Recent Articles
Alaska Airlines Accelerates Fleet Modernization with Retirement of Dash 8s Following A320s
SEATAC, WASHINGTON — On January 26th, Alaska Airlines subsidiary Horizon Air completed its final flights using De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 aircraft. This follows the retirement of the last Airbus A320 aircraft in Alaska Airlines' fleet earlier in January as part of the company's accelerated fleet transition announced in 2020. Alaska Airlines, a member of the Oneworld alliance, revealed in March 2020 that it would be retiring its A320, A321neos, and Dash 8s by the end of 2023 in order to focus its regional fleet on Embraer 175 jet…
Boeing's 737 MAX Deliveries Remain Unpredictable as Company Struggles to Overcome Supply and Labor Challenges
ARLINGTON, TEXAS — According to recent statements from Boeing executives, the company anticipates delivering between 30 and 40 737 MAX jets per month in 2023. The specific number within that range will be largely determined by the company's success in resolving supply and labor challenges. On January 25th, the executives acknowledged that the delivery rate for the 737 model remains unpredictable. "We are not stable, and we are still bumpy. But we still feel good about the overall trajectory," said Boeing chief financial office…
Boeing Pushes Back Its Production Target of Five Dreamliners per Month
Boeing announced a delay in its plans to increase production of its 787 aircraft to five per month, citing supply chain issues as the cause. The company also reported an additional $600 million in unexpected expenses related to the slower-than-planned production ramp of the 787 program. "We will be under the five-per-month production rate a bit longer than expected due to a supply constraint that has temporarily slowed production," Boeing chief financial officer Brian West said on 25 January. "We still expect to hit five per …
Raytheon CEO: Engine Component Shortages to Persist Through the Year
ARLINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA — According to executives at Raytheon Technologies, the parent company of engine maker Pratt & Whitney, the supply of specialized metal components used in the production of turbofans is expected to remain limited throughout much of this year. The statement was made on January 24th, the same day that Raytheon Technologies announced its financial results for 2022.Despite supply chain challenges, Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace, the subsidiaries of Raytheon Technologies, recorded profits in 2022. Howe…
Boeing Teases a New Jet That Could Replace the 737 MAX
ARLINGTON, TEXAS — Boeing is exploring the possibility of introducing a cutting-edge plane it has been developing alongside NASA into its lineup in the next decade, Boeing's CEO Dave Calhoun confirmed. The US planemaker is scheduled to fly a prototype of the single-aisle jet, which could potentially replace the 737 MAX, later this decade. The plane is designed with extra-long, thin wings connected to the fuselage by diagonal struts, which could help reduce drag and fuel consumption. The concept has been in the works for almost 15 years.…
Spirit Airlines to Phase Out its A319-100 Fleet by 2025
MIRAMAR, FLORIDA — The U.S. ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines has revealed plans to retire its entire fleet of 31 A319-100 aircraft by the end of 2025. The company has also entered into an agreement to sell 29 of its owned A319-100s to Gryphon Trading Company, a subsidiary of Gryphon Aviation Leasing. The airline stated that the sale of 29 A319-100s to Gryphon Trading Company will generate between $152 million and $201 million, depending on the undisclosed adjustments specified in the agreement. The aircraft will be handed over to the …
Qazaq Air to Expand its Fleet with Jetliners
ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN — Qazaq Air, a regional airline based in Astana, Kazakhstan, is exploring the possibility of adding jetliners to its fleet in order to expand its network. The company recently conducted meetings in Dublin with potential aircraft leasing companies, manufacturers, and financial institutions to discuss options. Qazaq Air has not publicly disclosed the specific details of its plans to expand its fleet. The airline currently operates five De Havilland Dash 8-400 turboprops. The company mainly offers domestic flights, with a…
Lufthansa Names its A380 Routes
FRANKFURT, GERMANY — The German flag carrier Lufthansa has confirmed plans to bring back the Airbus A380, with the first destinations for the aircraft being in the United States. According to a Lufthansa spokesperson, the airline will be stationing three A380s at its hub in Munich starting in June, with the initial destinations being New York-JFK, Boston, and Los Angeles. In preparation for the return to commercial service, Lufthansa has scheduled training flights with the A380 in Hanover and Leipzig in May. The airline will be returning…
NTSB Slams Ethiopian Officials Over Boeing 737 MAX Crash Report
WASHINGTON — The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) criticized Ethiopia's final report on the fatal crash of a Boeing 737 MAX in March 2019, claiming that investigators had not sufficiently examined the performance of the flight crew. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy stated that Ethiopia's Aircraft Investigation Bureau (EAIB) had mistakes in its report. "We feel what they did not do is really delve into the flight crew performance issues and whether they were adequately prepared," Homendy said. "We felt like…