Air Data News
• Ricardo Meier
The facility at Leipzig/Halle Airport marks Deutsche Aircraft’s transition from D328eco development to serial production, with capacity for up to 48 regional turboprops annually. The opening also restores complete commercial aircraft manufacturing to Germany after a 25-year gap and positions the program as a rare competitor to ATR.
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The facility at Leipzig/Halle Airport marks Deutsche Aircraft’s transition from D328eco development to serial production, with capacity for up to 48 regional turboprops annually. The opening also restores complete commercial aircraft manufacturing to Germany after a 25-year gap and positions the program as a rare competitor to ATR.
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Commercial aircraft deliveries reached 903 through the first eight months of 2026, up 9% from 2025 and the strongest year-to-date performance since 2018. Airbus also flew its A350F freighter for the first time, while an A321neo primer defect affecting about 500 aircraft tested its delivery targets.
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Two separate aircraft transactions highlight continued investor activity in the secondary market: Avolon agreed to sell 33 leased Boeing and Airbus aircraft to Qatar’s Lesha Bank for $1.6 billion, while FTAI acquired 27 WestJet 737-700s, including jets intended for sale-leaseback and engine aftermarket activity.
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Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said the airline still expects its first Boeing 737 MAX 10s in spring 2027, despite a certification pause linked to a software issue. He also warned that sustained high oil prices will make it difficult for airlines to maintain current low fares.
Airbus may shift delivery of as many as 20 A321neo aircraft from September into the fourth quarter, Reuters reports, as the manufacturer addresses a recently disclosed quality issue involving fuselage panels. The potential deferrals add another variable to airline fleet planning and Airbus’ delivery execution.
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Avolon has agreed to sell Lesha Bank a portfolio of 33 commercial aircraft leased to 25 airlines, with management transferring to Lesha Aviation Services. The transaction will lift Lesha’s managed fleet beyond 75 aircraft and expand its Sharia-compliant leasing platform, while advancing Avolon’s asset-recycling strategy.
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Airbus has identified a coating defect on fuselage stringers supplied by a subcontractor on around 500 A321neo aircraft. Rework may take up to nine days per aircraft, while affected operators could have as long as two years to complete repairs, adding pressure to September delivery targets.
A second Boeing 747-8I sold by Lufthansa to the U.S. Air Force has departed Frankfurt for Pinal Airpark, Arizona. The aircraft will provide spare parts and support the future VC-25B Air Force One fleet, expanding the U.S. government’s access to 747-8 components.
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