TOMORROWS TRANSPORTATION NEWS TODAY!

Tag: X

Textron Aviation and NetJets sign fleet agreement for up to 1,500 Cessna Citation jets

September 20, 2023, – NetJets named launch customer for the new Cessna Citation Ascend

Wichita, Kansas, Business Wire – Textron Aviation (NYSE: TXT) and NetJets, a Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRKa) today announced a record-breaking fleet agreement for the option for NetJets to purchase up to 1,500 additional Cessna Citation business jets over the next 15 years. This agreement extends NetJets’ existing fleet agreement, and includes options for an increasing number of aircraft each year, enabling NetJets to expand its fleet with Cessna Citation Ascend, Citation Latitude and Citation Longitude aircraft. Equally exciting is the announcement that NetJets has been named the fleet launch customer for Textron Aviation’s newest jet — the Citation Ascend. Deliveries of the Citation Ascend are expected to begin in 2025 when the aircraft, currently under development, is expected to enter into service.

Since the inception of the more than 40-year relationship between the companies, NetJets has taken delivery of more than 800 aircraft from Textron Aviation, including exercising over 300 options for Citation Latitudes and Longitudes during the past eight years. This enduring relationship equips discerning customers with class-leading, safe, and reliable aviation travel experiences worldwide. Through the years, NetJets has owned and operated industry-leading Citations including the Citation SII, V, Excel/XLS, Sovereign, X, Latitude and Longitude models.

The Citation series of business jets has evolved to offer an unmatched range of capabilities, systems and options that allow customers to expand their business reach. More than 30 Citation models have been certified over the 50-year history of the Citation line. There are currently six Citation models in production: Citation M2 Gen2,Citation CJ3+, Citation CJ4 Gen2, Citation XLS Gen2, Citation Latitude and Citation Longitude, with the Citation Ascend under development.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AirAsia Received its First Airbus A330neo

AirAsia has taken delivery of its first A330neo aircraft, to be operated by its long-haul affiliate AirAsia X Thailand. The aircraft was delivered via lessor Avolon and is the first of two A330neos set to join the airline’s fleet by the end of the year.

With its enhanced economics, the A330neo will bring a step-change in fuel efficiency for AirAsia’s long-haul operations. The new-generation A330neo will be based at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport in Thailand, supporting the airline’s growth and network expansion plans to key markets such as Australia, Japan and South Korea.

The AirAsia X Thailand A330-900 features 377 seats in a two-class configuration, comprising 12 Premium Flatbeds and 365 economy class seats.

AirAsia’s long-haul affiliate, AirAsia X currently operates 36 A330-300 aircraft and is the largest customer for the A330neo with 66 on firm order.

The A330neo is the true new-generation aircraft building on the most popular wide-body A330’s features and leveraging on A350 XWB technology. Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the A330neo provides an unprecedented level of efficiency – with 25% lower fuel burn per seat than previous generation competitors. Equipped with the Airbus Airspace cabin, the A330neo offers a unique passenger experience with more personal space and the latest generation in-flight entertainment system and connectivity.

Boeing to Work with Kitty Hawk on Flying Cars and Safety

Kitty Hawk,the flying car company backed by Google’s Larry Page and led by Udacity co-founder Sebastian Thrun, has struck a deal with aerospace giant Boeing.

The terms of the strategic partnership are vague. But it appears the two companies will collaborate on urban air mobility, particularly around safety and how autonomous and piloted vehicles will co-exist.

Kitty Hawk’s portfolio of vehicles includes Cora, a two-person air taxi, and Flyer, a vehicle for personalized flight. The partnership is focused on the fully electric, self-piloting flying taxi Cora, according to the announcement.

Click the link below for the full story and video!

https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/25/boeing-is-going-to-work-with-kitty-hawk-on-flying-cars-and-safety/?yptr=yahoo

Boeing is going to work with Kitty Hawk on flying cars and safety

Boring Gets $49M Las Vegas Convention Center Contract

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A company backed by tech billionaire Elon Musk has been awarded a nearly $49 million contract to build a transit system using self-driving vehicles underneath the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The board of directors of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority approved the contract Wednesday with The Boring Company, the Musk-backed enterprise based in Hawthorne, California.

People would be transported underground on self-driving electric vehicles from three types of Tesla Model X chassis. The system will be capable of transporting up to 16 people at time through parallel tunnels, each running in a single direction. The twin tunnel system will run less than a mile (1.6 kilometer) long.

The system also will include a pedestrian tunnel and three underground stations accessible from convention center’s halls.

The company plans to immediately pursue permits to start construction in September. It aims to debut the system by December 2020.

“The first thing that’s important is to get it right,” Authority President and CEO Steve Hill told the Las Vegas Review-Journal . “We want to do it as quickly as possible, but we want our customers to be comfortable with it.”

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman cast the only vote against the project. At a meeting last week, she cited concerns about hiring a company that has yet to deliver a transit system.

The authority will reimburse the company as it completes certain stages of the project, like completing excavation for the first station and digging the first 100 feet (30.5 meters) of the first tunnel. Full payment is contingent on the company demonstrating that the system can support an average of 4,400 passengers per hour.

Construction will be able to proceed without disruption to traffic or other surface activity, Hill said. The system also could be expanded, which could be part of the solution to the city’s transportation problems, he said.

Boeing Tops Analysts’ Forecasts For Quarterly Profit

(Reuters) – Boeing (BA.N) topped analysts’ forecasts for quarterly profit on Wednesday despite a series of charges on U.S. military programs and raised its forecasts for annual profit as it continued to benefit from a boom in global air travel and airplanes.

Shares of the world’s biggest planemaker were up 4.5 percent in premarket trading, helping brighten the mood on Wall Street after a handful of shaky results on Tuesday from U.S. manufacturers hurt by concerns over global trade.

Soaring demand from commercial airlines has driven another surge in revenues for Boeing over the past year, pushing shares in the company up by roughly a third over the past 12 months.

Those moves have been dented somewhat by a combination of the trade worries, this year’s greater market volatility and a series of recurring charges for its delay-plagued KC-46 tanker program.

Boeing recorded another $176 million in charges in the quarter on the aerial refueling tanker, bringing the total cost of the program to more than $3 billion.

It also took a charge of $691 million related to the MQ25 refueling drone and T-X training jet contracts it won in August and September, offset in part by a $412 million tax benefit.

Despite the charges, Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg played up the new T-X and MQ25 business and completion of a static test model of its forthcoming 777X widebody, with two test flight jetliners in production.

“This strong underlying performance, along with growth across our businesses we’ve seen throughout the year, give us confidence to raise our 2018 revenue and earnings guidance and reaffirm our operating cash flow guidance.”

Boeing raised its full-year profit forecast to $14.90-$15.10 from a previous $14.30-$14.50 per share, and revenue to a range of $98 billion to $100 billion, up from $97 billion to $99 billion.

The Chicago-based firm’s core earnings, which exclude some pension and other costs, came in 11 cents above analysts’ average forecast at $3.58 per share in the quarter ended Sept. 30.

Boeing has delivered 568 aircraft in the first nine months of 2018 despite production snarls on its best-selling 737 narrowbody, up from 554 at the end of September a year ago, putting it on track to deliver another record year of plane sales.

That keeps the manufacturer, which aims to deliver between 810-815 planes in 2018, in front of its European rival Airbus SE (AIR.PA), which delivered 503 aircraft through September this year. Airbus shares gained 2.7 percent.

(Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; editing by Patrick Graham and Nick Zieminski)

Boeing Delivers First 787-9 Dreamliner to Juneyao Airlines

In other recent Boeing news, the company delivered the first 787-9 Dreamliner for Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines. The new, super-efficient Dreamliner will also be the first widebody commercial jet operated by a privately-held Chinese airline.

“This delivery is our airline’s biggest milestone and marks a big step toward expanding our network in China and beyond,” said Wang Junjin, Chairman, Juneyao Airlines. “As the market-leading widebody model, the 787-9 Dreamliner will play a key role in our global business growth.”

Juneyao Airlines, previously an all-Airbus operator, mainly offers flights from Shanghai to more than 50 cities across China. In introducing the long-range 787 Dreamliner, the carrier is looking to expand its international network and increase flights to Southeast Asia, Japan and Korea.

The 787-9 is part of a family of three airplanes that offer long ranges and unmatched fuel efficiency in the 200 to 350 seat market. The 787-9 can carry 290 passengers and fly up to 7,635 nautical miles (14,140 km), while reducing fuel use and emissions by 20 to 25 percent compared to older airplanes. Passengers will appreciate a more comfortable flight thanks to the Dreamliner’s large windows, lower cabin altitude, smooth-ride technology, and other amenities.

“We are delighted to welcome Juneyao to the growing 787 Dreamliner family. We are confident that the Dreamliner’s fuel efficiency, range and passenger-pleasing features will power the next stage of Juneyao Airlines’ expansion,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales & Marketing at The Boeing Company. “This delivery marks the first of 10 787-9 Dreamliners for Juneyao and their emergence as an international carrier.”

To ensure a smooth introduction of the Dreamliner, Juneyao Airlines will use Boeing Global Services’ pilot training. The airline will also employ electronic flight bag in the flight deck to improve operational efficiency. On other aircraft, Juneyao uses Boeing’s tailored charting services and flight planning solutions.

AirAsia X Still Has Not Confirmed Airbus A330neo Order

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – AirAsia X Bhd (AIRA.KL) needs to ensure the price, performance and engines of the Airbus SE (AIR.PA) A330neo are right before it will “finally confirm” its order for 66 of the jets, its co-group chief executive said on Tuesday.

AirAsia X, the long-haul arm of Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia Group Bhd (AIRA.KL), is the largest customer for the A330neo, which is struggling for sales relative to the rival Boeing Co (BA.N) 787.

AirAsia X has a firm order for the fuel-efficient A330neo widebody jets to replace its older first-generation A330s but it has been pushing back the delivery dates.

It has been talking to Boeing about buying the 787-10 jet as an alternative and is likely to make a decision later this year, a person familiar with the discussions previously told Reuters.

The airline’s CEO, Tony Fernandes, on Tuesday said on Twitter that he was visiting Airbus at its Toulouse headquarters to discuss the A330neo as well as the smaller A321neo.

“We have ordered the 330 but to finally confirm it we must make sure price is right. Performance is right. Engine is right,” he said. “And performance of the 330 251 ton is right. If right (it is) the plane we dreamt of and fought for and then we can order more. Or else.”

The 251 ton version, which could fly non-stop from Kuala Lumpur to London, is a heavier version of the jet and has more range but will not be available for delivery until 2020.

Fernandes added that he believed the A321neo, a large narrowbody jet, was a “great plane” and raised the prospect of ordering more. He is also the CEO of AirAsia, which has 100 A321neos on order.

(Reporting by Jamie FreedEditing by Christopher Cushing)