Embraer and Republic Airways Holdings finalized an order for up to 24 Embraer 190s, plus 24 options with conversion rights to E-195s, which was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow ( ATW Daily News, July 23). In July, the companies stated the deal was valued at $960 million.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce told media in Sydney on Friday that the airline’s remaining five Airbus A380s could resume flying as early as Sunday if a number of engine checks are satisfactory following the uncontained failure of a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 aboard a Qantas A380 that had just taken off from Singapore on Thursday (ATW Daily News, Nov. 5).
Boeing on Wednesday announced it will begin a rotable exchange services program in support of the 787 Dreamliner, which it called the first program of its type to be developed in conjunction with entry into service of a new aircraft type. The program will provide access to a Boeing-managed inventory pool of parts available to ship to customers within 24 hours of request.
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. announced the first Sukhoi Superjet production aircraft scheduled for delivery to launch customer Armavia next month took to the skies Thursday ( ATW Daily News, Oct. 19). During a 3-hr. test flight, the pilot crew checked the overall engines, systems and equipment performance having confirmed the aircraft characteristics within operational range.
The three operators of Rolls-Royce Trent 900-powered Airbus A380s followed the engine manufacturer's recommendations to conduct "basic precautionary engine checks" in the wake of the uncontained failure of an engine on a Qantas A380 that had just taken off from Singapore on Thursday.
Airbus announced that China Aviation Supplies Holding Co. signed for a total of 102 aircraft, of which 66 represent new orders (50 A320 family aircraft, six A330s and 10 A350 XWBs). The value of the transaction and aircraft delivery dates were not disclosed.
Qantas has grounded its six-strong A380 fleet after one of the aircraft suffered an uncontained engine failure just after takeoff from Singapore yesterday.
Lufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines said it expects to turn a profit on its long-haul flights for business travel in 2011 for the first time since they were established in 1988 owing to the relaunch of five-times-weekly Vienna–Mumbai flights Oct. 31 ( ATW Daily News, May 25).
Singapore-based BOC Aviation announced it has ordered 30 Airbus A320 family aircraft with deliveries scheduled over three years from 2012. This order follows Tuesday's announcement of an order for eight Boeing 777-300ERs for long-term lease to Thai Airways International (ATW Daily News, Nov. 3).
Singapore-based BOC Aviation announced it has ordered 30 Airbus A320 family aircraft with deliveries scheduled over three years from 2012. This order follows Tuesday's announcement of an order for eight Boeing 777-300ERs for long-term lease to Thai Airways International (ATW Daily News, Nov. 3).
Citing China’s rapid economic development and steadily increasing personal wealth, Boeing predicts the country will become the world’s No. 2 aircraft market over the next 20 years, requiring 4,330 new commercial aircraft valued at $480 billion and tripling its fleet size. “China is one of the world’s fastest growing and dynamic aviation markets,” Boeing VP-Marketing Randy Tinseth said. “We expect domestic passenger traffic for China to grow at a rate of 7.9% on average,” he told reporters in Beijing on Tuesday.
BOC Aviation ordered eight Boeing 777-300ERs for long-term lease to Thai Airways International. Boeing valued the orders at $2.2 billion at average list prices.
Boeing said that Russian state corporation Rostechnology finalized a previously announced order for 50 737NGs with purchase rights for an additional 35 valued at $3.7 billion. The order, signed two months ago ( ATW Daily News, Sept. 20), is for 15 737-700s, 25 -800s and 10 -900ERs.
COI Ceramics won a contract from Boeing Research & Technology for the development and demonstration of a Ceramic Matrix Composite exhaust nozzle for US FAA's Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise program. CLEEN program technologies are slated to be flight tested aboard two aircraft, one Boeing 737 in 2012 and a yet-to-be-determined twin-aisle airplane in 2013. COI is a subsidiary of ATK.
Airbus announced the first four of 10 Korean Air A380s are now in production in Toulouse. The first is being prepared for its first flight, the second and third are in the main assembly hall, and the wings and main fuselage sections of the fourth are complete. First delivery of the 400-450 pax aircraft is scheduled for next May. Teledyne Controls reached an agreement with Boeing to supply its Digital Flight Data Acquisition Unit for Boeing’s Airplane Health Management system for the 737NG.
Pemco World Air Services launched a 757-200 Combi conversion program with an order for four from National Airlines. The initial Combi configuration developed for National Airlines has 10 pallet positions in a Class C cargo compartment, pax compartment, two full galleys, and accommodations for multiple supernumerary personnel, a payload of approximately 36 tons and a range comparable to the passenger version, Pemco said.
Boeing confirmed to ATW that the manufacturer is telling its suppliers to halt deliveries of 787sections for two weeks owing to delays from Italian supplier Alenia Aeronautica, which makes the horizontal stabilizer for the aircraft, according to spokesperson Loretta Gunter.
Delta Air Lines for the first time publicly addressed whether it will retain 18 787-8 firm orders placed in 2005 by Northwest Airlines, stating in a regulatory filing this week that it has entered into an agreement with Boeing "to reaffirm" the orders but has deferred delivery to 2020-2022.
ICBC Financial Leasing has a five-year, $162.8 million loan from DVB Bank, through its Singapore-based subsidiary, DVB Group Merchant Bank Ltd., for eight aircraft on lease to four international and Chinese airlines.
B/E Aerospace said Monday it signed a definitive agreement to acquire Copenhagen-based Satair's fastener distribution business for $162 million in cash. "The acquisition complements and expands B/E Aerospace's current broad consumables product offerings to include metric fasteners, adhesive fasteners, latches, cables, struts, tooling and lighting products," it said in a statement, adding that the transaction is expected to close during the 2010 fourth quarter.
Gulf Air claims it will conclude before year end its negotiations with Boeing and Airbus on changes to its orders for 24 787s and 20 A330s, respectively, and decide on a new order for up to 10 RJs, CEO Samer Majali told ATW on the sidelines of the Arab Air Carriers Organization’s 43rd AGM in Cairo last week.
British Airways firmed up options for another two E-190 jets, increasing its E-Jets firm orders to 13, comprising six E-170s and seven E-190s. The aircraft will be operated by its London City-based subsidiary BA CityFlyer. “We are delighted to announce the conversion of these two options, which will increase our fleet size by almost 20% at London City airport,” said BA CityFlyer MD Peter Simpson. “Customer feedback on the new fleet has been fantastic, particularly with the additional space and two-by-two seating.”
Cathay Pacific Airways CEO Tony Tyler told ATW in Perth that the carrier is still keeping the door open on possible A380 or 747-8 orders, while urging Boeing to improve its "fantastic" 777. "The 777-300ER is a fantastic aircraft but it’s going to need to improve to compete with the A350-1000," he said. "Sure, the A350-1000 is not a Hong Kong–New York aircraft but it certainly is a Hong Kong–Europe aircraft. And so if they are going to sell more 777s to us they will have to improve it."
Embraer announced Friday it has signed a contract with Fuji Dream Airlines of Japan for an E-175, which will have a single-class configuration with 84 seats. The order also includes an option for one additional aircraft. This deal is already included in Embraer’s firm order backlog for the third quarter of 2010, as being from an undisclosed customer. Value of the transaction was not supplied.
