Boeing Forms Alliance With Chinese Jet Maker

Aly Song/Pool Photo via APSHANGHAI (AP) — The first large Chinese-made passenger jetliner took off Friday on its maiden flight, a symbolic milestone in China's long-term goal to break into the Western-dominated aircraft market.

By Andrea Rothman A single-aisle passenger jet that is being built by the Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China is set for its first test flight by the end of next month, according to Philippe Petitcolin, chief executive officer of Safran SA, an aircraft engine maker. Any problems with taxi trials may alter the schedule, Petitcolin said in an interview in Paris. The Chinese C919 aircraft will be powered by the LEAP engine, made by CFM International, an equal joint venture between Safran and General Electric Co.

MOBILE: European jetmaker Airbus inaugurated its first US plant Monday in a move to wrest away a chunk of rival Boeing's domination of the domestic aircraft market, including lucrative Pentagon contracts. Airbus plans to assemble 40-50 of its single-aisle A320 family every year beginning in 2018 from the plant, built on the site of a World War II bomber support base in Mobile, Alabama.

OTTAWA — Canada is all but certain to miss its Copenhagen Accord target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, the country’s environmental watchdog warned Tuesday. And not only has the Harper government failed to introduce regulations to limit the amount carbon dioxide produced by the oil and gas sector, the fastest growing emitter, it “does not have an overall plan that maps out how Canada will achieve this target,” Julie Gelfand said in her first report as commissioner of the environment and sustainable development.

Some see only insurmountable climate change problems in the growth of oil and gas production in Western Canada. Others, like Switzerland’s ABB Group, see so many opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions they are planning aggressive expansion. Daniel Assandri, president and CEO of ABB’s Montreal-based Canadian subsidiary, said the company’s already large Canadian presence will increasingly tilt toward Alberta, where it is planning to double its business in the next five years by deploying technologies to make energy projects more efficient.

PARIS (Reuters) - CFM International, the world's largest maker of jet engines by number of units sold, said on Wednesday that testing of a new powerplant for the next generation of narrowbody passenger jets was going to plan. CFM, a joint venture between General Electric and France's Safran , is developing the LEAP-X engine for the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo, as well as a Chinese competitor now under development, the Comac C919. ...

PARIS (Reuters) - CFM International, the world's largest maker of jet engines by number of units sold, said on Wednesday that testing of a new powerplant for the next generation of narrowbody passenger jets was going according to plan. CFM, a joint venture between General Electric and France's Safran , is developing the LEAP-X engine for the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo, as well as a Chinese competitor now under development, the Comac C919. It competes partly with a new engine being developed by United Technologies unit Pratt & Whitney. ...