SpeedNews

STORM AVIATION consolidated heavy maintenance activities to Glasgow-Prestwick. It closed facility at London Stansted.

SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES signed support-by-the-hour contracts with China's GDAT to support 140 Arrano 1A and Makila 2A1 engines.

AISG AVIATION INTEGRATED SERVICES GROUP added Colombia's AIRSITE to its line maintenance network.

Colleen Barrett, President Emeritus of Southwest Airlines, has passed away; she was 79.

WHEELS UP had $97.4m net loss on $197.1m revenues in 1Q24 vs $101m loss on record $351.8m in 1Q23; active users decreased 23% year-over-year to 10,218 in total and live flight legs decreased 24% year-over-year to 11,754.

CIRRUS delivered seven TRAC20 G7 trainers to Western Michigan University College of Aviation as part of sale for 32.

Louis Philippe Mallette to President of AJW Technique.

AIR INDIA EXPRESS took delivery of first two 737-8s on lease from AviLease, Saudi Arabia as part of SLB deal for six.

US DOT reports US airlines carried 70.4m pax in February 2024 (61m domestic/9.4m intl.), up 8.6% vs February 2023.

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA took delivery of new 737-8 (66647) on lease from DAE Capital.

ACI EUROPE reports year-over-year pax traffic in Europe increased 10.2% in 1Q24, reaching 98.7% of pre-pandemic 1Q19 levels. It also revised its full-year forecast and now projects traffic in 2024 to be 3.2% higher than 2019 vs 1.4%.

ISRAIR agreed to lease two A320-200s (TBA) from unidentified lessor from June/July 2024, increasing fleet to eight.

SPIRIT AIRLINES took delivery of new GTF-powered A320neo (11951) on lease from SMBC Aviation Capital.

AVOLON announced pricing of $1b of senior unsecured notes due 2029 in private offering to close on May 15.

CRESTONE AIR PARTNERS, CO purchased two A320-200s (4323/4372; leased to SMARTLYNX) in partnership with ATALAYA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT; HALO AIRFINANCE (joint venture of GA Telesis/Tokyo Century) financed the deal.

REGIONAL ONE, FL purchased three Dash 8-400s from Nordic Aviation Capital; no other details were disclosed.

AIR VANUATU filed for insolvency and cancelled all flights at least through May 12; it has a 737-800 and an ATR 72-600.

DUCOMMUN had $6.8m net income on record $191m revenues in 1Q24 vs $5.2m on $181m in 1Q23, citing $8.1m higher revenues in commercial aerospace end-use markets due to higher rates on helicopter, narrowbody and widebody platforms.

RENEGADE AIR, Kenya leased ex-Pivot CRJ200 (7107) from Avmax.

FALKO completed transactions for 50 aircraft in 1Q24 vs 28 in 1Q23. It ended quarter with portfolio of 262 aircraft.

Tarang Sharma to interim Chief Financial Officer of VSE, Alexandria, VA (effective May 27); Steve Griffin is leaving company.

VSE AVIATION, VA earned $22.3m on record $162.4m revenues in 1Q24 vs $15.7m on $113.2m in 1Q23.

SIERRA NEVADA reportedly agreed to purchase five 747-8s from Korean Air to develop a successor to USAF's E-4B aircraft (747-200).

His Majesty King Charles III agreed to become a Patron of The Royal Aeronautical Society, London.

David Chinn FRAeS to President of the Royal Aeronautical Society, London.