NewsAir France-KLM and Chinese partners create single JV Air France-KLM, China Southern Airlines and XiamenAir said they were streamlining their two existing agreements into a single joint venture (JV) carrying some 1.25 million passengers per year between Europe and China. The aim is to strengthen links between the partners and offer passengers smoother, seamless travel between Amsterdam and Paris and destinations in China including Beijing—served from Amsterdam—Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Xiamen as well as consolidating Air France-KLM’s position in the Chinese market, the airlines said in a statement July 16.
LinkJetBlue converts A320neos to A321neos to boost fleet flexibilityJetBlue Airways’ conversion of Airbus A320neos to A321neos gives the New York-based carrier increased flexibility as it continues to weigh the possibility of adding European destinations to its network. The primary factor in the equation is the added costs compared to expanding stateside using its largest-capacity aircraft. “Some of the European destinations are the biggest cities that we don’t serve from Boston and New York,” JetBlue EVP-commercial and planning Marty St. George said. “So a decision to go to Europe is really tied to our current focus-city strategy.”
LinkKuwait’s Wataniya firms A320neo commitment; studies A220, E2 aircraft Kuwait-based Wataniya Airways has firmed up an order for the 25 Airbus A320neo family aircraft at the Farnborough Air Show and indicated it is looking at further aircraft acquisitions. The order was originally announced as an MOU at last year’s Dubai Airshow and is executed through its capacity provider Golden Falcon Aviation.
LinkGoshawk places first direct orders; mulls IPO Aircraft lessor Goshawk Aviation has ordered 20 Airbus A320neos and 20 Boeing 737 MAX 8s—marking its first direct orders from both manufacturers—and is planning an initial public offering (IPO). Dublin-based Goshawk was founded in 2013 as a 50:50 joint venture between Hong Kong-based conglomerate NWS Holdings and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises.
LinkUnnamed lessor signs for 80 A320neos Airbus announced it signed an MOU with an unidentified leasing company 80 A320neo family aircraft.
LinkMacquarie adds A320neos to portfolioMacquarie AirFinance Group placed a firm order for 20 Airbus A320neos, its first order for the latest A320 generation. The lessor said it will select an engine for the aircraft at a later date. The CFM International LEAP and Pratt & Whitney GTF geared turbofan compete for neo sales.
LinkSichuan Airlines firms order for 10 A350-900sChina’s Sichuan Airlines firmed its previously announced order for 10 Airbus A350-900s at the Farnborough Air Show July 16, adding increased long-haul capacity to the airline’s all-Airbus fleet. The new widebodies will be deployed on Sichuan’s nonstop long-haul international routes, including routes from Chengdu, China, to both North America and Europe.
LinkQatar Airways finalizes order for five Boeing 777FsQatar Airways firmed up a follow-up order for five Boeing 777Fs, further underlining its ambitions to grow its cargo business. The order was originally announced as a preliminary commitment in April. Qatar currently operates eight Airbus A330-200Fs, 13 Boeing 777Fs and two 747-8Fs.
LinkTarom orders five 737 Max 8sRomanian flag carrier Tarom has signed an order for five Boeing 737 Max 8s at the Farnborough air show. The deal – previously listed without attribution on Boeing's order and deliveries website – has a list-price value of $586 million, says the airframer.
LinkA220 gains ETOPS certification Pratt & Whitney’s PW1500G geared turbofan has been cleared for extended twin-engined operations of up to 3h. The US engine manufacturer disclosed the Federal Aviation Administration's granting of 180min ETOPS approval for the engine, which exclusively powers the Airbus A220.
LinkFate of Gulf Air A220 order depends on 'agreements' Gulf Air chief executive Kresimir Kucko has told FlightGlobal that the Bahraini carrier's Airbus A220 order is subject to "certain agreements" being reached with the manufacturer. Speaking ahead of the Airline Chiefs Strategy Round Table at the Farnborough air show, Kucko said that the order for 10 Bombardier CSeries jets – as they were known before their rebranding as the A220 – was still "in place" and "certainly not cancelled".
LinkGol grows 737 Max orderbookBrazilian carrier Gol has ordered 15 additional Boeing 737 Max 8s and converted existing orders for 30 to the Max 10. The deal grows Gol's total Max orders to 135 aircraft, says Boeing.
LinkUnited orders 25 E175sUnited Airlines has placed a firm order for 25 Embraer 175 jets. Disclosed by the Brazilian manufacturer at the Farnborough air show, the deal has a list-price value of $1.1 billion. Deliveries are set to begin in the second quarter of 2019.
LinkUnited to take four more 787-9sUnited Airlines has ordered four more Boeing 787-9s. The deal, disclosed by Boeing at the Farnborough air show, has a list-price value of $1.1 billion, and was previously listed by the airframer as being for an unidentified customer.
LinkJuneyao Airlines to take first 787 in SeptemberChinese carrier Juneyao Airlines is on track to receive its first Boeing 787-9 in either late September or early October. The carrier says that it will take delivery of three 787s by the end of the year, out of a total five on order. Flight Fleets Analyzer identifies the three 787s due for delivery this year as MSNs 64312, 64313, and 64314.
LinkFirst production A330neo engine shippedRolls-Royce has shipped the first production Airbus A330neo powerplant to the airframer’s assembly line in Toulouse. The Trent 7000 engine was dispatched on 15 July, the engine manufacturer has disclosed.
LinkCFM to compete for NMA even if required thrust risesBoeing’s power requirement for the New Mid-market Airplane's engines could slightly exceed 50,000lb-thrust each, but CFM International still plans to participate in the competition, GE Aviation chief executive David Joyce has declared.
LinkMitsubishi looks beyond US mainstay for MRJ orders Mitsubishi Aircraft is working to further penetrate the European and Asia-Pacific markets, confident that these can each account for 15% of MRJ orders. Speaking to FlightGlobal at the Farnborough air show, Mitsubishi's vice-president and general manager of sales and marketing Yugo Fukuhara said that it still expected the majority of orders to come from North America, at 40%, with Europe and Asia-Pacific (excluding China) accounting for 15% each and the rest coming from China, the Middle East and Latin America.
LinkNMA development window narrows to six yearsBoeing now plans to make a launch decision on the New Mid-market Airplane (NMA) in 2019 but remains committed to an entry-into-service date in 2025, chief executive Dennis Muilenburg said on the eve of the Farnborough air show. The proposed concept for a 200-270-seat family of aircraft with 4,000-5,000nm range has been on Boeing's drawing boards since 2012, but the launch decision is still at least six-18 months away.
Link Qatar Executive unveils its G500The 5,200nm (9,620km)-range aircraft – serial number 72011 – will return to Gulfstream's Savannah headquarters on Thursday to await US type certification, scheduled before the end of the third quarter. It will make the 6,430nm (12,000km) journey to its Doha-based international launch customer soon after.
LinkTempest concept underscores UK fighter ambitionsA highly ambitious vision of the UK's next-generation fighter was revealed on the opening day of the Farnborough air show, with the Tempest concept adding significant firepower to the Ministry of Defense's new Future Combat Air strategy. Unveiling a full-scale model of the future platform within BAE Systems' exhibit, defense secretary Gavin Williamson said: "We are entering a dangerous new era of warfare, so our main focus has to be the future. Today, we offer you a glimpse of tomorrow."
LinkBell and Subaru unveil 412EPX helicopterBell and partner Subaru have unveiled the 412EPX commercial helicopter, an upgraded version of the US manufacturer's medium-twin, which will form the basis of a new military model for Japan. In 2015, the pair were selected by Tokyo under the UH-X contest to replace the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's current fleet of UH-1J troop transports, with local assembly of the 150 aircraft a condition of the contract.
LinkProposed Boeing/Embraer JV could work on 'next-generation' KC-390The scope of a proposed joint venture between Embraer and Boeing includes collaborating on potential upgrades and modifications of the Brazilian manufacturer’s KC-390 airlifter. Embraer and Boeing announced plans on 5 July to form a joint venture to develop new markets and applications for defense products and services, with a particular emphasis on the twin-engined airlifter.
LinkUS offers Patriot to Turkey in place of anti-stealth S-400In an attempt to talk Turkey out of purchasing the Russian S-400, a surface-to-air missile system with anti-stealth aircraft capabilities, US acting assistant secretary for political-military affairs Tina Kaidanow said that the US Department of State is in talks with Ankara to sell the nation the Raytheon MIM-104 Patriot.
LinkAero Vodochody unveils F/A-259 for OA-X bidAero Vodochody appears to have rebranded a new version of the L-159 advanced jet trainer as the F/A-259 Striker as it makes a late bid for the US Air Force's OA-X close air support program. A model on the Czech company's stand includes an aircraft carrying the new designation, alongside a scale-replica of its other trainer aircraft, the lighter L-39NG.
LinkSaab pushes ahead with Gripen E developmentSaab is confident that the second and third test examples of its Gripen E will fly soon, as it continues development work with the first aircraft. The second and third test jets, designated 39-9 and 39-10, will “fly soon,” says Jonas Hjelm, senior vice president and head of aeronautics at the Swedish manufacturer. While they won’t join the test program at exactly the same time, at this time in 2019 they will both be part of it, he says.
Link Airbus details maritime patrol plans for A320Airbus Defence & Space is advancing plans to adapt the top-selling A320 for a broad range of military applications, with the need to replace ageing maritime patrol aircraft fleets in Europe driving early activities. The company is using the Farnborough air show to outline the potential of its planned modular multi-mission product – dubbed the A320M3 – in roles that could also cover airborne early warning, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and signals intelligence-gathering.
LinkBoeing seeks first European sale of F/A-18 Super HornetBoeing comes to Farnborough eyeing its first F/A-18 Super Hornet sale to a European military after the type's production line gains a new lease of life from orders last year from the US Navy – and a $1.5 billion commitment from Kuwaiti air force last month.
LinkUTC Aerospace wins C-130 prop upgrade workUTC Aerospace Systems has won a contract to upgrade the propellers on 24 Lockheed Martin C/KC-130T tactical transports serving with the US Navy Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). The deal will see the aircraft receive the NP2000 propeller for their Rolls-Royce T-56 powerplants, says UTC Aerospace Systems.
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