Boom Supersonic announced plans for a “Superfactory in North Carolina to build its flagship Overture aircraft. Against the backdrop of this progress, however, come new challenges for the company.
engines
Boom fires up the engines on XB-1 supersonic demonstrator
The Boom Supersonic XB-1 engines are installed and running. The company released an update on the flight test program progress, including details on the installation and first test runs of the three General Electric J85 engines on board.
United, ZeroAvia see hydrogen-powered regional jets by the end of the decade
United Airlines wants to power some of its regional jets with hydrogen by the end of the decade. The company announced a deal with ZeroAvia to purchase up to 100 of the new zero-emission, 100% hydrogen-electric engines (ZA2000-RJ). The engine could be retrofit to existing United Express aircraft as early as 2028.
A fleet of salvage-priced planes
Does it matter that airlines are flying planes worth more in the scrap yard than they are to a new owner? Probably not, but United’s latest effort to secure a $3bn loan is an interesting insight into the world of aircraft valuation considerations.
Delta completes first Pratt & Whitney GTF engine overhaul
When Delta Air Lines announced a massive deal three years ago to bring the A321neo into its fleet the planes were just a part of the news. The maintenance support opportunity associated with the contract is huge, and Delta TechOps took a major step forward on that front late last month, completing the first comprehensive maintenance visit of a PW1100G-JM engine.
Boom Supersonic picks an engine manufacturer (for further discussions)
Should the Boom Supersonic jet take flight later this decade there’s a very strong chance it will be powered by Rolls-Royce engines. While this is not a formal engine model selection it does advance the project and provides further indications as to how the program might take flight.
Airbus, Rolls-Royce halt development on E-Fan X electric aircraft
The initial goal was a hybrid-electric aircraft demonstrator embarking on its first flight in 2021. The new reality is that the E-Fan X project has been scrapped. Rolls-Royce and Airbus pulled the plug on the joint development effort late last week.
An electrified experience: PaxEx Update – 13 Dec 2019
Electric aircraft are really real and the Embraer E2 family is complete. Plus a ton of good news for Airbus and an incremental eventual win for inflight connectivity.
Qantas selects A350-1000 for Project Sunrise
A slightlyy modified version of the Airbus A350-1000(ULR) is the aircraft of choice for Qantas as it inches closer to its “Project Sunrise” plans for nonstop flights between Sydney and London or New York City. But neither the business plan nor aircraft order are finalized yet. Negotiations with pilots over work rules are the sticking point now.
Norwegian to axe long-haul services from Copenhagen, Stockholm
Norwegian made many changes in recent months as it sought to shore its finances. The latest news from the airline, however, is a massive shift. Reports indicate that the airline will halt long-haul operations from Stockholm and Copenhagen effective with the end of the IATA Winter 2020 season on 29 March 2020.