Mar 14
monBlog Articles, Carriers, News bulk carriers, container ships, drilling vessels, floating bases, freight, LNG tankers, LPG carriers, merchant vessels, naval ships, oil tankers, product carriers, ships, submarine ships
Hyundai Heavy has delivered a total of 1,805 diverse models of ships, ranging from drilling vessels, LNG tankers, LPG carriers and container ships to submarine and naval ships, to more than 280 ship owners in 49 countries worldwide.
The ships include 510 container ships, 351 oil tankers, 343 bulk carriers and 124 product carriers.
‘Last month, HHI won orders for 4 liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers and 1 LNG floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) worth USD $1.1 billion. The orders included two 162,000 cbm LNG carriers for Golar LNG of Norway and two same-class ships for an unnamed European shipowner.
According to a Dow Jones report in January, HHI’s 2012 annual order and sales targets are up to 19.6% and 9.5%, respectively’ (www.hellenicshippingnews.com).
Asian shipyards, such as HHI are up for challenging ventures as current oil prices and operating costs increase while freight rates becomes increasingly more difficult for ship proprietors.
Source: www.hellenicshippingnews.com
Feb 09
ynaCarriers, News A380 model plane, A380 Singapore Airline, air france, Air France A380, Air France model plane, Airbus, Airbus A380, Airbus A380 model plane, Airbus A380 plane, Emirates, Lufthansa A380, qantas, Qantas A380, Qantas model plane, Singapore Airlines
The European Aviation Safety Agency ordered on Wednesday that all units of Airbus A380 must be checked for cracks in the wings.
A previous order indicated that the 20 oldest A380 must be subjected for a check-up. Now, the agency is expanding the order to include all units. The order does not mean that the A380 had been grounded. According to Dominique Fouda, a spokesman for the aviation agency. “They can fly, they just have to be checked within the time frame,” he said.
According to the order, planes that had registered more than 1,384 takeoffs and landings must be inspected within three weeks of February 13. For planes that had completed 1,216 to 1,383 flight cycles, they have six weeks to submit for inspection. Planes that have less than 1,216 flight cycles must be checked before they reach the 1,300 mark.
If cracks on the wing were found, the airlines must contact Airbus for instructions.
There is a total of 68 units of Airbus A380 flying today. Its primary users are the Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Air France, Qantas and Lufthansa. It made its maiden flight on 27 April 2005 and then entered the commercial market with Singapore Airlines in 2007.
source: www.edition.cnn.com
Feb 01
TynibelleCarriers, News 757, 777, 787, 787 dreamliner, A320, a330, A330-200, a330-300, A350, Airbus, airbus a330, aircraft model, airplane model, b777, Boeing, Boeing 757, Boeing 787, boeing 787 dreamliner, desktop model, Dreamliner, mahogany model, model aircraft, model airplane, model plane, plane model, scale model, warplanes, wood plane model, wooden airplane model
PARIS (Reuters) – Airbus is considering beefing up its A330 passenger jet in a bid to expand a recent winning sales streak for the junior member of its wide-body jet family, the planemaker said on Monday.
While the twin-engined aircraft, in service since the 1990s, is enjoying a second honeymoon with airlines due, in part, to delays in Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, analysts say it faces a threat from a possible stretched version of the 787.
An Airbus spokeswoman said a decision on how to enhance the A330 would be taken in the second half of the year.
The EADS unit is considering increasing the maximum amount of weight the A330 can carry by up to 5 tonnes and adding drag-reducing wingtip devices called “sharklets” — upward-slanting wingtips designed to help the aircraft fly further on the same amount of fuel.
They are already planned for the smaller narrowbody A320 and similar devices appear on some Boeing 757s.
A330 sales have flourished in the past two years as Boeing encountered delays in bringing out its carbon-composite 787, which recently entered service.
It has shorter range than either the 787 or Airbus’s planned carbon-fibre alternative, the future A350, but has sold well to airlines operating intermediate long-haul routes.
With the changes under consideration, the A330 would be able to lift up to 240 tonnes at take-off, Airbus said — an increase of 5 tonnes for the most popular variant, the A330-300, and 2 tonnes for the A330-200.
Increasing the maximum take-off weight allows airlines to add more fuel to carry the same number of people and their baggage further, or else carry a larger payload.
France’s La Tribune newspaper said the moves to increase the maximum tolerated weight at take-off would add 7 percent to the range of the A330, potentially giving it a range over 7,000 nautical miles.
With a three-class layout, the A330-300 carries 295 people up to 5,650 nautical miles or 10,500 kilometres, while the A330-200 — a later spin-off with a shorter fuselage and more range — takes 253 people up to 12,500 km.
Boeing has said it was considering a stretched version of its 787 called the 787-10 that would carry about 300 people approximately 6,800 nautical miles.
The move has been described by an industry official familiar with Boeing pre-marketing as a potential “A330 killer”.
The skirmish addresses a lucrative niche of the industry alongside high-profile battles between the A350 and Boeing’s 787 and the older but larger 777, which had record sales last year.
Airbus has said the carbon A350 will eventually outshine the 777 because it will be lighter and cheaper to run, while Boeing was expected to make similar claims about the 787-10 against the A330, which stems from roughly the same era as the 777.
-uk.reuters.com
Jan 19
TynibelleCarriers, News A320, a330, A380, A380-900, Airbus, Airbus A320, airbus a330, Airbus A380, aircraft model, airplane model, desktop model, mahogany model, model aircraft, model airplane, model plane, plane model, scale model, warplanes, wood plane model, wooden airplane model
Airbus expects to decide soon on a plan to boost widebody output to a rate of 11 aircraft a month even as it delays ramping up narrowbody production.
Airbus had been considering a single-aisle production rate increase to 44 aircraft a month, but has decided to hold off for the moment because of bottlenecks among Tier 2 suppliers. The situation is different for the A330, making a production boost there possible, says John Leahy, Airbus chief operating officer for customers. The company expects to reach a production rate of 10 widebodies per month this year.
Airbus COO Fabrice Bregier hints that a decision on the single-aisle side could wait until a rate of 42 aircraft per month is reached, which is expected next year. “It would be premature to do it now,” he notes.
One of the reasons Airbus is keen to boost production is because of its bulging backlog. The company booked 1,419 net orders last year and made 535 deliveries. And 2012 should see order intake move ahead of deliveries, with new orders forecast to reach 600-650, while deliveries of 570 aircraft are expected. The order intake should include about 30 A380s, matching the 2012 delivery target.
Output is only one of the deliberations for Airbus this year. The other is whether to launch an A330 winglet program. Leahy says studies have begun for both forward-fit and retrofit options. A decision is likely this year.
If the devices could yield a 2% fuel burn benefit, Leahy says such a program would likely move forward.
Not on the near-term agenda is the A380-900 program, a stretched version of the aircraft now on the market. Despite occasional customer interest, such a project would not likely emerge until the second half of the decade, says Airbus CEO Tom Enders. The focus now is on ramping up production. Profit-delivering aircraft will go to customers starting in 2015.
-aviationweek.com
Jan 13
TynibelleCarriers, News 787, 787-8, 787-9, 787s, A350, air france, Airbus, Airbus A350, aircraft model, airplane model, b-787, B787, Boeing, Boeing 787, desktop model, KLM, mahogany model, model aircraft, model airplane, model plane, plane model, scale model, warplanes, wood plane model, wooden airplane model
As Air France-KLM prepares to roll out the initial elements of a turnaround plan for Air France, the airline group confirms that it has closed its deal with Boeing for 25 787s, of which KLM will be the initial operator, starting in 2016. The airline group also has 25 787s on option.
Air France-KLM confirmed the airline group is the unidentified customer for 25 787-9s listed in Boeing’s order book when the airframer disclosed annual figures last week. Air France also will operate the 787, although at a yet-to-be-set date. An engine decision is pending.
Air France-KLM announced its intention to buy both the 787 and the Airbus A350 in September. An airline official says that talks are under way to finalize the firm order for 25 Airbus A350s. Those talks involve both Airbus and Rolls-Royce, the sole engine supplier.
The 787 order confirmation comes in what could be a pivotal week for Air France, with a board meeting likely on Thursday to set into motion the first elements of a turnaround plan under new CEO Alexandre de Juniac. The executive previously said the plan would involve a two-stage process, the first of which would focus on bolstering the existing cost-savings plan.
Decisions on a wider reorganization, aimed at reducing the airline’s debt level, boosting its short- and medium-haul performance and stepping up its overall competitiveness are not expected to emerge until June because of the need to coordinate with labor groups.
Boeing now holds 305 orders for the long-range 787-9 and 555 for the standard 787-8.
-aviationweek.com
Oct 24
TynibelleCarriers, News 717, 737, 737-700, 737-800, 737MAX, aircraft model, airplane model, B 717, B 737, B717, b737, Boeing 717, desktop model, mahogany model, model aircraft, model airplane, model plane, plane model, scale model, Southwest Airlines, warplanes, wood plane model, wooden airplane model
Southwest Airlines Chairman, President and CEO Gary Kelly says it would be “fantastic” if the airline could find a way to retire the Boeing 717s that were part of its AirTran Airways acquisition before their leases expire, but adds that there is no deal in the offing.
Southwest earlier made clear it does not plan to keep the 88 aircraft when their leases expire, between 2018 and 2024, but seemed to be sending conflicting signals in early September, when it alluded to a possible deal with Boeing to get rid of them earlier (Aviation Daily, Sept. 8).
In a conference call on Oct. 20 to discuss the carrier’s third-quarter earnings, Kelly reiterated the desire to drop the aircraft type and said, “If we had an opportunity that was affordable for us to accelerate the retirement of the 717s and replace them with 737s, that would be fantastic.”
But Kelly also added that Southwest does not have that alternative right now. “We’re talking to Boeing about a whole variety of things, and that would be one,” Kelly said. But he also said, “The odds are you are going to see those aircraft operated for Southwest for quite some time.”
Kelly did not have any significant update regarding Southwest’s discussions with Boeing about the 737MAX, revealing only that “we are just now being briefed on what it does or doesn’t do.”
He added that he is not concerned that Southwest, a big and long-time Boeing customer, will be bumped down the list for 737MAX deliveries if it takes too long to decide. “I am sure they will meet our needs with respect to delivery positions,” he said.
Regarding another fleet-related decision—the installation of Boeing’s Sky Interior—Kelly described Southwest as “very enthused” about the new interior, which will be installed on its 737-800s, and said he has been thinking about elements of Sky that might be considered for 737-700s scheduled for delivery or via retrofits of existing aircraft. Southwest has made some decisions about the interiors but is not ready to reveal them yet, he added.
Kelly made the comments after an earnings report that showed a third-quarter loss of $140 million, primarily because of $227 million in non-cash markdowns related to a portion of the company’s fuel hedges for 2012 through 2015. Because oil prices have risen since Sept. 30, the future fuel hedge portfolio has gained back more than $300 million in fair value since then, Southwest notes.
Southwest reported $225 million in operating income and net income, excluding special items, of $122 million. That is less than the $194 million net income, minus special items, a year ago, largely because of higher fuel prices. But Southwest says bookings and revenue gains remain strong.
Southwest this week also participated in an industry-wide fare increase of $2-$5 one way, its 10th increase of the year. Quarterly revenue jumped 35% to $4.3 billion, with passenger unit revenue up 6%; total unit revenue gained about 7% and yield 5.7%, while load factor rose slightly to 82%.
Southwest still is planning for essentially flat capacity next year—with aircraft retirements offsetting new deliveries; however, it expects by June 2012 to be able to sell combined Southwest-AirTran itineraries for virtually all flight combinations as a single itinerary with one fare and baggage transfer. That will include connections to AirTran’s international services.
-aviationweek.com
Oct 03
TynibelleCarriers, News Airbus A320, aircraft model, airplane model, Boeing 737, Boeing MD-80, Boeing MD80, desktop model, FAA, mahogany model, MD-80, MD-80s, MD-83, MD80, model aircraft, model airplane, model plane, plane model, scale model, Super98, warplanes, wood plane model, wooden airplane model
A drag-reducing upgrade kit developed for Boeing MD-80 operators has received supplemental type certification from the FAA.
A Spanair MD-83 plane
Developed by Long Beach, Calif.-based engineering company Super98, the first part of the kit is initially designed to reduce fuel burn by 2.5% or more, with a further 1% benefit available from a more extensive upgrade. Fuel savings were verified in flight tests of an instrumented MD-83 in late 2010 and early 2011.
Fuel savings from the Phase 1 kit are estimated at more than $236,000 per aircraft per year based on a $3/gallon oil price, says Super98. The Phase 1 kit is divided into two sub-kits, the first of which includes flap hinge fairings forward and aft, aileron and elevator tab hinge covers, wing-body sealing and wing trailing edge seals. The second sub-kit includes flap segment seals, a windshield fairing, rudder lower gap seal, aileron edge seal, a main landing gear door skid, refaired tail skid and a horizontal stabilizer tip seal.
The additional modifications that will deliver a further 1% drag reduction require more time to install than overnight maintenance stops. They include slat lower trailing edge seals, slat segment gap seals and spoiler trailing edge extensions.
“We’ve got the first parts assembled and they’re ready to go,” says VP-Sales and Marketing Rolf Sellge. Production plans are currently based on providing up to six shipsets per month. Although MD-80s are being replaced throughout the type’s main operating arenas in the U.S. and Europe, Sellge says the wait list for newer Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 models means many will remain in service well into the decade and beyond. Breakeven for the drag kits comes in a year for Phase 1 and a year-and-a-half for the full kit, he adds.
Super98 expects to have the first kits installed around year-end and the first customer for the full package to be on contract in the first quarter of 2012. Overall, more than 700 MD-80s remain in service.
-aviationweek.com
-wikipedia.org
Sep 07
TynibelleCarriers, News 737, 737 MAX, 737-9, 787, A320neo, A380, Airbus, aircraft model, airplane model, Boeing, Boeing 737, desktop model, mahogany model, model aircraft, model airplane, model plane, plane model, scale model, warplanes, wood plane model, wooden airplane model
According to Airbus, the decision to develop a re-engined 737 rather than an all-new aircraft by Boeing was a predictable lower-risk move, but believes the European manufacturer’s head start with the A320NEO puts it in pole position for market dominance.
Speaking to Aviation Week on the eve of Boeing’s official launch of the re-engined 737 MAX family, Airbus Americas President and CEO Barry Eccleston says, “We reached a conclusion a year ago that re-engining was the way to go. We were not ready for the production of a single-aisle composite aircraft, and the market reaction to the NEO proved we were right. We always thought Boeing would come to that same conclusion, and they did,” he says.
The decision for both Airbus and Boeing was also driven by the risk of introducing a raft of new technology into an all-new platform, and reflections on hard lessons-learned from development problems with the A380 and 787. “I’ve always said the 787 will eventually be a terrific aircraft, but its development issues show that putting new technology into an aircraft is very hard work. We know that from the A380, and now they know about it on the 787,” Eccleston says.
The heavy dependence that both Airbus and Boeing place on the valuable franchise of the single-aisle market simply made the development of an all new aircraft too much of an unacceptable risk, adds Eccleston. “With a new single-aisle aircraft you can’t have the sort of development problems and infantile issues that could be introduced into a fleet. So I think the airlines are looking for the same levels of reliability as you get with today’s aircraft from day one, because it’s the bread and butter of the industry.”
The strength of the market reaction to the A320NEO has meanwhile surpassed expectations at Airbus, says Ecclestone. “Even we have been surprised. John Leahy [Airbus Customers Chief Operating Officer] said we would have 500 orders by Le Bourget, and now we’re up to 1,089 orders and commitments. So it’s basically double what we’d expected so far.”
Airbus senior officials meanwhile question Boeing’s performance predictions for the MAX as outlined with a CFM Leap-1B engine configured with a fan diameter of 66 or 68 inches. In particular, they say the key performance requirement point around top-of-climb thrust for the largest member of the MAX family, the 737-9, could be a crucial factor in how the final configuration is defined.
Boeing says that although the final fan diameter remains to be determined, it predicts the baseline 737 MAX will have operating costs 7% better than the NEO. It also claims the 737 variant will be 10-12% more fuel efficient than the 737NG and 4% better than the A320NEO on a fuel burn basis. The initial industry response to Boeing’s announcement, which included 496 commitments from five airlines, appears to have been positive. Equity research analysts at Credit Suisse, for example say the size of airline interest is “above expectations and a very positive indicator of demand for what has been viewed as a “me-too” offering.”
-aviationweek.com
Aug 17
TynibelleCarriers, News 777, 777X, 787, Airbus A350-1000, aircraft models, airplane models, b777, B777X, Boeing, boeing 777, Boeing 777X, custom models, helicopter models, model airplanes, model helicopters, model planes, plane models, Popular Airlines, warplanes, wooden airplane models
Boeing is looking at expansive and more modest changes to the 777 widebody to keep the product viable, but a strategy decision is not likely soon, says Air Lease Corp. Chairman and CEO Steven Udvar-Hazy.
Boeing is already in talks with potential customers about the so-called 777X, says Boeing Commercial Airplanes President Jim Albaugh.
Some of the proposals being looked at include a brand-new engine to replace the GE90, which General Electric would first have to develop, Udvar-Hazy says.
Also on the agenda are potentially a new wing, or, at least, aerodynamic improvements.
Udvar-Hazy says the options range from major changes to a Band-Aid approach to keep the aircraft competitive versus the Airbus A350-1000.
Some options are “extremely costly, in terms of development and would involve significant redesign of the airplane,” he says.
The near-term focus for Boeing will be on getting the 787 into customer hands, he adds, so, “I don’t think Boeing is going to come to any quick decision.”
-aviationweek.com
-wikipedia.org
Aug 03
TynibelleCarriers, News A380, a380 superjumbo, aircraft models, airplane models, Boeing 737, Bombardier CRJ-700, custom models, Delta Air Lines, Delta Boeing 737, Delta Flight 2207, Flight 1777, helicopter models, model airplanes, model helicopters, model planes, plane models, Popular Airlines, superjumbo, warplanes, wooden airplane models
July 31, Sunday, two Delta Air Lines planes collided on the taxiway at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, the fourth incident in four months involving the carrier’s aircraft.
Delta Flight 2207, which was scheduled for Minneapolis, and Flight 1777, headed to Atlanta, had a “taxiway incursion,” said Delta spokeswoman Chris Kelly Singley. She didn’t know the full extent of the damage to the aircraft.
After the incident, which occurred about 7:30 p.m. local time, the passengers of both planes were removed and rescheduled on other Delta flights or those of another airlines last night and this morning, Kelly Singley said. No injuries were reported, said Karen Pride, a spokeswoman for the Chicago Department of Aviation.
“Delta’s No. 1 priority is safety,” Kelly Singley said in a telephone interview.
Earlier this month, a Delta wide-body plane struck the tail of a smaller jet from regional partner Atlantic Southeast Airlines as they prepared for takeoff from Boston’s Logan Airport.
In April, a Bombardier CRJ-700 from Delta’s Comair unit was clipped by the wing of an Air France Airbus SAS A380 superjumbo at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, spinning the smaller plane and 66 occupants through 90 degrees.
A month later, the wing of a Delta Boeing 737 struck the tail of another at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, Delta’s hometown hub.
“Each of the incidents is being looked at individually, and by no means do we believe we have a trend,” said Kelly Singley.
-watoday.com.au
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