Made in the UK, and using 20% less fuel the Boeing 787 finally carried out it first commercial flight this week. Packed with technological innovation it is made of carbon fiber – not the tradition aluminum and steel.

Designed with passenger comfort as a priority it has a number of features that left the passengers, made up of 100 members of the public and an array of journalist, aviation officials and industry workers, including extra-large windows, increased overhead locker space, improved cabin environment and noise levels, modern passenger accessories such as USB ports at every seat and a new seat design that allows seats to be reclined without impacting other passengers leg room.

Designed for ultra-long haul flights, and manufactured in the UK Boeing is geared up to increase production, despite some delays that have led to cancelled orders.

The 787 is the only aircraft of its kind, offering advanced fuel economy and lightweight design, although Airbus has plans to launch their own Dreamliner.

David Cameron officially opened new £400 million wing factory this week in Wales.

The manufacturing facility will produce high-tech carbon fibre ‘composite’ wings for the A350 XWB.

Hundreds of guests, Airbus employees and David Cameron gathered this week to unveil the Airbus North Factory at Broughton, Flintshire, Key Aero reported this week. The factory in Wales is expected to employ 650 people, whilst the he A350 XWB programme will support over 1,200 jobs in the Airbus sites at Filton and Broughton and over 5,000 other high skill/high value jobs in the UK.

The North Factory will assemble the 31 metre long wings for the A350 XWB Family by the end of 2013.

Currently employing 6,000 people, the Airbus site at Broughton stretches for 700 acres and has been in aerospace manufacturing for over 70 years. Currently the site specialises in wing production. Over £1.8 billion has been invested into the site in the past 10 years.

Virgin Atlantic plans to use a low-carbon jet fuel derived from waste gases released from steel production by 2014.

Developed in conjunction with LanzaTech, Virgin Atlantic will capture waste gases from industrial production, then chemically convert them for use as jet fuel. Currently being piloted in New Zealand, a larger demonstration plant will be commissioned in Shanghai, later this year. Virgin aims to complete a demo flight using the new fuel in 12 to 18 months’ time.

“Following successful implementation, a wider roll-out could include operations in the UK and the rest of the world,” the air carrier said in a statement.

“With oil running out, it is important that new fuel solutions are sustainable, and with the steel industry alone able to deliver over 15 billion gallons of jet fuel annually, the potential is very exciting,” said Richard Branson, president of Virgin Atlantic.

Aviation will be included in the European Union’s emissions trading scheme from January 1, 2012, when the sector faces a cap on emissions and will start paying for the CO2 emitted.

Lufthansa started a six-month trial in July, using a mix of regular fuel and biofuel made by Neste Oil from jatropha and camelina crops and animal fats. British Airways is also aiming to start powering its fleet using a fuel derived from waste by 2015.

Biofuels were once seen as a silver bullet for curbing transport emissions, based on the theory that they only emit as much carbon as they absorb during growth.

Virgin said its new fuel based on waste gases should avoid such problems and take the airline beyond its pledge to cut 30 percent of CO2 per passenger-kilometre by 2020.

 (Reuters)

The first flight of the new Citation M2 is expected in the first half of 2012, with Federal Aviation Administration certification (Part 23) in the first half of 2013. Deliveries are anticipated in the second half of 2013.

The Citation M2 features Garmin G3000 avionics and an all-new cabin design. The aircraft is an aluminum airframe with a T-tail and a straight wing that includes LED lights.

With room for two crew and up to six passengers, the $4.195 million Citation M2 has a maximum cruise speed of 400 knots true airspeed and a range of 1,300 nautical miles.

The aircraft can operate at airports with ways as short as 3,250 feet and will climb to 41,000 feet in 24 minutes planenews.com reported.

“Operator feedback and owner insight have indicated a market for a Citation with the size, speed and range of the Citation M2. We expect to see customers new to the Citation family, Mustang owners looking for a logical next step or CJ1+ operators who want a new, more advanced Citation,” said Scott Ernest, Cessna president and CEO.

The Citation M2′s clean cockpit design is anchored by the fully integrated Garmin G3000 avionics suite that seamlessly integrates numerous system components into an easy-to-use flight deck to simplify operation and enhance situational awareness during flight and when taxiing. The G3000 system centres on three 14.1-inch LCD primary and multifunction displays and two infrared, touch-screen control panels.

The controllers allow multi-function display page navigation as well as audio and FMS control. The MFD and PFD provide split-screen capability so that two separate vertical pages may be viewed side-by-side. Pilots may simultaneously view maps, charts, TAWS, flight planning or weather.

Cessna’s proprietary cabin management system that includes the latest interface options for greater in-flight productivity and connectivity is optional.

Citation M2 Launch

PASSUR Aerospace and ARINC announced today a teaming agreement to deliver to the cockpit from flight dispatchers predictive analytics and decision support tools, as well as other advanced information solutions.

The new system makes solutions available to the flight deck & airline and business aviation operations centers from dispatchers and air traffic coordinators.

“We are very pleased to team with PASSUR and bring their unique real-time and predictive content to the flight deck using our advanced communications technology,” said Steve Means, Vice President of ARINC Aviation Solutions. “The combination of PASSUR’s extensive and successful customer-driven solutions with ARINC’s world-class communications will make for better, smarter decisions.”

“We are delighted to team with ARINC to expand the reach of our business intelligence solutions to the flight deck,” said Jim Barry, PASSUR Aerospace’s President and CEO. “ARINC is a world leader in air-to-ground communications and combining their capabilities with PASSUR’s content will provide even greater value to our industry.”

The combined solution will offer AOCs and dispatchers the ability to share the predictive analysis and alerts they already receive on PASSUR dashboards – related to such operational decisions as diversions and estimated times of arrival – directly with pilots, through an automated messaging process which formats PASSUR content specifically for distribution on ARINC communications systems. The solution provides for greater efficiency, communication, and collaboration with the cockpit, while increasing the critical role of Dispatch.

Virgin Atlantic plans to use a low-carbon jet fuel derived from waste gases released from steel production by 2014.

Developed in conjunction with LanzaTech, Virgin Atlantic will capture waste gases from industrial production, then chemically convert them for use as jet fuel. Currently being piloted in New Zealand, a larger demonstration plant will be commissioned in Shanghai, later this year. Virgin aims to complete a demo flight using the new fuel in 12 to 18 months’ time.

“Following successful implementation, a wider roll-out could include operations in the UK and the rest of the world,” the air carrier said in a statement.

“With oil running out, it is important that new fuel solutions are sustainable, and with the steel industry alone able to deliver over 15 billion gallons of jet fuel annually, the potential is very exciting,” said Richard Branson, president of Virgin Atlantic.

Aviation will be included in the European Union’s emissions trading scheme from January 1, 2012, when the sector faces a cap on emissions and will start paying for the CO2 emitted.

Lufthansa started a six-month trial in July, using a mix of regular fuel and biofuel made by Neste Oil from jatropha and camelina crops and animal fats. British Airways is also aiming to start powering its fleet using a fuel derived from waste by 2015.

Biofuels were once seen as a silver bullet for curbing transport emissions, based on the theory that they only emit as much carbon as they absorb during growth.

Virgin said its new fuel based on waste gases should avoid such problems and take the airline beyond its pledge to cut 30 percent of CO2 per passenger-kilometre by 2020.

 (Reuters)

The FAA have allowed a new aviation mapping app for the iPad to be used in cockpits, after many months rigorous testing on over 250 flights.

This new development allows charter company Executive Jet Management to use the iPad for electronic mapping on commercial flights. This opens the path for the iPad to become commonplace avionics equipment.

The authorisation of the app and the iPad opens the door for widespread use of tablets as well as more approved app further down the line.

The map app developed by aviation chartmaker Jeppesen and the features available on the iPad and the app include charts for visual flight rules and for instrument flight rules. It is said to be extremely stable. Even in a software crash the app takes moments to restart and be up and running again, and the testing has shown no instabilities.

Tests included dropping the ipad over 51,000 feet in a rapid-decompression simulation, the sames tests as any other critical aviation equipment.

It is the responsibility of individual operators to to know when and how to restart the app the FAA advises.

Alaska Airlines also began testing the iPad in November 2010 and about 100 pilots are currently evaluating the device, according to spokeswoman Marianne Lindsey. “It’s replaced about 25 pounds of manuals and charts,” she noted.

Qantas will start fielding its NEOs in 2015, engine selection has not yet been finalised.
Alan Joyce, Qantas CEO states that “the Airbus A320 will be the launch aircraft for Qantas’ new, premium airline based in Asia and will support Jetstar’s expansion plans – including the establishment of Jetstar Japan.”