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Aviation is an Irreplaceable Force – Claims Airbus in its 2020 Results Presentation

by Radhakrishnan Pattabiraman
written by Radhakrishnan Pattabiraman

Come January each year, aviation enthusiasts are always on the look-out for results of performance of Aircraft manufacturers. Especially so from the two giants: Namely,  Airbus & Boeing, the world’s largest manufacturers of commercial aircraft.

While both also focus to defence & space products,  the commercial aviation products generate some of the most interest for analysts. With Airbus having released their 2020 presentation, Travel Radar takes a look.

Airbus Results as a Snap-Shot Indicates its Resilience in the Pandemic

  • 566 commercial aircraft deliveries, 34 percent fewer than in 2019, in line with adaptation plan
  • 383 new aircraft orders, 268 net orders, 7,184 aircraft in backlog

Airbus-Commercial-Aircraft-Orders-and-Deliveries-2020-Infographic

Finally, the World of Wide-Bodies are shrinking

Annual results of Airbus are to be announced on the 18th of February.  However, the recent press release indicates a strong market for the narrow-body aircrafts with single-aisle.  Wide-body aircrafts are in lesser demand.  This applies to Boeing as well whose thrust area is for the 737-MAX.  TR will discuss about Boeing’s performance & results soon.

Results Indicate That The Bombardier Acquisition Worked Well for Airbus

When it comes to the A220 model, single-aisle, short-range aircraft,  Airbus has secured orders of 64 aircrafts in 2020 confirming its leadership in its category.

Another interesting factor is about the popular A320 series of Airbus.  While the A320 (fly-by-wire) technology is one of the world’s best selling aircraft in the single-aisle medium range category,  Airbus has delivered very good results by booking a total of 296 firm orders for the A320 family.  This also includes orders for the A321XLR (Extra Long Range) at 37.

Airbus 2020 Deliveries Demonstrate Positive Outlook for the Aviation Market

Whilst, the order for the wide-bodied aircraft stood at 44 in total.  A330 family received 23 new orders and the latest A350 series received 21 new orders.  Considering the Pandemic’s impact,  this is reasonably a strong performance for Airbus.  After 115 cancellations by the end of 2020, Airbus’ backlog stood at 7,184 aircraft

Airbus will report Full Year 2020 financial results on 18 February 2021.

Watch this space for more information & analysis as other manufacturers release their presentations!

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Urban Air Mobility Solutions – 16th Aviation Management Conference

by Ajay Prakash
written by Ajay Prakash

There was an exciting session on Urban Air Mobility presented by Andre Stein, the CEO of Eve Urban Air Mobility at the 16th Aviation Management Conference. This article’s contents are majorly taken from Andre’s presentation but are supplemented by additional information for completeness. Let’s dive in!

What Is Urban Air Mobility (UAM)

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defines UAM as –

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) envisions a safe and efficient aviation transportation system that will use highly automated aircraft that will operate and transport passengers or cargo at lower altitudes within urban and suburban areas.”

UAM Benefits for Consumers and Communities

Fig 1. UAM Use Cases – Report on Urban Air Mobility Market Study, NASA

NASA summarizes the UAM important use cases (See Figure 1).

Stein presented six significant benefits of UAM.

  1. Better Serve Urban Populations – By 2050, seventy percent (70%) of the world population will reside in cities, double of today’s urban population.
  2. Alleviate Traffic Congestion – Increased traffic congestion in cities has resulted in a loss of productivity equivalent to $88 billion annually.
  3. Reduce Traffic Fatalities – The 8th leading cause of fatalities worldwide; numbers expected to reduce.
  4. Reduce Carbon Emissions – UAM will be based on zero-emission electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles.
  5. Fuel Economic Development – UAM will fuel economic growth by enhancing productivity and attracting investment.
  6. Democratize Air Travel – UAM will ultimately be placed at price points on par with ground transportation making it highly available and affordable.

UAM is Becoming a Global Priority

Global governments support UAM technology development

The US Government is highly supportive of the UAM developments. In a White House FY21 Administration budget priorities memo. The President of the United States emphasized – “Department and agencies should prioritize R&D that enables electric vehicle vertical take-off and landing …”

The Government of Dubai has passed new regulations “to help flying taxies and drone deliveries to take off.”

The city of Los Angeles and the World Economic Forum has presented a blueprint for the global adoption of UAM.

Glimpses of the UAM Market

According to Andre, the total addressable UAM market till 2035 is a whopping $200 billion. The technology would have carried 3 billion passengers by then using over fifty thousand eVTOLs.

About ‘EVE’

In October last year, Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions, Inc. (Eve) was launched as a new, independent company dedicated to accelerating the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) ecosystem. The company is a spin-off from EmbraerX. There are three main focus groups in the company.

  • eVTOL development – design, development, and certification
  • UAM Services – fleet operations with partners, service, and support
  • Urban Air Traffic Management – developing solutions for shared and equitable air space management

How excited are you about this new technology which will change the way we travel within cities? We would appreciate your views. Please write to us in the comments section below.

About the presenter – Andre Stein, CEO, EVE Urban Air Mobility, has more than 20 years of multicultural experience in Strategy, Product Development, New Business, Market Intelligence, and Sales. Stein hails from the Kellogg School of Management. He is an avid traveller and passionate about mobility.

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UPS Boeing 757 Returns To Louisville After Suffering Hydraulic Failure

by Sharad Ranabhat
written by Sharad Ranabhat

A UPS Boeing 757-200 returned to Louisville after suffering hydraulic failure shortly after departure from Louisville International Muhammad Ali Airport. The incident took place on December 28, 2020.

The Boeing 757 with registration N468UP was performing flight 5X-342 from Louisville to San Juan, Peurto Rico with 3 crew members on board. According to The Aviation Herald, the crew requested to level off at 5000 feet in order to run checklists.

The aircraft circled to approach the runway 17R | Photo: FlightRadar24.com

The crew then decided to return to Louisville, declaring an emergency. The crew also informed the air traffic control that they would need to do everything manually. They also lost the left hydraulic system shortly.

The crew informed that they would have no steering upon landing. The aircraft then positioned for an ILS approach and made a successful landing safely. The aircraft vacated the runway via the high-speed turn-off, and towing wasn’t needed.

The UPS Boeing 757-200, with registration N468UP, was involved in the incident. The aircraft was delivered to the airline back in October 1997 and is currently 23.3 years old. The aircraft was assembled at Boeing’s Renton plant with MSN 25484 and is powered by two Rolls-Royce engines.

Alaskan Airline 737
AnalysisAviation NewsBoeing NewsManufacturersTravel

Alaska Airlines Sets Eyes On New, Restructured 737MAX9 Agreement

by Benjamin Pham
written by Benjamin Pham

The Boeing 737MAX continues to be a prominent and significant aircraft within the aviation industry. While some airlines reconsidered their plans in buying the 737MAX, others have decided to spark an agreement with Boeing. As a result, they will purchase the aircraft for their fleet. For instance, today,  Alaska Airlines officially reached an agreement to receive 68 737-9 MAX aircraft. Furthermore, they have the choice to add on 52 more aircraft. 

“We are extremely proud to be announcing this transformative agreement with Boeing,” said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Air Group. “We believe in this airplane, we believe in our strong partnership with Boeing, and we believe in the future of Alaska Airlines and the incredible opportunities ahead as we climb our way out of this pandemic.”

The Seattle-based carrier plans to receive 13 aircraft next year, 30 in 2022, 13 in 2023 and 12 in 2024. The new, restructured agreement will also include the airline’s original announcement to lease 13 737-9 aircraft. 

With Alaska’s industry-leading reputation for safety, sustainability and customer service, we are honored that the airline has chosen to invest in its future with a significant purchase of additional Boeing 737 airplanes,” Stan Deal, President and CEO, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said. “We are grateful for Alaska’s trust and partnership.”

In October 2012, the carrier initially announced an order for 32 737MAX9s. In November 2020, Alaska Airlines wanted to lease 13. Afterwards, this new order will bring on an additional 23 to bring the grand total to 68 737MAX9s. Finally, for options, the airline initially ordered 37 in October 2012 and will now add on another 15 aircraft. 

U.S. Carriers And 737MAX Operations

Alaska Airlines has the opportunity to use the new aircraft for replacing all of its Airbus A319s and A320s. The airline plans to begin revenue service for its 737MAX9,  in March 2021. However, they are not the only airline in the U.S. to consider incorporating the 737MAX into its fleet.

American Airlines and Southwest have already decided to return the 737MAX to service. Thus, they have incorporated the aircraft into their schedules, and flights in the reservations system have already listed the aircraft. In addition, American offered passengers the opportunity to ask questions and speak with pilots at a number of its hubs before the flight. 

With Alaska Airlines becoming a new player in the 737MAX’s return to the skies, the aircraft’s future is closer than anticipated. However, its return was not without error and mistake. The airlines who do choose to operate the aircraft in their fleet need to take the appropriate steps and properly prepare the crew for an effective and safe flight.

Airlines NewsAviation NewsBoeing NewsTravel

Virgin Atlantic Inaugurates Flights To Islamabad

by Radhakrishnan Pattabiraman
written by Radhakrishnan Pattabiraman

Virgin Atlantic of the United Kingdom commenced its flights to Islamabad, Pakistan.

With this flight, Virgin Atlantic makes its entry into Pakistan.  The scheduled flight arrived in the morning on Friday at Islamabad’s (ISB) Jinnah International airport.

Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330 © Virgin Atlantic

Travellers of Pakistani Origin Benefit

This direct flight will benefit Pakistan Origin passengers.

The flights connect London Heathrow (LHR) from Islamabad in the return direction.

Virgin Atlantic will be using the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for this sector.

The flight leaves LHR at 12.30 p.m. (Local time) every Thursday to arrive ISB at 1.00 a.m. (Local time) on Friday.

Virgin Atlantic prices a return fare of £731.66 as the economy class fare. Meanwhile, for Upper Class, the price goes up to £1906.76.

See the source image

Islamabad International Airport terminal © Google

Eight weekly flights To Pakistan

The first flight arrived in Islamabad on Friday.  In addition, maiden flights always receive the water cannon salute.  As a result, this flight received honours.

For the Pakistani side, the flight was on the tarmac by Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Overseas Pakistanis Zulfikar Bukhari and British High Commissioner Christian Turner, The Express Tribune reported.

Moreover, speaking on the occasion, Bukhari said, “The arrival of international carriers to Islamabad will boost trade and tourism and will also help in enhancing trade ties between Pakistan and the UK,”

Bilateral relationship and trade ties will improve with this flight.  Your comments, please.

Hawaiian Airlines Fleet
Airbus NewsAirlines NewsAviation NewsCoronavirusTravel

Hawaiian Airlines Expands Route Network For Continental U.S.

by Travel Radar
written by Travel Radar

Hawaiian Airlines expands its reach across the United States. With new nonstop routes from Honolulu to Austin, Ontario and Orlando, the carrier will bring Hawaii closer to the mainland. In addition, the airline is adding daily nonstop flights between Long Beach and Kahului, Maui.

Hawaiian Airline’s New Routes Available in March 2021

In a recent press release, Peter Ingram, President and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines said, “We are delighted to bring our superior value proposition to travellers visiting Hawai‘i from Austin, Ontario and Orlando while adding service to Maui from Long Beach. 2021 is going to be a special time to experience Hawai‘i, and we can’t wait to welcome onboard guests from our newest cities.”

Flights between Long Beach and Maui begin on 9 March 2021, while flights between Orlando and Honolulu will begin 11 March 2021. As a result, this flight links two of the biggest travel markets. In addition, flights to Ontario inaugurate shortly after on 16 March 2021. Finally, flights between Austin and Honolulu begin operating on 21 April 2021.

All passengers will enjoy the airline’s famous hospitality with island-inspired meals and spacious seating configurations in all cabins. For instance, the Airbus A330 will serve passengers on the Orlando route and this features 18, leather lie-back seats in First Class and 68 premium economy seats. Additionally, the Airbus A321, a quiet fuel-efficient aircraft, will serve Ontario. This aircraft has 16 luxury leather reclining seats in First Class and 44 extra-comfort seats.

Covid-19 Brings Change to the Travel Industry

Hawaiian Airlines made a sound business move to add additional domestic cities and routes. Since the onset of COVID-19, vendors and travel agents see a shift in destination focus. Travellers, especially the senior market, are looking for domestic, closer-to-home destinations. Many who previously travelled abroad have decided to choose places closer to home because of less travel time to foreign destinations and because of the uncertainty of safety protocols in those countries. This is especially true in places such as Mexico and the Caribbean.

Hawaii is the perfect alternative for typical cruise and guided tour passengers. They can better control their environment by choosing custom packages including car, air and hotel.  Hawaii is already an important destination for Western markets. With this expansion, Hawaiian Airlines will carry even more passengers to the islands. Thus, this provides world travellers with an exotic destination closer to home. After all, despite the existing travel restrictions in many parts of the world,  the carrier has the opportunity to stay afloat and allow more passengers to travel to the islands.

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Ryanair Orders More Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft

by Ajay Prakash
written by Ajay Prakash

Ryanair Aircraft – © ryanair.com

Things are finally looking up for Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft. After working on the aircraft systems for more than a year, Boeing secured clearances from regulators in the US and Europe to start flying the plane again. The regulatory approvals were also good news for airlines, who had suffered massive losses due to the grounding of the 737 MAX.

Boeing 737 MAX Orders Restart

Boeing 737 MAX Order Book – August 2020 from Boeing.com

The spate of cancellation of orders for the Boeing 737 MAX continued all through the year. Boeing has so far lost close to 800 Boeing 737 MAX orders. However, new orders started trickling in from August this year. Five aircraft were ordered together by Enter-Air Poland and one more undisclosed customer. As of August this year, Boeing is yet to supply over 4,000 737 OMAX aircraft.

The Ryanair Order

Boeing’s shot in the arm came early this week when Irish budget airline Ryanair ordered seventy-five Boeing 737 QMAX aircraft. Ryanair has exercised its option of buying additional planes of this model. The airline is going to spend $7 billion on this deal.

This order comes on top of the 135 that are already under manufacturing with Boeing. The total 737 MAX order now stands at 210. Ryanair had placed the initial order for 100 737 MAXs in 2014. Boeing has so far not delivered any 737 MAX to Ryanair.

Michael O’Leary, the airline’s chief executive, said –

We’re proud to buy them. We’re proud to fly them. The order will help the airline’s growth as travel demand returns”.

Expansion Plans on Track

Ryanair B737-800 at Treviso Airport © AeroFanHD via YouTube

Along with the order, Ryanair also announced new routes and a new base at Venice Treviso Airport (TSF). In a press release, the airline said it would be placing two aircraft at the Treviso airport. Venice Treviso is approximately 30 kilometres away from Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), the city’s main airport.
The press release further stated that the airline will now offer 45 routes from its Treviso connection to twenty countries across Europe. This initiative will support additional 2,000 jobs in the local economy. Ryanair plans to begin operations from its new base at Treviso Airport starting March 30, 2021. The airline is investing $200 million in setting up this new operation.

Earlier in the week, the airline had launched its new base at Paris Beauvais with two aircraft (with an investment of $200 million) and 28 routes connecting Paris Beauvais to over 10 countries across Europe.

The Ryanair initiatives are truly a positive development –  the skies are getting brighter for travellers and airlines.

We would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

British Airways Embraer Jet Taking off From London City Airport
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Embraer Announces Brand New, Significant Market Travel Outlook Plan

by Benjamin Pham
written by Benjamin Pham

There is no doubt that COVID-19 has transformed the airline industry. The global pandemic altered route networks, shifted travel demand levels and reshaped demand for different aircraft. For example, many airlines have retired less-efficient aircraft, as they gravitate closer to newer, more cost-effective aircraft. As a result, one of the major aircraft manufacturers – Embraer, based in São Paulo – officially announced its 10-year market outlook plan to accommodate the new, emerging trend in aircraft demand. 

“The short-term impact of the global pandemic has long-term implications for new aircraft demand,” Arjan Meijer, President and CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation said. 

The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer’s report includes major factors contributing to the shifting trends, which are necessary to take into account. In addition, the driving forces that will influence growth include fleet resizing, regionalization, passenger behaviour and environment. 

“Our forecast reflects some of the trends we’re already seeing – the early retirement of older and less efficient aircraft, a preference for more profitable smaller airplanes to match weaker demand, and the growing importance of domestic and regional airline networks in the restoration of air service. Aircraft with up to 150 seats will be instrumental in how quickly our industry recovers,” Meijer added. 

Embraer forecasts global passenger traffic will return to pre-COVID 19 levels by 2024. However, it will remain 19 per cent below its original forecast for the decade through 2029. Additionally, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer expects to deliver 4,420 new jets.  Furthermore, 75 per cent of them replace ageing aircraft and the remaining 25 per cent expands the market. 

A United Express Embraer ERJ-145-XR prepares to take off from Denver International Airport © Robert Alexander/Getty Images

Embraer’s Other Initiatives

Embraer has been known for its regional jets – notably its signature E-Jet family – featuring its E170, E175, E190 and E195 narrow-body aircraft. Additionally, the airlines operate regional and short-haul routes. Thus, the aircraft manufacturer’s E-Jet family become dependable and used often to meet the travel demand. 

In addition, Embraer has its more recent and newer E-Jet E2 aircraft variants, the E175 E2, E190 E2 and E195 E2, with a more enhanced and efficiently designed flight deck and engines. Finally, Embraer has its ERJ aircraft family, featuring the ERJ 135, 140 and 145 for the airlines’ shorter routes. 

 Embraer’s recent partnership with Energias de Portugal ( EDP) Brazil to develop aircraft electrification will further establish the significance of the regional, narrow-body E-Jet Family. The Brazilian aerospace company has the opportunity to enhance its commercial aircraft. Moreover, the new aircraft can be more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly while minimizing costs.

Of course, while its brand new 10-year market outlook and partnership with EDP to construct electric-powered aircraft, is a large step towards transforming the aviation industry and overcoming COVID-19, there is still a long way to go. However, with Embraer being a major player in the process, the future will be closer than expected.

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Brazilian Aviation Authority Clear 737-MAX for Takeoff (Again)

by Luke Will
written by Luke Will

Another milestone was reached today in the return of the Boeing 737-MAX aircraft to commercial service, after the Brazilian Aviation Authority (ANAC) cleared the type to return to revenue service following a period of 20-months of grounding in Brazil.

 

GOL Airlines operates a fleet of seven 737-MAX aircraft with 95 more orders | © BROL

Brazil Lifts the Ban

ANAC made an announcement late yesterday evening, 25 November 2020, withdrawing the airworthiness directive (AD) that was put in place to prohibit the type’s operation in Brazil. The lifting of the directive comes following the US’ Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) evaluation that technical improvements to the aircraft were sufficient to address safety concerns.

The statement issued by ANAC stated:

“We concluded on Wednesday to reauthorise the operation of the aircraft model Boeing 737-8 Max in Brazil,” the regulatory body writes on its website. “With a process of approximately two years, the validation of the modifications of the project was made by ANAC after the approval of the certifying authority.”

And Boeing’s President & CEO, David Calhoun, also added his congratulations, and relief, at the recertification:

“Boeing worked closely with the FAA and ANAC to meet their expectations to safely return the 737 Max to commercial service in Brazil. In the past 20 months [we have] conducted more than 4,400h of testing, including more than 1,350 flights”

The now iconic photo showing the scale of the 737-MAX grounding | ©Bloomberg

The Wider Picture

The past twenty months have been turbulent for the Boeing 737-MAX program. Following two fatal crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia, which killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, a multitude of investigations were launched against the type, subsequently grounding it across the world and costing Boeing more than $20 billion in total.

Good news came from the US’ FAA earlier on November 18th, with the authority issuing a directive declaring the type safe to return to commercial operations. Adding onto this, European Agency – EASA – said earlier this week that it expects to publish a final airworthiness directive on the type by mid-January 2021 at the latest. Canadian authorities are expected to make a similar AD notice early next-year also.

Whilst the last few authorities confirm the safety of the type, the start of the type’s recertification in Brazil is a great step forward for the program and hails a global return to operations in the coming year. According to data by Cirium, Brazil’s GOL Airlines – which exclusively operates a fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft – will bring seven of it’s current examples out of storage back onto commercial routes and has 95 further examples on-order.

What are your thoughts on the 737-MAX? Will you feel safe flying on it once it returns to service? Let us know in the comments below.

British Airways Boeing 747
Airlines NewsBoeing NewsBreaking News

BREAKING: Retired BA Boeing 747-400 Catches Fire.

by Radhakrishnan Pattabiraman
written by Radhakrishnan Pattabiraman

A retired Boeing 747-400 aircraft burst into flames this evening in Castellon Airport (CDT) in Spain.  The last flight operated by this plane was London Heathrow (LHR) to Lagos (LOS) on April 18, 2020.  Fire tenders at the airport immediately brought the fire under control.

Twitter @flynewsmagazine.

The retired Aircraft has been in Service Since 1994.

Registered with G-CIVD (L. No. 1048/MSN 27349) ‘Victor Delta” was withdrawn from service in April 2020.  The aircraft was parked at London Heathrow (LHR) until August before it was flown into CDR for its eventual fate.

The aircraft joined the British Airways (BA) fleet in 1994.  It had 14 First class seats,  52 in Business class, 36 in premium economy and 325 economy class seats.  It It had clocked an impressive 115,276.8 hours of flying and recorded 13,364 flights during its life-time.

Last British Airways Boeing 747 Leaving Heathrow

Last British Airways Boeing 747 Leaving Heathrow © British Airways

The fire brigade arrived promptly at CDT airport and put out the fire.  There have not been any reports of injuries or casualties.

This aircraft is one of the 31 aircraft that BA retired as part of rejuvenating their fleet.

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