Airbus kicked up buzz across the commercial aviation industry with renewed talks of a stretched A220 regional jet and A350 widebody airliner before the Farnborough airshow wrapped up on July 24. While Europe's titanic planemaker told Reuters a decision would be coming soon, the caveat is that engine maker Rolls-Royce would likely need six or seven years in order to make a powerplant for a larger A350-2000 jetliner.
At the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) achieved a historic international breakthrough by securing a firm order from Air Cambodia for 20 C909 regional jets. The deal marks Air Cambodia as the inaugural foreign flag carrier to formally purchase and commit to operating the Chinese-built regional jet platform. The C909 […]
Airbus has secured another major order in China, with Air China and its subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines having put their names down for a combined 55 aircraft worth around $12.4 billion in list prices. Of course, airlines tend to receive a discount on the list price , especially when placing orders of this scale, but, even so, the deal represents a big financial win for Airbus ahead of the 2026 Farnborough Airshow.
By Luke Wippler, Chairman, AOPA At our AOPA Annual Member Meeting in May, we reaffirmed the Board of Trustees' commitment to strengthening AOPA through greater transparency, member engagement, responsiveness, and continued advocacy for general aviation.
Riyadh Air is considering placing an order for as many as 30 additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners as the Saudi startup airline begins expanding beyond its small launch fleet. The airline is studying an order for between 25 and 30 aircraft, according to industry sources cited by Reuters . An announcement could come as early as the Farnborough International Airshow, which begins July 20, 2026, although the sources cautioned that discussions were continuing. Riyadh Air and Boeing did not comment on the report. The potential deal would involve converting most of Riyadh Air's existing options rather than placing an entirely new order. Riyadh Air agreed in 2023 to buy 39 Boeing 787-9s, with options for another 33 aircraft. Exercising 25 to 30 of those options would lift its firm Dreamliner commitment to between 64 and 69 aircraft, while leaving as many as eight options unconverted. The airline began revenue service in June 2026 , launching its first flight to London Heathrow with a Boeing 787-9. Chief Executive Tony Douglas said at the time that deliveries would grow the fleet to eight aircraft by the end of July and allow Riyadh Air to serve 22 destinations by March 2027. Riyadh Air is owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and was established in 2023 as the kingdom's second national airline alongside Saudia. It plans to serve more than 100 destinations by 2030 as Saudi Arabia invests heavily in aviation and tourism. The airline has also built a large Airbus order book. Riyadh Air ordered 60 Airbus A321neo-family aircraft in 2024 and signed a firm agreement for 25 A350-1000 widebody jets at the Paris Air Show in June 2025. That agreement included options for another 25 A350-1000s. Reuters reported that Riyadh Air is also considering converting some of those Airbus purchase rights into firm orders, although no figure was disclosed. The carrier currently lists a planned fleet of as many as 182 aircraft, including firm orders and purchase options for the Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A350-1000 and A321neo. Riyadh Air has configured its 787-9s with 290 seats across business, premium economy and economy cabins. The aircraft will form the backbone of its initial long-haul operation, while the larger A350-1000 will add capacity as the airline expands its international network.
Both Airbus and Boeing are set to win widebody orders from Philippine Airlines (PAL) at this year's Farnborough Airshow, according to Reuters. On July 10, 2026, Reuters reported that the 85-year-old carrier is on the cusp of agreeing to purchase 15 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners and nine Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. Philippine Airlines already operates Airbus' A350-1000 after receiving its first in December 2025 and its second in June 2026. According to ch-aviation data, the carrier is awaiting seven more. While Philippine Airlines has a long history of flying Boeing aircraft, including its current 777-300ERs, the carrier has never previously operated Boeing's 787-10 Dreamliner. Philippine Airlines A similar order in May 2026 saw the Lufthansa Group buy 10 Airbus A350-900s and 10 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. Lufthansa valued the deal at $7.7 billion at list prices. Farnborough Airshow 2026 is just over a week away and normally becomes a hive of activity for new orders from global airlines. In July 2024, flynas ordered 75 A320neo family aircraft and 15 A330-900s while Qatar Airways signed off on 20 Boeing 777-9s. Virgin Atlantic also placed a firm order for seven A330neo aircraft. AeroTime will be on the ground at Farnborough Airshow 2026 to bring you the latest breaking news and industry unveilings. RELATED Norwegian changes profile logo to British Airways after losing World Cup bet
By Randy Shields, EAA Lifetime 847505 This piece originally ran in the May 2026 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine. I have lusted after a Gullwing Stinson Reliant for decades, mostly based on its beautiful art deco lines. In the fall of 2017, I saw one that needed to be restored for sale on Barnstormers.com. […]
At 23, Philip Krzyszton owns a 1965 Mooney, flies cargo, operates a growing mobile aircraft maintenance company known as AircraftMD , and holds both his pilot and airframe and powerplant certificates. He did it all without taking on debt.
By Mike Davenport, EAA 89102; Vancouver, British Columbia In June, the lower mainland of British Columbia was the site for a number of area pilots to participate in The Ninety-Nines' annual "Poker Run." Sunday, June 14, set a record for temperatures that soared above 30 degrees Celsius. This didn't faze the people who were "forced" to […]
