Druk Air is the first customer for the BAE Systems Avro RJX, ordering two RJX-85s. Deliveries of the 82-seat aircraft will be in November 2001 and January 2002, replacing the Bhutan carrier's two BAe 146-100s. Tunisair has purchased two ex-Emirates Airbus A300-600Rs that had been traded back to the manufacturer. One of the two General Electric CF6-powered aircraft has been delivered, the second is due later this year. BAE Systems has leased a second Jetstream 32 to Airline Training Academy for its Discover Air scheduled charter operation. Serving the south-east USA and the Bahamas from Sandford, Florida, Discover Air launched operations late last year, with a J31, and took delivery of a J32 in January. Virgin Atlantic will replace the Airbus A320 it leases from Orix in May with a larger A321-200. The aircraft is used on services from London to Athens. US leasing company Pegasus Aviation has completed a sale and lease-back deal with China Southern Airlines for four Rolls-Royce RB211-powered Boeing 757-200s, which are in service on financial leases. The aircraft will be leased back for five years each. Meanwhile, Pegasus has issued a $938 million lease securitisation covering 28 Airbus and Boeing aircraft. Qatar Airways is boosting its A300-600R fleet to four aircraft with the lease of an ex-China Northern Airlines example powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4158s, from Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services. Air France has confirmed its long-expected order for eight GE CF6-powered Airbus A330-200s and five options. Delivery of the 250-seat twinjets will begin in December 2001, replacing the airline's fleet of 10 A310s and five Boeing 767-300ERs. Cleveland-based leasing company ICX has concluded a sale and leaseback deal with AirTran Airways for two Boeing 717s. Volare will receive its first Airbus A321 on lease from GE Capital Aviation Services early next year.
Source: Flight International
