Air Transport

The FAA on Dec. 7 released airworthiness directives (AD) requiring operators of helicopters and passenger-carrying airplanes to prohibit certain operations requiring radio altimeter (RadAlt) data when in the presence of 5G wireless transmissions.

The poor rate of recovery of African passenger traffic–and thus revenues–“is a direct threat to the survival of the African aviation industry,” according to its main representative body.

Miami-based investment firm 777 Partners has placed a firm order for 30 Boeing 737 MAXs, including its first 737-8200s, the companies said Dec. 7.

777 PARTNERS, Miami ordered 30 more 737 MAXs (mostly -8200s) and has now ordered 68 (eight delivered).

AIRBUS delivered 58 aircraft (seven A220s; 44 A320 Family; five A330; two A350s) in November vs 64 (two A220s; 54 A320 Family; A330; seven A350s) in

US DOT says US scheduled airlines employed 722,587 workers in October 2021, down 3.2% vs October 2019.

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker, arguably the architect of modern airline consolidation in the U.S., is retiring in March 2022, the company announced Dec. 7.

BOEING is adding a sixth and seventh 737-800BCF conversion lines at STAECO, China in 2022. It previously announced new 737-800BCF conversion capacity

AIR CANADA took delivery of IAI-converted 767-300ERF (24306) with CF6s on lease from Cargo Aircraft Management.

CHRONO AVIATION, Canada acquired AEI-converted 737-800SF (30478; ex-Aerolineas Argentinas) from KF Aerospace.

CARGO AIR, Bulgaria leased AEI-converted 737-800SF (28374; ex-Transavia) from Alterna Capital Partners.

AEROMEXICO leased new 737-8 (43310) from DAE Capital.

FINNAIR plans June 1 to begin three-times-weekly Helsinki-Seattle (A330-300).

WOOLPERT, CO acquired a second King Air 300 for aerial acquisition services; it has eight owned/operated aircraft.

AEROMEXICO has US Bankruptcy Court approval to enter equity and debt exit financing commitments, including support from Delta Air Lines and solid

AIR ASTANA took delivery of seventh A321LR (10421) on lease from Air Lease Corporation; three more are due in 2022.

AIRCASTLE closed 2-year, $100m senior unsecured revolving credit facility from Mizuho Marubeni Leasing America.

Doug Parker announced plan to retire as CEO of American Airlines on March 31, 2022; he will be succeeded by Robert Isom.

JET2.COM leased second ex-Thomas Cook A321-200 (6056) with CFM56s from Air Lease Corporation.

The engine sales and Rate-Per-Flight-Hour (RPFH) services contracts were announced during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Saudi Arabia on Dec. 4.

The launch of flights from ISP brings Breeze Airways CEO David Neeleman back to the New York market where the airline entrepreneur launched JetBlue Airways in 1998.

Qantas is seeing another surge in domestic travel as more interstate borders reopen, and the carrier is also optimistic about international demand with the return of many overseas routes.

The Vietnamese LCC expects to touch down in Europe with service to Moscow from next July.

The move signals Oman’s ambition of a more liberalized air traffic accord with the 27 member states.

AFRAA Secretary General, Abdérahmane Berthé said the Omicron variant is now detected in several regions of the world, yet the travel bans seem to be targeted at Africa.