Air Transport

A panel of government and law enforcement officials expressed grave concern to lawmakers about the threat posed by terrorists and criminals operating unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and called on Congress to provide them with more authority and resources to counter malicious drones.

Margaret Jenny will retire as president of RTCA after 10 years in that post, the standards organization announced June 8.

European transport ministers have agreed on proposals to support competitiveness and sustainability in the mobility sector, including one aimed at safeguarding competition within air transport, paving the way for negotiations with the European Parliament.

Avic will begin making parts for the airframe major assemblies of the MA700 turboprop airliner this month, following the transmission of design data to the factories in the past few weeks.

United Airlines debuted its first passenger service utilizing a Boeing 737-9 with flight 686 between Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Orlando International Airport (MCO) June 7.

Tensions between increasing passenger numbers and limited airport expansion will lead to airport-based services being further decentralized, according to Lufthansa Group senior director-product management ground & digital services Bjorn Becker.

An arbitrator's binding interim order has paved the way for WestJet's ULCC Swoop to launch later this month with pilots recruited from outside the company, but the Air Line Pilots Association will become the pilots' representative by September.

The scale of inequality facing women in the airline industry was outlined by Flybe CEO Christine Ourmières-Widener in London June 7.

Lufthansa passengers flying from Frankfurt to Dubai on flight LH630 were the first to experience the airline’s new prototype “VR Moving Map”, while on board the Airbus A330.

Deal reduces the number of Western commercial jet manufacturers from four to three.

Despite a growing list of headwinds, confidence in A&D’s business prospects grows.

The move follows Boeing’s recent expansion into new ventures covering avionics, structures, mechanical systems and propulsion.

Airbus’ strategy to continue production ahead of delayed engine deliveries is a heavy financial burden for the company.

Boeing’s commercial, air-breathing hypersonic airplane pursuits could mean partnering with legacy large commercial aircraft engine makers initially, then ultimately including rocket motor makers, a Boeing scientist noted recently.

RwandAir will take delivery of two Airbus A330neos and two Boeing 737MAX 8s in 2019 and confirmed new services to the U.S. and China.

GE Aviation announced the formation of a new subsidiary called AiRXOS to support development of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) traffic management system (UTM) initiatives.

Comac is pressing ahead with a major revision of its ARJ21-700 regional jet, aiming at reducing weight and drag but not altering primary structure.

South African Airways (SAA) CEO Vuyani Jarana said the airline has identified necessary measures needed to restructure the loss-making national carrier.

The world’s passenger fleet will more than double to 48,000 aircraft in 20 years with traffic growing at a resilient 4.4% per year, driving a need for 37,390 new passenger and freighter aircraft according to Airbus’ new Global Market Forecast 2018-2037.

After more than four decades of close association, RTCA’s status as a federal advisory committee to FAA ends.

The Australian startup is working toward a leapfrog achievement in electric propulsion and market positioning.

Close cooperation between the unmanned-aircraft industry and aviation authorities is advancing delivery by drone from laboratory trials to real-world experience.

Airbus added firm orders for 24 commercial aircraft in May to lift its year-to-date gross total of 160 aircraft orders, including an end-of-month booking from an unidentified customer for 15 A350-900s valued at approximately $4.8 billion.

Airbus said the BelugaXL has passed the ground vibration test (GVT), a requirement for certification of the aircraft that paves the way toward its maiden flight this summer.

Norwegian air service provider Avinor and Spanish air traffic management equipment provider Indra have completed the first test in a series of validations to simultaneously manage traffic in multiple airports from a single remote position.