50 SKY SHADES - World aviation news

United Kingdom aviation news

Air Charter Expo achieves third consecutive year of record‑breaking attendance

Global trade body The Air Charter Association (The ACA) celebrated another record‑setting edition of Air Charter Expo (ACE’26) on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, delivered in partnership with Business Air News and London Biggin Hill Airport. ACE has firmly established itself as the premier one‑day event in the air charter industry calendar, and this year’s edition once again surpassed...

30 years, 800 guests and £20,000 raised – Luxaviation UK celebrates at the Aviation Polo Cup 2026

Aviation took the spotlight at Hurtwood Park Polo Club on Saturday, 5 September, where more than 800 guests gathered with Luxaviation UK and Castle Air for the 2026 edition of the Aviation Polo Cup. Marking its 30th anniversary in style, Luxaviation UK secured a celebratory tournament victory against Castle Air — a fitting highlight for a milestone year. The event united the aviation comm...

Britten‑Norman flies first Islander built in UK

Britten‑Norman’s first Islander to be fully assembled in the United Kingdom from detail‑component level has successfully completed its maiden flight from Bembridge Airport, Isle of Wight, at 14:25 on Thursday, 3 September, officially entering its flight‑test campaign.For operators assessing the Islander programme, this first flight is significant because it demonstrates the maturity and resi...

First fully UK-built Islander since repatriation of production begins ground testing ahead of first flight

Britten‑Norman has reached a major production milestone as the first Islander to be fully manufactured in the UK since the company repatriated its assembly line to Bembridge has now commenced its ground‑test campaign. The aircraft is on track for a first flight in September, marking a significant step in the company’s renewed commitment to British manufacturing; Following completion of the f...

easyJet more than doubles over 50s cabin crew and is now launching a new recruitment drive encouraging more to join

easyJet revealed that since first launching its initiative to recruit older workers in 2022, the number of cabin crew over the age of 50 has now more than doubled (up 127%) at the airline, with over 60s almost quadrupling in numbers. Now, with a brand-new recruitment drive for hundreds of new crew roles for 2027 set to open next month, the airline wants to encourage even more to join. Since f...

Emirates expands global Travel Rehearsal programme across all UK airports

Emirates has successfully hosted its Travel Rehearsal programme across every UK airport it serves. This marks a key milestone in strengthening how Emirates supports people with accessibility requirements across its global network, helping them feel more confident when flying.Emirates’ global “Travel Rehearsal” programme offers guided simulations of the full air travel journe...

Luxaviation UK renews WYVERN WINGMAN status in continued pursuit of safety excellence

Luxaviation UK renewed its WYVERN WINGMAN Certified Operator status, underscoring its ongoing commitment to the highest standards of operational safety and discipline. This certification is upheld through continued participation in the WYVERN Flight Leader Program, along with structured quarterly coaching sessions that support continuous improvement and reinforce best practices throughout flight o...

Air Charter Scotland secures year-round PSO route on Aberdeen and Wick

Air Charter Scotland is delighted to welcome the Scottish Government's continued investment in Public Service Obligation (PSO) air services from Wick John O'Groats Airport, securing a full year of essential regional connectivity with Aberdeen, while introducing a new service between Wick and Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city - and Air Charter Scotland’s home. Tickets go on...

Joby and Virgin Atlantic finalize deal to bring electric air taxi service to the UK

Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic signed a definitive agreement at the Farnborough International Airshow, formalizing the partnership the companies first announced in 2025 to bring Joby's air taxi service to the UK. The agreement converts the partnership announced back in 2025 into a binding, multi-year commercial framework, establishing Virgin Atlantic as Joby's exclusive a...

Loganair adds BETA Technologies ALIA CTOL aircraft to its fleet following successful demonstrations

Farnborough International Airshow was the place for an announcement by Loganair and BETA Technologies: the signing of a term sheet under which Loganair will purchase five all-electric ALIA conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) (CX300) aircraft, with options for five more. UK, and Scotland in particular, is a natural first market for commercial electric flight. Across the country, islan...

UK National Police Air Service orders two additional Airbus H135s

UK National Police Air Service (NPAS) has placed an order for an additional two H135 helicopters, bringing the total fleet renewal programme to nine H135s. The firm order, which follows the arrival of the first two fleet renewal aircraft at Airbus Helicopters in the UK in April for extensive policing customisation, comes under the original 2025 Framework Contract signed with the BlueLight Com...

Vertical Aerospace to fly first eVTOL public demonstration flights at Farnborough International Airshow

Vertical Aerospace plans to conduct the first public eVTOL demonstration flights to take place at the Farnborough International Airshow, marking another significant milestone as the company advances towards certification and commercial service. The demonstrations come at an important point in Vertical's evolution. Over the past year, the company has launched its commercial aircraft,...