05 Mar 2018

USA Aviation Industry Newsletter 5 March

Air Methods Named U.S. Launch Customer for Bell 407Gxi Air Methods is the U.S. launch customer for the new Bell 407GXi, placing an initial order for six of the single-engine helicopters at Heli-Expo 2018. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Air Methods has operated Bell products since 1980 and they currently make up a quarter of the operator’s 476 rotorcraft nationwide. This includes the Bell 407, 429, 430, and 412. American and Qantas file application to form joint business American Airlines and Qantas have filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) seeking approval to form a joint business to better serve customers flying between North America and Australia and New Zealand. Boeing and Aeromexico Celebrate Delivery of Airline's First 737 MAX Airplane Boeing and Aeromexico 28 February celebrated the delivery of the first of up to 90 737 MAX airplanes. The carrier plans to use the MAX aircraft to expand its network across the Americas. In 2012 Aeromexico placed an order for up to 90 MAX airplanes, including the MAX 8 and the larger MAX 9 variant. Boeing, Icelandair Celebrate First 737 MAX Airplane Delivery Boeing and Icelandair 1^st March celebrated the delivery of the airline's first 737 MAX airplane as the Icelandic carrier seeks to grow and renew its fleet and enhance its trans-Atlantic operations. The MAX, a new and improved version of Boeing's 737 airplane, will join Icelandair's fleet of Boeing 757 and 767 jets in serving destinations throughout North America and Europe. Embraer E190-E2 Granted Certification by ANAC, FAA and EASA In a ceremony held 28 February at the Company's facilities in São José dos Campos, Embraer received Type Certificate for the E190-E2, the first member of the E-Jets E2 family of commercial aircraft, from the Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil – ANAC), the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency). It is the first time that an aircraft program with the level of complexity of the E2 receives a type certificate from three major worldwide certification authorities simultaneously. Era Signs On as U.S. AW609 Launch Customer A Leonardo Helicopters order announcement on the eve of Heli-Expo will pave the way for the AW609 tiltrotor to enter commercial service with U.S. launch customer Era Group. Under the terms of the deal, Era, one of the world’s largest rotorcraft operators, will take delivery of two of the VTOL aircraft in 2020, along with a dedicated training package to support their entry into service. They will be used in a variety of missions, including offshore/utility, VIP transport, EMS, and SAR. GE Aviation Expanding Two North Carolina Plants To Meet Growing Demand for Jet Engines Just five years after breaking ground, GE Aviation is investing an additional $105M in its Asheville, NC, production facility to meet growing demand for the revolutionary ceramic matrix composite (CMC) components produced at the plant. As part of the investment, GE Aviation will create 131 new jobs at the Asheville facility, a significantly increasing its workforce of 425 employees. GE Aviation also is adding 15 new positions at its West Jefferson, NC, manufacturing plant, which currently employs more than 270. Jet Midwest, Inc dismantling 777-200ER Jet Midwest Inc has added a Boeing 777-200ER to its continuously growing inventory. Over the past six years, Jet Midwest, Inc. has dismantled over 100 commercial aircraft, including Boeing 757 and 767, Airbus A310, A320, A321, A330, and Fokker 100 aircraft and associated engines. Leonardo Helicopters Signs $147M Order with Sino-US Leonardo Helicopters won an order for 26 helicopters worth more than $147 million from Chinese distributor Sino-US Intercontinental Helicopter Investment at the Heli-Expo 2018. The deal is for seven AW119Kx singles, 15 AW109 Trekker light twins, and four AW139 intermediate twins. Through the Sino-US partnership, Leonardo has developed a strong position in the China EMS market. Leonardo has sold 110 helicopters of various types to Sino-US, with 50 of those flying in 36 provinces throughout China. New bill would mean foreign airlines could invest more in US carriers Foreign airlines could see the 25% investment cap that applies to their investment in US carriers lifted. New legislation would eliminate the restriction and also allow foreign carriers to build US-based subsidiaries that could fly domestic routes and operate under US laws - as long as they hired American citizens. The Free to Fly Act "would stimulate and expand the travel and tourism industry, creating more choices and reducing prices for consumers, while at the same time increasing financial stability for US airlines and creating jobs for American workers,” its sponsor said. Acumen Aviation © 5 March All Rights Reserved.