Boeing’s preparations continue towards first flight of the stretched 787-9 at its Everett, Washington facility. Late last month, just before the final body join of ZB001, the first 787-9, I was among a group of journalists who was shown the aircraft along with the bustling main 787 assembly line. Here are images of the tour, which were embargoed until today. (all images Guy Norris)  

Airline leaders cannot be accused of wishful thinking in their optimistic assessment of the industry's outlook. Clear signs are emerging that the sector is past the bottom of the latest trough in the cycle and on the way up again. These indicators have led the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to lift its 2013 profit forecast for the global airline industry to $12.7 billion, thanks partly to anticipated easing of oil prices and the average load factor exceeding 80% for the first time.

On any given morning, groups of US Airways Airbus A330s head west out of various European countries on North Atlantic tracks that ultimately lead to Philadelphia International Airport.

Live-fire testing on pressurized single-aisle and widebody aircraft cabins is set to start at the U.S. Army's Aberdeen Test Center in northern Maryland. The work is part of a long-running Army and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program to study locations or designs that will yield the least damage if a bomb found onboard an aircraft detonates.

While Bangkok is one of the world's largest international air hubs, it ranks third behind Singapore and Kuala Lumpur among those serving Southeast Asia. But that may soon change as new regional airlines launch services there. The premier carrier based in Bangkok, Thai Airways International, has focused for many years on long-haul markets to Europe and the U.S., which is reflected in its fleet, largely comprising Airbus A380s, Boeing 747-400s and 777s, along with five Boeing 737-400s.

Boeing has elected to build key elements of the engine nacelle for the 737 MAX at its recently developed 787 assembly line in North Charleston, S.C., as part of a continuing effort to expand its commercial aircraft footprint beyond its home state of Washington. The establishment of Propulsion South Carolina is part of a broader expansion of design engineering and information technology work for North Charleston, in support of the company's pledge to invest $1 billion and create 2,000 jobs there.

For Western aviation equipment manufacturers, setting up joint companies with Avic usually offers lower costs and a boost to sales, thanks to access to the controlled Chinese market. For the Chinese side, partnership has a more fundamental value: It provides access to a business that would otherwise not be accessible at all. But in the latest Sino-Western partnership, aimed at developing and building commercial flight simulators, both sides need each other to make any headway.

After almost 40 years of growth, CFM is heading in new directions