AAV News in Brief 30 August 2021 – Asian Aviation

September 5, 2021 Aviation Blog

AirAsia, Skyllence, Hans Airways, Goshawk, MRO Insider, Delta Air Lines, Airbus, AAR, Qatar Airways Cargo, Air Astana, Storm Aviation, CTS, IATA, Textron Aviation, Barbers Point Flight School, ALSIM
Airasia app launches car service: The latest e-hailing provider, airasia ride, has officially launched during an online event by Tony Fernandes, CEO airasia Group, Aireen Omar, president of airasia Digital, Amanda Woo, CEO of airasia Super App, Captain Ling Liong Tien, chief safety officer of AirAsia Group and head of airasia ride and Lim Chiew Shan, CEO of airasia ride Malaysia. The airasia ride e-hailing service can be booked by clicking on the ‘Ride’ icon on the airasia Super App, or visiting airasia.com/ride. Services are currently available in the Klang Valley, with expansion to more cities in Malaysia planned throughout the year. Woo, CEO of airasia Super App said, “airasia is always about democratising services and giving people the freedom to choose. We have been championing air mobility by flying over 700 million people around the world over the past 20 years, and with airasia ride, we aim to empower people to move around more easily, making full use of the airasia Super App technology to enjoy amazing experiences. Airasia ride inherits the DNA of running a low-cost model which enables savings to be passed on to guests and strives to offer the lowest fares on the road, introducing great value to the highly competitive e-hailing ecosystem. This is part of our continuous digital transformation journey to become Asean’s top super app through our regional expansion into Thailand and potentially Indonesia very soon.”
Skyllence enters the private jet charter market: Skyllence, a family member of Avia Solutions Group has entered the jet charter market, bringing with them a vast network of industry partners and a team of eminently experienced aviation experts. According to Skyllence CEO, Linas Dovydenas, “The differences that Skyllence bring to the private and group jet charter market is easily apparent from the collective experience of our teams who minutely and instinctively manage every aspect of our client’s demands. We believe that through the quality of service we provide we are committed to raising the bar and the level of quality being provided right across the entire industry.”
Hans Airways begins recruitment drive: Hans Airways has entered into a partnership with Swiss company Resource Group, allowing the UK-based start-up airline to commence the recruitment process for the flight crews it needs to continue along the path towards gaining its UK Air Operator Certificate (AOC) later this year. Using its UK subsidiary ContractAir, Resource Group will work alongside Hans Airways in hiring the Captains, First Officers and Training Captains required to fly its planned fleet of A330-200s. “This recruitment agreement is a well-timed development as we prepare to launch our direct non-stop flights to India later in 2021,” says Nathan Burkitt, Director Flight Operations and Crew Training at Hans Airways. “It will allow the leadership team to focus on our launch preparations while at the same time filling the essential flight crew roles that we need. Resource Group brings decades of invaluable experience in this field, having worked with the likes of British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and easyJet, to name but a few of their other airline partners.”
Goshawk extends US$500 million secured warehouse facility to 2023: Goshawk, the Dublin-based aircraft lessor, announced the extension of its US$500 million secured warehouse facility. This facility, originally put in place in 2015, is now extended to July 2023 and provides flexible capital that can be used to finance Goshawk’s target asset types of primarily young, new technology, narrow body aircraft. Goshawk entered the extension agreement with HSBC as lead arranger and lender, and Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking as lender. The terms of the extension will assist Goshawk in maintaining its healthy liquidity position while retaining the flexibility to grow its fleet in line with its commercial strategy.
MRO Insider upgrades customer review feature: MRO Insider announced the company has released an update to their technology allowing aircraft operators to post public facing reviews of service providers. This feature is available to all operators and at this time is not specific to events streamlined through the MRO Insider network. Any operator who has meaningful feedback on service providers listed on the platform is invited to share information about their experience. MRO Insider employees will review, verify, and approve all customer reviews submitted through the system to ensure fairness and transparency. The company is currently working on next phases of development to include the ability for providers to publicly respond to each review.
Delta Air Lines orders 30 A321neo aircraft: Delta Air Lines has ordered 30 additional Airbus A321neo aircraft to help meet the airline’s future fleet requirements. The newly ordered aircraft are in addition to the airline’s existing orders for 125 of the type, bringing the outstanding orders from Delta to a total of 155 A321neos. Delta’s A321neos will be powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G turbofan engines that bring significant efficiency gains over Delta’s current, already-efficient A321 aircraft. Equipped with total seating for 194 customers with 20 in First Class, 42 in Delta Comfort+ and 132 in the Main Cabin, Delta’s A321neos will be deployed primarily across the airline’s extensive domestic network, complementing Delta’s current A321 fleet of more than 120 aircraft. The airline is slated to receive the first of its 155 A321neo aircraft early next year. Many of Delta’s A321neos will be delivered from the Airbus US manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama. The airline has taken delivery of 87 US -manufactured Airbus aircraft since 2016. As of the end of July, Delta’s fleet of Airbus aircraft numbered 358, including 50 A220 aircraft, 240 A320 Family members, 53 A330 widebodies, and 15 A350 XWB aircraft.
AAR launches ESG report: AAR has published its inaugural Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report. “For over 65 years, we have been committed to the well-being of our employees, our customers and our communities and we are excited to release our inaugural ESG report,” said John Holmes, AAR president and CEO. “While we have a long history of ESG-related activities, this report marks the first time we have consolidated and communicated our actions comprehensively. I would like to thank the AAR team for their long-standing support in demonstrating our commitment to Doing It Right.” The ESG report provides insight into how AAR´s business and values have guided ESG practices and actions in areas where the Company believes to have the most meaningful impact. The report is aligned with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) sustainability frameworks and reporting standards and includes an index with relevant SASB and GRI metrics. The document highlights the ESG activities of AAR and its consolidated subsidiaries over Fiscal Years (FY) 2021 and 2020 and includes a baseline inventory of key environmental data.
Qatar Airways Cargo nabs award from Nepal: Qatar Airways Cargo was awarded by Nepal Freight Forwarders Association (NEFFA) for achieving the highest export tonnage (2,850 tonnes) out of the country for 2020. The award was handed over in Kathmandu during the annual Nepal Cargo Day celebration organised by NEFFA on 29 July 2021. The awards are held every year by the association to honour the top three carriers for their roles in supporting the country’s exports. Qatar Airways Cargo has been securing the first position for the highest uplift from Nepal for more than a decade. Nepal is a key market for the airline, and it has been operating flights to its capital city, Kathmandu since 1997. The airline’s export market share in 2020 was 45 percent of the total exports from Nepal while imports constituted 44 percent. Qatar Airways Cargo currently operates double daily flights to and from Kathmandu for the month of August, offering more than 150 tonnes of cargo capacity each week, each way. Through its hub in Doha, the airline connects Nepal with important export destinations in the USA, Europe, Australia and Asia.
A321LR arrives at Air Astana: Air Astana’s sixth new Airbus A321LR has arrived at Nur- Sultan International Airport directly from the Airbus plant in Hamburg, Germany. The entire Airbus A321LR fleet is leased from Air Lease Corporation, with the first aircraft arriving in September 2019 and one more of the type is due for delivery before the end of 2021. The Airbus A321LR is equipped with the latest generation Pratt & Whitney engines, which reduce fuel consumption by 20 percent, maintenance costs by 5 percent, carbon emissions by 20 percent and noise levels by 50 percent compared with previous generation of aircraft. The cabin is configured with 16 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 150 seats in Economy Class, with all seats equipped with individual screens. The Airbus A321LR fleet operates across the airline’s international network, with destinations including Dubai, Frankfurt, London (from September 2021), Istanbul, Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt) and Podgorica (Montenegro).
Storm Aviation acquires CTS: Storm Aviation Limited (SAL), a provider of line and base maintenance and aviation training services, has acquired Manchester-based Chevron Technical Services Ltd (CTS), and its Prestwick-based subsidiary Chevron Aircraft Maintenance Ltd (CAM) providing aerospace solutions to the aircraft maintenance industry. SAL, a subsidiary of FL Technics, which is part of Avia Solutions Group (ASG), will create a significant presence in Scotland’s Glasgow Prestwick Airport while adding new capabilities, including wide-body aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), aircraft component maintenance, EASA Part-21G workshop production, engine services, fuel tank repairs, and recruitment services. Additionally, Storm Aviation Limited will assume operation of two line maintenance stations – at Glasgow Prestwick Airport and, through a joint venture, at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The acquisition of Chevron Technical Services’ Glasgow Prestwick Airport-based facility will add a sixth location with 6,000 square metres of hangar space and three aircraft bays with the capacity to house wide-bodied aircraft up to Boeing 747. CTS’s aircraft component maintenance and production workshops along with aviation recruitment services are based in Manchester and will be offered as new services to SAL’s existing clients.
IATA backs European digital covid certificate: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) commended the European Commission for its leadership and speed in delivering the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) and urged states to make it their global standard for digital vaccine certificates. “The DCC was delivered in record time to help facilitate the reopening of EU states to travel. In the absence of a single global standard for digital vaccine certificates, it should serve as a blueprint for other nations looking to implement digital vaccination certificates to help facilitate travel and its associated economic benefits,” said Conrad Clifford, IATA’s deputy director general.
Beechcraft Denali moves closer to first flight: Textron Aviation announced it successfully completed initial ground engine runs on the prototype Beechcraft Denali single-engine turboprop powered by GE Aviation’s new advanced Catalyst engine. The ground engine runs, which took place at Textron Aviation’s west campus in Wichita, Kansas, verified the functionality of the fuel system and engine, as well as the interface with the avionics and electrical systems. The testing moves the clean-sheet design aircraft closer to its milestone first flight, which is anticipated by the end of the year. GE Aviation’s Catalyst engine has completed over 2,450 hours of testing and is prepping for a first flight on its Beechcraft King Air flying test bed. The Catalyst engine is a more environmentally friendly engine that burns less fuel than older turboprop technologies. The engine can also use sustainable aviation fuel, which results in lower emissions. The 1,300 shaft horsepower (SHP)-rated turboprop engine eases pilot workload with its single-lever power and propeller control. The Full Authority Digital Engine Controlled (FADEC) engine provides trend monitoring, which allows for on-condition maintenance with no mid-life Hot Section Inspection required.
Barbers Point Flight School purchases AL172 simulator: Barbers Point Flight School in Kalaeloa, Oahu, Hawaii at John Rodgers Airfield, recently acquired a high fidelity ALSIM AL172 simulator. Joining the growing list of AL172 customers in America, it is ALSIM’s first simulator based in Hawaii. Reginald Perry, CEO of Barbers Point Flight School, explains: “We pride ourselves on having the latest and best state of the art technology. After seeing and flying the AL172 at EAA Air Venture, Oshkosh 2021, and previously speaking to many ALSIM owners, I knew it was the training device our students and CFIs had to have. The whole team is excited to have the simulator installed in the very near future.” The ALSIM AL172, built to FAA FTD Level 5 standards and already certified as an AATD, is an exact replica of a brand-new Cessna 172SP Skyhawk with a real Garmin G1000 NXI and GFC700 auto pilot.

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