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Commercial

First MRJ test aircraft arrives in the US
Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp.’s first MRJ90 test aircraft has arrived at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Washington, where it will build hours toward type certification. The aircraft, FTA-1, took off from Nagoya in Japan at 1328 (JST) on Sept. 26 and arrived at Grant County at 0944 (JST) Sept. 29, or 1744 local time Sept. 28. The ferry flight was expected to take at least four days.
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Airlines

Air Canada to launch daily service to Taiwan, thrice-weekly flights to India
Next year, Air Canada will roll out daily service connecting Vancouver, British Columbia, and Taipei, Taiwan, in addition to thrice-weekly flights between Toronto and Mumbai, India. The Mumbai route has received regulatory approval, and approval is pending for Taipei service.
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Air France-KLM selects Gogo for long-haul Wi-Fi
Air France-KLM has signed an agreement with connectivity provider Gogo, covering Wi-Fi installation across 124 long-haul aircraft. Announcing the deal Sept. 29, Air France-KLM said Gogo will equip 83 Air France aircraft (15 Airbus A330s and 68 Boeing 777s) and 41 from KLM’s long-haul fleet (12 A330s and 29 777s).
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American Airlines looks to reach new heights behind CIO Maya Leibman
American Airlines has elevated the role of Chief Information Officer Maya Leibman, who since 2012 has been tasked with driving the company's technical and innovative initiatives in order to offer its passengers top-notch customer service and travel experiences. "Every initiative we want to take on requires a huge amount of IT, and it's becoming even more that way because our customers want even more information at their fingertips," said CEO Doug Parker.
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Austrian Airlines to expand fleet, launch premium economy class
Lufthansa Group subsidiary Austrian Airlines will add two more Airbus A320s to its fleet this year and one additional Boeing 777-200ER from summer 2018, representing an investment value of more than €100 million ($112 million), according to a statement. As a result, more than 230 jobs will be created at the Star Alliance member’s Vienna hub.
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Austrian Airlines to close Vienna-Rome route
Lufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines will end Vienna-Rome Fiumicino service Nov. 9, citing strong low-cost carrier (LCC) competition, a spokesperson confirmed. The service had been launched in 1958. Lufthansa Group LCC subsidiary Eurowings Europe—operating the same route—will add an Austrian code to its flight number.
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British Airways Scraps Free Snacks On Short Flights
British Airways said it will drop free food and snacks in short-haul economy from January 2017. The airline said it will provide food from UK retailer Marks & Spencer in a new “premium food range”.
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Delta to launch seasonal service to Dublin, Lisbon & Berlin in 2017
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines plans to boost its summer 2017 seasonal transatlantic service with new nonstop routes between city pairs Boston-Dublin, New York JFK-Lisbon, and the return of a New York JFK-Berlin pairing. All flights will operate in conjunction with Delta joint venture partners Air France-KLM and Alitalia, Delta said.
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Gogo will spend next year upgrading network
System upgrades to Gogo Inc.'s network will speed up in-flight internet service for fliers beginning in 2018 after new equipment is installed on cell towers and aircraft.
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InterJet takes first A321
Mexican low-cost carrier Interjet has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321, an aircraft the carrier says will allow it to optimise Mexico City slots. The aircraft (registration XA-JPB and MSN 7311) is leased from BOC Aviation and is the first of three A321s that Interjet will take delivery of this year, according to a statement from the lessor and to Flight Fleets Analyzer. The remaining two are due in the fourth quarter.
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Airports

Moscow Domodedovo gives update on development projects
Moscow Domodedovo International Airport will be able to handle a combined passenger capacity of 55-58 million in its existing T1 and T2 terminals when T2 construction is complete in 2018, according to airport owner and chairman of the board Dmitry Kamenshchik. The next phase, T3, which currently in the design stage, is scheduled to open in 2023.
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Military

Navy adds 10 more Fire Scout UAVs
Northrop Grumman will build ten additional MQ-8C Fire Scouts for the US Navy, bringing the service’s total order for the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance UAVs to 29. The next-generation Fire Scout, which will provide surveillance for the littoral combat ship, has completed 750 hours of developmental flight tests, and an operational assessment last November. Northrop is gearing up for a Milestone C decision that will launch the programme into low-rate initial production.
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Fighter jet sales to Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain move forward
The US Congress will examine the long-awaited sale of fighter jets to Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, the last step before a formal notification. Sources familiar with the deal say the informal notification has begun. Qatar has requested 36 Boeing F-15E Strike Eagles, with an option for a total of 72, sources say. Kuwait has requested 28 Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets, with an option for a total of 40 aircraft, although Kuwait has also considered a split buy that would include Eurofighter Typhoons.
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Aviation Quote

But to fly is just like swimming. You do not forget easily. I have been on the ground for more than ten years. If I close my eyes, however, I can again feel the stick in my right hand, the throttle in my left, the rudder bar beneath my feet. I can sense the freedom and the cleanliness and all the things which a pilot knows.

- Saburo Sakai, Tokyo, 1956. Japan's greatest living ace with 64 kills, who was banned from flying at the end of W.W. II. From the foreword to Samurai!

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