Jeff Apter

Latest from Jeff Apter

Dassault troubled over effects of weak dollar

Dassault Aviation CEO Charles Edelstenne is confident about the future of the French company’s broadening line of Falcons as it ramps up completion efforts

French regional files suit against SAir Group

Air Littoral, one of the three French regional airlines sold by SAirlines this summer, has filed a lawsuit in Switzerland to recover funds owed to it by th

Air Bretagne files for bankruptcy

French regional airline Air Bretagne has gone into financial observation after filing for bankruptcy.
Aircraft

CCM bucks the trend by relaxing ties with Air France

Compagnie Corse Méditerranée (CCM) Airlines, the French regional airline that specializes in routes between France and Corsica, wants to buck a trend estab

Air Liberté/AOM’s future now in hands of bankruptcy court

The future of the SAirGroup’s troubled French regional airline subsidiaries hung in the balance as the Swiss airline conglomerate awaited a decision from t
Aircraft

Reims introduces new turboprop twin

France’s Reims Aviation, one of the few remaining independent aircraft manufacturers and structure subcontractors in Europe, last month launched the F406 M
Charter & Fractional

New executive terminal built at Paris Le Bourget

France’s prime business aviation gateway is set to pass the next stage in its ongoing redevelopment when a new executive terminal opens at Paris Le Bourget

Barcelona Gets Improved Bizav Terminal

The Spanish airports and air navigation authority (AENA) has granted Executive Airlines a license as one of two companies to manage Barcelona El Prat Airpo
Charter & Fractional

Executive Airlines soars on charter growth curve

Executive Airlines (Booth No.
Engines

Silvercrest still on target for 2011

Though still without a launch program for its new 9,500- to 12,000-pound thrust engine, Snecma reports good progress in developing its new Silvercrest powe

Socata weighs jump into air taxi class

EADS Socata, in a bid to enter the growing small corporate flight department and air taxi market, is evaluating the case for developing a new turboprop or

Airbus looks ahead to strong sales of large VIP transports

Airbus recently passed the 100 sales mark with its Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) family and is now achieving breakthrough sales with its new larger VIP t
Aircraft

New TBM Cockpit Is Jet-Class

EADS Socata’s latest TBM 850 business/utility aircraft is now available with an upgraded cockpit, based on a Garmin G1000 avionics suite.

Air Littoral rises anew from ashes of Swissair

Marc Dufour, president of French independent regional airline Air Littoral, finds the prospects “encouraging” for this year–a bold statement coming just mo

LAL hopes to survive wait for EU nod

Lietuvos Avialinijos, better known as Lithuanian Airlines (LAL), was established in 1991 when Lithuania won its independence after the collapse of the Sovi

Airline pilot hopes to nurse AOM/Air Liberté back to health

French regional airlines AOM and Air Liberté have escaped the jaws of bankruptcy through their purchase by an Air France pilot.

Dassault buys three newspapers

Serge Dassault has purchased three local newspapers in the area in which he is expected to campaign for a seat in the French National Assembly in next year

Pilots plan R-lines takeover

As one French regional airline bites the dust, another is ready to take its place, operated by the company’s former pilots.

Dassault foresees drop in production next year

Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Charles Edelstenne is “satisfied” with the business and military aircraft manufacturer’s financial performance for the f

ATR preps for record production rate

ATR plans to deliver more than 60 new aircraft this year and expand production capacity to answer a surge in demand for its regional turboprops, while incr
Engines

With no launch customer yet, Silvercrest testing continues

Though still without a launch program for its new 9,500- to 12,000-pound-thrust engine, Snecma has reported good progress in development work for its new S
Engines

Safran reaping rewards of an early commitment to China

When French President Nicholas Sarkozy made his first official visit to China last November he returned with the confirmation of orders for 110 Airbus 320s
Aircraft

Kingfisher takes its 17th ATR propjet

India’s fast-growing Kingfisher Airlines took delivery of its seventeenth ATR 72-500 last month.
Aircraft

Swiss deferral highlights Embraer 170 setbacks

Embraer has suffered a major setback following the decision of 170/190 launch customer Swiss to slash its firm orders and options for the Brazilian manufac
Aircraft

EADS Proposes Faster, Longer-range Aircraft

EADS Socata chairman and CEO Jean-Michel Léonard told AIN that the France-based manufacturer is evaluating production of a new turboprop o
Rotorcraft

Eurocopter denies illegal sales to Iraq

Eurocopter has denied a report in the March 7 Washington Times that it sent spare parts to Iraq for its Gazelle military helicopters.

Varig regionals thrive on 145s

Last September’s merger of Brazil’s Varig with Rio Sul and Nordeste, its two regional-airline subsidiaries, has resulted in a new alignment of the operator

Anti-French sentiment doesn’t worry Dassault

Dassault Aviation, which next month will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first flight of the Mystère/Falcon 20, said it has managed to stay afloat de
Airports

New French business aviation airport

A new business aviation airport has opened, albeit modestly, in western France.

Senator Dassault’s newspaper woes

Serge Dassault, 79-year-old patriarch of leading business and military aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation, at last has realized his dream of becoming