May 30 2011
Kenya Airways is taking delivery of its second Embraer 190 this week. The first Embraer 190 arrived in January this year and is used on medium to long range African flights .A further Embraer 190 will be delivered this year.
Kenya Airways Embraer 190
The airline also operates five Embraer 170 aircraft.
May 20 2011
Seattle-based Horizon Air at one time flew CRJ-700s for the Alaska Air Group until they revamped their fleet with Bombardier Q400s and dropped the CRJ service. This program was completed and then Alaska Airlines made the decision to drop the Horizon Air brand name repainting the aircraft into full Alaska Airlines colours. Recently Alaska Airlines completed an agreement with Skywest to fly Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jets on some of their west coast routes.
The agreement will have Skywest fly 22 daily CRJ-700 flights between Seattle/Portland International Airport and Burbank, Fresno, Long Beach, Ontario and Santa Barbara.
Alaska Airlines Bombardier CRJ-700 (N215AG) operated by Skywest seen at SEA.Photo by Keith Draycott.
Skywest is leasing the CRJ-700s from Horizon Air and flying them for Alaska under their colours. The aircraft will display the Alaska Airlines livery with small Skywest markings on the fuselage. The first aircraft to undergo this change and enter service was MSN 10009 N215AG which is ex-Horizon Air N601QX.
It is expected that the complete fleet swap and in-service activation of the remaining aircraft will be completed by the end of June 2011.
May 19 2011
Bombardier Aerospace announced in a press release today that the CRJ1000 NextGen regional jet is achieving better than expected fuel burn.
Bombardier CRJ1000 Prototype
According to Bombardier, the CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft is achieving a mission fuel consumption rate that is 4 per cent better than estimated. The additional savings in fuel burn results in an average annual savings of approximately $220,000 US per aircraft on a yearly basis. The improved fuel burn also directly results in a four per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to an average reduction of nearly 700 tons of greenhouse gases per aircraft, each year. The aircraft are also achieving six per cent greater range than previously advertised.
Since the aircraft’s entry into service in December 2010 by Brit Air and Air Nostrum, the airlines are reporting very high reliability of the aircraft, as shown by the aircraft’s 99.4 per cent dispatch reliability. Brit Air has ordered 14 CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft, while Air Nostrum has ordered 35.
May 16 2011
Montenegro Airlines has ordered a fourth Embraer jet, which is due for delivery in 2012. The airline currently operates 3 Embraer 195 jets. The model ordered was not announced, but it is expected to be one of either the Embraer 170, Embraer 175 or the Embraer 190.
Montenegro Airlines Embraer 195
The airline paid its outstanding debt to the Brazilian plane manufacturer late last month for other aircraft in its fleet, which allowed for this new order to be placed with the manufacturer. Montenegro Airlines currently operates a fleet of 5 Fokker F100s and 3 Embraer 195s, with one F100 permanently grounded. The carrier has plans to operate an all Embraer fleet in the near future and phase out the older Fokker aircraft. It also plans to order another Embraer jet next year to be delivered in 2013. The newly ordered aircraft will be deployed to destinations such as Zurich, Frankfurt, Vienna and Rome.