Aircraft & Propulsion

Finnair has taken delivery of its first of five sharklet-equipped Airbus A321s, becoming the first airline to operate the type.

Icelandair is tapping a new Canadian air traffic agreement to add new links from Reykjavik to Edmonton and Vancouver in 2014, which it will serve using three additional Boeing 757s.

Xi’an-based Joy Air plans to launch Hefei Airlines in conjunction with Hefei municipal government, according to Joy Air general manager Zhou Qingsheng.

Norwegian Air Shuttle has delayed the commercial debut of its second Boeing 787 by four days due to problems with warnings from its brake system. A Norwegian spokesman told ATW that the aircraft was due to enter service Sept. 2, operating flights from Stockholm to New York and Bangkok.

Delta Air Lines has placed a firm order for 40 Airbus aircraft comprising 10 A330-300 and 30 A321ceos for delivery between 2015 and 2017.

Bankrupt Indian carrier Kingfisher Airlines has filed a lawsuit against International Aero Engines (IAE), the carrier stated in its annual report.

Airbus will help China modernize its air traffic management (ATM) system and implement the latest ATM technologies.

Germania has confirmed to ATW it will end a wet-lease contract with airberlin on two Boeing 737-700s by the end of the summer schedule.

FedEx Express has taken delivery of its first Boeing 767-300 freighter as part of its fleet modernization strategy.

Aircraft News

Airbus and VSMPO-AVISMA Corp. have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop an end-to-end strategic collaboration, which covers development, processing and recycling of titanium material utilized for all Airbus aircraft programs.

Boeing has launched 787 customer training in Miami, Fla., the site of the company's largest commercial aviation training campus.

A commercial aircraft manufacturer spent the week of the Paris Air Show talking up the imminent first flight of its high-tech next-generation aircraft and what a great milestone achieving the maiden flight would be. But immediately upon returning from Le Bourget, the company’s executives were forced to admit that first flight would be pushed back—again.

Transport Canada has awarded a flight test permit for Bombardier’s first CSeries aircraft, paving the way for the program’s maiden flight.

Boeing has projected a global demand for 498,000 new airline pilots through 2032, an 8.3% increase over its 20-year flight deck crew demand forecast last year.

Airbus and Rostec Group firm RT-Biotekhprom have signed a cooperation agreement to launch a large-scale analysis of Russian feedstock with the goal of speeding up development and commercialization of sustainable fuels for aviation.

Calgary-based WestJet has signed a letter of intent to purchase 65 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, comprising 40 737 MAX 8s and 25 737 MAX 7s.

Transaero Airlines has selected Engine Alliance GP7200 engines to power its new fleet of four Airbus A380 aircraft.

Cubana de Aviación has transferred three Antonov An-158 options into firm orders.

Gazpromavia has taken delivery of its first Sukhoi Superjet 100LR (SSJ100LR) aircraft at MAKS Airshow in Moscow, making it the first airline to receive the type.

Russia’s Transaero Airline signed a memorandum of understanding for six MC-21s with Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFC) at the MAKS Airshow in Moscow.

Bombardier and Rostekhnologii (Rostec), a state corporation controlled by the Russian Federation, have signed a series of preliminary agreements that include a letter of intent (LOI) for the sale of 50 Q400 NextGen aircraft; and a market development agreement reached with Rostec and leasing subsidiary Avia Capital Services that could place at least 50 additional Q400 NextGen aircraft in the region.

Lufthansa Cargo will sell two MD-11Fs when it starts taking delivery of its first two new Boeing 777Fs this fall, as part of a deal for five of the type.

Lithuania-based AviaAM Leasing has signed a letter of intent with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. (SCAC) for five Sukhoi Superjet 100s (SSJ100s) at the MAKS Airshow in Moscow.