French investigation authority BEA is to carry out the download and read-out of information from flight recorders retrieved from the Ukrainian Boeing 737-800 shot down over Tehran. The work is set to commence on 20 July, following a request from Iranian investigators, states BEA. It will cover repair and data download from both the cockpit-voice and flight-data recorders from the Ukraine International Airlines aircraft that came down on 8 January, a few minutes after departing Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport. ICAO’s Council states that it has been formally advised by Iranian representatives that the recorder work will be carried out in France. The decision appears to end nearly six months of political impasse regarding the analysis, after Iran’s government unexpectedly admitted – some three days after the crash – that it had accidentally shot down the 737. ICAO states that its advisors will “continue supporting all parties” during the investigation. Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation remains the lead investigation agency into the loss of flight PS752. Canadian representatives are participating in the inquiry, and Transportation Safety Board of Canada says it has been informed of the recorder decision. It states that it has been invited to participate in the download and plans to deploy a team of investigators specialising in such analysis. Iran’s foreign affairs ministry advised a few days ago that it had told the Canadian government it planned to send the recorders to France.

Source: Cirium

The Federal Aviation Administration confirms it has approved the start of Boeing 737 Max certification flights, clearing the way for that phase of the certification process to begin as early as 29 June. It defers further comment to Boeing. The Chicago-based airframer declines to comment about the FAA’s approval, saying it is letting the agency take the lead. “We continue to work diligently on safely returning the 737 Max to commercial service. We defer to the FAA and global regulators on the certification process,” Boeing says. Bloomberg reports that the FAA emailed Congressional staffers on 28 June saying the agency’s Type Inspection Authorization Board “has completed its review, clearing the way for flight certification testing to begin”. Boeing has said the flights could take place over several days. Certification flights are among the final step prior to the FAA issuing an airworthiness directive (AD) lifting the grounding. The AD will specify measures operators must take before returning the jets to revenue service. Boeing has said it expects the AD will come in time to permit it to resume 737 Max deliveries in the third quarter of the year. Other steps the FAA must complete prior to certification include issuance of a pilot training assessment by a Joint Operations Evaluation Board (JOEB). That panel is composed of regulators from the FAA and other countries, and pilots.
The FAA’s Flight Standardization Board must then review the JOEB’s report and issue pilot training requirements.

Source: Cirium

Bain Capital has won the bid for Virgin Australia and is working with the airline's administrators to close the sale, which is "subject to minimal conditions precedent" The final shortlist, announced on 2 June, comprised of US private investment firm Bain and the Richard Branson-linked Cyrus Capital Partners, a New York-based investment advisory firm. Administrator Deloitte said today in a disclosure to the Australian Securities Exchange it received binding proposals from both parties on 22 June, as well as several proposals from other interested parties this week. One of them, received on 24 June, was "from the representatives of an ad hoc group of bondholders of the Virgin Australia Group". Deloitte says: "Having considered those bids, the administrators are pleased to confirm they have now entered into a sale and implementation deed with Bain Capital which will result in the sale and recapitalisation of the businesses of [Virgin Australia Holdings] and its subsidiaries (VAH Group). "The sale and implementation deed is subject to minimal conditions precedent such as regulatory approvals. Approval by the Australian Treasurer pursuant to the Australian Foreign Investment Review laws has already been received by Bain Capital." Virgin Australia will also hold its second creditors' meeting before the end of August. Deloitte says in the same statement: "The report to creditors will detail the estimated return to creditors and will provide further details with respect to the steps to be taken to complete the sale of the VAH Group."

Source: Cirium