As reported by 精东影业 on April 22, 2024, a single Airbus A320 aircraft operated by each of the group carriers Lufthansa, Eurowings, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines will be featuring the words 鈥榊es to Europe鈥� throughout the run-up to the 2024 EU elections.鈥疶he message from this joint initiative ahead of the European elections being endorsed by the campaign is 鈥淭ake a stand 鈥� strengthen democracy.鈥澛�

鈥淎 message at an altitude of over ten kilometers and spread across the entire continent! With the clear statement 鈥榊es to Europe鈥�,鈥� Lufthansa Group said in a statement on April 22, 2024.鈥� 

At the specially coordinated event held at Brussels Airport, all four airplanes featuring the European design were presented. President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola was present at the ceremony, as was the CEO of Lufthansa Group Carsten Spohr. They were accompanied by Belgium精东影业 Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. Approximately 100 other invited guests also gathered for the event.聽聽

Each of the aircraft features large bold 鈥榊es to Europe鈥� titles above the window line on the forward fuselage, and also features the European circle-of-stars emblem on their fuselage sides.聽

鈥淪oon millions of citizens will have the opportunity to shape the future of the European Union. Now more than ever, it is up to all of us to use our votes in the European elections to stand up for democracy and a united and free continent. This is the prerequisite for a strong location and a strong economy,鈥� said Carsten Spohr, CEO, of Lufthansa Group聽

The four specially liveried Lufthansa Group Airbus A320s with their 鈥榊es to Europe鈥� slogan have been operating throughout their European home continent for several weeks, serving as 鈥渇lying ambassadors of the European idea in the run-up to the European elections鈥�, according to a Lufthansa Group statement.  

The election to the European Parliament will take place between June 6 and 9, 2024.聽

鈥楨xtremely annoying鈥�: Lufthansa CEO says Boeing mess cost firm 鈥榓 lot of money鈥�

• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-05-13

Despite this, the aviation industry in Russia is trying to find ways around the restrictions. The aircraft manufacturing industry within the country has been ramping up production over the last two years to meet the requirements of Russian-based airlines which are still seeing rising demand for their services, both domestically as well as to certain overseas destinations such as Dubai.  

Now, one aircraft maintenance and repair organization (MRO), S7 Technics is reported to have developed in-house knowledge and expertise to offer Russian carriers overhaul services on leading Western-built jet engines so that the life of Boeing and Airbus aircraft still flying in Russia can be prolonged.  

According to the Russian-language newspaper Kommersant, S7 Technics has mastered a complex type of overhaul of CFM56 engines installed on both Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 family aircraft to win new business from domestic airlines. While the convention was previously to simply replace the engines that required overhaul with others from the aftermarket, as this avenue is no longer available, S7 Technics is now offering CFM56 full overhaul services.聽

According to Kommersant, there are about 800 CFM56 engines currently in Russia, the largest operator of the powerplant being the Aeroflot group. 

S7 Technics (part of the S7 Group) is reported to have developed the expertise required to carry out 鈥渆ven the most complex鈥� types of overhauls of CFM56-5B and 7B aero engines used on 737s and A320s and is now actively marketing its services in the Russian airline marketplace.   

While various types of repairs have historically been carried out by MROs within the Russian Federation, the most complex work associated with the restoration of the hot core sections of engines has, up until recently, remained an issue. However, according to Kommersant, S7 is now offering maintenance services for the complete overhaul of low-pressure turbine (LPT) modules, low-pressure compressor (LPC) modules, as well as the hot core section of the powerplant.   

S7 Technics confirmed to Kommersant that it began repairing the hot core sections of CFM56-5B and 7B engines in October 2022 and has so far completed 12 overhauls in the S7 Technics workshop in Moscow. 

鈥淭he aircraft are successfully operated in the fleet of Russian airlines,鈥� said an S7 Technics spokesperson. 鈥淪ince 2015, [S7 Technics] has been engaged in local repairs of the CFM-56 – disassembling the engine to eliminate the defect, followed by assembly and replacement of compressor blades, turbines, and combustion chambers. In total, more than 300 repairs were carried out in Domodedovo (Moscow) and Minvody.鈥�  

The S7 Technics spokesperson goes on to state: 鈥淚n the future, S7 Technics is considering creating a facility for testing these engines after major overhauls.鈥� 

S7 Technics develops knowhow 

According to sources speaking with Kommersant, S7 Technics has developed the know-how to carry out full-engine overhauls due to the demand for such vital services within Russia. According to the sources, the duration of a simple C-check has grown from three to four months to more than eight months, and the most complex D-check, which previously lasted less than a year, can now take up to a year and a half. 

Additionally, the costs of an overhaul of LPT and LPC CFM56 engines in Russia will now be comparable to prices abroad 鈥渁nd lower than the purchase price鈥� of a used engine. According to the source, the CFM56 is known for offering a long service life. The typical flight time, depending on operating conditions, is 40,000 to 60,000 flight hours, or 10,000 to 20,000 thousand takeoff and landing cycles without removal from the wing 鈥� approximately eight to 12 years.聽

According to the source, the A320 and 737 families still form the basis of the narrowbody fleet of the Russian Federation. Therefore, there are potentially several carriers that might benefit from this work. However, when questioned about S7 Technics鈥� capabilities to carry out work on CFM56 engines, both Aeroflot and Ural Airlines did not provide comment to Kommersant reporters.  

S7 Technics had for many years been licensed to and engaged in the overhaul of Honeywell auxiliary power units (APUs) used on Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s. According to data provided by the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, in 2024, S7 Technics also received permission to overhaul the Honeywell-made APUs used in the Russian-built Sukhoi SSJ 100 鈥楽uperJet鈥�.  

While the S7 Technics overhaul of the CFM56 engines is not certified by the manufacturers themselves, the Russian authorities appear to have provided their own certification for this work to be carried out by the organization.聽聽

Air Tanzania Boeing 787 has remained grounded in Malaysia since November 2023聽

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2024-05-13

Fokker Next Gen aims to develop a hydrogen-powered airliner by 2035 able to carry between 120 and 150 passengers, and with a range of up to 2,500 km.  

While airBaltic has stated its interest in evaluating such an airline concept for future use, its involvement in this project would be, so far, of a consultative nature. The Latvian airline will provide feedback that Fokker Next Gen will be able to incorporate into the design and development of the future aircraft. 

Hydrogen has been touted as a potential zero emissions replacement of current airliner propulsion technology. 

Airbus, for example, is aiming to have a family of hydrogen-powered aircraft ready by 2035, the so-called ZEROe program, and companies such as ZeroAvia and Universal Hydrogen are developing solutions that would enable existing airframes to be retrofitted to run on hydrogen.  

However, the industry has yet to solve several technological difficulties associated with its use in commercial aircraft, which highlights the ambitious nature of Fokker Next Gen精东影业 project. 

The airBaltic partnership is not the only project linking the Fokker Next Gen project to Latvia.  

The airBaltic announcement follows the signature of another Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in December 2023 with the Ministry of Economics of Latvia, the Liepaja Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and Riga Technical University (RTU) to create a Hydrogen Centre of Excellence in the Baltic country. The project will focus on applications for aircraft ground handling and airport uses of hydrogen.  

What精东影业 more, should the Fokker Next Gen project finally come to fruition, Liepaja International Airport (LPX) has been earmarked as the potential site of a final assembly line for the aircraft, complementing the company精东影业 production activities in the Netherlands. 

Based in the Netherlands, Fokker Next Gen is part of Panta Holdings, a Dutch investment firm with interests in the aerospace industry. 

In addition to acquiring some of the assets of iconic planemaker Fokker, which went bankrupt in 1996, Panta Holdings owned airlines such as charter and ACMI operator Denim Air and Antwerp, Belgium-based regional carrier VLM Airlines, which it sold to CityJet. 

More recently, Panta Holdings has become known for its investments in the sustainable aviation space.  

Another technologically ambitious project in Panta Holding精东影业 portfolio is Elysian Aircraft, a projected electric battery-powered aircraft that should be able to carry 90 passengers over distances of up to 800 kilometers. Elysian Aircraft has recently had Dutch flag carrier KLM join its advisory board.聽

Dutch startup Elysian Aircraft unveils all-electric 90-seater aircraft concept聽

• Sustainability

byMiquel Ros

1 minute read

The incident occurred on May 13, 2024. 

The twin-turboprop Beechcraft B200 Super King Air had just taken off from Newcastle airport at 09:30 local time, en route to Port Macquarie Airport (PQQ) when the pilot reported the landing gear failure.

The plane had to circle the airport for three hours to burn off fuel that was meant to fly the 180-kilometer journey. 

Video footage uploaded to X (formerly Twitter) shows the aircraft eventually making a smooth belly landing.

All three people onboard walked away without any injuries. The pilot, identified as Peter Schott, has been hailed by local media as a 鈥渉ero鈥� for carrying out the safe landing. 

Speaking to local media 9News, Schott said that it was quite a 鈥渢extbook landing鈥�.

鈥淚t was all about minimizing risk, so I had a figure in the back of my mind of how much fuel I wanted on-board for the least risk and I just circled until I got that figure,鈥� Schott said, adding that he had learned how to fly before he could drive.

A police statement seen by ABC News said that the plane had 鈥渕echanical issues鈥�.

The aircraft is owned by Port Macquarie-based Eastern Air Services. The company offers direct flights to Lord Howe Island from Port Macquarie, Newcastle and the Gold Coast.

FlySafair 737 loses main landing gear wheel on take-off from Johannesburg聽

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2024-04-23

Held at the Aero City venue in Vilnius, the exclusive, invitation-only Forum brought together aviation safety experts and specialists from all across Europe. In addition to panels and keynote speeches, the event featured an extensive networking session, where representatives of different airlines, aviation companies and regulatory institutions could discuss major challenges and opportunities.

鈥淔rom its inception, we saw the Forum as a place where expertise meets experience. I鈥檓 proud to say it has exceeded our highest expectations, and we hope that it becomes an annual tradition. Enhancing safety standards industry-wide requires breaking down silos among experts from various sectors. I am glad that this Forum provided the much-needed platform for dialogue and cooperation. Sharing knowledge, experience, and lessons learned is the bedrock of safety in aviation, especially in the digital-information age,鈥� said Julius Norkunas, CEO of Aeroclass, a co-organiser of the event.

Aviation is a highly regulated industry that pays close attention not only to procedures, but also to theoretical and practical training, which encompasses activities to be taken during unforeseen circumstances. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), last year was the safest one so far, with not a single death recorded due to a crashed jet aircraft. Ugne Maciejauskaite, Head of Safety at Avia Solutions Group, said that the continuously improving safety metrics are the result of cooperation between market participants and their open dialogue when it comes to tackling daily challenges.

“The main message of the conference is a reminder that, since it精东影业 simply not possible to anticipate and describe all possible emergency scenarios, aviation specialists must be flexible and capable of reacting quickly under all circumstances. Potential sources of risk that stem from technical errors and the human factor as well as a myriad of external causes are proliferating year to year, which makes it crucial to always stay one step ahead and to keep one精东影业 bearings even when the situation is not a textbook one,鈥� said Ugne Maciejauskaite.

Aviation safety map

Among the speakers of the Forum were John Franklin, Head of Safety Promotion at the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), representatives of different airlines, as well as Vidmantas Pleta, Director of the Department of Civil Aviation at the Lithuanian Transport Competence Agency, Henrikas Armoska-Eismontas, Head of Emergency Planning at Lithuanian Airports.

According to John Franklin, the aviation community features several key elements that help ensure safety:

鈥淥ne of our main priorities is the mindset of those working in the industry, which must be grounded in efforts to continuously promote safety and trust. Other important factors include qualified and well-trained specialists capable of ensuring aviation safety, as well as the infrastructure it requires.鈥�

According to the representative of EASA, such events dedicated to aviation safety help to reduce the gap between theory and daily practice.

Founded in 2002, EASA is responsible for the aviation safety and environmental protection standards of the European Union as a whole. EASA inspects and certifies not just aircraft in general, but even such tiny details as the bolts used in them. During recent years, the organisation精东影业 remit has expanded further, today encompassing such areas as cybersecurity and the safe operation of drones.

Special attention to the NATO Summit in Vilnius

Henrikas Armoska-Eismontas, Head of Emergency Planning at Lithuanian Airports, paid much attention to NATO Summit 2023 鈥� one of that year精东影业 major events.

鈥淭he NATO Summit in Vilnius was an exceptional event, reminding us of the continuous need to anticipate and deal with different emergency scenarios. No matter whether the risk comes in the form of aircraft accidents, ground incidents, sabotage, threats, dangerous cargo, fires, or natural disasters, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure the safety of our passengers and staff鈥�.

Intensive preparations for the NATO Summit took almost half a year, with almost 700 people working at the airport during the event itself to ensure security and seamless logistics. In addition, a centralised Control Centre, which united representatives of all the agencies and private companies taking part in the process, was set up to facilitate things on the days of the Summit. When speaking of the event, Mr.  Armoska-Eismontas emphasised that everything had to be timed by the minute, if not by the second:

鈥淯nlike in the case of regular flights, aircraft carrying heads of states announced their exact times of arrival only shortly before landing. For every aircraft to land safely, all the specialists involved in the process 鈥� from air navigation and ground handling experts to motorcade drivers and on-duty firefighters 鈥� had to work with extreme precision and coordinate their every move鈥�.

The airports of Vilnius and Kaunas also faced some additional challenges due to unusually large aircraft, the wingspan of which reaches as many as 80 meters. Among them was the Air Force One, which flew in the US President. To enable such a large aircraft to safely turn around in the apron, Vilnius Airport even had to physically remove one of its light poles.

Having succeeded in bringing together representatives of both the public and private sector, Aeroclass plans to host more events of a similar nature in the future.

According to the US Attorney精东影业 Office of the Southern District of New York, the flight attendants have been charged in connection with their 鈥測ears-long participation in smuggling narcotics trafficking proceeds from the United States to the Dominican Republic on commercial flights鈥�.

The defendants, identified as Charlie Hernandez, 42; Sarah Valerio Pujols, 24; Emmanuel Torres, 34; and Jarol Fabio, 35, were arrested on May 7, 2024. 

The four have been accused of engaging in drug money smuggling activity from New York精东影业 John F Kennedy Airport (JFK) to the Dominican Republic from 2015 to at least 2022. During those years, all of the defendants were employed as flight attendants with different international airlines that operated routes between New York City and the Dominican Republic.  

鈥淎s alleged, these flight attendants smuggled millions of dollars of drug money and law enforcement funds that they thought was drug money from the United States to the Dominican Republic over many years by abusing their privileges as airline employees,鈥� US Attorney Damian Williams said in a . 

鈥淭oday精东影业 charges should serve as a reminder to those who break the law by helping drug traffickers move their money that crime doesn鈥檛 pay,鈥� Williams added. 

According to the official complaint, the flight attendants used their privileges as members of the , which allows airline employees to go through a separate, expedited security lane before going to the terminals. 

Prosecutors alleged that the four have smuggled a total of around $8 million in bulk cash to the Dominican Republic.

Family of woman killed by husband at airport sues Delta for overserving alcohol

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-02-12

The new daily flights link the two cities on a daily basis with Delta using Boeing 767-300ERs on the route. The flights depart Dublin Airport (DUB) at 1200 and arrive at Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) at 15.35 local time (DL115). The flights to Ireland (DL114) depart Minneapolis at 22:00 arriving in Dublin at 10:45 the following morning.    

Delta精东影业 45-strong fleet of Boeing 767-300ERs is configured to carry 216 passengers in a three-class layout 鈥� 26 in business, 18 in premium economy, and 172 in economy.   

The new route comes as demand for travel between Ireland and the United States is soaring, according to daa, the operator of Dublin Airport. Along with the new flights to Minneapolis alongside services to New York-JFK, Boston, and Atlanta, Delta will be offering almost 12,500 weekly seats between Dublin and the United States during the northern summer of 2024.聽聽

“Today marks the inaugural flight of Delta Air Lines’ new direct service from Dublin to Minneapolis, adding another exciting chapter to our longstanding relationship with Delta,鈥� said Gary McLean, Managing Director for Dublin Airport. 鈥淎s the Managing Director of Dublin Airport, I am thrilled to be part of what is a great day for both Delta and the airport.” 

According to a Dublin Airport statement, 鈥淒elta Air Lines has been a key partner of Dublin Airport for nearly four decades, initially establishing a direct route between Dublin and Atlanta in 1988. Throughout this time, Delta has been instrumental in facilitating travel between Ireland and North America, contributing significantly to the airport’s growth, and serving millions of passengers.鈥� 

鈥淲ith its vibrant culture and thriving business community, offers an array of attractions for passengers, including the renowned Mall of America and the prestigious Minneapolis Institute of Art. Dublin Airport is committed to providing world-class facilities and experiences, exemplified by the US pre-clearance facilities available for Delta flights, ensuring seamless journeys for passengers, the statement adds. 

The commencement of Delta services to Minneapolis comes just two weeks after Aer Lingus began its own direct services on the route. The renewed flights (which were halted following the pandemic) began on April 29, 2024, and operate four times weekly, using either Airbus A330-200s or A330-300s depending on demand.聽聽

Speaking at the time of the launch, McLean said the restart of the route is good news for both passengers and the Irish economy.  

“The return of this route will further enhance tourism and trade between Ireland and the US. We have been working closely with Aer Lingus to grow its North American business, and the reintroduction of this route is a testament to that partnership,鈥� he said.

Lufthansa Group presents all four 鈥榊es To Europe鈥� aircraft in Brussels: pictures

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2024-05-14

According to reports in local media, the aircraft involved (registered 5H-TCJ) has been grounded for almost eight months and is currently sitting without engines close to the disused low-cost carrier terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL).  

The engines that were fitted to the aircraft before its maintenance input in Malaysia were Rolls-Royce Trent 1000-AE3 engines, according to ch-aviation. This variant of the Trent 1000 series engine has encountered persistent challenges attributed to fatigue induced by corrosion since it was introduced into service. This corrosion has subsequently led to the emergence of cracks in the mid-pressure turbine spools which present considerable risks of engine malfunction inflight as well as on the ground.  

This deficiency means that the engine type involved has reduced inspection intervals from 200 flights to 80 flights, which causes maintenance costs to increase substantially for operators while reducing the operational availability of the aircraft for flying duties.   

鈥淭he plane was taken to Malaysia for mandatory maintenance in November 2023. This is why it appears to be missing both engines,鈥� said Ladilaus Matindi, Air Tanzania精东影业 Director General speaking to The Citizen newspaper. 鈥淒ue to the high number of engines requiring mandatory maintenance and the scarcity of rental engines, aircraft often have to wait for their turn for engine maintenance to arrive and be completed.鈥澛�

Matindi added that having been sitting on the ground in Malaysia since November 2023, the aircraft is due to complete its maintenance work in early June 2024 and will subsequently return to Dar es Salaam to resume flying for Air Tanzania. He did not, however, disclose how much the extended grounding had cost the carrier or had affected its operations in the meantime. 

Commenting on media reports surrounding the grounded ATCL aircraft, Matindi highlighted concerns regarding the design of the Rolls-Royce engines. 鈥淭here appears to be a design flaw with Rolls-Royce engines, warranting further investigation into the matter,鈥� he remarked. 

Delivered to the company in July 2018 at a cost of $224.6 million, the 787-8 Dreamliner was one of four aircraft to be purchased by the Tanzanian government to modernize and rejuvenate its national carrier. It has one other of the type in active service with the remaining two still on order.聽

The airline currently operates a fleet of 15 aircraft comprising four A220-300s, two 737-MAX 9s, a single 767-300F, plus the two 787-8s. The airline also operates six DHC-8 turboprops used for regional services.聽

Adding to the company精东影业 woes, in October 2022, the carrier grounded three of its four Airbus A220-300 twin jets after they developed technical issues with their Pratt & Whitney engines warranting extended inspections. Although one has since returned to service, the remaining three remain grounded.聽聽聽

Additionally, the carrier精东影业 sole DHC-8-Q300 has been in Malta for maintenance reasons since 2020. It has been grounded for three years after a major malfunction meant it had to be withdrawn from service. However, the extended layover in Malta was due to awaiting a replacement landing gear and other parts which have been difficult to source, according to the career. This aircraft is also due to return to Tanzania in June 2024.  

As first reported by the Greek portal on May 10, 2024, the talks between the Greek authorities and the French manufacturer Dassault Aviation have progressed to an advanced stage. Discussions are focused on acquiring up to 10 fighters built to the upcoming F4 standard. Executives from Dassault are expected to visit Athens in the coming weeks for negotiations.  

鈥淭he Hellenic Air Force General Staff has expressed the need to acquire 8 to 10 additional new aircraft to form another fighter squadron,鈥� Defence Review reported. 鈥淔urthermore, he explicitly and categorically stated to the leadership of the Ministry of Defense that this is a fundamental condition for the withdrawal of Mirage 2000-5s to cover operational needs.鈥澛�

Modernizing the Hellenic Air Force fighter fleet

In January 2021, the French government received an order for 18 Rafale jets from Greece. 12 of these were previously used aircraft from the French Air Force, while the other six were brand-new jets manufactured to the F3R standard. The order also included a range of weapons, including Exocet anti-ship missiles and SCALP cruise missiles. 

In 2022, the Hellenic Air Force retired its Mirage 2000 EGM/BGM fleet. It still operates 24 Mirage 2000-5 air superiority fighters, currently flown by the 331 Squadron 鈥楾heseus.鈥� The modernization of these fighters, notably with Link-16 terminals to enhance communication with other aircraft, has been put on hold due to cost and effectiveness concerns.  

Greece announced plans to acquire up to 40 Rafale jets before 2025, along with 40 Lockheed Martin F-35A fifth-generation fighters. 

Greek Air Force considers Mirage 2000 sale to India

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2024-02-07

In an interview with Switzerland’s , the head of Lufthansa Group commented on Boeing精东影业 failings following the Alaska Airlines plug door blowout and the subsequent ramifications that have seen aircraft production drop.聽

鈥淭his is extremely annoying and costs us a lot, a lot of money. However, I am sure that Boeing will get the problems under control. The industry needs two strong providers. Everyone has an interest in Boeing being able to build great aircraft more reliably again soon,鈥� Spohr said.  

When asked if he understood why some passengers were opting to not fly on Boeing aircraft, Spohr dismissed the notion and reiterated the aviation industry精东影业 record for safety. 

鈥淓very day, 30,000 planes take off around the world, multiple times. Around half of them were built by Boeing. Our industry offers by far the highest safety standards compared to other means of transport,鈥� Spohr explained. 

Spohr added that every plane built for Lufthansa, whether it is Boeing or Airbus, is overseen during production to ensure they meet the airline精东影业 standards. 

While there has been much talk about Chinese aircraft manufacturers entering the fold the Lufthansa boss dismissed the airline purchasing planes built in China at least for the next few years. 

鈥淕iven the safety standards that we set at the Lufthansa Group, I don’t think that’s realistic,鈥� he said 

According to Spohr, Lufthansa is receiving a new aircraft every 10 days, including a new long-haul jet every month.  

鈥淭his has never happened before,鈥� Spohr commented. 

Lufthansa Group makes $785M Q1 loss but outlook remains positive for summer 2024聽

• Airlines
• Aviation Economics & Finance

byLuke Peters

2024-05-01