passengers and pilots alike for its stylish interiors, smooth and quiet ride allied to its technologically advanced Helionix digital avionics system ensuring carefree handling and the highest level of safety.

About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2018, it generated revenues of €64 billion 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.

Airbus & Thales Alenia Space to Build 2 SpainSAT NG Satellites

May 7, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

A four co-primes consortium formed by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space (both in Spain and France) has been selected by Hisdesat Servicios Estratégicos S.A. (Spanish Governmental Satellite Operator) to build two SpainSAT NG satellites. Used for governmental communications, these new generation satellites will replace the existing Spainsat and Xtar-EUR satellites. Airbus will act as “lead partner” of the consortium.

The SPAINSAT NG programme includes two satellites, SPAINSAT NG I and II which will be situated in different geostationary orbital slots to operate in X, military Ka and UHF bands.

The first of these New Generation Spainsat satellites will be launched in 2023 guaranteeing the continuity of the secure communications services to the Spanish Ministry of Defense and Governmental Agencies using the current fleet.

SPAINSAT NG will provide coverage on a wide area of the world ranging from the United States and South America to the Middle East, including Africa and Europe and till Singapore in Asia. Both satellites will allow to:

• Ensure effective command and control for beyond line-of-sight operations in 2/3 of the Earth.

• Guarantee communication capability in theatres of operation lacking communications infrastructure.

• Develop more satcom on the move, higher capacity, better secured and assured communications.

• Unlock the potential of the network centric battlespace-netcentric warfare and operations.

The communication payloads of both satellites will be provided by the Spanish industry, including the integration of the Communications Module in Spain, a major step forward for the Spanish industry. Airbus in Spain will be responsible for the X band payload, while Thales Alenia Space in Spain will be responsible for the UHF and mil-Ka band payloads. Other companies from the Spanish space industry will also be involved.

UHF is a new capability that was not available on the previous Spainsat fleet. Both satellites will offer redundancy in the zones of interest for the Spanish Armed Forces and will also incorporate advanced protection technologies for anti-jamming and anti-spoofing, plus hardened protection against nuclear phenomena at high altitude.

The satellites will be based on the Eurostar Neo platform, Airbus’ new geostationary telecommunications satellite product, a significant evolution of the highly reliable and successful Eurostar series with an entire range of major innovations. These include an X band fully flexible payload, employing active antennas with in orbit reconfiguration capability, an onboard digital processor that will interconnect the X and mil-Ka band payloads for cross-banding, and a dedicated high speed service link enabling fast re-configuration. This will result in a greater capacity, and increased flexibility allowing for electronic reorientation of the beams depending on the coverage needs.

Hisdesat is the owner and operator of the new generation of communication satellites, SPAINSAT NG. The main customer is the Spanish Ministry of Defence having a Public Private Partnership with Hisdesat and, among others, the new satellites will also contribute to other Spanish governmental bodies, allies and friendly countries with bilateral agreements, the EU governmental Communications programme, “Govsatcom” and hopefully to the future NATO CP130 capabilities package for satellite communications. In addition, SPAINSAT NG will continue providing services to the existing and future customer base of XTAR LLc.

The development of SPAINSAT NG is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, as well as the Spanish Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI) in the framework of a public-private partnership between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the satellite operator Hisdesat.

The SpainSAT NG satellites will have an operational lifetime of 15 years being in service up to 2037.

About Airbus

Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2018 it generated revenues of € 64 billion 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.

Icelandic Coast Guard Upgrades to Airbus Rescue Helicopters

April 4, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Reykjavik, Airbus Helicopters is supporting the Icelandic Coast Guard (ICG) with the entry into service of two Airbus H225 heavy search and rescue (SAR) helicopters as the first step in a renewal of the agency’s helicopter fleet.

The aircraft are replacing two of the ICG’s three existing Airbus AS332L1 Super Pumas, the first of which entered service in 1995. They are being leased from Norwegian helicopter lessor Knut Axel Ugland Holding AS and will both be in service by the end of April 2019. The ICG plans to purchase permanent replacements for all three aircraft in its fleet by 2022.

Airbus Helicopters is providing pilot and technician training on key features of the H225 and ongoing maintenance and support under an HCare Smart Parts By the Hour contract.

The 11-tonne category, twin-engine H225 is the latest member of Airbus Helicopters’ Super Puma family with more powerful engines providing a smoother ride and enhanced performance compared to the AS332L1.

Equipped with state-of-the-art electronic instruments and a 4-axis autopilot system, the H225 offers outstanding endurance and fast cruise speed, and can be fitted with a wide range of SAR equipment. Operated by two pilots, it can be configured with up to 18 seats or six stretchers.

The H225 and military H225M are benchmarks in SAR and combat SAR and are operated by 20 nations worldwide.

Commander S.G. Sindri Steingrimsson, Director Flight Operations at the ICG said: “The experience with our current fleet of Super Pumas has been excellent through the years. Overall they have done a fantastic job for us here at the Icelandic Coast Guard, in some of the most challenging conditions for aircraft SAR operations in the world. We fully expect that the new Super Pumas will add great value to the safety and security of our operations, increasing capability and reliability while at the same time modernising our technological standards to meet current needs.”

The attached photo shows one of the new leased aircraft.

About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2018 it generated revenues of € 64 billion 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.

Air Force Again Halts Boeing KC-46 Tanker Deliveries

April 3, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

April 2 (Reuters) – The U.S. Air Force said on Tuesday that it again stopped accepting deliveries of Boeing Co’s KC-46 tanker aircraft after finding foreign object debris in the planes.

Back in February, deliveries of the aircraft were halted by the U.S. Air Force because of the same issue in one of the aircraft. Deliveries resumed in March after Boeing ramped up the inspection process.

“Our inspectors identified additional foreign object debris and areas where Boeing did not meet quality standards,” U.S. Air Force spokesperson Captain Hope Cronin said.

The decision to halt acceptance of the planes was made on March 23, the Air Force said, adding that the problem was not with the aircraft itself but with the process in place for building it.

“We are currently conducting additional company and customer inspections of the jets and have implemented preventative action plans,” Boeing said in a statement.

“We have also incorporated additional training, more rigorous clean-as-you-go practices and FOD awareness days across the company to stress the importance and urgency of this issue.”

(Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)

Airbus Announces Flight Services Contract with Japan Airlines

February 25, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Tokyo, 18 February 2019 – Airbus confirms the growing success of its Flight Hour Services (FHS) business in Japan with a new contract from soon-to-be A350 XWB operator Japan Airlines (JAL).

Airbus is welcoming JAL into its FHS Components Services programme for its new fleet of 31 A350-900 and A350-1000 aircraft.

JAL will become the first Airbus FHS A350 operator in Japan to benefit from the increased operational reliability provided by Airbus FHS, world leader for this service in the A350 market. The Japanese carrier plans to introduce the highly anticipated A350-900 on its Haneda – Fukuoka route from September. This FHS contract will make JAL’s A350 entry-into-service even smoother on one of Japan’s busiest routes.

Airbus FHS will provide fully integrated component services including spare pool access, on-site-stock replenishment at the main base and components repair.

Through FHS, Airbus offers airlines its extensive and proven expertise in fully integrated maintenance services, and the advantage of its OEM expertise as well as one single interface to manage their whole fleets and associated component support operations.

About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2017 it generated revenues of € 59 billion restated for IFRS 15 and employed a workforce of around 129,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. 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 image from http://www.airbus.com

U.S. Air Force Accepts First Boeing KC-46A Pegasus Tanker

January 11, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

SEATTLE, Jan. 10, 2019 – The U.S. Air Force has accepted the first Boeing [NYSE: BA] KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft, setting the stage for the aircraft’s delivery to McConnell Air Force Base, in Wichita, Kan., in the coming weeks.

“The KC-46A is a proven, safe, multi-mission aircraft that will transform aerial refueling and mobility operations for decades to come. We look forward to working with the Air Force, and the Navy, during their initial operational test and evaluation of the KC-46, as we further demonstrate the operational capabilities of this next-generation aircraft across refueling, mobility and combat weapons systems missions,” said Leanne Caret, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “I want to thank the men and women of the Air Force and across the Boeing tanker team who made this happen.”

During extensive flight testing, six KC-46 completed more than 3,800 flight hours and offloaded more than four million pounds of fuel to A-10, B-52, C-17, KC-10, KC-135, KC-46, F-15E, F-16 and F/A-18 aircraft. The Pegasus has been rigorously tested throughout all aspects of the refueling envelope and in all conditions, including day, night and covert.

With the signing of what’s known as the DD250 paperwork, the delivery activities can proceed. McConnell Air Force Base will receive the first four KC-46 aircraft, all of which are ready for delivery, with four subsequent aircraft destined for Oklahoma’s Altus Air Force Base, beginning as early as next month.

Boeing is on contract for 52 of an expected 179 tankers for the Air Force. Beyond the first aircraft that was accepted today, nine aircraft are undergoing customer acceptance testing with the remaining aircraft of the contracted amount in production.

“This is an exciting and historic day for the Air Force and Boeing, as we hand over the first of many KC-46 tankers,” said Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg. “I’m proud of the dedication and commitment by our enterprise-wide team, and we’re honored to provide this valuable and capable aircraft to our customer. We look forward to continuing to build and support the KC-46 for the Air Force—and other customers across the globe—for decades to come.”

The KC-46, derived from Boeing’s commercial 767 airframe, is built in Boeing’s Everett, Wash., facility.

For more information on Defense, Space & Security, visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and @BoeingSpace.

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

Israel & Boeing Sign Reciprocal Spending Deal

October 30, 2018 / WIL BALDWIN

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Boeing (BA.N) has agreed to spend billions of dollars in Israel over the coming decade if it wins major defense contracts, Israel’s Economy Ministry said on Tuesday.

The “reciprocal procurement” agreement calls for Boeing to collaborate with Israeli industries for at least 35 percent of the value of any transaction it signs with the Israeli government.

This could ease concerns in Israel over new requirements in a U.S. aid package that divert funds away from local industries.

Boeing is competing in Israel for a number of key Defence Ministry contracts, including the purchase of additional F-15 aircraft, fueling planes and a squadron of transport helicopters, the ministry said.

With Israel expecting to make about $10 billion of military purchases from Boeing over the next decade, the agreement with the U.S. aerospace company means $3.5 billion in new business in Israel, the ministry said in a statement.

“A reciprocal procurement agreement of this magnitude is a significant achievement that will lead to the growth of many companies in the economy, increase their activity and also their success in international markets,” said Economy Minister Eli Cohen.

Under a defense aid deal signed in 2016 by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then U.S. President Barack Obama, the United States agreed to provide Israel with $38 billion in military assistance over 10 years.

However, one component of the deal was to phase out a special arrangement that had allowed Israel to use 26.3 percent of the U.S. aid on its own defense industry instead of on American-made weapons. All the aid will now have to be spent on U.S. equipment by 2026.

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Adrian Croft)

Boeing Tops Analysts’ Forecasts For Quarterly Profit

October 24, 2018 / WIL BALDWIN

(Reuters) – Boeing (BA.N) topped analysts’ forecasts for quarterly profit on Wednesday despite a series of charges on U.S. military programs and raised its forecasts for annual profit as it continued to benefit from a boom in global air travel and airplanes.

Shares of the world’s biggest planemaker were up 4.5 percent in premarket trading, helping brighten the mood on Wall Street after a handful of shaky results on Tuesday from U.S. manufacturers hurt by concerns over global trade.

Soaring demand from commercial airlines has driven another surge in revenues for Boeing over the past year, pushing shares in the company up by roughly a third over the past 12 months.

Those moves have been dented somewhat by a combination of the trade worries, this year’s greater market volatility and a series of recurring charges for its delay-plagued KC-46 tanker program.

Boeing recorded another $176 million in charges in the quarter on the aerial refueling tanker, bringing the total cost of the program to more than $3 billion.

It also took a charge of $691 million related to the MQ25 refueling drone and T-X training jet contracts it won in August and September, offset in part by a $412 million tax benefit.

Despite the charges, Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg played up the new T-X and MQ25 business and completion of a static test model of its forthcoming 777X widebody, with two test flight jetliners in production.

“This strong underlying performance, along with growth across our businesses we’ve seen throughout the year, give us confidence to raise our 2018 revenue and earnings guidance and reaffirm our operating cash flow guidance.”

Boeing raised its full-year profit forecast to $14.90-$15.10 from a previous $14.30-$14.50 per share, and revenue to a range of $98 billion to $100 billion, up from $97 billion to $99 billion.

The Chicago-based firm’s core earnings, which exclude some pension and other costs, came in 11 cents above analysts’ average forecast at $3.58 per share in the quarter ended Sept. 30.

Boeing has delivered 568 aircraft in the first nine months of 2018 despite production snarls on its best-selling 737 narrowbody, up from 554 at the end of September a year ago, putting it on track to deliver another record year of plane sales.

That keeps the manufacturer, which aims to deliver between 810-815 planes in 2018, in front of its European rival Airbus SE (AIR.PA), which delivered 503 aircraft through September this year. Airbus shares gained 2.7 percent.

(Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; editing by Patrick Graham and Nick Zieminski)

Boeing Delivers First 787-9 Dreamliner to Juneyao Airlines

In other recent Boeing news, the company delivered the first 787-9 Dreamliner for Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines. The new, super-efficient Dreamliner will also be the first widebody commercial jet operated by a privately-held Chinese airline.

“This delivery is our airline’s biggest milestone and marks a big step toward expanding our network in China and beyond,” said Wang Junjin, Chairman, Juneyao Airlines. “As the market-leading widebody model, the 787-9 Dreamliner will play a key role in our global business growth.”

Juneyao Airlines, previously an all-Airbus operator, mainly offers flights from Shanghai to more than 50 cities across China. In introducing the long-range 787 Dreamliner, the carrier is looking to expand its international network and increase flights to Southeast Asia, Japan and Korea.

The 787-9 is part of a family of three airplanes that offer long ranges and unmatched fuel efficiency in the 200 to 350 seat market. The 787-9 can carry 290 passengers and fly up to 7,635 nautical miles (14,140 km), while reducing fuel use and emissions by 20 to 25 percent compared to older airplanes. Passengers will appreciate a more comfortable flight thanks to the Dreamliner’s large windows, lower cabin altitude, smooth-ride technology, and other amenities.

“We are delighted to welcome Juneyao to the growing 787 Dreamliner family. We are confident that the Dreamliner’s fuel efficiency, range and passenger-pleasing features will power the next stage of Juneyao Airlines’ expansion,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales & Marketing at The Boeing Company. “This delivery marks the first of 10 787-9 Dreamliners for Juneyao and their emergence as an international carrier.”

To ensure a smooth introduction of the Dreamliner, Juneyao Airlines will use Boeing Global Services’ pilot training. The airline will also employ electronic flight bag in the flight deck to improve operational efficiency. On other aircraft, Juneyao uses Boeing’s tailored charting services and flight planning solutions.

Boeing Boosting 767 Production

April 26, 2018 / WIL BALDWIN

Boeing is boosting production of its Everett-made 767 mid-sized jet due to demand from cargo companies and the military, CEO Dennis Muilenburg said Wednesday.

“Today, 767 Freighters are the best they have ever been, and demand continues to grow,” Muilenburg said. “The growth of the e-commerce market is fueling some of that.”

Click the link below for the full story!

Boeing Boosting 767 Production

Boeing Delivers First 787-9 Dreamliner to Juneyao Airlines

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