Lockheed Martin says it has delivered the 66th F-35 Lightning II aircraft for 2017, thereby meeting its delivery target for this year. To date, more than 265 of the fighters have been delivered to US and international customers, the company stated, and the F-35 fleet had surpassed 115,000 cumulative flight hours. Deliveries in 2017 increased
The Bell V-280 Valor made its first flight from Bell’s Amarillo Texas facility on December 18. The tiltrotor aircraft has a fuselage similar to that of a Black Hawk, but features short stubby wings and rotating engine nacelles which allows it to transition from vertical to horizontal flight. Built for the US Army’s Joint Multi
The world’s largest aircraft came one step closer to reality on December 17 after successfully conducting its first taxi tests. The Stratolaunch, an initiative of Microsoft co-founder Paul G Allen and Scaled Composites, is a platformed designed to carry rockets into the upper atmosphere where they can be air-launched to place payloads into low-earth orbit.
Sydney has welcomed Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) first commercial Airbus A380 service featuring the carrier’s latest cabin products. Flight SQ221, operated by A380 9V-SKU, touched down in Sydney a little before 0745 on Tuesday, following its near eight-hour journey from Singapore. The airline conducted a tour of the aircraft for invited guests including Singapore High Commissioner
Xiamen Airlines has commenced a second nonstop service between Melbourne and mainland China with the start of flights from Hangzhou. Flight MF813, operated by Boeing 787-8 B-2763, landed at Melbourne Airport a little after 0940 on Sunday, following its 10 and a half hour journey from Hangzhou. The aircraft was on the ground for about
Australia’s first female fighter pilots have completed their operational conversion course on the F/A-18 Hornet, Defence Minister Senator Marise Payne announced on Sunday. “I congratulate the six graduates of our most recent Royal Australian Air Force fast jet pilot course – including the first two female pilots to graduate from this course,” Senator Payne said in a
