CFM International has signed a nine-year agreement worth $500m with Alaska Airlines for the maintenance of 128 CFM56-7B engines installed aboard the latter’s Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft fleet.

CFM will provide lease engines, maintenance support, transportation, and material services, under the rate per flight hour maintenance contract.

“The programme will develop satellite-based broadband technologies and Cloud-based ground network infrastructure.”

Boeing and Nasa have entered a deal to collaborate on testing and certification of synthetic vision systems under a research programme.

The synthetic vision systems will increase pilot safety and improve situational awareness.

The tests will be performed at Boeing’s training facilities in Miami, Florida, US.

ViaSat Antenna Systems has agreed to develop different components of the ViaSat-3 satellite communications system under the $78.9m Project AIDAN public-private partnership agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA).

The programme will develop satellite-based broadband technologies and Cloud-based ground network infrastructure.

Project AIDAN will receive $35.9m in funding from the ESA and the governments of the Netherlands, Romania and Switzerland.