FlightGlobal
• Jon Hemmerdinger
Pratt & Whitney plans to make another investment in its Polish operations, adding to the $100 million it has already committed to expand a separate facility in the country. The moves signal continued investment in its European manufacturing footprint.
Europe
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Pratt & Whitney plans to make another investment in its Polish operations, adding to the $100 million it has already committed to expand a separate facility in the country. The moves signal continued investment in its European manufacturing footprint.
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France is minimizing the significance of SpaceX and Blue Origin skipping next week’s Paris space summit, an event organized by President Emmanuel Macron. The gathering faces broader headwinds as Europe seeks to strengthen its space position amid intense competition from U.S. commercial providers.
ST Engineering iDirect demonstrated a pilot version of its INT3000 user equipment modem at the European Space Agency’s 5G NTN Forum. The multi-waveform 5G New Radio Non-Terrestrial Network device is intended to extend iDirect’s satellite networking technology into the broader 5G ecosystem, including aircraft connectivity applications.
High activity
Airbus reached a preliminary agreement with four unions representing workers at its Spanish plants after more than two months of strikes and government-mediated talks. The dispute included demands for an 18% pay increase; the agreement marks a potential breakthrough but does not yet establish that the industrial action has ended.
Britten-Norman has completed the first flight of an Islander assembled in the UK since 1968, marking a major milestone in the manufacturer’s production-reshoring effort. The aircraft is expected to be delivered in the coming weeks, with a second Islander already in production at Bembridge.
High activity
Portugal will open a further negotiation round with Lufthansa Group and Air France-KLM after rating their binding bids for a minority stake in TAP as broadly equivalent. Both airline groups will have additional weeks to improve their financial proposals before the government selects a preferred investor.
Poland’s LOT is set to acquire two Boeing 787-9 aircraft from Virgin Atlantic, adding to its long-haul fleet through a secondary-market transaction. The deal highlights LOT’s fleet expansion and the continued repositioning of widebody aircraft among European operators.
High activity
Air France-KLM will move group chief operating officer Oltion Carkaxhija to the top role at low-cost unit Transavia from Sept. 4, tasking him with reinforcing its position in the intra-European market. The group’s sustainability chief will also assume expanded responsibilities as part of the reshuffle.
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