The Kingdom of Bhutan, Airbus Helicopters announced the arrival of the first H130, from the proven Ecureuil family, in the Kingdom of Bhutan. This is the first of two helicopters acquired by the Royal Bhutan Helicopter Services Limited (RBHSL) to serve parapublic and commercial missions. The second H130 is expected to be delivered in June 2016. “We are thrilled to be the first to rec...
Bombardier Business Aircraft is pleased to announce that it was awarded Transport Canada (TC) Certification for its Challenger 650 aircraft. With customer deliveries expected to commence in 2015, the Bombardier Challenger 650 demonstration aircraft will make its North American debut at the National Business Aviation Association conference and exhibition. “This latest milestone is terrific...
Russian Helicopters, part of state corporation Rostec, has started flight testing of a second prototype of the medium multirole Mi-171A2 at Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant. The new Mi-171A2 prototype includes all the unique features typical of this type of helicopter, making it competitive with its global peers. Pre-flight and certification testing are also currently underway. The Mi-171A2 is the m...
The Defence Ministry on Tuesday said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with AgustaWestland, a unit of Italy’s Finmeccanica, to buy six AW609 tilt-rotor aircraft for search and rescue operations. Major General Abdullah al-Hashimi, the ministry’s executive director of strategic analysis, told reporters at the Dubai Airshow that the aircraft would improve the capabilities of...
Cairo // Investigators of the Russian plane crash in Egypt are “90 per cent sure” the noise heard in the final second of a cockpit recording was an explosion caused by a bomb, a member of the investigation team said on Sunday. The Airbus (AIR.PA) A321 crashed 23 minutes after taking off from the Sharm El Sheikh tourist resort eight days ago, killing all 224 passengers and crew. ISIL...
AstroLabs – named after the astrolabe, an ancient navigational device perfected by the Arabs – is a new co-working space in Dubai. While there have been a slew in recent years – Shelter, The Pavilion, Make, The Cribb – this latest venture, which officially opened late last month, boasts three hallmarks that set it apart. Firstly, having been launched by two successful...
As top Aerion executives meet with Dubai air show attendees, the aspiring supersonic business jet manufacturer is continuing to search for a US assembly site for flight-test and production aircraft. The selected location will form the “new home of Aerion Corporation”, says the company. Its production system is taking shape ahead of a scheduled first flight date in 2021 and entry...
Argentina is expected to sign a contract on 10 November covering the purchase of 14 Kfir Block 60 fighters. The nation's air force opted to acquire upgraded examples of the Israel Aerospace Industries-produced combat aircraft, which have been non-operational for two decades. IAI had been offering a Block 60 version of the roughly 40-year-old Kfir design, powered by a GE Aviation&n...
Airbus has underlined its faith in the A380, despite slower-than-desired activity and an absence of sales for the type so far this year. Chief operating officer for customers John Leahy, speaking at the Dubai air show, insisted that the “case for the A380 is inevitable”. He is confident that the type is becoming “known in the marketplace” and that a new customer could...
Airbus Helicopters has taken its in-development H160 twin-engined helicopter to a speed of 176kt (202km/h) during flight tests, and believes a never-exceed speed (Vne) of 180kt should be achievable. Disclosing the flight-test progress at a Dubai media briefing held at the H160 mock-up on the static display, Benoit Terral, sales promotion manager for the type, said the velocity was achieved duri...
A number of African countries have turned their attention to the Embraer EMB-314 A29 SuperTucano aircraft. Jon Lake looks at the reasons why. For many years, some African air forces have been guilty of letting considerations of national prestige govern their combat aircraft procurement. In many cases, supersonic fighter interceptors have been purchased or acquired which have had litt...
With 4.9% average gross domestic product (GDP) growth over the past two years in the sub-Saharan region, it is no surprise that Africa is forecast to become one of the fastest growing areas for aviation. David Adebiyi explains how aviation infrastructure is a key enabler. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts that by 2034 Africa will see an extra 177 million passengers...
General Electric has launched its Middle East Aviation Technology Center, which will serve as a regional customer and product support hub. The US engine manufacturer says it hopes to increase productivity, maximise performance and minimise downtime for customers by leveraging data analytics, domain experience and software capabilities. Gary Mercer, vice-president of engineering services for...
Emirates has announced its plans for a second gateway in Istanbul with the launch of a daily service to Sabiha Gokcen Airport, beginning December 15, 2015. The new service complements Emirates’ existing 11 weekly flights to Ataturk Airport, offering even more convenience for both inbound and outbound travellers. Located on the Asian side of Istanbul, Sabiha Gokcen doesn’t o...
Flying into the future of the UAE is New Zealand's Martin Aircraft Company and Martin Jetpack. The company signed an exclusive contract with the Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) at the Dubai Airshow on Monday to become the launch customer for the world’s first practical jetpack. “The fuel-run jetpack flies at up to 5,000 feet and solves problems that others can’t with its abil...
Bombardier Commercial Aircraft is in discussions with Abu Dhabi Aviation with the aim of establishing an authorised service facility (ASF) for Bombardier's Q Series turboprop regional airliners. The facility was announced at the Dubai Airshow yesterday. The two parties have signed a memorandum of understanding on the ASF, with final agreement subject to acceptance of commercial terms and...
Jetstar has joined Tigerair Australia at Melbourne Tullamarine’s new Terminal 4. The Qantas-owned low-cost carrier set up shop in the new terminal, which features 36 automated checkin kiosks and 18 bag drop units, as well as a larger departures lounge and more shopping and food choices, on Tuesday morning. Jetstar will have priority access to 12 gates at Terminal 4, compared with four...
There is growing speculation Qantas and American Airlines will launch new nonstop service from the New Zealand to the United States. The two carriers have called a media conference to be held in Wellington on Wednesday morning, where Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce and his counterpart at American Doug Parker will “make an important announcement for the New Zealand market”. Amer...
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will begin flights to Dusseldorf from July 2016, giving Australians a new one-stop option to Germany. Dusseldorf will be served with SIA’s new Airbus A350-900s featuring business, premium economy and economy three times a week as red-eye from Singapore and afternoon departure from Germany. SIA also flies to Munich and Frankfurt from its Singapore hub. It also o...
Renowned Australian landscape and nature photographer Richard Green, his wife Carolyn and friend John Davis were killed when Green’s Airbus Helicopters EC135, VH-GKK, crashed in mountainous terrain while the trio were returning to Sydney, having departed from Breeza Station, south-west of Tamworth, on November 7. When the distinctively painted EC135 failed to arrive a...
Next time you're stuck on a long-haul flight in a packed, economy-class cabin, being ignored by a frazzled flight attendant, spare a thought for the passengers on a recent flight from Melbourne to Chongqing in China. They were cows. Crated up and loaded onto the main deck of a Boeing Co. 747cargo plane by hydraulic lift, the 150 beasts were on Australia's first live cattle flight t...
