RAF to fly joint missions with German Air Force as UK prepares to lead NATO air policing in Estonia

The joint missions are the first of their kind, with the aim of full NATO integrated air policing missions in future.

Royal Air Force and German Air Force Typhoon jets will be flying joint air policing missions in Estonia for the first time, as the UK prepares to lead NATO’s mission in Estonia.

These integrated missions will be the first of their kind, with the eventual aim of carrying out full joint and integrated NATO Air Policing missions in the future.

Around 300 RAF personnel from the 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) will soon be in Estonia, as the RAF prepares to take the lead on the long-established NATO air policing mission from the German Air Force for four months, starting from April.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

"Our RAF personnel in Estonia are undertaking a vital role, ensuring the security of Europe’s skies and bolstering NATO’s presence in eastern Europe.

Joint operations of this kind, demonstrate the strength and unity of the NATO Alliance and our shared resolve to maintain peace and security across the region."

The EAW will be carrying out the long-established NATO Air Policing mission from Estonia. IX (Bomber) Squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth are operating the RAF Typhoons that have deployed from Scotland.

Wing Commander Scott Maccoll, Commanding Officer of 140 EAW said:

"Today marks a great ‘first’ for our two Air Forces. We have been working together for some time and the level of cooperation has now reached a new level. It continues to be an absolute pleasure to work with our German allies on all aspects of our mission - from maintenance and operation of the jets to planning and logistic activities.

I would also like to thank our Estonian hosts; they are vital to what we have achieved here. What better way to demonstrate the strength and unity of the NATO Alliance, than through successful, shared operations such as this?"

To operate successfully side by side, personnel from the two air forces have trained together to understand each other’s processes including maintenance and operating procedures. Both air forces fly the Eurofighter Typhoon, but there are national differences this is the first time a joint detachment will fully integrate all aspects of operations. Jets will now fly together on live NATO controlled intercepts.

The air policing mission is part of the UK’s wider NATO commitment in Estonia, alongside the presence of around a thousand British soldiers as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence.

No El Al pilots want to fly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife to Rome.......

According to Israel's Channel 12 and Walla! news agency the nations leading commercial airline hasn't been able to find a pilot to volunteer to fly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife on an official visit to Rome.

There are a number of protests taking place in Israel against the coalition government of Netanyahu following a  raft of judicial reforms which would halt the courts from overturning any amendments made by the government, ending judicial independence and giving more power to the government for future judge selection.  

Channel 12 and Walla have reported that a deadline of 14:00 local time yesterday for volunteers to fly the Prime minister passed without a single pilot wanting to do the job.  Many others have refused to fly a requested Boeing 777 because of the reforms.

According to local media,  it is not just commercial pilots that are refusing to take to the skies over the reforms.  Haaretz and  Arab media operation Almayadeen have reported that the vast majority of the 40-strong 69th Squadron reservists have said they will not attend training taking place this week.  

Emirates and Philippine Airlines announce interline partnership

                                  Emirates and Philippine Airlines (PAL) have signed an interline agreement to boost connectivity for passengers of both air carriers to new points on each other’s networks via Manila and Dubai, using a single ticket and one baggage policy.

Now in effect, the reciprocal interline partnership provides Emirates’ passengers access to 19 Philippine domestic destinations operated by Philippine Airlines, including Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, Cotabato, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo and more, as well as two Asian regional points via Manila. Philippine Airlines’ passengers also benefit from access to Emirates’ global network and seamlessly connect to 21 cities operated by Emirates beyond Dubai to European destinations such as London, Rome, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Paris and Kuwait, as well as to Jeddah and other points in the Middle East, Africa and India. 

Travel itineraries can be booked on emirates.com, philippineairlines.com, the Emirates and PAL mobile apps, or via both online and offline travel agents.

Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer commented: “The Philippines is one of our strongest consumer markets and we’re pleased to sign a new interline agreement with the country’s flag carrier. The partnership with Philippine Airlines will help open new links for trade and tourism that will drive more inbound traffic into the market, and expand Emirates’ footprint in East Asia. We look forward to serving our partner airline’s customers with additional travel choices to Emirates destinations across the Middle East, Europe as well as the Americas, and to expanding our cooperation with plans to include additional points via Cebu in the coming months.”

RAF Lossiemouth Poseidons arrive in Sicily for NATO Exercise DYNAMIC MANTA

Royal Air Force Poseidon jets from RAF Lossiemouth have arrived in Sicily to participate in a major NATO training exercise.

Operating from Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily, Exercise DYNAMIC MANTA will see CXX Squadron join aircraft and personnel from 9 allied nations for two weeks of anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare training. 

Held yearly, the maritime exercise provides participants with a complex and challenging warfare environment to enhance their interoperability and proficiency in maritime patrol operations.

Squadron Leader Birchall, Detachment Commander CXX Squadron said:  "The high-end training and complex exercise environment offered by Dynamic Manta combined with the opportunity to share best practise with so many other partners and allies is invaluable. Our presence here also demonstrates the UK’s commitment to maritime security and deepening cooperation with our NATO allies.

Eurofighter Typhoon programme progresses

Defence Ministers from participating nations meet in Italy to discuss the pan-Europe Eurofighter Typhoon programme.

From the UK, the Minister for Defence Procurement, Alex Chalk KC, joined the cohort in Milan to discuss on-going cooperation on the programme – a joint venture between UK, Germany, Spain and Italy, under the governance of NATO.

They discussed existing Eurofighter export campaigns and ongoing investment in the aircraft to further increase its military capability in the coming years.

As previously announced, Typhoon fighter jets are to be fitted with the world’s most advanced radar – as part of a £2.35 billion investment and the programme continues to support more than 20,000 jobs throughout the UK.

Showcasing the successes of defence collaboration between allied nations, the Eurofighter Typhoon continues to be a highly capable, combat-proven, air defence and ground attack aircraft with a range of world-beating capabilities.

Minister for Defence Procurement, Alex Chalk KC, said:  "The Eurofighter Typhoon continues to be a world-beating aircraft and that is thanks to the strong and enduring relationship we have with our partners on the programme.

I am reassured by their commitment and look forward to further strengthening those ties in Combat Air Capability."

RAF Chinook conducts airborne gunnery training in Lincolnshire

RAF Chinook conducts airborne gunnery training in Lincolnshire

A Royal Air Force Chinook from RAF Odiham has been conducting live firing training at a range in Lincolnshire.

A Royal Air Force Chinook from RAF Odiham has been conducting live firing training at a range in Lincolnshire.

During the exercise, the Chinook fired twin M134 Miniguns and single M60D General Purpose Machine guns at a mix of purpose-built targets.

The firing is done by the onboard Weapons System Operators, who are required to conduct this training regularly to ensure they maintain their skills and safety qualifications. Firing from a moving helicopter is particularly difficult and the accuracy of the firing was assessed as part of the training. The training includes responses to various threat scenarios, such as self-defence when the aircraft is taking-off and landing.

After completing the daylight firing serials, the aircraft landed at RAF Coningsby to refuel and replenish the ammunition. It then completed the same training at night, with the crew using night vision goggles.

Blue Islands - Freedom to fly 18 & 19 March

Blue Islands, the leading airline of the Channel Islands, has released more details of its first Freedom to fly course to help passengers who are scared of flying shed their fears with ease.

The next date for the course will be 18 and 19 of this month and will be held at Gurnsey Airport, with two further courses in Jersey on 29 & 30 April and 6 & 7 May.

Blue Islands’ two-day Freedom to Fly courses have had great success combining technical insights from our senior Captains, with behavioural change coaching by specialist Mo Bury and culminate in an experience flight around the islands. 

Rob Veron, CEO Blue Islands said, “Freedom to Fly is totally free, and something we’re proud to offer our island community. Travel is essential when living on an island and we want to play our part in making a difference to the lives of our attendees through the opportunities that travel brings. A fear of flying is surprisingly common, and can have a real impact on those who are affected, whether it’s connecting with friends and family, or required for work travel, it’s an essential part of island life.”

Rob added, “We developed our Freedom to Fly course back in 2017 and have continually developed it since; fine-tuning our proven formula to deliver the best possible environment to help participants successfully overcome their fears and enjoy air travel in greater comfort.  Also, to embrace those where new aversions have perhaps developed during the two-year hiatus of the pandemic.”

Airbus wins contract from Angola for Earth observation satellite Angeo-1

Supporting Angola’s strategic space ambitions with the most advanced satellite in its class in the region

As part of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit yesterday, Airbus Defence and Space has announced an agreement for Angeo-1, the first very high-performance Angolan Earth observation satellite, to be manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space in France, which strengthens the collaboration between the two countries.

Jean-Marc Nasr, Head of Space Systems at Airbus said: “Space supports life on Earth. This is why I was honoured to join Presidents João Lourenço and Emmanuel Macron to support Angola’s far-sighted space ambitions. As Angola’s strategic partner for space, Airbus will deliver a latest-generation Earth observation satellite to support social and economic development including a range of strategic activities such as urban planning and management of precious mineral resources.”

Angola has already developed various operational applications using satellite imagery from Airbus Defence and Space, such as land use mapping, agriculture monitoring and maritime surveillance and also operates its own telecommunications satellite (Angosat-2).

Luxair to grow single-aisle fleet with Boeing 737 MAX planes

Luxair has decided to use Boeing 737- MAX jets to expand its single-aisle fleet, the company is to acquire four of the jets, identical to the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air planes that crashed killing all onboard in 2019 and 2018.

Luxair will initially lease two 737- MAX 8s that are due for delivery for the summer, ensuring the airline provides its customers with increased capacity and connectivity to more destinations for the busy summer travel season. It has additionally placed a direct order for two 737- MAX 8s.

"Today is a good day for Luxair, our staff and our esteemed clients. Luxair took a large step into the direction of securing its role as the quality airline of Luxembourg and the Greater Region," said Gilles Feith, Luxair CEO. "I want to thank our Board of Directors for this act of trust, our staff members who helped us in the last years, all our valued customers and Cargolux. Today marks just the beginning of the journey of securing the long-term future of Luxair. Much more is yet to come."

IATA challenges the legality of mandatory flight reductions at Schiphol Airport

Photo by Aron Marinelli on Unsplash

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and airlines are mounting a legal challenge to the Dutch government’s sudden decision to reduce Schiphol airport’s capacity. 

Schiphol Airport is already restricted to 500,000 flights annually. The government’s decree would renege on that agreement, reducing Schiphol connectivity to 460,000 flights from November 2023.

IATA and the global airline community believe that this political decision by the Dutch government contravenes EU Regulation 598/2014 on noise-related operating restrictions at EU airports. It also disregards the Chicago Convention, a binding international agreement to which the Netherlands is a signatory. Annex 16 of the Convention contains provisions for The Balanced Approach to Aircraft Noise Management which states are obligated to follow when taking measures to managing the noise impacts of aviation.

Key requirements of EU Regulation 598/2014 and the Balanced Approach are: 

Consultation with affected parties

The use of flight reductions only as a last resort

Balancing the needs and concerns of local residents, the environment and the local economy for aviation’s economic and social benefits.

 The decision to cut capacity at Schiphol fails to meet these requirements because:

No meaningful consultation was undertaken with industry

Flight reductions are being imposed as a first resort, rather than as a last resort

The need to restore the economic damage to the aviation industry of the Netherlands is not being addressed. Pre-pandemic, aviation supported some 330,000 jobs and $30 billion of economic activity in the Netherlands.

“The Netherlands is handicapping its economy by destroying connectivity. And it is doing it in contravention of EU law and its international obligations. The job-destroying hostile approach to aviation that the Dutch government has chosen is a totally disproportionate response to managing noise. The government has even refused to engage in meaningful consultations and made flight reductions the goal, rather than working with industry to meet noise and emissions reduction goals while restoring employment and revitalizing the post-pandemic economy. The dangerous precedent that this illegal approach creates left no choice but to challenge them in court,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

The airline industry continually deploys quieter aircraft, reducing noise levels by 50% in the last decade. The investment in new fleet also plays a significant role in meeting the aviation industry’s commitment to reduce its CO2 emissions to net zero by 2050, as set out in a Resolution at the IATA AGM in 2021. The industry’s robust plan for reducing CO2 includes the uptake of Sustainable Aviation Fuels, of which airlines operating in and to the Netherlands have been among the leading users.

Universal Hydrogen completes first flight of hydrogen regional airliner

Universal Hydrogen Successfully Completes First Flight of Hydrogen Regional Airliner

The flight is the largest hydrogen fuel cell-powered aeroplane ever to take to the skies and the largest aeroplane to cruise principally on hydrogen

Universal Hydrogen Co., this morning flew a 40-passenger regional airliner using hydrogen fuel cell propulsion. The aeroplane, nicknamed Lightning McClean, took off at 8:41am PST from Grant County International Airport (KMWH) and flew for 15 minutes, reaching an altitude of 3,500 MSL. The flight, conducted under an FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate, was the first in a two-year flight test campaign expected to culminate in 2025 with entry into passenger service of ATR 72 regional aircraft converted to run on hydrogen. Representatives from Connect Airlines and Amelia, the US and European launch customers for the hydrogen aeroplanes, respectively, were on hand to witness the historic flight. The company has a rapidly growing order book, today totalling 247 aircraft conversions from 16 customers worldwide, totalling over $1 billion in conversions backlog and over $2 billion in fuel services over the first ten years of operation.

“Today will go down in the history books as the true start to the decarbonization of the global airline industry and we at Connect Airlines are extremely proud of the role that we, as the first US operator, will play in leading the way with Universal Hydrogen,” said John Thomas, CEO of Connect Airlines. Connect, which will begin regional turboprop service this spring, has placed a first-position US order with Universal Hydrogen to convert 75 ATR 72-600 regional aeroplanes to hydrogen powertrains with purchase rights for 25 additional aircraft conversions. Deliveries will start in 2025. “We have committed to being North America’s first zero-emission airline and this historic flight, taking hydrogen, which can be made with nothing but sunshine and emitting only water, is a key milestone on our journey,” continued Thomas.

“With this technology, and the improvement of government positive regulations I am confident that we can turn the tide of public sentiment and once again make aviation a shining beacon of technological optimism,” added Alain Regourd, President of Amelia.

In this first test flight, one of the aeroplane’s turbine engines was replaced with Universal Hydrogen’s fuel cell-electric, megawatt-class powertrain. The other remained a conventional engine for safety of flight. The flight was piloted by Alex Kroll, an experienced former U.S. Air Force test pilot and the company’s chief test pilot. “During the second circuit over the airport, we were comfortable with the performance of the hydrogen powertrain, so we were able to throttle back the fossil fuel turbine engine to demonstrate cruise principally on hydrogen power,” said Kroll. “The aeroplane handled beautifully, and the noise and vibrations from the fuel cell powertrain are significantly lower than from the conventional turbine engine.”

The company’s powertrain is built around Plug Power’s ProGen family of fuel cells specially modified for aviation use. One of the unique aspects of the design is that the powertrain does not use a battery—the fuel cells drive the electric motor directly—drastically reducing weight and cost. The motor, a modified magni650 electric propulsion unit, and power electronics were supplied by Everett-based magniX. Seattle-based AeroTEC assisted with engineering efforts, including design of the modified nacelle structure, aircraft systems design and integration, as well as aircraft modifications and installation of the Universal Hydrogen powertrain onto the flight test aircraft, accomplished in less than 12 months.

Net income for the fourth quarter of 2022 was $495 million reports AerCap

AerCap Holdings releases its latest detailed results for the fourth quarter of 2022 ended December 31, 2022.

Highlights

Net income for the fourth quarter of 2022 was $495 million, or $2.04 per share.

Adjusted net income for the fourth quarter of 2022 was $645 million, or $2.66 per share.

Adjusted debt/equity ratio of 2.5 to 1 as of December 31, 2022.

Record 299 transactions executed in the fourth quarter 2022, including 159 lease agreements, 43 purchases and 97 sales.

$1 billion of sales in the fourth quarter of 2022, at a margin of 14%.

93% of new aircraft order book placed through 2024.

AerCap ratings upgraded to Baa2 by Moody's.

Aengus Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of AerCap, said: "We are pleased to report a record quarter of results for AerCap. Air travel demand continues to improve as more countries reopen their borders. The strong performance across all of our business lines reflects how well our teams are working together to deliver an extraordinary number of transactions, and clearly demonstrates the success of the GECAS acquisition, the successful integration of the two companies and the recovery in aviation. Broad-based demand, in tandem with a curtailed supply environment, is helping to drive lease rates higher across aircraft, engines and helicopters."

easyJet launches partnership with Fantasy Wings

The airline is funding opportunities for young people from black, asian and minority ethnic backgrounds and young women aged 13-25 to launch a career in aviation

New partnership provides 50 schools with fully-sponsored places for young people from black, asian and minority ethnic backgrounds and young women to join Fantasy Wings’ aviation career development programme



The programme is designed to widen access to the industry through skills development, practical knowledge training, mentorship by industry leaders and even flight training  

Young people aged 13-25 who are interested in taking up a career in aviation can register their interest now for this year’s programme which will launch in October

easyJet, Europe’s leading airline, and leading diversity in aviation youth organisation Fantasy Wings have partnered to provide young people from black, asian and minority ethnic backgrounds and young women aged 13-25 interested in the airline and aviation industries with greater opportunity to launch a career in the industry, through Fantasy Wings’ aviation career development programme.

To launch the partnership, easyJet is sponsoring places for students from 50 schools across the UK to join the programme, which is designed to equip young people with the necessary tools they need to succeed in the industry and land their first-time role through skills development, practical knowledge training, career mentorship by industry leaders and even flight training.

The launch of the partnership is part of easyJet’s ongoing wider Inclusion and Diversity commitments to create an inclusive culture where people are able to be themselves at work and perform at their best, and to drive a more diverse community within the airline and aviation as a whole.

Fantasy Wings is a UK-based organisation whose mission is to inspire young people who are interested in a career in aviation and grow awareness of the great range of careers of offer, from engineering and operations, to air navigation and of course, flying.

Finnair is turning 100 years in November 2023 and celebrates with a new livery on two A350 jets.

Two Finnair A350 aircraft

 get a Moomin makeover

Finnair is turning 100 years in November 2023. To mark the centenary, the beloved Moomin characters are featured on the livery of two Finnair widebody aircraft for the duration of the year. 

 

Finnair has taped a picture of Moomintroll and Snorkmaiden in the livery of two of its Airbus A350 aircraft. The registration numbers of the aircraft are OH-LWP and OH-LWO. The Moomin aircraft will fly to various long-haul destinations in Finnair’s network, like Dallas, Tokyo and Bangkok. 

 

“Finnair’s mission is to enrich life by bridging the world. This is also the theme of our centenary. Moomins represent friendship, community and going on adventures together, so they are a great fit for our values,” says Finnair’s CEO Topi Manner. “Customers will be able to see the centenary in many ways throughout 2023, as we remember our heritage and look forward to the next 100 years.” 

 

“Finnair is one of Moomin’s major licensees and we’ve been working together since the 1990s. We’re very happy to see this collaboration extended with the new Moomin livery on Finnair aircraft,” says Roleff Kråkström, Managing Director of Moomin Characters Ltd. 

“Moomin is a character-brand grounded in the universal and timeless values of tolerance, acceptance and friendship upon which Nordic societies are built. These are the values that come to life in the Moomin embrace depicted in the Finnair 100 livery,” says Kråkström. 

 

Last time the Moomins were seen in Finnair aircraft livery was in the mid-1990s.The new centenary livery was taped by HAECO in Hong Kong.

 

In addition to the Moomin livery, Finnair Technical Operations in Helsinki have painted the centennary slogan “Bringing us together since 1923” on three other aircraft. The registration numbers of the aircraft are OH-LWR (A350), OH-LXM (A320) and OH-LXK (A320). 

 

Finnair now invites all Moomin and aviation fans to share photos and videos of the Moomin livery on Instagram with the hashtag #finnairmoomin. Finnair will reward one lucky content producer with two Business Class flights to either Tokyo or Helsinki. More information is available at www.finnair.com/finnair100. 

 

Malaysia Airlines signs 5-year deal with IBS Software to Leverage AI and ML Technology Solutions

Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) signs a five-year deal to migrate its crew management systems to IBS Software’s’ cloud-based platform, iFlight Crew, to further automate and upgrade its aviation operations with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning benefits.

 

IBS Software has a longstanding partnership of over 10 years with MAB and will continue to support the company’s journey to revolutionise its flight operations with solutions including iFlight Crew Tracking, Manpower Planning, AD OPT Pairing and Rostering Optimiser. These functions aim to improve employee productivity in automating situational awareness and decision-making, and facilitate seamless data flow between ops and crew tracking functions, to significantly improve disruption recovery.

 

With customer and crew satisfaction at the heart of its latest solution, iFlight Crew factors in complex variables and scenarios, before providing optimal crew pairing and rostering solutions. It also maximises productivity and controls costs whilst adhering to strict industry standards and regulations. Its latest technology accelerates flexible and accessible self-service tools for airline crew.