Fleets – Page 953
-
News
Saab ready to close regional-aircraft lines as orders dry up
Julian Moxon/PARIS Saab Aircraft will shut down production of its 340 and 2000 turboprops in 1998 and leave the regional-airliner market altogether, unless new orders can be secured by the end of 1997. In a statement, Saab warns that the decision could come as soon as ...
-
News
Stretched 777 takes to the air
The first Boeing 777-300 had a "flawless" maiden flight from the company's Everett site on 16 October, completing the 4h 6min test mission at Boeing Field, Seattle, with no technical problems. Boeing 777 programme chief pilot Frank Santoni says: "We spent 4h shaking the aircraft down thoroughly. You ...
-
News
Airbus aims at A320 production boost
Airbus Industrie chief operating officer Volker Von Tein has raised the possibility of an increase in the production rate of the A320 family from the planned 18 per month - but only if the consortium secures an order for 120 aircraft from US Airways. The current rate of ...
-
News
China Eastern Airlines adds first MD-90 to its fleet
Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines has taken delivery of the first two of nine 157-seat Boeing MD-90s on order under China's 40-aircraft TrunkLiner programme, 20 of which are being built at the Douglas Products Division in Long Beach. The remaining 20 are being produced by the Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Factory. ...
-
News
China Airlines begins fleet modernisation
China Airlines (CAL) is undertaking a fleet-modernisation programme, phasing out its older Boeing 747s from passenger operations, and closing on an order for ten long-range widebodies. Two of the carrier's three remaining Pratt & Whitney JT9D-powered Boeing 747- 200Bs will be removed from the fleet for conversion by ...
-
News
American 777 decision holds key to engine-growth plans
American Airlines has been given until 3 November by Boeing to define its 777 fleet requirements as engine makers General Electric and Rolls-Royce study growth powerplants for the proposed long-range -200X and stretched -300X versions in response to a revised request for proposals from the US carrier. American ...
-
News
Air Littoral cancels Bombardier CRJ options
Air Littoral has cancelled options for five Bombardier CanadairRegional Jets (CRJs) due to be delivered in 1998. The action follows a pilots' strike begun on 13 October and was still under way as Flight International went to press. The dispute, which has hit up to 60% of flights, ...
-
News
Unions side with Boeing in Sabena order battle
Unions at Sabena have intervened in the fight between Boeing and Airbus to secure a contract to replace the carrier's Boeing 737-200 with a threat of industrial action if the airline decides in favour of the Airbus A319. The Belgian flag carrier is due to make a decision ...
-
News
Volga-Dnepr leases Tu-204Cs
Volga-Dnepr is to take two Tupolev Tu-204C-120 freighters equipped with Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4B engines on lease in a deal about to be signed with the leasing company Sirocco Aerospace International. The Russian cargo airline is also spending nearly $30 million upgrading its Antonov An-124 fleet. Volga-Dnepr president Alexei Isaikin ...
-
News
Tunisair is first Arab customer for A319
Tunis Air has signed a contract for seven A320-family aircraft. The four A320s and three A319s will make it the first customer for the smallest Airbus in both Africa and the Arab world. Tunis Air, which operates eight CFM International CFM56-powered A320s and one A300B4, will take its ...
-
News
Airbus transformation progresses
The process of transforming Airbus Industrie into a fully fledged company is back on track, with a joint statement from the four consortium partners that they now plan to see the new structure in place by the start of 1999. The partners confirm that they will work towards ...
-
News
Air China steps towards 1998 listing
Air China has begun the first steps towards a public flotation in 1998, becoming the last of the mainland China's big three carriers to go for a listing following successful launches by China Southern and China Eastern in New York and Hong Kong. According to China's state-run media, ...
-
News
Air China settles on Next Generation 737
Air China has opted for the Next Generation Boeing 737 to meet its long-standing requirement for a new narrow-body jet airliner, as part of a $1.5 million China Aviation Supplies (CASC) order for 30 new Boeing aircraft expected to be announced at the end of October. CASC will ...
-
News
ARIA covers Il-96M delay with leased 777s
Aeroflot-Russian International Airlines (ARIA) is to take two GE90-powered Boeing 777-200s on a seven-year lease from International Lease Finance. The aircraft will be delivered in 1998 and will initially give the airline capacity to cover for the expected delay to the delivery of the first of 17 Iluyshin Il-96Ms it ...
-
News
Airtours denies plans for A330 but closes on fleet decision
Airtours International is close to deciding on an order for new long-haul aircraft from Airbus or Boeing, but the airline denies that it has any plans to introduce Airbus A330s in 1998. According to Mike Lee, managing director of the Manchester, UK-based charter airline, decisions will be made ...
-
News
Air UK finalises order for five ATR 72-200's
Air UK has signed its long-expected deal with Aero International (Regional) for five ATR 72-200s. The contract, worth $70 million, includes a firm order for four aircraft and an option on a fifth (Flight International, 27 August-2 September). Deliveries of the ATRs to Stansted, UK-based Air UK, will ...
-
News
Parts shortages slow down Boeing production
Boeing has halted production of the 747 and Next Generation 737 temporarily, to give suppliers time to make up parts shortages which have delayed deliveries. The company will deliver between five and ten fewer Next Generation 737s, and four or five fewer 747s, than planned this year. Production ...
-
News
BWA discusses ATP franchise
British World Airlines (BWA) is considering launching franchise operations in 1998, as it introduces the first of two recently acquired 68-seat British Aerospace ATP turboprops. The Southend, UK-based airline specialises in leasing, aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) operations, as well as providing an air-operator's-certificate (AOC) service. BWA's ...
-
News
Jamaica's Cat 1 rating brings Delta deal nearer
Air Jamaica is moving ahead with plans for a co-operation agreement with Delta Air Lines after the USA upgraded Jamaica's safety-oversight rating to Category 1. The deal with Delta, announced in July, had been on hold until the US Federal Aviation Administration's international aviation-safety assessment team was satisfied ...
-
News
KAL steps up plans for new narrowbody
Korean Air Lines (KAL) is accelerating plans to phase out its entire fleet of Fokker 100s and Boeing MD-82/83s with the purchase of up to 40 replacement narrowbody aircraft. Industry sources say that KAL's evaluation has intensified in recent weeks and that a type selection is expected by ...