aircraft grounding

Airbus, EU flag battery issue with parked aircraft

Yellow planes from Spirit Airlines parked at airport with engine covers because they are not being operated.

Add reduced battery capacity to the list of technical issues that airline maintenance staff should watch for in planes stored for long periods because the coronavirus has limited flying.

More than 30% of the global passenger jet fleet, or about 8,100 aircraft, remains in storage, according to airline analytics and consulting firm Cirium.

Last month, Airbus and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued an advisory that battery systems on A320, A330, A340 and A380 aircraft may not fully...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/airbus-eu-flag-battery-issue-with-parked-aircraft

Hurricane Sally tests United Airlines’ protections for parked planes

White jets, with blue tails from United sit in a row at Houston airport. They are in temporary storage during coronavirus.

Airlines moved vulnerable aircraft out of harm’s way ahead of Hurricane Sally’s Gulf Coast landfall Wednesday, but some will have to ride out the storm on the ground. 

The large number of parked aircraft due to passenger flight suspensions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic poses an extra challenge for airlines and airports during hurricane season.

They’re implementing detailed playbooks to protect planes, but the workload is magnified when airlines store planes that are out of service. 

United...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/hurricane-sally-tests-united-airlines-protections-for-parked-planes

MRO business sees uptick as air carriers reconfigure fleets

The COVID-19 pandemic may have prohibited commercial airlines around the globe from taking flight, but many have shifted their focus to the tarmac as carriers have put greater emphasis on servicing their grounded fleets.  

While AOG (aircraft on ground) services have decreased due to prolonged aircraft downtime, MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) business has increased as carriers take advantage of the lull to manage their aircraft.

“With fewer aircraft operating around the world, AOG...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/mro-business-sees-uptick-as-air-carriers-reconfigure-fleets

Cobwebs and corrosion: Reactivating parked aircraft requires extra care

White jets with blue tails from United Airlines lined up on an inactive taxiway at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. They're in storage.

Parking planes during the pandemic doesn’t mean technicians ignore them until airlines are ready to fly again. A great deal of mechanical support work, including electrical checks and engine starts, takes place to keep aircraft serviceable.

Even when approved maintenance schedules are followed, there are threats to the safe return of aircraft from extended downtime.

The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recently issued a safety notice addressing the potential hazards of bringing aircraft out of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/cobwebs-and-corrosion-reactivating-parked-aircraft-requires-extra-care

Cathay Pacific sending planes to Australia for storage during pandemic

Staring straight ahead at a big white jet. from the front. Cathay Pacific is storing planes in sunny climates.

Cathay Pacific Airways (OTCUS: CPCAY) is sending part of its fleet overseas to ride out the coronavirus pandemic in drier locations where weather conditions are more forgiving than in humid Hong Kong.

About one-third of Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon aircraft will be sent to locations with drier conditions in the coming months to help keep them in optimal condition, Ronald Lam, chief customer and commercial officer, said in the August edition of the company’s cargo newsletter.

Cathay Dragon is...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/cathay-pacific-sending-planes-to-australia-for-storage-during-pandemic

American Airlines suffers Q2 loss from COVID-19

American Airlines

American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL) posted a $2.7 billion pretax loss for the second quarter, ending June 30, on a nearly $10 billion drop in revenue from last year.

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker called the second quarter of 2020 “one of the most challenging” in the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline’s history.

“There is much uncertainty ahead, but we remain confident we will emerge from this crisis more agile and more efficient than ever before,” he said in a statement.

Parker said American spent...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/american-airlines-suffers-q2-loss-from-covid-19

Delta cargo revenue drops despite freight-only flights

Cargo has been a bright spot for Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL), but the revenue from this business is still part of a $3.9 billion pretax loss for the second quarter.

Like other airlines, Delta in March shifted some passenger planes to cargo-only flights to carry personal protective medical gear and other high-demand products overseas to key U.S. markets. It also has made use of passenger quarters on some planes to handle certain cargoes.

Despite the cargo-only flights, the airline reported cargo...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/delta-cargo-revenue-drops-despite-freight-only-flights

Delta faces ‘staggering’ Q2 loss in face of COVID-19

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) posted a $3.9 billion pretax loss for the second quarter, ending June 30, on a more than $11 billion drop in revenue from last year.

Ed Bastian, the Atlanta-based carrier’s CEO, said the dramatic loss “illustrates the truly staggering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business.”

The airline had anticipated a continued deterioration in revenue since earlier this year when it grounded more than 90% of its passenger flights due to government travel restrictions to...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/delta-faces-staggering-q2-loss-in-face-of-covid-19

Senators blast FAA ‘stonewalling’ 737 MAX investigation

Large bald man, the head of the FAA, speaks before congressional committee.

Federal Aviation Administration chief Stephen Dickson on Wednesday acknowledged that the agency and Boeing (NYSE: BA) made mistakes in the development of the 737 MAX, and said he is committed to improving the certification process and that the plane must go through several more review steps before it can be recertified for commercial service.

During a hearing that got testy at times, members of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee accused the FAA of “stonewalling” their...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/senators-blast-faa-stonewalling-737-max-investigation