AirAsia has unveiled the first aircraft in its planned narrowbody freighter fleet, and in the longer-term the carrier is interested in the prospect of a freighter version of the Airbus A321neo.
DG Fuels is moving ahead with plans to build a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in Louisiana after receiving funds to meet its cash requirements up to the expected closing on financing for construction, expected by mid-2022.
Safran expects to deliver 900 LEAP engines in 2021, up from a previous target of more than 800, as the aerospace company said the recovery was “gaining strength month after month.”
The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, an operator of air and sea links to the archipelago off the coast of southwest England, has forged an agreement to bring zero-emission hydrogen flights to the islands.
Despite concerns raised by both suppliers and lessors, Airbus is sticking to its plans to fast-raise narrowbody production until mid-2023 while also beginning to increase output of the A330neo and A350.
Avantus Aerospace has sold off its remaining composite business lines to other private equity investors and to Latécoère so it can focus on fasteners and C-class parts for the metal-friendly narrowbody production ramp-up.
Boeing’s plans to increase production and unwind stored inventory on its two largest commercial programs, the 737 MAX and 787, hinge largely on regulatory approvals that the company is confident are coming, but the timing of needed sign-offs remains unclear.
UK electric air taxi startup Vertical Aerospace has secured additional funding tied to its planned going-public merger with blank-check company Broadstone Acquisition.
Alaska Air Group and startup ZeroAvia have partnered to develop a liquid-hydrogen fuel-cell power train capable of up to 5 megawatts to power part of Alaska Airlines’ fleet of 76-seat De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 regional turboprops.
The U.S. Air Force’s potential Advanced Tactical Trainer, recently announced in a request for information, is expected to serve as a bridge for pilots graduating from initial training in a T-38, or eventually a Boeing-Saab T-7, before entering the cockpit for an operational fighter.
Startup ZeroAvia has partnered with Mitsubishi’s CRJ support division, MHI RJ Aviation, to develop hydrogen-electric propulsion for regional jets, aiming for market availability in 2028.
Qantas is accelerating restart plans for several more international routes, allowing the carrier to reactivate widebody aircraft and recall employees ahead of its previous forecasts.
Intra-African growth is expected to be the strongest category for African airlines, at around 6.5% per year, considerably above the global growth rate in air transport of 4%.
European airline fleet activity is showing signs of a sustained recovery, with both the number of in-service aircraft and their time in the air rising in recent months.
