Airliner World July 2008

We start the April issue of Airliner World in Seattle as the Boeing 777X completes its maiden flight. We examine the prospects for the new widebody, check out the technical specifications and ask if a successful launch campaign will be enough to revive the fortunes of the US aerospace giant. Across the pond, we’re also in Copenhagen as SAS Scandinavian Airlines enters an exciting new era with the arrival of its first Airbus A350. We speak to the key decision makers and learn more about the flag carrier’s ambitions for the jet as part of a wider sustainability push. Elsewhere, we have the first of a two-part retrospective examining the fascinating history of British Airtours, complete with rare archive imagery and first-hand accounts. We also travel to Montreal to welcome the first of Air Canada’s Airbus A220-300s, venture to Russia’s remote White Sea coast in search of rare Soviet relics, and warm things up in Dubai with an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour around the Emirates Flight Training Academy. Finally, we bring you our comprehensive coverage of worldwide news, including all the news and analysis from a rather subdued Singapore Airshow, a new Senegalese service for Stansted and Aegean Airlines reveals its slick new livery. We also have all our regular sections covering the latest commercial aircraft acquisitions, up-to-date accident reports and developments from the world of aviation training and MROs.

WIZZ AIR A320 FROM the Cockpit Kansas CITY Airport Beech 1900 Regional Turboprop

As the aviation industry gathers in Atlanta for MRO Americas 2025 from April 8-10, Airliner World examines some recent market developments in this special supplement compiled and produced by Bernie Baldwin. Engines are vital to flight, so ongoing airworthiness is paramount. Aircraft engines and maintenance procedures are constantly changing, and we talk to GE Aerospace, CTS Engines and Magnetic Engines to discover how their support programmes are evolving and learn how each of them stands out from the competition. It’s astonishing to think that a smartphone has more computing power than the Concorde flight deck – and that also means maintaining avionics in a fully functioning state requires specialised processes. Thales is a major supplier of systems, knowledge and equipment for undertaking customer MRO and can also help operators wishing to carry out their own MRO work.