sábado, 20 de junho de 2026
ROUTES / FLEET - Sun PhuQuoc Airways (Vietnam) plans to fly to South Korea, China, Japan, Thailand, Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan in 2026, Philippines and Australia in 2027, and acquire widebodies for the Middle East and Europe in 2028
The carrier forecasts a fleet of around 60 aircraft in 2028 and more than 200 aircraft in 2035.Photo: Sun PhuQuoc
American Airlines Tulsa base maintenance facility celebrates 80 years of excellence
- Former military aircraft plant grows exponentially into the world’s largest commercial aircraft maintenance base.
- The facility now employs nearly 5,000 team members and is the backbone of the airline’s technical operations.
TULSA, Okla. — For eight decades, the American Airlines base maintenance facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma (Tech Ops – Tulsa), has stood at the center of the airline’s technical operations, evolving into the world’s largest commercial aircraft maintenance base and a cornerstone of the airline’s commitment to safety and reliability.
“American is proud to celebrate Tech Ops – Tulsa, a cornerstone of our aircraft maintenance operation,” said Senior Vice President of Technical Operations Kevin Brickner. “Our team of skilled aviation maintenance professionals — in Tulsa and across our system — is the best in the business, and they set the standard for safety, quality and ingenuity. We wouldn’t be where we are today without our team members, the City of Tulsa and the State of Oklahoma. We’re eagerly looking forward to the next 80 years in Tulsa and beyond.”
“American is proud to celebrate Tech Ops – Tulsa, a cornerstone of our aircraft maintenance operation,” said Senior Vice President of Technical Operations Kevin Brickner. “Our team of skilled aviation maintenance professionals — in Tulsa and across our system — is the best in the business, and they set the standard for safety, quality and ingenuity. We wouldn’t be where we are today without our team members, the City of Tulsa and the State of Oklahoma. We’re eagerly looking forward to the next 80 years in Tulsa and beyond.”
Aerial photo of the surplus military aircraft plant in early 1946.
Tech Ops – Tulsa team members working in the propeller shop in 1947.
This recent photo of Tech Ops – Tulsa shows the growth of the maintenance base with the four original hangars visible and still in use today.
Former military aircraft plant grows exponentially into the world’s largest commercial aircraft maintenance base.
The facility now employs nearly 5,000 team members and is the backbone of the airline’s technical operations.
TULSA, Okla. — For eight decades, the American Airlines base maintenance facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma (Tech Ops – Tulsa), has stood at the center of the airline’s technical operations, evolving into the world’s largest commercial aircraft maintenance base and a cornerstone of the airline’s commitment to safety and reliability.
“American is proud to celebrate Tech Ops – Tulsa, a cornerstone of our aircraft maintenance operation,” said Senior Vice President of Technical Operations Kevin Brickner. “Our team of skilled aviation maintenance professionals — in Tulsa and across our system — is the best in the business, and they set the standard for safety, quality and ingenuity. We wouldn’t be where we are today without our team members, the City of Tulsa and the State of Oklahoma. We’re eagerly looking forward to the next 80 years in Tulsa and beyond.”
It all started in 1945 when the U.S. government listed a military aircraft plant as surplus property. The property, with four large hangars anchoring more than 260 acres, caught the eye of American’s leaders who soon negotiated a lease with the City of Tulsa and began relocating its maintenance and engineering operations from New York’s La Guardia airport to the new Tulsa facility. The move reflected American’s growth and Tulsa’s emergence as a major aviation and aerospace hub, bolstered by a skilled local workforce, which still holds true today.
The maintenance base opened in June 1946, and started overhauling Douglas DC-3 aircraft. American’s then CEO and industry pioneer Cyrus Rowlett “C.R.” Smith celebrated the facility’s opening with an eye toward the future.
“We plan to become citizens of Tulsa and Oklahoma,” Smith said. “We plan a great expansion and development in this city and this state. Our future is ahead of us. We are looking forward.”
Over the years, almost every aircraft type flown by American passed through Tulsa’s hangars. Early propeller-powered models such as the DC-3 and Convair 240 soon made way for turbofan engines powering Boeing 707s. Boeing 727s and 747s and the McDonnell-Douglas DC-10s and legendary MD-80s later occupied hangars. Modern Boeing 737 and 787 families of aircraft touch down at the base for scheduled maintenance work today.
Tech Ops – Tulsa, which is currently undergoing $400 million in improvements, has grown to 3.3 million square feet of hangar and shop space sprawling across 330 acres at Tulsa International Airport. Together with the airline’s nearby offsite composite repair and wheel and brake facilities, these technical centers of excellence provide maintenance and related support to more than 400 aircraft that visit the base annually.
The source of the base’s success — and the standard set for the industry — is the people. Today, nearly 5,000 team members (including more than 2,300 licensed aviation maintenance technicians) work in aircraft overhaul, component repair, engine overhaul, engineering, supply chain, facilities maintenance and information technology, to keep Tech Ops – Tulsa moving 24/7. And they’re not just individual team members — the base has familial roots with generations of families working at the base over the decades.
Eighty years after the maintenance base opened, the airline continues looking forward to welcoming the next generation of aviation maintenance professionals through its hangar doors. In 2024, American announced a partnership with Tulsa Tech — the alma mater of many current Tech Ops – Tulsa Team members — providing interviews to top students and ongoing engagement opportunities with the airline’s team members, formalizing a decades-long relationship with the school. American also sponsored Tulsa Tech’s adult student team at the 2026 Aerospace Maintenance Council Competition. Tech Ops – Tulsa team members mentored students leading up to the competition, and that partnership paid off — the team took first place among all 47 schools.
The Flagship San Francisco, a Douglas DC-3, leaves the hangar July 17, 1946, after undergoing the first aircraft overhaul at Tech Ops – Tulsa.
About American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL)
American Airlines is a premium global airline connecting more of the U.S. to the world. With roots tracing back to an air mail carrier in the Midwestern United States in 1926, American now operates more than 6,000 daily flights to more than 350 destinations in more than 60 countries and serves more than 200 million customers annually. Powered by a proud and talented team of 130,000 aviation professionals, American’s team lives out the airline’s purpose of caring for people on life’s journey every day.
The world’s largest airline proudly celebrates its centennial year in 2026, reaching a milestone that reflects a century of innovation and the Forever ForwardSM spirit that changed the industry and the world. American introduced the first scheduled air cargo service, the first airport lounge and the first airline loyalty program and continues to reinvent the customer experience today. The airline is also a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members serve more than 900 destinations around the globe.
sexta-feira, 19 de junho de 2026
FLEET - American Airlines issues RFP for widebody order
Speaking about long-term investments American is currently making, Isom said: “One good example is the work we are doing to shape the future of our widebody fleet. We currently have an RFP in the market, and are actively engaging with both Airbus and Boeing as we evaluate our next order for widebody aircraft.”
The company currently has 19 widebodies on order (all B787-9s) with options for 28 more.
“But given the long lead times associated with widebody deliveries and expected B777 retirements in the 2030s, now is the right time to define what comes next as we continue to expand and modernise our internationally capable fleet,” Isom said.
American Airlines operates a fleet of 1,030 aircraft, comprising 132 A319-100s, forty-eight A320-200s, 218 A321-200s, ten A321-200Ns, seventy-five A321-200NX, four A321-200NY(XLR)s, 103 B737-8s, 303 B737-800s, forty-seven B777-200ERs, twenty B777-300ERs, thirty-seven B787-8s, and thirty-three B787-9s.
Isom did not provide a potential timeline for the new order.
CH Aviation / Photo: Flyingphotos
Nile Air Grows Fleet with New Airbus A320 Addition
Egyptian private airline Nile Air has taken delivery of another Airbus A320-200, continuing a steady expansion of its narrowbody fleet as the carrier seeks to strengthen capacity on its regional network
Newsaero
FLEET - Arkia to add two A321-200s on lease
Deliveries are expected in 2027. The aircraft will join the Israeli carrier's in-house fleet comprising three A320-200s, two A321-200NX(LR)s, and two E195s.
Arkia has been heavily relying on wet leases to boots its peak capacity, and currently, among other aircraft, already sources an A321-200 from Electra Airways.
CH Aviation
quinta-feira, 18 de junho de 2026
NEW AIRLINE - United Nigeria inks Air Bissau relaunch with Guinea-Bissau
The agreement was signed in Bissau by Guinea-Bissau's Transport Minister, Florentino Mendes Pereira, and United Nigeria Airlines majority shareholder, chairman and CEO, Obiora Okonkwo.
Under the agreement, the parties will establish a joint venture (JV) to operate the new iteration of Air Bissau, which closed down in 1998.
Under the JV, United Nigeria Airlines will provide most of the investment, aircraft - most likely the airline's E145s - plus operational expertise and management. The Nigerian carrier will also supply an executive jet for use by the president and government of Guinea-Bissau.
For its part, the government has committed to designating Air Bissau as the country's official national carrier, giving it access to traffic rights under the country's bilateral air services agreement. It will also facilitate the airline's certification and licensing through the civil aviation authorities of Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria, while supporting airport infrastructure, customs, immigration, and security arrangements at Bissau, which will serve as the airline's base.
United Nigeria Airlines will also support the training of Air Bissau pilots, cabin crew, and maintenance personnel and employ local staff where feasible. The memorandum stipulates that operational control and day-to-day management of the airline will rest with United Nigeria Airlines.
The MOU takes immediate effect and will remain valid for 18 months or until the parties conclude a definitive joint venture agreement.
The old Air Bissau operated between 1960 and 1998, serving domestic and regional routes with B727-200s, Fairchild F-27s, An-24s, and An-26s. Since then, the country has relied on ASKY Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, and TAP Air Portugal for international connectivity.
Fleet expansion
Meanwhile, United Nigeria Airlines has taken delivery of the first of six B737-800s acquired from Southwest Airlines as part of its fleet expansion programme.
The 11.8-year-old N8642E (msn 42525) and 12.1-year-old N8627B (msn 36895) have been re-registered as 5N-CFC and 5N-CFB, respectively. According to ADS-B flight tracking data, 5N-CFB arrived in Lagos on June 13 after being ferried from Tallinn Lennart Meri via Algiers. Both aircraft were in Estonia since April 30 for painting and cabin reconfiguration in dual-class layouts.In an interview with ch-aviation in May 2026, Okonkwo said United Nigeria Airlines was targeting a fleet of 22 aircraft by the end of 2026 as it expands into at least five or six African destinations and launches intercontinental operations.
Apart from the B737-800s, the in-house fleet comprises three E145s.
The airline currently relies heavily on wet leases, including two A320-200s from Fly2Sky; two CRJ900s from CemAir; and one E190 from Windrose Airlines.
According to Okonkwo, United Nigeria Airlines plans to wet-lease five more aircraft, including two A330-200s from Air Anka, two E190s from TrueNoord, and one more E190 from Windrose Airlines, all still to be deployed.
CH Aviation
FLEET - Air Transat looks to renew A330s in 2029-32
Air Transat (TS, Montréal Trudeau) is approaching a pivotal moment in its fleet strategy, with the carrier expecting to decide within the next few years how to replace its ageing A330 fleet. While no formal decision has yet been taken, chief revenue officer Sebastián Ponce indicated that the timeframe for doing so is becoming increasingly clear.
The airline currently operates a fleet of A330-200s and A330-300s that remain well suited to its highly seasonal leisure business model. However, in an interview with ch-aviation during the IATA Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Ponce stressed that the A330s will eventually need to be replaced.
"At a point in time, we will need to replace our A330s. So even though we are very happy about them because they're low-cost old aircraft that fit very well into our seasonality, at a certain point around 2029-2032, we will be in need of replacing them. So we're working on that, how to replace them," he said.
The company operates a fully dry-leased fleet of eight A321-200s, nineteen A321-200NX(LR)s, thirteen A330-200s, and two A330-300s. The widebody fleet averages 20.5 and 18.7 years of age, respectively.
Potential for the XLR
Air Transat's only outstanding order is for four A321-200NY(XLR)s, which are scheduled to enter the fleet in late 2027. Ponce believes the aircraft will enable the airline to deepen its presence in thinner transatlantic markets that cannot sustain widebody operations. He described it as the natural evolution of the A321LRs already in the fleet.
Several potential markets are already being evaluated, including Rome Fiumicino and destinations in northern Italy, Central Europe, and North Africa. The executive added that the XLR could also improve the economics of existing routes currently operated by the LR, such as Lima International, where payload restrictions reduce the number of seats that can be sold.
However, all of this remains theoretical, as the performance of the XLR within Air Transat's specific operating environment still needs to be validated.
CH Aviation
AIRCRAFT / FLEET - Australia To The World, Non-Stop: Qantas To Launch History-Making Flights To London
Today’s announcement comes as the national carrier unveiled its first Airbus A350-1000ULR in Qantas livery at Airbus’ manufacturing facility in Toulouse, the result of years of development to conquer the final frontier of long-haul aviation as part of Project Sunrise.
Qantas has been flying between Sydney and London since 1947, when the original Kangaroo Route took four days with seven stops in Darwin, Singapore, Calcutta, Karachi, Cairo, Castel Benito and Rome, on its way to the UK.
The new non-stop flights will cut up to four hours off the travel time compared to current one-stop services. These historic ultra long-haul services will operate alongside Qantas’ existing Perth-London and Sydney-Singapore-London services. The first Project Sunrise Sydney to London services will go on sale in February 2027.
The A350-1000ULR has been specifically manufactured by Airbus for Project Sunrise, fitted with an additional 20,000-litre fuel tank that enables the aircraft to fly more than 16,000 kilometres, for up to 22 hours non-stop. Qantas will take delivery of 12 aircraft in total, each configured with 238 seats across four cabins.
A second aircraft is moving through its eight-week testing and certification program, having taken flight for the first time earlier this month.
“Qantas was built on the belief that Australia's distance from the rest of the world should never stand in the way. The pioneering spirit of generations of our people has forged that path ever since, and today is the most significant step in that mission in our 105-year history.
“Since we first flew the Kangaroo Route in 1947, where we stopped seven times on the way to London, every generation of aircraft has taken a stop out of the journey. Today, we're taking out the last one.
“We made a commitment in 2017 that Qantas would conquer the final frontier of long-haul aviation and connect Australia's east coast directly to London, something that has never before been possible. From October 2027, that promise becomes reality.”
Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Senator Don Farrell said:
“Every year millions of people travel between Australia and the United Kingdom to visit family, for holidays or for business, and from 2027 the journey will become more comfortable, quicker and easier.
“This is a significant milestone for aviation and tourism in both Australia and the UK and a demonstration of the strong friendship between our two nations.
“Australia is a world class tourism destination and the new direct route launched by Qantas will help bring more people to our shores to experience the best we have to offer.”
“This is a historic moment, not just for British aviation and tourism, but for the millions of passengers who will experience flying from Sydney to London non-stop for the first time.
“Qantas' decision to make London the first destination for Project Sunrise is a powerful vote of confidence in the UK as a hub for global tourism, and a reflection of the deep ties between our two countries.
“Today marks a new phase of this role, opening up new opportunities for businesses, tourism, and the people who make both possible across Australia and the UK.”
New research shows that Australians' appetite for non-stop, ultra long-haul flying has continued to grow, with intent to book rising from 58 to 70 per cent since February this year. Among premium travellers, that figure reaches 80 per cent, up 12 percentage points over the same period.
Since 2018, more than 1.7 million passengers have flown on Qantas' non-stop long-haul services from Perth to London, Rome and Paris, and its Melbourne to Dallas and Auckland to New York services, with these routes recording the highest customer satisfaction scores on the airline’s international network. Daily non-stop services between Sydney and London from late 2027 will significantly expand travel options for customers across Australia travelling to the UK and Europe.
Ms Hudson said the Project Sunrise experience represents a fundamentally different approach to long-haul travel.
“Eliminating the stopover saves customers up to four hours of travel time. This aircraft has been designed from the ground up for ultra long-haul travel, with a cabin built around science and combatting jetlag, with an onboard experience purpose-built for the length of the journey.”
In preparation for the aircraft’s arrival next year, Qantas pilots have commenced training on Australia’s first A350 simulator in Sydney and with British Airways in the UK. Over the coming months, some of its pilots will also fly with Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong.
Qantas’ current A330 pilots are making up the initial intake of Project Sunrise pilots, with 40 already in the process of training for the A350 alongside their existing A330 flying.
In total, more than 360 Qantas pilots and 1,200 cabin crew will be trained to operate Qantas’ fleet of Project Sunrise aircraft by the time the 12th A350ULR arrives.
On the ground, Qantas engineers have also started classroom training in Sydney and cabin crew will do the same shortly.
Project Sunrise will eventually connect Australia’s east coast with other international destinations, with Sydney-New York confirmed as the next service to follow Sydney-London. Launch timing for these services will be announced next year.
QANTAS
AIRLINE HISTORY DEFUNCT - Ghana Airways was the national flag carrier of Ghana from 1958 until it collapsed and ceased operations in 2004, eventually being liquidated in 2005
Flyingphotos - 9H-PHN - LHR, UK
IATA - GH
ICAO - GHA
Call sign - GHANA
Founded - 4 July 1958
Commenced operations - 16 July 1958
Ceased operations - June 2005
Hubs - Accra International Airport
Fleet size - 2
Destinations - 4
Parent company - Government of Ghana
Headquarters - Accra, Ghana
9G-ANA (c/n 48286 l/n 369, series -30) was built for the African airline and delivered in February 1983. It remained in the fleet 'till the shut-down of the company, being impounded few times (in LHR and also in FCO).
Fleet:
Airbus A320 - 1
BAC Vickers VC-10 - 2
Bristol 175 Britannia - 5
Convair 990 - 2
Douglas DC-8 - 3
McDonnell Douglas DC-9 - 8
McDonnell Douglas DC-10 - 6
McDonnell Douglas MD-11 - 1
Dusseldorf on October 28th, 2003, showing the plane in non-standard white colors.
Collection Guido Allieri
AIRLINE HISTORY DEFUNCT - Aviolet was a Serbian regional airline and a dedicated charter brand launched by Air Serbia in May 2014.
Primarily operating holiday flights out of Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport to tourist destinations in Egypt, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey, the brand ceased operations in 2021 when its charter services were fully absorbed by Air Serbia.
Boeing 737-300 -
(YU-AND, YU-ANI, YU-ANJ, YU-ANK)
Hub: Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport.
SPECIAL COLOURS - Harbour Air is celebrating the FIFA World Cup with a special livery on a De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Turbine Otter
Photos: Harbour Air
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