ISSN 1718-7966 MARch 2, 2015/ VOL. 479 WEEKLY AVIATION HEADLINES Read by thousands of aviation professionals and technical decision-makers every week www.avitrader.com WORLD NEWS VLM adds Italian links Belgian operator VLM Airlines will this May be launching scheduled flights between Bologna (Italy) to Liège (Belgium). The move not only marks VLM Airlines’ first routes from Liège but also the airline’s first ser- vices in northern Italy. Arthur White, cEO of VLM Airlines, says: “With these new scheduled flights, we are focusing on both leisure and busi- ness travellers. These new destina- tions not only appeal to tourists but are also important business centres in their respective regions.” Shanghai Airlines took delivery Proflight teams up with super- of the last market chain passenger 757 in 2005. Zambian regional carrier Proflight has signed a new sales agreement Photo: Boeing with supermarket chain Shoprite. The deal allows shoppers to book 757 celebrates 33 years and pay for flights along with their But adding new engines is a non-starter groceries at the 23 Shoprite stores The Boeing 757 made its first and materials. The pioneering two- missed outright by U.S airframer. across the country – particularly con- flight on February 19, 1982. U.S crew computerised flight decks or venient in remote locations that have carrier Eastern Air Lines operated “glass cockpits” of the 757 and 767 According to Flightglobal, Boeing no IATA travel agents to purchase the first commercial 757 flight in are nearly identical, so pilots could VP Randy Tinseth said the com- tickets. c“ ombined with Proflight’s January the following year on the easily qualify to fly both. pany had studied reviving and re- super-low fares, flying has now be- Atlanta-Tampa route. engining the 757 “a come accessible to people from all In November 2005, couple” of times, but walks of life across the country,” said Boeing concluded concluded that the Proflight director of government and “We’re not studying 757 re-engined the remarkable 23- economics do not industry affairsc aptain Philip Lemba. year run of the 757 replacements right now. It just doesn’t make sense. “We’re passenger version by not studying 757 Air Lituanica joins ERA mem- work.” delivering the final re-engined replace- bership Boeing VP Randy Tinseth one to Shanghai Air- ments right now. It Lithuanian carrier Air Lituanica has lines. The aircraft was just doesn’t work,” formally joined the European Region the 1,050th Boeing 757. The 757 is Today, however, Airbus’ growth in says Tinseth, addressing the Pa- Airlines Association (ERA) and brings one of seven commercial models the narrow body segment is not cific Northwest Aerospace Alliance the number of airlines in member- that have sold more than 1,000 air- unnoticed. In January this year (PNAA) conference in Seattle. ship to 53. Gytis Gumuliauskas, cEO planes, and more than 1,030 of the the European manufacturer an- It seems that on one hand Boe- of Air Lituanica, believes that join- 757s are still in service. nounced the first order of the ing ERA is key to the carrier’s ambi- A321neoLR, which is being seen as ing does not see much demand tion of becoming Lithuania’s main The 757 and the 767 were devel- a replacement for the 757. Specu- for narrow bodies of that size for national carrier and improving the oped concurrently, so both shared lation that Boeing might revive the long haul transatlantic routes for accessibility of Vilnius for both busi- the same technological advances in legendary 757 with new engine ness and leisure travellers. propulsion, aerodynamics, avionics propulsion has been reportedly dis- Continued on page 3 Engine Leasing Asset Management All Manufacturer Types Long, Medium & Short Term Leases • Operating Leases • Asset Management • Sales & Leasebacks All Manufacturer Types • Operating Leases Asset Management • Sales & Leasebacks All Manufacturer Types • Long, Medium & Short Term Leases • Operating Leases • Asset Management • Engine Trading • All Manufacturer Types • Sales & Leasebacks • Asset nagement • Long, Medium & Short Term Leases • Operating Leases • Asset Management • All Manufacturer Types • Sales & Leasebacks Operating Leases • Engine Trading • Long, Medium & Short Term Leases • All Manufacturer Types • Operating Leases • Asset Management Leases • Long, Medium & Short Term Leases • Operating Leases Manufacturer Types • Sales & Leasebacks • Engine Trading Long, Medium & Short Term Leases • Operating Leases • Sales & Leasebacks • Engine Trading • Asset Management • Long Medium & Short Term Leases • Engine Trading • Operating Leases • All Manufacturer Types • Asset Management um & Short Term Leases • Asset Management • Sales Leasebacks • All Manufacturer Types • Long, Medium and Short Term Leases • Operating Leases • Asset Management • Sales & Leasebacks • All Manufacturer Management • Long, Medium & Short Term Leases er Types • Operating Leases • Asset Management • Sales & Leasebacks • All Manufacturer Types • Long, Medium & Short Term Leases • Operating Leases • Asset Management • Sales Leasebacks ating Leases • All Manufacturer Types • Long Medium Short Term Leases • Operating Leases Asset Management • Engine Engine Trading • All Manufacturer Types Leasebacks • Engine Trading • Asset KEEPING YOU IN THE AIR Management • Medium & Short Term Leases • Operating Leases • Asset Management • All Manufacturer Types Sales & Leasebacks • Operating Leases • Engine Trading • Long Medium & Short Term Leases eases • All Manufacturer Types ent • Asset Management Medium & Short Term Leases • Operating Leases •Sales & Leasebacks • Engine Trading • Long, Medium & Short Term Leases • Operating Leases Sales & Leasebacks • Engine Trading • Asset Management • Operating Leases • Long, Medium & Short Term Leases Asset Management All Manufacturer Types Medium & Short Term Leases Management Term Leases Term www.elfc.com 3 WEEKLY AVIATION HEADLINES ...continued from page 1 instance whereas Airbus clearly see a mar- Interestingly, Air Astana which operates 757s sengers up to 4,000 nm – the longest of any ket by launching the long-range version of its as well as 767s will decide by next year if it single aisle aircraft. Boeing is not known to A321neo in January this year, to somewhat will order either the Airbus A321neoLR or the take things lying down, the 757 has managed fill this gap. Reportedly however, Boeing has Boeing 737 MAX-9 to replace its fleet of five to cling to life for some time now but at this secretly been in talks with 30 customers to as- 757-200s and older A320 family aircraft. stage, it seems the end is near. sess the potential of a plane that will be big- ger than a 737 Max 10 with more range. The new A321LR will be able to fly 206 pas- AIRcRAFT & ENGINE NEWS Transport Canada issues flight permit for first CS300 flight test vehicle Bombardier com- Allegiant Travel Company signs purchase mercial Aircraft an- agreement for six A319 aircraft nounced that fol- lowing a thorough Allegiant Travel company has entered into an inspection of the agreement to purchase six additional A319 air- aircraft, and a review craft. The aircraft are currently being operated of all the associated by cebu Pacific Air and are scheduled to enter build documenta- the Allegiant operating fleet from the end of tion, Transport can- 2015 through 2017. Two of the aircraft will be ada inspectors have purchased in 2015 and the company expects the issued the flight per- remainder to be purchased in 2016. mit that allows the first cS300 flight test vehicle to join the Arkia selects Trent 7000 engines to power flight test program. First CS300 flight test vehicle Photo: Bombardier four new A320neo Pending optimal weather conditions, the cS300 aircraft’s first flight is expected to occur during the period ARKIA Israeli Airlines selected up to four Airbus February 26th-28th, 2015. More precise timing will be confirmed approximately 48 hours A330-900neo aircraft, powered by the Trent prior. The aircraft is expected to perform a series of handling and system calibration tests 7000 engine. Bruce Blythe, Rolls-Royce, Senior at a wide range of altitudes and speeds. Vice President – customers, civil Large Engines, said; “We welcome ARKIA’s decision to select the A330neo, powered by our Trent 7000 en- gines. We look forward to delivering outstanding GE or cFM, enabling them to more easily evalu- Waypoint Leasing signs helicopter leasing performance and economics.” ARKIA also oper- ate engine configuration, asset value and re- transaction with Caverton Helicopters ates two Boeing 757-300 aircraft powered by marketability. Rolls-Royce RB211 engines. Waypoint Leasing (Ireland), the independent global helicopter leasing company, has reached an agreement with caverton helicopters, a lead- Mesa Airlines expands fleet with seven ing provider of aviation and logistics services to TRUEngine program surpasses 10,000 en- new CRJ900 aircraft local and international oil and gas companies gine enrollments in Nigeria, to lease one new AgustaWestland Mesa Airlines has been selected by American Air- AW139 and one Bell 412EP, both of which have The TRUEngine program continues to gain mo- lines to operate seven new Bombardier cRJ900 been delivered to caverton. The aircraft will op- mentum with total engine enrollments surpass- NextGen aircraft for a 10-year term under the erate in Nigeria supporting onshore and offshore ing the 10,000 mark as 2015 gets underway. The American Eagle brand. The aircraft, recently pur- oil and gas operations. milestone comes less than six months after the