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Cirium Launches the First Airline Routes Tool Based on Satellite-Based Flight Tracking

Cirium | March 21, 2023 | Read time : 02:25 min

Cirium Launches the First Airline Routes Tool Based on Satellite

Cirium, the aviation analytics leader, has launched the aviation industry’s first Airline Routes tool to identify actual flights flown by aircraft type.This press release features multimedia.  It uses applied analytics to derive routes flown by airlines based on satellite-based flight tracking and fuses this with advanced fleet data.

The new premium Routes tool is part of Ascend Profiles, a visual descriptive analytics tool which enables businesses to quickly view aircraft intelligence by airline or lessor. Businesses such as aircraft lessors, banks or aircraft manufacturers are empowered to identify the aircraft flown by route for 1,700 airlines and factor development opportunities or risk into their decision making. By leveraging satellite-based flight tracking data the tool identifies what routes and aircraft airlines actually flew rather than what they planned to fly providing the most accurate flight completion picture. Kevin Hightower, Cirium VP of Product said: “The Airline Routes tool is the first of its kind to bring together such advanced data – the satellite-based flight tracking and the comprehensive fleet data – meaning businesses can conduct quick yet accurate due diligence on an airline portfolio. “Understanding which aircraft an airline is actually flying and on what routes is critical to identify where aircraft demand may be and whether an airline is growing or reducing their network.” India is one of the markets in the spotlight currently, as air travel is helping to boost economic growth in the region. Low-cost-carrier, IndiGo recently announced it was looking to grow its international network and further solidify its domestic operations. According to Ascend Profiles, IndiGo has a fleet of 306 aircraft – (273 in service and 33 in storage), plus 501 on order. Of the delivered fleet, 36% are on operating lease. The Routes tool shows which two-way international routes IndiGo was operating this January which it was not in January 2022. For example, 172 flights were tracked on the newly added route between Indira-Gandhi International Airport in Delhi to Tribhuvan International in Kathmandu. All operated using Airbus A320s. Additionally, the new tool shows the bi-directional routes for which IndiGo has ramped up operations. The carrier saw the most significant growth on the Singapore – Bengaluru route, where it completed 62 flights, all using A320s, this January versus only one flight, using an A321, last January. IndiGo also substantially increased its operations this year on the Dubai – Ahmedabad route, completing five times the number of flights in Jan 23 when compared with Jan 22.

The Airline Routes tool is part of Ascend Profiles which visualizes aircraft intelligence of airline or lessor profiles and provides quick and accurate insights showing the latest 12-month year-over-year flights flown by an airline’s routes and can be viewed by flights, seats and ASKs. The tool is available as a web-app on desktop, tablet, and mobile. Find out more.

About Cirium

Cirium brings together powerful data and analytics to keep the world moving. Delivering insight, built from decades of experience in the sector, enabling travel companies, aircraft manufacturers, airports, airlines and financial institutions, among others, to make logical and informed decisions which shape the future of travel, growing revenues and enhancing customer experiences. Cirium is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The shares of RELX PLC are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX.

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Goodbye 757s, Hello A321XLR? Icelandair Signs For Up To 25 A321XLRs

Earlier this month, Icelandair announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Airbus for 25 A321XLRs. This is a significant update from the Icelandic flag carrier, which had been mulling over new options for its fleet for several years. For most of its recent history, the airline has been a mainly Boeing operator. Let’s look at this development in today’s video!

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Spotlight

Goodbye 757s, Hello A321XLR? Icelandair Signs For Up To 25 A321XLRs

Earlier this month, Icelandair announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Airbus for 25 A321XLRs. This is a significant update from the Icelandic flag carrier, which had been mulling over new options for its fleet for several years. For most of its recent history, the airline has been a mainly Boeing operator. Let’s look at this development in today’s video!

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CDB Aviation Delivers China’s First A330 P2F on Lease to Sichuan Airlines

Businesswire | May 17, 2023

CDB Aviation, a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. (“CDB Leasing”), announced today the re-delivery of China’s first-ever converted Airbus A330-300 Passenger to Freighter (“A330 P2F”) aircraft on lease to its customer, Sichuan Airlines. The A330 was converted by Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH (“EFW”) with Shanghai Technologies Aerospace Company Limited ("STARCO") at its facilities in Shanghai Pudong, concluding EFW’s first-ever A330 P2F conversion to have taken place in China. “This re-delivery marks a significant milestone for Sichuan Airlines and China as we see the outcome of intense work and collaboration resulting in the arrival of the country’s very first A330 P2F,” asserted Jie Chen, CDB Aviation’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are grateful to the Sichuan Airlines team for trusting CDB Aviation to be a partner in supporting their innovative fleet strategy and for becoming our first A330 P2F customer in China. This aircraft will be a superb addition to their fleet as the airline continues to serve the country’s rapidly expanding air cargo market.” The freighter, equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, was delivered to Sichuan Airlines on May 15, 2023, becoming the inaugural A330 P2F in the carrier’s fleet. In addition to the A330 P2F, CDB Aviation has two A320 aircraft on lease to the airline. “We are very happy to build on our relationship with CDB Aviation and thank CEO Jie Chen and his team for their work and cooperation in bringing this aircraft to market,” said Zuyi Shi, Sichuan Airlines’ Chief Executive Officer. “The introduction of this A330 P2F will provide us more freighter capacity to meet the market requirement and further strengthen our development strategy in cargo business.” The A330 P2F is the in-demand, next-generation aircraft in the fast-growing medium widebody space. CDB Aviation was one of the first lessors to secure conversion commitments for the A330 P2F. Since the company’s entry into the air cargo space in 2022, CDB Aviation has contracted 14 A330 P2F conversions with EFW. “To offer conversions in China, serving the high demand in this growing market, was an important strategic decision for EFW,” commented Jordi Boto, Chief Executive Officer of Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH. “We are very pleased to have successfully started this journey together with CDB Aviation, our first customer with A330 P2F conversions on three continents, and we are very grateful for the trust they placed in us.” Han Weimin, General Manager of Shanghai Technologies Aerospace Company Limited, denoted: “We are very honored to do the first A330 P2F conversion in China. It is a big challenge to us. This first re-delivery is a milestone for STARCO and the Chinese aviation industry. We will continue to re-deliver more converted aircraft to Chinese and worldwide customers.” “The A330 P2F continues to gain traction as the preferred, next-generation medium widebody freighter. We strategically positioned our platform to be at the forefront of the A330 P2F program. CDB Aviation’s team has worked admirably in advancing this delivery and related cargo program. We are very pleased with its accelerating momentum and look forward to expanding our freighter fleet in collaboration with our partners at Airbus, ST Engineering, and EFW,” concluded Chen. About CDB Aviation CDB Aviation is a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. (“CDB Leasing”) a 38-year-old Chinese leasing company that is backed mainly by the China Development Bank. CDB Aviation is rated Investment Grade by Moody’s (A2), S&P Global (A), and Fitch (A+). China Development Bank is under the direct jurisdiction of the State Council of China and is the world’s largest development finance institution. It is also the largest Chinese bank for foreign investment and financing cooperation, long-term lending and bond issuance, enjoying Chinese sovereign credit rating.

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AVIATION TECHNOLOGY

Insitu’s New Shipboard Drone Launches and Catches Other Drones

Defense One | April 11, 2023

Space is always tight aboard a warship, so drone-maker Insitu has developed a smaller alternative to the trailer-sized slingshot and tower that currently launch and recover its Integrator drones. This week, the Boeing subsidiary took the wraps off its Flying Launch and Recovery System, or FLARS: a drone that launches and catches other drones. “In this case, we think and truly believe that this is going to offer a better performance and in high seas or high ship motion,” said Justin Pearce, Insitu vice president of engineering. Here’s how it works. The FLARS quadcopter carries the 265-pound Integrator to an altitude between 300 and 500 feet, gathers airspeed, and releases the fixed-wing drone in midair. While the Integrator carries out its mission—it can stay aloft for some 16 hours—the quadcopter returns to the ship. When the Integrator returns, FLARS takes off to meet it. This time, it’s carrying a recovery cable attached to the ship’s deck, a job currently performed by a small crane. The Integrator flies into and locks onto the cable and is then lowered onto the deck.In response to a Navy request, the company demonstrated the technology last year aboard the USS Paul Hamilton, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer. Details of the test and video were released for the first time this week.L3Harris Technologies also demonstrated “multiple technologies designed to operate as a portable system in challenging conditions while providing the same wide-area coverage as a shore-based system,” the Navy said in a statement.Today, about 300 Integrator drones are flown by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and allied militaries. The multi-mission can carry a wide array of payloads, including signals-intelligence or electronic-warfare gear and a synthetic aperture radar.Insitu expects to sell the FLARS system to current and new Integrator users who are pressed for physical space.“What we see going forward is, this is going to be a standard piece of kit that folks can add to their current Integrators if they need to be more expeditionary and mobile,” Pearce said. “We think folks will be buying Integrator VTOL as a full-up system as well.”The company is also working to add satellite communications to Integrator, allowing it to fly several hundred miles from a ship. They’re also working to add more “flexible connectivity” to their drones.“We see ourselves more connected in the future within our customers' networks, such that they can do kind of novel things,” Pearce said. “We're [also] focused on having an architecture that readily accepts anybody's capability for autonomy.” This would allow a single person to operate multiple drones. About Insitu Inc Insitu is an industry-leading provider of information for superior decision making. We design, develop and manufacture customized unmanned hardware, software and services solutions for our commercial, government and defense customers worldwide. Founded in 1994, Insitu is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company.

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AIR TRANSPORT

Avolon Commits to Ordering 40 Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft

Businesswire | April 28, 2023

Avolon, the international aircraft leasing company, announces a commitment to order 40 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2027 and 2030; and are valued at over $4 billion at current list price. Avolon delivered the first 737 MAX in 2017, along with the one thousandth 737 MAX earlier this year. This commitment builds on our strong relationship with Boeing and demonstrates our confidence in the long-term demand for this aircraft type. It will increase the overall size of Avolon’s owned, managed and committed fleet to 870 aircraft. The 737 MAX provides Avolon’s customers with greater flexibility across their networks, while reducing fuel use and emissions by up to 20% compared to the aircraft they will replace. This commitment reinforces Avolon’s efforts to increase the proportion of new technology fuel-efficient aircraft in its fleet, supported by the 737 MAX’s use of the latest CFM International LEAP-1B engines and advanced technology winglets. Andy Cronin, CEO of Avolon, commented: “This commitment with Boeing underlines our confidence in the positive momentum in the aviation market, and increases our portfolio of young, modern, fuel-efficient aircraft. With strong demand for our new technology orderbook, and delivery slots at a premium, it strengthens and extends our delivery profile with Boeing. This commitment will also support our airline customers who are looking to plan beyond the robust post-Covid traffic recovery and prepare for future growth, while also reducing their carbon emissions.” The transaction is subject only to approval by shareholders of Bohai Leasing Co., Ltd., Avolon’s 70% shareholder, which is anticipated before the end of May. About Avolon Headquartered in Ireland, with offices in the United States, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong, Avolon provides aircraft leasing and lease management services. Avolon is 70% owned by an indirect subsidiary of Bohai Leasing Co., Ltd., a public company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SLE: 000415) and 30% owned by ORIX Aviation Systems Limited, a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation which is listed on the Tokyo and New York Stock Exchanges (TSE: 8591; NYSE: IX).

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AIR TRANSPORT

CDB Aviation Delivers China’s First A330 P2F on Lease to Sichuan Airlines

Businesswire | May 17, 2023

CDB Aviation, a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. (“CDB Leasing”), announced today the re-delivery of China’s first-ever converted Airbus A330-300 Passenger to Freighter (“A330 P2F”) aircraft on lease to its customer, Sichuan Airlines. The A330 was converted by Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH (“EFW”) with Shanghai Technologies Aerospace Company Limited ("STARCO") at its facilities in Shanghai Pudong, concluding EFW’s first-ever A330 P2F conversion to have taken place in China. “This re-delivery marks a significant milestone for Sichuan Airlines and China as we see the outcome of intense work and collaboration resulting in the arrival of the country’s very first A330 P2F,” asserted Jie Chen, CDB Aviation’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are grateful to the Sichuan Airlines team for trusting CDB Aviation to be a partner in supporting their innovative fleet strategy and for becoming our first A330 P2F customer in China. This aircraft will be a superb addition to their fleet as the airline continues to serve the country’s rapidly expanding air cargo market.” The freighter, equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, was delivered to Sichuan Airlines on May 15, 2023, becoming the inaugural A330 P2F in the carrier’s fleet. In addition to the A330 P2F, CDB Aviation has two A320 aircraft on lease to the airline. “We are very happy to build on our relationship with CDB Aviation and thank CEO Jie Chen and his team for their work and cooperation in bringing this aircraft to market,” said Zuyi Shi, Sichuan Airlines’ Chief Executive Officer. “The introduction of this A330 P2F will provide us more freighter capacity to meet the market requirement and further strengthen our development strategy in cargo business.” The A330 P2F is the in-demand, next-generation aircraft in the fast-growing medium widebody space. CDB Aviation was one of the first lessors to secure conversion commitments for the A330 P2F. Since the company’s entry into the air cargo space in 2022, CDB Aviation has contracted 14 A330 P2F conversions with EFW. “To offer conversions in China, serving the high demand in this growing market, was an important strategic decision for EFW,” commented Jordi Boto, Chief Executive Officer of Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH. “We are very pleased to have successfully started this journey together with CDB Aviation, our first customer with A330 P2F conversions on three continents, and we are very grateful for the trust they placed in us.” Han Weimin, General Manager of Shanghai Technologies Aerospace Company Limited, denoted: “We are very honored to do the first A330 P2F conversion in China. It is a big challenge to us. This first re-delivery is a milestone for STARCO and the Chinese aviation industry. We will continue to re-deliver more converted aircraft to Chinese and worldwide customers.” “The A330 P2F continues to gain traction as the preferred, next-generation medium widebody freighter. We strategically positioned our platform to be at the forefront of the A330 P2F program. CDB Aviation’s team has worked admirably in advancing this delivery and related cargo program. We are very pleased with its accelerating momentum and look forward to expanding our freighter fleet in collaboration with our partners at Airbus, ST Engineering, and EFW,” concluded Chen. About CDB Aviation CDB Aviation is a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. (“CDB Leasing”) a 38-year-old Chinese leasing company that is backed mainly by the China Development Bank. CDB Aviation is rated Investment Grade by Moody’s (A2), S&P Global (A), and Fitch (A+). China Development Bank is under the direct jurisdiction of the State Council of China and is the world’s largest development finance institution. It is also the largest Chinese bank for foreign investment and financing cooperation, long-term lending and bond issuance, enjoying Chinese sovereign credit rating.

Read More

AVIATION TECHNOLOGY

Insitu’s New Shipboard Drone Launches and Catches Other Drones

Defense One | April 11, 2023

Space is always tight aboard a warship, so drone-maker Insitu has developed a smaller alternative to the trailer-sized slingshot and tower that currently launch and recover its Integrator drones. This week, the Boeing subsidiary took the wraps off its Flying Launch and Recovery System, or FLARS: a drone that launches and catches other drones. “In this case, we think and truly believe that this is going to offer a better performance and in high seas or high ship motion,” said Justin Pearce, Insitu vice president of engineering. Here’s how it works. The FLARS quadcopter carries the 265-pound Integrator to an altitude between 300 and 500 feet, gathers airspeed, and releases the fixed-wing drone in midair. While the Integrator carries out its mission—it can stay aloft for some 16 hours—the quadcopter returns to the ship. When the Integrator returns, FLARS takes off to meet it. This time, it’s carrying a recovery cable attached to the ship’s deck, a job currently performed by a small crane. The Integrator flies into and locks onto the cable and is then lowered onto the deck.In response to a Navy request, the company demonstrated the technology last year aboard the USS Paul Hamilton, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer. Details of the test and video were released for the first time this week.L3Harris Technologies also demonstrated “multiple technologies designed to operate as a portable system in challenging conditions while providing the same wide-area coverage as a shore-based system,” the Navy said in a statement.Today, about 300 Integrator drones are flown by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and allied militaries. The multi-mission can carry a wide array of payloads, including signals-intelligence or electronic-warfare gear and a synthetic aperture radar.Insitu expects to sell the FLARS system to current and new Integrator users who are pressed for physical space.“What we see going forward is, this is going to be a standard piece of kit that folks can add to their current Integrators if they need to be more expeditionary and mobile,” Pearce said. “We think folks will be buying Integrator VTOL as a full-up system as well.”The company is also working to add satellite communications to Integrator, allowing it to fly several hundred miles from a ship. They’re also working to add more “flexible connectivity” to their drones.“We see ourselves more connected in the future within our customers' networks, such that they can do kind of novel things,” Pearce said. “We're [also] focused on having an architecture that readily accepts anybody's capability for autonomy.” This would allow a single person to operate multiple drones. About Insitu Inc Insitu is an industry-leading provider of information for superior decision making. We design, develop and manufacture customized unmanned hardware, software and services solutions for our commercial, government and defense customers worldwide. Founded in 1994, Insitu is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company.

Read More

AIR TRANSPORT

Avolon Commits to Ordering 40 Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft

Businesswire | April 28, 2023

Avolon, the international aircraft leasing company, announces a commitment to order 40 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2027 and 2030; and are valued at over $4 billion at current list price. Avolon delivered the first 737 MAX in 2017, along with the one thousandth 737 MAX earlier this year. This commitment builds on our strong relationship with Boeing and demonstrates our confidence in the long-term demand for this aircraft type. It will increase the overall size of Avolon’s owned, managed and committed fleet to 870 aircraft. The 737 MAX provides Avolon’s customers with greater flexibility across their networks, while reducing fuel use and emissions by up to 20% compared to the aircraft they will replace. This commitment reinforces Avolon’s efforts to increase the proportion of new technology fuel-efficient aircraft in its fleet, supported by the 737 MAX’s use of the latest CFM International LEAP-1B engines and advanced technology winglets. Andy Cronin, CEO of Avolon, commented: “This commitment with Boeing underlines our confidence in the positive momentum in the aviation market, and increases our portfolio of young, modern, fuel-efficient aircraft. With strong demand for our new technology orderbook, and delivery slots at a premium, it strengthens and extends our delivery profile with Boeing. This commitment will also support our airline customers who are looking to plan beyond the robust post-Covid traffic recovery and prepare for future growth, while also reducing their carbon emissions.” The transaction is subject only to approval by shareholders of Bohai Leasing Co., Ltd., Avolon’s 70% shareholder, which is anticipated before the end of May. About Avolon Headquartered in Ireland, with offices in the United States, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong, Avolon provides aircraft leasing and lease management services. Avolon is 70% owned by an indirect subsidiary of Bohai Leasing Co., Ltd., a public company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SLE: 000415) and 30% owned by ORIX Aviation Systems Limited, a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation which is listed on the Tokyo and New York Stock Exchanges (TSE: 8591; NYSE: IX).

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