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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 0865.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT MANUFACTURING Deliveries rest on new airport Chinese joint venture company Harbin Embraer has completed production of its first two ERJ- 145s, but the aircraft will not be delivered to launch customer China Southern Airlines until the new Baiyun International Airport is opened in Guangzhou, writes Brendan Sobie. The deliveries, contractually scheduled for June, could occur in the last week of the month if the new airport opens on time. China Southern plans to base its ERJ fleet - four additional ERJ-145s have also been ordered for delivery from August through January - at its Guangzhou hub but has not yet selected initial routes for the air craft, The airline has told Embraer it does not want to operate the aircraft at the old air port to avoid potential problems with the later move to Baiyun. Managing director of Embraer China, Guan Dong Yuan, says China Southern will be ready to begin ERJ opera tions at the end of June as the flight crew and mechanics have already been trained. However, any postponement in the airport opening - some airlines are sceptical the airport will open by the end of June - could result in delivery delays. "We're trying to fix the date. We still have to fig ure out the availability of the customer," Guan says. The first Harbin-assembled ERJ-145, which made its maiden flight last December, could have been delivered in the first quarter but China Southern did not place the long antici pated order until February and did not want the aircraft until mid year. Guan says several other prospective customers have also been reluctant to order the air craft, claiming Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) policies are restricting growth of China's regional airline industry. Unfavourable policies include landing and operating fees that are levied on all aircraft irrespec tive of size, he says. GROUNDING TOLGA OZBEK / ISTANBUL THY grounds Avro RJ fleet and disputes liability Turkish carrier in spat with BAE Systems after corrosion found in wing fuel tanks The discovery of corrosion damage in its fleet of Avro RJ70s and RJlOOs has prompted THY Turkish Airlines to ground the aircraft and launch negotiations with BAE Systems over remedial work. The airline says it removed the aircraft from service after corrosion was discovered in wing fuel tanks during preparation for the aircraft's return to the manufacturer upon the expiry of their leases. It is understood the damage will cost $1.5-3 million per aircraft to repair and THY is disputing liability. BAE Systems Regional Aircraft says it "only became aware through press reports that THY has grounded its Avro RJ fleet, although we did determine late last year that some minor repairs were required on a THY RJ which has now been recently re-delivered off- lease. We are currently in the process of taking re-delivery of up to another four RJs. "We did eventually receive a for mal request from THY to provide technical expertise to help them evaluate what rectification, if any, may be needed on its residual RJ fleet," it adds. "The grounding action was not supported by Regional Aircraft nor, to the best of our knowledge, by the Turkish air worthiness authorities." BAE Systems Regional Aircraft does not support THY's decision to ground its Avro RJs EXPANSION NICHOLAS IONIDES / SINGAPORE Indian carriers in bid to lease more aircraft as purchases remain stalled India's state-owned carriers, Air India and Indian Airlines, plan to lease more aircraft to meet capacity shortfalls as applications to pur chase new aircraft remain frozen at governmental level. Air India wants to lease an addi tional Boeing 747-400 as well as its first Airbus A340-300s on three or five-year dry leases, with the 747- 400 delivered in December and three A340-300s in March 2005. Indian Airlines wants to lease its first Airbus A319s and expand its A320 fleet to help it compete with growing private carriers. It needs as many as five A319s, powered by either CFM International CFM56 or International Aero Engines V2500 engines, and up to six more A320s powered by V2500A1 engines. It already operates 41 V2500Al-powered A320s. Indian Airlines says it would like deliveries to begin in November and it wants three-year leases with the option of two-year extensions. Both airlines need to expand and modernise their fleets to cope with increasing competition at home and abroad. Requests to purchase new aircraft have been held up at government level for some time, however, and there are fears the recent change in administration will further delay any acquisitions. Late in 2003, after years of stud ies, Air India's board approved an internal recommendation to order 10 A340-300s as well as 18 Boeing 737-800s. It needs to expand its fleet and route network to better compete with foreign airlines that have been given more rights to operate to India over the past year. Indian Airlines has been await ing government approval for some time to purchase 43 Airbus narrow- body aircraft. It needs to expand to help it better compete with pri vately owned Air Sahara and Jet Airways, both of which are grow ing and which recently launched their first international services. 12 1-7 JUNE 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightlnternational.com
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