SpeedNews

THRIVE AVIATION, Las Vegas added its fifth Cessna Citation Longitude to its fleet, increasing number of aircraft under management to >20.

FLYEXCLUSIVE, NC completed previously announced business combination with EG ACQUISITION (EnTrust Global and GMF Capital) and began trading on NYSE. It currently owns a floating fleet of 100 light-to-heavy business jets.

FAI AVIATION GROUP, Germany extended its executive avaition services partnership with the UK-based McLaren Formula 1 team; it currently operates five Bombardier Global Express and six Challenger 604 jets and five Learjet 60s.

AZUL was approved to access new US$200m credit facility to finance engine maintenance being performed by GE-CELMA in Rio de Janeiro.

CALC and its Memphis-based aftermarket services arm UNIVERSAL ASSET MANAGEMENT (UAM) are establishing new office in Miami, FL.

CIRIUM was selected by ACI World to serve as reference database (details >35m flights per year) in support of the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) program.

SMARTLYNX MALTA leased ex-S7 737-8 (43302) from Air Lease Corporation for wet-lease to AIR TRANSAT.

VOLATO, Atlanta says it has increased its HondaJet fleet from 16 to 24 aircraft in 2023, including three new aircraft delivered in December: two directly from Honda and one managed plane.

GX AIRLINES, China leased ex-Juneyao A320-200 (4833) with CFM56s from Minsheng Financial Leasing (MSFL).

AIR SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan has secured its AOC for startup of services to Turkey, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and China with ex-China Airlines A330-300 (1177), ex-Avianca A321-200 (5936) and ex-Novair A320neo (7746).

CONDOR agreed to lease two ex-Heston Airlines A321-200 (6511/6767) with CFM56s from BBAM.

AIR FRANCE sold new A350-900 (640) to Griffin Global Asset Management and leased it back.

GENESIS announced acquisition of a 737-800 (leased to FLYSAFAIR) and an A320-200 (leased to TAP AIR PORTUGAL).

Paulo Tarter to Chief Operations Officer of Avion Express Brasil.

Ruy Carlos Nogueira Lotz to Chief Technical Officer of Avion Express Brasil.

Luis Felipe de Oliveira has stepped down as Director General of Airports Council International (ACI) World, Montreal.

SMARTLYNX AIRLINES operated 47,495 flights and carried 6.56m pax in 2023, up 48% and 53% respectively vs 2022; it increased fleet from 49 aircraft in 2022 to 67 in 2023. It says growth was driven by airlines favoring leasing services vs purchasing new aircraft and substantial delays (averaging 16 months) in delivering new aircraft and parts from OEMs.

AVION EXPRESS BRASIL (Avia Solutions Group) is being established for ACMI operations in Brazil with 5-10 A320s starting in 4Q24, increasing to 25 aircraft by 2027/2028.

SURF AIR MOBILITY entered into binding terms for $35.2m Mandatory Convertible Debenture with GEM; deal includes cancelling previously issued shares, restricting sales and redemption fights, and increasing drawdown capacity to $400m.

AVOLON received shareholder approval for previously announced order for 100 A321neos and 40 737 MAXs for delivery through 2032 (SPNWS; Dec 15). It also reduced interest rate in extension/consolidation of US$2.3b Term Loan B facility.

MANDARIN AIRLINES, Taiwan took delivery of its first (1682) of six ATR 72-600s with PW127XTs for low-emission operations.

AIRBUS delivered first A321neo assembled at new (former A380) final assembly line at Toulouse to PEGASUS; delivery of aircraft, together with FALs in Hamburg, Mobile and Tianjin, starts ramp-up of A320 production to 75/month by 2026.

Oliver Reeves to Chief Financial Officer of Surf Air Mobility, Los Angeles.

TAT TECHNOLOGIES completed US$9.9m private placement with Israeli institutional and accredited investors.