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All North America news

Crew chief performs an inspection on an F-35A Lightning II at Luke Air Force Base

News

US lawmakers slam F-35 programme for sustainment problems

US lawmakers unloaded anger against Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney and the Department of Defense (DoD) during a 22 April hearing, criticising the group for not meeting F-35 stealth fighter programme sustainment goals.

Delta A321neo

News

Delta orders 25 A321neos, accelerates Airbus widebody deliveries

Delta Air Lines has firmed orders for 25 Airbus A321neos and pulled forward A350 and A330 deliveries, reflecting the airline’s anticipation that passenger demand will accelerate in coming years.

UniversalHydrogen1

News

Universal Hydrogen lands $20.5m investment, Airbus and JetBlue contribute

Airbus and JetBlue Airways are among companies that have invested a combined $20.5 million in Universal Hydrogen, the Paul Eremenko-backed firm developing a hydrogen-fuel distribution and storage system.

30438-170725-MAX-926_FINAL-web-source

News

Southwest swings to Q1 profit, ‘the worst is behind us’

Southwest Airlines made a profit in the first quarter thanks to federal payroll support payments, but says passenger demand remains “inconsistent by region” as the airline shuffles its fleet to meet fluctuating demand.

Southwest Airlines

News

Bill to reduce disease transmission on jets targets airworthiness standards

US lawmakers have proposed a union-backed bill that seeks to prevent the spread of disease within the commercial aviation sector, including by changing aircraft certification requirements.

51124952277_0ec42f1a13_3k

News

American sees aviation rebound 'accelerating'

American Airlines sees the pace of the aviation industry rebound “accelerating” as shifts in customer travel behaviour have forced the carrier to be exceedingly flexible when planning its fleet.

Alaska_first737Max_25Jan2021

News

Alaska stems losses in Q1, buoyed by US government funds

Alaska Air Group lost $131 million in the first quarter of 2021, a significant improvement from the previous quarter thanks largely to pandemic-related US government aid.

K66785-2

News

Why Boeing's test pilot Heather Ross has the job of dreams

Heather Ross has a job that many aviators around the world would dream of. She is a test pilot at Boeing, currently working on the Chicago-based airframer’s newest project, the 777X.

FedEx C208 incident-c-AAIB

News

C208 suffered excursion after unstable approach and long landing

Investigators have found that a Cessna C208B operating a cargo flight conducted an unstable approach before landing long and hard, and suffering a runway excursion in the British Virgin Islands.

Dassault Falcon 6X debut

In depth

Business aviation programmes all set for post-pandemic recovery

The pandemic has buffeted private aviation more lightly than its commercial cousin – some areas have done surprisingly well. But Covid-19 continues to have an impact, with activity and sales down.

MQ-9 Reaper flies a training mission over the Nevada Test and Training Range Credit USAF - 5

News

US Air Force starts MQ-9 Reaper upgrades to keep UAV relevant against sophisticated foes

The US Air Force (USAF) has started upgrades to part of its General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Reaper fleet to keep the unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) effective against near-peer adversaries, such as China and Russia.

Spirit A319 Max KJ FG

News

Spirit anticipates positive earnings in 2021

Spirit Airlines is optimistic that it will be one of the first carriers to pull out of the coronavirus-driven industry crisis as leisure travellers begin to return and book vacations in greater numbers.

Delta Air Lines passenger cabin mask Covid coronavirus

News

Aviation leaders ask for mask mandate extension, reopening to tourists

Aviation leaders have asked the US government to extend a national mask mandate aboard aircraft and in airports, and to develop a robust plan to reopen the country to foreign visitors.

Bombardier Global 7500

News

Canada proposes C$2 billion in aerospace aid

Canada’s federal government has proposed proving the aerospace industry with C$2 billion ($1.6 billion) in aid over multiple years to help the sector recover from the pandemic downturn.

Generic airline traffic at Munich airport

Analysis

Airline recovery hopes blighted by slow recovery despite bright pockets

It says something about the depth of the airline industry’s troubles that even an extra $9 billion in losses this year would leave the industry significant healthier than in 2020.

JetBlue Airbus A220-300

News

JetBlue and American unveil next stage of ‘Northeast Alliance’

American Airlines and JetBlue Airways are again expanding their networks from Boston and New York’s John F Kennedy International airport as part of their so-called Northeast Alliance.

American at DFW_1Oct2020

News

American recalls pilots, will hire up to 900 more by end-2022

American Airlines is recalling all of its pilots ahead of what the carrier anticipates will be a busy summer travel season.

737 Max

News

US DOT’s inspector general begins third review of FAA’s Max oversight

The US Department of Transportation’s top inspector has commenced a third investigation into the Federal Aviation Administration’s oversight of the Boeing 737 Max, this time examining the FAA’s grounding and re-certification of the jetliner.

Rendering of a Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellite c Lockheed Martin

News

Honeywell pushes development of alternatives to GPS

To deal with disruptions to GPS, sometimes caused by malicious jamming or spoofing, Honeywell is developing several alternative navigation technologies for military aircraft.

Boeing 787-10. Boeing

News

Boeing shareholders grant board chair Kellner another term

Boeing’s shareholders re-elected ten company board members, including chair Lawrence Kellner, to another term on 20 April, while rejecting a proposal to require the company disclose more lobbying details.

Dreamlifter-c-Boeing

News

Boeing plans to transfer Paine Field Dreamlifter center to FedEx: report

Boeing declines to comment about a recent report that the company has nearly finalised a deal to transfer the lease its Dreamlifter cargo facility at Paine Field in Everett to air cargo giant FedEx.

United Max. United

News

United to return 737 Max and 777s to schedule

United Airlines anticipates returning two Boeing aircraft types to its schedule after dealing with separate safety issues that grounded both this year.

boeing building

News

Boeing CFO Smith to retire, Boeing board ups retirement age for CEO Calhoun

Longtime Boeing chief financial officer Greg Smith, an executive who some observers had suspected might be the company’s next chief executive, will retire from the airframer, effective 9 July.

T-7A aft fuselage

News

Saab ships first aft fuselage for Boeing’s T-7A jet trainer

Saab has shipped its first aft fuselage section for an engineering and manufacturing development-phase example of the US Air Force’s Boeing T-7A Red Hawk advanced jet trainer.

Bristell Energic, epowered by H55

News

Swiss company H55 to provide batteries for Harbour Air’s electric Beaver

Swiss battery company H55 has joined Harbour Air and Magnix in an effort to develop and certificate an all-electric De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver seaplane.

Hybrid Tiger being launched with a winch system c US Navy

News

Tactical drone, powered by solar panels and hydrogen fuel cell, flies 24h

The US Naval Research Laboratory flew a Hybrid Tiger unmanned air vehicle (UAV) for more than 24h in November 2020, its longest flight demonstrated.

United 777-200 United. Max KJ

News

United loses $1.4bn in Q1, sees path to profitability

United Airlines lost $1.4 billion in the first quarter but sees a path to profitability as customers return to air travel in greater numbers.

Ingenuity_19April2021

News

Small rotorcraft ‘Ingenuity’ flies on Mars

NASA has flown a small rotorcraft on Mars, the first powered controlled flight of an aircraft on another planet.

United 787-9

News

FAA subjects all US 787s to decompression panel inspections

The US Federal Aviation Administration is expanding to all US-registered Boeing 787s an airworthiness directive (AD) related to potential failure of decompression panels.

United 767-300

News

United adds flights to Croatia, Greece and Iceland

United Airlines has added three new international routes for the summer travel season, as it banks on vacationers travelling abroad as soon as they are vaccinated and travel restrictions are lifted.

JetBlue

News

UK regulator clears path for JetBlue transatlantic debut

UK regulators have cleared JetBlue Airways to launch flights to London from New York and Boston, a further step in the carrier’s plans to begin transatlantic services this year.

Breeze Airways

Interview

David Neeleman ready for his fifth act with Breeze Airways

After launching four successful airlines in 30 years, serial entrepreneur David Neeleman’s latest project sees him targeting underserved US cities with Breeze Airways

Belavia 737 Max-c-Boeing

News

Boeing delivered 89 737 Max since December, airlines place them in storage

Boeing has delivered almost 90 737 Max since US regulators lifted the type’s grounding last November, though airlines have placed those jet in storage, according to Cirium fleets data.

Boeing 747F UPS

News

FAA proposal targets risk of GEnx ‘uncommanded’ thrust

The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed that airlines take steps to address the risk that GE Aviation GEnx turbofans might experience uncommanded increase in thrust.

ExpressJet_United

News

US regional carrier ExpressJet plans comeback

ExpressJet, a US regional carrier which ceased operations in September, has requested to resume scheduled service under its own brand.

777-300ERSF flypast title-c-IAI

News

First 777-300ER for freighter conversion joins Israeli commemorative flypast

Israel Aerospace Industries has flown a Boeing 777-300ER set for freighter conversion in a formation to mark the anniversary of Israeli independence.

LAX airport

Opinion

Discussion of restriction-free air travel is cause for optimism

It made sense for Willie Walsh to use his first briefing as IATA director general to insist that Covid-related health measures – such as pre-flight testing and vaccination certificates – should only be in place for as long as is necessary.

Aircraft 6

News

Xwing conducts first fully autonomous gate-to-gate cargo flight

Autonomous aircraft company Xwing says its Cessna Grand Caravan 208B has completed its first “fully autonomous gate-to-gate demonstration of a commercial cargo aircraft”.

An HH-60W Jolly Green II taxis at Moody Air Force Base Georgia c USAF

News

US Air Force HH-60W combat rescue helicopter finishes developmental tests

The US Air Force’s Sikorsky HH-60W Jolly Green II combat rescue helicopter finished its developmental test programme on 13 April.

KLM Boeing 777-300 at Schiphol

News

Commercial aircraft delivery funds tumbled 40% in 2020

Airlines, lessors and other financiers laid out $59 billion for the purchase of new commercial aircraft in 2020 – a full 40% less funding than was available in 2019.

Delta A350

News

Delta loses $1.2bn in Q1, aims for profitable Q3

Delta Air Lines aims to return to profitability in the third quarter as domestic travel ramps up following the year-long coronavirus downturn.

Southwest Airlines

News

Blocked middle seats cut coronavirus transmission risk: US government report

Blocking middle seats on commercial jets does help reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Airline Business Index Logo for web

Analysis

Airline Business Index puts industry at 0.58 of pre-Covid size

The first Airline Business Index put the airline industry at 0.58 of its pre-pandemic size at the end of 2020 – with 1 being the size at end-2019 – amid the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Airbus

In depth

What future does the A380 have in a post-pandemic travel world?

Already a luxury of debatable value to many operators before the crisis, the A380 appears even less well-suited to a market featuring depressed travel demand and a focus on cargo

Ethiopian 737-800 freighter title-c-AEI

News

GA Telesis orders more 737-800 converted freighters

Commercial aviation industry services specialist GA Telesis is ordering another four Boeing 737-800SF converted freighters, the modified airframe developed by Aeronautical Engineers.

American Airlines 737 Max

News

American plans to fly 90% of domestic capacity during the summer

American Airlines says that it plans to fly 90% of its normal domestic seat capacity and 80% of its international capacity during the summer season as customers begin to return to air travel in greater numbers after the beginning of the coronavirus health crisis.

US Air Force F-15C fighters c USAF

News

US Air Force claims longest air-to-air missile shot with AIM-120 AMRAAM

The US Air Force claims that it achieved the longest known air-to-air missile shot in March 2021.

Southwest Airline Boeing 737 Max

In depth

Boeing continues to ride the ups and downs of 737 Max return

Southwest’s follow-on commitment for 100 Max 7 aircraft and Ryanair’s imminent start of services with a higher density version of the Max 8 are further positives for Boeing’s flagship programme after the restart of commercial flights last December, but further order cancellations and the back-up power control issuing impacting some of the fleet show challenges remain

westjet 737

News

WestJet extends flight suspensions to sun destinations

WestJet has extended its temporary suspension of flights to southern destinations until 4 June as the Canadian air travel industry continues struggling with the coronavirus crisis.

OO-MAX TUIfly 737 Max-c-TUIfly

News

Boeing loses 800 firm orders in first year of pandemic

Boeing’s total aircraft orders tumbled by roughly 800 jets in the last 12 months, bringing an abrupt end to the company’s remarkable sales successes in the preceding decade.

Sean Doyle

News

British Airways chief says UK travel-restart framework ‘lacks ambition’

The UK government’s proposed framework to reopen international travel markets has its merits but fails to properly take into account the improving health situation, according to British Airways chief executive Sean Doyle.

KC-46A Pegasus connects with an F-15 Strike Eagle for an aerial refueling test over California in 2018 - 970

News

Boeing delivers only two KC-46A tankers in Q1 2021

Despite orders for dozens more KC-46A Pegasus in-flight refuelling tankers in recent months, Boeing only delivered two examples of the aircraft in the first quarter of 2021.

A220 Air Canada tail close-up

News

Air Canada begins to offer refunds for non-refundable fares

Air Canada says it will begin to offer refunds to customers whose flights were cancelled or who did not use their non-refundable tickets due to the coronavirus crisis that has been dragging on for more than a year.

Alaska_first737Max_25Jan2021

News

Boeing nets 40 new aircraft orders in March despite more Max cancellations

Boeing marked a second straight month of positive order activity in March, with orders for new jets offsetting an ongoing stream of 737 Max cancellations.

04 EcoSkies Aircraft

News

United launches ‘sustainable’ fuel investment scheme

United Airlines has launched “Eco-Skies Alliance”, a programme through which it will allow customers and corporate partners to invest in sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).

Air Canada_B787_2

News

Canada takes equity stake in Air Canada in C$5.9bn bailout deal

The government of Canada will take an equity stake in legacy carrier Air Canada after the company struck a deal for financial support as the coronavirus crisis continues to tear into the airline’s business.

Pod-mounted radio frequency countermeasure system on a P-8A Poseidon c USN

News

US Navy tests radar-guided missile decoy on P-8A Poseidon

The US Navy has successfully completed an airworthiness test of a radio frequency countermeasure pod prototype on a Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

Porter Q400 640px

Interview

Porter again delays restart, to 21 June

Canada’s Porter Airlines has once again delayed its restart for another month as travel restrictions in that country continue to disrupt the industry.

JS1_6354_2021040771328089

Interview

Andrew Levy’s low-cost Avelo Airlines hits the ground running

Avelo Airlines, industry veteran Andrew Levy’s new carrier, made a splash last week when it landed in the US low-cost-carrier pool, offering $19 fares and flights from the Los Angeles area to nearly a dozen cities in the western third of the country.

ICAO HQ-c-ICAO

News

A320 close call at San Francisco highlighted NOTAM overload: ICAO forum

Overflight of a heavily-occupied taxiway by an Airbus A320 at San Francisco served as an illustration of the serious risks of overloading pilots with NOTAMs, an ICAO forum has heard, as the organisation initiates efforts to reduce unnecessary NOTAM information.

United 777-200 United. Max KJ

News

Missing 777 rivet heads prompt FAA call for inspections

The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed that airlines be required to address a Boeing 777 rivet issue that raises concerns about potential pressure loss.

American Airlines 737 Max

News

US carriers remove some 737 Max from service due to ‘power control unit’ issue

American, Southwest and United have pulled some of their Boeing 737 Max jets from revenue service due to an issue related to the type’s “back-up power control unit”.

A330neo-c-Airbus

News

Slip in Airbus order total illustrates 12-month impact of crisis

Analysis of Airbus backlog data over the year since the onset of the air transport crisis shows the airframer’s overall orders fell during the period, an extraordinary contrast to its strong annual performances over the previous decade.

737 Max

News

Boeing urges 737 Max electric fix prior to further flight

Boeing is urging 16 operators of 737 Max jets to address an electrical system concern before further operating the aircraft.

Southwest Airlines

News

Southwest recalls all flight attendants

Southwest Airlines has recalled all of the flight attendants who had taken long-term voluntary leave as the airline prepares for a domestic recovery which is progressing faster than expected.

Generic Covid pilots c Shutterstock

News

ALPA calls on US government to help boost pilot diversity

Pilot union Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) has called on the US government to help diversify the pilot ranks by making it easier for under-represented groups such as women and minorities to have access flight training.

breeze_image_Embraer_5Feb2021

In depth

Cheap jet lease rates mean opportunity for bold US start-ups

The Covid-19 era has also created opportunity by deflating aircraft lease rates to levels at which new players can acquire jets at fire-sale prices, say aerospace analysts.

Connect Airlines_Q400

News

New carrier Connect Airlines to launch US-Canada flights in October

A new regional carrier called Connect Airlines plans to begin passenger flights in October between the USA and Toronto’s Billy Bishop City airport.

Sun Country

Interview

How Jude Bricker transformed Sun Country on journey to IPO

In four short years, former Allegiant president Jude Bricker has taken the Midwest niche carrier from near-death to a stock market IPO, aided by a well-timed venture into cargo markets with Amazon

97b5fb61-776f-424b-8989-01ee7f010d1f

News

US start-up Avelo Airlines launches ticket sales

A new US passenger carrier start-up called Avelo Airlines is now selling tickets and plans to start revenue flights on 28 April.

IATA

News

Wider economic recovery drives up jet-fuel costs for ailing airlines

Rising jet-fuel prices will make it harder for airlines to reach cash-positive positions in the coming months, according to industry body IATA.

F-15EX Eagle II

News

F-15EX ‘Eagle II’ ready for test and evaluation phase

The US Air Force has formally named its F-15EX fighter the “Eagle II”, as it prepares to launch test and evaluation work on the new platform at Eglin AFB in Florida.

B-52H ARRW missile

News

Hypersonic ARRW test failure a setback, USAF says

A launch sequence problem resulted in the failure of a planned first test firing of a Lockheed Martin-built hypersonic missile, the US Air Force (USAF) says.

Airline-data

In depth

Airline coronavirus recovery tracker: April 2021 update

Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including international and domestic travel restrictions, traffic and capacity in passenger and cargo markets, in-service and stored fleets, jet fuel costs, and share price trends for the world’s largest groups.

PAL Airlines Dash

News

Canada’s PAL Airlines to expand to 11 cities this summer

Canadian regional carrier PAL Airlines will expand its network this summer to include 11 new destinations in eastern Canada.

Boom Supersonic Overture

News

President Biden talks of supersonic travel within 10 years

President Joe Biden has raised the prospect that supersonic civil aircraft might be crossing the world’s skies within the next 10 years.

Atlas Air flight 3591

News

NTSB again calls for cockpit video recorders

The US National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) long-running quest to have video cameras installed in aircraft cockpits continues, with the agency again recommending that regulators require the recorders.

IATA director general

News

New IATA chief insists all Covid-related travel measures should be temporary

New IATA director general Willie Walsh has called for all restrictions and constraints on international air travel to be removed as quickly as possible, as the trade body’s latest traffic data showed the continued catastrophic impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the airline industry.

Beta ALIA-250 in UPS colours

News

UPS takes options to purchase 150 eVTOLs from Vermont manufacturer Beta

Express package delivery company UPS has acquired options to buy up to 150 electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft from Vermont-based developer Beta Technologies, with deliveries planned to start in 2024.

HAECO Cabin Solutions Vector Light Forward View

News

HAECO's Vector Light seats get FAA certification; Q4 delivery targeted

HAECO Americas’ interiors unit, HAECO Cabin Solutions, has clinched the US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) certification for its Vector Light narrowbody seat. 

Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-200 2019

News

FAA requires inspections of PW4000 low-pressure turbines

The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring airlines to inspect and replace “air sealing ring” assemblies within Pratt & Whitney PW4000 low-pressure turbine [LPT] cases.

Wisk Cora

News

Wisk Aero sues Archer, alleging stolen eVTOL trade secrets

Urban air mobility developer Wisk Aero has sued competitor Archer Aviation in US federal court, alleging that Archer stole trade secrets, infringed on patents and copied Wisk’s aircraft design.

Allegiant Air’s Airbus A320s (April 2019)

News

Allegiant to open crew base in Austin

Allegiant Air will invest $75 million in opening a base in Austin, Texas as it explores more ways to benefit from the rebound in leisure travel following the year-long coronavirus crisis.

Kratos Valkyrie releases Altius-600

News

Unmanned Valkyrie releases Altius-600 drone in sixth test flight

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’ XQ-58A Valkyrie performed its sixth flight late last month, culminating with the “loyal wingman” releasing an air-launched effect vehicle from its internal weapons bay for the first time.

United 787 Dreamliner

News

United will train 5,000 pilots by 2030, half to be women or minorities

United Airlines says that it will train 5,000 new pilots in the next ten years through its “Aviate” pilot recruiting programme, with at least half of those to be women and people of colour.

Boeing Airpower Teaming System fuselage on jig

News

How do you design and build throw-away aircraft?

The US Air Force wants UAVs that it can afford to lose – but that presents industry with numerous challenges to overcome.

Embraer_ERJ-145

News

FAA orders US carriers to inspect Embraer ERJ landing gears

The US Federal Aviation Administration has followed Brazil’s lead in requiring US carriers to address a landing gear issue affecting more than 300 US-registered Embraer 135 and ERJ145 regional jets.

Delta 737-900 Max KJ FG

News

Delta cancels more than 100 flights due to staff shortage

Delta Air Lines has cancelled more than 100 flights over the busy Easter holiday weekend due to staffing issues.

United 777-200 United. Max KJ

News

Major US airlines’ booking websites apparently crash

Several major US airlines appear to be experiencing technical problems that are preventing customers from booking flights on their websites.

american-airlines-tail

News

US domestic air travel to normalise by 2022: report

A new report by consulting firm Oliver Wyman says that US domestic air travel is expected to make a full recovery by early next year.

A380 cockpit

News

Pilots back global campaign to cut excessive NOTAM burden

Source: Unsplash Cockpit representatives are warning the sheer volume of NOTAM information is overwhelming pilots

ORD 082420. Wolfsteller-1

News

Industry welcomes new CDC guidance on vaccinated travellers

The US travel industry has welcomed a new public health determination that fully vaccinated people may travel domestically without required Covid-19 testing or mandatory quarantines.

Norwegian Boeing 787

News

Norse Atlantic fires back against US lawmakers, alleging ‘false’ claims

Start-up airline Norse Atlantic Airways has blasted US lawmakers for making “false” claims about its labour practices, insisting it will conform to US air transport treaties.

george-santry-nb21jb-a320-barcode (1)

News

Spirit accuses JetBlue and American of coordinating beyond their alliance

Spirit Airlines is accusing JetBlue Airways and American Airlines of coordinating flights and routes outside of the scope of their new Northeast alliance.

American Airlines 737 Max

News

FAA to require airlines replace fuel system units on 737 Max

The US Federal Aviation Administration has proposed requiring airlines to replace fuel system processors on Boeing 737 Max jets, citing problems with fuel shut-off systems.

Kjos Norwegian

News

US opposition builds to Norse Atlantic’s planned transatlantic flights

Top US lawmakers are gearing up to battle a potential application by start-up Norse Atlantic Airways to begin transatlantic flights to the USA.

AIr Transat Airbus A321neo

News

Air Canada and Transat call off merger

The European Commission (EC) has put the brakes on Air Canada’s planned acquisition of Transat AT, the parent of Air Transat, leading the companies to call off the deal completely.

Australian P-8 Posiedon with anti-ship missiles

News

US Navy and Royal Australian Air Force order 11 Boeing P-8A Poseidons

The US Navy and Royal Australian Air Force have ordered 11 more examples of the Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft for $1.6 billion.

United Airlines Boeing 737

News

United to resume hiring pilots, starting with 300 candidates

United Airlines plans to hire hundreds of pilots this year as the airline begins what it sees as a sustainable recovery after a coronavirus-plagued year.

WestJet

News

WestJet lays off another 415 pilots

Canada’s WestJet has laid off another 415 pilots as the coronavirus crisis continues to tear through that country’s aviation sector.

201909-frontier-woodson-4983

News

Frontier shares begin trading on Nasdaq

Frontier Airlines’ stock began trading at $19 per share on the Nasdaq exchange on 1 April, raising $266 million in net proceeds for the Denver-based airline.

Airbus A330 MRTT

News

Airbus A330 MRTT cleared to pursue Canadian tanker deal

Canada has notified Airbus Defence & Space that its A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) has been qualified to bid in a process to replace its air force fleet of A310s. A rival offer of the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus was rejected by Ottawa.

Area-I employee with Altius-600 c Area-I

News

Anduril acquires air-launched effects maker Area-I

Anduril Industries, a venture-capital backed start-up, has acquired another start-up, air-launched effects maker Area-I.

IATA director generals

News

Willie Walsh takes over as IATA chief

Describing his passion for the airline industry, Walsh notes that IATA’s work has never been more “critical… than during the Covid-19 crisis”.

Ryanair 737-8200-c-Boeing

News

FAA certificates Boeing 737 Max 8-200 variant

The Federal Aviation Administration has certificated the Boeing 737 Max 8-200 – a specially-configured high-density variant of the 737 Max 8 destined for low-cost carrier Ryanair.

Snowbird CT-114

News

Bird strike blamed for fatal crash of Royal Canadian Air Force ‘Snowbird 11’ aircraft

The Royal Canadian Air Force’s Directorate of Flight Safety has concluded that the ingestion of a small bird into a Canadair CT-114 Tutor jet’s engine caused the aircraft to crash in May 2020.

Alaska_Airlines_oneworld_Alliance_31March2021

News

Alaska Airlines joins Oneworld alliance

Alaska Airlines officially became the 14th member of the Oneworld aviation alliance on 31 March.

JFK tower-c-Shutterstock

News

US airports would receive $25bn under Biden infrastructure plan

US airports would receive $25 billion in funding under the infrastructure investment plan rolled out by President Joe Biden on 31 March.

Delta 737-900 Max KJ FG

News

Delta to stop blocking middle seats in May

Delta Air Lines, the last US carrier to continue blocking middle seats amid the pandemic, will rescind that policy in the coming weeks.

Southwest Airlines

News

Aviation industry calls for collaboration on ’vaccine passports’, concerns remain

The aviation sector is calling for close collaboration in development of so-called “vaccine passports”, hoping such documents could promote re-opening of international travel following the yearlong coronavirus crisis.

IMG_0206-2

News

Cape Air orders another 10 Tecnam P2012s

US commuter airline Cape Air has firmed orders for 10 additional Tecnam P2012 Travellers, part of its ongoing plan to replace Cessna 402Cs with the new Italian aircraft.

Delta Air Lines Airbus A220-100

News

FAA to require A220 wing-to-body fairing inspections

US regulators are following Canada’s lead by proposing that Airbus A220 operators be required to inspect the type for potential cracks in wing-to-body fairing components.

Vapour trail emissions environment

News

US airlines commit to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050

US airlines have committed to spearhead initiatives in order to help the industry get to net-zero carbon emissions by the middle of this century.

Alaska_first737Max_25Jan2021

News

Boeing finalises sale of 23 737 Max to Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines has firmed an order for 23 Boeing 737 Max 9s, securing the jets after having in December announced an intention to acquire them.

V-280 takeoff c Bell

News

US Army aims to speed up FLRAA’s major subsystem and weapons development

The US Army has granted Bell and a Sikorsky-Boeing team contracts to speed up the time it ought to take to complete preliminary design reviews for major subsystems and conceptual weapon systems on their Future Long Range Assault Aircraft proposals.

G280 c AirTeamImages 265173

News

Gulfstream vows commitment to G280, countering ‘rumours’ that production could end soon

Gulfstream is seeking to reassure the business-aircraft sector that its commitment to the G280 super-midsize business jet remains unflinching, despite “rumours” of the contrary.

American at DFW_1Oct2020

News

American to reactivate ‘most’ aircraft in Q2 amid rising demand

American Airlines will operate the majority of its fleet in the second quarter, in response to stronger-than-anticipated demand for domestic and short-haul air travel.

Optionally Piloted Vehicle Black Hawk c Sikorsky

News

Sikorsky tests UH-60 Black Hawk flying autonomously under pilot supervision

Sikorsky and DARPA recently conducted an autonomous flight of a UH-60 Black Hawk under on-board piloted supervision.

United Max. United

News

United expands flights to Latin America in May

United Airlines says that during the month of May it will exceed its pre-pandemic schedule to Latin America, 15 months after cutting service to the region as passenger demand plummeted amid the first wave of the coronavirus.

CORA WIsk 21-03-29-NZ-AITP-PressRelease-Image

News

Wisk to begin eVTOL programme in New Zealand this year

Urban air mobility developer Wisk will later this year kick off a trial programme in New Zealand that is eventually intended to involve passenger flights on the company’s autonomous electric aircraft, Cora.

A 3D printed model of the GE T901 engine hangs from its sling waiting to be installed in an UH-60M c US Army

News

Sikorsky to integrate, qualify new GE turboshafts on UH-60M Black Hawks in FY2022

The US Army plans to grant Sikorsky a sole-source contract to integrate and qualify the Improved Turbine Engine on its UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopter, with work starting in fiscal year 2022.

30438-170725-MAX-926_FINAL-web-source

News

Southwest orders 100 737 Max 7s, takes 155 options

Southwest Airlines has ordered 100 Boeing 737 Max 7s, a deal that cements the manufacturer as Southwest’s long-term aircraft partner and throws enormous support behind the Max programme.

De-Juniac-montage 2021

Analysis

From record profits to Covid-19 devastation, de Juniac saw it all as IATA chief

In 2016, Alexandre de Juniac brought his French government and airline industry experience to a role that required diplomacy and a steady hand on the tiller. From 2020 onwards, unprecedented crisis-management skills were the order of the day.

MQ-4C Triton

News

Navy contract helps MQ-4C escape production pause

The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton unmanned air system has avoided a production freeze owing to a US Navy (USN) contract for one example.

jb-a321-international-aero-engines-5

News

JetBlue appears to secure Heathrow slots from 2 August

JetBlue Airways appears to have secured 270 slots at London’s Heathrow airport for the summer travel season, as it launches low-cost transatlantic narrowbody service from the US East Coast.

35 - F-35B conducting sea trials on the Italian Navy's ITS Cavour aircraft carrier

News

F-35B completes sea trials on Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour

The F-35 Joint Program Office has delivered a flight clearance recommendation to the Italian navy for the safe operation of the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II on the aircraft carrier ITS Cavour.

Delta Air Lines Airbus A220-100

News

FAA to stop requiring repeated PW1500G compressor inspections

Airlines may no longer need to repeatedly inspect low-pressure compressor (LPC) rotors in Pratt & Whitney PW1500G turbofans, which power Airbus A220s.

United Dreamliner1

News

Boeing 787 deliveries restart after five-month pause

After a five-month hiatus, Boeing has resumed 787 deliveries, handing a 787-9 to United Airlines on 26 March.

Bell Advanced Manufacturing Center layout c Bell

News

Bell opens advanced manufacturing centre aimed at winning US Army’s Future Vertical Lift

Bell believes new digital engineering and manufacturing technologies will allow it to cut the cost and lead times on rotorcraft parts by double-digit percentages. It also thinks those bold claims are likely to attract doubts.

Comac C919 during its first flight in 2017 c Creative Commons

Opinion

Supply chain competition to heat up as China develops domestic aerospace industry

China is undergoing an aerospace evolution, developing a homegrown industry anchored by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) and supported by a strengthening domestic supply chain.

550v2

News

United to add 26 domestic routes, increase international flying

United Airlines is adding more domestic point-to-point routes and upping its international flying as US travellers continue to book flights in greater numbers following the year-long global health crisis.

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport

News

Airports body predicts travel surge but warns of $94bn revenue loss in 2021

Airports industry body ACI World expects a “surge” in travel demand during the second half of 2021, but that global passenger numbers will still be down some 47.5% for the full year compared with pre-Covid levels.

American-Heathrow

News

​American prepays CARES Act loan with $10bn financing proceeds

American Airlines has closed a previously announced $10 billion financing backed by its customer loyalty programme and used a portion of the proceeds to prepay its CARES Act loan to the US Treasury.

Cockpit-c-Skycolors_Shutterstock

News

ALPA sets out policy priorities in white paper

US pilot union Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) is calling on the industry to revisit numerous labour, safety, subsidy and collective bargaining issues that for the past year have taken a back seat to the coronavirus pandemic.

bell v-280 and v-247 on amphibious assault ship c Bell

News

Bell sees V-280 and V-247 having ‘synergy’ with US Navy FVL Maritime Strike

Bell believes its work on the V-280 Valor tiltrotor for the US Army and the unmanned V-247 Vigilant tiltrotor concept for the US Marine Corps ought to have “synergy” with the US Navy’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Maritime Strike programme.

APT 70 demonstration flight c Bell

News

Bell sees its APT cargo UAV as being attritable in combat

Bell believes it will be able to design and build its Autonomous Pod Transport cheap enough for the unmanned air vehicle to be considered attritable.

A320neo Leap engines

News

FAA to require inspections of Leap-1A high-pressure turbine cases

The Federal Aviation Administration is set to require inspections of high-pressure turbines (HPTs) in some CFM International Leap-1A turbofans, which power Airbus A320neo-family jets.

737-800 WestJet

News

WestJet hopes to restore full Canadian network by late June

WestJet intends to restore flights to several cities in eastern Canada in late June, a move meaning the company would again be flying to all the cities in Canada that it served before the pandemic.

JetBlue Embraer E190

News

JetBlue explores possible E190 sale-and-leasebacks

JetBlue Airways has been looking at potentially selling and leasing back 30 owned Embraer 190s as it seeks to transition the aircraft out of its fleet in favour of the Airbus A220, Cirium understands.

ARRW_Launch_c Lockheed Martin

News

USA has 70 efforts to develop hypersonic technologies, totalling nearly $15bn: GAO

The USA has funded 70 efforts to develop hypersonic missiles, and related technologies, between fiscal years 2015 and 2024.

Virgin_Galactic_Mach_3_design c Virgin Galactic

In depth

Can supersonic hopefuls deliver as commercial interest booms?

The handful of companies in the space spent the last year partnering with major aerospace suppliers (including engine makers), lining up buyers, hiring known aerospace executives and, in the case of Boom Supersonic, rolling out a demonstrator jet.

Boeing B17-G crash Hartford 2019

News

NTSB urges tighter oversight of some passenger-carrying general aviation flights

Following several deadly accidents in recent years, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is urging the Federal Aviation Administration to tighten oversight of certain passenger flights conducted under general aviation rules.

pia24466_mars_helicopter

News

NASA to fly Ingenuity helicopter on Mars within three weeks

NASA is planning for Ingenuity, its Mars helicopter, to fly within the next three weeks, engineers say on 23 March.

A220-300-c-Airbus

News

Airbus extracts more range from A220-300 with further weight increase

Airbus is to offer a further range increase on the A220-300 towards the middle of this year, with a 1t hike in the twinjet’s maximum take-off weight.

DARA ACE Scrimmage 1 c DARPA video screenshot

News

DARPA tests artificial intelligent dogfighting in two-versus-one simulations

DARPA’s Air Combat Evolution programme tested team dogfighting between artificial intelligence-controlled fighters in a software simulation in February.

Constance von Muehlen, chief operating officer Alaska Airlines

News

Alaska Airlines names new chief operating officer

Constance von Muehlen has been named as Alaska Airlines’ new chief operating officer, effective 3 April.

airbus 50 a220

News

Satcom radome vibrations prompt A220 ELT antenna checks

Airbus A220 operators are being instructed to check and replace emergency locator transmitter antennas, after incidents in which vortices from a communications radome generated vibrations resulting in antenna failure.

US Navy EA-18G Growler Boeing

News

Boeing, USN kick off major EA-18G Growler upgrade

Boeing has kicked off a mission system upgrade for the US Navy’s fleet of EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets.

E-2D Advanced Hawkeye lands aboard aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford c US Navy.jpeg

News

US Navy looks at manned-unmanned teaming role for E-2D Advanced Hawkeye

The US Navy is planning to award Northrop Grumman a sole-source contract to modify the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye’s mission computer and display software so that the early warning aircraft could control unmanned air vehicles.

Talyn 2

News

Former SpaceX engineers propose two-stage eVTOL for regional, military use

Two former SpaceX engineers are proposing a two-stage electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for regional cargo and passenger flight, as well as for US military missions.

Sun-Country-Livery_02-1500x844

News

Sun Country stock debuts with $1.84 billion valuation

Sun Country Airlines began trading on 17 March under the ticker “SNCY” on Nasdaq priced at $33 per share, higher than its original expectation of $21 to $23 per share, giving the low-cost carrier a market value of $1.84 billion.

Soldier launching Switchblade c Aerovironment

News

UK to buy Switchblade loitering munition

The UK plans to buy the AeroVironment Switchblade loitering munition, in what appears to be the first purchase of the US-made weapon by a foreign country.

AH-64 Apache with Spike NLOS

News

Spike NLOS validated for AH-64 after 17.3nm target hit

The US Army has validated the Rafael Spike non-line-of-sight (NLOS) missile as an interim long-range weapon for its Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

2019 South Korea

News

IATA aims for in-person AGM with postponement to October

IATA’s annual general meeting has been postponed to 3-5 October 2021, as the airline industry association seeks to ensure an in-person event happens this year amid a hoped-for recovery from the worst effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

BA Virgin Delta

News

Airline leaders optimistic on return of transatlantic market in summer

Several airline leaders have expressed optimism that the transatlantic market so crucial to the financial fortunes of many European and US network carriers will begin to open up in the coming summer season.

Cathay Pacific Cargo at Hong Kong 2020

News

US DOT slams Hong Kong air crew quarantine rules

The US Department of Transport (DOT) has criticised the Hong Kong government’s quarantine requirements for air crew as “disproportionally” impacting US carriers “to the benefit of Hong Kong carriers”.

USAF security personel guard B-1B Lancer on the flightline at Ørland Air Force Station in Norway c USAF

Analysis

What’s the strategic logic behind ‘surprise’ bomber flights?

US Air Force (USAF) bombers are touching down in new places. In February, for the first time in history, the Boeing B-1B Lancer bomber landed in India. Then, in March, the supersonic jet deployed for the first time from a Norwegian air base. Just this week the variable-sweep bomber landed in Poland for the first time ever.

Lockheed Martin F-16 at Greenville facility

News

Lockheed Martin kicks off USAF F-16 sustainment contract with receipt of first jet

Lockheed Martin received its first F-16 fighter in Greenville, South Carolina as part of a 10-year sustainment contract with the US Air Force.

ACJ TwoTwenty

News

Airbus pits TwoTwenty against business jets like Global 7500 and G700

Five months after launching its ACJ TwoTwenty executive jet, Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) is talking up the performance of its modified A220-100, pitching the type as competitive in two segments of the business aircraft market.

F-15EX rendering c Boeing

News

US Air Force looks at ‘cognitive electronic warfare’ for F-15

The US Air Force is researching adding “cognitive electronic warfare” capabilities to the Boeing F-15 fighter.

Delta_13Jan2021

In depth

US airlines giddy about recovery

US airline executives are finding it difficult to contain their excitement as the industry hovers on the verge of a sharp rebound in travel demand with customers beginning to plan forward travel in numbers that air transport has not seen for more than a year.

November 2020

News

Southwest sees break-even by June

Southwest Airlines hopes to break even by mid-2021 as air travellers return in greater numbers.

Kjos Norwegian

News

New airline plans Norwegian-style transatlantic flights with 787s

A new airline backed by the founder of Norwegian is seeking to launch transatlantic flights with Boeing 787s later this year, as it aims to fill the long-haul low-cost gap left by the latter’s recent withdrawal from Europe-USA market.

American Airlines Airbus A321neo

News

American’s Parker says recovery imminent

American Airlines is optimistic that a sustainable post-coronavirus rebound has begun as customers start to return in greater numbers.

ian-duncan-2

News

American deal on track despite JetBlue’s pilot tiff: CEO Hayes

JetBlue Airways remains able to implement a business partnership with American Airlines despite JetBlue’s pilots recently voting down new contract terms.

george-santry-nb21jb-a320-barcode (1)

News

JetBlue reports surge in March leisure travel demand

JetBlue Airways has seen a substantial jump in air travel demand during March, with its daily revenue almost doubling – thought the airline has not reached cash-break-even levels.

ACExpress-E175-2

News

Jazz pilots agree to Air Canada Express deal

Pilots at Canada’s Jazz Aviation have approved a deal that will allow the company to become the exclusive operator of Air Canada Express flights.

United Airlines Boeing 767-300ER

News

United’s Kirby predicts break-even cash flow this month

United Airlines is on track to stop burning through cash by the end of March, according the company’s chief executive, who struck a remarkably positive tone during a 15 March investor conference.

boeing building

News

Ed Clark to succeed Odisho as head of Boeing 737 programme

Boeing has named Ed Clark, a top executive in Boeing’s aircraft services division, to succeed Walt Odisho as vice-president and general manager of the 737 programme.

Hawaiian A321neo

News

Hawaiian to fly 90-95% of normal schedule by May

Hawaiian Airlines anticipates flying 90-95% of its normal schedule by May, as vaccine roll-out continues across the USA and as Americans begin to consider summer travel plans.

4f7982ad9e094f429e73833870a21442

News

777 Partners orders 24 737 Max 8s

Miami private equity company 777 Partners has ordered 24 Boeing 737 Max 8s and taken options to buy a further 60 of the type, adding fresh momentum to the narrowbody’s backlog.

Envoy Air E175, American Eagle, Source Envoy

News

US regional airlines struggling to secure government pandemic-relief aid: RAA

The US regional airline sector is calling out the US government for months-long delays in the distribution of pandemic-relief funds to the country’s smaller airlines.

F-15EX at Eglin AFB

News

US Air Force accepts first Boeing F-15EX fighter

The choice to acquire the F-15EX is controversial as the fourth-generation fighter lacks the low radar cross-section of the service’s former favourite jet, the Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter.

A321LR-transat-c-Airbus-2-970

News

Air Transat suspends operations until June

Transat AT, the parent company of Canadian holiday specialist Air Transat, has effectively shut down revenue operations due to the coronavirus mitigation measures imposed by the Canadian government earlier this year.

AIr Transat Airbus A321neo

In depth

Transat ponders ‘plan B’ should Europe reject Air Canada takeover

Transat AT, parent of Canadian holiday-focused airline Air Transat, is working on a “plan B” in case its planned acquisition by Air Canada falls through.

United Airlines

News

United Airlines chief warns of ‘dramatic’ impact of unchecked climate change

Human-influenced climate change is the “defining issue for our generation to solve”, in the view of United Airlines chief executive Scott Kirby, who says his passion for the subject is behind the carrier’s attempt to become an industry leader on sustainability.

B-1B bomber

News

Retired B-1B to serve as USAF integration lab

A retired US Air Force Boeing B-1B bomber will serve as an integration laboratory at Edwards AFB in California.

San Francisco International airport

News

US DOT says airline employment at highest level since April 2020

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) says airline industry employment in January rose to its highest level since April 2020, a tentative sign that demand for air travel may be returning following an almost year-long decline due to the coronavirus.

Hero-400EC_with_NGC c Northrop Grumman

News

Northrop pitches UVision Hero loitering munition variant for US Army Future Vertical Lift

Northrop Grumman plans to pitch the US Army on an air-launched effect variant of the UVision Hero family of loitering munitions.

Southwest 737-700 Max KJ FG

News

Southwest nears 737 Max 7 order: report

Boeing is closing in on the sale of 737 Max 7 jets to Southwest Airlines, a deal that, if closed, would prove a massive win by Boeing and reflect Southwest’s continued loyalty to the Chicago airframer, according to a report from Bloomberg.

frontier100thaircraftdelivery

News

President Biden to sign bill providing $14bn to airlines

Both houses of the US Congress have now passed a pandemic-relief bill that would make billions of dollars in aid available for the benefit of employees at US airlines.

Southwest-737-Max-grounded_resize

News

Southwest set to return Boeing 737 Max to its fleet

Southwest Airlines, the world’s biggest operator of Boeing 737 aircraft, is set to return the 737 Max into its network and schedule, operating several revenue flights on the type for the first time in two years.

breeze_image_Embraer_5Feb2021

News

US DOT grants Breeze certificate to operate

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has given start-up low-cost airline Breeze Airways the green light to begin operations.

United Airlines chief executive

News

Business travel will come back: United Airlines chief

It is a mistake to believe that business travel demand will be fundamentally altered by the Covid-19 pandemic, even if its recovery will lag the return of leisure markets, according to United Airlines chief executive Scott Kirby.

AerCap

News

AerCap agrees acquisition of US lessor GECAS

Leasing giant AerCap has agreed to acquire US lessor GECAS, creating a leviathan with over 2,000 aircraft and more than 900 engines as well as 300 helicopters.

TUI UK 737 Max-c-TUI

In depth

The Max crisis has already shifted how regulators certificate jets

The Boeing 737 Max crisis has already upended some aspects of aircraft certification, with regulators more closely reviewing certification projects and shying away from rubber stamping decisions made by foreign counterparts.

Boeing 737 Max 8 house colours 2

In depth

Why Boeing’s future still rests on the 737 Max’s recovery

The Max holds outsize importance for Boeing, both financially and competitively. Which is precisely why the grounding left the US aerospace behemoth in such a competitive pickle, and why the type’s rebound is key to Boeing’s recovery, aerospace analysts say.

737Max first flight c Boeing

In depth

How and why Boeing re-engined the 737 to create the Max

Circumstances preceding Boeing’s 2011 launch of the 737 Max programme share similarities with the situation the company now finds itself in.

Oman Air's 1st 737 MAX. Boeing. Air Lease owned. Boeing

In depth

Max crisis and pandemic wipe nearly 1,250 737s from Boeing’s backlog since January 2020

Since the start of 2020, cancellations and accounting adjustments pushed Boeing’s 737 Max backlog down by some 1,250 aircraft, erasing 28% of the 737 orders Boeing held in January 2020.

Blackwing UAV - AeroVironment

News

US Navy plans to buy 120 submarine-launched Blackwing UAVs

The US Navy plans to acquire up to 120 AeroVironment Blackwing unmanned air vehicles (UAV) for its submarines.

B737-max9-copa-c-Boeing-640

News

Boeing logs positive order tally for February despite 737 Max and 787 cancellations

Boeing landed orders for 82 new commercial aircraft and was hit by only 51 cancellations in February, marking the first month since November 2019 that the airframer’s net order total has been in positive territory.

NASA HyTEC 2021-03-09 095614

News

NASA seeks to shrink turbofan cores for efficiency as it targets next narrowbody jets

NASA has launched a research effort aimed at squeezing 5-10% more fuel efficiency out of turbofan cores, with the goal of developing engine technology for future commercial aircraft, possibly including an eventual Boeing 737 replacement.

Virus-mask-airport-travel

News

Recovery unsustainable without Travel Pass-style apps: IATA

Governments around the world are not moving quickly enough to plan for the reopening of international travel markets, in the view of IATA, particularly when it comes to the creation of digital standards for Covid-19 testing and vaccination records.

777F-c-Boeing

News

Spill spurs order to de-activate 777F potable water system

Operators of certain Boeing 777 freighters have been instructed to de-activate potable water systems on the aircraft, over the risk of water intrusion into the forward electronic equipment bay.

Airline-data

In depth

Airline coronavirus recovery tracker: March 2021 update

Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including international and domestic travel restrictions, traffic and capacity in passenger and cargo markets, in-service and stored fleets, jet fuel costs, and share price trends for the world’s largest groups.

Frontier A320 Max KJ FG

News

Frontier seeks IPO after cancelled attempt in 2020

Frontier Airlines on 8 March filed for an initial public offering of stock with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, a year after cancelling its previous bid for a $100 million offering that it initiated in 2017.

General Atomics Defender

News

US Air Force looks at air-to-air combat technologies for next-generation UAVs

The US Air Force is looking for air-to-air combat technologies for its family of next-generation unmanned air vehicles.

Delta_13Jan2021

News

US Congress approves aviation payroll support extension

Both houses of the US Congress have passed the third comprehensive coronavirus relief package for the air transport industry, which would grant airlines $14 billion more in payroll support as the crisis drags on.

Turbogenerator_5_White Honeywell

News

Honeywell developing 1MW turbo-generator for air-taxi segment

Honeywell later this year plans to demonstrate a new, more-powerful turbo-generator designed for use on air taxis, cargo drones and hybrid-electric commercial aircraft.

HMS Sultan - Crown Copyright

News

DARPA kicks off feasibility study of military jetpacks

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is studying the technical feasibility of military jetpacks, and other personal flying platforms, potentially for use by US special forces.

Fedex 777F

News

FedEx invests $2bn in sustainable technologies

US cargo carrier FedEx is investing more than $2 billion as part of an effort to achieve carbon-neutral operations across its global network in 20 years.

737 Max

News

US-EU strive to ‘reset’ relationship by suspending tariffs in Airbus-Boeing row

European Union regulators have agreed to a temporary suspension of tariffs in the long-running Airbus-Boeing dispute over civil aircraft subsidies, a four-month hiatus which will lift tariffs on aircraft and non-aircraft imports.

Bell 505-c-Bell

News

Bell 505 single-pilot operations restricted as inspection regime tightens

Canadian safety authorities have temporarily banned right-hand single-pilot operations of Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopters, after further investigations into the potential fracture of collective sticks on the type.

Boom Supersonic Overture

News

American Express Ventures invests in Boom Supersonic

The innovation-finance arm of American Express is the latest company to invest in Denver-based supersonic aircraft maker Boom Supersonic.

General Atomics Avenger c General Atomics

News

Second Avenger gets FAA Experimental Certificate as UAV plays growing payload-testing role

A second General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Avenger Extended Range (ER) unmanned air vehicle (UAV) has received an Experimental Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Global 7500  - cr Bobardier

News

Bombardier turnaround plan leans on aftermarket expansion and demand for Global jets

Bombardier aims to achieve 20% profit margins by 2025 through a mix of cost cutting, corporate restructuring, improved productivity, aftermarket expansion and increased sales of high-profit business jets.

Delta A350 Delta-1

News

US government temporarily suspends UK tariffs in shift to resolve Airbus-Boeing spat

Signs have emerged of a shift in the effort to resolve the long-running transatlantic civil aircraft subsidies dispute, after the US and UK governments agreed to suspend tariffs for four months.

Spirit Airlines Airbus A321

News

Spirit chief bets on A320neos and A321neos for capacity growth

Spirit Airlines continues to target mid-2021 as the inflection point when its capacity returns to pre-pandemic levels and is betting on new Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft for its expansion plans, two executives from the carrier said during an online discussion on 3 March.

Screenshot 2021-03-03 163445

News

SpaceX Starship lands upright, then explodes

SpaceX’s Starship Serial Number 10 (SN10) prototype rocket landed safely under its own power after a test flight that took it to an altitude of 33,000ft. Eight minutes later, it blew up.

ACExpress-E175-2

News

Sky Regional to cease operations end-March: reports

Sky Regional airlines will cease to operate from 31 March after Air Canada transferred all of its Air Canada Express flying to Jazz Aviation, according to numerous reports in Canadian media.

Aerion and ElectraAero

News

NetJets takes purchase rights for 20 Aerion AS2 supersonics

Fractional aircraft ownership company NetJets has thrown its support behind Aerion’s AS2, acquiring rights to purchase 20 of the in-development business jets.

Chris-Tarry

Opinion

Airline cash-burn figures focus the mind

While the US majors have made significant progress on reducing their daily cash burn, the magnitude of the figures is till noteworthy

MesaAir_CRJ

News

Mesa plans joint venture to fly CRJ900s in Europe

Mesa Air Group on 2 March announced a conditional agreement with London-based Gramercy Associates to launch a joint venture to operate Mesa’s Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft on passenger or cargo routes in Europe by the end of 2021.

Ed Sims WestJet

News

Canadian airlines lost 23% of international market share: WestJet chief

Airlines in Canada during the coronavirus pandemic have lost 23% of their market share on international routes to competitors in Europe and the USA whose governments have provided sector-specific relief funds, WestJet chief executive Ed Sims said during an online discussion hosted by multinational aviation group Eurocontrol on 2 March.

Alaska_first737Max_25Jan2021

News

Meggitt to begin supplying ‘cockpit indicators’ for 737 Max

British aerospace company Meggitt will soon begin supplying unspecified cockpit indicators for Boeing’s 737 Max, taking that work from another unnamed supplier for reasons the companies have not disclosed.

breeze_image_Embraer_5Feb2021

News

Breeze plans summer launch of flights and ‘super app’: Neeleman

Breeze Airways’ co-founder and chief executive David Neeleman expects his new Salt Lake City-based low-cost airline will be operating flights before this summer, in the process acclimating travellers to an app-centred customer experience.

November 2020

News

FAA to begin testing drone detect-and-avoid systems this year.

Before the end of 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration will begin testing technologies aimed at preventing manned aircraft from colliding with drones.

20190304_Ethiopian-AEI-converted-738SF

News

Macquarie AirFinance orders four AEI 737-800 converted freighters

Aircraft conversion shop Aeronautical Engineers (AEI) has landed an order from lessor Macquarie AirFinance to convert four passenger-configured Boeing 737-800s into 737-800SF converted freighters.

Delta A350 Delta-1

News

Delta to shift all pilots to ‘active’ status by October

Delta Air Lines intends to return all its pilots to “active-flying status” by October, part of the carrier’s effort to prepare for returning to 2019 capacity by summer 2023.

ARRW_Launch_c Lockheed Martin

News

Hypersonic boost-glide ARRW missile scheduled to fly this week

The US Air Force’s plans to flight test its boost-glide AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon this week for the first time.

ACExpress-E175

News

Air Canada to shift E175s from Sky Regional to Jazz

Air Canada intends to transfer the operation of 25 Embraer 175s from Sky Regional to Jazz Aviation, making Jazz the sole operator of Air Canada Express flights and leaving the future of Sky Regional uncertain.

Porter Q400 full size.

News

Canada’s Porter again pushes back restart date

Canada’s Porter Airlines has again delayed its restart, now saying it will resume operations on 19 May.

United Max. United

News

United orders 25 more 737 Max

United Airlines has ordered another 25 Boeing 737 Max and moved forward deliveries of 45 previously ordered Max, moves the company says will enable to it capitalise on increased demand following the pandemic.

AA 757-c-Max Kingsley-Jones

News

Crew alarmed by speed decay before American 757 abruptly pitched down

Investigators probing an abrupt manoeuvre by an American Airlines Boeing 757-200 have indicated that the crew suddenly pitched the aircraft nose-down after realising the airspeed had unexpectedly bled away.

Golden Horde programme Collaborative Small Diameter Bombs

News

Golden Horde collaborative bombs hit four targets simultaneously in test

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL’s) Golden Horde collaborative munitions programme had its first successful demonstration last week.

United Airlines 737 Max 9

News

United to pay $49.5 million to settle postal fraud case

United Airlines has agreed to pay more than $49 million to resolve criminal charges and civil claims relating to postal service fraud for transporting international mail.

oeing 777X 777-9 first flight Takeoff

News

Boeing 777-9 performing runway tests in Oklahoma

Boeing has sent one of its four 777-9 test jets to Clinton-Sherman airport in Oklahoma for a series of tests that will primarily examine the jet’s performance on the runway.

Austrian 767-300ER-c-Austrian

News

Texan aviation investment group MDI acquires three Austrian 767s

Lufthansa Group carrier Austrian Airlines has agreed to sell three of its Boeing 767-300ERs to a US company, Texas-based MonoCoque Diversified Interests.

UA328-c-NTSB

News

Prior United 777 blade-out might give clues to UA328 engine structure loss

While US investigators disagree with the immediate impression that the recent United Airlines Boeing 777-200 engine incident was one of uncontained failure, the extent of the damage to the powerplant was nonetheless catastrophic.

American Airlines 787-9

News

Australian competition watchdog re-authorises American, Qantas joint venture

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) will re-authorise the joint venture between Qantas Airways and American Airlines across the Pacific.

boeing building

News

FAA fines Boeing $6.6 million to settle three cases involving ODA failures

The Federal Aviation Administration has fined Boeing $6.6 million in penalties to settle three enforcement cases, including those related to its Organisation Designation Authorization (ODA) programme.

e-7-c-crown-copyright

News

USAF ponders Boeing E-3 Sentry replacement, some ask for Boeing E-7 Wedgetail

The US Air Force (USAF) is pondering replacing its Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne early warning and control aircraft and the commander of the Pacific Air Forces wants the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail.

F-22 F-35 XQ-58A in formation

News

USAF to flight test Skyborg autonomous system at Orange Flag this summer

The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) plans to flight test its Skyborg autonomous aircraft technology during Orange Flag exercises this summer for the first time.

pal-aerospace-de-havilland-announce-mou-dash8 (2)

News

De Havilland and PAL pitch special-mission ‘P-4’ Dash 8-400

De Havilland Canada and Canadian aircraft modification company PAL Aerospace intend to offer a special-mission variant of the Dash 8-400 turboprop to the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737. Alaska Airlines

News

Alaska burned $137 million in January amid steady recovery

Alaska Air Group forecasts that revenue for the first quarter will be slightly better than expected yet will still be down 55-60% year on year compared with the first quarter of 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic began.

Max 9 in flight

News

DOT raises concern about FAA’s self-certification oversight

The US Department of Transportation’s top inspector has doubts that the Federal Aviation Administration, as currently structured, can identify risks within its Organisation Designation Authorization (ODA) programme.

Erickson S-64 Air Crane

News

Erickson pitches US Army on autonomous S-64F+ Air Crane

The company believes the S-64F+ could compliment the US military services’ fleet of Boeing CH-47 and Sikorsky CH-53 heavy lift helicopters by supporting training and logistics operations.

United 777-200 United. Max KJ

News

P&W to perform 777 PW4000 fan blade checks required by FAA

Pratt & Whitney will perform the PW4000 thermal acoustic imaging (TAI) inspections required under the Federal Aviation Administration’s recent emergency airworthiness directive (AD).

g600-high-c-gulfstream

News

Business jet deliveries sink 20% in 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic definitely hit commercial aerospace harder than other aviation segments, though the fallout on private and business aviation was not insignificant.

Joby Aviation_Aircraft_3

News

Joby Aviation reveals plan to go public, showcases eVTOL in flight

Joby Aviation, a Silicon Valley-headquartered air taxi company, will merge with Reinvent Technology Partners with the eventual goal of taking the startup public as it shows off its five-seat aircraft in flight and introduces a new chief financial officer.

JetBlue Airbus A220-300

News

Spirit AeroSystems expects to lose money on A220 work for up to five years

Spirit AeroSystems expects to lose money on its Airbus A220 work for three to five years, until Airbus ramps the twin-jet’s production to at least 100 aircraft annually.

IATA

News

Airline industry might burn through $95bn in cash this year: IATA

The global airline industry might continue to burn cash into 2022 amid uncertainty over when governments will release travel restrictions, according to a range of scenarios presented by IATA.

Spirit 787s-c-Spirit AeroSystems

News

Spirit AeroSystems performing 787 analysis and rework

Spirit AeroSystems is performing engineering analysis and “rework” on Boeing 787 components as part of Boeing’s broader effort to address 787 quality issues.

Conair Flybe Q400 title-c-Conair Group

News

Ex-Flybe Q400 arrives at Conair base for firefighting modification

Canada’s Conair Group has received the first in a batch of former Flybe Bombardier Q400s due for conversion into aerial firefighters.

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News

FAA issues emergency airworthiness directive for PW4000

The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring US operators to immediately conduct thermal-imaging inspections of fan blades on certain Pratt & Whitney engines after the recent PW4077 failure on a United Airlines flight.

Crew chief performs an inspection on an F-35A Lightning II at Luke Air Force Base

News

Lockheed Martin confident F-35 operating cost will be reduced to $25,000 per hour

The company is under pressure to deliver improvements to the aircraft’s reliability and operating costs as the jet’s leading customer, the US Air Force, considers cheaper alternatives such as the Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter or a clean-sheet 4.5-generation combat aircraft.

Boeing T-7A advanced trainer jet taking off with afterburner c Boeing

News

First USAF Boeing T-7A advanced trainer enters production

The US Air Force jet is likely to roll out of Boeing’s St. Louis, Missouri factory in late 2021 or early 2022.

50970664463_4c0f5ecab7_4k

News

NTSB says United engine failure caused by metal fatigue

After a preliminary onsite exam, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says the engine failure on a United Airlines aircraft on 20 February was likely caused by metal fatigue.

Rendering of Israeli air force KC-46 with F-15I c Israeli ministry of defence

News

Israel signs for Boeing KC-46, plans for more F-35s and heavy lift helicopters

The Israeli ministry of defence has signed a letter of acceptance (LOA) for two Boeing KC-46 in-flight refuelling tankers.

TWA 800 wreckage-c-NTSB

News

After 25 years, NTSB to dismantle TWA 800 reconstruction

he National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will soon dismantle the skeletal reconstruction of Trans World Airlines flight 800, the Boeing 747-100 that exploded over the Atlantic Ocean nearly 25 years ago.

CEOs-to-watch

In depth

Airline Business special: CEOs to watch in 2021

As the Covid-19 crisis moves into its second year, we feature some of the airline chiefs whose success or otherwise will be bellwethers of the industry’s recovery in 2021.

United Airlines Star Alliance Boeing 777-200ER 2019

News

FAA orders emergency PW4000 inspections as airlines ground 777s

The US Federal Aviation Administration is ordering emergency inspections of some Pratt & Whitney PW4000-powered Boeing 777-200s in response to a 20 February in-flight uncontained engine failure.

UA 777 engine

News

United 777’s failed PW4000 appears uncontained, forward cowling missing

The 20 February failure of a Boeing 777-200’s Pratt & Whitney PW4077 turbofan was apparently an uncontained failure, with images showing damage similar to a 2018 event.

UAL 777 PW4000 Denver 022021

News

United 777 suffers engine failure over Denver

A United Airlines Boeing 777-200 suffered an engine failure just minutes after taking off, strewing debris across a Denver neighbourhood.

Elroy Astro Aerospace

News

Astro Aerospace to acquire eVTOL maker Horizon Aircraft

US autonomous aircraft developer Astro Aerospace has signed an agreement to buy Horizon Aircraft, a Canadian company developing its own electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Hangar_Front

News

Former Boeing chief Condit joins Boom’s advisory board

Supersonic aircraft maker Boom Supersonic has landed former Boeing chief executive Philip Condit as an advisor.

Bombardier Global 7500

News

Bombardier sells Mexico wiring business to Latecoere

Bombardier has sold its aerospace wiring business in Mexico to French aerospace company Latecoere for $45 million, closing a deal that had been in the works for more than one year.

Almost empty airport during Covid (C) Southwest

News

US airlines throw support behind voluntary Covid-19 contact tracing

US airlines are joining together to support a comprehensive contact-tracing programme to help fight the spread of the coronavirus.

United Airlines Boeing 767-300ER 2019

News

United to add Boston-Heathrow route

United Airlines will launch a daily nonstop route from Boston Logan to London Heathrow this year, assuming travel restrictions diminish and demand materialises.

American Airlines 737 Max

Analysis

Boeing 737 Max service return in the Americas gathers pace

Airlines across the Americas are first to test customer appetite for the aircraft in much-changed operating climate

Atlas Air 747. Atlas

News

Atlas reports $495 million profit for 2020

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings generated an operating profit of $495 million for the full year 2020 despite the coronavirus pandemic downturn making it the worst year in history for air cargo demand, reversing its fortunes from an operating loss of $461 million in 2019.

Terrafugia transition flying car

News

Terrafugia to shut down US operations: reports

US-based flying car manufacturer Terrafugia will reportedly shut down US operations after it pulled the plug on local development of its two-seater Transition aircraft.

NATO RQ-4D Phoenix c NATO

News

NATO declares initial operating capability for RQ-4D Phoenix fleet

NATO has declared initial operating capability for its fleet of RQ-4D Phoenix unmanned air vehicles.

M2020_Landing_Rocks_18Feb2021

News

NASA’s Mars helicopter ‘Ingenuity’ arrives on the red planet

NASA is preparing to fly the first unmanned robotic rotorcraft on another planet after its latest rover successfully landed on the planet’s surface on 18 February.

Bombardier CSeries front side

News

Brazil drops WTO subsidies suit against Canada, calls for negotiations

Brazil has dropped a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) in which it alleged that Bombardier, when developing the jet now called that A220, received unfair subsidies from Canadian governments.

Ampaire-Maui-001

News

Surf Air Mobility acquires Ampaire

Shared private aviation company Surf Air Mobility is acquiring electric aviation firm Ampaire, calling the latter’s hybrid-electric powertrain technology a “critical component” of Surf Air’s plan to expand in environmentally-friendly regional transportation.

B-1B Lancer that is being divested prior to its final launch from Ellsworth Air Force Base SD 17 Feb 2021 c USAF

News

US Air Force begins retiring group of 17 B-1B bombers

In all, the service plans to retire 17 B-1B supersonic bombers to free maintenance funds and labour for the 45 examples of the aircraft that will remain in the fleet. The reduced fleet should also free up funds for buying the in-development Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider stealth bomber.

UniversalHydrogen2

News

Universal Hydrogen lands former Airbus chief as advisor, secures funding

Alternative fuel developer Universal Hydrogen has formed an advisory panel composed of former top-level Airbus executives, including former chief executive Tom Enders and former chief commercial officer (CCO) John Leahy.

jetblue tail fins

News

American and JetBlue unveil first phase of collaboration

American Airlines and JetBlue Airways have unveiled new routes as they begin to consummate their strategic partnership.

DH Dash 8-c-Max KJ+FlightGlobal

News

De Havilland clarifies that Dash 8 production will cease in first half of 2021

De Havilland Aircraft confirms its expects to stop producing Dash 8-400s in the first half of 2021.

A HH-60W Jolly Green II lands on the pad on the range at Eglin Air Force Base for a day of weapons testing c USAF

News

Rolling updates planned for HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter

After the original US Air Force requirements for the HH-60W Jolly Green II were overtaken by new threats within less than a decade – even before the first example of the rotorcraft was delivered – manufacturer Sikorsky is aiming to update the service’s Combat Rescue Helicopter on a rolling basis.

boeing building

News

Two Boeing board members to step down in latest shake up

Two Boeing board members to step down in latest shake up

De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 Ethiopian Airlines

News

De Havilland to halt Dash 8 production, exit Downsview assembly site

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada will temporarily stop producing Dash 8s and begin vacating its Downsview Toronto production site in the second half of 2021.

Destination-2050-cover

Analysis

Covid-hit airlines still seeking the initiative on sustainability

The airline industry could have been forgiven for concentrating on immediate challenges around its very survival during the Covid-19 crisis.

JetBlue

News

JetBlue pilots reject union support for American codeshare

JetBlue Airways pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) union voted to reject a tentative agreement to give the carrier contractual relief for its codeshare with American Airlines, seeking more job security as the airline partnership nears completion.

A-29 taking off dirt runway

In depth

USAF to consolidate multiple aircraft roles into Armed Overwatch

The US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) aims to consolidate multiple aircraft roles into its Armed Overwatch aircraft programme in order to save money on the War on Terror.

Las Vegas McCarran-coronavirus 042420-3

News

Las Vegas McCarran airport to be renamed after former US senator Harry Reid

Officials in Las Vegas have decided to rename the city’s McCarran International Airport after former democratic US senator Harry Reid.

A321LR-transat-c-Airbus-1-970

News

Transat-Air Canada deal in limbo

The planned acquisition of Transat AT by Air Canada continues to be in limbo after the terms of the deal expired on 15 February without the necessary approvals in place to complete the transaction.

Michael-Rousseau

Analysis

Challenges await as Rousseau takes Air Canada helm from Rovinescu

Air Canada’s Michael Rousseau takes the helm of the largest Canadian airline at a time when it faces multiple crises, the biggest of which is not of its own making.

Social distancing

Analysis

Airlines anxiously await international rescue as variants trump vaccines

Concerns about variants of Covid-19 are spoiling what was, towards the end of 2020, expected to be a turning point for international air travel.

KC-46A McConnel AFB acceptance inspection

News

After more than $5bn in losses, can KC-46A become profitable?

The KC-46A programme is about $5.1 billion in the hole and there are questions about whether Boeing can make it profitable.

CAE_BurgessHill_SimulatorsBay_MG_1332_04

News

CAE’s civil training business remains profitable in most-recent quarter

Canadian pilot training company CAE’s civil aerospace business turned a C$48 million ($38 million) operating profit in the third quarter of the company’s 2021 fiscal year despite the pandemic driving revenue down by more than half.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Los Angeles airport

News

US airlines lobby against potential Covid-19 test mandate for domestic flights

US airline executives have met with administration officials at the White House to lobby against government deliberations to impose a coronavirus testing requirement for all domestic air travellers.

Volaris Airbus A320neo (2016)

News

Volaris sticks with P&W turbofans for another 80 A320neos

Mexican discount airline Volaris has agreed to power another 80 incoming Airbus A320neo-family jets with Pratt & Whitney PW1100G geared turbofans.

737 Max Air Canada

News

Air Canada ends ‘undeniably grim’ year with Q4 loss of C$1.2bn

Air Canada ended 2020 with a fourth-quarter loss of C$1.2 billion ($950 million), closing a year the company’s outgoing chief executive calls “undeniably grim”.

Air Canada B787-9-Rockies

News

Air Canada ‘confident’ that government aid is coming

Air Canada’s chief executive is “confident” that the government of Canada will offer airlines a sector-specific financial aid package – the type of support for which the industry has clamoured since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Spirit Airlines Airbus A321

News

Spirit targets return to full capacity in summer

Spirit Airlines made a $508 million operating loss in 2020 but plans to return to full pre-pandemic capacity levels by the summer travel season and take delivery of 16 aircraft by year-end.

Kaman K-Max at MCAS Yuma

News

Kaman plans flight tests of optionally piloted K-Max in first half of 2021

Kaman plans to start ground and flight testing its K-Max Unmanned Aerial System in the first half of 2021.

BEHA M1H Regional Air Mobility HIGH RES

News

Pandemic could speed up sustainable ‘reset’ of aviation: webinar

Disruptive alternative propulsion will not come to aviation in leaps and bounds, but will require time, significant investment and partnerships between major manufacturers and small, nimble start-ups

AIr Transat Airbus A321neo

News

Canada approves Air Canada’s acquisition of Transat

The Canadian government has approved Air Canada’s takeover of vacation specialist Transat AT, subject to numerous conditions.

fin-p19-Global 7500 cr Bombardier

News

Bombardier to cut 1,600 jobs and reduce manufacturing footprint in bid to slash costs

Bombardier in 2021 will eliminate 1,600 jobs, concentrate aircraft completions work in Montreal and divest real estate as part of a plan to eliminate hundreds of millions in annual costs and recapture profitability.

Learjet 23

News

Bombardier to cease Learjet production at year-end

By the end of 2021 Bombardier will stop producing Learjets, a brand launched in the early 1960s by Bill Lear that quickly became synonymous with luxury travel for stars and business moguls.

Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) runs test flights of the new VH-92A over the south lawn of the White House on September 22 2018 Washington D.C. c U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Hunter Helis

News

US Navy orders final production lot of VH-92A ‘Marine One’ helicopters

The US Navy (USN) has ordered five additional VH-92As from Sikorsky as part of the final production lot in the Presidential Helicopter programme of record.

boeing building

News

Analysts urge Boeing: launch a mid-market jet

Aerospace analysts are increasingly in agreement that Boeing must build a new narrowbody jet – lest it lose a huge chunk of valuable market share to competitor Airbus.

A320neo-Spirit-Airlines-takeoff

News

US government considers third aid package for airlines

The US government is considering a further $15 billion in payroll support for aviation workers as the industry hopes for recovery this year.

November 2020

News

Air travel could fully recover by late 2022: analyst

A leading aerospace analyst is predicting that airline passenger traffic will return to 2019 levels by the end of 2022 – one to two years sooner than predicted by others.

Archer eVTOL design. SEC filing by ACIC 021021-2

News

Archer to go public as United partners with view to 200-strong eVTOL order

Palo Alto-based air taxi developer Archer has secured a $1 billion aircraft commitment from United Airlines and unveiled a plan to become a publicly traded company worth $3.8 billion.

MesaAir_CRJ

News

Mesa defers revenue from mainlines amid $27m first-quarter profit

The parent company of Mesa Airlines reported an operating profit of $27 million during its first quarter of 2021 as it plans to continue to allow its mainline customers to defer payments to aid their recovery during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

boeing building

News

Why Boeing needs to work quickly on NMA decision

Boeing needs to begin work on a design for a planned new mid-market aircraft (NMA) if it is to remain competitive against Airbus, says an aviation analyst at the annual Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance conference, being held virtually this year.

FedEx 767F. FedEx

News

Boeing’s backlog slips by 39 jets in January

Boeing’s backlog of commercial aircraft declined by 39 aircraft in January, though the company did receive new orders during the month for four 747-8 Freighters.

Allegiant_9Feb2021

News

Allegiant announces 34 new routes

Allegiant Air will launch 34 new nonstop routes to domestic leisure destinations as the airline continues to plan for customers to return in larger numbers during the summer travel season.

Air Canada Boeing 787-9 landing

News

Air Canada suspends flights to USA, Latin America, Europe and Asia

Air Canada is temporarily cutting 17 more routes as it struggles to operate amid government travel restrictions designed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

CJ4 Gen2 Exterior

News

Textron unveils cabin-updated CJ4 variant

Textron Aviation has updated the Cessna CJ4’s cabin to create a new variant of the light-twin business jet called the CJ4 Gen2

Delta A220-c-Airbus

News

Airbus lines outside Europe delivered most aircraft in January

Airbus’s delivery figures for January were unusual because, as a result of the air transport crisis, the majority of aircraft were handed over from its non-European final assembly lines.

Sun-Country-Livery_03-1500x844

News

Sun Country Airlines files for IPO

US leisure travel specialist Sun Country Airlines has applied to go public, according to a filing with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).

AIRBUS-A300-UPS-Event-5777_0027

News

UPS receives first cockpit-updated A300, aims for fleet-wide updates by end-2022

Express air shipment company UPS has received its first Airbus A300 Freighter with Honeywell avionics updates and is now working to have its entire fleet upgraded before the end of 2022.

American Airlines Boeing 777-200ER 2019

News

American expands international schedule from Miami

American Airlines is expanding international service from its Miami hub, with new direct flights to Tel Aviv and Paramaribo, Suriname, set to launch in June and July, respectively.

Delta Air Lines take-off Atlanta

News

Delta to block middle seats through April

Delta Air Lines has extended through the end of April its ban on selling middle seats on its flights to give customers the additional “peace of mind” that comes with fewer passengers and the perceived lower risk of getting infected with the coronavirus.

Boeing 777X 777-9 first flight Landing

Analysis

Boeing turns page on troubled 2020 but strategy ill defined

Some analysts view Boeing’s fourth quarter 2020 results as a case of a company clearing the decks – dumping a barrel of bad news at the end of a terrible year so as to focus on rebuilding in 2021.

Airline-data

In depth

Airline coronavirus recovery tracker: February 2021 update

Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including international and domestic travel restrictions, traffic and capacity in passenger and cargo markets, in-service and stored fleets, jet fuel costs, and share price trends for the world’s largest groups.

West Wind ATR 42

News

Canadian operators West Wind and Transwest to consolidate as Rise Air

West Wind Aviation and Transwest Air will consolidate and rebrand as Rise Air to adapt to the travel downturn of the coronavirus pandemic and provide charter flights to western and northern Canada pending regulatory approval.

Skywest_delta

News

SkyWest loses $46 million in fourth quarter with reduced flight schedules

SkyWest Airlines says it lost $46 million in the fourth quarter of 2020, as reduced flight schedules and lower demand from its mainline airline partners continued to challenge the regional carrier.

Allegiant Air’s Airbus A320s (April 2019)

News

Allegiant Q4 loss is $29m, sees recovery ‘on the horizon’

Allegiant Travel Company, the parent of ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air, sees a post-coronavirus recovery “on the horizon” with customer travel intention steadily rising following almost a year of coronavirus-driven inertia.

American Airlines 737 Max

News

American warns of more layoffs as expected summer travel demand falls short

Citing the slow pace of vaccinations and new travel restrictions, American Airlines has warned 13,000 workers they might be laid off after government aid expire on 31 March.

SkyWest

News

SkyWest asks for extension of temporary cargo reconfiguration rule

SkyWest has asked the FAA to extend a rule that allows carriers to temporarily reconfigure passenger aircraft to cargo operations, in light of the continued depressed demand in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Almost empty airport during Covid

News

Airline passenger traffic saw sharpest decline in history during 2020

The coronavirus-ravaged airline industry experienced its sharpest-ever decline in passenger demand during 2020, as global traffic fell 65.9% from 2019 levels, according to full-year data released by IATA today.

World2Fly A330 title-c-World2Fly

News

Spanish long-haul start-up World2Fly plans transatlantic services

Newly-established Spanish operator World2Fly is seeking to open transatlantic services to US destinations.

Cargo on an A330 C Lufthansa Cargo

News

Air cargo demand decline in 2020 ‘worst since records began’

The air cargo sector – touted as the airline industry’s bright spot during the coronavirus crisis – saw its largest year-on-year fall in demand since IATA records began during 2020, although the final quarter brought signs of the gap closing.

Sunwing_Hi Res Boeing

News

Sunwing takes two more 737 Max from Air Lease

Lessor Air Lease has resumed deliveries of the Boeing 737 Max, having handed two of the jets to Canadian leisure carrier Sunwing Airlines.

Cancelled flights

News

IATA outlines scenario where Covid variants pummel 2021 traffic

The global airline industry might only see traffic growth of around 13% from 2020 levels this year amid the impact of new variants of Covid-19, according to a potential scenarios presented by IATA.

Sine Draco A321SDF title-c-Sine Draco

News

Sine Draco seeks FAA approval for A321 freighter conversion

Airbus A321 freighter conversion developer Sine Draco is formally seeking US FAA approval for the modification, and has recruited Sierra Nevada Corporation support arm 3S to assist with the regulatory compliance process.

Breeze logo

News

Breeze takes delivery of first Embraer 190

Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) has delivered the first of 15 Embraer 190 jets to US start-up airline Breeze Airways.

10 Tanker livery-c-10 Tanker

News

Practical thinking behind striking new livery on DC-10 firefighter

Even aerial firefighting aircraft are worth a make-over, but the revamped livery on the distinctive McDonnell-Douglas DC-10-30 of US operator 10 Tanker serves a practical purpose.

shutterstock_1875283327

News

US Senate confirms Pete Buttigieg as DOT head

The US Senate has confirmed Pete Buttigieg to lead the Department of Transportation (DOT) in the administration of President Joe Biden by a vote of 86-13.

Screenshot 2021-02-02 124954

News

SpaceX Starship rocket crashes during test flight

A SpaceX prototype rocket crashed on landing after conducting a test flight.

Muilenburg-c-Shutterstock

News

Former Boeing CEO’s start-up aims to invest in advanced aerospace technology

A new aerospace company led by former Boeing head Dennis Muilenburg has assembled an experienced management team and aims to advance technologies such as alternative propulsion, automation and manufacturing.

Qantas Sunrise

News

Qantas could launch Project Sunrise flights in 2024

Qantas could introduce ultra-long-haul flights under its delayed Project Sunrise programme as soon as 2024, according to the carrier’s chief executive, Alan Joyce.

Boeing 777X 777-9 first flight Belly

News

Boeing’s commercial backlog value plunged 25% in 2020

The value of Boeing’s commercial aircraft backlog sunk 25% in 2020 as customers scuttled orders and sales uncertainty led Boeing to shift jets out of its firm backlog.

737 Max 10-c-Boeing

News

Boeing delays 737 Max 10 deliveries two years, to 2023

Boeing has further delayed its 737 Max 10 programme by two years, with deliveries of the largest variant of its re-engined narrowbody now scheduled to begin in 2023.

US president Joe Biden

News

Biden meets with Republicans on Covid relief package

US President Joe Biden on 1 February met with a group of Republican senators at the White House to discuss their proposed $618 billion coronavirus relief package, while his administration continues to call for a $1.9 trillion stimulus to help the US economy weather the pandemic.

Summit Dornier 228-c-Summit Air Charters

News

Summit amends Dornier 228 ice procedures after dual-engine flame-out

Canadian operator Summit Air Charters has modified icing procedures after an incident in which both engines on a Dornier 228 flamed out just after take-off on a service to Yellowknife.

JetBlue Mint Suite transatlantic

News

JetBlue unveils new business seat aimed at London flights

JetBlue Airways has unveiled new full-flat business seats ahead of its planned launch of flights to London later this year.

Wheels Up King Air 350i

News

Wheels Up to become public company in Q2

US private aviation company Wheels Up Partners has unveiled a plan to become a publicly traded company by merging with a “blank check company”.

shutterstock_3576037

News

Industry groups urge US government to reject domestic testing requirement

A coalition of travel industry lobby groups and unions is urging the new US administration to reject a coronavirus testing mandate for domestic air travel similar to the one that was introduced for international arrivals earlier this week.

United Airlines Boeing 737

News

United warns 14,000 employees their jobs may be in danger

United Airlines has put 14,000 employees on notice that their jobs are once again in danger when the second round of US government financial aid set aside for airline payroll support expires on 31 March.

Hangar_Front

News

Boom Supersonic hires aerospace, marketing veterans

Supersonic airliner developer Boom Supersonic has hired two senior executives with experience working at globally known aerospace and technology companies.

AA CRJ900 DFW

News

PSA returns CRJs to service after inspections

Regional carrier PSA Airlines is again flying its MHIRJ CRJ jets after having grounded the aircraft for mandatory inspections, PSA parent American Airlines says.

Lilium_Jet  cr Lilium

News

Lilium partners with Ferrovial to build ‘vertiports’ in Florida

German electric air taxi company Lilium has partnered with Spanish infrastructure company Ferrovial to build “at least 10 vertiports” in what it calls “strategic locations” across the southern US state of Florida.

Air Canada_A220-300-9

News

Canada suspends all flights to Mexico and the Caribbean

Canadian airlines will suspend all flights to Mexico and the Caribbean for the next three months as the country imposes even stricter measures to stem the spread of new variants of the coronavirus.

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News

Bombardier becomes pure business jet company with sale of rail unit

Bombardier has completed its planned transformation into solely a business jet manufacturer, having closed the sale of its train business to French company Alstom.

AeroTEC_MRO_GST_001

News

AeroTec expands maintenance work, hangar space

Aerospace services company AeroTec has opened a third maintenance hangar in Moses Lake, Washington and secured approvals to maintain several aircraft types.

De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 Ethiopian Airlines

News

De Havilland considers pausing production of Dash 8-400

De Havilland Canada confirms it is considering “pausing” production of its Dash 8-400 turboprop amid the pandemic.

Chicago O'Hare airport 082520. Pilar Wolfsteller-2

News

US airlines blast possible Covid-19 test requirement for domestic travellers

Requiring Covid-19 tests for US domestic air passengers would be unnecessary, complex and impractical – or as one Southwest Airlines executive puts it, “a real goat rodeo”.

Southwest 737-700 Max KJ FG

News

Southwest posts full-year loss for the first time since 1972

Southwest Airlines lost $908 million in the fourth quarter of 2020, bringing the airline’s full-year loss to $3 billion – the first time in 47 years that the carrier ended the year in negative earnings territory.

ian-duncan-2

News

JetBlue lost $1.4bn in 2020

JetBlue Airways lost $1.4 billion in 2020, but is stressing that network and fleet shifts should position it to perform well when the air travel market recovers.

Envoy Air CRJ700. American Eagle. Source Envoy

News

PSA Airlines grounds ‘most’ of CRJ fleet for inspections

US regional carrier PSA Airlines has removed “most” of its fleet of MHIRJ CRJ-series regional jets from service so as to inspect nose landing-gear doors.

American Airlines 737 Max

News

American posts $2.2bn Q4 loss, bets on vaccinations

American Airlines says it lost $2.2 billion during the fourth quarter of the year, bringing its full-year loss to $8.9 billion as the coronavirus continues to plague the industry.

737 Max-c-Boeing

News

Controlling out-of-trim 737 Max will not require ‘exceptional’ strength

Critical to pilots’ acceptance of the Boeing 737 Max’s re-entry into service is the assurance that a serious out-of-trim situation can be easily resolved without the risk of manual controls becoming impossible to manipulate owing to aerodynamic forces.

boeing building

News

Boeing CEO hints ‘mid-market’ aircraft remains on the table

Boeing’s chief executive has hinted that the company might still develop an aircraft similar to the conceptual jet known as the “New Mid-market Airplane”.

Etihad Airways Boeing 787-10 landing 1

News

Boeing warns of 787 forward loss charge

Boeing may need to take a forward loss on its 787 programme if it must further trim production or if long-term demand dries up.

Boeing factory

News

Aerospace machinist union calls for government aid

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) has called on the government to offer additional assistance to the industry as part of any future Covid-19 relief measure.

AIr India Boeing 787

News

Boeing to resume 787 deliveries no sooner than February

Boeing’s pause on 787 deliveries will continue until at least February, when the company expects to resume 787 deliveries following a several-month hiatus.

777X rendering Boeing.

News

Boeing trims 777X production quantity expectation by 50 jets

Boeing has reduced the number of 777X it expects to produce over the life of that aircraft programme from 400 to 350 aircraft – a 12.5% cut.

A310 Air Transat

News

Air Transat cancels all flights to and from Toronto

Canada’s Air Transat, the country’s third largest passenger carrier, has suspended all flights from Toronto for the rest of the winter season citing new travel restrictions that make conducting normal operations almost impossible.

777-9-c-Boeing

News

Boeing making design modifications to 777X

Boeing’s latest 777X delay results partly from modifications Boeing is making to the jet’s design, including to actuator controls, so as to meet regulators’ “expectations”.

737 max 10-c-Boeing

News

Boeing 737-10 processes to undergo revision after EASA’s Max scrutiny

One crucial consequence of the Boeing 737 Max scrutiny is that development and certification work for the 737-10 will differ substantially from that of the earlier Max variants.

boeing building

News

Boeing reports $11.9bn 2020 loss, logs billions in Q4 charges

US manufacturing giant Boeing lost a staggering $11.9 billion in 2020, due partly to a $6.5 billion charge on its 777X programme but also the 737 Max grounding and the pandemic’s evaporating effect on travel demand.

777X test ac #2 first flight 043020

News

Boeing delays first 777-9 delivery to 2023, takes $6.5bn charge

Boeing has further delayed the 777-9 programme, saying it intends to deliver the first of the aircraft type in late 2023.

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News

Canada’s Flair Airlines to operate 13 Boeing 737 Max 8s

Canadian discount carrier Flair Airlines will lease 13 new Boeing 737 Max 8s from Miami-based private equity company 777 Partners, with deliveries starting in “early 2021”.

Hawaiian A321neo

News

Hawaiian Airlines posts Q4 loss as travel restrictions remain

Hawaiian Airlines reported a fourth-quarter loss of $172.8 million as the ongoing global coronavirus crisis and ensuing strict travel restrictions in its home state continue to create hardship for the business.

Belavia E195-E2-c-Embraer

News

Commercial aerospace recovery will begin in Q2, accelerate through 2021: Raytheon

Raytheon Technologies believes its subsidiaries Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace will begin experiencing notable recovery starting in the second quarter of 2021.

A321neo pratt GTF web

News

Fewer engine shipments and less aftermarket work hammer P&W and Collins 2020 results

Steep losses at Pratt & Whitney and slumping profits at Collins Aerospace pushed parent company Raytheon Technologies to a $3.5 billion loss in 2020.

Alaska_first737Max_25Jan2021_2

News

Alaska posts $316mn Q4 loss, sees mixed bag for 2021

Alaska Air Group lost $316 million in the fourth quarter of 2020, and is preparing for a mixed bag in the current year as the coronavirus crisis drags on.

Leap-1B-c-Max Kingsley-Jones+FlightGlobal-web

News

GE Aviation eyes recovery this year, as 2020 profits plunge by 82%

In 2020, GE Aviation’s engine sales sank 48% and its service revenue tumbled 36%, but the company expects the aerospace sector will begin recovering in the second half of this year.

Brussels Airlines

News

US extends entry ban for most European nations and Brazil

The US government has extended an entry ban preventing travellers from Europe’s Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Brazil from entering the country in a further attempt to slow the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus, and its even more virulent mutations.

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News

Sun Country introduces 16 new direct flights

Leisure specialist Sun Country has introduced 16 new flights, adding nine additional airports to its network in an effort to offer more passengers possibilities to fly direct to popular vacation destinations.

Alaska_first737Max_25Jan2021

News

Alaska takes delivery of first Boeing 737 Max

Alaska Airlines has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max aircraft as it begins to streamline its fleet, in an effort to improve overall efficiency and profitability.

American 737 Max-c-American Airlines

Analysis

How trust strained by the DC-10 fractured with the 737 Max

As the domino-chain grounding of the Boeing 737 Max and its gradual patchwork rehabilitation have revealed, unanimous agreement that air safety is paramount does not necessarily translate into a harmonised approach to delivering it.

Frontier A320 Max KJ FG

News

Frontier picks P&W engines for first time to power 134 A320neos

US carrier Frontier Airlines has selected Pratt & Whitney PW1100Gs to power 134 incoming Airbus A320neo-family jets, a move that will diversify its fleet away from complete reliance on CFM International powerplants.

Aerion Park. Melbourne, Fla. . Aerion

News

Aerion prepares to break ground on new Melbourne headquarters and production centre

Supersonic jet developer Aerion remains on track to begin producing its AS2 business jet at a new headquarters in Melbourne, Florida in 2023.

ecaravan chase plane 4

News

AeroTec selling Caravan used for all-electric project

Aircraft certification specialist AeroTec is selling the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan that it and partner Magnix flew with an all-electric propulsion system in May 2020.

Sustainable-fuel-c-Neste

News

Boeing commits by 2030 to produce jets that can burn 100% sustainable fuel

Boeing has committed that its new commercial aircraft will be able to burn 100% “sustainable” fuel by 2030, an achievement Boeing describes as essential to meeting industrywide carbon reduction goals by 2050.

Covid testing

News

US travel industry pushes back on potential quarantine

The US air transport and travel industries are pushing back on a potential quarantine requirement for international travellers arriving in the US, currently being weighed by the administration of President Joe Biden, in order to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

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News

JetBlue complains it is being locked out of London slots

JetBlue Airways has complained to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) that it is being locked out of securing slots in London for its planned transatlantic expansion.

United Covid testing EWR_16Nov2020

News

US airlines ask DOT to lead global Covid-19 testing programme for travellers

The US airline sector is urging the Department of Transportation to lead the creation of global Covid-19 testing standards for international travellers.

Traveller-mask-c-Shutterstock

News

Biden requires masks on flights, pursues quarantine for international arrivals

The US government is mandating travellers wear face coverings on all public transportation, including on commercial airline flights and in airports, and is moving to require quarantines for inbound international passengers.

shutterstock_1875283327

News

Biden’s DOT nominee commits to begin FAA review ‘right away’

If confirmed, President Joe Biden’s nominee to head the US Department of Transportation (DOT) intends to quickly take steps to strengthen the Federal Aviation Administration’s oversight of aircraft certification.

WJ115_21Jan2021_first Max reveune flight in Canada following grounding

News

Canada’s WestJet returns Boeing 737 Max to service

Canada’s WestJet returned the Boeing 737 Max to revenue service on 21 January with a flight from Calgary to Vancouver, becoming Canada’s first airline to fly the aircraft commercially following an almost two-year pause.

United Dreamliner

In depth

United expects expanded profit margins by 2023

United Airlines expects to exceed its 2019 profit margin by 2023, executives say a day after the airline reported a $7.1 billion full-year loss for coronavirus-plagued 2020.

Virus-mask-airport-travel

News

US President Biden to sign order mandating masks on aircraft

The new US administration of President Joe Biden will require face coverings be worn on flights in a more rigorous attempt to contain exploding coronavirus case counts across the country, according to reports.

H145M - Airbus Helicopters

News

HAI cancels 2021 HAI Heli-Expo

HAI Heli-Expo 2021 has been cancelled.

United_Denver

News

United posts $1.9b Q4 loss ahead of ‘transition year’

United Airlines lost $1.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020 but is preparing for a “transition year”, following the devastating effects of the global coronavirus pandemic on the airline’s business and the industry as a whole.

cargojet

In depth

Canada’s Cargojet to acquire two 777Fs, five 767Fs

Canadian freight airline Cargojet intends to acquire five Boeing 767 Freighters and two 777Fs in the coming years – enabling it to meet increasing demand for air cargo.

United Max. United

News

FAA requires fuel-sealant inspections on some Boeing 737 Max 9s

The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing inspections of 25 Boeing 737 Max 9s after determining that a fuel sealant was not applied during manufacturing.

JetBlue Airbus A220-300

News

DOT seeks to collect more ticket data from more US airlines

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) intends to collect additional passenger ticket data from airlines as part of an overhaul of its Origin-Destination Survey.

ecaravan chase plane 4

News

Magnix consolidates, moves headquarters from Redmond to Everett, Washington

Electric aircraft propulsion company Magnix is consolidating its operations at a new headquarters in Everett, Washington, a move the company says will give it a greater presence in Washington’s aerospace hub.

Eviation Alice

News

Is this the new look for Eviation’s Alice?

An image obtained by FlightGlobal shows what appears to be an evolution of Eviation’s design for its all-electric Alice commuter aircraft.

Parked Lufthansa aircraft

News

Biden team says US travel restrictions will remain

The administration of US President-elect Joe Biden has no intention of immediately lifting the USA’s entry ban on travellers arriving from certain coronavirus-affected countries.

High-res_BBAM

News

BBAM orders another six 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters

Aircraft lessor BBAM Limited Partnership has placed orders with Boeing for the conversion of six additional 737-800s into the Boeing Converted Freighter configuration.

Delta Air Lines take-off Atlanta

Analysis

US carriers’ fate hangs on vaccine rollout

US carriers will likely have to slog through the prime summer season and most of 2021 continuing to burn millions in cash daily as they await the herd immunity promised by mass Covid-19 vaccination.

Air Canada 737 Max title-c-Air Canada

News

Air Canada caters for passengers’ anxiety as it details 737 Max re-introduction

Air Canada is to return the Boeing 737 Max to service at the beginning of February, after the Canadian civil aviation regulator detailed the requirements for clearing the aircraft for flight.

Q400 firefighter-c-Conair Group

News

Flybe Q400s to be converted into firefighters for Conair

Source: Conair Group Eleven Q400s, formerly with Flybe, are being transferred to Conair Source: Conair Group Eleven Q400s, formerly with Flybe, are being transferred to Conair

November 2020

News

US airlines begin tapping into government aid

The US government has begun disbursing $15 billion in payroll assistance to airlines, which have been eagerly awaiting the financial relief ever since an earlier programme expired in September.

boeing building

News

Former KPMG CEO Doughtie joins Boeing’s board as Kennedy steps down

Former KPMG chief executive Lynne Doughtie has joined Boeing’s board of directors, filling a seat left vacant by the resignation of board member Caroline Kennedy.

Embraer Melbourne, Florida park

News

Embraer North American president Spulak retires

Gary Spulak, the longtime president of Embraer’s US business, retired from the Brazilian airframer at the end of 2020, Embraer confirms.

shutterstock_1140528353

News

US airlines gear up for potential trouble ahead of presidential inauguration

US airlines have adopted stricter safety policies on flights to and from the Washington, DC-area ahead of the presidential inauguration scheduled for 20 January.

Southwest Airlines

Analysis

US airline unions seek mask mandate from Biden

US president-elect Joe Biden after his inauguration on 20 January plans to enact a federal mandate for interstate travellers on aircraft, trains and buses to wear masks after the Trump administration refused petitions from both airlines and pilot unions to order a mask rule.

Delta Boeing 777

News

Delta Air Lines’ 2020 loss tops $12 billion in ‘toughest year’

Delta Air Lines reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $755 million as the carrier endured what the it calls “the toughest year in Delta’s history”.

A320neo SWISS_02

News

Aerospace leaders see clearing skies, eye post-Covid air travel boom

Things might get worse for the global aerospace industry before they get better. But the industry will recover, likely starting this year, thanks to vaccine distribution and pent-up demand for air travel. 

Rouge 767 640px

News

Air Canada to expand cargo business through 767 sale, leaseback

Air Canada is having two passenger Boeing 767-300ERs converted to freighters, and also selling the jets and leasing them back.

GEnx 1b engine

News

Spirit AeroSystems and GE Aviation beneficiaries of $125m in US-backed loans

The Export-Import Bank of the United States has agreed to guarantee two financing deals that will provide $125 million to support aerospace work at GE Aviation and Spirit AeroSystems.

United Dreamliner1

News

United waives fare change charges for US-bound customers

United Airlines is waiving fare difference charges for international passengers who choose to travel to the United States before the nation’s blanket coronavirus testing requirement begins on 26 January.

Delta_13Jan2021

News

Delta hires former Bombardier chief executive Bellemare

Delta Air Lines has named former Bombardier chief executive Alain Bellemare to be its new President-International, the carrier says.

Air Canada_A220-300-9

News

Air Canada cuts more jobs and capacity

Air Canada will once again reduce its employee count and shrink its network, citing new Canadian travel restrictions aimed at mitigating the spread of the coronavirus.

DHL 777F-c-DHL

News

Freighter line hands Boeing advantage in twin-aisle delivery contest

While Airbus delivered far more aircraft overall than Boeing last year, the US airframer’s freighter activity meant it was able to hand over a greater number of twin-aisle models.

KLM-Boeing-787-9

In depth

How Airbus’ 2020 orders and deliveries compare to Boeing’s

The release by Airbus and Boeing of full-year 2020 order and delivery figures has brought into stark view just how significantly the Covid-19 pandemic has stricken the world’s two largest airframers.

United Covid testing EWR_16Nov2020

News

USA to require negative coronavirus test for inbound passengers

The US government will begin requiring all inbound international air travellers to provide a negative coronavirus test result that is less than 72h old before entering the country.

JB_American_12Jan2021

News

US DOT clears planned American-JetBlue partnership: airlines

JetBlue Airways and American Airlines say the US Department of Transportation (DOT) has cleared their planned strategic alliance, despite low-cost carriers warning that the tie-up may stifle competition.

Jordan Aviation A330-c-Jordan Aviation

News

Middle East’s Jordan Aviation discloses plans for US services

Middle Eastern carrier Jordan Aviation is seeking to open scheduled services to the USA within the next four months.

Omar_Alghabra_minister_photo_tc (2)

News

Canada names new Transport Minister

Canada has named a new Minister of Transport in a cabinet reshuffle as the country’s airline industry continues to suffer from the effects of the global coronavirus crisis

DHL 777F. DHL 011221

News

DHL orders another eight 777Fs

DHL Express has ordered another eight Boeing 777 Freighters, providing a much needed boost to Boeing at a time when demand for passenger jets remains severely curtailed.

IATA

News

Airline bookings weaken as IATA warns recovery ‘some way away’

Forward airline bookings have weakened going into the first quarter of 2021, as IATA warns that the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better.

737 Max Air Canada

News

Boeing closes 2020 with backlog down 22% in one year

Boeing logged another month of zero 787 deliveries in December 2020, while also receiving cancellations for another 105 737 Max.

AIRBUS HELICOPTERS 2019 H225 Air Greenland

News

March Heli-Expo to be in-person event

The Helicopter Association International is moving ahead with plans for its 2021 HAI Heli-Expo trade show in March to be held in person – not just virtually.

Airline-data

In depth

Airline coronavirus recovery tracker: January 2021 update

Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including international and domestic travel restrictions, traffic and capacity in passenger and cargo markets, in-service and stored fleets, jet fuel costs, and share price trends for the world’s largest groups.

Washington Dulles airport,

News

US lawmakers urge FAA to beef up security planning ahead of inauguration

Two US lawmakers have asked the FAA to coordinate with airlines ahead of the presidential inauguration next week in order to prevent violent protesters from travelling to Washington, DC and potentially threatening the safety of the air transport system.

LaGuardia tower c Justin Lane_EPA-EFE_Shutterstock

News

Spirit, Southwest reiterate concerns about JetBlue-American partnership

Spirit Airlines and Southwest Airlines have “serious competitive concerns” about the planned strategic partnership between JetBlue Airways and American Airlines.

Porter Q400 640px

News

Porter Airlines delays restart to 29 March

Canada’s Porter Airlines has once again delayed resuming flights, and is now targeting a date more than one year after it shut down due to the global coronavirus crisis.

A320 shipment to Mobile-c-Airbus

News

Airbus dismayed as US tariffs sting aircraft structure shipments

Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury has reiterated the need for a negotiated settlement to the long-running transatlantic subsidies dispute, as the US government – in the final days of the Trump administration – prepares to put further sanctions in place.

emirates-777-9_78450

News

Emirates 777-9 comments raise questions about delivery timeline and launch operator

Recent comments suggest that Emirates now expects to receive its first Boeing 777-9 in 2023, a development that raises questions about delivery timelines and launch customers.

20201124 SHADDI ABDALA-9993

News

Students flock to some US flight schools despite aerospace industry woes

Evidence suggests that student pilots continue streaming into US flight schools despite the Covid-19 pandemic having left the world’s airline industry scrambling to survive.

Cockpit-c-Lightpoet_Shutterstock

News

NTSB calls for more scrutiny of flight instructors

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the federal agency responsible for aviation accident investigations, has recommended closer scrutiny of flight instructors following a 2019 crash in Mokuleia, Hawaii that killed 11 people.

WestJet

News

WestJet cuts more staff and flights, citing Canadian travel restrictions

Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet is laying off more employees and cutting its already pared network by another third, citing government travel restrictions.

Covid testing

Analysis

Does shift towards pre-flight Covid-19 testing spell disaster for airlines?

The tightening of border controls is an emerging theme in the early days of 2021, as governments react to concerns about new variants of Covid-19 and soaring infection rates in many regions.

TSA_Twitter

News

US lawmaker urges authorities to place rioters on national no-fly list

A US lawmaker has asked aviation security and law enforcement authorities to place customers who have been identified as committing crimes during the 6 January riot in Washington, DC on the national “no-fly” list.

Maxes at Renton-c-VDB Photo_Shutterstock

In depth

US government blames just two Boeing test pilots for Boeing’s Max ‘fraud’

The US government’s criminal case against Boeing rested on the actions of just two Boeing employees who prosecutors say conspired to defraud the US government.

737 Max 7 airborne

News

Boeing to pay $2.5bn to settle US government’s 737 Max investigation, avoids prosecution

Boeing has agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle a Department of Justice criminal investigation into circumstances surrounding the certification of the 737 Max.

jetblue tail fins

News

Online travel agency sues JetBlue for 'unfair fare practices'

An online travel agency group is suing low-cost carrier JetBlue Airways for removing its flights from the external travel portals, forcing customers to book more expensive fares through the airline’s own website.

Elaine_Chao_official_portrait_2_landscape_resized

News

US Transportation Secretary Chao resigns after pro-Trump riot

Elaine Chao, who heads the powerful US Department of Transportation, has said she will resign, a day after pro-Trump rioters stormed the US Capitol building in Washington, DC, leaving destruction and chaos in their wake.

Istanbul airport

News

Air travel demand flatlined in November: IATA

Air travel demand remained sharply down in November, IATA’s latest industry statistics show, as resurgent Covid-19 cases and renewed travel restrictions battered passenger confidence.

Atlas Air 747. Atlas

News

Air cargo volumes to reach 2019 levels by March or April: IATA

Global air cargo volumes sank more than 6% year on year in November, but remain on track to return to 2019 levels by March or April, according to IATA.

Reagan national airport

News

Aviation union warns of safety onboard aircraft after Washington, DC riots

A US airline flight attendants’ union says its members are afraid for their safety onboard aircraft after an angry mob of rioters breached the US Capitol building in Washington, DC earlier in the day. The mob was attempting to stop the certification of the election of Joe Biden as president of the USA.

boeing building

News

Boeing confirms closure of Seattle R&D center

Boeing confirms that it intends this year to shutter a research and development site in Seattle, shifting work performed there to other locations. 

WestJet-737-Max-c-Shutterstock

News

WestJet prepares for 737 Max flights pending approval

WestJet will begin non-commercial test flights of its Boeing 737 Max aircraft during the coming weeks with the aim of having the aircraft type ready to resume revenue flights on 21 January pending approval from Transport Canada.

V2500

News

FAA requires more V2500 disk removals in response to 2020 uncontained failure

The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring airlines to remove more high-pressure turbine (HPT) disks from International Aero Engines V2500s in response to a 2020 disk failure.

xb-1-runway-pilot

News

New US regulation aims to streamline civil supersonic flight test approvals

US regulators have finalised a rule intended to ease the process by which aircraft manufacturers obtain approvals to perform supersonic aircraft flight tests.

Delta A321 640

News

Delta to install new wi-fi portal in 300 of its narrowbody jets

Delta Air Lines has inked a partnership with communications company Viasat that will deliver a new branded high-speed wi-fi portal to passengers on more than 300 of its narrowbody aircraft.

Alaska Airlines Airbus A319

News

American, Alaska ban emotional support animals inside the cabin

American Airlines and Alaska Airlines are shutting down the practice of bringing so-called “emotional support animals” (ESAs) into aircraft cabins, after the US Department of Transportation (DOT) last month gave passenger carriers the right to ban them.

Mountain Aviation Cessna Citation X. Mountain.

News

Wheels Up purchases charter company Mountain Aviation

US charter company Wheels Up continues to expand through acquisition, announcing it has purchased Colorado-based private aviation company Mountain Aviation.

B737 Max 8 cockpit-c-Max Kingsley-Jones FlighGlobal

News

Aircraft designs must better account for pilot responses: US law

The Federal Aviation Administration will soon require aircraft manufacturers to fully consider how various cockpit warnings might affect the ability of pilots to properly respond to failures.

ethiopian crash debris c Mulugeta Ayene_AP_Shutter

In depth

New law targets FAA’s self-certification system, takes aim at 737 Max lessons

The US government has ordered an “expert review” of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) programme, while also setting aside $81 million to help the FAA hire more technical staffers.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-300ER 2019

News

Delta sells seven Boeing 767-300ERs to Amazon Air

Amazon Air has purchased seven Boeing 767-300ERs from Delta Air Lines, growing its fleet as the shortage of cargo capacity during the coronavirus pandemic increases opportunities to generate revenue from air freight.

WestJet Dreamliner

News

IATA blasts Canada’s new testing rule for inbound air passengers

Airlines trade group IATA has blasted the government of Canada after it imposed new travel restrictions on inbound air passengers beginning later this week.

7500

News

Bombardier completes acquisition of Berlin service center

Bombardier has acquired 100% of an aircraft service centre in Berlin, buying out partners amid a broader effort by the Canadian company to expand its aircraft service business.

A330neo 251t-c-Airbus

News

US hits Europe with new tariffs on aircraft parts

The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has placed new tariffs on aircraft manufacturing parts as well as some alcohol products from the European Union in an ongoing transatlantic spat about aerospace subsidies.

Air Canada at Heathrow July 2019

News

Canada adds negative test to quarantine requirement for inbound travellers

The government of Canada has imposed additional travel restrictions for all inbound air passengers in a further effort to stop the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus.

United_Denver

News

United calls on US presidential transition team to restore air travel

United Airlines has appealed to advisors of US President-elect Joe Biden to set up a task force that would re-establish air travel as the global coronavirus pandemic leaves carriers to flounder amid continued depressed demand.

American-Airlines-737-MAX-Parked

News

American Airlines’ Boeing 737 Max returns to revenue service

American Airlines has become the first US carrier to conduct a revenue flight on the Boeing 737 Max aircraft following the type’s ungrounding last month.

Vapour trail emissions environment

News

US issues emissions standards for new aircraft

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has for the first time issued greenhouse gas (GHG) standards for new aircraft which, it argues, will ensure “international consistency” and give US manufacturers a “level playing field” with foreign competitors.

GooglesWing_Canberra

News

FAA publishes new rules on drone operations

The Federal Aviation Administration has published two new rules for drone operations that it says will increase safety in the fastest-growing sector of the aviation industry today. 

30438-170725-MAX-926_FINAL-web-source

News

Southwest rescinds furlough warning notices

Southwest Airlines is rescinding its warnings of imminent furloughs to almost 7,000 employees after US president Donald Trump signed a government funding bill that sets aside a second tranche of coronavirus pandemic-relief funds for US airline workers.

Delta A350 Delta-1

News

Trump signs law providing pandemic aid to US airlines

US president Donald Trump has signed a US government funding bill that sets aside a second tranche of pandemic-relief funds for US airline workers, according to a Trump administration spokesperson.

Hermes 900 Starliner UAV ELBIT

News

Canada orders Hermes 900 for environmental monitoring

Transport Canada has ordered a single Elbit Systems Hermes 900 Starliner unmanned air vehicle (UAV) to serve in the environmental monitoring mission.

Air Canada Boeing 737 Max 8

News

Air Canada Boeing 737 Max suffers engine issue on ferry flight

Air Canada says that one of its reactivated Boeing 737 Max experienced an engine issue during a repositioning flight, bringing renewed scrutiny to the beleaguered type just weeks after it was re-certificated following a 20-month grounding.

United Dreamliner

News

United to require negative covid test for US-bound passengers from the UK

United Airlines will begin requiring US-bound passengers from the UK to show proof of a negative coronavirus test result as a more virulent strain of the virus continues to tear across southern England.

challenger-350-coastline

News

Bombardier receives order for 10 Challenger 350 jets

Bombardier says it has received a firm order for 10 of its super-midsize Challenger 350 business jets, one of the largest orders of the year.

787 factory Everett

News

Boeing to speed up transfer of 787 production to South Carolina: reports

Boeing is reportedly speeding up the transfer of all 787 aircraft production to its North Charleston, South Carolina plant.

Next Generation Jammer - Low Band

News

L3Harris secures contract for new low-band jammer work

L3Harris has secured a $496 million engineering and manufacturing development contract for further work on the US Navy’s Next Generation Jammer Low Band (NGJ-LB) project.

Atlas 747-400F

News

Atlas completes transatlantic flight using sustainable aviation fuel

Cargo carrier Atlas Air Worldwide has completed a test flight from Europe to Latin America using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) sourced from fresh vegetable oil.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-400ER 2020

News

Delta, Virgin join British Airways in testing passengers from UK

Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways will join British Airways in implementing pre-departure Covid-19 testing for passengers booked on flights from the United Kingdom to the United States. 

United Dreamliner1

News

US airlines express relief at new coronavirus relief bill

US airlines have expressed relief after legislators in Washington, DC reached an agreement on a deal to extend payroll protections to aviation workers to the tune of $15 billion.

British Airways 777-300ER G-STBE

News

British Airways will test all inbound passengers to New York at governor’s request

At the request of New York’s governor Andrew Cuomo, British Airways will be testing all New-York-bound passengers from the UK prior to departure as a new, more contagious mutation of the coronavirus rages in the southwest of England.

Lockerbie cockpit

News

Third Libyan charged with Pan Am 747 bombing after 32 years

Precisely 32 years after a bomb explosion destroyed a Pan Am Boeing 747-100 over Scotland, the US government has formally charged a third person with the attack on the aircraft.

Reagan national airport

News

US lawmakers agree on long-awaited extension of financial aid

After months of negotiations, US lawmakers in Washington, DC have agreed on an additional $900 billion relief package that gives airlines $15 billion more in payroll support to help them manage through the ongoing coronavirus crisis

Cancelled flights

Opinion

How might new Covid-19 strains affect the airline industry’s outlook?

The emergence of more infectious strains of Covid-19 and the consequent restrictions placed on travel to and from the UK, Denmark and South Africa could have significant implications for the airline industry’s recovery path.

Space Launch System NASA

News

Lockheed Martin in $4.4 billion acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne

Lockheed Martin will acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne for $4.4 billion, in a bid to beef up its capabilities in advanced propulsion.

WestJet Dreamliner 2

News

Canada and other countries bar flights from UK as virus fears spike

Canadian regulators have prohibited the operation of commercial passenger flights from the UK to Canada – a move coming after the UK announced it identified a new, faster-spreading strain of the Covid-19 virus.

United 737 Max

News

United to return Boeing 737 Max to service on 11 February

United Airlines plans to bring the Boeing 737 Max aircraft back into its schedule from 11 February, with departures out of its Denver and Houston hubs.

OWG-737-400-sky-island

News

Canada’s OWG launches with initial flight to Cuba

The inaugural revenue flight of new Canadian airline OWG has taken off from Toronto’s Pearson International airport, headed to Santa Clara Abel Santamaria airport in Cuba.

ecaravan chase plane 4

News

Electric Cessna 208B suffered partial power loss during test flight

Electric propulsion company Magnix confirms that an electric-powered Cessna 208B Grand Caravan landed under degraded power after an issue with an inverter during a test flight. 

Grounded AA jets

In depth

In pictures: The airline industry’s crisis year

A year that began with plenty of reasons for optimism about the industry’s prospects quickly turned into 12 months of unprecedented challenges, dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic

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News

Faradair chooses MagniX for electric aircraft project

US electric propulsion specialist MagniX will collaborate with UK-based Faradair Aerospace to deliver an 18-seat Bio Electric Hybrid Aircraft (BEHA) by 2026, giving the sustainable aircraft sector a good-news boost during an otherwise bleak year for aerospace.

WestJet-737-Max-c-Shutterstock

News

Canada ‘validates’ Max updates ahead of January order

Canada’s civil aviation regulator has “validated” Boeing’s 737 Max updates, indicating it will lift the jet’s grounding in January.

RAF F-35B Fort Worth

News

F-35 deliveries to reach 121 units this year, Lockheed says

With just two weeks of 2020 remaining, Lockheed Martin expects to end December having delivered a total of 121 F-35 stealth fighters this year.

Easy Aerial in a box c USAF

News

US Air Force deploys first automated quadcopter for base security

The US Air Force has deployed its first automated unmanned air vehicle security system for an airbase.

george-santry-nb21jb-a320-barcode (1)

News

JetBlue expands across sun destinations

JetBlue Airways is launching a major expansion to southern sun destinations - including four new airports - in a broad effort to snag more of the vacation market from its competitors as the air travel industry slowly climbs out of its coronavirus-driven hibernation.

Mobile_1

News

United Airlines launches contact tracing for all flights

United Airlines is introducing contact tracing for all of its flights as the coronavirus pandemic continues to unsettle customers who are wary about spending time in close proximity to strangers on an airplane.

Oman Air's 1st 737 MAX. Boeing. Air Lease owned. Boeing

News

Boeing hires pilots to assist customers with Max and other models: report

A European staffing company is reportedly hiring some 160 pilots to assist Boeing’s customers with various aircraft models, including the 737 Max.

Air_Canada_Air_Canada_Announces_Amos_Kazzaz_as_Executive_Vice_Pr

News

Kazzaz to succeed Rousseau as Air Canada chief financial officer

Air Canada has named Amos Kazzaz as its new chief financial officer, replacing Michael Rousseau who will be taking the role of chief executive officer at the Montreal-based carrier in February.

Southwest 737-700 Max KJ FG

News

Southwest raises daily cash burn estimate for fourth quarter

Southwest Airlines has raised its average daily cash burn expectations for the fourth quarter as the air travel recovery stalls following exploding coronavirus case counts across the United States.

United Airlines 777-300ER

News

As vaccine shipments accelerate, Boeing and FAA highlight dry ice guidelines

As the world’s airlines begin distributing Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine to various corners of the globe, Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration are reminding carriers about dry-ice shipping guidelines.

UA_Embraer E175

News

US airlines see potential in reshaped networks

US airlines are rethinking their network strategies to get the most out of the coronavirus-driven industry shifts.

Buttigieg

In depth

Former presidential candidate Buttigieg nominated to head US DOT

US president-elect Joe Biden has nominated former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg as his choice for secretary of transportation.

Delta A350 Delta-1

News

US Congress inches closer to second round of airline aid

Airline groups are rallying behind a broadly-supported bill that would benefit airline workers by extending financial aid to struggling US carriers.

Eviation Alice

News

Eviation tweaks Alice design, aims for 2021 first flight

Eviation has tweaked the design of its Alice electric aircraft and intends to fly the model in 2021 despite a battery fire that damaged a prototype early this year.

An experimental high-speed conformal warhead awaits testing at the Holloman Air Force Base High Speed Test Track in new Mexico c AFRL

News

Air Force Research Lab demos ‘record-breaking’ scramjet and ‘high-speed’ warhead

The US Air Force Research Laboratory completed a series of “record-breaking tests” of a scramjet engine in November. The laboratory also finished sled testing a new ‘high-speed’ warhead technology.

Boeing 787-10. Boeing

News

Boeing’s 787 inventory hits 60 amid broader quality issues

Boeing’s stockpile of undelivered 787s has swelled in recent weeks as the company addresses quality issues determined to be more widespread than initially suspected.

A321LR-transat-c-Airbus-1-970

News

Transat shareholders green light discounted sale to Air Canada

Shareholders of Transat AT, parent to leisure carrier Air Transat, have approved a plan under which Transat will be sold to Air Canada at a significant discount.

American 737 Max 8 DAE

News

Lessor DAE delivers 737 Max 8 to American Airlines

Lessor Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) has delivered a Boeing 737 Max 8 to American Airlines, the first of 18 737 Max 8s acquired under a sale & leaseback (SLB) deal.

Gripen E c Saab

News

Saab offers two aerospace centres in Gripen E proposal for Canada’s Future Fighter

Saab is offering to open two new aerospace centres as part of its Gripen E proposal for Canada’s Future Fighter Capability Project.

A321LR-transat-c-Airbus-1-970

News

Transat warns of ability to remain ‘going concern’, eyes Air Canada lifeline

Transat AT, owner of Canadian leisure carrier Air Transat, has warned investors about its ability to remain in business “as a going concern” if a planned acquisition by Air Canada falls through.

pilots-c-matus-duda_shutterstock

News

FAA clears pilots to receive Pfizer vaccine

The Federal Aviation Administration is allowing pilots to receive Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine, so long as they wait 48h before returning to the cockpit.

Tamarack CJ1

News

Tamarack calls attention to factors contributing to a 2019 Cessna CJ1+ incident

Winglet maker Tamarack Aerospace is stressing that several factors other than erroneous deployment of a control surface contributed to a 2019 incident involving a Cessna Citation CJ1+.

SpaceJet-c-MitsubishiAircaft

News

Montreal’s aerospace industry to partner with Nagoya’s aviation cluster

Quebec’s aerospace industry has partnered with the aerospace cluster in Japan’s Aichi prefecture, home to Japanese aerospace company Mitsubishi Aircraft in the industrial city of Nagoya.

Boeing 737 production final assembly line in Renton, Wash

News

Return of 737 Max marks just one of Boeing’s comeback challenges for 2021

Boeing’s troubles are far from solved, but the events of 18 November 2020 at least cleared a cloud that had overshadowed the Chicago airframer for 20 months.

Airline-data

In depth

Airline coronavirus recovery tracker: December 2020 update

Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including traffic and capacity in passenger and cargo markets, airport passenger throughput, in-service and stored fleets, jet fuel costs, and share price trends for the world’s largest groups.

First Air ATR

News

Probe traces ATR terrain alert to wrong airport's weather data

Canadian investigators have traced an unexpected ground-proximity warning on a domestically-operated ATR 42-300 to an altimeter setting error triggered by an incorrect weather-data transmission.

American Airlines Airbus A321neo

News

US passenger airlines’ employment dips to lowest level in at least 30 years

Scheduled US passenger airlines cut almost 37,000 jobs in the one-month period ending mid-October, bringing that sector’s employment to the lowest level in at least 30 years, US government data shows.

pilots-c-shutterstock

News

Pilots urge FAA to fast-track approval of Covid-19 vaccine for flight crew

A top US pilot union wants to ensure pilots can get jabbed with the Covid-19 vaccine – and not lose their medical certificates. 

United Airlines 777-300ER

News

United to invest in ‘direct air capture’ as it makes 2050 carbon-neutral pledge

United Airlines has unveiled an effort to become carbon neutral by 2050 through investments in a process that strips CO2 from air and deposits it underground.

c919

News

‘Sledgehammer’ sanctions on Comac will harm US more: think-tank

A senior advisor at a US think-tank has criticised potential sanctions against Chinese airframer Comac as being more detrimental to the US aerospace industry than their intended target, China. 

Thomson 787-c-Boeing

News

UK risks friction as it drops tariffs on Boeing jets in bid to end WTO spat

Boeing and Airbus’s long-running transatlantic dispute over government subsidies to their civil aircraft development industries has taken a new turn following the UK government’s unilateral decision to suspend tariffs on the US airframer’s aircraft imports.

JetBlue cleaning during Covid (c) JetBlue

News

Lawmakers propose second round of airline funding

A bipartisan group of lawmakers have proposed a second coronavirus relief package that would provide airlines and airports with another round of pandemic-relief funding.

Ampaire-Maui-001

News

Ampaire demonstrates hybrid-electric Cessna on flight across Maui

Electric aircraft company Ampaire has flown its hybrid-electric powered Cessna 337 Skymaster on what it calls an “actual airline route”, between two of Hawaii’s islands.

Joby Aviation

News

Joby Aviation to acquire Uber Elevate

Joby Aviation has entered a deal to acquire Uber Elevate, with Uber to also invest $75 million into the California-based developer of small electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles for taxi services.

United 737 Max

News

Boeing resumes Max deliveries as United receives new jet

Boeing has resumed deliveries of the 737 Max, with United Airlines receiving an aircraft on 8 December, the carrier confirms.

Icelandair Boeing 757-200

News

Boeing needs to develop a smaller mid-market aircraft: analysts

Competitive pressure will require that Boeing move forward with developing a mid-market aircraft. But that jet must be smaller than the concept Boeing had previously been studying, aerospace analysts say.

Boeing 787-10

News

Boeing logs more Max cancellations in November as deliveries slow

Boeing recorded 88 cancellations for the 737 Max in November, and delivered just seven jets, as the coronavirus pandemic continued hammering the commercial aviation market.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Los Angeles airport

News

Montana to succeed Weir as American Airlines’ treasurer

American Airlines’ former assistant treasurer Meghan Montana has succeeded Tom Weir as vice-president and treasurer, the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline says.

CL-515 -c-Viking Air

News

Viking pushes back ‘formal launch’ of CL-515 water bomber

Canadian airframer Viking Air confirms it has delayed the launch of its CL-515 First Responder aerial firefighter aircraft, citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Los Angeles airport

Analysis

Liquidity still US carriers’ focus despite vaccine news

US airline executives’ attempts during their third-quarter earnings calls to shift the narrative from liquidity levels to visions of a cash-positive recovery had an air of wishful thinking.

R-R 787 close-up

News

Boeing trims 787 production again, as undelivered inventory climbs

Boeing has cut its planned 2021 787 production from six to five jets monthly in response to the long-haul air travel sector’s lack of recovery.

EWR airport security 042420 Coronavirus. P. Wolfsteller

News

US airlines hike Q4 cash burn estimates

US airlines are warning that exploding coronavirus case counts across the country have sparked a new wave of cancellations which will negatively affect their business in the current quarter, including expectations of higher-than-previously-forecasted cash burn.

Traveller-mask-c-Shutterstock

Opinion

Bubbles, testing, vaccines, quarantines: airlines brace for complicated 2021

There is a high risk that a reduction in the threat posed by Covid-19 might only further expose a messy operating environment for international travel, stymieing the sector’s ability to take advantage of the virus’s reduced prevalence. 

Boeing 787-10-c-Boeing

News

FAA order targets 787 localiser-capture issues

The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring 787 operators to update aircraft flight manuals to include new localizer-approach procedures.

30438-170725-MAX-926_FINAL-web-source

News

Southwest warns 6,828 employees of impending job losses

Southwest Airlines has warned 6,828 employees that their jobs may be at risk, the first large-scale involuntary furlough scheme at the company since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis.

dave-calhoun Boeing

News

Boeing positions Ryanair deal as 'momentum' ahead of optimistic 2021

Boeing’s executives are describing Ryanair’s new 737 Max order as a turning point for the troubled Max programme and indicative of a faster-than-expected airline sector recovery.

Delta A350

News

Delta introduces contact tracing for international travellers

Delta Air Lines is the first major US carrier to introduce contact tracing for passengers arriving from overseas.

decadeofairlineexcellenc-withborder

News

Delta wins Decade of Airline Excellence Award for North America region

Recipient of the Decade of Airline Excellence Award for the North America region, sponsored by Pratt & Whitney, and the overall winner.

Ryanair 737 Max

News

Boeing to stick with 'Max'

Boeing has no intention to stop calling its latest 737 the “Max”.

American-Airlines-737-MAX-Parked

News

To boost confidence, American offers five employee-only flights in the Boeing 737 Max

American Airlines plans to operate five employee-only flights in the newly re-certificated Boeing 737 Max ahead of its first scheduled passenger revenue flight on 29 December.

Tamarack CJ1

News

Winglet maker Tamarack expands with new South Carolina install site

Business-aircraft winglet manufacturer Tamarack Aerospace has opened a new installation facility in South Carolina, adding a third such installation site to the company’s footprint.

Flybaboo dog W450

News

No more emotional-support peacocks inside the cabin: DOT

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) says airlines may ban almost all so-called “emotional support animals” (ESAs) inside the aircraft cabin, putting an end to passengers bringing unusual and sometimes intimidating creatures with them on their travels.

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News

Business aviation showing improvement as 2020 ends: Honeywell

The business aircraft sector has improved in the back half of 2020 but flight hours this year will still be down some 30% from 2019 levels, says Honeywell Aerospace chief executive Mike Madsen.

Hangar_Front

News

Collins targets clean-cabin technologies, eyes supersonic future

Amid the pandemic, Collins Aerospace continues to invest in supersonic aircraft technology while eyeing aspects of business and commercial aviation that will be “systematically” changed by Covid-19

GOL-Boeing -737-Max-c-Alexandro-Dias_Creative-Commons

Analysis

What challenges do airlines face as they reintroduce Boeing 737 Max jets?

With the US Federal Aviation Administration’s long-awaited recertification of the Boeing 737 Max being swiftly followed by the same from Brazil’s ANAC, carriers in the Americas are preparing to reintroduce the narrowbody type to paying passengers.

F-35 simulator c Lockheed Martin

News

Lockheed Martin moves to connect USAF F-35 simulators in USA and UK in 2021

Lockheed Martin plans to connect full-mission simulators in the USA and in the UK at RAF Lakenheath through a software upgrade starting in 2021, allowing US Air Force pilots to virtually train with one another across international borders.

boeing building

News

Boeing Capital gets boost with $5bn commitment from Castlelake

Investment company Castlelake has agreed to provide Boeing’s customers with up to $5 billion in financing for the purchase of new jets.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-300ER 2019

News

US lawmakers reportedly earmark $17b for airlines in new coronavirus stimulus package

US lawmakers in Washington, DC have submitted a bi-partisan relief package worth $908 billion to extend coronavirus-crisis-driven financial aid after the previous bill, called the CARES Act, expired on 1 October.

Hawaiian A321neo

News

Hawaiian cuts service as Kauai opts out of pre-travel testing

The popular Hawaiian tourist destination Kauai has opted out of the state’s pre-travel coronavirus testing programme and re-imposed a mandatory quarantine for all inbound passengers, once again disrupting Hawaiian Airlines’ return to normal service.

Steve Udvar-Hazy, Air Lease

Interview

Udvar-Hazy talks recent travel, 2021 rebound and demand for Boeing’s 737 Max

Air Lease chairman Steven Udvar-Hazy thinks demand for new jets will boom post-Covid, thinks Boeing’s next move must leapfrog Airbus

Embraer_ERJ-145

News

Embraer to allow ERJ-145 operators to install HEPA filters

Embraer has issued a service bulletin allowing operators of its 50-seat ERJ-145 regional jet to install high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, with the first kits to be delivered by next month.

F-35A nuclear weapon november 2020

News

F-35A drops inert nuclear bomb for first time

The Lockheed Martin F-35A has operated a flight test involving the dropping of a mock B61-12 nuclear bomb.

Aircraft taxiing

News

Airport slots board requests summer 2021 relief from 80:20 rule

Airports, airlines and slot coordinators have joined forces to call for some relief on slot rules during the northern hemisphere’s summer 2021 season.

B-1B Captive Carry

News

B-1B pylon work sets stage for hypersonic weapons carriage

A Boeing B-1B has performed a captive carry test that could pave the way for the swing-wing type to carry hypersonic missiles externally.

CMV-22B Osprey

News

​CMV-22B Osprey in maiden flight to an aircraft carrier

The US Navy (USN) has conducted the first landing and refuelling of a Bell Boeing CMV-22B Osprey aboard an aircraft carrier.

first-A220-mobile-first-flight. Airbus

News

Delta pilots agree to pay cuts to avoid furloughs through 2021

Pilots at Delta Air Lines have agreed to cost-cutting measures that will prevent involuntary furloughs of cockpit crew through the end of 2021.

China-Southern-Airlines-c-Shutterstock

News

Covid impact sees China shoot up global airline connectivity ranking

The latest air connectivity ranking from IATA shows how China’s large domestic airline market – and the country’s apparent success in controlling the spread of Covid-19 – has boosted its fortunes versus other markets.

Tru Sim 737Max simulator

News

CAE to buy Tru Simulation’s non-US assets from Textron

Canadian flight training company CAE has agreed to buy Tru Simulation and Training’s non-US assets from US conglomerate Textron for $40 million.

Sustainable-fuel-c-Neste

News

IATA puts faith in sustainable aviation fuels

IATA is urging governments to promote sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as a critical tool to enabling the industry to halve its CO2 emissions against 2005 levels by 2050.

Ghebreyesus

News

No one-size-fits-all answer to testing airline passengers: WHO chief

The testing of international travellers for Covid-19 must not take resources away from higher-priority areas and should be tailored to each country’s need, in the view of World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

AA CRJ900 DFW

News

Mesa will operate 40 CRJ900s for American Airlines

Mesa Air Group, the parent company of Mesa Airlines has signed a new five-year contract with American Airlines to operate 40 Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft for the Fort-Worth-based carrier beginning on 1 January.

CargoLogicAir - 747-8F

News

Pandemic’s effect on converted freighters led Boeing to trim 20-year cargo outlook

A pandemic-caused surge in conversions of younger passenger jets to freighters is among reasons why Boeing cut its 20-year cargo-jet forecast.

737 Max-c-Boeing

News

How EASA’s 737 Max requirements differ from the US FAA’s

While the European airworthiness directive to modify the Boeing 737 Max for return-to-service are the same as those issued by the US FAA, some of the operational requirements will differ.

China Eastern generic

Analysis

Asian and North American airlines to lead recovery but all regions loss-making in 2021

IATA expects airlines in Asia-Pacific and North America to lead the recovery in 2021 aided by strong domestic markets, though it still sees all regions loss-making as international passenger markets struggle to recover from the pandemic.

Willie-Walsh-c-Ed-Telling-Photography

News

Governments beware: Walsh promises ‘different style’ as IATA leader

Former IAG chief Willie Walsh has promised a “different style” of leadership when he takes over from Alexandre de Juniac as the director general of IATA in April 2021 – particularly when it comes to working with governments. 

IATA-AGM

News

‘When the house is on fire, you don’t pontificate’: IATA chief

IATA is working full-out to secure further government financial support for struggling airlines, alongside the introduction of Covid-19 testing regimes to reopen borders, Alexandre de Juniac explained in his final AGM as IATA director general today.

IATA

News

IATA deepens airline net loss forecast for 2020 to $118bn

IATA now expects the global airline industry to record a net loss of $118 billion in 2020, some $34 billion deeper than the figure it projected in June.

IATA-Media-Day-2019

In depth

A year in headlines: IATA grapples with airline industry’s gravest crisis

In this timeline, we recall some of industry body’s key moments from an unprecedented period for airlines and the wider travel sector

Alaska Airlines Airbus A320

News

Alaska to swap Airbus A320s for Boeing 737 Max

Alaska Airlines will sell 10 of its Airbus A320s, shifting to 13 more-fuel-efficient leased Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft which will be delivered from the end of 2021 through 2022.

Lara-c-IATA

News

Flexibility on airport slots should be extended to summer 2021: IATA

The suspension of the 80:20 ‘use it or lose it’ rule on slots should be extended into the 2021 summer season and possibly beyond, in the view of IATA’s head of worldwide airport slots Lara Maughan.

Istanbul airport

News

IATA to launch health passport in push to reopen international travel

IATA is close to launching a digital health passport that it believes will aid the reopening of borders to international travel through the secure sharing of information on Covid-19 testing and vaccinations.

Aireen-Omar-c-World-Economic-Forum

In depth

Women have 14% of top airline jobs in slow trend towards parity

FlightGlobal’s survey of the crisis-hit airline industry reveals progress has been made on improving the C-suite gender balance over the past 12 months – but from a low base

Parked-WestJet-c-WestJet

News

Delta and WestJet withdraw joint venture application

Delta Air Lines and Canada’s WestJet have withdrawn their application for a transborder joint venture saying the conditions imposed by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for antitrust immunity (ATI) approval are “arbitrary and capricious”.

Delta Air Lines Airbus A220-100

News

Delta and Aeromexico see recovery in transborder flights

Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico plan to operate nearly the same amount of capacity for transborder flights in December as they did during the same month of 2019.

Michael Gill

Interview

Crisis CO2 levels highlight scale of airline challenge: IATA sustainability chief

The huge reduction in emissions from commercial airlines in 2020 paradoxically highlights the scale of the challenge ahead for the industry to meet its sustainability targets, according to IATA’s director of aviation environment, Michael Gill.

Eviation Alice

News

Eviation Alice fire involved lithium-ion batteries which ignited after hours of powerplant tests

A January blaze that severely damaged Eviation’s Alice prototype ignited after hours of powerplant testing, involved lithium-ion batteries and forced the aircraft’s three occupants to evacuate, according to detail contained in fire incident reports.

trifan 200

News

XTI teams up with VerdeGo for unmanned autonomous VTOL

XTI Aircraft has teamed up with VerdeGo Aero to build the TriFan 200, an unmanned, autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft.

American Airlines Boeing 787

News

American axes change fees on long-haul international travel

American Airlines has become the first major US carrier to eliminate change fees on many long-haul international fares, matching its earlier policy change on domestic trips as customers continue to stay away from air travel due to restrictions and public health warnings.

30438-170725-MAX-926_FINAL-web-source

News

Southwest expects passengers will accept re-certificated Boeing 737 Max

Southwest Airlines expects there will be a “minority” of passengers who will opt not to travel on the newly re-certificated Boeing 737 Max due to ongoing fears about the aircraft’s safety.

Teara Fraser_Photo Credit Rob Kruyt (1)

News

Pilot, leader, proud Metis woman, Teara Fraser

Teara Fraser, founder and chief executive of the first indigenous-woman-owned airline, tells the story of how earning her wings helped her connect to the land of her ancestors

Boeing 737 Max test flight

Analysis

Questions persist after 737 Max recertification

The grounding of Boeing 737 Max aircraft highlighted doubts about the effectiveness of US Federal Aviation Administration oversight. The FAA’s end of the Max flight ban on 18 November leaves families of Max crash victims unsatisfied and Congress trying to pass aircraft certification reform.

United 737 Max 9 970x550

News

US pilot unions satisfied with Boeing 737 Max improvements

US pilot unions say they are satisfied with the improvements to the Boeing 737 Max that led the Federal Aviation Administration to unground the aircraft and open a path for it to return to the airlines’ respective operating fleets.

GOL_MAX1-c-Boeing

News

FAA’s Dickson suspects Canada, Brazil and Europe will clear Boeing 737 Max within days

Aviation regulators in Brazil, Europe and Canada could within days follow the Federal Aviation Administration’s lead in lifting the Boeing 737 Max’s grounding, says FAA chief Steve Dickson.

FAA administrator Steve Dickson

News

FAA chief vouches for safety of Boeing 737 Max, cites ongoing pilot-training concern

Federal Aviation Administration chief Steve Dickson insists Boeing’s 737 Max has been made safe but concedes flaws in the process by which the Max was initially certificated.

Delta Air Lines passenger cabin mask Covid coronavirus

News

Delta to continue blocking middle seats through March

Delta Air Lines will continue to block middle seats in its economy class through the first quarter of next year, the only major carrier in North America to do so.

Boeing 737NG sim

News

In clearing Boeing’s 737 Max, FAA eyes 737NG updates

The Federal Aviation Administration may require Boeing 737NG flight manuals to include updates now required for 737 Max manuals.

737 Max Southwest Airlines

News

Airlines gear up to return Boeing 737 Max into fleet

American Airlines will lead the way in bringing the newly re-certificated Boeing 737 Max aircraft back into its schedule after the Federal Aviation Administration gave the jet the green light to start flying again.

B737 Max 8 cockpit-c-Max Kingsley-Jones FlighGlobal

News

How Boeing 737 Max flight computers now handle angle-of-attack failures

The Federal Aviation Administration has provided more insight into how updated flight computers on Boeing’s 737 Max respond to angle-of-attack (AoA) indicator failures.

WestJet-737-Max-c-Shutterstock

News

Canada’s 737 Max certification coming ‘soon’ but with different requirements

Canada’s transport minister has signaled his country will “soon” follow the USA in certificating the Boeing 737 Max.

American Max

News

Boeing 737 Max cleared to fly again after 20-month grounding

The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared the Boeing 737 Max to fly, a move coming 20 months after regulators grounded the jet following two crashes that killed 346 people.

Air cargo

News

US-UK air services pact gives US cargo operators additional rights

The air services agreement signed by the US and the UK provides US cargo operators new rights that they did not have in the previous agreement with the European Union.

American at DFW_1Oct2020

News

American, British Airways launch pre-departure coronavirus testing programme

American Airlines and British Airways will collaborate to launch pre-departure free coronavirus testing on some flights between the United States and the United Kingdom.

Kratos Aircrew Combat Mission Training system for UH-1

News

Kratos upgrades mixed-reality helicopter trainer to simulate aerial assaults

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has launched a new upgrade to its mixed-reality helicopter aircrew training system.

FedEx 767F. FedEx

News

Pandemic drives cargo yields higher amid demand for cargo jets: Boeing report

The air cargo segment has been a rare beneficiary, with e-commerce sales and scarcity of widebody passenger jets driving up cargo yields and demand for cargo jets.

Boom Supersonic Overture

News

Collins to develop nacelles for Boom’s in-development Overture supersonic jet

Collins Aerospace is the latest supplier to join up with Boom Supersonic, having signed an agreement to help develop nacelles and other structures for Boom’s conceptual ultra-fast airliner Overture.

Maxes at Renton-c-VDB Photo_Shutterstock

News

Boeing 737 Max to be inspected for foreign object debris prior to service return

All Boeing 737 Max will be inspected for foreign object debris (FOD) prior to returning to revenue service, according to Boeing.

United Covid testing EWR_16Nov2020

News

United launches free coronavirus tests ahead of flights to London

United Airlines has begun offering free coronavirus tests for customers travelling from the carrier’s New York-area hub to London.

aerlingus_459108125667371

News

DOT clears Aer Lingus’ entry into transatlantic joint venture

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has tentatively approved Aer Lingus’ entry to an existing joint business that includes American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia and Finnair.

Leonardo TH-73A c Leonardo

News

US Navy orders second batch of TH-73A training helicopters from Leonardo

The US Navy has awarded Leonardo a $171 million firm-fixed price contract for 36 more examples of the TH-73A trainer helicopter.

Hawaiian 767-640px

News

Hawaiian Airlines’ frequent travellers can redeem miles for Covid test

Hawaiian Airlines says that frequent fliers can redeem air miles to pay for a coronavirus test that would allow them to bypass the state’s 14-day mandatory quarantine.

jetblue tail fins

News

JetBlue will stop blocking middle seats in January

JetBlue Airways is the latest US carrier to announce plans to unblock middle seats, citing research showing passengers face a low risk of catching coronavirus on an aircraft.

American Max

News

American eyes 737 Max delivery deferrals

American Airlines expects to defer Boeing 737 Max deliveries in the coming years but still anticipates acquiring some new Max from Boeing this year.

Chicago O'Hare airport 082520. Pilar Wolfsteller-2

News

US airlines expect nearly 40% Thanksgiving air travel slump

US airlines trade group Airlines for America (A4A) expects 39% fewer passengers during this year’s Thanksgiving holiday period which will be characterized by markedly different travel patterns as the country is experiencing a widespread third wave of coronavirus infections.

ORD 082420. Wolfsteller.

News

Variety of Covid-19 entry requirements baffles US travellers

US airline customers tend to get confused about region-by-region and state-by-state Covid-19 entry requirements when searching for flights to leisure destinations, often leading them to take the path of least resistance and book flights to Florida beaches, American Airlines’ chief revenue officer Vasu Raja has observed.

Robin Hayes JetBlue

News

JetBlue chief views 2021 as ‘perfect time’ for London launch

JetBlue Airways plans to launch transatlantic services in the second half of 2021 amid what it expects to be a resurgence in demand for air travel, according to the airline’s chief executive Robin Hayes.

E195-E2 First Flight

News

Embraer cuts jobs, restructures and lays out recovery plan as losses mount

Embraer continues restructuring its operation and cutting costs as it aims to return to growth after 2021.

United Airlines Boeing 767-300ER 2019

Analysis

United Airlines returns to New York’s JFK airport

United Airlines will return to New York’s John F Kennedy International airport in early 2021 with flights to the US West Coast, aiming to benefit from new trends in travel following the coronavirus crisis.

boeing building

News

Max cancellations inch up in October as Boeing lands no new orders

In October, Boeing lost another 12 orders for the 737 and received no new commitments for any commercial aircraft type, while deliveries inched up to 13 jets.

FAA Max flight tests_1July

News

FAA to complete 737 Max review in ‘coming days’

The Federal Aviation Administration expects “in the coming days” to complete its review of Boeing’s changes to the 737 Max, signaling it may soon clear the Max to fly.

Northrop Grumman flew the open mission system-compliant advanced sensor on its CRJ testbed aircraft

News

Northrop, Boeing AEW&C work demonstrates open mission system potential

Northrop Grumman and Boeing have demonstrated an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar optimised as an open mission system connecting with an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system in recent ground and flight tests.

Leap-1B-c-Max Kingsley-Jones+FlightGlobal-web

News

Air Lease removed 14 more 737 Max from its order commitments in Q3

Aircraft lessor and top Boeing customer Air Lease slashed its 737 Max order book by 14 aircraft in the third quarter, bringing its year-to-date cancellations of the type to 19.

Virus-mask-airport-travel

News

Promise of Covid vaccine sends aerospace stocks soaring on 9 November

Aerospace stocks surged on 9 November following news about a promising coronavirus vaccine under development by pharmaceutical company Pfizer.

Steve Udvar-Hazy, Air Lease

News

Air Lease execs doubt Boeing might soon launch new jet

Air Lease executive chair Steven Udvar-Hazy doubts Boeing is anywhere close to launching a new commercial aircraft programme, countering recent media reports suggesting otherwise.

Boeing 787-10-c-Boeing

News

EU strikes back in subsidy dispute with 15% duty on Boeing jets

Boeing aircraft imported to the European Union are to carry a 15% tariff after European regulators imposed their own countermeasures in the long-running transatlantic subsidies dispute.

Whitehorse_Airport,_Yukon_Territory

News

Canada supports essential air service in Yukon

The government of Canada has signed a new agreement to support essential air services to remote communities in the far-northwestern province of Yukon.

Sunwing2

News

Sunwing restarts operations after 230 days

Canada’s Sunwing Airlines began flying last week after 230 days during which the holiday specialist had grounded its fleet in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Air Canada_A220-300-2

News

Air Canada reports Q3 loss, defers aircraft deliveries

Air Canada reported another quarterly loss as it continues to shrink its fleet and defer aircraft deliveries amid a slow recovery hindered by ongoing strict travel restrictions in the country.

United Airlines 777-300ER

News

United adds 1,400 flights ahead of the US Thanksgiving holiday

United Airlines is adding 1,400 flights ahead of the all-important Thanksgiving holiday weekend as US leisure travellers prepare to visit family and friends in other parts of the country, many for the first time since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

Alaska president Minicucci (left) and CEO Tilden. Alaska

News

Minicucci to succeed Tilden as Alaska chief executive next year

Alaska Air Group chief executive Brad Tilden is to step down from the role on 31 March 2021 to be succeeded by Alaska Airlines’ president and long-time company veteran Ben Minicucci.

Cancelled flights

Opinion

Positive vaccine news comes just as airline industry needed it the most

Carriers in the northern hemisphere are heading into a winter season that is likely to be bleaker than even their worst pre-pandemic nightmares could have imagined.

Air Canada B787-9-Rockies

News

Canada considers financial aid for aviation industry

The government of Canada has said it is considering financial aid for that country’s aerospace industry, as the coronavirus crisis drags on.

An HH-60W Jolly Green II taxis at Moody Air Force Base Georgia c USAF

News

US Air Force receives first two Sikorsky HH-60W combat rescue helicopters

The US Air Force received its first pair of Sikorsky HH-60W combat rescue helicopters at Moody AFB on 5 November.

Qatar Executive G650ER

News

Triumph completed G650 wing work sale to Gulfstream in August

Aerospace company Triumph Group confirms that in August it completed a planned sale of G650 wing work Gulfstream for proceeds of $52 million.

Van-Nuys-airport_5Nov2020

News

Hot pursuit: car chase at Van Nuys airport disrupts operations

A car breached security at Los Angeles-area Van Nuys airport, leading police on a high-speed car chase across a runway, several taxiways, the apron and through the field’s perimeter fence before the driver surrendered.

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News

Southwest plans to furlough 42 workers after cost-cutting talks break down

Southwest Airlines has warned a group of employees that their jobs are in danger after talks with the workers’ union about cost-cutting measures across the company broke down.

boeing building

News

Former SpaceX, Tesla engineer to lead Boeing’s software team

Boeing has hired a former SpaceX and Tesla executive with autonomous technology experience to lead its software development team.

747 airborne-c-TH Chia Unsplash

News

Unusual airworthiness concerns arise for pandemic-struck fleets

US and European safety regulators are having to address a number of potential airworthiness concerns arising from the unusual circumstances created by the coronavirus pandemic, as aircraft are retrieved from storage or treated in the course of operations.

FAA Max flight tests_1July

News

Lawsuit seeks to force release of FAA’s 737 Max ‘ungrounding’ documents

A US advocacy group has asked a federal judge to order the Federal Aviation Administration to release some 100 documents related to the agency’s pending re-certification of the Boeing 737 Max.

Garuda CRJ1000-c-Bombardier

News

UK fraud investigators probe Bombardier over Garuda Indonesia deals

UK fraud investigators are probing aircraft manufacturer Bombardier over contracts relating to Asian carrier Garuda Indonesia.

Global 7500 flying

News

Bombardier plans restructuring as it transitions to aviation-only company

Bombardier has broadly laid out a plan to return to profitability in the coming years as a standalone aviation company that will deliver 100 to 120 business jets annually.

UltraFan

News

Aero engine makers shrink to survive, putting development projects in doubt

Just how significantly the coronavirus pandemic has hammered aircraft engine makers came starkly into view in recent weeks, when several top manufacturers disclosed third-quarter results. Whether this will affect future disruptive initiatives remains to be seen

Airport passenger

News

Airline passenger demand ‘hit wall’ in September: IATA

Weak international travel demand continued to weigh heavily on the airline industry’s performance in September, according to the latest data from IATA.

Airline-data

In depth

Airline coronavirus recovery tracker: November 2020 update

Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including traffic and capacity in passenger and cargo markets, airport passenger throughput, in-service and stored fleets, jet fuel costs, and share price trends for the world’s largest groups.

Insight Spirit AeroSystems

News

Spirit AeroSystems aims for 10-monthly 737 rate in early 2021

Spirit AeroSystems intends to produce 737 fuselages at a rate of 10 monthly starting in January 2021 – a rate that would allow the company to burn down its inventory of finished fuselages.

Spirit AeroSystems Campus

News

Spirit AeroSystems reports $156m Q3 loss

Wichita-based aerostructures manufacturer Spirit AeroSystems lost $156 million in the third quarter of 2020 amid tumbling revenue resulting from the dual pressures of the pandemic and Boeing 737 Max grounding.

Air Canada Rouge Airbus A321

News

Air Canada Rouge relaunches with Cancun flight

Air Canada Rouge on 2 November flew passengers from Toronto to Cancun, Mexico, marking the first time it has operated since the start of the coronavirus pandemic travel downturn in March.

american-airlines-tail

News

American expands pre-flight testing programme

American Airlines has expanded its pre-flight coronavirus testing programme, hoping to inspire customers’ confidence to return to air travel.

Trump Xi

News

Trump or Biden: How might aerospace fare?

How might a Joe Biden presidency impact the aerospace sector differently than another four years with President Donald Trump in the White House?

King Air 350ER for Canadian National Defence c L3Harris

News

Canadian National Defence orders three King Air 350ERs for special ops recon

The Canadian Department of National Defence awarded L3Harris Technologies a firm-fixed price contract of an undisclosed amount to modify three King Air 350ERs into intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for the country’s special operations forces.

Airborne Express (retro livery Sep 2020)

News

ATSG turns Q3 profit as it steps up 767 freighter deployments

Air Transport Services Group made an operating profit of $74 million in the third quarter, up 80% year on year, as it deployed seven Boeing 767 freighters to leasing customers to capitalise on the demand for cargo aircraft amid the pandemic.

USAF Boeing KC-46

News

Boeing lands contract for two more JASDF KC-46s

Boeing has secured a contract for the third and fourth KC-46 aerial tankers for the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF).

Boeing 747-8F Freighter

News

Cargo pilots’ union blasts UPS for inadequate coronavirus protections

The head of the Independent Pilots Association, the union representing pilots at international cargo carrier UPS Airlines, says that the coronavirus could have a “significant impact” on the airline’s operations and sharply criticises the company for neglecting to keep cockpit crew safe from the highly-contagious virus.

Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-200 2019

News

Delta and its pilot union reach agreement to avoid furloughs

Delta Air Lines has reached a tentative deal with its pilot union to avoid furloughs at the Atlanta-based carrier until 2022.

Textron SkyCourier fuselage and wing mating

News

Textron Aviation posts Q3 loss but aims to turn profitable in Q4

Textron Aviation lost $29 million in the third-quarter, but executives predict the aircraft manufacturer will regain profitability in the final quarter of 2020.

A high altitude airdrop of palletized munitions (JASSM simulants) from a C-17 using standard operational airdrop procedures c USAF

News

Lockheed Martin to support JASSM-ER launch demonstrations from cargo aircraft

The US Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $25 million contract to help with the service’s Palletized Munitions Experimentation Campaign, an effort to test the feasibility of launching cruise missiles from the back of cargo aircraft.

Spirit_A319_Exterior_2_NewLivery

News

Spirit Airlines reports Q3 loss, anticipates more end-of-year travel

Spirit Airlines reports lower third-quarter results and is preparing for a significant upturn as leisure travellers look to the end-of-year holidays to begin to alleviate their pent-up demand for cheap, safe travel to visit family and friends.

737 Renton line

News

Boeing CEO downplays 737 production-site shift, office space cuts coming

Boeing’s chief executive has downplayed the likelihood that the company might move 737 manufacturing from Renton to Everett as part of a broader corporate-wide restructuring.

KC-46A with F-16

News

Boeing takes $67m loss on KC-46 tanker, but sees reason for optimism

Boeing has taken another multimillion dollar charge on the KC-46A Pegasus in-flight refueling tanker, but believes the programme is beginning to “clear the hurdle” in terms of how the US Air Force (USAF) views its manufacturing performance.

Allegiant first new A320 from Airbus Mobile

News

Allegiant Q3 results up as the airline is “flirting with break-even”

Allegiant Travel Company, the parent of ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air, is “flirting with break-even” as point-to-point leisure travel rebounds faster than other parts of the aviation industry after it came to a near-standstill earlier this year.

Kalitta-Air-777-300ERSF-in-flight. GECAS

News

Kalitta to be launch operator of 777-300ERSF converted freighter

Kalitta Air will be the first airline to operate the Boeing 777-300ERSF, a converted freighter being developed by lessor GECAS and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

nma-ga

News

Boeing assessing technologies for next commercial jet: CEO

Boeing continues working toward development of a new commercial aircraft, though chief executive David Calhoun has disclosed few details.

Max grounded in Washington

News

Boeing revises 2021 737 Max delivery pace, reflecting depressed demand

The company now anticipates that next year it will deliver about half of the 450 Max it stockpiled amid the type’s grounding, chief financial officer Greg Smith says on 28 October.

Southwest Airlines Tennessee One Aug 2020

News

Southwest’s O’Hare service to take flight on Valentine’s Day

Southwest Airlines will commence operating flights for its new Chicago O’Hare service on 14 February, with 20 total departures to Nashville, Baltimore/Washington International, Denver, Dallas Love Field and Phoenix.

Boeing 777X 777-9

News

Boeing sticks to 2022 777X delivery goal as CEO warns of schedule ‘risk’

Though Boeing continues working toward delivering the first 777-9 in 2022, the company’s chief executive has warned about potential further changes to the timeline.

Maxes at Renton-c-VDB Photo_Shutterstock

News

Boeing sees nine-month losses balloon to $3.5 billion

Boeing lost $466 million in the third quarter of 2020, bringing the company’s losses in the first nine months of 2020 to $3.5 billion.

777X test aircraft gets GE9X-1-640px

News

Third-quarter profits tumble at GE Aviation on sliding engine sales and aftermarket work

GE Aviation saw third-quarter operating profit plunge by 79% year on year, to $356 million, amid tumbling demand for aircraft engines and aftermarket services.

Boeing 787-9 Hawaiian Air

News

Hawaiian posts $97m Q3 loss, details 787 delivery delays

Hawaiian Airlines posted a $97 million loss in the third quarter, as the state’s coronavirus-driven quarantine requirements hampered air travel demand – and the airline’s recovery.

A320neo P&W engines 640 c Airbus

News

More aircraft production rate cuts coming? Perhaps, analysts say

Some financial analysts suspect airframers might further cut aircraft production in 2021 owing to the depth of the pandemic-driven aerospace downturn.

blue-sapphire

News

JetBlue reports sharply lower Q3 but sees leisure rebound

JetBlue Airways reported sharply declining third-quarter financial results but remains optimistic that the coming weeks will bring recovery as customers begin planning travel for the end-of-year holiday season.

PW1100G on A320neo.

News

P&W ships more commercial engines in Q3, eyes lower-cost production in Asheville

Pratt & Whitney shipped 114 large commercial aircraft engines in the third quarter of 2020, up slightly from the previous period.

Brian Pearce, IATA

News

Airline cash burn to continue throughout 2021: IATA

Airlines will struggle to cut unit costs sufficiently to prevent cash burn continuing throughout 2021, based on current demand assumptions, according to IATA.

US - Middletown

News

Raytheon turns third-quarter profit amid layoffs and depressed aftermarket demand

Raytheon Technologies’ commercial aerospace businesses continued to struggle in the third quarter of 2020, though the company’s Collins Aerospace unit did swing to an operating profit.

SLAM ER being loaded c US Navy

News

China to sanction Boeing Defense, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin over Taiwan weapons sale

China plans to sanction Boeing Defense, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin over a possible $1.8 billion Foreign Military Sales package for Taiwan.

De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 Ethiopian Airlines

News

De Havilland delivers another two Dash 8-400s to Ethiopian

De Havilland Canada has delivered another two Dash 8-400s to Ethiopian Airlines, bringing to 30 the number of the turboprops received by Ethiopian and its affiliates.

Southwest 737-700 Max KJ FG

Analysis

Southwest flirts with Airbus in fleet renewal

Southwest Airlines, an all-Boeing carrier since its inception almost 50 years ago, is again flirting with the idea buying aircraft from a competing airframer.

ERJ excursion title

News

American Eagle ERJ-145 damaged in Bahamas excursion

Investigators in the Bahamas are probing a runway excursion involving an American Eagle service from Miami which badly damaged the aircraft.

737-800 WestJet

News

US DOT approves WestJet-Delta transborder joint venture

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has tentatively approved a joint venture application from Delta Air Lines and Canada’s WestJet for transborder travel, under certain conditions.

UA_Embraer 175

News

United extends point-to-point flights to Florida

In an effort to capture more of the leisure travel market while keeping its fleet active, United Airlines will extend its offering of point-to-point connections between the Northeast and Midwest USA to Florida beyond the winter holiday season.

first-A220-mobile-first-flight. Airbus

News

Airbus Mobile plant delivers first US-built A220, to Delta

Airbus has delivered the first US-built A220, handing over an A220-300 to Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines.

Southwest 737 Max 8

News

Southwest reports record loss, addresses fleet changes and travel rebound

Southwest Airlines, the last of the four major US airlines to report third-quarter results, posted a record loss for the period but remains optimistic that the worst of the downturn has passed and that demand is rebounding.

WestJet

News

Alberta to ease quarantine requirements to passengers arriving in Calgary

Canada has taken the first tentative steps of easing its coronavirus quarantine rules, rolling out a programme aimed at allowing air passengers arriving in Calgary to sidestep quarantine requirements.

American Airlines Boeing 787

News

American posts $2.4bn loss in Q3, retires all A330s

American Airlines reported a staggering third-quarter loss and announced additional fleet retirements as it joins industry peers in lurching toward a new normal following the shock of the coronavirus pandemic.

Luftwaffe Global 5000-c-Luftwaffe

News

Global 5000 maintenance revision aims to avert roll-control reversal

Canada’s safety regulator has drawn attention to new maintenance instructions intended to avoid possible misinstallation of roll-control systems for Bombardier Global 5000 and 6000 business jets.

Hawaiian Airlines

News

Hawaiian reinstates flights to Boston, New York

Hawaiian Airlines will reinstate its flights to the northeast USA as the weather there turns cold and potential customers who have refrained from travelling due to the coronavirus may be thinking of a winter getaway.

Still Image Boeing CTI Live Virus Test 10 esprayer

News

Boeing study concludes disinfectants kill Covid-19 virus on cabin surfaces

A joint study by Boeing and the University of Arizona found that disinfectants already used on aircraft are successful in killing viruses like the bug causing Covid-19.

F135 testing c USAF

News

Pratt & Whitney contracted to study upgrading F135 engine

Pratt & Whitney was awarded a $1.5 million contract by the F-35 Joint Program Office to study engine upgrade requirements for Block 4.2 and later iterations of the stealth fighter.

Air Canada_B777-300ER-4

News

Nationalise Air Canada? Union floats idea of returning to government ownership

A Canadian union has floated the idea of re-nationalising legacy carrier Air Canada in light of the “disheartening impact” of the coronavirus pandemic and the government’s lack of support for the industry.

AC_Jetz_08_21Oct2020

News

Air Canada will fly all-business-class A319s to warm-weather cities this winter

Air Canada will deploy all-business-class configured Airbus A319s on selected scheduled routes this winter as it searches for passengers after the coronavirus decimated Canada’s air transport industry.

787-9

News

Boeing will save cash by consolidating 787 in South Carolina, but how much?

Boeing’s plan to shift all 787 production to South Carolina will indeed save cash, but savings will be a relative small percent of the programme’s total expense, financial analyst say.

US Navy FA-18F Super Hornet launches from Royal Air Force Lakenheath England c USN

News

Boeing to co-develop supersonic missile demonstrator for F/A-18 Super Hornet

Boeing and the US Navy plan to co-develop a supersonic land and sea strike missile to be carried aboard the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter.

AH-1W Super Cobra on sundown ceremony flight c US Marine Corps

News

US Marine Corps retires last Bell AH-1W Super Cobra

The US Marine Corps has officially retired the Bell AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter from its fleet, after more than 34 years of service.

Avianca 787 cabin. Avianca.

News

Inmarsat and Hughes partner to offer in GX+ satellite connectivity product

Satellite communications providers Inmarsat and Hughes Network Systems have partnered to launch an in-flight connectivity product for North American airlines. 

Icelandair Amsterdam-c-Icelandair

Analysis

Icelandair plans for 30% capacity cut in summer 2021 schedule

Icelandair is expecting to operate a summer 2021 schedule with capacity down by 25-30% compared with last year.

GlobalX title-c-GlobalX

News

US start-up GlobalX tentatively signs for Vallair A321 freighters

US company Global Crossing Airlines is intending to lease 10 converted Airbus A321 freighters from the asset management specialist Vallair, the launch customer for the modification.

A220-c-Airbus

News

Automated A220 thrust-exceedance check aids engine shutdown probe

Airbus and Pratt & Whitney have developed an update to A220 health-management units to detect whether thrust thresholds on the type are being exceeded and, if so, automatically transmit a report.

Fifth-Generation Aerial Target sits on the flightline at Dugway Proving Ground Utah September 2020 c Department of Defense

News

5GAT first flight scheduled for October

The US Department of Defense’s Office of Operational Test and Evaluation plans to test fly its Fifth-Generation Aerial Target prototype for the first time in October at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah.

American-Heathrow

News

Crisis means American Airlines ‘feels like start-up company’

The impact of the coronavirus crisis means American Airlines sometimes feels more like ”a $2-3 billion start-up company” than one of the world’s largest and longest-established operators, according Rhett Workman, the carrier’s managing director for Europe and Asia-Pacific.

EWR airport security 042420 Coronavirus. P. Wolfsteller

News

US TSA screens more than 1m passengers for first time since March

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened more than 1 million passengers in one day for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic brought air travel to a near standstill earlier this year.

boeing building

News

Boeing bolsters leadership council with nine new executives

Boeing has beefed up its executive council with several new executives, a move the company says brings more diversity, perspective and expertise to a top leadership panel.

A321LR-transat-c-Airbus-1-970

News

Transat down to 160 flight attendants in November: union

Canada’s Air Transat will be laying off more flight attendants and closing a west-coast base in the coming weeks as the coronavirus continues to take its toll on the country’s air transport industry, the Canadian union for public employees (CUPE) says.

Northrop Grumman’s APG-83 radar being installed in an Air National Guard’s F-16 at Joint Base Andrews Maryland

News

Northrop Grumman APG-83 radar declared operational for National Guard F-16s

The US Air Force has declared that the Northrop Grumman APG-83 scalable agile beam radar has met full operational readiness for use on the Air National Guard’s Lockheed Martin F-16s.

spacex-capsule

News

FAA finalises new commercial spaceflight rules

The US Federal Aviation Administration has finalised new rules it says streamline oversight of commercial spaceflight, enabling continued expansion of the commercial space industry.

Air Canada chief executive Calin Rovinescu speaking at IATA in 2015

News

Air Canada chief Rovinescu to retire in early 2021

Long-standing Air Canada chief executive Calin Rovinescu is to retire in February and will be replaced by his deputy and chief financial officer Michael Rousseau.

777X test ac #2 first flight 043020-2

In depth

Why Boeing might shift where it manufactures jets

Amid the troubles of 2020, Boeing’s strategy for returning to past heights remains unclear, with open questions about the company’s product strategy and future production footprint.

Hawaiian-JAL-c-Shutterstock

Analysis

Hawaii begins virus testing to boost air travel

Hawaii starting on 15 October will allow travellers to submit negative coronavirus test results 72 hours in advance of their flights to bypass its ongoing quarantine for new arrivals to the islands, hoping to boost tourism after months of nearly non-existent air travel.

United 787-9

News

United’s recovery plan built around late 2021 arrival of vaccine

United Airlines says it will have enough liquidity to not just survive the “difficult” 12-15 months ahead but to be the first among its network peers to return to positive cash flow when an effective Covid-19 vaccine becomes widely available.

Aerion and ElectraAero

News

Aerion teams up with Electra.Aero

Aerion Supersonic has teamed up with Electra.Aero to together develop what they call a “global mobility ecosystem”.

GE Aviation T901 mockup - used for fit check in AH-64

News

US Army’s Future Affordable Turbine Engine effort to finish by end of 2020

The US Army’s Future Affordable Turbine Engine (FATE) programme, an effort to come up with engine performance enhancing technologies, is nearing completion and should be wrapped up by the end of 2020.

Puma AE c Aeroviornment

News

AeroVironment and Viasat to aim to improve radio encryption for Puma AE

Up against increasingly sophisticated electronic warfare threats from countries such as Russia and China, drone maker AeroVironment and satellite communications company Viasat are partnering to develop better encrypted radio communications for the Puma AE reconnaissance unmanned air vehicle.

Eve_Embraer X

News

EmbraerX launches first urban air mobility project, Eve

EmbraerX, the Brazilian airframer’s innovation subsidiary, has spun off its first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) project, called Eve.

A321P2F

News

Wet-lease operator SmartLynx to introduce A321 freighters

Wet-lease and charter specialist SmartLynx’s Maltese division is to lease a pair of Airbus A321s which have been converted to freighters.

E195-E2 First Flight

News

Why Embraer thinks regional travel – and regional jets – will emerge stronger

Embraer expects regional airports and smaller passenger aircraft will emerge on top from the coronavirus pandemic due to population shifts away from big cities.

China-airport-sign-c-Shutterstock

In depth

How domestic capacity return varies across key markets

Domestic markets have been a salvation for many airlines as the global pandemic continues to batter international travel.

SB-1 Defiant flight - 12 October 2020

News

Sikorsky Boeing SB-1 Defiant reaches 211kt

The Sikorsky Boeing SB-1 Defiant compound helicopter reached 211kt (391km/h) using about two-thirds propeller torque and engine power during a straight and level flight on 12 October.

United_737

News

United Airlines reports $1.8bn Q3 loss as revenue falls 78%

United Airlines reported a $1.8 billion loss for the third quarter as it restructured its operations to reflect lower demand following the near-collapse of the passenger aviation industry earlier this year.

PandWC

News

Pratt & Whitney Canada cuts staff due to Covid downturn

Pratt & Whitney Canada has implemented more layoffs in response to the troubled state of aerospace industry.

WestJet

In depth

WestJet indefinitely suspends flights to Atlantic Canada

WestJet will cease flying to numerous destinations in far eastern Canada and reduce frequencies to other cities in the region, cutting 80% of seat capacity in that part of the country.

A320neo

News

Civil aircraft subsidies: EU fails to persuade WTO of case for higher penalties

While the European Union, in its transatlantic civil aircraft subsidy dispute, had sought World Trade Organization authorisation to impose a higher penalty than the $7.5 billion awarded to the US government, it ultimately failed to convince the WTO of its case.

Raytheon stormbreaker

News

StormBreaker approved for use on F-15E Strike Eagle

The US Department of Defense plans to start fielding the weapon on the US Navy’s Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet later this year, followed by the Lockheed Martin F-35 at a later, undisclosed date.

MQ-9 Reaper armed with GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided munitions and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles Credit - USAF

Interview

How ‘War on Terror’ UAV maker General Atomics is pivoting to great power conflict

The San Diego-based company has reacted with a flurry of new initiatives in the past couple of years intended to hold onto existing business, seize new opportunities in the near future and ultimately maintain its position as the USA’s leading maker of armed reconnaissance UAVs going into the 2030s.

Delta Boeing 777

News

Delta posts $5.4bn Q3 loss, sees bright spots

Delta Air lines reported a third quarter loss of $5.4 billion as the airline begins to regroup following a catastrophic summer brought on by the coronavirus global pandemic. 

Porter Q400 full size.

News

Porter pushes back restart to December

Canada’s Porter Airlines has pushed back its restart date for the sixth time as ongoing travel restrictions in Canada hamper the industry’s overall recovery in that country.

787-9

News

Boeing cuts 51 Max from backlog in September, with no new orders

Boeing stripped 51 737 Max from its backlog in September and received no commercial aircraft orders in the month, partly reflecting the coronavirus pandemic’s continued impact on new-aircraft demand.

787-c-Boeing

News

EU can impose $4bn penalty in transatlantic aircraft subsidies row

European Union authorities have secured the right to impose almost $4 billion in tariffs on US imports, including aircraft, in retaliation for harm arising from US government subsidies to Boeing.

United Airlines Boeing 737

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US government urges FAA to address cybersecurity risks to aircraft

The Federal Aviation Administration has not taken adequate steps to address the increasing risk of cyberattacks against commercial aircraft avionics, says a new report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Stephen Jones, Flair Airlines

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Former Wizz deputy chief to lead Canadian budget carrier Flair

Canadian low-cost carrier Flair Airlines has named former Wizz Air deputy chief executive Stephen Jones to lead the company.

Denver International airport

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Subtle shifts in travel may drive long recovery: trade group

As air travel struggles to return to pre-coronavirus levels, the industry is adopting new patterns of operating that might become permanent during a prolonged recovery, the airline trade group Airlines for America (A4A) says.

Allegiant first new A320

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Allegiant hopes its focus on underserved routes will help it beat coronavirus

Allegiant Air says that its laser-focus on underserved routes, the most popular travel days of the week and cost-conscious leisure travellers will be key to pulling itself out of the coronavirus crisis.

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321 Precision Conversions completes first flight of A321 converted freighter

Oregon company 321 Precision Conversions has completed first flight of its Airbus A321-200PCF freighter.

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Delta eyes potential Covid boost to regional flying

Will the coronavirus pandemic cause a long-term bump in air travel from small- and medium-size airports?

Notional Common-Hypersonic Glide Body

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Lockheed Martin plans to buy Integration Innovation’s hypersonics portfolio

In the realm of hypersonic technologies, Integration Innovation says it specializes in thermal protection systems, propulsion, missile seeker windows and domes, ground test and evaluation facilities and services, flight test services, weather evaluation, modelling and simulation, and software development.

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Southwest to begin O’Hare and Houston Intercontinental flights in 2021

Southwest Airlines in 2021 will begin flights at Chicago O’Hare International and Houston George Bush Intercontinental airports.

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Spirit CEO predicts quicker recovery than larger competitors

The chief executive of Spirit Airlines suspects his carrier will recover from the coronavirus downturn faster than major US carriers, though the pace of Spirit’s long-term fleet-growth plan remains uncertain.

Subject's brain activity is watched during piloting simulation c AFRL

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US Air Force aims to train pilots faster using brain electrode

In August, the US Air Force Research Laboratory 711th Human Performance Wing launched its iNeuraLS project, an effort to speed up pilot training through brain stimulation.