Page 16 - Aviation News - September 2017

CIVIL NEWS PAL’s First Dual-Class Q400s

PAL has ordered 12 Q400s. Andrew H Cline

Canadian manufacturer Bombardier recently pitch and 76 in Economy with a 29in (74cm) outstanding seven options into rm orders,
delivered the rst dual-class Q400 ordered pitch. making a total of 12. Philippine Airlines
by Philippine Airlines (PAL). Turboprop RP- The carrier originally placed an order for says the remaining four from the initial order
C5901 (c/n 4561) is the rst of the airline’s ve Q400s plus seven options on December will be delivered at a rate of one a month
order for 12, and made its maiden ight 8, 2016 to supplement the ve Q400s through to November, while the converted
from Toronto/Downsview Airport on July 14, (former SAS and Widerøe aircraft) and options will start to arrive next July, with ve
before handover to the Philippine carrier ve four Q300s being operated by subsidiary expected before the end of the year. The
days later. It is con gured with 86 seats, ten Air Philippines (formerly PAL Express). At nal two are due to be handed over during
in Premium Economy with 33in (84cm) seat the recent Paris Air Show it converted the the second half of 2019. Andrew H Cline

New 787-9s Improvements for ATRs

for Air Europa The new Standard 3 avionics for the ATR option, that will support safe operations

Air Europa will operate four new -600 turboprop has been certi ed by the in air corridors with 0.3nm (0.6km) width,
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
enabling safer operations in mountainous
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners from 2019. The avionics suite has been co-developed areas or congested traffic environments.
The company currently ies eight, by the Franco/Italian manufacturer and The development of this latest version of
smaller 787-8s, but plans to increase Thales. The latest version will, the partners RNP-AR has been jointly nanced by Air
its Dreamliner eet to 24 by 2022, and say, improve pilot situational awareness New Zealand, which had asked ATR to
recently agreed long-term leases on four through a synthetic vision system (SVS), investigate improvements in the systems
new Boeing 787-9s. The Rolls-Royce the rst time such a capability has been functionality.
Trent 1000-powered jets, to be acquired tted to a commercial airliner, as well as ATR says, the Standard 3 avionics
from BOC Aviation, are the rst -9 providing pilots with a more user-friendly software will be installed in all new-build
variants for both the Spanish airline and interface. ATRs from the end of this year, and can
the lessor. The most notable addition is the be retro tted to nearly 400 ATR -600
“We’re pleased to begin a partnership required navigation performance with aircraft that are currently being operated
with Air Europa, a new European authorisation required (RNP-AR) 0.3/0.3 worldwide, via a simple software upgrade.
customer, and to support its eet growth
and expansion plans,” said Robert Martin,
MD and CEO of BOC Aviation. “We’re
delighted to add the Rolls-Royce-powered Qeshm Air
Boeing 787-9 aircraft to our portfolio.
“This order is the company’s rst for
a Trent 1000 engine, demonstrating our Brussels Service
con dence in these fuel-efficient engines
that deliver impressive performance.”

Primera Air

Announces
Long-haul Routes

Danish leisure carrier Primera Air has unveiled
plans to launch transatlantic services. The
airline intends opening direct links to New York
(Newark/Liberty) and Boston/Logan from three
new European bases – Birmingham, London/ Iranian carrier Qeshm Air has launched a new service between Tehran and Brussels. The maiden
Stansted and Paris/Charles de Gaulle – from ight touched down in the Belgian capital on June 27 and marked the airline’s rst scheduled
April, using its incoming Airbus A321neos. service to Europe. The weekly rotation is operated using an Airbus A319. Jack Gorczynski

16 Aviation News incorporating Jets September 2017

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