ALITALIA CITYLINER

Alitalia CityLiner
Alitalia is updating its fleet and on Sept. 26th the airline received its first Embraer 190, for its regional division . The carrier ordered twenty E-Jets, five E190 and 15 E175, at a total cost of 400 million Euro, that will replace the current regional fleet of ten CRJ900 of Air One and six E170 are already in service on the Rome-Milan route and on the Rome-Vienna and Rome-Trieste, they are equipped with "step approach" technology to operate on shorts field such as Florence and LCA.

The regional segment f the company keeps name Alitalia CityLiner that was of Air One. The choice of the E-Jet was a difficult one, based on three parameters, the judgment of customers, the opinions of employees and the overall economic data, and they will be flown on more services than mere feeder routes. 

Strategic cooperation was established with the manufacturer, that provides advanced technology and very reliable delivery and post sale service. The E190 is configured with 100 single class seats of late generation, with 30_31 in. pitch, with an enhanced perception of space.

These airlines will be used both on point_to_point national and international routes, and as an alternate on non-peak hours flights on multi-frequency routes have a strong component of business flyers, who require different option of time, for which flexibility is necessary.

Thus the passengers who fly the E190 on non-peak hours will enjoy the same advanced technology and the same high level of comfort as on the Airbus A320 family.

The current bases of Alitalia CityLiner are Milan Linate and Rome Fiumicino, and Venice will soon be added. Turin and Naples are also of much interest.

For connections with airliners of less than 80 seats, Alitalia will keep relying on strategic partnerships with specialized companies that can manage aircraft with haigt cost. The current partners of Alitalia are Darwin Airline and Air Alps, but more partnerships are begin considered. Alitalia wants to operate on smaller airfield both with direct capacity and through partners. Small but distant airports, such a Crotone or Trieste, can be addressed with direct capacity. The carrier stresses  the interest  for smaller destinations, and the fact that with its new regional fleet, Alitalia is able to better connect the Italian territory, reaching those minors airports where it was absent in the pas.

Jet-biofuel: is real bio?

Aviation biofuel is widely considered by the aviation industry to be one of the primary means by which the industry can reduce its carbon footprint.

Aviation biofuel is widely considered by the aviation industry to be one of the primary means by which the industry can reduce its carbon footprint. After a multi-year technical review from aircraft makers, engine manufacturers and oil companies, biofuels were approved for commercial use in July of 2011. Since then, multiple airlines have begun the use of biofuels on commercial flights . 

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) thinks a 6% share of sustainable 2nd generation biofuels is achievable by 2020 and Boeing supports a target of 1% of global aviation fuels by 2015. This is in support of the goals of the aviation industry reaching carbon neutral growth by 2020 and a 50% decrease in carbon emissions by 2050 .

The American Section of the International Association for Testing Materials (ASTM) approve the use of biofuels in July of 2011. This allows the airlines to fly passenger jets using derivatives of up to 50 percent biofuel made from feedstocks such as algae and wood chips. It will help carriers that account for 2 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions reduce pollution blamed for damaging the Earth’s atmosphere. Jet fuel is a mixture of a large number of different hydrocarbons. The range of their sizes is restricted by the requirements for the product, for example, freezing point or smoke point. Jet fuels are sometimes classified as kerosene or naphtha-type. Kerosene-type fuels include Jet A, Jet A-1, JP-5 and JP-8. Naphtha-type jet fuels, sometimes referred to as "wide-cut" jet fuel, include Jet B and JP-4. "Drop-in" biofuels are biofuels that are completely interchangeable with conventional fuels. Deriving "drop-in" jet fuel from bio-based sources is ASTM approved via two routes.

The first route is bio-SPK (Bio derived synthetic paraffinic Kerosene). Bio-SPK involves using oil which is extracted from plant sources like jatropha, algae, tallows, other waste oils, Babassu and camelina to produce bio-SPK by cracking and hydro-processing. The growing of algae to make jet fuel is a promising but still emerging technology. Algae fuel uses algae as its source of natural deposits. Harvested algae, like fossil fuel, release CO2 when burnt but unlike fossil fuel the CO2 is taken out of the atmosphere by the growing algae. Among algal fuels' attractive characteristics: they do not affect fresh water resources, can be produced using ocean and waste water, and are biodegradable and relatively harmless to the environment if spilled. Algae cost more per unit mass (as of 2010, food grade algae costs ~$5000/tonne), due to high capital and operating costs, yet are claimed to yield between 10 and 100 times more energy per unit area than other second-generation biofuel crops. One biofuels company has claimed that algae can produce more oil in an area the size of a two car garage than a football field of soybeans, because almost the entire algal organism can use sunlight to produce lipids, or oil. The United States Department of Energy estimates that if algae fuel replaced all the petroleum fuel in the United States, it would require 15,000 square miles (39,000 km2) which is only 0.42% of the U.S. map. This is less than 1⁄7 the area of corn harvested in the United States in 2000. However, these claims remain unrealized, commercially. According to the head of the Algal Biomass Organization algae fuel can reach price parity with oil in 2018 if granted production tax credits.

The second route is FT SPK (Fischer–Tropsch Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene). This process involves processing solid biomass using pyrolysis to produce pyrolysis oil or gassification to produce a syngas which is then prossessed into FT SPK. Jet fuel from the Fischer–Tropsch process using natural gas and coal. Using natural gas as a feedstock, the ultra-clean, low sulfur fuel has been tested extensively by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Air Force, which is the U.S. military's largest user of fuel, began exploring alternative fuel sources in 1999. On December 15, 2006, a B-52 took off from Edwards AFB, California for the first time powered solely by a 50–50 blend of JP-8 and FT fuel. The seven-hour flight test was considered a success. The goal of the flight test program is to qualify the fuel blend for fleet use on the service's B-52s, and then flight test and qualification on other aircraft. The test program concluded in 2007. This program is part of the Department of Defense Assured Fuel Initiative, an effort to develop secure domestic sources for the military energy needs. The Pentagon hopes to reduce its use of crude oil from foreign producers and obtain about half of its aviation fuel from alternative sources by 2016. With the B-52 now approved to use the FT blend, the C-17 Globemaster III, the B-1B, and eventually every airframe in its inventory to use the fuel by 2011. 

But just because the prefix “bio-” is tacked on the word “fuel” doesn't necessarily mean it creates less pollution. Conventional fossil fuels sometimes result in less overall carbon dioxide emissions than biofuels, points out a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study recently published online in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. As we know, many airlines, have started using blends of conventional jet fuel with fuel produced from plants. The biofuels can help the companies cut costs, but are they really better for the environment? Only if the plants they come from are grown in ecologically sensitive ways, says James Hileman, principal research engineer in the department of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT. "What we found was that technologies that look very promising could also result in high emissions, if done improperly," reports Hileman in an MIT press release. "You can't simply say a biofuel is good or bad ‚ it depends on how it's produced and processed, and that's part of the debate that hasn't been brought forward, says Hileman.

Hileman and MIT graduate students Russell Stratton and Hsin Min Wong examined the carbon dioxide produced during the life cycle of 14 fuel sources, including conventional petroleum-based jet fuel and "drop-in" biofuels: alternatives that can directly replace conventional fuels with little or no change to existing infrastructure or vehicles. Growing crops for jet fuel production often entails clearing forests or using machines that also burn fuel. Drilling for oil takes energy, too. Then the raw materials from both sources have to be transported and processed. "All those processes require energy," Hileman says, "and that ends up in the release of carbon dioxide.  People don't often think of coal-to-liquid fuel production as a green option, remarks Hileman. But "severe cases of land-use change could make coal-to-liquid fuels look green," he says. On the other hand, the study points out many forms of biofuel that are more environmentally sensitive and produce less pollution. Many of these truly “green” biofuels have common characteristics. They can grow on marginal lands and don't compete with food for prime fertile land, and they also create useful by-products. Hileman notes that many of these by-products can further reduce the overall carbon dioxide release from the biofuels.

For example, converting jatropha, a shrub that can grow in poor soils and dry areas, to biofuel also yields solid biomass: For every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of jatropha oil produced, 0.8 kilograms (1.8 pounds) of meal, 1.1 kilograms (2.4 pounds) of shells and 1.7 kilograms (3.7 pounds) of husks are created. These by-products can be used to improve soil, prevent erosion or feed animals, or be burned for heat or electricity production.

All in all, the transition to biofuels is a complicated subject. Hileman notes that this research is only one lens through which biofuels can be viewed. The costs involved and crop yields are important considerations as well.

Airbus and Boeing: a rivalry began 40 years ago, when one was David and the other Goliath (Part 3)

Forty years ago, the world was abuzz over the Boeing 747 and the BAC-Aerospatiale Concorde both whom had just made their first flights just a few months before. Within months of the 1969 Paris Air show the European aerospace companies created Airbus Industries which would take on the industry leaders of the day Boeing, Lockheed, and McDonnell Douglas. Today Airbus and Boeing are the two survivors battling it out in an intense global duopoly.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a long-range, mid-size wide-body, twin-engine jet airliner developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It seats 210 to 290 passengers, depending on the variant. Boeing states that it is the company's most fuel-efficient airliner and the world's first major airliner to use composite materials for most of its construction. The 787 consumes 20% less fuel than the similarly-sized Boeing 767. Some of its distinguishing features include a four-panel windshield, noise-reducing chevrons on its engine nacelles, and a smoother nose contour. The 787 also features a state of the art cockpit and passenger cabin. Boeing even offers its own version of the famous Airbus cabin "mood lighting".

As for the A 380, the 787 development and production has involved a large-scale collaboration with numerous suppliers around the globe. Final assembly is at the Boeing Everett Factory in Everett, Washington. The aircraft's initial designation was 7E7, prior to its renaming in January 2005. The first 787 was unveiled in a roll-out ceremony on July 8, 2007, at Boeing's Everett assembly factory, Originally planned to enter service in May 2008, the project has suffered from multiple delays.

While Boeing had been working to trim excess weight since assembly of the first airframe began, common for new aircraft in development, the company stated in December 2006 that the first six 787s were overweight, with the first aircraft expected to be 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) heavier than specified. According to International Lease Finance Corporation's (ILFC), the 787-9's operating empty weight was around 14,000 lb (6,400 kg) overweight. The seventh and subsequent aircraft would be the first optimized 787-8s and were expected to meet all goals, with Boeing working on weight reductions. As part of this process, Boeing redesigned some parts and made more use of lighter titanium.

Boeing had originally planned for a first flight by the end of August 2007 and premiered the first 787 at a roll out ceremony on July 8, 2007, which matches the aircraft's designation in the US-style month-day-year format (7/8/07).

On September 5, Boeing announced a three-month delay, blaming a shortage of fasteners as well as incomplete software. On October 10, 2007, a second three-month delay to the first flight and a six-month delay to first deliveries was announced due to problems with the foreign and domestic supply chain, including an ongoing fastener shortage, the lack of documentation from overseas suppliers, and continuing delays with the flight guidance software. Less than a week later, Mike Bair, the 787 program manager was replaced. On January 16, 2008, Boeing announced a third three-month delay to the first flight of the 787, citing insufficient progress on "traveled work".

On April 9, 2008, Boeing officially announced a fourth delay, shifting the maiden flight to the fourth quarter of 2008, and delaying initial deliveries by around 15 months to the third quarter of 2009. The 787-9 variant was postponed to 2012 and the 787-3 variant was to follow with no firm delivery date. On November 4, 2008, the company announced a fifth delay due to incorrect fastener installation and the Boeing machinists strike, stating that the first test flight would not occur in the fourth quarter of 2008. After assessing the 787 program schedule with its suppliers, Boeing confirmed on December 11, 2008 that the first flight would be delayed until the second quarter of 2009.

Boeing featured its first 787 in a roll-out ceremony on July 8, 2007, at its Everett assembly factory, by which time it had become the fastest-selling wide-body airliner in history with nearly 600 orders. A total of 861 Boeing 787s have been ordered by 56 customers as of April 2009.

On December 15, 2009, Boeing conducted the Dreamliner's maiden flight with the first 787-8, originating from Snohomish County Airport in Everett, Washington and landing at Boeing Field in King County, Washington Completed flight testing in mid-2011. Final Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency certification was received in late August 2011 and the first model was delivered in September 26 2011. and the first commercial flight was in October 26

After initially claiming the A330 would be able to compete with the 787 Dreamliner, the massive success of the 787 prompted Airbus to develop and announce the A350XWB (eXtra Wide Body) which will become more of a competitor to the Boeing 777 as well as some models of the Boeing 787. The A350XWB cabin is 13 cm (5.1 in) wider at eye level than the competing Boeing 787, and 28 cm (11 in) narrower than the Boeing 777, and all A350 passenger models will have a range of at least 8,000 NM (15,000 km). Like the Boeing 787, the A350XWB will make extensive use of composite materials in place of the traditional aluminum, and have a state of the art cockpit. The fuselage will be of parallel cross-section from Door 1 to Door 4 thus providing for maximum volume in the passenger cabin. The plane has till date logged 483 orders and is currently under development and scheduled to enter service in 2013, about the same time the 787-9 variant of the Dreamliner will.

Now the challenge will move on the single-aisle aircraft, with the A320neo and the 737MAX, and so the rivalry and one-upmanship carries on. But there will be time to talk about this.

Boeing announces design changes for 737 MAX

Boeing has announced which will the engine for the 737MAX

The company released the new details Thursday to try to stem the momentum of the hot selling A320neo, Airbus' revamp of its single-aisle jet family that features an even larger new engine that will produce the most fuel-efficient and least-costly jet in the single-aisle market.

The current models of the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737 split the single-aisle market roughly down the middle. Boeing needs the MAX to maintain that share against the neo. The 737 chief project engineer, said the current 737 is lighter and more fuel efficient than the current A320, and the new MAX design will leapfrog the neo and have 7 percent better operating economics. The engine for the 737 MAX will have a larger, 68-inch diameter fan and a lower weight affects about 30 percent of its operating costs, and more efficient, lighter design and requires less thrust than other airplanes in this class, which is important because weight and thrust have a significant effect on fuel efficiency and operating costs. Airbus decided two years ago to add a new engine to its A320 single-aisle jet and received hundreds of firm orders at this year's air show. Boeing followed suit and said Thursday that it now has 600 commitments for the new MAX, up from 496 when it launched the program in August.

John Hamilton, the 737 chief project engineer, said:"There's a much better structural efficiency that goes into the 737 design than into the Airbus design," Boeing will increase the engine fan size from 61 inches on today's 737 to 68 inches on the new MAX engine — called the LEAP, being developed by CFM International. A bigger fan sucks in more air, providing greater thrust. But Boeing's increase in engine fan size just matches the fan size of today's A320.

"Today, our (737) engine is 7 inches smaller than the Airbus (A320) engine, and yet we have lower operating costs," Hamilton said. "The 737-900ER is nearly 50 pounds lighter per seat" than the comparable A321. The MAX "doesn't need the high thrust requirements that the Airbus product has," he said. "When you look at drag, fuel efficiency and weight, the 68-inch fan is really the optimum solution for the 737 airplane going forward." It said in one year, a fleet of 100 will save 175 million pounds of jet fuel and save $85 million in fuel costs. Boeing said the amount of fuel burned should be 16 percent less than the competitors are burning now and 4 percent less than future offerings.

Airbus spokeswoman Mary Anne Greczyn dismissed that claim, saying Boeing is struggling to overcome a structural limitation: that the 737 wing sits closer to the ground than the A320's wing, so that a larger, more fuel-efficient fan won't fit. "If a smaller fan engine were to generate the appropriate level of efficiency, we could have easily incorporated that, since we are not constrained as our competitor, " Greczyn said. "The A320neo family is designed to benefit from the aircraft's inherent advantage." He acknowledged that Boeing is behind Airbus in its re-engine program, the A320neo, but said there's a lot of interest from airlines in Boeing's model. "It's a huge growth market," he said of single-aisle jets. "The customers are responding quite well, and we expect several hundred more commitments soon."

Hamilton said the engine will be the largest change for the 737 MAX, but he noted several smaller ones. Boeing will refine the 737 airframe design in relatively small ways without changing the overall size of the planes. The larger, heavier engine will necessitate strengthening of the wing and parts of the fuselage, as well as designing a heftier strut to hold the engine on the wing and making minor system changes. Boeing will also lengthen the nose landing gear to raise the wing slightly and reshape the tail cone to streamline the air flow. and it will introduce fly-by-wire spoilers — the hinged parts on the wing that rise on landing to increase drag — which means they will be operated by computer rather than by direct cable connections.

Boeing said Thursday it continues to work with customers to see what they want in a new model aircraft. Boeing launched the 737 MAX in August; Airbus launched the neo last December and by the summer had captured more than 1,000 orders from airlines eager for more fuel-efficient planes.


Hamilton said customers are "responding well" to Boeing's preliminary design and that he expects "several hundred more commitments soon." Boeing won't finalize the design until 2013, he said.

The neo, due to enter service in 2015, at the end of September had 918 firm orders plus an additional 319 purchase commitments. The MAX, scheduled to enter service in 2017, has no firm orders. But on Thursday Boeing said it has garnered 600 purchase commitments from eight airlines, including some U.S. carriers.

Hamiliton called the 737 the most popular and reliable commercial jet and said it has sold more than 9,000 of the Renton-built aircraft.

Boeing has not announced where it will build the new 737 model, although analysts say it would be difficult for it to meet its deadlines if it tries to build entirely new production facilities elsewhere. Boeing executives say they will decide by the spring. Company spokeswoman Karen Crabtree said Thursday that the Renton site "has the skill base and knowledge to incorporate the production changes" needed for the MAX.

Airbus and Boeing: a rivalry began 40 years ago, when one was David and the other Goliath (Part 2)

Forty years ago, the world was abuzz over the Boeing 747 and the BAC-Aerospatiale Concorde both whom had just made their first flights just a few months before. Within months of the 1969 Paris Air show the European aerospace companies created Airbus Industries which would take on the industry leaders of the day Boeing, Lockheed, and McDonnell Douglas. Today Airbus and Boeing are the two survivors battling it out in an intense global duopoly.

On 19 December 2000, Airbus decided to end the three decade old monopoly of the Boeing 747 jumbo jet and formally launched the largest passenger aircraft in the world, the Airbus A380 super jumbo. The megaproject was announced at the 1990 Farnborough Air Show, with the stated goal of 15% lower operating costs than the 747-400. Airbus organized four teams of designers, one from each of its partners (Aérospatiale, Deutsche Aerospace AG, British Aerospace, CASA) to propose new technologies for its future aircraft designs. The A380's upper deck extends along the entire length of the fuselage, which allows for a cabin with 50% more floor space than the next-largest airliner, the Boeing 747-400 and provides seating for 525 people in standard three-class configuration or up to 853 people in all economy class configurations. Most airlines have outfitted their A380s with luxurious first class private suites, one even offering on-board showers.

The first A380, serial number MSN001 and registration F-WWOW, was unveiled at a ceremony in Toulouse on January 18, 2005.

But initial production of the A380 was troubled by delays. Airbus cited as underlying causes the complexity of the cabin wiring , its concurrent design and production, the high degree of customization for each airline, and failures of configuration management and change control.

Airbus announced the first delay in June 2005 and notified airlines that deliveries would be delayed by six months. His reduced the total number of planned deliveries by the end of 2009 from about 120 to 90–100. On 13 June 2006, Airbus announced a second delay, with the delivery schedule undergoing an additional shift of six to seven months. Although the first delivery was still planned before the end of 2006, deliveries in 2007 would drop to only 9 aircraft, and deliveries by the end of 2009 would be cut to 70–80 aircraft. On 3 October 2006, upon completion of a review of the A380 program, the CEO of Airbus, Christian Streiff, announced a third delay, pushing the first delivery to October 2007, to be followed by 13 deliveries in 2008, 25 in 2009, and the full production rate of 45 aircraft per year in 2010.

As Airbus prioritized the work on the A380-800 over the A380-800F, freighter orders were canceled by FedEx and UPS, or converted to A380-800 by Emirates and ILFC. Airbus suspended work on the freighter version, but said it remained on offer, albeit without a service entry date. For the passenger version Airbus negotiated a revised delivery schedule and compensation with the 13 customers, all of which retained their orders with some placing subsequent orders, including Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Air France,Qatar Airways, and Korean Air. The first aircraft, as delivered to Singapore Airlines on 15 October 2007 and entered service on 25 October 2007 Two months later, Singapore Airlines CEO Chew Choong Seng said that the A380 was performing better than both the airline and Airbus had anticipated, burning 20% less fuel per passenger than the airline's existing 747–400 fleet.

Boeing didn't want to lose a VLA (Very Large Aircraft) monopoly, and at the same time develops the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental (to compete with the A380) the fourth-generation Boeing 747 version, with lengthened fuselage, redesigned wings and improved efficiency, and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Perhaps the effort to develop two programs at the same time has caused delays.

Boeing had considered larger-capacity versions of the 747 several times during the 1990s and 2000s.In the 1996 Farnborough Airshow, announced would have stretched the 747 and used a 777-derived wing, but did not attract enough interest to enter development. In 2000, Boeing offered the 747X and 747X Stretch derivatives as alternatives to the Airbus A3XX. This was a more modest proposal than the previous . The 747X would increase the 747's wingspan to 229 ft (69.8 m) by adding a segment at the root. The 747X was to carry 430 passengers up to 8,700 nmi (16,100 km). The 747X Stretch would be extended to 263 ft (80.2 m) long, allowing it to carry 500 passengers up to 7,800 nmi (14,400 km). However, the 747X family was unable to attract enough interest to enter production. Some of the ideas developed for the 747X were used on the 747-400ER.

After the 747X program, Boeing continued to study improvements to the 747. The 747-400XQLR (Quiet Long Range) was meant to have an increased range, with better fuel efficiency and reduced noise. Changes studied included raked wingtips similar to those used on the 767-400ER and a sawtooth engine nacelle for noise reduction. Although the 747-400XQLR did not move to production, many of its features were used for the 747 Advanced.

In early 2004, Boeing announced tentative plans for the 747 Advanced that were eventually adopted. Similar in nature to the 747X, the stretched 747 Advanced used technology from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to modernize the design and its systems. On November 14, 2005, Boeing announced that it was launching the 747 Advanced as the "Boeing 747-8. 

The 747-8 was intended to use the same engine and cockpit technology as that of the 787, including the General Electric GEnx turbofan and partial fly-by-wire. Boeing said that the new design would be quieter, more economical, and more environmentally friendly than previous versions of the 747. As a derivative of the already-common 747-400, the 747-8 has the economic benefit of similar training and interchangeable parts. Boeing claims that the 747-8 is more than 10 percent lighter per seat and will consume 11 percent less fuel per passenger than the A380, translating into a trip-cost reduction of 21 percent and a seat-mile cost reduction of over 6 percent

Production of the first 747-8 Freighter began in Everett in early August 2008. On November 14, 2008, Boeing announced a delay to the 747-8 program, citing limited availability of engineering resources within Boeing, design changes, and the recent strike by factory workers. On July 21, 2009, Boeing released a photograph of the first cargo airplane, its fuselage and main wing assembled.

In February 2009, only one airline customer (Lufthansa) had ordered the 747-8I passenger model, and Boeing announced it was reassessing the 747-8 project. Chief executive Jim McNerney stated that continuation of the project was not a foregone conclusion. The company was assessing various options.

In October 2009, Boeing announced that it had delayed the first flight on the 747-8 until first quarter 2010 and delayed 747-8I delivery. In response, launch customer Cargolux stated it still intended to take delivery of the thirteen freighters it had ordered; Lufthansa confirmed its commitment to the passenger version. On November 12, 2009, Boeing announced that Cargolux's first airplane was fully assembled and entering the Everett plant's paint shop. It will undergo flight testing prior to delivery.

On February 8, 2010, after a 2.5-hour weather delay, the 747-8 Freighter made its maiden flight, taking off from Paine Field, Washington. On March 17 the third -8F made its first flight and joined the test program. Boeing still plans to display the 747-8F at the 2010 Farnborough Airshow, along with the 787, although appearances by both aircraft are contingent on flight testing remaining on schedule. During the flight tests, Boeing discovered a buffet problem with the aircraft, involving turbulence coming off the landing gear doors interfering with the inboard flaps. Boeing undertook an evaluation of the issue, which included devoting the third test aircraft to investigating the problem. The issue was resolved by a design change to the outboard main landing gear doors. In early April 2010, Boeing identified a possible defect in a part at the top of the fuselage called a longeron. According to Boeing, the parts, manufactured by subcontractor Vought Aircraft Industries, are, under certain loads, susceptible to cracking. Boeing said that the issue would not affect flight testing, but other sources stated that the problem could impact the operating envelope of the aircraft until it is fully repaired. Two other problems have been found, with oscillation in the inboard aileron, and a structural flutter, and have not yet been resolved. Combined, these problems have slowed flight testing and used up almost all the margin in Boeing's development schedule. 

On September 17, 2011 Cargolux announced that it would not accept the first two 747-8Fs due to "unresolved contractual issues between Boeing and Cargolux" with the aircraft. The 747-8F's first commercial flight was planned for September 26, 2011 by Cargolux from Luxembourg. After resolving their contractual issues, Boeing handed over the first 747-8F to Cargolux in Everett, Washington on October 12, 2011. The freighter then flew to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport and picked up cargo before flying to Luxembourg.

Boeing 737 begins from three UPDATE

Boeing Selects Larger Fan, FBW, Nose Gear Extension for 737 MAX

Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh has announced that the company will fit a 68in CFM Leap-1B engine on its 737 MAX family. In addition, the design will add fly-by-wire "one control surface" and the larger fan will prompt a 6-8in extension of the nose landing gear. Albaugh also says that the company now holds "north of 600 commitments" for the re-engined narrowbody. More via flightblogger

Airbus and Boeing: a rivalry began 40 years ago, when one was David and the other Goliath (Part 1)

Forty years ago, the world was abuzz over the Boeing 747 and the BAC-Aerospatiale Concorde both whom had just made their first flights just a few months before. Within months of the 1969 Paris Air show the European aerospace companies created Airbus Industries which would take on the industry leaders of the day Boeing, Lockheed, and McDonnell Douglas. Today Airbus and Boeing are the two survivors battling it out in an intense global duopoly.

In 1969 was clearly for Boeing. Its 747 Jumbo Jet reigned for more than 36 years as the Queen of the skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide body ever produced. The latest version of the aircraft, the 747-8, is in production and scheduled to enter service in 2010 but the project is highly delayed.

France and Germany, the founders of the consortium, were later joined by Spain and the United Kingdom set up the Airbus Industries consortium in 1970 and launched their first plane, the A300. The first twin engine wide-body aircraft, the A300 entered service in 1974 with Air France. The A300 was the first airliner to use just-in-time manufacturing techniques. Complete aircraft sections were manufactured by consortium partners all over Europe. These were airlifted to the final assembly line at Toulouse-Blagnac. Incidentally, today Boeing uses the same technique, ferrying the wings and other parts of the 787 Dreamliner from production facilities in the far east.

To counter the Airbus A300 and Boeing launched development of its twin-engine wide-body the 767 in 1978 which entered service in 1982. The 767 was conceived and designed in tandem with the narrow-body Boeing 757 twin-engine jet with both aircraft sharing common design features and flight decks. The 767 was followed the A300 cockpit and became the first Boeing wide-body airliner to enter service with a two-person crew flight deck, eliminating the need for a flight engineer. The first 767 entered service in 1982. Though orders started tapering off in the 1990s, updated versions of the plane are still in production, including the 767-400ER (extended range) model. American Airlines has outfitted many of its 767s with the Aviation Partners winglets in a bid to improve the fuel efficiency. There have been over 1,000 767s ordered with over 900 delivered as of 2009. The -300/-300ER models are the most popular variants, accounting for approximately two-thirds of all 767s ordered. As of 2009, Delta Air Lines operates the largest 767 fleet of any airline.

Airbus next widened its product offering and offered a replacement for the venerable Boeing 727 three-engine jet, the most popular aircraft at the time. At the same time the A320 also targeted Boeing's best seller the narrow-body 737. After the oil price shocks of the late 1970s, the new Airbus would be of the same size, yet offer vastly improved operating economics and significantly quieter engines. The digital technology in the A320 would herald a two generation technological leap over the all-analogue Boeing 727 and a generation ahead of the hybrid Boeing 737-300/-400/-500 series. The new Airbus was also wider than the 737s by almost eight inches providing passengers that crucial extra inch of shoulder space in the same six abreast seating layout. In 1984 Airbus launched the A320 and again Air France was the launch customer, The airliner became the best selling aircraft for Airbus, who quickly developed two shorter and smaller versions, the A319 and A318, and the longer and larger A321. The Boeing 737 is the best selling commercial airliner of all time, with the 6,000th aircraft being delivered very recently. 

Goaded by the runaway success of the modern Airbus A320 Boeing initiated development of an updated series of 737, now called the 737 Classic, with the 737 Next Generation or Next Gen (737NG) program encompassing the -600, -700, -800 and -900 was announced on November 17, 1993. The first NG, the 2,843rd 737 built, to roll out was a -700, on December 8, 1996. The 737NG is essentially a new aircraft retaining important commonality from previous 737 models. The wing area is increased by 25% and span by 16 ft (4.9 m), which increased the total fuel capacity by 30%. Coupled with the new, quieter, fuel-efficient CFM56-7B engines range is increased by 900 NM. Boeing also bridged the generational gap with the A320 bringing in the full "glass cockpit" with six LCD screens and modern avionics. The passenger experience was also spruced up with improvements similar to those on the Boeing 777, featuring more curved surfaces and larger overhead bins. To compete with the A321 on April 27, 2007, Boeing delivered the first of the newest 737 variant, the 737-900ER, to launch customer Lion Air. Seating capacity is increased to 180 passengers in a 2-class configuration or 215 passengers in a single-class layout. Additional fuel capacity and standard winglets improve range to that of other 737NG variants.

Following the success of the A320, Airbus next introduced the four engined A340 and twin-engine A330 mid-sized aircraft in 1987. While the A340 was designed to compete in the long distance over-water intercontinental routes, Airbus intended the A330 to compete directly in the ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operation Performance Standards) market, the Boeing 767, but airlines purchased it to replace the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 since the A330 is 38% more fuel efficient.

The A330's fuselage and wings are virtually identical to the A340 thus offering a common rating for both aircraft a'laing 767/757. Both the A340 and A330 borrow heavily from the A320 fly-by-wire and flightdeck, thus offering airlines the ability to move pilots between the narrow and wide-bodies with minimal training, again like the Boeing 767/757. But the A340 was not as successful the A330 was.

Boeing responded the best way it could; by introducing the world's largest twin-engined jet the 777, commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven" The 777 can carry between 283 and 368 passengers in a three-class configuration and has a range from 5,235 to 9,380 nautical miles (9,695 to 17,372 km). Designed to bridge the capacity difference between the 767 and 747, the original 777-200 model first entered service in 1995 with United Airlines, and was stretched by 33.3 ft (10.1 m) as the 777-300 introduced in 1998. The 777-300ER (Extended Range) and 777-200LR (Long Range) variants entered service in 2004 and 2006, respectively, while a freighter version, the 777F, first flew in 2008. It's ease of use, passenger comfort, and operating economics have made it a favourite of airlines, and the 777 has blow the bottom out of the Airbus A340.

LONDON'S AIRPORT

Waiting for the intense air traffic planned for the 2012 Olympic Games, many airports  are preparing to receive the many scheduled flights.

London has an excellent network of airports, five of them for scheduled and charter flights -London City, Hesthrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton- but there are a dozen, if one considers fields for executive and small charters, and about fifty counting all the small field for general aviation, within s range of 30 miles.

More airports up to a radius of 60 miles offered themselves as serving the capital, even picking up its name,with bizarre combination such as London Manston or London Ashford Lydd.

Recently the increase in traffic, and particularly the coming Olympic Games of 2012 have launched a new growth of airports as an alternative to the congested existing ones.

The point is not so much scheduled traffic as expected huge influx of executive and air taxis for thousands of athletes, politicians and VIP's that will attend.

Many smaller airports are thus building new terminals, hotels, hangars and railroad station to connect to the London rail system.

London City, conveniently located in East London, close to the Olympic Park, recently was allowed to grow from 80.000 to 120.000 movements per year. Northolt is a small former RAF base that is now operated by Jet Center of LCA, and it can accept executive jets. London Heathrow, despite its well known congestion, also has pace for general aviation. BAA Predicts that 80% of all Olympic traffic will pass through Heathrow, and is considering the construction of a temporary Olympic Terminal to accept the rush of luggage at the games' end.

London Biggin Hill has huge potential, is much used for flights coming from the US, and

East London can be easily reached. London Gatwick, the second busiest airport, can still accept General Aviation, but it lacks a dedicated parking area, on the other hand it has good connections thanks to the Gatwick Express. London Luton manages many executive flights and also has good road connections. London Stansted is basically a low cost airport, offering a few slots to executives, but one of its operators, Harrod's Aviation ,can manage aircraft up to the Boeing 747.

Farnboriugh, proud of its history, is the only airport completely dedicated to GA. TAG Aviation has invested hugely and recently the ceiling for movements was raised from 28.000 to 50.000.

Blackbushe is a former military base, now open to executive jets. Southend is the third busiest airport in the UK, it has a large investment plan, including stretching its runway and a new station was opened, connecting it to London, it aims to be an alternative during the Games, and thus has added London to its name, while Easyjet just opened its fourth base there. Oxford is some 90 km from the center, but it also added London to its name in 2009. Cambridge boasts the Marshall Business Aviation Center. Ashford Lydd, on the Southern Coast, also added London to its name, while Manston, which has a very large runway dating from the war, now calls itself Kent's International Airport.

TURBOPROP'S COMEBACK

In a general overview very uncertain, turboprop aircraft are regaining ground against most expensive jet.

The first civil turboprop flight took place in 1950, when a Vikers Viscount carried passengers from London to Paris. In the next 60 years, turboprop airline had their ups and down, many manufactures  as British Aerospace (now BAE Systems) with its Jetstream 31, 32, 41  and ATP, Dornier with Do 228 and 328, Embraer with Bandeirante and Brasilia, Fairchild with Metroliner , Fokker with F50 and Saab with models 340 and 2000 disappeared. Now there are only two major players, ATR and Bombardier. In some niche market there are attempts to revive products. like the 19 seaters segment, where Viking is re-launching the Twin Otter and RUAG the Dornier 228. The market's evolution has brought an increasee in capacity, thus the segment between 19 and 50 seaters has shrunk, while the 70 seaters are growing. Overall, the total number of turbo liners worldwide decreased from 1.700 in 2000 to 1.500 in 2006, and then it has remained stable, and deliveries are now about 100 per year.

The current comeback of props is essentially due to the growing cost and excessive fluctuation of fuel cost, while passengers are now perceiving the propeller just as safe and as modern as the jet.

The so called jet mania is over, and the smaller routes need a turboprop, instead of the more expensive jet, to remain profitable. According ATR, in the next 20 years airlines need 3.100 new turboprops, for a value of 70 billionnn dollars: 1.600 70 seaters, 1.000 90 seaters and 500 50 seaters. This trend is further confirmed by the fact that leasing companies are more and more interested in these aircraft. Currently 150 ATR airlines belong to leasing companies, 20% of the total, twice as many as two years ago.

ATR now has backlog of 223 orders, its highest ever, which represent a value of 5 billion dollars and three years of production, it has received a total of 10152 orders, 40% of them after 2005. Bombardier. on the other hand, now offer just its Q400 70seaters, which has lost its appeal, despite some recent upgrade of it interiors, A stretched version of Q400 was announced a few years ago, but then all traces of this project were lost, while the CRJ900 was stretched into the CRJ1000. The Canadian company produces also the CRJ jets and is concentrating its energies on the CSeries family. While ATR received 78 orders at the last Paris Air Show, worth 2.4 billion dollars, plus options for 32 more, Bombardier didn't sell a single Q400, and the backlog for this model stands at just 55 aircraft.

Boeing 737 begins from three

Will be ready in 2017 in the 7-8-9 configuration - from 126 to 215 seats. Consume up to 15% less than current NG and his name is MAX.

All started 51 years ago with the 737-100. At first, the 737 was called the "square" airplane because it was as long as it was wide. The new technology made the position of flight engineer redundant; the 737's two-person flight deck became standard among air carriers. 

The evolution is a new family of aircraft – 737 MAX 7, 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9 builds on the strengths of the Next-Generation 737.

MAX7 will have 126 to 149 seats, MAX8 from 162 to 189 seats and MAX9 from 189 to 215 seats.

The 737 MAX will deliver big fuel savings that airlines will need to successfully compete in the future. Airlines will benefit from a 7 percent advantage in operating costs over future competing airplanes as a result of optimized CFM International LEAP-1B engines, more efficient structural design and lower maintenance requirements.

Boeing is evaluating two fan diameters of the CFM International Leap-1B engine: 66.1 in (168 cm) or 68.1 in (173 cm), both of which would be unlikely to require the modification of the landing gear: there is a need to maintain a 16.9 in (42.9 cm) ground clearance beneath the aircraft's engines and ground surface.

The 66 in (168 cm) diameter fan is an increase from the 61.8 in (157 cm) CFM56-7B engine on the Boeing 737 Next Generation. The updated jet is also expected to feature external nacelle chevrons for noise reduction, similar to those on the 787 and 747-8. While the 66 in (168 cm) fan will have a lower bypass ratio and higher specific fuel consumption (SFC) than the 78 in (198 cm) Leap-X and 80.7 in (205 cm) Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine options for the A320neo, the smaller engine will weigh less and create less drag on the 737's airframe. The 66.1 in (168 cm) engine integrated on the airframe will offer an SFC improvement of 10–12% over the current 737NG CFM56-7B engine. Industry sources report that assessments are under way to revise the tail cone, natural laminar flow nacelle and a hybrid laminar flow vertical stabilizer for additional fuel burn and drag reduction.

LEAP-X

The LEAP-X incorporates technologies that CFM developed as part of the LEAP56 technology acquisition program, which CFM launched in 2005. The LEAP-X engine was officially launched on 13 July 2008. It is intended to be a successor to the CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B. Currently proposed for the LEAP-X is a greater use of composite materials, a blisk fan in the compressor, a second-generation Twin Annular Pre Swirl (TAPS II) combustor, a bypass ratio around 10-11:1, and 16% lower fuel consumption.

The manufacturer plans no modification in the flight deck as requested by customers  it wants to maintain commonality with the 737 Next Generation family. Boeing also plans to add more fly-by-wire systems but only for the spoiler. As production standard, the 737 MAX will feature the Boeing Sky Interior. The powerful appeal of the new interior comes from the most spacious cabin headroom, overhead bins that disappear into the ceiling yet carry more bags and LED lighting that brings any color into the cabin. based on the Boeing 787's interior, as well as blended winglets.

The Boeing 737 is the world's most popular and reliable commercial jet transport, with more than 9,000 orders to date. Boeing forecasts global demand for more than 23,000 airplanes in the 737's market segment over the next 20 years at a value of nearly $2 trillion.