Airbus agreed to sell its UK-based wing component and assemblies manufacturing unit at Filton to GKN for £136 million ($243.9 million) under a deal announced yesterday that aims to advance the Power8 restructuring initiative and transfer operations, assets and certain activities to GKN. The agreement follows a deal reached last month by Airbus to sell its Laupheim plant to Diehl and Thales (ATWOnline, Aug. 4).

Pratt & Whitney reached a 10-year fleet management program agreement with Singapore Airlines Cargo valued at $500 million covering 13 747-400Fs powered by PW4000s.

American International Group, hit hard by the US credit crisis, is developing a major restructuring plan that will include selling off several of its assets, possibly including ILFC, according to the Wall Street Journal. AIG is under pressure to raise significant amounts of money quickly and ILFC, which owns more than 900 aircraft, is valued at more than $50 billion, the paper reported. While AIG and the US financial sector are struggling, ILFC posted second-quarter operating income of $352 million.

ARJ21-700 now is expected to make its first test flight in late 2008 or early 2009. Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China revealed that the regional aircraft has been transferred to the flight test facility from its Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Factory, which former ARJ21 Deputy Chief Engineer Zhou Jisheng noted is the last step before the inaugural flight. According to Zhou, ground testing is expected to last at least a couple of months. It has been reported that five -700 prototypes have been produced (three for flight tests, one for static tests and one for fatigue testing).

Pratt & Whitney and Aviall Services will work together to distribute JT9D spare parts under a recent deal. The contract calls for Aviall to supply Pratt OEM spares to JT9D operators, which number more than 1,200 globally.

Aircell struck deals with Air Canada and Delta Air Lines recently to provide its Gogo Internet service, which allows passengers to use Wi-Fi enabled devices such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs throughout flights. In September, Air Canada signed an agreement with Aircell to roll out its Gogo system on select flights next spring. The carrier plans to begin installing the system on A319s flying to the US and eventually on aircraft covering its North American and international markets.

The group of Italian investors including Air One that reportedly had been willing to invest up to €1 billion ($1.4 billion) in an Alitalia restart withdrew from negotiations with the carrier's labor unions Friday, leaving the troubled airline on the verge of collapse.

"It's one small step for mankind," said air traffic services provider Airways New Zealand CEO Ashley Smout following the arrival of Air New Zealand Flight 8, the first "gate-to-gate optimized flight," at San Francisco International Friday. The 777-200ER flight, dubbed ASPIRE 1 (Asia and South Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions), started in Auckland and consumed 4,600 litres less fuel than normal using a host of strategies to minimize fuel usage. That translated into 12 tons fewer CO2 emissions. ASPIRE is a joint initiative among US FAA, Airways NZ and Airservices Australia.