Tag: first (Page 5 of 30)

The First Pilatus PC-12 NGX is Flying in Japan Now!

July 8, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

The first Pilatus PC-12 NGX has been handed over to OpenSky Inc., the Japanese “Private Jet Membership” company. From now on, the single-engine turboprop with its unique Asian-style design will carry passengers to destinations all over Japan.

It was already evening when the PC-12 NGX arrived at the airport in the Japanese megacity of Osaka after its ferry flight from Switzerland. Even though no information was published in advance, numerous plane spotters outside the airport were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the “Swiss Made” PC-12 NGX.

PC-12 NGX and PC-24

With the cutting-edge PC-12 NGX and one PC-24, OpenSky Inc. serves a discerning clientele, offering a unique travel experience which stands out from the competition in terms of both product and service. The Japanese operator additionally took delivery of a PC-24 Super Versatile Jet this year, which it will also use to offer business flights. In addition, the company has placed an order for a second PC-24 which will be delivered in fall 2024.

About the PC-12 NGX

The PC-12 NGX features an all-new interior by BMW Designworks, larger cabin windows inspired by the PC-24 and passenger seats which convert to a flat bed. The new PT6 E-Series engine by Pratt & Whitney Canada is equipped with an electronic propeller and engine control system. New avionics functions by Honeywell such as touchscreen control, tactile feedback and “propeller low speed” mode as well as fully integrated automatic thrust management (autothrottle) are just a few of the features in the new cockpit.

National Jet Express Takes Off From New Brisbane Base

July 8, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

National Jet Express (NJE), a Rex Group company, has today firmed up its bold ambition to expand its footprint in the Queensland charter and mining market. NJE today took passengers to the skies for the first time in Queensland, with flight NC344 departing Brisbane at 0700 local time for Moranbah. This comes after NJE was successful in winning a contract to provide air services for BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA).

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Virgin Australia unveils cabin of the future and $110 million fleet-wide aircraft upgrade

July 8, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Saturday 8 July 2023: More than 3,000 Virgin Australia team members and their families will today celebrate the arrival of the airline’s first fuel-efficient Boeing 737-8 aircraft which touched down on Australian soil last week.

The celebrations, part of a Virgin Australia Family Day at the airline’s Brisbane Hangar, will be hosted by CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka and Boeing’s President of Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific, Maria Fernandez, who will welcome team members from across the Virgin Australia business, many who have flown in from interstate to have a first look at the new aircraft.

Fresh from the Boeing factory in Seattle and featuring that new plane smell, the Boeing 737-8 aircraft marks an exciting new milestone in the transformation of Virgin Australia with its fleet renewal program well underway as the airline continues to work towards its net zero emissions target by 2050. The aircraft is one of 33 fuel-efficient Boeing 737-8 and 737-10 aircraft Virgin Australia has on order, with more fuel-efficient aircraft set to be delivered in the coming months.

With the arrival of the Boeing 737-8, Virgin Australia has also revealed its highly anticipated new Business Class and Economy cabin interior as well as confirming plans to refresh the interior cabins on the airline’s remaining Boeing fleet, as part of an investment of approximately $110 million to improve the flying experience for customers.

Highlight features of the new Boeing 737-8 cabin interior include:

In-seat power for all Business Class and Economy seats.
Larger overhead lockers, with capacity to stow up to 50 per cent more carry-on baggage (individual guest carry-on luggage limits will not increase).
Wider Business Class seats which also feature leg rests with extendable footrests, storage compartments, tablet/device holders and water bottle holders.
A new Economy seat design, featuring a ribbed backing to elevate comfort and ergonomics.
A personal tablet/device holder for all Economy seats, making it easy to view Virgin Australia in-flight entertainment, movies and TV shows.

Click the link below to see the entire press release!

https://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/release/virgin-australia-unveils-cabin-future-and-110-million-fleet-wide-aircraft-upgrade

HK Express Receives First Airbus A321neo

April 3, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Airbus announced the successful delivery of its first Airbus A321neo to the low-cost carrier HK Express, a member of Cathay Pacific Group (OTC: CPCAY), based in Hong Kong.

This milestone marks the first of 16 A321neo aircraft for HK Express and features the airline’s latest livery, with vibrant shades of purple and white. In addition, the aircraft’s winglets and empennage spots an “e” shaped journey symbol, which evokes the start of a pleasant journey with HK Express.

HK Express’ A321neo is powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines and can seat up to 236 passengers in Airbus’ award-winning Airspace cabin, which brings unique lighting displays, more personal space and a sleek design to improve passenger experience.

HK Express is an all-Airbus operator, with its current fleet comprising 27 A320 Family aircraft, including 11A321ceo, 10 A320neo, five A320ceo and its first A321neo.

The A321neo is part of the A320neo Family, which incorporates new generation engines and Sharklets, together delivering more than 20 percent fuel and CO2 savings, as well as a 50 percent noise reduction.

To date, the A320neo Family has received more than 8,600 firm orders from over 130 customers worldwide.

Saab’s Fourth GlobalEye Conducted Successful First Flight

April 3, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

The first flight of the fourth GlobalEye is an important milestone in Saab’s Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) program and highlights that Saab can rapidly and reliably deliver GlobalEye.

The Saab (OTC: SAABF) aircraft took to the skies from Saab’s airfield in Linköping, Sweden on April 03, 2023 and performed several tests related to the aircraft’s capabilities.

GlobalEye is the most modern multi-domain Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) solution with an array of active and passive sensors that provide long-range detection and identification of objects in air, at sea and over land.

By providing real-time information to units in air forces, armies and navies, GlobalEye enables enhanced situational awareness of the surrounding areas and early detection of threats. It can also be used for non-military tasks such as leading and coordinating rescue missions during natural disasters or larger accidents at sea or on land.

All New Gulfstream G800 Makes First Flight

June 29, 2022 / WIL BALDWIN

SAVANNAH, Ga., June 28, 2022 — Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. today announced the all-new ultralong-range Gulfstream G800 successfully completed its first flight, officially launching the flight-test program of the industry’s longest-range aircraft. Announced in October 2021, the G800 is the latest addition to Gulfstream’s next-generation fleet to take flight and make progress toward customer deliveries.

The G800 departed Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport at 9:00 a.m. and landed there two hours later. In keeping with Gulfstream’s commitment to sustainability leadership in aviation, the aircraft made the flight using a blend of sustainable aviation fuel.

The G800 can fly 8,000 nautical miles/14,816 kilometers at Mach 0.85 and 7,000 nm/12,964 km at Mach 0.90 with class-leading fuel-efficiency, thanks to the combination of the Gulfstream-designed, advanced high-speed wing and all-new, high-thrust Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines.

The G800 is equipped with Gulfstream’s next-generation Symmetry Flight Deck and dual head-up displays featuring the new Combined Vision System, which includes Enhanced Flight Vision System and Synthetic Vision System imagery, further enhancing safety and pilot situational awareness.

All New Gulfstream G800 Makes First Flight

First Lufthansa Boeing 787-9 Gets Ready for Delivery

June 3, 2022 / WIL BALDWIN

The Lufthansa Boeing 787-9 with the registration D-ABPA and the future name “Berlin” will be delivered to Lufthansa following certification by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) this summer.

The ultra-modern long-haul “Dreamliner” aircraft will consume an average of around 2.5 liters of kerosene per passenger and 100 kilometers flown. That is around 25 percent less than their predecessor aircraft. The CO2 emissions are also improved accordingly.

The Boeing 787-9 “Berlin” will have an improved cabin product – including direct aisle access for all guests in Business Class. Following several weeks of planned cabin refurbishments at Lufthansa’s maintenance in Frankfurt, the aircraft will be deployed initially on domestic German routes for training purposes. The first intercontinental scheduled destination of the Lufthansa “Dreamliner” will be Toronto.

In total, the Lufthansa Group has ordered 32 Boeing “Dreamliner” with delivery between 2022 and 2027.

Sky High Aviation Receives First of Two Embraer E190 Jets

June 1, 2022 / WIL BALDWIN

São José dos Campos, Brazil, June 1, 2022 – Sky High Aviation, an airline based in the Dominican Republic, has taken delivery of its first Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) E190 passenger jet. This makes the air carrier the only E-Jet operator based in the Caribbean. The first of two E190s being provided by regional aircraft lessor, TrueNoord, arrived last week at Las Americas José Francisco Peña Gómez airport after transition works were completed at Embraer’s MRO facility in Macon, Georgia, USA. The second E190 is to be delivered to Sky High later this month.

The addition of the E190s will bring a new level of comfort for passengers and open new international routes from the region. Sky High currently operates a fleet of two 50 seater Embraer ERJ 145s flying to 10 island destinations in the Caribbean. The E190s have been configured in a comfortable dual-class layout with 98 seats and will serve Sky High’s existing destinations as well as opening new international routes to the United States, Central and South America.

Juan Chamizo Alonso, President of Sky High Aviation, said, “It’s a huge differentiator for us to be the only operator in the region with E-Jet capability, and a great way to celebrate our first 10 years of operations. The addition of the larger, more modern and capable E190 is the next step in our development and our offering to our customers. The E190 is the perfect aircraft to help manage demand in peak times, as well as to open and maintain the international routes essential for our continued development as a leading Caribbean operator.”

First Japan SAF Helicopter Flight with H215

June 1, 2022 / WIL BALDWIN

Tokyo, Japan June 1, 2022 – Airbus Helicopters in Japan and Japan’s leading helicopter operator Nakanihon Air (NNK) have jointly performed the country’s first ever helicopter flight powered with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). NNK’s H215 helicopter conducted a 30-minute flight at Nagoya Airport in Aichi Prefecture today.

The aircraft was fueled with 600 litres of “SUSTEO 10”, a renewable jet fuel produced by Japan’s first biofuel manufacturer Euglena, which has met the specifications of both international and Japanese standards of diesel fuels ASTM D1655 and JIS K 2204 respectively. SUSTEO contains 10% of SAF mixed with Jet A-1.

The twin-engine, heavy-lift H215 is a member of the Super Puma helicopter family, known for its high availability rate, performance, and competitive operating cost.

Today, all Airbus helicopters are certified to fly with up to a 50% blend of SAF mixed with kerosene, with the aim to reach 100% SAF in coordination with engine manufacturers. An Airbus H225 performed the first ever helicopter flight with 100% SAF powering one of the Safran Makila 2 engines in 2021. Helicopter operations with 100% SAF would translate to a reduction of 80% of CO2 emissions.

Airbus Helicopters has launched a SAF User Group dedicated to the rotary-wing community, in a bid to drive the deployment of biofuels. The company has also started using SAF for training and test flights at its French and German sites.

STARLUX Launches Widebody Fleet with First Airbus A330neo

February 21, 2022 / WIL BALDWIN

Toulouse, France February 21, 2022 – Taiwan’s STARLUX Airlines has taken delivery of its first widebody aircraft – an A330-900. It is the first of 26 Airbus (OTC: EADSY) widebodies set to join the airline’s fleet, comprising eight A330neo and 18 A350’s.

The A330neo aircraft and one A350 are being acquired on lease from ALC, while the airline has 17 A350s on direct order with Airbus. Benefiting from the A330neo’s unbeatable operating economics and award-winning Airspace cabin, the aircraft will feature a two-class cabin with 28 business class seats and 269 economy class seats.

The A330neo joins an existing fleet of seven single-aisle A321neo at the airline, and will complement the airline’s network by flying regional routes from Taiwan to the wider Asia-Pacific.

At the same time, STARLUX has also signed up for the computer-based ACE (Airbus Cockpit Experience) Suite training solution. Using a “learning by discovery” approach, STARLUX’s flying crew will be able to use the ACE Trainer that simulates a 3D Cockpit environment with guided lessons and free play.

ACE Suite offers an efficient learning process that also provides customers with significant time savings off high-level devices training. Users can enjoy better knowledge retention and continuous skills reinforcement. ACE Suite is approved by EASA and in line with ICAO regulations.

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