Toulouse, France, September 11, 2023 – Thaicom PCL (THCOM), a leading Asian satellite operator and space technology company, has selected Airbus Group SE (AIR) for its new generation software-defined high throughput satellite.
Airbus will provide one of its latest designed satellites – a fully reconfigurable OneSat. This Thaicom satellite will provide extended connectivity in Ku-band over the Asia-Pacific region for millions of users. Thaicom has launched and operated eight geostationary satellites. This is Thaicom’s first flexible satellite, allowing for more adaptability on coverage, frequency and capacity which is crucial in such a dynamic region.
Positioned in orbit at 119.5° East, this state-of-the art satellite will enable Thaicom to propose to other partner operators a share of its satellite’s payload capacity, lowering their costs and still ensuring they have separate control of their individual payload capacity and flexibility.
Airbus will design and manufacture the satellite, and also provide ground control segment components. Airbus plans to deliver the satellite in 2027.
Airbus OneSat can be fully reconfigured in orbit, capable of adjusting the coverage area, capacity and frequency “on the fly” to meet evolving mission scenarios. It builds on the heritage of Airbus’ ultra-reliable Eurostar geostationary telecommunication satellites and the company’s constellation expertise with OneWeb. Development of the OneSat programme is supported by ESA, as well as the French Space Agency (CNES), and the UK Space Agency.
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.
CHICAGO (Reuters) – United Airlines Holdings Inc <UAL> said on Tuesday it was suspending some flights between the United States and Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai between Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 due to a “significant decline in demand” as the new coronavirus spreads.
“We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops and will adjust our schedule as needed,” United said in a statement.
The coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China has killed 106 people in the Asian country and spread across the world, rattling financial markets.
United’s suspension affects a total of 24 flights.
The other two U.S. airlines that fly to China, Delta Air Lines Inc <DAL> and American Airlines Group Inc <AAL>, said they had not reduced their flights at this time but were closely monitoring the situation.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Chris Reese and Bill Berkrot)
Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL) traded down 1.8% Tuesday shortly after its global affiliates announced a bid for an embattled airline.
In an early round of bidding against other international airlines, Air France-KLM proposed to buy a 49% stake in Malaysia Airlines. Its pitch outlined plans for a maintenance hub in the Southeast Asian nation.
The circumstances of the bid are not particularly positive. Malaysia Airlines has struggled to revive booking rates since two disasters in 2014 tanked its public trust. Flight MH370 mysteriously disappeared over the Indian Ocean, and flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine. The Malaysian government has since sought a strategic partner to restore the airline’s image.
Why It’s Important
With a stake in Malaysian Airlines, Air France-KLM could improve the entity’s public trust issues — or it could be hampered by them. Either way, an affiliation may create risk for Delta.
PARIS, June 17 (Reuters) – Airbus is set to win a deal to sell jets worth around $4.5 billion at list price to Philippines airline Cebu Air after a face-off with rival Boeing, industry sources said.
The deal involves 16 A330neo wide-body jets and around 10 of the newly launched A321XLR extended-range narrow-body aircraft, the sources said, asking not to be identified.
Together with other aircraft and options the deal could involve as many as 40 aircraft, one of the sources added.
Airbus declined comment. Cebu officials could not be reached for comment.
The deal follows a fight for business at the Philippines budget airline as Airbus seeks a new foothold for its A330neo in the face of heavy competition from Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.
The carrier had at one point been seen as likely to proceed with a Boeing 787 order, prompting Airbus to rescue the deal .
Cebu Air plans to expand its fleet with new aircraft that burn less fuel, CEO Lance Gokongwei said last month.
Asian carriers are looking to renew their long-haul fleets as passenger demand remains robust despite a decline in cargo.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Laurence Frost)
David Coleal, President, Bombardier Aviation and HK Bellawings’ President, Mr. YJ Zhang
May 21, 2019 • Geneva Business Aircraft Press Release
• Two Global 7500 business jet options exercised are part of initial agreement signed in May 2018 at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva
• Letter of intent for five new Global 7500 aircraft reinforces flagship status as the largest and longest range business jet, ideally suited for the Greater China region
• HK Bellawings Jet Limited becomes operator managing China’s largest fleet of Global 7500 aircraft
Bombardier is pleased to announce that Hong Kong aircraft management company HK Bellawings Jet Limited has signed a letter of intent (LOI) for five new Global 7500 business jets and has also exercised options for two Global 7500 business jets, as part of the initial agreement signed in May last year. This news comes as the industry flagship Global 7500 aircraft is showcased for the first time at the European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva.
“The Global 7500 aircraft continues to demonstrate its unrivalled performance and smooth ride, all the while delivering uncompromising value to customers under any conditions, at any time, without the need for tailwinds,” said David Coleal, President, Bombardier Aviation. “HK Bellawings’ experienced and professional team is a perfect fit for the Global 7500 aircraft’s superior performance and we are thrilled that they have chosen our flagship to expand their growing fleet of business jets.”
“Today marks a step forward towards our goal of becoming the premier Asian private jet operator. We are very impressed with Bombardier’s Global 7500 aircraft since its entry into service less than six months ago,” said HK Bellawings’ President Mr. YJ Zhang. “Its unmatched performance and range is ideally suited for our customers in the Greater China region. As the operator that will manage one of the world’s largest fleet of Global 7500 aircraft, HK Bellawings Jet will further expand its business scope and continuously pursue higher goals.”
Winner of the 2019 Aviation Week Grand Laureate Award and a Red Dot award for design, the Global 7500 jet offers Bombardier’s signature smooth ride and a spaciousness that is unique among business jets. Featuring a full-size kitchen and four true living spaces, the aircraft sets the benchmark for the most exceptional cabin interior. The Global 7500 aircraft’s range of 7,700 nautical miles is the longest in business aviation. This business jet can connect the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong non-stop to the cities of New York, London or Milan, and also fly nonstop from Singapore to Vancouver.*
Established in 2014, HK Bellawings Jet Limited is a distinguished business jet management company dedicated to providing a diverse array of professional, highly efficient and comprehensive business aviation services and solutions, which include business jet management, aircraft maintenance, travel concierge service, aircraft acquisition service, and business aviation consultancy. They operate a fleet of Challenger and Global business aircraft.
Air Mauritius has taken delivery of its first A330-900, on lease from ALC during a ceremony held in Toulouse. The national carrier of the Republic of Mauritius is the first A330neo operator based in the southern hemisphere, and the first airline in the world to operate a combination of both the A330neo and A350 XWB.
Benefiting from the A330neo’s unbeatable operating economics and award-winning Airspace cabin, the aircraft (named Aapravasi Ghat in reference to Mauritius’ history) will feature a two-class cabin with 28 business class seats and 260 economy class seats. The carrier will deploy the aircraft on routes connecting Mauritius to Europe (mainly London and Geneva), India and South East Asian routes and on regional destinations including Johannesburg, Antananarivo and Reunion Island.
Air Mauritius CEO Somas Appavou stated: “I am delighted to welcome our first Airbus A330neo, another milestone in our fleet modernisation programme. The addition of two A330neos to our fleet will bring more flexibility and efficiency to our operations while supporting our network strategy. The A330neo offers similar levels of comfort as the A350 XWB, which has received very favourable feedback from our customers. I strongly believe that with the addition of the A330neo to our fleet, Air Mauritius will further reinforce its focus and emphasis on the customer who are at the very core of our business model.”
“Sugar and spice and all things nice! Like its namesake, inspired by the island’s history in developing the sugar industry, their first A330neo will pioneer Air Mauritius into a whole different level of efficiency and flexibility by operating both the A330neo and the A350 XWB, our latest generation widebodies”, said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer. “Passengers will enjoy unmatched levels comfort in our award winning ‘Airspace by Airbus’ cabins on both aircraft. Well done to our trusted partner on being the world’s first airline to operate the A330neo and the A350 XWB together – a sweet combination!”
Air Mauritius currently operates nine Airbus aircraft, of which two A350-900s, three A340-300s, two A330-200s and two A319s on its regional and long haul services.
The A330neo Family is the new generation A330, comprising two versions: the A330-800 and A330-900 sharing 99 percent commonality. It builds on the proven economics, versatility and reliability of the A330 Family, while reducing fuel consumption by about 25% per seat versus previous generation competitor aircraft and offering an unrivalled range capability. The A330neo is powered by Rolls-Royce’s latest-generation Trent 7000 engines and features a new wing with increased span and new A350 XWB-inspired Sharklets.
With an order book of more than 1,700 aircraft from 120 customers to date, the A330 is the most popular widebody family.
Fleet operator continues to confirm orders after signing letter of intent for multiple Global 6500 and Global 7500 aircraft in May 2018
HK Bellawings Jet Limited will become operator managing China’s largest fleet of Global 6500 and Global 7500 aircraft
Flagship Global 7500 business jet making its airshow debut at ABACE
Long-range, large-cabin Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft on track to enter service this year
Bombardier is pleased to announce that Hong Kong aircraft management company HK Bellawings Jet Limited firmed up an order for four Global 7500 business jets. This news comes as the flagship Global 7500 aircraft arrives at the Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE), its first airshow since entering service.
“We are proud to announce this firm order as the Global 7500
aircraft makes its public debut at ABACE, one of the world’s most
important aerospace exhibitions,” said Khader Mattar, Vice President of
Sales for the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and China, Bombardier
Business Aircraft. “Our flagship jet has been causing a sensation since
entering service less than four months ago, and this order underscores
that this aircraft, with its unparalleled range and four true living
spaces, is ideal for the Greater China region.”
HK Bellawings first announced their intent to purchase up to 18 Global 6500 and Global 7500
aircraft, for a potential value of $1.14 billion US, in May 2018 at the
European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in
Geneva. Hours earlier, Bombardier had stunned the industry by launching
two new long-range, large-cabin business jets, the Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft.
In September 2018, HK Bellawings firmed up its order of four Global 6500 and two Global 7500
business jets, for an approximate value of $370 million US, based on
current list prices for typically equipped aircraft. Today, HK
Bellawings and Bombardier are pleased to confirm that four more Global 7500 aircraft are now part of that firm purchase,
bringing the total of firm aircraft orders to 10. This latest
announcement represents a value of approximately $291 million US, based
on current list prices.
“We are thrilled to offer our customers access to the unparalleled Global 7500 aircraft as part of our unmatched fleet,” said HK Bellawings President Mr. YJ Zhang. “The Global 6500 and Global 7500
aircraft align with HK Bellawings’ rapid development to be a one-stop
business aviation solution. As the operator that will manage one of the
world’s largest fleet of Global 6500 and Global 7500 aircraft, HK Bellawings Jet will further expand our business scope and continuously pursue higher goals.”
The Global 7500 aircraft’s range of 7,700 nautical miles is
the longest in business aviation. This business jet can connect the
cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong non-stop to the cities of New
York, London or Milan, and also fly nonstop from Singapore to
Vancouver.*
Established in 2014, HK Bellawings Jet Limited is a distinguished
business jet management company dedicated to providing a diverse array
of professional, highly efficient and comprehensive business aviation
services and solutions, which include business jet management, aircraft
maintenance, travel concierge service, aircraft acquisition service, and
business aviation consultancy. They operate a fleet of Challenger and Global business aircraft.
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.
Bombardier Commercial Aircraft today celebrated the delivery of the
first of two Q400 aircraft ordered by Qazaq Air JSC of Kazakhstan
(“Qazaq Air”) in 2017. The order followed Qazaq Air’s successful launch
of domestic service in Kazakhstan in July 2015, using three leased Q400
aircraft.
Qazaq Air’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Adel Dauletbek and the
airline’s Head of Public Relations, Sergey Khetsuriani, joined the
airline’s flight and acceptance crew during a special delivery ceremony
at Bombardier’s Toronto site where the Q400 aircraft is manufactured.
H.E. Akylbek Kamaldinov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Canada was in
attendance as well as Bombardier Commercial Aircraft’s team which
included Ross Mitchell, Vice President, Commercial Operations and Mark
Gilbert, Director, Sales.
“We are delighted with the performance of our fleet of Q400
turboprops and are excited to welcome the additional aircraft into our
operation,” said Mr. Dauletbek. “With our larger fleet, our customers
will benefit from the expansion of our route network within Kazakhstan,
as well as to nearby cities in the Central Asian region.”
“We congratulate Qazaq Air on the growth of its operations and
expansion of its network,” said Mr. Mitchell. “The Q400 aircraft
continues to prove itself in some of the most challenging locations
around the world. The aircraft’s speed, range and fuel efficiency, and
especially its certification for operations down to -54°C make it ideal
for operations on Qazaq Air’s long routes in the Kazakh market.”
About Qazaq Air
Qazaq Air is a young, dynamically growing regional airline in
Kazakhstan, 100 per cent of which is owned by “Samruk-Kazyna” Sovereign
Welfare Fund.
About Q400 Aircraft
Designed as a modern, 21st-century turboprop, the Q400 aircraft is the most recent development in the Q Series family of aircraft. It provides unmatched performance, operational flexibility and passenger comfort. In addition to the standard single-class configuration, Q400 aircraft are available with an optional dual-class interior for enhanced passenger comfort; in an optional extra-capacity configuration offering up to 90 seats for higher-density markets; and in a cargo-passenger combi configuration.
HANOI, Vietnam, Feb. 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/
— Boeing [NYSE:BA] and Vietjet [HOSE: VJC] confirmed that the
innovative and growing Vietnamese carrier has purchased 100 additional
737 MAX airplanes, taking their MAX order book to 200 jets. During a
signing ceremony today in Hanoi, United States President Donald Trump and Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong joined leaders of both companies to unveil the $12.7 billion order, according to list prices.
The deal includes 20 MAX 8s and 80 of the new, larger MAX 10 variant,
which will have the lowest seat-mile costs for a single-aisle airplane
and be the most profitable jet in its market segment. The order was
previously unidentified on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website.
In ordering 80 MAX 10s, Vietjet becomes the largest Asian customer of
the airplane type. The carrier plans to use the added capacity to meet
growing demand across Vietnam, as well as to serve popular destinations throughout Asia.
“The deal for 200 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes today is an important move
for us to keep up with our international flight network expansion plan
with a higher capacity, thus offering our passengers with more exciting
experiences when being able to fly to more new international
destinations,” said Madam Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo, President and CEO of
Vietjet. “I believe that our fleet will have breakthroughs thanks to
new-generation technologies, which helps improve flight quality and
enhance operational reliability, while reducing operating costs in the
future. Passengers will then have more opportunities to fly with
reasonable fares. The contract signing ceremony, which is witnessed by
the top leaders of Vietnam and the US on the occasion of the US-North Korea Summit in Hanoi, will mark a milestone in the two companies’ growth path.”
Vietjet placed its first order for 100 737 MAX airplanes in 2016, which set the mark for the largest commercial jet purchase in Vietnam’s aviation sector at the time.
“We are pleased to expand our partnership with Vietjet and to support
their impressive growth with new, advanced airplanes such as the 737
MAX. We are confident the MAX will help Vietjet grow more efficiently
and provide great travel experiences for their passengers,” said Boeing
Commercial Airplanes President & CEO Kevin McAllister. “The economic expansion in Hanoi and across Vietnam is impressive. Vietjet and the country’s burgeoning aviation sector are clearly enablers, helping to stimulate travel within Vietnam and connecting Vietnam with the rest of Asia. We are proud to support this economic development, which in turn supports engineering and manufacturing jobs in the United States.”
In addition to airplane purchases, Boeing will partner with Vietjet
to enhance technical and engineering expertise, train pilots and
technicians, and improve management capabilities at the airline and in Vietnam.
The carrier also uses Boeing’s digital solutions to optimize its operations, including flight planning & Tech Log Book.
About the 737 MAX
The 737 MAX family is powered by CFM International LEAP-1B engines, and
includes design updates such as Boeing’s Advanced Technology winglet
that reduces drag and further optimizes the 737 MAX performance,
especially on longer-range missions. Together, these improvements reduce
fuel use and CO2 emissions by at least 14 percent compared to today’s
Next-Generation 737s – and by 20 percent more than the single-aisle
airplanes they replace.
The 737 MAX 10 is the largest variant in the family. At 43.8 meters
(143 feet 8 inches) long, the airplane can seat a maximum of 230
passengers and offer airlines the lowest seat-mile costs in the
single-aisle market.
The 737 MAX is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history with
about 5,000 orders from more than 100 customers worldwide. For more
information, visit www.boeing.com/commercial/737max.
About Vietjet Vietjet is the first airline in Vietnam to operate as a new-age airline offering flexible, cost-saving ticket fares and diversified services to meet customers’ demands. It provides not only transport services but also uses the latest e-commerce technologies to offer various products and services for consumers. Vietjet is a member of International Air Transport Association (IATA) with the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate. Vietjet was named “Best Ultra Low-Cost Airline 2018 – 2019” and awarded the highest ranking for safety with 7 stars in 2018 by safety and product rating website AirlineRatings.com. Currently, Vietjet offers more than 385 flights daily, carrying more than 65 million passengers to date, with 106 routes covering destinations across Vietnam and international destinations such as Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, mainland China, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia and Cambodia. For more information, visit www.vietjetair.com
