Reuters
• Abhijith Ganapavaram
Goa-based Indian regional carrier FLY91 has ordered 40 ATR 72-600 turboprops for around $1 billion, the largest firm order for ATR aircraft in almost a decade and the biggest ever from a regional airline. Deliveries are scheduled to begin next year and continue through 2032.
Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)
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The General Aviation Manufacturers Association has released its second-quarter 2026 report on aircraft shipments and billings. The update provides an industry snapshot of general aviation manufacturing activity, including the volume and value of aircraft delivered during the period.
Indian air cargo company Afcom Holdings has reached a provisional agreement with Boeing covering up to four 777-8F twinjet freighters. The letter of intent provides few additional details, but would mark a potential expansion of Afcom’s long-haul cargo fleet and add another prospective customer to Boeing’s new freighter program.
The UK government is committing to equip Royal Air Force tankers with boom-refueling capability, a function the service does not currently possess. The move is being driven by the next-generation Tempest fighter and signals a change in RAF tanker requirements as the program develops.
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Boeing’s acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems has exposed previously unidentified liabilities, while the FAA fined the manufacturer $3.1 million for hundreds of quality-system and safety violations tied to 737 production. Separately, foreign airlines face exclusion from a $5.7 billion U.S. radio-altimeter upgrade fund.
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Goa-based Indian regional carrier FLY91 has ordered 40 ATR 72-600 turboprops for around $1 billion, the largest firm order for ATR aircraft in almost a decade and the biggest ever from a regional airline. Deliveries are scheduled to begin next year and continue through 2032.
Riyadh Air released photos showing its first Airbus A321neo undergoing final assembly at Airbus’ Hamburg facility in Germany. The aircraft represents the Saudi startup’s forthcoming narrowbody fleet, adding a regional platform alongside its broader plans for long-haul growth and network development.
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Airbus nearly halted A330neo deliveries for about three months after identifying a quality issue affecting the horizontal tailplane, with a stray tool found in one aircraft’s tail section. The manufacturer inspected or corrected affected aircraft and says deliveries have resumed, but some handovers will be delayed into 2026.
GE Aerospace secured a Defense Innovation Unit award to advance a hypersonic test bed under the Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities program. The company is also increasing F110 and F404/414 engine output, continuing XA102 development for the U.S. Air Force and supplying marine turbines for South Korea’s KDDX destroyers.
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