The World of Aviation

Boeing has delivered the first 747-8I, with the milestone aircraft now to be outfitted in a VIP configuration before entering service with its undisclosed owner, reported to be the Government of Qatar. The VIP 747-8I, registered A7-HHE, was handed over on February 28 with minimal interior fitout and will now spend six months having a

Concerns over the procurement process have led the US Air Force to cancel a US$355 million contract to supply light attack aircraft to the nascent Afghan Air Force. The Light Air Support (LAS) contract was awarded in December to Embraer and California’s Sierra Nevada Corp for 20 Embraer AT-29 Super Tucanos. Rival Hawker Beechcraft filed

Virgin Australia will raise fares by between $1.50 and $6 in response to the carbon tax, a slightly lower surcharge than the one earlier announced by Qantas. The fare hike will go into effect alongside the federal government’s carbon pricing scheme on July 1. The surcharge will add $1.50 to one-way flights of up to

A refusal by Alenia Aermacchi to support existing C-27J transports sold by the US to other countries will likely complicate Australia’s long search to replace its retired Caribou airlifters. In what were seen as surprising comments, Alenia CEO Giuseppi Giordo has been quoted saying the company will not support the 21 C-27Js it has delivered

StandardAero has signed a service agreement with Air New Zealand to perform engine maintenance and overhaul work for regional subsidiaries Eagle Airways, Air Nelson and Mount Cook. The deal expands on an arrangement that sees StandardAero already perform engine maintenance for Eagle Airways.

Estonian Air will purchase four Embraer E-Jets as it transitions to an all Embraer fleet of narrow-body and regional aircraft. The carrier is set to buy three 88-seat E-175s and one 112-seat E190 and will lease an additional four E-170s and four E-190s, Embaer said. It will use the jets to replace its current fleet