The World of Aviation

The US Air Force has declared initial operating capability (IOC) for the Northrop Grumman Block 30 RQ-4 Global Hawk, following successful deployments over Japan and Libya earlier this year. “The basic requirement for Block 30 IOC is to support one continuous Block 30 24-hour orbit for 30 days,” said Gen William Fraser, Air Combat Command

Perth based Heliwest has secured a five year long term contract with utility firm Western Power to provide emergency response services, marking the first time a multi-engine helicopter has been contracted for power line work in Western Australia. Initially contracted to provide only scheduled power line inspection flight services to Western Power, the new role

Virgin Australia has relaunched its Canberra-Sydney flight schedule under the new ‘Capital Connect’ branding, as the airline plans to introduce its incoming ATR 72s to the route later this year. Virgin plans to operate up to 10 daily Canberra-Sydney return services by October (up from the current eight). In a first for Virgin Australia, all

Strategic Airlines is to relaunch itself in October as a low cost airline under the name Air Australia, The Australian reports, and launch services from Melbourne and Brisbane to Honolulu. According to the report, Strategic will also operate a domestic trunk route for the first time when it launches Brisbane-Melbourne flights in December, the same

Tiger Airways Australia resumed flying today, operating three return flights between Melbourne and Sydney. Flight TT558 was Tiger’s first since its July 1 grounding by CASA, departing Melbourne for Sydney around midday with a host of invited dignitaries and Tiger CEO Tony Davis onboard. “We have probably gone through the most vigorous safety analysis of

The Department of Defence has announced the launch of a New Air Combat Capability Industry Support Program (ISP), providing $8.2 million worth of government grants to Australian industry and research organisations involved in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. The ISP, which is headed by the DMO’s program manager New Air Combat Capability, AVM Kym