Ballina Byron aiming for RNP
Ballina Byron airport has commissioned Airservices to introduce RNAV (RNP)-AR terminal instrument flight procedures – or Smart Tracking. Airservices is developing new arrival flightpaths for both Runway 06 and Runway 24 at the regional airport, which has experienced rapid high-capacity traffic growth with the introduction of services by Jetstar and Virgin Australia. The new flightpaths
Asia Pacific airlines sustain high passenger growth
Traffic figures for September released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) show continued robust growth in demand, but persistently soft air cargo market conditions. During the month, the region’s airlines recorded a solid 8.2 per cent growth in the number of international passengers carried to a total of 18.0 million compared to the
F-35’s first live fire air-to-air missile launch
F-35A test aircraft AF-6 has launched a AIM-120 missile against an aerial target drone, the first live-five launch of an air-to-air missile for the Joint Strike Fighter program. AF-6 was piloted by Capt Logan Lamping and took off from Edwards Air Force Base, with the live fire taking place in an over-water test range.
MQ-8C Fire Scout flies
The latest variant of Northrop Grumman’s Fire Scout unmanned helicopter, the MQ-8C, has made its first flight, with a short seven minute hop from Point Mugu in California. The MQ-8C takes the mission systems and sensors developed for the MQ-8B Fire Scout and fits it to a larger airframe based on Bell’s 407 helicopter, which
Hold the phone – electronic devices cleared for takeoff, but not yet in Australia
The US Federal Aviation Administration has approved passenger use of portable electronic devices – PEDS – in all phases of flight following the findings of the PED Aviation Rulemaking Committee which determined that most commercial airliners can tolerate radio interference signals from PEDs. The decision means passengers will be able to use devices such as smartphones,
NSW Health tenders aeromedical services
The long-awaited tender by NSW Health for aeromedical services is poised to be released, the first step in an anticipated shake-up of how rotary-wing services are structured and delivered. The Helicopter Retrieval Network, which is aimed at increasing standardisation, will feature Northern NSW and Southern NSW ‘super regions’. In information released this month to the
