Aircraft & Propulsion

By Michael Bruno, Sean Broderick
Boeing announced late April 5 it will slow 737 MAX production from 52 to 42 aircraft a month by mid-April, indicating that the type’s grounding and delivery halt will last longer than initially expected.
Aircraft & Propulsion

Ukraine International Airlines (UIA)—which had planned to take delivery of three Boeing 737 MAX 8s beginning in mid-April—will adjust its summer schedule as deliveries of the type are postponed until the US manufacturer’s flight-control software upgrade is certified and the grounding is lifted.
Airports & Networks

By Linda Blachly
Aircraft Briefs-April 4, 2019
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Adrian Schofield
Qantas plans to increase capacity on its freighter operations by replacing two leased Boeing 747-400Fs with 747-8Fs.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Sean Broderick
An interim report into the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 crash said the flight crew followed proper procedures in response to uncommanded nose-down inputs, but they could not keep the aircraft from descending into the ground, Ethiopia's top transport official said April 4.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Graham Warwick
The company plans a $50 million laboratory to help develop high-power electrical systems for aircraft.
Aerospace

By Jens Flottau
Nigeria’s Air Peace ordered 10 Embraer E195-E2s and took purchase rights on 20 more, becoming the first E2 operator in Africa.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Alan Dron
Slovenian flag carrier Adria Airways and Russian manufacturer Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. (SCAC) have failed to convert the airline’s November 2018 letter of intent to acquire 15 Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) regional jets into a firm order after they were unable to reach an agreement on contract terms.
Airlines & Lessors

By Adrian Schofield
Indian airline Jet Airways is still grounding aircraft because of lease payment defaults, even though the first parts of a bailout plan have been put in place.
Airlines & Lessors

Wizz Air CEO József Váradi said the Central and Eastern European LCC is considering investing in aircraft and is studying several options.
Aircraft & Propulsion

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has grounded two of its nine Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners because of premature blade deterioration found on the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 TEN engines.
Aircraft & Propulsion

Faroese national carrier Atlantic Airways is working to become an all-Airbus A320neo operator and is targeting flights to New York by year-end.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Sean Broderick
Boeing’s proposed changes to its 737 MAX family flight-control software will undergo “additional work” and may not be in regulators’ hands for a final review for another six weeks.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Alan Dron
Spanish leisure airline Evelop Airlines has taken delivery of its first of two Airbus A350 XWBs, while African flag carrier Mauritania Airlines has accepted its first Embraer E175.
Aircraft & Propulsion

EgyptAir received its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on March 28. The Star Alliance member will lease a total of six of the type.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Jens Flottau
Airbus’ UK factories “could well remain competitive” even after Brexit, outgoing CEO Tom Enders said March 29.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Alan Dron
Luxembourg’s national carrier Luxair is still deciding on the future shape of its fleet, but in the interim has gone ahead with the purchase of two further Boeing 737-700s.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Alan Dron
Scottish airline Loganair is gearing up for a huge expansion of operations in the aftermath of the collapse last month of sister company flybmi.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Adrian Schofield
Vietnam startup airline Bamboo Airways is preparing to sign a deal with Airbus to purchase A321neos, a key step in its ambitions to develop a fleet of Airbus narrowbodies and Boeing widebodies.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Bill Carey
Training provider CAE has signed a new five-year agreement with long-haul LCC AirAsia X to train pilots on the Airbus A330.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Helen Massy-Beresford
New Caledonia-based Aircalin plans to begin operating the Airbus A330neo in July, with two of the type set to join its fleet this year.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Guy Norris
From the world’s largest airborne generator to personal air vehicles, Rolls-Royce outlines its vision and goals for electrical power and propulsion.
Aerospace

By Sean Broderick
FAA retained oversight of the Boeing MAX’s new maneuvering characteristics augmentation system (MCAS) early on in the aircraft's certification process, but later delegated it to Boeing once the agency was confident the company had the expertise to manage it, FAA acting administrator Dan Elwell told a Senate hearing March 27.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Guy Norris
Key changes to the Boeing 737 MAX’s maneuvering characteristics augmentation system (MCAS) will incorporate more redundancy into the aircraft’s much-scrutinized flight-control law and give pilots ultimate elevator authority by limiting the degree of nose-down stabilizer command the automated system can trigger.
Safety, Ops & Regulation

By Karen Walker
Pilots of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 reported an emergency and returned to Orlando International Airport soon after takeoff March 26, the airline and FAA confirmed.
Safety, Ops & Regulation