Air Transport Aircraft & Propulsion
Dec 15, 2010
Spirit AeroSystems said it shipped the first production leading edge spar component–an outer spar–for the Airbus A350 XWB program out of its Kinston, N.C., facility. The remaining five spar sections will be shipped in the coming months, it announced. Each set of spars will be shipped to Spirit's European plant in Prestwick, Scotland, where it will be integrated into the fixed leading edge. From there, it will be delivered to the Airbus plant in Broughton, Wales, for integration into the wing box.
Dec 15, 2010
US Aerospace Industries Assn. expects US aerospace sales to rise 1.3% next year to $219.2 billion, surpassing the record $216.5 billion estimate for this year. Civil aircraft sales fell nearly 6% in 2010, however, to $48.2 billion but are expected to rebound to $50.2 billion in 2011, although that is still below the 2009 level of $51.1 billion and the 2007 level of $52.6 billion.
Dec 15, 2010
Southwest Airlines Chairman, President and CEO Gary Kelly told the Wings Club in New York City that SWA has notified Boeing that it will “substitute 20 of its 737-700 orders for -800s,” with the first delivery scheduled for March 2012. The airline had made known its desire to add the larger type into its fleet of 737-700s, -300s and -500s but needed to get approval from its pilot and cabin crew unions first.
Dec 13, 2010
Pratt & Whitney Canada said it will invest more than $1 billion in R&D over the next five years "to develop the next generation of high-performance aircraft engines." Investment includes a $300 million repayable contribution from the Government of Canada under the Strategic Aerospace and Defense Initiative. "This major investment will enable us to sustain our engineering centers of excellence in Ontario and Quebec and reinforce our position as a leader in the global aerospace industry," said P&WC President John Saabas.
Dec 10, 2010
AerCap Holdings board of directors approved a share repurchase program. The Amsterdam-based aircraft lessor said the program "is limited by restrictive covenants in a debt facility expiring in 2015 to $25 million share repurchases annually and $50 million in aggregate." GECAS delivered one new Airbus A320 to Philippine Airlines, to be operated by AirPhil Express. It also delivered three new Boeing 737-800s to Garuda Airlines in Indonesia.
Jun 12, 2020
Engine leasing data and records aren’t as transparent as you think.
Jun 11, 2020
Ask the Editors: The return to pre-COVID-19 production rates will vary, but manufacturers are aware the process may be slow and arduous.
Jun 11, 2020
Aerostructures giant Spirit AeroSystems, the leading supplier to the Boeing 737 MAX program, is furloughing more workers after the OEM recently told it to cut o
Jun 11, 2020
An expected surge in used serviceable materials (USM) poses a risk to new-parts sales, but structural fundamentals in global fleets and customer preference should limit the downside for many parts suppliers even as opportunities for used-parts specialists increase.
Jun 11, 2020
Kazakhstan-based Air Astana has retired all of its Boeing 757s and Embraer 190s after their phase-out was accelerated following the coronavirus crisis.
Jun 11, 2020
Joe Anselmo outlines Aviation Week’s plan to roll out dozens of forward-looking reports, CEO interviews, webinars and tech deep dives.
Jun 11, 2020
The drive to develop Japan’s first commercial aircraft since 1974 hits another stumbling block as flight tests are halted and production is shut down. Aviation Week editors discuss whether the regional jet program will survive—and whether its troubles will benefit Embraer.
Jun 10, 2020
A European consortium plans to build power-to-liquid (PtL) plants in Norway to produce sustainable fuels using renewable electricity and captured CO2. The first facility is planned to become operational in 2023.