Pratt & Whitney delivered less commercial aircraft engines in the first quarter than in any of the last three quarters, but the company’s profits went up because of continued strong demand. The Connecticut-based power plant maker produced 189 large commercial aircraft engines in the first quarter of 2019, up 52% from the same period last year, P&W parent United Technologies reported on 23rd of April 2019, yet it remains low compared to the last three quarters of 2018.

Representatives from at least nine countries and regions will form part of the panel that the US Federal Aviation Administration convened for the purpose of reviewing the Boeing 737 MAX flight control software. FAA’s “Joint Authorities Technical Review” panel (JATR) will have their first meeting on the 29th of April, said the FAA on the 19th of April. The group will conclude its review in approximately 90 days, adds the FAA, signalling the Boeing 737 MAX grounding might not lift until the second half of the year. The non-US representatives include “experts” from civil aviation authorities, including those overseeing airlines that have already received, or are expecting orders for the Boeing 737 MAX. “The JATR team will conduct a comprehensive review of the certification of the aircraft’s automated flight control system,” says the FAA. “The team will evaluate aspects of the 737 Max automated flight control system, including its design and pilots’ interaction with the system, to determine its compliance with all applicable regulations and to identify future enhancements that might be needed.”

Operators and owners of Cirrus Aircraft SF50 Vision Jets have been ordered urgently to replace the aircraft's angle-of-attack sensors, after three incidents in which stall-protection systems have inappropriately activated.
The United States Federal Aviation Administration has warned that activation of the stall-warning or the electronic stability protection systems may activate even if the aircraft is flying at a normal angle-of-attack with sufficient airspeed. The FAA say's: “The noted condition presents an immediate danger to pilots and passengers of [the SF50] because an uncommanded pitch down may be difficult to recover from in some flight regimes, with potential fatal consequences".Operators will, however be allowed, to fly affected aircraft to a location where the modification work can be performed, subjected to specific procedures.
Cirrus says that, having investigated the matter, it has identified a hardware issue – not a software problem – with the angle-of-attack sensor. It also highlights that “no accidents have resulted” from the issue.