Boeing Delivers 64 Aircraft in March, Safety Concerns Raised for Aging Airport Radar System, and More
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Mexican Airline Interjet Officially Declared Bankrupt
Mexican airline Interjet has been declared officially bankrupt. The airline, which ceased operations in December 2020, had posted net losses since 2017, with its business model being widely criticized for offering low fares and high-cost services.
Its fleet of over 80 aircraft included a Sukhoi Superjet 100 fleet, the only operator in the Americas of the Russian-made narrowbody, which caused significant financial problems.
Since its closure, Interjet has been replaced successfully in the Mexican domestic market, particularly by Viva Aerobus and Volaris. source
United Airlines to End "Surprise-and-Delight" Upgrades on Boeing 767
United Airlines will stop offering "surprise-and-delight" upgrades from extra-legroom Economy Plus to premium economy on its Boeing 767-300ERs and 767-400ERs starting in August.
Passengers will have to pay for the upgraded cabin experience, whether by paying cash, redeeming miles, or applying PlusPoints, United's upgrade currency.
Previously, lucky flyers could select seats in the premium economy section for the same cost as Economy Plus within a few days of the flight, but this will no longer be possible. United has been retrofitting its Boeing 767s with a Premium Plus cabin and will complete the project in August. source
Boeing Delivers 64 Aircraft in March Amidst High Demand for Travel
Boeing delivered 64 planes in March, the highest since December, with seven 787 Dreamliners and 52 737 Max jets. The deliveries come as some airlines eagerly await new aircraft to capitalize on the travel boom.
However, Boeing and Airbus have faced challenges due to supply chain and worker training difficulties stemming from the pandemic, causing some customers to receive their orders late.
Boeing CEO Stan Deal announced plans to increase production of the 737 Max planes "very soon" but did not provide specifics. The company aims to deliver more than 400 Max planes this year and reported net orders for 38 planes in March. source
American Airlines Cargo Announces Significant Increase in Widebody Flights for Summer Schedule
American Airlines Cargo announced a summer schedule with over 400 more widebody flights per month than last summer. As the company prepares for peak season, new routes and frequencies servicing the US, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific will start this spring.
The airline will operate more than 160 international widebody flights per day at the height of the peak season.
The London Heathrow Airport (LHR) will see the most service increases, with daily flights increasing to 26 per day with direct connections to key US cities. The carrier is also expanding services in Latin America and Asia Pacific regions. source
Destinus Announces Prototype Hypersonic Hydrogen-powered Aircraft Capable of London to New York Flight in 90 Minutes
Swiss startup Destinus is developing a prototype hypersonic hydrogen-powered aircraft that could fly from London to New York in 90 minutes and Frankfurt to Sydney in just over four hours.
To achieve these speeds, the aircraft would travel at altitudes of over 50km, where drag is significantly lower, and use hydrogen-fuelled air-breathing turbojet engines for takeoff and landing, with a separate ramjet rocket engine to take it to hypersonic speeds.
The startup claims the jet would be net-zero carbon, only emitting heat and water vapor. The first aircraft, capable of carrying 25 passengers up to 7,500km, is expected to be ready by the end of this decade. source
Safety Concerns Raised as Radar System Used to Prevent Collisions at US Airports Shows Signs of Aging
The aging technology used to track ground traffic and avoid collisions at major US airports is plagued by outages, leaving passengers vulnerable for months at a time, according to government data and the president of the union representing air-traffic controllers.
The technology, which uses decades-old radar equipment for which spare parts are difficult to find, is particularly important at a time when runway-safety incidents appear to be surging.
While the system is highly effective when it's functioning well, ASDE-X gaps in service can leave the aviation system vulnerable. With no clear alternative available, advocates are pushing to add the system to more landing strips. source
Russia's Aeroflot Turns to Iran for Aircraft Maintenance Amid Western Sanctions
Russia's largest airline, Aeroflot, has reportedly sent one of its planes to Iran for maintenance for the first time ever, as Western sanctions make it difficult for the country to maintain and repair its fleet. The Airbus A330-300 will be repaired by technicians from Mahan Air, Iran's biggest carrier.
Following the invasion of Ukraine last February, Boeing and Airbus both stopped supplying Russian airlines with spare parts as part of the sanctions last spring, making it difficult for Russia to access replacement parts. Analysts predicted Russia could start "cannibalizing" its fleet of planes for parts as a result. source
US Judge Orders AirBridgeCargo to Pay BOC Aviation $406.2 Million Over Default on Aircraft Leases
AirBridgeCargo Airlines, Russia's largest cargo airline, has been ordered by a US judge to pay aircraft lessor BOC Aviation $406.2m after being declared in default on leases for three Boeing 747-8 freighters.
The default occurred following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which left BOC Aviation unable to reclaim the aircraft. The judge found AirBridgeCargo Airlines and its parent, Volga-Dnepr Logistics, liable.
BOC Aviation was able to recover one leased plane and two of its four engines, while two other planes and two other engines remain in Russia. The lessor's majority shareholder is the Bank of China. source
DHS Seeks Solutions to "Dark Swarms" of Drones
The Department of Homeland Security is seeking solutions to detect and control the "dark swarms" of drones that pose a continued national security threat in the US.
The agency is looking for proposals for a solution specifically geared toward the detection, tracking, and reporting of drones that fly without emitting radio frequency communications while also differentiating between threatening small UAS and "friendly" small UAS.
The DHS's Countering Unmanned Aircraft Systems program will test and evaluate the C-UAS technologies in operationally relevant environments, and a live demonstration of technological solutions is scheduled for July 31 to August 11 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. source
New Zealand's Kea Aerospace Unveils Solar-Powered Uncrewed Aircraft for Precision Agriculture and Environmental Monitoring
Kea Aerospace has unveiled its first solar-powered uncrewed aircraft, the Kea Atmos Mk 1, designed for stratospheric flight testing. The aircraft will fly at altitudes higher than commercial airliners, up to 50,000 feet, with a wingspan of 12.5 meters and a weight under 40 kilograms. It will be launched using an Audi e-tron Sportback.
The company plans to build a global fleet of solar-powered uncrewed aircraft that will fly in the stratosphere for months at a time to collect high-resolution aerial data for industries such as environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, disaster management, and maritime awareness.
High-altitude flights are planned to take off from Tāwhaki, located around 50 kilometers south of Christchurch. source
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