Boeing on Tuesday revealed a sizeable deal with Thai Airways consisting of 45 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, initially in 787-9 form, powered by GE Aerospace GEnx engines. The contract includes options for 35 more aircraft and grants the ability to switch to the larger 787-10 or even the 777X. The sides finalized the order in December but didn't publicly reveal it until Tuesday at the Singapore Airshow.

For Thai Airways, the influx of 787s will fuel a major increase in capacity to meet the growing demand for air travel in Southeast Asia. The carrier reached a type/engine selection decision in just 10 months, accelerating an evaluation process that had hitherto taken three to four years. The airline adopted a total cost of ownership method to reach its decision. Plans call for delivery of the initial 45 aircraft between 2027 and 2033.

Dassault Aviation is moving forward on the assembly of its 19-passenger Falcon 10X as it marches toward certification by the end of 2026 and deliveries in 2027.

The certification timeline has slipped to about one year behind the original plans for 2025. During the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Geneva last May, Dassault Aviation CEO and chairman Éric Trappier indicated some skepticism about the 2025 timeline, pointing to vendor problems and the longer-than-anticipated effects of Covid.

Comac formally signed two contracts in Singapore for C919 and ARJ21 airliners, which between them account for the launch orders for new derivatives. The larger of the two deals covers 40 short-body C919s and 10 ARJ21s for Tibet Airlines.

The carrier is headquartered at Lhasa Gonggar Airport in Tibet and operates a hub at Chengdu-Shuangliu. The current fleet consists of Airbus A320 family members and a few A330s for long-haul flights. It has been cooperating with Comac on developing airliners tailored to high-altitude operations, resulting in the “Plateau” variants of both the ARJ21 and C919.

RTX subsidiary Pratt & Whitney is expanding its engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) and manufacturing operations in Singapore, as well as broadening its MRO offering with the addition of the PT6C-67C helicopter engine. The company says it is already seeing the benefits of its local technology accelerator it established in September 2022.

To support the growth in the GTF (geared turbofan) engine fleet, which powers members of the Airbus A220/A320neo and Embraer E2 families, Pratt & Whitney is expanding its GTF MRO capacity in Singapore by two-thirds. To that end, the company recently opened a 48,000-sq-ft growth at its Eagle Services Asia (ESA) facilities, a joint venture between P&W and SIA Engineering. Located at two sites, ESA introduced GTF MRO capability in 2019 and has completed more than 500 engine overhauls.

The Designer Series of the Bell 429 helicopter is making its debut in Southeast Asia at Singapore Airshow this week, as the manufacturer looks to capitalize on what it views as strong demand throughout the region. Bell Textron also is exhibiting an example of its 505 single-engine rotorcraft and laying the groundwork for the upcoming 525 model.

Visitors will get to inspect the 429’s cabin features, including leather-covered seats, consoles, door accent panels, and headliners, as well as hardwood flooring and fresh paint schemes. With a flat floor, the 429 cabin can seat up to seven passengers.

The digital flip-through issues of AIN’s award-winning Singapore Airshow News are now available online. It’s a great way to quickly scan the news from Singapore Airshow 2024, whether you’re in Singapore attending the show or watching from afar.