Growing U.S. carrier places first direct Boeing order for 50 737 jets with 50 options.

Allegiant Air has placed an order for 50 Boeing 737 MAX jets, with options for 50 additional airplanes. In Boeing's first U.S. ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) deal, Allegiant selected two models – the 737-7 and 737-8-200 – in the 737 MAX family.

Allegiant Chairman and CEO Maurice J. Gallagher, Jr. said, "While the heart of our strategy continues to center on previously-owned aircraft, the infusion of up to 100 direct-from-the-manufacturer 737s will bring numerous benefits for the future – including flexibility for capacity growth and aircraft retirements, significant environmental benefits, and modern configuration and cabin features our customers will appreciate."

The 737-7 offers low-operating costs that enable carriers to open new routes with less economic risk, and the larger 737-8-200 offers added revenue potential and is right-sized for ULCC market expansion. Compared to Allegiant's current fleet, the new 737 models will reduce fuel use and carbon emissions by 20%.

Stan Deal, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO, said, "This deal further validates the economics of the 737 MAX family in the ULCC market, and we're excited to stand alongside Allegiant as they integrate these new airplanes into their fleet."

Boeing and Allegiant will partner on entry-into-service support, enabling a smooth transition as the carrier adds the 737 into its operation. Allegiant will also use a suite of Boeing Global Services digital tools to further enhance operational efficiency.

Contract extension continues the manufacture and delivery of hydraulic and actuation equipment for Boeing 737 MAX, 777, 777X, and 767 airplanes.

Triumph Group has been awarded a production contract extension with Boeing Commercial Airplanes to continue the manufacture and delivery of hydraulic and actuation equipment for Boeing 737 MAX, 777, 777X, and 767 airplanes. The contract extension includes key equipment and components used in the landing gear actuation, nose wheel steering, engine cowl door opening, brake, hydraulic and slat control systems. This work will be performed at Triumph's Actuation Products & Services facilities in Clemmons, North Carolina; and Yakima, Washington.

"Triumph has a long-standing relationship with Boeing and this contract extension demonstrates our continued commitment to work together both today, as the industry recovers from the impacts of COVID-19, and in the future to ensure the highest quality, highest performing aircraft are delivered to Boeing customers," said Daniel Crowley, chairman, president, and CEO of Triumph Group.

Triumph Actuation Products & Services is a leader in design, development, manufacture, and support of complex hydraulic systems and equipment for the aerospace and defense industry. Products include actuators, pumps, motors, reservoirs, and control valves for commercial and military aircraft. Triumph Actuation Products & Services operating company has operations in Clemmons, North Carolina; Valenica, California; and Redmond and Yakima, Washington.

Triumph Group Inc., headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, designs, engineers, manufactures, repairs, and overhauls a broad portfolio of aerospace and defense systems, components, and structures.

Expanded North Carolina additive manufacturing facility includes laser cladding and thermal spray services.

Oerlikon Metco Coating Services (MCS)’s new laser cladding service center is fully operational in Huntersville, North Carolina, a Charlotte suburb.

As previously communicated, Oerlikon planned to expand their existing world-class additive manufacturing facility to include laser cladding and thermal spray services; thereby implementing a service super center under one roof and allowing the company to conveniently offer Print & Coat parts.

Laser cladding services are now fully operational at this facility with the ability to offer O.D. and I.D. coatings, as well as laser hardening, pre- and post-machining, and inspection services.

The facility is equipped to handle a wide range of parts, with a maximum part weight of 15,000 lb (6,800kg), maximum part length of 480" (12,192mm). Outside diameters up to 96" (2,438mm), as well as inside diameters from 2" to 120" (50.8mm to 3,048mm) can be processed.

Experienced personnel at the Huntersville location and the company’s long history of laser cladding solution development will serve the aerospace, energy, and automotive markets, among others.

“Laser cladding is increasingly an important process in the services that Oerlikon, through Oerlikon Metco Coating Services, can offer. We are therefore excited to see this new facility now in operation and already serving our customers,” states Thomas Meier, global head of sales for MCS. The substantial investment at the Huntersville facility, along with a recent significant investment in new, leading edge laser cladding equipment at the company’s Wohlen, Switzerland facility, punctuates the importance of laser cladding to the overall coating service strategy. In addition, the company continues to develop new materials optimized for the laser cladding process.

In addition to the laser cladding expansion at Huntersville, thermal spray coating equipment is currently being installed and planned to be operational at the same location at the end of Q1 2022.

Oerlikon Metco enhances surfaces through a broad range of surface technologies, equipment, materials, services, specialized machining services and components. Surface technologies such as thermal spray, laser cladding, and laser hardening improve performance and increase efficiency and reliability.

Oerlikon AM provides additive and conventional manufacturing solutions with metals and polymers. The extensive portfolio of solutions offered ranges from the co-development and contract manufacturing of high-quality and performance-optimized components, through research and development, to the production of the company’s own metal powders for 3D printing. Materials, process and applications engineering, certified manufacturing processes, post-processing of components and quality management enable Oerlikon AM to provide optimally customized comprehensive solutions. Together with Oerlikon Balzers and Oerlikon Metco, Oerlikon AM forms the Surface Solutions segment of the Swiss-based Oerlikon Group. Oerlikon AM employs more than 200 people at four sites throughout Europe, the United States, and China.

Identifying, planning, and implementing technologies that futureproof aerospace manufacturing.

The factory of the future, machine learning, and digital twin are just a few of the terms that are popping up in the manufacturing sector’s path toward digital transformation. There are endless perspectives and definitions on these topics but very little on how to approach these as a strategy. “The Factory of the Future” digital panel, hosted by Librestream’s Neal Tomblyn and Dan Flynn, with Lockheed Martin’s Sr. Program Manager for Advanced Technology Solutions Corey Cook, will help explain the challenges aerospace manufacturers are currently facing, how they are meeting and solving these now and into the future, and some of the technologies that are helping to make it possible. This panel will help you understand:

Join us for this 60-minute panel!

Presenters Neal Tomblyn, former Lockheed Martin Executive and Librestream Senior Advisor, Aerospace and Defense, has more than 40 years of extensive leadership transforming and creating growth for Aerospace and Defense businesses both domestically and internationally with start-ups to Fortune 50 companies. After retiring from Lockheed Martin Corp. in December of 2019, Tomblyn formed Ingenius Partners LLC where his focus is on creating growth environments and opportunities for early-stage disruptive technology and solution companies supporting digital transformation. Previously, Tomblyn was the Director of Strategy and Business Development at Lockheed Martin for Training and Logistics Solutions focusing on the global military aircraft market.

Dan Flynn has 20 years’ experience in sales and business development at companies ranging from early stage, high growth to global corporations. At Librestream, Flynn is VP for North American Sales. His experience includes Networking, Security, Hosting, Video, Enterprise and SaaS software platforms, and Big Data.

Prior to Librestream, Dan was Head of Channel Sales for Comcast Technology Solutions, the global market leader in SaaS Platform OTT Video.

Corey A. Cook is Senior Program Manager, Training, Logistics & Sustainment, Lockheed Martin, Orlando, Florida. As the Senior Program Manager for Advanced Technology Concepts, Cook is responsible for logistics and sustainment strategic planning, disruptive technology innovation, integration, and development. His programs include Global Supply Chain, Autonomous Systems, Micro-electronics Anti-Counterfeit and Provenance, IIoT Asset Tracking and Management, Holographic Visualization, AR/VR Distributed Maintenance, and related 5G program implementation.

France initially orders 30 H160M for its Joint Light Helicopter program; Spanish Ministries of Defence and Interior sign for 36 H135s.

In separate announcements, Airbus Helicopters management revealed orders from multiple government customers that could eventually tally more than 200 aircraft.

The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) has signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters for the development and procurement of the H160M in the frame of the Light Joint Helicopter program (HIL). The contract includes the development of several prototypes and the delivery of a first batch of 30 aircraft (21 for the army, 8 for the navy, and one for the air force). The French Ministry for the Armed Forces plans to order a total of 169 H160M helicopters, or Guépard as it will be known in the French armed forces. Deliveries will start in 2027 beginning with the French Army.

The H160M is derived from the EASA-certified civilian H160. The military version will perform missions ranging from commando infiltration to air intercept, fire support, and anti-ship warfare.

Airbus Helicopters also commits to management of maintenance and aircraft availability through a dedicated organization introduced with the global support contract signed in 2020 for the French Cougar and Caracal fleet. The H160M’s support is based on the exploitation of data through analytics.

The Spanish Ministries of Defence and Interior have ordered 36 Airbus H135 helicopters as part of a plan by the Spanish government to support the industry. The Ministry of Defence will receive 18 helicopters to be operated by the air force and the navy while the Ministry of Interior will also take delivery of 18 helicopters to be operated by the National Police and the Guardia Civil. The deliveries will start next year.

The Spanish Army already operates a fleet of 16 H135 helicopters. With this acquisition, these will be the Spanish Air Force’s first H135s and the Spanish Navy’s first Airbus Helicopters product. The new aircraft for the air force and navy will replace older helicopter models currently used for advanced pilot training.

The Ministry of Interior currently has a fleet of 31 helicopters from the H135 family in operation with the National Police, the Guardia Civil, and Tráfico.

About 1,350 H135 helicopters are in use with 300 operators in 64 countries. The fleet has accumulated 6 million flight hours.