November 21, 2023News

SMBC Aviation Capital Extends Order For A320Neo

The Dubai Airshow 2023 might be over, but Airbus isn’t done doing business for the year. The European aircraft manufacturer has bagged an order for sixty A320neo family jets from aircraft lessor SMBC Aviation Capital. The new deal extends the latter’s order for the said type of aeroplane to 340. That means the Dublin-headquartered firm will keep adding new Airbus aircraft to its fleet beyond the end of the current decade.

In September this year, SMBC Aviation Capital ordered 25 Boeing 737-8 jets. Airbus, on the other hand, has had a busy November 2023. At the Dubai Airshow 2023, the aircraft maker received orders from Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, EgyptAir and airBaltic. Before that, Airbus delivered the first A321Neo to ITA Airways and bagged an order for six jets from Air Niugini.

Rachit Shad Trehan

Warning! Can talk cars for hours.

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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.