50 SKY SHADES - World aviation news

United Kingdom aviation news

East Anglian Air Ambulance - blood is now available on every mission

East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) is now permanently able to deliver blood transfusions as a core part of its life-saving service. Following an urgent fundraising appeal made by EAAA in May, the air ambulance charity, which covers Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire, is now able to carry packed red blood cells and freeze-dried plasma on every mission. Blood transfusions ensure...

Leonardo breaks ground on advanced new helicopters logistics hub in South West England

Leonardo announced that building work will shortly commence on a new c.£30 million single-site logistics facility at Leonardo’s helicopter site in Yeovil. The ground-breaking facility, spanning an area of nearly 20,000m2, the equivalent of 2.7 football pitches, is scheduled to be completed in Q4 2022. The project sees the consolidation of eight existing warehouses into one all-enc...

Virgin Atlantic partners with Vertical Aerospace

Virgin Atlantic partners with Vertical Aerospace to pioneer sustainable and zero emissions air travel in the UK. The partnership includes an option for Virgin Atlantic to purchase up to 150 eVTOL aircraft and exploration of a UK Joint Venture with Vertical Aerospace, to deliver a Virgin Atlantic branded short haul eVTOL network. The  fully-electric VA-X4 is a zero emiss...

UK first simulator-based Air Traffic Control Full Unite training - ANSL

Air Navigation Solutions launched a ground-breaking Unit Training Programme that enables Air Traffic Control Officers to utilise simulators as a key training element throughout full unit training. It is the first On-the-Job Training programme that uses simulators consistently throughout the entire Unit Training Plan to be approved for use in the UK and is leading arou...

Rolls-Royce starts testing most powerful hybrid-electric propulsion system in aerospace

Rolls-Royce has started testing the first elements of the most powerful hybrid-electric aero power and propulsion system in aerospace at a newly-renovated testbed. The tests are part of the 2.5 megawatt (MW) Power Generation System 1 (PGS1) demonstrator programme, for future regional aircraft. Rolls-Royce has begun testing the AE2100 engine element and specialist controls and thermal manag...

London City Airport certified by EASA for Embraer E190-E2

In an important milestone for the E2 programme, the first of Embraer’s E2 family, the E190-E2, has been certified for Steep Approach; a requirement to operate at London City Airport (LCY). EASA certification was granted 11th May. London City Airport sits on the doorstep of the city’s global financial district and is known as a premier business airport, but also as a key sh...

It is official - World largest and smartest indoor aerospace testbed is opened

Rolls-Royce has officially opened Testbed 80, the world’s largest and smartest indoor aerospace testbed, in a ceremony with the Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng, Secretary of State for the Department of Business Energy & Industrial Strategy, in Derby, UK. The completion of the project is a major milestone after almost three years of construction and a £90m investment. With an internal area...

London Oxford Airport major development programme

As part of a new strategic plan, London Oxford Airport has commenced construction work on a new development phase, which will, when complete this autumn, be its most significant step forward to date. Central to the work is a 63,000 sq. ft. (6,000m2) 140m long hangar with two bays including rear offices, stores and workshops, capable of accommodating up to six Bombardier Global, Gulfstream or...

Leading Edge Aviation now also trains with Diamond simulator

Leading Edge Aviation, a commercial pilot training company, based at Oxford Airport, UK, took delivery of one brand-new DA42 FNPT II simulator. The installation of the new Diamond simulator is the latest in a series of investments by Leading Edge Aviation (LEAL). The device forms an important part of the Multi-Engine phase of training and with a growing number of students, the second DA42 sim...

Skyports and Royal Mail pioneer drone deliveries to the Isles of Scilly

This week, Royal Mail announces a trial of the first out-of-sight, autonomous scheduled drone flights between the UK mainland and an island. The trial will see the Company use Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flights to deliver Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), COVID testing kits and other mail to the Isles of Scilly.  Royal Mail has also become the first to execute inter-island parcel delive...

Liverpool City Region set to become a global driving force in drone technology

Drone Major Group has announced the launch of the first ever drone technology ‘Test and Development Area’ project, to be created in the Liverpool City Region. The project is to be delivered in partnership with Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) and is expected to put the region&...

Eurowings enters British leisure travel market

Dreariness in Germany, holiday fever in the UK: Eurowings is entering the British travel market in response to the surge in demand for flights between the UK and Mallorca. Germany’s number one holiday airline has an international base on Majorca and, for the first time in its history, will connect Manchester and Birmingham with Europe's most popular Mediterranean island from the end of M...