FlightGlobal
• David Kaminski-Morrow
Lesha Bank has agreed to sell Emirates six Airbus A380s that the Dubai carrier already operates. Two aircraft have transferred to Emirates, with the remaining four due to be handed over as their leases end by April 2028.
Airbus
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Lesha Bank has agreed to sell Emirates six Airbus A380s that the Dubai carrier already operates. Two aircraft have transferred to Emirates, with the remaining four due to be handed over as their leases end by April 2028.
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Cathay Group has ordered 11 A330-900s and three A321neos, expanding its renewal plans before its first A330neo delivery. Separately, U.S. startup Magnifica Air confirmed an order for 10 ACJ220-300s, previously attributed to an undisclosed customer, bringing its planned fleet to 17 aircraft: 14 ACJ220s and three ACJ321neos.
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Emirates says the aerospace industry should be prepared for China to challenge the Airbus-Boeing dominance of commercial aviation. The warning reflects China’s record of catching up and becoming a leading player in other industries, though the article provides no timeline or specific assessment of its aircraft programs.
An Airbus A350-1000ULR developed for Qantas flew from Melbourne to Toulouse in 24 hours and 24 minutes, covering 23,155 kilometers, according to the articles. The flight crossed three continents and two oceans and set a Guinness World Record for the longest flight by a commercial passenger aircraft.
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The French defense procurement agency has selected Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space to develop the IRIS ultra-high-resolution optical observation system. The satellites will replace three existing spacecraft, with improved imaging and faster access to collected imagery for French armed forces.
South Korea’s Trinity Airways plans to introduce the Airbus A330neo in the first quarter of 2027, according to a schedule reported by Commercial Aviation News. The report provides a timing milestone for the airline’s planned use of the widebody aircraft, but gives no further operational or fleet details.
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The Pentagon conditionally committed a $150 million loan to expand Rocket Lab’s Neutron production and launch capacity, as the company also reported more than $515 million in launch contracts. Separately, the USAF awarded Electra $4.7 million for EL9 acoustic testing, while France contracted Airbus and Thales to develop two IRIS reconnaissance satellites.
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