Singapore's luxurious new Boeing 777-300ER

This week marked Singapore Airlines' inaugural Boeing 777-300ER service from San Francisco to Seoul, and then on to Singapore. But the aircraft was not just any old Boeing 777-300ER. This one was a new version ordered by Singapore that features a specially designed, ultra-luxurious passenger cabin.

A news article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says that the interior features in the snazzy new cabin originally were intended for the Airbus A380 aircraft, but since Singapore won't be able to take delivery of its first A380 until October, the new 'cabin products' are being introduced on the Boeing 777-300ER instead.

Although the Boeing 777- 300ER has been in airline service since 2004, the version ordered by Singapore Airlines has a number of interior "firsts" for Boeing.

It's the first 777 with no overhead luggage storage bins along the center of the cabin in business class, and no overhead bins at all in first class, giving the cabin a roomier feel.

Also a first is a space-saving lift system that allows the crew to store their luggage and other personal things above the cabin. This was one of the new features that [Ken Davis, an interiors engineer with Boeing Commercial Airplanes] worried might be troublesome since the crew was not familiar with its operation.

Mr. Davis went along on the inaugural flight to assist the cabin crew if needed.

Until they showed up at the San Francisco airport, most of the passengers who took the first flight were not aware they would be flying on the new plane. But they realized the flight was special when they arrived at gate 99 in the international terminal and saw the balloons, free food and beverages -- and the media. Three newspaper reporters went on the flight, as well as the travel editor and a cameraman from a San Francisco TV station.

"We thought maybe someone was having a wedding," Jan Bruneau said when she saw the balloons. She and her husband, Dave, from Alberta, were flying to Singapore and then on to Sydney, Australia, to visit their daughter.

They had seats in the economy class. At 19 inches wide, that's about 2 inches more than passengers have in economy class on Singapore Airlines' other 777 models, and its 747-400s.

Each economy seat also has a 10.6-inch monitor for in-flight entertainment, considerably bigger than the monitors in economy class of Singapore's other jets.

Seats in the first class section are 35 inches wide, and there is an air bag incorporated into the seat belts. The air bag would automatically inflate "to help protect the passenger in a crash or violent event." First class also features bedding by Givenchy.

Business class passengers sit in 30-inch seats that turn into beds.

Singapore Airlines already operates 60 'Triple-7' aircraft. It has ordered 19 of the new 777- 300ERs.

Singapore Airlines is likely to have the same seats in economy and business on the A380 that are on its 777-300ERs. And the Airbus plane will have the same in-flight entertainment system. But the airline is keeping mum about first class on the A380 -- for those who can afford a flying hotel.

Sounds like a game of 'can you top this?' Someone please tel Singapore Airlines I'd be happy to try out the new service and write an official review!

Operational test of anti-missile system for commercial aircraft

If you have been reading this blog for awhile, you know that I have posted several articles about missile defense for commercial planes -- or rather plans for such systems. One of those systems, Northrop Grumman's Guardian, is now in the operational testing phase.

According to news reports, a FedEx MD-10 cargo jet equipped with the Guardian anti-missile system left from LAX yesterday on a regular commercial flight. An Associated Press article on the Airport Business website says:

The FedEx flight marked the start of operational testing and evaluation of the laser system designed to defend against shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles during takeoffs and landings.

Adapted from military technology, Guardian is designed to detect a missile launch and then direct a laser to the seeker system on the head of the missile and disrupt its guidance signals. The laser is not visible and is eye-safe, the company said.

"For the first time, we will be able to collect valuable logistics data while operating Guardian on aircraft in routine commercial service," said Robert L. DelBoca, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman's Defensive Systems Division.

Another article about this topic, on the Aero-News Network website quoted Mr. DelBoca further:

"This milestone marks an important event for Northrop Grumman and the aviation industry. For the first time, we will be able to collect valuable logistics data while operating Guardian on aircraft in routine commercial service," said Robert L. DelBoca, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman's Defensive Systems Division. "We stand ready to protect America's flying public with the proven technology that we supply to our warfighters worldwide in operational theater."

The test of the Guardian system is a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security initiative to protect commercial aircraft from shoulder-fired missiles. The Reuters article notes that "no passenger plane has ever been downed by a shoulder-fired missile outside of a combat zone. But terrorists linked with al-Qaida are believed to have fired two SA-7 missiles that narrowly missed an Israeli passenger jet after it took off from Mombasa, Kenya, in November 2002."

New ID system for pilots flying to Israel

Israel is preparing to introduce a new pilot identification system in order to enhance aviation security for that country. According to Danny Shenar, head of security at Israel's Transportation Ministry, the new system will feature "a credit card-size device that is personally and exclusively assigned to each pilot, and carried aboard their flights."

Under the program, called Code Positive, the cards will be distributed free of charge to pilots of all commercial airlines that fly to Israel. A Reuters article on Airwise.com about the Code Positive system quotes Mr. Shenar:

"Using this card, it will be possible to verify that the person flying the aircraft is indeed the person qualified to fly it," Shenar told Israel's Army Radio.

"This system was developed to prevent aviation mega-terror over Israel, in the form of a plane coming through one of the borders and crashing into a target in Israel," he said. "The system should be operational by the end of the year."

Code Positive was developed by Israeli firm Elbit Systems. Shenar declined to elaborate on the specific technology involved for security reasons.

But he said it would be impossible for a hijacker to force a pilot to hand over identifying details, or otherwise pose as a legitimate member of the flight crew.

"You can't bluff this system," Shenar said.

Planes without the Code Positive system will be turned back from Israeli airspace on pain of being shot down, an official said. The Israelis will begin distributing the cards in May.

VNY Citation accident pilots named

The two pilots who were flying the Cessna Citation that crashed last week shortly after takeoff from Van Nuys have been identified. According to an Associated Press article on the KABC TV website, the men's names were Frank Kratzer, 72, and Fernando Fernandez, 49. Both pilots perished in the accident.

No one else was aboard the aircraft at the time of the accident. Media reports have said that the aircraft was being repositioned from Van Nuys to Long Beach where it was to pick up charter passengers for a flight to Prescott, AZ.

The aircraft was owned by Sun Quest Executive Air Charter. Frank Kratzer was the founder and owner of that company. A former airline pilot for both Western Airlines and Delta Air Lines, he had logged over 37,000 flying hours. According to an article on the website of the Press Telegram in Long Beach:

In the early 1980s, he launched Mobile Flight Training at Whiteman Airport, which later become Sun Quest Flight School. In 1992, he founded a Sun Quest charter service company in Van Nuys.

An excellent instructor, he had trained an entire generation of pilots, friends say.

The same article says Fernando Fernandez had been one of those students.

"Chris" Fernandez, as he was also known, was a self-employed Hollywood studios electrician before pursuing a career as a pilot, associates said.

A student of Sun Quest, he had logged several thousand flight hours and had flown for the company since August. He had been active in the Latin American Pilots Association and regularly flew his Beechcraft Baron to Mexico.

"He was one of those really easy-going guys who always had something positive to say," Watts said.

Regarding the accident, the NTSB said that soon after takeoff, the pilot radioed the tower with a request to return, and the aircraft was cleared to land. They didn't make it.

At least one witness said he noticed that a nose compartment door was open as the plane took off, but no cause has yet been determined for the crash. Sun Quest has grounded at least two other Citations while the accident investigation continues.

Condolences to the family and friends of the two pilots who were lost.

New book says Airbus ex-CEO dropped his trousers to close a deal

How's this for a 'hook to sell a book': Publicity for a new book by New Yorker magazine writer John Newhouse mentions a spicy anecdote about Airbus ex-CEO Jean Pierson, and the story is spreading around the news media today like wildfire!

Here's an excerpt from a Reuters article, published on Airwise.com:

Jean Pierson, the colorful Frenchman who built Airbus into Boeing's biggest competitor, dropped his trousers to seal a key US plane order in 1997, according to a book to be published on Tuesday.

The bizarre tactic worked, and the resulting order helped Airbus take on Boeing in its own backyard, setting up the biggest rivalry in global business, according to "Boeing versus Airbus", by former New Yorker magazine writer John Newhouse.

Pierson, who ran Airbus from 1985 to 1998, was at US Airways' headquarters for what he thought would be a short meeting to tie up a 400 plane deal, the anecdote runs.

At the last minute, US Airways' then-chairman Stephen Wolf started arguing for a 5 percent discount on the selling price.

"Pierson began slowly lowering his trousers and saying 'I have nothing more to give.' He then allowed the trousers to fall around his ankles," says Newhouse in his book.

Wolf replied: "Pull up your pants. I don't need any more money," and the deal was signed, according to the book. The author says he got the story from Pierson himself, and it was confirmed by another person present.

Shortly afterward, US Airways announced the purchase of 124 single-aisle Airbus A320 family jets with options for 276 more, a stab into the heart of Boeing's competing 737 program. It put the European company on track to overtake Boeing in global orders only two years later.

You have to admit, that's pretty catchy copy!

You can read the whole article here: Airbus CEO Dropped Trousers For Plane Deal - Book

Newhouse's new book, Boeing Versus Airbus: The Inside Story of the Greatest International Competition in Business, went on sale this week.

NetJets orders another 48 Hawkers

Hawker pilots take note: Fractional operator NetJets, Inc. has just ordered 30 Hawker 750, and 18 Hawker 900XP jets from the Raytheon Aircraft Co. This is in addition to the 48 Hawkers ordered by NetJets in October. From an article about the transaction on the Business First of Columbus website:

"This order for 48 additional Hawker aircraft will help NetJets meet its increased demand for private aviation solutions in Europe and the U.S.," said Richard Santulli, NetJets chairman, in a news release.

The article goes on to say:

Deliveries on the Hawker 900XPs will start this year and continue through 2012, Raytheon said. Deliveries on the Hawker 750s will start in 2008 and continue through 2009 on the initial order and start in 2010 and continue through 2011 on the follow-up order.

Keep those delivery dates in mind if you're looking for a job flying a Hawker.

Here's the Pilot Careers page on the NetJets website, just for reference. Tip: It says on the website that they're accepting pilot applications for Citation, Hawker, Falcon, Gulfstream, and Boeing aircraft.

State-owned airlines in India to merge

The BBC is reporting that India's two main state-owned airlines will soon merge. The two carriers, Air India and Indian Airlines, will become one by April of this year. From the BBC article:

The Indian government hopes that the combined firm will become one of the world's top 20 airlines.

"Everybody feels the process of merger is appropriate," said Praful Patel, India's civil aviation minister.

Set up in 1932, Air India is the country's flagship airline, serving more than 40 destinations worldwide.

Indian Airlines is focused on the domestic market.

Air travel has been growing rapidly in India as income levels rise and long-established players such as Air India and Indian Airlines have been challenged by more recent entrants.

There are now four budget airlines operating in India.

Speaking of India, the aviation industry in that country is booming. This is not just my opinion. An article on the DNA India website also quotes India's civil aviation minister Prafel Patel, who said that aviation is going to be "the next big thing" in India.

With the boom in the aviation industry and increasing number of private airlines, this is going to be the industry which will be a big draw for the youth.

For a glimpse of the kinds of aviation jobs that Air India is seeking to fill, have a look at the Present Vacancies page on the Air India website. Looks like they're aggressively hiring pilots, as well as technical personnel.

No more Love for AA mainline crews

An article from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, republished on the Airport Business website, says that beginning April 10, American Airlines will replace the remaining MD-80 aircraft flying from Dallas Love Field with smaller regional jets operated by regional affiliate American Eagle.

"At that point it's going to be an all-Eagle base," spokesman Roger Frizzell said. "But we're committed to serving our passengers who prefer to fly from Love Field and giving them that option."

He said the airline is "absolutely committed" to maintaining its presence at the Dallas airport.

American will continue to operate the same number of flights from Love Field, but with the smaller aircraft.