general

The CFM International LEAP-1C engine, which will power the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC) C919, has gained type certification from both FAA and the EASA. The dual certification comes ahead of the C919’s first flight, which is expected to occur in 2017. The LEAP-1C is the sole-source Western engine for the aircraft. There is also supposed to be a domestically produced engine option for the narrowbody aircraft, but the LEAP-1C is expected to power the flight test aircraft and at least the initial batch of C919s delivered to airlines. CFM is a joint venture between GE Aviation and Safran. The LEAP-1A powering the Airbus A320neo was certified by FAA and EASA in November 2015. The LEAP-1B powering the Boeing 737 MAX was certified by FAA and EASA in May 2016. <br/>

The European Court of Justice ruled Wednesday that Ireland's leading airlines must pay back air travel taxes because the lower rates granted by the govt for shorter flights between 2009 and 2011 were illegal subsidies. The court upheld a decision by the EC that Ryanair and Aer Lingus had benefited from unlawful state aid. Ryanair and Aer Lingus went to the court in Luxembourg after the Commission said Ireland was wrong to waive E8 (US$8.32) per passenger for domestic flights. "The advantage in question did not consist in the fact that those airlines were able to offer more competitive prices than their competitors," the Court said. "It resulted quite simply from the fact that those companies had to pay a lower amount than they would have had to pay if their flights had been subject to the standard rate." <br/>