AIR International – June 2018

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SCENE

SIA Group change

SIA Group is to merge SilkAir into Singapore

Airlines after a “su cient number” of SilkAir

737s and 737 MAX 8s have been upgraded

with new business class lie-fl at seats and in-

fl ight entertainment systems to “ensure closer

product and service consistency across the

SIA Group’s full-service network”. This work

is due to begin in 2020. The merger will also

mean transfers of routes and aircraft within

the SIA Group. SilkAir, launched in 1989 as

Tradewinds, focused on holiday destinations

in Southeast Asia, until renamed in 1992 and

its evolution to a full-service regional carrier.

Mark Broadbent

Boeing and Safran joint venture

Boeing and Safran have agreed a new joint

venture to design, build and service auxiliary

power units. Both companies will have a

50% stake in the partnership, which will be

based in the United States. The deal is subject

to regulatory and anti-trust clearance, but

is expected to close in the second half of

2018. Safran supplies a range of components
      to Boeing programmes, including CFM
      LEAP-1B engines for the 737 MAX through
      CFM International, and Boeing and Safran
      also are partners in MATIS, a joint venture
      in Morocco producing wiring products.
      Mark Broadbent

Merger plan

South Africa’s Public Enterprises Minister

Pravin Gordhan has announced a plan to

merge South African Airways (SAA), SA Airlink

and Mango to create savings. The merger

could take a while, as the Department

of Public Enterprises is still examining

legislation, business models, viability,

operations and funding options. Maintenance

departments also need to be consolidated

and employment contracts renegotiated.

Loss-making SAA and grounded SA Express

will have to be stabilised before consolidation.

SAA made a ZAR 5.7 billion loss for the year

ending March, double that expected, and says

it needs ZAR 12.5 billion over the next three

years if it is to continue operating. It hopes to

break even in 2021. Guy Martin

South African cuts

In news related to the story above, embattled

state-owned airline SA Express has been

grounded by the South African Civil Aviation

Authority, with the airline’s operator’s

certifi cate, its maintenance organisation

approvals and the certifi cates of airworthiness

for nine of its 21 aircraft suspended after

an audit found non-compliance with

regulations. The airline had two in-fl ight

technical problems in May. South Africa’s

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan

announced a new board to stabilise the

carrier, which last year could not convince the

Auditor General it was a going concern. After

the grounding, SA Express initiated a 30-day

programme to try and get back into the air.

Guy Martin

Bamboo shoots for growth

Vietnamese start-up Bamboo Airways is

planning ambitious growth. The airline, set up

by conglomerate FLC Group, will lease around

20 single-aisle aircraft and start operations

in 2019. It has also ordered A321neos,

737 MAX 9s and 777Xs. Mark Broadbent

INNUMBERS INBRIEF

Data covers orders announced May 9-June 12. Compiled by Mark Broadbent

Customer Aircraft Number Date

Air Baltic CS300 30 plus 30 options, purchase

agreement

May 28

BOMBARDIER

Customer Aircraft Number Date

Lufthansa Group A320neo

A320ceo

6

3

May 28

May 28

Undisclosed A350-900 15 May 31

AIRBUS

Customer Aircraft Number Date

Japan Air Commuter ATR 72-600 1 (conversion from ATR

42-600)

June 5

ATR

Irkut Corporation

2

777 S FOR AIR NEW ZEALAND

Air New Zealand has announced it is to lease two Boeing 777s

to cover a capacity shortfall. The compressor issues a ecting

Package C Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines powering 787s

have led to several airlines grounding aircraft while checks

are carried out and the carrier is dry-leasing two 777s to fi ll in

for the Dreamliners. Mark Broadbent

200

AIRCRAFT ORDER?

The Chinese aircraft lessor CALC is reportedly lining up

another major order for both single-aisle narrowbody

and twin-aisle widebody airliners. Up to 200 aircraft could

be purchased by the lessor, reports say, which in recent

years has also placed large orders, including 60 A320s last

December and 60 COMAC ARJ21s in 2016. Mark Broadbent

2

SECOND MC21 AIRBORNE

A second Irkut MC-21-300 has joined the new Russian

airliner’s fl ight test programme. The aircraft, numbered

73053 (c/n 21003), fl ew on May 12 from the Irkutsk Aviation

Plant, the a liate of Irkut Corporation (a UAC member).

The results generated by the fi rst test aircraft, which

started test fl ights in 2017, were taken into account in the

production of the second jet. A third MC-21-300 airframe

is being used for static tests and three more test aircraft are

being built at Irkutsk. Mark Broadbent

2030

EXIT DATE FOR CARGOLUX 747400FS

Cargolux is planning to phase out Boeing 747-400Fs by 2030,

according to the Luxembourg cargo carrier’s Chief Executive

O cer Richard Forson in a recent interview. The airline’s 14

747-8Fs, only introduced in 2012, will be operated beyond

2040, he said. Forson added the carrier would be interested

in any new next-generation twin-engine freighter o ered by

manufacturers. There were reports earlier this year that Airbus,

apparently prompted by interest from carriers including UPS

and Amazon, could be considering a freighter version of the

A330neo to pitch to the legacy 747 replacement market.

Boeing o ers the 777 Freighter, of which 175 have been

ordered (with 140 delivered by June). A 777X freighter is a

potential prospect for the longer term; Boeing has previously

said a new-generation 777 freighter based on the 777-8 could

become available after that variant enters service. Mark Broadbent

15

MORE UNDISCLOSED A350900S

An unidentifi ed customer has ordered 15 Airbus A350-

900s, according to the manufacturer’s most recent orders

and deliveries data. These are the fi rst A350-900s sold this

year and the fi rst new order for the type since an order for

16 examples, also from an undisclosed customer, in July

2017. (United Airlines’ order for 45 A350-900s last year was
      a conversion of an existing agreement rather than a new
      booking.) Airbus had received orders for 847 A350 family
      aircraft by mid-June, comprising 679 A350-900s and 168
      A350-1000s. Mark Broadbent