The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a $19.7 million fine against Boeing for regulatory violations related to sensors on nearly 800 examples of the 737NG and 737 Max. In a 6 March enforcement letter to Boeing, the FAA says sensors that feed head-up guidance systems made by Rockwell Collins, now Collins Aerospace, were not approved to work with those guidance systems. Chicago-based Boeing says the FAA’s findings “do not involve a safety issue” and that the company has cooperated with the FAA’s investigation. Asked if it might need to modify affected 737s, Boeing says it believes “there are no issues with the physical units” and that the fine relates only to documentation. “Boeing certified on applications for airworthiness certificates that [the aircraft] were airworthy, when the aircraft contained sensors that were not” approved, says the FAA’s letter, addressed to Boeing vice-president of engineering for commercial airplanes Lynne Hopper. The proposed fine applies to sensors feeding Collins’ 4000 series head-up guidance systems on 618 737NGs and 6000 series systems on 173 737 Max, the letter says. “Boeing failed to verify whether the installed sensors were listed on the applicable sensor interchangeability document,” the FAA says. “Boeing presented the… 791 aircraft for airworthy when the aircraft were un-airworthy.” Boeing says the FAA’s “findings relate to insufficient documentation to validate that improved parts that provided input to the [head-up system] complied with the Collins… certification documentation”. “A detailed review of the… installation found the parts met or exceeded all original requirements,” it adds. “The original certification documentation was not properly updated to reflect the improved parts installed by Boeing.” Collins declines to comment. The FAA has given Boeing 30 days to respond.

Source: Cirium

Airbus delivered 55 aircraft last month but, after starting the year with a surge of orders, recorded no new activity during February. Net orders stayed at 274 aircraft. Airbus handed over nine A350s, comprising seven -900s and two -1000s, to customers in the course of the month, as well as a pair of A330s. It also delivered 40 A320-family jets, all but three of them re-engined variants, and four A220s. Airbus's total deliveries for the first two months of 2020 reached 86 aircraft, comprising 72 single-aisle and 14 twin-aisle jets. Aeroflot received its first A350 while Saudi Arabian budget airline Flyadeal took its initial A320neo from lessor Avolon. EgyptAir and Swiss also became new A320neo operators.

Souce: Cirium

Alitalia’s extraordinary commissioner has formally invited parties to express interest in all or parts of the airline, setting an 18 March deadline for submissions. Giuseppe Leogrande detailed the invitation in a document, dated 5 March, covering Alitalia and Alitalia Cityliner – both of which are in administration. Offers for various lot configurations will be accepted, the document states. It says parties can express interest in the entire airline business or, alternatively, the separate aviation activities, ground-handling activities or aircraft maintenance activities. Interest in other possible combinations will only be considered if no offers for the whole business, or its components, are submitted. The document also sets out financial conditions, such as turnover thresholds, for candidates interested in each of the activities. It gives the deadline for declaring interest in the potential transactions as midnight on 18 March, and those received outside of this limit “will not be taken into consideration”. Within five days the commissioner will communicate details on procedures for admission to the data room of the corresponding organisation, and successful candidates will also be advised of timing for presenting binding offers.

Source: Cirium