Airbus is looking closely at creating an 11-abreast configuration in the A380.

Airbus has determined that an open-rotor-powered A320-class airliner is technically feasible. The next steps are to prove the concept is economically viable, then to demonstrate the propulsion system in flight, which is planned under Europe’s Clean Sky 2 public-private research program.

South African carrier Comair has placed a firm order for eight Boeing 737 MAX 8s, valued at $830 million at list prices. The order, which was placed in December 2013 and logged to an unidentified customer, marks the first MAXs to be ordered by an African airline. Johannesburg-based Comair said the aircraft will be used for fleet renewal and expansion. Today it operates a fleet of 25 737s on flights for budget brand kulula and its British Airways franchise.

US lessor CIT Group is pushing Airbus to make a decision “in the next six months” on whether to re-engine the A330 for a potential 2017 entry-into-service. During a briefing at the ISTAT 2014 Americas conference in San Diego, CIT Transportation and International Finance president Jeff Knittel said the A330 has “historically been the star of our fleet” but is now “at a crossroads … Airbus will need to make some decisions on where they take that aircraft.”

South African carrier Comair has placed a firm order for eight Boeing 737 MAX 8s, valued at $830 million at list prices. The order, which was placed in December 2013 and logged to an unidentified customer, marks the first MAXs to be ordered by an African airline.

Manufacturers of two new entrants in the regional jet market – the Mitsubishi Regional Jet and Sukhoi SuperJet – brought their case for success this week to the ISTAT 2014 Americas conference in San Diego.

Even with 200 firm orders already in place for the E-Jet E2, Embraer expects a number of additional orders for the next-generation aircraft program to roll in this year, particularly from emerging markets.

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