A Silk Way West Airlines Boeing 747-8 operating a cargo flight from Mexico City to Houston ended up approaching Dallas Fort Worth at 5,000 feet with critically low fuel. Despite being told they could not reach Houston, the pilots requested to continue, prompting a Houston controller to declare an emergency and divert the aircraft.
Aircraft Manufacturers
Airbus has moved the A350F freighter program significantly closer to its maiden flight after successfully completing a critical Ground Vibration Test (GVT) on the first flight-test aircraft at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS), France.
The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) has warned flight crews about a potentially catastrophic mechanical defect involving Airbus aircraft after two separate in-flight engine shutdown incidents raised concerns about cockpit safety systems.
Russia’s effort to develop a domestically built competitor to the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo reached a significant milestone after the first serial production Yakovlev MC-21-310 successfully completed its maiden test flight.
FAA certifies Boeing 737-7 for commercial service, clearing deliveries to Southwest Airlines and expanding the 737 MAX family.
United Airlines rejects Boeing 777X purchase rumors as Boeing advances certification and Emirates waits for future deliveries.
Boeing has absorbed another $280 million loss on the VC-25B Air Force One program, taking its total out-of-pocket charges past $3 billion. The company says the added spending covers extra production and certification resources needed to keep the first fully equipped presidential jet on track for delivery in 2028, more than three years later than originally planned.
Boeing’s 777-9 program has reached another important certification milestone after its seventh flight-test aircraft completed its maiden flight, taking the program beyond 4,800 flight-test hours.
Airbus has widened the timeframe for the A350F maiden flight, replacing an earlier third-quarter target with a commitment to fly before the end of 2026. Two test aircraft are being assembled in Toulouse for a 400-hour certification campaign, with first delivery still targeted for late 2027 and volume deliveries possible from 2028.
Boeing has completed the final planned certification flight for its 737-10, marking a significant milestone in the development of the largest member of the 737 MAX family.