50 SKY SHADES - World aviation news

Aviation essential

Essential and most important aviation news

Latest essential aviation news

Airbus, UNESCO and GEDC select projects for Diversity Award final

Rewarding initiatives that bring more diversity to engineering Airbus, the worldwide leader in aeronautics, space and related services and the Global Engineering Deans Council (GEDC), the leading global organisation for engineering education, have announced the three finalist projects for the 201...

First A330 MRTT Phénix for France makes maiden flight

 Airbus Defence and Space has today successfully completed the maiden flight of the first A330 MRTT Multi Role Tanker Transport for France. The aircraft, which will be known in French service as Phénix, is the first of nine ordered by the French Defence Procurement Agency DGA, plus anoth...


H145M completes first flight with HForce weapon system

At the end of August, the H145M performed its first flight with a complete HForce weapon system in Donauwörth. Thanks to this modular weapon system designed by Airbus, the H145M can be equipped with all kind of guided and ballistic armaments such as missiles and laser guided rockets, guns, machine guns and rockets. The qualification of HForce for use on the H145M is planned for 2018. &ldqu...

Qantas chooses Airbus to upgrade the cabins of its A380 fleet

Improving passenger comfort on Qantas’ A380 operations while maximising customer value Qantas has reached an agreement with Airbus to upgrade its 12 flagship A380 cabins to further improve passenger comfort on long-haul operations while maximising economics. In particular, the new interior takes advantage of the A380’s large floor area to most efficiently embody Qantas’ latest...

XTI Aircraft Company resumes equity crowdfunding campaign

XTI Aircraft Company (XTI) announced that after a pause during part of August it is once again accepting investments on the StartEngine equity crowdfunding site.  www.startengine.com/startup/xti "We're continuing our successful equity crowdfunding campaign," said Robert LaBelle, Chief Executive Officer of XTI, "after the US Securities and Exchange Commissi...

New agreement with United Airlines increases A350 XWB order to 45

Long-time customer grows future with Airbus, changes models  United Airlines has increased the number of A350 XWB aircraft it will bring into its fleet, updating and expanding its previously existing order for 35 A350-1000 to 45 A350-900 widebody aircraft to replace older, less efficient aircraft, supporting future growth at the airline.  The A350-900 is the cornerstone member of t...

Boeing Raises Forecast for New Airplane Demand in China

20 year outlook projects 7,200+ new airplanes, valued at $1.1 trillion 6.3 percent increase over 2016 forecast Boeing, China's leading provider of commercial airplanes, projects a demand for 7,240 new airplanes in the country over the next 20 years valued at nearly $1.1 trillion dollars. Boeing's annual China Current Market Outlook (CMO) was released today in B...

FACC signs major contract with Airbus

Contract value more than 500 mill. euros  FACC is technology partner in developing overhead stowage compartments and ceiling panels for new A320 “Airspace” cabin  Start of series production planned for late 2018 Airbus once again relies on high tech from FACC for its new “Airspace“ cabin in the A320 family: FACC AG has concluded a contract with Airbus...

United Technologies To Acquire Rockwell Collins For $30 Billion

Combination Creates Premier Aerospace Systems Supplier Combined business will be well-positioned to meet rapidly evolving global customer demands Highly complementary to existing capabilities Enhances innovative systems capabilities and integrated digital product offerings, including avionics, flight controls and data services Expected to generate cost synergies in...

Airbus Perlan Mission II Soars Into History, Sets New World Record for Glider Altitude

Engineless Perlan 2 reaches 52,172 feet, breaking record set by Perlan 1 in 2006 Airbus Perlan Mission II, the world’s first initiative to send an engineless aircraft to the edge of space, made history yesterday in the Patagonia region of Argentina by soaring to over 52,000 feet and setting a new world altitude record for gliding. “We are celebrating an amazing victory...

Rolls-Royce Sets New Aerospace Record With Ultrafan Power Gearbox

Rolls-Royce today announced that it has set a new record for the world’s most powerful aerospace gearbox, just months after testing began. Speaking at the International Society for Air Breathing Engines (ISABE) conference in Manchester, UK, Paul Stein, Chief Technology Officer at Rolls- Royce, confirmed that the Power Gearbox had successfully reached 70,000 horsepower while on test at Rolls-...

First civil customer Nolas takes delivery of an H135 with Helionix

The Norwegian air ambulance operator Norsk Luftambulanse AS (NOLAS) is the first civil customer to receive an H135 equipped with Helionix. Six additional H135s with Helionix will be delivered to NOLAS in 2017 and 2018. In December 2016, the UK MoD was the first military customer to receive the new H135 with Helionix. NOLAS won a national HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Services) tender in No...

RUAG fulfils Dornier 328 phase four and phase six inspection in four weeks

RUAG Aviation fulfilled the phase four and phase six heavy maintenance check on a Dornier 328 within the highly competitive turnaround time (TAT) of just four weeks. The vast Dornier 328 experience accumulated by RUAG at its Bern-Belp location was a deciding factor for ExecuJet South Africa which awarded the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) contract on behalf of its customer, the Botswa...

New factory for Diamond Aircraft in China

On August 28, 2017, Diamond Aircraft opened a new factory in China, together with the first flight of a fully built aircraft in China. In this new production and development facility, both existing aircraft are being built and new aircraft and engines are being constructed. "It is unbelievable what the Chinese government is doing to build their economy. This is our fourth and most b...

Upcoming events

NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition 2026

20/10/2026 - 22/10/2026
United States, Las Vegas

Bahrain International Airshow 2026

18/11/2026 - 20/11/2026
Bahrain, Sakhir

Top of the week

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Emirates opens the door to a memorable Dubai winter

As Dubai prepares for another vibrant winter season, Emirates is inviting travellers from across its global network to discover the city with unparalleled comfort, convenience and exceptional value. L...

ATP Flight School hosts Alumni Career Expo featuring 20 airline and industry partners

On October 1, ATP Flight School will welcome nearly 500 aspiring airline pilots to its Arlington, Texas training center for an exclusive career expo featuring 20 airline and industry partners. Attende...

Airbus A350F freighter successfully performs its maiden flight

The Airbus A350F freighter (MSN 700), the first of two flight test aircraft, has successfully completed its maiden flight. Equipped with dedicated flight test instrumentation, the aircraft spent 4 hou...

German aviation reaches new milestone as Deutsche Aircraft opens D328eco® Final Assembly Line

A new era for German aerospace began today as Deutsche Aircraft officially opened its Final Assembly Line (FAL) at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Joined by senior government representatives Christian Hirte an...

Tanis brings comprehensive STC and PMA support to Daher TBM 700-series turboprops

Tanis Aircraft Products, a division of Hartzell Propeller, has expanded its portfolio of aircraft preheating solutions with the approval of a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) covering the entire Da...

Biman Bangladesh Airlines boosts fleet modernization through 11-jet Boeing order

Boeing and Biman Bangladesh Airlines announced the national carrier placed an order for 11 787 Dreamliner and 737 MAX airplanes to grow and renew its fleet. The purchase, which includes five 787-10 an...

EHang brings Global Fast Track Program to Vietnam, marking its second international market

EHang has announced the expansion of its Global Fast Track Program to Vietnam, making it the second country to join the initiative after Sri Lanka. The program’s launch in Hanoi also marks...

VINCI Airports announces the most significant investment plan in Edinburgh Airport’s history: £500 million over five years to support its growth

VINCI Airports has announced a landmark £500 million investment programme for Edinburgh Airport over the next five years, marking the largest investment in the airport's history. The initiat...

TFC Flight Traininge elevates pilot training journey with new Pipistrel Explorer

TFC Flight Training has become the first flight school in Germany to operate the Pipistrel Explorer following the delivery of two aircraft from Pipistrel, a Textron Inc. company and affiliate of Textr...

Navigating change: Luxaviation UK's George Galanopoulos on growth, innovation and resilience

The business aviation landscape is evolving rapidly. Client expectations are shifting, demand for unique travel experiences is on the rise, and aircraft acquisitions remain resilient despite geopoliti...

flydubai becomes first airline to launch scheduled international flights to Pokhara

flydubai has expanded its Nepal network with the launch of daily direct flights between Dubai and Pokhara, marking the first-ever non-stop service linking Dubai with western Nepal. The new route makes...

The Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies and Boeing celebrate grand opening of expanded Saskatchewan Aviation Learning Centre

The Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) and Boeing today celebrated the expansion of the Saskatchewan Aviation Learning Centre (SALC), marking a new chapter in their partnership to su...