The World of Aviation

Fijian national carrier Air Pacific has selected Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines to power its three new Airbus A330-200s. The deal, announced today at the Singapore Airshow,  is valued at US$210 million at current list prices and includes support services. Air Pacific, which is 46 per cent owned by Qantas, expects to begin receiving the new

AgustaWestland says it is pushing ahead with development of its long delayed AW609 tiltrotor after taking full control of the project late last year. The program, which dates back to 1996, had previously been developed as the BA609 in a joint venture with Bell Helicopters. Similar to the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey but roughly half its

Eurocopter has unveiled an upgraded version of its single engine EC130 helicopter. The EC130 T2 has won 105 orders from seven launch customers, Eurocopter said, adding that deliveries were expected to begin this year. The upgraded version will maintain the EC130’s existing external lines while modifying roughly 70 per cent of the airframe. New features

Boeing says its 737 MAX airliner remains on course to enter service in 2017 as the program enters the final phase of wind tunnel testing. “Wind tunnel testing is on the critical design path of the program,” said Michael Teal, the chief project engineer and deputy program manager of the 737 MAX program. “Based on

The RAAF is participating for the first time in a Guam based military exercise with forces from Japan and the US. Cope North, which began on February 11 and runs through to the 24th, focuses on improving coordination between the three air forces in a number of different scenarios. “Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercises,

AirAsia X was forced to make a number of changes to flightcrew procedures and training programs after a pair of operational non-compliances during approaches to Gold Coast Airport in May 2010, the ATSB said in a report released on Friday. According to the report, an AirAsia X A330-343E was making a non-precision instrument approach to