Commercial Aviation in 2014

Rupa Haria Graham Warwick December 29, 2014

Search for MH370

A Boeing 777-200ER vanished on Mar. 8, when Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared from radar over the Gulf of Thailand. MH370 has yet to be located, but industry is now on a path to ensure aircraft cannot be lost without a trace.
Credit: Royal Australian Air Force

CSeries Grounded

Bombardier’s CSeries test fleet was grounded for 100 days following the uncontained failure of a Pratt & Whitney PW1500G geared turbofan. Flying resumed in September.
Credit: Bombardier

Boeing 787-9 Certified

The first major derivative of the 787 was awarded U.S. and European type certification in June, clearing the way for delivery to launch customer Air New Zealand.
Credit: Air New Zealand

Airbus Launches A330neo

Airbus launched the A330neo at the Farnborough Air Show. The reengined widebody will enter service at the end of 2017, and likely signals the end for the A350-800.
Credit: Airbus

MH17 Shootdown

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, a Boeing 777-200ER en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on Jul. 17, was presumed shot down at 33,000 ft. by a surface-to-air missile fired by Ukraine rebels. Better alerts for airlines on conflict-zone risks will be one result.
Credit: Reuters/Landov File Photos

C919 Assembly Begins

China’s Comac began final assembly of the first C919 narrowbody airliner in September, aiming for a first flight late in 2015 and first delivery in 2018, 10 years after launch.
Credit: Comac

A320neo Takes Flight

With over 3,000 firm orders for the A320neo family, Airbus flew the first Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-powered aircraft on Sep. 25. The CFM Leap-1A-powered version is to fly in 2015.
Credit: Airbus

Airbus A350-900 Certified

Ten years after its formal launch, the Airbus A350 widebody received type certification from EASA and FAA, clearing the way for delivery to launch customer Qatar Airways.
Credit: Airbus

Mitsubishi MRJ Debut

The first Mitsubishi Regional Jet was unveiled in Nagoya on Oct. 18. Japan’s first commercial jet, the 92-seat MRJ-70 is expected to fly in the second quarter of 2015. Credit:
Mitsubishi Aircraft

Future of the A380

Confusion reigned after Airbus Group’s CFO in December raised the possibility of ending A380 production. Airbus’s CEO moved to calm investors – and largest A380 customer Emirates – saying Airbus “will one day launch an A380neo and a stretched A380.”
Credit: Airbus

From the highs of Airbus A350 certification and A320neo first flight to the lows of the MH370 and MH17 losses, here is a review of commercial aviation in 2014.

Rupa Haria

Rupa leads the Aviation Week Network's digital content strategy, content marketing and audience engagement.

Graham Warwick

Graham leads Aviation Week's coverage of technology, focusing on engineering and technology across the aerospace industry, with a special focus on identifying technologies of strategic importance to aviation, aerospace and defense.

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