Tag: Enter (Page 1 of 2)

Talgo’s Intercity trains enter service in Egypt five months ahead of schedule

July 8, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Madrid, Spain, July 7th, 2023 – Egypt’s National Railway company (ENR) has recently confirmed the entry of the sixth and last Intercity trains into commercial operation for daytime services on the line that connects Alexandria with Cairo and Aswan. With this approval, the delivery of the rolling stock that makes up the fleet supplied by Talgo has been made official more than five months ahead of schedule.

The first train of this project started operating in December 2022. Since then, the rest of the trains have been delivered to the Egyptian operator and have gradually entered service at a rate of, approximately, one train composition per month. The trains, which belong to the Talgo 230 platform for Intercity or Long-Distance services, run at a maximum commercial speed of 160 km/h and have a capacity of approximately 500 passengers each.

The ENR units consist of a diesel-electric locomotive, a technical car and 14 towed passenger cars. The contract, worth 158 million euros, also includes complete maintenance for, at least, eight years, employing local personnel trained by the Spanish manufacturer.

The interior of these trains has been designed based on Talgo’s experience in high comfort long-distance compositions and services, such as the ones supplied for the Mecca-Medina high-speed line in Saudi Arabia. They are equipped with interior air conditioning certified for extreme temperatures, an onboard Wi-Fi platform throughout the train, and infotainment systems with LED screens in each of the first-class seats.

State-owned ENR launched the tender process in August 2016 as part of a project funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) with the final bidding phase closing in October 2018.

Although Talgo is primarily known for its very high-speed trains that operate at over 300km/h (in fact, it is the company with the highest market share in the competitive Spanish market), it has more than 80 years of experience in the manufacture and maintenance of conventional rolling stock.

Vietjet Selects Rolls-Royce TotalCare to Support Trent 700 Powered A330 Aircraft

November 9, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Vietnamese airline Vietjet Aviation will operate Rolls-Royce (OTC: RYCEY) Trent 700 engine-powered Airbus A330 aircraft in its fleet. As part of the airline’s strategic fleet decision, these will be the first widebody aircraft to join its operations as it expands its network into long-haul operations. The selection is supported by a TotalCare long-term aftermarket engine maintenance agreement. The first aircraft is expected to enter into service in November 2021.

The Trent 700 is the only engine specifically designed for the A330 and is widely recognised for its outstanding efficiency and reliability. Since its launch in 1995, the Trent 700 has dominated the A330 fleet with more than 60 per cent market share and has logged more than 60 million hours in service to date.

Vietjet, which is Vietnam’s largest airline in terms of the total number of passengers transported domestically and the country’s second largest airline in terms of fleet size, currently has a fleet of 90 narrow-body aircraft. The airline’s ability to stay agile and financially resilient in 2020 has allowed Vietjet to navigate successfully through the market headwinds due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Supporting Vietjet’s business ambitions with the addition of its fleet for long-haul widebody operations, the Trent 700 delivers the best balance of attributes to achieve the maximum capability and efficiency on the A330. With a wide fuselage, well-established technology and sound economics, the airline aims to invest in additional A330 widebody aircraft in the next few years as part of its strategic fleet expansion plan.

Adapted Alstom Euroduplex Trains for Spanish Network Brought into Service

May 11, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Four Avelia Euroduplex trains from the SNCF fleet will enter commercial service on Monday 10 May 2021 on the Madrid-Barcelona route. They will be operated by OUIGO España, a local subsidiary of SNCF. The trains have been converted by Alstom and SNCF to run on the Spanish high-speed rail network.

Following on from these first four trains, 10 other trains are currently being converted by Alstom to serve several high-speed routes in Spain: initially, the Madrid-Valencia and Madrid-Alicante routes and subsequently, Andalusia (Madrid-Seville and Madrid-Malaga). OUIGO España will thus have a fleet of 14 trains for 5 destinations departing from Madrid: Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Seville, and Malaga.

During the conversion process of the trains, Alstom developed and deployed on-board signalling equipment architecture, necessary for rail traffic safety and performance, based on its digital ERTMS[1] solution Atlas. This solution ensures that Avelia Euroduplex trains are compliant and can be approved for Spanish infrastructures.

Amtrak Seeking Contractors for New Carrollton Station Project

January 22, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

WASHINGTON – Amtrak is transforming Northeast Corridor train travel by enhancing the customer experience, both in stations and on board trains. As part of this effort, Amtrak is currently accepting Letters of Interest from interested contractors until Feb. 15, 2021, for construction associated work at New Carrollton Station in Maryland. The project involves work within the existing station and the construction of a side platform, and will be closely coordinated with Amtrak for minimal impacts to service.

This infrastructure work is underway in preparation for the introduction of the new Acela fleet scheduled to begin entering service in 2021. The project is necessary to support higher frequency Acela service by expanding the routing options available for high-speed trains in the busy triple-track territory between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, which is also heavily utilized by commuter trains.

Constructed in 1983 as an intermodal facility, the New Carrollton station serves Amtrak and Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) trains, Washington Metrorail, Metro buses, MTA buses and county transit, as well as many commuting drivers who connect to transit and Amtrak. The New Carrollton Station is served daily by Amtrak’s Acela, Northeast Regional, Palmetto and Vermonter trains. New Carrollton Staton is located on the Northeast Corridor (NEC), one of the busiest, most complex, and economically vital transportation systems in the world connecting eight states and the District of Columbia.

In an effort to make Amtrak the smarter way to travel, we are also upgrading our infrastructure and modernization efforts and improving track capacity and ride quality all along the Northeast Corridor. The New Carrollton Station project also complements other significant station expansion investments at New York Penn Station; the opening of the new Moynihan Train Hall in New York; and further development of stations in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Visit Amtrak.com to learn more about the Future of Rail and infrastructure improvements.

Mesa Air Group Enters New Contract with American Airlines

November 26, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Mesa Air Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: MESA) announced that it has finalized a new contract, which replaces the previous agreement with American Airlines, to operate 40 CRJ-900’s for a five-year term beginning January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2025. Under the previous contract 30 CRJ-900 aircraft were set to expire in 2021 with an additional 17 expiring in 2022.

“I want to express my appreciation to the American Eagle team leaders who worked with us on this new contract,” said Jonathan Ornstein, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mesa Air Group. “This new contract will help to position Mesa for long term stability and improved performance on our American operation. This year has been difficult for our entire industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but I’m thankful that despite the obstacles, American has chosen to continue its long-standing relationship with Mesa.”

“I want to thank everyone involved for making this deal happen, especially our employees, who have shown unmatched professionalism and dedication throughout this difficult year,” said Brad Rich, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “Efficiency and flexibility have been the pillars of our operation and the key to our low-cost structure. We are optimistic about our relationship with American and believe this new contract will be beneficial to both parties.”

Airbus Reveals New Zero-Emission Concept Aircraft

September 21, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Airbus has revealed three concepts for the world’s first zero-emission commercial aircraft which could enter service by 2035. These concepts each represent a different approach to achieving zero-emission flight, exploring various technology pathways and aerodynamic configurations in order to support the Company’s ambition of leading the way in the decarbonisation of the entire aviation industry.

All of these concepts rely on hydrogen as a primary power source – an option which Airbus believes holds exceptional promise as a clean aviation fuel and is likely to be a solution for aerospace and many other industries to meet their climate-neutral targets.

The three concepts – all codenamed “ZEROe” – for a first climate neutral zero-emission commercial aircraft include:

A turbofan design (120-200 passengers) with a range of 2,000+ nautical miles, capable of operating transcontinentally and powered by a modified gas-turbine engine running on hydrogen, rather than jet fuel, through combustion. The liquid hydrogen will be stored and distributed via tanks located behind the rear pressure bulkhead.

A turboprop design (up to 100 passengers) using a turboprop engine instead of a turbofan and also powered by hydrogen combustion in modified gas-turbine engines, which would be capable of traveling more than 1,000 nautical miles, making it a perfect option for short-haul trips.

A “blended-wing body” design (up to 200 passengers) concept in which the wings merge with the main body of the aircraft with a range similar to that of the turbofan concept. The exceptionally wide fuselage opens up multiple options for hydrogen storage and distribution, and for cabin layout.

In order to tackle these challenges, airports will require significant hydrogen transport and refueling infrastructure to meet the needs of day-to-day operations. Support from governments will be key to meet these ambitious objectives with increased funding for research & technology, digitalisation, and mechanisms that encourage the use of sustainable fuels and the renewal of aircraft fleets to allow airlines to retire older, less environmentally friendly aircraft earlier.

Enter Air to Purchase Up to Four Boeing 737-8 Jets

August 19, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

– New order expands Polish carrier’s commitment to the 737 family

– Enter Air: “Convinced 737 MAX will be the best aircraft…for many years to come”

Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Enter Air today announced the Polish airline is expanding its commitment to the 737 family with a new order for two 737-8 airplanes plus options for two more jets.

An all-Boeing operator and Poland’s biggest charter carrier, Enter Air began operations in 2010 with a single 737 airplane. Today, the airline’s fleet includes 22 Next-Generation 737s and two 737 MAX airplanes. When the new purchase agreement is fully exercised, Enter Air’s 737 MAX fleet will rise to 10 aircraft.

“Despite the current crisis, it is important to think about the future. To that end, we have agreed to order additional 737-8 aircraft. Following the rigorous checks that the 737 MAX is undergoing, I am convinced it will be the best aircraft in the world for many years to come,” said Grzegorz Polaniecki, general director and board member, Enter Air.

Enter Air and Boeing have also finalized a settlement to address the commercial impacts stemming from the grounding of the 737 MAX fleet. While the details of the agreement are confidential, the compensation will be provided in a number of forms and staggered over a period of time.

“In the settlement with Boeing, we agreed to revise the delivery schedule for the previously-ordered airplanes in response to current market conditions. The specific terms of the settlement are strictly confidential, but we are pleased with the way Boeing has treated us as its customer,” added Polaniecki.

“We are humbled by Enter Air’s commitment to the Boeing 737 family. Their order for additional 737-8s underscores their confidence in the airplane and the men and women of Boeing,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing, The Boeing Company. “We look forward to building on our decade-long partnership with Enter Air and working with the airline to safely return their full 737 fleet to commercial service.”

Enter Air 737 MAX 8 (7210) C1 Flight – November 28, 2018

Boeing-Built Satellite to Offer Greater Asia-Pacific Coverage

December 18, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

A Boeing [NYSE: BA]-built satellite called JCSAT-18/Kacific1 will provide affordable internet access and other communications services to underserved parts of Asia and the Pacific islands.

The satellite launched today from Cape Canaveral, Florida at about 7:10 p.m. It will enter service several weeks after on-orbit tests and moving to its final geostationary orbit position over the Asia-Pacific region.

Built on Boeing’s 702 satellite platform, JCSAT-18/Kacific1 has two separate payloads for two customers, SKY Perfect JSAT of Tokyo and Kacific Broadband Satellites Group of Singapore. The satellite will deliver internet services to a potential market comprising hundreds of millions of people in more than 25 countries, including remote islands in the Pacific and the far eastern part of Russia.

“JCSAT-18/Kacific1 is going to make a difference in the lives of millions of people throughout the Asia Pacific region,” said Chris Johnson, president, Boeing Satellite Systems International. “We are proud to support SKY Perfect JSAT and Kacific as they seek to bring positive change through connectivity in regions that have been traditionally underserved.”

JCSAT-18/Kacific1 is the 13th satellite Boeing has built for SKY Perfect JSAT and the first satellite built for Kacific.

Delta Might Pull Out of Alitalia Bid Consortium

November 3, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

MILAN (Reuters) – Delta Air Lines <DAL> could pull out of a consortium looking to rescue Italy’s Alitalia as it is unwilling to enter a possible bidding war with Lufthansa <DLAKY>, newspaper Il Corriere della Sera reported on Sunday, citing two sources.

Delta is expected to say it will not raise its offer to invest about 100 million euros ($112 million) in Alitalia in a letter to be sent in the middle of this week to its consortium partners, Italy’s state railways firm Ferrovie and infrastructure group Atlantia, Il Corriere reported.

It said the rough investment figure could go as high as 120 million euros.

But Germany’s Lufthansa might invest about 150 million euros, Il Corriere said.

Lufthansa is seeking up to 6,000 job cuts, however, versus 2,500 envisaged by a plan drafted by the Delta consortium, the newspaper reported.

A source said last week Lufthansa was ready to invest up to 200 million euros in Alitalia which is running out of cash and scrambling to find new funds.

Italy’s industry ministry has extended to Nov. 21 a deadline for binding bids after an Oct. 15 deadline passed without an agreement among potential rescuers.

Alitalia’s temporary administrators said last month that the company’s liquidity amounted to 310 million euros at the end of September.

But that figure was inflated by advanced payments on pre-paid tickets, Sunday’s Il Sole 24Ore newspaper reported, citing unidentified sources.

The report added that adjusted for future costs, the cash amounted to just 160 million euros, and that it would run out in December.

($1 = 0.8957 euros)

(Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari; editing by Jason Neely)

Honeywell Forecasts 7,600 New Business Jet Deliveries Over Next Decade

October 20, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

– 28th annual Global Business Aviation Outlook projects 2020 deliveries to be higher than 2019 as new models enter service

– Five-year purchase plans for new business jets down slightly, but plans to buy used jets grow significantly

– Long-range forecast predicts healthy market with steady annual growth

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — The business jet industry is expected to see strong growth in the short to medium term, supported by several new airplane models coming to the market, according to Honeywell’s (HON) 28th annual Global Business Aviation Outlook. Released today, the Global Business Aviation Outlook forecasts up to 7,600 new business jet deliveries worth $248 billion from 2020 to 2029, down 1 to 2 percentage points from the 2018 10-year forecast.

Honeywell Logo. (PRNewsFoto/Honeywell) (PRNewsfoto/Honeywell)

“Production ramp up on many new business jet platforms are expected to lead to a 7% increase in deliveries in 2020, following a strong projected growth in 2019 over 2018 aircraft deliveries,” said Heath Patrick, president, Americas Aftermarket, Honeywell Aerospace. “We are confident that these new and innovative aircraft models will support solid growth in the short term and have a continuing impact on new business jet purchases in the midterm and long term.”

Key findings in the 2019 Honeywell global outlook include:

Operators plan to make new jet purchases equivalent to about 17% of their fleets over the next five years as replacements or additions to their current fleet, a decrease of 3 percentage points compared with 2018 survey results.
Of the total purchase plans for new business jets over the next 5 years, 35% are expected to occur in the first two years of the survey, with 57% of purchase plans realized by year three. This is 5 percentage points higher than last year’s survey.
Operators continue to focus on larger-cabin aircraft classes, from large cabin through ultralong-range aircraft, which are expected to account for more than 71% of all expenditures of new business jets in the next five years.

Click the link to view the full story from PRNewswire! https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/honeywell-forecasts-7-600-new-business-jet-deliveries-over-next-decade-valued-at-248-billion-300941512.html

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