Air New Zeland : NZ : ANZ :

Jeannot a écrit:Un article dont j'ai repris le lien sur notre gare de départ :

• Les problèmes de condensation semblent importants
  
• Même sans les problèmes liés au feu de Laredo, Boeing aurait du décaler la livraison à ANA

787 Dreamliner proving bedeviling for Boeing

Fire during test flight, condensation problems threaten new delay for long-awaited plane
Fire and rain are among the latest problems to bedevil [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]'s oft-delayed 787 Dreamliner, whose production woes have earned the jet unflattering nicknames like 7-late-7 and 787-ML, a reference to Murphy's Law.
Boeing's suppliers and airline customers are bracing for another lengthy delay in the delivery of the first Dreamliner as the Chicago-based plane-maker responds to a puzzling, widespread electrical failure triggered by a fire onboard Boeing's second test plane last month.

Even without the fire, Boeing almost certainly would have postponed the initial delivery to [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] All Nippon Airways, slated for February, as it scrambled to prepare the 787 for commercial flight, sources close to the program said.

Among its concerns: meeting [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] certification requirements and resolving a series of nagging problems like "rain in the plane," condensation that dripped and pooled on some flights.

Boeing officials have promised to provide an updated delivery schedule in the next few weeks, after engineers complete design changes and software updates prompted by last month's fire. Software failures caused most of the 787's flight-deck displays to go dark and left the jet operating on emergency power as it landed in Laredo, [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], sources said.

The question is whether Boeing will also use the time to address its growing to-do list for the aircraft, tackling lower-tech issues like condensation.

Boeing's options include lowering humidity levels, which it had touted as an antidote to jetlag,

....or installing a wicking material in its aircraft to absorb and redirect moisture, sources said.

The decisions confronting Boeing CEO Jim McNerney are the equivalent of a multidimensional chess match. Boeing will have to retest every 787 component that is redesigned in order to meet the FAA's exacting standards, and retrofit the 26 customer planes it has manufactured, all while pacing its suppliers so excess inventory doesn't stack up during the process.

And even if this proves to be the last major delivery delay for the 787, analysts worry Boeing could struggle to meet production-rate targets.
"It also depends whether they are going to break with the pattern of being overoptimistic or err on the side of conservatism," said Richard Aboulafia, aviation analyst with Virginia-based Teal Group.

Sources close to the program say that Boeing is mulling parking planes that require the greatest amount of work and revising its delivery schedule so that early customers receive aircraft with most of the required design changes built in.
Rolling changes to Boeing's production could mean that ANA would launch commercial service on the 787 with an aircraft other than ZA007, the seventh Dreamliner, which had long been intended for the first delivery, sources told the Tribune. But Boeing has not yet updated its delivery schedule, and ANA is slated to receive that plane as its first 787, said airline spokeswoman Nao Gunji.

Such details won't be known "until we work out a detailed plan going forward," added Boeing spokeswoman Lori Gunter.
Analysts have estimated it could take Boeing anywhere from a couple of months to a year to solve lingering certification and design issues. They expect Boeing to slow down the rate at which it assembles planes and at which its suppliers churn out 787 components.

Anticipating a long delay and slower ramp-up of production, Spirit AeroSystems Inc., a major Boeing supplier, has transferred some workers from its 787 production line to the busier 737 line, said Debbie Gann, spokeswoman for the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]-based aerospace manufacturer.

The 787 Dreamliner is the most technically advanced commercial aircraft ever built, and its cutting-edge information technology systems have been a selling point for Boeing, along with the jet's lighter, largely composite structure, which promises greater fuel efficiency and creature comforts like higher humidity in onboard air. Boeing also outsourced a far greater degree of its design and manufacturing than on any other of its aircraft, a move intended to slash development costs.

But with the recent systems failure, the measures that made the jet ground-breaking have all contributed to its production woes.

The 787 is running nearly three years late as Boeing dealt with a litany of problems: shoddy supplier work, a shortage of titanium fasteners and unanticipated structural weakness in the plane's composite fuselage.

"The manufacturing didn't work as planned; the materials and now the systems architecture didn't work as planned," said aerospace blogger Jon Ostrower. "The three main foundations that are driving development and innovation on this program have given them enormous heartache."

The onboard fire in the P100 power distribution panel in the aft equipment bay located under the passenger cabin floor resulted in a dangerously close call, sources said.

Boeing is determining what caused an electrical panel to short and then burst into flames. Although the flare lasted only 30 seconds, it occurred during final approach, and the aircraft landed in Laredo 90 seconds later, Gunter said.

Analysts are troubled that the fire triggered an apparent software malfunction that also caused the 787's unaffected power systems to shut down. The plane's only source of power was a ram air turbine, a small, propeller-powered generator outside the plane whose output is sufficient to power only basic flight functions.
"The 787, like all aircraft, has a large number of redundancies built in," said Hans Weber, president of Tecop International Inc., an aviation consultancy. "A failure somewhere in the electrical system is not supposed to take the entire system down."

Analysts are trying to determine whether other software systems also failed to perform as designed during the incident. The 787 crew was running its air conditioning at maximum output as part of testing that day, and some question whether that somehow contributed to the power outage.

"The circuits that provide air conditioning would have required much more electricity than normal," Weber noted. "Would that have been a problem? Maybe. If so, that is something that would have to be fixed."

Boeing's Gunter said she wasn't aware of any software malfunction other than that of the power distribution software.
For now, Boeing's 787 fleet is in limbo, waiting for the FAA's go-ahead to resume test flights.

Another big question mark is the degree to which the certification process itself will be slowed as federal authorities press Boeing to demonstrate the plane and its advanced software systems are safe.
"The resumption of flight testing will depend on how long it takes Boeing to do everything it needs to do," said FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford. "Before flight testing begins, Boeing will present its plan to our certification office. It's too early to say when that will be."

• pour le B787, Boeing a une liste de choses "à faire / à rectifier" la liste est longue
  
  


• sauf fait nouveau, sur le moteur RR Trent 900, RR n'a qu'une composante à changer, en passant d'abord par un régime intensifié d'inspections, que les opérateurs (Cies. aériennes clientes) . Bien entendu, il faudra que Qantas fasse les inspections que jusqu'ici il a omises, ou n'a fait que d'une manière superficielle ("cursory" / "cursorily"). Aussi, il faudra que Qantas respecte le cahier des charges !
  

Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe told ATW that a weight increase on the Boeing 787-9 could impact its operating plans for the aircraft, for which it holds orders for eight. “The 787 is a potential decision as well a potential project for us,” Fyfe said on the sidelines of the Star Alliance CEO meeting in Queenstown, NZ. ANZ is expecting its first 787 by the end of 2013, around three years late.

He declined to identify routes for the aircraft. "We have some ideas but we are not talking about it. But the Pacific Rim, South America and to China are places we are looking.”

The weight increase could affect these choices and also create a capacity shortfall. “We are operating some very long, thin routes. The delay of the 787 is frustrating. We eagerly await it sometime in the future,” he said.......

Jeannot a écrit: Les problèmes du 787 s'accumulent

La FAA pourrait refuser la certification ETOPS
La production des appateils en cours serait un véritable cauchemar
Explosion des coûts Etc..

• les A330-200 / -300 (y compris la version HGW) auront de beaux jours encore devant eux ;
  
• que cela vaudra sans doute la peine pour Airbus de lancer l'A330-300 HGW, aussi ;
  
• Boeing, avec un peu de modestie, pourrait relancer le B777-200ER, en "stop-gap", même si l'on sait que pas mal de clients voudraient la version à moteur RR Trent 895.
  

• perspectives de graves problèmes, durables, sur le programme B787, qui conduisent Tim CLARK à ouvrir son clapet, mégaphone en main !
  

ANZ acquires 14.9% stake in Virgin Blue for A$145m

Air New Zealand (ANZ) says it has acquired a 14.9% stake in Virgin Blue for A$145 million ($143 million), following yesterday's announcement that it has become a substantial shareholder in the Australia-based airline group.
"Further shares were acquired off-market last night which increased Air New Zealand's relevant interest to 14.9%. The purchase of the shareholding was completed from existing cash resources," says the Star Alliance carrier.
ANZ said yesterday it had approval from Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board to buy up to 14.99% of Virgin Blue, and it plans to acquire a share of between 10% and 14.99%.
ANZ, however, does not plan to launch a takeover bid of Virgin Blue and its CEO Rob Fyfe has reconfirmed this morning that the carrier does not intend to go over 14.99%, says ANZ.
In late December 2010, New Zealand approved a proposed trans-Tasman alliance between ANZ and Virgin Blue.
"This is simply an investment in Virgin Blue that reinforces Air New Zealand's strategy to grow its business in Australasia which is continually evolving as a single aviation market. The Tasman alliance with Virgin Blue was a key step in this strategy," says Fyfe.
"The investment provides us with an interest in the number two airline in Australia and, through this, access to the opportunities in the growing Australian domestic market. Air New Zealand has no intention of entering the Australian domestic market in its own right."
ANZ will not seek representation on Virgin Blue's board for at least six months, adds Fyfe. Any representation will be decided by Virgin Blue's board and shareholders, he adds.

Pictured is [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]'s latest brand new [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] - on lease from Air Lease Corporation - in its stunning All Black livery, part of ANZ's "Crazy About Rugby" campaign.

The IAE-powered A320 is a part of is part of an ALC order for 31 A320s and 20 A321s placed at the Farnborough International Air Show in 2010.

In addition, ANZ will take an additional 13 A320s over the next five years.

"The aircraft's bold all black livery speaks to the success of Air New Zealand as one of the world's most innovative and leading airlines" says Steven F Udvar-Hazy, ALC chairman and CEO.

Pictured is [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]'s latest brand new [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] - on lease from Air Lease Corporation - in its stunning All Black livery, part of ANZ's "Crazy About Rugby" campaign.

The IAE-powered A320 is a part of is part of an ALC order for 31 A320s and 20 A321s placed at the Farnborough International Air Show in 2010.

In addition, ANZ will take an additional 13 A320s over the next five years.
"The aircraft's bold all black livery speaks to the success of Air New Zealand as one of the world's most innovative and leading airlines" says Steven F Udvar-Hazy, ALC chairman and CEO.

SEVRIEN a écrit:Bonsoir, chers tous
La bonne nouvelle est l'absence de victimes. On a l'impression que les pilotes ont dû lutter fort avec l'appareil !
Il conviendrait, du moins, de saluer les fruits positifs de leurs efforts à ce stade !
Affaire à suivre.

Air New Zealand said Monday it was investigating why an engine on a Boeing 737 failed in mid-air over the weekend, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing.

Air New Zealand (ANZ) is investigating an incident involving a Boeing 767-300, which had its left hand General Electric CF6-80C2 engine shut down after an engine problem.
ANZ had earlier said the engine problem could be due to a bird strike but has since ruled this out.

The flight crew operating the aircraft, which was flying from Auckland to Perth on 9 June, had reduced take-off thrust as normal when the aircraft was airborne. "But at this time there was an interruption to the airflow through the left hand engine which caused the flare seen from the rear of the engine," said the Star Alliance carrier. This change in airflow had resulted in "a similar reaction to that of a car backfiring", said ANZ's general manager airline operations and chief pilot David Morgan.

The pilots further reduced thrust as required by procedure and the left hand engine began "operating normally", it added. "Regardless of the engine returning to normal operating levels, the pilots followed Air New Zealand's conservative operating procedures and undertook a precautionary engine shut down before returning to the airport so the cause of the airflow disruption could be determined," said the airline.

The flight crew returned to Auckland, where the aircraft landed without incident.
ANZ had said immediately after the incident that a bird strike could have caused the engine problem but said investigations have since showed no evidence of this. There is no damage to the engine.

"The unit responsible for the control of airflow through the engine has been removed and will be sent to the manufacturer for testing. We have replaced the unit and will now undertake engine tests in conjunction with the engine manufacturer GE," said Morgan.
The 206 passengers on board the flight were accommodated in hotels before they flew out on another aircraft today, and have since arrived in Perth.

ANZ frustrated over new 787-9 delay

Air New Zealand has said frustration would be an "understatement" of its reaction to a new delay that could now see the Boeing 787-9 enter service later in 2014 than planned.
[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] had last advised ANZ, the launch customer of the stretched 787, that it would receive its first of eight aircraft in late 2013 or early 2014. ANZ said that date has slipped to an undetermined period in 2014 that it is still in discussions with Boeing about.
A spokeswoman for Boeing said that late 2013 remains the target, "although we are continually assessing that schedule as we move toward planned rate increases in the programme".
Boeing had not provided delivery guidance since confirming in the week beginning 11 July that earlier in the month it had implemented a hold until the first week of August to the 787 final assembly line.
It expects to provide further guidance during its 27 July second quarter earnings call.
"It would be an understatement to say we are frustrated and disappointed," said ANZ chief financial officer Rob McDonald.
The 787-9's original delivery date was late 2010 and ANZ had planned to use the aircraft for fleet simplification and expansion, forcing the carrier to change strategy.
"We're on about plan C," McDonald said.
ANZ hoped to retire its [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] fleet by the end of 2012 but will now keep an undisclosed number until the 787s arrive. It will also postpone retiring its 767s, which the 787s are largely due to replace.
ANZ currently operates five 747-400s and five 767-300ERs, according to Flightglobal's ACAS database.
While ANZ would prefer to retire both types, McDonald said keeping the
767 is more ideal. "Our 767 fleet is very sound and relatively low-cost and performs its mission really well."
In comparison to ANZ's [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], McDonald said the 747 uses 30% more fuel to carry approximately the same number of passengers but 40% less cargo.
Despite that, McDonald is adamant keeping the 747s and 767s is appropriate.
"It's better to do that and wait for the 787 than get a lot more aircraft that aren't as suitable as the 787s," he said. "You might get an early lead for a couple of years but you might not have the right plane in 20 years."
In the long-term, the 787 will enable ANZ to serve South America. The carrier sees the continent - and Sao Paulo in particular - as holding growth opportunities as ANZ and its government seek to develop New Zealand into a hub for passengers travelling between Australasia and South America, waypoints currently connected via hubs in the Middle East and Europe.
"For South America we're certainly looking for a game-changing aircraft that we can exploit," McDonald said, adding that existing aircraft would have payload restrictions or prohibitively high fuel burn rates between New Zealand and South America.
In the short-term, ANZ could see a [url=http://www.flightglobal.com/landingpage/south american.html]South American[/url] traffic boost if [url=http://www.flightglobal.com/landingpage/lan airlines.html]LAN Airlines[/url], which serves Auckland from Santiago, switches alliances from oneworld to ANZ's Star Alliance. Last year LAN agreed to merge with Star Alliance carrier TAM. The two have not announced which alliance they will participate in post-merger.
"In South America there is alliance positioning going on. We'll have to see how that plays out," McDonald said.
Despite interest in South America, McDonald said ANZ was most likely to first deploy its 787-9s to Asia, and specifically China or Japan.
But he said ANZ is in discussions with Boeing about the number of 787-9s initially to be delivered.
McDonald said ANZ does not plan to order additional aircraft but noted that "we do have options". That includes options for 31 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] A320s, nine [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]-200ERs, 15 777-300ERs, and 12 787-9s, according to ACAS.
ANZ still aims to streamline its long-haul fleet to the 777 and 787 and then use their cockpit commonality to establish a single pilot group that could fly anywhere on the carrier's long-haul network.
"There are some great rostering efficiencies you can get in there," McDonald said.

Air New Zealand craint de nouveaux retards dans la livraison de ses 787 Dreamliner

Le directeur général d'Air New Zealand a annoncé que de nouveaux retards étaient possibles dans la livraison des 787 Dreamliner commandés à Boeing, ajoutant que la compagnie est en négociations en vue de compensations. Air New Zealand doit recevoir ses huit premiers Dreamliner d'ici à la fin de 2013, avec un retard de trois ans. "Nous ne serions pas surpris de constater de nouveaux retards, mais nous n'en avons pas encore été informés formellement", a déclaré Rob Fyfe à Reuters

The CEO of Air New Zealand said on Wednesday that further delays are possible in the delivery of Boeing 787 Dreamliners it has ordered and the carrier is negotiating with Boeing to be compensated.

The carrier is expected to receive its first of eight 787 aircraft by the end of 2013 after a three-year delay.

"We would not be surprised to see further delays, but we have not yet been advised formally if there are any further delays," the company's chief executive, Rob Fyfe said.

The arrival of the carbon-composite aircraft is expected to help Air New Zealand retire its Boeing 747-400 aircraft. It has five 747s in operation each with an average age of nearly 17 years, according to its website.

Fyfe reiterated that Air New Zealand is expected to post better results in the current financial year ending June 2012, boosted by NZD$30 million (USD$23.38 million) in additional revenue arising from the World Cup rugby championship.

However he said that the company was "very nervous about what is going on in Europe and the North American economies in particular," he said on the sidelines of an industry conference in Singapore.

Air New Zealand reported a second-half loss because of natural disasters and high fuel prices, although it has fared better than many of its competitors during tough times.

It posted a net profit of NZD$81 million for the year ended June 30, compared with NZD$82 million last year.

Air NZ unveils $340m plane spend-up

Air New Zealand said today it would spend up to $340 million on 12 new ATR72-600 aircraft for its regional fleet.

The company said it would buy seven of the new planes, with an option for an additional five.

It currently owns 11 ATR72-500s.

Chief Executive Officer Rob Fyfe said today's announcement, which was subject to contract signing, would significantly boost air service connections to regional New Zealand.

"This order potentially doubles the size of Air New Zealand's ATR fleet and will put a further two million seats into the New Zealand regional market annually. For our customers that will mean a big increase in the number of business timed seats and seriously cheap grabaseat fares we have on regional routes every day."

The first of the 68 seat ATR72-600 aircraft will be delivered to Air New Zealand in October next year followed by a second in December.

Two will arrive in 2013 and another each year for three years.

"At a time when other businesses have shown little appetite to invest significantly in assets, particularly where revenue is derived from regional New Zealand, we have not waivered in our belief in the long-term strength of the domestic economy," said Fyfe.

"Thanks to the purchase of larger aircraft and the lowering of fares we have seen regional passenger numbers increase by an average 5.6 per cent annually since 2003, resulting in our regional airlines carrying 54 per cent more passengers to 4.3 million in the year ended September.

"Today's significant capital investment also signals that we will be upping our promotion of key regional centres at home and overseas as we will need to encourage even more people to fill those two million more seats coming on stream over the next few years."

Fyfe said the new-generation ATR72-600 was the most efficient aircraft in its class and features a new cabin layout with larger overhead bins, improved seating and advanced cockpit.

Air New Zealand's ability to maintain services during inclement weather to and from destinations like Queenstown, Rotorua and Wellington will improve with the better navigation technology.

Airline Group General Manager Australasia Airline Bruce Parton said the new plane gave it the means to "up-gauge" its Q300 operated routes that would require more capacity in the coming years.

This in turn, would release Q300 aircraft to up-gauge on some Beech 1900D operated routes, enabling it to look at new "start-up" routes.

"So there is benefit in bringing in the larger turbo-props and cascading growth down throughout our regional operation," he said.

It was likely that some routes currently serviced by the smaller Q300, such as Nelson-Auckland and New Plymouth-Auckland, would see this larger turbo-prop in use.

"It is likely that the new fleet will be Auckland-based, providing us with an excellent spread of regional aircraft including bases in Christchurch, Nelson and Hamilton. This will give us a solid platform for regional growth particularly into and out of Auckland."

Air New Zealand has been compensated for delays in receiving its Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes and is in talks for more,....

while it will also spend up to USD$270 million to upgrade its domestic fleet, the airline said on Wednesday.

Chief executive Rob Fyfe told a media briefing on the domestic fleet expansion that Boeing has made offers to Air NZ over the delays in delivery of the 787.

"We have received compensation, the package is confidential, there's a further round of compensation negotiations currently underway for the more recent delays," he said in reply to a question.

He said the 787, originally expected in service in 2010, remained the right aircraft for Air NZ's long haul international flights.

On Tuesday the airline confirmed that it was pressing on with acquiring the lightweight and fuel-efficient 787s despite production delays which have seen its arrival delayed until 2014.

The national carrier said it will buy seven new ATR72-600 planes from France’s Aerospatiale with options on another five for use on secondary domestic routes.

Fyfe said the domestic fleet upgrade was designed to improve services and bolster demand, with the new planes starting to arrive from late next year.

"This order potentially doubles the size of Air New Zealand's ATR fleet and will put a further two million seats into the New Zealand regional market annually," he said.

The carrier, which has a near monopoly on most domestic routes, currently uses ATR72-500 turboprop, Bombardier Q300, and Beechcraft 1900D planes on regional services.

It uses Boeing 737-300 and Airbus A320 aircraft on flights between the main cities, where it competes with Qantas budget offshoot JetStar.

Boeing recule la livraison de la plus grosse version du 787

Le constructeur aéronautique américain Boeing a reculé la date de la première livraison de la version allongée de son nouvel avion 787 Dreamliner, indiquent mercredi des documents déposés auprès de l'autorité américaine des marchés financiers (SEC).

Le constructeur aéronautique américain Boeing a reculé la date de la première livraison de la version allongée de son nouvel avion 787 Dreamliner, indiquent mercredi des documents déposés auprès de l'autorité américaine des marchés financiers (SEC).

Elle aura désormais lieu "début 2014", annoncent les résultats trimestriels du groupe publiés dans la journée, au lieu de "fin 2013", comme le prévoyait l'entreprise le 27 juillet. Boeing précisait alors que la "configuration" de l'appareil, qui doit transporter 259 à 290 passagers, avait été finalisée le 1er juillet 2010.

Mais le constructeur a procédé à une "révision essentielle du design" de l'avion et a réévalué en conséquence son programme. Boeing indique toutefois "continuer à chercher des opportunités pour rattraper le calendrier".

Air New Zealand is to put ­Boeing 777-300ER twinjets into service under 330min extended operations, after the ­airframer secured type design ­approval for the increase.

The approval covers 777 ­variants fitted with General ­Electric GE90 engines, and includes the 777-200LR and 777F, which have the powerplant installed as standard, as well as the GE-­powered 777-200ER.

But the carrier intends to ­pursue similar certification for the 777-200ER, fitted with Rolls-Royce Trent 800 as well as Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines.

Clearance from the US Federal Aviation Administration for these ­powerplants "is expected to follow over the next few months", the carrier added.

Boeing has looked at 330min extended twin-engine operations (ETOPS) certification for the 777-300ER for several years, ­having flown an initial 330min engine-out demonstration on a Seattle-Taipei test flight in 2003.

That flight, part of the 777-300ER's certification programme, involved the crew's shutting down one of the GE90s and flying on a single engine - at the time the longest such flight the airframer had conducted.

Air New Zealand is the first carrier to purchase the new ETOPS option. The airline has already performed 240min ETOPS flights between Los Angeles and Auckland.

Extension of the ETOPS capability will provide greater route flexibility to carriers in the South Pacific, those flying transpolar tracks and operators carrying out intercontinental services in the southern hemisphere.

"The airplane is able to fly a straighter route between the city pairs, and that's good for the environment," said Air New Zealand chief pilot David Morgan. "It's also good for customers because flights are potentially shorter and passengers could arrive sooner at their destinations."

Air New Zealand Unveils All Blacks 777

Air New Zealand today unveiled its latest Boeing 777-300ER, wearing a special All Blacks (the New Zealand Rugby team which won the world cup this year) livery, on Friday. The aircraft was presented for the media by Kieran Read and Andy Ellis, two members of the All Blacks who flew in to Boeing's Paine Field for the ceremony.
According to Boeing, painting of the 777 took over a week - two days longer than it takes for a usual 777 paint job - and used 700 litres of chrome-free paint. Contrary to popular belief, the black colour will not cause in any significant heating to the aircraft, said Air New Zealand.

The new aircraft, ZK-OKQ will enter into service in mid-January. All images, unless stated are copyright of Air New Zealand.

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