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Airbus Gets First CFM Engines Competing With Ailing Pratt Model

Airbus Group SE formally accepted the first series-production engines built by CFM International for its A320neo narrow-body jet -- a model that entered service this year using rival powerplants from Pratt & Whitney. The Leap-1A engines were handed over by CFM ahead of schedule and will be fitted to an aircraft that should reach its buyer by the middle of this year, the joint venture of&nbs...

Legacy 450 approved to operate from La Mole Airport in St. Tropez

The Embraer Legacy 450 has received approval to operate from La Mole Airport becoming the largest business jet capable of operating into and out of St. Tropez, France. The aircraft met strict performance requirements to operate on the airport’s short runway. The evaluation flights were operated by Air Service Liege of Brussels, Belgium and the results were validated by the French Civil Av...

Parliament backs EU directive on use of Passenger Name Records (PNR)

The new directive regulating the use of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data in the EU for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime was approved by Parliament on Thursday. It will oblige airlines to hand national authorities passengers’ data for all flights from third countries to the EU and vice versa. “We have adopted an importan...

CFM delivers first production LEAP-1A engines to Airbus

CFM International delivered the first two production engines (a shipset) for Airbus on April 2, two days ahead of schedule. This delivery paves the way for installation on the first customer aircraft and for entry into service by mid-year. The name of the initial LEAP/A320neo delivery customer will be disclosed at a later date. The engines completed final assembly at the Snecma (Safra...

Airbus Helicopters offers 240 new apprenticeship positions in France

Airbus Helicopters is launching a drive to offer 240 new apprenticeship positions at its headquarters in Marignane, France as well as other regional offices. The positions are in various fields and for all educational levels. The chosen apprentices will study the production lines at close quarters and the initiative will include courses from of between one and three years. The apprenticesh...

Air France makes new cost-cut proposals to pilots

Air France has made fresh cost-cutting proposals to pilots' unions that would see a rise in the number of flying hours and more flexibility in return for a share of the resulting productivity gains, the French carrier's head said on Monday. The plans by Air France, which were sent to unions on Sunday, with a May 2 deadline to respond, would also see it hire more than the 600 new pilots...

Airbus ACJneo Family wins first Asian customer

An Asian customer has become the first in the region to place a firm order for an Airbus ACJ319neo , delivery of which is planned for the second quarter of 2019. The client, which is upgrading from a large, traditional, business jet, is also the first new  customer for the ACJneo Family. Engines and cabin outfitter have yet to be announced. Airbus has now won firm orders for six ACJneo...

France's La Compagnie mulls A320neo, B737 MAX for TATL ops

La Compagnie (B0, Paris Le Bourget) is in advanced talks with Airbus Industrie (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) and Boeing (BOE, Chicago O'Hare) over the planned acquisition of new transatlantic-capable aircraft due for delivery in either 2018 or 2019. “We’re thinking about the A320neo and the B737 MAX 9 and exploring all the best finance options for that purpose right now,” CEO Fr...

Air France Is Trying to Woo Young Travelers with a Discount Loyalty Program

Air France will introduce loyalty cards offering 30 percent discounts on domestic routes to passengers aged 12 to 24 as it seeks to lure young travelers away from trains, long-distance buses, and low-cost carriers. The cards will sell for 49 euros ($56) and run for a year, Air France President Frederic Gagey said Friday at a Paris briefing. They’ll be valid for bookings with Air...

Airbus Helicopters advances Panther MBe deliveries

Airbus Helicopters will accelerate deliveries of its AS565 MBe Panther anti-submarine warfare rotorcraft following requests from the Indonesian and Mexican navies – its sole customers for the new variant. Initial examples were due to be handed over to the services in mid-2017, but this has now advanced to late-2016, says the manufacturer. Airbus says this has been enabled thanks to cha...

Airbus A400M Makes a Daring Landing on an Unpaved Airstrip

The A400M is a tactical four engine turboprop military plane that was designed for military cargo transport and is capable of refueling in flight. Primarily flown by the French and German Air force, the plane is put through rigorous tests before the completed machines are handed off. Oftentimes there isn’t a paved runway for the plane to land on, so Airbus Defense and Space routinely...

Air France Sticks with Struggling Vendor for Lie-Flat Seats Upgrade

Air France will invest 140 million euros ($159 million) extending a cabin refurbishment to its Airbus Group SE A330 fleet that will include lie-flat business-class seats from Zodiac Aerospace, the embattled supplier that has struggled to fulfill orders. The upgrade will begin late next year and finish in 2018, the airline said in a statement. Each of the twin-aisle planes will be equipped with...