Boeing’s newest and largest 787 Dreamliner took wing Friday, dipping and soaring for almost 5 hours above South Carolina during its first flight. The plane’s drama-free performance brought relief to Boeing officials after delays marred the first Dreamliner’s debut in 2011. The 787-10 even took off nearly 30 minutes earlier than scheduled. Stiffer headwinds may lie ahead as the carbon-composite jetliner enters the market next year. The 787-10 figures significantly in Boeing’s efforts to wipe away US$27.3b in production losses lingering from the Dreamliner program’s rocky beginning. But sales have slowed for larger twin-engine aircraft that ply international routes as cheaper fuel and a glut of similarly sized used Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s sap demand. <br/>
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The first Airbus A319neo performed its maiden flight March 31, according to Airbus. The smallest member of the A320neo family, powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines, took off from Hamburg and landed in Toulouse after a 5-hour flight. The flight crew was able to assess the general handling of the aircraft and to check the main systems, Airbus said. Airbus said in February that production of the A320 family of single-aisle airliners was “essentially sold out to 2022.” The manufacturer plans to ramp up production of A320 family aircraft to 69 a month in 2019. Airbus said the aircraft offers its operators “superior short field performance in hot and high conditions.” It can accommodate up to 160 passengers <br/>
New restrictions on electronic devices for flights to the US from the Middle East and Africa have sparked a strong outcry from the airline industry and new passenger services from 3 impacted carriers. IATA called on the US and the UK to “urgently find alternatives” to the ban. “The current measures are not an acceptable long-term solution to whatever threat they are trying to mitigate,” Alexandre de Juniac, DG and CE for the group, said. He said US and British security officials have not shared information or coordinated efforts with the industry about the security threat that lead to the ban. Meanwhile, Emirates Airlines responded to the electronics ban with a program that lets passengers use their laptops and tablet devices on the first leg of their trip before leaving for the US from Dubai. <br/>
Hotels and airlines in the US are cutting prices as tourists avoid the country in response to Donald Trump’s immigration policies, according to Expedia. Dara Khosrowshahi, CE of Expedia, warned the US travel industry is preparing for a turbulent year amid falling international interest in visiting the country. American groups are responding to the strong dollar, he said, but another factor was the Trump administration’s effort to impose a travel ban on visitors from some countries. “I think that because of some of the perceived positions coming out of the current administration, the US as a destination is potentially looking less attractive as a product,” said Khosrowshahi. “One of two things is going to happen. Either the US has to go on sale in order to keep volumes up, or volumes are going to come down.” <br/>
A drone flew within 20 metres of a plane on the approach to Heathrow, while another shocked pilots by appearing at 3,000 metres, a monthly update on near-misses has revealed. Commercial jet pilots reported 2 “category A” incidents, the most serious class of near-miss, involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The latest report comes amid concern that drone near-misses are on the rise, potentially posing a threat to recreational and commercial planes. In one case, an Airbus A320 pilot on the approach to Heathrow in October last year spotted a drone within just 20 metres, or “possibly within the wingspan” of the aircraft. Investigators concluded that the drone had flown so close to the passenger jet that “providence had played a major part in the aircraft not colliding”. <br/>
Airline passengers generated 5.2m tonnes of waste in 2016, most of which went to landfill or incineration. And it’s a figure set to double over the next 15 years. The airline industry has taken flak for its growing greenhouse gas emissions as passenger numbers rise. But could its massive waste footprint be solved without affecting the sector’s growth? A Spanish project launched last autumn by a group of companies including Iberia Airlines and Ferrovial Services is taking up this challenge. The scheme aims to recover 80% of cabin waste coming into Madrid’s Barajas airport by mid-2020 through simple measures such as using trolleys designed for waste separation. The programme, which aims to produce guidelines for use in other airports, is also exploring low-packaging meals and reusable cutlery, as well as data-led solutions. <br/>