Aircraft

Qatar Airways to take delivery of first Airbus A350 XWB on December 13

Qatar Airways' first A350 XWB.

Launch customer Qatar Airways will take delivery of the world’s first A350 XWB from Airbus on December 13, 2014, in Toulouse, France. The airline has 80 A350s on order with the European airframer. The A350 will be first deployed in to commercial service on the Doha Frankfurt route in January 2015. The A350 XWB is Airbus’s response to Boeing 787 …

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Ryanair finalizes order for 100 737 MAX 200s

Ireland based ultra low cost carrier Ryanair has finalized an order for 100 737 MAX 200s. The order which is valued at $11 billion at current list prices, includes options for 100 additional 737 MAX 200 airplanes and was originally announced as a commitment in September of this year. The airline will be the launch customer of the 737 Max 200. …

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Indian Navy receives sixth Boeing P-8I maritime patrol and sub hunter aircraft

Indian Navy tail IN325, sixth Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft.

The Indian Navy’s sixth and newest Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft has arrived INS Rajali better known as Arokkanam naval air station, about 55 km west of Chennai. Tail number IN325 arrived on November 24th on schedule. The final two deliveries of the eight aircraft order are scheduled in 2015. The P-8I is the Indian Navy’s version of the famed …

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Frontier Airlines orders nine Airbus A321 aircraft

Low cost American carrier Frontier Airlines has placed a firm order for nine Airbus A321ceo (current engine option) aircraft. The deal is valued at $991 million at current list prices. The order marks the first time the airline has ordered the A321. The airline has operated every other variant of the A320 family including the smallest variant the Airbus A318 …

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Boeing selects Toray Industries for $8.6B 777X composites wing supply

Boeing 777-9X CGI wing view. Boeing image.

US Airframer Boeing has extended its agreement with Toray Industries of Japan, the current supplier of composite materials wings for the 787 Dreamliner to include wings for the 777X. The 777X is a modification of the extremely popular 777 twin-jet ‘mini-jumbo’and is expected to enter service in 2020. The wingspan of the 777X measures 71.7 meters (235.4 feet), about 6.95 …

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FAA type certifies Airbus A350-900 with Rolls Royce engines

European airframer Airbus has received type certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for it’s newest commercial airliner the A350-900. The certified aircraft is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. The FAA certification along with the EASA certification which the aircraft received in September marks the successfully completion of a stringent program of certification trials for the A350 airframe. …

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Airbus delivers first A320’s to Lion Group’s Batik Air

Batik Air Airbus A320.

European airframer Airbus has delivered the first three Airbus aircraft to long time Boeing customer Indonesia’s Lion Group. The aircraft were delivered at a special ceremony in Toulouse. The aircraft are the first from an order placed by Lion Group in March 2013 for 234 A320 Family aircraft, comprising 109 A320neo, 65 A321neo and 60 A320ceo. The initial batch of A320s …

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Boeing donates one of the original 787-8 Dreamliners to Museum of Flight, Seattle

787 Vice President and General Manager Larry Loftis (right) hands the ceremonial keys over to The Museum of Flight President and CEO Doug King

US airframer Boeing has donated of the original 787-8 Dreamliner flight test airplanes to the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington state, USA. Airframe ZA003 is the third 787-8 produced and was used for flight testing and certification of the new aircraft. It was subsequently used for the ‘Dream Tour’ during 2011 and 2012, flying to 23 countries and showcasing …

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Airbus and Tatas team up to bid for IAF HS-748 Avro replacement tender

Airbus C295 military medium lift transport. Airbus image.

Airbus Defence and Space (ADS) and Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) have teamed up and submitted a joint bid for the Airbus C295 medium transporter in response to the Indian Air Force´s plan to replace 56 HS748 Avro aircraft in the force’s air transport fleet. In 2012, India had taken, what was considered an audacious decision to replace the ageing HS-748 …

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Photos: Embraer rolls out it’s KC-390 airlifter

Embraer rolls out the first KC-390. Embraer Image.

Yesterday Brazilian airframer Embraer rolled out the first prototype of it’s new KC-390 military transport from it’s production hangar at Gavião Peixoto, Brazil. The KC-390 is a joint project between the Brazilian Air Force and Embraer to develop and produce a tactical military transport and aerial refueling airplane. The design of the aircraft is intended to establish new standards in …

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Boeing begins to manufacture the first parts for the 737 MAX

The first 737 MAX fuselage stringer.

Boeing has started production of the first parts destined for the new 737 MAX. The fuselage stringers are being manufactured at Boeing Fabrication Integrated AeroStructures in Auburn, Washington. The stringers run the length of the fuselage structure giving it stability and strength. After forming, the stringers will be sent to Spirit Aerosystems in Wichita, Kansas for incorporation into the first …

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Photos: Qatar Airways’ first A350-900 XWB progressing to year end delivery

Airbus A350-900 MSN6 first aircraft for launch customer Qatar Airways A7-ALA being readied in the paint hangar.

Airbus A350-900 MSN006 (manufacturer’s serial number), the first aircraft that will be delivered to launch customer Qatar Airways is proceeding through its paces for delivery by the year end. Airbus has received the EASA type certification for the A350-900 as we reported yesterday. The aircraft which will be registered A7-ALA when it enters service is seen here exiting the paint …

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Airbus A350-900 XWB receives EASA type certification

The latest generation airliner of European airframer Airbus S.A.S. the A350-900 XWB has received its ‘Type Certification’ from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) earlier today. The certified aircraft is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. The other major certifying body, the United States Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) certification is expected shortly since both EASA and FAA recognise each others’ …

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Vistara gets second Airbus A320 VT-TTC, IndiGo gets A320 VT-IAS

Vistara airlines' first A320 VT-TTB.

Less than a week after the two airlines each received new Airbus A320s, both Vistara, the Tata Singapore Airlines promoted carrier, and India’s leading domestic carrier, IndiGo took delivery of new aircraft. Coincidentally both aircraft are powered with the International Aero Engines V2500 power-plants. IndiGo received Airbus A320 MSN6289 which will be registered VT-IAS. (Read our aviation humour story on …

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Airbus achieves first flight of A320neo

First Airbus A320neo F-WNEO MSN6101 takes off on its first flight at Toulouse Blagnac airport.

European airframer Airbus, has achieved the first flight of the new fuel efficient iteration of its best selling narrow-body aircraft, the A320neo. neo means new engine option. The first A320neo to fly frame number MSN6101, test registered F-WNEO lifted off from Toulouse-Blagnac airport in France at 12:00 local time (15:30 IST). At the controls were Airbus experimental test pilots Philippe …

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Airbus A320neo to make it’s maiden flight on Thursday

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The Airbus A320neo is set to make it’s first flight this Thursday (September 25), European airframer Airbus announced Monday. The maiden flight of the A320neo test aircraft is scheduled for 1030 local time in Toulouse, France (1400 IST), but will of course be subject to weather conditions. The test aircraft which bears the registration F-WNEO is powered by two Pratt …

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Avolon places an order for Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and 737 MAX 9s

Boeing and leasing company Avolon have finalized an order for six 787-9 Dreamliners and five additional 737 MAX 9s, valued at more than $2.1 billion at list prices. Avolon announced a commitment to purchase the airplanes during the 2014 Farnborough Airshow in July. This is Avolon’s first order for the 787 Dreamliner and will increase the lessor’s 737 MAX order to 20 …

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Republic Airways Holdings places order for 50 Embraer E175 Jets for United Express

Embraer S.A. and Republic Airways Holdings Inc., the world’s largest operator of E-Jets, announced a contract for the sale and purchase of 50 firm E175 jets. The value of order is estimated at USD 2.1 billion, based on 2014 list prices. The aircraft will be operated for United Airlines under the United Express brand. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in …

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First Airbus A320neo progresses towards first flight, performs taxi tests

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The first Airbus A320neo (new engine option) is making progress towards its first flight. The test aircraft airframe MSN 6101 (manufacturer’s serial number) test registered F-WNEO powered up its engines and performed taxi tests last week. You can see photos here, here and here Airbus is expecting this aircraft to perform its first flight some time later this month. READ …

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Boeing to assemble largest 787 Dreamliner in Charleston

Boeing 787-10 CGI.

US airframer Boeing which announced the largest member of its new 787 Dreamliner family, the 787-10, has decided to exclusively assemble the new aircraft in its North Charleston, South Carolina facility. The 787-10 is positioned as a higher capacity jet which has the same maximum take-off weight as its shorter variant the 787-9, but which will trade range for increased …

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