November 13, 2023News

airBaltic Extends Order For Airbus A220

Latvia’s flag carrier, airBaltic, has extended its order with Airbus concerning the A220 aircraft. The airline has ordered an additional thirty A220-300 jets, taking the backlog of firm orders to 80 for the same aircraft. With forty-four A220-300s in its fleet already, airBaltic is currently the world’s largest operator of this type of single-aisle aeroplane.

The carrier was the launch customer for the Airbus A220-300. Its latest avatar can carry between 120 and 150 passengers on flights of up to 3,450 nautical miles (6,390km). And like all other Airbus aircraft, the A220 is already capable of operating with up to 50 per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

Rachit Shad Trehan

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December 8, 2023

Cathay Cargo To Buy Up To 26 Airbus A350F Freighters

To make Hong Kong the world’s top air cargo hub, Cathay Group has placed a firm order for Airbus A350F Freighters. The agreement also gives the option for the Hong Kong-based airline to purchase a further 20 such aircraft. Cathay confirms that the first units from this order will start arriving in 2027. These freighter aircraft will help the carrier link its hub and China Mainland with long-haul destinations across North America, South America and Europe.

Presently, Cathay Group’s Cargo services are handled by 20 Boeing 747 freighters, including 14 B747-8Fs and 6 B747-400ERFs. In addition to those purpose-built aircraft, the airline serves cargo needs with belly capacity on its fleet of passenger aeroplanes.

The order book for Cathay Group currently includes 21 Boeing 777-9s, with deliveries expected to start in 2025, and 49 Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft, all expected to join the fleet by 2029.

December 7, 2023

Pratt & Whitney Propels The Falcon 6X Into Service

RTX’s Pratt & Whitney Canada joins Dassault Aviation in celebrating the latter’s Falcon 6X’s entry into service. The business jet, which had bagged its type certifications from EASA and FAA earlier this year, is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW812D turbofan engines. The Falcon 6X entered service on November 30, 2023.

In the testing phase, the engines proved so fuel-efficient that they could fly the largest Falcon jet for up to 5,500 nautical miles (10,200km). Plus, compared to direct competition, the PW812D also offers improvements over noise and emissions. Pratt & Whitney Canada claims that the PW800 series engines require 40 per cent less scheduled maintenance and 20 per cent fewer inspections when compared to rivals in the same class.

The engines in question are already compatible with a 50 per cent blend of kerosene-based jet fuel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Further tests are being conducted for up to 100 per cent use of SAF.