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Story and image from Lexus

Braselton, Georgia, October 14, 2024 – The Vasser Sullivan No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 finished third in Saturday’s Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with drivers Parker Thompson, Frankie Montecalvo and Aaron Telitz. The driver trio drove from the back of the GTD class to a podium result in the 10-hour season finale. Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoatand Kyle Kirkwood ran strong early in the race in the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3, however an engine issue ended their day early and they finished 13th in the GTD PRO class.

The No. 12 Lexus started in the 18th position in the GTD class after a penalty in qualifying sent them to the back of grid for the start of the 10-hour endurance race. Thompson started the race and worked his way up to 11th-place during his stint. Montecalvo jumped in the Lexus for three stints and ran at the front of the GTD field for 33 laps. Telitz and Thompson closed out the second half the race, battling for their podium position before finishing third with the No. 12 RC F GT3 leading 68 total laps by the race’s end.

The No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3, driven by Hawksworth, Barnicoat and Kirkwood, went off strategy early in the race to make up a number of positions on track. Hawksworth completed the first stint before Kirkwood took over driving duties nearly 30 minutes into the race. He led 28 laps during his two stints before Barnicoat jumped behind the wheel of the No. 14 Lexus. An engine issue shortly after the driver change ended the No. 14 team’s day early and they went on to finish 13th in class.

The Vasser Sullivan Lexus team ends the season with two wins, four podium results and five pole positions. Parker Thompson led the GTD class with three poles this season.

Story and image from Virgin Australia

Monday, October 14, 2024: After returning to profitability in FY23 for the first time in 11 years, Virgin Australia delivered an even stronger performance in FY24, with underlying EBIT increasing by 18.2% to $519 million. This result was achieved despite various challenges, which include supply chain constraints, unprecedented industry inflation and strong competition. The Group result represents an underlying EBIT margin of 9.7%, which is up from 8.8% in FY23.

Virgin Australia’s airline business (which includes domestic, short-haul international, and regional/charter flying) recorded revenue of $5.1 billion, an increase of 5.6%. Underlying EBIT was $392 million, an increase of 8.2%, achieving a margin of 7.6%. The airline margin is inclusive of Group overheads[2], a legacy contract with Velocity and significant investment in frontline team member salaries that came into effect during FY24.

Velocity Frequent Flyer recorded revenue of $409 million, an increase of 23.8%. Underlying EBIT was $115 million, a margin of 28.2%. Velocity delivered strong member engagement with a 13% increase in active members and growing its base to 12 million members.

The ongoing transformation agenda, now in its fourth year, has been critical to Virgin Australia’s return to profitability with continued strong contribution during FY24. Key areas of transformation focus include revenue management and ancillary revenue, digital channels, fleet reconfiguration, operations productivity and ongoing cost reduction. Velocity strategy execution delivered growth in the number of partners and products that earn points and the number of engaged members as well as program cost efficiency.

Story by Qantas, image by Airbus

QantasLink’s next generation Airbus A220 aircraft has landed in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia today. Launceston became the first city outside Australian capitals to welcome the new aircraft.

The inaugural flight landed at 10.40am and was operated by the QantasLink aircraft named, Koala, the second A220 to join the QantasLink fleet earlier this year. There are four A220 aircraft currently operating across the Qantas network, with the fifth expected to arrive in November.

The aircraft is more fuel efficient than previous generation aircraft. Its modern light and bright cabin design with large windows and around 20 per cent more overhead lockers, specially designed seats and greater sense of space offers a more comfortable flight for customers.

Click the link below to read the full story!

New QANTAS A220 arrives in Launceston

Story and image from ATR

Toulouse, France, October 11, 2024 – Mandarin Airlines, the regional subsidiary of Taiwan’s flag carrier China Airlines, and the world’s number one regional aircraft manufacturer ATR, today announced the signature of a firm order for one ATR 72-600, underscoring the airline’s confidence in ATR as the optimal platform for the island’s domestic operations.

This strategic agreement comes swiftly on the heels of the order for six ATR 72-600 placed at last year’s Paris Air Show. Delivery of the additional aircraft is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026, to meet Mandarin Airlines’ peak season demand. Three of the six aircraft from the previous order have been delivered, while deliveries of the next three will take place in the third and fourth quarter of 2025.

The cutting-edge turboprop will complement the airline’s existing fleet of 12 ATR 72-600. Operating primarily from its main hub at Taipei Songshan Airport, Mandarin Airlines plays a pivotal role in Taiwan’s domestic network, offering essential connections to eight key destinations, including the islands of Kinmen, Penghu and Matsu. Reliable air services ensure consistent access to essential goods, services, and transportation for residents and businesses, in addition to stimulating economic growth and fostering social integration.

Story and image from Etihad Airways

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, October 11, 2024 – Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the UAE, is boosting its weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and Jaipur to ten a week from 15 December, 2024.

The announcement, coming less than four months after the airline began serving the Rajasthan city, underlines the popularity of the route.

Guests flying from Jaipur to the United States can take advantage of the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility at Abu Dhabi, streamlining the immigration process and ensuring a hassle-free journey.

The increase in the Jaipur frequency further highlights Etihad’s deepening commitment to the Indian market where the airline has increased its capacity by more than a third over the past 12 months, and recently celebrated the 20^th anniversary of its first service to the subcontinent.

The flights will be operated with aircraft from the Airbus A320 family, offering Etihad’s award-winning service to guests in both Business and Economy cabins, convenient flight timings to the UAE’s capital city and seamless connections to destinations across the airline’s growing global network.

Story from United Airlines

Chicago, Illinois, October 10, 2024, PRNewswire – United Airlines announces the largest international expansion in its history with service to eight new cities.

Starting in May 2025, United will launch five new nonstop flights* from its hub in Newark/New York to destinations no other U.S. airline serves including Nuuk, Greenland; Palermo, Italy; Bilbao, Spain; Madeira Island, Portugal and Faro, Portugal. The airline is also adding three new nonstop routes from Washington D.C./Dulles, including its first-ever flight to Dakar, Senegal operating year-round and new seasonal nonstop flights to Nice, France and Venice, Italy.

Already the U.S. carrier with the most flights across the Atlantic, United’s summer 2025 transatlantic schedule will be the largest in its history with more than 760 weekly flights. In addition to new flights, customers will have even more time to explore Venice, Italy; Athens, Greece; and Barcelona, Spain with earlier start dates next summer. The airline will also increase the number of weekly direct flights between Newark/New York-Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Newark/New York-Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Newark/New York–Athens, Greece.

United is also adding new direct flights from Tokyo–Narita to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and Kaohsiung – destinations no other U.S. airline serves – and a new nonstop flight to Koror, Palau. These new flights will seamlessly connect in Tokyo to United’s transpacific services to five hub locations in the continental United States.

*All new routes are subject to government approvals

Story and image from A.P. Moller – Maersk

Felixstowe, Suffolk, England,  – Today, A.P. Moller – Maersk has celebrated the naming of its latest dual-fuel methanol container vessel “Alexandra Maersk”. The UK’s Maritime Minister Mike Kane, representatives of the IMO, customers and Maersk employees joined the festive event at the Port of Felixstowe, UK. Elaine Condon, Director of People & Culture at Primark, is the godmother of the ship, representing the close logistics and sustainability partnership between Maersk and its customer Primark.

“Alexandra Maersk” is the sixth vessel in Maersk’s owned fleet being able to sail on methanol in its main and auxiliary engines. It is the fifth ship in a series of 18 large dual-fuel methanol vessels scheduled for delivery in 2024 and 2025. Each can carry more than 16,000 standard containers (TEU).

Maersk’s ECO Delivery Ocean is based on reduced GHG emission fuels like bio-diesel which is used on vessels across the Maersk fleet, and now also green methanol which our newest vessels like “Alexandra Maersk” are capable of sailing on.

Story and image from Embraer

São José dos Campos, Brazil, October 10, 2024 – The Embraer E190F E-Freighter has been fully certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Embraer’s passenger-to-freighter conversion and the Cargo Loading System, developed by U.S. Cargo Systems, have received the certification by FAA in September 2024. In July, the E-Freighter was certified by the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC) and EASA certification is due later this year. The aircraft was developed to fill a gap in the air cargo market and to replace older, less efficient models.

The E190F program was launched in May 2022 to meet the changing demands of e-commerce and modern trade, which require fast deliveries and decentralized operations driving the demand for faster delivery of shipments to regional markets. The E-Freighter made its debut flight in April and its first public appearance during the Farnborough Airshow in July.

E-Jets converted to freighters will have over 40% more volume capacity, three times the range of large cargo turboprops, and up to 30% lower operating costs than larger narrowbodies. If combining capacity under the floor and main deck, the maximum structural payload is 13,500 kg for the E190F.

Story and image from BAE Systems

Named after the ancient Greek king, Agamemnon is the sixth of seven Astute Class submarines, all of which have been designed and built at the Company’s historic Barrow shipyard – home of UK submarine building. The nuclear-powered boat, which weighs in at 7,400 tonnes and is 97 metres long, rolled out of the Devonshire Dock Hall and entered the water for the first time today. Agamemnon will now begin the next phase of its test and commissioning programme, before leaving Barrow for sea trials with the Royal Navy.

The Astute Class boats are the largest and most advanced attack submarines ever built for the Royal Navy. Their state-of-the-art nuclear technology means they never need to be refuelled and, as they manufacture their own oxygen and drinking water for their 98 crew members, they are able to circumnavigate the globe without surfacing.

The first five submarines in the class, HMS Astute, HMS Ambush, HMS Artful, HMS Audacious and HMS Anson, have been handed over to the Royal Navy, with work well underway for the final Astute boat, Agincourt.