Aircraft & Propulsion

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer is planning to become the market leader in aircraft under 150 seats and is consulting with airlines about a new turboprop family.

Lufthansa Group subsidiary Austrian Airlines is wet leasing two Bombardier CRJ900s from Slovenia-based Adria Airways for short-haul routes on the Austrian network.

Bombardier continues to project strong growth in the large regional jet and small single-aisle airliner markets despite a slight decline in its 20-year commercial-aircraft forecast as a result of expected slower economic growth in China.

Chinese carriers introduced 51 aircraft in August, expanding the fleet of domestic airlines to 3,131 aircraft, according to the China’s Civil Aviation Data Analysis Co.

Aircraft Briefs-Sept. 13, 2017

Bombardier continues to project strong growth in the large regional jet and small single-aisle airliner markets, despite a slight decline in its 20-year commercial-aircraft forecast as a result of expected slower economic growth in China.

Russia’s Irkut Corp. has started the second stage of in-plant development tests for the MC-21-300, the manufacturer said Sept. 13.

Malaysia Airlines still wants to lease additional Airbus A330s to cover short-term needs, despite the carrier’s new commitment to order Boeing 787-9s.

Cathay Pacific Airways has finalized an order with Airbus for 32 A321neo single-aisle aircraft.

Malaysia Airlines has signed an MOU with Boeing to convert eight existing orders for the 737 MAX series to widebody 787-9s.

Boosted by new orders for its Q400, Bombardier has dusted off plans to move production of the cockpit and wing for the regional turboprop from Toronto to lower-cost locations outside Canada.

Bombardier is projecting global demand for aircraft in the 60- to 150-seat commercial aircraft market segment will nearly double over the next 20 years to 12,550 aircraft, according to the Canadian manufacturer’s 2017-2036 Market Forecast released Sept. 12.

The Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. MRJ90 flight test program has resumed after the Japanese manufacturer concluded last month’s engine shutdown incident, which led to the suspension of flight testing, was an “isolated” event.

Airbus may approve a demonstrator that would continue work toward potential development of a hybrid-electric, single-aisle airliner.

Inmarsat Aviation appointed chief strategy officer Philip Balaam to lead the Aviation Business Unit, succeeding Leo Mondale, who plans to retire in early 2018 after 13 years at the satellite communications specialist.

As 2017 moves toward its final quarter, Boeing’s sales dominance over its European competitor Airbus is becoming more acute.

A planned order for either the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787 is “off the table for now,” Emirates president Tim Clark told ATW’s sister publication Aviation Daily.

Airbus and Boeing commercial aircraft deliveries for 2017, sorted by most-recent delivery date.

Airbus and Boeing commercial aircraft gross orders for 2017, sorted by most-recent date of order placement with manufacturer.

Aircraft Briefs-Sept. 7, 2017

Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo, becoming the launch operator of the version of the aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM geared turbofan engines.

A Hyperloop, the vacuum-tube city-to-city transportation concept introduced by Elon Musk in 2013, could be operational on a small scale within three years, according to Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) co-founder and CEO Dirk Ahlborn.

New York-based JetBlue Airways sees a future for boarding using photographs taken on passengers’ own mobile phones and believes artificial intelligence (AI) will create a new chapter for the industry.

A planned order for either the Boeing 787 or Airbus A350 is “off the table for now,” Emirates President Tim Clark told Aviation Week.

Russia’s United Aircraft Corp. (UAC) has reported a 1H 2017 net loss of RUB6.6 billion ($111.7 million), narrowed from a net loss of RUB7.3 billion in 1H 2016.