Bombardier announces order for specialized air-ambulance aircraft

Bombardier announced today that it has signed a firm purchase agreement with Swiss Air-Ambulance Rega (“Rega”) for three Bombardier Challenger 650 aircraft. The transaction is valued at approximately $130 million US, based on 2015 list prices and includes various aircraft modifications, such as the installation of a medical evacuation interior. Deliveries of the modified Challenger 650 aircraft are scheduled for 2018.

A loyal Bombardier Challenger aircraft customer, Rega is the leading Swiss air-ambulance provider. As a privately funded foundation, its mission is to carry out air-rescue operations in Switzerland and to repatriate patients from abroad. As one of the world's pioneers in aeromedical evacuation, Rega has a long tradition in dealing with medical emergencies around the world. Their current fleet of three Challenger 604 aircraft are used exclusively for ambulance flights and are outfitted with intensive-care units.

“Bombardier has enjoyed an excellent working relationship with Rega since 1982 when the company purchased its first Challenger aircraft and again in 2002 with the addition of the Challenger 604 aircraft to its fleet,” said Stéphane Villeneuve, Vice-President, Specialized Aircraft, Bombardier. “We are very proud of the confidence that Rega continues to place in Bombardier, and we look forward to many more years of collaboration.”

“A preferred medical evacuation platform, Challenger aircraft have a long-standing history of air-ambulance operations. With its enhanced performance from short runways and proven reliability and track record, we are convinced the next-generation Challenger 650 aircraft is the definitive choice to carry out Rega’s extremely critical air-ambulance missions,” added Mr. Villeneuve.

“We are pleased with the acquisition of an additional three Bombardier Challenger aircraft,” said Ernst Kohler, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of Rega. “The aircraft meets our requirements perfectly and will again serve thousands of patients worldwide, as did its predecessors.”  Rega organizes and executes medical evacuations and medically escorted repatriations from anywhere in the world. “Our medical teams of experienced doctors and intensive-care nurses, as well as our pilots, appreciate the generous on-board conditions and the well-proven technology. We are pleased to rely on the Challenger platform to perform our life-saving missions,” added Mr. Kohler.

FAA proposes $1.54m penalty against Air Methods

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes a $1.54 million civil penalty against Air Methods Corp. of Englewood, Colo., for allegedly operating Eurocopter EC-130 helicopters on dozens of flights when they were not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations.

The FAA alleges Air Methods operated two helicopters on 70 passenger-carrying flights for compensation or hire, over water and beyond power-off gliding distance from shore, when they lacked required helicopter flotation devices and flotation gear for each occupant. The agency alleges the company operated another helicopter on 13 such flights when it lacked required flotation gear for each occupant. All 83 flights by the emergency medical transport company occurred around Pensacola, Fla.

“The flying public correctly expects that American operators will place safety above all else,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx. “We will hold operators accountable when they fail to meet those expectations.”

“Operators must follow every regulation and take every precaution to ensure the safety of all those on board,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “Flying without required safety equipment is indefensible.”

Source and image: FAA

Boeing, Panama’s Copa Airlines sign $6.6B deal for 61 planes

Boeing has signed an agreement with Panama’s Copa Airlines for a $6.6 billion purchase of 61 airline jets, the airline announced.

Copa Airlines said in a statement it will use the airplanes to replace existing airplanes and support the carrier’s plans for strategic growth.

Officials say the deal is the biggest between Panamanian and U.S. companies.

Copa said it will be the first airline in the region to operate the 737 MAX 9 on deep South American routes.

Boeing delivers 184 airplanes in Q1, 2015

Boeing reports first quarter of 2015 deliveries. A total of 184 commercial airplanes were delivered in the first quarter of 2015.

The deliveries include 121 of Boeing's 737 Next Generation aircrafts, 30 of 787 dreamliners, 24 777 aircraft, five 767 and four 747 jumbos.

In monetary terms, sales rose by 18.3% or by $ 4.6 billion.

Most popular aircraft model was 737 - 121 airliner was delivered in the first quarter, which is 6 units more than in the first quarter of 2014. Meanwhile, the 737 series have provided 39% of the company's revenue, or about $ 11.7 billion.

Since the beginning of this year, Boeing has shipped 42 military aircraft, 4 less than in the same period in 2014.

Cessna 172 crashes next to German highway

A Cessna 172 plane with four people crashed Sunday in the highway A28 near Oldenburg, Germany. One or two people have been killed, according to various media reports. 

It's believed the plane attempted to land at the nearby Hude-Hatten airdrome and crash landed on the motorway between a fence and a guardrail.

The rescue teams are currently operating at the scene, with helicopters delivering the wounded to hospitals. The highway was blocked off in both directions because of explosion risks caused by a fuel leak.

Neither the reasons behind the crash nor the identity of the passengers have so far been stated.

Airbus unveils first CFM Leap-1A powered A320neo

Airbus unveils first CFM Leap-1A powered A320neo

The company is utilizing 3D printing (also known as additive layer manufacturing) to produce components for the pylon of A320neo developmental aircraft powered by CFM International’s LEAP-1A – which is one of two new-generation engine choices for the single-aisle NEO Family, along with the PurePower PW1100G-JM from Pratt & Whitney.

Selected by Airbus to produce the 3D-printed pylon components for CFM-powered A320neo jetliners, U.S.-based manufacturer RTI delivered the parts in three months – less than half the time that would be required for their production by traditional casting methods.  

“In developing two different pylons for the A320neo Family’s new engine options over a short period of time, we needed to find innovative solutions,” said Helene Lagier, Airbus’ A320neo Pylon-specified and Standard Parts Customer Team Leader. “3D printing technology has great potential and will be used more and more in future aircraft.”

The use of such advanced manufacturing techniques is helping Airbus continue to advance toward key A320neo project milestones this year, including the certification and subsequent no. 1 delivery of the first NEO version – the Pratt & Whitney-powered A320neo. 

Currently, Airbus has two A320neo jetliners – both powered by Pratt & Whitney engines – flying in its test campaign with the second A320neo test aircraft taking to the skies for the first time at the end of March. It joined Airbus’ initial A320neo developmental jetliner – which performed its historic maiden flight in September 2014. 

The developmental fleet has also expanded with today’s rollout of Airbus’ third flight test aircraft, the no. 1 A320neo powered by CFM International’s LEAP-1A.

In addition to its new engine choices, A320neo Family jetliners also incorporate Airbus’ fuel-saving Sharklets wingtip devices – improvements which will deliver 20 percent reductions in fuel burn for operators. 

MH-370 aftermath: will the new tracking standard really save lives?

It has been over a year since the MH-370 flight disappearance. Despite the endless discussions among civil aviation authorities and numerous investigators, there is still no clear evidence pointing towards the reasons behind it. Nevertheless, based on theoretical assumptions only, Member States of the International Civil Aviation Organization are heatedly debating the adoption of a new 15-minute aircraft tracking standard, which would pave the way for universal tracking of jetliners. However, many experts question whether the new tracking standard would actually offer viable means for a quicker recovery of a missing aircraft, arguing that it is just a populist move to cease the public disputes after the MH-370.

Without doubt, the loss of the MH370 last March emphasized the need for a system that would make it possible to track the exact route of an aircraft. Calls for action expressed by the industry representatives were loud and clear. As the air-safety regulators feel public pressure to deal with the consequences of the MH-370 disappearance, a new proposed standard is set to be adopted by ICAO Council this fall. It will require all commercial aircraft to report their position every 15 minutes.

Urging to weigh the associated costs against the projected benefits, some member airlines still object to the initiative, but ICAO continues to press for the actual testing. “Once ICAO initiates a safety standard, all Member States must automatically adopt that standard in their own aviation laws and regulations. This is their most essential responsibility as the signatories to the Chicago Convention, which qualifies a state to be an ICAO Member State,” says IATA’s Head of Corporate Communications.

According to ICAO, the majority of aircraft already have the systems on board that can transmit their position every quarter of an hour, though the specific numbers are yet to be released. While IATA states that it has no information about the estimated cost of implementing the proposed 15 minute tracking standard, ICAO explains that each operator can decide on the specific technologies or procedures to use for reporting their aircraft locations.

“This means, essentially, a no-cost to very low-cost first step in the establishment of a global tracking system. ICAO does not stipulate the alternatives which can be considered, only the performance requirement the solution must achieve,” adds the Secretary General Chief of ICAO.

“IATA welcomes the ICAO recommendation to move towards the adoption of a performance-based standard for the global tracking of commercial aircraft. The performance-based standards allow airlines to choose the best option for their aircraft & operations—not all airlines are alike,” continues the Head of Corporate Communications at IATA.

The Aircraft Tracking Task Force (ATTF), an initiative launched by IATA and closely aligned with ICAO, found that most airlines track their fleets using a variety of methods. The immediate focus should remain on leveraging the equipment already installed on aircraft. However, the equipment is also dependent on satellites, as there are gaps in the coverage over the ocean or on remote polar routes.  Adjusting the satellite coverage areas, tracking 100 000 flights per day and upgrading the existing avionics to suit new regulations would be too expensive for many industry players, especially those from the developing nations. According to Globalstar, the implementation of a space-base satellite aircraft tracking (ADS-B) system is estimated to cost in the range of $25 000 per plane. And there are multiple other issues to consider. For instance, large areas in Africa lack radar coverage or even normal communications whilst most narrow-body aircraft operating in the region do not have the capability for satellite communications.

Moreover, the critically minded industry delegates argue that the MH370 case was not representative to the proposed worldwide tracking changes at all, since the plane’s transponder (a device that emits an identifying signal) was turned off.

There is another reason why some industry players are reluctant to have transponders always turned on. Intensive status updating would add up to $13 per minute for data records analysis, depending on the amount of information retrieved or sent. Uploading every aircraft parameter is rather pricey. The entire travel span of 8 hours per several hundred thousand flights would require enormous investment upfront, which, unfortunately, contradicts with the associated “low-cost” implications.

In the meantime, according to ICAO, the importance of the 15-minute requirement lies in making the first step towards a more comprehensive tracking safety system. So will it actually help to save lives?

Firstly, the initiative will require sizable investment, rather than being a “no-cost” regulation. Secondly, the proposals, according to the industry officials, are less ambitious than many of the tracking concepts proposed before. Moreover, there are few examples in which additional tracking would have actually helped in locating the wreckage. For instance, in 2009 an Air France plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean just 5 minutes after the last report, while the long-range had been already programmed to report about its location every 10 (!) minutes. Nevertheless, the search area was still too far and vast for timely rescue and 228 passengers were killed. The Air France aircraft took two years to find.

The latest UN gathering at the High Level Safety Conference in Montreal once again reflects the pressure to demonstrate progress in time for the anniversary of MH370. In the meantime, although the technology — both in the form of on-board systems and satellite capabilities — to track flights around the globe does exist, not all airlines are in a position to implement the processes needed in order to use it. If every airliner in the sky started sending updates in 15-minute intervals today, the quantity of information could overwhelm carriers. Finally, even with the best technology, there is one issue that tracking will never be able to address and that issue is accidents.