Air Data News
• Ricardo Meier
Airbus has confirmed that its A350F freighter prototype is scheduled to make its maiden flight in Toulouse on 29 September, following completion of rejected-takeoff testing. The flight will begin an extensive test campaign ahead of the aircraft’s planned entry into service and deliveries in late 2027.
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Commercial aerospace backlogs now stretch beyond a decade, with OEM delivery rates too low to materially reduce accumulated demand. The imbalance is extending lead times, intensifying pressure on suppliers and leaving airlines, lessors and manufacturers managing capacity, production and planning constraints well into the future.
Embraer has delivered the first of two C-390 Millennium transports ordered by Uzbekistan, making it the type’s first Central Asian operator; the aircraft was originally allocated to Brazil. Separately, Embraer is repositioning the KC-390 for the U.S. Air Force as a flexible supplement to Boeing’s KC-46 tanker.
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Airbus has confirmed that its A350F freighter prototype is scheduled to make its maiden flight in Toulouse on 29 September, following completion of rejected-takeoff testing. The flight will begin an extensive test campaign ahead of the aircraft’s planned entry into service and deliveries in late 2027.
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Alaska Airlines expects the FAA to certify Boeing’s largest 737 MAX variant by the end of September 2026, potentially within days. Approval would advance fleet plans at Alaska, American, Delta and United, while Boeing has also secured a Turkish Airlines commitment for up to 150 MAX aircraft.
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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Alaska Air expects Boeing’s 737 MAX 10 to receive certification by the end of September, with the airline planning to take delivery of its first aircraft next spring, Chief Operating Officer Jason Berry told Reuters. The timeline provides a target for the aircraft’s entry into Alaska’s fleet.
Heart Aerospace has replaced its previously announced ES-30 with the 36-seat ES-36, a hybrid-electric regional aircraft. JSX has committed to up to 100 aircraft, with commercial service targeted for 2031, establishing an initial customer and a defined timeline for the program’s market entry.
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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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