AVIONEWS - World Aeronautical Press Agency
101,325 news found

Finance and economyAircraft leasing: Avolon Holdings to list shares on New York Stock Exchange
Dublin, Ireland - The company estimates to raise 286-314 million dollars for its shareholders
Avolon Holdings, Dublin-based aircraft lessor, announced today its intention to list part of its shares on New York Stock Exchange. The firm set its Initial Public Offering (IPO) price at 21 to 23 dollars... more

Fair and showsAirplanes and events. Alitalia and Etihad Airways handed "Expo Milano 2015" plot for construction of their joint pavillion
Milan, Italy - The two airlines are Official Global Carriers of the large-scale event
Alitalia, Italian carrier, and Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, were officially handed over the plot for their joint pavilion at "Expo Milano 2015" today. The two airlines... more

ReportMalaysia Airlines airplane: victim’s mother sues Ukraine
Donetsk, Ukraine - Kiev is accused for failing to close its airspace after civil war burst out
The mother of a German woman killed in the airplane shot down in Donetsk’s sky on July 17 sued Ukraine in the European Court of Human Rights for negligence. Kiev is accused for failing to close its airspace t... more

CuriositiesThe world's tallest structure in chocolate at Dubai International Airport
Dubai, UAE - The Guinness Record is part of the "43rd UAE National Day Celebrations"
Dubai International Airport has unveiled the world’s tallest structure in chocolate, a 44.2 feet tall model of the world’s tallest skyscraper Burj Khalifa. A creation of the Master Chocolatier Andrew Far... more

Civil aviationAircraft and transport. ACI Europe: EU airport traffic outpacing Non-EU for the first time in 8 years
Brussels, Belgium - Freight traffic reported growth of +3.1% while aircraft movements were up +2.2%
European airport trade body, ACI EUROPE today released its traffic report for October. The report is the only air transport report which includes all types of civil aviation passenger flights: network,... more

IndustryAirbus: Azul orders 35 A-320neo airplanes
Toulouse, France - They carrier has selected CFM engines for the aircraft
Azul Brazilian Airlines has signed a purchase agreement for 35 A-320neo Family aircraft. The airline, which is also leasing another 28 airplanes of this type, has chosen this family to carry out domestic... more

Military aviationFrench Defence Minister in India to close a contract to provide 126 Rafale airplanes
New Delhi, India - The agreement is suspended since 2012 for divergences on technology transfer from Dassault Aviation
The French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is in India for a two-day visit. One of the reasons of this trip is the supply of 126 Rafale fighter airplanes which has been pending for nearly 3 years. New... more

Civil aviationAirplane and airlines. Lufthansa: pilots on strike today and tomorrow
Berlin, Germany - Short and medium haul flights grounded from midday. Long haul and cargo stop starts tomorrow
Lufthansa pilots called another two-day strike. Short and medium haul flights will be grounded from today, Monday December 1, at midday. The protest will be expanded to long haul and cargo services from... more

AirlinesAirplanes and airlines. Meridiana to take again its old name Alisarda
Olbia, Italy - Meanwhile redundant workers take their protest at the residence of the firm’s owner prince Aga Khan in France
Meridiana redundant employees arrive today at Aiglemont, a town 30 km from Paris where the firm’s owner prince Aga Khan lives. It will not be a “Noisy” protest, but a call addressed to the carrier’s main in... more

Weather forecastsAirplanes and forecast. Bad weather in Italy: alert for most part of the Peninsula
Rome, Italy - A red criticality on west of Liguria
The Italian Civil Defense Department, on the basis of the available forecasts, issued a further notice for unfavourable weather conditions. It integrates and extends that one already diffused for rains... more

AirlinesAir France presents its medium-haul network
Paris, France - The carrier is pursuing its move upmarket on it with an investment of 50 million euros
Air France aims to win the medium-haul battle on flights to and from Paris-"Charles de Gaulle", by offering the best product on the market. Since unveiling its new long-haul offer, the company is pursuing... more

Military aviationAirbus DS delivered the A-400M airplane to Royal Air Force
London, UK - It is the first of 22 ordered by the UK and will be known in service as the "Atlas"
Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the first A-400M new generation airlifter to the Royal Air Force, beginning the next stage of the transformation of the United Kingdom´s air mobility fleet. The... more

ReportVolcanic eruption in Japan: dozens of airplane flights suppressed
Tokyo, Japan - Columns of ash coming out of the crater rose to 1 km
Dozens of flights were cancelled in the Japanese town of Kumamoto after the eruption of Mount Aso volcano, at 1000 km southwets of Tokyo on Kyushu island. The crater spewed out lava and debris, while columns... more

AirlinesGermanwings: the new flight Rome-Düsseldorf will take off next Sunday
Milan, Italy - With five connections per week, then daily
Newness by Germanwings from the Rome-Fiumicino airport. The low-fare airline of the Lufthansa Group reinforces its own presence at the Italian capital city with the new route, for the Winter schedule 2014-2015. The... more

IndustryIndra develops the new Iberia Express e-Commerce portal
Madrid, Spain - The industry has pioneered the design and development for some of the main airlines in Europe and Latin America
Indra has teamed up with Birchman Group to develop the new e-Commerce portal for Iberia Express (www.iberiaexpress.com), in keeping with both the Spanish airline's new brand design and passengers’ needs. T... more

Science and technologyAirbus and UNESCO partner on global student challenge "Fly Your Ideas", now in its fourth edition
Toulouse, France - The final in June 2015 and the winning team will receive EUR 30,000 (USD 40,000)
The aircraft manufacturer Airbus and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have signed a formal partnership supporting the industry’s global student challenge, "... more

IndustryIndustry. Thales appoints interim CEO
Paris, France - Contrasts between Dassault Aviation and the French government appear to impede the choice of Levy’s successor after old CEO was transferred to Électricité de France
Thales, a corporation specialized in the aerospace and defence sectors, is going through a difficult period. Jean-Bernard Levy has recently resigned his charge as Chief Executive Officer because he was... more

ReportAgustaWestland’s helicopters bribe: money was laundered through a Tunisian company
New Delhi, India - New Delhi Court held today the first hearing of the trial against the suspected kickback’s middlemen
The New Delhi’s tribunal following the case on alleged kickbacks paid by the Italian holding Finmeccanica for the supply of 12 AgustaWestland AW-101 helicopters examined today the first charges expressed b... more

AerospaceIndustry. EU: joint-venture between Airbus and Safran is in line with antitrust regulations
Brussels, Belgium - The two companies want to put together their space launch activities
The European Union approved the constitution of a joint-venture between Airbus Group and Safran, for space launcher activities, satellite subsystems and missile propulsion. EU verified that the merger... more

Press releaseFinmeccanica: progress of the disposal process in the railway transport sector of the Group
Rome, Italy - The BoD has been informed by the CEO
Finmeccanica communicated to the media the following errata to its press release. We receive and publish the right version. "The Board of Directors of Finmeccanica, in its meeting held yesterday,... more

SecurityJapan and Germany equip anti-Ebola airplanes
Tokyo, Japan - Tokyo will send a Boeing KC-767 to deliver hazmat suits; Berlin presented an Airbus A-340 for the evacuation of patients
Tokyo pledged to send protective suits to Ebola-affected countries with a military aircraft. The government announced it today, November 28. According to Japanese press reports, the airplane is a Boeing... more

AirlinesAirplanes and airlines. Meridiana could be entrusted to a judicial commissioner
Olbia, Italy - The attorney general found “Serious irregularities” in the relation with the subsidiary Air Italy
Tempio Pausania’s attorney general Domenico Fiordalisi requested the civil tribunal to send an administrative inspection to Meridiana Fly. The prosecutor suspects “Serious irregularities” in the carri... more

Weather forecastsAirplanes and forecast. Bad weather in Italy: thunderstorm alert on Liguria and Piemonte
Rome, Italy - A red criticality on central and east of Liguria
The Italian Civil Defense Department, on the basis of the available forecasts, issued a bulletin for adverse weather conditions. A red criticality for hydrogeological-hydraulic risk evaluated for today... more

HelicoptersFirst flight of Airbus Helicopters’ EC-645T2
Donauwörth, Germany - Bundeswehr to receive the first aircraft in this series in late 2015
Airbus Helicopters’ newest lightweight military multi-role helicopter, the EC-645T2 (LUH SOF), has successfully completed its first flight. In the presence of representatives of the German Armed Forces (... more

Military aviationThe United States send A-10 airplanes against Isis
Washington, USA - But choosing targets poses serious problems to the American raids
Washington is strengthening its air forces deployed in the war against ISIS. Army officials announced that 12 A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack airplanes have been recently moved from Afghanistan to Kuwait.... more

AirlinesAirplanes and labour. Air France: 210 volunteers for Transavia
Paris, France - But its low-cost subsidiary development is suspended until December 3, when the referendum among pilots is concluded
210 Air France pilots asked to be voluntarily transferred to the low-cost subsidiary Transavia for the summer season 2015. The news was given by the general director Frédéric Gagey during a press conference f... more

UAS-DronesFirst squadron entirely made of drones for the UK Royal Navy
London, United Kingdom - The naval air unit, made by Boeing ScanEagle drones, has its base Cornwall
The Royal Navy established the 700X Naval Air Squadron, the first made of unmanned aircrafts for this military force. It is composed by Boeing Insitu ScanEagle drones and is based in the Culdrose airfield... more

Press releaseFinmeccanica: progress of the disposal process in the railway transport sector of the Group
Rome, Italy - The BoD has been informed by the CEO
We receive and publish: "The Board of Directors of Finmeccanica, in its meeting held today, has been informed by the CEO about the progress of the disposal process in the Railway Transport sector of the... more

AirportsAirplanes fly back to Mitiga airport
Tripoli, Libya - Meanwhile the Italian minister of Foreign Affairs Gentiloni says Italy is likely to be involved in a new international mission in Libya
After last days airplane raids, Mitiga airport, the only one active in Tripoli, have been reopened this morning (see also AVIONEWS). As reported by Libyan media, operations began again with two flights,... more

IndustryFinmeccanica: contract signed between ATR and Indonesia’s Lion Air for 40 aircraft
Rome, Italy - Agreement signed at the Cabinet Office, before Prime Minister Matteo Renzi
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Finmeccanica’s CEO and General Manager, Mauro Moretti, attended the signing in Rome today, of a 1 billion US$ contract by ATR, the joint-venture between Finmeccanica-Alenia A... more

Military aviationF-35 airplanes say farewell to nickel
Washington, USA - A small business from Massachussets will supply non-toxic components for the fighters
The “Joint Strike Fighter” program for the replacement of a number of military airplanes with Lockheed Martin F-35 fifth-generation multirole fighters will use nickel-free components developed by Triton Sys... more

PeopleAirplanes and papal journeys. Alitalia will accompany His Holiness Pope Francis in Turkey
Rome, Italy - The visit will last three days (from Friday to Sunday) with two stages (Ankara and Istanbul)
Alitalia to welcome His Holiness Pope Francis on board its flights and to accompany him on his “Holy Trip” in Turkey that will take place from 28 to 30 November. The flight will be carried out with an... more

Industry"Finmeccanica Innovation Prize 2014": the awards were assigned to Alenia Aermacchi, Selex ES and Telespazio
Rome, Italy - In these ten years, the number of proposals submitted have trebled: almost 25,000 Group employees throughout the world have worked on roughly 8,500 technological projects
Finmeccanica celebrated yesterday the tenth edition of the "Finmeccanica Innovation Prize Award" in its Auditorium. Gianni De Gennaro, Finmeccanica’s Chairman and Mauro Moretti, Chief Executive Officer a... more

Military aviationTokyo: towards the development of Japanese aircraft carrier?
Tokyo, Japan - American ships will be absent from East Asian waters for four months
Japan might develop its own fleet of aircraft carriers to compensate for a future temporary absence of American warships from East Asian waters. Since the end of World War II the United States have kept... more

Press releaseAirplanes and carriers. The new Alitalia Board of Directors announced, company from next Junuary 1, 2015
Rome, Italy - The appointments confirmed among the others of Montezemolo, Hogan, Cassano, Colaninno and Bisignani
New Alitalia yesterday announced the composition of the Board of Directors of the company that will become the new Alitalia airline entity from 1 January 2015, and in which Etihad Airways will take a minority... more

AirlinesAircraft and airlines. Meridiana closes office in Rome
Rome, Italy - Meanwhile redundant workers prepare their long trip towards Aga Khan home in France and to the European parliament in Brussels
Meridiana will close its office in Rome as of December 1. It is the first move made by the new “Executive vice-chairman” Richard W. Creagh, who replaced the resigning CEO Roberto Scaramella (for details see... more

IndustryAirbus: VietJetAir receives first A-320 aircraft
Toulouse, France - During a special ceremony took place in Toulouse
Vietnam’s VietJetAir has celebrated the delivery of its first A-320 ordered directly from Airbus at a special ceremony in Toulouse today. The event was attended by top management from the airline, including V... more

DefenseMoscow deploys 14 fighter airplanes in Crimea, causing NATO concerns
Moscow, Russia - Russia aims at controlling the whole Black Sea, warns the Treaty’s top military commander
Moscow sent 14 fighter airplanes to Crimea. The news was given today, Wednesday November 26, by the Russian defence ministry. They are 10 Sukhoi Su-27/SM and 4 Su-30/M2 took off from the Krasnodar region... more

AerospaceThe Russian space agency postpones Astra 2G satellite launch
Moscow, Russia - There were technical problems on the carrier rocket Proton-M. The missile was removed fro the launch pad
The Russian space agency Roscosmos postponed the Proton-M missile launch scheduled for November 28 from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It had to carry the European commercial satellite Astra 2G. The... more

IndustryATR: Bangkok Airways receives first of nine -72/600 aircraft on order
Toulouse, France - Thailand's carrier strengthens its network
Bangkok Airways, ATR's long-term customer, today took delivery of its first -72/600 airplane at a special ceremony in Toulouse, France. The handover marked a key milestone in the carrier's development... more

Civil aviationSukhoi and Alenia get VNAV certification for Superjet 100 airplane
Moscow, Russia - The certification has been obtained only for the basic version at the moment
The Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ-100) airplane got the VNAV certification by the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC), the official civil aviation authority in Russia, recognized as a certification body by... more

DefenseParis towards a close cooperation with Ankara in the defence sector
Paris, France - France tries to follow the path traced by Italy during the last decade
Since the beginning of 2014 France is working to restore bilateral relations with Turkey including a close cooperation in the defence sector. Until a few years ago, French industry was boycotted by Ankara,... more

AirlinesAirplanes and airlines. Alitalia designations: the banks’ role in CAI and in the Midco
Rome, Italy - The shareholders meeting to ratify today the appointments in Alitalia-SAI, in the Midco and in the old CAI
Alitalia’s shareholders meet today to ratify the designations in the new airline. Besides the board of directors of the new company Alitalia-SAI (Società Aerea Italiana), reported yesterday by AVIONEWS, to... more

Military aviationIndia: 30 airplanes and helicopters lost in three years
New Delhi, India - Accidents mainly caused by human errors and technical defects
India Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar informed the Parliament that IAF (Indian Air Force) lost 30 aircraft (airplanes and helicopters) in three years. Crashes killed seven people and costed over 193... more

IndustryFinmeccanica, AnsaldoBreda’s sale: the Chinese likely to get back in the competition
Rome, Italy - Insigma found a new partner and would make a binding offer
The Chinese company Insigma found a new partner and asked Finmeccanica to be admitted back in the competition for the purchase of AnsaldoBreda and Ansaldo Sts. So far, the only proposal made by November... more

IndustryEmbraer: SkyWest confirms firm order for seven E-175 aircraft
São José dos Campos, Brazil - The value is estimated at USD 301 million
Embraer SA and SkyWest, Inc. (SkyWest), have confirmed a firm order for seven E-175 jets. The aircraft will be flown by SkyWest Airlines under a Capacity Purchase Agreement (CPA) with Alaska Airlines.... more

Press releaseAircraft and transport in Italy. Authority suspends strike of next December 15
Rome, Italy - The staff will regularly adhere to the protest at general level of Friday 12
"The Uil Trasporti communicated to the guarantee Authority the cancellation of the strike for next December 15, regarding the staff by ENAV (Italian Flight Assistance Company) in Rome-Fiumicino. As... more

IndustryFinmeccanica-Selex Es and Airbus DS team-up for UK MoD Mode 5 IFF study
Luton, UK - A 12 month platform integration study contract
The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract to a Finmeccanica-Selex ES-led team which will enable the introduction of a new Mode 5 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) standard across a range of UK... more

HelicoptersIndia hands over Drhuv multi-role helicopter to Nepal Army
Katmandu, Nepal - New Delhi will provide its neighbour technical and logistic support
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered today a Drhuv multi-role helicopter made by the State-owned company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to Nepal. The aircraft will be used by Katmandu forces... more

IndustryBoeing begins final assembly of its first B-787/9 airplane
North Charleston, USA - North Charleston site joins Everett, Wash., team in building newest Dreamliner
Boeing has started final assembly of the 787/9 Dreamliner airplane at its South Carolina facility. The team began joining large fuselage sections of the newest 787 Nov. 22 on schedule, a proud milestone... more