Air Transport
News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.
Aircraft
Airbus To Open Hydrogen Tech Development Center in UK
A new Airbus Zero Emission Development Center in Filton, UK, will concentrate on the development of a cryogenic fuel system for hydrogen-powered airliners.
Aircraft
Short-haul Travel, Tecnam Style
Italian manufacturer Tecnam is exhibiting its P2012 Traveller low-cost, short-haul commuterliner at EBACE.
Aircraft
VoltAero’s Cassio 1 To Perform Demo Flights in the Netherlands
France’s VoltAero plans to perform demonstration flights with its first Cassio hybrid-electric aircraft starting June 13.
Training and Workforce
FlightSafety To Train Cargo Drone Pilots
Bulgarian unmanned cargo airline Dronamics has engaged FlightSafety to ensure its pilots have the right training to maximize operational safety.
Aircraft
Harbour Air’s eBeaver Program Slowed by Supply Chain Kinks
Circumstances out of Harbour Air’s control—namely, the Covid pandemic and resulting supply chain constraints—have slowed progress of its eBeaver program.
Aircraft
Pratt Canada Picks Battery Supplier for Hybrid-Electric Project
Pratt & Whitney Canada has chosen Switzerland’s H55 to supply battery systems for its hybrid-electric Dash 8 demonstrator program.
Aircraft
ATR Eyes Hybrid-Electric Propulsion for New ‘Evo’ Turboprop
The Franco-Italian OEM is also exploring a new eco-design that includes new propellers as part of its drive to reduce fuel burn and CO2 emissions.
Aircraft
Ukraine War Weighs on Otherwise Strong Q1 for AerCap
AerCap registers a $2 billion loss during the first quarter due to write-offs of aircraft and engines in Russia.
Aircraft
'New' Superjet’s Russian Engine Readies for Flight
Saturn Design Bureau’s PD-8 has completed ground testing in time for flight trials to start “later this year.”
Airlines
JetBlue Launches Hostile Takeover Bid for Spirit Airlines
New York-based JetBlue has filed a “Vote No” proxy statement for Spirit's upcoming special meeting.
Airlines
Eurocontrol Sees CO2 Measures Costing €29 billion by 2030
In its 16th in a series of “think papers,” Eurocontrol examines cost of emissions reduction measures.
Accidents
Tibet Airlines A319 Bursts into Flames after Runway Excursion
No deaths reported among the 122 passengers and crew aboard a Tibet Airlines A319 that crashed and caught fire in southwestern China Thursday.
Aircraft
ATR 42-600S Flies for First Time in Partial Configuration
Following its May 11 first flight, the new 30- to 50-seat STOL aircraft will now enter a phase of ground and flight testing.
Aircraft
Embraer Gets Launch Customer for E-Jet P2F Conversions
Nordic Aviation Capital has signed an agreement in principle to order freighter conversions for 10 of its existing E190s and E195s.
Aircraft
Lufthansa Orders Seven Boeing 777-8 Freighters
Boeing welcomes Lufthansa as the European launch customer for the 777-8F.
Aircraft
Airbus Chooses Thales To Supply FMSs for Future Airliners
Based on the PureFlyt product, the new Thales FMS system will appear in all A320s, A330s, and A350s starting in 2026.
Aircraft
Russian Transport Ministry Sees Sharp Drop in Air Traffic by 2025
A draft report prepared by Russia’s Ministry of Transport projects a drop in traffic of between 24 and 48 percent over the next three years.
Aircraft
Hydrogen Infrastructure Challenges Rival Aircraft Tech Hurdles
Experts believe “clean” production and distribution rank as the biggest challenges to the adoption of hydrogen power by the aviation industry.
Airlines
Spirit Rejects JetBlue Acquisition Overtures
Spirit Airlines chooses Frontier Airlines merger proposal over that of JetBlue, citing concerns over antitrust risk.
Aircraft
Qantas Confirms Orders for Projects Sunrise, Winton
Schedules call for the first Qantas A350-1000 will arrive in 2025 and the first A320XLR/A220-300 in late 2023.
Aircraft
Russian Airlines Maneuver to Keep International Services Alive
New hubs in the south of Russia allow the country’s airlines to serve international destinations with SSJ100s.
Airlines
EasyJet partners with GKN Aerospace on Hydrogen Power
European low-fare carrier EasyJet has agreed to support GKN’s H2JET and H2GEAR hydrogen power programs.
Aircraft
Airbus, ITA Airways To Partner on eVTOL Work in Italy
An agreement between Airbus and ITA calls for recruiting partners to participate in the launch of the CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL operations in Italy.
Aircraft
Boeing Puts Positive Spin on 777X Delay
Delay of first delivery of the 777-9 until 2025 reflects a position of “strength, not weakness,” according to Boeing CEO David Calhoun.
Aircraft
Junkers JU-52 Returning to the Skies
The venerable and popular Junkers JU-52 is getting a new lease on life with an updated version planned for entry into service in 2026.
Aircraft
Russia Ditches MC-21-300 To Focus on Indigenous Version
Sanctions imposed by the West have forced Russian industry to scrap plans for the Pratt & Whitney-powered MC-21-300.
Cabin Interior and Electronics
SpaceX Signs First Aircraft Operator for Starlink Satcom
JSX's Embraer ERJs will be the first airborne application of SpaceX's Starlink satcom.
Aircraft
Russia Relaunches Series Production of Tupolev Tu-214
Russia’s Kazan Aviation Production Association plans to start shipping new Tu-214 narrow-bodies in 2024.
Environment
AIA Releases Technology-focused Sustainability Report
AIA and Accenture have issued a new, technology-focused aviation sustainability report and roadmap.
Aircraft
Cape Air, Eviation Sign LOI Covering 75 Alice Electric Aircraft
Massachusetts-based Cape Air sees a business case for electric aircraft service to “a panoply” of communities.
