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.
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. is working with PowerJet to certify the long-range variant of its SSJ100, ahead of next year’s first delivery to Russian carrier Gazpromavia Aviation.
Pratt & Whitney will invest more than $63 million in an expansion of its manufacturing operations at its West Palm Beach, Fla. facility beginning in the first half of 2013.
Saab has formed a joint venture (JV) with Belgaum, India-based QuEST Global Manufacturing to manufacture and supply commercial aerostructure assemblies.
Austrian-based low-cost carrier FlyNiki (HG), an Air Berlin (AB) partner, will phase out all seven Embraer E-190s during the winter and exchange them with AB’s Airbus A320 family aircraft.
The Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) has been granted its type certificate in Indonesia. The validation confirms the aircraft with Indonesian Aviation Authority requirements, allowing its export to Indonesia and operation by local airlines. The first SSJ100 will be delivered to Indonesian Sky Aviation before the end of this year. The carrier ordered 12 SSJ100s in August 2011 at MAKS Air Show in Moscow. Deliveries are planned for 2012-2015.
Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) will delay delivery of its regional jet ARJ21 again for “one or two years” because of “inexperience in certification in terms of methods and infrastructure,” according to COMAC VP Luo Ronghuai.
GE Aviation has acquired the assets of Ohio-based Morris Technologies and its sister company Rapid Quality Manufacturing. The privately-held companies specialize in additive manufacturing, a technology GE called a “new star” in its portfolio.
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has reached agreement with state-owned Turus Pesawat for a financing arrangement of up to MYR5.311 billion ($1.72 billion) to purchase eight Airbus aircraft. The bond will fund the acquisition of six Airbus A380-800s, one A330-200F and one A330-300. MAS took delivery of its third A380 on Nov. 15, part of its current order for six ( ATW Daily News, May 30).
Air Lease Corp. has placed two new ATR 72-600s from its order pipeline on long-term lease to Mexico’s Aeromar, scheduled for delivery between April and May 2013. Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) authorized a guarantee of an approximately $500 million loan to Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A. (LOT Airlines) for the export of a fleet of Boeing 787s to Poland. Apple Bank for Savings of New York provided the loan.
Turkish Airlines (TK) has done a deal with GE Aviation to provide engines for its new Airbus A330-300s and Boeing 777-300ERs. A $1.4 billion contract covers GE90-115Bs to power the 777-300ERs and a long-term OnPoint maintenance agreement. TK in October ordered 15 777-300ERs with options for an additional five, scheduled for delivery beginning in 2014 ( ATW Daily News, Oct 22). The GE90 is the only engine available for the -300ER.
International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) delivered the 15th and final Boeing 737-800 to American Airlines (AA) as part of an aircraft sale and leaseback program. “ILFC…views this transaction as an important achievement in the execution of our strategy to increase ILFC’s market share in the Americas,” ILFC CEO Henri Courpron said. The program began in November 2011; at that time AA had taken delivery of two of the previously-ordered aircraft.
Boeing and Airbus both see strong demand for commercial aircraft in Latin America over the next two decades, with Boeing slightly more bullish on the region.
Interjet has added 10 options to its firm order for 20 Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) aircraft, and Superjet International increasingly believes the Mexican carrier holds the key to the future success of the regional aircraft.
Air France Industries (AFI) has invested €43 million ($54.7 million) in a new 5,000 sq. m. engine test cell based at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).
