Aviation

Bloomberg The Air Force’s classified next-generation bomber programme began with a solid plan for meeting cost goals and warfighting requirements, which include an option to fly unmanned missions, according to a newly declassified audit from the Pentagon’s inspector general. The challenge will be sticking to that plan. The early praise for the $80 billion B-21 programme came about a month ...

Bloomberg At 80 years old, the self-proclaimed father of the ultra-discount airline model is still swinging for the fences, stealing the spotlight at this year’s Dubai Airshow with the biggest order ever placed for Airbus SE commercial aircraft. William Augustus Franke, co-founder and managing partner of private equity firm Indigo Partners, joined Airbus in announcing the deal for 430 aircraft, ...

Bloomberg Senate Republicans say their tax bill will bring big tax cuts for middle-class families and businesses. It’ll also make sure that owners of private jets don’t get hit with the same taxes that commercial carriers face. The revised bill that emerged from the Senate Finance Committee has a provision that scraps excise taxes on management services for private aircraft. ...

Bloomberg Airbus SE might yet win a long-anticipated A380 superjumbo order from Gulf carrier Emirates before the end of the year, but must pledge to extend the ailing programme for a further decade in order to secure the deal. The European planemaker had planned to announce the sale at the recently concluded Dubai Airshow, Chief Operating Officer Fabrice Bregier confirmed ...

Bloomberg President Donald Trump has compared landing at Los Angeles International and other US airports to arriving in a third-world country. But a provision in the tax bill passed by the House of Representatives would eliminate a tool central to his $1 trillion pledge to upgrade airports and other public works. The House measure would eliminate a form of tax-exempt ...

Bloomberg There’s some simple math when it comes to airfares: the higher the price, the bigger the profit. And the most expensive tickets tend to be those sold at the very last minute—specifically those picked up by business travellers with schedules dictated by sudden deals and unexpected client meetings. And not coincidentally, these fares are usually paid for by the ...

Bloomberg Airbus SE announced the biggest commercial-plane transaction in its history, securing an order for single-aisle aircraft valued at nearly $50 billion at the Dubai Airshow, outdoing Boeing Co.’s own $20 billion mega-deal. Wednesday’s pact for 430 A320neo planes with US investor Indigo Partners marked a turnaround for Airbus at the Gulf expo, where it had been trailing its rival. ...

Bloomberg Southwest Airlines Co.’s new 737 Max jets will offer the latest and greatest in flying efficiency from Boeing Co.—at least once all the kinks are worked out. In its first month of flying, the 10 Max planes in Southwest’s fleet ranked behind its more seasoned aircraft for on-time performance. While the hiccups weren’t serious, they served as a reminder ...

Bloomberg Pratt & Whitney is close to unveiling a design change for engines used in Airbus SE A320neo and Bombardier Inc. C-Series jets aimed at fixing issues with a carbon seal that has led customers to ground dozens of brand new planes, a person with knowledge of the matter said. Pratt is switching to a proven technology that reduces instances ...

Bloomberg Emirates President Tim Clark urged Airbus SE to make firm commitments on the future of its A380 airliner, demanding certainty before placing a follow-up order that production will continue until all aircraft are delivered. “It’s their call,” Clark, speaking to journalists at the Dubai Airshow, said of Airbus and the future of the manufacturer’s flagship product. “It’s really for ...