Airways Magazine January 2018

IN THE last 10 years of attending and covering airshows, I had never witnessed one in which more than US$76 billion were spent in the span of only three hours by two competing aircraft programs. That’s until the recent Dubai Air Show, in which both Boeing and Airbus signed record-breaking orders for their 737 MAX and A320neo programs, respectively. The expectations for this show were just lukewarm. Following a somewhat bland Paris Air Show during the summertime, the airline industry wasn’t foreseeing big announcements at the Middle Eastern trade show. Airbus hoped to revive its A380 program with an all-new order from Emirates. Eventually, nothing happened for the superjumbo; the Emirati carrier switched sides and purchased 46 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners instead. The Dubai Air Show proved hottest, however, for single-aisle…

Hello, Airways! I am an aviation photographer from Cleveland, and I regularly spot at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE). In the late 1990s, CLE was a bustling airport with a promising future as a major Midwest hub for Continental. But, in 2011, the airline pulled its hub from there after the merger with United Airlines, and traffic decreased up to 60%. However, the gap left by United is now filled by JetBlue, Frontier, Spirit, and Allegiant. CLE is growing fast and is on the rise again. Recently, it was announced that both Icelandair air and Wow Air would be starting flights to Keflavik (KEF) in May. As you could imagine, as an aviation enthusiast and a future Pilot, I was extremely excited. Are you investigating/planning a story about the rise and…

ON THE COVER One of the most seen aircraft soaring the American skies in the last two decades is Southwest’s Boeing 737-300. This aircraft type was seen sporting numerous liveries and at many different airports throughout the years, becoming the world’s most successful low-cost carrier’s backbone. This month, we honor its retirement with a powerful departing shot. Thank you for your service, Classic. SOCIAL MEDIA airwaysmag 3,035 likes Twelve Suites are currently located on the Main Forward Deck of the A380. This cabin will be re-housed to the Upper Forward Deck, with the new layout featuring just six seats. Read more at airwaysmag.com Tell us, did we make the right choice? Which cover would you have picked? Share your thoughts and have your opinion featured in an upcoming Mailbag.…

1 UNITED AIRLINES BOEING 747-422 N118UA (MSN 28811 · LN 1201) On November 7, 2017, United Airlines (UA) operated its last Boeing 747 service, ending a 47-year run with the Chicago-based carrier. Flight UA747 was a throwback to the 1970s, when UA launched its ‘Friendship’ service with the wide-body to Hawaii and on transcontinental routes across the USA. 2 AIR CANADA BOEING 737 MAX 8 C-FTJV (MSN 61207 · LN 6634) Air Canada (AC) has become the second Canadian operator of the Boeing 737 MAX, just weeks after WestJet (WS). This aircraft is the first of a firm order for 61 of the aircraft scheduled for delivery to Air Canada through 2021. The inaugural Air Canada Boeing 737 MAX revenue flight was scheduled in November. 3 HAWAIIAN AIRLINES AIRBUS A321-271N D-AYAF (MSN 7917) Hawaiian Airlines (HA) has taken delivery of its…

4 RUTACA AIRLINES BOEING 737-230(A) YV380T (MSN 22127 · LN 745) Venezuela-based Rutaca Airlines (5R) has updated its livery with a black-and-yellow design. The carrier has dropped the troupial, the national bird of Venezuela, from its tail, replacing it with a large ‘R’ over a cuboid background. 5 AVIANCA AIRBUS A321-253N N759AV (MSN 7770) Avianca (AV) has incorporated its second Airbus A321neo aircraft into the fleet. The jetliner entered into revenue service on September 26, with flights between Bogotá (BOG) and Lima (LIM). The Colombian carrier has 15 more of the aircraft on direct order from the manufacturer. 6 AEROLÍNEAS ARGENTINAS BOEING 737 MAX 8 LV-LVD (MSN 64207· LN 6661) At press time, Aerolíneas Argentinas (AR) was set to receive its first 170-seat Boeing 737 MAX 8 by the end of November. Back in December 2016, the airline negotiated the conversion…

7 ORANGE2FLY AIRBUS A320-232 SX-SOF (MSN 2479) Orange2Fly (OT) is a Greek charter airline offering wet lease, charter, and ad hoc flights. The carrier has a single aircraft, leased from AerCap: a 2005-built Airbus A320 delivered initially to defunct Spanish carrier Spanair (JK). 8 AIR EUROPA EXPRESS (AERONOVA) ATR 72-500 EC-MSN (MSN 918) Air Europa Express (Aeronova) (OVA) has deployed two ATR 72-500s to open new scheduled flights within the Canary Islands. The 68-seat planes will serve routes from Gran Canaria (LPA) to Tenerife Norte (TFN), Fuerteventura (FUE), and Lanzarote (ACE). 9 AIRBUS INDUSTRIE AIRBUS A330-941 F-WTTE (MSN 1795) On October 19, 2017, the first Airbus A330neo prototype completed its first flight, which lasted 4 hours and 13 minutes. The manufacturer has set up a fast-paced development program from launch to first delivery, to TAP Portugal (TP), in 2018. 10 AIRBUS INDUSTRIE AIRBUS…