Sunday 30 October 2011

Airbus Updates No.491

Incident: Swiss A319 near Hanover on Oct 28th 2011, hydraulic faillure

By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Oct 28th 2011 17:25Z, last updated Friday, Oct 28th 2011 17:25Z
A Swiss Airbus A319-100, registration HB-IPX performing flight LX-1216 from Zurich (Switzerland) to Oslo (Norway), was enroute at FL340 about 70nm south of Hanover (Germany) about 35 minutes into the flight when the crew decided to return to Zurich due to a hydraulic failure. The crew indicated they expected normal operation and would be able to vacate the runway. The aircraft landed safely on Zurich's runway 16 about 50 minutes later and taxied to the apron.
Incident: Jetblue A320 near Ft. Lauderdale on Oct 28th 2011, medical emergency and hydraulic problems
By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Oct 28th 2011 21:14Z, last updated Friday, Oct 28th 2011 21:14Z
A Jetblue Airbus A320-200, registration N630JB performing flight B6-1728 from Ponce (Puerto Rico) to Orlando,FL (USA), was enroute at FL360 about 105nm eastsoutheast of Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA) when the crew began the descent towards Fort Lauderdale due to a female passenger on board, who suffered seizures. Just when the aircraft was about to be handed off to tower the crew indicated hydraulic issues leaving them without that much rudder. The crew continued for a safe landing on runway 09L and taxied to the gate, where the patient was awaited by medical staff and taken to a hospital.

A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration N784JB continued the flight and reached Orlando with a delay of 2:20 hours.

 

Airbus Updates No.490

China's first A380 grounded by glitch

GUANGZHOU - China Southern Airlines was forced to suspend the operation of its first Airbus A380 superjumbo Saturday due to a mechanical fault, the company announced, only 12 days after the jet was first put into use in China.

China's first A380 grounded by glitch
China Southern Airlines' Airbus A380, flight number CZ6000, moves to its gate position on Oct 27, 2011 in Shanghai Pudong International Airport in this file photo.

The jumbo jet was scheduled to fly from Beijing to Shanghai Saturday, but its flight had to be called off due to the fault, China Southern said in a statement.
"We need to transport air materials from abroad (to fix the problem)," it said, without specifying the nature of the mechanical failure.
The company used an A330 jet for the flight instead.
"We are deeply sorry for the inconveniences brought to passengers," the statement read. "The safety of passengers is always our top priority. We will fix the problem and resume the normal operation of A380 as soon as possible."
China Southern took delivery of the A380 jumbo jet on October 15. It was used on the Beijing-Guangzhou route from October 17 to 26, and was scheduled to fly on the Beijing-Shanghai route from October 27 to 29. It was intended that the plane would then be used on an international route after October.
This was the first of five A380 jets to be delivered by Airbus to China Southern. The second will arrive in December, and the other three will be delivered next year. 
China Southern's A380 has a 506-seat cabin featuring eight luxury first-class suites, 70 flat-bed business-class seats and 428 economy-class seats.
China Southern Airlines is the first operator of the A380 in China and the seventh globally.

Saturday 29 October 2011

Airbus Updates No.489

Airbus A319 -132 2277   M-ABEK CIT Aerospace seen regd 28oct11 at SNN, Armavia full cs ex EK32011
 Airbus A319 -132 2362   M-ABEL CIT Aerospace seen regd 28oct11 at SNN, Armavia full cs ex EX32012
 Airbus A319 -111 4875   EI-IMR Alitalia for delivery late oct11** XFW-FCO ex D-AVYB

Airbus A320 -211 726   CS-TQS White ferried 28oct11 LPAR-LIS with Stellar Airways titl & tail logo prior wet-lease ex YL-BCB

Airbus A320 -233 892   PK-GLC Garuda Citilink delivery 29oct11 BUD-DXB-CGK, all white ex HA-LPC
 Airbus A320 -233 1635   HA-LPB Wizz Air last svc 19oct11 BGY-BUD, for Garuda Citilink nov11 as PK-GLA ex EI-DFT


Airbus A320 -232 4879   9V-TAZ Tiger Airways delivery 29oct11 TLS-DWC-SIN ex F-WWIN
 Airbus A320 -216 4882   9M-AQD Air Asia delivery 29-30oct11 TLS-STN-SHJ-KUL  ex F-WWIO


Airbus A320 -214 4892   CC-BAR LAN Airlines delivery 29-30oct11 XFW-LPA-REC-SCL  ex D-AVVG


Airbus A321 -231 4893   N547UW US Airways delivery 29oct11 XFW-BGR-PIT ex D-AVZE
 Airbus A321 -231 4898   N548UW US Airways delivery 29oct11 XFW-BGR-PIT ex D-AVZF
 Airbus A330 -343 357   OY-VKI Thomas Cook Scandinavia  ferried 26oct11 GLA-CPH after summer-lease to TCX  ex C-GVKI
 Airbus A330 -223 802   EI-EZL MeridianaFly to be positioned 30oct11 MXP-JED on Hajj-lease with Saudi Arabian titl & tail cs  ex I-EEZL

Friday 28 October 2011

Airbus Updates No.488

JetBlue signs firm order for 40 A320neo aircraft

 
Deal formalizes commitment announced in June

27 October 2011 Press Release
 
JetBlue Airways has finalized its firm order for 40 A320neo (new engine option) aircraft previously announced at the Paris Air Show in June. The airline has not yet announced its engine selection for the A320neo order. With this contract, JetBlue also converts 30 of its pre-existing orders for A320s to the larger A321 model with enhanced wingtip devices called Sharklets. In total JetBlue currently has on order 40 A320neo aircraft, 30 A321s and 22 A320s.

“We commenced operations with Airbus aircraft nearly 12 years ago, and have since used the A320 family as the backbone of our fleet, receiving great feedback from our customers and crewmembers,” said Mark Powers, Chief Financial Officer of JetBlue Airways. “Our business model is focused on a sustainable growth strategy with emphasis on cost control, while providing the most comfortable experience to our customers. We believe the A320neo fleet with help us meet these goals.”

“Environmental obligations and higher oil prices demand that our industry continues to optimize its equipment and operations, and the A320neo will allow JetBlue to do just that,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers. “This new order for the A320neo demonstrates that the leadership of the airline knows a good thing when they see it and knows it will benefit their business and their customers.” 

The A320neo family is the fastest selling airliner ever, with more than 1200 orders and commitments since its launch in late 2010. The new A319, A320 and A321 models feature a choice of two new engines – the PurePower PW1100G from Pratt & Whitney or the LEAP-X from CFM International. The aircraft also feature large wingtip device known as Sharklets. Together this results in a 15 percent fuel burn reduction, corresponding to an annual carbon dioxide reduction of 3,600 metric tons per aircraft.

Airbus Updates No.487

Transaero Airlines commits to four A380s

First A380 customer in Russia, the CIS and Eastern Europe

28 October 2011 Press Release
Transaero Airlines, Russia’s second largest airline, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for four A380 aircraft. The agreement was signed by Olga Pleshakova, Transaero Airlines CEO and Christopher Buckley, Airbus’ Executive Vice President Europe, Asia and the Pacific.

Transaero will become the launch customer for the A380 in Russia, the CIS and Eastern Europe. The Russian carrier plans to start operations with the A380 on its long-range network of high density routes from Moscow. The aircraft will feature a three class cabin layout, seating about 700 passengers. Transaero will announce an engine selection for the new aircraft in the near future.

”Transaero is experienced in operating long-range wide-body aircraft, and is now ready to offer the A380. I am sure that the operation of this high capacity aircraft will stimulate the development of Russia’s aviation sector, in particular airports infrastructure while passengers will benefit from a completely new experience.” said Olga Pleshakova, Transaero Airlines CEO.

 “We are very pleased to welcome Transaero as the launch customer for the A380 in Russia,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer - Customers. “We definitely see market potential for the A380 in Russia. Passenger traffic in this region is expected to increase at an average rate of 5.6 per cent per year over the next 20 years. We are convinced that the A380 is the best and most eco-efficient aircraft to meet those market requirements,” added John Leahy.

Transaero Airlines launched its services in November 1991, and currently serves more than 130 routes all over the world.

Since entering service in 2007 the eco-efficient A380 has exceeded all expectations, flying more people further at lower cost (some 16 million passengers up to date). The spacious, quiet cabin and the smooth ride have made the aircraft a favourite with passengers. This has resulted in higher than average load factors and increased
profitability on A380 flights, providing airlines with a key competitive advantage wherever they operate the type.
Total orders for the aircraft stand at 236 from 18 customers worldwide and 59 aircraft have been delivered to seven customers. 

Airbus Updates No.486

Incident: Air India A319 near Bhopal on Oct 19th 2011, hydraulic failure

By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Oct 20th 2011 15:42Z, last updated Thursday, Oct 20th 2011 15:42Z
An Air India Airbus A319-100, flight AI-634 from Bhopal to Indore (India) with 70 passengers, was climbing out of Bhopal when the crew reported a hydraulic failure and returned to Bhopal for a safe landing about 15 minutes after departure.

The flight was subsequently cancelled, the passengers were rebooked onto other flights.

Incident: TAP A332 near Gran Canaria on Oct 12th 2011, odour on board
By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Oct 22nd 2011 13:45Z, last updated Saturday, Oct 22nd 2011 13:45Z
A TAP Air Portugal Airbus A330-200, registration CS-TOI performing flight TP-151 from Lisbon (Portugal) to Recife,PE (Brazil), was enroute at FL380 about 90nm south of Gran Canaria,CI (Spain) two hours into the flight when the crew turned around to return to Lisbon due to an unusual odour on board. The aircraft landed safely on Lisbon's runway 03 about 110 minutes after turning around.

A replacement Airbus A330-200 registration CS-TOM reached Recife with a delay of 6.5 hours
Incident: ANA A320 near Nagoya on Oct 20th 2011, cabin pressure problem
By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Oct 22nd 2011 14:07Z, last updated Saturday, Oct 22nd 2011 14:07Z
An ANA All Nippon Airways Airbus A320-200, registration JA8654 performing flight NH-703 from Nagoya to Sapporo (Japan) with 169 people on board, was climbing out of Nagoya when the crew received an abnormal indication regarding the cabin pressure and decided to return to Nagoya for a safe landing about 30 minutes after departure.

A replacement Airbus A320-200 reached Sapporo with a delay of 105 minutes.

The airline reported the indication was false, the cause is under investigation.

Incident: Emirates A388 near Chennai on Oct 23rd 2011, hydraulic failure

By Simon Hradecky, created Sunday, Oct 23rd 2011 14:30Z, last updated Sunday, Oct 23rd 2011 14:56Z
An Emirates Airlines Airbus A380-800, registration A6-EDI performing flight EK-385 from Bangkok (Thailand) to Dubai (United Arab Emirates) with 410 passengers, was enroute near Chennai (India) when the crew diverted to Chennai due to a hydraulic failure, however could not land in Chennai (runway length 12000 feet/3660 meters). The airplane subsequently diverted to Hyderabad (India) about 280nm northnorthwest of Chennai and landed safely in Hyderabad (runway length 13980 feet/4260 meters) at 03:40L (22:10Z Oct 22nd). The aircraft was subsequently towed to the apron.

The passengers were taken to hotels, a part of them were rebooked onto the next regular flight from Hyderabad. A replacement aircraft is being dispatched to Hyderabad to continue the journey.

Passengers bitterly complained that the crew did not tell them more than a technical problem caused them to divert.

Hyderabad Airport reported a technical snag prompted the diversion.

The airline said the aircraft diverted to Hyderabad due to a technical snag, the reasons for the diversion are being looked into. The flight is expected to continue in the evening of Oct 23rd.

Aviation sources in India heard the crew report a hydraulic failure.

Incident: Lufthansa A346 at San Francisco on Oct 21st 2011, rejected takeoff

By Simon Hradecky, created Sunday, Oct 23rd 2011 16:39Z, last updated Sunday, Oct 23rd 2011 16:39Z
A Lufthansa Airbus A340-600, registration D-AIHF performing flight LH-459 from San Francisco,CA (USA) to Munich (Germany), was accelerating for takeoff on San Francisco's runway 28L when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed reporting an engine problem and requesting no assistance. The aircraft vacated the runway via a high speed turn off and taxied to apron.

A passenger reported the crew announced they had a computer malfunction. About two hours later the flight was cancelled, they were taken to hotels.

The incident aircraft reached Munich two days later and resumed regular schedule thereafter.







Thursday 27 October 2011

Airbus Updates No.485

Airbus A320 -214 4861   RP-C3265 Cebu Pacific Air delivery 27oct11 XFW-AAN ex D-AUBO


Airbus A320 -232 4897   B-6807 Shenzhen Airlines delivery 27oct11 XFW-OVB ex D-AVVH
 Airbus A320 -214 4900   B-6822 Air China delivery 27oct11 XFW-OVB ex D-AVVI


Airbus A380 -861 80   A6-EDQ Emirates delivery 27oct11 XFW-DXB ex F-WWSV

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Airbus Updates No.484

Air Berlin Delays USD$1.6 Bln Plane Orders

Air Berlin pushed back delivery of 19 aircraft valued at just over USD$1.6 billion at current list prices to shore up cash as it tries to shrink its way back to profitability.

Germany's second-biggest airline after Lufthansa said on Tuesday it was postponing delivery of 11 of Airbus's A320 family of planes and eight of Boeing's 737 family due for delivery in 2012 and 2013 until 2015 and 2016.
That still leaves 31 planes of those aircraft families due for delivery in the next two years. A spokeswoman for Air Berlin declined to say how many aircraft the carrier still has on order overall.

Shares of Air Berlin, which have lost about 29 percent of their value so far this year, closed down 0.75 percent at EUR€2.64.

Air Berlin has had a rocky ride so far this year, with founder and chief executive Joachim Hunold stepping down in August after failing to return the company to profit for several years.

Between 2006 and 2009, Air Berlin made acquisitions worth about EUR€500 million (USD$694.2 million) and ordered dozens of planes as Hunold strove to super-size the carrier, leaving it burdened with debt and dozens of expensive aircraft on order.

It has already tried to cut the amount of money it spends on new planes by pushing back and cancelling aircraft orders as well agreeing to sell and lease back new planes. Some 80 percent of its fleet is currently leased rather than owned.

Air Berlin's net debt rose 26 percent in the six months to the end of the second quarter, to EUR€616 million, as the company spent money on financing new aircraft. It is due to publish third-quarter results on November 17.

Airbus Updates No.483

Airbus A300 -622RF 711   D-AEAO EAT Leipzig ferried 26oct11 DRS-SNN for paint after conversion  ex N7151


Airbus A320 -214 772   EK32006 Armavia ferried 25oct11 EVN-SEN on return to lessor? ex M-ABCQ


Airbus A320 -232 2157   EI-ERH Avianova ferried 24oct11 SVO-SNN on return to lessor ex G-TTOJ


Airbus A320 -214 4869   4R-ABN Sri Lankan delivery 25-26oct11 TLS-KWI-CMB ex F-WWDO
 Airbus A320 -232 4872   9V-JSM Jetstar Asia delivery 24oct11 TLS-FCO-DXB-SIN ex F-WWDQ
 Airbus A320 -232 4874   9V-TAY Tiger Airways delivery 25oct11 TLS-DWC-SIN ex F-WWDY
 Airbus A320 -214 4877   B-6805 China Eastern delivery 26oct11 TLS-XFW-OVB ex F-WWDZ


Airbus A321 -111 519 F-GYAZ Air Méditerranée ferried 24/25oct11 LYS-ORY-TZX-JAI-RGN in basic Myanmar Airways Int´l cs on winter-lease ex D-ANJA


Airbus A321 -231 1199   VQ-BOC Ural Airlines delivery 25oct11 DUB-SVX  ex EI-ERS
 Airbus A321 -231 4885   N546UW US Airways delivery 25oct11 XFW-BGR-PIT ex D-AVZD

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Airbus Updates No.482

Air Pacific selects versatile A330 for fleet renewal and growth

Airline becomes latest Airbus customer

25 October 2011 Press Release
Fiji’s national carrier, Air Pacific, has selected Airbus aircraft to renew and to grow its fleet. After a thorough evaluation of several different aircraft, including the B787, the carrier has signed a firm contract to buy three new A330-200 aircraft to replace its existing fleet of B747s and B767s with newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft delivering the lowest operating costs and highest productivity in its category.

The A330-200 aircraft will be delivered in 2013 and operated from Fiji on trans-Pacific routes to Los Angeles and throughout the Asia-Pacific region to Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand.

“The A330 is the most versatile and fuel-efficient aircraft in its category today, and it is clearly the best aircraft for modernising our fleet, optimising our network, and ensuring future growth opportunities as we position Air Pacific to be the preferred airline in the South Pacific,” said Dave Pflieger, Managing Director and CEO of Air Pacific. “We are confident that our customers and visitors to Fiji will be excited about the outstanding comfort and capability of these outstanding new aircraft.”

“The A330 is without question the most eco-efficient, wide-body aircraft in its class. Outstanding reliability, fuel efficiency and low operational costs have made the aircraft a favourite with operators and customers around the world. We are delighted to welcome Air Pacific as a new Airbus customer, and we look forward to being part of their development and growth,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.

With a true wide-body fuselage creating very high comfort standards, the A330-200 is also able to accommodate seat and class configurations and in-flight entertainment options to suit diverse customer requirements. It also has the excellent operational flexibility necessary to serve a wide range of route structures, providing operators with very low operating costs per seat.

Airbus has recorded over 1,100 orders for the A330 Family, with more than 800 aircraft currently flying with more than 90 operators worldwide. In addition to passenger aircraft, the A330 Family also includes freighter, VIP and military transport / tanker variants.

Airbus Updates No.481

Alafco Plans To Double Fleet By 2018

Kuwait's Aviation Lease & Finance Company (Alafco) plans to double its aircraft fleet to 100 by 2018, and is in negotiations with Airbus for a new order, its chairman said on Monday.

"The first part of our plan was to reach a fleet of 50 aircraft, and we are almost there... Now our plan is to reach 100 aircraft by 2018," Ahmad al-Zabin told the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit in Kuwait.

"We are in negotiations with Airbus to increase the last order, and any outcome will be announced at the Dubai Airshow in November," Zabin said.

At the Paris Airshow in June, Alafco signed a memorandum of understanding to purchase 30 A320neo family aircraft, worth a total of USD$2.7 billion at list prices.

The firm has a fleet of 48 aircraft, 27 of which are Airbus, and the rest Boeing, Zabin said.

"Among the companies we lease to are Saudi Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Royal Jordanian, and Ethiopian Airlines," he added.

Zabin said the firm expected to post "record" profits for the fiscal year that ended September 30, from one-off gains. It made a net profit of KWD10.8 million dinars (USD$39.2 million) in 2010.

Islamic lender Kuwait Finance House and state-owned Kuwait Airways are Alafco's biggest shareholders.

Sunday 23 October 2011

Airbus Updates No.480

Airbus A330-200 [EI-EZL]
Airbus A320-200 [A6-RKB]
Airbus A320-200 [ER-AXP]

Airbus Updates No.479

Airbus A300 C4-203 277   EK30277 GCS Global Cargo Services  positioned 21oct11 EVN-SHJ,ops by Skiva Air ex N277EF


Airbus A319 -111 4875   EI-IMR Alitalia delivery 21oct11 XFW-FCO ex D-AVYB
 Airbus A320 -211 333   YL-LCA smartLynx Airlines  ferried 23oct11 BTS-TLL after summer-lease to Travel Service  ex 4X-ABC


 Airbus A320 -214 994   YA-TTD Safi Airways in svc at DXB 20oct11 ex B-2416
 Airbus A320 -232 2157   EI-ERH Avianova to be ferried 24oct11 SVO-SNN on return to lessor ex G-TTOJ


Airbus A320 -232 4883   B-6812 China Southern delivery 22oct11 XFW-OVB ex D-AVVD


Airbus A321 -231 1199   VQ-BOC Ural Airlines seen regd at DUB 21oct11 prior delivery ex EI-ERS


Airbus A330 -223 802   EI-EZL MeridianaFly positioned 22oct11 MXP-JED on Hajj-lease with Saudi Arabian titl & tail cs  ex I-EEZL

Friday 21 October 2011

Airbus Updates No.478

TAM finalizes order for 32 A320 Family aircraft, including 22 A320neo

Biggest Airbus operator in Southern Hemisphere adds most eco-efficient aircraft to its fleet

TAM Airlines, Brazil’s largest airline has finalized a purchase agreement for 32 eco-efficient Airbus A320 aircraft, comprising of 22 A320neo and 10 A320 Family aircraft. The order follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed last February. Engine selection will be announced by the airline at a later date.

“Fuel efficient aircraft are key to our fuel conservation program and to our contribution to the industry’s CO2 emissions reduction,” said José Zaidan Maluf, Contracts and Supply Vice President of TAM Airlines. “As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance our operational efficiency, these new A320s will allow us to keep a young fleet, reduce costs and further improve our environmental performance.”
                                                                                            
“We are very proud that our long-time customer and one of the largest A320 Family operators will be among the first customers to benefit from the A320neo’s increased capabilities, including a 15 percent reduction in fuel burn and emissions”, said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “With more than 1,200 commitments in less than a year, the A320neo has proven to be a phenomenon for the short -to medium-haul segment that is not only good for business, but also for the environment.”

To date, TAM has ordered over 200 Airbus aircraft, including 27 A350-900, and operates nearly 150 Airbus aircraft to 43 destinations within Brazil and 18 destinations throughout Europe, the United States and South America. The airline, which turned 35 this year, is among the largest A320 Family operators, with 125 in total, including 30 A319s, 86 A320s and nine A321s

Over 7,900 A320 Family aircraft have been ordered and more than 4,800 delivered to some 340 customers and operators worldwide reaffirming its position as the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft family. The A320neo has over 95 percent airframe commonality making it an easy fit into existing fleets while offering up to 500 nautical miles (950 kilometres) more range or two tonnes more payload at a given range.

The A320neo is a new engine option for the A320 Family entering into service from 2015 and incorporates latest generation engines and large "Sharklet" wing tip devices, which together will deliver 15 percent in fuel savings. The reduction in fuel burn is equivalent to 1.4 million litres of fuel - the consumption of 1,000 mid size cars, saving 3,600 tonnes of C02 per aircraft per year. The A320neo NOx emissions are 50% below CAEP/6, while this aircraft also has considerably a smaller noise footprint. 

Airbus Updates No.477

Airbus A310 -325 674   F-HBOS (Blue Line) ferried 18oct11 LDE-BOD, all white, after storage  ex F-WHUR


Airbus A319 -115 4846   B-6438 Tibet Airlines delivery 20oct11 XFW-OVB ex D-AVWQ
 Airbus A319 -111 4875   EI-IMR Alitalia delivery 21oct11 XFW-FCO ex D-AVYB


Airbus A320 -212 419   N419AG ACQ Acquisitions ferried 20oct11 AUH-LCA-QLA, A9C-reg ex A9C-EE
 Airbus A320 -231 447   CC- Sky Airline ferried 17-18oct11 VCV-SAL-GYE-SCL, N-reg  ex N447AG


Airbus A320 -214 3224   5A-ONA Afriqiyah in svc 20oct11 MJI-SAW-MJI after storage ex F-WWBY
 Airbus A320 -214 4347   OE-IBB Celestial Aviation ferried after storage 20oct11 IST-TSE-TNA  ex TS-ING


Airbus A320 -214 4860   A9C-AO Gulf Air delivery 20oct11 TLS-BAH ex F-WWDF


Airbus A330 -302 1254   B-16331 EVA Air delivery 20oct11 TLS-TPE ex F-WWYF


Airbus A340 -541 445   PT-MSN TAM ferried 20oct11 GIG-MLA prior return to lessor  ex C-GKOL

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Airbus Updates No.476

Airbus A320 -2 ? YA-KMA Kam Air delivery 19oct11 LDE-BAK-KBL ex ?


Airbus A320 -232 4853   JY-AYS Royal Jordanian delivery 19oct11 TLS-AMM ex F-WWBE
 Airbus A320 -232 4858   A7-AHP Qatar Airways delivery 18oct11 TLS-DOH ex F-WWBJ
 Airbus A320 -214 4862   N862AV Avianca delivery 18-19oct11 TLS-TFS-FOR-BOG  ex F-WWBR
 Airbus A320 -214 4867 N845VA Virgin America delivery 19oct11 TLS-KEF-BGR-MIA  ex F-WWDM


Airbus A321 -232 2916   VT-KFN Kingfisher ferried 19oct11 SAW-DEL after cabin re-configuration ex D-AVZQ


Airbus A321 -232 4873   B-6823 Air China delivery 19oct11 XFW-OVB ex D-AVZA
 Airbus A330 -223 1256   VN-A379 Vietnam Airlines delivery 19oct11 TLS-HAN ex F-WWYO


 Airbus A330 -243 1260   B-6536 Air China delivery 18oct11 TLS-PEK ex F-WWYY
 Airbus A340 -212 11   ZS-SLB South African ferried 18oct11 JNB-LDE for onward storage ex D-AIBC


Airbus A340 -313 373   LV- Aerolineas Argentinas ferried 19oct11 ORY-LIS in full cs, F-reg 16oct11 prior delivery  ex F-GNIH

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Airbus Updates No.475

 Airbus A319 -132 2362   EK32012 Armavia ferried 17oct11 EVN-SNN on return to lessor, + 2277 EK32011 07oct11 ex N806BR


Airbus A320 -231 447   N447AG ACG Acquisitions ferried 17oct11 VCV-SAL ex XA-UAH


Airbus A320 -214 4862   N862AV Avianca delivery 18-19oct11 TLS-TFS-FOR-BOG  ex F-WWBR


Airbus A330 -243 1260   B-6536 Air China delivery 18oct11 TLS-PEK ex F-WWYY
 Airbus A340 -313 373   LV- Aerolineas Argentinas in full cs at ORY 16oct11, F-reg after paint prior delivery ex F-GNIH

Airbus Updates No.474

China Eastern  orders 15 Airbus 330s
PARIS — China Eastern Airlines announced Monday that it had ordered 15 Airbus 330 widebody aircraft with a list price of $2.5 billion (1.8 billion euros), and the resale of five bigger A340 aircraft.

"The aircraft will primarily be used to satisfy the increasing demand of the domestic passenger air transportation ... and to increase the company?s competitiveness in the passenger air transportation market," China Eastern Airlines said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange.

The Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines, one of the country's three major carriers, noted that it had received rebates on the price of the aircraft, which it did not disclose.

The purchase of the A330 aircraft will be made in cash in installments and the resale of the A340 planes, taken to reduce operating costs, will be made in stages next year.

Airbus declined to comment on the transaction.

China Eastern Airlines also said it had foregone an order for 24 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in favour of 45 737NG planes for a similar total price, the Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.

Following the delays in delivery of the ultra-modern Dreamliners the two companies agreed to substitute the aircraft, and Boeing is to pay a certain amount of indemnity to China Eastern, the airline said.

Saturday 15 October 2011

Airbus Updates No.473

Incident: Lufthansa A321 near Linz on Oct 9th 2011, odour in cockpit

By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Oct 12th 2011 22:23Z, last updated Wednesday, Oct 12th 2011 22:23Z
A Lufthansa Airbus A321-100, registration D-AIRX performing flight LH-1239 from Vienna (Austria) to Frankfurt (Germany), was enroute at FL230 about 20nm west of Linz (Austria) when two circuit breakers popped followed by some odour that prompeted the crew to divert to Munich (Germany) for a safe landing on runway 26L about 20 minutes later.

The remainder of the flight was cancelled, the passengers were rebooked onto other flights.

Incident: Alitalia A321 near Istanbul on Oct 13th 2011, smoke in cockpit

By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Oct 13th 2011 16:40Z, last updated Thursday, Oct 13th 2011 16:40Z
An Alitalia Airbus A321-100, registration I-BIXR performing flight AZ-815 from Tel Aviv (Israel) to Rome Fiumicino (Italy), diverted to Istanbul's Ataturk Airport for a safe landing around 12:00L after the crew reported smoke in the cockpit.

Following checks the aircraft was able to continue the journey after about 5 hours on the ground and reached Rome with a delay of 5:50 hours.
Incident: Delta A320 at Salt Lake City on Oct 12th 2011, blew two tyres on landing
By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Oct 13th 2011 19:20Z, last updated Thursday, Oct 13th 2011 19:20Z
A Delta Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration N325US performing flight DL-1883 from Las Vegas,NV to Salt Lake City,UT (USA), was landing on Salt Lake City's runway 34R when the crew reported they may have blown a tyre. Tower instructed the next aircraft on final approach to go around. The aircraft stopped on the runway, tower reported the left main gear on fire and instructed the next approach on the parallel runway 34L to go around as well. Emergency services responded, the airport was closed due to the emergency. Emergency services cooled the brakes with water, about 10 minutes after landing the parallel runway 34L was re-opened.

The FAA reported the aircraft actually blew two tyres, the passengers disembarked onto the runway and were bussed to the terminal.





Airbus Updates No.472

Incident: Austrian A320 near Innsbruck on Oct 7th 2011, lightning strike

By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Oct 7th 2011 10:43Z, last updated Friday, Oct 7th 2011 10:50Z
An Austrian Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration OE-LBU performing flight OS-915 from Vienna to Innsbruck (Austria) with 57 passengers, was on approach to Innsbruck already inside the Inn valley and already descending through 8800 feet MSL on Innsbruck's East Localizer at about 7:32L (05:32Z), when the aircraft was struck by lightning. The crew aborted the approach and returned to Vienna flying enroute at FL120. The aircraft landed safely on Vienna's runway 34 about one hour after aborting the approach to Innsbruck.

The airline said, the crew returned to Vienna because a technical check and eventual repair of the aircraft following the lightning strike would not have been possible in Innsbruck. The passengers were rebooked onto other flights.

The aircraft had flown to Innsbruck at FL280 and remained on FL120 on the way back to Vienna.


Incident: KLM A332 near Chicago on Oct 2nd 2011, medical emergency

By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Oct 7th 2011 14:43Z, last updated Friday, Oct 7th 2011 14:43Z
A KLM Airbus A330-200, registration PH-AOM performing flight KL-669 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Dallas Ft. Worth,TX (USA), was enroute at FL400 about 95nm southwest of Chicago,IL (USA) when a female passenger suffered symptoms of a stroke. A doctor and a nurse on board provided first aid while the aircraft diverted to Chicago O'Hare for a safe landing on runway 28 about 30 minutes later. The patient was taken to a local hospital.

The aircraft was able to continue the journey after 50 minutes on the ground in Chicago and reached Dallas with a total delay of 90 minutes.


Incident: Rossiya A319 at St. Petersburg on Oct 7th 2011, engine shut down in flight

By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Oct 8th 2011 14:36Z, last updated Saturday, Oct 8th 2011 14:36Z
A Rossiya Airbus A319-100, registration VP-BIT performing flight FV-163 from St. Petersburg to Moscow Sheremetyevo (Russia), departed runway 28L of Saint Peterburg's Pulkovo Airport when the crew shut the left hand engine (CFM56) down to a failure. The aircraft levelled off at 1500 meters and returned to runway 28L for a safe landing about 20 minutes after departure.

A replacement Airbus A319-100 registration VP-BIQ reached Moscow with a delay of 2.5 hours.

Incident: TAM A332 at Sao Paulo on Oct 6th 2011, could not retract flaps after departure
By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Oct 8th 2011 14:46Z, last updated Saturday, Oct 8th 2011 14:46Z
A TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A330-200, registration PT-MVH performing flight JJ-8108 from Sao Paulo Guarulhos,SP (Brazil) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), climbed out of Guarulhos' runway 09R when the crew received a fault message for the flaps. The aircraft levelled off at 7000 feet, burned off fuel and landed safely back on runway 09R about 80 minutes after departure.

A replacement Airbus A330-200 registration PT-MVB reached Paris with a delay of 4.5 hours.

The airline said the aircraft returned to Sao Paulo due to "unscheduled maintenance".

Incident: Cathay A333 at Hong Kong on Oct 5th 2011, could not fully retract gear
By Simon Hradecky, created Sunday, Oct 9th 2011 16:31Z, last updated Sunday, Oct 9th 2011 16:31Z
A Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300, registration B-HLU performing flight CX-466 from Hong Kong (China) to Taipei (Taiwan) with 176 passengers and 18 crew, was departing Hong Kong's runway 07R when the crew received indication the gear could not be fully retracted. The aircraft levelled off and returned to Hong Kong for a safe landing on runway 07L about 25 minutes after departure.

A replacement Boeing 747-400 registration B-HOP reached Taipei with a delay of 2:40 hours.
Incident: Germanwings A319 near Vienna on Oct 11th 2011, failure of air conditioning
By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Oct 11th 2011 16:11Z, last updated Tuesday, Oct 11th 2011 16:12Z
A Germanwings Airbus A319-100, registration D-AKNK performing flight 4U-2942 from Stuttgart (Germany) to Belgrade (Serbia) with 78 passengers, was enroute at FL370 about 125nm southwest of Vienna (Austria) when the crew decided to divert to Vienna due to the failure of the air conditioning system. The aircraft landed safely in Vienna about 30 minutes later.

A replacement Airbus A319-100 D-AGWB continued the flight and reached Belgrade with a delay of 6 hours.

The airline confirmed a precautionary diversion due to the failure of air conditioning.

Incident: PIA A313 near Karachi on Oct 12th 2011, cracked cockpit window

By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Oct 12th 2011 14:28Z, last updated Wednesday, Oct 12th 2011 14:28Z
A PIA Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A310-300, registration AP-BEQ performing flight PK-284 from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Peshawar (Pakistan) with 150 passengers, was enroute near Karachi (Pakistan) when one of the cockpit side windows developed cracks prompting the crew to divert to Karachi for a safe landing.

The airline pledged to continue the flight to Peshawar as soon as the aircraft was repaired.

The flight reached Peshawar with a delay of 9.5 hours.


Incident: Germanwings A319 near Zagreb on Oct 7th 2011, unruly passenger

By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Oct 12th 2011 17:32Z, last updated Wednesday, Oct 12th 2011 17:33Z
A Germanwings Airbus A319-100, registration D-AGWP performing flight 4U-948 from Cologne (Germany) to Belgrade (Serbia), was enroute at FL370 about 40nm east of Zagreb (Croatia) when the crew decided to divert to divert to Zagreb to load an unruly passenger off. The airplane landed safely on Zagreb's runway 05 about 20 minutes later. Police took the unruly passenger into custody.

The aircraft departed Zagreb after about one hour on the ground and reached Belgrade with a delay of 90 minutes.

The airline reported the female passenger behaved very conspicuous, finally verbal attacks caused fellow passengers and the crew feel unsecure. As the passenger did not follow crew instructions the captain decided to divert and offload the passenger.

Incident: Cathay A333 over South China Sea on Oct 8th 2011, "something wrong"

By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Oct 12th 2011 22:12Z, last updated Wednesday, Oct 12th 2011 22:12Z
A Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300, registration B-HLQ performing flight CX-135 from Hong Kong (China) to Melbourne,VI (Australia), was enroute over the South China Sea about 2 hours into the flight when the crew decided to return to Hong Kong due to some technical problem. The aircraft landed safely on Hong Kong's runway 07L about 4 hours after departure.

A replacement Airbus A330-300 registration B-HLH reached Melbourne with a delay of 6.5 hours.

A passenger reported the captain announced only "something was wrong" with the aircraft and they were going to return to Hong Kong.

The incident aircraft resumed service on Oct 10th.






Airbus Updates No.471

China Raps EU Carbon Law As It Takes 1st A380

News Image
China Southern Airlines first Airbus A380 takes off after delivery.

China's largest airline by fleet size, China Southern, kept up pressure on the European Union over carbon trading rules as it took delivery of the its first Airbus A380 superjumbo on Friday.

China Southern, which has ordered five of the world's largest airliners, said it would fly the first two aircraft on busy domestic routes before putting the planes on foreign routes next year.

It has not yet decided whether to operate the aircraft to Europe or the United States.

China and the European Union have clashed over the trade bloc's plans to force airlines to adopt a carbon trading scheme from January 1 next year, a move which airlines say would effectively tax the airlines that fly the longest routes.
The EU denies its scheme is a tax.
The chairman of China Southern told reporters the airline would protect the interests of its passengers as it weighs how to introduce the prestige aircraft on international routes.

"The outcome of the negotiations between China and the EU on emissions will not be a key factor for us to consider where to fly our A380s, but I should say that the EU's decision on emissions would to a large extent affect an airline's operating costs and at the end of the day the interests of our passengers," Si Xianmin told reporters.

China has threatened to buy fewer aircraft from Airbus as a result of the dispute with the EU, which the aerospace industry fears could blow up into a full-scale trade row when the scheme is imposed in a few months.
Aircraft purchases are usually coordinated through state purchasing agency CAS and have to be approved by the Chinese government.

The head of the airline was carefully non-committal when asked if the EU row could affect future aircraft purchases.

"Before we decide whether we are going to buy more Airbus or Boeing planes we have to take the market situation into consideration and make a very careful analysis of the markets because China Southern has such a big aircraft fleet," Si said.

"Currently China Southern operates 440 aircraft. Boeing and Airbus have a 50/50 split."

China had originally hoped to have delivery of the superjumbo in time for the 2008 Beijing Olympics but deliveries were delayed by several years due to production problems.

The same airline has also ordered Boeing's carbon-composite 787 Dreamliner, which reached its first Japanese customer after a similar three-year delay last month. China Southern has said it expects to get its first 787 this year.

The airline said it would configure the A380 to carry 506 people including eight in first-class suites.
It expects to receive its second A380 in December, the third in February, another in the second half of 2012 and the final one in 2013.

Si said the airline would evaluate the aircraft's performance before deciding whether to buy any more A380s.
Airbus estimates China will need over 200 superjumbo-sized aircraft by 2030 to feed the world's fastest-growing market and meet the increasing global connections of a rising superpower.

Boeing is less optimistic about demand for the very largest aircraft and is betting on smaller and lighter aircraft like the 210-290 seat 787 to open up new direct routes to secondary cities that may become big destinations in their own right.

Airbus Updates No.470

Airbus A300 C4-203 277   N277EF GCS Global Cargo Services  delivery 14oct11 IST-EVN ex TC-MNC

Airbus A300 [N277EF]

Airbus A320 -213 414   SX-SMU Viking Hellas ferried 14-15oct11 ATH-SNN-KEF on return to lessor  ex EI-EEY
 Airbus A320 -212 793   TS-INN Nouvelair ferried 15oct11 PRG-MIR after summer-lease to Travel Service  ex D-AICB


 Airbus A320 -214 4596   RPDL Lao Airlines ferried 14oct11 TLS-DNR for paint, Afriqiyah 5A-ONN ntu  ex F-WWIX


Airbus A321 -211 4838   HZ-ASL Saudi Arabian delivery 15oct11 XFW-JED ex D-AVZV


Airbus A380 -841 31   B-6136 China Southern delivery 14oct11 TLS-PEK ex F-WWSF

Airbus A380-800 [B-6136]

Friday 14 October 2011

Airbus Updates No.469

Airbus A319 -111 3255   EI-ETG Aer Lingus delivery 13oct11 MAD-DUB  ex EC-KJC


Airbus A319 -132 4871   CC-BCD LAN Airlines delivery 14-15oct11 XFW-LPA-REC-SCL  ex D-AVYA
 Airbus A320 -212 132   TC-FBE Freebird ferried 13oct11 IST-KEF-BGR on return to lessor ex SE-RCG
 Airbus A320 -211 359   YL-LCD smartLynx Airlines  ferried 13oct11 PRG-TLL after summer-lease to Travel Service  ex C-FMSV
 Airbus A320 -231 393   SX-SMT Viking Hellas ferried 12oct11 ATH-SNN for storage ex EI-EEX
 Airbus A320 -213 414   SX-SMU Viking Hellas ferried 13oct11 ATH-SNN for storage ex EI-EEY


Airbus A320 -214 4880   B-6817 China Southern delivery 14oct11 XFW-OVB ex D-AVVA


 Airbus A380 -861 77   A6-EDP Emirates delivery 14oct11 XFW-DXB ex F-WWSY

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Airbus Updates No.4245

  Airbus A321  -231  2553    N355FL  Spectre Air Capital  ferried 14-15mar24 LETL-TBS-ALA- prior P2F-conversion  ex LY-BLW  Airbus A321  -23...

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