Air Data News
• Ricardo Meier
An Air China C919 flew from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar on Aug. 12, marking the Chinese narrowbody’s first scheduled commercial operation outside China. The milestone advances COMAC’s effort to establish the C919 as a competitor to the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 in global passenger aviation.
Airbus A320
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An Airbus A320 encountered severe turbulence while descending toward Corsica after its crew detected a violent convective cell too late to take evasive action. Several cabin crew members and passengers suffered bone fractures, underscoring the risks of convective weather during approach and descent.
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An Air China C919 flew from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar on Aug. 12, marking the Chinese narrowbody’s first scheduled commercial operation outside China. The milestone advances COMAC’s effort to establish the C919 as a competitor to the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 in global passenger aviation.
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Boeing delivered 53 commercial aircraft in July—39 737 MAXs, 10 787s, three 767s and one 777 Freighter—down from 64 in June but up from 48 a year earlier. Airbus delivered 67 jets, while Boeing reported 30 net orders, including Uganda Airlines and AerCap agreements announced around Farnborough.
Turkish drone maker Baykar may expand into commercial aviation with a cargo airline operating Airbus A321 passenger-to-freighter aircraft, according to reports. The potential move would add a logistics and air-transport business to Baykar’s established unmanned-aircraft portfolio, though details on timing, fleet size and regulatory approvals remain unclear.
Air Astana Group expects to eliminate aircraft groundings linked to Pratt & Whitney PW1100G turbofan issues in 2027, after the number of grounded aircraft fell about 60% year over year. The update signals improving fleet availability, though engine-related disruption remains a current operational consideration.
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Lufthansa Group will introduce free, high-speed Starlink inflight internet on a Lufthansa-operated Airbus A320neo on August 19. Access will be available to members of the group’s frequent-flyer programs, with the satellite connectivity service scheduled to expand across approximately 850 aircraft under passenger-use rules.
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India’s civil aviation ministry confirmed that the Air India captain involved in a sudden altitude loss after severe turbulence will undergo further laboratory testing after an initial psychoactive-substance screening result. Separately, Malaysia is imposing drug tests on pilots and cabin crew, alongside expanded random testing.
American Airlines is reshaping its future delivery schedule while adding Airbus aircraft to its backlog, balancing cost reduction with fleet growth. Separately, Airbus delivered 67 commercial aircraft to 39 customers in July 2026 and recorded 204 gross orders, signaling continued demand for new jets.
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