The Air Current
• Jon Ostrower
Airbus has identified and contained a manufacturing deviation in the lower forward fuselage of around 500 A321neo aircraft that could reduce corrosion resistance. The aircraft can continue operating because the issue is not considered a safety risk, and Airbus says a remedy is available as it manages already pressured production lines.
Airbus
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Vietnam’s Sun PhuQuoc Airways has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330-200, aircraft VN-A969 (MSN 1415), according to parent company Sun Group. The aircraft marks the airline’s entry into widebody operations and adds a new operator to the A330-200 fleet.
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Airbus has identified and contained a manufacturing deviation in the lower forward fuselage of around 500 A321neo aircraft that could reduce corrosion resistance. The aircraft can continue operating because the issue is not considered a safety risk, and Airbus says a remedy is available as it manages already pressured production lines.
Airbus plans to submit an unsolicited, financing-backed Eurofighter Typhoon proposal to Portugal in late October or early November, positioning the European fighter against Lockheed Martin’s F-35. Lisbon is seeking to replace 28 upgraded F-16Ms and has yet to select a successor.
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Spirit Airlines has secured bankruptcy-court approval to sell 27 Airbus aircraft, with equipment noteholders acquiring 23 jets and engine lessor FTAI Aviation acquiring four. The transaction’s reported value ranges from $421 million for the final sale to $668 million in court-approved consideration, advancing the carrier’s wind-down.
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United Airlines has taken delivery of the first Airbus A321XLR equipped with Pratt & Whitney’s GTF Advantage turbofan, making it the engine’s launch airline customer. The upgraded PW1100G variant is designed to deliver greater thrust, longer range and up to twice the time on wing of earlier versions.
The Australian Army has ended nearly two decades of Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter operations, concluding a service life marked by persistent reliability challenges. The retirement, marked by a Darwin farewell, clears the way for the Boeing AH-64E Apache to become Australia’s principal attack helicopter.
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Qantas will begin nonstop flights between Sydney and New York JFK in mid-2028, using Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft under its Project Sunrise program. The roughly 18-hour service will become the first commercial nonstop connection between Australia and New York and the program’s second route.
SWISS is assessing alternatives for five Airbus A220-300s operated under a wet-lease agreement with financially troubled airBaltic. The Latvian carrier’s crisis could affect SWISS capacity planning, while Lufthansa Group’s 10% stake in airBaltic adds a corporate dimension to the fleet decision.
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