NewsBoeing 737 MAX 10 Reaches Firm Configuration37 MAX 10 has reached a major milestone as the MAX program completed firm configuration on the airplane. This means engineers now have all the design requirements in place for what will be the largest member of Boeing's single-aisle family. Boeing announced the achievement today at the Singapore Airshow.
LinkFalcon Heavy Nails Debut Test FlightCAPE CANAVERAL—A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket blasted off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39 on Feb. 6 for its long-awaited first test flight to validate the design of the triple-core first stage, side booster separations and an extended, six-hour coast of the second stage through the Van Allen radiation belts to deposit a simulated payload...
LinkAirbus explores A320neo military derivativesAirbus has revealed that it is exploring the introduction of military derivatives of the A320neo family.
Speaking at the Singapore air show, Fernando Alonso, head of military aircraft at Airbus Defence & Space, said that the new platform could undertake missions such as VIP transport, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and maritime patrol.
LinkCanadian ULCC Swoop could eventually have 40 aircraftSwoop, the standalone ultra-LCC subsidiary of Canada’s WestJet scheduled to launch in June, could eventually have a fleet of as many as 40 aircraft, WestJet CEO Gregg Saretsky said. Swoop—for which flight tickets started being sold last week—will launch with three Boeing 737-800s densely configured with 189 seats.
LinkSaab responds to India Navy RFP with Sea GripenSaab has responded to an Indian navy request for proposals for carrier-borne fighter aircraft with an offer based on a marinised variant of its Gripen NG. The navy is reported to require up to 57 multi-role combat aircraft that would replace its current fleet of Sukhoi Su-30s.
No details on the timeline for any acquisition have been released, with Saab officials indicating that they are unsure of when any decision would be made by New Delhi.
LinkSingapore: Airbus Integration ‘top priority’ for BombardierBombardier and Airbus could have a final assembly line in the US up and running within a year of a go-ahead, but it remains undecided whether the CSeries jets ordered by Delta Air Lines will be produced there, or in Canada, a senior Bombardier executive said.
LinkMH370 Search Continues After ‘Blackout’The latest effort to find the crash site of Malaysian Airlines MH370 continues, after a three-day “blackout” from the survey ship conducting the search set the Internet on fire with theories about what might be going on.
LinkAir Baltic Says Engine Availability ImprovedAir Baltic CEO Martin Gauss says there is a now a sufficient supply of Pratt & Whitney PW1500G spare engines as the airline continues to have to replace powerplants on wing earlier than planned.
LinkUSAF considers options for lifting T-6A grounding
The US Air Force may set a temporary altitude restriction to lift a grounding order on the Beechcraft T-6A Texan II after the fleet of primary trainers became the latest military aircraft type to cause pilots to experience a rash of hypoxia-like symptoms, a top US Air Force official informed Congress on 6 February.
LinkChina Completes Demonstrator For Narrowbody Engine
Probably no one close to China’s commercial turbofan program ever believed the engine could enter service in 2020. And probably no one who understands the enormous challenges facing Aero Engine Corp. of China (AECC) is surprised that development of the engine, the CJ-1000, is already running about three years behind a schedule set in 2011...
LinkSIA, UTC extend A380 component support dealUTC Aerospace Systems and Singapore Airlines have extended an asset management and repair services agreement covering the carrier’s Airbus A380s by a further 15 years. The $200 million Comprehensive Accessory Repair and Exchange agreement builds on a previous 10-year deal, and will see UTAS support SIA’s 19 A380s to the end of their expected lives.
LinkEFW's A321 freighter conversion programme kicks off with Vallair orderConversion firm EFW has won the launch contract to convert 10 Airbus A321-200 passenger aircraft to a 14-pallet cargo configuration for Luxembourg-based Vallair Solutions. The first conversion under this contract will begin towards the end of 2018 for redelivery by the end of 2019.
LinkTextron Aviation reports fall in annual revenuesFaltering demand across the business aircraft sector in the first half of 2017 contributed to a $235 million fall in annual revenues for Textron Aviation, to $4.92 billion.
Operating profit slid by $86 million for the 12 months ended 31 December, to $303 million, but parent company Textron is optimistic that the Wichita-based airframer is finally turning a corner. The order backlog of Beechcraft and Cessna products climbed in the fourth quarter by $15 million, to $1.2 billion, while the book-to-bill ratio – or the number of orders against deliveries – stood at 1:1.
Link 
