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All North America news

US Air National Guard F-16

News

USAF adds 54 AESA radars to F-16 modernisation order

The $128 million contract adds to a similar order in November aimed at modernising the US Air Force’s fleet of multirole Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters.

A P2012 rendering

News

Pacific Air Charters orders two Tecnam P2012s, takes 23 options

Italian aircraft manufacturer Tecnam has secured orders for two of its P2012 Traveller commuter aircraft from Hawaii’s Pacific Air Charters.

787_7Dec2021

News

United Airlines invests $15m in carbon-capture company Svante

United Airlines is investing $15 million in carbon-capture technology firm Svante, which is researching how to convert carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Breeze Airways' first A220-300 aircraft

News

Breeze to connect underserved West Virginia airport to ‘at least’ five cities

US discounter Breeze Airways plans to boost air service to the underutilised West Virginia International Yeager airport in Charleston by connecting it to at least five cities over the next two years. 

Seminole

News

Piper to deliver 55 new trainer aircraft to US flight school

Piper Aircraft has a deal to deliver a fleet of 55 new trainer class aircraft to Blue Line Aviation – a flight school headquartered in Smithfield, North Carolina – with options for a further 60 trainers. 

ABpod-logo-ws

Podcast

Airline Business Podcast: Consolidation challenges, Riyadh Air, C-suite diversity

Graham and Lewis talk through the growing list of consolidation moves within the global industry, discussing why deals take such a long time to get over the line.

Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 Aurora

News

Canada moves towards replacing CP-140s with P-8As

Canada has moved closer to the possible acquisition of the Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft for its Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) requirement.

DART

News

Pentagon selects Australia’s Hypersonix for reusable hypersonic test platform

The Australian firm Hypersonix was selected by the US military’s technology accelerator to produce a reusable, low-angle vehicle capable of flight speeds at or above Mach 5.

Screenshot 2023-03-09 134309

News

Archer’s ‘Midnight’ aircraft completes wind-tunnel testing campaign

Electric air taxi developer Archer Aviation recently completed wind-tunnel testing of a scaled-down model of its in-development “Midnight” aircraft.

Cockpit-c-Lightpoet_Shutterstock

News

Unions form coalition against ‘unsafe’ single-pilot commercial flights

Pilots’ unions are putting their combined weight against single-pilot operation of commercial aircraft, calling concepts leaning more heavily on automation a “profit-driven scheme that poses a significant safety risk”.

A 737 Max wing tip in Boeing's Renton production site on 15 June 2022

News

Boeing tightens procedures to address bolt-torque issue at Renton 737 factory

Boeing recently found improperly torqued bolts in several areas of new-build 737 Max jets, indicating a quality problem similar to that revealed by the Federal Aviation Administration on 23 March.

FAA federal aviation administration

News

Biden pick to lead FAA withdraws nomination after Republican criticism

Former Denver International Airport chief executive Phil Washington withdrew from consideration to oversee the US aviation regulator after being criticised by the opposition Republican party for lack of experience.

Frontier

News

Lawmakers push for increased regulation of US carriers

Some US lawmakers and consumer advocates are calling for expansion of the US government’s role in overseeing airlines, while others are warning that regulatory expansion will only erode airline competition.

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

First flight of FARA prototypes slip to 2024 amid further engine delay

The US Army says GE Aerospace will not deliver the new Improved Turbine Engine until the autumn of 2023 – affecting the first flight of Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft prototypes being developed by Sikorsky and Bell.

GlobalX A320

News

GlobalX to operate nine weekly passenger flights from Miami to Cuba

US charter carrier Global Crossing Airlines (GlobalX) has signed a long-term agreement with tour operator Cubamax Travel for nine weekly passenger flights to two Cuban cities – Havana and Santa Clara.

fa18_block3_gallery11_960x600

News

Boeing and US Navy locked in dispute over lack of order for 20 F/A-18s

Congress has allocated funding for 20 additional Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets in the 2022 and 2023 defence budgets, but the US Navy wants Boeing to relinquish additional data rights on the type before it awards a production contract.

Bombardier's Global 8000

News

Bombardier lifts production and revenue targets

Bombardier has hiked its two-year revenue projections and now expects in the coming years to significantly increase the pace at which it delivers business jets.

Boeing Center for Aviation Aerospace Safety

News

Boeing donates $5.1 million to Embry-Riddle aviation safety centre

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has landed a $5.1 million donation from Boeing to support an aviation safety centre at the school’s campus in Daytona Beach, Florida.

archer_united

News

Archer and United plan downtown Chicago-to-O’Hare air taxi route

US urban air mobility start-up Archer Aviation has added Chicago to its list of 2025 launch cities with an airport-to-downtown route planned to be operated by its in-development ”Midnight” aircraft. 

Airline Business Insight web

Analysis

Airline Business performance tracker: Americas Q4 2022

Key data from the most-recent Americas earnings period – the fourth quarter of 2022 – and the equivalent periods stretching back to the last pre-Covid year, powered by Airline Business Insight

Air China 737 Max-c-Boeing

News

Chinese airlines return more 737 Max to service as Boeing eyes delivery restart

Boeing’s 737 Max is making a slow but steady comeback in China, with carriers returning more of the jets to service and Boeing thinking about when it might restart deliveries to Chinese customers.

kc46a6_new_960

News

Losses on Boeing defence business expected to continue

The aerospace giant’s chief financial officer says while he is optimistic about returning Boeing’s beleaguered defence portfolio to profitability, the business will continue to post losses in the near term.

FFeSwsXWUAUiNdG

News

FAA allows airlines to temporarily return 10% of slots in Northeast USA

The Federal Aviation Administration will allow airlines operating out of four major airports in the Northeast US to leave up to 10% of assigned slots unused through the summer travel season due to staffing bottlenecks at air traffic control (ATC) facilities.

Lufthansa 787-c-Lufthansa

News

Boeing maintains 2023 delivery goals despite 787 halt and supply headaches

Boeing is sticking to its 2023 aircraft delivery goals despite hiccups early this year, including a weeks-long 787 delivery halt, a 767 quality issue and ongoing supply chain struggles.

American regional jets

News

Airlines welcome ‘crucial legislation’ that would raise US pilot retirement age

The latest effort by US lawmakers to allow commercial airline pilots to work until age 67 – rather than forcing them to retire at 65 – is drawing praise from airline industry groups.

737 Max 10

News

Boeing executive defends ‘next decade’ timeline for launching new narrowbody

A top Boeing executive has reiterated that the company will wait until next decade to bring a new single-aisle jetliner to market, saying Boeing needs that much time to mature technologies.

SeaGlider Flight

News

Sea glider maker Regent secures investment from Lockheed Martin

Lockheed’s venture capital fund will make a “strategic investment” in Regent, which is currently developing an all-electric, wing-in-ground-effect maritime vehicle for commercial customers, potentially expanding the company into the defence realm.

JFK tower-c-Shutterstock

News

FAA urges pilots review safety procedures to prevent airport accidents

The US Federal Aviation Administration is urging pilots and other airline workers to review safety protocols to prevent aircraft collisions during take-offs and landings.

JetBlue Airbus A321neo

News

JetBlue secures ‘commercially questionable’ slots in Amsterdam

JetBlue Airways has secured “commercially questionable slot times” at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport weeks after filing a complaint about the government of the Netherlands’ repeated rejections of its slot requests.  

52071725950_18d1c3371f_o

News

Court trial set for October in US case against JetBlue-Spirit deal

A US judge set an 16 October trial date for the federal government’s antitrust case against JetBlue Airways’ proposed acquisition of ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines.

201909-frontier-woodson-1499

News

Frontier plans to step up flights from Atlanta this summer

Frontier Airlines is planning a seasonal expansion of its Atlanta operations, which will become the ultra-low-cost carrier’s third largest operation by this summer.

firefighting simulation-c-Conair Group

News

Conair networks simulators to train co-ordination in aerial firefighting

Aerial firefighting specialist Conair Group has expanded a mission training system which networks simulators to allow pilots to practice and co-ordinate flights over wildfires.

Boeing 737 Max 8

News

Flydubai seeks approval for United Airlines codeshare in Gulf region

Middle Eastern carrier Flydubai is formally seeking authorisation for a codeshare arrangement with US carrier United Airlines.

E-7 usaf

News

Northrop will supply MESA sensors to planned USAF E-7 fleet

Northrop Grumman will provide its Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array long-range sensor for the fleet of Boeing E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control jets the US Air Force plans to purchase.

carrier launch f-18

News

US military aviators see substantially higher rates of cancer than general population

A congressionally-mandated investigation found, when compared to the general population, US military aviation personnel see significantly elevated rates of cancer, including 87% greater incidence of melanoma for aircrew and 19% higher rates of brain and nervous system cancer for ground crew over a 25 year period.

737-800 WestJet

News

WestJet to launch 737 freighter flights on 22 April

Canadian carrier WestJet intends to begin flying Boeing 737-800 cargi aircraft next month after having received the required regulatory approvals.

B787-9 OE-LNM Landing

In depth

Norse Atlantic plans pivot to sun destinations next winter

In the coming northern hemisphere’s winter, Norse Atlantic Airways is planning to broaden its long-haul offer to sun-thirsty vacationers looking for a break from the cold, wet weather.

Atlas Air 747-8F

News

Investment group completes Atlas Air acquisition

An investment group led by Apollo Global Management has completed its acquisition of US cargo and charter airline Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, closing a deal announced last August.

A220 cockpit-c-Airbus

News

‘Defies common sense': regional airline group fires back at ALPA pilot-shortage stance

The US Regional Airline Association (RAA) is pushing back against assertions made during a 16 March Senate hearing that the airline industry is not short of pilots.

ATR-FedEx-2

News

Cost-cutting FedEx reduces flight operations amid ‘demand weakness’

FedEx is trimming its air delivery business to be “more agile and nimble” following a challenging fiscal third quarter. 

F-35A

News

Lockheed pleased with F-35 numbers in proposed US defence budget

The manufacturer of the advanced fifth-generation jet says the Pentagon’s current proposal for F-35 purchases in the next budget cycle would allow the company to meet its 2023 production target of 156 aircraft.

F-35B

Analysis

How SAF experimentation is fuelling change for military operators

Compared to commercial aviation, the defence sector has been trailing in taking action to mitigate its greenhouse gas emissions – but change is afoot.

Ukraine livery F-16s

Analysis

Is Ukraine’s Western fighter request a flight of fancy?

Ukraine is trying to convince NATO nations that donated Western fighters would give Kyiv a decisive edge in its war against Russian invaders. We assess whether the proposal has wings.

Newsletter

Newsletter

Passenger demand steps up in encouraging start to 2023

Global demand for passenger travel has undoubtedly stepped up in the early months of 2023, as the recovery from Covid-19 continues.

Los Angeles International airport

News

FAA moves to require 25h of cockpit voice recording

The Federal Aviation Administration has moved to extend the required timeframe for cockpit voice recordings to be preserved in light of numerous recent serious runway incursion incidents in the USA.

Lufthansa 787-c-Lufthansa

News

Boeing resumes 787 deliveries but faces catch-up to meet 2023 delivery goal

Boeing’s most recent Dreamliner delivery pause came to an end on 15 March when the airframer handed over a 787-9 to German carrier Lufthansa.

Canada Jetlines_First Aircraft__0110

News

Canada Jetlines exploring potential partnership with Qatar Airways

Start-up leisure specialist Canada Jetlines is exploring a potential partnership with Qatar Airways that could include non-stop flights between Toronto and Qatar’s capital city of Doha.

Avianca A320. Avianca

News

Avianca to launch routes from Boston and Orlando to El Salvador

 Colombia’s Avianca will launch flights from Boston and Orlando to San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, bginning in June.

Rq-7b shadow

News

US Army advances five rapid prototype developers for RQ-7B replacement

Following a competitive evaluation by the US Army, AeroVironment, Griffon Aerospace, Textron, Sierra Nevada and Northrop Grumman have all received funding to support rapid prototyping of a replacement for the service’s RQ-7B Shadow unmanned aerial vehicle.

A-10 elephant walk

Analysis

Why Western air forces are taking fresh aim at their ‘carbon problem’

The defence world is fast waking up to the profound influence climate change will have on warfare. How will this impact play out and can the sector manage its greenhouse gas emissions?

su-27-grab

News

US releases video footage of Russian Su-27 colliding with Reaper over Black Sea

The US military has released video footage of a Black Sea incident during which a Russian air force Sukhoi Su-27 repeatedly harassed a US Air Force (USAF) General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Reaper, culminating in a collision which resulted in the remotely piloted air vehicle’s loss.

Boeing 787-c-Boeing

News

Boeing sees shift in delivery finance mix as air transport market recovers

Boeing is expecting expanding use of export credit and debt to finance aircraft deliveries, as it predicts that recovering production and travel will drive the need for financing almost back to pre-crisis levels this year.

Flair Airlines Boeing 737-800

News

Flair sues lessor Airborne over ‘unlawful’ aircraft repossessions

Flair Airlines has taken lessor Airborne Capital to court over what it alleges were “unlawful and immeasurably destructive actions” relating to the repossession of four aircraft, as the airline stresses that it is “here to stay” despite the operational snags.

A220-300-4 (1)

News

Air Canada pilots’ union to vote on combining with ALPA

The union representing more than 4,500 Air Canada pilots has reached an agreement in principal that would allow a combination with the much larger labour group, Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA).

avelo1

News

Avelo Airlines adding second 737NG to new base in Raleigh-Durham

Start-up discount carrier Avelo Airlines plans to add a second Boeing 737NG to its new operational base at Raleigh-Durham International airport in North Carolina.

Atlas Air 747. Atlas

News

US regulators approve deal to take Atlas Air private

US cargo carrier Atlas Air has received regulatory approval to be acquired by an investor group led by Apollo Global Management, which would de-list Atlas from the Nasdaq stock exchange.

C-130H

News

Pacific Propeller wins ‘urgent’ overhaul work for USAF’s C-130H fleet

Washington state-based MRO provider Pacific Propeller International has received what it describes as an “urgent contract” from the US Air Force to replace propeller barrels on the service’s fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130H transports still equipped with a legacy propulsion system.

Airline Business Covid-19 recovery tracker Logo

In depth

Airline Business Covid-19 recovery tracker: March 2023 update

Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including 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.

F-35 factory

News

Pentagon and Lockheed resume F-35 deliveries following engine fix

The US military is accepting new deliveries of Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters for the first time since December, when a previously unidentified engine issue caused the crash of an F-35B undergoing certification at the company’s assembly plant in Fort Worth, Texas.

Envoy Air E175-c-Embraer

News

US regional carrier Envoy Air expects six more Embraer 175s

American Airlines Group is assigning six more Embraer 175s to subsidiary US regional airline Envoy Air.

Beta Technologies' ALIA-250 prototype electric aircraft

News

Beta to develop conventional electric aircraft amid eVTOL regulatory, infrastructure hurdles

Electric aircraft company Beta Technologies has shifted to pursue certification of a conventional fixed-wing electric aircraft – while still developing an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air taxi.

JetBlue Airbus A220-300

News

DOT challenge to Spirit acquisition ‘unprecedented’: JetBlue chief executive

JetBlue’s chief executive Robin Hayes called the US Department of Transportation’s decision to get involved in its proposed acquisition of discount carrier Spirit Airlines “unprecedented”.

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

News

Boeing’s orders and deliveries slowed in February

Boeing’s commercial aircraft orders and deliveries slowed in February following a strong start to the year the previous month.

737 Max Southwest Airlines

News

Southwest now expecting 10 fewer Boeing aircraft deliveries in 2023

Bob Jordan, chief executive of Southwest Airlines, reveals that the company is now anticipating 10 fewer aircraft deliveries this year than previously disclosed.

Airline Business Index Logo for web

Analysis

Airline Business Index shows global revenue surging above pre-Covid levels

The latest Airline Business Index shows the global airline industry’s revenue soared above 2019 levels in the final quarter of 2022, as the sector edged closer to its pre-Covid size.

Air Greenland A330-200-c-Air Greenland

News

Air Greenland’s retired A330-200 ferried to Arizona for spares supply

Air Greenland’s long-serving Airbus A330-200, one of the first of the variant to be delivered, has left the fleet and been flown to Arizona for parts supply.

737-8_Livery

News

United cuts Q1 earnings expectation due to ‘seasonality shift’ in travel behaviour

United Airlines has reduced its revenue expectations for the first quarter of 2023 due to a “seasonality shift” in post-pandemic passenger travel behaviour.

F35factory-c-LockheedMartin

News

USAF favours P&W F-35 engine upgrade over adaptive-cycle engine replacement

Budget pressure and lack of buy in from other US military services led the US Air Force to abandon designs for an entirely new engine for its F-35A stealth fighters, and instead pursue a core upgrade of the existing power plant.

Global Crossing A320 N276GX, Global Crossing

News

GlobalX to lease an additional A321F for rapidly expanding cargo operation

Aggressively expanding US charter operator Global Crossing Airlines (GlobalX) has disclosed an agreement to lease another Airbus A321 freighter, set to be delivered in December.

Leap-1B 970x550px

News

‘Not a forgings and castings issue’: GE Aerospace CEO addresses supply chain trouble

GE Aerospace chief executive Larry Culp is pushing back against the assertion that engine shortages are primarily why aircraft manufacturers continue struggling to ramp production of narrowbody jets.

Flair Airlines Boeing 737-800

News

Flair confirms lessor Airborne behind reports of aircraft repossessions

Canadian discount carrier Flair Airlines confirms that “unprecedented action” taken by aircraft lessor Airborne Capital has affected four of its Boeing 737s, amid reports the jets were seized.

RBAF lead F-16

News

Lockheed Martin delivers first ‘next-generation’ F-16 to Bahraini customer

Lockheed Martin has delivered its first Greenville, South Carolina-built F-16 to the Royal Bahraini Air Force, with the Block 70-standard fighter set to undergo further testing in the USA.

Sunwing_Hi Res Boeing

News

Canadian government approves WestJet’s acquisition of Sunwing

The government of Canada has approved WestJet’s acquisition of Sunwing Airlines and Sunwing Vacations following a thorough review.

230310-F-AF000-1002

News

US President Biden selects livery for ‘Next Air Force One’

US President Joe Biden has selected the livery of the “Next Air Force One”, the new VC-25B aircraft designated for presidential travel that is currently under construction, formally rejecting the colour scheme that had been chosen by his predecessor, Donald Trump.

Screenshot 2023-03-09 134309

News

Archer Aviation achieved ‘significant milestones’ in 2022: CEO

Archer Aviation achieved “significant milestones” on its way to certification of its four-person air taxi Midnight, the company’s chief executive said on 9 March.

GlobalX A320

News

Aggressively expanding GlobalX posts $4.4m Q4 loss

Fledgling US carrier Global Crossing Airlines (GlobalX) lost $4.4 million during the fourth quarter of 2022 as it pursues an aggressive expansion plan. 

777X test aircraft gets GE9X-1-640px

News

GE Aerospace still eyeing post-reorganisation expansion: CEO

General Electric chief executive Larry Culp still expects engine maker GE Aerospace will expand into new aerospace segments following a reorganisation expected to wrap up next year.

A321LR-transat-c-Airbus-2-970

News

Revenue surges as Air Transat posts C$57m loss in first fiscal quarter

Fiscal first-quarter revenue for Transat AT – parent company of Canadian leisure airline Air Transat – reached C$667 million ($483 million), more than triple the company’s C$202 million revenue during the same quarter in 2022.

Airbus

News

Air Transat expects delivery delays for three Airbus A321LRs

Canadian leisure airline Air Transat now expects delayed delivery of three Airbus A321LRs as chief executive Annick Guerard said “the industry supply chain is experiencing sporadic difficulty”.

V2500 MTU

In depth

IAE marks 40th anniversary as V2500 production, maintenance work hums along

Forty years after its founding, IAE International Aero Engines is still producing V2500s, including turbofans for Embraer’s new C-390 military transport, and its maintenance shops are humming, supporting some 3,000 active V2500-powered Airbus A320ceo-family jets.

MQ-28 Ghost Bat

News

Boeing, Shield AI in pact to work together on future programmes

Boeing and artificial intelligence (AI) firm Shield AI have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on autonomy and AI on future defence programmes.

Wreckers dismantle a SpaceJet M90 at Moses Lake on 8 March 2023

News

SpaceJet test aircraft demolished at Moses Lake

Wrecking crews dismantled one of Mitsubishi Aircraft’s SpaceJet prototype regional jets at Moses Lake on 8 March, physically and symbolically closing a chapter on Japan’s once-ambitious regional jet programme.

JetBlue Airways Airbus A220

News

‘This is not Pepsi buying Coke’: JetBlue chief downplays DOJ lawsuit blocking Spirit deal

The US government’s lawsuit to block JetBlue Airways’ acquisition of competitor Spirit Airlines has prompted a range of strong reactions. But Robin Hayes, chief executive of JetBlue, has downplayed the legal action. 

LATAM Delta Tails

News

Delta Air Lines Airbus A350 jet appears to have been hit by gunfire in Santiago

A Delta Air Lines Airbus A350 appears to have been hit by gunfire during a failed armed robbery on the apron at Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benitez International airport.

Ethiopian 737 Max wreckage

News

FAA steps up hiring, Boeing oversight in response to 737 Max crashes

Acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration Billy Nolen testified on Capitol Hill that he “can say categorically” the Boeing 737 Max is safe – and his agency is also taking steps to ensure its certification process for future aircraft is as well.

Eurowings_A330_Line-up_I

News

US DOT fines Eurowings for holding passengers on aircraft for 5h after landing

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has fined Eurowings $225,000 for keeping passengers on an aircraft for more than five-and-a-half hours after it had landed in Fort Lauderdale from Germany.

American at DFW_1Oct2020

News

American Airlines promises pilots significant pay raises

American Airlines’ chief executive Robert Isom has told the carrier’s pilots that the airline “is prepared to match” pay rates and profit-sharing scheme conditions that mainline peer Delta Air Lines’ pilots recently ratified in a new contract.

Danielle McLean

Interview

How the hydrogen revolution inspired engineer Danielle McLean

In 2018, Danielle McLean was studying for her Master’s degree while working as an aerospace engineer at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kansas. During a class about sustainable aviation, she had an epiphany.

MH-139A Grey Wolf First Flight

News

Boeing to kick off production of MH-139A Grey Wolf

Boeing will start production of MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters following a contract award from the US Air Force.

Archer02

News

Archer Aviation begins construction of manufacturing facility

Archer Aviation has begun construction on its manufacturing facility in Georgia.

cargojet

News

Canada’s Cargojet squeezes C$2.6m profit in fourth quarter of 2022

Canadian operator Cargojet squeezed out a C$2.6 million profit in the fourth quarter of 2022 as expenses rose 30% over the previous year and global demand for air cargo trailed off.

FedEx 767F. FedEx

News

Boeing confirms 767 and KC-46 ‘quality’ problem

Boeing confirms it has identified a “quality issue” affecting production of 767s and 767-based KC-46 military tankers, saying the issue requires it make fixes to production aircraft.

Spirit and Jetblue

News

US government sues to block JetBlue’s proposed acquisition of Spirit

The US Department of Justice has sued to block JetBlue Airways’ proposed acquisition of rival discount carrier Spirit Airlines after months of scrutinising a deal that would eliminate a low-cost carrier from the market.

American 737 Max-c-American Airlines

News

NTSB investigates runway incident involving American-Air Canada jets in Sarasota

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating yet another close call at a US airport, this time involving two passenger jets at Sarasota-Bradenton in Florida on 16 February.

777-300ERSF title-c-IAI

News

Cargojet pushes back 777 freighter conversions citing slowdown risk

Canadian operator Cargojet is to defer freight conversion of several Boeing 777s and 767 in response to forecasts of slower global economic growth rates.

MQ-9B SkyGuardian

News

US Air Force Special Operations Command to operate MQ-9B SkyGuardian

The US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has ordered three General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned air vehicles (UAVs), the first sale of the variant in the USA.

NPPlane3

News

Northern Pacific appears set to launch flights between Los Angeles and Las Vegas

US start-up carrier Northern Pacific Airways appears set to launch its first route between Ontario International airport in the Los Angeles metropolitan area and Las Vegas.

US Air Force F-35A

News

P&W lands new contract to support F135 production

Pratt & Whitney (P&W) has landed another contract, this one worth $5.2 billion, to support its production of the F135 engines that power Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

737-800 WestJet

News

Expanding WestJet plans to step up summer flight frequencies

Canadian airline WestJet continues plotting an “ambitious growth strategy” with an expanded summer schedule that includes greater flight frequencies to popular destinations in its network. 

F130 dual-pod test

News

Rolls-Royce kicks off testing of replacement B-52 engine

Rolls-Royce has commenced testing in support of a re-engining programme for the US Air Force’s Boeing B-52H fleet.

Universal Dash 8 first fight 2 March 2023

In depth

‘It’s a big deal’: Universal Hydrogen chief on hydrogen-retrofitted Dash 8’s first flight

The first flight of a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-300 powered partly by a hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion system is just the beginning of start-up Universal Hydrogen’s strategy to decarbonise airline travel.

Rendering of 737 Max 8s in Luxair's colours

News

Luxair to take four 737 Max 8s, including pair on lease

Luxembourg’s Luxair has ordered two Boeing 737 Max 8s and signed a deal to lease another pair of the narrowbodies, part of a plan to boost its summer capacity.

Rendering of Greater Bay Airlines 737 Max 9

News

Hong Kong’s Greater Bay orders 15 Boeing 737 Max 9s and eyes 787s

Start-up Hong Kong carrier Greater Bay Airlines has ordered 15 Boeing 737 Max 9s and made a “commitment” to order five 787s.

Southwest 737-c-Southwest Airlines

News

US NTSB releases preliminary report on Austin near-miss

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a preliminary report of a near-miss involving a Fedex Boeing 777-300ER and a Southwest Airlines 737 in Austin last month.

F-35A-c-LockheedMartin

News

US military orders fleet-wide F-35 retrofit to address F135 engine issue

The US government has ordered that all Lockheed Martin F-35s be retrofitted to address a “harmonic resonance” engine issue that forced the recent grounding of some but not all the fifth-generation fighters.

Universal Dash 8 first fight 2 March 2023

News

Universal Hydrogen completes first flight of hydrogen-powered Dash 8

Start-up Universal Hydrogen has completed first flight of a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-300 powered partly by a hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion system.

AutoFlight Prosperity I

News

AutoFlight flies Prosperity I eVTOL demonstrator on ‘record’ 135nm sortie

Air taxi developer AutoFlight has completed a long-distance flight of its newest demonstrator aircraft, a feat the company says proves the design’s viability and aids its path toward certification.

_V2A2335-2

News

Dominican Republic’s Arajet applies to US DOT to launch routes to the USA

Arajet, a new low-cost start-up carrier based in the Dominican Republic, has applied to the US government to launch routes between the Caribbean country and the United States.

boeing building

News

McKenzie succeeds Hyslop as Boeing’s chief engineer

Boeing’s head of commercial aviation engineering Howard McKenzie became the company’s chief engineer on 1 March, succeeding Greg Hyslop, who is set to retire in June.

Delta Air Lines' first A321neo, at Boston

News

Delta pilots approve new contract

Pilots at Delta Air Lines have approved a new contract that will give them a 34% pay increase by 2026.

Rendering USAF Boeing E-7

News

Boeing lands $1.2bn contract to develop E-7s for USAF

Boeing will develop two new variants of its 737-based E-7 airborne early warning and control aircraft for the US Air Force under a newly disclosed contract worth up to $1.2 billion.

F-35C launch

News

P&W starts modifying F135s to address issue prompting F-35 partial grounding

Pratt & Whitney (P&W) has started modifying engines in some Lockheed Martin F-35s to address an issue that left some of the fighters grounded in recent months.

Norse Atlantic 787-c-Norse Atlantic Airways

News

Norse adds four new US routes from London Gatwick

Long-haul European discounter Norse Atlantic Airways plans to expand further in the coming months with flights from London’s Gatwick airport to another four US cities.

Boeing Ted Colbert

News

Boeing keen to avoid fixed contract challenges of the past

Boeing Defense, Space & Security is disinclined from entering fixed-price contracts for major programmes.

United 787

News

Boeing hands 787 to United but deliveries otherwise remain paused

Boeing has handed over a 787-10 to United Airlines but says its broader pause on deliveries of the widebody type remains in effect.

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News

Aviation companies fight for female talent in ‘buyer’s market’

With women making up less than 5% of pilots and less than 3% of aviation mechanics, airlines and other aerospace companies came to Long Beach, California to search for talent at the world’s largest convention that aims to get more female workers into the industry.

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News

Porter Airlines to support construction of new terminal at Montreal Saint-Hubert airport

Porter Airlines plans to expand at a secondary airport near Montreal that now has relatively few commercial flights.

E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes

News

Northrop Grumman pitches Advanced Hawkeye for NATO surveillance need

Northrop Grumman is offering its E-2D Advanced Hawkeye to meet NATO’s future airborne surveillance needs, having responded to a recent request for information from the alliance.

A321XLR title

News

Pratt-powered A321XLR undergoes cold-weather testing in Canada

Airbus has carried out several days of cold-weather testing of the A321XLR, having flown one of the prototype twinjets to northern Canada.

737-8_7Dec2021

News

Pilot shortage will erode US discounters’ low-cost edge: United executive

A shortage of pilots will increasingly erode the cost advantages long enjoyed by US discount airlines while improving the competitive position of giants like United Airlines.

F-35B Japan USMC

News

Pentagon clears resumption of F-35 engine deliveries

The US government had paused delivery of the fighter’s Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, following the December crash of a Lockheed Martin F-35B in Texas during pre-delivery flight tests.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737

News

Oliver Wyman slashes 10-year fleet forecast amid production and labour issues

Three years have passed since Covid-19 flattened air travel, and the global fleet of commercial jets has still not quite recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

Boeing 787 Charleston assembly plant

News

Boeing once again halts 787 deliveries, this time due to ‘analysis error’

Boeing has once again halted deliveries of its 787 Dreamliners due to what it calls “an analysis error” by one of its suppliers. 

american Airlines Boeing 777

News

American’s Smith will succeed Parker as chairman of the board

American Airlines has named current board member Greg Smith as its new chairman, succeeding Doug Parker, who is retiring.

JS1_6377_2021040771318087

News

Avelo targets three more underserved US airports for nonstop service

Discount start-up Avelo Airlines is planning a springtime expansion of its national network with three new destinations in Colorado, Texas and Virginia, bringing the total number of cities it serves to 35. 

final 747 was to Atlas Air Worldwide

News

Soon-to-be-acquired Atlas Air posts profitable Q4, but cargo demand slips from 2021

US air cargo company Atlas Air Worldwide made $126 million during its fourth quarter of 2022 and $356 million for the full year – “one of the best years in Atlas’ history”, chief executive John Dietrich said on 23 February. The freight hauler’s results were down from 2021, however. 

FA-18 Block III Super Hornet

News

Boeing to cease F/A-18 production by end-2025

On 23 February, Boeing disclosed plans to cease production of the venerable fourth-generation fighter in late 2025 after delivering the final jet to the US Navy.

A220-300-1 (1)

News

Air Canada and United to offer more than 260 daily transborder flights from June

Star Alliance partners Air Canada and United Airlines are upping their offering between the USA and Canada during the upcoming Northern Hemisphere summer travel season.

F-35 water crash Carl Vinson

News

F-35 carrier crash attributed to pilot error during high-g landing manoeuvre

A 2022 ramp strike aboard one of the US Navy’s aircraft carriers that resulted in the loss of an F-35C stealth fighter is being attributed to a mistake by the jet’s operator during a normal, but complex, landing procedure.

U2 balloon selfie

News

Pentagon confirms U-2 pilot’s ‘selfie’ with Chinese balloon

For the first time, the public is getting an aerial view of the mysterious Chinese balloon that transited North American airspace during the first week of February.

Joby and Skyports Press Release 2

In depth

Will electric air taxis really soar over LA during the 2028 Olympics? Industry players bank on it

Some believers in emerging aviation technology have a futuristic vision of a highly connected fleet of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles in the sky above Southern California within five years. Type certification is the next big step. 

Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 at Atlanta airport

Analysis

Atlanta heads the pack as US airports lead traffic growth in 2022

Atlanta Hartsfield airport handled just under 94 million passengers last year, still short of pre-pandemic highs but enough to see it retain its crown as the busiest airport in the world.

GlobalEye

News

Saab pitches GlobalEye for NATO AWACS successor deal

Saab is pitching a version of its GlobalEye surveillance aircraft as a potential successor for NATO’s aged fleet of Boeing E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.

WestJet parked 737-600s-c-Aventure Aviation

News

Atlanta firm acquires ex-WestJet 737-600s for teardown

Seven WestJet Boeing 737-600s have been divested to a US-based firm which will tear down the aircraft for parts.

Jazz Air Canada Express CRJ900-c-Bombardier

News

CRJ900 unexpectedly climbed and accelerated during cruise: safety board

Canadian investigators have disclosed that a Jazz Mitsubishi CRJ900 experienced an uncommanded climb and acceleration during a domestic service.

C-17 flying from Italy to the USA with 500000 swabs 2

News

USAF commissions study of autonomous cargo jet feasibility

California-based developer of aviation safety technologies Reliable Robotics will prepare a feasibility assessment for the US Air Force examining the potential for autonomous, multi-engined transport jets, including automations of both flight and cargo operations.

Air Canada_B777-300ER-4

News

Air Canada marks milestone in recovery, returns to profitability in Q4

Air Canada returned to profitability in the fourth quarter of 2022, reporting a C$168 million ($125 million) profit and marking a milestone in the flag-carrier’s long recovery from the Covid-19-related dropoff in air travel. 

Jaz CRJ900-c-Jazz Aviation

News

Chorus Aviation turns Q4 profit as longtime CEO Randell readies for retirement

Canada’s Chorus Aviation turned a C$45.9 million profit in the fourth quarter of 2022 amid major strategic and leadership transitions, including the looming retirement of longtime chief executive Joseph Randell.

US Navy King Air 260 METS

News

US military to acquire up to 64 Beechcraft King Air 260s for training

The contract will see Textron Aviation deliver up to 64 of the twin-engined propeller craft to serve as pilot trainers for the US Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

Alice debut flight

In depth

Eviation close to naming new suppliers, prepping for 2025 kick-off of certification flight testing

Several months after completing first flight of its prototype electric aircraft, US developer Eviation is working to secure manufacturing partners and additional funding, while remaining on track to begin certification flight testing in 2025.

Taiwan Lockheed Martin F-16V

News

China sanctions Lockheed Martin and Raytheon over Taiwan arms sales

Beijing will prohibit the aerospace manufacturers from doing business in China and ban senior executives from entering the country, citing weapons sales to Taiwan.

CH-47F Black Hawk

News

BAE, Leonardo advance self-protection pact for international market

The US government has approved a joint effort to combine the self-protection capabilities of BAE Systems Inc’s AAR-57 common missile warning system and Leonardo’s Miysis directed infrared countermeasure technology.

Marissa Estebanez at work

In depth

How award-winning aviation mechanic Marissa Estebanez proves her capability

Award-winning young engineer Marissa Estebanez loves her role as an aircraft maintenance technician working in South Carolina, and hopes her journey will help inspire others to ‘go fix something’.

Challenger incident-c-Anna Zvereva Creative Commons

News

Challenger 600 flap tests ordered after uncommanded extension incident

Operators of Bombardier Challenger 600s are being instructed to carry out repetitive operational tests of the flap-control system following an uncommanded flap-extension incident.

drone-2x

News

Ameriflight strikes deal to purchase Sabrewing cargo drones

US cargo airline Ameriflight has continued showing interest in conceptual autonomous cargo aircraft by signing a letter of intent to purchase 35 vertical take-off and landing drones from California start-up Sabrewing Aircraft. 

Loon helium balloon c Loon

News

US lawmakers describe unknown objects as nothing new after classified brief

After receiving a classified briefing from US defence officials, members of Congress say the recently shot down unidentified aerial objects appear similar to hundreds of other unknown objects reported by American aviators in recent years.

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News

JetBlue plans major operational expansion in South Florida

Seeking a stronger foothold in South Florida, JetBlue Airways plans to ramp up to more than 250 daily departures from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airport by 2027, including flights to Europe.

Southwest 737-c-Southwest Airlines

News

FAA chief launches safety review following several recent close calls

The head of the US Federal Aviation Administration has initiated a safety review in response to several recent “close calls” involving large US commercial jets.

JetBlue Airbus A321neo 2

News

JetBlue complains to US DOT about rejected Amsterdam slot requests

JetBlue Airways has filed a complaint with the US Department of Transportation (DOT) against the government of the Netherlands for repeated rejection of slot requests at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.

X-62A artificial intelligence jet

News

Artificial intelligence-controlled aircraft completes combat manoeuvres in USAF test

Two artificial intelligence “agents” developed by the US military completed 17h of flight tests in December, focused on execution of advanced fighter manoeuvres such as close-range dogfighting and beyond-visual-range combat.

United_777-300

News

US NTSB investigating United 777’s steep dive in December after Maui take-off

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into an incident in which a Boeing 777 aircraft came within 800ft of crashing into the Pacific Ocean last December.

RCAF CC-138 Twin Otter

News

Canada searches remote far north for wreckage of unidentified object

Ottawa says it has deployed multiple aircraft to search the mountainous terrain of the northern Yukon for wreckage of the unknown object shot down by US F-22 fighters on 11 February.

Norse Atlantic 787-c-Norse Atlantic Airways

News

Norse Atlantic starts reinforcing US network from London Gatwick

Transatlantic budget carrier Norse Atlantic Airways is to open two services between London Gatwick and Florida in May.

Aircraft

News

Boeing’s deliveries and orders slip in January after a strong December

Boeing’s aircraft deliveries and new aircraft orders slipped during January, down from higher figures posted by the company in the final month of 2022.

737Max first flight c Boeing

News

Air India to order 220 narrowbody and widebody jets from Boeing

Air India has agreed to place firm orders for 220 Boeing jets, including 190 737 Max, 20 787s and 10 777Xs.

United Airlines 777

News

FAA reviewed United aircraft safety incident in Hawaii

The Federal Aviation Administration says it has reviewed an aircraft safety incident from December in which a United Airlines aircraft sharply descended just after taking off from Hawaii.

radar

News

Adjusted radar settings likely behind rash of USA’s unknown object detections

The Pentagon says it has been more closely scrutinising the airspace around North America after an incursion by a Chinese surveillance balloon, including increasing the sensitivity settings on radars that previously were not reporting small, low-speed objects.

WestJet 737-700

News

WestJet to expand flying to USA and eastern Canada

Canadian airline WestJet plans to expand its connectivity from Calgary and Edmonton by almost 30% and 50%, respectively, over 2022 levels, beginning in April.

US Air Force F-16

News

Fourth airborne object shot down after overflying ‘sensitive sites’

Another unidentified aerial object was shot down by an F-16  fighter aircraft near the maritime border between the USA and Canada on Lake Huron – the third unknown object and fourth overall to be destroyed in the past week.

737 Max at Renton

In depth

US aerospace supply chain faces long climb back to health

Boeing’s aircraft production rates remain significantly depressed from last decade’s highs – reflecting an aerospace industry struggling to keep up and facing what insiders describe as a long, difficult climb back to normalcy.

f-22-raptor-aircraft-military-aircraft-afterburner-wallpaper-preview

News

US fighter jet shoots down third airborne object over North America

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered fighter jets to shoot down an unidentified airborne object, the third such object that has been downed over North America in one week.

american Airlines Boeing 777

News

US NTSB subpoenas American Airlines pilots involved in JFK runway incursion

US aviation accident investigators have subpoenaed an American Airlines flight crew involved in a near-miss at New York’s John F Kennedy International airport last month after attempting to interview the individuals three times without success.

F-22s over Alaska

News

US F-22s shoot down unidentified high-altitude object over Alaska

The Pentagon says at the direction of US President Joe Biden fighter aircraft shot down an unknown object off the coast of Alaska around 40,000ft, with military officials describing the craft as posing a hazard to commercial aviation.

Hawaiian A321neo

News

Hawaiian Airlines pilots accept new contract with 32% pay raise

Pilots at Hawaiian Airlines have approved a new contract which will give them an average pay raise of 32% over four years.

737 Max 10

In depth

Analysts diverge on optimum timeframe for next Boeing aircraft launch

Immediate action could help the airframer re-energise the company and claw back market share, according to some, but others argue the priority should be mending a strained balance sheet and troubled supply chain.

U-2 spy plane - Lockheed Martin

News

U-2 spy planes monitored Chinese balloon during USA transit

While the US military is keeping quiet about what measures it took during the recent balloon flyover, a senior American diplomat says high-altitude Lockheed Martin U-2 reconnaissance aircraft were used to collect information on the airship.

ABpod-logo-ws

Podcast

Airline Business Podcast: Do airline failures belie brighter outlook?

Graham and Lewis discuss the recent collapses of European carriers Flybe and Flyr, asking whether those developments belie a much brighter outlook for the industry in 2023.

Newsletter

Newsletter

Investors see value in airlines as 2023 outlook improves

Our latest airline share-price tracker reflects positive sentiment towards an industry that has plenty of reasons for optimism heading towards the northern hemisphere summer.

Balloon recovery_US NAvy

News

Lawmakers frustrated with Pentagon balloon response

Members of Congress are grilling US defence officials about the military’s response to a multi-day incursion into North American airspace by a Chinese surveillance platform, and many are not satisfied with the answers.

Mesa building

News

Mesa Airlines reports fiscal Q1 loss, braces for breakup with American Airlines

Mesa Airlines Group, parent of US regional carrier Mesa Airlines, reports a modest loss in the first quarter of its fiscal year as it prepares to separate from longtime partner American Airlines in favour of a new deal with United Airlines.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737

News

‘We messed up’: Southwest executive testifies on airline’s holiday meltdown

A Southwest Airlines executive faced grilling from Washington lawmakers regarding the carrier’s system-wide operational meltdown that resulted in the cancellation of 16,700 flights and stranded hundreds of thousands of air travellers at the end of 2022.

Global 8000

News

Bombardier targeting 15% more business jet deliveries in 2023

Bombardier expects to increase business jet deliveries by “a minimum of 15%” as strong demand for private flying drives the company’s resurgence.

Airline Business Covid-19 recovery tracker Logo

In depth

Airline Business Covid-19 recovery tracker: February 2023 update

Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including 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.

Cirrus SR22T

News

Cirrus grounds its own SR22 and SR22T aircraft due to engine ‘issue’

Cirrus Aircraft, maker of high-performance single-engine aircraft, has grounded its SR22 and SR22T models after “an issue” was discovered with its Continental Aerospace engines.

newa321neo

News

Frontier reports $40m profit in Q4, capitalises on ‘strong leisure market’

Ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines reports a $40 million profit in the fourth quarter of 2022 as it continues to see strong demand for leisure travel.

Spirit and Jetblue

News

Spirit names CFO Scott Haralson as executive vice-president following lacklustre Q4

Shortly after reporting a hefty fourth-quarter loss, Spirit Airlines has moved Scott Haralson into the role of executive vice-president and chief financial officer.

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News

Canada Jetlines appoints Rossen Dimitrov to board of directors

Start-up leisure carrier Canada Jetlines has appointed longtime airline executive Rossen Dimitrov to its board of directors. 

C-27Js Bulgaria

News

Leonardo to upgrade avionics on USA’s remaining C-27Js

The $91 million contract with the US Special Operations Command will provide an upgraded avionics package on the ageing Leonardo tactical transports, currently operated by the US Coast Guard and the US Army’s special operators.

Lufthansa Airbus A380

Analysis

How supply-demand crunch has given A380 a fresh lease of life

After initially looking as though the pandemic was going to bring an unceremonious end to several carriers’ Airbus A380 operations, a capacity shortage means the ultra-large jet will be flying far more widely this summer than previously expected

Everts MD-83 freighter-c-Aeronautical Engineers

News

Everts seeks MD-88 converted freighter from Aeronautical Engineers

While US modification specialist Aeronautical Engineers’ recent activity has been primarily focused on Boeing 737-800 work, the company has received a request for an MD-88 cargo conversion.

Universal Hydrogen fuel-cell Dash 8

News

FAA grants Universal Hydrogen special airworthiness certificate

Alternative propulsion developer Universal Hydrogen says the Federal Aviation Administration has granted it a special airworthiness certificate in the experimental category, clearing the company to begin flight testing its demonstrator aircraft, a modified De Havilland Canada Dash 8-300.

Bombardier Global 7500 credit Bombardier

News

Bombardier overhauls leadership structure, Martel remains CEO

Bombardier has made several significant shifts to its senior management structure, naming new executives to head sales, aftermarket operations, defence products and supply chain.

A Cessna SkyCourier equipped with a gravel kit

News

Textron Aviation rolls out ‘gravel kit’ for SkyCourier

Textron Aviation is now selling a “gravel kit” modification for Cessna’s newly certificated SkyCourier turboprop – an option intended to enable the aircraft to operate from remote, unfinished airstrips.

Frontier

News

US DOJ decision on proposed JetBlue-Spirit tie-up expected within a month

Spirit Airlines is expecting a decision from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) on its pending acquisition by rival low-cost airline JetBlue Airways within the next 30 days.

737 assembly c Spirit AeroSystems

News

Production and supply chain trouble push Spirit AeroSystems to $546m 2022 loss

Spirit AeroSystems lost $546 million in 2022, reflecting an ongoing slump in aerostructures deliveries and a disrupted production system.

China Southern China Eastern

News

Global airline passenger traffic exceeded two-thirds of pre-Covid levels in 2022

Airline passenger traffic was just over two-thirds of 2019 levels last year, in a 12-month period marked by an initially strong recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic that then plateaued across the last few months of the year.

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News

Spirit Airlines loses $271m in Q4, searches for ‘sustained profitability’

Spirit Airlines is still searching for “sustained profitability” after losing $271 million during the fourth quarter of 2022, compared with a $87 million loss during the same three months of 2021. 

CV-22B Osprey

News

V-22s grounded over continued problems with hard clutch engagement

After the US Air Force and US Marine Corps failed to previously address the problem, the joint office overseeing the US military’s fleet of Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotors recommended a flight restriction on the problem-plagued craft over continued issues with hard clutch engagement.

CV-22 Refuels from KC-46

News

USAF launches effort to develop stealthy air tanker

Formerly known as “KC-Z”, the programme now dubbed Next Generation Air-refuelling System seeks to deliver an air tanker capable of surviving in a contested environment by 2040.

United Airlines 777-300ER

News

FAA plans to fine Unted $1.15m for missed safety checks between 2018 and 2021

The Federal Aviation Administration plans to fine United Airlines $1.15 million after the carrier missed certain pre-flight checks pertaining to a fire warning system on its Boeing 777s during an almost three-year period –flying those aircraft in an ”unairworthy condition”.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737

News

NTSB chair to warn lawmakers of potential for ‘catastrophic’ runway accident

The warning from NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy will come during a House hearing three days after what appears to have been an incredibly dangerous runway incursion event involving Southwest Airlines and FedEx jets at Austin.

Global Crossing A320 N276GX, Global Crossing

News

FAA approves US cargo operations for GlobalX

US carrier Global Crossing Airlines (GlobalX) has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to begin cargo operations with its Airbus A321F aircraft.

398224-HSVTOL Press Release Image-494ce1-original-1627922068

In depth

Not just a helicopter company: Bell makes a play for the future of vertical lift

The Textron subsidiary, which rose to 20th century prominence as the maker of the Vietnam-era UH-1 Huey and over a dozen commercial helicopter types, is envisioning a new future for itself pioneering the next era of vertical flight.

Cargo

News

Global air freight demand dropped below pre-Covid levels in 2022

Demand for air freight dropped below 2019 levels last year, as the sector experienced a comedown from the highs recorded in 2021 but still benefited from strong yields.

Moment of impact 2

News

USAF downs Chinese balloon off Atlantic coast

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors from the US Air Force shot down the surveillance vessel on 4 February off the USA’s East Coast, with Washington denouncing the balloon’s presence as a violation of territorial sovereignty.

Chinese spy balloon

News

Pentagon tracking high-altitude Chinese spy balloon over USA

The US military says it is monitoring a large surveillance balloon travelling over North America that it believes originated in China.

Allegiant first new A320 Credit: Airbus

News

Pilots seek to block Allegiant-Viva Aerobus joint venture

The union representing Allegiant Air’s pilots has come out against the carrier’s proposed joint business with Mexico’s Viva Aerobus, alleging that it is simply seeking access to cheaper flightcrew.

Air France A330-200-c-Air France

News

Air France to link Canadian capital with Europe

SkyTeam carrier Air France is to open the Canadian capital Ottawa’s only non-stop link to Europe, with a service from Paris Charles de Gaulle before mid-year.

Skywest_delta

News

US regional SkyWest loses $47m in final quarter of 2022

In what Skywest Airlines’ chief executive Chip Childs called a “noisy” fourth quarter of 2022, the regional US carrier lost $47 million, compared with a $4 million profit in the same three months of 2021.

Ethiopian 737 Max wreckage

News

Attorneys accuse Boeing of violating 737 Max settlement with Department of Justice

Attorneys representing relatives of 737 Max crash victims are arguing in court that Boeing violated its 2021 settlement with the US government by pleading not guilty last week to fraud charges.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737

News

Southwest names Lauren Woods as chief information officer to manage IT overhaul

Southwest Airlines has moved company executive Lauren Woods into the role of chief information officer to help manage the airline’s technology upgrades in the aftermath of its system-wide operational meltdown during peak of holiday travel. 

Sun-Country-Livery_03-1500x844

News

Sun Country Airlines 'prudently' grows as it posts $17.7m Q4 profit

Sun Country Airlines was able to “prudently” grow its operations in 2022, achieving a modest profit for both the fourth quarter and the full year.

PORTER_EXTERIOR-PHOTOS_007

News

Porter launches ‘sister airline’ to operate new Embraer 195-E2s to the USA

Porter Airlines has launched a new ”sister” carrier – Porter Airlines Canada – with an eye on an expansion in the USA using its new Embraer E195-E2s.

liberty-lifter-619

News

Aurora and General Atomics advance in DARPA seaplane project

The aircraft manufacturers will develop designs for full-scale demonstrators under the ‘Liberty Lifter’ programme, which seeks to produce a heavy lift aircraft that can take-off and land without ground or ship-based infrastructure. 

eaglet-takes-its-first-flight

News

GA-ASI conducts first flight of Eaglet Air Launched Effect

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has operated the first flight of a new Air Launched Effect, the Eaglet, from a US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned air vehicle (UAV).

Allegiant Air’s Airbus A320s (April 2019)

News

Allegiant posts $53m Q4 profit thanks to ‘robust demand’

Allegiant Travel Company, parent of Allegiant Air, rode high demand for leisure travel to a profitable fourth quarter of 2022, capping a year marked by significant operational challenges. 

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News

Lawmakers from Sikorsky’s home state demand answers on FLRAA decision

Members of Congress representing Sikorsky’s home state of Connecticut want answers from the US Army as to how it selected the company’s rival for a procurement contract to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk – expected to be worth as much as $80 billion.

One of the last three 747-8Fs (a jet for Atlas Air) being produced at Boeing's Everett production site, on 15 June 2022

News

Boeing 747 Freighters will maintain value: Atlas Air CEO

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, the buyer of Boeing’s final four 747s, expects the jumbo jets will maintain their value over time – and plans to operate them for up to half a century.

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News

Final Boeing 747 departs Everett for its new home

The final Boeing 747 to be built left the airframer’s Everett, Washington plant on 1 February, closing a five-decade-long era for the US airframer.

747 in build

In depth

How Boeing’s ‘Incredibles’ crafted 747 as Queen of the Skies

While the 747 programme’s last delivery has closed a chapter of history for the Boeing type, it will always remain “Queen of the Skies”, according to Michael Lombardi, the company’s senior corporate historian.

De Havilland Dash 8-400 F-LCD

News

De Havilland lands Dash 8 freighter conversion order from Peru’s ATSA

De Havilland Canada has landed an agreement to supply Peruvian airline ATSA with a Dash 8-400 F-LCD freighter, a heavily modified aircraft equipped with a large cargo door.

Boeing's last 747

In depth

‘Magic here’: Boeing delivers final iconic Queen of the Skies

Current and former employees bid the iconic Boeing 747 a fond and tearful farewell, as the US airframer delivers its final “Queen of the Skies” to Atlas Air. 

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News

Hawaiian narrows Q4 loss, reports slow recovery in Japanese demand

Hawaiian Holdings, parent company of Hawaiian Airlines, reports narrowing fourth-quarter losses as demand for air travel to the Pacific archipelago has largely rebounded – except from Japan.

Lufthansa 747-400

Analysis

From freighters to Air Force One: how the current 747 fleet is deployed

After a production run totalling 1,574 aircraft, Boeing’s 747 remains in widespread use around the globe, with almost one-quarter of all delivered jumbos still operational.

final 747 was to Atlas Air Worldwide

Analysis

Last of the jumbos: Boeing closes chapter with final 747 delivery

Boeing has delivered its final 747, closing a chapter on an aircraft that revolutionised travel, linked distant cities, made the world seem smaller and became a symbol of American industrial might and of last century’s jet-set culture.

JetBlue Embraer E190

News

ALPA-represented JetBlue pilots win 21.5% pay raise with new contract

JetBlue Airways’ pilots approved on 30 January a two-year contract extension that includes a 21.5% pay increase over 18 months.

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News

Sikorsky moves toward annual CH-53K production rate of 24 aircraft

The US Navy declared the three-engined, heavy-lift rotorcraft ready for full-rate production in December and subsequently issued contracts to manufacturer Sikorsky to support assembly of 24 CH-53Ks yearly.

Ameriflight Natilus rendering.

News

US start-up Natilus lands deal to sell in-development cargo aircraft to Ameriflight

US cargo airline Ameriflight intends to purchase 20 of a conceptual autonomous cargo aircraft being developed by California start-up Natilus.

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News

Frontier Airlines to expand Puerto Rican presence in May

Frontier Airlines plans in May to add several new routes to Puerto Rico as part of an expansion that will see the airline launch its first flights to the US territory’s city of Ponce.

747 debut

Analysis

How the veteran 747 fell out of fashion as ‘big twins’ took off

Having changed the way the world flew, the four-engined jumbo eventually lost out to a new breed of more efficient airliners

An Allegiant near Mount Rainier

News

Allegiant Air shuffles executive leadership team

Allegiant Travel Company has made further changes to its C-suite days after accepting the resignation of co-president and chief operating officer Scott Sheldon.

Lockheed HAWC hypersonic

News

DARPA, Lockheed successfully test experimental hypersonic weapon

It was the second test flight of the scramjet vehicle known as the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept, which Lockheed is developing in conjunction with the Pentagon’s secretive research branch.

Airbus A320

News

LATAM, Delta plan to launch new route from Orlando to Bogota

LATAM Airlines plans to launch a new daily route from Orlando to Bogota, Colombia on 1 July as part of its recently approved joint venture with Delta Air Lines.

US Air Force KC-46As

News

USAF orders more Boeing KC-46s, as inspectors identify more failings

The US Air Force placed an order worth $2 billion with Boeing for 15 new KC-46 air tankers, just as the Pentagon’s test office identified new faults with the troubled jet.

A Boeing 737 Max being assembled at Boeing's Renton facility on 15 June 2022

News

Boeing to open fourth 737 production line, in Everett

Boeing plans in 2024 to expand its 737 Max production footprint by opening a new production line at its facility in Everett, supplementing the three 737 lines at its original 737 assembly site in Renton.

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News

Scott Sheldon steps down as president of Allegiant Air

Allegiant Travel Company, parent of Allegiant Air, has accepted the resignation of co-president and chief operating officer Scott Sheldon, prompting a reshuffling of the airline’s executives.

Newsletter

Newsletter

Why does United Airlines chief think competitors are ‘in denial’?

Having been outspoken on the path of the Covid-19 pandemic, United Airlines chief executive Scott Kirby is now suggesting his airline’s peers are misreading the industry’s route out of the crisis.

Electra Aero's concept for a seven-passenger electric commuter aircraft

News

Start-up Electra Aero secures USAF funding for eSTOL development

US start-up Electra Aero has secured $30 million in funding through a US Air Force (USAF) programme to further develop an all-electric short take-off and landing (eSTOL) aircraft.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737

News

Southwest end-year meltdown costs $800 million, leads to Q4 loss

Southwest Airlines lost $220 million during the fourth quarter of 2022 after it was battered by a system-wide meltdown during the busiest travel days of the end-of-year holiday season.

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News

Gulfstream targets 20% bump in 2023 aircraft deliveries

Business jet maker Gulfstream aims to hike its aircraft deliveries by a fifth in 2023 after missing its delivery target last year amid regulatory and supply chain issues.

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News

Alaska posts $58m full-year profit on record revenues

Alaska Air Group posted record full-year operating revenues of $9.65 billion in 2022 and a net profit of $58 million for the year.

American 737 Max-c-American Airlines

News

Pilot shortages holding back American’s expansion

Pilot availability is still limiting the size of American Airlines’ operation, through the carrier says it has ramped pilot training to accommodate its planned 2023 fleet expansion.

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News

JetBlue posts $24m profit in Q4 as travel spending outruns costs

JetBlue Airways posted a $24 million profit in the final quarter of the year as end-of-year travel spending rose to compensate for higher costs, especially for jet fuel.

Horizon Alaska Dash 8-400

News

Alaska follows Airbus A320 retirements with Dash 8 withdrawal

Alaska Airlines unit Horizon Air today operates the last of its De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400s flights after Alaska earlier this month retired the last of its Airbus A320 fleet as part of its accelerated fleet transition announced last year.

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News

JAL invests in sea-glider start-up Regent Craft

Japan Airlines Innovation Fund, the venture arm of the Japanese carrier, has invested in start-up sea glider developer Regent Craft.

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News

American turns $127m profit in 2022 as soaring expenses eat into record revenues

American Airlines made a $127 million profit in 2022 as surging expenses offset what was a record year of revenue for the Fort Worth-based carrier.

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News

Police UAV operator ‘saturated’ before collision with landing Cessna

Canadian investigators believe the police operator of an unmanned aerial vehicle became task-saturated, and unaware of a collision risk, before the craft was struck by a Cessna 172N flown by a student on a training flight.

737 Max

News

Boeing still coping with ‘unstable’ 737 delivery pace

Boeing expects to deliver between 30 and 40 737s monthly in 2023 – and where it falls in that range will depend largely on its ability to fix supply and labour issues.

Hawaiian Airlines

News

Hawaiian restores flights between Honolulu and Fukuoka, Japan

Hawaiian Airlines is reinstating more flights to Japan, its most important overseas market, as it rebuilds its network in the Asia-Pacific region after almost three years of coronavirus-driven restrictions.

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News

Boeing’s truss-braced-wing demonstrator will ‘definitely’ inform next aircraft: CEO

Boeing chief executive David Calhoun insists future narrowbody commercial aircraft will benefit from technologies advanced as part of Boeing’s partnership with NASA to develop a truss-braced-wing demonstrator.

United 787

News

Boeing pushes back plan to bring 787 production to five monthly

Boeing has delayed until later this year a plan to bring 787 production to five aircraft monthly, citing a production slowdown due to a “supply constraint”.

V-280 takeoff c Bell

News

Textron confident Bell’s FLRAA win will survive Lockheed challenge

The parent company of helicopter manufacturer Bell is confident the company’s win in the US Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft contest will be upheld, amid a challenge from competitor Lockheed Martin.

Cessna Ciation Longitude

News

Textron Aviation’s 2022 profit jumps as supply chain troubles disrupt production

Textron Aviation turned a $584 million profit in 2022, a year in which parts shortages held up production even as demand for new business aircraft remained strong.

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News

Commercial and defence programmes push Boeing to $5.1bn 2022 loss

Boeing lost $5.1 billion in 2022 as lacklustre performance from its commercial aviation division combined with its defence business swinging into the red.

F-16 Block 70 Bahrain first flight

News

Lockheed’s first Greenville-built F-16 makes debut flight

Lockheed Martin has performed a debut flight with the first F-16 fighter built at its Greenville site in South Carolina: a two-seat, Block 70 example built for Bahrain.

Business Class Seating Collins

News

Collins’ aircraft interiors business faces long road to recovery

Collins Aerospace’ aircraft interiors business is lagging the company’s broader recovery due to the slow return of demand for international long-haul air travel.

F35 factory

News

Flat sales in 2023, return to growth in 2024 for Lockheed Martin

Inflation and supply chain headwinds continue to challenge the defence manufacturer, but company executives say new contracts and better than expected defence funding in the USA will drive a return to growth in 2024.

First live-fire test of an AIM-120 missile released from operational F-35

News

Raytheon to combine military systems businesses and names Calio president

Raytheon Technologies has disclosed plans to consolidate two defence-focused divisions, reoganising its business into three divisions with Christopher Calio as its next president.

Mesa building

News

United takes 10% stake in Mesa Air Group, valued at $10.5m

United Airlines has taken a 10% stake in Mesa Air Group, the parent of Mesa Airlines, valued at $10.5 million.

Aircraft

News

Passenger fleet to grow by 22,000 aircraft by end-2041: Cirium

The global passenger fleet is forecast increase by around 22,000 aircraft – or 86% – between end-2021 and end-2041 to meet growing demand for air travel, according to Ascend by Cirium.

F-135 engine

News

Raytheon reports sluggish defence growth despite high demand

The aerospace conglomerate reports strong growth in the sale of commercial aviation products, but says it still faces significant manufacturing headwinds in its defence portfolio.

PW1100G on A320neo.

News

Shortages of P&W engine components to continue through most of 2023

Availability of complex metal components used to produce aerospace turbofans will likely remain constrained through most of this year.

norse 787-c-Norse Atlantic

News

Norse Atlantic to open JFK service from fifth European capital

Scandinavian long-haul low-cost carrier Norse Atlantic Airways is to open services between Rome and New York JFK in mid-June.

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News

GE Aerospace’s 2022 profit jumps as recovery continues

GE Aerospace’s 2022 profit jumped 66% year-on-year to $4.8 billion, partly reflecting a bump in revenue from commercial aviation parts and aftermarket services sales.

Britten Norman Islander

News

FAA certificates Britten-Norman’s BN2T-4S, nearly 30 years after UK approval

The Federal Aviation Administration has certificated Britten-Norman’s BN2T-4S Islander turboprop, a move that comes decades after European authorities greenlighted the type.

5000th black hawk

News

Sikorsky delivers 5,000th Black Hawk, with potential for new US orders

The milestone comes as the US Army is beginning its transition toward replacing the venerable UH-60 platform, which it has selected Bell to produce.

Smartwings Boeing 737 Max 8

News

LOT, Smartwings also challenging US government’s 737 Max settlement with Boeing

A legal battle over Boeing’s 2021 settlement of 737 Max-related fraud charges continues playing out in US court, with two European airlines accusing Boeing of failing to abide by the deal.

A350-900 MSN115 Delta Taxiing

News

Airbus to retrofit and upgrade nine A350 jets for Delta

Delta Air Lines has hired Airbus Services to retrofit and upgrade nine Airbus A350 aircraft that previously flew for LATAM Airlines Group.

F35 factory crane denmark

News

US, Turkish defence officials meet for second round of F-35 discussions

Washington removed the NATO ally from the multi-nation Joint Strike Fighter programme in 2019, following Anakra’s acquisition of a Russian air defence system.

US Air Force C-17 Kabul

News

USAF launches AI-powered airlift planning competition

The Air Force Research Laboratory digital event invites researchers from around the world to improve the planning of airlift operations using artificial intelligence-driven algorithms.

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News

Israeli firm to supply 777-8 freighter’s main cargo door

Israeli firm Elbit Systems is to supply the large main-deck cargo door for the Boeing 777-8 freighter, under an aerostructures agreement with the US airframer.

Airbus

News

Delta to begin Los Angeles-Auckland flights in October

Delta Air Lines intends in October to begin flying for the first time between Auckland and Los Angeles, becoming the only US carrier connecting the two cities.

Ethiopian 737 Max crash scene

News

US judge faced with request to rescind Boeing’s immunity from 737 Max prosecution

A US Federal judge is faced with deciding whether to lift Boeing’s immunity from criminal prosecution related to two 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people.

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News

FAA finds ‘unintentionally deleted files’ led to 11 January system outage

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has identified “unintentionally deleted files” as the likely reason behind a system outage that led to nationwide flight disruptions. 

Ethiopian 737 Max wreckage

News

US federal judge orders Boeing arraigned for 737 Max crashes

A federal judge in Texas has lifted Boeing’s immunity from arraignment on criminal charges for two fatal crashes involving its 737 Max aircraft.

Spirit A319 Max KJ FG

News

Spirit Airlines selling 29 Airbus A319s amid fleet renewal

Spirit Airlines has entered an agreement to sell 29 Airbus A319s to Gryphon Trading Company for $152 million to $201 million, depending on price adjustments in the deal. 

B717_Runway

News

Hawaiian Airlines’ pilots to vote on new contract

Hawaiian Airlines’ pilots have come to a tentative agreement with the airline on a new four-year contract.

Universal Hydrogen fuel-cell Dash 8

News

Universal Hydrogen reveals video of fuel-cell test run on modified Dash 8

Alternative propulsion developer Universal Hydrogen recently completed “propeller runs” of its hydrogen-fuel cell powertrain integrated onto a regional aircraft.

War Thunder F-16 rendering

News

Technical F-15 and F-16 documents leaked in online gaming forum

Military video game forum users posted apparently restricted documents pertaining to Boeing F-15s and Lockheed Martin F-16s.

IndiGo A320s

News

P&W expands India presence with new Bengaluru engineering centre

Pratt & Whitney has opened a new engineering operation in the Indian city of Bengaluru as part of broader expansion in India by parent Raytheon Technologies.

Susan Ying

Interview

Engineering change: Susan Ying’s remarkable career path to electric pioneer Ampaire

Susan Ying has transformed a series of unfortunate events – including losing all her possessions in a flood and a cancer diagnosis – into a stellar career that now finds her at electrification innovator Ampaire.

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News

Delta pilots’ union to ballot members after agreeing new contract terms

Pilots at Delta Air Lines are to vote on a new employment contract after union leaders backed a tentative new agreement.

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News

Aurora advances to second phase of DARPA ‘active flow’ flight-control experiment

The Boeing subsidiary is designing an aircraft for the US military that can fly without traditional mechanical control surfaces, as part of an attempt to increase aerodynamic performance.

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News

Southwest pilots’ union president calls for vote to authorise strike

Casey Murray, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilot Association (SWAPA), is calling for a vote to authorise a potential strike in the wake of the carrier’s operational collapse during the peak of holiday air travel.

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News

US aviation lobby groups warn against introducing unleaded aviation fuel too quickly

Several aviation lobby groups say they support the introduction of lead-free aviation fuel, or avgas, but warn against moving too quickly to replace the leaded gas that is currently widely used in the USA’s piston aircraft fleet.

Addis Ababa

News

Ethiopian to launch Atlanta flights

Ethiopian Airlines plans to launch its first service to Atlanta this summer, with four flights weekly to the US city from mid-May.

United Airlines chief executive

News

Airline operating environment has changed ‘profoundly’: Kirby

United Airlines’ chief executive Scott Kirby believes the dramatic shift in operating environment for airlines following the Covid-19 pandemic requires new ways of doing business.

Boeing truss brace concept 011823

News

NASA partners with Boeing to develop $1.1b truss-braced-wing demonstrator

NASA has picked Boeing to develop a demonstrator of a truss-braced-wing narrowbody aircraft, part of a programme aimed at advancing technologies that could make the next single-aisle commercial aircraft 30% more efficient.

United Airlines 777-300ER

News

United plans to restore non-stop service to China

United Airlines hopes to soon restore non-stop service to mainland China after that country lifted all Covid-19-related travel restrictions earlier this month.

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News

Stratolaunch completes second ‘captive carry’ test flight of hypersonic vehicle

The California-based hypersonic development firm is testing a two-aircraft system, in which the hypersonic vehicle is carried and launched from underneath a dual fuselage, high-wing jet.

Delta Airbus A220-300

News

Delta orders a dozen more Airbus A220s

Delta Air Lines has exercised options on 12 more Airbus A220-300s for delivery in 2026 and 2027.

Leanne Caret from boeing

News

Former head of Boeing defence wing joins Raytheon’s board of directors

As chief executive of Boeing Defense, Space & Security for six years, Leanne Caret oversaw significant contract wins for the aerospace giant using a bid strategy that has since generated billions in losses.

737-8_7Dec2021

News

United reports first full-year profit since 2019

United Airlines earned a profit of $737 million in 2022, the first time since 2019 that it ended the year in the black.

Wisk's six-generation air taxi demonstrator

News

Wisk Aero CEO Gysin retires, to be replaced by Brian Yutko

Gary Gysin, chief executive of Silicon Valley-based advanced air mobility company Wisk Aero, will retire on 1 Febraury.

Airbus

News

US airlines request extension of slot waivers for flights to Asia

US airlines are requesting an extension of slot waivers for certain long-haul flights that have been in place since Covid-19 disrupted international travel in March 2020.

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News

Southwest downplayed ‘serious issues with technology’ to shareholders: class-action lawsuit

A class-action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of shareholders of Southwest Airlines based on allegations that the company downplayed the potential for its ageing crew-scheduling software to derail its nationwide operations.

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News

Virgin Atlantic fined $1m for operating Delta codeshare flights in Iraqi airspace

UK long-haul carrier Virgin Atlantic has been fined over $1 million by US regulators for operating several flights in restricted Iraqi airspace which were carrying the codeshare of its US partner Delta Air Lines.

Alice debut flight

News

Mexican start up Aerus intends to acquire 30 Eviation Alice electric aircraft

Mexican start-up airline Aerus has become the latest carrier to express interest in acquiring Eviation’s in-development all-electric commuter aircraft Alice.

Bombardier Global 7500 credit Bombardier

News

Bombardier hit 2022 delivery target with 123 jets shipped

Canadian business jet maker Bombardier has met its revenue and aircraft-delivery targets for 2022.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall

News

US Air Force secretary stresses importance of advanced tankers, transports

The US Air Force (USAF) is serious about advanced designs for tanker and transport aircraft to address the emerging threats from near-peer adversaries.

Delta Air Lines JFK

News

NTSB and FAA to investigate runway incursion in New York

The US National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating a near-miss between two commercial aircraft at New York’s John F Kennedy International airport.

F-16V pair

News

Talks on USA F-16 sale to Turkey move to Congress for next stage of review

The Biden administration is reportedly ready to approve the sale of 40 single-engined Lockheed Martin fighter jets, on the condition Ankara drops objections to Sweden and Finland joining NATO.

X-59 flying_004 c Lockheed Martin

News

NASA now eyes 2023 first flight for X-59, as supersonic projects face heat

NASA now expects its delayed X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology demonstrator aircraft will make first flight in 2023 following completion of still-outstanding system evaluations.

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News

US lawmakers ’seeking answers’ for Southwest’s holiday ‘debacle’

Southwest Airlines is still in hot water, as 15 Democratic senators have signed a 13 January letter to CEO Bob Jordan demanding a detailed explanation of the carrier’s performance during the 2022 holiday travel period.

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News

Delta’s Bastian calls for more funding for the FAA

Delta Air Lines’ chief executive Ed Bastian called on US lawmakers to increase funding to the Federal Aviation Administration after a collapse of a critical warning information system earlier this week briefly grounded thousands of flights.

Delta A350 Delta-1

News

Delta ‘not going to get ahead of ourselves’ on China routes: CEO

Delta Air Lines plans to hold back on restoring its flight network to China as it assesses demand following that country’s lifting of all Covid-19-related travel restrictions earlier this month.

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News

Delta turns $1.3bn profit in 2022 as expenses balloon

Delta Air Lines’ profit surged in 2022 to $1.3 billion, up significantly year-on-year but still depressed from the Atlanta-based carrier’s profit in pre-pandemic 2019.

UAP video-c-US Naval Air Systems Command

News

Newly reported UFOs display ‘unusual flight performance capabilities’: US intelligence

After analysing some 366 newly identified instances of unidentified aerial phenomena, US intelligence officials have determined roughly half to be normal aerospace clutter, while an unspecified number suggested unusual flight performance capabilities.

Air Canada A220-300

News

Air Canada shakes up senior management team

Lucie Guillemette plans to retire from her position as executive vice-president of Air Canada at the end of April, marking the end of a 36-year career with the carrier. 

A330 cockpit-c-Airbus

Analysis

FAA’s technology breakdown renews calls to upgrade ATC system

The US Federal Aviation Administration’s IT breakdown that led to a 90-minute nationwide flight ban early on 11 January has renewed calls to upgrade to the country’s air traffic control system. 

Airbus

Analysis

Airbus bests Boeing in 2022 orders and deliveries but both airframers take positives

For the fourth consecutive year, European airframer Airbus in 2022 delivered more aircraft and received more net orders than arch rival Boeing.

Swoop 737-800 livery WestJet 051518-1

News

Canadian NOTAM system shutdown comes on heels of FAA outage

Canadian air navigation service Nav Canada reported an outage of its Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system on the same day a similar shutdown of the US Federal Aviation Administration’s system prompted a nationwide take-off ban.

C-17 mass takeoff

News

USAF completes largest-ever C-17 launch with rapid deployment of 24 aircraft

Two-dozen of the Boeing transport jets launched from Charleston, South Carolina before dispersing to drop paratroopers, refuel helicopters on the ground and distribute heavy weapons and communication systems at multiple landing sites.

Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330 at Los Angeles airport

News

US air travel system starting to recover following system outage: FAA

US airline flights are “gradually” recovering from a nationwide take-off ban prompted by failure of a Federal Aviation Administration computer system.

Caribbean 737 Max-c-Caribbean Airlines

News

Runway slope obscured visibility during Toronto incursion

Canadian investigators have disclosed that a runway slope would have prevented the crews of two aircraft from seeing one another during a recent incursion incident at Toronto.

United Airlines Boeing 737 Max at LAX airport

News

FAA computer issue prompts agency to temporarily ban US take-offs

The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered US flight departures halted until 09:00 Eastern time due to an outage of the system used by the FAA to distribute Notices to Air Missions.

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News

Alaska Airlines plans to add 3,500 employees in 2023

Alaska Airlines plans to hire some 3,500 employees for a variety of roles in 2023 – including pilots, flight attendants and customer service agents – to keep pace with its rapidly growing fleet.

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News

Spirit pilots approve new two-year deal with $463m pay gain

Spirit Airlines pilots voted on 10 January to approve a new two-year union contract that could be renegotiated if the airline’s pending acquisition by rival discount carrier JetBlue Airways collapses. 

F-15EX missile shot

News

Boeing’s F-15EX proves full air-to-air capability with 12 underwing missiles

Recent weapons tests demonstrated that the F-15EX – the latest version of Boeing’s venerable air superiority fighter – can carry a full load of 12 air-to-air missiles.

United 787

News

Buoyant Boeing hits 2022 delivery target after strong December

Boeing ended up exceeding its twice-revised 737 delivery goal for 2022, shipping 387 of the narrowbody jets during the year, thanks largely to the rapid pace of deliveries in December.

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In depth

Airline Business Covid-19 recovery tracker: January 2023 update

Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including 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.

Boeing left with a single undelivered 747 after Atlas takes second-to-last

News

Global demand for air cargo tailing off: IATA

Global demand for air cargo “softened” in November 2022, the most recent month of data, as carriers continued facing economic headwinds and the pandemic-related cargo boom lost steam.

F-35A Lighting II carrying a B61-12 Joint Test Assembly sits on the flight line at Nellis Air Force Base c USAF

News

Ottawa finalises terms for Canadian F-35 deal

Under the agreement with Lockheed Martin, Canada will purchase 88 F-35A stealth fighters for the country’s air force at a price of $14.2 billion.

United Airlines Boeing 737 Max at LAX airport

News

FAA mandates 5G-tolerant altimeters, warns of ‘catastrophic incident’

The Federal Aviation Administration plans to require all transport aircraft have updated altimeters by February 2024, citing concern about a potential “catastrophic incident” caused by interference from new 5G networks.

Sunwing_Hi Res Boeing

News

Canadian and US airlines cancel flights to Mexico amid ongoing civil unrest

Canadian airlines Sunwing Airlines and WestJet cancelled flights to the western Mexican city of Mazatlan after civil unrest caused that city to close its airport.

American regional jets

News

American pulls out of three small markets, citing regional pilot shortage

American Airlines plans to terminate service to three small markets in the USA, citing a lack of pilots and low demand for the routes.

Heart logo

News

Southwest estimates loss of at least $725m from holiday meltdown

Southwest Airlines estimates losing between $725 million and $825 million due to its nationwide operational meltdown over the busy end-of-year travel period, and warned investors that it anticipates a net loss in the fourth quarter of 2022.  

An Emirates 777 at Washington, Dulles airport on 14 September 2022

News

United and Emirates file codeshare request with US government

United Airlines and Emirates Airline have applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for approval to put their airline codes on each other’s flights as per an agreement the two carriers reached last year.

Archer_Midnight_Side_Tip

News

Archer teams with Stellantis to produce Midnight air taxi

Silicon Valley-based Archer Aviation has teamed with automotive company Stellantis to produce its prototype air taxi, Midnight. 

737 Max cockpit-c-Max Kingsley-Jones

News

FAA-formed panel set to begin evaluating Boeing’s safety processes

A 24-member panel formed by the Federal Aviation Administration will soon convene to begin evaluating the effectiveness of Boeing’s safety management processes.

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News

Horizon Air names Jason Berry senior vice-president of operations

US regional carrier Horizon Air has appointed former Alaska Air Group executive Jason Berry as its senior vice-president of operations. 

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News

JetBlue plans new daytime flights from New York to London

JetBlue Airways plans to boost its North Atlantic operations by launching new daytime flights from New York to London – and an alternative to its transatlantic red-eyes. 

Boeing 787-9 Hawaiian Air

News

Hawaiian Airlines orders two more Boeing 787 Dreamliners

Hawaiian Airlines has ordered two additional Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, bringing the airline’s firm order of the type to 12. 

Hainan_Airlines_Boeing_787-8_B-2730_(24078538431)

News

Air China, Hainan Airlines plan to expand schedules to USA

Air China and Hainan Airlines plan to expand their schedules between the USA and China after that country’s government relaxed Covid-19-driven entry requirements.

Aircraft 5

News

US takes steps to regulate wireless links used to control pilotless aircraft

The US Federal Communications Commission has revealed a plan to bolster the reliability of communication links between un-crewed aircraft and grounded-based aircraft operators.

Skyhawk 172

News

US government supports unleaded fuel drive for general aviation with $10m in funding

The US government will support an industry-wide effort to make unleaded fuel for general aviation more available with $10 million.

XQ-58A Valkyrie low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle launches at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., Dec. 9, 2020

News

US Navy to purchase two XQ-58 drones for ‘autonomous collaborative killer’ programme

The Air Force is already testing the Kratos XQ-58 as part of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft initiative – now the US Navy appears to be following suit.

Airline-data

Analysis

Airline share prices weaker at end-2022 versus end-2021 despite demand recovery

Airline share prices ended 2022 down on the same point 12 months earlier, following a challenging year for wider economies around the world

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News

GE Aerospace nears being standalone company following healthcare divestiture

GE Aerospace came one step closer to becoming a standalone public company on 3 January when parent General Electric divested its healthcare division.

F-35-factory-assembly-line

News

Lockheed finalises contract for another 398 F-35s, misses 2022 delivery target

The $30 billion deal with the US government covers aircraft for the USA, Belgium, Finland and Poland, and comes as Lockheed missed its 2022 F-35 delivery target due to an ongoing pause in flight operations.

ExpressJet_United

News

CommuteAir plans to upgrade avionics in fleet of ERJ-145s

US regional carrier CommuteAir plans on making a “significant new fleet investment” by updating the avionics in its ageing Embraer ERJ-145s with technology developed by Honeywell Aerospace.

E175 SkyWest

News

United confirms it will park up to 38 Embraer E175 jets in favour of Mesa CRJ900s

United Airlines has confirmed that it will park up to 38 Embraer E175 jets in favour of operating Bombardier CRJ900 jets from regional partner Mesa Airlines so as not to run afoul of its contract with its pilots. 

Martin-UAV-V-BAT

News

UAVs deliver cargo to US Navy ship at sea for first time

In what the service describes as a “first-of-its-kind mission”, multiple unmanned air systems moved low-weight cargo loads from shore to ships at sea.

AA CRJ900 2

News

Mesa Airlines finalises new deal with United, reports dismal Q4 results

Amid the upheaval of severing its contract with longtime operating partner American Airlines and finalising a new deal with United Airlines, US regional carrier Mesa Airlines reported a $115.6 million loss during its fiscal fourth quarter.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800s at Denver

News

Southwest Airlines prepares to return to normal operations

Southwest Airlines plans to return to normal operations on 30 December following a disastrous end-of-year travel period in which the carrier has so far cancelled more than 12,000 flights over six days.

V280-c-Bell

News

Sikorsky and Boeing will challenge FLRAA decision

The joint team led by Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky says it has filed an official protest of the US Army’s decision to select the Bell V-280 tiltrotor as the winner of the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft programme to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk.

Lufthansa 787-9

Analysis

Which airlines welcomed new aircraft types into their fleets during 2022?

A selection of the aircraft deliveries over the past 12 months that saw airlines welcome new types or variants into their fleets

Ethiopian 737 Max-c-Shutterstock

News

Ethiopian inquiry rejects bird-strike theory for angle-of-attack sensor failure on crashed 737 Max

One of the aspects of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max crash which had remained unclear during the investigation was the cause of the original angle-of-attack sensor malfunction that initiated the accident sequence.

LAX airport

News

US to reinstate Covid-19 testing requirement for air travellers from China

Starting on 5 January, the USA will begin requiring a negative Covid-19 test or proof of recovery for international air travellers coming from China. 

Sunwing_Hi Res Boeing

News

Canadian government ‘concerned’ with Sunwing meltdown

The Canadian government is criticising leisure specailist Sunwing Vacations after an operational meltdown left hundreds of passengers stuck when winter weather disrupted the carrier’s operations earlier this week.

CMV-22

News

Rolls-Royce lands US Navy order for 28 Osprey engines

The UK engine maker will produce 28 AE 1107C Liberty powerplants for the Boeing V-22 Ospreys operated by the US Navy and US Marine Corps.

Air Canada A220-300

In depth

How far through recovery are North American airlines?

A carrier-by-carrier guide to the progress North American airlines continued to make in their recovery from the Covid-19 crisis during the past year and a look at how much further they have to go in 2023.

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News

US investigators dismayed as 737 Max crash probe skips analysis of crew's actions

US investigators have dissented over findings of an Ethiopian inquiry into the fatal Boeing 737 Max 8 crash outside Addis Ababa nearly four years ago, arguing that the conclusions focus on technical design issues and fail to take sufficient account of human factors and inadequate pilot responses to the loss ...

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737

News

Southwest will ‘never again’ face nationwide operational meltdown: CEO

Southwest Airlines chief executive Bob Jordan spoke publicly for the first time about the company’s widespread operational difficulties during the busy end-of-year holiday travel period, promising that the airline’s passengers and employees will “never again face what’s happening right now”.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737

In depth

Southwest pilots ‘embarrassed’ for airline’s operational crisis

Southwest Airlines’ operational meltdown continued 27 December as it cancelled thousands more flights in what has been a calamitous holiday travel period for the Dallas-based discounter. 

United Airlines Boeing 787

News

US airlines weigh their options on returning to China

US airlines are weighing options to return to Mainland China after that country said it would eliminate quarantine requirements and ease other Covid-19-driven restrictions for arriving passengers.  

TH-73A-c-US Navy

News

US Navy to purchase 26 TH-73As from Leonardo

The derivative of Leonardo’s TH-119 commercial helicopter is used for flight training by the US Navy, US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard.

CH-53K King Stallion prepares to take off from the deck of the USS Wasp

News

US Navy approves full rate production of Sikorsky CH-53K

The King Stallion helicopter will replace the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion as the US Marine Corps’ heavy lifter.

737 Max Southwest Airlines

News

Southwest cancels majority of flights in nationwide operational meltdown

Southwest Airlines is suffering a near collapse of its operations, cancelling the majority of its flights on 26 December following several days of extreme winter weather.

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Newsletter

Tracking a strong end to 2022

The first set of data from The Airline Business 38 reflects the strong recovery being seen in markets around the world.

F-15EX c Boeing

News

Congress passes spending bill, funding military and averting shutdown

The House of Representatives approved a spending package that includes $858 billion to fund the US military, averting a shutdown that would have affected numerous defence procurement programmes and regular operations.

Mayhem

News

Leidos wins $334m contract for multi-role hypersonic platform

The Virginia-based manufacturer will produce a “larger class” air-breathing hypersonic platform capable of performing multiple mission sets.

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News

US airline operations continue to be hampered by ‘powerful’ winter storm

Passengers travelling on one of the busiest days of the year are still contending with brutal winter weather that has crippled numerous airlines’ and airports’ operations across the country.

Mesa building

In depth

‘Not going to drown in an inch of water’: Mesa CEO on breakup with American

The severing of regional US carrier Mesa Airline’s contract to operate on behalf of American Airlines in favour of a tentative five-year deal with United Airlines represents a significant shake-up in the regional airline industry. But accounts differ on how the relationship soured between Mesa and American. 

Metro crash N247DH-c-NTSB via FAA

News

Crashed Metroliner rolled after crew disengaged autopilot on approach: NTSB

US investigators probing the crash of a Fairchild SA227 Metroliner in Wisconsin have found the aircraft experienced an uncommanded roll after the crew disconnected the autopilot during approach.

Airbus runway snow

News

Winter weather in USA prompts thousands of flight cancellations just in time for Christmas

The winter weather hitting the Midwest and Northeast USA continued disrupting the plans of holiday travellers on 22 December, forecast by the US Federal Aviation Administration to be the busiest during the holiday period.

Airline Business 38

In depth

Airline Business performance tracker: key data indicators from around the world

The Airline Business perfromance tracker features key data indicators from dozens of airlines around the world, drawing metrics from the most recent earnings season and comparing the figures with equivalent periods back to 2019.

B-21 Raider

Opinion

Why sixth-generation combat aircraft programmes are flying high

A tantalising batch of next-generation combat aircraft programmes are powering up for the USA and multiple key allies – now it is critical that such efforts can deliver success.

Andre Borschberg

Analysis

Which firms are leading aviation’s decarbonisation charge?

The hype about electric, hybrid-electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft to help solve aviation’s carbon emission problem is huge, but how much progress is being made bringing them to market?

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News

Porter Airlines takes first two of 50 Embraer E195-E2s

Porter Airlines received the first two of its 50-strong order of Embraer E195-E2s during a ceremony at Embraer’s headquarters in San Jose dos Campos on 21 December.

F-35 assembly line - Lockheed Martin

News

Congress proposes military spending plan with $7bn for aircraft procurement

A spending plan to fund the US government through September 2023 would provide roughly $7 billion for the acquisition of new defence aircraft and $45 billion to support the Ukrainian military.

458759-Aerus 1-4a3228-original-1671650402

News

Mexican start-up airline Aerus will launch with six Textron turboprops

Aerus, a start-up regional airline in Mexico, will launch operations with Textron Aviation’s Cessna SkyCourier and Cessna Grand Caravan EX turboprops.

777-9 Farnborough 2022

News

Boeing resumes 777-9 testing after engine issue prompted flight-test pause

Boeing has resumed 777-9 testing after pausing flight tests earlier this year due to an unspecified issue with a GE Aerospace GE9X powerplant.

UAP video-c-US Naval Air Systems Command

News

Pentagon taking unidentified aerial phenomena ‘seriously’

Government officials say a newly created office to investigate sightings of unknown aerial vehicles near US military aircraft has already received hundreds of reports, some of which they think pose a potential national security risk.

Boeing 737 Max, Renton

News

Boeing Commercial Airplanes shuffles executives in bid to shore up supply chain

Boeing has made several senior staff changes in its commercial aircraft division as part of an effort to help the company address nagging supply chain troubles.

Transair fuselage recovery nose-c-NTSB

News

Transair 737 ditching inquiry reveals pilots’ uncertainty over failed engine

Investigation details from the Transair Boeing 737-200 freighter ditching off Honolulu last year indicates uncertainty from the pilots over which of the aircraft’s engines had initially failed shortly after the jet took off.

PWC_Hybrid_Electric_Flight_Demonstrator

News

Raytheon completes first test run of its Dash 8 hybrid-electric powerplant

Raytheon Technologies has successfully test-run a hybrid-electric propulsion system it is developing to power a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 regional airliner.

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News

US airlines gear up for ‘major winter storm’ during busy year-end holidays

US airlines are expecting a “major” winter weather system to disrupt aviation across the country later this week, as millions of passengers are due to travel for year-end holidays.

B-2 takeoff

News

USAF grounds B-2 fleet after emergency landing closes airfield

The US Air Force ordered its small fleet of strategic stealth bombers into a “safety pause” after one of the ultra-expensive aircraft was damaged during an emergency landing.

Boeing 737 Max at Boeing field in Seattle on 14 June 2022

News

US spending bill set to include critical exemptions for Boeing Max 7 and Max 10

Boeing may be close to securing critical regulatory exemptions for its 737 Max 7 and 10 thanks to provisions slipped into a US government spending bill now working its way through Congress.

MMF A330 MRTT with Eurofighters

News

New technology additions will keep A330 MRTT ahead of the competition: Airbus

Airbus Defence & Space is furthering its pursuit of new technologies for use with the A330 multi-role tanker transport, as it eyes major additional sales opportunities for the type.

American Eagle Envoy EJet

Analysis

US airlines strive to solve pilot shortage crisis

While the USA has been grappling with a severe flightcrew shortage since before the coronavirus crisis, other regions too will be facing a dearth of candidates to fill their cockpits in the coming years. The global pilot shortage could make itself felt as early as 2023.

AA CRJ900 2

News

Mesa Airlines splits with American, strikes deal with United

Mesa Air Group, parent of regional carrier Mesa Airlines, disclosed 19 December plans to end its 30-year partnership with American Airlines in favour of a new, five-year agreement with United Airlines that is still to be finalised.

Frozen runway Thule

News

USAF commits nearly $4bn to operations at Greenland airbase above the Arctic Circle

Improvements to the joint USA-Canada Thule air base now allow the strategic far northern outpost to host fighter jets year round.

Flyr wing-c-Flyr

News

Flyr pursues US wet-lease and charters to offset quiet winters

Norwegian operator Flyr is applying to US regulators to operate services in the North American market.

A330_DiamondHead_03

News

20 injured as Hawaiian Airlines flight encounters ‘severe turbulence’

Almost two dozen people were injured when a Hawaiian Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence from a Pacific storm shortly before landing in Honolulu, the airline has said.

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News

L3Harris Technologies to acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne for $4.7bn

L3Harris Technologies intends to acquire propulsion systems expert Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings in an all-cash transaction valued at $4.7 billion, the companies said on 18 December.

Boeing MAX 10

Analysis

Analysts view Boeing’s 2023 delivery goals as feasible, but scepticism remains

Boeing’s top brass stressed in November that the company’s 2023 goals include nursing its 737 Max programme to health and delivering more 787s – efforts intended to help Boeing again become a cash-generating engine.

F-35C launch

Analysis

Western defence procurement to soar in 2023

Generals, it is said, prepare to fight the last war. After nearly a year of intense fighting in Ukraine, military generals, and the public, have a glimpse of how the next war may look.

Boom Overture. Boom

Analysis

Supersonic civilian aircraft prospects dim as 2023 opens

2023 will mark the 20th anniversary of the final flight of Concorde, but a return to supersonic air travel still seems an uncertain prospect

B737 prod-2018-renton-c-Boeing-970

Analysis

No quick fix to aerospace’s supply chain and labour problems

The supply and labour troubles that hindered aerospace production this year seem poised to continue in the near term, with inflation and parts shortages expected to leave airframers and suppliers struggling again in 2023 to ramp production.

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Newsletter

United places another bumper order under ambitious Kirby

United Airlines’ huge order for Boeing aircraft this week is another statement of intent from the carrier under the leadership of Scott Kirby.

avelo

In depth

Low-cost Avelo Airlines seeks to stand out with culture and routes to underserved airports

While some in the airline industry view the low-cost model as “doomed”, others believe courting cost-conscious leisure travellers is the best strategy now and for the future. 

mavic 2-dji-drone-flying

News

Congress directs investigation into drone swarm threat

Lawmakers in Washington want the US military to assess the danger posed by so-called swarms of cheap, commercially available drones and develop technologies to counter them.

Gulfstream and Rolls-Royce flew a G650 powered by 100% SAF

News

Gulfstream flies business jet on 100% sustainable fuel

Gulfstream has flown a G650 business jet fuelled with 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a feat the Savannah company calls a first among business jet manufactures.

F-35 crash Fort Worth

News

F-35B crashes during vertical landing in Texas, pilot ejects

A US government aviator ejected from a Lockheed Martin-owned F-35B at ground level following a failed attempt at vertical landing. 

An F-15E Strike Eagle is loaded with five JASSMs at Eglin Air Force Base Fla May 11 2021 as part of Project Strike Rodeo - 4 c USAF

News

Congress moves to increase US stock of precision munitions

Citing diminishing stores of high-technical guided missiles following repeated arms transfers to Ukraine, lawmakers in Washington want to give the Pentagon more flexibility to increase the purchase of precision munitions. 

Boom

News

FlightSafety agrees to support pilot training for Boom’s supersonic Overture concept

Boom Supersonic has landed another aerospace partner to assist with development of its ultra-fast aircraft, this time tapping pilot training company FlightSafety International.

E195 exterior

News

Porter Airlines’ westward expansion to include routes to Calgary, Edmonton

Continuing the westward expansion of its domestic network, Porter Airlines said on 15 December it is adding Calgary International airport to its list of destinations.

737 Max 10

News

US industry will suffer unless Congress grants Max 10 cockpit exemption: United CEO

United Airlines’ chief executive is warning that Boeing and broader US industry will suffer if the US Congress fails to exempt Boeing’s 737 Max 10 from a new cockpit-alert-system requirement.

Airbus

News

On ‘road to recovery’, Canada’s Air Transat loses C$126 million in fiscal Q4

Transat AT, the parent company of Canadian leisure airline Air Transat, gained ground financially but still posted an loss of C$126 million ($92.2 million) in the company’s fiscal fourth quarter.

Boeing 787

News

Water leak that affected 787 electronics prompts FAA call for inspections

The US Federal Aviation Administration intends to require that airlines inspect Boeing 787s for water leaks after several such incidents, including one involving water leaking into a jet’s electronics bay.

ASL ATR-c-ASL Airlines

News

ASL to explore remote-pilot freighter potential with US autonomy specialist

Irish-based operator ASL Aviation Holdings is to explore concepts for autonomous aircraft operation, and their initial application to freighter aircraft, under a collaboration with a US specialist.

United757-200-c-A Perlham Photography_Shutterstock

News

United plots 757 replacements with Boeing’s ‘NMA’ off the table

United Airlines faces an imperfect fleet trade off in the coming years due to lack of new-production aircraft with capabilities comparable to the airline’s ageing Boeing 757-300s.

737-8_7Dec2021

News

United Airlines expects to carry 8.3m customers over the end-of-year holiday period

United Airlines expects to transport 8.3 million passengers during the end-of-year holiday travel season, almost 2 million more passenger than last year.

20220302-p4108-msn10437-delta-a321neo-stills-taxi-f1-hr-008

News

Delta targets nearly $46bn in 2022 revenue, predicts sustained growth

Delta Air Lines says it expects to reach $45.5-45.6 billion in revenue in 2022, almost as much as it earned in 2019, and raise that figure by 15-20% in 2023 as the carrier predicts a strong and long-lasting post-Covid-19 recovery.

United Airlines Boeing 787

In depth

United aims to leap past US competitors in post-Covid decade with ‘record’ 787 order

United Airlines views its new order for 100 Boeing 787s as a means to leapfrog US competitors through aggressive international expansion as the industry in the coming decade recovers from the Covid-19 downturn.

F-135 engine

News

Pratt & Whitney ‘ramping’ for F-35 engine core upgrade to enter service by 2028

While a formal decision on addressing the stealthy fighter’s power and cooling constraints remains absent, engine-maker Pratt & Whitney says it is ramping a core upgrade programme for the F-35’s powerplant based on a recent preliminary support contract.

Airbus UTM_ USim_1 (002)

News

Airbus’ Acubed reveals latest version of advanced air traffic management simulator

Airbus Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) has revealed the latest version of its proprietary simulation tool, USim, which could be critical for understanding the future operations of automated aircraft “without the real-world consequences of system failures”.

Boeing 737 Max production c Boeing

News

Boeing's backlog ticks up with 18 more Max orders in November

Boeing padded its backlog with fresh orders for 737 Max and 767 freighters in November, and closed the month without logging any further cancellations.

Overture clouds

News

Boom Supersonic picks trio of companies to develop ‘Symphony’ engine for Overture

Boom Supersonic’s Overture aircraft will be powered by a new propulsion system developed by Florida Turbine Technologies, GE Additive and StandardAero.

American 737 Max-c-American Airlines

News

American names May to succeed Kerr as chief financial officer

Long-standing American Airlines chief financial officer Derek Kerr is to step down from 1 January and will be succeeded in the role by Devon May.

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News

United hands Boeing order for 100 787 Dreamliners and 100 737 Max

United Airlines has ordered 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, and taken options to purchase 100 more, in what it calls the largest-ever widebody aircraft by a US carrier.

B-21 outside

News

USAF B-1 bomber unit prepares for B-21 Raider

The US Air Force’s 28th Bomb Wing, which currently operates the Boeing B-1B, will be the first unit to receive the B-21 stealth bomber later this decade.

B-52 w AGM-183 ARRW

News

USAF announces successful test of fully assembled hypersonic cruise missile

The AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon was delivered from Lockheed Martin in “all-up-round” form, meaning the cruise missile was fully assembled.

Airline Business Covid-19 recovery tracker Logo

In depth

Airline Business Covid-19 recovery tracker: December 2022 update

Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including 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.

JB_LR_Delivery_Tail

News

JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes gets two-year contract extension

JetBlue Airways chief executive Robin Hayes has received a two-year extension on his employment contract, the airline disclosed in a 9 December filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

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News

Spirit Airlines pilots get 27% raise in new ALPA-negotiated contract

Spirit Airlines pilots won a 27% pay raise on 9 December in a tentative new deal reached between union Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) and the airline.

JetBlue Airways

News

American and JetBlue expand alliance amid looming antitrust decision

American Airlines and JetBlue Airways are expanding their operating partnership with 11 new routes from Boston and New York as a pending decision in a federal antitrust trial challenging their so-called Northeast Alliance (NEA) looms.

Aurora_X-Plane_800x600-800x400-1

News

Aurora wins DARPA contract to develop ‘active flow control’ X-plane

The X-plane effort aims to produce an aircraft that uses so-called active flow control, rather than traditional aerodynamic control surfaces such as rudders and flaps, to improve flight performance.

A-10 ISIS

News

Fewer A-10s but protections for F-22s, EA-18Gs and F-15s in US defence policy bill

If approved, the behemoth bill to fund the US military through 2023 would allow some reductions to the A-10 fleet, but prohibit retirements of many other types, including fighters, tankers and transports.

American regional jets

News

‘Small community air service will be a thing of the past,’ RAA warns policymakers

Warning of a potential collapse of air service to smaller cities and rural areas, the Regional Airline Association calls on US lawmakers to intervene amid “declining connectivity for American communities”.

Boeing 737 Max 7

News

Congress excludes Max 7 and 10 exemption from defence spending bill

Lawmakers have excluded from a defence spending bill a critical exemption Boeing is seeking for its 737 Max 7 and 10, leaving more questions about those jets’ certification path.

Saudia

News

Saudia continues seeking new US cargo flights amid government negotiations

Jeddah-based Saudia’s lengthy effort to launch more cargo flights to the USA faces more delays amid apparent broader air-rights discussions between US and Saudi officials.

E195 exterior

News

Porter Airlines to expand westward with Vancouver flights from February 2023

Canada’s Porter Airlines will initially fly its new Embraer 195-E2s from Toronto Pearson International airport to Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa, beginning in February 2023.

A321XLR test flight-c-Airbus

News

US FAA requires A321XLR fire resistance in vicinity of rear fuel tank

US regulators have laid out formal requirements for the Airbus A321XLR’s lower fuselage, in the vicinity of the rear centre fuel tank, to be resistant to fire penetration.

Willie Walsh iata

Analysis

Razor-thin airline industry profit projection for 2023 reflects complex web of factors

It is not for nothing that IATA director general Willie Walsh described the challenges faced by airlines going into 2023 as “complex”.

B-21 color

News

B-21 test pilots discuss preparations for first flight

Loads calibration, structural strength evaluations and testing flight systems using a business jet are just a few of the tasks test pilots from Northrop Grumman and the US Air Force are undertaking in preparation for the new stealth bomber’s first flight.

A-10 refuel

News

US military to explore use of sustainable aviation fuel

A directive from Congress included in the 2023 defence spending bill would require the Pentagon to establish at least one refinery and production of a 10% SAF fuel blend by 2028.

An E195-E2 rendering in Porter Airlines' colours

News

Porter revamps fares and tweaks onboard product ahead of E-Jet arrivals

Canadian carrier Porter Airways has rolled out new fare bundles and several other product updates, including available fresh meals – changes the company says make its economy class the industry’s best.

Archer_Midnight_Front_3quarter_tip_closeup

News

FAA proposes rule changes to regulate air taxi operators

The Federal Aviation Administration has started the process of defining how it will regulate the new breed of in-development electric air taxis.

Willie Walsh IATA

News

IATA forecasts global airline industry will return to profit in 2023

The global airline industry is forecast to achieve a net profit of $4.7 billion in 2023 as the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis continues, according to IATA.

WestJet Boeing 787

News

WestJet to add first Asia route with Calgary-Tokyo flights

Canadian carrier WestJet is to launch flights from Calgary to Tokyo Narita next summer, marking its first destination in Asia.

Hexwave-c-Liberty Defense

News

‘Non-intrusive’ Hexwave detection system nears production after Toronto trials

Security specialist Liberty Defense is aiming to start delivering initial production versions of its Hexwave walk-through detection systems in the second quarter of next year, following testing at locations including Toronto Pearson airport.

V-280 cruise low shore c Bell

News

Bell beats out Sikorsky to produce US Army’s new assault helicopter

The US Army’s Future Vertical Lift team has chosen Bell’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor design over a coaxial type jointly bid by Sikorsky and Boeing.

Pratt & Whitney F135 engine fit in JSF W445

News

Pratt & Whitney awarded preliminary contract for F-35 engine ‘enhancement’

A decision by the US Air Force on whether to completely replace the Lockheed Martin jet’s single engine or opt for a cheaper core upgrade to the existing powerplant remains unresolved.

American Eagle Republic E175-c-Ken Iwelumo Creative Commons

News

Wrongly-refitted trim switch left pilots fighting to keep E175’s nose down

US investigators have determined that an Embraer 175 pitch-trim switch, inadvertently fitted upside-down, resulted in the crew’s experienced a serious flight-control incident on departure from Atlanta.

B-21 ceremony unveiling

News

Northrop Grumman reveals B-21 test aircraft as stealth programme roars toward first flight

Northrop Grumman has unveiled the next-generation stealth bomber under development for the US Air Force.

Archer_Midnight_Rear_3quarter

News

Archer achieves ‘transition’ flight with prototype eVTOL aircraft Maker

Air taxi developer Archer Aviation has flown its first “full transition” from hover to forward flight with its two-seat prototype, Maker – a significant milestone in the start-up’s development of a bigger prototype, Midnight. 

RIV0CQ_Elite_II_Over_Canyon_05D_POST_for press release

News

Honda Aircraft lands orders for 25 HondaJets from Volato

US business aviation company Volato has ordered 25 of Honda Aircraft’s recently updated HA-420 HondaJet Elite II.

Boeing 737 Max 10 at Boeing Field in Seattle on 14 June 2022

News

Top US lawmakers to decide fate of 737 Max 7 and Max 10 regulatory exemption

One of two proposals to exempt Boeing’s 737 Max 7 and Max 10 from a year-end regulatory change could be included in a US defence spending bill lawmakers plan to finalise before year end.

Aircraft 6

In depth

Xwing seeks to build safety case for autonomous flight in trials with FAA

Autonomous aviation company Xwing is gearing up for a series of trials with US regulators that could represent a significant step forward for pilotless cargo operations.

Boeing 737 Max at Boeing field in Seattle on 14 June 2022

News

Senator backs exempting Max 7 and 10 from cockpit-alert requirement: reports

A movement is afoot in Washington to grant Boeing an exemption needed to bring its 737 Max 7 and Max 10 through certification without equipping the types with a modern cockpit alerting system.

US Navy Northrop F-5N+

News

Fighter jets team with UAVs in airborne targeting demonstration

Four defence contractors, including General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Tactical Air Support and General Dynamics, collaborated to test a Lockheed Martin sensor system using teams of crewed and uncrewed aircraft. 

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News

String of fatal air tour crashes in Alaska prompts call for special FAA regulations

In response to a series of fatal aircraft crashes in Ketchikan, Alaska, US safety investigators are calling for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to create special rules to address flight safety hazards for air tour operators in the region.

777-9 Farnborough 2022

News

Boeing halts 777-9 flight testing following GE9X engine issue

Boeing has halted its 777-9 flight-test programme due to a problem involving a flight-test aircraft’s GE Aerospace GE9X turbofan, prompting engine evaluations by GE.

Atlas Air 747. Atlas

News

Atlas Air shareholders approve acquisition by Apollo Global Management

US air cargo company Atlas Air Worldwide came closer to going private on 29 November as shareholders voted to approve a pending acquisition by an investor group led by Apollo Global Management.

liberty-lifter-619a

News

General Atomics selected to design DARPA’s ‘Liberty Lifter’ seaplane

The manufacturer of unmanned air vehicles will receive nearly $8 million from the Pentagon’s research and development agency to design a heavy-lift seaplane that can operate without traditional aviation infrastructure.

NetJets Bombardier Global 8000

News

NetJets orders four Bombardier Global 8000s

Fractional aircraft ownership company NetJets has ordered four of Bombardier’s ultra-long-range, newly rebooted Global 8000 business jets in a deal with a list-price value of $312 million.

Air Canada A220-300

News

Ottawa International to receive C$4 million taxiway upgrade

The hub of Canada’s capital city, Ottawa International airport, is receiving a nearly C$4 million ($3 million) taxiway upgrade from Transport Canada’s airport infrastructure fund. 

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News

US Air Force to buy 45 additional AESA radars for F-16 upgrades

The deal worth nearly $100 million is part of the USAF’s $6 billion effort to upgrade its fleet of the ageing Lockheed Martin single-engined jets.

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News

Bombardier begins aircraft modifications for German signals intelligence effort

The Canadian airframer will specially modify three Global 6000 jets at its Wichita, Kansas hub in support of a Lufthansa Technik delivery to a German air force intelligence programme.

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News

MSC Mediterranean launches air cargo operation with first Boeing 777 freighter

MSC Mediterranean Shipping stepped into the air cargo industry on 28 November as its operating partner Atlas Air took delivery of a Boeing 777-200 freighter, which Atlas will operate on behalf of MSC.

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News

Twin Otter force-landed in swamp after crews failed to notice insufficient fuel

Lack of checklist discipline left the pilots of a De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter unware that the aircraft was carrying insufficient fuel, before it carried out a forced landing in a swamp while diverting.

Russian Su-25 wreckage

Analysis

How year of conflict affected World Air Forces inventory

In association with Embraer, by Craig Hoyle

Our annual World Air Forces directory – published in association with Embraer – details the military aircraft fleets of 162 nations, and analyses the main events of the last 12 months.

US Air National Guard F-16

News

US Air National Guard recommends acquiring Leonardo's BriteCloud decoy

The US Air National Guard (ANG) has taken a significant step towards acquiring Leonardo’s BriteCloud 218 active decoy to protect its Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters, after issuing a so-called fielding recommendation.

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News

SAS to open JFK link to complement Newark operation

Scandinavian operator SAS is to open a new connection to New York JFK, from its hub in the Danish capital Copenhagen.

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News

One to go: Boeing left with single undelivered 747 after Atlas takes second-to-last

Boeing has delivered the second-to-last production 747 to Atlas Air, leaving the US manufacturer one jumbo jet away from closing out a production programme that has spanned more than five decades.

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News

LATAM and Delta expand networks across the Americas as joint business takes off

LATAM Airlines Group and Delta Air Lines have unveiled a host of route expansions under a new joint venture approved by the US Department of Transportation (DOT)  in September, adding a total of 23,000 additional seats weekly to the carriers’ current schedules between North and Latin America. 

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News

A220 autopilot directive followed ‘nearly catastrophic’ take-off incidents: FAA

US regulators have disclosed that two “nearly catastrophic” events were among 38 take-off incidents involving inadvertent Airbus A220 autopilot engagement, and are taking additional action to prevent a recurrence.

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News

Canadian ULCC Swoop fined for failing to refund passengers for Covid-19 disruptions

Canadian ultra-low cost carrier Swoop was fined $175,000 in civil penalties by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for failing to provide timely refunds to passengers who had flights cancelled or significantly delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

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In depth

Archer’s Maker paves the way for production air taxi Midnight

As Archer Aviation’s first prototype “Maker” plies the pattern at Salinas Municipal airport, its successor “Midnight” waits for prime time in a hangar in Palo Alto. 

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News

Stratolaunch lands USAF support for hypersonic test vehicle

The company created by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen received a contract from the US Air Force Research Laboratory to support a 2023 flight test of Stratolaunch’s Talon-A hypersonic vehicle.

United Airlines Boeing 787

News

Thanksgiving travel surges on busiest day for US airlines

The surge in air travel for Thanksgiving is cresting for US airlines as more than 48,000 flights are scheduled for 22 November, the expected high point for the week, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration.

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News

US Navy P-8s can now strike submarines from 30,000ft

Boeing in August began full-rate production of the High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability, which will add precision-guided capability to the US Navy’s fleet of Boeing P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft.

Southwest heart new seats

Analysis

Demand for US airline travel faded in October compared to 2019: Bloomberg report

US air travel bookings declined in October, with ticket demand falling “as consumers feel pinched”, according to a 21 November report from Bloomberg Intelligence.

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News

US-European task force draws up roadmap to modernise aviation data connectivity

European and US regulators have set out proposals to modernise and harmonise aviation data connectivity, which currently relies on limited-bandwidth connections.

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In depth

Private helicopter innovator Frank Robinson remembered as visionary

Pioneering helicopter engineer Frank Robinson – who greatly expanded access to rotorcraft by designing a series of light helicopters starting with the two-seat Robinson R22 – recently died in his home in Southern California. He was 92 years old. 

KC46 endurance flight cockpit

News

USAF KC-46A completes record-breaking 36h endurance flight

The Boeing aerial refuelling jet’s 14,000nm flight path took it from the US state of New Hampshire to Guam and back, in what the USAF calls a “proof of concept” operation demonstrating long-range force projection.

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News

GKN to open Texas additive-manufacturing development site

GKN Aerospace plans in 2023 to open a new site in Texas where it will develop additive-manufacturing processes for producing “large-scale” titanium aerostructures.

Chief executive, Gol

Interview

Gol chief leads the Brazilian carrier out of the pandemic while still piloting its 737s

Chief executive Celso Ferrer still makes time to fly Gol’s 737s as he navigates the low-cost operator out of the Covid-19 crisis and into a new group structure

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News

A220 pilots warned of premature rotation risk if autopilot inadvertently engaged

Airbus A220 operators have been ordered to alert pilots to the possibility of premature rotation on take-off as a result of inadvertent autopilot engagement.

Air Canada A220-300

News

Air Canada invests C$6.75 million in carbon capture technology

Air Canada has invested C$6.75 million ($5.07 million) to support nascent technology that could potentially pull carbon from the atmosphere at an industrial scale.

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News

Boeing reorganises defence and space division, cutting executives

Aerospace giant Boeing has consolidated its financially struggling defence division to four from eight units, a move intended to improve quality and stabilise production. 

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News

Airbus invests in Canadian firm working to pull CO2 from the air

Airbus has invested in Canadian firm Carbon Engineering to help fund development of technology that extracts CO2 from air, freeing it to be stored or used to produce fuel.

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News

Archer unveils four-person 'Midnight' air taxi

Silicon Valley air taxi developer Archer Aviation has revealed its new aircraft called “Midnight”, which it plans to certify for commercial operations in 2024.

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News

US FAA extending aircraft registration duration to seven years

US regulators are aiming to extend the duration of aircraft registrations to seven years, more than double the current three-year limit, in order to relieve administrative workloads.

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News

Alleged Chinese spy gets 20 years for trying to steal GE Aerospace technology

An alleged Chinese spy has been sentenced to 20 years in US prison for attempting to steal GE Aerospace trade secrets related to composite materials.

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In depth

US aerospace industry powers launch of NASA’s first Artemis moon mission

Numerous US defence contractors supplied critical components for Artemis I, including rocket engines, solid state boosters and the space capsule that will eventually carry human astronauts.

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News

Frontier launches ‘all-you-can-fly’ pass for short-notice air travellers

US ultra-low cost carrier Frontier Airlines is offering a flat rate for unlimited flights between its destinations in the USA with a new annual subscription package. 

JetBlue Airways

News

JetBlue to launch Paris flights next summer from New York, then from Boston

JetBlue Airways plans to expand its European network beyond London next summer with new flights between New York’s John F Kennedy International and Paris Charles de Gaulle airports.

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In depth

Airline Business Covid-19 recovery tracker: November 2022 update

Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including 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.

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News

Sun Country plans to grow network with 15 new routes in summer 2023

In one of the ultra-low cost carrier’s largest-ever expansions, Sun Country Airlines plans to roll out 15 new nonstop routes next summer from its base in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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News

International carriers warn new 5G altimeter requirements could prevent US flights next year

Non-US airlines are struggling to complete radio altimeter retrofits ahead of looming deadlines established to prevent 5G interference, meaning some carriers’ flights to the USA could be restricted in 2023.

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News

‘Lucrative time to be an airline pilot’: Three US regional airlines dangle hefty bonuses

With US regional airlines struggling to fill cockpit seats, Envoy Air, Piedmont Airlines and PSA Airlines are each offering $100,000 signing bonuses to attract qualified pilots.

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In depth

Can Boeing clear its way to a brighter future?

Boeing aims by mid-decade to be delivering 800 aircraft and taking in revenue of $100 billion annually, though its ability to actually meet those goals remains uncertain due to unresolved troubles that have kept its 2022 targets out of reach.

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News

US DOT fines six airlines and forces refunds

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has fined six airlines a total of $7.25 million dollars and forced them to refund more than $600 million to customers whose flights were disrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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News

Archer will build ‘Midnight’ air taxi in Georgia

Silicon Valley-based electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) developer Archer Aviation has decided to build its manufacturing facility in Covington, Georgia, about 77km (48mi) southeast of Atlanta, creating up to 1,000 jobs in the region. 

Air Canada A220-300

News

Canada and India agree to unlimited passenger flights between the countries

Canada and India have agreed to an expanded air transportation agreement allowing designated airlines to operate an unlimited number of flights between the two countries.

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News

US 'spaceplane' returns to Earth after 908 days in orbit

The US Space Force’s reusable spacecraft known as the Boeing X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle has now completed six missions, logging 1.3 billion miles flown and over 3,700 days in space.

Darpa drone photo

In depth

Drone swarms, solar-powered UAVs and congested air space management: the US Army’s experiment in the desert

An annual series of experiments with new military technology, known as Project Convergence, seek to push the bounds of what a multi-national, Western fighting force can do on the battlefield.

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News

WestJet lands slots to launch Calgary-Dubai flights in March 2023

Canadian airline WestJet looks poised to launch flights between Calgary and Dubai beginning in March 2023, after securing required landing slots at Dubai International airport.

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News

American Airlines’ pilots encourage union APA to explore merger with ALPA

A group of pilots at American Airlines is lobbying for their union, Allied Pilots Association (APA), to explore a merger with much larger Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA).

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Newsletter

China’s ‘dismal’ performance weighs on global airline traffic recovery

The latest data from IATA shows how far China is lagging the recovery being seen in other markets around the world, as government policy continues to limit international and domestic travel.

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News

Avelo Airlines to launch new base in Raleigh-Durham

US discount carrier Avelo Airlines plans to open a new operational base at Raleigh-Durham International airport and add six nonstop routes to Florida in February 2023. 

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News

Tropical Storm Nicole disrupts air travel in Florida

Hundreds of US flights have been cancelled as Tropical Storm Nicole pummels Central Florida with strong winds and heavy rain, disrupting operations at several airport and forcing a closure at Orlando International airport.

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News

Archer and United plan 2025 launch of air taxi service in New York

Archer Aviation and United Airlines intend to launch their first airport-to-downtown urban air mobility (UAM) route in the New York City metropolitan area from 2025.

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News

Canada Jetlines plans launch of first international flight from Toronto to Las Vegas

Start-up leisure carrier Canada Jetlines plans to roll out its first international route on 19 January with non-stop service from its hub in Toronto to Las Vegas.

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In depth

Latest Airline Business Index shows Q3 revenue matched pre-Covid level

The latest Airline Business Index shows the global airline industry’s revenue during the third quarter of 2022 matched that seen in the same month of 2019, marking the first time any of the four measures have achieved that milestone since Covid-19 hit.

First F-16V for Bahrain

Analysis

F-16 deliveries near resumption, as Bahrain’s lead Block 70 jet takes shape

Instead of dying out as Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II scoops up an increasing number of international orders, the manufacturer’s older F-16 is enjoying a late-life revival.

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News

Republic Airways cuts 31 Embraer E175s from orderbook

Embraer has stripped 31 E175s from its backlog after US regional carrier Republic Airways apparently cancelled the orders.

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News

Boeing lost no orders to cancellations in October, a first since July 2019

Boeing in October logged its first month in more than three years without a single cancellation and padded its backlog with orders for 10 787s and more than 100 737 Max aircraft.

Virgin A330neo Tampa inaugural

In depth

How airline transatlantic capacity has returned, a year since US borders reopened

The reopening of few markets from Covid border restrictions was so eagerly awaited and hard campaigned for as routes across the transatlantic.

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News

Porter expands in Ottawa to service growing fleet

Canadian regional carrier Porter Airlines is expanding with a C$65 million ($48.2 million) facilities upgrade at Ottawa International airport.

WestJet 737-700

News

WestJet to use SAF for flights from San Francisco to Calgary

Canadian passenger carrier WestJet has committed to temporarily operating flights from San Francisco to Calgary using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

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Podcast

Airline Business Podcast: Record revenues, cargo concerns, ICAO deal and Latin latest

Graham and Lewis discuss a strong third-quarter results season for airlines in Europe and North America, as constrained capacity met surging demand. They also examine the recent ICAO agreement on emissions and the latest in the Latin American airline industry

XQ-58A Valkyrie low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle launches at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., Dec. 9, 2020

News

Kratos announces successful test of Valkyrie autonomous jet

The pilotless, jet-powered aircraft is being developed for the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft programme that seeks to pair conventional fighters with uncrewed platforms.

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Newsletter

Why airline confidence is high despite headwinds

A quote from Lufthansa Group chief executive Carsten Spohr seemed particularly pertinent during the European airline results bonanza at the end of last week.

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News

Turkish Airlines reports Q3 net profit of $1.5bn as passenger revenue surges

Turkish Airlines has reported a net profit of $1.5 billion for the third quarter of 2022, as capacity, traffic and yields – as well as costs – surged beyond pre-Covid levels.

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News

Frontier Airlines eyes expansion in Dallas

Frontier Airlines plans to open a new crew base at Dallas-Fort Worth International airport in mid-2023 that would employ up to 120 pilots and 220 flight attendants.

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News

Pilotless Black Hawk flies medevac, resupply missions in DARPA experiment

The Pentagon’s secretive weapons development office, working with helicopter maker Sikorsky, successfully modified a UH-60 Black Hawk to fly without pilot input.

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News

Boeing scraps plan for services revenue to hit $50 billion this decade

Boeing has ditched a goal for its aircraft service division to grow its revenue to $50 billion annually in the coming years, saying doing so would lead to “indiscriminate” investment.

737 Max 10

News

Boeing’s next new aircraft is years away but 787 updates are imminent: executives

Boeing’s product development timeline became clearer on 2 November when the company said it will soon reveal a higher-gross-weight 787, while indicating it will not launch a clean-sheet aircraft.

Atlas Air 747. Atlas-2

News

Atlas Air posts $60.1 million Q3 profit with acquisition looming

Third-quarter profits were down year-on-year for Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, the parent of cargo and passenger carrier Atlas Air, as the airline grappled with “operational disruptions”. 

737 assembly c Spirit AeroSystems

News

Labour and supply chain costs push Spirit AeroSystems to $128m Q3 loss

Aerostructures manufacturer Spirit AeroSystems sunk further into the red during the third quarter, as costs from its Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 programmes pushed the company to a $128 million loss.

Joby eVTOL

News

Joby Aviation pushes back commercial service launch to 2025

Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Joby Aviation has pushed back the timeline for its vehicle’s entry into commercial passenger service to 2025.

An Allegiant 737 Max near Las Vegas

News

Allegiant, hit hard by Hurricane Ian, reports third-quarter loss of $46.5m

Allegiant Travel Company, parent of Allegiant Air, reported a loss of $46.5 million in the third quarter as revenue – and costs – surged significantly. 

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News

Boeing rolls out plan to hike deliveries to 800 jets within several years

Boeing plans to significantly hike commercial aircraft deliveries in 2023, aiming to hand over up to 80 787s and 450 737s next year after overcoming nagging supply and labour problems.

737 Max at Boeing's Seattle delivery centre on 14 June 2022

News

Boeing pushes back 737 Max 7 and Max 10 certifications

Boeing has again delayed certification timelines for its two outstanding 737 Max variants, now estimating the Federal Aviation Administration will clear the Max 7 by early 2023 and the Max 10 by early 2024.

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News

Bell delivers final Cobra attack helicopter to US Marine Corps

The H-1 programme, which encompasses the UH-1 utility and AH-1 attack helicopters and produced its first aircraft for the USA in 1959, will now be reliant on foreign customers for new sales.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737

In depth

5G may have caused dozens of troubling in-flight avionics failures

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) suspects new 5G cellular networks may have caused roughly 80 instances of aircraft system interference this year, with pilots reporting a range of malfunctions since the latest generation of mobile connectivity went live in January.

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News

US DOT grants Canada Jetlines permission to fly to USA

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has tentatively granted Canadian discount airline Canada Jetlines a foreign air carrier permit, allowing it to operate routes to the United States. 

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News

United pilots vote down tentative contract

Nearly 10,000 United Airlines pilots seeking higher pay rejected a tentative contract that would have given them a 14.5% pay raise over 18 months.

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News

Sun Country Airlines makes $10.7m profit despite Q3 headwinds

Sun Country Airlines posted a $10.7 million profit in the third quarter of 2022 despite higher operating costs and ongoing struggles to hire enough flight crews.

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In depth

Aviation sector resilient in the face of computer chip shortage

While a global crunch in the supply of semiconductors has impacted other high-tech industries like automotive manufacturing and consumer electronics, the aerospace sector has proven less vulnerable.

Delta A220-c-Airbus

News

Delta Air Lines pilots vote to strike

An overwhelming majority of pilots at Delta Air Lines have voted to strike after they did not reach an agreement with the airline’s management on a new contract.

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News

Cargojet posts C$83.4m Q3 profit, boosted by e-commerce boom

With global demand for e-commerce driving revenue growth, Canadian operator Cargojet reported a third-quarter profit of C$83.4 million ($61.2 million) on 31 October.

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

News

KC-46 completes limited crew refuelling flight

The US Air Force is testing the concept of minimally-crewed flights to prepare for potential combat scenarios in which personnel may be unavailable.

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News

US orders 737 Classic spoiler sensor check to avert split-throttle risk

Operators of certain older ‘Classic’ Boeing 737 variants are being instructed to conduct tests to check for potential spoiler sensor failure, which could escape detection by the autothrottle computer.

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News

Production issues leading Textron Aviation to delay planned aircraft deliveries

Supply and labour shortages will likely force Textron Aviation to delay planned 2022 aircraft deliveries and leave it $300 million short on expected revenue.

Air Canada B787-9-Rockies

News

Revenue surges but Air Canada loses C$508m in Q3

Air Canada’s revenue more than doubled compared with its third quarter of 2021 but the flag carrier still lost C$508 million ($373 million) in the three months ending 30 September.

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Newsletter

Industry primed for e-commerce as Hawaiian signs Amazon deal

News on 21 October that Hawaiian Airlines has agreed to operate at least 10 Airbus A330-300 Freighters for Amazon comes as more airlines benefit from e-commerce demand.

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News

Despite pilot shortage, SkyWest turns $48m Q3 profit

SkyWest made a $48 million profit in the third quarter despite its “crew imbalance” related to the global pilot shortage, chief executive Chip Childs said 27 October. 

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News

NTSB urges regulators to require immediate DHC-3 inspections following September crash

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is urging US and Canadian regulators to immediately require inspections of De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otters following a deadly September crash.

Boeing 737 Max 10 at Boeing Field in Seattle on 14 June 2022

News

IAG shareholders agree to 50-strong 737 Max order

Shareholders of British Airways and Iberia parent IAG have approved the company’s plan to purchase 50 Boeing 737 Max, including the high-capacity Max 8-200 and the as yet uncertificated Max 10.

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News

Riding strong demand, Southwest Airlines posts $277 million Q3 profit

Southwest Airlines reported a profit of $277 million in the third quarter thanks to “robust” demand for discount air travel, says chief executive Bob Jordan on 27 October. 

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News

Frontier Airlines turns $33m Q3 profit on strength of demand for leisure travel

Frontier Group Holdings, parent of Frontier Airlines, reported a profit of $33 million in the third quarter of 2022 – the second consecutive profitable quarter for the Denver-based ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC).

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News

Amid slow recovery, Spirit Airlines loses $36.4m in Q3

Buffeted by hurricane winds, higher fuel costs and operational constraints, Spirit Airlines reported a loss of $36.4 million in the third quarter of 2022.

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News

Troubled fixed-price defence contracts drive $3.3bn loss for Boeing

The aerospace giant’s defence division received $2.8 billion in charges on five aircraft development programmes that Boeing bid using a competitive but risky pricing strategy.

Boeing's Renton 737 production line

Analysis

Boeing cuts 737 Max delivery forecast as wait on Chinese carriers continues

Boeing’s chief executive is hopeful that China’s Covid-19 lockdowns – not US-China political friction – is the reason why Chinese airlines are still not taking delivery of new 737 Max. But he has no indication Chinese airlines are poised soon to start again receiving the Boeing narrowbody.

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News

WestJet’s acquisition of Sunwing raises red flags from competition regulator

A Canadian business-competition regulator has raised concerns about WestJet’s proposed acquisition of rival Sunwing Airlines, citing a “substantial lessening or prevention of competition in the sale of vacation packages to Canadians”.

Gulfstream G500 G600

News

Gulfstream’s backlog growth slows but profits roll in

Backlog growth at General Dynamics’ aerospace business – which Gulfstream anchors – slowed in the third quarter of 2022 amid what an executive described as slightly cooling demand for business jets.

G700-c-Gulfstream

News

Gulfstream parent warns of FAA delays to G700 certification, still hopes for mid-2023 approval

General Dynamics still hopes subsidiary Gulfstream will have its in-development G700 certified by mid-2023 but now cautions that the resource-constrained Federal Aviation Administration could impact the timeline.

A Boeing 737 Max being assembled at Boeing's Renton facility on 15 June 2022

News

Commercial aircraft and defence divisions push Boeing to $3.3bn third-quarter loss

Despite recent positive momentum in its commercial aircraft business, Boeing lost $3.3 billion in the third quarter of 2022 as heavy losses in its defence unit took their toll.

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News

Alaska orders 52 more 737 Max, preps to divest remaining Airbus jets

Alaska Airlines has ordered another 52 Boeing 737 Max jets and secured rights to purchase a further 105, aligning the airline’s future with the narrowbody as it aims to divest its remaining Airbus fleet next year.

Air Canada A220-300

News

Air Canada orders another 15 Airbus A220s

Air Canada has ordered another 15 Airbus A220-300s in a deal that brings the Montreal-based carrier’s total orders for the Canadian-built type to 60 jets.

Hawaiian Airlines

News

Hawaiian Airlines loses $9.3m in Q3 as ‘international network is still rebuilding’

Hawaiian Holdings, parent company of Hawaiian Airlines, reported a third-quarter loss of $9.3 million as the carrier continues its pandemic recovery.

JetBlue Airways

News

JetBlue squeezes $57m profit in Q3

Positioning itself to consume a rival low-cost airline amid concerns from federal antitrust regulators, JetBlue Airways has reported a $57 million third-quarter profit.

F-135 engine

News

Raytheon logs declines in defence sales despite billions in backlog

Sales of avionics, jet engines and precision missiles all declined year-over-year, despite surging defence spending and billions of dollars worth of backlogged orders.

PW1100G on A320neo.

News

P&W’s commercial engine deliveries hit post-pandemic high in Q3 as profits soar

Pratt & Whitney delivered more large commercial aircraft engines in the third quarter of 2022 than in any period since early 2020, powering the engine maker to a $316 million quarterly operating profit, up 69% year on year.

Leap-1A engine-c-Airbus

News

GE Aerospace’s third-quarter profit surges on higher Leap deliveries and aftermarket bump

GE Aerospace’s third-quarter profit shot up more than 50% year on year in the third quarter of 2022 to $1.3 billion, reflecting a significant bump in engine deliveries and increasing demand for aftermarket services.

NPPlane3

News

Northern Pacific upgrades terminal space in Anchorage ahead of 2023 launch

Start-up US airline Northern Pacific Airways has almost completed a $6 million upgrade of the terminal space it is leasing at Anchorage International airport in Alaska. 

Alaska 737

Analysis

How US airlines are tackling pilot shortage crisis

The post-pandemic US pilot shortage has caused carriers to cut services, prompting initiatives intended to smooth new recruits’ path to the cockpit – but barriers remain.

Pilots in cockpit

Analysis

Why aerospace must do more to get pilot mental health reporting on the level

When pilot Alan Smith took an anti-depressant medication after a stressful relocation to a new city, he had no idea what lay in store: a months-long odyssey that almost derailed his future career prospects and cost thousands of dollars in unexpected expenses.

Aeromexico Boeing 787-8

News

Aeromexico’s Q3 revenue up from 2021

Newly restructured Grupo Aeromexico, the parent company of Mexico’s legacy carrier, Aeromexico, reports third-quarter profitability and a rebound from the lows of 2021.

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News

Hawaiian to operate 10 A330Fs for Amazon, grants retailer ownership rights

Hawaiian Airlines has agreed to operate at least 10 Airbus A330-300 Freighters for Amazon and has granted the online retailer rights to own 15% of Hawaiian Holdings’ stock.

Northrop B-21 rendering

News

B-21 reveal date set for 2 December

The designer of the next-generation strategic bomber, Northrop Grumman, says it will unveil the new aircraft on 2 December in California.

737-8_7Dec2021

News

US transportation chief squarely blames airlines for last summer’s operational meltdown

US transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg is insisting that airlines, not the Federal Aviation Administration, are primarily responsible for last summer’s US air travel meltdown, saying airlines scheduled more flights than they could staff.

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News

Lockheed Martin predicts F-35 production slowdown in 2023

Executives expect Lockheed will produce fewer of the advanced multi-role fighter next year, citing uncertainty over US orders and competing budget priorities.

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News

Alaska Airlines posts Q3 profit despite higher fuel prices, new labour deals

Alaska Air Group turned a narrow profit in the third quarter, reporting income of $40 million for the three months ending 30 September. 

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News

Air Transat and WestJet link networks with regional Canadian airlines

Canadian passenger carriers Air Transat and WestJet have expanded their respective networks through codeshare agreements with smaller regional airlines. 

F35 Hill Air Force Base

News

Lockheed Martin F-35 crashes at Utah air base, pilot ejected

An investigation is under way into the crash at Hill AFB, which is home of the US Air Force’s F-35 flight-demonstration team and a combat fighter wing.

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News

American earns nearly $500m in third-quarter profit

American Airlines turned a $483 million profit in the third quarter of 2022, more than double its profit in the same period last year and also up from the comparable 2019 pre-pandemic period.

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News

JetBlue-Spirit deal approved by Spirit shareholders

Shareholders of Spirit Airlines approved on 19 October JetBlue Airways’ $3.8 billion bid to purchase the low-cost carrier, potentially signalling a dramatic shift in the North American discount airline market. 

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News

Canadian start-up Lynx Air charts course with new chief operating officer

Canadian start-up airline Lynx Air named Jim Sullivan as its new chief operating officer on 18 October as the company seeks to carve out a place among North American discount carriers.

Breeze Airways

News

Breeze adds flights to Cincinnati and Vero Beach as part of broader expansion

US discounter Breeze Airways plans to add two destinations to its network – Cincinnati and Vero Beach, Florida – in February as part of a broader cross-country expansion.

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News

Greater harmonisation key to tapping Caribbean potential: Bahamasair chief

Bahamasair chief executive Tracy Cooper is calling for greater harmonisation efforts to ease travel within the Caribbean, particularly on intra-island services.

Spirit AeroSystems, Belfast, Northern Ireland

News

Spirit AeroSystems pushes business aviation credentials of Belfast plant

Aerostructures specialist Spirit AeroSystems is more familiar for its work on commercial airliners than business jets, but the manufacturer is here at the NBAA show to push its credentials in the sector, not least through the capabilities of its newly acquired site in Belfast, Northern Ireland. 

HondaJet 2600 concept

News

Honda Aircraft’s new CEO Yamasaki prepares for ‘next story’ with 2600 HondaJet

Honda Aircraft’s new chief executive Hideto Yamasaki arrives at NBAA in charge of a company he describes as poised to begin a second phase of expansion, one likely to be spearheaded by the development of a new and larger business jet. 

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News

FlyExclusive to become public company by joining with EG Acquisition

Private charter jet operator FlyExclusive is the latest aviation company hoping to benefit from a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). 

Honeywell

Analysis

The AAM revolution is here. Will the public get on board?

If the vision presented by the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry becomes reality, revolutionary aircraft will soon fill the skies over cities, suburbs and rural areas. But AAM companies face a major challenge before taking off – earning the public’s trust.

An Allegiant 737 Max over Florida

News

Mexican antitrust authority approves Allegiant-Viva Aerobus joint venture

North American ultra low cost carriers Allegiant Air and Viva Aerobus were authorized 17 October by Mexico’s Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE) to move forward with a proposed transborder commercial alliance.

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News

Honda Aircraft reveals enhanced HondaJet Elite II

Honda Aircraft turned heads as the NBAA show opened by unveiling enhancements to its HA-420 HondaJet, with the Elite II variant gaining more range, a newly designed spoiler, and several cabin upgrades.

G800 over water

News

G700 and G800 make NBAA debut as Gulfstream returns to show following three-year break

US business-jet maker Gulfstream has roared back to NBAA after a three-year hiatus during the coronavirus pandemic. The company is making a splash this year, arriving at the show with all but one of its in-production and in-development business jets – the exception being its G400, which remains in early stages of development.

Copa 737 Max 9

News

Avianca, Copa, United to pursue joint venture pact under new conditions

Colombia’s Avianca, Panama’s Copa Airlines and United Airlines will still pursue a long-awaited a three-way joint venture agreement (JVA), even though the framework and market conditions have dramatically changed since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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News

Norse Atlantic’s UK arm cleared to operate transatlantic routes

Norse Atlantic Airways has been granted authorisation to operate transatlantic services with its UK division.

Ampaire-Tamarack Cessna Caravan

News

Tamarack to offer winglet system on Ampaire’s hybrid-electric aircraft modification

Winglet maker Tamarack Aerospace has diversified its business by partnering with Ampaire, a Los Angeles company selling hybrid-electric modifications of several existing aircraft types.

A Tailwind Air Cessna Grand Caravan EX

News

Seaplane service from New York to DC area takes off

Tailwind Air launched passenger seaplane service between New York and the Washington, DC area on 14 October after tweaking its route in response to security concerns from federal regulators. 

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News

Archer Aviation set to unveil Midnight eVTOL in November

California-based Archer Aviation is formally to unveil its production Midnight eVTOL aircraft next month, ahead of its planned schedule.

HH-60W aerial refuelling

News

US Air Force declares Sikorsky’s HH-60W Jolly Green II combat rescue helicopter operational

The new HH-60W Jolly Green II will replace the USAF’s HH-60G Pave Hawk fleet in providing aerial support to pilot recovery and medevac missions.

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News

AviaAM becomes launch customer for Mammoth’s 777-300ER cargo-conversion programme

Cyprus aircraft finance company AviaAM Leasing has become launch customer for Mammoth Freighters’ cargo-converted Boeing 777-300ERMF, ordering six of the type.

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News

ATP flight school orders 55 Cessna Skyhawks from Textron Aviation

US flight school network ATP has ordered 55 Cessna Skyhawks for use as flight-training aircraft.

737 Max 10

News

Delta has ‘plan B’ in case Boeing 737 Max 10 misses critical FAA deadline

Delta Air Lines is still counting on the US aviation regulator to certificate the Boeing 737 Max 7 and 10 models without extensive and expensive cockpit modifications, even though those certifications are delayed and may miss a critical deadline.

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News

NASA contracts with Xwing to develop safe autonomous flight systems

NASA has contracted with autonomous aviation company Xwing to support the development of safety systems for pilotless aircraft.

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Newsletter

First signs of slowing air travel recovery momentum?

Amid so much economic and geopolitical uncertainty around the world, the first hints of a potential impact on travel demand were seen in the latest passenger demand data.

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News

Delta tops record revenues in strong third quarter

Delta Air Lines reports being ahead of plan on profits for the year after posting record revenues of just under $14 billion for the third quarter.

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News

SmartLynx ties up with US lessor Aero Capital on A321 freighter conversions

Latvian wet-lease specialist SmartLynx is establishing an Airbus A321 converted freighter partnership with US lessor Aero Capital Solutions.

US Air Force F-35A

News

Congress signals support for continued advanced-propulsion research funding

US lawmakers sent a letter to the Pentagon urging defence leaders to continue funding research into adaptive-propulsion jet engines, which are expected to power future military aircraft.

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News

Republic Airways pilots secure major pay raise

Amid a broad surge in regional pilot pay, Republic Airways pilots represented by the Teamsters Local 357 union will receive a big rate increase. 

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News

Oneworld alliance moves headquarters to Fort Worth from New York City

The Oneworld airline alliance plans to move its global headquarters to Fort Worth, Texas from New York City in December 2022.

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News

Flexjet plans to become public company in 2023

US fractional business aircraft ownership company Flexjet has jumped on the go-public bandwagon, revealing plans to sell public shares by merging with a so-called special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).

Surf Air Electrified Cessna Grand Caravan

News

Surf Air strikes $450m financing deal with Jetstream Aviation Capital

US aviation company Surf Air Mobility has secured $450 million in financing over six years from Jetstream Aviation Capital to fund the planned growth of its fleet of turboprop aircraft. 

X48

News

US Air Force to test blended-wing logistics aircraft by 2027

The airframe concept proposed in the service’s recent climate action plan would serve as a refueller and cargo transport. 

Boeing 777-8F in Cargolux colours

News

Cargolux firms order for 10 777-8 Freighters

Luxembourg freighter specialist Cargolux Airlines has ordered 10 Boeing 777-8 Freighters, finalising an agreement disclosed by the companies at July’s Farnborough air show.

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News

United Airlines will introduce flights to Dubai, Stockholm and Malaga in 2023

United Airlines is expanding its transatlantic summer flying schedule in 2023 to include new destinations Stockholm, Dubai and Malaga, Spain, in addition to adding flights to six other European cities.

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News

Boeing 747-400LCF Dreamlifter sheds wheel on take-off from Taranto

One of the modified Boeing 747-400s used by the airframer for 787 aerostructure transport has apparently suffered a landing-gear malfunction during take-off from Taranto.

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News

Frontier unveils first A321neo and tweaked paint scheme, plans expansion

Frontier Airlines marked the delivery of its first Airbus A321neo on 11 October, with the carrier’s chief executive saying the jet will further strengthen Frontier’s cost advantage and let it expand to new destinations, possibly including those outside North America.

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News

Delta Air Lines invests up to $200m in Joby Aviation electric air taxis

A new deal with US startup Joby Aviation could eventually make zero-emissions, last-mile air taxi services available to customers flying with Delta Air Lines through New York and Los Angeles.

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News

Boeing reports improved order, delivery activity in September

Boeing in September ramped up its aircraft deliveries and logged a solid month of orders, handing over 51 jets, including seven 787s, to customers during the month.

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News

Army delays Black Hawk replacement decision

Although the US Army previously planned to select a winner of the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft helicopter contest in September, programme officials say they are still working through the process.

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News

NASA optimistic over power potential from solid-state batteries

US aeronautics agency NASA is progressing with solid-state battery designs which are capable of offering increased energy discharge while substantially reducing the weight of the casing.

UH60 black hawk flights

News

GE begins assembling second Improved Turbine Engine for US Army

The T901 next-generation rotorcraft engine will ultimately power the US Army’s current fleet of utility and attack helicopters and its Future Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft.

American at DFW_1Oct2020

News

American invests in Universal Hydrogen

American Airlines has made an equity investment in start-up Universal Hydrogen to help support the airline’s ambitious goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

E175 SkyWest

News

SkyWest secures Brazilian state financing for the purchase of six E175s

Brazil’s economic development bank has agreed to provide US regional carrier SkyWest Airlines with R670 million ($128 million) in financing for the purchase of six Embraer 175 regional jets.

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In depth

Airline Business Covid-19 recovery tracker: October 2022 update

Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including 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.

Korean Air B787-9

News

WestJet and Korean will codeshare on flights from Toronto and Vancouver

WestJet will begin adding its code to Korean Air flights from Toronto and Vancouver to Seoul, after the Canadian carrier decided to centralize its widebody flying from Calgary earlier this week.

Kratos Valkyrie releases Altius-600

News

More real world input required for loyal wingman development: think tank

A US airpower think tank has listed a set of priorities for the US Air Force (USAF) to consider as it embarks on the development of unmanned combat aircraft.

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Interview

Hypersonic threats: Why Canada is doubling down on enhanced Arctic defence

Canada disclosed in June plans to spend nearly C$40 billion ($29.4 billion) over 20 years to enhance defence of its sprawling Arctic region, citing threats including those from “autocratic regimes”.

CRJ700

News

Mesa to sell 18 Bombardier CRJ700 regional jets to United

Mesa Air Group, the parent company of regional carrier Mesa Airlines, will sell 18 Bombardier CRJ700 aircraft to United Airlines for “approximately $50 million”.

Joby and Skyports Press Release 3

News

Joby and Skyports partner to demonstrate air taxi ‘vertiports’

Electric air taxi developer Joby Aviation and air taxi terminal designer Skyports Infrastructure have partnered to study and demonstrate how such a terminal would actually work.

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News

WestJet plans to consolidate Boeing 787-9 fleet in Calgary

Canadian airline WestJet will base all seven of its Boeing 787s at its Calgary hub as a part of a strategy shift which will see the carrier double its capacity in the city by the end of the decade.

Boeing 737 Max 7

News

US pilot union against exemption for Boeing 737 Max 7, Max 10 certification

Pilot union Allied Pilots Association (APA), which represents pilots at American Airlines, opposes an equipment certification exemption for Boeing’s 737 Max 7 and Max 10 aircraft.

Fedex 777F

News

FedEx and pilots to pursue government mediation for contract negotiations

Pilots at Fedex Express and the company’s management will pursue federal mediation through the National Mediation Board (NMB) on their contract negotiations.

AutoFlight’s ‘Prosperity I Aircraft'

News

China’s AutoFlight opens US office and hires former Eviation boss

Chinese electric air taxi developer AutoFlight has opened a US operation and hired former Eviation chief executive Omer Bar-Yohay to lead it.

Dutch C-130H

News

US Air Force grounds select C-130 transports over propeller cracks

The discovery of cracks in the propeller barrel assemblies on multiple C-130H models led Air Mobility Command to issue a no-fly order for roughly 100 aircraft.

Swedish air force Gripen Cs

News

Saab voices opposition to Canada’s F-35 decision

The Swedish manufacturer of the Gripen fighter says Canada failed to follow its own procurement rules in selecting the Lockheed Martin F-35 over Saab’s proposal.

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News

US Army orders two more Block II Chinook heavy-lift helicopters

US Army has ordered two more examples of the updated Block II variant of the CH-47F tandem-rotor type, with long-lead funding for additional airframes.

ICAO

News

Russian delegation falls short of votes needed for ICAO Council election

Russia has failed to secure election to the ICAO Council during a voting session at the organisation’s Assembly in Montreal.

Wisk's six-generation air taxi demonstrator

News

Wisk unveils new air taxi design that will be certification suitable

Boeing-backed air taxi developer Wisk Aero has revealed an updated prototype that it calls a candidate for type certification by the US Federal Aviation Administration.

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News

Collins targets systems consolidation to meet Future Vertical Lift speed and range goals

The avionics manufacturer says the US Army’s next generation rotorcraft will need lots of multi-functional systems to shave off weight and drag.

Boeing 737 Max 7

News

FAA calls for ‘realistic’ 737 Max 7 timeline after Boeing misses paperwork deadline

Boeing was late in providing some 737 Max 7 assessments to the Federal Aviation Administration, cutting the agency’s available time to certificate the jet before a critical December deadline.

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News

United to end service to JFK airport in October

United Airlines will stop flying to New York’s John F Kennedy International airport at the end of next month due to lack of slots.

LATAM_Delta

News

US government approves Delta-LATAM joint venture

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has given its long-awaited approval of anti-trust immunity for the joint venture between Delta Air Lines and LATAM Airlines Group.

Frontier

News

Spirit Airlines testifies ‘competition is harmed’ in American-JetBlue antitrust trial

A Spirit Airlines executive denounced the American Airlines-JetBlue Airways partnership in federal court on 30 September – just two months after Spirit agreed to be purchased by low-cost competitor JetBlue.

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News

Use of ADS-B by flight-tracking websites spurs proposition to protect privacy

Security and privacy concerns arising from the ability to obtain, and freely share over the internet, ADS-B information transmitted by aircraft have been outlined in a paper to the ICAO Assembly.

MQ-25 Stingray Boeing

News

US Navy issues long-lead contract for autonomous refueller programme

The Boeing MQ-25 Stingray aerial refueller is set to be the first carrier-based uncrewed aircraft.

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News

WestJet orders 42 Boeing 737 Max 10s amid ongoing fleet expansion

Canadian airline WestJet is expanding its fleet of narrowbody passenger aircraft with an order of 42 Boeing 737 Max 10s, and options for 22 more. 

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News

Aer Lingus to open new transatlantic service to northern Ohio

IAG’s Irish carrier Aer Lingus is to open a new transatlantic route to the US city of Cleveland, on the lake Erie coast, in summer next year.

Flair Airlines Arrival

News

Discount Canadian carriers Flair Airlines and Lynx Air manoeuvre for market share

Low-cost Canadian carriers Flair Airlines and Lynx Air plan to expand operations next year as competition for the North American discount market heats up.

787-9

News

China Airlines finalises 787-9 deal with orders for 16 of the jets

Taiwan’s China Airlines has ordered 16 Boeing 787-9s and taken options to buy another eight, firming an agreement the airline disclosed in August.

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News

US FAA sets out initial standards for eVTOL vertiport designs

US aviation regulators have unveiled design guidance for vertiports, as the aerospace industry progresses with multiple proposed eVTOL aircraft.

Eviation’s Alice Achieves Milestone with First Flight of All-Electric Commuter Aircraft

News

Alice’s first flight ‘executed flawlessly’ but battery challenges remain: CEO

Though Eviation cleared a major milestone with the 27 September first flight of its all-electric prototype aircraft, the company’s chief executive stresses that notable battery hurdles must still be overcome.

Screenshot of JetBlue CEO testifying on 27 September during an anti-trust trial in Boston

News

JetBlue CEO takes stand, defends ‘Northeast Alliance’ as antitrust trial starts

US government attorneys grilled JetBlue Airways chief executive Robin Hayes on 27 September, the opening day of the American Airlines-JetBlue antitrust trial in Boston.

Sarasota_airport

News

Airports to close, airlines cancel flights as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida

As Florida braces for the impact of Hurricane Ian, numerous airports on the west coast of Florida will close completely, and airlines have pre-emptively cancelled hundreds of flights.

G400 in-flight rendering

In depth

Gulfstream pitches G400 at large-cabin market ‘sweet spot’

Eyeing a lucrative gap in the market for a 4,200nm-range jet with large-cabin comfort, Gulfstream has embarked on its G400 development with lofty expectations.

Screenshot of a livestream of Alice

News

Eviation’s Alice gets airborne for first time

The prototype took off from Grant County International airport on 27 September for the first time, a major milestone for a company that aims to have Alice carrying paying passengers within several years.

Heart logo

News

Southwest’s Van de Ven to step down from president and COO posts

Southwest Airlines’ president and chief operating officer Mike Van de Ven will be stepping down from both of his leadership posts in the coming months.

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News

US DOT proposes rule on airfare transparency

The US government has announced plans to begin requiring both domestic and foreign airlines as well as ticket sellers to clearly post all extra fees prior to air transport ticket purchases.

Flair Airlines Arrival

News

Canada to drop all Covid-related travel restrictions

Canada will drop all Covid-19-related travel restrictions later this week, more than two and a half years since the beginning of the global pandemic.

USAF fighters

News

Top US commander calls for adding 12 fighter squadrons to USAF

Mark Kelly, the four-star general in charge of Air Combat Command, says the USAF currently does not have enough multi-role fighter squadrons to meet the missions it has been assigned.

IATA and ACI World

Analysis

Why ICAO Assembly is crucial for aviation’s decarbonisation effort

Airlines and airports say governments must use the 41st ICAO Assembly – which begins this week in Montreal – to formally commit to targets that support the commercial aviation industry’s decarbonisation timeline.

United  CRJ ZeroAvia

Analysis

How airlines’ environmental investments are already paying dividends

Despite their geographical and operational differences, US carriers United Airlines and JetBlue Airways, Norwegian regional airline Wideroe, and Spain’s Air Nostrum have a common goal: to be pioneers in sustainability.

VX4

Analysis

Why Vertical Aerospace is still riding high as eVTOL sector matures

UK start-up Vertical Aerospace is among a small group of pioneers driving the development of eVTOL platforms for market entry later this decade – but can it maintain momentum?

NBAA 2018 static

In depth

Business aviation readies for its first NBAA Orlando gathering since 2018

An upbeat trend in business aviation usage is continuing as the community prepares for its annual US get together at the National Business Aviation Association’s BACE event in Orlando.

Global 8000

Analysis

Business aviation’s new long-range leaders battle supply chain worries

Divergence between supply and demand has left manufacturers of large-cabin business jets with flush backlogs – and plenty of problems that need solving.

Skywest_delta

In depth

‘All of us are in the exact same spot’: regional airline CEOs on pilot shortage

Regional airlines like Cape Air, CommutAir and SkyWest Airlines are feeling the most acute effects of the USA’s pilot shortage. 

United Airlines Boeing 737

News

United names Jonathan Ireland new head of finance

A new hand will guide United Airlines’ $40 billion operations and $5 billion capital budget, as the Chicago-based carrier named Jonathan Ireland senior vice president of finance on 23 September.

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News

Raytheon-Northrop Grumman beat Boeing, Lockheed Martin in hypersonic missile contest

The pair were awarded a US Air Force contract to build the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile, a scramjet-powered munition capable of Mach 5 flight.

United 777-200 United. Max KJ

News

United grounds 25 Boeing 777s due to maintenance issue

United Airlines in recent days grounded more than two dozen Boeing 777-200s after missing required maintenance inspections.

cockpit

News

Collins demos risk-assessment and uncrewed-wingman control software

The company’s Operational Reasoner algorithmic software is meant to help pilots of sixth-generation fighters assess the likelihood of mission success and more-seamlessly control uncrewed aircraft.

RN Wildcat with Martlet missiles

News

Royal Navy Wildcat cuts teeth during Arctic Thunder frigate sinking

The UK Royal Navy has performed the first firing of its Thales Martlet air-to-surface missile against a “realistic target at sea”, as part of a bilateral exercise also involving the Royal Air Force and US military.

A220-c-Airbus

News

A220-500 would turn twinjet into ‘powerful’ product range: Airbus chief

Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury has signalled to investors that a stretched A220 is necessary to turn the twinjet into a strong product family.

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Newsletter

FedEx outlook fuels concern over air cargo prospects

The bleak economic outlook provided by FedEx at the end of last week served as a reminder to the airline industry that the Covid-era cargo boom is vulnerable to global uncertainties.

SeaGlider Flight

In depth

Regent achieves flying milestone with subscale seaglider model

Start-up seaglider developer Regent Craft’s sub-scale prototype achieved an important milestone last month on its journey to become a viable transport option along coasts or near large bodies of water.

United Airlines 777

News

United Boeing 777-200 suffers “hydraulic pump issue” after take-off

A United Airlines Boeing 777-200 experienced a “hydraulic pump issue” shortly after take-off from Newark’s Liberty International airport, forcing the aircraft to return and land.

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News

New discount carrier Canada Jetlines makes first passenger flight

Startup airline Canada Jetlines completed its first passenger flight on 22 September, with its orange, white and blue Airbus A320 making the connection between Toronto Pearson International airport and Calgary International airport.

Mesa building

News

Mesa to acquire 29 Pipistrel trainers in creative bid to attract new pilots

US regional carrier Mesa Airlines plans to acquire 29 Pipistrel Alpha Trainer 2 aircraft, with an option to buy 75 more over the next year, to create an easier pathway for pilots to accumulate 1,500 flight hours.

Delta Air Lines JFK

In depth

How far have airlines climbed back from the crisis?

Revenues among leading operators jumped more than a third last year, while losses were stemmed after the heavy post-pandemic bleeding. However, it remains a lengthy road back to full recovery and the profitable heights the industry enjoyed before Covid hit

De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 400

News

De Havilland plans new assembly site near Calgary, Dash 8 and Twin Otter reboot unsettled

De Havilland Canada has revealed plans to build a massive new manufacturing site near Calgary where it will assemble aircraft including its newly launched DHC-515 water bomber.

737 Max at Boeing field in Seattle on 14 June 2022

News

Boeing CEO still confident in Max 7’s certification in 2022

Boeing chief executive David Calhoun remains optimistic the Federal Aviation Administration will certificate the 737 Max 7 before year-end – and before a critical regulatory change.

US Air Force F-35A

News

USAF hopes for decision on F-35 engine this year

Chief of staff General Charles Brown says his service would like to reach a decision before January on whether the advanced strike fighter needs an entirely new powerplant or just an upgrade.

E-11A BACN

News

USAF adds first BACN E-11A from 2021 order

The US Air Force (USAF) has added the first E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) aircraft from a 2021 order for the Bombardier G6000 derivative.

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News

National Airlines introduces ex-AirBridgeCargo 747-400ERF to freighter fleet

US operator National Airlines has introduced a Boeing 747-400ERF to its fleet, an extended-range version of the high-capacity freighter.

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News

Airlines will need larger jets like updated A380: Emirates’ Clark

Emirates Airline president Tim Clark fears the industry’s shift away from the largest aircraft types could leave carriers short on seats in the coming decades, potentially leading to “enormously high fares”.

B-21 Bomber

News

First B-21 roll-out planned for December

The US Air Force and designer Northrop Grumman plan to reveal the first of the service’s secretive B-21 Raider next-generation strategic bombers in December.

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News

Boeing and Wisk outline their concept for air taxi flights

Boeing and partner Wisk Aero have broadly defined requirements they view as needed for the unmanned electric air taxi concept to become reality.

E175 SkyWest

News

Swelling pilot pay could force US regionals to contract, impacting communities: CEOs

Higher pilot pay rates at regional airlines could become a problem as carriers seek to balance a pilot shortage with maintaining flights to smaller US communities.

Kratos XQ-58A deploying an Altius 600 loitering munition

News

General Atomics, Kratos highlight progress toward AI-driven combat aircraft

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) and Kratos have highlighted progress with autonomous unmanned aircraft systems (UASs).

KC-46A McConnel AFB acceptance inspection

News

USAF clears KC-46 for global operations, troubles remain

The head of the US Air Force’s Air Mobility Command says airmen have developed workarounds for the problem-plagued refueller’s issues, calling the type “incredibly capable”.

Alice after successful high speed taxi test (2)-9.18.22

News

Eviation’s Alice completes high-speed taxi test, ‘final’ step before flight

Electric aircraft developer Eviation has released video of its Alice prototype completing a high-speed taxi test ahead of its planned first flight.

News

US Air Force leaders stress importance of air dominance in countering rising threats

Speaking at the 2022 Air & Space Forces Association conference near Washington DC, US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall and senior generals warned of the need to counter advancing authoritarian regimes – an uphill fight.

American_Eagle_(Republic_Airways)_Embraer_175

News

FAA denies Republic’s request to skirt 1,500h rule for new pilots

The FAA on 19 September shot down a request from Republic Airways that would have allowed some of its pilots to fly scheduled flights with only 750h of cockpit time. 

L3Harris Embraer Agile Tanker for USAF 1

News

Embraer and L3Harris join to offer ‘Agile Tanker’ to USAF

Brazilian airframer Embraer has partnered with US defence contractor L3Harris to offer a special “tactical tanker” version of its KC-390 military lifter to the US Air Force (USAF).

F-35A

News

Switzerland signs contract to purchase 36 Lockheed F-35As

The government of Switzerland has signed a contract formalising its planned acquisition of 36 Lockheed Martin F-35As, a move following the country’s 2021 decision to acquire the US-made fifth-generation fighter.

Boeing's Renton 737 Max production site

News

Boeing still pausing 737 production as it works through supply troubles

Boeing is still periodically pausing 737 production due component shortages and other supply chain problems.

FedEx 767F. FedEx

News

FedEx parks aircraft due to $500 million revenue shortfall

FedEx has temporarily grounded some of its cargo aircraft and reduced the frequency of freighter flights in response to a slowdown in global demand for package deliveries.

FHox-DcWQAsaBvi

News

Canada Jetlines applies for permission to fly Florida routes

Canadian discount start-up airline Canada Jetlines has applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for a Canada Jetlines applies for a foreign air carrier permit which would allow it to fly routes between Canada and the USA.

Harpoon anti-ship missile on US Navy P-8A Poseidon

News

China sanctions heads of Raytheon, Boeing defence over Taiwan arms sales

The Chinese government in Beijing is levying sanctions on two American defence executives following recently announced sales of US arms to Taiwan.

Boom Overture Greensboro

News

Engine makers sound downbeat on supersonic, leaving Boom in a bind

In the wake of Rolls-Royce’s departure from Boom Supersonic’s Overture programme, three additional propulsion specialists have indicated they have no interest in developing powerplants for supersonic civilian aircraft, leaving fresh questions about who will supply the jet’s engines.

Air Canada jazz Bombardier Q400 Dash 8

News

Chorus Aviation names new CEO as Joseph Randall steps down

Chorus Aviation chief executive Joseph Randell plans on retiring in early 2023 and is set to be succeeded by chief operating officer, Colin Copp.

Elephant_walk_at_Kadena_Air_Base_(3)

In depth

US, allies could lose 900 aircraft in conflict with China over Taiwan: CSIS

A wargame developed by the Washington think tank indicates that the US military can preserve the island nation’s sovereignty in the face of a full-scale assault, but at great cost.

Alice Testing 5

News

GlobalX signals intention to buy 50 electric Alice aircraft from Eviation

US carrier Global Crossing Airlines (GlobalX) intends to order 50 of Eviation’s in-development electric aircraft Alice.

FlyDubai

News

United views Flydubai deal as crucial to broader pact with Emirates

United Airlines’ new codeshare deal with Emirates Airline includes a related agreement with Flydubai that United views as particularly valuable in expanding its international reach.

ES-30

News

Sweden’s Heart Aerospace scales up to develop 30-seat hybrid-electric ES-30

Sweden’s Heart Aerospace will now build a 30-seat hybrid-electric regional aircraft called the ES-30, dropping previous plans for a 19-seater called the ES-19.

Porter E195-E2-c-TrueNoord

News

Porter enters sale-and-leasebacks for a dozen E195-E2s

Canada’s Porter Airlines has added more lessors to its fleet-sourcing for Embraer 195-E2 twinjets, with sale-and-leaseback agreements for a dozen aircraft equally split between TrueNoord and funds linked to Apollo and Merx Aviation.

United 787

In depth

United and Emirates strike broad partnership that will ‘terrify’ competitors

United Airlines and Emirates Airline have put aside a contentious trade dispute in launching a new partnership they say will dramatically expand their international presence to the detriment of competitors.

Top Aces F-16s over Arizona (Photo James DeBoer)

News

Top Aces’ private F-16 fleet wins USAF contract for adversary air

The Canadian company flies the world’s only fleet of commercially-operated F-16 fighter jets, which will now go head to head against US Air Force pilots in training.

LAX airport

In depth

Many countries have eased pandemic travel restrictions – but not Canada

For many global commercial air travellers, the rules that defined flying during the first two years of the coronavirus pandemic are distant memories. But not for airline passengers flying in Canada.

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