UK to acquire remainder of MFTS training fleet
Training system partner Ascent is seeking proposals for new aircraft to replace multiple types in UK military service ...

Allegiant to source 757s from AerCap division
Irish-based lessor AerCap's joint venture with Deucalion Aviation Funds has been identified as the source of the six Boeing 757-200s being transferred to...

India's Taj Air adds two new aircraft
Indian charter operator Taj Air has added two new aircraft to its fleet - a Dassault Falcon 2000LX business jet and a Piaggio P180 Avanti II twin turboprop

Boeing's Albaugh bullish on 787 flight test, admits eating schedule margin
Nearly three months into its planned 8,5 month-long flight test programme, the Boeing 787 is progressing well, says the head of the company’s commercial aircraft unit, but acknowledges that some schedule margin has already been used ramping up the flight test fleet.

Boeing brings 787 to Victorville for flight testing
Boeing's second 787 flight test aircraft, dubbed ZA002, featuring the colours of its launch customer All Nippon Airways (ANA), touched down today at Southern...

Boeing to re-evaluate 777 and 737 production rates
After more than a year of calls from lessors and suppliers to cut production of its 737, Boeing is now considering an increase in production, and plans to...

Sources: Dreamlifter deal part of 747-8 compensation to Atlas
Boeing will shift control of its fleet of four modified 747-400 large cargo freighters or 'Dreamlifters' to Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings.

Northrop Grumman declines to bid on latest KC-X RFP
Northrop Grumman, in partnership with EADS, will not offer a bid for the $35 billion KC-X tanker contract, citing a US Air Force request for proposal (RFP)...

Iraqi Government firms 787 order
Iraq's Government has formally signed for 10 Boeing 787 aircraft, but has yet to disclose an engine selection. The identity of the customer has been...

Airbus to raise A320 production rate
Airbus is stepping up its monthly A320 production rate to 36 aircraft, from 34, in order to prepare for market recovery. The increase will come into...

Business briefings
AerCap has suspended buying new aircraft in part because it thinks it can get a better deal from rivals in...

Business: Good week - Bad week
GKN At nearly £1.5 billion ($2.24 billion), 2009 aerospace sales were up 48% and trading profit soared 61% to £169 million, thanks to £25 million-worth of...

Turkey accepts first Aselsan-modified F-4E Phantom
The Turkish air force has received its first of 16 McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantoms to be upgraded under a $24 million deal with local supplier Aselsan. Dubbed...

Safran ready to Leap ahead
Engine success is driving strong financial prospects for the French half of CFM

Air India's MRO facility in Mumbai to offer GE engines work
Air India and GE Aviation have signed a deal that makes the carrier's maintenance facility in Mumbai a certificated centre for the engine manufacturer's...

Leasing firm Hong Kong Aviation appoints CEO
Aircraft leasing and financing company Hong Kong Aviation has appointed Mathis Shinnick as its CEO with effect from 1 May. Shinnick will be the first...

This Week briefings
The Royal New Zealand Air Force's Red Checkers display team has been grounded following a 1 March mid-air collision...

Qatar's Al-Baker believes A320 re-engining announcement imminent
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker expects Airbus to shortly "make an important announcement" on the re-engining of the A320, and believes that supplier International Aero Engines will offer the PW1000 geared turbofan produced by partner Pratt Whitney. "I believe that Airbus is going to make an important announcement this month," says Al-Baker. "And I think they will come up with a programme similar to the [Bombardier] C-Series and install the GTF engine." Airbus has said that it plans to make a decision on the re-engining by the Farnborough Airshow in July. If it goes ahead, it will offer the upgrade as an option across the A319, A320 and A321 models with new engine offerings from the two incumbent suppliers CFM International and IAE. Qatar will also decide on whether it will order the C-Series, which already comes with the PW1000, by Farnborough, says Al-Baker. The carrier re-opened talks with Bombardier late last year on the aircraft, after earlier negoti

PICTURE: UK charter company set to launch
A new UK charter company dubbed Acropolis Aviation is almost ready to fly with an Airbus A319 Corporate Jetliner.

MTU seeks winning position on future narrowbodies
MTU is jostling for a winning position as Airbus and Boeing prepare to re-engine their best-selling narrowbodies.