China Eastern Airlines to buy 80 Boeing 737s

China Eastern Airlines has committed to purchase 80 737s, including Next-Generation 737 and 737 MAX airplanes, Boeing announcement Friday in a company statement.

When finalized, the order will become China’s largest-ever purchase by an airline for single-aisle airplanes, worth more than $8 billion at current list prices.

NTSB begins investigation into Gulf of Mexico helicopter crash

The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the crash of a Bell 206 helicopter 90 miles south of Houma, La.

The helicopter (tail number N207MY) “crashed in the water while on approach to an oil rig platform. The two persons on board were fatally injured,” according to preliminary data released by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Bell 206-L4 was manufactured in 2000 and registered to Coy Leasing LLC of Broussard, La., according to FAA records.

U.S. Coast Guard personnel based in New Orleans received a report of a downed helicopter on Wednesday at 2:40 p.m. Crewmembers on the rig deployed a life raft and reported the aircraft sank below the water.

A MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans, a HC-130 Ocean Sentry aircraft from Mobile, Ala., and a 87-foot patrol boat from Grand Isle was dispatched to the area to search for survivors.

Helicopter goes down off the coast of Louisiana

The U.S. Coast Guard is responding to a civilian helicopter with two people aboard that went down approximately 60 miles south of Terrebonne Bay on Wednesday.

Coast Guard personnel based in New Orleans received the report at 2:40 p.m. of a downed helicopter, Bell model 206-L4, containing two people aboard near South Timbalier Block 317. Crewmembers on the rig deployed a life raft and reported the aircraft sank below the water.

A MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans, a HC-130 Ocean Sentry aircraft from Mobile, Ala., and a 87-foot patrol boat from Grand Isle was dispatched to assist in a search for survivors.

Qatar Airways CEO meets Miami mayor for high-level investment meeting

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez and senior officials held a high-level meeting Wednesday with Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker to discuss new trade, business and investment opportunities in Miami.

Qatar Airways began weekly service to Miami International Airport on Tuesday from the newly opened Hamad International Airport, in Doha.

The airline's CEO was on-board the maiden flight and led a high level delegation, including the Director of Miami Airport, Emilio Gonzalez; the Vice Chairman of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, senior officials from the airline and also a group of international media traveling on the first flight.

During the courtesy visit, Al Baker said that “the airline planned to bring new opportunities to Miami by investing in the community and helping boost trade, tourism and business links between the State of Qatar and Miami.

"Qatar Airways is looking forward to how this new route will enhance our excellent offering to passengers, providing even greater flexibility in the number of U.S. gateways to choose from, since we now fly out of six major hubs in the country.

"Miami has always been a global city; a crossroads of commerce, art and culture. Mayor Gimenez has been a great ally in our efforts to bring Qatar Airways to Miami and we are proud to offer an additional boost to the local economy, by contributing to the generation of an estimated 536 new jobs and create an economic impact of over $78 million revenue for the first year alone."

"Qatar Airways' decision to include Miami among its handful of U.S. destinations confirms that Miami-Dade County is a global center for business and tourism travel, and MIA is one of the premier airports in the world,” said Gimenez. "Miami-Dade looks forward to strengthening the economic and cultural ties to Qatar and beyond."

Miami International Airport is responsible for over 20 million international passengers each year. Qatar Airways will fly four round-trip routes each week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) between Doha and Miami.

"Qatar Airways looks forward to building a strong relationship between Miami and Doha," added Al Baker. "These two great cities have so much to share and learn from one another. We can now look forward to introducing many more U.S. travellers to Doha and developing a strong conduit for trade and commerce."

American Airlines strengthens presence in Asia-Pacific region

American Airlines launched daily nonstop service between Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Hong Kong and Shanghai on Wednesday - reinforcing the company's commitment to expanding and strengthening its presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

"DFW Airport, Mayor Price and I have been advocating for more direct access to Asia, knowing the trans-Pacific market is critical for business across the state,” said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings.

"These direct routes connect two of the world's most significant economic centers to DFW and will open new avenues of trade and tourism for our region,” said Sean Donohue, CEO of  DFW International Airport

Hong Kong service

The new daily service between DFW and Hong Kong International Airport will be operated with a Boeing 777-300ER, marking the first time American will deploy its flagship aircraft to Asia. The aircraft features a three-class cabin configuration with fully lie-flat seats in First and Business Class, international Wi-Fi, and more customer and cargo capacity than any other aircraft currently in American's fleet.

Shanghai service

The new service between DFW and Shanghai Pudong International Airport will be operated with a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft. American will be retrofitting its entire fleet of 777-200ERs to include fully lie-flat Business Class seats, each with aisle access; new seats in the Main Cabin; in-seat entertainment; and international Wi-Fi capability. The new fully lie-flat Business Class seats on American's 777-200ERs will afford travelers among the largest living space of any 777 Business Class seat offered by any U.S. carrier.

The service to Hong Kong will add a new destination to American's international network, and the service to Shanghai complements American's existing service from Los Angeles International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Qatar Airways connects Miami with Middle East non-stop

Qatar Airways' maiden voyage to Miami International Airport (MIA) touched down on Tuesday, commencing service to the airline's sixth U.S. gateway. The service marked its 142^nd destination worldwide from the central hub in Doha, Qatar.

With this new route, Qatar Airways is the only airline to offer non-stop service between the Middle East and Miami.

Tuesday's launch continues a major expansion by the airline into the United States. Non-stop service to Philadelphia International Airport began in April, and the airline will commence flights to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in July.

The airline's CEO was onboard the maiden flight and led a high level delegation, including the Director of MIA, Emilio Gonzalez; the vice chairman of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, senior officials from the airline and also a group of international media traveling on the first flight.

With Doha's centralized location, travelers from Miami can reach cities such as Bangkok, Nairobi, Colombo, and Mumbai in an impressive 23 hours or less through a quick transfer in Doha.

The airline recently moved its entire operations to the State of Qatar's new airport Hamad International.

From one major hub to another, Miami International Airport is one of the largest in the United States, handling over 40.5 million passengers in 2013. It is the country's second busiest airport for international travel and the busiest for international freight.

The new Qatar Airways route is expected to generate 536 new jobs and $78.3 million in additional revenue for Miami and the surrounding community. The route is being operated with a Boeing 777-200 in a two-class configuration of 42 seats in Business and 217 seats in Economy.

Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 17 years of operations and is currently flying a modern fleet of 134 aircraft to more than 140 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and the Americas.

Miami joins the airline's existing Americas destinations: Chicago, Houston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Montreal, Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires. Qatar Airways is set to launch services to a diverse portfolio of new routes during the coming months, including Tokyo Haneda, Japan (June 18), Dallas/Fort Worth, USA (July 1) and Djibouti (July 27).

Mayo Aviation adds Hawker 400XP to charter fleet

Mayo Aviation, Inc. announced Tuesday the addition of a 2007 Hawker-Beech 400XP to its charter fleet in response to continued demand from its charter clientele.

Mayo Aviation's Hawker-Beech 400XP features a leather interior that seats seven passengers. The entertainment system features video monitors that display Air Show and in-flight movies. Other features include a fully enclosed aft lavatory and a galley area for refreshments and snacks.

The Hawker-Beech 400XP aircraft will be based at Mayo Aviation's headquarters at Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colo.