GECAS takes delivery of its 394th – and last – Next-Generation 737

With an initial order placed in 1996, GECAS’ NG orderbook accounts for roughly one of every 15 NGs delivered to date. Surpassing other lessor’s skyline orders for the type, GECAS’ placements of NG’s have been leased to 64 operators across 32 countries. Exclusively powered by CFM-56 engines, the narrowbody has served the airline industry for decades and is ideally suited for both commercial passenger and cargo aircraft. 

“An exceptionally valuable asset in our portfolio, the Next-Generation 737 has been incredibly reliable for our customers,” states Declan Kelly, GECAS Executive Vice President, noting “Much of our success since the late 1990’s is in some way attributable to the NG and the relationship we’ve developed with the team at Boeing.”

In addition to new orders, GECAS has also provided new aircraft lease financing on an additional ~270 737NGs to customers around the world.

“The Next-Generation 737 has been an icon of the aviation industry for two decades,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President & CEO Kevin McAllister. “It’s been a workhorse for airlines and lessors alike and we’re proud to have delivered so many of these airplanes to GECAS. We look forward to beginning a new chapter of success together when GECAS takes delivery of its first 737 MAX next year.”

GECAS currently has 170 737 MAX airplanes on order, with the first delivery scheduled for January 2018.

Pilatus obtains PC-24 Type Certificates

Pilatus has obtained type certificates from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US-American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the first ever Swiss business jet.

Certification of the Super Versatile Jet prepares the ground for initial customer deliveries, which will see the PC-24 business jet take off from Central Switzerland for its entry on the global market.

In any project to develop a new aircraft, certification by the aviation authorities is by far the most important milestone, given that it means deliveries to customers may go ahead, generating revenue for the manufacturer. The PC-24 development project was officially announced in 2013, but work on the Super Versatile Jet has in fact been in progress for the past eleven and a half years.

Complex project with a tight schedule

The first PC-24 prototype completed its maiden flight in May 2015. All three prototypes used in the certification programme have flown a total of 2205 hours worldwide so far. Some flight tests were conducted in extreme environments: in icing conditions and very hot temperatures, at altitudes and speeds not usually encountered in everyday operations. Other tests have included bird impacts, structural stress tests, noise tests and general function. All this to prove that customers may depend on this aircraft to operate safely and reliably at all times, in line with statutory requirements. In fact, Pilatus test pilots took the aircraft to the very boundaries of its limits and even beyond, flying it in configurations and maneuvers forbidden to the commercial pilots who will subsequently occupy the cockpit.

Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman at Pilatus, said: “The PC-24 is the first ever Pilatus business jet. Naturally, the requirements associated with obtaining certification for this sort of aircraft are extremely rigorous, and I need hardly mention that we faced some big challenges. In 2013 we announced that the PC-24 would be ready in 2017, and now, shortly before the end of the year, we have achieved exactly that. And all performance data promised to our first 84 customers have been achieved or even exceeded. The PC-24 delivers a maximum speed of 440 knots (815 km/h) compared to the contractually agreed 425 knots (787 km/h) – to cite just one example. That is pure Pilatus, and typical of the qualities which set us apart!”

EgyptAir on cloud nine with latest 737-800 delivery

EgyptAir has received its ninth and final Boeing 737-800NGs on a lease deal from Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) and valued at $864 million. All nine were handed over during in the course of the past year.

Capt Sherif Ezzat, chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Airlines said the new addition would seat up to 154 passengers divided into 16 seats for business cabin and 138 for the economy class.
He said that for the first time, the aircraft will feature the Audio/Video on Demand System (AVOD), a refreshed interior and the signature elements of Boeing's innovative Sky Interior with modern sculpted sidewalls and window reveals, larger pivoting overhead stowage bins and LED lighting that enhances the sense of spaciousness. 

“The design offers larger, pivoting overhead stowage bins that add to the openness of the cabin. The bins give more passengers room to store a carry-on roll-aboard near their own seat, adding both extra convenience and extra legroom that reaches 48 inches. The business class cabin is also provided by electricity outlets for recharging, personal computers (PCs), and cellular, this is in addition to the personal in-flight entertaining system that offers our customers a variety of recent documentary and newly released movies, as well as radio channels,” Ezzat said

Safwat Musallam, chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Holding Company said: "This aircraft is the fleet's 69th aircraft and No. 29 of this type considered one of the best-selling in the Boeing 737 Next Generation," He congratulated Boeing and DAE for the completion of the deal on time.

New Cessna twin turboprop unveiled for cargo and commuter operations

The SkyCourier is a clean-sheet design and is expected to enter service in 2020. It will come in both cargo and commuter options. In its passenger format it will be able to carry 19 passengers.

“With our depth of expertise and proven success in new product development, we were eager to work directly with a world-class company like FedEx Express to jointly develop the Cessna SkyCourier,” said Scott Ernest, president and CEO of Textron Aviation. “The aircraft will fulfill a gap in this market segment with its superior performance and low operating costs in combination with the cabin flexibility, payload capability and efficiency only a clean-sheet design can offer.”
The cargo variant will feature a large cargo door and a flat floor cabin that is sized to handle up to three LD3 shipping containers with an impressive 6,000 pounds of maximum payload capability. The aircraft will also afford a maximum cruise speed of up to 200 ktas and a 900 nautical-mile maximum range.
The 19-passenger variant will include crew and passenger doors for smooth boarding, as well as large cabin windows for great natural light and views. Both configurations will offer single-point pressure refueling to enable faster turnarounds.
When Textron brought Beechcraft and Cessna together, there were drawings of a new twin turboprop from Beechcraft but Textron marketeers argue that the Cessna Caravan platform set the standard in the single-engine utility category for decades say the SkyCourier will build on that proven success in the large-utility category, offering even greater capability and mission flexibility.
Computer graphics from Textron show just how much larger the new SkyCourier is, compared to the Caravan. With its 54’10” length (16.71m) it is almost a metre longer than the Viking Twin Otter 400 with which it will compete
It will be powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65SC engines providing 1,100 SHP each. It also features McCauley 4-blade Blackmac propellers.

With a 5.000lb payload it will have a 400nm mile “perfect for feeder operations” FedEx said.Textron Aviation and FedEx leadership at today's signing ceremony (from left to right: David L. Cunningham, president and CEO, FedEx Express; David J. Bronczek, president and COO, FedEx Corp.; Scott Donnelly, chairman, president and CEO, Textron Inc.; Scott Ernest, president and CEO, Textron Aviation)

Airbus Foundation and Air Mauritius team up for goodwill flight

The Airbus Foundation and the Air Mauritius Foundation have operated a humanitarian flight comprising 3.5 tonnes of medical equipment on board the airline's latest A350-900 aircraft.

The cargo, which consisted of medical equipment including examination tables, wheelchairs, mattresses and medical beds, will help Mauritian NGOs that provide health care services to the community. Equipment will also be flown to Madagascar in order to ease the tense health care situation in the country.  

The aircraft took off from Toulouse on 25 November flying the goods to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, the home base of Air Mauritius. This is a joint humanitarian initiative facilitated by Aviation sans Frontières, the Airbus Foundation and the Air Mauritius Foundation.  

 

“It is a great honour for us and our Air Mauritius Foundation to be working shoulder to shoulder with the Airbus Foundation and Aviation Sans Frontières to make this humanitarian flight a reality,” said Somas Appavou, Chief Executive Officer of Air Mauritius. “The Air Mauritius Foundation was launched to strengthen our company’s social engagement. Every year, we help thousands of Mauritians in the fields of health, education, sports and culture. This mission is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the power of cooperation in aviation to bring much needed relief to people in the region.” 

 

“I am proud to see that yet another brand new customer aircraft is being delivered with humanitarian goods on board,” said Fabrice Brégier, President Airbus Commercial Aircraft and a Member of the Airbus Foundation’s Board of Directors. “I wish to thank Air Mauritius and all partners involved for their truly tremendous and tireless efforts to conduct this mission.”

 

Air Mauritius has also received its second Airbus A350-900 in Toulouse on November 25, 2017. It has made its first commercial flight from Paris CDG to Mauritius.

 

Bombardier cements Q400 deal with South Africa's Cem Air

At an event in Johannesburg last night, Bombardier confirmed this orderfollowed a letter of intent signed at the Paris Airshow, earlier this year and is valued at $66million at list price.

"CemAir has enjoyed significant growth in the last few years and this has come from our focused approach on selecting the right aircraft for our operation", said Miles van der Molen, the airline’s CEO. "The Q400 is a fantastic performer especially in our environment of high altitudes and hot operating temperatures. It is really an unbeatable turboprop that brings so many jet-like features to ensure a competitive and operational advantage in our market. We see the Q400 as the ideal growth solution for our scheduled and charter operations as we continue to strengthen our relationship with Bombardier. We are working to expand our scheduled operations beyond South Africa and continuing to support new opportunities across the continent."

With these Q400 aircraft, CemAir sees an increase its current fleet of Bombardier aircraft to 17 - including five Q Series turboprops and 12 CRJ Series aircraft. CemAir recently added a used CRJ900 aircraft to its fleet, the first in South Africa.

The company has operating and leasing experience throughout Africa and the Middle East, including Afghanistan, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Kenya, Mali, Gabon, Ghana, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Sudan, Zambia, as well as South Africa.

Speaking at the event, Bombardier’s Jean-Paul Boutibou, vice president, sales, Middle-East and Africa said: "The Q400 is the next natural step in the growth of CemAir's fleet as it brings more flexibility to increase the capacity on key routes. The Q400 will open several market opportunities to CemAir on domestic and future regional routes." 

Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens to develop hybrid-electric aircraft power

Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens have formed a partnership which aims at developing a near-term flight demonstrator which will be a significant step forward in hybrid-electric propulsion for commercial aircraft.

The three companies together announced the groundbreaking collaboration, bringing together some of the world’s foremost experts in electrical and propulsion technologies, at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London. 
 
The E-Fan X hybrid-electric technology demonstrator is anticipated to fly in 2020 following a comprehensive ground test campaign, provisionally on a BAe 146 flying testbed, with one of the aircraft’s four gas turbine engines replaced by a two megawatt electric motor. Provisions will be made to replace a second gas turbine with an electric motor once system maturity has been proven.
 
“The E-Fan X is an important next step in our goal of making electric flight a reality in the foreseeable future. The lessons we learned from a long history of electric flight demonstrators, starting with the Cri-Cri, including the e-Genius, E-Star, and culminating most recently with the E-Fan 1.2, as well as the fruits of the E-Aircraft Systems House collaboration with Siemens, will pave the way to a hybrid single-aisle commercial aircraft that is safe, efficient, and cost-effective,” said Paul Eremenko, Airbus’ Chief Technology Officer. “We see hybrid-electric propulsion as a compelling technology for the future of aviation.”
 
The E-Fan X demonstrator will explore the challenges of high-power propulsion systems, such as thermal effects, electric thrust management, altitude and dynamic effects on electric systems and electromagnetic compatibility issues. The objective is to push and mature the technology, performance, safety and reliability enabling quick progress on the hybrid electric technology. The programme also aims at establishing the requirements for future certification of electrically powered aircraft while training a new generation of designers and engineers to bring hybrid-electric commercial aircraft one step closer to reality.
 
As part of the E-Fan X programme, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens will each contribute with their extensive experience and know-how in their respective fields of expertise:
 
-       Airbus will be responsible for overall integration as well as the control architecture of the hybrid-electric propulsion system and batteries, and its integration with flight controls.
-       Rolls-Royce will be responsible for the turbo-shaft engine, two megawatt generator, and power electronics. Along with Airbus, Rolls-Royce will also work on the fan adaptation to the existing nacelle and the Siemens electric motor.
-       Siemens will deliver the two megawatt electric motors and their power electronic control unit, as well as the inverter, DC/DC converter, and power distribution system. This comes on top of the E-Aircraft Systems House collaboration between Airbus and Siemens, launched in 2016, which aims at development and maturation of various electric propulsion system components and their terrestrial demonstraion across various power classes.
 
Paul Stein, Rolls-Royce, Chief Technology Officer, said: “The E-Fan X enables us to build on our wealth of electrical expertise to revolutionise flight and welcome in the third generation of aviation. This is an exciting time for us as this technological advancement will result in Rolls-Royce creating the world’s most powerful flying generator.
 
“Siemens has been driving innovation in core technology fields at full speed,” said Roland Busch, Chief Technology Officer of Siemens. “In April 2016 we opened a new chapter in electric-mobility with the collaboration with Airbus. Building up electric propulsion for aircraft, we are creating new perspectives for our company and also for our customers and society. With the E-Fan X partnership, we now take the next step to demonstrate the technology in the air.”
 
Among the top challenges for today’s aviation sector is to move towards a means of transport with improved environmental performance, that is more efficient and less reliant on fossil fuels. The partners are committed to meeting the EU technical environmental goals of the European Commission’s Flightpath 2050 Vision for Aviation (reduction of CO2 by 60%, reduction of NOx by 90% and noise reduction by 75%). These cannot be achieved with the technologies existing today. Therefore, Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens are investing in and focusing research work in different technology areas including electrification. Electric and hybrid-electric propulsion are seen today as among the most promising technologies for addressing these challenges.