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Eve announces list of eVTOL suppliers

Melbourne, Florida, January 29, 2024 – Eve Air Mobility (NYSE: EVEX) has named four additional suppliers for its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Thales will supply a proven air data solution, comprising sensors and a computer while Honeywell (NYSE: HON) will supply guidance, navigation and external lighting for the aircraft. RECARO Aircraft Seating will supply the eVTOL’s seats and FACC will supply the horizontal and vertical tail including the rudder and elevator.

Honeywell will supply guidance and navigation products including magnetometers, GPS-aided attitude & heading reference systems, and inertial reference systems built upon decades of engineering and manufacturing experience. These systems will relay and aid the pilots and other onboard systems to ensure safe and efficient flight.  The company will also supply external lighting for the aircraft.

Thales will supply a proven air data solution, comprising sensors and computer, which gather critical data such as airspeed, altitude and environmental conditions. The solution then relays the information to pilots and onboard systems to ensure safe and efficient flight in all weather conditions.

RECARO Aircraft Seating, a global supplier of premium aircraft seats for airlines, OEMs and eVTOL aircraft, was selected to design, certify and produce the four passenger seats and one pilot seat for the aircraft. RECARO is widely recognized for product innovation, award-winning customer service and commitment to reliability, efficiency and sustainable practices.

FACC was selected to lead the development and production of the eVTOL’s horizontal and vertical tail including its rudder, elevator and the aircraft’s aileron.  FACC is recognized for its production of lightweight components relying on innovative manufacturing techniques and technology.

These new suppliers are in addition to Garmin (NYSE: GRMN), Liebherr Aerospace and Intergalactic that were announced in October and Nidec Aerospace LLC, a joint venture between Japan’s Nidec Corporation and Brazil’s Embraer SA (B3: EMBR3), BAE Systems PLC (London: BAES) and DUC Hélices Propellers which were announced at the Paris Air Show this past summer.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

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Airbus Reveals the Next Generation of CityAirbus

Toulouse, France 21 September 2021 – Airbus (OTC: EADSY) has announced plans for a new CityAirbus at the Company’s first #AirbusSummit on “Pioneering Sustainable Aerospace” as the emerging Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market begins firming up. Ushering in the next generation of CityAirbus, the fully electric vehicle is equipped with fixed wings, a V-shaped tail, and eight electrically powered propellers as part of its uniquely designed distributed propulsion system. It is designed to carry up to four passengers in a zero emissions flight in multiple applications.  

CityAirbus is being developed to fly with a 80 km range and to reach a cruise speed of 120 km/h, making it perfectly suited for operations in major cities for a variety of missions.  

Sound levels are a key factor for an urban mission; Airbus’ extensive expertise in noise-friendly designs is driving CityAirbus’ sound levels below 65 dB(A) during fly-over and below 70 dB(A) during landing. It is optimized for hover and cruise efficiency, while not requiring moving surfaces or tilting parts during transition. The CityAirbus NextGen meets the highest certification standards (EASA SC-VTOL Enhanced Category). Designed with simplicity in mind, CityAirbus NextGen will offer best-in-class economic performance in operations and support.

Airbus is benefitting from years of dedicated research, innovation, two electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) demonstrators, and development on sound technology across its portfolio of products, as well as decades of experience in certifying aircraft. The Vahana and CityAirbus demonstrators have jointly conducted 242 flight and ground tests and have flown around 1,000 km in total. Furthermore, Airbus has used extensive subscale flight testing and wind tunnel campaigns and has leveraged its computing and modelling power. CityAirbus NextGen is in a detailed design phase right now and the prototype’s first flight is planned for 2023.  

Beyond the vehicle, Airbus is working with partners, cities, and city inhabitants in order to create the ecosystem that is essential to enabling this new operating environment to emerge in a true service to society.

Airbus Delivers First UH-72B Lakota Helicopter to U.S. Army National Guard

Columbus, Mississippi, 07 September 2021 – Airbus Helicopters, Inc. has delivered the first UH-72B, the latest variant of its Lakota helicopter, to the U.S. Army National Guard from its production facility in Columbus, Mississippi. This delivery is the first of 18 UH-72B Lakota helicopters currently on order to support the National Guard’s critical missions.

The UH-72B is the latest iteration of the proven commercial, off-the-shelf aircraft that has been the Army’s Light Utility Helicopter since the first Lakota contract award in 2006. The Army is leveraging the benefits of a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) program by receiving product improvements and enhancements through the evolution of the aircraft, without investing any government money into the development of those capabilities. 

Based on the widely successful H145, the UH-72B incorporates technologies that increase both safety and flight performance, including the five-bladed main rotor, the Fenestron shrouded tail rotor, Safran Arriel 2E engines, and the Airbus-designed Helionix avionics suite. The Helionix suite includes an advanced dual-duplex, four-axis autopilot to provide flight envelope and over-limit protection, automated takeoff, and fully-coupled approaches to hover. 

With nearly 10 different configurations available, the Lakota delivers proven performance, outstanding operational reliability, and unmatched versatility for a broad spectrum of military missions. Airbus Helicopters, Inc. builds the Lakota at its production facility in Columbus, Mississippi, which employs a workforce of nearly 250 employees that is made up of 40% U.S. veterans.

Southwest Will Speed Up Inspections of 38 Used 737 Airplanes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Southwest Airlines Co <LUV> said Monday it will complete inspections on 38 737 airplanes it acquired from foreign air carriers by Jan. 31 that may not meet all U.S. aviation safety requirements.

The planes are part of 88 pre-owned Boeing <BA> 737 aircraft Southwest bought between 2013 and 2017 from 16 foreign carriers. The speedier checks come after inspections of 39 used planes turned up previously undisclosed repairs and incorrectly completed fixes. Southwest used multiple contractors to conduct the reviews of the planes’ maintenance records when they bought the planes.

“We have a plan in place to inspect the 47 remaining aircraft, nine of which are currently in heavy checks, no later than January 31, 2020 – five months earlier than the original FAA accepted completion date of July 1,” Southwest said in a statement on Monday.

Southwest said its inspections to date “did not stem from any suspected safety concerns with the aircraft.” It added its “continuous assessment of the ongoing inspections has revealed nothing to warrant the expedited timeline” but will meet it nevertheless.

In 2018, Southwest agreed to conduct a complete physical inspection on each of these pre-owned aircraft over a two-year period after a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety inspector in May 2018 discovered discrepancies in records for some of 88 aircraft.

Since then, Southwest said it has completed the nose-to-tail inspection of 41 aircraft without any findings that suggested an “adverse impact on continued safe operation.”

An Oct. 24 memo from H. Clayton Foushee, director of the FAA Audit and Evaluation Office, made public on Monday said the Southwest inspections turned up at least 30 previously unknown repairs and 42 major repairs that were found “not to meet FAA airworthiness requirements.” Some required “immediate corrective action to bring the aircraft back into compliance.”

The memo added “the data collected to date would indicate that a majority of” the planes to be inspected do not meet FAA airworthiness requirements.

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee noted on Monday that the 2018 discovery prompted a full records review by Southwest Airlines of all 88 aircraft that found 360 major repairs previously unknown to the airline because they were not disclosed in the contractors’ initial review.

Foushee’s memo said Southwest grounded 34 planes in November 2018 for inspections. The committee said as a result some planes were grounded “for immediate maintenance to bring them into regulatory compliance as a result of these newly discovered prior major repairs.”

The FAA then sent an Oct. 29 letter to Southwest seeking additional information about the uninspected planes and questioned whether they suffered specific damage items. It also raised concerns about Southwest’s “slow pace in completing the evaluation of aircraft.”

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker said in an Oct. 30 letter to the FAA that its concerns about Southwest’s used planes correspond “to concerns that have been brought to my attention by whistleblowers as part of my investigation into aviation safety.”

The committee said the FAA allowed Southwest to continue to operate these aircraft and as a result “Southwest Airlines appears to have operated aircraft in unknown airworthiness conditions for thousands of flights.”

The FAA said Monday that after receiving Southwest’s response it determined the airline has “met the requirements for immediate inspection and risk assessments on these aircraft.”

The FAA added it “is requiring more frequent updates on the progress of completing all the requirements.”

(Reporting by David Shepardson; additional reporting by Tracy Rucinski in Chicago; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

FILE PHOTO: A number of grounded Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft are shown parked at Victorville Airport in Victorville, California

Frontier Airlines Welcomes Wellington the Black-Footed Ferret to its Fleet

Low-fare carrier, Frontier Airlines, today, introduces the newest aircraft tail to its fleet, Wellington the Black-Footed Ferret. The addition of the Airbus A320neo aircraft, Wellington, grows Frontier’s fleet to 95 Airbus aircraft. The tail’s namesake calls attention to the town in Larimer County, Colorado and the local recovery efforts for one of the most endangered species in North America.

“We’re excited to welcome Wellington the Black-Footed Ferret to our fleet,” Barry Biffle, President and CEO of Frontier Airlines said. “The animals on the tails of our aircraft are part of Frontier’s DNA and Wellington is a special addition to the fleet because of its connection to Colorado and its endangerment. As America’s Greenest Airline, we feel a great responsibility to support the efforts of the National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center and we look forward to continuing our partnership with them.”

“It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come together on our journey to bring this species back from the brink of extinction,” said Noreen Walsh, Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “This success is due in large part to the strength of our partnerships with states, local communities, tribes, ranching families, and now, Frontier Airlines.”

“On behalf of the town of Wellington I would like to say thank you to Frontier Airlines for choosing Wellington the Black-Footed Ferret as the animal on the tail of its newest aircraft”, Mayor of Wellington, Troy Hamman said. “It’s an honor for me as the town mayor of Wellington to help represent our black-footed ferret and an awesome airline such as Frontier.”

Black-footed ferrets are the only ferret native to North America. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center, along with many partners, coordinates efforts to recover the species and monitor overall population health.

Frontier Airlines has partnered with the conservation center to support their efforts and call attention to endangered species. To learn more about the center and about black-footed ferrets, visit www.blackfootedferret.org.

Frontier operates 95 A320 family aircraft and has the largest A320neo fleet in the U.S., delivering the highest level of noise reduction and fuel-efficiency, compared to previous models. The use of these aircraft, Frontier’s seating configuration, weight-saving tactics and baggage process have all contributed to the airline’s average of 39% fuel savings compared to other U.S. airlines (fuel savings is based on Frontier Airlines 2018 fuel consumption per seat-mile compared to the weighted average of major U.S. airlines).

With over 150 new Airbus planes on order, Frontier will continue to grow to deliver on the mission of providing affordable travel across America. Frontier’s young fleet also ensures that the company keeps fares low and that customers will enjoy a pleasant and reliable experience flying with the airline.

Frontier Airlines Announces 15 Nonstop Routes from Newark

NEWARK, N.J. Aug. 27, 2019 – Low Fare carrier, Frontier Airlines, today announces new low-cost service from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) with 15 nonstop routes, including two international destinations: Cancun**, Mexico and Punta Cana**, Dominican Republic. To celebrate this new, low-cost service, Frontier is offering fares as low as $15* in addition to allowing customers to take advantage of the airline’s unique Kids Fly Free offer — both are available at flyfrontier.com.

The new routes include the only low-cost, nonstop options from EWR to Cancun**, Mexico; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Miami; Punta Cana**, Dominican Republic; Phoenix; Raleigh, N.C., and San Juan**. In addition, Frontier will offer the only nonstop, cross-country option to Ontario, Calif., opening an affordable, convenient option for travel to the Los Angeles area.

“We’re excited to make flying more affordable for the Garden State with 15 new routes from Newark,” Barry Biffle, President and CEO of Frontier Airlines said. “With fares as low as $15, we hope we inspire more people to fly and are delighted to meet that demand with our ‘Low Fares Done Right’ promise. This includes a focus on serving families as well as the environment with a more sustainable approach to flying.”

Frontier’s flights from Newark will operate entirely outside the delay prone afternoon hours, ensuring the airline can deliver its signature ‘Low Fares Done Right’ service – combining a great low fare with an outstanding flight experience. “We’d like to thank our partners at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the FAA for helping to establish Frontier as an effective low fare option at Newark Liberty Airport, without further contributing to delays in the most congested hours,” Daniel Shurz, senior vice president of commercial for Frontier Airlines said.

New routes from EWR beginning Nov. 14, 2019:

TO/FROMSERVICE FREQUENCYINTRO FAREAPPLICABLE DAYS FOR INTRO FARE:
McCarran International Airport (LAS)Daily$15*Tuesday, Wednesday
Orlando International Airport (MCO)Twice Daily$15*Tuesday, Wednesday
Miami International Airport (MIA)Daily(Twice Daily eff. Dec. 10, 2019)$15*Tuesday, Wednesday
San Juan Airport (SJU)**Daily$29*Tuesday, Wednesday

New routes from EWR beginning Dec. 10, 2019:

TO/FROMSERVICE FREQUENCYINTRO FAREAPPLICABLE DAYS FOR INTRO FARE:
Palm Beach International Airport (PBI)Daily$15*Tuesday, Wednesday
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)Daily$15*Tuesday, Wednesday
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)Daily$15*Tuesday, Wednesday

Service to Palm Beach is seasonal, frequency and times are subject to change, so please check FlyFrontier.com for the most updated schedule.

New routes from EWR beginning March and April 2020 with tickets going on sale at a later date:

TO/FROM
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ)**
Cancun International Airport (CUN)**
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Ontario International Airport (ONT)
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

“We are proud to be considered America’s Greenest Airline,” Biffle continued. “Frontier is the most fuel-efficient airline in the U.S., offering passengers both the most affordable and sustainable approach to flying.”

Frontier operates over 90 A320 family aircraft and has the largest A320neo fleet in the U.S., delivering the highest level of noise reduction and fuel-efficiency, compared to previous models. The use of these aircraft, Frontier’s seating configuration, weight-saving tactics, and baggage process have all contributed to the airline’s average of 39% fuel savings compared to other U.S. airlines (fuel savings is based on Frontier Airlines 2018 fuel consumption per seat-mile compared to the weighted average of major U.S. airlines). More information about Frontier’s green commitments are available at FlyGreener.com.

Frontier is committed to families. One of the most popular family offers is Kids Fly Free whereby one kid can fly free for every adult with Discount Den travel club membership on select dates and flights. Additional information about Kids Fly Free is available at https://www.flyfrontier.com/kidsflyfree. In addition to Kids Fly Free, Frontier offers special rewards and status benefits for the whole family. Plus, every Frontier aircraft features a unique animal on its tail — from Griz the Bear to Otto the Owl, to Flo the Flamingo — kids will enjoy getting to know their new animal friends.

Frontier is focused on more than low fares. The carrier offers customers the ability to customize travel to their needs and budget. For example, customers can purchase options a la carte or in one low-priced bundle called the WORKS. This bundle includes refundability, a carry-on bag, a checked bag, the best available seat, waived change fees, and priority boarding.

The airline’s frequent flier program, FRONTIER Miles lets members enjoy many benefits as well as the ability to attain Elite status. Like the airline, FRONTIER Miles is family-friendly, and the program makes it easy for families to enjoy the rewards together, including family pooling of miles. FRONTIER Miles is aptly named because you earn one mile for every mile flown – no funny formulas at Frontier. If a customer travels a little or a lot, they will find FRONTIER Miles rewarding.

With over 150 new Airbus planes on order, Frontier will continue to grow to deliver on the mission of providing affordable travel across America. Frontier’s young fleet also ensures that the company keeps fares low and that customers will enjoy a pleasant and reliable experience flying with the airline.

Media: For downloadable video and images of Frontier aircraft and airport operations, visit: https://news.flyfrontier.com/images–video/

Sukhoi Superjet 100 Involved in Deadly Fire

This image taken from a video distributed by Russian Investigative Committee on Sunday, May 5, 2019, shows the Sukhoi SSJ100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines on fire, at Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia. At least 40 people died when an Aeroflot airliner burst into flames while making an emergency landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, officials said early Monday. (The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation via AP)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The Aeroflot-operated SSJ100 passenger jet that caught fire during an emergency landing in Moscow is part of Russia’s efforts to maintain a presence in civil aviation in a market dominated by companies like Boeing, Airbus and Embraer.

Here’s a quick look at the SSJ100 and the Russian company that built it, the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company:

THE PLANE

The SSJ100, or Superjet 100, is a short- to medium-haul narrow body jet with two engines that can be configured to carry up to 103 people.

At that size, it’s intended to substitute for larger planes such as the Boeing 737 or Airbus 321 on shorter, less travelled routes and during slower travel seasons. Regional aircraft are an important part of Russia’s transportation system, given the country’s enormous distances and many remote towns. The Superjet succeeds older, Soviet-built planes such as the Tu-134 airliner.

The plane is built at the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company’s plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Russia’s distant Far East region. Although the design is Russian, the company says it uses the latest Western technology as well. The engines are made by PowerJet, a joint venture between France’s Safran Aircraft Engines and Russia’s Saturn.

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft of Airflot Airlines, center, is seen after an emergency landing in Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. (Moscow News Agency photo via AP)

The plane first flew in 2008 and entered commercial service in 2011. It is certified by the European Union Safety Agency but is mainly used in Russia and has not made much headway against international competitors, not just from Boeing and Airbus but also from Brazil’s Embraer.

Aeroflot is the biggest client with 50 of the planes. Mexico’s Interjet said Sunday it operated five of the planes “under the highest safety standards.”

Interjet earlier operated 22 Superjets but referred in a recent earnings report to the “gradual phase out of the fleet of SSJ100.” The company reported lost sales after the planes were grounded due to a defect in the tail section in December 2016 and said it was seeking “contractual recovery of amounts related to maintenance costs” for the planes.

Ireland’s CityJet, which supplies planes and crews to other airlines, stopped operating several Superjets in January.

People gather around the damaged Sukhoi SSJ100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines at Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, May 6, 2019. Russia’s main investigative body says both flight recorders have been recovered from the plane that caught fire while making an emergency landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least 40 people on Sunday. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

THE COMPANY

The Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company bears the name of the legendary Soviet aircraft designer, Pavel Sukhoi, who was responsible for a series of Soviet military aircraft starting before World War II.

Today’s firm is part of Russia’s United Aircraft Company, which consolidated many of the legendary names of Soviet aviation such as MiG, Sukhoi, Tupolev and Yak. UAC was established by a decree from President Vladimir Putin in 2006 to promote the Russian aircraft industry, which is seen as essential for the security and defense of the country. Much of its production goes to the military, while the SSJ100 is the key project aimed at maintaining a Russian presence in civil aviation.

TROUBLES

On May 9, 2012, a demonstration flight hit Mount Salak in Indonesia, killing all 45 on board, after the pilot disregarded six alarms from the terrain warning system on the apparent assumption there was a problem with the terrain database, according to the report from Indonesia’s air safety regulator. The plane had unintentionally left a circling pattern after the crew was distracted by a prolonged conversation not related to flying the plane.

And a Superjet skidded off the runway at Iceland’s Keflavik airport in 2013 with landing gear up during flight certification tests involving landing on one engine; one crew member suffered minor injuries.

In this photo taken on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, the Sukhoi SSJ-100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines that made an emergency landing on Sunday, May 5, 2019 in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, takes off from the Siberian city of Tyumen, Russia. Russia’s flagship airline Aeroflot says the plane that caught fire at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least one person, had been forced to turn back after taking off for the city of Murmansk because of technical reasons. (AP Photo/Marina Lystseva)

Sukhoi Delivers Ninth SSJ100 to Azimut Airlines

On April 12, 2019, Azimut Airlines recieved its ninth SSJ100 according to the terms of the Agreement with State Transport Leasing Company. The aircraft, tail number RA–89136 performed its ferry flight from the SCAC Delivery Center in Zhukovsky to Krasnodar where the aircraft will start operations.

The aircraft is equipped with 100-seated layout. The layout might be changed from single-class to two-class layout for 93 passengers, depending on the actual needs of the Operator.

Azimuth Airline gives you the opportunity to take flights at affordable prices. Journey in the new Sukhoi Superjet 100 airplane integrating the best solutions of modern aircraft construction will allow feeling the advantage of comfortable cabins which are highly competitive with the cabins of high capacity long-haul airplanes.

Video of Asiana A330 Colliding with Turkish Airlines A321

Footage has emerged showing the moment A South Korean Asiana passenger airplane collided with the tail of a Turkish Airlines aircraft while taxiing on the runaway on Sunday. The South Korean Asiana A330 airplane, which was heading for Seoul, can be seen making its way to the runaway as it accidently smashes the tail of the Turkish Airlines A321, which had just landed.

Click the link below for the video!

Asiana A330 collides with Turkish A321