Airbus Updates No.434

Airbus A319	-112	3346		V5-ANL	Air Namibia	delivery 16-17sep11 PAD-ACC-WDH	ex D-ABGI
Airbus A319	-112	3586		V5-ANK	Air Namibia	ferried 19sep11 DUB-PAD after paint, D-reg prior delivery	ex D-ABGL

Airbus A320

-232

2992

N651JB

jetBlue

at LGB 18sep11 now with Barcode tail livery “I

ex F-WWIS

Airbus A320

-214

4310

CN-NMD

Air Arabia Maroc

ferried 16sep11 CMN-SHJ on transfer to Air Arabia

ex A6-ABU

Airbus A321	-211	675		TC-	AtlasJet	acc flt at MPL 16sep11 in full cs prior delivery, Hellenic Imperial ntu	ex F-WTAX
Airbus A321	-211	761		TC-	AtlasJet	at MPL 16sep11 in full cs prior delivery, Hellenic Imperial ntu	ex F-WTAV
Airbus A321	-211	1219		TC-JME	Turkish Airlines	ferried 16sep11 IST-NWI, Air Berlin (D-ABCI ntu)	ex EC-IMA

Airbus Updates No.433

Incident: Air France A319 at Casablanca on Aug 8th 2011, landed on wrong runway

By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Sep 16th 2011 17:21Z, last updated Friday, Sep 16th 2011 17:41Z An Air France Airbus A319-100, registration F-GRXC performing flight AF-1896 from Paris Charles de Gaulle (France) to Casablanca (Morocco), had been cleared for a visual approach to and was cleared to land on runway 35L however landed on runway 35R at around 08:28L (08:28Z). With no other traffic being on runway 35R the Airbus rolled out safely. Morocco's Civil Aviation Authority is investigating. Casablanca's runway 35L offered a Category II ILS approach. The Category III ILS approach to runway 35R was suspended due to work at the runway lighting. A local aviation source reported runway 35R had actually been closed at the time of the incident by broadcast on ATIS (but not NOTAMed). The crew was suspended. Morocco's Civil Aviation Authority as well as Morocco's Airport Authority so far did not respond to inquiries by The Aviation Herald transmitted on Sep 14th.

Airbus Updates No.432

MASkargo takes delivery of first A330-200F

Newest operator of world’s most efficient mid-size freighter

15 September 2011 Press Release

MASkargo, the freight subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines, has become a new operator of the A330-200F, following the delivery of the first of four PW4000-powered aircraft ordered by the airline. The aircraft was handed over at a ceremony in Toulouse today attended by MASkargo Managing Director Shahari Sulaiman.

The A330-200F is the world’s most modern mid-size freighter and can carry 70 tonnes of payload, with a range capability of up to 4,000nm. For MASkargo, the aircraft’s performance and flexibility will enable direct freight services from its Kuala Lumpur base to destinations across Asia, with onward capability to Australasia, Europe or the US.

“The A330-200F will bring new levels of efficiency to MASkargo’s medium lift operations,” said Shahari Sulaiman, Managing Director MASkargo. “With this aircraft we will be able to serve more markets with greater frequency, while significantly reducing our operating costs and maximising profit potential.”

“We are pleased to welcome MASkargo as the latest operator of the A330-200F,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer, Customers, Airbus. “This aircraft marks a step change for cargo carriers, offering the lowest operating costs in the mid-size category and the ability to match capacity more closely to demand on a wide range of operations.”

The A330-200F is the all-freight version of the best-selling A330 Family. To date, Airbus has won more than 1,100 orders for the various versions of the A330, with some 800 aircraft currently flying with over 90 operators worldwide.

Airbus Updates No.431

Air France-KLM to acquire up to 60 A350 XWBs

A350XWB continues to attract world class airlines

The Air France-KLM Group has announced its intention to sign for up to 60 A350 XWB aircraft, of which 25 A350-900 will be firmed up shortly. The aircraft will become an essential pillar in the group’s long-haul fleet modernization strategy.

"We are honoured that our all new, extra efficient A350 XWB will contribute to Air France-KLM’s long-term success", said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer - Customers. "The A350 XWB's unbeatable economics and environmental credentials will establish the aircraft as the future backbone of the airline's long-haul fleet. We take this decision as a testimony of confidence in our brand and products".

The A350 XWB (Xtra Wide-Body) Family is an all-new long range product line comprising three models capable of flying between 270 and 350 passengers in typical three-class layouts on flights of up to 8,500 nautical miles. 

In total the Air France-KLM Group currently operates a fleet of 191 Airbus aircraft, comprising six A380s, 26 A330s, 15 A340s, 24 A321s, 58 A320s, 44 A319s and 18 A318s. With this new order Air France-KLM joins the expanding group of airlines to have a member of each Airbus aircraft family in their fleet.

By end of August, Airbus has recorded 567 A350 XWBs firm orders from 35 customers.

Airbus Updates No.430

Airbus A320	-214	4405		5A-LAH	Libyan Airlines	ferried 15sep11 TIP-TUN after storage	ex F-WWBX
Airbus A320	-214	4526		5A-LAK	Libyan Airlines	ferried 14sep11 TIP-TUN after storage	ex F-WWDO

Airbus A330

-223

229

OO-

Brussels Airlines

ferried 15sep11 MAN-ZRH after paint, HB-reg, prior delivery

ex HB-IQA

Airbus A330	-223F	1136		9M-MUA	Malaysian Cargo	delivery 15sep11 TLS-AMS	ex F-WWYZ
Airbus A330	-202	1252		EI-EJK	Alitalia	delivery 15sep11 TLS-FCO	ex F-WWKP

Airbus Updates No.429

Airbus Updates No.428

Airbus Sees China, Asia As Recession Buffer

September 15, 2011

Demand for new planes from China and Asia will provide Airbus with a buffer for growth in the event of a global recession resulting from Europe's debt crisis, the company's chief operating officer said on Thursday.
"So far we have 1,000 net orders (from Europe) at the end of August and the air traffic is still good," Fabrice Bregier said.
"However, we might well expect some adjustments in the future. This is very different from 2008-2009. In this case we see a problem of some European states with excessive debt but the real economy is very good," he said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Dalian.
The euro area debt crisis has contributed to increasing concerns in financial markets that the world economy could slip into another recession.
Bregier said it may be a "challenge" to avoid another recession that would bring about less air traffic and slower growth for airlines. But he said he expected growth in Asia and especially China to provide a suitable growth buffer for Airbus.
"If there is a big recession there will be less traffic and so the airlines will not generate the cash to buy new aircraft," Bregier said. "Now we are in the global market, so we don't sell exclusively to Europe or America and in our order book our biggest share comes from Asia, and China plays a big role."
Bregier said Airbus will deliver its first superjumbo to mainland carrier China Southern Airlines in a few weeks and the aircraft will be operational in November.
Boeing said on September 7 that China will need 5,000 commercial aircraft worth USD$600 billion over the next 20 years, a 25 percent increase on the company's previous estimate.
Airbus, which currently has a 45 percent market share in China, is due to publish its global forecasts on September 20. Bregier said the firm's market share in China will exceed 50 percent in the next few years.
"We plan to deliver about 90 aircraft in China next year and about 100 this year," he said.
In June, China placed an order for 88 Airbus A320 planes putting aside a bubbling trade row with Europe over a proposed emissions scheme as it sought to fuel economic growth.
The deal, worth USD$7.5 billion at list price and with deliveries scheduled for 2012-15, was signed by China Aviation Supplies and Industrial Commercial Bank of China.
Although China plans to start competing with Airbus and Boeing by building its own narrow-body passenger jets from the second half of this decade, it has ordered large numbers of Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s to feed traffic growth.
Airbus began assembling planes for the Chinese market at a factory in Tianjin, outside Beijing, in 2009. Bregier said he expects to make inroads into the China market with sales of the A380 superjumbo aircraft.
"I think they (other Chinese airlines) will be very interested in A380s when they see the success of China Southern... We expect other top players in China to progressively order A380s," he said.
"The trend is clear, China will need bigger aircraft in the future and so we think with the A380, we really have a trump".

Airbus Updates No.427

Incident: Qantas A332 enroute on Mar 23rd 2011, fire in cockpit

By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Sep 12th 2011 12:53Z, last updated Monday, Sep 12th 2011 12:53Z The ATSB have released their Bulletin reporting that the crew noticed a smell in the cockpit and cabin when the aircraft was enroute at FL390 about 365nm northwest of Cairns. The crew actioned the checklists for smoke/fumes/avionics in an attempt to minimise the smell, cabin crew confirmed the smell had reduced. Following the smell and some arcing from the left hand windshield hearter a small flames became visible from the bottom left corner of the captain's windshield. The flight crew donned their oxygen masks and discharged the cockpit's BCF fire extinguisher successfully putting the flame out. An ECAM message "A.ICE L WSHLD HEAT" followed prompting the crew to action the relevant checklist prompting the crew to press the reset button for the window heat computer. About 20 minutes later another ECAM message "L WINDOW HEAT" occurred, although the crew actioned the relevant checklist 4 more events of arcing and flames from the bottom left corner of the captain's windshield occurred over the next 6 minutes, all of which were extinguished by the crew. The operator's maintenance advised the probe window heat should be de-selected although this was no guarantee the heating would be de-powered. The crew therefore decided to divert to Cairns reporting technical issues and extinguished fires on board. The aircraft landed safely in Cairn about 50 minutes after the first smell. The operator had already assigned the windshield for replacement according to an Airbus Service Bulletin, that required replacement as soon as spares become available. Following the event the windshield and the number one window heat computer were replaced. The ATSB annotated that the windshield replacement program, released following five windshield heat connector overheat events, was well ahead of permitted time, completion within the operator's fleet to be completed by September 2011 with the SB requiring replacement until March 2012.

Airbus Updates No.426

Incident: Virgin America A319 near Grand Junction on Sep 8th 2011, engine shut down in flight

By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Sep 8th 2011 17:18Z, last updated Thursday, Sep 8th 2011 17:18Z A Virgin America Airbus A319-100, registration N530VA performing flight VX-28 (dep Sep 7th) from San Francisco,CA to New York JFK,NY (USA) with 111 passengers and 6 crew, was enroute at FL350 about 200nm west of Grand Junction,CO when the crew needed to shut an engine down. The aircraft drifted down and diverted to Grand Junction for a safe landing on runway 11 about 40 minutes later. The passengers were taken to hotels. A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration N837VA was dispatched as flight VX-9837 from San Francisco to Grand Junction and is estimated to reach New York as flight VX-1028 with a delay of 10 hours. Incident: Lufthansa A319 at Budapest on Sep 8th 2011, bird strike By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Sep 9th 2011 00:07Z, last updated Friday, Sep 9th 2011 00:08Z A Lufthansa Airbus A319-100, registration D-AILX performing flight LH-1684 from Munich (Germany) to Budapest (Hungary), was on final approach to Budapest's runway 31R when the aircraft encountered a bird strike prompting the crew to abort the approach and go-around. The aircraft joined a right downwind and positioned for another approach to runway 31L. The aircraft landed safely on runway 31L about 15 minutes later. Runway 31R was closed for a runway inspection, another aircraft on final approach to 31R made a swing-over to runway 31L, other aircraft were re-cleared for an ILS approach to runway 31L. Runway 31R re-opened about 20 minutes later.   Incident: SAS A321 near Hamburg on Sep 8th 2011, smoke in cabin By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Sep 9th 2011 12:56Z, last updated Friday, Sep 9th 2011 12:56Z A SAS Scandinavian Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration OY-KBE performing flight SK-688 from Milan Malpensa (Italy) to Copenhagen (Denmark) with 130 passengers, was enroute at FL380 about 60nm southeast of Hamburg (Germany) when the crew reported smoke in the cabin and decided to divert to Hamburg's Fuhlsbuettel Airport for a safe landing on runway 23 about 20 minutes later. By the time of landing the smoke had dissipated, emergency services utilizing thermal imaging found no trace of fire, heat or smoke. The aircraft was able to continue the journey after about 2 hours on the ground and reached Copenhagen with a delay of about 130 minutes. Incident: SATA A313 at Lajes on Sep 6th 2011, bird strike By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Sep 9th 2011 17:58Z, last updated Friday, Sep 9th 2011 17:58Z A SATA International Airbus A310-300, registration CS-TKN performing flight S4-230 from Boston,MA (USA) to Terceira Azores Islands (Portugal) with 218 people on board, was on approach to Terceira's Lajes Airport when a bird struck the aircraft. The crew continued for a safe landing at Lajes Airport. The aircraft was unable to conduct its next scheduled flight S4-237 to Oakland,CA (USA) via Hamilton,ON (Canada). The airport reported an unusual number of migratory birds is currently around the aerodrome. Incident: Swiss A333 over Atlantic on Sep 9th 2011, first officer unwell By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Sep 10th 2011 15:12Z, last updated Saturday, Sep 10th 2011 15:12Z A Swiss International Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration HB-JHI performing flight LX-65 (dep Sep 8th) from Miami,FL (USA) to Zurich (Switzerland) with 217 passengers, was enroute at FL350 over the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda about 2 hours into the flight when the first officer suffered a migraine attack and needed to take some medicine. The captain decided to turn around and return to Miami as a precaution. The aircraft landed safely in Miami about 5 hours after departure. The airline reported the first officer felt very unwell as result of a migraine attack forcing him to take some medicine which prompted the captain to return to Miami as a precaution. The first officer now needs to undergo medical examination. Incident: Easyjet A320 near Doncaster on Sep 10th 2011, smoke in cabin By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Sep 10th 2011 23:45Z, last updated Saturday, Sep 10th 2011 23:45Z An Easyjet Airbus A320-200, registration G-EZTA performing flight U2-1931 from Manchester,EN (UK) to Sofia (Bulgaria), was climbing through FL270 out of Manchester's runway 23R when the crew reported smoke in the cabin, levelled off and diverted to Doncaster,EN (UK) for a safe landing on runway 20 about 20 minutes later. Emergency services found no trace of fire or heat. The passengers deplaned normally via stairs. A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration G-EZTG reached Sofia with a delay of 5.5 hours. The source of the smoke was not found so far. The incident aircraft positioned back to Manchester departing Doncaster 8 hours after landing.   Incident: Swiss A321 at Dublin on Sep 13th 2011, smoke in cabin By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Sep 13th 2011 15:24Z, last updated Tuesday, Sep 13th 2011 15:24Z A Swiss International Airlines Airbus A321-100, registration HB-IOC performing flight LX-401 from Dublin (Ireland) to Zurich (Switzerland) with 155 people on board, was climbing through FL070 out of Dublin's runway 28 when grey smoke with the smell of burning plastics was observed in the cabin. The crew levelled off and returned to Dublin for a safe landing on runway 28 about 10 minutes after departure. After a brief inspection by emergency services the aircraft taxied to the gate. The cause of the smoke is under investigation. Incident: Malta A319 near Sofia on Sep 10th 2011, hydraulic problem By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Sep 13th 2011 15:45Z, last updated Tuesday, Sep 13th 2011 15:45Z An Air Malta Airbus A319-100, registration 9H-AEH performing flight KM-560 from Malta (Malta) to Moscow Domodedovo (Russia), was enroute at FL370 about 40nm eastnortheast of Sofia (Bulgaria) when the crew decided to return to Malta due to problems with one of the hydraulic systems. The aircraft landed safely back on Malta's runway 13 about 100 minutes later. A replacement Airbus A319-100 registration 9H-AEJ reached Moscow with a delay of 5.5 hours Incident: Airphilexpress A320 near Cebu on Sep 14th 2011, engine shut down in flight By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Sep 14th 2011 12:35Z, last updated Wednesday, Sep 14th 2011 12:35Z An Airphilexpress Airbus A320-200, flight 2P-247 from Cebu to Davao (Philippines) with 121 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing out of Cebu when the crew reported they had needed to shut the left hand engine down. The aircraft returned to Cebu for a safe landing about 35 minutes after departure. A replacement aircraft reached Davao with a delay of 2 hours. Incident: Rossiya A319 near St. Petersburg on Sep 14th 2011, engine shut down in flight By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Sep 14th 2011 12:51Z, last updated Wednesday, Sep 14th 2011 12:51Z A Rossiya Airbus A319-100, registration VQ-BAS performing flight FV-721 from Saint Petersburg to Rostov (Russia), had already reached cruise altitude 10100 meters/FL331 about 65nm southeast of St. Petersburg when the crew reported problems with right hand engine's (CFM56) fuel pump forcing them to shut the engine down. The aircraft drifted down and returned to St. Petersburg for a safe landing on runway 28L about 55 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-500 registration EI-CDH reached Rostov with a delay of 2.5 hours. Incident: US Airways A332 at Barcelona on Sep 10th 2011, hydraulic failure By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Sep 14th 2011 15:36Z, last updated Wednesday, Sep 14th 2011 15:36Z A US Airways Airbus A330-200, registration N285AY performing flight US-743 from Barcelona,SP (Spain) to Philadelphia,PA (USA), stopped the climb out of Barcelona's runway 25L at FL080 due to a hydraulic failure and returned to Barcelona's runway 25R for a safe landing about 30 minutes after departure. The flight was subsequently cancelled.

Airbus Updates No.425

Airbus A300	-622R	602		N4602	GA Telesis	ferried 14-15sep11 HND-TSE-LDE in basic JAL cs	ex JA8375
Airbus A300	-622R	670		D-AEAK	EAT Leipzig	delivery 14-15sep11 HND-TSE-DRS, basic JAL cs, N-reg prior conversion	ex N2670

Airbus A318

-112CJ

4211

F-WHUD

Airbus

ferried 12sep11 MPL-XFW after paint into all wh, Al Jaber Aviation ntu

ex D-AUAD

Airbus A320

-211

196

JA8387

ANA All Nippon

ferried 12-13sep11 HND-ANC-VCV for storage / sale

ex F-WWDE

Airbus A320	-212	407		P4-FAA	FlyAruba	delivery 13-14sep11 GYR-FLL-AUA, N-reg	ex N407BV
Airbus A320	-231	476		G-GTDL	Thomas Cook	ferried 13sep11 MAN-SAW after storage, for?	ex C-GTDL

Airbus A320

-232

4818

VT-IEJ

IndiGo

delivery 12sep11 XFW-DEL

ex D-AXAK

Airbus A320	-214	4835		VQ-BKU	Aeroflot	delivery 14sep11 XFW-SVO	ex D-AXAN
Airbus A320	-214	4839		CC-BAQ	LAN Airlines	delivery 15-16sep11 XFW-LPA-REC-SCL	ex D-AXAO
Airbus A321	-232	4834		B-6792	Air China	delivery 10sep11 XFW-OVB	ex D-AVZU
Airbus A330	-203MRTT	1036		A39-004	Royal Australian Air Force	ferried 11sep11 ORY-LEGT after paint, EC-reg	ex EC-336

Airbus A340

-311

3

G-VSEA

Virgin Atlantic

ferried 13sep11 LGW-LDE, for Luzair as CS-TQT

ex F-WWDA

Airbus A380

-841

71

9V-SKN

Singapore Airlines

delivery 14sep11 TLS-SIN

ex F-WWSX

Airbus Updates No.424

Airbus A319	-112	3586		D-ABGL	Air Berlin	ferried 10sep11 DUS-DUB for paint, for Air Namibia	ex D-AVYF
Airbus A319	-111	4837		G-EZGR	easyJet	delivery 09sep11 XFW-LGW, 172th and last A319 for the airline	ex D-AVWD

Airbus A320

-211

229

EK-32008

Armavia

ferried 10sep11 DNR-EVN after storage

ex N229AN

Airbus A320	-214	3492		EK-32005	Armavia	at DNR 09sep11, all wh, nbo titl, no reg, returned to lessor	ex F-WWIU
Airbus A320	-233	4832		N507VL	Volaris	delivery 09sep11 XFW-KEF-BGR-TLC	ex D-AXAM
Airbus A321	-232	4834		B-6792	Air China	delivery 10sep11 XFW-OVB	ex D-AVZU

Airbus Updates No.423

The month in review: August 2011

 

Airbus booked orders for 234 aircraft in August, bringing its backlog to another record level, while further confirming the A320neo (New Engine Option) jetliner’s success and welcoming additional customers to the A320 and A350 XWB families.

The new business in August boosted Airbus’ overall total net orders to 11,075, which includes nearly 8,000 A320 and A320neo Family aircraft.  Its combined backlog grew to 4,233 aircraft as of 31 August – the highest ever for Airbus – representing seven years of full production at current output rates.

Included in the month’s bookings were CIT’s firm order for 50 A320neo aircraft, Lufthansa’s purchase of 30 A320neo Family jetliners, and the finalisation of Cebu Pacific’s acquisition for 30 A321neo aircraft. 

Garuda Indonesia’s completion of its order for 25 A320 Family aircraft and the booking by THAI for five A320s also underscored the continued value of current versions in Airbus’ single-aisle product line.

In addition to THAI becoming one of four new customers for the existing A320 Family, this airline also joined the list of carriers ordering A350 XWBs with its acquisition of four A350-900s – underscoring as well the upsizing trend to larger versions of Airbus’ next-generation widebody jetliner family.

With the bookings in August, Airbus’ net orders for the first eight months of 2011 reached 1,015 aircraft.

Deliveries during August totalled 36 aircraft, composed of 30 A320 Family jetliners, five A330s, and an A380.  This brings Airbus deliveries for the first eight months of 2011 to 334 aircraft.

The month’s deliveries included an A380 to Korean Air, which is the third for this carrier and the 13th provided to customers so far in 2011 – bringing the overall total number of Airbus 21st century flagships received by airline operators to 54. 

Airbus Updates No.422

Airbus May Boost Capacity As Boom Looms

September 8, 2011

Airbus hopes to lift production capacity by a third, as it tries to keep up with demand for its revamped A320neo aircraft, a French newspaper reported on Thursday.

The A320neo is a version of Airbus's best-selling 150-seat passenger jet which will be equipped with fuel-saving engines and delivered in 2015. It competes with Boeing's 737 in the market for single-aisle jets.
La Tribune, citing unidentified sources, said the order book was so well filled that Airbus could barely satisfy big contracts from carriers to have the jet at their disposal at the end of this decade.

No one was available to comment at Airbus.

"There could be delays that are too long for some clients, who could instead turn to Boeing... " La Tribune cited an expert as saying. "The only solution for Airbus is to increase the rate of production."

Airbus is looking to produce more than 50 of the aircraft a month by the second half of 2018 -- over 600 a year, up from 38 a month or 456 a year, a source close to Airbus's executive board said, according to La Tribune.

Boeing saw Airbus grab the largest share of a record order in July from American Airlines, once an exclusive Boeing customer.

In an attempt to challenge Airbus's revamped A320neo family, Boeing said end last month it planned to roll out a more efficient version -- the 737 MAX -- of its best-selling 737 narrow-body, with a new engine in 2017

Airbus Updates No.421

Airbus A300

-622RF

836

A6-SUL

Maximus Air Cargo

delivery 08sep11 DRS-AUH after conversion

ex JA014D

Airbus A320

-211

109

G-BUSJ

British Airways

ferried 06sep11 LHR-LGW prior return to lessor

ex F-WWIC

Airbus A340	-312	133		CS-TQL	HiFly	delivery 08sep11 DUB-LIS, M-reg, all wh	ex M-YRGQ
Airbus A380	-861	68		HL7614	Korean Air	delivery 07sep11 TLS-ICN	ex F-WWSJ

Airbus Updates No.420

Airbus A320

-233

892

HA-LPC

Wizz Air

last svc 06sep11 LTN-BUD, for Garuda Citilink as PK-GLD in early oct11

ex EI-DGF

Airbus A330

-243

1249

ZS-SXV

South African

delivery 06sep11 TLS-JNB

ex F-WWYH

Airbus Updates No.419

Incident: Jetstar A332 enroute on Aug 29th 2011, medical emergency

By Simon Hradecky, created Sunday, Sep 4th 2011 07:43Z, last updated Sunday, Sep 4th 2011 07:45Z A Jetstar Airbus A330-200, registration VH-EBD performing flight 3K-401 from Singapore (Singapore) to Auckland (New Zealand), was enroute about 90 minutes into the flight, when a male passenger (31) choked while eating his inflight meal (beef dish) and became unresponsive. A doctor on board assisted by two nurses provided first aid and attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the aisle, however were unable to save the man. The doctor pronounced the man dead. The body of the man was moved into a crew only area. The aircraft continued to Auckland where the aircraft landed safely about 8.5 hours later 30 minutes ahead of schedule despite a 20 minutes delay at departure. The airline confirmed the death on board of the aircraft and said, the cause of his death is still under investigation. The coroner's report is expected during September. The girl friend of the deceased reported, that he was tucking in his beef dish and watching a movie when he shook. She thought he was laughing, but when she looked at him he saw his eyes were rolling, his lips were turning blue and he did not respond. Upon her screams for help a doctor and two nurses provided first aid including resuscitation, however were not able to save her companion. The body was taken to a crew only area while she remained in her seat with cabin crew and even the captain looking frequently after her trying to provide consolation. Other passengers said, that the captain made an announcement to address possible concerns about how much time he spent back in the cabin stating, that they were a flight crew of three, so that even when he was back in the cabin trying to comfort the deceased's companion two pilots were at the controls of the aircraft. Incident: Etihad A320 near Doha on Aug 26th 2011, bomb hoax By Simon Hradecky, created Sunday, Sep 4th 2011 10:58Z, last updated Sunday, Sep 4th 2011 10:58Z An Etihad Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration A6-EIC performing flight EY-93 from Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) to Larnaca (Cyprus), was climbing through FL340 out of Abu Dhabi about 70nm northeast of Doha (Qatar) when the crew decided to divert to Doha due to a bomb threat from a passenger. The aircraft landed safely in Doha about 15 minutes later and taxied to a remote stand, where passengers disembarked normally. Following security checks, which revealed no trace of explosives, the aircraft was able to depart again about 3.5 hours after landing and returned to Abu Dhabi for a safe landing. A replacement Airbus A330-300 registration A6-AFC reached Larnaca with a delay of 6:20 hours. The airline reported the aircraft was diverted to Doha due to a bomb threat from a passenger. The passenger was taken into custody by Qatar police, his luggage was offloaded. Security personnel determined there was no bomb or other safety risk. The passengers were returned to Abu Dhabi and departed to Larnaca on an alternate aircraft. Accident: Mahan A306 at Mashad on Sep 4th 2011, burst tyres, runway excursion and nose gear collapse on landing By Simon Hradecky, created Sunday, Sep 4th 2011 11:46Z, last updated Sunday, Sep 4th 2011 15:40Z A Mahan Airbus A300-600, registration EP-MNT performing flight W5-613 (dep Sep 3rd) from Tehran Mehrabad to Mashad (Iran) with 230 passengers, landed hard on Mashad's runway 31R bursting the nose wheel tyres just after midnight (19:30Z Sep 3rd). The aircraft subsequently veered off the runway and came to a stop with the nose on soft ground, the nose gear collapsed. The passengers were evacuated via slides. 3 passengers received serious, 8 passengers minor injuries. The aircraft received substantial damage. Runway 13L/31R had to be closed due to the disabled aircraft. The aircraft is estimated to be moved off the runway during the afternoon. Emergency services reported three passengers received hip and lower limb injuries and are in hospital care. Eight passengers were released from hospital after treatment. Incident: Virgin America A319 at Dallas on Sep 4th 2011, rejected takeoff due to bird strike By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Sep 5th 2011 11:00Z, last updated Monday, Sep 5th 2011 11:00Z A Virgin America Airbus A319-100, registration N528VA performing flight VX-853 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to San Francisco,CA (USA), rejected takeoff from runway 36R at high speed after the aircraft accelerated through a flock of birds and suffered multiple bird strikes. The aircraft slowed safely and vacated the runway via taxiway G8 about mid runway (6500 feet/2000 meters down the runway), the crew requested no assistance. The aircraft was able to depart about 3 hours later and reached San Francisco with a delay of 3:15 hours. A passenger reported the aircraft suffered six bird impacts during the takeoff roll. The airplane came to a safe stop and taxied to the terminal on its own power a few minutes later. An inspection revealed no damage to the aircraft, however both left main gear tyres were replaced. The aircraft subsequently departed without further incident. Incident: Air One A320 at Palermo on Sep 4th 2011, flock of birds By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Sep 5th 2011 14:09Z, last updated Monday, Sep 5th 2011 14:09Z An Air One Airbus A320-200 on behalf of Alitalia, registration EI-DSS performing flight AP-135/AZ-135 from Palermo to Milan Malpensa (Italy) with 172 passengers and 5 crew, flew through a flock of sea gulls and ingested birds into the engines (CFM56) during the initial climb out of Palermo. The aircraft returned to Palermo for a safe landing. Maintenance found a total of 11 fan blades in both engines were damaged as result of the bird strikes. A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration EI-EIE reached Milan with a delay of 7:10 hours Incident: Amsterdam A320 near Belgrade on Sep 5th 2011, cracked windshield By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Sep 5th 2011 16:57Z, last updated Monday, Sep 5th 2011 16:57Z An Amsterdam Airlines Airbus A320-200 on behalf of Aegean Airlines, registration PH-AAX performing flight A3-4330 from Rhodes (Greece) to Poznan (Poland), was enroute at FL360 about 70nm southeast of Belgrade (Serbia) when the crew decided to divert to Belgrade due to a cracked windshield. The aircraft landed safely. A replacement Aegean Airlines Airbus A320-200 registration SX-DVX was flown to Belgrade, continued the flight and reached Poznan with a delay of 4:40 hours. Incident: Air France A343 near Guadeloupe on Jul 22nd 2011, rapid climb and approach to stall in upset By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Sep 6th 2011 14:53Z, last updated Tuesday, Sep 6th 2011 15:29Z An Air France Airbus A340-300, registration F-GLZU performing flight AF-471 (dep Jul 21st) from Caracas (Venezuela) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), was enroute at FL350 about 145nm northeast of Point A Pitre (Guadeloupe) in night and instrument meteorological conditions at around 01:11Z (Jul 22nd) when the crew received an overspeed alert, the autopilot disconnected, the crew observed the indicated airspeeds had increased to 0.88 mach (MMO 0.86 mach) and 304 knots, the aircraft gradually increased its pitch attitude to 11 degrees and climbed with up to 5000 feet/minute up to FL380, reaching FL380 at 0.66 mach/ 205 KIAS - stall speed was computed at 202 KIAS - before the pitch attitude decreased again and the aircraft returned to normal flight parameters. The flight was continued to Paris, the aircraft reached Europe at FL380 and landed safely in Paris about 7.5 hours after the upset. No injuries occurred. The French BEA confirmed an investigation into the described incident was opened on July 26th after receiving notification from Air France. An internal write up released by Le Figaro on Sep 6th reports, that the upset lasted for about 2 minutes with the highest intensity during the first 30 seconds, during the upset the aircraft encountered vertical accelerations between +0.5G and +1.7G. The upset occurred in an area where weather forecasts/reports suggested no turbulence. The write up annotated, that a PA call by flight crew to cabin: "Cabin crew, be seated immediately, severe turbulence" helped to avoid injuries in the cabin. Incident: TAP A332 at Lajes on Sep 6th 2011, bird strike By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Sep 6th 2011 17:45Z, last updated Tuesday, Sep 6th 2011 17:47Z A TAP Air Portugal Airbus A330-200, registration CS-TOK performing flight TP-1822 from Terceira Azores Islands to Lisbon (Portugal), struck a bird on departure from Terceira's Lajes Airport and needed to return to Lajes for a safe landing. The airline reported seven technicians were dispatched to Lajes to repair the damage, the aircraft received as result of the bird strike. The flight currently has an undefined time of departure.

Airbus Updates No.418

Man Taken Off Flight For Making Bomb Threat

September 5, 2011

A man was taken into police custody after making a bomb threat on a flight from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, officials said.
Spirit Flight 245 left McCarran Airport in Las Vegas around 5:30 pm Saturday but returned shortly after, according to McCarran spokesman Glenn Gardener.
"He made some kind of a threat while in the air and they had to turn around," Gardener said. Airline officials arranged to meet Las Vegas police at the gate, and the man was taken into custody, Gardener said.
The passengers were taken off the plane as a precaution and put on another plane to Los Angeles. "Whenever we get a bomb threat we have to screen the aircraft," said Gardener.
Las Vegas police said the man was drunk, according to a KLAS-TV report.
The threat was made just one week before the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington.
Misty Pinson, spokeswoman for Spirit, said the plane landed normally, and authorities conducted a search and found nothing.

Incident: Spirit A319 at Las Vegas on Sep 3rd 2011, bomb hoax

By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Sep 5th 2011 12:44Z, last updated Monday, Sep 5th 2011 12:44Z A Spirit Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration N514NK performing flight NK-245 from Las Vegas,NV to Los Angeles,CA (USA) with 89 people on board, departed Las Vegas' runway 07L and was climbing through about 6000 feet when the crew requested to return to Las Vegas reporting a threat from a passenger. The aircraft joined a left downwind for runway 07L and landed safely on runway 07L about 10 minutes after departure. Las Vegas Police took one passenger into custody. Police reported the passenger allegedly made a bomb threat. The airplane and luggage has been searched with no traces of explosives found

Airbus Updates No.417

Airbus A320

-214

2654

D-ABDC

Air Berlin

ferried 02sep11 DUS-PAD prior return to lessor

ex F-WWIN

Airbus Updates No.416

Airbus Updates No.415

Airbus A310

-222

419

RPDL-34181

?

seen being painted at SIN 01sep11, c/n tbc

ex XY-AGD

Airbus A319

-111

2196

OO-SSV

Brussels Airlines

G-reg canx 01sep11 prior delivery ex DUB

ex G-EZEI

Airbus A320

-211

136

G-STRP

Astraeus

ferried 02sep11 DBV-LGW after lease to Dubrovnik Airlines

ex EC-GRF

Airbus A320

-214

2654

D-ABDC

Air Berlin

ferried 02sep11 DUS-PAD prior return to lessor

ex F-WWIN

Airbus A320	-216	4807		HS-ABU	Air Asia	delivery 02sep11 TLS-SHJ-BKK	ex F-WWBM
Airbus A320	-232	4810		A7-AHO	Qatar Airways	delivery 01sep11 TLS-DOH	ex F-WWDI
Airbus A320	-214	4827		A9C-AM	Gulf Air	delivery 01sep11 XFW-BAH	ex D-AXAL

Airbus A340

-311

2

CS-TQQ

Luzair

regd M-YRGU 01sep11 prior delivery ex LDE

ex G-VHOL

Airbus Updates No.414

Incident: THY A343 at Mumbai on Sep 2nd 2011, runway excursion

By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Sep 2nd 2011 07:53Z, last updated Saturday, Sep 3rd 2011 15:50Z A Turkish Airlines Airbus A340-300, registration TC-JDM performing flight TK-720 from Istanbul (Turkey) to Mumbai (India) with 93 passengers and 11 crew, had landed on Mumbai's runway 27 at 04:13L (22:43Z Sep 1st). While attempting to turn off onto high speed exit N8 the aircraft veered off paved surface and came to a stop with all gear on soft ground within the runway protected zone. No injuries occurred. The runway was closed, and despite being expected to re-open by 20:00L about 14 hours after the incident remained closed until the evening of the following day for a total of about 43 hours. The airport remained open using the second shorter runway 14/32. Mumbai Airport reported the runway had been inspected at 03:58L with all airside infrastructure found operational/functional, following the inspection one landing and one takeoff took place prior to the landing of TK-720. Turkish Airlines said, the aircraft skidded off the runway due to excessive rainfall. No injuries occurred. A replacement aircraft has been dispatched to Mumbai to conduct the return flight TK-721. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation. Incident: Fedex A306 near Vancouver on Aug 30th 2011, hydraulic problem By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Sep 2nd 2011 16:27Z, last updated Friday, Sep 2nd 2011 16:27Z A Fedex Federal Express Airbus A300-600, registration N660FE performing flight FX-142 from Memphis,TN (USA) to Vancouver,BC (Canada), was enroute near Vancouver in contact with Seattle Center, when the crew declared emergency reporting a hydraulic problem. The aircraft continued to Vancouver for a safe landing on runway 26L.   Incident: Alitalia A319 near Paris on Aug 31st 2011, cry after landing By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Sep 2nd 2011 14:15Z, last updated Friday, Sep 2nd 2011 14:16Z An Alitalia Airbus A319-100, registration I-BIMA performing flight AZ-358 from Milan Linate (Italy) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), was enroute when an expectant mother went into labour. The crew accelerated approach and landing to Paris Charles de Gaulle and landed safely about 15 minutes ahead of time. Shortly after landing, just after a medical team had entered the aircraft, a healthy baby boy of 3kg made his first cry followed by applause of the other passengers

Airbus Updates No.413

Second Plane This Week Skids Off Runway In India

September 2, 2011

A Turkish Airlines aircraft carrying 104 passengers skidded off a runway at Mumbai Airport on Friday, the second incident in a week, raising concerns that some Indian airports are over-stretched.
Air traffic over India is on the rise as its fast-growing economy attracts business and its 1.2 billion population increasingly takes to the skies. New airports have been built in several cities but others such as Mumbai are heavily congested.
The main runway at Mumbai -- India's most populous city -- was still closed late on Friday as authorities struggled to remove the plane.
The Airbus A340 plane lost control shortly after landing on a flight from Istanbul. The passengers and the crew were evacuated and there were no injuries, Turkish Airlines said in a statement.
Turkish Airlines said the incident happened "as a result of excessive rainfall" and the carrier and local authorities were still investigating the cause of the event.
It was the second such mishap this week. On Monday, a Gulf Air plane skidded off the runway in Kerala's Kochi airport, which was also lashed by heavy rain.
Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is no stranger to safety incidents. Over the last year it has suffered a series of power blackouts, including one that shut down air traffic control as four planes were preparing to land.
Last year in May, an Air India Express airliner crashed and burst into flames outside Mangalore airport in Karnataka, killing 158 people in India's worst air disaster in a decade.
India's airlines are expanding their fleets with massive orders for new planes as demand balloons. The country has revamped ailing airports in three major cities -- New Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad -- but planes often circle over Mumbai due to congestion. Smaller cities suffer similar issues.

Airbus Updates No.412

CYPRUS AIRWAYS TO RETURN A330'S

Both of the A330 aircraft will be handed back to the leasing company in December 2011 and Janaury 2012 after completion of their current contracts for the Royal Air Force flying troops from UK Bases to overseas fields..........

2 x A321's will be leased to compensate.
below is an extract from the airlines latest financial report.......................

a letter of intent has been signed with the leasing company for
the early termination of the lease of the two A330 aircraft in December 2011 and
January 2012 respectively, which is about one year earlier than the lease expiry
date, against the payment of a termination penalty. The early redelivery of the
A330 aircraft is expected to bring about a significant improvement to the
operating result of the Company. At the same time it was agreed to lease two
A321-200 aircraft for a period of six years with delivery dates in April and May
2012."

Airbus Updates No.411

Airbus A320

-214

4347

OE-IBB

Celestial Aviation

regd aug11, parked at IST since 11aug11

ex TS-ING

Airbus A320

-216

4807

HS-ABU

Air Asia

delivery 02sep11 TLS-SHJ-BKK

ex F-WWBM

Airbus A320

-232

4810

A7-AHO

Qatar Airways

delivery 01sep11 TLS-DOH

ex F-WWDI

Airbus A330

-223

229

HB-IQA

Swiss International

ferried 02sep11 ZRH-MAN for paint into?

ex F-WWKS

Airbus Updates No.410

Incident: Donbassaero A320 enroute on Jul 6th 2011, hydraulic leak

By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Aug 30th 2011 17:08Z, last updated Tuesday, Aug 30th 2011 17:08Z A Donbassaero Airbus A320-200, registration UR-DAC performing flight 7D-7760 from Hurghada (Egypt) to Kiev (Ukraine), was enroute at FL360 over the Mediterranean Sea when the crew reported the failure of the green hydraulic system as result of a low hydraulic fluid quantity. After working the relevant checklists the crew elected to continue to Kiev, where the aircraft landed safely. Ukraine's Ministry of Transport reported maintenance found the cause of the hydraulic leak was the fracture of low pressure drain line as result of wear in vibrations. The wear was the result of improper installation of a mounting collar in Liberia. The Ukraine have listed the Liberian maintenance facility as low quality facility, all Ukrainian operators have been informed. Incident: Air India A332 near Mumbai on Aug 31st 2011, hydraulic problems By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Sep 1st 2011 12:45Z, last updated Thursday, Sep 1st 2011 12:45Z An Air India Airbus A330-200, registration VT-IWA performing flight AI-930 from Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) to Mumbai (India) with 286 people on board, was enroute about 50 minutes prior to estimated landing when the crew reported hydraulic problems. The aircraft continued to Mumbai for a safe landing. Incident: Lufthansa A343 over Atlantic on Sep 1st 2011, chemical smell on board By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Sep 1st 2011 18:53Z, last updated Thursday, Sep 1st 2011 18:53Z A Lufthansa Airbus A340-300, registration D-AIGL performing flight LH-439 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX (USA) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany) with 231 passengers, was enroute at FL360 about 360nm east of Gander,NL (Canada) when the crew reported a chemical smell in the cargo area and decided to turn around and divert to Gander. The aircraft performed oceanic contingency procedures to descend to FL270 and landed safely in Gander about 77 minutes later. The passengers were taken to hotels. Incident: Virgin America A320 near Houston on Aug 30th 2011, smell of smoke in cabin By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Aug 31st 2011 14:42Z, last updated Wednesday, Aug 31st 2011 14:42Z A Virgin America Airbus A320-200, registration N835VA performing flight VX-315 from Orlando,FL to Los Angeles,CA (USA), was enroute at FL360 about 60nm east of Houston,TX (USA) when the crew reported smoke in the cabin and diverted to Houston. The aircraft landed safely on Houston's runway 27 (runways 08 and 09 active) about 17 minutes later. A passenger tweeted the flight diverted because of an odour on board. A replacement Airbus A319-100 registration N524VA reached Los Angeles with a delay of 8 hours.

Airbus Updates No.409

Lao Airlines purchases two A320s

 

New customer for world's best selling single aisle product line

Lao Airlines, the national carrier of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos), has signed a contract with Airbus for the purchase of two A320 aircraft, becoming a new Airbus customer. The aircraft will be operated by Lao Airlines on routes linking Vientiane to key destinations in South East Asia, including Bangkok and Singapore.

Powered by CFM56 engines from CFM International, the aircraft will feature a high comfort two class layout seating 126 passengers in the main cabin and 16 in Business Class.

"The A320 will see Lao Airlines introduce a new level of premium service as we expand our international route network," said Somphone Douangdara, President of Lao Airlines. "In addition to the highest standards of in-flight comfort, Lao Airlines will also benefit from the extremely low operating costs offered by these modern, fuel-efficient aircraft."

"We are pleased to welcome Lao Airlines as a new Airbus customer," said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer, Customers, Airbus. "With this order Lao Airlines joins the global customer base for the industry's best selling single aisle product line, offering proven passenger appeal, outstanding reliability and unbeatable operating costs."

The A320 Family (A318, A319, A320 and A321) is recognized as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. With more than 7,800 aircraft sold, and over 4,700 aircraft delivered to more than 330 customers and operators worldwide, it is the world’s most successful single-aisle aircraft product line.

Airbus Updates No.408

Airbus A320	-214	4827		A9C-AM	Gulf Air	delivery 01sep11 XFW-BAH	ex D-AXAL
Airbus A321	-231	4824		B-6836	Sichuan Airlines	delivery 31aug11 XFW-OVB	ex D-AVZK
Airbus A321	-231	4826		VN-A327	Cambodia Angkor Air	delivery 31aug11 XFW-BAK, ops by Vietnam Airlines	ex D-AVZS
Airbus A321	-231	4830		B-6839	Sichuan Airlines	delivery 31aug11 XFW-OVB	ex D-AVZT

Airbus A330

-223

1244

B-6532

China Southern

delivery 30aug11 TLS-CAN

ex F-WWYU

Airbus A330

-343

1247

VQ-BQY

Aeroflot

delivery 31aug11 TLS-SVO

ex F-WWYQ