AeroTime
• Clement Charpentreau
The DGA has selected Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space to develop two high-resolution military Earth-observation satellites and their ground systems. The contract, valued at more than €1.5 billion, is intended to prepare the successor capability to France’s current CSO satellite system.
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The DGA has selected Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space to develop two high-resolution military Earth-observation satellites and their ground systems. The contract, valued at more than €1.5 billion, is intended to prepare the successor capability to France’s current CSO satellite system.
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Emirates has completed a financing arrangement with Dubai Islamic Bank and Natixis CIB for two new Airbus A350-900s. The 12-year Shariah-compliant French lease combines two financing frameworks, which the airline describes as a repeatable blueprint for future cross-border aircraft financings.
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Airbus says its A350-1000ULR flew 12,503 nautical miles nonstop from Melbourne to Toulouse, setting a Guinness World Record for distance by a commercial airliner. Qantas plans to launch its nonstop Project Sunrise Sydney-London service in October 2027, using the QF1 and QF2 flight numbers.
The European Investment Bank’s head rejected US government criticism of its €3 billion ($3.4 billion) loan to Airbus, saying the administration has no grounds to question the arrangement. The dispute puts a major European public-financing deal for the aircraft maker at the center of transatlantic scrutiny.
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Airbus has started a planned three-year buyback of up to €5 billion ($5.6 billion), beginning with a tranche of up to €800 million running from Nov. 9 to Dec. 23. The company says it will cancel shares repurchased, rather than use them for employee plans as in previous buybacks.
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An Airbus A350-1000 ULR test aircraft flew 12,503 nautical miles nonstop in 24 hours and 24 minutes, surpassing the previous commercial-aircraft distance record set by a Boeing 777-200LR in 2005. Separately, Philippine Airlines finalized contracts for nine additional A350-1000s, including Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines and TotalCare support.
The delivery brings Air France’s A220-300 fleet to 60, fulfilling the order it placed in 2019 and giving the French carrier one of the world’s largest fleets of the type. The airline has introduced the aircraft over five years while continuing to operate the A318.
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