Airbus Updates No.407

Accident: Gulf Air A320 at Kochi on Aug 29th 2011, runway excursion

By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Aug 29th 2011 07:32Z, last updated Monday, Aug 29th 2011 12:53Z A Gulf Air Airbus A320-200, registration A9C-AG performing flight GF-270 (dep Aug 28th) from Bahrain (Bahrain) to Kochi (India) with 137 passengers and 6 crew, landed on Cochin International Airport's runway 27 at about 03:55L (22:25Z Aug 28th) but veered right off the runway and came to a stop with all gear about 10 meters off the paved surface. The aircraft was evacuated. One passenger received serious injuries (fractures) and is in hospital care, 7 other minor injuries and were released from hospital after treatment. The aircraft received substantial damage to its nose gear. The airport said the runway is closed for an estimated 10 hours although small turboprops can operate on the runway. Strong winds, rain and reduced visibility of 2000 meters prevailed at the time of landing. Gulf Air confirmed the nose gear collapsed. One passenger received serious injuries. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation reported the crew provided testimony that they were able to see the runway from about 6nm out. While descending through 2000 feet AGL there was moderate rain, but after the aircraft had descended below decision height there were sudden gusts of wind and severe rain. A disabled aircraft retrieval kit is being brought in from Mumbai to move the aircraft back onto paved surface and off the runway. A passenger reported that the airplane had landed normally when the pilot all of the sudden lost control. The aircraft skidded off the runway into the grass and mud. Shouts occurred in the cabin "MAYDAY, MAYDAY, EVACUATE", smoke began to fill the cabin, the passenger noticed some some strange smell of some gasses. Cabin crew later said the aircraft had been evacuated in 20 seconds, the captain appeared to be in total shock after evacuation. The runway was re-opened for takeoffs from runway 27 and landing on runway 09 with a reduced runway length (landing distance available on runway 27 and takeoff distance available on runway 09) of 2050 meters. The local weatherstation reported partly cloudy, variable winds at 3 knots and visibility of 4000 meters at 02:30L, light rain, winds from westsouthwest at 19 knots (significantly different to Metars) and visibility of 2000 meters at 05:30L (00:00Z). Cochin International Airport offers a runway 09/27 of 3400 meters length with ILS and VOR approaches to runway 27 and a VOR approach to runway 09. Metars: VOCI 290000Z 26003KT 4000 HZ FEW008 SCT015 OVC080 26/24 Q1008 TEMPO VIS 2000M RA VOCI 282330Z 28005KT 4000 HZ FEW006 SCT015 OVC080 26/24 Q1008 NOSIG VOCI 282300Z 00000KT 4000 HZ FEW005 SCT015 OVC080 26/24 Q1008 NOSIG VOCI 282130Z 29005KT 3000 HZ SCT010 SCT080 26/24 Q1008 NOSIG VOCI 282100Z 04004KT 3000 HZ SCT010 BKN080 26/24 Q1008 NOSIG VOCI 282030Z 00000KT 3000 HZ FEW010 SCT015 BKN080 26/25 Q1009 NOSIG VOCI 281800Z 00000KT 3000 HZ FEW010 SCT015 BKN080 27/25 Q1010 NOSIG Relevant NOTAM: A1201/11 - OBSTRUCTION DUE DISABLED ACFT ON RWY. PSN: 2200M FM THE BEGINING OF RWY09. 31M NORTH OF CL OF RWY. HGT: 11M AGL REVISED DECALRED DISTANCES OF RWY09/27 DUE DISABLED ACFT ON RWY AS FOLLOWS. RWY TORA TODA ASDA LDA 09 1500M 1500M 1500M 2050M 27 2050M 2050M 2050M 1500M ARRIVALS PERMITTED ON RWY09 ONLY AND DEPARTURES PERMITTED ON RWY27 ONLY. ALL ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES ARE LIKELY TO BE DLA. 29 AUG 06:00 2011 UNTIL 29 AUG 18:30 2011 ESTIMATED. CREATED: 29 AUG 06:12 2011 A9C-AG off the runway (Photo: AP): ILS 27 Approach Chart (Graphics: AIP India): Map (Graphics: AVH/Google Earth):

Airbus Updates No.406

Incident: Thai A333 at Osaka on Aug 23rd 2011, engine shut down in flight

By Simon Hradecky, created Wednesday, Aug 24th 2011 17:56Z, last updated Wednesday, Aug 24th 2011 17:56Z A Thai Airways Airbus A330-300, registration HS-TES performing flight TG-623 from Osaka Kansai (Japan) to Bangkok (Thailand) with 280 passengers and 16 crew, was in the initial climb when the crew needed to shut the left hand engine (Trent 772) down due to low oil pressure. The aircraft returned to Kansai Airport for a safe landing. The flight was cancelled. Incident: Qantas A388 over Pacific on Aug 15th 2011, engine oil leak By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Aug 25th 2011 15:58Z, last updated Thursday, Aug 25th 2011 15:59Z A Qantas Airbus A380-800, registration VH-OQB performing flight QF-11 from Sydney,NS (Australia) to Los Angeles,CA (USA), was enroute over the Pacific Ocean when the crew noticed the #2 engine (Trent 972, inboard left) was leaking oil, however, the engine did not need to be shut down. The crew continued the flight to Los Angeles for a routine safe landing on all engines. A post flight inspection revealed an oil leak in the tranfer gear box of engine #2 that could not be fixed forcing an engine change. The aircraft departed Los Angeles for Melbourne,VI (Australia) as flight QF-6003 on Aug 24th. The aircraft re-entered service as flight QF-9 on Aug 25th shortly after return. Incident: Aigle Azur A321 near Paris on Aug 25th 2011, loss of cabin pressure By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Aug 25th 2011 20:48Z, last updated Thursday, Aug 25th 2011 20:48Z An Aigle Azur Airbus A321-200, registration F-HBAB performing flight ZI-241 from Paris Orly (France) to Tlemcen (Algeria), was climbing through FL320 about 100nm south of Orly Airport when the crew initiated an emergency descent to FL100 due to loss of cabin pressure. The aircraft returned to Paris Orly for a safe landing on runway 26 about 30 minutes later. A replacement Airbus A321-200 registration F-HBII reached Tlemcen with a delay of 12 hours. Incident: Condor A320 near Marseille on Aug 26th 2011, fuel pump failure By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Aug 26th 2011 17:52Z, last updated Friday, Aug 26th 2011 17:52Z A Condor Airbus A320-200, registration D-AICC performing flight DE-5168 from Munich (Germany) to Jerez De La Frontera,SP (Spain), was enroute at FL350 about 25nm east of Marseille (France) when the crew decided to turn around and return to Munich at FL340 due to a defective fuel pump and resulting fuel imbalance. The airplane landed safely in Munich about one hour later. The pump was replaced permitting the aircraft to depart again after about 2:15 hours on the ground. The aircraft reached Jerez De La Frontera with a delay of 4:10 hours. Incident: Lufthansa A333 near Dusseldorf on Aug 26th 2011, hail, cracked windshield By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Aug 26th 2011 19:50Z, last updated Friday, Aug 26th 2011 20:24Z A Lufthansa Airbus A330-300, registration D-AIKH performing flight LH-436 from Dusseldorf (Germany) to Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA), was climbing through FL180 about 45nm north of Dusseldorf at approximately 13:05L (11:05Z) when the aircraft encountered hail and suffered a cracked windshield. The crew decided to divert to Frankfurt/Main for a safe landing on runway 25C about 40 minutes later. A replacement Airbus A340-300 registration D-AIGD departed Frankfurt 5 hours after landing and is currently estimated to reach Chicago with a delay of 6:15 hours. Incident: bmi A321 near Moscow on Aug 26th 2011, dirty dancing By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Aug 27th 2011 14:06Z, last updated Saturday, Aug 27th 2011 14:06Z A bmi Airbus A321-200, registration G-MEDG performing flight BD-896 from Moscow Domodedovo (Russia) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was enroute at 10,600 meters MSL about 140nm west of Domodedovo Airport when the crew decided to return to Moscow due to an unruly female passenger on board. The airplane landed safely back on Domodedovo's runway 32R about 35 minutes later. The unruly passenger was taken into custody and sent to hospital for medical tests. Domodedovo Airport reported, that the female passenger, obviously drunk, started to perform erotic dances in the aisle disturbing other passengers. Police reported the female disturbed other passengers, who complained to cabin crew. The aircraft departed Moscow about 12 hours after landing and reached London with a delay of 12.5 hours Incident: Alitalia A321 and Easyjet A319 near Geneva on Aug 6th 2011, loss of separation By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Aug 27th 2011 16:07Z, last updated Saturday, Aug 27th 2011 16:11Z An Alitalia Airbus A321-100, registration I-BIXN performing flight AZ-325 from Paris Charles de Gaulle (France) to Rome Fiumicino (Italy), was enroute at FL370 about 15nm west of Geneva (Switzerland) when the controller advised there was another aircraft not in contact with them about 1nm from them climbing to their level. Seconds later the crew reported a TCAS resolution advisory to climb which the crew complied with. The controller apologized stating that he had no contact to the other aircraft that was climbing in contact with Marseille (France) radar. After the aircraft got clear of conflict the Alitalia crew returned to FL370 and continued to Rome for a safe landing. Switzerland's BFU reported, that an Easyjet Switzerland Airbus A319-100, registration HB-JZQ performing flight U2-1059 from Basel/Mulhouse (Switzerland/France) to Palma Mallorca,SP (Spain), was climbing when the aircraft conflicted with the Alitalia A321. The BFU stated: "Close encounter between two aircraft, one in level flight, the other during climb, on crossing tracks." An investigation has been opened. Radar data suggest the Easyjet climbed above FL360 before descending to FL350, the crossing point of both aircraft being over French territory. A few minutes later the aircraft climbed to FL370 and continued to Palma Mallorca for a safe landing. Incident: Windjet A320 at Catania on Aug 16th 2011, control failure By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Aug 18th 2011 15:15Z, last updated Monday, Aug 29th 2011 12:29Z A Windjet Airbus A320-200, registration EI-DFN performing flight IV-578 from Catania to Milan Malpensa (Italy) with 164 passengers, was in the initial climb out of Catania when the aircraft did not respond to some of the captain's control inputs. The crew levelled off at about 4000 feet and returned to Catania for a safe landing about 10 minutes after departure. The airline said, that although there are two sets of controls in each aircraft the captain decided to return to Catania in order to not take any chances, when the aircraft did not respond to some of his inputs. A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration EI-DOE reached Milan with a delay of 5 hours. The ANSV decided on Aug 26th to open an investigation into the occurrence reporting the crew identified some inconsistencies in the indications and decided to return to Catania.

Airbus Updates No.405

Airbus A318

-112CJ

4801

A6-AJE

Al Jaber Aviation

ferried 29-30aug TUL-YQX-MPL after cabin config, F-reg, for paint

ex F-WHUD

Airbus A320

-232

4802

A7-AHL

Qatar Airways

delivery 29aug11 TLS-DOH

ex F-WWBC

Airbus A321

-231

4830

B-6839

Sichuan Airlines

delivery 30aug11 XFW-OVB

ex D-AVZT

Airbus A330

-203MRTT

1036

A39-004

Royal Australian Air Force

ferried 26/28aug11 LAS-LEGT-ORY for paint, EC-reg

ex EC-336

Airbus Updates No.404

Airbus A300	-620	354		5A-IAY	Afriqiyah	destroyed 25aug11 at TIP	ex TS-IAY
Airbus A300	-622R	616		5A-DLZ	Libyan Airlines	destroyed 25aug11 at TIP	ex TS-IAZ
Airbus A310	-304	586		F-OJHH	Mahan Air	ferried 25aug11 BHX-IKB after seizure since 30jun11	ex F-WJHH

Airbus A318	-112CJ	4732		A6-	Al Jaber Aviation	ferried 26aug11 XFW-YQX-TUL for cabin config, all wh, F-reg	ex F-WHUK
Airbus A319	-112	1634		N634MX	Avianca	delivery 25aug11 DHN-MIA-BOG, all white	ex D-AVYH

Airbus A319

-111

2230

OO-SSU

Brussels Airlines

delivery 26aug11 DUB-BRU

ex G-EZEM

Airbus A320

-212

937

TS-INF

Nouvelair

ferried 26aug11 MIR-MP for paint

ex SU-KBA

Airbus A320

-214

4800

F-HBNH

Air France

delivery 25aug111 TLS-ORY

ex F-WWIK

Airbus A320

-214

4815

CC-BAP

LAN Airlines

delivery 25-26aug11 XFW-LPA-REC-SCL

ex D-AXAJ

Airbus A340

-313

126

LV-

Aerolineas Argentinas

ferried 25aug11 XMN-HKG, new cs, B-reg, prior delivery

ex B-HXN

Airbus Updates No.403

Airbus A319

-112

1634

N634MX

GECAS

ferried 24aug11 DHN-MIA prior delivery to?

ex D-AVYH

Airbus A319	-111	2230		OO-SSU	Brussels Airlines	delivery 25aug11 DUB-BRU	ex G-EZEM
Airbus A319	-112	3346		V5-ANL	Air Namibia	ferried 24aug11 DUB-PAD, D-reg, after paint prior delivery	ex D-ABGI
Airbus A320	-211	185		EX-32002	Krygyz Airways	in svc 22aug11 FRU-IST-FRU, c/n tbc	ex CS-TNA

Airbus A320

-214

4805

N842VA

Virgin America

delivery 23-24aug11 TLS-KEF-BGR-MIA

ex F-WWBK

Airbus A320	-214	4815		CC-BAP	LAN Airlines	delivery 25-26aug11 XFW-LPA-REC-SCL	ex D-AXAJ
Airbus A321	-231	4819		D-AIDK	Lufthansa	delivery 25aug11 XFW-FRA	ex D-AVZQ

Airbus A340

-312

133

CS-TQL

HiFly

delivery 24aug11 DUB-LIS, M-reg, all wh

ex M-YRGQ

Airbus Updates No.402

Airbus To Beat 2011 Middle East Forecast

August 24, 2011

Airbus will exceed its forecast for orders from the Middle East and North Africa region this year, helped by deals to be concluded at the Dubai Air Show in November, a senior executive said.
Airbus, which had expected orders for 90 planes, will end the year with a "triple-digit order book", said Habib Fekih, the European plane maker's president for Middle East.
Qatar Airways may be one of the airlines to place orders at the Dubai Air Show, Fekih said in an interview.
"Discussions with Qatar Airways are underway and it is a continuous process. Yes, they could announce something... a small number of aircraft here or there," he said.
The Doha-based carrier had been expected to buy five A380s and 50 A320neo narrow-body planes at the Paris Air Show in June, but instead ordered six aircraft from US competitor Boeing.
Fekih said the company was currently not in discussions with other regional carriers such as Emirates and Etihad Airways.
Airlines in the Middle East account for about 9.5 percent of Airbus's orders, making it a key market for the plane maker. The region, which has some of the youngest fleet in the world, represents 15 percent of the firm's order backlog.
EU DEBT, UNREST WEAKENED MARKET
The Europe debt crisis and the faltering US economy have held back global clients struggling to get loans for payment, said Fekih, but said the impact was limited.
"Maybe some alliance could have immediate difficulty during the coming weeks or months to have access to loans... but this will be very limited," he said, adding that this has not had much impact in the MENA region.
Political turmoil in the MENA region and rising fuel costs hit the buying capacity of Middle East carriers.
"The recent uprising in the Arab world has caused some traffic slowdown. We had rescheduling of some deliveries but the rest of the region is experiencing very healthy growth."
Airbus sales chief John Leahy said earlier this month that he expected aircraft production to be flat or slightly higher in the event of another global economic downturn.

Airbus Updates No.401

Airbus A330

-343

1245

A6-AFF

Etihad Airways

delivery 22aug11 TLS-AUH

ex F-WWKU

Airbus Updates No.400

Airbus A319

-111

2224

VQ-BLY

SkyExpress

seen regd at DUB 20aug11, all wh, prior delivery

ex G-EZEK

Soloman Islands A320 H4-BUS at Brisbane

Airbus Updates No.399

Airbus A318

-112CJ

4169

OE-LUX

Tyrolean Jet Service

ferried 19aug11 CHR-BSL after paint into all white

ex 9H-AFT

Airbus A320

-233

839

HA-LPA

Wizz

delivery to Garuda Citilink 17aug11 BUD-DEL-CGK

ex EI-DFV

Airbus A340	-313	212		A9C-LG	Gulf Air	ferried 19aug11 CHR-BAH after paint into Hellenic Imperial cs but ntu	ex A40-LG
Airbus A340	-313	215		A9C-LH	Gulf Air	ferried 17aug11 CHR-BAH after paint into Hellenic Imperial cs but ntu	ex A4O-LH
Airbus A380	-861	59		HL7613	Korean Air	delivery 19aug11 TLS-ICN	ex F-WWAZ

Airbus Updates No.398

Malaysian Airlines (MASKargo) first A330 freighter 9M-MUA at toulouse

Airbus Updates No.397

Transaero signs MOU for eight A320neos

Transaero Airlines confirmed Tuesday it signed an MOU with Airbus for eight A320neos, plus four options, making it the first Russian carrier to commit to the re-engined narrowbody aircraft. The airline told ATW it hopes to firm the MOU within 60 days; it is slated to take delivery of its first A320neo in 2017. It did not announce an engine selection between CFM International's Leap-X and Pratt & Whitney's PW1100G.

"It was very important for Transaero Airlines to become the first A320neo customer in Russia, the CIS and Eastern Europe," said CEO Olga Pleshakova. "The operation of these newest, very efficient aircraft will allow us to create optimal conditions for passengers on the expanding network of domestic and international destinations."
Russia's second-largest carrier historically is a loyal Boeing customer and currently operates 65 aircraft, comprising 17 747s, eight 777s, 13 767s, 24 737s and three Tupolev 214s. It did operate an Airbus A310 from 2000-2002.

Airbus Updates No.396

Qantas reveals plans to expand fleet with A320 Family

 

Commitment includes 78 A320neo aircraft

16 August 2011 Press Release

Qantas has selected for the first time Airbus A320 aircraft to launch its new premium airline to service routes to/from Australia and the Asian region. In addition, Jetstar has selected the Airbus A320 to continue its growth in Australia and Asia. The commitment to order a minimum of 106 A320 Family aircraft includes 78 A320neo jets, making Qantas the latest airline to select the world’s best selling single-aisle aircraft.

The decision to go with Airbus for its short to medium haul operations underpins the Qantas long term strategy to build up a fleet of the world’s most fuel efficient and reliable aircraft.

 “We are delighted to be investing in Airbus’ fuel efficient A320 Family, including the new A320neo as part of Qantas’ international transformation plan and Jetstar’s pan-Asian expansion.” said Alan Joyce, Qantas CEO. “The A320 Family’s outstanding operational efficiency and comfort, paired with its environmental credentials, make it the right choice for Qantas.”

“Qantas is an exceptionally forward looking and pioneering airline and we are delighted to play such a significant role in the company’s future strategy.” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “In a fiercely competitive market this is a great endorsement for our eco-efficient A320neo and A320 aircraft with their unique passenger appeal thanks to their wider cabin.”

The A320neo is a new engine option for the A320 Family to enter service in 2015. It incorporates latest generation engines and large "Sharklet" wing tip devices, which together will deliver 15 percent in fuel and CO2 emission savings.

In parallel with this new order, Qantas has decided to adapt deliveries of the last six of its twenty A380s to the airline’s new business plan. This affects deliveries after 2013.

At present, Qantas’ A380 fleet stands at ten, making the carrier the third largest A380 operator worldwide.

A320 Family orders to date already exceed 7,800, reaffirming its position as the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft family. To date over 4,700 have been delivered to over 330 customers and operators worldwide. The A320neo has over 95 percent airframe commonality with the existing A320 models while offering up to 500 nautical miles (950 kilometres) more range or two tonnes more payload. It is offered with engines from CFM International’s LEAP-X or Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower PW1100G.

Qantas will make its engine decision at a later date.

Airbus has received more than 1200 A320neo orders and commitments since its launch just nine months ago, in December 2010.

Airbus Updates No.395

Airbus A300	-622R	617		N2617	GA Telesis	ferried 17aug11 HND-TSE-LDE, basic JAL cs	ex JA8376
Airbus A300	-622R	737		D-AEAS	EAT Leipzig	delivery 16/18aug11 HND-TSE-DRS for conversion, basic JAL cs, N-reg	ex N4737

Airbus A319

-112

3346

V5-

Air Namibia

ferried 11/17aug11 DUS-PAD-DUB, D-reg, for paint prior delivery

ex D-ABGI

Airbus A319	-112	4796		D-AIBF	Lufthansa	delivery 17aug11 XFW-FRA	ex D-AVYZ
Airbus A320	-211	29		JY-JAC	Jordan Aviation	ferried 16aug11 AQJ-MST for paint into?	ex N290SE
Airbus A320	-233	839		HA-LPA	Wizz	delivery to Garuda Citilink 17aug11 BUD-DEL-CGK	ex EI-DFV
Airbus A320	-214	1054		VQ-BNR	Yamal Airlines	seen reg at SNN 17aug11 prior delivery	ex N105SR

Airbus A320	-214	4808		D-ABFW	Air Berlin	delivery 17aug11 XFW-DXB, all white, for China Southern	ex D-AVVZ
Airbus A320	-232	4813		VT-IEI	IndiGo	delivery 17aug11 XFW-DEL	ex D-AXAI
Airbus A321	-211	4811		HZ-ASM	Saudi Arabian	delivery 17aug11 XFW-JED	ex D-AVZP

Airbus A340	-313	150		HB-JMJ	Swiss International	last svc 16aug11 JNB-ZRH prior Flower Power livery removal	ex C-FYKX
Airbus A340	-313	215		A9C-LH	Gulf Air	ferried 17aug11 CHR-BAH after paint into Hellenic Imperial cs but ntu	ex A4O-LH

Airbus Updates No.394

Aeroflot Considering A380 Order - Airbus

August 17, 2011

Aeroflot, Russia's flagship airline, is keen to explore the potential of the A380 superjumbo aircraft, Airbus vice president Chris Buckley said.
"We have started a communication with the airline, we are studying the possibility of Aeroflot's use of the A380," Buckley told journalists on Wednesday at the MAKS airshow near Moscow.
"This does not mean that we will sell any A380s tomorrow."
Aeroflot, which historically has bought the bulk of its fleet from Airbus, has favoured rival Boeing more recently as its preferred supplier.
The carrier, which will start to receive a long-delayed order for 22 Boeing 787 Dreamliners when deliveries finally get under way next month, in March signed a deal to take eight Boeing 777s worth more than USD$2 billion.
The RBC business daily reported on Wednesday Aeroflot was considering the purchase of five A380s by 2015 to help meet a target of 70 million passengers by 2025, up from 11.3 million in 2010.
The newspaper also reported Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport -- Aeroflot's hub -- would need to be modernised to be able to receive the aircraft, which can seat up to 850 passengers in one potential variant.
An Aeroflot spokesman declined to comment on the report.
In April, Aeroflot chief executive Vitaly Saveliev told the French newspaper La Tribune it did not need the A380.
Both Aeroflot and Boeing said at the MAKS airshow they saw Russia outperforming the global market in terms of new orders over the next two decades, partly due to the need to replace outdated Soviet-era aircraft.
Buckley said he expected Russia's fleet of planes to grow 5 percent annually over the next 20 years, while Boeing executives said on Tuesday that Russia should buy 800 planes worth around USD$80 billion over the same period.
"There are a few Soviet-era planes in service that need to be replaced," Buckley said.
Russian planes have been involved in several fatal crashes over the past 18 months, most notably the incident that killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski and 95 other passengers in April 2010.

Airbus Updates No.393

LARGE QANTAS A320NEO ORDER SOON...................................

Qantas To Launch Two New Asia Airlines

August 16, 2011

Australia's Qantas Airways unveiled plans on Tuesday to set up two new Asia-focused airlines and launch a USD$9 billion-plus fleet upgrade, part of a do-or-die makeover that also gives a major boost to plane maker Airbus.
Qantas, which has been reviewing its offshore operations to cut costs and unprofitable routes, said up to 1,000 jobs could be lost as it launches a new, premium Asian airline and a Japanese budget carrier, the latter jointly with Japan Airlines and Mitsubishi.
These new airlines will fly Airbus A320 jets, cementing their reputation as plane of choice on regional networks over rival Boeing. Qantas plans to acquire up to 110 of them, worth more than USD$9.4 billion at list prices.
As Qantas rebases its loss-making international operations in Asia, it also plans to give up some of its long-haul routes and retire older planes as well as cut jobs.
"To do nothing, or tinker around the edges, would only guarantee the end of Qantas International in our home Australian market," the airline's chief executive, Alan Joyce, told a news conference. He said the international operation's cost base was around 20 percent higher than its major rivals.
"That would be a tragedy," Joyce added as Qantas shares rose 4 percent on the news.
He did not say when the new premium airline would be launched, but said it could be based in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and would not be majority owned by Qantas.
INDUSTRIAL ACTION
Qantas faces a likely escalation of industrial action at home over the plan's estimated 1,000 job cuts, with unions opposed to any move by Qantas to shift its international operations offshore.
The union representing Australia's aircraft engineers reacted swiftly, threatening industrial action within two weeks and considering a court challenge on grounds that Qantas' plan was in breach of the terms of its privatisation in the early 1990s.
Australia's union body, ACTU, said it would seek urgent talks with Qantas.
"We cannot see any need for there to be any forced redundancies from the plan announced today and we will seek to ensure that is the case at the earliest possible opportunity," said Jeff Lawrence, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
An Australian senator raised the stakes further, saying he would introduce legislation in parliament to prevent Qantas from "under-paying" its offshore-based crews.
Qantas' plan refocuses its offshore business squarely on Asia, a region that should make more than half of global airline profits this year, according to the International Air Transport Association.
Qantas plans to acquire between 106 and 110 Airbus A320 aircraft, including planes for Jetstar Japan and the new premium Asia-based airline. Between 28 and 32 of these planes would be current-generation A320s and the rest the fuel-efficient, next-generation A320neo aircraft.
Airbus has scored resounding victories over Boeing with its narrow-body A320neo aircraft, taking a commanding lead in the single-aisle market once dominated by Boeing's 737 family.
Just last month AirAsia announced a deal worth USD$18.2 billion at list prices for 200 A320neo planes while American Airlines, previously an all-Boeing customer, ordered 260 narrow-body A320 planes.
Qantas also delayed the delivery of its final six A380s for up to six years in a move aimed at conserving capital and bolstering its balance sheet.
It said it would also retire four Boeing 747s and would make no change to its existing order of Boeing 787s.
Qantas reaffirmed its earnings guidance, though it said the restructuring would cost more than AUD$350 million (USD$367 million).

Airbus Updates No.392

QANTAS DEFER DELIVERIES OF AIRBUS A380'S AND SET UP NEW ASIA CARRIER

FOLLOWING FROM THE PRESS RELEASE

Launch of Jetstar Japan by late-2012, initially with 3 A320, and increase to up to 24 at later date. New airline to base in Tokyo Narita but also fly out of Osaka Kansai. Initial Domestic service to Sapporo, Sendai, Nagoya, Kobe/Kyoto, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Kagoshima and Okinawa. The new airline will be jointly invested by JAL and Mitsubishi Corporation

Launch of New un-named Premium Carrier based in Asia, tapping Chinese market. Initially with 11 A320 aircraft with Premium Product

12 Airbus A380 in service by late-2011. Remaining 6 A380 deliveries is postponed until FY2019

Airbus Updates No.391

Airbus A320

-211

29

JY-JAC

Jordan Aviation

ferried 16aug11 AQJ-MST for paint into?

ex N290SE

Airbus Updates No.390

Incident: Avianca A318 at Recife on Aug 6th 2011, technical problems

By Simon Hradecky, created Sunday, Aug 7th 2011 13:01Z, last updated Sunday, Aug 7th 2011 13:01Z An Avianca Brazil Airbus A318-100, registration PR-AVJ performing flight O6-6312 from Recife,PE to Petrolina,PE (Brazil), returned to Recife for a safe landing about 20 minutes after departure due to some unspecified technical problem. The flight was cancelled, the passengers were rebooked onto another flight later the day and flights the following day. The airline said, the crew returned to Recife as a precaution due to a technical problem. Incident: Easyjet A319 near Manchester on Aug 10th 2011, medical emergency By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Aug 11th 2011 22:39Z, last updated Thursday, Aug 11th 2011 22:39Z An Easyjet Airbus A319-100, registration G-EZFW performing flight U2-1912 from Palma Mallorca,SP (Spain) to Manchester,EN (UK), was enroute near Manchester when a male passenger (around 50) started to suffer from severe back spasms. The crew accelerated the approach to Manchester for a safe landing. Paramedics met the aircraft, took care of the patient and took him to a hospital. Incident: Lufthansa A319 near Frankfurt on Aug 10th 2011, engine shut down in flight By Simon Hradecky, created Thursday, Aug 11th 2011 23:20Z, last updated Thursday, Aug 11th 2011 23:20Z A Lufthansa Airbus A319-100, registration D-AIBA performing flight LH-10 from Frankfurt/Main to Hamburg (Germany), was climbing through FL260 out of Frankfurt about 80nm northeast of Frankfurt when the right hand engine (CFM56) emitted two loud bangs prompting the crew to shut the engine down. The aircraft returned to Frankfurt for a safe landing on runway 25C about 25 minutes later. A passenger reported the captain announced they had to shut the right hand engine down due to airflow disruption. Incident: Jetblue A320 at Denver on Aug 12th 2011, GPF on radios By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Aug 13th 2011 14:57Z, last updated Saturday, Aug 13th 2011 14:57Z A Jetblue Airbus A320-200, registration N612JB performing flight B6-490 (scheduled dep Aug 11th, actual Aug 12th) from Denver,CO to Boston,MA (USA), was in the initial climb out of Denver when the crew advised dispatch via ACARS that all their radios were stuck on Denver's tower frequency and they needed to return to Denver. The aircraft levelled off at 10,000 feet and returned to Denver for a safe landing about 40 minutes after departure. Maintenance reset the radios, performed an overweight landing inspection and released the aircraft, that reached Boston with a delay of 2 hours Incident: Air Berlin A333 at Dusseldorf on Aug 15th 2011, fire in galley By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Aug 15th 2011 20:21Z, last updated Monday, Aug 15th 2011 20:22Z An Air Berlin Airbus A330-300, registration D-AERQ performing flight AB-2050 from Dusseldorf (Germany) to Tenerife Sur Reina Sofia,CI (Spain) with 380 passengers and 11 crew, was in the initial climb out of Dusseldorf's runway 23R when a smouldering fire started in the lighting of the forward galley. While cabin crew extinguished the fire the flight crew levelled off at 6000 feet and returned to Dusseldorf's runway 23R for a safe landing about 13 minutes after departure. The fire was out at the time of touch down, emergency services did not need to intervene. The aircraft taxied to a stand, where passengers disembarked normally. A replacement Airbus A330-300 registration D-AERS reached Tenerife with a delay of 4:50 hours. Passengers reported that heavy black smoke emanated from the lighting in the ceiling of the forward galley. The airline reported that a smouldering fire in the lighting of the forward galley was quicky extinguished by cabin crew.

Airbus Updates No.389

Airbus A319

-111

2230

OO-SSU

Brussels Airlines

G-reg canx 12aug11 prior delivery DUB-BRU in full cs

ex G-EZEM

Airbus A320

-214

1390

6V-AIJ

Senegal Airlines

delivery 12aug11 SNN-DKR, M-reg “Podor”

ex M-ABDT

Airbus A320

-216

4797

RP-C8189

Air Asia Philippines

delivery 13aug11 TLS-SHJ

ex F-WWIN

Airbus A340

-312

133

CS-TQL

HiFly

at DUB 12aug11, all wh, no titl after paint prior delivery

ex M-YRGQ

Airbus Updates No.388

Airbus A319

-115ACJ

4228

VP-CMJ

Aviation Link

ferried 12aug11 MIR-TLS after storage and re-registration

ex VQ-BSF

Airbus A320

-214

1390

6V-

Senegal Airlines

delivery 12aug11 SNN-DKR, M-reg

ex M-ABDT

Airbus A320	-232	4804		9V-TAW	Tiger Air	delivery 12aug11 XFW-DWC-SIN	ex D-AVVX
Airbus A320	-214	4806		A6-ANE	Air Arabia	delivery 12aug11 XFW-SHJ	ex D-AVVY

Airbus Updates No.387

Airbus A310

-324F

684

M-YRGR

Nilgiri Hills Leasing

still at OPO 10aug11, not ferried to GIG**

ex VT-AIN

Airbus A319

-115ACJ

4228

VP-CMJ

Aviation Link

ferried 11aug11 MIR-TLS after storage and re-registration

ex VQ-BSF

Airbus A320	-231	291		N291MX	Mexicana	ferried 08aug11 MEX-TUS-MZJ after storage	ex G-OOAA
Airbus A320	-212	937		TS-INF	Nouvelair	delivery 09aug11 IST-MIR	ex SU-KBA
Airbus A320	-214	1597		TS-INP	Nouvelair	ferried 05aug11 MPL-MIR after paint	ex SU-KBD
Airbus A320	-232	4677		B-6795	Hainan Airlines	delivery 04aug11 ex TJN	ex B-
Airbus A320	-232	4784		A7-AHJ	Qatar Airways	delivery 08aug11 TLS-DOH	ex F-WWDT
Airbus A320	-214	4789		N789AV	Avianca	delivery 10-11aug11 TLS-TFS-FOR-BOG	ex F-WWDV

Airbus A330	-223	288		D-ABXA	Air Berlin	delivery 11aug11 ZRH-DUS, small titl prior joining oneWorld alliance	ex HB-IQH
Airbus A330	-243	627		EI-EOK	ILFC	regd 29jul11, ferried 08aug11 BEY-ZRH, Yemenia cs, for Air Europa	ex 7O-ADX

Airbus Updates No.386

Airbus A318

-112CJ

4169

OE-LUX

Tyrolean Jet Service

delivery 04aug11 BSL-JER-IOM-CHR for paint

ex 9H-AFT

Airbus A319	-115ACJ	3542		VP-BVA	private	ferried 04aug11 DAL-MPL after cabin re-configuration	ex D-AVWG
Airbus A319	-111	4764		EI-IMN	Alitalia	delivery 05aug11 XFW-FCO	ex D-AVYG

Airbus A320	-232	4791		G-EUYM	British Airways	delivery 05aug11 TLS-LHR	ex F-WWIB
Airbus A320	-216	4793		9M-AQC	Air Asia	delivery 05-06aug11 TLS-STN-SHJ-KUL	ex F-WWID

Airbus Updates No.385

Row Flares As Pilots Boycott Rio Crash Probe

August 3, 2011

French pilots on Wednesday suspended cooperation with an inquiry into the 2009 crash of an Air France jet as a dispute over the causes of the disaster opened deep wounds in France's prestigious aeronautics industry.
The SNPL airline pilots union declared the boycott after it emerged that crash investigators had removed a recommendation about one of the Airbus A330's systems from an interim report last week, focusing instead on possible pilot error.
The BEA acknowledged the move but hit back at claims that the decision had cast doubt over its independence.
It said it had not abandoned the idea of making a recommendation on the A330 cockpit alarms but that the issue needed more work. Meanwhile in an unusual statement, it hammered out even more clearly the main question hanging over the pilots.
"The stall alarm rang out uninterruptedly for 54 seconds from the time the stall started without provoking an appropriate response from the crew," the agency said.
The BEA said last week that crew had failed to respond to repeated stall warnings and listed a series of actions that experts said went against the handbook.
Its 10 recommendations included better training for pilots to fly aircraft manually, particularly at high altitudes.
The ongoing inquiry into what caused flight AF447 from Rio to Paris to crash into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 228 people on board, has pitched France's flagship carrier and its pilots against Airbus and crash investigators.
The outcome may have legal implications for dozens of potential compensation claims on both sides of the Atlantic.
"Why ignore in the official report the recommendation on the stall alarm? Were other significant modifications made to the report?" the SNPL said in a statement, noting that the BEA's reputation had been "seriously shaken".
An association for victims' families said the BEA's actions had undermined the credibility of the investigation.
STALL WARNING TRAP?
Despite posing questions over crew actions, the BEA has said it is still too early to say exactly why the A330 crashed, though its specialists have more or less pieced together how.
The autopilot switched off after the aircraft's speed sensors became blocked with ice at night and high altitude.
Under manual control, the A330 rose sharply, lost speed and entered a stall, plunging from 38,000 feet with alarms sounding.
The BEA said last week the Air France pilots had not been trained to deal with the loss of reliable speed data at high altitude. Investigators are examining whether by solving one problem the crew lurched into a second that proved their doom.
Air France on Friday rejected the focus on its pilots and said they had been confused because the stall alarm kept going on and off. According to black box data, the plane's stall alarm sounded 11 times but was not discussed.
Pilots have complained of a stall warning "trap" as the alarm can stop once the aircraft exceeds certain limits, only to start again once things improve and data can be measured.
Designers say that came to light only because the 200 tonne jet was flown into extremes that could never be foreseen, going more slowly than a plane a fraction of its size. Wednesday's BEA statement however confirms investigators are worried about this.
Airbus refused to enter the fray, but people familiar with the Toulouse-based firm accused the French national airline and its pilots of trying to sink the inquiry by diverting attention from evidence set out in the black box tapes.
"Their only solution is to blow up the investigation," said one source, asking not to be identified.
The stall alarm controversy marks the third wave of speculation about the cause of the crash, which focused first on possibly faulty speed sensors, then pilot error and now the technical rules for triggering a cockpit stall alarm.
Families and lawyers are not expected to get a definitive view on the crash until a final report late this year but some have complained that the focus on the speed sensors has faded.
France's Transport Minister called the BEA probe "exemplary" and said it had been monitored by a French judge carrying out a parallel criminal investigation, as well as police, international observers and the parties involved.
"Let anyone show me an inquiry which has been as transparent as this," Mariani said.
When an aircraft enters an aerodynamic stall, air stops flowing correctly under its wings and it can no longer fly.
Investigators want to establish not only whether pilots reacted wrongly to the stall warning but also how the USD$200 million aircraft came to be in such a hazardous condition.

Airbus Updates No.384

Airbus A318

-112CJ

4169

OE-LUX

Tyrolean Jet Service

delivery 04aug11 BSL-JER-IOM-CHR for paint

ex 9H-AFT

Airbus A319	-132	4790		TC-JLZ	Turkish Airlines	delivery 04aug11 XFW-IST	ex D-AVYZ
Airbus A319	-115	4801		B-6437	Tibet Airlines	delivery 04aug11 XFW-OVB	ex D-AVWA

Airbus A330

-343

1239

B-LAM

Cathay Pacific

delivery 30jul11 TLS-HKG

ex F-WWKL

Airbus A330

-323

1243

9M-MTE

Malaysia Airlines

delivery 03aug11 TLS-KUL

ex F-WWYP

Airbus Updates No.383

China Southerns First A380 B-6136

Airbus Updates No.382

Airbus A319

-112

3331

VQ-BNF

Tatarstan Aircompany

delivery 02aug11 WOE-KZN

ex N331BV

Airbus A320

-232

760

UR-DAJ

Donbassaero

delivery 02aug11 DUB-DOK

ex N263LF

Airbus A320

-214

3907

A6-RKB

RAK Airways

EI-reg canx & delivery 02aug11 PGF-RKT

ex EI-ERX

Airbus A320

-232

4786

9V-JSL

Jetstar Asia

delivery 02-03aug11 TLS-DXB-SIN

ex F-WWDU

Airbus A321

-231

4788

TC-JRU

Turkish Airlines

delivery 03aug11 XFW-IST

ex D-AVZB

Airbus A340

-312

133

M-YRGQ

Squadron Leasing

ferried 01aug11 LDE-DUB in basic Gulf Air cs, for paint, for HiFly

ex A9C-GF

Airbus Updates No.381

another good month for airbus orders with a total of 372 firm orders and over 400 options added to the order books...........find below a list of all airbus orders taken by the company since 1st Jan 2011

AIRBUS ORDERS 2011
Date	Airline	A318	A319	A320	A321	A330	A350	A380	TOTAL
27/07/2011	Iberia	0	0	0	0	8	0	0	8
20/07/2011	American Airlines	0	0	260	0	0	0	0	260
08/07/2011	DAE Leasing	0	0	-34	0	0	-11	0	-35
07/07/2011	Air Asia	0	0	100	0	0	0	0	100
01/07/2011	Garuda	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	4
28/06/2011	CAS Leasing	0	0	46	0	0	0	0	46
28/06/2011	ICBC Leasing	0	0	42	0	0	0	0	42
23/06/2011	Hainan Airlines	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	10
23/06/2011	Air Asia	0	0	200	0	0	0	0	200
23/06/2011	Skymark	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2
22/06/2011	LAN Airlines	0	0	20	0	0	0	0	20
22/06/2011	Republic Airways	0	40	40	0	0	0	0	80
22/06/2011	ALAFCO	0	0	30	0	0	6	0	36
22/06/2011	Avianca	0	0	0	51	0	0	0	51
21/06/2011	Jetblue	0	0	40	0	0	0	0	40
21/06/2011	Garuda	0	0	25	0	0	0	0	25
21/06/2011	CIT Aerospace	0	0	50	0	0	0	0	50
21/06/2011	Transasia Airways	0	0	0	6	0	0	0	6
21/06/2011	Gulf Air	0	0	0	6	0	0	0	6
20/06/2011	Air Lease Corp	0	0	50	1	11	0	0	62
20/06/2011	SAS	0	0	30	0	0	0	0	30
20/06/2011	Saudi Arabian	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	4
20/06/2011	GECAS	0	0	60	0	0	0	0	60
16/06/2011	Cebu Air	0	0	7	30	0	0	0	37
16/06/2011	GoAir	0	0	92	0	0	0	0	92
14/06/2011	Thai International	0	0	5	0	0	4	0	9
09/06/2011	TACA	0	-1	0	0	1	0	0	0
09/06/2011	Air Berlin	0	0	20	5	0	0	0	25
20/05/2011	Aviation Link	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2
06/05/2011	CASGC	0	2	-2	0	0	0	0	0
06/05/2011	Synergy Aerospace	0	0	0	0	0	10	0	10
06/05/2011	Aviation Capital	0	-7	11	-4	0	0	0	0
06/05/2011	US Airways	0	0	-5	5	0	0	0	0
06/05/2011	ILFC	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	6
03/05/2011	Korean Airlines	0	0	0	0	5	0	0	5
15/04/2011	Star Flyer	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2
13/04/2011	Jareeza Airways	0	0	-25	0	0	0	0	-25
11/04/2011	Aerventure	0	-1	1	0	0	0	0	0
09/04/2011	APF	0	2	-2	0	0	0	0	0
01/04/2011	Rossiya	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2
16/03/2011	Lufthansa	0	0	25	5	0	0	0	30
09/03/2011	Cathay Pacific	0	0	0	0	10	0	0	10
08/03/2011	ILFC	0	0	75	25	0	0	-10	90
08/03/2011	Hong Kong Airlines	0	0	0	0	10	15	0	25
07/03/2011	Iberia	0	0	0	0	8	0	0	8
03/03/2011	Afriqiyah Airways	0	0	-3	3	0	0	0	0
03/03/2011	Volaris	0	-14	14	0	0	0	0	0
03/03/2011	CASHC	0	1	-1	0	0	0	0	0
03/03/2011	Turkish Airlines	0	0	0	10	3	0	0	13
28/02/2011	Dubai Aerospace	0	0	-18	0	0	-12	0	-30
28/02/2011	Aer Lingus	0	0	0	0	-3	3	0	0
28/02/2011	TAM Airlines	0	0	32	0	0	0	0	32
28/02/2011	Air Asia	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	3
22/02/2011	Comlux Aviation	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
17/02/2011	Skymark	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	4
03/02/2011	Flyington Freighters	0	0	0	0	-12	0	0	-12
03/02/2011	Asiana Airlines	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2
03/02/2011	Asiana Airlines	0	0	0	0	0	-2	0	-2
03/02/2011	US Airways	0	0	0	6	0	0	0	6
03/02/2011	US Airways	0	-1	-5	0	0	0	0	-6
27/01/2011	TUI Travel Group	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	2
25/01/2011	Thomas Cook Airlines	0	0	0	12	0	0	0	12
24/01/2011	GECAS	0	0	0	0	12	0	0	12
17/01/2011	Virgin America	0	0	60	0	0	0	0	60
11/01/2011	IndiGo Airlines	0	0	180	0	0	0	0	180
06/01/2011	Asiana Airlines	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	6
04/01/2011	Easyjet Airlines	0	0	15	0	0	0	0	15
	Gross Orders	0	50	1532	165	81	46	22	1896
	Cancellations	0	-24	-95	-4	-15	-25	-10	-173
	Net Orders	0	26	1437	161	66	21	12	1723