PARIS, June 19 (Reuters) – Israel-based Elbit Systems on Wednesday said it would keep an eye out for possible acquisitions if the proposed merger of U.S. aerospace companies Raytheon Co and United Technologies Corp triggers certain divestments.
“We could have several opportunities coming from that kind of merger,” Ran Kril, executive vice president for International Marketing & Business Development, told Reuters at the Paris Airshow.
Kril said Elbit was committed to expanding in the United States, and would keep a close eye on any possible divestments ordered by U.S. authorities reviewing the proposed merger.
He said Elbit expected to wrap up the purchase of the night vision business of Harris Corp in the autumn. Antitrust authorities had ordered the sale of that business as a condition for approving Harris’s merger with L3 Technologies.
“We’ve decided to grow in America and after the Harris acquisition, we will always find opportunities to expand our portfolio and our presence in the U.S.,” Kril said.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal, editing by Deepa Babington)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A company backed by tech billionaire Elon Musk has been awarded a nearly $49 million contract to build a transit system using self-driving vehicles underneath the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The board of directors of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority approved the contract Wednesday with The Boring Company, the Musk-backed enterprise based in Hawthorne, California.
People would be transported underground on self-driving electric vehicles from three types of Tesla Model X chassis. The system will be capable of transporting up to 16 people at time through parallel tunnels, each running in a single direction. The twin tunnel system will run less than a mile (1.6 kilometer) long.
The system also will include a pedestrian tunnel and three underground stations accessible from convention center’s halls.
The company plans to immediately pursue permits to start construction in September. It aims to debut the system by December 2020.
“The first thing that’s important is to get it right,” Authority President and CEO Steve Hill told the Las Vegas Review-Journal . “We want to do it as quickly as possible, but we want our customers to be comfortable with it.”
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman cast the only vote against the project. At a meeting last week, she cited concerns about hiring a company that has yet to deliver a transit system.
The authority will reimburse the company as it completes certain stages of the project, like completing excavation for the first station and digging the first 100 feet (30.5 meters) of the first tunnel. Full payment is contingent on the company demonstrating that the system can support an average of 4,400 passengers per hour.
Construction will be able to proceed without disruption to traffic or other surface activity, Hill said. The system also could be expanded, which could be part of the solution to the city’s transportation problems, he said.
São Paulo, Brazil, April 18, 2019 – Embraer announces that the company’s new Praetor 600 super-midsize business jet was granted its Type Certificate by Brazil’s Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC—Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil), having been announced in October 2018 at NBAA-BACE and becoming the only super-midsize business jet to be certified since 2014.
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.
“Our engineering and program teams have outperformed again by passionately designing, developing and certifying the class-leading Praetor 600 business jet, exceeding specifications and expectations, and ahead of schedule,” said Paulo César Souza e Silva, Embraer CEO. “This advanced aircraft reflects not only our journey of innovation, it is also a preview of the future of this great company.”
“The most disruptive and technologically advanced super-midsize business jet has arrived. The Praetor 600 will fascinate our customers with the highest performance, technology and comfort in its class and raise the customer experience to an unprecedented level,” said Michael Amalfitano, President & CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. “I want to thank and congratulate the Embraer family for bringing to market an aircraft that will create true value for customers and shareholders alike.”
The Praetor 600 is now the farthest-flying super-midsize jet, able to make nonstop flights between London and New York, São Paulo and Miami, Dubai and London. With four passengers and NBAA IFR Reserves, the Praetor 600 has an intercontinental range of 4,018 nautical miles (7,441 km). Take Off Field Length for such a mission is only 4,436 ft (1,352 m). At M0.80, range is 3,719 nm (6,887 km) with four passengers and NBBA IFR Reserves.
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.
The Embraer DNA Design interior eloquently explores every dimension of the only super-midsize to feature a six-foot-tall, flat-floor cabin, stone flooring and a vacuum service lavatory, all in the same certified aircraft. The class-exclusive Active Turbulence Reduction and 5,800-foot cabin altitude, complemented by a whisper silent cabin, have set the highest standards in customer experience in the super-midsize category. In addition to the full-service galley and a wardrobe, eight fully reclining club seats may be berthed into four beds, and the baggage space is the largest in the class.
Advanced technology throughout the cabin is also a trait of the Embraer DNA Design, beginning with the industry-exclusive Upper Tech Panel that displays flight information and offers cabin management features also available on personal devices through Honeywell Ovation Select. High-capacity, ultra high-speed connectivity for all aboard is available through Viasat’s Ka-band, with speeds of up to 16Mbps and unlimited streaming, another industry-exclusive in super-midsize jets.
The Praetor 600 features Collins Aerospace’s newest edition of the acclaimed Pro Line Fusion flight deck. Capabilities such as the industry-first vertical weather display, air-traffic-control-like situational awareness with ADSB-IN, predictive wind shear radar capability, as well as Embraer Enhanced Vision System (E2VS) with a Head-up Display (HUD) and an Enhanced Video System (EVS), an Inertial Reference System (IRS) and a Synthetic Vision Guidance System (SVGS) are some of the highlights on the Praetor 600 flight deck.
A brand new ground transportation centre has opened at Nashville International Airport. The new complex is part of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority’s BNA Vision Project, a $1.2 billion expansion and renovation plan geared towards meeting the regions population growth and record-breaking passenger numbers.
The new facility came in under budget, and features a six-level, 2,200-space garage equipped with parking guidance and sensors that will direct drivers to open parking spots.
A covered walkway connects the parking garage to the terminal, and airport information displays are located at all five passenger elevators on the first level.
The first level of the garage has dedicated hubs for buses, limos, ride-sharing services, shuttles, and taxis.
JE Dunn Construction was the general contractor for the project, which includes car locating kiosks, electric-vehicle charging stations, and a fee-free tire-inflation unit.
FILE
PHOTO: Bikes by a bike rental service of Icelandic airline WOW air are
seen in Reykjavik, Iceland, August 5, 2017. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle/File
Photo
(Reuters)
– Iceland’s WOW air became the latest budget airline casualty on
Thursday, halting operations and cancelling all future flights after
efforts to raise more funds failed.
WOW,
which focussed on low-cost travel across the Atlantic, advised stranded
travellers to seek flights with other airlines. It flew a total of 3.5
million passengers last year.
“This
is probably the hardest thing I have ever done but the reality is that
we have run out of time and have unfortunately not been able to secure
the funding of the company,” WOW CEO and founder Skuli Mogensen wrote in
a letter to the company’s 1,000 employees.
“I will never be able to forgive myself for not taking action sooner,” he added.
WOW
had earlier postponed flights on Thursday as it entered what it had
hoped were the final stages of an equity raising with a group of
investors.
“My
flight from Boston has been cancelled. Having a hard time getting
through to anyone on the phone. Can you help me at all?” Twitter user
Marc Solari wrote.
WOW replied with an apology and offer of further assistance.
WOW
is the latest budget airline to collapse as the European airline sector
grapples with over-capacity and high fuel costs. Recent failures
include Britain’s Flybmi, Nordic budget airline Primera Air and Cypriot
counterpart Cobalt.
“RESCUE FARES”
Other
airlines including, Icelandair, Easyjet and Norwegian stepped in
offering discounted ‘rescue fares’ to stranded passengers, according to
the Icelandic Transport Authority
WOW has been pursuing different avenues to raise money over the past few months.
It
ended talks with rival Icelandair last Sunday while veteran low-cost
airline investor Bill Franke also had cancelled a proposed investment
through private equity fund Indigo Partners.
Icelandair shares traded up 13 percent percent at 1215 GMT after the failure of a competitor.
Founded
in 2011 by entrepreneur Mogensen, WOW used smaller single-aisle planes
to fly between Iceland and many destinations in the United States and
Europe.
Its
website had advertised flights from London to cities such as New York
and Boston for as little as 150 pounds, although the journey went via
the Icelandic capital Reykjavik.
Norwegian
Air has a little over half of the market share in the fast-growing,
low-cost, long-haul transatlantic market, while WOW controlled a quarter
in 2018.
There are fears of a knock-on effect on Iceland’s important tourism industry.
Around
30 percent of tourists visiting Iceland last year flew with WOW and the
collapse could trigger a 16 percent drop in tourists this year,
research from Icelandic bank Arion showed.
( By Stine Jacobsen and Tommy Lund; editing by Darren Schuettler/Keith Weir)
Barcelona, Spain – December 06, 2018: WOW Air Airbus A321 approaching to El Prat Airport in Barcelona, Spain.
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.
BUCHAREST, March 14 (Reuters) – Romania’s Blue Air will make a decision on its order for 12 Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets only after an investigation into a fatal crash of one of the planes in Ethiopia at the weekend, CEO Marius Puiu told Reuters.
Puiu said his company was “monitoring the situation very carefully.”
“We
trust the world-wide precautionary suspension of flights, a decision
that puts civil aviation transport safety first,” said Puiu, adding the
first 737 MAX 8 plane was planned to arrive in Romania this summer.
“We
are in permanent contact with the manufacturer, with EASA (the European
Union’s aviation safety regulator) and the Romanian civil aeronautical
authority,” he said.
Currently, Blue Air operates 25 Boeing 737 series aircraft – 737-300, 737-400, 737-500, 737-700 and 737-800, with capacities ranging from 120 to 189 seats.
(Reporting by Radu Marinas; Editing by Mark Potter)
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Tesla’s (TSLA.O) Model 3 has been given the green light to hit the road in Europe, clearing the final hurdle for the European introduction of the battery-powered sedan expected next month.
The Model 3 is a crucial project for Tesla as the U.S. electric vehicle maker known for its high-price luxury cars tries to reach the mass market with a more affordable option.
The cheapest version of the Model 3 is on sale from 58,800 euros ($66,800), while the most basic version of the more exclusive Model S starts around 89,000 euros.
The Model 3 meets the requirements for approval on European roads, data published on the Netherlands Vehicles Authority’s (RDW) website showed. The RDW is one of the authorities in Europe tasked with licensing vehicles and vehicle parts.
This stamp of approval comes at a pivotal time for Tesla, as it prepares for increasing competition, with established automakers planning to spend nearly $300 billion on electric vehicles and batteries in the coming years.
Tesla last week said it would cut thousands of jobs to rein in costs as it plans to increase production of lower-priced versions of the Model 3.
($1 = 0.8805 euros)
(Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Mark Potter)
Six passengers suffered non-life-threatening injuries on November 9th, when a Fly Jamaica Boeing 757 made an emergency landing at the Georgetown, Guyana international airport. The aircraft reported technical problems with the plane’s hydraulic system as it climbed through 19,000 feet on its way from Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Georgetown, Guyana to Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The airplane was carrying 120 passengers and eight crew, and requested permission to return to Guyana shortly after take-off, Guyana officials stated. The plane reportedly overshot the runway upon landing at approximately 2:53 a.m. local time. The runway had recently been extended, an airport official stated.
The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority has launched an investigation, with the assistance of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. Officials from Boeing are also looking into the incident. The aircrafts right under carriage collapsed after the aircraft ran off the runway, causing severe damage to the airframe.
You can view a summary of the incident at the Youtube video link below!
