Aircraft & Engines

Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) granted an ARJ21-700 aircraft type certificate to Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, (COMAC) in Beijing on December 30th, 2014. This indicates that the first regional jet independently developed by China in accordance with international standards has passed the airworthiness certification of CAAC, met the requirements of China Civil Aviation

GE Capital Aviation Services (“GECAS”) has signed a firm purchase agreement for five Q400 NextGen aircraft and has also taken options on an additional 10 Q400 NextGen aircraft. Based on the list price of the Q400 NextGen aircraft, the firm order is valued at approximately US$160m. The value could increase to US$448m should GECAS exercise

Boeing and Kuwait Airways have finalized an order for 10 777-300ERs (Extended Range), valued at US$3.3bn at list prices. The order underlines the popularity of the 777-300ER as the preferred long-haul aircraft of many of the world’s leading airlines including those from the Middle East. The airline originally announced its intent to order the 777-300ER

Azerbaijan Airlines announced the delivery of the airline’s first 787 Dreamliner. With this delivery, Azerbaijan Airlines becomes the first airline in the Commonwealth of Independent States to operate the 787. The airplane will play a key role in the Baku-based airline’s strategic plan to expand its long-haul fleet.

Avolon, the Dublin-based, global aircraft leasing firm, has firmed up its contract for 15 A330neo aircraft. Avolon became one of the launch customers of the A330neo after signing its initial commitment in July 2014 at the Farnborough International Airshow. The A330-800neo and the A330-900neo are two new members of the Airbus Widebody Family launched in

Airbus has delivered the first A350 XWB, the world’s latest generation widebody airliner, to launch customer Qatar Airways. The A350 XWB redefines the way people fly for the coming decades and opens up a new era in comfortable, efficient long-haul air travel when it enters service with Qatar Airways, renowned for leading the industry to

Air China has committed to purchase 60 737s, including Next-Generation 737 and 737 MAX airplanes. The commitment when finalized will be valued at more than US$6bn at current list prices. The order will be posted on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website once all contingencies are cleared.

Finnair has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Doric Asset Finance GmbH & Co. KG for the sale and leaseback of six ATR72 aircraft. The transaction is expected to be closed by the end of March 2015. The value of the transaction is approximately €75m. The aircraft included in the arrangement are currently operated

Embraer Executive Jets and NetJets, a Berkshire Hathaway company have signed an agreement to convert 10 Signature Series Phenom 300 purchase options into firm orders. At current list prices, this addition to the contract is worth US$89.55m, which will be included in the backlog of the fourth quarter of 2014. In October 2010, a purchase

On May 5th 2014, Finnair Aircraft Finance Oy, Finnair’s fleet management subsidiary, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the sale of three Embraer 170 aircraft to affiliates of Infinity Aviation Capital, a US-based aircraft leasing company. The transactions have now been finalised, and their total value was approximately US$40m. The sale of the three aircraft