Odds and Ends: Korean tanker competition sounds like US rerun; About that blister on the top of airliners; JetBlue explains bags, seats

Korean tanker competition: South Korean is holding a competition for an aerial refueling tanker and in many respects, it sounds like a rerun of the USAF competition between Airbus and Boeing. In the US contest, major debates happened… Read More

Little progress on A330 production gap

Subscription required. Introduction With the end of the year a mere five weeks away, Airbus appears to have made little progress in closing its production gap for the A330. Summary Airbus still has a gap of approaching 150… Read More

Del Smith, aviation icon, dies

Del Smith, an icon in aviation for decades, died in Oregon. Smith was the founder of Evergreen Aviation, an MRO in Arizona and the highly regarded air museum that houses the Spruce Goose in Oregon. Evergreen cargo airlines… Read More

Odds and Ends: C919 EIS in 2020, says consultant; Qantas goes on diet; BBD tables Russia; Swiss not Cseries launch operator

C919/ARJ21: Aviation Week reports that the COMAC C919 might fly be the end of next year and that EIS may be in 2018. However, Michel Merluzeau, of G2 Solutions in Kirkland (WA), predicts the EIS won’t happen until… Read More

Odds and Ends: A350 batteries; A350 V 1.0; Southwest schedule

A350 batteries: Flight Global has a detailed story about the Airbus approach to lithium-ion batteries in the A350. The approach is more conservative than Boeing’s for the 787. A350 Version 1.0: A blog called A350 XWB News has… Read More

CASM Paradigm: Lower Seat Mile Cost or Higher Yield; Evaluating the GOL competition

Subscription Required Introduction As Brazil’s budget airline GOL reportedly evaluates whether to acquire 20 Boeing 737-7s or Embraer E-195 E2s, the principal of the “CASM Paradigm” is a concept worth examining. This head-to-head evaluation of the E-195 E2… Read More

Odds and Ends: MTU on A380; lessons learned; Alaska Air v Delta; GOL looking for airplanes; Boeing downgrade and upgrade

MTU on A380: The German company MTU, which is a key supplier on a variety of Airbus and Boeing engines, questions the potential market for an A380neo, according to this article from Reuters. Our Market Intelligence indicates Airbus… Read More

Etihad, Emirates refute charges of favoritism from government owners

Two of the Middle East’s most aggressively growing airlines said charges that they benefit from government subsidies, artificially low fuel prices, cheap airport facilities and preferential financing refuted these charges at the World Routes conference in Chicago this… Read More

The airline industry is changing and acting like real businesses to return value for shareholders

“Our industry is changing and acting like real businesses to return value for shareholders.” It’s a remarkable statement when you think about it. But this is how Jim Compton, vice chairman of United Airlines, led off at the… Read More

Odds and Ends: KC-46A update; A440M in the US; A320neo first flight; Southwest no longer an LCC

KC-46A update: Aviation Week has an update on the status of the Boeing KC-46A tanker. Among other things, first fight has now been moved from June to November at the earliest. A400M in the US: Airbus thinks it’s… Read More