MGA Airlines (Mavi Gôk Aviation) – goturkiye.com Boeing 777-3ZG ER TC-MGG (msn 35302) MUC (Arnd Wolf). Image: 960382.
MGA Airlines – Mavi Gök Airlines (Antalya, Turkey) is expanding with new aircraft.
The Turkish airline recently added its first Boeing 777-300 ER.
Photo: MGA Airlines.
Mavi Gök Airlines (MGA) was established in Antalya in March 2007.
MGA obtained its own AOC (Air Operator Certificate) in July 2022 and made its first official flight to Budapest on July 19, 2022 with a Boeing 737-800.
MGA has also updated its logo.
Top Copyright Photo: MGA Airlines (Mavi Gôk Aviation) – goturkiye.com Boeing 777-3ZG ER TC-MGG (msn 35302) MUC (Arnd Wolf). Image: 960382.
Emirates Airline Boeing 777-300 ER A6-EQH (msn 42353) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 939728.
Emirates has now restored its full Japanese network with the resumption of its passenger services to Tokyo-Haneda on 2 April 2023, further building on the airline’s continued expansion in the Southeast Asia region.
Operated by one of Emirates’ latest Boeing 777 “Game Changer” aircraft, flight EK312 departed from Dubai on April 2 at 7:50hrs, and arrived in Tokyo-Haneda at 22:35hrs. The return flight EK313 departed from Haneda on April 3 at 00:05hrs and arrived in Dubai at 06:20hrs. All times are local time.
Photo: Emirates
In addition to Tokyo-Haneda, Emirates also operates daily services to Tokyo-Narita and Osaka. From these points, the airline offers passengers access to 24 additional domestic cities in Japan through its codeshare partnership with Japan Airlines. Japanese travellers can also benefit seamless access to more than 130 destinations across 6 continents via Dubai, including popular destinations such as Italy, Spain, US, France and UK.
Top Copyright Photo: Emirates Airline Boeing 777-300 ER A6-EQH (msn 42353) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 939728.
Swiss International Air Lines Boeing 777-300 ER HB-JNJ (msn 62755) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 941193.
Swiss International Air Lines will resume its passenger services between Zurich and Shanghai on March 3, 2023. One weekly flight is currently planned on the route for the month of March, which will then be expanded to three weekly frequencies from April onwards.
The flights will generally be operated using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, or alternatively Airbus A340-300.
Shanghai (Swiss)
Swiss suspended its previous scheduled passenger services between Zurich and Shanghai in April 2022 in view of the travel restrictions imposed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and its services on the route have since been limited to cargo-only flights.
In addition to resuming its Zurich-Shanghai passenger flights, Swiss will also be increasing its service to and from Hong Kong from five to six weekly frequencies in the 2023 summer schedules.
Top Copyright Photo: Swiss International Air Lines Boeing 777-300 ER HB-JNJ (msn 62755) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 941193.
Emirates has successfully completed the ground engine testing for one of its GE90 engines on a Boeing 777-300ER using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The objective of the ground testing and analysis is to demonstrate the capability of the GE90 engine to run on the specially blended 100% SAF without affecting its performance, requiring no modifications to the aircraft systems, or special maintenance procedures on the Boeing 777-300ER or GE90 engine to operate. SAF reduces carbon emissions over the fuel’s life cycle by up to 80%.
The ground test results will now pave the way for the airline’s first experimental test flight using 100% SAF in one engine, which is due for take-off this week. The testing activities involved running one engine on 100% SAF and the other on conventional jet fuel to better analyse the fuel system´s behaviour and performance under each fuel type, compare specific outputs of each engine, and ensure seamless operation of the aircraft’s engine and airframe fuel systems during the planned test flight.
During the ground testing at the state-of-the-art Emirates Engineering Centre in Dubai, the aircraft first went through its standard pre-inspection activities. After that, the stationary operating testing began by first running the Honeywell 331-500 auxiliary power unit (APU) on 100% SAF. The APU was then put under full load with SAF to start the engines. The left engine was exercised through its full power range, utilising the same settings that will be used for the experimental flight. This included idle, ‘take-off’ and ‘climb settings’ at full flight profile durations, running at maximum speed and intensity. Engines were then run at ‘cruise’ settings for 15 minutes. After the simulation ended, the engines were cooled down. Fuels were isolated in separate fuel tanks to maintain segregation of test fuels. Upon completion of the ground test, engine data was downloaded for review, comparison, and analysis.
Emirates has been working with its partners GE Aerospace, Boeing, Honeywell, Neste and Virent Inc., a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corp throughout 2022 on SAF fuel blend testing. The partners have developed a blend with the same qualities and performance characteristics of conventional jet fuel and have collaborated on the technical analysis and operational requirements surrounding ground testing and experimental flight activities. The results of this initiative will provide additional data and research around synthetic fuel blend components and biofuels, supporting standardization and future approval of 100% drop-in SAF. Following the successful trial on one engine, Emirates will then continue to develop these initiatives with the engine airframe manufacturers as well as SAF providers with the goal of certifying these blends for commercial use. Currently, SAF is approved for use in blends of up to 50% with conventional jet fuel.
Emirates has long been a supporter of industry and government efforts to encourage the development of the SAF industry, and regularly participates in initiatives to contribute to SAF deployment. Its first flight powered by SAF blended with jet fuel was in 2017, operating from Chicago O’Hare airport on a Boeing 777. Emirates received its first A380 powered by SAF in December 2020, and uplifted 32 tonnes of SAF for its flights from Stockholm earlier that year, with the support of Swedavia’s Biofuel Incentive Programme. Flights from Oslo have also begun operating on SAF.
Emirates is on the Steering Committee of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Clean Skies for Tomorrow initiative, which seeks to promote SAF deployment worldwide. The airline has also contributed to the UAE government’s work on a SAF roadmap and the WEF-supported Power-to-Liquids Roadmap for the UAE.
