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United States aviation news

Army awards five-year UH-72A logistics support contract worth nearly $1 billion to Airbus Helicopters

Airbus Helicopters Inc. has been awarded a Contractor Logistics Support contract by the U.S. Army to provide spare parts, material and engineering support for the Army’s UH-72A Lakota fleet of utility and training helicopters. The contract includes a base year and four one-year options, with a potential five-year value of more than $967 million. Airbus Helicopters Inc. will provide the su...

Boeing Delivers 500th 787 Dreamliner

Five years of deliveries to 48 operators worldwide Fastest commercial twin-aisle airplane to reach 500 deliveries Boeing this week delivered the 500th 787 Dreamliner, a 787-8 to Avianca, marking another milestone in the program’s history. “Achieving 500 deliveries – the fastest to 500 for twin aisles – is a great accomplishment, made possible by the hard...

Bell 505 Jet Ranger X achieves type certification

Bell Helicopter announced that its Bell 505 Jet Ranger X has been certified by the Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA). Unveiled in 2013, the new, five-seat helicopter went from concept to a successful first flight in 20 months. Since then, the aircraft has flown more than 1,000 flight hours and undergone rigorous activities to ensure customers have superior handling qualities and...

Third Mitsubishi MRJ Prototype Arrives in U.S.

The second Mitsubishi Regional Jet flight test article (FTA-2) arrived at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Washington, on Monday afternoon following a six-day series of ferry flights from Nagoya Airfield in Japan. One of four MRJ test aircraft now participating in flight trials, FTA-2 joins MRJ FTA-1 and FTA-4 on U.S.soil, where Mitsubishi plans...

Gulfstream G600 takes flight ahead of schedule

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. announced the Gulfstream G600 has completed its first flight, officially kicking off the aircraft's flight-test program. Two additional G600 test aircraft have been inducted into the flight-test center in anticipation of their flights early next year. "Launching the G600's flight-test program is a milestone for us and our customers, who have gui...

E-2D Advanced Hawkeye with new aerial refueling capability successfully completes first flight

Northrop Grumman has successfully completed the first flight of an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye equipped with aerial refueling (AR). Under a 2013 engineering, manufacturing, and development (EMD) contract award, Northrop Grumman designed, developed, manufactured, and tested several sub-system upgrades necessary to accommodate an aerial refueling capability. “The Northrop Grumman aerial r...

Boeing Says China Plane Orders Support 150,000 U.S. Jobs a Year

Deliveries to China by Boeing Co., the largest U.S. exporter, support approximately 150,000 American jobs every year, Vice Chairman Ray Conner said. Chinese customers are expected to take delivery of 30 percent of all its top-selling 737 models and about 25 percent all aircraft produced in Washington State and South Carolina, Conner said Thursday at a National Committee on U.S.-China Relations...

Boeing, Air Tanzania Confirm Order for 787 Dreamliner

Boeing and the United Republic of Tanzania have confirmed an order for one 787-8 Dreamliner, valued at $224.6 million at list prices.  The aircraft will be operated by Air Tanzania, the flag carrier of Tanzania. The order was previously attributed to an unidentified customer on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website.           Air Tanzan...

Boeing Selects Evergreen Aviation Technologies for 767-300 Passenger-to-Freighter Conversions

Boeing announced that Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp. (EGAT) will perform passenger-to-freighter conversions for the 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) program. Under the agreement, EGAT, an award-winning aircraft Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Taiwan, will modify and convert 767-300BCFs. The first airplane converted at the facility will redeliver in 2018. Boei...

Godspeed, John Glenn

Astronaut Scholarship Foundation founder, former Astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn passed away on Thursday, December 8, 2016 at the age of 95.  Glenn was the last remaining member of the Mercury Seven – the iconic group of astronauts known for their charismatic charm and adventurous spirit.  As the last of the original space pioneers, Glenn’s death increases the expansive...

Boeing, Iran Air Announce Agreement for 80 Airplanes

$16 billion milestone agreement includes widebody, single-aisle aircraft Contract reached within terms of U.S. Government license New orders will support nearly 100,000 U.S. jobs Boeing  and Iran Air announced an agreement today for 80 aircraft that includes 50 737 MAX 8s, 15 777-300ERs and 15 777-9s, valued at $16.6 billion at list prices. Based on its Memorandum of Agr...

Boeing Forecasts Increased Funding Needs Utilizing Diverse Sources for 2017 Aircraft Financing

Financing industry to provide approximately $126 billion in aircraft funding in 2017, up $4 billion from 2016 Healthy leasing market, variety of financiers and investors poised to meet most demand Financing environment has helped absorb impact of lack of export credit in the short-term -- history shows this is not sustainable Boeing says strength in the capital markets and innovative...