Boeing’s flight-test programme for its new 787 Dreamliner is running behind schedule, though the company insists that launch customer All Nippon Airways will have its first aircraft by 31 December. The company was finally able to get the 787 airborne last December, but the plane is already two-and-a-half years behind schedule and has cost Boeing billions of dollars in penalties. Minor delays and unexpected issues have meant that the crucial in-flight certification process with … [Read more...] about AMERICAS: Dreamliner falling behind in test schedule

Air Canada Cargo is offering new, non-stop seasonal service three times per week to and from Calgary (YYC) and Tokyo-Narita (NRT) from end-March. The new route, operated by a B767-300, is the only non-stop service from the Calgary area to Asia. Air Canada Cargo said it will also be expanding its network to over a dozen new cities over the next few months, including Brussels, Athens, Barcelona and Copenhagen. … [Read more...] about AMERICAS: New Calgary-Tokyo service for Air Canada

Virgin America yesterday announced it will add nine additional A320s (six arriving this year and three scheduled in the 2011 first quarter), bringing its fleet to 37 from 28 currently. With the new, leased aircraft Virgin will launch new daily flights to Orlando International from Los Angeles and San Francisco in August. It also plans to begin daily service from LAX and SFO to Toronto Pearson, its first international destination, as early as June. … [Read more...] about AMERICAS: First international foray for Virgin America

On 28 March, United Airlines resumed the daily B767 service between Washington and Moscow, which was reduced to four times a week in late October. … [Read more...] about AMERICAS: UAL resumes daily Washington-Moscow

The first Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft equipped with Goodrich Corporation carbon brakes has been delivered to flydubai, Dubai’s first low cost airline. This is the seventh Next- Generation 737 the airline has received in less than 10 months of commercial operations. Goodrich will supply wheels and carbon brake equipment for flydubai’s entire fleet of more than 50 Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft and will retrofit the airline’s existing six aircraft. … [Read more...] about AMERICAS: First B737 with carbon brakes enters service

Continental Airlines said that it expected to receive the first six of 25 B787-8 Dreamliners from Boeing in the second half of next year meaning that Continental would become the US launch customer for the delayed aircraft. Delta Air Lines which inherited a B787 order through its takeover of Northwest Airlines, remains in talks with Boeing about its deal. Launch customer All Nippon Airways expects its first B787 in the fourth quarter of this year. … [Read more...] about AMERICAS: Continental expects six B787s in 2011