Chinese Aviation Grabs the Spotlight

China’s biggest air show opened in the southern city of Zhuhai on Tuesday under a zero-COVID-19 policy that prevented several delegates to enter the show. The China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition, organized by China’s Administration of Civil Aviation, aims to promote trade talks and technological exchange and takes place in Zhuhai, in the country’s southern Guangdong province.

During the event, the local planemaker Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) performed a flying display of its C919, which is the recently certified homegrown rival to the popular Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX narrowbody families. The display came the same day China Southern Airline operated its last Airbus A380 flight from Los Angeles to Guangzhou, according to FlightRadar24, marking the retirement of Airbus’ superjumbo from its fleet and from China.

For the first time, Airbus, Boeing and COMAC all had single-aisle aircraft on display at China’s airshow, which is normally biennial. However, the 2020 edition was delayed to 2021 due to the pandemic. "Zhuhai is of intense interest to China aviation spotters and missing the show is a significant lost opportunity for those seeking to understand China's opaque commercial and defense aerospace sectors," said to Reuters Greg Waldron, Managing Editor Asia, FlightGlobal.

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Chinese Planemaker COMAC Receives Orders for 330 Jets

COMAC has secured orders from multiple leasing firms to supply a total of 330 planes. The planemaker informed during China’s Airshow that 300 of the planes are narrowbody jetliner C919s and 30 are ARJ21 regional jets.

China Confirms US$17 Billion Orders for 140 Airbus Jets

China’s state aircraft buying agency officially signed orders to buy 140 Airbus airplanes worth about US$17 billion, said China Aviation Supplies Holding. All 140 planes are part of pre-existing orders, with some included in the order of 292 jets announced in July 2022. The formal signing of the agreement took place on Friday, during German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’ visit to China.

LATAM Airlines Completes Restructuring, Exits Chapter 11

Latin America’s leading airline group, LATAM Group, announced that it successfully completed its financial restructuring process in the US, which started in May 2020. LATAM Group exits Chapter 11 as a more efficient group and with a modernized fleet, the company said.

HondaJet Elite II Receives FAA Certification, Deliveries to Start Soon

The upgraded HondaJet Elite II, which was announced in October 2022, has received FAA approval, reported Aviation International News. The range of the Elite II expanded to 1,547nm, with increased fuel capacity and gross weight. “Users will enjoy greater mission capability and more flexibility than ever before,” according to Honda Aircraft. Other upgrades include a new ground spoiler system that optimizes takeoff and landing performance at the higher maximum takeoff weight.