ALL THINGS BOEING

Boeing Makes Design Tweaks to 777-9 Thrust-Link

The thrust-link issue that forced Boeing to ground its 777-9 test fleet last year was caused by high-speed air striking the links, causing vibration and failure.  Boeing now says it has addressed the problem with a fix that involves beefing up the thrust links and keeping the components from being struck by air traveling at such speed.

“The 777-9 team is making improvements to the new airplane’s thrust links to address a vibration that led to cracking of the structural component and temporarily paused flight testing last year”,said a recent Boeing internal message.

Thrust links transfer thrust from engines to airframes.  Each of the 777-9’s two GE Aerospace GE9X turbofans has two thrust links made from titanium.  “At 10 feet long, this is the largest thrust link we have ever designed at Boeing, and we found a titanium tube this size can exhibit some unique behaviors,” 777-9 vice-president and chief project engineer Trisha Lacaux said in Boeing’s internal message.  ”You need the perfect overlapping conditions for this to occur.”

“We have finalized a solution to the 777-9 thrust-link issue identified last year, based on months of rigorous testing and analysis by a team of Boeing experts,” Boeing says.  We have already implemented changes to our flight-test airplanes and will continue to inspect them to ensure continued safe operation.”

“We will adopt further improvements for extended operations and production airplanes prior to first delivery,” the company adds.  “The thrust links have performed without issue since we resumed flight testing earlier this year,” says 777-9 deputy project engineer Anita Rudack in the internal Boeing message.

Source: Boeing, Flight Global

Boeing Aims to Certify 737 MAX Variants by Year-end

Boeing expects to finish the certification of its best-selling 737MAX family by the end of the year, CEO Kelly Ortberg said in an interview with trade publication Aviation Week, published on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

The company has been trying for several years to gain certification for the smallest and largest MAX variant from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.  The MAX 7 and MAX 10 have been delayed in part due to concerns with engine de-icing system.  Ortberg told Aviation Week that the U.S. plane maker hopes to finish certification this year, clearing the way to start deliveries of the MAX 7 and MAX 10 are“two airplanes that are very very important to our customers and our backlog.”

Boeing’s backlog includes nearly 1,200 orders for the 737 MAX 10 and 332 orders for the MAX 7.   Ortberg also said in the Aviation week interview that Boeing was making progress on certifying the 777-9, the company’s largest jetliner in production.  Boeing has 419 orders for the 777-9, according to its website.

Source: Aviation Week, Picture Boeing

                    

ALL THINGS AIRBUS

Airbus Pushes Back Entry into-Service-of the A350 Freighter

Airbus is pushing back the entry-into-service date of its A350 freighter to the second half of 2027 from its earlier expectations of 2026. The airframer states that it is facing “specific supply-chain challenges, speaking during a full-year financial briefing on February 20th.  Chief executive Guillaume Faury said the first flight-test A350 would enter the final assembly line this year.  Airbus has firm orders for 63 A350 freighters, with 60 of them attributed to 10 identified customers.

On 11 March, Air France-KLM Group is to reduce the number of A350 freighters it has ordered from Airbus because of production delays and following a fleet portfolio assessment.

Source: Airbus

Airbus Completes Wings for Initial A350 Freighter

Airbus has completed the initial wing set for the A350 freighter at the manufacturer’s UK production facility in Broughton.  The wings for the twin cargo aircraft, designated the A350-1000F, will be shipped to Bremen for system installation before being transferred to the Toulouse final assembly line.

Airbus is constructing two flight-test aircraft for the A350 freighter program.  Entry into service is scheduled for the second half of 2027.  Airbus says the wings for the freighter “ have been designed similarly” to the A350 passenger variants, enabling them to be produced on the same line.  Airbus will transport the wings using an A330-700L BelugaXL to Bremen for systems fitting.

The airframer has secured orders for 63 freighters among the 1,391 total orders for the A350 program recorded by the end of April.“Broughton will continue to play a critical role in the future of the program, supporting Airbus’ growth in passenger and freight markets,” says Airbus Broughton head of widebody wings Paul Kimister.

Source: Airbus, picture Airbus

Regional And Business Jets

Bombardier Hails Maiden Flight of 1st Global 8000

Bombardier has performed the maiden sortie of the first production example of its ultra-long-range Global 8000 business jet, with the aircraft completing the milestone on 16 May from Toronto Pearson International Airport.

The flight keeps the 8000nm(14,800km) range Global 8000 on track for service entry later this year.  Maintaining that schedule will be critical to keep pace with rival Gulfstream, which achieved certification of its 8,200 nm-range G800 in April.

“The aircraft executed a series of tests, part of the production flight-test procedures, during the flight.  All flight controls were exercised on the aircraft, systems, and aircraft, and the systems performed as expected”, Bombardier says.

The Global 8000 shares much in common with its sister ship, the 7,700nm-range Global 7500 nm-range Global 7500, which regulators certified in 2018.  Powered by twin 18,920(84kN0 GE Aerospace Passport engines, the 19-passenger Global 8,000 will fly at speeds to Mach 0.94 and 51,000 ft Altitude.

Source: Bombardier, picture Bombardier.

    

Other Aviation News

VietJet to Base Up to 50 737 Max Jets With Thai Unit

Low-cost operator VietJet will transfer 50 of its new Boeing Max aircraft to its Thai unit as it confirms it will be taking delivery of its first example in October.  The Vietnamese operator says the move will “significantly expand” VietJet  Thailand’s operations, “particularly enhancing connections between Vietnam and Thailand”.  The agreement was signed on the sidelines of a state visit by the Thai prime minister, Paetongtam Shinawatra, to Vietnam.

VietJet has orders for 200 737 Max aircraft, comprising a mix of Max 8s, Max 10s, and the higher-density Max 8-200.  In the lead-up to the 737 Max’s entry with VietJet Thailand, Boeing will provide the carrier with pilot, maintenance, and engineer training as well as product services support.  The announcement is the latest update on the status of VietJet’s Boeing orders, which it placed in 2016 and 2018.  On 9 May, VietJet said it would be transferring some 20 737s to its newly set-up subsidiary VietJet Qazaqstan, which is a tie-up with local operator Qazaq Air.

Source : VietJet, Picture Vietjet Air

Saudi Lessor AviLease Seals First Direct Order With Boeing For 30 737 Max Jets

Saudi Arabian lessor AviLease has disclosed that it is ordering up to 30 Boeing Max 8 twinsets, its first direct agreement with Boeing.  Deliveries of the jets are set to take place up to 2032.  Boeing says the agreement covers 20 firm aircraft plus options on a further 10.  All 737 Max jets are powered by CFM International Leap-1B engines.

AviLease emerged in mid-2022, being established by the Saudi Arabian wealth fund.  It has since expanded substantially, building a portfolio of some 200 owned and managed aircraft through the acquisition of Standard Chartered’s leasing business as well as taking over several jets from Irish lessor 

AviLease says it aims to become one of the 10 most significant aircraft leasing companies, and the 737 Max order supports its ambitions.  “This transaction proves our ability to transact across all market channels, including sale and leaseback, secondary trading ( mergers and acquisitions), and now direct OEM purchasing,” says Chief Executive Edward O’Byrne.“ These new aircraft will accelerate our growth and enable us to deliver the industry’s latest generation, fuel-efficient fleet solutions.”

Source: AviLease, picture Boeing

Ethiopian Airlines has selected the GE Aerospace GEnx-1B engines to power its latest 11 Boeing 787-9s. The carrier ordered the planes in December 2023.  Ethiopian says the agreement will take the number of GEnx-powered 787s in its fleet to 30.  It also operates a batch of 787s with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000s.

The company has sealed a parallel pact with GE Aerospace covering the GE9X power plants for up to 14 777- 9s. Ethiopian has eight firm 777- 9s on order and options for six more.“These agreements for GE9X and GEnx engines reflect our commitment to fleet modernisation, operational efficiency, and sustainability,” says group chief Mesfin Tasew.  Both power plant deals include maintenance support.

Source: Ethiopian Airlines.                                                  

AIR CARGO

CMA CGM to Take 777 Freighter Fleet to Five

French logistics giant CMA CGM Group is to establish a cargo hub in Chicago where it will station Boeing 777 Freighters.  CMA CGM has confirmed the plan as part of a broad investment in US activity.  The company created its own airfreight operator, CMA CGM Air Cargo, in 2021. Initially, it was using ex-Qatar Airways Airbus A330-200Fs.  It subsequently became an early customer for the A350 freighter with an order for four, and also signed for a pair of 777Fs.  The company further expanded last year, doubling its agreement for A350Fs and disclosing that it would take two more 777Fs for operations between Asia and North America.

Last year, it introduced its third 777F on new transpacific routes connecting Chicago O’Hare with Seoul, Hong Kong, and Anchorage.  As part of a broad US investment, valued at $20 billion, it says it is expecting another pair of twinsets to be delivered this year, which would give the carrier five of the type.  It says this expansion of US air cargo capacity will be “anchored” by a new hub in Chicago, with five 777Fs “ operated by American pilots” which will “strengthen anUS trade and Connectivity”.

Sources: FlightGlobal, CMA CGM, Picture CMA CGM

FedEx Made Firm Options on More 777Fs

FedEx has exercised options on a further eight Boeing 777 freighters, but used the retirement of Boeing MD-11Fs by four years.  The Carrier says it expects to receive three of the 777Fs in 2026, with the remaining five to be delivered the following year.

FedEx said in its quarterly filing that it has extended the retirement deadline for the full MD-11 fleet from 2028 until 3032.  Boeing is expected to deliver three factory-built freighters in 2026 and five in 2027. Chief Financial Officer John Dietrich told analysts on an earnings call that FedEx also recently bought used 777 freighters from an undisclosed party.

FedEx currently operates 57 Boeing 777 freighters and has two deliveries from its 2018 order scheduled this year.

Source: FedEx, Picture FedEx

                         

Researched and Compiled by :

Ed Kaplanian, Commercial Aviation Advisor 

Contact – ekaplanian@yahoo.com

Editor:   Lee Kaplanian