Aircraft & Propulsion

Turkish Airlines has firmed up its commitment for 15 Boeing 777-300ERs and five options in a deal valued at $4.7 billion.

Lufthansa will introduce a new premium-economy class on its long-haul fleet as first-class demand weakens.

Rolls-Royce has contacted the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) over concerns that some overseas intermediaries have been involved in bribery and corruption.

Cameroon Airlines Corp. (Camair-Co) told ATW it is planning to order up to three Boeing 787s and three Chinese MA60 turboprops.

American International Group (AIG) said Friday it is “in discussions” to sell 90% of aircraft leasing giant International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC) to Chinese investors.

Hainan Airlines’ subsidiary Hong Kong Airlines is considering changing out its Airbus A380 orders in favor of the A330 and delaying the A380 delivery date.

Delta Air Lines has placed a firm order for 40 Bombardier CRJ900s valued $1.85 billion at list prices, and took options on another 30 CRJ900s.

Icelandair has committed to purchase 12 Boeing 737 MAXs, comprising a mixture of MAX -8s and -9s.

China Southern Airlines has committed to purchase 10 Airbus A330-300s, in a deal valued at $1.9 billion, according to Reuters.

[UPDATED] US FAA has issued an airworthiness directive ordering Boeing 787 operators to inspect the aircraft for “improperly assembled” engine fuel feed manifold couplings.

Boeing said the world’s airlines should have access to “reasonable liquidity and pricing” for financing new aircraft deliveries in 2013.

Flight trials were conducted late last month to validate the Airborne Separation Assistance System Spacing (ASPA), a system for aircraft spacing and merging in congested air traffic environments.

Boeing said it has delivered more 737s this year than in any year of the program’s history.

Airbus has completed the main structural assembly and system connection of the A350 XWB first flight-test aircraft.

Norway’s air navigation services provider Avinor has begun a week-long, real-time simulation to validate the Southern Norway Airspace concept.

All Nippon Airways (ANA), which operates 16 Boeing 787s, fears the Airbus A380s scheduled to fly into Tokyo Narita Airport may result in lower yields.

Airbus has received certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency for its sharklets for the A320 family aircraft with CFM engines.

CFM International, the engine joint venture between GE Aviation and Safran, is ramping up activity as it prepares to shift production from the stalwart CFM56 to its new LEAP family, which will power the Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX and COMAC C919.

Eurocontrol said 43 of the 56 states making up the ICAO European and North Atlantic (EUR/NAT) region successfully migrated to the new Flight Plan 2012 (FPL2012) format last month.

The Nigerian government is in talks with Embraer to acquire new aircraft, a spokesperson for the Nigerian aviation minister confirmed.

[UPDATED] Rolls-Royce has delivered the first Trent 900 aero engine produced in Singapore to Airbus in Toulouse for an unidentified customer.

ATR has obtained Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) approval for the ATR 42-600 and ATR 72-600 to operate in Russia and the CIS, the company said in a statement.

ST Aerospace has injected $1.73 million of additional capital into Total Engine Asset Management (TEAM), its engine leasing joint venture (JV) with Maurbeni Corp. The company said this brings STA Engines’ total share capital contribution in TEAM to $3.4 million. TEAM was set up in June 2011 to provide engine leasing services for CFM56-3, CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B engines that power narrowbody aircraft such as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.

Airbus has firmed up plans to increase the maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of its A330-200 and -300 twinjets and will offer an increased fuel capacity option on the A330-300.

BOC Aviation, a Bank of China subsidiary, has signed an agreement with Brazil’s GOL to purchase and leaseback eight new Boeing 737-800s.