ALL THINGS BOEING

Boeing Delivers the First P-8A Poseidon for the German Navy

Boeing has handed over the German navy’s first P-8A Poseidon to Berlin’s BAAINBw defense procurement body, ahead of the maritime patrol aircraft’s expected transfer to Europe during November.  Accepted in Seattle, Washington, on the 1st of October, the modified narrowbody is the first of eight P-8As on order for Germany, which will field the type in place of its departing Lockheed Martin P-3C Orions.

Germany ordered five P-8As in June 2021, before signing for a further three examples in November 2023.  Once introduced, the Poseidon fleet will be employed for maritime surveillance, and anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare tasks, along with providing support for search and rescue activities.  Germany will follow fellow European NATO members Norway and the UK in fielding the P-8A, with those nations respectively having five and nine examples in use.

Source: Boeing, Picture Boeing

Norwegian Group Places New Order for Boeing 737 Max

Boeing and Norwegian Group announced on September 26, 2025, that the airline group has placed an order for 30 737 Max 8 airplanes as the airline looks to expand its service across Europe.  The agreement represents the group’s first direct order since 2017 and increases its 737 MAX order book to 80 airplanes.  Norwegian has predominantly operated Boeing Single-aisle planes since placing its first order for the Next-Generation 737-800 in 2007.

It was the first European airline to take delivery of the 737 MAX in 2017 and was also the first airline to operate the 737 MAX-8 model on transatlantic routes between Europe and the U.S.  In 2022, Norwegian restructured its order book, firming its commitment to 50 737 Max 8s with options for an additional 30 airplanes.

Source: Boeing

Turkish Airlines Orders Up to 75 Boeing 787 Dreamliners

Boeing and Turkish Airlines announced on September 25, 2025, a firm order for up to 75 787 Dreamliners, the flag carrier’s largest ever Boeing widebody purchase.   The deal includes 35 of the 787 9 model, 15 of the larger 787 10 and options for 25 787 Dreamliners to grow and modernize the airline’s fleet.  Turkish has yet to reach a decision on an engine selection, but is conducting negotiations with Rolls-Royce for the Trent 1000 and GE Aerospace for the GEnex-1B. These talks also include maintenance agreements for spares and servicing.

The airline also announced its intention to purchase up to 150 more 737 Max airplanes, which will be its largest Boeing single-aisle order when finalized.  The 787 and 737 Max orders combined will double Turkish Airlines’ Boeing fleet as the carrier expands its capacity and network.

Sources: Boeing, Turkish Airlines, Picture Boeing                  

ALL THINGS AIRBUS

Airbus Adds 10 More A350s, Including Private Jets, to the Order Total

Airbus has secured orders for 10 more A350-900s, eight of which are for an unidentified customer.  The remaining two are both listed against a private, also unidentified customer.  Airbus has landed a total of 1,019 orders for the A350-900.  Airbus has yet to identify customers for a total of 33 A350s, including 7 -1000s and three freighters.

The 10 A350s were the only order agreements listed by the airframer for September.  But they took Airbus’s net total for the first nine months of the year to 514 aircraft.  Airbus delivered 73 aircraft during the period, bringing overall deliveries for the year to 507.

Source: Airbus, Picture Airbus.

Airbus Formally Opens Second Mobile A320-family Assembly Line

Airbus has formally opened its second A320-family final assembly line at its plant in Mobile.  The airframer’s latest assembly facility is part of its effort to raise monthly production of A320neo-family jets to 75 in 2027.

Airbus’s North America chief, Robin Hayes, had stated in September that the second line was on course to start operating in October.  Aircraft painting specialist MAAS Aviation has also extended its contract with Airbus for painting A320-family and A220 jets in Mobile.

Source: Airbus            

        

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

Lessor TrueNoord Places First Direct Order for Embraer Jets

Dutch-based regional aircraft lessor TrueNoord has ordered up to 40 Embraer 195-E2 twinjets, the company’s first direct order with a manufacturer.  The lessor’s pact covers 20 firm aircraft, plus purchase rights for a further 20 and up to 10 new-build Embraer 175s.  TrueNood chief Anne-Bart Tieleman describes the deal as a “ landmark agreement” for the leasing firm.  No delivery dates have been disclosed, but TrueNoord values the firm order part at $1.8 billion, using catalog prices.

“It marks an important stepping stone in our continued growth as a global leasing platform, underlining our commitment to investing in next-generation, fuel-efficient regional jets,” Tieleman adds.

TrueNoord has a portfolio of around 100 regional aircraft, including jets and turboprops, with a substantial number acquired from fellow lessor Nordic Aviation Capital.

Source: TrueNoord, Picture TrueNoord

                                                                       

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

Lufthansa Prepares to Receive this Month 787-9 with New Color Scheme

Lufthansa is to take delivery this month of a Boeing 787-9 painted in a special color scheme to mark the German flag-carrier’s centenary.  The twinjet (D-ABPU) has received the new livery at Boeing’s Charleston facility.  Lufthansa says the aircraft will enter service in December, ahead of the 2026 anniversary commemorations, and “act as a flying ambassador”.  The scheme features a blue fuselage with a full-length white representation of the airline’s logo.

Lufthansa says the design means the bird’s wings coincide with those of the 787, meaning the aircraft’s wing “ virtually became wings of the crane”.  The fuselage also carries the figure “100” on the left and the dates ‘1926’ and ‘2026’ on the right.  There is also a ‘100’ logo on the underside.  Lufthansa Airlines chief Jens Ritter says the livery “honors our identity” and “ stands for a proud team of Lufthansa employees who give everything day for the safety and well-being of our guests”.  As part of the anniversary plans, Lufthansa Group is displaying vintage aircraft from its heritage fleet.

Source: Lufthansa, Picture Lufthansa   

Safran to Support Leap ramp-up with New Moroccan Engine Production Line

French aerospace firm Safran is to establish a new CFM International Leap engine production facility in Morocco, to support its ramp-up plans for the power plant.  Located in Casablanca, it will complement the French manufacturing site at Villaroche and have the capacity to build up to 350 engines annually.  The Leap-1A is an option on the Airbus A320neo family, while the Leap-1B exclusively powers the Boeing 737 Max.  Leap-1C engines are fitted to the Chinese Comac C919.

Safran intends to open the $233 million plant by the end of 2027.  With both Airbus and Boeing aiming to increase single-aisle aircraft output, the new Moroccan site will support ambitions to raise annual Leap production to 2,500 from 2028.  Safran confirmed its plan for the facility during a launch ceremony for a Leap maintenance center, also in Casablanca.

Source: Safran

Denmark Considers Boeing P-8A Maritime Patrol Aircraft

Denmark’s top defense official says the country is exploring options for acquiring a fleet of Boeing P-8A maritime patrol aircraft.  Speaking to local Danish broadcaster TV2 on 15 September, the defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen said Copenhagen will invest billions of euros to field an unspecified number of the US-made jets to monitor the waters around Greenland.

Denmark may pursue the acquisition alone or in conjunction with other NATO allies.  “I would prefer that we cooperate with other NATO countries to get the most for the money and to have a greater degree of flexibility,” Poulsen says.  “But if that is not possible, I am also willing for us to acquire the P-8 aircraft capacity ourselves.”And since Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark,   Copenhagen has responsibility for the defense of Greenlandic territory.  Poulsen stated, “We need a better picture of what is happening around Greenland and the Faroe Islands”.

Source: Denmark, picture Boeing   

      

IN BRIEF

• Joramco opened a new (129,000 square feet) hangar at Queen Alia International Airport on September 8.  The $30 million investment is expected to boost Joramco’s annual capacity by about 30% and give it the capability to handle up to 240 aircraft of varying sizes in Amman, Jordan.
• Turkish Technic was selected by Garuda Indonesia to provide A330 and 777 landing gear overhaul.
•  Norwegian Chief Executive Geir Karlsen is continuing to see improvements in the quality of service the Scandinavian carrier is receiving from Boeing as it adds more Max 8s to its fleet.

AIR CARGO

Northern Air Cargo to Connect Seattle and Anchorage

In a bid to provide more same-day shipping connectivity to rural Alaskan Communities, Northern Air Cargo (NAC) launched a Seattle-to-Anchorage flights last month.  The Anchorage-based cargo carrier started to fly from Seattle Tacoma International airport to Ted Stevens Anchorage International airport three times weekly starting began the service on 5 October, using its lone Boeing 737-800.

NAC uses a fleet of cargo-converted 737s to deliver freight throughout its Alaskan network, including a 737-800 originally operated by Aeromexico.  The new Seattle-Anchorage route will all provide Alaskan companies shipping halibut, salmon and other seafood with “timely Southbound access to Pacific Northwest markets”.

Source: NAC picture NAC

British Cargo Carrier Maiden 777F

British cargo carrier One Air took delivery of its first Boeing 777-200 LRF on August 25.  The General Electric GE90-powered freighter G-ONEG joined the East Midland based airline’s all 747 fleet which comprises a pair of 747-433BDSFs and a single nose-loading 747-428ERF.  The twinjet was ferried from Paine Field to Cardiff arriving on August 27 and entered service on September 5.  According to ch-aviation, the aircraft being leased from Moldovan airline Aerotranscargo.

Source: ch-aviation, Picture One Air

                         

Researched and Compiled by :

Ed Kaplanian    Commercial Aviation Advisor 

Contact – ekaplanian@yahoo.com

Editor:   Lee Kaplanian 

ALL THINGS BOEING

Boeing Deliveries to August Exceed Full-Year 2024

Boeing achieved its highest August deliveries in seven years, bringing the total for the first eight months to 385, a figure that exceeds the 348 recorded across the whole of last year.  It handed over 57 aircraft in August, its second-best monthly performance this year, just shy of the 60 achieved in June.

Boeing delivered 42 737 Max jets, including seven for Irish budget carrier Ryanair, according to its latest backlog figures.  Boeing’s deliveries in August included a 787-9, which took American’s mainline fleet to 1,000 aircraft.

Boeing’s 777F deliveries included its 300th example, which was handed over to Emirates.  Two other airframes—a 767 and an older variant 737 — are delivered for the military E-7 and KC-46 programs.  Along with the 14 777Xs ordered by Cathay Pacific, Boeing recorded agreements for 787s; two from Air New Zealand and five from an unidentified customer, as well as five 737Max jets. It also shifted 59 orders from its accounting bucket to the formal backlog, and cancelled 737 Max, bringing its overall net total to 83 for the month.

Source: Boeing, Picture Boeing

Singapore Has Confirmed Plans to Acquire Four P-8A Poseidon

Singapore has confirmed plans to acquire four Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol aircraft; it seeks to bolster its anti-submarine capabilities.  Singapore’s decision to obtain the 737-derivative was made in a brief statement about a meeting between Singapore’s defense minister Chan Chun Sing and US war secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington, DC.

The language in the release hints that Singapore may go beyond four aircraft.  “They will replace the existing Fokker 50s, which have been in service since 1993.  Cirium, an aviation analytics company, indicates that the Republic of Singapore’s Air Force operates five Fokker 50s in the maritime Patrol role, with an average age of 31.2 years.  Four Fokker 50s also serve in the utility transport role.

Source: FlightGlobal

EASA Approves Installation of Drag-reduction Fins On 737 Variants

Operators of European-registered Boeing 737s will be able to install aerodynamic fins on the aft fuselage following validation of a US supplemental type certificate. The ‘finlets’ developed by Vortex Control Technologies have been approved by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.EASA’s clearance covers the modification of 737-700,-800, and -900 ER variants.

Aircraft can experience drag from airflow separation and vortices in the vicinity of the aft fuselage.  Modification with a patented array of fins fixed to the fuselage skin can alter the airflow and reduce this drag, offering improved fuel efficiency.  Vortex Control Technologies chief Gil Morgan says the EASA validation is a “culmination of years of research, development and collaboration”.  It allows the company to expand the availability of its fins to European airlines.

Source: Vortex Control Technologies, Picture Vortex Control Technologies.

                    

ALL THINGS AIRBUS

Airbus Reveals Order for Seven More A350-1000s

Airbus has secured an order for seven A350-1000s from an undisclosed customer, the airframer’s latest backlog data reveals. The agreement was formally listed on 22 August and brought Airbus’s gross orders for this year to a round figure of 600.

Airbus’s largest A350 variant has secured 69 orders this year-and the latest deal takes overall firm A350-1000 commitments to 361, one in four of all passenger A350 orders.  August is normally a quiet month for the manufacturer.

It recorded Lessor Avolon’s agreement for 90 aircraft, including 15 A330-900s, as well as two private customer orders, each for a single A320neo.  There were no cancellations, which means Airbus net orders for the first months of the year reached 504.  Airbus is still catching up on deliveries, listing total of 434 aircraft hands over in 2025 compared with 447 reached at the same point last year.

Source: Airbus, Picture Airbus        

REGIONAL/BUSINESS JETS

Avelo Airlines Shifts Fleet Strategy

US start-up discount carrier Avelo Airlines has ordered 50 Embraer E195-E2s in a move that will see the airline evolve beyond operating only Boeing 737s.  Avelo has taken options to order a further 50 of the jets, Embraer’s head of commercial aviation Arjan Meijer said on 10 September during an event in Washington, DC.  Meijer notes the order will see Avelo become the USA’s first E195-E2 operator.

The order “gives us a pipeline of aircraft we can rely on”, says Avelo chief executive Andrew Levy, noting the airline intends to acquire the jets through 2032.  Avelo now operates 22 Boeing 737NGS. “A smaller airplane would optimize the opportunity that we have,” says Levy.  News of the order comes days after Avelo said it had secured additional financing, which it says is its highest total since its Series A funding round in 2020.

Source: Avelo                                                                      

OTHER AVIATION NEWS

South Korea’s T’way Air to Rebrand as Trinity Airways

Low-cost operator T’way Air will be rebranded as Trinity Airways as part of a broader revamp of its corporate identity, under the new ownership of Sono Hospitality Group.  The “sequential rebranding” will take place from the first half of 2026,  according to a notice on the South Korean operator’s website.  T’way’s current red, green, and white color scheme will be changed to a neutral color palette aligned with the Sono corporate identity.  An artist’s impression of the new livery on an Airbus A330-900 was released.  T’way will be taking delivery of the first of five A330neos in 2026.

“Beginning with the implementation of a new mission and a Comprehensive brand identity, we will complete the transformation of the customer touchpoint and solidify the unified image and synergy of the entire group,” states Sono.  Sono in February emerged as the new owners of T’way, after successfully acquiring 46% shareholding in the airline from YeaRim Dang Publishing and related parties.

Sources: T’way Air, Picture T’way

WestJet Expands Fleet with A New Order

Canadian discount airline WestJet has ordered  67 new aircraft from Boeing, comprising 60 737 Max 10s and seven 787-9s.  The Calgary-based airline disclosed the order on September 3, stating it has also secured options for an additional 25 Max 10s and four 787s.  The agreement was recorded in June on Boeing’s website as an undisclosed customer.  Boeing has not disclosed a value for the deal or delivery timeline for the aircraft.

“With the addition of these aircraft, WestJet has the largest order book of any airline in Canada and will double our fleet of Dreamliners, underpinning our growth plans,” says chief executive Alexis von Hoensbroech.  “These highly efficient and comfortable aircraft are critical to the growth and renewal of our fleet and will also significantly improve our fuel consumption.”

WestJet is an all-Boeing airline that operates 147 737s and seven 787s, according to fleet data provider Cirium.

Before the deal disclosed on 3 September, WestJet held unfilled orders with Boeing for 62 737 Max aircraft: eight Max 8s, 7 Max 10s, and seven of an unspecified variant, Cirium shows.

Sources: WestJet, Cirium, picture WestJet

Air Lease(ALC) to be acquired by SMBC Investor Group

Steven Udvar-Hazy, founder and lessor of Air Lease(ALC), is to be acquired by a consortium of investors, including rival SMBC Aviation Capital, in a 1.4 billion cash deal that promises to shake up the aircraft leasing market.  Working alongside Sumitomo Corporation, one of its Japanese owners, and private equity firms Apollo and Brookfield Credit, SMBC says the definitive agreement has been approved by ALC’s board.

It will pay stockholders $65 per share, valuing All at $7.4 billion. However, this rises to $28.s billion if debt obligations to be assumed or refinanced are included, net of cash.  At the end of the second quarter, ALCDeliveries are scheduled through 2031.   They hold firm orders for 241 aircraft: 36 Airbus A220s,130 A320/A321neos, a single A330neo, 64 737 Max jets, and 10 787-9/10s, financial filings show.

Source: FlightGlobal.

IN BRIEF

• Air Canada has identified the first new route on which it will deploy its incoming Airbus A321XLR.
• Luxair is confident of commencing Embraer 195-E2 operations in January next year.
• Silk Way West Airlines has welcomed its third Boeing 777 Freighter to Baku on 2nd September.
• Alaska Airlines is set to launch seasonal flights from Seattle to Reykjavik on 28 May and continue through 8 September.
• Macquarie AirFinance has increased its commitment to the 737 Max with an order for an additional 30 jets.
• Sources: Air Canada, Luxair, Silk Way West Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Macquarie        

      

AIR CARGO

Initial A350F Aft Fuselage Transferred to Toulouse Final Assembly

Construction of Airbus’s initial A350 freighter is progressing with the arrival of its aft fuselage at the Toulouse final assembly line.  The first fully equipped aft section for MSN700 has been transferred from the airframer’s Hamburg facilities.  Airbus senior vice-president of marketing Joost van der Heijden says the forward, center, and aft sections of the fuselage have “moved in” with the wings; “they are now ready to be assembled in the coming weeks,” he adds in a social media post.

Airbus’s Ar50 has a slightly shorter fuselage than the A350-1000 passenger aircraft, from which it has been derived. It will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, and the airframer intends entry into service in the second half of 2027. French logistics firm CMA CGM is set to be the launch operator of the type.

Source: Airbus, picture Airbus

Kalitta Air Takes Delivery of First Pair of 777-300ERSF Freighters

Kalitta Air has taken delivery of the first two Boeing 777-300ERSF converted freighters US and Israeli certification of the modified twin jets.  The Michigan-based carrier will become the launch operator of the aircraft is leasing the jets from AerCap Cargo. Israel Aerospace Industries developed the -300ERSF through a joint program, initially with Lessor GECAS and subsequently with AerCap after it merged with GECAS.

One of the two aircraft handed over to Kalitta Air is the certification prototype.  They are part of an agreement which will cover seven of the twinsets.  Kalitta Air will use them to replace older Boeing 747 freighters.  The -300ERSF, which has a 100t payload capacity, is one of several freighter conversion programs initiated by various companies for the -300ER and-200ER variants.

IAI’s modification is the first of the 300ERSF programs to obtain certification.  Kalitta Air plans to place both aircraft into revenue operation early this month, says AerCap, with further deliveries taking place “over the coming weeks”.

Source: FlightGlobal, picture Kalitta Air

Researched and Compiled by :

Ed Kaplanian    Commercial Aviation Advisor 

Contact – ekaplanian@yahoo.com

Editor:   Lee Kaplanian