The World of Aviation

The Eurocopter X3 hybrid helicopter attained a speed milestone of 255kt in level flight on June 7, surpassing the unofficial speed record for a helicopter. The aircraft achieved the speed at an altitude of around 10,000ft during a 40-minute test flight over southern France. It marks the latest in a growing list of achievements for

The second production Airbus Military A400M has made its first flight. MSN8, due for delivery to the French air force in the third quarter of this year, took off from Seville, Spain on June 7. Meanwhile the first production A400M, MSN7, is due to be handed over to the French air force in “coming weeks”,

An F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft has completed the first in-flight missile launch of an AIM-120 C5 AAVI (AMRAAM Air Vehicle Instrumented). The aircraft – AF-1 – launched the missile from its internal weapons bay. This is the first launch where the F-35 and AIM-120 demonstrated a successful launch-to-eject communications sequence and fired

Qatar Airways has contracted CTC Aviation to select and train the airline’s future pilots through a new Multi-crew Pilot Licence (MPL) training program open to international applicants. Qatar Wings will provide an opportunity for six trainees to begin their initial flight training with CTC every two months for the foreseeable future. Courses will originate at

Jetstar Hong Kong has received backing from one of Asia’s wealthiest property and gambling tycoons, giving the airline greater certainty of approval by authorities to mount Hong Kong’s first locally-based low-cost carrier. Stanley Ho, via his Shun Tak investment company, has taken a 33 per cent stake in Jetstar Hong Kong alongside Qantas and China

“I have no appetite to launch a grounded aircraft,” said Airbus CEO Fabrice Brégier as a strong reference to Airbus needing to get it right for the imminent start of the A350’s flight test program. Speaking to the world’s aviation media at the Airbus delivery centre in Toulouse, Brégier gave a clear indication that Boeing’s