Category Archives: Transport

Air NZ, Singapore Airlines sign deal

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by in Air New Zealand, Airbus, Aircraft, Airlines, Aviation, Boeing, Business, New Zealand, News, Singapore, Singapore Airlines, Tourism, Transport, Travel

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Air New ZealandAir New Zealand is returning to Singapore eight years after pulling out of the city.

The resumption of Auckland-Singapore service is part of a major deal announced today by Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines.

The agreement will also enable Singapore Airlines to operate the Airbus A380 superjumbo to Auckland for the first time. The deal also calls for codesharing on several sectors.

Both airlines praised the alliance.SIA

“An alliance with Singapore Airlines clearly fits our business objectives of working with the right partners in the right markets to deliver seamless customer journeys,” said Air New Zealand CEO Christopher Luxon.

Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong called the deal another example of the carrier’s commitment to the Southwest Pacific market.

“This is a genuine win-win partnership, enabling Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand to work together to provide more flight frequency and enhanced travel options to our customers.”

The Competition Commission of Singapore and the New Zealand Minister of Transport have yet to approve the deal.

Boeing wants to fly on green diesel

14 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by in Aircraft, Airlines, Aviation, Business, Environment, Green Diesel, News, Technology, Transport, Travel

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Going green: Biofuel research at a Boeing laboratory in Seattle. Boeing photo.

Going green: Biofuel research at a Boeing laboratory in Seattle.

Boeing wants to use green diesel on its airplanes to reduce the environmental footprint.  The American aircraft maker says it has identified green diesel as “a significant new source of sustainable aviation biofuel.”

Green diesel is made from oils and fats and is already used in ground transportation.

It emits at least 50 per cent less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel over its lifecycle, Boeing said Tuesday.

“Boeing researchers performed analysis that found green diesel… to be chemically similar to today’s aviation biofuel. If approved, the fuel could be blended directly with traditional jet fuel,” the company said.

Efforts are already underway to gain regulatory approval for aircraft to fly on green diesel, it said.

“Green diesel approval would be a major breakthrough in the availability of competitively priced, sustainable aviation fuel,” said James Kinder of Boeing Commercial Airplanes Propulsion Systems Division.

“We are collaborating with our industry partners and the aviation community to move this innovative solution forward and reduce the industry’s reliance on fossil fuel.”

Boeing Dreamliner Boeing noted that significant green diesel production capacity already exists in the United States, Europe and Singapore that could supply as much as one per cent of global commercial jet fuel demand.

Boeing, the Federal Aviation Administration, engine manufacturers, green diesel producers and others are now compiling a detailed research report that will be submitted to key stakeholders in the fuel approvals process, the company said.

Images are courtesy of Boeing.

Oops! Airbus prices go up

13 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by in Airbus, Aircraft, Airlines, Aviation, News, Transport, Travel

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PriceIn case you wonder how much those Airbus aircraft cost, here’s the list price announced today by the European manufacturer.

By the way, nobody buys airplanes at the list price.

At US$414 million, the A380 is the most expensive. Airbus photo.
At US$414 million, the A380 is the most expensive. Airbus photo.

Often, the selling price will be a lot lower.

The company says it has increased the average list price by 2.6 per cent.

The new price ranges from US$72 million for the A318, the smallest member of the A320 family, to US$414 million for the A380 superjumbo, the world’s largest passenger aircraft.

It was a highly successful year for Airbus — the company won 1,619 gross orders in 2013 and delivered a record 626 aircraft to 93 customers.

In all, Airbus has sold nearly 14,000 aircraft to more than 360 customers, delivering 8,000 airplanes.

Boeing 787-9 makes international debut

04 Saturday Jan 2014

Posted by in Air New Zealand, Aircraft, Airlines, Aviation, Business, Dreamliner, News, Transport, Travel

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The 787-9 Dreamliner test aircraft lands in Auckland. Boeing photo.

The test aircraft lands in Auckland. Boeing photo.

The new version of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has made its international debut.

The 787-9 flew to Auckland, home of launch customer Air New Zealand, this week from the United States as part of a test program.

The aircraft, codenamed ZB002, took off from Seattle at 9:55 a.m. Friday and landed in Auckland 13 hours, 49 minutes later, marking its longest flight since the program began, Boeing said.

The airplane is scheduled to continue on to Alice Springs, Australia, for testing in hot weather, the company said.

The ZB002 is the only 787-9 fitted with elements of the passenger interior.

The 787-9 is 20 feet longer and can seat 40 more passengers than the Dreamliner 787-8, which went into service in October 2011.

Air New ZealandAir New Zealand, which has ordered 10 aircraft, will get its first 787-9 in the middle of this year.

The airline plans to use it on the Auckland-Perth route, starting October.

In all, 26 customers, including Air Canada, have ordered 402 787-9 Dreamliners.

Cathay bolsters Boeing 777X program

20 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by in Aircraft, Airlines, Aviation, Business, Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong, News, Transport, Travel

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An artist's impression of a Catahy Pacific 777-X9. Boeing photo.

The Cathay Pacific 777-9X. – Boeing photo.

One of Asia’s biggest airlines has given a major boost to Boeing’s 777X program, ordering 21 aircraft worth more than $7 billion dollars.

Cathay Pacific’s order is for the 777-9X version of the yet to be named aircraft. This version will offer seating for more than 400 passengers, and the airline says the order reflects its future long-haul fleet strategy.

“We think it will be an ideal fit for long-haul destinations in North America and Europe, in particular those routes where we carry high volumes of passengers and cargo each day,” said John Slosar, CEO of the Hong Kong flag carrier.

In addition, the 777-9X promises improved payload range capability and reduced operating costs, he said.

The 777X program was launched at the Dubai Airshow last month where Boeing won orders and commitments for 259 aircraft worth $95 billion.

“The 777X currently stands as the largest product launch in commercial jetliner history by value and is targeted for first delivery in 2020,” Boeing said Friday in announcing the Cathay Pacific deal.

The aircraft is now undergoing low-speed wind tunnel tests in Britain.

Cathay Pacific has been a major Boeing customer for years. It operates 55 777s and an all-Boeing freighter fleet that includes 13 747-8

The 777X is the newest member of the highly successful 777 family of long-haul airliners.

Green taxiing technology taking shape

18 Wednesday Dec 2013

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Airbus is embracing a green taxiing technology that would cut fuel consumption – and pollution at airports – substantially.

The electric green taxiing system, or EGTS, is being developed by technology giants Honeywell and Safran.

This is how the technology works. EGTS photo

This is how the technology works. EGTS photo

It was demonstrated at the Paris Airshow in June.

The European aircraft manufacturer says it has signed a memorandum of understanding with EGTS International, a joint venture between Honeywell and Safran, to adopt EGTS for its A320 family of single-aisle airliners.

Airbus is calling it eTaxi.

The company says the system would allow the aircraft to push back from the gate without a tug, taxi out to the runway, and return to the gate after landing without operating the main engines.

The power will come from electric motors fitted to the airplane’s main landing gear wheels.

“Following our demonstration of the technology at this year’s Paris Airshow, this MoU marks the next critical milestone in the advancement of the electric green taxiing system as an option for Airbus A320 family,” said Brian Wenig, EGTS program vice-president at Honeywell Aerospace.

Olivier Savin, EGTS program vice-president at Safran, says the agreement is significant in the development of the system.

“Through this agreement we are creating the ideal context to collaborate to best utilize our own landing gear systems expertise to develop a green taxiing solution for the A320 family.”

Airbus says eTaxi will offer several operational and environmental benefits, including up to four per cent savings in fuel consumption and four per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

“Over the next few months the partners will jointly develop and present a global commercial case and implementation plan to determine the feasibility of an electric taxiing solution for the A320 family,” Airbus said Tuesday.

The system is expected to be installed on new aircraft in 2016.

Boeing expands training in Russia

16 Monday Dec 2013

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Pilot training in a 777 full-flight simulator. Boeing photo.

Pilot training in a 777 full-flight simulator. Boeing photo.

Boeing says it will open a new, state-of-the-art aviation training campus in Russia’s emerging high-tech centre in 2015.

The new full-service training facility will be located in the Skolkovo Innovation Center near Moscow, the U.S. aircraft manufacturer said Monday.

Initial capability will include flight, maintenance and specialty training, it said.

“We are bringing Boeing’s flight and maintenance training closer to our Russian customers, giving them the world-class support they need to successfully operate and maintain their fleets,” said Sherry Carbary, vice-president, Boeing Flight Services.

“Airlines in the region will benefit from a technologically advanced training campus staffed by the industry’s best qualified and most experienced pilots and instructors.”

Boeing will partner with the St. Petersburg, Russia-based avionics and flight-simulator manufacturer Transas on the project.Russia2

“We are delighted to become technology partners in this unique project,” said Nikholay Lebedev, president of Transas.

“We strongly appreciate that our flight simulation technologies have become part of this international project, aimed at improving the efficiency and quality of flight crew training in Russia — a sign of confidence in our products that we are proud of.”

Boeing says the new facility will open with four simulator bays, featuring three Next-Generation 737 full-flight simulators and one 777 full-flight simulator.

Two of the simulators will be built by Transas, it said.

Groundbreaking on the new campus is scheduled for spring of 2014, with training beginning in mid-2015.

Boeing has forecast that the Commonwealth of Independent States, including Russia, will require 15,200 additional airline pilots and 18,000 technicians over the next two decades, supporting 1,530 new commercial airplanes by 2032.

Airbus tests trackable bags

12 Thursday Dec 2013

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Nearly 26 million bags are lost or misplaced in airports around the globe each year, but a trackable bag may help reduce that number dramatically.

A prototype of the trackable Bag2Go

A prototype of the trackable Bag2Go

Bag2Go is being developed by Airbus in partnership with luggage manufacturer Rimowa and IT services company T-Systems.

It is a specially designed suitcase with integrated electronic tagging which can be controlled by a smartphone.

Tests on Bag2Go will be conducted throughout next year, Airbus said this week.

“It was very important for us to come up with an easy-to-use solution for passengers,” said Airbus Innovation Manager Jan Reh.

“Bag2Go is one piece in the overall puzzle to make luggage more controllable for airlines and provide passengers with a better travel experience.”

The European aircraft manufacturer says airlines are keen to participate because each lost luggage on average costs them about $100 to retrieve and return to the passenger.

The International Air Transport Association, the group that represents the world’s airlines, estimates that lost or misplaced baggage accounts for almost $2.5 billion dollars in lost revenue annually.

A luggage carousel at Dubai International Airport

A baggage carousel at Dubai International Airport

“This new technology is a fantastic enabler that will help the business transform itself, so that not only will fewer bags be mishandled but newer, more innovative ways of delivering those bags will be found,” said Andrew Price, head of baggage services at the organization.

“These technologies may seem like they are new today but within five years they will be absolutely common place.”

At last, there is hope for light at the end of the baggage carousel!

Images are courtesy of Airbus and Dubai Airport.