Embraer

The new Embraer [ERJ] 175 was certified late last month by Centro Tecnico Aeroespacial, Brazil's civil aviation regulatory agency. Embraer soon expects to receive certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency and then the Transport Canada Civil Aviation Authority. The first shipment of the 78- passenger plane is due to Air Canada [ACE] in July. In other news, The German airline, Cirrus, took delivery last month of a 76-passenger Embraer 170. The carrier has an option for one more Embraer 170. And, Embraer struck a deal with Jet Aviation Holdings to add three more locations to Jet's Embraer Legacy maintenance facilities: Teterboro, N.J.; Bedford, Mass.; and Dallas. The Jet Aviation crews will also handle maintenance tasks on the ERJ family.

ATR

Air Deccan, a low-cost airline in India, took delivery last month on its second ATR 42-500. The carrier last summer ordered five ATR 42-500s configured to seat 48 passengers. The last three planes should be delivered by the end of February. In other news, ATR struck a deal with Interturbine Logistik, which will provide worldwide support to airlines with ATR spare parts.

Sukhoi

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft has selected Thales to provide full avionics for the company's regional jet program. The contract is expected to be worth $92.7 million. The company prototype of its 95-seat RJ, An-148, made its first flight outside of its Kiev, Ukraine, assembly plant. The plane will be built in both the Ukraine and at Voronezh, Russia.

RAA

The Regional Airline Association (RAA) will publish a new bi-monhtly newsletter, Regional Horizons, beginning this month. The new publication will replace its quarterly, RAA Approach. RAA has contracted with Emerald Media to handle the new publication as well as an upgraded Web site.

Radixx

City Star Airlines, a Scottish start-up carrier, has selected Radixx International to provide its reservations software, which includes programming for a call center and the Web. The Radixx system is based on Oracle data base software.

SITA

SITA, in partnership with Unisys [UIS], is installing biometric screening equipment at airports in Minneapolis, Los Angeles and Houston. The new equipment will be used in conjunction with the Transportation Security Administration's Registered Traveler program.

Global ePoint

CityLine Airlines, based in Germany, ordered three cockpit security systems from Global ePoint [GEPT] which were installed on recently acquired BAe 146 aircraft.

IAC Interactive

An Internet conglomerate, IAC Interactive [IACI], will be split into two companies. One new firm will be focused on travel reservation Web sites, including Expedia, Hotels.com, Hotwire, TravelNow.com and nine other travel Web sites. The second company will be based on Ticketmaster and the Home Shopping Network.

Delta Connection

The Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport plans a $20 million renovation to Concourse C, which is used by the Delta Connection carriers. The improvements include a new Crown Room Club for frequent fliers.

Megadata

Fresno Yosemite International Airport is the first airport to deploy Megadata Corp.'s Passur FlightLink, a Web-based, wireless flight information system. The software links airlines, the airport and passengers with instant status on flights and airport conditions.