Virgin and BP launch plan to turn petrol to points
A trip to the petrol pump could soon bring you closer to that business class points upgrade after Virgin Australia added BP as a partner with its Velocity frequent flyer program. The tie-up will allow Velocity members, which number 4.5 million currently, to earn points when filling up at the 1,400 or so BP service
Qantas takes delivery of its “retro roo” 737
Qantas has taken formal delivery of its retro painted 737, featuring the airline’s iconic ochre livery of the 1970s and early 1980s, in a ceremony in Seattle on Sunday. “It is a livery that will be familiar to Australians because the ’70s and ’80s saw Qantas become a truly global airline, working hand in hand with
Wellcamp welcomes first flight
Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport just outside Toowoomba has welcomed its first regular public transport flight. Sunny skies welcomed QantasLink flight QF2016, which touched down at 0845 local time on Monday after a 106-minute trip from Sydney, according to the Qantas website. QantasLink will offer 11 flights a week between Sydney and Wellcamp, Australia’s first privately-funded
RAAF acquires deployable airspace management systems
The federal government has purchased deployable air traffic management and control systems for the Royal Australian Air Force. Indra Australia has been awarded a contract valued at more than $50 million to supply two rapidly deployable systems and one larger system, Minister for Defence Senator David Johnston said on Monday. “This acquisition will assist the
CASA proposes operational limitations on Jabiru-powered aircraft
Australia’s aviation safety regulator has proposed restricting the use of aircraft powered with Jabiru engines in response to an increasing number of engine failures. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) says there have been 40 incidents where Jabiru engines have failed in the past 12 months, with some involving cylinder heads cracking or valves sticking.
Australian tech to fly on Boeing’s 787 ecoDemonstrator
Two Australian-developed innovations will be among 25 new technologies to be tested as part of Boeing’s latest ecoDemonstrator flight test program. Boeing 787-8 test aircraft ZA004 will begin its month-long ecoDemonstrator flight test campaign “any day now”, according to Julie Felgar, managing director of Boeing Commercial Airplanes environmental strategy. “The 787 is going to have 25 new technologies on it.
