Aerospace Mall News
Air Namibia orders two Airbus A319s in $161 million deal 2/6/2012
Air Namibia on Monday announced it has placed an order for two Airbus aircraft to replace the two Boeing 737-500s currently in its fleet. The deal is valued at approximately $161 million at list prices.
Airbus said the Windhoek-based carrier, which serves as the national airline of Namibia, ordered two new Airbus A319 aircraft. The planes, which both have a seating capacity for 112 passengers in a two class layout, will be used on regional routes from Windhoek to other African cities.
"Our in-service experience with Airbus aircraft has confirmed that the A319 is the ideal aircraft for Air Namibia's regional routes," said Theo M. Namases, Acting CEO of Air Namibia. "The efficiency of our new aircraft, together with their commonality with our existing fleet will provide a strong basis for our continued growth and contribution to the Namibian tourist industry."
Airbus Chief Operating Officer at Customers, John Leahy, said Airbus is 'delighted' to welcome Air Namibia as a new customer. "Air Namibia's decision to invest in new A319s is a great endorsement for the efficiency of the aircraft and Airbus' family concept," he said.....
Airbus Booked 91 New Orders, Delivered 37 Aircraft January 2/6/2012
Airbus delivered 37 aircraft and booked 91 new orders in January, boosted by two A320 family contracts and a repeat order for A330-200F freighters.
Airbus said its activity was led by an order from AviancaTaca Holding SA (PFAVATA.BO) for 33 single-aisle A320neo aircraft and 18 A320 family jetliners, following a memorandum of understanding announced during the 2011 Paris Air Show.
January's orders also included a finalization from Spirit Airlines Inc. (SAVE) of its order for 30 A320s in the current engine option version, which joins the 45 A320neo aircraft booked in December.
Airbus is a unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. NV.....
ATK to Adopt Streamlined Three-Group Operating Structure in FY13 2/2/2012
ATK announced today that it will operate in a three-group structure at the beginning of its Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13).
The new structure will include the Aerospace Group, led by Blake Larson in Magna, Utah; the Defense Group, led by Mike Kahn in Baltimore, Md.; and the Sporting Group, led by Ron Johnson in Anoka, Minn.
"We are committed to creating new products and solutions to address customer priorities at an affordable price, which will support long-term performance in each of our business segments," said Mark DeYoung, President and CEO. "This structure will allow us to leverage ATK's agile and innovative capabilities to proactively address the federal budget pressures facing many of our customers, the state of the economy and the increased need to be more competitive, domestically and internationally."
The Defense Group will integrate the engineering, manufacturing and management excellence of the company's current Armament Systems and Missile Products groups.
"This new integrated team will strengthen ATK's brand in the defense industry; deliver improved synergies and cost savings critical to our competitiveness; and achieve long-term growth through resource alignment, investment and an international focus to deliver the company's strategic priorities," said DeYoung. "The Defense Group will bring together ATK's industry-leading capabilities in ammunition, precision and strike weapons, tactical propulsion, and missile warning solutions.".....
BE Aerospace Beats Analyst Estimates on EPS 2/2/2012
BE Aerospace reported earnings today. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended Dec. 31 (Q4), BE Aerospace met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.
Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue expanded significantly, and GAAP earnings per share expanded significantly.
Gross margins improved, operating margins dropped, net margins improved.
Revenue details
BE Aerospace booked revenue of $654.7 million. The 18 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ expected revenue of $656.0 million. Sales were 21% higher than the prior-year quarter's $541.8.....
SaxonAir orders new Hawker 900XP 1/31/2012
Norwich based SaxonAir has announced an order for a new Hawker 900XP. Delivery of the new aircraft is expected in the spring of 2012. The addition of the new Hawker jet is part of SaxonAir's ongoing fleet expansion.
Chris Mace, managing director of SaxonAir says "We are very excited by the new opportunities that the Hawker 900XP will offer both SaxonAir and its customers. This new aircraft will allow SaxonAir to expand its business by offering clients a greater choice of non-stop destinations with an enhanced in flight experience. We considered several other aircraft in its class, however the Hawker 900XP delivered a combination of range, speed, payload and comfort that we could not find in any other mid-size jet."
SaxonAir will be offering the aircraft for private charter.
SaxonAir operations manager, Lee McGahan says "We feel it is important to provide our clients with the same level of service and on board benefits that they might be used to on Super Midsize and Heavy Jets. A multi lingual flight attendant, hot food, satellite telephone and wireless internet connection will all be included as part of the first class cabin service. After all, the aircraft may be occupied for hours at a time, and it is important that the client feels as comfortable and 'at home' as possible."
Sean McGeough, Hawker Beechcraft president - Europe, Middle-East and Africa, said: "We know that SaxonAir carried out a very thorough review of the market before placing this order. It's a testament to all of the team at Hawker Beechcraft and a reflection of SaxonAir's previous experience with our aircraft that they have selected the 900XP. Having our own service centre close by in Chester was also seen as beneficial in maximising aircraft availability, with the whole package providing better value and a competitive advantage to SaxonAir's business." .....
NetJets' First Bombardier Global Aircraft Ready for Completion 1/31/2012
Bombardier Aerospace and NetJets(R) today celebrated the first key milestone linked to last year's historic Global aircraft sales announcement. A special ceremony to highlight NetJets' first Bombardier aircraft, a Global 6000 jet, was attended by executives from NetJets and Bombardier as well as 1,000 Bombardier employees at the company's Toronto site.
The event, held just prior to the jet's ferry flight from the assembly line in Toronto, Ontario, to the Global Completion Centre in Dorval, Quebec, marked the official hand over of the first aircraft from the build team to the completions team.
"Just eleven months after NetJets' historic Global aircraft order, we are already celebrating the assembly of their first Global 6000 jet. I can say without a doubt that this is a proud moment for everyone at Bombardier," said Steve Ridolfi, President, Bombardier Business Aircraft. "As we enter the second phase of the build program, the team at the Global Completion Centre is fully engaged, ensuring this aircraft will feature the fine craftsmanship our customers expect and that Global jets are recognized for worldwide."
"We are excited to be working with the talented Bombardier team on these exceptional aircraft," said Donald Strench, Vice President, Fleet Planning & Acquisitions, NetJets. "The Global aircraft family is ideally suited to our Owners' needs for safety, extended range, superior reliability, cabin comfort and operating efficiency. The Global jets will be an excellent complement to our overall fleet.".....
Honda out to shake up market with first jet next year 1/30/2012
Honda Motor Co (7267.T) expects to grab at least a quarter of the world market for small business jets soon after delivering its first aircraft next year, achieving the company's long-standing goal of taking to the skies, an executive said.
Honda, Japan's No.3 car maker and the world's biggest manufacturer of motorcycles and engines, is in the final stages of getting its $4.5 million HondaJet certified. It aims to ramp up the pace of production to 80 a year in the first half of 2013.
Honda received more than 100 orders for the seven-seater jet in three days when it began taking orders in 2006, promising a quieter engine, 20 percent better fuel economy over competing models and operational costs of two-thirds or less.
It has not disclosed an updated number of orders, but Michimasa Fujino, a Honda executive and CEO of its North Carolina-based subsidiary, Honda Aircraft Company, said it held a backlog of about three years from orders taken through its nine dealerships in North America and Europe.
"I'm very optimistic about our prospects," Fujino, who initiated Honda's foray into aviation research in 1986, told a small group of reporters at the automaker's Tokyo headquarters on Monday.....
Etihad Airways Orders Two More A330-200 Freighters 1/30/2012
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates has signed a firm order for two additional A330-200F freighter aircraft to meet their growth plans in the cargo market.The airline was a launch customer and the launch operator of the A330-200F, having taken delivery of its first aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow in 2010. Today's order will increase the fleet of the airline's cargo business, Etihad Crystal Cargo, to four A330-200F freighters. 'We are strongly committed to building our presence in the cargo sector with the platform of Abu Dhabi as our hub to connect global trade lanes,' Etihad Airways President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. James Hogan, said. 'The A330-200F has been a key part of our recent success in the market. We are very pleased with its high reliability and versatility, and that's why we are keen to expand this fleet type,' he said. 'This repeat order by Etihad underlines the key role the A330-200F is playing alongside larger freighters. The A330-200F enables Etihad to optimise its network by addressing markets which do not make business sense with large.....
Struggling in US, F-35 fighter pushes sales abroad 1/27/2012
Detractors say the F-35 stealth fighter, the costliest military plane ever, is destined to go down as one of the biggest follies in aviation history. But it may have found a savior: deep-pocketed U.S. allies hungry to add its super high-tech capabilities to their arsenal.
The program marked a major success last month when Japan chose it over the Boeing F/A-18 and the Eurofighter Typhoon as a replacement for 42 aircraft in its aging air force. It was the F-35's first victory in an open-bidding competition, though countries from Britain to Israel previously made commitments and others are expected to follow.
Manufacturer Lockheed Martin also is looking to bring F-35s to South Korea in a deal that could be Seoul's biggest single defense outlay ever - 60 top-of-the-line fighters worth more than $7 billion. A decision could come as soon as October.
In the U.S., however, the stealth jet has been called a boondoggle. John McCain, the ranking Republican on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, has slammed the F-35 as a "scandal and a tragedy," a "train wreck" and "incredibly expensive."
With U.S. defense budget cuts looming and many critics of the program still unconvinced, foreign support is a make-or-break issue for the program, which has been described as too big to fail. It could become the cornerstone of global air strategy for the next few decades, or a trillion-dollar bust.
"The U.S. fighter jet industry has all of its eggs in this one basket," said Richard Bitzinger, a security expert at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. So many countries have bought into the program, he said, there is now no realistic choice but to forge ahead with it.....
Pentagon Cancels Orders for 3G Global Hawks 1/27/2012
Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk Block 30 aircraft
The Pentagon is cancelling orders for Northrop Grumman's third-generation Global Hawk Block 30 surveillance aircraft, the company said Thursday.
The company continues to deliver Block 40 planes, which have additional sensor capabilities and other modifications for high-altitude surveillance. But Thursday's announcement indicated that a hard-fought public relations campaign by Northrop Grumman to save its Block 30 program had fallen short.
The unmanned spy planes are assembled at Plamdale's Plant 42 and are served by 312 suppliers in 42 states, including nine in Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon's 25 congressional district. McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, chairs the House Armed Services Committee and co-chairs the Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus.
"Northrop Grumman is disappointed with the Pentagon's decision and plans to work with the Pentagon to assess alternatives to program termination," a company statement said.....
