Happy New Year 2014

♥ Happy New Year ♥ Feliz Año Nuevo ♥ Ein gutes Neues Jahr ♥ Bonne Année ♥ Felice Anno Nuovo ♥ Feliz Ano Novo ♥ Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku ♥ Urte Berri On♥  あけましておめでとう ♥ Счастливого Нового Года ♥ 新年快乐♥ Bon Any Nou ♥ Kung hé fat tsoi ♥ Godt nytt år! ♥ An nou fericit! ♥ Sretna nova godina ♥ Godt nytår ♥ Štastný Nový rok ♥ Gelukkige nuwejaar ♥ Xin nian kuai le  ♥ Kali xronia ♥ Akemashite omedetô ♥ Ath bhliain faoi mhaise ♥ Yeni yiliniz kutlu olsun

2014

General Electric is not supplying the engines for the A350 XWB, but they are onboard.

When the Airbus A350 is progressing on the flight test campaign, much attention is focused on the Rolls-RoyceTrent XWB powerplants. But while the Trent XWB is the only engine available for the new big twin, R-R's arch rival GE is still onboard.

GE's aviation division is a significant aerostructures supplier and its UK facility at Hamble-le-Rice, Southampton, supplies Airbus with fixed trailing edge components for the A350 wing.

That package - for 3,000 components, including structural composite panels and complex machined assemblies - is the largest production contract awarded to Hamble in its 75-year history. The deal, under which GE is a risk-sharing partner, extends to all A350 variants, including the -800, -900 and -1000.

GE bought the Hamble facility in 2007 as part of a package of businesses it acquired from Smiths, transforming what was at that time a build-to-print supplier into a full-function design and manufacturing partner today.

Hamble is due to see a $50 million composites facility investment dedicated to A350 and running in time to meet aircraft production ramp-up requirements. Work has already started, and the facility should be ready near the end of 2014.


Based on the article “GE takes flight on A350 wing” published in Flight International.

A350 XWB in Japan. JAL´s 4-class “Sky Suite” configuration leaves the A350-1000 as a small aircraft. ANA´s fleet renewal decision in January/2014 has the Boeing 777X as frontrunner despite the earlier availability of the A350-1000.

JAL placed a firm order for 18 Airbus A350-900s and 13 A350-1000s on 7/October/2013, in what Boeing Capital Corporation managing director Kostya Zolotusky characterised as “a heartbreak”, exactly replacing Japan Airlines’ 13 777-300ERs, 11 -200ERs and 7 -300s in one fell swoop.

But Japan Airlines (JAL) still needs 777X for growth under constraints. Because while the 350-seat A350-1000 is consistent with JAL’s strategy to focus on improving traffic mix and yields instead of volume (in addition to early availability of an aircraft that burns 25% less fuel than the 777-300ER in 2019), its 4-class “Sky Suite″ only configures the 368-seat 777-300ER with 232 seats, let alone the smaller A350-1000.

Therefore should Japan Airlines (JAL) seek profitable growth in the future, particularly after the slot allocation at Tokyo Haneda, it would have little choice but to seek a slightly larger aircraft such as the 400-seat 777-9X which may end up carrying only around 300 passengers in the “Sky Suite” configuration.

 

The other Japanese airline ANA will make a decision for it´s fleet renewal by next month, with the replacement of 22 Boeing 777-300ER target.

Despite the earlier availability of the Airbus A350-1000s beginning in 2019, ANA is favoring the larger 400-seat 8,200nm (nautical miles) Boeing 777-9X as it is compatible with ANA’s future international growth profile under severe slot constraints over the next 20 years, and also partly owing to its cozy relationship with the Japanese government.

As the first 777-9X is not expected to enter into service until the second quarter of 2020, the availability of more, not fewer 787 Dreamliners is essential in winning ANA’s order, since the airline still has 50 767-300 or -300ER passenger aircraft in its fleet despite having 23 787-8s in its fleet and another 13 on order. More of the domestically-configured 787-8s with 222 seats are required, while the 30 787-9s on order are likely to replace its fleet of 16 777-200s.

A combination of around 20 777-9Xs and a similar number of 787s is likely to be included in the package offered to ANA (as per Aspire Aviation informations), including the 320-seat 6,000nm 787-10 that would be ideal for domestic trunk routes, Southeast Asia routes and even transpacific crossings replacing the 12 777-200ERs and 7 -300s.

Furthermore, with the announced 787 production ramp-up to 12 aircraft per month by end-2016 and 14 per month by the end of the decade, these 787s could be offered to ANA at steep discount without undermining the 787 program’s overall profitability. For ANA, it could replace a majority of its widebody fleet before the end of the decade without bearing significant delay risks as the 787 program will have been mature by the time the planes ANA ordered are delivered.

“In the past, aircraft development used to be more on schedule, but lately there have been delays. Possible delay is something we will consider,” ANA Holdings Inc. president Shinichiro Ito said.


Based on the article “ANA must show “Inspirations of Japan” published in Aspire Aviation

Two news in one headline; “American Airlines’ A350s will be A350-900s”

American Airlines – which merged with US Airways last 9/Dec – said that the company and Airbus have amended the agreement to state that its 22 A350s will be A350-900s. Deliveries will begin in 2017.

The original order, from October/2007, was placed by US Airways ordering 22 Airbus A350 aircraft; 18 were to be the smaller A350-800s with only 4 to be the A350-900s.

Originally, US Airways was to get its first A350 in 2014. In 2009, it announced the schedule had slipped to 2017, with all to arrive by the end of 2019.

There are 2 news on this announcement disclosed by American Airlines in a stock exchange filing after the close of markets in New York on 27/December: the confirmation of the 22 aircraft ordered by US Airways -20 days after the merger with American- and the change from A350-800 to larger A350-900 model, as preferred by Airbus.


Based on the article “American Airlines’ Airbus A350s will be A350-900s” published in Dallas News

EADS CEO Tom Enders awarded as the Best Performing CAC 40 Manager by as per France’s Challenges Magazine. The award recognizes the overall performance of EADS in 2013.

EADS Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tom Enders has been named Best Performing Manager among the CAC 40 companies by France’s Challenges Magazine. Enders was presented with the award by Fleur Pellerin, French Minister Delegate for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Innovation and the Digital Economy and Vincent Beaufils, Managing Editor of Challenges Magazine. The award recognizes the overall performance of EADS in 2013.

"I accept this award with great pride on behalf of all of us at EADS. The success and performance of our Group is the result of the engagement and dedication of everybody at EADS. It’s a team achievement for which I am extremely grateful," Enders said at the award ceremony.

Tom Enders and Fleur Pellerin, French Minister Delegate for Innovation and Small& Medium-Sized Enterprises.

"2013 was a tremendously fast paced and transformational year for the Group. We witnessed the first flight of the A350XWB and the first deliveries of A400M military transport aircraft to France. In our helicopter business, the French Ministry of Defence endorsed the NH90 helicopter with a key order for 34 additional units. Furthermore, Astrium fostered the position of the Ariane 5 as the world’s most reliable launcher with the 57th consecutive successful launch in a row”, said Enders.

“We also implemented a normal corporate governance, welcomed a large number of new private shareholders and saw the market value of EADS significantly increasing. From next year onwards, we will be Airbus Group, capitalizing on our strongest brand. And we are enhancing the competitiveness of our defence and space activities integrated into one Division, Airbus Defence and Space,” Enders added.


Based on the press release “Tom Enders Named 2013 Best Performing CAC 40 Manager by France’s Challenges Magazine”

GKN Aerospace receives its second award for the A350 XWB rear wing spar design.

The UK Composites Industry award for ‘Innovation in Composites Design’ is one of 8 awards made by Composite UK, the trade body for the UK composites industry.

This second award also recognizes the success of the intensive development and production program for the A350 XWB wing spar, with GKN Aerospace engineers working closely with the Airbus engineering team and materials supplier Hexcel throughout. As a result the spar has met demanding weight, strength and flexibility targets.

The 27m long A350 XWB rear wing spar is manufactured in 3 sections and forms the structural heart of the aircraft wing’s fixed trailing edge (FTE), holding vital parts such as the main landing gear. The spar has complex integral contours that enable it to carry precise customer-specified aircraft loads at critical points and yet remain flexible and lightweight.

Automated Fibre Placement (AFP) machine used in GKN

Chris Gear, vice-president chief engineering, GKN Aerospace explained: “Creating the advanced manufacturing processes and materials to manufacture this innovative structure has strengthened the UK’s industrial lead in complex composite structure manufacture. Our partnership with Hexcel on this activity has been particularly rewarding and we believe the new material has immense potential.”


Based on the article “GKN gains further recognition for A350 XWB wing spar“ published in Composites in Manufacturing

Hexcel supplies composite raw material with a value of $5 million per aircraft in the A350 XWB program.

“In 2014, we expect another record year with constant currency sales growth of approximately 10%, continued operating income margin expansion, double-digit growth in earnings per share and to generate free cash flow while continuing to fund our capital expenditures ramp-up,” said Hexcel CEO Nick Stanage. “Commercial Aerospace will again lead our sales growth. While the B787 was a key driver of this in 2013, Hexcel content per A350 XWB is now estimated at $5 million per shipset – a significant milestone that reflects both the breadth and depth of our products as well as nearly ten years of dedicated effort.”

Stringer run-out demonstrator shown in Le Bourget/2013

Hexcel anticipates 2014 revenues of between $1.80-1.88 billion in 2014, compared to 2013 revenue of between $1.65-1.68 billion. Commercial Aerospace, which comprises about 63% of the company’s last 12-months sales, will be driven by sales to Airbus, Boeing, and their subcontractors thanks to on-going increases in aircraft build rates and new composite-rich aircraft programs that are ramping up. Regional and business aircraft account for the remaining 15% of Commercial Aerospace sales and are also expected to increase in 2014.

Capital expenditures for 2014 are targeted to be $225 million to $250 million. This amount is higher than the company’s estimates from a year ago, reflecting Hexcel’s increased content on

the A350 XWB and to support higher aerospace growth in the mid-term. There is no change in Hexcel’s view on total capital expenditures needed to reach its $2.5 billion sales target in 2017.



Based on the article “Hexcel benefits from composites-rich programmes” published in Eco Composites