Lufthansa conducts electric taxi trials on A320

Kingfisher to return aircrafts

India's Kingfisher Airlines Ltd plans to return some aircraft voluntarily to lessors after defaulting on payments and has seen a fresh exodus of pilots, local media reported. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked the struggling carrier to explain why it has cancelled a large number of flights since Saturday. Kingfisher will return two more Airbus A320s this month to their lessors, as their leases have been terminated because of payment defaults.

Of the 64 planes in its fleet, Kingfisher is using just over a dozen to operate flights currently. The Times of India newspaper said that 35 of Kingfisher's A320 commanders quit the airline on February 14, followed by another over the weekend. In all, about 300-350 pilots have quit the airline in the last six months, it said, without citing any sources. Kingfisher, controlled by liquor baron Vijay Mallya, has cancelled 32 out of the 240 flights that it operates each day, the airlines said on Saturday, adding that it expected to return to full service within days.

Airbus sees Asia as recession buffer

Demand for new planes from China and Asia will provide Airbus with a buffer for growth in the event of a global recession resulting from Europe's debt crisis, the company's chief operating officer said on Thursday.  "So far we have 1,000 net orders (from Europe) at the end of August and the air traffic is still good," Fabrice Bregier said.  "However, we might well expect some adjustments in the future. This is very different from 2008-2009. In this case we see a problem of some European states with excessive debt but the real economy is very good," he said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Dalian.  The euro area debt crisis has contributed to increasing concerns in financial markets that the world economy could slip into another recession. Bregier said it may be a "challenge" to avoid another recession that would bring about less air.

Demand for new planes from China and Asia will provide Airbus with a buffer for growth in the event of a global recession resulting from Europe's debt crisis, the company's chief operating officer said on Thursday. "So far we have 1,000 net orders (from Europe) at the end of August and the air traffic is still good," Fabrice Bregier said. "However, we might well expect some adjustments in the future. This is very different from 2008-2009. In this case we see a problem of some European states with excessive debt but the real economy is very good," he said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Dalian.

The euro area debt crisis has contributed to increasing concerns in financial markets that the world economy could slip into another recession.
Bregier said it may be a "challenge" to avoid another recession that would bring about less air traffic and slower growth for airlines. But he said he expected growth in Asia and especially China to provide a suitable growth buffer for Airbus. "If there is a big recession there will be less traffic and so the airlines will not generate the cash to buy new aircraft," Bregier said. "Now we are in the global market, so we don't sell exclusively to Europe or America and in our order book our biggest share comes from Asia, and China plays a big role."
Bregier said Airbus will deliver its first superjumbo to mainland carrier China Southern Airlines in a few weeks and the aircraft will be operational in November.

Boeing said on September 7 that China will need 5,000 commercial aircraft worth USD$600 billion over the next 20 years, a 25 percent increase on the company's previous estimate. Airbus, which currently has a 45 percent market share in China, is due to publish its global forecasts on September 20. Bregier said the firm's market share in China will exceed 50 percent in the next few years.
"We plan to deliver about 90 aircraft in China next year and about 100 this year," he said. In June, China placed an order for 88 Airbus A320 planes putting aside a bubbling trade row with Europe over a proposed emissions scheme as it sought to fuel economic growth. The deal, worth USD$7.5 billion at list price and with deliveries scheduled for 2012-15, was signed by China Aviation Supplies and Industrial Commercial Bank of China.

Although China plans to start competing with Airbus and Boeing by building its own narrow-body passenger jets from the second half of this decade, it has ordered large numbers of Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s to feed traffic growth.
Airbus began assembling planes for the Chinese market at a factory in Tianjin, outside Beijing, in 2009. Bregier said he expects to make inroads into the China market with sales of the A380 superjumbo aircraft. "I think they (other Chinese airlines) will be very interested in A380s when they see the success of China Southern... We expect other top players in China to progressively order A380s," he said. "The trend is clear, China will need bigger aircraft in the future and so we think with the A380, we really have a trump".traffic and slower growth for airlines. But he said he expected growth in Asia and especially China to provide a suitable growth buffer for Airbus. "If there is a big recession there will be less traffic and so the airlines will not generate the cash to buy new aircraft," Bregier said. "Now we are in the global market, so we don't sell exclusively to Europe or America and in our order book our biggest share comes from Asia, and China plays a big role."

Bregier said Airbus will deliver its first superjumbo to mainland carrier China Southern Airlines in a few weeks and the aircraft will be operational in November.  Boeing said on September 7 that China will need 5,000 commercial aircraft worth USD$600 billion over the next 20 years, a 25 percent increase on the company's previous estimate. Airbus, which currently has a 45 percent market share in China, is due to publish its global forecasts on September 20. Bregier said the firm's market share in China will exceed 50 percent in the next few years.  "We plan to deliver about 90 aircraft in China next year and about 100 this year," he said. In June, China placed an order for 88 Airbus A320 planes putting aside a bubbling trade row with Europe over a proposed emissions scheme as it sought to fuel economic growth.

The deal, worth USD$7.5 billion at list price and with deliveries scheduled for 2012-15, was signed by China Aviation Supplies and Industrial Commercial Bank of China. Although China plans to start competing with Airbus and Boeing by building its own narrow-body passenger jets from the second half of this decade, it has ordered large numbers of Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s to feed traffic growth. Airbus began assembling planes for the Chinese market at a factory in Tianjin, outside Beijing, in 2009. Bregier said he expects to make inroads into the China market with sales of the A380 superjumbo aircraft. "I think they (other Chinese airlines) will be very interested in A380s when they see the success of China Southern... We expect other top players in China to progressively order A380s," he said. "The trend is clear, China will need bigger aircraft in the future and so we think with the A380, we really have a trump".

China signs for 88 new Airbus 320 aircrafts

China placed an order for 88 Airbus A320 planes on Tuesday, putting a bubbling trade row with Europe over a proposed emissions scheme aside as it tries to to fuel economic growth. Airbus said on Tuesday it had signed the deal with China Aviation Supplies and Industrial Commerce Bank of China. The deal, worth USD$7.5 billion at list prices and with deliveries scheduled for 2012-15, was signed by Airbus president Tom Enders and CAS President Li Hai during a visit to Germany by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. The visit came days after industry sources said China had delayed the high-profile announcement of a USD$3.8 billion order for 10 Airbus A380 superjumbo jets at the Paris Air Show to protest over European Union emissions trading rules. Under plans to include international aviation in its carbon market from next year, the EU would require all airlines flying to Europe to buy permits for each tonne of carbon dioxide they emit above a certain cap.

While China continues to put the brakes on lucrative orders of European wide-body aircraft, industry analysts said it seemed as though China was pulling back from a full-blown trade spat to protect economic growth. Although it plans to start competing with Airbus and Boeing by building its own narrow-body passenger jets from the second half of this decade, China is still ordering large volumes of Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s to feed huge traffic growth. Ordering A320s is also in the country's interest as Airbus began assembling planes for the Chinese market at a factory in Tianjin, outside Beijing, in 2009. While China typically schedules aircraft orders to coincide with political visits, the deals can be difficult to break down. In November 2010, China and France announced 102 Airbus orders during a visit to Paris by President Hu Jintao, but the manufacturer said only 66 involved new contracts. In January, China announced final approval for 200 Boeing aircraft worth USD$19 billion in a boost for President Barack Obama as Hu visited the United States. Again, analysts said the deals had been in the works and accounted for by investors for some time.

Tuesday's orders were all new and firm, Airbus claimed.

Paris air show aircraft orders' list

The orders confirmed by Airbus and Boeing as it stands at Paris air show.

Company Firm Value Provisional Value

Airbus 312 $30.2 bln 318 $29.5 bln

Boeing 47 $7.5 bln 94 $14.9 bln



Last year at Farnborough Airshow, Airbus unveiled net new orders for 130 planes worth over $13 billion, and Boeing 103 new orders worth over $10 billion.

Between them, they racked up a combined 176 provisional orders worth over $19 billion



AIRBUS ORDERS BY CUSTOMER:
FIRM ORDERS

Company No of aircraft Type Value

LAN 20 A320neo $1.8 bln

IndiGo 30 A320 $2.5 bln

IndiGo 150 A320neo $13.7 bln

TransAsia 6 A321neo $0.6 bln

Air Lease Corp 11 A330 $2.4 bln

Air Lease Corp 1 A321 $0.1 bln

SAS 30 A320neo $2.7 bln

GECAS 60 A320neo $5.5 bln

Saudi Arabian 4 A330 $0.9 bln



PROVISIONAL ORDERS

Company No of aircraft Type Value

Alafco 30 A320neo $2.7 bln

Republic 40 A320neo $3.6 bln

Republic 40 A319neo $3.4 bln

Avianca 18 A320 $1.5 bln

Avianca 33 A320neo $3.0 bln

Alafco 6 A350-900 $1.6 bln

Garuda 15 A320 $1.3 bln

Garuda 10 A320neo $0.9 bln

JetBlue 40 A320neo $3.6 bln

CIT 50 A320neo $4.6 bln

Air Lease Corp 36 A320neo $3.3 bln



BOEING ORDERS BY CUSTOMER:

FIRM ORDERS

Company No of aircraft Type Value

*Malaysian 10 737-800 $0.8 bln

*Aeroflot 8 777-300ER $2.3 bln

Norwegian 3 787 $0.6 bln

Norwegian 15 737-800 $1.2 bln

Mongolian 1 767-300ER $0.16bln

Mongolian 2 737-800 $0.16bln

Unidentified 2 747-8 $0.6 bln

*Qatar Airways 6 777-300ER $1.7 bln * - orders were previously in Boeing order book but customer was unidentified



PROVISIONAL ORDERS

Company No of aircraft Type Value

UTair Aviation 7 737-900ER $0.6 bln

UTair Aviation 33 737-800 $2.7 bln

GECAS 8 777-300ER $2.3 bln

GECAS 2 747-8F $0.6 bln

Unidentified 15 747-8 $4.8 bln

Air Lease Corp 20 737 $1.6 bln

Air Lease Corp 5 777 $1.4 bln

Air Lease Corp 4 787-9 $0.9 bln

Paris air show - orders soar

Airbus faced the unexpected and daunting task on Monday of delivering a marketing blow to rival Boeing and maintaining momentum for a revamped jet with its two flagship planes grounded at the Paris Air Show. The European planemaker has targeted an order surge worth tens of billions of dollars, but was left reeling as the world's largest aviation event was jinxed by a series of mishaps including a taxiway collision involving the A380 superjumbo. The right-hand wing-tip of a test plane for the world's largest jetliner, with a wingspan of almost 80 meters (yards), scraped a building at Le Bourget airport on Sunday and was withdrawn from the air show's traditional flying displays.

A second aircraft, the delayed European A400M airlifter, was also withdrawn from air display after a gearbox problem but will be allowed to perform in a flypast when French President Nicolas Sarkozy inaugurates the biennial event on Monday. The A380 collision caused dismay hours after the arrival of its new rival Boeing's elongated 747-8 superjumbo which is showing its distinctive silhouette abroad for the first time. The latest version of the legendary 747 jumbo touched down in orange and red "sunrise" livery symbolizing the importance of Asia, whose economic growth is set to dominate aviation in coming years starting with this week's air show. Industry sources expect some sales of both the A380 and 747-8 during the June 20-26 event but the main joust for market share concerns narrow-body, medium-haul 150-seat planes.

The air show could bring two record deals on successive days as Airbus tries to woo buyers for a revamped A320neo with more efficient engines, saving airlines 15 percent in fuel costs. "We clearly believe in the business case and the orders you are going to see at the show are going to be astounding," said David Hess, chief executive of engine maker Pratt & Whitney. Buyers are already camped out in Paris hotels to negotiate the final details of major deals but are aware that Airbus has staked a lot on winning a slew of orders for the A320neo at the Paris show, and some are said to be digging in their heels. A $16 billion provisional deal from IndiGo to buy 180 A320neo passenger jets, first announced in January, was mired in further negotiations that could spill beyond the air show. The deal if finalized would set a record for the number of planes in one transaction. But sources say if all goes to plan it is set to be eclipsed by a 200-plane order being fine-tuned between Airbus and Malaysia's AirAsia.

Demand for aircraft is on a sharp rebound driven by demand from Asia's rapidly growing airports and the Middle East. "Those two markets will enjoy at least one-third if not more of the demand increase for global air traffic in the next decade," said Philip Toy, a managing director at Alix Partners. The Airbus A320neo has also benefited from airline concerns about fuel costs. Boeing said on Sunday it would decide by end-year whether to upgrade its 737 with new engines from about 2016, as Airbus has done, or build an all-new jet in 2019. "They will sell hundreds but it is hard to tell what is gross and what is net, what is a conversion from an earlier order. There are myriad complications," said Teal Group analyst Richard Aboulafia said of the A320neo.

Orders are likely to include a confirmation of an $8 billion 100-plane order from leasing giant ILFC and another plane order for both Airbus and Boeing planes another big lessor, GECAS. But it could be Boeing that grabs attention on day one of the show with a sale of 777 wide-body airplanes to Qatar Airways -- a reminder that the two planemakers are battling for market share on a second front after Airbus revamped its A350. Russia and China will flex their muscles as potential rivals to Airbus and Boeing, especially during a Tuesday visit by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and some analysts expect surprise sales. But Western planemakers say it will be some time before newcomers mount a serious challenge in civil aerospace.

Cebu Air orders 37 Airbus aircrafts

Philippine budget carrier Cebu Air will buy 37 planes from Airbus for USD$3.8 billion as it looks to more than double its fleet over the next 10 years and expand its routes, the company's chief executive said on Thursday. Lance Gokongwei told reporters Cebu Air has put in orders for 30 new A321neos and seven A320s from Airbus with delivery between 2015 and 2021. The order is in addition to 18 A320s that Cebu Pacific is set to receive from the second half of this year up to 2014. "This is the largest single aircraft order ever made by a Philippine carrier," Gokongwei said, adding it was also the largest firm order for the A321neo in the world. "We expect to launch a flight using A321 by 2017," he said. "We will be able to serve cities in Australia, India, and northern Japan, places the A320 cannot reach."

The airline plans to use internally generated cash and may seek loans from export credit agencies and commercial lenders to fund the purchases. Cebu Air, which operates the country's largest budget airline Cebu Pacific, is a unit of Philippine conglomerate JG Summit Holdings. The airline expects to at least meet its target of flying 12 million passengers this year, up 14 percent from last year, despite rising fuel prices. It currently has 33 jets, of which 25 are A320s and eight are turbo prop planes from aircraft maker ATR. "With the A321neo, Cebu Pacific will be able to fly more people further at significantly lower cost per seat than any other competing aircraft, and with less impact on the environment," Airbus chief operating officer John Leahy said in a statement.

Cebu Air has yet to make an engine choice for the A321neo, but the choices open to it are CFM International's LEAP-X and Pratt & Whitney's PurePower PW1100G. The A321neo, the largest model in the recently launched A320neo series, uses new engines and large wing-tip devices called sharklets that would allow Cebu Pacific to achieve 15 percent reduced fuel burn, a statement from Cebu Air said. Cebu Air competes with flag carrier Philippine Airlines locally and with Singapore's Tiger Airways and Malaysia's Air Asia in the region.

Thai Air places aircraft orders worth $3.9 billion with Airbus and Boeing

Thai Airways announced Monday that it would acquire 23 Airbus and 14 Boeing airplanes for about $3.9 billion to modernise its ageing fleet after a period of financial turbulence. The carrier said the deals, which have been approved by its board of directors, would enable it to grow profits and be among the top three leading airlines in Asia in terms of quality and service efficiency. The airline plans to buy six Boeing 777-300ER planes, four Airbus A350-900s and five A320-200s for a total of about $1.6 billion, for delivery between 2014 and 2017. It will also lease 22 aircraft, including eight Boeing 787 Dreamliners, to be delivered between 2012 and 2017, a company statement said. "Acquiring new aircraft made from lightweight and non-corrosive composite material to replace retiring aircraft will save fuel and maintenance costs," it added.

The company is bouncing back after a tough spell that saw it sink 21.3 billion baht ($702 million) in the red in 2008 owing to the global financial crisis, high fuel costs and political protests that temporarily shut Bangkok's airports. The carrier posted a net profit of 1.6 billion baht in 2010, up more than threefold compared with 2009 as revenue more than doubled. The airline faces increased competition from regional low-cost carriers such as Air Asia and last year announced plans to start its own budget airline in cooperation with Singapore's Tiger Airways. Currently Thai Airways operates a mixed fleet, including some ageing Boeing 747 jumbos and Airbus A300s, which are no longer being produced.

Thai Airways president Piyasvasti Amranand admitted in October that the carrier's planes were "pretty old" and said the company needed to move quickly given the backlog of orders facing Boeing and Airbus. The new orders are on top of a plan announced a year ago to take delivery of seven Airbus A330-300s medium-range aircraft and eight Boeing 777-300ER long-range planes by 2014 on lease.The group has delayed delivery of six Airbus A380s, now due to arrive starting from 2012, because of a shortage of cash. The launch of Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner, heralded as a new generation of highly fuel-efficient mid-sized aircraft, has been repeatedly delayed due to a string of technical mishaps. Delivery of the first 787s is now scheduled for the third quarter of 2011 to inaugural customer All Nippon Airways of Japan.

Hong Kong Airlines expanding its fleet with A380 orders

Hong Kong Airlines Ltd. will order Airbus A380s as it challenges larger neighbor Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. and adds flights in China, the world’s fastest- growing air-travel market. The carrier, controlled by the investment arm of China’s Hainan province government, will announce the deal at next week’s Paris Air Show, it said in a text-message reply to questions today. It didn’t elaborate on the number of superjumbos it will buy at the show, which starts June 20th. The world’s largest airliner may help Hong Kong Air compete with Cathay on long-haul routes and offset a looming capacity crunch at the city’s airport caused by delays in building a new runway. The carrier will be the third new A380 customer this year, following Skymark Airlines Inc. and Asiana Airlines Inc., as Airbus boosts sales among smaller Asian carriers. “It’s a good move for brand-building,” said Kelvin Lau, a Hong Kong-based analyst at Daiwa Capital Markets. “It’s quite difficult for newcomers to break into lucrative long-haul routes.”

Hong Kong Air also agreed to order 32 Boeing Co. 787s and six 777 freighters earlier this year to help expand. It had 30 Airbus A320s, 12 A330s and 15 A350s on order as of the end of May, according to the Toulouse, France-based planemaker’s website. The carrier and affiliate Hong Kong Express now operate 18 planes, according to their website. The airline expects to double passenger numbers to 4 million this year as it adds planes and taps China’s rising travel, President Yang Jianhong said in March. The carrier has a less than 10 percent share of Hong Kong’s outbound travel market, Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc said at the time. The airline will be the second in Greater China to order the A380 following China Southern Airlines Co. Airbus is due to deliver the first superjumbo to China Southern later this year. The planemaker has sold a total of 234 A380s, of which 49 have been delivered, as of the end of May, according to its website.

Orders for the A380 have been dominated by Middle East and Asia-Pacific carriers. Emirates Airline has placed orders for 90, making it the largest customer. Singapore Airlines Ltd. was the first carrier to fly the superjumbo on commercial services. Asiana, South Korea’s second-biggest carrier, signed up for six A380s in January. Skymark, a Japanese budget airline, confirmed an order for four the following month. Cathay Pacific has so far ruled out ordering A380s and is instead building its long-haul fleet with smaller planes. It ordered 15 Airbus A330-300s and 10 Boeing 777-300ERs in March, following an agreement for 30 A350s in August. “We’ll probably have another good look at big aircraft in the next one or two years,” Chief Executive Officer John Slosar said last week in Singapore at the International Air Transport Association’s annual general meeting.

Hong Kong Air is seeking to raise funds by selling a stake to private-equity investors ahead of an initial public offering that may raise as much as $1 billion, Yang said in March. The carrier had a net income of about HK$110 million ($14 million) in 2010, its first annual profit, and it may double that this year, he said. Hong Kong Airport will likely reach full capacity by about 2020 because of growing demand for flights into China, operator Airport Authority Hong Kong said earlier this month as public consultation on plans to build a third runway began. Passenger numbers at the airport may grow as much as 3.6 percent a year, reaching 105 million by 2030, according to estimates on its website. China’s international passenger numbers my rise 11 percent a year through 2014, about double the pace of the global market, according to the International Air Transport Association.

AirAsia could order upto 200 A320's

AirAsia could buy as many as 200 Airbus jets in a landmark deal shaping up to dominate the Paris Air Show, industry sources said. The deal is among the most keenly awaited in a recovering civil aviation sector, and could help to determine the success of the European planemaker's efforts to stymie a draft project by rival Boeing to design a new 150-200 seat aircraft. Under pressure from airlines to provide a cushion against high fuel costs, Airbus is marketing a new version of its best-selling A320 passenger jet with new engines which it says will save 15 percent in fuel bills starting from late 2015. Malaysia-based AirAsia has said it is considering buying at least 150 of the "A320neo" aircraft as the region's largest budget carrier expands in the face of high oil prices.

But industry sources told Reuters that the range of negotiations is higher than previously expected and could reach 200 planes, trumping a 180-plane provisional order from India's IndiGo as the industry's largest ever by number of aircraft. "They are talking about 150 to 200 aircraft," an industry source familiar with the negotiations said, asking not to be named. Such a deal would be worth $14 billion to $18 billion at list prices, depending on the exact model of aircraft involved, though big plane orders tend to generate significant discounts. The record for the largest Airbus deal by value is held by Emirates airline with a $22 billion purchase in 2007.

EADS  subsidiary Airbus declined to comment. A spokesperson for AirAsia said talks were continuing. Both sides hope to announce the deal at the Paris Air Show on June 20-26 but the size of the deal and its timing remain uncertain because of the sums involved, industry sources said. AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes has set his sights on doubling the size of the nine-year-old airline to rival Southwest Airlines' fleet of more than 500 jets. The airline has already ordered 175 of the original design of A320, of which 86 have yet to be delivered.

However in a sign that the Airbus deal should not be taken for granted, Fernandes wrote on Twitter on Friday that he was asked to meet aircraft manufacturer Bombardier in Montreal. The Canadian company wants to challenge Airbus and Boeing with its CSeries planes. Fernandes has regularly broken the secretive protocol of aircraft negotiations by tweeting about the talks. Boeing is mulling whether to follow Airbus down the "re-engining" route by tinkering with its 737 passenger jet or making more revolutionary changes with an all-new plane offering even bigger fuel savings to cash-tight airlines from 2020.

"The A320neo appears to have good traction with current A320 fliers, particularly low cost carriers," said Rob Stallard, aviation analyst at RBC Capital Markets, who predicts around 300 orders for the $90-million jetliner by the end of the year. "Even if Boeing goes ahead with a clean-sheet new narrowbody with entry into service around 2020, we think most Airbus narrowbody customers will stick with the neo due to the high cost of switching providers," he added. Airline executives say a key factor for Boeing will be whether Airbus manages to convert any of its major traditional clients, especially U.S.-based ones such as Southwest.

The AirAsia order, if confirmed, could also give a much-needed boost to transatlantic consortium CFM International. Industry sources say the Cincinnati-based company is the front-runner to win a lucrative contract for the airplanes' engines, breaking a drought of orders after rival Pratt & Whitney scooped up most orders so far for the A320neo. CFM is a joint venture between General Electric and France's Safran. Pratt & Whitney has developed an engine called the Geared Turbofan with a change of architecture for the narrowbody 737 and A320 market, the largest slice of the commercial aerospace industry worth $1.7 trillion in plane sales over 20 years.

Indian Aviation expanding rapidly

India's largest private airline Jet Airways and budget carrier GoAir are in line to order $6.5 billion worth of Airbus aircraft at the forthcoming Paris Air Show, The Economic Times reported on Thursday. The financial daily quoted Jet chairman Naresh Goyal as saying that they were buying 10 A330 aircraft worth $2.5 billion as part of plans to expand its routes in Europe. GoAir is looking to order at least 50 narrow-body A320 jets worth $4 billion for short-haul domestic routes, which will be brought into service as soon as next year, the report said, quoting two sources familiar with the matter.

Both orders were still being negotiated but were in the final stages, the newspaper added, quoting unnamed sources within Airbus. A Jet Airways spokeswoman in New Delhi told AFP that she had no details on the exact nature of the orders, as Goyal was speaking on the sidelines of the recent International Air Transport Association annual general meeting in Singapore. But she added: "We're asking for just a few (aircraft) because that's in line and keeping with our growth plan."

No one was immediately available for comment at GoAir. The Economic Times said budget airline IndiGo would also push ahead with a previously announced order for 180 A320 aircraft with an estimated value of $15 billion, after signing a memorandum of understanding with Airbus last year. Air India, the state-run national carrier, is planning to take 10 A330s and 16 A320s on a rental basis, it added. Aviation has taken off in India in recent years but private airlines have been grappling with rising fuel prices and a slowdown in economic growth that has hit business.

Etihad road show in South East Asia

Etihad Airways Pilot recruitment team will be touring South East Asia throughout June 2011 in search of new First Officers. Etihad is looking for qualified first officers for its fleet of A320, A330,A340 and B777, all based in the Capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi.







The schedule of the road show is as follows.

City	Date	Time	Location
Jakarta	07.06.2011	09:00 - 15:00	City DateTimeLocationJakarta07.06.201109:00 - 15:00
Singapore	09.06.2011 10.06.2011	09:00 - 15:00	Swissôtel The Stamford, 2 Stamford Road
Kuala Lumpur	13.06.2011 14.06.2011	09:00 - 15:00	Doubletree by Hilton, Kuala Lumpur, The Intermark, 182 Jalan Tun Razak
Manila	16.06.2011	09:00 - 15:00	Mandarin Oriental Makati Hotel, Makati Avenue, Makati City 1226
Hong Kong	19.06.2011	09:00 - 15:00	Novotel Citygate Hong Kong, 51 Man Tung Road
Ho Chi Min	21.06.2011	09:00 - 15:00	Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, 88 Dong Khoi Street, District 1
Bangkok	24.06.2011 25.06.2011	09:00 - 15:00	Golden Tulip Hotel, 92 Soi Saengcham. Rama 9 Road

Indigo's lady Captian who can't land the plane

On January 11, when IndiGo Airlines’ flight 6E 333 had a bumpy touchdown at Goa International Airport, it was a close brush with disaster for over 100 passengers aboard the A 320. The woman pilot in command landed the plane on its fragile nose wheel — an erroneous manoeuvre that could have even led to the flying machine disintegrating and catching fire.

Alarmingly, an inquiry conducted later by the Director General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA) revealed that on 15 to 20 earlier occasions, Captain Parminder Kaur Gulati landed the aircraft at an angle indicating that the nose wheel may have touched the tarmac first. This is unheard of in aviation circles. Aircraft normally land on the main landing gear ( MLG), comprising the two sets of rear wheels. After these bigger — and sturdier — wheels touch the runway, the speed of the plane is reduced. This is followed by the already opened nose landing gear ( NLG) — the smaller front wheel just below the cockpit of the aircraft — coming in contact with the surface.

Flight 6E 333 took off from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and was bound for Goa. Abhas Gupta was Gulati’s copilot aboard the aircraft. Captain Gulati appeared to have been so oblivious to the abnormal and highly risky touchdown at the Goa International Airport that she just reported the incident as a “rough landing”. Not only did the steep descent leave the passengers’ hearts in their mouths, it went against the recommendations of aircraft manufacturer Airbus, too. This was not the end of the matter.

After the rough landing in Goa, Gulati and the engineer concerned merely carried out an inspection of the aircraft and reported that everything was normal. The airbus was, therefore, cleared to fly back to Delhi. The Indigo flight 6E 332 — with passengers on board — started its return journey to Delhi. But midway through, the plane’s electronic systems signalled a problem in the landing gear. The warning related to the nose undercarriage being internally damaged.

The electronic signal that flashed in the cockpit showed that the landing gear didn’t retract because it was stuck in the “ down position”. The Indigo aircraft had to then return to Goa to offload the passengers. Later, it took off from Goa without the passengers and landed at IGI Airport. The combined probe carried out by the DGCA, Airbus and IndiGo confirmed that the aircraft had landed on the NLG first, followed by the MLG. “This is a non- conventional landing,” the report accessed by MAIL TODAY said.

Gulati’s flying history came under the scanner of the investigators. An analysis of the digital flight data recorder ( DFDR) of the aircraft she previously flew pointed out that in her 15- 20 earlier landings the ‘ touchdown attitude’ was 3.8 degrees, which went against the recommended attitude of 5.8 degrees. Though within the safety zone, this increased the chances of the nose wheel touching first, the report stated.

The standard glide angle followed by an aircraft during descent is 3 degrees and the nose of the aircraft should be at 2.5 degrees at the horizon level. Just before touchdown, the latter is increased to 5 degrees. However, in the IndiGo flight’s case, the pilot gave a negative pitch attitude and reduced the angle to 3.8 degrees resulting in the aircraft landing on the NLG. The report disclosed that the auto pilot was disconnected at 311 feet above ground level. At 100 feet, the captain gave a pitch- up command to ensure that the MLG touched the runway first.

“At the last moment (around 10- 20 feet), the captain gave a nose- down input. This resulted in a negative pitch attitude during touchdown,” the document revealed. The regulator (DGCA) and the investigation board recommended that the pilot should be sent on correctional training. IndiGo CEO Aditya Ghosh admitted that the pilot had landed the aircraft on its nose wheel. He further claimed that all the recommendations made by IndiGo pertaining to the incident had been accepted by the DGCA.

“Indigo conducted an investigation and the inquiry board recommended that the captain should be sent on training to correct her landing technique. She was also advised to undertake a cockpit resource management refresher course as well as a route check. She has already undergone these procedures,” Ghosh said.

Significantly, the lady captain has earlier been counselled for a serious error in the go- around approach during a landing at the IGI Airport. Commenting on the incident, aviation expert Captain A. Ranganathan said: “The nose wheel can’t take the impact of landing. The pilot’s landing on the plane’s nose could have led to serious consequences. The episode shows there was a deficiency in training.” Former DGCA Kanu Gohain also felt that it was a very serious incident since the NLG is the weakest part of the aircraft and not designed to handle its landing weight. For the passengers, it was nothing less than a miraculous escape.

Virgin America places firm order of 60 new Airbus 320

Virgin America today announces a firm order for 60 new Airbus A320 aircraft to be delivered starting in 2013, including 30 of the A320neo aircraft  the first commercial order for the new eco-efficient engine option. This formalizes and expands an initial commitment made at the Farnborough International Airshow in July 2010. Today's announcement of the new fuel-saving A320neo is a new development in that deal. Virgin America is the launch customer for the new eco-efficient Airbus A320neo aircraft, which promises to be one of the most fuel and carbon-efficient commercial aircraft in the world. With today's order and growth from other sources, Virgin America's fleet will more than triple in size – from its current 34 aircraft to 111 aircraft by 2019. To celebrate its growth, the airline today launches a "Sweet 60" sale on flights across its network with fares from $60, restrictions, taxes and fees applying.

The 30 current technology A320s are slated for delivery from 2013-2016. The neo option was launched in late 2010, and the 30 neo aircraft are slated for first delivery in early 2016. The A320neo will offer 15 percent gains in fuel efficiency, along with the accompanying improvements in carbon efficiency  including double digit reductions in NOx emissions. The A320neo offers reduced engine noise, lower operating costs and up to 500 nautical miles more range. Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson and Virgin America President and CEO David Cush, today join Airbus CEO Tom Enders and Airbus COO Customers John Leahy, to make the announcement alongside one of the new aircraft during the Airbus annual press conference at Toulouse, France.

Delta looks to surpass Indigo - Considering 200 new single aisle jets'

Delta Air Lines Inc. is considering an order for as many as 200 jets — possibly with options for 200 more — to replace the aging fleet it uses for domestic flying. Delta said it asked several major aircraft manufacturers for proposals for firm orders for 100 to 200 planes, with options for 200 more, with deliveries to begin in early 2013. No decisions about an order have been made yet, said Nat Pieper, Delta's vice president for fleet strategy and transactions. The request went to manufacturers in late December. The new planes would replace Delta workhorses such as the DC-9-50s and Airbus A320s that it got when it bought Northwest Airlines in 2008, as well as Boeing 757-200s, which both airlines have operated. CEO Richard Anderson said in a message to employees that Delta pilots will fly the new planes, not feeder carriers. Delta has shifted flying away from feeder carriers, and has gotten rid of more than 70 of its 50-seat regional jets and 25 Saab 340 turboprops. A jet order will give Delta the size of planes it needs to be able to replace retiring airplanes and have modest growth when the economy and fuel prices support it, Anderson said. He said Delta is looking for small, medium, and large planes in the narrowbody category, meaning planes with a single aisle for passengers. Boeing Co. and Airbus, a unit of EADS, are the main manufacturers who could meet such an order, although Chinese and Brazilian manufacturers also plan new planes of the size Delta is looking for.

Earlier this week Airbus said an Indian airline made the biggest commercial jet order ever, for 180 of its A320's and A320neo's. A Delta order would have the potential to eclipse that, although Delta could also break the order up among multiple manufacturers. In December 2009, United Airlines said it would order 50 new planes, split between Boeing and Airbus.

Jet Airways sees revenue up by 15 - 20 percent in the next 5 years

Indian carrier Jet Airways expects to grow its domestic revenue by 15 percent and international revenue by up to 20 percent over the next five years, the chairman of India's largest airline said on Thursday. The airline expects higher demand driven by increasing affluence in Asia's third-largest economy, but has no plans of placing big aircraft orders, Naresh Goyal said. A day after smaller rival IndiGo placed a USD$15.6 billion order to buy 180 planes from Airbus in the largest jet deal in commercial aviation history, Goyal said Jet is following a "relatively modest" aircraft acquisition strategy. "Aircraft orders are not a problem... It's the easiest thing to do; but, can your balance sheet support it?" he asked.

Many carriers are growing their fleet as demand booms in India, where the economy is growing at nearly 9 percent. Jet Airways has firmed up an order pipeline of 29 Boeing 737s for purchase, and another 10 Airbus A330s for lease. The deliveries for both types of aircraft are expected to start in April 2012 and would continue over three years, Goyal said. Jet has placed another order for 10 Boeing 787s, deliveries of which are seen starting in fiscal year 2015, he said. Low-cost carrier and smaller rival SpiceJet in November agreed to buy 30 Nextgen turboprop aircraft from Canada's Bombardier for USD$915 million. "We have to be very careful in adding capacity... We are not running after market share and have to ensure that the bottom-line is alright," he said. Jet has added capacity of 8 to 10 percent over the last three years, he said. While passenger traffic in India grew 19 percent in the year to November last year, the country only has 400 commercial planes for a population of about 1.2 billion. By comparison, China has 2,600 planes. Jet Airways has no plans to hedge its jet fuel requirements and expects to improve its operating margins. "As we grow, our cost of operations per unit (aircraft) will go down hence we hope to increase our profitability," Goyal said.

Indigo has signed the largest jet order deal in aviation history

India's IndiGo has signed a deal for the largest jet order in aviation history, Airbus announced Tuesday. It's also the first order for Airbus' re-engined A320. IndiGo, India's largest low-cost airline, signed a memorandum of understanding to buy 30 A320s and 150 A320neos -- the A320 new engine option that Airbus launched Dec. 1, with entry into service set for 2016. "It is the largest single firm order number for large jets in commercial aviation history, and also makes IndiGo a launch customer for the A320neo," Airbus said. The order will continue to allow IndiGo to offer low fares, while reducing its costs and improving environmental performance, airline co-founders Rakesh Gangwal and Rahul Bhatia said in a news release. Airbus says the A320neo will use up to 15 percent less fuel than existing A320s, cutting up to 3,600 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year, with a double-digit reduction in nitrous oxide emissions and reduced engine noise. Airbus is offering both CFM International LEAP-X engines and Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G engines on the A320neo. The release said IndiGo would select engines at a later date. IndiGo already had ordered 100 A320s through Nov. 30, 2010 and received 37 of those, according to Airbus. John Leahy, Airbus' chief operating officer, customers, said: "This order positions IndiGo to take full advantage of the predicted growth in Indian air travel and we are delighted that they continue to build their future with Airbus."

China Eastern Airlines orders 50 A320's with Airbus

China Eastern Airlines said yesterday it had agreed with Europe-based Airbus to buy 50 A320 airliners with a list price of $3.22 billion (Dh11.8 billion), in the latest sign of the country's aviation boom. China Eastern said in an announcement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange the aircraft would be delivered in stages from 2012 to 2015 and would expand its capacity by 11.24 per cent including the fleet of its Shanghai Airlines subsidiary. The airline did not disclose the price of its acquisition but said the Airbus consortium had granted it a significant price concessions. The announcement marks the latest in a line of large deals by some of the bigger players in China's burgeoning aviation market.

EasyJet adds 15 more A320 to its fleet

UK's low-cost carrier EasyJet has confirmed an order for 15 Airbus A320s and switched a deal for the delivery of 20 A319s to the larger A320 to help it gain share in the European market. Sources also said on Tuesday it had secured options over a further 33 A320 aircraft, taking its total number of options to 42, and strengthening its relationship with the European manufacturer. It currently operates 185 A319 aircraft and eight Boeing 737-700 aircraft. EasyJet said it had been granted a substantial price concession from Airbus and its engine maker on the total list price of about USD$1.1 billion for the 15 A320s. EasyJet, which switched alliance from Boeing to Airbus in 2002, said it continued to maintain a productive dialogue with the US manufacturer on its current and future programmes.

Virgin America orders upto 60 A320's

British entrepreneur Richard Branson provided a closing flourish to the Farnborough Airshow by doubling the size of his Virgin America airline fleet by video link from the Caribbean on Thursday.
The founder of airline Virgin Atlantic announced an order for 40 Airbus A320 single-aisle jets worth $3.3 billion plus options for 20 more. It was reported that the Branson will be celebrating his 60th birthday in a weeks time and to mark his 60th birthday he has placed orders for 60 brand new aircrafts.