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ATR achieves 2 billion dollars turnover in 2015

Setouchi sells 12.5% stake in Quest Aircraft to Japan's Mitsui

Quest Aircraft's parent Setouchi Holdings has sold a 12.5% stake in the Kodiak single-engined turboprop manufacturer to fellow Japanese company Mitsui. The equity sale gives Sandpoint, Idaho-based Quest more than $10 million in much-needed investment to help it expand its product po...

Germany still pushing multinational NH90 medevac fleet

Germany is continuing to promote the creation of a multinational pool of up to 20 NH90 rotorcraft to be used for combat medevac missions. It first floated the idea in late 2014 amid contract revision talks with the NH Industries consortium which resulted in it retaining 20 options for the troop t...

Bell preparing to affix V-280 wing as ‘Valor’ takes shape

Bell Helicopter begins 2016 with final assembly of its V-280 next-generation tiltrotor 23% complete and on target for first flight in September 2017, with the next major milestones being mating of the wing and fuselage in April. The company’s VP of advanced tiltrotor systems Vince Tobin says the straight, composite wing for the US Army technology demonstrator is almost fabricated, includi...

First A320neo delivery opens new era in commercial aviation

The Lufthansa Group, Airbus’ largest airline customer and operator, marks a major step in aviation history today by taking delivery of the first A320neo, the world’s best-selling and most fuel efficient single aisle aircraft. Equipped with all new technology Pratt & Whitney PurePower® Geared Turbofan™ engines, the A320neo sets a new, even higher standard in aircraft ef...

A340 testbed visits Darwin for ice crystals detection trials

An Airbus A340 testbed is currently operating out of Darwin Airport in search of icing conditions in tropical thunderstorms as part of a flight test campaign to trial new technologies developed to detect icing conditions. A340-300 F-WWAI – in fact A340 MSN1, the original A340 flight test development aircraft, which first flew in October 1991 – arrived in Darwin on January 11 and is...

Iran's First Big Purchase: 114 Airbus Jetliners

Tehran has for months telegraphed its intention to purchase new commercial aircraft to update its aging jetliner fleet just as soon as economic sanctions against the country were lifted. Iranian Transport Minister Abbas Akhoundi made good on that promise Saturday, telling state media that Iran will purchase 114 jets from Airbus Group EADSY 0.79% , just hours before the process of formally ro...

Meet the Icon A5, the Sports Plane That Costs Less Than an SUV

Exotic supercars? Luxury powerboats? Whatever. This new two-seat aircraft is the most fun you can have on land, sea, or in the air. In the annals of cinematic foreplay, there are few greater scenes than Pierce Brosnan's tandem glider flight with Rene Russo in 1999's The Thomas Crown Affair. Russo shrieks, giggles, and gasps—and that's before Brosnan hands her his joystick. (In...

Bombardier’s All-new C Series Aircraft Program Starts Ramp-up to Full Production

Airfinance Conference Dublin 2016 – Bombardier Commercial Aircraft announced today that its all-new C Series aircraft program has begun the ramp-up to full production. The final assembly facility is fully equipped and production is progressing according to plan with aircraft in various stages of the build sequence. Additionally, Bombardier also confirmed that the CS100 aircraft that is sched...

50 Fokker aircraft transactions in 2015

Fokker Technologies, a division of GKN Aerospace, announces that a total of 50 Fokker aircraft were sold to 10 existing Fokker operators and 3 new operators during 2015 by their respective aircraft owners. These comprise 5 Fokker 50s, 20 Fokker 70s and 25 Fokker 100s. ‘Low operating costs, comprehensive support and more flexible Rolls-Royce Tay engine support solutions remain th...

UK eyes potential for in-flight refuelling of helicopters

The UK is exploring options for its transport rotorcraft, including in-flight refuelling, as it looks to extend the operational range of its fleet in line with commitments in a recent defence review. Released in November, the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) promised the UK would "upgrade helicopters and transport aircraft so we can deploy further, faster and independently, to...

Bell to test new blades for V-22 Osprey

Bell Helicopter will, in 2017, fly a V-22 tiltrotor equipped with new prop rotor blades designed to reduce manufacturing costs on the type. The modification is the latest in a series of trials under the manufacturer's Advanced Technology Tiltrotor (ATTR) effort; a risk-reduction exercise for the Osprey's US Marine Corps and US Air Force customers. "It is a fairly substantial cha...

L-3 Link contract award for Spatial Composite Solutions

L-3 Link UK and UAE based Spatial Composite Solutions have signed a long term agreement to supply the Full Flight Pilot Simulator sub modules for L-3 Link's Reality Seven Simulator manufacturing project. The five-year agreement was signed by Nick Bendell, L-3 Link’s operation director and Joseph McKeever - Spatial’s CEO, and will result in Spatial supporting L-3 Link’s com...

Airbus declares Silicon Valley initiatives on-line

Airbus has declared its new Silicon Valley-based $150 million venture capital fund and innovation centre to be fully operational. The objective of the Airbus Ventures fund is identifying and investing in “visionary entrepreneurs in the global aerospace ecosystem,” says the manufacturer. It has already made an unspecified investment in an Arizona company, Local Motors, which has e...

Aviastar ships fuselage panels for second MC-21

Russian aerostructures supplier Aviastar has shipped fuselage panels for the second prototype MC-21 to the aircraft's developer Irkut. Production of the panels for the third example, and of the auxiliary power unit (APU) cover for the second, is also under way, says Aviastar. In 2016, the Ulyanovsk-based company will also produce the doors – 11 for each aircraft &nda...

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Ten years of growth, expertise and excellence at Dassault Falcon Service Mérignac

Located alongside Dassault Aviation’s flagship manufacturing facility, Dassault Falcon Service Mérignac is celebrating a decade of dedicated support to Falcon operators around the world....

Electra demonstrates revolutionary airport operations with Ultra-Short Takeoff aircraft using helicopter-style procedures

Electra announced the successful completion of first-of-its-kind flight operations from a heliport located on the commercial airport ramp at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport. The demonstration high...