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United States aviation news

Flying Colours completes first of eight Sparkle Roll CRJ200 conversions

Flying Colours Corp., the North American MRO, completion and refurbishment specialist, has announced the first of eight CRJ 200 conversions, will be re-delivered to Joint Venture partner Sparkle Roll Jet (SRJ) before the end of April. The multi-class format required a new STC for China which the Civil Aviation Administration of China, CAAC, certified at Flying Colours Corp.’s Peterboroug...

Boeing, Ryanair Celebrate Milestone Delivery of Airline's 400th Next-Generation 737-800

Boeing  and Ryanair marked a milestone today with the delivery of the airline's 400th Next-Generation 737-800. The Irish low-cost carrier operates the largest fleet of Next-Generation 737-800s in the world. "The Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with its industry leading technical reliability and seating capacity, has been the foundation upon which our successful and safe growth ha...

Ag drone startup ready to take off

In the 21st-century version of a land rush, more than 600 companies have received permission to fly drones over farm fields and collect agricultural data. Only one of them is headed by a 27-year-old experimental physicist and headquartered in an old warehouse building in downtown St. Louis. Harrison Knoll, the founder and chief executive of Aerial Agriculture, thinks his company stands out in o...

Alaska Air Nears Deal to Acquire Virgin America

It could be a $2 billion deal. Alaska Air has emerged as the likely winner of an auction for Virgin America , The Wall Street Journalreported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter. The offer was set to beat a rival bid by JetBlue Airways 0.99% , the people said, according to theJournal. Alaska Air is expected to pay upwards of $2 billion for Virgin America&nbs...

DARPA's reusable unmanned 'gremlin' planes are a go

Four aerospace and security corporations will attempt to make DARPA's "gremlins program" dream a reality. The Department of Defense division has joined forces with its frequent collaborator Lockheed Martin, Dynetics of Alabama, as well as Composite Engineering and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems of California. Dan Patt, the program manager, said these four contractors are &qu...

Dassault appoints Byron Severson

Dassault Falcon Jet has appointed Byron Severson as regional sales manager for the south-central US. Severson will oversee the development of new business and serve existing customers in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. He will be based in Dallas, Texas. Paul Floreck, senior vice president for Western US and Canada, said: “Byron brings strong credentials to...

Bell-Boeing begins designing CMV-22B with $151 million contract

A $151 million contract awarded to V-22 tiltrotor manufacturer Bell-Boeing this week allows engineers to get started designing the US Navy’s future Osprey variant, the CMV-22B, which is replacing the Northrop Grumman C-2 Greyhound twin turboprop in the aircraft carrier logistics role at sea. Based on the US Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey variant, the navy’s “CMV” tiltrotor w...

Boeing takes spare-part making from Spirit AeroSystems

Boeing Co said it is ending an agreement with one of its largest suppliers, Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc , effectively taking away manufacturing of profitable spare parts used in aircraft repairs. "Spirit's contract with Boeing allowing them to make and sell spare parts using Boeing intellectual property expired February 29 and will not be renewed," Boeing said in response to q...

Boeing plans to cut up to 8,000 airplane jobs: sources

Boeing announced Wednesday plans to cut about 4,000 jobs by mid-year, and another 550 jobs in lab testing unit. Boeing Co plans to cut up to 8,000 jobs this year at its commercial airplane division, according to two people familiar with the matter, a move that could slash $1 billion in costs and help it battle for sales against European rival Airbus. Boeing on Wednesday acknowledged plans to...

Boeing supplier puts shiny new plant in Everett

Aircraft-interiors supplier B/E Aerospace has consolidated three business units in a new, expanded facility in Everett and is ready to grow as Boeing production ramps up. Although a cost-cutting drive at aircraft-interiors supplier B/E Aerospace has shrunk its presence at some locations in the U.S. and overseas, it’s doubling down in Washington state to support Boeing’s planned prod...

The Arizona Boneyard Where Old Warplanes Go To Die

A large, lonely tract of land belonging to Davis-Monathan Air Force Base is what they call the Boneyard, a sun-baked retirement ground where old aircraft sit and wait until the military decides what to do with them. There Pentagon has way too many retired warplanes to store indoors, so they come here to be parked in the warm, dry Arizona desert to avoid rust and corrosion. Approximately 1,000 airc...

Las Vegas Metro Police to buy Airbus H145

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police has been given the approval to buy a new Airbus H145, with delivery targeted for March 2017. The new helicopter will operate in a search and rescue (SAR) role and replace one of two HH-1H helicopers which date back to the early 1970s. The Metropolitan Police committee on fiscal affairs approved the purchase of the new helicopter on Monday morning, a...