Boeing 737 hushkit specialists AvAero Aircraft Noise Reduction and the Nordam Group have between them amassed orders and options for more than 500 kits, with both reporting a new flurry of activity in the market.
Florida-based AvAero says a new order from First Air of Canada means it has achieved a clean sweep of the 737-200 operators in that country, with orders and options for a total of 58. Most of these, 35 firm orders and 12 options, were secured with last year's Canadian Airlines International deal. The First Air order, for one firm and two options, takes AvAero's total tally to "around 170", says sales director Ron Suihkonen.
Nordam, meanwhile, has confirmed orders for a further 56 hushkits, with most of the new work coming from Irish operator Ryanair. The first of 21 shipsets, including 16 new kits and five conversions, was due to enter service with Ryanair on 21 July.
The new batch includes America West, which has just put the first of 14 hushkitted -200s into service. Nordam also confirms that European Aviation, which bought Sabena's 13-strong 737-200 fleet, has selected it to supply "at least" 10 shipsets, with deliveries beginning later this year.
Other operators making up the batch include French carriers Euralair and Air Mediterranee, with orders for four each, and Royal Air Maroc, which becomes the first African airline to bring its -200s into line with Stage 3/Chapter 3 noise requirements.
Three shipsets have been delivered - two of which are now in use - and Nordam says four more kits will be delivered by the year-end.
Nordam says negotiations with an unnamed "state-run carrier", believed to be Olympic Airways of Greece, have finally been concluded and it is "now completing the paperwork". The deal is the last to be concluded with a major European 737-200 fleet operator, and involves kits for 11 aircraft.
The contract, when finalised, is expected to be worth $14.7 million, adding to the $75 million worth of business already announced by the Oklahoma-based company.
Source: Flight International
