NewsFuselage mated for first PD-14-powered MC-21 Russian airframer Irkut has completed fuselage assembly of the first MC-21 to be fitted with the domestically-built Aviadvigatel PD-14 engine. Irkut states that the fuselage sections of this aircraft have been mated, and the work program will turn to wing and empennage completion.
LinkEx-Cathay Dragon A330 to be parted outHAECO ITM has disassembled an Airbus A330-300 that used to operate with Cathay Dragon, and will partner GA Telesis’ components unit in the redistribution and resale of parts. Once the parts have been recertified, it will go into HAECO ITM’s inventory pool, or be consigned to GA Telesis’ Components Solutions Group.
LinkVolocopter gets key EASA approvalUrban air mobility company Volocopter has received a Design Organisation Approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), as it makes progress towards certification and commercial deployment. EASA approval means that Volocopter is able to speed up its product development process, with fewer steps needed to get commercial certification. EASA will be exercising its surveillance on the company as a whole, with its involvement reduced to fewer steps.
LinkVistara and Lufthansa sign codeshare agreementVistara and Lufthansa have signed a codeshare agreement, which takes effect from 16 December. This allows Lufthansa to place its code on nearly 18 Vistara-operated flights to 10 Indian cities, including Ahmedabad, Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai.
LinkArmenian authority placed under closer EU safety monitoringArmenia's civil aviation regulator has been placed under increased monitoring by European safety authorities as part of a revision of the European Commission airline blacklist. In its update the Commission has not specified the reasons for its concerns with the Armenian organization.
LinkChilean carrier Sky orders 10 A321XLRsChilean low-carrier Sky has ordered 10 Airbus A321XLRS and arranged a training partnership with the airframer. "This new aircraft fleet will allow us to expand our offer of international and wide-ranging routes," states Sky chief executive Holger Paulmann.
LinkWizz Air sees opportunities with A321XLRsLCC Wizz Air sees opportunities for growth as it begins receiving Airbus A321XLR long-haul narrowbodies beginning in 2023. “Connecting nonstop the corners in our network system could reach up to 10 hours flying time. I think there are enough opportunities for the A321XLR,” Wizz Air deputy CEO Stephen Jones said.
LinkAir Malta to begin A321XLR long-haul service from 2024 Air Malta plans to introduce two Airbus A321XLRs to its fleet in 2024 enabling the airline to launch its first long-haul services. “An India connection is important if the local economy is to continue to grow,” Air Malta chairman Charles Mangion told said.
LinkIcelandic startup PLAY delays initial ticket salesIcelandic LCC startup PLAY has postponed initial sales of tickets, as local media reported the founders are offering a greater stake in the business to outside investors. “As we are a startup company, things can sometimes take a little longer than planned as there are many tasks to finalize,” the airline said on Facebook. “Our original plan was to start selling tickets in November, but unfortunately, we must delay that a little longer.”
LinkItaly appoints new administrator to oversee Alitalia rescueItaly has named a new special administrator to oversee Alitalia, after plans for a consortium of investors to put forward a rescue plan for the bankrupt carrier failed to materialize.
LinkKorean Air in support deal for A-10 tank killerKorean Airlines Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD) has received a $213 million contract to support US Air Force Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II attack planes deployed to South Korea. The contract covers ten years to 31 December 2029, according the US Department of Defense.
LinkBoeing looks at laser-range finder for KC-46A refuelling boomBoeing is researching adding a laser-range finder to the KC-46A Pegasus’ problem-plagued refuelling boom camera system. The laser-range-finder retrofit onto the boom cameras, known as the remote vision system (RVS), would give operators additional information about the true distance between the end of the KC-46A’s boom and a receiving aircraft’s receptacle during in-flight refuelling, says Will Roper, assistant secretary of the US Air Force (USAF) for acquisition, technology and logistics at the Reagan National Defense Forum on 7 December.
LinkChina ramps up aircraft productionChina is mass-producing a genre of special mission warplanes that experts say will help create a full information system that allows the Chinese military to recognize every hostile movement and even sabotage enemy communications. Shaanxi Aircraft Industry Corp. Ltd. (SAIC) under the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has been manufacturing special mission aircraft — including anti-submarine aircraft, early warning aircraft, surveillance aircraft and electronic warfare aircraft — with its pulse assembly line, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.
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