Emirates to roll out new First Class product this year

Dubai-based Emirates Airlines is set to launch a new First Class product by the end of the year, according to Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the group’s chairman.

Sheikh Ahmed said: "What you will hear and what we will launch by the end of the year[…] We will come up with a new product in the First Class[…] I think this is something that passengers will like.”

Some reports suggest that this new product could be something that is more similar to a train cabin, although Sheikh Ahmed did not confirm or deny these claims.

At a press conference last year, the airline’s CEO, Tim Clark, said that Emirates are looking to make improvements to First Class. “We’re talking fully enclosed rooms, with all the touches and amenities that you’d expect in hotel or a private bedroom on a luxury yacht, room service and so on."

The new First Class product, which sounds like it will need to be called a ‘room’ rather than a ‘suite’, will likely be rolled out on the A380 and the 777.

Emirates has been taking about making improvements to First Class since Etihad introduced its award-winning First Class product. The ‘apartments’ on Etihad’s A380s are located on the upper deck of the aircraft, with leather upholstery, a 6ft flat bed and a separate armchair.

And it’s not just First Class passengers who are feeling the benefits of the sky-high competition. Emirates introduced a new fold-down seat in Business Class, and it’s already in A380s that have the new larger Emirates lounge.

Bell Helicopter’s Futuristic Helicopter Concept

A helicopter may seem at first glance like a simple, whirligig flying machine, but in fact it’s an incredibly complex collection of rotating parts that requires great skill to fly and maintain.

How to design the next generation of helicopters presents a daunting challenge—with so much going on, every tiny tweak trips a chain of other changes that must be made, and progress is excruciatingly slow.

But now Bell Helicopter, a Textron company, has for the first time stepped up to take on the challenge to imagine and create a conceptual helicopter of the future. The new concept aircraft, the Bell FCX-001, incorporates cutting-edge technologies with the aim to make helicopters smarter, safer, more efficient, and easier to fly.

The FCX-001 is the result of six months’ work by a team of engineers and graphic designers. It’s essentially a three-dimensional road map, incorporating emerging technologies and innovations into a package that allows both the creative team and future customers to imagine the next generation of helicopters. The new technologies include a hybrid propulsion system that’s simpler to operate and maintain, an anti-torque system in the tail boom that’s safer and quieter, morphing rotor blades for enhanced efficiency, and an advanced flight deck to ease the pilot’s workload.

For passengers, individualized augmented-reality systems in the cabin make it easy to choose from a range of options—catch up on world news, host a video conference, share documents with other passengers, or relax with a movie or music. The FCX-001 is just the first step in creating the helicopter of the future, says Bell. The engineering and design team continues their work, behind closed doors—and when they’re ready, Bell will reveal the next step in the evolutionary road map for rotary flight.  (bellhelicopter.com)

The World’s Largest Passenger-Jet Window Is Being Developed for the BBJ

The SkyView Panoramic Window—the largest window available for any passenger jet—will offer Boeing Business Jet passengers an expanded view of the world below.

At 54.5 inches by 19.5 inches, the SkyView is slightly more than three times wider than a standard window and about 40 percent taller. Boeing will be able to install as many as two pairs of the windows (each directly opposite the other) in a choice of locations aft of the wing.

The windows are made of acrylic and produced by GKN Aerospace’s Fokker Technologies division, which has supplied all Boeing windows since 1996. Fokker treats each window’s surface with an abrasion-resistant coating so that it remains clear. Custom blinds can be installed, in case the window allows too much light into the cabin.

The SkyView will be available for the BBJ, BBJ 2, and all three versions of the BBJ Max, including the new BBJ Max 7. It can be ordered as a retrofit for the existing fleet or as an option on new aircraft. The window will be installed during the custom completion process, not during the aircraft’s production at the Boeing factory. It’s still undergoing development and certification, so pricing is not yet available. First completions are expected in 2018. (boeing.com, fokker.com)

Cessna Announces the Hemisphere, Its Largest Corporate Jet Ever

Cessna will soon introduce its new jet Cessna Citation Hemisphere on private travel market, the future leader of its category for sure, thanks to a wide range of new options: spacious large cabin, both modern and comfortable, a fuel-efficient and ultra-powerful engine as well as top-of-the-range accessories.

ONE OF THE MOST COMFORTABLE CABINS IN ITS CATEGORY

Cessna enhances passengers’ comfort with the Cessna Citation Hemisphere’s new cabin. Its luminous and clean design made with first choice material will bring to the 19 passengers unparalleled flying experience. With its 6-foot cabin, the jet ensures an airy and refreshing flight to all passengers.

Choosing the best options available on market, Cessna Citation Hemisphere reveals exceptional luxury and style, in terms of quality and finishes, but also through the various possibilities that the cabin offers. Then, travellers could benefit from a peaceful and productive flight depending on their needs during short or longer travels. Cessna’s goal was to offer the best and never be considered as the second in its category thanks to entirely handcrafted new seats and cabinetry. Then the seats are as large as possible and equipped with a thermo-electrical cooling and heating technology depending on the weather conditions and the passenger’s needs.

Working space aboard Cessna Citation Hemisphere allows a maximum of productivity but also calm and intimacy. The front galley is composed of a workstation with granite and stone surfaces that appears to be very spacious and luxurious as well as the entire apparel, but also brilliantly scalable to suit all your needs. Through the entire jet each one would benefit from a maximum of natural light passing through the 20 large windows dispatched meticulously around the cabin. Then, cabinetries were placed on the front and on the back of the aircraft and a large baggage area is easily accessible during the flight. So the flying experience is truly functional, flexible and up market.

PERFORMING AND SECURING COMPONENTS

But Cessna Citation Hemisphere doesn’t just innovate in terms of space and comfort. Indeed, the aircraft is equipped with two Safran Silvercrest engines that reach 8.365 km (5.200 miles) and offer the best in terms of fuel efficiency and operating costs. Enough to fly nonstop from New York to Moscow or from San Francisco to Tokyo. These engines are the latest advanced and environmentally friendly, and they offer fuel consumption up to 15 percent lower than other engines in the same category.

Into the cockpit, Cessna Citation Hemisphere propose an advanced management system built by Honeywell, added to a SmartView display that reduces internal interference. Then, the aircraft can reach its destination faster without interfering with the passenger’s security and at lower costs. Concerning the pilot, he will be able to enjoy new 3D technologies and will be easily aware of any delicate flying situations like fog, rain or snow.

The stand-up cabin, with a diameter of 2,6m (8.5 feet) —the widest in its class—will feature a flat floor with enough space to seat up to 18 passengers. And it will reach a top speed of about Mach 0.9 (1046 kph-650 mph). The new jet will join Cessna’s Longitude and Latitude to form a new large-cabin, three-aircraft Citation family. 

Finally, Cessna Citation Hemisphere appears to be extremely manageable for its size thanks to a Fly-by-Wire flight control system and optimized design that offers the best in terms of efficiency and performance, especially with its commands. This represents the perfect mix of unparalleled technologies, flying experience and lower costs.

Cessna Citation Hemisphere‘s first flights are expected for 2019!

Discover the Cessna Citation Hemisphere

Qatar Airways claims record for world's longest flight

17 hours and 30 minutes – Qatar Airways claims the record for the worlds longest flight.

Qatar Airways just beat previous record holder Emirates for the world’s longest flight following the launch of its new service from Doha to to Auckland, New Zealand. With this new route it now claims the title of the world’s longest regularly scheduled airline flight by flying time.

Qatar Airways launched its inaugural flight to Auckland from Doha on Sunday on a Boeing 777 which holds 217 passengers in economy and 42 in business class. The Auckland to Doha route is said to take 17 hours and 30 minutes edging past Emirates’ Dubai to Auckland route that clocks 17 hours and 15 mins.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker, who traveled on board the inaugural flight, said the new Auckland service was “an important milestone” in the airline’s global expansion.

With many airlines adding ultra long haul flights to their timetables we are sure Qatar’s status won’t go unchallenged for long. Singapore Airlines may soon take the top spot when it resumes its non-stop flights to New York – a 19-hour service that could relaunch next year.