Boeing took new orders for 63 aircraft in November amid a bump in demand for its troubled 737 Max. Order conversions and cancellations however, pushed down Boeing’s total commercial aircraft backlog by 13 aircraft, to 5,444 at the end of November. The 63 new orders included 20 737 Max aircraft booked by an unidentified customer and 10 737 Max ordered by German-Turkish leisure carrier SunExpress. An unidentified customer also cancelled orders for two 737 Max business jets, and an order conversion by lessor CALC Aircraft Assets removed another eight Max from Boeing’s order book. With those changes, Boeing’s 737 order book increased by 18 aircraft in November, to 4,405 – the first time this year that the Max backlog has gone up, the company says. The 737 Max remains grounded. Boeing’s number of 787s on order jumped by 20 aircraft in November, ending the month at 542, while Boeing’s 777 backlog declined by 45 aircraft, to 383. During the period, Emirates converted 30 777X to 30 787-9s, and Boeing also reduced Emirates 777X order book by 11 aircraft, from 126 to 115, due to contract “revisions”, Boeing says. Additionally, lessor CACL ordered two 787-9s in November via the 737 Max conversion. Boeing also recorded one new 787 order, and one 787 cancellation, during November, both from undisclosed customers. Boeing’s ended November with 97 787s and 17 767 aircraft on backorder. Between January and November, Boeing’s took orders for 243 aircraft, but cancellations and conversions have reduced year-to-date net orders to 56. Boeing delivered 24 aircraft in November, bringing total 2019 deliveries to 345 aircraft. The November deliveries included two 737-800-based P-8 naval patrol aircraft, one 747-8 Freighter, three 767-based KC-46A military tankers, two 767-300Fs, four 777s and 12 787s, the company’s figures show.

Source: FlightGlobal

European Union representatives have lodged an appeal against the latest findings from a World Trade Organization panel regarding the long-running transatlantic subsidies dispute. The WTO's findings distributed on 2 December stated that the EU side had failed to show that German and UK subsidy to the Airbus A350 had been fully withdrawn. Its analysis also found that French, German, UK and Spanish subsidies for the A380 programme had been withdrawn despite amendments to loan agreements. The WTO was also not convinced by EU arguments that the termination of the A380 programme earlier this year amounted to further confirmation of the subsidy withdrawal. A380 and A350 subsidies, it found, were still having a direct effect on the markets for the aircraft – although they were not responsible for the presence of the A330neo. Airbus had signaled that it would appeal the findings, and the WTO states that the EU side filed an appeal on 6 December. The WTO has yet to release details of this appeal.

Source: FlightGlobal

Armenia's civil aviation regulator has been placed under increased monitoring by European safety authorities as part of a revision of the European Commission airline blacklist. In its update the Commission has not specified the reasons for its concerns with the Armenian organisation. The revision has also lifted restrictions on carriers from Gabon, after the safety situation in the African state improved. New European transport commissioner Adina Valean says Gabon has been released after more than a decade on the blacklist. "It is very good that we can recognise the efforts the aviation safety authorities in Gabon have made," she adds. Fifteen states remain subject to a blanket ban, along with six individual airlines, while three other carriers are under partial restrictions. Next year the Commission and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency are to undertake two co-operation programmes intended to assist Angola and Mozambique with safety oversight improvement.

Source: FlightGlobal