Aircraft News - North America

New York (AirGuideBusiness - Aircraft News North America) Jan 16, 2011

Air New Zealand Tips for sleeping more comfortably in economy class. More than 30 airlines are reportedly considering adding "cuddle class" seating similar to the concept recently introduced by Air New Zealand. But in the meantime, writes travel blogger Laura Bly, coach-class customers can still get some quality shut-eye by choosing a window seat, packing gear such as inflatable pillows or eye shades and skipping in-flight meals. Air New Zealand's SkyCouch - a row of three coach seats that lean back like a recliner and come with pop-up footrests - seems to be a big tilt in the right direction. Available on the airline's new Boeing 777-300ER jets between Auckland and Los Angeles starting in April, what's been dubbed "cuddle class" lets a couple or parent and young child stretch out in relative comfort. Cost will vary according to the price of an economy class ticket, but two people flying together can buy the third seat at roughly half-off. (For example , on a midweek flight in mid-April between Auckland and L.A., the lowest price for an economy class ticket was $550 each way; cost for booking a SkyCouch row was $1,400 each way.) Jan 13, 2011

AVX Aircraft Texas company redesigns helicopters with 2 rotors. A Texas company is redesigning helicopters with two rotors that rotate in different directions for the U.S. Army. "This is very unique," said Troy Gaffey, president and chief engineer of AVX Aircraft Co. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before." Jan 10, 2011

Boeing Boeing is awaiting approval by the US FAA before releasing the company's revised schedule for the 787 prompted by an electric fire on board a flight test aircraft two months ago. "We said in December that we hope to have a schedule in January," Boeing Commercial Airplanes president James Albaugh told reporters on 12 January. After asking, "What day is it?", Albaugh checked his watch. "I guess that's probably right," he said. The announcement of Boeing's new certification schedule for the 787 has been anticipated for several weeks. The 787 fleet resumed certification tests on 23 December following electrical fire on ZA002 on 9 November. Jan 13, 2011

Boeing Boeing 787 should win European certification this year. European safety regulators expect to certify the Boeing 787 by year's end, allowing European-based carriers to take delivery of the plane. Patrick Goudou, executive director of the European Aviation Safety Agency, says he hopes to certify the 787 almost simultaneously with his colleagues at the FAA, though predicting a time frame is tricky due to problems at the plane-maker. "We're hoping for mid-year, or maybe a bit later, around year-end," he notes. Jan 12, 2011

Boeing Boeing quietly brought its newest jet, the 787 Dreamliner, into Denver International Airport today on a series of landings and takeoffs as part of the test program for one of the world's most advanced aircraft. The company is in the midst of a rigorous testing program with its first six 787s. The plane made three landings and three takeoffs on DIA's runway 16Right/34Left to test the interaction between the aircraft and runway instrumentation, according to airport officials. The runway, at 16,000 feet, is DIA's longest and one of the longest runways among major airports throughout the world. In November, Boeing halted its 787 flight-test program when one of the planes, on a flight near Laredo, Texas, suffered a fire in a power distribution panel. The fire "self-extinguished" and the plane landed safely, according to the company. Boeing resumed flight testing of the 787 on Dec. 23, and the jet, which will seat between 200 and 300 passengers depending on cabin configuration, is fabricated using 50 percent composite materials and only 20 percent aluminum, according to the company. The structure is 15 percent titanium and 10 percent steel. In comparison, the Boeing 777 N the company's newest plane before the 787 N is 50 percent aluminum and relies on composites for about 12 percent of its makeup. Jan 12, 2011

Boeing After 1,000 units, Boeing looks beyond the 767. When Boeing's 1,000th 767 rolls off the assembly line for delivery to All Nippon Airways, it will mark the end of an era. Three decades after it was introduced, the 767 has just 50 more commercial deliveries scheduled, and production is being moved to allow for a new 787 assembly line. Unless the Air Force picks the 767 as its next-generation refueling tanker, the venerable wide-body will cease production within two years. Jan 11, 2011

Boeing Boeing set to restart 787 certification flights. Boeing is set to restart 787 Dreamliner certification flight tests this week, according to blog reports. The program halted flight testing in November, after a fire on the second 787, ZA002. It resumed flights on Dec. 23, but so far has not restarted flight testing for Federal Aviation Administration certification of the aircraft (Boeing has conducted flight tests for its own purposes, such as verifying system changes). Blog All Things 787 wrote that the fourth 787, ZA004 "is projected to restart certification flight tests as early as January 14th, with ZA001 and ZA006 projected to follow on the 15th, ZA002 on the 16th and ZA005 on the 18th." While Boeing still hasn't updated its target date for first 787 delivery since the fire, "expectation is growing that Boeing is poised to announce the new 787 program schedule," Norris wrote. All Things 787 added that ZA102 is expected to take to the air between Jan. 15 and 24, making it the first production 787 to fly. Jan 11, 2011

Boeing FAA to order more inspections for single-aisle Boeing planes. The FAA is set to order inspections for some 1,300 Boeing 757 and 737 models operated by U.S. airlines. The 757 inspections will be required at intervals every 30 to 300 flights, while 737s will require new structural checks starting at 3,000 flights. The safety directives are expected to go into effect over the next several weeks, and the FAA says inspections can be completed overnight so as not to interfere with normal airline operations. Jan 10, 2011

Boeing Final assembly started today on the 1,000th Boeing 767 airplane, an aircraft designed in the late 70s and first flew in the early 80s. Workers marked the milestone with a celebration at the Everett, Wash. factory. Final assembly is the last step of the production process before the airplane rolls out of the factory on its way to the paint hangar and the Everett Delivery Center for ground and flight tests. The 1,000th airplane [ETH] a 767-300ER (extended range) passenger model for ANA (All Nippon Airways) [ETH] is the last 767 to complete final assembly in its current home. Beginning with line number 1001 [ETH] also a 767-300ER for ANA [ETH] all future 767s will complete that step in a new, smaller bay where production is scheduled to increase in 2011. The 1,000th airplane is scheduled for delivery next month. ANA, a long-time Boeing customer, has taken delivery of 89 767s since placing its first order in 1979. Jan 10, 2011

Cessna Aircraft Texas pilot offers Eternal Flight to scatter ashes. Pilot Matt Skinner offers a unique service through his Texas-based company, Eternal Flight. Skinner will help loved ones scatter ashes from his Cessna 172. Skinner said the service allows him to use his piloting skills for "something meaningful." Jan 14, 2011

Corporate Angel Network Corporate Angel Network arranged corporate flights to specialized treatment for 3,021 cancer patients in 2010, a 9 percent increase over the previous record of 2,778 and a 21 percent increase over 2009 patient flights. Dr. Brian Kushner, a world renowned oncologist specializing in Neuroblastoma at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City sent CAN the following congratulatory note upon learning of the record year: OI see so many patients (all children) at the treatment center who are benefiting hugely from this service. Thank you!O In September, Corporate Angel celebrated another milestone when it transported its 35,000th cancer patient since the charity was founded in 1981. ItOs now flown more than 36,000 patients. Since its founding 30 years ago, Corporate Angel has grown to include 530 participating corporations, six paid staff, and a team of 50 part-time volunteers who work with patients, physicians, corporate flight departments, and leading treatment centers to coordinate the medical travel needs of cancer patients with the flight activity of participating corporations. CAN typically flies between 250 and 300 patients to treatment each month. Contact: Bonnie LeVar, (914) 328-1313 bonnielevar@corpangelnetwork.org Jan 11, 2011