RAAF’s first PC-21 pilots begin conversion training
The first Australian pilots to undertake conversion training on the Pilatus PC-21 pilot training aircraft recently arrived in Switzerland, the RAAF has announced. These pilots will form the transition team responsible for the development of the new training curriculum and simulators that are being acquired under the AIR 5428 Pilot Training System project, the contract
Gold Coast ILS project approved
Gold Coast Airport has received the green light to install an Instrument Landing System (ILS) as part of efforts to reduce the number of missed approaches, diversions and delays due to weather. The ILS, which assists pilots on equipped aircraft with a precise radio navigation aid, will be installed for flights landing from the north
Port Vila runway surface causes Air NZ to suspend flights and Qantas to end codeshares while Virgin maintains services
Air New Zealand has suspended flights between Auckland and Vanuatu due to concerns over the condition of the runway at Bauerfield International Airport, while Qantas has removed its QF airline code from Air Vanuatu-operated services between Australia and Port Vila. Meanwhile, Virgin Australia continues to fly between Brisbane and Port Vila, as does the national
Southern Belle heads south
The DC-10 Very Large Air Tanker (VLAT) firebomber Southern Belle has relocated from New South Wales to Avalon in Victoria. The DC-10, temporarily named Southern Belle for its deployment to Australia, had been based at RAAF Base Richmond, alongside an L-100-30 Hercules Large Air Tanker, after arriving in Australia in late September. “Now the risk is decreasing
Neo chapter for A320 with first delivery to Lufthansa
Lufthansa has taken delivery of the first customer Airbus A320neo during a low-key ceremony in Hamburg on January 20, with plans to place the aircraft into service just days later on January 24. That first revenue flight, planned for Frankfurt to Hamburg next Sunday, will also see the commercial debut of Pratt & Whitney’s PW1100G geared turbofan,
September launch for Singapore-Canberra-Wellington flights
Singapore Airlines will become the first airline to operate long-haul international services from Canberra when it begins four times weekly Singapore-Canberra-Wellington services from September 20. The new ‘Capital Express’ services, which will also see the first direct flights between Canberra and Wellington, will depart Singapore on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, returning to Singapore the following
