Aircraft & Propulsion

China’s Commercial Aircraft Corp. (COMAC) has completed high-speed taxi testing for the C919, and received a special flight permit from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to conduct the inaugural flight.

Dublin-based aircraft lessor SMBC Aviation Capital has placed a direct order with Boeing for three 737-800s, bringing its total owned, managed and committed portfolio for 737-800s to 198.

Halifax-based Chorus Aviation Capital, the leasing arm of Chorus Aviation, will acquire six ATR 72-600 turboprops with attached leases from Singapore-based lessor Avation PLC.

Latvian ACMI and charter specialist SmartLynx Airlines plans to enlarge its fleet substantially by the end of 2018, as it seeks to escape from the high levels of seasonality in its main European market.

South Korea’s Asiana Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-900, which is on lease from Dublin-based SMBC Aviation Capital.

Air France has taken delivery of its second Boeing 787-9, which is scheduled to enter revenue service May 1 to Montreal.

Smooth development of the 737-9 is a key part of Boeing’s competitive strategy against the Airbus A320neo family.

Larger and higher-density MAX variants could help Boeing make further inroads into Asia-Pacific low-cost carrier sector

Lufthansa Group will take delivery of five Airbus A320neos instead of the 10 originally planned to be delivered this year, Lufthansa spokesperson Joerg Waber confirmed to ATW.

Pratt & Whitney is beginning a fleet-wide retrofit of a more durable air seal on PW1100G geared turbofan-powered Airbus A320neos following certification of the improvement package on April 12.

The first Airbus A321neo, the largest and longest-range variant of the Airbus family of re-engined narrowbody aircraft, has been delivered to Virgin America.

Estonian national carrier Nordica is to add two Bombardier CRJ900 regional jets to its fleet. The Tallinn-based airline currently operates a fleet of four CRJ900s and two CRJ700s.

Canada’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB) is looking into an incident in which an Air Canada aircraft lost one of its undercarriage wheels prior to takeoff on a transatlantic flight April 16.

After years of angling to go public, Azul Brazilian Airlines has raised more than $570 million in an initial public offering (IPO) last week.

Icelandic low-cost carrier WOW Air has detailed plans to add seven more aircraft, growing its all-Airbus fleet from 17 to 24 by end of 2018.

China Southern plans for its Xinjiang passenger numbers to reach 18 million a year by the end of 2020 from the current 10 million.

Russia’s United Engine Corp. (UEC), part of state-owned Rostec Corp., will invest RUB21.9 billion ($389.3 million) to upgrade its production facilities through 2025 to build PD-14 engines to power Irkut Corp.’s MC-21 aircraft.

Malaysia Airlines has become the first customer to sign up for SITAONAIR, Aireon and FlightAware’s global flight tracking service, designed to prevent incidents similar to the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines MH370.

Hong Kong-based China Aircraft Leasing Group (CALC) has agreed to buy an Airbus A320-200, following an order for two A320 aircraft April 3.

Mexico City-based low-cost carrier (LCC) Interjet took delivery of the first of three Airbus A320neos, powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines, on April 17, according to Interjet CEO Jose Luis Garza.

Lufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines is considering a design limit extension for its aging Airbus A321 fleet, a company executive told ATW in Los Angeles.

Azerbaijan-based Silk Way was identified April 14 as the customer behind an order for 10 Boeing 737 MAX 8s originally announced at the Farnborough Airshow in July 2016.

Boeing is confident its 737 MAX family will have further sales success with low-cost carrier (LCCs) in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly versions with higher capacity and density.

China’s Commercial Aircraft Corp. (COMAC) is expected to launch the inaugural flight of the much-delayed C919 narrowbody in May, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

The first 737-9, the second member of Boeing’s 737 MAX family, made its first flight from the company’s Renton, Washington, facility on April 13, marking the start of a planned nine-month flight test and certification campaign.