Aviation News Headlines
Global Aviation Aerospace & Airlines Industry news headlines with up-to-date news on Boeing, Cessna, Hawker Beechcraft, Bombardier Aerospece/Learjet, Spirit Aerosystems, Airbus Wing Design and many other national aircraft builders.
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Reporting on Aviation in the Air Capital: Wichita Eagle Writer Reflects on Covering Wichita's Dynamic Industry.
Wichita Eagle: AviationDallas-based Southwest Airlines will be the launch customer of Boeing’s 737 MAX 7, the third version of Boeing’s 737 MAX family, a revamped version of Boeing’s 737, Southwest and Boeing said Wednesday. Southwest converted existing orders for 30 737s into orders for the 737 MAX 7, becoming the first customer for the aircraft. The first delivery is expected in 2019. “The 737 MAX 7 builds on the strengths of today’s Next Generation 737-700, incorporating the latest CFM International LEAP-1B engines (and) is expected to reduce fuel burn and CO2 emissions by an additional 12 percent over today’s most fuel-efficient single-aisle airplane,” Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines chairman, president and CEO, said in a statement. Read more U.S. airlines collected more than $6 billion in baggage and reservation change fees from passengers last year - the highest amount since the fees became common five years ago. Passengers shouldn't expect a break anytime soon. Those fees - along with extra charges for boarding early or picking prime seats - have helped return the industry to profitability. Airlines started charging for a first checked suitcase in 2008 and the fees have climbed since. Airlines typically charge $25 each way for the first checked bag, $35 for the second bag and then various extra amounts for overweight or oversized bags. Read more The nation’s 10 largest airlines, as a group, recorded a net loss of $145 million in the last quarter of 2012, compared to a $602 million loss in the fourth quarter of 2011, the Department of Transportation said Tuesday. The losses came after two quarters of profits. The 10 airlines carried 76.1 percent of U.S. airlines’ scheduled passengers in the last three months of the year. Read more The biggest concern for Wichita’s general aviation industry isn’t the market or jobs, said Teal Group aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia. It’s manufacturers’ decision to cut engineering and product development capabilities through the downturn, Aboulafia told nearly 200 people gathered at the Wichita Aero Club luncheon on Tuesday. There’s been some deterioration there, he said. And that can impair the capability to rebound in a still-sluggish market. Read more Beechcraft Defense Co., a division of Beechcraft Corp., has received a $210 million contract from the Air Force for the next round of T-6 primary trainers under the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System. The contract is for 35 T-6 turboprops: 33 for the U.S. Navy and two for the U.S. Army. Production begins this month, with final delivery scheduled for February 2015. Read more Standing by a long workbench in his Derby basement, Paul Fiebich shows visitors the wooden fuselage of the replica 1930s biplane he’s building. Four fabric-covered wings are stored overhead in the neatly organized room. Fiebich figures the biplane, a replica of the Tiger Moth, will be ready to fly within two years. Read more About 80 students from Brooks Middle School in Wichita spent Thursday at the National Center for Aviation Training for the conclusion of a program called Flying Challenge. Students took turns taking flights in Cessna 172s, participating in robotics and aircraft paint labs, and watching radio-controlled aircraft. “It was definitely an adventure,” said eighth-grader Taylor Garcia, who had never been up in a small plane before. Now, “I want to learn how to fly a plane.” Read more General aviation manufacturers delivered 458 planes in the first three months of 2013, a 10 percent increase compared to 418 for the same time a year ago. Wichita planemakers delivered 32 percent of all aircraft shipped in the first quarter. Billings for the quarter totaled $4.6 billion, up 32 percent compared to $3.5 billion a year ago. Read more The newly reorganized Beechcraft Corp. delivered 59 Beechcraft and military aircraft, plus the final six remaining Hawker 4000 business jets, during the first quarter of 2013, the company said Wednesday. That compares to 37 Beechcraft airplanes delivered in the first three months of 2012. “The market is responding positively to the new Beechcraft Corp., as we focus on a strong line of versatile and globally-renowned products like the King Air turboprop, the T-6 military trainer aircraft and the largest global customer support network in the industry,” Beechcraft CEO Bill Boisture said in a statement. “This is not only reflected in our strong aircraft delivery numbers this quarter, but also evidenced by the highest booking rate the company has seen in the past three years.” Read more
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Airbus - http://www.airbusnorthamerica.com/newsroom/index.asp
The newest Airbus facility in the U.S., and the largest in terms of people-power, is in Wichita, Kansas. Airbus North America Engineering, Inc. opened in Spring 2002, is the first design and engineering venture for Airbus in North America and hosts some 140 engineers on the newest and largest Airbus aircraft: the A380. |
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Boeing Airplane Company - http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/index.html
The Boeing Company is the largest aerospace company in the world, as measured by total sales, and one of the nation's leading exporters. Boeing is the world's largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft, and the nation's largest NASA contractor. The company's capabilities in aerospace also include helicopters, electronic and defense systems, missiles, rocket engines, launch vehicles, and advanced information and communication systems. |
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Boeing Defense, Space & Security - http://www.boeing.com/bds
Boeing Defense, Space & Security working in partnership with its customers and focusing on network-centric, capability-driven solutions, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is transforming business and military operations to address a rapidly changing world. The seven customer-facing business units are Aerospace Support, Air Force Systems, Army Systems, Missile Defense Systems, NASA Systems, Naval Systems and Space Intelligence Systems. |
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Bombardier Aerospace/Learjet - http://press.businessaircraft.bombardier.com/en/press_release.jsp
Encompassing Learjet, Canadair, deHavilland, and Shorts... as the world's third largest civil aircraft manufacturer. The company designs, markets and supports the world's broadest line of business jets, from the Learjet 31A Light Jet to the ultra long-range Bombardier Global Express. Wichita is the production site for Learjet aircraft as well as one of seven Business Aviation Service Centers and the dedicated center for all of the company's aircraft certification flight-testing. |
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Cessna Aircraft - http://www.cessna.com/company-info/news-and-events
The Cessna Aircraft Company, pioneer of general aviation, manufactures or has under development the industry's most extensive line of business jets ... the CitationJet, Citation CJ1, Citation CJ2, Citation Bravo, Citation Encore, Citation Excel, Citation Sovereign, Citation VII and the world's fastest business jet, the Citation X. The Cessna Caravan is the best selling turboprop utility aircraft in the marketplace, is also manufactured in Wichita. |
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Hawker Beechcraft - http://newsroom.hawkerbeechcraft.com/news-press/
Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is the world’s leading business, special-mission and trainer aircraft manufacturer – designing, marketing and supporting aviation products and services for businesses, governments and individuals worldwide. The company’s headquarters and major facilities are located in Wichita, Kansas, with operations in Salina, Kansas; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Chester, England, U.K. The company leads the industry with a global network of over 100 factory-owned and authorized service centers. |
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Spirit AeroSystems- http://www.spiritaero.com/Media.aspx
Wichita, Kansas is the headquarters for Spirit AeroSystems, having been purchased by the Onex Corp. from Boeing Commercial Airplanes in June, 2005. In addition to Wichita, the Company has operations in Tulsa and McAlester, Oklahoma. Spirit AeroSystems is the world's largest Tier 1 supplier of commercial airplane assemblies and components. |
Recent Aviation NewsSpirit AeroSystems board names Larry Lawson, president and chief executive officer Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. announced today that its board of directors has named Larry A. Lawson, president and chief executive officer, effective April 6, 2013. Mr. Lawson, formerly executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics business segment, succeeds Jeff Turner who has been Spirit's CEO since the company's formation in 2005. Mr. Turner is expected to remain on Spirit's board of directors. Court Approves Hawker Beechcraft’s Plan of Reorganization Hawker Beechcraft, Inc. announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York has approved its Joint Plan of Reorganization, paving the way for the company to emerge from Chapter 11 in the second half of February.
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