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10 Air Travel Advances That Will Make Flying Better in 2016

Air travel might be a hassle, at times, but in many important ways it’s getting better.Really.We found ten innovative trends that reveal a better future for the industry, and are set to make air travel more pleasant for passengers in 2016 and beyond. 1. Launch of A350 Aircraft and 787-...

Airbus mulls A380 revamp ‘in cold blood’ as Emirates pushes case

Airbus Group said it’s still pondering whether to upgrade the A380 superjumbo to help end a sales drought, with production rates for the double-decker set to dip below 30 planes this year as output is slowed to help manage a dwindling backlog. Chief executive Tom Enders said that commercial...


Commission adopts new rules on aircraft tracking

Today the Commission adopted new rules for flight recorders, underwater locating devices and aircraft tracking systems, addressing the issues raised by the accident of AF447 and the disappearance of MH370 A week after the adoption of the new Aviation Strategy and the update of the EU Air Safety List, today the Commission took further action to boost Air Safety by adopting new rules on aircraft...

Mitsubishi to review MRJ test and delivery schedule

Mitsubishi Aircraft is reviewing the development schedule for the MRJ regional jet, following the commencement of flight-testing. The airframer says the “entire schedule” from testing to initial delivery is being examined, in co-operation with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Mitsubishi has not specifically stated whether this review is an indicator of possible further delays to...

Production of first Japan-built F-35A commences

Mitsubishi Heavy Industry has started work on the first Lockheed Martin F-35A to be assembled in Japan. The work took place at a Mitsubishi factory in Nagoya, and saw the mating of the aircraft’s wings, fuselage, and tail, says Lockheed in a statement. The aircraft is designated AX-5, and will be the fifth F-35A produced for the Japanese air force. Japan’s first four aircraft, de...

GE Capital Aviation Services and Virgin America Sign Lease Agreement for 10 Airbus A321neo Aircraft

GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of GE, today announced it signed an agreement with Virgin America, Inc., to lease 10 new Airbus A321neo aircraft powered by CFM’s LEAP-1A engines to expand the carrier’s fleet. The first aircraft is scheduled for delivery in Q1 2017 and the remainder will deliver in 2017 and 2018. All 10 air...

Air NZ boosts North American network with start on new Houston service

Air New Zealand has opened a fifth gateway in North America with the start of flights to Houston, Texas. The airline’s inaugural service to the heart of Texas, flight NZ28, departed Auckland at 1830 local time on Tuesday and landed just over 12 and a half hours later at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport a little after 1230 the same day. The Boeing 777-200ER, ZK-...

Fraport-Copelouzos Consortium signs contracts for managing 14 Greek Airports

Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide and its Greek partner Copelouzos Group signed contracts with the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund for the 40-year concessions to operate, manage, develop and maintain 14 regional airports in Greece. The transaction closing is expected during the autumn of 2016, at which time full payment of the €1.234 billion upfront concession f...

Year in Review: 25 most memorable moments of 2015

The year saw airline disasters caused by human frailty and terrorism but also celebrated some milestone industry moments, with Airbus and Boeing initiating unprecedented production rate rises, China and Japan stepping onto the world stage and Lockheed Martin and Dassault breakingfighter barriers. Technology shone, too, with solar- and electric-power records falling in dramatic fashion and ast...

Boeing, China Postal Airlines Announce Purchase of 10 Next-Generation 737 Boeing Converted Freighters

Boeing today announced an agreement with China Postal Airlines for 10 Next-Generation 737 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCFs), pending a program launch. Through its converted freighter programs, Boeing extends the valuable service life of a passenger airplane by modifying it to function as a freighter. "This is a historic order both for China Postal and Boeing," said&n...

Boeing still backing stalled CHAMP and UAV projects

Despite all the hype surrounding the high-power microwave energy weapon known as CHAMP, interest in the computer-frying device assembled and tested by Boeing Phantom Works and the US Air Force Research Laboratory appears stalled. “There was a lot of activity when we did the demonstration a couple of years ago, and with the budget constraint on the department, they’ve been unable to...

ANALYSIS: Why there was more to the HS Trident than just a lot of noise

The introduction of ICAO Annex 16 Chapter 2 noise legislation on 1 January 1986 forced operators of older first- and second-generation jets to hush kit their fleets. For British Airways, this was not a viable option for its fleet of Hawker Siddeley HS 121 Tridents – not that it needed an excuse to phase out these fuel-thirsty geriatric jets. The Trident’s engine configuration &...

Wanfeng Aviation takes delivery of China's first Phenom 100

Embraer has delivered the first Phenom 100 to China, following the handover of an entry-level jet on 14 December, to Wanfeng Aviation. The six-seat Phenom 100E – the latest iteration of the ten-year-old twinjet – will be used by the Zhejiang-based company as corporate transport for its parent Wanfeng Auto Holding and for charter services in the country. “It’s a great...

Gulfstream delivers G650ER to Qatar Airways

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. formally delivered a Gulfstream G650ER to Qatar Airways in a ceremony at Gulfstream’s headquarters in Savannah. The delivery is the first of up to 30 Gulfstream aircraft Qatar Airways has agreed to purchase. The sale, a combination of firm orders and options, includes the flagship G650ER as well as the G500 and G600, Gulfstream’s new clean-sheet, wide-cabi...

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Top of the week

Jungheinrich & Deutsche Aircraft set a new standard in aerospace logistics with automated warehouse for next-generation regional aircraft production

In a landmark step towards next-generation regional aircraft manufacturing, Jungheinrich has delivered an advanced automated logistics centre to Deutsche Aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Supporting...

flyadeal arrives in Mumbai, strengthening air connectivity between India and Saudi Arabia

flyadeal, the fast-growing low-cost carrier of Saudia Group and one of the GCC's largest budget airlines, has expanded its presence in India with the launch of non-stop flights between Riyadh and...

Tecnam unveils the FAR Part 23-certified P2008JC NG in the United States, redefining efficiency in next-generation pilot training

Tecnam introduces the P2008JC NG to the United States market, bringing flight schools a certified, next-generation training aircraft designed to dramatically reduce operating costs while maximizing fl...

Cessna Skyhawk Veris VR flight training device set for NBAA-BACE debut in Las Vegas

TRU Simulation + Training Inc. will showcase its Veris Virtual Reality Flight Training Device (FTD) for the Cessna Skyhawk at NBAA-BACE 2026, marking the simulator's first appearance at the indust...

British Airways unveils new Terminal 5 lounge, marking the next phase of Heathrow transformation

British Airways has unveiled the next phase of its Heathrow lounge transformation programme, marking the beginning of a significant investment aimed at modernising every lounge across the airport in t...

Corsair takes to the skies in pink this October

  For the fourth consecutive year, Corsair is reaffirming its commitment to the fight against breast cancer by partnering with the association "Les Hôtesses de l’Air cont...

IADA sees strong demand and constrained inventory shaping the global preowned aircraft market

The International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) has released its 2026-2027 Current Market Portrait & Forecast, offering an in-depth analysis of the global preowned business av...

Etihad Airways and Ibom Air launch interline partnership linking Nigeria to Etihad’s global network

Etihad Airways has signed an interline agreement with Nigerian airline Ibom Air, enabling travellers to connect seamlessly beyond Lagos and Accra to five destinations across Nigeria on a single t...

Travel leaders unite behind EU Digital Omnibus to advance the future of secure biometric travel

A new travel industry coalition is urging EU policymakers to adopt a balanced and proportionate approach to biometric travel, ensuring passengers can benefit from secure and seamless journeys while ma...

PAL-V, AVION and FLYVE announce strategic partnership to scale global FlyDrive training infrastructure

PAL-V has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with AVION, a specialist in advanced flight training devices, and FLYVE, a developer of FlyDrive ecosystems for professional and government operator...

FACC unlocks new growth opportunities through strategic funding

Rising production rates and the launch of new aircraft programs are driving increased demand for manufacturing capacity across the aerospace industry. To support this growth, FACC plans to i...

Tecnam expands U.S. presence with Finnoff as exclusive Western Region distributor for the P2012

Tecnam has announced a landmark strategic partnership aimed at accelerating the growth of its P2012 aircraft family across the United States. Under the agreement, Finnoff has been appointed the exclus...

Emirates arrives in Helsinki for the first time

  Emirates has officially inaugurated services to Helsinki, marking a significant milestone in connectivity between Finland and the United Arab Emirates. The new daily route is the only year-r...

KLM marks fleet milestone with delivery of its first Airbus A350-900

Dutch flag carrier KLM, part of the Air France-KLM Group, has welcomed its first Airbus A350-900, marking a significant step in the airline’s long-haul fleet modernization strategy. The arrival...

From first call to final mission: Helicopter Alliance’s Black Hawks excel throughout fire season

UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters operated by Helicopter Alliance played a vital role in combating wildfires across Central and Southern Europe during the aerial firefighting season that has now concluded....

GE Aerospace names FL Technics Indonesia as first MRO partner for avionics support

FL Technics Indonesia, the first MRO in Indonesia to be appointed as a GE Aerospace avionics support partner, has signed a service support agreement with GE Aerospace covering Boeing 737 and Airbus A3...

SkyDrive eyes Osaka’s rooftops for a new generation of eVTOL vertiports

Following the successful public flight demonstrations at Expo 2025 Osaka, SkyDrive announced plans to undertake a feasibility study exploring the conversion of Osaka City’s existi...

Azerbaijan Airlines continues fleet modernisation with delivery of another Airbus A321neo

Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), part of AZCON Holding, has taken delivery of another Airbus A321neo, increasing its fleet to 31 aircraft as the carrier continues its long-term modernisation strategy. The...

Ethiopian Airlines grows cargo ambitions with Boeing 777 and 777-8 freighters

Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines have announced a new cargo fleet expansion agreement, with the African carrier ordering eight 777-8 Freighters and two additional 777 Freighters. The investment will enab...

Textron Aviation helps shape tomorrow’s workforce through Kansas’ first aviation youth apprenticeship initiative

As the first aviation company in Kansas to introduce state-registered youth apprenticeships through the Kansas Office of Apprenticeships, Textron Aviation is taking a leading role in workforce develop...

FLYONE Armenia orders two Airbus A321neo

FLYONE Armenia, the country’s leading airline, has finalised an order with Airbus for two A321neo aircraft, marking a significant milestone in its fleet modernisation strategy. The agreement was...

CAA Malaysia advances air traffic controller recruitment strategy with Airways International’s SureSelect

Airways International has entered into a new five-year partnership with the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), extending the use of its SureSelect air traffic control (ATC) candidate assessm...