FLEET - ValueJet Secures Second Boeing 737- 800 Airlines Nigeria

ValueJet is pushing ahead with its fleet diversification strategy by securing a second Boeing 737-800. 

The Nigerian private carrier will leverage this single-aisle addition to scale up its operations and launch new regional routes across the continent.

Newsaero / Valuejet

AIRCRAFT - First fully UK-built Britten-Norman Islander begins ground testing

The first Islander to be fully built in the UK since Britten-Norman repatriated production to Bembridge has begun its ground test programme, with first flight planned for September.

Delivery to the Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS) will follow completion of flight testing and customer preparation, and the company is opening its production line to customers and media ahead of the aircraft’s formal launch later this year.


The aircraft was rolled out at the company’s Isle of Wight facility on 30 July, the day after electrical power was successfully applied for the first time. The roll-out followed the installation of the aircraft’s engines, propellers, cowlings, electrical systems, brakes and flight control surfaces and mechanisms, and came in sequence with the programme’s previous public milestones: 75% structural completion confirmed in June, power-on on 29th July, and roll-out the following day.


The aircraft is the first Islander to be fully assembled through Britten-Norman’s reshored UK production line, marking the return of complete civil Islander manufacturing to the United Kingdom following a period in which major assemblies were manufactured overseas prior to final assembly in the UK.


Behind this aircraft, the production line is already at work. A second airframe is progressing through the line, components for follow-on aircraft are in manufacture, and the company is establishing a continuous production cadence at Bembridge, supported by investment in new machinery, tooling and facilities and a workforce that has grown by more than 40% since production was reshored.


The new-build aircraft retains the qualities that have kept Islanders in service worldwide for more than five decades: low operating costs, rugged reliability and unmatched short-strip performance, now delivered through more modern manufacturing methods and tooling. This aircraft is built to the same standard its operators have always relied upon, an airframe with a proven track record of 50 years of service life.


Duane Stewart, General Manager of the Falkland Islands Government Air Service, said, “We’re delighted to see this new aircraft taking shape and look forward to welcoming it to the Falkland Islands. We’re incredibly grateful to Britten-Norman for their continued support and the strong relationship we have built over the decades. This new Islander will be a valuable addition to the FIGAS fleet and help us continue providing an essential service to our community for years to come.”
Peter McKenna, owner of Aer Arann, said, “Having been an Islander operator for more than 56 years, we are thrilled to see new Islanders coming off the line at Bembridge. Nothing rivals the rugged reliability of the Islander, and our fleet is testament to that. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Britten-Norman for many more years to come.”
 

FLEET - Fly Khiva negotiates B737 dry lease

Fly Khiva (2U, Tashkent International) is negotiating the dry lease of an additional B737 as it considers retaining wet-leased B737-800 capacity from GetJet Airlines, industry outlet CentralAsia+Aero reported citing a representative of the Uzbek carrier.

The prospective dry lease would be separate from the current ACMI arrangement covering GetJet Airlines' B737-800 LY-DUE (msn 33996). However, details remain scarce as to the variant, lessor, number of aircraft involved, and expected delivery date. The carrier is also considering extending the wet lease of LY-DUE, with no revised end date disclosed as yet.

Separately, Fly Khiva plans to return B757-300 UK75006 (msn 29434) to service during autumn 2026. The aircraft has been undergoing maintenance since January, leaving UK75007 (msn 30179) as its only active B757.

As ch-aviation previously reported, Fly Khiva said in December 2025 that it aimed to acquire two B737 MAX jets in 2027 as part of plans to expand its fleet.

The Uzbek passenger and cargo carrier operates an in-house fleet of two B757-300s and one B767-300ER(BCF).

CH Aviation

 

FLEET - Caliphate Air Takes Delivery of E190.

Caliphate Air is building its operations around Abuja as its principal hub, with plans to connect several major Nigerian cities.

The proposed network includes Sokoto, Kano, Gusau, Birnin Kebbi, Maiduguri, Yola, Lagos and Port Harcourt.

The newly delivered E190 is expected to provide Caliphate Air with greater passenger-carrying capacity compared with its ERJ-145 aircraft.

According to information provided by the airline, the E190 can accommodate between 96 and 114 passengers, depending on its configuration.

2026 ROUTES

Suparna Airlines (China) began cargo flights from Jiaxing to Los Angeles via Anchorage on 26 July 2026, with B747-400F, serial 35235.

Spring Airlines (China) plans to launch Yangzhou – Jeju route on 26 October 2026, with A320.

Sky Alps (Italy) plans Bolzano – Paris CDG nonstop flight from 13 December 2026, with Q400.

FlyOne Asia (Uzbekistan) plans Tashkent – Delhi route on 06 November 2026, with A320.

Maldivian is currently working on acquiring a second A330-200, as it plans to launch direct flights to Russia in 2027.


FlyArystan (Azerbaijan) plans Aktau – Yerevan route from 16 December 2026 with A320.


Ethiopian Airlines has launched a new freighter service between Chengdu and Addis Ababa on 28 August 2026, with B777F.


Centrum Air (Uzbekistan) plans to resume Tashkent – Mattala route on 28 October 2026, with A320neo.

Check with the airline.

FLEET - Romania's TAROM wet leases another A320-200

TAROM (RO, Bucharest Henri Coanda) has wet leased another A320-200 from Avion Express (X9, Vilnius) to support its capacity needs during the busy IATA summer season, the Lithuanian ACMI provider announced.

According to ch-aviation data, the aircraft in question is the 19.6-year-old LY-NVI (msn 3004), which will be based at Bucharest Henri Coanda for the duration of the contract. Avion Express, in turn, dry leases the aircraft from FTAI Aviation. The 180-seater, economy-class-only airframe previously flew for Bamboo Airways and Etihad Airways, having first been delivered to IndiGo Airlines in 2007.

ADS-B data shows the aircraft was ferried from Vilnius to Bucharest on August 16, 2026. It is currently serving European cities such as Amsterdam Schiphol, Frankfurt International, Athens, Madrid Barajas, and Cluj-Napoca.

CH Aviation

LY-NVI replaces another A320-200, LY-NVJ (msn 3050), which TAROM had wet leased from Avion Express for one month until August 15, when it returned to Bucharest.

TAROM already wet leases another A320-200, YR-HAA (msn 2881), from Hello Jets (H3, Bucharest Henri Coanda), ch-aviation data reveals.

The Romanian airline's in-house fleet comprises two owned ATR72-500s (one currently stored and one in maintenance); four ATR72-600s leased from DAE Capital, with three more of the type on order; three B737-700s (two inactive); and four B737-800s leased from Carlyle Aviation Partners, BBAM, and Altavair. TAROM also has nine B737-8s on order, according to ch-aviation data.

ch-aviation has contacted the airline for comment.

CH Aviation

FLEET - Air New Zealand expects up to two A320neo/A321neo to be AOG through 2027, after the last B787s returned from long-term storage in June 2026

Of the four short-term leased aircraft used in 2026, one has been returned, one is being returned now, and the remaining two will exit in 2028.

Photo: hsckcwong