Aviation News in Brief 25 Nov 2019

Boeing debuts 737 MAX 10: Boeing rolled out the latest version of its 737 MAX plane, the -10 model, at a ceremony at the company’s Renton, Washington factory. During a ceremony, Boeing leaders highlighted the team’s accomplishments and recognised their efforts in completing production of the newest member of the 737 MAX family. “Today is not just about a new airplane. It’s about the people who design, build and support it,” said Mark Jenks, vice president and general manager of the 737 programme. “This team’s relentless focus on safety and quality shows the commitment we have to our airline customers and every person who flies on a Boeing airplane.” The 737 MAX 10, the largest variant of the MAX family and can seat up to 230 passengers. The airplane will now undergo system checks and engine runs prior to first flight next year. The 737 MAX 10 currently has more than 550 orders and commitments from more than 20 customers around the globe. Airbus delivers Greece’s first H145 to Airlift: Airlift has taken the delivery of its first H145 helicopter, becoming the first operator of this model in Greece.  The twin-engine helicopter will be mainly dedicated to VIP transfers, but can also be used for emergency medical transport and fire-fighting. Established in 1999, Airlift was a pioneer in helicopter operations in Greece, where it has built a strong reputation for the quality and safety of its services. The new H145 will be the fifth helicopter to join Airlift’s Airbus fleet, which is currently composed of H125, H130 and H135 family models. The Airbus H145 leads the light twin-engine helicopter market, incorporating an innovative Helionix avionics system and 4-axis autopilot. The aircraft’s combination of speed and performance, along with its large cabin and rear-loading clamshell doors, makes it the aircraft of choice for a variety of civil missions worldwide. Vistara renews deal with Amadeus: Vistara, a full-service Indian airline and a joint venture of TATA Sons and Singapore Airlines, and travel technology company Amadeus have renewed of their partnership to better serve travellers and travel sellers in and beyond India. Under the agreement, Vistara is renewing its contract for the full suite of Amadeus Altéa solutions. The partnership, which will support Vistara’s global growth plans, will see Amadeus supporting the airline by optimising several areas of the business including passenger services, revenue management and payments. Vistara has also renewed and strengthened its distribution agreement, giving Amadeus’ global network of travel sellers access to a broader range of the airline’s content, including the full range of international, as well as preferred and negotiated fares. Meanwhile, Amadeus-connected travel agents will enjoy complete visibility of the airline’s inventory in real time to enable travel sellers to deliver an even greater level of customer service than through any other provider. Sekisui Chemical completes acquisition of AIM Aerospace: Sekisui America, the regional headquarters in North America for Japan’s Sekisui Chemical. Said it has successfully completed its acquisition of AIM Aerospace, based in Renton, Washington. The company will also transition its name to Sekisui Aerospace. Founded in 1988, Sekisui Aerospace is a designer and producer of highly engineered advanced composite structures, systems, engine components, assemblies, and thermoplastic technology for the aerospace industry. With more than 1,000 employees, the company operates manufacturing centres of excellence as well as a research and technology centre at locations in Washington and Iowa. Skyborne selects APFTAL Hyderabad for IndiGo cadet pilot programme: Skyborne Airline Academy has selected Asia Pacific Flight Training Academy Limited (APFTAL) India to conduct the US FAA to India DGCA Flight Licence Conversion (FLC) part of its IndiGo Cadet Pilot Programme. Taking between four and six weeks to complete, this phase provides cadets with India airspace familiarisation training and a formal DGCA flight training and tests curriculum in a Garmin G1000 equipped DA42 aircraft. Cadets will be trained at APFTAL’s facility in Hyderabad where on-site accommodation is provided. Lee Woodward, CEO of  Skyborne, said: “We believe that APFTAL delivers a service akin to the high standards we are committed to at Skyborne. We have met with various institutions that provide this type of training, but chose APFTAL for the quality of its facilities, its reputation and expertise.” Hemanth DP, CEO of APFTAL, said: “We are very excited to be working with Skyborne and the IndiGo Cadet Pilot Programme, providing India’s most talented cadets with FAA to DGCA Flight Licence Conversion training.” Skyborne was enlisted by IndiGo in January 2019 to train up to 100 pilots a year for five years as part of the IndiGo Cadet Pilot Programme. Lufthansa Technik signs APU deal with Japan Airlines: Lufthansa Technik and Japan Airlines (JAL) have signed an agreement on APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) maintenance services for the carrier’s Airbus A350 fleet. The five-year contracted services will provide repair and overhaul maintenance with spare support for the APU HGT1700 Series. Currently JAL holds 31 firm orders and 25 options for the state-of-the-art long-range jet. Japan Airlines’ and Lufthansa Technik’s partnership includes a variety of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services. Among others, Lufthansa Technik has been providing component services for Japan Airlines’ Boeing 787 fleet since 2011 and for the carrier’s Airbus A350 since June 2019. Strata signs deal with CTRM for composites: Strata Manufacturing, the advanced composite aero-structures manufacturing company wholly owned by Mubadala Investment Company PJSC, has signed a contract with Composites Technology Research Malaysia (CTRM) for the supply of composite detail aircraft parts. Under the 10-year contract, which was signed at the Dubai Airshow, CTRM will supply Strata with structural composite detail parts for aircraft components. The first shipment is due to arrive at Strata’s Nibras Al Ain Aerospace Park production facility in the second quarter of 2020. Strata works with aircraft manufacturers, including Airbus, Boeing, Leonardo, and Pilatus. Based at Nibras Al Ain Aerospace Park, Strata supports the development of a leading aerospace hub in Abu Dhabi as part of the emirate’s economic diversification initiatives. The homegrown manufacturer employs more than 700 people of 30 different nationalities – with more than half of its workforce being represented by Emirati nationals.