18 Mar 2020

North America Newsletter 18 March

AEI to provide B737-300SF to Nauru Airlines Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) announced the company entered an agreement to provide Nauru Airlines with a 10-pallet position B737-300SF freighter conversion. The flag carrier airline of the Republic of Nauru will use the AEI B737-300SF freighter to transport fresh food, mail, medicines and other freight from various points in the Pacific. The freighter will also be used to support charter flights in the region. AEI reports renewed interest in B737 classic conversions Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) is seeing renewed interest in its Classic 737 conversion programmes and is expecting to have at least 10 Classics delivered or in work this year. Due to the continued MAX grounding and the pressure it has placed on feedstock throughout the industry, many AEI said that many clients are looking for alternatives for cargo lift until the 737-800 feedstock frees up, and are finding that lift in both the B737-400SF and even the B737-300SF freighter conversions. Air Lease Corporation Announces Lease Placement of Two Airbus A330-200 Aircraft with Nordwind Airlines Air Lease Corporation announced long-term lease placements for two used Airbus A330-200 aircraft with Nordwind Airlines.  “ALC is pleased to announce this A330-200 lease placement with our long-time customer, Nordwind Airlines,” said Steven F. Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation.  “These two A330-200s will complement Nordwind’s current fleet operations on the airline’s long-haul network to Southeast Asia, Africa, Turkey and the Caribbean.” Bell Plans To Certify Electric Anti-Torque Customer concerns about helicopter noise pollution prompted Bell to begin working on its electrically distributed anti-torque (EDAT) system two years ago, said Eric Sinusas, the company’s program director for light aircraft. Bell officially acknowledged EDAT in February but has been operating it on a Bell 429 flying testbed since May 2019 and applied for a related patent in 2017. Bell plans to certify the system and put it into serial production.  Bell, which has been flight testing EDAT at its Mirabel, Quebec facility, teased it was working on an electrically-powered anti-torque system in 2017 when it unveiled a mock-up of its FCX concept helicopter. That design used electrically-driven vectored thrust in the tailboom to provide anti-torque. FAA Waives U.S. Airport Slot Usage Rules The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) addressed calls by American Airlines and others for relief of slot-use requirements by temporarily waiving the rule that allows for carriers to lose their slots at congested airports if they don’t use them at least 80 percent of the time. The move follows a pledge a day earlier by the European Commission to put forward “very rapidly” legislation to temporarily suspend its own 80/20 “use-it-or-lose-it” rule at Europe’s airports to address traffic declines caused by the spread of the new coronavirus. Guardian Flight Brings Helo Air Ambulance To Alaska Global Medical Response (GMR) unit Guardian Flight will open its first Alaska rotary-wing base at the Kenai Municipal Airport this spring, serving hospitals in Homer, Soldotna, and Seward with an Airbus Helicopters H125. The Kenai base will operate 24/7 with a staff of four pilots, four clinicians, and two mechanics. Acumen Aviation © 18 March 2020 All Rights Reserved.