quarta-feira, 15 de abril de 2026
FLEET - USC sells two A340s for teardown
CH Aviation
White House repurposes ex-DHS B737-8(BBJ) for cabinet duties
The 2018-built B737-8(BBJ), N471US (msn 61329), entered service in late 2025 under a DHS lease arrangement during the tenure of former homeland security secretary Kristi Noem, a deal that later drew scrutiny following reported personal use by Noem and then-chief of staff Corey Lewandowski.
Noem, who was ousted in March and succeeded by Markwayne Mullin, had intended to acquire the aircraft, with plans reportedly including high-profile deportation operations alongside cabinet-level transport. ICE officials involved in the process believed those plans had been abandoned before the White House ultimately proceeded with the acquisition.
“ICE purchased this aircraft before Secretary Mullin was confirmed,” a DHS spokesperson said, putting the cost at approximately USD70 million. “This aircraft will be available to cabinet members who require secure command-and-control capability and rapid long-range mobility,” the spokesperson added.
Fitted with additional amenities comparable with other aircraft in the government fleet, including those used for vice-president transport, namely four B757-200(C-32A)s and four B757-200(VC-32A)s, the B737-8(BBJ) was recently used as part of the delegation supporting United States vice president JD Vance's trip to Pakistan for ceasefire negotiations with Iran.
Based at Camp Springs, the aircraft initially operated under a government callsign typically reserved for presidential operations, 'EXEC1F', on December 22. The designation has since been used on multiple occasions, including travel by first lady Melania Trump.
The aircraft was originally sourced by Salus Worldwide Solutions, an entity controlled by individuals linked to military MRO specialist Daedalus Aviation, which secured a contract valued at approximately USD140 million to conduct deportation flights. Salus Worldwide Solutions also obtained a USD915 million deportation contract in 2025.
This B737-8(BBJ) was not the only VIP-configured aircraft acquired by DHS during Noem's tenure. A G650 and a G650(ER) were also sourced through Salus Worldwide Solutions and form part of a broader USD464.5 million allocation for the procurement of a total of 10 aircraft for deportation-related aviation operations, following a recently approved USD262.5 million adjustment.
Beyond this, also during Noem's tenure, DHS took delivery of two G700s under a USD172.2 million contract awarded to Gulfstream Aerospace, deployed on VIP transport for United States Coast Guard leadership and senior DHS officials.
CH Aviation
“ICE purchased this aircraft before Secretary Mullin was confirmed,” a DHS spokesperson said, putting the cost at approximately USD70 million. “This aircraft will be available to cabinet members who require secure command-and-control capability and rapid long-range mobility,” the spokesperson added.
Fitted with additional amenities comparable with other aircraft in the government fleet, including those used for vice-president transport, namely four B757-200(C-32A)s and four B757-200(VC-32A)s, the B737-8(BBJ) was recently used as part of the delegation supporting United States vice president JD Vance's trip to Pakistan for ceasefire negotiations with Iran.
Based at Camp Springs, the aircraft initially operated under a government callsign typically reserved for presidential operations, 'EXEC1F', on December 22. The designation has since been used on multiple occasions, including travel by first lady Melania Trump.
The aircraft was originally sourced by Salus Worldwide Solutions, an entity controlled by individuals linked to military MRO specialist Daedalus Aviation, which secured a contract valued at approximately USD140 million to conduct deportation flights. Salus Worldwide Solutions also obtained a USD915 million deportation contract in 2025.
This B737-8(BBJ) was not the only VIP-configured aircraft acquired by DHS during Noem's tenure. A G650 and a G650(ER) were also sourced through Salus Worldwide Solutions and form part of a broader USD464.5 million allocation for the procurement of a total of 10 aircraft for deportation-related aviation operations, following a recently approved USD262.5 million adjustment.
Beyond this, also during Noem's tenure, DHS took delivery of two G700s under a USD172.2 million contract awarded to Gulfstream Aerospace, deployed on VIP transport for United States Coast Guard leadership and senior DHS officials.
CH Aviation
FLEET - Small Fly wet leases Do228 for Elba ops
Small Fly (PI, Malta International) has wet leased a Do228-212 from Sevenair (Portugal) (RVP, Cascais) to operate its public service obligation flights from Elba Island to Florence Peretola and Pisa on the mainland.
CS-ATI (msn 8155), an aircraft that had been inactive since early 2024, was reactivated and ferried from Cascais via Sevilla to Florence on April 13, and then to Elba the day after.
Small Fly initially scheduled the induction of the Do228 on its services from Elba to the mainland for early April, but used its in-house Beech 1900D King Airs and Tecnam P2012 for the first half of the month. It serves Florence 5x weekly and Pisa 2x weekly. Starting in late May, it will also add 3x weekly services to Milan Linate and 2x weekly flights to Rome Fiumicino, which are also scheduled to be operated by Sevenair.
The Maltese carrier won the PSO contract for seasonal flights from Elba last year. In 2025, it wet-leased a King Air from Luxwing for these flights. It is the only scheduled operator at Elba, and replaced Rhein-Neckar Air, which went out of business in 2024.
Small Fly's in-house fleet comprises three King Air 200s and one P2012. The airline also plans to operate peak-season scheduled services from St. Tropez in France to Nice and Cuneo, currently scheduled with the P2012.
Sevenair operates two Do228-200s and two Do228-212s, one BAe Jetstream 32, and multiple smaller aircraft used for sightseeing flights and pilot training. Its main revenue stream is the Portuguese PSO network, currently operated with two Do228s. The Jetstream 32 is deployed between São Tome and Principe. The airline's flight operations chief, Sérgio Leal, told ch-aviation last year that securing more PSO and ACMI contracts was a strategic goal for the company.
CH Aviation
NEW AIRLINE - WEAIR: New cargo airline in Sri Lanka
WEAIR, a new entrant into Sri Lanka’s aviation sector, is set to commence operations in May 2026,
WEAIR plans to establish a regional network connecting Colombo with major destinations across South Asia, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, leveraging the island’s strategic geographic location at the crossroads of global trade routes.
The airline will begin operations with a Boeing 737-800 freighter
A second aircraft is expected to be inducted by December 2026, followed by additional aircraft in 2027 and 2028.
terça-feira, 14 de abril de 2026
VINTAGE Aircraft - Air Lanka / A340-300 / 4R-ADC, 4R-ADA
Flyingphotos-LHR -4R-ADC 
Flyingphotos - LHR - 4R-ADA
Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) - 032
Age 21.9 Years at the end of its life
Test Registration - F-WWJT
Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) - 034
Age 20.8 Years
at the end of its lifeTest Registration - F-WWJY
VINTAGE Aircraft - Air France / F-BVGO / Airbus A300B4
Flyingphotos-Lisboa
Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) - 129
Converted May 1999 - Airbus A300B4-200(F)
Age 34.9 Years - at the end of its life
Destroyed Afgooye, Somalia, between Oct 2019 & Jan 2020,
F-BVGO - Airbus A300B4 - Air Jamaica - Apr 1987 leased from Air France
F-BVGO - Airbus A300B4 - Air France - Mar 1989
N825SC - Airbus A300B4-200(F) - FSBU First Security Bank of Utah - Aug 1998
SU-BMZ - Airbus A300B4-200(F) Tristar Air
SU-BMZ - Airbus A300B4-200(F) - Khalifa Airways Cargo
SU-BMZ - Airbus A300B4-200(F) - Tristar Air
Nigeria's Air Peace moots first int'l flights from Iper
He says the carrier has secured ministerial approval and will deploy B777s on both routes.
Air Peace already operates to Heathrow from Abuja and to Gatwick from Abuja and Lagos.
It has two B777-200ERs and one B777-300 stationed at Gatwick and one B777-300 stationed at Lagos, which is currently in maintenance.
Ogun State has outlined plans for expansion and growing cargo operations at the airport, which opened for scheduled commercial flight operations in October 2025.
CH Aviation
Titan Airways delivers World Cup trophy to Mexico
At the end of February this year Titan successfully completed its part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Cola Cola.
The Tour, a joint initiative between FIFA and sponsors Coca Cola, has been part of the build up to the Football World Cup for 20 years and offers fans around the world the opportunity to see the iconic Trophy and meet the game’s greatest stars.
Titan flew the Trophy Tour for the last two tournaments in 2018 and 2022, making 2026 the third consecutive time we have been awarded the prestigious contract.
We launched the 2026 Tour on 2nd January and over the course of the next two months, made 33 stops in 29 countries, finally delivering the Trophy to one of the cohost nations, Mexico. During the Tour, we hosted the world’s press, VIP guests and representatives from Coca Cola and Fifa, as well as the original Trophy itself.
Our thanks to Air Partner USA, FIFA and Coca Cola for the award of the contract. Our thanks too to our incredible team here, as well as to our suppliers, who worked so hard to make a success of a challenging project.
Titan Airways
Air India’s First Retrofitted B787-8 Touches Down In Delhi
Air India's fully retrofitted VT-ANT at San Bernardino, USA
Air India today welcomed its first retrofitted, twin-aisle B787-8 (registered VT-ANT), marking the successful completion of a nose-to-tail cabin refresh of the first of 26 B787 aircraft. This is just the beginning of a transformed flying experience for our guests as these twin-aisle aircraft serve several long-haul destinations across the UK, Europe, USA and Far East.
The aircraft, which received comprehensive interior upgrades at Boeing’s Modification Center in Victorville, California, was subsequently painted in Air India’s striking new livery at AeroPro, an FAA Part-145 certified aircraft paint facility in San Bernardino, California.
Following the requisite regulatory certifications and clearances, the aircraft operated a non-stop ferry flight from San Bernardino to Delhi, flying over the Pacific and landing at 2244 hrs today.
Air India
AIRLINE HISTORY MERGED - Karthago Airlines was a Tunisian private charter airline founded in 2001, specializing in flights between Europe and Tunisia (mainly Tunis and Djerba)
Flyingphotos - Lisboa - B737-300-TS-IED
It ceased independent operations after merging with Nouvelair Tunisia in January 2011. The airline operated Boeing 737 aircraft before the merger.IATA - 5R
ICAO - KAJ
Call sign - KARTHAGO
Founded - 2001
Ceased operations - 2010
Operating bases:
Djerba-Zarzis Airport
Tunis-Carthage International Airport
Parent company - Karthago Group
Headquarters - Tunis, Tunisia
Notes - Merged into Nouvelair
Fleet:
Airbus A320-200 - 1
Boeing 737-300 - 6
Subscrever:
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