Page 3 - AAA JANUARY- FEBRUARY 2013 Online Magazine

AerIAL VIew
cONteNtS

CREDITS EDITOR’S NOTE

edItOr
JEREMY TORR
jeremy.torr@gbp.com.sg
ASSOcIAte edItOr bOeINg’S bAd dreAm
JOSEPHInE PAnG Any new aircraft can expect teething problems, and both Airbus and boeing
josephine.pang@gbp.com.sg
have had their fair share with previous models. but the recent spate of minor yet
executIVe pubLISher & ceO potentially highly risky incidents that have plagued the new 787 Dreamliner are
vITTORIO ROSSI PRUDEnTE
vittorio.prudente@gbp.com.sg coming at just the wrong time for boeing. January has not been a good month
for the company. A fire in a 787 auxiliary power unit at boston, a braking system
cOO & mArketINg dIrectOr, ASIA
SIvA SACHI computer glitch, a couple of fuel leaks and a cracked windscreen all preceded the
siva.sachi@gbp.com.sg
latest AnA aircraft battery fire. This was the last straw for the FAA and EASA, as
Art dIrectOr well as other regulators. As of 16 January, the Dreamliner was grounded.
ARTHUR CHAn
arthur.chan@gbp.com.sg
Hot on the heels of its latest batch of orders which pushed boeing into number
web dIrectOr
ELMER vALEnCIA one slot over Airbus, almost nothing could be worse news – not just for boeing but
elmer.valencia@gbp.com.sg
possibly for new aircraft development across the board. In the relentless pursuit of
cIrcuLAtION mANAger weight reduction, designers are shoehorning new technologies, new materials and
kHAIRUL nAEM
khairul.naem@gbp.com.sg new components into new designs at all the major manufacturers.
AdVertISINg repreSeNtAtIVeS
EuROPE, MIddLE EAST, SOuTh AfRIcA & That this should happen is only natural – everybody wants lighter, greener aircraft
SOuTh AMERIcA that last longer with less expected maintenance. but the crucial element of a
COnTACT: vITTORIO ROSSI PRUDEnTE
TEL: +39 049 723 548 FAx: +39 049 856 0792 machine that relies so critically in the integrity of construction is not just the use
MOb: +39 335 611 9295 of high tech, but the way the various elements work together. DH Comet designers
EMAIL: vittorio.prudente@gbp.com.sg
ASEAN, PEOPLE’S REPubLIc Of chINA, TAIWAN, thought they had the perfect solution to more cabin light: bigger windows, square
hONg KONg & AuSTRALASIA formats and new bonding techniques. Introducing just one new technique may
COnTACT: SIvA SACHI have allowed the subsequent airframe problems to be caught before catastrophic
TEL: +603 778 12903/2909 FAx: +603 778 12915
MOb: +601 2905 6825 failure. Instead, they introduced all the new techniques at one go, and 13 Comets
EMAIL: siva.sachi@gbp.com.sg suffered fatal accidents, with over 400 people dying as a result.
SOuTh ASIA – INdIA, PAKISTAN,
SRI LANKA, bANgLAdESh & NEPAL
COnTACT: vInOD GHAnSELA That boeing has used new composite structures, new assembly techniques, and
MOD: +91 9810806939 new maintenance approaches is to be expected – Airbus used a similar all-new
EMAIL: vinod.ghansela@gbp.com.sg
uSA & cANAdA approach with the A380 and suffered wing-web cracking as a result. but the
COnTACT: JOSH MAYER question remains that makers might be rushing too far, too fast. The use of lithium
TEL : +1 972 816-6745 FAx : +1 972 767 4442 batteries is a first for boeing, as they are lighter and more easily shaped than
EMAIL : jm@mayeradvertising.com
SWITzERLANd conventional types. but their behaviour is obviously not – as evidenced by the fires
COnTACT: RObERT ROTTMEIER – as well understood when it comes to normal flight usage.
TEL : +41 216 174 412 FAx : +41 216 170 921
MOb : +41 792 104 466
EMAIL : robertrottmeier@bluewin.ch If the 787 grounding results in better safety, that’s good. If it results in innovative
ISRAEL and possibly useful developments being banned by regulators for lack of reliability,
COnTACT: TAMIR ESHEL that is not good. And it will be the responsibility of the designers that wanted to
TEL : + 972 544 508 028 / +972 989 117 92
FAx : +972 989 199 65 include everything and the kitchen sink in their new designs, instead of introducing
EMAIL : eshel_tamir@yahoo.com them gradually, and proceeding one safe step at a time.

Global Business Press Pte. Ltd.
ASIAn AIRLInES & AIRPORTS
Level 34, Centennial Tower,
3 Temasek Avenue, Singapore 039190.
TEL: +65 6549 7706 Fax : +65 6549 7011
EMAIL : enquiry@gbp.com.sg WEb : www.gbp.com.sg
ASIAn AIRLInES & AIRPORTS is a monthly publication for
professionals working in all sectors of the airline, airport and related
industries. Opinions expressed by contributors in ASIAn AIRLInES & JEREMY TORR
AIRPORTS do not necessarily represent those of the publisher or editor.
This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in Editor
whole or in part without the written express consent of the publishers.
WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM JANuARy / fEbRuARy 2013 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS 3