Aircraft & Propulsion

FAA will evaluate technology to detect unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) near airports under a Pathfinder program with developer CACI International.

Filipino low-cost carrier (LCC) Cebu Pacific’s regional arm, Cebgo, will use ATR 72s on all routes and will transfer its remaining Airbus A320 aircraft to the parent operation.

Finnair intends to differentiate its onboard service with an all-new cabin interior designed for its Airbus A350 XWB fleet by a Helsinki-based design company that has made its mark with restaurants and cruise ships.

Phoenix-based Mesa Airlines has reached an agreement with United Airlines to add 15 Embraer 175 aircraft to Mesa’s United Express fleet.

African low-cost carrier fastjet has been granted a Zimbabwean air operator’s certificate (AOC) and will launch operations on Oct. 28.

Finnair has taken delivery of its first of 19 Airbus A350 XWBs, flying the aircraft from the Toulouse factory where it was made to Helsinki and becoming the world’s third and Europe’s first airline to operate the new widebody.

Airbus Group issued a statement Oct. 7 confirming that it had been exploring business opportunities with Canada-based Bombardier, but said that such discussions were no longer being pursued.

Aircraft & Engine Briefs-Oct. 6, 2015

The British Airways Boeing 777 GE90 uncontained engine failure on a Las Vegas runway Sept. 8 occurred in the high-pressure compressor (HPC), investigators reported.

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

Finnair will take delivery Oct. 7 of the first of 19 Airbus A350 XWBs it has on order, becoming the third airline to receive an A350 and the first European operator.

FAA has proposed a $1.9 million civil penalty against Chicago-based SkyPan International for allegedly conducting “65 unauthorized commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) flights over various locations in New York City and Chicago between March 21, 2012 and Dec. 15, 2014.

Airbus and Boeing commercial aircraft deliveries year-to-date, sorted by most-recent delivery date.

Australia’s air navigation service provider Airservices has signed an agreement with global, space-based air traffic surveillance system provider Aireon to create a platform for tracking aircraft using space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) by 2018.

Airbus is studying changes to the arrangement of the A380’s onboard rear staircase in an effort to make room for additional economy seats.

Kazakhstan flag carrier Air Astana will take three Airbus A321neos and a single A320neo on lease from AerCap.

Air France is to open talks over its Boeing 787-9 commitments after announcing plans to scale back its long-haul fleet by 14 aircraft on Oct. 5.

Lufthansa Group subsidiary Austrian Airlines will postpone operating flights for Eurowings based on a wet-lease agreement, according to several sources close to Austrian management.

FAA is expecting as many as one million small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to be sold during the US holiday season.

British Airways (BA) took delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 on Sept. 30 and, on the same day, operated its final 737 flight.

Okinawa-based Ryukyu Air Commuter Co. has been identified as the launch customer for the Bombardier Q400 combi aircraft.

Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégier remains confident that the European aircraft manufacturer will achieve its goal to deliver around 15 Airbus A350 XWB aircraft this year.

Singapore Airlines has signed with Panasonic Avionics to become the first airline to introduce a mobile app that personalizes a passenger’s journey end-to-end.

Compilation of over 500 selected active commercial passenger and cargo aircraft types currently operating in the Asia-Pacific Region (combined Asia, Australia and Oceania-Pacific Islands), as of September 28, 2015.

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has rolled out a new cabin design and IFE and connectivity products to coincide with its taking delivery of new Airbus A330-300s, for which it it’s the first European operator of the 242-tonne version.