Category Archives: ANA-All Nippon Airways

ANA to resume Boeing 787 operations also on June 1

ANA (All Nippon Airways) (Tokyo) like Japan Airlines, is also planning to restore Boeing 787 service on June 1. The airline is currently conducting test flights on the battery fix.

On the financial side, ANA Holdings, Inc. reported its yearly net profit rose over 53 percent to over $435 million through March 31 despite the grounding on the Boeing 787s.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: Nick Dean. The latest 787-8 for ANA is the pictured JA818A (msn 42243) at Everett (Paine Field). All others by ANA.

ANA Tails (ANA)(LR)

ANA:ย AG Slide Show

ANA test flies its Boeing 787s

ANA (All Nippon Airways) (Tokyo) meanwhile test flew its Boeing 787 today. It was the second test flight for the launch customer.

Read the full report from Reuters: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Nick Dean.ย Boeing 787-8 N1014X became JA802A (msn 34497) on delivery in the Dreamliner special colors.

ANA:ย AG Slide Show

ANA to put their 787 pilots through resumption training

ANA (All Nippon Airways) (Tokyo) according to this report by Reuters, is planning to put its Boeing 787-8 pilots through resumption training. Pending recertification by the FAA and the Japanese authorities, the airline is now planning to resume 787 operations in June, possibly first as a freighter to allay any fears by the flying public over the now-being-tested battery system fix.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Akira Uekawa.ย Boeing 787-8 JA802A (msn 34497) climbs away from Tokyo (Narita) in the special 787 colors when it was flying. Will the “787” now be removed from the side of the fuselage?

ANA:ย AG Slide Show

Boeing receives FAA approval of certification plan for a 787 battery solution

Boeing (Chicago) has received approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (Washington) of the company’s plan to test and certify improvements to the 787’s battery system. Successful completion of each step within the plan will result in the FAA’s approval to resume commercial 787 flights.

“Our top priority is the integrity of our products and the safety of the passengers and crews who fly on them,” said Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney. “Our team has been working around the clock to understand the issues and develop a solution based on extensive analysis and testing following the events that occurred in January. Today’s approval from the FAA is a critical and welcome milestone toward getting the fleet flying again and continuing to deliver on the promise of the 787,” heย said.

Ray Conner, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said that the company’s focus has been on developing a permanent resolution.

“Working with internal and external experts in battery technology, we have proposed a comprehensive set of solutions designed to significantly minimize the potential for battery failure while ensuring that no battery event affects the continued safe operation of the airplane,” said Conner.

“Our proposal includes three layers of improvements. First, we’ve improved design features of the battery to prevent faults from occurring and to isolate any that do. Second, we’ve enhanced production, operating and testing processes to ensure the highest levels of quality and performance of the battery and its components. Third, in the unlikely event of a battery failure, we’ve introduced a new enclosure system that will keep any level of battery overheating from affecting the airplane or being noticed by passengers,” Conner said.

Design feature improvements for the battery include the addition of new thermal and electrical insulation materials and other changes. The enhanced production and testing processes include more stringent screening of battery cells prior to battery assembly. Operational improvements focus on tightening of the system’s voltage range. A key feature of the new enclosure is that it ensures that no fire can develop in the enclosure or in the battery. Additional details of the new design will be provided by Boeing in the days ahead.

Boeing made its certification plan proposal to the FAA in late February. Today the agency agreed that the proposed changes and the detailed test plans address the conditions that resulted in the suspension of 787 operations.

The FAA also granted Boeing permission to begin flight test activities on two airplanes: line number 86, which will conduct tests to demonstrate that the comprehensive set of solutions work as intended in flight and on the ground; and ZA005, which is scheduled to conduct engine improvement tests unrelated to the battery issue. Additional testing may be scheduled as needed.

The certification plan calls for a series of tests that show how the improved battery system will perform in normal and abnormal conditions. The test plans were written based on the FAA’s standards as well as applicable guidelines published by the Radio Technical Commission on Aeronautics (RTCA), an advisory committee that provides recommendations on ways to meet regulatory requirements. The RTCA guidelines were not available when the original 787 battery certification plan was developed.

“We have a great deal of confidence in our solution set and the process for certifying it,” said Conner. “Before 787s return to commercial service, our customers and their passengers want assurance that the improvements being introduced will make this great airplane even better. That’s what this test program will do.”

Copyright Photo: Nick Dean.ย ANA’s (All Nippon Airways) Boeing 787-8 JA801A (msn 34488) in the special Dreamliner special colors lands at Everett (Paine Field) with Boeing’s facilities in the background.

ANA-All Nippon Airways:ย AG Slide Show

ANA introduces its 60th Anniversary logojet

ANA-All Nippon Airways (Tokyo) today (February 23) introduced itsย 60th anniversary logojet named “Yume Jet – You and Me” (Dream Jet).

The company was established as the Japan Helicopter and Aeroplane Transports Company, Ltd. in December 1952. Helicopter services commenced in February 1953.

Copyright Photo: Akira Uekawa. Freshly out of the paint shop, Boeing 767-381 JA8674 (msn 25661) is pictured on its short final approach to Tokyo Haneda’s runway 34L on a ferry flight from Osaka( Itami), prior to its first service from Tokyo.
Hot New Photos:ย AG Hot New Photos
ANA:ย AG Slide Show

ANA Boeing 787-8 makes an emergency landing at Takamatsu, ANA and JAL ground their 787s for safety checks

ANA (All Nippon Airways) (Tokyo) has reported a new incident involving one of its Boeing 787-8s. Boeing 787-8 JA804A (msn 34486) was operating domestic flight NH 692 from Ube to Tokyo (Haneda) when it was forced to make an emergency landing in Takamatsu, Japan today (January 16) after the flight crew received a cockpit message aboutย battery problems. There was a reported burning smell in the cockpit and the cabin according to this report by Yahoo! News. Passengers and crew members evacuated the aircraft on landing.

Boeing and FAA continue their safety investigation into the on-going problems of the 787.

As a result, both ANA and JAL have voluntarily grounded their 787s for further safety checks.ย Other airlines, including United Airlines, continue to operate their 787s. The new 787 routes flown by both ANA and JAL have been suspended.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Sister-ship Boeing 787-8 JA807A (msn 34508) taxies across the ramp at Tokyo (Haneda).

ANA-All Nippon Airways:ย AG Slide Show

Bottom Copyright Photo: Shige Sakaki. The affected aircraft, Boeing 787-8 JA804A (msn 34486), arrives at Tokyo (Haneda).

ANA 787-8 JA804A (82-787)(Grd) HND (SGS)(LRW)

Meanwhile ANA is celebrating its 60th Anniversary with a special new video:

ANA brings the first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on revenue service to Seattle/Tacoma

ANA (All Nippon Airways) (Tokyo) yesterday (October 1) operated the first revenue flight into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The pictured Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner JA814A (msn 34493) resting at SEA made the historic flight on the Tokyo (Narita)-SEA route. However a problem with the onboard air conditioning system forced the 24-hour cancellation and delay of the return segment. Boeing replaced the faulty system with another system while the airliner was parked overnight at SEA.

Read the full report from The Seattle Times: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Dan Cowdin. The pictured 787-8 JA814A was handed over to ANA on September 24, 2012.

ANA:ย 

ANA announces new Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner routes

ANA (All Nippon Airways) (Tokyo) has announced new Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner routes. The airline will launch the Tokyo (Narita)-San Jose, California route on January 11, 2013. In addition, the company is starting Tokyo (Narita)-Seattle/Tacoma nonstop service on October 1, 2012 and Tokyo (Haneda)-Beijing flights on October 28, 2012.

Read the full report on all new services: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Nick Dean. Brand new 787-8 JA803A (msn 34485) awaits delivery at Paine Field near Everett.

ANA:ย 

ANA grounds some of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners due to a faulty Rolls-Royce engine component

ANA-All Nippon Airways (Tkoyo) has grounded some of its Boeing 787-881 Dreamliner fleet due to an engine component issue on the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines.

Rolls-Royce has admitted there is a component with a reduced service life and is replacing the component. The problem could lead to an engine corrosion issue according to this report by Reuters.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Meanwhile the new type has received rave reviews from passengers according to a survey by the airline. Here is the statement by ANA:

“Nine in ten passengers who have flown on the Boeing 787 with ANA say their overall experience met or exceeded expectations, according to a customer survey showing very high levels of satisfaction with the comfort and performance of the Dreamliner.

A similar number expressed a preference or strong preference for flying in the Dreamliner over other aircraft and a quarter of passengers said they would go out of their way to book a flight on the 787 again.

The results of the survey, the first to be carried out since the 787 entered service with ANA in October last year, show that passengers are attracted by the unique features of the Dreamliner, which include higher cabin humidity and lower cabin altitude, more headroom and larger windows and overhead luggage bins than conventional aircraft.

Four in five passengers said the higher humidity levels in the 787 โ€“ made possible by the composite fuselage structure โ€“ met or exceeded expectations while 92 per cent responded that cabin ambience was as good as or better than they had expected.

The survey among nearly 800 passengers flying long-haul on the Dreamliner between Tokyo and Frankfurt, also found that:
ยท Air quality and cabin pressure met or exceeded expectations for nine in ten passengers
ยท Four in ten passengers felt that headroom was better than expected
ยท Cabin lighting exceeded expectations for 90 per cent of passengers
ยท The lavatories โ€“ which feature windows as standard โ€“ exceeded expectations for half of all passengers
ยท Eight in ten passengers said the amount of personal space met or exceeded expectations
ยท Smoothness of the flight was as good as or better than expected for 87 per cent of passengers

Passengers also commented favourably on the unique โ€˜electronic shadesโ€™ which allow them to adjust the amount of light coming through their window at the touch of a button. Nearly half of passengers said window dimmability was better than they expected while a further 38 per cent said it fully met expectations. The size of the Dreamlinerโ€™s windows โ€“ which are 20 per cent bigger than those on competing aircraft โ€“ exceeded expectations among four in ten passengers and met them for a further 50 per cent.

Appreciation of the unique characteristics of the Dreamliner was greater amongst those who fly often, with more frequent flyers saying that window size and dimmability, seat comfort, air quality, air pressure and humidity exceeded their expectations than other passengers.

Of the 780 passengers who were surveyed, just over half (54 per cent) flew fewer than six times a year while only 10 per cent took more than 25 round trips by plane a year. Of those surveyed, two thirds were flying economy and one third in Business Class. Just under three quarters were male. Four in ten passengers had chosen the flight intentionally because it was on a Dreamliner and only 12 per cent of those surveyed had never heard of the plane before they got on board.

Some 98 per cent of passengers said they would like to fly again on the Dreamliner with ANA or another airline or go out of their way to do so. One passenger commented: โ€˜Humidity is the big change compared to other planes.โ€™ Another observed: โ€˜The shape of the wings is wonderfulโ€™.

ANA is the launch customer for the 787 and is due to take delivery of 55 Dreamliners by 2017. The revolutionary aircraft is a key element in ANAโ€™s plan to expand international operations over the next few years. ANA is currently operating the 787 on eight domestic routes and Haneda โ€“ Frankfurt route. ANA is due to launch new 787 services from Tokyo to Seattle and San Jose on the US West Coast in the current fiscal year ending March, 2013.

ANA today separately announces that the 787 has exceeded expectations in terms of fuel efficiency. At launch, it was anticipated that the 787 would save 20% in fuel for each international flight, but ANA is pleased to confirm that the saving amounts to 21% per flight. In the 6 months since ANAโ€™s first 787 flight, this saving equates to around 5,000 kiloliters of fuel compared with the 767, or the equivalent of the fuel used for the Tokyo-Frankfurt route over one month.”

Copyright Photo: Nick Dean. Boeing 787-881 JA811A (msn 34502) is seen at Everett (Paine Field) before it was handed over to the carrier.

ANA:ย 

ANA says the 787 dimmable windows are not dark enough for its long range flights

ANA (All Nippon Airways)ย (Tokyo) wants a change from Boeing for its Boeing 787 Dreamliners operated on its long-range flights. According to the airline and this article by Reuters, the cabin lights on the aircraft are not dark enough for its passengers to sleep on its overnight flights. It has asked Boeing to come up with a solution.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing.

ANA:ย 

Video: