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First flight for new AW109 Trekker light twin

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 t...

The best new airplane designs from the Crystal Cabin Awards

When it comes to airplane cabins, many airlines and manufacturers have been rolling out designs that seem to perpetually squeeze passengers into oblivion. But not all aircraft designers want flyers to feel like a canned sardine. At the Crystal Cabin Awards, an annual showcase of airplane inter...


Double-digit growth in flight traffic and record number of passengers in 2015

VistaJet, the global leader in business aviation, today announced its flight and passenger statistics for 2015. In the 2015 calendar year, both the number of passengers flying with VistaJet and its overall flight traffic increased in all of its core markets, making 2015 the company’s strongest year to date. Worldwide flight traffic increased more than 21 per cent year-on-year when compared t...

Analysts Continue Panicking About the Boeing 777

In the past year or so, a growing contingent of aerospace analysts have made dire predictions about demand for Boeing's 777 widebody jet. They found some support for their bearish viewpoint earlier this year, when Boeing announced plans to cut the 777 production rate from 8.3 per month to seven per month for 2017. Weak demand for the current-generation 777 could potentially be exp...

First-ever Abu Dhabi Aviation and Aerospace Week starts

The first-ever Abu Dhabi Aviation and Aerospace Week has started and the world’s aviation and aerospace leaders are set to be in the capital this week to discuss pressing issues in the sector. They are meeting in Abu Dhabi as just calls intensify for Arabian Gulf economies to diversify away from oil. Six aviation sector events will take place this week in the capital under the umbrella...

AI 173: World’s longest all-women operated flight is ready for take off

With International Women’s Day round the corner, India’s national carrier airline, Air India, is all set to make history. Celebrating the power of women, the flight AI 173 that’ll take the non-stop Delhi-San Francisco route will set a record for being the world’s longest all-women operated and supported flight. The flight that departs from New Delhi on March 6 at 0235 hrs w...

Airbus and Boeing February 2016 O&D Roundup

Boeing delivered 55 commercial aircraft to 23 airlines, six lessors and one unidentified customer in February. Airbus had 46 commercial aircraft deliveries to 29 airlines and two lessors during the month. Year-to-date, Boeing has delivered a total of 104 commercial aircraft, compared to Airbus’ 68 total deliveries as of Feb. 29, 2016. February commercial aircraft orders were relatively...

ANALYSIS: America's hypersonic missile revolution beckons

Long before hitching a ride to the moon aboard Apollo 11, then US Air Force test pilot Neil Armstrong was zipping around in a rocket-powered North American X-15, which to this day remains the fastest manned, winged aircraft ever built. That flight record of Mach 6.72 or 7,274km/h was set by pilot William “Pete” Knight in 1967. Now, some 59 years later, America still hasn’t ful...

Iran invites Boeing to talk about plane purchases: State TV

Iran has invited U.S. planemaker Boeing Co to Tehran to discuss purchasing jetliners aimed at revamping its aging fleet hit by decades of sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic, state TV reported on Friday. In February, Iran's deputy transport minister Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan told Reuters the country was ready to buy at least 100 jets from Boeing. Boeing said it was assessing the ste...

First U.S.-built A321 exits paint shop

Painting of the first U.S.-built A321 has been completed as it emerged from the paintshop in Mobile, Alabama in its JetBlue livery. This latest milestone shows that the first aircraft to be produced at the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility is progressing well on its route to first flight and delivery in spring 2016.   The aircraft painting was achieved by MAAS Aviation. The company is re...

Airbus chief discusses China production strategy

Airbus will spare no effort to be the dominant player in China, with its president and CEO pledging a personal commitment to the manufacturer's partnerships in the country. Speaking to the media ahead of the groundbreaking of its A330 completion and delivery centre in Tianjin, the manufacturer’s first outside of its European home ground, Airbus chief Fabrice Bregier says he first moot...

Finmeccanica AW109 Trekker helicopter performs first flight

Finmeccanica has announced the maiden flight of the new AgustaWestland AW109 Trekker light twin-engine helicopter.   A prototype aircraft took to the air for the first time at the Helicopter Division’s Cascina Costa facility (Italy).    The helicopter performed as expected during the flight which included an assessment of its general handling and basic systems. A total of...

Boeing Develops Self-Cleaning Lavatory

Boeing engineers and designers have developed a self-cleaning lavatory prototype that uses ultraviolet (UV) light to kill 99.99 percent of germs. The cleaning system can disinfect all surfaces after every use in just three seconds. Boeing believes this self-cleaning technology, combined with touchless features, will enhance the passenger experience on commercial flights.  The lavatory uses...

Airbus Helicopters is taking care of its customers on every flight with HCare

One year following the launch of HCare, Airbus Helicopters continues to improve its HCare Customer Service offer, providing customers with the highest levels of service and support. Customer Service is an essential part of Airbus Helicopters’ offer and represents nearly half of the company’s yearly turnover. In the year since its creation, HCare has grown in each of the 5 domains that...

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Top of the week

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...

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...

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...

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...

New wings for humanitarian missions: Props for a Purpose welcomes its first dedicated Tecnam P2012 Traveller

Props for a Purpose, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to humanitarian aviation, has acquired its first dedicated aircraft, a Tecnam P2012 Traveller.The aircraft has been secured through a...

RECARO Aircraft Seating Polska celebrates opening of expanded production and office facility

RECARO Aircraft Seating Polska has reached a significant milestone with the opening of its expanded production and office facility in Świebodzin, Poland. The double-digit million-euro investment more...

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...

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...

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...

magniX powers eFlyer 2 milestone as Bye Aerospace achieves first flight

Bye Aerospace’s eFlyer 2 has completed its first flight powered by magniX’s Samson300 battery system, marking a significant step forward for electric flight training technology. Departing...

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...

Vertical Aerospace unveils Valo Assembly Centre to support next phase of aircraft development

Vertical Aerospace has unveiled a new Aircraft Assembly Centre at Cotswold Airport, reinforcing its transition from aircraft development and testing to certification and early-stage production of its...

RAF 2026 - RTU opens new pathways for European aerospace collaboration

Speaking during the Riga Aviation Forum 2026, Pauls Irbins, Head of the Aerospace Direction at the RTU Innovation Office, presented a compelling vision of how Riga Technical University (RTU) can becom...

Heart Aerospace unveils ES-36, announces JSX purchase agreement for up to 100 aircraft

Heart Aerospace has unveiled the ES-36, its new 36-seat hybrid-electric regional airliner and planned production aircraft. Concurrently, award-winning air carrier JSX announced a deposit-backed agreem...