RAAF to go Growler
The federal government will go ahead with the conversion of 12 of Australia’s 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets into EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft at an estimated cost of $1.5 billion. The decision, announced today, will see Australia become the only country besides the United States to operate Growlers, a specialised variant of the Super Hornet.
Qantas posts $244m loss; cancels 787 orders
Qantas will cancel firm orders for 35 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners after posting a worse than expected $244 million statutory loss last financial year. The loss, a nearly half-billion dollar swing from the previous year’s $250 million profit, was blamed on high fuel prices, the cost of Qantas’ industrial dispute and intense competition. Qantas posted pre-tax
Qantas suspends two pilots after cockpit stoush
Qantas has stood down two pilots after the pair reportedly got into a heated argument in the cockpit of a Boeing 747 on the tarmac in Dallas. According to reports, the captain and second officer came to loggerheads over takeoff calculations as the jet waited out a thunderstorm ahead of a flight to Sydney via
Qantas 767s to get new interiors, iPads
Qantas will refurbish 16 of its 23 Boeing 767 aircraft with new interiors and IPad-based entertainment systems while phasing out the remaining seven. The surviving jets, used mostly on east coast domestic routes, will get new-look cabins featuring a ‘contemporary design,’ leather seat covers in business class and new carpets, lighting, curtains and dividers. The
First LHD hull on its way to Australia
The hull of Australia’s first Landing Helicopter Dock, the HMAS Canberra, has departed Spain on its way to Melbourne. Carried by heavy lift vessel the Blue Marlin, the hull is expected to take 40 to 50 days to reach Australia, where assembly of the vessel’s superstructure will take place at BAE Systems’s Williamstown shipyard. “In
Etihad buying up Virgin stock
Etihad Airways has purchased more than $10 million worth of Virgin Australia shares in the past three weeks as it increases its stake in its alliance partner. The Abu Dhabi based carrier earlier won approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board to increase its stake in Virgin Australia form five to 10 per cent. The
