Airbus delivered its first A319CJ widebodied business jet on 31 December, 1998, to a private Middle East-based customer. The green aircraft is being outfitted at Jet Aviation's completion centre in Basle, Switzerland. The second A319CJ is scheduled for delivery to an unnamed customer in mid-1999. To date, the international consortium has received 12 orders "and commitments" for its ultra-long-range aircraft.
Source: Flight International
US firm Sierra Nevada (SNC) has been awarded a $170 million contract to deliver two Rapcon-X surveillance aircraft to the Finnish Border Guard.
Turkish business jet charter company Air Sapphire has been heavily fined by the US government for flying a Gulfstream GIV to Russia without authorisation.
The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered inspections of the Gulfstream G500 and G600 fleet in response to a “quality escape” involving improperly installed engine-mounting hardware.
