Aircraft & Propulsion

Commercial aircraft orders and commitments placed at the Dubai Air Show, November 8-12, 2015. Source: ATW Research.

Lufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines plans to launch its first Embraer E195 scheduled flight from Jan. 4, 2016, on the Vienna-Stuttgart route.

Portuguese national carrier TAP Portugal has signed a firm order with Airbus for 53 aircraft from the European manufacturer, it announced Nov. 13.

Airbus is on schedule to deliver the first A320neo by end of 2015 as planned, an Airbus executive confirmed Friday.

Taiwan-based EVA Air has taken delivery of its first re-branded Boeing 777-300ER at the US manufacturer’s delivery center in Everett, Washington Nov. 10-11.

Taipei-based China Airlines expects to take delivery of its first of 14 Airbus A350-900s in July 2016, a spokesperson confirmed to ATW in Taipei.

Embraer is assembling the first of its next-generation E2 regional jets and the program remains on track, according to Embraer Commercial Aviation president and CEO Paulo Cesar Silva.

Aircraft & Engine News-Nov. 11, 2015

The Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) completed its first flight Nov. 11, taking off from Nagoya Airport and flying for about 90 minutes before returning.

Airbus said Ethiopian Airlines’ first A350-900 is taking shape on the final assembly line (FAL) in Toulouse, France.

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA) to establish an authorized service facility (ASF) for Bombardier’s Q Series turboprop regional airliners.

Low-cost carrier Flydubai plans to keep a small sub-fleet of all-economy aircraft even though its move into offering business class is considered a success, according to CEO Gaith Al Gaith.

Qatar Airways is not interested in taking a stake in another European airline, but is looking at the option of buying into Royal Air Maroc (RAM) or

Egypt’s KATO Investment has ordered six MC-21s with four options from Russia’s Irkut Corp. for its subsidiary Cairo Aviation at the Dubai Air Show.

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. has set the first flight of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) for Nov. 11 at 9:30 a.m. local time at Nagoya Airport.

Airbus will eventually build a re-engined, more efficient neo version of the A380, COO customers John Leahy believes, and entry-into-service could be around 2023.

According to Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers John Leahy, the A380neo would not only be equipped with new engines. A stretch would require a smaller tail plane for stability, thus could become lighter on a relative basis.

Vietnamese low-cost carrier Vietjet signed a firm order Tuesday for 30 Airbus A321s, including 21 neos, bringing its total firm orders for A320 family aircraft to 99.

Russia’s Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. (SCAC) could deliver up to 100 Sukhoi Superjet 100s (SSJ100s) to Iran if sanctions against the country are lifted.

India’s Jet Airways has placed an order for 75 Boeing 737 MAX 8s. The order was previously booked by Boeing in the backlog as coming from an undisclosed customer, but was officially revealed at the Dubai Air Show Monday.

Latvian national carrier airBaltic will be the launch customer for the CS300 version of Bombardier’s CSeries, the manufacturer announced at the Dubai Air Show Nov. 8.

Emirates wants more airline operational data for the Airbus A350 before making a decision about an order for the type, or for more Boeing 787s, the airline's President Tim Clark said at the Dubai Air Show.

Middle East airlines will require 220 new regional jets over the next 20 years, according to the latest market forecast from Embraer.

Etihad Airways has exercised two options for Boeing 777F freighters, the carrier announced at the Dubai Air Show.

Saudi Arabian flag carrier Saudia has wet-leased two Airbus A319s from Czech Airlines to increase capacity on its domestic routes as it gears up to face competitive pressures from new rivals in the Kingdom.