These shots were generously provided by Bombardier and illustrate the on-going assembly of the 100 seat CRJ1000. First delivery is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2009.
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Jon Ostrower : March 2008 Archives
The announcement of the 50% acquisition of Global Aeronautica in Charleston is a powerful step forward in regaining oversight and management of key sections of the 787 supply chain.
By taking the reins at Global Aeronautica along side Alenia, Boeing is now significantly better positioned to finish assembly of the remaining test aircraft center fuselages and look ahead to a robust production ramp up. Assumption of control of the Global Aeronautica facility solves several key problems that had plagued the Charleston facility.
First, ensuring that communication is maintained with respect to the status of airframe assembly will enable production schedules to be optimized to best utilize resources across the global supply chain.
Second, the sharing of control at Global Aeronautica allows for direct line-of-sight management of the supply chain. Part shortages can be best managed and solved by ensuring that parts are ordered to the appropriate level of need and shared across the whole of the supply chain.
Third, as Boeing establishes a permanent presence in Charleston, the proximity to Vought, who will still fabricate and assembly aft Sections 47 and 48 next door to Global Aeronautica, permits for additional oversight, guidance and consultation as the supply chain matures.
Lastly, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Chairman, Scott Carson was asked by Seattle Times reporter Dominic Gates back in October what he, "might have done differently" in Charleston. Carson replied, "I think, if there's a lesson learned, it might be you'd start earlier and you'd do a little more training, perhaps, with our people there, helping them learn the production process."
By assuming a 50% stake in Global Aeronautica, the issues of aerospace manufacturing expertise and training amongst the staff can be directly addressed.
Friday's announcement enables Boeing to engage more fully on a host of issues that have challenged the 787 program in Charleston.
The importance of Global Aeronautica in the 787 supply chain can not be understated. It was the only location in the global network of suppliers that was responsible for the integration of such significant structural portions of the aircraft. As an integrator of major structural components from Italy and Japan, the role of the facility mirrored, on a smaller scale, the exact work that takes place in Everett for 787 final assembly.
In closing, the announcement has potentially far reaching consequences that go well beyond the 787 Dreamliner program.
This is the first expansion of Boeing’s manufacturing infrastructure in over a decade. Scaling back infrastructure has long been a hallmark of the Aerospace giant. Halting of commercial assembly in Long Beach and the sale of Wichita to form Spirit Aerosystems has demonstrated a propensity for consolidation rather than expansion. Rightly, Boeing has sought to do more with less. The 50% acquisition announcement marks a first expansion of Boeing’s manufacturing capability since the merger with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. In addition, with the pending future expansion of the Northrop Grumman/EADS facility in Mobile, AL to build KC-45A and A330-200F, Boeing has turned lemons into lemonade by providing a foot hold in the growing southern aerospace base.
Unequivocally, this is a net positive for the 787 program both in the short and long term. Boeing identified a tactical problem and found a strategic solution to address it. Boeing is now able to directly tackle issues of supply chain management and integration challenges, rather than the insufficient over-the-shoulder oversight that, according to sources in Charleston, was a hallmark of the previous year.
Boeing and the 787 Dreamliner program are well served by this decision.
Image Credit Brad Nettles/The Charleston Post and Courier
December 11, 2007
Will Boeing Buy Out Vought on the 787?
Ever-louder rumblings inside Boeing from Everett and Charleston point to this potential course of action.Following the October 10th announcement of the six month delay in first delivery of the 787, significant speculation began as to the exact source of the problems.
Though many have been looking for a smoking gun, there are many factors that added up to create the current situation. One piece of the puzzle that has been perpetually identified as a source of the program’s problems is Texas-based first-tier supplier, Vought Aircraft Industries.
Vought has never been identified by name as the source of the problems, yet it appears that the change in language amongst the top brass at Boeing and Vought points to a cooling relationship which could be setting the stage for a clean extrication in the near future.
The answer is yes, mostly.
March 28, 2008
Boeing Announces Agreement to Acquire Vought Share of Global Aeronautica
SEATTLE, March 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) announced today it has agreed to acquire Vought Aircraft Industries' interest in Global Aeronautica, LLC, a South Carolina fuselage sub-assembly facility for Boeing's newest airplane, the 787 Dreamliner. After the transaction is complete, Global Aeronautica will become a 50-50 joint venture between The Boeing Company and Alenia North America, a subsidiary of Italy's Alenia Aeronautica -- a Finmeccanica company. Vought will continue to produce the aft fuselage for the 787 at its facility adjacent
to Global Aeronautica in North Charleston.
More on this as the story unfolds.
Start-Ups
SouthWestJetBluezil just doesn't sound right, so David Neeleman is going to have to come up a more creative brand to fly his newly ordered 36 Embraer E-195s. The yet unnamed Brazilian start-up will go head to head with GOL, TAM and Varig in a rapidly growing market. The Sao Paolo-Rio De Janeiro Route is one of the busiest air corridors in the world, which fits Neeleman's MO to a tee. JetBlue started out flying between New York destinations and Fort Lauderdale, one of the busiest US air corridors. Interestingly enough, this order makes Neeleman's start-up the Brazilian launch customer for the homegrown E-Jet.
Launch Customers
This blog reported just days ago that ANA would be an order to become the launch customer of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet. At the time, I speculated that the order would be announced prior to the Farnborough Air Show this July. Well, the information was sound, it just happened even sooner than first thought. ANA ordered 15 MRJs, plus an additional 10 options today. Not only us ANA a launch customer for the MRJ, which is expected to enter service in Japan in late 2013, they will also be launching the fuel efficient Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbo Fan engine which will power the 70-90 seat regional jet.
A350 production delay fearsSome thoughts:Mar 26 2008 by Alistair Houghton, Liverpool Daily Post
FEARS have surfaced that production of Airbus’ newest passenger jet – the extra wide-bodied A350 XWB – may be delayed.
The redesigned A350 is struggling to catch up with rival aircraft manufacturer Boeing’s hugely successful 787 Dreamliner which was launched four years ago and has captured more than 800 orders to date.
Wings for the A350 are to be made from carbon composite materials at Airbus’s aerospace complex at Broughton, near Chester. The work is seen as crucial in helping secure the future of the site and its 7,000 jobs in the development of a new generation of lighter, more fuel-efficient airliners.
Amazingly enough, this is the entire article that was posted to the Liverpool Daily Post early this morning. There's no attribution whatsoever and it reads like it's missing about six paragraphs explaining what 'FEARS' actually means. I'm not usually one to call a reporter out, but unless you have something factual to back up such claims or your editor decided to remove the purpose for your story, then just don't even bother.
With first flight four years away, this article has a Malaysia Sun feel to it; ample heat, but no light.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any insight as to what this may actually be about.
UPDATE 9:10 AM 3/27: It appears this report yesterday is based upon the sale of factory sites to MT Aerospace. The talks have collapsed, raising questions about production sites for the A350.
The situation, if not resolved shortly could significantly impact the A350. A report on March 20 from Dow Jones in Frankfurt reported the following:
FRANKFURT (Dow Jones)--The chief executive of Airbus sees the timeframe for the long-haul aircraft A350XWB in danger if a decision isn't made soon on the sale of the Airbus sites the company aims to dispose of, Financial Times Deutschland reports Thursday.The paper quoted unnamed sources as saying Thomas Enders has demanded clarity within the next two to three weeks on what the next steps towards a sale will be. Sources say negotitations with OHB/MT Aerospace, which has been talking with Airbus about the German sites, have been halted, as a solution acceptable to Airbus wasn't attainable.
An Airbus spokesman told FTD the company doesn't comment on rumors. Negotiations are ongoing, he said.
Yeah, it rhymes.
On 787
This week could see a date set for a formal announcement of the revamped delivery schedule for the Dreamliner. The assessment which has been on-going since January is expected at the end of March or early April. Analysts are expecting the new production number to be anywhere from 10 to 30 787s delivered in 2009.
On MRJ
The Mitsubishi Regional Jet got another boost this morning, when it was revealed that Vietnam Airlines is looking at 20 70-96 seat MRJs, "and in return MHI is offering to shift some MRJ parts production to north Vietnam," says Flight's Leithen Francis. The geared turbo fan powered MRJ is yet to officially have a launch customer, though a source familiar with the MRJ program tells FlightBlogger that a launch orders with Japanese carriers JAL and ANA are expected to be completed prior to the Farnborough Air Show.
On Gulfstream
I'll be rolling out part one of the Gulfstream/Honeywell Synthetic Vision flight feature later this week. If you like up-close shots of next-generation glass cockpit avionics in action, then you're going to like this quite a bit.
One teaser shot for you:
On A380
Finally, I'm working on an A380 production update for later this week, so stay tuned for that.
Finally, take a look at this video from NBC Nightly News, it gives you a breakdown of where every dollar of your ticket price goes.
One year ago today, I embarked on a case study to explore what happens when a person has too much free time on their hands.
About a year later on flight back from Tokyo a month ago, our route on the seven month-old 777-300ER took us directly over Everett as we headed for Dulles.
I had a quiet moment to reflect on the fact that the aircraft that was carrying me home was born not far beneath my feet.
An airplane is so much more than the sum of its parts.
It is the combined effort and tireless work of a cast of thousands that sacrifices by giving up time with your family, working crazy hours and sometimes being far from home. Each person that contributes to the development of a new airplane gives a part of themselves help it into the sky. I have had the privilege of getting to know many of you who make this possible.
No one is more aware than I that I have ruffled some feathers in the last year. I’d like to believe I’ve been fair and accurate. And if in any instance either has not been true, you’ve rightly corrected me.
For all the challenges the Dreamliner has faced, I’m left thinking that the context by which to understand this aircraft is found in the fact that finding and tackling problems now is the best thing you can hope for. I was saving this quote for when flight testing began, but I think it’s appropriate to share it after this week:
“I'm sure for the press it’s hard to understand that failures of any kind are acceptable, yet to us at this stage of the game that success.I only hope in some way I’ve been able to contribute to the public understanding of what it takes to bring a new commercial aircraft from an idea to a flying machine.When people take that information and blow it out of proportion or misinterpret it, or try to make a creative dramatic story out of it, I get frustrated, because it's not, I view it as somewhat of an attack on the pilot community, but also it's sort of a break in the trust that should exist in both directions.
At the same time I understand that it's a different world to most people, they relate to what these things would mean in the airline world with them flying as a passenger, and its a totally different environment, we're looking for totally different things, and the goal is to solve the problem before we even get to the airline world.”
-- John Cashman
777 Chief Test Pilot
The past year has brought more than three-quarters of a million visitors to the pages of FlightBlogger and more than 1.2 million page loads to date. I am grateful to each and everyone one of you who has taken the time to visit. It is no understatement to say that you have all changed my life in a very significant way.
The blog really began with one simple question: Does this site have something you can’t find anywhere else?
I do hope you can answer is yes.
I still occasionally go back and look at that original FlightBlogger post. I never could've imagined what kind of journey lay ahead. The last line always makes me smile:
“To all those who aren't paying attention to this blog yet, I say welcome. Stay tuned.”
With deepest thanks.
Onward,
Jon Ostrower
March 21, 2008
EVERETT, Wash., March 20, 2008 -- It is a normal part of the development of a new airplane to discover need for improvements, and that is what we are experiencing on the 787. The robust test process in place on the 787 program has confirmed the majority of our designs but we have found the need for some improvements.LinkThe center wing box issue has been addressed. The fix is being installed on Airplanes 1-6 in the Everett factory. Installations have begun on the four airplanes currently in Final Assembly. All airplanes after Airplane 7 will have the solution incorporated from the beginning.
The fundamental technologies being used on the 787 are proving to be reliable and effective. The material choices and manufacturing techniques for the airplane are sound.
Boeing is working its normal processes for developing a new airplane. The test process is working when issues are discovered and we are reacting appropriately by implementing normal design validation and fixes when we find issues.
A center wing box design flaw has forced Boeing to redesign a critical section of the 787, program sources tell FlightBlogger, due to the potential for premature buckling in the structural spars.
Stiffeners will be affixed to restore structural integrity to the spars on the existing center wing boxes, which are manufactured by Fuji Heavy Industries in Japan.
When approached for comment, Boeing reiterated the statement it released yesterday regarding design changes:
“It is normal during the development of a new airplane to discover the need for design enhancements. We are working with our partners to address the need for design changes in some areas. While these changes are not good for final assembly because they are dealing with traveled work at this time, the design changes are not the sole pacing item.”
During the initial development phase of the center wing box, the structural spars were designed to the appropriate width to support the required structural loads.
The original design for the center wing box was changed when the weight of the Dreamliner began to increase. The structural spars, which are made of composite, were reduced in width as a weight saving measure.
Boeing and Fuji Heavy Industries manufactured composite test pieces to demonstrate the structural capabilities of the spars. Findings indicated that the composite spars were buckling prematurely compared to metal spars of the same width.
A source familiar with the situation tells FlightBlogger that Boeing became aware of the issue around the time of the July 8, 2007 roll out of Dreamliner One.
"Similar design changes happened in 777, but the difference is that 787 was so far away from weight target that many weight reduction ideas were adopted even though there was high risk due to lack to supporting test data or manufacturing experience," says a source familiar with the situation.
As a result, Boeing is incorporating an interim solution to the existing six center wing boxes under final assembly.
The stiffeners intended for the center wing box have already been delivered to the Boeing Factory in Everett and are being prepared for installation on the four airframes under assembly. Two additional center fuselage sections, which include the center wing box, are being prepared for final assembly at Global Aeronautica in Charleston, SC.
The center wing box is made from both traditional metals and composite. The new stiffeners will be composite and aluminum and matched to complementary areas of the structure.
FlightBlogger has been told that a redesigned center wing box will likely be ready for the first production aircraft, Airplane Seven, which is expected to be delivered to Japan’s All Nippon Airways in 2009.
The center wing box is the structural core of the aircraft representing an intersecting node between the wings, Section 43 on the forward end, Section 46 and main landing gear well at the rear, and Section 44 which caps the center wing box and completes the center fuselage section.
The first public indications of a wing box problem came from Boeing’s largest 787 customer, International Lease Finance Corporation chairman Steven Udvar-Hazy reportedly told a JPMorgan analyst earlier in the week that he does not expect the first delivery to occur until the third quarter of 2009 as a result of structural design changes that are needed to the center wing box, implying an additional six-month program delay.
First activation of the Boeing 787s electrical system is likely to slip again, forcing first flight and entry into service further back into 2009.
Power-on could occur as early as mid-April according to senior Boeing representatives, yet, internal assessments of the pace of work on Dreamliner One suggest that the milestone could slip to June with slightly more than half of the 600 jobs, or tasks, remaining before power-on.
At least one 787 customer, who spoke with FlightBlogger on the condition of anonymity, has been told by the manufacturer that power-on will likely slip to June.
Boeing was unreachable for comment on the entirety of this report, however, sources familiar with the situation say that the airframer has not formally notified any customers to changes in the power-on schedule.
Paperwork and Design Changes Slowing Assembly
According to program sources, the slow pace of work in recent months can largely be attributed to what are known as rejection tags. Those tags occur when a discrepancy exists between the design and the product. For example, during the normal manufacturing process, holes are drilled to install fasteners. Occasionally, those holes have to be drilled a second time if there is an issue with the first hole. As a result, the hole is considered to be “non-conforming” requiring a larger diameter fastener and must be checked through a quality certification process.
One foundational tenet of the 787 program, according to program sources working with the aircraft, was the idea of a “super-mechanic” who held all the necessary certifications to self check work to appropriate airworthiness standards.
According to sources across the program, over the past year of assembly the self-certification process has become an impediment to progress rather than an enabler of efficiency.
As a result, the 787 program has begun to shift from a system of self-certifying manufacturing staff to a more traditional system of quality assurance similar to Boeing’s legacy programs. The revised system is first being implemented for out-of-sequence traveled work and is expected to be expanded to the entire final assembly process.
The revised system is a “positive step,” says one person working with the aircraft.
By using its traditional quality assurance system, Boeing is able to better control and group the number of rejection tags to reduce paperwork and solution time. For example, under the original system, four non-conforming holes in the same area of the aircraft were filed as four individual issues rather than just one. The new system would streamline the process by grouping these rejection tags together, cutting paperwork, in this example, by 75%.
At another level, minor, yet time consuming, design changes are occupying significant resources.
Often, “Parts are not delivered and substituted with different parts or mechanics make mistakes. Sometimes design error makes it impossible to build as designed,” said one source familiar with the situation.
Each redesign has to go through an extensive process that slows the path to power-on.
Boeing released a statement on the subject as this analysis was going through final revisions:
“It is normal during the development of a new airplane to discover the need for design enhancements. We are working with our partners to address the need for design changes in some areas. While these changes are not good for final assembly because they are dealing with traveled work at this time, the design changes are not the sole pacing item.”
Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!
Last week I got pretty excited about the FlightBlogger FriendFeed which allows me to post all kinds of items during the course of my day that aren't necessarily blog worthy. There was one drawback though, as a reader, you had to go somewhere else to see the feed.
Many of you subscribed to the FlightBlogger FriendFeed, which is great, but I wanted to make it only one-stop for the information. I found a way, using some clever coding, to put the FriendFeed directly here at FlightBlogger. You can see the new feed right here on the main page so you can check back in periodically to see new items here. A definite upgrade to the page. A full layout overhaul should come later this year.
Please let me know if you like it, love it, hate it or "don't really care, just get back to writing about airplanes"?
Happy Friday everyone!
Wow, this video makes me miss flying so much I can't stand it. I probably shouldn't have put finishing my private license on my New Year's resolution list, now it'll never happen. Free advertising and my first born to the flight school that helps me get it! (just kidding...sort of...)
Also, a brand new blog to tell you about. My Flight International colleague Megan Kuhn just launched her very first blog about the wild and woolly world of airports. Head over to Terminal Q and welcome her to the blogosphere.
There's been a great response to the FriendFeed. Thanks to all those who have subscribed so far. Now all I have to do is find a way to embed it directly into the FlightBlogger main page and you'll have one-stop shopping.
Lastly, I wanted to let you all know about a few items I'm working on for the coming weeks. I've got 787 and A380 production updates in the works, plus more photos from the Embraer factory, and a two (or three) part (illustrated) feature on a test flight I did with Gulfstream and Honeywell to show off the new Synthetic Vision System.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Being personally and professional obsessed with the internet, I'm constantly finding little things that I really want to share or blog about.
However, I usually only post around once to twice daily and prefer to write longer more substantive stories that you won't be seeing elsewhere. I never really wanted to do an entirely new post if I found an interesting article, posted a new photo on Flickr or a youtube video I wanted to share, especially if I didn't have the slightest amount of value to add.
It always felt that was a waste of a post and I was never good as a basic aggregator of things on the internet. The internet has plenty of those and you didn't need another one from me.
Yet, I still really wanted to share all those little things I find throughout my day with you. Maybe add a one sentence comment and have the ability for you to comment also. Something quick and easy.
Well everyone, today is the day that it becomes a reality.
Meet FriendFeed.
FriendFeed allows me to share all those little things with you throughout the day (or night). I know a lot of you come back a couple times a day to see if anything new has been posted, so here's a way to fill the time in between.
Subscribe to the new FlightBlogger FriendFeed!
It will have all those little things I find but don't have time to blog about, as well as all of my new posts as they are published.
Think of it as FlightBlogger Plus.
During last week’s trip to Brazil, I was introduced to one of the lesser known members of the Embraer family: The EMB-202A Ipanema.
This awkward looking green-painted crop duster is a 40 year-old design with a 21st century fuel tank. Over 1000 of these aircraft have been built since 1973. What makes the Ipanema so special? It runs on hydrated ethyl alcohol fuel, better known as ethanol. Or as it’s known in Brazil as homegrown 100% Alcool.
The fuel, which is derived from natively grown sugar cane, is converted into alcohol. In a world where oil is well above the $100 barrel mark, sugar cane based ethanol is two to three times cheaper than 100 octane LL avgas. Ethanol, unlike 100LL, has a lower CO2 output and no lead content. The increased oxygen content of the fuel even gives a 7% horsepower boost.
There are downsides though. First, the 4% water content increases maintenance costs due to risk of corrosion in the fuel system. Also, the fuel has less energy content by volume so the useful range would be less on the same tank of 100 octane low lead avgas. Yet, even with the increased risk to the fuel system, according to Embraer, the Ipanema has delivered a 38% reduction in direct operating cost by running on ethanol.
Continue reading The Ethanol Powered Plane.
UPDATE 10:01 AM: Say hello to the all new Gulfstream G650.
Image Credit to Gulfstream
-----
12:49 AM: Cat's out of the bag - playing with Google this evening I found this:
The website gives you a coy message asking, "What's Going On at Gulfstream?"
G650 it is. More in the morning.
UPDATE 8:15 AM:
G650 Confirmed! UBS Investment Research has penned an investment note shedding more light on the subject:
G-Wiz – Introducing the G650
- First flight 2H 2009; EIS 2012
Tomorrow morning [General Dynamics] will introduce its new G650, the longest range and fastest bizjet. The G650 has been in development since early 2005 with first flight targeted for 2H 2009 and entry into service in 2012 (all new certification). Despite the G650 investment, GD has been able to increase Gulfstream margins by 300+ bps since 2005.
- 7,000 nm range; Mach 0.925 top speed
Significant specs include 7,000 nm range at Mach 0.85 cruise and Mach 0.925 top speed making it the longest range and fastest bizjet. This compares to the G550 at 6,750 nm range at Mach 0.80 cruise and Mach 0.885 top speed. The G650 will have a 14 inch wider cabin along with bigger windows and will have 50% fewer parts than the G550.
- [Spirit Aerosystems] gets wing and nacelle
Significant G650 suppliers include [Honeywell] for avionics and auxiliary power unit, [Spirit Aerosystems] for wing and nacelles and [Goodrich] for landing gear. Rolls Royce will supply new 16,000 lbs thrust engines.
With anticipation growing, Gulfstream is set to make, “a major announcement which will have far-reaching effects on both the future of Gulfstream and the future of the business-aviation industry.”
Sounds pretty exciting, eh?
The March 13 announcement is an unveiling of a new aircraft. I’ve spoken with several sources, including one analyst who has tried out the seats destined for the new aircraft at a supplier. General Dynamics CEO Nicholas Chabraja was asked in November of last year at the Credit Suisse Aviation Week Aerospace Conference, “I think, people are interested in is your product development plans. Any further update there?”
Chabraja responded, “No, but you're going to hear from us in 2008. We'll have some announcements for you. We've kind of kept the veil on this long enough. I think, certainly, in the first half of 2008. We'll have to say something. Unlike some competitors, we don't talk about an airplane and then announce that we're going to go ahead with it. When we announce it, it's in the works, we've started to build it.”
What do we know?
Gulfstream is working on a larger-cabin, longer-range business jet powered by a derivative of the Rolls-Royce BR710 engine.
What must it do?
Get in and out of tough airports.
- Teterboro Airport just outside of New York City has a max takeoff weight cap of 100,000 lbs.
- Aspen-Pitkin County Airport in Colorado has a wingspan cap of 95 feet.
Bombardier’s Global Express XRS
- Range: 6,150 nm
- Mach .85
- 8’ 2” cabin width, 6’ 3” cabin height
- Max seating: 3 crew + 19 passengers
- Range: 5,950 nm
- Mach .85
- 7’ 8” cabin width, 6’ 2” cabin height
- Max seating: 3 crew + 19 passengers
Gulfstream, what do you call your new jet?
Well, let’s work backward. What isn’t it going to be called?
Gulfstream has repeatedly denied any knowledge of a G600 or a G6000 and the company holds trademarks for the G625 and G675. The company's current range goes from the G150 to the G550 in steps of 50 with a few gaps. If Gulfstream's keeps up with this sequence then we'd see a designation above G600.
If the G600 is out, what's next?
More Thursday morning.
Lots going on today. Just wanted to get some food for thought out there this morning. I'm finally beginning to feel like myself again. Again, there's a lot coming down the pike for FlightBlogger in the next several days.
TAPS Combustor Upgrade Leads 787 GEnx-1B Recertification Plan
By Guy Norris
Aviation Week
The improved GEnx-1B will be approved under an amendment to the baseline type certificate, which is expected on Mar. 14. The revised certification will be ready prior to entry into service on the 787, now anticipated for early 2009, and will form the build standard for all deliveries, says GEnx program manager Tom Brisken.American Airlines in dilemma on when to replace aging fleet
By Terry Maxon
Dallas Morning News
"The Super 80 therefore conserves fuel while enhancing pilot productivity," the [1983] annual report bragged. "On a route of 750 miles, the Super 80's fuel cost per seat mile is 37 percent less than that of a 727-100, while its cockpit crew cost per seat mile is 42 percent less."An MD-80 burns 3,334 gallons of jet fuel on an average trip from Dallas/Fort Worth to New York's LaGuardia Airport, American says. The Boeing 737-800 burns 2,455 gallons, a savings of $2,285 with jet fuel at $2.60 a gallon.
Boeing to protest KC-X tanker award to Northrop and EADS
By Graham Warwick
Flight International
Boeing has decided to protest award of the US Air Force's KC-X replacement tanker contract to Northrop Grumman and Airbus parent EADS.McCain Advisers Lobbied for AirbusThe US company says it has serious concerns with the way the USAF evaluated the cost and risk of its bid, and with the use of a Northrop-developed analytical model to assess the effectiveness of its KC-767 tanker.
By Jim Kuhnhenn and Matthew Daly
Associated Press
Two of the advisers gave up their lobbying work when they joined McCain's campaign. A third, former Texas Rep. Tom Loeffler, lobbied for the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. while serving as McCain's national finance chairman.Carlyle Founders Consider Cash Infusion***
By Thomas Heath
Washington Post
The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the talks. They said that in addition to a possible investment, the company is exploring whether alternative forms of collateral might be available or whether it might be able to tap a new line of credit.***One small note on that last article for additional aviation context. The Carlyle Group owns Vought Aircraft Industries which is a 1st Tier supplier on the 787 and other Boeing programs.
Hey all, my apologies for radio silence over the last four days. I've been somewhat under the weather here in Brazil and trying to find my footing again. I'll be back in the States by Monday afternoon and I've got lots to write about. I'm working on a comprehensive update to put Friday's news into some greater perspective.
I think I've been going through withdrawal without being able to post.
Looking forward to getting back in the saddle.
Sao Jose dos Campos – The new light jet offering from Embraer, the Phenom 300, achieved power on for the first time on March the 4th.
The aircraft, serial number 801, is currently undergoing final assembly at the Gaviao Peixoto final assembly facility 200 miles outside of Sao Paolo. The aircraft is on jacks in its current position on the factory floor positioned behind the fourth test aircraft Phenom 100, Embraer’s new Very Light Jet.
Following yesterday’s successful power on, S/N 801 is undergoing further systems integration in preparation for the aircraft’s first flight expected later in the second quarter of this year.
The aircraft is awaiting installation of its winglets, tail assembly, wheels and movable control surfaces. The first wing to body join was completed within the last week.
Embraer assembled the forward, center and aft fuselage sections at its Botucatu facility, then shipped them by truck to Gaviao Peixoto for final assembly.
The Phenom 300 will seat up to seven plus two flight attendants and sport a range of up to 1,800 nm. The avionics package will be identical to the smaller Phenom 100 which sports a Garmin 1000 adapted flight deck marketed under the name Prodigy.
Flight testing and certification is targeted for Summer 2009, with first delivery coming shortly thereafter.
The aircraft was photographed earlier today by FlightBlogger and are the first pictures to show the current state of assembly of the first Phenom 300 aircraft. A walk around photo tour of the aircraft will be available soon.
Sao Jose Dos Campos -- I've arrived here in Brazil and I'll be heading to the Embraer factory within the hour and I've been pondering quite a bit on the state of the global economy.
This last week brought us the first new wide-body aircraft type (Delta's 777-200LR) introduced in the US since Northwest first added its A330s in 2003. The last five years have demonstrated a tectonic shift in the center of gravity of the global economy. Around the world new wide-body aircraft are being delivered to the Middle East and Asia. You need only look at the ramp in Everett to see how things have changed.
With the US economy teetering on the edge of recession, the rest of the world largely goes on without significant impact. The full extent of the credit crisis yet to be seen, however the damage resulting from a crisis originating in US is far more contained. Yet, if markets sneeze in China the US nearly flips on its head. Indeed a role reversal indicative of the new global economy.
With respect to business aviation, emerging markets are driving product development. Here in Brazil this shift is evident, as the business jet offerings from Embraer are designed with the growing Middle Eastern and Asian market in mind. Marketing materials tout range charts from Dubai and Beijing along side London and New York.
These products will further shrink an already flat world enabling infrastructure development along side blistering economic development. The new products are an outgrowth of an economic boom, yet, at some point the question becomes one of the chicken and the egg. Will these new business jets encourage growth or be the byproduct of it?
More from Sao Jose dos Campos later.
A programming note for FlightBlogger for the remainder of this week. I'll be heading to Sao Paolo, Brazil this evening to visit Embraer in advance of EBACE 2008. I'll be covering the Phenom, Legacy and Lineage business jet product lines, tour the factories and speak with executives.
If you're not familiar with the business jet offering from Embraer, here's some good reading to get you caught up.
Phenom 100
Phenom 300
Legacy 600
Lineage 1000
I'm sure we'll also be hearing quite a bit about the new Midsize Light Jet (MLJ) and Midsize Jet (MSJ) which were announced last September as well.
Also, this is a country that takes its aviation VERY seriously. Just look how the capitol city is laid out. You might recognize the shape:
View Larger Map
Lastly, I added a tour of the Legacy 600 from the Singapore Air Show. Listen to the
audio tour here.
Many high resolution cabin and flight deck pictures below the fold.
Continue reading Brazil Bound.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
First flight of ARJ21 delayed
Leithen Francis, Singapore (03Mar08, 03:04 GMT, 162 words)First flight of China’s ARJ21-700 has been delayed and the company has yet to fix a new date for first flight.
The ARJ21-700 had its roll-out last December as scheduled and was due to have its first test flight in March this year but a spokesman for the aircraft marker in Shanghai says in an email to ATI that “it will not happen in March”.
He says the first flight may be sometime before July this year but the company has yet to set a date.The ARJ21-700 is a 90-seat regional jet aircraft by China Aviation Industry Corp. I Commercial Aircraft (ACAC).
ACAC oversees the programme and has said earlier it aims to have the aircraft receive Chinese certification in 2009’s third quarter in time for first delivery to launch customer Shandong Airlines before the end of 2009.
This aircraft is assembled at Shanghai Aircraft (SAC) and uses major sub-assemblies from China Aviation Industry Corp. (AVIC) I factories around the country.
The video was created by someone who clearly has an eye for advertising. On a semi-related note, the vertical tail fin for ZA003, the first Boeing 787 to wear Northwest colors, arrived in Everett last week. It will be joined to a red-painted rudder which is already on the factory floor.
According to the airline, Northwest will be flying their 787s with a 200 passenger configuration; with seating for 152 economy and 48 business class seats.
Onward.
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