France and the UK are set to launch a new project under their Future Combat Air System (FCAS) effort that will see unmanned air vehicle prototypes developed under a newly announced £1.54 billion ($2.19 billion) agreement. UK Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande met in Amiens, France on 3 March, during which they committed funding to build on the programme&rs...
The Bombardier Challenger 650 received the nod from EASA, the Canadian aircraft manufacturer announced today. This approval comes about three months after the large-cabin business jet was certified by Transport Canada and the U.S. FAA. “Our Challenger 650 successfully entered into service last year and is now about to make its European debut,” said Bombardier Business...
Abu Dhabi Air Expo is dedicated to general and business aviation. The Exhibition brings together major players in aviation, enabling a demanding clientele to discover the industry's latest developments and innovations in a remarkable and convenient location, Al Bateen Executive Airport, Abu Dhabi. If due to some reasons you are not attending the Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2016, take a walk wi...
Heathrow Airport has today announced that Lord Paul Deighton will succeed Sir Nigel Rudd as chairman of the board when he steps down later this year. Lord Deighton will guide Heathrow through its next phase of development, supporting Heathrow’s vision of giving passengers the best airport service in the world and preparing for the government’s decision on airport expansion. Follo...
Mubadala Development Company, the Abu Dhabi-based investment firm, said on Tuesday it has signed an agreement with US plane manufacturer Boeing, for collaboration on research and development (R&D) initiatives. The agreement, which spans five years, aims to further expand aerospace manufacturing capabilities in the UAE, the two companies said in a joint statement. The deal will see Boeing...
A final vote by the European Parliament on a proposed directive allowing the transfer of passenger name records (PNR) from airlines to EU countries has been delayed by "left wing groups", Reuters has reported. Socialist, Liberal and Green MEPs have blocked talks on the proposed PNR Directive scheduled for next week, with there being a knock-on delay to the final vote, a group of Conse...
Adam Radwanski Qatar Airways country manager, Australasia First, business or economy? It depends on the length of the trip. For flights that last four or five hours, I'm happy to be in economy. For longer, intercontinental trips, business class is a must, especially for red-eye flights. A glass of bubbles, a good sleep in a fully flat bed and great service with a smile...
SriLankan Airlines is focused on having its operations break even within the next two years, as it takes delivery of new aircraft and restructures its network. Speaking to Flightglobal at Routes Asia in Manila, an airline official says that while the carrier’s load factor was above 80% in 2015, its yields were low. Last January, it was given a mandate by the country’s new gover...
The new Embraer Executive Jets' Legacy 500 makes its debut at Abu Dhabi Air Expo from March 8 to 10 at Al Bateen Executive Airport. One of the most advanced business jets at the static display, the Legacy 500 is the first jet in its class to replace conventional system with digital flight controls in a stand-up cabin with a flat floor. The Legacy 500 can carry up to 12 passengers i...
Electronics Valley Inc. (EV) announced today (March 7, 2016) the start of the “EV AVIATION PHOTO CONTEST v1” with a theme : “AVIATION is my LIFE”. It is FREE to attend and the submissions will be accepted till April 25, 2016. The voting phase will begin on April 26, 2016 for the photos approved by Electronics Valley Inc officials (please read the “Official Rules&rd...
Falcon Aviation is Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2016's Golden sponsor once again, and will be showcasing its services at the event. Currently the company’s fleet comprises of various state of the art helicopters and jets including the Agusta AW109 and AW189, the Bell 412, the Eurocopter EC 130, the Embraer Legacy 600, the Embraer Lineage 1000 and the Gulfstream G450. Falcon Aviation ha...
The opening leg of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship will take off over the waters of the Corniche this weekend. The two-day event will see 14 pilots compete against the clock by weaving their stunt planes through a slalom course of 25-metre high floating pylons. Known as the fastest motorsport in the world, the aircraft are able to reach speeds up to 370 kph, while the pilots experie...
Bombardier Commercial Aircraft announced that it has commenced CS100 aircraft route-proving exercises in Europe. The month-long program is underway with a dedicated CS100 route-proving aircraft operated by Bombardier from launch operator Swiss International Air Lines’ (“SWISS”) base in Zurich, Switzerland. The route-proving exercises are scheduled to include main European c...
Piper Meridian owners and buyers of the new Piper M500 have a new propeller option, a Hartzell five-blade composite propeller for which Hartzell has just received a supplemental type certificate. In addition to providing reduced noise and a better climb rate, the propeller’s new blades are certified for unlimited life. The swept-airfoil blades are designed with a stainless stee...
Lufthansa will begin flying the new Airbus A350 by the end of 2016 with the first 10 jets in its 25-strong order to be based in Munich. Boston and Delhi will be among the first destinations for the next-gen jetliner, which will replace the German flag-carrier's older gas-guzzling Airbus A340s, with Hong Kong and Beijing expected to follow. Lufthansa is adopting a fairly conventional thre...
Elon Musk has successfully launched another Space X rocket into space, but failed to land this latest one on its target barge. Tesla, Musk's company, launched the unmanned Falcon 9 at sunset on Friday. It carried a broadcasting satellite for SES, a company based in Luxembourg. This was Tesla's fifth launch for the past one and a half weeks. Another launch was tried on Sunday, but with t...
DC Aviation Al-Futtaim (DCAF) has expanded its management fleet with two new business jets. DCAF will operate a Bombardier Challenger 604 and a Gulfstream G200 on behalf of the private owners. The company also manages a Bombardier Global XRS and another Challenger 604. “We are extremely pleased with the continued interest from aircraft owners and operators seeking our expertise to mana...
Finmeccania Helicopters has successfully performed the first flight of the AgustaWestland AW109 Trekker – a skid-equipped variant of its popular light twin. Flown from the manufacturer’s Cascina Costa facility in northern Italy on 2 March, the maiden sortie included an assessment of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207-powered Trekker’s handling and systems. Two prototypes...
A global aviation safety initiative is holding a two-day workshop in Sydney later in March to discuss the best ways to collect and analyse aviation safety data. The Global Safety Information Project (GSIP), which is being led by Flight Safety Foundation, is holding 12 workshops around the world to develop toolkits for collecting and analysing safety data. The first workshop is being held in...
Qatar Executive is exhibiting at the Abu Dhabi Air Expo this week. Qatar Executive will be participating with an exclusive, dedicated chalet and will be showcasing its brand new Gulfstream G650ER on static display, giving visitors the opportunity to see the luxurious interior of the world’s fastest ultra-long range business jet, which is highly sought-after among the global travelling eli...
Lucky passengers on Alaska Airlines Flight 870 will get a special sight when they look out the window: a total solar eclipse. The flight from Anchorage to Honolulu purposefully adjusted its departure time so that the plane's passengers could see the eclipse's totality — the period when the entire solar disc is covered and only the outer edges are visible. The plot to change the fl...
