LATAM Airlines Group has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320neo, becoming the first airline in the Americas and the fifth in the world to take delivery of the re-engined A320. Pictured: LATAM Airlines Group SVP-international & alliances Roberto Alvo, Airbus president and CEO Fabrice Bregier, LATAM Airlines Group CEO Enrique Cueto, Airbus president-Latin America & Caribbean Rafael Alonso, LATAM Airlines Group VP-fleet & engines Jose Maluf
Thai Airways takes first A350
Credit: Airbus
Thai Airways International has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350 XWB, sourced from US lessor CIT, becoming the eight operator of the type. Pictured: From left: Rolls-Royce president-civil aerospace Eric Schulz, Airbus president and CEO Fabrice Brégier, Thai Airways International president Charamporn Jotikasthira, CIT president-transportation finance Jeff Knittel
Third E190-E2 joins flight test program
Credit: Embraer
The third of four Embraer E190-E2 flight test aircraft has flown for the first time, the Brazilian manufacturer confirmed Aug. 29.
AirAsia A320 in GE livery
Credit: Acendus Communications
GE Takes Flight: Three of AirAsia’s Airbus A320s will be sporting GE’s livery and colors as part of a bold corporate branding exercise targeted at Malaysia and ASEAN markets. The branding campaign is also a reflection of GE and AirAsia Group’s long-standing relationship. The low-cost carrier recently announced a $2.7 billion order of 200 more CFM LEAP-1A engines to power its 100 new Airbus A321neo aircraft.
Qatar Airways has confirmed that a bird strike was cause of an Airbus A330-300 engine fire that forced the aircraft to return to Istanbul Atatürk Airport shortly after takeoff Aug. 18. Photo: Screenshot of video showing Qatar engine on fire.
Delta unveils plan for all-suite A350 business class
Credit: Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines will introduce an all-suite business-class cabin on its first Airbus A350-900 arriving next year, and will roll out the new business-class offering on additional aircraft over time. The A350 business-class cabin will feature 32 suites with full-height sliding doors. Photo: Artist rendering of Delta business-class suite to debut on Airbus A350 in 2017.
Belavia unveils new livery on newly delivered 737-800
A KrasAvia Yakovlev Yak-42 overran a runway at Ufa International Airport in Bashkortostan, Russia, by 1,312 ft. (400 meters) Aug. 12, at 4:30 a.m. local time. There were no fatalities or injures, according to an Investigative Committee regional department statement.
Atlas Air begins Amazon freighter flights
Credit: Amazon
A Boeing 767-300 converted freighter flight from Seattle to Wilmington, Ohio marked the inauguration of Amazon-dedicated air cargo service being provided on a contract basis by Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings.
Singapore Airlines' A350 flies into Melbourne
Credit: Rob Finlayson
Australia’s Melbourne Airport welcomed its inaugural Airbus A350 service with the arrival of Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) flight SQ207 on Aug. 10.
Air Djibouti takes first Boeing 737
Credit: Cardiff Aviation
African flag carrier Air Djibouti has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737 as it prepares to launch commercial operations.
Ryanair passenger tries to catch departing aircraft on tarmac
Credit: CNN
A passenger who believed he had missed his Ryanair flight from Madrid’s Barajas Airport took matters into his own hands in his attempts to travel to Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands off the northwest coast of Africa.
BAE working on new RJ Freighter
Credit: BARA
BAE Systems Regional Aircraft (BARA) is working on a new freighter conversion of the Avro RJ regional jet following a year’s work on developing the concept. The company said Aug. 10 that it would require commitments for 10 of the type for the project to be launched.
Amazon shows off first cargo aircraft
Credit: Amazon
Online retail and technology company Amazon showcased its first branded air cargo aircraft Aug. 5 during Seafair’s Air Show, an annual community celebration in Seattle, Washington. The Boeing 767-300, operated by Amazon’s air cargo provider Atlas Air, flew in the air show. Photo: Amazon One Prime Air
Mauritania Airlines finalizes 737-800 order
Credit: Boeing
West Africa-based Mauritania Airlines has finalized an order for one Boeing 737-800NG, valued at $96 million at current list prices.
Russia relaunches Ilyushin Il-114
Credit: United Aircraft Corp.
A relaunched version of Russia’s Ilyushin Il-114 regional airliner will be assembled at the Sokol plant in Nizhny Novgorod, a part of MiG Corp.
Emirates 777 crash lands in Dubai; no onboard injuries
Credit: Emirates Airline/Twitter
An Emirates AirlineBoeing 777-300 crash-landed at Dubai International Airport Aug. 3 and was destroyed by fire. None of the 282 passengers and 18 crew was injured, the airline said. However, one firefighter was killed, according to the Dubai government.
Airbus Group has provided a glimpse into its research on air taxis as a solution for growing surface-transport gridlock in the world’s largest cities. This includes prototyping an autonomous air vehicle for individual passenger and cargo transport and studies of a multi-passenger CityAirbus concept.
BWI welcomes first Dreamliner
Credit: Linda Blachly
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) saw its first scheduled landing of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Aug. 1 as a British Airways nonstop from London Heathrow made its inaugural flight to Baltimore, Maryland.
Korea's Eastjar Jet joins North Asian LCC alliance
Credit: U-FLY Alliance
South Korea-based low-cost carrier (LCC) Eastar Jet has become the fifth airline to join the first North Asian U-FLY Alliance of low-cost carriers. From left: U-FLY Alliance board chairman/director Jimmy Ma and Eastar Jet CEO JungShik Kim joined hands to hit the traditional Korean drum.
Gallery: The Most Compelling Aviation News-August 2016
Linda Blachly is Senior Associate Editor for Air Transport World and Aviation Week. She joined the company in July 2010 and is responsible for producing features for Air Transport World’s monthly magazine and engaging content for the aviationweek.com. She is based in the Washington DC office.