Airbus expects more wide-bodied aircraft for Asia Pacific carriers

Airbus forecasts that Asia Pacific carriers will need more wide-bodied aircraft over the next 20 years, led by an increasingly affluent middle class in Asia.

And as air traffic looks set to double every 15 years, other non-Asian airlines are also keen to capture some of that traffic.

Vietnam's VietJetAir just firmed up its order for 63 A320 aircraft on Tuesday to meet the rising demand for air travel in Vietnam.

Founded in 2011, the Vietnamese Airline plies domestic routes as well as international routes to Bangkok, Seoul and Kunming in China with its current fleet of 11 leased planes.

And that pace shows no signs of slowing down across Asia.

Airbus say Asia Pacific will take delivery of 10,940 aircraft over the next 20 years, valued at US$1.8 trillion.

With air traffic set to double every 15 years, Airbus forecasts that 37 per cent of all new aircraft will be delivered to the Asia Pacific region over the next 20 years.

And with increasing urbanisation, Airbus believes there will be greater demand for wider body aircraft to transport more people more efficiently.

Certainly Airbus' ultra-wide A380 aircraft has proven a hit with Middle Eastern customers, a trend the company hopes will be followed by Asian carriers.

Mr John Leahy, COO of Airbus, said: "In terms of our backlog right now, it's the Middle East, but we are well represented out here. We have China Southern, We've got Singapore, Qantas, Malaysian and Thai and there are quite a few airlines here operating the A380."

But on Monday, Airbus' biggest competitor claimed otherwise, predicting smaller, single-aisle craft would prove most popular in Asia.

It's a theory some industry analysts agree with.

Mr Shukor Yusof, analyst at Standard & Poor's Capital IQ, said: "Notwithstanding demand for A380s, which I think will remain flat and stagnant, the way to go for Airbus is to really push for the A350 which in our view is the airplane of the future with its lower operating cost and lower maintenance, and its very fuel efficient."

Big planes or not, Middle Eastern carriers are hoping to cash in on the growing Asian market.

Mr James Hogan, CEO of Eithad Airways, said: "Asia is very important. There are strong links between Singapore and Abu Dhabi daily, and you see good traffic flow coming out of the Gulf states to Singapore. We also operate twice a day down to Jakarta, we codeshare and work with Garuda, and we have three flights a day to Bangkok. We have a good presence in Asia and we continue to build with our codeshare partners."

Still, some analysts warn of overcapacity in the region as deliveries accelerate in this region.

SOURCE

Gallant Venture, Garuda Indonesia to develop Bintan Island into aviation hub

Singapore investment company Gallant Venture is tying up with flag carrier PT Garuda Indonesia to develop Bintan Island.

The plan is to turn Bintan Island into a tourism and aviation hub.

Both companies signed a memorandum of understanding at the Singapore Airshow 2014 on Tuesday.

As part of the partnership, Garuda Indonesia and Gallant Venture will jointly develop Bintan Island as the airline's new hub.

This includes a dedicated airport for Garuda and its subsidiaries, as well as a new centre for aircraft maintenance.

Garuda Indonesia will then promote Bintan as an international tourism destination, and help develop its connectivity both outbound and inbound.

The first phase will include the development of one runway and one terminal.

In a joint statement, both companies said Bintan Airport has enough land to develop into a multi-terminal airport with two runways.

The airport terminal will also be connected to a ferry terminal which will service Singapore and Batam.

Gallant Venture -- through its subsidiary company -- currently already operates ferry services between Bintan and Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.

Gallant Venture's CEO Mr Eugene Park said in the joint statement: "Garuda Indonesia's operations and the aerospace industrial park in Bintan will boost the economy here and create substantial job opportunities as well as upgrading skill sets and standard of living for the people in the Riau Islands."

SOURCE

Billions in trade deals clinched at Singapore Airshow

Billions of dollars in trade deals have been clinched on the first day of the Singapore Airshow on Tuesday.

The Singapore Airshow was officially launched by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew.

The deals came in fast, with low-cost airline VietJetAir making one of the first moves with major manufacturer Airbus.

Budget carrier VietJetAir placed an order for 63 Airbus A320 jets, with additional options worth US$6.4 billion.

Mr Fabrice Bregier, Head of Airbus Planemaking Division, said: "We are signing a contract of up to 100 aircraft - A320 Ceo and Neo, 63 firm, seven will be leased and 30 additional options."

The aircraft manufacturer also showed off its A350 XWB's prowess at its maiden airshow flying display.

Turkish Airlines announced a US$560 million order for engines to power 25 of its new planes.

Myanmar's national carrier also signed a contract with US firm GE Capital to lease 10 Boeing aircraft worth nearly a billion dollars in a major makeover for the largely domestic airline.

But it's not just about the big boys.

Smaller firms like Premiair also makes its debut at the Singapore Airshow.

The firm hopes to use it as a platform to engage clients for its private jet charter services.

Mr Sudrazat, Technical Manager of Premiair, said: "First thing, we like to introduce our company and product and servicing. And the second thing, we're going to look for partnership or establish the network so that we can build the business in the future."

Event organisers do not expect total deals to hit the US$200 billion mark as seen at the Dubai Airshow, but are optimistic that the Asia Pacific's aviation growth prospects will pull in a tidy amount.

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing estimates the region's airlines will need more than 12,000 additional airplanes over the next 20 years, and the Singapore Airshow plans to take advantage of this demand.

SOURCE

Singapore Airshow kicks off with largest number of exhibiting firms

The fourth edition Singapore Airshow 2014, Asia's largest and one of the most important aerospace and defence exhibitions in the world, kicked off on Tuesday at the Changi Exhibition Centre.

Singapore's Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew launched the week-long event.

Several trade deals involving billions of dollars were clinched on the first day of the Singapore Airshow.

Turkish Airlines announced a US$560 million deal to outfit engines to 25 of its new aircraft.

VietJetAir placed a firm order for 63 Airbus A320 jets with a list price of US$6.4 billion in a massive expansion drive by the privately-owned budget carrier founded only in 2011.

The deal also covers rights to acquire or lease additional A320s potentially boosting VietJetAir's current fleet of 11 A320s tenfold.

The low-cost carrier currently has a fleet of 11 leased A320s plying domestic routes, as well as services to Bangkok, Seoul and Kunming in China.

Myanmar's national carrier also signed a contract with US firm GE Capital to lease 10 Boeing aircraft worth nearly a billion dollars in a major makeover for the largely domestic airline.

Organisers said they do not expect total deals to hit the US$200 billion mark seen at the Dubai Airshow. But they are hoping that this year's total deal can reach up to 70 to 80 per cent of the US$31 billion seen at the previous Singapore Airshow.

The airshow will see the largest number of exhibiting companies, 1,000 companies from 47 countries, including more than 60 of the world's top 100 aerospace companies.

Mr Jimmy Lau, Managing Director of Experia Events, the organiser of the airshow, told Bernama news that the airshow is set to be "our biggest yet and promises exhibitors, delegates and visitors an excellent experience."

The airshow features 22 country/group pavilions, including new pavilions from Hong Kong and Malaysia, he told a media briefing.

The airshow will also see increased participation from Japan. Besides the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Chubu region will also set up pavilions, featuring aerospace companies from their regions.

New exhibitors at the airshow include Alpha Star Aviation Services from Saudi Arabia, Aero AT (Jiang Su) Aviation Technology from China, ExecuJet Aviation Group from Switzerland and Jetcraft from the United Kingdom.

Visitors can also look forward to a world-class flying display, with a record number of flying display participants in the history of airshows in Singapore. The flying display includes performances by three aerobatic teams from Singapore, South Korea and Indonesia, with the key highlight being the Airbus A350XWB, which marks its first full display at an international airshow.

There will also be solo aerobatics performances by the Royal Australian Air Force, the United States Air Force and the Yak-130. 

SOURCE

Myanmar carrier leases 10 Boeing planes worth US$960m

Myanmar's national carrier on Tuesday signed a contract with US firm GE Capital to lease 10 Boeing aircraft worth nearly a billion dollars in a major makeover for the largely domestic airline.

US ambassador to Myanmar Derek Mitchell described the agreement as the "largest commercial sale" by a US company to Myanmar in decades.

Under the agreement, state-owned Myanma Airways will lease 10 new Boeing 737 planes from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), the commercial leasing and financing arm of US giant General Electric.

Delivery of the planes is scheduled to begin in June 2015.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Singapore Airshow, Asia's biggest aerospace and defence show which began Tuesday.

"The contract calls for six Boeing 737-800 models and four Boeing 737-MAX models. The aircraft will deliver through 2020," GECAS said in a statement.

The planes are valued at US$960 million at list prices.

It will be a major makeover for flag carrier Myanma Air, which was established in 1948 and currently operates mostly domestic services using Fokker F28 jets and ATR turboprops.

For flights to smaller domestic airports, Myanma Airways uses Beechcraft and Cessna planes.

"We are pleased at GE to work with Myanma Airways to provide new, state-of-the-art Boeing aircraft," Norman Liu, president and chief executive of GECAS, said in a statement.

"This is an important milestone for the airline and and for the development of Myanmar's aviation industry."

Myanmar Transportation Minister Nyan Htun Aung said the new Boeing planes would be used to expand the carrier's routes to East Japan and South Korea.

The carrier's sole international destination currently is Gaya in India, which is important for Buddhist pilgrims.

SOURCE

Asia Pacific airlines will need US$1.9 trillion worth of new jets by 2032: Boeing

US plane-maker Boeing estimated that Asia Pacific airlines will need US$1.9 trillion worth of new jets over the next 20 years as demand for air travel continued to boom.

The manufacturer of the 787 Dreamliner said the market will be increasingly dominated by single-aisle aircraft -- 69 per cent of the market from 2013 to 2032 -- driven by the growth from low-cost carriers.

It is non-stop production at the Boeing factory, where output rates are set to increase about 10 per cent this year.

Randy Tinseth, vice president of marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said: “We're increasing production rates. Last year, we produced 648 airplanes. And for 2014, we're on track to produce 715 to 725 aircraft. Our production rate is up about 10 per cent with orders led by the 777-x programme, and orders led by the the 737-max programme."

From building thirty-eight 737 aircraft a month, Boeing expects to supply forty-two 737 aircraft every month by the middle of this year.

Boeing said the production increase is driven by strong replacement demand in the US and Europe, and the growth it sees in emerging and developing economies.

Boeing estimated Asia Pacific Airlines will need nearly 13,000 airplanes over the next 20 years. And in 2014, new low-cost carriers and the demand for intra-asia travel will substantially increase the demand for single-aisle airplanes.

Indeed, Boeing expected narrow body aircraft or the 737 aircraft to represent about 69 per cent of new airplanes in the region.

While Europe-based plane-maker Airbus is Boeing's biggest competitor, competition is also emerging from elsewhere.

Mr Tinseth said: "We are seeing new competition from the Chinese, from the Canadians, from the Brazilians, from the Russians, from the Japanese -- the market is changing. They've struggled in the market. It's hard to bring new products to the market place. So we will assume that one or more of these companies will be successful. "

Greg Waldron, asia managing editor at Flightglobal, said: "We're seeing smaller companies like Bombardier and China's COMAX starting to move into the space traditionally occupied by single-aisle aircraft. But these players have a long way to go.

“The Chinese c919 is years away from its first flight. China's never developed an airline like this. It's extremely difficult to make this cost effective, economical, narrow body airline that carriers like to buy."

And with more aircraft manufacturers rushing to produce the most "in demand" planes, Mr Waldron said there is also the issue of finding people to fly them.

He explained: "Asia typically accounts for 40 to 50 per cent for all deliveries that take place every month. One of the big issues that will affect growth is training skilled pilots. A number of carriers are having trouble finding pilots locally and they're importing pilots from the west."

Whether there will be sufficient pilots or not, it seems neither Boeing nor its long term competitor, Airbus, will be letting up on supplying what the market wants.

SOURCE

Week 45: PPL Flight School Week 14

Tuesday
Not flown for 7 days so far, the feeling isn't very good with the slow progression. I was scheduled for a sim session today doing Emergency Handling & PFL. It was a very useful session as I get to experience "real" emergency situations like engine failure and abnormal aircraft behaviours. Such situations can't really be demonstrated in real flight. PFL was particularly hard as I had to choose my landing spot and take note of the wind direction while doing my emergency checklists. The session lasted for an hour and it was good that now I'll have my eyes more alert about whats happening with the engine parameters on the G1000 screen.

My lunch after the pretty intensive simulator session. A little wine to soothe the tension.

Friday
10 days on non-flying life was tough. It was officially the longest lay off I've had since I started flying. My flight was scheduled at 1800hrs, the timing that I love due to the usual calm, cool and traffic free condition. Touching the aircraft again after so long feels great, what's more that the aircraft I was assigned was newly serviced with a nice new propeller.

Firing up the engine, I felt alive again with the power control in my right hand. Getting back onto the runway, I made the engine roar and rotated at 55kts. I was airborne and climbing with pretty good wind conditions, mostly direct headwind of 16kts. Turning into crosswind leg, I had to crab a little to compensate for the strong wind which was blowing my side.

Downwind leg was done in a jiffy assisted by the strong tailwind. Then to base and finals, I had to use a higher engine power to overcome the winds. Landings were safe and without issues. During one of the touch&go, I had to make big adjustments to my position after lifting off due to some winds blowing me off track, so much so that my instructor said "Where are you going? Do you think you're in an airshow?". Ok that scared me off a little, but I really had to make that adjustment to stay on top of the runway.

Eventually, we made a full-stop and my instructor hopped off to let me proceed with my solo circuit flying, a full hour of it, my longest ever. It was about 1920hrs by the time I was on my own in the aircraft and the sun was setting. The circuit was quiet with no one except me, conditions were perfect with the plane able to fly itself without much input from me.

I was totally enjoying myself with the view and peace. That moment, I really fell in love with flying. Everything was perfect and beautiful. I lost count of the number of rounds I went but I hoped it was more. Ah, what a great feeling to have after 10 days of not flying.

The sight of the centre-line made me feel alive again

Sunset

Hopped onto a C172R to have a feel of what it's like to fly analog. Well I didn't fly it of course.

A little movie to end the week. Quite a good film.

Thank god for the successful fourth solo flight or else it would have been another agonizing week for me. One cancelled flight on Monday, a sim session on Tuesday and a great flight on Friday. I realised the winds these days can be quite crazy with speeds of up to 40kts and gusting. Such conditions are definitely not suitable for solo flights and it has caused quite a handful of our flights to be cancelled. Sigh...