Via Satellite
• Mark Holmes
French launch provider MaiaSpace has secured its first long-term Asian customer agreement with Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS), which plans to use the company to launch a range of synthetic-aperture radar satellites. The deal gives MaiaSpace an anchor customer as it builds its commercial launch business.
Asia-Pacific (APAC)
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French launch provider MaiaSpace has secured its first long-term Asian customer agreement with Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS), which plans to use the company to launch a range of synthetic-aperture radar satellites. The deal gives MaiaSpace an anchor customer as it builds its commercial launch business.
High activity
Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation has signed memoranda and letters of intent with three Indian domestic carriers covering as many as 105 Il-114-300 regional turboprops, including a 35-aircraft agreement with Sleek Aviation. UAC is also advancing plans for local production of the SJ-100 ahead of the BRICS summit.
India’s FLY91 has placed a firm order for 40 ATR 72-600 turboprops valued at about $1 billion at list prices. Deliveries are scheduled from 2027 through 2032, creating a significant multiyear commitment for ATR’s production system and regional-aircraft market.
High activity
United Aircraft says it is close to finalizing licensing terms for the SJ-100 in India, as the Russian airframer promotes its aircraft lineup at the Innoprom show. The company expects to pursue operator agreements at Aero India 2027, signaling an effort to establish a foothold in the Indian market.
Airbus now expects China to require 470 fewer new single-aisle aircraft over the next 20 years than previously forecast, citing the expanding high-speed rail network’s growing competition with domestic air travel. The revision highlights rail’s increasing influence on airline fleet demand and network planning in the world’s largest aviation growth market.
Pakistan’s Fly Jinnah is considering launching nonstop service between Karachi and Moscow, a potential expansion of the low-cost carrier’s international network. The proposal would establish a direct link between Pakistan and Russia, subject to the airline’s plans and any required regulatory approvals.
High activity
Fiji Airways will become the first carrier to link Fiji with Western Sydney International, launching thrice-weekly overnight flights from Nadi in March 2027. Operated with Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, the service will add more than 53,000 annual seats and make Fiji the airport’s fourth international operator.
Air China Cargo began dedicated Urumqi–Liège service on September 3, 2026, using A330-200 freighter B-6113. The inaugural flight carried 53 tonnes of cargo and represents the carrier’s first dedicated cargo operation from Urumqi, adding a new China–Europe air freight connection.
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