Alerts Sign-up
News from July 2024
While Airbus maintained a lower profile on the first day of the Farnborough Airshow, announcing an order from Royal Bhutan Airlines for three A320neo and two A321XLRs, it used the event to celebrate Cebu Pacific's purchase of up to 152 A321neo aircraft. This represents the largest aircraft order in Philippine aviation history. The binding memorandum of understanding, signed earlier this month, includes firm orders for up to 102 A321neos and 50 A320neo family purchase rights. Cebu Pacific has selected Pratt & Whitney GTF engines to power these aircraft.
During his opening remarks on Monday, July 22, Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) CEO Jack Pelton addressed key industry topics including unleaded fuel, MOSAIC, and FAA Reauthorization.
Qatar Airways has unveiled the next generation of its acclaimed QSuites, marking an incremental improvement over its existing business class product. The new suite continues to feature alternating forward- and rear-facing rows of seats, which allow a group of four passengers in the center section to combine their seats into a larger space.
Australia’s South East Queensland (SEQ) region could soon see early use cases for Wisk Aero’s Generation 6 eVTOL aircraft. This development follows a partnership between the manufacturer and Skyports Infrastructure to develop vertiports. On Monday, the companies announced plans to expand their existing collaboration to identify locations for a network of air taxi services.
The Farnborough Airshow 2024 highlighted significant advancements in the aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) sector. Industry leaders emphasized the potential of technological innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) to drive digital transformation within this traditionally paper-based industry.
Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace is unveiling its indigenously-developed fighter engine for the first time at the Farnborough Airshow. The 15,000-pound thrust class powerplant is “on a par with GE’s F414,” said the company.
Helix Linear Technologies, a precision linear motion solutions provider based in Beachwood, Ohio, is showcasing its new line of aerospace-grade ball screws at the Farnborough Airshow 2024.
For nearly a decade, the makers of portable wireless inflight entertainment (IFE) solutions have enabled airlines to offer passengers onboard entertainment without major aircraft retrofits or costly seatback screens.
Boeing and Korean Air have announced the airline's intent to purchase up to 50 of Boeing's fuel-efficient widebody airplanes, including 20 777-9s and 20 787-10s, with options for an additional 10 of the largest 787 Dreamliner variant.
The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Office of Inspector General (OIG) has reported that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is nearly three years behind schedule in deploying its Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) program. Costs for the program have risen by 20%, and airspace users may not see benefits until at least next year.
Boeing made significant announcements on the first day of the Farnborough Airshow 2024, securing several large and strategically important orders. These developments underscore continued confidence in Boeing's capabilities despite its recent challenges.
Electric aircraft manufacturer and regional air mobility pioneer Lilium is expanding its "Power-On" aftermarket services portfolio, the German eVTOL company announced at the Farnborough Airshow this week. Power-On provides a suite of digital solutions to ensure efficient and seamless operations of the Lilium Jet eVTOL.
Rolls-Royce has been conducting flight tests for the Pearl 10X turbofan, developed for the Dassault Falcon 10X business jet, on its Boeing 747 testbed. During a media briefing ahead of the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow, Rolls-Royce's business aviation director Dirk Geisinger stated that the 18,000-pound-thrust engine is exceeding projected performance targets and has surpassed thrust levels since its initial test run.
Despite reaching a tentative agreement on a new contract with American Airlines, the union representing flight attendants is advising its members to continue wearing "WAR" pins and bag tags. The acronym, which initially stood for "we are ready," has taken on a more confrontational tone as negotiations persist.
SATS Airport Services Pte Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SATS Ltd, the world’s largest provider of air cargo handling services and Asia’s pre-eminent provider of food solutions, SIA Engineering Company Limited (SIAEC), a leading aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service provider in Asia-Pacific, and Changi Airport Group (CAG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to start a proof of concept (POC) on the use of autonomous buses to transport airport staff around Changi Airport’s airside.
Eve Air Mobility has secured sufficient funding to support its eVTOL program through 2027, extending its cash runway beyond 2026 when it anticipates starting deliveries of its four-passenger aircraft. The Embraer spin-off confirmed on Sunday that a recent $1.6 million capital injection from Space Florida brought the total for its latest funding round to $95.6 million.
In the wake of the Boeing Max crashes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is continuing to evolve its organization designation authority (ODA) process by issuing a draft revision to its oversight order. Comments are due by October 21 on the draft Revision C of ODA Order 8100.15. This order establishes the ground rules for a manufacturer to obtain ODA approval and provides procedures for FAA personnel conducting oversight of ODA holders.
When Southwest Airlines experienced a prolonged disruption over Christmas 2022, it faced significant media criticism. In contrast, Delta Air Lines' recent operational issues have not attracted the same level of negative attention.
GE Aerospace and Kratos Turbine Technologies (KTT), a division of Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, signed a Memorandum of Understanding at Farnborough on Monday to develop and produce a family of small, affordable turbofan engines. Intended to meet the rapidly expanding market for powering a range of unmanned air vehicles, the engines could power collaborative combat aircraft (CCAs, “loyal wingmen”), loitering munitions, and cruise missiles. The deal will replace an earlier joint development agreement that also covers full-scale production.
Jekta has selected ZeroAvia’s fuel cell power generation system for its planned PHA-ZE 100 hydrogen-electric amphibious aircraft. The Swiss start-up announced the agreement on Monday at the Farnborough International Airshow, aiming to bring the latest version of the 19-passenger seaplane to market following certification of an initial battery-electric model.