SHANGHAI - Europe's aviation regulator needs between three and six years to certify Chinese planemaker COMAC's C919 single-aisle commercial jet, the agency's executive director told a French publication on Monday.

The C919 - designed to compete with best-selling narrow-body models of dominant planemakers Airbus and Boeing - entered service in China in 2023 after winning domestic safety certification in 2022.

COMAC has previously said it was aiming for certification of the plane by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) this year, to help it start selling internationally. The C919 currently only flies within China and Hong Kong.

"As we informed them officially, the C919 cannot be certified in 2025 ... We should be certifying the C919 within three to six years," EASA executive director Florian Guillermet told L'Usine Nouvelle in an interview published on Monday.

Most countries require their airlines to fly plane models approved by major regulators such as EASA or the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Industry sources at non-Chinese lessors and airlines have consistently said they would want EASA validation of the C919 before considering the plane.

The C919 is made in China but many of its components come from overseas, including its LEAP engine which is made by GE Aerospace and French engine maker Safran.

In a bid to break into foreign markets, COMAC has placed its older and smaller C909 regional jet, which was China's first jet engine-powered plane to reach commercial production, with airlines in Indonesia, Vietnam and Laos. Those governments permit their airlines to operate Chinese-certified planes.

Source: Reuters
Associated URL: https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/european-approval-chinas-c919-plane-needs-3-6-years-regulator-says-2025-04-29/

HILVERSUM, Netherlands - Cormorant Aerospace has been a technology demonstrator for its plan for an eight- passenger hybrid-electric aircraft. The model, designated as an "operational surface prototype", will be used for ground testing as the Dutch start-up prepares to be ready to start flight tests in 2028.

Plans for the aircraft have evolved since early 2023, when what was then called Cormorant Seaplanes unveiled plans for a seven-passenger amphibious aircraft. Now the company expects to offer the aircraft for ground- or water-based regional airliner services and with short takeoff and landing capability.

According to Cormarant’s CEO and designer, Chris Rijff, testing of the demonstrator will help his team to finalize the design for the production aircraft. Initially, the hybrid propulsion system will run on sustainable aviation fuel, but for parts of the flight testing the company may use a hydrogen-electric powertrain, such as that being developed in the Netherlands for a possible four-seater light aircraft. It may use hydrogen propulsion for flight testing, even if the initial production version of the

Cormorant has not yet selected all the suppliers for the propulsion system, but is considering options such as those now in development at French aerospace group Safran. The ground testing that will start soon will include evaluation of a fan system provided by Hoffman Propeller and two Saluqi electric motors, with these elements connected by a drive shaft.

The operational surface prototype has been built from wood, which Cormorant also used for its first mock-up. However, the production aircraft will be made from composite materials, while the prototype will feature wooden wings that the company believes could meet EASA’s requirements for Part CS23 certification with a view to achieving entry into service by the end of 2030.

Cormorant is also for the production phase of the program, which it expects to establish in the Netherlands, and potentially in other markets for the aircraft. In addition to Rijff, who has past experience with small aircraft manufacturer and at the Delft University of Technology, the company’s other founders are Frank Kaiser who previously worked with Fokker, Thales and Collins Aerospace, and Mark Sowery, who has a track record of developing general aviation enterprises.

Source: Aviation International News
Associated URL: https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2025-04-28/cormorant-prepares-start-testing-hybrid-electric-demonstrator

New York City - JetBlue Airways pulled its 2025 forecast on Tuesday, as macroeconomic uncertainties stemming from U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs have made it difficult to predict travel demand. Trump's tariffs have sparked a global trade war and raised the odds of the world spiraling into recession, creating headwinds for major U.S. airlines which were benefiting from strong travel demand and solid pricing across their networks just two months ago.

"As we continue to monitor the evolving macro backdrop, we are evaluating all levers available to us to boost profitability and preserve cash, including additional capacity reductions, targeted cost savings and further evaluation of our fleet retirement schedule," JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty said.

As travel is mainly a discretionary expense for many consumers and businesses, growing economic concerns have clouded the airline industry's outlook. JetBlue expects second-quarter revenue per available seat mile, a proxy for pricing power, to fall between 3.5% and 7.5%.

The New-York based airline is facing higher operating costs as ongoing inspections of RTX's Pratt & Whitney's Geared Turbofan engines have grounded a number of its aircraft. The airline has deferred deliveries of 44 new Airbus jets, cutting planned capital expenditures by approximately $3 billion between 2025 and 2029. Total first-quarter operating revenue fell 3.1% to $2.14 billion.

Source: Reuters
Associated URL: https://www.reuters.com/business/jetblue-withdraws-annual-forecast-over-demand-uncertainty-2025-04-29/#:~:text=April%2029%20(Reuters)%20%2D%20JetBlue,difficult%20to%20predict%20travel%20demand.