Fairchild Aerospace has delivered the first two 328JETs to launch customer Skyway Airlines. Skyway has five aircraft on firm order with 10 options. It will put the 32-seat regional jet into revenue service following completion of pilot training in San Antonio, Texas. Continental Airlines has revised its fleet retirement plan, and is accelerating the withdrawal of its McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 fleet. Three DC-10-30s will be withdrawn between next November and April, instead of between 2001 and 2004 as planned. Egyptair has confirmed its commitments for three Pratt & Whitney PW6000-powered Airbus A318s for delivery from 2003. Southern Air Transport, which ceased operations last year, is seeking approval from the bankruptcy court to sell one of its Lockheed L-100 Hercules to Sao Tome based TWL for $23 million, including spares and tooling. Air Atlanta Icelandic has acquired a 28-year-old, ex-Japan Airlines P&W JT9D-powered Boeing 747-200 on lease. Thai carrier Angel Airlines is expanding operations with the lease of three Fokker F28s and one Boeing 737-400. The F28s will arrive between October and January 2000, while the 737 is due in November. Angel flies two 737s (one -400 and one -500) and a Fairchild Dornier 328. DHL Airways has taken delivery of the first of six ex-Thai Airways International Airbus A300B4 freighters following conversion and major overhaul by British Aerospace Airbus. The US arm of DHL has options with BAe for a further 10 conversions. Dragonair has placed one of its International Aero Engines V2500-A5 powered A320s with Transasia on a two-year lease. Sterling European Airlines has concluded a long-term ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) contract with Atlas Air for a Boeing 747-200 freighter. The 747 will be operated on routes from Stockholm and Copenhagen to Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Dubai.
Source: Flight International
