PRNewswire/ — United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) today announced a commercial agreement with Denver-based aerospace company Boom Supersonic to add aircraft to its global fleet as well as a cooperative sustainability initiative – a move that facilitates a leap forward in returning supersonic speeds to aviation.
Under the terms of the agreement, United will purchase 15 of Boom’s ‘Overture’ airliners, once Overture meets United’s demanding safety, operating and sustainability requirements, with an option for an additional 35 aircraft. The companies will work together on meeting those requirements before delivery. Once operational, Overture is expected to be the first large commercial aircraft to be net-zero carbon from day one, optimized to run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). It is slated to roll out in 2025, fly in 2026 and expected to carry passengers by 2029. United and Boom will also work together to accelerate production of greater supplies of SAF.
Capable of flying at speeds of Mach 1.7 – twice the speed of today’s fastest airliners – Overture can connect more than 500 destinations in nearly half the time. Among the many future potential routes for United are Newark to London in just three and a half hours, Newark to Frankfurt in four hours and San Francisco to Tokyo in just six hours. Overture will also be designed with features such as in-seat entertainment screens, ample personal space, and contactless technology. Working with Boom is another component of United’s strategy to invest in innovative technologies that will build a more sustainable future of air travel.
PARIS (Reuters) – Airbus <EADSY> said in a stock market filing on Monday that customers could seek to cancel or postpone delivery of airliners and helicopters as the coronavirus crisis continues to escalate.
It issued the warning in an annual reference document ahead of its upcoming Amsterdam shareholder meeting, for which it urged participants to vote by proxy rather than attend in person due to widespread measures to slow the spread of the disease.
Airbus Chief Executive Guillaume Faury said earlier that several airlines had asked to defer deliveries, but that most were continuing to pay their deposits.
“Weaker market and economic conditions in China and their knock-on effects in other markets could result in requests by customers to postpone delivery or cancel existing orders for aircraft (including helicopters),” the filing said, though Faury said earlier there were some signs of recovery in China.
Airbus also detailed steps to improve compliance practices after paying a 3.6-billion-euro fine last month to settle a four-year multinational bribery probe.
But it warned that possible further investigations in other jurisdictions could trigger claims against it by shareholders, impact its ability to raise finance or limit its eligibility for public contracts, as well as harm future commercial sales.
Malaysian authorities last week cleared AirAsia Group <5099.KL> after Britain’s Serious Fraud Office faulted a sponsorship deal between former Airbus parent EADS and a motor racing team owned by the airline’s co-founders.
But the SFO probe, supported by Airbus’s own lawyers, caused a severe rift between AirAsia and its sole supplier, adding to doubts over whether long-haul unit AirAsiaX will take delivery of A330neo jets on order, three people close to the matter said.
AirAsia officials could not be reached for comment. Airbus declined comment.
Loss-making AirAsiaX has said only that it wants to defer delivery of A330neo jets due to the coronavirus crisis.
Deliveries of the wide-body aircraft have also been hit by the impact of U.S. tariffs on Airbus aircraft under a long-running trade dispute, as well as concerns about overcapacity.
Airbus trimmed A330 output in January from about four a month in 2019, Reuters reported earlier this month.
In Monday’s filing, Airbus said it would maintain production of the A330neo at 3.5 aircraft a month.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Mark Potter, William Maclean)
FILE PHOTO: Michael O’Leary of Ryanair at the Four Courts in Dublin
BERLIN (Reuters) – Ryanair <RYAAY> is prepared for further delays to the delivery of its Boeing <BA> 737 MAX airliners, its chief executive Michael O’Leary told German magazine Wirtschaftswoche, adding that he would only discuss compensation after the aircraft had been delivered.
The 737 MAX airliner has been grounded since March following two crashes which claimed 346 lives.
One of the world’s largest airlines, Ryanair has ordered 135 of the jets.
“We were meant to have 58 planes by the summer,” O’Leary said in the interview, extracts from which were published on Friday. “That went down to 30, then 20, then 10 and the latest is maybe only five. It’s possible we’ll only get the first jets in October 2020.”
In contrast to other airlines, including Turkish, Southwest Airlines <LUV> and Germany’s TUI <TUIFY>, which have already agreed compensation with Boeing, O’Leary added that he would only discuss compensation after the planes were delivered.
(Reporting by Thomas Escritt; editing by Thomas Seythal)
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.
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.
OSLO (Reuters) – Norwegian Air (NWC.OL) has sold six Boeing 737-800 airliners as part of fleet renewal plans that could see it sell up to 140 planes.
“The prices are well above the debt on the aircraft,” Chief Financial Officer Geir Karlsen told Reuters on Thursday, without disclosing numbers.
The sales proceeds will be used to repay debt and increase liquidity.
Norwegian Air has a fleet of more than 150 aircraft and has commitments to acquire a further 210 by 2020 as it looks to rapidly expand in Europe and on transatlantic routes.
Its aircraft commitments are worth $12.36 billion (9.50 billion pounds), Norwegian Air said in a June rights issue prospectus.
With an equity ratio at the end of June of just 7 percent, the plan is to ease its commitments going forward.
“We have said we will renew our fleet and sell our oldest aircraft. We have 22 Boeing 737NG and they are a target to be changed with new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.”
“In addition we have a big order at Airbus which can be used by us or they could be sold or taken out of our balance sheet and leased out.
“In theory we could sell as many as 140 aircraft,” Karlsen said.
Norwegian Air has made huge aircraft orders on favourable terms with Boeing and Airbus, according to Espen Andersen, associate professor at BI Norwegian Business School.
“These orders are taking up a lot of capacity at Boeing and Airbus. Other airlines could be at risk of not getting the aircraft they need.
“Airlines or leasing firms could buy aircraft from Norwegian Air. The leasing firms are very liquid,” Andersen said.
(Reporting by Ole Petter Skonnord; editing by Jason Neely)
