Aircraft & Propulsion

Airbus is reverting to tried and tested nickel cadmium batteries for its A350 XWB family, following Boeing’s problems with lithium ion technology on the 787.

Rolls-Royce Holdings reported an underlying post-tax profit of £1.1 billion ($1.7 billion) for 2012.

Airworthiness certificates for three Sukhoi Superjet 100s (SSJ100s) operated by Aeroflot have been renewed.

Spanish flag carrier Iberia has canceled 39% of its scheduled flights over the period Feb. 18-22, as it braces for the first wave of staff walkouts in protest against its restructuring.

Arabian low-cost carrier (LCC) Flydubai is in talks with Airbus and Boeing over a major order for single-aisle aircraft.

Ukraine’s aviation authorities have grounded the operations of local charter carrier South Airlines after a crash Wednesday involving an AN-24 at Donetsk airport left at least five dead.

Icelandair has placed a firm order for 16 Boeing 737 MAXs valued at more than $1.6 billion at list prices.

Recaro Aircraft Seating opened a 13,000 sq. m. addition to its existing 10,000 sq. m. manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Texas.

Air Tahiti Nui will unveil a $17 million cabin upgrade in April on its fleet of five Airbus A340-300s.

The long-range Sukhoi Superjet 100 (MSN 95032) has performed its first test flight.

Cargolux has revealed it is in negotiations with Boeing to push back its 747-8 freighter deliveries and is unlikely to firm up two options it holds for the type.

Four Sukhoi Superjet 100s, grounded temporarily due to technical reasons, will resume operations before the end of the month.

Boeing operated a second 787 test flight as part of its effort to gather data on the inflight performance of the aircraft’s batteries.

The main technical problems discovered during two years of SSJ100 operations have been localized and are being eliminated.

Boeing has told UK carrier Thomson Airways that its first Boeing 787 will be delayed, although the new timeline for deliveries remains unclear.

Boeing has flown a test 787 aircraft, the first time a Dreamliner has taken to the air since the type was grounded by FAA because of concern about the safety of its lithium ion batteries.

Honeywell won a contract valued at $2.8 billion from Embraer to supply its Primus Epic avionics system for the second generation of E-Jet aircraft.

American Eagle pilots have filed a formal objection to the capacity purchase agreement between American Airlines and Republic Airways.

Airbus is still comfortable about using lithium ion batteries on its A350 aircraft, which is under development, but has the option to return to conventional batteries.

Boeing has warned Norwegian Air Shuttle of possible delays in delivery of its first 787 due to problems with lithium-ion batteries and FAA grounding of the aircraft.

US FAA has given Boeing permission to operate 787 test flights to help determine why batteries failed and overheated on two in-service Dreamliners.

Villa Air, which operates as FlyMe, has taken delivery of one ATR 72-600 turboprop, on lease from GECAS. Villa Air operates two ATR 42-500s; it will use the new aircraft to expand services in the Indian Ocean archipelago. Copa Holdings has closed sale-leaseback transactions for four new Boeing 737-800 aircraft with SMBC Aviation Capital. The aircraft deliveries, which are part of Copa Airlines’ current order with Boeing, are scheduled for delivery in 2014.

Russia’s United Aircraft Corp. (UAC) plans to validate the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) certificate in India this year.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has awarded the certification for the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB turbofan.

US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chairman Deborah Hersman said assumptions made by Boeing and FAA to justify certifying 787 batteries “must be reconsidered.”