Airbus Group SE

Amazon.com plans to transition its air cargo fleet from Boeing 767 aircraft to Airbus A330 freighters, with Air Transport Services Group set to acquire and convert 30 Airbus A330 jets to support Amazon's air network. ATSG expects to begin operating the Airbus A330 cargo aircraft for Amazon in 2027 as part of the refreshed fleet. The switch gives Amazon access to larger, more modern cargo aircraft that can carry more volume per flight than the 767s they replace, potentially reshaping how the retailer positions inventory for Prime and marketplace orders, especially on longer domestic and transcontinental routes where aircraft range and payload matter most. The move marks a key shift in Amazon's air logistics strategy and lines up with the company's broader thesis of heavy capital spending on logistics and data centers as a trade off for efficiency and future return potential. The clearest proof point will arrive as ATSG starts flying the A330s in 2027, when Amazon discloses how much of its parcel volume flows through the new jets versus legacy aircraft and third party carriers, along with any commentary on unit costs per package or delivery speed.

Thai Airways is signalling continued profit growth in 2026, with Chai Eamsiri, Chief Executive Officer of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, or THAI, revealing that the company expects full-year total revenue to potentially exceed 200 billion baht, after the first half of the year brought in nearly 100 billion baht, or approximately 99 billion baht, along with a profit of about 12 billion baht. At the same time, its liquidity position remains a strength, with more than 120 billion baht in cash on hand, up from the second quarter. The company is pressing ahead with managing its fleet of 87 aircraft to capture opportunities from regional low-cost carriers facing liquidity constraints and cutting services on certain routes. It plans to add Boeing 787 aircraft to the fleet and to return one existing aircraft that has been refurbished and fitted with seats to service on medium-haul routes. In the Asian market, particularly China, India, and Vietnam, it is preparing to add Airbus A321 aircraft. On fuel price risk management, for the remainder of 2026 the company has already hedged more than 40%, and for 2027 it has hedged about 48%. Kittiphong Sansomboon, Chief Commercial Officer, said that in the winter flight schedule for 2026/2027, running from October 25, 2026 to March 27, 2027, Thai Airways will operate a total of 66 routes, launching a new Bangkok–Da Nang route with 14 flights per week starting December 1, 2026, while increasing frequency on the Bangkok–Vientiane and Bangkok–Yangon routes to 21 flights per week per route, Bangkok–Siem Reap to 7 flights per week, Bangkok–Amsterdam to 7 flights per week, Bangkok–Munich to 10 flights per week, Bangkok–Zurich to 11 flights per week, Bangkok–Paris to 14 flights per week, and resuming service on the Bangkok–Xiamen route with 4 flights per week.

A series of agreements between US and Vietnamese companies in sectors including energy, technology, aviation and finance are expected to be announced next week to coincide with the New York visit of Vietnam's top leader, Communist Party General Secretary and State President To Lam. The plans were revealed by officials and documents obtained by Reuters. An internal planning document lists 29 agreements that could be announced at a business conference in New York on the 23rd, which Lam will also attend. The contents of the document are subject to change, and it does not set out the specific details of the planned agreements. US energy companies Murphy Oil and Chevron are expected to announce agreements with Vietnamese state oil and gas company PetroVietnam, while ExxonMobil is expected to announce an agreement with PetroVietnam Refinery and Petrochemical, Vietnam's second-largest refinery. Vietjet, Vietnam's largest private airline, is expected to announce it will lease up to 22 aircraft from four leasing companies, comprising 17 Boeing 737s and five Airbus A321neos. SpaceX is also set to announce an agreement to provide its Starlink satellite internet service to 120 Vietjet aircraft. The planning document also includes an agreement between US-based Meta and Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, and one between US semiconductor giant Qualcomm and Vietnamese telecom company VNPT. Visa, Mastercard and Citibank are also expected to announce agreements with partners in Vietnam's domestic financial and hospitality services sectors.

Airbus delivered the first A320neo assembled at its new plant in Tianjin, China, on September 16. The plant is a final assembly line, or FAL, for the A320 family and is Airbus's second aircraft assembly line in both China and the Asia-Pacific region. The recipient was China Eastern Airlines, which currently operates the largest Airbus fleet in China and took delivery of the A310, the first Airbus aircraft in China, in 1985. Philippe Mhun, Airbus Executive Vice President for Commercial Aircraft Programmes and Services, said the delivery underscores Airbus's long-term commitment to its partners in China and its confidence in the continued growth of China's civil aviation market. The second assembly line in China, which began operations in October 2025, will be a key driver in accelerating the global production rate of the A320 family toward the target of 75 aircraft per month, while adding flexibility and capacity to meet strong market demand.

Maybank, in partnership with Krungthai Bank, has launched a new set of DR80 depositary receipts, which are now available for trading. These cover three investment megatrends: the industries of the future, the growth of AI, and investment opportunities in China. DR80s are instruments representing rights to foreign securities, allowing Thai investors to access leading global companies through the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Under the future industries theme, the DRs include Airbus and Palantir Technologies. The AI Supercycle theme comprises Ajinomoto, Applied Materials, and Intel. Meanwhile, the China theme features index-linked DRs such as CH30080, CHAI80, CHNEXT80, and CHSTAR5080. This initiative reflects Maybank and Krungthai's commitment to expanding investment opportunities into the global market.

Southern Vision Investment has become a strategic investor in AVi8 Airways, a startup ACMI and charter airline serving the Asia-Pacific region, forming a long-term partnership to support AVi8's growth across Southeast Asia. The investment establishes SVI as a committed, long-horizon financial partner as AVi8 builds toward the launch of operations, with full terms to be disclosed later in official filings. AVi8 plans to introduce Airbus A320-family aircraft for passenger and charter services, along with A321F and A330F freighters for cargo, targeting a commercial launch in 2027, beginning with cargo before expanding passenger services. The airline intends to apply for an Air Operator Certificate in Cambodia and establish an operational hub in Phnom Penh, aiming to become one of Southeast Asia's leading ACMI and charter platforms.

American Airlines Group Inc. announced seven new international routes for its summer 2027 schedule, most flown on its Airbus A321XLR, as it seeks to expand into higher-margin markets. New destinations include Philadelphia to Porto and Vienna, JFK to Amsterdam and Nice, a returning Reykjavik route, and Charlotte-Barcelona and Chicago-Tokyo Narita on widebody jets. Brian Znotins, American's SVP of network and schedule planning, said the XLR "really opens up the menu for all these destinations that are just too small for a widebody." The announcement came the same week rival United Airlines unveiled its own 2027 international additions. American's flying is split roughly 80% domestic and 20% international.

Airbus is set to elevate Thailand into Asia's aviation digital hub, using Bangkok as the regional headquarters for Skywise, its digital unit, covering ASEAN, China, India, Japan, and South Korea, and as the sole software testing base for customers worldwide. The company plans to hire over 40 more staff this year, in addition to its current workforce of over 200 in Thailand, which has more than tripled since 2022, with 85 percent being Thai nationals. This expansion is part of Airbus's efforts to diversify its supply chain amid supply chain issues and geopolitical conflicts. The company already has about 80 suppliers in Thailand and views the country's neutrality and quality of its workforce as strengths. Meanwhile, the Board of Investment (BOI) and Airbus are also discussing advancing the automotive parts industry into aircraft parts, developing MRO personnel, and promoting Thailand as a production base for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using ethanol and agricultural waste materials.

United Airlines Holdings, Inc. expects to receive enough Airbus A321XLR aircraft to support its European expansion in summer 2027, planning to use the long-range single-aisle jets on five new European routes, including Luxembourg, Ibiza, and Toulouse, as part of its largest international expansion to date covering 10 new cities across Europe and Asia. The A321XLR allows United to serve smaller international markets that may not justify larger widebody aircraft, with international service beginning December 1, 2026, from Washington Dulles to Amsterdam and Dublin, while gradually replacing its aging Boeing 757 fleet. European travel demand remains "incredibly strong," with the post-Labor Day slowdown becoming less pronounced, and eight of the 10 new routes will be exclusive among U.S. carriers, potentially giving United a competitive advantage. CEO Scott Kirby expects fares to rise gradually in the first half of 2027, and Reuters reported U.S. airline fares up 25.5% year over year in July, though still below pre-pandemic levels after inflation. Risks include aircraft-delivery delays, potential capacity growth outpacing demand, seasonal demand fluctuations, and fuel price volatility, but the overall outlook is bullish for United's international growth and fleet modernization.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby expects airfares to keep rising gradually in 2027 as travel demand remains strong, with U.S. airline fares up 25.5% from a year earlier in July and average fares from April through July nearly 25% higher than the same period last year. Kirby noted that inflation-adjusted fares are still about 13% below pre-pandemic levels, suggesting airlines have room to raise prices without deterring travelers. United plans to expand internationally in 2027, expecting enough Airbus A321XLR aircraft to support five new European routes, allowing it to serve smaller markets without larger planes. The airline's pricing power, premium and international traffic, and expansion could boost revenue, but risks include fuel price increases, economic weakness, and capacity growth outpacing demand. Aircraft-delivery delays could also disrupt the planned expansion.

Alleima has strengthened its long-standing partnership with Airbus, establishing the longest commitment period in their shared history to supply advanced titanium seamless tube solutions for demanding aerospace applications. The agreement deepens and expands Alleima's contribution to Airbus programs, complementing its existing stainless steel tube deliveries, and reflects decades of trust and technical cooperation. Alleima, a partner to Airbus since its inception, has supplied aerospace-grade alloys and seamless tubes for over 70 years, supporting safety, performance, and sustainability goals. The collaboration underscores Alleima's role in de-risking critical value chains, with production from mills in the U.S., Germany, and China, supported by an integrated mill in Sandviken, Sweden. Executives Carl von Schantz and Phil Cherrie highlighted the value of qualified production routes and material expertise in meeting stringent aerospace specifications.

Australia's major airline Qantas reported its fiscal 2026 results (July 2025-June 2026), with underlying profit before tax falling 14% year-on-year to A$2.06 billion (US$1.48 billion) due to soaring fuel costs, slightly beating market expectations of A$2 billion. CEO Hudson said that while travel demand remained strong, a surge in fuel costs amid the Middle East conflict reduced second-half profit by A$420 million. The company responded with fare increases, cuts to domestic capacity, and redeployment of aircraft to more profitable international routes, but only partially offset the impact of higher fuel costs. Although tensions in the Middle East have eased, the company expects jet fuel prices to remain high in the first half of fiscal 2027, with net fuel costs projected at around A$3.6 billion, significantly above the A$2.6 billion in the same period last year. Meanwhile, total unit revenue for domestic and international operations in the first half of fiscal 2027 is expected to rise 8-10%, both above the average forecast. Qantas also announced it will begin retiring its Airbus A380 superjumbos in 2028, four years earlier than originally planned, and said it is in talks with Airbus and Boeing to convert options for 20 A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft into firm orders from 2030 onward. Hudson noted that maintenance costs for the A380 are rising as production has ceased. The company declared a final dividend of A$0.198 per share, and decided to cancel its A$150 million share buyback announced in February, which had not been started due to the outbreak of the Middle East conflict.

United Airlines Holdings Inc. will add destinations in Europe and Asia to its network next year, using Airbus SE's new long-range narrow-body planes. The carrier will fly the A321XLR planes from its Newark hub to locations including Luxembourg and Marseille, and from San Francisco to Okinawa, Japan.

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has tentatively set the first test flight of its delayed A350F freighter for late September. According to industry sources, the development team is prioritising September 24, though the date could shift depending on last-minute technical issues or weather. Airbus aims to complete flight testing and deliver the first aircraft to customers by 2027, and because flight testing typically takes 12 to 15 months, it faces a very tight certification schedule. The A350F, announced in 2021, is a dedicated freighter version of the long-range A350 jetliner family that was targeted to enter service four years later, as Airbus seeks to break into the air cargo market long dominated by US rival Boeing. Airbus has sold 107 A350F aircraft, compared with just 38 sales of the smaller, older A330F model.

American Airlines is retrofitting its Airbus A319s and A320s with extra first-class seats and will take delivery of Boeing 737 MAX 10s fitted with 24 first-class seats, increasing its premium seat share from 25% to 40%. The carrier is also returning seat-back screens to its aircraft, aligning with rivals Delta and United and creating additional ad revenue opportunities. CEO Robert Isom said premium revenue continues to outpace non-premium, with passenger unit revenue in the premium segment up 13.4% in the second quarter versus 8.8% in the main cabin. COO Nathaniel Pieper added that progress across customer experience, network, premium revenue, and loyalty gives confidence in long-term value creation. American Airlines shares are down for a third straight day with a cumulative loss of 6%.

ATI raised its full-year guidance after reporting higher year-over-year sales and earnings for the second quarter on August 6, 2026, citing a record contracted backlog. The company’s recent long-term contract expansions with Boeing and Airbus lock in higher volumes, inflation pass-through, and attractive pricing, supporting higher-margin revenue growth through the decade. ATI’s shares have surged 91.14% year to date, with the last close at $227.84, above a widely followed fair value estimate of $200.33 based on a 7.9% discount rate. The stock’s rapid gains and record backlog have prompted debate over whether the current valuation still offers upside or already reflects the improved outlook.

Loar Holdings raised its full-year 2026 guidance after reporting record second-quarter sales, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin. Second-quarter sales rose 17% year over year to $172 million, while adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 220 basis points to a record 40.5%. The company now expects 2026 sales of $665 million to $675 million, adjusted EBITDA of $265 million to $270 million, and adjusted earnings per share of $1.32 to $1.36, up from prior guidance of $1.26 to $1.30. Commercial OEM sales led growth, increasing 28%, supported by stronger Boeing and Airbus demand. Loar also reported its organic business pipeline reached approximately $750 million over the next five years, including $200 million of opportunities already secured through certifications, qualifications or purchase orders.

Honeywell Aerospace reported second quarter sales of $4.5 billion, up 5% year over year on both a reported and organic basis, and revised its full-year 2026 guidance downward. Net income fell 70% to $256 million, while adjusted EBIT declined 7% to $995 million, including roughly $100 million in separation-related costs and inventory obsolescence charges. The company, which completed its spin-off from Honeywell Technologies on June 29, now expects full-year organic sales growth of 4% to 5%, down from a prior range of 7% to 9%, and pro forma standalone adjusted EBIT of $4.35 billion to $4.45 billion, compared with the earlier $4.65 billion to $4.75 billion. It initiated full-year pro forma standalone adjusted earnings per share guidance of $7.60 to $7.90 and maintained its second-half free cash flow guidance of $1.0 billion to $1.5 billion. Backlog grew 9% to $18.2 billion, and the company highlighted $15 billion in new wins year to date, including a landmark avionics and power systems agreement with IndiGo for 810 Airbus A320neo family aircraft.

Airbus has raised its 2029 adjusted EBIT guidance and launched a €5.8 billion share buyback program while reporting higher second-quarter sales and net income. The company’s shares trade at €208.0, with a 90-day return of 10.34% and a five-year total shareholder return of 96.87%. A user-generated fair value estimate of €231.41 suggests the stock may be about 10.1% undervalued, though bears argue the positive news is already priced in. New orders include Philippine Airlines’ A350-1000 agreement in July 2026, and bulls highlight the company’s extreme entry barriers, high switching costs, and strong demand visibility as a backlog-driven duopoly.

European aerospace giant Airbus on the 29th gave a bullish outlook for its full-year 2026 aircraft delivery target, suggesting it could reach up to around 890 units, up from the previous target of about 870. Second-quarter results saw adjusted operating profit rise 54% year-on-year to 2.43 billion euros, with revenue up 28% to 20.53 billion euros, beating market expectations. CEO Guillaume Faury struck a conciliatory tone regarding relations with Pratt & Whitney, a unit of US-based RTX, with which Airbus had been at odds over engine supply delays, and said there would be no issues for 2026. Second-quarter aircraft deliveries hit a quarterly record of 237 units, helped by improvements in delays to China and engine supply problems. The full-year outlook was maintained, including existing targets such as adjusted operating profit of 7.5 billion euros.

Airbus reported a 47 percent jump in first-half net income to 2.24 billion euros, driven by a 12 percent rise in revenue to 33.18 billion euros. Adjusted EBIT increased 24 percent to 2.73 billion euros, while reported EBIT climbed 70 percent to 2.75 billion euros. Earnings per share rose to 2.84 euros from 1.93 euros a year earlier. Research and development expenses grew 4 percent to 1.46 billion euros.

Airbus announced that its in-development A350 has completed a nonstop flight from Melbourne, Australia, to Toulouse, France, in 24 hours and 24 minutes. The test flight was part of Qantas' Project Sunrise, with a specially modified A350-1000ULR flying 23,075 kilometres, carrying 20,000 litres of fuel in additional tanks, and capable of seating 238 passengers. According to Flightradar24, the flight was tracked by more than 3.6 million people, making it the second most tracked flight in the service's history. Qantas has ordered 12 of the aircraft and plans to begin daily nonstop service between Sydney and London starting in October 2027.

The 2026 Fortune Global 500 list shows that aerospace manufacturers generally posted higher profits than airlines. GE Aerospace topped all aviation companies on the list with a net profit of 8.704 billion US dollars, earning over 3 billion dollars more than the world’s most profitable airline, Emirates Group. Airbus recorded a net profit of 5.889 billion dollars, up 28.7 percent year on year. Boeing returned to profitability with a net profit of 2.235 billion dollars, and its revenue surpassed that of Airbus. Honeywell posted a net profit of 4.729 billion dollars. Supply chain strains have led to a shortage of aircraft and components, driving up manufacturers’ profits, while airlines have been weighed down by delivery delays and rising costs. Emirates Group reported a net profit of 5.354 billion dollars. Delta Air Lines had the highest revenue among global carriers and ranked second in net profit. China’s three state-owned major airlines remained absent from the Global 500. Two of them were still loss-making in 2025, and their combined losses in the first half of 2026 are expected to approach 10 billion yuan. Xiamen C&D Group ranked 112th with revenue of 97.028 billion dollars, but it swung from profit to loss in 2025, posting a loss of 509 million dollars.

SeAH Aerospace & Defense has signed a long-term agreement to supply high-strength aluminum alloys to Airbus, becoming the first Korean materials company to secure a direct supply deal with the European planemaker. The agreement, formalized at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, was signed ahead of final product certification, with the quality certification process set to begin in the second half of this year and full-scale production and supply expected to start in 2028. The alloys will be used in Airbus fuselages and wing structures, and the deal reflects Airbus's strategy to secure a stable procurement network amid rising aircraft demand and limited supply of aviation-grade materials. SeAH A&D already supplies Boeing, Israel Aerospace Industries, and Embraer, and is building a new manufacturing facility in Changnyeong, Korea, scheduled to begin operations in 2027 to meet growing global demand.

The global flight simulator market is projected to grow from USD 6.65 billion in 2026 to USD 9.77 billion by 2031, at a compound annual growth rate of 8.0%, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The market was valued at USD 6.22 billion in 2025. Full flight simulators are estimated to account for 64.2% of the market in 2026, while the software segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 9.7%. The Middle East is projected to be the fastest-growing region, driven by fleet expansion and new training centers in countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Key players include CAE Inc., FlightSafety International, Thales, Airbus, and TRU Simulation + Training Inc.

GE Aerospace concluded the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow with commitments for approximately 1,800 engines, including the largest LEAP agreement ever, a memorandum of understanding with IndiGo for more than 1,000 LEAP-1A engines to power 510 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft. The company also announced additional GEnx wins, with Philippine Airlines selecting GEnx-1B engines for 15 Boeing 787-10 aircraft and AerCap selecting the same engine for 15 additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners, as the GEnx-1B surpassed 50 million flight hours in just over 14 years, the fastest rate ever for a GE Aerospace commercial widebody engine model. Durability advancements included FAA and EASA certification of the LEAP-1B high-pressure turbine durability kit, designed to double time on wing in hot and harsh environments, and initial engine-level certification of the LEAP-1B reverse bleed system. In future flight achievements, GE Aerospace, in collaboration with NASA, BETA Technologies, and Boeing, completed the first hybrid electric flight above 30,000 feet, while CFM's RISE technology demonstration program has now completed approximately 500 test campaigns and more than 3,000 endurance cycles, with Airbus and CFM revealing the livery design for the A380 flight test demonstration aircraft expected to support Open Fan flight testing later this decade. Defense highlights included a memorandum of understanding with Magellan Aerospace to explore F414 sustainment capabilities in Canada for the Saab Gripen, successful integration testing of the Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle on the F110 engine for Shield AI's X-BAT aircraft, and an agreement with Turkish Technic to expand OEM-authorized MRO support for Data Link Control and Display Units in Türkiye.

Airbus and Air Canada have created a C$13.7 million Sustainability Co-Investment Platform focused on sustainable aviation fuel production in Canada. The partners also entered a multi-year SAF purchase agreement and plan to increase engagement with Canadian policymakers on aviation decarbonization. By committing capital and a multi-year offtake arrangement, Airbus is moving beyond its traditional role as an aircraft supplier and engaging earlier in the aviation fuel chain, signaling to airlines, regulators, and competitors such as Boeing and Embraer that it is prepared to share early-stage risk in building a domestic SAF industry.

FDH Aero and Gardner Aerospace have announced a new five-year Global Supply Partnership covering all Airbus commercial single-aisle and twin-aisle programs. Under the multi-site agreement, FDH Aero will support Gardner Aerospace facilities across the UK, France, Poland, India and China with direct line feed, kitting, and C-class commodity management services. The partnership aims to streamline operations, support production ramp-up, and reduce excess inventory. Fred Short, Chief Growth Officer of FDH Hardware, said the companies are committed to delivering reliability and efficiency for Airbus commercial programs, while Ray Venables, Head of Sourcing at Gardner Aerospace, highlighted the goal of improving efficiency and supply resilience across Europe and Asia.

US stocks closed slightly lower, with the Dow falling 6.06 points to 52,218.58, the Nasdaq dropping 146.30 points to 25,690.90, and the S&P 500 declining 10.24 points to 7,498.96. Investors are awaiting earnings reports from major technology companies, including Alphabet and Tesla, the first two of the Magnificent Seven to report second-quarter results after the market close, watching for signs of returns on massive artificial intelligence investments. Alphabet shares closed down 1.5% amid volatility, while Super Micro Computer surged 19.8% after revealing over 60 billion dollars in new orders for the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East pushed WTI crude up 2.95% to 86.83 dollars per barrel and North Sea Brent up 3.36% to 94.07 dollars per barrel, a six-week high, fueling inflation concerns and the likelihood of a Fed rate hike, with traders pricing in a 66% chance of a hold at next week's meeting. European stocks closed higher, with the STOXX 600 index rising 0.58% to 646.93 points, supported by energy and defense stocks. Randstad shares jumped nearly 14% after revenue beat expectations, while Airbus gained 7% after announcing a 5 billion euro share buyback.

France's CAC 40 index advanced firmly on Wednesday morning, gaining 61.00 points or 0.73% to 8,424.14, even as U.S.-Iran tensions escalated and oil prices surged. Brent crude futures jumped $4.00 or 4.41% to $95.02 after the U.S. military carried out its 11th consecutive night of strikes against Iran and President Trump vowed to bomb Pickaxe Mountain, while Iranian media reported explosions in Bushehr near the nuclear power plant. Airbus rallied nearly 6% after announcing a €5 billion share buyback program over three years and reaffirming its fiscal 2026 outlook of around 870 commercial aircraft deliveries and adjusted EBIT of around 7.5 billion euros. TotalEnergies gained about 2% on higher crude prices, and Engie also rose nearly 2%, while Danone dropped nearly 2% and Capgemini and Dassault Systemes eased by 1.2% and 1.1% respectively. Investors also awaited the European Central Bank's monetary policy announcement on Thursday.

The global urban air mobility market is projected to grow from $2.16 billion in 2026 to $16.27 billion by 2035, with a compound annual growth rate of 20.9% for the 2031-2035 period. Rising urban congestion and demand for faster point-to-point transportation are accelerating interest in eVTOL solutions. The tilt-rotor/tilt-wing platform architecture segment is expected to record the highest growth, while the private ownership and use segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2026 to 2030. Asia Pacific captured the largest market share in 2025, driven by severe congestion and government support in China, Japan, and South Korea. Key companies profiled include Joby Aero, Ehang, Archer Aviation, and Airbus.

Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, has completed integrated lab testing for the European Union's Clean Aviation SWITCH project at The Grid, its advanced electric power systems lab in Rockford, Illinois. The tested hybrid-electric powertrain subsystems, which successfully operated with simulated aircraft and engine systems, are now headed to Airbus's laboratories for further aircraft-level integration testing, including work on aircraft design, battery interfacing and energy-management systems. SWITCH aims to improve engine efficiency for future short- and medium-range aircraft by integrating hybrid-electric systems on a Pratt & Whitney GTF engine, including two Collins megawatt-class motor generators and controllers. Next, The Grid will support the Airbus-led LEIA project, where Collins is technical lead for energy sources, advancing components and aircraft systems for future hybrid-electric short- and medium-range aircraft. Both SWITCH and LEIA are part of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, a European public-private partnership with a budget of €4.1 billion, and build on ongoing collaboration between Collins and several partners across multiple Clean Aviation projects.

Airbus announced on the 21st a mid-term target of 12 to 13 billion euros in core profit, measured as earnings before interest and taxes, by 2029. The company set an operating profit target of around 10 billion euros for its main commercial aircraft division and also unveiled a 5 billion euro share buyback plan. EBIT for 2025 was 7.13 billion euros, with a target of 7.5 billion euros for 2026, as it plans to boost profit by increasing deliveries while overcoming supply chain disruptions and engine shortages. Commercial aircraft deliveries in the first half of 2026 are expected to rise 15 percent year-on-year, with full-year deliveries seen at 870 aircraft, up 10 percent. Airbus is also considering a significant production increase for the A350 to meet growing demand for wide-body jets, and is looking at introducing variants of the A350 and A220, though it did not specify a decision timeline.