Qantas retired the last of its six 747-300s. The airline operated the aircraft mainly on regional international and domestic transcontinental routes in recent years. QF was forced to retain the -300s for longer than desired because of the late delivery of its A380s. The aircraft have been replaced by A330s.

China took another step in its effort to manufacture a large commercial passenger aircraft with AVIC's launch of its commercial engine company in Shanghai on Jan. 18. AVIC President Lin Zuoming said the new venture is expected to be responsible for producing engines for a domestically produced150-seat commercial aircraft dubbed the "trunk liner" (ATWOnline, Nov. 5, 2008).

Rockwell Collins won a deal with Hainan Airlines to provide communication, navigation and surveillance avionics for 13 A320s. Products include RC's MultiScan Hazard Detection System, GLU-920 MMR, ADF-900, DME-900, HFS-900D Data Radio, CPL-920D Coupling Unit, VHF-920 transceiver and VOR-900 receiver. Deliveries will begin in 2010.

Jetstar Airways revealed that its first 787-8 will not be delivered until the latter half of 2010. The Qantas Group subsidiary was expecting the first aircraft in the second quarter of 2010 after the most recent delay in the 787 schedule was announced last month (ATWOnline, Dec. 22, 2008). A Jetstar spokesperson told The Australian yesterday that "it's obviously all predicated around the timing of first flight and how the program rolls from there.

The US Airways A320 that ditched safely in New York City's Hudson River following a bird strike last week previously had suffered a compressor stall on one of its engines, investigators said. A US National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson told reporters Monday that maintenance records of the nearly-10-year-old aircraft revealed the stall occurred on Jan. 13. The pilot on that flight will be interviewed by investigators.