Aircraft & Propulsion

Airbus has begun labeling its current generation A320s the ceo—short for current engine option—as it markets the new, re-engined A320neo while still selling the original variant.

KLM expects deliveries of its Boeing 787-9s to begin on schedule in October 2015, but is in no rush to make an engine selection.

LOT Polish Airlines subsidiary EuroLOT announced it will purchase eight Bombardier Q400NG aircraft this year.

The A350 XWB is on starters orders to challenge the 777.

LAN Airlines on Thursday operated its Cusco-Lima route with Required Navigation Performance (RNP) satellite navigation from takeoff to landing, shortening the route by 30.5 km., saving 67.5 gal. of fuel and emitting 644 kg. less carbon dioxide.

Indonesia’s state-run Merpati Nusantara Airlines (MZ) has signed a memorandum of understanding for 40 Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) ARJ21-700s, a 100-seat regional aircraft.

Boeing announced Tuesday that China Southern Airlines has agreed to buy 10 777-300ERs, pending Chinese government approval, to meet growing demand in Asia/Pacific and China.

CFM International owners GE and Safran have formed a joint venture with Japan’s Nippon Carbon Co. to make and sell silicon carbide (SiC) continuous fiber.

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. (SCAC), which received its European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) type certificate A-176 Friday, will deliver 10 Sukhoi Superjet 100s to customers in Southeast Asia and Latin America in the second half of this year, SCAC president Vladimir Prisyazhnyuk said.

Estonian Air (OV) has ordered three E-175s and one E-190 as it transitions to a fleet of Embraer E-Jets. Delivery is scheduled for the second half of 2014.

New Accra-based regional Starbow (S9) has acquired two additional BAe 146s for its regional and domestic routes, Falko Regional Aircraft announced.

A Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine, the powerplant for the new Airbus A350, made its first flight on an A380 test aircraft in Toulouse, France. The aircraft flew with one of its four Trent 900 engines replaced by the Trent XWB.

Pakistan International Airlines (PK) signed a firm order for five Boeing 777-300ERs, plus five options, in deal valued at nearly $1.5 billion at list prices, Boeing said.

US President Barack Obama spoke Friday to workers at Boeing's Everett, Wash., manufacturing plant, touting rising commercial aircraft sales as a sign that US manufacturing is on the rebound.

Transaero Airlines (UN) is close to inking a deal with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co (SCAC) for a firm order of six Sukhoi Superjet 100s plus 10 options, CEO Olga Pleshakova said.

International Aero Engines (IAE) said its V2500 has reached 100 million flight hrs. late last year.

Honeywell Aerospace has signed contracts with five Asia/Pacific airlines: Solaseed Air, Jeju Air, Eastar Jet, China Eastern Airlines (MU) and Air China (CA).

The Commercial Aircraft Co. of China (COMAC) and Liebherr-Aerospace have signed a firm contract for C919 landing gear and air management systems.

Bombardier has received a firm order for two Q400 NextGen aircraft from Horizon Air (QX) and revealed that Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is the customer that placed the firm order for five Q400 NextGens announced earlier this week.

Kuwait-based lessor Aviation Lease and Finance Co. (ALAFCO) has placed a firm order with CFM International for LEAP-1A engines, valued at $840 million at list prices.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has placed a firm order for 10 Boeing 787-9s and converted 10 787-8s it already had on order to -9s.

Indian carrier GoAir has signed a firm order for 144 Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G-JM engines at the Singapore Airshow Wednesday.

Singapore Technologies Aerospace (ST Aerospace) and EADS EFW have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a strategic partnership to develop the Airbus A330 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion program.

Bombardier Aerospace and Garuda Indonesia (GA) said Wednesday the carrier has committed to up to 36 Bombardier CRJ1000 NextGens to support its domestic and regional operations from its Makassar, Medan and Balikpapan hubs.