Airbus

Never content to let arch-rival Boeing have a moment in the sun, Airbus made headlines today by renaming the Bombardier CSeries jet the Airbus A220. The new naming convention fits with Airbus’ larger jets, spanning the Airbus A320, A330, A350 and A380. The smaller Bombardier CS100, which seats about 120 passengers in standard configuration, will […]

In a press release, Airbus explained it will next month acquire most of the C Series Aircraft Limited Partnership (CSALP) comprised of Airbus, Bombardier and Investissement Québec (IQ). Bombardier describes its C Series as a single-aisle commercial jet aimed at the 100 to 150-seat market, built with advanced aluminum and composites and boasting 18 percent […]

Dassault Aviation and Airbus have teamed up to develop new fighter jets as part of what is being called Future Combat Air Systems (FCAS). The systems will be designed to work together for military missions. In addition to next-generation fighter aircraft, FCAS will include cruise missiles, medium-altitude long-endurance UAVs and other drones. “The overall system […]

The first time I spied that chunky Beluga on the ramp at Toulouse France as I taxied out for takeoff, it was clear the converted Airbus A300 was created for a very special task, carrying large, oddly-shaped cargo. But there’s little denying the Beluga is also one of the homeliest airplanes I’ve ever seen, reminding […]

Although the Airbus-supplied video confirms less than one minute of continuous self-piloted flight, the egg-shaped Vahana electric aircraft did fly on January 31, 2018 in Pendleton, Oregon. Dubbed Alpha One, the vehicle reached a height of 16 feet before returning to the ground and completed a second flight the following day. The Vahana project was […]

Orolia is growing the market for its Kannad ELT-DT unit, which the company launched last summer to improve search and rescue capabilities for commercial and business aircraft. The Kannad ELT-DT complies with ICAO’s Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS) recommendations. Air France Industries and KLM Engineering and Maintenance have signed up to develop supplemental […]

Just days after outgoing Airbus sales chief John Leahy announced the possible end of the A380 production line, because of dwindling orders for the giant four-engine aircraft, came word that Emirates, already operating 101 of the world’s largest passenger aircraft decided it could indeed use another 36 airplanes, 20 firm orders and 16 options. Whether […]

When it comes to creating works of art with flight paths, not every pilot is Vincent van Gogh. Some aviators’ radar drawings wouldn’t even make it on their parents’ refrigerators. Still, it’s the effort that we appreciate, and we’ll always be suckers for something creative and unique popping up on FlightRadar24’s live tracker. On Wednesday, […]

Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens this week announced a partnership that the companies claim will be a “significant step forward in hybrid-electric propulsion for commercial aircraft.” The E-Fan X hybrid-electric technology demonstrator is set to take flight in 2020, with the goal of this new partnership being a revolution in flying that will be clean, efficient […]

Indigo Partners might have made the largest aviation purchase in history. Reports coming out of the Dubai Airshow say veteran airline investor Bill Franke of Indigo Partners signed a preliminary order with Airbus on Wednesday morning for 430 jets, totaling $49.5 billion. The deal includes 273 A320neos and 157 A321neos for four airlines Indigo has […]