Vietnam receives third ATR72-500 from France

The Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Company (VALC) received its third ATR72-500 aircraft from the manufacturer Avion de Transport Regional (ATR), based in the French city of Toulouse Tuesday.

The aircraft, painted with the colours and logo of Vietnam Airlines, will be transferred to the air carrier under a previously signed 12-year leasing contract between the two sides.

The aircraft is scheduled to travel via the Ukraine, Russia, China and land at Noi Bai airport at 1:40PM on September 19, 2010.

VALC General Director Tran Long said that this is the third out of five ATR72-500 ordered, costing over US$100 million.

The VALC received two ATR72-500 airplanes in April and June this year, and the fourth one is expected to arrive by October 10, 2010, coinciding with the capital’s millennial birthday.

After receiving the five airplanes, in December 2010, VALC’s project will help the Vietnamese national carriers’ fleet to serve the country’s industrialisation and modernisation.

VALC was jointly established by the Vietnam’s Bank for Investment and Development along with a number of State groups and corporations.

With a chartered capital of $200 million during the 2007-2014 period and $1 billion in the 2015-2025 period, in addition to buying and leasing aircraft, VALC is also operates air taxis, airports and runs training programs.

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Vietnam receives third ATR72-500 from France

The Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Company (VALC) received its third ATR72-500
aircraft from the manufacturer Avion de Transport Regional (ATR), based
in the French city of Toulouse on September 14.

The aircraft, painted with the colours and logo of Vietnam Airlines,
will be transferred to the air carrier under a previously signed 12-year
leasing contract between the two sides.

The aircraft is
scheduled to travel via the Ukraine, Russia, China and land at Noi Bai
airport at 1:40PM on September 19, 2010.

VALC General Director Tran Long said that this is the third out of five ATR72-500 ordered, costing over 100 million USD.

The VALC received two ATR72-500 airplanes in April and June this year,
and the fourth one is expected to arrive by October 10, 2010,
coinciding with the capital’s millennial birthday.

After receiving the five airplanes, in December 2010, VALC’s project
will help the Vietnamese national carriers’ fleet to serve the country’s
industrialisation and modernisation.

VALC was
jointly established by the Vietnam’s Bank for Investment and Development
along with a number of State groups and corporations.

With a chartered capital of 200 million USD during the 2007-2014
period and one billion USD in the 2015-2025 period, in addition to
buying and leasing aircraft, VALC is also operates air taxis, airports
and runs training programmes./.

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Boeing refurbishes Vietnam Airlines aircraft

Vietnam Airlines has teamed up with US aircraft maker Boeing to improve passenger comfort as the national carrier continues to expand its network and add new destinations.

Boeing is relocating and upgrading seats and interior facilities inside four of the airline’s 777-200ER aircraft. The new cabin layout “meets the discerning needs of the airline and its passengers,” the US company said in a statement issued August 26.

The first aircraft has been completed and put it into service.

“Our interior modernization program is a key part of our efforts to provide market leading services and passenger comfort, further affirming Vietnam Airlines’ position as a major carrier in the Southeast Asian region, especially after we joined the Skyteam alliance,” said Executive Vice President Technical Nguyen Van Hung.

The carrier joined the Skyteam Alliance in June to enlarge its network of destinations and cut operating costs.

As the national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines operates more than 290 flights a day on 75 routes to 20 domestic and 26 international destinations. It expects to expand its fleet to 115 and 165 aircraft by 2015 and 2020 respectively, compared to 70 aircraft at present.

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Boeing refurbishes Vietnam Airlines aircraft

Vietnam Airlines has teamed up with US aircraft maker Boeing to improve passenger comfort as the national carrier continues to expand its network and add new destinations.

Boeing is relocating and upgrading seats and interior facilities inside four of the airline’s 777-200ER aircraft. The new cabin layout “meets the discerning needs of the airline and its passengers,” the US company said in a statement issued August 26.

The first aircraft has been completed and put it into service.

“Our interior modernization program is a key part of our efforts to provide market leading services and passenger comfort, further affirming Vietnam Airlines’ position as a major carrier in the Southeast Asian region, especially after we joined the Skyteam alliance,” said Executive Vice President Technical Nguyen Van Hung.

The carrier joined the Skyteam Alliance in June to enlarge its network of destinations and cut operating costs.

As the national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines operates more than 290 flights a day on 75 routes to 20 domestic and 26 international destinations. It expects to expand its fleet to 115 and 165 aircraft by 2015 and 2020 respectively, compared to 70 aircraft at present.

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Boeing delays delivery of Dreamliner to 2011

Photo: AFP

TOKYO - Aerospace giant Boeing said Friday it would further delay the delivery of its first 787 Dreamliner aircraft until early next year, in another set-back for the troubled jet.

Boeing's confirmation that it will not be able to hand over the aircraft to Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) was made in a statement released in the US and Japan and comes after it warned in July it may have to push the date back.

It said it now expects delivery of the first Dreamliner in the middle of the first quarter of 2011 as it continues to carry out tests on the plane, which is already more than two years behind schedule.

Boeing said the revision follows problems with the Rolls-Royce engines that will power the plane as it continues to test the aircraft.

"While Boeing works closely with Rolls-Royce to expedite engine availability, flight testing across the test fleet continues as planned," it said.

Boeing added that the scheduled revision will not affect the company's financial guidance.

The aviation giant is hanging its future on the mid-sized plane -- its first new model in more than a decade -- which draws on huge advances in aviation technology and can fly long-haul routes using up to 20 percent less fuel.

Boeing launched the Dreamliner program in April 2004 and initially had planned to deliver the first plane to ANA in the first half of 2008.

But the aircraft, which can seat up to 330 passengers, made its maiden flight in December last year, more than two years behind schedule.

The series of delays in the 787 program contributed to large losses for the company, as airlines such as Russia's S7 and Australia's Qantas last year cancelled orders for the problem-plagued machine.

Earlier this month flagship carrier Air India said it wanted compensation from Boeing for delays in the delivery of Dreamliner planes, with media reports saying the airline is demanding $1 billion.

Japan's ANA has ordered a total of 55 Dreamliners as it looks to gradually replace its fleet of kerosene-hungry vehicles with more economically and environmentally friendly models.

The Dreamliner's fuel efficiency is largely down to the fact that up to half the twin-aisle aircraft is made of lightweight composite materials, such as carbon fiber-reinforced resin, according to the company.

In July, Boeing said a series of issues, including problems with the "horizontal stabilizer" and instrumentation delays, could push the first delivery back into next year.

Boeing said it had detected a "workmanship issue" with the horizontal stabilizer, a component in the rear of the aircraft that is designed to stabilize it in flight. It is made by Italy's Alenia.

Meanwhile Boeing's fierce European rival Airbus is working on a new long-haul plane of its own -- the A350 XWB (Extra Wide Body). Another big project for Airbus is its long-delayed A400M military transport plane.

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