Category: Air Charter News

Business Travel News

Amongst the usual VIP business flights, Lots of Premiership footballer business over the last few weeks – expected to increase in volume as the end of season approaches – and some very big transatlantic trips scheduled over the next fortnight. Flaps has just posted best-ever results for the last financial year.

Well, we’ve had a busy start to the New Year with flights to all parts of Europe. As ever, we always prefer to see our clients right to the door of the aircraft whenever possible and of course, we can provide many means by which a service can be personalised, with everything from VIP ground transportation up to the provision of former Special Forces Close Security Protection teams when the need arises. All this activity makes for quite a bit of travelling on the part of yours truly as Managing Director, to keep an eye on the services provided by our suppliers the operators and indeed the handling agents at the airports that we tend to use most frequently.

Lately, we’ve been using Biggin Hill a great deal for our London clients and we’ve been very impressed with the Jet Aviation facility although in fairness, all the London handlers are of a very high standard. Where possible, it’s great to be able to drive the client direct to the aircraft waiting on the apron, and so providing the seamless and stress-free experience that’s what we’re all about.

Last weekend a regular corporate client was taking a very lucky bride-and-groom-to-be up to their wedding in Scotland so we pushed the boat out for them and ensured everything went without a hitch, although perhaps that’s not quite the right phrase! Either way, it all turned out well – everything was bang on time, the catering was tip-top even though it was a fairly short flight and our ground transportation arrangements ensured a smooth continuation of the journey, having liaised closely in advance with the concierge of the destination hotel.

On the office stove bubbling away at the moment we have some interesting requests that we’re working on, including flights to Venice, Jersey and Budapest. The clients include a Premiership footballer and some very high-powered business regulars.  Keep on eye on us so we can let you know what’s happening in the world of private aviation! Our Facebook page is Flaps Air Charter and Twitter is @flapsaircharter.

Back soon!

Pete

Hawker has received Russian validation for its 900XP business jet bringing the number of countries where the midsize aircraft is cleared to operate commercially to more than 50.

“The Hawker 900XP is ideally suited to the Russian market and with this certification we believe the aircraft will be in great demand with charter companies and those with a corporate or private fleet in the region,” said Sean McGeough, HBC president, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

McGeough said the aircraft can transport eight passengers and two crew members 2,740nm (5,000km), making the majority of Russia accessible from any point. Furthermore, he added, the Hawker 900XP can reach any point in Europe from Moscow or St Petersburg.

In a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report that is due to be released later on this year it is expected that the findings will establish a connection between poor pilot training and aircraft accidents.

Pilots lacking basic flying skills

Kathy H. Abbott PhD who is leading the research has found that whilst automatic systems have reduced or eliminated some types of pilot errors these same systems have introduced new types of errors. The main problem appears to be a lack of pilot knowledge of system operating procedures, mode transitions and associated system behaviour; and unusual attitude recognition and recovery.

The gap in pilot knowledge appears to be at fault because training is based on cockpits and standard operating procedures dating back to the 50’s. At the Flight Safety Foundation international aviation safety seminar last year even Airbus and Boeing recognised there is a problem.

It would appear that Pilots lack basic skills in things such as stall recovery and simple go-around procedures. Furthermore in Abbott’s findings pilots are concentrating too much on programming the automation at the expense of monitoring the flight path. It was found that the lack of crew knowledge of automated systems had an impact on 40% of accidents and 30% of serious incidents between 2001 and 2009,

Unlike in the past today pilots have to deal with failures which they are not given training. Pilots have to deal with computer malfunctions and failures; software failures; and un-commanded autopilot disconnects or pitch-up incidents which for no reason.

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On Monday the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruled against Boeing saying their 787 Dreamliner, and other aircraft, had benefited from improper subsidies which distorted the market unfairly against their European rival, Airbus.

The WTO findings will not be officially published for several weeks but Airbus believes the report will say that the 787 Dreamliner could not have been built without state aid. Boeings reaction has been that the Dreamliner would have been built anyway regardless of any subsidies.

According to Airbus Boeing received $5bn (£3.1bn) indirect subsidies via the Department of Defence and NASA and a further $2bn in local state subsidies. However, a spokesman for the US Trade Representative, Ron Kirk’s office, said the US believed the WTO would confirm that “European subsidies to Airbus dwarf any subsidies that the United States provided to Boeing”. Moreover, if you average the $5bn over several decades the amount given only equates to the cost of a wide body aircraft per year.

This latest dispute is the largest ever brought before the WTO and is part of a six year ongoing battle between Airbus and Boeing for the $1.7 trillion passenger aircraft market. The roots of the dispute go back to 1992 when the US government discarded a previous 1992 trade agreement.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

That finding is in marked contrast to another WTO ruling last year finding that Airbus has received at least $20 billion in illegal or actionable subsidies. Another contrast is that Boeing has substantially ceased receiving prohibited subsidies, while Airbus continues to actively pursue them.

The findings of the latest report come in stark contrast to the findings of the previous dispute last year. The 2010 ruling found that Airbus had received £20bn in illegal subsidies which, unlike Boeing, it is still actively pursuing. In the original claim Airbus said it had been deprived of $45bn in sales but this latest report estimates only $3bn.

The wider impact of the WTO ruling is that it could impact the $25-50bn contract for refuelling tanker planes in the US. A decision by the US Air Force will occur around the same time as the official report is released by the WTO. Airbus may be the one to suffer as the report could highlight that fact that it receives unfair subsidies so when these are taken into account Boeing’s bid will be the more competitive.

Boeing 787 maiden flight

Qantas prides itself on being one of the few airliners that have never had a serious plane crash. However, in recent weeks it seems things are conspiring against them.

Only on January the 11th the Qantas A380 fleet was finally resumed flights to the US after being grounded for two months. The planes were grounded on November 4th 2010 after a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine blew up in mid-air following an uncontained turban blade failure.

Whereas flights to London were resumed in November the flights to LA continued to be grounded whilst more detailed test were carried out. This was because the engines required more thrust on the LA route.
In this latest incident it was not an A380 but a 747-400 that suffered a contained turbine blade failure. Once again this incident involved a Rolls-Royce engine, this time a RB-211. Flight QF11, Sydney to LA, was just about to take off when the engine failed, or as the Pilot said “cooked itself”.

Qantas 747 engine failure

This incident has not done any favours to either Rolls-Royce or Qantas in terms of PR. The first incident which resulted in the grounding of the A380s cost an estimated $100 million, which Qantas is seeking a financial settlement with Rolls-Royce. Nevertheless, this second incident is nothing out of the ordinary for any airline so it is likely to have little impact on either party.

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Airbus have recently announced the launch date of their new A32O NEO (New Engine Option). The company says this will provide a stop gap whilst they build a brand new short-haul aircraft which will be developed over the next 15 years.

Airbus A320 NEO

So why does Airbus feel  that the airline industry need for a new single-aisle aircraft?

According to to John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer – Customers,  the ever increasing price of oil makes the choosing the A320 NEO an obvious decision. As the name of the aircraft suggests the body of the aircraft will not change. Instead the A320 NEO aircraft will be fitted with the new CFM International and Pratt & Whitney advanced turbo fan engine.  The new engine will be able to deliver up to 15% on fuel burn.

Some airlines, like Ryan Air, are asking why not go all out and develop an airframe that could deliver even greater fuel savings? Leahy argues the point that this would be far too expensive and given the needs of the current market it would be a missed opportunity not to offer the A320 NEO to the market.

Another uncertainty for Airbus is the fact that the engine will only arrive on the market by about 2015. It’s quite likely that by 2020 Boeing would have developed a new model of aircraft which would make the A320 NEO a far less attractive proposition. This might be the case, but then this is always the case in the airline industry. For example Boeing is currently improving the 737NB series which will offer an efficiency gain of 2%. Only time will tell if the A320 NEO will be a success.  Find out more about how to hire a private jet.

If it is not a major engine failure then it’s something else that continuously brings the A380 into the news. This time an Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft has been damaged by a catering truck collapsing on to the right wing.

The aircraft (A6-EDE) had been parked up at gate 173 at Toronto airport. The catering truck’s scissor lift was reported to have collapsed at 19:44 on 7th December whist it was servicing the upper deck. The aircraft was being serviced for its return flight to Dubai.

Emirates A380 aircraft wing damaged

Transport Canada investigators state, in an incident filing, that the aircraft was being prepared for a return service to Dubai and that the catering truck was servicing the upper deck at the time.

According to the filed report to the Transport Canada investigators the truck body collapsed on the leading edge of the starboard wing and wing root. The aircraft has now been taken out of service whist the damage is investigated.

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Filipinos don’t need much of an excuse to get up and dance or sing. This has now been taken to new heights by the Philippines budget airline, Cebu Pacific, which have just introduced a new dance version of their safety demonstration. In the video you can see cabin crew  dancing  down the aisle to the music of Lady Gaga.

One worry on our mind is the distraction that these beauties could have on people’s ability to pay attention to the safety message. Moreover, should they not have done this safety briefing prior to takeoff rather than in-flight?

China’s Commercial Aircraft Corporation, COMAC, has plans to become one of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers and take on the existing leaders, Boaing and Airbus.

China's new c919 could threaten Boeing and Airbus

At the Zhuahai Air Show on Novermber 16 2010 the Commercial Aircraft Corporation launched its new C919 aircraft. The full sized prototype looked like other typical wide bodied aircraft. It will be the first large wide body commercial airliner in the country. Thus far the company boasts pre-orders of 100 for the C919 aircraft. Among those ordering the aircraft are: Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, CDB Leasing and the US-based GECAS.

Inside China's new C919

The C919 is aimed to compete with the like of the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320. In its economy layout the aircraft has the capacity of 168 seats. With a mixed business and economy section the configuration allows for 156 seats. It is estimated that the C919 will make its maiden flight in 2014 and deliveries are expected to arrive in 2016.